among the people but nowe men by processe of time being vsed to it it was throughly established and no man misliked it At that time many men practised to subuert the gouernment not for the benefit of the common wealth but to serue their owne couetous mindes For Pompey being then in the East partes made warres with the kings of PONTVS and ARMENIA and had not left sufficient force at ROME to oppresse these seditious persons that sought nothing but rebellion These men had made Lucius Catilina their Captaine a desperate man to attempt any great enterprise suttle and malicious of nature He was accused before besides many other vile faultes for deflowering of his owne daughter and killinge his brother and being affrayed to be put in sute for it he prayed Sylla to put his brother amongest the number of the outlawes or proscriptes as if he had bene then aliue These wicked rebells hauinge chosen them suche a Captaine were sworne and bounde one to an other in this manner They killed a man and did eate of his fleshe together and had besides corrupted the most parte of all the youth For Catiline their Captaine suffered euerie man to take his pleasure as his youth was inclined vnto as to banket to followe harlottes and gaue them money largelie to bestowe in these vayne expences Furthermore all THVSCAN beganne to rise and the most parte of GAVLE also lying betwene the Alpes and ITALIE The citie of ROME it selfe was also in great daunger of rising for the inequalitie of the goods of the inhabitauntes For the noble men and of greatest corage had spent all their landes in playes and feasts or in building and common workes which they built at their owne charge to currie fauour with the common people that they might obtaine the chiefe offices so that thereby they became verie poore and their goodes were in the handes of meane men and wretches Thus the state of ROME stoode in great hazard of vprore the which any man might easely haue procured that durst haue taken vppon him any change or alteracion of gouernment there was then suche diuision among them in the state Catiline notwithstanding to prouide him of a strong bullwarke to prosecute his intent came to sue to be Consul hoping that he should be chosen with Caius Antonius a man that of him selfe was apt neither to doe any great good nor much hurt and yet that could be a great strength and aide vnto him that woulde attempt any thing Diuers noble and wisemen foreseeing that did procure Cicero to sue for the Consulshippe The people accepted him and reiected Catiline Antonius and Cicero thereuppon were created Consuls although that Cicero of all the suters for the Consulship was but only a Knightes sonne and not the sonne of a Senator of ROME Nowe though the common people vnderstoode not the secret practise and meaning of Catiline yet at the beginning of Ciceroes Consulshippe there fell out great trouble and contencion in the common wealth For they of the one side whom Sylla had by his ordinaunces deposed from their dignities and offices in ROME who were no small men neither fewe in number beganne to creepe into the peoples good will alleaging many true and iust reasons against the tyrannicall power of Sylla howebeit spoken in ill time when it was out of time to make any chaunge or alteracion in the common wealth The Tribunes on the other side preferred lawes and ordinaunces to further this deuise They preferred the lawe to choose the Decemuiri with soueraine power and authoritie through all ITALIE and SYRIA and also through all the contries and prouinces which Pompey had newly conquered to the Empire of ROME to sell and release all the landes belonging to the state of ROME to accuse any man whome they thought good to banishe any man to restore the Colonies with people to take what money they woulde out of the treasurie to leauie men of warre and to keepe them in pay as long as they thought good For this great and absolute power of the Decemuiri there were many men of great accompt that fauored this law but Antonius chiefly being colleague and fellowe Consul with Cicero for he had good hope to be chosen one of these ten Commissioners and furthermore it was thought that he was priuie vnto Catilines conspiracie and that he misliked it not bicause he was so muche in det And this was it that the noble men most feared of all other thinges Thereuppon Cicero to prouide first to preuent this daunger graunted him the prouince of the realme of MACEDON and the prouince of GAVLE being offered vnto him selfe he refused it By this good turne he wanne Antonius like a hiered player making him to promise him that he would assist aide him for the benefit of the common wealth and that he would say no more then he shoulde will him When he had brought him to this and had wonne him to his minde he then beganne to be the bolder and more stowtly to resist them that were authors of this innouation and new lawes Cicero therefore in open Senate did one day sharply reproue and inuey against this law of the Decemuiri which the Tribunes would haue established But thereby he did so terrifie the authors thereof that there was not one man durst speake against him This notwithstanding the Tribunes afterwardes attempted once againe to haue it to passe appointed the Consuls to appeare before the people Howbeit Cicero being nothing abashed at it he commaunded the Senate to follow him So he did not only ouerthrow this law of the Decemuiri which the Tribunes did preferre but furthermore they were vtterly discoraged and out of hope to bring any of their matters to passe they intended he strooke them so dead with his eloquence For Cicero onely of all men in ROME made the ROMANES know how muche eloquence doth grace and beawtifie that which is honest and how inuincible right and iustice are being eloquently set forth and also how that a man that will be counted a wise Gouernor of a comman weale should alwayes in his doinges rather preferre profit than to seeke to currie fauor with the common people yet so to vse his words that the thing which is profitable may not be also vnpleasant And to proue his sweete pleasant tongue may be alleaged that which he did in the time of his Consulship touching the placing of men at the Theater to see the pastimes For before the knights of ROME did sit mingled one with another amongst the common people and tooke their place as they came The first that made the difference betwene them was Marcus Otho at that time Praetor who made a law by the which he appoynted seuerall seates for the knights where they might from thenceforth see the pastimes The people tooke this grieuously as a thing done to discountenance them insomuch that Otho comming afterwards into the Theater
he wanne them promising that it should be a common wealth and not subiect to the power of any sole prince but rather a populer state In which he woulde only reserue to him selfe the charge of the warres and the preseruation of the lawes for the rest he was content that euery citizen in all and for all should beare a like swaye and authoritye So there were some that willingly graunted thereto Other who had r. o liking thereof yelded notwithstanding for feare of his displeasure and power which then was very great So they thought it better to consent with good will vnto that he required then to tary his forcible compulsion Then he caused all the places where iustice was ministred and all their halles of assembly to be ouerthrowen and pulled downe He remoued straight all iudges and officers and built a towne house and a counsaill hall in the place where the cittie now standeth which the ATHENIANS call ASTY but he called the whole corporation of them ATHENS Afterwardes he instituted the greate feast and common sacrifice for all of the countrye of ATTICA which they call Panathenea Then he ordeined another feaste also vpon the sixtenth daye of the moneth of Iune for all strangers which should come to dwell in ATHENS which was called Metaecia is kept euen to this daye That done he gaue ouer his regall power according to his promise and beganne to sett vp an estate or policye of a common wealth beginning first with the seruice of the goddes To knowe the good successe of his enterprise he sent at the very beginning to the oracle of Apollo in DELPHES to enquire of the fortune of this cittye from whence this aunswer was brought vnto him O thus vvhich arte the sonne of AEgeus begott by him on Pitheus daughter deare The mightie loue my father glorious by his decree hath sayed there shall appeare a fatall ende of euery cittie here VVhich ende he vvill shall also come adovvne VVithin the vvalles of this thy stately tovvne Therefore shevve thou a valliant constant minde and let no care nor carke thy harte displease For like vnto a bladder blovven vvith vvinde thou shalt be tost vpon the surging seas Yet lett no dynte of dolours the disease For vvhy thou shalt nor perishe nor decaye nor be orecome nor yet be cast avvaye It is founde written also that Sibylla afterwardes gaue out suche a like oracle ouer the cittye of ATHENS The bladder blovven maye flete vpon the studde but cannot synke nor sticke in filthie mudde Moreouer bicause he woulde further yet augment his people and enlarge his cittie he entised many to come and dwell there by offering them the selfe same freedome and priuiledges which the naturall borne citizens had So that many iudge that these wordes which are in vse at this daye in ATHENS when any open proclamation is made All people Come ye hither be the selfe same which Theseus then caused to be proclaymed when he in that sorte dyd gather a people together of all nations Yet for all that he suffered not the great multitude that came thither tagge and ragge to be without distinction of degrees orders For he first diuided the noble men from husbādmen and artificers appointing the noblemen as iudges magistrates to iudge vpon matters of Religiō touching the seruice of the godds of them also he dyd chuse rulers to beare ciuill office in the cōmon weale to determine the lawe and to tell all holy and diuine things By this meanes he made the noble men and the two other estates equall in voyce And as the noblemen dyd passe the other in honour euen so the artificers exceeded them in number the husbandmen them in profit Nowe that Theseus was the first who of all others yelded to haue a common weale or popular estate as Aristotle sayeth and dyd geue ouer his regall power Homer self semeth to testifie it in numbring the shippes which were in the Graecians armie before the cittie of TROIA For amongest all the GRAECIANS he only calleth the ATHENIANS people Moreouer Theseus coyned money which he marked with the stampe of an oxe in memorye of the bulle of Marathon or of Taurus the captaine of Minos or els to prouoke his citizens to geue them selues to labour They saye also that of this money they were since called Hecatomboeon Decaboeon which signifieth worth a hundred oxen and worth tenne oxen Furthermore hauing ioyned all the territorie of the cittie of MEGARA vnto the countrie of ATTICA he caused that notable foure square piller to be sett vp for their confines within the straight of PELOPONNESVS and engraued thereuppon this superscription that declareth the separation of both the countries which confine there together The superscription is this VVhere Titan doth beginne his beames for to displaye euen that vvaye stands Ionia in fertile vvise allvvaye And vvhere againe he goeth a dovvne to take his rest there stands Peloponnesus lande for there I compt it vvest It was he also which made the games called Isthmia after the imitation of Hercules to the ende that as the GRECIANS dyd celebrate the feast of games called Olympia in the honour of Iupiter by Hercules ordinance so that they should also celebrate the games called Isthmia by his order and institution in the honour of Neptune For those that were done in the straights in the honour of Melicerta were done in the night had rather forme of sacrifice or of a mysterie then of games opē feast Yet some will save that these games of Isthmia were instituted in the honour memorie of Sciron that Theseus ordained them in satisfaction of his death bicause he was his cosin germaine being the sonne of Canethus and of Heniocha the daughter of Pitheus Other saye that it was Sinnis and not Sciron and that for him Theseus made these games and not for the memorie of the other Howsoeuer it was he specially willed the CORINTHIANS that they should geue vnto those that came from ATHENS to see their games of Isthmia so much place to sit downe before them in the most honorable parte of the feast place as the saile of their shippe should couer in the which they came from ATHENS thus doe Hellanicus Andron Halicarnasseus write hereof Touching the voyage he made by the sea Maior Philochorus some other holde opinion that he went thither with Hercules against the AMAZONES and that to honour his valiantnes Hercules gaue him ANTIOPA the AMAZONE But the more parte of the other Historiographers namely Hellanicus Pherecides Herodotius doe write that Theseus went thither alone after Hercules voyage that he tooke this AMAZONE prisoner which is likeliest to be true For we doe not finde that any other who went this iorney with him had taken any AMAZONE prisoner besides him selfe Bion also the Historiographer this notwithstanding sayeth that he brought her away by deceit and
but much like as one should geue some easie medicine to purge an ouerthrowen bodye with all humours and disseases Therefore he thought first that all grosse superfluous humours were meete to be dissolued purged and then afterwardes to geue them a new forme and order of gouernment When he had thus determined with him self before he would take in haÌ„d to doe any thing he went to the citty of DELPHES where after he had sacrificed to Apollo he coÌ„sulted with him about his matters From whom he returned withthis glorious title by the oracle of Pythia ô beloued of the goddes and rather god then man Where when he craued grace of Apollo to establishe good lawes in his countrie it was aunswered him that Apollo graunted his petition and that he should ordaine the best and perfectest manner of a Common wealth that euer had or should be in the worlde This aunswer dyd comforte him very much so he beganne to breake his purpose to certen of the chief of the cittie secretly to praye exhorte them to helped him going first to those he knew to be his friends after by litle litle he wanne others to him who ioyned with him in his enterprise So when he saw the time fit for the matter he caused thirtie of the chiefest men of the cittie in a morning to come into the market place well appointed furnished to suppresse those that would atteÌ„pt to hinder their purpose Hermippus the historiographer rehearseth twentie of the chiefest but he that aboue all others dyd most assist him in his doings was the greatest ayde vnto the stablishing of his lawes was called Arithmiadas The king Charilaus hearing of this assembly dyd feare there had bene some conspiracie or insurrection against his person for his safety he fled into the temple of Iuno called Chalceoecos as much to saye as Iunos brasen teÌ„ple Howbeit afterwards when he knew the trothe he waxed bolde came out of the temple againe he him self fauored the enterpriso being a prince of a noble minde howbeit very soft by nature as witnesseth Archelaus that was then the other king of LACEDAEMON by telling how Charilaus aunswered one that praised him to his face in saying he was a good man And how should I not ê™ he be good when I cannot be euill to the euill In this chauÌ„ge of the state many things were altered by Lycurgus but his chiefest alteration was his lawe of the erection of a Senate which he made to haue a regall power equall authoritie with the Kings in matters of weight importance was as Plato sayeth to be the healthfull counterpease of the whole bodye of the CoÌ„mon weale The other state before was euer wauering somtime inclining to tyraÌ„nie when the Kings were to mightie somtime to coÌ„fusion when the people would vsurpe authoritie Lycurgus therfore placed betwene the Kings the people a counsaill of Senatours which was as a stronge beame that helde bothe these extreames in an euen ballance gaue sure footing ground to either parte to make strong the state of the comon weale For the eight twenty Senatours which made the whole bodye of the Senate tooke somtime the Kings parte when it by as nodefull so pull downe the furie of the people and contrarilie they held sometimes with the people against the Kings to bridle their tyrannicall gouernment Aristotle sayeth he ordeined the number of Senatours to be but eight and twenty bicause two of thirtie that ioyned with him a fore dyd for feare forsake him at his enterprise Howbeit Spharus writeth that from the beginning he neuer purposed to haue more then eight and twenty to be the Senate And perhappâ—s he had great regard to make it a perfect number considering it is compounded of the number of seuen multiplied by foure and is the first perfect number next to sixe being equall to all partes gathered together But as for me my opinion is he chose this number rather then any other bicause he ment the whole bodye of the counsaill should be but thing persones adding to that number the two Kinges Lycurgus tooke so great care to establishe well this counsell that he brought an oracle for it from Apolloes temple in DELPHES This oracle is called vnto this daye Retra as who would saye the statute oracle whereof the aunswer was When thou haft built a temple vnto Iupiter the Syllanian and to Manerus the Syllanian and deuided the people into lineages thou shalt stablishe a Senate of thirtie counsellers with the two Kings shalt assemble the people at times conuenient in the place betweene the bridge and the riuer Cnacion There the Senatours shall propound all matters and breake vp after their assemblies and it shall not be lawfull for the people to speake one worde In those dayes the people were euer assembled betweene two riuers for there was no hall to assemble a counsaill at large nor any other place prepared for them For Lycurgus thought no buylded place meete for men to geue good counsaill in or to determine causes but rather a hinderance bicause in such places men be drawen to muse on vaine things and their mindes be caried awaye with beholding the images tables and pictures comonly set vp for ornameÌ„t in such open places And if it be in a Theater then beholding the place where the playes and sportes be made they thincke more of them then any counsaill Againe if it be in a great hall then of the fayer embowed or vawted roofes or of the fretised feelings curiously wrought and sumptuously set forth and tend not still their busines they come for When the people were assembled in counsaill it was not lawfull for any of them to put forth matters to the counsell to be determined neither might any of them deliuer his opinion what he thought of any thinge but the people had onely authoritie to geue their assent if they thought good to the things propounded by the Senatours or the two Kings Howbeit afterwardes the two Kings Polydorus and Theopomous bicause the people dyd many times crosse and alter the determination of the Senate by taking away or adding some thing to it they dyd adde those wordes to the oracle aforesaid That if the people would not assent to any ordinaunce of the Senate then should it be lawfull for the Kings and Senate to breake vp the counsell and to frustrate all things done in the same the wise aduise of the Senate being encountered thus their meaning to the best so peruerted to the worse These two Kings persuaded the people that at the very first this addition came with the oracle of Apollo as the poet Tyrtaeus maketh mention in the place where he sayeth From Delphos I le this oracle is brought of Pythia into their country soyle The Kings euen they to vvhom of right there ought a louing care in princely breasts to boyle the Spartane vvealthe to
of maydes which both the one and the other ordeined doth agree with the rest of their education For Lycurgus would not that they should be maried till they were of good yeres and women growen to the ende that they knowing the company of man at such time as nature requireth it should be a beginning of their pleasure and loue and not of griefe and hate when she should be compelled vnto it before time agreable by nature and bicause their bodies also should be more stronge and able to beare children and to indure the mothers painefull throwes and trauell in childe bearing considering they are maried to no other ende but to beare children But the ROMAINES to the contrarie doe marye them at twelue yeres of age and vnder saying that by this meanes their bodies manners be wholy theirs which doe marye them being assured that no body els could touch them By this reason it is manifest that the one is more naturall to make them strong to beare children the other more morall to geue them the forme manner of conditiōs which a man would haue them to kepe all their life time Moreouer touching orders for educatiō of childrē that they should be brought vp instructed taught vnder the selfe same masters gouernours which should haue an eye to make them drincke eate playe and exercise them selues honestly and orderly together Numa made no more prouision for the same then the least maker of lawes that euer was and nothing in comparison of Lycurgus For Numa left the parents at libertie to vse their discretion according vnto their couetousnes or necessitie to cause their children to be brought vp as they thought good whether they would put them to be labourers carpinters founders or minstrells As if they should not frame the manners of children and facion them from their cradell all to one ende but should be as it were like passengers in one shippe which being there some for one busines other for another purpose but all to diuers endes doe neuer medle one with another but in a rough storme or tempest when euery man is affrayed of his owne life For otherwise no man careth but for him selfe And other makers of lawes also are to be borne withall if any thing hath scaped them through ignoraunce or some time through lacke of sufficient power and authoritie But a wise philosopher hauing receyued a realme of people newly gathered together which dyd contrary him in nothing whereto should he most plye his studie and indeuour but to cause children to be well brought vp and to make young men exercise them selues to the ende they should not differ in manners nor that they should be troublesome by their diuers manner of bringing vp but that they should all agree together for that they had bene trained from their childhood vnto one selfe trade and facioned vnder one selfe patterne of vertue That good education besides other commodities dyd also serue to preserue Lycurgus lawes For the feare of their othe which they had made had bene of small effect if he had not through institution and education as it were dyed in wolle the manners of children and had not made them from their nources brestes in manner sucke the Iuice and loue of his lawes and ciuill ordinaunces And this was of suche force that for the space of fiue hundred yeres more Lycurgus chieflawes and ordinaunces remained in full perfection as a deepe woded dye which went to the bottome and pearced into the tender wolle Contrariwise that which was Numaes chief ende and purpose to continew ROME in peace and amitie dyed by and by with him For he was no soner dead but they opened both the gates of the temple of Ianus which he so carefully had kept shut all his reigne as if in deede he had kept in warres there vnder locke and keye and they filled all ITALIE with murder and bloude this his godly holy and iust gouernment which his Realme enioyed all his time did not last long after bicause it had not the bonde of education and the discipline of children which should mainteine it Why maye a man saye to me here hath not ROME excelled still and preuailed more more in cheualrie This question requireth a long aunswer and specially vnto such men as place felicitie in riches in possessions in the greatnes of empire rather then in the quiet safety peace concorde of a common weale and in clemency and iustice ioyned with contentation Neuertheless howsoeuer it was that maketh for Lycurgus also that the ROMAINES after they had chaūged the state which they had of Numa dyd so maruelously increase growe mightie and that the LACEDAEMONIANS to the contrarie so soone as they beganne to breake Lycurgus lawes being of great authoritie and swaye fell afterwards to be of small accompt So that hauing lost the soueraintie commaundemēt ouer GRECE they stoode in great hazarde also to be ouerthrowen for euer But in trothe it was some diuine thing in Numa that he being a meere straunger the ROMAINES dyd seeke him to make him King and that he could so chaunge all and rule a whole cittie as he lifted not yet ioyned together without neede of any force or violence as it was in Lycurgus to be assisted with the best of the citty in resisting the cōmons of LACEDAEMON but he could neuer otherwise haue kept them in peace made them loue together but by his only wisdom iustice The ende of Numa Pompilius life THE LIFE OF Solon DIDYMVS the Grammarian in a litle booke that he wrote dedicated vnto Asclepiades touching the tables of the lawes of Solon alleageth the wordes of one Philocles in which he speaketh against the common opinion of those that haue written that Solons father was called Euphorion For all other writers agree that he was the sonne of Execestides a man but reasonably to liue although otherwise he was of the noblest and most auncient house of the cittie of ATHENS For of his fathers side he was descended of king Codrus and for his mother Heraclides Ponticus writeth she was cosin germaine vnto Pisistratus mother For this cause euen from the beginning there was great friendshippe betwene them partely for their kinred and partely also for the curtesie and beawtie of Pisistratus with whom it is reported Solon on a time was in loue Afterwards they fortuned to fall at iarre one with the other about matter of state and gouernment yet this square bred no violent inconuenience betwene them but they reserued in their hartes still their auncient amitie which continued the memorie of their loue as a great fire doth a burning flame That Solon was no stayed man to withstand beawtie nor any great doer to preuaile in loue it is manifest to all aswell by other poeticall writings that he hath made as by a lawe of his owne wherein he dyd forbid bondmen to perfume them selues or
indifferently to his will. As the offices of state common assemblies voyces in election iudgemēts in iustice and the bodie of the Senate And they gaue him also full power and authoritie to sesse and taxe any of them to appointe the number what time the sesse should continewe and to keepe confirme and disanull at his pleasure any of the auncient lawes and customes then in being To beginne withall he first tooke away all Dracons bloudy lawes sauing for murder and manslaughter which were to seuere cruell For almost he dyd ordaine but one kinde of punishment for all kinde of faultes and offences which was death So that they which were condemned for idlenes were iudged to dye And pety larceny as robbing mens horteyards gardens of fruite or erbes was as seuerely punished as those who had committed sacriledge or murder Demades therefore encountered it pleasauntly when he sayed that Dracons lawes were not written with incke but with bloud And Draco him selfe being asked one daye why his punishmēts were so vnequall as death for all kinde of faultes he aunswered Bicause he thought the least offence worthie so much punishment and for the greatest he found none more grieuous Then Solon being desirous to haue the chief offices of the cittie to remaine in riche mens handes as already they dyd and yet to mingle the authoritie of gouernment in such sorte as the meaner people might beare a litle swaye which they neuer could before he made an estimate of the goodes of euery priuate cittizen And those which he founde yerely worthe fiue hundred busshells of corne other liquide fruites and vpwards he called Pentacosiomedimnes as to saye fiue hundred busshell men of reuenue And those that had three hundred busshells a yere and were able to keepe a horse of seruice he put in the second degree and called them knightes They that might dispend but two hundred busshells a yere were put in the thirde place called Zeugites All other vnder those were called Thetes as ye would saye hyerlings or craftes men liuing of their labour whom he dyd not admit to beare any office in the cittie neither were they taken as free cittizens sauing they had voyces in elections and assemblies of the cittie and in iudgements where the people wholy iudged This at the first seemed nothing but afterwardes they felt it was to great purpose for hereby the most parte of priuate quarrells and strifes that grewe among them were in the ende layed open before the people For the suffered those to appeale vnto the people which thought they had wrong iudgement in their causes Furthermore bicause his lawes were written somewhat obscurely and might be diuersely taken and interpreted this dyd geue a great deale more authoritie and power to the iudges For considering all their controuersies could not be ended and iudged by expresse lawe they were driuen of necessitie allwayes to ronne to the iudges and debated their matters before them In so muche as the iudges by this meanes came to be somewhat aboue the lawe for they dyd euen expounde it as they would them selues Solon self doth note this equall diuision of the publicke authoritie in a place of his poesies where he sayeth Suche povver haue I geuen to common peoples hande as might become their meane estate vvith equity to stande and as I haue not pluct from them their dignitie so haue I not to much increast their small authoritie Vnto the riche likevvise I haue allovved no more then vvell might seeme in iust conceit sufficient for their store And so I have for both prouided in such vvise that neither shall eche other vvrong nor seeme for to despise Yet considering it was meete to prouide for the pouertie of the common sorte of people he suffered any man that would to take vpon him the defence of any poore mans case that had the wrong For if a man were hurte beaten forced or otherwise wronged any other man that would might lawfully sue the offendour and prosecute lawe against him And this was a wise lawe ordeined of him to accustome his cittizens to be sorie one for anothers hurte so to feele it as if any parte of his owne bodie had bene iniured And they saye he made an aunswer on a time agreable to this law For being asked what cittie he thought best gouerned he aunswered That cittie where such as receyue no wronge doe as earnestly defend wrōg offered to other as the very wrong iniurie had bene done vnto them selues He erected also the coūsaill of the Areopagites of those magistrates of the cittie out of which they did yerely choose their gouernour he him self had bene of that number for that he had bene gouernour for a yere Wherefore perceyuing now the people were growen to a stomake hawtines of minde bicause they were cleare discharged of their detts he set one vp for matters of state another counsell of an hundred chosen out of euery tribe whereof foure hūdred of them were to consult debate of all matters before they were propounded to the people that when the great counsell of the people at large should be assembled no matters should be put forth onles it had bene before well considered of digested by the counsell of the foure hundred Moreouer he ordeined the higher courte should haue the chiefe authoritie power ouer all things and chiefly to see the lawe executed and mainteined supposing that the common weale being settled and stayed with these two courtes as with two stronge anker holdes it should be the lesse turmoyled and troubled and the people also better pacified and quieted The most parte of writers holde this opinion that it was Solon which erected the counsaill of the Areopagites as we haue sayed and it is very likely to be true for that Dracon in all his lawes and ordinaunces made no manner of mention of the Areopagites but allwayes speaketh to the Ephetes which were iudges of life and death when he spake of murder or of any mans death Notwithstanding the eight law of the thirtenth table of Solon sayeth thus in these very words All such as haue bene banished or detected of naughty life before Solon made his laws shal be restored againe to their goodes and good name except those which were condemned by order of the counsaill of the Areopagites or by the Ephetes or by the Kings in open courte for murder and death of any man or for aspiring to vsurpe tyrannie These wordes to the contrarie seeme to proue and testifie that the counsell of the Areopagites was before Solon was chosen reformer of the lawes For howe could offenders and wicked men be condemned by order of the counsell of the Areopagites before Solon if Solon was the first that gaue it authoritie to iudge onles a man will saye peraduenture that he would a litle helpe the matter of his lawes which were obscure and darke and would supply that they lacked
at all that he had cared litle for the ROMAINES he wēt and fought a battell in the meane time with the DARDANIANS where he slue tēne thousād of those barbarous people brought a maruelous great spoyle awaye with him Moreouer he procured the nation of the GAVLES dwelling vpō the riuer of Danubie which they call Bastarnae mē very warlike excellēt good horsemē did practise with the ILLYRIANS also by meane of their king Gētius to make thē ioyne with him in these warres so that there ranne a rumour all about that for money he had gotten these GAVLES to come downe into ITALIE from the highe contrie of GAVLE all alongest the Adriatick sea The ROMAINES being aduertised of these newes thought the time serued not now to dispose their offices in warres any more by grace fauour vnto those that sued for them but contrariwise that they should call some noble man that were very skilfull and a wise captaine and could discretly gouerne and performe things of great charge As Paulus AEmylius a man well stepped on in yeres being three score yere olde and yet of good power by reason of the lusty young men his sonnes sonnes in lawe besides a great number of his friends and kinsefolke So all that bare great authoritie dyd altogether with one consent counsaill him to obey the people which called him to the Consulshippe At the beginning in deede he delayed the people muche that came to importune him and vtterly denied them saying he was no meete man neither to desire nor yet to take vpon him any charge Howbeit in the ende seeing the people dyd vrge it apon him by knocking continually at his gates and calling him alowde in the streetes willing him to come into the market place and perceyuing they were angrie with him bicause he refused it he was content to be persuaded And when he stoode among them that sued for the Consulshippe the people thought straight that he stoode not there so muche for desire of the office as for that he put them in hope of assured victorie and happie successe of this begonne warre so great was their loue towardes him and the good hope they had of him that they chose him Consul againe the second time Wherefore so sone as he was chosen they would not proceede to drawing of lottes according to their custome which of the two Consuls should happen to goe into MACEDON but presently with a full and whole consent of them all they gaue him the whole charge of the warres of MACEDON So being Consul now and appointed to make warre apon king Perseus all the people dyd honorably companie him home vnto his house where a litle girle a daughter of his called Tertia being yet an infant came weeping vnto her father He making muche of her asked her why she wept The poore girle aunswered colling him about the necke and kissing him Alas father wote you what our Perseus is dead She ment it by a litle whelpe so called which was her playe fellowe In good hower my girle sayed he I like the signe well Thus doth Cicero the orator reporte it in his booke of diuinations The ROMAINES had a custome at that time that suche as were elected Consuls after that they were openly proclaimed should make an oration of thanckes vnto the people for the honour and fauour they had shewed him The people then according to the custome being gathered together to heare AEmylius speake he made this oration vnto them That the first time he sued to be Consul was in respect of him selfe standing at that time in neede of suche honour now he offred him selfe the second time vnto it for the good loue he bare vnto them who stoode in nede of a generall wherefore he thought him selfe nothing bounde nor beholding vnto them now And if they dyd thincke also this warre might be better followed by any other then by him selfe he would presently with all his harte resigne the place Furthermore if they had any trust or confidence in him that they thought him a man sufficient to discharge it then that they would not speake nor medle in any matter that concerned his duetie and the office of a generall sauing only that they would be diligent without any wordes to doe whatsoeuer he commaunded and should be necessarie for the warre and seruice they tooke in hande For if euery man would be a commaunder as they had bene heretofore of those by whom they should be commaunded then the world would more laughe them to scorne in this seruice then euer before had bene accustomed These wordes made the ROMAINES very obedient to him and conceyued good hope to come being all of thē very glad that they had refused those ambitious flatterers that sued for the charge had geuē it vnto a man that durst boldly franckly tell them the troth Marke how the ROMAINES by yelding vnto reason vertue came to comand all other to make them selues the mightiest people of the world Now that Paulus AEmylius setting forward to this warre had winde at will and fayer passage to bring him at his iorneis ende I impute it to good fortune that so quickly and safely conueyed him to his campe But for the rest of his exploytes he dyd in all this warre when parte of them were performed by his owne hardines other by his wisedome and good counsell other by the diligence of his friendes in seruing him with good will other by his owne resolute constancy and corage in extremest daunger and last by his maruelous skill in determining at an instant what was to be done I cannot attribute any notable acte or worthy seruice vnto this his good fortune they talke of so much as they maye doe in other captaines doings Onles they will saye peraduenture that Perseus couetousnes and miserie was AEmilius good fortune for his miserable feare of spending money was the only cause and destruction of the whole realme of MACEDON which was in good state and hope of continuing in prosperitie For there came downe into the countrie of MACEDON at king Perseus request tenne thousand Bastarnae a horse backe and as many footemen to them who allwayes ioyned with them in battell all mercenary souldiers depending vpon paye and enterteinment of warres as men that could not plowe nor sowe nor trafficke marchandise by sea nor skill of grasing to gaine their liuing with to be shorte that had no other occupation or marchādise but to serue in the warres and to ouercome those with whom they fought Furthermore when they came to incampe lodge in the MEDICA neere to the MACEDONIANS who sawe them so goodly great men and so well trained exercised in handling all kinde of weapons so braue and lustie in wordes and threates against their enemies they beganne to plucke vp their hartes to looke bigge imagining that the ROMAINES would neuer abide them but would be afeard to looke them
trompets sounde straight and his souldiers to marche in battell with great cries him selfe being the formest man of all his troupe with a sworde drawen in his hand But when the AETOLIANS saw them comming downe the rockes towardes them they beganne to flie for life vnto their great campe which they filled full of feare trouble and all disorder Now Manlius at the same present also gaue an assault vnto the walles and fortifications the king had made ouerthwart the vallies and straightes of the mountaines at which assault king Antiochus selfe had a blow on the face with a stone that strake some of his teeth out of his mouth so that for very paine anguish he felt he turned his horse backe and got him behinde the prease And then there were none of his armie that made any more resistaunce or that coulde abide the fiercenesse of the ROMAINES But notwithstanding that the places were very ill for flying bicause it was vnpossible for them to scatter and straggle beinge holden in with high rockes on the one side of them and with bogges and deepe marisses on the other side which they must needes fall into if their feete slipped or were thrust forwarde by any yet they fell one apon an other in the straightes and ranne so in heapes together that they cast them selues away for feare of the ROMAINES swordes that lighted vppon them in euery corner And there Marcus Cato that neuer made ceremony or nisenes to praise him selfe openly nor reckened it any shame to do it did take a present occasion for it as falleth out apon all victory and famous exploytes And so did set it out with all the ostentacion and braue wordes he could geue For he wrote with his owne handes that such as saw him chase and lay vpon his flying enemies that day were driuen to say that Cato was not bound to the ROMAINES but the ROMAINES bound vnto Cato And then Manius the Consull selfe being in a great heate with the furie of the battell embraced Cato a great while that was also hotte with chasinge of the enemy and spake alowde with great ioy before them all that neither he nor the people of ROME could recompence Cato for his valliant seruice that day After this battell the Consul Manius sent Cato to ROME to be the messenger him selfe to reporte the newes of the victory So he imbarked incontinently and had such a fayer winde that he passed ouer the sea to BRINDES without any daunger and went from thence vnto TARENTVM in one day and from TARENTVM in foure dayes more to ROME And so he came to ROME in fiue dayes after his landing in ITALIE and made such speede that him selfe was in deede the first messenger that brought newes of the victorie Whereupon he filled all ROME with ioy and sacrifices and made the ROMAINES so proude that euer after they thought them selues able men to conquer the worlde both by sea and lande And these be all the martiall deedes and noble actes Cato did But for his doings in ciuill policie and state he semed to be of this opinion That to accuse and pursue the wicked he thought it was the best thinge an honest man and good gouernour of the common wealth coulde employ him selfe vnto for he accused many and subscribed many other accusations which they preferred And to be shorte he did alwayes stirre vp some accuser as he did Petilius against Scipio But Scipio by reason of his nobility the greatnes of his house and the magnanimity of his minde passed not for any accusation they could lay against him being out of all feare they shoulde be able to condemne him And so he let fall the accusation he had against him Notwithstanding he ioyned with other that accused Lucius Scipio his owne brother and followed the matter so sore against him that he caused him to be condemned in a great summe of money to the cōmon wealth who being vnable to pay the fine had gone to prison and hardly scaped it had not the Tribunes of the people reuoked his condemnation It is sayd that Cato comming through the market place one day and meeting with a younge manne by the way that had ouerthrowen his aduersary in sute and put one of his late fathers greatest enemies to open shame and foyle before the people he imbraced him with a good countenaunce and sayd vnto him Oh my sonne sacrifices that good children should offer to their fathers soule be not lammes nor kiddes but the teares and condemnations of their enemies But as he vexed other so he scaped not free him selfe from daunger in administration of the cōmon wealth For if they could katch the least vantage in the world of him his enemies straight accused him so as they say he was accused almost a fifty times and at the last time of his accusation he was about the age of foure score yeares And then he spake a thing openly that was noted that it was a harder thinge to geue vp an accompt of his life before men in any other world then in this among whom he liued And yet was not this the last sute he followed for foure yeares after when he was foure score and tenne yeares of age he accused Seruius Galba And thus he liued as Nestor in maner three ages of man alwayes in continuall sute and action For when he wrestled with the first Scipio the AFRICAN about matters of state and commonwealth he went on vnto the time of the seconde that was adopted by the first Scipioes sonne the naturall sonne of Paulus AEmylius who ouercame Perseus king of MACEDON Furthermore Marcus Cato tenne yeares after his Consulship sued to be Censor which was in ROME the greatest office of dignity that any citizen of ROME could attaine vnto and as a man may say the roome of all glory and honor of their common wealth For among other authorities the Censor had power to examine mens liues maners and to punish euery offendor For the ROMAINES were of that minde that they woulde not haue men mary gette children liue priuately by them selues and make feastes and banckettes at their pleasure but that they should stande in feare to be reproued and inquiered of by the magistrate and that it was not good to geue euery body liberty to doe what they would following his owne lust and fansie And they iudging that mens naturall dispositions do appeare more in such things then in all other thinges that are openly done at none dayes and in the sight of the worlde vsed to choose two Censors that were two Surueyors of maners to see that euery man behaued him selfe vertuously and gaue not them selues to pleasure nor to breake the lawes and customes of the common wealth These officers were called in their tongue Censores and alwayes of custome one of them was a PATRICIAN and the other a commoner These two had power and authority to disgrade a knight by
hurt and if he would not goe of him selfe then they cast him ouer the bord by force and sent him packing These rouers and sea pirates had all the sea Mediterraneum at commaundement insomuch there durst not a marchant looke out nor once traffique that sea And this was the only cause that moued the ROMANES fearing scarsity of vittells and a great dearth to send Pompey to recouer the signory againe of the sea from these pirates The first man that moued it might be decreed that Pompey should not be only Admirall or Generall by sea but should haue absolute power to commaunde all manner of persons as he thought good without any account to be made of his doinges in his charge was Gabinius Pompeys frend The summe to this decree gaue him full power and absolute authority of all the sea from Hercules pillers and of the maine land the space of foure hundred furlong from the sea For the ROMANES dominions at that time in few places went further then that notwithstanding within that compasse were many great nations mighty kings Furthermore it gaue him power to choose of the Senate fifteene Lieutenauntes to geue vnto euery one of them seuerall prouinces in charge according to his discretion and also to take money out of the treasure of the Generall receiuers of the state to defray the charges of a fleete of two hundred saile with full power besides to leauy what men of warre he thought good and as many galliots and mariners as he listed This law when it had bene read once ouer among them the people confirmed it with very good will. Yet the noble men and chiefe of the Senate thought that this authority did not only exceede all enuy but also that it gaue them apparant cause of feare to geue such absolute power vnto a priuate person Whereupon they were all against it but Caesar who fauored the decree not so much to pleasure Pompey as the people whose fauor he sought The noble men fell maruelously out with Pompey and at the length one of the Consulls was very hotte with him and told him he looked to follow Romulus steppes but peraduenture he would come shorte of that end he made Thereupon the people thought to haue killed him After that Catulus stoode vp to speake against this edict The people at the first heard him quietly bicause he was a worthy man Then he began without any shew of enuy to speake many goodly thinges in the praise of Pompey and in fine aduised the people to spare him and not to venter in such daungerous warres one after an other a man of so great accompt as they ought to make of him If ye chaunce to loose him sayd he whom haue you then to put in his place The people then cried out your selfe Then perceiuing that he lost his labor seeking to turne the people from their determination he left it there and sayd no more Roscius rose next after him to speake but he could haue no audience When he saw that he coulde not be heard he made a signe with his fingers that they shoulde not geue Pompey alone this authority but ioyne an other with him The people being offended withall made such an outcrie vppon it that a crow flying ouer the market place at that instant was striken blinde fell downe amongest the people Whereby it appeareth that fowle falling out of the ayer to the ground do not fall for that the ayer is broken or pearced with any force or fury but bicause the very breath of the voice when it commeth with such a violence as it maketh a very tempest in the ayer doth strike ouercome them Thus for that day the assembly brake vp and nothing past and at the day appointed when this decree should passe by voyces of the people Pompey went abroad into the contry There being aduertised that the decree was past for the cōfirmation of his charge he returned againe that night into the citie bicause he would auoyde the enuie they would haue borne him to haue seene them run out of all partes of the city vnto him to haue waited on him home The next morning he came abroad and sacrificed to the goddes and audience being geuen him at an open assembly he handled the matter so that they gaue him many thinges besides to enlarge his power almost doubling the preparation set downe and appointed at the first decree For he ordained that the common wealth should arme him fiue hundred shippes they leauied for him sixe score thowsand footemen and fiue thowsand horsemen and chose besides foure and twenty Senators which had euery one of them bene Generalls of armies and two generall Treasorers also While thinges were thus a preparing the price of vittels fell by chaunces which reioyced the people so much that they stucke not to say that the name of Pompey only had already ended this warre This notwithstanding he deuided all the sea betwene the lands into thirteene regions and in euery of them he appointed a certaine number of his shippes and moreouer one of his Lieutenauntes ouer them Thus hauing dispersed his power all abroade he brought all the pirates shippes that were in a fleete together within his daunger and when he had taken them he brought them all into a docke Now for them that had dispersed them selues betimes or that otherwise could scape his generall chase they fled all into CILICIA as bees into the beehiue against whom he would needes go him selfe in person with three score of his best shippes Howbeit he cared not though he went not before he had scoored all the THVSCANE sea the coastes of LYBIA SARDINIA SICILE and of CORSICA of all these theeues which are wont to keepe thereabouts and this he did within forty dayes space taking infinite paines both him selfe and his Lieutenaunts Now when one of the Consulls called Piso did all the best he could to hinder Pompeys preparation and had discharged his ower men for that he enuied Pompeys prosperity Pompey sent his shippes before to make towardes ITALIE to arriue at the city of BRVNDVSIM He in the meane time went through TEVSCANE to ROME where so soone as his comming was knowen all the people ran out to meete him as if he had bene absent a long time and that which made the people more ioyfull to see him was the sodaine chaunge of victals vnlooked for that dayly came to the towne out of all partes But Piso went neere to be depriued of his Consulshippe for Gabinius had the decree wrytten and ready to present to the people But Pompey would not suffer it So hauing gently brought all to passe as he desired he went vnto the city of BRVNDVSIVM and there tooke sea and hoysed sayle Now though his hasty voyage and shortnesse of time made him passe by many good cities without comming into them notwithstanding he would not so passe by the city of ATHENS but landed there and after he had
his hand very neere vnto Pompey making this his colour but otherwise fearing Clodius insolency prowde words he would neuer after come into the market place as long as Clodius was Tribune but kept at home still consulting with his frendes what way he should take to appease the anger of the Senate against him Thereuppon one of his frendes called Culeo perswaded him to put away his wife Iulia and vtterly to refuse Caesars frendshippe and to sticke againe to the Senate but he would none of that Notwithstanding he was contented to hearken vnto them that gaue him counsell to call Cicero home againe who was Clodius mortall enemie and in great fauor with the Senate Thereuppon he brought Ciceroes brother into the market place to moue the matter to the people with a great number of men about him where they fell to blowes and diuers were slaine of either side notwithstanding he ouer came Clodius Thus Cicero being called home by decree of the people when he was come he brought Pompey againe in fauor with the Senate and standing with the lawe propounded to geue Pompey authoritie to cause corne to be brought to ROME he once againe made him haue power both by land and sea ouer all the territories of the ROMANES For all the hauens martes fayres all store houses for corne yea moreouer all the trade of marchandise and tillage came vnder Pompeys hands Then Clodius accusing him sayd that the Senate had not made this law for the dearth of vittells but that they made a dearth of vittells bicause the lawe should passe to reuiue Pompeys power and authority againe that was almost vnder foote Other say that this was a deuise of Leutulus Spinther the Consull who gaue Pompey the greater authoritie bicause he might be sent to put king Ptolomy againe into his kingdom This notwithstanding Canidius the Tribune preferred an other law to send Pompey without an army with two sergeaunts only to cary the axes before him to bring Ptolomy in fauor againe with the ALEXANDRIANS This law seemed not to mislike Pompey but the Senate with honest colour put by this lawe as being affrayed least Pompeys person should miscary in so doing Neuerthelesse litle papers were found throwen about the market place and the Senate house declaringe that Ptolomy desired Pompey might come to aide him in Spinthres stead Timagenes wryteth notwithstanding that Ptolomy went vnto ROME left AEGYPT without any occasion geuen him at the perswasion of Theophanes who perswaded him to doe so bicause he would geue Pompey occasion to make newe warres But Theophanes craft and suttilty made not this matter so credible as Pompeys wit and good nature made it altogether vntrue for his ambitiō was nothing so vile nor ill as that was So Pompey hauing now full authority to cause corne to be brought to ROME he sent then his Lieutenauntes and frendes abroade and him selfe in person went into SICILE Nowe being ready to returne againe there rose such a storme of winde in the sea that the mariners were in dout to way their anckers But him selfe first imbarked and commaunded them straight to hoyse sayle crying out alowde it is of necessitie I must goe but not to liue So through his boldnes and good spirite vsing the good fortune he had he filled all the places of marte and markets with come and all the sea besides with shippes insomuch the plenty he brought did not only furnishe the city of ROME but all their neighbours also about them and came like a liuely spring that dispersed it selfe through all ITALIE About that time the great conquestes that Caesar made in GAVLE did set him aloft For when they thought that he was occupied in warres farre from ROME with the BELGEANS SWISSES and Englishmen ◠he by secret practise was in the middest among the people at ROME most against Pompey in the waightiest affayres of the common wealth For he had the power of an armie about his person which he did harden with paines and continuall practise not with intent to fight onely against the barbarous people for the battells he had with them were in maner but as a hunting sporte by the which he made him selfe inuincible and dreadfull to the worlde But furthermore by the infinite gold siluer and the incredible spoiles and treasure which he wan apon the enemies whom he had ouercome and by sending great presentes also to ROME to the Ediles Praetors Consulls and their wiues he purchased him many frendes Therefore after he had passed ouer the Alpes againe and was come to winter in the city of LVCA ◠world of people both men and women and of the Senate them selues almost two hundred persons and amongest them Crassus and Pompey by name went out of ROME vnto him Furthermore there were seene at Caesars gate sixe score sergeauntes carying axes before Praetors or Proconsulls So Caesar sent euery one backe againe either full of money or good wordes but with Pompey and Crassus he made a matche that they two together should sue to be Consulls and that he him selfe would send them good aide to ROME at the daye of election to geue their voyces And if they were thosen that they should then practise by decree of the people to haue the gouernmentes of some newe prouinces and armies assigned them and withall that they should adiorne the gouernment of those prouinces he had for fiue yeares more This packe being bewrayed and spred abroad through ROME the honestest sorte misliked much thereof Wherupon Marcellinus at an open assembly of the people did aske them both if they would sue for the Consulship at the next election So they being vrged by the people to make aunswere Pompey spake first and said peraduenture he would peraduenture not Crassus aunswered more gently that he would doe that which should be best for the common wealth Then Marcellinus sharpely inueying against Pompey he angrily againe cast him in the teeth said that Marcellinus was the ranckest churle and the vnthankefullest beast in the world for that of a dumme man he had made him eloquent and being in maner starued and famished many a time he had filled his bellie This notwithstanding diuers that before were determined to sue for the Consulship went no further in it sauing Lucius Domitius whom Cato counselled and incoraged not to geue it ouer for said he thou doest not contend for the Consulship but to defend the common libertie of thy contry against two tyrannes Pompey therefore fearing Catoes faction least that hauing all the Senates good willes he should drawe also the best parte of the people after him thought it not good to suffer Domitius to come into the market place To this ende therefore he sent men armed against him who at the first onset slue the torche bearer that caryed the torche before him and made all the rest flie amongest whom also Cato was the last man that retired who was hurt in his
by the people should neuer after be capable of any other office The seconde that if any Consul had banished any citizen without lawefull accusation the sentence and hearing of the matter should perteine to the people The first of these two lawes did plainly defame Octauius whom Tiberius his brother had by the people deposed from the Tribunshippe The seconde also rouched Popilius who being Praetor had banished his brother Tiberius frendes whereuppon he stayed not the triall but willingly exiled him selfe out of ITALIE And touching the first law Caius him selfe did afterwards reuoke it declaring vnto the people that he had saued Octauius at the request of his mother Cornelia The people were verie glad of it and confirmed it honoring her no lesse for respect of her sonnes then also for Scipioes sake her father For afterwards they cast her image in brasse set it vp with this inscription Cornelia the mother of the Gracchi Many cōmon matters are found written touching Cornelia his mother eloquently pleaded in her behalfe by Caius against her aduersaries As when he sayd vnto one of them how darest thou presume to speake euill of Cornelia that had Tiberius to her sonne And the other partie also that slandered her being sorely suspected for a Sodomite and art thou so impudent sayd he to shew thy face before Cornelia Hast thou brought foorth children as she hath done And yet it is wel knowē to all men in ROME that she being but a woman hath liued longer without a man than thou that art a man Thus were Caius words sharpe stinging and many such like are to be gathered out of his wrytinges Furthermore he made many other lawes afterwardes to increase the peoples authoritie and to imbase the Senates greatnes The first was for the restoring of the Colonies to ROME in diuiding the landes of the common wealth vnto the poore citizens that should inhabite there The other that they shoulde apparell the souldiers at the charge of the common wealth and that it should not be deducted out of their paye and also that no citizen should be billed to serue in the warres vnder seuenteene yeares of age at the least An other law was for their confederats of ITALIE that through all ITALIE they shoulde haue as free voyces in the election of any Magistrate as the naturall citizens of ROME it selfe An other setting a reasonable price of the corne that should be distributed vnto the poore people An other touching iudgement whereby he did greatly minish the authority of the Senate For before the Senators were onely Iudges of all matters the which made them to be the more honored and feared of the people and the ROMANE Knights and now he ioyned three hundred ROMANE Knights vnto the other three hundred Senators and brought it so to passe that all matters iudiciall shoulde be equally iudged among those six hundred men After he had passed this law it is reported he was verie curious in obseruing all other thinges but this one thing specially that where all other Orators speaking to the people turned them towards the pallace where the Senators sate and to that side of the market place which is called Comitium he in contrarie manner when he made his Oration turned him outwardes towardes the other side of the market place and after that kept it constantly and neuer failed Thus by a litle turning and altering of his looke only he remoued a great matter For he so transferred all the gouernment of the common wealth from the Senate vnto the iudgement of the people to teach the Orators by his example that in their Orations they should behold the people not the Senate Now the people hauing not only confirmed the law he made touching the Iudges but geuen him also full power and authoritie to choose amonge the ROMANE Knightes suche Iudges as he liked of he founde thereby he had absolute power in his owne hands insomuche as the Senators them selues did aske counsell of him So did he euer geue good counsell and did preferre matters meete for their honor As amongest others the lawe he made touching certaine wheate that Fabius Vicepraetor had sent out of SPAYNE which was a good and honorable acte He perswaded the Senate that the corne might be solde and so to send backe againe the money therof vnto the townes and cities from whence the corne came and therewithall to punish Fabius for that he made the Empire of ROME hatefull and intollerable vnto the prouinces and subiectes of the same This matter wanne him great loue and commendacion of all the prouinces subiect to ROME Furthermore he made lawes for the restoring of the decayed townes for mending of high wayes for building of garners for prouision of corne And to bring all these things to passe he him selfe tooke apon him the only care and enterprise being neuer wearied with any paines taken in ordering of so great affaires For he followed all those thinges so earnestly and effectually as if he had had but one matter in hand insomuch that they who most hated and feared him wondred most to see his diligence and quicke dispatche in matters The people also wondred muche to beholde him only seeing alwaies suche a number of laborers artificers Ambassadors officers souldiers and learned men whom he easely satisfied and dispatched keping still his estate and yet vsing great curtesie and ciuilitie entertaining euery one of them priuately so that he made his accusers to be found lyers that sayd he was a stately man and very cruell Thus he wanne the good will of the common people being more popular and familiar in his conuersation and deedes then he was otherwise in his Orations But the greatest paines and care he tooke apon him was in seeing the high wayes mended the which he woulde haue as well done as profitablie done For he would cast the cawcies by the lyne in the softest ground in the fields and then woulde paue them with hard stone and cast a great deale of grauell vpon it which he caused to be brought thither When he found any low or waterie places which the riuers had eaten into he raised them vp or else made bridges ouer them with an euen height equall to either side of the cawcie so that all his worke caried a goodly leauell withall euen by the lyne or plummet which was a pleasure to beholde it Furthermore he deuided these high wayes by myles euery myle conteining eight furlonges and at euery myles ende he set vp a stone for a marke At either end also of these high wayes thus paued he set certaine stones of conuenient height a prety way a sunder to helpe the trauellers by to take their horse backes againe without any helpe The people for these things highly praising extolling him and being readie to make shew of their loue and good will to him any maner of way he told them openly one day in his Oration that he had a request
shall heare The ROMANES by chaunce celebrated the feast called Lupercalia Caesar being apparelled in his triumphing robe was set in the Tribune where they vse to make their orations to the people and from thence did behold the sport of the runners The manner of this running was this On that day there are many young men of noble house and those specially that be chiefe Officers for that yeare who running naked vp downe the citie annointed with the oyle of olyue for pleasure do strike them they meete in their way with white leather thongs they haue in their hands Antonius being one amonge the rest that was to ronne leauing the auncient ceremonies old customes of that solemnitie he ranne to the Tribune where Caesar was set and caried a laurell crowne in his hand hauing a royall band or diademe wreathed about it which in old time was the auncient marke and token of a king When he was come to Caesar he made his fellow ronners with him lift him vp so he did put this laurell crowne vpon his head signifying thereby that he had deserued to be king But Caesar making as though he refused it turned away his heade The people were so reioyced at it that they all clapped their hands for ioy Antonius againe did put it on his head Caesar againe refused it and thus they were striuing of and on a great while together As oft as Antonius did put this laurell crowne vnto him a fewe of his followers reioyced at it as oft also as Caesar refused it all the people together clapped their hands And this was a wonderfull thing that they suffered all things subiects should doe by commaundement of their kings yet they could not abide the name of a king detesting it as the vtter destructiō of their liberty Caesar in a rage rose out of his seate and plucking downe the choller of his gowne from his necke he shewed it naked bidding any man strike of his head that would This laurel crowne was afterwards put vpō the head of one of Caesars statues or images the which one of the Tribunes pluckt of The people liked his doing therein so well that they wayted on him home to his house with great clapping of hands Howbeit Caesar did turne thē out of their offices for it This was a good incoragemēt for Brutus Cassius to conspire his death who fel into a cōfort with their trustiest friends to execute their enterprise but yet stood doubtful whether they should make Antonius priuy to it or not Al the rest liked of it sauing Trebonius only He told them that when they rode to meete Caesar at his returne out of SPAYNE Antonius he alwaies keping company lying together by the way he felt his mind a farre of but Antonius finding his meaning would harken no more vnto it yet notwithstanding neuer made Caesar acquainted with this talke but had faithfully kept it to him self After that they cōsulted whether they should kil Antonius with Caesar. But Brutus would in no wise consent to it saying that ventring on such an enterprise as that for the maintenāce of law iustice it ought to be clere from all villanie Yet they fearing Antonius power the authoritie of his office appointed certain of the cōspiracy that when Caesar were gone into the Senate and while others should execute their enterprise they should keepe Antonius in a talke out of the Senate house Euen as they had deuised these matters so were they executed and Caesar was slaine in the middest of the Senate Antonius being put in a feare withall cast a slaues gowne vpon him and hid him selfe But afterwards when it was told him that the murtherers slue no man els and that they went onely into the Capitoll he sent his sonne vnto them for a pledge bad them boldly come downe vpon his word The selfe same day he did bid Cassius to supper and Lepidus also bad Brutus The next morning the Senate was assembled Antonius him selfe preferred a lawe that all things past should be forgotten and that they should appoint prouinces vnto Cassius and Brutus the which the Senate confirmed and further ordeyned that they should cancell none of Caesars lawes Thus went Antonius out of the Senate more praysed and better esteemed then euer man was bicause it seemed to euery man that he had cut of all occasion of ciuill warres and that he had shewed him selfe a maruelous wise gouernor of the common wealth for the appeasing of these matters of so great waight importance But nowe the opinion he conceiued of him selfe after he had a litle felt the good will of the people towards him hoping thereby to make him selfe the chiefest man if he might ouercome Brutus did easily make him alter his first mind And therefore when Caesars body was brought to the place where it should be buried he made a funeral oration in cōmendacion of Caesar according to the auncient custom of praising noble men at their funerals When he saw that the people were very glad and desirous also to heare Caesar spoken of his praises vttered he mingled his oration with lamentable wordes and by amplifying of matters did greatly moue their harts and affections vnto pitie compassion In fine to conclude his oration he vnfolded before the whole assembly the bloudy garments of the dead thrust through in many places with their swords called the malefactors cruell cursed murtherers With these words he put the people into such a fury that they presently toke Caesars body burnt it in the market place with such tables fourmes as they could get together Then whē the fire was kindled they toke firebrands ran to the murtherers houses to set thē afire to make thē come out to fight Brutus therfore his accomplices for safety of their persons were driuē to fly the city Then came all Caesars friends vnto Antonius specially his wife Calpurnia putting her trust in him she brought the moste part of her money into his house which amounted to the summe of foure thowsand talents furthermore brought him al Caesars bokes writings in the which were his memorials of al that he had done ordeyned Antonius did daily mingle with them such as he thought good and by that meanes he created newe officers made newe Senators called home some that were banished and deliuered those that were prisoners and then he sayde that all those thinges were so appoynted and ordeyned by Caesar. Therefore the ROMANES mocking them that were so moued they called them CHARONITES bicause that when they were ouercome they had no other helpe but to saye that thus they were found in Caesars memorialls who had sayled in Charons boate and was departed Thus Antonius ruled absolutely also in all other matters bicause he was Consul and Caius one of his brethren Praetor and Lucius the other Tribune Now thinges remayning in
Xenophon great about Agesilaus marg The practise of Lysander about alteratioÌ„ of gouernment The wise conÌ„sell of a Senatour at Sparta The policie of Agesilaus to win his enemies Agesilaus Agesipolis kinges of Lacedaemon Teleutias Agesilaus halfe brother made Generall of the army by sea Certaine Apothegmes of Agesilaus * Meaning that he was not well in his wittes to be so presumptuous Agesilaus ouercome the Acarnanians Antalcidas peace Phoebidas possesseth the castel of Cadmea Agesilaus praise of iustice Sphodrias practise to take the hauen of Pirâ—a at Athens Sphodrias accused of treason Home Sphodrias was saued froÌ„ death Agesilaus cockering his children too much Agesilaus iorney into Boeotia Antalcidas saying Rhetra of Lycurgus Agesilaus suâ—till deuise to shewe the weakenes of the allies Agesilaus sell sodainly sicke of a daungerous disease Epaminondas the Theban sent Ambassador vnto Lacedaemon The strife betwext Agesilaus and Epaminondas for the libertie of Boeotia The Lacedaemonians slaine at the battell of Leuctres Cleombrotus king of the Lacedaemonians slaine Cleonymus the sonne of Sphodrias slaine at king Cleombrotus foote Xenophons saying The constancy and fortitude of the Spartans The fortitude of the Spartan women Tresantas be cowardes or faint harted men Punishment at Sparta for cowardly souldiers Epaminondas inuadeth Laconia with three score ten thowsande men Certaine witty aunswers Conspiracies at Lacedaemon vnder Agesilaus Issorium the temple of Diana A fine deuise to apprehende the traitors The departure of the Thebans out of Laconia Agesilaus saued the citie of Sparta The tearelesse battell of Archidamus ouercomming the ArcadiaÌ„s The Lacedaemonians were not wonâ— to reioyes much at any victory Messina restored againsâ— by Epaminondas Epaminondas second iorney vnto Sparta Agesilaus repulsed Epaminondas from Lacedaemon The fortitude of Archidamus The valliantnes of Isadas a Spartan Isadas rewarded amerced The death of Epaminondas Machariones why so called Agesilaus greedy of warres Agesilaus devided of the Egiptians Agesilaus despised al dainty thinges Agesilaus forsaketh Tachos goeth vnto Nectanebos In whom stratageames take most effect The stratageame of Agesilaus against the Egyptians The liberality of king Nectanebos vnto Agesilaus The death of Agesilaus The raigne of Agesilaus Agesilaus body noynted with waxe for lacke of honnie The father of Pompey hated in Rome Strabo the father of Pompey The Loue of the Romanes vnto Pompey The fauour of Pompey Flora the curtisan loued Pompey Flora the curtisan was passing sayer The temperaunce of Pompey in dyes The treason of Lucius TereÌ„tius against Pompey Pompey accused for robbing the common treasure The cause of the crie of Talassio at mariages in Rome Pompey maried Antistia The death of Cinna Pompeyes first Captainshippe vnder Sylla Pompey was Chiefetaine of an army at 23. yeares of age The citie of Auximum Pompey goeth vnto Sylla Pompey victories of the Marians Pompey ioyned with Sylla Pompey called Imperator of Sylla The honor Sylla did vnto Pompey Pompey went to aide Metellus in Gaule VVonderfull victories of Pompey Pompey put away his wife Antistia â— and maried AEmylia the daughter of Metella Syllaes wife The death of Antistius Pompey sent from Syllainto Sicile Lawe must geue place to armie The death of Carbo The death of Q. Valerius The bolde speache of Sthenis Pompey sealed vp his souldiers swordes Pompeis iorney into Msâ—icke vnder Sylla against Domitius Domitius camped by Pompey with his army Pompeis victory of Domitius Domitius slaine Pompey tooke king Iarbas Pompeis conquestes at 24. yeares of age The loue of the souldiers vnto Pompey Pompey called Magnus by Sylla The wisedom of the Romanes commended for rewardinge foreine and home seruice Valerius and Rullus called Maximi in Rome Pompeis slowt aunswere vnto Sylla Pompey not being Senator triuÌ„pheth against the law Marcus Lepidus created Consull Sylla fallow from the loue of Pompey Lepidus moueth ciuill warre Brutus the father slaine by Pompey The death of Lepidus The valliantnes of Sertorius in Spayne Pompeys iorney into Spayne against Sertorius Metellus geuen to royt pleasure Sertorius wan the city of Lauron in the fight of Pompey Pompey slue Herennius Perpenna Battell betwext Pompey and Sertorius Sucron fl The modesty of Pompey Metellus Pompey ouercame Perpenna and slue him Pompey burnt Sertorius letters the like also did Iulius Caesar wheÌ„ he ouercame Pompey Pompey ouercame the rest of the bondemen Pompey and Crassus first Consullshippe The custome of the Knights in Rome Pompey as a Knight of Rome sueth to be discharged from the warres Pompey submitteth to the Censors Pompey and Crassus made frendes Pompeye pride and glory The beginning of the pirates warre The power insolency of the pirates in Cilicia The pirates nauy a thowsand shippes The pirates scorning of the Romanes when they were taken Gabinius law for Pompeys authority against the pirates At the voyce of the people a crow flying fell downe Pompeys preparation against the pirates The courtesie of Pompey vnto Piso. The victory of Pompey vpon the pirate How men are tamed Pompey lewd fact against Metellus Achilles dishonest fact Pompey appointed Lucullus successor The boldnes of Catulus in disswading Manilius law Pompeys great dissimulation Quarrell betwixt Pompey and Lucullus Pompey and Lucullus meeting in Galatia Pompeys iorney against Mithridates Mithridates dreame Pompey ouerthrew Mithridates Hypsicratea Mithridates concubine otherwise called Hypsicrates for his valliantnes like a man. Araxes fl Tigranes yeldeth him selfe vnto Pompey Tigranes laied his diadeame at Pompeys feete Tigranes sonne a prisoner Ambassadors sent from the king of Parthia vnto Pompey Caucasus mont Albani and Iberes what meâ—â—â— of people Cyrnus fl Pompey ouerthrew the Albanians Pompey ouercame the Iberians Phasis fl The AlbaniaÌ„s rebell against Pompey Abas fl Pompey slue Cosis the kinges brother of the Albanians The Amazones Gele and Leleges people that do company with the Amazones Thermodon fl Stratonice Mithridates chiefe harlot Pompeys abstinence from taking of gifts Mithridates remeÌ„brauÌ„ces Rutilius an historiographer Pompeis faâ—e Pompeys iorney into Syria Pompey brought Syria into the forme and gouernment of a prouince Pompeys vertues The power insolency of Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Catoes exclamation against Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Pompeys Theater The king of Arabia Petrea submitted him selfe to Pompey Mithridates death The value of Mithridates scaberd of his sword Pompeys returne out of Asia Mutia the wife of Pompey Pompey forsooke his wife Mutia Pompey at his returne out of Asia discharged his souldiers Pompeis honorable returne to Rome out of Asia A law for triumphe Cato refreseth Pompeis alliance Pompeis third triumphe The canâ—â—ies conquered by Pompey Captiues led in Pompeis third triuÌ„phe Pompey conquered three partes of the world Africke Europe Asia Pompey triumphed thrise before the age of forty yeres The chaunge of Pompeys fortune and honor Lucullus beloued of the Senate at his returne out of Asia Lucullus inueyed against Pompey by Catoes ressistance Pompey ioyned with Clodius Tribune of the people Pompey forsaketh his frend Cicero Caesar reconciled Pompey and Crassus
affrayed or offend the law The chappell of feare ioyned to the halle of the Ephores The oration of king Cleomenes touching the first originall of the Ephores Asteropus the first man that gaue authority to the Ephores Cleomenes reformeth the state of the coÌ„mon wealth of Lacedaemon Cleomenes inuadeth the borders of the Megalopolitans King Cleomenes the teacher and example of temperancy Cleomenes moderate dyet Cleomenes curteous entertainment at his bord Cleomenes leadeth his army against Aratus and the Achaians The victory of Cleomenes against the Achaians Aratus treason to his contrie Cleomenes winneth the citie of Argos King Pyrrhus slaine at the citie of Argos The force of Lycurgus laâ—es The Argiues doe rebell against Cleomenes Cleomenes lost the citie of Corinthe Cleomenes lost the citie of Argos The death of Agiatis king Cleomenes wife The noble minde of Cratesiclea Cleomenes mother Cleomenes sendeth his mother and children hostages vnto Ptolomy king of AEgypt Cleomenes wanne the citie of Megalipolis Cleomenes noble saying Cleomenes rased the citie of Megalipolis Cleomenes stratageame A wise Captaine should not rashly put him selfe in hazard The moderacion of Cleomenes to his enemies Money the sinewe of warres The saving of Archidamus Cleomenes ouercomen by Antigonus for lacke of money to pay his souldiers The power of fortune Battell betwixt Cleomenes and Antigonus at Selasia The treason of Demoteles Cleomenes ouerthrowen by Antigonus Antigonus wanne the citie of Sparta The death of Antigonus the sonne of Demetrius king of Macedon Cleomenes flieth out of Peloponnesus The oration of Therycion vnto Cleomenes against death Cleomenes oration of death VVilling death must haue honorable respect Cleomenes flieth into AEgypt vnto king Ptolomy Cleomenes vertue Nicagoras Messenian an enemy to Cleomenes Cleomenes committed to prison to Alexandria Cleomenes practiseth to kill king Ptolomy The ende and death of Cleomenes and his friendes The corage of Panteas Cleomenes hanging vpon a crosse had a Serpent wreathed about his head Liuing things breeding of the corruption of dead beasts VVhy the Dragon is coÌ„secrated vnto Princes The worthines of Tiberius Gracchus the father Tiberius Gracchus the father maried Cornelia the Daughter of Scipio AfricaÌ„ The tender loue of Tiberius to his wife Cornelia The praise of Cornelia mother of the Gracchi A true description of Tiberius Caivs Gracchi Tiberius made Augures Tiberius maried Appius Clodius daughter Tiberius Gracchus souldierfare Tiberius Gracchus chosen Quaestor Tiberius Graecehus coÌ„cludeth peace with the Numantines The peace broken with the Nvmantines VVhy Tiberius preferred the Law Agraria Iugera VVhy Caius Laelius was called the wise Tiberius Graecchus chosen Tribune of the people Counsellers so Tiberius for preferring the law Lex Agraria Tiberius oration Marcus Octauius Tribune did with stand Tiberius lawe The modest contention betwixt Tiberius and Octauius Tiberius deposeth Octauius of his Tribuneship Tiberius preserveth the law Agraria King Attalus made the people of Rome his heire Tiberius law for deuiding of Attalus money Titus Annius a suttell questioner and aunswerer of thinges The oration of Tiberius Gracchus touching the power and authoritie of the Tribune Other lawes made by Tiberius Gracchus Vnluckie signes vnto Tiberius Flauius Flaccus beâ—raieth the conspiracy against Tiberius Nasica doth set apon Tiberius Gracchus Tiberius Gracchus the Tribune slaine Tiberius frends slaine The cruell death of Caius Billius Nasica chiefe Bishoppe of Rome Scipioes sentence of the death of Tiburius Gracchus Caius Gracchus maners Caius Gracchus Quastar in Sardinia Caius Gracchus vision and dreame Caius Gracchus returneth out of Sardinia vnto Rome Caius Gracchus Tribune of the people Caius Gracchus Lawes Cornelia mother of the Gracchi honored of the people of Rome Other lawes preferred by Caius Gracchus Caius Gracchus power Other lawes of Caius Gracchus The Italian myle conteineth eight furlong Caius Gracchus chosen Tribune the second time Liuius Drusus one of the Tribunes Lawes preferred by Liuius Drusus Liuius Drusus pacifieth the people against the Senate Fuluius Commissioner with Caius a verie seditious man. The death of Scipio African the lesse Vnluckie signes appearing vnto Caius This man is named afterwardes Opimius Caius Gracchus fell out with the Tribunes Caius Gracchus repulsed from the third Tribuneship Sedition betwext Caius Gracchus the Senate Antillius C. Gracchus sergeaunt slaine An ordinance made by the Senate against C. Gracchus The people defended C. Gracchus The words of Licinis to her husband Caius Gracchus Fuluius sent his sonne to the Consull with a Heraulds rodde to offer peace The death of Fuluius and his eldest sonne The flight of Caius The faithfulnes of Caius Gracchus seruaunt The temple of concord built by Opimius the Consul Opimius the first Consul vsurping the power of the Dictator Opimius bribed with money of Iugurthe and condemned The Gracchi were maruelously desired of the people The magnanimity of Cornelia the mother of the Gracchi The power of learning to ouercome sorow The wisedom of the Gracchi The Actes of the Gracchi did litle profit Rome The ende of the Gracchi vnfortunate The deedes of the Gracchi The faultes of the Gracchi True happines consisteth in the minde and manners of man not in any place or contry Expedient for an Historiographer to be in a famous citie Plutarkes coÌ„try very litle Demosthenes coÌ„pared with Cicero The parentage of Demosthenes The patrimony lese Demosthenes Demosthenes why he was called Battalus Demosthenes why surnamed Argas Calistratus the Orator The earnest desire of Demosthenes to learne eloquence Isaeus Demosthenes schole master of Rethoricke Demosthenes first practise in drawing penning of orations A remedie for the paine of splene Demosthenes mocked of the people for his long orations Demosthenes impediments of nature Demosthenes celler Demosthenes seldom pleaded on the suddein Demosthenes in his oration studieth to please the people Demosthenes terrified Lamachus in his oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The naturall eloquence of Demades the Orator Theophrastus iudgement of Orators Phocion called the axe of Demosthenes orations Demosthenes by industry reformeth his defects of nature Demosthenes countenance and gesture misliked of the nobilitie Demosthenes witty answers The time of Demosthenes comming to practice in the assayres of the state Displeasure betwixt Demosthenes and Midias Demosthenes an enemy to the Macedonians The constancy of Demosthenes defended against Theopompus Note the inconstancy and suttell euasion of these Orators Demosthenes preferreth honesty as a special rule in his orations Demosthenes a timerous man and giuen to bribes Demosthenes franke speech in his orations Demosthenes orations which were true and which false Demosthenes doings against Philip. Demosthenes stirreth vp Graece against the Macedonians Demosthenes force of eloquence ioyned the Thebans with the Athenians and wanne them from Philippe king of Macedon The ouerthrow of the Graecians foreshewed as Chaeronea by signes and auncient oracles The riuer of Thermodon or Haemon in the contry of Chaeronea Another opinion of Thermodon Demosthenes flieth from the battell Demosthenes word and deuise vpon his shield Demosthenes corrected with money of
actes to haue their death extolled for worthines So he imagined that his death would be the perfection and crowne of his felicitie after he had made and ordeined so many good and notable lawes for the honour and benefit of his countrie and should be as a seale of confirmation of his lawe and the continuall preseruitour of his cittie considering all his cittizens had sworne to keepe them all inuiolably vntill he were returned He was not deceaued of his hope for his cittie was the chiefest of the worlde in glorie and honour of gouernment by the space of fiue hundred yeres For so long his cittie kept his lawes without any chaunge or alteration by any of the Kings successours vntill king Agis the sonne of Archidamus beganne to reigne For the creation of the Ephores did not breake not discontinewe any of the lawes of Lycurgus but reduced them rather to a more straight and strickt order although it seemed at the first that the Ephores were ordeined for the maintenaunce defence of the libertie of the people whereas in deede they did also strengthen the authoritie of the Kings and Senate Nowe in the raigne of king Agis gold and siluer beganne first to creepe in againe to the cittie of SPARTA by meanes of Lysander With money there came in straight couetousnes and gredines to get and gather And although Lysander was not desirous to get it nor would be corrupted for any money yet he brought riches and couetousnes into the countrie and filled the same with all finenes by bringing in great store of golde and siluer from the warres directly against the lawes and ordinaunces of Lycurgus The which so long as they were in force and vse it appered that the gouernment of SPARTA seemed not to be a pollicy or common weale but rather a certaine holy place order of religion And euen as the Poets fayne the Hercules went through the world with his clubbe and lyons skynne punishing cruell robbers and vnnaturall tyrannes so in like case with a litle scrowe of parchement and a poore cape did the SPARTANS commaund and geue lawes to all the rest of GRECE euen with their good liking and consent And they chased the tyrannes awaye which vsurped tyrannicall power ouer any of their citties and did decide all controuersies and oftentimes pacified their seditions without sending out one souldier but only a simple poore ambassadour At whose commaundement the people presently assembled like the bees which gather together about their King so soone as they spye him they did then so greatly reuerence the good gouernment iustice of the SPARTANS Therefore I can but wonder much at those which saye the cittie of LACEDAEMON could obey well but not commaunde and for proofe they alleage wordes of king Theopompus who aunswered one which sayd that SPARTA was mainteined bicause the Kings could commaund well Naye the rather sayd he bicause the cittizens can obey well For men commonly disdaine to obey those which are not wise in commaunding So that the faithfull obedience of the subiectes dependeth much vpon the sufficient commaundement of the wise prince For he that directeth well must needes be well obeyed For like as the arte of a good rider is to make his horse gentle and ready at commaundement euen so the chiefest pointe belonging to a prince is to teach his subiects to obey Wherefore the LACEDAEMONIANS procured that not onely other people did willingly obey them but also desired to be ruled and commaunded by them For they asked them neither shippes nor money nor yet did send them any number of men of warre to compell them but onely they sent one cittizen of SPARTA to gouerne them to whom all the other people submitted them selues and were holpen by him in their necessitie as fearing and reuerencing him In this wise the SICILIANS were holpen by Gysippus the CHALCIDIANS by Brasidas and all the GRECIANS inhabiting ASIA by Lysander Callicratidas and by Agesilaus who were called the reformers and directers of princes peoples and Kings vnto whom they were sent here and there but euer they had their eye vpon the cittie of SPARTA as vpon the most perfect patterne to order mans life by and to gouerne a common weale after To this effect tended the mery worde spoken in iest by Stratonâ—â—eâ—â— Who said he did order the ATHENIANS to tend their sacrifices and the ELIANS to tende their games and if they made any faulte therein the LACEDAEMONIANS should be well whipped That was merely spoken and in a iesting manner But Antisthenes the philosopher and one of Socrates scholers seeing the THEBANS growen very hawtie glorious after that they had conquered the LACEDAEMONIANS in the iorney of LEVCTRES me thinketh sayed he these THEBANS here doe like the schoole boyes which bragge and reioyce when they haue a litle beaten their master But this was not Lycurgus meaning to haue his cittie to commaunde many But he thought the felicitie of a cittie as of a priuate man consisted chiefly in the exercise of vertue and in the vnitie of the inhabitants thereof He framed his common wealth to this ende that his cittizens should be nobly minded content with their owne and temperate in their doings that thereby they might mainteine and keepe them selues long in safetie The self same intention had Plato Diogenes and Zenon in setting forth their bookes which they wrote of the gouernment of common weales and so had likewise many other great and learned men which haue written of the same matter Howbeit they only left behinde them wordes and written bookes but Lycurgus contrariwise left no written bookes nor pamplets but stablished and left behinde him a royall forme of gouernment which no man euer before had inuented nor neuer after could be followed He hath made them plainely see a whole cittie liue together and gouerne it selfe philosophically according to the true rules and preceptes of perfect wisdome which imagined that true wisedome was a thing hanging in the ayer and could not visible be seene in the worlde Whereby he hath worthily excelled in glorie all those which euer tooke vpon them to write or stablishe the gouernment of a common weale And therefore sayeth Aristotle that after his death they did him lesse honour in LACEDAEMONIA then he had deserued albeit they did him all the honour they possibly could deuise And yet they buylt a temple for him and made solemne sacrifice to him euery yere as vnto a god More they saye that when the ashes of his bodie were brought to SPARTA there fell straight lightning vpon his tumbe where they were put which they had not often seene to happen to other men of name after their decease sauing only to the poet Eurâ—pides who dying in MACEDONIA was buried neere the cittie of ARETHVSA The which is some manifest argument for suche as loue the Poet to laye against those which somewhat depraue him seing this signe came to him after his death
come For if the ATHENIANS sayed he knew what hurt this hauen would bring thē they would eate it as they saye with their teethe It is sayed also that Thales did prognosticate such a like thing who after his deathe commaunded they should burie his bodie in some vile place of no reckoning with in the territorie of the MILESIANS saying that one daye there should be the place of a cittie Epimenides therfore being maruelously esteemed of euery man for these causes was greatly honoured of the ATHENIANS and they offered him great presents of money and other things but he would take nothing and only prayed them to geue him a boughe of the holy olyue which they graunted him and so he returned shortely home into CRETA Nowe that this sedition of Cylon was vtterly appeased in ATHENS for that the excommunicates were banished the countrie the citty fell againe into their olde troubles and dissentions about the gouernment of the common weale they were devided into so diuers partes and factions as there were people of sundry places territories within the countrie of ATTICA For there were the people of the mountaines the people of the vallies and the people of the sea coaste Those of the mountaines tooke the cōmon peoples parte for their liues Those of the valley would a fewe of the best cittizens should carie the swaye The coaste men would that neither of thē should preuaile bicause they would haue had a meane gouernmēt mingled of them both Furthermore the faction betwene the poore riche proceeding of their vnequalitie was at that time very great By reason whereof the cittie was in great daunger and it seemed there was no waye to pacifie or take vp these controuersies vnles some tyraunt happened to rise that would take vpon him to rule the whole For all the cōmon people were so sore indetted to the riche that either they plowed their landes yelded them the sixt parte of their croppe for which cause they were called Hectemorij and seruants or els they borowed money of them at vsurie vpon gage of their bodies to serue it out And if they were not able to paye them then were they by the law deliuered to their creditours who kept them as bonde men slaues in their houses or els they sent them into straunge coūtries to be sold many euen for very pouertie were forced to sell their owne children for there was no lawe to forbid the contrarie or els to forsake their cittie countrie for the extreme cruelty hard dealing of these abominable vsurers their creditours Insomuch as many of the lustiest stowtest of them banded together in cōpanies incoraged one another not to suffer beare any lenger such extremitie but to choose them a stowte trusty captaine that might set them at libertie and redeeme those out of captiuity which were iudged to be bondmen seruants for lacke of paying of their detts at their dayes appointed so to make againe a newe diuision of all landes and tenements and wholy to chaunge and turne vp the whole state gouernment Then the wisest men of the cittie who sawe Solon only neither partner with the riche in their oppression neither partaker with the poore in their necessitie made sute to him that it would please him to take the matter in hande to appease and pacifie all these broyles and sedition Yet Phanias Lesbian writeth that he vsed a subtiltie whereby he deceiued both the one and the other side concerning the cōmon weale For he secretly promised the poore to deuide the lands againe the riche also to confirme their couenants bargaines Howsoeuer it fell out it is very certain that Solon frō the beginning made it a great matter was very scrupulous to deale betwene them fearing the couetousnes of the one arrogancie of the other Howbeit in the end he was chosen gouernour after Philōbrotus was made reformer of the rigour of the lawes the tēperer of the state cōmō weale by cōsent agreemēt of both parties The rich accepted him bicause he was no begger the poore did also like him bicause he was an honest man They saye moreouer that one word sentēce which he spake which at that present was rife in euery mans mouthe that equalitie dyd breede no stryfe did aswell please the riche and wealthie as the poore and needie For the one sorte conceyued of this worde equalitie that he would measure all things according to the qualitie of the man the other tooke it for their purpose that he would measure things by the number by the polle only Thus the captaines of both factions persuaded prayed him boldly to take vpon him that soueraigne authoritie sithence he had the whole cittie nowe at his commaundement The neawters also of euery parte when they sawe it very harde to pacifie these things with lawe and reason were well content that the wisest and honestest man should alone haue the royall power in his handes Some saye also that there was such an oracle of Apollo Sitt thou at helme as gouernour to steere to guyde our course and rule the rovvling shippe for thou shalt see full many Athenians there vvill take thy parte and after thee vvill trippe But his familier friendes aboue all rebuked him saying he was to be accompted no better then a beast if for feare of the name of tyranne he would refuse to take vpon him a Kingdome which is the most iust and honorable state if one take it vpon him that is an honest man As in olde time Tynnondas made him selfe King of those of Negrepont with their consent and as Pittacus was then presently of those of METELIN Notwithstanding all these goodly reasons could not make him once alter his opinion And they saye he aunswered his friendes that principalitie and tyrannie was in deede a goodly place howbeit there was no way for a man to get out whē he was once entered into it And in certen verses that he wrote to Phocus thus he sayed I neither blushe nor yet repent my selfe that haue preserude my natiue soyle allvvayes and that therein to hourde vp trashe and pelfe no tyrants thought could once eclypse my prayse No might could moue my minde to any vvronge vvhich might beblot the glory of my name for so I thought to liue in honour longe and farre excell all other men for fame Hereby appeareth plainely that euen before he was chosen reformer of the state to stablish newe lawes he was then of great countenaunce and authoritie But he him selfe writeth that many sayed of him thus after he had refused the occasion of vsurping of this tyrannie Suer Solon vvas a foole and of a bashefull minde that vvould refuse the great good happe vvhich goddes to him assignde The praye vvas in his handes yet durst he neuer dravve the net therefore but stoode abasht and like a dastarde davve
For had not that so bene he vvould for one dayes raigne to be a King in Athens tovvne himselfe all quicke haue flayen And eke subuerted quyte his familie vvithall So svvete it is to rule the roste yclad in princely pall Thus brought he common rumor to taber on his head Nowe notwithstanding he had refused the kingdome yet he waxed nothing the more remisse nor softe therefore in gouerning neither would he bowe for feare of the great nor yet would frame his lawes to their liking that had chosen him their reformer For where the mischief was tollerable he dyd not straight plucke it vp by the rootes neither dyd he so chaūge the state as he might haue done least if he should haue attempted to turne vpsidowne the whole gouernment he might afterwards haue bene neuer able to settle stablishe the same againe Therefore he only altered that which he thought by reason he would persuade his cittizens vnto or els by force he ought to compell them to accept mingling as he saied sower with sweete force with iustice And herewith agreeth his aunswer that he made afterwards vnto one that asked him if he had made the best lawes he could for the ATHENIANS yea suer sayeth he such as they were to receiue And this that followeth also they haue euer since obserued in the Athenian tōgue to make certē things pleasaunt that be hatefull finely conueying them vnder culler of pleasing names As calling whores lemans taxes contributions garrisons gardes prisones houses And all this came vp first by Solons inuētion who called cleering of detts Seisachtheian in English discharge For the first chaunge reformation he made in gouernment was this he ordeined that all manner of detts past should be cleere and no bodye should aske his detter any thing for the time past That no man should thenceforth lende money out to vsurie vpon couenants for the bodye to be bounde if it were not repayed Howbeit some write as Androtion among other that the poore were cōtēted that the interest only for vsury should be moderated without taking away the whole dett that Solon called this easie gentle discharge Seisachtheian with crying vp the value of money For he raised the pound of siluer being before but three score and thirtene Drachmes full vp to an hundred so they which were to paye great summes of money payed by tale as much as they ought but with lesse number of peces then the dett could haue bene payed when it was borowed And so the detters gayned much the creditours lost nothing Neuertheles the more parte of them which haue written the same saye that this crying vp of money was a generall discharge of all detts conditions couenaunts vpon the same whereto the very Poemes them selues which Solon wrote doe seeme to agree For he glorieth breaketh forth in his verses that he had taken away all bawkes marcks that separated mens lands through the countrie of ATTICA that now he had set at libertie that which before was in bondage And that of the cittizens of ATHENS which for lacke of payment of their dettes had bene condēned for slaues to their creditours he had brought many home again out of straūge coūtries where they had bene so long that they had forgotten to speake their naturall tongue other which remained at home in captiuitie he had nowe set them all at good libertie But while he was a doing this men saye a thing thwarted him that troubled him maruelously For hauing framed an Edict for clearing of all detts and lacking only a litle to grace it with words and to geue it some prety preface that otherwise was ready to be proclaymed he opened him selfe somewhat to certaine of his familiers whom he trusted as Conon Clinias and Hipponicus tolde them how he would not medle with landes and possessions but would only cleere and cut of all māner of detts These men before the proclamation came out went presently to the money men borowed great summes of money of them layed it out straight vpon lāde So when the proclamation came out they kept the landes they had purchased but restored not the money they had borowed This fowle parte of theirs made Solon very ill spoken of wrōgfully blamed as if he had not only suffered it but had bene partaker of this wrong iniustice Notwithstāding he cleared him selfe of this slaunderous reporte losing fiue talents by his owne lawe For it was well knowen that so much was due vnto his he was the first that following his owne proclamation dyd clearely release his detters of the same Other saye he was owing fifteene talents and among the same Polyzelus the Rhodian is one that affirmeth it Notwithstanding they euer after called Solons friendes Greocopides cutters of detts This lawe neither liked the one nor the other sorte For it greatly offended the riche for cancelling their bondes and it much more misliked the poore bicause all landes and possessions they gaped for were not made againe common euery bodye a like riche and wealthie as Lycurgus had made the LACEDAEMONIANS But Lycurgus was the eleuēth descended of the right line from Hercules had many yeres bene king of LACEDAEMON where he had gotten great authoritie made him selfe many friends all which things together dyd greatly helpe him to execute that which he wisely had imagined for the order of his common weale Yet also he vsed more persuasion then force a good witnes thereof the losse of his eye preferring a lawe before his priuate iniurie which hath power to preserue a cittie long in vnion and concorde and to make citizens to be neither poore nor riche Solon could not attain to this for he was born in a popular state a man but of meane wealth Howbeit he did what he could possible with the power he had as one seeking to winne no credit with his cittizēs but onely by his counsaile Now that he got the ill will of the more parte of the cittie by his proclamation which he made he him self doth witnesse it saying Euen those vvhich earst did beare me frendly face and spake full fayer vvhere euer I them met gan novve beginne to looke full grym of grace and vvere like foes in force against me set As if I had done them some spite or scorne or open vvronge vvhich vvere not to be borne Neuertheles he sayeth immediately after that with the same authoritie and power he had a man possibly Could not controll the peoples mindes nor still their braynes vvhich vvrought like vvindes But shortely after hauing a feeling of the benefit of his ordinaunce and euery one forgetting his priuate quarrell they altogether made a common sacrifice which they called the sacrifice of Seisachthia or discharge and chose Solon generall reformer of the lawe and of the whole state of the cōmon weale without limiting his power but referred all matters
where they dyd build him a newe house farre more orderly and nothing so stately and curious as the first was and it was in the same place where the temple called Vicus Publicus standeth at this daye Now bicause he would not only reforme his persone but the office of his Consulshippe also would frame him selfe to the good acceptation and liking of the people where before he seemed vnto them to be fearefull he put awaye the carying of the axes from the roddes which the sergeants vsed to beare before the Consul Moreouer when he came into the market place where the people were assembled he caused the roddes to be borne downewardes as in token of reuerence of the soueraine maiestie of the people which all the magistrates obserue yet at this daye Nowe in all this humble showe and lowlines of his he dyd not so much imbase his dignitie and greatnes which the common people thought him to haue at the first as he dyd thereby cut of enuie from him winning againe as much true authoritie as in semblaunce he would seeme to haue lost For this made the people willinger to obey and readier to submit them selues vnto him insomuch as vpon this occasion he was surnamed Publicola as much to saye as the people pleaser Which surname he kept euer after and we from henceforth also writing the rest of his life will vse no other name for he was contended to suffer any man that would to offer him selfe to aske the Consulshippe in Brutus place But he yet not knowing what kynde of man they would ioyne fellowe Consul with him and fearing least through enuie or ignoraunce the party might thwart his purpose and meaning employed his sole power and authoritie whilest he ruled alone vpon highe and noble attempts For first of all he supplied vp the number of Senatours that were greatly decayed bicause king Tarquine had put some of them to death not long before and other also had bene lately slaine in the warres in whose places he had chosen newe Senatours to the number of a hundred three score and foure After that he made newe decrees and lawes which greatly dyd aduaunce the authoritie of the people The first lawe gaue libertie to all offendours condemned by iudgement of the Consuls to appeale vnto the people The secōd that no man vpon payne of death should take vpon him the exercise of any office vnles he had come vnto it by the gifte of the people The third was and all in fauour of the poore that the poore cittizens of ROME should paye no more custome nor any impost whatsoeuer This made euery man the more willing to geue him selfe to some crafte or occupation when he sawe his trauaill should not be taxed nor taken from him As for the law that he made against those that disobeyed the Consuls it was founde to be so fauorable to the communaltie as they thought it was rather made for the poore than for the riche great men For the offendours breakers of that lawe were condemned to paye for a penaltie the value of fiue oxen and two muttons The price of a mutton was then tenne oboles and of an oxe a hundred oboles For in those dayes the ROMAINES had no store of coined mony otherwise they lacked no sheepe nor other rother beasts Hereof it came that to this daye they call their riches or substaunce Peculium bicause Pecus signifieth sheepe and muttons And in the olde time the stampe vpon their money was an oxe a mutton or a hogge some of them called their children Bubulci which signifieth cowheards others Caprarij to saye goateheards and others Porcij as you would saye swineheardes Nowe though in all his other lawes he was very fauorable temperate toward the people yet in that moderation somtimes he dyd set grieuous paynes punishements For he made it lawfull to kill any man without any accusation that dyd aspire to the Kingdome be dyd set the murderer free of all punishement so he brought forth manifest proofe that the party slaine had practised to make him selfe king As being impossible a man should pretend so great a matter and no man should finde it and contrariwise being possible albeit he were spyed that otherwise he might attempt it by making him selfe so strong that he needed not passe for the law In this case he gaue euery man libertie by such acte or meane to preuent him if he could of discretion who by strength otherwise fought to aspire to reigne They greatly commended him also for the lawe that he made touching the treasure For being very necessarie that euerie priuate cittizen should according to his abilitie be contributer to the charges and maintenaunce of the warres he him self would neither take such collection into his charge nor suffer any man of his to medle with the same nor yet that it should be layed in any priuate mans house but he dyd ordeine that Saturnes tēple should be the treasurie thereof This order they keepe to this present daye Furthermore he graūted the people to chuse two young men Questores of the same as you would saye the treasurers to take the charge of this money and the two first which were chosen were Publius Veturius and Marcus Minutius who gathered great summes of money together For numbring the people by the polle there were found a hundred and thirtie thousand persones which had payed subsidie not reckoning in this accompt orphanes nor windowes which were excepted from all payments After he had established all these things he caused Lucretius the father of Lucretia to be chosen fellowe Consul with him vnto whom for that he was his auncient he gaue the vpper hande and commaunded they should carie before him the roddes which were the signes of the chief magistrate and euer since they haue geuen this honour vnto age But Lucretius dying not long after his election they chose againe in his place Marcus Horatius who held out the Consulshippe with Publicola the rest of the yere Nowe about that time king Tarquine remained in the coūtrie of THVSCANE where he prepared a secōde armie against the ROMAINES there fell out a maruelous straunge thing thereupon For when he raigned king of ROME he had almost made an ende of the building of the temple of Iupiter Capitolin and was determined whether by any oracle receyued or vpon any fantasy it is not knowen to set vp a coche of earth baked by a potter in the highest place of the temple and he put it out to be done by certaine THVSCAN workemen of the cittie of VEIES but whilest they were in hand with the worcke he was driuen out of his Realme When the worckemen had formed this coche and that they had put it into the fournes to bake it it fell out contrarie to the nature of the earth and the common order of their worcke put into the fournes For the earth dyd not shut
incontinently hauing liued as honorably and vertuously all the dayes of his life as any man liuing might doe The people then tooke order for his funeralles that the charges thereof should be defrayed by the citie as if they had neuer done him any honour in his life and that they had bene still debters vnto him for the noble seruice he had done vnto the state and common weale whilest he liued Therefore towardes his funeralle charges euery citizen gaue a pece of money called a Quatrine The women also for their parte to honour his funeralles agreed among them selues to mourne a whole yere in blackes for him which was a great and honorable memoriall He was buried also by expresse order of the people within the cittie in the streate called Velia and they graunted priuiledge also vnto all his posteritie to be buried in the selfe same place Howbeit they doe no more burie any of his there But when any dye they bring the corse vnto this place and one holding a torche burning in his hande doth put it vnder the place and take it straight awaye againe to shewe that they haue libertie to burie him there but that they willingly refuse this honour and this done they carie the corse awaye againe THE COMPARISON OF Solon with Publicola NOWE presently to compare these two personages together it seemeth they both had one vertue in them which is not founde in any other of their liues which we haue written of before And the same is that the one hath bene a witnes and the other a follower of him to whom he was like So as the sentence that Solon spake to king Croesus touching Tellus felicitie happines might haue better bene applied vnto Publicola than to Tellus whom he iudged to be very happy bicause he dyed honorably he had liued vertuously and had left behinde him goodly children And yet Solon speaketh nothing of his excellencie or vertue in any of his poemes neither dyd he euer beare any honorable office in all his time nor yet left any children that caried any great fame or renowme after his death Whereas Publicola so long as he liued was allwayes the chief man amongest the ROMAINES of credit and authoritie and afterwards since his death certaine of the noblest families and most auncient houses of ROME in these our dayes as the Publicoles the Messales the VALERIANS for six hundred yeres continuance doe referre the glorie of the nobilitie aunciētie of their house vnto him Furthermore Tellus was slaine by his enemies fighting valliantly like a worthy honest man But Publicola died after he had slaine his enemies which is farre more great good happe then to be slaine For after he as generall had honorably served his country in the warres had left them conquerers hauing in his life time receyued all honours triumphes due vnto his seruice he attained to that happy end of life which Solon accompted esteemed most happy blessed Also in wishing manner he would his end should be lamented to his prayse in a place where he confuteth Mimnermus about the continuaunce of mans life by saying Let not my death vvithout lamenting passe But rather let my friendes bevvayle the same VVhose grieuous teares and cries of out alas maye ofte resound the Eccho of my name If that be good happe then most happy maketh he Publicola for at his death not only his friends and kinsefolkes but the whole cittie also and many a thousand persone besides dyd bitterly bewayle the losse of him For all the women of ROME dyd mourne for him in blacks and dyd most pittiefully lament his death as euery one of them had lost either father brother or husband True it is that I couet goodes to haue but yet so got as maye me not depraue Solon sayeth this bicause vengeance followed ill gotten good And Publicola tooke great heede not only to get his goodes most iustly but had regarde that those which he had he spent most honestly in helping the needie So that if Solon was iustly reputed the wisest man we must needes confesse also that Publicola was the happiest For what the one desired for the greatest and most perfect good a man can haue in this worlde the other hath wonne it kept it and vsed it all his life time vntill the hower of his death And thus hath Solon honoured Publicola and Publicola hath done like vnto Solon shewing him self a perfect example and looking glasse where men maye see howe to gouerne a popular state when he made his Confulshippe voyde of all pride stately shewe and became him self affable curteous and beloued of euerie bodie So tooke he profit by many of his lawes As when he ordeined that the people only should haue authoritie to choose and create all common officers and magistrates and that they might appeale from any iudge to the people as Solon when he suffered them to appeale vnto the iudges of the people In deede Publicola dyd not create any newe Senate as Solon dyd but he dyd augment the first number with as many persones almost as there were before He dyd also first erect the office of Quastores for keeping of all fines taxes and other collections of money Bicause the chiefest magistrate if he were an honest man should not for so light an occasion be taken from the care of better and more weightie affayers and if he were wickedly geuen and ill disposed that he should haue no such meane or occasion to worke his wicked will by hauing the treasure of the cittie in his handes and to commaund what he lyst Moreouer in hating the tyrānes Publicola therein was farre more sharpe terrible For Solon in his lawes punished him that went about to make him selfe tyranne yet after he was conuicted thereof by lawe but Publicola ordeined that they should kill him before the lawe dyd passe on him that sought to be king And where Solon iustly and truely vaunteth him self that being offered to be King Lord of ATHENS and that with the whole consent of the citizens yet be dyd notwithstanding refuse it This vaunte and glorie is as due vnto Publicola who finding the dignitie of a Consul tyrannicall he brought it to be more lowly and favour 〈…〉 people not taking vpon him all the authoritie he might lawfully haue done And it seemeth that Solon knewe before him what was the true and direct waye to gouerne a common weale vprightly For he sayeth in one place Both great and small of povver the better vvill obaye if vve to little or to much vpon them doe not laye The discharging of dettes was proper to Solon which was a full confirmation of libertie For litle preuayleth lawe to make equalitie among cittizens when dettes doe hinder the poore people to enioye the benefit thereof And where it seemeth that they haue most libertie as in that they maye be chosen iudges and officers to speake their opinion in the counsell and geue
Senate in the ende turned ouer the ordering of the matter vnto the whole will and iudgment of the people before whom these priestes Faciales dyd also accuse Fabius Ambustus The people made so litle accōpt of their propounded religion honour of the godds in that case that in stede of deliuering of this Fabius vnto the enemy they dyd choose him for one of the Tribunes of the souldiers with his brothers The GAVLES vnderstanding this were so furious angrie thereat that they would no lenger linger their iourneis but marched with all spede vnto ROME The people that dwelt by the high wayes where they should passe by were maruelously affrayed to see the multitude of them their braue vniuersall furniture beginning to doubt the furie of their rage they imagined first of all that they would destroye all the chāpion country before them afterwardes would take all the strong citties They cōtrariwise dyd take nothing at all out of the fieldes neither dyd any hurte or displeasure vnto any bodie but passing by their citties cried out they went to ROME and would haue no warres but with the ROMAINES and howe otherwise they desired to be friendes with all the worlde These barbarous people marching on in this wise towards ROME the Tribunes of the souldiers brought their army to the field to encounter them They were no lesse in number then the GAVLES for they were fourty thousand footemen Howbeit most part of them were rawe souldiers that had neuer serued in the warres before They were very careles of the goddes dissolute in matters of religion for they passed neither for good signes in their sacrifices neither to aske coūsaill of their soothesayers which the ROMAINES were religiously wont to doe before they gaue any battaill To make the matter worse the number of the captaines hauing power and authoritie alike dyd asmuche or more then the rest disorder and confounde their doings For ofte times before in farre lesser matters and daungers then these they dyd vse to chuse speciall officers that had sole soueraine authoritie which they called Dictators knowing very well of how great importance it is in daungerous times to haue but one head generall to cōmaund all to haue supreme authoritie of iustice in his hands not to be bound to deliuer accōpt of his doings to any The iniury also which they had to vngratefully done to Camillus brought great mischief incōueniēce then vpon them For the captaines after him durst no more commaunde the people roughly but euer after dyd flatter them much When their army was nowe brought into the field they encamped them selues by a litle riuer called Allia about the eleuēth stone from ROME and not farre from the place where the same riuer falleth into Tyber Thither came the barbarous army to them who ouerthrew them in battell by their disorder lacke of gouernment For the left pointe or winge of their battell was broken of at the first by the GAVLES who charged them so furiously that they draue them hedlōg into the riuer The right wing then retiring out of the plain before they had any charge geuē hauing gotten certen hilles hard by them they had litle hurte most of them sauing them selues did recouer ROME again The rest that escaped after the enemies were weary of killing fled by night vnto the cittie of VEIES thinking ROME had bene lost all the cittie put to the sword This ouerthrowe was on the lōgest daye in sommer the moone being at the full the daye before fortuned the great slaughter of the Fabians of the which were slaine by the THVSCANS in one daye 300. all of a name The very daye it self was afterwards called Alliade of the name of the litle riuer by the which the 2. ouerthrow was geuen But for the differēce of dayes that some of thē are naturally vnfortunate or that Heraclitus the philosopher had reason to reproue the poet Hesiodus for makīg some days good some dayes ill as though he vnderstood they were not all of one nature we haue writtē declared our opinion therof in other places Yet bicause the matter deliuereth present occasiō to speake of the same peraduēture it wil not be amisse to alleage a few exāples of it only It fortuned the BOEOTIANS on a time to wīne two honorable victories on the first daye of the moneth they call Hippodromus and which the ATHENIANS call Hecatombaeon that is now the moneth of Iune by either of the which they did still restore the GRECIANS to their libertie The first was the battell of LEVCTRES The secōd was the battell of GERASTE which was two hūdred yeres before when they ouercame LATTAMIAS the THESSALIANS in battell The PERSIANS contrarily were ouercome in battail by the GRECIANS the sixt daye of August at the iorney of MARATHON The third day at the battell of PLATEES And on the selfe same daye neere vnto MYCALA On the fiue and twenty daye at the fight of ARBELES the ATHENIANS wanne the battell by sea neere vnto I le of NAXOS vnder the charge and gouernment of Chabrias about the full of the moone in the moneth of August And on the twenty of the same moneth they wanne the battell of SALAMINA as we haue written more amplie in our historie of difference of dayes The moneth of Aprill also brought to the barbarous people many notable losses For Alexander the great ouercame the generall of the king of PERSIA at the fielde of GRANICA in the sayed moneth The CARTHAGINIANS also were vanquished in SICILE by Timoleon on the seuen twenty daye thereof On which daye also it is thought the cittie of TROYE was taken as Ephorus Callisthenes Damastes and Phylarchus haue written in their histories Nowe contrariwise The moneth of Iulye which the BOEOTIANS call Panemus hath not bene gratious to the GRECIANS For on the seuen daye of the same they were ouerthrowen by Antipater at the battell of CRANON which was their vtter destruction They had before also lost a battell the same moneth neere vnto the cittie of CHAERONEA by king Phillippe On the same daye also and in the very self moneth and yere those which came into ITALIE with king Archidamus were slaine euery one of them by the barbarous people of the coūtry The CARTHAGINIANS also feare the seuen twenty daye of the same moneth as the daye which had before time brought them into many great and sorowfull calamities Contrarilie also I knowe very well how about the feast of mysteries the cittie of THEBES was destroyed by Alexander that the ATHENIANS were compelled to receyue a garrison of souldiers into their cittie about the twenty daye of August at which time they made the holie procession of the mysteries of Iacchus And on the self day the ROMAINES lost their armie their generall Capeio who was slaine by the CIMBRES And how afterwards vnder the leading of Lucullus they
were maruelously offended with him he dyd what he could to comforte them and put them in harte againe but all was in vaine he could not pacifie them For by the most parte of voyces they depriued him of his charge of generall and condemned him in a maruelous great fine summe of money the which those that tell the least doe write that it was the summe of fifteene talentes and those that say more speake of fiftie talentes The accuser subscribed in this condemnation was Cleon as Idomeneus or Simmias saye or as Theophrastus writeth yet Heraclides Ponticus sayeth one Lacratidas Nowe his common grieues were sone blowen ouer for the people dyd easely let fall their displeasures towardes him as the waspe leaueth her stinge behinde her with them she hath stong But his owne priuate affayers and household causes were in very ill case both for that the plague had taken awaye many of his friendes and kinsemen from him as also for that he and his house had continued a long time in disgrace For Xanthippus Pericles sonne heire being a man of a very ill disposition and nature and hauing maried a young woman very prodigall and lauishe of expence the daughter of Isander sonne of Epilycus he grudged much at his fathers hardnes who scantly gaue him money and but litle at a time Whereupon he sent on a time to one of his fathers friendes in Pericles name to praye him to lend him some money who sent it vnto him But afterwardes when he came to demaunde it againe Pericles dyd not only refuse to paye it him but further he put him in sute But this made the young man Xanthippus so angrie with his father that he spake very ill of him in euery place where he came and in mockery reported howe his father spent his time when he was at home and the talke he had with the Sophisters and the master rethoritians For a mischaunce fortuning on a time at the game of throwing the darte who should throwe best that he that threwe dyd vnfortunately kill one Epitimius a THESSALIAN Xanthippus went pratling vp and downe the towne that his father Pericles was a whole daye disputing with Protagoras the Rethoritian to knowe which of the three by lawe and reason should be condemned for this murther The darte he that threwe the darte or the deuiser of that game Moreouer Stesimbrotus writeth that the brute that ranne abroade through the cittie howe Pericles dyd keepe his wife was sowen abroade by Xanthippus him selfe But so it is this quarrell hate betwext the father and the sonne continued without reconciliation vnto the death For Xanthippus dyed in the great plague and Pericles owne sister also moreouer he lost at that time by the plague the more parte of all his friends and kinsefolkes and those specially that dyd him greatest pleasure in gouerning of the state But all this dyd neuer pull down his contenaunce nor any thing abate the greatnes of his minde what misfortunes soeuer he had susteined Neither sawe they him weepe at any time nor mourne at the funeralles of any of his kinsemen or friendes but at the death of Paralus his younger and lawfull begotten sonne for the losse of him alone dyd only melt his harte Yet he dyd striue to showe his naturall constancie and to keepe his accustomed modestie But as he would haue put a garland of flowers vpon his head sorowe dyd so pierce his harte when he sawe his face that then he burst out in teares and cryed a mayne which they neuer sawe him doe before all the dayes of his life Furthermore the people hauing proued other captaines and gouernours and finding by experience that there was no one of them of iudgement and authoritie sufficient for so great a charge In the ende of them selues they called him againe to the pulpit for orations to heate their counsells and to the state of a captaine also to take charge of the state But at that time he kept him selfe close in his house as one bewayling his late grieuous losse and sorowe Howbeit Alcibiades and other his familiar friendes persuaded him to shewe him selfe vnto the people who dyd excuse them selues vnto him for their ingratitude towardes him Pericles then taking the gouernment againe vpon him the first matter he entred into was that he prayed them to reuoke the statute he had made for base borne children fearing least his lawfull heires would fayle and so his house and name should fall to the grounde But as for that lawe thus it stoode Pericles when he was in his best authoritie caused a lawe to be made that they only should be compted cittizens of ATHENS which were naturall ATHENIANS borne by father and mother Not long time after it fortuned that the king of EGYPT hauing sent a gifte vnto the people of ATHENS of forty thousand bushells of corne to be distributed among the cittizens there many by occasion of this lawe were accused to be base borne and specially men of the baser sorte of people which were not knowen before or at the least had no reckoning made of them and so some of them were falsely and wrongfully condemned Whereupon so it sell out that there were no lesse then fiue thousand of them conuicted and solde for slaues and they that remained as free men and were iudged to be naturall cittizens amownted to the number of fourteene thousand and fortie persones Now this was much misliked of the people that a lawe enacted and that had bene of suche force should by the selfe maker and deuiser of the same be againe reuoked and called in Howbeit Pericles late calamitie that fortuned to his house dyd breake the peoples hardened hartes against him Who thincking these sorowes smarte to be punishment enough vnto him for his former pryde and iudging that by goddes diuine iustice and permission this plague and losse fell vpon him and that his request also was tollerable they suffered him to enrolle his base borne sonne in the register of the lawfull cittizens of his familie geuing him his owne name Pericles It is the self same Pericles who after he had ouercome the PELOPONNESIANS in a great battell by sea neere vnto the Iles ARGINVSES was put to death by sentence of the people with the other captaines his companiōs Now was Pericles at that time infected with the plague but not so vehemently as other were rather more temperatly by long space of time with many alterations and chaunges that dyd by litle and litle decaye and consume the strength of his bodie and ouercame his sences and noble minde Therefore Theophrastus in his moralles declareth in a place where he disputeth whether mens manners doe chaunge with their misfortunes and whether corporall troubles and afflictions doe so alter men that they forget vertue and abandon reason that Pericles in this sicknes shewed a friende of his that came to see him I cannot tell what a
much like Thucydides sayings As appeareth in a funerall oration he made before the people in the praise of his sonne who dyed when he came out of his Consulshippe which is yet extant to be seene Now as for him hauing bene fiue times chosen Consul in his first yere of his Consulshippe he triumphed ouer the LIOVRIANS which be people of the mountaines and vpon the coast of GENVA who being ouerthrowen by him in a great battell where they had lost many men they were compelled to goe their waye to take the ALPâ—S for their succour durst no more appeare vpon the borders of ITALIE whereupon they dyd confine Hannibal entring ITALY afterwards with a great armie and hauing wonne the first battell neere vnto the riuer of TREBIA he passed further and went through THVSCAN wasting and distroying all the countrie as he passed by This made ROME quake for feare Besides they sawe many signes and tokens some common vnto them as thundering lightning such other like but other also more straunge neuer seene nor heard of before For it was reported that certen targets were waxen all bloudie of them selues that about the cittie of ANTIVM they found wheate eares which were all bloudie when they were reaped that there fell from heauen burning stones all in a flame of fire and in the countrie of the PHALERIANS how the element seemed to open and many litle written scrolles fell downe vpon the ground in one of the which were written these wordes worde for worde Mars doth novv handle his vveapons But all these signes and wonders dyd nothing appawle nor daunte the boldnes of Caius Flaminius Consul then who besides the naturall great corage aspiring minde he had to honour yet was it beyond all reason increased in him by the wonderfull good successe he had before For notwithstanding the Senate called him home againe and that his fellowe Consul stoode against his intent he for all that dyd geue battell to the GAVLES in despight of them all and wanne the victorie Likewise though all these signes wonders in the ayer dyd greatly trouble and amaze multitudes of people yet did they nothing trouble Fabius for he sawe no apparant cause to be troubled withall But he vnderstanding the small number of his enemies and the lacke of money that was among them gaue counsell and was of opinion they should paciently forbeare a litle and not to hazard battell against a man whose armie hadde bene long trained in warres and by many foughten fields was growen valliant and expert Moreouer he thought good they should send ayde to their subiects and other their allies and confederates as neede required to keepe their citties still vnder their obedience and in the meane season by tract of time to weare out Hanniballs force and power which was like strawe set a fire that straight geueth forth a blase and yet hath no substaunce to holde fire long When Fabius had thus sayed enough to persuade Flaminius yet it would not sincke into Flaminius heade for sayeth he I will not tarie vntill the warres come to ROME gates neither will I be brought to fight vpon the walles of the cittie to defend it and as Camillus dyd that fought within the cittie selfe in olde time Whereup on he commaunded his captaines to set out their bandes to the field and he him selfe tooke his horse backe which vpon the sodaine without any cause was so afeard and tooke so on with him selfe that he cast the Consul to the grounde with his heade forward For all this fall he would not chaunge his minde but helde on his iorney toward Hannibal and presented him battell in THVSCAN by the lake called Thrasimena which is the lake of PERVSIA This battell was so fiercely fought on both sides that notwithstanding there was such a terrible earthquake therewhile that some citties were ouerthrowen and turned topsi turuey some riuers had their streames turned against their course and the foote of the mountaines were torne in sonder and broken open yet not one of them that were fighting heard any such thing at all Flaminius the Consul selfe was slaine at that battell after he had in his owne persone done many a valliant acte and many of the worthiest gentlemen and valliantest souldiers of his armie laye dead about him the residue being fled the slaughter was great for the bodies slaine were fifteene thousand and so many prisoners left aliue After this ouerthrowe Hannibal made all the searche he could possible to finde the bodie of Flaminius to burie him honorably bicause of his valliantnes but he could neuer be founde amongest the dead bodies neither was it euer hearde what became of it Now as touching the first ouerthrowe at TRERIA neither the generall that wrote it nor the post that brought the first newes to ROME tolde the trothe of it as it was but fayned that the ende was doubtfull and that they could not tell who had the best But of this battell so sone as the Praetor Pomponius had receyued the newes he called all the people to counsell where without disguising or dissembling at all he playnely sayed thus vnto them My Lordes we haue lost the battell our army is ouerthrowen and the Consul him selfe is slaine in the field wherefore consider what you haue to doe prouide for your safety These wordes spoken to the people as it had bene a boysterous storme of weather that had fallen on them from the sea to put them in daunger dyd so terrifie the multitude and trouble the whole cittie for feare that they were all in a maze and knewe not what to determine Yet in the ende they all agreed that it stoode them vpon to haue a chief magistrate called in Latin Dictatura that should be a man of corage and could stowtely vse it without sparing or fearing any persone And for this Fabius Maximus was thought the only man mete to be chosen as he whose noble corage and graue behauiour was aunswerable to the dignitie and soueraintie of the office and moreouer that to his grauity and wisedome there was ioyned by reasonable age strength of bodie and valliantnes with experience This counsell being confirmed by them all Fabius was chosen Dictator who named Lucius Minutius generall of the horsemen Then he first required the Senate that they would graunte him he might haue his horse in the warres the which was not lawfull for the Dictator but expressely forbidden by an auncient order Either bicause they thought the chiefest force of their armie dyd consist in their footemen which caused the making of this lawe whereby the generall should be amongest them in the daye of the battell and in no wise should forsake them Or els bicause the authoritie of this magistrate in all other things was so great that it was in manner after the state of a King yet all this notwithstanding they were willing thereunto and that the Dictator should
the prisoners taken of either side For it was articled betweene them that they should chaunge prisoners deliuering man for man or els two hundred and fiftie siluer drachmas for a man if the one chaunced to haue moe prisoners then the other When exchaunge was made betweene them it appeared that Hannibal had left in his handes of ROMAINE prisoners two hundred and fortie moe then Fabius had to exchaunge of his The Senate cōmaunded there should be no money sent to redeeme them and greatly founde faulte with Fabius for making this accorde bicause it was neither honorable nor profitable for the common weale to redeeme men that cowardly suffered them selues to be taken prisoners of their enemies Fabius vnderstanding it dyd paciently beare this displeasure conceyued against him by the Senate Howbeit hauing no money and meaning to keepe his worde and not to leaue the poore citizens prisoners behinde him he sent his sonne to ROME with commission to sell his landes and to bring him money immediatly The young man went his waye to ROME and sold his fathers farmes and brought him money forthwith to the campe Fabius therewith redeemed the prisoners and sent their ransome vnto Hannibal Many of the prisoners whom he had redeemed offred to repaye him their ransome but he would neuer take any thing againe and gaue them all their ransome freely Afterwards being called to ROME by the priestes to doe certaine solemne sacrifices he left the armie in charge with Minutius to gouerne the same in his absence with condition not to set vpon the enemie nor to fight with him at all the which not only by his authoritie he dyd expressely forbid him but also as his very friende he dyd warne and intreate him in no wise to attempt Howbeit Minutius litle regarding his commaundementes or requestes so sorte as Fabius backe was turned beganne to be somewhat lustie and doing with his enemies So one daye amongest the rest Minutius perceyuing Hannibal had sent a great parte of his armie abroade to forrage and get vittells came and set vpon them that remained behinde and draue them into their campe with great slaughter and dyd put them in a maruelous feare that were saued as men that looked for no lesse but to haue bene besieged in their campe Afterwardes also when their whole armie came together againe he retired backe in spight of them all and lost not a man This exploite set Minutius in a pryde and brought the souldiers to be more rashe then they were before The newes of this ouerthrowe went with speede to ROME and there they made it a great deale more then it was Fabius hearing of it sayed he was more afeard of Minutius prosperitie then of his owne aduersitie But the common people reioyced maruelosly and made great shewe of ioye vp and downe the market place Whereupon Metellus one of the Tribunes going vp into the pulpit made an oration vnto the people in the which he highely magnified Minutius and commended his corage and contrarily charged Fabius no more of cowardlines but with flat treason Furthermore he dyd accuse the Nobilitie and greatest men of ROME saying that from the first beginning they had layed a platte to drawe these warres out at length only to destroye the peoples power and authoritie hauing brought the whole common weale to the state of a monarchy and into the handes of a priuate persone Who by his remissenes and delayes would geue Hannibal leysure to plante him selfe in ITALIE and by time geue open passage to the CARTHAGINIANS at their pleasure to send Hannibal a second ayde and armie to make a full conquest of all ITALIE Fabius hearing these wordes rose vp straight and spake to the people and taried not about the aunswering of the accusations the Tribune had burdened him withall but prayed them they would dispatche these sacrifices and ceremonies of the goddes that he might spedilie returne againe to the campe to punishe Minutius for breaking his commaundement in fighting with the enemie He had no soner spoken these wordes but there rose a maruelous tumulte and hurly burley presently among the people for the daunger Minutius stoode in then bicause the Dictator had absolute power and authoritie to imprisone and put to death whom he thought good without ordinary course of lawe or araynement Moreouer they dyd iudge since Fabius had alate left his accustomed mildnes and affabilitie that he would growe to such seueritie in his anger that it would be a hard thing to appease him Wherefore euery man held their peace for feare sauing only Metellus the Tribune He hauing authoritie by vertue of his office to saye what he thought good and who only of all other kept still his place and authoritie when any Dictator was chosen then all the officers that were put down instantly besought the people not to forsake Minutius nor to suffer the like to be done to him as Manlius Torquatus dyd alate to his sonne who strake of his head after he had valliantly fought with his enemies and ouercomed them for breaking his commaundement And beganne to persuade them further to take this tyrānicall power of the Dictatorshippe from Fabius and to put their affayers into the handes of him that would and could tell howe to bring them safely to passe The people were tickled maruelously with these seditious wordes but yet they durst not force Fabius to resigne his Dictatorshippe though they hare him great grudge and were angrie with him in their hartes Howbeit they ordeined that Minutius thenceforth should haue equall power and authoritie with the Dictator in the warres a thing that was neuer seene nor heard of before and yet the very same done in that sorte againe after the battell of Cannes For Marcus Iunius being at that time Dictator in the campe they dyd choose another Dictator at ROME which was Fabius Buteo to name and create newe Senators in the place of those that were slaine in the battell But after he had named them and restored the full number againe of the counsell of the Senate he discharged the selfe same daye the sergeants that caried the axes before him and sent awaye the traine that waited vpon him and dyd so put him selfe in prease of the people in the market place and followed his owne peculiar busines as a priuate persone Nowe the ROMAINES imagined that when Fabius should see howe they had made Minutius equall in authoritie with him it would greue him to harte for very anger but they came shorte to iudge of his nature for he dyd not thincke that their folly should hurte or dishonour him at all But as wise Diogenes aunswered one that sayed vnto him looke they mocke thee tushe sayd he they mocke not me Meaning thereby that he tooke them to be mocked that were offended with their mockes Thus Fabius tooke euery thing quietly that the people offered him and dyd comfort him selfe with the philosophers rules and examples who
a good rounde pace to embrace his sonne and sayed vnto him You haue reason sonne and doe well to shewe ouer whom you commaund vnderstanding the authoritie of a Consul which place you haue receiued For it is the direct course by the which we and our auncesters have increased the ROMAINE empire preferring euer the honour and state of our countrie aboue father mother or children And truely they saye that Fabius great grandfather being the greatest and most noble persone of ROME in his time hauing fiue times bene Consul and had obteined many triumphes for diuers honorable and sundrie victories he had wonne was contented after all these to be his sonnes lieutenaunt and to goe to the warres with him he being chosen Consul And last of all the Consul his sonne returning home to ROME a conquerour in his triumphing charret drawen with foure horses he followed him a horse backe also in troupe with the rest thinking it honour to him that hauing authoritie ouer his sonne in the right of a father and being also the noblest man of all the cittizens so taken and reputed neuertheles he willingly submitted him selfe to the lawe and magistrate who had authoritie of him Yet besides all this he had farre more excellent vertues to be had in admiration then those already spoken of But it fortuned that this sonne of Fabius died before him whose death he tooke paciētly like a wise man and a good father Now the custome being at that time that at the death of a noble man their neerest kinseman should make a funerall oration in their prayse at their obsequies he him selfe made the same oration in honour of his sonne and dyd openly speake it in the marketplace and moreouer wrote it and deliuered it out abroade About this time Cornelius Scipio was sent into SPAYNE who draue out the CARTHAGINIANS from thence after he had ouerthrowen them in many battells and had conquered many great citties and greately aduaunced the honour and estimation of the state of ROME for the which at his returne he was asmuche or rather more honoured beloued and esteemed then any other that was in the cittie of ROME Hereupon Scipio being made Consul considered that the people of ROME looked for some great matter at his handes aboue all other Therefore he thought to take vpon him to fight against Hannibal in ITALIE he should but followe the olde manner and treade to muche in the steppes of the olde man whereupon he resolued immediately to make warres in AFRICKE and to burne and destroye the countrie euen vnto CARTHAGE gates and so to transferre the warres out of ITALIE into LIBYA procuring by all possible deuise he could to put it into the peoples heades and to make them like of it But Fabius contrarilie persuading him selfe that the enterprise this young rashe youthe tooke in hande was vtterly to ouerthrowe the common weale or to put the state of ROME in great daunger deuised to put ROME in the greatest feare he could possible without sparing speache or dede he thought might serue for his purpose to make the people chaunge from that minde Now he could so cunningly worke his purpose what with speaking and doing that he had drawen all the Senate to his opinion But the people iudged it was the secret enuie he bare to Scipioes glorie that drue him to encounter this deuise only to bleamish Scipioes noble fortune fearing least if he should happen to doe some honorable seruice as to make an end altogether of this warre or otherwise to draw Hannibal out of ITALIE that then it would appeare to the world he had bene to softe or to negligent to drawe this warre out to suche a length For my parte me thinkes the only matter that moued Fabius from the beginning to be against Scipio was the great care he had of the safetie of the cōmon weale by reason of the great daūger depending vpon such a resolution And yet I doe thinke also that afterwards he went further then he should contending to sore against him whether it was through ambition or obstinacie seeking to hinder and suppresse the greatnes of Scipio considering also he dyd his best to persuade Crassus Scipioes companion in the Consulshippe that he should not graunte vnto him the leading of the armie but if he thought good to goe into AFRICKE to make warres vpon the CARTHAGINIANS that he should rather goe him self And moreouer he was the let that they gaue him no money for maintenaunce of these warres Scipio hereupon being turned ouer to his owne credit to furnish himselfe as he could he leauied great summes of money in the citties of THVSCAN who for the great loue they bare him made contribution towardes his iorney And Crassus remained at home both bicause he was a softe and no ambitious nor contentious man of nature as also bicause he was the chiefest Prelate and highe bishoppe who by the lawe of their religion was constrained to kepe ROME Fabius seeing his labour lost that waye tooke againe another course to crosse Scipio deuising to staye the young men at home that had great desire to goe this iorney with him For he cried out with open mouth in all assemblies of the Senate people that Scipio was not contented only to flye Hannibal but that he would carie with him besides the whole force of ITALY that remained alluring the youthe with sweete baytes of vaine hope and persuading them to leaue their wiues their fathers mothers and their countrie euen now when their enemie knocked at ROME gates who dyd euer conquer and was yet neuer conquered These wordes of Fabius dyd so dampe the ROMAINES that they appointed Scipio should furnishe his iorney only with the armie that was in SICILIA sauing that he might supply to them if he would three hundred of the best souldiers that had serued him faithfully in SPAYNE And so it doth appeare euen to this present that Fabius both dyd and sayed all things according to his wonted manner and naturall disposition Now Scipio was no sooner arriued in AFRICKE but newes were brought to ROME incontinently of wonderfull exploytes and noble seruice done beyond measure and of great spoyles taken by him which argued the trothe of the newes As the king of the NVNIDIANS taken prisoner two campes of the enemies burnt destroyed at a time with losse of a great number of people armour and horses that were consumed in the same letters and postes for life ronning in the necke one of another from CARTHAGE to call Hannibal home and to praye him to hunte no longer after vayne hope that would neuer haue ende hasting him selfe with all speede possible to come to the rescue of his countrie These wonderfull great fortunes of Scipio made him of suche renowme and fame within ROME that there was no talke but of Scipio Fabius notwithstanding desisted not to make a newe request being of opinion they should send him a successour alledging no other cause
sette aside foure score talentes that were geuen to the PLATAEIANS with the which they built a temple vnto Minerua and gaue her an image and sett out all her temple with pictures that remaine whole vntill this day and the LACEDAEMONIANS notwithstanding did set vp their tokens of victorie by them selues and the ATHENIANS theirs also by them selues So they sending vnto the oracle of Apollo in the city of DELPHES to know vnto what gods and how they should do sacrifice Apollo aunswered them that they shoulde builde vp an aulter vnto Iupiter protector of their libertie howbeit that they shoulde put no sacrifice vpon it vntill they had first put out all the fier through the whole contrie bicause it had bene polluted and defiled by the barbarous people and then that they shoulde fetche pure and cleane fyre at the common aulter whereon they doe sacrifice vnto Apollo Pythias in the city of DELPHES This aunswer being deliuered the great Lords and officers of GREECE went through all the contrie to put out the fyre euery where And there was a man of the same city of PLATAEES at that time called Euchidas that came and offered him selfe and promised he woulde bringe them fyre from the temple of Apollo Pythias with all possible speede that might be So when he came to the city of DELPHES after he hadde sprinckled and purified his body with cleane water he put a crowne of lawrell apon his heade and went in that manner to take fyre from the aulter of Apollo When he had done he hyed him againe as fast as he coulde ronne for life vnto the citie of PLATAEES and came thither before the sunne was set hauing commen and gone that day a thowsande furlonges But after he hadd saluted his citizens and deliuered them the fyre he brought he fell downe dead at their feete and gaue vp the ghost The PLATAEIANS lift him vp starke deade and buried him in the temple of Diana Euclia to say of good renowme and caused afterwards this Epitaphe following to be grauen vpon his tombe Engraued here doth lye Euchidas speedy man vvho in one day both to and fro to Delphes lightly ranne Euen from this selfe same place vvhich thou doest here behold such hast post hast he svviftly made thereof thou mayest beholde Many thinke that this goddesse Euclia is Diana and so they call her But other holde opinion she was the daughter of Hercules and of Myrto the Nymphe Menatius daughter and Patroclus sister that dyed a virgine and was honored afterwardes as a goddesse of the BOEOTIANS of the LOCRIANS For in all their cities and townes in open places they finde an aulter and image dedicated vnto her and all that are maried doe sacrifice to her apon that aulter Afterwards there was a generall counsell holden by all the GREECIANS in the which Aristides made a motion that all the cities of GREECE shoulde yearely sende their deputies at a certeine day appointed vnto the city of PLATAEES there to make their prayers sacrifices vnto the goddes and that from fiue yeares to fiue yeares they shoulde celebrate common games that should be called the games of liberty and that they should also leauy through all the prouinces of GREECE for maintenance of the warres against the PERSIANS and barbarous people tenne thowsand footemen a thowsand horsemen and a flete of a hundred sayle Item that the PLATAEIANS thencefoorth should be taken also for deuoute and holy men and that no man should so hardy hurt or offende them and that they shoulde onely tende the sacrifices vnto the goddes for the health and prosperitie of GREECE All which articles were enacted in forme and maner aforesayed and the PLATAEIANS bounde them selues yearely to kepe solemne sacrifices and anniuersaries for the soules of the GREECIANS that were slaine in their territories fightinge for defence of the libertie of the GREECIANS And this they obserue yet vnto this daye in this sorte The sixteenth day of the moneth of Maemacterion which the BOEOTIANS call Alalcomenies and is about the moneth of Ianuary they goe a procession and before the procession there goeth a trompetor that soundeth the alarom Then there follow certeine charrettes loden with braunches of fyrre tree and with nosegayes and garlandes of triumphe then a blacke bul certeine yong gentlemen noblemen sonnes that cary great cawdrons with two eares full of wine and milke such as they vse to powre apon the graues of deade men for propiciatory oblations and other young boyes free borne that cary oyles perfumes and other sweete odours in vyoll glasses For no seruaunt or bonde man may lawfully be admitted to haue any office about this mistery for that they whose memory they honor dyed all fighting for defence of the liberty of GREECE After all this shew followeth the prouost of the PLATAEIANS for that time being last of all who may not all the rest of the yeare besides so much as touch any iron nor weare any other coloured gowne but white Howebeit then he weareth on a purple coloured coate and holdeth a funerall potte in one of his handes which he taketh in the towne house and a naked sworde in the other hande and so goeth through the cittie in this sorte after all the pompe aforesayed vnto the church yarde where all their graues be that were slaine at that battell So when he commeth thither he draweth water out of a well that is there and with the same he washeth the fouresquare pillers and images that stand apon those tombes and then annointeth them with oyles and sweete sauors afterwardes he sacrificeth a bulle and layeth him apon a heape of wodde hard by him as they do when they burne the bodies of dead men and making certaine praiers and peticions vnto Iupiter and Mercurie goddes of the earth he doth solemnely inuite the soules of those valliant men that dyed fightinge for the liberty of GREECE vnto the feast of this funerall sacrifice Then he taketh a cuppe full of wine in his hande and spilling it all vpon their tombes he speaketh these wordes aloude I drinke to the worthy and valliant men than dyed sometime in defence of the liberty of GREECE This solemne ceremony and anniuersarie the PLATAEIANS doe duely obserue vnto this present day Nowe when the ATHENIANS were returned to ATHENS Aristides perceiuing the people were bent to stablish a populer state where the people might beare the whole rule and authoritie iudginge them well worthy to be considered of in respect of their noble seruice and valiant courage they had shewed in this warre cōsidering also that they would hardly be brought to like of any other gouernment being yet in armes and very stowte by reason of the famous victories they had obteyned he caused a law to be made that all authority of gouernment should runne in equality among the citizens and that thencefoorth all burgesses as well poore as rich should be chosen by voyces of the people and
the discipline of the warres and order of battell in the which his souldiers had longe before bene trained Whereas Philopoemen brought into his contry both the one and the other and altered all the order which before they were accustomed vnto So that the chiefest point how to winne a battell was found out a new and brought in by the one into a place where it was neuer before and onely employed by the other which could very good skill to vse it and had founde it out already before Againe touching the valliant actes done in the person of them selues many notable actes may be told of Philopoemen but none of Titus but rather to the contrary For there was one Archedâ—mus an AETOLIAN who flowtinge Titus one day sayd in his reproche that at a day of battell when Philopoemen ranne with his sword in his hande to that side where he saw the MACEDONIANS fighting making hed against the enemy Titus held vp his hands vnto heauen and was busie at his prayers to the gods not stirring one foote when it was more time to handle the sword to sight of all handes All the goodly deedes Titus euer did were done alwaies as a Consul or Lieutenant or a Magistrate whereas Philopoemen shewed him selfe vnto the ACHAIANS a man no lesse valliant and of execution being out of office then when he was a Generall For when he was a Generall he did driue Nabis the tyran of the LACEDAEMONIANS out of MESSINA and deliuered the MASSENIANS out of bondage and being a priuate man he shut the gates of the city of SPARTA in the face of Diophanes Generall of the ACHAIANS and of Titus Quintius Flaminius and kept them both from comminge in and thereby saued the city from sacking Thus being borne to commaunde he knew not only how to commaunde according to the law but could commaund the law it selfe apon necessity when the common wealth required it For at such a time he would not tary while the Magistrates which should gouerne him did geue him authority to commaund but he tooke it of him selfe and vsed them when the time serued esteeming him in deede their Generall that knew better then they what was to be done then him whom they chose of them selues And therefore they doe well that doe commende Titus actes for his clemency and curtesie vsed to the GREECIANS but much more the noble and valliant actes of Philopoemen vnto the ROMAINES For it is much easier to pleasure and gratifie the weake then it is to hurt and resist the strong Therefore â—ithence we haue throughly examined and compared the one with the other it is very harde to iudge altogether the difference that is betwene them Peraduenture therefore the iudgement woulde not seeme very ill if we doe geue the GREECIAN for discipline of warre the preheminence and praise of a good Captaine and to the ROMAINE for iustice and clemency the name and dignity of a most iust and curteous gentleman The ende of Titus Quintius Flaminius life THE LIFE OF Pyrrus IT is writteÌ„ that since Noes floud the first king of the THESPROTIANS and of the MOLOSSIANS was Phaëton one of those who came with Pelasgus into the realme of EPIRVS But some say otherwise that Deucalion and his wife Pyrra remained there after they had built and founded the temple of Dodone in the contry of the MOLOSSIANS But howsoeuer it was a great while after that Neoptolemus the sonne of Achilles bringing thither a great number of people with him conquered the contry and after him left a succession of kinges which were called after his name the Pyrrides bicause that from his infancy he was surnamed Pyrrus as much to say as redde and one of his legittimate sonnes whom he had by Lanassa the daughter of Cleodes the sonne of Hillus was also named by him Pyrrus And this is the cause why Achilles is honored as a god in EPIRVS beinge called in their language Aspetos that is to say mighty or very great But from the first kinges of that race vntill the time of Tharrytas there is no memory nor mencion made of them nor of their power that raigned in the meane time bicause they all became very barbarous and vtterly voyde of ciuility Tharrytas was in deede the first that beautified the cities of his contry with the GRECIAN tongue brought in ciuill lawes and customes and made his name famous to the posterity that followed This Tharrytas left a sonne called Alcetas of Alcetas came Arymbas of Arymbas and Troiade his wife came AEacides who maried Phthia the daughter of Menon THESSALIAN A famous man in the time of the warres surnamed Lamiacus and one that had farre greater authority then any other of the confederates after Leosthenes This AEacides had two daughters by his wife Phthia to say Deidamia and Troiade and one sonne called Pyrrus In his time the MOLOSSIANS rebelled draue him out of his kingdome put the crowne into the hands of the sonnes of Neoptolemus Whereupon all the frends of AEacides that could be taken were generally murdered and slaine outright Androclides Angelus in the meane time stale away Pyrrus being yet but a suckling babe whome his enemies neuerthelesse egerly sought for to haue destroyed and fled away with him as fast as possibly they might with few seruauntes his nurses and necessary women only to looke to the childe and giue it sucke by reason whereof their flight was much hindered so as they could go no great iorneys but that they might easily be ouertaken by them that followed For which cause they put the childe into the handes of Androclion Hippias and Neander three lusty young men whome they trusted with him and commaunded them to runne for life to a certaine citie of MACEDON called MEGARES and they them selues in the meane time partely by intreaty partely by force made stay of those that followed them till night So as with much a doe hauinge driuen them backe they ranne after them that caried the childe Pyrrus whom they ouertooke at sunne set And now wening they had bene safe and out of all daunger they found it cleane contrary For when they came to the riuer vnder the towne walles of MEGARES they saw it so rough and swift that it made them afrayed to beholde it and when they gaged the sorde they found it vnpossible to wade through it was so sore risen and troubled with the fall of the raine besides that the darkenesse of the night made euery thing seeme feareful vnto them So as they now that caried the child thought it not good to venter the passage ouer of them selues alone with the women that tended the childe but hearing certaine contrymen on the other side they prayed and besought them in the name of the goddes that they would helpe them to passe ouer the child showing Pyrrus vnto them a farre of But the contrymen by reason of the roaringe of the riuer vnderstoode them not
sacrificed to the Muses and to the GREECIAN Graces that is to say that he had knowen the Greeke tongue to so many famous and glorious deedes as he did both in peace and warres he had to ioyned so vnfortunate and miserable an end as he made through his choller and extreame ambition at such yeares and through an vnsatiable couetousnes which like boysterous windes made him to make shipwracke of all in a most cruell bloody and vnnaturall age The which is easily knowen in reading the discourse of his doinges First of all he was of a meane house borne of poore parents by father mother that got their liuings by sweate of their browes His father as him selfe was called Caius Fulcinia was his mother And this was the cause why he beganne so late to haunt the city and to learne the ciuility and manners of ROME hauing bene brought vp alwayes before in a litle poore village called CIRROEATON within the territory of the city of ARPOS where he led a hard contry life in respect of those that liued pleasauntly and finely in the cities but otherwise well reformed and nearest vnto the manners of the auncient ROMAINES The first iorney he made vnto the warres was against the CELTIBERIANS in SPAYNE vnder Scipio AFRICAN when he went to besiege the city of NVMANTIA where his Captaines in shorte time found that he was a better souldier then any other of his companions For the did maruelous easily receiue the reformation of manners and the discipline of warres which Scipio aduaunced amongest his souldiers that were ill trained before and geuen ouer to all pleasure And they say that in the sight of his Generall he fought hand to hand with one of his enemies and slew him vpon which occasion Scipio to make him loue him did offer him many curtesies and pleasures But specially one day aboue the rest hauing made him suppe with him at his table some one after supper falling in talke of Captaines that were in ROME at that time one that stoode by Scipio asked him either bicause in deede he stoode in doubt or else for that he would curry fauor with Scipio what other Captaine the ROMAINES should haue after his death like vnto him Scipio hauing Marius by him gently clapped him apon his shoulder and sayd peraduenture this shal be he Thus happely were they both borne the one to shew from his youth that one day he should come to be a great man and the other also for wisely coniecturing the end by seeing of the beginning Well it fortuned so that these words of Scipio by reporte aboue all things else put Marius in a good hope as if they had bene spoken by the oracle of some god and made him bold to deale in matters of state and common wealth where by meanes of the fauor countenaunce Cecilius Metellus gaue him whose house his father and he had alwayes followed and honored he obtained the office of Tribuneshippe In this office he preferred a law touching the manner howe to geue the voyces in election of the Magistrates which did seeme to take from the nobility the authority they had in iudgement And therefore the Consull Cotta stepped vp against it and perswaded the Senate to resist that lawe and not suffer it to be authorised and therewithall presently to call Marius before them to yeld a reason of his doing So was it agreed vppon in the Senate Now Marius comming into the Senate was not abashed at any thing as some other young man would haue bene that had but newly begonne to enter into the world as he did and hauing no other notable calling or quality in him sauing his vertue only to commend him but taking boldenes of him selfe as the noble actes he afterwards did gaue show of his valor he openly threatned the Consull Cotta to sende him to prison if he did not presently withdrawe the conclusion he had caused to be resolued apon The Consull then turning him selfe vnto Caecilius Metellus asked him how he liked it Metellus standing vp spake in the behalfe of the Consull and then Marius calling a sergeaunt out commended him to take Metellus selfe and to cary him to prison Metellus appealed to the other Tribunes but neuer a one would take his matter in hand so that the Senate when all was done were compelled to call backe the conclusion that before was taken Then Marius returning with great honor into the market place among the assembly of the people caused this law to passe and be authorised and euery man held opinion of him that he would proue a stowt man and such a one as would stoupe for any feare nor shrinke for bashfullness but would beard the Senate is fauor of the people Notwithstanding he shortly after chaunged opinion and altered the first by an other act he made For when an other went about to haue a law made to distribute corne vnto euery citizen without payment of any penny he was vehemently against it and ouerthrew it so that thereby he came to be a like honored and estemed of either party as he that would neither pleasure the one nor the other to the preiudice of the common wealth After he had bene Tribune he sued for the chiefest office of AEdilis Of the AEdiles there are two sortes the first is called AEdilitas Curulis so named bicause of certaine chayers that haue crooked seete vpon which they sit when they geue audience The other is of lesse dignity and that is called AEdilitas popularis and when they haue chosen the first and greater AEdilis at ROME they presently proceede the same day also in the market place vnto election of the lesser Marius seeing plainely that he was put by the chiefest of the AEdiles turned againe straight yet to demaund the second but this was misliked in him and they tooke him for too bold too shameles and too presumptuous a man So that in one selfe day he had two denyalles and repulses which neuer man but him selfe before had And neuerthelesse all this could not cut his combe but shortely after he sued also for the Praetorshippe and he lacked but litle of the deniall of that yet in the ende being last of all chosen he was accused to haue bribed the people and bought their voyces for money And surely amongest many other this presumption was very great that they saw a man of CASSIVS SABACON within the barres where the election is made running to and fro amonge them that gaue their voyces bicause this Sabacon was Marius very great frend The matter came before the iudges and Sabacon was examined vpon it Whereunto he aunswered that for the great extreame heate he felt he was very dry and asked for colde water to drinke and that this man had brought him some in a potte where he was howbeit that he went his way as soone as euer he had dronke This Sabacon was afterwardes put out of
triumphed into the city with Catulus Luctatius meaning to shew himselfe curteous and moderate in so great prosperity and peraduenture also fearing Catulus souldiers who were in readinesse and prepared if Marius would haue depriued their Captaine of that honor to let him also of his triumphe And thus you see howe he passed his fift Consulshippe After that he made more earnest sute for the sixt Consulshippe then euer any other did for his first seeking the peoples goodwilles by all the fayer meanes he could to please them humbling him selfe vnto them not only more then became his estate and calling but directly also against his owne nature counterfeating a curteous populer manner being cleane contrarie to his disposition His ambition made him timerous to deale in matters of the state concerning the city For that corage and boldenesse which he had in battell against the enemy he lost it quite when he was in an assembly of people in the city and was easily put out of his byase with the first blame or praise he heard geuen him And though they reporte that on a time when he made a thowsande CAMERINES free of the city of ROME bicause they had done valliant seruice in the warres that there were some that did accuse him saying that it was a thing done against all law he aunswered them that for the noyse of the armor he could not heare the law Notwithstanding it seemeth that in dede he was greatly afeard of the fury of the people in an assembly of the city For in time of warres he euer stoode apon his reputacion and authority knowing that they had neede of him but in peace and ciuill gouernment bicause he would rather be the chiefest man then the honestest man he would creepe into the peoples bosomes to get their fauor and goodwil And thus through his euill behauior he brought all the nobility generally to be his enemies But he feared nor mistrusted none so much as he did Metellus for the great vnthankefull parte he remembred he had played him and the rather also bicause he knew him to be a iust true dealing man and one that was euer against these people pleasers and flatterers Marius therefore practised all the wayes he could to get Metellus to be banished ROME Wherfore to compasse his intent he fell in frendship with Glaucia and one Saturninus two of the most boldest most desperate and most hardbraind young men that were in all ROME who had all the rablement of rogues and beggers and such tumultuous people at their commaundement by whose meanes he made new populer lawes and caused the souldiers to be called home out of the warres mingled them with the people of the city in common assemblies to trouble and vexe Metellus Moreouer Rutilius an honest and true writer howbeit an enemy vnto Marius wryteth that he obtained his sixt Consulshippe by corruption of money which he caused to be distributed amongest the tribes of the people that he bought it for ready money to put by Metellus and to haue Valerius Flaccus not for his fellowe and companion in the Consulshippe but rather for a minister of his will. There was neuer ROMAINE to whome the people graunted the Consulshippe six times except it were vnto Valerius Coruinus only But for him they say that there was fiue and forty yeares betwene his first Consulship and the last Where Marius since the first yeare of his Consulshippe continued fiue yeares together by good fortune one after an other But in his last Consulship he wanne him selfe great hate and malice bicause he did many fowle faultes to please Saturninus withall as amongest others when he bare with Saturninus who murdered Nonius his competitor in the Tribuneship Afterwardes when Saturninus was chosen Tribune of the people he preferred a law for distribution of the landes among the common people and vnto that law he had specially added one article that all the Lords of the Senate should come openly to sweare that they should kepe and obserue from pointe to pointe that which the people by their voyces should decree and should not deny it in any iotte But Marius in open Senate made as though he would withstand this article saying that neither he nor any other wise man of iudgement would take this othe for said he if the law be euill then they should doe the Senate open wrong to compell them by force to graunt it and not of their owne goodwills But he spake not that meaning to do as he said for it was but a bayte he had layed for Metellus only which he could hardly escape For imagining that to tell a fine lye was a peece of vertue and of a good wit he was throughly resolued with him selfe not to passe for any thing he had spoken in the Senate And to the contrary also knowinge well enough that Metellus was a graue wise man who esteemed that to be iust and true as Pindarus sayd is the beginning and foundacion of great vertue he thought he would outreach him makinge him affirme before the Senate that he would not sweare knowinge also that the people would hate him deadly if he would refuse afterwardes to sweare And so in dede it happened For Metellus hauing assured them then that he would not sweare the Senate brake vp vppon it And shortly after Saturninus the Tribune calling the Senators vnto the pulpit for orations to compell them to sweare before the people Marius went thither to offer him selfe to sweare Whereupon the people making silence listned attentiuely to heare what he would say But Marius not regarding his large promise bragges made before the Senate sayed then his necke was not so long that he would preiudice the common wealth in a matter of so great importance but that he would sweare and obey the lawe if it were a law This shifting subtilty he added to it to cloke and couer his shame and when he had sayd so he tooke his othe The people seeing him sweare were maruelous glad and praised him with clapping of their hands but the nobility hanging downe their heads were ashamed of him and were maruelous angry in their hartes with him that he had so cowardly and shamefully gone from his word Therupon all the Senate tooke their othes one after an other against their wills bicause they were afrayed of the people Sauing Metellus whome neither parentes nor frendes perswasion and intreaty could once moue to sweare for any punishment that Saturninus had imposed vpon them which refused to take the othe but continued one man still according to his nature and would neuer yelde vnto it offering to abide any payne rather then to be brought to consent to a dishonest matter vnbeseming his estate And thereuppon went out of the assembly and talking with them that did accompany him told them that to do euill it was too easie a thing and to doe good without daunger it was also a
in his place and that Cinna on thother side leauied men out of other partes of ITALIE and made warres vpon them that were in ROME Marius hearing of this dissention thought good to returne as soone as he could possible into ITALIE And assembling certaine horsemen of the nation of the MAVRVSIANS in AFRICKE certaine ITALIANS that had saued them selues there vnto the number of a thowsand men in all he tooke sea landed in a hauen of THVSCANE called TELAMON and being landed proclaimed by sounde of trompet liberty to all slaues and bonde men that would come to him So the laborers heard men and neareheardes of all that marche for the onely name and reputacion of Marius ranne to the sea side from all partes of the which he hauing chosen out the stowtest and lustiest of them wanne them so by fayer wordes that hauing gathered a great companie together in few dayes he made fortie sayle of them Furthermore knowing that Octauius was a maruelous honest man that would haue no authoritie otherwise then law reason would and that Cinna to the contrarie was suspected of Sylla and that he sought to bring in chaunge and innouation to the common wealth he determined to ioyne his force with Cinna So Marius sent first vnto Cinna to lette him vnderstande that he would obay him as Consull and be ready to do all that he should commaunde him Cinna receiued him and gaue him the title and authoritie of Viceconfull and sent him sergeaunts to carieaxes and roddes before him with all other signes of publicke authoritie But Marius refused them and sayed that pompe became not his miserable fortune for he euer went in a poore threede bare gowne and had let his heare grow still after he was banished being aboue three score and tenne yeare olde and had a sober gate with him to make men pitie him the more that sawe him But vnder all this counterfeate pitie of his he neuer chaunged his naturall looke which was euer more fearefull and terrible then otherwise And where he spale but litle went very demurely soberly that shewed rather a cankered corage within him then a minde humbled by his banishment Thus when he had saluted Cinna and spoken to the souldiers he then beganne to set thinges abroache and made a wonderfull chaunge in fewe dayes For first of all with his shippes he cut of all the vittells by sea robbed the marchaunts that caried corne and other vittells to ROME so that in a shorte space he was master purueyer for all necessarie prouision and vittells After this he went alongest the coast and tooke all the cities apon the sea side and at the length wanne OSTIA also by treason put the most parte of them in the towne to the sword and spoyled all their goodes and afterwards making a bridge apon the riuer of Tiber tooke from his enemies all hope to haue any manner of prouision by sea That done he went directly towardes ROME with his armie where first he wanne the hill called Ianiculum through Octauius faulte who ouerthrewe him selfe in his doinges not so much for lacke of reasonable skill of warres as through his vnprofitable curiositie and strictnes in obseruing the law For when diuerse did perswade him to set the bond men at liberty to take armes for defence of the common wealth he aunswered that he would neuer geue bond men the law and priuiledge of a ROMAINE citizen hauing driuen Caius Marius out of ROME to maintaine the authoritie of the lawe But when Caecilius Metellus was come to ROME the sonne of that Metellus Numidecus that hauing begonne the warres in LIBYA against king â—â—gurthe was put out by Marius the souldiers forsooke Octauius immediatly and came vnto him bicause they tooke him to be a better Captaine and desired also to haue a leader that could tell how to commaund them to saue the citie and the common wealth For they promised to fight valliantly perswaded them selues that they should ouercome their enemies so that they had a skillfull valliant Captaine that could order them Metellus misliking their offer commaunded them in anger to returne againe vnto the Consull but they for spite were vnto their enemies Metellus on thother side seeing no good order taken in the citie to resist the enemies got him out of ROME But Octauius being perswaded by certaine Soothsayers and CHALDEAN sacrificers who promised him all should goe well with him taried still in ROME For that man being otherwise as wise as any ROMAINE of his time and one that delt as vprightly in his Consulshippe not caried away with flattering tales and one also that followed the auncient orders and customes as infallible rules and examples neither breaking nor omitting any parte therof me thinkes yet had this imperfection that he frequeÌ„ted the Soothsayers wise men and astronomers more then men skilfull in armes and gouernment Wherefore before that Marius him selfe came into the citie Octauius was by force pluct out of the pulpit for orations and slaine presently by Marius souldiers whome he had sent before into the citie And it is sayed also that when he was slaine they founde a figure of a CHALDEAN prophecie in his bosome and here is to be noted a great contrarietie in these two notable men Octauius and Marius The first lost his life by trusting to soothsaying and the seconde prospered rose againe bicause he did not despise the arte of diuination The state of ROME standing then in this maner the Senate consulting together sent Ambassadors vnto Cinna and Marius to pray them to come peacibly into ROME and not to embrue their hands with the blood of their citizens Cinna sitting in his chayer as Consul gaue them audience made them a very reasonable and curteous aunswer Marius standing by him spake neuer a worde but shewed by his sower looke that he would straight fill ROME with murder and blood So when the Ambassadors were gone Cinna came into ROME enuironned with a great number of souldiers but Marius stayed sodainly at the gate speaking partely in anger and partely in mockerie that he was a banished man and driuen out of his contrie by law And therefore if they would haue him come into ROME againe they should first by a contrarie decree abolish and reuoke that of his banishment as if he had bene a religious obseruer of the lawes and as though ROME had at that present enioyed their freedom and libertie Thus he made the people assemble in the market place to proceede to the confirmation of his calling home againe But before three or foure tribes had time to geue their voices disguising the matter no lenger and showing plainly that he ment not to be lawfully called home againe from exile he came into ROME with a garde about him of the veriest rascalls most shamelesse slaues called the BARDIOâ—IANS who came to him from all partes and they for the least word he spake or at
being to he compared in iustice valliancy and greatnes of corage with the most excellentest GREECIANS in his time dyed shortly after in a battell by sea which he lost vppon the Iles ARGINVCES Wherefore the consederates of the LACEDAEMONIANS seeing that their state was in declining they all together sent an Ambassade vnto SPARTA by whom they made request to the counsell that they would send Lysander againe for their Admirall promising that they would do all things with better corage goodwill vnder his conduction then they would vnder any other Captaine they could sende them So much did Cyrus also wryte vnto them But bicause there was an expresse law forbidding that one man should be twise Admirall and besides they being willing to graunt the request of their confederats made one Aracus their Admirall but in effect gaue Lysander the whole authoritie of all thinges Who was maruelous welcome vnto them and specially vnto the heades and rulers of cities which long before had wished for his comming bicause that by his meanes they hoped to make their authority greater and altogether to take away the authority from the people But they that loued plaine dealing and open magnahimitie in the manners of a gouernor and generall when they came to compare Lysander with Callicratidas they founde that Lysander had a fine subtill head and did more in warres with his policy and subtiltie then by any other meanes And moreouer that he estemediustice when it fell out proffitable and tooke profit for iustice and honestie not thinking that plaine dealing was of better force then crafte but measuring the value of the tone and thother by the profit that came out of them and mockinge of them that sayed that the race of Hercules should not make warres with craft and subtilty For sayd he when the lyons skin will not serue we must help it with the case of a foxe And hereunto agreeth that which they wryte he did in the citie of MILETVM For his frendes and familiars to whome he had promised aide for destruction of the peoples authority and to driue their enemies out of the city they hauing chaunged their mindes and being reconciled vnto their aduersaries he openly made great showe of gladnes and seemed as though he would helpe to agree them together but secretly being alone he tooke them vp sharply and told them that they were cowards to doe it and did procure them to the contrarie to set apon the people And then when he vnderstoode that there was commocion among them in the citie he ranne thither sodainly as it were to appease it But when he was also comen into the citie the first he met with of them that would alter the state of gouernment and take the authority from the people he fell out withall and gaue them rough wordes commaunding with extreamitie that they should fellow him as though he would haue done some great punishment And againe meeting with them on the contrary parte he willed them also that they should not be afrayed nor dout that any man should doe them hurte where he was This was a wicked and malicious practise of him to stay the chiefest of them that were most affected to the popular faction to the ende that afterwardes he might put them all to death as he did For they that trusting to his words remained quiet in the city were all put to death Moreouer Androclidas touching this matter hath left in wryting that which Lysander was wont to say by the which it appeareth that he made very litle reckening to be periured For he sayd that children should be deceiued with the play of kayles and men with others of men following therein Polycrates the tyran of SOMOS but without reason for he was a lawfull Captaine and the other a violent vsurper of tyrannicall power Furthermore it was not done like a true LACONIAN to behaue him selfe towardes the goddes none otherwise then towardes men but rather worse more iniuriously For he that deceiueth his enemy breaketh his othe to him sheweth plainly that he feareth him but that he careth not for god Cyrus therefore hauing sent for Lysander to come to SAâ—DIS to him gaue him money largely and promised him more and bicause he would more honorably shewe the good will he had to gratifie him tolde him that if the kinge his father would geue him nothing yet he would geue him of his owne And furthermore wheÌ„ all other meanes fayled to helpe him with money that rather then he should lacke he would melt his owne chayer to make money of which he sate in when he gaue audience in matter of iustice being altogether of gold and siluer And to be shorte when he was going into MEDIA to the king his father he gaue Lysander power to receiue the taxes and ordinary tributes of the cities vnder his gouernment and made him Lieutenaunt of all his contry And lastly bidding him farewell praied him that he woulde not geue battell by sea vnto the ATHENIANS vntil he returned from the courte and that before his comming againe he woulde haue authoritie to leauie a greate nomber of shippes aswell out of PHOENICIA as out of CICILIA Wherfore whilest Cyrus was in his iorney Lysander not being able to fight with his enemies with like nomber of shippes nor also to lye still and doe nothing with so good a number of gallyes went and scowred the seas where he tooke certaine Ilandes and robbed also AEGINA and Sâ—LAMINA From thence he went landed on the firme lande in the contrye of ATTICA and did his dutie there vnto Agis king of LACEDAEMONIA who came purposely from the forte of Decelea to the sea side to see him bicause their armye by lande also shoulde see what power they had by sea and howe it ruled more by sea then they woulde Neuertheles being aduertised that the fleete of the ATHENIANS followed harde after him he tooke an other course to flye backe againe into ASIA by the Iles and returninge againe founde all the country of HELLESPONT without men of warre So he laied siege before the citie of LAMPSACVS and did assault it with his gallies by sea and Thorax being come thither also at the selfe same time in great hast with his armie by land gaue thassault on his side Thus was the citie taken by force which Lysander left to the spoile of the souldiers Now in the meane time the fleete of the ATHENIANS which was a hundred and foure score saile came to an ancker before the citie of ELEVNTE in the contrie of CHERRONESVS and newes being broughte them that the city of LAMPSACVS was taken they came with all spede possible vnto the citie of SESTOS where getting freshe acates and vittelles they coasted all alongest the coast vnto a certaine place called the goates riuer directly ouer against the fleete of their enemies which lay yet at ancker before the citie of LAMPSACVS Now there was a captaine
he marueled how he could further it that he was not euen then the cheifest man of the worlde When Sylla was returned againe to ROME one Censorinus accused him of extorcion that he had caried away a great summe of money with him contrary to the lawe out of one of their confederates contry howebeit he prosecuted not his accusation but gaue it ouer In the meane time the enmity begonne betwixt him and Marius kindled againe vppon a new occasion of king Bocchus ambition who partely to creepe further into the peoples fauor of ROME and partely also for to gratifie Sylla gaue and dedicated certaine images of victory carying tokens of triumphe vnto the temple of Iupiter Capitolin and next vnto them also the image of Iugurthe which he deliuered into the handes of Sylla being all of pure golde This did so offende Marius that he attempted to take them away by force but others did defend the cause of Sylla So that for the quarrell of these two the city of ROME taking armes had like to haue brought all to ruine had not the warres of the confederats of ITALIE bene which of longtime did kindle and smoke but at the length brake out into open flame and sedition for that time In this maruelous great warre which fell out very daungerous by sundry misfortunes and great losses to the ROMAINES Marius did no notable exployte whereby it appeareth that the vertue of warlike discipline hath neede of a strong and lusty and able body For Sylla to the contrary hauing done notable seruice and obtained many profitable victories wanne the fame and estimacion among the ROMAINES of a noble souldier and worthy Captaine and among thenemies them selues of a most fortunate man Notwithstanding Sylla did not as Timotheus ATHENIAN the sonne of Conon had done Who when his aduersaries and ill willers did attribute his noble deedes vnto the fauor of foretune and did painte fortune tables that brought him all the cities taken and snared in neâ—â— whilest he slept he tooke in very ill parte and was maruelous angrie with them that did it saying that they robbed him of the glory that iustly belonged vnto him Wherefore one day when this Timotheus was returned from the warres with the great victories after he had openly acquainted the ATHENIANS with the whole discourse of his doings in his voyage he sayd vnto them my Lordes of ATHENS fortune hath had no parte in all this which I haue told vnto you Hereupon the goddes it should seeme were so angry with this foolish ambition of Timotheus that he neuer afterwardes did any worthy thing but all went vtterly against the heare with him vntill at the length he came to be so hated of the people that in th end they banished him form ATHENS But Sylla to the contrary did not only paciently abide their wordes that sayed he was a happy man and singularly beloued of fortune but also increasinge this opinion and glorying as at a speciall grace of the goddes did attribute the honor of his doings vnto fortune either for a vaine glory or for that he had in fansy that the goddes did prosper him in all his doinges For he wrote him selfe in his commentaries that the enterprises which he hazarded most hottely according to the sodaine occasion offered did better prosper with him then those which by good aduise he had determined of Furthermore when he sayd that he was a better borne vnto the fortune then to the warres it seemeth that he confessed all his prosperity came rather by fortune then by his worthinesse And to conclude it appeareth that he did wholly submit him selfe vnto fortune acknowledging that he did altogether depend vpon her considering that he did attribute it to the speciall grace and fauor of the goddes that he neueâ— disagreed with Metellus his father in law who was a man of like dignitie and authoritie as him selfe was For where it was thought he woulde haue bene a greate hinderer of his doings he found him verie curteous and gentle in his behalfe in all that they had to deale in together by reason of the societie of their office And furthermore in his coÌ„mentaries which he dedicated vnto Lucullus he counselled him to thincke nothing more certaine and assured then that which the goddes should reueale vnto him and commaunde him in his nightes dreame He wryteth also that when he was sent with an army vnto the warres of the confederates the earth sodainly opened about LAVERNA out of the which immediatly came a maruelous bright flame of fire that ascended vp to the element The wise men being asked their opinions about the same made aunswere that a very honest and also a maruelous fayer man of complexion taking soueraine authoritie in his handes should pacifie all tumultes and sedition which were at that time in ROME Whereupon Sylla sayed it was him selfe whome the goddes ment bicause that amongest other things he had that singular gift of beawty that his heare was yellow as golde and he was not ashamed to name him selfe an honest man after he had wonne so many notable great victories Thus haue we sufficiently spoken of the trust he had in the fauor of the goddes And furthermore he seemed to be very contrary in his manners and vnlike to him selfe For if he tooke away much in one place he gaue as much more also in an other Some he preferred without cause and others he put downe without reason He would be very gentle to them of whome he would haue oughtâ— and vnto those that sought of him he would stand much apon his honor and looke for great reuerence Wherby men could hardly decerne his nature whether pride or flattery did more abound in him And as for the inequality he vsed in punishing of them that had offended him sometimes he hanged vp men for very small and light causes Some other times againe to the contrary he paciently aboade the most grieuous offences in the worlde and lightly pardoned and forgaue such faultes as were in no wife to be forgiuen And afterwards againe would punish right small crimes with murders effusion of blood and confiscation of goodes This iudgement may be geuen of him that by nature he had a malicious and a reuenging minde yet notwithstanding he qualified that naturall bitternes with reason geuing place to necessary and his benefit For in this warre of the confederates his souldiers slue Albinus one of his Lieutenauntes beating him to death with staues and stones being a man of good quality and one that had bene Praetor This great offence he passed ouer with silence vsing no manner of punishment and turned it to a boast in the end saying that his men were the more obedient and diligent in any peece of seruice that was to be done and that he made them amende 〈…〉 faultes by worthy seruice And furthermore he did not regarde them that he did reproue 〈…〉 but hauinge determined with him selfe to destroy
whither to the warres then the common people hauing no bodie to gainesay them turned and altered the gouernment of the citie topsie turuey and confounded all the auncient lawes and customes which they had obserued of long time and that by the procurement and setting on of Ephialtes For they tooke away all hearing of causes in maner from the court of Areopagus put all authoritie of matters iudiciall into the handes of the people and brought the state of the citie into a pure Democratia to say a common weale ruled by the sole and absolute power of the people Pericles being then in great credit who altogether fauored the peoples faction Wherefore Cimon at his returne finding thauthority of the Senate and counsell so shamefully defaced and troden vnder foote was maruelously offended withall and sought to restore thauncient state of iudgement againe as it was before and set vp the gouernment of the nobility called Optimacia that was established in the time of Clisthenes But then beganne his enemies againe with open mouth to crye out vpon him reuiuing the olde former naughty rumor that ranne of him before that he kept his owne sister furthermore accusing him that he did fauor the LACEDAEMONIANS And amongest other thinges there ranne in the peoples mouthes the verses of the Poet Eupolis which were made against Cimon No vvicked man he vvas but very negligent And therevvithall to vvyne much more then vnto money bent He stale somtimes avvay at Sparta for to sleepe And left poore Elpinicè his vvife at home alone to vveepe And if it be so that being thus negligent geuen to wyne he haue gotten so many cities and wonne such sundry great battells it is out of doubt then that if he had bene sober carefull there had neuer bene before him nor since any GRAECIAN Captaine that had passed him in glorie of the warres In deede it is true that from the beginning he euer loued the manner of the LACEDAEMONIANS for of two twynnes which he had by his wife Clitoria he named th one of them Lacedaemonius and thother Eleus as Stesimbrotus wryteth saying that for that cause Pericles did euer twit them in the teeth with their mothers stocke Howbeit Diodorus the Geographer wryteth that both those two and an other third called Thessalus were borne of Isodice the daughter of Euryptolemus the sonne of Megacles How soeuer it was it is certaine that Cimons credit grew the greater by the fauor and countenaunce which the LACEDAEMONIANS gaue him who had hated Themistocles of long time and for the malice they bare him were glad that Cimon being but a yoūg man did beare more sway in ATHENS then he Which the ATHENIANS perceiued well enough and were not offended withall at the beginning bicause the goodwill of the LACEDAEMONIANS towardes him did bring them great commodity For when the ATHENIANS beganne to growe of great power and to practise secretly that the confederats of the GRAECIANS should forsake the LACEDAEMONIANS to ioyne with them the LACEDAEMONIANS were not angrie withall for the honor and loue they bare vnto to Cimon who did alone in maner manedge all th affayres of GRAECE at that time bicause he was very curteous vnto the confederates and also thankefull vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS But afterwardes when the ATHENIANS were aloft and of great power and that they saw Cimon stucke not for a litle matter with the LACEDAEMONIANS but loued them more then they would haue had him they beganne then to enuy him bicause in all his matters he had to do he euer highly praised and extolled the LACEDAEMONIANS before them But specially when he would reproue them of any fault they had committed or that he would perswade them to do any thing the LACEDAEMONIANS sayd he I warrant ye do not so That as Stesimbrotus sayth made him maruelously to be maliced of the people But the chiefest thing they accused him of and that most did hurt him self out vpon this occasion The fourth yeare of the raigne of Archidamus the sonne of Zeuxidamus king of SPARTA there fortuned the wonderfullest and most fearefull earthquake in the citie of LACEDAEMON and thereabouts that ouer was heard of For the earth in many places of the contrie opened and fell as into a bottomlesse pit The mountaine Taygetum shooke so terribly that points of rockes fell downe from it All the citie was layed on the ground and ouerthrowen fiue houses only excepted the rest being wholy destroied And it is said also that a litle before this earthquake came the young men of that citie were playing with the young boyes exercising thē selues starke naked vnder a great galery couered ouer as they were sporting together there started vp a hare hard by them The young men spying her ranne after the hare starke naked and oyled as they were with great laughter They were no sooner gone thence but the top of the gallery fell downe apon the boyes that were left and squashed them all to death And in memorie of the same the tombe where they were afterwardes buried is called vnto this day Sismatias as much to say as the tombe of those which the earthquake had slaine But king Archidamus foreseeing straight vppon the sodaine the daunger that was to come by that he saw present perceiuing his citizens busie in sauing their householde stuffe and that they were running out of their houses made the trompetters to sound a hotte alarome vpon it as if their enemies had come stealingly vpon them to take the citie to th ende that all the inhabitantes should presently repayre vnto him settinge all busines aparte with armor and weapon That sodaine alarome doubtlesse saued the citie of SPARTA at that time for the ILOTAE which are their slaues and bondmen in the contrie of LACONIA and the contrie clownes of litle villages there aboutes came running armed out of all partes to spoyle and robbe them vpon the sodaine that were escaped from this earthquake But when they found them well armed in order of battell they returned backe againe as they came and then beganne afterwardes to make open warres vpon them when they had drawen certaine of their neighbors vnto their confederacie specially the MESSENIANS who made hotte warres vpon the SPARTANS Whereupon the LACEDAEMONIANS sent Periclidas vnto ATHENS to demaunde ayde whome Aristophanes the Poet mocking sayed VVith visage pale and vvanne he on the aulter sate In skarlet govvne requiring ayde to succor their estate Against whom Ephialtes also spake very much protesting that they should not ayde nor relieue a city that was an enemy vnto ATHENS but rather suffer it to fall to the ground and to spurne the pride and arrogancy of SPARTA vnder their feete But Cimon as Cricias saieth being more carefull for the benefit of SPARTA then for thenlarging and encreasing of his contry brought it to passe by his perswasion that the ATHENIANS sent him thither with a great power to helpe them And
all quarells among them King Cleombrotus by chaunce was at that time in the contrie of PHOCIDE with his armie vnto whom the Ephori wrote that he should forthwith spoyle the THEBANS contrie and therewith also they sent to all their confederates to come and aide them which had no great fansie to the iorney and were loth to make warre with them but yet durst not refuse to goe nor disobey the LACEDAEMONIANS And notwithstanding that there were many signes presaging ill lucke as we haue wrytten in the life of Epaminondas and that Prethous LACONIAN was against the enterprise of this warre all that he could Agesilaus would needes forward hoping he had nowe found oportunity to be reuenged of the THEBANS sith all GRAECE besides was in peace and at libertie them selues onely exempted from treatie of peace If there had bene no other thing in it but the very shortnes of time that made it manifest enough that this warre was begonne in a geere without any manner of reason For the generall peace amongest the GRAECIANS was concluded at SPARTA the fourteenth of May and the LACEDAEMONIANS were ouercome at the battell of LEVCTRES the fifteene of Iune so as there was but twentie dayes betwene them There were slaine a thowsand LACEDAEMONIANS with their king Cleombrotus and the choicest of the valliantest SPARTANS about him Amongest them was also slaine that goodly young man Cleonymus Sphodrias sonne of whom we spake before who hauing bene beaten downe thrise at the kings foote three times got vp againe but at the length was slaine valliantly fighting against the THEBANS This great ouerthrowe chaunsing to the LACEDAEMONIANS vnlooked for and withall so glorious a victorie vnto the THEBANS as GRAECIANS fighting with GRAECIANS had neuer the like the vanquished citie of SPARTA notwithstanding deserued no lesse honor and commendacion for her fortitude and worthinesse than did the victorious citie of THEBES For as Xenophon wryteth that as amongest good men euen in table talke and in their sportes mirth there falleth out ouer some thing of wit worth the noting and bearing away euen so in like case no lesse but rather more ought noble mens wordes to be weyed and their countenances marked as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie At that time by chaunse there was a common feast day in the citie of SPARTA which was full of straungers that came to see the daunses sportes of them that shewed naked in the Theater when as the messengers arriued that brought the newes of the battell lost at LECVTRES The Ephori knowing then that the rumor straight ranne all about that they were all vndone and how they had lost the signorie and commaundement ouer all GRAECE would not suffer them for all this to breake of their daunse in the Theater nor the citie in any thing to chaunge the forme of their feast but sent vnto the parentes to euerie mans house to let them vnderstande the names of them that were slaine at the battell they them selues remaining still in the Theater to see the daunses and sportes continued to iudge who caried the best games away The next morning when euerie man knewe the number of them that were slaine and of those also that were escaped the parentes and frendes of them that were dead met in the market place looking cheerefully of the matter and one of them embraced an other On thother side the parentes of them that scaped kept their houses with their wiues as folke that mourned If any of them also had occasion to go abroad out of their houses for any matter of necessitie ye should see him looke so heauily and sad that he durst not talke with you lift vp his head nor looke ye in the face Besides all this euen amongest the women there was greater difference For the mothers of thē that kept their sonnes which came from the battell were sad and sorowfull and spake not a word Contrarily the mothers of them that were slaine went frendly to visite one an other to reioyce together Now when the people saw that their confederates beganne to forsake them and did dayly looke that Epaminondas glorying in his victorie would inuade PELOPONNESVS then they beganne to be pricked in conscience about the oracles of the goddes thinking that this misfortune came to their citie for that they had thrust out of the kingdome a man perfect in limmes to place an impotent person being specially warned by the goddes to beware of that aboue all thinges This notwithstanding they had him in such veneration for his valliantnes and his authoritie was such thereby that they did not onely vse him in warre as their king and soueraine Captaine but in ciuill causes also wherein there rose any question they euer vsed his counsell and aduise As they did when they durst not punish them according to the penall lawes that fled from the battell whom they call at SPARTA Tresantas being a great number of them and men of the noblest houses and of greatest power within the citie least they should moue some sturre or commotion among them For by lawe they can beare no office in the common wealth It is shame and reproche to geue them any wiues and also to marrie any of theirs Whosoeuer meeteth them may lawefully strike them and they must abide it and not geue them a word againe They are compelled to weare poore tattered cloth gownes patched with cloth of diuers colours and worst of all to shaue the one side of their beardes and the other not Whereupon finding the daunger great to deale with them to execute the lawe according to the infamie they deserued specially then standing in neede of a great number of men of warre they referred them selues altogether vnto Agesilaus to take such order in it as he thought good But Agesilaus then without chaunging or altering any thing of the lawe sayd in open assemblie of LACEDAEMON that for that day they should let the law alone notwithstanding that afterwardes it should stand in force By this policie he kept the lawe inuiolate and saued also the honor of those poore men and withall to put these youthes againe in hart being amazed with this feare he led the armie into the contrie of ARCADIA and would geue no battell but onely tooke a small citie of the MANTINIANS and foraged the contrie This againe did a litle reuiue the citie of SPARTA with some hope to make that it should not vtterly dispaire But shortly after Epaminondas inuaded the contrie of LACONIA with fortie thowsand footemen well armed besides an infinite number of others light armed and naked people that followed his campe for the spoyle so that in all there were about three score and tenne thowsande fighting men that came in with him to inuade LACONIA It was well neere sixe hundred yeares sith the DORIANS possessed LACEDAEMON and in all that time till then they neuer saw enemies in their contrie that durst inuade
sacrificed to the goddes returned to imbarke againe At this going out of the city he red two wrytinges that were made in his praise the one within the gate which sayd thus The humblier that thou doost thy selfe as man behaue The more thou doost deserue the name of god to haue And the other wryting was without the gate which sayd VVe vvisht for thee vve vvayt for thee VVe vvorship thee vve vvayt on thee Nowe bicause Pompey hauing taken certaine of these rouers by sea that kept together did vse them gently when they required pardon and hauing their shippes and bodies in his power did them no hurt at all their other companions being in good hope of his mercy fled from his other Captaines and Lieutenauntes and went and yeelded them selues their wiues and children into his handes Pompey pardoned all them that came in of them selues and by that meanes he came to haue knowledge of the rest and to followe them where they went whome he tooke in the ende but knowinge that they deserued no pardon they hid them selues Yet the most parte and the richest of them had conueyed their wiues children and goodes and all other their family vnmeete for warres into strong castells and litle townes apon mount Taurus and such men as were able to cary weapon imbarked and lay before a city of CORACESIVM where they taried Pompey and gaue him battell first by sea and there were ouercome and afterwardes they were besieged by lande Howebeit shortly after they prayed they might be receiued to mercie and thereuppon yeelded their bodies townes and Ilandes which they had fortified and were hard to haue taken and worse to haue approached Thus was this warre ended and all the pirates in lesse then three monthes driuen from the sea wheresoeuer they were He wanne also a great number of other shippes besides foure score and tenne gallies armed with copper spurres And touching the men whom they had taken who were in number aboue twenty thowsand persones he did not only consider whether he should put them to death but also thought it no wise parte on thother side to let them goe at liberty to gather force againe being so great a number of them as in deede they were and all poore men and souldiers Therefore weying with him selfe that man by nature is â—â—â— borne a wild or sauage beast but contrarily becommeth a brute beast chaunging nature whâ— he falleth to vice and againe is made tame and ciuill in time chaunging place and maner of life as brute beastes that being wilde by nature doe also become gentle and tractable with gentler vsage by continuance he determined to draw these pirats from the sea into thupland and to make them feele the true and innocent life by dwelling in townes and manuring the ground Some of them therefore he placed in certaine small townes of the CILICIANS that were scant inhabited were very glad of theÌ„ geuing them land to keepe them with The city of the SOLâ—ANS also that not long before had bene destroyed by Tigranes the king of ARMINIA being desirous to replenish that againe he placed many of them there He bestowed diuers also in the city of DYMA in the contry of ACHAIA which at that time lacked inhabitants and had great store of very good land Now therefore his enemies reproued him greatly and for that he did in CRETA they that were his best and greatest frendes misliked him For Metellus that gentle person a cosen to that Metellus which was his colleague and made warres in SPAYNE with him against Sertorius was sent Praetor into CRETA before Pompey was chosen Generall against the pirates This CRETA next vnto CILICIA was euen a seconde denne of pirates Metellus finding there a great number of these theeues tooke many of them and put them to death euen all that came to his handes Then such as had scaped from him being straightly besieged sent vnto Pompey to pray him of pardon and to take them to mercie declaringe vnto him that the I le of CRETA was within the precinct of his charge bicause all partes of that region from the sea came iust within the coÌ„passe limited him on the land Pompey pardoning them apon their submission wrote vnto Metellus commaunded him to leaue of his warre and therewithall charged all the cities that they should not obey Metellus commaundementes After that he sent Lucius Octauius one of his Lieutenauntes who entred into the townes Metellus besieged and fought for the pirates This made Pompey not only hated enuied but derided also for that vnder his name he had protected such vile theeues that had neither God nor law and geuen them his authority to saue their liues for a litle enuie and emulacion he bare vnto Metellus And therefore they rightly reproue Achilles and say that he shewed not the parte of a wise man but of a young foole besides him selfe for desire of glory making a signe to the GRAECIANS forbidding them to strike at Hector to th end that as Homer sayd Least he too late should to the battell runne VVhen others had the honor of it vvonne But Pompeys fact was worse then this For he fought for the coÌ„mon enemies of the world and only to depriue a ROMANE Praetor of triumphe who had done great good seruice to haue destroyed them This notwithstanding Metellus left not of his warre for Pompeys letters but hauing taken the pirates by assault he put them to death and afterwardes hauing done Octouius open shame through his campe he let him goe When newes came to ROME that the pirates warre was brought to good end that Pompey hauing no other seruice in hand went visiting the cities vp downe one Manilius a Tribune of the people put forth an other decree vnto them of this effect That Pompey taking all the army Lucullus had the prouinces vnder his gouernment with al BITHYNIA which Glabrio kept should go make warre vpon the kings Tigranes and Mithridates keping in his handes notwithstanding all his iurisdiction and army by sea in as royall maner as he had it before In fine this was euen to make one man Monarke and absolute Prince of all the ROMANE Empire For by this second decree he had all these contries not named in his former commission added to amplifie his authority as PHRYGIA LYCAONIA GALATIA CAPPADOCIA CILICIA high COLCHIDA and ARMENIA with all the armies and forces with the which he had ouercomen those two mighty kinges Then the Senate stucke not so much at the iniurie that was offered vnto Lucullus depriuing him of the honor of his doinges to geue it to an other that should rather succeede him in honor of triumphe then in daunger of warres knowing that they did him too manifest iniury shewed them selues too vnthankefull but that which most griued them was to see Pompeys power established in a plaine tyranny Hereuppon therefore one of them perswaded and encoraged an other stowtly to withstand
Captaines doe I see and how fewe souldiers Afterwardes when he had set his footemen in battell raye there was one amonge them that left his rancke and stepped out before them all Thereuppon one of his enemies also made towardes him to fight with him but the ATHENIANS hart failed him and he went backe againe to his place Then sayd Phocion vnto him art thou not ashamed young lowte to haue forsaken thy rancke twise the one where thy Captaine had placed thee and the other in the which thou haddest placed thy selfe So Phocion giuing charge apon the enemies he ouerthrew them and slue Micion their Captaine with diuers others Furthermore the armie of the GRAECIANS being at that time in THESSALY wanne a battell against Antipater and Leonatus that ioyned with him with the MACEDONIANS which he had brought out of ASIA where Leonatus was slaine in the field Antiphilus beeing generall of the footemen and Menon THESSALIAN Colonell of the horsemen Shortly after Craterus comming out of ASIA into EVROPE with a great armie they fought a battell by the citie of CRANON where the GRAECIANS were ouerthrowen yet was not the ouerthrowe nor slaughter greate although it came through the disobedience of the souldiers to their Captaines which were but young men and vsed them ouer gently Moreouer when Antipater practised to make their cities reuolt they betrayed them and shamefully forsooke to defend their common libertie Whereuppon Antipater marched forthwith with his armie to the citie of ATHENS Demosthenes and Hyperides vnderstanding that forsooke the citie Then Demades that was in disgrace and defamed for lacke of payment of such synes as were set vpon his head being seuen seuerall times condemned bicause he had so many tymes moued matters contrary to the law and could not therefore be suffered any more to speake in the assembly was then dispensed withall and licensed to speake whereuppon he moued the people to send Ambassadors vnto Antipater with full commission authoritie to treate with him of peace The people fearing to put to any mans trust this absolute authoritie to treate of peace they called for Phocion saying that he onely was to be trusted with the ambassade Then Phocion aunswered them if you had beleeued my former counsells I alwaies gaue you such weighty matters should not now haue troubled you at all So the decree being confirmed by the people Phocion was sent Ambassador vnto Antipater that laye then in the castell of Cadmea being ready at that time to inuade the contrye of ATTICA Phocion first requested him that before he remoued from thence he would make peace with the ATHENIANS Craterus presently aunswered him Phocion thy request is vnreasonable that lying here we should eate out our friendes and destroy their contry when we may liue of our enemies and enriche our selues with their spoyle But Antipater taking Craterus by the hand tolde him we must needes doe Phocion this pleasure And for the rest touching the capitulacions of peace he willed that the ATHENIANS should send them a blancke and referre the condicions of peace vnto them like as he him selfe being beseeged in the citie of LAMIA had referred all capitulacions and articles of peace vnto the discression of Leosthenes their generall So when Phocion was come backe to ATHENS the ATHENIANS seeing there was no remedie were compelled to be contented with such offer of peace as the enemie made them Then Phocion was sent back againe to Antipater at THEBES with other Ambassadors ioyned in commission with him amongest whom also was that famous Philosopher Xenocrates The estimation of his vertue was so great with all men that it was thought there was no liuing man so prowd cruel disdainful nor hasty of nature but that the onely looke of Xenocrates would soften and qualifie him and make him to reuerence him But yet with Antipater it fell out contrary by his peruerse nature which hated all vertue for he imbraced all the rest would not once salute Xenocrates Whereuppon some say that Xenocrates said then Antipater doth well to be ashamed to see me a witnes of the discurtesie and euill he meaneth vnto the ATHENIANS So when Xenocrates beganne to speake Antipater would not abide to heare him but interrupted him and checked him and in the ende commaunded him to holde his peace When Phocion had spoken Antipater aunswered them that he would make peace with the ATHENIANS so they deliuered him Demosthenes and Hyperides that they should keepe their auncient lawes and gouernment that they should receiue a garrison into the hauen of Munychia that they should defray the charges of this warre and also paye a raunsome besides All the other Ambassadors but Xenocrates willingly accepted these condicions of peace as very reasonable and fauourable but he sayde that for slaues Antipater did handle them fauorably but for free men he delt too hardly with them Then Phocion besought him that he would yet release them of their garrison But Antipater as it is sayde aunswered him Phocion we would gladly graunt thee any thing sauing that which should vndoe thee and vs both Some other write notwithstanding that Antipater sayd not so but asked him if he would become suertie for the ATHENIANS that they should attempt no alteracion but faithfully keepe the articles and conditions of this peace if he did release them of this garrison Phocion then holding his peace delaying aunswer there was one Callimedon surnamed Carabos a bolde man and hated the libertie of the people that brake forth in these words if Phocion were so fond to giue his word for the ATHENIANS wouldest thou Antipater beleue him therefore and leaue to doe that thou hast determined Thus were the ATHENIANS driuē to receiue the garrison of the MACEDONIANS of the which Menyllus was captaine an honest man and Phocions friend This commaundement to receiue the garrison within the hauen of Munichya was found very stately and done by Antipater rather of a vaine glory to boast of his power then for any profit could otherwise come of it For not long after on that day when he tooke possession of the castell he further increased their griefe bicause the garrison entred the twenty day of Boedromion to wit the moneth of August on the which the feast day of their misteries was celebrated at what time they make their procession called Iacchus from the citie of ATHENS vnto ELEVSIN Therefore the solemnitie of this holy feast beeing thus confused many beganne to consider that in olde tyme when their Realme did flourishe there were heard and seene voyces and images of the goddes on that day which made the enemies both afraid and amazed and nowe in contrary manner in the very selfe same solemnitie of the gods they sawe the greatest calamitie that could haue happened vnto GRAECE And the holiest feast which was kept all the yere through before became then too prophaned with the title of the greatest misfortune and euent that euer happened vnto
seruice Philip the father of Martia was that yeare Consul so that after a sorte the authoritie of the Consul was in Cato bicause Lentulus colleague and fellowe Consul with Philip did no lesse reuerence Cato for his vertues then Philip did for his allyance with him Furthermore when Cicero was restored agayne from his banishment the which Fublius Clodius beeing then Tribune of the people had put apon him and beeing agayne growen to great credit he went one day into the Capitoll in the absence of Clodius by force to take awaye the tables which Clodius had consecrated there in the which were comprised all his doings during the tyme he was Tribune Thereuppon the Senate beeing assembled Clodius did accuse Cicero of this violent facte Cicero aunswered him agayne that bicause Clodius was chosen Tribune directly against the lawe therefore all his doings were voyde and of no validitie Then stoode vppe Cato and sayde he knewe that all that which Clodius did when he was Tribune was scantly good and allowable but yet if generally any man shoulde vndoe all that he had passed by that authoritie then all that he him selfe had done likewise in CYPRVS must of necessitie bee reuoked For the commission that was graunted vnto him by vertue whereof he had done thinges shoulde be vnlawfull bicause the Tribune also that did graunt it him was not lawfully chosen And therefore that Publius Clodius was not made Tribune agaynst the lawe who by consent of the lawe was taken out from a noble house and made a populer person howbeit if he had behaued him selfe vnduetifully in his office as other men that happely had offended then he was to be accused to make him mend his faulte and not to destroye the authoritie of the officer which in it selfe was lawfull After that there sell misliking betwixt Cicero and Cato for this counter buffe he had giuen him and Cicero continued a long tyme after before he did shewe him any countenaunce of friendshippe as he had at other tymes done But afterwardes they were reconciled together agayne by this occasion Pompey and Craessus hauing bene with Caesar to talke with him who for that purpose came out of GAVLE beyond the Alpes made an agreement there betwixt them to demaund the second Consulship together and when they had it then to proroge Caesars gouernment for fiue yeares more and also they woulde haue the best prouinces and greatest for them selues with great armies and money enough to paye them with This was in deede a playne conspiracie to deuide the Empire of ROME betweene them and vtterly to ouerthrow the state of the common wealth At that time there were many noble men which came to make sute for the Consulship But when they sawe Pompey and Craessus offer to make sute for it all the reste gaue ouer but Lucius Domitius that had maryed Porcia Catoes sister through whose perswasion he woulde not relinguishe his sute considering that it was not the office onely of the Consulship that was the chiefest matter of importance but the libertie of the Senate and people Straight there ranne a rumor through the most parte of the people that they were not to suffer Pompeys power to be ioyned with Craessus by meanes of this office for then his authoritie woulde bee too great and stronge and therefore that of necessitie one of these two were to bee denyed For this cause therefore the good men tooke Domitius parte and did encourage him to goe on with his sute assuring him of ayde vnder hande of diuers which durst not bee seene openly for feare of those two great men who at the daye of the election would procure him voyces in his fauour Pompey and Craessus mistrusting this made Domitius bee sette vppon going with torche light before daye into the fielde of Mars where the election was alwayes made and firt striking the torche bearer that went before him they hurt him so sore that he fell downe deade at his feete Then they layed at the rest in like case who finding them selues cruelly hurt ranne awaye euery man of them and left Domitius and Cato post alone But Cato notwithstanding he was hurt in one of his armes still helde Domitius fast and prayed him to tary and not to leaue to defende the libertie of their contrie agaynst tyrants which playnely shewed after what manner they woulde gouerne sithe by suche wicked meanes they aspyred to tyrannicall gouernment All this notwithstanding Domitius woulde tarye no lenger but betooke him to his legges and raune home Thus were Craessus and Pompey without deny all proclaymed Consuls Cato neuer yeelded therefore but came and sued to bee Praetor bicause that thereby he might yet make it some strength and countenaunce to him against their Consulshippe that beeing no priuate person he shoulde haue some better authoritie to resist them that were the chiefest persons But they fearing that the Praetorshippe by the estimacion of Cato woulde come to equall their authoritie of the Consulshippe first assembled the Senate the most parte of the Senators not hearing of it and in that assemblye caused the Senate to decree that all suche as were chosen Praetors shoulde presently goe to their charge not attending the tyme and libertie appoynted by the lawe during which tyme men might accuse those which had bought the voyces of the people with money Then hauing by this culler and decree sette yll doers at libertie without feare of punishment they pretending to vse corruption did preferre some of their owne Ministers to make sute for the Praetorshippe them selues giuing money to corrupt the people and beeing present also at the election But notwithstanding all these practises the vertue and reputacion of Cato ouercame them For the people had him in so great reuerence that they thought it too shamefull a parte to sell Cato by voyces who deserued rather to bee hyered to take the Praetorshippe apon him Then the first Tribe beeing called to giue their voyces declared him Praetor Pompey seeing that straight brake of the assemblye making a shamefull lye telling that he heard it thunder the which the ROMANES doe maruelously detest and will conclude nothing when it thundereth Howebeit afterwardes they gaue more money then they had done before and thereby draue awaye the chiefest men out of the fielde of Mars and by practise obtayned that Vatinius was chosen Praetor for Cato And the reporte went that they that had so wickedly giuen their voyces feeling them selues pricked in conscience fledde immediatly out of the fielde and the honest men that remayned were both very sory and angrie for the iniurie they had offered Cato At that tyme one of the Tribunes keeping an assemblye of the citie Cato stoode vppe and tolde as if he had prophecied before them all what woulde happen to the common wealth by these practises and stirred vppe the people agaynst Pompey and Caesar saying that they were giltye of those thinges and therefore procured them to bee done bicause they were
honoring him for his Philosophie Thus Cato did pull downe the pride of the king at that time who before had vsed Scipio and Varus as his noble men and subiects howebeit Cato did reconcile them together againe Furthermore when all the companie prayed him to take charge of the whole armie and that Scipio him selfe and Varus both did first geue him place and willingly resigned vnto him the honor to commaunde the whole campe he aunswered them he woulde not offende the lawe sith he made warre onely to preserue the authoritie and priuiledge thereof neither would take vpon him to commaunde all him selfe being but Vicepraetor where there was a Viceconsull present For Scipio was created Proconsull and furthermore the people had a certayne confidence that their affaires woulde prosper the better if they had but the name of a Scipio to leade them in AFRICKE Nowe when Scipio was Generall ouer them he woulde straight for Iubaes sake haue put all the inhabitantes of the citie of VTICA without respect of age vnto the sworde and haue rased the houses to the grounde as those that had taken Caesars parte Howebeit Cato woulde not suffer him but protesting vnto them that were present and calling the gods to witnesse in open counsell with great difficulty he saued the poore people of VTICA from that cruell tragedy and slaughter Afterwards partly at the request of the people and partly also at Scipioes instance Cato tooke apon him to keepe the city fearing least by treason or against their wills it should come into Caesars hands bicause it was a strong place of scituacion and well replenished with all things necessary for him that should kepe it Cato did both furnish it also fortifie it For he brought in great store of corne he repaired the rampers of the walls made great high towers cast depe trenches round about the city paling thē in betwext the trenches and the towne he lodged all the young men of VTICA compelled them to deliuer vp their armor weapon and kept all the rest within the city it selfe carefully prouiding that neuer a man of thē should be hurt by the ROMANES besides did also send corne armor munition money vnto the campe so that the city of VTICA was the staple storehouse of the warres Moreouer as he had before counselled Pompey not to come to battell the like counsell he now gaue also vnto Scipio not to hazard battel against a man of great skill experience in warres but to take time whereby by litle and litle he should consume the power strength of Caesars tyranny But Scipio was so stowt that he regarded not Catoes coūsell but wrote otherwhile vnto him twitting him with his cowardlines in this maner that it was enough for him to be safe in a good city compassed about with walls though otherwise he sought not to hinder men to be valliant to execute any enterprise as occasion was offred Cato wrote againe vnto him that he was ready to goe into ITALIE with his footemen and horsemen which he had brought into AFRICKE to draw Caesar from them and to turne him against him Scipio made but a spor◠at it Then Cato shewed plainly that he did repent him he had geuen him the preferrement to be generall of the army bicause he saw he would but fondly prosecute this warre also that if he chaunced to ouercome he could not moderately vse the victory against his contry men Then he beganne to mistrust the good successe of this warre and so he told his frendes for the Generalls hastines and vnskilfulnesse and yet if beyonde expectacion it fell out well and that Caesar were ouerthrowen he would neuer dwell at ROME any more but would flye the crueltie and bitternes of Scipio who euen at that present time did prowdly threaten many But in the ende that fell out sooner then looked for For a poste came to him late that night who but three dayes before departed from the campe and brought newes that all was lost in a great battell by the citie of THAPSES which Caesar had wonne that he had taken both campes that Scipio and king Iuba were fled with a fewe men and that all the rest of their armie was slaine These newes did put the citizens in such a feare and maze and specially being in the warre and in the night time that for very feare they could scant keepe them selues within the walles of their citie But Cato meeting with them stayed them that ranne vp and downe crying in the streetes and did comfort them the best he could Yet he tooke not all their feare from them though he brought them againe vnto them selues from the extasie they were in declaring vnto them that the losse was nothing so great as it was made and that it was a common matter to enlarge suche newes with wordes enowe By these perswasions he somwhat pacified the tumult and vprore and the next morning by breake of day he made proclamacion that the three hundred men which he had chosen for his counsellers should come and assemble in the temple of Iupiter they all being citizens of ROME which for trafficke of marchaundise lay in AFRICKE and all the ROMANE Senators and their children also Nowe whilest they gathered them selues together Cato him selfe went verie grauely with a set modest countenaunce as if no suche matter had happened hauing a litle booke in his hande which he read as he went This booke conteyned the store and preparacion of minicion he had made for this warre as come armor weapons bowes slings and footemen When they were all assembled he began greatly to commend the good loue and faithfulnes of these three hundred ROMANES which had profitably serued their contry with their persons money and counsell and did counsell them not to depart one from an other as men hauing no hope or otherwise seeking to saue them selues scatteringly For remeining together Caesar would lesse despise them if they would make warre against him and would also sooner pardon them if they craued mercie of him Therefore he counselled them to determine what they would do and for his owne parte he sayed he would not mislike whatsoeuer they determined of for if their mindes followed their fortune he would thinke this chaunge to proceede of the necessitie of time But if they were resolued to withstande their misfortune and to hazard them selues to defend their libertie he then would not only commend them but hauing their noble corage in admiration would him selfe be their chieftaine and companion euen to proue the fortune of their contrie to the vttermost The which was not VTICA nor ADRVMETVM but the citie selfe of ROME the which oftentimes through her greatnes had raised her selfe from greater daungers and calamities Furthermore that they had many waies to saue them selues the greatest meane of all was this that they should make warre with a man who by reason of his warres was
be the better beliked and to be fine and trimme in his apparell and to cast vpon him a plaine spanish cape taking pleasure in the dyet bathes and manner of the auncient LACONIAN life and openly boasted besides that he would not desire to be king but onely for the hope he had to restore the auncient LACONIAN life by his authority Then began the state of LACEDAEMON first to be corrupted and to leaue her auncient discipline when the LACEDAEMONIANS hauing subdued the Empire of the ATHENIANS stored them selues contry both with plenty of gold siluer But yet reseruing still the lands left vnto them by succession from their fathers according vnto Lycurgus first ordinaunce institucion for diuision of the landes amongest them which ordinaunce and equalitie being inuiolably kept amongest them did yet preserue the common wealth from defamation of diuers other notorious crimes Vntil the time of the authoritie of Epitadeus one of the Ephores a seditious man and of prowde conditions who bitterly falling out with his own sonne preferred a law that euery man might lawfully giue his landes and goods whilest he liued or after his death by testament vnto any man whom he liked or thought well of Thus this man made this law to satisfie his anger others also did confirme it for couetousnes sake and so ouerthrew a noble ordinaunce For the riche men then began to buy lands of numbers and so transferred it from the right lawful heires whereby a few men in short time being made very riche immediatly after there fell out great pouertie in the citie of SPARTA which made all honest sciences to cease brought in thereuppon vnlawfull occupacions who enuyed them that were wealthy Therefore there remayned not aboue seuen hundred naturall Citizens of SPARTA in all of them not aboue a hundred that had lands and inheritance for all the rest were poore people in the citie and were of no countenaunce nor calling besides that went vnwillingly to the warres against their enemies looking euery day for sturre and chaunge in the citie Agis therefore thinking it a notable good acte as in deede it was to replenish the citie of SPARTA againe and to bringe in the old equalitie he moued the matter vnto the Citizens He found the youth against all hope to giue good eare vnto him and very well giuen vnto vertue easily chaunging their garments life to recouer their libertie againe But the oldest men which were now euen rotten with couetousnes and corruption they were affraid to returne againe to the straight ordinaunces of Lycurgus as a slaue and ronneagate from his Maister that trembleth when he is brought back againe vnto him Therefore they reproued Agis when he did lament before them their present miserable estate and wishe also for the former auncient honor and true dignitie of SPARTA Howbeit Lysander the sonne of Lybis and Mandroclidas the sonne of Esphanes and Agesilaus also greatly commended his noble desire and perswaded him to goe forward withall This Lysander was of great authoritie and estimation amongest them in the citie Mandroclidas was also very wise and carefull about any matter of counsell and with his wisedom and policy very valiant Agesilaus in like manner the kings Vncle and an eloquent man was very effeminate and couetous and yet prickt forward to giue his furtherance to this attempt as it appeared by his sonne Hippomedon who was a notable good souldier and could doe very much by meanes of the loue and good will the younge men did beare him But in deede the secret cause that brought Agesilaus to consent vnto this practise was the greatnes of his dette which he ought of the which he hoped to be discharged by chaunging of the state and common wealth Now when Agis had wonne him he fought by his meanes to drawe his mother also vnto the matter which was Agesilaus sister She could doe very much by the number of her friendes followers and detters in the citie by whose meanes she ruled the most part of the affayres of the citie after her owne pleasure But the young man Hippomedon making her priuie vnto it at the first she was amased withall and bad him hold his peace if he were wise and not medle in matters vnpossible and vnprofitable But when Agesilaus had told her what a notable acte it would be and how easily it might be brought to passe with maruelous great profit and that king Agis beganne also to strayne her with great intreatie that she would willingly depart with her goods to winne her sonne honor and glory who though he could not in money and riches come to be like vnto other kinges bicause the slaues and factors onely of the kinges Seleucus and Ptolomy had more money then all the kings of SPARTA had together that euer raigned yet if in temperance thriftines noble mind exceeding all their vanities he could come to restore the LACEDAEMONIANS againe vnto equalitie that then in deede he should be counted a noble king These women being stirred vp with ambition by these perswasions of the younge man seeing him so nobly bent as if by the goddes their mindes had secretly bene inflamed with the loue of vertue did presently alter their mindes in such sort that they them selues did pricke forward Agis and sent for their friends to pray and intreate them to fauor his enterprise and furthermore they brought on other women also knowing that the LACEDAEMONIANS did euer heare and beleeue their wiues suffering them to vnderstand more of the affayres of the state then they them selues did of their priuate estate at home Herein is to be considered that the most part of the riches of LACEDAEMON was in the handes of the women and therefore they were against it not onely bicause thereby they were cut of from their finenes and excesse in the which being ignorant of the true good in deede they put all their felicitie but also bicause they sawe their honor and authoritie which they had by their riches cleane troden vnder foote Therefore they comming to Leonidas they did perswade him to reproue Agis bicause he was elder man then he and to let that this enterprise went not forward Leonidas did what he could in fauour of the riche but fearing the common people who desired nothing but alteracion he durst not openly speake against him but secretly he did the best he could to hinder Agis practise talking with the Magistrates of the citie and accusing Agis vnto them he told them how he did offer the riche mens goods vnto the poore the diuision of their landes and the abolishing of all detts for rewarde to put the tyrannie into his handes and that thereby he got him a stronge gard vnto him selfe but not many Citizens vnto SPARTA This notwithstanding king Agis hauing procured Lysander to be chosen one of the Ephores he presently preferred his lawe vnto the counsell The articles whereof were these
against him he allured Cleombrotus his sonne in law being also of the kings blood to make title to the crowne Leonidas being affraid of the successe hereof tooke sanctuary in the temple of Iuno surnamed Chalceoecos his Daughter with him who forsooke her husband Cleombrotus Leonidas then being cited to appeare in person making default they deposed him made Cleombrotus king In the meane time Lysanders office expired the new Ephori which succeded him deliuer Leonidas againe and accused Lysander Mandroclidas because against the law they had abolished all debts had againe made newe diuision of lands When they sawe they were openly accused they incensed both the kinges that ioyning together they shoulde make the Ephores ordinaunces of no effect declaring that their authority was onely erected for the discord of the two kings bicause they should giue their voices vnto that king that had the best iudgemēt reason whē the other would wilfully withstand both right reason And therfore that they two agreing together might lawfully do what they would without cōtrolment of any person that to resist the kings was a breaking of the lawe sith that by right the Ephori had no other priuileage authority but to be iudges arbitrators betwene thē when there was any cause of iarre or controuersie Both the kings being caried away by this perswasion went into the market place accōpanied with their frends plucked the Ephores from their seates put others in their roomes of the which Agesilaus was one Furthermore they armed a great number of yong men opening the prisons did set the prisoners as liberty the which made their aduersaries affraid of thē doubting some great murther would haue followed vpon it howbeit no man had any hurt For Agesilaus being bent to kill Leonidas who fled vnto the city of TEGEA hauing also laid men in waite for him by the way king Agis hearing of it sent thither other frends of his in whom he put great confidence they did accōpany Leonidas brought him safely vnto the city of TEGEA Thus their purpose taking effect no man cōtrarying thē one man only Agesilaus ouerthrew all dashed a noble LACONIAN law by a shamful vice which was couetousnes For he being a great landed man hauing the best lands of any man in the contry owing a great summe of money besides would nether pay his detts nor let go his land Wherfore he perswaded king Agis that if he wēt about to stablish both together he should raise a great vptore in the city withall if he did first winne them that were landed men preferring at the beginning the cutting of of dets only then that they would easily willingly also accept the law for partition of lands Lysander was also of his opinion wherby king Agis he both were deceiued by Agesilaus subtlety So they cōmaunded al the creditors to bring their bonds obligations bils of det which the LACEDAEMONIANS do cal Claria into the market place and there laying them on a heape together they did set fire of them When the vsurers creditors saw their writings obligatory afire they departed thence with heauy harts but Agesilaus mocking thē said he neuer saw a brighter fire in his life The people then requiring that the lands also should be presently deuided the kings likewise commaūding in Agesilaus stil interposing some cause of lex delaied time vntill oportunitye serued that king Agis should go to the warres for that the ACHAIANS their confederats had praied aide of LACEDAEMON being bound thereunto by the league confirmed betwene them bicause they looked daily that the AETOLIANS cōming through the contry of MEGARA would inuade PELOPONNESVS Aratus general of the ACHAIANS had leauied a great army to withstād their inuasion had also written vnto the Ephores that they should send thē aide Wheruppon they presently sent king Agis perceiuing also the readines and good wil of the souldiers which were appointed to go with him For the most of thē were young men needy who seing thē selues discharged of the feare of their dets hoping also at their return that the lāds likewise should be deuided among thē they went with glad harts were obedient vnto king Agis So that the cities where through they passed wondred how they came through all PELOPONNESVS from the one side to the other very quietly without noyse or offence to any man Likewise many GRAECIANS calling to mind the aūcient times told one another that it was a noble fight then to see the army of LACEDAEMON whē they were led by Agesilaus Lysander Leonidas famous captaines sith now they saw so great obedience vnto Agis by his souldiers who was in maner the yōgest mā of all his campe Who also glorying to be cōtēt with litle to away with paines not to be more costly apparelled armed thē any priuat souldier he had he wanne him self therby a maruelous loue of the people Howbeit the rich mē liked not this chaung were affraid lest Agis should giue other people example to rise also to do the like with theirs as he had done Agis meting with Aratus by the city of CORINTHE euen as he was consulting whether he should fight with his enemy or not shewed him self in his coūsel then no rash but a resolute valiant man. For he told him that for his opinion he thought it better to fight not to suffer the warre to come any futher leauing the entry into PELOPONNESVS free to their enemy neuertheles that he would do what Aratus thought good bicause he was the elder and general also of the ACHAIANS whom he came not to cōmaund but to aide thē But Baton SINOPIAN writeth that king Agis would not fight though Aratus was willing howbeit he had not red that which Aratus had writtē for his excuse iustificatiō alleaging there that the farmers husbādmē hauing brought all the corne into their barnes he thought it better to suffer the enemies to come further into the contry rather then to hazard battel to the losse of the whole cōtry of PELOPONNESVS that therfore he licenced al the confederats to depart brake vp his army So king Agis returned home again greatly honored of al thē that serued with him in this iorney finding the city of SPARTA thē in great broile trouble For Agesilaus at that time being one of the Ephores finding him self rid of the feare which before kept him vnder cared not what iniury or mischief he did to any citizen so he might get money For amongest other things that very yere he made thē pay beyond al reason the tallages taxes due vnto the cōmō wealth for thirtene moneths adding to the thirtenth moneth aboue the ordinary time of the yere Wherfore perceiuing euery mā hated him being affraid of thē he had offended he kept souldiers about him
their auncient kings that the LACEDAEMONIANS neuer inquired what number their enemies were but where they were Shortly after the ACHAIANS making warre with the ELIANS Cleomenes was sent to ayde them met with the armie of the ACHAIANS by the mountaine Lyceum as they were in their returne he setting apon them gaue them the ouerthrowe slue a great number of them and tooke many also prisoners that the rumor ranne through GRAECE how Aratus selfe was slaine Cleomenes wisely taking the occasion which this victory gaue him he went straight to the citie of MANTINEA and taking it vpon a sodaine when no man knew of his comming he put a strong garrison into it Now the LACEDAEMONIANS harts failing them and resisting Cleomenes enterprises ouerwearying them with warres he went about to sende for Archidamus king Agis brother being then at MESSENA vnto whom the kingdom of right belonged by the other house supposing that he shoulde easely weaken the power of the Ephores by the authoritie of the two kinges if both of them ioyned together Which when the murtherers of king Agis vnderstoode being affraid that Archidamus returning from exile he would be reuenged of them they secretly receiued him into the citie and founde the meanes to bring him into SPARTA But when they had him they put him straight to death whether it was vnwitting to Cleomenes as Phylarchus plainly testifieth or else with his priuitie suffring them to make him away by perswasion of his frends But it is a cleere case the citie was burdened withall bicause probable matter fell out that they had compelled Cleomenes to doe it Neuerthelesse he holding still his first determination to alter the state of the common wealth of SPARTA as soone as he could possible he so fed the Ephores with money that he brought them to be contented he should make warre He had also won many other citizens by the meanes of his mother Cratesiclea who furnisht him with money that he lacked not to honor him withall and further maried as it is reported being otherwise not ment to mary for her sonnes sake vnto one of the wealthiest men of all the citie So Cleomenes leading his army into the field wanne a place within the territorie of MEGALOPOLIS called LEVCTRA The ACHAIANS also being quickly come to their aide led by Aratus they straight fought a battell by the citie selfe where Cleomenes had the worst on the one side of his armie Howbeit Aratus woulde not suffer the ACHAIANS to follow them bicause of bogges and quauemyres but sounded the retreate But Lysiadas a MEGALOPOLITAN being angrie withall caused the horsemen he had about him to follow the chase who pursued so fiercely that they came amongest vines walls and ditches where he was driuen to disperse his men and yet coulde not get out Cleomenes perceiuing it sent the light horsemen of the TARENTINS CRETANS against him of whom Lysiadas valliantly fighting was slaine Then the LACEDAEMONIANS being couragious for this victorie came with great cries geuing a fierce charge apon the ACHAIANS ouerthrew their whole armie and slue a maruelous number of them but yet Cleomenes at their request suffered them to take vp the dead bodies of their men to burie them For Lysiadas corps he caused it to be brought vnto him and putting a purple to be apon it and a crowne on his head sent it in this aray vnto the very gates of the city of MEGALOPOLIS It was that selfe Lysiadas who geuing ouer the tyranny and gouernment of MEGALOPOLIS made it a popular state and free city and ioyned it to the ACHAIANS After this victorie Cleomenes that determined greater matters and attempts perswaded him selfe that if he might once come to stablishe the affaires of the common wealth at SPARTA to his mind he might then easely ouercome the ACHAIANS brake with his father in law Megistonus and told him that it was necessary to take away the authoritie of the Ephores and to make diuision of the landes among the SPARTANS and then being brought to equalitie to encorage them to recouer the Empire of GRAECE againe vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS which their predecessors before them held and enioyed Megistonus graunting his good will and furtherance ioyned two or three of his frendes more vnto him It chaunced at that time that one of the Ephores lying in the temple of Pasiphaé had a maruelous dreame in the night For he thought he sawe but one chaire standing where the Ephori did vse to sit to geue audience and that the other foure which were wont to be there were taken away and that maruelling at it he heard a voyce out of the temple that said that was the best for SPARTA He declaring this dreame the next morning vnto Cleomenes it somewhat troubled him at the first thinking that he came to feele him for that he had heard some inckling of his intent But when he perswaded him selfe that the other ment good faith and lyed not vnto him being bolder then before he went forward with his purpose and taking with him vnto the campe all those SPARTANS which he suspected to be against his enterprise he went and tooke the cities of HERAEA and ALSEA confederates of the ACHAIANS and vitteled ORCHOMENA and went and camped before the citie of MANTINEA In fine he so wearied ouerharried the LACEDAEMONIAMS by long iorneys that at length they besought him he would let them remaine in ARCADIA to repose them selues there In the meane time Cleomenes with his straungers which he had hyred returned againe vnto SPARTA and imparted his intent by the way vnto them he trusted best and marched at his owne ease that he might take the Ephores at supper When he came neere vnto the city he sent Euryclidas before into the halle of the Ephores as though he brought them newes out of the campe from him After him he sent also Thericion Phaebis and two other that had bene brought vp with him whom the LACEDAEMONIANS called the SAMOTHRACIANS taking with them a fewe souldiers Nowe whilest Euryclidas was talking with the Ephores they also came in apon them with their swordes drawen and did set apon the Ephores Agesilaus was hurt first of all and falling downe made as though he had bene slaine but by litle litle he crept out of the halle and got secretly into a chappell consecrated vnto Feare the which was wont euer to be kept shut but then by chaunce was left open when he was come in he shut the dore fast to him The other foure of the Ephores were slaine presently and aboue tenne moe besides which came to defende them Furthermore for them that sate still and sturred not they killed not a man of them neither did keepe any man that was desirous to goe out of the citie but moreouer they pardoned Agesilaus who came the next morning out of the chapell of Feare Amongest the LACEDAEMONIANS in the citie of SPARTA there are not
of Philosophie he dedicated vnto him And some also do accuse their mother Cornelia who did twit her sonnes in the teeth that the ROMANES did yes call her Scipioes mother in law and not the mother of the GRACCHI Other say it was Spurius Posthumius a companion of Tiberius and one that contended with him in eloquence For Tiberius returning from the warres and finding him farre beyond him in fame and reputacion and well beloued of euery one he sought to excell him by attempting this noble enterprise and of so great expectacion His owne brother Caius in a certaine booke wrote that as he went to the warres of NVMANTIA passing through THVSCAN he founde the contrye in manner vnhabited and they that did followe the ploughe or keepe beastes were the moste of them slaues and barbarous people comen out of a straunge contrie Whereuppon euer after it ranne in his minde to bringe this enterprise to passe which brought great troubles to their house But in fine it was the people onely that moste set his harte afire to couet honor and that hastened his determinacion first bringing him to it by bylles sette vppe on euery wall in euery porche and vppon the tombes praying him by them to cause the poore Citizens of ROME to haue their landes restored which were belonging to the common wealth This notwithstanding he him selfe made not the lawe alone of his owne head but did it by the counsell and aduise of the chiefest men of ROME for vertue and estimation Amonge the which Craessus the high Bishoppe was one and Mutius Scaeuola the Lawyer that then was Consul and Appius Clodius his father in lawe And truely it seemeth that neuer lawe was made with greater fauor then that which he preferred against so great in iustice and auarice For those that should haue bene punished for transgressing the lawe and should haue had the landes taken from them by force which they vniustly kept against the lawe of ROME and that should also haue bene amersed for it he ordeyned that they should be payed by the common wealth to the value of the landes which they held vniustly and so should leaue them to the poore Citizens againe that had no land and lacked helpe and reliefe Now though the reformation established by this lawe was done with such great fauor the people notwithstanding were contented and would forget all that was past so that they might haue no more wronge offred them in time come But the rich men and men of great possessions hated the law 〈…〉 their auarice and for spight and selfwill which would not let them yeeld they were at dead foode with the Lawyer that had preffered the lawe and sought by all deuise they could to diswade the people from it telling them that Tiberius brought in this law Agraria againe to disturbe the common wealth and to make some alteracion in the state But they preuailed not For Tiberius defending the matter which of it selfe was good and iust with such eloquence so might haue iustified an euill cause was inuincible and no man was able to argue against him to confute him when speaking in the behalfe of the poore Citizens of ROME the people being gathered round about the pulpit for orations he told them that the wild beastes through ITALY had their dennes and caues of abode and that the men that sought and were slaine to their contrey had nothing els but ayer and light so were compelled to wander vp downe with their wiues children hauing no resting place nor house to put their heads in and that the Captaines do but mocke their souldiers when they encorage them in battel to fight valiantly for the graues the temples their owne houses their predecessors For said he of such◠number of poore Citizens as there be there can not a man of them she any auncient house be tombe of their auncestors bicause the poore men doe go to the warres be slaine for the rich mens pleasures and wealth besides they falsely cal them Lordes of the earth where they haue not a handfull of ground that is theirs These such other like wordes being vttered before all the people with such vehemency trothe did so moue the common people withall and put them in such a rage that there was no aduersarye of his able to withstand him Therefore leauing to contrary and deny the lawe by argument the rich men did put all their trust in Marcus Octauius colleague and fellow Tribune with Tiberius in office who was graue and wise young man and Tiberius very famillier friend So that the first time they came to him to oppose him against the confirmation of this lawe he prayed them to holde him excused bicause Tiberius was his very friend But in the ende being compelled vnto it through the great number of the riche men that were importunate with him the did withstands Tiberius lawe the which was enoughe to ouerthrowe it For if any one of the Tribunes speake against it though all the other passe with it he ouerthroweth it bicause they all can doe nothing if one of them be against it Tiberius being very much offended with it proceeded no further in this first fauorable law and in a rage preferred an other more gratefull to the common people as also more extreme against the riche In that law he ordeyned that whoseouer had any lande contrary to the auncient lawes of ROME that he should presently depart from them But thereuppon there fel out cōtinual brawles in the pulpit for orations against Octauius in the which though they were very earnest and vehement one against another yet there passed no fowle words from them how hot soeuer they were one with another that should shame his companion Whereby it appeareth that to be well brought vp breedeth such a stay knowledge in a man not onely in things of pleasure to make him regard his credit both in word deedes but in passion and anger also in their greatest ambition of glory Thereuppon Tiberius finding that this lawe among others touched Octauius bicause he enioyed a great deale of lande that was the common wealthes he prayed him secretly to contend no more against him promising him to giue him of his owne the value of those lands which he should be driuen to forsake although he was not very able to performe it But when he sawe Octauius would not he perswaded he them preferred a law that all Magistrats and Officers should cease their authoritie till the law were either past or reiected by voices of the people thereuppon he set his own seale vpon 〈…〉 of the example of Saturne where the cofers of the treasure lay bicause the treasorer them selues during that time should neither take out nor put in any thing 〈…〉 great pennalties to be forfited by the Praetors or any other Magistrat of authority that should breake this order Hereuppon all the Magistrates fearing this pennaltie did
sued to be discharged This was the effect of Tiberius purgation Now his friendes perceiuing the threats the riche and noble men gaue out against him they wished him for the safetie of his person to make sure to be Tribune againe the next yeare Whereuppon he began to flatter the common people againe afresh by new lawes which he preferred by the which he tooke away the time and number of yeares prescribed when euery citizen of ROME was bound to goe to the warres being called and his name billed He made it lawfull also for men to appeale from sentence of the Iudges vnto the people and thrust in also amongst the Senators which then had absolute authoritie to iudge among them selues a like number of the ROMANE Knightes and by this meanes sought to weaken and imbase the authority of the Senate increasing also the power of the people more of malice then any reason or for any iustice or benefit to the common wealth Furthermore when it came to the gathering of the voyces of the people for the confirmacion of his new lawes finding that his enemies were the stronger in the assembly bicause all the people were not yet come together he fell a quarrelling with his brethren the Tribunes alwayes to winne time and yet in the end brake vp the assembly commaunding them to returne the next morning There he would be the first man in the market place apparelled all in blacke his face be blubbered with teares looking heauely vpon the matter praying the people assembled to haue compassion vpon him saying that he was affrayed least his enemies would come in the night and ouerthrow his house to kill him Thereupon the people were so moued withall that many of them came and brought their tentes and lay about his house to watche it At the breake of the day the keeper of the chickins by signes of the which they doe diuine of thinges to come brought them vnto him and cast them downe meate before them None of them would come out of the cage but one only and yet with much a doe shaking the cage and when it came out it would eate no meate but only lift vp her left wing and put forth her legge and so ranne into the cage againe This signe made Tiberius remember an other he had had before He had a maruelous fayer helmet and very riche which he ware in the warres vnder it were crept two snakes vnwares to any and layed egges and hatched them This made Tiberius wonder the more bicause of the ill signes of the chickins notwithstanding he went out of his house when he heard that the people were assembled in the Capitoll but as he went out he hit his foote such a blow against a stone at the thresshold of the dore that he brake the nayle of his great toe which fell in suche a bleeding that it bled through his shooe Againe he had not gone farre but he saw vpon the toppe of a house on his left hand a couple of rauens fighting together and notwithstanding that there past a great number of people by yet a stone which one of these rauens cast from them came fell hard at Tiberius foote The fall thereof staied the stowtest man he had about him But Blossius the Philosopher of Cumes that did accōpany him told him it were a great shame for him and enough to kill the harts of all his followers that Tiberius being the sonne of Gracchus and nephew of Scipio the AFRICAN and the chiefe man besides of all the peoples side for feare of a rauen should not obey his citizens that called him and how that his enemies and ill willers would not make a laughing sporte of it but would plainly tell the people that this was a tricke of a tyran that raigned in dede and that for pride and disdaine did abuse the peoples good wills Furthermore diuers messengers came vnto him and sayd that his frends that were in the Capitoll sent to pray him to make hast for all went well with him When he came thither he was honorably receiued for the people seeing him comming cried out for ioy to welcome him and when he was gotten vp to his seate they shewed them selues both carefull and louing towardes him looking warely that none came neere him but such as they knew well While Mutius beganne againe to call the tribes of the people to geue their voyces he could not procede according to the accustomed order in the like case for the great noyse the hindmost people made thrusting forward and being driuen backe and one mingling with an other In the meane time Flauius Flaccus one of the Senators got vp into a place where all the people might see him and when he saw that his voyce coulde not be heard of Tiberius he made a signe with his hande that he had some matter of great importance to tell him Tiberius straight bad them make a lane through the prease So with much a doe Flauius came at length vnto him and tolde him that the riche men in open Senate when they could not frame the Consull to their wills determined them selues to come and kill him hauing a great number of their frendes and bondmen armed for the purpose Tiberius immediatly declared this conspiracy vnto his frends and followers who straight girte their long gownes vnto them and brake the sergeaunst iauelins which they caried in their handes to make roome among the people and tooke the tronchions of the same to resist those that would set apon them The people also that stoode furdest of marueled at it and asked what the matter was Tiberius by a signe to tell them the daunger he was in layed both his bands on his head bicause they coulde not heare his voyce for the great noyse they made His enemies seeing the signe he gaue ranne presently to the Senate crying out that Tiberius required a royall bande or diadeame of the people and that it was an euident signe bicause they sawe him clappe his handes apon his head This tale troubled all the companie Whereupon Nasica besought the Consul chiefe of the Senate to help the common wealth and to take away this tyran The Consul gently aunswered againe that he would vse no force neither put any citizen to death but lawfully condemned as also he would not receiue Tiberius nor protect him if the people by his perswasion or commaundement should commit any acte contrarie to the law Nasica then rising in anger sith the matter is so sayd he that the Consull regardeth not the common wealth all you then that will defende the authoritie of the law follow me Thereupon he cast the skirt of his gowne ouer his head went straight to the Capitoll They that followed him also tooke their gownes and wrapt them about their armes and layed at as many as they might to make them geue way and yet very few of the people durst meete with such states as
did willingly resigne the kingdom vnto his brothers sonne Charilaus and being afrayd also that if the young child should chaunce to miscary they would suspect him for his death he exiled him selfe out of his owne contry a long time trauelling vp and downe and returned not to SPARTA againe before Charilaus had gotten a sonne to succeede him in his kingdom But we can not set another GRAECIAN by Lycurgus comparable vnto him We haue declared also that amongest Cleomenes deedes there were many other greater alteracions then these and also many other breaches of the lawe So they that doe condemne the manners of the one and the other say that the two GRAECIANS from the beginning had an aspyring minde to be tyrannes still practising warres Whereas the two ROMANES onely euen by their most mortall enemies could be blamed for nothing els but for an extreame ambition and did confesse that they were too earnest and vehement aboue their nature in any strife or contencion they had with their aduersaries and that they yelded vnto that choller and passion as vnto ill windes which brought them to doe those thinges they did in the ende For what more iust or honest intent could they haue had then the first was had not the riche men euen through stowtnes and authoritie to ouerthrow the lawes brought them against their wills into quarrell the one to saue his life the other to reuenge his brothers death who was slayne without order iustice or the authoritie of any officer Thus thou maiest thy selfe see the difference that was betwene the GRAECIANS and ROMANES and nowe to tell you plainly my opinion of both I think that Tiberius was the stowtest of the foure that the younge king Agis offended least and that for boldnes and corage Caius came nothing neare vnto Cleomenes THE LIFE OF Demosthenes HE that made the litle booke of the praise of Alcibiades touching the victorie he wanne at the horse rase of the Olympian games were it the Poet Euripides as some thinke or any other my friende Sossius sayde that to make a man happy he must of necessitie be borne in some famous citie But to tell you what I thinke hereof douteles true happines chiefly consisteth in the vertue and qualities of the minde being a matter of no moment whether a man be borne in a pelting village or in a famous citie no more then it is for one to be borne of a fayer or fowle mother For it were a madnes to thinke that the litle village of IVLIDE being the least part of the I le of CEO the whole Iland of it selfe being but a small thing and that the I le of AEGINA which is of so smal a length that a certaine ATHENIAN on a time made a motion it might be taken away bicause it was but as a strawe in the sight of the hauen of Piraea could bring forth famous Poets and excellent Comediants and not breede an honest iust and wise man and of noble corage For as we haue reason to thinke that artes and sciences which were first deuised and inuented to make some thinges necessary for mens vse or otherwise to winne fame and credit are drowned and cast away in litle poore villages So are we to iudge also that vertue like a strong and frutefull plant can take roote and bringe forth in euery place where it is graffed in a good nature and gentle person that can patiently away with paines And therefore if we chaunce to offend and liue not as we should we can not accuse the meanenes of our contry where we were borne but we must iustly accuse our selues Surely he that hath taken vpon him to put forth any worke or to write any historie into the which he is to thrust many straunge things vnknowen to his contry and which are not ready at his hand to be had but dispersed abroad in diuers places and are to be gathered out of diuers bookes and authorities first of all he must needes remaine in some great and famous citie throughly inhabited where men doe delight in good and vertuous thinges bicause there are commonly plenty of all sortes of bookes and that perusing them and hearing talke also of many things besides which other Historiographers peraduenture haue not written of and which will cary so much more credit bicause men that are aliue may presently speake of them as of their owne knowledge whereby he may make his worke perfect in euery poynt hauing many and diuers necessary things conteyned in it But I my selfe that dwell in a poore litle towne and yet doe remayne there willingly least it should become lesse whilest I was in ITALY and at ROME I had no leysure to study and exercise the Latine tongue aswell for the great busines I had then to doe as also to satisfie them that came to learne Philosophie of me so that euen somewhat too late and now in my latter time I began to take my Latine bookes in my hand And thereby a straunge thing to tell you but yet true I learned not nor vnderstood matters so much by the words as I came to vnderstand the words by common experience knowledge I had in things But furthermore to knowe howe to pronownce the Latin tongue well or to speake it readily or to vnderstand the signification translations and fine ioyning of the simple words one with another which doe bewtifie set forth the tongue surely I iudge it to be a maruailous pleasant and sweete thing but withall it requireth a long and laborsome study meete for those that haue better leysure then I haue that haue young yeares on their backes to follow such pleasure Therefore in this present booke which is the fift of this work where I haue taken vpon me to compare the liues of noble men one with another vndertaking to write the liues of Demosthenes and Cicero we will consider and examine their nature manners and condicions by their acts and deedes in the gouernment of the common wealth not meaning otherwise to conferre their workes and writings of eloquence nether to define which of them two was sharper or sweeter in his oration For as the Poet Ion sayth In this behalfe a man may rightly say The Dolphynes in their proper soyle doe play The which Caecilius litle vnderstanding being a man very rashe in all his doings hath vnaduisedly written and set forth in print a comparison of Demosthenes eloquence with Ciceroes But if it were an easie matter for euery man to know him selfe then the goddes needed haue giuen vs no commaundement nether could men haue said that it came from heauen But for my opiniō me thinks fortune euen from the beginning hath framed in maner one self mowld of Demosthenes and Cicero and hath in their natures facioned many of their qualities one like to the other as both of them to be ambitious both of them to loue the libertie of their contry and both of them very feareful
gotten the market place where the people doe assemble in counsel had filled it ful of armed men intending to haue this law of the newe tables to passe by force Antonius by cōmaundement of the Senate who had giuen him authoritie to leauy men to vse force against Dolabella he went against him sought so valliantly that men were slaine on both sides But by this meanes he got the il will of the cōmon people on the other side the noble men as Cicero saith did not only mislike him but also hate him for his naughty life for they did abhot his banckets dronkē feasts he made at vnseasonable times his extreme wastful expences vpon vaine light huswiues then in the day time he would sleepe or walke out his dronkennes thinking to weare away the fume of the aboundaunce of wine which he had taken ouer night In his house they did nothing but feast daunce maske and him selfe passed away the time in hearing of foolish playes or in marrying these plaiers tomblers ieasters such sort of people As for prose hereof it is reported that at Hippias mariage one of his ieasters he drank wine so lustely all night that the next morning when he came to pleade before the people assembled in counsel who had sent for him he being quesie stomaked with his surfet he had takē was compelled to lay all before them one of his friends held him his gowne in stead of a basen He had another pleasaunt player called Sergius that was one of the chiefest men about him a woman also called Cytheride of the same profession whom he loued derely he caried her vp downe in a litter vnto all the townes he went had as many men waiting apon her litter she being but a player as were attending vpon his owne mother It greued honest men also very much to see that when he went into the contry he caried with him a great number of cubbords ful of siluer gold plate openly in the face of the world as it had ben the pompe or shewe of some triumphe that estsoones in the middest of his iorney he would set vp his hales and tents hard by some greene groue or pleasaunt riuer and there his Cookes should prepare him a sumptuous dinner And furthermore Lyons were harnesed in trases to drawe his carts and besides also in honest mens houses in the cities where he came he would haue common harlots curtisans these tumbling gillots lodged Now it greued men much to see that Caesar should be out of ITALY following of his enemies to end this great warre with such great perill and daunger and that others in the meane time abusing his name and authoritie should commit such insolent and outragious parts vnto their Citizens This me thinkes was the cause that made the conspiracie against Caesar increase more and more and layed the reynes of the brydle vppon the souldiers neckes whereby they durst boldlier commit many extorsions cruelties and robberies And therefore Caesar after his returne pardoned Dolabella being created Consul the third time he tooke not Antonius but chose Lepidus his colleague and fellow Consul Afterwards when Pompeys house was put to open sale Antonius bought it but when they asked him money for it he made it very straung and was offended with them and writeth him selfe that he would not goe with Caesar into the warres of AFRICK bicause he was not well recompenced for the seruice he had done him before Yet Caesar did somewhat bridle his madnes and insolencie not suffering him to passe his faulte so lightly away making as though he sawe them not And therefore he left his dissolute manner of life and married Fuluia that was Clodius widowe a woman not so basely minded to spend her time in spinning and housewiuery and was not contented to master her husband at home but would also rule him in his office abroad and commaund him that commaunded legions and great armies so that Cleopatra was to giue Fuluia thankes for that she had taught Antonius this obedience to women that learned so well to be at their commaundement Nowe bicause Fuluia was somewhat sower and crooked of condition Antonius deuised to make her pleasaunter somewhat better disposed and therefore he would playe her many prety youthfull partes to make her mery As he did once when Caesar returned the last time of all Conqueror out of SPAYNE euery man went out to meete him and so did Antonius with the rest But on the sodeine there ranne a rumor through ITALY that Caesar was dead and that his enemies came againe with a great armie Thereuppon he returned with speede to ROME and tooke one of his mens gownes and so apparelled came home to his house in a darkenight saying that he had brought Fuluia letters from Antonius So he was let in and brought to her muffled as he was for being knowen but she taking the matter heauily asked him if Antonius were well Antonius gaue her the letters and sayd neuer a word So when she had opened the letters and beganne to read them Antonius ramped of her necke and kissed her We haue told you this tale for examples sake onely and so could we also tell you of many such like as these Nowe when Caesar was returned from his last warre in SPAYNE all the chiefest nobilitie of the citie road many dayes iorney from ROME to meete him where Caesar made maruelous much of Antonius aboue all the men that came vnto him For he alwayes tooke him into his coche with him through out all ITALY and behind him Brutus Albinus and Octauius the sonne of his Nece who afterwards was called Caesar and became Emperor of ROME long time after So Caesar being afterwards chosen Consul the fift time he immediatly chose Antonius his colleague and companion and desired by deposing him selfe of his Consulship to make Dolabella Consul in his roome and had already moued it to the Senate But Antonius did stowtly withstand it and openly reuiled Dolabella in the Senate and Dolabella also spared him as litle Thereuppon Caesar being ashamed of the matter he let it alone Another time also when Caesar attempted againe to substitute Dolabella Consul in his place Antonius cryed out that the signes of the birdes were against it so that at length Caesar was compelled to giue him place and to let Dolabella alone who was maruelously offended with him Now in truth Caesar made no great reckoning of either of them both For it is reported that Caesar aunswered one that did accuse Antonius and Dolabella vnto him for some matter of conspiracie tushe said he they be not those fat fellowes and fine comed men that I feare but I mistrust rather these pale and leane men meaning by Brutus and Cassius who afterwards conspired his death and slue him Antonius vnwares afterwards gaue Caesars enemies iust occasion and culler to doe as they did as you
At the first battell Annibal had the victorie but after the second Sempronius ouercame him Since that time I can finde in no Guerkenot Latyn Author that Annibal did any famous acte in ITALY worthy memorie For being sent for he AFRICKE by the CARTHAGINIANS he left ITALY sixteen yeares after this APRION warre was begonne greatly complayning of the Senate of CARTHAGE and of him selfe also Of the Senate bicause that all the time he had bene in his enemies contry so long they had allowed him so litle money and so scanted him besides with all other thinges necessary for the warres And of him selfe bicause that after he had so often ouercome the ROMANES he had alwayes delayed time after the victorie and had giuen the enemy libertie to gather force againe It is reported also that before he imbarked and tooke sea he set vp trumphing arche or piller by the temple of Iuno Lacinia in the which were briefly grauen his noble victories both in the Punick and Graeke tongue So when he was departed out of ITALY the wind serued him well that in few dayes he arriued at LEPTIS and landing all his army he first came to ADRVMENTVM and afterwards vnto ZAMA There receiuing aduertisement how the affayres of the CARTHAGINIANS prospered he thought it best to deuise some way to end this warre For this cause he sent vnto Scipio to pray him to appoynt him some conuenient place where they might both meete and talke together of matters of great importance Now it is not certainely knowen whether Annibal did this of his owne head or by commaundement from the Senate Scipio refused not to come to parley Wherefore at the day appoynted there met two famous generalls of mighty nations in a great plaine together either of them hauing his Interpreter to talke together of diuers matters touching peace and warre For Annibal was altogether bent to peace bicause he saw the affayres of the CARTHAGINIANS were worse worse euery day that they had lost SICILIA SARDINIA and SPAYNE bicause the warre was brought out of ITALY into AFRICK bicause Syphax a mighty king was taken prisoner of the ROMANES and also bicause that their last hope consisted in the army he had brought into AFRICK which was the onely remayne and reliefe of so long a warre as he had made in ITALY and also bicause that the CARTHAGINIANS had so small a power left both of straungers and also of Citizens that there were scarse men enough to defende the citie of CARTHAGE So he did his best to perswade Scipio with a long oration he made rather to agree to peace then to resolue of warre Howbeit Scipio that liued in hope to bringe this warre to a good ende he would not seeme to giue eare to any peace Wherefore after they had long debated the matter of either side in the ende they brake of and made no agreement Shortly after was this famous battell striken by the citie of ZAMA in the which the ROMANES obtayned a victorie For first of all they made the CARTHAGINIANS Elephants turne vpon their owne army so that they did put all Annibals horsemen out of order And Laelius and Masinissas who made both the winges increasing their feare gaue the horsemen no leysure to gathes them selues in order againe Howbeit the footemen fought it out a long time with a maruelous great corage insomuch that the CARTHAGINIANS trusting in their former victories thought that all the safetie and preseruation of AFRICK was all in their handes and therefore they layed about them like men The ROMANES on the other side had as great harts as they and besides they stoode in the better hope Howbeit one thing in deede did the ROMANES great seruice to helpe them to the victorie and that was Lalius and Masinissaes returne from the chase of the horsemen who rushed into the battell of the enemie with great furye and did put them in a maruelous feare For at their comming the CARTHAGINIANS harts were done and they saw no other remedie for them but to hope to scape by flying So it is reported that there were slayne that day aboue twenty thowsand CARTHAGINIANS in the field and as many more prisoners Annibal their generall after he had taryed to see the ende of the battell fled with a few of his men out of the great slaughter Afterwardes when he was sent for to CARTHAGE to helpe to saue his contry he perswaded the Senate not to hope any more in warres but did counsell them that setting all deuises a part they should send vnto Scipio the ROMANE Captaine to make peace with him vpon any condicion When the tenne Ambassadors had brought the capitulacion and agreement vnto CARTHAGE of the articles of peace it is reported that there was one Gisgo who misliking to heare talke of peace he made an oration and perswaded all he could to renew warre against the ROMANES Wherefore Annibal perceiuing that diuers men confirmed his opinion and being much offended to see such beasts and men of no vnderstanding to dare to speake of such matters in so daungerous a time he cast him downe headlong whilest he was yet in his oration So when he sawe that the Citizens and all the whole assembly thought this too presumptuous a part of him vnmeete altogether for a free citie he him selfe got vp into the pulpit for orations and sayd Let no man be offended if a man that from his youth hath bene alway out of CARTHAGE brought vp all his life time in warres be ignoraunt of the lawes and ordinaunces of the citie After that he spake so wisely to the articles of peace that the CARTHAGINIANS being immediatly moued by the authoritie of so great a person they all agreed to accept the condicions which the vanquither the necessitie of time offred them The articles out of dout were very extreame and such as the vanquished are wont to receiue with all extreamitie by the conquerors But besides all other things the CARTHAGINIANS were bouÌ„d to pay the ROMANES an annuell tribute vntill a certen time were ronne out So when the daye came that the first pencion was to be payd to the ROMANES and that euery man grudged when the subsedy was spoken of some saye that Annibal being offended with the vaine teares of the CARTHAGINIANS he fell a laughing And when Hasdrubal Haedâ—s reproued him bicause he laughed in such a common calamitie of all the citie he aunswered that it was no laughture nor reioycing from the hart but a scorning of their fond teares that wept when there was lesse cause and onely bicause it touched euery priuate mans purse then before when the ROMANES tooke from the CARTHAGINIANS their shippes armor and weapons and their spoyles of the great victories which they had wonne before and now gaue lawes and ordinaunces vnto them that were vanquished I know some Authors write that Annibal immediatly after he had lost the battell fled into ASIA for
the Megarians Athenians for Salamina Iliad lib. 2. The manner of burial with the MegariaÌ„ the Athenians Solon defendeth the cause of the teÌ„ple of Delphes Epimenides Phaestus taken for one of the 7. sages excluding Periander Solon pacified the sedition at Athens The miserie of dett and vsurie Solons equitie and vprightnes Solon by subtiltie set order betwext the poore rich Solon chosen reformer of the lawe and chief gouernour Salt refuseth to be a tyranne Tynnondas and Pittacus tyrannes Solens aunswere for tyrannie Excellent temperature Things hatefull made pleasaunt with sweete wordes Cleering of detts Solons first lawe Vsurie forbidden vpon gage of the bodie The value of money cried vp by Solon Lawes would be kept secret till they be published Ill consciences by craft preuent LaweÌ„ A good lawemaker beginneth to doe iustice in him selfe Solons absolute authority in the common weale Solon tooke awaye all DracoÌ„s lawes Solon â—ateth euerie citizen at a certen surname Pentacosiomedimnes Zeugite Thetes The darknes of the lawe increased the authoritie of the iudge The counsell of the Areopagites 3 Counsells erected in Athens Other lawes of Solon A lawe against neawters An acte for matching with inheritoâ—s Solon forbiddeth iointers and dowries Dionysius saying of mariages A law forbidding to speake euill of the dead * Drachmeâ— A lawe for willes and testaments marg A lawe for womens going abroade Craftes and occupations aduaunced The authoritie of the courte and counsaile of the Areopagites * Drachmae The tribes of the AtheniaÌ„s howe they were called An acte for welles An acte for planting and setting of trees Drachmae Feasts for townes men in the towne hall of AtheÌ„s Axones Cyrbes Thesmothetes SoloÌ„s trauell Clarius fl AEpia called Soles Solon saâ—e king Croesus in the cittie of Sardis Croesus question to Solon touching happines Solon esteemed Tellus a happie man. Cleobis Biton happy meÌ„ Solon commeÌ„deth the meane No man happie before his endâ— AEsope saying to Solon Solons aunswer to AEsope King Croesus wordes of Solon hanging vpoÌ„ a gibbeâ— to be bâ—ant Riches are but wordes opinion Sedition as AtheÌ„s in Solons absence Solon returneth to Athens Pisistratus wicked crasie subtiltie Thespis a maker of tragedies Solon reproued Thespis for lying Solons libertie constancie A good lawe for reward of seruice The house of P. Valerius Tarquinine Superbus Valerius Brutus companion in expulsing the Kings Lucius Brutus Tarquinius Collatinus Consuls The first embasâ—iâ—e of king Tarquine for recouering his Realme Another embasstate from Tarquine demaunding his goodes Good counsell of Minutius Tarquines ambassadours practise treason The Aquilij and Vitellij with Brutus sonnes traytours to their countrie The confederacy coÌ„firmed with drinking of maÌ„s bloud Vindicius heareth all their treason The conclusion of their treason Vindicius bewrayeth the treason vnto Valerius Titus Valerius Brutus sonnes Brutus seeth his â—ame sonnes punished executed Brutus praised reproued for the death of his sonnes Collatinus softnes perileus Valerius boldly appeacheth Collatinus of iniustice Collatinus resigneth his Consulshippe 〈…〉 departeth 〈…〉 S. Vindicta so called by reason of Vindicius Tarquines flied coÌ„secrated to Mars Vhereof the holy Iland came in Rome that lieth betwene both bridges Tarquine coÌ„meth with a great power of the Thuscans to wage battell with the Romaines Arsia silua AruÌ„s Brutus encountered and slue eche other The victory of the Romaines against the Thuscans Valerius the first Consul that euer triumphed vpon a cherres The first beginning of funerall oration amoÌ„g the Romaines Anaximenes sayeth Solon was the first that instituted prayses for the dead Valerius stately house staÌ„ding on mouÌ„t Velia Valerius a good example for magistrates Valerius ouerthrew his stately house The temple called Vicus Publicus VVhy Valerius was surnamed Publicola Publicolath actes and lawes VVhereof Peculium was called The first Quastores Publius Veturius Marc. Minutius Lucretius Publicola Consuls Publicola Marcus Horatius CoÌ„suls How oft a Iupiter Capitolins temple was burnt and built againe How much was spent in building the Capitoll Domitians mad building humor Personae proclaimeth warres with Rome Publicola Thus Lucretius Consuls Horatius Cocles why so called Good seruice rewarded Publicola Consul The noble acte of Mutius Secuola How Mutius come by the name of Secuola Publicolae maketh Porsena iudge betwext them and the Tarquines Peace graunted the Romaines by Porsena The boldenes of Claelia and other Romaine virgines The liberalitie of king Persona to the Romaines Marcus Valerius Posthumius Tubertus Consuls Marcus Valerius the brother of Publicola triumpheth of the Sabynes Appius Clausus goeth to dwel at Rome The familie of the Claudians The Sabynes slaine The death of Publicola His funeralles Publicola happie Publicola erected the office of Quaestores A politicke precepâ— Cynosargos a place of exercise dedicated to Hercules Thermistocles towardness Themistocles was Anaxagoras Melissus schollar Mnesiphilus Phrearian VVhat wisedome at in olde time Nowe the name of Sophisters came â—â— Themistocles youthe The priuie grudge betwext Themistocles and Aristides Aristides a iust man. Themistocles ambition Themistocles persuaded his contriemen to make gallyes The AtheniaÌ„s beÌ„t their force to sea by Themistocles persuasion Themistocles a good husbaÌ„d to looke for his profit Themistocles extremely ambitious A wise saying of Themistocles Themistocles made Aristides to be banished Epicydes an orator sued to be generall Arthmius defamed for bribing Themistocles generall of the AtheniaÌ„s against Xerxes The coast of Aretemisivm Themistocles straâ—ageame VVodden walles signifie shipps The Athenians forsake Athens by Themistocles persuasion doe goe to the sea Xanthippus dogge The dog goe graue Aristides renorneth from banishement by Themistocles decree Notable aunswers of Themistocles The Sleue is a fishe facioned like a sworde Themistocles stratageame by the which he wanne the ba'tell at Salamina Themistocles Aristides consent together to geue battell Xerxes king of Persia had a thousand ships Ariamenes Xerxes admirall The Grecians victorie of the Persians â—aâ—y by sea Aristides counsell vnto Themistocles for the breaking of Xerxes bridge Themistocles stratageame Themistocles honored aboue all the Grecians Themistocles ambition noted A prety tale of Themistocles Themistocles saying of his sonne Themistocles buylt againe the walles of the cittie of Athens A subtle fetche of Themistocles The hauen of Piraea fortified The equitie of the Athenians Themistocles goddes Loue and Force The AndriaÌ„s goddesses Pouertie Impossibilitie Themistocles banished for fiue yers Pausanias reuealeth his reason vnto Themistacles Themistocles suspected of treason Themistocles fled into the I le of Corphv The manner of supplicatioÌ„ among the Molossians Themistocles dreame The Persian iealous of their wiues Howe Themistocles was conueyed to the king of Persias courte The Persians honour their King as the image of the god of nature Themistocles talke with the â—ing of Persia An excellent comparison of Themistocles Themistocles honoured of the king of Persia. Demaratus fond demaÌ„do of the King. Themistocles had the reuenue of three citties allowed him for his dyet Themistocles escaped murder by a
Tenterides people of Germany Caesars horsemen put to flight The Ipes and Tenterides slaine by Caesar Sicambri a people of the Germaines Caesar made a bridge ouer the riuer of Rheyn Caesars iorney into England The death of Iulia Caesars Daughter The rebellion of the Gaules Cotta and Titurius with their armie slaine Caesar slue the Gaules led by Ambiorix The second rebellion of the Gaules against Caesar. Vercingentorix Captaine of the rebells against Caesar. * Some say that in this place is to be redde in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the riuer Saone The Hedul rebell against the Romanes * Sequani Vercingentorix ouerthrowen by Caesar. The seege of Alexia Caesars daunger and wise policie Caesars great victorie at Alexie Alexia yelded vp to Caesar The discord betwixt Caesar and Pompey and the cause of the ciuill warres Caesars crassines The peoples voices bought at Rome for money Pompey gouerned Spain and Africk Caesar sueth the second time to be coÌ„sul and to haue his gouernment proroged Caesar bribeth the Magistrates at Rome Pompey abused by slauerers Caesars requests vnto the Senate Antonius Curio Tribunes of the people fly from Rome to Caesar Caesars doubtfull thoughts at the riuer of Rubicon The Greeke vseth this phrase of speech cast the dye Caesar tooke the citie of Arminum Caesars damnable dreame Rome in vprore with Caesars comming Pompey flyeth from Rome Labienus forsooke Caesar and fled to Pompey Domitius escaped from Caesar fled to Pompey Pompey flyeth into Epirus Silent leges inter arma Caesar taketh money out of the temple of Saturne Caesars iorney into Spayne against Pompeys Lieuetenants Caesar Dictator Caesar and Isauricus Consulls Caesar goeth into the kingdom of Epirus Complaints of the olde souldiers against Caesar. A great aduenture of Caesar. Anius â—â— Caesars daungers troubles in the Realme of Epirus Caesars armie fled from Pompey Caesars wordes of Pompeys victory Caesar troubled in mind after his losse Pompeys determination for the warre Pompey called Agamemnon and king of kings The citie of Gomphes in Thessaly Pompeys dreame in Pharsalia The securitie of the Pompeians Pompeys armie at great againe as Caesars A wonder seene in the element before the battell in Pharsalia Caesars armie and his order of battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Pompeys army and his order of battell An ill counsel and fowle fault of Pompey The battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Caesars strategeme Caesar ouercommeth Pompey Pompeys flight Brutus that slue Caesar taken prisoner at the battell of Pharsalia Signes tokens of Caesars victory A straunge tale of Cornelius an excellent Prognosticatos Caesars clemeÌ„cy in victory The cause of Caesars warre in Alexandria Pothinus the Euenuke caused Pompey to be slayne Cleopatra came to Caesar Cleopatra trussed vp in a mattresse and so brought to Caesar vpon Apollodorus backe The great library of Alexandria burnt Caesars swimming with bookes in his hand Caesar made Cleopatra Queene of AEgypt Caesarion Caesars sonne begotteÌ„ of Cleopatra Caesars victorie of king Pharnaces Caesar wyteth three wordes to certifie his victory Caesars iorney into Africke against Cato and Scipio Caesars troubles in Africke Alga and dogges tooth geuen to the horse to eate Caesars daungers in Africke Caesars great victorie and small losse Caesar trobled with the falling sickenes Caesar was sory for the death of Cato Caesar wrote against Cato being dead Cicero wrote a booke in praise of Cato being dead Iuba the sonne of king Iuba a famous historiographer Caesars feasting of the Romanes The muster taken of the Romanes Caesar Consull the fourth time Battell fought betwext Caesar and the young Pompeyes by the city of Mvnda Caesars victory of the sonnes of Pompey Caesar triumphe of Pompeis sonnes Caesar Dictator perpetuall The temple of clemency dedicated vnto Caesar for his curtesie Cassius and Brutus Praetors Caesars saying of death Good will of subiectes the best gard and safety for Palaces Caninius Rebilius Consull for one day Anienes Tiber flu Caesar reformed the inequality of the yeare * Mercedonius mensis intercularis VVhy Caesar was hated The feast Lipercalia Antonius being Consull was one of the Lupercalians Antonius presented the Diadeame to Caesar. Caesar saued Marcus Brutus life after the battell of Pharsalia Brutus conspireth against Caesar. Cassius stâ—roeth vp Brutus against Caesar. Predictions foreshewes of Caesars death Caesars day of his death prognosticased by a Soothsayeth The dreame of Calpurnia Caesars wife Decius Brutus Albinus perswasion to Caesar. Decius Brutus brought Caesar into the Senate house The tokens of the conspiracy against Caesar. The place where Caesar was slaine Antonius Caesars faithfull frend Casca the first that strake at Caesar. Caesar slaine and had 23. wounds apon him The murtherers of Caesar doe goe to the Capitall Caesars funeralls Cinnaes dreame of Caesar. The murther of Cinna Caesar 56. yere olde at his death The reuenge of Caesars death Cassius being ouerthrowen at the battell of Philippes slue himselfe with the selfe same sword wherewith he strake Caesar. VVonders seene in the element after Caesars death A great Comet Brutus vision A spirit appeared vnto Brutus The second appearing of the spirit vnto Brutus Demades arrogaÌ„t saying The power of vertue and fortune Aduersitie maketh men hasty Ciceroes saying of Cato the common wealth at Rome Catoes plaine maner became not the corrupt and suretie time The parâ—â—age of Phocion Phocion neuer wept nor laughed Phocions maners VVherein excellencie of speech consifieth Phocions first souldier saâ—e The victory of Chabrias and Phocion in the I le of Naxos Phocions notable sayings Aristogiton a Sycophant coward Phocion called by surname goâ—â— Phocions iorney into Euboâ—a Phocion perswadeth his Captaines to suffer the musinous souldiers cowards to depart the campe Phocions victory in Eubâ—â—a Phocion saued the citie of Byzantium PhocioÌ„ draws Philip out of Hellespont Phocion ioyned Megara vnto Athens To reioyce at any mans hurt sheweth a base mind vile nature Alexander pacified with the Athenians by Phocions meanes Phocions vertue and integrity refusing of Alexanders money Phocions house and wiues Phocus Phocions sonne what he was Phocion despiseth Harpalus money Phocion refused to defend his sonne in law in an ill cause Phocions victory of the Macedonians The Graecians ouercomeÌ„ by Antipater Phocion Ambassador vnto Antipater Xenocrates authoritie Xenocrates despised of Antipater Presages of the miseries of the Athenians The crueltie of Antipater Phocion refuseth Menyllus giftes Phocion loued pouertie The insolencie of Demades the Orator Cassander king Antipaters sonne The 〈…〉 end of Demades Polyperchon Generall of the armie of the Macedonians Polyperchon conspiracie against Phocion Nicanor to receiue then to offer an iniury Alexander the sonne of Polyperchon practiseth treason against the Athenians Phocion accused of treason Polyperchon did put Dinarchus to death Phocion sent prisoner to Athens to be condemned The furie of the Athenians against Phocion The crueltie of the Athenians vnto Phocion Phocion condemned to death The constancy and corage of Phocion being condemned
the king of Persia Demosthenes praiseth them that were slaine at the battell of Chaeronea The death of Philip king of Macedon Demosthenes preferreth the ioy of his contrie before the sorow of his owne daughter AEschinesse proued by Plutarch for his fonde beleefe that blubbering and sorowing are signes of loue and charitie Plutarch praiseth Demosthenes constancie for leauing of his mourning to reioyce for his common contrie benefit Demosthenes raiseth vp the Graecians against Alexander Alexander required certaine Orators of Athens Demosthenes â—ale of the sheepe and woulues The iudgement of the crowne vnto Ctesiphon Harpalus a great money man came to Athens flying from Alexander Demosthenes bribed by Harpalus with oxenty â—ateâ— * This concelâ— can hardly be expressed in any other language then in Greeke For he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alloâ—ding to the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to delight by pleasaunt speeche or sound Demosthenes banishment Demosthenes tooke his banishment grieuously Three mischieuous beasts Antipater besieged of the Athenians Demosthenes called home from exile Demosthenes fine of fiftie talentes remitted Archias Phygadotheras a hunter of the banished men Demosthenes dream Demosthenes taketh poyson to kill him selfe in the temple of Neptune in the I le of Calauria The death of Demosthenes The time of Demosthenes death The Athenians honored Demosthenes after his death * He sayth Antigonus in the life of Phocius Demades death and reward for his treason Ciceroes parentage Cicero why so called Cicero Quaestor Ciceroes birth An image appeared to Ciceroes nursâ— Ciceroes towardnes and wit. Cicero a notable Poet. Cicero Philoes scholler the Academicke Philosopher Cicero a follower of Mutius Scauola Roscius pâ—â— in siâ—â— Cicero a weake man. Cicero Antiochus scholler The commoditie of exercise Cicero goeth into Asia and to Rhodes Cicero declamed in Graeke Apollonius testimonie of Cicero An Oracle giuen to Cicero Ciceroes first practising in the common wealih Roscius and AEsopus comon players Cicero a fine Tawnser Cicero chosen Quaestor Ciceroes diligence iustice and lenitie Cicero ambitious desirous of praise Cicero geuen to know mens names their landes and frendes Ciceroes doings against Verres He spake it bicause the Iewes doe ease no swines flesh Cicero chosen AEdilis Ciceroes riches Ciceroes great curtesie and resorte Cicero chosen Praetor Licinius Macer condemned Cicero with one word pacified the offended Tribunes Cicero made Consul The conspiracy of Cateline Catalines wickedness C. Antonius and M.T. Cicero created Consuls Great troubles at Rome in the time of Ciceroes Consulshippe A law preferred for the creacion and authority of the Decemuiri Cicero by his eloquence ouerthrow the law of the Decemuiri Ciceroes swâ—â—â— tongue * Others â—â—â— say Lucius Roscius Otho Tribune of the people Roscius lawe for deuiding of the Roman Knights from the common people Syllaes souldiers conspired with Catiline Cicero examined Catalin in the Senate Syllanus and Murana and Consulls Letters brought to Crassus of Catilines conspiracie Fuluia betrayeth Catilines intent to kill Cicero Catiline departed Rome C. Lentulus why called Sura Oracles of three Cornelij that should raigne at Rome Great treason practised in Rome by C. Lentulus and Cethegus The conspiratours apprehended Syllanus sentence of the conspirators Caesar priuie to Catilines conspiracie Caesars opinion for the punishment of the conspirators The execution of the conspirators They liuedâ— A word vsurped for the dead Ciceroes praise Catilin slaine in battell by Antonius Caesar chosen Praetor Metellus and Bestia Tribunes of the people Cicero resigneth his office Ciceroes Consulship praised by Cato Cicero the first man called Father of the contry Cicero too much giuen to praise him self Cicero friendâ—y to praise others Cicero sayeth Demosthenes sleepeth in his orations Ciceroes subtile end pleasant â—â—â—ge The Stoickes opinion A wise man is euer riche * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actius is a proper name of a Romane and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth worthyt So the grace of the equiuocation can not be expressed in any other language * Bicause the Africanes haue commonly their eares bored through The malice betwixt Cicero Clodius Cicero gaue euidence against Clodius The wicked parts of Clodius * Some olde bookes doe read Teritâ— Clodius 〈…〉 and found not gilty Caesars wordes of the putting away his wife Pompeia Clodius chosen Tribune of the people Piso and Gabinius Consuls Crassus Pompey and Caesar three of the greatest men in Rome tooke part with Clodius against Cicero Cicero accused of Clodius The knights of Rome and Senate chauÌ„ged garments for Ciceroes sake Pompey would not see Cicero being accused Ciceroes exile Hipponium alias Vibone a city in Luke A wonder shewed vnto Cicero in his exile Ciceroes faint hart in his exile The wonderfull power of glory Pompey chauÌ„ging mind doth fauor Cicero Lentulus Consul Cicero called home from banishment Cicero taketh away the tables of Clodius actes out of the Capitoll Clodius the Tribune slaine by Milo. Cicero fearefull in warres and timerous in pleading Cicero pleadeth Miloes case Cicero chosen Augure Ciceroes integritie for the gouernment of his prouinces MoÌ„â— Amanus Cicero called Imperator Cicero seeketh to pacifie the quarrell betwext Pompey and Caesar Ciceroes words of Pompey and Caesar. Cicero goeth vnto Pompey Cato gaue place to Cicero and offered him the charge of the nauy at Dyrrachium The force of Ciceroes eloquence how it altered Caesar. Ciceroes life vnder Caesar. Cicero did put away his wife Terentia Cicero maried a young maiden Cicero not made priuy to the conspiracie against Caesar. Priuate grudge betwext Antonius and Cicero Cicero saileth into Greece Ill will betwext Cicero Antonius Cicero and Octauius Caesar ioyned in frendship Ciceroes dreame of Octauius the adopted sonne of Iulius Caesar Octauius and Accia the parents of Octauius Caesar. Octauius Caesar was borne in the yere of Ciceroes Consulship Ciceroes great power â—â— Rome Octauius Caesar sueth to be Consul Octauius Caesar forsaketh Cicero Note the fickelnes of youth The meeting of the Triumuiri Antonius Lepidus Octauius Caesar Cicero appointed to be slaine Quintus Cicero slaine * Some doe read Cajete A wonderous matter foreshewed by crowes vnto Cicero Herennius Popilius sent to kill M. T. Cicero M.T. Cicero slain by Herennius Ciceroes head and hands set vp ouer the pulpit for Orations A strange and cruell punishmeÌ„t taken by Pomponia Quintus Ciceroes wife of Philologus for betraying of his maister Augustus Caesars testimony of Cicero Ciceroes sonne Consul with Augustus Caesar. The decree of the Senate against Antonius being dead Demosthenes eloquence Ciceroes rare and diuers doctrines Demosthenes and Ciceroes maners Demosthenes modest in praising of him selfes Cicero too fall of ostentacion Demosthenes and Ciceroes cunning in their Orations in the coÌ„mon wealth Authoritie sheweth ment vertues and vices Ciceroes abstinense freâ—â— money Demosthenes a money taker Diuers causes of the banishment of Demosthenes and Cicero The differeÌ„ce betwext Demosthenes and Ciceroes death How sences and artes doe agree differ The master of the SpartaÌ„s to