IN the first beginnyng of thin­ges the rule and gouernement of countreyes, and nacions was in the handes of kynges. Who were ad­uaunced Princ [...]s first elected for vertues sake to this hyghe estate and preheminence, not through ambi­cion and fauour of the comminal­tye, but for their vertuous and modeste behauioure suffycientlye tryed and approued amon­gest good men. There were no lawes to bynd men to their obedience: but the commaundementes of Princes were in steade of lawes, whose custome was rather to defend tha [...] enlarge y ^• borders, of their kyngdomes. And there was none that woulde vsurpe or take vpon him, further than in his owne countreye where he was borne. Ninus kyng of The begyn­nyng of the Monarchie of Assiria. Thassirians, did first alter and breake this olde and aunci [...]t custome of the Gentiles, through a straunge desyre of bea­ryng rule. For he first made warre vpon his neyghbours, and conquered the nacions whyche yesiknewe not howe to make resystence agaynste hym, euen vnto the borders of Affricke. There were before his tyme two auncient kyn­ges, Uexores kyng of Egypt, and Tanais kyng of Scithia of the which thone made a voyage into Pontus, and the o­ther into Egypt. But they made warre a farre of, and not nere home, not of purpose to enlarge theyr empyre, but to [Page 1] wine honour and renowne of Chiualry to their subiectes: and so beyng satisfyed with the victory they absteined from desyre of honour the first cause of warre. bearing rule. But Ninus continually dilated his Empire by seizing into his possession such countreyes as he wonne. By reason whereof hauing subdewed his neyghbours, and ioy­ning theyr power vnto his, and so goyng euer stronger and stronger to the next, eche former victory beyng an occasion and furtheraunce to the next followyng, he conquered all the Easter parte of the world. The last fyeld that he fought The inuenti­on of magic­ke and A [...]ro­nomy. was with zoroastres kyng of the Bactrians, who is repor­ted to haue first inuēted art Magicke, and diligētly to haue serched out the beginning of the world, and the mouinge of the starres. This zoroastres beyng slaine, Ninius him selfe also dyed: leauynge behinde him a sonne as then vnder age, called Ninus, by his wyfe Semiramis. She durst neyther An example of a pollityke w [...]an. put the gouernement of the Empyre to the child beyng vn­der yeares of discrescion, nor yet her selfe take it vppon her openly Wisely foreseing and thinkinge with her selfe, that so manye and so mightye nacions whych scarcelye by their good willes would obey a man, would muche lesse abyde to be subiect to a woman. Therefore, where as she was Ni­nus wyfe, she fayned her selfe to be his sonne: and whereas she was a woman, she fayned her selfe to be a boye. And she myght well do it. For they were both of a meane stature, both of them spake small, and in the [...]amentes and proporcion of bodye was lytle difference betwyxte them.

Wherefore she put on mannes apparayle and close hosen, and on her head she ware a kynde of coy [...]e called Tyara. And for bycause folke shoulde not mistrust any thyng to be hidden vnder this newe found apparell, she commaunded the people to be apparelled after the same sorte, the whyche kynde of attyre all Thassirians haue euer vsed frō that day to thys. Thus at the fyrste by counterfaytyng the kynde, she was taken for a boye.

[Page]Afterward she atchieued manye noble enterprises: by the greatnesse whereof, when she thoughte she had ouercome Vertue ouercometh enuy enuye, she confessed who she was, and whō she counterfey­ted. Neyther dyd this her doyng diminishe the honour and estimation of her empyre, but rather broughte her in grea­ter admiration of all menne, that she beynge a woman, had surmounted in prowesse not only women, but also men.

She buylded Babilon and enclosed it with a wall of brycke The buyl­ding of Ba­bilon. enterlayed with sand and Bytamen, which is a kynd of sly­mye mortar, yssuyng out of the ground, in diuers places of that countrye. Many other noble enterprises this Queene atchieued. For beyng not content to maynteyne the state of thempyre and boundes of the same, as her husbande lefte it vnto her, she subdued Aethyop thereunto. And besides that, she made warre vpon Indie, whereunto there was neuer any that durst geue the aduenture, sauyng she onely and great Alexander. At the last, vnnaturallye desyryng to Semiramis slayne of her owne sonne. company with her owne sonne, she was by him slayne, whē she had reygned. xlii. yeares after the death of her husbande Ninus. Her sonne Ninus beyng contented with the coun­treyes, wonne by his parentes, layeng asyde all Chiualrye, and knighthoode, as though he had chaunged nature with his mother, was seldome seene of men, but spente hys tyme among a sorte of women. His posterity also followynge his example, gaue aunswere to the people & to ambassadours by messengers. The Empyre of Thassirians whyche after­ward were called Syrians, continued. 1300. yeres. The last kyng that reigned amonge theym, was Sardanapalus, a man more vicious than any woman. Unto whose presence Ar­bactus whom he had made lyeuetenaunt ouer the Medes, be­yng Sardanapa­lus. by long suyte had much intreataunce hardly at length admitted, (which thing was neuer graunted to any man be fore) found him amonge a sorte of concubines spinning purple on a rocke, in womans apparayle, passyng all the womē there in softenesse of body, and nycenesse of countenaunce, and weyeng out to eche of them theyr taske. At the whiche [Page 2] light Arbactus disdayning, that so manye men shuld be sub­iect [...] are the [...] cay of the gr [...]test kyng domes. to such a woman, and that so many valiaunte knyghtes and men of warre should be slaues to a woman, went forth and tolde his peres what he had sene: sayeng, he coulde not fynde in his hart to serue and obey such a one as had rather be a woman then a man. Whereupon the Lordes confe­dered them selues together and had him battell. Who hea­ring thereof, not like a man entendyng to defend his kyng­dome, but as women are wont to do for feare of death, first sought a corner to hyde his head, and soone after with a few and out of aray, he came into the felde, where beynge van­quished, he retired into his pallace, & there makyng a great Thempyre of the Medes beginneth. bonefire, cast him selfe and all his ryches thereinto, plainge the man in this only poynt. After this, Arbactus the worker of his confusion, which before was lieutenaunte ouer y ^e Medes, was instituted & made kyng. And he translated the empire frō the Assirians to the Medes. In processe of tyme [...] of his [...] ▪ after many kynges, by order of descent, the kyngdom came vnto Astyage. This man hauing done issue sauing one one­ly daughter, dreamed that he sawe spryng out of her priuye members, a vine whose braunches shadowed all Asia. The interpretours of dreames and wonders beyng asked theyr iudgement and aduice in the matter, made aunswere that hys daughter shoulde brynge hym fothe a nephewe whose greatnesse was by his vision declared before, and that by Her [...] was [...]. him be should he deposed from his kingdome. The kyng being not a litle abash [...]d with this interpretacion, maryed hys doughter neyther to a Noble man, nor to one of his owne countrey, least the nobilitie of the parētes should aduaunce & encourage his nephewe to take much vpon him but vnto a man of meane estate and liuing of the countrey of Persia, which in those [...]ayes was reputed as a base countreye, and The [...] of [...]. of no regard or estimation. Neuerthelesse beyng not by this acte quite dispatched of the feare of this dreame, he sent for his doughter beyng great with childe, that as soone as she were deliuered, he myght see the babe kylled▪ Assoone as [Page] the childe was borne, it was deliuered to be [...]layne, vnto Harpagus one of y ^e kinges priuye counsaile. Harpagus fea­ring that if after the decease of the kyng, because he had no yssue male to succede him, the kingdome should descend vn­to his doughter, she would reuenge the death of her chylde vpon him being a subiecte, which she could not do vpon her father▪ deliuered the childe to the kinges herman commaū ding him to cast it away. By chaunce the verye same tyme the herdman him selfe had a sonne newlye borne. Whose That God will haue sa­ued can not [...] lost. wife hearing of the casting away of the kynges childe, ear­nestly besought her husbande to fetche the childe vnto her that she myght see hym.

The shepeherd ouercome with the earnest intreataunce of his owne wife, returned into the wood, where he founde a bytche geuing the childe sucke, and defending it frō foules and wilde beastes. Then beyng moued with pitie to see the bytche so naturall and pitifull, he tooke vp the childe & bare it home to his cottage, the bitche folowing him egerlye all the waye. Assoone as the woman tooke the babe in her ar­mes, he smiled and played with her, as though he had kno­wen her, and there appeared in him such a chearfulnesse, & as it were a certayne smiling and flattering countenaunce that she desyred the shepeherd herhusbande, to cast awaye [...] [...]ayth it was borne dead. his owne childe and suffer her to bryng vp that in the sted of it: such was the good fortune of the childe or els the hope that she of hym conceyued. And so the destinye of the two children beyng chaūged, the kinges nephewe was brought vp for the shepeherdes sonne, and the shepeherdes sonne was cast away for the kynges nephewe, the nources name was afterward called Sparcon, bicause the Persiās do cal a Cyrus is cho sen kyng a­ [...]ong childrē. bytche so in theyr language. The childe beyng broughte vp amonge the shepeherdes, was named Cyrus. And in the meane tyme beyng chosen kynge amonge children as they were a playeng, when in sporte he whypped suche as wer stubbourne agaynst him, the parentes of the children made thereof a great complaynt to the kyng, sayeng it stoode not [Page 3] with their honour that their children should be beaten like slaues of the kynges bondman. The kyng sendynge for [...]he The [...] of [...]. chylde, demaunded of hym whye he dyd so. He aunswered (without any chaungyng of countenaunce at all for the mat ter) that he had done as it became a kynge to do. The kyng maruayling at his audacitye, came in remembraunce of his dreame, and the interpretacion thereof, and so when bothe the countenaunce of the chylde, and also his lykenesse vnto him selfe, the time of his castyng away, and the examinaciō of the shepeherd agreed in one, he acknowledged him to be his nephewe. And for bycause he thoughte him selfe dispat­ched of his dreame, in as much as the childe had played the kyng among the shepeherdes, the cruell hart that he bare [...] ­ous cruelty [...]. toward the child, was clerely thereby relented. But to his frende Harpagus he became so deadly an enemy, for sauing of his nephewe, that to reuenge his displeasure vpon hym, he kylled his sonne, and set him before his father to eate. Displeasure wisely [...] bled.

Harpagus dissēbling his inward griefe, for the time, differ­red the hatred iustly agaynst the kyng conceyued, vntill he might espye occasion of reuengement. At the length when Cyrus came to mans estate, beyng moued thereunto with The letter of Harpagus vnto Cyrus. sorowe for the losse of his sonne, he wrate vnto hym howe his graundfather had as it were banished him into Persia, how his graundfather had commaunded hym to be slayne, howe by his benefite he had bene preserued, howe for the same he had gotten the kynges displeasure, and how he had lost his owne sonne, exhorting him to rayse an army and to take the kyngdome forthwyth vpon hym, promisynge that the Medes should at the day of battell turne to hys syde.

And forasmuche as the letter coulde not be caryed openlye [...]unning [...] ueyaunce of [...] letter. for the kynges officers which kept all the passages and sear ched suche as came by, it was put into a Hares bellye, the [...]owels first taken oute, and the Hare was [...] to a trusty seruaunt to carye to Cirus into Persia. Moreouer h [...] tooke nettes with him, to [...] that vnder pretence of hunting his purpose might be hidden.

[Page]When Cyrus had redde the letter, he was commaunded in a dreame to take the same way as he was counsayled in the epistle. Neuerthelesse, he was furthermore warned, that whom soeuer he met first the next day, him he should make his companion in all his enterprises. Wherfore as he went into the countreye, before the dawning of the daye he met with a seruaunte called Sibaris, that had escaped out of pri son, from a certayne man of Media, & enquiring what coun treyman he was, vnderstanding that he was borne in Per­sia The pollicye of Cyrus to cause the Persians to rebell. he pulled of his fetters, toke him to be his companion, & retourned to the city Persepolis. There he called the peo­ple together, cōmaunding thē euery man to take his Are, & go cut downe the wood that grewe by the hygh way side. The which thing being lustely done, the [...]ext day he made a feast and bade them all to it. When he sawe them mery in the middest of theyr good cheare, he demaunded of them (if they were put to the choyce) whether they had rather chose to lyue in labour and toyle as they had done the daye before, or in myrthe and pleasure as they dyd that presente daye. The cryed all with one voyce, in myrth and pleasure as we do to day. Then (quod he) as long as ye be in subiectiō to the Medes, so long shall ye leade all your lyues in labour and toyle lyke vnto yesterday, but if you will folowe me, ye shall liue in pleasure euen as you haue done this day. And Cyrus rebel­leth. so with mery cheare and glad hartes of theym all, he made warre agaynst the Medes. Astyages for getting the great displeasure done to Harpagus, made him his lieutenaunt ge The crueltye reuenged. neral and committed to his charge the whole stay of his bat tell, who immediately vpon the receypt therof, yelded and betrayed the same vnto Cirus, and so throughe treason and disloyaltye, requited the kynges crueltie. When worde Necessitye geueth hart. thereof came vnto Astyages, he raised another power with al spede possible, and went him selfe into Persia, wher [...] ­ly renewing the battel, as his men were fightinge he set a company at their backes. commaunding them to beat them▪ perforce vpon theyr enemyes that made any countenaunce [Page 4] to flye away, causyng it to be plainely told them that if they wanne not the victorye, they should finde as good men be­hinde their backes as before theyr faces. And therefore ad uise them selues well, whether it were better for th [...]ym to breake through thone flyeng cowardly, or through thother by fighting manfullye. His souldiers perceyuing there was none other remedie, tooke courage to them and stoode to it stoutly. By meanes whereof, when the host of the Persiās Force and wysdom [...] to [...] ­tune. being euercharged began somewhat to geue backe and by litle and litle to lose ground, their mothers and wiues came running ou [...] against them, desyring them to retourne into the battell, and perceyuing that they made no haste (as men that wer at their wittes endes) they lifted vp theyr clothes and shewing the priuie partes of their bodies, asked them if they woulde runne into their mothers and wyues bellyes for succour. The Persiās being stayed with this reproch, re tourned into battell, and makinge a prease vpon their ene­mies, cōpelled them to flye, from whom but euen now they fled themselues. In this battell Astyage was taken pryso­ner. From whom Cyrus toke nothyng saue the kingdome, The [...] of Cyrus. behauing hym selfe in this conflycte rather lyke a nephewe than lyke a conqueroure, and he made hym ruler ouer the Hircanians. For he would not retourne vnto the Medes. This was then of the Empire of the Medes, whyche endu­red. [...] the [...]. CCC. L. yeares. In the beginning of his raigne Cirus made [...] (whom accordyng to his vision in the nyght he had deliuered out of prison, and takeu as companion in all his enterprises and affayres) lieutenaunt ouer the Perfi ans, & gaue him his sister in mariage. But the cities whych wer tributare before to the Medes, forasmuch as thempire was chaunged, supposing their estate to be chaunged also, fell from Cirus, which thing was vnto him a cause and be­ginning [...] of much warre & many battelles. At the length, ha uing brought many of theym to their accustomed obediece, when he made warre agaynst the Babilonians, Cr [...]asus king of Lidia, whose welth & riches wer at those dayes very [Page] notable came to succour the Babilonians. Wher being bā ­quished, and nowe carefull what shoulde beecome of hym [...]. selfe, he retyred into his owne kyngome. Cyrus also, ha­uyng set althinges at a stay in Babilon, passed from thence with his hoste into Lyd [...]a, where he ouercame the power of Craesus with no ado to speake of, being alredy dismayed with Cresus is ta ken prisoner. the discomfiture taken before at Babilon. Craesus hym selfe was taken prisoner, but the lesser daunger the battell was The magni­tycence of Cyrus. of, the gentlyer was the victorye vsed. For besydes that he pardoned Cresus of hys life, he gaue him also the most part of his inheritaunce, & the citie of Barce. In the whyche al­though he liued not a kyng in dede, yet might he liue a like a king as might be deuised. This mercy and clemency was profitable as well to the conquerour as to the conquered.

For after it was once knowen that warre was made a­gaynst Cresus, throughout al Greece souldiours were mu­stered and sent for the to his ayde, as it had bene to quenche some commen fyre. So well was Cresus beloued wyth all the cities, that the Grekes would haue made sharpe warre vpon Cyrus, if he had delt with Cresus any thyng cruellye Afterward in processe of time, while Cyrus was occupyed The Lydi [...] rebell and are [...]bdued. in other warres, the Lydians rebelled. From whem beynge vanquished agayne, he tooke quite their horses, armor, and weapon commaundyng them to vse victaling, minstralsye, gamyng, and all kynde of ribawdrye and wantonnesse. And so by this meanes the people which sometime wer of great prowesse, and redoubted for theyr chyualrye, throughe e [...]e­minate cowardnesse and ryot, lost all theyr puyssaunce and strength, and they whyche before Cyrus time cculde by no The reward of rebellion. warres be vanquyshed, nowe fallynge to all kynd of ryot & excesse, are ouercome with slouth & ydlenesse. There were before Cresus manye kynges in Lydia, for diuers chaunces worthye to be spoken of, but none had lyke fortune as had The foolyshe loue and demeanour of [...]. Candaules, who hauyng a wife whō for her excellent beau tie he loued out of all measure, & not contēt with the secrete knowledge of hys pleasures, praysed her to euery body and bewraied the priui ies of wedlock, as though that silēce had [Page 5] bene an hinderance to her beautie: at the last, to make good his wordes, he shewed her naked to his companion Gyges, By the which dede, on the one side he so entyced and allu­red his frende to committe aduoutrie with his wife, that he made him his enemie: and on thother side he withdrew his wiues loue from him selfe & (as ye would saye) surrendred it [...] [...] ­eth Candau­les, and ma­keth hius sel [...] ­kyng. to another man. For ere it was long after, Gyges slewe Can­daules, & maried his mistres for his labour. The wife beyng endowed with the bloud of her husbande, yelded bothe her selfe and the kingdome into his handes that committed ao­uoutry with her. When Cyrus had conquered Asye, and pacified the whole East, he made warre agaynst the Scithi­ons. The same time reigned ouer the Scithians Queene Tho­myris who not abashed like a woman at the commynge of A manly women. her enemy, whereas she might haue stopped their passage ouer the riuer Araxes, suffred thē to come ouer: thinkings that she should fight more to her owne aduauntage within her owne countrey, & that her enemies should the hardlyer escape if they were put to the worse, bicause of the riuer be twene them and home. Cyrus therfore hauing ferried ouer his carmy, when he had gone a litle way into Scithia, pitched his campe, & the next day counterfetting a feare, as though he would haue retyred back againe, forsooke his campe, the which he left sufficiently furnished with plenty of wine, & all kinde of delicate viandes meete for feastynge, whyche His name was Spar­gapises. thyng being declared to the Queen, she sent her yong sonne with the thyrd parte of her hoste to folowe after Cyrus.

When they were come to Cyrus campe, the yong man be­ing ignoraunt in feates of warre, as though he had come to Ignoraunc [...] pernicious in a Captayns. banquet and not to battell, leauyng the pursuyte of his ene­mies, suffered his barbarous countreymen to ouercharge them selues with wine, by meanes whereof they were so drunken that they could not fyght. Cyrus hauinge knowe­ledge thereof by his espyalles, retourned secretelye in the nyght, and fallyng vpon them vnwares, slewe all the Sci­thians, and the Queenes sonne among them.

[Page]Thomiris hauing lost so great an army, & (that which shuld haue greued the worse her onely sonne, fell not a wepynge The inuinci­ble courage of Thomiris. for sorrowe, but deuised with her selfe howe she myghte he reuenged, and wyth like pollicie and deceypte begyled her enemies now beyng in their chiefe ruffe for theyr now got thenvictory Wherupon, feyning a mistruse for the slaugh­ter in the laste ouerthrowe, she gaue backe so longe, till she had brought Cyrus into a strait, and there enuironing hym The gr [...]at [...]aughter of the Persians with a bushement of souldiers layd before in the mountay­nes for the same purpose, she slewe. 200000 Persians and y ^• kyng him selfe. In the which conflycte, this thing is worthy to be noted, that there was not so muche as one man left to beare home tidinges of so great a slaughter. The Queene The death of Cyrus. commaūded the head of Cyrus to be cut of, and throwen in to a boll of mannes bloud, castyng him in the teeth in thys wyse with hys crueltye. Nowe fyll thy selfe with bloud, which thou hast euer thyrsted. Cyrus reigned thirty yeres, being maruaylous notable, not only in the beginning of his reygne, but also during all the continuaunce of the same. Cambyses succedeth.

After him succeded Cambisis, which to his fathers empire, by conquest annexed. Egipte. But being offended with the suspersticion of the Egiptians, he commaunded the Tem­ples of Apis and other their Goddes to be beaten downe.

Furthermore also, he sent an army to destroy the renow­med Temple of Ammon, which being ouerwhelmed with tempestes and heapes of sand, was vtterly destroyed. [...]own wyll haue no pere.

These thynges beynge done, he dreamed that hys brother Smerdis shuld reygne after him, the whiche dreame made him so afrayed, that he sticked not after sacrilege to commit most vnnaturall murder in killing his owne brother. For it was a hard & an vnlikely matter, that he should take any pitie vpon his owne, which in spight of religion did violētly set vpon the Goddes. As an instrument to bring this cruell act to passe, he chose a frend of his one of the Magiās called [...] ca not continew [...]ong. Comaris. In the meane while he him selfe beyng sore woū ded in the thygh, with his sworde fallyng out of the sheathe by it selfe, dyed, and so suffered worthye punyshemente, [Page 6] whether it were for the murther commaunded, or for the The great treason of [...]. sacrylege already committed. When tidynges here of came to the wyso man, or ener it was openlye knowen that the kynge was dead, he dispatched his purpose, and hauynge slayne Smerdis which by ryght shuld haue bene kynge, set vp his owne brother, Oropastes in his steade For he was very lyke the kynges brother in makyng and fauour. By reason whereof, uo man misdeemynge any suche treason to be wrought, in steade of Smerdis, Oropastes was made Oropast [...] ­reigneth in stead of [...]. king. The which thing was the easier to be brought to passe and to be kept from knowledge, bycause that amonge the Persians for the more honoure and reuerence of his person the kyng showeth not him felfe bare faced. The wyse men therfore, thereby to winne the fauour of the comminaltye, released vnto them three yeares tribute, & exempted them frō the warres during all the said terme, to thentente, they myght establyshe by briberye, and flatterye the kyngdome that they had gotten by treason and pollicye. The whyche thyng was fyrst suspected by one Orthanes a noble man, & The treason is mistruste [...] one that had a great foresight in coniecturyng Therfore he sent to his doughter whyche was one of the kynges concu­bynes, to knowe yf he that was kyng, were kynga Cyrus sonne or no? She sent hiw word that she her selfe could not tell, nor yet learne the truthe at onye of her followes han des, bycause euery one of them were kepte alone in a house by them selues. Then he sente her worde agayne, that she should fele about his head when he were a slepe. For Cam­byses had cut of both the wyse mans cares before. Her fa­ther The treason commeth to lyght. beyng certified that the kyng had no eares, bewrayed the matter to the noble men of the realm [...], and compelled them to bynde theym selues, with an oth [...], that they should Counsell [...] not be kept long in a multitude. confound the wrongful kyng. There were no mo but seuen priuye to this conspiracye, the whych incontinentlye (leaste yf they had time and space to bethynke theym, the matter myght be by some of the companye bewrayed) with euerye man his weapon vnder his gowne, went strayt to the pal­laice, [Page] where hauing slayne suche as withstoode theym, they came to the place where the wyse men were: who shewed Necessitie ge­ [...] courage. well that they wanted no courage to defend them selues.

For they drewe their weapons and slew two of the conspi­racye. Neuerthelesse the other being mo in noumber, ca [...] ­ght The zeale [...]obryas Gobryas to his countrey. hold of them. Of the whych Gobryas hauing one of the wyse mē fast in his armes (perceiuing y ^• his fellowes stayed their handes, for doubt of stryking him through in stead of the wise mā, bycause the matter was done in a darke place) Thend of v­s [...]pe authori ty [...]. bad thē thrust theyr swordes into the wise man, thoughe yt wer through his body. Yet notwithstāding his fortune was such that the wyse man was slayne, and be escaped vnhurt. The wysemen beyng thus slayne, the noble men atteyned great honour & renowne for recouering of the kyngdome: but much more honoure did they atteyne, in that whē they were in controuersie for the kyngdome, they could agree a­monge theym selues. For both in prowesse, and e [...]ate they A singu [...]ar ex ample of mo­desty in great esta [...]es. were so equall, that it shoulde haue bene a hard matter for the people to haue sayde whych of them was worthyest.

Therefore they inuent [...]d a way among them selues, wher by to commit the determinacion of theyr matter to God and good Fortune. They agreed amonge them selues that at the tyme appoynted, euery one of them shoulde come be­fore the palace on horsabacke, by the breake of the daye, and be whose horse neyed first before the rising of the sonne shuld be kyng. For the Persians beleue, that ther is no god but the sonne, and that horses are vnto hym hallowed.

There was among the conspiratours o [...] Darius thesone of Histaspis that fayne would haue had the kyngdome if he had wyst howe to come by it. To whom beyng sad and care full for the matter, his horsekeper sayd: sir if nothynge may The pollicie of a horse­ [...]. hinder you but that, be of good cheare, and take no thought at a [...] for the matter, the day shalbe yours. Thereupon, th [...] night before the day appoynted, he broughte hys maysters horse into the same place, and there put him to a Mare, thin kyng that for desire of the Mare the thinge woulde come to [Page 7] passe, as afterward it did in dede. The next morning eu [...]ry one of theym beyng come at the howre appoynted, Darius horse knowyng the place of courage to the mare, forthwith neyed alowde, and (the residewe beyng slowe) first of all the company, gaue his mayster a token of god lucke. The rest of the lordes were of suche modestye, that as soone as they heard the tooken of good lucke, by and by they lept of theyr horses, and saluted Darius by the name of king. Al the peo ple also, folowing the iudgement of the princes, appoynted Da [...] [...] made kyng b [...] the neying [...] a horse. and tooke him for their kyng. And so the kyngedome of the Persians recouered by the prowesse of seuen of the noblest men of al the realme, was in the turning of a hand brought into one mannes hande agayne. A manne woulde scarce be leue that suche great estates, should ende so weyghty mat­ter, with suche reuerence and loue one to another. Conside­ryng that they spared not their liues to wresse it out of the wyse mens handes. Although (to say the truth) besides man hoode, personage, fauour, and prowesse, meete and worthy so great a kyngdome. Darius was also neare of aliaunce vn to the auncient kynges of Persia. Therfore in the begin­ning of his reygne, he tooke in mariage wyth great solem­nitie Da [...]ius [...] ­keth to wyfe the daughte [...] of Cyrus na­med A [...]ossa. and royaltie the doughter of kyng Cirus, to thentent it might seme that the kyngdome was not so much b [...]tow ed vpon a straunger, as rather reduced and brought againe into the familie of Cirus. Within a while after, when the Assyrians had rebelled and taken the citie of Babilon, the kyng being in a great rage by cause he could not deuise how to recouer the towne agayn, one of them that helped to slea the wise men named zopyrus, caused his body to be piteous­lye torne al ouer with whipping at home at his owne house The [...] [...]opyrus to hys kyng and to hys coun­tr [...] and his nose, lippes, and eares to be cutte of, and in the same plyghte sodainelye came into the kynges preseuce whyche thought of nothyng lesse than suche a matter. Darius be­ynge amased, and dem [...]undinge who hadde so shamefullye mangled hym, and vppon what occasyon, he informed [...]ym secreatelye for what purpose he hadde done it, and af­ter [...]e hadde suffycyentlye and thorowelye establyshed hys [Page] purpose, and taught the kyng how he would do, he fled like a rennagate vnto Babilō. There he shewed the people his forne skinne, and maymed face, making exclamacion of the kinges crueltye, through whō he lost his parte of the kyng­dome, not by prowesse and manhoode, but by lucke not by the iudgement of men but by the neyenge of a horse, he coū sayled them to take warning by theyr frendes, howe to be­ware of their foes, he exhorted theym not to truste more to their walles, than to their weapons, and that they woulde geue him leaue, to reuenge his displeasure vpon the kynge in their behalfe, nowe while his anger was freshe in hys re membraunce. He was well knowen among them all, to be a noble man, and a man of much prowesse, and as for his cre dite they doubted not at all, as whereof they thoughte hys woundes and wrongfull maymes to be a sufficient pledge and wytnesse. Therefore by a common consent, they made him a captayne, who with a small band of souldiers twyse or thrise put to flyght the Persiàs geuing way for the nones At the last being put in trust with the whole armye, [...]pirus de [...]lluereth Ba­bilon to the kyng. he betrayed it to the kyng, and brought the cy­tie againe vnder his obeysance. After this the kyng made warre agaynst the Sci­thians, of the whych we will en­treat in the next booke folyowing.

EOr asmuche as we be come to the re ­hersall of the actes of the Scithians, whyche were both great and honoura­ble: I htynke it good to entreate euen of theyr very originall begynny [...]g.

For their first begynnyng was no lesse famous, than was the whole processe of their Empire, neyther were the more renowmed through the chiualrye of theyr menne, then through the prowesse of their women. For where as their men were the founders of the Parthians, and Bactrians, theyr women founded the kyngdom of the Amazons, so that yf a man consider and wey indifferently the doynges of the men and the doynges of the women together, he shall not be able to iudge, whe­ther of them were worthier of renowne and honour. The Scithian nacion hath euer bene counted of gretest antiqui­tye. Contentio [...] as concernin [...] antiquitie. Aowbeit betwene theym and the Egiptians hath bene great strife a longe time as concernynge the auncientnesse of them both. The Egiptians alledging that in the first be­gynnyng of thinges, whereas some countreyes dyd so bor­ne through the feruente heat of the Sonne, and othersome to fryse through the excessiuenesse of the could, that not one­ly they were not able to engender men, but also not able to receiue and kepe men that came out of other countreyes, before that garmentes were inuented to defende the bodye from heate or colde, or that the faultes of the places were eased with remedies founde out by cunnynge and practise: The temp [...] tenesse of Egypt and the [...]uitful­nesse th [...]eof▪ Egypte was alwayes so temperate, that neyther the could in the wynther, nor the heate of the sonne in the sommer, greued the inhabitauntes therof, the soyle of the ground so fruiteful, that there is no lande vnder the sonne that brin­geth mo thynges necessary and meete for mannes vse. And [Page] that therefore of ryght men ought to be bred fyrste there, where with moste ease they myght be best brought vp. On The replica­tion of the [...]. thother side, the Scithians denyed that the temperatenesse of the ayre made any thing to the proofe of antiquity, foras­muche as nature as soone as it had geuen to eche countrey of heate or colde as much as seemed good, forthewith also engendred liuing creatures, able to endure in those places and thereunto sundrye sortes of trees and fruites, in theyr kyndes accordyng as the estate of the countrey required.

And looke howe much the weather was harder in Scithia then in Egypt, so much were the Scithians harder of body and of nature than the Egiptians. But if the world which is nowe deuided in partes, were sometyme al one, whether water at the first beginning ouerwhelmed all the earthe, or els fyre possessed all thynges, whereof also the worlde it selfe was made, the Scithians in both of theym must nedes be the auncienter. For if fyre fyrst possessed all, the whyche by litle and litle beyng quenched, gaue place to the earthe, no parte was sooner separated from the fyre by the colde­nesse of the winter, then the North: insomuch that at thys presente daye, there is no parte that feeleth more excessine colde: where as Egipt and all the East, wer a longer season ere they coulde come to anye temperatnesse, whyche well appeareth by thē euen yet in that the vnmeasurable heate of the sonne skorcheth them at this day. But yf so be it that all the worlde were sometime drowned with the sea, vn­doubted it must nedes folow, that the higher that any place is the sooner it must be discouered: forasmuche as the wa­ters withdrawe theymselues from thence into the lower groundes, and there remaine a great while. And the soner that any place was dryed vp, the sonner it began to engen­der liuing creatures. Furthermore Scithia is so much big­ger than al other countreyes, that al the riuers that spryng there, do fall into the sea Maeotis, and from thence into the sea of Pontus, and so into the Aegiptian sea. But as for Ae­gipte [Page 9] it selfe, (which beinge by the costes and charges of so many kynges, so manye hundred yeares, with so huge and stronge dammes and bankes agaynste the vyolence of the waters renning thereinto, strengthened and fortifyed, cut, and deuided with so many diches and trenches, to thentent that the waters beyng in the one receyued, might by the o­ther be kept of from going any further, could nathe rather be inhabited, except the riuer Nilus were excluded) can not seeme to be auncienter than all other countreyes, but ra­ther what for the great costes that the kynges haue besto­wed therupon, and what for the gret heapes of mudde that the riuer Nilus leaues behynde hym, may seme the last in­habited of all countreyes. The Egiptiās beyng vanquished The [...] of Scithia. by these argumentes, y ^• Scithians were euer counted most aūcient. Scithia stretcheth into the East, and is enclosed on thone side with Pontus, on thother sid with the mountains the custome [...] and maner [...] of the [...] [...]ns called [...]. Rhiphael, on the backe with Asia, and the riuer Tanais, & it is very long and very wyde. The people of that countrey haue no boundes betwene man and man. For they occupy no tillage, neyther haue they anye house or home to resorte to, or any certayne dwellyng place.

As they feede and graze theyr catell, wanderyng through the desertes and wylde forestes, they carrye theyr wyues and children with them in wagons and chariotes couered wyth hides, to kepe out the wynde and weather, the which they occupye instede of houses.

They vse [...] and equyte of a naturall [...]ysposycyon, and not for feare of anye lawe. No offence is counted so heynous among theym as stealynge. For consyderynge they haue no houses. nor anye place of safegarde, and that all theyr ryches consisteth in cattell, what shoulde they ha­ue in safetye, if it were lawefull for them to steale?

Golde and syluer they do asmuch despyse, as other nacions do couet and desyre it.

[Page]They lyne by Milke and Honny, they know not what to d [...] with woll, nor howe to make them selues garmentes ther­of. And although they be vexed wit continuall colde, yet ha­ue they nothyng to clothe them selues with, but the skyn­nes of wilde beastes, and of myce. This temperance cau­seth them to be so vpryght in theyr lyuing, and is an occasi­on, that they couet not other mens goodes. For where as ryches be: there also is couetousnesse. I woulde to God that all other men could vfe the lyke temperance and abstinent frō other mens goodes. Certes then shoulde there not bee The power and force of nature. so much warre and manslaughter of so longe continuaunce as there is in all landes. Neyther shoulde there dye moe of the sworde than of naturall destynye. It ys a wonderfull thyng, that they shoulde haue that thing g [...]uen them of na­ture, which the Grekes by thenstructions of their wise mē and the preceptes of their Philosophers so longe time toge­ther, conld neuer attayne vnto, and that the fyne ciuile ma­ners Asia tributa­tye to the [...]cithians. of the Grekes should be to no pupose at all, in compa­rison of the rude and barbarous Scithians. So much more profited in these the ignoraunce of vice, than in the other the knowledge of vertue. Thryse the Scithians gat the em Theyr fortu­nate successe. pire of Asye they them selues remayning all the while, ey­ther vntouched, or at the least vnsubdewed of any for reyne power. Thei put Darius king of Persia to shameful flight, and draue him out of theyr countrey. The slewe Cyrus and The nature of the Par­thians and Bactrians. all his armye. After the same forte they vtterlye destroyed zopyron one of great Alexaunders chiefetaynes with al his hoste. As for the warres of the Romaynes, they hearde of them, but they neuer felt them. Within a whyle they foun­ded Who fyrst made warre vpon the Scithians. thempires of the Parthians & Bactrians: people geuen to endure labour, and [...]out men of warre, of strength of bo dye wonderfull, desiring not to win the thiug they thought they could not kepe, and in their conquestes seking nothing but honour. The first y ^• euer offred warre vnto the Scithi­ans, was Uexores king of Egipt, who sent his ambassadors before to offer them peace, condicionally that thay woulde [Page 10] become his bassalles and liege mē. But the Scithtās being aduertised before by their neighboures of the kynges com­myng: aunswered the ambassadours in this wise. We can not but maruayle that the ruler of so welthy a people, wyll so foolishely moue warre agaynst beggars, whyche thynge was rather to haue bene mistrusted on his parte, conside­ringe that the ende of warre is doubtfull, and no rewarde though he wanne the victory, but apparant losse if he were ouercome. Wherfore, let him not thinke that the Scythiās will wayte for his comming hyther, seyng there is in their enemye so much worthe the fetchinge, and goynge for, but they will with all their hartes go and mete him. As they had sayde, so did they in dede. When the king vnderstoode that they made towardes him with suche spede, he fled for feare, and leauing behynde him his hoste and all hys furni­ture for the warres, he fearefullye retyred into his kynge­dome. The Scithians coulde not pursue him into Egipt be­cause of the fennes. As they retourned from thence they conquered al Asia, and put them to a litle tribute rather in token of their conquest, than in reward of their victorye. The Scith [...] ­ans are reuo­ked out of A­sia by [...] wyuce.

Fyftene yeares they taryed in pacifieng and setting a staye in the countreye. From whence they were called home by the importunat requestes of their wiues, whiche sent them worde, that if they hyed theym [...]ot home the sooner, they would lye with their [...] to haue fruite by them, and not suffer the [...] of the Scith [...]s to decay throughe In this place he gre [...]ly ex­reth. their default. Thus was Asia tributary to them by y ^• space of 1500 yeres. Ninus kyng of Thassirians made an end of paying thys trybute. But in the meane tyme amonge the Scithians, t [...]o yong gentlemen of the bloud royall, named Plinos and Scolopythus, being through debate among the noble me [...], driuen out of their coūtrey, led with thē a great noumber of youth, and setled them selues in the borders of Cappadocia, about the riuer Thermodoon, and kept al the fieldes about the citie Themiscira. There, many yeares to­gether, being wont to robbe their neyghboures, at the last. [Page] the people prfuily conspired together and sette vpon theym vnwares, and by a trayne slewe them eueryechone. The wiues of these men, perceyuing that besides their banyshe­ment, Example of fortitude in women. they were also made widowes, armed theym selues, and defended theyr borders: first by standing in their owne defence, and afterward by making warre vnto others. Moreouer they had no mind to marry any more with their neyghbours, calling it a bondage and not maryage. A sin­gular example for all ages to looke vpon. They encreased theyr common wealth withoute men and defended theym selues euen in despyght of men. And to thentente some of them should not thinke them selues, in better case then the rest, they killed their husbands that were left aliue at home Furthermore, in reuengement of the deathes of their hus­bandes, they destroyed theyr neyghbours also. Th [...]n ha­uing The king­dome of the Amazones. by warre gotten peace and tranquilitie, they sente for theyr neyghbours and companied with them. If any male children wer [...] borne, they were killed. The women chyl­dren were brought vp, not in ydlenesse▪ nor to spinning and The customs of the Ama­zones. carding, but in feates of armes, ridinge of horses, and hun­tinge as the custome is to bringe vp men. And forbycaus [...] theyr shooting and throwing of dartes should not be hinde­red, theyr righte pappes were seared of while they were children, whereupon they were named Bamazons. They had two queenes, the one called Marth [...], the other Lampedo, the which deuiding their hoste in two partes, and growinge to The queenes of Amazone. great welth and richesse made warre by turnes, the one cir cumspectely defending the countrey at home, while the o­ther made warre abrode, as theyr turnes came about. And o [...] thentent to be the more renowmed in all their enterpri­ses & affaires, they proclaymed theym selues the doughters of Mars. Wherfore hauing conquered the greater parte o [...] The buyl­ding of Ephe [...]us. Europe, they subdewed also manye cities of Asia. Where ha­uing builded Ephesus and diuers other cities, parte of theyr armie being sent home with a great bootye, the rest whych taried styll to defend thempyreof Asia, were by a sodayn [...] [Page 11] [...]ssault of the barbarous people, with their queene Marthe­sia all slayne. In whose roome secceded in thempyre, her daughter Orithia. Who besydes her singular actiuitie in fea­tes [...] myr [...] of virginity [...] and prowesse. of warre, was as a myrrour to all women for preser­uyng of her maydenhed▪ and virginitye while she lyued. Through the prowesse of her, the honour and renowne of the Amazones was so greatly auaunced, that the kyng for [...] sedeth Her­cules for the Queene of amazonies ar­mour. whose pleasure Hercules atchieued. xii. daungerous aduen­tures, commaunded him as a thing impossible, to fetch him the armour of the Queene of Amazonie. Hercules therfore accompanyed with many of the yong lordes and noble mē of Greece, arriuing with nyne galleyes assayled them vn­wares. At the same tyme the kyngdome of Thamazones was gouerned by two of the foure systers, atiope and Ori­thia. Of the whiche Orithia was makyng warre in forreyne countreyes, by reason whereof, there was but a slender company about the queene Antyope, when Hercules arry­ued at the shore of Amazonye, bycause there was no suche thyng mistrusted, nor any enemye thought vpon. Where­fore it came to passe, that those fewe beyng raysed with the sodayne alarme, armed theym selues and gaue theyr ene­mies an easie victorie. For many wer slayne and many ta­ken, amonge whom were two of Antiopes sisters M [...]a­lyppe taken by Hercules, & Hippolite by Theseus. Theseus Hercules ex­chaungeth Menalyppe for y ^• que [...]nes armour. maried his prisoner, of whom he begate Hippolitus. But Hercules after the victory restored Menal [...]ppe to her sister and for her raunsome tooke the queenes armoure. And so hauyng accomplyshed his charge, retourned to the kyng. Orithia hauyng knowledge that warre was made agaynst her systers, and that the prynce of Athens had ledde awaye one of them perforce, exhorteth her companye to bee re­uenged, affirmyng, that all their conquestes in Po [...]us and Asia were to no purpose, if they should take suche a foyle at the handes of the Greekes, as to suffer not so muche the warres, as the rauishementes of Thatheniens.

[Page]And thereupon she sent for succour vnto Sagillus kyng o [...] Scithia. Alledging that she & her people wer by discent Scithi­ans Orithia sen­deth for ayde to the king of Scithia. borne, declaringe furthermore the losse of their husban­des, whereby they were constrayned to take armoure vpō them, and what was the cause of the warres whyche they nowe tooke in hande, sayeng, that through theyr prowesse they had brought to passe, that the Scithians myghte seme, to haue as valiaunt women as men. The kyng beyng moued with the honour of his house, sente to her ayde hys sonne She is [...]orsa­ken of her [...] cour and ouer come of the Atheniens. Penaxagoras with a greatbande of horsemen. But before the battell, beyng by meanes of dissention sodaynly fallen betwene them, forsaken of their succoures, and so lefte de­stitute of thelpe and ayde of them, the Atheniens put them to the worser. Neuerthelesse the campe of the Scythians was a refuge vnto theym, [...]y whose helpe they retourned into their countrey vntouched of other nacions. After Ori­thia, Penthesile [...]. Penthesilea obtayned the soueraynetye, Who lefte be­hynde her a noble remembraunce of her worthie actes, in that famous assemble of valiaunt men, in the defence of the Troianes against the Greekes. Finally Penthesilea beyng slayne, and her armye wasted, those sewe that remayned, with muche a doe scarcely defendyng them selues agaynste theyr neyghbours, continued vnto the tyme of great Ale­xander. Whose Queene Minothea, otherwyse called Tha­lestris after she had obteined the company of Alexander by the space of. xiiii. dayes to thentente to haue yssue by hym, retourned into her kyngdome, and within a whole after de The decay of [...]hamazones ceased, with whom the name of the Amazones vtterly de­cayed. The Scithians in their thyrd viage into Asia, when they had bene a seuen yeares from their wy [...]es and chyl­dren, He retorneth to the storyes of the Stithi­ans. were welcomed home with warre by theyr owne ser­uauntes. For theyr wyues beyng weryed wyth longe tari­eng for theyr husbandes, supposynge that they were not so long deteyned with warres, but rather all slayne maryed themselues to theyr slaues whom theyr maysters had lefte [...]t home to looke to their cattell The whyche hearynge o [...] [Page 12] their masters returne with conquest, met them in order of battell well appoynted and harnessed, to kepe them out of their country as if they had bene straungers. The Scithians The strata­geme of the Scithians a­gainst theyr bond [...]en. perceiuing that by battell they lost as much as they won, aduised them selues to vse another kinde of fight, remem­bring that they hadde not to doo with their ennemies but with their slaues, who ought to be ouercom not by the law of armes, but by the law of masters, against whom it was more mete to bring whippes into the field then weapons, and laying a side swordes, euery man to furnishe him selfe with rods and whips, and suche other kind of stuffe, wher of slaues and bondmen are wont to be afraid. This coun­sell was well alowed, and therfore euery man being furni­shed as was before appoynted, whē they aproched to their enemies, sodenly they shoke their whippes at them, wher­with they so amased them, that whome they coulde not o­uercome by battell, they ouercame with fear of beating & made them run away, not like enemies ouercome by bat­tell, but like runnagate slaues. As many of them as were taken were hanged vp. The women also that knew them selues gilty of the matter, partly by wepon, partly by han­ging, wilfully dispatched them selues. After this the Scithi­ans Here ended the first bok [...] liued in peace, vntill the time of Lanthine their kinge, to whome Darius king of Persie (as is before mentioned,) be­cause he woulde not geue him his Daughter in mariage,) made warre: and with seuen hundred thousand men in ar­mor, entring into Scithia, when he saw his enemies would The shame­ful retire of Dar [...]us out of Scithia. not come and geue him battel, fearing that if the bridge o­uer the riuer of Danow shuld chaunce to be broken, he shuld be enclosed. From retourning home againe, fearfully reti­red ouer the water with the los of four skore and x. M. mē. The which neuerthelesse was counted as no losse, for the exceding great nombre of mē that he had in his host. After­ward He conque­reth the lesser Asia and M [...] cedonie. he conquered Asia and Macedonie, and vanquished the Iomans vpon the sea. Finally vnderstanding that the A­theniens had aided the Ionians against him, he tourned the [Page] whole brunt of the warre vpon them. Now forasmuche as we be come to the warres of the Atheniens, whiche were A [...]igression to the acts of the [...]heniēs. done in such wise, not only as a mā could not well haue ho­ped for. But also farre otherwise then a man wold almost beleue them to haue bene done. And forasmuche as the de­des of the Atheniens were greater in effecte then coulde haue beene wished before they came to passe: I thincke it conuenient to speake sōwhat euen of their originall begin­ning, because they did not encrease from a base and vile be ginning, to the highest estate that could be, like as al other The noble­nes & antiqui ty of Athens. nations haue done. For they alone may make their vaūt, as wel of their verye first beginninge, as of their good suc­cesse and increasement. For it was not straungers, nor a sort of raskals gathered here & there together, that foūded that city, but they were bred in the same soyle where they inhabite, and the place of their dwellinge, is the place of Of what things the a [...]heniēs wer the first inuē ters. their beginning. They first taught the vse of Woll, Oyle, and wine. And wheras men in times paste were wonte to liue by eating of Acorns, they taught how to plow y ^• groūd and to sow corn. And certenly as for lerning, eloquens and all ciuill pollicy, and order of gouernaunce, may worthelye take Athens for their Temple. Before the time of Denca­lion, they had a king called Cecrops, who according to the re The first or­dainer of ma­riage among the heathen. port of all the auncient fables, hadde two faces, because he fyrst ioyned man and woman together in marriage. After him succeded Crands, whose daughter Atthis gaue the name vnto the country. Next him raigned Amphitrion which first consecrated the City to Minerua, and called it by the name of Athens. In his time a floud of water drowned the grea The [...]loud of Dencalion. ter part of Grece: only such eskaped, as coulde recouer the tops of the mountaines, or elsse such as could get ships and sail vnto Dencalion king of Thessalie. Who by reson therof is reported to haue repaired & made mankind. Afterward by order of succession the kingdō descended to Ericthens vnder Sowinge of corn [...]uēted. whom the sowing of corn was found out at Elensis by Tripto lemus. In reward of the whiche deede, the nighte sacrifices [Page 13] wer i [...]tituted in the honor of Ceres. aegeus also the father of Theseus raigned in Athens, from whome Medea being di­uorsed The successi­on of the kin­ges of Athēs. because her sonne in law Theseus was mangrowne, departed to Col [...]hos with her sonne medus whom she had by aegeus. After aegeus, Theseus enioyed the kingdō, and next to him his sonne Demophoon, which aided the Grekes against the Troyans. Ther was betwene thatheniens & the Doriēs an old grudge & displeasure, the which the Dorienses enten­ding to reuenge by battel, asked coūsel of the Oracles. An­swer was made that they shuld haue the vpper hād, so they killed not the kinge of Athens. When they came into the field, great charge was geuen to all the Souldiers in anye wise not to hurt the king. At the same time, king of Athēs an ex ample of greate loue toward the natiue coūtry was Cadrus, who hauing vnderstāding both of thanswer of Appollo, & of the charge that was geuen among his enne­mies, laid a side his robes & princely apparell, and in a rag­ged cote with a bundle of vineshreds in his necke, entred into his ennemies campe. There in a throng that stode a­bout him, he was slain by a souldier whom he of pretensed purpose had wounded with a hoke that he had in his hād. The Dorienses when they knew it was the kinge that laye there slain, departed without any stroke striking. By this meanes the Atheniens through the prowesse of their cap­tain yelding him self to death for the safegarde of his coun­trye were deliuered from warre. After Codrus was neuer The alterat [...] ­on of gouern­ment in a­thens. king more in Athēs, the which was attributed to his high renown and remembrans of his name. The gouernans of the common welth was appoynted to yerely officers. But the Citye at that time had no lawes, because that hitherto the commaundement of their kinges was accompted as a law. Therfore was chosen one Solon a man of meruailous vprightnesse, which should as it were make a new citye by The commē ­dat ion and do ings of solon. his lawes. Who vsed suche an indifferency, and bare hym self so euen betwene the people and the Senate (where as if he made any thīg for thone estate, he was like to displese the other) that he gate like fauor at bothe theyr handes.

[Page]Amongst the noble actes of this man whiche were many, this is in especially worthy to be remembred. The Athe­niens and Megarenses had fought together for the chalen ging of the Ile of Salamine, almost to their vtter destructiō. After many great slaughters, it begā to be taken for a hei­nous matter among the Atheniens, if any man shuld go a­bout to make any claim or title to the Iland. Solon therfore The pollicye of Solon. being sorowful, least by holdinge his peace he should not so greatly further the common wealth as he ought to doo, or by putting forth his counsell bring him self in daunger, so­denly fained himself mad: vnder pretens wherof he might not only say, but also doo thinges forbidden. He ran abrode in a foles cote like a disard, and in a great company of men that gathered aboute him, the more to cloke his pretensed purpose, in rimes and meters to him vnaccustomed, he be­gā to moue the people to that thing which was vnlawful, wherin he so perswaded them all, that forthwith they pro­claimed warre against the Megarenses, in the which they vā quished their enemies, and reduced the Iland vnder theyr subiection. In the meane season the Megarenses being mind­ful of the warres that the Atheniens made against them, and b [...]ing lothe to leaue without some gain, toke shipping of purpose to take the noble women and matrones of A­thens, as they wer celebrating the sacri [...]ces vnto Ceres, in the night time at Elensis. The which thing beinge knowen Pisistratus captain of the Atheniens laid bushments of men in places conuenient, commaundinge the women to cele­brate their ceremonies, with like noise and hurly burly, as they were wont to doo, euen when their ennemies came, to thentent they should not suspecte that their commynge was heard of. When the Megarenses were come out of their shippes, he sodainly brake vpon them and [...]ue them euery Deceit tour­ned vpon the workers hed one, and forthwith entring into their ships, (the whiche he entermedled with women, to make a show, as though thei had bene the matrones taken prisoners) he went straighte to Megara. The townes men seing their owne shippes and [Page 14] the women in them (whiche they supposed to be the [...]ootye that they soughte for) wente forthe to the hauen to meete them, the whiche company Pysistratus [...]ue, and missed but little of winninge the City. So by their owne pollicye, the Megarenses gaue their ennemies the victory. But Pysistratus An example of a craftye [...] suttle dec [...] uer. as though he had won to his owne behoofe, and not to the behoofe of his Country, by craft and pollicy made him selfe king. For at home at his owne house, when he hadde of set purpose caused his body to be rent and māgled with scour­ging and whipping, he came abrode, and ther sommoning the people together, shewed them his woundes, makynge exclamation of the crueltye of the Noble menne, at whose hands he surmised himself to haue suffered this hurte. As he spake he wept, and with his spiteful wordes set the light people on fire, assuringe them that for the loue he bare to them, he was hated of the Senate, [...] hervpon he obtained a garde of menne for the safetye of his personne, by whose meanes he vsurped the Luperioritye, and raigned xxxiiii. yeares. After his deathe Diocles one of his Sonnes as he Diocles slain for rape. rauished a maiden perforce, was by the brother of the same maide slaine. His other sonne named Hyppias possessynge his fathers kingdome, commaunded him that slue his bro­ther to be apprehended, who being compelled by tormēts A constant and inuicible stomacke. to appeale such as were necessarye to the murder, named all the Tyrannes frendes, whiche being put to deathe, and the Tyran demaunding if there were yet anye moo a Coun­sell or preuye to the deede, there is no moo (quod he) aliue whome I would gladly see die, sauing the Tyran hym selfe: by whiche sayinge he declared him selfe bothe to haue the vpper hand of the Tyran, and also to haue reuenged the cha stity of his sister. The city through his stoutnesse being put in remembraunce of their liberty, at length deposed Hyppi­as from his kingdom, and banished him their coūtry. Who taking his iourny into Persie, offred him self to Darius, ma­king warre againste the Atheniens, (as is before specified) as a captain against his own country.

[Page]Wherfore the Atheniens hearing of Darius approche, sent He returneth to the historye of Darius for aid to the Lacedemonians who at that time were in leage with them. But perceiuing that they were busied aboute matters of religion for the space of iiii. daies, they thought not good to tary the cōming of their succors, but with x. M well apoynted of their own citizens, and one thousād of the [...] which came to their aid, they went forth to battell, against vi. C. M. of their enemies in the plains of Marathon. Melciades was Captain of this war, & counseller not to tary The noble en terprise of Milciades. [...] their succors. Who was of such corage, that he thought ther was [...] aduantage in spedy settinge forward, then in lingering for succor. Therfore they ran into the battell with wonderful cherefulnesse. In so muche that when the The courage of the Atheni­ens, and me co wardise of the Persians. ii. armies wer a mile a sondre, they hasted forwarde as fast as they could [...]un, to ioyn with their ennemies before they mighte discharge their arowes. Neither wanted this bold­nesse good successe. For the battell was fought wyth suche corage, that a man wold haue thought the one side to haue ben men, and thother to haue ben beasts. The Persians be Fortune hel­peth the coura gious. ing vanquished fled to their ships, wherof many wer drow ned and many wer taken. In that battel the prowesse and manhode of euery man was so great, that it were harde to iudge who deserued most to be praised. How be it amongst all other, brast forth the glory of a yonge man called Themi­stocles, in whom euen then appered such towardnesse, as it The praise of Themistocles was like he should for his valiauntnesse hereafter be made their chiefe captain & gouernor. The glory of one Cynaegirus also a souldior of Athens, is highly commended & set for the with great praises among wryters, who after innumera­ble The commen­dation of Cy­negirus. slaughter in the battel, when he had pursued his enne­mies to their shippes, as they fled, he caught holde of a ship that was laden with his right hand, and would not let goo his holde till he had loste his hande. His righte hand being cutte of, he laid holde on it with his left hande, the whyche also beinge loste in likewise, at the laste he held the shyppe with his teethe.

[Page 15]Suche was his courage, that being not wearied with so manye slaughters, nor discouraged with the losse of bothe his handes, at the last being vtterly maimed, like a sauage The slaugh­ter of the [...]. The vengans of God vppon tyraunts and tra [...]oures. beast he fought with his teethe. The Persians loste in that battell two hundred thousand menne, beside their shippes. Hyppias also the Tyran of Atbens, the author and stirrer of this warre, through the iust vengaunce of God, whyche punished him for his country sake, was there slayne.

In the meane time Darius as he was aboute to renewe the warre, died in the preparation therof, leauinge many The death o [...] Darius. sonnes behinde him, wherof some were begotten before he was king, and other some in the time of his raigne. Of the whyche Artobazanes the eldest, claimed the Crowne by pre­rogatiue A brotherly. contē [...]n for the kingdom. of hys age, alledginge that by order of lawe, by order of birthe, by order of nature, and by custome of all Countryes, he oughte to haue it. Xerxes replied and sayde, that their controuersye was not as concerninge the order of their birthe, but as concernyng the nobilitye and wor­thinesse of theyr byrthe.

For hee graunted that Artobazanes was in deede the first that was borne vnto Darius, but Darius was then a pri­uate person, and that he him selfe was the firste that was borne to Darius being king.

Wherfore his brothers that were borne durynge the time his father was a subiect, might lawfully claime suche priuate inheritaunce as Darius then had, but not the king­dom, which apperteined to him being the first, whome his father begat in his kingdō. This also made for his purpose in that artobazanes was borne a priuate person, not only by the fathers side, but also by the mothers side, and also [...] his graundfathers side by the mother. Wher [...] he himself had a Queene to his mother, and he [...] his father but king, and he hadde a kinge [...] his grau [...]father by the mo­ther, namelye kinge Cyrus who was not an inheritor, but the first founder of that greate Empyre. And therfore if theyr father had left them [...] like right to the [...], [Page] yet notwithstande in consideration of his Mother and hys graundfather, he oughte to be preferred. They putte thys controuersy quietly and gently with a good will, to the dis­cretion of their vncle Artaphe [...] as to a housholde iudge, who discussing the matter at home, preferred Xerxes. And this contention betwene them was so brotherly, that nei­ther he that had the vpper hand vaunted him self, neyther he that was ouercome was sorye for the matter. And euen in the chiefest time of all their strife, they sente giftes and presentes one to another, aud merely banketted together, wythout mistrust of treason or deceit, and the matter was ended wythout dayes men, or without reprochful wordes betwixt them. So muche more modestly could brothers in those daies deuide the greatest kingdomes, then they can nowe deuide a small inheritaunce. Xerxes therefore by the space of fiue yeares together, made preparatyon for the warres whiche his father had begon against the Grekes. xerxes succe deth Darius in his kingdō The [...]oue of Demaratus to his coūtry The which thing when Demeratus kinge of the Lacedemo­nians, (who at that time beinge banished his Countrye, li­ued in king Xerxes Courte,) vnderstode, being more frend­lye to his countrye after his banishment, then to the kyng for all his benefites, to the entente they shoulde not be op­pressed with sodaine warre, wrate all thinges in tables of wode to the Magistrates of Sparta, and couered the letters ouer with ware, least that ether the wryting without a co­uer might bewray it self, or the newe ware disclose hys de­uise. Whē they wer finished, he toke thē to a trnsty seruāt, commaunding him to deliuer to the magistrats of the Spar­tanes. When they were brought to Lacedemon, the matter hong long in question what it shoulde meane, because they saw no wryting, & again they thought the tables were not sent for nothing, & the closer the thinge was, so muche they iudged it to be of greater importaunce. Whiles the menne with sondrye op [...]nions slacke in the matter, the Syster of L [...]oindas the kynge founde out the intent and meanynge of the wryter. The ware therfore being skraped of, it appea­red was wrought against them.

[Page 16]By this time had Xerxes armed seuen hundred thousand of his owne kingdome, and hired thre hundred thousand Mer­cenaries. The hnge host of xerxes So that it hath not without good cause bene repor­ted, that his army dronke the riuers dry, and that al Grece was skarse able to receiue his hooste. It is also said that he had ten hundred thousand shippes. To this huge host wan His richesse and want of good gouer naunce. ted a mete Captaine. For if ye haue respect vnto the king, ye may praise his riches, but not his good guidans or know ledge requisite in a Captain, of which there was so greate aboundaunce in his realme, that when riuers were not a­ble to finde his huge multitude drinke, yet had he treasure more then could be spent. He would be sure to be the laste that shoulde come to encounter, and the firste that shoulde run away. In danger he was fearful, out of daunger proud and ful of bosting. Finally before he should come to the tri­all of battell, he gloried so much in his owne strength, that as if he had beene euen a Lord ouer nature, and had beene able to rule it at his pleasure, he broughte mountaynes to plaine ground, and filled vp the valleis, made bridges ouer the sea, and cut through the main land to make nerer way for his shippes to passe. Whose comming into Grece as it was terrible, so his departure was as shameful and disho­norable. For when that Leonides kinge of the Sartanes wyth four thousand men, had taken the strengthe of Thermopyle, Xerxes in disdaine of his small noumber, commaunded that none shoulde assaile them, but they whose kinsfolke were slain at the battel of Marathon: the which while they soughte to reuenge the deathes of their frends, wer the beginning of the slaughter that ensued.

In their places succeded stil mo and mo, to the great en­crease of their owne slaughter. Three daies the Persians fought there to their greate anguish, displesure and sorow, The fourth daye when it was tolde Leonides that twentye thousande of his ennemies had taken the toppe of the hill, then he began to exhort his partakers to depart, and to re­serue them selues till some better time might come, wher­in [Page] they might do seruice to their country, for he & hys Spartanes wold stād to thaduēture of fortune, saying that he set not so much by his life, as by his country, & that the resi due ought to be spared for the defice of Grece, whē the kin ges plesure was published, the rest departed all sauing the Lacedemonians which taried stil with him. In the beginning of this war, whé counsel was asked of apollo at Delphos, an­swer was geuē that either the king of thes partanes must be slain, or els the city be destroid. And therfore whē the king Leonides shuld go forth to the war, he had so encoraged his souldiers, that euery man went with a willing hart to dye The loue of Leonidas to­warde hys country. with their maister. He tooke the straites for this purpose, that with his small nōber, he might either win with more honor, or die with les domage to the cōmō welth: wherfore when he had dismissed his partakers, he exhorted the Spar tanes to remēber thē selues, that how so euer they fought they must be slaine, warning them to take hede, that they gaue no cause to baue it reported of them hereafter, that their harts serued them better to tary, then to fight, saying that it was not for thē to stand stil til their enemies should enclose them about, but assone as night shoulde serue their turn, to set vpō their enemies, making mery without care in their tēts. For conquerors could no where die more ho­norably, then in the camp of their enemies. It was no hard matter to perswade thē that wer al redy bent to die. Forth with they armed them selues, & being but vi. C. men in all, The noble prowesse of Lconida and the Spartāes brake into the cāp of v. C. M. and forthwith went vnto the kings pauilion, of purpose either to die with him, or elsse if they wer ouerlaid, to die in especialli in his tent. Al the cāp was on a rore. The Lacedemonians when they could not find the king, ranged through all the camp like cōquerors, slaying & throwing down al things, as men that knew that they fought not in hope of victory, but to reuēge their own death. The battel was prolonged frō the beginning of the nighte, vntill the more parte of the next day was spent. At the last not vanquished, but wery of vanquishing they fell [Page 17] down dead amōg the heapes of their dead ennemies. Xerxes hauing receiued two iosses in battell on the land, entended to try his fortune. But Themistocles the captain of the Athe­niens, when he vnderstode that the Ion [...]s, in whose quarel the king of Persie made all this war, wer come to the aid of A [...]olitique prouisy on of themistocles. the Persians with a nauy of shippes, he entended to draw thē to his part if he could. And because he could haue no op­portunity to talke with the, he caused these words to be en­graued in stones, & set at the places wher they shuld ariue. How mad are ye O ye Ionians? what mischief intend you now to do, purpose ye to make war against your first foun­ders, & now of late your new reuengers, haue we builded your wals, to thentent they shuld destroy oures? I put the case we had not this occasion of war, firste with Darius, and now with Xerxes, seinge we forsoke you not when ye rebel­led, why do ye not come out of that siege into this our cāp? Or if ye thinke ye may not do so without danger, when the Man [...] power a­gainst God. Xerxes bur­neth Thesp [...] and [...] and Athens. battel shalbe ioyned step you aside, draw back your ships & depart out of the battel. Before they shuld encoūter vpon the sea, Xerxes had sent iiii. M. men to Delphos, to spoil the tēple of apollo: as though he had made warre not only with the Grekes, but euen with the gods immortal, which bād of men was vtterly destroid with tempest & lightnynge, to thentent he might vnderstande that the more that God is wroth & displesed with man, the lesse power or rather none at all hath man against god. After this he burned the cities of Thespie, Plate & Athens: but ther wer no men in them, & because he could not haue the men to kil in his displesure he wreked his teme vpon their houses. For the Athenies after the battel of Barathon by the counsell of Themisto­cles, which gaue the warning that victory won of the Per­sians was not at end, but rather a cause of greater warre,) made them a flcte of two hundred shippes. Therfore when Than [...]wer of the [...] Xerxes was comming toward them, they asked counsell of the Oracle at Delphos, wher it was aunswered that they must prouide for their sauegard in wodden walles.

[Page]Themistocles deming it to be spoken and ment of shippes. perswaded all the people that their Countrye was not the Themisto­cles interpre teth the same walles, but the men: and that the Citye was not the hou­ses and buildinges, but the Citizens and inhabitauntes. Wherfore it was better for them and more for theyr safe­gard, to betake them selues to shippes, then to abyde in the towne, whervnto God himself semed to counsel them. The counsell was well liked, and thervpon abandoning the Ci­tye, they conueyed their wiues and children with all theyr preciousest stuffe and iewels into secrete Ilands, and there bestowed them in safety, whiche beinge doone, they armed them selues and tooke shipping. Other Cities also folowed the example of the Atheniens. Therfore when all the whole fiete of their complices and parrakers were assembled to­gether in the narow seas by the Ile of Salamine, to thentent they mighte not be enclosed of Xerxes greate multitude, as they were consulting how to maintaine the warres vpon the sea, sodenly sprang a variaunce betwene the princes of the Cities, euery man deuising how to breake vp priuely, & to steale home to defend his own. Themistocies fearing least by the departure of his Companions, his strength shoulde be abated, sent woorde vnto Xerxes by a trustye seruaunte, The deuise of Themisto­cles to make his confede­rates abyde that now was the time that he myght easly take al Grece together in one place, wheras if euery man were dispersed home to his owne Citye, as they wer about to doo, it shuld be more to his paine to pursue them one by one. Thorough this pollicy he caused the king to geue a sign of battel. The Grekes also being preuented with thapproche of their ene mies, layed their power together & ioyned battell. During the time of thencounter, the king as a loker on & no medler with certaine shippes lay still at the roode. But Artemysia the Queene of Halicarnassus, whyche came to the ayde of X­erxes, [...] cowar­dise of Xerxes The valiant­nes of arte mysia. foughte fierslye euen amonge the formest Captayne in the battell. So that as in Xerxes was to be sene a kinde of femine fearfulnesse, so in her was to be seene the kynde of manlye couragiousnesse. In the whottest of the battell, [Page 18] the Ionians according to the commaundement of Themistocles began by litle and litle to withdraw them selues out of the prease. Whose departure discouraged al the rest. The Per The Persi­ans are discō ­fyted on the sea. sians loking about which way to eskape, were put out of a ray, & sone after being vanquished were put to open flight. In the whiche discomfiture manye shippes were drowned and many were taken. But mo fearing more the kinges cruelty then their ennemy, stale away and went home.

The king Xerxes beinge striken in great feare, by reason of The couonse [...] of Mardoni­us. this slaughter, and knowing not what to do, Mardonius cam vnto him counselling him to depart into his kingdōe with as muche spede as might be, least the brute of the discom­fiture might cause any insurrection or he cam there, which commonly is wont to make more of thinges then they be in dede. Leauing him; 0000. thousand of the tallest men & picked souldiers of all his host, with the which company he promised either to his great honour to subdue al Grece, or if it were his misfortune to be ouercome, he woulde wyth­out infamy or dishonor to his Maiesty geue place to his en­nemies. The counsel of Mardonius was well allowed.

Whervpon the said nomber of men wer to him deliuered, and the remnaunt of his hoste the king him selfe purposed to conuey home again. But the Grekes hearing of the kin­ges flight consulted together to breake the bridge whyche he as Lord of the sea had made at Abydus, to the entent that his passage being cut of, he might either with his army be vtterlye destroyed, or elsse be brought to suche an exigent, that as clerely ouercome he should be compelled to desyre peace at their handes. But Themistocles fearing least his e­nemies being stopped of their passage, should tourn theyr despair into hardines, and (seing none other remedy) make them selues way with their swordes, told them that there were enemies ynough and to many all ready in Grece, the [...] ­cles sendeth againe to [...] erxes. nomber wherof ought not to be encreased by keping them against their wils. [...]ut when he perceiued his counsel pre uailed not, be sent the same seruaunt againe vnto Xerxes, [Page] aduertising him of their entent & purpose, and willing hym to get him away with spede if he entended to eskape. The king being striken in fear with this message, deliuered his [...] flyeth for fear. souldiers to be conueied home by their captains, & he with a few went toward abydos: wher finding the bridge broken with the tēpests of the winter, he feried ouer fearfully in a fishers bote. It was a thing worth the beholding, and as in consideration and valewing of mannes [...]ckle welth & pros­perity, a thing to be wondred at, to beholde him now lur­king A worthy ex ample of the ficklenesse of fortune, and of the frail­nes of mans estate. in a litle boat, whome lately before, skarse all the Sea was able to receiue, and to se him destitute of all attendās & seruice, whose army by reson of the huge multitude ther­of, was euen a burden to the earth. Neither had the army whom he had assigned to captains, any luckier or more for tunate iournying by land. For besides their daily trauell, (as surely there is no rest to such as be in fear) they were al The afflicti­ons of the Persian host so afflicted with hunger. Furthermore the [...]ant of victels brought vpon them the pestilence, by meanes wherof they died so thicke, that the waies were couered with their dead carkasses, in so muche that the beastes and foules allured with desire of pray, followed the hoste. In the meane tyme Mardonius toke Olynthus in Grece by assault. Also he entre­ted with the Atheniens to sue to the kinge for peace and frendship, promising to build vp their city which he hadde Mardonius w [...]th O­ [...]hus. burnt, larger and fairer then euer it was before. When he saw they wold not sel their liberty for any worldly good, he set on fire that which they had begō to build again, & from thence he passed with his army into Bo [...], thither folowed also the host of the Grekes, which was a hundred M. men, & there was a battel fought. But the chaunging of the cap­tain A battel be­tweene Mar do [...]s and the grekes. chaunged not the kinges fortune. For Mardonius be­ing ouercōe, eskaped with a few as it wer out of shipwrak. His [...]entes replenished withall kinde of richesse, after the princeliest sort that could be, wer taken & riffled. Whervp Excesse of ri­chesse. on first of al among the Grekes, when they had parted the [Page 19] gold of the Parsians among them grew excesse and riot. By chaunce the same day that Mardonius host was destroy­ed, there was another battell fought vpon the sea against The swift nes of [...]ame. the Persians in Asia, hard by the mountaine Mycale. Ther before the encounter, as the two fleetes stoode in order of battaile one againste another, a fame came vnto bothe the armies, that the Greekes had gotten the vpper hande, and vtterly slaine all Mardonius host. So great was the swift­nesse of fame, that the battel being foughte in Boetia in the mornynge, by noone tidinges was broughte of the victorye into Asia ouer so many seas, and ouer so muche grounde in so short a moment of time.

When the warres were fynished, and that consultation was had how euery Citye shoulde be rewarded, by iudge­ment of them all, the Atheniens were demed to haue don mooste valiantlye. Amonge the Captaines also Themisto­cles was by the verdite of all the Cities iudged chefe and soueraigne, to the great renowne of his countrye. The A­theniens therfore beinge increased as well in richesse as in honor began to builde their City new oute of the grounde. When the Lacedemonians heard how they had enlarged the walles of their Citye, and sette them further out then they were before, they beganne to haue them in a gelow­sye, wiselye forecastinge what they were like to growe vn­to, hauinge ones made their Citye stronge and defensyble, whiche by the decaye of their Citye had gotten so much as they hadde. Wherefore they sent Ambassadoures, admo­nishynge them not to buylde Fortresses for theyr enne­myes, and holdes for the Warres that were lyke to ensue hereafter.

Themistocles perceiuing them to grudge and to repine The wise [...] menor of The [...]o cles. at the raising of his city, thinking that it stode him in hand to beware that he did nothing vnaduisedly, answeared the ambassadors that there shuld certain go with them to La­ [...]mon, fully authorised to entreat and conclude with thē, as concerning that matter.

[Page]So when he had dispatched the ambassadours of Sparta, he exhorted his Citezens to make spede in their work, and he him selfe within a while after went of ambassade. In the which iourny what by faining him self sicke, and what by putting fault in the slacknesse of suche as were in commis­sion with him, without whome he saide he was able to doo nothing, by vertue of his commissyon, he draue of still from day to day, and all to thentent that they might haue leisure to furnish their woorke. During which time it was repor­ted at Lacedemon, that the woorke went f [...]r warde a pace at Athens: Wherevpon they sente Ambassadoures agayne to see if it were so or no. Then Themistocles by a Ser­uaunte of hys sente a letter to the hyghe Magystrates of Themisto­cles cometh vnto Lacede­ [...]n. Athens, willing them to hold the Spartane ambassadours in safe keping as pledges, least otherwise then wel might be doon or committed against him at Lacedemon. Then he wēt boldly before the Lacedemonians, declaring that Athens was now throughly fortified, and that it was able to withstand the force of enemies, not only by the sword, but also by the strengthe of their walles, and if they entreated him other­wise then wel for the matter, their ambassadors were kept as pledges for the same purpose at Athens. Then he gaue them a great rebuke, in that they soughte to make them selues strong, and to obtain seueraignty, not by their own power, but by the weaknesse of their fellowes. So beinge The Spar­tanes make war againste the Persians. dismissed, in manner triumphing ouer the Lacedemonians, he was ioyfully receiued o [...] his own Citezens. After thys the Spartanes least their strength shuld decay through idlenesse, and to reuenge them selues vppon the Persians, whyche P [...]ius worketh tre­son against his country. twise before hadde made warre vpon the Grekes, of theyr owne accord in [...]aded the borders of their Empire. They chose for captaine bothe of their owne army and of the ar­my of the adherents, one Pansanias, who beinge not content with the Captainship, but coueting in stede therof to make him self king of all Grece, priuely conspired with Xerxes. In reward wherof he should haue the kinges daughter in [Page 20] mariage, and because the king should haue the more confi­dens in him, he sent home the prisoners skot free without raunsome. Moreouer he wrote vnto Xerxes, that what mes­sengers so euer he sent vnto him, he shoulde putte them to death, to the entent their purpose should not by talk be be­wrayed. But Aristides the captain of the Atheniens, elected Aristides pre­uenteth hys tr [...]. his fellow in the warre, what by working againste his en­terprises, and what foreseing wiselye what was like to en­sue, disclosed the entent and purpose of his treason. Wher­vpon ere it was long after, Pansanias was arrained and con­demned. Xerxes therfore when he perceiued that his secrete Pansa [...] [...]. conspiracies were disclosed, determined to proclaime open warre againe. The Grecians also appoynted for their cap­taine, Cymo of Athens the sonne of Milciades their graund­captaine Cyno is ma­de graund [...] tain against the P [...] at the battell of Marathon, a noble yong gentleman whose naturall and godly disposition, declared before hand what great honor he was like to come vnto. For when his father being cast in prison for robbing of the common tre­sure, The natura [...] loue of [...] to his fa [...] ▪ was there departed and could not be buried, he by ta­king his fathers irons vppon him, redeamed his body and buried it. Neither wer they any thing at all deceiued, that chose him to be their soueraign Captain. For being a man of no lesse prowesse then was his father, he vanquished X­erxes Xerxes [...]. both vpon the sea and vppon the land, and compelled him fearfully to retire into his own kingdome.

XErxes king of Persia of whome all nations a li­tle Xerxes is [...] by hys own subiect. before stode in feare, after he had sped so vn fortunatelye in his warres in Grece, began to be had in contempt euen of his own subiectes. For Artabanus his lieuetenaunt perceiuing the kings estate dailye to decaye, beinge therwith broughte in good hope to obtain the kingdom, one euening wyth vii. of his sonnes all men growen, and stout men of their handes, [Page] entred the kings palace. For he was so well be trusted and beloued with the king, that he might come in whenso euer he wold. Wherfore whē he had slain the king, he wrought by pollicy to destroy his children, whome he knewe to be a lette to his enterprise. As for Artaxerxes whiche was but a The cautele and treson of Artabanus. childe to speake of, he toke no great thought, and therfore the sooner to compasse his matters, he surmised that Darius which was a tall strippling had slaine his father, to the en­tent he might the soner possesse the kingdom. Wherby he compelled artaxerxes to reuenge murder with murder. When they came to Darius lodginge, they founde him as it were neither sleping nor waking, and there killed him. Afterward artabanus perceiuing that for all the mischief he could deuise, there was yet one of the kinges sonnes aliue, and fearing that the peres of the realme wold stand in con tention with him for the kingdome, made of his Counsell one Baccabassus, who being content with his present estate, bewrayed the whole matter to artaxerxes: howe his Father The treason disclosed. was slain, how his brother vpon false presumption of mur­der was put to death, and finallye howe there was treason Treson poli­tiquely reuen ged. a woorking againste his owne personne. When artaxerxes knew that, fearing to attempt any thing rashly or agaynst artabanus, because he had so many of his sonnes about hym, he commaunded his army to be in a readinesse in their ar­mour before him the next day, sayinge that he woulde take musters of them him selfe, and see a trial of euery mannes behauioure, howe he coulde handle his weapon. Therfore when as among the rest, artabanus himselfe stoode by in his harnesse, the kinge fained that his Curet was to shorte for him, commaundinge artabanus to chaunge with him. As he was putting it of, the king espying him naked, thrust hym throughe with his sworde, and ther with all commaunded all his sonnes to be laide hande on. And by this meanes the worthy yong Prince reuenged the death of his father, and the murder of his brother, and saued him selfe oute of the bandes of traitoures.

[Page 21]While these things were a doing among the Persians, in the mean season all Grece deuiding it self in ii. parts, wherof The discorde of the gr [...]kes amonge them s [...]lues. the one folowed the Lacedemonians, thother the Atheniens turned their wepons from forain enemies, agaynste their owne bowels. Of one people was made two bodies, & the souldiers of one campe wer parted into ii. hostes of deadly and mortall enemies. On thone side the Lacedemonians drue to their parte, all suche as were before times waged at the common charges of al the cities, for the defēce of the whole country. On thother side the Atheniens being renowmed as wel for their antiquity and long continuance, as also by their dedes of cheualry, trusted all to their own strength. And so two of the mightiest people of all Grece, egall by the statutes of Solon and lawes of Lycurgus, throughe enuy one at anothers estate, fel together by the eares amonge them Rightuous­n [...]s is to be preferred be­fore akingdō. selues. For Lycurgus succeadinge his brother Polybita in the kingdome of Sparta, when as he might lawfullye haue cha­lenged it to him selfe, surrendred the same with as muche faithfulnesse as mighte be, vnto his sonne Charilans whyche was borne after the deathe of hys father, assone as he came to mannes estate. To the entent that all men myghte vn­derstande howe muche good men doo set more by rightu­ousnesse, then by al the richesse in the world. In the meane while therfore that the childe grew, of whom as protector he had the gouernment, he deuised lawes for the Spartanes whiche hetherto hadde none, in whyche doing he deserued not more renowne for inuenting of them, then for geuyng example in keeping them For certainlye he ordayned no law for any other man, wherof he gaue not ensample first of all by him selfe. The notable lawes of L [...] ­curgus.

He taughte the people due obedience to their Princes, and the Princes to minister iu [...]ice indifferently to al their subiectes. He counselled all estates to vse temperance and frugalitye, thincking that throughe the dailye and accusto­mable vse therof, the trauell and penye of warfare, should seeme much more light and easy.

[Page]he commaunded all things to be bought, not for mony but for exchaunge of wares. The vse of golde and siluer, as the occasion of all mischief, he vtterly toke away. The gouern­ment of the publike weale he distributed to certain estates and degrees. Unto the kinges he gaue power absolutely in all matters concerning the warres, vnto the magistrates authority in iudgementes and matters of lawe: whome he would to continue in office but one yeare at ones: vnto the Senatoures, to see the lawes executed and kept: to the cō ­mons power to chuse the Senatoures, or to create what officers they listed. He parted all their landes equallye a­mongste them, portion and portion like, to the entent that euery man hauing like liuelihode, no man shuld take more vpon him then other. He ordained that they should all eate and drinke together openlye, to the entent that no manne should secreatly vse any excesse or super [...]uitye: he permit­ted not the yong men to weare anye moo garmentes then one, all the yere, nor one to go gayer then another, nor one to fare better then an other, leaste by followinge one ano­thers example they should fall to riot. Children vnder xv. yeares age, were not suffred to come into the Courte, but The brin­ging vp of children. were commaunded to keepe in the Country, to the entent they might spend their first yeares, not in riotousnesse, but in labor and trauel. And when they slept, they myghte not lay any thing vnder them to rest vpon, or eat anye daintye meate al their liues. nor retourn into the City before they were men growne. He made a lawe that maidens shoulde marrye without dowrye: and gaue commaundement that The mariage of maidens. men should chuse their wiues for loue and not for monye, thinckinge by that meanes menne woulde more straitlye obserue the dueties of wedlocke, when there was no dow­rye to let them. The greatest reuerens, he woulde shoulde be assigned, not to rich men and men of authoritye, but to aged men accordinge to the degree of their yeares. And to Re [...]erence vnto old age. say the truthe there is no place in all the worlde, wher age [Page 22] is more honoured then in [...]parta. Nowe forasmuch as these thinges at the first, semed harde to them that before times The deuise of Licurgus to make hys lawes eter­nall. were w [...]nt to liue as they listed, he fained Apollo of Delphos to be the author of them, and that he had fetched them fro thence at the commaundement of God, to the entent that the feare of God might enure them vnto it, vntill that cu­stome had driuen awaye all wearinesse. Afterwarde to the entent he might [...]stablishe his lawes for euer, he caused all the Citye to be sworne, not to alter or breake any parte of his lawes, vntil he returned againe, tellinge them that he was going to the Oracle at Delphos, to take counsel what was to be altered, put to, or taken from his lawes. But in Licurgus v [...] nisheth hym self to do hys coūtry good. very dede he sailed vnto Candy, where gladlye he liued the residue of his life like a banished man. And when he shuld die, he commaunded his bones to be throwne into the sea, least if they were caried again to Lacedemon, the Spartanes might thinke them selues clere of their othe in disanulling and abrogating of his lawes. By meanes of these statutes The wa [...]a of the Spar­tanes against the Me [...] ­ans. and ordinaunces, the City grew so stronge within a while, that when as they made warre againste the Messenians for rauishing certaine of their maidens in a sol [...]mpne sacrifice of the Messenians, they bounde them selues with a greuous othe, and thervnto cursed them selues, if they retourned home before they had wonne the City of Messenia, so muche did they trust either to their owne strength or to their for­tune. The which thing was the beginning of discorde, and the cheefe cause and occasion of warre in Grece. Therfore when contrary to their presumption, they had beseged the towne x. yeres, and could not take it, and that their wiues thinking them selues all this while as widowes, sent often to them, requesting them earnestly to come home, at lēgth fearing least by their obstinate perseueraunce, they myght doo them selues more harme then the Messenians. For as much as the youth which the Messenians lost, was suppli­ed the frutefulnesse of their wiues being daily among thē, wheras their own losse during the warres was vnrecoue­rable, [Page] for as muche as in the time of their absens their wi­ues as barraine folke broughte for the no frute at all: Ther The original of the Par­theniens. fore they chose oute certaine yong menne of that bande of Souldiers that came to supplye their noumber after the othe was taken, and sent them home to Sparta with free liberty to company with any women whome so euer they woulde, supposinge their wiues should sooner conceiue, by attemptinge it wyth diuers men. They that were so be­gotten, in respecte of their mothers dishonour, were called Partheniens: who when they came to the age of xxx. yeres for feare of pouertye, (for none of them coulde saye who was his father, by whome he mighte hope for anye inheri­taunce or liuing tooke to be their Captaine, Phalanthus the sonne of Aracus, which gaue the Spartanes the forsaid coū ­sel to send home these yonge men to engender issue. To the Phalanthus entent that as of late his father was the authoure of theyr begetting, so might they haue the sonne the author of their hope and prosperiti. Therfore not so much as once bidding The Parthe niens seke thē a newe dwelling place. their mothers farewell, whose aduoutry they thought soū ­ded greatly to their shame & reproche, they toke their way to seke them a new dwelling place, and after diuers aduen tures being long tossed from post to piller, at lengthe they came into Italy, where they besieged the fortresse of Ta­rent, They place them selues in Italye. the which being wonne by assault, they draue out the auncient inhabiters therof, and dwelled ther them selues. But many yeres after, their captain Phalanthus beinge by a tumult driuen into exile, went vnto Brundusium whether as the auncient inhabitants of Tarent being expulsed their na­tiue The loue of Phalanthus toward his country. country had withdrawn them selues. When he should die, he perswaded them to take his bones, & the residue of his body being dead and beat them into poulder, & secretely to cause them to be strowed in the market place of Tarent, saying that apollo at Delphos had told him, that in so doynge they shuld recouer their country again. The Tarentines [...]up­posing that to reuenge the displesure don vnto him, he had bewrayed the desteny of his citizens, obeyed his counsell.

[Page 23]But the meaning of the Oracle was cleane contrary. For it promised by so doing the cōtinual possession of the town, and not the losse o [...] it. And so through the counsell of theyr banished captain & the working of their enemies the Parthenians enioyed the possession of Tarent for euer. In remem­braunce Pha [...]anthus is honoured for a God. The Messe­niens are subdued & after­ward doo re­bell. of the whiche good turne, they euer after honou­red Phalanthus as a God. In the mean time the Messenians beinge not able to be ouercome by plaine force, were ouer­come by pollicye. Afterwarde hauinge by the space of lxxx. yeres suffered sore punishmentes of bondage, with empri­sonment and other miseries and calamities of thraldome & captiuity, after long sufferance of these mischeues, they re­nued the war again. The Lacedemonians also came to the field so muche the more earnestlye, because they seemed to fight against their bōdmen. The courages of both parties therfore being quickned, thone with iniury, thother wyth disdain, the Lacedemonians demaunded counsell of the O­racle at Delphos to what end the warre should come, there they wer cōmaunded to send to the Atheniens for a captē. Thatheniens hauing intelligence of thanswer of apollo, in Tirteus bring [...]th the spar­tanes in des­paire. despite of the Lacedemonians sent thē a poet called tirteus lame of one fote, who being vanquished in iii. battels, brought the Lacedemonians to such an afterdele, that to suppli their army they were faine to make their bondmen free, & promise to geue them the wiues of them that were slain, so that they shuld succede such as wer lost, not only in nōber, but also in estate & worship. But the kinges of the Lacede­monians, least by str [...]inge againste fortune they myghte brynge more domage vpon their countrye, were myneded to haue conueyed home theyr host. If Tyrteus had not come The force of Poetrye in the meane season, who sommoning his armye together, rehearsed vnto them certaine verses that he had compiled wherin was contained the encouragemente to vertue, the comfort of aduersity, and the pollicies of warre.

Wherwith he set his souldiers on suche a courage, that ta­king more thought for their burial thē for their liues, eue­ry [Page] manne put aboute his righte arme, a bracelet wherin was grauen his owne name, and the name of his father: to the entent that if they had so ill fortune as to be all slaine in the battel, and that by continuaunce of time their bodies shuld rotte oute of fashion, by the markes of their bracelets they might be knowen and buried.

When the kinges sawe the hoste so minded, they caused the matter to be showed to their ennemies. The Messeni­ans The courage of the Messe­nians. wer therwith nothing abashed, but rather made more earnest. Therfore they mette with suche courage, that there hathe not lightlye a bloudier battell beene harde of. Neuerthelesse at the laste the Lacedemonians gotte the vpper hande. In processe of time the Messenians made in­surrection Occasyon of war betwene the Lacede­monians and [...]atheniens. the third time. In the whiche amonge other the Lacedemonians sent for aid to the Atheniens. Whom they hauinge in distruste, made an excuse that as at that time they shoulde not neade to trouble them, and so s [...]nte them home agayne. The Atheniens takinge thys matter in dis­pleasure, fetched from Delos to Athens, the mony whiche was there laide by all Grece, for the maintenaunce of the warres against the Persians: leaste if the Lacedemonians shoulde breake the league, they might take it as a botye, or as their own gotten good. But the Lacedemonians could not be in quiet. For beinge entangled in the warres wyth See the na­ture of enuy. the Messenians, they waged the Peloponnesians to make warre against the Atheniens. The Atheniens wer as then able to raise but a small power, by reason they had sente a nauy of ships into Egipt. Wherfore in a battel vppon the Sea they were vanquished with small a doo. Wythin a while after, when their flete was come home, beynge en­creased both in noumber of shippes and in strength of men they rered the warre a new. And at that time the Lacede­monians leauinge the Messenians, tourned them selues a­gainst the Atheniens: long time the victory hong in doubt­ful balance, sometime the one winninge and sometime the other. At the last they departed of euen hande. The Lace­demonians [Page 24] being called againe to the warres of Messenia, because they wer loth that the Atheniens should be idle, & hauing nothing to do in the meane while, couenanted with the Thebanes to restore to them the kingdō of [...], whych was taken from them in the time of the Persian warres, vpon condition that they should make warre to the Athe­niens. So mad were the Lacedemonians, that being all ready entangled in two warres at ones, they passed not to take the third in hand, and only to stirre vp ennemies to the A­theniens. The noble [...]o ings of Peri­cles. The Atheniens therfore to withstand the great tempestes of warre that were like shortlye to ensue, chose two captaines. Pericles a man of tried vertue, and Sophocles a wryter of tragedies, the whiche with two sondry armies wasted the territories of the Spartanes, and subdued manye cities of Achaia to thempire of Athens. The Lacedemoni­ans The Lacede­monians take a truce and breake it. being all together discouraged with these misfortunes tooke a truce for xxx. yeres. But their priuy grudge coulde not suffer them to abide so long in reast. Therfore ere xv. yeares were fullye accomplished, they brake the truce, and in despite of God and man, inuaded the borders of Athens. And because they wold not seme so greatly to haue sought the pray, as the encounter, they bad them battell. But the The wisdom of P [...]icles in reuengyng his countrye. Atheniens by the counsel of their captain Pericles delaid the reuengment of this wastinge their countrye, vntyll more conuenient time and occasion, thinckinge it but a follye to trouble them selues as then, consideringe they mighte ere long after, be reuenged more to their profit and les to their displesure. Within a few daies after, they embarked them selues, & or euer the Lacedemonians wist therof, wasted & forraged al the coūtry of Sparta, & caried away a great deale more thē before they had lost. So that in comparison of the domages, the reuengement was much greater thē the dis­plesure. This viage of Pericles was counted very honora­ble, His wisdom in a [...]oidinge hys owne pe­ri [...]s. but much more honorable was the despising of his pa­trimony & inheritans. For whe the Spartanes wasted the country of Athens, & spoiled all other mennes landes, they [Page] left his vntouched, hoping either to bring him in daunger throughe enuy, or elsse in a slaunder vppon presumption of treason. The which thing Pericles foreseing before hād, told the people how it wold come to passe, & to auoide the brunt of enuy, he gaue the lands for a gift to the common w [...]ale. And so by that meanes, the thing whervpon mooste hurte and daunger was wrought against him, turned most of all to his renown and honor. Wi [...]hin a fewe daies after, there Battel on the [...]ea. was a battel fought vpon the sea, in the which the Lacede­monians beinge vanquished, fled. And from that time fore­ward they ceased not to slea and kil one another, bothe by sea and by land as fortune enclined or bare fauor to anye of the sides. Finally being wearied with so many domages & losses, the [...] toke a truce for fifty yeres, the which they kept The Lacede­moni [...]s brake the truce a­gaine. no lenger then fixe yeres. For the truce which they hadde taken in their owne name, they brake vnder couloure and pretence of aiding their fellowes: as thoughe they shoulde lesse haue committed periurye in fightinge in the mainte­naunce of the quarel of their complices, then in making o­pen warre. After this the warre was remoued into Sicil: but or euer I entreat therof, I wil wryte somewhat of the situation of the Iland.

MEn say that Sicil cleued somtime vnto Italye, and that it was (as it were) rent The discrip­tion of Sicil, with the na­ture therof. from the body, by violence of the vpper sea, which withal the force of his waues cōmeth thither. The earth of it selfe is fine and brittle, so holowe with holes & pipes in the grounde, that in manner it li [...]s wide open to euery blast of wind. And besides that, the nature of the soyle is suche, that of it self it engendreth and nourisheth fire. For the molde within is after a brimston [...] and rosen, by meanes wherof it commeth to passe, that the winde striuing with the fire in the innermost parte of the earth, oftētimes and in many places casteth out, somtimes [Page 25] flakes of fire, sōtimes vapors, and somtimes smoke, thervp on also groweth the fire of the mountain Aetna continuinge so many C. yeres. And when ther is any great wind in the forsaid holes, great heapes of sand ar [...] cast out of thē. The next promontory ouer against Italy is Rhegium: so called be cause the Grekes in their language do term thinges brokē of, by that name. It is no meruel though in olde time there went many fables & tales of this place, in the which are cō ­ueyed The narow seas of Sicil so many straunge things. First & formest there is no narow sea in all the world so raginge as it, not onlye by the swiftnesse of the waues, but also by the violent meting of the tides, so that it is terrible not only to thē that try it, but also to such as behold it a far of. Moreouer ther is such a do when the waues mete, that a man shall se some as it were rūning away drowned in the whorlpoles, & falling into the bottom of the sea, & other some in maner of conqueroures proudly bear thē selues a loft. And again hear in one place the roring of the raging tide, & in another place as it were the sighing of the falling into the gulf. And to the encrease therof maketh also the nere and continuall burnyng of the moūtain Aetna, & of aeolus iles, as though the fire wer nori­shed with the water. For it is not possible that so greate a fire shuld other wise continue so long season together in so smal a roum, onles it wer norished by moysture. Herevpō Scilla and Charybdis. therfore grew the tales of Scylla & Charibdis, herevpon came it that men hard the barking of dogs, hervpon mē beleued that they saw monsters, which sailing that way, being fea­red with the noise of the waues fallīg into the great gulfs, imagined the waues to bark, which was nothig els, but the noise of the waters beting one against another as they wer drawn bi viol [...]ce into the whorlpoles. The like cause is also of the cōtinuāce of the fire of the moūtain aetna. For this vi olēt meting of the waters, draweth, the winde with it per­force into the bowels of therth, & there holdeth him pent so lōg, vntil being spred into the holes of ther [...]h, it setteth the [...]iry matter a burnig. Now Italy & Sicilie ar so near together [Page] and the promontories of bothe so like in heigth, that looke how much we now wonder at it, so much men in olde time wer afraid of it, beleuing that the hils met and departed a sonder againe, and that whole nauies of shippes were swa­lowed vp and neuer sene after. Nether was this thing de­uised in olde time, for pleasauntnesse of the tale, but for the wonderment of suche as passed that way. For suche is the nature of the place, that they whiche beholde it a farre of, woulde rather take it to be an elbowe of the Sea shotyng into the land, then a passage. And when a manne comes neare, he would thincke that the Mountaines parted and went a sondre. Sicill was firste of all named Trinacria, af­terward The names of Sicil. it was called Sicania. This Ilande from the be­ginnynge was the countrye of the Giauntes with one eye in their forehead called Cyclopes. The whiche beynge roted out, acolus took [...] vpon him the rule of the [...], after whose decease, euery City had a Tyran by them selues, and there was neuer countrye that had better store of them thē had Sicilie. Of the noumber of theese tirauntes there was one Anaxilaus, that striued againste the crueltye of the others An example of iustice and good gouer­naunce, and the frute the [...]of. with iustice, whose modest gouernaunce profited him not a little. For when he was departed out of this life, leauing his children verye yonge vnder the tuition and gouerne­ment of a trusty seruaunte of his called Mycithus, he was so wel beloued of al his subiects, that they were conteted to obey his seruant, rather then to abandon & forsake his chil­dren. And the princes of the citye forgettinge their estate, suffred the kingdō to be ruled by a bondman. The Cartha­ginenses assaid to conquer thempire of Sicil, & fought a lōg season with the kinges there of, sometyme to their gaine [...]de more hereof in the xviii. xix. xx. & xxii. bokes. and sometime to their losse.

At the last when they had lost their graund captain Ha­milcar & al his host, their harts wer discoraged, and so kept them selues in quiet for a good while after. In the meane season the inhabitauntes of [...]hegium fallinge at debate a­mong them selues, & the City being deuided in two factiōs [Page 26] the one part thinking them selues to weak▪ sent for the old souldioures whiche were then at the citye of [...]mera to come and healpe them, who hauynge driuen oute of the Towne those againste whome they wer called, and forthwith slay­ing them whose quarell they supported, tooke their Citye with their wiues and children and all that euer they had, whiche was suche a cruell acte as neuer tiraunt attempted in so muche that it had bene farre better for the menne of Rhegium to haue beene vanquished, then to haue gotten the victory. For whether they had bene driuen by the lawe of armes to haue serued the Conqueroures, or whether they had bene driuen to forsake their countrye as banished per­sons, yet notwithstanding they should not haue bene mise­rably murthered betwene the temples and their dwelling houses, and haue left their natiue coūtry with their wiues and children as a pray to suche cruel tirants. The Catenen­ses [...]iuil war [...]s in Sicil, by meanes wher of the ath [...] ens wer [...] brough [...] to a sore after [...] also beinge sore oppressed by the Syracusans, distrustynge their owne strength, demaunded succor of the Atheniens, the whiche (whether it were for desire to dilate their Em­pire, because they had all redy conquered all Grece & Asi [...], or that they feared least the great nauy of shippes whyche the Syrac [...]sanes had lately builded, shuld aid & strēgthen the Lacedemonians,) sent a Captaine called Lampozius wyth a nauy into Sicill, to the entent that vnder the coloure of ai­ding the Catenienses, they might attempt to get the kingdōe of Sicill. And because that they had prosperous successe in their affair [...]s at the beginning, and made greate slaughter of their ennemies, they went to Sicil again with a greater [...]eete and a stronger power, wherof wer captaines Lache­tes and Char [...]ades. But the Cateu [...]nses whether it were for f [...]are of the Atheniens, or that they were wearye of the warres, made peace with the Syracusanes and sent home the Athe [...]ens againe that came to their rescue. Wythin a while after when the Syracusanes obserued not iustlye the peace, they sent their ambassadours again to Athens, who in filthy apparel with longe heades and longe beardes, fa­fashioning [Page] their countenaunce & gesture as much as might be to prouoke pity, came sorowfullye before the people. In making their complainte they wept, and with their hum­ble submission so moued the sely people to pity, that the cap tains wer condemned for withdrawing their succors from them. Wherfore a great nauy was sent forth, wherof wer appoynted captaines, Nicias, Albiciades, Lamachus, and they entred Sicilie with such a power, that euen they whō they alcibiades ari ueth in Sicil, and is sent for home a­gain tanswer to accusanōs. came to defend were a fraid of them. Shortlye after alcibia­des being sent for home to answer to certain enditements that were put vp against him, Nicias and Lamachus foughte two prosperous battels vpon the lande. And soone after so enclosed their ennemies and kepte them so straighte, that they coulde haue neither rescue nor victailes from the sea▪ The Syracusanes being so sore distressed, desired healp of the Lacedemonians. Unto them was sent no mo but only Gy­lippus, but he was suche a one as was worthe all the helpe they had beside. For he hearing of the manner of the war, The prayse of Gylippus. and perceiuing his complices to be brought to a low ebbe, raised a power partlye in Grece, and partlye in Sicill, and toke such a pece of ground as he thought meete for the two hostes to encounter in. Wher being twise put to the wors at the third encounter he slue Lamachus, put [...]is ennemies to flight, and raised the siege. But when gylippus perceiued that the Atheniens remoued from the lande to battell, on the Sea, he sent for the nauye of Lacedemon to aide him, the which thing being knowen at Athens, they also to supplye the rowme of the captaine that was slain, sent Demosthenes and [...] with a newe furniture of souldiers. The Xe­loponesians also by a common decree of all the Cityes▪ sente great aid to the Syracusanes, and all the power that either parte coulde make was sent thither, as thoughe the warre Thatheniens are vanqui­ [...]ed. had bene remoued oute of Grece into Sicilie. Therfore at the first encounter vpon the Sea the Atheniens wer van­quished, their tentes also with all their Treasure priuate, [Page 27] and common were taken. Besides al these mischeues, whē The third di [...] comfiture of them. they were ouercome vpon the lande also, then Demosthenes began to counsel them to depart out of Sicilie betimes, be­fore their matters which all ready were in great hasarde, were not yet all together brought to vtter despaire. Say­ing it was not good to pe [...]uer and lenger in the warre so vnluckely begone, and that there was sorer and perchance more vnfortunate warre towarde at home in theyr owne countrye, for the defence and withstandinge wherof. That furniture of the City ought to be reserued, Nicias whether it were for shame of his ill successe, or for feare of his owne Citizens disapoynted of that they loked for, or that hys de­stenye compelled him there vnto, made all the meanes he might to abide still.

Whervpon eftsones was renued the warre by sea, and The fourth ouerthr [...] o [...] them. for all the stormes of their former misfortune, yet they toke courage to encounter againe. But throughe the vn­skilfulnesse of their captaines that set vppon the Siracu­sanes, keping them selues in the straights, they were light­ly ouercome. The captain [...] fighting very valiant­ly in the foreward was the first that was slaine. The xxx. shippes wherof he hadde the charge, were set on fire. De­mosthenes and Nicias beinge also vanquished, did set their men a lande, supposing by that waye the better to eskape. Gylippus [...] lowe [...]h the victory▪ The hundred and xxx. shippes whiche they lefte behinde, them Gylippus inuaded, and afterward pursuing them as they fled, some he slue and some he tooke prisoners. Demo­sthenes Demosthe­nes [...] him selfe. when he had loste his armye, deliuered hym selfe from bondage by wilfull sleing of him self with his sword. But Nicias hauyng not the hart to doo by him selfe as dyd Demosthenes, dishonourably encreased the slaughter of his men by yelding him self vnto shame­full captiuity.

VUhile the Atheniens warred in Sicilie by the space of ii. yeares with more gre­dinesse The pointes wherof Alci­biades was appealed. then successe, in the meane sea­son Alcibiades the stirrer and chieftaine therof, in his absence was accused at A­thens to haue published the misteryes of Ceres, and the night sacrifices done in her honoure, whiche are by no meanes so highly solemp­nized as by silence. And being sent for from the warres, to aunswer to hys complainte, whether his conscience gaue him to be giltye, or that he could not abide such a reproche to his honor, he made no woordes but went as a banished man to Elis. Afterward when he vnderstoode that he was alcibiades stirreth the Lacedemoni­ans against hys owne countrye. not onlye condempned, but also accursed by the priestes of all the orders of religion, he wente to Lacedemon, and there perswaded the king to warre vppon the Atheniens, nowe auexed and troubled with their misaduentures in Sicilie. Immediatly whervppon, all the kingdomes of Grece ga­thered them selues together, as it had ben to quench some common fire, so great hatred hadde the Atheniens gotten, through their vnmeasurable desire of bearing rule. Darius He was the sonne of artax erxes & was the viii. kyng of Persia. also the king of Persians, remembring the hatred that hys father and graundfather bare to this City, entred in leage with the Lacedemonians, by Tyssaphernes lieuetenaunte of Lydia, and promised to bear the charges of the warre. This was the pretence of entraunce in leage with the Grekes, but in verye deede he doubted, least when the Lacedemo­nians had ouercome the Atheniens, they would set vppon him. What wonder is it then if the estate of Athens were so flourishinge, since that to oppresse that one Citye, all the power of the whole East bent them selues together. Yet The prowes of thatheniēs notwithstandinge they were not as cowardes ouercome wythout great bloudshed, but fightinge to the vttermost, [Page 28] and some whiles also getting the vpper hand, they were at lengthe rather by vnstablenesse of fortune consumed, then [...]auour [...]olo­weth fortu [...] by plain force vanquished. In the beginning of the warre, not so muche but euen their owne fellowes forsooke them as it is daily sene, that wheras fortune semeth to fauor thi­ther also, do mennes harts encline. Alcibiades also furthered The doinges of Alcibiades againste his owne coūtrie this warre that was moued againste his countrye, with all the power he might, not like a common souldier, but like a puissaunt captain. For taking with him x. shippes, he sailed into Asia, and there by the authoritye of his name, compel­led the Cities that were tributary vnto the Atheniens, to tourne to the Lacedemonians. For they knew wel that he was a man of great power in his owne countrye, and they thought he was not the lesse by reason of his banishmente, supposing him not to muche to be taken from the Atheni­ens, as to be deliuered for a captain to the Lacedemonians and so they set his winninges against his losses. But amōg the Lacedemonians, Alcibiades greate prowesse and [...]ali­antnesse He [...] no less [...] ▪ wan him more enuy then thank. Therfore when the Princes laid wait secreatly to kill him by treason, as an ennemye to their glory and renowne, Alcibiades hauynge knowledge therof by the wife of king agis with whome he had committed aduoutry, fled to Tissaphernes kinge Darius lieuetenaunt, with whome through his curtesy and lowly behauior he quickly wound him self in. For he was then in the florishing time of his youth, and for his beautye, perso­nage and eloquence, amonge all the Atheniens was none The natur [...] [...] maners of [...] cibiades. like vnto him. But he was better in winning frendshippe then in keepinge: because that euer at the firste, vnder the faire shadowe of eloquence, were cloked his euill manners and conditions. Therfore he perswaded Tissafernes that he should not alow to muche wages and viand to the fleete of Marke [...] the Lacedemonians, and that the Ionians ought to be called to part of the charges, for whose libertye when they payed tribute to the Atheniens, this warre was first begonne. Moreouer that the Lacedemonians oughte not to haue to [Page] much helpe, consideringe he prepared for another mannes victory and not for his owne, wherfore the warre ought so farre forthe to be maintained, that it be not broken vp for want of things necessary. For as long as the Grekes were thus at debate amōg them selues, the king of Persia shuld alwaies be an indifferent iudge bothe of peace and warre at his owne pleasure. And he should ouercome them wyth their owne power, whome he could not ouercome with all the power he was able to make of his owne. And assone as the warre were ended, whiche waye so euer the gole went, he should be compelled to haue warre with the con­querors. Wherfore it wer good to suffer the Grekes to busy them selues in wasting their own country, to the entent they haue no leisure to inuade forain countries. To the performance wherof, either parte oughte to be maintained in strength able to match his aduersari, and the weaker to be aided with new succors. For it was not to be thought that the Lacedemonians would be in rest, if they might get the vpper hand, considering they had professed and proclaimed them selues all redy, the defenders of the liberty of Grece. This Oration liked Tissaphemes very well, whervppon he allowed them not so liberall expenses, neither sent he forth all the kings flete, least he shuld either geue them the victorye oute of hande, or elsse constraine them to breake vp the warres. In the meane season Alcibiades did thus muche for Note his crafty deling. his country men, that when the Atheniens sente their am­bassadors vnto him, he promised to get them the kinges fa­uor, if so be it that the administration of the common welth wer remoued from the people, and put into the senatours handes. Hopinge there by that if the Citye agreed well, he shoulde be chosen captaine of the warre by their common assent, or els if there arose any variaunce betwene the two estates, he shoulde be called to the ayd of the one part. But the Atheniens seinge the daunger of the warre that they were wrapped in, had more respect of their safegarde then of their honoure.

[Page 29]Therfore with the good wil of the people, the gouernance of the common wealth was put into the hands of the sena­tors. The which because that through a certain pride natu rallye engraffed in that estate, they dealed with the people [...]om what cruelly, euery man taking vpon him to be a lord, alcibiades is called out [...] of exite and [...] generall of the warres. the souldioures called home the banished alcibiades, & made him admirall of the Sea. Whervppon immediatly he sent woord to Athens, that he woulde incontinently come thi­ther with an host of menne, and take the gouernment out of the CCCC. Senatoures handes, whether they woulde or no, onlesse they surrendred it vp of their owne accorde before he came.

The greate menne of the City being sore fro [...]hled with this message, first attempted to betraye the Towne to the Lacedemonians, whiche thing being not able to bringe to passe, they willinglye forsoke their Countrye, and became as banished men. alcibiades therfore hauinge deliuered hys countrye from inwarde sedition, furnished his ships wyth all diligence possible, and so proceded into warfare against the Lacedemonians. Nowe Mindarus and [...] the Captaines of the Lacedemonians, with their shippes fur­nished alc [...]tades o­uercome the Lacedemont­ans. likewise, awaited his comminge. The battell being soughte, the victorye fell to the Atheniens. In thys con­flicte the greater parte of the armye, and almooste all the captains of their enemies wer slain, and lxxx. shippes takē. Within a fewe daies after the Lacedemonians remouing from the Sea vnto the lande, were eftsones in another en­counter put to the worse. The which discomfiture beynge greatly afflicted and discouraged, they sued for peace. The which was letted to be graunted through their mean es, & had aduātage and gain by the warres. In the mean season the Carthaginenses made war in Sicil, by reason wherof the Siracusanes wer fain to call home their succors to defēd their own. The Lacedemoniās being therby destitute of al aid & comforte, Alcibiades with his victorious nauye, wasted and spoiled the coaste of Asia, foughte battels in diuers places, [Page] and euery wher getting the victorye, recouered the Cityes whiche were tourned from the Atheniens, and diuers he His tryum­phan [...] returu vnto athens. won of newe, and subdued them to the dominion of the A­theniens also. And so hauinge recouered his auncient re­nowne and honor, in battel on the sea, with thencrese and augmentation therof by his conquestes on the land, he re­turned to Athens to the great reioycement of all his Cite­zens. In all these battels were taken of their enemies, two C. shippes and a great pray. To beholde this triumphante retourne of the army, all the people came out of the Citye by heapes, praising highlye all the souldioures, but in espe­tially wondring at Alcibiades. On him all the City gased, on him they earnestlye fastned their eies, as thoughe they could neuer haue seene inough of him, him they behelde as one sent from heauen, and as it wer the victory it self, they praised his noble actes done for his countrye, no lesse extol­ling the thinges which he did against the same, in the time of his banishment: makinge his excuse them selues, as that he did them in his anger and prouoked there vnto. It is a meruelous thing to see, that there should be in one manne suche power and valure, as to be the onlye cause of the o­uerthrowe of so mighty a kingdome, and of the settinge vp The fortune of alcibiades. of the same againe, victory euer folowing that side that he tooke, and that fortune should so wonderfully alwaies en­cline that way that he went. Wherfore they honored hym not as a man, but as a God, they striued with them selues, whether they had banished him more spitefullye, or called him home again more honourablye. They broughte theyr Goddes with them for ioy to welcom him home, by which not long before they had accursed hym. And whome of late they had forbidden all mannes help, now and if they could they would haue set him in heauen. Recompensing the des­pite with honour, his harmes and losses with giftes and re­wardes, and his curses with blessings. There was no wor­des among them of the battels that he loste in Sicil, but of the victories that he wo [...]e in Grece. There was no spea­king [Page 30] of the shippes that he hadde lost, but of the shippes that he had taken. The Syracusanes were forgotten, and there was no talke but of his conquestes in Ionia and Hellespont. Thus was Alcibiades neuer meanely hated, nor meanely honoured and exalted of his country men.

While theese thinges were a doing amonge the Lace­demonians Lysander was made Captaine generall of the warres bothe by sea and by land, and in steade of Tissapher­nes, Darius kinge of Persians hadde made his sonne Cyrus lieuetenant of Ionia and Lydia, who aided the Lacedemoni­ans in such wise both with men and mony, that they doub ted not to recouer their former estate. Beinge therfore thus encreased in strength, and hearing that Alcibiades was gon into Asia with a nauye of a C. shippes, whiles he was Ouersight pernitious in a captain. there wasting and spoiling the country, which was grown riche by reason there had bene no warre of a long time be fore, and toke no hede to his souldioures, but suffred them for couetousnesse of booties to disperse them selues where they lifted, as thoughe there had bene no treason to be fea­red, they sodenlye came vppon them, and assailed them ere they could gather them selues together. And they made suche a slaughter amonge them as they were skatred, that the Atheniens toke more losse and hurt in that one battel, then they had done to their ennemies in all the battels be­fore, wherwith they were brought to luche a dèspaire, that forthwith they put away alcibiades, & chose conon to be theyr captain in his stead. Thincking them selues to haue beene vanquished not by the chaunce of warres, but through the Alci [...]des is banished a­gaine. treson of their captaine, whiche more regarded the old dis­plesure then the benefits newly bestowed vpon him. And that he had vanquished his ennemies in the former battels for ndne other purpose, but only to shewe vnto them what a captain they had despised, and to thentent to sel them the victory the derer. And to say the truthe alcibiades had so sut­tle a hed, & was therwith so muche geuen to vice and lasci­uious liuing, that it was like inough he wold worke such a [Page] thing. Fering therfore the displesure of the people in their rage, of his own wil he banished him self againe. Then Co­non beinge put in the roume of Alcibsades, hauinge before his eies what a captaine he had suc [...]eded, furnished his na­uy with all diligence and circumspectinesse tha tmyght be. But there wanted men to furnish the shippes, for the [...]ou test and strongest souldiours wer lost in the forraginge of Asia. Yet notwithstanding old menne and berdlesse boyes wer armed, and so filled vp the nomber of souldiers, with­out any strength of the host. Yet for al that, they letted not A great slau­ghter of the atheniens. to encounter with their enemies, by whom like weak and vnable soldiers, they were euerye where beaten downe or els taken running away. And there was suche a destructi­on, what of them that were slaine, and what of them that were taken, that not only the Empire, but euen the verye name of the Atheniens semed to be vtterly extinct: By the which battel they wer brought to so low an ebbe and lefte so bare, by reson all their warlike men wer consumed and spent, that they were driuen folet their city to straungers, to set their slaues & bondmen fre, and to geue pardō to such as were condempned to die. And with this rout of raskals wherof their army was compact, they (which lately before wer lords of al Grece,) were now skarse able to maintaine their owne libertye. Neuerthelesse they determined yet The courage of thathen [...]ēs once again to try their fortune vpon the sea. So stout were their stomakes, & so coragious wer their harts, that wher­as a litle before they wer in despair of their own safegard, they were now in good hope to get the victor [...]e. But these were not the souldioures that were able to vphold the ho­nor of Athens, nether was that the power wherwith they wer wont to geue their ennemies the ouerthrow, neyther was there suche knowledge of feats of armes in those that had bene kepte in prison, and not in the campe. Therefore Their last o­uerthrowe & slaughter. they were all either slaine or taken prisoners: The captain Conon which eskaped alone frō the battel, fering the cruel­ty of his country men, toke viii. ships, and sailed to Eu [...]goras [Page 31] king of cyprus. But the captaine of the Lacedemonians ha­uing atcheued al thinges prosperously and according to his own desire, proudly reioysig at thaduersity of his enemies, sent the ships that he had taken withall the boty gotten in the warres, decked & garnished in maner of a triumph vn­to Lacedemon, & receiued by composition all the cities that wer tributary to the Atheniens, which as yet continued in their due obediēce, because they knew not to what end the war wold come, leuing nothing vnder the dominion of the Atheniens, sauing only the bare city. Of al the which mise ries whē tidings came to Athens, all the people forsakyng a Rhetoricall description of the afflicted state of [...] their houses ran vp and down the city amased, one askyng an other what tidings, seking for him that brought vp first the newes, not the children, their wāt of discretion, not the old men want of strength, not the women the weaknesse & delibity of nature, could kepe at home, so sore did the feling of that misfortune perce vnto alages. They met together in the market sted, and ther al night long lamēted and be­wailed their cōmon misfortune, some made mone for theyr brothers, some for their sonnes, some for their fathers, som for their kinsfolk, & other some for their frends which wer derer to them then their kinsfolk, and amōg theyr priuate mischances, was alwaies repeated the cōmon misfortune, loking for none other but present & vtter destruction both to them selues & to their country, esteming them that were aliue to be in worse case then them that were deade. Eche person setting before their eies, besiegement, hunger, and the arrogant enemy hauing them in his hād to worke hys plesure vpon thē. And therwith cam to their remēbrās the ouerthrow & burninge of their city, the captiuitye of them selues, & the most miserable seruitude & bōdage which they were all like to be brought vnto. Thincking the first ouer­throw of the city by the Per. to be coūted hapy in cōparisō, in the which their wiues & childrē, parēts & kinsfolk remai­ning in safegard, they lost nothīg but their houses, wheras now they had no ships left whervnto thei might fly for su [...] [Page] had no army of souldiours through whose help they might be defended til they were able to builde a fairer Citye.

And as they werthus bewailing their misfortune and mi­sery, Athens is be sieged. their enemies cōming vpō them, enuironed the town with a strong siege, and constrained them greatly with hū ger: For it was wel knowen that there were not many of the soldioures left aliue within the towne, and they wer so straightly loked to, that no new succors could be broughte in. By which mischeues the Atheniens being brought low after long famin and daily pestilence desired peace. There was longe debatinge betwene the Lacedemonians & their adherentes whether it was to be graunted or no. When many gaue counsel, vtterly to rote out the name of the A­theniens, & to put the city to the fire, the Spartanes sayde they would not in any wise condiscend, that if the two eyes of Grece the one shoulde be put out. And so they graunted peace is gra [...] ted to the A­theniens. thē peace, vpon condition they should cast down the armes of the walles that stretched toward the hauen of Pyreum, de liuer vp all their ships that were left, and receiue at theyr hand xxx. rulers to gouern their cōmon welth. Upon these articles the city was yelded to the Lacedemonians: who cō mitted thordering therof to the discretion of theyr captaine Lysander: This yeare was worthy to be noted, bothe for the It was the 400. before the comminge of Christ. Eu sebius. This was the yonger Dennis, of whome reade in the xxi. boke. Athens is op pressed wyth tiranny. winning of Athens, for the deth of Darius king of Persia, & also for the banishment of Dyonise tiraunt of Sicil. The e­state of Athens being thus altered, the estate of the people was altered also. The xxx. rulers of the common welth fel to tiranny. For at their firste comminge they chose them a gard of thre M. men, wheras in al the city remained skarse as manye moo, they were so wasted and consumed by the warres afore. And yet not so content, as though this bande were to weake to keepe the Citye in awe, they borowed DCC. souldiours of the conquerors. Then they began the slaughter of the citizens at aicibiades, least vnder pretens of restoring their liberty, he might inuade the cōmon wealth again. For hauing intelligens that he was goyng towarde [Page 33] Art axe [...]xes kinge of Persia, they sent certaine after hym in post, to cut him of by the way, by whom he was ouertakē. The final [...] of alcibiades. But because they coulde not kill him openlye, they set fyre on his chamber where he slept and burnte him vp quicke. The tirauntes being deliuered oute of feare of this reuen­ger of his country, with their slaughter, extorcion, and ra­uishmentes made euen a spoile of the miserable and wret­ched outcastes that were left in the City, the whiche theyr The cruelty [...] of the tirants. doinge when they vnderstoode to displease one of their fel­lowes, whose name was Tbemeranes, to the terror of all the reast they put him to death. Whervpon glad was he that might get himself out of the city, insomuche that all Grece was ful of banished men of Athens, and yet euen that one only re [...]uge and comfort, was taken from the poore wret­ches. For the Lacedemonians had geuen straight charge & commaundemēt, that no city shuld be so bold, as to receiue or harbrough the banished men of Athens. Neuerthelesse they withdrew them selues al, vnto Argos & Thebes, wheras they not only liued out of dāger. During the time of their exile, but also receiued hope of recouering their Country. Ther was among the banished men, one Thrasibulus a stout The loue of Thrasibulu [...] to his toun­try. man & one that came of a noble house, who thinckinge that a man was bound to aduenture for his country sake, thou­ghe it were to his own peril and ieoperdy of his life, assem bled a company of his banished country men, and toke the castle Phyle in the territory of Athens. And he wanted not the fauour and helpe of certaine Cities that had pitye and compassion of their miserable estate and cruell handlynge. For Ismenias the prince of the Thebanes, although he could not aide them openlye with the power of his countrye, yet notwithstanding he helped them with suche goodes as he had of his owne. And Lysias an Orator of Syracuse being at The like ex­ample of Ly­sias. the same time also a banished man, sent CCCCC. Souldi­oures well furnished at his owne proper [...]ostes and char­ges, to the aid of the country of all eloquens, therfore anon after was a sharpe encounter.

[Page]But forasmuchas the one part fought earnestly for the re­couery of their country, and the other parte negligently as they that [...] for the [...] of other mennes ti­ [...]: the [...] were put to the worse, and retiring into the City which they had in manner wasted and made deso­late with their murderinges [...] extortion, and sacked it. This done hauing all the Atheniens in a gelouly of treson, they [...] them euery one to remoue out of the city, & dwel in tharmes of the wa [...] that wer woken down, de­fending their superiority & do [...]ions with souldiours [...] ­aunts. Uncorrupted faithfulnes. Afterward they went about to corrupt [...], promising to make him [...] & partaker of their Empire, which thing whē they could not bring to effect, they sent for aid to the Lacedemonians, at whose comming they made a new encounter. In the whiche Critios and Hyppoma [...]us the cruellest [...] of them all were [...]. The residue also being vanquished, when their army wherof the most part wer Atheniens fled toward the city, [...] callinge to them as loud as [...]e could cry, demaunded why they should flie from him hauing obtained the victorye, and not rather helpe him as the defendor and reuenger of the libertye of them all bidding them remember, that his souldiours wer their owne neighboures and Citizens, and not their enne­mies. And that he had not taken wepon in hande, to then­ [...] to take anything from them being vanquished, but to the entent to restore thē such things as haue ben taken frō them by others, professing that he made war agaynste the [...], and not against the city. Moreouer he put them [...] of the [...] & affinitye betwene them of their lawes, of their rites & ceremonies common amongst them & of the felowship and cōpany that had bene betwixt them in so many battels in times paste, beseching them to haue pity vppon their banished countrye men. And if they could finde in their hartes to [...]eare the yoke of bondage so paciently them selues he besought them to restore him his country, and he would set them at liberty again. He dyd so [Page 34] much with this perswasion, that when tharmy was retur ned into the city, they cōmaunded the xxx. tirants to depart The tyrants are [...] sh [...]d. vnto El [...]sis, and in their stead they substituted others & to go­ [...] the [...] welth. Who nothing abashed at the ensā ­ple of their predecessors, fell to the same cruelty: that they had exercised. While these thinges wer a doing word was brought to Lacedemon, that the Atheniens were very de­strous of warre, the which to represse, they sent their kyng Pansanias who hauing compassion vpon the banished peo ple, restored the wretched citizens to their country agains, [...] the x. tirants to remoue out of the City vn­to Elensis to the re [...]due of their company. Peace being by this meanes established, within a few daies after, the Ti­rans (disdaining as much the restitution of the banished ci­tizens, as their own deposinges & banishment, as though a nother mannes liberty [...]ad ben their bondage,) made war against the [...]. But as they came forth to commu The worthy rewarde of tyranye. [...], as though they wold haue taken vpon them their preheminency & souerainty again, they wer by a policye ta­ken & [...] a sacrifice for peace. The people whiche they had cōmaunded out of the city, wer called in again. And so Thatheniēs at restored to their count [...] agayne. the city which was dispersed into diuers members, was at length brought into one body & corporation againe. And to thentent no dissention might grow vpon things past, they wer al sworn to forget and bury vnder fote all old debate & grudge. In the meane while the Thebanes and the Corinthi­ans sent ambassadors to the Lacedemonians, demaūdyng cause of [...] ge betwene the Corinthi ans & Lace­demonians. their portion of the praise and botles taken in the warres, wherof they had helped for their part to bear out the char­ges & dangers. Hauing denial of their requestes, they dyd not immediatly proclaim open war against the Lacedemo nians, but they conceiued suche an inwarde displeasure in their harts, that it might wel be vnderstand, that they me­ned The death of Darius No­thus. no lesse to make war whē they saw their time. About the same time almost died Darius kyng of Persia, leauing behinde him his two sonnes Artaxerxes and C [...]rus.

[Page]He bequethed by his last wil vnto Artaxerxes the kingdom, and vnto Cyrus the rities wherof he was that time ruler. But Cyrus thought his father did him wronge in that be­quest, and therfore he cōspired priuely against his brother. [...] hauing knowledge therof, set for him and not regarding his counter fait pretence of innocencye, nor hys fained excuses, as that he was not priuy to the conspiracye, bound him in fetters of gold, and woulde haue put hym to deathe, had not his mother letted him. Cyrus therfore be­ing set at large, prepared not warre as now anye more se­creatly, The wicked war betwene Cyrus and ar tax [...]rxes. but openlye, nor by dissimulation, but by open de [...] ­aunce, and raised a great power bothe of his owne and of his frendes and complices, as manye as he coulde hire for mony, or for fauoure. The Lacedemonians remembrynge that by his meanes, they were greatly aided in their war­res wyth the Atheniens like men ignorant against whom the war [...]e was raised, determined to sende aide vnto Cy­rus, when occasion shuld require, seking bothe for thank [...] at Cyrus hand, and also for pardon at Artaxerxes hande, if he should get the victory, in as muche as they had attemp­ted nothing against him openlye. But in the battell suche Cyrus is slayne. was their chance, that the two brothers meting together, encountred thone with thother, wheras Artaxerxes was wounded by Cyrus, but by the swiftnesse of hys horse he was deliuered from daunger, and has brother Cyrus was ouerthrowen by the kings band, and so slain. And so Artax erxes getting the victory, obtained the spoil of his brothers warre and his armye also. In that battell there were x. M. Grekes that came to the aide of Cyrus, the whyche in the winge wher they stede, gate the vpper hand, and after the death of Cyrus, could neither be ouercome of so greate an host perforce, nor yet be entrapped or taken by policy. [...]ut in their retourne homewarde, throughe so manye wylde and sauage nations, so long a iourny defended them selues by their manhode and prowesse, euen vnto the borders of their country.

THe Lacedemonians as the nature of Ambition is neuer satisfi­ed. man is, the more they haue, the more they couet, not content that their pow­er by conqueringe the Atheniens, and annexinge their power to their owne, was now doubled, began to deuise how to attain thempire of all Asia, the most parte wherof was vnder the dominyon of the Persians. Therfore Dercillides being appoynted lieue tenant generall for these Warres, when he sawe that he The warres betwene the Lacedemoni­ans and the Persians. must haue to doo against two of Artaxerxes lieuetenauntes, Pharnabazus and Tyssaphernes, which had about them in a re­dinesse the whole power of the mightiest Countries in all the world, he thoughte it good to make peace with the one of them. The meeter for his purpose seemed Tyssaphernes, a man bothe of more experience and actiuity then the other, and also better furnished with the souldioures that belon­ged sometime to kinge Cyrus. After communication had, a­grement was made vpon certain conditions, that he shuld not intermeddle him selfe with the warres. Pharnabazus be­ing Tyssapher­nes is accu­sed to y ^• king herewith agreued, complained therof to the king their master, declaring how he withstoode not the Lacedemoni­ans by force when they entred into Asia, but nourished thē there at the kinges charges, and that he bargained wyth them to delaye the warres whiche they tooke in hande, as though the domage therof should not equally redounde to the displeasure of the whole Empire. He said it was an vn­semely thing, that the warre was not gone through wyth­all, but bought of, and that the enemy was hired of for mo­ny and not rather driuen away by dint of sword. When he had by this complaint brought the king in displesure wyth Tyssaphernes, he exhorted him to make his Admirall of the sea in steade of Tyssaphernes, Conon of Athens, who synce the [Page] the time he had in battel lost his countrye, liued in exile at Cyprus. For though the Atheniens were bereft of power and richesse, yet notwithstanding their experience in orde­ring and guiding a nauy remaineth still vnto them. And if one were to be chosen amonge them all, there was not a better then Conon. Herevpon he hadde deliuered vnto him CCCCC. talentes, with commission to make Conon admi­rall Conon is ma de admirall of the Persian [...]ete. of the kings flete. The Lacedemonians hauing intelli­gence hereof, sent an ambassade to the king of Egipt, requi ring him to send Hercymones to their aid with a noumber of ships. Who sent them a C. galeis and DC. bushels of corn. Other of their confederates also sent them greate succors. But vnto this great army and against so great a captaine, there wanted a mete gouernor. Therfore when as the con federates of the Lacedemonians demaūded to their graūd captain agesilaus at that time kinge of the Lacedemonians. The Lacedemonians debated the matter a greate while, whether they might make him lieuetenant general or no, by reson of the aunswer of the Oracle at Delphos, the effect wherof was that their Empire shoulde come to an ende, at suche time as the royall estate halted, for agesilaus was lame of one foote. At the lengthe they determined that it were better for their king to hault in his goinge, then the kyng­dome to hault for want of a meete gouernoure. When A­gesilaus The praise of Conon, audof agesilaus. was sent into Asia with a great host of men, I can not thinke that euer any couple of Captaines were so well matched together as they two wer. For both in yeares, in prowesse, in counsel▪ in wisdome and in pollicy, they wer in maner all one, and in honor for their enterprises they wer both a like. And althoughe fortune had made them equall in all thinges, yet she preserued eche of them vnconquered of other. Greate was the furniture of them bothe to the warres, and great were both their attempts & enterprises. But the souldiers of Conon raised a mutiny against him, be­cause [...] mutinye for nonpaiment of wages. the kinges lieuetenaunts before time had ben wont to abridge and defraud them of their wages. Demaunding [Page 35] their duties so much the earnestlier, in that they toke vpon them to serue in so greate warres vnder so noble a chiefe­taine. The [...] o [...] Conon to [...] kynge. Conon therfore hauing long time sued in vayne to the kinge by his letters, at the lengthe went vnto him him self. Whose presence and speache he mighte not be suffered to come vnto, because he would not worshippe him after the manner of the Persians. Neuerthelesse he entreated wyth him by messengers, lamenting that the warres of so rich a prince as he was, shuld be forslowed for want of mony, and that hauing as puissaunt an armye as his enemies had, [...]e shuld be ouercome in richesse, wherof he had more aboun­dans then they, & that he shuld be found weak in that kind of strēgth, wherin he far exceded thē. Wherfore he demaū ded to haue the disbursing of the mony him selfe, because it wold be very pernitius & hurtful, to put the doing therof in to many mens hāds. When he had obtaind the tresure, he returned to his flete, & immediatly set his matters abroch. Many things he aduētred valiātlye & many thinges he at cheued luckely. He wasted his enemies landes, won their townes & cities, & as a tempest bare down al things before him. With which his doings the Lace. being a fraid, deter­mined to cal home agesilaus out of Asia, to the defence of his The [...] of Conon. own coūtry. In the mean seson Lisāder whom Agesilaus at his setting forth had substituted his vicegerent to defende the coūtry at home▪ collecting a great nauy, rigged & furni­shed it withal the power he could, purposing to try the for­tune The circum [...] ­spectnesse of the two Cap taines Lysā ­der & Conon. of battel. Conon also forasmuch as it was the first tyme that he shuld encounter with the hoste of his ennemy, toke great pain & care in ordring & apoynting of his men, & thys contention was not all only among the captaines, but also euen among the common Souldioures. For the Captaine hym selfe Conon, was not so carefull of the Persians, as of his own country, desirous that in likewise as in theyr ad­uersitye, he hadde beene the cause that the Atheniens loste all their dominion and Empire, euen so now to be the rai­ser and setter vp of the same again. & by conquest to recouer his countrye whiche by beinge vanquished he hadde loste, [Page] the whyche shoulde redownde so muche the more to hys honoure, in that he should not haue the Atheniens his coū ­trimen to fighte vnder him, but the power of a forrayne prince, so that the peril and daunger of the losse shoulde be the kinges, and the gaine and reward of the victory should be his Countries. In which his doing he should attaine to honoure after a nother sorte, and in manner cleane contra­ry, then other that had bene Captaines in his countrye be­fore times. For wheras they defended the country by van­quishinge the Persians, he shoulde restore it to her former estate, by makinge the Persians conquerors. On the other side Lysander beside that he was neare of kin to Agesilans, he was also an earnest folower of his vertuous endeuouring by all meanes possible, not to steppe a side from his noble examples, and from the brightnesse of his renowne and The praise of Lysanda. glorye, but so to behaue him selfe, that the Empire gotten in so many battels and in so many C. yeres, mighte not be ouerthrowne through his default in the turning of a hand. The kinges and all the Souldioures also were in the lyke perplexity, not so greatly disquieted for the kepynge of the richesse that they them selues had all readye gotten, as for fear least the Atheniens should recouer their owne again. But the sorer that the battel was, the more glorious was The Lacede­monians are vanquished on the sea. the victory of Conon. The Lacedemonians being put to the worse tooke them to flight, and their garrisons were led a­way to Athens. The people were restored to their former estate, and their bondage taken awaye from them, manye cities also were recouered to their Empire. This was vn­to the Atheniens a beginning of the recouery of their aun­cient preheminens, and vnto the Lacedemonians an ende of reteining that they had. For as though that wyth theyr Empire they had loste their prowesse also, their neighbors after misfor­tune folow­eth disdayne. began to haue them in disdaine.

First of all therfore the [...] wyth help of the Athe­niens rered warre agaynste them. The whyche citye oute [Page 36] of innumerable encreasementes. Through the prowesse of their Duke Epaminondas, began to aspire to the Empire of al Grece. There was therfore betwene them a battel on the land, in the which the Lacedemonians had like successe as in the encounter vpon the Sea against Conon. In the same conflict Lysander, who was Captain the same time that the Lacedemonians subdued the Atheniens,) was slaine. Pansa­nias also a nother of the Captaines of the Lacedemonians Lysander [...] slayne. beinge appeached of treason, fledde into exile. The [...] therfore, hauinge gotten the vppe▪ hande, led theyr whole host to the city of Lacedemon, thincking easly to haue won it, because they were abondoned of al their aiders and com fortors. The which thing the Lacedemonians fearing, sent for their king Agesilaus (whiche atcheued many great en­terprises in Asia,) home to the defence of his Countrye. For after time that Lysander was slain, they had none other cap tain in whome they durst put their truste and confidence. Neuerthelesse because it was long ere Agesilaus came, they raised a power and went to mete their enemy. But nether their courages nor their strēgth was able to stand against them, of whome they had beene put to the worse so latelye before, and therfore at the first encounter they wer put to flight. As the hoste of his country men was thus discomfi­ted, Agesilans [...] couereth the victory being loste. and in maner vtterly destroyed, Agesilaus the king cam sodainly vpon them. Who with his freshe souldioures har­dened in many viages and encounters before, with little a do wrested the victory out of his enemies hand: How be it he him selfe was sore wounded. When newes therof came to Athens, the Atheniens (fearing leaste if the Lacedemo­nians should get the vpper hande againe, they shoulde be brought to their olde estate of seruitude and bondage,) rai­sed an host and sent it to the aid of the Beotians, by Iphicrates The cōmen­dacion of I­phicrates. a yong [...]ripling not aboue xxi. yeres old, but of wonderfull towardnesse. The prowesse of this yong man was marue­lous and farre aboue his yeres. For amongst all the noble and valiaunt Dukes and captains that the Atheni [...]ns had [Page] before him, there was neuer none, either of greater likeli­hode, or of more ripe towardnes thē he was: In whose per­son wer plāted not only the feats of cheualry which ought to be an expert graund captain, but also knowledge belon­ging to a perfect orator. Conon also hearing of the return of Agesilaus out of Asia, returned himself likewise from thēce to wast the country of Lacedemon. And so the [...] be­ing enclosed on euery side roūd about with fear of the war that continually rong in their eares, wer brought to vtter despair. But Conon when he had forraged the fields of his e­nemies, Conon retur neth to A [...]hēs made toward Athes, wher being welcomed with great ioy of his country men: yet notwithstanding he toke more sorow to se how his country had bene burned & defa­ced by the Lacedemonians, then plesure of the recouery of the same after so long a time. Therfore such things as wer burnt down, he builded a new of the spoiles of the Lacede­monians, & at the charges of the army of the Persians, and such things as wer defaced he repaired again. Suche was the desteny of Athēs, that being before burned by the Per­sians, it was repaired with the boties of the Persians, and being now defaced by the Lacedemonians, it was repaired with the spoiles of the Lacedemonians also: & euen cleane contrary, to haue them now their felowes which thē were their enemies, & to haue them now their vttermost enne­mies, with whom they were then knit in most straightest bonds of league and frendship. While these thinges were a doing, Artaxerxes kinge of Persia sente ambassadoures into An vniuer­sall peace is en ioyned to all Grece. Grece, commaunding all parties to cease from war, & who so enterprised to the cōtrary shuld be taken as his enemy. He restored vnto the cities their liberty, and all that was their own. The which thing he did not so muche in regard of the continual labours & daily battels of the cities, for the hatred & malice they bare one to another, as least while he were occupied about his warres in Egipt, (the whyche he moued for sending aid to the Lacedemonians agaynst hys lieuetenaunts,) his hoste should be deteined in Grece. The [Page 37] Grekes therfore being weried with so many battels, were content to obey withal their harts. This yere was notable It was [...] yere before the birthe of Christe. [...]. not only because peace was so sodenlye made throughe all Grece, but also because the same time, the Citye of Rome was taken by the frenchmen. But the Lacedemonians be­ing now at rest, & lying in await for aduātage, [...]spying the Arcadians from home, surprised their castle, & put a garrison of their owne men therin. The Arcadians therfore with the helpe of the Theba [...]es, came into the field well armed and in good aray to recouer that that they had lost by the sword. In the which conflict Archidamus captain of the Lacedemo­nians was wounded: who seing his men beaten downe as vanquished, demaunded by an heralt to haue the deade bo­dies of such as were slain, to thentent he might bury them. The token o [...] the victory geuen. For this is a token amōg the Grekes of geuing the victory with the which confession the Thebanes being contented, blew to the retreit & pursued no further, with a few daies after, neither party attēpting any displesure, when a man wold haue thought they had ben at a truce, as it were by a secret consent and agrement amōg them selues, while the Lacedemonians wer busied in other warres against their neighbors, the Thebanes vnder the conduicte & leading of their captain Epaminondas, purposed to haue won their citie ere they wer aware of it. Where vpon in the beginning of The courage of the old [...] of [...]. the night, they setforth as closelye as they coulde deuise to­ward Lacedemon. But yet they coulde not take them vn­wares. For thold men & other persōs vnme [...]e for the wars by reson of their yeres, hauing vnderstāding ofthapproche of their enemies, armed thē selues & met them in the very entrance of the gates: & against xv. M. souldiers, not aboue a C. old & forgrown men put thē selues to thencounter. So much corage & strength doth the present sight of a mannes country & houshold geue a man, & so much doth [...]he presēce of things geue men [...] stomackes, thē the remēbrāce of thē being away. For when theysaw within what, [...] for what they stode at defence, they determined either to win [...] die.

[Page]A few old men therfore helde them playe, whome ere the next morning all the youth they had was not able to with­stand. In that battell two of the captains of their enemies were slain. In the meane while word was brought that a­gesilaus was come, where vppon the Thebanes retired, and it was not longe after but they encountred againe. For the yong men of Lacedemon being incensed with the prowesse and valiāt demenor of the old men, could not be with held, but that they would nedes try the matter immediatlye in open field, when as the victory was all ready the Thebanes. And Epaminondas whiles he executed the dutye and office, not only of a stout captain, but also of a valiaunt souldiour [...] is wounded to death. was greuously wounded. The which thing being hard of, the one party was so striken in feare, and the other partye for ioy was so amazed, that bothe parties as it were by a peaceable consent departed the field. Within a fewe daies after Epaminondas deceased, with whom the strength of the The praise of Epaminōdas in whom is ex pressed the I­mage of a good captaine and of a iust magistrate. common welth decayed. For in like manner as if ye break of the edge of a wepon, the rest of it is able to doo no great harme: euen so this Duke being dead, who was as it were the edge of the common wealthe of Thebes, the strengthe therof was appalled and in manner dulled, in so much that they semed not so muche to haue lost him, as altogether to haue died with him. For neither before this Dukes time, atcheued they any notable conquest, nor afterwarde deser­ued to be spoken of for any famous attempt by them accom plished, but only for the slaughters that were made of thē. So that it appereth manifestly, that the glory and renown of his country, did bothe spring vp with him, and die wyth him. And a manne is not able to iudge whether he were a better captain and souldiour, or a better man of his liuing. For alwaies he sought preheminence to his countrye, ra­ther then to him self, and he was suche a sparer of monye, that be wanted wherwith to bury him according to his e­state. And he was euen as couetous of praise as of monye. For authority and offices wer laid vpon him euen vtterly [Page 38] against his wil. And he behaued him self in such wise in his authority, that he semed not to receiue, but rather to geue honor to the same. Furthermore he was so studious of ler­ning, & so instructed in the knowledge of philosophy, that it was a wōder to se, how a mā bred & brought vp in lerning shuld come by such sight & experience in feats of war. Nei­ther did his death dissent from this his trade of liuing. For being brought into his tent half dead, when he was come to him self again & had receiued his speache, he demaunded this one thing of such as stode about him, whether his ene mies had taken his shield from him when he was felled or The [...] of [...] das at hys death. no? when he vnderstode it was saued, he commaunded it to be broughte to him, & as the partaker of all his trauels and glory he kissed it. Then he enquired again which parte had won the field, and hearing that the Thebanes had gottē it, he said all was wel, and so as it wer reioysing for his coūtries sake, he gaue vp the ghoste. By the deathe of this man, the prowesse of the Atheniens also decayed. For after the time that he was once gon, whose fotesteps they wer wont to fo low, now geuing the selues all together to slouth & idlenes, they lashed out the common reuenues, not vpon ships and men of warre as they had don in times past, but in feastful daies and holy daies, & in making preparation for pagiants & enterludes: gathering thē selues together into the thea­ters, to behold the famous stage players & Poets, visitinge oftner the stage then the campe, setting more by versifiers and oratoures, then by Captaines. Then the common tre­sure wherwith men of war and mariners wer wont to be maintained, began to be deuided amonge the people of the city. By meanes wherof it came to passe, that whyle the Greekes gaue them selues to idlenesse. The name of the Macedones which before time was [...]ile and obscure, sprōg vp and grew to great honour: & that Philip who was kept iii. yeres as an hostage at Thebes, being enstructed in all feates of armes and cheualry by [...] and the Pelo­ [...], after his returne into his country, laid the kingdō [Page] of Macedony as a yoke of bondage, vpon the neckes bothe of Grece and of [...]sia.

MAcedonie in auncient time was called [...]inathia after the name of emathio king of the coūtry, who was the firste that gaue anye notable profe of his prowesse in those parts. As this country encreased slowly by little and little, so the boundes therof were very narowe. The inhabitauntes were called Pclascians, and the Country it self Bcotia. But afterwarde throughe the prowesse of the kinges, and industry of the people, first by subduinge theyr neighbors, and shortly after other forrain people & nations thempire therof was dilated euen to the vttermooste bor­ders of the East. In the region of Peonic whiche nowe is a portion of [...], raigned by report [...] the father of astriopeus, whose name we here spoken of in the battel of Troy, among the chiefest and moste [...]aliaunt defendours of the Citye. And on the one side of Hellespont in Europe raigned a kig called Europe. Caran [...] also with a great mul­titude The fyrst kyng of Ma­cedo [...]. of Grekes, being commaunded by thaunswer of the Oracle to seeke an habitation in Macedony, when he came into emathia, following a heard of Goats that [...]ed out of the shour of rain, entred & wan the [...]eld of edissa, ere the mē of the town perceiued his cōming, by reson of the greatnesse of the storm: whervpon calling to minde the answer of the Oracle, by which he was commaunded to seke a kingdome wher gotes should be his guides, he appoynted it to be the seat of his kingdom. And euer after he obserued deuoutly [...] that whether so euer he led any hoste, he woulde haue the same gotes before his standerde, to the entent that as they wer thautors of his kingdom, so might they be also as lea­ders in all his enterprises: And in remembraunce of thys benefit, he chaunged the name of edyssa, and called it [...], & the people therof [...]. Afterward when he had expul­sed Midas (for he also held a parte of Macedonie) & diuers o­ther kings, in the stead of thē all he succeded alone, & [...]irst of [Page 39] al gathering & knitting together sōdry sorts of people made as it wer one entire body of Macedonie, & laid a strong foū ­datiō for his kingdom hereafter, to grow vpon. After him raigned Perdicas, whose life was notable, & the warnings at his last departure (which wer as thanswer of an oracle,) Of [...] and of his [...] ph [...]y. worthy to be remebred. For when he drue toward his end by reason of age, he shewed his sonne Argeu [...] the place in the which he wold be buried: willing not only his owne body, but also all the bodies of thē that shuld succede him in the kingdō, to be buried in the same place: prophecying be­fore, that as long as the bones of his posterity were buried there, so long the kingdō shuld cōtinue in his line & family. And vpon this superstition it is beleued that his ofspringe failed in great Alexander, because he chaūged the place of burial. argeus hauing gouerned the kingdō with iustice and loue of his people, left to succede him his sōne Philip, who Arg [...] being surprised by hasty death substituted his heir Europe a very babe. But the Macedones wer at continuall debate & strife with the Thracians & Illyrians, by whose warres as by daily exercise being hardened, they grew so famous & redouted in feats of armes, that all their neighbours were afraid of thē. The Illirians therfore despising thinfancy of the yong king, assailed the Macedones with battel, who be The [...] of the M [...] c [...]dones. ing put to the worse, brougbt forth their king in his cradel & set him before the battel beginning the field new againe: as thoughe they had bene vanquished before, vpon none o­ther occasion, but because they wanted y ^• good luck of their king in the battell, thincking to get the vpper hand, and it were for none other cause elsse, then that vpon this super­stition they had perswaded them selues they shoulde win. Moreouer they had pity & compassion of the infant, whome it was none other like, but they should make a captine of a king, if they should happen to be ouercome.

In the meane season Darius king of Perfia, beinge put to shamefull flighte, and driuen oute of S [...]ythia, because he wold not seme to be dishonored euery wher by his losses in the warres, sent [...] with part of his army to sub­du [...] [Page] Thrace & thother kingdoms of that climat, among the which for the slender regard & estimation therof, he should take Macedonie for one: who shortly executing his masters The frendlye entertainmēt of the Persi­an ambassa­ [...]ors. cōmaundement, sent ambassadors to Amyntas king of Mace­donie, demaunding hostages for performance of the peace that shuld be concluded betwene thē. But thābassadors be ing gently enterteined, as they began to be somwhat ouer come with drink, desired Amyntas that forasmuch as he had made them such a sūptuous feast, he wold also graūt them the rights & duties of familiarity, (that is to say) that theyr sonnes, their wiues & their daughters mighte come & kepe them cōpany at the banket, for it was counted amonge the Persians, as a sure token & pledge of hospitality & frendlye entertainment. Who comming in to bear them company, the Persians began to daly with more wantonly then was semely & conuenient. Wher vpon Alexāder the son of amino tas, Note the mo­desty of the barbarous people in cho [...]e daies. desired his father to haue respect to his age & grauity, & to withdraw himselfe from the banket, promising to fynde meanes to delay the dalians of his quests wel inough, whē [...]yntas was gone, Alexander called out the women one by one, as though it had ben to dresse & attire thē more gorge­ously, & so to bring them in again. In whose sted he dressed in womens apparel he sent yong men, commaūding them Thambassa­dors of Per­sia murdeted for incontinē ­cye. to represse the wātonnes of thambassadors with their we pons that they caried vnder their garmēts. The which be­ing done & al thambassadors killed, Mogabyzus knowing no­thing hereof (when he saw his ambassadors returned not a gaine), sent thither Bubares with a parte of his hoste, as to a war so easy & so mean, as that he disdained to troble himself therwith, least men should speke dishonor of him for figh­ting against so base & vile a kinde of people. But [...] be A [...]nce by matiage be­ [...]wene the Persians and the macedons fore the battel, being taken in loue with Amintas daugh­ter, leauing of the warres, solempniled the marriage & lay­ing a side all rancor and emnity, ioyned him self in aliaunce with his enemy. After the departure of Bubares out of Ma­cedone, the kinge Amyntas deceased. Unto whose sonne & [Page 40] successor Alexander, this affinity of Bubares did great ple sure. For by meanes therof, he not onlye liued in peace all the time of Darius, but also grew in greate fauor wyth X­erxes. In so muche that when like a tempest he inuaded all Grece, he gaue him the seniory & royalty of al the coūtries betwene the mountaines of Olympus and Hemus. Yet notwithstanding he enlarged his kingdom as much by his own prowes, as by the liberality of the Persians. At lēgth by order of succession the kingdom of Macedone, cam vnto Amyntas the second. Amyntas the sonne of his brother Menelaus. This man al so was notable for his actiuity, and endowed with al royall and warlike qualities. He begate of his wife Eurydice thre sonnes, Alexāder, Perdicas, and Philip the father of great Alexander, and a da [...]ghter named Euryone. And of a nother wife called Cygea, he engendred Archilaus, Aridens & [...] who had sore warres first with the Illyrians and after wyth the Olynt [...]ans. But he had ben cut short by the treson of The [...] of [...]. his wife Eurydice, (who concluding priuely a mariage wyth her sonne in law that shuld haue maried her daughter, had taken vpon her to kil her husband and make her peramor king: If her daughter had not bewrayed all her mothers whordome and priuye conspiracies to her father. Theolde man therfore being deliuered out of so many pearils died, Th [...] [...] on of kynge [...]. leauing the kingdome to his eldest sonne Alexander, who in the verye entraunce of his raigne, made peace with the [...]yrians, and deliuered his brother Philip in hostage. In pro cesse of time also by the same hostage, he entred a league of peace with the Thebanes, the which thinge was a greate furtherans vnto Philip in all princely vertues, whervnto he was meruelously enclined of nature. For being [...] as an hostage iii. yeres at Thebes, a city of auncient seueritye, A [...] and wicked mo­ther. he passed his childhode in the house of the moste renoumed captain and Philosopher [...]. Ere it was lōg after, Alexander was surprised and slain [...]y the treson of hys mo­ther Eurydice, whom Amyntas (hauing taken her wyth the fault) had before pardoned, for the Childrens sake that he [Page] had by her not knowing y ^• in time to com she wold be their vtter destructiō. His brother Perdicas also was by like tre sonpreuented. It is an abhominable thing, y ^• for filthy lusts sake, the mother shu [...]d work the death of her own childrē, at whose cōtemplation she was saued from the punishmēt that her wickednesse had deserued. The murther of Per­dicas semed so much more heinous, in that not so muche as his litle childe could finde any mercy at his cruell mothers hand. Philip therfore a long time, tooke not vpon [...] as Philiptaketh the kingdome vpon him. king, but as protector of the infant. But when the country was sore oppressed with warre, and that it wold be to late to tary for help vntil the childe came to age, he was cōpel­led of the people to take the kingdom vpon him. Assone as he begō his raign, al mē conceiued great hope of him, both for his wit (which in manner all redy declared that he wold proue a great man.) And also for the ancient Prophecies of Macedonie, which said that while one of the sonnes of amin tas raigned, thestate of Macedone shuld be most florishing, the which hope and prophecies to fulfil, there wer now no mo left aliue through the wickednesse of their mother, but only he. In the beginning of his raign, when on thoue side The troubled state of Ma­cedone. the murder of his brothers vnworthely slain, on the other side the multitude of his enemies, on a nother side the fear of treson, and on another side want of mony & artillery, the realme being in manner wasted and consumed with conti­nuall warre, disquieted the minde of this yong souldioure, & that sondry nations out of diuers places at one tyme floc­ked together, as it wer by a common conspiracy, to the en­tent to oppresse Macedonie by battell. For as muche as he The pollitike demcanor of Philip. was not able to matche them all at once, he thoughte it conuenient to dispence with them, some he toke truce with vpon reasonable Articles▪ some he bought of for mony, and suche as were weakest he assailed by force, by vanquishing of whome he did bothe strengthen the faint hartes of hys souldiers, and tooke awaye the disdaine that his ennemies had at him.

[Page 41]The first encounter that he had was with the Atheniens, whome he ouercame by policy, and for feare of a worser af­terclap, The [...] warres o [...] king [...]. wheras he might haue slain them all, he sent them all safe home without raunsome. After this he turned hys power against the Illyrians, of whom he slew many thou­sandes, and toke their head city called Laryssa. Next, (not so muche for couetousnesse of praye, as for d [...]syre to ioyne the Thessalian horsmen to his fotemen, therby to encrease the strength of his army,) he conquered the country of Thessaly [...]re anye hostilitye or warre was looked for, and so of theyr horsemen and his owne fotemen, made one bodye and in­uincible army. The which thinges comminge luckelye to [...] a wyfe. passe, he tooke to wife Olympias the Daughter of Neoptole­mus king of the Molosses. The maker of this marriage was his brother Arimbas king of the Molosses, vncle to t [...]e maid by the fathers side, who had the bringinge vp of her, & had taken in mariage Troas, [...] of y ^• said Olympias, which was the cause of muche mischiefe vnto him, and finallye of his destruction. For wheras by the affinity of king Philip, A good [...] he hoped to haue had his kingdom enlarged, he was by the same Philip depriued of his owne Realme, and compelled in his olde age to liue a banished man. These thinges thus brought to passe, Philip could not nowe content hym selfe to repulse iniurye offered by others, but prouoked and di­stroubled suche as sate still in quiet. As he besieged the ci­ty of Methon, one threwe a dart at him from the wall as he passed by, and strake out his right eie. For y ^• which wound An [...] of modesty. he became neither the slouthfuller in his enterpryse, nor the angrier againste his ennemies. In so muche that within few daies after, whē they desired peace be graūted it, and vsed the victory against them, not only modestlye, but also mercifully.

THe cities of Grece while euery of them sought to beare rule, were euery chone The discord of the Cityes of grece. brought vnder subiection. For after the time they coulde not with holde them selues. [...]ut that they must seke eche o­thers destruction, they were vnuanqui shed of all men, and brought to confusi on. None but suche as were oppressed did fele the losse and smart hereof. For Philip king of Macedone lying in a wait like a spy out of a watch toure to surprise them all of theyr liberty, by nourishing debate betwene City and City, and by supporting the weaker side, compelled both the conque red and the conquerors to become his vassals and subiects. The originall cause of all this mischiefe were the Thebanes: who hauing the soueraignty and wanting discretion to vse The The­banes can not [...] their good fortune. their good fortune, arrogantly accused at the common coū ­sel of Grece the Lace demonians and the Phocenses, whome they had vanquished in battel, as thoughe the slaughters & rauish ments that they had abidden, had beene to little pu­nishment for them. It was laide to the Lacedemonians charge, that they had taken the towre of Thebes in the time of truce: and to the Phocenses, that they had wasted the coū ­try of Beotia, as thoughe that after warre and battell: they would haue the lawes also to worke their for [...]e. Iudgemēt being executed according to the plesure of the conquerors, they were condempned in suche a summe of mony as was not possible to be paide. The Phocenses therfore when they Nede hath no law. shoulde haue bene bereft of their landes, their children and their wiues, compelled therby to vtter necessity, chose one Philomelus to their captain, and as men offended with God him selfe, inuaded the Temple of Apollo at Delphos.

Herevpon being enriched with gold and other mony, they waged an army of souldiers straungers, and made warre [Page 42] to the Thebanes. This dede of the Phocenses although all men abhorred, by reason of their sacriledge, yet notwyth­stāding it procured more enuy to the Thebanes, by whom they were driuen to this extremitye, then to them. And therfore bothe the Atheniens and the Lacedemonians set forth men to their aid. At the first encounter Philomelus turned the Thebanes out of their campe, at the next figh­ting The Theba­nes are ouer­come. valiantly amongste the thickest, he was the firste that was slain, and so with his wicked bloud did worthely abye for committing sacriledge. In his sted Ornomarchus was created Captaine: against whom the Thebanes and Thes salians chose for their captain, not one of their owne coun­try The [...] folye of the Thebanes. men, for fear least if he gate the victory, he should bear him self so Lordly, that no man were able to abide h [...]m, but Philip king of Macedonie: willingly submitting thē selues vnder the subiection of a forrener, whiche was the thynge they most of all feared in their own country men. Phillip therfore as though he had bene the reuenger of sacriledge, and not of the Thebanes, commaunding all his souldiours to put garlandes of Laurel vpon their heades, and in thys wise as hauing God the chiefe Captaine of his enterpryse, he marched into the field. The Phocenses at the sighte of The force of supersticion. the cognisaunce of the God, striken with inwarde remorse of conscience for their offences, [...]ast downe their wepons & toke them to flight. And so with their owne bloud & slaugh­ter of them selues, suffred worthy punishmēt for violating of religion. Ye wil not beleue what glory and renown Phi lip won among al nations for executing this dede. As who wold say, he was the punisher of sacriledge, he was the re­uenger of religion, & he only was worthy to compell offen­ders to make satisfaction, to the execution where of all the world ought to haue put theyr helpe. Therfore they hono­red him next vnto the Goddes, by whome the maiestye of the Goddes was defended. But the Atheniens hearyng of the aduenture of the war, to thentent that Philip shoulde not passe into Grece, toke the straights of Thermopyle in [Page] like maner & after the same sort as they had done before, a­gainst the cōming of the Persians, but nether with like co­rage A discour [...] a gainst the im piety of the a­theniens. nor for like quarel. For then it was for the libertye of Grece, but now it was for open sacriledge: then in the de­f [...]nce of the temples against the inuasions of the ennemy: now in the maintenāce of churchrobbers against the right [...] reuengers. Making them selues bolsterers and bearers out of that hainous offēce, wherof it was a shame for thē that any other thē thē selues shuld haue ben the punishers. Quite forgetting that euen in their moste aduersitye they had vsed that God as their chefest counseller, that by hys guidance they had finished so many battels with conquest, builded so many cities with fortunate successe, attayned so great an Empire both by sea & lād. And finally atcheued no thing, either in publike or priuate affairs, without the ma iesty of his Godhed. Certesse it is great pity, that such fine wits so exquisitely polished withal kinde of learning, & tra­ded in so goodly lawes & institutions, should be so far ouer­seene as to commit so heinous an act, that of right they can haue no cause here after to be offended with the barbarus nations for doing of the like. But Philip him self kept not euen touch with his felowes. For as it wer to thentēt hys The falshead and vntrouth of king Phi­lip. enemies shuld not go beyond him in committing sacrilege the cities wherof a litle before he was captain whiche had fought vnder his standerd, which had reioysed in him, and which had holpen him to the victory, like an vtter ennemy he inuaded & sacked. The wiues & childrē of them al he sold by the drom. He spared not the tēples of the Gods immor­tal, not the houses of religion, not the common nor priuate houshold gods vnto whō a litle before h [...] [...]ntred as a guest so that it might euidētly appere, he sought not so muche to haue punished sacriledge as to procure fre liberty to perpe trate the same. From thence as though he had accōplished al things to his honor he passed into Cappadocia, where ma­king war with like falshod, & hauing taken and slain by po­licy the kings that wer the next borderers, he brought all [Page 43] the whole prouince vnder thempire of Macedon [...]. Then to abolyshe the shamefull brute that went of his doynges, through the which he was more spoken and talked of then anye other man in those daies, he sent into the kingdomes and moost welthy Cities, into the Churches and temples, certain to raise a rumor and to put it into folkes heds, that king Philip would bestow a great masse of monye in buil­ding walles about the Cities, and in makinge of Churches and temples, and that maisters of the worke should be pro cured by proclamation. The whiche when they came into Macedone, being driuen of with diuers delaies, for feare of the kinges displesure, were faine to get them away againe The [...] of Philip. and make no mo woordes. After this he assailed the Olyn­thians. For when they saw that Philip had put one of hys brothers to deathe for verye pities sake they receiued two other of his brothers borne of his stepmother, whome as partners of his kingdome he soughte by all meanes to dis­patch out of the way. Therfore vppon this occasion, he vt­terly destroyed that auncient and noble citye, and put hys brothers to the deathe that he had before determined & ap­poynted for them, enioying therby both a greate pray and also his wicked lust in slaying of his brothers. Whervpon as though al things had ben lawful that he purposed in his mind, he sesed vpon the gold mines in Thessaly and vpon the Philip [...] allawe and right. siluer mines in Thrace. And to the entent no law nor righte should be left vnuiolated, he determined to be a rouer on y ^• seas. These things being thus accomplished, it fortuned by chance, that ii. brothers both kings of Thrace, being at va­riaunce betwixt them selues, not in respect of his indifferē ­cy & iustice, but for fear least he shuld help to support either of the parties, chose him to be iudge of their controuersies. But Philip according to his accustomed nature, proceding to iudgement as if he shuld haue gone to battel, came sodē ­ly vpon the brothers ere they wist therof with his men in battel ray, and not like an vpright iudge, but like a craftye thefe, & wicked kaitife spoiled thē both of their kingdomes. [Page] While these thinges were a doing, the ambassadors of A­thens came vnto him to require peace whome he heard, & sent him selfe other ambassadoures to Athens with Arti­cles of peace, and there to the commodity of both parties a peace was concluded. Oute of other Cities of Grece came ambassaders also, not so muche for desire of his frendshyp The malyce o [...] the Theba [...]. as for feare of warre. For the Thebanes and Beotians of very rancor and malice that boyled in their stomackes, re­quested him to shew him selfe as captaine of Grece against the Phocenses, according as he had professed him self to be. So sore were they inflamed with hatred againste the Pho­censes, that vtterly forgetting their owne slaughters, they had rather pearishe them selues then to suffer them vnde­stroyed, and had rather to abide the cruelty of Philip which they knew all redy by experience, then by anye meanes to for bear their enemies. On the contrary part the [...] wyth thambassadours of Lace. and Athens, besought hym The mis [...]ra­ble state of Grece. that he would not make warre, the whyche they hadde all ready iii. times bought of at his hand with their monye.

Surely it was a foule and miserable sight, to behold Grece (which euen yet at that time bothe in strength and dignity was princesse of the whole world alwaies a conqueresse of kinges and countries, and as yet the Lady of many cities, daunsing attendaunce in a forain land, and there entreting for warre or peace, to put her hed vnder a nother mannes girdle. And that the reuengers of the whole world, should be brought to that poynte through their own discorde, and ciuil warres, that they were glad to fawne and hang vpon their sleues, who not longe before were accompted as the vilest part of their retinue and hangers on▪ and that in espe cially to be don of the Thebanes and Lacedemonians, who lately before ruled the whole rost betwixt them, and now in the time that Grece bare the souerainty, wer enemyes one of anothers estate.

Philip in the meane season for the aduauncement of his [Page 44] owne glory, debated as concerninge the preheminence and estate of so mighty cities, deuising of which he were best to The [...] [...] ­sage of Phi­lip. make most accompt. And therfore when he had seacreatly heard thambassades of both partes seuerally, he promised the one to discharge them of the warres, taking an othe of them, not to bewray his answer to anye man. On the con­trary part he promised the other to come and helpe them, geuing both parties straight charge and commaundemēt, not to fear or prepare for any warre. Through this varia­ble answer it came to passe, that while euerye man kepte him self in quiet, he toke the straightes of Thermopile. Then first of all the Phocenses, perceiuing them selues entrapped by the pollicy of Philip, fearfully tooke them to their wea­pons. But they had no leisure, either to surnish their owne battels, or to send for succor to their neighbors. And Philip threatned he would vtterly destroy them, onlesse they yel­ded Philip [...] no promise. incontinent. Being therfore ouercome with necessity, they yelded them selues simply their liues only saued. But euen of as muche force was this composition, as was hys promise before to discharge them of the warres. Therfore they were euery wher slain and spoiled. The children wer not left to their parents, nor the wiues to their husbands, nor the Images of the Goddes in the temples. One onlye comfort had this wretched people, that wheras Philip de­frauded his owne companions of their parte of the praye, they saw nothing of theirs in their enemyes hands. When he was returned into his kingdome, like as Grasiers shift their cattel somtime into one layer, sometime into another Philip [...]emo­ueth whole coūtries with their people. according as the season of the yere requireth: euen so remo ued he at his owne pleasure whole countries and Cityes, according as he thought the places mete to be replenished or forsaken. It was a miserable sight to behold in al places, and in respect euen like to a desolation. For this feare was not like as when the ennemy approcheth, or when men of warre run vp and downe a Citye, or when two hostes en­counter vielently in the fielde, nor when men are slaine in [Page] the stretes & their goods taken away perforce, but a secret sorow & mourning, fearing leaste euen their forced teares, shuld be taken for contimacy, the grief encresed by the clo­king therof, so much the depelier persing the hart, as it had lesse liberty to vtter it selfe. Somtime they considered the sepulchres of their ancestors, somtime their old housholde gods, somtime the houses wher they were begotten, & had begotten children them selues. Bewailing eft their owne case in that they had liued to that day: & eft the state of their children, y ^• it had not bene their fortune to be borne after y ^e time. Some people he placed in the vtmost boundes of his kingdom euen in his enemies mouthes, other he set in the furthermost borders of all his realme, other some that wer mete for the warres, he put in garrison in cities as nede re­quired. And so of many kindes of people & manye nations, he made one entire kingdom & one people. The affaires of Macedonie being set at a stay, through fraud & pollicy he toke the chief of the Dardamans & other borders, and subdued their coūtries. Nether withheld he his hand frō his own kinred. For he determined to put Arymba king of Epyrus his wife O­lympias neare kinsman from his royalty. And thervpon he Philip abu­seth alexander and deposeth arimba kings of Eplre. sent for Alexander his sonne in law, brother of his wife O­lympias, a boy of excellent beuty, in his sisters name, to com vnto him into Macedonie. And ther by al meanes possible ha uing entised him with hope of the kingdom, vnder pretens of counterfet loue, abused him in most filthy buggery, thin king that either shame and remorse of his own conscience, or elsse the making of him king, should cause him to be the more at his commaundement. Therefore when the chylde was come to xx. yeres of age, he toke the kingdom from A­rymba, and gaue it to him being a very boy: playinge a wic­ked part with them bothe. For neither delt he like a natu­ral kinsman with him, from whome he toke the king­dome, and him to whome he gaue it, he made a harlot before he made him king.

VUhen Philip was come into Grece, al­lured with the sacking of a few cities, & the spoil of a few smal townes, ther vpō gathering in his minde how great wer the richesse of them all, he determined to make warre against all Grece. To the furtherance wherof he thought it wold Philip [...] ­geth Consta­ [...]inople. greatlye aduauntage him, if he myghte bring in his subiection the noble hauen town of Byzance, as a refuge for his hostes both by-sea & lād. The same (because they shut their gates against him) he besieged. This Citye was builded at the first by Pansanias kinge of the Spartanes, & by him was possessed by the space of vii. yeres▪ Afterward as victory enclined to either part, it belonged eft to the La­cedemonians, and eft to the Atheniens. The which vncer­tain possession made it to stand stiflye in the defence of her own liberty, forasmuch as neither partye succored or rescu­ed it as their owne. Phillip therfore hauing spent his trea­sure with the long continuaunce of his siege, made a shifte to get mony by rouing on the Lea. And hauing taken lxr. shippes laden with marchaundise, he refreshed his gready necessity for a while. Furthermore because so great an ar­my shoulde not be deteined aboute the siege of one city, he went with a nomber of the stoutest of his souldioures, and wan manye cities of Chersonesus. Moreouer he sente for hys sonne Alexander of the age of xviii. yeares, to the entent he mighte trade him vp in the warres vnder him. He made a rode into Scythia also to fetch some boty from thence, enten Philip ma­keth a rode in to Tarta [...] ▪ ding after the manner of merchantmen, to bear out y ^• char ges of one war to the gain of another. The same time was king of the Scythians Matthey, who being ouercharged with the warres of y ^• Istrias, desired help of Philip by y ^e Apollonien­ [...]s, promising him to adopt him to be the king of Scythia, [Page] But in the meane season the king of the Istri [...]es departyng oute of this life, deliuered the Scythians bothe from feare of The vngrati­tude of the kyng of Scy­thia. battel, and from neade of help. Matthey therfore [...]ending y ^e Macedones home again, willed them to bear word to their master, that he neither requested him of succoure, nor yet gaue the Apollonienses commission to adopte him. For ney­ther had the Scythians neade of the reskues of the Mace­dones seinge they were better men then they were, and as for heir he wanted none nor none wold adopt, as longe as he had a sonne of his owne in health. Upon the receyte of this message, Philip sent ambassadours to kinge Matthey requiring somwhat towarde the charges of his siege, least he be constrained through pouerty to breake vp his camp. To the which request he ought of reason so much the wil­linglier to condescend, in that he did not allowe the souldi­ers that he sent to his aid so much as their costes and spen­dinge monye by the waye, nor gaue them any rewarde for their trauel and paines taking. Matthey alledging for hys excuse that his countrye was so vnmercifullye colde and so barrain, that no Scythian had any patrimonye to enryche him, no nor skarse wherwith to finde him meat and drink: aunswered that he had no richesse wherwith to satisfye so great a king, and therfore he thought it a greater dishonor to reward him with to little, then to geue him nothinge at all. For the Scythians were estemed according to the cou­rage of the minde and hardinesse of the bodye, and not ac­cording to their substaunce. Philip seing him selfe skorned in this wise, brake vp his siege at Byzance, & bent his whole power againste Sc [...]thia: And for be [...]ause he woulde make them the more carelesse, he sent his ambassadoures before him to declare vnto kinge Matthey, that while he besieged Byzance, he vowed an Image vnto Hercules, the whych he was cōming to erect in the mouth of the riuer of Danow, desiringe to haue peaceable accesse to the performaunce of his vow to God warde, for he would not come otherwyse then as a frend to the Scythians. The king sent him word [Page 46] that if he wold performè his vow, he shuld send him the I­mage, promising that it shoulde not onlye be set vp, but al so should remaine and stand safe and vnuiolated. But as to suffer any army to come within his borders, that he deni­ed vtterly. And if he woulde attempte to place the Image whether the Scythians would or no, he should not be so sone gone, but he woulde pull it downe againe, and tourne the brasse of it, into spear heads and arowe heads. The mindes of bothe parties being in this wise stirred, they encountred in open fielde. The Scythians wheras they were of greater power and mo in nomber, were neuerthelesse by the polli­cy of Phillip ouercome. Twenty thousande women & chil­dren were taken prisoners, and a great booty of cattel, but of golde and siluer nothing at al, which was a sufficient tri­all and profe of the pouerty of the Scythians. Twenty M. fayre Mares were sent into Macedone to brede. But as Phi­lip returned out of Scytbia, the Tribals met him by the way, denying him passage through their coūtry, onlesse he wold geue them part of his boty. Herevpon they fel to wordes, and sone after to hand strokes. In the which skirmish Phi­lip was so sore wounded in the thighe, that hys horse was slain vnder him, and he left for dead, by meanes wherof y ^• boty was lost. So the boty of Scythia being as it were fore­spoken, had like to haue tourned the Macedones to greate so­rowe. Yet notwithstandinge assone as he was recouered of his wound, he made warre against the Atheniens, y ^• which he hadde so longe time before dissembled. Whose parte the Thebanes toke, for fear least if the Atheniens were ouer­come, the brunt of the warre, lyke as when one neighbors house is on fire) should ensue vpon them. A league therfore being taken betwene these two cities, which a little before were at most mortal hatred, they sent ambassade vpon am bassade ouer all Grece, perswading that the common ene­my ought to be remoued by the common force of the coun­try. For if Philip shuld happen to spede wel at the first. He would neuer cease, vntill he had subdued all Grece. Some [Page] being moued herewith, ioyned thē selues to thattheniens, o­ther some for fear of the war, toke part with Phillip. Whē it came to then [...]ounter. Although the Atheniens were far mo in nomber then their ennemies, yet not withstandinge the Macedones were so hardened with continual warsare The ath [...]niēs are vanqui­ [...]hed. that they put them to the worse. Howe be it they died not vnmindfull of their auncient glorye. For looke what place euery man tooke of his Captaine to kepe, the same (beynge first wounded in diuers places of his foreparte) he couered with his carkase when he died. This daye ended the re­nown of the Empire, and the auncient liberty of al Grece. The ioy of this victory was pollitikelye cloked and dissem­bled. For that daye Phillip made not sacrifice as he [...]as as The [...] dissi [...]lation of king Phil­lip. wont to doo, he laughed not at the table, he would not suf­fer any enterludes at his banket, he ware no Crowne, nor anoynted him selfe with swete oyntmentes, and as muche as lay in his power, he so vsed the victory, that no mā could perceiue by him that he had won the victory. Moreouer he would not suffer him self to be called the king, but the cap­tain of Grece. And so through his secret reioys [...]ng with him self, he so mitigated the sorow of his enemies, that it semed not that he either bosted him self among his owne men, or proudly reioysed at the ouerthrow of his ennemies. For as touching the Atheniens, whom he had tried to be his most The gentle­nes of Phillip towardes the [...]theniens. vtter enemies, he let go their prisoners skotfre, and deliue­red the bodies of such as were stain to be buried, and of hys own accord erhorted them to carye home their bones, and bestow them in the sepulchres of their ancestors. Besides all this, he sent his sonne Alexander with his frend Antipa­ter to Athens, to conclude a smal peace and frendship with them. But as concerninge the Thebanes, he did not onlye put their prisoners to raunsome, but also made them paye His rigor to­wardes the Th [...]banes. for the burying of their dead men. The princes of the city, some he beheaded, some he banished, and the goods of them all he toke by force, suche as had beene wrongfullye driuen out of their country, he called home againe. Of the whiche [Page 47] sorte, he made three hundred iudges and rulers of the Ci­ty. Before whome when all the greatest men of the Citye A notable [...]x­ample of con­stancy. were araigned as giltye of their wrongfull banishment, they were of suche constancye, that they all confessed them selues to haue bene authors therof in deede: Affirmynge y ^• it was better with the common wealthe, when they were condempned, then when they were restored again. It was out of doubte a meruelous audacitye, [...]or prisoners to geue sentence on their iudges that sate vppon their life & death, (as who would say) they disdained to be acquite at their en­nemies handes: and for asmuch as they coulde not reuenge them selues in worke, to vsurpe their libertye in woordes. When Phillip had set thinges at a staye in Grece, he com­maunded [...]. all the cityes to sende ambassadors to Corynthe, for the reformation of the thinges that were a misse. Ther he enacted a statute of peace for al Grece, accordyng to the deseruinges of euery City, and he elected oute of them all, one Counsell, and as it were one Senate. Onlye the Lace­demonians despised bothe the king and his lawe, accōpting that peace but as a seruitude or bondage, which was not a­greable to the cities them selues, but was geuen at y ^• plea­sure of the conqueror. Furthermore euery city was apoyn ted what manner of men they should setforth to y ^• warres, if the king should haue neade, either to assiste him when he wer assailed by foraine power, or els to make warre vnto others vnder him. For it was to be thoughte none other, but that all this great preparation was made to assayl the Empire of the Persians. The summe of al his succors was The nomb [...] of kinge P [...] ­lips men of warre. Phillip [...] ­deth the Em­pire of pers [...] He [...] him seife [...] Olympias. two hundred thousand footemen, and fiftene hundred horsemen. Besides this nomber, was also the hoste of Ma­cedone, and other barbarous nations bordering ther vpon, whom he had subdued. In the beginning of y ^• spring, he s [...]t ouer before into Asia, which belōged to the Persians, thre captains Parmenio, Amyntas, & Attalus. Whose sister (hauinge put away Olympias the mother of Alexander vpon suspi­tion of aduoutry) he had lately taken in mariage.

[Page]In the meane season, while his succors were assemblynge out of Grece, he solemnized a mariage betwene his daugh­ter He maryeth his daughter to alexander king of epyre. Cleopatra, and Alexander whome he had made kynge of Epyre. That day was great solempnity and feasting accor­ding to thestate of the two kings, thone geuing his daugh­ter, thother taking her in mariage. And there wanted no kinde of royall showes and pageauntes that coulde be de­uised, to see the which as Philip was going forth withoute The death of king Phillip. any gard, in the middes betwene the two Alexanders hys sonne and sonne in law. A noble yong manne of Macedone called Pansanias, mistrusted of no man where aboutes he w [...]nt, stept vpon the king in a strait, and as he would haue passed by, slue him, turning the day into sorowe and heaui­nesse, that was appoynted to mirth and pleasure. This Pan­sa [...]as in the first prime of his youthe, had suffered Attalus The cause of Ph [...]ps de [...]h. perforce against his wil to abuse him moost filthely, wher­with being not contented he offred him this villanye besi­des. He brought him into a banket, and there making him dronken, cōpelled him like a st [...]king strompet, to sustaine not only his beastly lechery, but also the shamelesse and ab­hominable lust of al y ^• guests, wherby he madehim a laugh ing stock to all men when he came amonge hiscōpanions. Pansanias being with this his doinge sore agreued, did of­tentimes make complainte therof to the kinge. At whose hand being with diuers delaies put of, not without a mock for his labor, and perceiuing his aduersary to be aduaunced furthermore to a captainship, he turned his wrathe vppon the king him self, and for because he could not be reuenged vpon his aduersary, he reuenged him vpon the wrongfull iudge. It is thoughte that he was sent by Olympias the mother of Alexander, and that Alexander him self [...]as pre Occasions of great displea­ [...]re betwene Phllip & hys son alexandre uy to his fathers murthre. For it is not vnlike but that O­lympias toke ber deuorcement, and the preferment of Cle opitra, as greuously as Pansanias did his abusing, and that Alexander feared his brother begotten of his stepmother as an enemy of his kingdome. Whervpon it came to passe [Page 48] before this time that he fell at woordes at a banquet, fyrste with Attalus, and after with his father. In so muche that his father pursued him with his sworde drawne, and hys frendes had much a doo to entreate him to holde his hande from killing him. Uppon which occasion Alexander wyth his mother fled vnto his vncle into Epyre, and frō thence went to the kinge of Sclauonye, and would skarse by anye meanes be reconciled to his father when he sente for hym, in so muche that his frendes coulde not in manner by anye intretaunce compell him to returne agayne, Olympias al so was procuring her brother Alexander king of Epyre to raise warre against Philip, and had obtained her sute, if he had not preuented him with the mariage of his daughter, and made him his sonne in lawe. These thinges therefore were as spurres vnto Pansanias iust displeasure, prickyng him forward to the accomplishment of this acte, vpon hys complaint, sorowing to be so shamefully abused, and coulde haue no redresse. This is certaine that Olympias had laid poste horses to conuey him awaye when he had striken the king. Afterward when she hard of the murder of the king The doing [...] of [...] at the [...] of Ph [...]p. she came to his funerals, the same night vnder pretence of doing obsequies to him, and there the very same night that she came, she set a crowne of golde vpon Pansanias hed as he [...]ong vpon the galowes: the which thing no body durst haue bene so bold to haue doone but she, Philip hauynge a sonne a liue. And within a few daies after, she toke downe the body of Pansanias, and burned it vppon her husbandes ashes, and builded him a tombe in the same place, causyng yerely certaine Ceremonies and obsequies to be doone for him, wherby she draue a superstitiō into the peoples heds. This doone she compelled Clep [...]tra (for whose sake Phillip had diuorsed him self frō her) hauing first killed her daugh­ter euen in the mothers lap, to hang her self: and in behol­dinge The [...] of a [...] ▪ her howe she hong, enioyed the reuengement, vnto which she made so muche hast by the murder of her owne hus [...]and.

[Page]Last of al she consecrated the sword wherwith the kyng was stain, vnto Apollo by the name of Myrtalis: for that was Olympias name when she was a litle one. Al y ^• which things wer don so openlye, that it was to be thoughte she shoulde haue feared least her doing wold not be alowed, or rather as though she cared not who knew that she had doone the dede▪ Philip deceased of thage of xlvii. yeares, when he had raigned xxv. yeres. He begate of Larissa a daunsing damosel a sonne named Arideus that raigned after Alexander. He had many other sonnes, begotten of diuers women, as the manner of kings is, of whome some died of theyr naturall death, and som of the sword. He was a king more desirous of battel then of banketting, whose richesse consisted chefe­ly The descrip­tion of kynge Philip. in furniture of the warres, and he was more conninge in getting and purchasing richesse, then in keping. And ther­fore for all that he pilled & polled euery daye, yet was he e­uer neady. Mercy and falshode he loued a like. He thought it no shame to purchase his desire, how so euer he came by it, so he might haue it. Wher as he fauored he would make as though he wer displesed. Suttle and captious was he to talke vnto, promising more then he wold performe. In de­uising serious matters, and in merye conceites connynge, winning frendship for aduauntage and luker, and not for faithfulnesse. Wher he hated most, there to pretend moost fauor, and to sow discord betwene such as he knew agreed best together, seking for thank with bothe parties, he vsed as a solempne custome. Furthermore his talke was mer­uelous eloquent, and ful of sharpnesse and witty sayinges, so that neither facility wanted to set out his plesant inuen­tions, neither was his facility withoute ornate eloquens & plesant deuises. Unto him succeaded Alexander, going be­yond A comparison betwene Phi lip & alexadre. his father both in vertues and in vices. First for their manner of conquest it was clean contrary one to a nother. For this man atcheued his battels by open force, the other by pollicy. He reioysed to begile his ennemies, thys man to vanquish them in open field. The other was more prudēt [Page 49] in counsel, but this man was of a more Princely and royall stomacke. The father would oftentimes dissemble his an­ger and ouercome it: but if this man were ones in a rage, there was nothing but reuengement out of hande, & that should be done without all mesure or reason. Both of them were geuen ouer muche to drinckyng of win [...], but in their dronkennesse they were not bothe of one disposition. The father would customably from his meat run vpon his ene­my, fight hand to hande, and vnaduisedly caste him selfe in daunger, But Alexander would not outrage vpon hys en­nemy, but vpon his own men. And therfore Philip retur­ned oftentimes out of the battel wounded himself, wheras this man oftentimes as a murderer of his owne frends at his table, was faine to depart oute of company. The father loued to raign among his frendes, and to haue hys frendes raign with him. The sonne would playe the tiraunt wyth his frendes. The father had rather be beloued, the sonne to be feared. As for learning was a like in both of them. The father was a man of more craft and pollicye, but the sonne was more to be betrusted. Phillippe was more modest in woordes and communication, but Alexander more modest in his deedes. The sonne was of a more gentle and honest nature, and more prone to shewe mercy to thē that he had ouercome, but the father woulde not abstaine so muche as from his owne confederates and partakers. The Father was more geuen to frugalitye, and the sonne more to ryo­tousnesse. By the whyche meanes the father layde the foundation of the Monarchy of the whole worlde, and the sonne to hys hygh renowne and glory finished the whole worke.

ARtaxerxes kinge of Persia had a C. & xv. sonnes by his concubines, but he This [...]ame is he that is mē ­tiond of in the v. and vi. bo­kes before. had no mo then iii. persons that wer begotten in lawfull wedlocke: Dari­us, Ariarates, and Ochus. Of these thre contrary to the custome of the Per­sians, which are not wōt to chaūge their king onlesse he die,) the father of his gentlenesse during hys owne life, made Darius king, thinckynge that he had nothing the lesse him self, for that that he besto­wed vpon his sonne, and that he should take the more ioye of the begetting him, if he might in his life time beholde in his sonne, the liuely representation of his own estate. But The wicked­nesse of Dari­us towarde hys father. Darius assone as his father had by euident profe, newlye expressed his tender and louing affection towardes him, be­gan to deuise meanes howe to kill his father he had bene a wicked man, if he had gone aboute to kill his father alone: but so muche the more wicked was he, in that he intised fif­ty of his brothers, to consent to the killing of their father. It is a monstruous thing, that so hainous a murder, shuld not only be consented to, but also concealed in such a multi­tude of people: that of fifty children there could not one be found, whom either the fear of his fathers maiestye, or the reuerence of his age, or the earnest affection that he hadde shewed, could withdraw or call backe from an outragious cruelty. Was the name of father so vile amonge so manye sonnes in nomber, that by whose defence he ought to haue bene preserued euen against his enemies, euen by the tre­son of the same he should be surprised, and be in more safety of his enemies then of his owne sonnes? The cause of thys pretensed murder, was more wicked then the murder it self. For after the time that Cyrus was slaine in the warre [Page 50] that he made againste his brother as is before mentioned: king Artaxerxes toke his concubine Aspasia in marriage. Now Darius required his father to depart with her to hi, like as he had don with the kingdom. His father for y ^• loue he bare to him, graunted at the first to do it: anon after be­ing striken with repentance, to thentent he might honest­ly deny, the thing he had rashly promised, he made her chief priest to the sonne, wherby she was bound to kepe her self chast from all men during her life. The yong man beynge The iuste re­ward of tre­son. herewith prouoked to anger, first fel at woords wyth hys father: and immediatly after, as he conspired with his bro­thers to work treson against his father, he and al hys rable wer taken, & by the iust vengaunce of God (the punisher of suche as rebell againste their fathers,) put to erecution for their prepensed murder. And to thentent no impe nor slyp shuld remain of such a wicked race, the wines and children of them all, were in like wise put to death. After thys, Ar­taxerxes fell sycke for sorowe and died, happyer in that he was a king, then in that he was a father. The inheritance of the kingdom was deliuered vnto Ochus, who fearynge the like conspiracy, replenished his pallace with the slaugh The [...] of Ochus. ter of his kinsfolk, and of his noble men. No consanguinity no sex, no age, could moue his hart to pity: verelye for none other purpose, then least men should accompt him more in nocent then his brothers that went aboute to slea their fa­ther. And so hauinge as it were purified & clensed his kyng­dom, he made warre to the Armenians. In the whych one Codoman putting forth him self with y ^• fauor of al men, to combate against one of the enemies that made a chalenge to fight hand to hand, slue his enemy▪ wherby he both won the victory, & also saued y ^e honor of his coūtry, which laye in hasard to be lost. For the which valiant enterprise, y ^• same Codoman was made lieuetenaunte of the Armenians. In processe of time after y ^• death of king Ochus, in remēbrans of hys former prowesse, the people created him kyng. And [Page] to thentent nothing shuld want in him that appertained to thestate of a king, they called him by the renowmed name o [...] Darius. Who afterward with great prowesse held warre a long time with greate Alexander, somtime to his gaine, and sometime to his losse. At laste beinge vanquished of A­lexander, and slain of his own kinsmen, he ended his life to gether with the Empire of the Persians.

IN tharmy of Philip, as there were son­dry The estate of macedone af­ter the death of king philip sorts of people. Euen so after y ^• time that he was slain, their mindes wer di­uersly moued. For some that were op­pressed with wrongfull seruitude, com­forted them selues with hoope of liber­tye. Others wearye of the warfares so far frō their natiue country, reioysed to thinke y ^• the viage shuld be broken vp and they dismissed. Manye were sory to see the Tapers y ^• were made to set before the daughter at her mariage, stand vpon the herse of the father. His frēds also wer not a litle amased, at so sodain mutation of things considering how Asia was lately chalenged. Europe scars­ly yet cōquered, and howe the Illyrians, Thracians, Dardanians & other barbarous nations, wer of minde vnconstāt and vn­wauerig, & of promise vnfaithful, & not to be trusted to. All the which people if they should forsake their obediens & re­bel The wise and discrete beha­uiour of Alex­ander. all at ones, it were not possible by any meanes to resist them. Unto all these mischeues the comming of Alexander was as it wer a presēt salue. Who in an oration so c [...]forted forted & encoraged al the people for the time, y ^• he bothe exempted al fear out of their harts, and made them to conceiue good hope & expectation of him self. He was then xx. yeres old, in the which he promised many things of him self wyth suche modesty, y ^• it appered he wold do more when it came to the profe, then he spake of. He gaue the Macedones a quite dis­charge of al things, sauing he wold not exempt them from the warres, by the which dede he purchased him selfe such [Page 51] at al mens hands, y ^• they said they had changed the body of their king, but not his vertues, the first & chiefest regard y ^• he had, was to enter his father accordinge to his estate. In executing wherof, before al other things, he caused all such persons to be put to death vpon his fathers tombe, as wer The murde­rers [...] kyng­Philip are punished. accessary to the same. Only he pardoned Alexander of Lyn­cests his brother, reseruing in him the good fore token of his own estate, for as much as he was y ^• firste that saluted him by the name of a king. Moreouer he caused Caranus his mo­ther in lawes sonne & his brother in law to be put to death as one that loked to be a partner with him in the kingdom. In the beginning of his raigne he subdued many countries that rebelled, and suppressed manye insurrections euen in the very rising. Whereby beinge greatlye encouraged, he went leiserly into Grece, wher after the example of his fa­ther, sommoning the Cities to appeare before him at Co­rinthe, he was substituted captaine general in his stead.

And thervpon he went immediatly in hand wyth y ^• wars Alexander g [...] eth forward with the wa [...] agaynste the Persians tha [...] his father ph [...] lip had bego [...] ▪ against the Persians, which his father had begone. While he was busy in the furniture therof, tidinges was brought him that the Atheniens, the Lacedemonians and the The­banes were reuolted from him to the Persians, & that the author of this reuolting was the orator Demosthen [...]s corrup ted by [...]he Persians for a great sum of golde, who auowed before the people, that the king of Macedone wyth all hys hoste was slaine of the Tribales, bringinge the tales man in open audience, who to make good the matter, sayde he was wounded hym selfe in the same battel that the kynge was slayne. Uppon the whyche reporte, the minds almost Alexander su [...] presseth the commotions in grece. of all the Cities were chaunged, and the Garrisons of the Macedones besieged. The whyche motions intendynge to preuent, he entred into Grece with an host well aparelled and in good order, with suche celerity, that they skarse be­leued their owne e [...]es when they sawe him, because they hearde not of his commynge. In hys waye thither warde he exhorted the Thessalians to keepe their allegiaunce, [Page] putting them in minde of the benefites of his father Phil­lip toward them, and of the kinred that was betwixte hym and them by his mothers side, which came of the stocke of A [...]acus. The Thessalians were glad to heare those wordes of him, and thervpon made him lieuetenaunte generall of al their country as his father had bene before, and rendred vnto hym all the tributes and reuenues that he was wont to haue. But the Atheniens as they were the firste that reuolted, so were they the first that repented: turnyng the disdaine of their ennemy into admiration and wondremēt, and extollinge the childehode of Alexander (whyche before they had in despite) aboue the prowesse of the auncient cap­taines. Therfore they sent ambassadors desiringe pardon, and that they mighte haue peace. Whom Alexander hard, and with greuous rebuke graunted them their request.

From thence he turned his power toward Thebes, inten­ding to haue shewed like mercy, if he had found like repen taunce. But the Thebanes went to it with force of armes and not with intretaunce and submission. Beinge therfore The hatred of all grece to ward the Thebanes. vanquished, they suffred most greuous punishment of mi­serable captiuity. When the matter came to debatinge in counsel as concerning the d [...]truction of the citye, the Pho­censes, the Platecenses, the Thespienses, and the Orchome [...]ians, A­lexanders companions in armes and partakers of his vic­tory, rehersed the crueltye of the Thebanes in destroyinge their Cities, and the good wil that they alwayes bare to y ^• Persians, not only at that time, but also of old time, to the open preiudice and domage of the liberty of Grece, whiche thing was not to be borne withall. In consideration wher of, they were worthelye hated of all people▪ for the proofe wherof there neaded none other triall nor witnesse then this, that they all bounde them selues with an othe to rase Thebes, assone as euer they hadde ouercome and made an end with the Persians. Furthermore they tolde what en­terludes had bene made of their former noughtinesse, in so muche that there was wel nie no stage wheron they made [Page 52] not open showes therof, to the entent they should be hated and abhorred, not only for their presēt vnfaithfulnesse, but also for their olde follye and madnesse. Then Eleadas one of the prisoners hauing liberty geuen him to speake, said that the Thebanes had not reuolted from th [...] king, in as much The [...] ­sion of [...] ­das for the [...] of t [...] c [...]y. as they hard say he was slain, but from the kings heirs. In which doing if there were anye trespasse, it was rather to be imputed as an ou [...]rsight for being so light of credit, then as a promise br [...]aking or vnfaithfulnesse, and yet if it were so, they had all redy suffred great punishment therfore.

For the youth of the City being put to the sword, ther re­mained none but a sorte of women and children and olde folke, which as they were feble, so were they able to doo no harme, the which notwithstanding had bene so vexed with rauishmēts and other displesures and reproches, that they neuer felt thing so bitter to them in all their liues. Wher­fore he made intercession, not for his Citezens, wherof ther were so few left, but for the innocent soyle of his countrye and for the towne it self, which had brought vp and engen­dred not only men, but also Goddes. Moreouer he alledged a priuate superstition to entreat the king withal, how that Hercules was borne among them, from whome the house of the A [...]acides do fetch their petigry, and howe that hys fa­ther Philip passed his childhode at Thebes: beseching him to spare that City, whiche honoured some of his auncestors that were borne among them as Gods, and had sene some other of them that were brought vp among them, ryse to the royall estate of kinges. But the wrathe was greater then that any entretaunce could preuaile. The Citye ther­fore The Citye of Thebes is [...] stroyed. was rased, the landes d [...]uided among the conquerors, the prisoners sold vnder a garland, whose price was set, not to the aduauntage of the biers, but according to the hatred of thenemies. The Atheniens thought it a miserable sight, and therfore they opened their gates for the refuge of such as eskaped by flying, contrary to the kinges prohibition.

The which doing Alexander toke so greuously, that at the [Page] seconde time when their ambassadors came to entreate for peace again, he remitted their offence, vpon condition they shuld yeld into his hands their captains and orators, vpon trust of whom they did so often rebell. The Atheniens be­ing redy to fulfil his commaundement, because they wold not be constrained to haue warre with him, the matter was brought to this issue, that they should kepe still theyr orators and banishe their captaines: who incontinently ta­king their way to Darius, did not a litle encrease y ^• strength The same is he that in the [...]ast boke is called Codo­ [...]an. alexander set­ [...]eth an ordee in his king­dome. of the Persians. When [...]e shuld setforth toward y ^• warres in Persia, he put to death all his mother in lawes kinsmē, whom Philip had aduaunced to great promotions, & made rulers of coūtries: neither spared he such of his own kinred as semed mete to bear rule, least any occasion of rebellyon shuld remain in Macedone, while he was making warre a far of. Such kings also as wer tributaries y ^• wer of any wis dom and pollicy, he toke with him to the warres, leauing y ^• old men to gouern his kingdō at home. Then when he had gotten his men of war together, he fraighted his ships and embarked his host. Out of y ^• which beholding Asia a far of, [...]he noble co rage and free hart of alexan der. he was wonderfully enflamed in his corage, & made xii. al­tares to the Gods as a vowe for prosperous successe in hys warres. All thinheritans y ^• he had in Macedone & Europe, he parted among his frends, saying y ^• Asia was inough for himself. Before y ^• any sail departed fro the shore, he slue sa­crifices, making his prayer for victorye by battell, as by the which he was left to be the reuenger of Grece so oftētimes before assailed of the Persians, whose monarch had cōtinu­ed now long inough, & was come to his perfect ripenesse, & therfore it was high time for other to take the roum that could serue the turne better. Neither was his army of lesse courage then the king him self. For they al forgetting their wiues & children, and y ^• they shuld make war far frō home, made as sure accōpt of the gold of the Persians, and of the richesse of the whole East, as if it had ben their owne al re­dy, thinking nothinge of the daungers of the warre, but of [Page 53] the great richesse. Assone as they were come to land, Alex­ander first of all threw a dart as it wer into his ennemyes land, and in his armor lept out of his ship in maner of dan­sing, and so killed his sacrifices, praying the goddes y ^• those countrics might willinglye receiue him as their kynge. In the same place also he did obsequies at the tombes of them that were slain at the battel of Troy. Then soughte he for his enemy, straightly charging his Souldioures, that they made no wast in the country of Asia, saying it was but re­son to spare that that was their own, and y ^• they ought not to make hauock of those things that they came to possesse. In his army wer two and xxx. thousand foote men. iiii. [...]. and v. C. horsemen, and a C. foure skore and two ships. It is to be doubted whether it were more to be wondred at, alexanders hoste. that with so small a handfull of men he conquered y ^• whole world, or that he durste ones geue thenterprise to attempt it: considering that to so dangerous a warfare he chose, not lusty yong men and such as wer in the flour of youthe, but old worn souldiers, and such wherof many by reson of their yeres, wer priueledged & exempted from the wars, whiche had serued vnder his father and vnder his vncles, so that a man would haue thought he had not picked out souldiers, but rather masters of cheualry. [...]oreouer none hadde the leading of any band, that was not lx. yeares old. So that if ye had beheld the chief officers of his campe, ye wold haue said, [...]e had sene the senate of some auncient cōmon welth. Therfore there was no man that thought of rūning away but of getting the victory, nor there was not anye that put his trust in his legges but in his armes. On the other side, [...] of Da rius. Darius king of Persia trusting in hys own strength, wold do nothing by pollicy, affirming that it was not beseminge for him and his, to deuise with them selues to steal the vic­tory, nor yet to keepe his ennemy out of the borders of hys kingdom, but rather to receiue him into the bowels of hys realme: thincking it should be more to his honor to expulse [...]im perforce, then not to suffer him to enter.

[Page]The firste encounter therfore was in the plaines of adrast. In the hoste of the Persians were DC. M. fightinge men, The nomber of the Persi­ans. the which being vanquished as muche by the pollicye of A­lexander, as by the puissaunce of the Macedones, tourned their backes and fled. Great therfore was the slaughter of the Persians. Of Alexanders hoste wer slain ix. footemen, and a C. and xx. horsmen. Whome the king the more to en­courage Darius is vanquished. the residue of his souldioures, sumptuously buried and set vp their Images on horsback on their tombes, and gaue great fraunchises and priuiledges to their kinsfolke. After this victory the more parte of Asia fel vnto hym. He fought many battels also with the lieutenants of Darius, whome [...]e now vanquished not so muche by force, as with the terror of his name. While these thinges were a doing, in the meane time Alexander was informed by the confes­syon of a prisoner, that Alexander of Lyncestes the sonne in law of antipater, whome he had left his vicegerent in Mace­done, went about to worke treson against him. For which cause fearing that if he should put him to death, there wold rise summe commotion in Macedone, he put hym in safeke­ping. This doone he marched towarde the citye Gordis, the which is situate betwene the greater and the lesser Phry­gia. Of the citye Gordis and of Gordius [...]. The desire that Alexander had to get this city into his possession, was not so muche for the spoyle of it, as for be­cause he hard say that in that City in the temple of Jupiter, was the yoke of Gordius waine, the knot wherof whosoeuer could vndoo, should be king of all Asia, as the auncient O­racles had prophesyed. The occasion and originall hereof was this. As one Gordius was going to plough in the coun­try, with Oxen that he had hired, birdes of all sorts began to flie about him. Whervppon as he went to aske counsell of the Southsayers of the city therby, in the gate he mette with a maid of excellent beautye, and demaundynge of her what Southsayer he were best to goo to. When she heard thoccasion wherfore he woulde aske counsell, beinge seene her selfe in the science by thenstruction of her Father and [Page 54] mother, she answered that it meaned he should be a kinge, and there vpon offred her selfe to be his partaker bothe of wedlock, and of the kingdom y ^• was behighted. He thought himself happy to haue suche a faire offer at the first entrye of his kingdome. After the marriage, the Phrygians fell at discord among them selues. And when they asked counsell of the Oracle how they mighte bringe it to an end, answer was made that they could not end their controuersies with out the healpe of a king. Demaunding again as touchinge the person of their king, what manner of man he should be commaundement was geuen them to marke whom they saw first after their returne, ridinge into the temple of Iu­piter in a cart, and to take him for their king. The first man that they met, was this gordius, where vppon immediatlye they saluted him by the name of king. The cart wh [...]rin he rode when the kingdome was laid vppon him, he set in the temple of Iupiter, and consecrated it for an offeringe, as kinges are wont to doo at their coronation.

After this man raigned his sonne Midas, who being tra­ded vp by Orpheus in manye superstitious Ceremonies, fil­led all the realme full of sectes of religion, by the whyche he liued more in safegarde all his life, then by his chiualry. Alexander therfore hauinge taken the Towne, when he came into the temple of Iupiter, immediatlye enquired for the yoke of the Waine: the whiche being broughte before him, when he sawe he coulde not finde the end of the thon­ges that wer bidden within the wrethes, constraining the Oracle to the vttermooste, he cutte the wrethes a sonder with a sworde, and so when he had losed the wreathes, he found the endes of the knottes wythin the braides. As he was a doing this, tidinges was broughte him that Darius approched with a great hoast of men. Whervpon fearyng to be enclosed within the straightes, he passed the moun­taine Taurus with all spede possible, in the whiche haste he ran CCCCC. furlonges.

When he came to Tarsus, beinge muche delighted wyth [Page] the plesantnes of the riuer Cydnus which runneth through the mids of the city, he cast of his harnesse, and full of duste Alexander ta keth a greate [...]. and [...]wet as he was, threw him self naked into the cold wa ter, wherwithall suche a nomnesse and stifnesse by and by strake through all his finewes, that he lost his speche, in so much that men thought he should not only neuer recouer it, but also loked he shuld haue died presently. Onlye there was one of his Phisitians named Philip, which wold take vpon him to warrant to make him whole again. And yet the same Phisition was had in great mistrust, by reason of the letters sent the daye before oute of Cappadocia from Par­menio. Who knowing nothing of Alexanders mischaunce, wrote vnto him to beware of Philip the Phisition, for he was corrupted by Darius for a great summe of mony. Yet notwithstanding he thought it more for his safegard to cō ­mit himself to the phisition though he more then halfe sus­pected him of treason, then to abide the daunger of his dis­ease, wherof ther was no way but death. Therfore be toke the drinke that the Phisition had made him, and deliuered him the letter, and as he drank, he beheld his face stedfast­ly to se what countenance he wold make at the reding of it When he sawe him vnabashed, he was glad of it, and the iiii. day after recouered his healthe. Darius therfore wyth CCC. M. fotemen, and a C. M. horsmen proceded into bat­tel. This huge nomber of his enemies somwhat moued A­lexander The seconde [...]ncounter be­twene Alexāder & Darius when he beheld howe fewe in respect he had hym self. But then again he called to minde, what great enter­prises he had atcheued, & how mighty countries he had sub dued with that smal nomber. Wherfore when hope had ex pulsed fear, he thought it daungerous to delay the battell. And to thentent his men shuld not be discoraged, he rode a bout from band to band, & with sondry orations spake vnto eche kinde of people. He encoraged the Illirians & [...], with promesse of richesse and substance. The Grecians he set on fire, with putting thē in mind of their batels in time past, & of the continual hatred that they had with the Persi [Page 55] sians. The Macedones he admonished of Europe by thē all redy cōquered, & of Asia now chalenged, bosting of thē that there wer not y ^• like men of power & strength as they wer in al y ^• world. Of al which their trauels, this battell should be y ^• final end, to their high renown & estimatiō. As he had said these words, he cōmaūded his battels to stād stil again to thentent y ^e by this pausing, they might enure thē selues to behold y ^• huge nōber of their enemies with opē eies. Da rius also was not behinde the hād in ordring of his battels. For wheras it belōged to the duty of his captains to haue don it, he wēt himself in proper person frō rank to rāk, ex­horting thē al to play the men, putting the in remēbrāce of thanciet renown of the Persiās, & of the perpetual possessi­on of thempire geuen thē by the gods immortal. This don both tharmies with great corage buckled together. In the which battell both kings wer woūded, & the victory hūg in The [...] of the [...] ­ans. doutful balāce, so lōg vntil Darius forsoke the field. Then ensued the slaughter of y ^• Persians, ther were slain of fote­mē lx. & one M. of horsmen x. M. and xl. M. wer taken pryso­ners. Of the Macedones wer killed a C. & xxx. fotemen, & a C. & l. horsmen. In the tēts of the Persians was foūd much gold & other riches. Amōg others, wer takē prisoners Dari us mother, his wife which also was his sister, and ii. of hys daughters. Whō when y ^• Alexander came to visit & cōfort, when they saw the harnessed men, they embraced one ano­ther, & made great lamentation, as though they shuld haue died by and by. Then they fel flat at Alexanders fete, bese­ching him not for pardon of their liues, but only respite of their deathes for a time, to thentent they might bury Da­rius body. Alexander being moued with pity at the tender The [...] o [...] [...] affection of the women, told thē that Darius was yet aliue and bad them be of good comfort, for they shuld not die, cō ­maunding that they shuld be estemed as Quenes & so to be called. Furthermore he willed Darius daughters to trust to him, that he would see them bestowed in mariage, to no persons of baser estate, then was for their fathers honor. [Page] After this when he saw Darius richesse, his precious orna ments, his iewels and apparel, they were so muche that he Superfluitie the cause of disorder. wondred to behold them Then began he first to make rio­tous bankets & sumptuous feastes, then began he for her beauty and fauor to fall in loue with one of his prisonners, called Bersine, of whom afterward he begat a sonne, whom he named Hercules. Notwithstandinge remembringe that Darius was yet a liue, he sente Parmenio to inuade the Per­sian flete, and other of his frendes to receiue the Cityes of Asia. Which hearing of his great victory, came with their lieuetenaunts that were appoynted by Darius, (who with a greate summe of golde yelded them selues vnto the con­queror, and submitted them selues vnder his subiection.

Then set he forward into Syria, wher he met with many kings of the East with crownes on their heads. Of whom (as eche of them had deserued) some he toke into fauor, and some he deposed, setting vp kings in their steads. Amongst all other Abdlominus whom Alexander made king of Sydon, A kyng of a gardiner. is worthy to be spokē of. Him wheras before time he was wont to be hired to cast ponds and water gardens, leadyng his life miserably) Alexander created king: setting aside the noble men, least for their birth & linage, they might rather haue semed to chalenge it of duty, and not accept it as a fre gift. The citezens of Tyre sent their ambassadoures wyth a crown of gold of great waighte vnto Alexander, for ioye of his good successe: who thankfully acceptinge their present, said he wolde go to Tyre to performe his vowes to Hercules. Thambassadors said he might do that better in olde Tyre, & in the old temple, desiring he wold not enter into the new Alexander be [...] Tire. towne. Wherat he toke so sore displeasure, that he threat­ned to destroy the citye: and there vpon forthwith he brou­ght his army to the Iland, whome the couragious Tyrians, for the trust they had in the Carthaginenses, entertained with battel. For thexample of Dydo greatly encoraged the Tyri­ans, who after that she had builded Carthage, conquered the thirde parte of the worlde. Thinkinge that it were a foule [Page 56] shame for them, if their women shuld haue more hartes in conquering, then they had in defending of their liberty.

Wherfore they sent away all such as wer not mete for the warres to Carthage, and brought succors in their st [...]ad. Ne­uerthelesse ere long time after, they wer surprised & taken by treson. Here vpon Alexander receiued the Rhodes, Egipt, alexander go­eth to [...] ­mo in [...]. and Cilicia without any stroke striking. Then tooke he hys iourny to Iupiter [...], of purpose to enquire of the chāce of thinges to come, and as concerning his own birthe. For his mother Olympias confessed to Philip her husbande, that she conceiued not Alexander by him, but by a Serpente of wonderful bignesse. And Philip him selfe a little before he died, did openlye report that he was not his sonne. Uppon which cause as though he had known her to haue plaid the miswoman, he put away Olympias. Alexander therfore be ing desirous to fetch his pedegre from God, and also to de­liuer his mother from slaunder of the world, sent messen­gers priuelv before to the priestes, to geue them instructi­ons what answer he would haue them make. Assone as he The [...] of the priests whiche after was the [...] ­struction of manye [...] men. entred into the temple, the prelates saluted him by y ^e name of the sonne of Hammon. He being glad of this adoption of the God, gaue commaundement that all men shoulde take him for his father. Then he demaunded whether he had punished all suche as were gilty of the murderinge of hys father or no. They made him answer, that his father could neither be killed nor die, but as for the death of king Phil­lip, he had sufficiently punished all the doers therof. To his third demaund they answered, that he shuld get the vpper hand in all battels, and shoulde be owner of all the whole worlde. To suche also as attended vppon him they gaue charge to honor Alexander as a God, and not as a kyng.

Herevpon he grew to suche an hautinesse, and so wonder­ful an arrogancy was rooted in his stomacke, that the gen­tlenesse which he had learned by the literature of y ^• grekes and the enstructions of the Macedones, was quite rased out of his thought.

[Page]As he returned frō Hāmon, he builded Alexādi [...]a, and peopled it with Macedones, ordeining it to be the hed city of Egipt The building of alexandria in Egipt. Darius being eskaped to Babilon, sent his letters to Alex­ander, desiring him of liberty to ransome the women that wer his prisoners, and for their raunsom he profered him a great sum of mony. Howbeit Alexander would not take a piece of mony for their ransome, but the whole kingdome. alexanders an swers to Da rius letters. Within a while after came a nother letter frō Darius to Alexander, wherin he proferred him one of his daughters in mariage, & a portion of his kingdō. Alexander wrot vnto him again, y ^• those things that he offred him wer hys own alredy, wherfore he willed him to come & submit himself, & to put thordering of his kingdom to the discretion of his so uerain. Then being past al hope of peace, Darius adressed himself again to the warres, and with 40000: fotemen, & a 10000. horsmen marched toward Alexander. In his iourny newes was brought him that his wife was departed of de The wyfe of darius dyeth liuerance of a childe before her time, and that Alexander wept for her death, and also followed courteously after her corse to burial: the which thing he had done, not for that he was in loue with her, but only for curtesy and humanities sake. For he neuer saw her but ones in all his life, wheras he wold oftētimes visit his mother & his litle daughters to cōfort them. Then Darius thinking himself clerely vāqui shed, seing y ^• after so many battels, his enemy had ouercom him. With kindnesse also, thought it did him good sythe he could not get thupper hand, y ^• it was his chance to be van­quished The thirde letter of Da­rius to alex­ander. of so worthy a conqueror. Wherfore he wrate the iii. letter vnto him, geuing him thankes y ^• he had not shew­ed any extremity against his prisonners. Offring hym the greater part of his kingdom, euen vnto the riuer Eufrales with a nother of his daughters to wife, and for the reast of his prisoners 3000. talents. Here vnto Alexander made an­swer, alexanders answere. that thank at his enemies hād was more then neded, and y ^• he had not done any thing to flatter him withall, nor for y ^• he sought a defens against thuncertain end of war, or [Page 57] for articles of peace, but of his own noble hart, whiche tau­ght him to contend with the power of his enemies and not with their calamities, promising to perform all Darius re­quest, if he wold take himselfe as next vnto him, and not as his coequal, for like as the world could not be ruled if there The [...] [...] ­counter be­twene [...] ­us and alex ander. wsr ii. sonnes, so the world cannot without preiudice be go uerned by ii. souerain kings, therfore either yeld hym selfe the same day, or els prepare him self to battel the next day, and flater not himself with hope of any other victory, thē he had tried alredy. The next day they brought their men in­to the field. Sodenly before the battel, Alexander being he [...]y with cares fel a slepe. Al his men being in a redinesse to geue the charge vpon their enemies, the king was missing. Who being with much a do waked by Parmenio, & beyng asked how it chanced y ^• he slept so soundly in so dangerus a time, seing he was wōt to sleepe but litle, euen whē he was most at his harts ease, said he was deliuered of a great fear and y ^• he slept vpon a sodain quietnes that came vpon him, because he should encoūter withal the whole power of Da rius together: for he was afraid leasts the war should haue ben prolonged, if the Persians had deuided their hoste. Be­fore the battel eche armye stode in the sighte of other. The Macedones wōdred to so the great nōber of their enemies their goodly personages, & their rich & costli armor. On the other side the Persians wer amased to thinke how so fewe shuld ouercome so many thousandes as they had. The cap­taines went busely about to viewe their bandes, and see e­uery man kepe good order. Darius told his souldiers, that if they were deuided, they wer mo then ten to one of theyr ennemies. Alexander willed the Macedones not to be aba­shed at the multitude of their ennemies, at the hugenesse of their bodies, nor at the straungenesse of theyr couloure, onlye he wolde haue them to remember, that this was the iii, time they foughte with them, and that they shoulde not think them to be become better men by reson of runnyng away, cōsidering they shuld bring into the battel with the, [Page] [...]o sorowful a remembrans of their own discomfitures, and of so muche bloudshed as they had gon away with in the ii. former conflicts. And as Darius had the greater nomber of men: so had he himself the greater strength. Wherfore he exhorted them to despise that host y ^• glistered so with golde and siluer, in the which there was more gaine to be gotten then danger, seing that victory is not gotten by y ^• glistering of habilments, but by the sharpnesse of wepons. After thys cōmunication the onset was geuen. The Macedones layd about them with their wepons, as in disdain of their enne­my whom they had vanquished so often before. On the cō ­trarye parte, the Persians chose rather to die then to be o­uercome. Which caused so much bludshed as hath not light ly bene sene in any battel. Darius when he saw his mē put Darius is put to flight. to the worse, would gladly haue died in the fielde, but that suche as were about him compelled him to flie whether he would or no. Afterwarde when some gaue him counsell to The ca [...]e of Darius for the safegarde of his souldi­oures. breake the brydge ouer the riuer Cydnus, to the entent to stop his enemies from pursuing him any further, he sayde he set not so much by him self, that for the sauegard of him self alone, he wold cast so many of his companye into theyr enemies hands: and therfore it shuld be away for other to eskape, as wel as it had beene for him selfe. Alexander en­terprised such thinges as were most daungerous, & where he saw his enemies thickest and fighting sharpest, thither would he euer thrust himself in among them to break the prease, desirous alwaies to take such things as were most dangerous to himself, and not to leaue thē to his souldiers. By this battel he toke away thempire of all Asia, the fifth Here begin­neth the Em [...]ptre of Mace done. yere after he began to raign. Whose felicity was so great, that no man hereafter durst rebel, and the Persians them selues after so many yeres continuance of their monarchie paciently receiued the yoke of bondage. When he had re­warded and refreshed his souldiers, he did nothing xl. dais after, but take a vew of the spoil of his ennemy. He founde xl. M. talents locked vp in the city.

[Page 56]Also he wan Persepolis the hed city of the kingdome of Per­sia, a city that had continued famous and notable many ye­res together, and stuffed with the spoiles of y ^• whole world which was not sene before the taking therof. While these thinges were a doing, about viii. C. Grekes came to Alex­ander, whiche in the time of their captiuitye, besides other greuous punishments, had had certain of their limbes and members of their bodies cut of: requestring him that as he had reuenged Grece, so he would also reuenge them of the cruelty of their enemies, and set them at liberty. When he would haue geuen them licence to return home into their countries, they chose rather to tary still and take certayne landes, least they shuld not so much reioyce their frends as make them abhorre to loke vpon them.

In the meane season to win the conquerors fauor with­all, Darius is bound in set­ters of gold, and wound [...] to death to hys owne [...] Darius own kinsmen bound him in fetters and chains of gold, in a village of the Parthians called Tane. I think it was euen the ordinaunce and disposition of God, that the Monarche of the Persians should take his end in the lande of them that should succede in the Empire. Alexander also the next morow folowing after vpon the spurre, had intel­ligence that Darius was conueied out by night in a lyter, whervpon commaunding the residue of his hoste to folow after with as much spede as they coulde conuenientlye, he tooke vii. M. of his horsmen, and pursued him. In his iour­ney he fought many daungerous battels, and when he had ridden many a mile, and could hear no inklinge of Darius, as his horses were a baiting, one of his souldioures goyng down to a watering therby, founde Darius in a litter stri­ken through with many woundes, but as yet a liue. Who callinge to him the Souldioure, when he perceyued by hys speche that he was one of his owne countrye men, he sayde The woorde [...] of Darius [...] hys deathe. it was a comfort to him being in the case that he was, that he should speake to one that could vnderstand him, and not vtter his last wordes in vaine.

He had him say vnto Alexāder in his name, that he died [Page] a great dettor of his without any desert of his owne parte, for as much as he had foūd him like a king, and not like an enemy towards his wife and children, and that it was hys chaunce to be better entreated of his ennemy, then of hys owne kin. For wheras his enemy had geuen his wyfe and children life, his kinsfolk to whome he had geuen both lyfe and kingdoms, had vnnaturally bereft him of his life. For the which his doinges, he rendred him suche thankes as he himself hauing the victory listeth to accept. This onlye one thing (which lay in his power to do for him nowe lyinge at the poynt of death, would he do for Alexander, as inrecom pence of his good turnes, that is, to pray to the powers ce­lestiall, and the powers infernall, and the Gods of kinges, to geue him victory and dominion of the whole worlde. As for himself he desired nothing, but that it might be his ple­sure to graunte him buriall, as of righte he oughte to haue without grudge. And as touching the reuengement of hys death, it was now no parte of his care, but for exāples sake the common case of all kinges, the whiche to neglecte as it should be dishonorable to him, so might it turne to hys vt­ter perill. For on the one part, this case concerneth his Iu­stice, and on the other it toucheth his owne vtility and pro­fit. In token wherof as an only pledge of the faith and ho­nor of a king, he gaue his right hand to cary vnto Alexan­der. At those words he stretched out his hand and gaue vp the goste. The which when Alexander hard of, he came to see his body as he lay dead, and he wept to beholde so worthye an estate, come vnto so vnworthye a death. Wherfore he caused his body to be entred with all solempnitye like a kinge, and his reliques to be conueyed into the Sepul­thres of his aunce­stoures.

ALexander bestowed great cost in buryinge of his souldiours that were slaine in pursuing Darius, & to the residue of his companye he departed wyth xv. M. talēts. The greater part of his horses was foundred with heat, and such as remained were able to do no seruice. The whole summe of the mony gotten alate by this victory, was a hundred and thre and fifty thousand ta­lents, wherof Parmcnio was made treasurer. Whyle theese Letters of Antipat [...], regent of Macedone. things wer a doinges, letters were brought from Antipa­ter out of Macedone, the tenor wherof contained y ^• wartes of Agis king of the Spartans in Grece, of Alexander king of Epire in Italy, and of his lieuetenaunt Sopyron in Sci­thia. The which made him somewhat to muse. Neuerthe­lesse when he had wel disgested the natures of the ii. kings his enuiers, he was more glad of the losse of them, then so­rye for the losse of his armye and his captaine Sopiryon.

For after that Alexander had taken his iourney, almoos [...]e all Grece fell to rebellion in hope to recouer their liberty, A rebeliy [...] in grece. ensuinge the ensample of the Lacedemonians, whyche a­lonelye forsooke the peace, and despised the orders taken bothe by Phillip and Alexander. Captaine and ringleader of thys Commotion, was Agis kinge of the Lacedemoni­ans. The whiche tumulte Antipater suppressed with suche power as he had raised, euen in the very risinge therof.

Yet notwithstandinge there was great slaughter on both partes. King Agis when he saw his mē put to flight, to the entent that all be it he coulde not haue as good fortune as The valiant­nesse of [...] agis. Alexander, he mighte not seeme inferioure to him in cou­rage, sent awaye his garde and him selfe alone made suche slaughter of his ennemies that sometime he put to flyghte whole bandes at ones. At the laste althoughe he were op­pressed by the multitude, yet he wan the glory and renoun from them all

[Page]Furthermore Alexāder king of Epyre, being set into Italy for to aid the Tarentines against the Brutianes, toke y ^• vi­age Of this Alex­ander, is men tion made in the end of the viii. boke. vppon him with so good a will, as thoughe the whole worlde should haue beene deuided, and that Alexander the sonne of his sister Olympias shoulde haue had the East for his part, and himself the West: entendinge to haue no lesse a doo in Italy Affrike and Sicil, then the other shuld haue to do in Asia amonge the Persians. And besides thys, lyke as the Oracle at Delphos had prophesied vnto great Alex­ander, that his destruction shuld be wrought in Macedone, euen so the Oracle of Iupiter of Dodone had told this Alex­ander, that the city Pandose and the riuer acheruse shoulde be his fatall end.

Nowe for as much as bothe of them were in Epyre, not knowing that they were in Italy also, to thentent to auoyd the daunger of his desteny, he gladly enterprysed warre in a straunge land. Therfore when he came into Italye, the firste warre that he had was with the Appulians: but when he vnderstode the destenies of their City, he entred a leage and amity with their king. For at that time the head City of Appulia was Brunduse, the which was founded by the The foundati on of Brund [...] se in Italy. Aetolians vnder the conducte of Dyomedes that famous captaine for hys renowmed actes at the battell of Troye. But being expulsed by thappulians, they asked counsell of the Oracles. Where answer was made, that they shoulde possesse the place that they required, for euer. Here vppon they required thappulians by their ambassadors to render their Citye againe, or elsse they threatned to make sharpe warre vpon them. The Appulians hauynge knowledge of the answer of the Oracle, slew the ambassadoures and bu­cied them in the Citye, there to haue their dwellinge for e­uer, and so hauing dispatched the meaninge of the Oracle, they enioyed the City a great time. The which dede when Alexander of Epyre knew of, for reuerēce to the destinies of so long continuaunce, he made no more warre to the Ap­pulians.

[Page 58]Then made he warre with the Brutians and Lucanes, & won many cities of theirs. Also he concluded a peace and frend­ship with the Metapontines, Rutilians and Romains. But the Alexand [...] king of [...] is [...] to deathe Brutians and Lucanes hauing gotten hope of their neighbors fiersly renewed the warres againe. There the king neare vnto the citye Pandose and the riuer Acheruse was wounded to deathe, not knowing the name of his fatall place, besore he was slaine, and when he should die, he perceiued that in his own country was no nead for him to fear death, for the whiche cause he had forsaken his countrye. The Tyrians raunsomed his body at the charges of their city and buried it honorably. While these things wer in doing in Italy. Zo­pyrion The death of [...] pre­sident of [...]on tus. also whome Alexander the great had lefte president of Pontus, thinking himself dishonored if he laye still and at­tempted nothinge, raised an army of xxx. M. souldiers, and made war to the Scythians. Where being [...]aine wythal his hoste, he suffred due punishment for making war so rashly againste an vnhurtfull kinde of people. When tidinges of these thinges were brought vnto Alexander into Parthia, he made himself very sory for the death of his cosen Alexāder, and commaunded al his host to morne for him by the space of iii. daies. After this, as though the warre had ben ended in the death of Darius, when all men loked to returne into their countries, all readye after a sort embrasinge in theyr mindes their wiues and children. Alexander sommoned his souldiers together, perswading with them that al those battels were to no effect that were paste, if the barbarous Alexander [...] courageth his souldiers [...] the warre [...]. nations of the East should eskape vntouched: for he desired not Darius body but his kingdome, and all suche ought to be pursued as forsoke their obedience to the kingdome.

When he had by this oration quickned the mindes of hys souldioures a new, he subdued Hyrcanie and the Mede [...]. In y ^• same countrye met him Thalestris otherwise named Mynos­haea Thal [...]tris Quene of the amazones. the Quene of the Amazones with CCC. M. womē, whi­che had come a xxv. daies iourny through the sauage coun­tries, and through the middes of her ennemies of purpose [Page] so haue issue by Alexander. The sight & comming of whom was wondered at, both for the straūge attire of the womē, and also for the request that they made to companye wyth Alexander & his men. For this occasion wer xxx. dais spent in idlenesse, & whē she thought her self with child, she depar ted home again. After this Alexander as though he hadde alexander fal­leth to the vi­ces of the Per [...]ians. had made himself subiect to their lawes & customes whom he had vanquished, tok [...] vpon him thattire and diademe of the kings of Persia, which thing was neuer known amōg the kings of Macedone before that time. And because they shuld not disdain him y ^• more for doing these things alone, to thentent he might counterfet the Persians aswell in ex­cesse of apparel as in excesse of fare, he also commaūded hys frends to wear lōg robes of cloth of gold & of skarlet. More ouer he spent the nights in daliance among the kings cōcu­bines, which wer women of most excellent beuty, eft with one and eft with another as their turnes came about. And for fear least through wāt of delitious fare, he shuld not be able to hold with his venerus daliāces & pastimes, he made sumptuous feasts & bankets, and thervnto deuised princely showes & pageants, quite forgetting y ^• by suche meanes, ri­ches are wont to be consumed & wasted, & not gottē or pre­serued. Upon this his doing, arose a great grudge through al the camp, y ^• he held so sore degenerate frō his father Phi­lip, y ^• in manner he disdained ones to heare his country na­med, & shuld take vpon him the maners & customes of the Persians, whō for such maners & customs he had subdued. But for because he would not seme to haue yelded him self a pollicy of a­lexander whi ch afterward grewe into a custome. to the vices of them whōe he had subdued by battell alone, he gaue his souldiers licens, (if any of thē wer delited with the cōpany of their prisoners,) to mary them to their wiues thinking that they would haue lesse minde of home, if they had in their tents as it were an image or representation of their houshold gods & dwelling places, & also that thei wold make les accōpt of their trauel in y ^e warres for the delite & plesure they had in their wiues. Besides this he thought y ^• [Page 59] Macedone should not nede to be spent so muche in sendyng forth soldiers to supply the nomber of them that wer slam. If the yong nouices might succede the old and expert soul­diers their fathers, learning to playe the men of war euen in the same trenche that they were born in. And that they should proue the bolder and hardier, if they were not onlye trained vp to the Warres, but also broughte vp from the shel in the camp. The which custome remained also among the successors of Alexander. Therfore there was a stipend appoynted to finde the Children with all, and when they came to mannes estate, they had apparel of house and har­nesse geuen them, and the fathers had wages alowed thē according to the nomber of their sonnes. If any of their fa­thers died, or were slain, the Orphanes neuerthelesse toke their fathers wages, whose childhode amonge so many vi­ages was euen a very warfare. For being from their ten­der yeares endured and hardened with continuall trauell and pearils, they made the host inuincible, accompting the campe for noone other then their countrye, nor the battell for anye other then their assured victorye. The people that were thus begotten, were called Epigones: Afterwarde when he had conquered the Parthians, he made ruler [...] ­uer them one of the mooste noble men of all Persia named Andragoras, from whome the kings of Parthia did after­ward descend.

In the mean seson Alexander began to outrage with his alexander [...] rageth agaīst his noble men for repreh [...] ­ding his [...] ­ces. own men, not like a king but like an enemy. In especially it displeased him that some of them tolde him and rebuked him, for breaking the customes of his offences, the ancient father Parmenio next vnto the king in estate and dignity, with his sonne Ph [...]otas after inquisition had vpon them, were bothe put to death. Whervppon al the campe began to be on a rore, bewailinge the mischaunce of the innocent old man and his sonne, not letting sometime to saye, that it was not for them to loke for any better.

[Page]The whiche thinges when they came to Alexanders eare, fearing that if the brute hereof should be blowen into Ma­cedone, the glory of his conquests should be distained with the spot of cruelty, he made as thoughe he were minded to send certain of his frends into Macedone to beare hōme ti­dings of his conquests, exhorting his souldiers to wryte to their frends, for it wold be long or they had the like occasi­on again, because they should make warre further of. The whiche being doone, he caused the packets of letters to be brought priuely vnto him, by the whiche vnderstanding e­uerye mannes iudgement of him, he put all those together into one band that had any ill opinion of him: entending ei­ther to consume them by battel, or els to distribute them in to new townes that he purposed to build in the vttermoste partes of the world. Then he subdued the Dracans, the Euer­gets, the Parimans, the paropamissadanes, the Hydaspians, and the other kindes of people that inhabite the fote of Caneasus.

In the meane time was broughte vnto him faste bounde, [...] is pu nished for his treason. Bassus one of Darius frendes, who had not only betraied the king his master, but also slain him. Whom in reuenge­ment of his traiterous act, he deliuered to Darius brother to punish him as he thought good, accompting not Darius so much his enemy, as the frend of Darius that had slayne his own master. And to thentent he might leaue his name behinde him in those countries, he builded a City vpon the riuer Tanais and named it Alexandria, the wall whereof Alexandria vpon Tanais beinge vi miles in compasse, he finished within xvii. daies, remouinge into it the people of iii. other cities that Cyrus had builded. Amonge the Segdians and Bactrians also he builded xii. cities, destributing into thē all such as he knew Rede this hi­story, & mark what a vice dronkennes is in a prince. to be seditious personnes in his hoste. These thynges thus brought to passe, vpon a certain solempne holye day he bad hys frendes to a feast, wher after the time they had taken in their cuppes, mention being made among them as con­cerninge the actes of kinge Philip, he began to prefer hym self before his father, extolling the greatnesse of hys owne [Page 60] dedes aboue the skies, where vnto the greater parte of his gestes assented. Therfore when Clytus one of the old men, vpon trust of the kinges frendship, as one that in that res­pect was the chiefest about him, toke vpon him to defende the fame and renowne of Phillip, standing in the prayse of his noble actes, he offended the kinge so sore, that he snat­ched a weapon out of one of his gardes hand, and slue hym at the table.

At the which murther trimling, he cast him in the teth as he laye deade with his defendinge of Phillip, and wyth the praise and commendation of his fathers warres. But after his minde beinge satisfied with the slaughter began to quiet it selfe, in steade of anger entred aduisemente, and considering, sometime whome he had slaine, and sometime vpon what occasion he slue him, he began to repent him of that he had doone, that he had taken his fathers prayses in suche displesure, as he ought not to haue taken reprochfull wordes, lamenting that he should be so much ouersene, as to kil his frend being an old mā, and hauing not trespassed against him as he was making mery. Thervppon beynge turned with like rage to repentaunce, as he was cuē now vnto anger, he wished himself out of the world.

First he fel a weping, then he toke vp the dead body in his armes, searched his woundes, confessed his madnesse [...]. to him as if he coulde haue hearde him, pulled out the wea­pon, setting it to his owne harte, and had slaine him selfe if his frendes had not wrasted the weapon out of his hande He continued in this wilfuluesse to die certain daies after. For the more to augment his sorow and repentans, came to his minde the remembraunce of Clytus sister who was his nourse, of whom (allbeit she was not there,) yet was he moost ashamed in himself, that he had so shamefully rewar ded her for noursing of him, as now being man grown and a conqueror, to present her that had borne him in her ar­mes all the time that he was a childe, with the corse of her brother, in recompence of her good turnes.

[Page]Moreouer he thought with himselfe, what tales and slaun­ders he had raised of himself in his armye, and amonge the nations that he had conquered, what a fear and secreat ha­tred toward himself, he had striken into the harts of his o­ther frends, how bitter and lothsom he had made his own table, being not so terrible armed in the field, as sitting na­ked at his meate. Then came to his remembraunce Parme­nio and Phylotas, then came Amyntas his Sisters sonne, then came his mother in lawe, and her brothers that were put to death, then came attalus, Eury [...]ochus, pansanias, and other noble men of Macedone, whose liues he had taken away.

Herevpon he obstinatlye forsoke his meate iiii. daies toge­ther, vntil his whole host came and intreted him, beseching that he would not so lament the death of one man, as ther by to cast them all away, hauing broughte them to the vt­termoste of the barbarous nations, there to be lefte desti­tute among the middes of their enemies that moste hated them, and whome they had stirred thervnto by battell.

Greatly herevnto profited the intretaunce and perswasion The force of eloquence. of the Philosopher Callysthenes, who had ben familier with him when they were both scholers vnder Aristotle, and as then lately sent for to put his actes in wrytinge. Therfore when he had set his minde againe to the warres, he recey­ued the Chorasmians and Dracans by composition. Afterward to thentent all thinges should be more spiteful, the whiche one poynte of statelinesse taken of the custome of the Per­sians, he had hitherto delayed, he gaue commaundemente they should no more salute him, but adore him. Callysthenes A▪ good re­ward of per­suadyng hym from dispair, rede more he­reof in the. [...]. bake. was one of them that stoode sti [...]iest againste his purpose. The which thing was the confusion of himselfe, and of ma­ny of the noble men of Macedone. For vnder the colour of treson they wer all put to death. Neuerthelesse the Mace­dones held stil their custom of saluting their kings, vtterly casting away & reiecting the manner of adoring. After this he marched toward Inde, to thentent he might bound hys Empire at the Ocean sea, & thuttermost parte of the East. [Page 61] To the which renown, y ^• thornaments of his army myght be agreable, he ouerlaid the trappers of the horses, & thar­mor of his soldiers with siluer, & after their siluer shieldes, he named his whole hoste argyraspides. When he cam to the City Nisa, for as muche as the men of the towne, vppon a certain superstitious confidens that they had in their God Bacchus, who was the founder therof made no coūtenans of resistence, he cōmaunded his men should do no harme to it: greatly reioysing, that he had not only folowed y ^• warres but also the verye fotesteppes of the God. From [...]ence he led his host to see the holy Mount, the which of it owne na­ture Se the [...] of [...] sticion. was beset with vines and Iuye in suche order, as if it had bene dressed with mannes hande, and set by conning of workmen. Assone as his host came at the mountain beinge moued through a sodain instinct of the minde to the hollye howlings of the God, they skattered here and there with­out any harm taking, to the great admiration of the king. Wherby he might perceiue that in sparing the town [...]mē, he did his own army as great plesure as he did them: Thē went he to Daedalus hils, and to the kingdom of Quene Cleo phis, who yelding her selfe receiued her kingdome againe, paying for the raunsome therof certaine nightes lodgynge The [...] with Alexander, at whose hand she obtained throughe her pleasaunt daliaunce and enticements, the thing she coulde neuer haue gotten by force of armes. The sonne that she conceiued by him she named Alexander, who afterwarde enioyed the kingdom of Inde. Cleophis the Quene for de­filing of her chastitye, was euer after called of the Indians the kinges Concubine. When he had trauelled throughe Inde, he came to a rocke os meruelous bignesse and rough nesse, into the which many people wer fled, from winning wherof it was told him that Hercules was prohibited by an earthquake. Being therfore inflamed with desire to sur mount the doings of Hercules with great labor and peril, he obtained the rock. Whervpon al the people roūd about yelded them selues vnto him whome he tooke vnto grace. [Page] There was one of the kynges of Inde, whose name was Porus, a man of meruelous strength of body, and of won­derfull Thenco [...]nter betwene Po­ [...]us and [...]. stoutnesse of stomacke, who hearinge of the fame of Alexander, prepared for the Warre agaynste hys com­minge. Therfore when it came to the encounter, he willed his men to set vppon the Macedones, and to let him alone with their kinge, for he woulde fight hande to hande wyth him himself. And Alexander made no tariance to the com­bate. But at the firste encounter his horse beinge woun­ded vnder him, he fell downe headlonge to the grounde, neuerthelesse his garde stept about him and saued him.

Porus beinge ouercharged with manye woundes was ta­ken prisoner. Who sorowed so greatlye for his beinge van­quished, that all be it he founde fauor at hys enemies hand, yet woulde he not receiue anye sustenaunce, nor suffer hys woundes to be dressed, and they had muche a doo to obtain so muche at hys hande as that he woulde liue. Whome A­lexander in honoure of his valiaunt courage, sent home in safetye into his owne kingdome againe. Then builded he two Cities, the one he called Nicea, thother after the name of his horse he called Bucephala.

After that, he conquered by force the Adre [...]ies, the Stra­thenes, Alexander [...] conquests in Inde. the Passides, and the Gangarites, and slewe all theyr ar­mies. When he came to the Enfyts, where his ennemies a­waited his comminge with two hundred thousande horse­men, all hys whole armye being wearied as well wyth the nomber of their victories, as with their continuall trauels and labours, with weping besought him at length to make an ende of his warres, and remember to returne into hys owne countrye againe, hauing regarde to the yeres of hys souldioures, whych wer [...] able to liue so long as while they might retourne home. One shewed hys graye heade, another his woundes, another his leane carkase wytheced with age, another his bodye full of skarres and maimes.

Sayinge that they alone were the men that had endured oute the continuall warres of two kinges, Phillip and A­lexander. [Page 62] Wherfore they besoughte him, yet at lengthe to restore that fewe that wer left, to the graues of their fore­fathers, who nowe fainted, not for wante of harte, or for wante of good will, but for want of yeres. And if he would not regarde his souldioures, yet haue a respecte to himself, and wearye not his good fortune with takinge to muche vpon her. Being moued with these iust petitions, as it wer to winde vp his victories withall, he caused his camp to be furnished more royally then it was wont to be through the costlinesse whereof he mighte bothe put his ennemyes in terror, and alfo leaue somewhat for them that shuld come after him to talke of▪ His souldioures neuer did woorke in all these li [...]es with better wils. Therfore when they had [...]laine their ennemies, they retired into them againe wyth great recompence. Alexander went from thence to the ri­uer Acesine, and by the same he sailed to the Ocean, there he tooke to mercye the Gessones aud Asybanes which w [...] fovnded by Hercules.

From thence be sailed to the Ambres and Sycambres, which met him with foure skore thousande footemen, and threskore thousand horsmen, when he had gotten the vp­per Alexa [...]der [...] ▪ p [...]aril & go [...] fort [...]e. hand of them, he led his host against their city, y ^• which he finding destitute of defendants, as he loked from y ^e wal, the which he first of his men had skaled vp vnto, he lept in­to the plain of the city without any of his gard about him. When his enemies sawe him there alone, they ran at him on all sides with a great shout and noise, endeuoring them selues if they could, to finish the warres of y ^• whole world in one mannes deathe, and to be reuenged vpon him for so many nations. Alexander on the contrary part as manful­ly withstode them, and being but one man alone, fought a­gainst so many thousands. It is not almoste to be spoken, y ^e neither the multitude of his ennemies, nor the force and a­boundaunce of their weapons, nor their confused noyse as they assailed him, could make him afraid, and that beynge but one a [...]e, he shuld beat down and put to flighte so ma­ny [Page] thousands. But when he perceiued himself to be oppressed with the multitude, he withdrue himself to a block that stode by the wal, by help wherof standing in sauegarde, he held thē all tack so long, vntil his frends knowing in what peril he stode, leped down vnto him. Of the whiche many wer slain, and the battel [...]ong in dout, vntil the time y ^• all his army hauing ouerthrowen the wals cam to his reskue. In y ^• conflict being striken with an arrow vnder the right pappe, when he had bled so sore that he could not stand for feblenesse, he kneled on his kne, and neuer left fighting vntil he had slain him of whom he was wounded. The heling of the wound was greuouser then the wound it self. Ther Alexāder sendeth his host to Babylon. fore when at the length contrary to all hope and expectati­on, he had recouered his health, he sent Polyperchon with his host to Babilon, and he himself with a noumber of the most picked and chosen souldiers, toke shippinge and skou­red the Ocean seas, keping still vppon the coast. When he Alexander is rep [...]lsed with [...]enymous Da [...]tes. came at the city of king Ambiger, the townesmen hearing that he could not be ouercom by no irō, dipped their shafts in poyson, & so with double wound of deathe repulsed the e­nemy from their wals, & [...]lue very manye of them. Whē as among many others Ptolomy was deadlye wounded, and was like to haue died out of hand, an herbe was shewed to the king in his slepe, that shoulde remedy the poyson. The which being geuen him in drink, he was forthwith deliue­red frō thimminent danger, and the most part of his army was by this meanes preserued. Afterwarde when he had won the town by force, he returned into his ships, & made an offring to y ^e Ocean, making supplication for safe return into his country. And as though he had driuē his chariot a­bout the mark, & established the boundes of his Empire, as far as ther was any land habitable, or as far as the sea was able to be sailed, with prosperous winde he entred into the mouth of the riuer Indus. Ther is a momument of his cō quests, he builded the city Barce, and set vp alters, leuing one of his frends for lieuetenant of the Indians y ^• inhabite [Page 63] the sea coast. From thence intendinge to iourney by lande, when he heard saye that in his waye were drye places, he Alexanders retourne vn­to Bab [...]on & his doynges there. commaunded pits and pondes to be made in places conue­nient as he shuld go, wherin finding great plenty of swete water, he returned to Babilon. There many of the natiōs that he had subdued, accused their rulers, the whiche Alex­ander withoute respecte of frendship or fauor, caused to be put to death in the presence of the ambassadors. After thys he toke to wife Satir the daughter of kinge Darius. Fur­thermore he chose out the noblest and beutifullest ladies & gentlewomen of al nations, and gaue the to his noble men in mariage: the which he did to thentent that by a commō fact, his own offence shuld seme the lighter. Then summo­ned he his army to a sermon, wherin he promised to pay al their dets of his own purss, to thentent they mighte carye home clere their boties and rewards. This liberality was notable not only for the great sum, but also in consideratiō of the fre geuing therof. And it was as thākfully receiued of the creditors as of the dettors, because it was as harde a matter for thone to haue demaunded it, as for the other to haue paid it. Thre and twenty thousand talents were be­stowed here abouts. Furthermore he cashed the old souldi­ers and supplied their roumes with yong beginners. But such as wer reteined stil, grudging at the dismissing of the old souldiers, required to be cashed thē selues also, biddinge Alexanders lyber [...] [...] his souldiers him pay thē their wages & not to tel them of their yeres for seing they wer chosen into warfare together, they thought it but right and duty to be discharged together. And nowe they came not to him with entretance and humble sute, as by the way of petition, but with fasing and bracinge. Bid­ding him finish his warres alone with his father Hammō, and then go set lighte by his souldioures. On the contrarye part, somtime he chastised them, sometime he admonyshed them with gentle wordes, that they should not obfuscate & darken their famous conquests and acts of cheualry, with rebellion at the latter end.

[Page]At the length when he saw his words could nothing auail he rose out of his chair vnarmed as he was, and stepte into The [...]outnes of Alexander. them, being all armed, to fetch out thauthors of that rebel­lion. And no man durst be so bolde as ons to let him of hys purpose, but that he pulled out xiii. of them, and led thē to execution with his owne handes. So greate a pacyence in suffering death did the fear of a king cast vpon them, or els the customable enuringe in the feates of warre, gaue hym boldnesse to put them to execution. Then called he the Per sians aside, and spake to them, praising their cōtinual faith and obedience, bothe to him and to their kynges in tymes past, rehersing his benefites towardes them, howe he ne­uer accompted them as vanquished but as partakers of his victory, and to be short how he hadde passed into theyr lawes and customes, and not they into the customes of his country, and that by ioyning affinitye and aliaunce he had made the conquerors and the conquered a like. And nowe he said he would betake the custody of his own person, not onlye to the Macedones but also vnto them. Whervpon he chose a thousande of their lusty yonge men into hys garde, another sort of them he gaue armor and wepon vnto, and dispersed them into his owne host, to thentent they should learn thorder of the warres of Macedone, the which thing the Macedones toke sore to hart, that the king shuld subro­gate in their roumes, weping vnto him, desiring him to sa­tisfy himself with punishing thē rather then wyth puttyng thē to suche reproche. By the which submission they obtai­ned y ^• axi. M. of thold souldiers were discharged, and of hys frends wer dismissed because they wer old men. Polyperchō Clytus, Gorgias, Polydamas & Antigonus. Craterus had the charge of theese that were sente awaye, with Commissyon to take vppon him as regent of Macedone in steade of Antipater. And Antipater was commaunded to come with a noum­ber of yonge souldioures to supplye hys roumē. They that retourned home had allowance of wages as well as they that folowed still the warres.

[Page 64]While these thinges were in doing, one of his frendes na­med Ephestion, whome he loued entirely, first for his excel The death [...] of [...]. lent beuty when he was a boy, and secondlye for his hum­ble obedience deceased. For whome the kinge mourned a long time more then stode with his honor to doo beinge a king, and bestowed xii. M. talents vppon a tombe for hym. Geuing commaundement to honoure him nowe after hys death as a God. As he was in his way returning towards Babilon from the furthest landes that bordered vpon the Ocean, tidinges were brought him that the ambassadours of Carthage, and other Cities of Affrik, and also of Spain, [...] ­des of [...] and of the west. Sicil, Fra [...]nce, Sardinia, and many of Italy did await for his comming at Babilon. So greate a terror had the fame of his name striken into the harts of all the world, that all nations as if they had determined to make him & acknow­ledge him for their soueraigne Lord and king, wer glad to humble them selues vnto him. For this cause therfore as he was making spede to Babilon, as it were to hold a par­liament of the whole world. One of the wisemen told hym that it was not good for him to come there, affirming that it was the place where he should die. There vppon he lefte Babilon and went to the city Byrse beyond the riuer Eu­phrates which ere whiles lay desolate. There the Philoso­pher Anaxarchus through his perswasion compelled hym to despise the foresayinges of the wisemen as false and vn­certaine, forasmuche as if they were determined by deste­ny, men were not priuye to them, or if they were ordained by the lawe of nature, it was not possible for a manne to breake them or auoid them Returninge therfore to Babi­lon, when he had spent many daies in idlenesse, the festing and banketting which he had left of now for a good while, he set vp fresh again, and being altogether geuen to mirth and pastime, spending day and night in reuelling and ma­king chere, euen immediatly vpon a banket, the Phisition Thassalus made a rere supper, and desired the kinge and alexander is poisoned. his Lordes vnto it. Alexander toke a cuppe in his hande, [Page] hande, and as he was in the middes of his draughte, soden­lye he gaue a greate sighe as thoughe he hadde beene stri­ken to the harte with a dagger, and being caryed from the banket halfe deade, he was tormented with so intollerable paine, that he desired to haue a sworde to ridde hym selfe out of it wythall, and when anye man touched him, it was as greuous to him as if they had wounded him. His fren­des caused it to be noised, that his excessiue dronkennesse was the cause of his disease. But in verye deede it was the treason of them selues, the slaunder wherof was by the po­wer of them that succeded suppressed.

The authoure of this treason was Antipater, who se­ing The author of alexanders death. his moost entier deare frendes murdered, his sonne in lawe Alexander of Lyncestes put to death, and himself after his noble enterprises atcheued in Grece, not so muche ac­cepted for his laboure as had in disdaine, and ther vnto tic­kled with diuers complaints made by his mother Olympias besides all the which considering what straight iustice and cruel execution was lately before, doone vpon the lieuete­naunts of sondry countries, could gather no lesse by the cir­cumstauns of the premisses, but that he himselfe also was sent for out of Macedone, not to attende vppon hym in his warres, but to be punished as other had bene. Therfore to the entent to preuent the kinges purpose, he sent his sonne Cassander priuely with poyson, the which Cassander wyth Phillip and Iolla his brothers, were wonte to serue the kynge at his Table. And the force of the poysonne was so greate that there was neyther brasse, yron nor earthen vessell that was able to holde it, nor it coulde not be caryed any otherwise then in the hofe a horse: laying strait charge vpon his sonne that he shoulde not truste anye man sauing Thessalus and his brothers.

For this cause therfore was the bankette prepared and dressed in the house of [...] Philip and [...] which wer wonte to be the kynges cuppe bearers and his tasters, had the poyson in colde water, the whiche water they tasted [Page 65] and caste it vpon the drinke. The fourthe daye after Alex­ander perceiuing there was no way with hym but death, The [...]. sayde he acknowledged the desteny of the house of his [...]. For the Aeacides for the mooste parte dyed [...] they came to xxx. yeres of age. Then he appeased hys sou [...] dioures whiche began to make an vprore, mistrusting the kinge to be killed by treason, and beinge borne vp into the highest and openest place that could be founde in all the ci­ty [...], and there laide for the vpon a couch, he admitted them all to his presence, and put forthe his righte hand to them to kisse as they stode wepinge about him. And wheras all [...] of [...] of [...] ▪ the company wept to beholde him in that case, he not onlye shed forthe neuer a teare, but also was withoute any kinde of token ofsorowe or [...]: in so much that he com­forted certayne of them that made greate sorowe and la­mentation for the matter. Unto some he gaue commaun­dements and errands to doo to their frendes from him. So that like as hys harte was inuincible toward the ene­my, so was it inuincible also againste deathe. When he had sente awaye his souldioures, he demaunded of hys frendes as they stode about hym, whether they thought they shuld finde the like kynge againe or no. Euerye man holdynge his peace, he sayde, that as he knew not that, so he perfect­ly knew and prophesied, yea and in maner saw it presently before his eies, how much bloud Macedone shoulde spende in that quarel, and with how greate slaughter & occision of men, it should do obsequies for him after his departure. At the last he willed his body to be buried in the Temple of Hammon. When hys frendes sawe him drawe on, they asked who shoulde be heir of hys Empyre. He aunswered the worthiest. So greate was the courage of hys harte, that wheras he left behinde him hys sonne Hercules, hys brother Arideus, and his wife Roxanes great with chylde, for gettinge all [...] and aliaunce, hee denounced him to be his heire, that was worthyest. As thoughe it hadde not beene lawfull for anye man to succeade a valiaunt manne [Page] then as valiaunte a man as he, or to leaue the richesse of so great a kingdome to any other, then to such as were tride men with thys word, as though he had blowen a trompet among his noble men, or sowne the sede of mischief and de­late, euery one became enemy to other in his hart, & wyth colourable flattery priuely sought the good wils and fauor of the men of warre. The vi. day whē his speche was gon, he tooke a ringe of his finger, and deliuered it to Perdicas, the which thinge appeased the dissention of his frendes all ready beginning to bud. For allbeit he were not pronoun­ced heir by word by mouthe, yet notwithstanding it semed it was his minde he should be his heire. Alexander decea­sed of the age of xxxiii. yeares and one monthe, a man endu­ed with stoutnesse of courage aboue the power of mannes fraile nature. The same nighte that his mother Olympias conceiued him, she dreamed she had to do with a great dra­gon, neither was she deceiued of God in her dreame, for The tolens that [...] at [...] death▪ out of all dout, she bare in her wombe a piece of worke ex­ceding the frailnesse of mannes nature. And althoughe she were renowmed bothe for the house of Aeacus frō whence by auncient descent of so many C. yeres, [...]he was lineallye [...]xtract, and also because her father, her brother, her husbād and all her auncestors and progenitoures were kinges, yet was she in none of all those respectes so muche to be este­med as for her owne sonne. Many wondrous foretokens of his greatnesse appered euen at his birth. For the same day that he was borne, two Egles stode all day vpon the toppe of his fathers house, representing a token of his dowl Em­pire of Europe and Asia. And the very same daye also hys father had tid [...]nges broughte him of two victories, the one of a battell against the Illyrians, the other of the gamynge at the mountaine Olympus, vnto the which he hadde sent his chariots. The whyche was a token that the child shuld be conqueror of all countries. Duringe hys childehode he [...]lexanders [...] and prosperity. was brought vp straightly to his learning when he grew towarde mannes estate, he encreased in knowledge vnder [Page 66] Aristotle the [...] teacher of al Philosophers. A [...]ter­ward when he had taken the kingdome vpon him, he pro­claimed himself king of all landes and of the whole world, and so behaued himself among his souldiers, that if he [...] with them, there was no enemy could make them afraide although they had beane naked them selues. Therfore he neuer encountred with any enemy, but he ouercame him, he neuer besieged city but he wan it, nor neuer entred any country but he subdued it. And yet at the last he was ouer­come, not by force of the enemy, but by the [...] trea­son of his owne subiectes.

ALexander y ^• great being dispatched out of the way in the very floure of The great [...] e that was for the deathe of [...]. his age and of his conquests, al men were striken in so heauye dumpes, and in especially all the citye of Ba­bilon. But the nations whome he had subdued could not geue credite to the reporte: because that as they beleued him to be inuincible, so also they thoughte him to be immortall: calling to remembraunce how often he had bene deliuered from present death, and how oftentimes when he had loste his weapon, sodainly he shewed himself amonge hys men, not only safe and sound, but also gettinge the vpper hande. But when they were throughlye perswaded that he was dead in dede, all the barbarous nations whom he had con­quered a litle before, mourned for him, not as for an enne­mye, but as for a father. Moreouer the mother of Darius, whome after the losse of her sonne, beinge her selfe fallen from the stage of so highe estate, it repented not of her lyfe vnto that day, for the great clemency and fauoure that she found in [...]er conqueror, when she hard of Alexāders death [Page] did rid herselfe oute of this life: not because she sette more by her ennemy then by her own sonne, but because she had found the naturall loue of a sonne in him, whome she toke for her enemy.

On the other part the Macedones cleane cōtrary mour The vngrati tude of the [...]dones. ned not for him as for their countryman, or as for a kinge of such a maiesty, but reioysed as if they had lost an enemy, cursing his ouergreat seueritye and continuall ieoperdies that he put them vnto by his warres. Besides this, the princes gaped for the pertition of his kingdomes and pro­uinces, and the common souldioures for his treasures, and for a great masse of gold as a booty falling into their mou­thes vnhoped for: thone thinking to succede him in his Em­pire, the other to possesse his richesse and moueables. Ther wer in the tresory an hundred thousande talentes, besides the yerely custom and tribute which amounted to CCC. thousand. But it was not for nothinge that the noble men of Alexander loked for the kingdome. For they were eue­ry The commē ­dation of alex anders noble [...]en. one of them of that prowesse, representing suche a maie­sty therwithall, that ye would haue thought them to haue beene kinges euerychone. For they were all men of suche beauty and fauour so tall and goodly personages, and of so great strength and wisdome, that he that had not knowen them, would not haue thought they hadde bene all of one country, but rather chosen out of all the whole world. And surely neither Macedone, nor any other coūtry before that time, did florish with suche a nomber of noble m [...]n, whom first of all Philip, and afterward Alexander with suche ad­uisement selected and picked oute, that they seemed not so muche to haue bene chosen to attend vppon him, and serue him in the warres, as to succede in him in his kingdome. Who can then meruel that the world was subdued by such men of seruice? seing the army of Macedone was gouerned by so many, not Captaines but kinges, who neuer shoulde haue found their matches, if they had not fallen at conten­tion betwene them selues.

[Page 67]And Macedone should haue had many Alexanders for one, if fortune vpon enuy of their owne puissaunce, had not ar­med them one to destroy another. But after the time that Alexander was deade, they assembled together into one place, neither alltogether mery nor out of fear one of ano­ther. No lesse mistrustinge the men of warre, whose liber­ty was now more large and fauor vncertaine.

And amonge them selues the equalitye encreased theyr The [...] tion among [...] alexanders captaines fo [...] the goue [...] ­ment of the Empire. discord, no man so farre exceding the rest of his peres, that any of them would vouchsafe to submit himself vnto hym. Therfore they assembled in the palace all in harnesse, to set an order and staye in matters for the tyme. Perdicas thoughte it good to abide the deliueraunce of Roxanes, the which had now gone viii. monethes with child by Alexan­der, and wold be redy shortly to lie downe, and if she brou­ght forth a sonne, to substitute him in his fathers stead.

Meleager replying thervnto said, it was not meete to delaye their determination vpon her doubtfull deliueraunce, nor to tary for a king that was vnborne, sith they mighte take suche as were borne all ready.

For if they desired to haue a childe to their kinge, there was at Pergamus Alexanders sonne by Arsine called Her­cules: or if they had rather haue a younge man, there was in the campe arideus the brother and companion of Alexan­der, one that was welbeloued of all men, not onlye for hys owne sake, but also for his father king Philippes sake. But as for Ro [...]nes, for as much as she was a Persian, it was not lawfull for the Macedones to take them kinges of theyr bloud whose Empire they had subuerted, the which thing he said was no part of Alexanders thoughte: for he made no mention at all thereof at his deathe. Ptolomy refused to haue arideus made king, not only for his mothers basenesse, (for he was begotten of a concubine named Laryssa,) but al­so for his continuall sicknesse, whiche was greater then could well be abiden in that case: least he shoulde beare the name, and another all the sway.

[Page]Wherfore it wer better for them to chuse certayn of those whiche for their prowesse and vertues were next vnto the king, to rule the prouinces and to take charge of y ^• warres, rather then vnder the coloure of a kinge, to be at the com­maundement of vnworthy persons. At length by the con­sent of them all, the sentence of Perdicas tooke place. It was thought good to tary for the deliueraunce of Roxanes, and if she had a manchilde, it was determined that Leonatus, Perdi­cas, Craterus, & [...]tipater shuld be protectours, and forth with [...]rideus is proclaymed kynge in a [...]. the rest toke their othe to be obedient to those protectors. When the horsmen had done the like, the fotemen disdai­ning that they wer made preuy to no part of their doings, proclaimed Arideus the brother of Alexander kynge, and chose him a garde of his own kinred, geuing him the name of his father king Phillip. The which thinges when they were told to the horsmen, they sent to appease their wrath two ambassadoures of the noble men Attalus and Melenger: who seking preheminence by flatteringe of the comminal­ty, condescended to the souldioures, by and by the tumulte increased, when it ones had gotten a heade and counsell.

Then of purpose to destroy the men of armes, they armed them selues and rushed into the palace. The mē of armes vnderstanding what peril they stode in, fearfully conueied The fyrst dis sencion amōg Alexanders successours. them selues out of the city, and pitched theyr campe in the fieldes, wherat the fotemen also began to be dismaid. Ney­ther did the hatred of the noble men cease. Attalus sente to kil Perdicas captain of the aduerse parte. Unto whom be­ing armed, when they that were sent to strike him durste not approche, althoughe of his owne courage he prouoked them thervnto, Perdicas was of such boldnesse, that of his The stouines of P [...]dicas. owne free wil he went to the fotemen, and assembling thē together, laide to their charge what a heinous matter they attempted, willing them to haue respecte againste whome they toke wepon in hande, alledginge that they were not Persians but Macedones, nor enemies but their own coū ­trymen, [Page 68] yea & many of them their kinsmen, or at least wyse for the most part their cōpanions in armes, and partakers of their perils. Wherfore they should make a goodly show to their ennemies, that they might reioyce to see them kill one another, by whose puissaunce they lamented them sel­ues to be ouercome, and to see them do sacrifice with their own blud to the ghostes of them that they had slain. When Perdicas had with his singuler eloquence debated theese The [...]. matters to the full, he moued the footemen in suche wise, that by a common consent he was chosen captaine general of them all. Then the horsmen also beinge broughte to at­tonement, consented to take Arideus for king, reseruing a part of the kingdōe for the sonne of Alexander if any shuld be borne. This did they, layinge the bodye of Alerander a­mongst them, to thentent that his maiesty mighte be as a witnesse of their. decrees and ordinaunces. These thynges Thor [...]r [...] ­ken for the gouernment of [...]. being thus set at a stay, Antipater was made regent of Ma cedone and Grece. Craterus was appoynted to be hyghe tresurer. The charge of the campe, the hoste, and matters of warfare wer committed to Meleager and Perdicas, and Arideus himself was assigned to conuey Alexanders corse to the temple of Hammon. Then Perdicas beinge sore dis­pleased with the authors of the sedition, sodenlye withoute knowledge of his fellow, cōmaunded the next day a serche should be made in the campe for the death of the kinge.

When he had set all the hoste in armour in the field by the consente of them all, he called certaine seditious personnes oute of euerye bande, and caused them priuelye to be put to death. The whiche done, he returned againe, and deuided the prouinces amonge the princes, to the entent he myght send out of the way, suche as wer his backe frendes, and al so make them all to thinke, that it was throughe hys good­nesse that they obtained suche authority. First of all Egipt The [...] of the [...] c [...]s. with a part of Affricke and Arabie fell by lot vnto Ptolo­my, whome Alexander for his manhode and valia [...]tnesse had promoted from a raskall souldioure.

[Page]And to pntte him in his office, was appoynted Cleomenes which builded Alexandria. The next prouince adioyninge thervnto which was Syria, was cōmitted to Laomedō of Mytilene, Phylotas & his son toke Cylicia & Sclauonie. O­uer the greater Media was made ruler Acr [...]pat, ouer the lesser, Alcet the brother of Perdicas. The country of Susa nie was assigned to Syno, & the greater Phrygia vnto An­tigonus the son of Philip, Learchus chaunced by lot vpon Lycia and Pamphylia, Cassander vpon Caria, and Menan der vpon Lydia. Unto Leonatus happened the lesser Phri gia, vnto Lysymachus, Thrace, & the countries bordering vpon y ^• sea of Pontus. Cappadocia with Paphlagonia wer geuen vnto Emnenes. The marshalship of the campe for­tuned to Seleuchus the sonne of Antiochus. Cassander the sonne of Antipater was made captain of the kings garde. In the further Bactria and in the countries of Indie, the former lieuetenants wer cōmaunded to kepe their offices stil, sauing that Taxilles had the gouernaunce of all y ^• lays betwene the two riuers of Hydaspes and Indus. And that Phyton the son of Agenar was sent to haue the rule of the new townes that were builded in Indie. Ariarches tooke vpon him the gouernment of the Parapomenians, people that inhabite the vttermost parts of the mountain Canca­sus. Statener toke to gouern the Dracans and Argeans, & Amyntas the Bactrians, Scythens obtained the Sogd [...]ās Nicanor the Parthians, Phillip the Hyrcanians, Phrata­phernes the Armenians, Neoptolemus the Persians, Pē ­cestes the Babylonians, Arthius the Pelasgians, and Ar­chesilaus Mesapotamia. This pertition like as it chaunced to euery one of them as his fatall charge: so was it vnto ma nye of them the grounde and foundation of their encrease­ment and prosperity. For ere it was any longe time after, as though they hadde deuided kingdomes and not lieuete­nauntships, so being made kings of lieuetenaūts, they not only got greate richesse to them selues, but also lefte them to their posterity. While these things were a doing in the [Page 69] Ea [...]te, the Atheniens and the Aetolians renued y ^• warres in Grece withall the power they wer able to make, which The war [...] of the [...] against a lexanders s [...] cessours. they had all redy begon while Alexander was aliue. The occasion of this warre, was because that Alexander at hys retourne from Inde, wrote his letters into Grece, by the whiche all suche as were banished out of their natiue coun tries, of what city so euer they were, (suche as were attain­ted of murder onlye excepted) were restored to their coun­tries againe. The which being openly red in the presens of all Grece at the marte of Olympus, caused much busines: because that diuers of them were banished, not by order of law, but through discord and partaking of the princes, fea­ring y ^• if they shuld be reuoked again, they might bear grea ter sway & autority in the common welth thē they. Wher­vpon euen then many cities murmured, saying opely that it wer mete to set them selues at liberty by the sword. But the chefe doers and ringleaders in this quarell wer the A­theniens and the actolians. Wherof assone as alexander had knowledge, he enioyned his confederates to finde hym a thousande gallies to make warre withall in the West, pur posing by the way to make a rhode againste athens, and to destroy it vtterly. The atheniens therfore hauinge raysed an army of thirty thousande souldiers & two hūdred ships, made warre with Antipater, to whome the gouernmente of Grece fel by lot, whom for as much as he durst not geue them battel in the field, but kept himself within the walles of the city Hiraclea they besieged. The very same time De The dutye o [...] a true subiect to his natiue country in [...]. mosthenes the orator of athens, who beinge before bani­shed his country for his offence in taking a bribe of Harpa lus that fled for fear of alexanders crueltye, because he had moued the city to warre againste him, by chaunce liued as an outlaw at Megara: hearing that the atheniens had sent Hyperides of ambassade to moue the Pelopomiesians to take their part in these warres, folowed him and with hys eloquens perswaded Sycion, argos and Corinthe, and all the other cities to ioyne them selues with the atheniens.

[Page]For the which his doing the Atheniens sent a ship for him, and called him home out of exile.

In the meane season at the siege of Antipater, Leosthe­nes captaine of the Atheniens was slaine wyth a Darte throwne at him from the wall as he passed by. The which thinge gaue suche encouragemente to Antipater, that he burste open his barriers, and aduenture into the Trenche of his enemies. Neuerthelesse he was fain to send his mes­sengers to Leonatus for succour. The Atheniens hearing Leonatus is [...] by the [...]. that he was comminge towarde them with an hoste, went to meete him in order of battell, where amonge the horse­men, he receiued so sore a wounde that he died for thwyth. Antipater allbeit he sawe his reskowes put to flyghte, yet notwithstanding he was gladde that Leonatus was dead. For by meanes therof he was bothe rid of a backe frende, and also encreased in strengthe by attaininge of his hoste. Therfore assone as he had receiued his armye, being nowe able to matche with his ennemies in plaine field, they rai­sed their siege and he departed into Macedone. The Gre­kishe hoste also hauinge driuen the enemy oute of the bor­ders The end of the athenien warres. of Grece, went home euerye man to his owne citye. In the meane while Perdicas making warre againste the innocent Ariarathes king of Cappadocia, and gettinge the The wilfull destruction of the Cappadd­cians. vpper hand in the field, won nothing therby but woundes and pearils. For his enemies retiring out of the battel into the city, slue their wiues and children, and set their houses, and all that euer they had on fire.

Moreouer when they had throwen there into all theyr richesse, they caste them selues also hedlong after them, to He that hun­teth ii. hares at ones cat­cheth none of bothe. the entent their enemy hauing gotten the victory, shoulde enioy nothing of theirs, more then the beholdyng of y ^• fire. After this, to thentent that to thestablishment of his strē ­gth, he might get himself thautority of a king, he entended to mary Cleopatra the sister of great Alexander, and some time the wife of the other Alexander, not without the con sent of her mother Olympias. But first of al he coueted to [Page 70] surprise antipater vnder pretence of ioyninge aliaunce with him. And therfore he pretended to desire his Daughter in mariage, to thentent he might the more easly obtain a sup plement of yong souldiers oute of Macedone. But by mea­nes of antipater, (who smelled oute his subteltye,) while he wente aboute two wiues at ones, it came to passe that he attained none of bothe.

After this there arose warre betwene antigonus and per­dicas. Antigonus was aided by Craterus and Antipater, who ta­king The [...]yrst­war [...] alexand [...] successo [...]s. a truce with the Atheniens, made polyperchon regent of Macedone and Grece. Perdicas perceiuing that the world went not on his side, sent for arideus and great Alexanders sonne (of bothe whome the charge was vnto him commit­ted,) into Cappadocia, to haue their aduise as concerning the order of the warres. Some were of opinion to remoue the warre into Macedone, to the very welspring and heade of the kingdome, forasmuche as there was Olymplas Aleran­ders mother, which shuld be no smal stay on their side, and also for the fauor of the cōminalty in remembraūce of Phi­lip & Alexander. But it was thought most for the common profit to begin at Egipt, least whē they wer gon into Mace done, ptolomy might inuade Asia. Emnenes besides the prouin ces he had before, had deliuered vnto him, paphlagonia, Ca­ria, Lycia and Phrygia, there he was commaunded to abyde the comminge of Craterus and Antipater, and to assiste hym, were appoynted alcetas the brother of perdicas and Neopto­lemus with their armies. Clytus was made chiefe admirall of the Fleete Cilicia was taken from phylotas, and geuen to phyloxenus and perdicas himself with a great army went to­ward Egipt. So Macedone through the discord of the cap­taines deuiding them selues in two partes, sette her wea­pons against her own bowels, tourninge the habilimentes of warre that were appoynted for the foraine ennemye, to the slaughter of her owne inhabitaunts, after the manner of madmen, entendinge to cut and mangle the handes and members of her owne body.

[Page]But P [...]lomy through his industry and pollicy got greate richesse in Egipte. For by his singuler modestye he bothe The Commendation of Ptolomy kinge of Egipt. wan the hartes of the Egiptians to him, and by his frend­linesse and gentle behauioure, he compassed the good [...]ils of the kinges that were his neighbors & dwelt about him. Furthermore he also enlarged the bounds of his kingdom by conquering the city Cyrene, by meanes wherof he was now become a prince of suche power, that he hadde not so muche cause to be afrayde of his enemies, as his enem [...]es had cause to be a fraid of him. This citye Cyrene was buil­ded by Aristeus, who for because he was tounge tyed was The building of Eyrene in [...]. surnamed Battus. This mannes father called Cyrenus, king of the Iland There, when as moued with shame and sorow that his sonne being man growen, could not speake, he came to the Oracle at Delphos to make intercession to God for his sonne, he receiued an answer, wherby his sone Battus was commaunded to go into Affricke, and builde the City Cyrene, there to receiue the vse of speche.

Now because that the aunswer semed like a mockerye, by reason of the li [...]enesse of the Isle Theramene, oute of the whiche inhabiters were commaunded to repaire into Af­fricke there to build a city in a country so farre of, the mat­ter was lefte of. Afterwarde in processe of tyme, for theyr stubbornesse there fell suche a Pestilence amonge them, that they were compelled to obey the commaundement of the God, whether they would or no, and there was so smal and slender a noumber of them, that they were [...] able to furnishe a ship.

When they came into Affricke, both for the pleasaunt­nesse of the place, and for the aboundance of water springs that there were, they expulsed the inhabiters of the moun­tain Cyra, and plāted them selues in the same place: Ther their captain Battus had his tonge stringes losed, and be­gan to speake. The whiche thing encouraged theyr hartes to build vp the rest of the city, in as muche as the God had all ready performed part of his promises. Therfore when [Page 71] they had pitched their tentes, they solowed the opinion of an old fable. How that Cyrene a maid of excellent [...] was rauished by Appollo in the mountain Pelius in [...] saly, and caried from thence to the toppe of the mou [...]tain▪ Wheras the God begather with childe, and when she had gone her time, she was deliuered of iiii. sonnes, Nomius, Aristeus, [...], and Ageus. And that her father [...] king of Thessaly, sent out men to seke her, who being allured with the plesantnesse of the place, abode styll with the maid in that country. Of these children whē they came to mannes estate, three retourned into Thessaly, and en­ioyed the graundfathers kingdome. Aristeus had a large dominion in Arcadie, and first taught men the vse of Bees and hony, of milke and creame, and first found out y ^• times of the yeare▪ when the sonne is at the highest in Sommer, and likewise at the lowest in Winter, together with the courses of the other starres. Upon which reporte, Battus learninge the name of the maiden by the Oracles, builded the citye Cyrene. Ptolomye therefore beinge en [...]ased in strengthe by the power of this City, prepared for the war against Perdicas comming.

But the hatred that Perdicas had gotten through hys passinge pride and statelinesse, did him more harme then [...] of princes. the puissaunce of his enemies. For his owne companions hated him so sore, that they forsoke him and fled by heapes with Antipater. Neoptolemus also being left to aid and as­sist Emnenes, purposed not only to turn vnto the contrary part, but also to betray the whole host of his cōplices. The whiche pretence when Emnenes had espyed, he had none other shift but to try the matter by dint of sword agaynste the traitoure. Neoptolemus being vanquished [...]ed to An­tipater a [...]d Polyperchon perswadinge with them, that if they would kepe on their iournye withoute stayinge, they might fall vpon Emnenes ere he were ware, being nowe in ioy and gladnesse for his late victory, and taking no care by reason they had put him to flight.

[Page]But his purpose was vnknowen to [...]. Therfore the treason tourned vpon the traitoures heads. For they whi­che [...] and Neopto­lemus are staine by [...]. thoughte to haue surprised him vnwares, were mette wythall them selues when they looked leaste for any suche thing, beinge wearied with trauell, and watchynge all the nighte. In that encounter polypercbon was slaine. Neopto­lemus also fightinge hande to hande, with Emnenes a greate while together, after many woundes geuen and receiued, was in the ende ouercome and slaine. emnenes therfore get­tinge the vpper hande in two pitched fieldes together, vp­held and maintained his side for a while, whiche was not a litle empaired by the reuoltinge of his adherentes. Neuer­thelesse at the last, when perdicas was ones slain, both he and phyton, and Illirius, and ale [...]tas the brother of perdicas, were proclaimed traitoures by the hoste of their enemies, and Anti­gonus was appoynted to make warre agaynste them.

ENmnenes when he vnderstode y ^• [...] dicas was slain, hiself proclamed trai tor in Macedone, and that Antigonus [...] doinge of [...]. was appoynted to make war against him, declared the matter of his owne accord to his souldioures, least the so­dain newes of it might cause them to take the matter worse then it was in deede, or the straungenesse therof dis­courage their harts. And also to the entent to try whether their mindes were bent any thing against him or no, entē ­ding to take councel by thaduise of them all. Neuerthelesse boldly protesting amonge them, that if anye mannes harte failed him, he shuld haue licence to depart, with the which word he allured them all to fauor his procedings that they all bad him be of good comforte, promisinge to repeale the decrees of the Macedones by force of armes. Then remo­ued he with his hoste into Actolia, where he raised a taxe The [...] of [...] name. of the cities, and suche as refused to bestow it vpon hym, he sacked like an ennemy. From thence he went to Sardis to Cleopatra the sister of great Alexander, to the entent that by her wordes the captaines and chiefe officers mighte be the more strengthened to stande in his quarel. For he was of that opinion, that the maiestye and fortune of the kyng­dome should turne vnto that side that the sister of Alexan­der held with. So muche reuerence was attributed to the greatnesse of Alexander, that men soughte for the fauor of his sacred and renowned name, euen by the fotesteppes of women.

When he was returned into his tente, ther wer letters Treason wysely [...] and with standed. found strawed throughe all the campe, wherin were pro­mised greate rewardes to him that would bring Emnenes [...]ed vnto Antigonus. Emnenes hauing knowledge hereof, [Page] sommoned his souldiers before him, & first of all gaue them thankes that there were none of them founde, that prefer­red the hope of a bloudy reward before his faithful oth and fidelity. Afterward he [...] vp the matter, say­ing that those letters wer [...] by himself, to try his sol­diers mindes withall, and [...]at it lay in all their handes to saue him or cast him a way, neuer thelesse y ^• nether antigouus, nor any other of the captains, coueted to get the vpperhād in suche sort, as therby to geue wicked ensample to others to doo the like by him. By this dede he bothe strengthened the wauering mindes of h [...]s souldiers for the present time, and prouided before hande that if the like chaunce shoulde happen hereafter, his souldioures should not thincke them selues to be corrupted by their ennemye, but rather tried what they would doo by their captaine. Euery man there­sore stroue who might be most for his security & safegarde. In the meane season came antigonus against them with hys boste, and reastinge himselfe in his campe for that nyghte brought forthe his men in battell raye the next morninge. Neither did Em [...]eties detract the encounter, who being put Emnenes is put to flyght, and beseged by Antigonus to the worfe, fled into a certaine strong holde. Where per­ceiuing that he was driuen to abide thee aduenture of the siege, he. dismissed the greater parte of his army, for doubt leaste by the consent of suche a multitude he mighte be be­trayed to his ennemye, or elsse be pestered with the noum­ber of men, and so not be able to holde out the siege. Then sent he ambassadoures humbly to Antipater: who only se­med of power able to matche Antigonus. Antigonus hea­ringe that Antipater had sent to reskue Emnenes, brake vp his siege and went his waye.

Thus was Emnenes deliuered from feare of deathe for a while, but it was not for him to hope to continue longe in safetye, seing he had sent awaye his men of warre. There­fore Emnenes windeth hy [...] self into [...]auor with the ar­giraspides. when he had loked wel aboute him, he thought it best for him, to resorte to the Argiraspides that inuincible host of great Alexander glistering with the renowme of so ma­ny [Page 73] victories. But the argiraspides, after that Alexander was ones gone, disdained all captaines, thinckinge them selues dishonoured to serue vnder any other, considerynge vnder what a prince they had serued so late before.

Emnenes therfore entreated them with faire wordes, and spake gently to euery of them, calling them somtimes his fellowes and companions in armes, sometimes his pa­trones and defendoures, other whiles his partakers of all daungerous attemptes and enterprises in the Easte, and other whiles the only refuge and staye of his life and safe­gard, boastinge that they onlye were those, by whose puis­saunce the East was subdued, which alonely had surm [...]un ted the warfare of liber pater, and the monumentes of Her­cules, that by them Alexander was made greate, by them he obtained to deuine honoures and immortall glory, bese­ching them to receiue him amongst them, not so muche for a captain, as for o [...]e of their felowes, and that they would geue him leaue to be as it were one of their bodye. Beyng vpon this condition enterteined, by litle and litle first with admonishing euery man apart, and afterward with gentle correcting suche thinges as were doone amisse, he vsurped authority ouer them. Nothing could be done in the campe without him, nothing could be attempted withoute his ad­uice. At the lengthe when it was tolde him that antigonus came against him with an army, he compelled them to put Em [...]s [...] vanquish [...] again. them selues in order of battell there whiles they disdained to be ruled by their captaine, by force of their ennemies they were ouercome. In that battell they lost not onlye all their glory and renowne, won in so manye battels before, but also their wiues and children, and all the goodes they had gotten in so long continued warre so far from home. Emnenes thauthor of this their losse and discomfiture, ha­uing none other comfort or refuge to flie vnto, began to en courage them when they were vanquished, affirming that they wer superior as touching their prowesse & puissance: [Page] For they had slaine fiue thousand of their enuemies, and i [...] they were minded to sticke to it to the vttermooste, they should see their ennemies be faine to sue to them for peace. As for the losses and domage wherby they thoughte them selues so much vndone, were but two thousand women, & a few children and bondmen, the which they might better recouer by getting the victory, then by forsaking the victo­rye for wante of courage: The Argyraspides made aunswer, they would neither attempt to run away with the losse of their wiues and bedfellowes▪ nor yet make warre agaynst their own children. And with that they beganne to reuile him, in that after so many yeres, when they wer returned home with their wages whiche they had well and dearlye earned, and with the rewardes of so many battels being at rest and hauing geuen ouer the warrs, he had egged them forth to a newe warfare and endlesse encounters, and lea­dinge them in manner from their houses and natiue coun­try, had deluded them with his vaine promises, yea & now also after they had lost the gaines of their prosperous war­fare, could not be content to suffer them beinge thus van­quished, to lead the rest of their wretched olde age in quiet­uesse. Here vppon without knowledge of their captaynes, they sent messengers to antigonus forthwith desiringe resti­tution Thargiraspi des conspired to betraye [...]. of their goodes. He sent them word again he would restore euery whit, so that they would yeld Emnenes into his handes. Emnenes hearing of this practise, attempted wyth a few to eskape by flight. But being set backe againe, seynge no hope of recouery, as the multitude flocked aboute him, he made request that he might yet ones ere he dyed, speke vnto his army.

Being willed to say his minde, when [...]lence was made, Th [...] wordes of Emnenes to his soul­diours. and his bondes losed▪ he stretched forthe his hande fettered as he was, and shewed it them, saying. Beholde my souldi­ours the apparel and ornaments of your captaine whyche none of his enemies hath put vppon him. For that were a comfort to him. But euen you your selues, you haue made [Page 74] me of a conqueror a vāquished persō, you haue made me of a captain a captiue, four times within this twelue month, you haue sworn to be true to me, but I will let that passe. For it is not mete for [...]en in aduersity, to vpbraid others. This only one thing I require at your hands, that if An­tigenus be so fullye bent to take my heade from me, as in whose death al his affaires and purposes shuld be finished, you wil let me die among you. For I am sure he cares not after what sort, or where I die, so I be dead, neyther doo I passe greatly for my life, so I might be deliuered frō thys slaunderous death. If you will graunt me this request, I discharge you of your othe, wherby you haue bound your selues so often vnto me. Or if ye be ashamed to slea me your selues, then reach me a weapon, and geue me leaue to do that thing for you without conscience of breaking of your othe, which you haue sworne so oftentimes to do for your captain. When he saw he coulde not obtaine his re­quest, he left intreatance and fel to anger. Now the Gods (quod he) the iust reuenger of periury, looke vpon you, you false forsworne kaitiues, and geue such endes vnto you, as you haue geuen vnto your captaines. For it is not longe a go, since you polluted your selues with the bloude of Per­dicas, practising to haue done the like with Antipater, yea and that that is worst of all you oftentimes troubled euen Alexander himself with your seditions and mutinies, do­ing your best to haue slain him, if it had beene possyble for him to haue died of mannes hand. And nowe I laste of all whiche shalbe offered as a sacrifice by you false forsworne wretches, do pray God that these curses maye lighte vpon you, that being beggers and outlawes, you may spend all your life time in this warfare, like banished people, neuer to retourne to your country againe, and your owne wea­pons deuour you, with the which you haue consumed mo captaines of your owne, then of your ennemies. This spo­ken, in a greate rage and anger he commaunded hys ke­ners to go before him to Antigonus campe. The army f [...] ­lowed [Page] after to betray their own captain, and he being pri­soner T [...] Argi [...] p [...]des yeld [...]hē solues [...]nd [...] [...]o antigonus. led as it were a triumphe of him self vnto the camp of his conquerour. Deliuering vp into the conqueroures handes, both them selues, and all the antesignes of kynge Alexander, together with the honour and renowne of so many conquestes. And for because there shoulde want no pompe, the Elephantes also and the suc c [...]urs of the East folowed after. So much more glorious wer these thinges to Antigonus, then vnto Alex ander all the conquests he at­cheued, in that where as Alexander conquered the East, Antigonus ouercame them by whom the East was conque red. Antigonus therfore dispersed those conquerours of the world into his host, making restitution vnto them of such things as he had takē [...]m them at the time of their ouer throw. And for because he had in times past had familyer acquaintaunce & frendship with Emnenes, he would not for shame suffer him to come in his sight, but assigned him. ii. kepers. In the mean season, Eurydice the wife of king aride us vnderstanding that Polyperchon was retourninge out of [...] [...] ­tye of her hus­band Arideus [...]. Grece into Macedone, and that he had set for Olympias, be­ing thervpon striken with womanly malice, & abusyng y ^• weaknes of her husband, whose office & authority she toke vpon her, wrate to Polypercbon in the kings name, that he should deliuer vp the host to Cassander, as into whose hand the king had put the whole order and gouernment of the Empire. The like cōmaundement she sent also to antigo­nus into asia. By which benefite Cassander being bound vnto her, did euery thing after her rash & vna [...] uised cōma [...]nde ment. Then went he into Grece, & made war against ma ny cities, at the▪ destruction of whiche as of a fire neare at hand the spartan [...]s being afraid, both contrary to the aun­swers of the oracles, & contrary to [...] renown of their ancestors, distrusting their owne chiualry, enclosed [...] Lae [...]de­monions en­close th [...] city [...] a [...]ll. their city with a strong wall, the whiche euer before that time, they had ben wont to defend by force of armes, and not by strength of wals. So much wer they degenerated [Page 75] frō their a [...]cestors, y ^• wheras many. C. yeres before the prowesse of the citezens was the wal of the city, now they thought they might not liue in safety, onlesse they myght hide their heds within walles. While these things wer a doing, the estate of Macedone was so troubled, y ^• Gassander was fain to return thither out of Grece. For when Olym pias the mother of king Alexander the great, came out o [...] Epyre into Macedone, accompanied with acacida kynge o [...] the Molosses, and that Eurydice and arideus the king went a­bout to prohibit her from entring into the realm, the Ma­cedones, whether it wer for remembrance of her husbād king Phillip, or in respecte of the greatnesse of her sonne Alexander, or that they were moued at the vnworthy de­meanor, gathered them selues vnto Olympias, at whose commaundement Eurydice and the king were both slaine, Arideu [...] [...] his wi [...] we [...] both sl [...]ine. whē he had raigned. vi. yeres after Alexander▪ But Olym­pias her self raigned not long. For when she pr [...]ceaded to make slaughter of her noble men & peres, more like a ti­rant then like a Quene, she turned her fauor into hatred. Such [...] as ye me [...] ▪ shalbe mes [...] to you [...] ▪ Therfore when she hard of Cassanders cōming, putting di­strust in the Macedones, with Roxane her daughter in law & Hercules her nephew, she conueyed her self into the citye Pictua. She had also in her traine deida [...]ia the daughter of king aeacid [...], and her daughter in law Thessalonice, a Ladye much set by for her father Philips sake, with many other noble mennes wiues, a company more gorgious the pro­fitable. When these things wer reported to Cassander, im­mediatly he cam in al hast to Pictua, & enuironed the town with a strong siege. Olympias being constrained w ^t sword & famin, & wery of the long continuance of the siege, yelded her selfe the liues of her & hers onlye saued. But Cassander A [...]. assembling the people together, to aske theyr aduise what they wo [...]d haue don with Olympias, priuely suborned y ^• pa­rēts of such as she had put to death, who putting on mo [...] ning apparel, shuld come & complain of her great cruelty by whom the Macedones wer so incensed, that wyth [...]ute [Page] respect of her former estate, they gaue sentence she shoulde be put to death, quite forgetting that vnder her sonne and her hushand, they had not only liued in safety and oute of daunger of their neighbours, but also had gotten so great richesse, and the dominion of the whole world. But Olim­pias when she saw the armed men comminge fiercely to­ward An example of wonderfull [...]outnes in a [...]oman. her to kil her, of her owne accorde apparelled lyke a Quene, and leaninge vpon two of her gentlewomen, she went to mete them. At the which sight they that shoulde haue killed her being astonied, for the maiesty whiche she before time had represented, and then openly shewed, and remembring so manye of their kinges, who euen then af­ter a sort appeared in her person, paused and stode still, vn­til such time as Cassander sent others to thrust her throu­ghe. Who neither fled backe when she sawe the sworde, neither refused her deathes wounde, nor yet shriked oute like a woman, but after the manner of the most valiaunt men, auaunced her self forward to the death for the glory of her auncient stocke and progeny, so that a man myghte haue behelde euen Alexander himselfe in his mothers dy­inge. Furthermore when she was euen geuyng vp her An example of wom [...]anhod ghoste, it is reported that she couered her feete wyth her garments, and wyth the hear of her heade, leaste they that stode about her might haue sene any vncomely sight in her bodye. After this, Cassander toke to wife Thessalonice the daughter of king Aride [...]s, and put Alexanders sonne with his mo­ther in prison in the toure of Amphipoles.

PE [...]dicas and h [...]s brother Alceta, [...]m­nenes and Polypercbon with the re­sidue A [...] [...] on betw [...] [...] of [...] of the captaines of the aduerse part being slaine, it was to be thou­ght that the contention amonge the successors of greate Alexander hadde beene clearlye extinguished, when so­denlye the conqueroures fell at vari­aunce among them selues. For when that Ptolomy Cas­sander and Lysimachus, required to hau [...] the monye that was gotten and made of the voties and the prouinces de­uided among them, Antigonus denied to admit any part­ners of the gain and boties of that war, the daunger and brunt wherof he sustained himself alone. And to thentent he might seeme to haue an honest quarell to make warre vpon his felowes, he caused it to be noysed, that he would reuenge the deathe of O [...]ympias whome Cassander had slaine, and deliuer his master king Alexanders sonne and his mother out of amphipolis, where they were kepte as prysoners. When this was knowen, Ptolomy and Cas­sander entringe in league with Lysimachus and Seleu­chus, made great preparation for the warres bothe by sea and by land, Ptolomy held Egipt with the mo [...]e part of affricke and Cyprus and Phenice: Cassander ruled Ma­cedone and Grece: antigonus had gotten asia, and part of the East: Whose sonne Demetrius in the fyrst conflict of An ex [...] of magn [...] ­ty. these warres was vāquished by Ptolomy at Calama. In the which battel the renowne of Ptolomies modesty was much greater then his victory. For he both let go Deme­trius frends, not only with their owne priuate substans but also honorablye rewarded, and moreouer restored all Demetrius priuate substaunce and houshold stuffe: sēding him woorde like a royall prince, that he made warre, not for desyre of the gain, but for to attain honor and renoun [Page] and that it greued him that Antigonus when he had ouer­come the Captaines of the aduerse part, shoulde take to [...] are dryuen out of theyr country with inyce and frogges. himself alone, the reward of the victory that apertained to thē all. while these things wer in doing, Cassander retur ning from Apollonia, chaunced to light vpon the abderites, which for the excessiue swarmes of Frogges and myse were fain to forsake their owne natiue country, and seke them a new dwelling place. Fearing therfore least they should inuade Macedone, he made a couenaunt with them, and receiued them into league to be his frends, assigning them lands to inhabit in thvttermost borders of Macedone Afterward for fear least Hercules the sonne of Alexander, Thoutragy­ous cruelty of Cassāder. who as then was going out of the. xiiii. yeare of hys age, for good wil and fauoure that menne bare to hys father, shoulde be called to the kingdome of Macedone, hee caused both him and hys mother Barsine to be putte secreatlye to death, and their bodies to be buryed in the grounde, least if they should be buryed openly or accordinge to theyr e­state, their death might come to light. And yet not so con­tent, as though he had but smally trespassed, first in kyng Alerander himself, secondly in Olympias his mother, and thirdlye in his sonne, he also killed his other sonne wyth his mother Roxane by like treason: as though it hadde not bene possible to attayne to the kingdome of Macedone whi che he so sore longed for, otherwise then by fraud and tre­son. In the meane time, Ptolomy encountred agayn wyth Demetrius vppon the sea, and hauing lost his shyppes, and One good turne requi­ [...] another. being clearely vanquished, retired into Egipt. Demetrius being prouoked with the like good turn before, set home into Egipt Leuticke Ptolomies sonne and Menelaus his bro ther [...] all their priuate goodes and houshold stuffe. And for because it might appere that they wer enflamed with desire of honor and praise, rather then with malyce and hatred, they sent presents and giftes one to another euen in the chiefest time of all their warre. So much more ho­nestly did men in those dayes make warre, then they doo [Page 77] now maintaine frendship. antigonus being puffed vp with pride for this victorye, proclaimed himselfe kinge and hys [...] captain [...] pro cla [...]me them selues king [...] sonne Demetrius also. Ptolomy likewise because he wold not be had in lesse estimation amonge his subiectes, was pro­claimed king by his men of warre. Cassander and Lysimachus hearing therof, toke vpō them the name and tytle of kin­ges also. All they abstained from vsurping the honour of thys name, as long as any of the sonnes of their mayster king Alexander were aliue. So greate modestye was in them, that all be it euery one of them had the richesse and power of a king, yet they could wel find in their harts to forbear the names and titles of kings, so long as Alexan­der had any rightful heir a liue. But Ptolomy and Cassander and thother captaines of their part, perceiuing y ^• whiles eche of them drue a part by himself to make warre alone and laid not their power together, eche refusing to helpe other, as though it were but one mannes victory, and not the common vse of them all, antigonus licked them vp one after another, sent letters of encouragement one to ano­ther, apoynting a time & place of meting and enteruew, and so laid all their powers together for the war. Where at forasmuch as Cassander could not be present himself, by reason of the warres that he had wyth hys neighboures, he sent Lysimachus with a great host to the ay [...] of his con­federates. Thys Lysimachus was borne of a noble house in Macedone, but his prowesse, vertue and knighthode pas­sed Of [...]. all noblenesse of birth. The which were so planted in his person, that in hautinesse of courage, in knowledge of Philosophy, and in strength of body, he farre excelled all them by whome the Easte was conquered. For when Of the Phi­losopher [...] al lyst [...]enes vns wo [...]hy pu­nishment. Alexander the greate being very fore moued to anger a­gainst Callysthenes the Philosopher, for speaking agaynste the adoring of him after the manner of the Persians, had appeached the said Callysthenes of treason, and there vpon cruelly mangled him, by cuttinge of his eares, hys nose & his li [...]pes, that all menne pitied and lamented to behold [Page] howe miserablye he was handled, and moreouer caried him about with him, shutte vp with a dogge in a cage, to the terrible ensample of all other. Then Lysimachus who was wont euer before to hear Callysthenes, and to receiue enstructions of vertue at his hand, taking pity and com­passion to see so worthye a manne punished, not for anye fault, but for vsinge his libertye in speakinge, gaue hym poyson to ridde him out of his calamities. Wherwith A­lexander was so sore agreued, that he commaunded hym to be cast vnto a fierce Lion. But when the Lion at the first sight of him, came running with open mouthe vpon The constan­cy of Lysima­chus. him, Lysimachus wineding his arme in a Towell, thruste his hand into the Lyons mouth, and pulling out his tong killed the beast. The which thing when it was declared to the kyng, he thought it such a wonder, that he was ap­peased towardes him, and euer after sette more store by him for his so great stedfastnesse in vertue. Lysimachus al­so with a noble courage, toke the despight that the kynge had doone to him as mekely, as if it had bene done by his In example of an obediēt and faythfull sub [...]ct. owne father. Finally putting quite oute of his minde the rememberaunce of this displeasure. Afterwarde in Inde as the kyng pursued certaine of his ennemies that were dispersed, when he hadde throughe the swiftnesse of hys horse lost the companye of all his gard. This Lysimachus alone ran foote by foote with him, and kepte him compa­ny by his horse side, through vnmeasurable fieldes of dry sande. The whiche thinge his brother Philippe attemp­ting before to haue doone, died betweene the Kynges handes. But as Alexander alyghted from his horse, hee wounded Lysimachus so sore in the fooreheade wyth the poynt of his speare, that the bloude coulde not otherwise be stopped, but that to bynde vp the wound wythall, the kyng was fain to take the Drademe from hys own hed; and set it vpon his, the which was then firste of all a for­tunate fortoken that Lysimachus should after aspire to the estate of a kinge.

[Page 78]And after the death of Alexander, when the prouinces were deuided among his successoures, the cruellest naty­ons were assigned to Lysimachus, as to the valiantest per­son of all others: for farre did he by the consent of al men, excede all the residue in manhoode and prowesse. Before the battell shoulde be foughte betwene Ptolomy and hys adherentes, against Ant [...]onus, Seleuchus departing soden­ly out of the greater Asia, became a new ennemye vnto antigonus. This mannes prowesse also was notable and his begetting wonderfull. For his mother Laodice beinge maried to Antiochus a noble manne among the captaynes Of [...] and of his be­g [...]inge. of king Philip, dreamed in her sleepe that she conceyued, and was greate with childe by apollo: and that in recom pence for lying with him, the God gaue her a Kynge, in the stone wherof was engraued the lykenesse of an A [...] ­ker, commaundinge her to geue it to her sonne, whome she should bryng forth. This vision was wonderful, both for the ringe of the same engrauinge that was feunde in her bedde the next morning, and for the figure of the an­ker which was founde in the thighe of Seleuchus beinge a little Babe, when he was newly borne, and so continued and grewe with him. Wherfore Laodice, when Seleucus should go with great Alexander to the warfare agaynste the Persians, enforming him of the maner of his beget­ting, gaue him the ringe. Wheras after the deathe of A­lexander, obtaining the Empire of the East, he builded a City, and there consecrated the memoriall of the original of the stone. For he both called the Citye Antioche, after the name of hys father, and also dedicated the fieldes a­bout the city to Apollo. The token of his begettinge re­mained also with his posterity. For his children and chil­drens children had an Anker in their thigh as a naturall marke of their linage. He made many battels in the East­after The [...]. the deuision of the kingdome of Macedone amonge the pieres of the realme. First he toke Babilon by force, then being encrease din power by reason of that victory, [Page] he conquered the Bactrians. Afterwarde he made an ente­raunce into Inde, whiche after the deathe of Alexander, hauing as it were caste of the yoke of bondage from their neckes, had slaine all his lieuetenauntes. The author of this libertye was one Sondrocotte, but after the victorye he The [...] [...]ebel from the m [...]narchy of m [...]cedone. turned this pretence of libertye into seruitude. For by v­surping vppon him the kingdome, he oppressed wyth hys owne tiranny, the people whome he had deliuered from foraine subiection. This man was borne of low [...]degree, but driuen to take the kingdom vpon him, by the present aid of God: For when he had vpon a time offended Alex­ander with his malapertnesse, and that the king had com G [...] a man good fortune, and throw­hym into the sea. maunded him to be put to death, he saued his life by swift nesse of his fete. After the which being very wearye, and lying fast a sleepe. A Lyon of maruelous hugenesse came to him as he slept▪ and with his tounge licked of the swet that issued from him, and when he awaked went gentlye away. B [...]ing by this wonderfull foretoken firste moued to h [...]pe of the kingdome, he gathered together ano [...] ­ber of robbers, and stirred the Indians▪ to rebellyon. Af­terward as he was makinge preparation for the warres against▪ Alexanders lieuetenaunts, a wylde Elephant of maruelous bignesse, offred hymselfe to him, of hys owne accord, and as though he had bene tame, mekely receyued hym vppon hys backe▪ and he became a valiaunt captain and a notable warryo [...]re. Sandrocotte hauynge thus gotten the kyngdome, the verye same time that Seleucus layed the foundation of the greatnesse that he after grew vnto, held all Inde▪ with whome Seleucus entery [...]ge a league, and hauing set his affaires at a stay in the Easte, came to the warres set against Antigonus. The armyes therfore of the confederates beinge assembled together, there was a field fought. In the whyche Antigonus was slayne▪ and hys sonne Demetrius put to flyghte. But the confederates after they had by battell dispatched theyr▪ [...] is slayne. [Page 79] enemies, fell together by the eares againe amonge them selues, and for because they could not agree in parting of [...] the [...]. the pray, they sundred them selues into two partes. Seleucus ioyned himselfe with Demetrius, and Ptolomy with Lisimachus. Cas­sander being deceased, his sonne Philippe succeded him. And so new warres sprong vp a fresh agayn in Ma­cedone.

AFter the deathe of Cassander and hys sonne Philip, one immediatly [...] murder. ensuinge the other, Thessalonice the Quene and wife of Cassander, ere it was long time after, entreatynge for her life (e [...]en by she wynge her brestes to moue him to pitye) was crue [...]ly slain by her sonne antipater. The cause of the murther was this, by reason that after the death of her husband, when the kyngdome should be deuided, she semed to be more fa uourable to Alexander. The whych act apeared so much the more heynous in all mennes eyes, by reason the mo­ther ment no deceipte in the matter. And yet to saye the trouthe, there canne be no cause alledged iustly, to excuse one for killing their father or theyr mother. Alexander therfore vpon this occasyon, entendynge to make warre [...] be­ [...]ene the chil­dren of Cas­ [...]der. vpon hys brother, to reuenge hys mothers death, desired healpe of Demetrius. And Demetrius was easye to en­treat, in hope to inuade the kingdome of Macedone. Of whose cōming Lysimachus being afraid, perswaded hys son in law Ant [...]pater, to fal to agremēt with his brother rather then to suffer his fathers enemy to enter into Ma­cedone, Demetrius perceiuing that a reconcilement was entreted vpon betwene the. ii. brethren, slew Alexander through great treson, & inuading the kingdome of Mace­done, The childe is punished for the fathers o [...]ence. to the entent to excuse himself of the murder before his men of war, he called them together. There he aled­ged y ^• Alexander had lien in wait for him before, and that he hadde not committed, but only preuented the treason. Saying it was more reson he himself shuld be kyng, then the other, bothe for because of his yeares he was of more discretion & experiens, and also for other consyderations. [Page 80] For his father had accompanied both king Phillip & gr [...]at Alexander in all their warres, and afterwarde had serued Alexander as a captain in pursuing the rebels. Where as on the contrary parte, Antipater the graundfather of these yongmen, was alwaies a more roughe gouernoure of the kingdome, then the kinges them selues. And Cassander the father of them, the roter vp of the kings house, spared nei­ther women nor children, nor neuer ceased, vntill he had vtterly destroyed all the ofspring of the kings posteritye. The reuengement of these milcheues for because he could not execute it vpon Cassander him self, he said was transfer­red vnto his children. Wherefore both Phillip and Alexan­der (if the dead haue anye perseueraunce) woulde not that the roters out of them and their issue, but rather the puni­shers of those traitors, should enioy the kingdome of Ma­cedone. The people being by this meanes mitigated, pro­claimed him king of Macedone. Lysimachus also beinge en­tangled [...] proclaimed kyng of Ma­cedone. with the warres of Dromychet, king of [...]hrace, to y ^• entent he would not be constrained to haue battel the self same time with Demetrius also, yelded to him thother part of Macedone that fell to the lot of his sonne in law Antipater, and made peace with him, Demetrius therfore being furni­shed with the whole power of all Macedone, when as he was mineded to conquere Asia. Ptolomy, Seleuchus and Lysi­machus hauing tried by the former conflict, what a strength concord was of, entred in league againe, and ioyning their hastes together, remoued the warres into Europe against Demetrius, Pyrrhus kinge of Epyre, hoopinge that Demetrius This same i [...] he that made warre [...] Romaines. might as easly and lightly forgoo Macedone, as he cam by it, ioyned him self with them as a fellowe and companion in their war. And his hope deceiued him not. For he foūd the meanes to corrupt his army with rewardes, whereby he put him to flight and seised the kingdome of Macedone into his owne handes. While these thinges were a doing, The poster [...]y of [...] is vtt [...]ye [...] ­ted ou [...]. Lysimachus put his sonne in law Antipater to deathe, because he repined and [...] that the kingdome of Macedone hys▪ [Page] rightfull inheritaunce was taken from him throughe the falshod of his father in law. And because his daughter eu­rydice toke her husbands part in making like exclamatiō, he put her in pryson. And so al the house of Cassāder, part ly by murder, and partly by execution suffred due punish­ment in the behalfe of great Alexander, whether it were for working of his death, or for destroying of his issue and posterity. Demetrius also being ouercharged with so many [...] self prisoner to [...] hostes, wheras he might haue died honorablye, chose ra­ther to yeld himself to Seleuchus shamefully. When theese warres were ended, Ptolomy with great renowme of hys actes and enterprises died. He contrary to the cōmon law of all nations, somewhat before he fell sycke, had resigned the kingdome to the yongest of his sonnes, and of hys so doing he rendred a reason to the people, who fauored the sonne no lesse for receiuing the kingdome, then the father for deliuering of it, Amonge other examples of naturall loue and affection shewed on both partes betwene the fa­ther [...]n example of fatherly loue. and the sonne▪ this thing wan the hartes of the com­minalty to the yōg man, that the father after the time he had openly surrendred the kingdome vnto him, executed the office of one of the garde, and serued the kinge as an other priuate person: sayinge it was far more honorable for a man to be father to a kinge, then to be a kynge hym selfe. But discorde the continuall mischief among pieres, stirred vp strife betwene Lysimachus and Pyrrhus, a litle be fore fellowes and confederates agaynste Demetrius, Lysi­machus Lightly [...] and [...] for gone. getting the vpper hand, droue Pyrrhus oute of Ma­cedone, and toke it into his owne hād. After this, he made war against Thrace, and then against the city Heraclea, The building of Heraclea in Poathus. y ^• original, & end of which city wer wonderful both of thē. For vpon a time whē the Beo [...]ans wer afflicted wyth a sore plage, answer was geuen them at thoracle of delphos y ^• they shuld build a city in the country of Pontus, & dedi­cate it vnto Hercules. Now when as for fear of the long & perillous sayling, (desiring al to die in their own country, [Page 81] rather then to enterprise so lōg a iourny, the matter was omitted, y ^• Phocenses made war against thē. By whō be­ing diuers times put to Y ^e worse, they ran to the oracle a­gain for coūsel. Answsr was made them y ^• the same thing y ^• shuld remedy [...]he pestilens, shuld remedy y ^• war. Wher vpon gathering a litle nōber of men, they sailed into Me­tapont & builded the city Heraclea. And forasmuch as thes had ben brought thither by thordinance of god, w ^tin short space after they grew to great welth. In proces of tyme, this city had many battels with their neighbors, & much mischefe among thē selues, through ciuil dissetiō. Among other honorable dedes, this in especially is worthye to be remēbred. At suche time as the Atheniens bare the soue­rainty, [...] example of [...] in alians [...]. and hauing vanquished the Persians, had raised a taxe bothe in Grece & Asia for the maintenaunce of theyr flete, wheras all other to saue thē selues harmlesse, gladly gaue thē their asking, onlye the Heracliens for the fauor they bare to the kings of Persia, refused to be cōtributary to y ^• taxe. Malachus therfore being sent frō Athens wyth an army, to take perforce the thing y ^• was denied, whyles he wēt abrode to wast & [...] y ^• fields of Heraclea, lost hys ships y ^• he left at rhode, w ^t the greater part of his armye, by force of a sodain tēpest y ^• put them al to wracke. Ther­fore An [...] of [...]. whē he could not return by sea hauing lost his ships, nor durst return by lād with so slender a cōpany, through so many sauage nations, the Heracliens thinking it more honor to vse this occasion to shewing gētlenes then to re uengemēt, furnished thē with victels, & safe condited thē home, making accompt y ^• the wasting oftheir coūtry was wel bestowed. if they might therby win their enemies to be their frends. Amōg many other euils they suffred also tirannye. For when the common people vppon [...] wilful­nesse outragiously and importunately exacted to haue all The [...] ­ble [...] ▪ dettes clerely released, and the landes of the richmen par ted among them, the matter hanging longe tyme in que­stion in the [...] and comm [...]n iudgemente place, [Page] and after that of Epaminondas captain of Thebes againste the comminalty, that were growen to such a welthines throu­ghe ouer much ease and idlenesse. But hauinge denyall at both their handes, they wer faine to flie for succor to Cle­arche, whome they them selues hadde banished before. So great an ertremity did their calamities driue them vnto, that whome they had erewhile forbidden his country, euē him were they faine to call againe to the defence of the same. But Glearche beinge by his banishmente made more A wicked [...] tor. wicked then he was before, and takinge the dissention of his country men, as a mete accasion for him to vsurpe and make himself king, firste of all commoned priuelye wyth Mythridates the ennemye of his Citezens, and entringe in league with him, compounded that when he were called againe into his country, he should betray the citye to him, and he to be made chiefe ruler of it for his laboure Yet af­terward the treason that he hadde purposed agaynste hys country, he turned vppon Mythridates him selfe. For when he was retourned out of erile, to be as an indifferēt iudge for the determination of ciuil controuersies, the same time that he had appoynted to betray the town vnto Mythrida­tes, he toke him and his [...]rendes, and for a great summe of mony let him go again. And like as towards him he made him self, of a frend a sodain enemy, euen so of a defendour of thestate of the senate he sodainly became a protector of the comminalty, and against the authors of his power & preheminence, by whome he had beene reuoked into hys country, by whome he had bene placed in the toure of hys royalty, he not onlye incens [...]d the commons, but also exer­cised all kind of most vnspeakeable tiranny and crueltye. For he sommoned the people together and told them that he woulde not anye more assist the senators, vsynge them selues so rigorously againste the comminaltye, but that he would rather be a meane betwixt them if they continued in their accustomed tiranny, and if they thought them sel­ues able to make their party good against the crueltye of [Page 82] the senatoures, he would depart with his men of warre, and not entermedle himself in their ciuil discordes. But if they distrusted their owne strength, they should not w [...]t his helpe, for that that he was able to doo for them. And therfore aduise them selues, whether they were better to bid him goo his way, or to tary as a partaker and suppor­ter ofthe quarell of the commons. The comminaltye be­ing stirred with this talke, made him their chiefe gouer­nour, and so while they were offended at the authority of the senate, they yelded them selues with their wiues and children in bondage vnder the subi [...]ction of a Lordlye ti­raunt. Clearche therfore apprehended. lx. of the senatours, (for all the [...]est were fledde) and cast them in prison. The people reioysed to see the Senate destroyed, and that in espetially by the captain of the Senatours, and that con­trary to all likelihode, their help was turned to their vt­ter confusion. Upon whom, by threatning death to them all in generall, he set the hier price. For Clearche receiuing The [...] of [...]. a great summe of mony of them (as who should say he en­tended priuely to deliuer them from the peoples displea­sure,) when he hadde robbed them of all theyr goodes, he spoyled them also of their liues. Afterward vnderstāding that those that were fled, hauing moued the cities of pity and compassion to helpe them, prepared warre agaynste him, he set their bondmen at libertye. And to the entent there should want no kind of misery in those honourable houses, and that he might make the slaues more faythfull to himself, and more enemies to their masters, he compel led the wiues and daughters of those noble men, to mar­ry with their slaues, vppon paine of death if they refused so to do. But those sorowfull weddinges were greuouser then sodain death to the honorable Ladies. And therfore Deathe is [...] bee preferred before [...] ­nesty. many of them before their mariage, and many in the ve­ry time of their mariage, killing first their new husbands slew them selues, and by the vertue of their natural wo­manhode and shamefastnesse, was a fielde soughte, in the [Page] which the Tiranne gettinge the vpper hande, drewe the senatoures as prisoners in manner of triumphe through the face of the city. After his retourne into the citye, some he cast in bonds, some he racked, and som he put to death and no place of the city was fre [...]rom the cruelnesse of the tiran. With this outragiousnesse he became proude, and with his crueltye [...]e became arrogante, for throughe hys Prosperitye ma [...]eth men forget them selues. continuall good successe in prosperity, he would somtime forget himself to be a man: and sometime be w [...]ulde call himself Iubiters sonne. When he went abrode, he wold haue an Eagle of gold borne before him as a token of his begetting. He vsed to wear robes of purple and to go [...] in buskens after the manner of kings in tragedies, wyth a crown of gold vpon his head [...]. Moreouer to the entent to scorne the gods aswel in [...]ames as in counterfait gesture & abhominable leasings, he named his sonne Ceraunos. Two noble yongmen called Chiō & Leonides disdaining to se him do these things, & entending to set their country at liberty, conspired to kil the Tiran. These men wer the disciples of the Philosopher Plato, who couetinge to be­stow vpon their country, the vertue vnto the whiche they The valiante prow [...]ise of Chion and Leonides. were furthered by the moost perfect instructions of theyr master, laid in an ambush fifty of their kinsmen, whome they had got [...]en to be of their retinew. They them selues counterfetting to be at defiaunce againste another, made toward the Castie to the Tiran, as to their king y ^e shuld decide the [...]r contro [...]ersies: and being ther admitted to his presence, (as they that were well knowen,) [...]hyles the tirant gaue autentiue eare to the fi [...]st mannes tale, the o­ther stept within him and kild him. But by reason theyr company was not quick inough in comming to their res­cue, they were slaine by the garde. By meanes wherof it came to passe, that the Tiran was slain, but yet the coun trye not deliuered. For Satir the brother of Clearche, af­ter the same sort toke vpon him the tiranny, aud the He­racleans many yeres after, by degre of descent were vn­der subiection of Tirannes.

ABout the same time well nie, ther hapned a maruelous great earth­quake An [...]rryble earthquake. in the countries of H [...]lles­pont and Chemesosus, and the Citye Lylimachia being builded by Ly [...]ima­chus not past a two and twenty ye­res before, was ouerthrowne, the which wonder betookened horri­ble misfortune to Lysimachus and his ofspring, with the decaye of his kingdome, and the de­struction of those countries that were vered therwyth. And loke as was betokened therby, so cam it to pas. For The destruc­tion of Lysi­machus [...] ­nage. within a short time after, Lysimachus conceiuing a deadly hatred, not only beyōd the course of a naturall father, but also beyond all manhode and humanity, against his sonne Agathocles, whom he had proclaimed heir apparent of his kingdom, & by whom he had atcheued many battels pros­perously, by the mean and working of his stepmother A [...] ­syrice he poysoned. This was the first sore, of the mischief that was towards him, this was the beginning of y ^• ruin that hung [...]uer his head. For after the murthering of his own sonne, he fel to killinge of his noble men, whome he executed for none other o [...]fence, then because they bewa [...] led the death of his son. By meanes wherof such as were chief officers in his campe, reuolted by plumpes vnto S [...] ­leucus, whom being of himself prone thervnto, vpōdisda [...] & enuy at thother mannes glory, they compelled to make war against Lysimacbus. This was the last contention be­twene [...] them that had serued Alexander in the warres, & as it were a match reserued by fortune for exāples sake. Lysimachus was. lxxiiii. yeares olde, and Seleueus▪ lxxvii. but in this age, there was none of them both but he hadde a yong mannes [...]art, and an i [...]satiable desyre of dominion. [Page] For when as they two alone held the whole worlde be­twene them, yet they thoughte them selues enclosed in a There is no measure in [...]ition. straight, measuring the terme of their life, not by the len­gth of their yeres, but by the boundes of their Empyre. In that battell Lysimachus hauing loste before, by dyuers chaunces. xv. children, now dying manfully, lastlye made himself the full and finall decaye of his owne house. Seleu­cus The death of Lysimach [...]s reioys [...]ng in so great a victory, and that which he thou­ght to be a greater matter then the victory, that he onlye of Alexanders retinew remained, and became conqueror of the conquerors, bosted that it was not the work of mā, but the very gift of God, being v [...]terly ignoraunte that it should not be long after, ere he himself should become an He was the kynges bro­ther of Egipt example of the frailty of man. For about. vii. moneths af­ter, by the pollicye of Ptolomy, who had taken the syster of Ly [...]machus in mariage, he was surprised and sla [...]ne, and so with his life lost the kingdome of Macedone that he had ta­ken from Lysimachus. Ptolomy therfore being very diligent The [...]eathe of Seleucus. to curry fauour with the comminalty, in remembraunce of his father Ptolomy the Great, and for reueng [...]g y ^• death of Lysimachus: fyrst of all determined to win the sonnes of Note the trechery and deceit of Ptol [...] meus Ceraunicus, reede more hereof in the. xxiiii. booke. Lysimachus vnto him: and thervpō made sute to their mo­ther Arsinoe his sister, to haue her to his wife, promisinge to adopt the [...], to thentent that when he had succeded in their roume, what for reuerence to their mother, or for the name of father, they should not be so bolde as to attempt any thing agaynst him. Moreouer he earnestlye sued by his letters to haue the fauor of his brother y ^e king of Egipt, protestinge that he bare him no displeasure, for takyng his fathers kingdome from him, and y ^• he woulde not any more s [...]ke the thing at his brothers hand, whiche he had with more honor gotten at the hand of his fathers enemy. Furthermore he sought all the meanes he coulde deuise, to winde him selfe into fauor with Emn [...]nes and An­tigonus the sonnes of Demetrius, and with antiochus the sōne of Seleucus, with the which he was like to [...]aue warre, to [Page 84] [...]ntent he would not haue to do with iii. enemies at ones. Nether omitted he P [...]rrhus king of Epyre, as one that was like to be no small furtheraunce to what parte so euer he enclined himself, who also coueting to set them all beside the sadle, made fair countenaunce, and set himselfe as it were to sale to them al. Therfore when as he was about Pyr [...]hus [...] ­deth the [...] a­gaynste the [...] ▪ to aid the Tarentines againste the Romaines, he desyred of antigonus to lend him shippes to conuey ouer his armye, of antiochus who was better furnished with rychesse, then with men of warre, he requested to borow a pece of mo­ny, of Ptolomy he demaunded to send to his ayd a crewe of the souldioures of Macedone. But Ptolomy who by reason of his owne weaknesse, was not able to bear with him long lent him fiue thousand footemen, foure thousande horse­men, and fifty Elephantes, for no lenger time then. ii. ye­res. In consideration wherof, taking the daughter of Pto­lomy in mariage▪ Pyrrhus left him for protectoure of hys kingdome. But forasmuch as we fall in remembrance of Epyre, I thinke good to entreat a little of the originall of A disco [...] to the dom [...] of Epy [...]. the same. First of all the Molosses raigned in that region. Afterward Pyrrhus the sonne of achilles, hauynge loste hys fathers kingdome by being absent at the battell of Troy, reasted in the same countrye, which after his name were first called Pyrrhides, and after Epyrotes. But Pyrrhus when He was [...]so called [...]. he came into the Temple of Iupiter of Dodone to aske coun­sell, rauished there anasa the nece of Hercules, by whom af­terward takinge her to wife, he begate. viii. children.

Of the whiche some of theym beynge verye gentle and beutifull younge Ladies, he marryed to the kynges that were his neighboures, by meanes of whiche aliaunces he purchased great power and richesse. And so (leauyng the kingdome of the Chaonians with andromache the wife of He­ctor, (which in the diuision of the boty at the winnynge of Troye fel to his lot to be his wife, vnto Helenus the sonne of king Pri [...]mus for his singuler knowledge in Prophecy,) [Page] within a while after by the treason of Orestes the sonne of Agamemnon, he was slayne at Delphos euen before the aultare of the God. After him succeded his sonne Py­lates. At lengthe by order of successyon the kingdom des­cended to Arymba. Ouer whome because he was father­lesse, An example of a learned Prince. and that there were no moo alyue of that noble race but he, of verye earnest desyre that the whole realme had to preserue him and bring him vp, there wer certain pro­tectoures appoynted by the common consent of the realm to haue the ouer syght and gouernance of hym. Further­more he was sente to Athens to schoole, and looke howe muche he was better learned then hi [...] predecessoures so much also was he better beloued amonge his subiectes.

For he was the fyrste that made lawes, ordained a coun­sell, appoynted yearely officers, and established the estate of the common weale. And like as Pyrrhus fyrste gaue the people their dwelling. so Arymba brought them first to the trade of ciuil ordinaunce and liuing. This mannes sonne was Neoptolemus, who did beget Olympias the Olympias. mother of great Alexander, and Alexander that after hys decease enioyed the kingdome of Cpyre, and dyed in the warres of Italy, among the Brutians.

After his departure his brother Aeacides succeaded in the kingdome, who by wearying his subiectes with daily and continuall war againste the Macedones, gate [...]uche a displesure among them, that they banished him y ^e rea [...]me, leauing behinde him in the kingdome a childe of [...]. yeres old called Pyrrhus, who being sought for also by the peo­ple to be put to death for y ^• hatred they bare to his father, was priuely conueyed awaye and borne into Illyria, and deliuered vnto Beroe the wife of king Glaucia to be kept vp, the which Beroe also was extract of the house of Aea­cus. There the kinge, whether it were that he pityed hys misfortune, or that he we [...] allured with his childish flate­ringes, did defend him a great while againste Cassander king of Macedone, demaunding him with great threats, that he would make sharpe warres vppon him onlesse he [Page 85] deliuered him, and besides this protection of him, he also adopted him to be his sonne. With the which thinges the Cpyrotes being moued, tourninge their hatred into com­passyon, called him into the realme againe beinge of the age of eleuen yeres, appoynting protectoures to haue the ouersight and gouernment of him and his kingdom, vn­till he came to mannes estate. Afterwarde when he was ones past childhode, he sought manye battels, & he began to be counted of suche power wisdome and pollicye, that men thoughte no man able to maintain the Tarentines against the Romaines, but only him.

PIrrhus king of Epyre therfore, when The warres of Pyr [...]hus in Italy. as the Tarentines had sent their am­bassadors to him the second time, and that the Samuits & Lucanes, who al so had then neade of aide againste the Romaines, made earnest sute and re­quest vnto him for succor not so much moued with the entretance of his su­ters as induced with hope to inuade the Empire of Italy promised to come with an armye. Unto the whiche thing after that his minde was ones enclined, the examples of his auncestoures draue him hedlonges forwardes, to the entent he wold not seme inferior to his vncle Alexander, who hadde defended the sayde Tarentines agaynste the Brutians, or to be of lesse courage then great Alexander, who hadde made warre so sarre from his owne countrye and subdued the East.

Where vppon leauinge his sonne Ptolomy of the age of. xv. yeres as regent of his kingdome, he landed his ar­mye in the hauen of Tarent, leadynge with him hys two yonger sonnes Helen and Alexander, to beare him com­pany in his farre expedition.

[Page]Of whose arriuall the Romaine consull Valerius Leunius hearing, making haste to encounter with him before the aides of his confederates were assembled, broughte hys men into the field: neither did the king, (although he had nothing so many men of warre as his ennemies) detracte the encounter. But where as the Romaines had gotten Pyrrhus o­uercome the Romaines. the vpper hand, and were at the poynt to haue putte hym to flight, he constrained them at the vglye shape of the E­lephants first to stande as amased, and by and by after to forsake the field, and so the straunge monsters of Macedone sodainly vanquished them, hauinge all readye gotten the victory. Neuerthelesse he obtained not the victorye with­out much bloudshed. For Pyrrhus himselfe was sore woun ded, and a great part of his Souldioures slaine, so that he gate by that victory, more honoure then cause to reioyce. Many cities following the fortune of this battell, yelded them selues to pyrrhus. Amongest others also the Locrines The magnifi cence of Pyr­rhus. betraying the Romaine garrison reuolted to pyrrhus. Of that pray Pyrrhus sent home two hundred Romaine soul­dioures scotfree to Rome, to the entente that as the Ro­maines had knowen of his puissaunce, so they might also knowe of his liberalitye. Within a few daies after, when the hostes of his confederates were come, he foughte an other battell with the Romaines, in the whiche the for­tune Pyrrhus vā quishe the Romaines a gayne. was like vnto the former battell.

In the meane season, Mago captaine of Carthage, beynge sent to the ayd of the Romaines with a hundred and twē ­ty shyppes, came before the Senate, sayinge it greatlye greued the Carthaginenses, that a foraine kynge shoulde be suffred to make warre in Italy. For whiche considerati­on he was sent, that for as much as they were assailed by a foraine ennemy, they mighte be rescued by for raine suc­coures. The Senate gaue the Carthaginenses hartye than­kes, and sent away their succoures againe. But Mago ac­cordinge to the nature of a man of affricke, wythin a fewe dayes after, as though he ment to procure peace for the [Page 86] [...], went secreatly to pyrrbus entending to feele his minde, and to learne what he purposed as concerning Sicill, whether it was reported he was sent for. For the Carthaginenses sent aid to the Romaines. For noone o­ther occasion, but that Pyrrhus mighte haue so muche to doo with the Romaines in Italy, that he myghte haue no leysure to passe into Sicill. While theese thinges were in doing, Fabritius Lucinus being sent ambassadoure from the Senate of Rome, cōcluded a peace with Pirrhus, for the confirmation wherof, Cyneas beinge sent from Pirrhus with great giftes and rewardes, could finde no man that would ones open his doore to receiue a reward. Another example like vnto this continency of the Romaines, hap­ned almost the very same time. For the Senate sent am­bassadoures Example [...] into Egipte, to whome Ptelomy the kynge sent riche presentes, the which they vtterly refused, with in a day or twaine after, they were bidden to supper, and crownes of goulde sent them, the which at that time they receiued for honour of the kinge, and the next daye after they set them vpon the kinges Images. Cyneas therfore when he had brought word howe the peace with the Ro­mains was infringed by [...]ppius Claudius, being demaū ded of Pyrrhus what maner of thi [...]g Rome was, he aun­swered, that it semed to him to be a City of kinges. After [...] is made [...] Sicill, [...] hereof more in the. [...]. [...]. this, came vnto him the ambassadoures of the Sicilians rendering into his handes the right and [...] of the whole Iland, whiche was then vexed with the conti­nuall warres of the Carthaginenses. Therfore leauynge his sonne Alexander at Lorres, and hauynge well man­ned the other Cities with strong garrisone, he wasted o­uer his army into Sicill. And for as much as we be come A [...] to [...] o [...] the [...] and [...]. to entreat of the Carthaginenses, I must speake a [...] as concerning theyr originall, repeting somewhat what deper the dedes of the Tyrians, whose chaunces also wer much to be lamented.

[Page]The nation of the Tyrians was founded by the Pheni­cians, who being troubled with an earthquake, forsaking their natiue soyle, inhabited fyrst the lake of Assyria, and anone after the ne [...]te [...]ea coaste, buildinge in the same place a Citye, whiche of the aboundaunce of Fyshe they Sydon. named Sydon. For the Phenicians call a Fyshe Sydon. Manye yeares after being subdued by the king of the As­calonites, they tooke shippinge and arr [...]ued in the same place where they builded Tire, which was done the yore before the destruction of Troye. There they were oftenti­mes and diuersly assa [...]ed with warres by the Persyans, but euer they had the vpper hand. An example of cruelty of bondmen.

But when theyr power was once wasted, theyr bond­men aboundinge in multytude and noumber, delt out [...] ­giouslye and cruellye wyth theym. For they made a con­spiracye amonge them selues, and killed all the fre borne people with their maysters also, and so hauynge the citye at wyll, they entered possessyon in their maisters houses, they inuaded the common weale, they maried wiues, and that whiche they theym selues neuer were), they begatte free children. There was one among so manye thousand slaues, who being of a meke and honest nature, for pity of the fortune of thold man his master and his yong sonne, did not of beastly cruelty murther them, but of mercyfull compassion, and manhode saued them. Wherefore when as he had hid them out of the waye, (as if they had beene slaine,) and that the bondmen consulting vpon the estate of the common weale, thought it good to create theym a kinge of theyr owne corporation, and him in especially to be the person as a man most acceptable to the Gods, that first should see the sunne rising: he declared the matter se­creatly to his master Strato (for y ^• was his name) where The differēs betwene the wit of a gen­tleman, and the wyt of a [...]. he lay hid in a corner. Being by him sufficientlye instruc­ted what to dod, when they were all assembled into the field by midnight, whiles all the reast stoode gapynge in­to the East, he only alone looked aduisedly into the west.

[Page 87]At the [...] all the resydue thoughte it a madnesse, to looke for the rysinge of the Sunne into the West. But assone as the day began to breake, and the East beganne to glister vppon the hyghest toppes and pynnacles of the toures and temples of the Citye, while all the other ga­sed for to see the Globe of the Sunne he [...] of all sye­wed vnto them all the brightnesse of the Sunne shyn [...]ge vpon the toppe of the Citye, this seemed to be doone of a greater reason then was in a s [...]aues heade. Wherevppon they enqutred who gaue hym the counsell, and be co [...]es­sed as touching his master.

Then it was perceiued what difference there is be­twene the wit of a slaue, and the wit of a gentleman, and that [...] excell in maltce but not in wisdome. There­fore the old man and his sonne were pardoned, and foras­muche as they tho [...]ght theym to be preserued by the de­uine [...] of God, they created Strato kinge. Af­ter whose decease the kingdome descended to his sonne, and so forth to his posteritye. This was a notable a [...] of the slames and a terr [...]le example to the whole worlde. Wherfore Alera [...] he great, when as a long time af­ter he made warre in t [...]e East, as a reuenger of the com­mon M [...] [...]. tranquillity, hauing wonne the [...] Citye perforce, al of them that remained after the battel (in remembraunce of the murther doone in olde time by their predecessours, he crucified. Only the kinred of St [...], he preserued vn­uiolated, and restored the kyngdome to hys of spryng ma­kynge newe inhabitauntes that were free [...] and vn­defiled wyth the like offence in the Ilande, to the [...] that the seruile seede and slyppe being vtterly roted oute, the ofspring of the Citye mighte be as it were planted of new again. The Tyrians therfore being in this wyse by the meanes of Alexander newe founded, throughe they owne sparing and trauell in getting, grew st [...]ōg agayne wythin a short space. Before the siaughter of the masters when they abounded [...] in richesse and in noumber [Page] of menne, they sent a company of youth into Affricke and [...]ded Ut [...]a, when as in the meane while the kinge of The [...]dlge of [...]a in [...]. Tire deceased, ordayninge for his heires his sonne Pyg­malion, and his daughter Elisa a mayde of very excellent beauty. But the people deliuered the kingdome to Pyg­malion The wicked nesse of Pyg­malion. beinge a verye childe, Elisa also was marryed to her vncle Sycheus the prieste of Hercules, the whiche Rome is of greatest honoure next vnto the kynge. Thys manne hadde greate richesse, but no manne knewe wher they were, and for feare of the kinge, he had hidden hys golde, not in houses but in the grounde.

The whiche thinge though men knew not of certain­tye, yet it was commonlye so reported, with the whyche brute Pygmalion being incensed, forgetting all bonde of nature and humanity, without any respect of godlynesse, killed his vncle being also his brother in l [...]e. [...] d [...] ­sting The pollicye of Dido to [...]ape from her brother. her brother a greate while after for doynge of thys wicked acte, at the last dissemblinge her inwarde hatred, and bearinge a faire countenaunce towardes hym for the tyme, practised priuely to flye away, and takinge into her companye certaine of the noble men, whom she knew to beare like hatred to the kinge, and to haue like desyre of flyinge away: she came to her brother with a pollicye, she fained that she would remoue out of her owne house, and come dwell with him, to the entent the sighte of her hus­bandes house, should not continually renewe her sorowe and mourninge for him whiche she coueted to forget, and to the entent the bitter remembraunce of him should not any more ware before her eies. Pygmalion was wel con­tented to hear his sister say those words, because he thou­ght she wold bring her husband Sycheus gold with her. But Elisa caused the kinges seruaunts that wer lent her to help to remoue her stuffe, to goo into shippes and car▪ her richesse with them in the shutting in of the euening, and when she had them a good waye from the shore, she [Page 88] compelled them to throwe certain bagges and cofers ful of sande into the sea, making them beleue it was monye. Then she her selfe weping with piteous veyce, besought her husband Sycheus willingly to receiue his own richesse which he had lefte behinde him, and that he woulde take them for an offeringe, like as they had beene the cause of his death. Which doone she turned her self to the kinges seruauntes▪ sayinge: the time was come that she herselfe should receiue the death that she so sore had longe before desired, and that they should abide bitter tormentes and greuous punishmentes, because they had made away the richesse of her husbande Sycheus, for couetousnesse of the which the king committed murther, that he myghte not haue them to satisfy his gredy appetite wythal. Whē she hadde put them all in this feare, they were contented to beare her company in her flighte, and to goo awaye with her. Moreouer a great nomber of the nobility, beynge in readinesse for the same purpose, set forth with her, and so hauing made sacrifice againe vnto Hercules, whose Priest Sycheus was, they forsoke their countrye to get thē a new dwelling place. The first lande that they arriued at, was the Isle of Cyprus, where as the priest of [...]piter wyth hys wife and children by the commaundement of the God, of­fred himselfe to Elisa as a companion and partaker of all her fortune, makinge a couenaunt with her, that he and his posterity should for euermore enioy the honour of the priesthode. The condition was accepted as a manifest to­ken The [...] custom of [...] Cy [...]. of good lucke. It was the manner of the Cy [...]ans to send their maidens before they shoulde be married to the seas side, there to earne their mariage mony certain dais with the abuse of their bodies, and to make offeringes to Venus for the preseruation of their cha [...] all theyr lyues after. Of these sort of women, Elisa commaunded her mē to rauishe toureskore or there aboutes that wer virgins, and to put them in the shippes, to the entent her younge [...] might haue wi [...]es, and the city [...]ase of issue.

[Page]While these thinges were a dooinge, [...] knowing of the flying away of his sister, when as he went about to pursue her wickedly with battel, he was hardly perswa­ded by the entretance of his mother, & the threatnings of the Gods to be in quiet. To whō the Prophets being en­spired with the spirit of prophesy, declared y ^• he should not [...]skape vnpunished, if he wente aboute to hinder the ad­uauncement of a City so fortunate, as the like was skarse to be founde againe in all the world. By meanes wherof they that sled had sufficient leysure and time to eskape. [...] Elisa therfore arriuinge in the coastes of Affricke, moued to frendship the inhabitauntes of the place, reioysinge at the comming and entercourse of marchaundise of straun­gers. Afterward purchasing a piece of ground▪ as muche as might be compassed about with an Oxe hide, wherein she might refresh her company, weary of their long iour­ney, vntill she shoulde take her iourney again, she caused the hide to beicut into long and slender [...], by mea­nes where of she had a greater piece of grounde then she demaunded, where vpon euer after the place was▪ calle [...] Byrsa. Afterward by the [...] of the neighbours of the places there aboutes, which for couetousnesse of gain brought many things to sell to the straūgers, and builded them houses to dwel among them, at lengthe there was such a resort of men thither, that it was euen as good as a city. Moreouer the ambassadoures of Vtica, brought pre sents to them as to their kinsfolke, encouraging them to build a Citye in the selfe same place where they had pur­chased a dwelling, the afres also were desirous to detayne the straungers still. Wherfore by the good consent of all The building of Carthage. parties, Carthage was builded, paying a yerely rent for the ground that the city standeth vpon.

In the first foundation digginge, was founde an Oxe heade, the whiche was a signifycation, that it shoulde be a verye frutefull and plentifull lande, but that the Citye shoulde be alwayes labouring and alwayes in bondage? [Page 89] Where vppon the Citye was remoued to another place. There they founde a horse heade, whiche signifyed that the people shoulde be warlicke and of greate power, and so in that place they builded the Citye with good lucke. Then shortlye after by the concourse of the Countryes there [...]boutes, resorting thither for the good opinion they hadde of the newe citye, it became a greate and populous towne. At suche tyme as Carthage was mooste floury­shing [...] of [...] [...] ▪ in estate and richesse, Hiarbas king of Mauritane, callinge to him tenne of the Princes of the Afres, com­maunded them to fetche Elisa to be his wyfe, an [...] to tell [...]er that if she refused so to doo he woulde compell her by force. The whiche message the ambassadoures beinge a­frayde to doo to the Queene, wente to woorke wyth her craftely after the nature [...]f Afres, declaringe that theyr kynge demaunded some personne, that could learne hym and his Afres more ciuill manners and trade of liuynge, but he coulde fynde none that would vouchsafe to forsake his owne kinsfolke, to go among suche barbarous people that liued after the manner of brute beastes.

Then beinge rebuked of the Quene, that they woulde shonne anye harde kinde of liuinge, for the saue garde of their Countrye, for the whyche euen the very life it selfe oughte to be spent, if neade shoulde so require, they vtte­red the king their maisters commaundement, saying that [...] in [...] own [...] ▪ she must doo th [...] selfe same thinges her selfe that she tau­ghte others to doo, if she des [...]red the safetye of her Citye. Beinge surprised by this [...], after the time she had a great while together called v [...]pon the name of her hus­bande Sycheus, with manye teares and lamentable com plaint, at the last she answered she would go [...] whether as her owne destiny, and the destiny of her [...] called her. Uppon this matter taking iii. monethes respit, she caused a great f [...]re to be made in the vttermost part of the city as [...] ▪ it had bene to pacify the ghoste of her fyrst husbande, and to doo sacrifice to hym before she shoulde marrye agayne. [Page] Wh [...]re after the [...] of manye beastes, takynge a sword in her hand, she went vp to the top of the [...] that was set on [...], and so loking toward the people, she sayd she would go to her husband according to the kings com­maundement, and w th that word she thruste the sworde to her hart. As longe as Carthage▪ was vnuanquished, she was worshipped for a Goddesse. This Citye was builded threscore and twelue yeres before Rome, whose pu [...]ssans as it was notable in the warres, so in the time of peace the state was distroubled with sondry misfortunes and ci­uil debate. Furthermore when that amōg other mische­ues, they were sore vexed with the plague, for the remedy therof, they vsed a bloudy kinde of religion and abhomi­nable [...]ickednesse. For they offered men in sacrifyce, and An abhomi­ [...] kind of religion. they killed vpon the aultares, the innocent younglynges (which age is wont to prouoke euen the enemy to pitye) seking to paci [...]y the Goddes with the bloude of them for whose life the Goddes are wont moost of all to be prayed vnto. Therfore the Goddes being worthelye wrathe, and turned from them for [...]o great w ckednesse, whē they had made warre a long time in Sicill to their vtter destruction and thervpon translated the warre into [...], there ha­u ng lost the greater part of their hoste, they wer vanqui­shed in a sore fought battell. For the which occasion they banished with the few that remained of his armye, theyr captain Machaeus, vnder whose guidance they had conq [...]e­red A captaine & his army ba­nyshed for [...]. part of Sicill, and [...] manye greate aduentures against the afres. The which thinge the men of warre ta­king in great displeasure, sent ambassadours to carthage, fyrst entreating for retourne into their countrye, and for pardon of theyr vnfortunate warrefare, and yet to t [...]l thē neuerthelesse▪ that if they might not obtaine [...] [...]equest by entretaunce, they would win it by the sword [...]. When the Ambassadoures could get nothinge, neyther by fayre meanes nor by foule, within a few daies after, they toke shipping, and came to the City all in [...].

[Page 90]There they protested before God and man, that their co­ming was not to offer any force to their country, but on­ly Carthage [...] besieged [...] theyr own [...] [...] ▪ to recouer it, and that they would shew their country men, that they wāted not courage in the former warres, but good fortune. Herevpon▪ they kept the City in suche wise from victuals, and besieged it so narowlye that they brought the Carthaginenses to vtter despaire. In the mean [...] time Cartalo the sonne of the banished captain Mac [...]eus, as he passed by his fathers campe from Tyre, whether as he had bene sent by the Carthaginenses, to carye vnto Hercules the tenthes of the booty that his father had taken in Sicil, being sent for by his father, aunswered he would first ac­complishe his duty in the publike religion, ere he woulde doo any priuate dutye to father or mother. The whyche thing allbeit his father were much offended with, yet he durst not as then vse any violence towardes him, for re­uerence of the religion. Within a daye or two after, desi­ring safeconduit of the people, when he was retourned to his father, and that he vaunted himselfe openly before all mennes eies, decked in his purple robes and his myter, according to the degree of priesthode, his father leadynge A terrible [...] ample for [...] ▪ obediens to the father▪ him a side into a secreat place saide to him. Thou wycked barlet durst thou be so bolde as thus bedect with skarlet and bedashte with golde, to come into the open face of so many of thy wretched citezens, and to enter into this so­rowfull and mourning camp, swimming in these tokens of quiet prosperity, like as if thou shoulde triumphe ouer vs? Could thou finde none other personnes to bragge thy selfe before, but vs? could thou finde no place [...]o meete as the penury of thy father and the calamities of his vnhap­py banishment? Doost thou remember that beinge the o­ther day called, thou proudlye disdained, I say not thy fa­ther, but certesse the captaine of thine own countrymen▪ And I pray thee what elsse representest thou in thys thy purple robe and these crownes of golde, then the titles of victories. For as muche therfore as thou acknowledgest [Page] thy father for no better then a banished man, I also wyll shewe my selfe as a graund captaine, then as a father to­ward thee, and I wil make thee example to all men here after, not to be so bold as to laughe and skorne at the vn­fortunate miseries of their fathers. Immediatly here vp­on he caused him to be nailed to a very high crosse in the sight of the city in his apparel & attire as he went. With­in a few daies after he tooke Carthage, & sommoning the Carth [...]ge is [...]. people before him, he complained of his wrongful banish ment, excusing the war which he was compelled to take in hand ful sore against his will, by reason his conquestes were despised, wherfore in as muche as he had punished thoppressors of his miserable countrymen, he said he was content to pardon al the rest for his wrongful banishmēt. And so hauing put ten of the senators to deathe, he resto­red the city to her lawes again. Not long after he was ac cused to haue gone about to make himself king. Whervp on he suffred double punishment, both for working trea­son against his country, and for murtheringe hys owne sonne. After him succeaded in the captainshippe Mago, by whose industry, bothe the richesse, the bounds of the Em­pire, and the renowne of the cheualrye of Carthage was greatly encreased.

MAgo graund captain of the Cartha­ginenses, [...] of the histo­ries of Car­ [...]. when first of al he had by ordaininge the lawes of armes, founded the Empire of the Afres and established the strengthe of his city, no lesse by his pollicy and discipline in the warres then by puissaunce, deceased, leauyng be­hind him two sonnes, Hasoruball [Page 91] and Hamilcar, who running in the footesteppes of theyr fathers vertue, as they succeded him in linage, so succea­ded they him also in worthinesse. Under these captaynes warre was made in Sardinia. Moreouer a fielde was fought against the Afres, demaunding tribute of manye yeres for the rent of the s [...]yle, wheron the city standeth. But as the Afres had the inster quarell, so had they the better fortune, by meanes whereof the warres were en­ded with them, by paiment of mony and not by dinte of sword. In Sardinia also Hasor [...]hall being sor [...] wounded, surrendred the gouernmēt to his brother Hamilcar and died, whose death was honorable both for the mourning of the whole City, and for because he hadde bene a leuen times dictator, and had had foure triumphes. The enne­my also began to take hart a grace, as though that wyth the captaine, the strength of the Carthaginenses had de­cayed. For the Sicilta [...]s being oppressed by the Cartha­ginenses with daily iniuries, reuolted to Leonida the bro­ther of the king of Lacedemon. Where vppon arose sore warres, in the whiche there was manye encounters and fields fought, somtime to the gain, and somtime to y ^• losse of either part. While these thinges wer a doing, ambassa dors came frō Darius king of the Persians to Carthage, The ambas­sade of P [...]r­sia. hauinge in charge to commaunde the Carthaginenses to leaue offering of men in sacrifice, and to leaue eatynge of dogs flesh. Moreouer the king commaunded them rather to burne their dead men, then to bury them in the groūd requesting them of aid against the Grekes, vnto [...] home Darius was about to make warre as then out of hande. But the Carthaginenses denying him aide, by reason of the continuall warres they had with their neighbors, to thentent they wolde not seme disobedient in all thynges, willingly obeyed all the rest. In the mean season Hamil­car was slain in the warres in Sicil, leauing behind him iii. sonnes, Amilco, Hanno and Gisgo. Hasdrubal had also lyke noumber of sonnes, H [...]ibal, Hasdrubal, and Sappho.

[Page]By these men were the affaires of Carthage ruled in those daies. Therefore warre was made againste the Moores, fieldes were foughte againste the Numidians, and the Afres wer compelled to release vnto the Carthaginenses for euer, the rent that they were wont to pay for the soyle of their City. Afterward when suche a noumber of the graunde­captaines became as a burden to the City, whiche before time had bene wont to be free, in that they did aland iud­ged all together as they listed them selues, there were a hundred of the Senatoures chosen to be iudges, whyche when the captaines returned from the warres, shoulde take an accompte of their doings, to the entent that there by they might be kept in awe, so to behaue them selues in executing their auctority in the warres, as that they had neuerthelesse respect to do Iustice according to the lawes of their country. In Sicill in the stead of Hamilear, Hamilco was made graundcaptaine, who hauinge prosperous suc­cesse [...] pe­ [...]. and fortune bothe in battell on the sea, and in battell on the lande, sodainly by the influence of a pestilente pla­net, lost all his menne of warre. Wherof when tidynges came to Carthage, the Citye was striken in heauinesse, and [...]amentable description of the estate of Carthage. all was full of houling and yelling as if the city had bene taken by the enemy. Euery mannes doores wer shut vp, the temples of the Goddes were shut vp, all ceremonies were omitted, all priuate duty was laide aside, they went out all to the gate, and made inquisition for their frendes, of those few that remained from the plague as they came oute of the shippes, after the time they perceiued what was become of them, (for vntil then, they hung betwene hope and feate, not knowing of certaintye whether theyr frendes were all dead or no) then a man might haue hard ouer all the coast the sorow [...]ull sighes and sobbes of suche as lamented, the pitifull howling and shriking of the vn­happye mothers, and the lamentable outcries of all men on all sides. Amonge these thinges comes out of his ship the poore captaine Hamilco, in a filthy and beggerlye cloke [Page 92] girte aboute him, at the sight of whome the mourners as they stoode in rankes clustered about him. He him self al­so holding vp his hands to heauen, bewailed eft his own misfortune, and eft the misfortune of his countrye, some­time he cried out vpon the Goddes which had taken from him so great honour attained by his warres, and so great ornaments of his victories, which they them selues hadde geuen him, whiche after the winning of so many Cities, and after the vanquishing of so many ennemies so often­times, both by sea and by land, had destroyed that victory­ous army, not by battel but by pestilens. Wherin yet not withstanding he said he brought no small [...] countrymen, in that their enemies [...] vaunt them selues of their calamities. For th [...] [...] able to say, that they that were dead were [...]lain by them, nor that they that were retourned were put to flyghte by them. As for the praye that they founde in their desolate camp, and caried away, it was no suche that they myghte bost of it, as of the spoyl taken from the vanquished enne­my, but as of thinges falling into their mouthes vnloked for, which they entred vpon, hauinge none owner by the sodain deathes of the right owners. In respect of the ene­my, they had come away conquerors, in respect of the pe­stilence, they wer come away vāquished. And yet nothing greued him more, then that he might not die amōg those most valiant men, & that he had bene reserued, not to liue plesantly, but to be as a g [...]sing stocke for his calamities. How beit assone as he had conueyed home the remnaunt of his wretched h [...]ste vnto Carthage, he wold also folo [...] his fellowes that were gon before. Wherby his coun [...]ry should perceiue that he had not liued to that daye, because he was desirous of life, but to the entent he wou [...]d not by his death betray those few that the vnspeakable pestilens had spared, by leauing them without a guide, as besieged in the mids of the hostes of their enemies. Entring into y ^• city with suche an outcry, [...]one as he came home to hys [...]. owne house, he dismissed the multitude as the laste time [Page] that euer he purposed to speake to them, and barringe in the dores to him, suffring no man to come at him, no not so much as his own sonnes, he killed himselfe.

DEnnis hauinge expulsed the Cartha­ginenses A discourse of the acts of the [...]. oute of Sicill, and taken the gouernment of al the whole Iland in­to his hand, thinking it both a burthē to the realme, to kepe so many men i­dle, and also a daungerous matter to suffer so great an army to lie stil slou­thfully and do nothing, conueyed hys hoste into Italy, partly of purpose to quicken the strength The warres of the elder Dennis in Italy. of his souldioures by continuall laboure, & also to enlarge the boūds of his Empire. The first war that he had, was against the Grekes that inhabited the next sea cos [...]e of I­taly. The which being subdued, he assailed euer the nexte vnto them, and finally he proclaimed opē war against all that bare the name of Grekes dwelling in Italy, the whi che sort of people held not one part, but almost al Italy at that time. And ther be many cities which after so long cō ­tinuaunce, do yet at this day shew manifest tokens of the Grekish cu [...]ome. For the people of Thuscane which pos­sesse A digressyon to the [...]ounda tions of the Cityes of I­taly. the coast of the nether sea, came out of Lydia. And y ^t Uenetians, who as we se are inhabiters of the vpper sea, came vnder Antenor from Troy, after the taking and de­struction therof, Adria also whiche is next to the Illyrian sea, & which gaue the name to the Adriatick sea is a greke city, so is Apros the which Diomedes builded after the o­uerthrow of Troy, being cast vp in the same p [...]ace by ship wrack. Moreouer Pise in Lumbardy had Grekes to their founders And among y ^• Thuscanes, the Tarquines fetch their beginuing from the Thessalians and Spinambres. And the Perusines from the Acheans? What shall I say of the city Cere? what shall I speake of the latine people, which seme to be founded by Eneas? Now the Falisces, [Page 93] the Iapygians, the Nolanes, the Abelanes, wer they not somtime enhabiters of Chalcis? what is all the coaste of Campanie? what are the Brutians & Sabines? what are the Sabines? what are the Tarentines, who (as it is left in wrytinge) came from Lacedemon, and were called ba­stardes? They say that Phil [...]ctetes builded the city of the Thurines, whose tombe is to be sene ther at this day, and the shafts of Hercules in the temple of Apollo which wer the destiny of Tro [...]e. The Metapont [...]es also haue yet to shewe in the people of Minerua, the iron tooles of Epeus their firste founder, wherwith he made the horse that de­stroyed Troy. For the which cause all that parte of Italy is called the greater Grece. But in the beginning of these foundations, the Metapontines with the Sybarites and Crotoniens wer determined to driue all thother Grekes out of Italy. Assone as they had taken the city Siris, in y ^• winning therof, they killed before the very aultare of Mi­nerua fifty yongmen embracing her image and her priest veiled in thattire accustomed in her ceremonies. Herevp­on being [...]exed with pestilens and ciuil sedition, the Cro­tonienses [...] o [...] religion. went first to thorac [...]e of D [...]lphos. Answer was made to them, that the mischief shoulde cease, if they had ones appeased Minerua for working so wickedly against her Godhed, and the ghostes of them that they had sla [...]n. Therfore when they had begon to carue images to set vp to the yongmen of the same bignesse that they wer being aliue, and in especially vnto Minerua. The Metapōtines knowing of the Oracle of the Gods, thinkinge it good to work spedely in the pacifying of their ghostes, and in pa­cifying of the gods, set vp litle images of stone to the yōg men, and appeasedthe Goddes with bread sacrifices. And so while the one parte striued in costlinesse, and the other part in swiftnesse, the pestilence was ceased on both par­ties. The Crotoniens hauing recouered helth, abode not long in quiet. Therfore taking displesure that in the siege [...] in [...]. of Siris the Locrines came to fighte againste them, they entred vpon them by force of armes.

[Page]The Locrines beinge striken with feare, resorted to the Spartanes, desiring them humbly of succour. The Spar­tanes being loth to enter into war so far of, bad them ask help of Castor & Pollux. Neither did the ambassadours of their felow city despise their counsell, and therfore depar­ting Marke the superstition of the hethen. into the next temple, and ther making sacrifice, they cried vpon the Gods for help. When they had offred their sacrifices, and obtained the thinge that they came for (as they thought,) being as mery as if they should haue cari­ed the Gods them selues with them, they made them shri­nes in their ships, and with lucky iourney in stead of suc­cour, they brought their country mē home comfort. This beinge knowen, the Crotoniens also sent ambassadors to the Oracle at Delphos, praying for victorye & prosperous end of the warre. It was answered that they muste ouer­come their enemies by vowing, or euer they coulde ouer­come them by battel. Whervppon when they had vowed vnto Apollo the tenthe of the pray, the Locrines hauynge knowledge both of the vow of theyr en [...]mies, and of the answer of the Goddes, vowed the ninth, and kept y ^• thing secrete to them selues, for fear least they shuld be ouercom by vowing. Therfore when they wer come into the field, and that there stode in the battel of the Crotoniens an C. and. xx. thousand fighting men in harnesse, the Locrines beholding their owne slender noumber, (for they had no mo but xv. M. sould [...]oures) cast away all hope of victorye, and bent them selues obstinately to die in the fielde. Now by meanes of this despair, euery man tooke suche a harte vnto him, that they thoughte them selues to haue gotten Despaire ge­ [...] courage. the victory, if they might reuenge their deaths manfully. But while they sought to die honestlye, they gate the vp­per hande more luckelye. Neither can it be thoughte that there shoulde be any other cause of their victory, then that they fell in despaire. All the while the Locrines wer figh­ting, there was an Eagle that neuer departed from the [...]e battels, nor neuer lefte houeringe about them vntill they had gotten the vpper hand. Moreouer two young men in [Page 94] straunge armor, vnlike thone to thother, o [...] excellēt perso­nage, vpon white horses, & in skarlet clokes wer sene sigh ting in the winges of the battel, the whiche ass [...]ne as the battel was ended, vanished out [...]f sighte. The incredyble swiftnesse of fame encreased the wondermēt of the thing. [...] of [...]. For the same day that the battel was fought in Italy, the victorye was [...]eported at Corynthe, Athens, and Lacede­mon. After this the Crotoniens did neuer passe to exer­cise them selues in cheua [...] ye nor in feates of armes. For they hated them, because they had so vnluckelye attemp­ted them. And they had chaunged their [...] into riot and idlenesse, if the Philosopher Pythagoras had not beene. This man being the sonne of a ritch merchaunte man of Of [...]. Sames called Demaratus, and being broughte vp in the studies of wisdome, wherin he greatly encreased, takyng his [...]akyng first into Egipt, and afterward to Bab [...]ō, to learne perfect [...]y the mouiug of the planets, and to searche out the beginning of the world, wherof it was made, at­tained to meruelous exquis [...]te knowledge. As hee ret [...]ur­ned from thence, he went to Can [...]ye, and Lacedemon, to study the lawes of Minos and Lycurgus whych were fa­mous and notable at that tyme. In all the which being [...] perfectly instructed and furnished, he cam to Croton, and by his authority reuoked the people to [...]rugalitye, latelye before fallen into excesse and riot. Dailye he commended vertue, and dispraised [...]he vice of riot, reciting the misera­ble ch [...]ūces of cities, that had decayed through that [...] wherby he so stirred the multitude to the sauor of frug [...] ­lity, that some of them whiche were vtterlye drowned in riot, were contrary to all hope and exp [...]ctation, broughte again to good thrift. Moreouer he gaue the wiues instru­ctions a part from their husbands, and the children often­times a part from their parentes. He taught the women chastitye, shamefastnesse, womanhoode, and obedi [...]nce to their husbandes. The men children modestye, sobr [...]sse, good nourtour and learning, and among these things, [...]e enterlaced frugality as the mother of all vertues.

[Page]Finally he did so much with his continual disputations, that the noble women laid a side their garments of cloth of gold and other the iewels and ornaments apertaining to their estates, as thinstruments of excesse & superfluity, & brought al such things into Iunos temple, & cōsecrated them to the Gods: perswading with thē that the true or­naments The true or­namentes of Ladies. of ladies and gentle women, was chastity & not gorgious raiment or straunge attire. How much he was able to way with thother youth of the city, the bridling & ouercoming of the stobern & [...]roward stomakes of the wo­mē dothe wel declare. But there were iii. C younge men which gathering them selues on a rout, bound thē selues with an oth to liue together like sworn brothers from the residue of the citizēs, by which their doing as though they had made an vnlawfull assemble to conspire againste the city, they brought all the whole citye in their neckes. And as they wer all assembled into one house, the City would haue burnt them vp. In rhe which hurlyburly, almost. lx. of them were slaine, and the residue wer banished. Whē Pythagoras had dwelled ful. xx. yeares at Croton, he re­moued to Metapont & there deceased. Whom they had in suche estimation, that of his house they made a temple, & honored him for a God. Therfore Dennis the Tiran whō He returneth to the doings of Dennis. we declared before to haue passed his army into Italye, & to haue made war againste the Grekes, after he had won Locres by force, assailed the Crotoniens hauing yet skars ly after so long respit, recouered their strength decaied by the slaughter of the foresaid war. And yet they now with their few, more valiantly resisted his so populous armye, then they could with so many thousands, make resistens before against the smal nomber of the Locrines. So great force hath pouerty againste proude richesse, and so muche more certain somtime is the victory vnhoped for then the victory that is made accompt of before hand. While Den nis was making this war, thambassadors of the frenche Dennis ente reth in leage [...] the men which a few monthes before had burned Rome cam vnto him, desiring to enter in league and frendship wyth [Page 95] [...]. Alledging that their country was situate amōg the mids of his enemies, wherfore they might stande him in [...] that burned Rome▪ good stead, whether it wer to aide him in the battell, o [...] to set vpon them behinde, whiles they wer fightynge wyth him before. Dennis liked this ambassade wel. And so en­tring in league with them, and being increased in power by their aid, he began his warre as it wer newe agayne. The cause why these Frenchmen came into Italy to seke them a new dwelling place, was the ciuil discord and cō ­tinual debate that they had at home among them selues. Cities [...] in Italy by the [...] men. For wearines wherof comming out of Italy, they droue the Thuscanes out of house and home, and builded the ci ties of Millain, Come, Brixia, Uerone, Bergome. Tri­dent, and Uincent. The Thuscanes also with their cap­tain Rhetus hauing los [...]e their owne countrye, tooke the Alpes, and after the name of their captaine, founded the nation of the Rhetians. But Dennis by meanes of the tomming of the Carthaginenses into Sicil, was dryuen to retu [...]ne home, for they had repaired their army, & wyth a greater power renued the warres which they had brokē vp by constrainte of the pestilence. The captaine of this war was Hanno of Carthage, whose enemy Suniator a man at that time of the greatest power one of them in all Affricke, in despyte of him, wrate familierly in Greke vn to Dennis, aduertising him of the comming of the army, and of the cowardise of the captain, but his letters were Treson [...] & [...] taken by the way, whervpon he was condemned of trea­son, and an act of Parliament was made, that no man of Carthage should here after learne Greke letters or study the Greke tounge to the entent he should not talke wyth the ennemy, or wryte vnto him without an interpretor, & ere it was longe after, Dennis whome a litle before, neither Sicilie nor Italye were able to hold, being ouercome with continuall warres in battel, The death [...] Dennis. and brought lowe, at laste was slayne by the treson of hys owne subiectes.

AFter the time that [...]he Tiran Dē ­ [...] The yonger [...]. was s [...]aine in Sicill, the men of warre placed in his roume hys eldest sonne named Dennis also, bothe because he was a man gro­wen, & also because they thoughte the kingdome should be the stron­ger, if it remained stil inone mans hand, rather then if it shuld be de­uided among his sonnes in many portions. But Dennys in the beginnyng of hys raygne, coueted sore to haue put to deathe hys brothers vncles as enuiers of his estate, and prouokers of the children to de­maund a partition of the kingdome.

Where vppon he dissembled his desyre a while, setting his mynde to procure the fauoure of his commons, thinc­king to doo it with lesse blame, if all men [...]e sh [...]ulde fyrste conceiue good opinyon of his doinges. And therfore he let three hundred offenders out of prysonne, and released the people three yeares subsidie, alluringe theyr mindes by all kynde of counterfet gentlenesse that he was hable to deuise. Then goynge in hande with the mischiefe he had so longe purposed, he slewe not onlye his brothers kyns­folke, The crueltye of Dennis. but also hys brothers them selues, in so muche hat whome he ought of righte to haue made partners of his kingdome, he suffred not to be partakers of life and breth beginning to execute his tiranny vpon his owne kinred, ere he proceded to worke it against straungers.

When he hadde dispatched hys brothers, of whome as of his enemies he stode in fear, he fell to slouthfulnes, and throughe excessiue [...]edynge he became fatte and coarsye, [Page 96] and gate suche a disease in his eyes, that he was not able to abide the Sunne, nor the dust, nor finally the glistering of any light. For the which causes beleuing himselfe to be had in disdaine of all men, he executed moste extreme cru­elty, not filling the gails with prisoners as his father did, but replenishing the city with slaughters, for the whych­thinges he was not so muche disdained, as hated of al mē. Therefore when he perceiued that the Syracusanes were mineded to rebel against him and bid him battel, he was in doubte a great while whether it were better to depose him selfe, or to withstande them by force, but his men of warre in hope to haue the spoyle and sacking of the citye, compelled him to stand to the triall of it by battel, where beinge vanquished, and attemptinge fortune the seconde time with like successe, he sent ambassadoures to the Syra­ [...], promising to depose himselfe from his tirannye, if they would send their commissioners vnto him, authory­sed Th [...] [...] Dennis. to conclude an agrement with him. They sent y ^• chief men of their City for the same purpose, whome be put in custody, and so sodainly ere any man [...] therof, or feared that he ment any such mischiefe against them, he sent his army to destroy the city. Whervppon ensued a sore and doubtfull encounter euen within the verye Citye, but by D [...]nnis [...] into Italy reason the townes men were farre mo in noumber, Den­nis and his men were put backe. Who fearing to be bese­ged if he abode in the Castle, priuely fled into Italy with all his princely apparell, treasure and houshold stuffe, be­ing in his banishmente receiued by his confederates the That which is bred by the bone will not out of the flesh. Locrines, as though he had bene their rightfull kyng, he tooke their fortresse, and there exercised his accustomed cruelty. He commaunded the noble mennes wi [...]es to be broughte from their husbandes perforce, that he myghte haue his pleasure of them, the maidens when they shuld be maryed, he fetched away, and when he had abused thē sent theym to their spouses againe. The richest and wel­thiest personnes, eyther he draue out of the Citye, or elsse [Page] caused them to be put to deathe, and seised theyr goodes. And when he sawe there was no more for him to catche conueniently, he compassed all the whole city by a subtle inuention. At such time as the Locrines were oppressed w ^t the warres of Leophron king of Rhegi [...]n, they made a vow The vn [...]ayth [...]uines of Dē [...]is toward the Locrines that if they wan the vpper hand, they wold vpon a feast­full daye of Venus, set their virgins in the open stewes for all men to abuse. The which vow being left vnperfour­med, & hauing vnfortunate warres with the Lucanes, Den­nis called them together before him, and there exhorted them to send their wiues & daughters, as gorgeously ap­parelled & decked as they could into the temple of Venus, out of the which ther should be a hundred drawen by lot to perfourme the common vow, the whiche for religions sake should stand in the stewes for the space of one month all their husbandes being before sworn, not to haue to do with any of them. And to thentent the maidens thus per forming the common vow, should not be hindred therby, they should make a decre that none other maid should be ensured to any husband before those other were maryed. This counsel was wel alowed, as in the which prouision semed to be made, both for the performans of their super­stitious vow, & allo for the preseruation of the chastity o [...] their virgins. Whervpon al the women assēbled into the tēple of Venus so gorgeously & costly attired, as who might be best, among whom Dennis sent his men of war, & strip­ped them euery one, conuertinge their iewels & sumptu­ous ornamēts to his own gain and pro [...]it, som of their hus bands being very welthy men, he killed, and some of the women he put to the torture to make the confesse where their husbands mony lay. When he had with these & such Dennis is ex [...]uised, [...] recou [...]reth [...]. like suttle [...]ies raigned by the space of. vi. yeres, the Locri­nes conspired against him, and draue him out of the city, from whence he returned into Sicil, and there by treson (no man mistrusting any thing after so long continuauns o [...] peace) recouered the city Syracuse. While these thynges [Page 97] were a do [...]ng in Sicil, in the meane time in Affricke, Han­no prince of Carthage, began to employe his richesse, (by Hann [...]s [...] spiracies a­gaynst Ca [...] thage. the which he surmounted the power of the cōmon weal, about compassing of the souerainty, entendynge to haue slaine the Senate, and to haue made himself king.

To the perfourming of the whiche mischeuous enter­prise, he had chosen a certain day, in the whiche he should marry his daughter solempnly? to the entent that vnder the coloure of perfourming hys vowes, he might the ea­syer woorke his wickednesse, and the [...] brynge hys mischeuous deuises to effecte vnespied. And therfore he prepared a feaste for the people in the open porches and galleries of the Citye, and for the Senate in his owne house. To the entent that hauing couertly and wythout witnesses killed the Senatoures with poyson [...]d drinkes, he might with the more ease vsurpe vppon the common weale, being destitute of her patrones and defendoures. The whiche thynge beynge by the seruauntes bewrayed to the Magistrates, the mischief was auoided but not pu­nished: least in a man of so great power, the matter being knowen might putte them to more trouble, then beinge but only surmised. Being therfore contented to haue re­strained him of his purpose, they made a decree, wherein was limited what coste shoulde be bestowed vpon maria­ges, straightly charging and commaundinge the same to be obserued, not of any one man, but of all men in gene­rall, to the entent the person should not seme to be noted, but the vices rebuked. Beinge by this d [...]uise preuented, he stirred the bondmen to rebellion, and hauing appoyn­ted a day againe for the slaughter, when he sawe himselfe the second time bewrayed, fearing to be arraigned of tre­son, he tooke a certaine stronge hold with twentye thou­sand bondmen well armed.

There whiles he sollicited the Afres and the kynge of Hanno is ta­ke & punish [...] Mauritane, he was taken, and beinge sore whipped, and hys [...]yes pulled oute, and hys armes and legges broken, [Page] as th [...]ughe euerye member were seuerally punished, he was put to death in the open sight of the people, and hys body being torne with whippinge, was hanged vppon a gibbet. Moreouer his sonnes and kinsmen euerychone of them, (were they neuer so giltlesse,) were all put to exe­cution, to thentent there should not of so wicked a stocke remaine any impe, either to ensue his example in doynge the like mischiefe, or to reuenge his death. In the meane time Dennis being receiued Syracuse, persisting euery daye more cruell then other toward the Citye, they conspired against him again, and besieged him. Then seinge no re­medy, he deposed himselfe, and yealded to the Syracusanes Dennis dep [...] seth hym self. bothe his holde and his hoste, and receiuinge no more but his owne priuate stuffe, went his way as a banished man to Corynthe. There thinkinge the basest to be the surest e­state, he fell to a most filthy and lothsome trade of liuing. The vile and lothsome life of Dennis. For he thought it not inough to loyter vp and down the streates, onlesse he wer bibbing in euery tippling house, nor to be sene in Tauernes and houses, but to sytte stil in them all day from morning to night. Moreouer he would braule with euerye raskall and varlet for moone shine in the water, goo all to ragged and slouenlye, prouoke men to laughter rather then laugh himself, stande gaping and gasing in the shambles, deuouring with his eies the thin­ges he could not bye with his monye, skolde with baudes before the Wardens, and in fine doo all thinges in suche wise, that he might s [...]me rather to be despised thē feared. Dennis pro­ [...]esseth him selfe a schole master. Last of all he professed himself a scholemaster, and taught children in a threwaylet, to thentent he might eyther be openly sene of them that feared him, or els might the ea­sier bring himselfe in contempt of them that feared hym not. For all be it he alway abounded in tirannous vices, yet notwithstanding this was but a counterfetting of vi­ces, and no naturall disposition: and he did theese thinges of a pollicye, then for that he had forgotten his royall and princely behauiour, because he knew by profe how hate­full [Page 98] the name of a Tyran is, yea thoughe they haue no [...] ­chesse nor power at all. And therfore he labored to take a way the enuy of thinges past, by bringing himself in con­tempt for his present demeanor, hauing not so muche re­garde what was for his honor, as what was for the saue­gard of his life. Yet notwithstanding among al these coū ­terfet dissimulations and policies, he was thrise accused to haue sought meanes to make himself kyng again, and nothing auailed so muche to his acquitall, as that all men had him in disdaine. In the time that these thinges were a doing, the Carthaginenses beinge afraid at the prospe­rous [...] to note the do ings of great Alexander. successe of great Alexanders affaires, for doubt least hauing conquered the kingdome of the Persians, he wold also adioyne Affricke ther vnto, to f [...]le how he was mine­ded, Hamil [...]ar surnamed Rhodanus a man farre passynge all others in wit and eloquence. For it encreased their f [...]ar▪ because they saw their mother city Tyrus, the authoure of their beginning was taken, and the city alexandria an ene­my to the estate of Carthage builded in the bound [...]s of Af­fricke and Egipt, and also the fortunate felicity of the king himselfe, of whose couetousnesse and good fortune, they thought there woulde neuer be none [...]nd, Hamilcor there­fore attaining to the speche of Alexander, by the helpe of Parmenio, fained him selfe to be driuen oute of his country, and that he was fled to the king for succour, off [...]ryng him self to serue him as a souldiour in his warres, by the whi­che pollicy hauinge perfect intelligence of the king [...]s en­tent and purpose, he aduertised his countrye men therof in tables of woode, couered ouer with plaine waxe. But The [...] of th [...] [...]. the Carthaginenses after the death of the king, when he re­tourned into his country, not only rewarded him not, but also most cruelly put him to death, as though he had gone about to chalenge the Citye to the king.

AGathocles the Tiranne of Sicill, whiche succeaded in the estate of [...] Dennis laste before him, clymbed from a lowe and base degre, to the maiestye of the kingdome. For he was a potters sonne of Sicill, and there was no more honesty in his childhode, then there was honour in the stocke of his auncestry. For being of fauor and personage exceding beautiful, he liued a great while in sufferance of most filthy bugge [...]y, when he was ones paste boyes estate, he tourned his lecherous lust from men vnto women. After this beinge disfamed with bothe kyndes, he chaunged that trade of liuing, and fel to robberye. In processe of time when he came to Sy­racuse, and was taken into the city as amonge others in­habiters, he was a great while without credit or estima­tion. Because he semed not to haue any good to loose, nor any honesty to distaine. In fine obtaining the roume of a rascall souldiour, loke how dishonest he was in his liuing before, euen as seditious was he in his doinges then, and moste readye and forwarde to doo all kinde of mischiefe. For he was counted strong of hand, and in talking to the people verye eloquent. Therfore within shorte space he was made captaine of a hundred men, and anone after The firste ri­syng of Aga­thocles vnto estimation. marshall of the hoste. In the firste battell, whiche was a­gainst the Aetneās, he gaue the Syracusanes great profe of his towardnesse. In the nexte followinge agaynste the Campaines, he made all men conc [...]iue so good opinion of him, that he was substituted in the roume of the graunde captaine Damasco deceased, whose wife (with whome he had committed aduoutry in the life of her husband,) afte [...] [Page 99] his decease,) he toke in mariage. And beinge not content that of a begger he was sodainly made riche; he exercysed rouing on the sea againste his owne country. But it was his chaunce to be saued, because when his mates wer ta­ken, and putte to the torture, they confessed nothynge of him. Twise he went abou [...] to vsurpe the Empire of Sy­ [...]acuse, and twise he was banished for hys laboure. The Murgantines amonge whome he liued in the time of his exile, for hatred they bare to the Syracusanes, created him first their Pretor, and afterwarde their captayne. In that warre he bothe tooke the city of the Leontines, and [...] [...] ­racuse. besieged the city of Syracuse. To the r [...]ue wherof Ha­milcar captaine of the Carthaginenses beinge requested to come, laying a side all emnity and hatred sent thither a crew of souldioures.

And so at one time and instant, the City Syracuse was defended louingly and frendly by the enemy, and [...]ye assailed by her owne Citizen. But Agathocles when he sawe that the towne was more manfullye defended then assaulted, he sent a pursiuant to Hamilcar, desiringe hym to doo so much for him, as to take vp the mater betwene him and the Syracusanes, and to bee as an indifferente iudge for the determination of some peace betwixt them, promisyng to doo the best that laye in him to recompence hys gentlenesse.

Where vppon Hamilcar beinge fulfilled with hoope and partly fearinge his power, entred a league of frend­shippe A [...] on [...] Ha [...] [...] Agatho [...] ▪ with him, vppon condition that looke howe much he furthered Agathocles in strength agaynste the Syra­cusanes, so muche shoulde Agathocles recompence hym withal againe to the furtheraunce of his aduauncement, at home in his owne natiue country.

By meanes of this composition, Agathocles was not only reconciled and brought to attonement with the Sy­racusanes, but also hee was made Pretor of the Citye. Then the holy fyre and the tapers were brought forthe, [Page] whervpon agathocles laying his hand, sware before Hamil­car to become true subiectes to the Carthaginenses. Herevp­on [...] is sworne to the Cartha­giuenses. receiuing of him fiue thousand afres, he put to death al the noble men that were of greatest power and authori­ty, and so as it were to thentent to refourme the state of the common welth, he commaunded the people to assem­ble His extreame [...] aga [...]t the [...]. before him in the Theatre, gathering the Senatours into the counsell house, as thoughe he mineded to make some ordinaunce or decree before. When he had brought his matters to this poynt, he sent his souldiers to besiege the people, and he him selfe slue the senators, the whyche slaughter being finished, he put to deathe also all suche of the commons, as were the welthiest and forwardest per­sons. These thinges beinge thus compassed, he mustered souldiours, and raised an army: with the whyche beynge strengthened, he sodainly inuaded the next cities, lokyng He [...]eth the confederates of the Cartha [...]ses. for no hostility. Furthermore by the sufferance of Hamil­car, he wrongfully entreated and shamefully handled the confederates of the Carthaginenses. For the whiche cause they made complainte to the Senate Carthage, not so muche of agathocles, as of hamilcar, accusinge the one as a The cōplaint of the confede [...]tes. Lordly Tirant, and the other as a traytoure, by whome they were sold by composition and bargain betwene thē two, to the vttermost enemy of their estate, to whome at the beginning in cōfirmation of the said composition and agrement, was deliuered Syracuse, the city that had euer bene most enemy to the Afres, and an enuier of the Car­thaginenses, alwayes contending with them for the Em­pire of Sicil: and now moreouer were betrayed to y ^e same person, the cities of their confederates, vnder a counter­ [...]aite pretence of peace. Wherfore they gaue them war­ning, that if they loked not to these matters in time, with in a while they would light vpon their owne heades, and soone after they shoulde feele what damage they shoulde bring, as wel vpon their owne country of Affricke, as vp [...] the pore Iland of Sicil. By meanes of these cōplaints, [Page 100] the Senate was sore moued to displesure against Hamil­car. But forasmuch as he was in Office, they gaue theyr Hamilcar [...] condemned [...] treson s [...] lye. iudgement secretely vpon him, commaundinge their ver­dits before they shuld be red to be cast into a pot together, and there [...]o be sealed vppe, vntill the other Hamilcar the sonne of Gysgo, wer returned out of Sicil. But the death of Hamilcar preuented the suttle deuises and vnknowen verdites of the Carthaginenses, and he was deliuered by He [...]. the benefite of death, whome his owne countrymen had wrongfully condempned without hearing of his answer. The which thing gaue Agathocles occasion to moue war against the Carthaginenses. The first encounter that he Agath [...] is ouercome twise, and [...] b [...]eged. had, was against Hamilcar the sonne of Gisgo. Of whōe being vanquished, he retired to Syracuse to raise a great power, and to renue the battel again. But he had like for tune in the second encounter as he had in the first. Ther­fore when the Carthagin [...]nses hauing the vpper hande, had besieged Syracuse, and that Agathocles perceiued he The [...] Agath [...]s▪ was neither of power to encounter them, nor sufficiently furnished to endure out the [...]iege, and [...]hat moreouer hys owne confederates being offended with his crueltye, had forsaken him, he determined to transfer the warres into Affricke. I assure you it was a wonderful audacitye, that he should enterprise to make warre agaynste the Citye of them, whome he was not able to match in the soile of his owne city, and that being not able to defend his owne, he should geue the aduenture vppon other mennes, and that being vanquished, he should proudly vaunt him selfe ouer the conqueroures. The keping secrete of this enterprise, was as wonderfull as was the deuise therof, for the peo­ple could learne nothinge at his hande, but that he hadde found away to get the victorye. Willing them to doo no more but take good harts to them to abide the siege whi­che shoulde not be long: or elsse if there were any that had [...]ot the harte to abide the aduenture of the present estate, he gaue him fre liberty to go his way whether he would. Whervpon when he had discharged a thousand and sy [...] [Page] hundred, he furnished the reast that remained with vietu­all, artillerye, and wages, accordinge as the estate of the siege required. He tooke with him no more but fifty Ta­lents toward his charges to spend at that time, thinking it better to get the reast, (if neade shoulde require more) of his ennemies then of his subiects. Then he set at liberty all the bondmen that were of yeres mete for the warres, and toke an othe of them, and put them with the mooste part of his other souldiours into his ships, thinking that forasmuche as he had made them all one in estate and de­gre, there wold be strife among them who might behaue himself most manfully. All the reast he left to the defence Agathocles sa [...]leth into [...]ricke. of his country. This done the seuenth yere of his raigne, hauinge in hys companye his two sonnes Archagathus and Heraclida, noone of his souldioures knowinge whe­ther he wold go, he directed his course into Affrick, wher as all his men supposed they shuld haue gon a forraging, either into Italy, or elsse into the Isle of Sardinia, he ne­uer made them priuy where about he went, vntill he had set his host a land in Affricke, and then he tolde theym all what he was mineded to doo. He shewed theym in what The effecte of Agathocles oration to his sould youres. case Syracuse stode, for the helpe wherof there remayned none other meane, but to do to their enemy as he had don to them. For warres wer to be hādled otherwise at home then abrode. At home a man could haue none other help, then his country is able to auorde him: abrode the enemy myghte be vanquished by his owne power, by reason the adherents and partakers being weary of their long con­tinued Empire would commonlye faile them, and looke for the helpe of forayne Princes And to the furtheraunce hereof, the cities and castels of Affricke were not enuiro­ned with walles, nor situatein mountaines, but set vpon the plaine ground in open and champion fieldes without any munition or defence, all the whych for feare of being destroyed, woulde easely be entreated to take theyr parte in the warre. Wherfore the Carthaginenses should haue whotter warres at theyr owne dores out of Affrick, then [Page 101] oute of Sic [...]l, and aide woulde assemble from all partes a­gainst that one city, gr [...]ater in name then in power, wher fore he should finde the strength there, which he broughte not with him. Moreouer the sodain fear of the Carthagi­nenses shoulde be no small furtheraunce to his victorye, which being amazed at the wonderful audacitye of theyr enemies, wold tremble and quake for feare. Besydes this to thencrease of the same, they should behold the burning of their villages, the beatinge downe of theyr castles and holdes, the sacking of the stoburne cities, and finallye the besiegement of Carthage it selfe, by all the which things they should well fele, that they them selues, laye as open to the warres of other men, as other men lay open to the warres of them. By the which meanes not only the Car­thaginenses might be vanquished, but also Sicill be sette at liberty. For their ennemies woulde not lie styll at the siege there, when they should hear that theyr owne were in ieoperdy. Wherfore they could not haue deuised where to haue founde a more easy warfare, nor a more ryche and [...] praye. For had they ones taken Carthage, the conqueroures shoulde haue all Affricke and Sicill in re­ward for their labour. And the glorye and renowne of so honourable a warfare shuld be so great, as that it might neuer be forg [...]tten while the world stands, so that it shuld be said, that they only hade beene the men, whyche hadde turned the warre vpon their enemies heades, which they could not out stand at home in theyr own country, which of theyr owne accord had perased and pursued vpon theyr conqueroures, and whiche had besieged the besiege [...]s of their citye.

Therfore they oughte all with val [...]aunte and chearfull harts enterprise that [...]atre, then the whiche there could a neither any greater rewarde be geuen them if they wan the victorye, nor more honorable monument if they were ouercome. With these and suche like enforcementes, the harts of his souldiers were greatlye encoraged. But the sight of a wonder that happened, troubled theyr mindes, [Page] because that as they sailed, the Sunne was Eclipsed. Of the which thing the kinge was as carefull to geue them a In Eclipse of the Sun, with thynter pretatiō ther of. due reason, as of the warre: affirmynge that if it had hap­ned before theyr setting forth, it might haue bene thought that the wonder had manased them that wer to set forth. But now for as much as it chaunced after they wer com forthe, it threatned them againste whome they wente. Furthermore the Eclipsing of the naturall Planets, dyd alwaies alter the present estate of thinges. Wherefore there was none other thinge mente, but that the estate of Carthage florishinge in welth and richesse, and his estate oppressed with aduersitye, muste suffer an alteration and exchaunge. When he had thus comforted his souldiours Agathocles setteth hys ships on fyre. by the consent of his army he set all his shippes on fire, to thentent they might all knowe, that seinge there was no helpe in running away, they must either win or elsse dye. Afterwarde when that they bare downe all that came in their way which way so euer they went, settinge townes and castels on fyre, Hanno captaine of Carthage met thē with thirty thousand Afres, in the which encounter was A slaughter of the Ca [...]tha ginenses. slain of the Sicilians two, and of the Carthaginenses iii. M and the captain him self, through his victory, the harts of the Sicilians were strengthened, and the hartes of the Carthaginenses discouraged. Agathocles hauing vanqui shed his enemies, wan cities and holdes, toke greate boo­ties and prayes, and slue many thousand of his enemies. Then he pitched his campe about v. miles of from Car­thage, to thentent they might behold from the v [...]ry wals of the city, the losse of their dearest thinges, with the wa­sting of their fieldes, and the burning of theyr villages. In the meane time there went a great brute ouer all Af­fricke, of the ouerthrowe and slaughter of the Carthagi­nien army, and of the cities that were won. Wherat eue­ry man was amased and wondered how so great an Em­pire, should haue so sodain an ouerthrow, in espetially by an enemy all ready vanquished. This wonderment tur­ned by little and little into disdaine of the Carthaginen­ses. [Page 102] For ere it was long after not onlye Affricke, but also the chefest cities there aboutes folowing this sodain alte­ration, The cities o [...] A [...]icke, re­uolte to Aga­thocles. reuolted to Agathocles, and aided hym both with victual and monye. Besides these aduersities of the Car­thaginenses, to the augmentation of their miserable cala mities, it hapned that their captain withal his army was vtterly destroyed in Sicil. For after the departure of Aga­thocles A slaughter of the Carth [...] ginenses in Sic [...]. oute of Sicill, the Carthaginenses became more siouthful and negligent in their siege at Syracuse, which thing Antander the brother of king Agathocles espyinge, issued out vpon them, and s [...]ue them vtterlye euerychone, wherof sorowful tidinges were broughte to Carthage. Therefore for as muche as the Carthaginenses had like misfortune abrode as at home, here vpon not only the tri­butary cities, but also the kings that were in league and amity with them, waying freship by fortune, and not by faithfulnesse reuolted from them. Amonge others there was one Ophellas king of Cyrene, who vpon a wycked hope gapinge for the dominion of all Affricke, entered in The kynge Cyrene Cyrene [...] teth to Aga­thocles. league with Agathocles by his ambassadoures, and bad conditioned with him, that when the Carthaginenses were ones ouercome, Agathocles should take thempire of Sicil, and he thempire of Affrick. Therfore when Tphel las was come with a great host to aid him in the warres, Agathocles entertaining him with fair words and coun­terfet curtesy, very lowly and humbly, because Ophellas had adopted him his sonne, after they had manye times & often dined and supped together, he slewe him vnwares, and entring vpon his armye, in an other sore encounter, vanquished the Carthaginenses nowe comminge to the fielde withal the power and furniture they were hable to Another great slaug [...] ter of the [...] thaginienses. make, not without great slaughter and bludshed on both partes. Through the discomfiture of this ouerthrow, the Carthaginenses wer brought to such an after deale, that if there had not risen a mutiny in Agathocles camp, Bo­milcar the captaine of the Carthaginenses had wyth hys army reuolted vnto him.

[Page]For the whiche offence the Carthagi. nailed him vpon a crosse in the mids of the market place: to thentent that the The punysh­ment of Bo­milcar. same place might be a monument and remembrāce of his punishment, whiche had bef [...]re times bene an aduaunce­ment of his honor. But Bomilcar toke very stoutlye the cruelty of his country, in so muche that from the toppe of The wordes of Bomilcar vppon the [...]. the crosse, as if it had beene from the iudgement seate, he preched against the wickednesse of his citizens, obiectynge to them, somtime their vnrightfull entrapping of Hanno vpon malice and enuy, falsely surmising that he went a­bout to make himself king, someitme the banishment of innocent Gysgo without cause why, sometime theyr sea­crete verdits against his vncle Hamilcar, because he sou­ght to make Agathocles their frende rather then theyr e­nemy. Whē he had vttred these things with a loud voyce in a great audiens of people, he gaue vp the ghost. In the Agatho [...]les returneth in­to Sicil, and rais [...]th the siege of Sy­racuse. meane season Agathocles hauing put his enemies to the worse in Affricke, deliuering the charge of his host to his sonne Archagathus, returned himself with spede into Si­cill, thincking that all that euer he had doone in A [...]ricke was to no purpose, if Syracuse were still be [...]ieged. For after that Hamilcar the sonne of G [...]go was slayne, the Carthaginenses sent thither a new hoste of men.

Therfore assoone as Agathocles was come into Si­cil, all the cities hearing of his doings in Aff [...]icke, yelded them selues to him, who mighte yelde fas [...]est: by meanes wherof ha [...]ing driuen the Carthaginenses out of Sicill, he toke vppon him as kingdome of all the whole Ilande. When he came into Affrick again, his souldiours welco­med him with a mutiny. For his sonne had delayed y ^• pai­ment A mutiny. of their wages, vntill the comming of his father. Wherfore he called them before him, and entreted them with gentle words, saying they ought not to demaūd wa ges at his hand, but to seke it at their ennemies hand, for as the victory shuld extend to th [...]m al so the pray shuld be common to them all in likewise. Desiringe them to playe the men and take pain a litle while, vntil the remnant of [Page 103] the warres wer dispatched, considering they knew wel [...] ­nough, y ^• if Carthage were ones taken, it were able to sa­tisfy al their desires, w ^t more then they could [...]ope for. Ha uing thus appeased the vprour in his cāpe, within a fewe Agatho [...]es taketh a [...] by [...] ▪ daies after he led his army to the camp of his ennemies. There by setting vpon them vnaduisedly, be lost the grea ter part of his army. Being therfore retired into his cāpe, when he perceiued howe his sou [...]diers grudged & malig­ued at him for aduenturing so rashly & v [...]aduisedlye, fea­ring moreouer thold displesure for nonpaimēt o [...] their wa ges▪ in the dead of the night, he fled out of the campe, ta­king no mo with him but onlye his sonne Archagathus. The which thing whē his souldiers vnderstode, they qua Agathocles steal [...]th fro [...] his [...] ked for fear, as if they had bene taken prisoners by theyr enemies, crying out that their king had now twise forsa­ken thē in the mids of their enemies, and that he had left thē in danger of their liues, whome he ought not to haue left vnburied. As they would haue pursued the king, they wer stopped by the Minidians, and so returned into their cāp [...] hauing taken archagathus, who had lost hys father by reason of the darknesse of the night. agathocles in the same ships that he came in out of Sicil, with suche as he had left in them to kepe them, was transported vnto Sy­racuse: a singuler example of wickednesse, a kyng to be a forsaker of his own army, and a father to be a betrayer of his own children. In the meane time in affrike, after the flying away of the king, his souldiours falling to compo­sition with their ennemies, slue agathocles sonnes, & yel­ded thē selues to the Carthaginenses, archagathus when Agathocl [...]s sonns are [...] to death. he shuld be put to deth by arces [...]laus one that before time had bene his fathers frend, asked him what he thought a­gathocles woulde doo to his children, by whome he was made childelesse? Then he answered it was inough [...] for him, that he knewe they were a liue after the children of Agathocl [...] taketh [...] wyth the C [...] thaginenses. agathocles: after this the Carthaginenies sent captains into Sicil to pursue the remnaunt of the war, with whōe agathocles made peace vpon indifferent articles.

AGathocles king of Sicil, hauynge made peace with the Carthagini­enses, subdued certaine of the Ci­ties, whiche vppon truste of theyr owne strengthe rebelled agaynste him. Here vpon as thoughe he had bene enclosed in a straight wythin Agathocles maketh war in Italy. the Ilande, (of the Empire where of at the first beginning he looked not for any part at all) he passed in to Italye, following the ensample of Dennis which sub­dued manye cities of Italy. The first therfore whome he proclaimed his enemies, were the Brutians. whiche see­med to be bothe of mooste puissaunce and of most wealth, and also rediest to do their neyghboures wrong. For they had erpulsed many cities of the Greke discent out of Ita­lye. Furthermore they hadde also v [...]nquished the [...]r owne founders the Lucanes and made peace with them vppon equall conditions. So cruell harted were they, that they spared not euen theyr owne fyrste founders. The Lucra­nes did bring vp theyr children after the same mane [...] that the Lacedemonians are wont to doo. For from the verye fyrst time they began to grow past childrē, they wer kept in the country among shepherdes and grasiers, wythout attendans or seruice, without garmentes to put on theyr backes, or bed to lie vpon, to thentent y ^t from their tender The manner of the educati on of the Lu­canes. yeres they might enure thē selues without help of y ^e city, to away with hardnesse and sparinge. Their meate was such as they could get by huntinge, theyr drynke was ey­ther methe, milcke, or elsse faire water of the sprynge, so were they hardened to endure the paynes of warrefare, [Page 105] of this sort of people, fifty at the first being wont to steal cattel out of their neighboures grounde, and afterwarde The [...] of the Bru [...]ans. growing to a greater noumber, by the resort of such per­sons as were allured to liue vppon the spoyle, made the country so hot, that no man almost durste stirre abroade. Dennis therfore king of Sicil, being in manner wearyed with the continuall complaintes of his confederates, sent [...]. ouer syre hundred Afres to suppresse them, whose castle by the treason of a woman called Brutia they won, and there builded a city which was soone peopled by the con­fluens of the shepheardes, resorting thither vpon hope of the new city, and they called them selues Brutians after the name of the woman. The firste warre that they had, was with the Lucanes the authors of their begynninge. The war [...] of [...]he Brut [...] ­ans. With the which victory being encouraged, and hauynge concluded an equall and indi [...]erent peace with thē, they conquered their other neighbours by the sword, and they gat so great richesse and power within a while, that they seemed pernitious and able to doo displeasure euen vnto kinges. Finally A lerander king of Epire comminge into Italy with a great hoste to the aid of the Greke Cityes, was wythall his army by them vtterly destroyed. Wher vppon their cruelnesse being enflamed wyth contynuall successe of prosperity, became terrible to their neighbors a long time after. At the last Agathocles beinge called to help, in hope to enlarge his kingdome, passed out of Sici­lie Agathocle [...] arriued in [...] ▪ taly. into Italy. As he was comming toward them, for fear of his puissaunce, they sent their ambassadoures to hym, requesting him of peace and frendship. Whome Agatho­cles biddinge to supper, to the entent they shoulde not see the shippinge of his armye, appoynted to common wyth them the next day, and so in the meane while toke shippe priuely, and stale ouer from them. But the ende of thys fraude was not to be reio [...]sed at. For within a few daies after, he was constrained to retourne into Sicill, by the Agathocles falleth syck [...]. force of a disease, wherwith he was taken ouer all his bo­dy▪ [Page] the pestilent humor spreding it self throughe euery si­new and ioynt, as thaugh that euery member had ben at ciuil war one against another. Of the whiche no hope of recouery appering, there arose war betwene his sone and his nephew, eche of them chalenging the kingdome, as if he had bene dead all redy, in the which his son was slain, and his nephew vsurped the kingdom. Agathocles ther­fore when he saw the grief of his disease, & the thought of his minde stil greuouser and greuouser, eche encreasyng by the furtherance of the other, being vtterly in despair, caused his wife Theogen to take his two litle sōnes that he hadde begotten of her, withal his treasure, housholde, houshold stuffe and princelye furniture appertaining vn­to him, of which no king was better stored then he was, and to saile into Egipte from whence he tooke her to hys wife, for feare least his nephewe who had robbed hym of his kingdom, shuld also play the enemy with them. How be it his wife entreted him earnestly a great while, that A fay [...]hful and louynge wyfe. she mighte not be drawen from him in his sicknesse, least her departure might be worthely likened to the murther done by his nephew, and men might reporte that she had as cruelly abandoned her husbande, as he had supplanted his graundfather: saying, that when she was marryed to him, he toke her not to be his companion and partaker of prosperitye onlye, but of all other fortune what so euer should happen. Wherfore it should not greue her to loose her life, so she mighte tarye with her husband to the laste gaspe, and according to her duty, as she was boūd of loue and womanhode to do, see him honorably entred, whyche thing were she ones gone, no man would take vpon hym A descriptyon of a lamenta­ble departure to do. When the litle ones should goo away, they embra­ced their father and held him aboute the necke, wepynge and crying oute: on the other side the wife, as she that ne­uer loked to se her husband more, had neuer done kissyng him. And it was a lamentable thing to se how pit [...]ouslye thold man wept: the children bewailing the father ready [Page 105] to die, and the father moning his banished children. The one sorowing to leaue their sicke and diseased olde father all alone as desolate, the other lamentinge to leaue hys sonnes in penury, whom he had begotten to inherite his kingdome. Moreouer all the palace range with the noyse of such as stode about weping and sorowing to se [...]o cruel The death [...] Agatho [...]s. a deuorce and departure. At the lengthe the necessitye of their forced departing, was the end of their wepyng, and the death of the king ensued immediatly vpon the depar­ture of the children. While these thinges were a doinge, the Carthaginenses hauing intelligence howe the world went in Sicil, thincking good occasion to be geuen thē of recouering the whole Iland, sailed thither with a greate power, & subdued manye cities. The same time, Pyrrhus The [...] [...] ­uade [...]. made warre against the Romains, who (as is said before) beinge desired to come to the ayde of the Sicilians, when he came to Syracuse and hadde subdued many Cityes: he was proclaimed king of Sicil like as he was of Epyre. In the prosperous successe of which things greatly reioy­sing, He [...] to the [...] of Pyrrhus mentioned [...] the. xviii. boke. he appoynted that his sonne Heleu should be king of Sicil, as in the righte of his graundfather (for he was be­gotten of king Agathocles daughter) and his sonne Alex­ander should be king of Italy. After this he foughte ma­ny prosperous battels with the Carthaginenses. Wythin a while after, there came ambassadors from his con [...]ede­rates in Italy, bringing him word that it was not possible to make resistens againste the Romaines, but that they must nedes yeld, onlesse he reseued them. Being troubled with so doutful a daunger, and not knowing what to do, or which of them he might rescue fyrst, he toke spedy ad­uice as concerning both. For the one side the Carthagini­ses assailed him, and on the other side the Romaines, so that it semed a daungerous matter not to passe his army into Italy, and yet more daungerous to lead his hoste [...] of Sicil, least the one should be lost for want of succoure, or the other by withdrawing his helpe from them.

[Page]In this rage of daungers, the sure [...] hauen of all other counsels, and aduises semed to be, fyrst with al his power to try the matter in Sicil, and then hauing vanquished y ^• Carthaginenses, to transport his victorious army into I­taly. Therfore all be it he gate the vpper hande in that battel, yet notwithstanding for as muche as he went hys Pyrrhus lo­ [...]eth the king dome of Si­cill. way out of Sicil, he was accompted to run away as a vā ­quished person, and therefore his alies and confederates reuolted from him. By meanes wherof he lost the kyng­dome as lightly, as he came by it easly. Furthermore fin­ding no better successe in Italye then he had in Sicill, be retired into Epire. The wonderfull chaunce of bothe, is to be noted for ensample. For euen as before throughe prosperous fortune, all things flowing beyond his desire and expectation, he had gotten the Empire of Italye and A notable ex­ample of the variablenesse of fortune. Sicill with so manye victories againste the Romaines: so now when fortune had chaunged her copy, as it were to make a show of the frailty of man, throwinge downe the thinges she had builded, besides the losse of Sicil she paid him home with shipwracke on the sea, wyth a shamefull ouerthrow against the Romaines, and with a dishonora­ble departure out of Italye. After the departure of Pyr­thus oute of Sicil, Hiero was created chiefe officer, who was a man of such modesty, that by the fauorable consent Of the educa tion, and pre­ferment of Hiero. of all the Cities, he was first made captayne agaynste the Carthaginenses, and afterwarde kinge. Of this royall e­state to come, his bringing vp when he was a very babe, was as it were a foreteller. For he was begotten of a no­ble man called Hieroclytus, whose pedegre was fet from Gelus an auncient king of Sicil. But by his mothers side he was borne of a base and verye dishonorable stocke, for he was be gotten of a bondwoman, and therefore caste a­way by his father as a dishonor and reproch to his stock. But the Bees fineding the litle babe without healpe of man, wroughte their combes aboute him, and nouryshed him with honny many dayes together.

[Page 101]Uppon which occasion his father at thē warnynge of the southsayers, which tolde him that the childe shoulde be a king, toke the childe to him, and brought him vp wythall diligence in hoope of the state that was be highte him. As the same childe sate at his boke in the schole among other of his felowes, sodainly there came in a wolfe among thē and snatched the boke out of his hande. Moreouer beyng a yongman when he went firste to the warres, an Eagie came and [...]ate vppon his target, and an Owle vppon hys speare. The whiche wonder betokened that he should be aduised in councel, & ready of hand, and also that he shuld be a king. Finally he fought hand to hand agaynst many chalengers; and euer went away with the victory. Kyng Pyrrhus rewarded him with many rewardes of ch [...]al­ry. He was of personage exceding beautiful, of strengthe wonderfull as mighte be in a man, gentle to talke vnto, iust in his dealinges, in his gouernment vprighte and in­different, so that nothing in the world wanted in him ap­pertaining to a king, saue only a kingdome.

WHile these thinges were a doing in H [...] l [...]ft th [...] xvi. [...]. Sicil, in the meane time in Grece, through the dissention and warres of Ptolomeus Ceraunicus, Antiochus, & Antigonus amonge them s [...]lues, al­moost all Grece at the instigatyon of the Spartanes the ringe leaders Ant [...]chus the sonne of [...], and An [...]go­nus the sonne of [...] therof, encouraged with hope of li­berty, as if occasion had ben geuen to pul their neckes oute of the yoke of bondage, sendynge ambassadoures one to another, to knit them selues toge­together, [Page] in aliance and society, fel to rebellyon. And least they might seme to haue taken wepon in hande agaynste The Grekes rebeil agaynst them [...]yre. Antigonus, vnder whose gouernaunce they were, they assailed the Aetolians his confederates, pretendynge the cause of their warre to be, for that the said Aetolians had entred & held by force the feld Cyreus, which by y ^• whole consent of Grece was consecrated to Apollo. As captaine of this war, they chose one Aran. Who assemblynge hys whole power together, spoyled the townes & foraged the The Grekes are [...]ut to [...]ght by the [...]lian [...]heardes. corne that was situate and growinge in the forenamed fields: & such as they could not carye away with them, he set on fire. The which thing the shepherds of the Aetoli­ans beholding out of the mountaines, gathered them sel­ues to the nomber of fiue hundred, and fell vpon theyr e­nemies as they were skattered, (and not knowinge how many there were of them, by reson that the sodaine feare together with the smoke of the fyres, had takē their sight from them,) and hauing slaine nine thousand of them; put the residue of the foragers to flighte. Aft [...]rwarde when the Lacedemonians went aboute to renue the warres a­gain, many cities denied them aid, because they thoughte He pursueth the treachery and deceit of Ptolomy, [...]ē [...]oned in the xvi. boke. they sought the souerainty, and not the liberty of Grece. In the meane season the warre was [...]yshed among the kynges. For Ptolomy hauinge expulsed Antigonus, and seised the whole kingdome of Macedone into hys hande, tooke a truse with Antiochus, and ioyned aliaunce wyth Py [...]hus by geuing him his daughter in mariage. After­ward being rid of outward fear, he turned his vngodly & wicked mind to deuising mischief against his own house▪ imagining treson against his sister▪ [...], to the entent to depriue her children of their liues, and her of the pos­session of the city Cassanoria. The fyrst [...]ynte of his craf­ty conuey [...]nce, was vnder the pretence of coūterfet loue, to desire his [...] in mariage. For otherwise then vnder colour of concord, he coulde not compasse to get her chyl­dren into his handes, whose kingdome be hadde wronge­fully [Page 108] taken front them. But his [...]ister knewe his wicked entent wel mough. Whervpon perceiuinge that she tru­sted him not, he sent her word that he wold make her chil dren felowes in Empire with him. Against whom he had made warre, not because he was minded to take the king dome from them, but because he desired that they should haue it of his free gift and mere liberty. For the more as­suraunce wherof, he willed her to send some trusty frend of hers to receiue an othe of him, and he wo [...]ld in the pre­sence of the party, before the Gods of his countrye, bynde himself with what othe or curse she wold desire in all the world. Arsinoe being in doubte what she were best to do, (for if she sent she knew she should be deceiued by forswe­ringe of himselfe, and if she sent not, she was a frayde sh [...] should prouoke her cruel brother to rage,) & taking more care for her children then for herselfe, whome she partlye hoped to saue by meane of this marriage, sent one of her frendes called Dyon. Whome Ptolomy brought into the most holy temple of Jupiter the aunc [...]test place of reli­gion & of greatest reu [...]rence in all Macedone, & there lay­ing his handes vpon the aultares, and touching the very images of the godd [...]s as they stode in their shrines, sware before him with suche terrible othes & extreme curses as neuer wer hard of, that he desired his sisters marriage w ^t out any fraud, craft, deceipt, or dissimulation, and that he wold proclaim her Duene, not purposinge to take any o­ther wife to spite her withall, or to haue any other childrē then her sonnes. Arsinoe after the time she was thus ful­filled with hope, and deliuered from fear, came and com­moned with her brother her self. Whose smilinge l [...]s & flattering countenaunce, pretending as much good [...]ayth as he promised by his othe, brought her into such a fooles paradise, that she consented to marrye with her brother, contrary to the minde of Ptolomye her sonne, who euer tolde her there was deceite in the matter. The maryage [...] ryeth hys owne [...] [...]. was solempnised with great sumptuousnesse and ioye.

[Page]Furthermore he sommoned all his hoste before him, an [...] there himself setting the crown vpon his sisters hed pro­claimed her Duene. Whervpon ar [...]noe being exceadynge glad and ioyful, for as much as she had recouered y ^• which she had lost by the death of her first husbande Ly [...]chus, of her owne accord and fre wil desired her husbande into her city Gassandria, for couetousnesse of whiche city, all this craft and deceit was wroughte. She went thither before him, and proclaimed that the day of his comming shoulde be kept holy day through all the city, geuinge commaun­dement that the houses, the temples, and all other places shuld be decked and garnished, and that altares and sacri­fices should be set forth orderly in a read [...]esse. Moreo [...]er she caused her two sonnes Lysimachus of xvi. yeares, and Philip three yeres yonger then he, both children of excel­lent beuty and fauor, to goo meete him with crownes on their heades. Whome Ptolomy to cloke his de [...] wyth all, desirously and beyond all measure of true loue and af­fection, [...] Iudas [...]. enbrased and kissed a greate while together. But assone as he came within the gate, hee com [...]aunded hys men of warre to take the holde of the towne, and to kyll the children. Who flying to their mother for helpe, were slaine euen in her bosome as they hong kissing about her necke. Arsinoe cried out and asked what she had done, or wherin she had trespassed, eitherin her mariage or a [...]er her mariage, wherby she should des [...]rue to be delt wyth so cruelly. Oftentimes she put herself betwene y ^• sworde and her children offering to die for them, oft [...]times she embraced and couered her childre [...]es bodyes wyth her own body, and would gladly haue receiued the woundes that they should haue. At the laste beinge not suffered so muche as to haue the buriall of her children, shee was thruste out of the towne with two [...]untes in a torne [...]ne, and her hear about her eares, and so wente as a The naturall affectyon of a­mother. [...] person to Samothorace, so muche the more misera­ble, in that she might not be suffered to die with her chil­dren, [Page 108] offeringe to dye for them, oftentymes she embraced and couered her childrens bodyes wyth her owne bodye, and woulde gladlye haue receiued the woundes that they shoulde haue. At the [...] being not suffered so muche as to haue the buriall of her children, she was thru [...]e out of The [...] crucity of P [...]o [...] toward hys syster. the towne with two seruauntes in a torne gowne, and her heare abeute her eares, and so wente as a banishedde person to Samothorace, so muche the more miserable, in that she mygh [...]e not be suffered to die with her children. But Ptolomye eskaped not with his wickednesse vnpu­nished. Murd [...] [...] peth not [...] pun [...]. For within shorte time after throughe the venge­aunce of the Goddes immortall, for so manye wilful per­iuries and so manye cruel murders, he was berefte of hys kingdome by the french menne and being taken pryson­ner, as he worthelye deserued, his head was striken from his shoulders.

For the frenche menne aboundinge in multitude, in so Of the [...] ­ges of the [...]. muche that the countrye where they were bred was not hable to fynde them, sent forthe three hundred thousande men as it were on pilgrimage to seke them a new dwel­lynge place. Of the which one part rested in Italy, which also tooke the c [...]ye of Rome and burnte it. Another parte followinge the flighte of byrdes (for the frenchmen are a­boue all other nations comminge in birdspillinge) wyth muche slaughter of the barbarous nations, pearsed vnto the coste of Sclauonie, and reasted in Pannonie. A kynde of people fierce, hardy, warly, which firste after Hercules (who by doinge the same before, purchased himselfe an immortall fame of his prowesse) climbed ouer the hyghe toppes and vnmercifull colde places of the Aipes. There hauing [...] the Pan [...]onians, they made warre with their neighbours many yeres together, somtime to theyr gaine, and somtime to their losse. Afterwarde beinge pro­uoked by their fortunate successe, they raised two armies, wherof thone went toward Grece, the other toward Ma­cedone, putting al to the sword that came in theyr dāger. [Page] By meanes wherof the names of the Frenche men was so terrible and so redouted, that euen kinges before they were assailed, were gladde and faien to geue them greate [...] of mony, that they might liue in rest by thē. On­ly Ptolomy king of Macedone made lighte of the matter, The [...] hardynesse of Ptolomy. when he hard of the comming of the frenchmen. And euē as if it had bene as easye a matter with him, to dispatche warres as to do mischief, being pricked forwarde there to with the furious remorse of his conscience, obiectinge be­fore his eies the rememberaunce of his wicked murders, be met them with a few▪ and those out of order. Further­more he toke skorne of the frendly offer made by the am­bassadoures of Dardanie, which was to send him twenty thousand menne well armed to helpe him, geuinge them moreouer this taunt for their labor, saying that the good dayes of Macedone wer farre spent, if after the time they had of their own puissance alone, conquered all the East, they should haue nead of the Dardanians to defend theyr owne country.

For he had in his [...]oste the sonnes of them that hadde serued vnder great Alexāder, and had subdi [...]ed the whole worlde. The whiche thinges when they were reporsed to the kynge of Dardanie, he sayde that the famous and re­nowmed Empire of Macedone, woulde shortlye decaye throughe the rashnesse of an vnaduised and hastye yonge man. The french men therfore by the aduise of [...] cap­taine Belgius▪ to the entent to trye howe the Macedones were mineded; sent ambassadours to Ptolomye offeryng him peace, if so be it he would by it. But Ptolomy [...] amonge his men, that the French men desyred peace for feare of him, no lesse vauntinge himselfe before the am­bassadoures▪ then he had doone among his owne frends▪ Denying to graunt them peace any otherwise, thē if they gaue him theyr noble men for hostages, and deliuered [...] [...]heyr armour and weapons, so [...] would not truste them onless [...] they were disarmed. When the ambassadors had [Page 109] reported this answer, the frenchmen laughed [...] it, crying out on euery side that he should shortlye fele [...] they offred him peace to his owne behofe or to theirs within a few daies after, the matter came to hand strokes, and the Macedones being vanquished were slayne rygh [...]e down. Ptolomy being very sore wounded in diuers [...], was The [...] of [...] taken prisoner, his head was striken of, and being put vp on a speares poynt, was caried vp and downe all the host, to the terroure of their ennemies. Few of the Macedones eskaped by flyght, the rest were either slaine or taken pri­soners. When newes hereof was spred throughe Mace­done, they shut in the gates of their citi [...]s and all was ful The [...] ­ful [...] of [...]. of sorowe and mourninge. One while they bewayled the losse of their sonnes, another while they feared the besie­ging of theyr cityes, at another time they called vpon the names of Philip and Alexander theyr kynges, as if they had bene Goddes, for helpe, casting in their myndes, how that vnder them they had not onlye liued in safety, but as conqueroures of the whole worlde. Beseechinge them to defende their countrye, whiche throughe the [...] of their chiualrye they had aduaunced to the [...], and to help them nowe in theyr aduersitye, whome the wilfull rage and rashnesse of Ptolomy, their kyng had wel nie destroy­ed. [...] the [...] All men standinge thus in despaire▪ [...] one of the princes of Macedone, perceiuing it auailed not to trust to praying only, raised a noumber of lusty yong men, and bothe asswaged the courages of the Frenche men then in theyr ruffe for theyr late victorye, and defended Maced [...]ne from wasting and destroying by the enemy.

In recompence of which his valiant dede, wheras in a­ny noble men sued to haue the kingdome of [...], he being no noble man born, was [...] them all. The [...] of [...] And at suche time as his men of warre [...] hym king, he compelled them to swere to him▪ not by the name of king, but by the name of captaine.

In the meane season Brennus captaine of that portion The [...] men inuade [...] ­gayne. of the Frenche menne that bent them selues into Grece­hearinge [Page] of the victorye of his countrye men, whiche had vanquished the Macedones vnder the conducte of Belgi­us, freatynge for anger that so fatte a booty, and so laden with the spoyles of the East was so lightly forgone after they had gotten the vpper hand, raised an hoo [...]t of a hun­dred and fiftye thousande footemen, and fiftene thousand horsemen, and inuaded Macedone again. When Sosthe­nes sawe how they wasted the countrye and the villages, he met them with his ho [...]te of Macedones wel appoynted and in good order of battel. But by reson they were few, and their enemies manye, they halfe discouraged, and the other strong and lustye, they were sone put to the worser. Wherfore while the Macedones being beaten, kept them selues within the walles of their cities, Brennus lyke a conqueror, against whome no man durst shewe hys heade to make resistence, forraged all the fieldes of Macedone. From thence, as thoughe those boties and spoyles semed to base and simple in his eie, he tourned hys mynde to the The malap [...]r te scoffyng of Brennus. temples of the Goddes immortall, malapertlye scoffynge that the Goddes were ryche, and ought to depart liberally to men. Thervppon immediatly he tooke his iourney to­ward Delphos, setting more by the gaine of the gold that had bene offered to the Goddes, then by their displesure, whome he affirmed to haue no neade of richesse, as they that are wont to bestow them vppon men. The temple of Apollo at Delphos, is situate in the mount Parnasus, vp on a cliffe on euerye side fallinge stepe downe. There the The situatiō of the temple of Delphos. confluens of men (whiche vpon trust and confidens in the maiesty of that God resorting thither from diuers places, builded them houses in that rocke) hath made a populous city. And moreouer both the temple and the town are en­closed, not with walles, but with the stepenesse of y ^• rocke neither are they defended with fortifications made by mannes hand, but with fortifications growen by nature. So that there is no man in the world able to say, whether the strength of the place, or the maiesty of the god be more [Page 110] to be wondered at. The middle part of the rocke inwarde is in fashion like a Theatre. By meanes where of when men make anye shoutinge or hallowinge, or when anye trompet is blowen, the sound beateth and reboundeth in suche wise vppon the stones from one to another, that the Echo is hard double and treble, and the noyse resoundeth farre louder and greater then it went forth. The whyche thyng causeth the simple and ignorant folke to stande in more fear, thincking it to be the presence of the godhead, and oftentimes maketh them to stand wonderinge at it, as if they were straught. In this wineding of the rocke, almost midway to the top of the hil, there is a litle playn, The descrip­tion of the place, where the [...] are geuen. and in the same a depe hole into the grounde, whiche ser­ueth to geue Oracles. Out of t [...]e whiche a ce [...]tayne colde breth, driuen vp as it were in a certain winde, ascendyng vpward, stirreth the mindes of the Prophets into a mad­nesse, and so hauing filled them with the spirit of the god, compelleth them to geue answer to suche as come for coū ­sel. In the same place therfore there are to be sene many & riche giftes of kings and peoples, which by their cost and sumptuousnesse, do well declare the thankfulnesse of such as receiued aunswers, in performing of theyr vowes. Wherfore when Brennus came within the view of the temple, he was in doubte with him selfe a greate while, whether he were better to attempt the matter forthwith, or geue his souldiers that nightes respite to rest them and gather theyr strength to them. Euridanus and Thessalo­nus, who for couetousnesse of the pray, had ioyned theym The [...] ­of Eurida­nus and [...] salonus. selues with him, willed to cutte of all delaye, while theyr enemies were vnprouided, and no dout but theyr sodayne approche shoulde be a great terror vnto them. Where as by geuinge theym that nightes respite, theyr ennemyes should perchaunce get both courage and succoure, and the wayes that nowe lay open mighte be stopped vp. But the common souldiers of the frenchmen, when as after longe penury and skarsity, they then found a countrye repleny­shed [Page] with wyne and all other kynde of victualles, beynge as glad and ioyfull of the aboundaunce as of a victorye, they dispersed them selues in the fields, and leuyng theyr standerd ran abrode, making hauocke of all thynges lyke conqueroures, the whiche thinge was a meane that the Delphians had respite to lay for them selues. For at such time as it was firste reported that the Frenchmen were comminge thither, the husband men and men of the country The Oracle before the [...] the [...] were prohibited by the Greke oracles, to conuey their corne and wines out of the villages. The wholsome mea­ning of which commaundement was not vnderstanded, before that the aboundaunce of wine and other victualles being cast as a stop in the frenche mennes waies, the suc­coures of theyr neighboures had leisure to resorte thither together. The Delphians therfore had manned & streng­thened the towne by the helpe of theyr neighboures, or e­uer the french men, (who were as greadye of the wine as of a bootye, coulde be called from the wine fatte to theyr standard. Brenne had three skore and fiue thousande cho­sen footemen of the best in all his hoste, wheras the Del­phians and their aiders were in all but foure thousande fighting men. In disdaine of whiche f [...]al handful, Bren to the entent to sharpen the mindes of his menne, shewed theym all what a riche and plentifull praye they shoulde haue, affirminge that the Images with the chariottes, (where of they might behold greate store a farre of,) were made all of massye golde, wherefore the booty shoulde be better in the hande then it seemed to the eye. The frenche men being by this vouching of their captain, or rather by The frenche men assalte the citie of Delphos. theyr owne beholding stirred vp, and also wounded wyth the wine they had poured in the day before, wythoute res­pecte of any danger, ran [...] to the encounter. On the contrary part the Delphians putting more truste in God then in their owne strength, resisted their ennemies euen with a contempt, and what with stones, and what wyth theyr wepons, threw the frenchmen as they skaled, head­long [Page 111] from the top of the mountaine. While the two par­ties wer thus striuing one with a nother, sodēly the prte­stes note the ilusi on of y ^• [...] of all the temples & the Prophets them selues also, w ^t their heare aboute their eares, with the reliques in theyr hands, and their miters on their heds, like men straught & out of their wits, came running forth & preased into the forefront of the battel, crying oute that God was come a­mong them, and that they had sene him leape down into the temple at the open rofe top. Moreouer while they [...]er all makinge their humble supplications to God forayde, they said they met a yonge man of beauty and personage far excelling anye mortall creature, and in his companye with him. ii. virgins in armor, which came vnto hym out of the. ii. temples of Diane and Minerua therby, y ^• which thing: they not onlye had perfectlye scene with their eyes, but also more ouer had harde the clatteringe of their har­nesse and the sounde of theyr bowes. Wherfore they ear­nestly & hartely besought them, seing the Gods thē selues did gard their standerd, they should not sticke to dispatche their ennemies, and to ioyne them selues as partakers w ^t the Gods of the victory. With which words being great­ly encouraged, they preased forth wh [...] might be formoste in the flight. And there withall they forthwith perceyued The frenche men are put to the [...] and oppressed wyth lyght­ [...] and [...]. that God was presente on their side. For bothe a piece of the mountaine being broken of by a sodaine earthquake, ouerwhelmed the Frenche hoste, and the thi [...]st of theyr enemies not without great slaughter were [...] & put to [...]ight. In the necke wherof there ensued a tempest, w ^t hail, thonder and lightning, consumed as many as were any thing sore wounded. The captaine Brenne himselfe [...]. being not able to abide the smarte of his woundes, toke a [...]word and killed himself. Another of the captaines, when he saw how greuously thautors of the war had ben puni­shed, with x. M. of his retinue departed in post hast out of Grece. But they sped neuer the better for theyr flying a The [...] of the [...] [...] men [...] way. For they were so afraid that they durste neuer lye a night in any house, they passed no day without [...].

[Page]Moreouer continuall raine, frost and snow, hunger and of Grece, and the vtter de­strucryon of them. wearinesse, and thervnto continual watching worse then all the rest, consumed and broughte to nothinge the wret­ched remnaunt of this vnfortunate warre. The people al so and the nations through whiche they trauelled, lycked them vp as they s [...]attered abrode, as a praye. Where by it came to passe, that of that so huge and populous army, which lately before vpon trust of their own strength, dyd despise euen the very gods, there was not so much as one man left, that mighte saye hereafter he had beene at that slaughter and eskaped.

PEace beinge established betwene the Here folow­eth the storye [...] in the beginning of the laste booke. ii. kinges Antigonus and Antiochus, assone as Antigonus retourned into Macedone, sodenly there arose a new enemy against him. For the French men whome Brenne at his settynge forth into Grece, had left at home for the defence of his country, to thentēt The French men inuade Macedone the thyrd [...] tyme. they onlye woulde not seeme to sytte at home lyke cowar­des, armed fiftene thousand foote men, and thre thousand horse men, and hauing chased the hostes of the Getes and Tribols, when they approched nere vnto Macedone, sent ambassadors to the king, partly to offer him peaceto sale, and partly to view the order and demeanor of his [...]ampe. Whom Antigonus like a royall prince, inuited the same night to a sumptuous banket. But the frenchmen won­dering at the great plenty of plate, bothe of golde and sil­uer that was set before theym, and there wythall beynge entised with the richnesse of the pray, returned more hys ennemies then they came to him.

[Page 103]Furthermore the king to [...] to put them in feare, as at the sight of so vgly shapes wher with the barbareus people wer not acquainted, cōmaunded his men to shew them his elephants, and his ships laden with [...]tuall and artillery, not knowing that they, whome by [...] & setting forth his power & richesse he wold haue discoura­ged, were therby the rather encouraged as [...] a [...]. The ambassadours therfore when they came agayne to their company, did set out all things to the vttermoste, & made more of them then they were in dede. Declarynge both the kings richesse and his negligence, how his camp was stuffed with gold & si [...]uer, and n [...]ther for [...] with diche nor trenche and that euen as thoug [...] their [...] wer a sufficient defice for them, they kept nether watch nor ward▪ nor anye other warlike order, as if they had no nede at all of help of the sword, because they wallowedin gold. This report was inough to stir vp the minds of the couet [...]s frenchmen to the pray. Besides that, they toke example [...] Belgius, who not long time before, had [...] the host of Macedone and the kinge also. Therfore wyth Antigonus po licy to [...] himselfe and hys. one assent they assailed the kings camp in the night: who foreseing the greate mischiefe that was like to ensue, had geuen his men warning the day before, to conuey awaye all their stuffe, and to aide them couertly in the wode by. For there was none other meane for them to saue theyr campe, but only by forsaking it. The frenchmen [...]ineding all thinges void, and not only without defenders, but also without kepers, mistrusting that they were not fled, but rather withdrawen, or that they kepte them selues close for some policy, durst not a good while enter [...] at y ^• gates At the laste leauinge all the fortifications whole and vn­touched, they entered the campe rather searchinge then A slaught [...] of the french men. riffling. And hauing taken suche as they founde, turned them selues to the sea side. There as they [...] [...] ­sedly riffeling of the shippes▪ the watermen and parte of the army that were fled thither with [...] wiu [...]s & chyl­dren, [Page] [...]odainly fel vpon them and flue them or they feared any suche matter. And there was made suche a slaughter of the Frenchmen, that the fame of this victorye purcha­sed Antigonus peace, not only of the Frenchmen, but al­so of the fierce and sauage people that bordered on hys kingdome. How be it the frenche men multiplied so sore at that time, that they spread ouer Asia, as it had beene a swarme of Bees. In so muche that the kinges of the East The greate encreaseof the frenchmen, and theyr re­douted prow [...]. made not any warres, but they hired the French men to serue them, nor if they were put from their kyngdomes, they resorted not to anye other then the frenche men for helpe. So sore was the name of the frenche men redoub­ted, or rather they had continuallye so prosperous successe in theyr warres, that the kyngs thought them selues not able to maintain their estate, or to recouer it beinge ones lost, without the prowesse and aid of the French men.

Therfore being called to the helpe of the kinge of Bythi­nia, The original of the French grekes in A­sia the lesse. after the time they had gotten the victorye, they par­ted his kingdome with him, and named the [...] french greke. While these thinges were a doinge in Asia, in the meane season beinge vanquished in Sicill by the Cartha­ginenses Loke the xxiii. boke. in a battel on the sea, sente his ambassadoures to Antigonus kinge of Macedone for a freshe crewe of soul­dioures, sending him worde, that if he sent them not, hee should be constrained to retire into his kingdome, and to seeke to make that conquest vpon him, whiche he was a­bout to make vppon the Romaines. Whan hys ambassa­doures brought him word he shuld none haue, he fained an excuse and sodenly departed from thence. Wylling his confederates to lay for the warres in the meane season, & he betoke the keping of the castle of Tarent to his sonne Hele [...] and his frend Milo. Assone as he was returned in­to Pyr [...]hus con quereth Ma­ [...]. Epyre, forth with he [...] the borders of Macedone with whome Antigonus met with an hoaste of men, and being put to the worse was faine to [...]. And so all Mace­done yelded vnto Pyrrhus.

[Page 110]Whervpon as if he had recōpensed the los of Sicil & Ita­ly with the gain of Macedon, he sent for his sonne Heleu & his frēd Milo, that he had left at Tarent. Antigonus wh [...] was fled with a few of his horsmen, being sodenly bereft of al thornaments of fortune, to thentent to marke what wold become of his kingdom y ^• he had lost, conueyed him­selfe into the city Thessalonica, that if occasion serued, he might hire the french souldiers, and renue the war from thence. But being vtterly vanquished again by Ptolomy [...] is [...] again. the son of king Pyrrhus, & eskaping with no mo, but only vii. of his retinue, he neuer hoped to recouer his kyngdō, but sought caues and wildernesses where to saue his life. Pyrrhus therfore being enstalled in the siege royall of so great a kingdome, & not content to haue attained to that that he could scarsly haue wished for, begā to practise how to win thempire of Grece and Asia. Neither toke he any more plesure of his Empire, then of his warres, neyther The doinge [...] of Pyrrhus. was ther any manable to withstand the force of Pyrrhus whō he once assailed. But as he had no pier in cōquering of kingdoms, so did he as lightly for go them when he had ones won them & gotten them. So much did he more stu­dy & endeuor to win kingdoms, then to kepe them. Ther fore when he had transported his army ouer from Cher­sonesus, ther receiued him thambassadors of th Athenies, the Acheans, and the Messenians: Yea and al the Grekes (for the renoun of his name, & for that they wer astonied at his noble dedes against the Romains & Carthaginēses) awaited his comming there. The first war y ^• he had, was with the Lacedemonians, where he was receiued wyth greater valiantnesse of the women, then of the mē. Ther he lost his son Ptolomy, & the strongest part [...]f all his ar­my. For when he assaulted the town, such a sort of womē came running to the defence of the citye, that he was not more valiantly vāquished, thē shamefully driuē to retire. Furthermore his son Ptolomy is reported to haue bene so couragious, and so stout a man of his hands, that wyth [Page] lx. men he toke the city Corcyra by force. And also in a ba­tel vpon the sea, out of a cock bote he lepte with. vii. of hys men into a gally and won it. And last of all in thassault of Sparta, he brake with his horse into the mids of the city, & ther was ouerpressed with the number of his enemies and slain. Whose body when it was brought to his father Pyrrhus, it is reported he should saye that he was slayne somwhat later then he loked for, or then his owne folishe hardinesse deserued. Pyrrhus when he had taken the re­pulse at Sparta, went to Argos. Ther whiles he endeu [...] red to get Antigonus into his hands, whom he had besie­ged in the city, as he fought moost valiantlye among the thickest, he was slain with a stone throwen from the wal. His hed was cut of and brought to Antigonus, who vsing the victory gentilly, sent home his sonne Helen with hys Epyrotes which wer yelded vnt ohim, into his kingdom without raunsome, and deliuered him his fathers body y ^• lay vnburied, to cary home with him into his country. It is a constant report amongste all authors, that there was not any kinge, either in those daies or in the latter tymes before, worthy to be compared vnto Pyrrhus, and that it was a hard matter to finde any, not only among kynges, but also among other famous men, either of more holy li­uing, or of more tried & approued iustice, and as for know ledge in cheualry and feates of armes, there was so much in him, that wheras he had continuall warres with Lyst­machus, Demetrius, and Antigonus kinges of so greats power and puissaunce, yet was he neuer ouercome by a­ny of thē, neither was he euer brought to so low an ebbe, but that he was able to matche the Illyrians, Sicilians, Romaines and Carthaginenses at all times, yea and som times to get the vpper hand of them. By meanes where­of throughe the fame of his noble actes, and the renown [...] of his name, he made his country famous and renoumed ouer all the worlde, beinge of it self before his time bothe small and of no reputation▪

AFter the death of Pyrrhus, there arose very great and troublesome warres, not onlye in Macedone, but also in Asia and Grece. For the Peloponnesians being betrai­ed vnto Antigonus, and according as men wer either striken in fear, or els prouoked to gladnesse, lyke as euery city hoped for succour at Pyrrhus hande, or stode in dreade of him, euen in like case either they entered in leage with Antigonus, or els vppon malice and hatred, fell together by the eares amonge them selues. In the time that the The [...] raygne of [...]he tirant [...]. prouinces were in this turmoyle, Arystotimus a noble man of the realme, toke perforce the chiefe citye of the E­pyrotes, and made himself king, who after that he hadde put many of the head menne to deathe, and driuen [...] of them into exile, when as the Aetolians required by their ambassadors, that he should restore vnto the banished mē their wiues and children, at the fyrst he denied to doo it. Afterward as thoughe he had repented him, he gaue all the Ladies and gentlewomen leaue to goo to theyr hus­bandes, and appoynted a day when they shuld take theyr iourny. The Ladies as they that thought to liue all their liues in exile with theyr husbands, toke al the preciousest iewels and best thinges that they had with theym. But assone as they were all come to the gate, of purpose to go in one company together, he spoyled them of all that euer they had, slue the litle children in their mothers bosomes threw the mothers them selues into prison, and rauyshed the maidens. All menne beinge amased at this hys cruell [Page] [...], a noble manne of the realme named Helemate, being an old man and without childre, as one that in res­pect The prudent deuise of He­lemat in sup­pressyng the Tyrant. of his yeres, & in that he was childlesse was voyde of al fear, called home to his house certain of his most trusty frends, & exhorted them to the deliuerance of their coun­try from bondage. When he perceiued how they stoke to put them selues in daunger for the sauegard of the whole realme, and that they demaunded leisure to take aduyse­ment in the matter, he called his seruaunts to him, com­maunding them to lock in the dores, and to bear word to the Tirant, that he shuld send immediatly to his house to apprehend traitors that had cōspired against him, threat­ning vnto each of them, that seing he could not be the au­thor of deliueraunce of his country, he wold at least wise finde the meanes to be reuenged vppon them for wyth­drawing their helpe from it. Then they being circum [...] ­ted with the doutful danger, chu [...]ing the hone [...]er way of both, sware the death of the Tyrant, and so Aristotimus was dispatched the fifth moneth after he had vsurped the The poli [...]yke celerity of An tigonus in suppressyng his enemyes. kingdome. In the meane season Antigonus beinge wrap­ped in many warres at ones, bothe of king Ptolomy, and the Spartanes, besides the hoste of the Frenche grekes, which newly became his enemies, left a few souldioures in his campe for a shew against the other two, and went himself with his whole power against the Frenche men. The French men hearinge therof, made them selues re­dy to the battel, and slue sacrifice for thobtaining of good successe in that encounter. By the inwardes of the which beastes, perceiuing that there was toward them a great slaughter, and the vtter destruction of them all, they wer there vpon turned not into feare, but into madnesse. For in hope to pacify the wrath of the Gods, by the bloudshed The furious cruelty of the frenthmen towardes theyr owne wiues and children. of theyr owne people, they killed their wiues and chyl­dren beginning to perfourme through their own slaugh­ter, the euill lucke that was manased them by y ^e warres. So extreme a madnesse was entred into their cruell har­tes, [Page 113] that they spared not the yonge children whome euen the enemy would haue spared, but that they made dead­ly and mortall warre with their childrē, and the mothers of them, in defence of whome menne are wonte to make warres. Therfore as though they had by their vnspeake­able wickednesse, purchased them selues bothe lyfe and victory, bloudy as they were after the freshe slaughter of theyr wiues and children, they proceded into battel with as good successe as foretoken.

For as they were fighting, the remorse of their owne consciences for their vnspeakable slaughter, (the ghostes of thē that they had murdered wauing before theyr [...]ies,) The [...] slaughter of the [...] first and formost discouraged them ere they were oppres­sed by the enemy, and so they were [...]aine euery mothers chiid. There was made so great a slaughter, that it shuld seme the Goddes had conspired with menne, to the vtt [...]r destruction of those murderers. After the good and for­tunate chaunce of this battell, Ptolomy and the Sparta­nes eschuing the victorious army of their ennemy Anti­gonus, retired into places of saue garde and defence, Anti­gonus when he saw they were retired, while his mē wer yet freshe and couragious by reason of their late victory, made warre to the A [...]heniens. Nowe whiles he was oc­cupied in the same, in the meane time Alexander kyng of The [...] ful [...] of fortune. Epire, coueting to reuenge the death of hys father kinge Pyrrhus, inuaded the borders of Macedone. Againste whome when Antigonus was retourned oute of Grece, all his souldioures reuolted from him, and so he lost both the kingdome of Ma [...]done and his army. His sonne De­metrius being a verye childe, leuyinge a power in the ab­sence of his father, not only recouered Macedone that his father had lost, but also berest Alexander of his kingdom of Epire. So great was either the vnstedfastnesse of the souldiours, or elsse the [...] of fortune, that kin­ges by course euen now banished men, and anene kinges againe.

[Page]Alexander therfore beinge fled to the arcadians, was as wel by the fauor of the Epyrotes, as by the healpe of hys Read more of the stories of Epyre in the. xxviii. booke. confederates, restored into his kingdome againe. Aboute the same time deceased agas kyng of Cyrene, who before his last infirmity, to the entent to cease and end all stryfe with his brother Ptolomy, betrouthed his only daughter Beronice to his sonne. But after the deathe of kinge Ar­gas. Arsinoe the mother of the maid, to thentent to breke A gas kyng of [...]yrene. the mariage that was contracted against her wil, sent for Demetrius the brother of king Antigonus out of Mace­done, to take vpon him the mariage of the maide and the kingdome of Cyrene, who also was begotten of one of Ptolomies daughters. And Demetrius made no tary­aunce. Therfore when as through prosperous wynde, he was spedely arriued at Cyrene, vpon trust of his beauty, through which he began to like his mother in law to wel by and by after his comming, he bare himself very proud ly and outragiously in the courte, and against the men of warre, and he cast his desyre of pleasing from the daugh­ter to the mother. The which thing being espted was ill taken, first of the maid and also of the commō people and of the greate noumber of the souldioures. Wher vpon all mennes mindes were tourned to the sonne of Ptolo­my, and the deathe of Demetrius was conspired. For as he was in bed with his mother in lawe, men were sent in to kil him. But Arsinoe (when she hard the voyce of her [...]uoutry re [...]enged. daughter standing at the chamber dore, and geuinge thē charge to spare her mother, couered and defended her peramour a while with her own body. Neuerthelesse he was slaine, and so Beronice with safetye of her naturall loue and duty, did bothe reuenge the dishonourable aduoutry committed with her mother, and al­so followed the determination of her fa­ther, in taking of her husband.

AFter the decese of Antiochus king [...]. of Syria, his sonne Seleucus suc­ceding in his roume, (by the in [...]i­gation of his mother Laodice whi che ought to haue with helde hym from doing any suche thinge,) be­gan his raigne with murder. For he put to death his mother in law Beronice the sister of Ptolomye king of Egipt, with his little brother begotten vpon her. By doing of the which wickednesse, he both brought him selfe in a foule slaunder and infamye, and also entangled himself in the warres of Ptolomye. Furthermore when [...] is [...], [...] by [...] a [...]d put to death. Beronice vnderstode that men were sente to kill her, she kept herself close in a pleasaunt manor of her fathers cal­led Daphn [...]. When the cities of Asia harde that she & her litle sonne were there besieged, in remembraunce of the dignity of her father and of her ancestors, and for pitye to se her so vnworthely intreated, they sent aid vnto her. Her brother Ptolomy also being stirred with the pearil of his sister, left his owne kingdome and came in all haste to her reskue, withall the power he was able to make. But Beronice before her rescowes came at her, where as she could not be taken by force, was surprised by pollicye and put to death. It semed a cruel and horrible act to all men. Wherfore when al the cities that made iniurrectyon had The [...] from [...]. made a great nauy, sodainly beinge put in greate feare at the contemplation of his excessiue cruelty, and to reuenge the deathe of her whome they purposed to haue defended, they yelded them selues to Ptolo [...]y. Who doutlesse sub­dued all the kingdome of [...], if he had not ben dri­uen to retire home to suppresse an insurrection in Egypt. [Page] So great hatred did that wicked and abhominable mur­dering of his owne brother purchase the one party, & the vnworthy death of his s [...]ster so cruelly killed, purchase fa­uor to thother party. After the departure of Ptolomy, Se­leucus hauing gathered together a great flete against the cities that had reuolted, so [...]enly (as it were by the venge­ans of the Gods for his horrible murder) by meanes of a gr [...]at tempest, loste all his flete by [...]. And of all The fortu­na [...]e mischās of Seleucus. that great furniture for the warres, fortune lefte him not any thing at all, more then his naked bodye and his life, and a few companions eskapinge with him from shippe­wracke. It was surelye a miserable case, but yet suche a one as Seleucus coulde not haue wished the lyke for hys owne behofe. For the cities which for hatred y ^• they bare towards him had reuolted vnto Ptolomy, as though they had bene satisfied with the punishmente that the Goddes as indifferent iudges had laid vppon him, throughe a so­dain mutation of▪ theyr mindes, being moued to pity him by reason of his shipwracke, submitted them selues vnder his dominion again Where vpon [...] eioysinge in his hap­py aduersity, and beinge made richer by his losses, as one now able to match him in power and strengthe, he made warre against Ptolomy. But as if he had beene borne for [...] is vanquished by [...] kynge of E­gypt. none other purpose, but for fortune to make her laughing stocke of him, or as if he had recouered so great welth and power of the kingdome, for none other entent then to lose them again, he was vanquished in battel, and eskapynge from the fielde, not muche better accompanied then after his shipwrack, fearfully conueyed himself into antioche. From thēce he directed letters to his brother Antiochus. wherin he besought him of his help, offeringe him in re­eompence of his pains, all Asia that [...] wythin the pre­cinct of the mountaine Taurus. Antiochus beinge of the age of. xiiii. yeres, but yet couetous of d [...]minion aboue his The wicked and ambiti­ous [...]urde of Antiochus. yeres, toke thoccasion ere it came to the ground, not with so frendly hart as it was offered. For the boye couetynge [Page 115] like a theefe to berene his brother of all his whole kynge­dome, was as bolde and hardy in executinge his w [...]cked­nesse, as if he h [...]d bene a man. Wh [...]vpon he was [...] na­med [...], because he spente his life in takinge oth [...]r mennes goodes away wrongfully, not after the manner of a man, but after the manner of a Gosse [...]auke. In the [...]. meane time Ptolomye hearinge that Antiochus came to reskew Seleucus, to [...] he [...] not h [...]ue warre with two at once, toke a truce [...]. r. yeres. But the peace that was geuen by his enemy, was brokē by his brother. [...]ho hiring an hoste of the french souldi­oures, in stead of helpe vrought warre and in steade of a [...] and [...] brother [...]. brother, shewed himself an ennemy. [...]n th [...]t battel throu­ghe the puissaunce of the french men▪ Antiochus gate the vpper hand. But the frenchmen supposing tha [...] Seleucus ha [...] beene slaine in the bat [...]ell tourned theyr weapons a­gainste [...] himselfe, thincking to waste the coun­try of Asia the more frely wythout feare or checke, if they mighte vtterlye destroye the bloude royall. whiche thinge when Antiochus ones perceiued, hee was faine to raun­some himselfe for monye, as if it had bene from r [...]bbers, and entered in league of society with his hired souldiers. In the meane season Emnenes king of Bythi [...]a, percei­u [...]ng [...] vanquished by Emne [...]s kinge of By­thi [...]a. the brothers to be consumed and dispersed throughe intestiue [...]cord among them selu [...]s, intending to inuade t [...]e wanderinge possession [...]f [...], assailed the conqueror antiochus and his frenchmen, and by reson that they wer yet sore and wearye of theyr late conflicte, and his menne Asia the [...] mon pray [...] [...] kynges. stronge and lusty, he easely put them to the worse. For at that tyme all the warres thatwere made, tended euer to the destruction of asia, euerye manne that coulde make him self strongest, [...] vpon asia as his pray.

The. ii. brothers eleurus and antiochus made warre for asia. Ptolomye kinge of Egipte, vnder pretence of re­uengynge his sisters deathe, gaped for asia. On the one sode Emnenes kynge of Bythinia, and on the other syde the french menne the common hire lynges, wasted asia, [Page] but among so many robbers, there was none to be found that would once set in his fote to defende Asia. After that Antiochus was vanquished, and that Emnenes had sey­sed into his handes the mooste parte of Asia, the brothers could not yet agree, for all y ^• the pray was loste, for which they striued so sore, but leauynge the forain ennemy, they renued the warre one to destroye another. In the whyche Antiochus being againe vanquished, and wearyed wyth Antiochus is ouercome of Se [...]cus. flying many dayes together, at length came to his father in lawe Artamenes kinge of Cappadocia. Of whome at the fyr [...]e he was gently entertained. But within a fewe dayes after, vnderstanding that he went about to entrap him, for the sauegarde of his life, he fledde agayne from thence. Therfore when he saw he could not rest in safetye in no place, he was fayne to resort for succoure to hys en­nemy Ptolomy, whose faith he thoughte to be more sted­fast then his brothers, considering eyther what [...]e would [...]aue done to his brother, or what he had deserued at hys brothers hand. But Ptolomye by this his yealdynge and submission, made not so much his frend as his ennemye, commaunded him to be kept in straighte prisonne. From thence also antiochus eskaped by the healpe of a certayne [...] is slayne by theues. harlot, with whome he had had familiare companye, but hauing eskaped from his kepers, as he fled, theues mette him and killed him Seleucus wel nie about the same in­stant, hauing lost his kingdom, fell of his horse and brake [...] hys [...]. hys necke. So bothe the brothers, as it were by lyke miffortune, like outlawes, after the losse of their kingdomes, suffered due punyshe­ments for theyr vngratious doinges.

OLympias the daughter of Pyrrhꝰ [...] history of [...] [...] the [...] ▪ [...]. king of the Epyrotes, hauing lost her husband alexāder, which was also her owen brother, when she had taken vpon her the bringyng vp and keepinge of Pyrrhus and Ptolomy the sonnes whom he had begotten by her, and the gouerne­ment of the realme: she was com­pelled by the aetolians, (whiche went aboute to take per­force from her, a part of acaruania, whiche she being mo­ther and protector of the children, had receiued to helpe to maintaine the warres withall,) to resorte for succoure to He was the soune of [...] [...] ­pussed by [...]. Demetrius kinge of Macedone, and vnto him hauynge a wife all readye the sister of antie chus kinge of Syria, she gaue her daughter Phithia in mariage, to the entent she might get the help at his hand by right of affinity, which she could not get for pity and compassion. The marryage therfore was solempnised, wherby the newe wedded wife fel in great fauor, and the old wife in displeasure. For the fyrst wife as thoughe she had beene deuorced of her owne accord, departed to her brother antiochus, and prouoked him to war vpon her husband. The acarnanians also di­strusting the Epyrotes and thervpon [...]equiring healpe of the Romaines, obtained of the Senate of Rome, that ambassadours were sent to commaund the aetolians to withdraw their garrisons from the cities of acarnania, and to suffer them to liue [...]ree out of bondage, whiche all only in old time sent no help to the Grekes against the Troianes thautors of their beginning. But the Aetolians hard the ambassade of the Romaines proudly and disdainfully.

[Page]Casting them in the tethe with the Carthaginenses & the frenchmen, by whom they had ben so aff [...]cted in so many The good an swer of the Ae [...]yans to the ambassa­doures of Rome. battels & so oftentimes vtterly slain, saying it was me [...]e for thē first to open their gates against the [...]thaginen­ses which they had shut vp for fear of y ^• warr [...]s of affrick, ere they toke vpon them to make warres in Grece. More­ouer they bad them remember whome they manased, for they were not able to defend their owne city agaynste [...]he frenchmen, but y ^• when it was taken, t [...]ey were fayne to redeme it with mony▪ & not recouer it by the sworde. The which nation entring into Grece with a nother maner of host, they them [...] had not only without the aid of any other forain power, but also not so much as helped wyth their own houses, vtterly destroyed, & made their realm a place for their bur [...] which they had determined to make the [...]eat and key of their kingdome. Wheras on the con­trary part Italye (the Ro [...]es yet still tremblynge for fear of the la [...]e burning of their city) was wel [...] whollye subdued by the frenchmen. Wherfore it was [...] [...]or thē first to driue the frenchmen out of Italye, ere they presu­med to manase the aetolians, and first to defēd their own, ere they toke in hand to defend other mennes. And what maner of men were the Romains? in good faith no better but a sort of ragged shepherdes, y ^• rongfully held a piece of ground taken from the right owners by robery, which being not able to get thē wiues for the dishonesty of theyr beginning, were fain to rauish them by open force, and to be short which bui [...]ded their city with moste cruel and vn­naturall [...], and bestained the foundations of the [...]r walles with brothers bloud. But the Aetolians wer euer the princes of Grece, and [...] as they passed all [...] in estate and worthinesse, so they excelled them in [...]owesse and actiuity, and they wer the men alone which had euer despised the Macedones florishinge in thempire of all the whole world, which feared not king Philip, which disdai­ned to obey the lawes of alexander the great, after he had subdued the Persians and Indians, when all other men [Page 117] dyd moost fear and dread his name. Wherfore they coun­selled the Romaines to holde [...] wyth theyr present estate and not to pro [...]ke these weapons a­gaynst them, through which they sawe bo [...]he the frenche men slayne, and also the Macedones despised. When they The A [...]ly▪ ans inuade Acar [...]. they had in this wise dismissed the Romain ambassadors, to the entent they woulde not seeme to haue talcked more boldly then they woulde doo in dede: they forrayed all the borders of the kingdome of Acaruania. By this tyme had Olympias deliuered the kingdome to her sonnes, and in stead of his brother Pyrrhus deceased, Ptolomy succe [...]ed in the whole kingdome. Who geynge wyth an [...]ooste of The [...] cay of the [...]loud royall in Epyre. men well furnyshed againste his ennemies, as by the waye taken with a disease and died. Olympias also ere it was longe time after, beinge wounded with sorowe for the death of her two sonnes, skarse able to draw her pain­full breathe, liued a small while after her children. There remayned of the bloude royall no moo but [...]nlye a younge mayde called Nereis and her sister Laodamia. Nereis was maryed vnto Gelo sonne of the kinge of Si­cil. And Laodamia flying for her sauegard to the aultare The [...] ­aunce of God for [...] murd [...]. of Diana, was there by the concourse of the people sla [...]. The whiche offence the Goddes immortal reuenged and punished with continuall slaughters of that natyon, and well neare wy [...]h the vtter d [...]structyon of all the whole realme.

For first and formost being punished with dearth and hunger, and beinge [...] with ciuill discorde, laste of all they were in manner quite consu [...]ed by the warres of foraine nations, and Milo who killed Laodamia fallyng oute of his wittes, so mangled his bodye sometyme wyth yron, sometime with stones, and in fine so rente and tare hys owne bowels with his teethe, that wythin. xii. daies he died moost miserably. While these thinges were a do­inge in Epyre, Demetrius dyed in Macedone, leauynge a lyttle sonne called Phillip to be hys heir. Ouer whome [Page] Antigonus beinge made protector, tooke the chyldes mo­ther to his wife, and went about to make himself kynge. The pollicy of Antigonus in retaynyng the kyngdom of Macedone. Within a while after, when as the Macedones makynge insurrection against him, threatninge to kill him, had be­sieged him in his own palace, he came forth to them with out any gard, & casting among them his crowne and hys purple robe of estate, bade them bestow those thinges vp­on some other person, which ether knew how to rule thē, or to whome they coulde finde in theyr hartes to obey: for as for him he had not hitherto (during the time he had the gouernment of that odious kingdome), felt or tasted of a­ny plesures, but of labor, of trauel, of perill and of leoper­dy. Then he rehersed what he had done for them, how he had punished suche of their confederates as had reuolted, how he had asswaged the courage of the Dardanians and Thessalians triumphing at the death of Demetrius; and finally how he had not only maintained, but also augmē ­ted thestate of thempire of Macedone. Of the which thin­ges if so be it they repented them, he was contente to de­pose himself, and to surrender his office into their hands, and let them seke them a king whom they mighte rule as they liste them selues. When the people beinge strycken with shame, willed him to take his kingdome vppon hym again, he refused it vtterly, so long, vntill the authours of the rebellion were yelded vnto him to punish them at hys pleasure. After this he made war agaynst the Spartanes which all only despised the warres of Philip and Alexan­der, and the Empire of the Macedones, with the knyght­hode and chiualry so sore redoubted ouer all the worlde. Warre be­twene the Spartanes and the Ma­cedones. The warre was prepared for withall the furniture and power that could be made on bothe partes, betwene these two noble and famous nations. The one fighting for the auncient renowne of Macedone, the other not only for the maintenaunce of their vntouched liberty neuer before vn lated, but also for theyr common sauegarde. The Lacede­monians being vāquished, not only they them selues, but also their wiues and children, toke their misfortune with very stout courage.

[Page 119]For there was not any man that spared his life in the battel, there was not any woman that wept for the losse of her husband. The olde men commended the deathe of theyr sonnes, and the sonnes reioysed that theyr fathers were slaine in the fielde. Euery man lamented hys owne chaunce, that they had not died for the libertye of theyr countrye. The fathers and mothers receyued into theyr houses all suche as were wounded, healed suche as were wounded, healed suche as were hurte, and recomforted suche as were stricken downe. And in all thys busynesse there was not in the city any outcry, or any wringyng of handes, there was not any trembling for feare, euery mā bewailed more the common misfortune, then hys owne priuate case. While these thinges were in doinge, Cleo­menes theyr king after he had made a great slaughter of The couragy ousnesse of [...] kyng of the Lacedemoni­ans. his enemies, being all on a gore bloude, as well with hys owne woundes, as with the bloud of his enemyes, came among them, and [...]hen he was entered the citye, he sate not downe to rest him, he called not for meat nor drinke, no nor ones put of his harnesse, but leaninge hys backe to a wall, when he saw there remained no mo but only iiii. thousand of his men from the battel, he exhorted them to reserue themselues to some other time, when thei might be able to doo theyr countrye better seruice. And then with his wife and children. He went his way into Egipt to king Ptolomy, of whome he was honorably entertai­ned, and liued a long time in great fauor and estimatyon with him like a king. But at the last after the decease of Ptolomy, he and all his houshold were slain by his sonne. Antigonus hauing made so greate a slaughter of the La­cedemonians, toke pity of the misfortune of so worthye a The [...] of Antigonus hauing got [...] the victory. city, and therfore would not suffer his souldiours to sacke it, but pardoned all that remained aliue, prot [...]stynge that he made the warre against Cleomenes, and not agaynst the Lacedemonians, whome for as muche as he had dys­comfited and put to flight, all his wrathe was at an ende. [Page] wherfore he thought it should stand more with his honor to saue their city, then to destroy it. Nowe seing there re­mained no mento shew his mercy vpon, he said he wold shew it vpon the soyle of the Citye, and vpon the houses. It was not longe after but that Antigonus dyed, and left The sonne of Demetrius. his kingdome to Phillip a childe of. xiiii. yeres of age.

ABout the very same season, there An alteratiō of kingdomes by the successi on of younge kynges. happened an alteration almost in all the kingdomes of the worlde, by the successyon of yong kynges. For in Macedone Philippe, after the decease of his protector Anti­gonus, who also was his father in law, toke the kingdome vpon him being but. xiiii. yeres olde. In Asia Seleucus being slaine, Antiochus as yet vnder the age of. xiiii. yeares was made kynge.

The kingdome of Cappadocia was surrendred by his fa­ther to Ariarathes beinge a verye childe. Ptolomy who for the wickednesse of his offence was in derision surna­med Philopater, slue his father and mother, and vsurped the kingdome of Egipt. But the Lacedemonians in stead of Cleomenes subrogated Lycurgus. And for because there shoulde be store of alterations in those times, Han­nibal being as yet skarse manne growen, was made cap­taine of Carthage, not because there was skarsity of men of more yeres and experience, but for the natural hatred that was knowen to be rooted in him againste the Ro­maines euen from his verye childhode, born to the vtter destruction, not so muche of the Romaines as of his own countrye of affricke. Nowe allbeit theese children kinges, [Page 119] had no auncient and graue protectors appoynted to haue the [...] of them, [...]et notwithstanding euery one of them so ententiuely pursued the steps of their aunce­stors, that there was great likelihode of prowesse and ac­tiuity in them. Only Brolomy as he was wicked in vsur­ping the kingdome, so was he also [...]outhful and negliget in gouerninge of the same. The Dardanians & other peo­ple that were borderers, who [...]are as it were an immor­tal hatred to the kinges of [...], disdaining Phillip by reason he was so yong, troubled him continuallye. On the contrary part, Phillip when he had put his enemyes to flight, being not content to haue defeded his own, pur­posed to make war against the aetolians. As he was ima­gining and deuisinge howe to enterprise the matter, De­metrius king of Iliyria being lately vanquished by Paul The occas [...]on of the wars betwene the Rom [...]es and the Ma­cedones. c [...]nsul of Rome, came to him as an humble suter, making complaint of the wrong that the Romaines had done vn­to him, who being not content to kepe them sclues with­in the boundes of Italy, (but of a wicked desire coueting thempire of the whole world,) made war withal kinges. Alledging that for the like couetousnesse of the Empyre of Sicil, of Sardinia, of Spain and consequently of all af­fricke, they had entered into war with Hannibal and the Carthaginenses: and that they had made war vpon hym also for none other occasion, but only y ^• he was next neigh bor vnto Italy, as though it were not lawful for any king to dwell neare the borders of their Empire. Wherfore it was good for antiochus to take ensample how to beware by other men, whose kingdome the nobler and nearer it was to the Romaines, so muche should he finde them his fiercer enemies. Moreouer he professed, that he was con­tented to surrender his right and title to him of the king dome whiche the Romaines hadde by force taken from him Saying it should lesse greue him, and that he coulde better finde in his hart to se his neighbour and his frend, rather then his enemy enioy the possession of his kingdō, [Page] With this and suche other like talke he perswaded Phil­lip to leaue the aetolians, and to tourne the brunte of the warre against the Romaines, so much the rather, because he thought they shoulde be the lesse able to resist him, by reason (as he hard say) they had lately before bene vanqui shed by Hannibal at the lake of Thrasymenus. Therfore Philip per­swadeth the Grekes to peace and tranquilitye. because he would not be charged with manye warres at ones, he made peace with the aetolians, not as that they shoulde thincke he did it, to the entent to make warre in another place, but as thoughe it had bene for some great regard that he had of the quietnesse of all Grece, y ^e which he affirmed was neuer in the like pearill and ieoperdye, by meanes of the newe Empires of the Romaynes and Carthaginenses latelye risen vp in the west, whyche had none other let or stop to kepe them out of Grece and A­sia, but only this, while they were trying by the sworde; which of them should beare the soueraintye. For whiche party so euer gate the vpper hand, the same would imme diatlye vpon the victorye passe directly into the East.

Therfore he saw suche a cloude of cruel and bloudye war rising out of Italy, he saw suche a roring and thundering storme comming out of the west, that into what parte of the world so euer the violent force of the victorye shoulde driue the tempest therof, it was like to washe all thinges with a terrible and bloudy shour. He said that Grece had oftentimes before suffered great trouble by the war [...]es, somtime of the Persians, sometime of the frenchmen, and sometime of the Macedones: but they shoulde fynde that all that euer is paste was but a sporte. If those armyes which now were fighting in Italye, shoulde once spreade them selues into Grece. For he sawe well inoughe, howe cruell and bloudy bothe with puissaunce of hostes and po­licye of captaines, those two peoples made warre one a­gainst another. The whiche rage certainly coulde not be ended, in the only destruction of one of the partyes, wyth out the ruine and decay of suche as were next neighbors. [Page 120] Wherefore Grece had more cause a greate deale to be a­fraid of the cruelty of whether party so euer gate the vp­per hand, then Macedone, both because Macedone is fur­ther of from them, and of more strength to defend it self. And yet he knew for a certaintye that those that encoun­tered now with so great puissaunce, would not be conten ted to end their conquest so, but that he himself shuld haue cause to sear, least he be driuen to haue to doo with them that should get the vpper hand. Hauinge vnder this pre­tence broke vp his [...]age against the Aetolians, minding nothing saue the warres of the Carthag [...]enses and Ro­maines, he waied with himself the power and abilities of them bothe. Neither were the Romaines, (all be it the Carthaginenses and Hannibal were then in manner rea dy to light vpon their necke,) voyde of feare of warre out of Macedone also. For they stode in dreade of it, bothe for the auncient prowesse and actiuitye of the Macedones, & for renowne of their conquestes in the East, and also for Philip himselfe, who was enflamed with an earnest de­syre, to become equall to Alexander in knighthoode and cheualry, and whome they knew to be forwarde and ac­tiue in feates of armes. Phillip therfore when he vnder­stode that the Carthaginenses hadde vanquished the Ro­maines again, sent his open defiaunce vnto them, and be­gan Philip [...] defianc [...] to the Ro­maines. to builde a fleete wherin to transport his armye into Italy. Furthermore he sent an ambassador with letters to Hanniball, to conclude a league and society with him. Who being taken by the way and brought before the se­nate, was sent away withoute anye harme or displeasure done vnto him, not for any good wil they bare to the king his master, but to thentent that of a suspected frende they would not make him an open ennemye. But afterwarde when it was reported that Philip was transporting hys armye into Italye, they sent the Pretor Leuinus wyth a nauye wel decked and furnished, to stoppe him of his pas­sage. Who after he was arriued in Grece, with hys faire [Page] and large promises, compelled the Aetolians to take war in hand against Phillip. And on the other side, Phillip did The Romai­nes and Phil [...]ip sollicit the Ac [...]olians thone agaynst the other. what he could to perswade the Aetolians to make warre against the Romains. In the mene time the Dardanians began to waste the borders of Macedone, and hauing led away. xx. M. prisoners▪ constrained Philip to retire home from inuading the Romaines, to the defence of hys owne kingdome. While those thinges were a doinge, the Pre­tor The Darba­nians inuade Macedone. Leuinus entring in league with kinge Attalus, wa­sted the country of Grece. With the whiche losse and de­struction, the cities being stricken in fear, sent diuers am bassades to Philip, desiring aid of him: The king of Illyria Phillip is [...]exed wyth the cōplaints of his confe­derates. also his next neighboure, bordering vppon the one side of Macedone, made incessant sute that he should perfourme his promise. Besides the Macedones called vpon him in­stantly to reuenge the wasting of his own country. with the which so many and so waightye matters, he was sore enuironed, and as it were besieged at ones, that he wyste not which to remeady first. Yet notwithstanding he pro­mised to se [...]d succors to eury one of them ere it wer-lōg. But because he was hable to perfourme as muche as he promised, but to thentent that by putting them in hope of comfort, he might kepe them his frendes stil. But y ^• first viage that he toke in hand was against the Dardanians, who watchinge the time to finde him from home, deter­mined to take their aduaūtage, and to inuade Macedone with a greater puissaunce in his absence. Also hee made peace with the Romaines, and so being contented to haue delayed the Romaine warres againste Macedone for the Phillip t [...] ­keth truse wyth the Ro maines. time, he laid wait to entrap Philopemenes Duke of the Acheans, who as it was reported to him, stirred the Ro­maines and the mindes of his confederates against him.

But the Philopemenes hauing knowledge therof, and so auoiding the danger of the same, com­pelled the Acheans by his authoritye to rebelle against him.

DUringe the time that Phillippe w [...]s earnestly occupied aboute greate and [...]aightye affair [...]s in Macedone, Pto­lomy behaued himselfe cleane contra­ry wise in Egipt. For after he had ob­tained the kingdome by murtheryng of bothe his parentes, and that he had moreouer killed his owne brother, as thoughe he hadde afchieued all thinges prosperously, he gaue hym selfe to ryot. And all the realme followed the See what the euyll en­sample [...] a prince dot [...] ▪ steppes of theyr king. By meanes wherof not onlye hys noble men and Officers, but also all his men of warre, laying a side the exercise of cheualry and feates of armed vtterly wasted and spoiled them selues wyth slouthe and idlenesse. Antiochus kinge of Syria, who therof beinge prince, through a certain old grudge betwene those two, raised a power sodainly, and wan many cities from him, and entred forceably into Egipte, Ptolomy trembled for feare, and besought Antiochus by his ambassadours, that he would respite him but so long as he mighte raise a po­wer. Afterward hauing hired a great host out of Grece, he fought a prosperous battel, and he had vtterly berefte God sende [...] fortune to fooles. Antiochus of his kingdome, if he had anye thinge furthe­red his good fortune, wisdome and audacity. But he was content with the recouery of the Cities that he▪ had lost, and so concluding a peace, desirously tooke the occasion of quietnesse when it was offered him, and so wallowinge The [...] and abhemi­nable [...] of P [...]olomy Ph [...]. pat [...]r. againe into his olde accustomed [...]outhfulnesse, he sl [...]we his wife Eurydice, beinge hys owne syster, (through the enticementes of a harlot called Agathoclea) with whom he was taken in loue.

[Page]And so forgetting quite the renoume of his nauy, and the maiesty of his kingdome, he spent the nightes in lechery, and the daies in feastinge and bankettinge. Besides this the more to encrease and enflame his lecherous appetite withall, he had at his feastes musicall drincking and dan­sing. Neither could the king nowe content himselfe to be­holde and heare others, but also like a master of naughti­nesse, would play vppon instrumentes and daunce to the same. These were the fyrst plagues and preuy maladies, which afterward were the ruine and decay of the kinges house. For within a while after, they grewe to suche a li­centious libertye, and the harlot waxed so bolde that the walles of the court were not able to holde her. Whome being of herselfe proud and arrogant inough, thvnspeke­able lechery that the king vsed daily with her brother A­gathocles, a strompet of more beauty then was requisite in a man, made yet more stately and arrogant. And to the encreasemente thereof, made also her mother Euanthe, whiche with her daliaunce and enticementes had so allu­red the kinges harte vnto her, that he had begotten two children of her. By meanes wherof beinge not contente with the kinge, now they helde the kingdome also, nowe they muste come abrode to be seene in the open face of all the world, now they must be saluted, now they muste be waited vpon. Agathocles sitting cheke by cheke with the kinge, ruled the citye at his owne pleasure. The women disposed marshalships of the hoste, lieuetenan [...] shippes of prouinces, and captainships as pleased them so that ther was no man in all his realme, that could do lesse then the kyng him selfe.

At the length he died, leauing a sonne behinde hym of The death of Prolomy and the banysh­ment of hys strumpets. fiue yeres old by his sister Eurydice. But whiles the wo­men went about to spoile the treasure, and made confede racy with the wickeddest personens that could be picked out, to the entent to depriue the righte heire of his kyng­dome, his death was kept secrete a greate while after he [Page 122] was dead. Neuerthelesse assone as y ^• matter cam to light, the people ran vpon Agath [...]cles and s [...]ue him, and the wo­men in reuengement of Eury [...]ice, were hanged vp vpon gibets. The notorious in [...]amy of the realme, being thus purged and put away by the death of the king and the pu­nishment of the harlots, the men of Alexandria sente am­bassadors The Rom [...]nes are [...] Egypt. to the Romaines, desiring them to take vppon them the protection of their Orphā king, and the gouern­ment of the kingdome of Egipt the which they auouched that Philip and a [...]d had already bought and solde betwene them selues, entending to part it betwixt them. The Romaines wer v [...]ry glad of that ambassade, as they that soughte occasion of war against Phillip to be r [...]uen­ged for his lying [...]n wait to do them displesure in the time of their warres with the Carthagi [...]enses. Besides this, after the time they had subdued the Carthaginenses, and driuen away Hanniball, they fe [...]red no mannes p [...]ssans more then Phillips r [...]counting with [...] selues what a stir [...]yrrhus had kept in [...]taly with so small a handfull of Macedones, and how great adu [...]ntures and enterprises y ^e Macedones had atchi [...]ued in the East. Her [...]vpon ambas­sadors were sent to Antiochus and Phillip, willing them not to medle with the kingdome of Egipt. Furthermore M. Lepidus was sent into Egipt to take vppon hym the protection of the childe, & thadministration of the realme. While these thinges were a doing▪ the ambass [...]doures of Complaint [...] [...] a­ [...]st Phil [...] a [...] [...] made agay [...] hym by [...]. Attalus king [...] of Perga [...]us, and the ambassadors of the Rhodians came to Rome to complain of the wrongs that king Philip had don vnto them. The which thing caused the Senate to goo in hand with the warres of Macedone forthwith. For vnder pretence of aiding their cōfederates war was decreed against Phillip, and a consull was sent with an army into Macedone. And ere it was long after, all Grece vpon truste of the Romaines rose against Phil­lip, in hope to recouer their [...]uncient liberty, & made war vpon him. By meanes wherof the king was so assaulted on euery side, that he was constrained to desyre peace.

[Page]When the articles of peace should be propounded by the Romains, both Attalus & the Rhodians & the Acheans, & the Aetolians demaūded restitution of that that had ben theirs. On thother side, Philip graunted y ^• he could finde in his hart to be ruled bi the Romains, but he said, it was an vnsemely matter, that the Grekes being vanquished by his predecessors Philip and Alexander, & subdued vn­der the yoke of the Empire of Macedone, should like con­querors prescribe him articles of peace, and not rather be driuen to a strait accōpt for their disobediens, or euer thei ought to chalenge any libertye. Neuerthelesse at lengthe by much intretaunce, they graunted him truce for ii. mo­neths. In the which time the peace y ^• could not be agreed vpon in Macedone, might be requested of the Senate at Rome. The same yere, betwene the Ilands of Therame­ne & Therasia, in the mid way betwene both shores, ther An earth­quake. was a great earthquake in the sea. By means of y ^• which (to the great admiration of such as sailed that way) sodēly out of the depe, floted vp an Iland with hot waters. And in Asia the very same day another earthquake shaked the Rhodes and many other cities, throwing downe the hou­ses and buildings, wherof some wer swalowed vp whole. At the which wonder all men wer sore afraid, & the sout [...] sayers prophesied, that the Romain Empire then begin­ning to spring vp, shuld deuour thold Empire of the gre­kes and Macedones. In the meane season, the peace was reiected by the senate, whervpon Phillip sollicited the ty­rant Nauis to take his part against the Romains: and so Phillip en­courageth the Macedones a gainst the Romaines. whē he had brought his host into the field, his ennemyes standing in order of battel against him, he began to enco­rage his men, rehersing how the Macedones had conque­red and subdued the Persians, the Bactrians, the Indiās, and to be short all Asia euen to the vttermooste border of the East. Sayinge that so muche more force and courage ought to be shewed in this battel, then in the other, as li­berty is a thing of greater price then dominion.

[Page 123]Flaminius also the Romaine Consull, in like manner en­couraged his men to the encounter, by puttinge them in [...] the [...] rememberaunce of the thinges atchieued latelye before. Shewing them how on the one side Carthage and Sicil wer conquered, and on the other side Italy and Spain re­couered by the prowesse and puissance of the Romaines, and that Hanniball was nothinge inferioure to great A­lexander, who being ones driuen oute of Italye, they had subdued Affricke the third part of the world. And yet the Macedones were not to be esteamed by the auncyent re­now [...]e of theyr predecessoures, but accordinge to the po­wer and strength that they were of at that present. For they shoulde not encounter with greate Alexander who was reported to be inuincible, nor with his armye that conquered all the East, but with Philip a child yet skarce come to yeres of discretion, who had much a do to defend his kingdome againste his nerte neighboures, and wyth those Macedones which but euen thother day almooste, were spoiled and led away prisoners by the Dardanians, who wer able to talk of nothing saue the renoumed acts of their ancestors, wheras the Romaines might worthe­ly report the dedes done by them selues and theyr souldi­ours. For it was none other hoste that had subdued Han­nibal and the Carthagine [...]ses, and almoste all the West, then the very same souldiers whom he had ther standing in battel ray, with these encouragements the myndes of bothe armies being enflamed, ran fierslye to the encoun­ter, the one part glorying in the Empire of the East, the other in thempire of the West, the one bringing into the battel with them the auncient and forworne renoume of their predecessors, the other the fresh and fragrant flour of their late tried knighthode and cheualry. But the Ro­mains had the fort [...]ne to vanquish the Macedones. Phil­lip Phillip [...] [...] [...] ▪ being vtterly discouraged by this battel, and d [...]siring peace of the Consull Flaminius, retained styll the name of kynge, but he was bereste of all the Cityes of Gre [...], [Page] as it were the members of his kingdome, which were si­tuate without the boundes of the auncient inheritaunce, and so he had no more left him, but onlye the countrye of Macedones. And yet the Aetolians being offended that at their plesure Mace [...]one also was not taken from him and geuen to them in rewarde of theyr paynes taken in the warre, sent ambassadoures to Anti [...]chus, who by flatte­ring him in ad [...]uncing his puissaunce & cheualry, might enforce him to make warre against the Romains, in hope that all Grece would take his part.

PTolomy Philopater being dead, An­tiochus k [...]ng of Syria disdaimng his Antiochus inuadeth the Empyre of Egypt. little sonne because he was so yonge, (who being the onl [...]e hope of the po­steritye of the Ptolomtes, lefte to en­herite the kingdome, was euen as a pray to his owne subiectes, purposed to conquere Egipt. Whervpon wh [...]n he hadde inuaded Phenice, and the other cities situate in Syria, but vnder the dominion of Egipte, the Senate of Rome sent an ambassade vnto him, willinge hym to ab­staine from the Orphans kingdome, whiche was com­mitted to their charge, by the laste bequest that his father made. The whiche being sent away with a [...] an­sweare, within a while after came another ambassade, which leauing the personne of theyr pupill, commaunded him to make restitution with full amendes and satisfac­tion, of the cities that by the lawe of armes appertayned of right to the Romaines.

Upon his refusall they made their defiaunce, the which as he lightly receiued, so he as vnfortunately performed. [Page 124] The same time the Tirant Nabis subdued manye cityes in G [...]ece. The Senate therfore least the power of the Ro­maines King of the Lacedemonians. shoulde bee entangled in two warres at one in­staunte, wrate vnto Flamminius, that like as he had de­liuered Macedone from the bondage of Phillippe, so (if he thoughte it good) he shoulde deliuer Grece from the bon­dage of Nabis. In consideration whereof his authorit [...]e was proroged. For the name of that Hanniball made the warres of Antiochus terrible, whome his enuious aduer­saries hadde accused to th [...] Romaines of secreate conspi­racye with Antiochus, alledginge that hys harte woulde not serue him to liue vnde [...] a lawe, beinge accustomed to beare rule, and beinge accustomed to the ouer licentyous liberty of the campe, and that he was so weary of the rest and quietnesse of the citye, that hee euer more soughte to picke some quarel, to thentent to haue occasyon agayn of some newe warres. The whiche thinges all be it they were report [...]d vppon malice contrary to the truth yet not withstandinge amonge them that stode in dreade of hym, they were b [...]leued for a truthe. For the [...]enate beynge strycken with f [...]are, sente Seruilius of ambassade into An ambassa [...] sent into [...] ­fricke to sur­prise [...]. Affricke, to note the demeanor of Hanniball, geuing him secreatelye in charge, that if it were possyble, hee shoulde fynde the meanes to kill him by some of his aduersaries, and so deliuer the Romaines from the dreadfull feare of his hatefull name. But this secreate working coulde not be longe kepte from Hanniball, beinge a wise and expert person in foreseing and auoidynge of daungers, and such as looked as well for aduersitye in the time of prosperity, as for prosperity in the time of aduer [...]ye.

Therefore when he had shewed himselfe all day longe before the eyes of the noble men, and of the Rom [...]in am­bassadoure Hanniball pr [...]uenteth the deuyses of the Ro­maines. in the face of the courte, euen to the [...], in the shuttynge in of the euenyng, he toke horseback, and rode to a manor that he had in the subburbes neare vnto the sea syde, not makynge anye of his seruauntes preuye [Page] wher about he went, but willed them to wait at the gate til he came again. He had at the said manor shippes & ma­riners hidden for the nones in a noke of the sea. Moreo­uer he had there a great sum of monye in a readinesse in the same pece of ground, to thentent that if he wer driuē to such necessity, he wold not be letted of his iourney for want of ships or for want of mony. There vppon wyth a company of his moste picked seruauntes (the noumber of whom was incresed with Italian prisoners,) he toke ship ping and directed his course toward Antiochus. The next day the city waited in the iudgement hal for their prince, and the same time their Consul. When they hard that he was gone, they trembled for feare, as if the City had ben taken by the enemy, mistrusting that his departure wold tourne to theyr vtter destruction. And the Romaine am­bassador, (as though Hanniball had euen then made war again vpon Italy), made no more a doo, but retourned to Rome, and brought y ^• sorowful tidinges therof with him. In the meane time Flaminius hauing made confederacy with certaine Cities in Grece, vanquished Nabis in two Nabis is o­ [...]ercome. pitched fieldes one after a nother, by meanes wherof ha­uing brought him to alow ebbe, he lefte him in his kyng­dome lyhe a man without life or soule. But after that he had withdrawen his garisons out of the cities, and cōuei­ed Nabis renu­ [...]th the wars [...] ▪ his host again into Italy, Nabis being entised againe, for as much as he saw no man to kepe possessyon agaynst him, raised a power and sodenlye inuaded manye Cityes. Wherwith the acheans being put in fear, for doubt least the mischiefe wherwith their neighbors were entangled shuld crepe vpon them, determined to make war against Nabis. Of the which warres they made lieuetenant ge­neral their Pretor Philopemenes a man of excellent acti­uity, The [...] of Philope­menes. who behaued himselfe so valiantly in that war, that by al mennes iudgement, he was to be compared to Fla­minius the graundcaptaine of the Romaines. The same time Hanniball when hee was come to Antiochus, was [Page 125] entertained and wellcomed as a gift sent from God: and the kynge tooke suche a courage to him vppon hys com­minge, [...] with Antio­chus. that he semed not so carefull for the war, as howe he myght rewarde him for getting the victorye, he thou­ght himselfe so sure of it.

But Hanniball who knew by profe the prowesse and He that [...] ­kens wyth out hys hoste, muste [...] twise. puissaunce of the Romaines, denied that it was possyble to ouercome them but in Italy: to the performans wher of, he willed him to deliuer him an hundr [...]d shippes, with tenne thousand footemen and thre thousande horsemen, promisinge to make as hotte warres in Italye with that little band, as euer he had done before, so that his maiesty Hannibals counsel to An tiochus a­gaynste the Romaines. sitting in quiet in asia, he woulde either bring him home victory and conquest, or elsse indifferent articles of sinall peace and attonement. For bothe the Spaniyards were desirous to renue the warres if they had a captaine to set them a woorke, and he himselfe was better acquaynted with Italy now, then he had beene in foretimes. Moreo­uer he knewe that Carthage woulde not syt at reast, but adi [...]yn herself as partaker of his enterprises out of hand. The king lyked the counsel wel, and there vppon one of A messenger is sent to Carthage from [...] ­ball. Hanniballes retinue was sente vnto Carthage, to stirre them to the warre beinge of them selues all readye desi­rous there of, declarynge vnto them that Haniball wold shortlye come thither with an army.

Neuerthelesse he was charged to saye nothinge to the factions, but only that the Carthaginenses wanted hart, for asia shoulde fynde them bothe men and mony. When The [...] ger is appre­hended. newes hereof came to Carthage, the messenger was ap­prehended by the enemies of Hanibal, and being brought into the Senate, and there examined to whome hee was sent, he aunswered like a suttle afre, that he was sente to the whole Senate. In as muche as this matter was not the peculier case of anye one of them, but appertained in generall to them all.

While they were debating of the matter in coūsel many [Page] daies together, whether it were best for dischargynge of their own consciences to send him to Rome, ther to make The messan­ger eskapeth and returneth to Hannibal. his purgation or no, he toke ship priuely, and returned to Hannibal. Whervpon the Carthagi. immediatly sent an ambassador to Rome. The Romaines also sent ambassa­dors to antiochus, the which vnder the coloure of ambas­sade, An ambassad sente from Rome to An­tiochus. should bothe marke and note the kynges furnyture for the warres, and also eyther reconcyle Hannibal to the Romaines, or elsse through their daily and continuall cō ­moning with him, bring him in suspitiō and hatred with the king. Thambassadors therfore when they were come before y ^e king antiochus at Ephesus, de [...]yuered him the [...]r commission from the Senate. Duringe the time they laye Flatterye. there, geuing attendaunce for theyr answer, daye by daye they were euer in hand with Hannibal, saying that there was no cause why he should haue fled so fearfullye out of his country▪ seing the Romains withall faithfulnesse ob­serued the peace concluded, not so muche with the body of the common weale of Carthage, as with him: cōsideryng they knew he had made war againste the Romaines, not so much for ill wil he bare towardes them, as for the loue he bare towardes theym, as for the loue he bare towarde his owne country, in the whiche quarell euery good man ought to spend his life. For the occasyon of those warres, grew vpon the displesure that the one country bare open­ly against the other, and not vpon anye priuate quarell of the captaines amonge them selues. Herevpon they too [...]e occasyon to commend his noble actes. the which commu­nication so greatlye delighted him that hee was desyrous to talke with the ambassadors oftner, not foreseinge that for the familiarity he had with the Romaines, he shoulde purchase himself the kings displesure. For antiochus vp­on Antiochus is displeased [...] Haniball for kepyng com­pani with the Romaines. this [...]is daily communication, thinking hym to be re­conciled and faln in fauor with the Romaines, wold not aske his deuise as he was wont to do, nor make him pre­uy to any part of his doinges, but hated him as an enne­my, and abhorred him as a traytoure.

[Page 126]The whiche thing laide a water all that great furniture for the warres after the time that the policy of the graūd captaine was thus dashed out of countenaunce. Theffect of the commissyon, was to commaund Antiochus in the name of the Senate, to be contente with the boundes of The effect of the Romayne ambassade, & the answer of Antiochus. Asia, onlesse he would driue them to enter into asia whe­ther they would or no. Antiochus making light there of, answered howe he was fullye resolued before, not to re­ceiue warre at theyr handes, but to make warre vppon them. When he had oftentimes debated with hys coun­sell Consultation concernyng the warres of the [...] nes. and his captaines as concerning this warre, not ma­king Hannibal preuy there to, at the last he sent for him, not to thentent to doo any thinge after his deuise, but to thentent he wold not seme to haue vtterly despysed him, and there vpon when euery man had said his minde, last­ly he asked him [...]is aduise. The whiche thing Hanniball vnderstanding wel inough, said that he perceiued he was called, not because the king thought himself to haue nede of his counsel, but onlye to supply the noumber of senten­ces. Neuerthelesse for the hatred he bare to the Romains Hannibals adusye as cō ­cernyng the maintenance of the wars with the Ro­maines. and for the good will hee bare to the kinge, as in whose courte onlye he had had safe refuge in the time of hys ba­nishment, he wold discusse what way he were best to en­terprise his warres. Thervpon he desired pardon in that he should speake so largely: for he said he liked no part of their counsels nor opinions in that behalf, as that Grece should be appoynted the place of the warre, seing that I­talye was better for the maintenaunce of the same. For the Romains might not be vanquished, but by their own weapons, nor Italye otherwise bee subdued then by her owne power. For those kinde of people were of a cleane contrary nature from all other menne, and therefore the warres were to be ordered farre otherwise against them then agaynst all other men. In other warres it is wonte to be a great furtheraunce and healpe for a man to haue taken some aduauntage of the place, or of the tyme, to [Page] haue wasted the fieldes, or to haue wonne some Cityes. But with the Romain whether ye haue gotten anye ad­uauntage before, or whether ye haue ouercome him, ye must be faine euen then to wrestle with him, when he is vanquished and lyeth at your fote. Wher [...]ore if a man as­saile them in Italy, he might ouercome them with theyr owne weapons, their owne richesse, and theyr owne po­wer, like as [...]e himselfe had doone. But if anye man shall suffer them to enioye Italye as the well springe of theyr strength, he shalbe as sore deceiued of his purpose, as if a man woulde goo aboute to driue backe a riuer agaynste the streame, or to dry it vp, not beginninge to stoppe it at the heade, but at suche place as the waters were deep [...]st and mooste encreased. This he saide was his opi [...]yon in himself, whervpon he was mineded to haue offered hys seruice and aduise vnrequested, the which he now hadde vttered in the presence of al his frendes, to thentent they mighte all vnderstande howe to make warres with the Romaines, who out of theyr own country were inuinci­ble, and at home at their owne doores weake and easy to be ouercome. In so much that it was an easyer matter to set them beside Rome, then beside their Empire, and to driue them out of Italy, then out of their prouinces. For their city had bene sacked by the frenchmen, & they them selues almost vtterly destroyed by him, and yet he neuer vanquished before he departed out of their country. But assone as he was retourned to Carthage, immediatlye w ^t the place, was also aultered the fortune of the warres▪ The kings councel held as muche against this aduyse as The nature of [...] and [...] ▪ could be, not waying the vtility of the mater, but for fear least if his counsel should be alowed) he should be more in fauor with the king the any of them. Antiochus misliked not so muche the counsell as the author therof, leaste the glory of the victory should redound to Hannibal, and not to him. Thus throughe assentation and flatterye all was [Page 127] marde, and nothing was done by counsell or reason. The king all the winter time geuinge himselfe to riot and pa­stime, was euery day making of new marriages. On the contrarye part, attilius the Romaine Consull, who was sent to these warres, withal diligence prepared men and armor, withal other munitions, artillery and habilimen­tes for the war, confirmed and strengthened the cityes y ^• were in confederacy, allured such as wer neuters, and in conclusion according as either part laid before hande for their furniture, so did they spede in the war. In the fyrste encounter when the king saw his men geue back, he did [...] is [...] flygh [...] ▪ not releue them with freshe succors, but offred hymselfe captain of such as first ran away, and lefte his campe re­plenished withall richesse to his enemy. When he had es­kaped by flight into asia, while the Romaines were occu­pied in gathering the spoyl, he began to repent him that Hannibal is taken into [...] uor again▪ he had reiected Hanniballes counsel, and there vppon ta­king him into fauoure againe, he sayde he woulde doo all thinges by his aduisemente. In the meane season it was told him that Liuius [...] a Romaine captaine, ap­poynted admirall of the sea by the Senate, was comming towardes him with foure [...] shippes of war, the whi­che tidinges put him in good comforte to receuer his mis­fortune. Therfore he determined to encounter with him by the way, before that the Cities which as yet held their aliance with him, were reuolted to the Romains, hoping to abolish the dishonor of the [...] takē in Grece by a new victory. And thervppon Hanniball was sent to Hannibal be­ing made ad­miral of [...] is [...] by the Ro­maines▪ the sea with the kinges flete. But neither were the men of asia able to matche the Romaines, nor theyr shippes of lyke force as were the Romaine galleis, whose [...] were armed with brasse. Yet notwithstading the slaugh­ter was the lesse, by meanes of the pollicy of the captain. The fame of the victorye was not yet reported at Rome, and therfore the city stayed the creating of their consuls. [Page] But who was better to be made captaine againste Han­nibal, then the brother of affricanus? seing it was the pe­culier worke of the Scipions, to vanquish the Carthagi­nenses. Lucius Scipio was created consull, and hys bro­ther affricanus was geuen him to be his lieuetenaunt, to thentent Antiochus should vnderstande that they had as muche confidence in theyr conquerour Scipio, as he had in his vanquished Hanniball. As the Scipios were con­ueying ouer their hooste into asia, woorde was broughte them, that the warre in bothe places was all redye brou­ghte paste the worste, and so they founde antiochus van­quished in battel on the land, and Hannibal ouercome vp on the sea. At theyr firste arriuall antiochus sent his am­bassadoures vnto them for peace, sendinge moreouer by Antiochus [...]esyreth peace. them as a peculiare presente vnto affricanus, hys sonne whome the kynge hadde taken passynge ouer in a little barke. But affricanus aunswered that there was greate difference betwene benefites done to any one person pri­uatelye, The constāte and vncorupt minde of Af­fricanus to­warde hys countrye. and the benefites that were done to the publyke weale of a whole country, and that the person of a father was one thinge, and the person of a common weale was another, whiche ought in dede to be preferred, not o [...]lye before children, but also before the very life it self, wher­fore he thancked the king withall his harte for his hono­rable present, promising to requite his b [...]unteous libera­litye, by some good tourne that lay in his owne pryuate power to doo. But as touchinge warre and peace, he an­swered that he coulde shewe him no fauour, neither that he woulde doo more or lesse then was of right meete and requi [...]ite to the behoufe of his country. For he neuer en­treated for the raunsominge of his sonne, nor suffered the Senate to go about it, but as appertained to his honour, he said alwaies he would recouer him by force of armes. After this, were articles of peace propounded, the contēt wherof was that he shoulde departe out of asia, suffring Articles of [...] the Romaines to enioy it peaceablye, delyuer them theyr [Page 128] prisonners and runnagates, withall theyr shippes, and make [...] of all charges and expenses that the Ro­maynes had beene put to in those warres. Antiochus ha­uing intelligence therof, answered that he was not as yet so vtterly vanquished, that he should suffer himselfe to be spoyled of his kingdome, saying that it was the next way to prouoke him to warre, rather then to allure hym to peace. In the meane time that the warre was in prepa­ring on bothe sides. The Romaines enteringe into Asia The [...]. came to Troy wher was great reioycement betwene the [...] and the Romaines, the Troianes declarynge how Eneas and thother captaines came from them, and the Romaines vaunti [...]ge them selues to be descended of them. And there was as great reioycement betwene both partes, as there is wont to be at the meting of the parēts and their children, after longe beinge a sonder. It dyd the Troianes good, that their linage hauinge conquered the west and subdued Affricke, did now chalenge thempire of Asia also, as their auncient inheritaunce and the rightful possession of their forefathers, saying it was good fortune to Troy. that it was destroyed, considering howe luckelye it had risen againe? On the other side, the Romaines had an vnmeasurable desire, to see the houses of their aunce­stry, and the places wher theyr forefathers were bred and borne, with the Temples and Images of theyr Goddes. When the Romaines were departed from Troy, kynge Emnenes met them with a nomber of men to aid them. And ere it was long after, a fielde was foughte againste Antiochus, in the whiche when as a legion of the righte A battel be­twene [...] and the [...]. wing of the Romaine▪ battel, being put out of aray fled to the campe with more shame then daunger, Marcus Ae­mylius marshal of the hoste, being left behinde for the de­fence of the campe, commaunded his souldiours to arme them selues, and to go out of the trenche, and wyth theyr swordes drawen to manace suche as fled awaye, sayinge they should die for it euerychone, if they retourned not in­to the battel againe, and that they should find their owne [Page] campe hotter for them, then the battel of their enuemies. The legion being astonied at so great daunger accompa­nied with their felowes that stopped them of their flight, returned into the field, and there making a great slaugh­ter vpon their enemies, were the beginning of the victo­ry. There were of the enemies fifty thousand slain, and a ri. M. taken prisoners. Yet notwithstanding when Antio­chus desired peace, nothing was added to the former arti­cles. The magna­m [...]ty of the Romain [...]s. For Affricanus saide, it was not the custome of the Romains, to be discouraged for a losse, nor to be proud by reason of prosperity. The cities that they had taken, they deuided among theyr confederates▪ iudginge it a greater reward to the Romaines to haue honoure and renowue, then possessyons gotten by force. For he said, it was mete for a Romaine to chalenge glorye and fame, and to leaue the superflouity of richesse to his partakers.

THe Aetolians which hadde prouoked Antiochus to warre againste the Ro­maines, after the time that he was o­nercome, The Aetoli­ans are sub­dued by the Romaines. remained all only againste the Romaines, both [...] to match them in strength, and also destitute of all healpe and comforte. By meanes where of within a [...] after, they were vanquished and lost their liberty, the which they all only among so manye cities of Grece had reteined vntou­ched, against the dominion of the Atheniens and Lacede­monians. The which estate of bondage was so much the bitterer vnto them, as it was later or it came▪ r [...]oltynge with them selues those times, in the which with the only [Page 129] power of theyr owne countrye, they had withstoode and burne oute the greate force and power of the Pers [...]ans, in the which they hadde repressed the violence of the [...] men, so terrible to Asia and Italye in the bat [...]ell at Del­phos, the glor [...]ous remembraunce of which things kind­led in them a [...] desire of liberty. While these thin­ges The [...] ou [...] the [...] ­ans and th [...] Achca [...]s▪ were a doing, in the meane time the Messenians and the Acheans f [...]ll [...]irst at conte [...]ion, & anone after to plain sighting for the s [...]raigntye.

In that battel Philopenienes the noble graund captain of the Acheans was tak [...]n prisoner, not through his own defaulte, because he [...] not fyghte for sauynge of hys life, but as he was about to bringe his men in araye that were s [...]attered, in the leapinge of a ditche his [...] ouer­threw, and so his enemies clustered about him, and tooke him ere he coulde r [...]couer vp againe. And y [...]t the Messeni­ans when they fo [...]nd him ouerthrowen, whether it were for f [...]are o [...] his prowess [...], or for reuerence of hys estate, durst not kill him. Therfore as though by taking of hym they had finished all the warre, they led him like a prison­ner about all the citye in manner of a triumphe, the peo­ple ruuninge out by heapes to meete hun, as if their own captaine, and not the captaine of their enemies had bene comming. And I beleue the Acheans would not haue ben more desirous to haue sene him if he had gotten the vpper hande then were the Messenians his enemies, to beholde him being a prisonner. For they led him into a Theatre, to the entente t [...]ey mighte all beholde him, whome they thought an vncredible and vnposs [...]ble m [...]tter to be taken. From thence they couueyed him to prysō, wher for shame The [...] ble courage of Philope­menes a [...]hys death. of the villany they had offred to such a worthy estate, they gaue him poyson: the which he drancke with as mearye a cheare as if he had wonne the victory. Demaundyng first of all whether Lycortas the lieuetenante of the Acheane (whome he knewe to be the manne of best knowledge in feates of armes nerte vnto hymselfe,) hadde eskaped in safetye or no.

[Page]When he vnderstoode that he was eskaped, he sayde, the world goeth not alltogether against the Acheans, & wyth that word he gaue vp the ghoste. But ere it was longe af­ter, the warre was renued, in which the Messenians be­ing vanquished, suffered worthy punishment for putting Philopemenes to death. In the meane season Antiochus The death of Antiochus. kinge of Syria, beinge sore ouercharged with the tribute that he should pay to the Romaines, and seinge hymselfe vanquished and burdened, whether it were that he were compelled for want of mony, or that he were allured with couetousnesse, because he hoped that vnder pretence of the necessity (the whiche he was put to for the payment of the tribute,)he should be held the better excused if he commit­ted sacriledge, he assembled an armye, and in the nyghte time assaulted the temple of Iupiter of Dodon, the which attempte was bewrayed, and he withall his hooste was slayne by the inhabitauntes of the countrye that resorted to the reskue. At Rome, when many cities of Grece were The modesty of D [...]metri­us wyth the frute therof. come thither, to complaine of the iniuries that Phillyppe king of Macedone hadde d [...]one vnto them, and that there was great contention in woordes in the senate house, be­twene Demetrius the sonne of Phillippe sent thither by his father to make satisfaction as the Senate shuld think righte, and the ambassadoures of the Cities: the yonge man beinge confounded with the noyse and exclamatyon of the appellantes, sodenly helde his peace. Then the Se­nate being moued with his modest shamefastnesse, for the whiche he had bene well beloued of all men before times when he lay in hostage at Rome, gaue iudgement on hys syde. And so Demetrius obtained pardone for his father, not by defending his righte, but by the helpe of his mode­sty and shamefastnesse. The which thinge was signifyed vnto him by the decree of the senate, to thentent it should appeare, that the kinge was not acquited as giltlesse, but [...]rtue pro­ [...] [...]nuy. rather pardoned for his sonnes sake, the whiche thynge purchased vnto Demetrius, not thanke for his behauiour in that ambassade, but hatred through the maliciousnesse [Page 130] of backebyters. For with his brother Perses, who sou­ght by al meanes to surprise him,)it procured him enuy, and with his father (when he knew the occasion of his ac­quitall)it procured him displeasure, disdaininge that [...]he person of his sonne shoulde be of more force or strengthe with the Senate, then the authority of the father, or the estimation of his estate being a king. Perses therfore per Wh [...]e [...] a man [...] worse neygh­boure [...] bringeth [...] home. ceiuing his fathers disease, made complaintes daily vnto him of his brother Demetrius, and first he broughte him in mistrust with him, and shortly in vtter displeasure, ob­iecting against him that he sought the freudshippe of the Romaines to betray his father.

At the last he surmised that he went about tr [...]ason, for the prouse where of he broughte in recorde, and suborned false witnesses to vphold [...]he crime that he charged hym wythall. By meanes whereof he compelled his father to murder his owne sonne, and brought all the courte in so­row and heauinesse. After Demetrius was thus put to death, the party being dispatched out of the way, whome he feared as his enemye, Perses beganne to be not onlye more slacke in doing his duety, but also more stubborn a­gainst his father, behauing himselfe, not like an heire but like a kinge. Phillip beinge sore offended with his misde­menor, bewailed the deathe of Demetrius verye vnpaci­ently from day to daye. Where vppon mistrustynge hym self to be deceiued by cautele and treason, he put the wyt­nesses and record bearers to torture. Throughe whyche hauing boulted out their treason, he was vexed as much with the wickednesse of Perses, as with the vndeserued death of Demetrius. And he hadde punished him for hys laboure, had not death preuented him of hys purpese. For shortly after, throughe very sorow and pensiuenesse The death of Phil [...]yp kyng of [...]. of hart, he fell sicke and died, leauing behinde hym greate furniture for the warres against the Romaines, the whi­che Perses afterward vsed.

[Page]Moreouer he had allured the Frenchmen, called Ras­cians, to take his part, & was mynded to haue made gre­uous What naty­ons Perses procured to take his part agaynste the Romaines. warres vppon the Romaynes, yf he had not dyed. For the Frenchmē after the vnfortunate battell at Del­phos, (in the which the wrath of God, dyd them more dis­pleasure then the puissance of their enemies) hauyng lost their Captayne Brenne, fled lyke owtlawes, some into Asia, some into Thrace: From thence they retyred into their natiue countrie, by the very same way they came oute. A certeyn of them rested at the metyng of the ry­uers of Danow and Say, & called themselues Rascians. The people of Languedocke, beyng returned into their The punysh­mente of Sa­ [...]ledge. olde countrie of Tolouse, and there stryken with a Pesti­lent murreyne, could not recouer their health, vntil such tyme as by thadmonishment of their Southsayers, they had throwen into the lake of Tholouse, all the golde and Siluer that they had gotten in the warres, by the rob­byng and spoilyng of Temples. All the which, Cipio the Romayn Consull, long tyme after toke away euery pen­nie. There was of golde, a hundred and tenne thousand pound weight, of syluer fiftie hundred thousande pound weight: the which sacrilege was afterward the confusion of Cipio and his hoste. Furthermore, there followed a­none after the warre of the Cymbrians agnynst the Ro­mayns, as it were to punish them for takyng away of the holly mony. A great nōber of the people of Languedock, beyng enticed with the swetenes of the praye, (as men wonte to liue altogether vppon the spoyle) went into Il­lyria, and there hauyng syoyled the Istrians, rested in P [...]nnonie. It is reported that the nacion of the Istrians, descended from the men of Colchos, that were sent by Kyng Aetis, to pursew the Argonantes, and Iason that ledde away his daughter by force, who enteryng oute of the Sea of Pontus, into the ryuer of Istre, and so direct­lie The original of the Istri­ans. into the ryuer Say, followyng the Argonantes, at the [Page 125] hard heles, caried their [...]ippes vppon their shoulders, o­uer the toppes o [...] the mountaynes, [...]uen vnto the shore of the Adriatike sea, the which thyng they vnderstoode, that the Argonantes for the length of th [...]ire shippe, had donne before them. But when the men of Colchos could not synde them, whether it were for feare of the kyng, or for tediousnesse of the longe sayling, they setteled them selfes nere vnto the Citie Aquiuerlera, and called them selues Istriās, after the name of the ryuer, into the which they first entered oute of the sea. The Daces also, are the yssue of the Getes: who with Dlor their kyng, beyng van Cowardise punysh [...]d with r [...]proch. quished in battell by the Bastarnes, were put to this pe­nance for theire cowardyse, that when they shoulde take their slepe, they should lay their headdes, wher their fete shoulde lye, and serue their wyues in suche sorte, as their wyues were wonte to serue them, the whiche penaltie layd vppon them by the commaundement of their kyng, they shoulde not be so bolde to infringe, before they had by their manhode and prowesse, put awaye the schlaun­der and ignominie, purchased by their former siouts, and cowardyse. Perses therfore, beyng crowned kyng in his father Philyppes stead, styrred all these nacions, to take his part agaynste the Romaynes. In the m [...]ane whyle, Warre be­twene Prusi­as as and Eu­menes there arose warre betwene Prusias (vnto whome Han­niball was fled, after that peace was concluded betwene Antiochus and the Romaynes) and Eumenes: the which warre, Prusias (breakyng the league vppon trust that he had in Hanniball) dydde first moue. For when as the Romaynes among other articles of peace, put in the de­liueraunce of Hanniball for one: the kyng gaue him war­nyng of it, and he fled into Candie.

In the▪ whiche Ile, when he had lyued quiet [...]ie a long tyme, and sawe that men repyned and grudged at hym, The [...] of [...]. for his greate wealth and rychesse, he fylled pottes with leadde, and set them in the Temple of Diana, as [...] for the preseruacion of his lyfe and verie goo [...] [...]: [Page] By meanes where of the Citye hauinge no feare nor inf­struste of his dooinges, in as muche as they beleued that they had his richesse for a pledge, he went to Prusias, ca­rying all his golde with hym, poured into Images of tim­ber, least if his richesse should be espied, he might happen to be put in ieoperdy of his life for them.

Afterwarde when Emnenes had ouercome Prusias in battel vpon the lande, and that Prusias would try the Ha [...]ibals [...]tageme. aduenture of the sea, Hannibail by a new deuise was the occasion that he gate the victory. For he caused of all kin­des of Serpentes to be put into earthen pots, the whiche in the middes of the battell, were caste into the enemyes shippes. This stratageme semed at the first to the menne of Pontus, to be but a mockerye to leaue weapones and fyghte wyth earthen pottes. But when the Serpentes began to swarme about them in the shippes, they wer so troubled wyth the doubtfull daunger, that they wist not what to do, and so they gaue their enemy the vpper hād. When fidinges hereof came to Rome, the Senate sente ambassadoures to cease the strife betwene bothe the kin­ges, and to demaūd to haue Hannibal yelded vnto them. But Hanniball hauynge knowledge of the matter, poy­soned hym self, and dyed ere the ambassadour could come The deathe of Hanniball. by him.

This yeare was notable for the deathes of three of the mooste puissaunte captaines in all the whole world, that is to saye, of Hanniball, Philopemenes, and Scipio Affri­canus. Of the whiche it is well knowen, that Hanniball, The commen dation of Hā ­niball. neither in the time that al Italy quaked to see him thun­deringe like a tempest in the Romaine Empire, nor whē he was returned to Carthage and helde the soueraintye, did euer sytte downe to his meat, or drynke aboue a pinte and a halfe of wine at a meale. And as for chastitye hee kepte it so immaculate and vndefiled amonge so manye prisonners as he hadde, that a man would sweare he had neuer bene borne in Affricke.

[Page 132]Certesse he was of that mod [...]stye and gouernmente, that all be it had sundrye kindes of people to rule in hys hoste, yet his souldioures neuer wente aboute to betraye him, neither coulde he be entrapped by any policye, both the whiche thinges his ennemies full often attempted [...] ­gainst hym.

THe Romains accōplished the warres of Macedone, with farre lesse trouble The prepara­t [...]on of the Ro mains, and of Philip one a­gainst ano­ther. the they did the warres of Carthage▪ but the warre was so muche the more honourable, as the Macedones excel­led the Cart [...]aginenses in reno [...]ne & estimation. For they were furthered partly with the glory of the conquest of the East, and inespecially with the ayd and helpe of all kynges. And therfore the Romaines made for the a grea­ter noumber of men of warre, and also sent for succ [...]ur to Masinissa king of Mundie, and to all other their confede­cates. Furthermore they charged Emnenes king of By­thinia, to helpe them wyth all the power he was able to make. Perses besides his hoste of Macedones, who by the opinion of all men were accompted vnuincible, had in his treasury and in his store houses where with all to maine­taine ten yeares warre, prepared before hande by hys fa­ther. By meanes whereof, being puff [...]d vp with pride, and forgettynge what chaunce hys father had before hym, he willed his men to consider the auncient renoune of Alex­ander. The first encounter was of horsmen, in the which Perses getting the vpper hand, procured himselfe the fa­uor of all men, which before stode in doubte what way to encline, because they wist not which way the world wold [Page] go. Neuertheles he sent Ambassadors to the Romain Con sull to request peace, as they had before graunted to his father, beyng vanquished, promisyng to pay the charges of the warre, as yf he had ben ouercomme. But the Con­sull Sulpitius, propounded as sore condicions, as if he had ben vanquished in dede. While these thynges were a doyng, the Romaynes for dread of so dangerous a warre, created Aemilius Paulus, Consull, and made him extra­ordinarily Lieuetenaunt of the warres in Macedone. Who assone as he came to the armie, made no longe de­lay, ere he encountered with his enemies. The night be­fore the battell should be fought, the Moone was Eclyp­sed. The Eclipse of the moone. All men iudged it to be a sorowfull for token to Per­ses, as the which signified that Thempyre of Macedone drew fast to an ende.

In that conflict, M. Cato, the sonne of Cato the Dra­tor, as he was feightyng among the thickest of his ene­mies, The baliant nesse of M. Cato. fell of his horse, and was faine to feight a foote: for when he was downe, a band of his enemies enclosed him about, w ^t an horrible n [...]yse, to haue killed him as he lay on the grounde. But he recouered himself quicklye, and made a great slaughter among them: the whyle his ene­mies came clusteryng about him on all sydes to oppresse him, being but one man alone: as he strake at one of their noble men, his sword flew oute of his hand into the mids of his enemies, to recouer the which, he couered himself with his target, and in thopen syght of both the armies, thrust himself in among his enemies weapons, and ha­uyng recouered his sworde, with the receipte of manie woundes, returned to his owne fellowes, with a greate showte of all the whole fielde. The residewe of his com­pa [...]e ensewyng his bold example, wan the victorie. King Perses fled out of the field, and with tenne thousand Ta­lentes Perses flyeth and is taken prysonner with his chil dren. sayled to Samothrace: Whome Cneus D [...]auius, being sent by the Consul, to pursewe hym, toke him with his two sonnes, Alexander and Philippe, & brought them [Page 134] ners to the Consull. Macedone, from the tyme of Ca­ranus, who first reigned there, vnto Perses who was the last, had thirtie kynges, vnder whose gouernaunce it con ti [...]ued, by the space of nyne hundred twentie and three yeres: but it helde the Souerayne Monarchie, no lenger then a hundred, [...] and twelue yeres. When it The [...] the monarchy of [...]. was once brought in subiection to the Romaynes: Offi­cers were appoynted in euery Citie, and it was set at li­bertie, receyuyng of Paule the Lawes, which they vse at this day. The Senetours of all the cyties of Aetoly with their wyues and children, which hitherto had remayned as neuters, were sent to Rome, and there they were de­teyned a long tyme, to thentent they should not worke a­nie alteracion in their countrie, vntill at length after ma­nie yeares entreatans, by often Ambassades sent from the Cities to the Senate of Rome, euery man was dis­missed into his owne countrie.

THe Carthaginenses and Macedones, The [...] of the Roma [...] nes agaynst the [...]. beyng subdued, and the power of the Aetolians weakened by the captiuity of their noblemen, the Acheans onely of all Grece, semed as yet to the Ro­mayns to be at that tyme of to much power and authoritie, not for the ouer great wealthe of euery citie by them­self, but for the earnest agrement of them all togither. For although the Acheans be deuided by Cyties, as it were into members, yet they haue one Corporacion, and one kynde of gouernement, and yf anie wrong be offred to anyone cytie, straight wayes all the [...] make all power they can, to redresse it.

[Page]Therfore as the Romaines sought to finde some quarell to make warre against them, by fortune a cōplainte was brought against them in due season by the Lacedemoniās whose fieldes (for a mutual hatred betwene the two peo­ples,)the Acheans had forraged. The Senate made an­swer to the Lacedemonians, that they wold send ambas­sadors into Grece, to se how their confederates were delt wythall, and to defend them from taking any wronge. But thambassadors had priuely in charge besides, to dis­solue the agreable consent of the Acheans, and to set eue­ry city fre from other, to thentent they might the easlier be brought in subiection: and if anye cities shewed theym selues so stout that they woulde not, they should be com­pelled by force. The ambassadoures therfore callinge the princes of all the cities before them to Corynthe, recyted the decree of the Senate, declaryuge what they woulde counsell them to do. They said it was expedient for them all, that euery Citye shoulde be gyuerned by their owne lawes, and by theyr owne customes. When thys was ones notifiee to them all, they were in suche a rage, that lyke mad men, they kylled all the forreine people within the real [...]e. Yea and they had doene as muche to the Ro­maine Ambassadours them selues also, yf they had not had intelligens of the hurlye burly, and shyfted for them selues by flight. Assone as tydinges her of came to Rome forth with the Senate appoynted Mnmmius the Consull to make warre against the Acheans. Who without fur­ther delaye, conueyinge thyther his armie, and hauinge vigilantly puided for all thinges before hand, offered his enemies battell. But the Acheans, as though they hadde take a matter of no importans in hand by making warre [...] [...]o [...] befor [...] [...] net. against the Romains, so they loked and cared for nothing at all, for they were so myndfull of the pray, and so care­les for the battel y ^• they brought chariots & wagous wit [...] them to lade home with the spoile of their enemies, & set their wiues & children in y ^• moūtains to behold y ^e conflict. [Page 134] But when they came to hande strokes, they were slayne ryghte downe before theyr frendes faces, where by they gaue them a sorowfvll sight, the rememberaunce wherof might greue them all the dayes of theyr life after. Theyr wiues and children also beinge of lookers on made cap­tiues, were a pray to the enemy. The chiefe citye Corinth Corynthe is beatē downe. was beaten downe. Al the people were sold by the drum, to the entent that by the ensample therof, the other cities myghte be a fraid to make any trouble or insurrection. While these thinges were a doinge, Antiochus kinge of Syria made warre vppon Ptolomy the elder, hys syslers Antiochus maketh war vpon Ptol [...] ­my king of Egypt. sonne king of Egipt, geuen all together to slouthe, and so feble and vnlusty through daily and continuall ryot, that he not only committed all thinges appertaining to the e­state and office of a king, but also by meanes of ouer much pamperinge vp of him selfe, was in manner voide of that reason whiche oughte to be in man. Being therfore driuē out of his kingdome, he fled to Alexandria, to Ptolomye hys yonger brother, with whome he parted his kingdom, and so they sente ambassadoures ioyntlye together to the Senate of Rome, requestinge healpe by the ryghte of the league in the whiche they were bounde in alyauns wyth them. The Senate being moued at the sute of the brethrē ther vpon sent Pub. Popilius ambassadour to Antiochus to wil him to abstaine from Egipt, or if he were all ready An example of an vncor­rupted minde and of great [...] seuerity. entered to voide thence. When he had founde hym in E­gypt, and that the kynge offered to kysse him, (for at suche time as Antiochus lay in hostage at Rome, among others he had Popilius iu great estimation and reuerence) Popi­lius willed him to let cease all priuate frendship, vntill he hadde executed the commaundemente of his countrye, or while matters concerning his country were in hand, and there withall drawinge forthe the decre of the senate, and deliueringe it vnto him, when hee sawe him pause at the matter, askinge leisure to consulte theron wyth his fren­des, there Popilius with a wand that he had in his hand, [Page] [...] a [...] circle aboute him, willynge hym to call hys frendes to counsell to him and not to set foote ou [...]e of the place befor [...] he had geuen the Senate a direct aunswere, whether he would haue peace or warr [...] with the Romai­nes. This rigorousnesse so [...]uche abated the kinges cou­rage, that he made aunswer he was contente to be ruled by the Senate. Antiochus after his return into his king­dome deceased▪ leauinge his heire a [...] babe. Whome The death of An [...]ochus. the realme assigned to the gouernaunce of certayne Pro­tectoures. Here vppon his vncle Demetrius, who laye in hostage at Rome, hearinge of the [...]eath of his brother an­ [...]iochus, went vnto the Senate, sayinge that he came thi­ther for an hostage duringe his brothers life, after whose decease he knewe not for whome he should lye any longer in hostage. Wherfore he ought of right to be discharged, that he myght go and chalenge the kingdome, the which (as by the vniuersall lawe of all nations,) it appertayned [...]o his elder brother, so now of reason, it was due to hym, because he was of more y [...]res of discretion then the babe. When he perceiued the Senate would not licence hym to Demetrius stealeth from Rome▪ and obtaineth the kyngdome of Syria. goo, (in as muche as they were perswaded in their owne iudgementes, that the kingdome should remayn in more safetye and quietnesse in the childes hande then in hys,) vnder pretence of ri [...]ing a hunting, he stale to D [...]ia, and there with a fewe of his retinue that were preuye to hys doinges, he priuelye tooke shipping. Assone as he was a­riued in Syria, he was receiued with greate ioye and fa­uoure of all men, and the Protectours killing their ward did put him in possessyon of the kin [...]dom. The same time almoste, Pru [...]as kyng of Bythinia, wente about secreat­ly Prusias dig­geth a pit for his sonne, and falleth there in hym selfe. to kill his owne sonne [...], for none other occa­sion, but onlye to anaunce hys yonger sonnes that he had begotten vpon his seconde wife whiche laye in hostage at Rome. But the matter was be wrayed to the yonge man by them that should haue doone the deede, and they coun­sailed him, that for as muche as hys father by his cruelty [Page 135] hadde prouoked hym thereto, he shoulde preuente the con­spiracye, and tourne the mischiefe vppon the deuysers heade. It was no harde matter to perswade hym. Ther­fore assone as he was by theyr enticemente entered into hys fathers realme, he proclaymed himselfe kynge. Pru­sias beinge deposed from hys owne sonne from hys royal estate, to the degree of a priuate personne, was for­saken euen of his owne seruauntes. And as he laye hidden in a secreat place, his sonne as cruelly slue him, as he had wicked lye commaunded hys sonne to be put to death before.

DEmetrius the vsurper of the kingdome of Syria, supposinge it to bee a daungerous matter, if vpon his new aduauncemente he shoulde geue hym selfe to idlenesse, determi­ned to enlarge the borders of his kingdome, and to augmente his richesse by subduing his neighbors. Wherevppon for displeasure he bare to Ariarathes kyng of Cappadocia for refusing his sister in mariage, he main tained againste him his brother Holofernes, who beynge An example of singuler in gratitude. wrongfully driuen out of the realme, resorted to hym for succoure, and for ioy that he had so honest a title to make warre, he purposed to sette him in possession of the kyng­dome againe. But Holofernes beinge of a cankered and malitious nature, (entering in league with the Antiochi­ens, being at that time offended with Demetrius,) tooke counsell how to depriue him of his kyngdome, that went aboute to restore him into hys kingdome. Demetrius ha­uinge knowledge there of, spared his life because ariara­thes shoulde not bee deliuered from the feare of hys bro­thers warre. Neuerthelesse he caused him to be apprehen­ded and put him in prisone in the citye Seleucia. Yet not­withstanding the antiochiens were not so discouraged by the detection of their conspiracye, that they woulde cease from their rebellion. Therefore by the helpe of Ptolomye king of Egipt, attalus king of asia, and ariarathes kyng The hatred of dyuers kings against Demetrius. of Cappadocia, all the whiche Demetrius hadde by hys warres stirred againste him, they suborned one Prompa­lus a man of the basest sorte, to chalenge the kyngdom by force of armes, as thoughe it had bene hys by right of in­heritaunce, and to the entent there should want nothyng to spite Demetrius withall, they proclaimed hym by the [Page 136] name of Ale [...]ander, and reported him to be the sonne of Antiochus. So sore hatred was Demetrius amongste all men, that by an vniuersal consent, they not only gaue his aduersarye the power of a kinge, but also attributed vnto him nobility of birth and lignage. Alexander therfore by meanes of this wonderfull exchaunge of thinges, forget­ting his owne old villainage, beinge accompanied wyth the power almoste of all the whole Caste, made warre a­gainste Demetrius, whome he vanquished and depryued bothe of life and kingdome. Howe be it Demetrius wan­ted The [...] nes and [...] of [...] no courage to withstand the brunt of the warres. For at the first encounter he put his enemy to flight, and whē the king renued the battel againe, he slue many thousand of theyr men in the field, and yet at the last being of an in­uincible courage, he was slaine fighting most valiantlye among the thickest of his enemies. In the beginninge of the warres, Demetrius had committed to the charge of his hoste of Guydus in Lycia, his two sonnes and a great summe of golde, to the entent they should be bothe oute of [...]operdye of the warre, and also if it shoulde so happen be preserued to reuenge theyr fathers death. The elder of them named Deme [...]rius, being past childes age, hearyng D [...]etrius the sonne of [...] recou [...]reth hys fathers kyngdome. of the riotous demeanor of Alexander, (who for the ioye he had in his richesse vnhoped for, and in the ornamentes of a nother mannes felicity, kept himself like a cowardlye carpet knight at home in his palaice among a company of concubines and brothels,) by the helpe of the Caudiens, assailed him carelesse as he was, and fearing no hostility at all. The Antiochiens also to make amends with theyr new benefites, for the old displeasure done to his father, yelded them selues vnto him. Moreouer his fathers soul­dioures, being inflamed with fauour toward the younge Prince, and preferringe the conscience of theyr othe made to his father, before their promise made to the new proud king, reuolted withall theyr banners and antesignes to Demetrius. And so Alexander being with like rage of for [...] ouerthrowne as he was lifted vp, was in the fyrste [Page] battell vanquished and slayne: suffryng due punishment, bothe in the behalfe of Demetrius whome he had slayne, and in the behalfe of Antiochus, whose [...]ock he had moste shamefullie slaundered.

DEmetrius hauyng recouered his Fa­thers kyngdome, was himself also cor rupted, through the prosperous suc­cesse in all his affaires, & through the inclinacion to vice, that is commonly wonte to be in youthe, he fell to slouth and [...] ▪ by meanes whereof, he purchased himself, as much hatred at all mennes handes for his cowardnesse, as his father had gotten for his statelynesse: whervppon perceyuyng howe the cyties euerye where began to withdrawe their obedi­ence, to thentent he might wype oute the spot of cowar­dyse, Demetrius maketh war against the Parthi [...]ns. he determined to make warre vppon the parthians. Whose commyng the people of the East were not a litle glad to behold, bothe, by reason of the crueltie of Arsaces kyng of the Parthians, and also bycause the countries, beyng enured with the gentle entreatans of the auncient dominion of the Macedones, coulde not well away with the pryde of the newe Empyre of the Parth [...]ans. By meanes whereof, beyng ayded with the power of the Per sians, Emylians, and Bactrians, he vanquished the Par [...]sans in many battels. Neuerthelesse at the last, beyng deceyued vnder a counterfet color of peace, he was taken Demetrius is tak [...]n pri­soner, & kept like a kynge. prysoner, and [...]rawen through thopen face of the cyties, that had reuolted and shewed in meckage to the people, that had rebelled, as who should say, they should see what a one he was, whome they had so highly fauoured.

Afterward he was sente into [...], and there cour­teou [...]ly [Page 127] enterteyned, accordyng as belongeth to his for mer estate.

Whyle these thynges were in doyng, in the meane tyme [...], who through sute to the body of the Realme had obteyned to be admitted Protector, ouer Antiochus [...]. sonne in lawe to Demetrius: kylled the childe, and vsur­ped the kyngdome of Syria, the which he enioyed a great whyle: but at the length, when the [...]our that men bare him, beyng newlie made kyng, began to weare oute. An­tiochus the brother of Demetrius, who at that tyme was [...] of [...] ▪ brought vp in Asia, being but a very child, ouercame him in battell, and so the kyngdome of Syria was redu [...]ed a­gayne to the stocke of Demetrius. An [...]iochus therfore re­membryng, that both his father was hated for his pryde, and his brother despysed for his slouthfulnes: because he would not fall into the same vices himselfe, after he had taken in mariage Cleopatra his brothers [...], he with all diligence pursuwed the Cy [...]es that had reuloted from his brother, at the beginn [...]g of his Reygne, and hauyng subdued them, brought thē agayn to [...] of them­pyre. Also he subdued the Iewes, who in the tyme of his father Demetrius takyng weapon in hande, had pulled their neckes from subiection of Thempyre of Macedone, and set themselfes at libertie. And they grewe to suche strength, that after this man was once dead, there [...] as no kyng of Macedone [...]ble to kepe them in obedience, but that they made a Ruler among themselfes, and di [...]rou­bled all Syria with their warres. The originall of the The [...] of the [...]. Iewes, was Damasco, whiche is the noblest cytie of all Syria, from whence the kynges of Syria also (fetchyng theire pedegre from Semyramis) descended. The Cytie had her name of a Kyng called Damascus, in honor of whome, the Syrians worshipped the Sepulchre of hys wyfe Arates for a Temple, & reuerenced her with much deuocion and superstitio [...]s Ceremonies for a Goddesse. After Damascus, [...] Abraham, Israel and [...], as kings: But Israel was more notable thē his ance [...]ors [Page] by reson of the [...] encrease of his ten sonnes. Ther­fore he deuided his people into ten kingdoms, and deliue­red it to his sonnes, calling thē all Iewes after the name of Iuda, whiche deceased anone after the deuision, the re­membraunce of whome he commaunded that all the rest should haue in reuerence and veneration. His portiō was the head of all the other. The yongest of the brothers was Ioseph, of whose excellent wit his brothers being afraid, The history of Ios [...]phe in [...]. [...]ais wait for him preuely, and solde him to marchauntes straungers, by whome he was caried into Egipte: where throughe the sharpnesse of his wit, he so pro [...]d in the magicall artes, that within a shorte space, he became in great fauor with the king. For he was both a very witty diuinor of wonders and foretokens, and also he was the firste that inuented the interpretation of dreames. Yea there was nothing appertaininge either to God or man, wherin he semed not to haue had exact knowledge. In so muche that he foresaw the barrennesse of the land, many yeres before it came, and all Egipt had pearished for hun ger, if the king through his counsel had not geuen [...] commaundement, to laye vp in store the corne and frute of many yeres before hand. Finally he was so well tried that his answeres seemed not to be geuen by man, but by God. His sonne was Moises, who besydes the inheritans of his fathers knowledge, was also commended for hys An [...] of Mo­ses, and of the goyng of the [...] out of Egipt. excellent beuty and personage. But the Egiptians being stricken with a great itch and skabbednesse, to the entent that the contagion should infect no mo, by the warnynge of an Oracle, draue hym and all the infected oute of the borders of Egypt. Moyses therfore being made captayne of the banished people, stale away the sacrifices of the E­giptians: the which the Egiptians entending to recouer by force, were compelled by Tempestes to retire home a­gaine. Moyses e [...]ones resortnig to Damasco the natyue The [...] ­inge of the sa­ [...] day. country of his ancestors, went vp into the mountain Sy­nai, in the which, (for as much as he first rested ther after seuen dayes [...]asting and trauel of hymself and hys people [Page 125] through the desertes of Arabie) he hallowed the seuenth day, and called it after the manner and vsage of the coun­trie, the Sabboth day, commaundyng it to be kept. Fa­styngday for euer after to the worldes ende, because that that day had made an ende of all their trauell and hun­ger. And forasmuch as they remembred howe they were dryuen oute of Aegypt, for feare of infection, they made a lawe, neuer after to communicate with stravngers, the which thyng rysing at the first vppon good cause and con syderacion, by lytle and lytle grewe into custome and su­perstition. After Moyses, his brother Aaron was conse­crated [...]. first Priest of the Ceremonies of Israel, and anon after created kyng. And euer after it remayned as a cu­stome among the Iewes, that they that wer their priests were also their kynges: through whose Iustice and vp­rightnesse ioyned with [...], it is an vncredible thing, how greatly they encreased. The enryching of the Iewes Of [...] ­growing only in [...]. came by the reuenewes of Balme, whiche groweth no where, but only in their countrie. For there is a certayn valey, inclosed round about with continuall hylles, as it were walles, like vnto gardines. The place conteyning two hu [...]dred thousand Acres, is named Iericho. In the same vale there is a wood, notable, bothe for the frute­fulnesse The [...] ­tion of the countrye of Iericho. and for the pleasauntnesse thereof. For it is beset with date trees and balme trees. The Balme trees are lyke in makyng and groweth vnto pytche trees, sauyng that they be much lower, and are dressed as vines are. These at certeyn tymes of the yere doe swete out balme: But the place is not so muche to be wondered at for the frutefulnesse, as for the colenesse thereof. For whereas throughout all the Clymate of that Countrie, the sunne is excedyng hote, there is in that place, as it were a natu­rall warmenesse, and a continuall shadowe.

In that countrie is a lake, which for the greatnesse ther­of, [...] ▪ and for the vnmouable standyng of the water, is cal­led the dead sea. For neyther is it moued with y ^• wyndes, [Page] by reason, the bytumen resisteth the force of them, wher with all the water is made to stand immouable: neyther can it be sayled vppon, bycause that all thynges wantyng lyfe, synke downe to the bottom, and it will not beare a­ny substaunce, onlesse it be ouerlayed with Alume. Xer­xes Who fyrste subdued the Iewes. kyng of Persia fyrst subdued the Iewes. Afterward they and the Persians also, were brought in subiection by great Alexander, and continued a longe tyme vnder the gouernaunce of the Empyre of Macedone. Lastely rebel­lyng agaynst Demetrius, by sekyng the frendshyppe and Aliance of the Romayns, who at that tyme dyd cut large thonges of other mens lether, they were the fyrste of all the Nacions of the East, that requested lybertie. Duryng the same tyme that there was such alteraciō of the kyng­dome of Syria among the new kynges: Attalus kyng of Asia, distayned his moste florishyng kyngdome which he The doyngs of Attalus. kyng of Asia the lesse. had receyued of his vncle Eumenes, with the slaughter of his frendes, and thexecucion of his kynsfolke, false lye surmisyng one whyle, that the olde lady his mother, ano­ther while, that his owne spouse Beronice were by their sorcery and enchauntmentes kylled. After the commit­tyng of this wicked and outragious crueltie, he put on The sorowe­ [...]ul repentans of Attalus. fylthie apparell, he let his hed and his beard growe long, lyke as offenders are wont to dooe in person, he woulde not come abrode, he would not shew himself to the people he would not make any myrthe or good chere in his house no nor pretend anie token at all, of a manne that is in his right wittes, so that it was not to be thought, but that he punished himselfe, to pacifye the Ghostes of suche as he had wrongfullie put to death. There vppon leauyng the gouernement of the kyngdome, he gaue himselfe to ma­kyng of gardynes, and sowed sedes, settyng herbes an [...] wedes myngled togyther, all the which he woulde stepe in venemous liquors, and send as a speciall present to his frendes. Furthermore he gaue himselfe to the studie of Smyths craft, and to founding of metalles, maruelously [Page 147] delightyng in meltyng and casting of brasse. Fynallie en­tendyng to make his mother a Tumbe, as he was ear­nestlie The dea [...] of A [...]alus▪ occupied about the same, he caught a Surfett [...] by the heate of the sunne, of the which he dyed within seuen dayes after. By his last will he made the people of Rome his h [...]ire. But there was one Aristonicus the sonne of [...] ▪ Eumenes, not begotten in lawfull wedlocke, but borne of a single woman of Ephesus, the daughter of a certayn Mynstrell, who after the death of Attalus, toke vppon [...]im the kyngdome of Asia, as yf it had ben his by right of inheritaunce. When he had fought manie prosp [...]rous battelles, agaynst such of the Cities as woulde not yelde themselfes vnto him for feare of the Romayns, and ther­vppon semed now to be righfull kyng in dede. Licinius The [...] of cou [...]ous­nesse. Crassus the Consul, was appoynted to haue the charge of Asia: who hauyng more mynde of Attalus riches, then of the warre, (by aduenture in the later end of the wynter, for wante of good order and gouernaunce in the fyelde) was ouercomme, and with the losse of his lyfe, suffered due punishement for his vnaduised rashenesse and coue­tousnesse. In his roume was sent the Consull Perpenna, who in the fyrst encounter vanquished Aristonicus, and toke him prisoner, and also shipped all the riches of Atta­lus, belongyng to the Romayns, by force of Legacie, and conueyed them to Rome. The which his successor, Mar­cus Aquilius the Consul, takyng sore to hart, made al the hast and spede he could deuise, to take Arystonicus per­force out of Perpennas hand, as who shoulde say, that he himself ought rather to haue the honor of Tryumph fo [...] vanquishyng hym. But the deathe of Perpenna brake the stryfe of the Consulles: and so Asia beyng made the right of the Romayns, with her richesse, sent also her vi­ces vnto Rome.

AFter that Arostonicus was takē prisoner, the Massilias sent Ambassadors to Rome, humblye requestyng pardon for the Pho­censes their foūders, whose Citie, Senate, yea and name, the Romaynes had geuen sentence, should be vtterly rooted out, by­cause that bothe, at that tyme and before tymes, when they had warres with Antiochus, the same lyke deadlie enemies had euer furthered the warre agaynste theym, the which request with much sute the Massilians obtey­ned. The Romay­nes reward theyr parta­kers. This done, they rewarded the kynges that had ay­ded them agaynst Aristonicus: vnto Mythridates kyng of Pontus, they gaue the lesser Syria, & vnto the sonnes of Ariarathes kyng of Cappadocia, who lost his lyfe in the same battell, they gaue Licaonia and Cilicia. And the people of Rome delt more faithfully with the sonnes of their confederates, then the mother dyd deale with her owne children. For by thone the child had his kyngdome enlarged, by thother, he was bereft of his lyfe. For Lao­dice, of syxe sonnes that Ariarathes had begotten by her, (for feare, least by continuall succession in the gouerne­ment The vnnatu­ral cruelty of a mother. of the kyngdome, some of them mighte happen to come to mannes estate) kylled fyue of them. One of the yongest by the helpe of his kynred, was saued from his mothers crueltie, who after the death of the sayde Lao­dice (for the people had put her to death for her crueltie) Not with­out de [...]ert. enioyed the kyngdome alone. Mythridates also, beyng surprised by sodayne death, left a sonne behynd him of his owne name, who afterward grewe so great, that he sur­mounted Mythridates the great, and of hys byrth, educatyon, successe, pea­ryls and ad­uentures. in estate, not onely the kynges of his tyme, but also all the kynges that had ben before hym, and helde warres with the Romaynes syxe and fowerty yeres togi­ther, sometyme with conqueste and sometime with losse. [Page 147] Whome the moste expert and valiant Captaynes, Sylla and Lucullus, with diuers others, & in fine, [...]us Pem peius ouercame in such sorte, that he still rose with grea­ter force and prowesse to renewe the battell, and by his losses semed euer to be made more terrible to them. Fi­nally at the length, he was not vanquished as an enemie, but in his oldeage, leauyng his [...] to be his heire, he dispatched himselfe by wilfull death, in his owne kyng dome, where his auncesters had raygned of long conti­nuance. The very wonders of heauen dyd prognosticate what a great man he shoulde be: for bothe, the same yet▪ A Com [...] ▪ that he was borne, and the same yere he firste began his reygne, there appered by the space of threskore and tenne dayes, at both tymes suche a blasyng starre, that all the skye semed to be on fyre: For it was so bygge, that it oc­cupied a quarter of the heauen, it was so brighte, that it blemished the light of the Sunne, & when it rose or went doune, it consumed fower howers at eche tyme. When he was a chylde, his owne Gouernours wente about to destroy hym, settyng hym vppon a rough horse, and com­pellyng him to lern to ryde, and to torney. The which at­tempt followyng not their myndes as they woulde haue had, (the yong Prince Mythridates, rulyng the horse bet­ter then was loked for in one of his age,) they assayed him with poyson. The which, he standyng in doubt of before, dronke tryacle oftentymes: by meanes whereof, he so stayed his bodie, with tryed and exquisite medicines, that when he was olde, he would haue poysoned himselfe and coulde not. After this, fearyng least his enemies woulde compasse the thyng by weapon, which they could not doe by venim, he coūterfeyted a desyre of huntyng: whervp­pon by the space of fower yeres, he came not vnder anie roofe, eyther of house in the Cytie, or cotage in the coun­trie, but wandered vp and doune the forestes and woods, & rested the night time in the mountayns, sometime one [Page] where, and sometime another, no man knowyng where was his haunt, enuryng himself eyther to chase or to pur­sue the wylde beastes on foote, and with some of them to encounter with playne force. By meanes whereof he both auoyded all treason, and also hardened his bodie to abyde all kynde of trauell and exercyse. Afterward when he came to take the k [...]gdome vppon him, immediatlie he set his mynde, not so muche of gouernyng as of enlar­gyng thesame. Therefore he maruelous fortunately sub­dewed Mythridates subdueth the so [...]thsayers. and brought in subiection, the S [...]ythians, who be­fore that day were neuer conquered, whiche had vtterlie destroyed Zopyron the Capitayne of greate Alexander, with thirtie thousand armed men, whiche had slayne Cy­rus kyng of Persia, with two hundred thousand men of warre, and which had put to flyght Philyp kyng of Ma­cedones: Being thus encreased in strength, he conquered Pontus, and consequentlie Cappadocia. Then with cer­tayn of his frendes, he went secretly disguysed out of his owne kyngdome, without knowledge of anie man, and wanderyng through Asia, vewed the situacion of all the Cyties and Prouynces of the same. From thence he tra­uayled ouer Bythinia, and as though he had ben alreadie Lorde of Asia, he deuised all thynges that might helpe to f [...]rther him toward his conquest. After this, when all men beleued he had ben dead, he returned home into his own Realme: where he found a lytle sonne, whome Lao­dice his syster and wyfe, had brought him forth in his ab­sence. But in the myddes of the ioye, that was made for The wife of Mythridates put teth hym in daunger of his lyfe. his returne, and for the birth of his chyld, he was in daun ger to be poysoned. For his syster Laodice, beleuyng him to be dead, and therevppon abusyng her bodye with his frendes, as though the might haue hydden her offence by committyng of a greater cryme, prepared a cuppe with poyson to welcome him home withall: Wherof Mythri­dates hauyng intelligence by a Damosell, punished the offence vppon the deuisers thereof.

[Page 125]After, when wynter drew nigh, he spent not the time in feastyng, but in f [...]ates of armes, not in [...], but in [...]he [...] of [...] tes [...] the winter [...]. exercise, not amōg carpet knights, but eyther in yo [...]sting and tournying, in runnyng on foote or on horsebacke, or els in wrestlyng and tryal of strength among his p [...]res. Also he daylie enured his men of warre by ly [...]e exercyse, to abyde labor and trauell as well as himself, by mean [...]s wherof as he was i [...]incible himself, so made he his host inuincible also. Then he entred in league with Nicome­des He conque­reth Paph [...] ­gonia. and inuaded Paphlagonia, the which he conquered, and parted it with his companyon. When woorde was brought to the Senate, that these kyngs had subdued the countrie, they sent Ambassadours to them both, cōmaun dyng them to set it in the lyke estate as they found it. My The Romain a [...]bassae to Mythrodat [...] and hys aun­swer there vnto. thridates thinkyng himself nowe able ynough to matche the puissaunce of the Romayns, answered proudelie that the kyngdome was his fathers by inheritaunce, and that he maruayled, they should make alteration with him for it, hauyng not done, the lyke to his father. Moreouer he set so lyght by their Manaces, that he inuaded Galatia al­so. Nicomedes for asmuch as he was not able to make his partie good by anie tytle, answered he woulde surrender it to the rightfull kyng: and so chaungyng the name of his owne sonne, he called him Phylomenes, by the name of the kyngs of Paphlagonia, by which conueyance vnder a counterfect name, he helde still the kyngdome, as though he had restored it to the right heire. The Ro­mayne Ambassadoures beyng thus had in derision, returned to Rome with a mocke.

Morrouer, he sent his wyfe Laodice to Rome, to testifye that she ha [...]e t [...]ree sonnes by Ariarathes. The which thyng when Mithridates knew of, he also with lyke im­pudent vnshamefastnesse, sent Gordius vnto Rome, to auouche before the Senate, that the chylde, to whome he had deluded the kyngdome of Cappadocia, was the sonne of the same Ariarathes, whiche in the quarell of the Ro­maynes was slayne, in the battell agaynst Aristouicus. But the Senate vnderstandyng the meanyng and ende­uour Thorder ta­ken by the se­nate. of both the kynges, wold not gene other mens king­doms to vsurpers, that tooke wrong names vppon them. Whereupon they tooke Cappadocia from Mithrydates, and to comfort him withall, they toke Paphlagonia from Nicomedes. And to thentent it should not seme they wold take any thynges from the kynges in despight of them, to bestowe it vppon others, bothe the Nacions were se [...]at at free lybertie. But the Cappadocians refusyng the gyfte Ariobarza­nes is made kyng of Cap padocta. of ly [...]ertie, sayd that their countrie could not liue without a kyng: Whervppon Ariobarzanes was appointed by the Senate to be their kyng. There was at the same tyme, one Tygranes king of Armenia kept in hostage not long before by the Parth [...]ās, and now lately remitted by them into his fathers kyngdome: Hym dyd Mithridates couet, to allure to take his part in the warres, that he had of lōg tyme purposed agaynst the Romaynes. Wherfore by the meanes of Gordius he pers [...]ded him (as one that knew not what it was to displease the Romaynes) to make war vppon Ariobarzanes who was a very cowarde. And to thentent it shoulde not seme, be dyd it for anye cautele or pollicy, he gaue him his daughter Cleopatra in mariage. At the fyrst commyng of Tygranes, Ariobarzanes con­ueying Mithridatis recouereth Cappadacia. away all his stuffe, gat him streight to Rome: & so by y ^• meanes of Tygranes Cappadocia was again vnder y ^• dominiō of Mithridates: Thesame time died Nicomedes whose son named Nicomedes also, was dryuen out of his kingdom bi Mithridates: who resorted to Rome for succor vpō whose hūble sute, it was decreed by y ^e Senate, y ^• both be & Ariobarzanes should be set in possessiō of their kyng­domes [Page 145] agayne. For the perfourmaunce whereof, Aqui­lius Manlius, and Malthinius, were sent to be Lieuete­nauntes of the warre. Mythridates hauyng knowledge hereof, and entēdyng to make warre with the Romains: alied himself with Tygranes. And it was couenaunted [...]. betwixt them, that Mythridates should haue for his parte the cyties and landes, and Tygranes should haue for his share, the men and cattell, and whatsoeu [...]r els was mo­ueable. After this, Mithridates [...] what a warre he had taken in hande, sent out his Ambassadours, some to the Cymbrians, some to the Frenchegrekes, some to the Sarmatians, and some to the Bastarnes, to request them of their ayde and help. For all these Nations had he [...] nations [...] vp [...]. allured a good while before, by shewyng them [...]endshyp and pleasure diuers wayes, euer synce he fyrste purposed warre agaynst the Romayns. Moreouer he raysed an host of men in Scythia, and armed all the East agaynste the Romayns. It was no great matter for hym therefore, to ouercome Aquilius and Malthyne, hauyng none but the men of Asia about them: after the discomfiture of whome and of Nicomedes, all the cyties were glad to seke his fa­uor. There he found great plentie of gold and syluer, laid vp in store by the kynges in tymes past, and much furni­ture for the warres, the which for as muche as they made greatlie to his furtherance, he released the cyties all their dettes, as well publike as priuate, and exempted them frelie from all charges, as well of the warres, as of try­butes and taxes for fyue yeres space. Then assembled he his souldiours before him, and encouraged them with [...]i­uers exhortacions to the warres of y ^e Romains, otherwise cald the wars of Asia. The copi of which Oracion I haue thought worthie to be put into this worde (albeit I co [...]et to be short) in the same maner, as Pōpeius [...]rogus hath indirectly set it forth: because he fyndeth fault with [...]iuie & Salust, for putting Oracions in their works directly as they were spokē, & so doyng exceded y ^• boūds of an history, [Page] He said he would gladly haue wished, that he might haue consulted vpon this poynt, whether it wer better to haue The oratyon of Mythri­dates to hys captains and men of warre warre or peace with the Romaines: but nowe there was no remedy but to go through with the matter, and not to feare them, yea thoughe there were no hope of victorye at all. For all men would draw their wepons vpon theues, thoughe they were not able to defende them selues, yet to reuenge theyr deathes. But for as muche as he purposed not to debate, whether it were mete to be in quiet, (consi­dering they were not only ennemies in hart, but also had encountered like enemies in open field,) he woulde fayne knowe by what meanes, and vpon what hope, they shuld maintaine the warres that they had begone. Neuerthe­lesse he had good hope of the victorye, if so be it they hadde good hartes. That the Romaines might be ouercome, his souldiers that vanquished Aquilius in Bythinia and Mal thinius in Cappadocia, knewe as well as he. But if hee thoughte the examples of other menne could moue them more, then theyr owne triall and experiens, [...]e harde saye that Pyrrhus king of Epyre, hauyng no mo but fiue thou sand Macedones in his host, vanquished the Romaines in thre pitched fieldes. He heard saye that Hanniball by th [...] space of. xvi. yeres abode in Italy like a conqueroure, and [...]ad taken the city of Rome it selfe had not the preuy ma­lice and enuy of his owne country men, ben a greater hin­deraunce to him, then the power of the Romaynes. He hard say that the Frenchmen inhabiting on the other side of the Alpes, entered into Italye, and there placed theym selues in moste of the welthiest cityes of all the countrye, seisynge into theyr possession somewhat a larger piece of ground euery way, then that which they had gotten in A­sia, for all it is counted so weake and cowardly. Moreouer that the said French men hadde not onlye vanquished the Romaines, but also taken their city, in so muche that they left thēno more in all the world, but one hill from whens whence they were saine to remoue theyr ennemye, not by battel, but by raunsome.

[Page 146]The which Frenchemen (whose name had alwa [...]es ben so terrible to the Romaynes) he had to strenghten him in his host. For there was no differēce betwene the French­men that inhabit Asia, and the Frenchmen that inhabit Italy, but onely the distance of their dwellyngs asunder. As for their originall, their prowesse, and their maner of feightyng was all one, sauyng that these in Asia mus [...] nedes be of so much more pollicie and witte, as they haue comme a wore longe and [...]edious you [...]ney through Scla­uany & Thrace, beyng a farre paynfuller matter to make themselues waye through those countries, then to place themselues where they nowe inhabit.

Furthermore he heard say that Italy it selfe was ne­uer yet well pleased with Rome, synce it was fyrst buyl­ded: but that continuallie frō yere to yere, incessant warre had ben made, by some for their libertie, and by other s [...]m for the right right of thempyre: insomuch that (by report) manie cyties of Italie, had vtterlie destroyed the Romain Armies by the sworde, and some with a new kynde of re­proche had compelled them shamefullye to crepe vnder a yoke. And forbycause he should not seme to make long ta­rians in matters of old tyme, euen the very same present, all Italy was rysen to warre ioyntlie togyther with the marses, not to demaund lybertie, but Societie in Them­pyre, and in the Cytie itself. Neyther was the Cytie op­pressed more by the warres of their neighbours in Italie, then by the partakyng of her owne noblemen at home: so that the Ciuil warres were farre more dangerous, then the forren warres of Italy: besydes that, the Cymbrians that vnmeasurable, and moste fyltierable of sauage and vnmercifull rascalles, were swarmed oute of Germanie, and ouerwhelmed all Italy lyke a storm. Of al the which forenamed nacions, although the Romayns mighte per­chaunce be able to withstande the brunt, one after an o­ther, yet by all at once, they must nedes be oppressed: and that so sone, that they should haue no leasur at al, to think vppon his warres: wherfore occasion ought to be taken, [Page] when i [...] was offered, and good holde ought to be layed, with spede vppon the iucreasment of their strength, least yf they now sate still, whiles thother were busie and had their handes full, anone after they haue might haue more a doe with them when they were in quiet, & had nothyng els to dooe. For it was not in question, whether warre ought to be made or no, but whether it ought to be doone to their owne behofe, or to the behofe of the Romaynes. For the warres were begonne betwene him and them, from the time that they toke from him in his nonage, the lesser Phryg [...]a, with they had gyuen vnto his father, in reward, for aydyng them in the battell agaynste Aristo­nicus: the which countrie Seleucus Callenicus also had gyuen in dourie with his daughter to his great graundfa ther Mythridates: what should a man say to that they cō ­maunded him to depart oute of Paphlagonia, was it not an other kynde of defyaunce? The whiche realme fell to his father, not by force of armes, nor by conquest, but by adoption and Legacie of laste will and testament, but by the death of the rightfull kynges, and so consequenlie by lawefull inheritaunce: wheras neuerthelesse, all his hum ble obedience to their bitter decrees, coulde not one whit mitigate them, but rather was an occasion that they bare themselfes more cruellie agaynst him: for what submis­sion could they deuise, but he vsed it towardes them: dyd be not let go Phrygia and Paphlagonia? dyd he not with drawe his sonne out of Cappadocia, which he had conque red, and therefore was his by the lawe of armes? and yet his conquest was taken out of his hande, by them which [...]aue nothyng of their owne, but that whiche they holde by the sworde? dyd he not for their pleasure kyll Creston, kyng of Bythinia, agaynste whome the Senate had pro­claymed warre? and yet notwithstandyng what so euer Gordius or Tygranes hath done, was imputed altogy­ther to hym. Moreouer in despight of him, the Senate had of their owne voluntarie will, set Cappadocia at lyberty, which thyng they themselfes had taken from other Na­cions. [Page 147] Afterwarde when the people of Cappadoria, than­kyng thē for their lybertie, sued to haue Gordius to theyr kyng, it might not be graūted, and that for none other oc­casion, but bycause he was counted his frende. Nicome­des at their commaundement, made warre vppon hym, and bycause he coulde not be reuenged vppon hym as he woulde, they themselfes had taken the matter in hande: Wherevppon partly grew thoccasion of his warres with them, namely because he woulde not sytte styll lyke a co­warde, and suffer that dauncyng Damoselles sonne Ny­comedes, to teare him in peces at his pleasur: For it was not the faultes of kinges, that they were offended with, or sought to redresse: but with their power and Maiestic [...] they sought to suppresse. The which cautel and pol licy they dyd not vse agaynst him onely, but agaynst all o­ther kynges. After the same maner, his graundtfather Pharnar, by right of kynred, appoynted as heyre and su [...] cessor to Eumenes kyng of Pergamus: and agayne, Eu­menes himself, in whose shyppes they were fyrst brought ouer into Asia, by the help of whose men of warre, more then by theyr owne puissaunce: Fyrst they conquered the greate Antiochus, and the Frenchmē in Asia, and anone after kyng Perses in Macedone, they vttered as an enne­mie, forbiddyng him to come within Italye: and (whiche they thought they myght not doe to hym for shame) made warre vppon his sonne Aristonicus. There was neuer none that deserued more at their hande, or that had done more for them, thē Massinissa kyng of Numidie. To him they imputed the ouercommyng of Hannyball, him they thanked for the takyng of Syphax, to him they imputed the destroying of Carthage, him they registred among the two Affricanes, as the thyrd preseruer of their Cytie: and yet with the same mans nephew, they euen this other day had made warre in Affricke, so deadlye cruell, that after they had vanquished him, they coulde not fynde in thei [...] harts for their graundfathers sake to pardō him, but that they emprysoned him, and led him through the Cytie in [Page] maner of Triumphe, and made him a gazyng stock to all the world. Thus had they made a lawe to themselues, to beare continuall hatred agaynste all kynges, verelie, by­cause they had such kynges themselfes, whome they may be ashamed to heare spoken of, that is to say, eyther shepe herdes of Thaborigines, or soothsayers of the Sabynes, or outlawes of Corynthe, or els (which is the honorablest name that euer was among them) proued men, and (as they themselues reporte) suche founders as a wolfe gaue sucke to: which may well be, in that all the ofspryng of that people haue wolues hartes, vnsaciable of blood, gre­die of Dominion, and raueners of riches: whereas hym­self for his owne person (yf comparison should be made be twene him and thē, as touchyng nobilitie) was of a more famous lynage, then that ragged heape of rascalles, for he dyd fetch his pedegre on the fathers syde, from Cyrus and Darius the fyrste founders of the Monarchie of the Persians, and on the mothers syde from greate Alexan­der, frō Nicanor and Selencus the fyrst founders of them pyre of Macedone: or if he should compare his people with theirs, he sayd he was ruler of those Nacions, whiche not only are able to match the Romayne Empyre, but had al­so withstood the Empyre of Macedone. For there was none of the nacions, of whome he was Ruler, that had ben subdued vnder forreyne Princes, or that euer submit­ted themselfes to anie kyng, but if he were of their owne countrie, chose whether they would name Cappadocia or Paphlagonia, agayn Pontus or Bythinia, Armenia the greater, or Armenia the lesse, of the which countries, ney ther Alexander (euen he that conquered all Asia,) nor any of his successors or posterity euer touched anie: as for Sci­thia, there were neuer but two kynges before hym, name lie Darius and Philyppe, that durst so much as enter in­to it, who being not able to make anie conquest, had much a doe to wynde himself oute agayne with their lyues, frō whence he had a great parte of his strength agaynste the Romaynis: wherfore he had more cause to be afrayed and [Page 160] mistrustfull, when he entred into the warres of Pontus, at suche tyme as he hymself was but a yonge nouice and a fresh water souldiour. Nor the Scythians, besydes that they be well harnessed, and well harted, they are also fen sed, eyther with desertes and wast groundes, or els with colde, whiche bydde the souldiour loke for greate trauell and perill: among the which distresses, there was not al­moste any hope of rewarde to be gotten of the wādering enemie, hauyng not onely no mony, but also not so much as a house, to hyde his head in. But nowe he was entered into a farre other kynde of warrefare: For neyther was the ayre more temperate in all the worlde then in Asia, nor the soyle more fertyle, nor more plentie of fayre and pleasaunt Cyties, so that they should spend a great parte of the [...]yme, not as in warfare, but as in feastyng: and it was to be doubted, whether the warre shoulde be more easie or profytable, whether they woulde aduenture vp­pon the ryches of the kyngdome of Attalus nexte vnto them, or vppon Lydia and Ionia, so greatly renoumed for their richesse in old tyme, the which they should not nede to go to fyght for, but to go to take possession of. For Asia was so desyrous of their commyng, that she called & cryed to them a loude to make speade. So greate a hatreded to­ward the Romayns, hadde the greadie rauenousnesse of their Proconsultes, the pollyng and shauing of their tolle gatherers, the wrongfull delyng in sutes, and controuer lies of the lawe of their officers, rooted in the hartes of them all. Wherefore he willed them to doe no more, but followe him manfully, & ponder with themselfes what so great an army might be able to doe, hauyng such a Capi­tayne as he was whome they themselfes had sene, with­out the helpe of any of his souldiers, by his own industrie onely, slea the kyng of Cappadocia, & seyze his kyngdome who onely of all the men that euer lyued, conquered all the countries borderyng vppo [...] the sea of Pontus, & Scy­thia also, the whiche before his tyme no man could trauel [Page] through, no nor go vnto in sauftie. As for his own Iustice and lyberalitie; he woulde not refuse that his souldiers which had had sufficient tryall and experience of them, should beare wytnesse to the same, as of the whiche these were manifest tokens, that he only of all kyngs enioyed, not onely the kyngdomes that his father possessed before him, but also for his bountie and magnificence, was adop­ted to be heyre of other forreyne Realmes, as Colchos, Paphlagonia, and Bosphorus, whiche he nowe peacea­blie helde▪ When he had thus encouraged his souldiers, He returneth to the storyes of Egipt. after the. xxiii. yere of his reygne, he entered into warre agayn [...] the Romayns. At that tyme in Egypte, after the death of P [...]olomy kyng of Cyrene, both, the kyngdome and the Quene Cle [...]patra his syster to be his wy [...]e▪ [...] ­lomy was glad in that he had recoured his brothers king dome without battell, the which, he knewe his mother Cleopatra and certeyn of the noble men went preuelye about to assure vnto his brothers sonne. But assone as b [...] The crueltye of Ptolomy. came vnto Alexandria, to the great displeasure of all the Cytie, he caused all such as fauored the chylde, to be put to death. The chylde himself also, he slew in his mothers armes, the very same day that he maried her, in the myd des of all the feastyng and solemne ceremonies of wed­ [...]cke. And so he wēt to bed with his syster, all bestayned with the blood of her sonne. After the whiche dede he be­came euen as meke to his other countreymen, that had called him to the kyngdome. For he gaue his souldiers (which were straungers) leaue to kill whome they wold, so that daylie all places were on a gore blood, and he put away his syster, and toke to wyfe her daughter a fayre yong mayden, hauyng firste rauished her per force: with the which thynges the people wer so dysmayed, that they shronke away, so [...]e one whether and some another, for­sakyng theire natife countrie like banished folk, for dread of death.

Ptolomy beyng left alone with his souldioures, in so [Page 167] greate a Cytie, when he sawe howe he was a Kynge of emptie houses and not of men, made proclamacion that straungers shoulde come and inhabite the Cytie, after whose resor thyther, he went forth to mete the Romayn Ambassadors, Scipio Affricanus, Spurius Mumius, and Lucius Metellus, which came to see howe the Realmes of their confederates wer ordered. But loke howe cruell he was to all his owne countriemenne, so much was he a laughyng stocke to the Roma [...]ns. For he was yll visa­ged, Ptelomy is had in deris [...] by the Ro­main ambas­sade. a dwarfe of stature, & he had such a fat paunche, that he semed more lyke a beast then a man: the whiche fould­nesse and deformitie, his smal shyrle voyce, and his thinne garmentes dyd more encrease, as thogh of set purpose he had set oute the thynges to be sene, which he that had a­ny regarde of shame, oughte with all care and studie to haue hydden moste secretlie.

After the departure of Thambadoures (of the whiche Affricanus, whiles he behelde, the Cytie was himselfe a spectacle to the Alexandrians:) Ptolomy beyng nowe ha­ted euen of his Alientes also, fledde preuely oute of the Realme with his sonne, whome he had begotten of hys syster, and with his wyfe, her owne mothers paramour, for feare of treason: and hauyng gotten an hoste of hyred souldiours, he made warre, bothe agaynst his syster, and agaynst his owne countrie. Afterwarde he sent for his el­dest The vnnat [...] ral cru [...]sse of Ptolomy towarde hys own children sonne from Cyrene, & for bycause the Alexandrians shoulde not make him kyng agaynste him, he putte hym to deathe.

Then the people in despyght of him, brake doune his ymages, and tare doune hys pictures. The which thyng, thynkyng to be doone by the procuremente of hys syster he slew the sonne, whome he hadde begotten uppon her, and then cuttyng hys bodie in gobbettes, closed it vp in a Casket, and sent it for a present to the mother, as she was makyng feast and great chere vpon the day of her byrth. The whiche was a bitter and sorowfull syght, not onelie [Page] to the Quene herself, but also to all the whole Cytie, and it cast such a grief vppon that ioyfull feast, that sodaynlie in all the Court was nothyng but mournyng and lamen­tyng. The noble men therfore, turnyng themselfes from feastyng to funeralles, shewed to the people the mangled bodie, declaryng what hope they oughte to haue of theyr kyng, who hadde so cruelly murdered his owne chylde. Cleopatra after that the sorow for losse of her sonne was ceased, perceyuyng herselfe to be sore infested by her bro­thers warre: Demaunded help of Demetrius Kyng of Syria by his Ambassadors, whose chances were strange and worthie to be spoken of. For Demetrius (as it is she­wed He returneth to the story of Demetrius, taken pryson net by the Parthiens in the. xxxvi. booke. before) makyng warre agaynst the Parthians, & get­tyng the victorie in manie encounters, was sodaynlie sur prised by pollicie, and besydes the losse of his armie, was also himself taken prysoner. Whome Arsaces kyng of the Parthians, sent into Hyrcanie, and of his noble and Ro­yall courage, not onely gaue him enterteynement lyke a kyng, but also gaue him his daughter in mariage, promi­syng moreouer to restore him the kyngdome of Syria, which Tryfo hadde vsurped in his absence. After whose death, Demetrius beynge past hope of returnyng into his kyngdome, and beyng not able to away with captiui­tie, beyng wearie of his priuate lyfe, though he lyued ne­uer so welthelie, assayed a faithfull frende to steale home A faythfull fre [...]d. into his owne kyngdome. His counseler and companyon in this enterprise was a frend of his, called Callimander, who after his Maisters captiuitie, hyryng guydes for mo ny, himself disguysed in Parthian apparell, came oute of Syria through the deserts of Arabie vnto Babylon. But Phrahartes, which succeded Arsaces, sent oute post hor­ses after him, who made such spede by gayner ways, that they ouertoke him, and brought him back agayn. When An example of clemency in in a barbarus prince. he came before the kyng, Callimander was not only par doned, but also highlie rewarded for his faithfulnesse to­wards his Master. But Demetrius with a great rebuke [Page 162] was sent agayn to his wyfe into Hyrcanie, and ther kept more straightlie then he was before. In processe of tyme when it was to be thought, he would haue taryed for his chyldrens sake, that he had by his wyfe, accōpanied with his foresayd frende, he stale away agayn. But euen with Demetrius is taken fly­ing the [...] tyme, and brought [...] agay [...]e. lyke infelicitie as before, he was apprehended, nere vnto the lymites of his owne kyngdome, and beyng broughte backe agayn vnto the kyng, was commaunded out of his presence in great displeasure. Neuerthelesse beyng then also graunted his wyfe and children, he was sente agayne into Hyrcanie his olde place of penaunce, and was rewar ded with a payre of dyce of golde, in exprobration of hys chyldishe lightnesse. But this so gentle and fauorable de­meanor of the Parthians towarde Demetrius, proceded not of any mercie naturally engraffed in that nacion, or in respect of Aliance and affynitie, but bycause they coue­ted the kyngdome of Syria, entending to vse Demetrius as an instrument agaynst his brother Antiochus, accor­dyng as eyther the matter, the tyme, or the chaunce of warre should requyre. Antiochus hearyng therof, thoght it wysedome to preuent the warre, and there vppon led Antiochus [...] deth an host a gaynste the Parthiens. his his host (whiche he had hardened through manie via­ges and battelles agaynst his neyghboures) agaynste the Parthians. But he made preparacion as much for ryot, as for warre. For wheras he had eight hundred thousand men of warre, there wer besydes, thre hundred thousand others that followed the host, of the which the moste part were Cokes, bakers and mynstrels, & players of enterlu­des. Surely of gold & syluer ther was so great abundāce, that euen the cōmon souldiers ware their hosen enbroy­dered with golde, & trode vnder their fete the metall, for loue of which other people were wonte to fyght and kyll one another: Moreouer all the furniture of kytchens wer of cleane syluer, as though they had gone to banquetting and not to battell. At Antiochus fyrste commyng, manye kyngs of the East mette him, & yelded themselfes & their [Page] kyngdomes vnto him, vtterlie detestyng the pryde of the Parthians. It was not long ere it came to thencounter. Antiochus [...] the [...] Antiochus gettyng thupper hand in thre fought fieldes, and thervppon winnyng Babylon by force, began to be counted great. By meanes whereof all countries reuol­ted so fast vnto him, that the Parthians had nothyng left them, more then the bare soyle of their owne Realme of Parthia. Then Prahartes sent Demetrius into Syria, with an host of Parthians, to inuade the kyngdome, to thintent that by that pollicie, Antiochus might be enfor­ced [...] is let go into Syria. to withdrawe himself out of Parthia, to the defence of his owne Realme. In the meane whyle, bycause he could not ouercom Antiochus by force, he sought meanes to surprise him by pollicie. Antiochus by reason he hadde such a multitude, dispersed all his army into the Cyties, duryng the wynter season, the which thyng was his vt­ter vnd [...]yng. For the Cyties felyng themselfes greued with victailyng of hiis hoste, & also with the iniurious de­meanour A [...] con­spiracy a­gainst [...]. of the souldiers, reuolted agayn to the Parthi­ans, and on a day appointed for the nones, all at one tyme by trayterous conspiracie set vppon the hoste, as it was deuided among them seuerllie, to thentent they shoulde not be able to rescowe one another: when tydinges herof came to Antiochus, he assembled suche as wyntered with him, & went to rescow them that were nerest. But in his way, he met with the kyng of Parthians, against whome he fought more valiauntlie himself, then dydde his hoste. Notwithstandyng at the laste (forasmuche his ennemies The death of [...]. were of more force and courage) his men for feare forsoke him, and so he was slayne. For whome, Phrahartes made a royal herce, & dyd exequies after the maner of Prynces, and moreouer beyng taken in loue with the daughter of Demetrius, whome Antiochus had broght with him, he toke her to wyfe. Then it repented him, that he had let go Demetrius, & he sent oute menne in post after him to fetche him backe. But Demetrius, dreadyng the same [Page 173] thyng before hand, had made such spede, that they founde him in his owne kyngdome, & so beyng frustrate of theire trauell & expectation, they returned to the kyng.

AFter that Antiochus with all hs ar­my was thus destroyed in Parthia, his brother Demetrius, beyng dely­uered from captsuitie of the Parthi­ans, and restored to his kyngdome, (when as all Syria as yet mourned for the losse of the armye) as though the warres that he and his brother made in Parthia, in the whiche thone was taken prysoner, and thother slayn, had had prosperous successe, he purposed to make warre in Egypt at the request of Cleopatra his wifes mother, who promysed to gyue him the kyngdome of Egypte, in recompence, yf he would helpe to support her agaynste her brother. But whyles he went about to get that, that was another mans, he lost his owne, by meanes of a so­dayne [...] is hated of his sub [...]ects for his pryde. insurrection in Syria. For first the Cytizens of An tioche, throgh the instigacion of their Capitayne Tryfo, [...] the kynges pryde (which by his conuersacion, among the cruell Parthians was becomme intoierable,) and anone after the Apameniens, with all the rest of the Cyties, followyng their ensample, toke occasion vpon the kynges absence, and rebelled against him.

Ptolomy also kyng of Egypt, against whome the sayd Demetrius made warre, when he vnderstode that hys syster Cleopatra had shypped all hhr goods & treasur, and An [...] is [...] king agaynst [...]. was sled into Syria to her daughter & her [...] in lawe Demetrius, he suborned a certayn yong men of Egypte, the son of Merchantman called Protarchus, to chalenge [Page] the kyngdome of Syria by b [...]ttell, forging a pedegre, as though Antiochus had adopted him into the blood royall. And the Syrians cared not who were theyr kyng, so they might be delyuered from the pryd of Demetrius. So the yong man was proclaymed by the name of Alexander, & great succor was set to him oute of Egypt. In the meane while the bodie of Antiochus slayne by the kyng of Par­thia, was sent into Syria in a coffyn of syluer to be buried the which was receyued with great reuerence by all the Cyties, but chiefly by Alexander himselfe, to thentent to make men oredyte the tale, that he was adopted to be his heire. The which his doyng, wann him much fauor of the commonaltie, all men thinkyng no lesse, but that he ment good faith without dissimulacion, in his sorowfull mour­nyng. Demetrius, beyng vanquished by Alexander, and being enuyroned on all sydes with vnauoydable daūgers was at the last forsaken of his own wyfe & childrē, being therfore left desolate sauyng a fewe seruaunts, as he was purposed to haue fled to the temple of Tyrus, there to re gistre himself as a sanctuarieman, yf percheunce the reue rence of the place might saue his lyfe, when he went out to lande, he was slayne by the commandement of the Ma The due re­ward of sacri ledge and v­surped autho ritye. ster of the shyppe. The one of his sonnes, whose name was Seleucus, bycause he crowned himself kyng, with­out his mothers conset, was by her slayn. Thother of his sonnes, who for the greatnesse of his nose was surnamed Grypho, was created kyng by his mother vppon this cō ­dicion, that he should bear the name, but she herself haue all the power and authoritie of the whole Empyre. But The desire of souerainty. Alexander the vsurper of the kyngdome of Syria, being puffed vp with contynuall successe in his affayres, began of greate pryde and insolencie to mocke and despyse Pto­lomie himselfe, by whome he was put in and inuested in that kyngdome.

Ptolomy therfore reconcyling to his syster, endeuored [Page 147] by all the meanes he coulde deuise, to depose Alexander from his Royaltie, the which he had obteyned by his help for hatred that he bare towardes Demetrius. Wherevp­pon he sent ayd to Grypho into Grece, and his daughter Gryphin also to be his wyse, to thentent he mighte pro­cure the people to helpe his nephew, not only by confede­racie, but also by alsance of affinitie. And the matter came so to passe in dede. For after the time they perceyued, that Grypho was supported with the power of Egypte, they began by litle and litle to reuolt, euerychone from Alex­ander. Afterwarde there was a battell foughte betwene The [...] an kyng is put to flyght. them, in the which Alexāder beyng put to the worse, fled vnto Antioche. Ther for want of mony, hauing not wher with to pay his souldiers their wages, he commaunded a sygne of victory of Massie golde to be taken out of the Tē ­ple of Iupiter, coloryng his sacryledge with a pleasaunt skoffe: For he sayd that Iuppiter had lent him victorie. Within a [...] dayes after, when he had geue cōmaun­dement preuely, to pull oute of the temple the Image of Iupiter made all of cleane gold, of an vnknowen weight, and that beyng taken in doyng of the dede, he was put to flyght by the multitude that came to the reskowe, he was oppressed by the violence of a tempest, and forsaken of his owne men, and taken by theues, and brought vnto Gry­pho, and there put to death. Furthermore Gripho hauing recouered his fathers kyngdom, & beyng delyuered from The [...] [...] ­warde o [...] sa­cryledge and vsurp [...]d au­thority. owtwarde daungers, was assaulted by the treason of his owne mother: who beyng inflamed with desyre of Soue­raintie, after she had betrayed her husbande Demetrius, and kylled her other sonne, for spight and malice that her authoritie and estimacion should be diminished by the vic­tory The desire of Souerainty. of this other sonne, offered him a cup of poison, as he came from his pastyme. But Grypho hauyng intel [...]gēce of his mothers treason, (as though he had stryued with her for courtesie) desyred her to drynke to him, the which vppon her refusall, he requested more earnestlie. At the length bringyng forth the author of the reporte, he layde [Page] the matter to her charge, affirming he would admit none other excuse to defend her offence with al, but yf she wold drynke the same herself that she had profered to him. The Quene beynge by this meanes conuicted of her mische­uous The death of the Quene. intent, by receyuing the poyson herself that she had prepared for her sonne, was depryued of her [...]yfe. Grypho hauyng thus brought his Realme in quietnesse, not only lyued himself at hartes ease, but also gouerned his kyng­dome in tranquillitie, by the space of eyght yeres after: the which terme beyng expyred, there arose an enemie to his kyngdome, namely his owne brother Cyricenus, borne of his own mother, but begotten by his vncle. Antiochus Whome whiles he went about to ryde out of the way by poysonyng, he styrred him the soner to contende with him by force for the kyngdome. Among these parrycidiall dis­cordes of the Realme of Syria, dyed Ptolomy kyng of E­gypt, The death of Ptolomy king of egipt leauyng the kyngdome to his wyfe and one of his sonnes, which so euer she would chose, as though the state of Egypt should be in better quiet then the realme of Sy­ria, when the mother by chosyng the one of her sonnes, should make thother her enemie. Therefore whereas she was of herself more enclyned to the yonger sonne, the peo ple compelled her to chose the elder. From whome (before An vnequall dealinge of a mother. she gaue him the kyngdome) she toke away his wyfe and hauyng compelled him to forgo his moste dear beloued sy­ster Cleopatra, she caused hym to marry his yonger syster Seleuce. Wherein she delt not lyke a mother betwixt her daughters, cōsyderyng she tooke her husband from thone and gaue him to thother. Cleopatra beyng not so muche put away by her husband, as by violent diuorce separated from him hy meanes of her mother, was maried to Cyri­cenus in Syria: and to thintent she woulde not seme to haue brought nothyng elles vnto him more then the bare name of wyfe, she raysed an host of men in Cyprus, and brought it to her husband for her doury.

Cyricenus beyng now made as strong as his brother, encountred with him in open fyelde, where beynge van­quished [Page 152] and put to flight, he came vnto Antioche. Then Grypho beseged Antioche, where Cleopatra the wyfe of War betwe­ne Gryphus and his bro­ther [...]. Cyricenus lay. At the takyng whereof, Gryphin the wife of Grypho, toke care for nothyng so much, as to fynd oute her syster Cleopatra: not to thyntent to helpe saue her out of captiuitie, but to thyntent she should not escape the mi­ [...]eries A cruell sy­ster. of captiuitie: Because (as she thought) in disdanye of her estate, she had entred forciblie into that kyngdome inespeciallie, and by marying herselfe to her s [...]sters enne­mie, had made herselfe an ennemie to her. Alledgyng a­gaynst her moreouer, that she had raysed forreyn powers agaynste her brother, she had maryed herselfe agaynst her mothers will, oute of the Realme of Egypte. On the con trarie parte, Grypho besought her, that she woulde not constreyne hym to committe so shamefull an acte. For it [...]he [...] ­syon of Gry­ph [...]s from that cruelty. was neuer hearde, that any of his auncestours, among so manie ciuill, and so manie outwarde warres, dydde after the victorie extend crueltie agaynste women, the whiche for thymbecilliti of their nature, had euer ben accustomed to be exempted, bothe from the daungers of the warres, and also from the crueltie of the conquerors.

A nowe in this case besydes the lawe of armes, there was also the bounde of aliaunce, to withhold him from doyng suche a wickednesse. For on thone syde, she was her owne syster, whose blood she sought so cruellie, and on the other syde, she was his cousyne Germane, yea and moreouer, she was aunte to the chyldren of them bothe. Moreouer besydes all those boundes of kynred and greate aliaunce, he [...] alledged, that it was not right or lawefull for to suffer to violate the Temple, in the whiche she had hyd her selfe, and the whiche she hadde taken for saufegard of her lyfe, but that the Goddes with so muche the more humilitie and deuocion ought to be re­ [...]erenced on his parte, as by theire greate mercye and fa­uour, be hadde gotten the victorye at that tyme ouer hy [...] [...]nnemyes.

[Page]For neyther by killyng her, could he any thyng abate the strength of Cyricenus, neyther by preseruyng their lyfe, anie thyng encrease his power. But the more vnwyllyng that Grypho was, the more was she of womanlie wilful­nesse incensed agaynst her syster, supposyng him to speake these wordes, not of pytie and compassion, but of loue. Whervppon callyng to her the souldiers, she sent certayn of them herself, to thrust her syster through. Who ente­ryng Gryphin sen deth to kyll her syster Cle o [...]atra. into the temple, when they could not pull her oute, they cut of her handes, as she had clasped them about the Image of the Goddesse. Then Cleopatra cursyng those wicked murderers, & besechyng the Goddes (whose sanc­tuary they had defyled) to reuenge her vppon them, dyed. It was not long after, but Cyricenus encountered again The death of Cleopatra. with his brother, where gettyng [...]hupper hand, he tooke Gryphin the wyfe of Grypho prysoner, which latelie had put her syster to death: with execucion of whome, he dyd Such mesure as she dyd mete, is [...] ­ten to her. obsequies to his wyues Ghoste. But in Egypt, Cleopa­tra beyng greued that her sonne Ptolomy, should be par­tener with her in the kyngdome, incensed the people a­gaynste The Quene of Egypt de­poseth one of [...]er sonnes, & setteth vp an [...]. him, and hauyng taken his wyfe Seleuce awaye from him, (which was so much to more griefe to him, by­cause he had begotten two sonnes by her) bannished him the Realme: sendyng for her yonger sonne Alexander, whome she crowned kyng in his brothers stead. And yet beyng contented to haue banished her sonne, she pursued him with battell, where he kept as a bannished man in Cyprus. When she had dryuen him from thence also, she put the Capitayn of her host to death, bycause he had suf­fered him to escape alyue out of his handes. Albeit to say the truthe: Ptolomy departed oute of the Ilande, rather because he was ashamed to fyghte with his mother, then that he was not of power able to encounter her. Alexan­der therefore, dreadyng this his mothers crueltie, depar­ted his waye, and left her alone, desyring rather to lyue Lyfe is dea­rer then a [...]yngdome. meanely in quiet & saufegarde, then to reygne as a kyng, alwayes in daunger of his lyfe. Cleopatra fearyng least [Page 167] Cyricenus should helpe her elder sonne Ptolomy to reco­uer the kyngdome of Egypt, sent great ayde to Grypho, and her daughter Seleuce to be his wyfe, to thentent, he should persyst enemie to her fyrst husband, as he had ben before, and also sent Ambassadors to her sonne Alexan­der to call him to the kyngdome agayne. Agaynst whome The death of the Quene of Egyp [...]e. as she was practisyng of mischief to bryng him to destruccion, she was by him preuented and put to death, and so she ended her lyfe, not by naturall destynie, but by deser­ued murder. Surelie she was well worthie of such a slaunderous death, which had defyled her owne mothers bed, and put her besyde her husband, whiche had made two of her daughters so oftentymes wydowes, by choppyng and chaungyng of their husbandes, which had banished thone of her sonnes pursewyng him with battell when she had done, and hauyng wrested the kyngdome from thother, had practised also to bryng him to his ende through trea­son. Neuerthelesse Alexander himself escaped not altogy­ther vnpunished, for committyng so abhominable a mur­der. Alexander [...]. For assone as it was knowen, that the mother was slayne by the wickednesse of her sonne, the people rose a­gaynst him, and draue him into exyle, and callyng home Ptolomy agayne, set him in possession of the kyngdome, who was of that modestie, that he would neyther make warre agaynste his mother, nor yet chalenge that of his brother by force, which was his before by right of inheri­tance. Whyle these thynges were a doyng, a bastard bro­ther Cyrene [...] to the Romains The original of his, to whome his father had by his laste will be­queathed the kyngdome of Cyrene, deceased, and lefte the people of Rome to be his heyre. For by this tyme the for­tune of Rome was such▪ that beyng not content with the boundes of Italie, it began to stretche itselfe to the kyng­domes of the East. By meanes whereof, that part of Ly­bie, was at that tyme made a prouynce, and shortlie after Candy and Cilicia beyng subdued in the warres agaynst the Pyrates, were brought in lykewyse, in order of pro­uynces. By the which dede bothe the kyngdomes of Sy­ria [Page] and Egypt, were streightned by the neyboured of the Romaynes, and whereas before tymes they were wonte to encrease their Dominion, by warryng vppon their bor­derers, now beyng abridged of their lybertie to roue wh [...]r they lyst, they turned their power to their own confusion. In so much, that beyng cōsumed through cōtinuall feigh­tyng, they were had in despight of their next neighbours, and were as a praye to the Arabians, whiche before that tyme were neuer knowen to be menne of warre. Whose kyng Herotymus, vppon trust that he had in his syx hun dred sonnes, whiche he had begotten of his concubynes,) Herotymus, great number [...]f sonnes. with sundrie Armies made rodes, somtimes into Egypt, and sometyme into Syria: by meanes whereof within a while, through the weaknesse and feblenesse of his neigh­bours, he made the name of the Arabians famous and re­doubted.

THe kyng & kyngdome of Syria, being consumed through the natural hatred of the brothers, and through the dead­lie enmytie of their children, succe­dyng in their fathers steppes, one af­ter an other, with so mortal warre as neuer could be appeased, the people re­sorted to straungers for refuge, and be gan to loke about them for some forreyn kyng. Therfore when as some thought it good to sende for Mithridates, kyng of Pontus, and some for Ptolomy kyng of Egypt, and that it came to their remembraunce, that Mithrida­tes on thone syde was entangled with the warres of the Romayns, and that Ptolomy on thother syde, hadde euer ben an enemie to the kyngdome of Syria, they consented Tygranes is made kyng of Syria. all vppon Tygranes kyng of Armenia: who besydes the power of his owne countrie, was also supported by confe­deracie, [Page 168] with the Parthians, and by aliance with Mythri­dates. Beyng therfore crowned king of Syria, he enioyed the kyngdome excedyng quietlie, by the space of eyghtene yeres, hauyng no nede at all, eyther to assayle others him selfe, or to repulse others that assayled him. But as Syria An [...] earthquake. was in sauftie from forreyne [...], [...]o was it greatlie wasted with an erthquake, in the which ther perisshed an hundred threskore & ten thousand men besydes the ruine of manie cities. The whiche wonder the soothesayers in­terpreted to betoken a great alteracion of thynges. For when Lucullus had ouercome Tygranes, he proclaymed [...] o­ [...] Tygranes, & maketh [...]. Antiochus the sonne of Cyricenus kyng. But that which Lucullus had gyuen, Pompeius afterward toke awaye, who tolde him that he would not haue made him kyng of Syria, no though he had sewed for it, and muche lesse put it in his mouthe without chalengyng it. Consyderyng that duryng the eyghtene yeres that Tygranes held Sy­ria, he had lyen lurkyng in a corner of Sylicia, but assone as the Romayns had ouercome the sayde Tygranes, he put himselfe forthe to sue for the reward of other mennes trauell. Therfore lyke as yf he had had the kyngdome be­fore, he would not haue taken it from him, euen so, seyng he coulde fynde in his hart, to suffer Tygranes to enioye it peaceablie so long, he would not bestowe the thyng vp­pon him, which he knew not howe to defende: for doubte lest he might be an occasion, that the Jewes and Arabiās should enterprise to robbe and spoyle the countrie of Sy­ria Syria is [...] [...]e a prouynce of the [...] agayn. So he brought Syrie into the forme of a Pro­uynce, and by lytle and lytle, through the discorde of the blood Royall, the Easte came in sub­iection to the Romaynes.

THe Parthianes, in whose hande, (the whole worlde, beyng as it were deni­ded betwene them and the Romains) Thempyre of the East as than was, of the Parth­ēs with their encreasement and battels. were banished men of Scythia: The which thyng the verie name of them bewrayeth: for in the Scythian lan­guage, bannished men are called Par­thians. These in the tyme of Thassyrian & Median Em­pyres, were of all the peoples of the East moste base. Af­ter warde also, when Thempyre was translated from the Medes to the Persians, they were as a sorte of Rascalles without name, and a continuall pray to the Conquerors. Lastely when the Macedones ruled the East, lyke trium­phant conquerors, they were in subieccion vnto them, in so much that there is no man, but woulde wonder to see, howe by their prowesse and actiuitie, they shoulde aspyre to so great felicitie, as to haue dominion, euen ouer those kynges and kyngdomes▪ vnder whose Empyre they ser­ued sometyme as rascall slaues. Furthermore, beyng as­sayled of the Romaynes, in three battels by Capytaynes of great experience & actiuitie, in the chefest tyme of their prosperitie, when they florished moste in the renowme of onelie, they onelie of all Nacions were able, not onely to matche them, but also to conquer thē. Although in dede it may be counted a greater glory, that thei could ryse and put vp their head from among those Empyres of Assyria, Media and Persia, that were so renoumed in tymes past, and also from vnder that moste ryche and wealthie Em­pyre of Bactria, that had a thousand cyties vnder it, then to haue vanquished the force of traungers so farre from them. Furthermore whyle the Scythians were sore ve­xed with the continuall warres of their neighbours, and [Page 169] in maner oppressed with the continuance of daungerous encounters, these Parthians, beyng through domesticall dissention expulsed oute of Scythia, toke by [...]telth the de­sertes betwene Hyrcanie and the Daces, & the Areans, and the Spartanes, and the Maianes. In continuance of The situaciō of Par [...]hia. tyme, fyrste without let or interrupcion of theire neigh­bours, and afterwarde maugre their headdes, dooe the best & worst they coulde, they dilated the borders of their countrie so farre, that they posfessed not onely the wyde fyeldes & bottomes of all the champion countrie, but also the cragged clyffes, and the the toppes of the high moun­taynes, whereby it commeth to passe, that moste places within the coast of Pa [...]a are eyther excessinely who [...]e, or extremely colde: by reason that the [...] are commonly infested with snow, and the open [...]yelds with The [...]e of y ^• cōmon weale of Parthia. the heate of the sunne. After the decay of thēpyre of Ma­cedone, the countrie was gouerned by kinges. Next vnto the Mayestie of the king, is the state of the commonaltie: for out of it are chosen Capitaynes in tyme of warre, and Their langu­age. magistrates in time of peace. Their language is a meane betwene the Scythian and Median, mixed indifferentlie of them bothe. They had sometyme a fashion of apparell Their Ap­parell. peculiar by them selfes, but after the tyme they grewe ryche, it became fyne, and full of clothe after the maner of the Medes. They kepe the same order in their warres and in feightyng, as doe the Scythians their ancestours. The order of their warres Their armie is not as other nacions be of free men, but for the more part of bondmen. Th [...] which sorte of people (forasmuch as it is not lawfull for anie man to set anie of The briging vp of their bondmen. them at libertie, and therevppon all are bondemē borne) daylie multiplieth and encreaseth, enstructing them with great diligence to ryde horses and to shote. Accordyng as euery man is of welthe, so fyndeth he the kyng mo horse­men to the warres. Finally when Antonie made warre agaynst the Parthians, of fyftie thousand horsemen, that met him in the fyelde, there were but eight hundred of [Page] them that were fre borne. They cannot skyll of feighting at hand in the battell, nor of wynnyng Cyties by siege. [...]horder of their warres They feight eyther runnyng right forth with their hor­ses, or els retiryng backe, oftentymes also they wil make as though they sled, to thentent their enemie pursewyng them vnaduisedlie, may ly more open to receyue a wonde of thē, when they shall ioyne battell, they vse not to sound a trumpet, but a Tympane, neyther can they endure to feight any long whyle. But if they wer of lyke force and as good in continuance as they are at the fyrst brunt, no Nacion in the worlde were able to abyde them. For the mo [...]e part, euen in the whotest of the skyrmysh they for­sake the fyelde, and anone after they turne agayne, & be­gynne the battell a freshe, in so muche, that when a man thynkes himself moste sure of the victorie, then standes Their Ar­moure. he in moste hasarde of discomfyture. Theire armour as well for themselfes as for theire horses, are made all of plates of stele, ouerlayd with fathers, wherwithall both of them are keuered from top to toe. Golde and syluer they occupye not, but in their Armour. Euery man (for de Their seue­ritie [...] keptng their wiues. light y ^• they haue in sensualitie) hath many wyues a piece, and yet th [...]y chastire no offence so sore as aduoutrie and whoredome. Wherevppon they vtterlie forbid women, not onely the conuerfacion with men, but also cōmunica­cion for once to loke vppon a man. They eate no flesh on­lesse Their dyet. they catch it in huntyng. They are caryed on horse­back at al tymes: On horseback they feight w ^t the enemy, Their conti­nuall rydyng on hrsebacke they feaste, on horsebacke they execute all affayres, as well publike as priuate: on horsebacke they gooe from place to place, on horsebacke they bye and fell, and on horsebacke they talke one with an other. Fynally this is the difference betwene a gentleman and The differen ce betwene their gentle­men & their slaues. a slaue, that the slaue neuer rydeth, nor the genleman ne­uer goeth on fote. Their common buryall is eyther to be de [...]oured with dogges, or to be eaten with byrdes, and when the bones are left bare, they to burye them in the Their burial [Page 170] earthe. They are all a lyke maruelous superstitious in doyng honor and reuerence to the Goddes. The natur of Their [...]. the people is arrogant, seditious, deceitful, and malapart. For they thynke that boysterousnesse is mete for menne, and mekenesse mete for women. They are euer vnquiet, Their natu­rall disposici­on. gyuen to quarrell, eyther with straungers, or els among themselfes, of nature close and secret, more readie to dooe then to talke: and therfore, whether they spede wel or yl, they make no boaste of. They obey their rulers for feare more then for shame, to sensualitie they are altogyther prone and enclyned, and yet they are but small feders. There is no trust to be gyuen to theire wordes, for they will kepe promyse no further, then is for their owne pro­fyte. Un [...]er whō the Parthi­ans serued. After the death of great Alexander, when the king­domes of the east were diuided amongest his successou [...]s, There was none of the Macedones, that would vouche­safe to take vppon him the kyngdome of Parthia. By meanes whereof it was cōmitted to Satagenor a stran­ger, that had serued Alexander in his warres. These af­terward, when the Macedones fell to ciuill warre, with thother nacions of thupper Asia, toke part with Emne­nes, after whose discomfiture they submitted themselfes to Antigonus: after Antigonus, Nicanor, Seleucus, An­tiochus When the Parthians first rebelled. and his successors kept them in obedience, from whose graundchylde Seleucus, they fyrst of all reuolted, in the fyrst warre that was betwene the Romayns & the Carthaginenses, L. Manlius Piso, and M. Attilius Regu lus beyng Consuls. The occasion that they escaped clere with this their rebellion, was the discorde betwene the two brothers, kyng Seleucus aad kyng Antiochus: who were so earnest to plucke the kyngdome one from ano­ther, that they hadde no leasur to pursewe the rebelles.

The same tyme also rebelled one, called Theodotus, the whiche was the Lieuetenaunt of the thousande Cy­ties of the Bactrians, and proclaymed hymselfe Kynge. Whose ensample all the other resydewe of the people [Page] of the East ensewyng, reuolted frō the Macedones. Ther was at the same tyme one Arsaces, as of vnknowen ly­nage, Arsaces the first king of Parthia. so of approued actiuitie. This man beyng wonte to lyue by rauyne & robberie, hearyng say that the French­men had vāquished Seleucus in Asia, beyng out of feare of his Prince, entered into Parthia with a bande of rob­bers, and [...]ewe their Lieuetenaunt Andragoras, and af­ter he had dispatched him out of the way, vsurped the do­minion of the countrie. It was not long after, but he con­ [...]uered the kyngdome of Hyrcanie also, and so beyng esta blished in the Empire of two Realmes, he leuied an huge hoste for feare of Seleucus and Theodotus kyng of the Bactrians. But he was sone deliuered frō feare of Theo­dotus, for he dyed▪ with whose sonne called Theodotus also▪ he concluded a league & continuall peace. And with­in a while after, he enconntred with Seleucus that came to subdewe the rebelles, and ouercame him. The whiche day the Parthians haue euer sythens kept holye, with much solemnitie, as the beginnyng of their lybertie. Af­terwarde when Seleucus was through newe Insurrec­cions called backe into Asia, Arsaces hauyng thereby re­ [...]pite Arsaces refor meth the cō ­mon weale of [...] ▪ and oportunitie, sette order in the publike weale of Parthia, mustered souldiers, builded for tresses & stronge holdes, strengthened cyties, and also edified a Cytie new oute of the ground in the mountayn Thabortene, which he named Dara. The situacion of whiche place is suche, that there cannot be any deuised, eyther more strong and The bu [...]ding and situacion of the cytie D [...]a. defensible, or more pleasaunt and delectable. For it is so enuyroned round about with stepe rockes, that the place of it self is able to hold out the enemie, though there wer no bodie to defend it. And the soyle thereaboutes is so fer tile and frutefull, that it is able to suffice the whole cytie without helpe of any other place. Besydes this, there is suche abundaunce of sprynges and woodde, that besydes the commoditie of the water, wherewith it is moste plen tifullie moystured: they may also haue the pleasur of hau­kyng [Page 171] and huntyng when they lyste. Arsaces hauyng in The [...] of Arsaces. this wyse bothe gotten and established his kyngdome at once, dyed an olde man as greatlie renoumed among the Parthians, as was Cyrus among the Persians, Alexan­der among the Macedones, or Romulus among the Ro­mayns. In remembraunce of whome, the Parthians at­tributed this honor, that they called all theire kynges by the name of Arsaces euer after. This mans sonne & heire The seconde Emperour of Parthia. named Arsaces also, hauyng an army of an hundred thou sand sootemen and twentie thousand horsemenne, fought very valiauntlie agaynst Antiochus the sonne of Seleu­cus, and at length was receyued by him into aliance and frendshippe. The third kyng of the Parthians was Pam The thyrde Empeour Pampatius. patius, lykewyse surnamed Arsaces, (for as I told you be­fore) they called all their kinges by that name, lyke as the Romaynes call theirs by the name of Cesar & Augustus. This man hauyng raigned twelue yeres, deceased lea­uyng two sonnes, Mythridates & Pharnax. Of the which The fourth Emperour▪ Pharnax the elder, inherityng the kyngdome accordyng to the custome of their countrie, conquered a stout kynde of people called the Mardes, and within a while after de­ceased, leauyng manie sonnes behynde him, the which he made no accompte of in that case, but left the kyngdome An example of loue tow­ardes a mans countrey. to his brother Mythridates, a man of excellent prowesse and actiuitie, thinkyng that the kyngdome was more to be regarded, then the name of father, and that he oughte The fyfthe [...]. rather to prouyde for his natiue contrey▪ then for his chil dren. The same tyme lyke as Mythridates in Parthia, so Eucratid [...]s in Bactria, bothe of them notable Princes, began their raygnes at once. But the Parthians had the Euera [...]des king of [...] ­tria. happier fortune. For through the pollitique gouernance of their kynge, they aspyred to the Souerayne preh [...]mi­nence of thempyre. Wheras the Bactrians beyng tossed to and fro with the vncertayn fortune of the warres, lost not onely their kyngdome, but also their lybertie. For af­ter the tyme they had wearied themselfs with the conti­nuall [Page] warres of the S [...]gdianes, Dranganitanes, and In­dians, last of all as when half dead, and without of harte, they were subdued by the Parthians, which wer weaker The valiant prow [...]s of Eucratides. then they. Yet notwithstadyng Encratides atcheued ma­ny battels with great prowesse, through the which being brought lowe, when as Demetrius king of Inde had be­seged him, he hauyng no mo but thre hundred souldiours about him, by his continuall yssuyng oute preuelye, van­quished threscore thousand of his enemies. Wherevppon beyng after fyue monethes siege enlarged agayne, he brought Inde vnder his subiection. From whence as he An vnnatu­rall and abho minable mur ther. was returnyng homewarde, he was slayn in his iourney by his owne sonne, whome he had made fellow in Them pyre. Who nothyng dissemblyng the vnnaturall murder but rather reioyc [...]ng, as though he had killed his enemie, and not his father, draue his chariot throgh his blood, and commaunded his bodie to be throwen awaye vnburied. While these thyngs were a doyng amōg the Bactrians, in the meane space there arose warre betwene the Par­thians The conque­ [...]tes of My­thridates y ^• ▪ iiii. kynge of Parthia. and the Medes, in the whiche after diuers aduen­tures of bothe nacions, at length the Parthians gate the vpper hand. Mythridates beyng increased in strength by their power, made one Bachasus Regent of Media, and himselfe went into Hyrcania. At his returne frō whence he made warre vppon the kyng of the Elymeans, whom he ouercame, and adnexed that Realme also to his kyng­dome. And there vppon receiuyng many contries by com posicion, he dylated thempyre of Parthia from the mon­tayn Cancasus, euen vnto the ryuer of Euphrates. Fy­nallie beyng taken with a sicknesse, he dyed hono­rablie in his olde age, of no lesse fame and renoume, then his greatgraun­father Arsaces.

AFter the decease of Mythridates kynge of the Parthians, his sonne Phrahartes was The. i. [...] ­peroure of Parthia, & of his doinges▪ crowned kyng. Who beyng fully purposed to warre vppon Syria, to be reuenged vp­pon Antiochus for attemptyng the kyng­dome of Parthia, was by [...] of the Scythians reuoked to the defence of his owne. For the Scythians beyng solicited vppon promise of wages, to ayde the Parthians against Antiochus kyng of Syria, when as the warre was fynished ere they came, and thei in reproche of their late cōmyng were defrauded of their hyre, beyng greued to haue trauailed so farre for nothing when as they demaunded eyther theire wages for theire paynes takyng, or els some other ennemie to fyght with, such a skornefull aunswere was gyuen them, that they beyng offended therewith, began to waste the borders of Parthia.

Phrahartes therefore, when he should take his iour­ney agaynst the Scythians, left to gouuerne his Realme in his absence one Hym [...]rus, highlie in fauour with him, for thabuse of him in the florisshing prime of his childhod. It is [...] tru­stynge them to whom a mā hath d [...] displeasure. Who forgettyng bothe, his owne former lyfe, and whose persone he represented, through his tyrannous crueltie, vexed importunatlie, bothe, Babylon and man [...]e other ci ties. And Phrahartes himselfe ledde to the warres with him, the Grekysh hoste, the whiche he hadde taken in the warres of Antiochus, & had entreated cruelly & proudelie quite forgettynge that their captiuitie hadde not mitiga­ted their enemielyke myndes so much, but y ^• his wrong­full demeanor towardes the, had more styrred the to dis­pleasur against him. Therfore when they espied that the [Page] Parthien battel began to haue the worse end of the stāffe they turned themselfes and tooke part with the enemie, The sixthe Emperonr of Parthia. and so with the bloudie slaughter of the Partbien hoste, & of the kyng Phrahartes himselfe, they executed the re­uengement of their wrongfull captiuitie, which they had so longe tyme desyred. In stead of him, at his vncle Arta­banus was created kyng. And the Scythians, beyng con tented with the victorie, after that they had wasted Par­thia, The seuenth Emperour and of his doynges. returned into their owne countrih. But Artabanus dyed immediatlie, of a wounde in his arme that he recey­ued in a battell agaynst the Colchatarians. After him suc ceded his sonne Mythridates, who for his noble acts was surnamed the Greate. For beyng enflamed with desyre to excell in prowesse, he behaued himself so noblie, that in magnanimitie he surmounted al his famous progenitors. Therefore he accomplished manie warres agaynste his neighbours with greate prowesse, and subdewed manie nacions, vnder the Dominion of Parthia. Moreouer he foughte diuerse tymes to his aduauntage, agaynste the Scythians, and reuenged the displeasur doone to his pre­decessours, At the laste, he made warre agaynst artoadi­stes, kyng of the Armenians. But forasmuche as we be The original of the Arme­ntans. passyng into Armenie, I thynke it necessarye to repete thoriginall thereof somewhat deper. For me thynkes, it is not lawfull to passe ouer so great a kyngdome with sy­lence, cōsyderyng that next vnto Parthia, it surmounteth al other kingdoms in greatnes. For armenia is in lēgth The situaciō of Armenie. from Cappadocia vnto the Caspian sea, eleuen hundred myles, and in bredthe seuen hundred myles. It was foun ded by Armenius one of the companyons of Iason the Thessalien. whome kyng Pelias couetyng to destroy for his notable prowes, which semed dangerous to his king­dome The viage for the golden [...]. for feare, least he should depose him, told him what a noble viage ther was for him into Colchos, perswading him to take thenterprise vpon him, & to fetche the golden fliece, y ^• was so famous & notably talked of [...] y ^• worlde. [Page 173] Hopyng that eyther through so long and per [...]llous a say­lyng, or eis by feightyng agaynst so sau [...]age and Barba­rous a people, he might br [...]ng the aduenturous knight t [...] confusion. Iason therefore when he had made proclama­cion of so notable a voyage, and that therevppon the no­ble yong men almoste of all the whole worlde resorted in great number vnto him, he assembled an armie of moste valiaunt knightes, whiche were all called by the name of Argonantes. Whome when after thaccomplishement of his aduenturous enterprises, he had brought home again in sauftie, he was expulsed agayn oute of Thessaly by the sonnes of Pelias. Wherevppon with a great multitude (which for the renowme of his prowesse, daylie resorted to him oute of all Realmes, hauyng in his companie, his wyfe Medea (whome after his late diuorcement for pytie of her exilement, he had receyued agayn) with her sonne Medeus (begotten by Egeus kyng of Athenes) he wente The [...] Iason. agayn to Colchos, and restored his father in lawe to his kyngdome, from whiche he was deposed. After that, he made manie battels with his neighbours, and their Cy­ties whiche he had taken, he partlie annexed to the kyng­dome of his father in lawe (to thentent to abolishe the re­proche of his former warfare, wherein he had, both ledde away his daughter Medea, and [...] slayne his sonne Ae­gialus, and partly gaue them to the [...] that he broght with him to inhabyte. By report he was the fyrste of all men next after Hercules and Liber (whiche as the same goeth were kynges of the East) that conquered that cly­mate The original of the Alba­n [...]s in As [...]a. of the worlde. Ouer some Nacions he assygned cap­taynes, Phrygius and Ansystratus the wageners of Ca­stor & Pollur. He made a league with the Albanes, which as it is reported) followed Hercules out of Italy, frō the mountayn Albanus, when after the slaying of Gerion, he draue his cattell through Italie: who also bearyng in mynde that they came oute of Italie, saluted the armie of The great [...]. Pompeius by the name of broth [...]rs, whē he warred with Mythridates. By meanes whereof all the whole [...] al­moste, [Page] buylded Temples and dyd diuine honors to Iason, as to their fyrst founder. The whiche Parmenion, one of the Capitaynes of great Alexander, manie yeres after commanded to be beaten doun, to thentent that no mans name shoulde be had in more honor in the East, then the name of Alexāder: after the death of Iason, Medus being [...] of [...]. an earnest follower of his vertues, in honor of his mother Medea, buylded the cytie M [...]dea, and established the king­dome of the Medes, callyng it after his own name, which in continuance of tyme grewe to that estate, that all the Cast was in subieccion to thempyre thereof. The Albans are next neighbors to the Amazones, whose Quene Tha lestres, manie authours haue reported to [...]aue desyred the carnall companie of Alexander. Armenius beyng also a Thoriginal of the Armeni­ [...]. Thessalien, and one of the number of Iasons Capitains, hauyng gathered togyther the multitude, (whiche after the death of Iason their kyng, wandred vp and doune e­uery where,) founded the toune of Armenie in the moun­taynes, whereof springeth the riuer Tygris, which at the The head of the riuer Ty­gris. fyrst is a very small streame. Then a good waye from the head, it falleth into the grounde, and a fyue and twentie myles beyonde, it ryseth vp a great [...] in the contrie Sophone, and so is receyued into the lakes of Eufrates. Therefore Mythridates kyng of the Parthians (after his He returne [...]h to the storie of the [...] warre in Armenie) was for his crueltie deposed from the kyngdome by the counsell of the Realme. His brother Ho rodes inuadyng the Royal sea beyng vacant, beseged Ba bylon a greate whyle, bycause his brother Myth idates The viii king of [...]. was fledds thither, so long vntill he [...] them for famyn to yeld vp the toune.

Mythridates vppon trust and cōfidence in that he was so ners of his kynne, willynglie submitted himself to his brother Horodes. But Horodes takyng him rather for an The [...] of Horodes to wardes his brother. enemie then for a brother, commaunded him to be cruelly slayne before his face. After this he made warre with the Romaynes, and vtterlie destroyed their graund capytay [...] The death of [...]. Crassus, with his sonne and all the Romayne hoste. His [Page 174] sonne Pa [...]orus beyng sent to pursewe the remnaunte of the Romayne battell, after that he hadde atcheued manie hault enterpryses in Syria, was called home agayne, as mistrusted of his father. Duryng whose absence, the host of the Parthians that he left behynd him in Syrta, was A [...] of the [...]. with all the Captaynes thereof vtterlie slayn by Cassius Lieuetenaunt of Crassus. These thynges thus done, not T [...]e [...] warres be­twene [...] and Pomp [...]y. long tyme after arose the Ciuill warres betwene Cesar and Pompey: in the which the Parth [...]ans toke part with Pompey, bothe for the frendshyp that was betwene them and Pompey in his warres agaynst Mythridates, and al­so for the death of Crassus, whose sonne they hearde say, helde with Cesar, whome they knew well ynough, wold reuenge his fathers death, yf Cesar should chaunce to get thupper hand. Therfore after that Pompey and his adhe rentes had taken the foyle, they bothe ministred ayde to Cassius and Brutus, agaynste Augustus and Antonie, and also after thend of the warre, enteryng in leage with Labienus, vnder the conduct of Pacorus, they wasted Si­ria and Asia, and moreouer gaue a proude assaulte vppon the camp of Uentidius, who after Cassius in the absence of Pacorus hadde gyuen the Parthien armie an ouer­throwe.

But Uentidius pretendyng a counterfeact feare, kept The [...]. himself in a good while, and suffered the Parthians for a tyme to vaunte [...]. At the length he sent out part of his host, vppon them as they were mery and careless [...], with whose sodayne asfaulte, the Parthians beyng dis­mayde, fledde hither and thither to [...]aue themselfes. Pa­cor [...]s supposynge that his menne whiche were [...]led, had withdrawen all the Romayne Legions after them, assay­led in haste the Campe of Uentidius, in hope, that he shoulde haue found it withoute defendantes. Then Uen­tidius, A gr [...]at [...] ter of the Pa [...] thians [...] the kynges [...]. sendyng quicklie oute the residue of his Legions, slewe all the whole band of the Parthians with the king Pacorus himself also.

[Page]Neyther dyd the Parthians at anie tyme receaue a grea­ter losse. When tydinges hereof was brought into Par­thia, Horodes the father of Pacorus, which latelie before (hearyng that the Parthians had wasted Syria, and in­uaded Asia) had boasted that his sonne Pacorus, was a Horodes fal­leth besyde hym selfe for sorow. conqueror of the Romayne▪) when he ones hearde of hys death and of the slaughter of his army, sodaynlie for sor­rowe he fell m [...]dde. Manie dayes after, he would not talk to anie man, he would not take anie sustenaunce, he wold not speake anie one worde, in so much that a man would haue thought he had ben domme. After that manie dayes were expyred, when sorow had losened his tong, he spake of nothyng but Pacorus, he thought he sawe Pacorus he thought he heard Pacorus, he woulde talke as though he had ben with him, he woulde stand still as though he had stood with him, and anone he would lamentably bewaile the losse of him. When he had mourned thus a long sea­son, an other heauinesse came vppon the miserable olde man, namelie, which of his thyrtie sonnes he should or­deyne kyng in Pacorus stead. He had manie concubynes, of whome he begate al that youth, of the which euery one makyng sute for her owne chylde, dyd as it were besiege the olde mans mynd. But it was the destinie of Parthia, The nynthe Emperor of Parthia. (in the which it is an ordinarie custome, to haue vnnatu­rall murderers to their kynges) that the wickedest and vn graciousest of them al, whose name was Phrahartes was substituted kyng. Therfore as though it semed his father [...] is killed by hys sonne Phro­hartes. would not dye naturallie, he forthwith kylled him, & put his thirtie brothers to death. Neyther ceased he his slagh ter in the children. For when he perceyued that the noble men hated him for his outrageous cruelti, and continual workyng of mischief, and that there was none that might be nominated kyng, he cōmaunded his owne sonne, who was man growen, to be put to death. Agaynst this man, Antonie with syxtene of his strongest Legions, made warre, for ministeryng, ayd agaynst hymself and Cesar. But he was so sore afflicted in many battels, that he was [Page 175] fayne to flye backe oute of Parthia. Through the whiche victorie Phrahartes beyng made more proude and insolēt, [...] is deposed, & restored by y ^• Scythians. when as he [...] to deale cruellie in manie thynges, he was dryuen into exil [...], by his owne subiectes. Where­vppon after longe and earnest sute made vnto the coun­tries, borde [...]yng vppon Parthia, at the lengthe by muche intreatans, he so perswaded the Scythians, that through their ayde he was restored to his kyngdome agayne. In the tyme of his absence, the Parthians hadde constituted one Tyridates kyng, who hearyng of the comming of the Scythians, fled with a great bande of his frendes to Ce­sar The tent [...] Emperour of Parthia. Augustus, makyng war at that tyme in Spayn, bryn­gyng with him to Themperor, the yongest sonne of Phra [...]artes for a pledge, whome through the negligēce of such as were put in trust with the kepyng of hym, he had sto­len away. Uppon knowledge whereof, Phrahartes forth Phrahar [...]es sendes Em­bassadours to Rome. with sent his Ambassadors to Cesar, requiryng him to sende him home his seruaunt Tyridates, and his sonne with him. Themperour when he had hearde thambassa­dours of Phrahartes, and vnderstode well the requestes of Tyridates (for he also desyred to be set in possession of his kyngdome agayn, assuryng that Parthia should euer after be at the commaundemente of the Romaynes, y [...] it would please him to bestowe the kyngdome vppon him) answered howe he wolde neyther deliuer Tyridates into the handes of the Parthians, nor yet minister ayd to Ty­ridates agaynst them.

Neuerthelesse bycause it should not seme, that they had The [...] ans submitte them s [...]lues to Augustus obteyned no part of their demand at Themperours hand he sent Phrahartes his sonne without raunsome, and al­lowed Tyridates [...]onorable enterteynement to fynd him with as longe as he lysted to abyde with the Romaynes. After this hauyng fynished his warres in Spayn, when he came into Syria to set a stay in affayres of the East, he put Phrahartes in such a feare, that to thentent he should not make warre vppon Parthia, all the Captiues and pri soners that wer in the Realme, either of y ^• army of Cras­sus, [Page] or of tharmie of Antonie, wer gathered togyther, and with all the baners and Antesygnes takē at those times, sent agayn to Augustus. Moreouer Phrahartes gaue to Augustus his sonnes and nephewes in hostage, & Them peror dyd more with the onely Maiestie of his name, then anie other Emperour could haue done by force of Armes.

T [...]ogus Pōpeius hauyng made a long discourse of the doynges of the Par­thians, ofy ^• East, and wel nye of al the whole worlde, returneth as it were after a long pylgrimage, home to the fondacion of the Cytie of Rome: thin­kyng it the part of an vnthankfull cy­tizen, yf when he had paynted out the actes of all nacions, he should speake nothyng at all of his owne natife countrie. Therfore he toucheth brieflie the beginnyng of the Romayne Empyre, so that he neyther excedeth the boundes which he propounded to himselfe in his worke, nor yet passeth ouer with silence the fondacion of that Cytie, which out of doubt is head of all the world. The fyrste inhabiters of Italye, were the Aborigines, The first in­habiters of Italy. whose kyng Saturne is reported to haue ben of suche Iu­stice and vprightnesse, that duryng his [...]eygne, ther was not any slaue or bondman, nor any man that had oughte The Iustice and equitie in the tyme of Saturne. priuate to himself, but all thynges were common and vn­deuided to all menne a lyke, as thoughe it hadde benne one Patrymonie, and one Inheritaunce, equallie belon­gyng to all menne.

In remembraunce of the which example, it is enacted, that in the feast of S [...]turne, no man shoulde be more set [Page 176] by then another, but that the bondemen should syt doune to their meale fellowelyke with theire Maysters euerye­wher. The [...] of Saturn [...]. Furthermore Italy was called Saturnia after the name of the foresayd kyng: The Hyll also where he dwel­led was called Saturne, on the which at this day, (Iupi­ter The [...] hauyng, as it were remoued Saturne out of his place) standeth the Capitoll. After him in the thirde place by re­porte, reygned Faunus, in whose tyme Euander with a small companie of his countrymen, came from Palante­ner, The cōming of Euand [...]r into Italy. a cytie of Arcadie into Italie: to whome Faunus of gentlenesse and courtesie, assigned landes to lyue vppon, and the mountayne which afterward he called Palātine. In the foote of this hill, he builded a Temple to Lycens, whome the Grekes call Pan, and the Romaynes Luper­cus. The Image of the God beyng otherwise naked, is clade in a goates skynne, in the whiche maner o [...] attyre, menne are yet wonte to runne vp and doun the stretes of Rom [...], in the celebracion of the feastes kepte vnto Pan. Faunus had a wyfe named Fatua, whiche beyng conti­nuallie rauished with a holy spirite, as it were in a furie Prophecied of thynges to comme: whervppon such as are The [...] ­tynge of L [...] ­tinus. wonte to be so inspyred, are sayd to playe fatua vnto this day. Of the daughter of Faunus and Hercules (who the same tyme hauyng kylled Gerion draue his cattel which he had gotten in reward of his victorie, throughe Italie) was vnlefull begotten Latinus. Duryng whose raygne, Aeneas after that Troye was destroyed by the Grekes▪ The cōming of Eneas in­to Italy. came from thence into Italie. Where at his fyrst arriuall he was bydden battell.

But when he hadde brought his menne into the field, before thencounter they fell to communicacion. In the whiche he brought Latinus in suche admiracion of him, that he was content to make him Compartener of hys kyngdome, and also made him his sonne in lawe, by ge­uyng him his daughter Lauinia in mariage.

After this they made warre [...] agaynste Turnus [Page] kyng of the Rutilians, who chalenged them for defrau­dyng him of Lauinia, that by promis should haue ben his The building of [...]. wyfe. In the which bothe Turuus & Latinus wer slayn. Aeneas therfore obteynyng bothe the nacions by the law of armes, buylded a cytie & gaue it the name of his wyfe. Afterward he made warre agaynste Mezentius kyng of the Hetruscians, in the which he was slayne, and his son Ascanius succeded in his stead. Who leauing Lauinium, buylded Alba longa, the whiche for the space of thre hun­dred yeres togyther, was the head of the kyngdom. After The building of long Alba. manie kynges of this Cytie, at length raygned Numitor and Amulius. But Amulius hauyng wrongfully deposed his elder brother Numitor, to thentente none yssue male should ryse of the stock of Numitor to chaleng the croune, thrust his daughter Rhea into a nonrie, there to leade all her lyfe in vow [...]d virginitie, clokyng his iniurie with an honorable color, that men might suppose she was not put there as a condemned persone, but rather made chief prio resse of the place by election. Beyng therefore as a recluse The byrth of Romulus & Remus, w ^t their educa­cion. in the Groue, consecrated to Mars, she was delyuered of two sonnes, whether she conceyued them by aduouterye, or by Mars, no manne is able to say of a truthe. Amulius vppon knowledge hereof, beyng in more feare then euer he was, by reason of the byrth of the two children, cōman ded them to be cast away, and layd their mother in prison, through distresse wherof she dyed. But fortune prouiding before hand for thoriginall of the Romaynes, sente a she­wolfe to nource the children, the whiche hauyng loste her whelpes, for desyre to haue her dugges drawen, that wer payned with fulnesse of mylke, offered herselfe to be nou­rice to the chyldren. As [...]he came and went oftentymes to the children, lyke as yf they had ben her whelpes A shepe­herde named Faustulus, perceyued the matter, and stea­lyng them from the wolfe, brought them vp lyke shepe­herdes among his Cattel. Now whether it were for that they were borne in the Groue of Mars, or for that they were nourished by a wolf, which is in the tuicion of Mars [Page 177] it was beleued to be as a manifest proofe that they were the sonnes of Mars. The one of thē was named Remus, & thother Romulus: When thei were men growen, they accustomed to trye Maystries daylie, one with an other, wherby they encreased as well in strength as in agilitie and swyftnes. Therfore when they had oftentymes man fully & pollitiquely chased away the thefes from stealyng R [...]mus is [...] kē & brought to the kynge▪ of the cattell, Remus was taken by the sayde thefes, & as though he had ben th [...] same himself, whiche he had prohi­bited thothers to doe, was brought before the kyng, and there accused for a stealer of Numitors cattell. Whervp­pon the kyng deliuered him to Numitor, to punish as he thought good. But Numitor hauyng pitie of the yonge man, had half a mistrust that he should be one of his ne­phewes that were cast away, by reason he resembled his daughter so much in fauor and makyng, & by reason, that the tyme of her deliueraunce was agr [...]able vnto his ye­res. As he was in this doubtfull perplexitie with himself Faustulus came sodaynlie in with Romulus, by whome beyng further instructed of the byrthe & bringyng vp of Romulus & Remus mak a conspyracie against Nu­mitor. the children, they made a conspiracie, and toke weapon in hand, the yong men to reuenge their mothers death, and Numitor to recouer the kyngdome wrongfully witholdē from him Amulius was slayne, and Numitor restored to the crowne. Anone after the yongmen builded the cytie of Rome. The whiche beyng finished, there was ordey­ned a Senate of an hundred elders, which were called fa­thers. Then because the neighbours disdeyned to marry their daughters to shepeherdes, they rauished the may­dens The building of Rome. of the Sabines, aud hauyng subdued the people that were next about them, fyrst they gate thempore of Italy, and anone after thempyre of the whole worlde. At those dayes, as yet the kynges in stead of Diademes hadde ma­ces, which the Grekes call Scepters. For euen from the fyrst begynnyng of thynges, men in olde tyme dyd wor­ship maces for Goddes. In remembraunce of which Re­ligion, [Page] the ymages of the Goddes are yet styll [...]ade with Maces in their handes. In the tyme of kyng Tarquine, a companie of the Phocenses comming oute of Asia, entred the mouth of Tyber, & ioyned amitie with the Romayns. From thence they went by water to thuttermoste coast The buiding of [...]. of Fraunce, and there among the Liguriens, & the cruell Frenchmen [...] buylded the cytie Marsielles, and dyd many noble actes, bothe in defendyng themselfes by the sworde agaynst the sauage Frenchmen, & also in assailyng those that had assayled them before. For the Phocen [...]es by reason of the barrei esse and sterilitie of their contrie, were compelled to set their myndes more earnestlie vp­pon the water, then vppon the land, and so they lyued by fishyng, by traffike of merchādyse, and oftentymes by rob bing on the sea, which in those days was cōted for a praise. By meanes wherof they aduētured to thuttermoste bor­der of Thocean, & arriued vppon the French coast by the ryuer of Rone, with the plasauntnes of which place, they were so taken in loue, that at their returne home, they re ported what they had sene, and procured mo of their con­trymen to go thither with them. The Captaynes of their flete were furius, & Peranus. Who with their company presented [...] before Senanus kyng of the Sego­regians, in whose territorie they coueted to buyld them a cytie, desyring his amitie & frendship. By chaunce the ve­ry A mariage. same day the king was occupied in preparacion for the mariag of his daughter Eyptis, whome accordyng to the custome of the countrie, he purposed to marry to suche a one, whome she herself at the feast would chose to be her husband. Among other that were bydden to the Mariage the straungers of Grece were desyred to the feaste also. Anone the yong lady was brought in who beyng cōman­ded by her father to reache a cup of water to him whome she wold haue to her husband, passed ouer all thother ge­stes, & turnyng herselfte the Grekes, gaue the water to Peran. Who by this meanes beyng made of a straunger [Page 178] the kynges sonne in law, obteyned of his father a plo [...]te, to buyld a Cytie vppon. So was the Cytie of Marsielles buylded, hard by the mouthe of the riuer of Rone, in an out nooke, as it wer in an angle of the sea. But the Ligu­rians enuying the prosperitie of the Cytie, distroubled The [...] of the Ma [...]. the Grekes with their continuall warres. Who through valeaunt defendyng of themselfes, became so renoumed, that after they had vanquished their enemies, they buyl­ded many cyties in the groundes that they toke frō them. At theire handes, the Frenchmen lerned a more ciuill trade of liuynge, (throughe the whiche'. theire Barba­rousnesse was layde a syde, and as it were tamed,) togi­ther with the tyllage of the grounde, and the wallyng in of their cyties. Then they framed themselfes to lyue by lawes, and not by force, then they lerned to shred theire vynes, then they lerned to plant and graffe their olyues, fynally bothe the men & all other thynges were so exqui­sytely polyshed, that Grece semed not to be remoued in­to Fraunce: But rather that Fraunce was transformed into Grece. After the death of Senanus kyng of the Ge­goregians, by whome the place to buylde the cytie vppon was graunted his sonne Comanus, succedyng him in the kyngdome, was inuegled againste the Massiliens, by one of his Lordes, alledgyng that the tyme would come, that Marsielles shoulde be the destruccion of the people that were next neig [...]bors about it, wherfore it was to be sup­pressed now in y ^• very rising therof, least afterward being suffred to grow stronger, it might oppresse him. For the further manifestacion wherof, he recited this fable, how A [...] applyed. vppon a tyme a byt [...]h, beyng great with whelpe, desyred a shepeherde to lende her houseroume to whelpe in, the whiche beyng obteyned, she desyred of hym eftsones, to respite her so longe, but tyll she mighte brynge vp her whelpes: at length when they were full growen, she and her whelpes were so strong, that she chalenged the place to her selfe for euer.

[Page]In lykewise the Massilians whiche then semed to be but soieourners, would perchaunce hereafter become Lords of the coūtrie. The king beyng prouoked by this instiga­cion, deuised how to surprise the Massiliās. So vppon a so lemne feastfull day of the Goddesse flora, he sent a greate Treson aga­inst the Mas silians. sorte of strong & stout men into the Cytie, as it had ben to make merrie, causyng a great number mo to be cōueyed in cartes and wagens hyddē with rushes and leaues, and he himself with his host lay in ambushe in the next moun taynes, to thentent that in the night, when thother had set open the gates, he might comme with all spede to the performance of his prepensed pollicie, & put the cytie to the sworde as they were dead a sl [...]pe, or elles eatyng and drinkyng. But a kynswoman of the kynges bewrayed Women can kepe no coun sell. this treason: who beyng wonte to playe the goodfellowe with a certayn yong man of the Grekes, as she embraced him, hauing pytie on him for his beautie, vttered the mat ter vnto him, & counselled him to auoyde the daunger. He forthwith tolde the matter to the Officers of the Cytie. By meanes whereof the treason commyng to light, the Liguriens were layd hand on, and they that laye hydden in the rushes, were pulled oute by the heles. The whiche beyng euerichone [...]layne, the treason was turned vppon the kynges owne head: for the Massilians slewe the kyng himselfe, and seuen thousande of his souldiers with him. From that day forward, the Massiliens vppon their feast full dayes, kept their gates shutte, made good watche, set men to warde vppon the walles, serched all straungers, tooke good hede: and euen as yf they had had warre, so kept they the Cytie in tyme of peace. So well is good or­der kept among them at al tymes, not so much in time of The fortu­nate successe of the Mas­ [...]. nede, as vpon custome of doyng well. Afterward thei had sore warres with the Ligurians, & with the Frenchmen. The which thyng bothe encreased the renoume of the ci­ty, & also by atcheuing so many victories made the knight [...]ode & [...]heualry of the Grekes, famous & redouted amōg [Page 179] their neighbors. Moreouer thei diuerse times vanquished the armies of the Carthaginenses. When they warred vpon thē for taking of their fisher botes, & gaue the peace at their pleasure like conquerors. With the Spanyardes they entered in leage of amitie: with the Romayns they made a continuall confederac [...]e & aliance almost from the fyrst laying of the foundacion of the cytie, the whiche they obserued moste faithfullie and to thuttermoste of theire power ayded thē as their cōfederates, in al their warres. The which thyng, both, made thē to be bolder to trust to their own strength, & also purchased thē peace of their en nemies. Therfore at such time as Marsiels florished most in renowme of cheualrie, & in abundance of riches, & was in the chief flower of her strength, sodaynly al the people bordering about thē, gathered thēselfes together to rote vp the name of the Massiliens, as it had ben to ertinguish The [...] of Caram [...]us some cōmon fyre. A noble man called Caramandus was by a cōmon consent chosen to be captayn general agaynst them: who as he lay at siege before the cytie with a great host of the best men that could be chosen, in all the coun­trie, saw in his slepe the likenesse of a womā with a grim & terrible contenance, which saide she was a Goddesse: at her syght he was so astraught, that of his own mynde vn requested, he made peace with y ^• Massiliens. And making request y ^• he might enter into their cytie to worship their Goddes, when he came into the tēple of Minerua, espiyng in the porches the ymage of the Goddesse whiche he had sene in his dreame, he cryed out sodaynlie that is was euē she y ^• had feared him in the night, it was she that c [...]maun ded him to raise his siege. Wheruppon greatly reioysing with the Massyliens, bycause he perceyued that the God­des immortall had suche care and regarde ouer them, he gaue the Goddesse a chayne of Golde for an offering, and made abonde of frendshyp and amitie with the Massiliēs to cōtinue for euer. After that they had thus gottē peace, and established quietnesse, the Massilieu [...] [Page] returnyng from Delphos (whether they had ben to carie presents vnto Apollo,) heard say that the Citie of Rome was taken and burnt by the Frenchmen. The which [...] ­dynges when they had brought home, the Massiliens pro A faythfull frend is tried in aduersytie. claymed an vniuersall mournyng, as if it had ben for the deathe of some especiall frendes, and gathered all their Golde togyther, as well priuate as publike, the whiche they sent to make vp the Summe, that the Frenchmen demaunded of the Romaynes for their raunsome, and for to graunt them peace. In recompence of whiche good turne, they were made free of the Citie of Rome, and placed amonge the Senatoures at all showes and page­antes. And Alyance was knytte with them to be conty­nuallye reputed as Romaynes. In his laste Booke, The aunce­stours of [...]rogus Pō pcius. Trogus declareth, that his Auncestours fetche their Pe tegrie from the Uolces, that his Graundfather Trogus Pompeius in the warres againste Sertorius, dyd saue the Citie to Eneus Pompeius, that his vncle hadde the leadynge of the Horsemen vnder the said Pompey in the warre againste Mythridates: and that his father also ser­ued in the warres vnder C. Caesar, in the roume of Se­cretarie, Lieuetenaunt, and keper of his Seale.

SPayne, lyke as it is the vttermost Thauncient names of Spayne. bownd of Europe, so shall it also be thend of this woorke. Men in olde tyme called it Iberia after the Ry­uer Iberus, and afterwarde they called it Spayne after the name of Hispalus. This Countrey lyeth The situaciō of Spayne & the fertilitie therof. betwene affrike and Fraunce, and is enclosed with thocean Sea & the mountaines Pyrenei. Lyke as it is lesser then anye of bothe those landes, so is it more fertile then them bothe. For neyther is it scorched [Page 180] with the outrageous heat of the sonne as Affrike is, nor infèsted with contynuall windes as Fraunce is. But as it is mydde betwene them both, so on thone syde through temperate heat, and on thother through the moysture os pleasaunt shoures fallynge in due season, it becōmeth fer­tilie of all kynde of fruite and graine, in so muche that if not onely suffiseth thinhabytants therof, but also sendeth abundaunce of all thynges into Italye, and euen vnto Rome it selfe. For there cōmeth from thence, not onely great plentie of Corne and graine, but also of wine, hōny and Oyle. Besydes that, there is not onely the best yron and steele that can be, but also many races of most swifte horses: neyther are the cōmodities that growe aboue the ground to be praysed onely, but also the plentyfull & riche Mynes of Mettalles hydden deepe within the grounde. Of Flaxe and Baste there is great store: and as for Uer­milion, there is no lande hath more plentie of it. In this land are running Ry [...]ers, not violently & outragiously flo wing to do any harm, but gently moisting the vineyards and cornefieldes, and where they ebbe and flow with the Oceane, very full of all kynde of fys [...]hes, wherof many al so are riche of gold, whiche they carrye to their great cō ­mendacion. Onely by the rydge of the moūtains Pyrenei is it parted frō Fraunce, being on all other partes besyde enuironed rownd about with the Sea. The platte of the land is almost fouresquare, sauing that the Sea beatyng The platte & bygnesse of Spayne. on both sydes doth gather it somewhat narrower at the mountaynes Pyrenei. Moreouer whereas the Moun­taynes Pyrenei ronne, it is in bredth syx hundred myles. The aire is holsome throughe all Spayne, and the winde so coole in a temperate, that there ryseth no stynkynge mi [...]tes out of the lowe groundes and marisses to infect it Besydes this the continuall ayre of the saltwater rysyng from the Sea round about on all sydes, perseth throughe the whole countrie: the whiche beyng qualyfied with the open aire of the land, do chiefly preserue al men in health. [Page] The bodies of the men are readie to endure hunger and payne, & their myndes readie to abyde deathe. They liue The nature and dispositi­on of the S paniardes all very nigardly and hardly, they couet rather war then peace. If they want a foreyn enemie, they will seke one at home. Oftentymes haue they dyed vpon the racke, for concealyng thinges put to them in secret. So much dooe they esteme more their secresie thē their lyues: the which may well be perceyued by the sufferance of that seruaunt in the warres of Carthage, who hauyng reuenged the death of his Master, in the mids of his torments, laughed & reioysed, & with a mery and gladsome countenance van­quished the crueltie of his tormentours. The people of A notable ex ample of con­stant paciēce. that contrie are excedyng swift of foote, vnquiet of mynd, and many of them set more by their horses and armour, then by their owne blood. They make not anye prepara­ture for feastyng, but onely vppon high & solemne dayes, to washe in warme water, they lerned of the Romayns, after the second warres with Carthage. Duryng the con tinuance of so many hundred yeres, they neuer had anye worthie captayne sauyng Uiriatus. Who by the space of The doyngs and cōmenda cions of Ui­riatus. tenne yeres togither helde y ^e Romains at the staues end, sometime to his gain, & sometime to his losse (so much wer they of nature more like brute beastes then like men) the which forenamed captayn they followed, not as one cho­sen by the discretion of men, but onely bycause he was pol litique & connyng in auoidyng & eschewyng of daungers. Yet notwithstandyng he was of that vertuous behauior & modestie, that albeit he oftentmies vanquished the con­suls with their armies, yet after so greate enterprises at­cheued, he neither changed the fashiō of his armour, ney­ther altered the fashion of his apparell, nor brake he thor der of his dyet, but loke in what sorte he began fyrste his warres, in the same he continued to the last: so that there The swifte­nes of the Spanish Ge nettes. was neuer a cōmon souldier but semed welthier then the Captayn. It is reported of diuers writers, y ^e about the ri­uer Tagus in Portingal, mares doe cōceiue w ^t the wind: [Page 181] The which fable sprang fyrste of the frutefulnesse of the Mares, & of the great number of the races of the which in [...] of the Galle­cians in [...]. Gallice and Portyngale, there are such store to be sene, & those so swift, that not without good cause, thei may seme to be conceyued by the wynde. The Gallictans alledge themselfs to be Grekes by descent. For after thend of the battell of Troy▪ they say that Teucer beyng hated of his father Telamon, for the death of his brother Ayax, & ther vppon not permitted to enter into his Realme, departed to Cyprus & there buylded a Cytie, which he named Sala mine, after the name of his natif countrie, that he came fro. Where hearyng of the decease of his father, he retur­ned to his countrie agayn, but beyng prohibited from arri uall by Eurysaces the sonne of Ayax, he arriued in Spain and toke the ground wher new Carthage standeth now. From whence he remoued to Gallice, & ther placing him­self & his, gaue the countrie that name. For a porcion of The [...] of [...] Gallice are called [...], a contrie moste plenti­full of brasse and lead, and of Uermilion, which also gaue the name to the ryuer thereby. Furthermore it is moste riche of Golde, insomuche that diuerse tymes they ere vp cloddes of golde with the ploughe. In the borders of this Countrie there is a holy hill, the which it is not lawful to cut with anie yron. But yf it chaunce that the earth is bro ken with thunder & lightning (which is a cōmon thyng in those places, they are permitted to gather vp the gold as a gift of God. The womē haue all the doyng in houskeping and husbandrie, & the men geue themselfs to warre & rob­byng. [...]. They haue the hardest yrō that is, but yet their wa ter is of more force then the yron: for by temperyng y ^• me­tall there with, it is made tougher & sharper, neyther dooe they count any weapon good, that is nor dypped eyther [...] the riuer Bilbo, or in the riuer Chalybs. Wher vpon the people y ^• dwell about the sayd riuer, are called Chalybes, & are reported to haue the best yron of all others. In the playnes of the Tartesians, (where it is reported that the Tytanes made warre [...] the Goddes) dwelled some [Page] tyme the Curettes: an auncient kyng of the which people named Gargoris, fyrst inuēted the maner to gather hony. The Inuen­tions of Gar­goris. This man perceiuyng that his daughter had played the miswoman, for shame of her wicked dede, attēpted diuers wayes to haue destroyed the chylde. But through good for tune he was preserued from al those daungers, and at the length for cōpassion of so many perils, was created kyng. Fyrst of all whē he had cōmaunded him to be cast away, & certayn dayes after hadde sent to seke his bodie, he was found nourished with the milke of sundrie wylde beastes. Secondlie, when he was brought home, he commaunded him to be layd in a narrow path where cattell wer wont to go through, surelie he was verie cruell, that wold haue That which God wyll haue saued can not be [...]. his nephewe rather troden to death, then simply kylled. There also perceiuyng he lay vnhurt, & not vnfed, he ca [...] sed him to be cast fyrst to hungry dogges that he [...]adde py­ned from meate many dayes before for the nones & after­wardes also to Swyne. Finally when they not onely dyd him no harme, but also some of them gaue him sucke, last of all he had throwe him into the sea. Then as it were by the open and manifest prouidence of God, among the ra­gyng sourges, and the wallowyng waues, as though he had ben [...]aried in a ship and not in the streame, the calme sea bare him vp alo [...]t, & brought him softlie to shore. By and by came a hynde and gaue him sucke. Wherevppo [...] by kepyng companie with his nourice, the childe became excedyng swift of foote, & kept in the mountaynes and fo­restes among the herdes of red dere as swift a fote as the wightest of them. At the lengthe beynge ouerthrowen in a toyle & taken, he was presented to the kyng for a gift. Ther by reason of his stature & makyng, wherin he much resembled the kyng, & by certayn markes that wer growē in the chylde from his byrth, the kyng knew him to be his neph [...]w. And bycause he hadde so wonderfullie escaped so The doyngs of [...]. many perillous chaunces, he proclaymed him heyre & suc­cessor of his kingdome. His name was called [...], who after that he had taken the crowne vppon him, became a [Page 182] Prince of such Maiesty, that men thoght it was not for no thyng, that he was so preserued by the prouidence God frō so many perilles. For he fyrst ordeyned lawes, to kepe the sauage people in good order & conuersacion one with ano­ther. He fyrst taught them to breake oxen to the ploughe, and to tyll & so we the ground, he fyrst (for [...] of such thynges as he had suffered himself (caused men to for sake their [...] meates, & to fede vpon better. The chan ces of this man might seme to be but a fable: yf the buyl­ders of Rome had not ben nourished by a wolfe, and Cy­rus kyng of Persia nourished of a bytch. This mā forbad the people all seruill occupacions, & diuided the commons into s [...]uen cities. After the death of Habis, the kyngdome remayned in his posteritie itie many hundred yeres. In ano­ther The Story [...] of Geryon. part of Spayn which consisteth of Isles, Geriō was kyng: in the which part there is so great plentie of swete pasture, that onles the cattell were kept hungry, and not suffered to fede their fyll, their bellies wold brust. In the same place wer the cattel of Gerion (wherin at those daies mens substaunce did chiefly consyst) which wer of so great fame, that Hercules allured with the richnes of the botie came out of Asia thither. Moreouer Geriō was not triple as the fables report, but three brothers which accorded so frendly one with another, y ^• it semed as though one soule & one mynde ruled thē all thre. Neyther dyd they of theyre owne motion make warre vpon Hercules, but whē they Howe the Carthagin­obteyned the [...] [...]f Spayn. sawe their cattell driuen away, they soughte with him for the recouering of thē. After that y ^• kings ceased in Spain, the Carthaginenses fyrst toke vpō thē the Dominion and rule of the contrie For when the Gaditanes (cōmaunded so to doe in a dreame) had brought from Tyrus (out of the which Cytie the Carthaginenses hadde also their begyn­nyng) the sacred Ceremonies of Hercules into Spayn, & there builded a cytie, through [...] the malice of the people of Spain their next neybors, enuying thēcreasment of their new city, & thervpō infestyng the Gaditanes with warre, they sent to their kynsmen the Carthaginenses for helpe: [Page] Who hauyng a prosperous iourney, bothe defended the Gaditanes from takyng wrong, & also subdued the more part of the countrie vnder their domini [...]n. Afterward al­so The doyngs ofthe Cartha ginenses in Spayne. encouraged by the fortunate successe of their fyrst viage they sent Hamilcar, as granndcapitayn with a great host to cōquer the whole Realme. Who hauyng atcheued ma­ny hault enterprises, whiles he followed his good lucke without aduisemēt, was en [...]rapped by a pollicy and slayn. In his roume was sent his sonne in lawe Hasdrubal, who also was slayn by a seruaunt of a Spanyard, in reuenge­ment of his Maisters death. Han niball the sonne of Ha­milcar, greater thē thei both succeded in the Capitainship For he surmountyng the actes of them bothe, conquered all Spayne. And then makyng war agaynst the Romās, vexed Italy with sundry slaughters, by the space of sy [...] yeres togither. Whereas in the meane season the Ro­mayns, How the Ro maynes con­quered spaine sendyng the Scipios into Spayne, fyrst draue the Carthaginenses out of the countrie, & afterward had sor [...] warres with the Spanyardes themselfes. Neuerthelesse the countries of Spayn could neuer be brought vnder the [...]oke of bondage, vntil that Cesar Augustus hauyng con­quered the whole worlde, came agaynste them with his victorious army, brought those Barba­rous and cruel people, to a more ci­uill trade of liuyng by order of lawe, and substitu­ted a Lieuete­naunte ouer them, lyke as was done in all other Prouynces of Thempyre.