now for three and twenty years exhorted them to Repentance But because they had stopped their ears against him and the rest of the Prophets he now foretold that their Captivity was at hand and that they should bear the Yoak of Bondage for seventy years The same Calamity he threatned to all the Neighbouring Nations to the Egyptians Moabites Ammonites Idumaeans and the rest foretelling that they should all drink out of the Babylonian Cup the Wine of his fury whom they had forsaken and that after the seventy years should be expired the Babylonians themselves should taste of the same Cup and be utterly subverted by the Medes and Persians by which means the Jews should be permitted to return into their own Country and Cities The first Imprisonment of the Prophet Jeremy seems to have been in the fourth year of this Jehoiakim at which time Baruch the Scribe wrote all his Prophecies from his Mouth whom he sent to Read them unto the people and afterwards to the Princes who presented them to the King But fearing the Kings fury they had first set Jeremy at liberty and advised him and Baruch to hide themselves Jeremy 36. 19 c. Jehoiakim having heard part of it read to him and perceiving the ill News contained therein he made no more ado but cut the Book in pieces and cast it into the fire All which Jeremy caused to be new written with this Addition That the dead Body of Jehoiakim should be cast out being exposed in the day to the heat and in the night to the frost and that there should be none of his Seed to sit upon the Throne of David Time thus running on Jehoiakim thought himself secure from all danger as being Tributary to the Babylonian and yet withal well thought on by the Egyptian About which time the mighty City of Tyre opposed it self against Nebuchadnezzar And upon just confidence of her own strength despised all preparations that could be made against her Now for as much as the term of seventy years was prescribed for the Desolation as well of Tyre as of Jerusalem and other places and Countries ' its apparent that they that refer the winning of this City to the ninteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar have good ground and warrant for it For the Siege thereof began in the seventh year of his Reign and lasted thirteen years Here it will not be amiss to insert a brief Note concerning the beginning of this great Princes Rule The third year of Jehoiakim was the last of Nabulasser who being freed from other cares and businesses took notice of such as had revolted from him to Pharaoh Necho and sent this Noble Prince his Son with an Army into Syria to reclaim them In this Expedition was 〈◊〉 carried to Babylon who therefore makes mention of it Dan. 1. 1. The year next following being the fourth of Jehoiakim was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar which Jeremy affirmeth in express words Jer. 25. 1. And from this we must reckon all his time and actions which follow to be spoken of In his three and twentieth year he conquered Egypt and then began his great Empire there being none left that durst offend or oppose him The second from this year it was wherein Daniel saw that Vision of the Image consisting of sundry Mettals which prefigured the succession of great Kingdoms that should Rule the World before the coming of Christ. But to return to the Siege of Tyre which began in the seventh year of his Reign The stately City of Tyre covered all the ground of an Island that was divided from the Continent by a deep and broad Channel of the Sea The Chaldaeans had no Fleet of Ships neither were they Seamen The Tyrians excelled all other Nations in multitude of goodly Ships and skill to use them And every Wind from one part or other brought in all needful provisions to the City Wherefore neither force nor Famine could greatly hurt the place whereof nevertheless the Judgments of God denounced against it by Isay Jeremy and Ezekiel had threatned the destruction and the obstinate resolution of Nebuchadnezzar had fully determined to accomplish it This hauty King impatient of resistance undertook a vast piece of Work which was to fill up that part of the Sea which divided the Island from the continent The City of old Tyre that stood opposite to the New upon the firm Land and the Mountain of Libanus near adjoyning that was loaden with stately Cedars and abundance of other Trees furnished him with materials to effect it Thirteen years were spent in this difficult and hopeless undertaking which need not seem strange if we consider that Alexander working upon that Foundation which was remaining of Nebuchadnezzars Peer and being withal assisted with a strong Fleet was yet seven months e're he could make way into the City Wherefore if the raging of the Sea was able to carry away that wherewith Alexander laboured to cover a Shelve with much more violence could it overturn and as it were consume the work of Nebuchadnezzar who laid his Foundation in the bottom of the deep Striving as it were to fill the empty Belly of this greedy Cormorant whereas the Macedonian did only stop the throat of it All may know that God could easily have accomplished his own threatnings against this place though it had not pleased him to use either a Miracle or such of his more immediate Engins as are Earthquakes c. by making at least the Seas calm and adding the favourable concurrence of all second helps But so it pleaseth him oft-times in chastising the Pride of man to use the hand of man even the hand of man striving as it may seem against all resistance of nature and providence So that by this excessive labour of the Chaldeans that Scripture was fulfilled that every Head should be made bald and every Shoulder should be made bare Ezek. 29. 18. Yet would not Nebuchadnezzar give over till he was Master of the Town When he was entred upon his desperate undertaking whether it were by some losses received or some Mutiny in his Army or some glorious rumour of the Egyptians strenth his evil willers took courage to rebel against him and amongst them Jehoiakim renounced his subjection and began to hope for the contrary which soon after fell out For Nebuchadnezzar gave him no leasure to do much hurt But with part of his Army he marched strait into Judaea where the amazed King made so little resistance the Egyptians having left him as it were in a dream that Nebuchadnezzar entred Jerusalem laid hands on Jehoiakim whom at first he bound intending to send him to Babylon but his mind changing he caused him to be slain in that place and gave him the Burial of an Ass to be devoured by Beasts and ravinous Birds according to the former Prophesie Leaving in his place his Son Jehoiakim or Jeconias whom yet after three
had gathered together a great number of his Souldiers after the overthrow whem he had transported with him into Africk he complained to his Friends for that they had compelled him to fight by Land and not suffered him to make use of his Fleet wherein he was the stronger and that he kept not his Army neer to the Sea that in case he miscarried at Land he might presently have repaired to his Fleet at Sea and thereby have resisted his Enemy Thus Pompey being driven to attempt somewhat according to his small ability to some Cities he sent Ambassadours to others he went himself to gather mony wherewith he armed and manned some Ships But fearing the sudden approach of his Enemy before he could be in readiness to resist him he bethought himself to what place he might retire for his better safety and resolved that there was never a Province of the Romans that was able to secure him and for other strange Nations he thought none safer for him to retire into than Parthia which was able to aid and help him Some advised him to go into Africk unto King Juba But Theophanes the Lesbian said that it was great folly to decline Egypt that was but three days sail from thence and where Ptolomy was who was lately come to mans estate and was infinitely bound to Pompey for the late favours which he shewed to his Father and not put himself into the hands of the Parthians the most unfaithful Nation in the World He thought it also an ill part for him to carry his young Wife of the Noble Family of Scipio amongst such barbarous People who care not how basely they abuse any strangers The Speech altered Pompeys mind and made him resolve to flie into Egypt and so with his Wife Cornelia he departed from Cyprus in a Galley of Seleucia The rest of his Train imbarked also some in Gallies other in Merchant Ships and so passed the Sea vvithout danger When Pompey heard that King Ptolomy was in the City of Pelusium with his Army vvarring against his Sister he steered that way and sent a Messenger before to the King to certifie him of his arrival and to entreat him to give him entertainment King Ptolomy was at this time but a young man and under him the whole Realm was governed by one Photinus He therefore assembled a Councel of the chiefest and wisest of his Court and when they were met Photinus in the Kings name commanded every man to declare his Judgment about the reception of Pompey whether they should intertain him or not and truly it was a sad thing that Photinus an Eunuch and Theodotus of Chio vvho was the Kings Schoolmaster for Rhetorick and Achillas an Egyptian should consult amongst themselves what they should do vvith Pompey the Great All this vvhile Pompey rode at Anchor near to the shore expecting the resolution of this Councel amongst vvhom their opinions vvere various some were for others against his reception But Theodotus the Rhetorician to shevv his eloquence perswaded them that neither the one nor the other was to be done For said he if we receive him we shall make Caesar our Enemy and Pompey our Lord If we receive him not Pompey will blame us and Caesar also for not keeping him Our safest way therefore is to kill him for thereby we shall win the good will of the one and not sear the displeasure of the other Adding that Mortui non Mordent A dead man bites not This they all resolved upon and accordingly gave Achillas Commission to do it This being concluded Achill as took vvith him Septimius vvho had sometimes served under Pompey and Salvius a Centurion and two or three other Souldiers and so made to wards Pompeys Galley about vvhom there were at this time the chiefest of his Train to see vvhat vvould be the issue of this matter But vvhen they favv vvhat intertainment he was like to have and that they came not in that Princely manner answerable to the hopes that Theophanes had put them in seeing so few men coming tovvards him in a Fisherboat they began to mistrust the sequel and advised Pompey to turn back and to launch again into the Sea vvhilst he was yet out of the reach of their Darts In the mean time the Fisherboat drevv near and Septimius rose up and saluted Pompey in the Roman Tongue by the name of Imperator or Emperor Achillas also spake to him in Greek vvishing him to come into his Boat the shore being full of mud and sand banks so that his Galley could not carry him to the shore At this time they saw afar off divers of the Kings Gallies which were arming vvith all speed possible and all the shore vvas full of Souldiers so that though Pompey and his Friends vvould have altered their minds yet they could not tell hovv to escape and if they had diseovered their mistrust of them they had given the Murtherers a cloak for their cruelty Pompey therefore taking his leave of his Wife Cornelia vvho lamented his Death before his end he commanded tvvo of his Centurions to go dovvn before him into the Boat and took vvith him only Philip one of his Slaves enfranchised vvith another Slave called Scynes When Achilles reaching out his hand to receive Pompey into his Boat he turned him to his Wife and Son and repeated these Verses of Sophocles The Man that into Court comes free Must there in state of bondage be These were the last Words which he spake to them The Land being far off when he saw never a man in the Boat speak friendly to him he said unto Septimius Methinks my Friend I should know thee for thou hast served under me heretofore the other nodded with his head but gave him no answer Pompey observing these things took a little Book into his hand wherein he had written an Oration that he ment to make to King Ptolomy and began to read it As they approached to the shore Cornelia with her Friends about her stood up in great fear to see what would become of Pompey and she hoped well when she saw many of the Kings People on the shore coming towards Pompey as it were to receive and honour him at his landing But even as Pompey took Philip by the hand to rise more easily Septimius came behind him and thrust him through with his Sword Salvius and Achillas also made at him with their Swords Pompey did no more but took up his Gown with which he covered his face and took the wounds in a manly manner only sighing a little Thus ended he is Life the very next day after his Birth being fifty nine years old They which rode at Anchor in their Ships when they saw him thus Murthered gave such a fearful cry that it was heard to the shore And weighing their Anchors with speed they hoised Sail and departed having a lusty gale of Wind to help them The Aegyptians had thought to pursue
had been his companion in many Battels and in the Government of the Empire Then sending for Proculeius he commanded him by all means if it were possible to save Cleopatra alive fearing to lose her Treasures and that she might adorn his Triumph Proculeius and one Epaphroditus coming to the Monument laboured to perswade Cleopatra to come forth and at last by a wile Proculeius seized upon her yet granted her some dayes to embalm Anthonies Body after which they brought her into the Palace diminishing nothing either of her wonted train or honour that so she might do no mischief to her self Caesar having conquered Alexandria ascended into a Tribunal and calling the Citizens before him who for fear fell upon their knees he told them that he freely pardoned them for their great God Serapis his sake He also pardoned the rest of the Aegyptians being unwilling to put so many men to death which formerly had done so good service for the Romans Of those that favoured Anthony some he put to death and others he pardoned either of his own good will or at the intercession of Friends And whereas Anthony had with him many children of Kings some as Hostages others upon false accusations some of them Caesar sent home others he joyned together in marriage and some he kept by him Coming to view the Tomb of Alexander the Great which as Strabo reporteth was of Glass Caesar put a Crown upon it and strewed flowers over it and worshipped it and being asked whether he would see the Bodies of the Ptolomies He answered That he would see a King not the dead Neither would he go to see their God Apis saying that he used to worship Gods not Oxen. Many great Kings and Captains desired to bury the Body of Anthony but Caesar would not take it from Cleopatra who buried it splendidly and Magnificently and Caesar suffered her to take what Treasures she would for his Funerals Cleopatra through her much sorrow fell into a Fever and her Breast was troubled with inflammations and Ulcers through the blowes which she had given her self yet by the care of Caesar and the skill of her Physician she was recovered after which she delivered to Caesar an Inventory of all her Treasures and when Scleucus one of her Treasurers accused her for concealing some things she leaped up and taking him by the hair she buffetted him soundly at which Caesar smiling reproved her to whom she answered Is it not a great matter O Caesar seeing thou pleasest to come and visit me in this condition that I am in that I should be accused by my own Servant If I have reserved some Jewels not for my self poor wretch but that I might present Octavia and thy Lyria that by their intercessions I might find the more favour with thee I hope it 's no fault Caesar was glad at this hoping that now she had a mind to live but she deceived him Shortly after she wrote a Letter and sealing it up she sent it by Epaphroditus to Caesar wherein she desired to be buried with Anthony then adorning her self in her best apparel she set an Asp to her left Arm by the biting of which she presently died as in a slumber As soon as Caesar had read her Letter he sent some in all haste to her to see what was done who when they came found Cleopatra dead upon a bed of Gold in all her Royal Robes and her two waiting Maids dead at her feet Caesar being informed hereof admired and pitied her and grieved that he was deprived of the chief honour of his Triumph and buried her in the same Sepulchre with Anthony finishing the Tomb which she had begun and her waiting Women by his command were buried honourably She lived thirty nine years and reigned twenty two Caesar having setled his affairs in Aegypt passed through Syria into Asia and from thence into Greece and so to Rome where he Triumphed three dayes first for his Dalmatian secondly for his Accian and thirdly for his Aegyptian Victory which was the most sumptuous and set forth with the greatest preparations wherein was carried in a Bed the Image of Cleopatra and an Asp biting her Arm. After which Caesar enriched the Temple of his Father Julius with the Aegyptian spoyls He also consecrated many things to Jupiter Capitolinus Juno and Minerva He brought into the Cell of Jupiter Capitolinus sixteen thousand pound weight of Gold beside Pearls and precious Stones valued at fifty Millions of Sesterces and Rome was so enriched with the Riches of Alexandria that the prizes of every thing were doubled and Interest fell from ten to four per Cent. Thus Caesar in the space of about sixteen years erected the Monarchy which his Uncle Julius had begun and though the means whereby he obtained it are not justifiable yet afterwards he Governed it justly and wisely and was one of the best Princes in the World Gentle Just Merciful Liberal Valiant and endued with many other Virtues happy and successful in his affairs and much beloved of all and the People and Senate of Rome gave him a new Name which before that time was never heard of calling him Caesar Augustus a Name which they held for holy venerable and of Great Majesty and which appertained to the Gods and their Temples concerning which Ovid thus writes Sed tamen humanis celebrantur honoribus omnes Hic socium summo cum Jove nomen habet c. Fastorum All common Persons have their common Fame But He with Jove enjoyes an equal Name Of old most sacred things Augusta were Temples that Name and hallowed things do bear Yea Auguri depends upon this word And whatsoever more Jove doth afford Let it inlarge his rule and life let all Our Coast be guarded with a fenced Wall The Senate also by Oath approved all his acts freed him from all tye of Laws and that he should have as absolute power as the Laws and that he might do all things or not do them according to his pleasure And now because the Books of the Sybils through age were worn out Augustus gave charge to the Priests with their own hands to write them out and that no other should read them Caesar Augustus for so now we must call him seeing himself in quiet and without War caused the Temple of Janus to be shut whereas they religiously observed that during the time of War it should stand open It had never before been shut since the foundation of Rome but twice Once in the time of Numa Pompilius the second King thereof and the other after the second Punick War when Titus Manlius was Consul Augustus shut this Temple three times whereof this was the first And now living in Peace and prosperity he omitted no part of his care in the Government of the Roman Commonwealth and the Provinces thereof Sending thither Praetors Pro-consuls and other Governours which were excellent men and fit for those dignities and himself
the Medes for his device is against Babylon c. Jer. 55. 11. And again verse 28. Prepare against her the Nations with the Kings of the Medes the Captains thereof and all the Rulers thereof and all the Land of his Dominion But certain it is that the Honour of that great Victory over Babylon was wholly given to Cyrus who was the Instrument pre-ordained and forenamed by God himself not onely for this Action but also for the delivery of his Church Yet Daniel makes it plain that himself not onely lived a great Officer under King Darius but that he continued in that estate to the first year of Cyrus which was not long after which also was the year of Daniels Death As for the Age of Cyrus we are beholding to Tully for it who in his first Book de Divinatione Cites it out of one Dionysius a Persian Writer in this manner The Sun saith Dionysius appeared unto Cyrus in his sleep standing at his feet which when Cyrus thrice endeavoured to take in his hands the Sun still turned aside and went away and the Magi who were the most learned men amongst the Persians said that by his thrice offering to take hold of the Sun was portended to him that he should reign thirty years which came to pass accordingly For he lived to the Age of seventy years and began not to reign till he was forty In the first year of Belshazzar Daniel had the Vision shewed him of the four Beasts signifying the four Monarchies and of God delivering over all power and Sovereignty to the Son of man Dan. 7. In the third year of Belshazzar the Vision of the Ram and Goat foreâ—â—ewing the destruction of the Persian Monarchy by Alexander the Great and the great misery which Antiochus should bring upon the People of God was shewed to Daniel living then at Susa in the Province of Elam upon the Bank of the River Ulai which environed the Castle of Susa and parted the Provinces of Susa and Elemais Dan. 8. whence we may collect that at that time the Province of Susa was not in the hands of the Medes and Persians but of the Babylonians under whom Daniel then lived Darius the Mede son of Cyaxares or Ahasuerus the Son of Astyages took upon him the Kingdom which was delivered over to him by Cyrus the Conqueror Dan. 5. 31. and 9. 1. The Angel in this first year of his Reign is said to have confirmed and strengthened him in his Kingdom Dan. 11. 1. After which he reigned two years Towards the end of the first year of Darius the Mede the seventy years of the Babylonish Captivity expired which began under Jehoiakim in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar at which time God promised that they should return into their own Countrey Jer. 29. 10. Thus saith the Lord that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place Upon consideration of which very time now so near approaching it was that Daniel poured out that most fervent Prayer for the Remission of his own sins and of his Peoples and for that promised deliverance out of their Captivity Whereupon the Angel Gabriel brought him an answer not only concerning this but also for the spiritual deliverance of the Church to be wrought at last by the Death of the Messias uttering that most famous and memorable Prophesie of the seventy Weeks Dan. 9. 12 c. The Samaritans by the means of some Courtiers about Cyrus whom they had bribed for that purpose disturbed the Jews in their building of the Temple Ezra 4. 5. Whence proceeded that three weeks mourning of the Prophet Daniel which Fast he begun about the third Day of the first Moneth in the third year of Cyrus Dan. 10. 1 4. After which upon the four and twentieth Day of the first Moneth that Vision of the Kings of Persia of Alexander the Great and his Successours and their Kingdoms was shewed and revealed unto Daniel as he stood upon the Bank of Hiddikel or Tygris All which is contained in the three last Chapters of Daniel which as may be collected out of the close thereof was the last Vision that ever he had and that but a little before his Death THE LIFE and DEATH OF ARTAXERXES MNEMON One of the Great MONARCHS OF PERSIA THere were two Artaxerxes's that were Monarchs of Persia the first was called Artaxerxes Longimanus or Long-hand because his right hand was longer than his left The second whole Life we are now setting forth was called Artaxerxes Mnemon from his excellent Memory This Artaxerxes was the Son of Darius Ochus begotten by him on the Body of Parysatis before he came to be King And Parysatis was the Daughter of the first Artaxerxes Darius had by his Wife Parysatis four Sons of the which the eldest was this Ataxerxes the second was called Cyrus the two younger Ostanes and Oxathres This Artaxerxes before he came to the Kingdom was called Arsaces but after he came to the Kingdom he assumed the name of Artaxerxes Darius Ochus raigned Nineteen Years and dyed at Babylon When he lay on his Death-bed his Son Artaxerxes asked him by what Wisdom and Policy he had maintained his State so long To the end said he that having learned by you I may follow your steps therein To whom Darius answered That he had done it by doing right to God and man Cyrus from his Childhood was of an hot stirring disposition and Artaxerxes on the contrary was alwayes mild and gentle Wherefore Parysatis always loved her Son Cyrus more than the Elder and therefore often urged her Husband Darius Ochus to follow the example of Darius Hystaspes to leave him to succeed in the Kingdom who was first born after he came to be King and not him who was born before This indeed did help Xerxes to the Kingdom Wherefore she urged this Example to induce her Husband to leave the Kingdom to Cyrus who was born after his Father was Crowned King and not unto Arsaces who was born before Yet could she never prevail For Darius by his last will gave the Kingdom to his eldest Son Artaxerxes and made Cyrus Governour of Lydiae and the King Leiutenant General of all the lower Countries of Asia next to the Sea side Shortly after the Death of Darius the new King Artaxerxes went unto Pasargades there to be Consecrated and Aâ—ointed King by the Priests of Persia At this place was a Temple dedicated to Minerva where the new Kings must be Consecrated after this manner When he came into the Temple he must put off his own Gown and put on that which the first and great Cyrus wore before he was King Then he must eat of a certain Tart or Fricacy made of Figs with Turpentine Then he must take a Drink made with Vinegar and Milk besides some other secret Ceremonies which none knew but the Priests themselves
as formerly he used to do His Friends also and Favourites began to report that in the Books of the Sybils which in Rome were had in great Veneration it was written that the Parthians could never be overcome but by a man that should have the Title of a King and therefore he laboured that Caesar should take upon him that Title before his Parthian War and though he seemed to be displeased at it yet they suspected the contrary and their suspition was encreased for that whereas the Tribunes of the People had caused a man to be imprisoned who had set a Crown upon the Head of one of Caesars Statues he was so incensed against the Tribunes that did it that he deposed them from their Office And not long after when Mark Anthony who was his great favourite and that year his fellow Consul being at some publick Games came to Caesar and put a Crown upon his Head though he threw it down yet they all imagined that Mark Anthony would not have presumed to have done it without his good liking and that he did it but to prove the People how they would like it these and such like passages gave them occasion to desire and design his Death They were also father encouraged hereunto for that in sundry publick places certain writings were set up which did intice and animate them to conspire against him as upon the Statue of Brutus who in ancient times did chase the Kings out of Rome were written these words Would to God thou wert now living Brutus And upon the Image of Marcus Brutus who then was Praetor and descended from the former Brutus were these words Thou sleepest long Brutus Truly thou art not Brutus And again Thou art dead Brutus Would to God thou wert living Thou art unworthy of the succession from the Brute Surely thou art not descended from the good Brutus and such like other writings were set upon these Statues So as for these and such like reasons there were seventy of the most eminent men in Rome that conspired to murther Caesar of which the principal were Decius Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius Gaius Casca Attilius Cimber Servius Galba Quintus Ligarius Marcus Spurius c. who after divers consultations concluded to kill him upon the Ides of March which was the fifteenth day of that moneth in the Temple where the Senators were to sit that day Yet Brutus was held to be Caesars Son and had received great honours and many favours from him This conspiracy was kept so secret notwithstanding the great number of them that there was not any one found that discovered the same But there were so many signes and Prodigies and to himself there happened so many fore-warnings that without knowing any cause all men were of opinion that Caesars Death was near at hand Spurina also who was his Southsayer forewarned him to look to himself till the Ides of March were past for that his Life was in great danger And Caesars own Wife intreated him upon her knees that he would not that day go to the Senate For she had dreamed that he lay dead in her lap These and such like warnings prevailed so far with him that he was about to send to Mark Anthony to make his excuse and to put off the Senate to another day But what God hath determined must come to pass and therefore Brutus being present advised him by no means to discover any such fear and so he resolved to go Caesar made small account of Death and said That as for himself he had won power and fame and glory enough and that at no time he could die with greater honour And some discoursing the night before he was slain what Death was best Even that quoth he which is sudden and least prepensed The fifteenth of March being come he went from his house in a Litter towards the Senate and as he passed along the street there was a Petition delivered to him wherein was set down in Writing all that was concluded in this conspiracy and he which gave it prayed him to read it presently which he began to do but there came so many to speak to him that he could make no farther progress and this Paper was found in his hand when he was dead As he passed on he met with Spurina the Southsayer and pleasantly jesting he said to him Dost thou not know Spurina that the Ides of March are come Yea answered Spurina and I know that they are not yet past When he came to the Temple where the Senators met he alighted from his Litter and went in and having first done Sacrifice according to the custome which all that saw presaged to be fatal and infortunate He sat him down in his Chair and Brutus Albinus entertaining Mark Anthony at the door with discourse one of the Conspirators whose name was Celer came to Caesar under a pretence to intrcat him to release a Brother of his from Banishment and presently all the rest of the Conspirators drew near to his Chair which when Caesar saw thinking that they had all come for the same purpose he said unto them What force is this And at that instant one of them whose name was Casca beginning they all drew their poyniards and Swords which they had privately under their Gowns and began to wound him The first blow he received Casca gave him in the throat at which Caesar said aloud What dost thou Traitor Casca and wresting the Poyniard out of his hand he arose and stabbed Casca through the Arm and being about to strike him again he was prevented by the many wounds which the others gave him whilst with great force and courage he leaped from one side to the other to defend himself But when he saw Marcus Brutus with his drawn Sword in his hand wherewith he had already wounded him in the Thigh he was much amazed and said in the Greek Tongue Why how now Son Brutus And thou also And having so said seeing so many weapons bent against him and that no body came to his rescue he remembred to keep the honour of his Person with his right hand he covered his Head with part of his Robe and with his left hand girt himself and settled his clothes about him and being so covered he fell down to the ground having received three and twenty Wounds and it happened that his fall was at the foot of the seat on which Pompeys Statue stood So in this manner died one of the most Mighty Worthy Valiant Wise and most successful Princes and Captains that ever was in the World For his Excellencies Abilities Invincible Mind Incomparable Courage the Battels which he fought and Victories which he obtained the Provinces Kings and Nations which he subdued His Counsels Policies and Stratagems and bold attempts His Magnanimity Clemency and Bounty both to the Conquered and Conquerors the great Designs which he proposed to himself a little before he was slain being all weighed