the long he had by his wife Illiriade and the other he got of Ptolomayde who after reigned Lorde and King of Cyrene There are some also which saye that Barrabe begotten of Euridice was likewise his sonne Thus after hys death the succession and posteritie of the sayde Demetre obtayned and enioyed the realme of Macedone vntil the reigne of King Perse whome the Romaynes after vanquished and expulsed Thus endeth the Historie of the Successors of Alexander extracte out of Diodore the Sicilian some part out of the wise Plutarque which conteyneth their actes iestes from the death of Alexander the great vntil the death of Demetre sonne to the great Antigone And whosoeuer lysteth to read and know the end of the other may read the Historie of Troge Pompey abridged by Iustine FINIS ¶ The Table of the Chapters conteyned in this present volume The first Booke AFter the death of Alexander the great Aride hys brother is established King and Perdicas appointed his Gouernour Chapter .1 fol. 1 ¶ Perdicas taking vpon hym the gouernement of the Realme deuideth the Satrapies amongs the Princes Chapter .2 fol. 2 ¶ Perdicas sendeth Python against y e Grekes rebelling in the hye countreys whome he ouerthroweth And incidentlie the description of the scite and compasse of all Asie Chap. 3. fol. 4 ¶ Of the warres that the Atheniās made against Antipater called the Lamian warre Cap. 4. fol. 6 ¶ Certē of the Princes vpon whome Perdicas had bestowed the gouernement of the Prouinces go about to Seiniorize them Cap. 5. fol. 9 ¶ Leonathe cōming to the rescous of Antipater is by the Athenians ouerthrowen and slayne But after the sayd Athenians are by Clythe chased and ouerthrowen at Sea Cap. 6. fol. 10 ¶ Perdicas ouercōmeth Ariarathes restoreth to Eumenes the countrey of Cappadoce Cap. 7. fol. 11 ¶ Antipater in fight vanquisheth the Grecian armie putteth in subiection the greater numbre of the cities of Grece and Athens and in the ende restoreth them to libertie Cap. 8. fol. 11 ¶ Of the exploits which Thymbron Ptolome did in the warres of Cyrene Cap. 9. fol. 13 ¶ Perdicas entring Piside taketh the Lamadians prisoners and by siege so distresseth the Isaurians that they kill them selues And at the entreatie of Antigone Antipater and Cratere whiche warred vppon the Etholians concludeth a peace with them bycause they woulde go against Perdicas Cap. 10. fol. 15 ¶ Of y e transporting the body of Alexander into Egipt out of Babylon The forme and fashion of the charriot w t the Pompe and solempnitie thereof Cap. 11. fol. 17 ¶ Eumenes is in battaill ouerthrowen and Cratere slayne Cap. 12. fol. 19 ¶ How the souldiors of Perdicas after he had brought them into Egipt slew him And howe Python and Aride were chosen Gouernours of the Kings Cap. 13. fol. 21 ¶ After the death of Perdicas the Macedonians flea all his kynne and friends in the armie and adiudge Attale and Alcete with their abettours and friends enimies rebelles Of the retire of Attale into the citie of Tyre consequently howe he a freshe assembleth all Perdicas friends which are escaped Cap. 14. fol. 23 ¶ The Etholians to put Antipater from his enterprise enter Thessalie who by the Acarnanians are constrayned to returne into their countrey And in what sorte Polispercon conquereth the countrey of Thessaly Cap. 15. fo 24 ¶ Antipater being constituted Gouernour and Protectour of the Kings a newe deuideth the Satrapies Cap. 16. fol. eodem ¶ Antigone vanquisheth Eumenes and besiegeth the Citie of Nore Cap. 17. fol. 25 ¶ Of the cōquests which Ptolome made on the countreys of Phenice and Celosirie Cap. 18. fol. 27 ¶ Antigone enterpriseth warres ageinst Alcete and Attale and discomfiteth them Cap. 19. fol. 27 ¶ After the death of Antipater Polispercon is ordeyned Gouernour of the Kings Cassander enterpriseth to expulse him the Gouernement Cap. 20. fol. 29 ¶ Antigone vnderstanding of Antipater his death taketh vpon him the gouernement of the Empire of Asie and sendeth to Eumenes desiring his returne Ca. 2◠fo 30 ¶ Aride is repulsed from the siege of the Citie of Cizice Cap. 22. fol. 31 ¶ Antigone commenceth warre against Aride gouernour of Phrigie and against Clite Lorde of Lydie And in the ende openly proclaymeth him selfe enimie to the Kings and enioyeth one parte of Asie Cap. 23. fo 31 ¶ Of diuers aduentures whiche happened Eumenes and of his deliueraunce frō the siege of Nore ca. 24. fo 32 ¶ Cassander sheweth him selfe enimie to Polispercon and getteth to his alliaunce many of the Satrapes Polispercon by an edict Royall restoreth the Cities of Grece into their auncient libertie Cap. 25. fol. 33 ¶ Eumenes taking parte with the Kings goeth into Cilice and of hys practises to gette men of warre Cap. 26. fol. 35 ¶ Ptolome goeth about to cause the Argiraspides to kill Eumenes whome he by his wisedome appeased and after sendeth an armie by sea into Phenice Ca. 27. fo 37 ¶ Nycanor kéeping and occupying the Porte of Pyre against the Athenians is besieged by Alexander Polispercon his sonne and of the mutenie in the citie of Athens Cap. 28. fol. 38 ¶ Polispercon besiegeth Cassander in Pyrey and perceyuing that he coulde not winne it departeth thence and besiegeth the citie of Megalopolis where by the wisedome and policie of Demades he is at an assault repulsed Cap. 29. fol. 41 ¶ After Clyte hath ouerthrowen at Sea Cassander he is through the wisedome of Antigone soone after discomfited and finally slaine in his flight Cap. 30. fol. 43 ¶ Eumenes vnderstanding that Antigone is comming against him departeth out of the countrey of Cilice And when he hath by his wisedome and industrie escaped in the waye the handes and ambushes of Seleuke he commeth into Perse. Cap. 31. fol. 44 ¶ The Athenians make a perfecte amitie and inuiolable peace with Cassander and allie with him After he killeth Nycanor and bringeth the greater number of the cities of Grece to his alliance Cap. 32. fol. 44 Of the second booke OF certayne matters both by the Romaines and the Crotonians exploited in Italie Cap. 1. fol. 45 ¶ Olympias Alexander his mother by meane of Polispercon obtayneth the gouernement of the Realme of Macedone causeth King Phillip and Euridice his wife to be executed and besides vseth many other cruelties Cap. 2. fol. 46 ¶ Eumenes passeth the Ryuer of Tygre and maugre Seleuke and Pythō marcheth into Susiane and after commaundeth the Satrapes of the higher Asie w t their whole power to mete him Cap. 3. fol. 47 ¶ The Satrapes of the hier countrey of Asie to resiste Python ioyne togyther and of the power they assembled Capt. 4. fol. 48 ¶ Eumenes through hys wisedome appeaseth the dissention of the Satrapes stryuing for the principalitie and payeth his men of warre And of the preparation which Antigone for his part maketh Cap. 5. fol. 49 ¶ How eight prisoners Alcete his souldiours throughe their great prowes
¶ A RIGHTE noble and pleasant History of the Successors of Alexander surnamed the Great taken out of Diodorus Siculus and some of their liues written by the wise Plutarch Translated out of French into Englysh by Thomas Stocker Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider streat at the signe of the Mermayd for Humfrie Toy ANNO DOMINI 1569. TO THE RIGHT honourable his verie good Lord Lord Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwyck Baron Lisle of the right honorable order of the garter Knight and M. of the ordinaunce to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie AS of late came vnto my handes right honourable and my very good Lord this Booke entituled the Historie of the successors of AlexaÌ„der surnamed the great written in the Greeke tong by Diodore the Sicilian and translated into Frenche by M. Claude of Seissell sometime M. of the Requestes to the most Christian King Lewis the xij of that name and to him addressed I was when I had ouer read and well considered the same maruellously rauished and earnestly wished it hadde bene published in our vulgare tong that many others might vnderstand it Bycause as me thinketh it is both noble and pleasaunt as well for the noueltie of the Historie as also for the varietie and stile which is right propre and such one as apperteyneth and chiefly belongeth to a very good Historian wherein is shewed the vncerteintie of fortune whiche maruellously may serue and helpe to read and consider the worldly happes heretofore to great Kings Princes and Nobles chaunced who sometime were in great dignitie and had high authoritie and wonderful prosperitie Wherby in seeing after great felicitie and maruellous prosperitie the straunge aduersitie and miserie whiche happened them and the continual chaunge of their estates and aduentures may more and more be vnderstood the instabilitie and imperfection of wordly matters And chiefly in those great and honorable personages the successors of Alexander the great by whome is most declared the inconstancie of all things subiect to alteration and chaunge and where Fortune to speake after the vulgare opinion hath best shewed the power and auctoritie Whiche Booke when I hadde finished I aduised me to what honorable and Martiall personage I might fitliest addresse it And as I aboade in this imagination I at last called to remembrance your late noble progenitor who in facts of warre and Martiall pollicies surmounted in these our dayes the more parte of this noble Realme of Englande And forthwith considering that your honoure is he who in those noble vertues rightly representeth the very liuely Image of your most noble progenitor and also vnderstanding your affabilitie and naturall inclination to all suche as haue delight therein I am therefore all these things considered the rather enboldened to take on hande to dedicate this the firste fruite of my trauell vnto your honour Most humbly beseching the same that it woulde vouchsafe to take in worth thys small present and gifte and to consider rather the harte and good will of the giuer who desireth nothing more than to do you seruice agreable than the value or qualitie of the present very small and in a rude stile to dedicate vnto so Noble a personage And bycause the sayd Claude of Seissell would not that this sayde Historie shoulde remayne imperfect to leaue the Reader in doubt of the ende and issue of the warres begonne by Antigone the great and Demetre his sonne against al the rest of the Kings and Princes successors of Alexander in those dayes somewhat touched in the beginning of the third Boke by the sayd Diodore he hath therefore taken out of the wise Plutarche the remnaunte in the life of Demetre vnto his death in whose tyme were almoste all the great and notable factes of warre worthie memorie exployted and done Wherefore in reuoluing the sayd Historie with iudgement and to the ende it is translated there may in my opinion some commoditie and profit be receyued For as touching the course of worldly things may be sene the Stratagemes and pollicies in the facts of war togither many sundry and diuerse battailles sieges and enterprises verie pleasaunt to read and heare wherein may also be lerned many things apperteyning to that arte And farther as concerning the morall direction of mannes life there may besides be founde both by learning and examples manie goodly documentes And chiefely that whiche is moste meete and becomming a noble personage whereof he is called Magnanimus that he shoulde not for any prosperitie whiche happeneth him be ouer high minded nor yet for any aduersitie he hath or might chaunce him lose hys harte courage or hope whiche things wholly seruing to the perfection of man in this present life and consisteth in the habitude and operation of Morall vertues and also to the perfection of the soule ordering and appointing the latter ende and intentioÌ„ to the euerlasting blisse which god of hys infinite goodnesse and grace graunt your honour and vs al after the course of this present life Your honours most humble at commaundement Tho. Stocker ¶ The first Booke of the successours of Alexander surnamed the great wrytten by Diodore the Sicilian in the Greeke tongue and after Translated into the French by Claude of Seisel sometime a Counsailour and maister of the Requests to IEWES the twelfth of that name then the FRENCH King And now Englished from the FRENCH By THOMAS STOCKER The Prologe PYTHAGORAS the Samian and diuers other graue and wise Philosophers haue taught lefte in writing that the soules of men are immortal and the more strongly to approue and verify their opion and iudgement therin they affirme that wheÌ„ the soules depart the bodyes that they haue the prescience and foreknowledge of things to come Thereunto also accordeth the famous Poet Homer as appeareth by his introducing of Hector who a little before he died prognosticated the death of Achilles which shortly after ensued The like also of later dayes hath bene wel noted knowne in many that died who at the hour of their deathes prophecied what should happen and chiefly confirmed in Alexander surnamed the greatâ— his death King of Macedone For he lying at Babilon vpon his death bed being by his friends asked in the very extréeme and laste article of death to whom he would leaue his Realme and royal dignities answered to the most worthy the gouernement thereof For I ê™ he foresée that in stead of my sepulture and funeral my friends are determined to moue open hostilitie warrs which in déede soone after came to passe For the greatest most honorable his friends striuing for the principalitie and gouernment were the causes of many great conflicts Al which matters together with the deedes and gestes of hys said successours shall be contained in this present Booke and be made manifest and plain to al studious learned which wil read and desire to vnderstand the same For the booke precedent treateth of the Noble and worthy déedes of Alexander
vnto the time of his death But this which now I am in hand with comprehendeth and setteth forth the renoumed actes of Alexander his successors being an Historie of .vij. whole yeares continuaunce ¶ After the death of Alexander the great Aride his brother is established king and Perdicas appointed to be his gouernoure The first Chapter THE same yeare that the Athenians ordained and chose Celphisodore to be their Prouost and gouernour and the Romaines created Lucie Fury and Dece Iuny theyr Consuls King Alexander deceasing without issue chaunced betwéene the raigne state to arise great dissention and sedition amoÌ„gs the Princes for the principalitie and gouernement For the regiment of his foote men were wholy determined to aduaunce Aride to the kingdom who although soÌ„ne to king Phillip and brother to Alexander yet notwithstaÌ„ding he was attainted with the incurable disease of the mind By reason wherof the rest of the Princes and Nobles in aucthority which garded Alexander his body hauing with them the horse men called the Souldiours condescended and agréed by one whole and common consent to reare warres against the footemen rather than they would suffer and abide their insolent boldnesse But before they enterprised the matter they thought best to send certaine of the chiefest and most honourable personages in their company with an ambassade to the footemen Amongs whom Meleager was appointed chief principal Ambassador to dissuade them to desist and leaue of their atteÌ„pt alleaging that it stode most with reason that they shold obey the Princes But so soone as Meleager was come amongst them he neuer made mention of the Ambassade and charge committed vnto him but contrariwise approuing alowing their attempt and enterprise did al that in him lay to support and maintaine them agaynst the Princes and their confederates so that the footemen hauing great good liking both of his counsaile and corage ordained him forthwith their Coronel and thereupon armed them to giue battail to the aduersary In so muche that the Princes and Nobles in their company issued out of the towne in armes and put them selues in order of battaile How be it certaine of the wisest and most circumspect deepely waying considering the case concluded a finall peace Wherein was agréed that Aride shold be established king And Perdicas chiefe of the Macedonian princes to whom Alexander at the hour of his death gaue his ring deputed his gouernor And to the rest of the Princes and chiefe of the army were diuided and geuen the administrations and gouernmentes of the Prouinces late vnder the subiection of Alexander Which administratioÌ„s or presidentships the Gréekes called Satrapies the gouernors of the same Prouinces Satrapes conditionally that euery of the sayd Princes at all times should be subiect and obedient vnto the King and Perdicas his gouernor ¶ Perdicas taking vpon him the gouernement of the realme deuideth the Satrapies amongs the Princes The second Chapter SHortly after that Perdicas hadde taken vpon him the rule ouer the rest he forthwith assembled all the princes and captains assigned to euery of them certaine Prouinces to gouern And first he bestowed the gouernmeÌ„t of Egipt on Ptolome the sonne of Lage on Laomedon of Mytthilene Syrie on Philote Cilice on Phiton Mede on Eumenes Paphlagone and Cappadoce together the regions to them adioyning in which Alexander by reason of the continuall warres betwixt him and King Darye neuer came on Antigone Pamphilie and Licie together Phrigie the great on Cassander Carie on Meleager Lydie and on Leonate the lesser Phrigie which bordereth aboue Hellespont In this sort were deuided the Prouinces of Asia In Europe was appointed to Lysimache the Countrey of Thrace with the Countreys and people therunto adioyning lying vpon the Sea coast of Euxine to Antipater Macidone with all the rest of the Countreys bordering thereon And for the residue of the Countreys and Satrapies of Asie ouer beside those already named he thought good to leaue to the rule and gouernment of those whom Alexander had deputed in his life time And the rest next to them he left to Taxille and the other Kings and Princes which before enioyed them And the Countreis lying beyond Caucase the Mount which is Paropanisade he left to Osarte King of the Bactrians whose daughter Alexander had espoused named Roxanne He bestowed also on Sebirte Aracose and Gedrose on Stasanor the Solian Arrye and Draucine on Phillip Bactriane and Sogdiane on Frataferne Parthe and Hircane on Lucete Perside on Tlepoleme Carmanie on Atrapes Mede on Archon Babilon on Achesilaye Mesopotame Besides all this be constituted and ordained Seleuck captaine general of the horsse men called the Souldiers being the chiefest Office of charge most honorable within the army which charge Ephestion first had and after him Perdicas Moreouer the Realmes and dominions which Alexander gaue to Taxille Pore they held and enioyed them according as Alexander had lefte them And as touching the transporting of Alexander his body to the Temple of Iupiter Hammone the setting vp of his Toomb the apparelling therof with the furniture and solempnization of the funeralles the whole charge was committed to Aride While Alexander liued he appointed Cratere one of hys chiefe Captaines withâ—â— M. old souldiors to goe into Cilice to whom he gaue certaine ordinaunces and Commissions to execute and performe But assone as Alexander was dead the Princes his successors would in no wise agrée that the sayd ordinaunces should be performed For after Perdicas had seene and red the letters registers of the said Alexander whereby he appointed a great deale of treasure to be leuied for y e buriall of Epheston and that he had farther assigned many other things of great cost and charge to be done he was of the opinion that all the said ordinaunces of Alexander shold be reuoked and adniâ— hilate But to the end it shold not be thought that he weÌ„t about to derogate the aucthority and honor of Alexander he comprimitted the matter to the deliberation of the Macedonians and amongs diuers and sundry things they found great and waightye matters worthy remembraunce appointed by Alexander For first he ordained that a thousande tall Gallies should be built longer and bigger than were in Phenice Sirye Cilice or Cypres to warre against the Carthagians and certaine other Countreis lying and bordering vpon the Lybian and Spanishe seas the regions to them adioyning euen vnto Sicile to the end he wold be Lord and gouernour of all the Libian seas hard to the pillers of Hercules He also ordained that there should be erected .v. royall and honorable Temples to the value of fiue hundred talents euery of them and that there should be cut out a number of large and great harborowes in places méete for the purpose to ride at harborow the said nauie of gallies That done he willed and commaunded diuers mighty and great Cities to be built those to be peopled as
still looked for the comming of Antigone went from Phenicie with his whole armie and with great spéede came through the countrey of Celosirie for that he ment to get vpon the hie Countrey of Syrie And when he was néere the riuer Tygris the people of the Countrey by night assailed him and slue some of his souldiers From thence marched he into the countrey of Babilon where Seleucke also assailed him about the riuer Eufrates being in danger of loosing al his whole armie bicause an arme of the Riuer which woonted to run through an olde ditche was broken vp by Seleucke his souldioures so that all Eumenes campe was ouerflowed But through his wisdom and industrie he retired vnto an hill and caused the entrie and mouth of the said ditch to be stopped vp and turned the entercourse of the water so by that meanes he readily saued bothe his person and armie from the hands of Seleucke with the losse of fiftene thousand foote men thrée thousand horsse marched on into the Countrey of Perse. And after he had there a while soiourned his soldiers yet through their long trauaile sore wearied he sent towardes the Satrapes and gouernours of the higher Prouinces commaunding them to send him men and money And these were the things done that yeare in Asie ¶ The Athenians make a perfect amitie and inuiolable peace with Cassander and allie with him After he killeth Nicanor and bringeth the greater number of the Cities of Greece to his alliaunce The .xxxij. Chapter AFter Polispercon had shamefully bene repulsed frō the siege of Megalopolis in Europe his credite began maruellously to empaire and abate so that manye of the cities of Grece reuolted from the kings to Cassander And when the Athenians saw that neither through the helpe of Polispercon or Olympias they could expulse the garrison from Pire some of the worshipfullest of the Citie presumed and tooke vpon them to propose before the assemble of the people that it should be very méete and expedient to make alliance with Cassander But bicause many were of the contrary opinion there arose great contention amongs them Neuerthelesse after they had considered their commoditie and profite they all thought it the surest way to send their Ambassadors to Cassander to agrée with him in the best manner they might Who after many dayes of parle and treatie compounded with him as foloweth First that the Athenians taking part with Cassander should holde occupie and enioy in quiet and peaceable possession their citie and territorie with the reuenues together their ships and all other their appurtenances Item that the town of Munychie should continue and remaine in the possession of Cassander vntill he had finished the warres against the Kings Also that the gouernaunce therof should be in the richest and welthiest men and such as might at least dispend .x. Minas of reuenue by yeare Moreouer that the gouernor thereof should be a Citizen such one as Cassandre wold nominate appoint These articles agreed vpō Cassander deputed Demetre Phalare ruler of y e Citie who peaceably gently gouerned it After Nicanor was arriued at Pirey with his victorious army Cassāder receyued him honorably But whē he sée him shortly after to be ouer glorious insolēt that Munychie was garrisoned by his souldiers he therfore fearing some secrete mischief traiterously put him to death This done he made a voyage into Macedone w t whom he ioyned a nūber of the borderers there Many Cities of Grece likewise as it were with a violēt desire drew to his alliaunce bicause they thought y e Polispercon vnwisely and cowardly ruled gouerned the affairs of y e kings and his allies and that Cassander was towards all men curteous gentle and painful in all his affaires businesse many there were y t tooke his part The ende of the first Booke ¶ The second Booke ¶ Of certaine matters bothe by the Romaines and the Crotonians exploited in Italie The .j. Chapiter THe same yeare that Demogene was Prince of Athens and Luce Phoce and Manius Faluy were Consuls at Rome the ninth yeare of the warres betwéene the Romaines and the Samnites the Romaines warred not so opēly as they had vpon them the yeares before vsed but by farrages and pillages wasted and spoyled the Countrey of y e Samnites without any other déede worthie the talke And after the same maner they spoyled and wasted the countrey of Damie in the Region of Pouylle and there by composition tooke the Citie of Canouse enforcing the Cities to rēder them hostages and pledges bringing likewise vnder their obeisance the Cities of Phalerne and Ophartine At that tyme had the Crotonians made an appointment with the Brutians that they might the better continue and maintayne the warres against the exiles of their citie who were recōciled to Heraclides Sosistrate as we haue declared in the booke precedent And bycause the same warres had alreadie continued two yeares they chose for their Captayns and Chieftaynes of warre that yeare Paron and Menedeme men greatly renowmed for their experiēce in martiall factes and warlike pollicies Notwithstanding the exiles of Thury by night came w t thrée hundred marcenaries and thought by stealth to take the Citie of Crotone Howbeit they were repulsed Wherefore they retired into the territorie of the Brutians shortly after were discomfited and ouerthrowen there by the said Crotonians who charged them with mightie power And for this time we will leaue speaking of the things done in Italie and make mention of those exploited in the other partes of Europe ¶ Olympias Alexander his mother by meane of Polispercon obtayneth the gouernement of the Realme of Macedone causeth King Philip and Euridice his wife to be executed and besides vseth many other cruelties The .ij. Chapter IN that season Quéene Euridice who had the ordering and disposing of the affaires of Macedone vnderstanding that Olympias made preparatiō to come into the said Realme sent a messanger of hirs to Cassander in Peloponese praying him that he would out of hand come to helpe and ayde hir And through great giftes and large promises she wan the Princes Barons of Macedone Notwithstanding Polispercon assembled a mightie armie and with the King of Epyre accompanied and conducted the sayde Olympias together the sonne of Alexander into the realme of Macedone And when Olympias had intelligence that Euridice was with hir armie encamped in a countrey of the Realme called Ema she with an armie made all possible spéede against hir determining to hazarde all in one battaile But so soone as the two armies were aranged in order to fight the Macedonians with Euridice seing the person of Olympias so reuerenced hir for the remembraunce of hir sonne Alexander the good turnes that he had done them that they rendred to the sayde Olympias And by that meane was king Philip with his familie and gard taken and Euridice wyth Policles one of hir counsaylours retired into the