most excellent things in the worlde that euer were séene or heard of Now when all these ordinances of Alexander were red by Perdicas heard by the Macedonian Princes although they loued their master maruellously yet when they saw his enterprices to be such and of so great charge they all agreed with one consent that nothing should be done therin departing euery man to his Prouince whereunto he was appoynted by the gouernor Perdicas Shortly after they were all departed and seperated one from another Perdicas thought good hauing so fit oportunity to reuenge himselfe on those that first hindered him from being king And for because that Meleager now prince of Lydia whē he was sent ambassador to the footmē did earnestly stād against his desire altogether preuented his intent therefore Perdicas in reuenge first of all other most cruelly slew him with 30. of the most principall souldiers that were against his proceedings The other princes soon had intelligence of the things Perdicas had done fearing he would shew the like crueltie on them hearing also what their master Alexander had said on his deathbed which was that his kingdomes possessions should be possessed of the most worthy wherfore euery of them enioying so large prouinces and territories thought themselues as worthy personages as either Aride the king or Perdicas his gouernor insomuch that the most part of them would be subiect to neither but seniorized their Prouinces to their owne vses chalenging the name and title of kings deuiding themselues taking part one against the other euery one striuing who should bee worthiest Which words of Alexander together with their stately pride was the originall cause that the whole number of Princes and captaines successors to Alexander perished and were vtterly destroyed for they earnestly coueted each others kingdome raising among themselues bloudy war and cruell strife snatching after the most worthy place not forcing of cruell murthers or lamētable slaughters but with eger minds būted after y e goods life of ech other vntil they had vtterly rooted out consumed themselues for Perdicas hauing slaine Meleager and other of his fellow seruitors in Alexanders warres toke vpō him to go into Egypt to dispossesse Ptolome whom before he had placed in that Prouince But there because he behaued himselfe so proudly dismissing his captains vpon small occasions at his pleasure his souldiers set vpon him most fiercely slew him the greatest part of his army being gone to Ptolome King Philip Euridice his wife wer most cruelly murthered by Olympias Alexanders mother Craterus cōming against Eumenes in opē battail was by him slaine Eumenes also was slain in fight by Antigonus Antigonus likewise put to death Python and gaue his prouince to another Antigonus going to batel against Antioch the sonne of Seleucus was himselfe slain by default of his sonne Demetrius It was credebly reported that the night before Antigonus was slaine his son Demetrius dreamed that Alexander who before was dead came stood before him with his sword drawne saying I wil take part with thy enemies against thy father and thee in the morning also when Antigonus aranged his phalange or square battell of footmen comming foorth of his Tent to fight he stumbled and sell downe flat to the groūd and after he was lifted vp againe holding vp his hands to heauen he said I know hard fortune and euill successe drawethny but I pray the immortall Gods rather suffer me to be slaine in this battel than shamefully before mine enemie to flie Also old Antipater falling sick on a surfet which he had takē in these warres deceased and left the kingdome of Macedon to Polispercon his frend and not to Cassander his owne sonne which also caused great controuersie to arise betwixt his sonne Cassander and his friend Polispercon But in the end Cassander expelled Polispercon his fathers kingdome Not long after he himselfe came to vntimely death leauing behind him two sonnes the eldest hight Alexander the other Antipater which Antipater after he had slaine his owne mother sought meanes to driue his brother Alexander out of Macedon For which cause Alexander sent for ayde to king Pirrhus in Cyprus to Demetrius Antigone his sonne in Peloponnesus howbeit Demetrius being so occupied about the estate and affaires of Pelopōnesus whē the Ambassadors of Alexander came that hee coulde by no means help him In the mean time Pirrhus with a great armie came thether and in recompence of his ayde charge took possession of so large a peece of Macedon laying it to his owne countrey of Epyre that Alexander greatly dreaded him And while he abode in this feare he was aduertised that Demetrius was with his whole power comming to his ayde Wherupon he considering the authoritie great renowne of Demetrius and also the worthines of his déedes for which causes he was highly honoured through the whole world did now more than before feare his estate if he entered his realm wherfore he foorthwith went to méet him whom at their first méeting he right courteously and honorably entreated greatly thanking him for his courtesie and trauell in that he would leaue his own affaires of great importance and with so mightie an army come to his ayde further telling him that he already had wel quieted and established his estate so that he should not néede any further to trauell Neuertheles he thought himselfe so much bounde as if he had come at his first sending for or that all things had béen by his meanes quieted To these words Demetrius answered that he was right glad of his quietnes and that he had now no néed of his helpe besides many other louing and gentle words which gréeting ended either of thē for that night returned into his tent During which time there arose such matters betwixt thē that the one greatly suspected the other for as Demetrius was bid to supper with Alexander he was willed to take heede to himselfe for Alexander had practised by treason to slay him notwithstanding he by no mean shewed any countenance of mistrust but meant to go to the banquet to whose lodging Alexander was comming to bring him on his way But Demetrius diuersly detracted the time went a soft easie pace to y e ende his souldiers might haue leisure to arme them and cōmāded his garde being a greater number than Alexanders to enter with him also to waite neer his person but when Alexanders souldiers saw themselues the weaker part they durst not attempt it at that time And after supper because Demetrius would haue some honest cause to depart he fayned he was some what ill in his body therfore foorthwith took leaue of Alexander went thence The next day Demetrius feined that he had receiued letters out of his countrey of great importance so that he with his army must presently return into Peloponnese frō whēce he came praying Alexander to haue him excused offering him
giue mee that which himselfe wanteth whereof I haue sufficient but I will send him that which hee lacketh and I my selfe haue abundantly and as for threats and menaces I nothing at al regard for if I liue saith he my countrie will bring foorth things sufficiently to furnish my life withall so that I shall not need his rewards as for death I do nothing feare but exceedingly desire it which shall deliuer me from my old withered carkas Thus you may perceiue that this wise philosopher accounted them poore which were not satisfied and those rich which were contented Scho. Sir I doo verie well perceiue my error and doo acknowledge it for it standeth with good reason that the riches of this world is contentment and that a coueting and discontented minde is extreame pouertie therefore if it please you to procéed forward according to your pretence I shall according to my promise be attentiue Fa. Well séeing you are satisfied heerein I will proceede further The Philosopher Diogenes as I said before perceiuing the vnconstancie of vnfriendly fortune the mutability of honour with the vncertaintie of life so much contemned despised the vaine preferments and promotions of this transitorie life that he liued content and satisfied with a small portion of possession which was but his bare tub or tun wherein he was Lord and King without controlment crauing neither territories or confines to inlarge this his quiet kingdom finding this his poore patrimonie so voyd of all incumbraunces vexations and inuasions that he contented himself with this life vntill his end turning his tub in the summer toward the North for the coolenesse and shade from the Sunne in winter to the South for the heate and warmnes thereof making his vaunt merelie that he could rule his Lordship and possession as he listed from the inuasions of his enimies which was the sharpe bitter windes by turning his tumbling pallaice Thus liuing in contentment it chanced that Alexander the great king of Macedony hearing the rare fame of this Philosopher thought good to visit Diognes in his tub to heare his wisedome and the cause of his so solitarie liuing came vnto him being set in his tun saying My friend I haue long desired to see thee and to inrich thee being so a poore a philosopher therefore aske of mee what goods or liuing thou needest and I will inrich thee with it to thy great contentment To whom when Diogenes had giuen thankes for his great courtesie offered he saide If thou wilt doo mee this fauour as thou saist then I pray thee take not that from me which thou canst not giue me but stand from before the mouth of my tun that I may haue the light and warmnes of the Sunne which is to me great riches for now thou detainest that from me and canst not giue me the like therefore do me but this fauour and I will craue of thee no other substāce Then said Alexander My friend how much possession lands and reuenues woulde satisfie and content thee if now I should giue thee thyful contentment to whom Diogenes answered Euen as much Alexander as thou must be thy selfe contented with all in the end But at the first he misconstrued the meaning of Diogenes and thought him wonderfull couetous knowing that he himselfe had nowe most part of the world in possession and dayly striued to get the whole therefore he thought it an vnsatiable appetite of him not to be contented with lesse but after consideration on the cause he perceiued that Diogenes meant his length of ground to be sufficient patrimony for himselfe which in the end the greatest king of the earth must be contented withall then said Alexander to him againe My good friend what thing best contenteth thee in this world to whom Diogenes replied saying That thing sir King which thou art most discontented withall in the worlde which is a satisfied and contented mind to couet for no more than sufficeth which in thee saieth he I finde contrary Alexander was nothing at all offended at the reprehension of the wise Philosopher but rather smelling his owne follie said at that time Truely if I wer not Alexander I would be Diogenes But we see that he was Alexāder therefore he could not be Diogenes he was couetous therefore he could not be contented wherefore it appeareth that Diogenes had the gift of temperance not to couet his owne destruction as Alexander did but being rich in contentment despised fortune for that her force coulde not molest or touch him reiecting honour because of the mutablitie and varietie of the same regarding not life for the vncertaintie of it but liued as a man contented fearing no calamitie nor aduersitie whatsoeuer might happē to him but was readie with patience to digest it Sch. Truly it doth appeare most plaine that this man had the gift of temperance sufficiently and that he was nothing subiect to the wauering wheele of fortune neither passing of her smooth countenance nor louring looke liuing a stranger to her whereby he kept himself free from her force notwithstanding I would faine know if the end and death of him were as worthie as his life for No man is called happie before his end which being answerable I must needs confesse the man deserued merit Fa. Indeed you say true it is good in our conference orderly to proceede for the life of man cannot be so cleare but that it may be much dimmed and dusked by an ill ende making digression from the former life but truely Diogenes continued a sound Philosopher vntill his end at his death it is said that he lying grieuously sicke perceiuing it a thing vnpossible for him to recouer his former health by feeling his aged body so much weakened and hauing in this great extremitie of sicknesse smal friends to comfort or relieue him threw himselfe downe tumbling from the top of a bridge abutting néere to the common place of excercises and commanded the kéeper or ouer-séer of the bridge that when life failed and breath was quite departed hee should cast his carkasse into the riuer Ilissus Adeò pro nihilo duxit mortem sepulturam Diogenes So little regarded Diogenes the inuasion of death or the tranquilitie and quietnesse of his bodie in the graue But I say not that this end was commendable in a Christian for he was long before the incarnation of Christ being an heathen man notwithstanding indued with wonderfull wisdome Againe some report of his death after this sort saying he died when he was 90. yeares olde and being at the poynt of death willed his bodie to bee left vnburied saying That he would not be troublesome to his friends to digge and delue for him who had no pleasure in their paine vnlesse they would doo it to auoide the smell and stincking sauor whereby he were likely to annoy them but when his friends asked him whether he would lie aboue the ground to be deuoured of birds and beastes No friends
tended There is an inconuenience which bringeth to man wonderful miseries and manifold calamities which is fond and doating Loue I speake not of that Loue which is commendable and lawfully allowed but of such doating loue as shall hereafter more manifestly be explaned Magna est profecto Latmorum poetarum cohors quae solebant dicere Omnia vincit amor Surely great is the number of Romane Poets which wer wont to say Loue vanquisheth and ouercommeth all things and truely I must néedes confesse great is the force and furie of loue but much to be quallified by the aforesaid gift notwithstanding Hesiodus is of this minde Omnium primum natus est chaos inde terra tartara amor First of all thinges the Heauens were made then the earth then hell and next after loue Parmenides quoque ante deos omnes natum amorem autumat Parmenides also doth affirme that loue was created before the Gods themselues Euripides omnium deorum supremum esse Amorem Loue saith Euripides is the highest of all the Gods Ouid being about to speake of Loue saith Regnat in dominos ius habet ille deos Loue doth raigne and hath a dominion and regiment in the verie Gods themselues All which sayings of the Poets are but to showe the piercing force and ancient antiquitie of Loue faining also that Iupiter being chiefe of al the Gods could not withstand the furie of Loue much lesse then could anie of the inferior Gods but oft did change his shape to haue his pleasure Nam Iouem ipsum modo in Cygnum modo in Taurum transformauit quandoque in aurum conslauit Neptunum equi Mercurium Hirci formam induere coegit Apollinem vt Admeti pasceret armenta compnlit For Ioue transformed himselfe sometime into a Swanne sometime into a Bull and againe sometime into a golden shower Neptune to a Horse Mercurie to the shape of a Goate Apollo that hée might féede the flockes of Admetus did also change his shape and forme If the Gods as the Poets affirme have béen thus enflamed with Loue after so vaine fond a sort then no doubt but mortall men are more entangled in her traps and snares and blindly without consideration doe fall to foolish fancie and doting desire But this no doubt is but foolish babble of the prating Poets rather encouraging fonde men to goe forwarde in their folly for that say they the Gods could not bridle their affections from the force of loue therefore much lesse men Well let this suffice what greater calamity hath hapned to man than such as hath beene procured by inordinate and vnsatiable loue Was not Paris sonne to Priamus king of Troy the very cause by his inordinat loue that brought to passe such cruell wars betwixt the Gréekes and Troyans wherein both his aged father and brethren were slaine his countrey spoyled and the citie of Troy mightely defaced with fire throwen flat to the ground with the slaughter of many thousands of his coūtreymē What was the first occasion of the great warre betwixt the Thebanes and Phoceans which could hardly be ended in ten yeares but y e fonde loue of a certain Phocean who tooke perforce a Theban woman out of the hands of a Theban What also was the cause that Philip king of Macedon so oft and sodainly returned from his warres leauing all as the prouerb saith at six seuen with out order to his reproach and wonderfull losse but only the importunate loue he bare to Cleopater Did not noble Achilles purchase great dishonor by doting loue For when he lay at the siege of Troy because Atridas had taken his swéet loue gréen sléeues from him he would no longer fight in his coūtreis cause which was the death of many a thousand Gréeke vntil his swéet heart Briseis was restored againe or els as some say because Hector had slaine his louing companion Patroclus in his own armour Wise Vlisses was in like sort intangled in the same snare for when Agamemnon and the other captains of Gréece called for him to goe to Troy to reuenge the villanie which the Troyans had offered enrolling his name as a chiefe Peere of the Greekes but Vlisses newly maried to Penelope was not willing to goe to Troy in his countreis cause but to play and daily with his late loue at home insomuch that when the king and captaines of the Greekes were fully prepared and ready to goe to Troy Vlisses fayned himselfe mad and out of his wits and because he would the better perswade them of his madnes hee coupled dogs together and ran with a plowe raging ouer the fieldes sowing salt making as though he were starke mad without either wit or sense but Palamides loathing to loose so fit a mate as Vlysses was tooke Thelemacus the sonne of Vlysses and layd him in the way as his father came running with his plow but Vlysses not so madde but lifted vp the plow and missed the child whereby Palamides perceiued that he dissembled the matter and cried out thy craft and subtiltie Vlysses is bewrayed and found out therefore leaue off thy counterfaite madnes and goe with vs to Troy Thus when Vlysses had disgraced himselfe by his doting follie to his shame and reproch was in the ende forced to goe to Troy with a flea in his eare Hercules that noble champion and Conquerour of the world when he had done many notable and worthie exploites whereof the world at this day beareth witnesse at the last to the vtter defacing of all his former actions he fell to doting in such fond sort that he laid his weapons at the foote of Iole his loue and became her spinning slaue refusing no toyle whereunto she commaunded him which thing notwithstanding his valiant déedes at this day remaineth a vile reproch and blot to his dead carkasse What was the cause that the most valiant Sampson lost his great force and strength but by the peeuish loue he bare to Dalila who had oftentimes attempted his destruction but could neuer bring her purpose to effect vntill such time that he thorough inordinate and doting loue must néedes reueale his secrets which was the chiefe cause of his vtter confusion for these causes did the Poets faine that women are to men an euill yet notwithstanding they owe them this fauour to say they are necessary euilles Homerus saith Vsque adeònihilimprobius velmuliere peius that nothing is more vile or bad than a woman and diuers other Poets Foemina nihil pestilentius esse confirmârunt mulierem omnem esse malam doo affirme that nothing is more pestilent or wicked than a womā and that euerie woman is bad and euill Upon which occasion of the Poets babling this merie iest sprang first Lacon cùm vxorem duxisset perpusillam dicebatè malis quod minimum esset eligendum Lacon when he had married a verie little and small wife did say out of many euilles the least is to be
I mourne For remedlesse the cause remaines when Planets all had sworne And haughty gods to worke me woe for Paris filthie sinne Who would to God had dide the death when life did first begin Or would to God I wish too late the waues had beene his graue When he to Lacedemon went faire Helen for to haue O Neptune fierce couldst thou not frowne and Eolus out call With whirling windes to drench his ship his company and all But safely so to suffer him to swimme with gale at will The doting youth in prime of yeres his fancie to fulfill In Simois and Zanthus flood his ships did seeme to saile So quiet was the seas as then because he should preuaile What did ye seaish Gods decree together with consent To plague the Troian state so farre as angrie Pallas ment Ye Gods that rule both land and sea why did ye thus decree That Neptunes towne at first so cald to Greekes a pray should bee If otherwise ye ment at all his ship should not haue past So quietlie through surging seas by helpe of Boreas blast For Triton mild did shewe his face so happilie that day That Paris past with sprouting sailes into the Gretian bay What was become of Palemon did Glaucus hide his head Their swift recourse far from his ship in partiall sort was fled The Strencoucht Antiphates Parthenope was gone That wonted were to keep their course but novv there vvas not one Not Circe nor Calipso vvould their vvonted magike vse Although they knevv the lecher meant Atrides to abuse So Zephirus and Eurus fell with Aquilo did lurke And hid themselues while Boreas with frendly gale did work Nereides were past away Latonas imps did shine Ech thing did smoothly smile that day by help of Gods diuine And all was for the Troyan wracke to plague my sonnes offence For Paris needs to Greece would goe and soon returnd from thence But would to God the brinish seas with raging waues so wild Had drownd that baud that Theseus first in filthy sort defilde And that my sonne had dide with her before he came to shore Then Troy had stood and flourisht still as long it did before But Helen Menelaus wife that was Sir Paris ioy VVas first occasion of our woe and latest fate to Troy O would the tygers first had torne the lims of this my sonne VVhen aged Priam sentence gaue on that which was not done The cause wherof was mine own deed which act I now repent For that the Oracle did shew before the boyes intent But now I know I wish too late the angry Gods had sworn To plague our state for some offence For Paris being born VVhose desteny the Oracle did openly declare And yet to see my hap was such that wicked babe to spare VVho was the cause of this mischaunce and breeder of our woe His death had been to vs a life and life to thousands mo Yet I for pitie sake would not consent that this my boy The tygers brood his tender lims should vtterly destroy VVhat power diuine did hinder me or what infernall fiend VVhat did both heauen and earth to this their vtter forces bend O what offence did we commit that all the Gods should frowne And thus decree with one consent to pluck our Empire downe Did they appoint that I should breed and foster in my lap A scourge to plague the parents sinne and cause of their mishap VVas it king Priams fathers fault that Laomedon bad That builded Troy vvith borovved coyne for he receiued had Of Neptune and Apollos Priests a summe of money great And when the day appoynted came the wretch forsware the debt With mighty vowes the periurde man at altar side did say He borrowed none to buyld his walles and therfore none would pay But whether twere for periurie or for my sonnes offence I cannot tell but well I know it was a recompence For double and for treble sinne so many thousand dide From Nations far the world dooth know the people thether hide In hope of pay to either side great troupes of men did run But what was gaind saue deadly fight or what but death was won Did euer any feel such woe as I poore wretch did tast Did euer Fortune yeeld such lookes as she on me did cast O hauty Gods what hap was mine to feel such bitter paine Did destiny assigne me that to make me thus complaine I would that I had been vnborn or borne I dead had been For then these wofull miseries I wretch had neuer seen Why did the Gods cause me to liue why did they thus decree Was this their will that I should liue with present eyes to see My louing mate and children slaine and Troy to burn with fire If they did will it should be so then they had their desire But fie on that vile destinie O fie on that hard curse The Gods themselues could not deuise how they should plague me worse And then with wringing hands she wept with wayling voice she cride Which griende me sore about I turnd where presently I spide An aged man both graue and grim for that he seemed sad Right father like for grayish haires with Princely robes be clad Vnto the wofull Queen he marchd and thus in modest sort Began to quip her frantike mood as I shall geue report What madnes now hath mooude thy mind quoth he O louing mate That thus thou fretst against the Gods and frantikelie doost prate Can this thy fuming mind redresse or cause the things vndone To be againe No if we liude againe we could not shun The Gods decree wherfore be still shake off such heauines In vaine it is to vexe thy selfe where cause is remedles VVhat shall thy ghost that now should rest in worldly cares still dwell And thinke on things that carst were past O plague far worse than hell Then suffer thou thy ghost to take her quiet ease at last And call thou not to mind againe that vvhich is gone and past Thou knovvest our destinie vvas so vve could it not preuent For that the Gods to plague our sinne for some abusesment What should we kick against the spur or swim against the tide Or striue for that to haue at will which angry Gods denide When I had sent my sonne to death and that he should be kild His life thou sauedst wherfore thou seest that destenie it wild But I to shun Simphlegades on Hebrus lake did light And coasting from Charibdis gulfe on Scilla rock did smite Thus seeking how all dangers great by counsell I might shun Did vnawares ere that I wist to present perils run Was I the cause that Helen faire with Paris came to Troy No sure it was fell destenie or fickle Fortune coy For when the Oracle had told what hap in time should fall I wild to take away the cause For witnes now I call The sacred Gods who knew my mind my sonne I would haue slaine I was content my flesh and bloud the tygers
geare but very basely vsed and as present occasion craued priuily sent away by secret and vnknowne wayes to the intent it might not be intercepted or stayed Now when Perdicas had espied the sumptuous simulachre of dead Alexander and sawe euery thing as he thought roially executed and pompously performed he pawsed from his speedy pursuit after Ptolomey perswading himselfe that he had obtained the thing namely the body of Alexander wherabout such strife and contention kindled and burned betwixt them both so egerly but hee was deluded and mocked for all that and vnderstood the truth somewhat too late and perceiued that he was craftily circumuented and was forced in the end to retire backe being shamefully flowted This was the end of this earthly god and the vnquietnes which fell to his dead carkasse which could not for a time obtaine the rights of buriall and also after it was committed to the ground it could not rest but was tossed and remoued from place to place for whereas hee in his life time despised to be counted mortal he was at his death denied the cōmon benefite of a mortall man Of whose life and manners hereafter shall be more sufficiently spoken according as the cause shall require and occasion be offered Scho. O most vnhappy Prince that euer liued woulde hee needs be a god Was there no remedy Well therefore as it seemeth he could not enioy the common benefit of a man what meant he by this vaine wish when he heartily wished that his armes might reach from the orient to the occident and that he might beare his banners displayed in all kingdoms and nations of the earth to the intent he might be knowne their Lorde and King nay rather what meant he when that he could not satisfie himselfe with so great a parte of the world as he had already gotten and wonne but mourned for the other worldes which he heard of which he thought vnpossible for him to get Was his appetite so vnquenchable O vnsatiable minde that hearkened not to the wise saying of Diogenes who saide His length of ground were sufficient patrimony for him which in the ende the greatest prince and peere of the earth must be contented withall but he being kept so long aboue the ground as seemeth lesse than his length in his life might containe his dead rotten carkas For a small hole would serue to croud and thrust the remaine of the decayed and putrified corps with ease wherefore he needed not so large measure of ground as Diogenes spake of before But sée the power of the immortall God in shortning the armes of this mortall God so much that so small a rowme would with ease hold and containe him which before groped in a manner after the verie heauens the vpper face of the earth not contenting his greedie appetite Therefore truly in my opinion he needed not to write vpon his graue or Tombe as Ennius did who ingraued these verses be cause the people should not bewaile his death saying Nemo me lacrimis decoret neque funerafletu Faxit cur volito docta per ora virûm No man shall bewaile mee with teares nor shall make sad my funerall with weeping For Alexander might well assure himselfe hauing so much troubled and molested the world that his name which in his life time was both odious and detestable should not at his death bee bewailed and deplored but rather that his funerall should turne the whole world to great gladnes and common ioye Fa. Cyrus the Persian King although he liued a while contented and in fauour and good liking of his people yet notwithstanding in the end hee was drowned in couetousnesse giuing himselfe to the vaine pride of the world hunting after honour climing after superioritie striuing vncessantly for the kingdomes of his neighbours whereby he grewe both odious to his countrimen also vntollerable to his confines and borderers neither could he take example by Croesus the rich King of Lydia whom hee had taken prisoner before with all his people which happned thorowe his coueting and vnsatiable minde and yet for all that hee gaue himselfe so much to the conquering of the kingdomes of others that in the end he lost both his own patrimonie and life also But first to showe the preseruing election and establishing of this King it shall not much digresse from our purpose Astyages King of the Medeans in the night dreamed that out of his daughters loynes should spring a vine whose branches should ouer shadowe al Asia The King being feareful asked counsaile of y e Southsaiers cōcerning y e euent of his troublesome dreame whose answeres were y t his daughter should bring foorth to him a nephewe which should take his kingdome from him Thus being terrified with this answere he would neither giue his daughter to any forreigne Prince or worthie state nor to his owne countriemen which discended or came of any honorable parentage to the intent that no stock or race of nobilitie might bréed or bring vp such a nephewe to him But at the last he gaue her in mariage to Cambises a Persian which was at that time a most obscure Nation notwithstanding fearing the future hap of his dreame he sent for his daughter being great with child vnder colour of being graundfather that he might looke well and carefullie to his daughters Child when it should be borne Not long after the young Childe his nephew was borne and then foorthwith Astiages the Graundfather gaue it to Harpagus chiefe Lord of his counsaile to bee presently slaine but Harpagus fearing least after the death of his Lord Astiages his daughter mother to that child should raigne in the kingdome and so reuenge the murder of the innocēt on him wherfore he gaue it to one of the kings shepheards to bee priuelie brought vp returning this answere to the King that he had slaine the child his nephew therefore he should not néede to feare his dreame But in time the boy growing vp to a pretie stripling being in companie with his fellowe shepheard boyes in the field and by lot was chosen King in their childish sportes and plaies when certaine of his little subiects had transgressed his cōmandement he caused them to be holden vp in iest whilest he whipped them in earnest the boyes complained of this abuse to their parents and they in like sort taking in hard part such whipping cōplained of it also to the King how that the sonne of a hired seruant had scorged and whipped their children which they tooke grieuousely then Astiages sending for the boy demanding of him the cause Where with the boy with a bolde and manly face Fecisse se vt regem respondit he answered That hee had done as became a King and no otherwise Astiages hearing this maiesticall answere of the pretie boy called to minde his forepassed dreame viewing well the lad he asuredly thought that y e boy much fauored his daughter whose Childe hee had caused
it is most certainly reported that Bonosus a Romane Emperour was such an excéeding quaffer and bibber of wine that Aurelius writeth of him in this sort saying that Hee was not borne to lead a life but to lift a pot In the end for his misgouernment by reason of his vnsatiable quaffing he was disinherited of his Empire by Probus who succéeded him for which cause he went and most shamefully hanged himselfe who being beheld of manie they scoffed and flouted at him saying It was a tankard or wine pot did hang there and not a man In like sort Tiberius the 3. Emperour of Rome delighting in such inordinate quaffing and sucking of wine and being so immoderately taken would lie so disorderly drunke that his owne subiects reproachfully and despitefully termed him whose name was Claudius Tiberius Nero to be Caldius Biberius Mero which is a most monstrous quaffer and gréedie deuourer of liquor Also Philip King of Macedonia sonne to Amintas and father to Alexander the great who although he had manie good most singular vertues yet notwithstanding the vice of drunkennesse so drowned all the rest of his good qualities and curteous behauiours that the reproach of one vice was more often spokē of after his death to the great slaunder of his noble acts than all the rest of his most worthie merites could be noted to his euerlasting praise His propertie was being either in garrison or camp after a banquet or merrie making his head somwhat drowned in wine as his common custome was would set out on his enemies and fight with them presently in that braue moode which often turned to his great losse and also made his bodie receiue manie a wound which easely he might haue preuented in his sobernesse In his drunkennesse he was alwayes found a truce breaker kéeping neither promise nor faith which before he had plighted insomuch as on a time being demanded why he kept not the league which he was sworne vnto at Melitus which indéed he had broken being in his accustomed folly and not much better when hee was asked the question Tush said he as children are trained beguiled with trisles euen so are men to be deluded and mocked with oaths Of which dooings and sayings being sober he would greatly repent himselfe and gouerne his procéedings wonderfull wisely For at what time he had gotten a great victorie conquest against the Athenians at Cheronea doubting least that he should grow too proud of this his great good hap prouided a bridle to kéepe vnder such inordinate pride causing a boy euerie day in the morning without fayling to come to his chamber dore calling aloud saying Philip remember thou art a man mortall Thus he vsed to heare the boy thrice euerie morning before he would permit or suffer anie suters or others whatsoeuer to tread ouer his chamber threshold or come néere his presence Hee was also a man of great humilitie and patience for on a time the Athenians sending an Ambassade to him whom he patiently heard and at their departure said Know ye said he anie thing wherin I may be beneficiall to you or your countrey for that I greatly desire both to pleasure your selues and also to doo the Towne of Athens some good Democrates at that time being companion in the Athenian ambassage said Yes mary Philip if thou wilt hang vp thy selfe Which answere sore troubled his companions But Philip most gently and coollie answered saying Say ye to the Athenians that they which for anger cannot abstaine from such words are much prowder of courage than they which suffer it spoken without punishment and doe easilie digest so proud an iniurie He had also like patience at Meton For when he had long besieged the Citie and could not get it at last he gaue a sharpe allarme and fierce assault on the Citie In which conflict he lost his eye to his great griefe and paine But when the Citizens of Meton humbly requested mercie at his hands when their towne could holde out no longer he notwithstanding his gréefe and great iniurie remitted their trespasse vpon their duetifull submission In iustice also when he was sober he was very vpright for on a time sitting in iudgement and hearing a matter in controuersie before him taking at that time litle regard what was spoken and sometime stumbring at the last gaue iudgement against one Machetas who crying out with a lowde voice saide O Philip I appeale Whereat he being sore moued with an angrie looke said To whom doest thou appeale I appeale said Machetas to Philip being thorowly awaked and not to thee O king when thou sleepest Whereat he thorowly awaking himselfe perceiued that Machetas had manifest wrong after that he had heard the matter openly explaned and related geuing thereunto good eare what was spoken Yet notwithstanding by no meanes he would reuerse his iudgement but the summe of money wherein he was condemned he paid it of his treasure himselfe Yet againe in the ende he fell to his accustomed cuppes forgetting himselfe satisfiing his gréedy appetite in vnmeasurable swilling and bibbing insomuch that when Pausanias a lusty young Gentleman came to him to complaine of a great and vile iniurie which he had suffered by one of the kings noble-men when he was but a youth and kept in the Court by reason of his nonage And now crauing for iustice and equitie at his hand and to stand an vpright king and iust gouernour betwixt them both The abuse was Attalus a noble-man in the Court which was then counseller to Philip the king had taken the youth Pausanias being a propper yong boy to his house where he ordeyned a costly banquette vpon purpose making Pausanias dronken and afterward abused his body most filthely after the detestable maner of the Sodomites Which vile villanie the youth tooke gréeuously and now being at mans estate came to the king to complaine of this most mōsterous abuse which Attalus had offered him being but a boye Whereat Philip being at that time as it séemeth somewhat merry in his cuppes deriding and mocking him for his labour with great laughter nothing entering into the cause of the abuse Wherewith Pausanias being sore moued finding no redresse of the king who shoulde haue shewed him true iustice Wherefore he turned his anger from Attalus to the king himselfe and as Philip came walking along in the middest of his friends not once suspecting the matter this Pausanias stabbed him thorow with a sword So that Philip the king of Macedonia forthwith died Thus ended this Prince by not ministring true iustice to his Subiects which especially procéeded by his accustomed folly in such excessiue quaffing who otherwise might well haue béen called the good Prince of Macedonia In like case his sonne Alexander surnamed the great nothing digressing from the steppes of his father Philippe but rather excelled him in this vile and detestable qualitie of quaffing insomuch that it is certainly reported of him being frée and
the familiar acquaintance and auncient loue which had been by their long felowship Nowe the couragious minde of Alexander being stirred vp by the good perswasions of his deare friend Calisthenes in so much that he presently againe fell to warre and conquered many kingdomes whereby he grewe to such hautie pride after the maner of the proud Persians and Parthians as is before spoken of for then Non salutari sed adorari se iubet He would no longer be worshipped as a man but adored as a God For which cause when diuers of the noble Macedonians woulde haue disswaded him from that foolish follie he put them to most cruell and strange death and torments But then againe Calisthenes thought to perswade Alexander from such a mighty error bearing himselfe somewhat bolder on the king than y e rest both for his approued wisdome and holesome counsaile which the king often had tried and felt as also on the auncient familiaritie and long acquaintance which had been betwixt the king and him so that he began earnestly to disswade him from this arrogant and fond vaine But Alexander being so puffed vp with pride and desiring so vnmeasurably to be a God that he would not heare the admonition and wise counsell of his approued frend but was wonderfully moued against him for his labour in so much that he caused him who before had preserued and saued his life to be most miserably martyred cutting off his nose lips eares hands and other members of his body to the pitiful paine and great deformitie of poore distressed Calisthenes commaunding him also to be cast into a most vile and stinking dike or pit there to languish vntill he died But the noble Lysimachus greatly pitying the miserable paine foule deformitie of the wise Philosopher gaue him poyson whereby he ended his grieuous smart Wherewith Alexander being greatly offended caused the said Lysimachus to be throwen into the Lyons denne to be deuoured of those cruell fierce beasts Notwithstanding he was deliuered by the mighty hande of God which as the common saying is was no gramercie to the King Scho. O most barbarous and vnciuill déede But what other fruites are to be expected or hoped for at the handes of such immoderate quaffers and vnsatiable suckers of wine than in recompence of their good seruice such cruell and outragious dealings Truely sir as you haue said either he was wonderfully drowned in the pride of the Parthians or els miserably ouercome in his accustomed swilling for otherwise such barbarous crueltie could neuer haue procéeded from temperate gouernment The most wise and learned Erasmus hauing somewhat touched and nipped the monstrous vice of dronkennesse at last to make manifest that such horrible beastlines was vntollerable and mightely detested meaning to quippe the whole companie and crewe of such vnsatiable ale-tasters concluded in the end with this saying Vereor plurimum ne quisobrij sunt operam hanc meam in ebrios dicendi ceu superuacaneam rideant dicent enim sobrijs castigatione hac nihil opus esse Ebrios autem sic vino sepultos vt nullius vocem exaudiant c. I feare me greatly saith he lest the wise and sober will deride and laugh at this my superfluous and needles paines in speaking so farre against dronkards For they may say there needeth no reprehension or castigation to the sober and persons of good gouernment And as for those that are dronke they are so buried in wine and so drowned in their filthie folly by keeping companie with such good cup-companions that they cā heare no mans voice vnderstand no admonition of the wise perceiue no rebuke or sharpe reprehension Therfore saith he as the body of a dead man doth seeme not to be stirred by pricking or sharpe pinching so in like sort no maruell though the mind and sense of a dronken man can by no honest warnings or good meanes be stirred vp or brought to amendment for that his whole pleasure and delight is in such gulling swilling That most commonly as Erasmus saith Neque pes neque manus satis suum officium facit Neither feete nor handes can wel do their office The legs not able to support and beare the weight of his body nor his handes with the help of a staffe able to support himselfe but that he tumbleth and walloweth in his owne vomit and filth more like a beast then man which most filthie vse and order the wise Seneca perceiuing Ebrietatem nihil ait esse quam voluntariam insaniam said that Drunkennesse was nothing else but a voluntarie madnesse and wilfull fransinesse which with good gouernment might easily bee auoyded and shunned saying further that Nothing did more better become and beautifie man than sobernesse so in like maner nothing did seeme more filthie nor more to be detested than a drunken man as alreadie you haue set downe and manifested as it were to the beholders eye showing the wilfull folly desperate madnesse which the vnsatiable bibbers of wine doo ouer rashly commit to their euerlasting reproach and ignomie also in the end to their great sorrow and displeasure for it doth not onely cause their infamie to bee perpetually registred but also their owne hands to commit most horrible and shamefull murders whereby they oft embrewe themselues in the bloud of the innocent and hurtlesse person which no doubt but in the end is most sharply punished on the committers Fa. My good friend first I beseech you to marke diligently our purposed procéedings then shall you right well perceiue to what end our conference tendeth and also to note that hee who liueth not in contentmēt dooth runne headlong to vnsatiable couetousnes from that gréedie appetite to monstrous pride from that intollerable vice to most lasciuious and licentious liuing from that vile and detestable sinne to most odious and filthie quaffing and imimoderate bibbing which bad life and disordered gouernment dooth soone purchase to the practisers thereof most condigne punishment as by our aforesaid conference doth most euidently appeare were it possible that the bloud of the innocent should not be reuenged or that the murthering hand should scape vnpunished No there is no doubt but that the liuing God dooth aswel plague the Prince and péere as the meanest person for such cruell and tyranous déeds will be sharply reuenged on their intemperancie For first it is to be considered that for lack of temperance man runneth headlong to those wilfull murders either by an ouer coueting mind or by desperate quarrelling or otherwise beeing ouercome by inordinate swilling and vnsatiable quaffing of liquor al which proceedeth through the default of the aforesaid gift Iezabel wife to Ahab King of Samaria when y e King her husband had required Naboth to part with his vineyard which lay verie conuenient for his vse profering him as great possession in some other place but Naboth denying his sute as a thing vniust saying God for bid that I should passe ouer
my patrimonie which my Father left me but be contented therewith and leaue it to my sonne as it was left me Wherewith the king being not content went home sorowing remaining verie pensiue and heauie for that he could not lawfully or without great shame take away the vineyard of Naboth but when Iezabel fully perceiued the cause of the Kings sorowing and heauines she directed letters to y e Rulers of y e place wher Naboth dwelt making them priuie of her bloudie practise wishing and commaunding them to proclaime a fast in their Citie and then to hire and suborne two witnesses that should falsely accuse him before the Iudges and presently therevpon to lead him out of the Citie and stone him to death which cruel doome and execrable murder was forthwith accordingly executed But notwithstāding although for a time reuengement was deferred yet could she not scape vnpunished for so soone as Iehu was annointed King he was straightly cōmanded from the verie mouth of God to persecute the house of King Ahab with great crueltie and not to leaue anie one liuing that should pisse against the wall wherefore he presently warred on the Citie of Iezrael and spoiled the house and frends of Ahab vntill he came where Iezabel lodged who was most cruelly vsed in consideration of her former trespasse for she was throwen and tumbled downe headlong from a lofty window to the hard pauements of the stréete wherewith her bloud sprong about the postes and walles of the stréet so that dogges came and licked vp her bloud and eate her flesh the rest being troden to durt with horseféete and marching souldiers insomuch that there remayned no more vnspoyled and defaced but onely the palmes of her hands Thus was Iezabel most cruelly slaine and miserably vsed by the very commaundement of God for the murdering and sheading of innocent bloud Also Olimpias wife to Philip the Macedonian king and mother to Alexander the great cōmitted diuers most horrible shamefull murthers namely first it was suspected and layd to her charge the consenting to the murther of her husband king Philip who was slaine by the hande of Pausanias For after this Pausanias had trayterously slaine the king her husband had receiued iust punishment for his villanie she openly mourned for the death of the said murtherer And also it was well knowē that she had prouided horses ready against the deede was committed to the end the slayer of her husbande might the better escape Further when his body did hang on the galous she came thether the first night and crowned the dead head of Pausanias with a crowne of gold taking also the carkasse from the trée burying it most nobly and made a famous Tombe in the same place for his remembrance Which causes being thorowly considered can import no otherwise than an accessary and guilty mind This Olimpias after the death both of Philip her husband and Alexander her sonne in the time that the Macedonian Princes and successors to her sonne Alexander did contend and striue for the superioritie and regiment of their dead master came down into Macedon with a great power to warre on Philip king thereof and Euridice his wife who at that time were lawfull inheritors of that kingdome and gaue them battaile In which conflict she tooke the King prisoner and all his whole familie But Euridice his wife fled for her safetie into the Citie Amphipolis where not long after she also was taken Then seised Quéene Olimpias into her hand all the whole Realm of Macedon howbeit she very vngently entreated these her prisoners For first she caused the king and Euridice his wife to be put into a straite prison that they could hardly turne themselues within and had their meat geuen thē in at a little hole but after they had béen there awhile thus miserably dealt withall Olympias perceiuing that the Macedonians for very compassion they had of the said captiues greatly maliced and hated her wherefore she caused King Philip by certaine souldiers of Thrace to be slaine after he had reigned king sixe yeares and foure moneths And for because that Euridice not well digesting her shamefull crueltie in so treacherously betraying her dead husband and also somewhat insolently spake said that she had better right and title to the crowne and realme of Macedonia than Olympias had she therefore either without regard of the late dignitie royall that the sayd Euridice had béen in or yet the common mutability variety of fortune sent her three liberall gifts to make her choyse thereof which was a sword a halter and poyson to end her life withal who of necessitie was forced to take one Thus whē the wofull Queene had receiued this present of Olympias seeing no remedie but that needs she must take and accept of one she said The Gods graunt like choyce to this cruell Olympias and that she may receiue like guerdon for her liberalitie heerein Thus when she had adorned the bodie of her husband Philip slaine in her presence and stopped vp the wounds to couer the deformitie of them then refusing the aforesaid presents of the curteous Queene in the best manner she could with her own girdle strāgled her selfe and so died Yet was not Olympias satisfied with these lamentable and execrable murders but soone after she had thus shamefully put them to death she made Nicanor Cassanders brother to be slaine and spitefully defaced the tombe of Iolas his other brother Ouer and besides this she picked weeded out an hūdred noble men of Macedonie which were frends to Cassander and caused their throates to be cut for which cruell and barbarous deed Cassander being moued gathered an Armie minding to reuenge himself on the Queen for her great crueltie and draue her at the last to the Citie Pidue where hee besieged her long vntil such time that vittaile failed her yet notwithstanding she would not yeeld although both her company and the Citizens dyed wonderfully by famine and greeuous plagues which chanced to them by reason of the dead bodies which lay in the town diches vnburied most horribly stinking insomuch that there dyed daily in the towne through these two causes aforesaid verie many citizens and soldiors Being also forced thorough extreame and miserable hunger to feed on the dead carkasses of the pined men The townesmen seeing theyr lamentable estate yeelded vp the Citie against Olympias will and humbled themselues willingly to the mercie of Cassander Then after this Queen was taken prisoner Cassander caused all the friends of them whom she had murdred to accuse her in the common place of iudgment before the assembly of the Macedonians Which thing they accordingly did where the Macedonians in the absence of Olympias hauing there neither any patrone or aduocate to defend her vniust cause condemned her to death For execution wherof Cassander sent 200. of his trustiest souldiers to kil her which entered her Pallace where she was Streightway so soone as she perceiued them
be as ioyfull vnto them as the restitution of their daughter vndefiled Then Scipio being ouercome with their long and vehement intercession caused the saide summe to be layd on the ground before his feete and calling Lucius againe to him hee said Beside the dowrie that you shall receiue of your Father in law for the mariage of his daughter ye also shall take this gift at my hande With which his great gift and also much honor done to him beside he returned home to his house countrey declaring to euery man the honor magnificence of noble Scipio saying There was a young man come most like a God who both with his power in warre and also with his gentlenes and liberalitie in peace had ouercome all the countrey Not long after this young Gentleman leauing his house and familie in good order returned to Scipio bringing with him 1400. good horsemen to the ayde and succour of the Romanes Thus first Scipio began with mercy lenity and gentle courtesie which was the cause that he gote in the end to the Romanes such notable and mightie victories The great Pompey neuer gate the like renowne in all his conquest of Spaine and Affrike nor in the subduing of the valiant Sertorius neither in the victories of Armenia Cappadocia Arabia Iberia Mesopotamia with diuers other Prouinces and Kingdomes as he did by his great courtesie For when in his warres against Mithridates he had taken certaine noble matrons and beutifulll virgins he caried a vigilant eye ouer them neither abusing any of them himselfe nor suffering his captains or souldiers to dishonour or dishonest them in any case calling them all together before him comforting them with sweete wordes in the best maner he coulde saying That none vnder paine of death should offer them villanie graunting foorth his safeconduct to them that they might be conueyed to their husbandes parents and friends with honour vndefiled richly rewarding them with iewels which he had taken in his warres protesting also vnto them that he for his part was most heartely sorrie that it was his hap so to fright and terrifie such hurtlesse creatures requesting them to take it in good part for such was the chaunce and casualtie of warre for which gentle behauiours had it not béen for certaine other lewd vices which are before mentioned he had attained to péerlesse praise Alexander the great king of Macedon although hee frequented a number of most notable and bad vices yet were it no reason to burie in obliuion and forgetfulnesse couering as it were in the graue of silence the gentle courtesie and manly pietie which hee showed in most ample maner to the distressed houshold and familie of king Darius For euen at such time as the mightie Warres began betwéene these two Princes In the second Battaile and conflict Alexander had a great victorie against Darius and the Persians taking the tents with all the bag baggage appertaining to the King and the Persians and also for a pray amongst other booties hee tooke prisoners the mother wife sister and the two daughters of King Darius his enemie whome when Alexander came to comfort beeing in great sorrow and distresse they beholding him comming with an armed troupe pitifully schritched and lamentably cried out as if they then should presently haue been slaine falling downe prostrate at the féete of Alexander beséeching him that they might before they died burie the dead bodie of their Lord Darius whom they supposed to be slaine in that bloudie fight and that now wheras he was a man and had at this time gotten a most noble and manly victorie against Darius their Lord and King so to behaue himselfe towards those poore distressed creatures who were altogether vnguiltie of that pitiful slaughter being as it were present in the Armie with their friend for their countreyes cause and in defence of their libertie in which also their Lord King Darius was now slaine therefore now that he would vouchsafe to bestow the bodie of their slain friend on them that they might doo to him in their life the rights of buriall and then said they O Alexander our liues be at thy cōmaundement Alexander beeing greatly mooued with pitie séeing their bitter teares and considering the hard hap and bad destinie of so noble Dames bewayled their distressed case with wéeping further comforting them saying that Darius theyr Lord and King was aliue and at libertie still with his owne force and power and although he was ouercome in that fight yet was he readie to giue newe battaile againe as in déede hee did causing them to banish feare from them for that no iniurie or wrong should happen to them giuing also commaundement that they should be prouided for and vsed as to their high estate and dignitie appertained giuing good words and comfort vnto the two yong Daughters of Darius wishing them assuredly to thinke and firmely to perswade themselues that hee woulde haue as great care to bestowe them in marriage if King Darius their father did die and perish in these warres as he liuing with a fatherly care would prouide for them and that with no base or obscure mates Which thing when Darius was truely certified of and of the courteous entertainement of his mother wife and sister being all prisoners and captiues at the hands of Alexander his enemie although he then was able to geue battaile to the strongest king of the earth for he agayne had gathered a most mightie and huge armie was already ouercome and conquered with the gentle courtesies of his enemie altogether vnwilling to fight against so friendly a foe wherfore he sent his letters to Alexander requiring him that he might redéeme his captiues promising a mightie summe masse of money for their raunsome Notwithstanding Alexander would receiue no money but required his whole kingdome for their redemption Darius not willing to fight with so friēdly an enemie sent his letters to Alexander the second time offering one of his daughters in mariage with part of his kingdome to him if it might please him to accept thereof But the vnsatiable Alexander could not be content with part vnlesse he might haue all the whole And as for the offer of his daughters he returned this answere saying He had them already and could doe with them his pleasure Now was Darius forced to goe against his friendly foe the thirde time hoping to get his prisoners and yet notwithstanding louing and honouring the very name of Alexander for the great courtesie and lenitie he had shewed to his familie The army and power of Darius was at this time foure hundred thousand footmen and an hundred thousand horsmen thus marching toward his enemie Alexander it was told him in his iorney that his wife was dead whose death Alexander lamented with teares and caused a noble funerall to be appointed doing to her the greatest honor he could deuise comforting the rest requesting them not so heauely to take the death of their friend whose
life by no meanes he coulde saue or preserue Now was Darius ouercome when his power was most strongest with the benefites and friendlinesse of his foe so honouring in his heart his aduersarie that for loue he bare him he could not arange his battaile against him reioysing greatly in himselfe and also saying to his friends If I am ouercome in this warre yet notwithstāding I haue great cause to reioyse that I shall be conquered by so noble a minded prince Wherefore againe he sent his letters to Alexander offering him the greater part of his kingdome to the riuer of Euphrates with his other daughter and for the other captiues he offered three hundred thousand talents But Alexander returned this answere refusing the compositiō saying It was need lessethankes of his enemie for he alwaies had vsed to reuenge himselfe on armed men and on his fighting foe and not vpon hurtlesse women Thus by the hautie courage of Alexander Darius was forced and drawen into the fielde vnwillinglie to fight against his enemie whom he estéemed as a friendly foe notwithstanding there was fought betwixt them a fierce and cruell battaile the Persians in the end being ouerthrowen with great slaughter for that Darius their Captaine could not encourage or stirre them vp to fight against his friend In which conflict certaine of the friends and alliance of Darius séeing the battaile vtterly lost and that Alexander was like presently to be Lord of the field sought to betray their king into the hands of Alexander thereby to pick a thanke or as they say to currie fauour In accōplishing of which thing Darius was sore wounded by his allies notwithstanding he escaped preuented their purpose But Alexander not hearing of Darius sent out seuen thousand horsmen to prosecute after him whō when they could not finde they requested leaue to rest themselues and their ouer wearied horses then one of the souldiers going to water his horse at a certaine riuer thereby by chaunce found out Darius lying in a coach or chariot being mortally wounded with many gréeuous hurtes ready to yéeld vp his life comming néere to the coach he did plainly perceiue that it was Darius and Darius did well knowe that he was one of the crewe or bande of Alexander wherefore he called him to his coache saying My good friend I greatly reioyce that it is my good fortune before I die to haue so fitte a messenger as yourselfe to carrie these my last words not to my enemie but to my good frend Alexander at whose handes I haue founde great fauour say thou my friende that I confesse I die greatly indebted vnto him being altogether vnable to requite the very least of his courtesies shewed to my mother wife and children and that I haue of him a more happier enemie than my kinsmen are frendly For my mother wife and children haue found both fauour and life at the hand of mine enemie and I my selfe am depriued of life by my kinsmen and allies to whom I gaue both life and land Wherefore I wish as great happines to fall on him as he being victor can wish or desire and that I euen now dying doe wholy committe and betake both myself my landes and goods into the hands of so noble a minded prince praying both to the high Gods and also to the infernall powers that he may be victor against whomsoeuer he wageth warre and that all blessings may happen to him according to his owne hartes desire And for the further acknowledging of my vnfeined loue and well wishing desire towardes Alexander my approued friend take here of me this my right hande which thou seest me cut of willingly being aliue and carrie it to thy Lord and master my good friend as a sure seale and firme pledge of my vnfeyned good will and hartie well wishing towards him Thus died Darius when hee coulde no otherwise gratifie and recompence his friendly foe for the great fauoures and courtesies shewed to his familie than by the acknowledging of his clemencie and and gentlenes This friendly fauour of Alexander was soone spred thorow the world and more often repeated to his high praise and commendation than the great and famous victorie which he had against the Persians which was a most wonderfull conquest and remayneth at this day the very chiefe and most principall praise and merite to Alexander Was there not likewise singular courtesie and wonderful gentlenes in King Darius which Alexander conquered For at such time as certaine of his noble men sought to entangle and take him by treason which were of no small account amongst the Persians Darius the King hauing intelligence of their wicked practise thus considered with himselfe and brake it vnto his secrete friend saying Here are diuers noble men which traiterously haue conspired my death if now I shoulde put them all to the sworde there is no doubt but that I should stirre vp against me many of their friends and allies and so be forced to make great effusion of bloud which truely is contrarie and repugnant to my nature The cause surely to me is vnknowen why they should thus wickedly worke my hurt It may be they would be better cōtent with another king to raign ouer them than with me now their present prince yet truely I rather chuse to haue it registred of their disloyaltie toward their Prince by my death than to purchase to my selfe the name of a cruell tyrant by their bloudy slaughters With these considerations he concealed the matter making a shew as though he nothing mistrusted any such thing on a time riding foorth a hunting these noblemen which had conspired against him flocked together hoping now to get some conuenient time and place for their purpose riding with the king to the forrest making a shewe of great ioy and gladnes to the end the king should suspect no euill but he full well knew their intent though he dissembled the matter Thus following their game they trouped together hoping that the king would come that way which they had laide and stauled for him which indéede he did The King séeing their intent and spying their order singled himself from the rest of his companie going directly to the traytors who stoode in ambush redy to fulfill and accomplish that for which cause they came The king boldly rushed into the middest of them saying Now ye traytors dispatch and committe that which ye are determined to doe I haue long time knowē your intent for because I would not be counted a bloudy prince I haue spared you all rather chusing that your handes should be unbrued in the bloud of your giltlesse Prince to your euerlasting infamie and dishonor than my sworde should be stayned with the slaughter of so many Subiectes wishing rather here to die and free your troubled mindes than to liue and remaine such an eyesore to so many noble estates though traytors to their Prince Therefore said he Quid igitur non exequimini id cuius
and valiant captaines whom they craue to haue againe by way of exchange and so may you haue me againe here at libertie in Rome notwithstanding first for my auncient authoritie in this our commonwealth then for my approued good wil towards my coūtrey and last in respect of my graue and aged yeares and here by the vertue and dignitie of my place in the Senate house I am to determine causes confer about the good of our weale publique and to haue as great a care for the preseruation both of our Citie and Countrey in as ample manner as the rest of you my fellowe Senators therefore most honourable Fathers being thus strongly warred vpon by so mighty a people who seeke daily to subuert our state throwe down our citie and spoyle our commonwealth the cause is therefore wisely to be considered on First for mine owne part as you all do know I am old decrepite and of little force of body not like long to continue Againe the Captaines whom you holde of the Carthaginians are both lustie valiant and couragious gentlemen likely to perfourme and doe great seruice against you to the great hurt of the Commonwealth Therefore Fathers conscript by the vertue of may aforsaid authorities I wil neuer consent to the redeliuering or redeeming of such perilous enemies but will with a willing heart returne to the Carthaginians from whence I came to saue both the honor of my countrey and the credite of my name from perpetuall infamie lest that we should be hereafter by the Carthaginians our enemies accounted and reprochfully tearmed the confringers of martiall rights Thus the graue Senators by no meanes could perswade the good old man to make such exchange as the Carthaginians offered but would néedes return for his countreis sake although he knew he went to present death and cruel torment Thus went Attilus Regulus to the enemie who after they had bound him cut of his eye lids and set him in a hollow tree vpright filled full of sharp and pricking nailes there continuing in most horrible paine vntill he died Thus did he carry a faithfull heart and noble courage in his countreis cause willing to lose his life for the profite and welfare of his weale publique In like sort Gobrias a Persian holding in his armes by force in a dark chamber him who was a traytor to his countrey insomuch that when one of his fellowes came to his ayde to help to slaye the traytor he cryed out to his friend saying Stay not thy blowe but thrust him thorow although thereby thou doest kill me also so that he escape not from vs to the further hurte of our Countrey therefore presently run thy sword thorow him and so shall our Common-wealth be freed from a wicked traytor Thus Gobrias esteemed not his life in deliuering his countrey from an enemie Codrus king of Athens for the sauegard of his publick weale went to present death willingly and with a valiant courage For at such time as there was warres betwixt him and the Dorians the Dorians went to the oracle of Apollo at Delphos to know who should be victors in that war begun to whom this answere was made That they should be coquerors if they killed not the king of Athens Then was proclamation made in all the Dorian campe to spare and preserue aliue the Athenian king But Codrus hearing of the answere of Apollo and being aduertised of their proclamation did foorthwith change his garmēts in most deformed maner with a wallet full of bread on his shoulders and went priuely to the campe of the Dorians and wounded a certaine od fellow among their Tentes with a sharpe hooke or sickle which hee had prepared for the nonce In reuenge whereof the wounded fellowe slewe Codrus the king but after when the body was knowen the order of his death the Dorians departed without battaile remembring the diuine answere of the Oracle wherby the Athenian king freed his countrey frō peril which otherwise had béen in great danger It is also reported that Lycurgus after he had made diuers good lawes to be obserued kept of his coūtreimē fained that they were made by the cōsent of the Oracle at Delphos And when he perceiued that these lawes statutes were to the great benefit of his countrey fayned that he would go to Delphos for further counsel And to the intent they should kéep those lawes vntill he returned from thence firme and sure he made the whole body of the commonwealth to sweare binde themselues by oath to keepe vnuiolated and vnbroken those lawes which then he had set downe vntill such time that he returned againe from Delphos but because he would haue those statutes remaine and be of force for euer in his Countrey hee went the next way to Créete and not to Delphos where he liued in exile banishing himselfe from his Countrey so long as he liued and at his death because his bones should not be caried into his Countrey whereby his Countreymen might think themselues discharged of their oathes and full fréed from their vowe he caused his bones to be burned and the ashes thereof to be throwen into the sea to the intent that neither he himselfe nor any part of him being left should be brought backe into his Countrey by which meanes he caused his Countreymen perpetually to kéepe those good and holesome lawes to the vnspekable profit of the Commonwealth Zopirus a nobleman of Persia also tendering his Prince Countrey insomuch that when the great Citie of Babylon rebelled against Darius his Lord and king to the great trouble vexation of the whole commonwealth and could by no meanes be subdued he then in fauor of his prince and countrey priuily and vnawares went and cut off his owne nose lips eares and in other deformed maner pitifully mangling his body fled into the City of Babylon saying that Darius his master and certain other of his cruell Countreymen had so shamefully disfigured and martyred him because saith he I perswaded him to haue peace with your citie Which when they heard greatly pitying his distressed case and in recompence thereof made him chiefe captain and gouernor of their towne by which meanes he yéelded vp the rebellious Babylonians to his soueraigne Lord the king to the great good quieting of his countrey Did not Sceuola that noble Roman whē the citie of Rome was besieged by the mighty Porsena king of Tuscane willingly run to desperat death to purchase liberty to his countrey for he apparreled him selfe in beggars cloathes came foorth of the citie by night and ranged in the enemies campe till he had found out the Tent of Persena the king minding to slay that mighty Tuscane who then so strongly compassed and enuironed their citie But he mistaking the king slewe his Secretary and missed his marke who being thereupon presently taken and his pretended purpose further knowen Porsena the king caused a great fire to be made to burne
to their owne authoritie But Ninus hath béen so rightly imitated and iustly followed that at this day warre increaseth of trifling causes to most bloudie battaile Did not the cruell warre of the Persians growe of a small occasion and grudge betwixt Menāder Samius and the Athenians Also the bloudie conflict called Praelium sacrum began about the exaction of the iudgement of the Amphictions the Cheronean warre bred of a light occasion betwixt Philip the Athenians Which warres although they sprang but of friuolous causes could not be ended without great slaughters Therefore it is an easier thing to begin war than to end it wherefore a man ought first to haue a care howe to finish that which he taketh in hand or else he runneth blindly to his enterprise hauing also consideration that whosoeuer shal first begin warre sounding the trumpe of defiance vpon small occasions doth as it were open his gate to be spoyled as well of the forren as domestique enemie such misgouernment disorder there is in warre for the rude and vnbridled rascall doth gape after so fit an opportunitie to deuoure spoyle and rob the honest and true subiect boystrously intruding himselfe into the houses arrogantly challenging to be partakers of the goods substance of the quiet people which they haue long time trauelled for with great paines and carefull toyle so that he who cannot be content to enioy and possesse his owne proper goods priuately with quietnes let him proclaime open warre hee shall soone be rid of that griefe Who is so prone to bloudie broyles as such as haue by euillhusbandrie as they terme it spent their lands goods and substance in vaine pleasures and vile follies Was not Rome in great perill to haue béen spoyled by a notable crue of bankrupts For Lucius Sergius Cataline a noble mā of Rome when hee had by riot spend his patrimonie beeing altogether vnable to maintaine his prodigalitie and wanton vaine in immoderate spending went about to spoile sack and destroy his owne natiue citie and countreymen associating to him in this his greeuous conspiracie such outlawes and bankrouts as either stoode in feare of a law or els such vnthrifts as himselfe as had wantonly and most vainly spent and consumed their goods and possessions which presently were as soone allured as himselfe was ready to entise hoping to be made rich by the spoile of their owne countreymen when they had vnthriftely wasted their owne This rable rout of vnbrideled riotors had wrought their mischieuous purpose to such effect that their wicked enterprice had taken place if by the prouident wise foresight of Cicero it had not beene preuented neither was it knowen that any one Roman of good gouernment or any one that liued orderly in the commonwealth without riot or other bad and lewd conuersation was found culpable or gilty in this dangerous conspiracie although diuers principall and chiefe men at the first were suspected notwithstanding they were in the ende cleerely defended and apparantly freed from that slaunderous reproach and ignomie by their owne Citizens Did not Brennus in like manner leade and conduct a mighty huge bande of Gaules who had before spent their goods by ryot prodigalitie and disordering themselues in many bad and vile misdemeanors spoyling and robbing most vnmercifully the countreys as they marched committing sacriledge with a number of most vile villaines to recouer againe their former vaine expēces Did they not in the end after many cruell acts vnsatiable spoyles and shamefull robberies most miserably perish to the wonderfull example of such spoyling outlawes What was the cause that the Troyans inuaded Italie making such hauock and spoyle in what countrey soeuer they arriued but their greedy couetous mindes to recouer their vnthriftie losses For when they had by their own vnfaithfulnes greatly abused their frends the Greekes with a most shamefull abuse the Greekes in reuengement thereof sacked and spoyled their citie slaying and murthering the vnfaithfull Troyans sauing certaine which afterward made warres in Italie which were saved at the destruction of Troy for betraying their king and citie into the hands of the Grecians this remaine of the disloyall Troyans so scoured and pilled the coastes of diuers countreyes to get and take perforce whatsoeuer they could finger arriued at the last in Italy where they made sharp warre spoyling the people and wasting the Countrey vntill such time as they had taken the whole region from the lawfull inhabitors thereof Thus it is most euident that first warre is begun and set forward either by the vnsatiable person or els by the rebell bankrout or outlaw the one to satisfie his vnbrideled appetite plaguing diuers for his owne priuate gaine the other for his misgouernment and disobedience both to Prince and law to whom warre is swéete and most pleasant to answere their gréedy expectation withall But war to the contented person and quiet subiect is a hell and the very scourge of God the name whereof is most odious and terrible to the quiet minde for it bringeth all miseries and calamities to man as namely plague pestilence sodain death murther bloudy battaile cruel slaughters miserable destruction of many towns ouerthrow of stately cities sword fire and famine with a thousand miseries incidert to man by such a spiteful guest The olde prouerbe saith Dulce bellum inexpertis sed acerbum experientibus Warre is sweete and pleasant to the vnskilfull and ignorant but bitter and vnsauerie to the skilful Yet notwithstanding although war be most fierce and cruell yet is it stoutly to be maintained against the vnsatiable and inuading enemie and with might and maine to be folowed to the beating downe and suppressing of such spitefull foes as are euer ready prest and bent to disturbe a quiet and peaceable kingdome being blinded with auarice doe right soone consent to lamentable slaughters and effusion of bloud it is much more easier to defende a kingdome being already possessed and to repell the aduersarie than to inuade other regions or conquere forraine countreis for it is to be thought that the people will fight more couragiously both for their prince coūtrey libertie wiues and children house and familie than the proud inuading enemy who fights to satisfie his vainglorious minde and vnsatiable appetite Was not Xerxes king of Persia when he inuaded Greece with such an innumerable power who also perceiuing the strēgth of his multitude commanded both sea and laud to obey his pleasure driuē back out of Greece by a small companie of the defending Grecians causing him to flie with spéede home to his owne Countrey againe to his great shame and dishonor Was not such inuading the very chiefe and originall cause that the Romanes subdued Carthage for if the proud and vnsatiable Carthaginiās had not first inuaded Italie and the Romanes their owne Citie and commonwealth could neuer haue béene ouerthrowen and subdued For when first the Carthaginians entered Italie minding to make a whole conquest
of the Roman empire without cause at that time offered by the Romanes the Romanes then seeing their Empire in danger their whole state in perill their wiues and children likely to be spoyled the Citie defaced and their countrey vtterly to be ruinated and destroyed they then with manly courage and specially by the good help of the wise and valiant Scipio repelled them Italie draue them home into Affrike in the end to the very walles of their chiefest refuge which was to the stately towne and citie of Carthage there in the last battaile they were ouercome by the Romanes and forced to sue for fauour at the handes of them whom before they had inuaded The noble Scipio considering that in that battaile did consist and depend the victorie and whole ouerthrowe of one of those who stately Empires of Rome and Carthage And thus in this battaile they on both sides were stirred and pricked forward in hope of possessing each others Empire had no other meanes to animate and encourage his souldiers than by repeating and reiterating vnto them the perill of their owne estate and with what cruell and bloudy mindes the greedy Carthagiginians had inuaded them before Promising them futher to the intent to pricke their mindes forward more willingly to fight that if at that time and in that fight they did get the victory theÌ„ they should returne home to their owne countrey carying with them libertie for euer and neuer againe to feare such cruel inuasion as before they had tasted of For saith he Adesse finem belli in manibus esse predam Carthagenis si forte pugnauerint c. The war is euen now at an end the pray and spoyle of the Carthaginians were already in their hands and leaue should be giuen them after this victorie to returne home to their couÌ„trey parents wiues and children and to their houshold Gods So by the encouragement of the worthy Scipio they obteined a most triumphant victorie returning to Rome hauing coÌ„quered the causers of that bloudy war which they could neuer haue done if the Carthaginians first had not made them desperate by inuading their Region Also in the great warres sharp fight betwixt the Medians and the Persians in the time of Cirus and Astiages there hapned a notable thing which in this cause doeth merite remembrance For when the Persians vnder the conduct of king Cyrus were driuen backe and forced by Astiages and the Medes to retire being most eagerly chased by the fierce inuading foe with cruell force and bloudy minds vntill the Persian women rebuked the cowardlines of their flying men in this sort Nam matres vxores eorum obuiam occurrunt orant in prelium reuertantur cunctantibus sublata veste obscoena corporis ostendunt rogantes num in vteros matrum vel vxorum velint refugere The men by this sharpe reprehension of the women went backe againe into the battaile and put vnto shamefull flight those who before had caused them to retire For then they bethought themselues whether they should flie if they lost their owne kingdome thinking it very harde to liue and inhabite vnder the rule and dominions of other when as they could not enioy and quietly possesse their owne patrimony and also when they looked backe toward their women who came vpon them in such vndecent sort as hath before beene shewed they were greatly ashamed considering their own cowardlines who were faine to be stirred vp and put in minde by their valiant women to defend their countrey and familie Therefore the arte of warre is to be exercised and the feates and actes of chiualry highly to be commended not so much for the inuading of others as for the defending of their owne and beating down of the prowde vaunting foe This was an auncient order custome amongst the Romans to set open the Temple gates of Ianus in the time of warre and in peace to close them vp again for when they had thorowly seene the mutabilitie and vncertaintie of frowning battaile and the casualties of cruell warre being ouerwearied and tired with the calamities and miseries thereof at last they erected and buylded a temple in their city placing therein the image and picture of Ianus which was pictured with a bifronce or double forhead looking plainely and sensibly both wayes the temple dores and gates beeing closely bolted locked and shut vp in time of peace tranquilitie and in the time of warre either forrein or ciuill they commaunded to vnlocke and set ope the gates of the same temple to this end purpose that the people of the Citie might thoroughly behold the double face and backward looke of Ianus which signified and represented to the beholder a foresight of future thinges finally to happen aswell as for the prouision of the present state Thus it was continually vsed in peace to be shut and in warres to bée open wherby both the Senators Centurions Captaines and other Officers and Gouernors of the people were put in minde in the time of warre to haue a prouident foresight circumspect care what might happen thereby therein or thereafter as well as what séemed to stand good by their present knowledge Which prudent policie caused the wise Romanes to preuent diuers inconueniences for it is not good ouer blindly to goe forward in such causes trusting to their own force nor to fickle fortune who commonly deceiueth those that trust her It fortuned vpon a time that Dionysius the second and Philip the sonne of Amintas met together and falling into communication of manie matters as the vse and custome is in conference circular talke they harped both vpon this string Philip asked this question of Dionysius Quando cum tantum regnum accepisset à parente non id defendisset conseruasset How it chanced that he hauing receiued so ample a patrimonie of his Father did not defend and maintaine the same Whereunto he made this answere Non mirum quoniam omnia relinquens fortunam solùm qua ea parauerat tutus fuerat pater non mihi tradidit No maruell saith he for my father leauing all things to me in abundance did not deliuer to me withal his flourishing fortune whereby he obtained and maintained the same But truely where fortune most commonly is present and waighteth at will and pleasure there is wanting a satisfied mind which was verefied by the Legates of Carthage For when the Romanes had vtterly ouerthrown and subdued them they were forced to sue to the Senate of Rome for peace in which ambassade their was a graue Father of Carthage who boldly stood foorth in the â—â— the Romanes as thy first motion was rather than to mooue warre which dooth so happely fall out to the great honor of the Carthaginians no Hanno now I warrant thée we shall heare a Senator of Rome speake héere in the Senate house of Carthage most humbly crauing peace at our hands for their distressed Countrey and Commonwealth or
house I higher stept to highest place of state For Pryamus the king of Troy did take me for his mate Who was the stately Emperour of Asia and there Amongst the hautie Phrygians the diademe did weare Then Queene was I of flaunting Troy The Troyans all reioyce That Priamus their Lord and king had made of me his choice There many noble sonnes had I the world doeth witnes beare No Nation vnder heauen that day with me durst once compare In valure with so many sonnes by one brought foorth to sight Each people on the earth as yet will yeeld to them their right That for so many bretheren as I brought foorth poore Queene I say againe that neuer since by any hath beene seene And that I meane to prophesie wherefore I dare be bold To say the like will neuer be while heauen and earth dooth hold But for because I would not wish thou shouldst my name mistake Whom Greekes and Romanes long agoe in dolefull verse did make The world to know and now my selfe shall verefie the same Who called me olde Hecuba so truely was my name A wretched wight too olde indeede for that I liude so long To scape the fire that burned Troy to suffer further wrong O would to God I then had died when Pryamus my mate By Pyrrhus sword receiude the wound but now I wish too late Fell destinie denide me that and sparde me for the nonce To plague me with a thousand woes ten thousand all at once But first to tell my fatall hap and orderly proceede To shew howe that the angry gods against me had decreede And vowed I thinke by one consent to worke me double woe Or else I neuer so had died to please my spitefull foe As after thou shalt knowe but first I wish to ease my minde In shewing how that destinie and haplesse fate assignde To me poore wretch such mischiefe vile as none did euer taste Before nor since though long agoe my miseries were past For first within my body I to my great paine did beare And nourish vp the fruit which was the cause of all my care With childe I was but then vnknowne what fruit I foorth should bring To ioy my selfe or else to please olde Pryam Troyan king My louing mate who vsde me well wherefore I wisht to please His quiet minde by my good will that we might liue at ease But see how froward fortune frownd a dreame did me molest And fearefull fright did trouble me when I was layd to rest Me thought I was deliuered of such a fearefull sight For all was fire which I brought forth and flamde as fire bright With furie great the fire waxt with flames the aire did streame Thus doubtfull dumpe by fright did pierse my breast in dreadfull dreame When that I wakde I tolde the king how Morpheus had delt With me in sleepe and further how what agonie I felt Who presently to oracle would haue no nay but sent To know what by this fierie flame and dreadfull dreame was ment The dreame resolude the Oracle for answere did returne That I a sonne should beare and he should cause strong Troy to burne With fire bright and for his cause olde Pryamus his sire And I his mother should behold our towne to burne with fire And all our people slaine downe right in fighting for his sake A mightie foe for his abuse should sharpe reuengement take Which to preuent the father sought to slay his harmelesse boy For that he thought some mischiefe might by his meanes hap to Troy And for because the Oracle on him vnborne did giue Such sentence which did fright his sire wherefore he might not liue That when his sonne was borne foorthwith the father did betake The childe vnto a trusty friend that he away might make The boy which well I loude but yet such pity did remaine Within my breast that I reserude my sonne which should be slaine And closly spake vnto the man that he my childe shoulde spare And tell the king at his returne that cruell beasts did teare The tender limmes of his yong sonn wherefore he now was free From such suspect as erst before the Oracle did see The aged King was then content and thought all things were well He feared not the prophesie which these things first did tell Thus did I breede and foster vp euen him that did destroy Both parents friends and countrey kinde and sought our great annoy The lad did liue with heard in field and shortly vp was growen So that he for King Pryams sonne by secret signes was knowen Then was the youth callde home againe and Pryam was content To take him for his sonne and did his former acte repent But when sir Paris came to Court for so we callde his name The doting boy began to loue and follow Venus game Enquiring oft when fame would bring newes of a peerelesse peece And passing dame which that ere long had tidings thus from Greece That there the flower of all the world six Menelaus helde The like to her on all the earth no Nation then could yelde For whom vnknowne my sonne did dote in such exceeding sort That he to Greece by sea would passe to see if that report Had blazde a truth but first before to Grecian soile he went He craude of me and Priamus to yeelde him our consent Then shippes were built on seas to saile king Pryam willd it so And mates for him were picked out and hence to Greece they go At Lacedemon he at length a place of Greece so calld Ariude and in their safest rodes his wearie shippes in halld By Menelaus his consent who foorthwith did inuite The Troyans all vnto his court suspecting no such spite As after did betide for that sir Paris did conuay Faire Helen thence his louing wife and so without delay Did hoase vp saile and speedie windes did send him soone to Troy Where many of his friends did wait to welcome his newe ioy But Helen thus conuaide from Greece the angry Greekes waxe mad To see how Paris plaid his prankes when Menelaus had Receiued his guest in frankest sort and did him friendly vse Whose courtesie to recompence the letcher did abuse His honest host by spitefull rape in stealing of his wife Which hatefull cause did soone procure sharpe warre and deadly strife Yet first the Greekes I must confesse like honest minded men Did send to Troy to haue againe faire Helena which then Was brought to Troy and their demaund to end the bloody iaerre Which likely were to followe fast and turne to deadly warre But Priam he with his fierce sonnes their lawfull sute denide For which the Greekes to take reuenge to Pryams Kingdomes hied From Greece they saile to Phrygia land which haughty Pryam held And there arriude in dreadfull sort well armed with speare and sheld The warre began great slaughter was for mightie Mars did raigne Full fierce they fought for ten yeares space yet neither party gaine Such losse
chop should staine Because I feard the prophesie therfore I did consent But what of that the Gods themselues did hinder mine intent For if the Gods decree it once I know it will fall out Let no man think the powers diuine by any meane to stout Sir Satire sonne to Pariside of Bosphore sometime king Was wild by Oracle to shun a mouse of any thing For that a mouse should be his death except he took great heed The Oracle did tell him flat his fate was so decreed But he to shun the warned harme did slay the silly mice In field and town that none might liue his death to enterprice And in his land no man might dwell that mouse was cald by name He sought each way to saue himselfe he feared so the same He stopt the holes of creeping mice in euery place full sure For that the vermins by no meanes his death might once procure Yet see the end when least he thought of this forewarned harme He wounded was vpon the brawne or muscle of the arme For Musculus a little mouse in Latine we doo call And Mus a mouse which Satire slew as after did befall A dagger piercd Sir Satirs arme right where the muscle grew And muscle comes of Musculus though then too late he knew And Philip King of Macedon was warned to beware Of wagon or of wheeled coach wherfore he had a care To keep himselfe from any such he neuer could abide To come in coach for feare of that but still on horse did ride For all his care it so fell out he could it not preuent He was deceiud no running coach by this before was ment For being slaine the sword that slew the King was brought to sight And viewed well where on the hilts a coach was grauen right To Pelius it was declarde when that he chauncd to see One barefoot doing rights vnto his fathers ghost that he Should then of death in danger stand the prophesie was so Because he should take heed of him and shun the warned foe When he was doing of his rights vnto his fathers ghost His nephew Iason came by chance whose right foot shoo was lost And there vnto his grandsire dead the youth his dewes did giue The vncle then with ielous mind not long did think to liue For that he feard his neuew now who barefoot there did stand Should be the cause of his dispatch wherfore he out of hand Did counsell Iason being young to Colchos Ile to sayle To fetch the golden fleece from thence wherin he did preuaile His meaning was that Iason should be lost or drownd therin The conquest seemd vnpossible the golden fleece to win And for because he might not feare the prophesie forepast He shipt his neuew speedely and sent him thence in hast But Iason soon returnde again and brought away the fleece And brought Medea home with him to be old Pelias Neece To Thessalie Medea came and hearing what was done Against the aged Pelias she presently begun To practise treason at the last and causd the aged sire By his own daughters to be slaine this was for Pelias hire For he that could not trust the man that was his kinsman near But purposely did seek his death to free himselfe from fear Had such a chance ere that he wist Medea did the deed His ielous mind was chiefest cause that made him so to speed The Oracle long time before did know old Pelias mind Wherfore it told what destenie was to the man assignde Of fiftie daughters Danaus to be the sire was knowne Aegiptus then his brother had so many sonnes his own Aegiptus would haue all these his sonnes his brothers daughters wed But Danaus would not consent wherfore away he fled And tooke his daughters all with him because he did suspect A sonne in law would be his death therfore he did reiect The offer that his brother made but why he did refraine The cause was thus the Oracle did say he should be slaine By him that was his sonne in law wherefore he sought to shunne Such destinie as might befall through such a wicked sonne Aegyptus wroth with this his deede did send his sonnes to stay Their vncle that before was fled and pact from thence away His sonnes according to his will old Danaus did take And causde him there against his will a marrige day to make His daughters all were wedded then against their fathers will Eche man his cousin germaine had Aegyptus did fulfill His mind at last and did reioyce in this so strange a march But Danaus not well content did worke a swift dispatch Because he fearde the prophecie least that on him should light He did commaund his daughters all they should appoint a night Wherein eche one with willing minde her slumbring mate should slay And disappoint the prophecie before the morrow day His iealous minde did vexe him so he still did doubt the worst Til it was done he could not rest the man did so mistrust According to the fathers minde they did commit the act The nuptiall bed was so defilde with such a filthie fact All sauing one was slaine that night a hard and cruel part Whose life was saude for that his wife did wil him thence to start For very loue she bare to him though all her sisters had Destroyde their mates which deede she thought to be right vile and bad Thus being saude by such a meane the sonne in law did wexe Right fierce against his father law and earnestly did vexe He vowde reuenge on Danaus that thus vniustly delt He swore that he should taste the same that they before had felt And in the end he slue the wretch for doing of that deede The Oracle pronouncde before how Danaus should speede Thus seeking how to shunne his fate his death he did procure Himselfe was cause of his dispatch when he thought all things sure The Theban king that Laius hight by Oracle was tolde That Oedipus his onely sonne would proue a man too bolde And in the end should be the death of him that was his sier But Laius thought to frustrate that and proue his god a lier Vnto a shepheard of his owne his sonne he gaue to slay And chargde the man vpon his life there should be no delay But presently his sonne to kill and bring him home his heart He shall not liue so long quoth he to make his father smart The shepheard tooke the lad a field but loath he was to kill His Masters sonne that he loude well and yet he must fulfill His masters minde which grieude him sore wherefore he did inuent How he might satisfie the King and saue the innocent That Oedipus were dead he wisht so that his hands were freed From doing hurt vnto the youth and from so vile a deede Wherefore the hurtlesse lad he tooke his legs with twigs he bound And by the heeles vpon a tree he hung him from the ground That no wilde beasts might reach the