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
taking away his horse to put any of the Senate whom they saw liue dissolutely and disorderly It was their office also to ceasse and rate euery citizen accordinge to the estimacion of their goodes to note the age genealogie and degrees of euery man and to kepe bookes of them besides many other prerogatiues they had belonging to their office Therefore when Cato came to sue for this office among other the chiefest Senators were all bent against him Some of them for very enuy thinkinge it shame and dishonor to the nobility to suffer menne that were meanely borne and vpstartes the first of their house and name that euer came to beare office in the state to be called preferred vnto the highest offices of state in all their common wealth Other also that were ill liuers knowing that they had offended the lawes of their contry they feared his cruelty to much imagining he would spare no man nor pardon any offence hauing the law in his owne hands So when they had consulted together about it they did set vp seuen competitors against him who flattered the people with many fayer wordes and promises as though they had neede of magistrates to vse them gently and to doe thinges for to please them But Cato contrariwise shewinge no countenaunce that he would vse them gently in the office but openly in the pulpit for orations threatning those that had liued naughtily and wickedly he cried out that they must reforme their citie and perswaded the people not to choose the gentlest but the sharpest phisitions and that him selfe was such a one as they needed among the PATRICIANS Valerius Flaccus an other in whose company he hoped they two beinge chosen Censors to do great good vnto the common wealth by burninge and cutting of like Hydras heades all vanity and voluptuous pleasures that were crept in amongest them and that he sawe well enough how all the other suters sought the office by dishonest meanes fearing such officers as they knew would deale iustly vprightly Then did the people of ROME shew them selues nobly minded and worthy of noble gouernours For they refused not the sowernesse of seuerity of Cato but reiected these meale mouthed men that seemed ready to please the people in all thinges and thereupon chose Marcus Cato Censor and Valerius Flaceus to be his fellow and they did obey him as if he hadde bene present officer and no suter for the office being in themselues to giue it to whom they thought good The first thing he did after he was stalled in his Censorship was that he named Lucius Valerius Flaccus his frend and fellow Censor with him prince of the Senate among many other also whom he thrust out of the Senate he put Lucius Quintius Flaminius of the Senate that had bene Consull seuen yeares before and was brother also vnto Titus Quintius Flaminius that ouercame Philip king of MACEDON in battell which was greater glory to him then that he had bene Consull But the cause why he put him of the Senate was this This Lucius Quintius caried euer with him a younge boy to the warres whom he gaue as good countenaunce and credit vnto as to any of his best familiar frendes he had about him It fortuned on a time whilest Lucius Quintius was Consull and gouernour of a prouince that he made a feast and this boy being set at his table hard by him as his maner was he beganne to flatter him knowing how to handle him when he was pretily mery soothing him told him he loued him so dearely that vpon his departing from ROME when the Swordeplaiers were ready to fight for life and death with vnrebated swords to shew the people pastime he came his way and left the sight of that he neuer saw that was very desirous to haue seene a man killed Then this Lucius Quintius to make him see the like sayed care not for the sight thou hast lost boy for I will let thee see as much And when he had spoken these wordes he commaunded a prisoner condemned to dye to be fetched and brought into his hall before him and the hangman with his axe Which was forthwith done according to his commaundement Then asked he the boy if he would straight see the man killed yea sir sayd the boy and with that he bad the hangman strike of his head Most wryters reporte this matter thus And Cicero to confirme it also wrote in his booke de Senectute that the same was wrytten in an oration Cato made before the people of ROME Now Lucius Quintius beinge thus shamefully put of the Senate by Cato his brother Titus beinge offended withall coulde not tell what to doe but besought the people they woulde commaunde Cato to declare the cause why he brought such shame vnto his house Whereuppon Cato openly before the people made recitall of all this feast And when Lucius denied it affirminge it was not so Cato would haue had him sworne before them all that it was not true they had burdened him withall But Lucius prayed them to pardon him who sayed he woulde not sweare Whereupon the people iudged straight that he deserued well that shame So not longe after certaine games beinge shewed in the Theater Lucius came thither and passinge beyonde the ordinary place that was appointed for those that had bene Consuls he went to sit aloofe of amongest the multitude The people tooke pity on him and made such a do about him as they forced him to rise and to go sit among the other Senators that had bene Consuls saluing the best they could the shame and dishonor happened vnto so noble a house Cato put out of the Senate also one Manilius who was in great towardnes to haue bene made Consull the next yere following only bicause he kissed his wife to louingly in the day time before his daughter and reprouing him for it he tolde him his wife neuer kissed him but when it thundered So when he was disposed to be mery he would say it was happy with him when Iupiter thundered He tookeaway Lucius Scipioes horse from him that had triumphed for the victories he had won against the great king Antiochus which wan him much ill wil bicause it appeared to the world he did it of purpose for the malice he did beare Scipio the AFRICAN that was dead But the most thing that greeued the people of all other extreamities he vsed was his putting downe of all feastes and vaine expences For a man to take it cleane away and to be openly seen in it it was vnpossible bicause it was so common a thinge and euery man was giuen so to it Therefore Cato to fetche it about indirectly did praise euery citizens goodes and rated their apparell their coches their litters their wiues chaines and iuells and all other moueables and household stuffe that had cost aboue a thousand fiue hundred Drachmes a peece a tenne times as
was slaine at that time moe Captaines than in all the other warres of GREECE together all which were at the length brought to ende and determined by the good wisedome and conduction of one onely man And therefore some thought that this great ouerthrowe was geuen by the gods and sayd that at the departure of Lysanders fleete out of the hauen of LAMPSACVS to get set apon the fleete of the enemies they perceaued ouer Lysanders galley the two fires which they call the starres of Castor and Pollux the one on the toneside of the galley and the other on thother side They say also that the fall of the stone was a token that did signifie this great ouerthrow For about that time as many hold opinion there fell out of the ayer a maruelous great stone in the place they call the goates riuer which stone is seene yet vnto this day holden in great reuerence by the inhabitauntes of the citie of CHERRONESVS It is sayd also that Anaxagoras did prognosticate that one of the bodies tyed vnto the vaulte of the heauen should be pluckt away and should fall to the ground by a slyding shaking that should happen For he sayd that the starres were not in their proper place where they were first created considering that they were heauy bodies and of the nature of stone howebeit that they did shine by reflection of the fire elementory had bene drawen vp thither by force where they were kept by the great violēce of the circuler motion of the element euen as at the beginning of the world they had bene stayed let from falling downe beneath at that time when the separation was made of the colde and heauy bodies from the other substaunce of the vniuersal world There is an other opinion of certaine Philosophers where there is more likelyhoode then in that For they say that those which we call falling starres be no fluxions nor deriuacions of the fire elementorie which are put out in the ayer in a manner so soone as they be lighted nor also an inflammation or cōbustion of any parte of the ayer which by her to ouermuch quantity doth spread vpwardes but they are celestiall bodies which by some slackenes of strength or falling from the ordinary course of heauen are throwen and cast downe here beneath not alwayes in any parte of the earth inhabited but more ofter abroade in the great Occean sea which is the cause that we do not see them Notwithstanding Anaxagoras words are confirmed by Damachus who writeth in his booke of religion that the space of three score and fifteene yeares together before that this stone did fall they saw a great lumpe of fier continually in the ayer like a clowde inflamed the which taried not in any one place but went and came with diuerse broken remouings by the driuing whereof there came out lightnings of fire that sell in many places and gaue light in falling as the starres do that fall In the end when this great body of fire fell in that parte of the earth the inhabitants of the contrie after that they were a litle boldened from their feare and wonder came to the place to see what it was and they found no manner of shew or appearaunce of fire but only a very great stone lying vpon the ground but nothing in comparison of the least parte of that which the compasse of this bodie of fire did shew if we may so name it Sure herein Damachus wordes had neede of fauorable hearers But againe if they be true then he vtterly comuteth their argumentes that maintaine that it was a peece of a rocke which the force of a boysterous winde did teare from the toppe of a mountaine and caried in the ayer so long as this hurle winde continued but so soone as that was downe and calme againe the stone fell immediatly Neither doe we say that this lightning bodie which appeared so many dayes in the element was very fire in deede which comming to dissolue and to be put out did beget this violent storme and boysterous wind in the element that had the force to teare the stone in sunder to cast it downe Neuertheles this matter requireth better discourse in some other booke then this But now to our story Whē the three thowsand ATHENIANS that were taken prisoners at that ouerthrow were condemned by the counsell to be put to death Lysander calling Philocles one of the Captaines of the ATHENIANS asked him what paine he would iudge him worthy of that gaue the citizens so cruell wicked counsell Philocles being nothing abashed to see him selfe in that miserie aunswered him Accuse not them that haue no iudge to heare their cause but since the goddes haue geuen thee grace to be conqueror doe with vs as we would haue done with thee if we had ouercome thee When he had sayd so he went to washe him selfe and then put on a fayer cloke vpon him as if he should haue gone to some feast and went lustely the formest man to execution leading his contrie men the way as Theophrastus wryteth After this done Lysander with all his fleete went by all the cities of the sea coast where he commaūded so many ATHENIANS as he founde that they should get them to ATHENS letting them vnderstand that he would not pardone a man of them but put them all to death as many as he found out of their city And this he did of policie to bring them all within the precinct of the walles of ATHENS bicause he might so much the sooner famish them for lacke of vittells for otherwise they would haue troubled him sore if they had had wherewithall to haue maintayned a long siege But in all the cities as he passed by if they were gouerned by the authority of the people or if that there were any other kinde of gouernment he left in euery one of them a LACEDAEMONIAN Captaine or gouernor with a counsell of tenne officers of them that had bene before in league and amity with him the which he did as well in the cities that had euer bene confederates and frendes vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS as in them that not long before had bene their enemies So he went sayling all alongest the coastes fayer and softely making no haste stablishing in manner a generall principality ouer all GREECE For he did not make them officers that were the richest the noblest or honestest men but such as were his frendes out of those tribes which he had placed in euery citie to them he gaue authority to punish and reward such as they liked of and would be present him selfe in persone to helpe them to put those to death whome they would execute or otherwise expulse or banish their contrie But this gaue the GREECIANS small hope of good or gratious gouernment vnder the rule of the LACEDAEMONIANS Wherefore me thinkes that Theopompus the comicall Poet doted when he compared the
the gate Thereuppon the gates were opened they comming in their gownes went vnto his bed side to see him That selfe day Python Seleucus were appointed by the kings friends to go to the temple of the god Serapis to knowe if they should bringe king Alexander thither The god aunswered them that they should not remoue him from thence The eight and twenty day at night Alexander dyed Thus it is written word for word in manner in the houshold booke of remembrance At that present tyme there was no suspition that he was poysoned Yet they say that six yeares after there appeared some proofe that he was poisoned Whereupon his mother Olympias put many men to death and cast the ashes of Iolas into the wind that was dead before for that it was said he gaue him poyson in his drinke They that thinke it was Aristotle that counselled Antipater to do it by whose meane the poyson was brought they say that Agnothemis reporred it hauing heard it of king Antigonus owne mouth The poyson as some say was cold as Ise and falleth from a rocke in the territory of the citie of NONACRIS it is gathered as they would gather a deawe into the horne of the foote of an asse for there is no other kinde of thinge that wil keepe it it is so extreme cold percing Others defend it say that the report of his poysoning is vntrue for proofe therof they alleage this reason which is of no smal importance that is That the chiefest Capteines fel at great variance after his death so that the corps of Alexander remained many dayes naked without buriall in a whot dry contry yet there neuer appeared any signe or token apon his body that he was poysoned but was still a cleane and faire corps as could be Alexander left Roxane great with childe for the which the MACEDONIANS did her great honor but she did malice Statira extreamely did finely deceiue her by a counterfeat letter she sent as if it had comen from Alexander willing her to come vnto him But when she was come Roxane killed her and her sister and then threw their bodies into a well and filled it vp with earth by Perdiccas helpe and consent Perdiccas came to be king immediatly after Alexanders death by meanes of Aridaeus whom he kept about him for his gard and safety This Aridaeus beeing borne of a common strumpet and common woman called Philinna was halfe lunaticke not by nature nor by chaunce but as it is reported put out of his wits when he was a young towardly boy by drinkes which Olympias caused to be geuen him and thereby continued franticke The end of Alexanders life THE LIFE OF Iulius Caesar. AT what time Sylla was made Lord of all he would haue had Caesar put away his wife Cornelia the daughter of Cinna Dictator but when he saw he could neither with any promise nor threate bring him to it he tooke her ioynter away from him The cause of Caesars ill will vnto Sylla was by meanes of mariage for Marius thelder maried his fathers own sister by whom he had Marius the younger whereby Caesar he were cosin germaines Sylla being troubled in waightie matters putting to death so many of his enemies when he came to be cōqueror he made no reckoning of Caesar but he was not contented to be hidden in safety but came and made sute vnto the people for the Priesthoodshippe that was voyde when he had scant any heare on his face Howbeit he was repulsed by Syllaes meanes that secretly was against him Who when he was determined to haue killed him some of his frendes told him that it was to no purpose to put so young a boy as he to death But Sylla told them againe that they did not consider that there were many Marians in that young boy Caesar vnderstanding that stale out of ROME and hidde him selfe a long time in the contrie of the SABINES wandring still from place to place But one day being caried from house to house he fell into the handes of Syllaes souldiers who searched all those places and tooke them whom they found hidden Caesar bribed the Captaine whose name was Cornelius with two talentes which he gaue him After he had escaped them thus he went vnto the sea side and tooke shippe and sailed into BITHYNIA to goe vnto king Nicomedes When he had bene with him a while he tooke sea againe and was taken by pyrates about the I le of PHARMACVSA for those pyrates kept all vppon that sea coast with a great fleete of shippes and botes They asking him at the first twentie talentes for his ransome Caesar laughed them to scorne as though they knew not what a man they had taken of him selfe promised them fiftie talents Then he sent his men vp and downe to get him this money so that he was left in maner alone among these theeues of the CILICIANS which are the cruellest butchers in the world with one of his frends and two of his slaues only and yet he made so litle reckoning of them that when he was desirous to sleepe he sent vnto them to commaunde them to make no noyse Thus was he eight and thirtie dayes among them not kept as prisoner but rather waited vppon by them as a Prince All this time he woulde boldly exercise him selfe in any sporte or pastime they would goe to And other while also he woulde wryte verses and make orations and call them together to say them before them and if any of them seemed as though they had not vnderstoode him or passed not for them he called them blockeheades and brute beastes and laughing threatned them that he would hang them vp But they were as merie with the matter as could be and tooke all in good parte thinking that this his bold speach came through the simplicity of his youth So when his raunsome was come from the citie of MILETVM they being payed their money and he againe set at libertie he then presently armed and manned out certaine ships out of the hauen of MILETVM to follow those theeues whom he found yet riding at ancker in the same Iland So he tooke the most of them had the spoile of their goods but for their bodies he brought them into the city of PERGAMVM there committed thē to prison whilest he him selfe went to speake with Iunius who had the gouernment of ASIA as vnto whom the execution of these pirats did belong for that he was Praetor of that contrie But this Praetor hauing a great fancie to be fingering of the money bicause there was good store of it answered that he would consider of these prisoners at better leasure Caesar leauing Iunius there returned againe vnto PERGAMVM and there hung vp all these theeues openly vpon a crosse as he had oftentimes promised them in the I le he would doe when they thought he did but ieast
their eyes But if the counsell of olde men be to be greatlie esteemed bicause they must needes haue seene much by reason of their long life and if they that haue trauelled long in straunge countries and haue had the managing of many affaires and haue gotten great experience of the doings of this vvorld are reputed for sage and vvorthie to haue the reynes of great gouernmentes put into their handes hovv greatly is the reading of histories to be esteemed vvhich is able to furnishe vs vvith mo examples in one day than the vvhole course of the longest life of any man is able to doe Insomuch that they vvhich exercise them selues in reading as they ought to doe although they be but young become such in respect of vnderstanding of the affaires of this vvorld as if they vvere old and grayheaded and of long experience Yea though they neuer haue remoued out of their houses yet are they aduertised informed and satisfied of all things in the vvorld as vvell as they that haue shortned their liues by innumerable trauells and infinite daungers in ronning ouer the vvhole earth that is inhabited vvhereas on the contrary part they that are ignorant of the things that vvere done come to passe before they vvere borne continue stil as children though they be neuer so aged and are but as straungers in their ovvne natiue contries To be short it may be truely sayd that the reading of histories is the schole of vvisedom to facion mens vnderstanding by considering aduisedly the state of the vvorld that is past and by marking diligently by vvhat lavves maners and discipline Empires kingdoms and dominions haue in old time bene stablished and aftervvard mainteyned and increased or contrarivvise chaunged diminished and ouerthrovven Also vve reade that vvhensoeuer the right sage and vertuous Emperour of Rome Alexander Seuerus vvas to consult of any matter of great importance vvhether it concerned vvarres or gouernment he alvvayes called such to counsell as vvere reported to be vvell seene in histories Notvvithstanding I knovv there are that vvill stand against me in this poynt and vphold that the reading of histories can serue to small purpose or none at all tovvards the getting of skill bicause skill consisteth in action is ingendred by the very experience practise of things vvhē a man doth vvel marke throughly beare avvay the things that he hath seene vvith his eyes found true by proofe according to the saying of the aūcient Poet Afranius My name is skill my Syre Experience hyght And memorie bred and brought me forth to lyght VVhich thing vvas ment likevvise by the Philosopher that sayd that the hand is the instrument of skill By reason vvhereof it comes to passe say they that such as speake of matters of gouernment and state but specially of matters of vvarre by the booke speake but as booke knights as the Frenche prouerbe termeth them after the manner of the Graecians vvho call him a booke Pilot vvhich hath not the sure and certaine knovvledge of the things that he speakes of meaning thereby that it is not for a man to trust to the vnderstanding vvhich he hath gotten by reading in things that consist in the deede doing vvhere the hand is to be set to the vvorke no more then the often hearing of men talke and reason of paynting or the disputing vppon colors vvithout taking of the pensill in hand can stand a man in any stead at all to make him a good paynter But on the contrary part many haue proued vvise men and good Captaines vvhich could neither vvrite nor reade Besides this they alleage further that in matters of vvarre all things alter from yeare to yeare by meanes vvhereof the slights and policies that are to be learned out of bookes vvill serue the turne no more than mynes that are blovven vp According vvhereunto Cambyses telleth his sonne Cyrus in Xenophon that like as in Musicke the nevvest songs are commonly best liked of for once bicause they vvere neuer heard afore So in the vvarres those policies that neuer vvere practised afore are those that take best successe commonly haue the best effect bicause the enemies doe least doubt of them Neuerthelesse I am not he that vvill mainteyne that a vvise gouernor of a common vveale or a great Captaine can be made of such a person as hath neuer trauelled out of his study and from his bookes hovvbeit that vvhich Cicero vvriteth of Lucius Lucullus is true that vvhen he departed out of Rome as Captaine generall and Lieuetenant of the Romanes to make vvarre against kinge Mithridates he had no experience at all of the vvarres and yet aftervvard he bestovved so great diligence in the reading of histories and in conferring vppon euery poynt vvith the olde Captaines and men of longe experience vvhome he caried vvith him that by the tyme of his comming into Asia vvhere he vvas in deede to put his matters in execution he vvas found to be a very sufficient Captaine as appeared by his deedes insomuch that by those vvayes cleane contrary to the common order of vvarre he discomfited tvvo of the most purssant and greatest Princes that vvere at that time in the East For his vnderstanding vvas so quicke his care so vigilant and his courage so greate that he needed no longe trayning nor grosse instruction by experience And although I graunt there haue beene diuerse Gouernors and Captaynes vvhich by the onely force of nature furthered by longe continevved experience haue done goodly and greate exploytes yet can it not be denyed me but that if they had matched the giftes of nature vvith the knovvledge of learning and the reading of histories they might haue done much greater thinges and they might haue becomen much perfect For like as in euery other cunning skill vvherein a man intendeth to excell so also to become a perfect sufficient person to gouerne in peace and vvarre there are three thinges of necessitie required namely nature art and practise Nature in the safe that vve treate of must furnishe vs vvith a good moother vvit vvith a bodie vvell disposed to indure all maner of trauell and vvith a good vvill to aduaunce our selues Art must geue vs iudgement and knovvledge gotten by the examples and vvise discourses that vve haue read and double read in good histories and practise vvill get vs readinesse assurednesse and the ease hovv to put thinges in execution For though skill be the ruler of doing the deede yet it is a vertue of the minde vvhich teacheth a man the meane poynt betvvene the tvvo faultie extremities of too much and too little vvherein the commendation of all doinges consisteth And vvhosoever he is that goeth about to attaine to it by the onely triall of experience and had leuer to learne it at his ovvne cost than at an other mans he may vvell be of the number of those that are touched by this auncient prouerbe vvhich sayth Experience is the schoole mistresse of fooles
the election of the number of the three hundred Who departing home to his house mery and iocond as might be sayed It did him good to see there were three hundred founde better in the cittie than him selfe Pisistratidas also being sent ambassadour with certen other to the lieutenants of the king of PERSIA the PERSIAN lordes asked him if they came of their owne desire or whether they were sent from the whole state if we obtaine sayed he it is from the state if we be denied then we come of our selues And Argileonida the mother of Brasidas asked some that went to visite her after they were returned home to LACEDAEMON from their iorney to AMPHIPOLIS if her sonne died like a man and a worthy SPARTAN And they straight did commend him highely saying there was not left in all LACEDAEMON suche a valliant man She replied vnto them Saye not so my friends I praye you for Brasidas was in dede a valliant man but the country of LACONIA hath many moe yet vallianter than he was Now touching their Senate Lycurgus was the first that erected it among them The first that were thereof were Lycurgus chief ayders assisters of that erection as we haue declared before but afterwards he ordeined that when any of those first should happen to dye they should choose in his place the most honest reported man in the cittie so he were three score yere olde and aboue This was the noblest glorie that could be among men when a man bare the bell and prise not that he was swiftest among the swift nor strongest amongest the strong but that he among the honest was honestest He had the reward of his vertue as for libertie to speake soueraine authoritie to gouerne and princely power ouer the common weale the honour the life and the goodes of the whole cittizens howbeit the election was made after this sorte The people first assembled in the marketplace where there were some appointed and shut vp thereabout in a house from whēce they could neither see nor be seene of those that were assembled but onely they might heare the noyse which they made there For the people by their crye and showte did declare whom they did choose and whom they did refuse of the competitours as they vsed to shewe their liking by the like crye in other things The competitours were not brought in and presented all together but one after another in order as by lot did fall out He on whom the lot fell passed through the middest of the assemblie of the people and sayed neuer a worde The people straight that liked made a crye or showte alowde The men appointed which were locked vp had bookes or tables in which they wrote and noted the greatnes of the crye and showte the people made as euery competitour passed by not knowing nor seing who he was These hidden men did onely set downe in their bookes the first the second the thirde and so many more as by showtes and cryes they perceyued dyd passe thus through the assemblie They noted also in their said bookes which of these had the greatest crye and showte of people at their passing thorough and him they came and declared to be Senatour chosen Then he wearing a garland of flowers on his head went to all the temples of the goddes in the cittie to geue thankes hauing a great traine of young men following and praysing of his vertues There went also with him a maruelous company of women singing songes of his prayse and howe blessed he was that he had liued so vertuously Then euery one of his kinne prepared a bancket for him at home at their houses and as he entred the house they sayed vnto him The cittie honoreth thee vvith this bancket That done he repayred afterwards to the ordinarie place of their eating where he dyd in all things as he was accustomed sauing he was serued nowe at his table with a double allowance whereof he reserued the one After supper all his kinsewomen stoode in the entrie of the hall where they had eaten so he called her whom he loued best and gaue her his allowaunce he had saued and sayed to her This was geuen me in token I was this daye rewarded for my vertue and euen so I geue it thee for a like token of rewarde for thy vertue Then was she brought home by all the women there to her house euen in like sorte as he was by the men Touching burialles Lycurgus made a wise order For first of all to cut of all superstition of burying places he commaunded they should burie their dead within the cittie that their graues should be round about their temples that young persones might haue them allwayes in their eyes not be affrayed to see a deadbodye as if to touche a corse or to passe by their graues it should defile a man Then did he forbid them to burie any thing with the corse and willed they should only lappe it vp in a redde clothe with oliue leaues It was not lawfull to graue the name of any dead bodye vpon his graue but only of suche a man as died in the warres or of some holy woman professed into their temples Furthermore the time appointed to mourne in was very shorte For it lasted not but a eleuen dayes and on the twelft daye they must doe sacrifice to Proserpina and so leaue of their mourning To conclude he left nothing idle or vnworking in his citizens for to all necessarie things which men can not lacke Lycurgus ioyned euer a certaine emulation of men As to desire vertue and to contemne vice and furnished his cittie with many good preceptes and examples emong which his cittizens being still borne and bred vp and hauing the same in euery place before their eyes where they went they came to passe in time to be framed after the very patterne and moulde of vertue it selfe For this cause he did not suffer any to trauell out of the countrie or to goe abroad as he would without speciall licence for feare least those which trauelled abroad for their pleasure should bring home straunge facions and manners and a corrupt disordered life which by litle and litle might get waye and bring an alteration and chaunge of the whole state Furthermore he kept out of SPARTA all straungers except those which had necessarie busines there or were come thither for some profit to the countrie not that he was affrayed they should learne some thing whereby to loue vertue or that they should desire to followe his facion and manner of gouernment as Thucydides was but rather fearing they should teache his citizens some naughty manners or some ill fauored vice For it must needes be that straungers bring euerstraunge and newe deuises with them which newe deuises bring with them also newe opinions and newe opinions beget newe affections and mindes that many times are repugnant to the lawe and to the forme of the
his groundes For he had a fayre mannor not passinge twenty furlonges out of the city whether he would walke commonly after dinner or supper and then when night came that it was bed time he would lye vpon some ill fauored mattresse as the meanest laborer he had and in the morninge by breake of the day he went out either with his vinemen to labor in his vineyard or else with his plough men to follow the plough and somtimes returned againe to the city and followed matters of the common wealth with his frendes and other officers of the same Whatsoeuer he could spare and get in the warres he spent it in buying of goodly horses in makinge of fayer armors or payinge his poore contry mens ransome that were taken prisoners in the warres but for his goodes reuenue he sought onely to increase them by the profit of tillage which he esteemed the iustest and best way of getting of goodes For he did not trifle therein but employed his whole care and study apon it as one that thought it fit for euery noble man gentleman so to trauaill gouerne and increase his owne that he should haue no occasion to couet or vsurpe an other mannes He tooke no pleasure to heare all kinde of matters nor to read all sortes of bookes of Philosophy but those onely that would teache him most to become vertuous Neither did he much care to read Homers workes sauinge those places onely that stirred vp mens hartes most vnto valliantnes But of all other stories he specially delited to read Euangelus bookes which treated of the discipline of warres how to set battells and declared the actes and geastes of Alexander the great sayinge that men shoulde euer bringe his wordes vnto deedes onlesse men would take them for vaine stories and thinges spoken but not to profit by For in his bookes of the feates of warre and how battells shoulde be ordered he was not onely contented to see them drawen and set out in cartes and mappes but would also put them in execution in the places them selues as they were set out And therefore when the army marched in order of battell in the fielde he woulde consider and study with him selfe the sodaine euentes and approches of the enemies that might light vpon them when they comming downe to the valley or going out of a plaine were to passe a riuer or a ditche or through some straight also when he should spread out his army or else gather it narrow and this he did not only forecast by him selfe but woulde also argue the same with the Captaines that were about him For Philopoemen doubtlesse was one of the odde men of the worlde that most esteemed the discipline of warre and sometime peraduenture more then he needed as the most large field and most frutefull ground that valliantnes could be exercised in so that he despised contemned all that were no souldiers as men good for nothing When he was come now to thirty yeares of age Cleomenes kinge of LACEDAEMON came one night vpon the sodaine and gaue an assault to the city of MEGALIPOLIS so lustely that he draue backe the watche and got into the market place and wanne it Philopoemen hearinge of it ranne immediatly to the rescue Neuerthelesse though he fought very valliantly and did like a noble souldier yet he coulde not repulse the enemies nor driue them out of the city But by this meanes he got his citizens leasure and some time to get them out of the towne to saue them selues staying those that followed them and made Cleomenes still waite vpon him so that in the end he had much a do to saue him selfe being the last man and very sore hurt his horse also slaine vnder him Shortely after Cleomenes being aduertised that the MEGALOPOLITANS were gotten into the city of MESSINA sent vnto them to let them vnderstād that he was ready to deliuer them their city lands goods againe But Philopoemen seeing his contry men very glad of these newes that euery man prepared to returne againe in hast he stayd them with these perswasions shewing them that Cleomenes deuise was not to redeliuer thē their city but rather to take thē together with their city foreseeing well enough that he could not continue long there to keepe naked walles and empty houses and that him selfe in the ende should be compelled to goe his way This perswasion stayed the MEGALOPOLITANS but withall it gaue Cleomenes occasion to burne and plucke downe a great parte of the city and to cary away a great summe of money and a great spoyle Afterwardes when kinge Antigonus was come to aide the AGNAIANS against Cleomenes and that Cleomenes kept on the toppe of the mountaines of Sellasia and kept all the passages and wayes vnto them out of all those quarters king Antigonus set his army in battel hard by him determining to set vpon him and to driue him thence if he could possibly Philopoemen was at that time amongest the horsemen with his citizens who had the ILLYRIANS on the side of them being a great number of footemen excellent good souldiers which did shut in the taile of all the army So they were commaunded to stand stil and to kepe their place vntill such time as they did shew them a redde coate of armes on the toppe of a pyke from the other wing of the battell where the king him selfe stoode in persone Notwithstanding this straight cōmaundement the Captaines of the ILLYRIANS would abide no lenger but went to see if they could force the LACEDAEMONIANS that kept on the top of the mountaines The ACHAIANS contrariwise kept their place and order as they were commaunded Euclidas Cleomenes brother perceiuing thus their enemies footemen were seuered from their horsemen sodainly sent the lightest armed souldiers lustiest fellowes he had in his bands to geue a charge vpon the ILLYRIANS behinde to proue if they coulde make them turne their faces on them bicause they had no horsemen for their garde This was done and these light armed men did maruelously trouble and disorder the ILLYRIANS Philopoemen perceiuinge that and considering howe these light armed men would be easily broken and driuen backe since occasion selfe inforced them to it he went to tell the kings Captaines of it that led his men of armes But when he saw he could not make them vnderstand it and that they made no reckening of his reasons but tooke him of no skill bicause he had not yet attained any credit or estimacion to be iudged a man that could inuent or execute any stratageame of warre he went thither him selfe and tooke his citizens with him And at his first comming he so troubled these light armed men that he made them flie and slue a number of them Moreouer to encorage the better king Antigonus men and to make them geue a lusty charge vppon the enemies whilest they were thus troubled and out of order he left his horse
man. The nature of the people Nicias liberality magnificence Nicias superstitions Nicias mynes of siluer Nicias for feare gaue to the wicked Nicias warenes to offende Nicias Hierons schoole master Dionysius Chalcus founder of the city of Thuries Nicias life Notable actes done by Nicias The lawe of armes A least of Cleon. Cleons victory of the Lacedaemonians The immoderate liberty of Cleon. Cleons lewd and light ieastures in his Orations Alcibiades diuers wit. Cleon Brasidas the two peacebreakers generally of all Graece Nicias reconcileth the Spartans with the AtheniaÌ„s Nicias peace Ambassadors sent froÌ„ Spartan to Athens Alcibiades craft and deceit The earthquake holpe Nipias Nicias sent Ambassador vnto Sparta The vse of the Ostracismon Hyperbolus Nicias and Alcibiades ioyned tribes against Hyperbolus Hyperbolus banished for tenne yeares The taking away of tenne yeres banishment Nicias chosen Captaine for the warres of Sicila Signerâ—o feare the AtheniaÌ„s not to attempt the enterprise of Sicile Statues mangled AtheÌ„s The madness of Meton the Astronomer Nicias foolish fearefullnes Nicias counsell for inuading the Syracusans Lamachus valliant buâ— simple Lais the courtisan caried out of Sicile into Peloponnesus Nicias notable strategeame Nicias winneth the hauen of Syracvsa Nicias forbeareth to spoyle the temple of Iupiter Nicias besiegeth Syracvsa Nicias wall as the siege of Syracvsa The death of Lamachus Nicias sole Captaine of the whole army Gyllipus a Lacedaemonian aideth the Syracusans Gongylus a Corinthian Gylippus arriuall at Syracvsa Gongylus the Corinthian slaine Nicias good fortune chauÌ„ged Euthydemus and Menander chosen Captaines with Nicias Demosthenes arriuall at Syracvsa Demosthenes rashnes Nicias counsell vnto Demosthenes Demosthenes rashnes The slaughter of the Athenians as Syracusa The corage of Leo Bizantine The eclipse of the moone The eclipse of the moone not knoweÌ„ of long time Anaxagoras the first that wrote of the eclipse of the moone The Athenians do persecute the Philosophers Socrates put to death for Philosophy Dyon very skilfull in naturall causes Nicias ignorant of naturall causes The Syracusans ouercome the AtheniaÌ„s by sea The soothsayers do promise victory to the Syracusans The Athenians againe ouercome on the sea by the Syracvsans Nicias deceiued by Hermocrates The miserable state of the Athenians departing from Syracusa Nicias extreame misery Demosthenes taken of the Syracusans Nicias moueth treaty of peace Nicias army ouercome at the riuer of Asinarus Nicias words yelding him selfe vnto Gylippus Gylippus sheweth mercy to Nicias The Syracusans enter into the Syracusa with triumphe Asinarus feast The Captaines of the Athenians coÌ„demned to dye Gylippus a couetous man. Cleandrides condemned for extorcion Nicias and Demosthenes slue them selues Euripides verses saued many of the Athenians liues The AtheniaÌ„s doe torment the bringer of the newes of their ouerthrow Nicias foreshewed the miseries of the AtheniaÌ„s Marcus Crassus kinred youth Crassus couetousnes Crassius riches How Crassus came by his goodes Crassus saying of builders Crassus care about seruauntes VVhat belongeth to good husbandry and in whom it consistes Crassus iudgement who was a riche man. Archidamus saying of warre Crassus faâ—â—â— at his boâ—â—de Crassus eloquence Crassus flieth Marius and Cinna Vibius curtesie â—â—to Crassus Crassus came Crassus viage into Africke Crassus sent by Sylla into the contry of the Marsians The emulation beâ—â—â—â—â— Crassus and Pompey Sylla called Pompey Imperator Crassus tooke the city of Tvder The valliantnes of Crassus Crassus enuieth Pompey The Romanes called Pompey the great Crassus industry and cause of rising in the common wealth Three factioÌ„s at Rome Crassus inconstancies Sicinius prouerbe The warre of the bondmen called Spartacus warre The wit and behauior of Spartacus the chiefe Captaine of the bondemens warre Clodius a Romane Praetor sent against Spartacus with 3000 men Clodius the Preator ouercome of Spartacus Publius Varinus Praetor sent against Spartacus Spartacus victory of P. Varinus Gellius and Lentulus both Consulls sent against Spartacus Cassius ouercomen by Spartacus Crassus sent against Spartacus Mummius Crassus Lieutenant Mummius ouerthrowen by Spartacus The Romanes maner of punishinge cowardly souldiers Crassus wonderfull trench and wall A wonderfull nature of the water of the lake of Lucania Ambush laied by Crassus The valiaÌ„tnes of Spartacus souldiers Spartacus retyred to the mountaines of Petelie The noble corage of Spartacus Spartacus slaine Pompeyes triumphe for Spayne Ouatio see Marcellus life Crassus made Consull with Pompey Crassus great feasting of the people of Rome The dreame of Onatius Aurelius Crassus and Pompey made frendes Crassus Censor with Catulus Crassus suspected for Catilines conspiracie Crassus and Caesar confederates with Catiline Crassus Cicero as enemie Caesar reconciled Crassus and Pompey together Pompey Crassus and Caesar al three ioyned in frendshippe Pompey and Crassus did meete with Caesar at Luca Pompeyes stout aunswer Crassus modest aunswere Pompey made him selfe and Crassus Consulls by force Pompey and Crassus Consulls the second time Crassus had the gouernment of Syria Atteius the Tribune against Crassus departure Obseruations of cursinges among the Romanes Crassus iorney into Syria Deiotarus king of Galatia Crassus passeth ouer the riuer of Euphrates Zenodotia taken by Crassus Publius Crassus came to his father in Syria Great faultes committed by Crassus The first signes of Crassus ill luâ—ke This name of Arsaces or Arsacides was common to all the kings of the Parthians Ambassadors of the Parthians sent to Crassus Vagises words shewing Crassus the palme of his hande Hyrodes king of the Parthians Cassius treasorer vnder Crassus Crassus forewarned by the Soothsayers of his ill successe Artabazes king of Armenia came to Crassus campe VVonderfull signes and tokens to Crassus Crassus armie was fifty thousand men Ariamnes a Captaine of the Arabians Ariamnes deceiueth Crassus Surena and Sillaces Arsaâ—es Lieutenauntes Surena sent against Crassus Surena what he was Surenaes courte and traine Surena a young man but very wise Artabazes sent an Eâ—bassage vnto Crassus Crassus wilfulnes Crassus army against the Parthians Sureâ—â—s stratageame for the hiding of his great army Crassus battell with the Parthians The ParthiaÌ„s kettle droÌ„mes The person of Surena Generall of the Parthians described The ParthiaÌ„s fought veryrâ—ng The maner of the Parthians fight The praise of Censorinus Megabacchus The miserable fight of the Romanes against the Parthians Carres a city of Mesopotamia Ischnes a citie The death of Publius Crassus Crassus oration to his souldiers wiâ—â— his bare was full of sorrow Crassus an example of fortunes inconstancie Crassus flying Coponius Gouernor of Carres in Mesopotamia The valliantnes of twentie Romanes A stratageame of Surena Andromachus treason to Crassus The ParthiaÌ„s do noâ—refight by night Cassius gentle aunswere in the straightes The worthines of the Romane souldiers to their chiefetaine An other stratageame of Surena Surenaes crafty speeche to Crassus Crassus words to the Romanes going to his death Surenaes craft to Crassus Octauius slaine Crassus slaine The number of the Romanes that were slaine and taken Sureneth triumph of Crassus Aristides bookes intituled the Milesians AEsope wise saying