of Affairs should be committed and aiming by all means possible so to settle the Kingdom as to leave no motive of Dissention or Discord among the Ministers and others whom they should employ Wherefore he nominated Apelles for one of the young King's Tutors who at that time was jointly trusted with him in other Matters To Leontius he gave the Command of the Buckler-men Megalea was made Secretary Taurion was appointed Governour of Peloponnesus and Alexander had the Command of the King's Guards But in conclusion Megalea and Leontius being Creatures of Apelles he dispos'd them as he pleas'd and therefore set all his Arts at work to remove Alexander and Taurion from Authority that himself might have the Power or execute it by instruments of his own all which Designs he had in great likelihood brought to pass had he not engag'd in that secret War with Aratus Wherefore he came at length to feel the smart of his Folly and reap'd the Wages of his Ambition it being his Lot to suffer those Evils he was preparing for others But we will not prosecute his Story here but leave to another place the recital of the manner and reasons of all that befel him it being now time to put an end to this Book In conclusion then after these things were brought to pass which we have been relating King Philip return'd to Argos where he spent the Winter among his Friends sending in the mean time his Army into Macedon Finis Lib. IV. POLYBIUS'S General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. II. BOOK V. THE Year of the younger Aratus's Praetorship expir'd about the time of the * The beginning of April rising of the Pleiades for so the Achaians computed who was succeeded by Eperatus Dorimachus holding then that Trust in Aetolia About the same time Hannibal having openly declar'd War against the Romans departed from New-Carthage and passing the River Eber enter'd on the execution of his Design and began his march towards Italy While at Rome Tiberius Sempronius was dispatch'd towards Africk and Pub. Cornelius Scipio towards Spain at the Head of their Armies Furthermore Antiochus and Ptolomy coming to despair by Conferences and Embassies to compose the Differences that were grown between them about the Lower Syria had likewise enter'd into Hostility one with another As to King Philip he coming to want Money and Provisions for his Army had convocated by their Magistrates the Assembly of the Achainas which according to custom was held at Aegium Where perceiving Aratus ill satisfy'd with the Practices of Apelles had willingly resign'd his Authority and finding Eperatus unqualify'd for business and in no esteem with the People he came at length to discern the foul play of Apelles and Leontius which renew'd his esteem for Aratus whom he now consider'd more than ever Not long after having prevail'd with the Magistrates that their next Convention should be at Sicyon he there had private Conference with the two Aratus's and imputing all that had pass'd to the Artifices of Apelles pray'd them to forget their Wrongs and continue him in the same degree of Affection as heretofore Whereupon coming to a new Accord the King went to the Assembly where without difficulty he obtain'd by their procurement all he defir'd towards the furtherance of his Affairs The Achaians then decreed That as soon as the Army should begin to march fifty Talents should be advanc'd to the King being three Months pay to the Army together with Ten Thousand Measures of Corn. And it was also further resolv'd That while the King made War in Person in Peloponnesus he should receive seventeen Talents Monthly After these Acts of the Assembly they separated and retir'd to their respective Cities And now when the Army began to move from their Winter-Quarters it was resolv'd by the King in Council to prosecute the War likewise by Sea concluding it to be the only means whereby to surprize and attack the Enemy from all Quarters by making descents and invading them where their Towns were distant and remote from Succour whereby every one would be oblig'd to consult their own single Safety through the uncertainty of their Motions and it would be in their power to carry their Arms with more case whithersoever they should judge it most expedient for they had to do at once with the Aetolians Lacedaemonians and Eleans After this had been resolv'd the King order'd the Fleet both his own and the Achaian Ships to Rendezvous at the Port of Lechoeum where he commanded the Soldiers of the Macedonian Phalanx to be exerciz'd and instructed in the use of the Oar for the Macedonians apply themselves cheerfully to every thing and learn with facility whatsoever they go about And in short are no less brave and active by Sea than by Land No People indure Hardship better or are more patient of Labour whether it be in their Fortifications and Encampments or any other painful or hardy Employments incident to the Life of a Soldier In conclusion Hesiod seems to give us their Picture in his Character of the Aeacidoe To whom soft Ease and Lust less Pleasure yield Than Martial Toils and Perils of the Field While King Philip and the Macedonians remain'd at Corinth employ'd about their Naval Preparations Apelles who could not brook the diminution of his Credit nor work any change in the Mind of his Master enter'd into Compact with Leontius and Megaleas with whom it was agreed that they on their part who were to act in the Army about the King should labour with their best Arts secretly to thwart and obstruct him in all his Designs while he making his abode at Chalcis would take care so to shorten and retard his Supplies of every thing from all Parts that he should be so streighten'd on that side that the want of Necessaries to the advancing his Expeditions should be a great impediment to his Progress After Matters had been thus concerted between them this crafty old Courtier soon found reasons whereby to dispose the King to approve of his Voyage to Chalcis whither he went and where he perform'd Articles so punctually with the other two that he brought the King under such streights that he became constrain'd to pawn his Plate to supply his Wants As soon as the Naval Army was drawn together and it was thought the Macedonians were now sufficiently exercis'd and instructed in the management of the Oar the King causing Bread and Pay to be distributed to the Soldiers embark'd with Six Thousand Macedonians and Twelve Hundred Mercenaries and steer'd his Course towards Patroe where he arriv'd the next Day after his departure from Corinth About the same time Dorimachus the Aetolian Praetor dispatch'd Agelaus and Scopas with Five Hundred new rais'd Candiots to the Aid of the Eleans For these being under some apprehension that the King had some design on Cyllene had taken Foreign Troops into their Pay and levied others of their own Subjects and took care to Fortify and
of Transactions How does Hannibal's Craft and Wisdom and Flaminius's Rashness and Folly appear in his Account of the Battle of Thrasymene insomuch that from Readers we become Spectators of all those Exploits How faithful is he to the Character of the Carthaginians in their Naval Knowledge and Strength And with what Frankness Assurance and Impartiality does he shew the Romans Ignorance and reprove their Rashness when he compares those two People on the Subject of their Maritime Affairs and Adventures All which we read with pleasure and approve with ease So that in a word he will be found throughout to preserve his Character of a Grave Able and Impartial Writer He is censur'd I know somewhere for his little Religion which Aspersion his own Words will best wipe off where in his Fifth Book he so solemnly reprehends Philip Son of Demetrius and the Etolians for their impious Razing of Temples and casting down of Statues and the Altars of the Gods But I should intrench on the Province of a much abler Vndertaker should I further prosecute this Subject the Character of Polybius being as I am told undertaken by One who of all others is best able to do him Justice Wherefore leaving my Author in so good Hands I proceed to the Subject and observe that the Person the Matter and the Period of Time wherein he Wrote seem'd to conspire to the Dignity and Perfection of the Work which was a Body of General History consisting of Forty Books of which Number to the unspeakable Loss of the World Five only entire have descended down to us But it has happily chanc'd that they are the Five Books from the beginning in their Order tho' the two first not being of the Body of his History and rather a Proem to that great Vndertaking the Reader will not be Surpriz'd nor take Offence to see the Preface as I may say to what is now publish'd swell so much out of all Proportion to the Book when he shall consider that properly Speaking it is the Portico or Frontispiece of a so much statelier Edifice and as it contains a Summary or Abstract of the entire Work so does it not a little confer to Institution The whole Work contain'd the History of the Romans their Transactions and Adventures with the Carthaginians Greeks the Princes of Asia Aegypt Spain and all the most memorable Occurrences of the World during the space of Three and Fifty Years beginning with the second Punick War which commenc'd in tho third Year of the hundred and fortieth Olympiad and of the World three thousand seven hundred eighty seven and ending with those Affairs which gave a Period to the Macedonian Monarchy Which Space of time as it contains the Bulk of all the great Actions Conquests and Successes of the Roman People so it seems to be the very Meridian of their Glory and Vertue for they had now by their long practice in War and their conversation with the Greeks and other polish'd Nations resin'd their Manners which before were course and rustick They had scour'd off the Rust of their Old Iron Discipline so Austere and Rigid that it grew to an Idol a Moloch to which Generals sacrific'd even their Sons No Citizens Blood in civil Dissention had yet slain'd their Concord Poverty 't is true had began to cease to be a Vertue and was not so venerable as when their Dictators went to Plough But their Taste of Riches seem'd rather an Effect of their Ambition and Military Glory to adom their Triumphs and replenish their Treasury with a Fund to enable them to prosecute their Design of Subduing the World They had yet no leisure for Luxury and that eager Spirit of Conquest which spurr'd and inspir'd them had preserv'd their Minds hitherto untainted with the Vices of Ease and a voluptuous Life In a word their good Discipline which Industry long Practice and the Necessity and Danger of the State had taught them while they were yet but weak and under the apprehension of dangerous Rivals became at length when it had secur'd them against Invaders to inspire them with the Spirit of Invasion and conducted them to the acquisition of that stupendous Power and Dominion which was the Subject of so many Triumphs and compleated in conclusion their Subjection of the Vniverse What their Discipline was has been the Argument of many Pens and wou'd not suit with this Work to enlarge on But what Discipline is in the Abstract I may essay to deliver my Opinion in few words Good Discipline is the Substance and Sum-total of Military Science and he who would aspire to the Command of Armies by Sea or Land and is not himself duly Train'd and a Master therein and a Lover Promoter and Exacter of it in others shall betray the Prince or State who Trusts him and expose himself and Country to manifold Perils and Disasters The Principles of Discipline are partly collected and digested into a Body of standing Rules and Instructions the Harvest of wise and long Experience of the best Men in the best Times and partly Vnwritten and Traditional infus'd by Practice Conversation and diligent Application and Inquiry of those who would be Proficients therein In short 't is an Art or Habit of prudential Fortitude on the nicest and most perilous Adventures of Humane Life Now the Fruit which is gather'd is in the Practice of these Documents and the hinge and center of Motion of this great Machine on which it turns is Obedience which among the Romans was Sacred and Inviolable as the Oracles of their Gods the Breach whereof was more punishable when successful than otherwise For though Fortune was among them a Deity Discipline was more Worshipp'd and they would not allow her to justifie a rash Action Thus Papirius the Dictator was hardly won to spare young Fabius his Master of the Horse for Fighting though successfully in his absence against his Order whose Life with much Difficulty was given to the Tears and Merits of his old Father And the Story of Titus Manlius who condemn'd his brave Son to Death is a cruel Instance Discipline is the Art of doing the hardest Things the easiest and nearest way her prime Element is Honour She teaches us to Dye without Fear when we cannot Live without Reproach she absolves the most unfortunate Actions where she Conducts she shews us how to be Savers when we cannot Win and loses many a Battle without loss of Fame she rallies and reunites broken Troops and has often snatch'd the Lawrel from the Brow of Victory her self she is the brave Man's Motto and the Coward 's Shield The one she Vrges while she Animates the other she sustains hunger-starv'd Armies and makes them Obey March Fight and Vanquish without Clothes on their Backs Meat in their Bellies or Flesh on their Bones To suffer patiently Hunger Cold and want of every needful Thing is a lasie feminine and as I may say a vagabond Vertue but to act bravely to obey silently and
exactly and to do worthily in every thing under such Straights and Tryals belongs only to those whose Minds and Manners are imbu'd with this Soveraign Vertue of good Discipline But that we may not Spin this Thread too fine let us contract our Speculation by saying in short That Discipline is the Soul of Military Action 't is the Founder and Preserver of Kingdoms she leads Fortune her self in Triumph and by her under Providence Princes Reign and their Thrones are Establish'd Vnder her Banners did the Romans subdue the World and vanquish in Battel more than double their number of Enemies equal if not superiour to them in Strength and natural Courage and the Glory of that great State ebb'd and slow'd with their Discipline which as it is the Parent of Success so is it the Child of mighty Vertue and Industry Vice and Luxury which are her mortal Foes have no Footing where she Governs they are so incompatible that the Depression of the one is ever the Advancement of the other no State but by Miracle can sink under her Conduct or be safe where she is not cherish'd What has made our Neighbouring Prince so Formidable but their excellent Form and exact Observance of the Precepts of good Discipline where Obedience like the Key-stone in the Arch binds and sustains the whole Fabrick And if discerning Eyes would look near and penetrate the ground and necessity of this Duty in our Case they would discover Reasons that are not visible to vulgar Eyes Wherefore I will take leave of the Gentlemen of the Long-Robe to allow this kind of Obedience the preference to all kinds of Submission or Resignation whatsoever The Ancients have painted Occasion only bald behind but here we may add Wings too For what is more sleeting and fugitive when she 's often hardly seen but she 's past Crowns Religion Laws and Liberties and every thing Sacred and Valuable among Men do in our Case often hang on a single Thread of a Moment which by one bare Act of Disattention or Disobedience to Orders may be lost And History is thick set with Instances which I may here be excus'd from exemplifying where what I say is abundantly prov'd The Schools may amuse and intangle us with their Cobweb-learning their Terms and Subtilties but let them show me in sound Wisdom and safe Morals any Transgression of Obedience to whatsoever Humane Precept that can bring a heavier Judgment on Mankind where no Sacrifice or Penance can Attone or Power Absolve We shall not then I trust be thought in the wrong in thus dignifying this Vertue of Obedience in Military Conduct I was almost ingag'd unawares to extend my Contemplation on this noble Theme which by applying it to Ourselves with respect especially to Our Naval Discipline might perhaps have prov'd no Disservice to my Country But as we never visit Persons of Quality by the bye but obtain an Hour to perform our Respects with Decency So I have concluded I ought to treat that Subject which as it wou'd swell beyond the due Bounds of a Preface so it deserves to be handl'd with more Regard than cou'd be observ'd towards it in this Place H. S. POLYBIUS's General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. I. BOOK I. IF other Authors who have gone before us had omitted to speak in the Praise of History it might perhaps have left an Engagement on us to recommend principally that sort of Study to the World in as much as there is no Means or Method more short or less difficult whereby to cultivate the Mind than the knowledge of Times past But in regard it hath been the Business of many Writers to shew that the Fruit we gather from History is the most mature and instructive and yields the properest Materials to form the Understanding for Publick Uses and best arms and prepares us against the shocks of adverse Fortune by the knowlege and reflection on other Mens Crosses and Calamities our silence therefore on that Subject will be the more pardonable while the best we should be able say would be no other than what so many excellent Wits have said before us and when we have done all our Subject needs it not For in short the Account of those surprizing Events which we have undertaken to Publish will suffice for its own Recommendation and bespeak the Attention of Mankind to what shall be related For who is so stupid and incurious that would not be glad to learn by what wonderful means and force of Conduct the People of Rome could within the space of three and fifty Years be able to compass the Conquest and Dominion of the greatest Part of the known World A Felicity which never yet happen'd to any People at least it hath not any parallet in History And indeed what Spectacle how magnificent and entertaining soever to the most Curious or what Speculation tho' never so profitable to the most Studious hath at any time been the Subject of our Contemplation that ought not to give place and yield the Preference both in Pleasure and Instruction to the Knowledge of this Transcendent Story Nor will it be difficult to Exemplifie the Grandure and Singularity of the Work we have undertaken by drawing Parallels between the Roman Empire and the most Flourishing States that have been recorded in Story And those which in my Judgment are most worthy to be consider'd are namely these that follow First the Persian Empire which was once Great and Formidable yet so it happen'd that they never attempted to extend their Conquests beyond the bounds of Asia but they not only endanger'd the loss of their Armies but hazarded the State it self The Lacedaemonians strove long for the Dominion of Greece and at length obtain'd it but scarce held it Twelve Years in peaceable Possession The Macedonians acquir'd a good share of Territory in Europe extending from the Adriatick Sea to the Danube but who will not confess that this was but a small Tract compar'd with that vast Continent Afterwards indeed their Conquests and Dominion spread into Asia and the Persian Monarchy compos'd a part of their Empire But what People is there how powerful and enterprizing soever of whom it may not with Truth be said That a very great part of this our World hath escap'd their Power and Ambition In a word the Macedonians never dream'd of attempting either Sicily or Sardinia or of carrying their Arms into Africk nor had they the least notice of many fierce and mighty Nations inhabiting the Western Parts of Europe While of the Romans it will with Justice be granted that they have not vanquish'd by parcels here and there a Kingdom but subdu'd and extended their Empire over almost the known World and have exalted and establish'd the Glory of their Dominion to that degree of Power and Perfection that if the present Age can but wisely support the Excess of their Prosperity no future Times shall be able to produce the like The Sequel of this
extraordinary Story will prove with Evidence enough what we but now observ'd namely That of all Studies That of History yields the most solid and profitable Fruit when it makes profession of recounting Occurrences of past Ages with Candor and Fidelity Ours with respect to Chronology shall take beginning from the one hundred and fortieth Olympiad The Subject Matter shall be First with respect to the Greeks the Confederate War which Phillip the Son of Demetrius and Father of Persius did in Conjunction with the Achaians wage against those of Aetolia Touching the Asiaticks we shall treat of the War in Syria betwixt Antiochus and Ptolomy Philopater As to what concerns Italy and Asrick we shall begin with the History of the War between the Romans and Carthaginians commonly call'd the War of Hannibal In brief our History shall commence where Aratus the Sycionian gives a Period to his For in truth the State in general of things to those Days were as one may say scatter'd and confus'd and without any common Relation the Motives to their great Enterprises were divers and also their Ends and Times and Places were equally dark and distant But here we have a Foundation and Body of History for our Guide the Affairs of Italy Greece Asia and Africk were now as it were incorporate and conspiring to one and the same great End And therefore I resolv'd and thought it my best Method here to begin what I have determin'd to write The Romans proving Superior to the Carthaginians in the War we mention'd found Assurance to believe that they had now advanc'd far towards the Dominion of the World and took resolution thence to pursue their good Fortune and form'd thereupon their first Project for transporting their Arms into Greece and so into Asia Were we not for the most part in the dark touching the general State and Circumstances of those People who from time to time contended for Soveraignty we might perhaps spare the Pains we shall take to enquire and shew by what Means and Motives the Romans were incited to engage in so vast an Enterprise But in regard the World for the most part is to learn by what stock of Strength and Military Conduct the Carthaginians strove with their happier Rivals the Romans and what Battels it cost to decide the Controversie we have therefore thought it necessary to conceive and digest our two first Books into a form of Preface to the main Work fearing lest if we should be engaged unawares into the Narrative of such wonderful Adventures as will occur we should with Astonishment look back on the mighty Progress and be to seek for those Causes and Motives that inspir'd the Romans to Embark in so extraordinary a Design as the Acquisition of the Universal Empire At least it may suffice to initiate the Reader and instruct him in the feasibleness of the Enterprise and shew that their Power was not short of their Ambition to attempt and in effect to compass what they had projected For what will be found singular and extraordinary in this Work and those unparalell'd Examples of Events in this our Age is that Fortune leaning and as it were with a strong Biass bending all her Power one way and Collecting and Confederating as one may say the Forces of the Universe for the Accomplishment of one vast Design We shall therefore labour to shew and in one Draught as in a Picture gratifie the Reader with a Prospect of those Means and Steps by which she conducted her Counsels to bring this mighty Work to pass And this indeed was what principally incited me to adventure on this Work jointly with the Reflection That no Author in these our Days hath yet engag'd in the like Enterprise of Compiling and Publishing a General History which under less Incouragement I should hardly have been drawn to undertake But having observ'd that albeit there are plenty of Writers who have employ'd their Pens in Recording particular Wars and some certain contemporary Transactions and Occurrences yet there is not One that I remember who hath given us any Light into the Notions of General History nor have those who have written shewn any Care in adjusting the Chronology of the Affairs they have handled nor the Causes and Reasons leading to any Revolution nor the Progress and Management nor the Manner of the Event of Things I have then on these Reflections concluded it necessary and that it would not be an ungrateful Present to delineate and expose to Publick View this most Magnificent and of all others the most Instructive Instance of Fortune's Power who tho' we have daily and numerous Accounts of her extraordinary Operations and behold her constantly attempting new Proofs of her Abilities we must nevertheless conclude without any difficulty that she hath given such Evidences of her Strength in our Days as surpasses all Example Nor would it be easie to obtain a right Knowledge of so many marvelous Transactions by any help that may be derived from the Study of particular History any more than one can be enabled to give a true Account of the Structure and Figure of the wide Universe by having consulted the Map or visited some few Towns or Provinces thereof And we may fitly compare such as make that wrong Judgment to those who beholding the dispers'd and single Members of some Body which while it had Life and Motion had Beauty and other Excellencies would undertake to determine and distinguish of the Graces and Perfections wherewith it was Adorn'd when Living while in Truth were it possible to give a perfect Image of them by uniting the scatter'd Parts restoring the Form and giving it Spirit and Motion he would be obliged to confess that all his Conjectures had been a Dream And yet we maintain not but that a sort of Judgment may be made of the whole by consulting only the Parts but the Certitude and entire Verity of Things cannot be so acquir'd In like manner we conceive that the bare Study of particular and limited Occurences can but little avail towards the Improvement of our Knowledge in General History which cannot be attain'd but by sorting as I may say and comparing Counsels and Events by the Resemblances of Things we shall Observe and the Difference we shall Remark and thus we approach the Sanctuary and penetrate the very Bosom of History and the Fruit we gather will both profit and please To conclude The first Naval Expedition the Romans ventur'd on beyond the Bounds of Italy shall be the beginning and as it were the Ground-work of this our first Book wherein the Story is continued where Timaeus the Historian ends which fell out in the Hundred and Twenty Ninth Olympiad It behoves us then to instruct the Reader first in the Time when and the Means and Manner how the Romans compos'd their Affairs in Italy and then to observe what their Motives were to attempt crossing the Seas into Sicily for that was their first Exploit out of Italy These
the Dominion of the Carthaginians return'd to their Obedience Vtica and Hippona only excepted which continu'd in their Obstinacy who being indeed without hopes of Favour had no ground to demand it for from the first of their Defection they acted against the Carthaginians so as to cut off all prospect of Pardon which may serve for Instruction how necessary it proves even in those sort of Crimes whereof we have been treating to leave some place for Moderation and not to act beyond the power of Reparation In short Hamilcar setting down before those two Towns reduc'd them at length to Mercy And so ended the War of Africk which had brought the Carthaginian State in so much Danger And now they saw their Dominion restor'd and the Authors of the Rebellion punish'd Matho and those taken with him after they were carry'd in Triumph about the City and treated with all kind of Ignominy and us'd in the cruellest manner that could be invented were at length tormented to Death This War lasted three Years and near four Months and contain'd more Acts of Cruelty and Inhumanity than are to be found any where else in Story About the same time the Romans being sollicited by the Mercenaries who were beaten out of Sardinia and were fled to them determin'd to attempt the Possession of that great Island but the Carthaginians having the Right of first Possession would not endure the Injury and in regard they were now preparing an Army to go over and punish the Infidelity of those Islanders the Romans interpreting those Preparations to be against them took thence Occasion to declare a new War on them But the Carthaginians who had but just laid down their Arms and knew themselves to be much too weak and no ways in a condition to wage War with them found it their best course to submit and did not only yield up their Right to Sardinia to the Romans but bought their Peace at the price of Twelve Hundred Talents The End of the First Book POLYBIUS's General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. I. BOOK II. WE have shown in our former Book at what Time it was that the Romans first adventur'd on Forreign Expeditions after they had compos'd their Affairs in Italy We have related the Motives and Manner of their Transporting their Arms into Sicily and upon what Grounds they made War on the Carthaginians and contended with them for the Dominion of that Island We have also noted the Time when the Romans first ingag'd on Naval Action and what occur'd during the Progress of the War till the Carthaginians totally relinquish'd their Pretensions to Sicily and their Enemies became Masters of it all but what was reserv'd to King Hiero. Then we came to relate the Transactions of the War made by the Carthaginian Mercinaries on their Masters which was call'd the War of Africk We have likewise in that Account given Examples of the utmost Degrees of the Barbarity of Human Nature and told what was the Issue of so many Savage Actions pursuing the Story to the end of that War wherein the Carthaginians remain'd with Victory Now we shall proceed according to our first Purpose to set down subsequent Occurrences For the Carthaginians had no sooner compos'd their African Troubles when they rais'd a new Army the Command when which was given to Hamilcar Barcas with Direction to transport it into Spain who taking his Son Hannibal with him not then above nine Years old cross'd the Sea somewhere near the Strait of Hercules's Pillars and began to lay the Foundation of the Carthaginian Greatness in Spain Where after he had commanded for the Space of almost nine Years and brought many Nations to yield Obedience to that Government subduing some by Force and wining others by Address he at length ended his Days in a manner worthy of the Greatness of his Name being slain in Battel bravely Fighting at the head of his Troops against a formidable Enemy that oppos'd him Upon whose Death the Carthaginians gave his Command to Asdrubal his Kinsman at that time General of their Gallies About the same time the Romans transported an Army and made their first Expedition into Illyria and the Parts adjacent So that whosoever would curiously Search into the History of the Growth of the Roman Greatness is to have special Regard to that Part of their Story The Causes moving to this Expedition seem to be these Agro at that time King of Illyria Son of Pleuratus surpass'd by much all his Predecessors in Power and Greatness both by Sea and Land He had promis'd Demetrius Father of Philip King of Macedon who had gain'd him with a Sum of Mony to send Succours to the Mydionians whom the Aetolians at that time had besieg'd mov'd it seems thereunto for that they refus'd to joyn with them to live under the same Laws whom they therefore had determin'd to Reduce by Arms. And having levy'd an Army from among that People they declar'd War against those of Mydionia whose City they greatly distress'd attacking it with Machins and Engines of all sorts During this Siege the time drew near wherein the Aetolians were oblig'd to chuse a new Praetor but forasmuch as the Besieg'd were now brought to Extremity and that there were hopes they wou'd soon Capitulate the present Praetor who then commanded the Army remonstrated to the Aetolians that in regard he had born the Toyl and Hazzard of the Siege it seem'd but just that he might be permitted to enjoy the Benefit of Disposing of the Booty and the Honour of Taking the Place But this Proposition found Opposers especially among those who were Candidates in the new Election who perswaded the People by no means to consent to any Innovation in their Customs but to manage their Affairs according to the Prescription of their Laws and leave the Issue to Fortune Whereupon the Aetolians resolved to proceed to the Election allotting however the Profit and Honour that was to be won to be divided between him that now commanded and the other who should be chosen Three Days after this Determination was to be the Election when the new Officer was immediately to enter on his Charge according to Custom but in the interim there arrives a Fleet of a hundred small Vessels with a Re-inforcement of five Thousand Illyrians who at break of Day landed secretly near the Town and immediately put themselves in Order of Battel according to their manner and being form'd in several Divisions they advanc'd towards the Aetolians Camp who were much surpriz'd at the Hardiness of this sudden Attempt nevertheless they lost nothing of their usual Assurance and the Pride that is become habitual to that Nation for they rely'd on their Courage and presum'd their Army was not to be beaten They having many Troops heavy arm'd and abounding in Horse these they commanded to March out and imbattel'd them in plain ground before their Camp They likewise order'd their light arm'd Troops and some Horse to take
constrain'd to level and open his Retrenchments before his Camp and to order all his Troops to march out in Front And the Trumpets sounding to the Charge on both sides he order'd his light arm'd Soldiers to retire and now the Phalanxes on either side mov'd to the Encounter with their Pikes charg'd and one while the Macedonians seem'd inferiour in Courage to the Lacedemoniaus and appear'd dispos'd to fly then again the Lacedemonians seem'd too weak to sustain the Shock of the Macedonian Phalanx and were giving Ground In conclusion Antigonus now advancing against them with an Impetuosity peculiar to the double Phalanx forc'd the Lacedemonians at length off their Ground the rest of the Army either fell in Battel or sav'd themselves by Flight and Cleomines with a small Party of Horse escap'd unhurt to Sparta from whence he departed the Night following to Gythia where he imbark'd on certain Vessels prepar'd for such an Incident and sail'd to Alexindria accompany'd with some few only of his intimate Friends Afterwards Antigonus made his Entry into Sparta without resistance where he treated the Lacedemonians with all possible Humanity and as soon as he had Re-establish'd their Ancient Form of Government he march'd away with his Army having receiv'd Intelligence That the Illyrians had Invaded Macedonia and made great Spoils upon the Country Thus it is true that Fortune is pleas'd sometimes to permit Actions of highest Consequence to move and determine on the slendrest Accidents and Occasions least expected For if Cleomenes had respited coming to a Battel but a few Days only or when he had retir'd to the City after the Fight had he but stood upon his Guard and temporis'd never so little he most certainly had preserv'd his Dominion In short Antigonus took his way by Tegea and after he had restor'd that Republick he came two Days after to Argos at the time of the Namoean Games where he obtain'd by an Ordinance of the Achaians and by the Suffrage of every City all those Honours that are done to Great Men to render their Fame immortal From thence he proceeded by long Journies to Macedon where encountering with the Illyrians who were wasting the Country he gave them Battel and wan a Victory but in that occasion straining his Voice to Animate his People he broke some Vein in his Lungs whereby voiding Blood at his Mouth he fell into a Languor and evil Habit of Health which soon after took him out of the World This Prince had maâ—velously gain'd on the Good-will of the People of Greece not only by his perfect Skill in Millitary Matters but more particularly for his Probity and the exact Discipline he always observ'd His Death left Philip Son of Demetrius to enjoy his Right to the Kingdom of Macedon And now if it be ask'd why we have remain'd thus long on the History of the Cleomenic War I answer Because it occur'd in a Period of Time that confines on the Beginning of the Affairs and Adventures that are to be the Subject of our History and we conceiv'd it was not useful only but necessary to set down the then State of Macedonia and the Greek Affairs especially since we have resolv'd to perform punctually what we have promis'd About the same time died Ptolomy to whom succeeded that other Ptolomy Surnam'd Philopater Seleucus who was Surnam'd Pogon Son to Seleucus and Grand-son to Calinychus died likewise near that Time whose Successour in the Government of Syria was his Brother Antiochus thus died those who succeeded Alexander namely Seleucus Ptolomy and Lysimachus all within the Hundred and twenty fourth Olympiad as did the others in the Hundred and thirty ninth Having now laid the Foundation of our Work and made it visible in what Times and in what Manner and by what Means the Romans took Assurance to extend their Empire beyond the Bounds of Italy after they had compleated their Conquests in that Country and had made their first Essay with the Carthaginians for the Dominion of the Sea After having likewise spoken of the Affairs of the Greeks the Macedonians and the Carthaginians and given a Summary of the State of these Governments in those Times we are arriv'd I think at a proper Place to put an End to this our Second Book which we Conclude with the Wars we have treated and with the Death of the Actors and according as we have laid our Design we are come at length to that Period of Time wherein the Greeks deliberated about the War of the Confederates the Romans touching the Second Punick War and the Kings of Asia about that which was wag'd for the Dominion of Syria The End of the Second Book POLYBIUS'S General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. I. BOOK III. VVE promis'd in our First Book to begin our History at the Second Punick War the War of the Confederates and that which was wag'd for the Dominion of Syria We have likewise deliver'd our Reasons why in our two preceeding Books we deduc'd and brought down our Story from so remote Times Now we are come to treat of the Wars themselves and the Causes that begat and prolong'd them and that render'd them so terrible But first it will be necessary that we preface something farther touching our purpose for since what we have determin'd to deliver is propos'd to center in one and the same End being to be but one entire Work and as one may say one Spectacle or Representation where will be seen how when and by what means all the known Parts of the World became reduc'd under the Dominion of the Romans we have therefore concluded it not impertinent to our Method to give a previous Draught as it were in little of what occurr'd of Importance during so many and great Wars conceiving the Reader will be thereby more enlighten'd and better instructed in our main Design For as the knowledge of the whole cannot but yield some conception of the Parts and that to be rightly inform'd of the parts must necessarily enable us to judge better of the whole we shall therefore pursue this course which we have judg'd the most proper for Instruction in opening what might else seem obscure and shall produce a Table as it were or Index of our whole History where will be review'd what we have related We have indeed already given a kind of Summary of our intire Work and have prescrib'd its bounds but for the particular Occurrences as the Wars whereof we have already made recital will be the beginning so we shall prescribe its Period with the desolation and extinction of the Royal House of Macedon In brief it will be the Adventures only of Three and fifty Years in which space will be sound Occurrences so numerous and extraordinary that no Age within the same compass of Time hath shown the like Our beginning shall be at the hundred and fortieth Olympiad and the Order we purpose to observe will be as followeth When we have opened the Reasons that
or Instruction can result from it for our future guidance And if perchance any one should be of Opinion That this our Work will find but few Readers or such as will give it entertainment by reason of the number and bulk of the Books it contains yet this would happen only to those who want discernment in the difference between purchasing and studying forty Books digested in order and which regularly instruct the Reader by one continu'd Thread of Discourse in the Transactions of Sicily and Africa from the time when Timaeus puts an end to his History of Pyrrhus down to the taking of Carthage and of all Occurrences in other Quarters of the World from the flight of Cleomenes King of Sparta to the time wherein the Battel was fought between the Romans and Achaians on the Borders of Peloponnesus I say they do not rightly consider the difference betwixt reading such a General History and the searching after the several Books of other Authors who have treated the same things distinctly and apart for over and above that these Writings exceed what we have deliver'd both in number and measure the fruit they yield for our Instruction will be less For first those Authors do not always agree in their Accounts of the same matters of Fact and then they touch not on any contemporary Occurrences And after all when you come to conferr them together you shall be oblig'd to make another Judgment of what they re-report so compar'd than when you study and consider them singly and distinctly one from the other Furthermore that sort of History never arrives at the principal point of Utility namely to show as we but now observ'd what was the issue of such and such Actions what was contemporary and principally the Causes of Events which is that which animates the Body of History For to exemplify in our History it will appear how the War of Philip gave occasion to that of Antiochus and that of Hannibal to the War of Philip and the War of Sicily to the Hanniballick or second Punick War In a word by the study of General History we easily arrive at the knowledge of many important Things that come to pass during such Wars which contribute to the War themselves and which by no means is attainable by the study of particular History as namely in the Macedonian War against Perseus or Philip unless we can imagine it possible to be entirely instructed in the Art of War upon reading only in History the description of Battels But since this cannot be I may presume to say That this our Undertaking may be justly reckon'd as much superiour to Relations of single or particular Occurrences as certain Knowledge is more noble than meerly to discourse by hear-say But to proceed The Roman Ambassadors having heard the Carthaginians Reasons made no other Answer than this The gravest among them pointing to his Bosom told those of the Senate who were present That they had brought with them both Peace and War and That it was left to the Carthaginians election to take which they pleas'd To which the principal Senators reply'd That they were willing to give the Romans the preference in the Choice Whereupon the Ambassadors reply'd That they then made War their Choice Which the majority of the Senate accepted with Acclamations whereupon they were dismiss'd In the mean while Hannibal who held his Winter-Quarters at New-Carthage gave leave to his Spanish Soldiers to retire to their respective Habitations the better to dispose them to his service when he should have occasion to call upon them In short he furnish'd Asdrubal his Brother with Instructions how to comport himself in his Government of Spain in his absence and in what manner he was to defend himself against the Romans in case they should chance to separate After this his next chief care was to provide for the safety of Africk and by a singular foresight and sagacity of Judgment he supply'd Spain with Soldiers from Africk and Africk with the like from Spain the better to engage and tie those two People as it were by mutual Bonds together Those that were transported into Africk were the Thersites the Mastians and the Olcades and some Spaniards of the Mountains composing altogether an Army of twelve hundred Horse and thirteen thousand Foot There were likewise Soldiers from the Baleares who were a sort of Slingers to whom together with their Island the Greeks gave that Name from the kind of Sling they us'd It was found expedient to place the greatest part of these Troops in Metagonia a Country and Promontory of Africk and some were receiv'd into the City of Carthage it self They likewise drew out of the Metagonian Territory three thousand Foot who were sent to keep Garrison in New-Carthage and to remain likewise as Hostages But with Asdrubal in Spain he left fifty Quinque-reme Gallies two Quadriremes and five of Three Banks of which number there were two and thirty of the Quinque-remes and two Triremes that were equipp'd for War He likewise left him four hundred and fifty African Horse and of Liby-Phoenicians a People mix'd of Africans and Phoenicians three hundred Lorgites eighteen hundred Numidians Massyles Massaesyles Macians and Mauritanians who inhabit the Sea-Coast eleven thousand eight hundred Foot three hundred Ligurians five hundred Balearians and one and twenty Elephants And here let it not seem a Wonder that we have undertaken to treat of Hannibal's proceeding at that time in Spain thus minutely descending to so many particulars that even those who had a share in the Conduct of those Affairs could not be thought to observe things more narrowly Nor let me be condemn'd if herein I imitate those who to gain Belief and Credit with their Readers mingle their Falshoods with the like Particularities For it being my lot at Lacinium to peruse there the engrav'd Tables or Records of Copper left by Hannibal during his abode in Italy I made no difficulty to copy the Contents since there was no reason to doubt the verity thereof When Hannibal had well provided for the safety of Spain and Africk he then turn'd his Mind wholly to the business of some new Enterprizes while he attended the return of his Ambassadors who had been dispatch'd to the Gauls for he well knew that the Country at the foot of the Alpes and about the River Po was very fertile and abounding in brave People given to War and what was yet more to his wish implacable haters of the Romans ever since the War they made on them But of this we have expresly treated in our preceding Book to the end to help the Reader to a clearer conception of what was to follow Hannibal then us'd his utmost Diligence and imploy'd all his Forces to advance his purpose he promis'd every thing liberally he sent frequent Dispatches to the several Princes of the Gauls inhabiting on this side the Alpes and in the Mountains themselves conceiving it wou'd be a main step towards a
had liv'd to act in every thing the part of an able and vertuous Citizen and especially in this occasion The Romans resisted yet a while but as their Men fell their Ground by degrees became more and more streightned till at length they were so huddled up that they had not space to move and weild their Arms so they were all put to the Sword The two Consuls of the preceding Year likewise fell in this occasion Men of great Reputation for their Wisdom and Probity and who in this Action gave noble Proofs of the power and extent of Roman Vertue While matters pass'd thus here the Numidians who went in pursuit of the Roman Horse kill'd the greatest part of them and took some Prisoners A few got into Venusia and among these the Consul Terentius Varro a Person every way unworthy and who was chosen into the Magistracy for a Curse to his Country This issue had the Field of Cannae famous for the number of illustrious Men there present on both sides as well on the part of the Vanquish'd as the Victors And certainly the Action it self witnesseth its own Greatness for of six Thousand Roman Horse there escap'd no more than Seventy who got with the Consul into Venusia and about three Hundred of the Allies some by one means some by another As to the Foot ten Thousand were made Prisoners who were not in the Action Of the rest not above three Thousand escap'd all the rest dying bravely with their Swords in their Hands to the number of Seventy Thousand In a word the great advantage the Enemy had in Horse mainly contributed to their Success and prositable Instruction may be gather'd by remarking from hence That it is more safe to Fight with one hals the number of Foot less while you exceed the Enercy in Horse than to have both sides equal in Foot and Horse in a Battel But this Victory came not cheap to the Carthaginians for there dy'd in Battel on their part four Thousand Gauls fifteen Hundred Spaniards and Africans and about two Hundred of their Horse The Romans who were taken Prisoners were not in the Battel for Aemilius had left then in the Camp with Orders to march and attack that of the Enemy after the Battel should begin thereby to become Masters of their Stores and Ammunition in case Hannibal should chance to leave his Camp without a good Guard and in case he did he was sure to find his Army thereby diminish'd and the Romans with less business on their hands These then were taken much after this manner Tho' Hannibal left not his Camp without a good Guard nevertheless as soon as the Battel began the Romans pursuant to their Orders march'd to the Attack the Carthaginians for a while gallantly opposing them but at length when they were on the point of yielding to the superiour force of the Enemy Hannibal who was by that time Master of the Field came in to their Relief and routing the Romans forc'd them to take Refuge in their own Camp of these were kill'd about two Thousand the rest were taken alive Such as were scatter'd and dispers'd about the Country and had got into Fortify'd Places shar'd no better Fortune for the Numidians attack'd them where-ever they went taking to the number of two Thousand of their Horse Prisoners as we before noted The issue of this Battel prov'd in effect what either Party foresaw for the Carthaginians thereby became soon possess'd in a manner at least of all that part of Italy call'd the Ancient Province and Magna-Graecia Those of Tarentum the Arpinates and some Capuans putting themselves presently into their hands and all the rest giving manifest signs of their good Inclinations toward them Nor was Hannibal in doubt but that Rome it self would be his on the first Attempt while the Romans became now desperate after this Defeat of preserving their Dominion of Italy And under these Agitations terrify'd at once at their own and Countries Danger expected every moment to see Hannibal at their Gates And as if Fortune had a mind to make them drink the Dreggs of this bitter Cup they receiv'd news shortly after while the City was sinking under the weight of their Adversity that their Praetor whom they had sent to the Cisalpine Gauls was himself with his whole Army routed and cut off by an Ambush they had laid in his way Howbeit the Senate deserted not their Duty in this exigent They call'd on the Inhabitants to strengthen the Works of the City and gave all those needful Orders which their Circumstances would permit as by the success soon appear'd And tho' in truth the whole World was now witness that the Romans at this time were vanquish'd and gave place in Military Reputation to their Enemy nevertheless it will also be confess'd That what by their Constancy of Mind and the Wisdom of their Counsels they overcame at length these their Conquerors and not only rescu'd their Country but added not long after to their recovery of Italy the Conquest of the World Here then we have thought it proper to sinish this Book which contains so many memorable Tranfactions as well in Spain as Italy during the hundred and fortieth Olympiad And when we shall have spoken of the Occurrences of Greece during the same Olympiad we shall then return to Rome and discourse at large on the subject of that Common-wealth being persuaded that such Remarks as may be thence collected will not only be found worthy the Pen of an Historian but of excellent use both to those who would improve their Minds in such Contemplations as others who are actually in the Ministry of Publick Affairs as well for the correcting the Errors of present Governments as the forming and founding of new Common-wealths The End of the First Volume A Catalogue of BOOKS Printed for Rich. Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard and Sam. Briscoe near Covent-garden THE Italian Voyage or a compleat Journey through Italy In two Parts being an exact Character of the People and a Description of the chief Towns Churches Monasteries Tombs Libraries Pallaces Villa's Gardens Pictures Statues Antiquities as also of the Interest Government Rules Force c. of all the Princes By Richard Laswell Gent the second Edition with large Additions by a modern Name A Discourse of the Nature and Faculties of Man in several Essays with some Considerations on the Occurrences of Humane Life By Tim. Nourse Gent. Familiar Letters Written by John late Earl of Rochester to the Honourable Henry Savile Esq and several other Persons of Quality with Love-letters writ by the ingenuous Mr. Otway with several other Letters writ by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham Sir George Etheridge and Mr. Tho Brown In 2 Vol. Each may be had singly The Histories and Novels of the late ingenuous Mrs. Anne Behn Vol. I. viz. Oroonoko or the Royal Slave The fair Gilt or Prince Tarquin Agnes de Castro or the Force of generous Love The Lovers
Watch or the Art of making Love being Rules for Courtship for every Hour in the Day The Ladies Lookinglass to dress themselves by or the whole Art of charming Mankind The lucky Mistake Memoirs of the Court of the King of Bantam The Nun or the perjured Beauty The Adventures of the Black Lady These three never before published with the Life and Memoirs of Mrs. Bohn written by one of the fair Sex with Love-letters written between her and Myn heir Van Brain a Dutch Merchant Next Week will be published the second and last Volume of Mrs. Brâ—â—'s Histories and Novels which make her Works Compleat The whole Works of that excellent practical Physitian Dr. Tho. Sydenham wherein not only the History and Cures of acute Diseases are treated of after a new and safest way of curing most chronical Diseases the second Edition corrected from the Original Latin By John Pechey of the Colledge of Physitians Reflections on antient and modern Learning by William Wotton Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham the second Edition enlarged to which is added A Dissertation on the Epistles of Phalaris Themistocles Socrates c. By Dr. Bentley Printed for Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard where you may be furnished with most Plays THE HISTORY OF POLYBIUS The MEGALOPOLITAN CONTAINING A General Account OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD And Principally of the ROMAN PEOPLE During the First and Second Punick Wars c. Translated by Sir H. S. VOL. II. III. The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Samuel Briscoe at the Corner of Charles-Street in Covent-Garden MDCXCVIII The Mapp of Antient GREECE Expressing especially the Places mentioned in Polybious by Sr H. S. Vol II. POLYBIUS'S General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. II. BOOK IV. IN our foregoing Book we have related the Causes of the Second War that fell out between the Romans and Carthaginians We have deliver'd the Particulars of Hannibal's March and Invasion of Italy and have recounted the Adventures of the two Armies to the time of the Battel that was sought on the Banks of the River Anfidus near Cannae Now the Occurrences of Greece during the same Period of time shall be the Subject of our Pains But we have thought it necessary to remind the Reader briefly First Of what hath been already observ'd of the Greeks in our Second Book and principally of the Achaians Inasmuch as it hath so come to pass that in the short space of ours and our Fathers Days that Republick hath grown to a marvellous Greatness For being founded by Tisamenes one of the Sons of Orestes we have observ'd that the Achaians were first govern'd by Kings who sprang from him in a continu'd Line of Succession to the Reign of Ogyges From whose time the Supreme Power being translated to the People became establish'd in an excellent form of Government Which was afterward first broken and dissolv'd by the Kings of Macedon when the Cities and Towns thereof became independent each governing according to their own Rules without any common Subjection to a Supreme General Tribunal to which they might have recourse After this Revolution we shew'd how they came to Unite and Incorporate into one Body at what time it was that they came to this Resolution and who they were that gave the Occasion In short we have related by what Means and Counsels the Towns being drawn to Unite the whole People of Peloponnesus grew to have one common Appellation and to be under one and the same Form of Common-wealth After having treated in general of that Enterprize and said something in particular touching the Actions of the Achaians we pursu'd the Story down to the time that Cleomenes King of the Lacedaemonians was despoil'd of his Government Then we gave a brief Recapitulation of general Occurrences to the Death of Antigonus Seleucus and Ptolemy who all dy'd about the same time having promis'd to begin our History at that Period which gave an end to those Matters we have now last recited In conclusion I determin'd that I could not any where better begin than from thence First In regard that there Aratus finisheth his Commentaries so that by continuing the Thread of his Discourse we shall thereby make the relation of the Greek Affairs as far as we propose to touch them all of a piece and then it will come to pass that the time succeeding and that which shall compose our History will be so united to the foregoing Period that in part what shall be related of our own and the Transactions of our Fathers Days will be compriz'd in one Body For as I have been a Witness to a good part of what shall be deliver'd and compos'd the rest from the Relations of such as could yield me the like certain Testimony so I have shun'd the delivering of remoter Occurrences through the doubts to which they are subjected And have thought nothing worthy of an Historian's Pen beyond that Period Nor indeed can Truth farther fairly be shewn nor Men consequently safely judge of any thing they hear otherwise deliver'd A farther particular Motive we had for taking our beginning from thence was that Fortune seem'd at that time to have made an universal Revolution and given a new Face to the Affairs of the World Tho' Philip Son of Demetrius were yet a Child nevertheless he soon came to sway the Scepter of Macedon Achaeus who govern'd the Countries of Asia on this side Mount Taurus did not only bear the Port of a Prince but was in effect vested with Sovereign Authority Antiochus sirnam'd the Great a little before succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom of Syria being then but very young And Ariarathes took possession at the same time of the Kingdom of Cappadocia which was deliver'd into his hands About the same time Ptolemy Philopater reduc'd Egypt to his Obedience And a little after Lycurgus became establish'd King of the Lacedaemonians The Carthaginians on that side had newly made Hannibal their General in order to those Attempts we have already recounted So that the Government as one may say of the World being put into new hands it could not by the Law of Nature but beget new Counsels and produce new Things The Romans then enter'd upon the War we have related Antiochus and Ptolemy were soon in Hostility one against the other for the Dominion of the Lower Syria And the Achaians and Philip joyn'd in a War against the Lacedaemonians and those of Aetolia The reasons of which War we shall now deliver The Aetolians had been long weary of Peace which oblig'd them to live Honestly at their own Expence who had been us'd heretofore to subsist on Spoil and Rapine And whosoever hath lead that sort of Life without prospect of other Profit than what ariseth by the Damage of another after the manner of Savage Beasts are without any sence of Friendship or Alliance reckon all their Enemies they can prey on and believe they have a right