kill him a thing so damnable wicked and cruell of it selfe that he hardlie deserued to haue bene pardoned though he had killed Cicero to haue saued his Vncles life Nowe where they falsefied and brake their othes the one making Artabazus prisoner and the other killing of Alexander Antonius out of doubt had best cause and iustest colour For Artabazus had betrayed him and forsaken him in MEDIA But Demetrius as diuers doe reporte deuised a false matter to accuse Alexander to cloke the murther he had committed and some thinke he did accuse him to whom he him selfe had done iniurie vnto and was not reuenged of him that woulde doe him iniurie Furthermore Demetrius him selfe did many noble feates in warre as we haue recited of him before and contrarilie Antonius when he was not there in person wanne many famous and great victories by his Lieutenauntes and they were both ouerthrowen being personallie in battell but yet not both after one sorte For the one was forsaken of his men being MACEDONIANS and the other contrarily forsooke his that were ROMANES for he fled left them that ventred their liues for his honor So that the fault the one did was that he made them his enemies that fought for him and the fault in the other that he so beastlie left them that loued him best and were most faithfull to him And for their deathes a man can not praise the one not the other but yet Demetrius death the more reproachefull For he suffered him selfe to be taken prisoner and when he was sent away to be kept in a straunge place he had the hart to liue yet three yeare longer to serue his mouth and bellie as brute beastes doe Antonius on the other side slue him selfe to confesse a troth cowardly and miserably to his great paine and griefe and yet was it before his bodie came into his enemies hands THE LIFE OF Artaxerxes ARtaxerxes the first of this name of all the kinges of PERSIA a noble and curteous Prince as any of all his house was surnamed long hand bicause his right hand was longer then his left and he was the sonne of king Xerxes But the seconde whose life we presentlie intend to wryte was surnamed Mnemon as muche to say great memorie and he was the sonne of the daughter of the first Artaxerxes For king Darius and his wife Parysatis had foure sonnes of the which the eldest was this Artaxerxes the seconde Cyrus and two other younger Ostanes and Oxathres Cyrus from the beginning bare the name of the former auncient Cyrus which in the PERSIAN tongue signifieth the sunne But Artaxerxes was called before Arsicas although Dinon wryteth that he was called Oarses Howebeit it is vnlikelie that Ctesias although his bookes otherwise be full of fables and as vntrue as they are founde should forget the name of the Prince with whom he dwelt whom he serued and continuallie followed both him his wife and children Cyrus from his cradell was of a hotte sturring minde and Artaxerxes in contrarie manner more mylde and gentle in all his actions and doinges He was maried to a verie fayer Ladie by his father and mothers commaundement afterwards kept her against their wills being forbidden by them For king Darius his father hauing put his sonnes wiues brother to death he woulde also haue put her to death but her husband with teares made suche humble sute to his mother for her that with muche a doe he did not onely gette pardon for her life but graunt also that she shoulde not be put from him This notwithstanding his mother alwayes loued Cyrus better then him and praied that he might be king after his fathers death Wherefore Cyrus being in his prouinces of ASIA by the sea side when he was sent for to come to the Court at what time his father lay sicke of the disease he dyed he went thither in good hope his mother had preuailed with his father that in his will he would make him his heire of the realme of PERSIA For his mother Parysatis alleaged a matter very probable and the which in old time did helpe king Xerxes in the like case through Demaratus counsell She said that Arsicas was borne before her husband Darius was king Cyrus after he was crowned king All this could not preuaile For her eldest sonne Arsicas surnamed Artaxerxes was assigned king of PERSIA Cyrus gouernor of LYDIA and the kings Lieutenant generall of all the low contries of ASIA toward the sea side Shortly after king Darius death the new king Artaxerxes went vnto Pasargades there to be consecrated and annoynted king by the Priestes of the contrie of PERSIA The place of this Pasargades is a temple dedicated vnto Minerus the goddesse of battells as I take it where the newe king must be consecrated and when he commeth into the temple he putteth of his gowne and putteth on that which the old auncient Cyrus ware before he was king Furthermore he must eate of a certaine tart or fricacie made of figges with turpentine and then he must drinke a drinke made with vineger and milke There are also certeine other secret ceremonies which they must keepe and none doe know but the verie Priestes them selues Now Artaxerxes being readie to enter into all these ceremonies Tisaphernes came vnto him brought him one of the Priestes that had bene Cyrus schoolemaister in his youth and had taught him magicke who by reason shoulde haue bene more offended then any man else for that he was not appointed king And this was the cause why they beleued him the better when he accused Cyrus For he layd that Cyrus had conspired treason against the king his brothers owne person that he ment traiterously to kill him in the temple when he should put of his gowne Some doe reporte that Cyrus was apprehended vpon this simple accusacion by word of mouth Others write also that Cyrus came into the temple and hiding him selfe he was taken with the maner and bewraied by the priest So as he going to suffer death his mother tooke Cyrus in her armes and wounde the heare of her heade about his necke and tyed him straightly to her and withall she wept so bitterly and made suche pitiefull mone vnto the king her sonne that through her intercession the king graunted him his life sent him againe into his contrie and gouernment But this satisfied not Cyrus neither did he so muche remember the king his brothers fauor vnto him in graunting him his life as he did the despite he had offred him to be made prisoner Insomuch that for this grudge and euill will he euer after had a greater desire then before to be king Some wryters alleage that he entred into actuall rebellion against his brother by force of armes bicause he had not sufficient reuenue to defray the ordinary expence of his house howbeit it is a meere folly to say so For though he had
At the first battell Annibal had the victorie but after the second Sempronius ouercame him Since that time I can finde in no Guerkenot Latyn Author that Annibal did any famous acte in ITALY worthy memorie For being sent for he AFRICKE by the CARTHAGINIANS he left ITALY sixteen yeares after this APRION warre was begonne greatly complayning of the Senate of CARTHAGE and of him selfe also Of the Senate bicause that all the time he had bene in his enemies contry so long they had allowed him so litle money and so scanted him besides with all other thinges necessary for the warres And of him selfe bicause that after he had so often ouercome the ROMANES he had alwayes delayed time after the victorie and had giuen the enemy libertie to gather force againe It is reported also that before he imbarked and tooke sea he set vp trumphing arche or piller by the temple of Iuno Lacinia in the which were briefly grauen his noble victories both in the Punick and Graeke tongue So when he was departed out of ITALY the wind serued him well that in few dayes he arriued at LEPTIS and landing all his army he first came to ADRVMENTVM and afterwards vnto ZAMA There receiuing aduertisement how the affayres of the CARTHAGINIANS prospered he thought it best to deuise some way to end this warre For this cause he sent vnto Scipio to pray him to appoynt him some conuenient place where they might both meete and talke together of matters of great importance Now it is not certainely knowen whether Annibal did this of his owne head or by commaundement from the Senate Scipio refused not to come to parley Wherefore at the day appoynted there met two famous generalls of mighty nations in a great plaine together either of them hauing his Interpreter to talke together of diuers matters touching peace and warre For Annibal was altogether bent to peace bicause he saw the affayres of the CARTHAGINIANS were worse worse euery day that they had lost SICILIA SARDINIA and SPAYNE bicause the warre was brought out of ITALY into AFRICK bicause Syphax a mighty king was taken prisoner of the ROMANES and also bicause that their last hope consisted in the army he had brought into AFRICK which was the onely remayne and reliefe of so long a warre as he had made in ITALY and also bicause that the CARTHAGINIANS had so small a power left both of straungers and also of Citizens that there were scarse men enough to defende the citie of CARTHAGE So he did his best to perswade Scipio with a long oration he made rather to agree to peace then to resolue of warre Howbeit Scipio that liued in hope to bringe this warre to a good ende he would not seeme to giue eare to any peace Wherefore after they had long debated the matter of either side in the ende they brake of and made no agreement Shortly after was this famous battell striken by the citie of ZAMA in the which the ROMANES obtayned a victorie For first of all they made the CARTHAGINIANS Elephants turne vpon their owne army so that they did put all Annibals horsemen out of order And Laelius and Masinissas who made both the winges increasing their feare gaue the horsemen no leysure to gathes them selues in order againe Howbeit the footemen fought it out a long time with a maruelous great corage insomuch that the CARTHAGINIANS trusting in their former victories thought that all the safetie and preseruation of AFRICK was all in their handes and therefore they layed about them like men The ROMANES on the other side had as great harts as they and besides they stoode in the better hope Howbeit one thing in deede did the ROMANES great seruice to helpe them to the victorie and that was Lalius and Masinissaes returne from the chase of the horsemen who rushed into the battell of the enemie with great furye and did put them in a maruelous feare For at their comming the CARTHAGINIANS harts were done and they saw no other remedie for them but to hope to scape by flying So it is reported that there were slayne that day aboue twenty thowsand CARTHAGINIANS in the field and as many more prisoners Annibal their generall after he had taryed to see the ende of the battell fled with a few of his men out of the great slaughter Afterwardes when he was sent for to CARTHAGE to helpe to saue his contry he perswaded the Senate not to hope any more in warres but did counsell them that setting all deuises a part they should send vnto Scipio the ROMANE Captaine to make peace with him vpon any condicion When the tenne Ambassadors had brought the capitulacion and agreement vnto CARTHAGE of the articles of peace it is reported that there was one Gisgo who misliking to heare talke of peace he made an oration and perswaded all he could to renew warre against the ROMANES Wherefore Annibal perceiuing that diuers men confirmed his opinion and being much offended to see such beasts and men of no vnderstanding to dare to speake of such matters in so daungerous a time he cast him downe headlong whilest he was yet in his oration So when he sawe that the Citizens and all the whole assembly thought this too presumptuous a part of him vnmeete altogether for a free citie he him selfe got vp into the pulpit for orations and sayd Let no man be offended if a man that from his youth hath bene alway out of CARTHAGE brought vp all his life time in warres be ignoraunt of the lawes and ordinaunces of the citie After that he spake so wisely to the articles of peace that the CARTHAGINIANS being immediatly moued by the authoritie of so great a person they all agreed to accept the condicions which the vanquither the necessitie of time offred them The articles out of dout were very extreame and such as the vanquished are wont to receiue with all extreamitie by the conquerors But besides all other things the CARTHAGINIANS were bouÌ„d to pay the ROMANES an annuell tribute vntill a certen time were ronne out So when the daye came that the first pencion was to be payd to the ROMANES and that euery man grudged when the subsedy was spoken of some saye that Annibal being offended with the vaine teares of the CARTHAGINIANS he fell a laughing And when Hasdrubal Haedâ—s reproued him bicause he laughed in such a common calamitie of all the citie he aunswered that it was no laughture nor reioycing from the hart but a scorning of their fond teares that wept when there was lesse cause and onely bicause it touched euery priuate mans purse then before when the ROMANES tooke from the CARTHAGINIANS their shippes armor and weapons and their spoyles of the great victories which they had wonne before and now gaue lawes and ordinaunces vnto them that were vanquished I know some Authors write that Annibal immediatly after he had lost the battell fled into ASIA for
and the people For there was no Consul Senatour nor Magistrate that durst once contrarie the opinion of the people for the calling home againe of Martius When they sawe the women in a maruelous feare ronning vp and downe the cittie the temples of the goddes full of olde people weeping bitterly in their prayers to the goodes and finally not a man either wise or hardie to prouide for their safetie then they were all of opinion that the people had reason to call home Martius againe to reconcile them selues to him and that the Senate on the contrary parte were in maruelous great faulte to be angrie and in choller with him when it stoode them vpon rather to haue gone out and intreated him So they all agreed together to send ambassadours vnto him to let him vnderstand howe his countrymen dyd call him home againe and restored him to all his goodes and besought him to deliuer them from this warre The ambassadours that were sent were Martius familliar friendes and acquaintaunce who looked at the least for a curteous welcome of him as of their familliar friende and kynseman Howbeit they founde nothing lesse For at their comming they were brought through the campe to the place where he was set in his chayer of state with a maruelous and an vnspeakable maiestie hauing the chiefest men of the VOLSCES about him so he commaunded them to declare openly the cause of their comming Which they deliuered in the most humble and lowly wordes they possiblie could deuise and with all modest countenaunce and behauiour agreable for the same When they had done their message for the iniurie they had done him he aunswered them very hottely and in great choller But as generall of the VOLSCES he willed them to restore vnto the VOLSCES all their landes and citties they had taken from them in former warres and moreouer that they should geue them the like honour and freedome of ROME as they had before geuen to the LATINES For otherwise they had no other meane to ende this warre if they dyd not graunte these honest and iust conditions of peace Thereupon he gaue them thirtie dayes respit to make him aunswer So the ambassadours returned straight to ROME and Martius forthwith departed with his armie out of the territories of the ROMAINES This was the first matter wherewith the VOLSCES that most enuied Martius glorie and authoritie dyd charge Martius with Among those Tullus was chief who though he had receyued no priuate iniurie or displeasure of Martius yet the common faulte and imperfection of mans nature wrought in him and it grieued him to see his owne reputation bleamished through Martius great fame and honour and so him selfe to be lesse esteemed of the VOLSCES then he was before This fell out the more bicause euery man honoured Martius and thought he only could doe all and that all other gouernours and captaines must be content with suche credit and authoritie as he would please to countenaunce them with From hence they deriued all their first accusations and secret murmurings against Martius For priuate captaines conspiring against him were very angrie with him and gaue it out that the remouing of the campe was a manifest treason not of the townes nor fortes nor of armes but of time and occasion which was a losse of great importaunce bicause it was that which in treason might both lose and binde all and preserue the whole Now Martius hauing geuen the ROMAINES thirtie dayes respit for their aunswer and specially bicause the warres haue not accustomed to make any great chaunges in lesse space of time then that he thought it good yet not to lye a sleepe and idle all the while but went and destroyed the landes of the enemies allies and tooke seuen great citties of theirs well inhabited and the ROMAINES durst not once put them selues into the field to come to their ayde and helpe they were so fainte harted so mistrustfull and lothe besides to make warres In so muche as they properly ressembled the bodyes paralyticke and losed of their limmes and members as those which through the palsey haue lost all their sence and feeling Wherefore the time of peace expired Martius being returned into the dominions of the ROMAINES againe with all his armie they sent another ambassade vnto him to praye peace and the remoue of the VOLSCES out of their countrie that afterwardes they might with better leysure fall to suche agreementes together as should be thought most mete and necessarie For the ROMAINES were no men that would euer yeld for feare But if he thought the VOLSCES had any grounde to demaunde reasonable articles and conditions all that they would reasonably aske should be graunted vnto by the ROMAINES who of them selues would willingly yeld to reason conditionally that they dyd laye downe armes Martius to that aunswered that as generall of the VOLSCES he would replie nothing vnto it But yet as a ROMAINE cittizen he would counsell them to let fall their pride and to be conformable to reason if they were wise and that they should returne againe within three dayes deliuering vp the articles agreed vpon which he had first deliuered them Or otherwise that he would no more geue them assuraunce or safe conduite to returne againe into his campe with suche vaine and friuolous messages When the ambassadours were returned to ROME and had reported Martius aunswer to the Senate their cittie being in extreme daunger and as it were in a terrible storme or tempest they threw out as the common prouerbe sayeth their holy ancker For then they appointed all the bishoppes priestes ministers of the goddes and keepers of holy things and all the augures or soothesayers which foreshowe things to come by obseruation of the flying of birdes which is an olde auncient kynde of prophecying and diuination amongest the ROMAINES to goe to Martius apparelled as when they doe their sacrifices and first to intreate him to leaue of warre and then that he would speake to his countrymen and conclude peace with the VOLSCES Martius suffered them to come into his campe but yet he graunted them nothing the more neither dyd he entertaine them or speake more curteously to them then he dyd the first time that they came vnto him sauing only that he willed them to take the one of the two either to accept peace vnder the first conditions offered or els to receyue warre When all this goodly rable of superstition and priestes were returned it was determined in counsell that none should goe out of the gates of the cittie and that they should watche and warde vpon the walles to repulse their enemies if they came to assault them referring them selues and all their hope to time and fortunes vncertaine fauour not knowing otherwise howe to remedie the daunger Now all the cittie was full of tumult feare and maruelous doubt what would happen vntill at the length there fell out suche a like matter as Homer oftetimes sayed they would
and prouinces of ASIA which Seleucus Nicanor enioyed before had subdued many barbarous and warlike nations he was so proude harted as he would nedes haue wars with the ROMAINES whom he knew to be the only worthy men and best able to fight with him So he made some honest show and pretence of warres saying it was to set the GREECIANS at liberty who had no cause thereof considering they liued after their owne lawes and were but lately deliuered from the bondage of kinge Philip and of the MACEDONIANS through the goodnesse of the ROMAINES Notwithstandinge he came out of ASIA into GREECE with a maruelous great army and all GREECE was straight in armes and in wonderfull daunger bicause of the great promises and large hopes the gouernours of diuerse cities whome the kinge had wonne and corrupted with money did make vnto them Whereupon Manius dispatched Ambassadors vnto the cities and sent Titus Quintius Flaminius amonge others who kept the greatest parte of the people from rebellinge that were easily drawen to geue care to this innouation as we haue expressed more amply in his life and Cato beinge sent Ambassador also perswaded the CORINTHIANS those of PATRAS and the AEGIANS and made them sticke still to the ROMAINES and continued a long time at ATHENS Some say they finde an oration of his wrytten in the Greeke tongue which he made before the ATHENIANS in commendacion of their auncesters wherein he sayd he tooke great pleasure to see ATHENS for the beauty and statelinesse of the city But this is false For he spake vnto the ATHENIANS by an interpreter though he coulde haue vttered his oration in the Greeke tongue if he had bene disposed but he did like the lawes and customes of his owne contrie and the ROMAINE tongue so well that he laughed at them that would praise and commend the Greeke tongue As he did once mocke Posthumius Albinus who wrote an history in the Greeke tongue praying the readers in his preface to beare with him if they founde any imperfection in the tongue mary sayd Cato he had deserued pardon in deede if he hadde bene forced to haue wrytten his story in the Greeke tonge by order of the states of GREECE called the counsel of the Amphictyōs They say the ATHENIANS wondered to heare his redy tongue For what he had vttered quickely in few words vnto the interpreter the interpreter was driuen to deliuer them againe with great circūstances many words So that he left them of this opinion that the GREECIANS words lay all in their lippes and the ROMAINES wordes in their heades Now kinge Antiochus kept all the straightes and narrow passages of the mountaines called THERMOPYLES beinge the ordinary way and entry into GREECE and had fortified them as well with his army that camped at the foote of the mountaine as also with walles and trenches he had made by hande besides the naturall strength fortification of the mount it selfe in sundry places and so he determined to remaine there trusting to his owne strength and fortifications aforesayed and to turne the force of the warres some other way The ROMAINES also they dispayred vtterly they should be able any way to charge him before But Cato remembringe with him selfe the compasse the PERSIANS hadde fetched about before time likewise to enter into GREECE he departed one night from the campe with parte of the army to proue if he could finde the very compasse about the barbarous people had made before But as they climed vp the mountaine their guide that was one of the prisoners taken in the contrie lost his way and made them wander vp and downe in maruelous steepe rockes and crooked wayes that the poore souldiers were in maruelous ill taking Cato seeing the daunger they were brought into by this lewde guide commaunded all his souldiers not to sturre a foote from thence and to tary him there and in the meane time he went him selfe alone and Lucius Manlius with him a lustie man and nimble to climbe apon the rockes and so went forwarde at aduenture takinge extreame and vncredible paine in as much daunger of his life grubbing all night in the darke without moone light through wilde Olyue trees and high rockes that let them they coulde not see before them neither could tell whether they went vntill they stumbled at the length vppon a litle pathe way which went as they thought directly to the foote of the mountaine where the campe of the enemies lay So they set vppe certeine markes and tokens vppon the highest toppes of the rockes they coulde choose by view of eye to be discerned furthest of vpon the mountaine called Callidromus And when they had done that they returned backe againe to fetche the souldiers whom they led towardes their markes they had set vp vntill at the length they founde their pathe waye againe where they putte their souldiers in order to marche Now they went not farre in this pathe they founde but the way failed them straight and brought them to a bogge but then they were in worse case then before and in greater feare not knowinge they were so neere their enemies as in deede they were The day began to breake a litle and one of them that marched formest thought he hearde a noyse and that he saw the GREEKES campe at the foote of the rockes and certeine souldiers that kept watch there Whereupon Cato made them stay willed only the FIRMANIANS to come vnto him and none but them bicause he had founde them faithfull before and very ready to obey his commaundement They were with him at a trise to know his pleasure so Cato said vnto them My fellowes I must haue some of our enemies taken prisoners that I may know of them who they be that keepe that passage what number they be what order they keepe howe they are camped and armed and after what sorte they determine to fight with vs The waye to worke this feate standeth apon swiftnes and hardines to runne apon them sodainely as Lyons doe which beinge naked feare not to runne into the middest of any hearde of fearfull beastes He had no sooner spoken these wordes but the FIRMANIAN souldiers beganne to runne downe the mountaine as they were apon those that kept the watch and so setting apon them they beinge out of order made them flie and tooke an armed man prisoner When they had him they straight brought him vnto Cato who by othe of the prisoner was aduertised howe that the strength of their enemies armie was lodged about the persone of the kinge within the straight and valley of the said mountaine and that the souldiers they saw were sixe hundred AETOLIANS all braue souldiers whome they had chosen and appointed to keepe the toppe of the rockes ouer king Antiochus campe When Cato had heard him making small accompt of the matter as well for their small number as also for the ill order they kept he made the
together Lysander prayed him he would write an other letter vnto the Lordes of SPARTA contrary to his first how that he had done him no hurt at all and that he had no cause to complaine of him but he did not remember that he was a CRETAN as the common prouerbe sayeth that could deceaue an other CRETAN For Pharnabazus hauing promised him that he would performe his desire wrote letter openly purporting the effect of Lysanders request but behinde he had an other of contrary effect so like on the out side vnto the other that by sight no man could discerne those froÌ„ the other And when he came to put his seale he chaunged the first with the last that was hidden gaue it him When Lysander came vnto SPARTA he went as the maner is straight to the pallace where the Senate kept and gaue his letters vnto the Ephores thinking that by theÌ„ he should haue bene cleared from all daunger of the greatest accusations they could haue burdened him withall bicause that Pharnabazus was very well thought of of the Lords of LACEDAEMONIA for that he did euer shew him selfe willing and ready to helpe them in all their warres more then any other of the kinges Lieutenauntes of PERSIA The Ephori hauing read this letter they shewed it vnto him Then did Lysander plainly see that the common prouerb was true That Vlysses vvas not subtill alone Thereuppon he went home to his house maruelously troubled But within few dayes after returning to the pallace againe to speake with the Lords of the counsell he told them that he must needes make a voyage vnto the temple of Iupiter Ammon to discharge certaine sacrifices which he had vowed and promised to him before he had wonne the battells Some say that in deede Iupiter Ammon appeared to him in a dreame as he did besiege the city of the APâ—â—ODIANS in the contry of THRACIA and that by his commaundement he raised the siege and charged them of the city that they should thanke Iupiter Ammon and doe sacrifice vnto him by reason whereof they thinke that he ment good faith when he sued for licence to make this voyage into LIBYA to performe the vowes which he had made But the most parte did certainely beleue that he made sure to goe this iorney for a cloke and colour only to absent him selfe bicause he feared the Ephores and that he coulde not endure the yoke and subiection which he must abide remaining at home neither could like to be commaunded And this was the true cause of his sute to goe this voyage much like vnto a horse taken out of a freshe posture and goodly meadowes to bring him into a stable make him to be iorneyed as he was before Neuerthelesse Ephorus writeth an other cause the which I will recite hereafter In the end Lysander hauing hardly obtained licence tooke shippe and crossed saile But during his absence the kinges of LACEDAEMON remembring that he kept all the cities at his commaundement by meanes of the frendes he had in euery city whom he had made chiefe gouernors of the same that by their meanes he came in maner to be absolute prince ouer all GREECE they tooke vppon them to redeliuer the gouernment of the townes and cities againe into the handes of the people and also to put downe his frendes whome he had stablished there And hereupon fell out great insurrection againe For first of all they that were banished from ATHENS hauing surprised and taken the castell of Phyla apon the sodaine did set apon the thirty gouernors tyrans whom Lysander had placed there and ouercame them in battell Whereuppon Lysander straight returned to SPARTA perswaded the LACEDAEMONIANS to referre the gouernment to the number of a few and to punish the insolency of the people So by his procurement they sent first a hundred tallents vnto the thirty tyrans for an aide to maintaine this warre and appointed Lysander him selfe generall But the two kinges of SPARTA enuying him and fearing least he should take the city of ATHENS againe they determined that one of them would go Whereupon Pausanias went thither immediatly who in apparaunce seemed to maintaine the tyrannes against the people but in effect he did his indeuor to appease this warre for feare least Lysander by meanes of his frends and followers should once againe come to haue the city of ATHENS in his power the which he might easily doe And thus hauing agreed the ATHENIANS againe one with an other and pacified all faction and commocion among them he pluckt vp the roote of Lysanders ambition But shortly after the ATHENIANS rebelling againe against the LACEDAEMONIANS Pausanias him selfe was reproued bicause he yelded so much to the boldnes and insolency of the people which were brideled and restrained before by the authority of the small number of gouernors and to the contrary they gaue Lysander the honor to be generall who ruled not in this rebellion to please mens mindes and to content them neither with fond ostentation of glory but seuerely for the profit and commodity of SPARTA It is true he would geue great wordes and was terrible to them that resisted him As he aunswered the AEOIVES one day who contended for their confines with the LACEDAEMONIANS and seemed to alleage the best reasons Euen they sayd he that shall proue the stronger hereby shewing theÌ„ his sword shal be they that shal pleade their cause best for their confines An other time when a MEGARIAN had tolde his minde boldly enough in open counsell he aunswered him thy wordes good frend had neede of a city meaning therby that he was of too meane a towne to vse so great words And to the BOEOTIANS also who were in dout to professe them selues frends or enemies he sent vnto theÌ„ to know if he should passe through the contry with his pykes vpwardes or downewardes And when the CORINTHIANS also were reuolted from their allyance he brought his army harde vnto their walles but when he sawe his men were afrayed and made cursey whether they should goe to the assault or not by chaunce spying a hate comming out of the towne ditches he sayd vnto theme Are ye not ashamed to be afrayed to goe and assault your enemies that are so cowardly and slothfull as hares doe keepe their formes at ease within the circuite of their walles Now king Agis being deceased he left behinde him his brother Agesilaus and his supposed sonne Leotychides Wherefore Lysander that had loued Agesilaus aforetime gaue him counsell to stande for the right of the crowne as lawefull heire and next of the blood discending of the race of Hercules bicause it was suspected that Leotychides was Alcibiades sonne who secretly had kept Timea Agis wife at what time he was banished out of his contry and came then to remaine in SPARTA And Agis selfe also concluding by reckening of the time of his absence that his wife coulde not be with childe by him
make them gouernors and heades of the same Pitheus grandfather to Theseus on the mothers side was one of his sonnes and founded the litle city of TROEZEN and was reputed to be one of the wisest men of his time But the knowledge and wisedom which onely caried estimacion at that time consisted altogether in graue sentences and morall sayinges As those are which wanne the Poet Hesiodus such fame for his booke intituled The workes and dayes in the which is read euen at this present this goodly sentence which they father vpon Pitheus Thou shalt performe thy promise and thy pay to hyred men and that vvithout delay And this doth Aristotle the Philosopher himselfe testifie and the Poet Euripides also calling Hippolytus the scholler of the holy Pitheus doth sufficiently declare of what estimacion he was But AEgeus desiring as they say to know how he might haue children went vnto the city of DELPHES to the oracle of Apollo where by Apolloes Nunne that notable prophecy was geuen him for an aunswer The which did forbid him to touch or know any woman vntill he was returned againe to ATHENS And bicause the words of this prophecy were somewhat darke hard he tooke his way by the city of TROEZEN to tell it vnto Pitheus The wordes of the prophecy were these O thou vvhich art a gemme of perfect grace plucke not the tappe out of thy trusty toonne Before thou do returne vnto thy place in Athens tovvne from vvhence thy race doth roonne Pitheus vnderstanding the meaning perswaded him or rather cunningly by some deuise deceiued him in such sorte that he made him to lye with his daughter called AEthra AEgeus after he had accompanied with her knowing that she was Pitheus daughter with whom he had lyen and douting that he had gotten her with child left her a sword and a payer of shoes the which he hidde vnder a great hollow stone the hollownes wherof serued iust to receiue those things which he layed vnder it and made no liuing creature priuy to it but her alone straightly charging her that if she happened to haue a sonne when he were come to mans state of strength to remoue the stone and to take those things from vnder it which he left there that she should then sende him vnto him by those tokens as secretly as she could that no body els might knowe of it For he did greatly feare the children of one called Pallas the which laye in wayte and spyall by all the meanes they could to kill him only of despight bicause he had no children they being fiftie brethern and all begotten of one father This done he departed from her And AEthra within fewe moneths after was deliuered of a goodly sonne the which from that time was called Theseus and as some say so called bicause of the tokens of knowledge his father had layed vnder the stone Yet some others write that it was afterwardes at ATHENS when his father knewe him and allowed him for his sonne But in the meane time during his infancie childehood he was brought vp in the house of his grādfather Pitheus vnder the gouernmēt teaching of one called Cōnidas his schoolemaster in honour of whom the ATHENIANS to this daye doe sacrifice a weather the daye before the great feaste of Theseus hauing more reason to honour the memorye of this gouernour then of a Silanion and of a Parrhesius to whom they doe honour also bicause they paynted and caste mowldes of the images of Theseus Now there was a custome at that time in GRECE that the yong men after their infancie and growth to mans state went vnto the cittie of DELPHES to offer parte of their heares in the temple of Apollo Theseus also went thither as other did and some saye that the place where the ceremonie of this offering was made hath euer sence kept the olde name and yet continueth Theseia Howbeit he dyd not shaue his head but before only as Homer sayeth like the facion of the ABANTES in olde time and this manner of shauing of heares was called for his sake Theseida And as concerning the ABANTES in trothe they were the very first that shaued them selues after this facion neuertheles they learned it not of the ARABIANS as it was thought of some neither dyd they it after the imitation of the MISSIANS But bicause they were warlike and valliant men which did ioyne neere vnto their enemie in battell and aboue all men of the worlde were skilfullest in fight hande to hande and woulde keepe their grounde as the Poet Archilochus witnesseth in these verses They vse no slynges in foughten fields to have nor bended bovves but svvords and trenchant blades For vvhen fierce Mars beginneth for to raue in bloody field then euery man inuades His fiercest foe and fighteth hand to hand then doe they deeds right cruell to reconpt For in this vvise the braue and vvarlike bande Doe shevv their force vvhich come from Negrepont The cause why they were thus shauen before was for that their enemies should not haue the vauntage to take them by the heares of the head while they were fighting And for this selfe same consideration Alexander the great commaunded his captaines to cause all the MACEDONIANS to shaue their beards bicause it is the easiest holde and readiest for the hande a man can haue of his enemie in fighting to holde him fast by the same But to returne to Theseus AEthra his mother had euer vnto that time kept it secret from him who was his true father And Pitheus also had geuen it out abroade that he was begotten of Neptune bicause the TROEZENIANS haue this god in great veneration and doe worshippe him as patron and protector of their cittie making offerings to him of their first fruites and they haue for the marke and stampe of their money the three picked mace which is the signe of Neptune called his Trident But after he was comen to the prime and lustines of his youth and that with the strength of his bodie he shewed a great courage ioyned with a naturall wisedome and stayednes of wit then his mother brought him to the place where this great hollowe stone laye and telling him truely the order of his birth and by whom he was begotten made him to take his fathers tokens of knowledge which he had hidden there gaue him counsell to goe by sea to ATHENS vnto him Theseus easilye lyft vp the stone and tooke his fathers tokens from vnder it Howbeit he answered playnely that he would not goe by sea notwithstanding that it was a great deale the safer waye and that his mother and grandfather both had instantly intreated him bicause the waye by lande from TROEZEN to ATHENS was very daungerous all the wayes being besett by robbers and murderers For the worlde at that time brought forth men which for strongnesse in their armes for swyftnes of feete and for
that Theseus also should enioye it after his death Whereupon they determined to make warre with them both and diuiding them selues into two partes the one came openly in armes with their father marching directly towardes the cittie the other laye close in ambushe in the village GARGETTVS meaning to geue charge vpon them in two places at one instant Nowe they brought with them an Heraulde borne in the towne of AGNVS called Leos who bewrayed vnto Theseus the secret and deuise of all their enterprise Theseus vpon this intelligence went forth and dyd set on those that laye in ambushe and put them all to the sworde The other which were in Pallas companie vnderstanding thereof dyd breake and disparse them selues incontinently And this is the cause as some saye why those of Pallena doe neuer make affinitie nor mariadge with those of AGNVS at this daye And that in their towne when any proclamation is made they neuer speake these wordes which are cryed euery where els through out the whole countrye of ATTICA Aconete Leos which is as muche to saye as Hearken O people they doe so extreamely hate this worde Leos for that it was the Herauldes name which wrought them that treason This done Theseus who woulde not liue idelly at home and doe nothing but desirous there withall to gratifie the people went his waye to fight with the bull of Marathon the which dyd great mischieues to the inhabitants of the countrye of TETRAPOLIS And hauing taken him aliue brought him through the citie of ATHENS to be seene of all the inhabitants Afterwardes he dyd sacrifice him vnto Apollo Delphias Nowe concerning Hecale who was reported to haue lodged him and to haue geuen him good enterteinment it is not altogether vntrue For in the olde time those townes and villages thereaboutes dyd assemble together and made a common sacrifice which they called Hecalesion in the honour of Iupiter Hecalian where they honoured this olde woman calling her by a diminutiue name Hecalena bicause that when she receyued Theseus into her house being then but very younge she made muche of him and called him by many prety made names as olde folkes are wont to call younge children And forasmuche as she had made a vowe to Iupiter to make him a solemne sacrifice if Theseus returned safe from the enterprise he went about and that she dyed before his returne in recompence of the good chere she had made him she had that honour done vnto her by Theseuscommaundement as Philochorus hathe written of it Shortely after this exployte there came certaine of King Minos ambassadours out of CRETA to aske tribute being nowe the thirde time it was demaunded which the ATHENIANS payed for this cause Androgeus the eldest sonne of king Minos was slayne by treason within the countrye of ATTICA for which cause Minos pursuing the reuenge of his death made very whotte and sharpe warres vpon the ATHENIANS and dyd them greate hurte But besides all this the goddes dyd sharpely punishe and scourge all the countrye aswell with barrennes and famine as also with plague and other mischieues euen to the drying vp of their riuers The ATHENIANS perceyuing these sore troubles and plagues ranne to the oracle of Apollo who aunswered them that they shoulde appease Minos and when they had made their peace with him that then the wrathe of the goddes woulde cease against them and their troubles should haue an ende Whereupon the ATHENIANS sent immediately vnto him and intreated him for peace which he graunted them with condition that they should be bounde to sende him yerely into CRETA seuen younge boyes and as many younge gyrles Nowe thus farre all the Historiographers doe very well agree but in the reste not And they which seeme furdest of from the trothe doe declare that when these yonge boyes were deliuered in CRETA they caused them to be deuowred by the Minotaure within the Laberinthe or els that they were shut within this Laberinthe wandring vp and downe and coulde finde no place to gett out vntill suche time as they dyed euen famished for hunger And this Minotaure as Euripides the Poet sayeth was A corps combynd vvhich monstrous might be deemd A Boye a Bull both man and beast it seemd But Philochorus writeth that the CRETANS doe not confesse that but saye that this Laberinthe was a gayle or prisone in the which they had no other hurre sauing that they which were kept there vnder locke and keye coulde not flye not starte awaye and that Minos had in the memorye of his sonne Androgeus instituted games and playes of prise where he gaue vnto them that wanne the victorie those younge children of ATHENS the which in the meane time notwithstanding were carefully kept and looked vnto in the prisone of the Laberinthe and that at the first games that were kept one of the Kings captaines called Taurus who was in best creditt with his master wanne the prise This Taurus was a churlishe and naughtie natured man of condition and very harde and cruell to these children of ATHENS And to verifie the same the philosopher Aristotle him selfe speaking of the common wealth of the BOTTIEIANS declareth very well that he neuer thought that Minos dyd at any time cause the children of ATHENS to be put to death but sayeth that they poorely toyled in CRETA euen to crooked age earning their liuing by true and painefull seruice For it is written that the CRETANS to satisfie an olde vowe of theirs which they had made of auncient time sent somtimes the first borne of their children vnto Apollo in the cittie of DELPHAS and that amongest them they also mingled those which were descended of the auncient prisoners of ATHENS and they went with them But bicause they coulde not liue there they directed their iorney first into ITALIE where for a time they remained in the realme of PVGLIA and afterwardes from thence went into the confines of THRACIA where they had this name of BOTTIEIANS In memory whereof the daughters of the BOTTIEIANS in a solemne sacrifice they make doe vse to singe the foote of this songe Lett vs to ATHENS goe But thereby we maye see howe perilous a thing it is to fall in displeasure and enmitie with a cittie which can speake well and where learning and eloquence dothe florishe For euer sence that time Minos was allwayes blased and disgraced through out all the Theaters of ATHENS The testimonie of Hesiodus who calleth him the most worthie King dothe nothing helpe him at all nor the prayse of Homer who nameth him Iupiters famillier friende bicause the tragicall Poets gott the vpper hande in disgracing him notwithstanding all these And vpon their stages where all the tragedies were played they still gaue forth many ill fauored wordes and fowle speaches of him as against a man that had bene most cruell and vnnaturall Yet most men thincke that Minos was the King which established the lawes and Radamanthus
slayne in battell by Achilles Patroclus in the coūtrye of THESSALIE neere to the riuer of Sperchius that his brother Hector tooke the cittie of TROEZEN from whence he brought awaye AEthrae in which there is no manner of apparance or likelihodde But AEdoneus king of the MOLOSSIANS feasting Hercules one daye as he passed through his realme descended by chaunce into talke of Theseus of Pirithous howe they came to steale away his daughter secretly after told how they were also punished Hercules was marueilous sorye to vnderstand that one of them was now dead the other in daunger to dye thought with him self that to make his mone to AEdoneus it would not helpe the matter he besought him only that he would deliuer Theseus for his sake And he graunted him Thus Theseus being deliuered of this captiuitie returned to ATHENS where his friends were not altogether kept vnder by his enemies at his returne he dyd dedicate to Hercules all the temples which the cittie had before caused to be built in his owne honour And where first of all they were called Thesea he did now surname thē all Hercules excepting foure as Philochorus writeth Nowe when he was arriued at ATHENS he would immediately haue cōmaunded and ordered things as he was wont to doe but he found him self troubled much with sedition bicause those who had hated him of long time had added also to their old canckered hate a disdain contēpt to feare him any more And the comō people now were become so stubborn that where before they would haue done all that they were cōmanded haue spoken nothing to the contrarie now they looked to be borne with flattered Whereupon Theseus thought at the first to haue vsed force but he was forced by the faction contētion of his enemies to let all alone in the end despairing he should euer bring his matters to passe to his desire he secretly sent away his children into the I le of EVBOEA to Elphenor the sonne of Chalcodias And himself after he had made many wishes curses against the Athenians in the village of Gargettus in a place which for that cause to this daye is called Araterion that is to saye the place of cursings he did take the seas wēt into the I le of SCIROS where he had goods thought also to haue founde friends Lycomedes raigned at that time was king of the I le vnto whom Theseus made request for some lande as intēding to dwell there albeit some saye that he required him to giue him ayde against the Atheniās Lycomedes were it that he douted to entertaine so great a personage or that he dyd it to gratifie Menestheus caried him vp to the high rocks faining as though he would from thence haue shewed him all his countrye round about But when he had him there he threw him downe hedlong from the toppe of the rocks to the bottome put him thus vnfortunately to death Yet other write that he fell down of him self by an vnfortunate chaunce walking one daye after supper as he was wont to doe There was no mā at that time that dyd followe or pursue his death but Menestheus quietly remained king of ATHENS and the children of Theseus as priuate souldiers followed Elphenor in the warres of TROIA But after the death of Menestheus who died in the iorney to TROIE Theseus sonnes returned vnto ATHENS where they recouered their state Sithence there were many occasiōs which moued the Athenians to reuerence honour him as a demy god For in the battell of Marathon many thought they sawe his shadow image in armes fighting against the barbarous people And after the warres of the Medes the yere wherein Phaedon was gouernour of ATHENS the nunne Pithea answered the Atheniās who had sent to the oracle of Apollo that they should bring backe the bones of Theseus putting them in some honorable place they should preserue honour them deuoutely But it was a harde matter to finde his graue if they had founde it yet had it bene a harder thing to haue brought his bones awaye for the malice of those barbarous people which inhabited that I le which were so wild fierce that none could trade or liue with them Notwithstanding Cimon hauing taken the Iland as we haue written in his life seeking his graue perceiued by good happe an eagle pecking with her beake scraping with her clawes in a place of some prety height Straight it came into his minde as by diuine inspiration to search digge the place where was founde the tumbe of a great bodye with the head of a speare which was of brasse a sword with it All which things were brought to ATHENS by Cimon in the admirall gallie The Atheniās receiued them with great ioye with processions goodly sacrifices as if Theseus him self had bene a liue had returned into the cittie againe At this daye all these relicks lye yet in the middest of the cittie neere to the place where the younge men doe vse all their exercises of bodye There is free libertie of accesse for all slaues poore men that are afflicted pursued by any mightier then themselues to pray sacrifice in remembraunce of Theseus who while he liued was protectour of the oppressed dyd curteously receiue their requests petitiōs that prayed to haue ayde of him The greatest most solemne sacrifice they doe vnto him is on the eight daye of October in which he returned from CRETA with the other younge children of ATHENS Howbeit they doe not leaue to honour him euery eight daye of all other moneths either bicause he arriued frō TROEZEN at ATHENS the eight daye of Iune as Diodorus the Cosmographer writeth or for that they thought that number to be meetest for him bicause the bruite ranne he was begotten of Neptune They doe sacrifice also to Neptune the eight daye of euery moneth bicause the nūber of eight is the first cube made of euen number the double of the first square which dothe represent a stedfastnes immoueable properly attributed to the might of Neptune whom for this cause we surname Asphalius and Gaiochus which by interpretation dothe signifie the safe keeper the stayer of the earthe The ende of Theseus life THE LIFE OF Romulus THE Historiographers doe not agree in their writings by whom not for what cause the great name of the cittie of ROME the glorie wherof is blowen abroad through all the worlde was first geuen vnto it For some thincke that the Pelasgians after they had ouercome the greatest parte of the world and had inhabited and subdued many nations in the ende dyd staye them selues in that place where it was newe buylded and for their great strength and power in armes they gaue the name of ROME vnto the cittie as signifying power in the Greeke tongue Other saye thatafter
score and three In the which is singularly to be noted for the commendation of Romulus that he him selfe dyd take then but onely one of the maydes named Hersilia that afterwardes was the only cause mediation of peace betwext the SABYNES and the ROMAINES Which argueth plainely that it was not to doe the SABYNES any hurte nor to satisfie any disordinate lust that they had so forcibly vndertaken this rauishement but to ioyne two peoples together with the straightest bondes that could be betweene men This Hersilia as some saye was maried vnto one Hostilius the noblest man at that time amongest the ROMAINES or as others write vnto Romulus him selfe which had two children by her The first was a daughter and her name was Prima bicause she was the first the other was a sonne whom he named Aollius bicause of the multitude of people he had assembled together in his cittie and afterwardes he was surnamed Abillius Thus Zenodotus the TROEZENIAN writeth wherein notwithstanding there be diuers that doe contrarie him Among those which rauished then the daughters of the SABYNES it is sayed there were founde certaine meane men carying away a marueilous passing fayer one These met by chaunce on the waye certaine of the chief of the cittie who would haue taken her by force from them which they had done but that they beganne to crye they caried her vnto Talassius who was a younge man marueilously well beloued of euery bodye Which when the others vnderstoode they were exceeding glad and they commended them in so much as there were some which sodainely turned backe againe and dyd accompanie them for Talassius sake crying out a lowde and often on his name From whence the custome came which to this daye the ROMAINES synge at their mariages Talassius like as the GRECIANS synge Hymeneus For it is sayed he was compted very happie that he met with this woman But Sextius Sylla a CARTHAGINIAN borne a man very wise and well learned tolde me once it was the crye and signe which Romulus gaue to his men to beginne the rauishement whereupon on those which caried them awaye went crying this worde Talassius and that from thence the custome hathe continued that they singe it yet at their mariages Neuertheles the most parte of authors specially Iuba thinckes it as a warning to remember the newe maried women of their worke which is to spinne which the GRECIANS call Talassia the Italian words at that time being not mingled with the Greeke And if it be true the ROMAINES vsed this terme of Talassia as we of GRECE doe vse we might by coniecture yeld another reason for it which should carie a better likelyhoode and proofe For when the SABYNES after the battell had made peace with the ROMAINES they put in an article in fauour of the women in the treatie that they should not be bounde to serue their husbands in any other worke but in spinning of wolle Euer since this custome hathe growen that those which geue their daughters in mariage and those who leade the bryde and such as are present at the wedding speake in sporte to the newe maried wife laughing Talassius in token that they doe not leade the bryde for any other work◠or seruice but to spinne wolle Thereof this hathe bene the vse to this daye that the bryde dothe not of her selfe come ouer the threshold of her husbands dore but she is hoysed pretely into the house bicause the SABYNE women at that time were so lift vp caried away by force They saye also that the manner of making the shed of the new wedded wiues heare with the Irō head of a Iaueling came vp then likewise this storie being a manifest token that these first mariages were made by force of armes and as it were at the swords poynte as we haue written more at large in the booke wherein we render and showe the causes of the ROMAINES facions and customes This rauishement was put in execution about the eightenth daye of the moneth then called Sextili◠and nowe named August on which daye they yet celebrate the feast they call Consalia Nowe the SABYNES were good men of warre and had great numbers of people but they dwelt in villages and not within inclosed walles being a thing fit for their noble courages that dyd feare nothing and as those who were descended from the LACEDAEMONIANS Neuertheles they seeing them selues bound tyed to peace by pledges hostages that were very neere allyed vnto them and seating their daughters should be ill intreated sent ambassadours to Romulus by whom they made reasonable offers and persuasions that their daughters might be deliuered vnto them againe without any force or violence and then afterwardes that he would cause them to be asked in mariage of their parents as bothe reason and lawe would require To thend that with good will and consent of all parties both peoples might contract amitie and alliance together Whereunto Romulus made aunswer he could not restore the maydes which his people had taken awaye and maried but most friendly he prayed the SABYNES to be contented with their alliance This aunswer being returned and not liked whilest the princes and communaltie of the SABYNES were occupied in consultation and about the arming of them selues Acron king of the CENINENSES a man exceeding couragious and skilfull in the warres and one that from the beginning mistrusted the ouer bolde stowte enterprises that Romulus was likely to attempt cōsidering the late rauishment of the SABYNES daughters and howe he was already greatly dreaded of his neighbours and somwhat vntolerable if he were not chasticed and brought lower first beganne to inuade him with a puissant armie and to make hotte and violent warres vpon him Romulus on th' other side prepared also and went forth to meete him When they were come so neere together that they might see one another they sent defiance to eache other prayed that two might fight man to man amiddest their armies neither of theirs to sturre a foote Bothe of them accepted of it and Romulus making his prayer vnto Iupiter dyd promise and made a vowe that if he dyd geue him the victorie to ouercome he would offer vp to him the armour of his enemie which he dyd For first he slew Acron in the field afterwards gaue battell to his men ouerthrew them also Lastely he tooke his cittie where he did no hurte nor yet displeasure to any sauing that he dyd commaūde them to pull downe their houses destroy them and to goe dwell with him at ROME where they should haue the selfe same rightes priuiledges which the first inhabitants did enioye There was nothing more enlarged the cittie of ROME then this manner of pollicie to ioyne allwayes vnto it those she had ouercome vancquished Romulus now to discharge his vowe in suche sorte that his offering might be acceptable to Iupiter and
out with it and how contrariwise he founded this temple to Minerua to giue her thanckes for healing of his eye Hereof it came that euer since the SPARTANS haue bene restrayned to carie staues in any assembly of counsell But to returne to their common repastes which the CRETANS called Andria and the LACEDAEMONIANS Phiditia either bicause they were places wherein they learned to liue soberly and straightly for in the GREKE tongue Phido is to saue and spare or els bicause their amitie and friendshippe grewe there towards one another as if they would haue called them Philitia feasts of loue by chaunging d. into L It maye be also they added the first letter as superfluous and ment to call the places Edetia bicause they dyd eate and drincke there They sat in their halles by fifteene in a companie litle more or lesse and at the beginning of euery moneth euery one brought a bushell of meale eight gallons of wine fiue pound of cheese and two pound and a halfe of figges for a man besides some litle portion of their monye to buye certaine freshe acates And ouer and aboue all this euery man when he dyd sacrifice in his house was bounde to send the best and chiefest things of his sacrifice to the halles to be eaten Likewise if any man went an hunting and killed any venison it was an order he should send a pece of the fleshe thither Hauing these two lawfull causes they might eate and drinke by them selues at home either when they sacrificed any beast to the goddes or when they came late home from hunting otherwise they were bounde of necessitie to meete in their halles at meales if they would eate any thing This order they kept very straightly a great time in so muche as king Agis on a daye returning from the warres where he had ouerthrowen the ATHENIANS and being desirous to suppe at home priuately with the Queene his wife he sent to the halles for his portion But the Polemarchi that be certaine officers assisting the Kings in the warres dyd denye him The next daye Agis left of for spight to doe the accustomed sacrifice they were wont to celebrate in the ende of euery warre whereupon they set a fine on his head and condemned him to paye it The young children also went to these repasts euen as they should goe to schooles to learne grauity and temperaunce where they heard wise and graue discourses touching the gouernment of a common weale but not of masters that were as hierlinges There they learned pretylie to playe vpon wordes and pleasauntly to sporte one with another without any broade speaches or vncomely Iestes and at others handes to beare the same againe without choller or anger For this propertie haue the LACEDAEMONIANS aboue all other to take and geue a mocke without any offence neuertheles if any mans nature could not beare it he neded but praye the partie to forbeare his iesting and so he lefte it straight And it was euer an ordinarie among them that the eldest of the companie tolde the rest that were come into the hall to meale with shewing them of the dore Sirs remember there goeth not a worde here out of this dore Euen so he that would be receyued to meale there in their companie must first of necessitie be allowed and receyued in this sorte by all the rest Euery one of them tooke a litle balle of branne or dowe to washe their handes with and without euer a word speaking they threwe it into a basen which the seruant that waited on them at the table dyd carie vpon his head he that was contented the other should be receyued in companie dyd cast in his balle as he dyd receyue it but if he misliked him then he pressed it flat betwene his fingers and threwe it in This ball of branne thus pressed flat was asmuch as a beane bored thorough and was to them a signe of condemnation If any one balle were found of this sorte the suter was reiected for they would not haue any enter into their companie that was not liked of all the rest He that thus was reiected they saye he was discadded for the basin wherein the litle balles were caried was called Caddos The best dishe they serued at these meales was that they call their blacke brothe so that when they had that the olde men dyd eate no fleshe but lefte it all to the younge men and they by them selues dyd eate the brothe There was a king of PONTVS that being desirous to taste of this blacke broth dyd buye of purpose a LACEDAEMONIAN cooke but after he had once a tasted thereof he was very angry straight The cooke then sayed vnto him and it please your grace ere one shall finde this brothe good he must be washed first in the riuer of Eurotas After they had eate and druncke thus soberly together euery one repaired home without any light for it was not lawfull for them to goe thither nor any where els with light bicause they should accustome them selues boldely to goe vp and downe the darcke and all about in the night This was the order and manner of their meales But here is specially to be noted that Lycurgus would in no wise haue any of his lawes put in writing For it is expressely set downe in his lawes they call Retra that none of his lawes should be written For he thought that which should chiefly make a cittie happie and vertuous ought throughly by education to be printed in mens heartes and manners as to haue continuaunce for euer which he tooke to be loue and good will as a farre stronger knot to tye men with then any other compulsary lawe Which when men by vse and custome through good education doe take in their childhoode it maketh euery man to be a lawe to himselfe Furthermore concerning buying and barganing one with another which are but trifles and sometime are chaunged in one sorte and sometime in another as occasion serueth he thought it best not to constrayne them to doe it by writing nor to establishe customes that might not be altered but rather to leaue them to the libertie and discretion of men which had bene brought vp in the same bothe to take awaye and to adde therein as the case and time should require But to conclude he thought the chiefest pointe of a good lawe maker or reformer of the common weale was to cause men to be well brought vp and instructed One of his ordinaunces therefore was expressely that not one of his lawes should be written Another of his deuises was against superfluous charges and expences which to auoyde he made a lawe that all roofes of houses should be made only with the axe and all gates and doores with the sawe and that without any other toole of occupation Wherein he had the like imagination as afterwards Epaminondas had when he sayed speaking of his table Such a borde neuer receyueth
saye Amycla was one of them which nourced Alcibiades But Pericles his tutor gaue him afterwardes a bonde man called Zopyrus to be his master and gouernour who had no better propertie in him then other common slaues This did not Lycurgus For he did not put the education and gouernment of the children of SPARTA into the handes of hyered masters or slaues bought with money neither was it lawfull for the father him selfe to bring vp his owne childe after his owne manner and liking For so soone as they came to seuen yeres of age he tooke and diuided them by companies to make them to be brought vp together and to accustome them to playe to learne and to studie one with another Then he chose out of euery company one whom he thought to haue the best wit and had most courage in him to fight to whom he gaue the charge and ouersight of his owne companie The reste had their eyes waiting allwayes on him they did obey his commaundementes willingly they did abide paciently all corrections he gaue them they did suche taskes and worckes as he appointed them so that all their studie was most to learne to obey Furthermore the olde graye headed men were present many times to see them playe and for the most parte they gaue them occasions to fall out and to fight one with another that they might thereby the better knowe and discerne the naturall disposition of euery one of them and whether they gaue any signes or tokens in time to come to become cowardes or valliant men Touching learning they had as muche as serued their turne for the reste of their time they spent in learning howe to obey to awaye with payne to indure labour to ouercome still in fight According to their groweth and yeres they dyd chaunge the exercises of their bodyes they dyd shaue their heads they went barelegged they were constrained to playe naked together the most parte of their time After they were past twelue yeres of age they ware no lenger coates and they gaue them yerely but one seely gowne This was the cause they were alwayes so nasty sluttishe they neuer vsed to bathe or noynte themselues sauing only at certaine dayes in the yere when they were suffered to rast of this refreshing They laye and slept together vpon beddes of straw which they themselues dyd make of the toppes of reedes or canes that grewe in the riuer of Eurotas which they were forced to goe gather and breake them selues with their handes without any toole or iron at all In the winter they dyd mingle thistle downe with these which is called Lycophonas bicause that stuffe seemeth somewhat warme of it selfe About this time the fauorers and likers of this prety youthe which were commonly the lustiest and best disposed youthes of the cittie beganne to be ofter in their companie and then the olde men tooke the better regarde vnto them and frequented more commonly the places of their daylie exercises where their vse was to fight together helping them when they played how one should mocke another This dyd their olde men notby waye of pastime only but with suche care and harcy loue towards them as if they had bene altogether their fathers masters gouernours while they were boyes in so much as there was neuer time nor place where they had not allwayes some to admonishe reproue or correct them if they dyd a faulte Notwithstanding all this there was euer one of the honestest men of the cittie who had expressely the charge and gouernaunce of these boyes He dyd diuide them in companies and afterwards gaue the ouersight of them to suche a one of the boyes as was discreetest the manliest the most hardie and of the best corage amongest them They called the children that were past infancie two yeres Irenes and the greatest boyes Melirenes as who would saye ready to goe out of boyerie This boye who was made ouerseer of them was commonly twenty yeres of age He was their captaine when they fought and did commaunde them as his seruaunts when they were in the house and willed them which were strongest and the most growen to carie wodde when they should prepare dinner or supper and those which were least and weakest to goe gather erbes which they must steale or lacke them So they went out to steale some in gardens some at the markets other in the halles where the feastes were kept and men did eate together into the which they conueyed them selues as closely and cunningly as they could deuise for if they were taken with the manner they were scourged terriblie bicause they were so grosse and necligent and not fine and cunning in their facultie They stole also all other kinde of meate whatsoeuer they could get or laye hands on They pried and sought all occasions howe to take and steale meate handsomely bothe when men were a sleepe or els that they were careles or did not geue good hede vnto them But he that was taken with the manner had his payment roundely and was punished with fasting besides for they had but a slender pittaunce bicause necessity should driue them to venter boldely and wit should finde out all the deuises to steale finely This was the chiefest cause why they gaue them so small a diet The seconde cause was that their bodies might growe vp higher in height For the vitall spirites not being occupied to concoct and disgest much meate nor yet kept downe or spread abroade by the quantitie or ouerburden thereof doe enlarge them selues into lengthe and shoote vp for their lightnes and for this reason they thought the bodie did growe in height and lengthe hauing nothing to let or hinder the rising of the same It seemeth that the same selfe cause made them fayerer also For the bodies that are leane and slender doe better and more easely yeld to nature which bringeth a better proportion and forme to euery member and contrariwise it seemeth these grosse corpulent and ouersedde bodies doe encounter nature and be not so nimble and pliant to her by reason of their heauy substaunce As we see it by experience the children which women bring a litle before their time and be somwhat cast before they should haue bene borne be smaller and fayerer also and more pure commonly then other that goe their time bicause the matter whereof the bodie is formed being more supple and pliant is the easelier welded by nature which geueth them their shape and forme Touching the naturall cause of this effect let vs geue place to other to dispute it that will without our further deciding of the same But to returne to the matter of the LACEDAEMONIANS children They dyd robbe with so great care and feare to be discouered that they tell of one which hauing stolen a litle foxe dyd hyde him vnder his cloke and suffered him with his teethe and clawes to teare out all his bellie and neuer cryed for feare
sometime the conuersation of suche as be holye religious and deuoute But to beleeue the goddes haue carnall knowledge and doe delight in the outward beawtie of creatures that seemeth to carie a very harde beliefe Yet the wise EGYPTIANS thincke it probable enough and likely that the spirite of the goddes hath geuen originall of generation to women and doe beget fruite of their bodies howbeit they holde that a man can haue no corporall companie with any diuine nature Wherein they doe not cōsider that euery thing that ioyneth together doth deliuer againe a like substaūce to that wherewith it was ioyned This notwithstanding it is mete we should beleeue the godds beare good will to men and that of it doth spring their loue whereby men saye the goddes loue those whose manners they purifie and inspire with vertue And they doe not offende which fayne that Phorbas Hyacinthus and Admetus were sometimes the louers of Apollo and also Hippolytus the SICYONIAN of whom they reporte that euer when he passed ouer the arme of the sea which lieth betweene the citties of SICYONA and of CIRRAHA the god which knewe he came reioyced and caused Pythia the prophetesse to pronounce these heroycall verses I knovve full vvell my deare Hippolytus returnes by sea my minde diuineth thus It is sayd also that Pan was in loue with Pindarus and his verses and that the goddes honored the poets Hesiodus Archilocus after their death by the Muses They saye moreouer that AEsculapius laye with Sophocles in his life time and at this daye they doe yet showe many tokens thereof and after his death another god as it is reported made him to be honorably buried Nowe if they graunte that such things maye be true how can we refuse to beleeue that some goddes haue bene familliar with Zaleucus Minos Zoroastres Lycurgus Numa and such other like personages which haue gouerned kingdomes stablished common weales and it is not vnlike that the goddes in deede dyd company with them to inspire and teache them many notable things and that they did drawe neere vnto these Poets players of the harpe that made and played many dolefull and ioyfull ditties at the least for their sporte and pleasure onely if euer they came neere them Neuertheles if any man be of other opinion the waye is open and large as Bacchylides sayed to thincke and saye as he lust For my selfe I doe finde that which is written of Lycurgus Numa and other suche persones not to be without likelyhood and probabilitie who hauing to gouerne rude churlishe stiffe necked people and purposing to bring in straunge nouelties into the gouernments of their countries did fayne wisely to haue conference with the godds considering this fayning fell to be profitable beneficiall to those themselues whom they made to beleeue the same But to returne to our historie Numa was fourty yeres olde when the ambassadours of ROME were sent to present the Kingdome vnto him to intreate him to accept thereof Proclus and Velesus were the ambassadours that were sent One of the which the people looked should haue bene chosen for King bicause those of Romulus side did fauour muche Proclus and those of Tatius parte fauored Velesus Nowe they vsed no long speache vnto him bicause they thought he would haue bene glad of suche a great good fortune But contrarely it was in deede a very hard thing required great persuasions much intreatie to moue a man which had allwayes liued quietly at ease to accept the regiment of a cittie which as a man would saye had bene raysed vp and growen by warres and martiall dedes Wherfore he aunswered them in the presence of his father and one other of his kinsemen called Martius in this sorte Chaunge alteration of mans life is euer daungerous but for him that lacketh nothing necessarie nor hath cause to cōplaine of his present state it is a great follie to leaue his olde acquainted trade of life to enter into another newe and vnknowen if there were no other but this only respect that he leaueth a certaintie to venter vpon an vncertainty Howbeit there is further matter in this that the daūgers perills of this kingdom which they offer me are not altogether vncertain if we will looke backe what happened vnto Romulus Who was not vnsuspected to haue layed waite to haue had Tatius his fellow cōpanion murdered now after Romulus death the Senatours selues are mistrusted to haue killed him on the other side by treason And yet they saye it and singe in euery where that Romulus was the sonne of a god that at his birthe he was miraculously preserued and afterwardes he was as incrediblie brought vp Whereas for my owne parte I doe confesse I was begotten by a mortallman and was fostered brought vp and taught by men as you known and these fewe qualities which they prayse commend in me are conditions farre vnmoto for a man that is to raigne I euer loued a solitarie life quiet and studie and did exempt my selfe from worldly causes All my life time I haue sought and loued peace aboue all things and neuer had for doe with any warres My conuersation hath bene to companie with men which meete only to serue honour the goddes or to laughe and be merie one with another or els to spende their time in their priuate affayers or otherwise sometime to attend their pastures and feeding of their cattell Whereas Romulus my ROMAINE lordes hath left you many warres begonne which peraduenture you could be contented to spare yet now to mainteine the same your citie had neede of a martiall King actiue strong of bodye Your people moreouer through long custome and the great increase they are geuen vnto by feates of armes desire nought els perhappes but warres and it is plainely seene they seeke still to growe and commaund their neighbours So that if there were no other consideration in it yet were it a mere mockerie for me to goe to teache a cittie at this present to serue the goddes to loue iustice to hate warres and to flye violence when it rather hath neede of a conquering captaine then of a peaceable king These and suche other like reasons and persuasions Numa alleaged to discharge him selfe of the Kingdome which they offred him Howbeit the ambassadours of the ROMAINES most humbly besought and prayed him with all instance possible that he would not be the cause of another newe sturre and commotion among them seeing both partes in the cittie haue geuen their consent and liking to him alone and none other to be their king Moreouer when the ambassadours had left him vpon this sute his father and Martius his kinseman beganne also priuately to perswade him that he should not refuse so good and godly an offer And albeit he was contented with his present state and desired to be no richer than he was nor coueted no princely honour nor glorie bicause he sought only
most famous vertue yet he must needes thincke that to rule well was to doe the goddes good seruice whose will it was to employe the iustice they knewe in him and not to suffer it to be idle Refuse not therefore q they this royall dignitie which to a graue and wise man is a goodly field to bring forth many commendable workes and fruites There you maye doe noble seruice to the godds to humble the heartes of these martiall people and to bring them to be holy and religious for they readely turne and easely conforme them selues vnto the nature of their prince They dearely loued Tatius although he was a straunger they haue consecrated a memorie to Romulus with diuine honours which they make vnto him at this daye And it maye be that the people seeing them selues conquerers will be full enough of warres and the ROMAINES being nowe full of spoyles triumphes will be glad to haue a gentle prince and one that loueth iustice that they maye thenceforth liue in peace vnder good and holy lawes And yet if it be otherwise that their hartes be still full of heate and furie to fight is it not better to turne this their desire to make warres some other waye when a man hathe the bridle in his owne handes to doe it and to be a meane in the meane time to ioyne the countrie and all the nation of the SABYNES in perpetuall loue and amitie with so mighty and florishing a cittie besides all these persuasions and reasons there were many signes also as they saye which promised him good lucke together with the earnest affection and liking of his owne countrie cittizens Who so soone as they vnderstoode the coming and commission of the ambassadours of ROME they importunately desired him to goe thither and to accept the offer of the Kingdome that he might more straightly vnite and incorporate them together with the ROMAINES Whereupon Numa accepted the Kingdome Then after he had done sacrifice to the goddes he set forwardes on his iourney towardes ROME where the people and Senate went out to meete him with a wonderfull desire to see him The women at his entrie went blessing of him and singing of his prayses They dyd sacrifice for him in all the temples of the goddes There was neither man nor woman but seemed to be as ioyfull and glad as if a newe Realme and not a newe Kinge had bene come to the cittie of ROME Thus was he brought with this open ioye and reioycing vnto the market place where one of the Senatours which at that time was regent called Spurius Vettius made them pronounce his open election and so by one consent he was chosen King with all the voyces of the people Then were brought vnto him the tokens of honour and dignitie of the king But he him selfe commaunded they should be stayed a while saying He must first be confirmed King by the goddes Then he tooke the wise men priests with whom he went vp into the Capitoll which that time was yet called mounte Tarpeian And there the chiefest of the soothesayers called Augures turned him towardes the southe hauing his face couered with a veyle and stoode behinde him laying his right hande vpon his heade and praying to the goddes that it would please them to declare their willes by flying of birdes or some other token concerning this election and so the soothesayer cast his eyes all about as farre as he could possiblie discerne During all this time there was a maruelous silence in the market place although then an infinite number of people were assembled there together attending with great deuotion what the issue of this diuination would be vntill there appeared vnto them on the right hande good and lucky birdes which did confirme the election Then Numa putting on his regall robes came downe from mounte Tarpeian into the market place where all the people receyued him with wonderfull showtes of ioye as a man the most holy and best beloued of the goddes that they could haue chosen So hauing taken the royall seate of the Kingdome his first acte was this That he discharged the garde of the three hundred souldiers which Romulus had allwayes about his persone called Celeres saying he would not mistrust them which trusted him neither would he be King ouer people which should mistrust him His second acte was that he did adde to the two priests of Iupiter Mars a thirde in the honour of Romulus who was called Flamen Quirinalis For the auncient ROMAINES also called their priests instituted in the olde time Flamines by reason of certaine litle narrowe hattes which they did weare on their heades as if they had called them Pilamines for Pilos in Greeke signifieth a hatte And at that time as they saye there were many moe Greeke wordes mingled with the Latine then there are at this daye For they called the mantells the Kings did weare Loenas And Iuba sayeth that it is the very same which the GRECIANS call Chloenas and that the younge boye which was a seruaunte in the temple of Iupiter was called Camillus as some of the GRECIANS doe yet call the god Mercurie bicause he is seruaunt of the godds Now Numa hauing done these things at his first entrie into his Kingdome still to winne further fauour and goodwill of the people beganne immediately to frame his citizens to a certaine ciuilitie being as iron wrought to softenes and brought them from their violent and warlike desires to temperate and ciuill manners For out of doubt ROME was properly that which Plato ascribeth to a cittie full of trouble and pryde For first it was founded by the most coragious and warlike men of the worlde which from all partes were gathered there together in a most desperate boldnes and afterwards it increased and grewe strong by armes and continuall warres like as pyles driuen into the grounde which the more they are rammed in the further they enter and sticke the faster Wherefore Numa iudging it no small nor light enterprise to plucke downe the hawty stomacks of so fierce and violent a people and to frame them vnto a sobre and quiet life dyd seeme to worcke it by meanes of the goddes with drawing them on thereto by litle and litle and pacifying of their whotte and fierce corages to fight with sacrifices feastes dauncings and common processions wherein he celebrated euer him selfe In the which together with their duotion there was mingled nowe and then pastime and pleasure and sometimes he layed the terrour and feare of the goddes before their eyes making them beleeue that he had seene straunge visions or that he had heard voyces by which the goddes dyd threaten them with some great troubles and plagues allwayes to pull downe and humble their heartes vnto the feare of the goddes This was the cause why they thought afterwardes that he had learned his wisdome of Pythagoras the philosopher bicause the greatest parte of the philosophie of the one and
and to supply the defect of the other they were both enforced to bring in a straunge manner of gouernment Furthermore touching their seuerall kinde of gouernment diuiding of their people into states and companies that of Numa was maruelous meane and base and framed to the liking of the meanest people making a bodie of a cittie and a people compounded together of all sortes as goldesmithes minstrells founders shoemakers and of all sortes of craftes men occupations together But that of Lycurgus was directly contrarie for his was more seuere and tyrannicall in gouerning of the nobility casting all craftes and base occupations vpon bondemen straungers and putting into the handes of his cittizens the shield and launce suffering them to exercise no other arte or science but the arte and discipline of warres as the true ministers of Mars which all their life time neuer knewe other science but only learned to obey their captaines and to commaund their enemies For to haue any occupation to buye and sell or to trafficke free men were expressely forbidden bicause they should wholy absolutely be free And all sciences to get money was lawfull for slaues and the ILOTES being counted for as vile an occupation as to dresse meate and to be a scullian of a kitchin Numa put not this difference amongest his people but only tooke away couetous desire to be riche by warres but otherwise he did not forbid them to get goodes by any other lawfull meanes neither tooke any regarde to bring all to equalitie and to be a like wealthy but suffered euery man to get what he could taking no order to preuēt pouertie which crept in spred farre in his cittie Which he should haue looked vnto at the beginning at that time when there was not too great an vnequalitie amongest them and that his cittizens for substaunce were in manner equall one with another for then was the time whē he should haue made head against auarice to haue stopped the mischieues inconueniences which fell out afterwards they were not litle For that only was the fountaine and roote of the most parte of the greatest euills mischieues which happened afterwardes in ROME And as touching the diuision of goodes neither ought Lycurgus to be blamed for doing it nor Numa for that he did it not For this equality vnto the one was a groūd foundation of his common wealth which he afterwards instituted and vnto other it could not be For this diuision being made not long before the time of his predecessour there was no great neede to chaunge the first the which as it is likely remained yet in full perfection As touching mariages their children to be in common both the one the other wisely sought to take awaye all occasion of iealousie but yet they tooke not both one course For the ROMAINE husband hauing children enough to his contentation if another that lacked children came vnto him to praye him to lende him his wife he might graunte her vnto him and it was in him to geue her altogether or to lende her for a time to take her afterwardes againe But the LACONIAN keeping his wife in his house the mariage remaining whole vnbroken might let out his wife to any man that would require her to haue children by her naye furthermore many as we haue told you before did them selues intreat men by whom they thought to haue a trimme broode of children layed them with their wiues What difference I praye you was betwene these two customes sauing that the custome of the LACONIANS shewed that the husbāds were nothing angrie nor grieued with their wiues for those things which for sorrowe and iealousie doth rent the hartes of most maried men in the world And that of the ROMAINES was a simplicitie somwhat more shamefast which to couer it was shadowed yet with the cloke of matrimonie and contract of mariage confessing that to vse wife children by halfes together was a thing most intollerable for him Furthermore the keeping of maidēs to be maried by Numaes order was much straighter more honorable for womanhed Lycurgus order hauing to much scope and libertie gaue Poets occasion to speake and to geue them surnames not very honest As Ibycus called them Phanomeridas to saye thighe showers and Andromanes to saye manhood And Euripides sayeth also of them Good nutbrovvne girles vvhich left their fathers house at large and sought for young mens companie tooke their vvare in charge And shevved their thighes all bare the taylour did them vvrong on eche side open vvere their cotes the slytts vvere all to long And in deede to saye truely the sides of their petticotes were not sowed beneath so that as they went they shewed their thighes naked and bare The which Sophocles doth easily declare by these verses The songe vvhich you shall singe shal be the sonnet sayde by Hermionè lusty lasse that strong and sturdy mayde VVhich trust her petticote about her midle shorte and set to shevve her naked hippes in francke and frendly sorte And therefore it is sayed the LACON wiues were bolde manly stowte against their husbands namely the first For they were wholy mistresses in the house and abroade yea they had law on their side also to vtter their mindes franckly cōcerning the chiefest matters But Numa euer reserued the honour and dignitie vnto the women which was left them by Romulus in his time when their husbands after they had taken them awaye perforce disposed them selues to vse them as gentely as possibly they could neuertheles he added otherwise thereto great honesty and tooke away all curiositie from them and taught them sobrietie did inure them to speake litle For he did vtterly forbid them wine and did prohibite them to speake although it were for things necessarie onles it were in the presence of their husbands In so much as it is reported that a woman chauncing one daye to pleade her cause in persone openly before the iudges the Senate hearing of it did send immediately vnto the oracle of Apollo to know what that did prognosticate to the cittie And therfore Numa thought the memorie of the naughty women would much commend the great humilitie gentlenes obedience of the good For like as our GRECIAN historiographers doe note those which were the first that killed any of their cittizēs or haue fought with their brethern or haue killed their fathers or mothers euen so the ROMAINES doe note that Spurius Caruilius was the first which forsooke his wife two hundred thirtie yeres after the first foundation of ROME which was neuer done by any before And that the wife of one Pinarius called Thalea was the first which euer brawled or quarrelled with her mother in lawe called Gegania in the time when Tarquine surnamed the provide raigned so well and honestly were the orders of Numa deuised concerning mariage Moreouer the age and time marying
of maydes which both the one and the other ordeined doth agree with the rest of their education For Lycurgus would not that they should be maried till they were of good yeres and women growen to the ende that they knowing the company of man at such time as nature requireth it should be a beginning of their pleasure and loue and not of griefe and hate when she should be compelled vnto it before time agreable by nature and bicause their bodies also should be more stronge and able to beare children and to indure the mothers painefull throwes and trauell in childe bearing considering they are maried to no other ende but to beare children But the ROMAINES to the contrarie doe marye them at twelue yeres of age and vnder saying that by this meanes their bodies manners be wholy theirs which doe marye them being assured that no body els could touch them By this reason it is manifest that the one is more naturall to make them strong to beare children the other more morall to geue them the forme manner of conditiōs which a man would haue them to kepe all their life time Moreouer touching orders for educatiō of childrē that they should be brought vp instructed taught vnder the selfe same masters gouernours which should haue an eye to make them drincke eate playe and exercise them selues honestly and orderly together Numa made no more prouision for the same then the least maker of lawes that euer was and nothing in comparison of Lycurgus For Numa left the parents at libertie to vse their discretion according vnto their couetousnes or necessitie to cause their children to be brought vp as they thought good whether they would put them to be labourers carpinters founders or minstrells As if they should not frame the manners of children and facion them from their cradell all to one ende but should be as it were like passengers in one shippe which being there some for one busines other for another purpose but all to diuers endes doe neuer medle one with another but in a rough storme or tempest when euery man is affrayed of his owne life For otherwise no man careth but for him selfe And other makers of lawes also are to be borne withall if any thing hath scaped them through ignoraunce or some time through lacke of sufficient power and authoritie But a wise philosopher hauing receyued a realme of people newly gathered together which dyd contrary him in nothing whereto should he most plye his studie and indeuour but to cause children to be well brought vp and to make young men exercise them selues to the ende they should not differ in manners nor that they should be troublesome by their diuers manner of bringing vp but that they should all agree together for that they had bene trained from their childhood vnto one selfe trade and facioned vnder one selfe patterne of vertue That good education besides other commodities dyd also serue to preserue Lycurgus lawes For the feare of their othe which they had made had bene of small effect if he had not through institution and education as it were dyed in wolle the manners of children and had not made them from their nources brestes in manner sucke the Iuice and loue of his lawes and ciuill ordinaunces And this was of suche force that for the space of fiue hundred yeres more Lycurgus chieflawes and ordinaunces remained in full perfection as a deepe woded dye which went to the bottome and pearced into the tender wolle Contrariwise that which was Numaes chief ende and purpose to continew ROME in peace and amitie dyed by and by with him For he was no soner dead but they opened both the gates of the temple of Ianus which he so carefully had kept shut all his reigne as if in deede he had kept in warres there vnder locke and keye and they filled all ITALIE with murder and bloude this his godly holy and iust gouernment which his Realme enioyed all his time did not last long after bicause it had not the bonde of education and the discipline of children which should mainteine it Why maye a man saye to me here hath not ROME excelled still and preuailed more more in cheualrie This question requireth a long aunswer and specially vnto such men as place felicitie in riches in possessions in the greatnes of empire rather then in the quiet safety peace concorde of a common weale and in clemency and iustice ioyned with contentation Neuertheless howsoeuer it was that maketh for Lycurgus also that the ROMAINES after they had chaūged the state which they had of Numa dyd so maruelously increase growe mightie and that the LACEDAEMONIANS to the contrarie so soone as they beganne to breake Lycurgus lawes being of great authoritie and swaye fell afterwards to be of small accompt So that hauing lost the soueraintie commaundemēt ouer GRECE they stoode in great hazarde also to be ouerthrowen for euer But in trothe it was some diuine thing in Numa that he being a meere straunger the ROMAINES dyd seeke him to make him King and that he could so chaunge all and rule a whole cittie as he lifted not yet ioyned together without neede of any force or violence as it was in Lycurgus to be assisted with the best of the citty in resisting the cōmons of LACEDAEMON but he could neuer otherwise haue kept them in peace made them loue together but by his only wisdom iustice The ende of Numa Pompilius life THE LIFE OF Solon DIDYMVS the Grammarian in a litle booke that he wrote dedicated vnto Asclepiades touching the tables of the lawes of Solon alleageth the wordes of one Philocles in which he speaketh against the common opinion of those that haue written that Solons father was called Euphorion For all other writers agree that he was the sonne of Execestides a man but reasonably to liue although otherwise he was of the noblest and most auncient house of the cittie of ATHENS For of his fathers side he was descended of king Codrus and for his mother Heraclides Ponticus writeth she was cosin germaine vnto Pisistratus mother For this cause euen from the beginning there was great friendshippe betwene them partely for their kinred and partely also for the curtesie and beawtie of Pisistratus with whom it is reported Solon on a time was in loue Afterwards they fortuned to fall at iarre one with the other about matter of state and gouernment yet this square bred no violent inconuenience betwene them but they reserued in their hartes still their auncient amitie which continued the memorie of their loue as a great fire doth a burning flame That Solon was no stayed man to withstand beawtie nor any great doer to preuaile in loue it is manifest to all aswell by other poeticall writings that he hath made as by a lawe of his owne wherein he dyd forbid bondmen to perfume them selues or
come For if the ATHENIANS sayed he knew what hurt this hauen would bring thē they would eate it as they saye with their teethe It is sayed also that Thales did prognosticate such a like thing who after his deathe commaunded they should burie his bodie in some vile place of no reckoning with in the territorie of the MILESIANS saying that one daye there should be the place of a cittie Epimenides therfore being maruelously esteemed of euery man for these causes was greatly honoured of the ATHENIANS and they offered him great presents of money and other things but he would take nothing and only prayed them to geue him a boughe of the holy olyue which they graunted him and so he returned shortely home into CRETA Nowe that this sedition of Cylon was vtterly appeased in ATHENS for that the excommunicates were banished the countrie the citty fell againe into their olde troubles and dissentions about the gouernment of the common weale they were devided into so diuers partes and factions as there were people of sundry places territories within the countrie of ATTICA For there were the people of the mountaines the people of the vallies and the people of the sea coaste Those of the mountaines tooke the cōmon peoples parte for their liues Those of the valley would a fewe of the best cittizens should carie the swaye The coaste men would that neither of thē should preuaile bicause they would haue had a meane gouernmēt mingled of them both Furthermore the faction betwene the poore riche proceeding of their vnequalitie was at that time very great By reason whereof the cittie was in great daunger and it seemed there was no waye to pacifie or take vp these controuersies vnles some tyraunt happened to rise that would take vpon him to rule the whole For all the cōmon people were so sore indetted to the riche that either they plowed their landes yelded them the sixt parte of their croppe for which cause they were called Hectemorij and seruants or els they borowed money of them at vsurie vpon gage of their bodies to serue it out And if they were not able to paye them then were they by the law deliuered to their creditours who kept them as bonde men slaues in their houses or els they sent them into straunge coūtries to be sold many euen for very pouertie were forced to sell their owne children for there was no lawe to forbid the contrarie or els to forsake their cittie countrie for the extreme cruelty hard dealing of these abominable vsurers their creditours Insomuch as many of the lustiest stowtest of them banded together in cōpanies incoraged one another not to suffer beare any lenger such extremitie but to choose them a stowte trusty captaine that might set them at libertie and redeeme those out of captiuity which were iudged to be bondmen seruants for lacke of paying of their detts at their dayes appointed so to make againe a newe diuision of all landes and tenements and wholy to chaunge and turne vp the whole state gouernment Then the wisest men of the cittie who sawe Solon only neither partner with the riche in their oppression neither partaker with the poore in their necessitie made sute to him that it would please him to take the matter in hande to appease and pacifie all these broyles and sedition Yet Phanias Lesbian writeth that he vsed a subtiltie whereby he deceiued both the one and the other side concerning the cōmon weale For he secretly promised the poore to deuide the lands againe the riche also to confirme their couenants bargaines Howsoeuer it fell out it is very certain that Solon frō the beginning made it a great matter was very scrupulous to deale betwene them fearing the couetousnes of the one arrogancie of the other Howbeit in the end he was chosen gouernour after Philōbrotus was made reformer of the rigour of the lawes the tēperer of the state cōmō weale by cōsent agreemēt of both parties The rich accepted him bicause he was no begger the poore did also like him bicause he was an honest man They saye moreouer that one word sentēce which he spake which at that present was rife in euery mans mouthe that equalitie dyd breede no stryfe did aswell please the riche and wealthie as the poore and needie For the one sorte conceyued of this worde equalitie that he would measure all things according to the qualitie of the man the other tooke it for their purpose that he would measure things by the number by the polle only Thus the captaines of both factions persuaded prayed him boldly to take vpon him that soueraigne authoritie sithence he had the whole cittie nowe at his commaundement The neawters also of euery parte when they sawe it very harde to pacifie these things with lawe and reason were well content that the wisest and honestest man should alone haue the royall power in his handes Some saye also that there was such an oracle of Apollo Sitt thou at helme as gouernour to steere to guyde our course and rule the rovvling shippe for thou shalt see full many Athenians there vvill take thy parte and after thee vvill trippe But his familier friendes aboue all rebuked him saying he was to be accompted no better then a beast if for feare of the name of tyranne he would refuse to take vpon him a Kingdome which is the most iust and honorable state if one take it vpon him that is an honest man As in olde time Tynnondas made him selfe King of those of Negrepont with their consent and as Pittacus was then presently of those of METELIN Notwithstanding all these goodly reasons could not make him once alter his opinion And they saye he aunswered his friendes that principalitie and tyrannie was in deede a goodly place howbeit there was no way for a man to get out whē he was once entered into it And in certen verses that he wrote to Phocus thus he sayed I neither blushe nor yet repent my selfe that haue preserude my natiue soyle allvvayes and that therein to hourde vp trashe and pelfe no tyrants thought could once eclypse my prayse No might could moue my minde to any vvronge vvhich might beblot the glory of my name for so I thought to liue in honour longe and farre excell all other men for fame Hereby appeareth plainely that euen before he was chosen reformer of the state to stablish newe lawes he was then of great countenaunce and authoritie But he him selfe writeth that many sayed of him thus after he had refused the occasion of vsurping of this tyrannie Suer Solon vvas a foole and of a bashefull minde that vvould refuse the great good happe vvhich goddes to him assignde The praye vvas in his handes yet durst he neuer dravve the net therefore but stoode abasht and like a dastarde davve
indifferently to his will. As the offices of state common assemblies voyces in election iudgemēts in iustice and the bodie of the Senate And they gaue him also full power and authoritie to sesse and taxe any of them to appointe the number what time the sesse should continewe and to keepe confirme and disanull at his pleasure any of the auncient lawes and customes then in being To beginne withall he first tooke away all Dracons bloudy lawes sauing for murder and manslaughter which were to seuere cruell For almost he dyd ordaine but one kinde of punishment for all kinde of faultes and offences which was death So that they which were condemned for idlenes were iudged to dye And pety larceny as robbing mens horteyards gardens of fruite or erbes was as seuerely punished as those who had committed sacriledge or murder Demades therefore encountered it pleasauntly when he sayed that Dracons lawes were not written with incke but with bloud And Draco him selfe being asked one daye why his punishmēts were so vnequall as death for all kinde of faultes he aunswered Bicause he thought the least offence worthie so much punishment and for the greatest he found none more grieuous Then Solon being desirous to haue the chief offices of the cittie to remaine in riche mens handes as already they dyd and yet to mingle the authoritie of gouernment in such sorte as the meaner people might beare a litle swaye which they neuer could before he made an estimate of the goodes of euery priuate cittizen And those which he founde yerely worthe fiue hundred busshells of corne other liquide fruites and vpwards he called Pentacosiomedimnes as to saye fiue hundred busshell men of reuenue And those that had three hundred busshells a yere and were able to keepe a horse of seruice he put in the second degree and called them knightes They that might dispend but two hundred busshells a yere were put in the thirde place called Zeugites All other vnder those were called Thetes as ye would saye hyerlings or craftes men liuing of their labour whom he dyd not admit to beare any office in the cittie neither were they taken as free cittizens sauing they had voyces in elections and assemblies of the cittie and in iudgements where the people wholy iudged This at the first seemed nothing but afterwardes they felt it was to great purpose for hereby the most parte of priuate quarrells and strifes that grewe among them were in the ende layed open before the people For the suffered those to appeale vnto the people which thought they had wrong iudgement in their causes Furthermore bicause his lawes were written somewhat obscurely and might be diuersely taken and interpreted this dyd geue a great deale more authoritie and power to the iudges For considering all their controuersies could not be ended and iudged by expresse lawe they were driuen of necessitie allwayes to ronne to the iudges and debated their matters before them In so muche as the iudges by this meanes came to be somewhat aboue the lawe for they dyd euen expounde it as they would them selues Solon self doth note this equall diuision of the publicke authoritie in a place of his poesies where he sayeth Suche povver haue I geuen to common peoples hande as might become their meane estate vvith equity to stande and as I haue not pluct from them their dignitie so haue I not to much increast their small authoritie Vnto the riche likevvise I haue allovved no more then vvell might seeme in iust conceit sufficient for their store And so I have for both prouided in such vvise that neither shall eche other vvrong nor seeme for to despise Yet considering it was meete to prouide for the pouertie of the common sorte of people he suffered any man that would to take vpon him the defence of any poore mans case that had the wrong For if a man were hurte beaten forced or otherwise wronged any other man that would might lawfully sue the offendour and prosecute lawe against him And this was a wise lawe ordeined of him to accustome his cittizens to be sorie one for anothers hurte so to feele it as if any parte of his owne bodie had bene iniured And they saye he made an aunswer on a time agreable to this law For being asked what cittie he thought best gouerned he aunswered That cittie where such as receyue no wronge doe as earnestly defend wrōg offered to other as the very wrong iniurie had bene done vnto them selues He erected also the coūsaill of the Areopagites of those magistrates of the cittie out of which they did yerely choose their gouernour he him self had bene of that number for that he had bene gouernour for a yere Wherefore perceyuing now the people were growen to a stomake hawtines of minde bicause they were cleare discharged of their detts he set one vp for matters of state another counsell of an hundred chosen out of euery tribe whereof foure hūdred of them were to consult debate of all matters before they were propounded to the people that when the great counsell of the people at large should be assembled no matters should be put forth onles it had bene before well considered of digested by the counsell of the foure hundred Moreouer he ordeined the higher courte should haue the chiefe authoritie power ouer all things and chiefly to see the lawe executed and mainteined supposing that the common weale being settled and stayed with these two courtes as with two stronge anker holdes it should be the lesse turmoyled and troubled and the people also better pacified and quieted The most parte of writers holde this opinion that it was Solon which erected the counsaill of the Areopagites as we haue sayed and it is very likely to be true for that Dracon in all his lawes and ordinaunces made no manner of mention of the Areopagites but allwayes speaketh to the Ephetes which were iudges of life and death when he spake of murder or of any mans death Notwithstanding the eight law of the thirtenth table of Solon sayeth thus in these very words All such as haue bene banished or detected of naughty life before Solon made his laws shal be restored againe to their goodes and good name except those which were condemned by order of the counsaill of the Areopagites or by the Ephetes or by the Kings in open courte for murder and death of any man or for aspiring to vsurpe tyrannie These wordes to the contrarie seeme to proue and testifie that the counsell of the Areopagites was before Solon was chosen reformer of the lawes For howe could offenders and wicked men be condemned by order of the counsell of the Areopagites before Solon if Solon was the first that gaue it authoritie to iudge onles a man will saye peraduenture that he would a litle helpe the matter of his lawes which were obscure and darke and would supply that they lacked
Iupiter Olympian only remained vnperfect so the wisdome of Plato amongest many goodly matters of his that haue come abroade left none of them vnperfect but the only tale of the Iles ATLANTIDES Solon liued long time after Pisistratus had vsurped the tyrannie as Heraclides Ponticus writeth Howbeit Phanias Ephesian writeth that he liued not aboue two yeres after For Pisistratus vsurped tyrannicall power in the yere that Comias was chief gouernour in ATHENS And Phanias writeth that Solon dyed in the yere that Hegestratus was gouernour which was the next yere after that And where some saye the ashes of his bodie were after his death strawed abroade through the I le of SALAMINA that seemeth to be but a fable and altogether vntrue Neuertheles it hath bene written by many notable authours and amongest others by Aristotle the philosopher The ende of Solons life THE LIFE OF PVBLIVS Valerius Publicola NOWE we haue declared what Solon was we haue thought good to compare him with Publicola to whom the ROMAINE people for an honour gaue that surname for he was called before Publius Valerius descended from that auncient Valerius who was one of the chiefest worckers and meanes to bring the ROMAINES and the SABYNES that were mortall enemies to ioyne together as one people For it was he that most moued the two Kings to agree and ioyne together Publicola being descended of him whilest the Kings dyd rule yet at ROME was in very great estimation aswell for his eloquence as for his riches vsing the one rightly and freely for the maintenaunce of iustice and the other liberally and curteously for the relief of the poore So that it was manifest if the Realme came to be conuerted into a publicke state he should be one of the chiefest men of the same It chaunced that king Tarquine surnamed the prowde being come to the crowne by no good lawfull meane but contrary lie by indirect and wicked wayes and behauing him selfe not like a King but like a cruell tyrante the people much hated and detested him by reason of the death of Lucretia which killed her selfe for that she was forcibly rauished by him so the whole cittie rose and rebelled against him Lucius Brutus taking vpon him to be the head and captaine of this insurrection and rebellion dyd ioyne first with this Valerius who dyd greately fauour and assist his enterprise and did helpe him to driue out king Tarquine with all his house familie Nowe whilest they were thincking that the people would chuse some one alone to be chief ruler ouer them in stead of a King Valerius kept him selfe quiet as yelding willingly vnto Brutus the first place who was meetest for it hauing bene the chief authour and worcker of their recouered libertie But when they sawe the name of Monarchie as much to saye as soueraintie alone was displeasaunt to the people and that they would like better to haue the rule deuided vnto two and how for this cause they would rather choose two Consuls Valerius then begāne to hope he should be the seconde persone with Brutus Howbeit this hope fayled him For against Brutus will Tarquinius Collatinus the husband of Lucretia was chosen Cōsul with him not bicause he was a man of greater vertue or of better estimation than Valerius But the noble men of the cittie fearing the practises of the Kings abroade which sought by all the fayer flattering meanes they could to returne againe into the cittie dyd determine to make such an one Consul whom occasion forced to be their hard and heauy enemie persuading them selues that Tarquinius Collatinus would for no respect yeld vnto them Valerius tooke this matter greuously but they had a mistrust in him as if he would not doe any thing he could for the benefit of his countrie notwithstanding he had neuer any priuate iniurie offered him by the tyrannes Wherfore he repaired no more vnto the Senate to pleade for priuate men and wholy gaue vp to medle in matters of state insomuch as he gaue many occasion to thincke of his absence and it troubled some men much who feared least vpon this his misliking and withdrawing he would fall to the Kings side and so bring all the cittie in an vprore considering it stoode then but in very tickle termes But when Brutus who stoode in iealousie of some would by othe be assured of the Senate had appointed them a daye solemnely to take their othes vpon the sacrifices Valerius then with a good cheerefull countenaunce came into the market place and was the first that tooke his othe he would leaue nothing vndone that might preiudice the Tarquines but with all his able power he would fight against them and defend the libertie of the cittie This othe of his maruelously reioyced the Senate gaue great assuraunce also to the Consuls but specially bicause his dedes dyd shortly after performe his wordes For there came ambassadours to ROME which brought letters from king Tarquine full of sweete lowly speaches to winne the fauour of the people with commission to vse all the mildest meanes they could to dulce and soften the hardened harts of the multitude who declared how the King had left all pryde and crueltie ment to aske nought but reasonable things The Consuls thought best to geue them open audience and to suffer them to speake to the people But Valerius was against it declaring it might perill the state much and deliuer occasion of new sturre vnto a multitude of poore people which were more affrayed of warres then of tyrannie After that there came other ambassadours also which sayed that Tarquine would from thenceforth for euer geue ouer and renounce his title to the Kingdome and to make any more warres but besought them only that they would at the least deliuer him and his friends their money and goods that they might haue wherewithall to keepe them in their banishment Many came on a pace and were very ready to yeld to this request and specially Collatinus one of the Consuls who dyd fauour their motion But Brutus that was a fast and resolute man and very fierce in his harte ranne immediately into the market place crying out that his fellowe Consul was a traytour and contented to graunt the tyrannes matter and meanes to make warre vpon the cittie where in deede they deserued not so much as to be relieued in their exile Hereupon the people assembled together and the first that spake in this assembly was a priuate man called Gaius Minutius who speaking vnto Brutus to the whole assembly sayed vnto them O noble Consul Senate handle so the matter that the tyrannes goods be rather in your custodie to make warre with them than in theirs to bring warre vpon your selues Notwithstāding the ROMAINES were of opinion that hauing gotten the liberty for which they fought with the tyrannes they should not disapoint the offered peace with keeping backe their goodes but rather
teache him any thing only to checke his nature or to facion him with good manner and ciuilitie or to studie any matter for pleasure or honest pastime he would slowly and carelesly learne of them But if they deliuered him any matter of wit and things of weight concerning state they sawe he would beate at it maruelously and would vnderstande more then any could of his age and cariage trusting altogether to his naturall mother with This was the cause that being mocked afterwardes by some that had studied humanitie and other liberall sciences he was driuen for reuenge and his owne defence to aunswer with great and stowte wordes saying that in deede he could no skill to tune a harpe nor a violl nor to playe of a psalterion but if they dyd put a cittie into his handes that was of small name weake and litle he knewe wayes enough how to make it noble stronge and great Neuertheles Stesimbrotus writeth how he went to Anaxagoras schoole and that vnder Melissus he studied naturall philosophie But herein he was greatly deceaued for that he tooke no great hede vnto the time For Melissus was captaine of the SAMIANS against Pericles at what time he dyd laye seige vnto the cittie of SAMOS Now this is true Pericles was much younger then Themistocles and Anaxagoras dwelt with Pericles in his owne house Therefore we haue better reason and occasion to beleeue those that write Themistocles dyd determine to followe Mnesiphilus Phreari◠For he was no professed Orator nor naturall philosopher as they termed it in that time but made profession of that which then they called wisedome Which was no other thing but a certen knowledge to handle great causes and an indeuour to haue a good wit and iudgment in matters of state and gouernment which profession beginning in Solon dyd continue and was taken vp from man to man as a secte of philosophie But those that came sithence haue mingled it with arte of speache and by litle and litle haue translated the exercise of deedes vnto bare and curious wordes whereupon they were called Sophisters as who would saye counterfeate wise men Nothwithstanding when Themistocles beganne to medle with the gouernment of the common weale he followed much Mnesiphilus In the first parte of his youth his hehauiour and doings were very light and vnconstant as one caried awaye with a rashe head and without any order or discretion by reason whereof his manners conditions seemed maruelously to chaunge and oftimes fell into very ill fauored euents as him self dyd afterwards confesse by saying that a ragged colte oftimes proues a good horse specially if he be well ridden and broken as he should be Other tales which some will seeme to adde to this are in my opinion but fables As that his father dyd disinherite him and that his mother for very care and sorowe she tooke to see the lewde life of her sonne dyd kill her self For there are that write to the contrary that his father being desirous to take him from dealing in gouernment dyd goe and shewe him all alongest the sea shore the shippewracks and ribbes of olde gallyes cast here and there whereof no reckoning was made and sayed to him thus the people vse their gouernours when they can serue no lenger Howsoeuer it was it is most true that Themistocles earnestly gaue himself to state and was sodainely taken with desire of glorie For euen at his first entrie bicause he would set foote before the prowdest he stoode at pyke against the greatest and mightiest persones that bare the swaye and gouernment and specially against Aristides Lysimachus sonne who euer encountered him and was still his aduersarie opposite Yet it seemeth the euil will he conceyued toward him came of a very light cause For they both loued Stesilaus that was borne in the cittie of TEOS as Ariston the philosopher writeth And after this iealousie was kindled betweene them they allwayes tooke contrary parte once against another not only in their priuate likings but also in the gouernment of the cōmon weale Yet I am persuaded that the difference of their manners conditions did much encrease the grudge and discorde betwext them For Aristides being by nature a very good man a iust dealer honest of life and one that in all his doings would neuer flatter the people nor serue his owne glorie but rather to the contrary would doe would saye counsaill allwayes for the most benefit cōmoditie of the commō weale was oftentimes enforced to resist Themistocles disapoint his ambition being euer busilie mouing the people to take some new matter in hande For they reporte of him that he was so inslamed with desire of glorie to enterprise great matters that being but a very yoōg man at the battell of Marathon where there was no talke but of the worthines of captaine Miltiades that had wonne the battell he was found many times solitarilie there alone deuising with him self besides they saye he could then take no rest in the night neither would goe to playes in the daye time nor would keepe companie with those whom he was accustomed to be familiar withall before Furthermore he would tell them that woūdred to see him so in his muses and chaunged and asked him what he ayled that Miltiades victorie would not let him sleepe bicause other thought this ouerthrow at MARATHON would haue made an end of all warres Howbeit Themistocles was of a contrary opinion and that it was but a beginning of greater troubles Therefore he daylie studied howe to preuent them and how to see to the safetie of GREECE before occasion offered he did exercise his cittie in seats of warre foreseeing what should followe after Wherefore where the cittizēs of ATHENS before dyd vse to deuide among them selues the reuenue of their mines of siluer which were in a parte of ATTICA called LAVRION he alone was the first that durst speake to the people persuade them that from thenceforth they should cease that distribution among them selues employe the money of the same in making of gallyes to make warres against the AEGINETES For their warres of all GREECE were most cruell bicause they were lords of the sea had so great a nūber of shippes This persuasion drue the citizens more easely to Themistocles minde than the threatning them with king Darius or the Persians would haue done who were farre from them not feared that they would come neere vnto them So this oportunitie taken of the hatred iealousie betwene the ATHENIANS the AEGINETES made the people to agree of the said money to make an hundred gallyes with which they fought against king Xerxes did ouercome him by sea Now after this good beginning successe he wanne the cittizēs by degrees to bende their force to sea declaring vnto them howe by lande they were scant able to make heade against their equalles whereas by their
vvith svvifter course This is vvithouten fayle The ATHENIANS had nine score in euery one of the which there were eightene souldiers whereof foure of them were archers and all the rest armed men Themistocles also did with no lesse skill wisedom choose his time place to fight forbearing to charge his enemies vntill the hower was come that of ordinarie custome the sea winde arose and brought in a rough tyde within the channell which dyd not hurt the GRAECIAN gallyes being made lowe and snugge but greatly offended the PERSIAN gallyes being highe cargged heauie not yare of steredge and made them lye sidelong to the GREECIANS who fiercely set vpon them hauing allwayes an eye to Themistocles direction that best foresawe their aduaÌ„tage At the same time Ariamenes Xerxes admirall a man of great valure and worthiest of the Kings brethern be stowed arrowes and dartes as it were from the walles of a castell charging the gallye of Aminias Decelian and Sosicles Pedian which were ioyned and grappled with him and fiercely entring the same was by them valliantly receyued vpon their pikes and thrust ouer borde into the sea Whose bodie floting amongest other shippewracks ARTEMISIA knowing caused to be caried to king Xerxes Nowe whilest this battell stoode in these termes they saye that there appeared a great flame in the element toward the cittie of ELEVSIN and that a lowde voyce was heard through all the plaine of THRIASIA vnto the sea as if there had bene a nuÌ„ber of men together that had songe out alowde the holy songe of Iacchus And it seemed by litle and litle that there rose a clowde in the ayer from those which sange that left the land came lighted on the gallyes in the sea Other affirmed that they sawe armed men which did reache out their hands from the I le of AEGINA towards the GREECIAN gallyes they thought they were the AEACIDES for whose helpe they all prayed before the battell was begonne The first man of the ATHENIANS that tooke any of the enemies shippes was Lycomedes a captaine of a gallye who hauing takeÌ„ very rich furniture flagges did afterwards coÌ„secrate them to Apollo laurell as ye would saye victorious The other GREECIANS in the fronte being equall in nuÌ„ber with the barbarous shipps by reason of the straightnes of the arme of the sea wherein they sought so straightned as they could not fight but by one one where by the BARBARIANS disorderly layed one another abourde that they did hinder them selues with their ouer multitude in the end were so sore pressed vpon by the GREECIANS that they were coÌ„strayned to flye by night after they had fought mainteined battell vntil it was very darke So the GRAECIANS wanne that glorious famous victorie of the which maye truly be affirmed that as Simonides sayeth VVas neuer yet nor Greeke nor Barbarous crevv that could by sea so many men subdevv Nor that obteind so famous victorie in any fight against their enemie Thus was the victorie wonne through the valliantnes and corage of those that fought that battell but especially through Themistocles great policie and wisdome After this battell Xerxes being mad for his losse thought to fill vp the arme of the sea and to passe his armie by lande vpon a bridge into the I le of SALAMINA Themistocles bicause he would feele Aristides opinion tolde him as they were talking together that he thought best to goe and occupie the straight of HELLESPONT with the armie by sea to breake the bridge of shippes which Xerxes had caused to be made to the ende said he that we maye take ASIA into EVROPE Aristides liked not this opinion for we haue said he fought all this while against this barbarous King who thought but to playe with vs But if we shut him within GREECE and bring him to fight of necessitie to saue his life such an enemie that commaundeth so great an armie will no more stand still as a looker on and set at his ease vnder his golden pauilion to see the pastime of the battell but will proue euerie waye and be him selfe in euery place at all assayes to taâ—e him self from such a straight daunger Thus with politicke care foresight he maye easely amend his former faulte committed by negligence and doe well enough when he shall see his life and Kingdome both depend vpon it Therefore Themistocles I would thincke not best to breake his bridge at all which he hath caused to be made but rather if we could to build another to it to driue him out of EVROPE as sone as we could Themistocles then replied Seeing you thincke this were good to be done we must all laye our heades together to deuise how he maye be forced to come out assone as we could They breaking of with this resolutioÌ„ Themistocles sent immediately one of the Kings enuches called Arsaces that was one of the gromes of his chaÌ„ber whom he found out amoÌ„gest the prisoners by him he sent this message vnto the king That the GREECIANS hauing woÌ„ne the battell of him by sea had decreed in their counsell how they would goe to the straight of HELLESPONT to breake the bridge of shippes he had caused to be made there Whereof he thought good to aduertise him for the goodwil he did beare him and to the ende he might bethincke him betimes to get him away to the sea within his own dominion and so passe backe againe into ASIA as sone as he could whilest he gaue order to his allies and confederates to staye following him at the poope The barbarous King vnderstading these newes was so affrayed that he hoysed away with all possible speede The further foresight and great wisdome of Themistocles and Aristides in marine causes dyd manifestly appeare afterwards in the battell the GREECIANS fought before the cittie of PLATEA against Mardonius king Xerxes lieutenante who hauing but a small power of the King his soueraines there dyd yet put the GREECIANS to great distresse and in hazard to haue lost all Of all the townes and citties that fought in this battel Herodotus writeth that the cittie of AEGINA wanne the same for valliantnes aboue the rest of priuate men among the GRECIANS Themistocles was iudged the worthiest man although it was sore against their willes bicause they enuied much his glory For after the battell done all the captaines being gotten into the straight of PELOPONNESVS and hauing sworne vpon the altar of their sacrifices that they would geue their voyces after their consciences to those they thought had best deserued it euery one gaue him selfe the first place for worthines and the seconde vnto Themistocles The LACEDAEMONIANS caried him into SPARTA where they iudged the honour and dignitie to their admirall Eurybiades but the wisedome and pollicie they attributed to Themistocles In token thereof they gaue him an oliue braunche and the goodliest coche that was in their cittie and moreouer they
sent three hundred of their lusty youthes to accompany him and conducte him out of their countrie They saye at the next feastes and assembly of the playes Olympicall that were made after this victorie when Themistocles was once come into the showe place where these games were played the people looked no more on them that fought but all cast their eyes on him shewing him to the straungers which knewe him not with their fingers and by clapping of their handes dyd witnesse howe much they esteemed him Whereat he him selfe tooke so great delite that he confessed to his familiar friends he then dyd reape the fruite and benefit of his sundry and painefull seruices he had taken in hande for the preseruation of GREECE so ambitious was he of nature couetous of honour as we maye easely perceyue by certen of his dedes and notable sayings they haue noted of him For being chosen admirall of ATHENS he neuer dispatched any causes priuate or publicke howsoeuer they fell out vntill the very daye of his departure and taking shippe and all bicause that men seeing him ryd much busines at once and to speake with so many persones together they should esteeme him to be the notabler man of the greater authoritie Another time he walked vpon the sandes by the sea side beholding the dead bodies of the barbarous people which the sea had cast vp vpon the shore and seing some of them that had on still their chaynes of golde and bracelets he passed by on his waye but shewed them yet to his familiar friende that followed him and sayed vnto him take thou those for thou art not Themistocles And vnto one Antiphates who in his youth had bene a goodly young boye and at the time dyd scornefully behaue him selfe vnto him making no reckoning of him and now that he sawe him in authoritie came to see him he sayed O my young sonne and friend we are both euen at one time but to late growen wise He sayed the ATHENIANS dyd not esteeme of him in time of peace but when any storme of warres were towardes and they stoode in any daunger they ranne to him then as they ronne to the shadowe of a plane tree vpon any sodaine raine and after fayer weather come againe they cut awaye then the braunches and bowghes thereof There was a man borne in the I le of SERIPHA who being fallen out with him dyd cast him in the teethe that it was not for his worthines but for the noble cittie wherein he was borne that he had wonne such glorie Thou sayest true sayed he but neither should I euer haue wonne any great honour if I had bene a SERIPHIAN nor thou also if thou haddest bene an ATHENIAN An other time one of the captaines of the cittie hauing done good seruice vnto the common weale made boast before Themistocles and compared his seruice equall with his Themistocles to aunswer him tolde him a prety tale That the working daye brawled on a time with the holy daye repining against her that he laboured for his liuing continually and howe she dyd nothing but fill her bellie and spende that they had gotten Thou hast reason sayed the holy daye But if I had not bene before thee thou haddest not bene here nowe And so if I had not bene then where had you my masters bene nowe His owne sonne was a litle to sawsie with his mother and with him also bearing him self ouer boldely of her good will by meanes of her cockering of him Whereupō being merely disposed he would saye that his sonne could doe more then any mā in all GRECE For sayeth he the ATHENIANS commaunde the GRAECIANS I commaunde the ATHENIANS my wife commaundeth me and my sonne commaundeth her Moreouer bicause he would be singular by him selfe aboue all other men hauing a pece of lande he would sell he willed the crier to proclaime open sale of it in the market place and with all he should adde vnto the sale that his lande laye by a good neighbour An other time two men being suters to his daughter he preferred the honester before the richer saying he had rather haue to his sonne in lawe a man that lacked goodes then goodes to lacke a man These were Themistocles pleasaunt conceites and aunswers But after he had done all these things we haue spoken of before he tooke in hande to buylde againe the cittie and walles of ATHENS and dyd corrupt the officers of LACEDAEMONIA with money to the end they should not hinder his purpose as Theopompus writeth Or as all other saye when he had deceyued them by this subtiltie he went vnto SPARTA as ambassadour sent thither of purpose vpon the complaintes of the LACEDAEMONIANS for that the ATHENIANS dyd inclose their cittie againe with walles who were accused vnto the counsaill of SPARTA by an orator called Poliarchus who was sent thither from the AEGINETES of purpose to prosecute this matter against the ATHENIANS Themistocles stowtely denied it to them and prayed them for better vnderstanding of the trothe they would sende some of their men thither to see it This was but a fetche only to winne by this delaye the ATHENIANS so muche more time to rayse vp their walles and that the ATHENIANS should keepe as ostages for suertie of his persone those they should send to ATHENS to bring backe the reporte thereof and so it fell out For the LACEDAEMONIANS being informed of the trothe as it was dyd him no hurte but dissembling the misliking they had to be thus abused by him sent him awaye safe and sounde Afterwardes he made them also mende and fortifie the hauen of PIRAEA hauing considered the situation of the place and all to incline the cittie to the sea Wherein he dyd directly contrary to all the counsell of the auncient kings of ATHENS who seeking as they saye to withdrawe their people from the sea and to accustome them to liue vpon the lande by planting sowing and plowing their groundes dyd deuise and geue out abroade the fable they tell of the goddesse Pallas And that is this how she contending with Neptune about the patronage of the country of ATHENS brought forth and shewed to the iudges the olyue tree by meanes whereof she preuayled and obteined the preheminence Euen so Themistocles dyd not ioyne the hauen of PIRAEA vnto the cittie of ATHENS as the comicall poet Aristophanes sayeth but rather ioyned the cittie vnto the hauen PIRAEA and the lande vnto the sea By this meanes he made the people strong against the nobilitie and brought the communaltie to waxe bolder then they were before by reason the rule and authoritie fell into the handes of saylers mariners pilottes shippemasters and such kinde of seafaring men so as the pulpet where all the oracles were made stoode in the market place of PNYX and dyd looke towardes the sea But the thirtie tyrannes that came in afterwardes dyd remoue it and turne it towardes the lande holding opinion
to be strong by sea was it that dyd mainteine the authoritie of the popular state And that contrariwise they which liue by the labour and toyle of the earthe doe more willingly like the gouernment of Nobilitie Themistocles called to minde another matter also of greater importance to make the cittie of ATHENS of a greater power by sea For after the retire of Xerxes and that all the fleete and nauie of the GRAECIANS wintered in the hauen of PAGASES he sayed one daye in an open assembly of the people that he had thought of a thing which would be very profitable and beneficiall for them but it was not to be tolde openly The people willed him then to imparte it to Aristides and if he thought it good they would execute it speedely Themistocles then tolde Aristides the thing he had considered of was to burne the Arcenal where the GRAECIANS nauy laye and to set on fire all their shippes Aristides hearing his purpose returned to the people and tolde them howe nothing could be more profitable but with all more vniust then that which Themistocles had deuised The ATHENIANS then willed Aristides it should be let alone altogether Furthermore when the LACEDAEMONIANS had exhibited their petition to the counsell of the Amphictyons that is the generall counsaill of all the states of GRAECE assembled howe the townes and citties of GRAECE which had not bene parties with the GRAECIANS to the league against the barbarous people should be put of wholy from this counsaill Themistocles dowting of the ARGIVES the THESSALIANS and the THEBANS also should by this meanes be exempted that the LACEDAEMONIANS would be then the greater number in voyces and by this meanes might doe what they would in this counsell he spake so consideratly for the citties which they would haue thus discharged that he made the petitioners in the assembly vtterly to chaunge their opinion Declaring howe there were but one and thirtie citties comprised only the league and yet that some of them were very weake and small and howe it were no reason that reiecting all the rest of GRECE the greatest authoritie of this counsaill should fall into the handes of two or three of the chiefest citties alone For this cause chiefly the LACEDAEMONIANS dyd euer beare him extreme hatred and dyd set vp Cimon all they could to be allwayes aduersary opposite vnto him and as it were to bearde him in all matters of state and the gouernment of ATHENS They procured him besides the ill will and displeasure of all the friendes and confederates of the ATHENIANS for that he went sayling still to and fro alongest the Iles exacting money of the inhabitants of the same And this is to be knowen by the matter propounded by him to the ANDRIANS of whom he would haue had money and by the aunswer they made him as Herodotus writeth Which was howe he had brought them two mightie goddes Loue and Force And they aunswered him againe that they also had two great goddesses which kept them from geuing of him any money Pouertie and Impossibilitie And to make this good also Timocreon the Rhodian poet galled him to the quicke when he sharpely taunted him for calling many home againe for money that were banished and howe for couetousnes of money he had betrayed and forsaken his hoste and friende The verses wherein this matter is mentioned are to this effecte VVho list commend vvorthy Pausanias Xanthippus or good Leotychides yet shall I seeme but light thereof to passe compared vvith valliant Aristides For yet vvas naye the like in Athens tovvne nor neuer shall come none of like renovvne Themistocles by right and due deserte is hated of Latons for his lyes and for he bare a traitrous vvicked harte vvho like a vvretche nigard did deuise for small revvardes his host Timocreon to holde out of his countrie Ialison He tooke for bribe vniustly yet therevvhile of redy coyne three talents fayre and bright revoking such as pleased him from exile and banishing full many a vvorthy vvight Or putting them to death vvithout cause tolde he gate thereby great heapes of coyne and golde But in the ende ôright revvarde for such this bribing vvretch vvas forced for to holde a tipling bovvthe most like a clovvne or fâ—â—â—he at holy feastes and pastimes manifold vvhich vvere amongest the people in those dayes Istmiciane folke dyd vse the like allvvayes And there he serued his gests vvith cold meat still vvhilest they that tasted of his cookerie gan vvishe that they to ease their vveary vvill had neuer liued to see the treccherie of false Themistocles and that he might no longer liue vvhich vvrought them such despight After this he dyd more openly blase him to the worlde when he was banished and condemned in a songe that had beginning thus O Muse let these my verses be disperst throughout all Grace since they deserue no lesse and since the truthe vvhich is in them rehearst deserueth fame vvhom no man should suppresse They saye the cause was why this Timocreon was banished the friendshippe which he had with the Barbarous people and for geuing them intelligence Whereof Themistocles was one that iudicially condemned him Wherefore when Themistocles him selfe was accused afterwards of the same faulte Timocreon then made these verses following against him Timocreon vvas not vvithout his pheere vvhich did conferre vvith Medes priuely Since others mo the selfe same blame might beare mo foxes lurke in dennes as vvell as I. Besides these verses Themistocles owne citizens for the ill will they bare him were contented to heare him ill spoken of Therefore while he fought wayes to redresse all this he was driuen to vse such meane which more increased their hatred toward him For in his orations to the people he dyd ofte remember them of the good seruice he had done them and perceyuing howe they were offended withall he was driuen to saye Why are ye weary so ofte to receyue good by one man Many of them were very angry with him also when he surnamed Diana in the dedication of her temple he made vnto her Aristobule as much to saye as the good counseller meaning thereby howe he had geuen graue and wise counsell both vnto his cittie and to all the rest of the GRECIANS He built this temple also neere his house in a place called Melita where the hangemen doe cast the dead bodies of those that were executed and throwe the ragges and halters endes of those that were hanged or otherwise put to death by lawe There was also in our dayes in the temple of Diana Aristobule a litle image of Themistocles which shewed plainely that he was not only wise and of a noble minde but also of a great maiestie and countenaunce in face In the ende the ATHENIANS banished him ATHENS for fiue yere bicause they would plucke downe his ouergreat corage and authoritie as they dyd vse to serue those whose greatnes they thought to be more then common equalitie
are spoken of this Furius Camillus this seemeth most straunge and wonderfull aboue the rest That he hauing borne the chiefest offices of charge in his countrie and hauing done many notable and worthy deedes in the same as one that was chosen fiue times Dictator and had triumphed foure times and had wonne him selfe the name title of the seconde founder of ROME and yet neuer came to be Consul But the only cause thereof was that the common weale of ROME stoode then in such state and sorte The people were then at dissention with the Senate They would chuse no more Consuls but other kynde of gouernours whom they called Tribuni militares these dyd all things with like power authoritie as the Consuls yet were they nothing so odious vnto the people by reason of the number that was of them For it was some hope to them that could ill beare the rule of the small number of nobilitie that the gouernment of the state being put into sixe and not into two officers hands their rule would be the easier and tollerabler Nowe Camillus being at that time in his best credit and authoritie and in the prime and glorie of his doings dyd not desire to be made Consul without the good-will of the people although whilest he was in authoritie there were many times Consuls created But to all other offices and dignities he was called and chosen He behaued him selfe in such sorte that when he was alone he made his authoritie comon to other and when he had companions associates the glorie of all redounded to him self alone The cause whereof was his modestie on the one side for he commaunded euer without enuie and his great wisedome and sufficiencie on the other side for the which all others willingly gaue him place and yelded to him The house of the Furians being at that time of no great fame he was the first that beganne to set him self forwards For in a great battell which was fought against the AEques and Volsces he being but a priuate man at armes vnder the Dictator Posthumius Tubertus was the first that riding out of the army aduaunced him selfe and gaue the charge And being ronne into the thighe at that time with a staffe broken vpon his thighe he plucked the trunchen out and retired not for all that but geuing chardge againe vpon the stowest of the enemies he fought it out so valliantly to the encoraging of other that he was the chief cause they turned their backes Whereupon to requite his seruice done at that time besides other honours they dyd him they made him Censor an office at that time of great preheminence dignitie In his office of Censorshippe he dyd two notable acts The one very honest when he brought men that were not maried to marie the women whom the warres had left widows which were in nūber many To this he got them partly be persuasion partly by threatnings to set roūd fines vpō their heads that refused The other very necessary in that he brought the orphanes to be cōtributories vnto taxes subsidies which before payed nothing The cause thereof was the continuall warres about the which the common weale susteined great charges but specially about the siege of the citie of the VEIANS which some call VENETANIANS that was a very sore burden to thē at that time For it was the capitall cittie of all THVSCAN the which for store of armour nūber of souldiers was nothing inferiour vnto the cittie of ROME For the VEIANS being growē to stomake corage in time by reason of their wealth prosperitie for the sundry great battells they had fought against the ROMAINES that contēded with them for glory and empire now it fell so out that they finding them selues weakened by many great ouerthrowes which they had receyued of the ROMAINES they did let fall their former peacokes brauery ambition to byd them battell any more in the fielde Howbeit the inhabitants of the cittie of VEIES hauing raised the walles made very great high rāpers beganne to fortifie them selues made good prouision for armour munition besides store of corne shotte other necessary things they valliantly without feare of any thing defended the siege of the ROMAINES that cōtinued long time was no lesse hard painefull vnto thē that did besiege then it was vnto those that were besieged For where the ROMAINES were wōt before time to keepe their houses in the winter season and the field ony in the sommer time that was the first time they were compelled by the captaines and Tribuni militares to buylde fortes and to intrenche their campe with a wall euen in their enemies countrie and to winter abroade as they were wont to lye in the campe in sommer Nowe this siege had continued seuen whole yeres together The captaines were burdened that they dyd not their dueties nor stoode manfully to their charge whereupon in the end they were discharged and other captaines placed in their roomes to followe the siege Among those Camillus was one whom then the seconde time they created Tribunus militaris Who notwithstanding dyd nothing then in that siege bicause it was his happe by lot to make warres vpon the PHALERIANS and the CAPENATES These people whilest the ROMAINES were occupied other where had inuaded their countrie and done them great harme during the time of their warre with the THVSCANS But Camillus hauing ouerthrowen a great number of them in the fielde had the rest in chase and draue them to take their cittie and dyd shut them vp within their owne walles The chaunce that happened at the lake of ALBANVS about the time the THVSCAN warres were greatest dyd maruelously amate the ROMAINES being no lesse wounderfull then the most straunge and vncrediblest thing that could be tolde by man For they could not finde out the cause of it by common reason nor any naturall grounde considering it was in the later end of Autumne and sommer was ended and that there had not bene much rayne nor notable sowthewinds And although there are many lakes many brooks riuers many springs and other waters in ITALIE yet some of them dried vp altogether other ranne but faintely by reason of the drought and all the riuers then were as they are wont to be commonly in sommer very lowe and there was scante any water But the lake ALBANVS contrariwise that cometh from no other place neither runneth any whether out of him selfe being enuironned all about with hilles and mountaines and where the earthe is good beganne to swell and rise to euery mans sight wihtout any cause at all but secret and hidden vnto the goddes alone and went allwayes increasing alongest those hilles sides vntill suche time as it came to be euen with the height of the highest mountaine gathering vpwardes still without any waues or tempest of weather at all This at the first made poore
mens good and ill worckes you knowe right well that we haue not willingly without wrong and cause offered vs begonne this warre but iustly and by compulsion to be reuenged of a cittie our enemie which hath done vs great iniuries But if to conteruayle this our great good prosperitie and victorie some bitter aduersitie and ouerthrowe be predestined vnto vs I beseeche you then most mercifull goddes in sparing our cittie of ROME and this her army you will with as litle hurte as maybe be let it all fall and light vpon my persone alone And as he had spoken these wordes and was turning on his right hande according to the manner of the ROMAINES after they haue prayed vnto the goddes he fell downe flat before them all The standers by taking this fall for an ill token were somwhat troubled with the matter but after he got vp on his feete againe he tolde them that the thing he requested of the goddes was happened vnto him And that was a litle hurte in exchaunge of a great good fortune So the whole cittie being spoyled and rifled he was also desirous to carie Iunos image to ROME to accomplishe the vowe he had made And hauing sent for worckemen for this purpose he dyd sacrifice first vnto the goddesse beseching her to accept well of the ROMAINES good will that she would willingly vowchesafe to come and dwell with the other goddes who had the protection of the cittie of ROME Some saye that the image aunswered she was contented But Liuius writeth that Camillus made this prayer as he touched the image and that the assistants aunswered she was contented and would goe with a goodwill Yet they which doe affirme it was the image selfe that spake doe fauour this miracle grounding their proofe vpon the opinion of the fortune of ROME the which from so base and meane beginning had impossibly attained vnto so highe glorie and power as it had without the singular fauour of the goddes and that hath manifestly appeared vnto the world by sundry great proofes and examples They bring forth also such other like wonders As that images haue heretofore let fall droppes of swet from them that they haue bene heard to sighe that they haue turned and that they haue made certen signes with their eyes as we finde written in many auncient stories And we could our selues also tell such like wonders which we haue heard men of our time affirme which are not vncredible nor lightly to be condemned But for such matters it is as daungerous to geue to much credit to them as also to discredit them to much by reason of the weaknes of mans nature which hath no certen boundes nor can rule it self but ronneth somtimes after vanitie and superstition and otherwhile also dispiseth and contemneth holy and diuine matters and therefore the meane is the vertue not to goe to farre in this as in all other things besides it is the best Nowe Camillus whether his late enterprise performed in winning a cittie that stoode out with ROME helde siege with them tenne yeres together had put him into an ouerwening or conceipt of him selfe or that the wordes of the people which dyd blesse and prayse him had made him looke highe and presume vpon him selfe more then became the modestie of a ciuill magistrate and gouernour of the common weale one that was subiect to the lawe he shewed a stately triumphe set forth with all riche furniture specially for that him self was caried through ROME vpon his triumphant charret drawen with foure fayer white coursers This neuer captaine nor generall before him durst vndertake to doe neither any euer after him attēpted it for they thinke it is a sacred cariage and only mete for the King and father of the goddes This bred him much enuy amongest the citizēs which had not bene acquainted with so great statelynes There was another occasion also that made them mislike him much which was bicause he stood against the lawe put forth that they should deuide the cittie of ROME For the Tribunes of the people dyd set out an Edict that the Senate people of ROME should be deuided into two partes and that those on whom the lotte should fall should abide still in ROME and the other should goe dwell in the newe wonne cittie of VEIES These were the reasons to persuade this that both the one and the other sorte should be richer then they were before should more easely keepe their lands and goodes from the inuasion of their enemies by meanes of these two great citties The people which were multiplied nowe into great numbers had serued duetifully daūgerously thought it the best waye in the worlde Therefore they still cried out and thronged with great tumulte about their pulpit for orations praying that this lawe might be put vnto the voyces of the people But the whole Senate and wisest citizens among them iudging this motion of the Tribunes would be the destruction and not the diuision of the cittie of ROME could in no wise abide it should goe any further Whereupon they went prayed Camillus helpe who fearing to bring it to the pointe whether the lawe should passe or no dyd allwayes seeke new occasions and letts still to delaye put of the matter staye the confirmation of this lawe For these causes he was hated of the common people But the originall apparant cause of the peoples ill will towards him was for taking from them the tenth parte of their spoyles and it was not altogether without some reason and to saye truely the people dyd him much wrong to beare him such malice for that For before he went to the cittie of VEIES he made a solēne vowe to offer the tenth parte vnto the goddes of the spoyles of the cittie if he wāne the same But when it was taken and sacked whether it was that he was lotheto trouble the cittizens or hauing a worlde of busines in his head that he easely forgate his vowe he suffered the souldiers to deuide the spoyle amongest them to take the benefit to them selues Shortely after he was discharged of his charge he dyd enforme the Senate of his vowe Furthermore the soothesayers made reporte at that very time howe they know by certaine signes and tokens of their sacrifices that the goddes were offended for somwhat and howe they must of necessitie be pacified againe Whereupon the Senate presently made an order where it was vnpossible euery man should bring in againe the selfe same things he had gotten to make a new diuision of euery mans share that euery one therefore vpon his othe should present the tenthe parte of his gaynes he had gotten by that bootie There was great trouble about it They were driuen to vse great extremitie to the poore souldiers which had traueled sore and taken great paynes in the warres to make them to restore backe such a coloppe out of their gaine and
calling Camillus their father their god and their sauiour so that not only the fathers and mothers of the children but all other the cittizens also in generall dyd conceyue in them selues a wonderfull admiration and great loue of the wisedome goodnes and iustice of Camillus So that euen presently they called a counsaill and there it was concluded they should send ambassadours forthwith vnto him to put their liues and goodes to his mercy and fauour Camillus sent their ambassadours vnto ROME where audience being geuen vnto them by the Senate the ambassadours sayed Bicause the ROMAINES preferred iustice aboue victorie they taught them to be better contented to submit them selues vnto them then to be their own men at libertie confessing their vertue dyd more ouercome them then any force or power could doe The Senate dispatched letters vnto Camillus giuing him commission to doe and determine as he thought good So he hauing taken a certen summe of money of the FALERIANS dyd furthermore make peace and league with all the rest of the FALISCES and thereupon returned backe againe to ROME But the souldiers grudged maruelously at it For they stoode in hope to haue had the sacking of the cittie When there was no remedie but they must needes returne home emptie handed they beganne to accuse Camillus to the rest of the cittizens as sone as they came to ROME saying he loued not the common people and howe for spite he disapointed their army of the spoyle On the other side the Tribunes of the people beganne to reuiue the lawe for the deuiding of the inhabitants of ROME and were ready to passe it by the voyces of the people Camillus not fearing the ill will of the commons dyd boldely speake and doe in open presence all he could against it So that plainely he was the chiefest cause that the people against their willes intreate what they could were driuen to let it alone But withall they were so spitefull against him that notwithstanding his sorowe and misfortune for the death of his sonne dying of a sickenes was great they would not of malice once take pittie or compassion of him The losse whereof albeit he was of a very good curteous nature was so grieuous and made him so vnquiet that being accused before the people he sturred not once out of his house but was locked vp with the women which lamented for his sonne departed He that dyd accuse him was one Lucius Apuleius burdening him that he had stolen and taken awaye parte of the spoyle of the THVSCANS and sayed they had seene certen brasen gates at his house which had bene brought out of THVSCAN Nowe the people were so maliciously bent against him that euery man might see if they could once take him in a trippe vpon any aduantage whatsoeuer they would douteles haue condemned him Wherefore calling together his friendes and souldiers that had serued vnder him in the warres or that had taken charge with him which were many in number he earnestly besought them that they would not suffer him thus vilely to be condemned through false and vniust accusations layed against him nor to be so scorned and defamed by his enemies His friends hauing layed their heades together and consulted thereupon made him aunswer howe for his iudgment they could not remedy it but if he were condemned they would all ioyne together with a very goodwill to helpe to paye his fine But he being of minde not to beare such an open shame and ignominie determined in choller to leaue the cittie and to exile him selfe from it And after he had taken his leaue of his wife children bidding them farewell he went out of his house to the gates of the cittie sayed neuer a word When he came thither he stayed sodainely returning backe againe he lift vp his hands towards the Capitoll and made his prayers vnto the godds that if it were of very spight and malice and not of iust deseruing that the common people compelled him thus shamefully to forsake the cittie that the ROMAINES might quickely repente them and in the face of the worlde might wishe for him and haue nede of him After he had made these prayers against the cittizens as Achilles dyd against the GRECIANS he went his way was condemned for his contempte in the summe of fifteene thousand Asses of the ROMAINE coyne which make of Greekishe money a thousand fiue hundred Drachmas of siluer for an As was a litle pece of money wherof tenne of them made a ROMAINE penney Howbeit there was not a ROMAINE of any vnderstaÌ„ding but beleeued certenly that some great punishment would followe them incontinently and that the wrong iniurie they had done him would be quickely requited with some most sharpe and terrible reuenge not only vnpleasaunt to thinke vpon but further most notable to be spoken of through the world There fell out so sodainely vpon it such mischief toward the cittie of ROME and the present time also brought forth such occasion of daunger and destruction thereof to their shame infamie that it was vncertaine whether it happened by chaunce or els it was the handie worcke of some god that would not suffer vertue recompeÌ„ced with ingratitude to passe vnreuenged Their first token that threatned some great mischief to light vpon them was the death of Iulius one of the Censors for the ROMAINES doe greately reuereÌ„ce the office of a Censor and esteeme it as a sacred place The seconde token that happened a litle before Camillus exile was that one Marcus Caeditius a man but of meane qualitie and none of the Senatours but otherwise a fayer conditioned honest man and of good conscience tolde the Tribuni militares of a thing that was to be well considered of For he sayed that the night before as he was going on his waye in the newe streete he heard one call him alowde and returning backe to see what it was he sawe no liuing creature but only heard a voyce bigger then a mans which sayed vnto him Marcus Caeditius goe thy waye to morrowe morning to the Tribuni militares and byd them looke quickely for the GAVLES The Tribunes were mery at the matter and made but a ieast at his warning and straight after followed the condemnation of Camillus Nowe as touching the GAVLES They came as they saye of the CELTAE whose country not being able to mainteine the multitudes of them they were driuen to goe seeke other countryes to inhabite in and there were amongest them many thousands of young men of seruice and good souldiers but yet more women and litle children by a great number Of these people some of them went towards the north sea passing the mountaines RIPHEI and dyd dwell in the extreme partes of EVROPE Other of them remained betwene the mountaines PIRENEI and the greatest mountaines of the ALPES neere vnto the SENONES and the CELTORâ—â— There they continued a long time vntill they
ensigne bearer that went formest to staye and set downe his ensigne there for sayed he here is a very good place for vs to warde in These wordes being heard vp into the Senate house euen as they stoode all in a doubte maze what would be the resolution of this matter Lucretius beganne to saye that he most humbly thancked the goddes and allowed of the captaines iudgment and so euery one of the rest in their order sayed as much Moreouer there was a wonderfull chaunge and alteration of minde sodainely among the common people for euery man dyd persuade encorage his fellowe liuely to put his hand to this worke Insomuch as tarying for no diuision or appointing out of streetes nor setting out euery man his place he should builde in they fell to worke of all handes euerie one chosing that place he liked best was most cōmodious for their building without any other order or diuision amongest them Whereupon they ronning to this building on a head the streetes were cōfused on heapes together their houses all built out of order vniformitie For the reporte goeth that the whole cittie as well cōmon as priuate buildings was built vp new againe in a yere But the surueyours to whom Camillus had geuen charge to finde out all the holy places where the tēples had bene ouerthrowen as they went about mount Pallatine they came by chaunce to the place where the chappell of Mars had stoode which the GAVLES had wholy burnt and destroyed as they had done all the rest They making cleane the place and surueying euery corner dyd finde by chaunce Romulus augures crooked staffe hidden vnder a great mount of ashes This staffe is crooked at one of the endes and they call it Lituus which soothesayers doe vse to quarter out the regions of the element when they will beholde the flying of birdes to tell of things to come Romulus that was very skillfull in this arte dyd vse this staffe and after he was taken awaye from all mens sights the priests tooke it and kept it as a holy relicke suffering no creature to laye hands on it Nowe they founde this staffe whole and vnbroken where all things els were consumed and perished by fire they were in a maruelous ioye thereat For they intrepreted this to be a signe of the euerlasting continuaunce of the cittie of ROME But before they could make an ende of all their building there grewe a newe warre againe vpon them For at one very instante all the AEQVES the VOLSCES and the LATINES entred with all their might and mayne into the territories of the ROMAINES The THVSCANS also went then and besieged SVTRIVM that was in league amitie with the ROMAINES The Tribuni militares got them straight to the field with their armie and encamped about mount Martian The LATINES besieged them so straightely that their army stoode in great daunger to be ouerthrowen they were driuen to sende to ROME for a newe supplie Thereupon the ROMAINES dyd choose Camillus Dictator againe the third time The occasion of this warre is reported two manner of wayes whereof I will declare the first which I doe conceyue to be but a tale They saye the LATINES sent vnto the ROMAINES to demaunde some of their free maydes in mariage which they dyd either to make a quarell of warre or els as desirous in deede to ioyne both the people 's againe by newe mariages The ROMAINES were amased very much at this and sore troubled as not knowing howe to aunswer them they were so affrayed of warres For they were yet scante newe setled at home and dreaded much left this demaunde of their daughters was but a summons made to geue them hostages which they finely cloked vnder the name of alliāce in mariage Some saye that there was at that time a bonde mayde called Tutola or as some saye Philotis that went vnto the Senate and counselled them they should sende her awaye with some other fayer maydes slaues dressed vp like gentlewomen then let her alone The Senate liked very well of this deuise and chose such a number of bonde maydes as she desired to haue trimming them vp in fine apparell begawded with chaines of golde and iuells they sent them forth to the LATINES who were encamped not farre from the cittie When night was come the other maydes hyd their enemies swords But this Tutola or Philotis call her as you will dyd clime vp to the toppe of a wilde figge tree from which she shewed a burning torche vnto the ROMAINES hauing made thifte to hange somwhat behinde her to keepe the light from sight of the enemies For this signall the Senate of ROME had secretly appointed her to set vp which was the cause that the issuing out of the souldiers being commaunded to goe out in the night was full of trouble and tumulte For being pressed by their captaines they called one another and there was great a doe to put them into order of battell Thus they went to take their enemies sleeping who nothing mistrusting the same were slaine the most parte of them within their cāpe This was done on the fifte day of the moneth called then Quintilis now is named Iulye at which time they doe yet celebrate a certaine feast in remembraunce of that acte For first of all going out of the citie they call alowde many of their fellowes names which are most common as Caius Marcus and Lucius showing thereby howe one of them called another after that sorte as they went in great haste out of the cittie Afterwardes all the mayde seruauntes of the cittie being trimmely apparelled goe playing vp and downe the towne pleasauntly ieasting with those they mete and in the ende they make as though they fought together in token that they dyd helpe the ROMAINES at that time to destroye the LATINES Then they are feasted sitting vnder bowers made with wilde figge tree boughes and this feaste daye is called Nonae Capratinae by reason of the wilde figge tree as some thincke from the toppe whereof the bonde mayde shewed to the ROMAINES the burning torche For the ROMAINES call the wilde figge tree Caprificus Other saye that all these things are done and spoken in remembrance of the mischaūce that happened vnto Romulus whē he was taken out of their sight the same day without the gats of the citty at which time there rose a sodain miste darke clowd Or as some other saye that then was the eclypse of the sunne and they holde opinion that the day was named Nonae Capratinae bicause Capra in the ROMAIN tōgue signifieth a goate Romulus vanished out of mens sightes as he was making an oration vnto his people neere vnto the place which is called goate marshe as we haue mentioned more at large in his life The 2. occasion beginning of this warre according to the opinion of most writers was that Camillus being chosen Dictator the third
and inhabitants of the cittie receyue paye and wages of the common treasure and the cittie by this meanes should be greatly beawtified and muche more able to mainteine it selfe For suche as were stronge and able men of bodie and of yeres to carie weapon had paye and entertainment of the common wealthe which were sent abroade vnto the warres and other that were not meete for warres as craftes men and labourers he would also they should haue parte of the common treasure but not without they earned it and by doing somewhat And this was his reason and the cause that made him occupie the common people with great buildings and deuises of works of diuers occupations which could not be finished of long time to the ende that the cittizens remaining at home might haue a meane and waye to take parte of the common treasure and enriche them selues aswell as those that went to the warres and serued on the sea or els that laye in garrison to keepe any place or forte For some gayned by bringing stuffe as stones brasse yuory gold ebbany cypres Other got to worke and facion it as carpinters grauers fownders casters of images masons hewers of stone dyers goldsmithes ioyners working in yuorie painters men that set in sundrie cullers of peces of stone or wodde and turners Other gayned to bring stuffe to furnishe them as marchaunts mariners and shippemasters for things they brought them by sea And by lande other got also as carte makers cariers carters corde makers sadlers collermakers pyoners to make wayes plaine miners such like Furthermore euery science and crafte as a captaine hauing souldiers had also their armie of the worke men that serued them labouring truely for their liuing who serued as preÌ„tises iorney men vnder the workemasters so the worke by this meanes dyd disperse abroade a common gayne to all sortes of people and ages what occupation or trade soeuer they had And thus came the buildings to rise in greatnes sumptuousnes being of excellent workemanshippe for grace beawtie not comparable bicause euery workeman in his science dyd striue what he could to excell others to make his worke appeare greatest in sight and to be most workemanly done in showe But the greatest thing to be woundred at was their speede and diligence For where euery man thought those workes were not likely to be finished in many mens liues and ages from man to man they were all done and finished whilest one only gouernour continued still in credit and authoritie And yet they saye that in the same time as one Agatarchus boasted him self that he had quickly painted certen beastes Zeuxis another painter hearing him aunswered And I contrarilie doe reioyce that I am a long time in drawing of them For coÌ„monly slight and sodaine drawing of any thing cannot take deepe cullers nor geue perfect beawty to the worke but length of time adding to the painters diligence and labour in making of the worke maketh the cullers to continue for euer For this cause therefore the workes Pericles made are more wonderfull bicause they were perfectly made in so shorte a time and haue coÌ„tinued so long a season For euery one of those which were finished vp at that time seemed then to be very auncient touching the beawtie thereof and yet for the grace continuance of the same it looketh at this daye as if it were but newly done and finished there is suche a certaine kynde of florishing freshnes in it which letteth that the iniurie of time cannot impaire the sight thereof As if euery one of those foresaid workes had some liuing spirite in it to make it seeme young and freshe and a soule that liued euer which kept them in their good continuing state Now the chief surueyour generall of all these workes was Phidias albeit that there were many other excellent worke masters in euery science occupation For the temple of Pallas which is called Parthénon as a man would saye the temple of the virgine and is surnamed Hecatompedon for that it is a hundred foote euery waye was built by Ictinus and Callicrates and the chappell of Eleusin where the secret ceremonies of the mysteries were made was first founded by Corabus who raised vp the first pillers in order standing beneath on the ground and dyd set them vp vnto the master chaptrells But after he was dead Metagenes borne in the towne of XYPETA turned the arches ouer and then dyd set the pillers in order also which are aboue and Xenocles of the towne of CHOLARGEA was he that made the lanterne or toppe of the steeple which couereth the sanctuarie but the long wall which Socrates heard Pericles him selfe geue order for the building of it was done by Calliâ—rates who vndertooke the worke Cratinus the Poet in a comedie he made laugheth at this worke to see how slowly it went forward and how long it was a doing saying Pericles long a goe dyd ende this vvorke begonne and build it highe vvith glorious vvordes if so it had bene done But as for deedes in dede he built nothing at all but let it stande as yet it stands much liker for to fall And as for the Theater or place appointed for musicke where they heare all musicians playe and is called Odeon it is very well made within with diuers seates degrees and many ranges of pillers but the toppe of the roofe is altogether rounde which is somwhat hanging downeward round about of it selfe comming together into one pointe And it is sayed that this was made after the patterne and facion of king Xerxes royall pauilion and that Pericles was the first deuiser and maker of it Wherefore Cratinus in another place of his comedie he maketh of the THRACIANS doth playe very pretily vpon him saying Pericles here doth come Dan Iupiter surnamed and onyons hed vvhich hath in his great noddell finely framed The plot of Odeon vvhen he deliuered vvas from banishment and daungers deepe vvherein he long dyd passe Pericles was the first that made maruelous earnest labour to the people that they would make an order that on the daye of the feast called Panathenaâ— they would set vp games for musicke And he him selfe being chosen ruler of these games as iudge to rewarde the best deseruer ordained the manner the musicians should euer after keepe in their singing playing on their flutes or vpon the citherne or other instruments of musicke So the first games that euer were for musicke were kept within the Odeon and so were the other after them also euen celebrated there The gate and entring into the castell was made and finished within the space of fiue yeres vnder the charge of Mnesicles that was master of the workes And whilest these gates were a building there happened a wonderfull chaunce which declared very well that the goddesse Minerua dyd not mislike the building but that it pleased her maruelously For one of the most painefullest workemen that
to laye a side their armes and to come and pleade their matter before them that the right might be decided but they refused it vtterly Wherefore Pericles went thither tooke awaye the gouernment of the small number of Nobilitie taking for ostages fiftie of the chiefest men of the cittie and so many children besides which he left to be kept in the I le of LEMNOS Some saye euery one of these ostages offered to geue him a talent and besides those many other offered him the like suche as would not haue the soueraine authoritie put into the handes of the people Moreouer Pissuthnes the PERSIAN lieutenant to the king of PERSIA for the good will he bare those of SAMOS dyd send Pericles tenne thousand crownes to release the ostages But Pericles neuer tooke pennie and hauing done that he determined at SAMOS and established a popular gouernment he returned againe to ATHENS Notwithstanding the SAMIANS rebelled immediatly after hauing recouered their ostages againe by meanes of this Pissuthnes that stale them awaye and dyd furnishe them also with all their munition of warre Whereupon Pericles returning against them once more he founde them not idle nor amazed at his coming but resolutely determined to receyue him and to fight for the seigniorie by sea So there was a great battell fought betwene them neere the I le of TRACIA And Pericles wanne the battell hauing with foure and fortie sayle only nobly ouercome his enemies which were three score tenne in number wherof twenty of them were shippes of warre And so following his victorie forthwith he wanne also the porte of SAMOS and kept the SAMIANS besieged within their owne cittie where they were yet so bolde as they would make falies out many times and fight before the walles of the cittie But when there arriued a newe supplie of shippes bringing a greater ayde vnto Pericles then were they shut vp of all sides Pericles then taking three score gallyes with him lanched out into the sea with intent as some saye to goe mete certen shippes of the PHOENICIANS that came to ayde the SAMIANS as farre from SAMOS as he could or as Stesimbrotus sayeth to goe into CYPRVS which me thinketh is not true But whatsoeuer was his intent he committed a foule fault For Melissus the sonne of Ithagenes a great philosopher being at that time generall of the SAMIANS perceyuing that sewe shippes were left behinde at the siege of the cittie and that the captaines also that had the charge of them were no very expert men of warre persuaded his citizens to make a salye vpon them Whereupon they fought a battell and the SAMIANS ouercame the ATHENIANS were taken prisoners and they suncke many of their shippes Nowe they being lordes againe of the sea dyd furnishe their cittie with all manner of munition for warres whereof before they had great want Yet Aristotle writeth that Pericles selfe was once ouercome in a battell by sea by Melissus Furthermore the SAMIANS to be euen with the ATHENIANS for the iniurie they had receyued of them before dyd brande them in the forehead with the stampe of an owle the owle being then the stampe of their coyne at ATHENS euen as the ATHENIANS had branded the SAMIAN prisoners before with the stāpe of Samaena This Samaena is a kynde of a shippe amongest the SAMIANS lowe afore and well layed out in the midde shippe so that it is excellent good to rise with the waues of the sea and is very swifte vnder sayle and it was so called bicause the first shippe that was made of this facion was made in the I le of SAMOS by the tyranne Polycrates It is sayed that the poet Aristophanes couertly conueying the stampe of the SAMIANS speaking merylie in a place of his comedies sayeth The Samians are great learned men Pericles being aduertised of the ouerthrowe of his armie returned presently to the rescue Melissus went to mete him and gaue him battell but he was ouerthrowen and driuen backe into his cittie where Pericles walled them in round about the cittie desiring victorie rather by time and charge then by daunger and losse of his souldiers But when he sawe that they were wearie with tract of time and that they would bring it to hazard of battell and that he could by no meanes withholde them he then deuided his armie into eight companies whom he made to drawe lots and that companie that lighted on the white beane they should be quiet make good cheere while the other seuen fought And they saye that from thence it came that when any haue made good cheere taken pleasure abroade they doe yet call it a white daye bicause of the white beane Ephorus the historiographer writeth that it was there where first of all they beganne to vse engines of warre to plucke down great walles and that Pericles vsed first this wonderfull inuention that Artemon an enginer was the first deuiser of them He was caried vp and downe in a chayer to set forward these workes bicause he had a lam◠legge and for this cause he was called Periphoretos But Heraclides Ponticus confuteth Ephorus therein by the verses of Anacreon in the which Artemon is called Periphoretos many yeres before this warre of SAMOS beganne sayeth that this Periphoretos was a maruelous tender man and so foolishly afeard of his owne shadowe that the most parte of his time he sturred not out of his house dyd sit allwayes hauing two of his men by him that held a copper target ouer his head for feare least any thing should fall vpon him And if vpon any occasion he were driuen to goe abroade out of his house he would be caried in a litle bed hanging neere the grounde for this cause he was surnamed Periphoretos At the last at nine moneths ende the SAMIANS were compelled to yeld So Pericles tooke the cittie rased their walles to the grounde he brought their shippes awaye and made them paye a maruelous great tribute whereof parte he receyued in hande the rest payable at a certen time taking ostages with him for assurance of payment But Duris the SAMIAN dilateth these matters maruelous pittiefully burdening the ATHENIANS and Pericles self with vnnaturall crueltie whereof neither Thucydides nor Ephorus nor Aristotle him selfe maketh mention And suer I cannot beleeue it is true that is writtē That he brought the captaines of the gallyes the souldiers them selues of SAMIA into the market place of the cittie of MILETVM where he made them to be bound fast vnto bordes for the space of tenne dayes at the ende of the same the poore men halfe dead were beaten downe with clubbes and their heads passhed in peces and afterwards they threw out their bodies to the crowes would not burie them So Duris being accustomed to ouerreach to lye many times in things nothing touching him seemeth in this place out of all reason to aggrauate
countrie and to shewe that they were no cowardes But Pericles wisely considered howe the daunger was to great to hazard battell where the losse of the cittie of ATHENS stoode in perill seing they were three score thousand footemē of the PELOPONNESIANS of the BOEOTIANS together for so many was their number in the first voyage they made against the ATHENIANS And as for those that were very desirous to fight and to put them selues to any hazard being mad to see their countrie thus wasted and destroyed before their eyes Pericles dyd comforte and pacifie them with these wordes That trees being cut and hewen downe dyd spring againe in shorte time but men being once dead by no possibilitie could be brought againe Therefore he neuer durst assemble the people in counsell fearing least he should be inforced by the multitude to doe some thing against his will. But as a wise man of a shippe when he seeth a storme coming on the sea doth straight geue order to make all things safe in the shippe preparing euery thing readie to defend the storme according to his arte and skill not harkening to the passengers fearefull cries and pittiefull teares who thinke them selues cast away euen so dyd Pericles rule all things according to his wisedome hauing walled the cittie substancially about and set good watche in euery corner and passed not for those that were angrie offended with him neither would be persuaded by his friends earnest requests intreaties neither cared for his enemies threates nor accusatiōs against him nor yet reckoned of all their foolishe scoffing songes they songe of him in the cittie to his shame and reproche of gouernment saying that he was a cowardly captaine and that for dastardlines he let the enemies take all and spoyle what they would Of which number Cleon was one that most defamed him and beganne to enter into some prety credit and fauour with the common people for that they were angrie and misliked with Pericles as appeareth by these slaunderous verses of Hermippus which were then abroade O King of Satyres thou vvho vvith such manly speache of bloudy vvarres and doughty dedes dost daylie to vs preache VVhy art thou novve afrayed to take thy launce in hande or vvith thy pike against thy foes corageously to stande Synce Cleon stovvte and fierce doth daylie thee provoke VVith biting vvordes vvith trenchaunt blades deadly davvnting stroke All these notwithstanding Pericles was neuer moued any thing but with silence dyd paciently beare all iniuries and scoffings of his enemies and dyd send for all that a nauie of a hundred sayle vnto PELOPONNESVS whether he would not goe in persone but kept him self at home to keepe the people in quiet vntill such time as the enemies had raised their campe and were gone awaye And to entertaine the common people that were offended and angrie at this warre he comforted the poore people againe with causing a certen distribution to be made amongest them of the common treasure and diuision also of the landes that were got by conquest For after he had driuen all the AEGINETES out of their countrie he caused the whole I le of AEGINA to be deuided by lot amongest the cittizens of ATHENS And then it was a great comforte to them in this aduersitie to heare of their enemies hurte and losse in suche manner as it dyd fall out For their armie that was sent by sea vnto PELOPONNESVS had wasted and destroyed a great parte of the champion countrie there and had sacked besides many small citties and townes Pericles selfe also entring into the MEGARIANS countrie by lande did waste the whole countrie all afore him So the PELOPONNESIANS receyuing by sea asmuche hurte and losse at the ATHENIANS hands as they before had done by lande vnto the ATHENIANS they had not holden out warres so long with the ATHENIANS but would sone haue geuen ouer as Pericles had tolde them before had not the goddes aboue secretly hindered mans reason and pollicie For first of all there came such a sore plague among the ATHENIANS that it tooke awaye the flower of ATHENS youth and weakened the force of the whole cittie besides Furthermore the bodies of them that were left aliue being infected with this disease their hartes also were so sharpely bent against Pericles that the sicknes hauing troubled their braynes they fell to flat rebellion against him as the pacient against his physitian or children against their father euen to the hurting of him at the prouocation of his enemies Who bruted abroade that the plague came of no cause els but of the great multitude of the coūtry men that came into the cittie on heapes one vpon anothers necke in the harte of the sommer where they were compelled to lye many together smothred vp in litle tentes and cabines remaining there all daye long cowring downewardes and doing nothing where before they liued in the countrie in a freshe open ayer and at libertie And of all this saye they Pericles is the only cause who procuring this warre hathe pent and shrowded the country men together within the walles of a cittie employing them to no manner of vse nor seruice but keeping them like sheepe in a pinnefolde maketh one to poyson another with the infection of their plague sores ronning vpon them and geuing them no leaue to chaunge ayer that they might so muche as take breathe abroade Pericles to remedy this and to doe their enemies a litle mischief armed a hundred and fiftie shippes and shipped into them a great number of armed footemen and horsemen also Hereby he put the cittizens in good hope and the enemies in great feare seeing so great a power But when he had shipped all his men and was him selfe also in the admirall ready to hoyse sayle sodainely there was a great eclypse of the sunne and the daye was very darke that all the armie was striken with a maruelous feare as of some daungerous and very ill token towardes them Pericles seeing the master of his gallye in a maze withall not knowing what to doe cast his cloke ouer the masters face and hid his eyes asking him whether he thought that any hurte or no. The master aunswered him he thought it none Then sayed Pericles againe to him There is no difference betwene this and that sauing that the bodye which maketh the darknes is greater then my cloke which hideth thy eyes These things are thus disputed of in the schooles of the philosophers But Pericles hoysing sayle notwithstanding dyd no notable nor speciall seruice aunswerable to so great an armie and preparation For he laying seige vnto the holy cittie of EPIDAVRVM when euery man looked they should haue taken it was compelled to rayse his seige for the plague that was so vehement that it dyd not only kill the ATHENIANS them selues but all other also were they neuer so fewe that came to them or neere their campe Wherefore perceyuing the ATHENIANS
preseruing charme the women had tyed as a carkanet about his necke to let him vnderstand he was very ill since he suffered them to apply suche a foolishe bable to him In the ende Pericles drawing fast vnto his death the Nobilitie of the cittie and such his friendes as were left aliue standing about his bed beganne to speake of his vertue and of the great authoritie he had borne considering the greatnes of his noble actes and counting the number of his victories he had wonne for he had wonne nine foughten battells being generall of the ATHENIANS and had set vp so many tokens and triumphes in honour of his countrie they reckoned vp among them selues all these matters as if he had not vnderstoode them imagining his sences had bene gone But he contrarilie being yet of perfect memorie heard all what they had sayed and thus he beganne to speake vnto them That he marueled why they had so highly praysed that in him which was common to many other captaines and wherein fortune delt with them in equalitie a like and all this while they had forgotten to speake of the best most notable thing that was in him which was that no ATHENIAN had euer worne blacke gowne through his occasion And suer so was he a noble and worthie persone For he dyd not only shewe him selfe mercifull and curteous euen in most weightie matters of gouernment among so enuious people and hatefull enemies but he had this iudgement also to thincke that the most noble actes he dyd were these that he neuer gaue him selfe vnto hatred enuie nor choller to be reuenged of his most mortall enemie without mercy shewed towardes him though he had committed vnto him suche absolute power and sole gouernment among them And this made his surname to be Olympius as to saye diuine or celestiall which otherwise for him had bene to prowde and arrogant a name bicause he was of so good and gentle a nature and for that in so great libertie he had kept cleane handes vndefiled euen as we esteeme the goddes authors of all good and causers of no ill and so worthy to gouerne and rule the whole monarchie of the world And not as Poets saye which doe confounde our wittes by their follies and fonde faynings and are also contrarie to them felues considering that they call heauen which conteineth the goddes the euerlasting seate which trembleth not and is not driuen nor moued with windes neither is darkened with clowdes but is allwayes bright and cleare and at all times shyning equally with a pure bright light as being the only habitation and mansion place of the eternall God only happy and immortall And afterwardes they describe it them selues full of dissentions of enmities of anger and passions which doe nothing become wise and learned men But this discourse peraduenture would be better spoken of in some other booke Nowe the troubles the ATHENIANS felt immediatly after Pericles death made them then lament the losse of so noble a member For those who vnpaciently dyd brooke his great authoritie while he liued bicause it drowned their owne when they came after his death to proue other speakers and gouernours they were compelled then to confesse that no mans nature liuing could be more moderate nor graue with lenitie and mercie then his was And that most hated power which in his life time they called monarchie dyd then most plainely appeare vnto them to haue bene the manifest ramper and bullwarke of the safetie of their whole state and common weale suche corruption and vice in gouernment of the state dyd then spring vp immediatly after his death which when he was aliue he dyd euer suppresse and keepe vnder in suche sorte that either it dyd not appeare at all or at the least it came not to that hed and libertie that suche faultes were committed as were vnpossible to be remedied The ende of Pericles life THE LIFE OF Fabius Maximus HAVING already declared vnto you such things worthy memorie as we could collect and gather of the life of Pericles it is nowe good time we should proceede to write also of the life of Fabius Maximus It is sayed the first Fabius from whom the house and familie of the Fabians dyd descend being the greatest noblest house of all other in ROME was begotten by Herculos whom he gatte of a Nymphe or as other saye a woman of the coūtrie by the riuer of Tyber And some saye that the first of this house were called at the beginning Fodians bicause they dyd hunte wilde beastes with pittefalles and ditches For vnto this present the ROMAINES call ditches Fossae and to digge Fodere Since that time the two second letters haue bene chaunged and they haue called them Fabians But howsoeuer it was this is certaine that many noble men haue come out of that house and among other there was one of that house called Fabius Rullus whom the ROMAINES for his noble actes dyd surname Maximus very great After him Fabius Maximus whose life we haue now in hande was the fourth lineally descended of the same line and he was surnamed Verrucosus bicause of a certen birth marke he had vpon one of his lippes like a litle warte And he was also surnamed Ouicula a litle lamme for his softnes slownes and grauity of his doings whilest he was a childe But bicause of nature he was dull still and very silent and that he was seldome seene to playe at any pastime among the boyes and for that they sawe he was but of slowe capacitie and hard to learne and conceyue and withall that the boyes might doe to him what they would he was so lowly to his fellowes this made men iudge that looked not into him that he would proue a very foole and nigeot Yet other were of contrarie opinion of him who considering more deepely the man perceyued in his nature a certen secret constancie the maiestie of a lyon But Fabius selfe when he was called to serue the common weale dyd quickely shewe to the world that which they tooke for dullnes in him was his grauitie which neuer altered for no cause or respect and that which other iudged fearefullnes in him was very wisedome And where he shewed him selfe not hastie nor sodaine in any thing it was found in him an assured and setled constancie Wherefore when he came to consider the great soueraintie of their common weale and the continuall warres it was in he dyd vse his bodie to all hardnes and brought vp him selfe therewithall that he might be the better able to serue in the field and he gaue him selfe much to eloquence also as a necessary instrument to persuade souldiers vnto reason His tongue likewise dyd agree with his conditions and manner of life For he had no manner of affectation nor counterfeate finenes in his speach but his words were euer very graue and profounde and his sentences euen grafte in him by nature and as some saye were
plainely discerne all the ROMAINES campe and sawe howe they dyd range their men in order of battell Nowe one Giscon a man of like state and nobilitie as him selfe being with him at that time tolde him that the enemies seemed a farre of to be a maruelous number But Hannibal rubbing his forehead aunswered him Yea sayed he but there is another thing more to be wondered at then you thinke of Giscon Giscon straight asked him What mary sayeth he this that of all the great number of souldiers you see yonder there is not a man of them called Giscon as you are This mery aunswer deliuered contrarie to their expectation that were with him looking for some great waightie matter made them all laughe a good So downe the hill they came laughing alowde and tolde this prety leaste to all they met as they rode which straight from one to another ranne ouer all the campe in so much as Hannibal him selfe could not holde from laughing The CARTHAGINIAN souldiers perceyuing this beganne to be of a good corage imagining that their generall would not be so merylie disposed as to fall a laughing being so neere daunger if he had not perceyued him selfe a great deale to be the stronger and that he had good cause also to make no reckoning of his enemies Furthermore he shewed two policies of a skilfull captaine in the battell The first was the situation of the place where he put his men in order of battell so as they had the winde on their backes which raging like a burning lightning raised a sharpe dust out of the open sandy valley and passing ouer the CARTHAGINIANS squadron blewe full in the ROMAINES faces with such a violence that they were compelled to turne their faces to trouble their owne rankes The seconde policie was the forme and order of his battell For he placed on either side of his winges the best and valliantest souldiers he had in all his armie and dyd fill vp the middest of his battell with the worste of his men which he made like a pointe and was farder out by a great deale then the two winges of the fronte of his battell So he commaunded those of the winges that when the ROMAINES had broken his first fronte and followed those that gaue backe whereby the middest of his battell should leaue an hollowe place and the enemies should come in still increasing within the compasse of the two winges that then they should set vpon them on both sides and charge their flanks immediatly and so inclose them in behind And this was cause of a greater slaughter For when the midle battell beganne to geue backe and to receyue the ROMAINES within it who pursued the other very whotly Hannibals battell chaunged her forme where at the beginning it was like a pointe it became nowe in the middest like a cressant or halfe moone Then the captaines of the chosen bandes that laye out in both the winges made their men to turne some on the left hand and some on the right and charged the ROMAINES on the flankes and behinde where they were all naked so they killed all those that could not saue them selues by flying before they were enuironned They saye also that there fell out another mischief by misfortune vnto the horsemen of the ROMAINES and by this occasion The horse of Paulus AEmilius the Consul being hurte dyd throwe his master on the grounde whereupon those that were next him dyd light from their horse backs to helpe him The residue of the horsemen that were a great waye behinde him seeing them light thought they had bene all commaunded to light hereupon euery man forsooke their horse and fought it out a foote Hannibal when he sawe that sayed yea marie I had rather haue them so then deliuered me bounde hande and foote But for those matters the historiographers doe dilate more at large Furthermore of the two Cōsuls Varro saued him selfe by his horse with a fewe following him within the cittie of VENVSA Paulus being in the middest of the throng of all the armie his bodie full of arrowes that stucke fast in his woundes and his harte sore loden with grieuous sorowe and anguishe to see the ouerthrowe of his men was set downe by a rocke looking for some of his enemies to come and ryd him out of his payne But fewe could knowe him his head and face was of such a gore bloude insomuch as his friends and seruants also passed by him and knewe him not And there was but one young gentleman of a noble house of the Patricians called Cornelius Lentulus that knewe him who dyd his best endeuour to saue him For he lighted a foote presently brought him his horse praying him to get vp vpon him to proue if he could saue him selfe for the necessitie of his countrie which nowe more then euer had neede of a good and wise captaine But he refused the gentlemans offer and his intreatie and compelled him to take his horse backe againe though the teares ranne downe his chekes for pittie and raising him selfe vp to take him by the hande he sayed vnto him I pray you tell Fabius Maximus from me and witnesse with me that Paulus AEmilius euen to his last hower hath followed his counsaill and dyd neuer swarue from the promise he made him but that first he was forced to it by Varro and afterwardes by Hannibal When he had deliuered these wordes he bad Lentulus farewell and ronning againe into the furie of the slaughter there he dyed among his slaine companions It is thought there were slaine at this battell fiftie thousand ROMAINES foure thousand taken prisoners and other tenne thousand that were taken prisoners in two campes after the battell When this noble victorie was gotten Hannibals friendes gaue him counsaill to followe his good fortune and to enter ROME after the scattered number that fled thither so as within fewe dayes following he might suppe in their capitoll A man cannot easely gesse what was the cause that stayed him that he went not vnles it was as I thinke some good fortune or fauorable God toward the ROMAINES that withstoode him and made him afeard and glad to retire Whereupon they saye that one Barca a CARTHAGINIAN in his anger sayed to Hannibal Syr you haue the waye to ouercome but you cannot vse victorie Notwithstanding this victorie made a maruelous chaunge for him For hereupon all ITALY in manner came in to submit them selues to him where before he had no towne at cōmaundemēt nor any storehouse or porte through all ITALIE yea he did maruelous hardly with much a doe vittell his armie with that he could daylie robbe spoyle hauing no certē place to retire vnto nor groūded hope to entertain these warres but kept the field with his armie remouing from place to place as they had bene a great number of murderers theeues together For the most parte of the coūtrie dyd yeld immediatly vnto
were priuie to the contentes of the same desired no other thing but his repaire thither These letters pretily quickned Fabius insomuch as he was determined one night to haue taken parte of his armie to haue gone to them But bicause the signes of the birdes dyd promise him no good successe he left of his purpose Sone after he vnderstoode they were counterfeate letters made by Hannibals fine deuise to haue drawen him out to haue intrapped him for whom him selfe laye in persone in ambushe neere the cittie looking and waiting for his comming but the goddes who would haue him saued were only to be thāked for his happy scape Furthermore concerning the reuolte of the citties that were subject vnto them and the rising of their allies friends against them Fabius thought it farre better to intreate them curteously making them ashamed without occasion to rebell against them rather then openly to suspect them and to deale straightly with those that were so to be suspected Now for this matter it is reported that Fabius had a souldier in his campe that was a MARSIAN borne by nation a valliant man of his persone also of as noble a house as any that were of all the allies of the ROMAINES who had practised with other his fellowes of the bande he serued in to goe serue the enemie Fabius hearing of this practise he went about gaue him no ill countenaunce for it but calling him to him he sayed I must confesse there is no reckoning made of you as your good seruice doth deserue wherefore for this time sayeth he I blame the pety captaines only which in such sorte doe bestowe their good will and fauour at aduenture and not by deserte But henceforth it shal be your owne faulte if you doe not declare your minde vnto me and betweene you and me make me priuie of your lacke necessitie When he had spoken these wordes to him he gaue him a very good horse for seruice and dyd rewarde him with other honorable giftes as men of good seruice desert haue commonly bestowed on them and this dyd so encorage the souldier thenceforth that he became a very faithfull and seruiceable souldier to the ROMAINES For Fabius thought it more fit that hunters riders of horses such like as take vpon them to tame brute beastes should sonner make them leaue their sauage churlishe nature by gentle vsage and manning of them then by beating and shackling of them And so a gouernour of men should rather correct his souldier by paciēce gentlenes and clemency then by rigour violence or seueritie Otherwise he should handle them more rudely and sharpely then husbandmen doe figge trees oliue trees wilde pomegarnets who by diligent pruning and good handling of them doe alter their harde and wilde nature cause them in the end to bring forth good figges oliues pomegarnets Another time certaine captaines of his brought him worde that there was one of their souldiers which would euer goe out of the cāpe leaue his ensigne He asked them what manner of man he was They aunswered him all together that he was a very good souldier and that they could hardly finde out suche another in all their bandes as he and therewithall they tolde him of some notable seruice they had seene him doe in persone Whereupon Fabius made a diligent enquierie to know what the cause was that made him goe so oft out of the campe in the end he founde he was in loue with a young woman and that to goe see her was the cause he dyd so ofte leaue his ensigne and dyd put his life in so great daunger for that she was so farre of When Fabius vnderstoode this he sent certaine souldiers vnknowing to the souldier to bring the woman awaye he loued and willed them to hyde her in his tente and then called he the souldier to him that was a LVCANIAN borne and taking him a side sayed vnto him thus My friend it hath bene tolde me how thou hast lyen many nightes out of the campe against the lawe of armes and order of the ROMAINES but therewithall I vnderstande also that otherwise thou art an honest man and therefore I pardone thy faultes paste in consideration of thy good seruice but from henceforth I will geue thee in custodie to such a one as shall make me accompt of thee The souldier was blancke when he heard these wordes Fabius with that caused the woman he was in loue with to be brought forth and deliuered her into his hands saying vnto him This woman hereafter shall aunswer me thy bodie to be forth comming in the campe amongest vs and from henceforth thy deedes shall witnesse for the reste that thy loue vnto this woman maye be no cloke of thy departing out of the campe for any wicked practise or intent Thus much we finde written concerning this matter Moreouer Fabius after suche a sorte recouered againe the cittie of TARENTVM and brought it to the obedience of the ROMAINES which they had lost by treason It fortuned there was a young man in his campe a TARENTINE borne that had a sister within TARENTVM which was very faithfull to him and loued him maruelous dearely now there was a captaine a BRVTIAN borne that fell in loue with her and was one of those to whom Hannibal had committed the charge of the cittie of TARENTVM This gaue the young souldier the TARENTINE very good hope and waye to bring his enterprise to good effect whereupon he reuealed his intent to Fabius and with his priuitie fled from his campe and got into the cittie of TARENTVM geuing it out in the cittie that he would altogether dwell with his sister Now for a fewe dayes at his first comming the BRVTIAN captaine laye alone by him selfe at the request of the mayde his sister who thought her brother had not knowen of her loue and shortely after the young fellowe tooke his sister aside and sayed vnto her My good sister there was a great speache in the ROMAINES campe that thou wert kept by one of the chiefest captaines of the garrison I praye thee if it be so let me knowe what he is For so he be a good fellowe and an honest man as they saye he is I care not for warres that turneth all things topsi turuey regardeth not of what place or calling he is of and still maketh vertue of necessitie without respect of shame And it is a speciall good fortune at such time as neither right nor reason rules to happen yet into the handes of a good and gratious lorde His sister hearing him speake these wordes sent for the BRVTIAN captaine to bring him acquainted with her brother who liked well of both their loues and indeuoured him self to frame his sisters loue in better sorte towards him then it was before by reason whereof the captaine also beganne to trust him very muche So this young TARENTINE sawe it was very easie to winne and
a lyon Another time being but a litle boye he played at skayles in the middest of the streete with other of his companions and when his turne came about to throwe there came a carte loden by chaunce that waye Alcibiades prayed the carter to staye a while vntill he had played out his game bicause the skailes were set right in the high way where the carte should passe ouer The carter was a stubborne knaue and would not staye for any request the boye could make but draue his horse on still in so much as other boyes gaue backe to let him goe on but Alcibiades fell flat to the grounde before the carte and bad the carter driue ouer and he durste The carter being afeard plucked backe his horse to staye them the neighbours flighted to see the daunger ranne to the boye in all hast crying out Afterwards when he was put to schoole to learne he was very obedient to all his masters that taught him any thing sauing that he disdained to learne to playe of the flute or recorder saying that it was no gentlemanly qualitie For sayed he to playe on the vyoll with a sticke doth not alter mans fauour nor disgraceth any gentleman but otherwise to playe on the flute his countenaunce altereth and chaungeth so ofte that his familliar friends can scant knowe him Moreouer the harpe or vyoll doth not let him that playeth on them from speaking or singing as he playeth where he that playeth on the flute holdeth his mouth so harde to it that it taketh not only his wordes from him but his voyce Therefore sayed he let the children of the THEBANS playe on the flute that cannot tell howe to speake as for vs ATHENIANS we haue as our forefathers tell vs for protect ours and patrones of our countrie and goddesse Pallas and the god Apollo of the which the one in olde time as it is sayed brake the flute and the other pulled his skinne ouer his eares that played vpon the flute Thus Alcibiades alledging these reasons partely in sporte and partely in good earnest dyd not only him selfe leaue to learne to playe on the flute but he turned his companions mindes also quite from it For these wordes of Alcibiades ranne from boye to boye incontinently that Alcibiades had reason to despise playing of the flute and that he mocked all those that learned to play of it So afterwards it fell out at ATHENS that teaching to playe of the flute was put out of the number of honest and liberall exercises and the flute it selfe was thought a vile instrument and of no reputation Furthermore in the accusations Antiphon wrote against Alcibiades it is declared that when he was a boye he fled out of his tutours house into the house of Democrates one of his louers and howe Ariphron one of his tutours thought to haue made a beadle crie him through the cittie But Pericles would not suffer him saying that if he were dead they should knowe it but one daye sooner by crying of him and if he were aliue that it would be such a shame to him while he liued that he had bene better he had neuer bene heard of againe The same Antiphon accuseth him further that he had killed a seruaunt of his that attended on him in the wrestling place of Sibyrtius with a blowe of a staffe But there is no reason to credit his writing who confesseth he speaketh all the ill he can of him for the ill will he dyd beare him Now straight there were many great riche men that made muche of Alcibiades and were glad to get his good will. But Socrates loue vnto him had another ende and cause which witnessed that Alcibiades had a naturall inclination to vertue Who perceyuing that vertue dyd appeare in him and was ioyned with the other beawtie of his face and bodye and fearing the corruption of riches dignitie and authoritie and the great number of his companions aswell of the chiefest of the cittie as of straungers seeking to entise him by flatterie and by many other pleasures he tooke vpon him to protect him from them all and not to suffer so goodly an ympe to lose the hope of the good fruite of his youthe For fortune doth neuer so intangle nor snare a man without with that which they commonly call riches as to let hinder him so that philosophie should not take holde on him with her free severe and quicke reasons So Alcibiades was at the beginning assayed with all delightes and shut vp as it were in their companie that feasted him with all pleasures only to turne him that he should not hearken to Socrates wordes who sought to bring him vp at his charge and to teach him But Alcibiades notwithstanding hauing a good naturall wit knewe that Socrates was and went to him refusing the companie of all his riche friendes and their flatteries and fell in a kinde of familliar friendshippe with Socrates Whom when he had heard speake he noted his wordes very well that they were no persuasions of a man seeking his dishonesty but one that gaue him good counsell went about to reforme his faultes and imperfections and to plucke downe the pride and presumption that was in him then as the common prouerbe sayeth Like to the crauen cocke he drovvped dovvne his vvinges vvhich covvardly doth ronne avvaye or from the pit out flinges And dyd thinke with selfe that all Socrates loue and following of young men was in dede a thing sent from the goddes and ordeined aboue for them whom they would haue preserued put into the pathe waye of honour Therefore be beganne to despise him selfe and greatly to reuerēce Socrates taking pleasure of his good vsing of him much imbraced his vertue so as he had he wist not howe an image of loue grauen in his harte or rather as Plato sayeth a mutuall loue to wit an holy honest affection towards Socrates Insomuch as all the world wondred at Alcibiades to see him commonly at Socrates borde to playe to wrestle to lodge in the warres with Socrates and contrarily to chide his other well willers who could not so much as haue a good looke at his handes and besides became daungerous to some as it is sayed he was vnto Anytus the sonne of Anthemion being one of those that loued him well Anytus making good cheere to certen straungers his friendes that were come to see him went and prayed Alcibiades to come and make merie with them but he refused to goe For he went to make merie with certen of his companions at his own house and after he had well taken in his cuppes he went to Anytus house to counterfeate the foole amongest them and staying at the halle doore and seeing Anytus table and cubberd full of plate of siluer gold he commaunded his seruants to take awaye half of it and carie it home to his house But when he had thus taken his pleasure he would come
done vpon a brauery and certaine lustines as hauing layed a wager with his companions he would doe it and for no malice or quarrell that he bare the man This light parte was straight ouer all the cittie and euery one that heard it sayed it was lewdly done But Alcibiades the next morning went to his house and knocking at his gate was let in so he stripping him selfe before him deliuered him his bodie to be whipped and punished at his pleasure Hipponicus pardoned him and was friends with him and gaue him his daughter Hipparete afterwards in mariage Howbeit some saye it was not Hipponicus that gaue her to him but Callias sonne with tenne talēts of gold with her Afterwards at the birth of his first child he had by her he asked tenne talents more saying they were promised him vpon the contract if his wife had children But Callias fearing least this was an occasiō sought of him to lye in wayte to kill him for his goodes declared openly to the people that he made him his heire generall if he dyed without heires speciall of his bodie This gētlewoman Hipparete being an honest true wife to Alcibiades misliking her husband dyd so muche misuse her as to entertaine common light strumpers aswell cittizens as straungers she went abroad one day to her brothers house and tolde him of it Alcibiades passed not for it and made no further reckoning of the matter but only bad his wife if she would present her cause of diuorse before the iudge So she went thither her selfe to sue the diuorce betwene them according to the lawe but Alcibiades being there also tooke her by the hande caried her through the market place home to his house and no man durst medle betwene them to take her from him And so she continued with him all the dayes of her life which was not long after for she dyed when Alcibiades was in his iorney he made to EPHESVS This force Alcibiades vsed was not thought altogether vnlawfull nor vnciuill bicause it seemeth that the lawe was grounded vpon this cause that the wife which would be diuorced from her husband should goe her selfe openly before the iudge to put vp her complainte to the ende that by this meanes the husband might come to speake with his wife and seeke to staye her if he could Alcibiades had a maruelous fayer great dogge that cost him three score and tenne minas and he cut of his taile that was his chief beawtie When his friendes reproued him and tolde him how euery man blamed him for it he fell a laughing and tolde them he had that he sought For sayeth he I would haue the ATHENIANS rather prate vpon that then they should saye worse of me Moreouer it is sayed the first time that Alcibiades spake openly in the common weale and beganne to deale in matters was vpon a gifte of money he gaue to the people and not of any pretence or former purpose he had to doe it One daye as he came through the market place hearing the people very lowde he asked what the matter was they tolde him it was about money certen men had geuen to the people Then Alcibiades went to them and gaue them money out of his owne purse The people were so glad at that as they fell to showting and clapping of their handes in token of thankfullnes and him selfe was so glad for companie that he forgat a quayle he had vnder his gowne which was so afeard of the noyse that she tooke her flight away The people seeing the quayle made a greater noyse then before and many rose out of their places to runne after her so that in the ende it was taken vp by a master of a shippe called Antiochus who brought him the quayle againe and for that cause Alcibiades dyd loue him euer after Now albeit the nobilitie of his house his goodes his worthines the great number of his kinsemen friends made his waye open to take vpon him gouernment in the common weale Yet the only waye he desired to winne the fauour of the common people by was the grace of his eloquence To proue he was eloquent all the Comicall poets doe testifie it and besides them Demosthenes the prince of orators also doth saye in an oration he made against Midias that Alcibiades aboue all other qualities he had was most eloquent And if we maye beleeue Theophrastus the greatest searcher of antiquities best historiographer aboue any other philosopher he hath written that Alcibiades had as good a witte to deuise and consider what he would saye as any man that was in his time Howbeit somtimes studying what he should saye as also to deliuer good wordes not hauing them very readilie at his tongues ende he many times tooke breath by the waye and paused in the middest of his tale not speaking a worde vntil he had called it to minde that he would saye His charge was great and muche spoken of also for keeping of ronning horses at games not only bicause they were the best swiftest but for the number of coches he had besides For neuer priuate persone no nor any prince that euer sent seuen so well appointed coches in all furniture vnto the games Olympicall as he dyd nor that at one course hath borne awaye the first the second and the fourth prise as Thucydides sayeth or as Euripides reporteth the third For in that game he excelled all men in honour and name that euer striued for victorie therein For Euripides pronounced his praise in a songe he made of him as followeth O sonne of Clinias I vvill resounde thy praise for thou art bold in martiall dedes and ouercommest allvvayes Thy victories therevvith doe farre exceede the rest that euer vvere in Greece ygot therefore I compt them best For at thOlympike games thou hast vvith chariots vvonne the first price seconde thirde and all vvhich there in race vvere ronne VVith praise and litle payne thy head hath tvvise bene crovvnde vvith oliue boughes for victorie and tvvise by trumpets sounde The heraulds haue proclaimed thee victor by thy name aboue all those vvhich ranne vvith thee in hope to get the game Howbeit the good affection diuers citties did beare him contending which should gratifie him best dyd muche increase his fame and honour For the EPHESIANS dyd set vp a tente for him very sumptuously and richely furnished Those of the cittie of CHIO furnished him with prouinder for his horse and gaue him muttons besides and other beastes to sacrifice withall They of LESBOS also sent him in wine and other prouision for vittells to helpe him to defraye the great charges he was at in keeping open house feeding such a nūber of mouthes daylie Yet the spite they dyd beare him or rather his breache of promise which he often made with this magnificence and state he shewed gaue the people more cause to speake of him then before For they saye
ATHENIANS that he dyd the best he could to let them if the LACEDAEMONIANS had no liking of the matter Now as Nicias was thus in disgrace with the people for the causes aboue sayd in the middest of this sturre ambassadours came by chaunce from LACEDAEMON to ATHENS who at their comming gaue very good wordes saying they had full power and commission to compound all controuersies vnder reasonable and equall conditions The Senate heard them and receaued them very curteously and the people the next daye should assemble in counsell to geue them audience which Alcibiades fearing muche he went to labour the ambassadours and spake with them aparte in this sorte What meane you my Lordes of SPARTA doe ye not knowe that the Senate hath allwayes accustomed to be gracious and fauorable vnto those that sue vnto them for any matter and that the people contrarilie are of a prowde nature and desirous to imbrace all great matters If therefore at the first sight ye doe geue them to vnderstand that you are come hither with full power to treate freely with them in all manner of causes doâ— you not thinke that they make you stretche your authoritie farre to graunte them all that they will demaunde Therefore my Lordes ambassadours if you looke for indifferencie at the ATHENIANS handes and that they shall not prease you to farre against your willes to graunte them any thing of aduantage I would wishe you a litle to couer your full commission and in open manner to propound certen articles and reasonable capitulations of peace not acquainting them otherwise with your full power to agree in all things and for my parte I will assure you of my good will in fauour of the LACEDAEMONIANS When he had tolde them this tale he gaue them his faithfull promise and vowed as it were to performe his worde Hereupon Alcibiades turned the Ambassadourâ— from the trust they reposed in Nicias and wanne them on his side in so muche as they gaue credit to no man but to him wondering muche at his great wisedome and readye wit and they thought him a rare and notable man The next morning the people were assembled to geue the ambassadours audience They were sent for and brought into the market place There Alcibiades gently asked them what was the cause of their comming They aunswered that they were come to treate of peace but they had no power to determine any thing Then beganne Alcibiades to be angrie with them as if they had done him wrong and not be any to them calling them vnfaithfull vnconstant and fickle men that were come neither to doe nor saye any thing worth the hearing The Senate also were offended with them and the people rated them very roughely whereat Nicias was so ashamed and amased withall that he could not tell what to saye to see so sodaine a chaunge knowing nothing of Alcibiades malice and subtill practise with the ambassadours So the ambassadours of LACEDAEMON were dispatched without any thing done and Alcibiades chosen generall who presently brought the ARGIVES the ELIANS and the MANTINIANS in league with the ATHENIANS Though no man dyd commend this practise of his in working it after this sorte yet was it a maruelous thing of him to deuise to put all PELOPONNESVS in armes and to procure such a number of souldiers against the LACEDAEMONIANS as he dyd before the cittie of MANTINEA and to shifte of the miseries of warre and hazard of battell so farre from ATHENS Which if the LACEDAEMONIANS dyd winne could not profit them muche and if they lost it they could hardely saue their cittie of SPARTA After this battell of MANTINEA the thousand men whom the cittie by an auncient order dyd keepe continually in paye aswell in peace as in warre within the cittie of ARGOS thinking now oportunietie serued them very trimly attempted to take the soueraine authoritie from the common people and to make them selues Lords of the cittie And to bring this to passe the LACEDAEMONIANS comming in the meane time dyd ayde them in their purpose and so dyd put downe the gouernment of the people notwithstanding immediatly after the people tooke armes againe and became the stronger Alcibiades comming thither euen at that time dyd warrant them the victorie and to set vp againe the authoritie of the people Then he persuaded them to make their walles longer to ioyne their cittie to the sea to the ende they might more easely be ayded by sea by the ATHENIANS He brought them also from ATHENS many carpinters masons stone hewers and other workemen and to conclude he shewed them by all the meanes and wayes he could that he dyd beare good will vnto them and thereby wanne him selfe no lesse fauour particularly emong them then generally he dyd good vnto his countrie He dyd persuade also the cittizens of PATRAS to ioyne their towne to the sea by making long walles which they built out euen to the clyffes of the sea And when one sayed vnto them alas poore people of PATRAS what doe ye meane the ATHENIANS will eate you out Alcibiades aunswered him it maye well be but it shalâ—â— by litle and litle beginning first at the feete but the LACEDAEMONIANS will deuoure you all at once and beginne at the head Now although Alcibiades dyd make the cittie of ATHENS strong by sea yet he dyd not leaue to persuade the ATHENIANS also to make them selues strong by lande For he dyd put the young men oftentimes in minde of the othe they were made to sweare in AGRAVLOS and dyd aduise them to accomplishe it in deede Which was that they should take all corne fields vines and olyue trees to be the borders and confines of ATTICA whereby they were taught to reckon all lande theirs that was manâ—red and dyd bring forth fruite Yet with all these goodly dedes and fayer wordes of Alcibiades and with this great corage and quicknes of vnderstanding he had many great faultes and imperfections For he was to daintie in his fare wantonly geuen vnto light women riâ—tous in bankets vaine and womanishe in apparell he ware euer a long purple gowne than swopt the market place as he walked vp and downe it had suche a traine and was to riâ—â—â—â— and costely for him to weare And following these vaine pleasures and delightes when he was in his galley he caused the planckes of the poope thereof to be cutte and broken vp that he might lye the softer for his bed was not layed apon the ouerloppe but laye vpon giâ—heâ— strained ouer the hole cut out and fastened to the sides and he caried to the warres with him a gilded scurchion wherein he had no cognizaunce nor ordinary deuise of the ATHENIANS but only had the image of Cupids in iâ— holding lightning in his hande The noble men and best cittizens of ATHENS perdeyuing this they hated his facions and conditions and were muche offended at him and were afeard withall of his rashnes and insolencie he dyd so contemne
was so surnamed bicause the people had chosen him Censor twise Through whose persuasion they made a lawe that no man from thenceforth might require or enioye the Censorshippe twise Caius Martius whose life we intend now to write being left an orphan by his father was brought vp vnder his mother a widowe who taught vs by experience that orphanage bringeth many discommodities to a childe but doth not hinder him to become an honest man and to excell in vertue aboue the common sorte as they that are meanely borne wrongfully doe complayne that it is the occasion of their casting awaye for that no man in their youth taketh any care of them to see them well brought vp and taught that were meete This man also is a good proofe to confirme some mens opinions That a rare and excellent witte vntaught doth bring forth many good and euill things together like as a fat soile bringeth forth herbes weedes that lieth vnmanured For this Martius naturall wit and great harte dyd maruelously sturre vp his corage to doe and attempt notable actes But on the other side for lacke of education he was so chollericke and impacient that he would yeld to no liuing creature which made him churlishe vnciuill and altogether vnfit for any mans conuersation Yet men marueling much at his constancy that he was neuer ouercome with pleasure nor money and howe he would endure easely all manner of paynes and trauailles thereupon they well liked and commended his stownes and temperancie But for all that they could not be acquainted with him as one cittizen vseth to be with another in the cittie His behauiour was so vnpleasaunt to them by reason of a certaine insolent and sterne manner he had which bicause it was to lordly was disliked And to saye truely the greatest benefit that learning bringeth men vnto is this that it teacheth men that be rude and rough of nature by compasse and rule of reason to be ciuill and curteous to like better the meane state then the higher Now in those dayes valliantnes was honoured in ROME aboue all other vertues which they called Virtus by the name of vertue selfe as including in that generall name all other speciall vertues besides So that Virtus in the Latin was asmuche as valliantnes But Martius being more inclined to the warres then any other gentleman of his time beganne from his Childehood to geue him self to handle weapons and daylie dyd exercise him selfe therein And outward he esteemed armour to no purpose vnles one were naturally armed within Moreouer he dyd so exercise his bodie to hardnes and all kynde of actiuitie that he was very swift in ronning strong in wrestling mightie in griping so that no man could euer cast him In so much as those that would trye masteries with him for strength and nimblenes would saye when they were ouercome that all was by reason of his naturall strength and hardnes of warde that neuer yelded to any payne of toyle he tooke apon him The first time he went to the warres being but a strippling was when Tuquine surnamed the prowde that had bene king of ROME and was driuen out for his pride after many attemptes made by sundrie battells to come in againe wherein he was euer ouercome dyd come to ROME with all the ayde of the LATINES and many other people of ITALIE euen as it were to set vp his whole rest apon a battell by them who with a great mightie armie had vndertaken to put him into his Kingdome againe not so much to pleasure him as to ouerthrowe the power of the ROMAINES whose greatnes they both feared and enuied In this battell wherein were many hotte and sharpe encounters of either partie Martius valliantly fought in the sight of the Dictator a ROMAINE souldier being throwen to the groūd euen hard by him Martius straight bestrid him and slue the enemie with his owne handes that had before ouerthrowen the ROMAINE Hereupon after the battell was wonne the Dictator dyd not forget so noble an acte therefore first of all he crowned Martius with a garland of oken boughs For whosoeuer saueth the life of a ROMAINE it is māner among them to honour him with such a garland This was either bicause the lawe dyd this honour to the oke in fauour of the ARCADIANS who by the oracle of Apollo were in very olde time called eaters of akornes or els bicause the souldiers might easely in euery place come by oken boughes or lastely bicause they thought it very necessarie to geue him that had saued a cittizens life a crowne of this tree to honour him being properly dedicated vnto Iupiter the patron and protectour of their citties and thought amongest other wilde trees to bring forth a profitable fruite and of plantes to be the strongest Moreouer men at the first beginning dyd vse akornes for their bread and honie for their drincke and further the oke dyd feede their beastes and geue them birdes by taking glue from the okes with the which they made birdlime to catche seely birdes They saye that Castor and Pollux appeared in this battell and how incontinently after the battell men sawe them in the market place at ROME all their horses being on a white fome and they were the first that brought newes of the victorie euen in the same place where remaineth at this present a tēple built in the honour of them neere vnto the fountaine And this is the cause why the daye of this victorie which was the fiftenth of Iulye is consecrated yet to this daye vnto Castor and Pollux Moreouer it is daylie seene that honour and reputation lighting on young men before their time and before they haue no great corage by nature the desire to winne more dieth straight in them which easely happeneth the same hauing no deepe roote in them before Where contrariwise the first honour that valliant mindes doe come vnto doth quicken vp their appetite hasting them forward as with force of winde to enterprise things of highe deseruing praise For they esteeme not to receaue reward for seruice done but rather take it for a remembraunce and encoragement to make them doe better in time to come and be ashamed also to cast their honour at their heeles not seeking to increase it still by like deserte of worthie valliant dedes This desire being bred in Martius he strained still to passe him selfe in manlines and being desirous to shewe a daylie increase of his valliantnes his noble seruice dyd still aduaunce his fame bringing in spoyles apon spoyles from the enemie Whereupon the captaines that came afterwards for enuie of them that went before dyd contend who should most honour him and who should beare most honorable testimonie of his valliantnes In so much the ROMAINES hauing many warres and battells in those dayes Coriolanus was at them all and there was not a battell fought from whence he returned not without some rewarde of
so much as it was for spite and displeasure he thought to doe them Antipater in a letter of his writing of the death of Aristotle the philosopher doth not without cause commend the singular giftes that were in Alcibiades and this inespecially that he passed all other for winning mens good willes Wheras all Martius noble actes and vertues wanting that affabilitie became hatefull euen to those that receiued benefit by them who could not abide his seueritie and selfe will which causeth desolation as Plato sayeth and men to be ill followed or altogether forsaken Contrariwise seeing Alcibiades had a trimme entertainment and a very good grace with him and could facion him selfe in all companies it was no maruell if his well doing were gloriously commended and him selfe much honoured and beloued of the people considering that some faultes he did were oftetimes taken for matters of sporte and toyes of pleasure And this was the cause that though many times he did great hurte to the common wealth yet they did ofte make him their generall and trusted him with the charge of the whole citie Where Martius suing for an office of honour that was due to him for the sundrie good seruices he had done to the state was notwithstanding repulsed and put by Thus doe we see that they to whome the one did hurte had no power to hate him and thother that honoured his vertue had no liking to loue his persone Martius also did neuer any great exployte beinge generall of his contry men but when he was generall of their enemies against his naturall contrie whereas Alcibiades being both a priuate persone and a generall did notable seruice vnto the ATHENIANS By reason whereof Alcibiades wheresoeuer he was present had the vpper hande euer of his accusers euen as he would him selfe and their accusations tooke no place against him onlesse it were in his abscence Where Martius being present was condemned by the ROMAINES and in his person murdered and slaine by the VOLSCES But here I can not say they haue done well nor iustly albeit him selfe gaue them some colour to doe it when he openly denied the ROMAINE Ambassadors peace which after he priuatly graunted at the request of women So by this dede of his he tooke not away the enmity that was betwene both peoples but leauing warre still betwene them he made the VOLSCES of whome he was generall to lose the oportunity of noble victory Where in deede he should if he had done as he ought haue withdrawen his armie with their counsaill consent that had reposed so great affiance in him in making him their generall if he had made that accompt of them as their good will towards him did in duety binde him Or else if he did not care for the VOLSCES in the enterprise of this warre but had only procured it of intent to be reuenged and afterwards to leaue it of when his anger was blowen ouer yet he had no reason for the loue of his mother to pardone his contrie but rather he should in pardoning his contrie haue spared his mother bicause his mother wife were members of the bodie of his contrie and city which he did besiege For in that he vncurteously reiected all publike petitions requestes of Ambassadors intreaties of the bishoppes priestes to gratifie only the request of his mother with his departure that was no acte so much to honour his mother with as to dishonour his contrie by the which was preserued for the pitie and intercession of a woman not for the loue of it selfe as if it had not bene worthie of it And so was this departure a grace to say truly very odious and cruell and deserued no thankes of either partie to him that did it For he withdrew his army not at the request of the ROMAINES against whom he made warre nor with their consent at whose charge the warre was made And of all his misfortune and ill happe the austeritie of his nature and his hawtie obstinate minde was the onely cause the which of it selfe being hatefull to the worlde when it is ioyned with ambition it groweth then much more churlish fierce and intollerable For men that haue that fault in nature are not affable to the people seeming thereby as though they made no estimacion or regard of the people and yet on thother side if the people should not geue them honour and reuerence they would straight take it in scorne and litle care for the matter For so did Metellus Aristides and Epaminondis all vsed this manner not to seeke the good will of the common people by flatterie and dissimulation which was in deede bicause they despised that which the people coulde geue or take awaye Yet would they not be offended with their citizens when they were amerced and set at any fines or that they banished them or gaue them any other repulse but they loued them as wel as they did before so soone as they shewed any token of repentaunce that they were sorie for the wrong they had done them and were easely made frendes againe with them after they were restored from their banishment For he that disdaineth to make much of the people and to haue their fauour shoulde much more scorne to seeke to be reuenged when he is repulsed For to take a repulse and deniall of honour so inwardly to the hart commeth of no other cause but that he did too earnestly desire it Therefore Alcibiades did not dissemble at all that he was not very glad to see him selfe honored and sory to be reiected and denied any honour but also he sought all the meanes he could to make him selfe beloued of those amongest whome he liued Whereas Martius stowtnes and hawry stomake did stay him from making much of those that might aduaunce and honour him and yet his ambition made him gnawe him selfe for spite and anger when he sawe he was despised And this is all that reasonably may be reproued in him for otherwise he lacked no good commendable vertues and qualities For his temperaunce and cleane handes from taking of bribes and money he may be compared with the most perfect vertuous and honest men of all GRAECE but not with Alcibiades who was in that vndoutedly alwayes too licentious losely geuen and had too small regard of his credit and honestie The end of Caius Martius Coriolanus life THE LIFE OF Paulus AEmilius WHEN I first beganne to write these liues my intent was to profit other but since continuing and going on I haue muche profited my self by looking into these histories as if I looked into a glasse to frame and facion my life to the mowld and patterne of these vertuous noble men For ronning ouer their manners in this sorte and seeking also to describe their liues me thinkes I am still conuersaunt and familliar with them and doe as it were lodge them with me one after another And when I come to peruse their histories and to waye
the vertues and qualities they haue had and what singularitie eche of them possessed and to choose and culle out the chiefest things of note in them and their best speaches and doings most worthie of memorie Then I crie out O godds can there be more passing pleasure in the vvorlde Or is there any thing of more force to teach man ciuill māners a ruled life or to reforme the vice in man Democritus the philosopher writeth that we should praye we might euer see happy images and sightes in the ayer and that the good which is meete and proper to our nature maye rather come to vs then that is euill and vnfortunate presupposing a false opinion and doctrine in philosophie which allureth men to infinite superstitions That there are good and bad images flying in the ayer which geue a good or ill impression vnto men and incline men to vice or to vertue But as for me by continuall reading of auncient histories and gathering these liues together which now I leaue before you and by keeping allwayes in minde the actes of the most noble vertuous and best geuen men of former age and worthie memorie I doe teache and prepare my selfe to shake of banishe from me all lewde and dishonest condition if by chaunce the companie and conuersation of them whose companie I keepe and must of necessitie haunte doe acquainte me with some vnhappie or vngratious touche This is easie vnto me that doe dispose my quiet minde not troubled with any passion vnto the deepe consideration of so many noble examples As I doe present vnto you now in this volume the liues of Timoleon the CORINTHIAN and of Paulus AEmilius the ROMAINE who had not only a good an vpright minde with them but were also fortunate and happie in all the matters they both did take in hand So as you shall hardly iudge when you haue red ouer their liues whether wisedome or good fortune brought them to atchieue to suche honorable actes and exploytes as they dyd Many the most parte of historiographers doe write that the house and familie of the AEmilians in ROME was allwayes of the most auncient of the nobilitie which they call Patricians Some writers affirme also that the first of the house that gaue name to all the posteritie after was Marcus the sonne of Pythagoras the wise whom king Numa for the sweetnes and pleasaunt grace of his tongue surnamed Marcus AEmilius and those specially affirme it that saye king Numa was Pythagoras scholler Howsoeuer it was the most parte of this familie that obteined honour and estimation for their vertue were euer fortunate also in all their doings sauing Lucius Paulus only who dyed in the battell of CANNES But his misfortune doth beare manifest testimonie of his wisedome and valliancy together For he was forced to fight against his will when he sawe he could not bridle the rashnes of his fellowe Consul that would nedes ioyne battell and to doe as he dyd sauing that he fled not as the other who being first procurer of the battell was the first that ranne awaye where he to the contrarie to his power dyd what he could to let him and dyd sticke by it fought it valliantly vnto the last gaspe This AEmylius left a daughter behind him called AEmylia which was maried vnto Stipio the great and a sonne Paulus AEmylius being the same man whose life we presently treate of His youth fortunately fell out in a florishing time of glorie and honour through the sundrie vertues of many great and noble persones liuing in those dayes emong whom he made his name famous also and it was not by that ordinarie arte and course which the best esteemed young men of that age dyd take and followe For he dyd not vse to pleade priuate mens causes in lawe neither would creepe into mens fauour by fawning vpon any of them though he sawe it a common practise policie of men to seeke the peoples fauour and good willes by suche meanes Moreouer he refused not that common course which other tooke for that it was contrarie to his nature or that he could not frame with either of both if he had bene so disposed but he rather sought to winne reputation by his honestie his valliantnes and vpright dealing as choosing that the better waye then either of thother two in so much as in maruelous shorte time he passed all those that were of his age The first office of honour he sued for was the office of AEdilis in which sute he was preferred before twelue other that sued for the selfe same office who were men of no small qualitie for they all came afterwardes to be Consuls After this he was chosen to be one of the number of the priestes whom the ROMAINES call Augures who haue the charge of all the diuinations and soothe sayings in telling of things to come by flying of byrdes signes in the ayer He was so carefull and tooke suche paynes to vnderstand how the ROMAINES dyd vse the same with suche diligence sought the obseruation of the auncient religion of ROMAINES in all holie matters that where that priesthood was before esteemed but a title of honour desired for the name only he brought it to passe that it was the most honorable science best reputed of in ROME Wherein he confirmed the philosophers opinion that religion is the knowledge how to serue God. For when he dyd any thing belonging to his office of priesthood he dyd it with great experience iudgment and diligence leauing all other thoughtes without omitting any auncient ceremonie or adding to any newe contending oftentimes with his companions in things which seemed light and of small moment declaring vnto them that though we doe presume the goddes are easie to be pacified and that they readilie pardone all faultes scapes committed by negligence yet if it were no more but for respect of common wealths sake they should not slightly not carelesly dissemble or passe ouer faultes committed in those matters For no man sayeth he at the first that committeth any faulte doth alone trouble the state of the common wealth but withall we must thincke he leaueth the groundes of ciuill gouernment that is not as carefull to keepe the institutions of small matters as also of the great So was he also a seuere captaine and strict obseruer of all marshall discipline not seeking to winne the souldiers loue by flatterie when he was generall in the field as many dyd in that time neither corrupting them for a second charge by shewing him selfe gentle and curteous in the first vnto those that serued vnder him but him selfe dyd orderly shewe them the very rules and preceptes of the discipline of warres euen as a priest that should expresse the names and ceremonies of some holy sacrifice wherein were daunger to omit any parte or parcell Howbeit being terrible to execute the lawe of armes apon rebellious
GRAEKE tongue For he dyd not only retaine Grammarians Rethoricians and Logitians but also painters grauers of images riders of horses and huntes of GRAECE about his children and he him selfe also if no matters of common wealth troubled him was euer with them in the schoole when they were at their bookes and also when they otherwise dyd exercise them selues For he loued his children as much or more then any other ROMAINE Now concerning the state of the commō wealth the ROMAINES were at warres with king Perseus they much blamed the captaines they had sent thither before for that for lacke of skill and corage they had so cowardly behaued them selues as their enemies laughed them to scorne and they receyued more hurte of them then they dyd vnto the king For not long before they had driuen king Antiochus beyound mount Taurus and had made him forsake the rest of ASIA and had shut him vp within the borders of SYRIA who was glad that he had bought that contrie with fifteene thousand talēts which he payed for a fine A litle before also they had ouercome Philip king of MACEDON in THESSALY and had deliuered the GRAECIANS from the bondage of the MACEDONIANS And moreouer hauing ouercome Hannibal vnto whom no Prince nor King that euer was in the worlde was comparable either for his power or valliantnes they thought this to great a dishonour to them that this warre they had against king Perseus should hold so long of euen hande with them as if he had bene an enemie equall with the people of ROME considering also that they fought not against them but with the refuse and scattered people of the ouerthrowen armie his father had lost before and knew not that Philip had left his armie stronger and more experte by reason of his ouerthrowe then it was before As I will briefly reherse the storie from the beginning Antigonus who was of the greatest power of all the captaines successours of Alexander the great hauing obteined for him self his posteritie the title of a King had a sonne called Demetrius of whō came Antigonus the second that was surnamed Gonatas whose sonne was also called Demetrius that raigned no long time but dyed and left a young sonne called Philippe By reason whereof the Princes and Nobilitie of MACEDON fearing that the Realme should be left without heire they preferred one Antigonus cosin to the last deceased King and made him marie the mother of Philip the lesse geuing him the name at the first of the Kings protectour only and lieutenaunt generall of his maiestie But after when they had founde he was a good and wise prince and a good husband for the Realme they then gaue him the absolute name of a King and surnamed him Doson to saye the giuer for he promised muche and gaue litle After him reigned Philip who in his grene youth gaue more hope of him selfe then any other of the Kings before in so much they thought that one daye he would restore MACEDON her auncient fame and glorie and that he alone would plucke downe the pride and power of the ROMAINES who rose against all the world But after that he had lost a great battell and was ouerthrowen by Titus Quintus Flaminius neere vnto the cittie of SCOTVSA then he beganne to quake for feare and to leaue all to the mercie of the ROMAINES thinking he escaped good cheape for any light ransome or tribute the ROMAINES should impose apon him Yet afterwards comming to vnderstād him selfe he grewe to disdaine it much thinking that to reigne through the fauour of the ROMAINES was but to make him selfe a slaue to seeke to liue in pleasure at his ease not for a valliāt noble prince borne Whereupon he set all his minde to studie the discipline of warres and made his preparations as wisely and closely as possiblie he could For he left all his townes alongest the sea coast stāding vpon any high wayes without any fortification at all in manner desolate without people to the ende there might appeare no occasion of doubt or mistrust in him in the meane time in the highe countries of his Realme farre from great beaten wayes he leauied a great number of men of warre replenished his townes strong holdes that laye scatteringly abroad with armour weapon money men prouiding for warre which he kept as secretly as he could For he had prouision of armour in his armorie to arme thirtie thousand men eight million busshels of corne safely lokt vp in his fortes strōger places ready money as much as would serue to entertaine tenne thousand straungers in paye to defend his countrie for the space of tenne yeres But before he could bring that to passe he had purposed he dyed for grief sorowe after he knewe he had vniustly put Demetrius the best of his sonnes to death apon the false accusation of the worst that was Perseus who as he dyd inherite the Kingdom of his father by succession so dyd he also inherite his fathers malice against the ROMAINES But he had no shoulders to beare so heauy a burden and especially being as he was a man of so vile and wicked nature for among many lewde naughty conditions he had he was extreme couetous miserable They saye also that he was not legitimate bicause Philippes wife had taken him from Gnathainia a tailours wife borne at ARGOS immediatly after he was borne dyd adopt the child to be hers And some thinke that this was the chiefest cause why he practised to put Demetrius to death fearing least this lawful sonne would seeke occasiō to proue him a bastard Notwithstanding simple though he was of vile base nature he found the strength of his Kingdom so great that he was contented to take vpon him to make warre against the ROMAINES which he mainteined a long time and fought against their Consuls that were their generalles and repulsed great armies of theirs both by sea and lande and ouercame some As Publius Licinius among other the first that inuaded MACEDON was ouerthrowen by him in a battell of horsemen where he slewe at that time two thousand fiue hundred good men of his and tooke sixe hundred prisoners And their armie by sea riding at ancker before the cittie of OREVM he dyd so dainly set apon and tooke twenty great shippes of burden and all that was in them and soncke the rest which were all loden with corne tooke of all sortes besides about foure fiftie foystes and galliots of fiftie owers a pece The second Consul generall he fought with all was Hostilius whom he repulsed attempting by force to inuade MACEDON by waye of the cittie of ELVMIA Another time again whē he entred in by stelth vpō the coast of THESSALY he offred him battel but the other durst not abide it Furthermore as though the warre troubled him nothing
GREECIANS vnto in the open assemblies and common feastes and plaies of GREECE out of the which fortune deliuered him safe and sound before the trouble of the ciuill warres that folowed sone after and moreouer he made a great proofe of his valliancie and knowledge in warres against the barbarous people and tyrannes and had shewed him selfe also a iust and merciful man vnto al his frendes and generally to al the GREECIANS And furthermore seeing he wonne the most part of all his victories triumphes with out the sheading of any one teare of his men or that any of them mourned by his meanes and also ryd all SICILE of all the miseries and calamities raigning at that time in lesse then eight yeeres space he beyng nowe growen olde his sight first beginning a litle to faile him shortly after he lost it altogether This happened not through any cause or occasion of sicknesse that came vnto him nor that fortune had casually done him that iniurie but it was in my opinion a disease inheritable to him by his parētes which by time came to laie hold on him also For the voyce wēt that many of his skin in like case had also lost their sight which by litle litle with age was cleane takē from thē Howbeit Athanis the Historiographer writeth that during the warres he had against Mamercus Hippon as he was in his campe at MYLLES there came a white spott in his eyes that dimmed his sight somwhat so that euery man perceiued that he should lose his sight altogether Notwithstanding that he did not raise his seige but continued his enterprise vntill he tooke both the tyrans at last so soone as he returned to SYRACVSA againe he did put him self out of his office of general praying the citizens to accept that he had already done the rather bicause things were brought to so good passe as they them selues could desire Now that he paciently tooke this misfortune to be blind altogether peraduenture men may somewhat maruel at it but this much more is to be wondred at that the SYRACVSANS after he was blind did so much honor him acknowledge the good he had done thē that they went them selues to visite him oft and brought straungers that were trauellers to his house in the city also in the contry to make them see their benefactor reioycing and thinking thēselues happy that he had chosē to end his life with thē that for this cause he had despised the glorious retorne that was prepared for him in GREECE for the great happy victories he had wōne in SICILE But amongest many other thinges the SYRACVSANS did ordeyned to honor him with this of all other me thinketh was the chiefest that they made a perpetuall lawe so oft as they should haue warres agaynst forreyne people not agaynst their owne contry men that they should euer choose a CORINTHIAN for their generall It was a goodly thing also to see how they did honor him in the assemblies of their councell For if any trifling matter fell in question among them they dispatched it of them selues but if it were a thing that required great counsaill and aduise they caused Timoleon to be sent for So he was brought through the market place in his litter into the Theater where all the assembly of the people was and caryed in euen so in his litter as he sate and then the people dyd all salute him with one voyce and he them in lyke case And after he had pawsed a while to heare the praises and blessinges the whole assembly gaue him they dyd propounde the matter doubtfull to him and he deliuered his opinion vpon the same which being passed by the voyces of the people his seruauntes caryed him backe againe in his litter through the Theater and the citizens dyd wayte on him a litle way with cryes of ioye and clapping of handes and that done they dyd repayre to dispatche common causes by them selues as they dyd before So his olde age being thus entertayned with suche honour and with the loue and good wyll of euery man as of a common father to them al in the ende a sicknesse tooke him by the backe whereof he dyed So the SYRACVSANS had a certen tyme appoynted them to prepare for his funeralles their neighbours also therabouts to come vnto it By reasō wherof his funeral was so much more honorably performed in al thinges specially for that the people apoynted the noblest younge gentelmen of the citie to carrie his coffyn vpon their shoulders rychely furnished and set forth whereon his body laye and so dyd conuey him through the place where the Palyce and Castell of the tyranne Dionysius had been which then was rased to the grounde There accompanied his body also many thowsandes of people all crowned with garlandes of flowers and apparreled in their best apparell so as it seemed it had been the procession of some solemne feast and all their woordes were praisinges and blessinges of the dead with teares ronnyng downe their cheekes which was a good testimonie they dyd not this as men that were glad to be discharged of the honor they dyd him neither for that it was so ordayned but for the iust sorowe and griefe they tooke for his death and for very hartie good loue they dyd beare him And lastly the coffin being put vppon the stacke of wod where it should be burnt Demetrius one of the heralds that had the lowdest voyce proclaymed the decree that was ordeined by the people the effect whereof was this The people of SYRACVSA hath ordained that this present body of Timoleon CORINTHIAN the sonne of Timodemus should be buried at the charges of the common weale vnto the summe of two hundred MINAS hath honored his memorie with playes and games of musicke with ronning of horses and with other exercises of the bodie whiche shal be celebrated yeerely on the day of his death for euermore and this bicause he dyd driue the tyrannes out of SICILE for that he ouercame the barbarous people and bicause he replenished many great cities with inhabitantes againe which the warres had left desolate and vnhabited lastly for that he had restored the SICILIANS againe to their libertie to liue after their owne lawes And afterwards his tombe was built in the market place about the which a certen time after they builded certen cloysters and gallaries to exercise the youth in with exercise of their bodyes and the places so walled in was called Timoleontium and so long as they dyd obserue the lawes and ciuill policie he stablished amongest them they liued long tyme in great continuall prosperitie THE COMPARISON OF Paulus AEmylius with Timoleon SYthe these two men were suche as the Historiographers haue described them to be it is certayne that comparing the one with the other we shall fynde no great oddes nor difference betweene them For fyrst of all the
them selues of their troubles and most miserable and straight life But we must not wonder though the SYBARITANS being womanish men and altogeather geuen to pleasure did so thinke that those men hated their liues who feared not death for the desire they had to doo good and goodwill they had to doo their duetie Which was contrarie in the LACEDAEMONIANS For they were of opinion that to liue and die willingly was a vertue as these funerall verses doo witnesse The dead vvhich here doe rest did not in life esteeme that life or death vvere of them selues or good or bad to deme But euen as life did end or death vvas brought to passe so life or death vvas good or bad this their opinion vvas And in deede to flye death is no shame so it proceede not of a cowardly hart nether to desire death is commendable if it be with contempt and hate of life This is the reason why Homer saith the valliantest men are euer best armed when they come to battaile The lawe makers among the GREECIANS doo euer punishe him that castes away his target but neuer him that casteth away his sworde or lawnce For euery man must first thinke to defende him selfe before he seeke to hurt his enimie and specially such as haue the whole state of a realme in their handes and be generalles of the feeld For if the comparison be true that Iphicrates the ATHENIAN captaine made that in an armie of men the light horsemē resemble the handes the men of armes the feete the battaill of footemen the stomake brest the captaine the head of a mans body it seemeth then that the venturous captaine putting him selfe in daunger with out cause is not onely careles of his owne life but also of all theirs whose liues depende vpon his saftie As contrarily he being carefull of his owne person cannot but be carefull of his souldiers that serue vnder him Therefore Callicratidas a LACEDAEMONIAN captaine and a woorthie man otherwise did vnwisely aunswere a soothsaier that bad him take hede to him selfe for the signes and tokens of the sacrifices did threaten his death Sparta said he standeth not vpon one man alone It is true that to fight by sea or by land man for man Callicratidas was but one man of him selfe but as captaine or lieuetenaunt generall he had the whole power and force of the armie in his person For he was not a man alone when so manie mens liues were lost with his Now olde Antigonus was of a contrary minde For he being redie to geue battell by sea about the I le of ANDRO's made a better aunswer to one that said vnto him his enemies had moe shippes then him selfe For how many shippes doest thou recken then my selfe said he Therein he did wisely to make great accompt of the worthines of a generall specially when it is ioyned with hardines and experience For the chiefest poynte of seruice is to saue him that saueth all other For when Chares on a time shewed the ATHENIANS openly the sundrie woundes and cuttes he had receiued apō his body his target also thrust through with many piks Timotheus straight said vnto him Chares I am not of thy minde For when I did besege the citie of SAMOS I was ashamed to see a darte throwne from the walles light hard by me for that I shewed my selfe a rashe young man and more venturous then became a generall of so great an armie For when it standeth much apon the whole armie and that it is necessarie the generall thereof doo put him selfe in daunger then he should put him selfe forwarde and occupie both handes and body without respect not regarding their wordes that say a good wise captaine should die for age or at the least old But where there is smal honor to be woone by very good successe and contrariewise muche losse and distruction by great misfortune no man of wisedome or iudgement would wish a generall to fight as a priuate souldier to hazard the losse of a generall I thought good therefore to make this preface before the liues of Pelopidas and of Marcellus both which were woorthie men and died otherwise then they shoulde For they both were valliant souldiers in the fielde and did both of them honor their contrie with famous victories and specially against great and dreadfull enemies For the one was the first as they saie that ouerthrewe Hanniball who was neuer ouercome by any before And the other also ouercame the LACEDAEMONIANS in battell that ruled al GREECE at that time both by sea and by land Yet they both carelesly lost their liues by venturing to boldely when their contrie stoode in greatest neede of suche men and captaines as they were This is the cause why we folowing the resemblaunce that was betweene them haue compared their liues together Pelopidas the sonne of Hippoclus came of one of the noblest houses of the citie of THEBES as Epaminondas did He being brought vp in great wealth his father left him heire of all his landes and goodes being but a young man So he straight shewed him selfe willing to doo good with his monie to those that needed helpe and were worthie to let the worlde see that his monie was not his maister For as Aristotle saith of these rich men the most part of them do not vse their goods for extreame couetousnes other againe doo abuse them as being geuen to ouermuche pleasures So riche men became slaues all their life time some to pleasure other to profit Now al Pelopidas other frendes woulde be beholding to him and take very thanckfully his curtesie and liberalitie towardes them But Epaminondas could neuer be brought to any thing at his handes Howbeit Pelopidas selfe folowed Epaminondas maner for he tooke a pride and pleasure to goe simply appareled to fare meanely to labor willingly and to make warres openly as he did He was euen such another as Euripides the Poet described Capaneus to be when he said of him He rich and vvelthie vvas yet vvas he there vvithall no vvight that purchast vvorldly hate nor insolent at all For he would haue been ashamed that the poorest man of the cittie of THEBES shoulde haue worne meaner apparell apon his backe then himselfe As for Epaminondas his pouertie was not daintie to him bicause his parentes were euer poore and yet for all that he passed it ouer more easely by studie of Philosophie which he gaue him selfe vnto and for that from his youth he liked to leade a spare life without excesse Where Pelopidas matched in a noble house and maryed highly and had two children by his wife neuerthelesse he had no minde to keepe or increase his goodes the more for that but gaue him selfe altogeather to serue the common weale as long as he liued By reason whereof his wealth decaied and his best frendes grewe angrie with him telling him how he did not well to make no more reckoning of a thing that was
so necessarie as to haue goodes And he aunswered them In dede they are necessarie I doo confesse it but yet for suche a one as this poore lame and blynd man that standeth by They both were a like borne to all vertue sauing that Pelopidas tooke most pleasure in exercise of his body and strength and Epaminondas in the exercise of his wit and learning So as the pastyme eche of them tooke when they were at leasure was that the one delighted to wrastle and to hunte and liked any kinde of exercise of his body and the other to heare to studie and alwaies to learne some thing of Philosophie But among all the excellent giftes and good partes in either of them and that most wanne them honor and estimation in the world they were onely commended and singulerly noted of wise men for the perfect loue and frendshippe that was euer inuyolably kept betwene them vntil their deathes hauing been ioyned togeather in so many battels warres charges of armies and otherwise in matters of state and gouernment For if a man will consider and looke into the doinges of Aristides Themistocles and Cimon of Pericles Nicias and Alcibiades how full of dissentions enuies suspicions they were one against another in gouerning the common weale and againe will consider the loue honour and kindnesse that continued alwaies betwext Pelopidas and Epaminondas no doubt they will saie these two are more worthie to be called brethren in warre as they saie and companions in gouernment then any of them we haue named before whose care and studie was alwaies rather to ouercome one another then to ouercome their enemies and the onely cause thereof was their vertue For their actes shewed they did not seeke glorie nor riches for them selues the couetousnes whereof doth allwaies breede quarrelles and enuy but both of them from the beginning fell one in loue with an other with a great kindenes and estimation of them selues to see their contrie florishe and growe to great honor through their seruice and in their time and so they reckoned all the good exploytes both of the one and the other that tended to that ende as their owne The most part of writers thinke this great and earnest loue th one did beare to an other did growe first betwene them in a iorney they made togeathet vnto MANTINIA to ayde the LACEDAEMONIANS that were at that time confederates of the THEBANS For they being both set in battell raye one hard by another among the footmen against the Arcadians that stoode before them it fortuned that the point of the battell of the LACEDAEMONIANS in the which they were gaue backe and many of them ranne away But they determyning to die rather then to flye stoode close together and fought with the enemies that came apon them vntyll such time as Pelopidas being hurt in seuen places before fell downe at the last vpon a heape of dead bodies aswell of their owne souldiers as of their enemies euen one apon an other Then Epaminondas thinking he had ben slaine stept notwithstanding before him to defend his body armor he alone fought against many being willing to die rather then to forsake Pelopidas lying amongest the dead bodies vntyl him selfe being thrust into the brest with a pyke and sore cut on his arme with a swoorde was euen ready to geue ouer when Agesipolis king of the LACEDAEMONIANS came with the other poynt of the battell in happie howre who saued both their liues past all hope Now after this battell the LACEDAEMONIANS both in wordes and deedes did curteously intreate the THEBANS as their frendes and confederates Notwithstanding in troth they beganne to feare the power and great corage of that cittie and specially the faction and associates Ismenias Androclidas had set vp where of Pelopidas also was a cōpanion bicause they thought it was populer and inclined muche to desire libertie VVhereupon Archias Leontidas and Philip al three great welthie men of the cittie of THEBES and misliking to be equall with other cittizens did perswade Phabidas a captaine of the LACEDAEMONIANS that going and comming through the contrie of BOEOTIA with an armie he would one day assaie to take the castell of THEBES called CADMEA and driuing those out of the cittie that would resist him he would put the gouernment of the state into the hands of a fewe of the noblest persones who would beat the deuotion of the LACEDAEMONIANS obey them in all thinges Phabidas brought it to passe and did worcke his feate before the THEBANS mistrusted any thing apon a holy day called THESMOPHORIA After he had wonne the castell he apprehended Ismenias and sent him to LACEDAEMON where shortly after they put him to death Pelopidas Pherenicus and Androclidas with many other saued them selues by flying and were banished THEBES by sounde of Trompet Epaminondas taried stil in THEBES and no man tutched him for they made small accompt of him bicause he was altogether geuen to his booke and though his goodwill had serued him to haue done some feate his pouertie made him vnable to doo any thing The LACEDAEMONIANS vnderstanding of the taking of the castel did straight put Phabidas out of his charge and set a fine of a hundred thowsand DRACHMES apon his head but yet they kept still the castell of CADMEA in their handes with a great garrison All the other citties and people of GREECE did wonder much at it that they should allowe the fact and punishe notwithstanding the doer So the THEBANS hauing lost their auncient libertie and being made subiect by both these Archias and Leontidas so as all hope was taken from them euer to winde out of this tyrannie or at any time to ouerthrowe it seing it was maintained and defended by the LACEDAEMONIANS and that they coulde not possibly take from them all the seigniorie and dominion they had throughout GREECE aswell by sea as by lande Leontidas and his followers notwithstanding when they vnderstoode that they who were banished frō THEBES were very wel receiued entertained of the people at ATHENS and much made of also of the nobilitie they sought secretly by treason to haue them kylled To do this feate they sent certaine men vnknowen vnto ATHENS who by treason flue Androclidas howbeit they missed the kylling of the other Furthermore the LACEDAEMONIANS wrote to the ATHENIANS that they should not receiue suche as were banished from THEBES nor that they shoulde fauor them but driue them out of their cittie as those which by their allyes were Iustly proclaimed common enemies The ATHENIANS notwithstanding being men alwaies ciuilly geuen and inclined in nature to humanitie as being borne and bred vp withall and very desyrous besides to requite the THEBANS curtesy who had bene the chiefest meanes and doers in restoring againe the populer state and gouernment at ATHENS they would by no meanes offer the THEBANS any such iniurie seing they had stablished a
bed his dores were shut vp and they knocked long before any man came to the dore At the length one of his men that hearde them rappe so hard with much a do came to open the dore but he had no sooner thrust backe the bolt of the dore and beganne to open it but they pushed it from them with such a force apon him altogether that they layed him on the grounde and went straight to his maisters chamber Leontidas hearing the noyse of them that ranne vppe to him in such hast presently mistrusted the marter and leaping out of his bed tooke his sworde in his hande but did forget to put out the lampes that burned in his chamber all night for if they hadde beene out they might easily haue hurt one an other in the darke But the lampes giuinge cleare light in the chamber he went to the chamber dore and gaue Cephisodorus the first man that pressed to enter apon him such a blowe with his sword that he dropped downe dead at his feete Hauinge slaine the first man he dealt with the seconde that came after him and that was Pelopidas The fight went hard betwene them two bothe for that the chamber dore was verie straight as also for that Cephisodorus body lying on the ground did choke the comming in at the chamber Notwithstanding Pelopidas ouercame him in the ende and slue him and went from thence with his companie straight to Hypates house where they got in as they did into Leontidas house before But Hypates knewe presently what it was and thought to saue him selfe in his neighbours houses Howbeit the conspirators followed him so harde that they cutte him of before he coulde recouer their houses Then they gathered together and ioyned with Melons company and sent immediatly with all possible speede to ATHENS to the banished THEBANS there cried through the city liberty liberty arming those citizens that came to them with the armor spoyles of their enemies that were hanged vp in common vawtes armorers shope about Charons house which they brake open or caused to be opened by force On the other side Epaminondas and Gorgidas came to ioyne with them with a company of young men honest olde men well appointed whom they had gathered together Hereupon the whole citie was straight in an vprore tumult euery house was full of lights one running to an other to know what the matter was Neuertheles the people did not yet assemble together but eueryone being amazed musing at this stur not vnderstāding the troth staied vntill day came on that they might call a counsell But truely herein me thinkes the Captaines of the garrison of the LACEDAEMONIANS were greatly in fault that they did not sturre betimes set vpon thē incontinently consideringe they were xv hundred souldiers besides a great number of citizens that would haue come one after an other to take their partes But the great noyse they heard made them afeard to see lights in euery mans house the people running vp down the streets in great multitudes to fro wherupon they stirred not but only kept thē within the castel of CADMEA The next morninge by breake of day came the other banished THEBANS from ATHENS very wel armed al the people of THEBES drew together in counsail Thither did Epaminondas and Gorgidas bring Pelopidas his cōsorts presented thē before the people cōpassed about with priests the professed of the city offering them crownes to put vpon their heads they praied the assembly of the citizens that they would help their gods their contrie Al the people that were present whē they saw them rose vp stoode on their feets with great showtes clapping of hands receiued thē as their sauiours that had deliuered their contry frō bondage restored them again to liberty therupon before them al euen in the market place by the whole voice consent of the people they chose Pelopidas Melon Charon gouernors captaines of all BOEOTIA Pelopidas then immediatly made them besiege the castell of CADMEA about with trenches force of wod doing al he could possible to winne it to expulse the LACEDAEMONIANS before any supply aide came to them frō SPARTA So he did preuēted it so sodainly that the garrison being departed out of the castel by cōposition as they returned towards LACEDAEMONIA they found Cleombrotus king of SPARTA in the contry of MEGARA comming towards thē with a great army to help thē Afterward of the three captaines which had charge of their garrison that lay at THEBES the SPARTANS condēned two of them to death Hermippidas Artissus were presently executed the third captaine Dysaoridas they set so greeuous a fyne on his head that he wēt out of PELOPONESVS This enterprise being attēpted executed with the like valiantnes the same daūger trouble that Thrasybulus practise was whē he deliuered ATHENS from the slauery of the thirty gouernors tyrans hauing the like fortune happy ende the GRAECIANS termed it cosyn german to Thrasybulus act And in deede it were a harde matter to find two other such besides thē two that with so few mē ouercame their enemies being many moe in nōber then thēselues or that with so small help did ouercome those that were of so great force or that performed their enterprise with their only valiantnes wisedō were cause besides of so great blessing benefit to their contry as Pelopidas Thrasybulus attēpt was But the great chaūge alteracion of the state afterwards did make their actes farre more noble famous For the warre that ouerthrew the maiestie of SPARTA that tooke away al the seigniorie rule of the LACEDAEMONIANS bothe by sea by land beganne the very same night when Pelopidas him self making the twelut person entring into a priuate house taking nether citie nor castel nor stronger hold to tel truly by figuratiue speach did breake cut in sonder the linkes chaynes that lincked straight together strēgthened the LACEDAEMONIANS whole empire monarchie ouer al GREECE who vntil that presēt time were thought so strong as no possibilitie could breake or sonder them Now the LACEDAEMONIANS fortuning afterwards to inuade the cōtry of BOEOTIA with a mighty army the ATHENIANS trēbling for feare of their great power did vtterly leaue to protect thē renownced the league alliance they had made before with them And moreouer they did straightly prosecute law against those that were accused to take part with the BOEOTIANS wherof some of thē were put to death other were banished from ATHENS the rest condēned in great summes of money To be short euery man sayd the THEBANS were but vndone considering they had no help were beloued besides of none At that presēt time it fel out Pelopidas Gorgidas were generals ouer al BOEOTIA for that yere who deuising to throw a
in the turning of a hand spoyled and brought to nought For it is sayd that the riches and goodes taken away at the sacke of SYRACVSA were nothinge inferior to the spoyles of CARTHAGE which was also sacked not longe after that for the other parte of the city of SYRACVSA called ACRADINA was soone after also taken by treason and spoyled against the Captaines willes sauinge the kinges treasure which was reserued to be caried to the common treasure of ROME SYRACVSA beinge taken nothinge greued Marcellus more then the losse of Archimedes Who beinge in his studie when the citie was taken busily seekinge out by him selfe the demonstracion of some Geometricall proposition which he hadde drawen in figure and so earnestly occupied therein as he neither sawe nor hearde any noyse of enemies that ranne vppe and downe the citie and much lesse knewe it was taken He wondered when he sawe a souldier by him that bad him go with him to Marcellus Notwithstandinge he spake to the souldier and bad him tary vntill he had done his conclusion and brought it to demonstracion but the souldier being angry with his aunswer drew out his sword and killed him Other say that the ROMAINE souldier when he came offered the swords poynt to him to kill him and that Archimedes when he saw him prayed him to hold his hand a litle that he might not leaue the matter he looked for vnperfect without demonstracion But the souldier makinge no reckening of his speculation killed him presently It is reported a third way also sayinge that certeine souldiers met him in the streetes going to Marcellus carying certeine Mathematicall instrumentes in a litle pretie coffer as dialles for the sunne Sphaeres and Angles wherewith they measure the greatnesse of the body of the sunne by viewe and they supposing he hadde caried some golde or siluer or other pretious Iuells in that litle coffer slue him for it But it is most true that Marcellus was maruelous sorie for his death and euer after hated the villen that slue him as a cursed and execrable persone and howe he made also maruelous much afterwards of Archimedes kinsemen for his sake The ROMAINES were estemed of at that time by all nations for maruelous expert souldiers and taken for verie vallyant and daungerous men to be dealt with but they neuer shewed any example of their clemencie and curtesie and least of all of any ciuill manner to any straungers vntill Marcellus taught the way whose actes did shewe the GREECIANS then that the ROMAINES were more gratious and mercifull then they For he did so curteouslie intreate those that hadde to do with him and shewed such fauour to priuate persones and also to whole citties that if there were any crueltie shewed in the citties of ENNA or at MEGARES or against the SYRACVSANS it was rather through their owne fault and follie that were hurt then theirs that didde them the hurte And for profe hereof I will recite you one example onely amongest many There is a citie in SICILE called ENGYIVM it is no great thinge but a verie auncient citie of name by reason of the trafficke thither for that there are certeine goddesses to be seene whome they worship called the mothers Some say the CRETANS were the first builders and founders of the temple there where you shall see speares and helmets of copper and apon them are grauen the name of Meriones and apon others Vlysses name also which are consecrated to these goddesses This citie stoode altogether at the deuotion of the CARTHAGINIANS and Nicias beinge the chiefest man of the same was all he might against it and perswaded them openlie in all their counsailles to take parte with the ROMAINES prouinge it by many reasons that his enemies counsaylinge the contrarie were vnprofitable members of the common wealth Whereuppon Nicias enemies fearinge his greatnesse and authoritie they did conspyre amonge them selues to apprehende him and to deliuer him to the CARTHAGINIANS But Nicias hearinge of such a matter and findinge that they laye in wayte to take him vsed this pollicie to preuent their treason He gaue out openlie very ill speeches against the goddesses and did many things in derogation of their honor and sayd the sight of them which was a matter of great credit was but deuise and that there was no credit to be geuen to them These words tickled his enemies imagining that the common people would lay the mischiefe they pretended against him to him selfe as the only causes of his owne hurt So they hauinge appointed a day to apprehende him by chaunce a common counsaill was kept that day they hadde determined of where Nicias speaking to the people about matter of counsaill in the middest of his oration fell to the grounde to the great wonder of the whole assembly as euery man may coniecture Howbeit neuer a man sturred a prety while after he beganne to lift vppe his head a litle and to looke gastely about him with a faint trembling voyce which he still gathered higher and lowder by litle and litle vntill he sawe all the people wonderously afrayed and amazed that not one of them durst speake Then throwing his gowne from him and renting his coate he got vpon his feete halfe naked and ranne towardes the gate of the Theater cryinge out that the goddesses mothers did torment him and not a man durst once come neere him nor offer to stoppe him they were so supersticious and foolishly afrayed of the goddesses imagining it was some diuine punishment But by this meanes he easily got to the gates of the city and fled from them all and he was neuer seene after that time to do or speake like a madde man in any thing His wife that was made priuy to his deuise and furthered his intent went first and fell downe on her knees before the goddesses mothers in their temple as she had hartily prayed vnto them faining afterwards she would go seeke her husbande that ranne vp and downe the fieldes like a madde man she went out of the city with her litle children and no body troubled her Thus did they escape without daunger and went vnto Marcellus to SYRACVSA The ENGIENIANS afterwards played such insolent partes that Marcellus in the ende went thither and caused them all to be taken and bounde as though he woulde haue put them to execution But Nicias came to him with the teares in his eyes and embracing his knees and kissinge his handes besought him to take pitie of his poore citizens beginning first with those that were his greatest enemies This good nature of Nicias so pacified Marcellus wrath that he pardoned them all did no hurt to the city and gaue Nicias certeine land besides many other rich giftes he bestowed apon him Thus it is reported in the history of Posidonius the Philosopher Now Marcellus being sent for home by the ROMANES bicause they had warres in their owne contrie and euen at ROME gates he departed out of
in gouernment First bicause he woulde do no man wrong with pleasuring his frendes nor yet would anger them by denying their requestes Secondly bicause he saw many rulers and men of authority bolde to do iniustice and manifest wrong bearinge them selues apon their frendes but he caried this opinion that no honest man or good citizen shoulde trust to any bolstring of frendes but to his owne iust and vpright doings Notwithstanding Aristides perceiuinge that Themistocles did rashly alter many thinges and euer encountered all his wayes and hindered his doings he was enforced somtime to crosse Themistocles againe to speake against that he preferred partely to be euen with him but most to hinder his credit and authority which increased still through the peoples fauor and goodwilles towardes him thinking it better by contrarying him a litle to disapoint sometime a thing that might haue fallen out well for the common wealth rather then by geuing him the head to suffer him to grow to great To conclude it fortuned on a time that Themistocles hauing preferred a matter very profitable for the common wealth Aristides was so much against it as Themistocles purpose tooke no place Moreouer Aristides was so earnest against him that when the counsaill brake vp after Themistocles motion was reiected he spake it openly before them all that the common wealth of ATHENS would neuer prosper vntill they both were laid in Barathrum which was a prison or hole wherein they put all theeues and condemned men An other time Aristides moued a matter to the people which diuerse were against but yet it went with him And when the iudge or president of the counsaill did put it to the people to knowe their allowance of it Aristides perceiuing by the argumentes made against it that the matter he preferred was hurtfull to the common wealth he gaue it ouer and would not haue it passe Many times also Aristides spake by other men when he would haue a thing go forward for feare least Themistocles spight towardes him woulde hinder the benefitte of the common wealth They founde him very constant and resolute in matters of state whatsouer happened which wanne him great commēdacion For he was neuer the prouder for any honor they gaue him nor thought him selfe disgraced for any ouerthrow he receiued being alwayes of this minde that it was the duety of an honest citizen to be euer ready to offer his body and life to doe his contry seruice without respect and hope of reward of money or for honor and glory Therefore when certeine verses were repeated in the Theater of one of the tragedies of AEschilus made in commendacion of the auncient Soothsayer Amphiaraus to this effect He vvill not only seeme a iust man by his face but iust indede he vvill be founde and vertue still embrace VVith all his thought and soule from vvhence there may procede graue counsells for to beavvtifie his contries crovvne in dede All the people straight cast their eyes vpon Aristides as vppon him that in troth aboue all other most deserued the praise of so great a vertue For he was so stoute and resolute not only to resist fauor and frendshippe but to reiect hate and anger also For in case of iustice neither coulde frendshippe make him go away for his frendes sake nor enuy coulde moue him to do iniustice to his very enemy For proofe hereof it is wrytten that he had an enemie of his in sute of law did prosecute it to iudgement insomuch as after the plaint was red the iudges were so angrie with the offendor that without any more hearinge of him they woulde haue geuen sentence against him But Aristides rising from his place went kneeled at the iudges feete with the offendor his enemy and besought them to geue him leaue to speake to iustifie and defende his cause according to the course of the law An other time he being iudge betwene two priuate men that pleaded before him one of them sayd vnto him Aristides this fellow mine aduersary here hath done you great iniurie My frende quod Aristides againe I pray thee tell me onely the iniury he hath done thee for I am iudge here to do thee right and not my selfe Moreouer he beinge chosen high treasorer of all the reuenues of ATHENS did declare that all the officers before him and other his late predecessors hadde greatly robbed and spoyled the common treasure but specially Themistocles who was a wise man of great iudgement but yet somewhat light fingered Therefore when Aristides was to geue vppe his accompt Themistocles and many other suborned by him were against him and accused him for abusing his office and followed him so hard that through their practise they condemned him as Idomeneus wryteth Yet the noblest citizens seeing what iniury they offered Aristides tooke his cause in hande and founde meanes to procure the people not onely to release the fine imposed vpon him but to restore him againe to his office of high treasorer for the yeare following in the which he seemed to repent his former straightnes and gouernment the yere before and so dealt more fauorably with those he hadde to do and would not examine euery thing so straightly as he did before Whereupon such as were theeues and stealers of the treasure of the common wealth did maruelously praise and like him and became suters for him to continew in the office But when the day of election came that the ATHENIANS woulde choose him againe Aristides selfe reproued them and sayd When I faithfully discharged the duety of mine office committed to me by you I then receiued shame and reproche at your handes and now that I haue dissembled not seeminge to see the theftes and robberies done apon your treasure ye claw me and say I am an honest man and a good citizen But I would you knew it and I tell you plainely I am more ashamed of the honor you do me now then I was of the fine you did set apon me when you condemned me the last yeare and I am sorie to speake it that you shoulde thinke it more commendation to pleasure the wicked then to preserue the common wealth After he had spoken these words and had bewrayed the common theftes the officers of the city did commit he stopped the theeues mouthes that so highly praised and commended him for so honest a man but yet of the noble and honest citizens he was much commended Furthermore on a time when Dathis Lieutenant to Darius king of PERSIA was come with all his nauy to go a lande about MARATHON in the contrie of ATTICA apon pretence as he sayd to be reuenged onely of the ATHENIANS that had burnt the city of SARDIS but in dede of minde to conquer all GREECE and to destroy the whole contrie before him the ATHENIANS chose tenne Captaines to go to the warres amonge whom Miltiades was the chiefest man of authority But
maruelous plaine man without pride and of a good nature Then they tolde him what notable wise sayinges and graue sentences they heard him speake Valerius Flaccus hearing this reporte of him willed his men one day to pray him to come to supper to him Who falling in acquaintance with Cato and perceiuing he was of a very good nature and wel giuen that he was a good griffe to be set in a better ground he perswaded him to come to ROME and to practise there in the assembly of the people in the common causes and affayres of the common weale Cato followed his counsail who hauing bene no long practiser among them did grow straight into great estimacion and wanne him many frends by reason of the causes he tooke in hand to defend and was the better preferred and taken also by meanes of the speciall fauour and countenaunce Valerius Flaccus gaue him For first of all by voyce of the people he was chosen Tribune of the souldiers to say colonell of a thousand footemen afterwards was made treasorer and so went forwards and grew to so great credit authority as he became Valerius Flaccus cōpanion in the chiefest offices of state being chosen Consul with him then Censor But to begin withal Cato made choise of Quintus Fabius Maximus aboue all the Senators of ROME gaue him selfe to follow him altogether not so much for the credit estimacion Fabius Maximus was of who therein exceded all the ROMAINES of that time as for the modesty and discrete gouernment he sawe in him whome he determined to followe as a worthy myrror and example At which time Cato passed not for the malice and euil will of Scipio the great who did striue at that present being but a young man with the authoritie and greatnesse of Fabius Maximus as one that seemed to enuy his risinge and greatnesse For Cato being sent treasorer with Scipio when he vndertooke the iorney into AFRIKE and perceiuing Scipioes bountifull nature and disposition to large giftes without meane to the souldiers he tolde him plainly one day that he did not so much hurt the common wealth in wasting their treasure as he did great harme in chaūging the auncient maner of their auncesters who vsed their souldiers to be contented with litle but he taught them to spende their superfluous money all necessaries prouided for in vaine toyes and trifles to serue their pleasure Scipio made him aunswere he woulde haue no treasorer shoulde controll him in that sorte nor that should looke so narrowly to his expences for his intent was to go to the wars with full sayles as it were and that he woulde and did also determine to make the state priuie to all his doinges but not to the money he spent Cato hearing this aunswer returned with spede out of SICILE vnto ROME crying out with Fabius Maximus in open Senate that Scipio spent infinitely and that he tended playes commedies and wrestlinges as if he had not bene sent to make warres inuasions and attemptes apon their enemies Apon this complaint the Senate appointed certeine Tribunes of the people to goe and see if their informations were true and finding them so that they should bring him backe againe to ROME But Scipio shewed farre otherwise to the commissioners that came thither and made them see apparaunt victorie through the necessary preparacion and prouision he had made for the warres and he confessed also that when he had dispatched his great businesse and was at any leasure he would be priuately mery with his frends and though he was liberall to his souldiers yet that made him not negligent of his duety and charge in any matter of importance So Scipio tooke shippinge and sayled towards AFRIKE whether he was sent to make warre Now to returne to Cato He daily increased still in authority and credit by meanes of his eloquence so that diuerse called him the Demosthenes of ROME howbeit the maner of his life was in more estimacion then his eloquence For all the youth of ROME did seeke to attaine to his eloquence and commendacion of wordes and one enuied an other which of them should come nearest but few of them woulde fyle their handes with any labor as their forefathers did and make a light supper and dinner without fire or prouision or woulde be content with a meane gowne and a poore lodging finally woulde thinke it more honorable to defye fansies pleasures then to haue and enioy them Bicause the state was waxen now of such power wealth as it could no more retaine the auncient discipline and former austeritie and straitnes of life it vsed but by reason of the largenes of their dominion and seigniory and the numbers of people and nations that were become their subiects it was euen forced to receiue a medley of sundry contry facions examples and maners This was a cause why in reason men did so greatly wonder at Catoes vertue when they sawe other straight wearyed with paines and labor tenderly brought vp like pulers and Cato on the other side neuer ouercommen either with the one or with the other no not in his youth when he most coueted honor nor in his age also when he was gray headed and balde after his Consullship and triumphe but like a conqueror that had gotten the maistery he would neuer geue ouer labor euen vnto his dying day For he writeth him selfe that there neuer came gowne on his backe that cost him aboue a hundred pence that his hyndes and worke men alwayes dronke no worse wine when he was Consull and generall of the armie then he did him selfe and that his cater neuer bestowed in meate for his supper aboue thirty Asses of ROMAINE money and yet he sayed it was bicause he might be the stronger and apter to do seruice in the warres for his contry and the common wealth He sayd furthermore that being heire to one of his frends that dyed he had a peece of tapestry by him with a deepe border which they called then the babilonian border and he caused it straight to be solde and that of all his houses he had abroade in the contry he had not one wall-plastered nor rough cast Moreouer he would say he neuer bought bondeman or slaue dearer then a thowsande fiue hundred pence as one that sought not for fine made men and goodly personages but strong fellowes that could away with paynes as carters horsekepers neatheardes and such like and againe he woulde sell them when they were olde bicause he would not keepe them when they coulde do no seruice To conclude he was of opinion that a manne bought any thinge deere that was for litle purpose yea though he gaue but a farthing for it he thought it to much to bestow so litle for that which needed not He would haue men purchase houses that hadde more store of errable lande and pasture then of fine orteyardes or gardeins
this young maide went somewhat boldly by the chamber of young Cato to go into his father the young man sayd neuer a word at it yet his father perceiued that he was somewhat ashamed and gaue the maide no good countenaunce Wherefore findinge that his sonne and daughter in lawe were angry with the matter sayinge nothinge to them of it nor shewinge them any ill countenaunce he went one morninge to the market place as his maner was with a traine that followed him amongest whome was one Salonius that had bene his clearke and wayted vpon him as the rest did Cato calling him out alowde by his name asked him if he hadde not yet bestowed his daughter Salonius aunswered him he had not yet bestowed her nor woulde not before he made him priuie to it Then Cato tolde him againe I haue founde out a husbande for her and a sonne in lawe for thee and it will be no ill matche for her vnlesse she mislike the age of the man for in deede he is very olde but otherwise there is no faulte in him Salonius tolde him againe that for that matter he referred all to him and his daughter also prayinge him euen to make what matche he thought good for her for she was his humble seruaunt and relyed wholly vppon him standinge in neede of his fauor and furtheraunce Then Cato beganne to discouer and tolde him plainely he woulde willingely mary her him selfe Salonius therewith was abashed bicause he thought Cato was too olde to mary then and him selfe was no fitte manne to matche in any honorable house speciallie with a Consull and one that hadde triumped howebeit in the ende when he sawe Cato ment good earnest he was very glad of the matche and so with this talke they went on together to the markette place and agreed then vpon the mariage Now while they went about this matter Cato the sonne taking some of his kinne and frendes with him went vnto his father to aske him if he had offended him in any thinge that for spight he shoulde bringe him a steppe mother into his house Then his father cried out sayd O my sonne I pray thee say not so I like well all thou doest and I finde no cause to complaine of thee but I do it bicause I desire to haue many children and to leaue many such like citizens as thou art in the common wealth Some say that Pisistratus the tyran of ATHENS made such a like aunswere vnto the children of his first wife which were men growen when he maried his seconde wife Timonassa of the towne of ARGOS of whom he had as it is reported Iophon and Thessalus But to returne againe to Cato he had a sonne by his second wife whom he named after her name Cato SALONIAN and his eldest sonne died in his office beinge Praetor of whome he often speaketh in diuerse of his bookes commendinge him for a very honest man And they say he tooke the death of him very paciently and like a graue wise man not leauing therefore to do any seruice or businesse for the state otherwise then he did before And therein he did not as Lucius Lucullus Metellus surnamed Pius did afterwards who gaue vp medling any more with matters of gouernment and state after they were waxen olde For he thought it a charge and duety wherevnto euery honest man whilest he liued was bounde in all piety Nor as Scipio AFRICAN hadde done before him who perceiuing that the glory fame of his doings did purchase him the ill will of the citizens he chaunged the rest of his life into quietnes and forsooke the citie and all dealings in common wealth and went dwelt in the contry But as there was one that told Dionysius the tyran of SYRACVSA as it is wrytten that he could not die more honorably then to be buried in the tyranny euen so did Cato thinke that he could not waxe more honestlie olde then in seruing of the common wealth vnto his dying day So at vacant times when Cato was desirous a litle to recreate and refresh him selfe he passed his time away in makinge of bookes and lookinge vppon his husbandry in the contry This is the cause why he wrote so many kindes of bookes and stories But his tillage and husbandry in the contry he did tende and followe all in his youth for his profit For he sayed he had but two sortes of reuenue tillage and sparinge but in age whatsoeuer he did in the contry it was all for pleasure and to learne some thinge euer of nature For he hath wrytten a booke of the contry life and of tillage in the which he sheweth howe to make tartes and cakes and how to keepe frutes He woulde needes shew such singularity and skill in all thinges when he was in his house in the contry he fared a litle better then he did in other places and would oftentimes bid his neighbours and such as had lande lying about him to come and suppe with him and he would be mery with them so that his company was not onely pleasaunt and likinge to olde folkes as him selfe but also to the younger sorte For he had seene much and had experience in many thinges and vsed much pleasaunt talke profitable for the hearers He thought the bord one of the chiefest meanes to breede loue amongest men and at his owne table woulde alwayes praise good men and vertuous citizens but would suffer no talke of euill men neither in their praise nor dispraise Now it is thought the last notable acte and seruice he did in the common wealth was the ouerthrow of CARTHAGE for in deede he that wanne it and rased it vtterly was Scipio the seconde but it was chiefely through Catoes counsell and aduise that the last warre was taken in hand against the CARTHAGINIANS and it chaunced apon this occasion Cato was sent into AFRICKE to vnderstande the cause and controuersie that was betwene the CARTHAGINIANS and Massinissa kinge of NVMIDIA which were at great warres together And he was sent thither bicause king Massinissa had euer bene a frend vnto the ROMAINES and for that the CARTHAGINIANS were become their confederates since the last warres in the which they were ouerthrowen by Scipio the first who tooke for a fyne of them a great parte of their Empire and imposed apon them besides a great yearely tribute Now when he was come into that contrie he founde not the citie of CARTHAGE in miserie beggerie and out of harte as the ROMAINES supposed but full of lusty youthes very riche and wealthie and great store of armour and munition in it for the warres so that by reason of the wealth thereof CARTHAGE caried a high sayle and stowped not for a litle Wherefore he thought that it was more then time for the ROMAINES to leaue to vnderstande the controuersies betwext the CARTHAGINIANS and Massinissa and rather to prouide betimes to destroye CARTHAGE that hadde beene euer an
caused thē to be taken which afterwards were put to death with all kind of tormēts That done they burnt Philopoemenes body and did put his ashes into a pot Then they straight departed from MESSINA not in disorder one apon an others necke as euery man listed but in such an order and ray that in the middest of these funeralles they did make a triumphe of victorie For the souldiers were all crowned with garlandes of lawrell in token of victory notwithstanding the teares ranne downe their cheekes in token of sorowe and they led their enemies prisoners shackled and chained The funerall pot in the which were Philopoemenes ashes was so couered with garlandes of flowers nosegaies and laces that it could scant be seene or discerned and was caried by one Polybius a young man the sonne of Lycortas that was Generall at that time to the ACHAIANS about whom there marched all the noblest and chiefest of the ACHAIANS and after them also followed all the souldiers armed and their horses very well furnished The rest they were not so sorowfull in their countenance as they are commonly which haue great cause of sorow nor yet so ioyful as those that came conquerers from so great a victory Those of the cities townes and villages in their way as they past came and presented them selues vnto them to touche the funerall pot of his ashes euen as they were wont to take him by the hande and to make much of him when he was returned from the warres and did accompany his conuoy vnto the city of MEGALIPOLIS At the gates whereof were olde men women and children which thrustinge them selues amongest the souldiers did renewe the teares sorowes and lamentacions of all the miserable and vnfortunate city who tooke it that they had lost with their citizen the first and chiefest place of honor among the ACHAIANS So he was buried very honorably as appertained vnto him and the other prisoners of MESSINA were all stoned to death about his sepulchre All the other cities of ACHAIA besides many other honors they did vnto him did set vp statues and as like to him as could be counterfeated Afterwards in the vnfortunate time of GREECE when the city of CORINTHE was burnt and destroied by the ROMAINES there was a malicious ROMAINE that did what he could to haue the same pulled downe againe by burdening accusing Philopoemen as if he had bene aliue that he was alwaies enemy to the ROMAINES and enuied much their prosperity and victories But after Polybius had aunswered him neither the Consul Mummius nor his counsellers nor lieutenaunts would suffer them to deface take away the honors done in memory of so famous worthy a mā although he had many waies done much hurt vnto Titus Quintius Flaminius vnto Manius So these good men then made a differēce betwene duety profit did thinke honesty profit two distinct things and so separated one from the other according to reason and iustice Moreouer they were perswaded that like as men receiue curtesie and goodnes of any so are they bound to require them againe with kindenes and duety And as men vse to acknowledge the same euen so ought men to honor and reuerence vertue And thus much for the life of Philopoemen The ende of Philopoemenes life THE LIFE OF Titus Quintius Flaminius IT is easie to see Titus Quintius Flaminius forme and stature by Philopoemenes statue of brasse to whome we compare him the which is now set vppe at ROME neere to great Apollo that was brought from CARTHAGE and is placed right against the comming in to the show place vnder which there is an inscription in Greeke letters But for his nature and conditions they say of him thus he would quickely be angry and yet very ready to pleasure men againe For if he did punish any man that had angered him he would do it gently but his anger did not long continew with him He did good also to many and euer loued them whom he had once pleasured as if they had done him some pleasure was ready to do for them still whom he founde thankefull bicause he would euer make them beholding to him and thought that as honorable a thinge as he could purchase to him selfe Bicause he greatly sought honor aboue all thinges when any notable seruice was to be done he would do it him selfe and no man should take it out of his hand He would euer be rather with them that needed his helpe then with those that could helpe him or do him good For the first he esteemed as a meane to exercise his vertue with the other he tooke them as his fellowes and followers of honor with him He came to mans state when the citie of ROME had greatest warres and trouble At that time all the youth of ROME which were of age to cary weapon were sent to the warres to learne to traile the pyke and how to become good Captaines Thus was he entred into marshall affaires and the first charge he tooke was in the warre against Hanniball of CARTHAGE where he was made Colonell of a thousande footemen vnder Martellus the consull who being slaine by an ambush Hanniball had layed for him betwene the cities of BANOIA and VENVSA then they did choose Titus Quintius Flaminius gouernor of the prouince and city of TARENTVM which was now taken againe the seconde time In this gouernment of his he wanne the reputacion as much of a good and iust man as he did of an expert and skilfull Captaine By reason whereof when the ROMAINES were requested to send men to inhabite the cities of NARNIA COSSA he was appointed the chiefe leader of them which chiefely gaue him hart and corage to aspire at the first to the Consulshippe passinge ouer all other meane offices as to be AEdile Tribune or Praetor by which as by degrees other younge men were wont to attaine the Consulshippe Therefore when the time came that the Consulls should be elected he did present him selfe amonge other accompanied with a great number of those he hadde brought with him to inhabite the two newe townes who did make earnest sute for him But the two Tribunes Fuluius and Manlius spake against him and sayed it was out of all reason that so younge a man should in such manner prease to haue the office of the highest dignitie against the vse and custome of ROME before he hadde passed through the inferior offices of the commonwealth Neuertheless the Senate preferred it wholly to the voyces of the people who presently pronounced him Consull openly with Sextius AElius although he was not yet thirtie yeare olde Afterwardes AElius and he deuidinge the offices of the state by lotte it fell apon T. Quintius to make warre with Philip kinge of MACEDON In the which me thinkes fortune greatly fauored the ROMAINES affaires that made such a man Generall of these warres for to haue pointed a Generall that by force and violence woulde haue
imposition which the straungers inhabiting within the citie of ATHENS were to pay he rescued him from them by force and moreouer prosecuted law so hard against them that he made them pay a fyne for the iniury they had done vnto so worthy a person And they tell how the same Philosopher afterwardes meeting Lycurgus children in the city sayed vnto them I doe wel requite your fathers good turne he did me for I am the cause that he is praised and commended of euery man for the kindenesse he shewed on my behalfe So the good deedes of the ROMAINES and of Titus Quintius Flaminius vnto the GREECIANS did not only reape this benefit vnto them in recompence that they were praised and honored of all the worlde but they were cause also of increasinge their dominions and Empire ouer all nations and that the worlde afterwardes had great affiance and trust in them and that most iustly So that the people and cities did not onely receiue the Captaines and gouernors the ROMAINES sent them but they also went to ROME vnto them and procured them to come and did put them selues into their handes And not only the cities and communalties but kings princes also which were oppressed by other more mighty than them selues had no other refuge but to put them selues vnder their protection by reason whereof in a very shorte time with the fauor and helpe of the goddes as I am perswaded all the world came to submit them selues to their obedience and vnder the protection of their Empire Titus also did glory more that he had restored GREECE againe vnto liberty then in any other seruice or exployte he had euer done For when he offered vp vnto the temple of Apollo in the citie of DELPHES the targets of siluer with his owne shielde he made these verses to be grauen vpon them in effect as followeth O noble tvvynnes Tyndarides Dan loue his children deare Throvv out lovvde shovtes of ioy and mirth reioyce and make good cheare O noble kings of Spartan soyle vvhich take delight to ryde Your trampling steedes vvith fomy byt and trappings by their side Reioyce you novv for Titus he the valliant Romaine knight These giftes so great to you hath got euen by his force and might That hauing taken cleane avvay from of the Greekishe neckes The heauy yoke of seruitude vvhich held them thrall to checkes Vnto their former liberty he hath restorde them free VVhich altogether perisht vvas as men might plainely see He gaue a crowne of massie gold vnto Apollo vppon the which he made this inscription to be wrytten A valliant Romaine knight euen Titus by his name A captaine vvorthy by desert of high renovvne and fame To thee Apollo god this crovvne of pure fine golde Hath geuen thy godhead to adorne vvith iuells manifolde Therefore let it thee please Apollo god of grace VVith fauor to requite this loue to him and to his race That his renovvmed fame and vertue may be spred And blased through the vvorlde so vvide to shevv vvhat life he led So hath the city of CORINTHE enioyed this good happe that the GREECIANS haue bene twise proclaimed to be set at liberty the first time by Titus Quintius Flaminius and the second time by Nero in our time and at the selfe same instant when they solemnly kept the feast called Isthmia Howebeit the first proclamation of their liberty as we haue tolde ye before was done by the voyce of a herauld and the seconde time it was done by Nero him selfe who proclaimed it in an oration he made vnto the people in open assembly in the market place of the city of CORINTHE But it was a longe time after Furthermore Titus beganne then a goodly and iust warre against Nabis the cursed and wicked tyran of LACEDAEMON Howebeit in the ende he deceaued the expectation of GREECE For when he might haue taken him he would not doe it but made peace with him forsakinge poore SPARTA vnworthily oppressed vnder the yoke of bondage either bicause he was afrayed that if the warre helde on there shoulde come a successor vnto him from ROME that should cary the glory away to ende the same or else he stoode Iealous and enuious of the honor they did vnto Philopoemen Who hauing shewed him selfe in euery place as excellent a Captaine as euer came in GREECE and hauinge done notable actes and famous seruice both of great wisedome and also of valliantnesse and specially in the ACHAIANS warre he was as much honored reuerenced of the ACHAIANS in the Theaters and common assemblies euen as Titus was Whereat Titus was maruelously offended for he thought it vnreasonable that an ARCADIAN who had neuer bene generall of an army but in small litle warres against his neighbours should be as much esteemed and honored as a Consull of ROME that was come to make warres for the recouery of the libertie of GREECE But Titus alleaged reasonable excuse for his doinges saying that he saw very well he coulde not destroy this tyran Nabis without the great losse and misery of the other SPARTANS Furthermore of all the honors the ACHAIANS euer did him which were very great me thinkes there was none that came neere any recompence of his honorable and well deseruing but one onely present they offered him and which he aboue all the rest most esteemed and this it was Duringe the seconde warres of AFRICEE which the ROMAINES had against Hanniball many ROMAINES were taken prisoners in the sundry battells they lost and beinge solde here and there remained slaues in many contries and amongest other there were dispersed in GREECE to the number of twelue hundred which from time to time did moue men with pitie and compassion towardes them that saw them in so miserable chaunge and state of fortune But then much more was their miserie to be pitied when these captiues found in the ROMAINES army some of them their sonnes other their brethren and the rest their fellowes and frendes free and conquerours and them selues slaues and bondemen It grieued Titus much to see these poore men in such miserable captiuity notwithstanding he would not take them by force from those that had them Whereupon the ACHAIANS redeemed and bought them for fiue hundred pence a man and hauinge gathered them together into a troupe they presented all the ROMAINE captiues vnto Titus euen as he was ready to take ship to returne into ITALIE which present made him returne home with greater ioy and contentacion hauing receiued for his noble deedes so honorable a recompence and worthy of him selfe that was so louing a man to his citizens and contry And surely that onely was the ornament in my opinion that did most beautifie his triumphe For these poore redeemed captiues did that which the slaues are wont to doe on that day when they be set at liberty to witte they shaue their heades and doe weare litle hattes apon them The ROMAINES that were thus redeemed did
in like maner and so followed Titus charret on the day of his triumphe and entrie made into ROME in the triumphing manner It was a goodly sight also to see the spoyles of the enemies which were caried in the show of this triumphe as store of helmets after the GREECIANS facion heapes of targets shieldes and pykes after the MACEDONIAN manner with a wonderfull summe of gold and siluer For Itanus the historiographer writeth that there was brought a maruelous great masse of treasure in niggots of golde of three thousand seuen hundred and thirteene pounde weight and of siluer of forty three thousande two hundred three score and tenne pound weight and of gold ready coyned in peeces called Philips foureteene thousand fiue hundred and foureteene besides the thousand talents king Philip should pay for a raunsome The which summe the ROMAINES afterwardes forgaue him chiefly at Titus sute and intercession who procured that grace for him and caused him to be called a frend and confederate of the people of ROME and his sonne Demetrius to be sent vnto him againe who remained before as an hostage at ROME Shortely after king Antiochus went out of ASIA into GREECE with a great fleete of shippes and a very puisant army to stirre vp the cities to forsake their league and allyance with the ROMAINES and to make a dissention amongest them To further this his desire and enterprise the AETOLIANS did aide and backe him which of long time had borne great and secrete malice against the ROMAINES and desired much to haue had warres with them So they taught king Antiochus to say that the warre which he tooke in hande was to set the GREECIANS at liberty whereof they had no neede bicause they did already enioy their liberty but for that they had no iust cause to make warre they taught him to cloke it the honestest way he coulde Wherefore the ROMAINES fearinge greatly the rising of the people the rumor of the power of this great king they sent thither Manius Acilius their generall and Titus one of his Lieutenaunts for the GREECIANS sakes Which arriuall did the more assure them that already bare good will to the ROMAINES after they had once seene Manius and Titus and the rest that beganne to flie out and to shrinke from them those Titus kept in obedience from starting remembringe them of the frendship and good will they had borne him euen like a good skilfull phisitian that coulde geue his pacient phisicke to preserue him from a contageous disease In deede there were some but fewe of them that left him which were won and corrupted before by the AETOLIANS and though he had iust cause of offence towardes them yet he saued them after the battell For king Antiochus being ouercome in the contry of THERMOPYLES fled his way and in great hast tooke the sea to returne into ASIA And the Consull Manius following his victory entred into the contry of the AETOLIANS where he tooke certaine townes by force and left the other for a pray vnto kinge Philip. So Philip kinge of MACEDON on the one side spoyled and sacked the DOLOPIANS the MAGNESIANS the ATHAMANIANS and the APERANTINES and the Consull Manius on the other side destroyed the city of HERACLEA and layed siege to the citie of NAVPACTVN which the AETOLIANS kept But Titus takinge compassion of them to see the poore people of GREECE thus spoiled and turned out of all went out of PELOPONNESVS where he was then vnto Manius Acilius campe and there reproued him for suffering king Philip to vsurpe the benefit and reward of his honorable victory still conqueringe many people kings and contries whilest he continued siege before a city and only to wreake his anger vpon them Afterwardes when they that were besieged saw Titus from their walles they called him by his name and helde vp their handes vnto him prayinge him he would take pitie vpon them but he gaue them neuer a word at that time and turning his backe vnto them he fell a weeping Afterwards he spake with Manius and appeasing his anger got him to graunt the AETOLIANS truce for certaine dayes in which time they might sende Ambassadors to ROME to see if they could obtaine grace and pardon of the Senate But the most trouble and difficulty he had was to intreate for the CHALCIDIANS with whome the Consull Manius was more grieuously offended then with all the rest bicause that kinge Antiochus after the warres was begonne had maried his wife in their citie when he was past yeares of mariage and out of all due time For he was now very olde and beinge in his extreame age and in the middest of his warres he fell in dotage with a yoūg gentlewoman the daughter of Cleoptolemus the fayrest woman that was at that time in all GREECE Therefore the CHALCIDIANS were much affected vnto king Antiochus and did put their city into his handes to serue him in this warre for a strong safe retyring place Wherupō whē Antiochus had lost the battel he came thither with all possible speede and takinge from thence with him his passinge fayer younge Queene which he had maried and his golde his siluer and frendes he tooke the seaes incontinently and returned into ASIA For this cause the Consull Manius hauing wonne the battell did marche straight with his army towardes the citie of CHALCID◠in a greate rage and fury But Titus that followed him did alwayes lye vppon him to pacifie his anger and did so much intreate him together with the other ROMAINES of state and authoritie in counsell that in the ende he gotte him to pardone them of CHALCIDE also Who bicause they were preserued from perill by his meanes they to recompence this fact of his did consecrate vnto him all their most stately and sumptuous buildinges and common workes in their citie as appeareth yet by the superscriptions remaininge to be seene at this day As in the show place of exercises The people of CHALCIDE did dedicate this show place of exercises vnto Titus Hercules And in the temple called Delphinium The people of CHALCIDE did consecrate this temple vnto Titus and vnto Apollo And furthermore vnto this present time there is a priest chosen by the voyce of the people purposely to do sacrifice vnto Titus in which sacrifice after that the thing sacrificed is offered vp and wine powred apon it the people standing by do sing a song of triumphe made in praise of him But bicause it were to long to wryte it all out we haue only drawen in briefe the latter end of the same and this it is The cleare vnspotted faith of Romaines vve adore And vovv to be their faithfull frendes both novv and euer more Sing out you Muses nyne to loues eternall fame Sing out the honor due to Rome and Titus vvorthy name Sing out I say the praise of Titus and his faith By vvhom you haue preserued bene from ruine dole and death Now the
the discipline of the warres and order of battell in the which his souldiers had longe before bene trained Whereas Philopoemen brought into his contry both the one and the other and altered all the order which before they were accustomed vnto So that the chiefest point how to winne a battell was found out a new and brought in by the one into a place where it was neuer before and onely employed by the other which could very good skill to vse it and had founde it out already before Againe touching the valliant actes done in the person of them selues many notable actes may be told of Philopoemen but none of Titus but rather to the contrary For there was one Archedâ—mus an AETOLIAN who flowtinge Titus one day sayd in his reproche that at a day of battell when Philopoemen ranne with his sword in his hande to that side where he saw the MACEDONIANS fighting making hed against the enemy Titus held vp his hands vnto heauen and was busie at his prayers to the gods not stirring one foote when it was more time to handle the sword to sight of all handes All the goodly deedes Titus euer did were done alwaies as a Consul or Lieutenant or a Magistrate whereas Philopoemen shewed him selfe vnto the ACHAIANS a man no lesse valliant and of execution being out of office then when he was a Generall For when he was a Generall he did driue Nabis the tyran of the LACEDAEMONIANS out of MESSINA and deliuered the MASSENIANS out of bondage and being a priuate man he shut the gates of the city of SPARTA in the face of Diophanes Generall of the ACHAIANS and of Titus Quintius Flaminius and kept them both from comminge in and thereby saued the city from sacking Thus being borne to commaunde he knew not only how to commaunde according to the law but could commaund the law it selfe apon necessity when the common wealth required it For at such a time he would not tary while the Magistrates which should gouerne him did geue him authority to commaund but he tooke it of him selfe and vsed them when the time serued esteeming him in deede their Generall that knew better then they what was to be done then him whom they chose of them selues And therefore they doe well that doe commende Titus actes for his clemency and curtesie vsed to the GREECIANS but much more the noble and valliant actes of Philopoemen vnto the ROMAINES For it is much easier to pleasure and gratifie the weake then it is to hurt and resist the strong Therefore â—ithence we haue throughly examined and compared the one with the other it is very harde to iudge altogether the difference that is betwene them Peraduenture therefore the iudgement woulde not seeme very ill if we doe geue the GREECIAN for discipline of warre the preheminence and praise of a good Captaine and to the ROMAINE for iustice and clemency the name and dignity of a most iust and curteous gentleman The ende of Titus Quintius Flaminius life THE LIFE OF Pyrrus IT is writteÌ„ that since Noes floud the first king of the THESPROTIANS and of the MOLOSSIANS was Phaëton one of those who came with Pelasgus into the realme of EPIRVS But some say otherwise that Deucalion and his wife Pyrra remained there after they had built and founded the temple of Dodone in the contry of the MOLOSSIANS But howsoeuer it was a great while after that Neoptolemus the sonne of Achilles bringing thither a great number of people with him conquered the contry and after him left a succession of kinges which were called after his name the Pyrrides bicause that from his infancy he was surnamed Pyrrus as much to say as redde and one of his legittimate sonnes whom he had by Lanassa the daughter of Cleodes the sonne of Hillus was also named by him Pyrrus And this is the cause why Achilles is honored as a god in EPIRVS beinge called in their language Aspetos that is to say mighty or very great But from the first kinges of that race vntill the time of Tharrytas there is no memory nor mencion made of them nor of their power that raigned in the meane time bicause they all became very barbarous and vtterly voyde of ciuility Tharrytas was in deede the first that beautified the cities of his contry with the GRECIAN tongue brought in ciuill lawes and customes and made his name famous to the posterity that followed This Tharrytas left a sonne called Alcetas of Alcetas came Arymbas of Arymbas and Troiade his wife came AEacides who maried Phthia the daughter of Menon THESSALIAN A famous man in the time of the warres surnamed Lamiacus and one that had farre greater authority then any other of the confederates after Leosthenes This AEacides had two daughters by his wife Phthia to say Deidamia and Troiade and one sonne called Pyrrus In his time the MOLOSSIANS rebelled draue him out of his kingdome put the crowne into the hands of the sonnes of Neoptolemus Whereupon all the frends of AEacides that could be taken were generally murdered and slaine outright Androclides Angelus in the meane time stale away Pyrrus being yet but a suckling babe whome his enemies neuerthelesse egerly sought for to haue destroyed and fled away with him as fast as possibly they might with few seruauntes his nurses and necessary women only to looke to the childe and giue it sucke by reason whereof their flight was much hindered so as they could go no great iorneys but that they might easily be ouertaken by them that followed For which cause they put the childe into the handes of Androclion Hippias and Neander three lusty young men whome they trusted with him and commaunded them to runne for life to a certaine citie of MACEDON called MEGARES and they them selues in the meane time partely by intreaty partely by force made stay of those that followed them till night So as with much a doe hauinge driuen them backe they ranne after them that caried the childe Pyrrus whom they ouertooke at sunne set And now wening they had bene safe and out of all daunger they found it cleane contrary For when they came to the riuer vnder the towne walles of MEGARES they saw it so rough and swift that it made them afrayed to beholde it and when they gaged the sorde they found it vnpossible to wade through it was so sore risen and troubled with the fall of the raine besides that the darkenesse of the night made euery thing seeme feareful vnto them So as they now that caried the child thought it not good to venter the passage ouer of them selues alone with the women that tended the childe but hearing certaine contrymen on the other side they prayed and besought them in the name of the goddes that they would helpe them to passe ouer the child showing Pyrrus vnto them a farre of But the contrymen by reason of the roaringe of the riuer vnderstoode them not
Thus they continued a longe space the one cryinge the other lystning yet could they not vnderstand one an other til at the last one of the company bethought him selfe to pill of a peece of the barke of an oke vpon that he wrote with the tongue of a buckle the hard fortune and necessity of the childe Which he tyed to a stone to geue it weight and so threw it ouer to the other side of the riuer other say that he did pricke the barke through with the point of a dart which he cast ouer The contrymen on the otherside of the riuer hauinge red what was wrytten and vnderstanding thereby the present daunger the childe was in felled downe trees in all the hast they could possibly bounde them together and so passed ouer the riuer And it fortune that the first man of them that passed ouer and tooke the child was called Achilles the residue of the contrymen passed ouer also and tooke the other that came with the childe and conueyed them ouer as they came first to hand And thus hauing escaped their haÌ„ds by easie iorneys they came at the length vnto Glaucias king of ILLYRIA whom they found in his house sitting by his wife and layed downe the childe in the middest of the flower before him The king hereuppon stayed a long time without vttering any one word waying with him selfe what was best to be done bicause of the feare he had of Cassander a mortall enemy of AEacides In the meane time the childe Pyrrus creeping of all foure tooke hold of the kinges gowne and scrawled vp by that and so got vp on his feete against the kings knees At the first the king laughed to see the childe but after it pitied him againe bicause the child seemed like an humble suter that came to seeke sanctuary in his armes Other say that Pyrrus came not to Glaucias but vnto the alter of the familiar gods alongest the which he got vp on his feete and embraced it with both his hands Which Glaucias imagining to be done by gods prouidence presently deliuered the childe to his wife gaue her the charge of him and willed her to see him brought vp with his owne Shortely after his enemies sent to demaunde the childe of him and moreouer Cassander caused two hundred talents to be offered him to deliuer the childe Pyrrus into his handes Howebeit Glaucias would neuer graunt thereunto but contrarily when Pyrrus was comen to twelue yeares olde brought him into his contry of EPIRVS with an army and stablished him king of the realme againe Pyrrus had a great maiesty in his countenaunce but yet in deede more fearefull then frendly He had also no teeth in his vpper iawe that stoode distinctly one from an other but one whole bone through out his gomme marked a litle at the top only with certaine riftes in the place where the teeth should be deuided Men helde opinion also that he did heale them that were sicke of the splene by sacrificinge a white cocke and touchinge the place of the splene on the left side of them that were sicke softely with his right foote they lying on their backes and there was not so poore nor simple a man that craued this remedy of him but he gaue it him and tooke the cocke he sacrificed for reward of the remedy which pleased him very well They say also that the great toe of his right foote had some secrete vertue in it For when he was dead and that they had burnt all partes of his body and consumed it to ashes his great toe was whole and had no hurt at all But of that we will wryte more hereafter Now when he was seuenteene yeares of age thinking him selfe sure enough of his kingdome it chaunced him to make a iorney into ILLYRIA where he maried one of Glaucias daughters with whom he had bene brought vp But this backe was no sooner turned but the MOLOSSIANS rebelled againe against him draue out his frends seruaunts and destroyed all his goods and yelded themselues vnto his aduersary Neoptolemus King Pyrrus hauing thus lost his kingdom seeing himself forsaken on all sides went to Demetrius Antigonus sonne that had maried his sister Deidamia who in her young age was assured to Alexander the sonne of Alexander the great and of Roxane and was called his wife But when all that race was brought to wicked ende Demetrius then maried her being come to full and able age And in that great battell which was striken neere to the citie of HIPSVS where all the kinges fought together Pyrrus being then but a young man and with Demetrius put them all to flight that fought with him and was worthely reputed for the valliantest prince amongest them all Furthermore when Demetrius was ouercome and had lost the battell Pyrrus neuer forsooke him but faithfully did keepe for him the cities of GREECE which he put into his hands And afterwards when peace was concluded betwixt Demetrius and Ptolomie Pyrrus was sent an ostage for Demetrius into the realme of AEGIPTE where he made Ptolomie know both in huntinge and in other exercises of his persone that he was very strong harde and able to endure any labor Furthermore perceiuing that Berenice amongest all king Ptolomies wiues was best beloued and esteemed of her husbande both for her vertue and wisedome he beganne to entertaine and honor her aboue all the rest For he was a man that could tell how to humble him selfe towardes the great by whom he might winne benefit and knewe also how to creepe into their credit and in like manner was he a great scorner and despiser of such as were his inferiors Moreouer for that he was found maruelous honorable and of fayer condicion he was preferred before all other young princes to be the husbande of Antigona the daughter of Queene Berenice whom she had by Philip before she was maried vnto Ptolomie From thenceforth growing through the allyance of that mariage more and more into estimacion and fauor by meanes of his wife Antigona who shewed her selfe very vertuous and louing towardes him he found meanes in the ende to get both men and money to returne againe into the realme of EPIRVS and to conquer it so was he then very well receiued of the people and the better for the malice they bare to Neoptolemus bicause he deâ—â— both hardly and cruelly with them That notwithstandinge Pyrrus fearinge least Neoptolemus would repaire vnto some of the other kings to seeke ayde against him thought good to make peace with him Whereupon it was agreed betwene them that they should both together be kinges of EPIRVS But in processe of time some of their men secretly made strife againe betwene them and set them at defyance one with an other and the chiefest cause as it is sayed that angered Pyrrus most grew apon this The kinges of EPIRVS had an auncient custome of great antiquity after
and lodged with him When night was come the LACEDAEMONIANS counselled together secretly determined to send away their wiues and litle children into CRETA But the women them selues were against it and there was one amonge them called Archidamia who went into the Senate house with a sword in her hand to speake vnto them in the name of all the rest and sayd that they did their wiues great wronge if they thought them so fainte harted as to liue after SPARTA were destroyed Afterwards it was agreed in counsell that they should cast a trenche before the enemies campe and that at both the endes of the same they should bury cartes in the ground vnto the middest of the wheeles to the end that being fast set in the ground they should stay the elephantes and kepe them from passing further And when they beganne to go in hand withall there came wives and maides vnto them some of them their clothes girte vp round about them and others all in their smockes to worke at this trenche with the old men aduising the young men that should fight the next morning to rest them selues in the meane while So the women tooke the third parte of the trenche to taske which was six cubittes broade foure cubits deepe and eight hundred foote long as Philarchus sayth or litle lesse as Hieronymus wryteth Then when the breake of day appeared the enemies remoued to come to the assault the women them selues fetched the weapons which they put into the young mens hands and deliuered them the taske of the trenche ready made which they before had vndertaken praying them valliantly to keepe and defend it tellinge them withall howe great a pleasure it is to ouercome the enemies fighting in view and sight of their natiue contry and what great felicity and honor it is to dye in the armes of his mother and wife after he hath fought valliantly like an honest man and worthy of the magnanimity of SPARTA But Chelidonida being gone a side had tyed a halter with ariding knot about her necke ready to strangle hang her selfe rather theÌ„ to fall into the hands of Cleonymus if by chaunce the city should come to be taken Now Pyrrus marched in person with his battell of footemen against the fronte of the SPARTANS who being a great number also did tary his comming on the other side of the trenche the which besides that it was very ill to passe ouer did let the souldiers also to fight steadely in order of battell bicause the earth being newly cast vp did yeld vnder their feete Wherefore Ptolomie king Pyrrus sonne passing all alongest the trench side with two thowsand GAVLES all the choyce men of the CHAONIANS assayed if he could get ouer to the other side at one of the endes of the trenche where the cartes were which being set very deepe into the ground and one ioyned vnto an other they did not only hinder thassaylants but the defendants also Howbeit in the end the GAVLES began to plucke of the wheeles of these cartes and to draw them into the riuer But Acrotatus king Areus sonne a young man seeing the daunger ranne through the city with a troupe of three hundred lusty youthes besides went to inclose Ptolomie behinde before he espied him for that he passed a secret hollow way till he came even to geue the charge vpon them whereby they were enforced to turne their faces towardes him one runninge in an others necke and so in great disorder were thrust into the trenches and vnder the cartes insomuch as at the last with much a doe and great bloodshed Acrotates and his company draue them backe and repulsed them Now the women and old men that were on thother side of the trenche saw plainly before their face howe valliantly Acrotatus had repulsed the GAVLES Wherefore alter Acrotatus had done this exployte he returned againe through the city vnto the place from whence he came all on a goare blood coragious and liuely for the victory he came newly from The women of SPARTA thought Acrotatus farre more noble and fayrer to beholde then euer he was so that they all thought Chelidonida happy to haue such a frend and louer And there were certaine olde men that followed him crying after him goe thy way Acrotatus and enioy thy loue Chelidonida beget noble children of her vnto SPARTA The fight was cruell on that side where Pyrrus was and many of the SPARTANS fought very valliantly Howbeit amongest other there was one named Phillius who after he had sought long and slaine many of his enemies with his owne handes that forced to passe ouer the trenche perceiuing that his hart fainted for the great number of woundes he had apon him called one of them that were in the rancke next behinde him and geuing him his place fell downe deade in the armes of his frendes bicause his enemies shoulde not have his body In the ende the battell hauinge continued all the day longe the night did separate them and Pyrrus being layed in his bed had this vision in his sleepe He thought he â—â—rake the city of LACEDAEMON with lightning and that he vtterly consumed it whereat he was so passing glad that euen with the very ioy he awaked And thereuppon foorthwith commaunded his Captaines to make their men ready to the assault and told his dreame vnto his familiers supposing that out of dout it did betoken he should in that approache take the citie All that heard it beleued it was so sauing one Lysimachus who to the contrary sayed that this vision like him not bicause the places smitten with lightning are holy and it is noâ— lawfull to enter into them by reason wherof he was also affraied that the goddes did signifie vnto him that he should not enter into the citie of SPARTA Pyrrus aunswered him that saied he is a matter disputable to fro in an open assembly of people for there is no maner of certainty in it But furthermore euery man must take his weapon in his hand set this sentence before his eyes A right good signe it is that he vvould hazard life In iust defence of masters cause vvith speare and bloody knife Alludinge vnto Homers verses which he wrote for the defence of his contry And saying thus he rose and at the breake of day led his army vnto the assault On thother side also the LACEDAEMONIANS with a maruelous corage magnanimity farre greater then their force bestirred them selues wonderfully to make resistaunce hauing their wiues by them that gaue them their weapons wherewith they fought and were ready at hand to geue meate drinke to them that needed and did also withdrawe those that were hurt to cure them The MACEDONIANS likewise for their parte endeuored them selues with all their might to fill vppe the trenche with wodde and other thinges which they cast vpon the dead bodies and armors lying in the bottome of the ditche the
LACEDAEMONIANS againe labored all that they could possible to let them But in this great broyle one perceiued Pyrrus a horse backe to haue lept the trenche past ouer the strength of the cartes and make force to enter into the city Wherfore those that were appointed to defende that parte of the trench cried out straight and the women fell a shreeking and running as if all had bene lost And as Pyrrus passed further striking downe with his owne handes all that stoode before him a CRETAN shot at him strake his horse through both sides who leapinge out of the prease for paine of his wounde dying caried Pyrrus away and threw him vppon the hanging of a steepe hill where he was in great daunger to fall from the toppe This put all his seruauntes and frendes about him in a maruelous feare and therewithall the LACEDAEMONIANS seeing them in this feare and trouble ran immediatly vnto that place and with force of shotte draue them all out of the trenche After this retyre Pyrrus caused all assault to cease hoping the LACEDAEMONIANS in the end would yeelde consideringe there were many of them slaine in the two dayes past and all the rest in maner hurt Howbeit the good fortune of the citie whether it were to proue the valliantnes of the inhabitantes them selues or at the least to shew what power they were of euen in their greatest nede and distresse when the LACEDAEMONIANS had small hope left brought one Aminias Phocian from CORINTHE one of king Antigonus Captaines with a great band of men and put them into the city to aide them and straight after him as soone as he had entred king Areus arriued also on thother side from CRETA and two thowsand souldiers with him So the women went home to their houses makinge their reckening that they should not neede any more to trouble them selues with warres They gaue the olde men liberty also to goe and rest them selues who being past allage to fight for necessities sake yet were driuen to arme them selues and take weapon in hande and in order of battell placed the newe come souldiers in their roomes Pyrrus vnderstanding that newe supplies were come grewe to greater stomake then before and inforced all that he could to winne the towne by assault But in the end when to his cost he founde that he wanne nothing but blowes he gaue ouer the siege and went to spoyle all the contry about determining to lye there in garrison all the winter He coulde not for all this auoide his destenie For there rose a sedition in the city of ARGOS betwene two of the chiefest citizens Aristeas and Aristippus and bicause Aristeas thought that kinge Antigonus did fauor his enemy Aristippus he made hast to sende first vnto Pyrrus whose nature and disposition was such that he did continually heape hope vppon hope euer taking the present prosperity for an occasion to hope after greater to come And if it fell out he was a loser then he sought to recouer him selfe and to restore his losse by some other newe attempts So that neither for being conqueror nor ouercomen he would euer be quiet but alwayes troubled some and him selfe also by reason whereof he sodainly departed towardes ARGOS But king Areus hauing layed ambushes for him in diuerse places and occupied also the straightest and hardest passages by the which he was to passe gaue a charge vppon the GAVLES and MOLOSSIANS which were in the tayle of his army Now the selfe same day Pyrrus was warned by a Soothsayer who sacrificing had founde the liuer of the sacrificed beast infected that it betokened the losse of some most neere vnto him But when he heard the noyse of the charge geuen he thought not of the forwarning of his Soothsayer but commaunded his sonne to take his household seruauntes with him and to go thither as he him selfe in the meane time with as great hast as he could made the rest of his army marche to get them quickely out of this daungerous way The fraye was very hotte about Ptolomie Pyrrus sonne for they were all the chiefe men of the LACEDAEMONIANS with whome he had to doe led by a valliant Captaine called Eualcus But as he fought valliantly against those that stoode before him there was a souldier of CRETA called Oraesus borne in the citie of APTERA a man very ready of his hande and light of foote who running alongest by him strake him such a blowe on his side that he sell downe dead in the place This prince Ptolomie being slaine his company began straight to flie and the LACEDAEMONIANS followed the chase so hottely that they tooke no heede of them selues vntill they sawe they were in the plaine field farre from their footemen Wherefore Pyrrus vnto whom the death of his sonne was newly reported being a fire with sorow and passion turned so dainly vpon them with the men of armes of the MOLOSSIANS and being the first that came vnto them made a maruelous slaughter among them For notwithstanding that euery where before that time he was terrible and inuincible hauing his sword in his hande yet then he did shewe more proofe of his valliantnes strength and corage then he had euer done before And when he had sette spurres to his horse against Eualcus to close with him Eualcus turned on the toe side and gaue Pyrrus such a blowe with his sword that he missed litle the cutting of his bridle hande for he cut in deede all the raines of the bridle a sunder But Pyrrus straight ranne him through the body with his speare and lighting of from his horse he put all the troupe of the LACEDAEMONIANS to the sword that were about the body of Eualcus being all chosen men Thus the ambition of the Captaines was cause of that losse vnto their contry for nothing considering that the warres against thē were ended But Pyrrus hauing now as it were made sacrifice of these poore bodies of the LACEDAEMONIANS for the soule of his dead sonne and fought thus wonderfully also to honor his funeralls conuerting a great parte of his sorow for his death into anger and wrath against the enemies he afterwardes held on his way directly towardes ARGOS And vnderstanding that king Antigonus had already seased the hills that were ouer the valley he lodged neere vnto the city of NAVPLIA and the next morning following sent a heraulde vnto Antigonus and gaue him defyance calling him wicked man and chalenged him to come downe into the valley to fight with him to trye which of them two should be king Antigonus made him aunswer that he made warres as much with time as with weapon furthermore that if Pyrrus were weary of his life he had wayes open enough to put him selfe to death The citizens of ARGOS also sent Ambassadors vnto them both to pray them to departe sith they knew that there was nothing for them to see in the city of ARGOS and that they would let
the Senate by the next Censors and many iudge that he was worthy of this infamy for that he was periured in iudgement or bicause he was so subiect and geuen to his pleasure Caius Herennius was also called for a witnesse against Marius but he did alleage for his excuse that the law and custome did dispense with the Patrone to be a witnesse against his follower client and he was quit by the iudges For the ROMAINES alwayes call those Patrons who take the protection of meaner then them selues into their handes saying that Marius predecessors and Marius him selfe had euer bene followers of the house of the HERENNIANS The iudges receiued his aunswere and allowed thereof But Marius spake against it alleaging that since he had receiued this honor to beare office in the common wealth he was now growen from this base condicion to be any more a follower of any man the which was not true in all For euery office of a Magistrate doth not exempt him that hath the office nor yet his posterity to be vnder the patronage of an other nor doth discharge him from the duety of honoring them but of necessity he must be a Magistrate which the law doth permit to sit in the crooked chayer called Curulis that is to say caried vppon a charet through the city But notwithstanding that at the first hearing of this cause Marius had but ill successe and that the iudges were against him all they could yet in the ende for all that at the last hearing of his matter Marius contrary to all mens opinions was discharged bicause the iudges opinions with and against him fell to be of like number He vsed him selfe very orderly in his office of Praetorshippe and after his yeare was out when it came to deuide the prouinces by lot SPAINE fell vnto him which is beyond the riuer of Baetis where it is reported that he skowred all the contrie thereabouts of theeues and robbers which notwithstanding was yet very cruell and sauage for the rude barbarous and vnciuill manner and facion of life of the inhabitantes there For the SPANYARDS were of opinion euen at that time that it was a goodly thinge to liue apon thefte and robbery At this returne to ROME out of SPAYNE desiring to deale in matters of the common wealth he saw that he had neither eloquence nor riches which were the two meanes by the which those that were at that time in credit and authority did cary the people euen as they would Notwithstanding they made great accompt of his constancy and noble minde they found in him of his great paynes and trauell he tooke continually and of the simplicity of his life which were causes to bring him to honor and preferment insomuch as he maried very highly For he maried Iulia that was of the noble house of the Caesars and aunte vnto Iulius Caesar who afterwardes came to be the chiefest man of all the ROMAINES and who by reason of that allyance betwene them seemed in some thinges to followe Marius as we haue wrytten in his life Marius was a man of great temperaunce and pacience as may be iudged by an acte he did puttinge him selfe into the handes of surgeons For his shanckes and legges were full of great swollen veynes and being angrie bicause it was no pleasaunt thinge to beholde he determined to put him selfe into the handes of surgeons to be cured And first laying out one of his legges to the surgeon to worke vpon he would not be bound as others are in the like case but paciently abode all the extreame paines a man must of necessity feele being cut without sturring groning or sighing still keeping his countenaunce and sayed neuer a word But when the surgeon had done with his first legge and would haue gone to the other he would not geue it him nay sayd he I see the cure is not worth the paine I must abide Afterwardes Caecilius Metellus the Consull being appointed to go into AFRICKE to make warre with king Iugurthe tooke Marius with him for one of his Lietenauntes Marius being there seeing notable good seruice to be done and good occasion to shew his manhoode was not of minde in this voyage to increase Metellus honor and reputacion as other Lieutenauntes did and thought that it was not Metellus that called him forth for his Lieutenaunt but fortune her selfe that presented him a fit occasion to raise him to greatnes and as it were did lead him by the hand into a goodly field to put him to the proofe of that he coulde doe And for this cause therefore he endeuored him selfe to shew all the possible proofes of valliantnesse and honor he could For the warres being great continually there he neuer for feare refused any attempt or seruice how daungerous or painfull so euer it were neither disdained to take any seruice in hand were it neuer so litle but exceeding all other his fellowes and companions in wisedome and foresight in that which was to be done and striuing with the meanest souldiers in liuing hardly and painefully wanne the goodwill and fauor of euery man For to say truely it is a great comforte refreshing to souldiers that labor to haue companiōs that labor willingly with them For they thinke that their company laboring with them doth in manner take away the compulsion and necessity Furthermore it pleaseth the ROMAINE souldier maruelously to see the Generall eate openly of the same bread he eateth or that he lyeth on a hard bed as he doth or that him selfe is the first man to set his hande to any worke when a trenche is to be cast or their campe to be fortified For they doe not so much esteeme the Captaines that honor and reward them as they doe those that in daungerous attempts labor and venture their liues with them And further they do farre better loue them that take paines with them then those that suffer them to liue idlely by them Marius performing all this and winning thereby the loue and goodwills of his souldiers he straight filled all LIBYA and the city of ROME with his glory so that he was in euery manns mouth For they that were in the campe in AFRICKE wrote vnto them that were at ROME that they should neuer see the ende of these warres against this barbarous king if they gaue not the charge vnto Marius and chose him Consull These thinges misliked Metellus very much but specially the misfortune that came apon Turpilius did maruelously trouble him which fell out in this sorte Turpilius was Metellus frende yea he and all his parentes had followed Metellus in this warre being master of the workes in his campe Metellus made him gouernor ouer the city of VACCA a goodly great city and he vsing the inhabitantes of the same very gently and curteously mistrusted nothing till he was fallen into the handes of his enemies through their treason For they had brought king
hands And this was the first originall cause of the pestilent and mortall enmitie that grew afterwardes betwixt Marius and Sylla and was like to haue vtterly ouerthrowen the citie of ROME and to haue rased the foundation of the empyre vnto the grounde For many enuyinge the glorie of Marius gaue it out euery where that this acte of the taking of king Iugurthe appertained only vnto Sylla and Sylla him selfe caused a ring to be made which he ware cōmonly and had grauen vpon the stone of the same how Bocchus deliuered Iugurthe into his handes And afterwardes he made it allwayes his seale to dispite Marius with all who was an ambitious and proude man and coulde abide no companion to be partaker of the glorie of his doings and Sylla did it specially at the procurement of enemies ill willers who gaue the glory of the beginning chiefe exployts of this warre vnto Metellus and the last and finall conclusion vnto Sylla to the ende that the people should not haue Marius in so great estimacion and good opinion as they had before But all this enuy detraction and hatred against Marius was soone after extinguished and troden vnder foote by reason of the great daunger that fell apon all ITALIE out of the West and they neuer spake of it afterwardes knowing that the common wealth stoode in neede of a good Captaine and that they beganne to looke about and consider who should be that great wise Pylot that might saue and preserue it from so exceding daungerous storme of warres For there was not a noble man of all the auncient houses of ROME that durst vndertake to offer him selfe to demaunde the Consullshippe but Marius being absent was chosen Consull the second time For Iugurthe was no sooner taken but newes came to ROME of the cōming downe of the TEVTONS and of the CIMBRES the which would not be beleued at the first by reason of the infinite number of the fighting men which was sayd to be in their company and for the vncredible force and power of armies which was iustified to come also but afterwardes they knew plainely that the rumor that ranne abroade was lesse then the troth fell out in deede For they were three hundred thowsand fighting men all armed who brought with them also an other multitude as great or more of women and children which wandered vp and downe seeking contries and townes to dwell and liue in as they heard say the GAVLES had done in olde time who leauing their owne contry came and had possessed the best parte of ITALIE which they had taken away from the THVSCANS Now to say truely no man knewe of what nation they were not from whence they came as well for that they had no frendshippe with any other people as also bicause they came out of a farre contry as a clowde of people that was spred all ouer GAVLE ITALIE It was doubted much that they came out of GERMANYE dwelling about the north sea and this they coniectured by viewe of the greatnes of their bodies and also for that they had darke blew eyes and redde besides that the GERMANES in their tongue doe call theeues and robbers Cimbri Other say that Celtica for the great length and largenes of the contry stretching it selfe from the coast of the great Occean sea and from the north partes drawing towards the marisses Moeorides and the East runneth into SCYTHIA or TARTARIA PONTICA and that for neighbourhood these two nations ioyned together and went out of their contrie not that they made this great voyage all at one time but at many sundry times marching yearely in the spring further and further into the contry And thus by continuance of time they passed by force of armes through all the firme lande of EVROPE and that for this cause although they had many particular names according to the diuersitie of their nations yet all this masse and multitude of people gathered together were called notwithstanding the army of the CELTOSCYTHES as who would say the CELTOTARTARES Other hold opinion that the nation of the CIMMERIANS who were knowen in old time for auncient GREECIANS the one parte of them were not very great in respect of the whole the which being fled or driuen out of their contrie for some ciuill dissention were compelled by the TARTARES to passe beyond the marisses Moeotides into the contries of ASIA vnder the conduction of a Captaine called Ligdamis But the residue of them which were a farre greater number and more warlike men they dwelt in the furdest partes of the earth adioyning vnto the great Occean sea in a darke shadowed contrie couered with wonderfull forrestes of such length and so great and thicke and the trees so high that the sunne can haue no power vpon the ground and they ioyne hard vpon the great sorrest of Hercynia And furthermore they are vnder such a climate where the pole is of such a height by the inclination of the circles equidistant which they call Parallelles that it is not farre from the poynte that aunswereth directly to the plummet vppon the head of the inhabitantes and where the dayes are equinoctiall they doe deuide all their time in two partes the which geueth Homer occasion to fayne that when Vlisses would call vpon the dead he went into the contry of the CIMMERIANS as into the contry of hell And this is the cause why they say these barbarous people left their owne contries to come into ITALIE which from the beginning were called CIMMERIANS and afterwardes they say and not without great likely hoode that they were surnamed CIMBRES howebeit that is spoken rather by a likely coniecture then by any assured troth of history And as for the multitude of men the most parte of historiographers doe wryte that they were rather moe then lesse then we haue spoken of and that they were so hardy and valliant that nothing coulde stande before them they did so great thinges by the strength of their handes where they fought with any so violently and so sodainely that they seemed to be like a lightninge fire all about where they came By meanes whereof they met with no man that durst resist them but scraped together and caried away all that they found hande ouer head and there were many ROMAINE Captaines appointed gouernors to keepe that which the ROMAINES held in GAVLE beyonde the mountaines who with great armies were shamefully ouerthrowē by them The cowardlynes of those whom they had ouercome was the chiefest cause that moued them to direct their iorney to ROME For when they had vanquished the first they fought withall and gotten great richesse also they were so fleshed by this that they determined to stay no where before they had first destroyed ROME sacked all ITALIE The ROMAINES hearing of this out of all partes sent for Marius to geue him the conduction and leading of these warres and chose him Consull the seconde time notwithstanding
litle repulsed by reason of the hanging of the hill Marius gaue this order vnto his folke and therewithall was him selfe the first man that put it in execution for he was as trymme a warriour and as valliant a souldier as any man in all his army besides not one amongest them all would venter furder and be more bolde then him selfe So when the ROMAINES had resisted them and stayed them sodainely going with fury to haue wonne the hill perceiuing them selues to be repulsed they gaue backe by litle and litle vntill they came into the field and then beganne the formest of them to gather together and to put them selues in battell ray vppon the plaine when sodainly they heard the noyse and charging of them that were in the tayle of their army For Claudius Marcellus failed not to take the occasion when it was offered him bicause that the noyse of the first charge comming vp against the hills thereabouts vnder the which he lay in ambushe gaue him aduertisement thereof whereupon he caused his men presently to shew and running with great cryes came to geue a charge vpon those which were in the tayle of the barbarous people putting the hindemost to the sworde They made their fellowes whose backes were next vnto them to turne their faces so from man to man till at the length in shorte time all their battell beganne to wauer in disorder and they made no great resistaunce when they saw they were so charged before and behinde but beganne straight to flie for life The ROMAINES following them hard at the heeles killed and tooke prisoners aboue a hundred thowsande of them and tooke moreouer their cartes their tentes and all their cariage Which the whole army by consent agreed to present vnto Marius excepting nothing sauing that which was imbeaceled and conueyed away vnder hande Now though this was a maruelous honorable right noble present yet they thought it not a recompence sufficient for that he had deserued for the valure he had shewed of a famous Captaine in leading of his army for the good order he kept in this warre so happy thought they them selues to haue escaped so great a daunger Notwithstanding some wryters doe not agree that the spoyle of the barbarous people was geuen vnto Marius nor that there were also so great a number of men slaine as we haue spoken of But they say that after this battell the MARSSILIANS did inclose their vines with hedges made of dead mens bones and that the bodies being rotten and consumed vpon the fieldes through the great raine that fell vpon them the winter following the ground waxed so fatte and did soke the grease so deepe in the same that the sommer following they did beare an vncredible quantity of all sortes of frutes And by this meanes were Archilocus wordes proued true that the errable land doth waxe fat with such rottennesse or putrification And it is sayd aso that of ordinary after great battells there falleth great store of raine Either it is by meane of some god that powring downe pure raine water doth purifie wash and clense the grounde defiled and polluted with mans blood or else it happeneth by naturall cause For that the ouerthrow of so many dead bodies and of the blood split engendreth a moyst grosse and heauy vapoure which doth thicken the ayer that by nature is chaungeable and easie to alter from a very small or litle beginning vnto an exceeding great chaunge After this battell Marius caused the harnesse and spoyles of the barbarous people to be layed aside that were left whole and fayer to sight to beautifie enrich the pompe of his triumphe Then he caused the rest to be gathered together on a great heape and layed apon a stake of wodde to make a noble sacrifice vnto the gods all his army being armed about him crowned with garlandes of triumphe and him selfe apparelled in a long gowne of purple according to the custome of the ROMAINES in such a case and holding a torch burning in both his hands which he first lifted vp vnto heauen And as he was turning downe the torch to put fire to the stake of wood they saw some of his frends a good way of a horse backe comming post vnto him then sodainly there was a great silence made of all the assembly euery man desirous to heare what good newes they had brought When they were come and lighted of their horses they ranne straight to embrace Marius and brought him newes that he was chosen Consull the fift time and presented him the letters sent him from ROME confirming the same And thus this new ioy falling out besides the victory the priuate souldiers did shewe the great ioy and pleasure they tooke in both with great showtes and beating vpon their harnesse and the Captaines also they crowned Marius againe with new garlandes of laurell which they put about his head and that done he put fire vnder the stake of wodde and ended his sacrifice But that which neuer suffereth men quietly to enioy the good happe of any victory clearely but in this mortall life doth euer mingle the ill with the good be it either fortune or spight of fatall destenie or else the necessitie of the naturall causes of earthly thinges did shortely after this great ioy bring newes vnto Marius of his companion Catulus Luctatius the other Consull who was like a cloude in a fayer bright day and brought the city of ROME againe into a new feare and trouble For Catulus that went against the CIMBRES thought it was not for him to keepe the straightes of the mountaines in hope to let the barbarous people for passing bicause that in so doing he had bene compelled to deuide his army into many partes and had weakened him selfe very much if he had taken that course Wherefore comming a litle on this side the Alpes towardes ITALIE he planted him selfe vpon the riuer of Athesis and built a bridge apon it to passe and repasse ouer his men when he would and sette vp at either ende of the bridge two strong fortes well fortified that he might more cōmodiously helpe the places on the other side of the riuer if the barbarous people by chaūce would offer to force thē after they had gotten out of the straights of the mountaines Now these barbarous people had such a glory in them selues and disdained their enemies so much that more to shew their force and boldnes then of any necessity that compelled them or for any benefit they got by it they suffred it to snow apon them being starke naked and did clime vp to the toppe of the mountaines throw great heapes ofise and snow And when they were at the very toppe of all they layed their long broad targets vnder their bodies and lay all along apon them sliding downe the steepe high rockes that had certaine hanginges ouer of an infinito height In the ende they came to campe neere vnto the ROMAINES by
drawen his enemies men from them by this policie and had done this great hurte yet he durst not fight it out by sea fearing the worthnes of Alcibiades who was a valliant man and had greater store of shippes then he had and besides that was neuer ouercome by lande nor by sea in any battell where he was Generall So it chaūced that Alcibiades went out of the I le of SAMOS vnto the city of PHOCEA which standeth vpon firme lande directly ouer against SAMOS and leauing the whole charge of his fleete in his absence with Antiochus his pylot he being more hardie then wise in scorne and derision of Lysander went with two gallies only into the hauen of EPHESVS and went by the arsenall where all their shippes lay in docke with great noyse and laughing This put Lysander in such a heate and chafe that first of all he put a fewe gallies to the sea and had him in chase with them But afterwardes perceiuing that the other Captaines of the ATHENIANS came out one after an other to the rescue he armed other gallies also so that supplying still with a few on either side at the length they came to a maine battell which Lysander wanne hauing taken fifteene of their gallies he set vp a token of triumphe and victory When the people of ATHENS heard the newes of this ouerthrow they were so angrie with Alcibiades that they discharged him presently of his charge and the souldiers also that lay in campe in the I le of SAMOS beganne to mislike him and to speake ill of him Whereuppon he presently left his campe and went into the contrie of CHERRONESVS in THRACIA This battell was more spoken of then there was cause by reason of Alcibiades reputacion Furthermore Lysander causinge the stowtest and boldest men of euery city aboue the common sorte to come to EPHESVS vnto him layed there secret foundacions of great chaunge and alteracion which he stablished afterwardes in the gouernmentes of cities For he perswaded his priuate frenders to make tribes amongest them selues to winne them frendes and to practise to gette the rule of their cities into their handes promising them that so soone as the ATHENIANS were ouerthrowen they them selues also should be deliuered from subiection of their people and euery one of them should beare chiefe rule in their contry And this he performed to them all and made euery one of them proue his wordes true For he preferred all them that had bene his olde frendes vnto the best offices and charges not sparing to doe against all right and reason so that they were aduaunced by it And thus by this meanes euery man came to take his part and they all sought and desired to gratifie and please him hoping that what great matter soeuer fell out they assured thēselues in maner that they should obtaine it of him when he came to haue the gouernment in his owne hands And therefore they nothing reioyced at Callicratidas comming who came to succeede him in the office of the Admirall neither afterwards also when they saw by experience that he was as honest and iust a man as could be Neither did they like his manner of gouerninge which was plaine and without any arte or cunning But they commended the perfectiō of his vertue as they would haue done the image of some demy god made after the olde facion which had bene of singular beawty But in the meane time they wished for Lysander as well for the tender loue and good will he bare to his frends and them as also for the profit and commodity they got by him So when Lysander tooke the seas to returne home againe all they that were in the campe were as sory as could be possible insomuch as the teares stoode in their eyes and he on thother side studied to make them worse affected vnto Callicratidas For amongest many other thinges he sent the rest of the money backe againe to SARDIS which Cyrus had geuen him to pay the maryners saying that Callicratidas should go him selfe to aske it if he would haue it and finde the meanes to entertaine his men And lastly when he was ready to imbarke he protested before all them that were present that he did deliuer leaue and assigne ouer the armie into his handes commaunding all the sea But Callicratidas to ouercome his false ambicion and fowle boasting lye aunswered him againe and saied If that be true thow saiest come then and deliuer me the gallies in the city of MILETVM as thou goest by before the I le of SAMOS for sith thou commaundest all the sea we shall not neede to feare our enemies that are in SAMOS Lysander thereto replied that the armie was no more at his commaundement and that he had the charge ouer them and so departed thence taking his course directly vnto PELOPONNESVS and left Callicratidas in great perplexity For he had brought no money out of his contrie with him neither would he compell the cities to furnishe him with any seeinge that they were at that time too much troubled already Then had he no other way but to goe to the Lieutenauntes of the king of PERSIA to aske them money as Lysander had done But he was the vnmeetest man for it that could be possible for he was of a noble and liberall nature and thought it lesse dishonor reproache vnto the GREECIANS to be ouercome by other GREECIANS then to goe flatter the barbarons people and seeke to them that had gold siluer enough but otherwise no goodnes nor honesty In the end notwithstanding making vertue of necessity he tooke his iorney towards LYDIA and went directly to Cyrus courte where at his first comming he willed them to let him vnderstand that Callicratidas the Admirall of the LACEDAEMONIANS would speake with him One of the souldiers that warded at the gate told him my frende syr straunger Cyrus is not at leasure nowe for he is set at dinner Callicratidas aunswered him plainely againe no force I will cary here till he haue dined The barbarous PERSIANS hearing this tooke him for some plaine lowte and so he went his waye the first time with a mocke at their handes But the second time when they would not let him come in at the gate he fell in a rage and retorned backe as he came to the citie of EPHESVS cursing and banning them that at the first had so much imbased them selues as to goe sue to the barbarous people teaching them to be prowde and stately for their goodes and riches swearing before them all that were present that so soone as he came to SPARTA againe he would doe all that he could possible to pacifie the GREECIANS set them at peace one with another to the end they might be fearefull to the barbarous people also that they should medle with them no more nor neede their aide to destroy one an other But Callicratidas hauing the noble harte of a SPARTAN and
was slaine at that time moe Captaines than in all the other warres of GREECE together all which were at the length brought to ende and determined by the good wisedome and conduction of one onely man And therefore some thought that this great ouerthrowe was geuen by the gods and sayd that at the departure of Lysanders fleete out of the hauen of LAMPSACVS to get set apon the fleete of the enemies they perceaued ouer Lysanders galley the two fires which they call the starres of Castor and Pollux the one on the toneside of the galley and the other on thother side They say also that the fall of the stone was a token that did signifie this great ouerthrow For about that time as many hold opinion there fell out of the ayer a maruelous great stone in the place they call the goates riuer which stone is seene yet vnto this day holden in great reuerence by the inhabitauntes of the citie of CHERRONESVS It is sayd also that Anaxagoras did prognosticate that one of the bodies tyed vnto the vaulte of the heauen should be pluckt away and should fall to the ground by a slyding shaking that should happen For he sayd that the starres were not in their proper place where they were first created considering that they were heauy bodies and of the nature of stone howebeit that they did shine by reflection of the fire elementory had bene drawen vp thither by force where they were kept by the great violēce of the circuler motion of the element euen as at the beginning of the world they had bene stayed let from falling downe beneath at that time when the separation was made of the colde and heauy bodies from the other substaunce of the vniuersal world There is an other opinion of certaine Philosophers where there is more likelyhoode then in that For they say that those which we call falling starres be no fluxions nor deriuacions of the fire elementorie which are put out in the ayer in a manner so soone as they be lighted nor also an inflammation or cōbustion of any parte of the ayer which by her to ouermuch quantity doth spread vpwardes but they are celestiall bodies which by some slackenes of strength or falling from the ordinary course of heauen are throwen and cast downe here beneath not alwayes in any parte of the earth inhabited but more ofter abroade in the great Occean sea which is the cause that we do not see them Notwithstanding Anaxagoras words are confirmed by Damachus who writeth in his booke of religion that the space of three score and fifteene yeares together before that this stone did fall they saw a great lumpe of fier continually in the ayer like a clowde inflamed the which taried not in any one place but went and came with diuerse broken remouings by the driuing whereof there came out lightnings of fire that sell in many places and gaue light in falling as the starres do that fall In the end when this great body of fire fell in that parte of the earth the inhabitants of the contrie after that they were a litle boldened from their feare and wonder came to the place to see what it was and they found no manner of shew or appearaunce of fire but only a very great stone lying vpon the ground but nothing in comparison of the least parte of that which the compasse of this bodie of fire did shew if we may so name it Sure herein Damachus wordes had neede of fauorable hearers But againe if they be true then he vtterly comuteth their argumentes that maintaine that it was a peece of a rocke which the force of a boysterous winde did teare from the toppe of a mountaine and caried in the ayer so long as this hurle winde continued but so soone as that was downe and calme againe the stone fell immediatly Neither doe we say that this lightning bodie which appeared so many dayes in the element was very fire in deede which comming to dissolue and to be put out did beget this violent storme and boysterous wind in the element that had the force to teare the stone in sunder to cast it downe Neuertheles this matter requireth better discourse in some other booke then this But now to our story Whē the three thowsand ATHENIANS that were taken prisoners at that ouerthrow were condemned by the counsell to be put to death Lysander calling Philocles one of the Captaines of the ATHENIANS asked him what paine he would iudge him worthy of that gaue the citizens so cruell wicked counsell Philocles being nothing abashed to see him selfe in that miserie aunswered him Accuse not them that haue no iudge to heare their cause but since the goddes haue geuen thee grace to be conqueror doe with vs as we would haue done with thee if we had ouercome thee When he had sayd so he went to washe him selfe and then put on a fayer cloke vpon him as if he should haue gone to some feast and went lustely the formest man to execution leading his contrie men the way as Theophrastus wryteth After this done Lysander with all his fleete went by all the cities of the sea coast where he commaūded so many ATHENIANS as he founde that they should get them to ATHENS letting them vnderstand that he would not pardone a man of them but put them all to death as many as he found out of their city And this he did of policie to bring them all within the precinct of the walles of ATHENS bicause he might so much the sooner famish them for lacke of vittells for otherwise they would haue troubled him sore if they had had wherewithall to haue maintayned a long siege But in all the cities as he passed by if they were gouerned by the authority of the people or if that there were any other kinde of gouernment he left in euery one of them a LACEDAEMONIAN Captaine or gouernor with a counsell of tenne officers of them that had bene before in league and amity with him the which he did as well in the cities that had euer bene confederates and frendes vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS as in them that not long before had bene their enemies So he went sayling all alongest the coastes fayer and softely making no haste stablishing in manner a generall principality ouer all GREECE For he did not make them officers that were the richest the noblest or honestest men but such as were his frendes out of those tribes which he had placed in euery citie to them he gaue authority to punish and reward such as they liked of and would be present him selfe in persone to helpe them to put those to death whome they would execute or otherwise expulse or banish their contrie But this gaue the GREECIANS small hope of good or gratious gouernment vnder the rule of the LACEDAEMONIANS Wherefore me thinkes that Theopompus the comicall Poet doted when he compared the
him selfe to that pinch that of necessity he must betray the one or the other after he had taken good breath to resolue which of the two he should deale withall in th end went on with his first plat deuise of treason and so deliuered Iugurthe into Syllaes handes In deede Marius triumphed for taking of king Iugurthe but his euill willers for the spight and grudge they bare him did attribute the glory and honor of Iugurthes taking wholy vnto Sylla That secretly went to Marius harte and specially for that Sylla being high minded by nature comming then but newly from a base obscure and vnknowen life to be knowen well accepted of the people in ROME and to east also what honorment became so ambitious and couetous of glory that he caused the story to be grauen in a ring which he did euer after vse to weare seale withall Where king Bocchus was deliuering of Iugurthe vnto Sylla and Sylla also receiuing Iugurthe prisoner These thinges misliked Marius much but notwithstanding iudging that Sylla was not so much enuied as him selfe he tooke him with him vnto the warres Marius his seconde Consulship made Sylla one of his Lieutenauntes and in his third Consulshippe he had charge vnder him of a thowsand footemen and did many notable and profitable exploytes for him When Sylla was his Lieutenaunt he tooke one Copillus a generall of the GAVLES Tecto sages And when he was Colonell of a thowsande footemen he brought the MARSIANE a maruelous great contry of people in ITALIE and perswaded them to remaine good frendes and consederates of the ROMAINES For this his good seruice he founde that Marius grewe in great misliking with him bicause from thence forth he neuer gaue him any honorable charge or occasion to shewe good seruice but to the contrary did what he could to hinder his rising Wherefore Sylla afterwardes tooke Catulus Luctatuâ—â— parte who was companion with Marius in his Consulshippe This Catulus was a very honest man but somwhat slacke and colde in marshall matters which was the cause that in deede he did committe vnto Sylla all the speciall seruice and matters of weight in his charge whereuppon he gaue him occasion not onely to increase his estimacion but also his credit and power For by force or armes he conquered the most parte of the barbarous people which inhabited the mountaines of the Alpes and Catulus campe lacking vittells hauing commission he made a maruelous great quantity of prouision to be brought thither insomuch as Catulus campe being plentifully vittelled they sent their store surplusage vnto Marius souldiers the which Sylla him selfe wryteth did much mislike Marius And this is the first cause of their enmity The which being grounded vpon so light occasion was followed with ciuill warres great effusion of blood and with incurable factions and dissentions that it ended at the length with a cruell tyranny and confusion of all the ROMAINE state and Empire This doth proue that Euripides the Poet was a wise man and one that foresaw the ruines of common weales when he counselled and also commaunded gouernors to lie ambition as a most pestilent and mortall furie vnto them that are once infected withall Now Sylla thinking that the reputation he had gotten already in the warres would haue made his way open to preferre him to some honorable office in the city of ROME he was no sooner returned from the warres but he would needes proue the peoples good willes vnto him and procured his name to be billed among them that sued for the Praetorshippe of the city that is to say the office of the ordinary iudge that ministreth iustice vnto the citizens but he was reiected by the voyce of the people For the which he layed the faulte vppon the meaner sorte saying that the communalty knew well enough the frendshippe he had with king Boccâ—uâ— and that therefore they hopinge that if he were made AEdilis before he came to be Praetor â—â—â— would make them see noble huntinges and great fightinges of wilde beastes of LIBYA And that therefore they did choose other Praetors and put him by his sute in hope to compel hiâ— by this meanes to be first of all AEdilis Howbeit it seemeth that he doth not confesse the troâ—â— of his refusall for his owne act doth condemne him selfe bicause the next yere following he was chosen Praetor partely for that he wan the people with curtesie and partely with monâ—y So he fallinge out with Caesar apon that occasion in his angerthreatned him that he woulde vse the power and authority of his office apon him But Caesar smiling aunswered him thou hast reason to call it thine office for in deede it is thine bicause thou hast bought it But â—â—ter the time of his Praetorshippe was expired he was sent with an army into CAPPADOCIA colouring his voyage thither with commission to restore Ariobarzanes into his kingdom againâ—â— howbeit thonly cause of his iorney was in deede to suppresse kinge Mithridates a litle who tooke too many thinges in hande and increased his power and dominion with a new sigâ—â—ory of no lesse greatnes then that which he had before In troth he brought no great army oâ— of ITALIE with him but he was faithfully holpen by the confederates of the ROMAINES mouery place through whose aide he ouerthrewe a great number of the CAPPADOCIANS and afterwardes also a greater number of the ARMENIANS which came in like case to aide them so that he expulsed Gordius king of PHRYGIA out of CAPPADOCIA and restored Ariobarzanes to his realme againe After which victory Sylla remained by the riuer of Euphrates and thither came vnto him one Orobazus a PARTHIAN Ambassador of the Arsaces king of the PARTHIANS Now these two nations the ROMAINES and the PARTHIANS were neuer frendes before and that with other thinges shewed the great good fortune Sylla had that the PARTHIANS came first to him by his meanes to seeke frendshippe with the ROMAINES They say that receiuing this Ambassador Orobazus he made three chayres to be brought out the one for king Ariobarzanes the other for Orobazus the Ambassador and the third for him selfe which he placed in the middest betwene them both and sitting downe in the same gaue audience vnto the Ambassador for which cause the king of PARTHIA afterwardes put Orobazus to death Some doe commend Sylla for this acte for that he kept his state in such maiesty among the barbarous people Other do reproue his ambition in it shewing him selfe stately out of time and to no purpose We doe read that a soothsayer of CHALDEA being in Orobazustraine hauing diligently viewed and considered the phisiognomy of Sylla and all his other mouinges and gestures of minde and body to iudge not by the clymate of the contry but acording to the rules of his arte what his nature should be all well considered of he sayed that Sylla one day must needes come to be a great man and that
he marueled how he could further it that he was not euen then the cheifest man of the worlde When Sylla was returned againe to ROME one Censorinus accused him of extorcion that he had caried away a great summe of money with him contrary to the lawe out of one of their confederates contry howebeit he prosecuted not his accusation but gaue it ouer In the meane time the enmity begonne betwixt him and Marius kindled againe vppon a new occasion of king Bocchus ambition who partely to creepe further into the peoples fauor of ROME and partely also for to gratifie Sylla gaue and dedicated certaine images of victory carying tokens of triumphe vnto the temple of Iupiter Capitolin and next vnto them also the image of Iugurthe which he deliuered into the handes of Sylla being all of pure golde This did so offende Marius that he attempted to take them away by force but others did defend the cause of Sylla So that for the quarrell of these two the city of ROME taking armes had like to haue brought all to ruine had not the warres of the confederats of ITALIE bene which of longtime did kindle and smoke but at the length brake out into open flame and sedition for that time In this maruelous great warre which fell out very daungerous by sundry misfortunes and great losses to the ROMAINES Marius did no notable exployte whereby it appeareth that the vertue of warlike discipline hath neede of a strong and lusty and able body For Sylla to the contrary hauing done notable seruice and obtained many profitable victories wanne the fame and estimacion among the ROMAINES of a noble souldier and worthy Captaine and among thenemies them selues of a most fortunate man Notwithstanding Sylla did not as Timotheus ATHENIAN the sonne of Conon had done Who when his aduersaries and ill willers did attribute his noble deedes vnto the fauor of foretune and did painte fortune tables that brought him all the cities taken and snared in neâ—â— whilest he slept he tooke in very ill parte and was maruelous angrie with them that did it saying that they robbed him of the glory that iustly belonged vnto him Wherefore one day when this Timotheus was returned from the warres with the great victories after he had openly acquainted the ATHENIANS with the whole discourse of his doings in his voyage he sayd vnto them my Lordes of ATHENS fortune hath had no parte in all this which I haue told vnto you Hereupon the goddes it should seeme were so angry with this foolish ambition of Timotheus that he neuer afterwardes did any worthy thing but all went vtterly against the heare with him vntill at the length he came to be so hated of the people that in th end they banished him form ATHENS But Sylla to the contrary did not only paciently abide their wordes that sayed he was a happy man and singularly beloued of fortune but also increasinge this opinion and glorying as at a speciall grace of the goddes did attribute the honor of his doings vnto fortune either for a vaine glory or for that he had in fansy that the goddes did prosper him in all his doinges For he wrote him selfe in his commentaries that the enterprises which he hazarded most hottely according to the sodaine occasion offered did better prosper with him then those which by good aduise he had determined of Furthermore when he sayd that he was a better borne vnto the fortune then to the warres it seemeth that he confessed all his prosperity came rather by fortune then by his worthinesse And to conclude it appeareth that he did wholly submit him selfe vnto fortune acknowledging that he did altogether depend vpon her considering that he did attribute it to the speciall grace and fauor of the goddes that he neueâ— disagreed with Metellus his father in law who was a man of like dignitie and authoritie as him selfe was For where it was thought he woulde haue bene a greate hinderer of his doings he found him verie curteous and gentle in his behalfe in all that they had to deale in together by reason of the societie of their office And furthermore in his coÌ„mentaries which he dedicated vnto Lucullus he counselled him to thincke nothing more certaine and assured then that which the goddes should reueale vnto him and commaunde him in his nightes dreame He wryteth also that when he was sent with an army vnto the warres of the confederates the earth sodainly opened about LAVERNA out of the which immediatly came a maruelous bright flame of fire that ascended vp to the element The wise men being asked their opinions about the same made aunswere that a very honest and also a maruelous fayer man of complexion taking soueraine authoritie in his handes should pacifie all tumultes and sedition which were at that time in ROME Whereupon Sylla sayed it was him selfe whome the goddes ment bicause that amongest other things he had that singular gift of beawty that his heare was yellow as golde and he was not ashamed to name him selfe an honest man after he had wonne so many notable great victories Thus haue we sufficiently spoken of the trust he had in the fauor of the goddes And furthermore he seemed to be very contrary in his manners and vnlike to him selfe For if he tooke away much in one place he gaue as much more also in an other Some he preferred without cause and others he put downe without reason He would be very gentle to them of whome he would haue oughtâ— and vnto those that sought of him he would stand much apon his honor and looke for great reuerence Wherby men could hardly decerne his nature whether pride or flattery did more abound in him And as for the inequality he vsed in punishing of them that had offended him sometimes he hanged vp men for very small and light causes Some other times againe to the contrary he paciently aboade the most grieuous offences in the worlde and lightly pardoned and forgaue such faultes as were in no wife to be forgiuen And afterwards againe would punish right small crimes with murders effusion of blood and confiscation of goodes This iudgement may be geuen of him that by nature he had a malicious and a reuenging minde yet notwithstanding he qualified that naturall bitternes with reason geuing place to necessary and his benefit For in this warre of the confederates his souldiers slue Albinus one of his Lieutenauntes beating him to death with staues and stones being a man of good quality and one that had bene Praetor This great offence he passed ouer with silence vsing no manner of punishment and turned it to a boast in the end saying that his men were the more obedient and diligent in any peece of seruice that was to be done and that he made them amende 〈…〉 faultes by worthy seruice And furthermore he did not regarde them that he did reproue 〈…〉 but hauinge determined with him selfe to destroy
his sword brake in two and yet notwithstanding that he saw him selfe naked diformed of a sword did not for all that giue back but stoode still to it kept the place so long till through him the city was takeÌ„ all apon the talke of these old men So Sylla caused the wall to be pulled downe betwene the haueÌ„ of Piraea the holy haueÌ„ hauing before made the breach very plaine entred into the city about midnight with a wonderfull fearefull order making a maruelous noise with a nuÌ„ber of hornes souÌ„ding of trompets all his army with him in order of battel crying to the sack to the sack kill kill For he had geuen them the towne in spoyle and to put all to the sword The souldiers therefore ran through the streetes with their swords drawen making an vncredible slaughter so that to this daye they be not acknowen nor doe not declare what nomber of persons were slaine but to shew the greatnes of the murder that there was committed the place is yet extaÌ„t to be seene where the blood ranne For besides them that were slaine through all the city the blood of them only that were slaine in the market stede did wet all the ground of Ceramicus euen vnto the very place called Dipylon and some say also that it ranne by the gates into the suburbes of the citie But if the multitude of the people that were slaine in this sorte were great much more or so many at the least it is sayd were those that slue theÌ„ selues for the sorrow coÌ„passion they had to see their coÌ„try in such pityful state supposing certainly that their city was now come to vtter ruine destruction This opinioÌ„ made the noblest men of the city to dispaire of their owne safety feared to liue any lenger bicause they thought they should finde no mercy no moderacion of cruelty in Sylla Notwithstanding partely at the requeâ—â—es of Midias and Calliphon who were banished men from ATHENS and fell at Syllaes feete vpon their knees and partely also at the requests of the ROMAINE Senators that were in his campe who prayed him to pardon the body of the city and the rather for that he had already quenched the thirst of his rauening mind sufficiently well after that he had somwhat sayd in praise of the auncient ATHENIANS he concluded in the end to geue the greater number vnto the smaller and the liuing to the dead Sylla wryteth him selfe in his commentaries that he tooke the city of ATHENS on the very selfe day of the calendes of march which commeth to agree with the first day of the moneth that we call Anthesterion on the which day by chaunce many thinges are done at ATHENS in memory of Noes flood and of the vniuersall destruction of the whole world that was in olde time by rage of waters falling out euen in that very moneth When the city was thus taken the tyran Aristion fled into the castell where he was besieged by Curio whome Sylla left there of purpose about that matter And after he had a great time kept it at the last constrained thereunto for lacke of water yelded The castell was no sooner geuen vp but immediatly by goddes prouidence the weather miraculously altered For the selfe same day and at the very selfe instant that Curio caried the tyran Aristion out of the castell the element being very fayer and clere the clowdes sodainly gathered together there fell such a maruelous glut of raine that all the castell was full of water Shortly after also Sylla hauing gotten the hauen of Piraea burnt the greatest parte of the buildinges amongest others was the arsenall and armory which Philo in old time had caused to be built being of â— straunge and wonderfull edifice In the meane time Taxilles one of the Lieutenaunts of king Mithridates comming from THRACIA and MACEDON with a hundred thowsand footemen tenne thowsand horsemen and foure score and tenne thowsand carts of warre all armed with sythes sent vnto Archelaus to ioyne with him lying yet at ancker in the hauen of Munychiâ— and not willing to leaue the sea nor come to fight with the ROMAINES but seeking rather to draw these warres out in length and to cut of all vittells from his enemies Sylla vnderstanding this drift better then him selfe departed out of the contry of ATTICA a very barren soyle and in deede not able to keepe him in time of peace and went into BOEOTIA wherein most men thought he committed great error to leaue ATTICA which is a very hard contry for horsemen and to go into BOEOTIA a plaine champion and so much the rather bicause he knew well enough that the chiefest strength of the barbarous people consisted in their horsemen and their armed cartes with sythes But to auoyd famine and lacke of vittells as we haue sayd he was compelled to seeke battell Furthermore he had an other cause also that made him afrayed and compelled him to go and that was Hortensius a famous Captaine and very valliant also who brought him aide out of THESSALIE and the barbarous people lay in waite for him in his way in the straight of Thermopyles And these were the causes that made Sylla take his way into BOEOTIA But in the meane time Caphis that was our contry man deceiuing the barbarous people guided Hortensius an other way by mount Parnassus and brought him vnder the city of TITHORA which was not then so great a city as nowe at this present it is but was a castell only scituated vpon the point of a rocke hewen all about whether the PHOCIANS in olde time flying king Xerxes comming vpon them retyred them selues for their safety Hortensius lodged there and there did also both defend and repulse his enemies so long as day light lasted and when the night came on got downe through very hard stony wayes vnto the city of PATRONIDE where he ioyned with Sylla who came to meete him with all his power Thus being ioyned together they camped vpon a hill that standeth about the middest of the plaine of Elatea the soyle was very good and well replenished with great store of trees and water at the foote of the same The hill is called Philobaeotus the nature scituacion whereof Sylla doth maruelously commend When they were camped they seemed but a handfull in the eye of their enemies and no more were they in deede for they had not aboue fifteene hundred horse and lesse then fifteene thowsand footemen Whereupon the other Captaines their enemies against Archelaus minde brought out their bandes into the field and filled all the valley and plaine thereabouts with horsemen with cartes with shieldes and targettes so that the ayer was euen cut a sunder as it were with the violence of the noyse cries of so many sundry nations which altogether did put themselues in battell ray The sumptuousnes of their furniture
very well armed wearing a lawrell garland and Sylla after he had saluted him and his souldiers made an oration vnto them exhorting them to do their duty in fighting And as he was in his oration there came two citizens of CHAERONEA to him one his name was Omoloichus and the other Anaxidemus who promised him to driue the enemies from mount Thurium which they had taken if he would but geue theÌ„ some small number of souldiers For there was a litle path way which the barbarous peoples mistrusted not beginning at a place called Petrochus hard by the temple of the Muses by the which they might easily go to the toppe of this mountaine Thuriumâ— so that following that pathe it would bring them ouer the barbarous people heads and they might easily kill them with stones or at the least they should driue them mawgre their heads downe into the valley Gabinius assuring Sylla that they were both very valliant men and such as he might boldly trust vnto Sylla gaue them men and commaunded them to execute their enterprise and he him selfe in the meane season went and set his men in order of battell in the plaine deuiding his horsemen on the winges placed him selfe in the right wing appointinge the left vnto Muraena Galba Hortensius his Lieutenauntes were placed in the tayle with certaine bandes of the reregard which they kept vpon the hils to watch and let that the enemies should not inclose them behinde bicause they perceiued a farre of that the enemies put forth a great number of horsemen and footemen light armed in the wings to th end that the poyms of their battell might the more easily bowe and enlarge them selues to compasse in the ROMAINES on the backe side Now in the meane time these two CHAERONEIANS whome Sylla had sent vnder Hircius their Captaine hauing compassed about the mountaine Thurium before the enemies were aware of them sodainly came to shew them selues vppon the toppe of the mountaine which did so feare the barbarous people that they began immediatly to â—iâ— one of them for the most parte killing an other There was no resistaunce but flying downe the mountaine fell apon the pointes of their owne partisans and pykes and one of them thrusting in an others necke tombled hedlong downe the mountaine together hauing their enemies besides on their backes which draue them from the hill and strake them behinde where they lay open vnto them so as they were slaine a three thowsande of them about this mountaine Thurium And as for them that sought to saue them selues by flight Muraena that was already set in battell ray met with some cut them of by the way and slue them downe right The other fled directly to their campe and came in great companies thrusting into the battell of their footemen put the most parte of them quite out of order maruelously troubled their Captaines before they could set them againe in order which was one of the chiefest causes of their ouerthrowe For Sylla went and gaue a charge vppon them in this trouble and disorder and had quickely wonne the ground that was betwene both armies wherby he tooke away the force of all their armed cartes with sythes which are then of greatest force when they haue the longest course to geue them a swift and violent stroke in their chase whereas when their course is but short the blow is so much the weaker and of lesse strength euen as arrowes are that a farre of enter not deepe into the thing they be shot at as at that time it fell out with the barbarous people For their first cartes set foorth so faintly and came on with so feeble a force that the ROMAINES sent them backe easily repulsed them with great slaughter and clapping of handes one to an other as they commonly vse in the ordinarie games of horse running at ROME When they had thus repulsed the cartes the battell of Syllaes footemen beganne to charge the barbarous people who basing their pykes stoode close one to an other bicause they would not be taken the ROMAINES on thother side bestowed first their dartes among them and then sodainly drewe out their swordes in the heate they were in and put a side the enemies pykes whereby they might come neerer to their bodies There were fifteene thowsand slaues in the fronte of the battell of the barbarous people whom Mithridates Lieutenaunt had made free by open proclamation and had deuided them by bandes amongest the other footemen By occasion whereof there was a ROMAINE Centurion spake pleasauntly at that time saying that he neuer saw slaues before haue liberty to speake and do like free men but only at Saturnes feastes Neuerthelesse they against the nature of slaues were very valliant to abide the shocke and the ROMAINE footemen could not so readily breake not enter into them nor make them geue backe bicause they stoode very close one to an other and their ranckes were of such a length besides vntill such time as the ROMAINES that were behinde the first ranckes did so pelt them with their slinges hurling stones bestowing their dartes arrowes apon them that in th end they compelled them all to turne their backes and â—ie a maine And when Archelaus did first thrust out the right wing of his army supposing to inclose the ROMAINES behinde Hortensius straight wayes caused the bands he had with him to run charge vpon the flanckes Which Archelaus perceiuing made the horsemen he had about him turne their faces forthwith which were in nuÌ„ber aboue two thowsand insomuch as Hortensius being set apon with all his trowpe was compelled to retyre by litle and litle towardes the mountaine perceiuing him selfe farre from the battell of his footemen and enuironned round about with his enemies Sylla seeing that being in the right wing of his battell and hauing not yet fought went straight to the rescue of Hortensius But Archelaus coniecturing by the dust which the horses raised what the matter was left Hortensius there and with speede returned againe towardes the right wing of his enemies from whence Sylla was gone hoping he had left it vnfurnished of a sufficient Captaine to coÌ„maund them Taxilles on thother side caused his copper targets also to march against Muraena so as the noyse they made on both sides caused the mountaines to ring againe wherewithall Sylla stayed standing in dout which way to take At the last he resolued to returne to the place froÌ„ whence he came sent Hortensius with foure ensignes to aide Muraena and him selfe with the fift in great speede went towardes the right wing of his army the which was now already bickering and ioyned with their enemies fighting hand to hand with Archelaus By reason whereof when Sylla as comen with his aide they did easily distresse them and after they had broken their array they chased them flying for life to the riuer vnto the mountaine Acontium But Sylla notwithstanding forgate
order him selfe had made touching the reformation of banckets comforting his sorrow with ordinary feastes full of all vanity and lasciuiousnes Within a fewe monethes after he had fensers games at the sharpe and the roomes of the Theater being open and vnseuered men and women sitting together it fortuned that there was a fayer Lady and of a noble house that sat hard by Sylla called Vaeleria she was the daughter of Messala and sister of Hortensius the orator and had bene diuorsed not long before from her husbande This Lady passing by Sylla behinde him did softly put her hand on his shoulder and tooke a heare from of his gowne and so went on to her place and sat her downe Sylla marueling at this familiarity looked earnestly vpon her it is nothing my Lord quod she but that I desire with others to be partaker a litle of your happines Her words misliked not Sylla but contrarily he shewed that she had tickled him with them for he sent straight to aske her name and enquired of what house she was and how she had liued But after many slye lookes betwene them they turned their faces one to an other vpon euery occasion with prety smyling countenaunces so that in the end they came to promise contract mariage together for the which Valeria was not to be blamed For though she was as wise as honest and as vertuous a Lady as could be possible yet the occasion that made Sylla mary her was neither good nor commendable bicause he was taken straight with a looke and a fine tongue as if he had bene but a young boy which commonly shew forth the filthiest passions of the minde to be so caried and with such motions Now notwithstanding he had this fayer young Lady in his house he left not the company of women minstrells tumblers and to haue pleasaunt ieasters and musitians about him with whome he would lye wallowing and drinking all the day long vppon litle cowches made for the nonest For his companions that were in greatest estimacion with him at that time were these three Roscius a maker of common playes Sorex a prince of scoffers and one Metrobius a singing man whom he was in loue withall while he liued yet did not dissemble his loue though he was past age to be beloued This wicked life of his was cause of increasing his disease the originall cause whereof had a light foundacion at the first For he liued a great time before he perceiued that he had an impostume in his body the which by processe of time came to corrupt his fleshe in such some that it turned all to lice so that notwithstanding he had many men about him to shift him continually night and day yet the lyce they wiped away were nothing in respect of them that multiplied still vpon him And there was neither apparell linnen bathes washing nor meate it selfe but was presently filled with swarmes of this vile vermine For he went many times in the day into the bathe to washe and clense him selfe of them but all would not serue for the chaunging of his flesh into this putriture wanne it straight againe that there was no clensing nor shifting of him that could kepe such a nūber of lyce from him Some say that in old time amongest the most auncientest men whereof there is any memory Acastus the sonne of Pelias dyed of the lowsie euill and long time after also the Poet Alcman and Pherecides the deuine and so did Callisthenes OLYNTHIAN in prison and Mutius a wise lawyer And if we shall make mencion of those that are famous men although it be not in any good matter we finde that a bonde man called Eunus he that was the first procurer of the warres of the bondmen in SICILIA being taken and caried to ROME dyed also of the same disease Furthermore Sylla did not only foresee his death but he wrote some thing of it also for he made an end of wryting the two and twenty booke of his commentaries two dayes before he dyed In that booke he sayth that the wise men of CHALDEA had told him long before that after he had liued honorably he should ende his dayes in the flower of all his prosperity And there he sayth also that his sonne who departed a litle before his mother Metella appeared to him in his sleepe apparrelled in an ill fauored gowne and that comminge vnto him he prayed him he would go with him vnto Metella his mother thenceforth to liue in peace and rest with her But for all his disease he would not geue ouer to deale in matters of state For tenne dayes before his death he pacified a sedition and tumult risen among the inhabitantes of the city of PVYLOLANVM in Italian called POZZOLO and there he gaue them lawes and ordinaunces werby hey should gouerne them selues And the day before he dyed hearing that Granius who was in debt to the common wealth defferred payment of his money looking for his death he 〈…〉 for him and made him come into his chamber and there caused his men to compasse him about and commaunded them to strangle him in his fight The passion of his anger was so vehement against him that by the extreame straining of him selfe he brake the impostume in his body so as there gushed out a wonderfull deale of blood by reason whereof his strength failing him he was full of paine and panges that night and so dyed leauing the two litle children he had by Metella For Valeria was brought to bed of a daughter after his death which was called Posthumia bicause the ROMANES call those children that are borne after the death of their fathers Posthumi Now when Sylla was dead many gathered about the Consull Lepidus to let that his body should not be honorably buried as they were accustomed to bury noble men men quality But Pompey though he was angry with Sylla bicause he had geue him nothing in his will and had remembred all his other frendes yet he made some for loue some by intreaty and others with threatning to let it alone and accompanying the corps in to ROME gaue both safety and honor vnto the performance of his funeralls And it is sayd also that the ROMANE Ladies amongest other things bestowed such a quantity of perfumes odoriferous matter towardes the same that besides those which were brought in two hundred and tenne great baskets they made a great image to the likenes of Sylla him selfe and an other of a sergeaunt carying the axes before him all of excellent incence synamon When the day of the funeralls came fearing least it would raine in the forenone all the element doing so clowdly they deferred to cary forth the body to be burnt vntill past three of the clocke in the afternone And then rose there such a sodaine boysterous winde that it set all the stake of woode straight a fire that the body was
burnt at a tryce and the fire going out fell a great shower of raine that held on till night so that it seemed good fortune following him euen to his ende did also helpe his obsequies after his death His tombe is to be seene in the fielde of Mars and they say that he him selfe made his owne epitaphe that is wrytten vpon it which was that no man did euer passe him neither in doing good to his frendes nor in doing mischiefe to his enemies THE COMPARISON OF Sylla with Lysander NOw that we haue at large also set forth the life of the ROMANE let vs come to compare them both together In this they are both a like that both of them grew to be great men rising of thē selues through their owne vertue but this only is proper to Lysander that all the offices dignities which he attained vnto in the common wealth were layed apon him through the peoples good wills and consents For he compelled them to nothinge neither vsurped he any extraordinarie authoritie vppon them contrarie to lawe for as the common saying is VVhere partialitie and discorde once doe raigne There vvicked men are most esteemde and rule vvith greatest gaine As at that time in ROME the people being corrupted and the state of gouernment vtterly subuerted and brought to nought to day there rose vp one tyranne to morow an other And therefore we may not wonder if Sylla vsurped and ruled all when such fellowes as Glaucia and Saturninus did both banish and driue out of ROME such men as Metellus was and where also in open assembly they slue Consuls sonnes in the market place and where force of armes was bought sold for gold and siluer with the which the souldiers were corrupted where they made new lawes with fire and sword and forced men to obey the same Yet I speake not this in reproache of him that in such troublesome times founde meanes to make him selfe the greatest man but to shew that I measure not his honesty by the dignity he grew vnto in so vnfortunate a city although he became the chiefe And as touching him that came from SPARTA at what time it florished most and was the best gouerned common weale he in all great causes and in most honorable offices was reputed for the best of all bests and the chiefe of all chiefes Wherefore it happened that the one resigned vp the authority to his contry men the citizens which they had geuen him who also restored it to him againe many and sundry times for the honor of his vertue did alwayes remaine and made him iustly accompted for the worthiest man Where the other being once only chosen generall of an army remained tenne yeares continually in warres and hostilitie making him selfe by force sometime Consull somtime vice Consull and somtime Dictator but alwayes continued a tyranne In ede Lysander attempted to chaunge and alter the state of gouernment in his contrie howbeit it was with greater lenity and more lawfully then Sylla did For he sought it by reason and good perswasion not by the sword neither would he make a chaunge of the whole at one selfe time as Sylla did but sought only to reforme the election of kinges The which thing according to nature doubtlesse seemed very iust that he which was the best amongest good men should be chosen king of that citie which was the chiefe ouer all GREECE not for her nobility but for her vertue only For like as a good hunter doth not seeke for the whelpe of a good dogge but for the good dogge him selfe not a wise man of armes also the colte that commeth of a good horse but the good horse him selfe Euen so he that taketh vpon him to stablish a civill gouernment committeth a fowle fault if he looke of whom his Prince should be borne and not what the Prince him selfe should be considering that the LACEDAEMONIANS them selues haue depriued diuerse of their kinges from their crowne and realme bicause they were not Princely but vnprofitable and good for nothing Vice although it be in a noble man yet is it alwayes ill of it selfe but vertue is honored for her selfe alone and not bicause she is placed with nobility Now for the wronges and iniuries they both committed the one did worke only to pleasure his frendes and the other to offend them to whom he was bounden For it is certaine that Lysander did great wronges to gratifie his familliars and the most parte of them whom he put to death was to establish the tyrannicall power of certaine his frendes Where Sylla sought for spite to take away his army from Pompey and the Admirality from Dolobelle which he him selfe geuen caused Lucretius Offella to be slaine openly in his owne sight bicause he sought to be Consull for recompence of the good seruice he had done for which cruelty of his causinge his owne frendes to beslaine in such sorte he made euery man a feard of him Furthermore their behauiors touching couetousnes and pleasure doth shew that the intent of the one was the desire of a good Prince and the other that of a tyranne For we doe not finde that Lysander for all his great Princely authority did euer vse any insolency or lasciuiousnes in his deedes but alwayes auoyded as much as a man might the reproache of this common prouerbe Lyons at home and Foxes abroade He led such a true LACONIAN life straightly reformed in all poyntes Where Sylla could neuer moderate his vnlawfull lustes neither for pouerty when he was young nor yet for age when it came vpon him But whilest he gaue lawes to the ROMANES touching matrimoniall honestie and chastitie him selfe in the meane time did nothing but follow loue and commit adultries as Salust wryteth By meanes whereof he so much impouerished ROME and left it so voyde of gold and siluer that for ready money he sold absolute freedome vnto the cities their confederates yet was it his dayly study to confiscate and take for forfeit the richest and most wealthiest houses in all the whole citie of ROME But all this spoyle and hauoke was nothing in comparison of that which he dayly cast away vpon his ieasters flatterers What sparing or measure may we thinke he kept in his giftes at priuate banckets when openly in the day time all the people of ROME being present to see him sell the goodes which he had caused to be confiscate he made one of his frendes and familiars to trusse vp a great deale of household stuffe for a very litle price And when any other had out bidden his price that the crier had cried it out a lowde then was he angry and sayd My frendes I haue great wrong done me here not to suffer me sell the spoile I haue gotten at mine owne pleasure and dispose it as I list my selfe Where Lysander contrarily sent to the common wealth of SPARTA with other money the very presentes that were geuen to
whither to the warres then the common people hauing no bodie to gainesay them turned and altered the gouernment of the citie topsie turuey and confounded all the auncient lawes and customes which they had obserued of long time and that by the procurement and setting on of Ephialtes For they tooke away all hearing of causes in maner from the court of Areopagus put all authoritie of matters iudiciall into the handes of the people and brought the state of the citie into a pure Democratia to say a common weale ruled by the sole and absolute power of the people Pericles being then in great credit who altogether fauored the peoples faction Wherefore Cimon at his returne finding thauthority of the Senate and counsell so shamefully defaced and troden vnder foote was maruelously offended withall and sought to restore thauncient state of iudgement againe as it was before and set vp the gouernment of the nobility called Optimacia that was established in the time of Clisthenes But then beganne his enemies againe with open mouth to crye out vpon him reuiuing the olde former naughty rumor that ranne of him before that he kept his owne sister furthermore accusing him that he did fauor the LACEDAEMONIANS And amongest other thinges there ranne in the peoples mouthes the verses of the Poet Eupolis which were made against Cimon No vvicked man he vvas but very negligent And therevvithall to vvyne much more then vnto money bent He stale somtimes avvay at Sparta for to sleepe And left poore Elpinicè his vvife at home alone to vveepe And if it be so that being thus negligent geuen to wyne he haue gotten so many cities and wonne such sundry great battells it is out of doubt then that if he had bene sober carefull there had neuer bene before him nor since any GRAECIAN Captaine that had passed him in glorie of the warres In deede it is true that from the beginning he euer loued the manner of the LACEDAEMONIANS for of two twynnes which he had by his wife Clitoria he named th one of them Lacedaemonius and thother Eleus as Stesimbrotus wryteth saying that for that cause Pericles did euer twit them in the teeth with their mothers stocke Howbeit Diodorus the Geographer wryteth that both those two and an other third called Thessalus were borne of Isodice the daughter of Euryptolemus the sonne of Megacles How soeuer it was it is certaine that Cimons credit grew the greater by the fauor and countenaunce which the LACEDAEMONIANS gaue him who had hated Themistocles of long time and for the malice they bare him were glad that Cimon being but a yoūg man did beare more sway in ATHENS then he Which the ATHENIANS perceiued well enough and were not offended withall at the beginning bicause the goodwill of the LACEDAEMONIANS towardes him did bring them great commodity For when the ATHENIANS beganne to growe of great power and to practise secretly that the confederats of the GRAECIANS should forsake the LACEDAEMONIANS to ioyne with them the LACEDAEMONIANS were not angrie withall for the honor and loue they bare vnto to Cimon who did alone in maner manedge all th affayres of GRAECE at that time bicause he was very curteous vnto the confederates and also thankefull vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS But afterwardes when the ATHENIANS were aloft and of great power and that they saw Cimon stucke not for a litle matter with the LACEDAEMONIANS but loued them more then they would haue had him they beganne then to enuy him bicause in all his matters he had to do he euer highly praised and extolled the LACEDAEMONIANS before them But specially when he would reproue them of any fault they had committed or that he would perswade them to do any thing the LACEDAEMONIANS sayd he I warrant ye do not so That as Stesimbrotus sayth made him maruelously to be maliced of the people But the chiefest thing they accused him of and that most did hurt him self out vpon this occasion The fourth yeare of the raigne of Archidamus the sonne of Zeuxidamus king of SPARTA there fortuned the wonderfullest and most fearefull earthquake in the citie of LACEDAEMON and thereabouts that ouer was heard of For the earth in many places of the contrie opened and fell as into a bottomlesse pit The mountaine Taygetum shooke so terribly that points of rockes fell downe from it All the citie was layed on the ground and ouerthrowen fiue houses only excepted the rest being wholy destroied And it is said also that a litle before this earthquake came the young men of that citie were playing with the young boyes exercising thē selues starke naked vnder a great galery couered ouer as they were sporting together there started vp a hare hard by them The young men spying her ranne after the hare starke naked and oyled as they were with great laughter They were no sooner gone thence but the top of the gallery fell downe apon the boyes that were left and squashed them all to death And in memorie of the same the tombe where they were afterwardes buried is called vnto this day Sismatias as much to say as the tombe of those which the earthquake had slaine But king Archidamus foreseeing straight vppon the sodaine the daunger that was to come by that he saw present perceiuing his citizens busie in sauing their householde stuffe and that they were running out of their houses made the trompetters to sound a hotte alarome vpon it as if their enemies had come stealingly vpon them to take the citie to th ende that all the inhabitantes should presently repayre vnto him settinge all busines aparte with armor and weapon That sodaine alarome doubtlesse saued the citie of SPARTA at that time for the ILOTAE which are their slaues and bondmen in the contrie of LACONIA and the contrie clownes of litle villages there aboutes came running armed out of all partes to spoyle and robbe them vpon the sodaine that were escaped from this earthquake But when they found them well armed in order of battell they returned backe againe as they came and then beganne afterwardes to make open warres vpon them when they had drawen certaine of their neighbors vnto their confederacie specially the MESSENIANS who made hotte warres vpon the SPARTANS Whereupon the LACEDAEMONIANS sent Periclidas vnto ATHENS to demaunde ayde whome Aristophanes the Poet mocking sayed VVith visage pale and vvanne he on the aulter sate In skarlet govvne requiring ayde to succor their estate Against whom Ephialtes also spake very much protesting that they should not ayde nor relieue a city that was an enemy vnto ATHENS but rather suffer it to fall to the ground and to spurne the pride and arrogancy of SPARTA vnder their feete But Cimon as Cricias saieth being more carefull for the benefit of SPARTA then for thenlarging and encreasing of his contry brought it to passe by his perswasion that the ATHENIANS sent him thither with a great power to helpe them And
before they could come to dishonor them or do them villany These pitiefull misfortunes went to Lucullus hart who was curteous and gentle of nature neuerthelesse he went on further still following Mithridates at the heeles vnto the city of TALAVRA And there vnderstanding that he was fled foure dayes before vnto Tigranes in ARMENIA returned backe againe hauing first subdued the CHALDEANS and the TIBARENIANS taken ARMENIA the lesse and brought the cities castells and strong places vnto his obedience That done he sent Appius Clodius vnto king Tigranes to summone him to deliuer Mithridates vnto him him selfe tooke his iorney towards the citie of Aâ—â—â—â— which was yet besieged The cause why this siege continued long was the sufficiencie and great experience of the Captaine that kept it for the king called Callimachus who vnderstoode so well howe all sortes of engines of batterie were to be vsed and was so subtill besides in all in inuentioâ—â— that might serue to defende a place besieged as he troubled the ROMANES much in this attempt but afterwardes he was not only met withall and payed home for all his labor but also outreached by Lucullus for all his finenesse For where before he had alwayes vsed to sound the retreate at a certaine hower to call his men backe from the assaulte to rest them one day he brake that order on the sodaine and comminge to assaulte the walle at the first charge wanne a peece of it before those within could come in time to resist them Callimachus seeing that and knowing it was now vnpossible to keepe the city any longer forsooke it But before his departing he set the citie a fire either for the malice to the ROMANES bicause he would not they should enriche them selues with the sacke of so great a citie or else foeâ— policy of warre to haue the more leasure to saue him selfe and flie For no man gaue eye â—â— them that fled by sea bicause the flame was so great that it dispersed it selfe euen to the â—â—y walles and the ROMANE souldiers they only prepared to spoyle Lucullus seeing the fire without had compassion of the citie within and would gladly haue holpen it and for the purpose prayed the souldiers quickely to quench it but not a man would harken to him euery one gaping after the spoyle making great noyse with classhing of harnesse and being very lowde besides otherwise till at the length enforced thereunto he gaue the city wholly to spoyle hoping thereby to saue the houses from fire but it fell out cleane contrary For the soldiers them selues in seeking all about with torches linckes lighted to see if any thing were hidden they set a number of houses a fire So as Lucullus comming into the citie the next morning and seeing the great desolacion the fire had made fell of weeping saying vnto his familiar frends about him he had oftentimes before thought Sylla happy howbeit he neuer wondred more at his good fortune then that day he did For Sylla sayd he desiring to saue the citie of ATHENS the goddes graunted him that fauor that he might do it but I that would faine folloâ— him therein and saue this citie fortune thwarting my desire hath brought me to the reputacion of Mummius that caused CORINTHE to be burnt Neuerthelesse he did his best â—â—â—â—â—â— at that time to helpe the poore citie againe For touching the fire euen immediatly after it was taken by Gods prouidence there fell a shower of raine as it was newly kindled that quenched it and Lucullus selfe before he left the citie made a great number of the houses which were spoyled by fire to be built vp againe and curteously receiued all the inhabitauntes that were fled besides them he placed other GRAECIANS there also that were willing to dwell amongest them and increased the boundes and confines of the citie which he gaue them one hundred and twenty furlonges into the contrie This citie was a colony of the ATHENIANS who had built and founded it in the time that their Empire florished and that they ruled the seas by reason whereof many flying the tyranny of Aristion went to dwell there and were made side of the city as the naturall inhabitants of the same This good happe fell vpon them that forsaking their owne goodes they went to possesse and enioy the goodes of other menâ— but the very citizens of ATHENS it selfe that had escaped from this great desolation Lucullus clothed them well and gaue them two hundred Drachmas a peece and sent them againe into their contrie Tyrannion the grammarian was taken at that time whom Murana begged of Lucullus and Lucullus hauing graunted him vnto him he made him free wherein he delivery discourteously and did much abuse Lucullus liberality and gift vnto him For in bestowing this prisoner vppon him who was a famous learned man he did not meane Murana should take him for a bondeman whereby he should neede afterwardes to make him free For seeming to make him free and restore him to libertie was no more but to take that freedome and liberty from him which he had from his birth But in many other thinges and not in that only Murana layed him selfe open to the world that he had not all the partes a worthy Captaine should haue in him When Lucullus departed from AMISVS he went to visite the cities of ASIA to th end that whilest he was not now occupied with warres they might haue some refreshing of lawes and iustice For by reason that law was not executed of long time in ASIA the poore contry was so afflicted and oppressed with so many euills and miseries 〈…〉 man liuing would scant beleue nor any tongue can well declare For the extreame and hoâ—rible couetousnes of the farmers customers and ROMANE vserers did not only deuoure in but also kept it in such bondage and thraldome that particularly the poore fathers were driuen to sell their goodly young sonnes and daughters in mariage to pay the interest and vsery of the money which they had borowed to discharge their fines withall publikely the tables dedicated vnto the temples the statues of their goddes and other church iuells and yet in the eâ—â— they them selues were also iudged to be bondmen slaues to their cruell creditors toâ— weaâ—e out their dayes in miserable seruitude And yet the worst of all was the payne they put them to before they were so condemned for they imprisoned them set them on the racke tormented them vppon a litle brasen horse sette them in the stockes made them stande naked in the greatest heate of sommer and on the I se in the deepest of winter so as that bondage seemed vnto them a reliefe of their miseries and a rest of their tormentes Lucullus found the cities of ASIA full of such oppressioÌ„s but in a shorte time after he deliuered them all that were wrongfully tormented For first he tooke order they should accompt for the vsery
shielde but worse then that a voluntary forsaking of his prouince apon a base timerous minde geuing his enemy occasion thereby to doe some noble exployt depriuing him selfe of his honorable charge Wherefore Aristophanes mocketh him againe in his comedy of birdes saying It is no time to slepe and linger still As Nicias doth vvithout good cause or skill Also in an other place of his comedy of plowmen he sayth I faine vvould follovv husbandry VVho lets thee Mary you A thovvsand Dragmaze I vvill geue to be discharged novv Of office in the common vveale Content so shall vve haue Tvvo thovvsand Dragmaze iust vvith those that Nicias lately gaue But herein Nicias did great hurt to the cōmon wealth suffering Cleon in that sorte to grow to credit estimacion For after that victory Cleon grew to so hautie a minde pride of him selfe that he was not to be delt withall wherupon fel out the occasiō of the great miseries that happened to the city of ATHENS which most grieued Nicias of all other For Cleon amongst other thinges tooke away the modesty and reuerence vsed before in publicke Orations to the people he of all other was the first that cried out in his Orations that clapped his hand on his thigh threw open his gowne floong vp downe the pulpit as he spake Of which exāple afterwardes followed all licentiousness and contempt of honesty the which all the Orators counsellors fell into that delt in matters of state cōmon wealth was in the end the ouerthrow of all together In that very time began Alcibiades to grow to credit by practise in the state who was not altogether so corrupt neither simply euill but as they say of the lande of EGYPT that for the fatnes and lustines of the soyle It bringeth forth both holsome herbes and also noysome vveedes Euen so Alcibiades wit excelling either in good or ill was the cause and beginning of great chaunge and alteracion For it fell out that after Nicias was ridde of Cleon he could not yet bring the citie of ATHENS againe to peace and quietnes For when the common wealth began to grow to some rest and reasonable good order then was it againe brought into warres through Alcibiades extreame fury of ambition And thus it beganne The only peacebreakers and disturbers of common quiet generally throughout GRAECE were these two persones Cleon and Brasidas for warre cloked the wickednes of the one and aduaunced the valiantnes of the other geuing to either occasion to doe great mischiefe and also oportunity to worke many noble exploytes Now Cleon and Brasidas being both slaine together at a battell fought by Armphipolis Nicias straight perceiuing the SPARTANS had long desired peace and that the ATHENIANS were no more so hottely geuen to the warres but that both the one the other had their handes full were willing to be quiet deuised what meanes he might vse to bring SPARTA and ATHENS to reconciliation againe and to rid all the cities of GRAECE also from broyle and misery of warre that thenceforth they might all together enioy a peaceable and happy life The riche men the olde men and the husbandmen he found very willing to hearken to peace and talking priuately also with diuers others he had so perswaded them that he cooled them for being desirous of warres Whereupon putting the SPARTANS in good hope that all were inclined to peace if they sought it the SPARTANS beleued him not onely for that they had founde him at other times very soft and curteous but also bicause he was carefull to see that their prisoners of SPARTA who had bene taken at the forte of Pyle were gently intreated and had made their miserable captiuity more tollerable So peace was concluded betwene the SPARTANS and the ATHENIANS for a yeare during which abstinence they frequenting one an other againe and beginning to taste the sweetnes and pleasures of peace and the safety of free accesse one to see an others frendes that were staungers began then to wishe that they might still continue in peace and amity together without effusion of blood of either partie and tooke great delight in their daunces to hear them singe such songes And let my speare lye outgrovven vvith dusty spyders vvebbes They did also with great ioy gladnes remember him which sayd that in peace no sound of trompet but the crowing of the cocke doth wake them that be a sleepe and on the other side they cursed and tooke on with them that sayd it was predestined the warre should continue thrise nine yeares And so vpon a meeting together to talke of many matters they made an vniuersall peace throughout all GRAECE Now most men thought that surely all their sorrowes and miseries were come to an ende and there was no talke of any man but of Nicias saying that he was a man beloued of the goddes who for his deuotion towardes them had this speciall gift geuē him that the greatest blessing that could come vnto the world was called after his name For to confesse a troth euery man was certainly perswaded that this peace was Nicias worke as the warre was Pericles procurement who vpon light causes perswaded the GRAECIANS to runne headlong into most grieuous calamities and Nicias on the other side had brought them to become frends and to forget the great hurtes the one had receiued of the other in former warres And euē to this present day that peace is called Nicium as who would say Nicias peace The capitulacions of the peace were thus agreed vpon that of either side they should alike deliuer vp the cities and landes which eche had taken from other in time of warres together with the prisoners also and that they should first make restitution whose lot it was to beginne Nicias according to Theophrastus reporte for ready money secretly bought the lot that the LACEDAEMONIANS might be the first that should make restitution And when the CORINTHIANS and BOBOTIANS that disliked of this peace sought by the complaintes they made to renue the warre againe Nicias then perswaded both the ATHENIANS and LACEDAEMONIANS that they should adde for strength vnto their contry the allyance peace offensiue and defensiue made betwene them for a more sure knot of frendshippe wherby they might be the better assured the one of the other and also the more dredfull to their enemies that should rebell against them These thinges went cleane against Alcibiades minde who besides that he was ill borne for peace was enemy also vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS for that they sought to Nicias and made none accompt of him but despised him Here was thoccasion that caused Alcibiades to proue from the beginning what he could doe to hinder this peace wherein he preuailed nothing Yet shortly after Alcibiades perceiuing that the ATHENIANS liked not so well of the LACEDAEMONIANS as they did before and that they thought themselues iniuried by thē bicause they
and others also brake their neckes falling from the rockes The rest that were dispersed abroade in the fieldes were the next morning euery man of them put to the sworde by the horsemen So the account made two thowsand ATHENIANS were slaine and very few of them escaped by flight that brought their armors backe againe Wherefore Nicias that alwayes mistrusted it would thus come to passe was maruelously offended with Demosthenes and condemned his rashnes But he excusing him selfe as well as he could thought it best to imbarke in the morning betimes and so to hoyse sayle homewardes For sayd he we must looke for no new aide from ATHENS neither are we strong enough with this armie to ouercome our enemies and though we were yet must we of necessity auoide the place we are in bicause as it is reported it is alwayes vnholsome for an army to campe in and then specially most contagious by reason of the automne and season of the yeare as they might plainly see by experience For many of their people were already sicke and all of them in maner had no minde to tary Nicias in no case liked the motion of departing thence bicause he feared not the SYRACVSANS but rather the ATHENIANS for their accusations condemnation And therefore in open counsell he told them that as yet he saw no such daunger to remaine and though there were yet that he had rather dye of his enemies hands than to be put to death by his owne contrymen Being therin of a contrary minde to Leo BIZANTINE who after that sayd to his citizens I had rather suffer death by you than to be slaine with you And furthermore as for remouing their campe to some other place they should haue leasure enough to determine of that matter as they thought good Now when Nicias had deliuered this opinion in counsell Demosthenes hauing had ill lucke at his first cōming durst not contrary it And the residue also supposing that Nicias stucke not so hard against their departure but that he relied apon the dust and confidence he had of some within the city they all agreed to Nicias But when newes came that there was a new supply come vnto the SYRACVSANS and that they saw the plague encreased more and more in their campe then Nicias selfe thought it best to departe thence and gaue notice to the souldiers to prepare them selues to shippe away Notwithstanding when they had put all thinges in readines for their departure without any knowledge of sthenemy or suspicion thereof the moone beganne to eclipse in the night and sodainly to lose her light to the great feare of Nicias and diuers others who through ignoraunce and supersticion quaked at such sightes For touching the eclipse and darkening of the sunne which is euer at any coniunction of the moone euery common person then knew the cause to be the darkenes of the body of the moone betwixt the sunne and our sight But the eclipse of the moone it selfe to know what doth darken it in that sorte and howe being at the full it doth sodainly lose her light and chaunge into so many kinde of colours that was aboue their knowledge and therfore they thought it very straunge perswading them selues that it was a signe of some great mischiefes the goddes did threaten vnto men For Anaxagoras the first that euer determined and deliuered any thing for certaine and assured concerning the light and darkenesse of the moone his doctrine was not then of any long continuance neither had it the credit of antiquity nor was generally knowē but only to a few who durst not talke of it but with feare euen to thē they trusted best And the reason was for that the people could not at that time abide them that professed the knowledge of natural Philosophy inquired of the causes of things for them they called then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much to say as curious inquirers and tatlers of things aboue the reach of reason done in heauen and in the ayer Bicause the people thought they ascribed that which was done by the goddes only vnto certaine naturall and necessarie causes that worke their effectes not by prouidence nor will but by force and necessary consequences For these causes was Protagoras banished from ATHENS and Anaxagoras put in prison frō whence Pericles had much a do to procure his deliuery And Socrates also though he did not medle with that parte of Philosophy was notwithstanding put to death for the suspicion thereof In fine the doctrine of Plato being receiued and liked as well for his vertuous life as also for that he submitted the necessity of naturall causes vnto the controlement disposition of diuine power as vnto a more excellent and supreame cause tooke away all the ill opinion which the people had of such disputations and gaue open passage and free entry vnto the Mathematicall sciences And therefore Dion one of Platoes schollers and frendes an eclipse of the moone chaunsing euen at the very same time that he was weying vp his anckers to sayle from ZACYNTHE to make warre with the tyran Dionysius being nothing a frayed nor troubled therewithall made sayle notwithstanding and when he came to SYRACVSA draue out the tyran But then it fell out vnfortunatly for Nicias who had no expert nor skilful soothsayer for the party which he was wont to vse for that purpose and which tooke away much of his superstition called Stilbides was dead not long before For this signe of the eclipse of the moone as Philochorus sayth was not hurtfull for men that would flie but contrarily very good for sayd he thinges that men doe in feare would be hidden and therefore light is an enemy vnto them But this notwithstanding their custome was not to kepe them selues close aboue three dayes in such eclipses of the moone and sunne as Autoclides selfe prescribeth in a booke he made of such matters where Nicias bare them in hande that they should tary the whole and full reuolution of the course of the moone as though he had not seene her straight cleere againe after she had once passed the shadow and darkenes of the earth But all other thinges layed a side and forgotten Nicias disposed him selfe to sacrifice vnto the gods vntil such time as the enemies came againe as well to besiege their fortes and all their campe by lande as also to occupy the whole hauen by sea For they had not onely put men aborde into their gallies able to weare armor but moreouer young boyes into fisher botes and other light barkes with the which they came to the ATHENIANS and shamefully reuiled them to procure them to fight among the which there was one of a noble house called Heraclides whose bote being forwarder than his companions was in daunger of taking by a gallie of the ATHENIANS that rowed against him Pollichus his vncle being afrayed of it launched forward with tenne gallies of
same yet all that commoditie was nothing in respect of the profit his slaues and bondemen brought him dayly in As readers seriueners gold smythes bankers receiuers stewards of householde caruers and other such officers at the table taking paines himselfe to helpe them when they were learners and to instruct them what they should doe◠and to be shorte he thought the greatest care a good householder ought to haue was to see his slaues or seruauntes well taught being the most liuely cattell and best instruments of a mans house And surely therein his opinion was not ill at the least if he thought as he spake that all thinges must be done by seruauntes and his seruauntes must be ruled by him For we see that the arte and skill to be a good husbande when it consisteth in gouernment of thinges without life or sence is but a base thing only tending to gaine but when it dependeth apon good order and gouernment of men me thinkes then it is to knowe how to gouerne well a common wealth But as his iudgement was good in the other so was it very bad in this that he thought no man riche and wealthie that could not maintaine a whole army with his owne proper goods For the warre as king Archidamus was wont to say is not made with any certainty of expence and therefore there must no sufficiency of riches be limited for the maintenance of the same But herein Marius and he differed farre in opinion who hauinge allowed euery ROMANE foureteene akers lande called with them Iugera vnderstanding that some were not pleased but would haue more made them this aunswer The gods forbid any ROMANE should thinke that land litle which in deede is enough to suffise for his maintenance This notwithstanding Crassus was curteous to straungers for his house was open to them all and he lent his frendes money without interest but when they brake day of payment with him then would he roūdly demaunde his money of them So his curtesie to lende many times without interest did more trouble them than if he had taken very great vsery In deede when he had any man to come to his table his fare was but euen ordinary without all excesse but his fine and cleanly seruice the good entertainment he gaue euery man that came to him pleased them better than if he had bene more plentifull of dyet and dishes As for his learning and study he chiefly studied eloquence and that sorte specially that best would serue his turne to speake in open presence so that he became the best spoken man in ROME of all his time and by his great industry and diligent indeuor excelled all them that euen by nature were most apt vnto it For some say he had neuer so small nor litle a cause in hande but he alwayes came prepared hauing studied his case before for pleading and oftentimes also when Pompey Caesar and Citero refused to rise and speake to matters Crassus would defend euery cause if he were requested And therfore was he generally beloued well thought of bicause he shewed him selfe painfull willing to helpe euery man Likewise was his gentlenes maruelously esteemed bicause he saluted euery body courteously and made much of all men for whom so euer he met in the streetes that spake to him as he passed and saluted him were he neuer so meane he woulde speake to him againe and call him by his name It is sayd also he was very well studied in stories and indifferently seene in Philosophy specially in Aristotels workes which one Alexander did read vnto him a man that became very gentle and pacient of nature by vsing of Crassius company for it were hard to say whether Alexander was poorer when he came to Crassus or made poorer while he was with him Of all his frendes he would euer haue Alexander broade with him and while they were abroade would lend him a hat to couer his head by the way but so soone as they were returned he would call for it againe O wonderull pacient of a man to see that he making profession of Philosophie as he did the poore man being in great pouerty did not place pouerty in thinges indifferent But hereof we will speake not hereafter Cinna and Marius being now of greater power and comming on directly towards ROME euery man suspected straight their cōming was for no good to the common wealth but as appeared plainly for the death and destruction of the noblest men of ROME For it so fell out in deede that they slue all the chiefe men they found in the city among whom Crassus father his brother were of the number and him selfe being at that time but young escaped the present daunger only by flight Furthermore Crassus hearing that they layed waite to take him that the tyrannes sought him in euery place tooke three of his frends in his company and tenne seruauntes only and fled into SPAYNE with all possible speede where he had bene with his father before and had got some frendes when he was Praetor and ruled that contrie Neuerthelesse seeing euery body afrayed and mistrusting Marius cruelty as if he had beene at their dores he durst not bewray him selfe to any man but went into the fieldes and hid him in a great caue being within the lande of one Vibius Pitiacus by the sea side from whence he sent a man of his to this Piciacus to feele what good will he bare him but specially for that his vittells beganne to faile him Vibius hearing that Crassus was safe and had scaped became very glad of it and vnderstanding how many persones he had with him and into what place he was gotten went not him selfe to see him but called one of his slaues who was his receiuer and occupied that ground for him bringing him neere the place where Crassus was commaunded him euery night to prouide meate for supper to bring it ready dressed to this rode whereunder was the caue make no wordes of it neither be inquisitiue for whom it was for if he did he should dye for it otherwise for keping the thing secret as he commaunded he promised to make him a free man. This caue is not farre from the sea side is closed in round about with two rockes that mete together which receiue a soft coole winde into them Whē ye are entred into the caue it is of a great height within and in the hollownes thereof are many other caues of great receite one within an other and besides that it neither lacketh light nor water for there is a well of passing good water running hard by the rocke and the naturall riftes of the rockes also receiuing the light without where they mete together do send it inward into the caue So that in the day time it is maruelous light and hath no dampe ayer but very pure and drye by reason of the thickenes of the
them howbeit they gaue no credit vnto him Yet Cicero in an oration of his doth plainly accuse Crassus Caesar as confederats with Catiline howbeit this oration came not forth till they were both dead And in the oration he made also when his office and authority of Consul ceased he sayd that Crassus came one night to him shewed him a letter touching Catiline certainly confirming the conspiracy then in examination For which cause Crassus euer after hated him and that he did not openly reuenge it the let was by meane of his sonne For Publius Crassus much fauoring eloquence and beinge geuen to his booke bare great good will vnto Cicero in such sorte that apon his banishment he put on chaunged garmentes as Cicero did and procured many other youthes to do the like also and in fine perswaded his father to become his frend Caesar now returning to ROME from the prouince he had in gouernment intended to sue for the Consulshippe and perceiuing that Pompey Crassus were againe at a iarre thought thus with him selfe that to make the one of them his frend to further his sute he should but procure thother his enemy and minding therfore to attaine his desire with the fauor of them both sought first the meanes to make thē frendes perswaded with them that by their controuersie th one seeking thothers vndoing they did thereby but make Cicero Catulus and Cato of the greater authority who of them selues were of no power if they two ioyned in frendshippe together for making both their frendes and factions one they might rule the state and common wealth euen as they would Caesar hauing by his perswasion reconciled Crassus and Pompey ioyning their three powers in one made them selues vnuincible which afterwardes turned to the destruction of the people and Senate of ROME For he made them not only greater than they were before the one by the others meanes but him selfe also of great power through them For when they beganne to fauor Caesar he was straight chosen Consull without any deniall and so behaued him selfe in the Consulship that at the length they gaue him charge of great armies and then sent him to gouerne the GAVLES which was as a man may say euen them selues to put him into the castell that should kepe all the citie in subiection imagining that they two should make spoyle and good booty of the rest sithence they had procured him such a gouernment Now for Pompey the cause that made him commit this error was nothing els but his extreame ambition But as for Crassus besides his old vice of couetousnes rooted in him he added to that a newe a uarice and desire of triumphes and victories which Caesars fame for prowes and noble actes in warres did throughly kindell in him that he being otherwise his better in all thinges might not yet in that be his inferior which furie tooke such holde as it neuer left him till it brought him vnto an infamous end and the common wealth to great misery Thus Caesar being come out of his prouince of GAVLE vnto LVCA diuers ROMANES went thither to see him and among other Pompey and Crassus They hauing talked with him in secret agreed among them to deuise to haue the whole power of ROME in their handes so that Caesar should kepe his armie together and Crassus and Pompey should take other prouinces and armies to them Now to attaine to this they had no way but one that Pompey and Crassus should againe sue the second time to be Consulls and that Caesars frendes at ROME should stand with them for it sending also a sufficient number of his souldiers to be there at the day of choosing the Consulls Thereupon Pompey and Crassus returned to ROME to that ende but not without suspicion of their practise for there ranne a rumor in the citie that their meeting of Caesar in LVCA was for no good intent Whereupon Marcellinus and Domitius asked Pompey in open Senate if he ment to make sute to be Consull Pompey aunswered them peraduenture he did peraduenture he did not They asking him againe the same question he aunswered he would sue for the good men not for the euill Pompeyes answers were thought very prowde hawty Howbeit Crassus aunswered more modestly that if he saw it necessary for the common wealth he would sue to be Consull if not that he would nor stand for it Vpon these words some were so bold to make sute for the Consulshippe as Domitius among other But afterwardes Pompey and Crassus standing openly for it all the rest left of their sute for feare of them Domitius only excepted whom Cato so prayed and intreated as his kinseman and frend that he made him to seeke it For he perswaded him that it was to fight for the defense of their libertie and how that it was not the Consulshippe Crassus and Pompey looked after but that they went about to bring in a tyranny that they sued not for the office but to get such prouinces and armies into their handes as they desired vnder colour and countenaunce of the Consulship Cato ringing these words into their eares beleuing it certainly to be true as he sayd brought Domitius as it were by force into the market place where many honest men ioyned with thē bicause they wondred what the matter ment that these two noble men should sue the second time to be Consulls and why they made sute to be ioyned together and not to haue any other with them considering there were so many other worthy men meete to be companion with either of them both in that office Pompey fearing he should be preuented of his purpose fell to commit great outrage and violence As amongest other when the day came to choose the Consulls Domitius going earely in the morning before day accōpanied with his frends to the place where the electiō should be his man that caried the torch before him was slaine by some whom Pompey had layed in waite many of his companie hurt and among others Cato And hauing thus dispersed them he beset a house rounde about whether they fled for succour and inclosed them there vntill they were both chosen Consulls together Shortly after they came with force to the pulpit for orations and draue Cato out of the market place slue some of them that resisted would not flye They also then prolonged Caesars gouernment of the GAVLES for fiue yeres more and procured for them selues by decree of the people the contries of SYRIA and SPAYNE Againe when they drew lottes together SYRIA fell to Crassus and SPAYNE to Pompey Euery man was glad of their fortune For the people on the one side were loth Pompey should goe farre from ROME him selfe also louing his wife well was glad he had occasion to be so neere her that he might remaine the most of his time at ROME But Crassus of all other reioyced
vvarres His ambition notwithstanding couetous desire of rule did nothing benefit the ROMANES For the ATHENIANS sent Nicias to the warre against his will but Crassus led the ROMANES thither against their willes So that the common wealth fell into miserie by the one and the other through the common wealth was brought into miserie and yet therein there is rather cause to praise Nicias than to blame Crassus For Nicias like a wise man a Captaine of great experience could neuer so much as be brought to thinke they should conquer SICILE and therfore disswaded his contrymen from the iorney would geue no place to the vaine hope of the people of ATHENS But Crassus taking apon him to make warres with the PARTHIANS as though it had bene an easie matter to ouercome them found him selfe deceiued yet did he aspire to great thinges For as Iulius Caesar had conquered subdued to the Imperiall crowne of ROME all the contries of the West partes to say the GAVLES the GERMAINES and ENGLANDE euen so did Crassus desire to goe towardes the East partes to conquer all to the great west sea of the INDIANS and to subdue all the regions of ASIA whereunto Pompey and Lucullus aspired being both very noble personages and such as euer curteously behaued them selues to all men notwithstanding prouoked thereunto with the like desire that Crassus had For wheÌ„ the charge of the warres in the East partes was assigned to Pompey by decree order of the people the Senate vtterly misliked it and were against it all they could When newes were brought to ROME that Iulius Caesar in battell had ouerthrowen and slaine three hundred thowsand GERMAINES Cato perswading with the Senate was yet stil of this minde that Caesar should be deliuered into the handes of his enemies whom he had ouercomen for to be puâ—isned thereby to turne the sharpe reuenge and wrathe of the goddes from ROME apon him only that was the vniust breaker of the peace This notwithstaÌ„ding the people making none account of Catoes perswasions made common feastes processions fifteene dayes together and open sacrifices to the goddes with great ioy through the citie to thanke them for this famous victory How glad may we thinke would they haue bene and howe many dayes would they haue feasted and sacrificed if Crassus had wrytten from BABYLON of his victory and that he had conquered all the realmes of the MEDES of the PERSIANS of the HYRCANIAMS of SVSE and of the BACTRIANS and that he had made new gouernments and prouinces to the Empire of ROME If a man vvill needes doe vvrong and iniustice As Euripides sayth to them that can not liue in peace and be contented with their owne he must not then sticke at trifles as rasing of a castell of Scandia or of a citie of MENDA or chasing of the AEGINETES being out of their owne naturall contrie and hiding them selues like birdes without neastes in an other birdes hole but must dearely sell the wrong he doth and not lightly contemne iustice as a thing of small account For they that will commend the intent of Alexander the great in his voyage for the conquestes he made in the East and doe dispraise Crassus voyage doe not well to iudge of the beginning by the euentes and successe of the end For executing of their offices Nicias did many noble exploytes For he ouerthrew his enemies in diuers battell and had almost taken the citie of SYRACVSA and sure they can not iustely blame him for all the misfortunes that chaunced in the warre of SICILIA but partely the plague was a cause of it and partely also the enuie of those towardes him that remainde at ATHENS Where as Crassus ranne into so many errors and committed such foule partes in all his voyage that he gaue fortune no leasure to do him good so that I wonder not so much that his folly was ouercome by the power of the PARTHIANS as that it could ouercome the good fortune of the ROMANES Sithens it so falleth out theÌ„ that they both came to 〈…〉 vnfortunate end Nicias prognosticating before what thinges should happen by arte and rule of diuination and Crassus contrarily disdaining to obserue any thing sure it falleth out hard in iudgement which of them two proceeded with most safety Yet according to the best approued opinions a fault committed of feare is more excusable then of rashnes and folly to breake any auncient law or custome For their deathes Crassus end deserued least reproache For he against his will did yeelde him selfe and was neither bound nor mocked but only perswaded by his frendes and through his enemies frawde and treason most traiterously deceiued where Nicias cowardly and dishonorably hoping to saue his life trusting to the mercy of his enemies made his death more infamous THE LIFE OF Sertorius PEraduenture it is not to be maruelled at if in long proces of time fortune altering her effectes dayly these worldly euentes fall often out one like an other For whether it be that the variety of thinges are infinite fortune hath store of matter apt enough to worke to likenes or be it that worldly matters be compreheÌ„ded within determinate number of necessitie one thing must fall out like an other since they proceede from one cause tyed to the same meanes it before did vse But bicause men doe delight to compare such chaunces together as they haue seene or heard to haue happened so like as if they had bene done of purpose th one by the example of the other as that of two men being both named Attis both of them commen of noble houses th one in SYRIA and the other in ARCADIA both the one and the other were slaine with a wild bore That of two called Actaeon the one was torne a peeces by his dogges the other by his louers That of the two famous Scipioes CARTHAGINIANS were first ouercomen by the one and afterwards vtterly destroyed by the other That the citie of TROYE was first taken by Hercules for the horses that Laomedon had promised him the seconde time by Agamemnon by meanes of the great wodden horse and the third time by Charidemus by meanes of a horse that fell within the gate kept the TTROYANS that they could not shutte it in time And that of two sweete smelling plantes IOS and SMYENA two cities were named the one signifying the Violet and the other Myrre it is supposed that the Poet Homer was borne in the one and that he dyed in the other we may also adde to this example that amongest the auncient Captaines the greatest warriers and that haue done the noblest exploytes by wit and warlike stratageames had but one eye as Philip Antigonus Hanniball and Sertorius also whom we wryte of at this present Whom we may truely reporte to haue bene more chast than Philip more faithfull to his frend than Antigonus more curteous to his enemies than Hannibal and for wisdom and
a man by their lookes might easily coniecture that they enuied him for either of them both thought them selues men sufficient and worthie to commaunde Eumenes not to aide him Howebeit Eumenes behaued him selfe very wisely For as touching their enuie he pacified that bicause he tooke not the money which he was cōmaunded to take for his owne vse for that he had no neede of it And as for their ambition and presumption disdaining to be commaunded by him though they could neither tell howe to commaunded nor obey he did reclaime them by a superstition he layed before them which was this He made them beleue that Alexander did appeare to him in his sleepe and that he shewed him a pauillion sumptuously sette out in the state and magnificence of a king in the which was a royall throne and tolde him that if they would kepe their councell place in that pauillion he would be present among them and ayde them in all their councells and conduct of their warres so that they would alwayes beginne by him He easily perswaded Antigenos and Teutamus to beleue that which he spake who would not goe to him to consult of any matters neither did he thinke it honorable for him selfe to be seene to go to other mens gates Wherefore with all their consents they incontinently set vp a goodly rich pauilion which was called Alexanders pauillion and there they kept their councells and assemblies for dispatch of all their weightiest causes After this they went towardes the hie contries and met with Peucestas on the way Eumenes very great frende who ioyned with them and other great pieres of the realme with all their power besides This did greatly strengthen the armie of the noble men of MACEDONIA as touching the number of men and their braue armors and furniture but for their owne persones bicause they had no man to commaunde them since the death of Alexander they were growen selfe willed by dissolute libertie and effeminate in their maner of life and moreouer they had gotten a tyrannicall fiercenesse nourished increased by the vanities of the barbarous people So that many of them being then together could not be quiet one with an other but shamefully flattered the old bandes of the MACEDONIAN souldiers geuing them money and making them bankets and feastes of sacrifices And thus in shorte time of a campe they brought it to be a dissolute tauerne where the noble men got the souldiers fauor that they might be chosen chieftaines of all the armie like as the common peoples voyces are bought in free cities where the people doe rule to be preferred to honorable states and offices of the common wealth Now Eumenes found straight that these pieres of the realme disdained one an other howebeit that they all feared and mistrusted him and sought but for oportunity to kill him Wherefore to preuent this he made as though he had occasion to occupie money and so borrowed a great summe of thē especially whom he knew most hated him to the end that from thenceforth they should no more distrust but trust him standing in feare to lose the money they had lent him And thereof followed a straunge thing for other mens money and goodes was the safetie of his life For where others geue money to saue their liues he by taking of money saued his owne life Now for the souldiers of the MACEDONIANS whilest they sawe they were without daunger of enemies to make them afraied they stil hong apon them that gaue them being desirous to be made Generalles and came euery morning to their vprising to waite apon them and follow them wheresoeuer they went But when Antigonus was come to campe hard by them with a great and puisant army and that their case required then a valliant Captaine and skilfull leader not the souldiers alone but all the pieres and states besides which in peace did braue it out did then willingly without motion made submit them selues vnto Eumenes to be at his commaundement For when Antigonus assaied all the wayes he could to passe ouer the riuer of Pasitigris the pieres which were layed in diuers places to let him from passing ouer heard nothing of it so that there was none but Eumenes onely that resisted him and fought with him where he slewe such a number of his men that he filled the riuer with them and tooke foure thowsande of them prisoners Againe when Eumenes was sicke these olde bandes did more plainly shew what opinion they had of him and of others to wit that they could banket them and make them good cheere at their houses yet that Eumenes onely of all other was worthiest to be their Captaine and to commaunde them For Peucestas hauing feasted them in the kingdom of PERSIA and geuen euery souldier a murton to sacrifice thought he had wonne great fauor credit among them But shortly after as the army marched against their enemies Eumenes by misfortune fell daungerously sicke therefore would needes be caried in a litter farre from the campe to be out of the noyse bicause he could talk no rest But they had not gone farre before they saw their enemies which hauing passed ouer certaine litle hills betwene them were comming downe into the valley When the souldiers sawe the glistering of the gilt armors of their enemies that glared in the sunne and the good order they marched withall in battell ray the Elephantes with the towers apon their backes and the men at armes with their purple coates apon their armors which was the apparell they wore when they went to fight with their enemies then the formest stayed apon it and cried out willing them to send for Eumenes to lead them for they would els goe no further if they had not him for their Generall And there withall they raised their pykes layed downe their shieldes at their feete calling from one to an other to stay to their priuate Captaines also and told them plainly that they would not sturre a foote from thence nor fight at all vnlesse Eumenes were among them to lead them Eumenes hearing of it came to them with great speede hastening his slaues and littermen to bring him thither and then opening his litter on euery side he held out his right hand to the souldiers and tolde them he was very glad of the good opinion they had of him The souldiers also so soone as they sawe him saluted him in the MACEDONIAN tongue and tooke vp their shieldes clapping them against their pykes with a great showre bidding their enemies come when they would they shoulde be fought withall now that their Captaine was among them Antigonus on thother side being informed by certaine prisoners which his souldiers had taken in skermish that Eumenes was fallen very sore sicke and by reason thereof was caried in a litter thought nowe he should haue no great a doe to discomfit the rest of the army and therefore made all possible speede he could to fight
all quarells among them King Cleombrotus by chaunce was at that time in the contrie of PHOCIDE with his armie vnto whom the Ephori wrote that he should forthwith spoyle the THEBANS contrie and therewith also they sent to all their confederates to come and aide them which had no great fansie to the iorney and were loth to make warre with them but yet durst not refuse to goe nor disobey the LACEDAEMONIANS And notwithstanding that there were many signes presaging ill lucke as we haue wrytten in the life of Epaminondas and that Prethous LACONIAN was against the enterprise of this warre all that he could Agesilaus would needes forward hoping he had nowe found oportunity to be reuenged of the THEBANS sith all GRAECE besides was in peace and at libertie them selues onely exempted from treatie of peace If there had bene no other thing in it but the very shortnes of time that made it manifest enough that this warre was begonne in a geere without any manner of reason For the generall peace amongest the GRAECIANS was concluded at SPARTA the fourteenth of May and the LACEDAEMONIANS were ouercome at the battell of LEVCTRES the fifteene of Iune so as there was but twentie dayes betwene them There were slaine a thowsand LACEDAEMONIANS with their king Cleombrotus and the choicest of the valliantest SPARTANS about him Amongest them was also slaine that goodly young man Cleonymus Sphodrias sonne of whom we spake before who hauing bene beaten downe thrise at the kings foote three times got vp againe but at the length was slaine valliantly fighting against the THEBANS This great ouerthrowe chaunsing to the LACEDAEMONIANS vnlooked for and withall so glorious a victorie vnto the THEBANS as GRAECIANS fighting with GRAECIANS had neuer the like the vanquished citie of SPARTA notwithstanding deserued no lesse honor and commendacion for her fortitude and worthinesse than did the victorious citie of THEBES For as Xenophon wryteth that as amongest good men euen in table talke and in their sportes mirth there falleth out ouer some thing of wit worth the noting and bearing away euen so in like case no lesse but rather more ought noble mens wordes to be weyed and their countenances marked as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie At that time by chaunse there was a common feast day in the citie of SPARTA which was full of straungers that came to see the daunses sportes of them that shewed naked in the Theater when as the messengers arriued that brought the newes of the battell lost at LECVTRES The Ephori knowing then that the rumor straight ranne all about that they were all vndone and how they had lost the signorie and commaundement ouer all GRAECE would not suffer them for all this to breake of their daunse in the Theater nor the citie in any thing to chaunge the forme of their feast but sent vnto the parentes to euerie mans house to let them vnderstande the names of them that were slaine at the battell they them selues remaining still in the Theater to see the daunses and sportes continued to iudge who caried the best games away The next morning when euerie man knewe the number of them that were slaine and of those also that were escaped the parentes and frendes of them that were dead met in the market place looking cheerefully of the matter and one of them embraced an other On thother side the parentes of them that scaped kept their houses with their wiues as folke that mourned If any of them also had occasion to go abroad out of their houses for any matter of necessitie ye should see him looke so heauily and sad that he durst not talke with you lift vp his head nor looke ye in the face Besides all this euen amongest the women there was greater difference For the mothers of thē that kept their sonnes which came from the battell were sad and sorowfull and spake not a word Contrarily the mothers of them that were slaine went frendly to visite one an other to reioyce together Now when the people saw that their confederates beganne to forsake them and did dayly looke that Epaminondas glorying in his victorie would inuade PELOPONNESVS then they beganne to be pricked in conscience about the oracles of the goddes thinking that this misfortune came to their citie for that they had thrust out of the kingdome a man perfect in limmes to place an impotent person being specially warned by the goddes to beware of that aboue all thinges This notwithstanding they had him in such veneration for his valliantnes and his authoritie was such thereby that they did not onely vse him in warre as their king and soueraine Captaine but in ciuill causes also wherein there rose any question they euer vsed his counsell and aduise As they did when they durst not punish them according to the penall lawes that fled from the battell whom they call at SPARTA Tresantas being a great number of them and men of the noblest houses and of greatest power within the citie least they should moue some sturre or commotion among them For by lawe they can beare no office in the common wealth It is shame and reproche to geue them any wiues and also to marrie any of theirs Whosoeuer meeteth them may lawefully strike them and they must abide it and not geue them a word againe They are compelled to weare poore tattered cloth gownes patched with cloth of diuers colours and worst of all to shaue the one side of their beardes and the other not Whereupon finding the daunger great to deale with them to execute the lawe according to the infamie they deserued specially then standing in neede of a great number of men of warre they referred them selues altogether vnto Agesilaus to take such order in it as he thought good But Agesilaus then without chaunging or altering any thing of the lawe sayd in open assemblie of LACEDAEMON that for that day they should let the law alone notwithstanding that afterwardes it should stand in force By this policie he kept the lawe inuiolate and saued also the honor of those poore men and withall to put these youthes againe in hart being amazed with this feare he led the armie into the contrie of ARCADIA and would geue no battell but onely tooke a small citie of the MANTINIANS and foraged the contrie This againe did a litle reuiue the citie of SPARTA with some hope to make that it should not vtterly dispaire But shortly after Epaminondas inuaded the contrie of LACONIA with fortie thowsand footemen well armed besides an infinite number of others light armed and naked people that followed his campe for the spoyle so that in all there were about three score and tenne thowsande fighting men that came in with him to inuade LACONIA It was well neere sixe hundred yeares sith the DORIANS possessed LACEDAEMON and in all that time till then they neuer saw enemies in their contrie that durst inuade
them but then they sacked burnt all that came in their way euen vnto the riuer of Eurotas and hard adioyning vnto SPARTA and no man durst come out to resist them For Agesilaus as Theopompus wryteth would not suffer the LACEDAEMONIANS to goe out to fight against such a tempest and furie of warre but hauing fortified the middest of the citie and garded euery end of the streetes with souldiers he paciently bare all the bragges and threates of the THEBANS which challenged him out to fight and bad him come into the fielde to defende his contrie that onely was the cause of all these their calamities hauing him selfe procured this warre If this went to Agesilaus hart no lesse grieuous were these troubles to him that rose within the citie As the cries and running toe and froe of the old men which were mad to see that they did before their eyes and of sely women also which no grounde nor place could hold but ranne vp and downe as straught of their wittes to heare the noise the enemies made and to see the fire which they raised all the fieldes ouer Much more sorowefull also did this make him when as he bethought him selfe that entring into his kingdom at such time as the citie of SPARTA was in the greatest prosperitie that euer it was he now saw his honor eclipsed and the glorie of his kingdom ouerthrowen and the rather for that him selfe had often auaunted that LACONIAN women had neuer seene the smoke of any enemies campe And as they say of Antalcidas one day that he answered an ATHENIAN that contended with him about the valliantnesse of one an others nation alleaging for him selfe that the ATHENIANS had often driuen the LACEDAEMONIANS from the riuer of Cephesus It is true said the LACONIAN but we did neuer driue you from the riuer of Eurotas The like aunswere made a meane man of SPARTA to one of the ARGIVES that cast him in the teeth there are diuers of your LACONIANS buried in the contrie of ARGOLIDE so are there none of yours sayd he buried in LACONIA It is reported that Antalcidas being one of the Ephori at that time did secretly sende his children into the I le of CITHAERA fearing least the citie of SPARTA should be taken Agesilaus perceiuing that the enemies forced to passe ouer the riuer to enter the citie he stoode to defend the middle parte of the citie being the hiest place of the same and there had his men sette in order of battell Now at that time by chaunce the riuer of Eurotas was swelled greater then of ordinarie by reason of the snowe waters that fell aboundantly which troubled more the THEBANS with the coldnes then roughnes of the same in passing it ouer Some shewing Agesilaus how Epaminondas marched formost before his battell he beheld him a great while and his eye was neuer of him saying neuer a word but this onely O what a noble fellowe is that Epaminondas hauing done all that he could possible to geue the LACEDAEMONIANS battell euen within the citie selfe of SPARTA that he might there haue set vp some tokens of triumphe he could neuer intise Agesilaus to come out of his forte wherefore he was driuen in the ende to departe thence and so went to destroy all the rest of the contrie There fell out a conspiracie of two hundred men in SPARTA who of long time had had an ill meaning with them and tooke that quarter of the citie where the temple of Diana stoode called Issorium a place of strong scituacion and ill to distresse Hereuppon the LACEDAEMONIANS in furie would straight haue set apon them But Agesilaus fearing great mutinie and sturre apon it commaunded that no man should sturre and him selfe vnarmed in a poore gowne went thither crying out to them that had taken that strength Sirs ye haue not obeyed my commaundement This is not the place I appointed you to assemble in neither all of you in one place for I willed you to disperse your selues some one way some an other way shewing them the quarters of the citie The traitors hearing these wordes were glad as thinking that their intent was not bewraied and so leauing that strength went into those partes of the citie that he had shewed them Agesilaus then bringinge others thether possessed the forte of Issorium and tooke fifteene of those conspiratours and put them to death the next night followinge Howebeit then there brake out an other conspiracie farre greater than the first of the SPARTANS them selues which were secretly gotten together into a house to make some sodaine sturre and garboyle and to punish them in so great a trouble it was hard on thother side to neglect it the conspiracie was ouer daungerous Agesilaus hauing consulted with the Ephori did put them all to death without any iudgement of lawe neuer SPARTANS before them suffering death without due order of law Againe whereas diuers of their neighbours of the Ilotes them selues whom they had billed in their bandes for souldiers stale away and ranne to their enemies which did much discorage them that remained he warned his men that they should euerie day goe to their couches where they lay and that they shoulde take away their armour that were fled and hide it bicause they should not knowe the names of them that were fled in this sorte Now for the departure of the THEBANS some say that they went out of LACONIA by reason of the winter that came on whereuppon the ARCADIANS discharged their bandes and euerie one departed his way in disorder Others also holde opinion that they continued there three monethes together during which time they destroyed the most parte of the contrie Theopompus wryteth notwithstanding that the Captaines of the THEBANS hauing determined to departe there came one Phrixus a SPARTAN vnto them sent from Agesilaus who brought them tenne talents that they should departe out of their contrie Thus had they money geuen them to defraye their charges homewardes to doe that which they them selues had long before determined to haue done And yet doe I wonder howe it is possible that all other historiographers knewe nothing of this and that Theopompus onely could tell of it All doe acknowledge truely that Agesilaus onely was the cause that the citie of SPARTA was saued who leauing his ambition and selfe will being passions borne with him did wisely foresee their safetie Neuerthelesse after this great ouerthrowe he could neuer raise SPARTA againe to her former greatnesse For like as a whole bodie which hauing acquainted it selfe continually with a moderate diet with the least disorder doth surfet presently and so putteth all in daunger euen so Lycurgus hauing framed a perfect state of gouernment in the common wealth of SPARTA to make her citizens liue in peace and amitie together when they did enlarge it by great kingdomes and realmes the which the good lawemaker thought vnmeete to continue happie life they were straight
ouerthrowen and all went to wracke By this time Agesilaus was growen olde and could no more goe to the warres for verie age but his sonne Archidamus with the aide which Dionysius the tyranne of SYRACVSA sent vnto them wanne a battell against the ARCADIANS called the tearelesse battell for there dyed not one of his men and they slue a great number of their enemies This victorie plainely shewed the great weakenesse and decaie of the citie of SPARTA For in former times it was so common a thing vnto them to ouercome their enemies in battell that they did sacrifice nothinge else to the goddes in token of thankes within the citie but a poore cocke and they that had fought the battell made no boast of it neither did they that hard the newes reioice greatly at it For when they had wonne that great battell at the citie of MANTINEA which Thucydides describeth the Ephori only sent the messenger that brought the newes for reward a peece of powdered meate and no other thing But then when newes was brought of this victorie and that they vnderstoode Archidamus came home victorious neither man nor woman could keepe the citie but the father him selfe went first of all to meete him with the teares in his eyes for ioy and after him all the other Magistrates and officers of the citie and a swarme of old folke both men women came downe to the riuers side holding vp their hands to heauen thanking the goddes as if their citie had redeemed and recouered her shame and lost honor and beganne nowe to rise againe as before it did For vntill that time some say that the husbandes durst not boldly looke their wiues in the faces they were so ashamed of their great losses and miserable estate Now the citie of MESSINA being by Epaminondas reedified and replenished with people he called home againe out of all partes the naturall inhabitants of the same The SPARTANS durst not fight with him not to hinder his purpose though it spighted them to the hartes and were angrie with Agesilaus for that in his raigne they had lost all that territory which was as great as all LACONIA selfe and that for goodnesse and fertilitie compared with the best partes of all GRAECE the which they had quietly possessed many yeares before And this was the cause why Agesilaus would not agree to the peace which the THEBANS sent to offer him and all bicause he would not relinquish that in wordes which the enemies kept in deedes Therfore being wilfully bent once more to fight with them he went not only without recouering the thing he looked for but had in maner also lost the citie of SPARTA by a warlike stratageame in the which he was deceiued For the MANTINIANS being newly reuolted againe from the alliance of the THEBANS and hauing sent for the LACEDAEMONIANS Epaminondas receiuing intelligence that Agesilaus was departed from SPARTA with all his power to aide the MANTINIANS marched away secretly by night from TEGEA without the priuitie of the MANTINIANS and went straight to SPARTA the which he had almost surprised on the sodaine going an other way then Agesilaus came being in manner without men to defende it Howebeit a THESPIAN called Euthynus as Callisthenes sayth or as Xenophon wryteth a CRETAN brought Agesilaus newes of it who dispatched a horseman straight to aduertise them of the citie of SPARTA and marching forward him selfe to returne stayed not longe after before he arriued He was no sooner come but incontinently also came the THEBANS who passing ouer the riuer of Eurotas gaue assault to the city Then Agesilaus perceiuing that there was no more place nor time of securitie as before but rather of desperation and courage he valliantlie defended it more then an olde mans yeares coulde beare Thus through corage and desperate minde whereto he was neuer brought before neither did euer vse it he put by the daunger and saued the citie of SPARTA from Epaminondas handes setting vp markes of triumphe for repulsing of the enemies and making the women and children of SPARTA to see the LACEDAEMONIANS how honorablie they rewarded their nurse and contrie for their good education but Archidamus chiefely of all other fought wonderfully that day running into euerie parte of the citie with a fewe about him to repulse the enemies wheresoeuer the daunger was greatest It is sayd also that at that time there was one Isadas the sonne of Phaebidas that did maruelous straunge thinges to beholde both in the face of his enemies as also in the sight of his frendes He was of goodly personage and at that time in the prime of his youth and being starke naked and vnarmed his bodie noynted with oyle hauing in one hande a borestaffe and in the other a sworde in this maner he went out of his house and ranne amongest them that fought killinge and ouerthrowing his enemies that withstoode him and was not once hurt either for that the goddes preserued him for his manhoodes sake or else bicause men thought him more then a man The Ephori immediatly gaue him a crowne in honor and reward of his valliantnesse but withall they set a fine on his head to pay a thowsand siluer Drachmas for his rashe attempt to hasard him selfe in battell vnarmed for defense Shortly after they fought an other great battell before the citie of MANTINEA There Epaminondas hauing ouerthrowen the first ranckes of the LACEDAEMONIANS and coragiously distressing the rest valliantly following the chase there was one Anticrates a LACONIAN who receiuing him as Dioscorides writeth slue him with his borespeare The LACEDAEMONIANS to this day notwithstanding doe call the ofspring of this Anticrates Machariones as much to say as swordmen as though he had slaine him with a sword The LACEDAEMONIANS did esteeme this Anticrates so much for that deadly stroke he gaue bicause they were afrayed of Epaminondas while he liued that they gaue him that slue him great honors dignities and discharged all his ofspring kinred from payment of subsidie and common contribucions which priuiledge one Callicrates a kinseman of this Amicrates enioyed euen in our time After this battell and death of Epaminondas the GRAECIANS hauing taken peace generally amongest them Agesilaus would needes exclude the MESSENIANS from being sworne to this peace saying that they neede not sweare bicause they had no city Now forasmuch as all the GRAECIANS els did receiue them as amongest the number tooke their othe vnto this peace the LACEDAEMONIANS brake of from this general peace and none but they onely made warre in hope to recouer the MESSENIANS contrie and all through the allurement of Agesilaus who for this cause was thought of the GRAECIANS a cruell and vnsatiable man for warres to deale so craftily and all to breake this generall league Againe he brought him selfe in discredit with all men beinge compelled to make his citie bare of money borowing of them still and
as the lawe doth appoint Then aunswered Pompey alowde yes verily that I haue and vnder no other Captaine then my selfe The people hearing that aunswere made an open showte for ioy they were so glad to heare it and the Censors them selues came from their iudgement seate and went to accompaine Pompey home to his house to please the great multitude of people that followed him clapping of their handes with great signes of ioy At the ende of their Consulshippe when mislikinge increased further betwext Pompey and Crassus there was one Gaius Aurelius of the order of Knighthoode who till that time neuer spake in open assembly but then got vp into the pulpit for orations and tolde the people openly how Iupiter had appeared to him in the night and had commaunded him to tell both the Consulls from him that they should not leaue their charge and office before they were reconciled together For all these wordes Pompey sturred not But Crassus first tooke him by the hand and spake openly to him before the people My Lordes I thinke not my selfe dishonored to geue a place to Pompey sith you your selues haue thought him worthie to be called the great before he had any heare of his face and vnto whom you graunted the honor of two triumphes before he came to be Senator When he had sayd his minde they were made frendes together and so surrendred vp their office Now for Crassus he held on his former maner of life which he had begon Pompey as neere as he could gaue ouer to plead mens causes any more began litle and litle to withdraw him selfe from frequenting the market place and matters of iudgement comming seldome abroad when he did he had alwaies a great traine following him It was a rare thing also to see him any more come out of his house or talke with any man but he was euer accompanied with a great number he reioyced to him selfe to see that he had alwaies such a traine with him for that made him to be honored the more gaue him greater counternaunce to see him thus courted thinking it dishonor to him to be familiar with meane persons For men that rise by armes are easily despised when they come to liue like priuate citizens bicause they can not facion them selues to be cōpanions with the common people who citizen like vse a common familiaritie together but looke to be their betters in the city as they are in the field Yea and cōtrarily they that do acknowledge themselues to be their inferiors in warres will thinke fowle scorne if they be not their superiors in peace And by this meanes when they haue a noble warrier amonge them that followeth publike causes which hath triumphed for many victories and battells he hath obtained they obscure his glory and make him an vnderling vnto them whereas they doe not otherwise enuy any souldiers that are contented equally to geue them place and authority as plainly appeared shortly after by Pompey him selfe By such an occasion the power of pirates on the sea tooke beginning in the contry of CILICIA which was not reckoned of at the first bicause it was not perceiued vntill they grew bold venturous in king Mithridates warres being hyered to do him seruice And afterwards the ROMANES being troubled with ciuill warres one fighting with an other euen at ROME gates the sea not being looked to all this while it set them a gogge and made them go further then euer they did before For they did not only rob spoile all marchāt venterers by sea but rifled also all the Ilandes townes vpon the sea coast insomuch as then there ioyned with them men of great wealth and nobility of great wisedom also entred into their fellowshippe as into a commendable faculty Now they had set vp arsenalls or store houses in sundry places they had sundry hauens and beacons on the land to geue warning by fire all alongest the sea coast those well kept watcht moreouer they had great fleetes of shippes ready furnisht with excellent good galliots of ores skilfull pilots mariners their shippes of swift saile pinnases for discouery but withall so gloriously set out that men lesse hated their excesse then feared their force For the poopes of their galliots were all guilt the coueringes of the same all of purple silke delighting only to make a glorious show of their pillage All the sea coast ouer there was no sight of any thinge but musicke singing banketing and rioting prises of Captaines and men of great quality raunsomes of a thowsand prisoners all this was to the shame dishonor of the ROMANES Their ships were about a thowsand in nūber they had takē aboue foure hūdred townes They had spoiled destroyed many holy tēples that had neuer bene touched before As the temple of the twynnes in the I le of CLAROS the temple of Samothrecia the temple of Earth in the city of HERMION the tēple of AEsculapius in EPIDAVRVM the temples of Neptune in ISTHMOS TAENARIA CALABRIA the temples of Apollo in ACTIVM in the I le of LEVCADES the temples of Iuno in SAMOS in ARGOS in LVCANIA They had also many straunge sacrifices certen ceremonies of religion amongest thē selues in the mount Olympus among other the mistery of Mithres which is the sunne remaineth yet in being vnto this day being first shewed by them But besides all these insolent partes and iniuries they did the ROMANES vpon the sea they went a land and where they found any houses of pleasure vpon the sea coast they spoiled destroyed them on a time they tooke two ROMANE Praetors Sextilius Bellinus being in their purple robes with their sergeaūts officers attending on thē caried them quite away An other time also they stale away the daughter of Antonius a man that had receiued honor of triumphe as she went a walking abroad in the fields she was redemed for a great summe of money But you the greatest spight mockery they vsed to the ROMANES was this That when they had takē any of them and that he cried he was a citizen of ROME and named his name then they made as through they had bene amazed and affrayed of that they had done For they clapped their handes on their thighes and fell downe on their knees before him praying him to forgeue them The poore prisoner thought they had done it in good earnest seeing they humbled them selues as though they seemed fearefull For some of them came vnto him put shooes on his feete others clapt a gowne on the backe of him after the ROMANE facion for feare sayd they least he should be mistaken an other time When they had played all this pageant mocked him their bellies full at the last they cast out one of their shippe ladders and put him on it had him go his way he should haue no
hurt and if he would not goe of him selfe then they cast him ouer the bord by force and sent him packing These rouers and sea pirates had all the sea Mediterraneum at commaundement insomuch there durst not a marchant looke out nor once traffique that sea And this was the only cause that moued the ROMANES fearing scarsity of vittells and a great dearth to send Pompey to recouer the signory againe of the sea from these pirates The first man that moued it might be decreed that Pompey should not be only Admirall or Generall by sea but should haue absolute power to commaunde all manner of persons as he thought good without any account to be made of his doinges in his charge was Gabinius Pompeys frend The summe to this decree gaue him full power and absolute authority of all the sea from Hercules pillers and of the maine land the space of foure hundred furlong from the sea For the ROMANES dominions at that time in few places went further then that notwithstanding within that compasse were many great nations mighty kings Furthermore it gaue him power to choose of the Senate fifteene Lieutenauntes to geue vnto euery one of them seuerall prouinces in charge according to his discretion and also to take money out of the treasure of the Generall receiuers of the state to defray the charges of a fleete of two hundred saile with full power besides to leauy what men of warre he thought good and as many galliots and mariners as he listed This law when it had bene read once ouer among them the people confirmed it with very good will. Yet the noble men and chiefe of the Senate thought that this authority did not only exceede all enuy but also that it gaue them apparant cause of feare to geue such absolute power vnto a priuate person Whereupon they were all against it but Caesar who fauored the decree not so much to pleasure Pompey as the people whose fauor he sought The noble men fell maruelously out with Pompey and at the length one of the Consulls was very hotte with him and told him he looked to follow Romulus steppes but peraduenture he would come shorte of that end he made Thereupon the people thought to haue killed him After that Catulus stoode vp to speake against this edict The people at the first heard him quietly bicause he was a worthy man Then he began without any shew of enuy to speake many goodly thinges in the praise of Pompey and in fine aduised the people to spare him and not to venter in such daungerous warres one after an other a man of so great accompt as they ought to make of him If ye chaunce to loose him sayd he whom haue you then to put in his place The people then cried out your selfe Then perceiuing that he lost his labor seeking to turne the people from their determination he left it there and sayd no more Roscius rose next after him to speake but he could haue no audience When he saw that he coulde not be heard he made a signe with his fingers that they shoulde not geue Pompey alone this authority but ioyne an other with him The people being offended withall made such an outcrie vppon it that a crow flying ouer the market place at that instant was striken blinde fell downe amongest the people Whereby it appeareth that fowle falling out of the ayer to the ground do not fall for that the ayer is broken or pearced with any force or fury but bicause the very breath of the voice when it commeth with such a violence as it maketh a very tempest in the ayer doth strike ouercome them Thus for that day the assembly brake vp and nothing past and at the day appointed when this decree should passe by voyces of the people Pompey went abroad into the contry There being aduertised that the decree was past for the cōfirmation of his charge he returned againe that night into the citie bicause he would auoyde the enuie they would haue borne him to haue seene them run out of all partes of the city vnto him to haue waited on him home The next morning he came abroad and sacrificed to the goddes and audience being geuen him at an open assembly he handled the matter so that they gaue him many thinges besides to enlarge his power almost doubling the preparation set downe and appointed at the first decree For he ordained that the common wealth should arme him fiue hundred shippes they leauied for him sixe score thowsand footemen and fiue thowsand horsemen and chose besides foure and twenty Senators which had euery one of them bene Generalls of armies and two generall Treasorers also While thinges were thus a preparing the price of vittels fell by chaunces which reioyced the people so much that they stucke not to say that the name of Pompey only had already ended this warre This notwithstanding he deuided all the sea betwene the lands into thirteene regions and in euery of them he appointed a certaine number of his shippes and moreouer one of his Lieutenauntes ouer them Thus hauing dispersed his power all abroade he brought all the pirates shippes that were in a fleete together within his daunger and when he had taken them he brought them all into a docke Now for them that had dispersed them selues betimes or that otherwise could scape his generall chase they fled all into CILICIA as bees into the beehiue against whom he would needes go him selfe in person with three score of his best shippes Howbeit he cared not though he went not before he had scoored all the THVSCANE sea the coastes of LYBIA SARDINIA SICILE and of CORSICA of all these theeues which are wont to keepe thereabouts and this he did within forty dayes space taking infinite paines both him selfe and his Lieutenaunts Now when one of the Consulls called Piso did all the best he could to hinder Pompeys preparation and had discharged his ower men for that he enuied Pompeys prosperity Pompey sent his shippes before to make towardes ITALIE to arriue at the city of BRVNDVSIM He in the meane time went through TEVSCANE to ROME where so soone as his comming was knowen all the people ran out to meete him as if he had bene absent a long time and that which made the people more ioyfull to see him was the sodaine chaunge of victals vnlooked for that dayly came to the towne out of all partes But Piso went neere to be depriued of his Consulshippe for Gabinius had the decree wrytten and ready to present to the people But Pompey would not suffer it So hauing gently brought all to passe as he desired he went vnto the city of BRVNDVSIVM and there tooke sea and hoysed sayle Now though his hasty voyage and shortnesse of time made him passe by many good cities without comming into them notwithstanding he would not so passe by the city of ATHENS but landed there and after he had
Cato stāding vp it was thought straight he would haue spoken against him But silence being made him he plainely tolde them that for his owne parte he would not haue bene the first man to haue propounded that was spoken but sithence it was spoken by another that he thought it reasonable and meete to be followed And therefore said he it is better to haue an office to commaund whatsoeuer he be rather then none that he saw no man fitter to commaund then Pompey in so troublesome a time All the Senate liked his opinion and ordained that Pompey should be chosen sole Consul and that if he sawe in his discretion he should neede the assistance of an other companion he might name any whome he thought good but not till two monethes were past Thus was Pompey made Consul alone by Sulpitius regent for that daie Then Pompey made very frendly countenance vnto Cato and thanked him for the 〈…〉 he had done him praying him priuately to assist him with his counsell in the Consulshippe◠Cato aunswered him that there was no cause why he should thanke him for he had spoken nothing for his sake but for respect of the common wealth only and for his counselle if he would aske it he should priuately haue it if not yet that he would openly saie that which he thought Such a man was Cato in all his doinges Now Pompey retorning into the citie maried Cornelia the daughter of Metellus Scipio not a maiden but late the widow of Publius Crissus the sonne that was slaine in PARTHIA to whom she was maried a maiden This Ladie had excellent giftes to be beloued besides her beautie For she was properly learned could play and on the harpe was skilfull in musicke and geometrie and tooke great pleasure also in philosophie and not vainely without some profit For she was very modest and sober of behauior without brawling foolish curiositie which commonly young women haue that are indeed with such singular giftes Her father also was a noble man both in bloud and life Notwithstanding these vnlike mariages did nothing please some for Cornelia was young enough to haue bene his sonnes wife Now the best citizens thought that therein he regarded not the care of the common wealth being in such a troublesome time which had chosen him onely as her remedie to redresse the same and that he in the meane time gaue him selfe ouer to marying and seasting where rather he should haue bene carefull of his Consulshippe which was disposed apon him against the lawe for common calamities sake that otherwise he had not come by if all had bene quiet Furthermore he sharpely proceeded against them which by briberie and vnlaufull meanes came to office and hauing made lawes and ordinaunces for the administration of Iustice otherwise he delt iustly and vprightly in all thinges geuing safetie order silence and grauitie to matters of Iudgement with force of armes himselfe being present sauing that when his father in lawe was also accused among other he sent for the three hundred three score Iudges home to his house praying them to helpe him Whereupon when the accuser saw Scipio accompanied by the Iudges them selues retorning into the market place he let fall his sute This made Pompey againe be condemned and blamed also more then before for that he hauing made a lawe that no man should praise the offendors whilest their matter was a hearing came him selfe and openly praised Plancus being accused Thereupon Cato being one of the Iudges stopped his eares with both his handes saying that he might not heare an offendor praised seeing it was forbidden by lawe But therefore he was refused for a Iudge before they gaue sentence Notwithstanding Plancus was condemned by all the rest of the Iudges to Pompeys great shame and reproache Shortly after Hypseus one that had bene Consul being likewise accused watching Pompey on a time as he came out of his bathe to goe to supper vpon his knees he besought Pompeys fauor and helpe But he stately passed by him and gaue him no other aunswere but told him he marred his supper and said nothing els to him This inconstancy was much reproued in Pompey Howbeit otherwise he set all thinges in good order and chose his father in lawe Scipio for his colleague and fellow in the Consulshippe for the fiue last monethes After that he caused the gouernment of his prouinces to be appointed him for foure yeares more with commission to take yearely out of the treasure a thowsand talentes to defraye the charges of this warre Caesars friend seeing that stepped vp for him and prayed that there might also be had some consideracion of him that had likewise great warres for the Empire of ROME saying that his good seruice deserued either that they should make him Consul againe or els that they should prolonge his charge and gouernment so as he might yet peacibly enioye the honor to commaund that which he had conquered to th end that no other successor might reape the frute of his labor Much sturre and contention being about this matter at ROME Pompey as though for goodwill he ment to excuse the enuie they might haue borne Caesar said that he had receyued lettres from him by the which he requested a successor and to be discharged of this warre and furthermore that he thought it good they should graunt him priuiledge to demaund the second Consulshippe although he were absent Which Cato stowtely withstoode saying that he must retorne home as a priuate man and leauing his armie should come in person craue recompence of his contrie But by cause Pompey made no replie nor aunswere to the countrie men suspected straight that he had no great good liuing of Caesar and the rather bycause he had sent vnto him for the two legions which he had lon◠him vnderooller of his warre against the PARTHIANS But Caesar though he smelt him wherefore he sent for his souldiers retorned them home with liberall reward About that time Pompey fell sicke at NAPLES of a daungerous disease whereof notwithstanding he recouered againe The NEAPOLITANS thereupon by perswasion of Praxagoras one of the chiefest men of their citie did sacrifice to the goddes for his recouerie The like did also their neighbours round about and in fine it ranne so generally through all ITALY that there was no citie or towne great or small but made open feast and reioycing for many dayes together Besides the infinite nomber of people was such that went to meete him out of all partes that there was not place enough for them all but the high wayes cities townes and ports of the sea were all full of people feasting and sacrificing to the gods reioycing for his recouerie Diuers also went to meete him crowned with garlandes and so did attend on him casting nosegayes and flowers apon him Thus was his Iorney the noblest sight that euer was all the way as he came howbeit men thought
him once againe to flie from Caesar and to make him follow him sithe fortune had geuen him oportunitie to haue Caesar in chase not lawfull also before the gods to forsake his father in lawe Scipio and many other also that had bene Consuls despersed abrode in GRAECE and THESSALY which should immediatly fall into Caesars handes with all their riches and armies they had Furthermore he said that they had care enough for the citie of ROME which drew the warres fardest of from them so as they remaining safe quiet at home neither hearing nor feeling the misery of warres might in th end peaceably receiue and welcome him home that remained conqueror With this determinacion he marched forward to follow Caesar being determined not to geue him battel but to beseege him only to compasse him in still being neere vnto him and so to cut him of from vittels There was also an other reason that made him to follow that determinacion For it was reported to him that there was a speech geuen out among the ROMANE knights that so soone as euer they had ouercome Caesar they must also bring Pompey to be a priuate man againe Some saye therefore that Pompey would neuer afterwardes imploy Cato in any greater matters of waight in all this warre but when he followed Caesar he left him captaine of his armie to kepe his cariage by sea fearing that so soone as Caesar were once ouercome he would make him straight also resigne his authoritie Pompey following Caesar in this maner faire and softly they cryed out apon him that he made no warre with Caesar but against his contrie and the Senate bycause he might be still in authoritie and that he would neuer leaue to haue them for his seruauntes and gard about him which should rule commaund the world Furthermore Domitius Aenobaâ—bus calling him continually Agamemnon and king of kinges made him much to be enuied Phaonius also mocked him as much as the other that spake most boldest for he went crying vp and downe my masters I geue you warning you are like to eate no TAVSCVLAN figges this yeare And Lucius Afranius also he that had lost the armie which he had in SPAYNE and was also suspected for a traitour seeing Pompey then refused to come to battell I maruaile said he that they which accuse me doe not lustely goe to finde him out whome they call the marchaunt and common buyer of prouinces to fight with him presently With these and many such other lewd speaches they compelled Pompey in thend who could not abide to be ill spoken of and would not denie his frendes any thinge to follow their vaine hope and desires and to forsake his owne wise determination the which thinge no good shipppe master and much lesse a chiefe and soueraine captaine ouer so many nations and so great armies should haue suffred and consented vnto Now he that did alwayes commend the positions that would not follow the fonde desire of the sicke pacientes was him selfe contented to obey the worst parte of his armie fearing their displeasure where their life or health stood in hazard For who would thinke or iudge them to be wise men and in their wittes who walking vp and downe their campe did already sue to be Consuls and Praetors considering that Spiâ—theâ— Dâ—â—itius Scipio were at strife together making frendes to be highe bishoppe which office Caesar had as if they should haue fought with Tigranes king of ARMENIA or with the king of the NABATHEIANS which had camped by them and not with Caesar and his armie who had taken a thowsand townes by assaulte had subdued aboue three hundred seuerall nations and had wonne infinite battells of the GERMANES and GAVLES and was neâ—er ouer come had also taken a million of men prisoners and had likewise slaine so many at diâ—ers battells All this notwithstanding they of Pompeys side still being importunate of him troubling him is this sorte in fine when they were come into the fields of PHARSALIA they compelled Pompey to call a counsell There Labienus generall of the horsemen standing vp sware before them all that he would not retorne from the battell before he had made his enemies to flie The like othe all the rest did take The next night following Pompey thought in his dreame that he came into the Theater and that the people to honor him made a maruelous great clapping of their handes that he him selfe did set forth the temple of Venus the â—â—â—onenour with many spoiles This vision partly put him in good courage partly againe made him doubt for that he was affrayed bycause Caesars familie was discended from this goddesse Venus that his dreame did signifie that he should haue the honor of the victorie with the spoiles he should winne of him Besides all this there ranne sodaine fearefull noises turn 〈…〉 in his campe without any apparant cause that waked all the campe vpon it At the fourth watche when the watche is renued in the morning there was seene a maruelous great light ouer Caesars campe and they were all at rest Of that there came as it were a torche of a burning fire and fell in Pompeys campe The which Caesar him selfe sayed he saw when he went to searche the watche At the breake of the daye Caesar being determined to raise his campe and to go to the citie of SCOTVâ—A as his souldiers were busie about ouerthrowing of their tents sending away their bagges and baggage before there came skowtes vnto him that brought him worde they sawe a great deale of armor and weapon caryed to and fro in their enemies campe and bard a noise and buffling besides as of men that were preparing to fight After these came in other skowtes that brought word also that their voward was already set in battell raye Then Caesar said that the daye was nowe come they had longed for so sore and that they should now fight with men not with hunger nor with want of vittells and therevpon gaue order presently that they should put out the red coates or armes vpon his tente which was the signe all the ROMANES vsed to shew that they would fight The souldiers seeing that out left their cariage and tentes and with great showres of ioye ranne to arme them selues The captaines of euery band also bestowed euery man in such place as he should fight and so they conueyed them selues into battell raye without any tumulte or disorder as quietly as if they should haue entred into a daunce Pompey him selfe led the right winge of his armie against Antony The middle of the battell he gaue vnto Scipio his father in lawe being right against Domitius Câ—luiâ—us The left winge also was led by Lucius Domitius Aenobarbus the which was garded with men of armes For all the horsemen were placed on that side to distresse Caesar if they could that was directly against them and to ouerthrowe the tenth
booke desired to read much He learned also the Iliades of Homer of Aristotles correction which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the corrected as hauing passed vnder the rule laid it euery night vnder his beds head with his dagger calling it as Onesicrates writeth the institution of martiall discipline And when he was in the high contries of ASIA where he coulde not readily come by other bookes he wrote vnto Harpalus to send them to him Harpalus sent him the histories of Philistus with diuers tragedies of Euripides Sophocles and AEschylus and certaine hymnes of Telestus and Philoxenus Alexander did reuerence Aristotle at the first as his father and so he tearmed him bicause from his natural father he had life but from him the knowledge to liue But afterwardes he suspected him somewhat yet he did him no hurt neither was he so frendly to him as he had bene whereby men perceiued that he did not beare him the good will he was wont to doe This notwithstanding he left not that zeale and desire he had to the studie of Philosophie which he had learned from his youth and still continued with him For he shewed diuers testimonies thereof As the honor he did vnto Anaxarchus the Philosopher The fiftie talentes which he sent vnto Xenocrates Dandamis and Calanus of whome he made great account When king Philip made warre with the BIZANTINES Alexander being but sixteene yeare olde was left his Lieutenaunt in MACEDON with the custodie and charge of his great seale at what time he also subdued the MEDARIANS which had rebelled against him and hauing wonne their citie by assault he draue out the barbarous people and made a Colonie of it of sundrie nations and called it ALEXANDROPOLIS to say the citie of Alexander He was with his father at the battell of CHAERONEA against the GRAECIANS where it was reported that it was he that gaue charge first of all apon the holie bande of the THEBANS Furthermore there was an old oke seene in my time which the contry men commonly call Alexanders oke bicause his tent or pauillion was fastned to it and not farre from thence is the charnell house where those MACEDONIANS were buried that were slaine at the battell For these causes his father Philip loued him very deerely and was glad to heare the MACEDONIANS call Alexander king him selfe their Captaine Howbeit the troubles that fell out in his court afterwards by reason of Philippes new mariages and loues bred great quarrell and strife amongest the women for the mischiefe of dissention gealozy of women doth separate the harts of kings one from an other whereof was chiefest cause the sharpenes of Olympias who being a gealous woman fretting and of a reuenging minde did incense Alexander against his father But the chiefest cause that prouoked Alexander was Attalus at the mariage of Cleopatra whom Philip maried a maiden falling in fancie with her when him selfe was past mariage This was the matter Attalus being vncle vnto this Cleopatra fell droncke at the mariage and hauing in his cuppes he perswaded the MACEDONIANS that were at the feast to pray to the goddes that they might haue a lawfull heire of Philippe and Cleopatra to succeede him in the kingdome of MACEDON Alexander being in a rage therewith threwe a cuppe at his head and sayd vnto him why traytor what am I dost thou take me for a bastard Philip seeing that rose from the bourd and drew out his sword but by good fortune for them both being troubled with choller and wine he fell downe on the grounde Then Alexander mockinge him loe sayd he to the MACEDONIANS here is the man that prepared to go out of EVROPE into ASIA and stepping onely from one bedde to an other ye see him layed alongest on the ground After this great insolency he tooke his mother Olympias away with him and carying her into his contrie of EPIRVS he left her there and him selfe afterwards went into ILLYRIA In the meane time Demaratus CORINTHIAN a frend of king Philippes and very familliar with him came to see him Philip when he had curteously welcommed him asked him howe the GRAECIANS did agree together Truely O king quod he it importes you much to inquier of the agreement of the GRAECIANS when your owne court is so full of quarrell contencion These words nipped Philip in such sorte caused him to know his fault that through Demaratus meanes whom he sent to perswade Alexander to returne Alexander was made to come backe againe Now whē Pexodorus a Prince of CARIA desiring for necessities sake to enter in league and frendship with Philip offred his eldest daughter in mariage vnto Aridaeus king Philips sonne had sent Aristocritus Ambassador into MACEDON for that purpose the frends of Alexander his mother began againe to inueigle him with new reports and suspicions how Philip by this great mariage would aduaunce Aridaeus to his vtter vndoing and leaue him his heire in the kingdom Alexander being nettled therwith sent one Thessalus a plaier of tragedies into CARIA to Pexodorus to perswade him to leaue Aridaeus that was a bastard a foole rather to make alliāce with Alexander This offer pleased Pexodorus far better to haue Alexander his sonne in law than Aridaeus Philip vnderstanding this went himself into Alexanders chāber taking Philotas with him the sonne of Parmenio one of his familliars bitterly tooke vp Alexander telling him that he had a base mind was vnworthy to be left his heire after his death if he would cast himselfe away marying the daughter of a CARIAN that was a slaue subiect of a barbarous king Therupō he wrote letters vnto CORINTH that they should send Thessalus boūd vnto him And furthermore he banished out of MACEDON Harpalus Nearchus Phrygius Ptolomy his sonnes companions whom Alexander afterwards called home againe placed them in great authority about him Shortly after Pausanias susteining villany by the counsell and commaundement of Attalus Cleopatra crauing Iustice of Philip and finding no amends he conuerted all his anger against him and for spight slue him him selfe Of this murther most men accused Quene Olympias who as it is reported allured this young man hauing iust cause of anger to kill him And Alexander also went not cleare from suspition of this murther For some say that Pausanias after this villanie was done him complained vnto Alexander and told him how he had bene abused who recited these verses to him of Euripides in the tragedie of Medea where she said in anger that she would be reuenged Both of the bridegroome and the bride And of the father in lavve Notwithstanding afterwardes he caused diligent searche to be made and all them to be seuerely punished that were of the conspiracie and was angrie also that his mother Olympias had cruelly slaine Cleopatra So he came to be king of MACEDON at twenty yeares of age and found his
also one Philotas the sonne of Parmenio a man of great authority among the MACEDONIANS who next vnto Alexander was the most valliantest man the pacientest to abide paine the liberallest and one that loued his men frends better then any noble man in the campe whatsoeuer Of him it is reported that a frend of his came to him on a time to borrow money and he commaunded straight one of his men to let him haue it His purse bearer aunswered him that he had none Why sayd his master doest thou tell me so Hast thou not plate and apparell to sell or gage to helpe him to some Howbeit otherwise he had such a pride glory to shew his riches to apparell himselfe so sumptuously and to be more fine and princked then became a priuate man that this made him to be hated bicause he tooke vpō him to be a great man to looke bigge on the matter which became him ill fauoredly and therfore euery man through his owne folly fell in misliking with him Insomuch as his owne father said one day vnto him sonne I pray thee be more humble lowly This Philotas had long before bene cōplained vpon vnto Alexander bicause that when the cariage of king Darius armie which was in the citie of DAMAS was taken after the battell of CILICIA among many prisoners that were taken and brought vnto Alexanders campe there was one Antigona a passing fayer young curtisan borne in the citie of PIDNA Philotas founde meanes to gette her and like a young man that was in loue with her making merie with her at the table fondly lette fall braue wordes and boastes of a souldier saying that what notable thinges were done they were done by him selfe and his father and called Alexander at euerie worde young man and sayd that by their meanes he helde his name and kingdome This courtisan tolde one of his frendes what he sayd and that frede tolde an other frende and so went from man to man as commonly it doth till at the length it came to Craterus eares He tooke the courtisan and brought her vnto Alexander vnto whom she told as much as she had sayd before Alexander bad her still make much of Philotas and to tell him euery word what he sayd of him Philotas knowing nothing that he was thus circumuented did euer frequent her companie and would be bold commonly to speake many foolish and vndiscreete words against the king somtime in anger somtime againe in a brauery Alexander this notwithstanding though he had manifest proofe and cause to accuse Philotas yet he dissembled it for that time and would not be knowen of it either for that he knew Parmenio loued him or else for that he was affrayed of their great power and authoritie About that time there was one Limnus Chalaestrian a MACEDONIAN that layed great and secret waite to kill Alexander and being in loue with a young man called Nicomachus entised him to helpe him to doe this deede The young man wisely denied it told the same to his brother called Batinus He went vnto Philotas and prayed him to bring them both before Alexander for they had a matter of great importance to impart vnto him Philotas would not let him speake with the king but why no man could tell telling them that the king had greater matters in hande and was not at leasure Then they went vnto an other and he brought them vnto Alexander vnto whome first they opened the treason of Limnus conspired against him and by the way they tolde also how they had bene twise before with Philotas who would not let them come in nor speake with them That angred Alexander greatly and he was the more offended also when Limnus was slaine by him whome he sent to apprehende him resisting him for that he would not be taken and thought that by his death he had lost a great meanes to come to the light of this treason and conspiracie Then Alexander frowning vppon Philotas brought all his enemies vpon his backe that of long time had hated him For they beganne to speake boldly that it was time for the kinge to looke about him for it was not to be supposed that this Limnus Chalaestrian of him selfe durst haue entred into that treason but rather that he was a minister and a chiefe instrument set on by a greater personage then he and therefore that it stoode Alexander vpon to examine them straightly which had cause to keepe this treason secret After Alexander once gaue eare vnto such wordes and vehement presumptions there was straight brought in a thowsand accusations against Philotas Thereupon he was apprehended and in the presence of diuers Lordes and familliars of the king put to the torter Alexander selfe being behinde a hanginge to heare what he would say It is reported that when he hearde howe faintly and pitiefully he besought Hephaestion to take pitie of him he sayd vnto him selfe alas poore Philotas thou that hast so faint a hart howe durst thou take vppon thee so great matters In fine Philotas was put to death and immediatly after he was executed Alexander sent also with speede vnto the realme of MEDIA to kill Parmenio who was his Lieutenaunt there and one that had serued king Philippe his father in his greatest affayers and who onely of all other the olde seruauntes of his father had procured Alexander to take in hande the conquest of ASIA and who also of three sonnes which he brought out with him had seene two of them dye before him and afterwardes was slaine him selfe with the third This crueltie of Alexander made his frendes affrayed of him and specially Antipater who secretly sent Ambassadors vnto the AETOLIANS to make league with them bicause they them selues also were affrayed of Alexander for that they had put the Orniades to death Alexander hearing that sayd that he him selfe and not the sonnes of the Orniades would be reuenged of the AETOLIANS Not long after that followed the murther of Clitus the which to heare is simplie tolde would seeme much more cruell than the death of Philotas But reportinge the cause and the time together in which it chaunced it will be founde that it was not of sette purpose but by chaunce and vnfortunately that Alexander being ouercome with wine did vnluckely wreake his anger vpon Clitus The manner of his misfortune was this There came certaine men of the lowe contries from the sea side that brought apples of GRAECE 〈…〉 nto Alexander Alexander wondering to see them so greene and fayer sent for Clitus to shewe him them and to geue him some of them Clitus by chaunce did sacrifice at that time vnto the goddes and left his sacrifice to goe vnto Alexander howebeit there were three weathers that followed him on whome the accustomed sprincklinges had bene done alreadie to haue sacrificed them Alexander vnderstandinge that tolde it to his Soothsayers Aristander and Cleomantis LACONIAN who both did aunswere
my will. For Caius Caesar after he had wonne so many famous conquests and ouercome so many great battells had beene vtterly condemned notwithstanding if he had departed from his armie Asinius Pollio writeth that he spake these wordes then in Latyn which he afterwards wrote in Greeke and sayeth furthermore that the moste parte of them which were put to the sworde in the campe were slaues and bondmen and that there were not slayne in all at this battell aboue six thowsand souldiers As for them that were taken prisoners Caesar did put many of them amongest his legions and did pardon also many men of estimation amonge whome Brutus was one that afterwardes slue Caesar him selfe and it is reported that Caesar was very sory for him when he could not immediatly be founde after the battell and that he reioyced againe when he knewe he was alyue and that he came to yeelde him selfe vnto him Caesar had many signes and tokens of victorie before this battell but the notablest of all other that hapned to him was in the citie of TRALLES For in the temple of victorie within the same citie there was an image of Caesar and the earth all about it very hard of it selfe and was paued besides with hard stone and yet some say that there sprange vppe a palme hard by the base of the same image In the citie of PADYA Caius Cornelius an excellent Soothsayer a contry man and friende of Titus Liuins the Historiographer was by chaunce at that time set to beholde the flying of birdes He as Liuie reporteth knewe the very tyme when the battell beganne and tolde them that were present euen now they gaue the onset on both sides and both armies do meete at this instant Then sitting downe againe to consider of the birdes after he had bethought him of the signes he sodainely rose vp on his feete and cryed out as a man possessed with some spirit oh Caesar the victory is thine Euery man wondring to see him he tooke the crowne he had on his heade and made an othe that he would neuer put it on againe till the euent of his prediction had proued his arte true Liuie testifieth that it so came to passe Caesar afterwards giuing freedom vnto the THESSALIANS in respect of the victory which he wanne in their contry he followed after Pompey When he came into ASIA he gaue freedom also vnto the GVIDIANS for Theopompus sake who had gathered the fables together He did release ASIA also the thirde part of the tribute which the inhabitants payd vnto the ROMANES Then he came into ALEXANDRIA after Pompey was slaine and detested Theodotus that presented him Pompeys heade and turned his head at toe side bicause he would not see it Notwithstanding he tooke his seale and beholding it wept Furthermore he curteously vsed all Pompeys friendes and familiers who wandring vp and downe the contry were taken of the king of AEGYPT and wanne them all to be at his commaundement Continuing these curtesies he wrote vnto his friendes at ROME that the greatest pleasure he tooke of his victorie was that he dayly saued the liues of some of his contry men that bare armes against him And for the warre he made in ALEXANDRIA some say he needed not haue done it but that he willingly did it for the loue of Cleopatra Wherein he wanne litle honor and besides did put his person in great daunger Others doe lay the fault vpon the king of AEGYPTS Ministers but specially on Pothinus the Euenuke who bearing the greatest swaye of all the kinges seruaunts after he had caused Pompey to be slaine and driuen Cleopatra from the Court secretly layd waite all the wayes he could how he might likewise kill Caesar. Wherefore Caesar hearing an inckling of it beganne thenceforth to spend all the night long in feasting and bancketing that this person might be in the better safetie But besides all this Pothinus the Euenuke spake many thinges openly not to be borne onely to shame Caesar and to stirre vp the people to enuie him For he made his souldiers haue the worst and oldest wheate that could be gotten then if they did complayne of it he told them they most be contented seeing they eate at anothers mans coste And he would serue them also at the table in treene and earthen dishes saying that Caesar had away all their gold and siluer for a debt that the kings father that then raigned did owe vnto him which was a thowsand seuen hundred and fiftie Miriades whereof Caesar had before forgiuen seuen hundred fiftie thowsand vnto his children Howbeit then he asked a Myllion to paye his souldiours withall Thereto Pothinus aunswered him that at that tyme he should doe better to follow his other causes of greater importance and afterwardes that he should at more leysure recouer his dette with the kinges good will and fauor Caesar replyed vnto him and sayd that he would not aske counsell of the AEGYPTIANS for his affayres but would be payd and thereupon secretly sent for Cleopatra which was in the contry to come vnto him She onely taking Apollodorus SICILIAN of all her friendes tooke a litle bote and went away with him in it in the night and came and landed hard by the foote of the castell Then hauing no other meane to come in to the court without being knowen she laid her selfe downe vpon a mattresse or flockbed which Apollodorus her frend tied bound vp together like a būdel with a great leather thong and so tooke her vp on his backe and brought her thus hamperd in this fardell vnto Caesar in at the castell gate This was the first occasion as it is reported that made Caesar to loue her but afterwards when he sawe her sweete conuersation and pleasaunt entertainment he fell then in further liking with her did reconcile her again vnto her brother the king with condition that they two ioyntly should raigne together Apon this newe reconciliation a great feast being prepared a slaue of Caesars that was his barber the fearefullest wretch that liued stil busily prying and listening abroad in euery corner being mistrustfull by nature found that Pothinus and Achillas did lie in waite to kill his Maister Caesar. This beeing proued vnto Caesar he did sette such sure watch about the hall where the feaste was made that in fine he slue the Euenuke Pothinus him selfe Achillas on thother side saued him selfe and fled vnto the kinges campe where he raysed a maruelous daūgerous difficult warre for Caesar bicause he hauing then but a few men about him as he had he was to fight against a great strong city The first daunger he fell into was for the lacke of water he had for that his enemies had stopped the mouth of the pipes the which conueyed the water vnto the castell The seconde daunger he had was that seeing his enemies came to take his shippes from him he was driuen to repulse that
in speech Phocion was very wittie For like as coynes of gold or siluer the lighter they waye the finer they be of goodnes euen so the excellencie of speeche consisteth in signifying much by fewe wordes And touching this matter it is reported that the Theater being full of people Phocion walked all alone vpon the scaffold where the players played and was in a great muse with him selfe whereuppon one of his friendes seeing him so in his muses said vnto him Surely Phocion thy minde is occupied about somewhat In deede so is it sayd he for I am thinking with my selfe if I could abridge any thing of that I haue to say to the people For Demosthenes selfe litle esteming all other Orators when Phocion rose vp to speake he would round his friendes in their eares and told them See the cutter of my wordes riseth Peraduenture he ment it by his maners also For when a good man speaketh not a word onely but a wincke of an eye or a nod of his head doth counteruaile many artificiall words speeches of Rethoritians Furthermore when he was a young man he went to the warres vnder Captaine Chabrias and followed him of whom he learned to be a persit souldier and in recompence thereof he reformed many of his Captaines imperfections and made him wiser then he was For Chabrias otherwise beeing very dull and slothfull of him selfe when he came to fight he was so hotte and corageous that he would thrust himselfe into daunger with the desperatest persons therefore for his rashnes it afterwards cost him his life in the citie of CHIO where launching out with his gally before the rest he pressed to land in despite of his enemies But Phocion being wise to loke to him selfe and very quicke to execute on the one side quickned Chabrias slownes and on the other side also by wisedom cooled his heate and furie Chabrias therefore being a good man curteous loued Phocion very well and did preferre him in matters of seruice making him famous amongest the GRAECIANS and employed him in his hardiest enterprises For by his meanes he atchieued great fame and honor in a battell by sea which he wanne by the I le of NAXOS giuing him the left winge of his armie on which side the fight was sharpest of all the battell and there he soonest put the enemies to flight This battel being the first which the citie of ATHENS wanne with their owne men onely after it had bene taken gaue the people cause to loue Chabrias and made them also to make accompt of Phocion as of a noble souldier worthy to haue charge This victory was gotten on the feast day of the great misteries in memory whereof Chabrias did yearly on the sixtenth day of the moneth Boedromion now called August make all the people of ATHENS drinke After that time Chabrias sending Phocion to receiue the tribute of the Ilanders their confederats and the shippes which they should send him he gaue him twenty gallies to bringe him thither But Phocion then as it is reported said vnto him if he sent him to fight with his enemies he had neede to haue moe shippes but if he sent him as an Ambassador vnto his friendes then that one shippe would serue his turne So he went with one gallie onely and after he had spoken with the cities and curteously dealt with the gouernors of euery one of them he returned backe furnished of their confederats with a great fleete of shippes and money to cary vnto ATHENS So Phocion did not onely â—â—uerence Chabrias while he liued but after his death also he tooke great care of his friendes and kinsmen and sought to make his sonne Ctesippus an honest man whom though he sawe way wilde and vntoward yet he neuer left to reforme him and hide his fault It is fayde also that when this young man did trouble him much with vaine friuolous questions seruing then vnder him he being Captaine and taking vpon him to giue him counsell to reproue him and to teache him the dutie of a Captaine he could not but say O Chabrias Chabrias now doe I paye for the loue thou didest beare me when thou wertaliue in bearing with the folly of thy sonne But when he saw that the heads of the citie of ATHENS had as it were by lot deuided amonge them selues the offices of warre and peace and that some of them as Eubulus Aristophon Demosthenes Lycurgus and Hyperides were common speakers and preferrers of matters in counsells and Senate and that others as Diopithes Menestheus Leosthenes and Chares became great men by the warres and had charge of armies he determined rather to follow the manner of gouernment of Pericles Aristides Solon as being mingled of both For either of them seemed as the Poet Archilotus sayth To bee both Champions stovvt of Marsis vvarlyke band And of the Muses eke the artes to vnderstand He knew also that Pallas the goddesse and protector of ATHENS was called Folemica and Politica to wit skilfull to rule both in warre and peace So hauing thus disposed of him selfe in gouernment he alwaies perswaded peace and quietnes and yet was often chosen Captaine and had charge of armies being the onely man that of all the Captaines afore him and in his time did neuer sue for charge neither yet refused it at any time when he was called to serue the common wealth It is certen that he was chosen fiue and forty times Praetor and was alwaies absent at the elections but yet sent for Whereuppon all the wise men wondred to see the manner of the people towards him considering that Phocion had neuer done nor sayd any thing to flatter them withall but commonly had bene against their desires and how they vsed other gouernours notwithstanding that were more pleasant and delightfull in their orations like men to sport at as it is sayd of kings who after they haue washed their handes to goe to their meate doe vse to haue Ieslers and flatterers to make them mery but on thother side when they had occasion of warres in deede how then like wise men they could bethinke them selues and choose the wisest and slowtest man of the citie that most would withstand their mindes and desires For on a time an oracle of Apollo Delphias beeing openly red before them which sayd that all the other ATHENIANS being agreed yet there was one amonge them that was contrary to all the rest of the citie Phocion stepping forth before them all bad them neuer seeke further for the man for it was he that liked none of all their doings Another time he chaunced to say his opinion before all the people the which they all praised and approued but he saw they were so sodeinly become of his minde he turned backe to his friendes and asked them alas hath not some euill thing slipped my mouth vnwares Another time a generall collection being gathered of the people at ATHENS towardes the
had bene enemies open warre proclaimed Contrarily also if Phocion had bene Capteine and generall they would send out their shippes to the sea to meete him farre of crowned with garlands in token of common ioy and so would bringe him to their cities King Philip secretly seking to winne the I le of EVZOEA sent an armie thither out of MACEDON and intised the townes by tyrannes to rebell whereuppon Plutarke ERETRIAN praied in ayde of the ATHENIANS to take this Iland from the MACEDONIANS which they daily wanne more and more if they came not presently to ayde them So Phocion was sent general thither but with a fewe men onely bicause they made account the men of that contry would straight ioyne with him for the good will they bare him But when he came thither he found them all traytors and rebells and brybed with king Philippes money which he lauished out amonge them so that he was brought into great daunger Thereupon he retyred to a litle hill that is seuered from the fieldes of Tamynes with a great large valley and there fortified him selfe with that litle armie he had Then he perswaded his Captaines not to care for all those rebels pratlers and cowards which fled out of their tents and forsooke their ensignes and Captaines but that they should let them goe out of the campe where they would For sayd he such disobedient souldiers here will doe vs no seruice and moreouer will hinder them that haue good will to serue well and at home also knowing them selues in faulte for that they forsooke the campe without licence they dare not complayne apon vs Afterwards when the enemies came to set apon him he commaunded his men to arme and put them selues in readines and not to sturre vntill he had done sacrifice but he stayed long before he came either bicause he could haue no lucky signes of the sacrifices or els for that he would draw his enemies nearer Thereuppon Plutarke ERETRIAN supposing he deferred to marche for feare went him selfe first into the field with certen light horsemen he had in pay Then the men of armes seeing them giue charge could hold no longer but followed him also stragling out of the campe one after an other disorderly and so did set apon their enemies The first being ouerthrowen all the other dispersed them selues and Plutarke him self fled Then certen bandes of the enemies thinking all had bene theirs followed them euen into their campe and came to throw downe their rampiers In the meane time Phocion hauing ended his sacrifice the ATHENIANS came out of their campe and set apon them and made part of them flie immediatly and part of them also they slue hard by the trenches of their campe Then Phocion commaunded that the battell should stand still to receiue their men that were scattered vp and downe the fieldes and in the meane space he him selfe with the choycest men of his armie gaue charge apon the enemies The fight was cruell betwene them For the ATHENIANS sought very valiantly ventring their persons but of them all two young men fighting by their generall Glaucus the sonne of Polymedes and Thâ—llus the sonne of Cineas caried the praise away And so did Cleophanes that daye also shewe him selfe very valiant For the crying out still apon the horsemen that fled perswading them to come and helpe their generall that was in daunger brought them backe againe and thereby goâ—â— the footemen the victorie After this battell he draue Plutarke out of ERETRIA and tooke the castell of ZARETRA standing in a very commodious place for this warre where the I le draweth to a straightnes enuyronned on either side with the sea and would not suffer his men to take any GRAECIANS prisoners fearing least the Orators at ATHENS might moue the people sodeinly in a rage to put them to death After all these thinges were done Phocion returned backe to ATHENS But then did the confederats of the ATHENIANS straight wishe for his iustice and curtesie and the ATHENIANS them selues also knewe his skilfulnes and manhood For his successor Molossus that was generall for the rest of the warre delt so vndiscreetelye that he him selfe was taken prisoner there Then king Philip beeing put in maruailous great hope went with all his armie into HELLESPONT perswading him selfe that he should straight take all CHERRONESVS the cities of PERINTHE and BYZANTIVM The ATHENIANS thereuppon determining to send ayde to preuent king Philips comming the Orators made great sute that Chares might be chosen Captaine But he being sent thither with a good number of shippes did no seruice worthy commendacion neither would the cities receiue his nauie into their hauens but being suspected of euery man and despised of his enemies he was driuen to sayle vp and downe and to get money of the allyes The people being incensed by the Orators were maruelously offended repented them selues that they had sentayde vnto the BIZANTINES Then Phocion rising vp spake vnto the people told them that it was no reason that mistrusting their confederats they should be offended with them but to be angry with their Captaines that deserued to be mistrusted For they said he doe make your confederats affraide of you who without you notwithstanding can not saue themselues The people chaunging their mindes by his oration made Phocion againe their Captaine and sent him with an armie into HELLESPONT to helpe their confederats there which was of great importance to saue the citie of BYZANTIVM Furthermore Phocions fame was so great that Cleon the greatest man of vertue and authoritie in BYZANTIVM and had before bene Phocions companion and familiar in the Academy he made sute for him vnto the citie Then the BYZANTINES would not suffer him though he desired it to campe without the walls of their citie but opening their gates receiued him in and mingled the ATHENIANS amongest them Who perceiuing how much the Citizens trusted them did so honestly behaue them selues in their conuersation amongest them that they gaue them no maner of cause to complaine of them and shewed them selues so valiant besides in all battells and conflicts that Philip which before was thought dreadfull and inuincible euery man beeing affraid to fight any battell with him returned out of HELLESPONT without any thing done and to his great discredit where Phocion wanne some of his shippes and recouered againe the strong holdes in the which he had placed his garrisons Furthermore making diuers inuasions into his contries he destroyed his borders till that at length he was sore hurt there and so driuen to returne home againe by meanes of a great armie that came against him to defend the contry Shortly after the MEGARIANS secretly sent vnto him to deliuer their citie into his hands Phocion fearing if the BOBOTIANS vnderstood it that they would preuent him he called a common assembly earely in the morning told the people what message the MAGARIANS had sent vnto
made Dinarchus to be taken and commaunded them to put him to death after they had racked him then he willed the ATHENIANS to tell what they had to say Then they beganne to quarrell and to be lowde one with an other accusing one an other in the presence of the king and his counsell vntill Agnonides at length stepped forth and sayd my Lordes of MACEDON put vs all in prison and then send vs bound handes and feete to ATHENS to geue accompt of our doinges The king laughed to heare him say so But the noble men of MACEDON that were present then and diuers straungers besides to heare their complaints made signe to the Ambassadors to vtter their accusations before the king rather then to referre them to the hearing of the people at ATHENS Howbeit both parties had not alike in different hearing for Polyperchon checked vp Phocion oftentimes and did still cut of his tale as he thought to purge him selfe insomuch as in anger he bet his staffe he had in his hand against the ground and commaunded him at length to hold his peace to get him thence And when Hegemon also told Polyperchon that he him selfe could best witnesse howe Phocion had alwayes faithfully serued and loued the people he angrily aunswered him come not hether to lye falsely vpon me in the presence of the king Therewith the king rose out of his seate and tooke a speare in his hand thinking to haue killed Hegemon had not Polyperchon sodainly embraced him behinde and stayed him So the counsell rose and brake vp but presently Phocion was apprehended and they that stoode by him Certaine of his frends seeing that which stoode further of muffeled their faces and straight conueyed them selues away The rest were sent prisoners to ATHENS by Clitus not so muche to haue their causes heard there as to haue them executed for condemned men Furthermore the manner of the carying of them to ATHENS was shamefull For they were caried vpon cartes through the great streete Ceramicum vnto the Theater where Clitus kept them vntill the Senate had assembled the people excepting no bondman no straunger nor defamed person out of this assemblie but left the Theater wide open to all comers in whatsoeuer they were and the pulpit for Orations free for euerie man that would speake against them So first of all the kings letters were read openly by the which he did aduertise the people that he had found these offendors conuicted of treason notwithstanding that he referred the sentence of their condemnation vnto them for that they were free men The Clitus brought his prisoners before the people where the noble men when they saw Phocion were ashamed and hiding their faces wept to see him Howbeit there was one that rose vp and sayd my Lordes sith the king referreth the iudgement of so great persons vnto the people it were great reason all the bondmen and straungers which are no free citizens of ATHENS should be taken out of this assembly The people would not agree to it but cried out that such traitors should be stoned to death that fauor the authoritie of a few and are enemies of the people whereupon silence was made and no man durst speake any more for Phocion Neuerthelesse when Phocion with muche a doe had obteyned audience he asked them my Lords will ye iustly or wrongfully put vs to death Some aunswered him iustly Howe then can ye doe it q he that will not heare our iustifications Yet coulde they not be heard for all this Then Phocion comming neerer sayd vnto them For my selfe my Lordes I confesse I haue done you wrong haue in gouernment committed faults deseruing death but for these prisoners with me what haue they done why you shoulde put them to death The common people aunswered him bicause they are thy frends With this aunswere Phocion departed and spake neuer a word more Then the Orator Agnonides holding a decree in his hand ready wrytten red it openly to the people declaring how they should be iudged by voyces whether the offendors had deserued death or not and if it were sound they had then that they should all be put to death And there were that when this decree was red cried out that they should adde further vnto the decree that before Phocion should be put to death they should first torment him therewithall commaundement was geuen that the wheele should besette vp to breake his ioints apon it and also that the hangman should be sent for But then Agnonides perceiuing that Clitus was offended with it and thinking besides it were too beastly and barbarous a parte to vse him in that sorte he sayd openly my Lordes when you shall haue such a varlet in your handes as Callimedon then you may cast him on the wheele but against Phocion I would not wish such cruelty Then rose vp a noble man among them and added to his words thou hast reason to say so Agnonides for if Phocion should be layed on the wheele what should we then doe with thee The decree being confirmed according to the contents thereof iudgement was geuen by voyces of the people no man sitting but all standing vp and most of them with garlandes on their heades for the ioy they had to condemne these prisoners to death With Phocion there were condemned Nicocles Thudippus Hegemon and Pythocles but Demetrius PHALERIAN Callimedon and Charicles were also in their absence condemned to dye Now when the assembly was broken vp and that the person condemned were caried backe to prison from thence to be conueyed to execution others imbracing their frends and taking their last leaue of them as they went wept and lamented their cursed fortune But Phocion looking as cheerefully of it as he was wont to doe being Generall when they honorably waited on him to his house from the assembly he made many of them pitie him in their harts to consider his constancie and noble corage On thother side also there were many of his enemies that came as neere vnto him as they could to reuile him amongst whom there was one that stepped before him and did spit in his face Then Phocion turning him vnto the Magistrates sayd will you not cause this impudent fellow to leaue his rayling When they were in prison Thudippus seeing the hemlocke which they brayed in a morter to geue them to drinke he beganne desperatly to curse and banne saying that they wrongfully put him to death with Phocion Why sayd Phocion againe and doost thou not rather reioyce to dye with me When one that stoode by asked Phocion if he would any thing to his sonne Phocus yes q he that I will bid him neuer reuenge the wrong the ATHENIANS do me Then Nicocles one of Phocions dearest frendes prayed him to let him drinke the poyson before him Phocion aunswered him thy request is grieuous to me Nicocles but bicause I neuer denyed thee any thing in my life I wil also graunt
and affectation but stout full of wit and vehemency and yet in the shortnes of his sentences he had such an excellent grace withall that he maruelously delighted the hearers and furthermore shewing in nature a certaine grauetie besides it did so please them that he made them laugh He had a very full and audible voyce that might be heard of a maruelous number of people and such a strong nature besides that he neuer fainted nor brake his speache for many times he would speake a whole day together and was neuer wearie So when he had obtained his cause against the Tribunes he returned againe to keepe his former great silence and to harden his bodie with painefull exercises as to abide heate frost and snow bare headed and alwayes to goe a foote in the fielde where his frendes that did accompany him to rode a horsebacke and sometime he would come and talke with one somtime with an other as he went a foote by them He had a wonderfull pacience also in his sickenes For when he had any agew he would be alone all day long and suffer no man to come and see him vntill he perceiued his sit was of him and that he founde he was better When he supped with his frendes and familiars they drewe lottes who should choose their partes If he chaunced not to choose his frendes notwithstanding gaue him the preferrement to choose but he refused it saying it was no reason sith the goddesse Venus was against him At the first he did not vse to sitte long at the table but after he had dronke one draught only he would straight rise But when he came to be elder he sate long at the table so that oftentimes he would sit it out all night with his frends till the next morning But they seeking to excuse it sayd that his great busines and affaires in the common wealth was the cause of it For following that all the day long hauing no leasure nor time to studie when night came he delighted to talke with learned men and Philosophers at the bord Wherefore when Memmius on a time being in company sayed the Cato did nothing but drinke all night Cicero taking his tale out of his mouth aunswered him thou doest not adde this vnto it that all the day he doth nothing but play at dyse To be short Cato thinking that the maners and facions of mens liues in his time were so corrupt and required such great chaunge and alteracion that to goe vprightly he was to take a contrarie course in all thinges For he saw that purple red the lightest colours were best esteemed of he in contrarie maner desired to weare blacke And many times also after dinner he would goe abroade bare footed without shooes and without any gowne not bicause he would be wondered at for any suche straungenes but to acquaint him selfe to be ashamed only of shameles and dishonest things and to despise those which were not reproued but by mens opinions Furthermore land being left him to the value of an hundred talentes by the death of a cousin of his that likewise was called Cato he put it all into ready money to lend to his frendes that lacked and without vsury And there were some of his frends also that would morgage his land or his slaues to the chamber of the city for their owne priuate busines the which he him selfe would either giue thē to morgage or else afterwards confirme the morgage of them Furthermore when he was comen of age to marry hauing neuer knowen womā before he was made sure to Lepida This Lepida had bene precontracted vnto Metellus Scipio but afterwardes the precontract being broken he forsooke her so that she was free when Cato was contracted to her Notwithstanding before Cato maried her Scipio repenting him that he had refused her made all the meanes he could to haue againe so he had Cato tooke it so grieuously that he thought to goe to lawe for her but his frendes disswaded him from it Then seeing no other remedie to satisfie his angrie minde he wrote verses against Scipio in the which he reuiled him all he coulde vsing the bitter tauntes of Archilocus verses but not suche impudent lewde and childishe reproaches as be there After that he maried Attilia Soranus daughter being the first woman he euer knewe yet not the onely woman whome he did knowe as is reported of Lalius Scipioes frende who therein was counted the happier bicause all that long time wherein he liued he neuer knewe other woman but his first wife Furthermore in the warre of the bondemen otherwise called Spartacus warre one Gellius was chosen Praetor of the armie vnder whom Cato serued of his owne good will for the loue he bare vnto his brother Capio who in that armie had charge of a thowsand footemen Now Cato could not as he wished shewe his valliantnesse and good seruice bicause of the insufficiencie of the Praetor that gaue ill direction This notwithstanding in the middest of al the riot insolency of them in the campe he shewing him selfe a stayed man in all his doinges valliant where neede was and very wise also all men esteemed him to be nothing inferior vnto Cato the elder Whereuppon Gellius the Praetor gaue him many honors in token of his valliantnes which are giuen in reward of mens good seruice howebeit Cato refused them and sayd that he was nothing worthie of those honors These thinges made him to be thought a maruelous straunge man Furthermore when there was a lawe made forbidding all men that sued for any office in the common wealth that they should haue no prompters in any of the assemblies to blowe into their eares the names of priuate citizens he alone making sute to be Colonell of a thowsand footmen was obedient to the law committed all the priuate citizens names to memory to speake vnto euery one of them and to call them by their names so that he was enuied euen of them that did commend him For by how much they knew his deedes praiseworthie by so muche more were they grieued For that they could not followe them So Cato being chosen Colonell of a thowsande footemen he was sent into MACEDON vnto Rubrius Praetor there Some say that at his departure from thence his wise lamenting and weeping to see him go one Munatius a frend of his sayd vnto her take no thought Attilia and leaue weeping for I promise thee I will kepe thy husband for thee It is well sayd aunswered Cato Then when they were a dayes iorney srō ROME Cato after supper said vnto this Munatius thou must looke well to thy promesse thou hast made Attilia that thou wouldest keepe me for her therefore forsake me not night nor day Thereupon he commaunded his men that from thence forth they should prepare two beds in his chamber that Munatius also might lye there who was rather pleasantly him selfe looked vnto
and neuer once repyned against that he had done neither then nor at any one after but continued still friendshippe with him as he had done before But now though Cato was out of his office of Quaestor he was not without spialls of his men in the treasure chamber who marked alwayes and wrote what was done and passed in the treasurie And Cato him self hauing bought the bookes of accompt for the summe of fiue talents conteyning the reuenue of the whole stare of the common wealth from Syllaes time vntill the very yeare of his Quaestorshippe he euer had them about him and was the first man that came to the Senate and the last that went out of it There many times the Senators tarying long before they came he went and sate downe in a corner by him selfe and red closely the booke he had vnder his gowne clapping his gowne before it and would neuer bee out of the citie on that day when he knew the Senate should assemble After that Pompey and his conforts perceiuing that it was vnpossible to compell Cato and much lesse to winne or corrupt him to fauor their must doings they sought what meanes they could to keepe him from comming to the Senate and defending certeine of his friends causes to occupy him some other wayes about matters of arbitrement But Cato finding their wiles and craft to encounter them he tolde his friendes once for all whom he would pleasure that when the Senate did sit no mans cause could make him be absent from thence For he came not to serue the common wealth to enrich him selfe as many did neither for any glorye or reputacion nor yet at all aduenture but that he had aduisedly chosen to serue the common wealth like a iust and honest man therefore thought him selfe bound to be as carefull of his dutie as the bee working her waxe in the honny combe For this respect therefore to performe his dutie the better by the meanes of his friendes which he had in euery prouince belonging to the Empire of ROME he gotte into his handes the copies of all the chiefest actes edicts decrees sentences the notablest iudgements of the gouernors that remayned in recorde Once Cato perceiuing that Publius Clodius a seditious Orator amongest the people did make great sturte and accused diuers vnto the assembly as the Priestes and Vestall Nunnes amonge the which Pâ—bia Terentia Citeroes wiues sister was accused he taking their cause in hand did so disgrace Clodius their accuser that he was driuen to flie the citie Cicero therefore giuing Cato thankes Cato tolde him that he must thanke the common wealth not him for whose sake onely he both sayd and did that he had done Hereby Cato wanne him great fame For when a certein Orator or common counseller preferred one witnes vnto the Iudges the counseller on thother side tolde them that one witnes was not to be credited though it were Cato him selfe Insomuch as the people tooke it vp for a prouerbe among them that when any man spake any straunge and vnlikely matter they would say Nay though Cato him selfe said it yet were it not to be beleued When on a time a certaine prodigall man had made a long oration in the Senate in praise and commendacion of sobrietie temperaÌ„ce thriftines one Amnaus a Senator rising vp said vnto him alas frend what thinkest thou who can abide to heare thee any lenger with pacience that farest at thy table like Crassus buildest like Lacullus speakest to vs like Cato So men commonly in sport called them Catoes which were graue and seuere in their wordes and dissolute in their deedes When diuers of his friends were in hand with him to sue to be Tribune of the people he told them he thought it not meete at that time for such an office q he of great authoritie as that is not to be imployed but like a stronge medicine in time of neede So the tearme and matters of lawe ceassing for that tyme Cato went into the contry of LVKE to take his pleasure there where he had pleasant houses and tooke with him both his bookes Philosophers to keepe him company Bicause meeting as he went with diuers sumpters and great cariage and a great traine of men besides he asked them whose cariage it was they told him it was Metellus Nepos that returned to ROME to make sute to be Tribune Thereuppon Cato stayed sodainely and bethinking him selfe commaunded his men to returne backe againe His friends maruailing at it he aunswered them Doe not you know that Metellus is to be feared of him selfe for his rashnes and folly now that he commeth instructed by Pompey like a lightning he would set all the common wealth a fire for this cause therefore we must not now goe take out pleasure in the contry but ouercome his folly or otherwise dye honorably in defence of our libertie Yet at his friendes perswasions he went first vnto his house in the contry but taried not long there and returned straight againe to ROME When he came thither ouernight the next morning betimes he went into the market place sued to be Tribune of the people purposely to crosse Metellus enterprise bicause the power authoritie of the Tribune coÌ„sisteth more in hindring then doing any thing for if all men els were agreed of a matter and that he onely were against it the Tribune would cary it from them all Cato at the first had not many of his friendes about him but when they heard of his intent why he made sute for the Tribuneship all his friends and noble men straight tooke part with him confirmed his determination and incoraged him to go on withall for that he did it rather to serue the common wealth then his owne turne considering that where many times before he might without resistance or deniall haue obteined the same the state being toward no trouble he then would neuer sue for it but now that he saw it in daunger where he was to fight for the common wealth and the protection of her libertie It is reported that there was such a number of people about him to fauor his sute that he was like to haue ben stifled among them thought he should neuer haue comen to the market place for the preasse of people that swarmed about him Thus when he was chosen Tribune with Metellus and others he perceiued how they bought sold the voyces of the people when the Consuls were chosen whereupon he made an oration sharply tooke them vp for this detestable marchaÌ„dise and after his oration ended solemnly protested by othe that he would accuse him bewray his name which had giuen money to be chosen Consul Howbeit he spake nothing of Syllanus whose sister Seruilia he had maried but he flatly accused Lucius Muraena that had obtained to be CoÌ„sul with Syllanus by meanes of his money Now a law being prouided that the
with the motion aunswered him presently Munatius goe thy way vnto Pompey againe and tell him that Cato is not to be wonne by women though otherwise I mislike not of his friendship and withall that so long as he shall deale vprightly in all causes none otherwise that he shall find him more assuredly his friend then by any alliance of mariage yet that so satisfie Pompeys pleasure and will against his contry he wil neuer giue him such pledges The women and his friends at that time were angry with his aunswer refusall saying it was too stately and vncurteous But afterwardes in chaunced that Pompey suing to haue one of his friendes made Consul he sent a great summe of money to brybe the voyces of the people which liberalitie was noted spoken of bicause the money was told in Pompeys owne garden Then did Cato tell the women of his house that if he had now bene bound by allyance of mariage vnto Pompey he should then haue bene driuen to haue bene partaker of Pompeys shamefull acts When they heard what he had told them they all confessed then that he was wiser to refuse such alliance then they were that wished and desired it And yet if men should iudge of wisedom by the successe and euent of things I must needes say that Cato was in great fault for refusing of this allyance For thereby he was the cause of Pompeys matching with Caesar who ioyning both their powers together was the whole destruction of the Empire of ROME Whereas peraduenture it had not fallen out so if Cato fearing Pompeys light faultes had not caused him by increasing his power with another to commit farre greater faultes Howbeit those thinges were yet to come Furthermore Pompey being at iarre with Lucullus touching certain ordinances which he had made in the Realme of PONTVS bicause both the one and the other would haue their ordinances to take place Cato fauoured Lucullus who had open wronge Pompey therefore seeing that he was the weaker in the Senate tooke parte with the people and put forthe the lawe for diuiding of the landes amongest the souldiers But Cato stowtly resisting that lawe agayne he put it by and made Pompey thereby in a rage to acquaynte him selfe with Publius Clodius the moste seditious and boldest person of all the Tribunes and besides that made allyance euen at that tyme with Caesar whereof Cato him selfe was the onely Author Caesar returning out of SPAYNE from his Praetorshippe requyred the honour of tryumphe and withall made sute to bee Consull But beeing a lawe to the contrary that they that sued to bee Consulls shoulde bee present them selues in the citie and suche also as desired honour of triumphe shoulde bee without the citie he earnestly required the Senate that he myght sue for the Consulshippe by his friendes The moste parte of the Senate were willing vnto it but Cato was flatly agaynst it He perceyuing that the other Senatours were willing to gratifie Caesar when it came to him to deliuer his opinion he spent all the whole daye in his oration and by this pollicie preuented the Senate that they coulde not conclude any thinge Then Caesar letting fall his tryumphe made sute to be Consull and entring the citie ioyned friendshippe with Pompey Hereuppon he was chosen Consull and immediatly after maryed his Daughter Iulia vnto Pompey and so hauing made in manner a conspyracie agaynst the common wealth betweene them selues Caesar preferred the lawe Agraria for distributing the landes vnto the Citizens and Pompey was present to mainteyne the publicacion thereof Lucullus and Cicero on thother side taking parte with Bibulus the other Consull did what they coulde agaynst it but specially Cato who fearing muche this allyance of Caesar and Pompey that it was a pacte and conspirancie to ouerthrowe the common wealth sayde that he cared not so muche for this lawe Agraria as he feared the rewarde they looked for who by suche meanes dyd intise and please the common people Therewithall the Senate were wholly of his opinion and so were many other honest men of the people besides that were none of the Senate and tooke his parte maruailing muche and also beeing offended with Caesars greate vnreasonablenes and importunitie who by the authoritie of his Consulshippe did preferre suche thinges as the moste seditiousest Tribunes of the people were wont commonly to doe to currye fauour with the people and by suche vile meanes sought to make them at his commaundement Wherefore Caesar and his friends fearing so greate enemies fell to open force For to beginne withall as the Consul Bibulus was going to the market place there was a basket of donge powred vppon his heade and furthermore the Officers roddes were broken in their handes which they caryed before him In fine dartes were throwen at them out of euery corner and many of them beeing hurt they all at length were driuen to flye and leaue the market place But Cato he came laste of all keeping his wonted pace and often cast backe his heade and cursed such Citizens So they did not onely passe this lawe Agraria by voyces of the people but furthermore they added to it that all the Senate shoulde bee sworne to stablishe that lawe and bee bounde to defende the same if any attempted the alteracion thereof vppon greate penalties and fines to bee sette on his heade that shoulde refuse the othe All the other Senators sware agaynst their wills remembring the example of the mischiefe that chaunced vnto the olde Metellus who was banished out of ITALY bicause he would not sweare to suche a like lawe Whereuppon the women that were in Catoes house besought him with the teares in their eyes that he woulde yeelde and take the othe and so did also diuers of his friendes besides Howebeit he that moste inforced and brought Cato to sweare was Cicero the Orator who perswaded him that peraduenture he woulde bee thought vnreasonable that beeing but one man he shoulde seeme to mislike that which all other had thought meete and reasonable and that it were a fonde parte of him wilfully to put him selfe in so greate daunger thinking to hynder a matter already paste remedie But yet that besides all this a greater inconuenience would happen if he forsooke his contrye for whose sake he did all these thinges and left it a praye vnto them which sought the vtter subuersion of the same as if he were glad to bee ridde from the trouble of desending the common wealth For sayde he though Cato haue no neede of ROME yet ROME hath neede of Cato and so haue all his friendes of the which Cicero sayde he was the chiefe and was moste maliced of P. Clodius the Tribune who sought to driue him out of the contrye It is sayde that Cato beeing wonne by these like wordes and perswasions at home and openly in the market place they so sofetned him that he came to take his othe laste of all men but one
seruice Philip the father of Martia was that yeare Consul so that after a sorte the authoritie of the Consul was in Cato bicause Lentulus colleague and fellowe Consul with Philip did no lesse reuerence Cato for his vertues then Philip did for his allyance with him Furthermore when Cicero was restored agayne from his banishment the which Fublius Clodius beeing then Tribune of the people had put apon him and beeing agayne growen to great credit he went one day into the Capitoll in the absence of Clodius by force to take awaye the tables which Clodius had consecrated there in the which were comprised all his doings during the tyme he was Tribune Thereuppon the Senate beeing assembled Clodius did accuse Cicero of this violent facte Cicero aunswered him agayne that bicause Clodius was chosen Tribune directly against the lawe therefore all his doings were voyde and of no validitie Then stoode vppe Cato and sayde he knewe that all that which Clodius did when he was Tribune was scantly good and allowable but yet if generally any man shoulde vndoe all that he had passed by that authoritie then all that he him selfe had done likewise in CYPRVS must of necessitie bee reuoked For the commission that was graunted vnto him by vertue whereof he had done thinges shoulde be vnlawfull bicause the Tribune also that did graunt it him was not lawfully chosen And therefore that Publius Clodius was not made Tribune agaynst the lawe who by consent of the lawe was taken out from a noble house and made a populer person howbeit if he had behaued him selfe vnduetifully in his office as other men that happely had offended then he was to be accused to make him mend his faulte and not to destroye the authoritie of the officer which in it selfe was lawfull After that there sell misliking betwixt Cicero and Cato for this counter buffe he had giuen him and Cicero continued a long tyme after before he did shewe him any countenaunce of friendshippe as he had at other tymes done But afterwardes they were reconciled together agayne by this occasion Pompey and Craessus hauing bene with Caesar to talke with him who for that purpose came out of GAVLE beyond the Alpes made an agreement there betwixt them to demaund the second Consulship together and when they had it then to proroge Caesars gouernment for fiue yeares more and also they woulde haue the best prouinces and greatest for them selues with great armies and money enough to paye them with This was in deede a playne conspiracie to deuide the Empire of ROME betweene them and vtterly to ouerthrow the state of the common wealth At that time there were many noble men which came to make sute for the Consulship But when they sawe Pompey and Craessus offer to make sute for it all the reste gaue ouer but Lucius Domitius that had maryed Porcia Catoes sister through whose perswasion he woulde not relinguishe his sute considering that it was not the office onely of the Consulship that was the chiefest matter of importance but the libertie of the Senate and people Straight there ranne a rumor through the most parte of the people that they were not to suffer Pompeys power to be ioyned with Craessus by meanes of this office for then his authoritie woulde bee too great and stronge and therefore that of necessitie one of these two were to bee denyed For this cause therefore the good men tooke Domitius parte and did encourage him to goe on with his sute assuring him of ayde vnder hande of diuers which durst not bee seene openly for feare of those two great men who at the daye of the election would procure him voyces in his fauour Pompey and Craessus mistrusting this made Domitius bee sette vppon going with torche light before daye into the fielde of Mars where the election was alwayes made and firt striking the torche bearer that went before him they hurt him so sore that he fell downe deade at his feete Then they layed at the rest in like case who finding them selues cruelly hurt ranne awaye euery man of them and left Domitius and Cato post alone But Cato notwithstanding he was hurt in one of his armes still helde Domitius fast and prayed him to tary and not to leaue to defende the libertie of their contrie agaynst tyrants which playnely shewed after what manner they woulde gouerne sithe by suche wicked meanes they aspyred to tyrannicall gouernment All this notwithstanding Domitius woulde tarye no lenger but betooke him to his legges and raune home Thus were Craessus and Pompey without deny all proclaymed Consuls Cato neuer yeelded therefore but came and sued to bee Praetor bicause that thereby he might yet make it some strength and countenaunce to him against their Consulshippe that beeing no priuate person he shoulde haue some better authoritie to resist them that were the chiefest persons But they fearing that the Praetorshippe by the estimacion of Cato woulde come to equall their authoritie of the Consulshippe first assembled the Senate the most parte of the Senators not hearing of it and in that assemblye caused the Senate to decree that all suche as were chosen Praetors shoulde presently goe to their charge not attending the tyme and libertie appoynted by the lawe during which tyme men might accuse those which had bought the voyces of the people with money Then hauing by this culler and decree sette yll doers at libertie without feare of punishment they pretending to vse corruption did preferre some of their owne Ministers to make sute for the Praetorshippe them selues giuing money to corrupt the people and beeing present also at the election But notwithstanding all these practises the vertue and reputacion of Cato ouercame them For the people had him in so great reuerence that they thought it too shamefull a parte to sell Cato by voyces who deserued rather to bee hyered to take the Praetorshippe apon him Then the first Tribe beeing called to giue their voyces declared him Praetor Pompey seeing that straight brake of the assemblye making a shamefull lye telling that he heard it thunder the which the ROMANES doe maruelously detest and will conclude nothing when it thundereth Howebeit afterwardes they gaue more money then they had done before and thereby draue awaye the chiefest men out of the fielde of Mars and by practise obtayned that Vatinius was chosen Praetor for Cato And the reporte went that they that had so wickedly giuen their voyces feeling them selues pricked in conscience fledde immediatly out of the fielde and the honest men that remayned were both very sory and angrie for the iniurie they had offered Cato At that tyme one of the Tribunes keeping an assemblye of the citie Cato stoode vppe and tolde as if he had prophecied before them all what woulde happen to the common wealth by these practises and stirred vppe the people agaynst Pompey and Caesar saying that they were giltye of those thinges and therefore procured them to bee done bicause they were
curtesie of Pompey as could be deuised and in th end after he had geuen him great thankes for the honors he had done him he prayed him to afford him his aduise and counsell in his gouernment Cato answered him thus that he had not spoken any thing before that time in respect of any ill will he bare him neither that he deliuered this last opinion of his in respect of his frendshippe but wholly for the common wealthes sake howbeit otherwise that for his owne priuate affaires if he thought good to vse his aduise whensoeuer it pleased him to aske his opinion he would tell him the best he could But for common causes that he would alwayes tell what he thought though he neuer asked him and in fine he performed all he sayd For first of all when Pompey did set grieuous penalties new fines apon their heades which had bought the peoples voyces for money Cato counselled him to prouide for thinges to come and to let that alone which was already past For sayd he it is a hard thing to determine any certaine time in the which a man should seeke to reforme the faults that are past and furthermore if the punishments appointed were newer then the offences committed then they shoulde doe wrong vnto them that were already accused to punish them by a new law which they had not offended Afterwards also certaine men of good calling Pompeis frends being accused Cato perceiuing that Pompey grew remisse and yeelded in many things the sharply reproued and reformed him Furthermore where Pompey had by law taken away the praises which were wont to be spoken of the offenders that were accused he him selfe notwithstanding hauing wrytten an oration in the praise of Munatius Plancus sent it vnto the Iudges whilest his cause was a bearing Cato being one of the Iudges at that time stopped his eares with both his hands and would not haue it red Wherefore Plancus refused him for one of his Iudges after his cause was pleaded vnto howbeit he was condemned notwithstanding To conclude Cato was such a griefe and trouble vnto them that were accused that they coulde not tell well howe so deale with him For once they durst not lette him be any of their Iudges neither could they well also refuse him For there were many that were condemned which refusing Cato seemed vnto others that they were giltie many also were shamefully reproued bicause they would not accept Cato for their Iudge when he was offered them Thinges proceeding in this sorte at ROME Caesar remained in GAVLE with his armie where he made warres neuerthelesse betwenne him frends still in ROME by gifts and money and made him selfe very strong Now appeared Catoes predictions and forewarnings true vnto Pompey and began to quicken his spirits which had slept so long and made him then to consider of the daunger the which before he could not be perswaded to beleue But perceiuing his slackenes and feare withall douting howe to proceede to preuent Caesars practises Cato determined to sue to be Consul with intent either to make him leaue his army or else to finde out the practise he entended Catoes competitors they were both of theÌ„ very honest men also of the which Sulpitius had receiued great honor preferrement by Catoes credit and authoritie in respect whereof many thought that it was scant honestly done of Sulpitius to shew himselfe so vnthankfull as to stand against Cato in this sute Howbeit Cato neuer complained of the matter but sayd that it was no maruell he would geue place to no man in that sith it was the greatest good happe that euer came vnto him This notwithstanding he perswaded the Senate to make a law that from thence forth such as sued for any office they should them selues be suters to the people and not preferre their sute by others This caused the people to be more offended with him then before bicause thereby he did not only take away their fingering of money which they got by their voyces in elections but tooke from them the meanes they had also to pleasure many bringing them now into pouertie and contempt He therefore hauing no face to flatter the people and to curâ—ie fauor with them but rather sticking to his graue maner and modest life then to seeke the dignitie of a Consul by suche meanes made sute him selfe in person and would not suffer his frends to take the ordinary course which might win the peoples harts whereupon he was put from his Consulshippe This denyall was wont not only to haue made the parties refused very sorowfull but their frendes and kinsemen also greatly ashamed a long time after Howbeit Cato made no reckoning of that but went the next morning and played at tennis with his frends in the field of Mars and after he had dyned walked againe in the market place as his maner was without shooes on his feete and coate But Cicero blamed him much for that bicause the common wealth requiring then such a Consul as he he had not carefully endeuored him selfe by curtesie and gentle meanes to winne the fauor of the people neither woulde euer after make sute for it although at an other time he sued to be Praetor Thereunto Cato aunswered that for the Praetorship he was not denyed it by the good will of the people but rather for that they were bribed with money And for the election of the Consuls where there was no deceit vsed he knew plainly he went without it for his maners which the people misliked the which he thought were no wise mans parte to chaunge for any mans pleasure nor yet by making the like sute again to hazard the refusall Furthermore Caesar making warre with very stowt nations hauing with no small daunger trauell subdued them and hauing also set vpon the GERMAINES with whom the ROMANES were at peace and also slaine three huÌ„dred thowsand persons his frends made sute that the people should do solemne sacrifice to geue thankes vnto the gods But Cato in open Senate was of opinion that they should deliuer Caesar into their handes whome he had iniured to receiue such punishment as they thought good to thend the whole offence for the breach of peace might be cast vpon him that the citie might be no partaker of it sith they could not do withall Neuerthelesse sayd he we are to doe sacrifices vnto the goddes to geue them thankes for that they turned not the reuenge of the fury and rashnes of the Captaine apon our poore souldiers which were in no fault but haue pardoned the common wealth Caesar being aduertised thereof wrote a letter vnto the Senate contayning many accusations against Cato The letter being red Cato rose not as a man put in a chase with choller nor pricked with enuie but coldly and quietly as if he had long before premeditated what he would say declared that the accusations which Caesar heaped against him in his letters were but pretie
the bare name of a gouernor But in deede the perfect good and honest man should neuer couer outward glory but as a meane to bringe him to noble attempts whereby he might procure the better credit of his doings And for a younge man that coueteth honor by vertue giue him leaue a litle to glory in his well doing for as Theophrastus sayth vertue buddeth and florisheth in youth and taketh fast roote by prayses giuen as wit corage groweth in them But ouermuch praise is daungerous in euery person but chiefly in ambicious gouernors For if they be men of great power it makes them commit many desperat partes for they wil not allow that honor proceedes of vertue but that honor is vertue it selfe But in deed they should say as Phocion did vnto Antipater that requested an vnlawfull matter of him Thou canst not said he haue Phocion a friend and a flatterer both This or the very like may be sayd vnto the people you can not both haue one a Maister and a seruaunt that can commaunde and obey together Or els the mischiefe spoken of in the tale of the Dragon must needes happen which was the taile on a time fell out with the head and complained saying it would an other while go before would not alwaies come behind The head graunted the taile which fell out very ill for it not knowing howe to guide the heade and besides that the head thereby was tormented euery way beeing compelled against nature to follow that part and member which could nether heare nor see how to guide it The like matter haue we seene happen vnto many which in the administracion of the common wealth did seeke to please the humors of the multitude For when they haue once put their heads vnder their girdles to please the common people which without cause reason doe soone rebell they can by no possible meanes afterwards bridle their furie insolencie Now the reason that made vs to enter into discourse against the ambition and vaine glorye amongest the people was the consideracion I had of their greate power remembring the misfortunes of Tiberius and Caius Gracchi bothe the which comming of a noble house and hauing bene maruelous well brought vp maneging also the affayres of the common wealth with a good desire were notwithstanding in the ende cast away not so much through couetousnes of glorye as for feare of dishonor which came also of no base mind For they hauing receiued great pleasures and friendships of the people were ashamed to be indetted to them and therefore earnestly sought to exceede the people in good will by new decrees and deuises which they preferred for common benefit and the people also for their partes contended to honor them the more by how much they striued to shewe them selues thankefull So with like strife on either side they go gratifie the common people and the people also to honor them were vnwares so entangled with publike causes that they could no more follow the common prouerbe which sayth Although our deedes discent from equitie Yet can vve not desist vvith honestie This thou shalt easily finde by the declaracion of the historie With these we doe compare two other popular men both kinges of LACEDAEMON Agis and Cleomenes For they as the Gracchi seeking to increase the power of the common people and to restore the iust and honest gouernment againe of the common wealth of LACEDAEMON which of long time had bene out of vse did in like manner purchase the hate of the nobilitie which were loth to lose any part of their wonted couetousnes In deed these two LACONIANS were no brethreÌ„ borne but yet did both follow one selfe course forme of gouernment which had beginning in this sort After that couetousnes of gold and siluer crept againe into the citie of SPARTA and with riches couetousnes also and miserie and by vse voluptuousnes and licentious life SPARTA then was void of all honor and goodnes and was long time drowned in shame and dishonor vntill king Agis and Leonidas came to raigne there Agis was of the house of the Eurytiontides the sonne of Eudamidas the sixt of lineall descent after Agesilaus who had beene the greatest Prince of all GRAECE in his time This Agesilaus had a sonne slaine in ITALY by the MESSAPIANS called Archidamus before the citie of MANDONIVM Archidamus had issue two sonnes Agis and Eudamidas that was king who succeeded his brother Agis whom Antipater slue before the citie of MEGALIPOLIS and left no children behind him Eudamidas begat Archidamus which Archidamus begat another Eudamidas which Eudamidas also begat Agis whose life we now write of Leonidas also the sonne of Cleonymus was of the other familie of the Agiades the right of succession after Pausanias who slue Mardonius the kings Lieuetenant general of PERSIA in a battell fought before the citie of PLATâ—â—S This Pausanias had a sonne called Plistonax and Plistonax also an other called Pausanias who flying from SPARTA vnto the citie of TEGEA his eldest sonne Agesipolis was made king in his fathers roome who dying without issue his yonger brother Cleombrotus succeeded him in the kingdoÌ„ Cleombrotus had two sonnes Agesipolis and Cleomenes of the which Agesipolis raigned not long king and dyed without issue Then Cleomenes his brother who was king after him had two sonnes Acrotatus the elder that dyed in his fathers life time and Cleonymus the yonger which suruiued him and was not king but one Areus his Nephewe the sonne of Acrotatus This Areus dyed before the citie of CORINTHE who hauing an other Acrotatus to his sonne he succeeded him in the kingdome He also dyed at a battell before the citie of MEGALIPOLIS and was slayne there by the tyrant Aristodemus leauing his wife great with childe She beeing brought to bedde after his death of a sonne whome Leonidas the sonne of Cleonymus taught and brought vp the childe dying very young the crowne by his death was cast apon Leonidas him selfe Howbeit his maners conditions neuer liked the people For though all men generally were corrupted through the coÌ„mon wealth and cleane out of order yet Leonidas of all other exceeded deforming most the auncient LACONIAN life bicause he had bene long time brought vp in Princes houses followed also Seleucus Court from whence he had brought all the pride and pompe of those Courts into GRAECE where law reason ruleth Agis on the contrary part did not onely farre excel Leonidas in honor and magnanimitie of mind but all other almost also which had raigned in SPARTA from the time of Agesilaus the great So that when Agis was not yet twenty yeare old and being daintily brought vp with the finenes of two women his mother Agesistrata and Archidamia his grandmother which had more gold and siluer then all the LACEDAEMONIANS els he began to spurne against these womanish delights pleasures in making him selfe fayer to
against him he allured Cleombrotus his sonne in law being also of the kings blood to make title to the crowne Leonidas being affraid of the successe hereof tooke sanctuary in the temple of Iuno surnamed Chalceoecos his Daughter with him who forsooke her husband Cleombrotus Leonidas then being cited to appeare in person making default they deposed him made Cleombrotus king In the meane time Lysanders office expired the new Ephori which succeded him deliuer Leonidas againe and accused Lysander Mandroclidas because against the law they had abolished all debts had againe made newe diuision of lands When they sawe they were openly accused they incensed both the kinges that ioyning together they shoulde make the Ephores ordinaunces of no effect declaring that their authority was onely erected for the discord of the two kings bicause they should giue their voices vnto that king that had the best iudgemēt reason whē the other would wilfully withstand both right reason And therfore that they two agreing together might lawfully do what they would without cōtrolment of any person that to resist the kings was a breaking of the lawe sith that by right the Ephori had no other priuileage authority but to be iudges arbitrators betwene thē when there was any cause of iarre or controuersie Both the kings being caried away by this perswasion went into the market place accōpanied with their frends plucked the Ephores from their seates put others in their roomes of the which Agesilaus was one Furthermore they armed a great number of yong men opening the prisons did set the prisoners as liberty the which made their aduersaries affraid of thē doubting some great murther would haue followed vpon it howbeit no man had any hurt For Agesilaus being bent to kill Leonidas who fled vnto the city of TEGEA hauing also laid men in waite for him by the way king Agis hearing of it sent thither other frends of his in whom he put great confidence they did accōpany Leonidas brought him safely vnto the city of TEGEA Thus their purpose taking effect no man cōtrarying thē one man only Agesilaus ouerthrew all dashed a noble LACONIAN law by a shamful vice which was couetousnes For he being a great landed man hauing the best lands of any man in the contry owing a great summe of money besides would nether pay his detts nor let go his land Wherfore he perswaded king Agis that if he wēt about to stablish both together he should raise a great vptore in the city withall if he did first winne them that were landed men preferring at the beginning the cutting of of dets only then that they would easily willingly also accept the law for partition of lands Lysander was also of his opinion wherby king Agis he both were deceiued by Agesilaus subtlety So they cōmaunded al the creditors to bring their bonds obligations bils of det which the LACEDAEMONIANS do cal Claria into the market place and there laying them on a heape together they did set fire of them When the vsurers creditors saw their writings obligatory afire they departed thence with heauy harts but Agesilaus mocking thē said he neuer saw a brighter fire in his life The people then requiring that the lands also should be presently deuided the kings likewise commaūding in Agesilaus stil interposing some cause of lex delaied time vntill oportunitye serued that king Agis should go to the warres for that the ACHAIANS their confederats had praied aide of LACEDAEMON being bound thereunto by the league confirmed betwene them bicause they looked daily that the AETOLIANS cōming through the contry of MEGARA would inuade PELOPONNESVS Aratus general of the ACHAIANS had leauied a great army to withstād their inuasion had also written vnto the Ephores that they should send thē aide Wheruppon they presently sent king Agis perceiuing also the readines and good wil of the souldiers which were appointed to go with him For the most of thē were young men needy who seing thē selues discharged of the feare of their dets hoping also at their return that the lāds likewise should be deuided among thē they went with glad harts were obedient vnto king Agis So that the cities where through they passed wondred how they came through all PELOPONNESVS from the one side to the other very quietly without noyse or offence to any man Likewise many GRAECIANS calling to mind the aūcient times told one another that it was a noble fight then to see the army of LACEDAEMON whē they were led by Agesilaus Lysander Leonidas famous captaines sith now they saw so great obedience vnto Agis by his souldiers who was in maner the yōgest mā of all his campe Who also glorying to be cōtēt with litle to away with paines not to be more costly apparelled armed thē any priuat souldier he had he wanne him self therby a maruelous loue of the people Howbeit the rich mē liked not this chaung were affraid lest Agis should giue other people example to rise also to do the like with theirs as he had done Agis meting with Aratus by the city of CORINTHE euen as he was consulting whether he should fight with his enemy or not shewed him self in his coūsel then no rash but a resolute valiant man. For he told him that for his opinion he thought it better to fight not to suffer the warre to come any futher leauing the entry into PELOPONNESVS free to their enemy neuertheles that he would do what Aratus thought good bicause he was the elder and general also of the ACHAIANS whom he came not to cōmaund but to aide thē But Baton SINOPIAN writeth that king Agis would not fight though Aratus was willing howbeit he had not red that which Aratus had writtē for his excuse iustificatiō alleaging there that the farmers husbādmē hauing brought all the corne into their barnes he thought it better to suffer the enemies to come further into the contry rather then to hazard battel to the losse of the whole cōtry of PELOPONNESVS that therfore he licenced al the confederats to depart brake vp his army So king Agis returned home again greatly honored of al thē that serued with him in this iorney finding the city of SPARTA thē in great broile trouble For Agesilaus at that time being one of the Ephores finding him self rid of the feare which before kept him vnder cared not what iniury or mischief he did to any citizen so he might get money For amongest other things that very yere he made thē pay beyond al reason the tallages taxes due vnto the cōmō wealth for thirtene moneths adding to the thirtenth moneth aboue the ordinary time of the yere Wherfore perceiuing euery mā hated him being affraid of thē he had offended he kept souldiers about him
incredible greatnes in so short a time and thinking it also too great shame and dishonor to him to suffer this young man in a moment to depriue him of his great honor power which he had possessed so long time by the space of thirtie yeares together ruling all GRAECE first he sought by force to terrifie the ACHAIANS and to make them breake of from this peace But in fine finding that they litle regarded his threats that he could not preuaile with them for that they were affrayed of Cleomenes valliantnesse and corage whose request they thought reasonable for that he fought but to restore PELOPONNESVS into her former auncient estate againe he fell then into a practise farre vnhonest for a GRAECIAN verie infamous for him selfe but most dishonorable for the former noble acts he had done For he brought Antigonus into GRAECE and in his age filled the contrie of PELOPONNESVS with MACEDONIANS whom he himselfe in his youth had driuen thence had taken from them the castell of CORINTHE and had alwayes bene an enemie of the kinges but specially of Antigonus of whom before he had spoken all the ill he coulde as appeareth in his wrytings saying that he tooke maruelous paines and did put him selfe into many daungers to deliuer the city of ATHENS from the garrison of the MACEDONIANS and yet notwithstanding he brought them armed with his owne hands not into his contrie only but into his owne house yea euen into the Ladies chambers closets disdaining that the king of LACEDAEMON discending of the blood royall of Hercules who setting vp againe the auncient maner of life of his contrie did temper it as an instrument of musicke out of tune and brought it to the good auncient and sober discipline and DORICAN life instituted by Lycurgus should be called and wrytten king of the SICYONIANS and of the TRICCAEIANS And furthermore flying them that were contented with browne bread and with the plaine course capes of the LACEDAEMONIANS and that went about to take awaye riches which was the chiefest matter they did accuse Cleomenes for and to prouide for the poore he went and put him selfe and all ACHAIA vnto the crowne and diadeame the purple robe and prowde imperious commaundementes of the MACEDONIANS fearing least men should thinke that Cleomenes coulde commaunde him Furthermore his follie was such that hauing garlands of flowers on his head he did sacrifice vnto Antigonus sing songs in praise of his honor as if he had bene a god where he was but a rotten man consumed away This that we haue written of Aratus who was indued with many noble vertues a worthy GRAECIAN is not so much to accuse him as to make vs see the frayelty and weakenes of mans nature the which though it haue neuer so excellent vertues can not yet bring forth such perfit frute but that it hath euer some mayme and bleamishe Now when the ACHAIANS were met againe in the citie of ARGOS to hold the session of their parlament before proroged and Cleomenes also being come from TEGEA to be at that parlament euerie man was in hope of good peace But Aratus then who was agreed before of the chiefest articles of the capitulacions with Antigonus fearing that Cleomenes by fayre words or force would bring the people to graunt that he desired sent to let him vnderstand that he should but come him selfe alone into the citie and for safetie of his person they would geue him three hundred ostages or otherwise if he would not leaue his armie that then they would geue him audience without the citie in the place of exercises called Cyllarabium When Cleomenes had heard their aunswere he told them that they had done him wrong for they should haue aduertised him of it before he had taken his iorney and not now when he was almost hard at their gates to sende him backe againe with a flea in his care Thereuppon he wrote a letter vnto the counsell of the ACHAIANS altogether full of complaintes against Aratus On thother side also Aratus in his oration to the counsell inueyed with bitter wordes against Cleomenes Thereuppon Cleomenes departing with speede sent a Herauld to proclaime warres against the ACHAIANS not in the city of ARGOS but in the city of AEGION as Aratus wryteth meaning to set apon them being vnprouided Hereuppon all ACHAIA was in an vprore for diuers cities did presently reuolt against the ACHAIANS bicause the common people hoped after the diuision of lands and the discharging of their dettes The noble men also in many places were offended with Aratus bicause he practised to bring the MACEDONIANS into the contrie of PELOPONNESVS Cleomenes therefore hoping well for all these respectes brought his armie into ACHAIA and at his first comming tooke the citie of PALLENA and draue out the garrison of the ACHAIANS and after that wanne also the cities of PHENEVM and PENTELIVM Now the ACHAIANS fearing some treason in CORINTHE and SYCIONE sent certaine horsemen out of the citie of ARGOS to keepe those cities The ARGIVES in the meane time attending the celebracion of the feast at the games Nemeca Cleomenes thinking which fell out true that if he went to ARGOS he should finde the citie full of people that were come to see the feastes and games and that assailing them vppon the sodaine he shoulde put them in a maruelous feare brought his armie in the night hard to the walls of the citie of ARGOS and at his first comming wanne a place they call Aspis a verie strong place aboue the Theater and ill to come vnto The ARGIVES were so amazed at it that no man would take apon him to defende the citie but receiued Cleomenes garrison and gaue him twentie ostages promising thenceforth to be true confederates vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS vnder his charge and conduct The which doubtles wanne him great fame and increased his power for that the auncient kings of LACEDAEMON could neuer before with any policie or deuise winne the citie of ARGOS For king Pyrrhus one of the most valliantest and warlikest Prince that euer was entring the citie of ARGOS by force could not keepe it but was slaine there and the most parte of his armie wherby euery man wondred greatly at the diligence counsell of Cleomenes And where euery man did mocke him before when Cleomenes sayd that he would follow Solon and Lycurgus in making the citizens goods common and discharging all dets they were then clerely perswaded that he onely was the cause and meane of that great chaunge which they sawe in the corage of the SPARTANS who were before so weake and out of hart that they hauing no corage to defend them selues the AETOLIANS entring LACONIA with an armie tooke away at one time fiftie thowsand slaues Whereuppon an old man of SPARTA pleasauntly sayd at that time that their enemies had done them a great pleasure to ridde their contrie of LACONIA of suche a rabble of rascalls Shortly after they
thought Tiberius a wise man for that he dyed and left her behind him She remayning widow king Ptolomy made sute vnto her and would haue made her his wife and Queene But she refused and in her widowehed lost all her children but one Daughter whome she bestowed vpon the younger Scipio African and Tiberius and Caius whose liues we presently write Those she so carefully brought vp that they being become more ciuill and better conditioned then any other ROMANES in their time euery man iudged that education preuailed more in them then nature For as in the fauors and pictures of Castor and Pollux there is a certaine difference discerned whereby a man may know that the one was made for wrestling and the other for running euen so betwene these two young brethren amongest other the great likenes betwene them being both happely borne to be valiant to be temperate to be liberall to be learned and to be nobly minded there grew notwithstanding great difference in their actions and doings in the common wealth the which I thinke conuenient to declare before I proceede any farther First of all for the sauor of the face the looke and mouing of the bodye Tiberius was much more milde and tractable and Caius more hotte and earnest For the first in his orations was very modest and kept his place and the other of all the ROMANES was the first that in his oration ietted vp and downe the pulpit and that plucked his gowne ouer his showlders as they write of Cleo ATHENIAN that he was the first of all Orators that opened his gowne and clapped his hand on his thighe in his oration Furthermore Caius wordes and the vehemencie of his perswasion were terrible and full of passion but Tiberius wordes in contrary manner were mild and moued men more to compassion beeing very propper and excellently applyed where Caius wordes were full of finenes and curiositie The like difference also was betwene them in their fare and dyet For Tiberius alwayes kept a conuenient ordinarie and Caius also in respect of other ROMANES liued very temperately but in respect of his brothers fare curiously and superfluously Insomuch as Drusus on a ryme reproued him bicause he had bought certayne Dolphyns of siluer to the value of a thowsand two hundred and fiftie Drachmas for euery pownd waight And now as touching the manners and naturall disposition of them both agreeing with the diuersitie of their tongues the one being milde and plausible and the other hotte and chollerike insomuch that otherwile forgetting him selfe in his oration agaynst his will he would be very earnest and strayne his voice beyond his compasse and so with great vncomelines confound his wordes Yet finding his owne fault he deuised this remedye He had a seruaunt called Licinius a good wise man who with an instrument of Musicke he had by the which they teache men to ryse and fall in their tunes when he was in his oration he euer stoode behinde him and when he perceyued that his Maisters voyce was a litle too lowde and that through choller he exceeded his ordinary speache he played a softe stoppe behinde him at the sownde whereof Caius immediately fell from his extreamitie and easily came to him selfe agayne And here was the diuersitie betweene them Otherwise for their hardines against their enemies the iustice vnto their tennaunts the care and paynes in their offices of charge and also their continencie against voluptuousnes in all these they were both alike For age Tiberius was elder by nyne yeares by reason whereof their seuerall authoritie and doings in the common wealth fell out at sundry times And this was one of the chiefest causes why their doings prospered not bicause they had not both authoritie in one selfe time nether could they ioyne their power together the which if it had mette at one selfe time had bene of great force peraduenture inuincible Wherefore we must write perticularly of them both but first of all we must begin with the elder He when he came to mans state had such a name and estimacion that immediatly they made him fellow in the colledge of the Priest which at ROME are called Augures being those that haue the charge to consider of signes and predictions of things to come more for his valiantnes then for nobility The same doth Appius Clodius witnesse vnto vs one that hath bene both Consul and Censor also President of the Senate and of greater authoritie then any man in his time This Appius at a supper when all the Augures were together after he had saluted Tiberius made very much of him he offered him his daughter in mariage Tiberius was very glad of the offer and therewithall the mariage was presently concluded betwene them Thereuppon Appius comming home to his house at the threshold of his dore he called a lowd for his wife and told her Antistia I haue bestowed our Daughter Clodia She wondring at it ô goddes sayd she and what needed all this haste what couldest thou haue done more if thou haddest gotten her Tiberius Gracchus for her husband I know that some refer this historie vnto Tiberius father of these two men we write of and vnto Scipio the AFRICAN but the most part of writers agree with that we write at this present And Polybius him selfe also writeth that after the death of Scipio AFRICAN his friendes beeing met together they chose Tiberius before all the other younge men of the citie to marye him vnto Cornelia being free and vnpromised or bestowed apon any man by her father Now Tiberius the yonger being in the warres in AFRICAN vnder Scipio the second who had maryed his sister lying in his tent with him he found his Captaine indued with many noble giftes of nature to allure mens harts to desire to follow his valiantnes So in a short tyme he did excell all the younge men of his tyme aswell in obedience at in the valiantnes of his person insomuch that he was the first man that scaled the walles of the enemies as Fannius reporteth who sayeth that he scaled the walles with him and did helpe him to that valiant enterprise So that being present all the campe were in loue with him when he was absent euery man wished for him againe After this warre was ended he was chosen Treasorer and it was his chaunce to goe against the NVMANTINES with Caius Mancinus one of the Consuls who was an honest man but yet had the worst lucke of any Captaine the ROMANES had Notwithstanding Tiberius wisedome and valiantnes in this extreame ill lucke of his Captaine did not onely appeare with great glorye to him but also most wonderfull the great obedience and reuerence he bare vnto his Captaine though his misfortunes did so trouble and grieue him that he could not tell him selfe whether he was Captaine or not For when he was ouerthrowen in great foughten fieldes he departed in the night and left his campe The
that caried away the sacrifices vpon the aulters and blew them quite out of the circuite which was marked out for the compasse of the city Furthermore the woulues came and tooke away the markes which they had set downe to limite the bonds of their circuite caried him quite away This notwithstanding Caius hauing dispatched all things in the space of three score ten daies he returned incontinently to ROME vnderstanding that Fuluius was oppressed by Drusus and that those matters required his presence For Lucius Hostilius that was all in all for the nobility a man of great credit with the Senate being the yeare before put by the Consulshippe by Caius practise who caused Fannius to be chosen he had good hope this yere to speede for the great number of frends that furthered his sute So that if he could obtaine it he was fully bent to set Caius beside the saddle the rather bicause his estimacion and countenaunce he was wont to haue among the people began now to decay for that they were ful of such deuises as his were bicause there were diuers others that preferred the like to please the people withal yet with the Senates great good will fauor So Caius being returned to ROME he remoued from his house and where before he dwelt in mount Palatine he came now to take a house vnder the market place to shew him selfe therby the lowlier more popular bicause many of the meaner sorte of people dwelt thereaboutes Then he purposed to goe forward with the rest of his lawes to make the people to estabish thē a great number of people repairing to ROME out of all parts for the furtherance thereof Howbeit the Senate counselled the Consul Fannius to make proclamacion that al those which were no natural ROMANES resident abiding within the city self of ROME that they should depart out of ROME Besides all this there was a straūge proclamacion made and neuer seene before that none of all the frends confederats of the ROMANES for certaine daies should come into ROME But Caius on thother side set vp bills on euery post accusing the Consul for making so wicked a proclamaciō further promised the confederates of ROME to aide them if they would remaine there against the Consuls proclamacion But yet he performed it not For when he saw one of Fannius sergeaūts cary a frend of his to prison he held on his way would see nothing neither did he helpe him either of likelyhoode bicause he feared his credit with the people which began to decay or else bicause he was loth as he said to picke any quarrell with his enemies which sought it of him Furthermore he chaunced to fall at variance with his brethren the Tribunes about this occasion The people were to see the pastime of the sword plaiers or sensers at the sharp within the very market place and there were diuers of the officers that to see the sport did set vp scaffoldes rounde about to take money for the standing Caius cōmaunded them to take them downe again bicause the poore men might see the sport without any cost But not a man of thē would yeeld to it Wherefore he staid till the night before the pastime should be then he tooke all his laborers he had vnder him went ouerthrew the scaffolds euery one of thē so that the next morning all the market place was clere for the cōmon people to see the pastime at their pleasure For this fact of his the people thanked him maruelously tooke him for a worthie man Howbeit his brethren the Tribunes were very much offended with him tooke him for a bold presumptuous man This seemeth to be the chiefe cause why he was put from his third Tribuneship where he had the most voices of his side bicause his colleagues to be reuēged of the part he had plaied thē of malice spight made false report of the voices Howbeit there is no great troth in this It is true that he was very angry with this repulse it is reported he spake somwhat too prowdly to his enemies that were mery with the matter laughed him to scorne that they laughed a SARDONIANS laugh not knowing how darkely his deedes had wrapt them in Furthermore his enemies hauing chosen Opimius Consul they began immediatly to reuoke diuers of Caius lawes as among the rest his doings at CARTHAGE for the reedifying of that city procuring thus all the waies they could to anger him bicause they might haue iust occasion of anger to kil him Caius notwithstanding did paciently beare it at the first but afterwards his frends specially Fuluius did encorage him so that he began againe to gather men to resist the Consul And it is reported also that Cornelia his mother did help him in it secretly hyring a great number of straungers which she sent vnto ROME as if they had bene reapers or haruest men And this is that she wrote secretly in her letter vnto her sonne in ciphers And yet other write to the contrary that she was very angry he did attēpt those things When the day came that they should proceede to the reuocation of his lawes both parties met by breake of day at the Capitoll There when the Consul Opimius had done sacrifice one of Caius sergeaunts calle Quintus Antyllius carying the intrals of the beast sacrificed said vnto Fuluius and others of his tribe that were about him giue place to honest men vile citizens that ye be Some say also that besides these iniurious wordes in skorne contempt he held out his naked arme to make thē ashamed Whereupon they slue him presently in the field with great botkins to wryte with which they had purposely made for that intent Hereupon the cōmon people were maruelously offended for this murther the chiefe men of both sides also were diuersly affected For Caius was very sory for it bitterly reproued them that were about him saying that they had giuen their enemies the occasion they looked for to set vpon thē Opimius the Consul in contrary maner taking this occasion rose apon it did stirre vp the people to be reuenged But there fell a shower of raine at that time that parted them The next morning the Consul hauing assembled the Senate by breake of day as he was dispatching causes within some had takē the body of Antyllius layed it naked vpon the beere so caried it through the market place as it was agreed vpon before amongst thē brought it to the Senate dore where they began to make great mone lamētacion Opimius knowing the meaning of it but yet he dissembled it seemed to wonder at it Wherupon the Senators went out to see what it was finding this beere in the market place some fell a weeping for him that was dead others cried out that it was a shamefull act in no wise to be
others of the rude and baser sorte of men were offended with their sonnes bicause to honor Cicero they did alwayes put him in the middest betwene them as they went in the streetes Cicero in deede had suche a naturall witte and vnderstanding as Plato thought meete for learning and apt for the studie of Philosophie For he gaue him selfe to all kinde of knowledge and there was no arte nor any of the liberall sciences that he disdained notwithstanding in his first young yeares he was apter and better disposed to the studie of Poetrie then any other There is a pretie poeme of his in verses of eight staues called Pontius Glaucus extant at this day the which he made when he was but a boye After that being geuen more earnestlie vnto his studie he was not onely thought the best Orator but the best Poet also of all the ROMANES in his time and yet doth the excellencie of his eloquence and commendacion of his tongue continewe euen to this daye notwithstanding the great alteracion and chaunge of the Latine tongue But his Poetrie hath lost the name and estimacion of it bicause there were many after him that became farre more excellent therein then he After he had left his childishe studies he became then Philoes scholler the Academicke Philosopher the onely scholler of all Clitomachus schollers whome the ROMANES esteemed so muche for his eloquence and loued more for his gentle behauiour and conuersation He gaue him selfe also to be a follower of Mutius Scauola who at that time was a greate man in ROME and Prince of the Senate and who did also instruct Cicero in the lawes of ROME He did also followe Sylla for a time in the warres of the MARSIANS But when he sawe that the common wealth of ROME fell to ciuill warres and from ciuill warres to a monarchie then he returned againe to his booke and contemplatiue life and frequented the learned men of GRAECE and alwayes studied with them vntill Sylla had gotten the vpper hande and that he saw all the common wealth againe at some stay About that time Sylla causing the goods of one that was sayd to be slaine to be solde by the â—rier beinge one of the outlawes and proscriptes to witte banished by billes sette vp on postes Chrysogonus one of Syllaes freed bondemen and in great fauour with his maister bought them for the summe of two thowsande Drachmes Therewithall the sonne and heire of the deade person called Roscius being maruelouslie offended he shewed that it was too shamefull an abuse for his fathers goodes amounted to the summe of two hundred and fiftie talentes Sylla finding him selfe thus openlie touched with publike fraude and deceite for the onely gratifyinge of his man he procured Chrysogonus to accuse him that he had killed his owne father Neuer an Orator durst speake in Roscius behalfe to defende his cause but shronke colour fearing Syllaes crueltie and seueritie Wherefore poore Roscius the younge man seeing euerie man forsake him had no other refuge but to goe to Cicero whome his frendes did counsell and perswade boldly to take vpon him the defence of Roscius cause for he shoulde neuer haue a happier occasion nor so noble a beginning to bring him selfe into estimacion as this Thereuppon Cicero determined to take his cause in hande and did handell it so well that he obteyned the thing he sued for whereby he wanne him greate fame and credit But yet being affrayed of Syllaes displeasure he absented him selfe from ROME and went into GRAECE geuinge it out that his trauell was for a disease he had vppon him In deede Cicero was dogge leane a litle eater and woulde also eate late bicause of the greate weakenesse of his stomacke but yet he had a good lowde voyce though it was somewhat harshe and lacked grace and comelynesse Furthermore he was so earnest and vehement in his Oration that he mounted still with his voyce into the highest tunes insomuche that men were affrayed it woulde one daye put him in hazard of his life When he came to ATHENS he went to heare Antiochus of the citie of ASCALONA and fell in greate likinge with his sweete tongue and excellent grace though otherwise he misliked his newe opinions in Philosophie For Antiochus had then forsaken the opinions of the newe Academicke Philosophers and the sect of the Carneades being moued thereunto either through the manifest proofe of thinges or by his certaine iudgement or as some say for that of an ambition or dissention against the schollers and followers of Clitomachus and Philo he had reproued the resolucions of the Academickes which he had of long time defended onely to leane for the moste parte to the Stoickes opinions Howebeit Cicero had most affection vnto the Academickes and did studie that sect more then all the rest of purpose that if he sawe he were forbidden to practice in the common wealth at ROME he woulde then goe to ATHENS leauing all pleaes and Orators in the commonwealth to bestowe the rest of his time quietly in the studie of Philosophie At length when he hearde newes of Syllaes death and sawe that his bodie was growen to good state and health by exercise and that his voyce became dayly more and more to fill mens eares with a sweete and pleasaunt sounde and yet was lowde enough for the constitucion of his bodie receiuing letters dayly from his frendes at ROME that prayed him to returne home and moreouer Antiochus selfe also earnestlie perswadinge him to practise in the common wealth he beganne againe to fall to the studie of Rethoricke and to frame him selfe to be eloquent being a necessarie thing for an Orator and did continuallie exercise him selfe in making Orations vppon any speache or proposicion and so frequented the chiefe Orators and masters of eloquence that were at that time To this ende therefore he went into ASIA vnto RHODES and amongest the Orators of ASIA he frequented Xenocles ADRAMETTIN and Dionysius MAGNESIAN and studied also with Menippus CARIAN at RHODES he hearde Apollonius Molon and the Philosopher Posidonius And it is reported also that Apollonius wanting the Latine tongue he did pray Cicero for exercise sake to declame in Graeke Cicero was verie well contented with it thinkinge that thereby his faultes shoulde be the better corrected When he had ended his declamacion all those that were present were amazed to heare him and euerie man praised him one after an other Howebeit Apollonius all the while Cicero spake did neuer shewe any glad countenaunce and when he had ended he stayed a greate while and sayed neuer a worde Cicero misliking withall Apollonius at length sayed vnto him As for me Cicero I doe not onely praise thee but more then that I wonder at thee and yet I am sorie for poore GRAECE to see that learning and eloquence which were the two onely giftes and honor left vs are by thee obtained with vs and caried vnto the
accused did nether did he weare any mourning gowne the which was as it seemed one of the chiefest causes that condemned him Yet many held opinion that this timerousnes of Cicero came rather of the goodwill he bare vnto his friends then of any cowardly minde of him selfe He was also chosen one of the Priestes of the Soothesayers which they call Augures in the roome of P. Crassus the younger who was slayne in the Realme of PARTHIA Afterwardes the prouince of CILICIA being appoynted to him with an armie of twelue thowsand footemen and two thowsand fiue hundred horsemen he tooke the sea to goe thither So when he was arriued there he brought CAPPADOCIA agayne into the subiection and obedience of king Ariobarzanes according to his commission and commaundement giuen by the Senate moreouer both there and elsewhere he tooke as excellent good order as could be deuised in reducing of thinges to quietnes without warres Furthermore finding that the CILICIANS were growen somewhat stowt and vnruly by the ouerthrowe the ROMANES had of the PARTHIANS and by reason of the rising and rebellion in SYRIA he brought them vnto reason by gentle perswasions and neuer receiued giftes that were sent him no not from Kinges and Princes Furthermore he did disburden the prouinces of the feastes and banckets they were wont to make other gouernors before him On the other side also he woulde euer haue the company of good and learned men at his table and would vse them well without curiositie and excesse He had neuer porter to his gate nor was seene by any man in his bed For he would alwayes rise at the breake of daye and would walke or stande before his dore He would curteously receiue all them that came to salute and visite him Further they report of him that he neuer caused man to be beaten with roddes nor to teare his owne garments In his anger he neuer reuiled any man nether did dispightfully set fine vpon any mans heade Finding many thinges also belonging to the common wealth which priuate men had stollen and imbecelled to their owne vse he restored them agayne vnto the cities whereby they grewe very riche and wealthie and yet did he saue their honor and credit that had taken them away and did them no other hurte but onely constrayned them to restore that which was the common wealthes He made a litle warre also and draue away the theeues that kept about the Mountayne Amanus for the which exployte his souldiers called him Imperator to saye chiefe Captaine About that tyme there was an Orator called Caecilius who wrote vnto him from ROME to praye him to sende him some Leoperds or Panthers out of CILICIA bicause he woulde shewe the people some pastyme with them Cicero boasting of his doinges wrote to him agayne that there were no more Leoperds in CILICIA but that they were all fledde into CARIA for anger that seeing all thinges quiet in CILICIA they had leasure now to hunte them So when he returned towardes ROME from the charge of his gouernment he came by RHODES and stayed a few dayes at ATHENS with great delight to remember how pleasauntly he liued there before at what time he studied there Thither came to him the chiefest learned men of the citie and his frendes also with whom he was acquainted at his first being there In fine hauing receiued all the honorable enterteinment in GRAECE that could be he returned vnto ROME where at his arriuall he found great factions kindled the which men saw plainly would growe in the ende to ciuill warre Thereuppon the Senate hauing decreed that he should enter in triumphe into the citie he aunswered that he would rather all parties agreed follow Caesars coche in triumphe So he trauelled verie earnestly betwene Pompey and Caesar eftsoones wryting vnto Caesar and also speaking vnto Pompey that was present seeking all the meanes he coulde to take vp the quarrell and misliking betwext them two But it was so impossible a matter that there was no speeche of agreement woulde take place So Pompey hearing that Caesar was not farre from ROME he durst no lenger abide in ROME but fled with diuers of the greatest men in ROME Cicero would not followe him when he fled and therefore men thought he would take parte with Caesar but this is certaine that he was in a maruelous perplexitie and could not easely determine what way to take Whereuppon he wrote in his Epistells what way should I take Pompey hath the iuster and honester cause of warre but Caesar can better execute and prouide for him selfe and his frendes with better safetie so that I haue meanes enow to flie but none to whome I might repaire In all this sturre there was one of Caesars frendes called Trebatius which wrote a letter vnto Cicero and told him that Caesar wished him in any case to come to him and to run with him the hope fortune he vndertooke but if he excused him selfe by his age that then he should get him into GRAECE and there to be quiet from them both Cicero marueling that Caesar wrote not to him him selfe aunswered in anger that he would doe nothing vnworthie of his actes all the dayes of his life thitherto to this effect he wrote in his letters Now Caesar being gone into SPAYNE Cicero imbarked immediatly to go to Pompey So when he came vnto him euery man was very glad of his comming but Cato Howbeit Cato secretly reproued him for comming vnto Pompey saying that for him selfe he had bene without all honestie at that time to haue forsaken that parte the which he had alwayes taken and followed from the beginning of his first practise in the common wealth but for him on thother side that it had bene better for the safetie of his contrie and chiefly for all his frendes that he had bene a newter to both and so to haue taken thinges as they had fallen out and that he had no maner of reason nor instant cause to make him to become Caesars enemie and by comming thither to put him selfe into so great perill These perswasions of Cato ouerthrewe all Ciceroes purpose and determination besides that Pompey him selfe did not employe him in any matter of seruice or importance But hereof him selfe was more in fault then Pompey bicause he confessed openly that he did repent him he was come thither Furthermore he scorned and disdained all Pompeys preparacions and counsells the which in deede made him to be had in gealousie and suspicion Also he would euer be steering and gybing at those that tooke Pompeys parte though he had no list him selfe to be merie He would also goe vp and downe the campe very sad and heauy but yet he woulde euer haue one geast or other to make men laugh although they had as litle lust to be merie as he and surely it shall doe no hurte to call some of them to minde in this place Domitius being verie desirous to
not onely worthye the vnderstanding and riches of a king but also the forging and making by the handes of a great king For his friendes did not onely wonder at their greatnes but his very enemies also were delighted with the beautie of them And this is more true then meete to be spoken the enemies could but maruell when they sawe his gallies rowing alongest the coaste with fifteene or sixteene bankes of ores and his engines of batterie which they called Elepolis to saye engines to take cities were a spectacle of great admiration vnto those whome he beseeged as the euents following did throughly witnesse For Lysimachus who of all other kings did malice Demetrius most comming to raise the seege from the citie of SOLI in CILICIA the which Demetrius beseeged he sent vnto him to pray him to let him see his engines of batterie and his gallies rowing vppon the sea Demetrius graunting him Lysimachus returned with wonderfull admiration The RHODIANS also hauing long time defended his seege at the last made peace with him and prayed him to leaue some one of his engines with them for a perpetuall testimonie remembrance both of his power and also of their corage and valliantnes The cause why Demetrius made warre with the RHODIANS was bicause they were consederats with king Ptolomy he brought against their walles the greatest engine he had the foote whereof was like a tyle more long then broade and at the base on either side it was eyght and fortie cubits longe and three score and sixe highe rising still narrow euen to the very top so that they vpper partes were narrower then the nether within it were many prety roomes and places conueied for souldiers The forepart of it was open towards the enemie euery roome or partition had windowes out of the which they bestowed all kind of shot bicause they were full of armed men fighting with all sortes of weapons But nowe bicause it was so well framed and counterpeated that gaue no way nor reeld of ether side which way soeuer they remoued it but that it stoode fall and vpright vpon her foundacion making a terrible noyse and sownde that made the worke as wonderfull to behold as it was a maruelous pleasure for men to see it In this warre were brought vnto Demetrius two notable armors weying fortie pownd a peece and made by one Zoilus an armorer who to shewe the hardnes and goodnes of the temper suffered them to be proued and shot at at six score paces with the engines of their batterie and albeit the armors were shot at and hit yet were they neuer pearsed and but onely a litle race or skretch seene as it were of abodkin or penknife and had no more hurte Demetrius alwayes ware one of them in these warres and Alcimus ALBANIAN the other the strongest and valliantest and he had in all his hoast and that onely caried a complete armour weying sixe score pownd where all other souldiers ware none aboue threescore This Alcimus was slayne at RHODES valliantly â—â—ghting by the Theater In this seege the RHODIANS did valliantly defende them selue that Demetrius could doe no acte worthy memorie This notwithstanding although he sawe he could not preuaile but lose his tyme yet was he the more obstinately bene against them to be euen with them bicause they had taken a shippe of his in the which his wife Philâ— sent vnto him certaine hangings of tapestrie linnen apparell and letters and bicause they had sent them all vnto Ptolomy assoone as they had taken them But therein they did 〈…〉 follow the honest curtesie of the ATHENIANS who hauing intercepted certaine 〈…〉 Philips that made warre against them they opened all the letters they caried and 〈…〉 sauing onely his wife Olympiaes letters she sent him the which they sent vnto king Philip sealed as they were when they receiued them Nowe though this part did much greue and offend him yet he could not finde in his hart to serue them in that sorte when he might haue done it not longe after For by chaunce at that tyme Protogenes an excellent paynter borne in the city of CAVNVS did paynt them the draught of the citie of IALYSVS Demetrius found this table in a house in the suburbes of the citie being almost ended The RHODIANS thereuppon sending a Herauld vnto him to beseeche him to spare the defacing of so goodly a work he returned them aunswer that he would rather suffer his fathers images to be burnt then so excellent and passing a worke as that to be loste and brought to nothing For it is reported that Protogenes was seuen yeares drawing of the same and it is also sayde that Apelles himselfe when he sawe it did so wonder at it that his speeche fayled him and he stoode must a longe tyme and at last sayde surely there is a wonderfull peece of worke and of great labor yet they want those graces and ornaments whereby those that I paynt doe reache vnto heauen This table afterwardes being brought to ROME and hanged vp with others was in the ende burnt by fire Nowe as the RHODIANS were desirous to be rid of this warre and that Demetrius also was willing to take any honest occasion to doe it the Ambassadors of the ATHENIANS came happely to serue both their desires who made peace betweene them with these condicions That the RHODIANS shoulde be confederats with Antigonus and Demetrius against all men but Ptolomy onely The ATHENIANS sent for Demetrius vpon Cassander comming to laye seege to their citie Whereuppon Demetrius immediatly hoysed sayle towards ATHENS with three hundred and thirty gallies and a great number of men of warre besides so that he did not only driue Cassander out of the prouince of ATTICA but followed him euen to the straight of THERMOPYLES and there ouerthrew him in set battell and receiued the â—â—tie of HERACLEA which willingly yelded vnto him and sixe thowsand MACEDONIANS that came vnto him to take his part So in his returne backe he set all the GRAECIANS at libertie on this side the straight he made league with the BOEOTIANS and tooke the citie of CENECHâ—â—ES and the castells of PHYLE and PANACTOS in the fronters and confines of ATTICA in the which Cassander had left garrisons to keepe the contry in subiection and after he had dr 〈…〉 them out of the contry he rendred the forts againe vnto the ATHENIANS Therefore though it seemed the ATHENIANS had before bestowed to their vttermost power all kinds of honors that could be offered him euery man striuing for life to preferre the same yet they found out new deuises to flatter and please him For they ordeyned that the place behind the temple of Minerua called Parthenon as who would say the temple of the virgin should be prepared for his house to lye in and they sayd that the goddesse Minarua did lodge him with her But to say truely he was too vnchast
Tribunes of the people might not speake their mindes and were driuen away in great daunger of their liues as many as stoode with lawe and iustice Hereuppon Caesar incontinently went into ITALY with his army which made Cicero say in his Philippides that as Hellen was cause of the warre of TROY so was Antonius the author of the ciuill warres which in deede was a starke lye For Caesar was not so fickle headed nor so easily caried away with anger that he would so sodainly haue gone and made warre with his contry vpon the sight onely of Antonius and Cassius being fled vnto him in miserable apparell and in a hyered coche had he not long before determined it with him selfe But sith in deed Caesar looked of long time but for some culler this came as he wished and gaue him iust occasion of warre But to say truely nothing els moued him to make warre with all the world as he did but one selfe cause which first procured Alexander and Cyrus also before him to wit an insatiable desire to raigne with a senseles couetousnes to be the best man in the world the which he could not come vnto before he had first put downe Pompey and vtterly ouerthrowen him Now after that Caesar had gotten ROME at his commaundement had driuen Pompey out of ITALY he purposed first to goe into SPAYNE against the legions Pompey had there and in the meane time to make prouision for shippes and marine preparacion to follow Pompey In his absence he left Lepidus that was Praetor gouernor of ROME and Antonius that was Tribune he gaue him charge of all the souldiers and of ITALY Then was Antonius straight maruelously commended and beloued of the souldiers bicause he commonly exercised him self among them and would oftentimes eate and drinke with them and also be liberall vnto them according to his abilitie But then in contrary manner he purchased diuers other mens euill willes bicause that through negligence he would not doe them iustice that were iniuried delt very churlishly with them that had any sute vnto him and besides all this he had an ill name to intise mens wiues To conclude Caesars friends that gouerned vnder him were cause why they hated Caesars gouernment which in deede in respect of him selfe was no lesse then a tyrannie by reason of the great insolencies outragious parts that were committed amongst whom Antonius that was of greatest power and that also committed greatest faultes deserued most blame But Caesar notwithstanding when he returned from the warres of SPAYNE made no reckoning of the complaints that were put vp against him but contrarily bicause he found him a hardy man a valliant Captaine he employed him in his chiefest affayres and was no whit deceiued in his opinion of him So he passed ouer the IONIAN sea vnto BRVNDVSIVM being but slenderly accompanied sent vnto Antonius Gabinius that they should imbarke their men as soone as they could and passe them ouer into MACEDON Gabinius was affrayd to take the sea bicause it was very roughe and in the winter time therefore fetched a great compasse about by land But Antonius fearing some daunger might come vnto Caesar bicause he was compassed in with a great number of enemies first of all he draue away Libo who roade at ancker with a great armie before the hauen of BRVNDVSIVM For he manned out such a number of pynnasies barks and other small boates about euery one of his gallies that he draue him thence After that he imbarked into shippes twenty thowsand footemen and eyght hundred horsemen and with this armie he hoysed sayle When the enemies sawe him they made out to followe him but the sea rose so highe that the billowes put backe their gallies that they could not come neare him and so he scaped that daunger But withall he fell vppon the rockes with his whole fleete where the sea wrought very highe so that he was out of all hope to saue him selfe Yet by good fortune sodainely the winde turned South-west and blewe from the gulffe driuing the waues of the riuer into the mayne sea Thus Antonius loosing from the lande and sayling with safetie at his pleasure soone after he sawe all the coastes full of shippewracks For the force and boysterousnes of the winde did cast away the gallies that followed him of the which many of them were broken and splitted and diuers also cast away and Antonius tooke a great number of them prisoners with a great summe of money also Besides all these he tooke the citie of LYSSVS and brought Caesar a great supplie of men and made him coragious comming at a pynche with so great a power to him Now there were diuers hotte skytmishes and encownters in the which Antonius sought so valliantly that he caried the prayse from them all but specially at two seuerall tymes when Caesars men turned their backes and fled for life For he stepped before them and compelled them to returne againe to fight so that the victorie fell on Ceasars side For this cause he had the seconde place in the campe amonge the souldiers and they spake of no other man vnto Caesar but of him who shewed playnely what opinion he had of him when at the last battell of PHARSALIA which in deede was the last tryall of all to giue the Conqueror the whole Empire of the worlde he him selfe did leade the right wing of his armie and gaue Antonius the leading of the left wing as the valliantest man and skilfullest souldier of all those he had about him After Caesar had wonne the victorie and that he was created Dictator he followed Pompey steppe by steppe howbeit before he named Antonius generall of the horsemen and sent him to ROME The generall of the horsemen is the second office of dignitie when the Dictator is in the citie but when he is abroad he is the chiefest man and almost the onely man that remayneth and all the other officers and Magistrates are put downe after there is a Dictator chosen Notwithstanding Dolabella being at that tyme Tribune and a younge man desirous of chaunge and innouation he preferred a law which the ROMANES call Nouas tabulas as much to saye as a cutting of and cancelling of all obligacions and specialties were called the newe tables bicause they were driuen then to make bookes of daily receit and expence and perswaded Antonius his friend who also gaped for a good occasion to please and gratifie the common people to aide him to passe this lawe But Trebellius Asinius disswaded from it al they could possible So by good hap it chaunced that Antonius mistrusted Dolabella for keeping of his wife and tooke suche a conceite of it that lie thrust his wife out of his house being his Cosin Germane the daughter of C. Antonius who was Consul with Cicero ioyning with Asinius he resisted Dolabella fought with him Dolabella had
fighting with their Emperor and Captaine Antonius hearing these newes being yet in ARMENIA commaunded Canidius to goe presently to the sea side with his sixteene legions he had and he him selfe with Cleopatra went vnto the citie of EPHESVS there gathered together his gallies and shippes out of all parts which came to the number of eight hundred reckoning the great shippes of burden and of those Cleopatra furnished him with two hundred and twenty thowsand talents besides and prouision of vittells also to mainteyne al the whole army in this warre So Antonius through the perswasions of Domitius commaunded Cleopatra to returne againe into AEGYPT and there to vnderstand the successe of this warre But Cleopatra fearing least Antonius should againe be made friends with Octauius Caesar by the meanes of his wife Octauia she so plyed Canidius with money and filled his purse that he became her spokes man vnto Antonius and told him there was no reason to send her from this warre who defraied so great a charge neither that it was for his profit bicause that thereby the AEGYPTIANS would then be vtterly discoraged which were the chiefest strength of the army by sea considering that he could see no king of all the kings their confederats that Cleopatra was inferior vnto either for wisedom or iudgement seeing that longe before she had wisely gouerned so great a realme as AEGYPT besides that she had bene so long acquainted with him by whom she had learned to manedge great affayres These fayer perswasions wan him for it was predestined that the gouernment of all the world should fall into Octauius Caesars handes Thus all their forces being ioyned together they hoysed sayle towards the I le of SAMOS and there gaue them selues to feasts and sollace For as all the kings Princes communalties peoples and cities from SYRIA vnto the marishes Maeotides and from the ARMENIANS to the ILLYRIANS were sent vnto to send and bringe all munition and warlike preparation they could euen so all players minstrells tumblers fooles and ieasters were commaunded to assemble in the I le of SAMOS So that where in manner all the world in euery place was full of lamentations sighes and teares onely in this I le of SAMOS there was nothing for many dayes space but singing and pyping and all the Theater full of these common players minstrells and singing men Besides all this euery citie sent an oxe thither to sacrifice and kings did striue one with another who should make the noblest feasts giue the richest gifts So that euery man sayd what can they doe more for ioy of victorie if they winne the battell When they make already such sumptuous feasts at the beginning of the warre When this was done he gaue the whole rabble of these minstrells such kind of people the citie of PRIENE to keepe them withal during this warre Then he went vnto the citie of ATHENS and there gaue him selfe againe to see playes and pastimes and to keepe the Theaters Cleopatra on the other side being ielous of the honors which Octauia had receiued in this citie where in deede she was maruelously honored and beloued of the ATHENIANS to winne the peoples good will also at ATHENS she gaue them great gifts and they likewise gaue her many great honors and appointed certaine Ambassadors to cary the decree to her house amōg the which Antonius was one who as a Citizen of ATHENS reported the matter vnto her made an oration in the be halfe of the citie Afterwards he sent to ROME to put his wife Octauia out of his house who as it is reported went out of his house with all Antonius children sauing the eldest of them he had by Fuluia who was with her father bewailing lamenting her cursed hap that had brought her to this that she was accompted one of the chiefest causes of this ciuill warre The ROMANES did pitie her but much more Antonius those specially that had seene Cleopatra who nether excelled Octauia in beawtie nor yet in young yeares Octauius Caesar vnderstanding the sodain wonderful great preparation of Antonius he was not a litle astonied as it fearing he should be driuen to fight that sommer bicause he wanted many things the great and grieuous exactions of money did sorely oppresse the people For all manner of men els were driuen to pay the fourth part of their goods and reuenue but the Libertines to were those whose fathers or other predecessors had some time bene bond men they were sessed to pay the eight part of all their goods at one payment Hereuppon there rose a wonderfull exclamation and great vprore all ITALY ouer so that among the greatest faults that euer Antonius committed they blamed him most for that he delayed to giue Caesar battell For he gaue Caesar leysure to make his preparacions and also to appease the complaints of the people When such a great summe of money was demaunded of them they grudged at it and grewe to mutinie vpon it but when they had once paied it they remembred it no more Furthermore Titius and Plancus two of Antonius chiefest friends and that had bene both of them Consuls for the great iniuries Cleopatra did them bicause they hindered all they could that she should not come to this warre they went and yelded them selues vnto Caesar and tolde him where the testament was that Antonius had made knowing perfitly what was in it The will was in the custodie of the Vestall Nunnes of whom Caesar demaunded for it They aunswered him that they would not giue it him but if he would goe and take it they would not hinder him Thereuppon Caesar went thither hauing red it first to him self he noted certaine places worthy of reproch so assembling all the Senate he red it before them all Whereuppon diuers were maruelously offended and thought it a straunge matter that he being aliue should be punished for that he had appoynted by his will to be done after his death Caesar chiefly tooke hold of this that he ordeyned touching his buriall for he willed that his bodie though he dyed at ROME should be brought in funerall pompe through the middest of the market place and that it should be sent into ALEXANDRIA vnto Cleopatra Furthermore among diuers other faultes wherewith Antonius was to be charged for Cleopatraes sake Caluisius one of Caesars friends reproued him bicause he had franckly giuen Cleopatra all the libraries of the royall citie of PERGAMVM in the which she had aboue two hundred thowsand seueral bookes Againe also that being on a time set at the table he sodainly rose from the borde and trode vpon Cleopatraes foote which was a signe giuen betwene them that they were agreed of That he had also suffred the EPHESIANS in his presence to call Cleopatra their soueraine Ladye That diuers times sitting in his tribunall and chayer of state giuing audience to all kings and Princes he had receiued loue
and gaue it vnto his friends commaunding them to depart and to seeke to saue them selues They aunswered him weeping that they would nether doe it nor yet forsake him Then Antonius very curteously and louingly did comfort them and prayed them to depart and wrote vnto Theophilus gouernor of CORINTHE that he would see them safe and helpe to hide them in some secret place vntil they had made their way and peace with Caesar. This Theophilus was the father of Hipparchus who was had in great estimation about Antonius He was the first of all his infranchised bondmen that reuolted from him and yelded vnto Caesar and afterwardes went and dwelt at CORINTHE And thus it stoode with Antonius Now for his armie by sea that fought before the head or foreland of ACTIVM they helde out a longe tyme and nothing troubled them more then a great boysterous wind that rose full in the prooes of their shippes and yet with much a doe his nauy was at length ouerthrowen fiue howers within night There were not slaine aboue fiue thowsand men but yet there were three hundred shippes taken as Octauius Caesar writeth him selfe in his commentaries Many plainely sawe Antonius flie and yet could hardly beleeue it that he that had nyneteene legions whole by lande and twelue thowsand horsemen vpon the sea side would so haue forsaken them and haue fled so cowardly as if he had not oftentimes proued both the one and the other fortune that he had not bene throughly acquainted with the diuers chaunges and fortunes of battells And yet his souldiers still wished for him and euer hoped that he would come by some meanes or other vnto them Furthermore they shewed them selues so valliant and faithfull vnto him that after they certainly knewe he was fled they kept them selues whole together seuen daies In the ende Canidius Antonius Lieuetenant flying by night and forsaking his campe when they saw them selues thus destitute of their heads and leaders they yelded themselues vnto the stronger This done Caesar sailed towards ATHENS and there made peace with the GRAECIANS and deuided the rest of the corne that was taken vp for Antonius army vnto the townes and cities of GRAECE the which had bene brought to extreme misery pouerty cleane without money slaues horse other beastes of cariage So that my grandfather Nicarchus tolde that all the Citizens of our citie of CHAERONEA not one excepted were driuen them selues to cary a certaine measure of corne on their shoulders to the sea side that lieth directly ouer against the I le of ANTICYRA yet were they driuen thether with whippes They caried it thus but once for the second tyme that they were charged againe to make the like cariage all the corne being ready to be caried newes came that Antonius had lost the battel so scaped our poore city For Antonius souldiers deputies fled immediatly the citizens deuided the corne amongst them Antonius being arriued in LIBYA he sent Cleopatra before into AEGYPT from the citie of PARAETONIVâ—â— he him selfe remained very solitary hauing onely two of his friends with him with whom he wandred vp down both of them orators the one Aristocrates a GRAECIAN the other Lucilius a ROMANE Of whom we haue written in an other place that at the battell where Brutus was ouerthrowen by the citie of PHILIPPES he came willingly put him self into the hands of those that followed Brutus saying that it was he bicause Brutus in the meane time might haue liberty to saue him selfe And afterwards bicause Antonius saued his life he still remained with him and was very faithfull and frendly vnto him till his death But when Antonius heard that he whom he had trusted with the gouernment of LIBYA and vnto whom he had geuen the charge of his armie there had yelded vnto Caesar he was so madde withall that he would haue slaine him selfe for anger had not his frendes about him withstoode him and kept him from it So he went vnto ALEXANDRIA and there found Cleopatra about a wonderfull enterprise and of great attempt Betwixt the redde sea and the sea betwene the landes that poynt vpon the coast of AEGYPT there is a litle peece of land that deuideth both the seas and separateth AFRICKE from ASIA the which straight is so narrow at the end where the two seas are narrowest that it is not aboue three hundred furlonges ouer Cleopatra went about to lift her shippes out of the one sea and to hale them ouer the straight into the other sea that when her shippes were come into this goulfe of ARABIA she might then carie all her gold siluer away and so with a great companie of men goe and dwell in some place about the Ocean sea farre from the sea Mediterranium to scape the daunger and bondage of this warre But now bicause the ARABIANS dwelling about the citie of PETRA did burne the first shippes that were brought alande and that Antonius thought that his armie by lande which he left at ACTIVM was yet whole she left of her enterprise and determined to keepe all the portes and passages of her realme Antonius he forsooke the citie and companie of his frendes and built him a house in the sea by the I le of PHAROS vpon certaine forced mountes which he caused to be cast into the sea and dwelt there as a man that banished him selfe from all mens companie saying that he would lead Timons life because he had the like wrong offered him that was affore offered vnto Timon and that for the vnthankefulnes of those he had done good vnto and whom he tooke to be his frendes he was angry with all men and would trust no man This Timon was a citizen of ATHENS that liued about the warre of PELOPONNESVS as appeareth by Plato and Aristophanes commedies in the which they mocked him calling him a vyper malicious man vnto mankind to shunne all other mens companies but the companie of young Alcibiades a bolde and insolent youth whom he woulde greatly feast and make much of and kissed him very gladly Apemantus wondering at it asked him the cause what he ment to make so muche of that young man alone and to hate all others Timon aunswered him I do it sayd he bicause I know that one day he shall do great mischiefe vnto the ATHENIANS This Timon sometimes would haue Apemantus in his companie bicause he was much like to his nature condicions and also followed him in maner of life On a time when they solemnly celebrated the feasts called Choae at ATHENS to wit the feasts of the dead where they make sprincklings and sacrifices for the dead and that they two then feasted together by them selues Apemantus said vnto the other O here is a trimme banket Timon Timon aunswered againe yea said he so thou wert not here It is reported of him also that this Timon on a time the people being
losse So she prayed him also to play one of his Euenukes with her the king was well contented with it But before they would play they agreed betwene theÌ„ that they should both name except fiue of the trustiest chiefest Euenukes they had then which of them lost should presently deliuer vnto the winner his choyce of all the other Euenukes he would demaund Thus they fel to play she imploying all the cunning she had playing as warely as she could possible besides that the dyce ranne of her side her luck serued her so that she wanne then she required Mesabates for her winnings being none of those the king had excepted WheÌ„ she had him deliuered her she gaue him to the hangmen willed theÌ„ to flea him aliue then that they should crucifie him naile him to a crosse hang his skin vpon an other peece of tymber by him the which was done accordingly The king was maruelous angry withall when he knew it greeuously offended with his mother Howbeit she sported it out laughing told him in deed it becomes thee wel to be angry for losing an old gelded Villain where I lost a thowsand Darecks quietly said neuer a word So there came no other thing of it sauing that the king was a litle angry repented him that he had plaied so fondly was so finely mocked But Queene Statira on the other side besids that she was against her in al other things she spared not to tel Queene mother plainly that it was wickedly done of her to put the kings good faithful seruaunts so cruelly to death for Cyrus sake But now after that Tisaphernes king Artaxerxes Lieuetenant had deceiued Clearchus other captaines of GRAECE detestably falsifying his word he had giuen theÌ„ that he had sent them bound vnto the king Ctesiaes sayth that Clearchus praied him to helpe him to a combe that hauing had one by his meanes and also comed his head it pleased him so wel that to requite his good wil he gaue him his seale of armes from his finger wherewith he sealed his letters for a witnes of the great friendship that was betwene them two He sayth also that in the stone of this ring there was grauen the daunce of the CARYATIDES And furthermore that the other souldiers which were prisoners with Clearchus did take away the moste part of the vittells that were sent to him and left him litle or nothing and that he did remedye all this procuring a greater quantitie to be sent vnto them that they should put Clearchus portion apart and all the other souldiers part also by them selues This he did as he sayth by Parysatis consent commaundement who knowing that amongest other vittells they dayly sent Clearchus a gammon of bacon she tolde him one day he should doe well to hide a litle knife in this gammon of bacon and to send it him to th end that the life of so noble valliant a man as he was should not fall to the crueltie of the king Howbeit that he was affrayd to meddle withall and durst not doe it that the king sware promised his mother who was an earnest suter to him for Clearchus that he would not put him to death This notwithstanding the king being afterwards procured and perswaded to the contrary by Queene Statira his wife he put them all to death but Menon Therefore Parysatis Queene mother after that time sayth Ctesias deuised all the wayes she could to poyson Queene Statira and to make her out of the way But me thinketh this smelleth like a lye that Parysatis should entend so wicked and daungerous an acte as to put the kinges lawfull wife to death by whome he had sonnes that were to inherite the crowne onely for the loue and respect of Clearchus and it is too plaine that he coyned that to honor and magnifie Clearchus memorie the more But to proue it a man may easily find it by the lyes he addeth afterwards vnto it saying that after the Captaines were slayne all the bodies of the rest were torne a peeces by dogges fowles and also that there came a boysterous winde and couered all Clearchus body with a great hill of dust and that out of this hill of dust shortly after there spronge vp many palme trees which made a prety thicke groue that it shadowed all that place Insomuch that the king him selfe did afterwards maruelously repent him for putting of him to death for that he was an honest man beloued of the gods This was not for Clearchus sake but for an olde canckered malice Parysatis had long time borne in her hart against Queene Statira bicause she saw wel enough that the credit authoritie herself had with the king was in respect of a sonnes duty obedieÌ„ce to his mother in contrary maner Statiraes credit authoritie had a better ground fouÌ„dacioÌ„ bicause it came of the loue good wil the king did beare her And this is the onely cause that made her to practise the death of Quene Statira hauing determined that her self or daughter in law must nedes dye Now Quene mother had one of the women of her chamber called Gigis that was of great credit about her whome she onely trusted Diâ—on writeth that this Gigis did help Parysatis to make the poyson But Ctesias writeth contrarily saith that she onely knew it but otherwise that it was against her will that he that made the poyson was one Belitaras but Dinon calleth him Melantas Now though in outward semblance and shew Queene mother Statira semed to haue forgotteÌ„ all malice betwene them that they begaÌ„ again one of them to keepe company with the other did eate drinke together yet one of them mistrusted the other tooke great heede to them selues both of them eating one selfe meate in one dishe together and were both serued with one self officers men In PERSIA there is a litle bird of the which all the parts of it is excellent good to eate is ful of fat within so that it is thought it liueth by ayer dewe and in the PERSIAN tongue they cal it Ryntaces Parysatis as Ctesias sayth tooke one of these birdes and cut it in the middest with a litle knife the which was poysoned onely on one of the sides and gaue that halfe which was poysoned vnto Statira Yet Dinon writeth that it was not Parysatis her selfe that gaue it her but her caruer Melantas that carued her meate still gaue Queene Statyra of that meate which the side of his poisoned knife had touched So Quene Statira preseÌ„tly fel sick of the dissease wherof she died with greuous panges gripings in her bowels found plainly that she was poysoned by Parysatis meanes wheruppoÌ„ she told the king as much who was of the same opinion thought it was his mother
afire and fel downe vpon them that went and came This misery was the chiefest cause why all the SYRACVSANS agreed together to set open the gates vnto Dion For when Dion heard by the way that Dionysius souldiers were gone againe into the castell he made no great haste to marche forward but when day was broken there came certaine horsemen from SYRACVSA vnto Dion who brought him newes that the enemies had once againe taken the city Then also came other of his enemies vnto him and prayed him to make haste Now their miserie increasing still and they being brought into hard state Heraclides first sent his brother vnto Dion and then Theodotes his Vncle to pray him to come quickly and helpe them For now there was no man left to resist the enemies bicause he him selfe was hurt and the citie also was in manner cleane burnt destroyed When these newes came to Dion he was yet about three score furlong from the towne So he told his mercenary souldiers the daunger the towne was in hauing encoraged them he led them no more fayer softly but running towards the city meeting Messengers one of anothers neck as he went that prayed him to make all the possible spede he could By this meanes the souldiers marching with wōderful spede good will together he entred the gates of the city at a place called HECATOMPEDON First of all he sent the lightest armed he had against the enemies to th ende that the SYRACVSANS seeing them they might take a good hart again to them whilest he himself in the meane time did set al the other heauy armed souldiers and Citizens that came to ioyne with him in battell raye did cast them into diuers squadrons of greater length then breadth and appointed them that should haue the leading of them to thend that letting vpon the enemies in diuers places together they should put them in the greater feare terror When he had set all things in this order had made his prayers vnto the gods that they saw him marching through the citie against their enemies then there rose such a common noyse reioycing great showte of the souldiers mingled with vowes prayers and perswasions of all the SYRACVSANS that they called Dion their god sauior the mercenary souldiers their brethren fellow Citizens Furthermore there was not a SYRACVSAN that so much regarded his owne life person but he seemed to be more affraid of the losse of Dion only then of all the rest For they saw him the foremostman ronning through the daūger of the fire treading in bloud vpon dead bodies that lay slaine in the middest of the streets Now in deede to charge the enemies it was a maruelous daungerous enterprise for they were like mad beasts stoode beside in battell ray alongst the wal which they had ouerthrowen in a very daungerous place hard to win Howbeit the daunger of the fire did most of all trouble amaze the straungers did stoppe their way For on which side soeuer they turned them the houses round about them were all of a fire and they were driuen to marche ouer the burnt timber of the houses and to ronne in great daunger of the walls of the house sides that fell on them to passe through the thicke smoke mingled with dust beside to keepe their rancks with great difficultie And whē they came to assaile the enemies they could not come to fight hand to hand but a few of them in number bicause of the straightnes of the place howbeit the SYRACVSANS with force of cries showtes did so animat encorage their men that at length they draue Nypsius his men to forsake the place The most part of them got into the castell being very neare vnto them the other that could not get in in time fled straglingly vp and downe whom the GRAECIAN souldiers slue chasing of them The extremitie of the time did not presently suffer the Conquerors to reape the frute of their victory nether the ioyes imbracings meete for so great an exployte For the SYRACVSANS went euery man home to his owne house to quenche the fire the which could scarcely be put out all the night When daye brake there was none of these seditious flatterers of the people that durst tary in the citie but cōdemning them selues they fled to take their fortune Heraclides and Theodotes came together of their owne good wills to yeld them selues vnto Dion confessing that they had done him wronge and humbly praying him to shew him selfe better vnto them then they had shewed them selues vnto him that it was more honorable for him being euery way vnmatchable for his vertues to shew him selfe more noble to conquer his anger then his vnthankfull enemies had done who contending with him before in vertue did now confesse themselues to be farre inferior vnto him This was the summe effect of Heraclides Theodotes submission vnto Dion But his friends did perswade him not to pardon two such wicked men who did malice enuy his honor and as he would doe the straungers his souldiers any pleasure that he should put Heraclides into their hands to roote out of the common wealth of SYRACVSA his vile manner to flatter and curry fauor with the people the which was as daungerous and great a plague to a citie as the tyranny Dion pacifying them aunswered Other generals of armies said he do imploy al their wits in marshall exercise warres but for him selfe that he had of long time studied learned in the schole of the Academy to ouercome anger enuy all malice contencion The noble proofe whereof is most seene not in vsing honest men and his friends moderately but shewing mercy also vnto his enemies forgetting his anger against them that haue offended him and that for his part he had rather ouercome Heraclides not in riches and wisedom but in clemency iustice for therein chiefly consisted excellencie sith no man els in warres can challenge power gouernment but fortune that ruleth most And though Heraclides sayd he through enuy hath done like a wicked man must Dion therefore through anger bleamish his vertue In deede by mans law it is thought meeter to reuenge an iniurie offered then to doe an iniurie but nature sheweth that they both proceede of one selfe imperfection Now though it be a hard thing to chaunge and alter the euill disposition of a man after he is once nuseled in villany yet is not man of so wild brutish a nature that his wickednes may not be ouercome with often pleasures when he seeth that they are continually shewed him Dion aūswering his friends thus he forgaue Heraclides beginning againe to shut vp the castell with a wal round about he cōmaūded the SYRACVSANS euery man of them to cut downe a stake to bringe it thither So when night was come setting his souldiers
and vprore it was thought then that Brutus woulde take parte with Caesar bicause Pompey not long before had put his father vnto death But Brutus preferring the respect of his contrie and common wealth before priuate affection and perswading himselfe that Pompey had iuster cause to enter into armes then Caesar he then tooke parte with Pompey though oftentimes meting him before he thought scorne to speake to him thinking it a great sinne and offence in him to speake to the murtherer of his father But then submitting him selfe vnto Pompey as vnto the head of the common wealth he sailed into SICILIA Lieutenant vnder Sestius that was Gouernor of that prouince But when he saw that there was no way to rise nor to do any noble exployts and that Caesar Pompey were both camped together and fought for victory he went of him selfe vnsent for into MACEDON to be partaker of the daunger It is reported that Pompey being glad and wondering at his comming when he sawe him come to him he rose out of his chaire and went and imbraced him before them all and vsed him as honorablie as he could haue done the noblest man that tooke his parte Brutus being in Pompeys campe did nothing but studie all day long except he were with Pompey not only the dayes before but the selfe same day also before the great battell was fought in the fieldes of PHARSALIA where Pompey was ouerthrowen It was in the middest of sommer and the sunne was verie hotte besides that the campe was lodged neere vnto marishes and they that caried his tent taried long before they came whereuppon being verie wearie with trauell scant any meate came into his mouth at dinner time Furthermore when others slept or thought what woulde happen the morrowe after he fell to his booke and wrote all day long till night wryting a breuiarie of Polybius It is reported that Caesar did not forgette him and that he gaue his Captaines charge before the battell that they shoulde beware they killed not Brutus in fight and if he yeelded willinglie vnto them that then they shoulde bring him vnto him but if he resisted and woulde not be taken then that they shoulde lette him goe and doe him no hurte Some saye he did this for Seruiliaes sake Brutus mother For when he was a young man he had bene acquainted with Seruilia who was extreamelie in loue with him And bicause Brutus was borne in that time when their loue was hottest he perswaded him selfe that he begat him For proofe hereof the reporte goeth that when the waightiest matters were in hande in the Senate about the conspiracie of Catiline which was likelie to haue vndone the citie of ROME Caesar and Cato sate neere together and were both of contrarie mindes to eache other and then that in the meane time one deliuered Caesar a letter Caesar tooke it and red it softlie to him selfe but Cato cried out vpon Caesar and sayd he did not well to receiue aduertisementes from enemies Whereuppon the whole Senate beganne to murmure at it Then Caesar gaue Cato the letter as it was sent him who red it and founde that it was a loue letter sent from his sister Seruilia thereuppon he cast it againe to Caesar and sayde vnto him holde dronken soppe When he had done so he went on with his tale and maintayned his opinion as he did before so commonlie was the loue of Seruilia knowen which she bare vnto Caesar. So after Pompeys ouerthrowe at the battell of PHARSALIA and that he fledde to the sea when Caesar came to beseege his campe Brutus went out of the campe gates vnseene of any man and lept into a marishe full of water and reedes Then when night was come he crept out and went vnto the citie of LARISSA from whence he wrote vnto Caesar who was verie glad that he had scaped and sent for him to come vnto him When Brutus was come he did not onelie pardon him but also kept him alwayes about him and did as muche honor and esteeme him any man he had in his companie Nowe no man coulde tell whether Pompey was fledde and all were maruelous desirous to knowe it wherefore Caesar walking a good waye alone with Brutus he did aske him which way he thought Pompey tooke Caesar perceiuing by his talke that Brutus gessed certainlie whether Pompey shoulde be fledde he left all other wayes and tooke his iorney directlie towardes AEGYPT Pompey as Brutus had coniectured was in deede fledde into AEGYPT but there he was villanouslie slayne Furthermore Brutus obteyned pardon of Caesar for Cassius and defending also the king of LYBIAES cause he was ouerlayed with a worlde of accusacions against him howebeit intreating for him he saued him the best parte of his realme and kingdome They say also that Caesar sayd when he hearde Brutus pleade I knowe not sayd he what this young man woulde but what he woulde he willeth it vehementlie For as Brutus grauetie and constant minde woulde not graunt all men their requests that sued vnto him but being moued with reason and discretion did alwayes encline to that which was good and honest euen so when it was moued to followe any matter he vsed a kinde of forcible and vehement perswasion that calmed not till he had obteyned his desire For by flattering of him a man coulde neuer obteyne any thing at his handes nor make him to doe that which was vniust Further he thought it not meete for a man of calling and estimacion to yeelde vnto the requestes and intreaties of a shamelesse and importunate suter requesting thinges vnmeete the which notwithstanding some men doe for shame bicause they dare deny nothing And therefore he was wont to say that he thought them euill brought vp in their youth that coulde deny nothing Nowe when Caesar tooke sea to goe into AFRICKE against Cato and Scipio he left Brutus Gouernment of GAVLE in ITALIE on this side of the Alpes which was a great good happe for that prouince For where others were spoyled and polled by the insolencie and couetousnesse of the Gouernours as if it had bene a contrie conquered Brutus was a comforte and rest vnto their former troubles and miseries they susteyned But he referred it whollie vnto Caesars grace and goodnesse For when Caesar returned out of AFRICKE and progressed vp and downe ITALIE the things that pleased him best to see were the cities vnder Brutus charge and gouernment and Brutus him selfe who honored Caesar in person and whose companie also Caesar greatlie esteemed Now there were diuers sortes of Praetorshippes at ROME and it was looked for that Brutus or Cassius would make sute for the chiefest Praetorshippe which they called the Praetorshippe of the citie bicause he that had that office was as a Iudge to minister iustice vnto the citizens Therefore they stroue one against the other though some say that there was some litle grudge betwext them for other matters before and
vnto them and Cassius campe on the other side tooke the death of their Captaine verie heauilie and beside there was some vile grudge betwene them that were ouercomen and those that did ouercome For this cause therefore Brutus did set them in battell ray but yet kept him selfe from geuing battell Now for the slaues that were prisoners which were a great number of them went came to and fro amongst the armed men not without suspicion he commaunded they shoulde kill them But for the freemen he sent them freely home and said that they were better prisoners with his enemies then with him For with them they were slaues and seruauntes and with him they were free men and citizens So when he saw that diuers Captaines and his frendes did so cruelly hate some that they would by no meanes saue their liues Brutus him selfe hid them and secretlie sent them away Among these prisoners there was one Vulumnius 2 ieaster and Secculio a common player of whom Brutus made no accompt at all Howbeit his frends brought them vnto him and did accuse them that though they were prisoners they did not let to laugh them to scorne and to ieast broadly with them Brutus made no aunswere to it bicause his heade was occupied other wayes Whereupon Messala Coruinus sayd that it were good to whippe them on a skaffold and then to sende them naked well whipped vnto the Captaines of their enemies to shewe them their shame to keepe suche mates as those in their campe to play the fooles to make them sport Some that stoode by laughed at his deuise But Publius Casca that gaue Iulius Caesar the first wounde when he was slaine sayd then It doth nor become vs to be thus merie at Cassius funeralls and for thee Brutus thou shalt showe what estimacion thou madest of suche a Captaine thy compere by putting to death or sauing the liues of these bloodes who hereafter will mocke him and defame his memorie Brutus aunswered againe in choller why then doe you come to tell me of it Casca and doe not your selues what you thinke good When they hearde him say so they tooke his aunswere for a consent against these poore vnfortunate men to suffer them to doe what they thought good and therefore they caried them away slue them Afterwards Brutus performed the promise he had made to the souldiers and gaue them the two thowsand Drachmas a peece but yet he first reproued them bicause they went gaue charge vpon the enemies at the first battell before they had the word of battell geuen them and made them a new promise also that if in the second battell they fought like men he would geue them the sacke and spoyle of two cities to wit THESSALONICA and LACEDAEMON In all Brutus life there is but this only fault to be found and that is not to be gainesaid though Antonius and Octauius Caesar did reward their souldiers farre worse for their victory For when they had driuen all the naturall ITALIANS out of ITALIE they gaue their souldiers their landes and townes to the which they had no right and moreouer the only marke they shot at in all this warre they made was but to ouercome and raigne Where in contrarie manner they had so great an opinion of Brutus vertue that the common voyce and opinion of the world would not suffer him neither to ouercome nor to saue him selfe otherwise then iustlie and honestly and speciallie after Cassius death whome men burdened that oftentimes he moued Brutus to great crueltie But nowe like as the mariners on the sea after the rudder of their shippe is broken by tempest do seeke to naile on some other peece of wodde in liew thereof and doe helpe them selues to keepe them from hurt as much as may be vpon that instant daunger euen so Brutus hauing such a great armie to gouerne and his affaires standing verie tickle and hauing no other Captaine coequall with him in dignitie and authoritie he was forced to imploy them he had and likewise to be ruled by them in many things was of mind him selfe also to graunt them any thing that he thought might make them serue like noble souldiers at time of neede For Cassius souldiers were verie euill to be ruled and did shewe them selues verie stubborne and lustie in the campe bicause they had no Chieftaine that did cōmaund them but yet rancke cowards to their enemies bicause they had once ouercome them On the other side Octauius Caesar and Antonius were not in much better state for first of all they lacked vittells And bicause they were lodged in low places they looked to abide a hard and sharpe winter being camped as they were by the marish side and also for that after the battell there had fallen plentie of raine about the autumne where through all their tents were full of myre and durt the which by reason of the colde did freeze incontinentlie But beside all these discommodities there came newes vnto them of the great losse they had of their men by sea For Brutus shippes met with a great aide and supplie of men which were sent them out of ITALIE and they ouerthrewe them in suche sorte that there scaped but few of them and yet they were so famished that they were compelled to eate the tackle and sailes of their shippes Thereuppon they were verie desirous to fight a battell againe before Brutus should haue intelligence of this good newes for him for it chaūced so that the battell was fought by sea on the selfe same day it was fought by lande But by ill fortune rather then through the malice or negligence of the Captaines this victory came not to Brutus eare till twentie dayes after For had he knowen of it before he would not haue bene brought to haue fought a second battell considering that he had excellent good prouision for his armie for a long time and besides lay in a place of great strength so as his campe could not be greatly hurt by the winter nor also distressed by his anemies and further he had bene a quiet Lord being a conqueror by sea as he was also by land This would haue maruelously encoraged him Howbeit the state of ROME in my opinion being now brought to that passe that it could no more abide to be gouerned by many Lordes but required one only absolute Gouernor God to preuent Brutus that it shoulde not come to his gouernment kept this victorie from his knowledge though in deede it came but a litle too late For the day before the last battell was geuen verie late in the night came Clodius one of his enemies into his campe who told that Caesar hearing of the ouerthrow of his armie by sea desired nothing more then to fight a battell before Brutus vnderstoode it Howebeit they gaue no credit to his words but despised him so muche that they would not vouchsafe to bring him vnto Brutus bicause they thought
owne money that should haue kept him in his banishment Furthermore Brutus and Cassius were compelled of necessity to make warres bicause they coulde not haue liued safelie in peace when they were driuen out of ROME for that they were condemned to death and pursued by their enemies And for this cause therefore they were driuen to hazard them selues in warre more for their owne safetie then for the libertie of their contrie men Whereas Dion on the other side liuing more merily and safelie in his banishment then the tyranne Dionysius him selfe that had banished him did put him selfe to the daunger to deliuer SICILE from bondage Nowe the matter was not a like vnto the ROMANES to be deliuered from the gouernment of Caesar as it was for the SYRACVSANS to be ridde of Dionysius tyrannie For Dionysius denyed not that he was not a tyranne hauing filled SICILE with suche miserie and calamitie Howebeit Caesars power and gouernment when it came to be established did in deede much hurt at his first entrie and beginning vnto those that did resist him but afterwardes vnto them that being ouercome had receiued his gouernment it seemed he rather had the name and opinion onely of a tyranne then otherwise that he was so in deede For there neuer followed any tyrannicall nor cruell act but contrarilie it seemed that he was a mercifull Phisition whom God had ordeyned of speciall grace to be Gouernor of the Empire of ROME and to set all thinges againe at quiet stay the which required the counsell and authoritie of an absolute Prince And therefore the ROMANES were maruelous sorie for Caesar after he was slaine and afterwardes would neuer pardon them that had slaine him On the other side the cause why the SYRACVSANS did most accuse Dion was bicause he did let Dionysius escape out of the castell of SYRACVSA and bicause he did not ouerthrow and deface the tombe of his father Furthermore towching the warres Dion alway shewed him selfe a Captaine vnreprouable hauing wiselie and skilfullie taken order for those things which he had enterprised of his owne head and counsell and did amende the faults others committed and brought things to better state then he found them Where it seemeth that Brutus did not wisely to receiue the second battell considering his rest stoode vpon it For after he had lost the battell it was vnpossible for him euer to rise againe therefore his hart failed him and so gaue vp all and neuer durst striue with his euill fortune as Pompey did considering that he had present cause enough in the field to hope of his souldiers and being beside a dreadfull Lorde all the sea ouer Furthermore the greatest reproache they could obiect against Brutus was that Iulius Caesar hauing saued his life and pardoned all the prisoners also taken in battell as many as he had made request for taking him for his frende and honoring him aboue all his other frends Brutus notwithstanding had imbrued his hands in his blood wherewith they could neuer reproue Dion For on the contrarie side so long as Dion was Dionysius frende and kinseman he did alway helpe him to order and gouerne his affaires But after he was banished his contrie and that his wife was forciblie maried to an other man and his goodes also taken from him then he entred into iust and open warres against Dionysius the tyranne But in this poynt they were contrarie together For wherein their chiefest praise consisted to witte in hating of tyrannes and wicked men it is most true that Brutus desire was most sincere of both For hauing no priuate cause of complaint or grudge against Caesar he ventred to kill him onely to set his contrie againe at libertie Where if Dion had not receiued priuate cause of quarrell against Dionysius he woulde neuer haue made warre with him The which Plato proueth in his Epistells where is plainlie seene that Dion being driuen out of the tyrans Court against his will and not putting him selfe to voluntarie banishment he draue out Dionysius Furthermore the respect of the common wealth caused Brutus that before was Pompeys enemie to become his frende and enemie vnto Caesar that before was his frend only referring his frendshippe and enmitie vnto the consideracion of iustice and equitie And Dion did many things for Dionysius sake and benefit all the while he trusted him and when he beganne to mistrust him then for anger he made warre with him Wherefore all his frendes did not beleue but after he had driuen out Dionysius he would stablish the gouernment to him selfe flattering the people with a more curteous and gentle title then the name of a tyranne But for Brutus his verie enemies them selues confessed that of all those that conspired Caesars death he only had no other ende and intent to attempt his enterprise but to restore the Empire of ROME againe to her former state gouernment And furthermore it was not all one thing to deale with Dionysius as it was to haue to doe with Iulius Caesar. For no man that knew Dionysius but would haue despised him considering that he spent the most parte of his time in drinking dycing and in haunting lewde womens company But to haue vndertaken to destroy Iulius Caesar and not to haue shroncke backe for feare of his great wisedom power and fortune considering that his name only was dreadfull vnto euerie man and also not to suffer the kings of PARTHIA and INDIA to be in rest for him this could not come but of a maruelous noble minde of him that for feare neuer fainted nor let fall any part of his corage And therefore so sone as Dion came into SICILIA many thowsands of men came and ioyned with him against Dionysius But the fame of Iulius Caesar did set vp his frends againe after his death and was of suche force that it raised a young stripling Octauius Caesar that had no meanes nor power of him selfe to be one of the greatest men of ROME and they vsed him as a remedie to encounter Antonius malice and power And if men will say that Dion draue out the tyran Dionysius with force of armes and sundrie battells and that in contrarie maner Brutus slue Caesar being a naked man and without gard then doe I aunswere againe that it was a noble parte and of a wise Captaine to choose so apt a time and place to come vppon a man of so great power and to finde him naked without his gard For he went not sodainlie in a rage and alone or with a small companie to assaile him but his enterprise was long time before determined of and that with diuers men of all the which not a man of them once fayled him but it is rather to be thought that from the beginning he chose them honest men or else that by his choyse of them he made them good men Whereas Dion either from the beginning made no wise choyse in trusting of euill men or else bicause he could not
otherwise by open force it was impossible to be had Wherefore after the death of Alexander that kept castell being poysoned as it is reported by Antigonus practise the castell being left in the handes of his wife Nicaea who gouerned the state of CORINTHE and did carefully cause the Acrocorinthe to be kept he immediately sent his sonne Demetrius thither and put Nicea in good hope to mary her with this young Prince a thing that pleased this Lady well though she was very olde So for her selfe she was wonne straight by meanes of his young sonne Demetrius whome he vsed as a stale to intrappe her Howbeit Nicaea for all this goodly offer forsooke not her castell but alwayes made it straightly to be looked vnto Antigonus seemed to make no accompt of it but dayly gaue him selfe to make sumptuous sacrifices feasts and playes to the gods within the citie of CORINTHE for the marriage as though he had ment no other thing but bancketing and iolitie all that might be When the hower was come to see these sportes and that the Musition Amaebeus began to singe he him selfe made as though he would accompany Nicaea vnto the Theater being conueyed thither in a sumptuous riche lytter as it had bene for a Queene She was very glad of this honor and thought nothing lesse then of that which happened her But when Antigonus came to the ende of the streete that turned to goe vp the hill towards the castell he had her keepe on still to the Theater and him selfe in the meane time left Amoebeus there with his singing and all the feast of the mariage and went straight vp to the castell forcing him selfe aboue his strength and yeares When he was at the toppe of the hill and found the gates shut he knocked with his staffe and commaunded the garrison to open him the gates They wondring to see him there in person did let him in When he was gotten into the castell he was so exceding ioyfull of it that he had no reason to moderate his ioye but would bancket in the middest of streetes and in the market place hauing minstrells to playe vpon their instruments at his table wearing garlands of flowers on their heads for ioye and did so fondly and lightly behaue him selfe as if he had bene a light young man and not as he was an olde man who had proued such sundry chaunges of fortune and yet suffered him selfe to be thus caried away with pleasure that he imbraced and spake to euery man he met Whereby it is easie to iudge that ioy possessing a man without wit or discretion it maketh him besides him selfe and doth more trouble his wits then payne or feare Now Antigonus hauing wonne the castell of the Acrocorinthe as you haue heard he put into the hands of those he trusted best to be safely kept and therefore made Persaus the Philosopher Captaine or the castell But in deede Aratus was in mind to haue attempted to taking of the castell in Alexanders life tyme yet he let it alone bicause he ioyned him selfe with the ACHATANS But at that tyme there was offered him another occasion againe to attempt it and this it was At CORINTHE there were foure brethren borne in SYRIA of the which one of them being called Diocles was a souldier of the garrison of the castell and the rest hauing robbed the kings treasure went straight vnto SICYONE to AEgias the banker whome Aratus imployed in his facultie These three brethren immediately told him part of the gold they had robbed and afterwards one of them called Erginus comming often to see him by litle and litle told him all the rest By this meanes AEgias fell into famillier acquaintance with him and talked with him of the garrison of the castell of the Acrocorinthe Erginus told him that going vnto his brother vp those steepe and highe rockes he found a path as it were cut out of the rocke that went to a place of the wall of the castell which was very lowe AEgias hearing that auswered him smyling also my friend what meane you to steale a litle peece of golde to hinder the king when in one howers space you can sell such a great masse of money together for aswell shall you dye if you be apprehended for this felony as if you were otherwise attained for treason Erginus with that fell a laughing and promised that he would feele his brother Diocles minde in it for he did not greatly trust his other brethren So returning shortly after he bargayned with Aratus to bring him to a place of the wall that was not aboue fifteene foote highe promising that he would helpe him to execute the rest with his brother Diocles. Aratus promised then to giue him fifty talents if he brought his enterprise to passed and if he sayled that he would then giue either of them a house and a talent Erginus would haue the whole 50. talents put into AEgias the bankers handes Aratus had not so much ready money and besides he would not take it vp at vsery for feare of giuing cause to suspect his enterprise Wherefore he tooke all his place of gold and siluer and his wiues iewells and layed them to gage to AEgias to disburse the sayd summe But Aratus had so great and noble a mind in him and was so bent to doe notable acts that knowing howe Phocion and Epaminondas had bene esteemed for the iustest and honestest men of GRAECE bicause they had refused great giftes that were offered them and would neuer sell nor stayne their honor for money he yet surpassing them was contented to spend his owne to bring any good enterprise to passe did put his life in daunger for the common benefit of his contry men they them selues knowing nothing of his enterprise which turned all to their benefit What is he then that will not wonder at the great magnanimitie and corage of such a man and that will not euen nowe as it were be willing to ayde him considering how dearely he bought so great a daunger of his person and howe he laied his plate and all the riches he had to gage to be brought the night among the middest of his enemies where he was to fight for his owne life hauing no other gage nor pledge but the hope of such a noble enterprise and nothing els But now though the enterprise of it self was daungerous an error chauncing through ignorance at the first made it yet more daungerous For Aratus had sent Technon one of his men before with Diocles to viewe the wall This Technon had neuer spoken with Diocles howbeit he thought in his minde what manner of man he was by the markes that Erginus had giuen him of him that he had a blacke curled heare that his face was blacke and that he had no beard Nowe Technon being come to the place where Erginus sayd he would be with Diocles he stayed before the towne in a place called ORNIS
Ocean sea to be Gouernour of LVSITANIA And there he gouerned so wisely that he was nothing chargeable nor troublesome vnto the contry knowing that this honorable charge was geuen him only to mitigate and hide his banishent Afterwards when Galba had rebelled he was the first of all the Gouernours of the prouinces that ioyned with him and bringing with him all his plate both golde and siluer vnto the mynt maister he gaue it him to put into bullion and so to be conuerted into currant coyne Moreouer he gaue of his officers vnto Galba those which he thought the meetest men to serue a Prince and otherwise when he was tried he shewed him selfe as faithfull and skilfull in matters of state as any one that followed the Emperours traine Insomuch as all the way he went many dayes iorney in coch with Galba him selfe and did maruelouslie currie fauour with Titus Iunius bestowing great gifts vpon him and also enterteining him with pleasant speches but specially bicause he willingly gaue him the vpper had wherby he was assured to be the secōd person in credit about Galba So in all that he did he fat excelled Iunius for that he graūted mens sutes frāckly frely without one penny taking was besids easy to be spokē with of euery man that had any sute to him but specially of the souldiers whom he did greatly help further caused diuers also to be called to honorable office he himself partly mouing the Emperor for thē without any labor or sute made vnto him partly also obteining thē at Iunius hāds of the two infrāchised bond me of Galba Icellus Africus For these three men did beare all the sway credit aboue the Emperor in the court Moreouer alwaies whē he inuited the Emperor to his house he bribed the Praetorian gard that waited vpō him gaue euery souldier a crown Now this in sight semed chiefly to be done to honor the Emperor with though in deede it was a fine deuise to ouerthrow him to bribe the souldiers in that sort as he did So Galba cōsulting whom he should make his successor T. Iunius preferred Otho vnto him the which he did not simply of himselfe nor without reward but only with promise that Otho should marcy his daughter if Galba did adopt him his sonne proclaime him successor in the Empire Howbeit Galba did alway specially regard the comon wealth before his priuat liking sought to adopt such a one as should not so much please himself as otherwise he should be proffitable meete for the Empire But surely in my opinion Galba would not make Otho his heire of his goods cōsidering what an vnreasonable spēder he was how sumptuous in al his things besides far gone in det for he ought aboue fiue thowsand Myriades So when he had heard Iunius coūsell about this adoptiō he gētly without other answer did put ouer his determinatio vntil another time made Otho only Cōsul at that time T. Iunius Cōsul with him whereby it was straight supposed that at the beginning of the new yere he would proclaime him his successor in the Empire Which was the thing the souldiers most desired of all other But now delaying stil his determination the legions of the ROMANES in GERMANY did rise rebel against him al at an instant For he was generally hated of al his souldiers bicause he paid thē not the gift he had promised them So they particularly to cloke their malicious intent alleaged For their cause of rising that he had dishonorably reiected Verginius Rusus and that the GAVLES which had fought against thē were rewarded with great rich priuiledges they that tooke not part with Vindex had bene grieuously punished put to death Moreouer that Galba did only honor Vindex death after he was dead as acknowledging his goodwil vnto him offring publike oblatiōs funeral sacrifices for him as if by him only he had bene proclaimed Emperor Now such speches rumors ran through the cāpe amōgst thē whē the first day of the yere came which the ROMANES cal the calends of Ianuary on which day whē Flaccus had called the souldiers together to sweare them to the Emperor according to the custome they plucked down Galbaes images sware only in the name of the people the Senate of ROME The captaines seing what course they tooke were as much affraid of the daūger to be without a head as they stood doutful of the mischief of their rebelliō So there stept vp one amōgst thē said My fellowes in armes what do we meane We neither choose any other Emperor nor yet do allow of him that is Emperor at this present wherby we shew plainly that we do not only refuse Galba but also all other to be our head Emperor that may commaund vs Now for Flaccus Ordeonius that is but Galbaes shadow and image I would wish we should let him alone there as he is And for Vitellius gouernor of the lower GERMANIE he is not farre from vs but one daies iorney only whose father was Censor at ROME and thrise also Consul and that was in a maner a Peere and companion of Clodius Caesar in the gouernment of the Empire whose pouerty if any man mislike in him is a manifest proofe of his goodnes and magnanimity Him therefore let vs choose let the world know that we can tell how to choose an Emperor better then the SPANYARDS or LVSITANIANS Some of the souldiers that stoode by confirmed these words but others also misliked of thē insomuch that amōg the rest there was an ensigne bearer that stale secretly out of the cāpe to cary Vitellius newes hereof who that night made a great supper had great store of good cōpany with him These newes rūning straight through his cāpe Fabius Valés colonel of a legiō came the next morning with a great nūber of horsemē was the first mā that named Vitellius Emperor who before semed to refuse that name as one that was affraid to take the charge of so great an Empire vpon him but after dinner being full of wine meate he came out amōg thē accepted the name of Germanicus which they gaue him refused the name of Caesar. But there withal incōtinently after Flaccus souldiers leauing their goodly popular oth which they had sworne in the name of the people Senate they all then tooke their othes faithfully to doe what it should please the Emperour Vitellius to commaund them Thus Vitellius was chosen Emperor in GERMANY So Galba hearing of this new chaūge thought it not good to deferre time any lēger for the adoptiō he had intended wherfore certainly vnderstanding that those whom he trusted most about him were parties in this matter some taking part with Dolabella the most part of thē with Otho he neither liking the one nor the other sodainly without any word spokē to any man he sent for
that he was affrayde they woulde deliuer him into Scipioes hands that perhaps might demaund him of them But whether that was done sodainely or some time after the battel was lost at ZAMA it makes no great matter considering that all the world knoweth that when he sawe things brought to extremitie he presently fled into ASIA vnto king Antiochus So is it most true that king Antiochus receiued him with great curtesie and vsed him very honorably insomuch as he made him of counsell with him all in all both in priuate and publike causes For the name of Annibal caried great reputacion with all men besides that he had a common and mortal hate to the ROMANES which was a pricking spurre still to moue warre against them And therefore it seemeth that he came in happy hower into that contry not onely to pricke forward the courage of the king against them but also to set warres at libertie against the ROMANES So he tolde him that the onely way to make warre with the ROMANES was to goe into ITALY to leauy ITALIAN souldiers by whome onely that victorious contry of all other nations might be subdued He requested of the king a hundred shippes sixteene thowsand footemen and a thowsand horsemen onely With this smallarmy he promised to inuade ITALY and that he would maruelously trouble the ITALIANS whome he knew yet to stand in no small feare of him for the very sound of his name onely bicause of the late warres he had made there so freshe yet in memorie Furthermore he tooke hart againe vnto him to renew the warres of AFRICK if the king would licence him to sende men vnto CARTHAGE to stirre vp the BARCINIAN faction whome he knew hated the ROMANES to death When he had gotten the king to graunt him his request he called Ariston TYRIAN vnto him a fine suttell fellowe and meete for such a purpose to whome he made large promises and perswaded him to goe to CARTHAGE to his friends and to cary them letters from him Thus Annibal being a banished man and fled out of his contry raysed warre in all partes against the ROMANES And surely his counsell had taken good effect had king Antiochus rather followed his aduise as he did at the first then the vaine perswasions of his fine Courtiers But enuy a common plague frequenting Princes Courts bred Annibal great enemies For they beeing affrayd that by his counsells he should growe in great fauor with the king for he was a wise and politike Captaine and that thereby he should beare great sway and authoritie to preuent it they lacked no deuise to bringe him in disgrace with the king And it so chaunced at that time that P. Villius who came Ambassador vnto EPHESVS he had often conference with Annibal Hereuppon his priuie enemies tooke occasion to accuse him and withall the king him selfe became so ielous of it that from thence forth he neuer more called him to counsell At the selfe same time also as some doe report P. Cornelius Scipio AFRICAN who was one of the Ambassadors sent vnto king Antiochus talking famillierly with Annibal prayed him amongest other thinges to tell him truely whome he thought the worthiest Captaine of all others Annibal aunswered him First he thought Alexander king of MACEDON the chiefest next vnto him Pyrrhus king of the EPIROTES and thirdly him selfe The Scipio AFRICAN smyling asked him what wouldest thou saye Annibal if thou haddest ouercome me Truely sayd he then I would be chiefest my selfe This aunswer pleased Scipio maruelous well bicause he saw he was nether dispised nor yet brought to be compared with the other but left alone as peereles by some secret flattery of Annibal After these things Annibal found occasion to talke with king Antiochus and beganne to lay open his life vnto him from his youth and to bewray the malice he had alwayes borne vnto the ROMANES whereby he so satisfied the king that he was againe receiued into his grace and fauor which he had almost vtterly lost Thereuppon the king was determined to haue made him Admirall of his armye by sea the which he had put in readines for ITALY and also to make proofe of his great corage and seruice whome he knewe to be a worthy man and a mortall enemy to the ROMANES But one Thoas Prince of the AETOLIANS thwarting this opinion either for malice or els for that his fancye was such he altered the kinges minde and cleane changed his purpose the which was a matter of greate importance for the warre he pretended to make For he gaue counsell vnto Antiochus that he should goe him selfe into GRAECE and direct his owne affayres and that he should not suffer another to cary away the honor glory of this warre So king Antiochus shortly after went into GRAECE to make warre with the ROMANES Within fewe dayes after when he consulted whether he shoulde make league with the THESSALIANS Annibals opiniō was specially asked who spake so wisely touching the state of the THESSALIANS the chiefest matter of importance that they all went with his opinion and gaue their consents vnto it Now his opinion was that they should not neede much to care for the THESSALIANS but rather to make all the meanes they could to get king Philip of MACEDON to take their part or els to perswade him to be a Newter and to take nether parte Furthermore he gaue counsell to make warre with the ROMANES in their owne contry offred him selfe to ayde him the best he could Euery man gaue good eare to his words but his opinion was rather cōmended then followed Wherefore euery man maruelled that such a Captaine as he that had so many yeares made warre with the ROMANES who had in manner cōquered all the world should then be so light set by of the king when it specially stood him vpon to haue such a mans help coūsel For what captaine liuing could a man haue foūd more skilful or politike or meter to make war with the ROMANES then him Howbeit the king made no reckoning of him at the first beginning of this warre but shortly after disdaining al their coūsell he cōfessed that Annibal only saw what was to be done For after the ROMANES had obtained victory in the war he made in GRAECE Antiochus fled out of EVROPE into EPHESVS where making mery there following pleasure he hoped to liue in peace litle thinking the ROMANES would come with any army into ASIA Now these flattering courtiers stil fed his humor a perpetual plague to kings Princes that suffer them selues to be flattered are cōtēted to be deceiued bicause they giue good eare to that that pleaseth them But Annibal who knewe the power and ambition of the ROMANES perswaded the king to hope for any thing rather then peace and bad him trust to it that the ROMANES would neuer stay till they had proued whether they could enlarge the dominions of their Empire into the
of the Generalls for the king So Antiochus being ouercome and his armie discomfited perceiuing that there was no helpe in his affaires he came vnto the AFRICAN who being newlie recouered of his sickenes came to the campe within a litle after the field was wonne and by his meanes obtayned of the Consul to be contented to talke of peace When Antiochus Ambassadors were come to the campe and that they had humblie craued pardon in the behalfe of their king and also prayed that they would geue them suche condicions of peace as they best liked of Scipio AFRICAN with the consent of them all aunswered them that it was not the manner of the ROMANES to yeeld to aduersitie neither also to be prowde in prosperitie and therefore that he nowe made him the selfe same offers and condicions of peace which he did before the victorie That the king shoulde not meddle with EVROPE that he should surrender vp all he had in ASIA from the mountaine Taurus vnto the riuer of Tanais that he shoulde pay tribute twentie yeres together that he shoulde also put in suche ostages as the Consul would choose out and that specially aboue all the rest they should deliuer Annibal CARTHAGINIAN vnto the Consul who was the only author and procurer of this warre But he as we haue wrytten in his life perceiuing that king Antiochus armie was ouerthrowen both by sea and by lande escaped the ROMANES handes and went vnto Prusias king of BITHYNIA Antiochus hauing accepted the offers and condicions of peace sayd that the ROMANES vsed him verie fauourablie to ridde him of so great care and to appoint him so small a kingdome For great kingdomes and ouermuch wealth which euerie man coueteth are full of great and sundrie troubles insomuch that Theocritus wordes are as true as otherwise excellently written The things I vvish are nother vvelth nor Scepter Robe nor Crovvne Nor yet of svviftnes and of strength to beare avvay renovvne But singing vvish a mery hart in simple shed to looke Aloofe vpon the troublous seas that are so hard to brooke So when the mightie king of ASIA was ouercomen and that so great a warre was so easelie ended beyonde all mens opinion the Consul L. Scipio returned to ROME and made his entrie into the citie shewing a great and honorable triumphe He also deserued the surname of the prouince and contrie subdued by him So that as his elder brother before was called AFRICAN for that he had conquered AFRIKE euen so was Lucius Scipio surnamed ASIAN for conquering ASIA vnto ROME And P. Scipio through whose counsell his brother Lucius had brought his warres to happie ende he went not cleere without honor also For shortlie after two noble Censors T. Q. Flaminius and Marcus Claudius Marcellus chose him Prince of the Senate the thirde time Nowe at that time the house and familie of the Scipioes and Cornelians florished with supreame degree of honor and the authoritie of Scipio AFRICAN was growen to such height and greatnes as no priuate man could wishe to be any greater in a free citie Howbeit the secret malice of wicked harts which could no lenger abide this greatnes and authoritie began at length to burst out and to light vpon those that were the authors of so great things For two Tribunes of the people suborned as it is reported by Porcius Cato they accused P. Scipio AFRICAN for keeping backe king Antiochus money and bicause he brought it not into the common chamber or treasurye Scipio AFRICAN knowing his innocencie being called by the Magistrate shewed him selfe obedient and came into the market place with a bold coutenaunce and there made an oration declaring what thinges he had done for the benefit and commoditie of his contry and common wealth The rehersal of these thinges did not mislike the common people that were present bicause he did it rather to auoyd the daunger prepared for him then otherwise for any vaine glory or oftentation Howbeit the Tribunes not being so contented were vehement against him and spared no iniurious words but accused him as though he had in deede bene in fault howbeit vpon suspition rather then of any due proofe The next morning being commaunded to come before them againe he appeared at the hower appoynted and being well accompanied with his friends he came through the whole assembly and went vp to the pulpit for orations When he saw that euery man kept silence then he spake in this manner I remember my Lordes that on such a day as this I wanne that famous victory of Annibal and the CARTHAGINIANS and therefore leauing a side this contention I thinke it good we go vnto the Capitol to giue God thankes for the victorie So he departed thence and all the whole assembly followed him not onely to the Capitoll but also to all the other temples of the citie leauing the two Tribunes all alone with their Sergeaunts That daye was the very last daye of all the AFRICANS good fortune for the great assembly and multitude of people that wayted vpon him and for the great good will they bare him For from that day forward he determined to get him into the contry farre from all ambition and the company of people and so went vnto LINTERNVM in a maruelous rage that for reward of his so great seruice and so sundry benefits as he had brought vnto his contry he receiued but shame and reproache or els for that in deede being as he was of a noble minde he thought it more honor willingly to giue place to his enemies then to seeke to mainteyne his greatnes by force of armes So when the Tribunes did accuse him of contempt and that his brother Lucius did excuse his absence by reason of his sickenes Tiberius Gracchus one of the Tribunes that was against the AFRICAN tooke his excuse beyond all mens opinions for good payment and did so well defende Scipioes cause sometime honorably praysing him another time also threatning his enemies that the Senate afterwards thanked him very greatly for it For they were maruelously offended for the great iniurie they did him Some doe write that P. Scipio him selfe before he went vnto LINTERNVM did with his owne hands teare the booke his brother had brought vnto the Senate to deliuer the accompt of his charge and that he did it not for any deceit nor pride but with that selfe boldnes of mind he had aforetime vsed to the treasurers when he did against the law require the keyes of the common treasure to supply the present neede of the state â— Nowe some there be also that saye it was not the AFRICAN but Scipio ASIAN that was accused needed before the Tribunes and that Scipio AFRICAN was sent in commission at that time into THYSCAN Who vnderstanding of his brothers accusation at his returne to ROME and finding his brother Lucius condemned and the Sergeaunts wayting on him to cary him being bound into prison he
Annibal was but would by voluntary banishment dye out of the citie The ende of the whole volume of Plutarkes liues Three things necessary for a Magistrate or Captaine Prouerbe Sossius Senecio a Senator of Rome Theseus and Romulus very like The linage of Theseus Pelops king of Peloponnesus Pitheus the grandfather of Theseus The wisedom of Pitheus AEgeus the father of Theseus AEthra the daughter of king Pitheus the mother of Theseus The Palla 〈…〉 tides Pallas had fiftie sonnes VVhy Theseus vvas so called Connidas Theseus schoolemaster A custome to offer heares at Delphes Theseia Theseus manner of shauing The Abantes The cause of shauing their heares before Alexander Magnus made the Macedonians shaue their beardes Theseus said to be Neptunes sonne The Troezenians coyne stamped vvith Neptunes three picked mace Theseus youthe Great robbing in Theseus time Thucid. lib. 2. Hercules a destroyer of theeues Hercules serueth Omphale Theseus foloweth Hercules â—â—she of saue pricketh men forward to great enterprises Theseus and Hercules nere kynsemen Periphetes Corinetes a famous robber slayne of Theseus Theseus caried the clubbe he wanne of Periphetes at Hercules did the lions skin Sinnis Pityocamtes a cruel murtherer slaine Perigouna Sinnis daughter Theseus begaâ—te Menalippus of Perigouna Ioxus Menalippus sonne Ioxides Phaea the wilde sowe of Crommyon slaine Phaea a woman theefe Sciron a notable robber throweÌ„ downe the rocks by Theseus AEacus Cychreus Cercyon the Arcadian slaine of Theseus by wrestling Damastes Procrustes a cruel murtherer slaine of Theseus Hercules doinge Termerus euill Cephisus aviâ—er of Caâ—â—â— The Phytalides the first men that feasted Theseus in their houses This sacrifice Pâ—â—â—che calleth Milâ—â—â—â—â—hia Medea perswaded AEgeus to poyson Theseus AEgeus acknowledgeth Theseus for his sonne The Pallantides take ernes against AEgeus and Theseus Leos an Herauld bewrayeth their treason to Theseus Theseus killeth the Pallantides The bull of Marathon taken aliue by Theseus Apollo Delphias Iupiter Hecalian The Athenians payed tribute to Minos king of Creta for the death of Androgeus his sonne The manner of the tribute conditioned The Minotaure what it was The Laberinthe a prison in Creta Taurus one of Minoes captaines Of the Bottieians Plin. lib. 4. cap. 2. King Minos defated by the Poets in the theaters as Athens RadamaÌ„thus The thirde time of payment of the tribute The Atheniâ—â—e are grieued to depart with their children Theseus offereth to goe with the children into Creta Lotts dreâ—m for the children that should goe The Athenians sent their children into Creta in a shippe with a blacke sayle AEgeus geueth the master of the shippe a white sayle to signifie the safe returne of Theseus Cybernesia games Hiceteria offering Theseus taketh shippe with the tribute childreÌ„ the sixt of Marche and sayleth into Creta Venus Epitragia Theseus slewe the Minotaure by meanes of Ariadne king Minoes daughter Theseus returne â—â—e of Creta Taurus ouercome of Theseus was a men Taurus suspected with Pasiphäe king Minoes wife How Ariadne fell in loue with Theseus Minos sendeth Theseus home with his prisoners and releaseth the Athenians of their tribute 〈…〉 Daedalus 〈…〉 King Minos dyed in Sicile Deucalion King Minoes sonne sent to Athens to demaunde Daedalus Theseus sayled into Creta and a anne the cittie of Gnosvs and slewe Deucalion Diuers opinions of Ariadne O Enopion Staphylus Theseus sonnes Theseus leaueth Ariadne in Cyprus Ariadne dieth wish childe in Cyprus The ceremonie of the sacrifice done to Ariadne in Cyprus Venus Ariadne Two Minoes and two Ariadnees Corcyna Ariadnes nurce Theseus returneth out of Creta into the I le of Delos Theseus daunce called the Crane Palme a tokeÌ„ of victory Theseus master of his shippe forgate to see out the white sayle AEgeus death Theseus arriueth safe with the tribute children in the hauen of Phalerus The Herauld bare a rodde in his hand The feast Oscophoria October called Pyanepsion in the Aâ—ucan tongue Persd of Iresione in the life of Homer and Suidas Theseus went into Creta with the tribute children in the galliot of 30. owers Disputation about increase The galliot alleaged for a doubt Theseus thanksfullnes to the Phytalides â—hâ— were the first that frosted him in their houses Theseus brought the â—â—cabiâ—ants of the contrie of Arciâ—â— into cue cin Asty the towne house of the Athenians The feastes Panathenea and Metaecia Theseus resigneth his kingdome maketh Athiâ— a common wealth The oracle of Apollo in Delphes Theseus maketh differeÌ„ce of states and degrees in his coÌ„mon weals Theseus the first that gaue ouer regall power framed a populer state An oxe stamped in Theseus coyne Hecatomboeon Decaboeon Olympia Theseus erected the games Isthmia in the honour of Neptune Theseus iornye into mare Maior Antiopa the Amazone rauished by Theseus Solois fell in loue with Antiopa Solois droâ—â—ed him selfe for loue Pythopolis built by Theseus Solois fl The cause of the warres of the Amazones against the Athenâ—â—s Bosphorus Cimmericus an arme of the sea Theseus fighteth a battell with the Amazones The order of the Amazones battell Peace concluded as feâ—â—e moneths ende by meanes of Hyppolita Oreemosion the name of a place Auncient toÌ„bes of losenge facion Thermodon nowe called Haâ—monst Hippolytus Theseus senne by Antiopa Phâ—dra Theseus wife and Minos daughter king of Creta Theseus mariages Theseus battels Prouerbe Nots witheus Theseus Prouerbe This is another Theseus Theseus valliantnes the cause of Pirithous friendshippe with him Pirithous Theseus sworne brethern in the field Pirithous maried Deidamia The Lapithae ouercomen the Centauari Theseus and Hercules met at Trathina Theseus fiftie yere olde wheÌ„ he rauished Hellen. The manner of Hellens rauishement Diana Orâ—hia Theseus lefte Hellen in the cittie of Aphidnes Theseus went with Pirithous into Epirus to steale Proserpina Aidonius daughter Pirithous terne in peces with Cerberus Theseus close prisoner The warre of the Tyndarides against the AtheniaÌ„s Academia why so called Marathon Aphidnes wonne raced by the Tyndarides Alycus Scirons sonne slayne at the battell of Aphidnes The Tyndarides honoured at godds and called Anaces Cicer. de Nasdeâ—r lib 3. King called Anactes Anaces why so called AEthra takeÌ„ prisoner and caried to Lacedaâ—mon Diuers opinions of Homers verses Sperchius â— Theseus deliuered one of prison by Hercules meanes The AstheniaÌ„s disdaine to obey Theseus Theseus fled from Athens into the I le of Sciros Theseus cruelly slayne by Lycomedes Menestheus king of Athens Theseus sonnes Cimon taketh the I le of Sciros and bringeth Theseus bones to Athens Theseus tumbe Neptune why called Asphalius and Gaiochus Diuers opinions about the name of Rome Tybria st The beginning of kissing their kinsefolkes in the mouthe came from the Troian women Fables of Romulus byrthe An oracle of Thetis in 〈…〉 Thuscans See the fragments of Fabius Pictor and of Cato See also Haelitarnasseus T. Linius Romulus kinred Romulus mother Faustulus Cermanum Ruminalis The goddesse Rumilia Acca Laurentia Faustulus wife that nurced the twynnes The Greeke soâ—â—â— Larentia Lâ—reÌ„tia fâ—â—t Laurentia a curtisan Tarrutius Vâ—labrum
in Asia by Mithridates commaundement Fimbria camped as Thyatira Fimbria slain Sylla very hardly inreated them of Asia Aristotle and Theophrastus backes Sylla went to the bathes as Adipsum for the gowte in his legges Bubbles of fire rising out of a meadow by Dyrrachivm A Satyre takeÌ„ sleeping and brought to Sylla Sylla went against fifteene Generalls foure hundred and fiftie ensignes Syllaes returne into Italie Ephewn mons Sylla ouerthrew the CoÌ„sull Norbanus and Marius the younger neere to the mountaine Epheum A slaue foreshewed Syllaes victory and the burning of the Capitoll which fell out truely A winde that blewe flowers out of a meadow vpon Lucullus souldiers by the city of Fidentia Lucullus victory as Fidenâ—a Syllaes policie with Scipio Sylla wanne 40 ensignes from Scipio by policie Carboes saying of Sylla touching the foxe and lyon Marius the younger with 85. ensignes presenteth Sylla baâ—tell by the city of Signium Syllaes vision in his dreame Marius fled to Praenesta Carbo fled into Africke Thelesinus the Samnyte faâ— Sylla in great danÌ„ger Syllaes daunger Sylla fled Lucretius Offella besieged Marius in Praeneste In the ende of Marius life it is reported contrarie that Sylla besieged Marius the younger in Perusia and not in Praeneste â—doo saued themselues in Antemna and yelded to Sylla vpon promise of life Sylla against the law of armes and his promise caused sixe thowsand men to be slaine Honor chaungeth condicions Sylla the example Infinite murthers committed in Rome by Sylla and his fauorers The boldnes of Caius Metellus to tell Sylla his cruelty in open Senate Syllaes prosâ—iripsion 〈…〉 The murder of outlawes generall through Italy Quintus Aurelius a quiet men that medled not slaine for his house Marius the younger slue him selfe as Praeneste being put all into one place together Lucius Catilinae slue his owne brother Sylla Dictator Lucretius Offella slaine Syllaes twinnes named Faustus and Fausta Sylla leaueth his Dictatorshippe Marcus Lepidus chosen Consull Sylla feasted the people VVine of forty yeres olde vpward Sylla brake his owne lawes he made Valeria desirous to be partaker of Syllaes happines Sylla maried Valeria the sister of Hottensius the Orator Syllaes impostume turned to lyce Diuers famous men that dyed of lyce Syllaes commentaries containe 22. bookes Syllaes sonne that was dead appeared to him in his dreams in ill fauored apparell Granius strangeled in Syllaes fight by his arme commaundements Syllaes death Posthumi Syllaes funeralls Syllaes epitaphe The chiefe person is not alwayes the honestest Lysander Syllaes faults Lysanders temperance and moderate life Syllaes licensious and prodigall life Syllaes tyrannicall saying Sylla for ware to be preferred before Lysander Sylla fought with men of greatest power and ouercome them Syllaes magnanimity Plutarkes iudgement of Sylla and Lysander Peripoltas his posterity The manners leud partes of Damon Peripoltas Lucius Lucullus examâ—nesh the truth of the murther Damon slaine by treason Asbolomeni who they were and why so called Chaeronea indited for the murther Lucullus called for a witnesse of the troth Historie is a certaine image of mens manners and wisedom A pretty similitude Howe to describe the life of a man. Cimon Lucullus in what thinges they were like Cimons linadge Thucidydes linadge Miltiades died in prison Cimon defamed in his youth Coalemos foole Cimons condicions Elpinicè Cimons sister vnchast Polygnotus the painter Elpinicè being poore had regarde to matche ccording to her state calling Cimon subiect to lasciuious life The praise of Cimons conditions Cimons personage commended Cimon Generall for the Athenians by sea King Pausanias through his insolency and pride lost the Lacedaemonians all their rule of Greece Pausanias killed the young Bizantine virgine Cimon iorney and victorie in Thracia Butes burneth him selfe city and frendes for feare of Cimon Statues of Mercury Sochares Decelean spake against Miltiades request for the garland of Olyue boughes Cimon wanne the I le of Scyros The counsell of the Amphictyons Theseus bones brought to Athens 400. yeres after his death by Cimon Sophocles and AEschylus contention for victory AEschylus ouercome by Sophocles dwelleth in Sicilia and dyeth there Cimon sang passing sweety Cimons cunning diuision of the spoyle Herophytus Samian gaue Counsell to choose the spoyle Cimons liberality and hospitality Cimons charity How Cimon vsed his goode The hospitality of Lichas Spartan Cimons godly actes CimoÌ„ brought the golden world againe Cimons integrity and cleane hands Resaces attempted to bribe Cimon Darickes whereof so called A noble saying of Cimon The benefit of paines seruice and the discommodity of case and idlenes CimoÌ„ plagued the Persians Chio an Ile Cimon wanne the city of Faselia Ariomandes the kinges Lieutenant of his whole army by sea ryding at ancher before the riuer of Eurymedon Cimons victory of the Persians both by sea and land Cimon tooke two hundred sayle prisoners at the battell fought by the riuer of Eurymedon Cimon ouercame the battell of the barbarous people also by lands Cimon brought the king of Persia to conditioÌ„ of peace Callias sent Ambassador to take the othe of the king of Persia Cimon was at the charge of certaine commoÌ„ buildings Cimon draue the Persians out of Thracia Cimon accussed and discharged CimoÌ„ praiseth the temperate life of the Lacedaemonians Stesimbrotus the historian * Areopagus was a village of Mars by Athens where the iudges called Areopagitae did sit to iudge causes of murder and other waightie matters concerning the common wealth Democratia rule of communalty Pericles in Cimons absence reduceth the common wealth vnto the state Democratia Optimacia the gouernment of the nobility CimoÌ„ followed the Lacedaemonians maner A maruelous great earthquake in Lacedaemon Taygetum â—â—nâ— Archidamus sodaine policy saued the city Ilotae slaues bondmen to the Lacedaemonian Cimon procured ayde for the Lacedaemonians Cimon banished for 10. yeares Cimon called from exile Cimons dreame The interpretation of the dreame Cimons death prognosticated The cause of Themistocles willing death The death of Cimon Cimons death kept very secret No famous act done by any Graecians to the barbarous people after Cimons death Cimons monuments at Athens Lucullus parents Lucullus accuseth Seruilius the Soothsayer The Romanes thought it a noble dede to accuse the wicked Lucullus eloquence Lucullus studied Philosophy in his latter time Lucullus booke of the warre of the Marsians in Greeke Lucullus loue to his brother Marcus. Lucius M. Luculâ—us both chosen AEdiles Sylla gaue Lucullus commission to coyne money in Peloponnesus Lucullus geueth lawes to the CyreniaÌ„â— A notable saying of Plato Lucullus iorney into Egypt A notable rich entered geuen Lucullus by kinge Ptolomye Lucullus doinges vnder Sylla by sea Lucullus stratageame Fimbria besieged Mithridates in Pitane Lucullus would not aide Fimbria in besieging Mithridates Neoptolemus king Mithridates Lieutenant by sea Lucullus put to flight Neoptolemus Mithridates Lieutenaunt by sea Lucullus stratageaâ—ia as the siege of the Mitylenians Lucullus honored of Sylla The first occasioÌ„ of quarrell bentwext Pompey and Lucullus Lucullus M. Cossa
Tenterides people of Germany Caesars horsemen put to flight The Ipes and Tenterides slaine by Caesar Sicambri a people of the Germaines Caesar made a bridge ouer the riuer of Rheyn Caesars iorney into England The death of Iulia Caesars Daughter The rebellion of the Gaules Cotta and Titurius with their armie slaine Caesar slue the Gaules led by Ambiorix The second rebellion of the Gaules against Caesar. Vercingentorix Captaine of the rebells against Caesar. * Some say that in this place is to be redde in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the riuer Saone The Hedul rebell against the Romanes * Sequani Vercingentorix ouerthrowen by Caesar. The seege of Alexia Caesars daunger and wise policie Caesars great victorie at Alexie Alexia yelded vp to Caesar The discord betwixt Caesar and Pompey and the cause of the ciuill warres Caesars crassines The peoples voices bought at Rome for money Pompey gouerned Spain and Africk Caesar sueth the second time to be coÌ„sul and to haue his gouernment proroged Caesar bribeth the Magistrates at Rome Pompey abused by slauerers Caesars requests vnto the Senate Antonius Curio Tribunes of the people fly from Rome to Caesar Caesars doubtfull thoughts at the riuer of Rubicon The Greeke vseth this phrase of speech cast the dye Caesar tooke the citie of Arminum Caesars damnable dreame Rome in vprore with Caesars comming Pompey flyeth from Rome Labienus forsooke Caesar and fled to Pompey Domitius escaped from Caesar fled to Pompey Pompey flyeth into Epirus Silent leges inter arma Caesar taketh money out of the temple of Saturne Caesars iorney into Spayne against Pompeys Lieuetenants Caesar Dictator Caesar and Isauricus Consulls Caesar goeth into the kingdom of Epirus Complaints of the olde souldiers against Caesar. A great aduenture of Caesar. Anius â—â— Caesars daungers troubles in the Realme of Epirus Caesars armie fled from Pompey Caesars wordes of Pompeys victory Caesar troubled in mind after his losse Pompeys determination for the warre Pompey called Agamemnon and king of kings The citie of Gomphes in Thessaly Pompeys dreame in Pharsalia The securitie of the Pompeians Pompeys armie at great againe as Caesars A wonder seene in the element before the battell in Pharsalia Caesars armie and his order of battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Pompeys army and his order of battell An ill counsel and fowle fault of Pompey The battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Caesars strategeme Caesar ouercommeth Pompey Pompeys flight Brutus that slue Caesar taken prisoner at the battell of Pharsalia Signes tokens of Caesars victory A straunge tale of Cornelius an excellent Prognosticatos Caesars clemeÌ„cy in victory The cause of Caesars warre in Alexandria Pothinus the Euenuke caused Pompey to be slayne Cleopatra came to Caesar Cleopatra trussed vp in a mattresse and so brought to Caesar vpon Apollodorus backe The great library of Alexandria burnt Caesars swimming with bookes in his hand Caesar made Cleopatra Queene of AEgypt Caesarion Caesars sonne begotteÌ„ of Cleopatra Caesars victorie of king Pharnaces Caesar wyteth three wordes to certifie his victory Caesars iorney into Africke against Cato and Scipio Caesars troubles in Africke Alga and dogges tooth geuen to the horse to eate Caesars daungers in Africke Caesars great victorie and small losse Caesar trobled with the falling sickenes Caesar was sory for the death of Cato Caesar wrote against Cato being dead Cicero wrote a booke in praise of Cato being dead Iuba the sonne of king Iuba a famous historiographer Caesars feasting of the Romanes The muster taken of the Romanes Caesar Consull the fourth time Battell fought betwext Caesar and the young Pompeyes by the city of Mvnda Caesars victory of the sonnes of Pompey Caesar triumphe of Pompeis sonnes Caesar Dictator perpetuall The temple of clemency dedicated vnto Caesar for his curtesie Cassius and Brutus Praetors Caesars saying of death Good will of subiectes the best gard and safety for Palaces Caninius Rebilius Consull for one day Anienes Tiber flu Caesar reformed the inequality of the yeare * Mercedonius mensis intercularis VVhy Caesar was hated The feast Lipercalia Antonius being Consull was one of the Lupercalians Antonius presented the Diadeame to Caesar. Caesar saued Marcus Brutus life after the battell of Pharsalia Brutus conspireth against Caesar. Cassius stâ—roeth vp Brutus against Caesar. Predictions foreshewes of Caesars death Caesars day of his death prognosticased by a Soothsayeth The dreame of Calpurnia Caesars wife Decius Brutus Albinus perswasion to Caesar. Decius Brutus brought Caesar into the Senate house The tokens of the conspiracy against Caesar. The place where Caesar was slaine Antonius Caesars faithfull frend Casca the first that strake at Caesar. Caesar slaine and had 23. wounds apon him The murtherers of Caesar doe goe to the Capitall Caesars funeralls Cinnaes dreame of Caesar. The murther of Cinna Caesar 56. yere olde at his death The reuenge of Caesars death Cassius being ouerthrowen at the battell of Philippes slue himselfe with the selfe same sword wherewith he strake Caesar. VVonders seene in the element after Caesars death A great Comet Brutus vision A spirit appeared vnto Brutus The second appearing of the spirit vnto Brutus Demades arrogaÌ„t saying The power of vertue and fortune Aduersitie maketh men hasty Ciceroes saying of Cato the common wealth at Rome Catoes plaine maner became not the corrupt and suretie time The parâ—â—age of Phocion Phocion neuer wept nor laughed Phocions maners VVherein excellencie of speech consifieth Phocions first souldier saâ—e The victory of Chabrias and Phocion in the I le of Naxos Phocions notable sayings Aristogiton a Sycophant coward Phocion called by surname goâ—â— Phocions iorney into Euboâ—a Phocion perswadeth his Captaines to suffer the musinous souldiers cowards to depart the campe Phocions victory in Eubâ—â—a Phocion saued the citie of Byzantium PhocioÌ„ draws Philip out of Hellespont Phocion ioyned Megara vnto Athens To reioyce at any mans hurt sheweth a base mind vile nature Alexander pacified with the Athenians by Phocions meanes Phocions vertue and integrity refusing of Alexanders money Phocions house and wiues Phocus Phocions sonne what he was Phocion despiseth Harpalus money Phocion refused to defend his sonne in law in an ill cause Phocions victory of the Macedonians The Graecians ouercomeÌ„ by Antipater Phocion Ambassador vnto Antipater Xenocrates authoritie Xenocrates despised of Antipater Presages of the miseries of the Athenians The crueltie of Antipater Phocion refuseth Menyllus giftes Phocion loued pouertie The insolencie of Demades the Orator Cassander king Antipaters sonne The 〈…〉 end of Demades Polyperchon Generall of the armie of the Macedonians Polyperchon conspiracie against Phocion Nicanor to receiue then to offer an iniury Alexander the sonne of Polyperchon practiseth treason against the Athenians Phocion accused of treason Polyperchon did put Dinarchus to death Phocion sent prisoner to Athens to be condemned The furie of the Athenians against Phocion The crueltie of the Athenians vnto Phocion Phocion condemned to death The constancy and corage of Phocion being condemned
deuise of Artaxerxes how to preuent the conspirators and to saue him selfe Tiribazus the traitor slaine Darius condemned to dye and executed King Artaxerxes sonne The death of king Artaxerxes Artaxerxes was 94 yeres olde at his death Dion Brutus both Platonians Plato de virtute How mens acts should be famous in the coÌ„mon wealth A wicked spirite appeared vnto Dion Brutus Dionysius maried Hermocrates daughter Dionysius wiues Doride of Locres Aristomaché of Syracvsa Hipparinus daughter and Dions sister Dion kindred with Dionysius Plato came out of Italie vnto Syracvsa Dion Platoes schollar Plato and Dionysius the elder talke together Dionysius malice vnto Plato Plato solde in the I le of AEgina Dions boldnes in speaking plainly to the tyran Gelon signifieth laughture Sophrosynè and Areté the daughters of Dionysius by Aristomaché Dion marieth his Nece Areté the daughter of Dionysius of his sister Aristomaché The death of Dionysius the elder Flattering Courtiers do intense Dionysius the younger to hate Dion The vices of Dionysius the younger Dions maners too graue and seuere Obstinacie follow and companion of solitarines Dionysius the elder a maruelous timerous suspitious man. Dionysius dreame Dion persuadeth the younger Dionysius to fall to study The assured gard of Princes is the loue of their subiects Plaâ—â— goâ—th into Sicilia to teach Dionysius the youngeâ— Philistus the Historiographer Philistus the Historiographer banished out of Sicilia by Dionysius the elder Democratia the gouernment of the people Dion allowed not popular state Aristocratia the gouernment of a few of the nobilitie Plato came into Sicilia vnto Dionysius the younger The chaunge of Dionysius vpon Platoes comming Philistus accusations against Dion Dions letters vnto Carthage Dion sent away by Dionysius into Italie Dions wealth Dionysius tyrannicall loâ—â— to Plato Dionysius sent Plato from home Dions life in Graece Dions vertues and honors done vnto him by the Graecians Archytas a Pythagorian Philosopher Dionysius sendeth againe for Plato to come into Sicilia Platoes third iorney into Sicilia Aristippus saying of Dionysius Helycon a Mathematician Aristippus diuination Architas requireth Plato of Dionysius Dionysius maried Dions wife to an other man. Polyxenus maried Thesta his father Dionysius sister The noble answere of Thesta vnto her brother Dionysius the elder Dion beginneth to make warre against Dionysius The Philosophers aduanced Dions warre Aristotles dialogue de anima Dions army Dions sumptuous fare in feasting The eclipse of the Moone and cause of the eclipse VVonders shewed vnto Dion VVonders appearing vnto Dionysius Dions preparation Pachynus the foreland of Sicilia A tempest on the sea against Dion Synalus Captaine of Minoa for the Carthaginians Dion wanne Minoa Dion goeth to Syracusa A straunge chaunce happened vnto the Messenger sent to Dionysius A woulfe caried away the Messengers portmanteau Anapus ti Dionysius picke thankes slayne Dion receiued into Syracusa Dion restoreth the Syracusans to libertie Dionysius clocke The predictions of the Soothsayers Dionysius seÌ„t Ambassadors vnto Dion Dion fighteth with Dionysius Dion hurt Dions victory of Dionysius Hipparinus Dions sonne Dionysius craft vnto Dion Heraclides what he was Heraclides returneth to Syracusa The Syracusans do choose Heraclides Admirall to spight Dion Heraclides a dissembler practising to make the people to rebell against Dion Sosis a wicked man moueth sedition against Dion Dion cleareth Sosis accusation against him Sosis condemned to death Philistus slain Timaus and Ephorus the Historiographers reproued Dionysius flyeth from Syracusa Apollocrates the eldest sonne of Dionysius the yonger Signes appearing to the Syracusans Dion departeth out of Syracusa The cowardlines of the Syracusans The Leontines doe receiue Dion The negligence and troubles of the Syracusans The Syracusans doe send for Dion againe Dions oration vnto his souldiers perswading them to ayde the Syracusans The inconstancy of the Syracusans Syracusa set a fire by Dionysius souldiers Dions fight in the citie of Syracusa Nypsius compelled by Dion to flie into the castell Dions mercy to his enemies the great profit he tooke by study in the Academy at Athens No maÌ„ should be worse by an others wickednes The frowardnes of the Syracusans against Dion Heraclides againe stirreth vp the Syracusans to rebell against Dion Gaesylus Lacedaemonian commeth to Syracusa to be generall of the Syracusans Gaesylus maketh Dion Heraclides friends again The castell of Syracusa surrendred vnto Dion The words of Aristomaché vnto Dion at his entry into the castell of Syracusa Dion taketh his wife Areta againe which had forcibly bene maried vnto another man. Dions temperance and thriftines Heraclides conspireth againe against Dion Dion sent to the Corinthians to stablish a common wealth to the Syracusans Dion ment to abolish Democratia and to aduaunce Aristocratia The authoritie of the people resembled by Plato to a fayer or market The common wealth of the Corinthians The murther of Heraclides Callippus Athenian conspireth against Dion Note the suttletie of tale bearers A spirite appeared vnto Dion The lamentable death of Dions sonne Apollocrates Dionysius sonne The great oth of the Syracusant Dion slaine by Callippus Athenian Dions wife brought to bed of a sonne in prison The punishment of Callippus * 〈…〉 in corrupt speech signifieth a knife to scrape or cut cheese which it truelier called 〈…〉 Iulius Pollux lib. 10 cap. 24. Callippus slaine with the same dagger that slue Dion The crueltie of the Syracusans vnto Dion and his posterity The pareÌ„tage of Brutus Brutus maners Seruilia M. Brutus mother Brutus parentage by his father Seruilia Catoes sister Brutus studies Brutus followed the olde Academyks Empylus an Orator wrote a booke of Caesars death and intituled it Brutus Brutus maner of wryting his Epistels in Graeke A briefe letter to the Samians Brutus followed Cato into Cyprus * Or Canidius Brutus taketh parte with Pompey Brutus exercise in Pompeys campe Brutus studied in Pompeis campe Iulius Caesar carefull of Brutus safary Iulius Caesar loued Seruilia Brutus mother Brutus saued by Iulius Caesar after the battell of Pharsalia * This king was Iuba howbeit it is true also that Brutus made intercession for Deiotarus king of Galatia who was depriued notwithstanding of the most parte of his contrie by Caesar and therefore this place were best to be vnderstanded by Deiotorus Caesar made Brutus Gouernor of Gaule on this side the mouÌ„taines Brutus and Cassius contend for the Praetorship of the citie Cassius maried Iunia Brutus sister The first cause of Cassius malice against Caesar. Caesar suspected Brutus Caesar saying of Brutus Cassius incenseth Brutus against Caesar. Cassius Lions at Megara Cassius an enemie of tyranâ— How Brutus was incensed against Caesar. Cassius praieth Brutus first to helpe him to put downe the tyran * In an other place they cal him Quintus Brutus maketh Ligarius one of the coÌ„spiracie They do hide the conspiracy against Caesar from Cicero Ciuill warre worse then tyrannicall gouernment The wonderfull faith and secrifie of the Conspirators of Casars death Porcia Catoes daughter wife vnto Brutus Bibulus booke
a good rounde pace to embrace his sonne and sayed vnto him You haue reason sonne and doe well to shewe ouer whom you commaund vnderstanding the authoritie of a Consul which place you haue receiued For it is the direct course by the which we and our auncesters have increased the ROMAINE empire preferring euer the honour and state of our countrie aboue father mother or children And truely they saye that Fabius great grandfather being the greatest and most noble persone of ROME in his time hauing fiue times bene Consul and had obteined many triumphes for diuers honorable and sundrie victories he had wonne was contented after all these to be his sonnes lieutenaunt and to goe to the warres with him he being chosen Consul And last of all the Consul his sonne returning home to ROME a conquerour in his triumphing charret drawen with foure horses he followed him a horse backe also in troupe with the rest thinking it honour to him that hauing authoritie ouer his sonne in the right of a father and being also the noblest man of all the cittizens so taken and reputed neuertheles he willingly submitted him selfe to the lawe and magistrate who had authoritie of him Yet besides all this he had farre more excellent vertues to be had in admiration then those already spoken of But it fortuned that this sonne of Fabius died before him whose death he tooke paciētly like a wise man and a good father Now the custome being at that time that at the death of a noble man their neerest kinseman should make a funerall oration in their prayse at their obsequies he him selfe made the same oration in honour of his sonne and dyd openly speake it in the marketplace and moreouer wrote it and deliuered it out abroade About this time Cornelius Scipio was sent into SPAYNE who draue out the CARTHAGINIANS from thence after he had ouerthrowen them in many battells and had conquered many great citties and greately aduaunced the honour and estimation of the state of ROME for the which at his returne he was asmuche or rather more honoured beloued and esteemed then any other that was in the cittie of ROME Hereupon Scipio being made Consul considered that the people of ROME looked for some great matter at his handes aboue all other Therefore he thought to take vpon him to fight against Hannibal in ITALIE he should but followe the olde manner and treade to muche in the steppes of the olde man whereupon he resolued immediately to make warres in AFRICKE and to burne and destroye the countrie euen vnto CARTHAGE gates and so to transferre the warres out of ITALIE into LIBYA procuring by all possible deuise he could to put it into the peoples heades and to make them like of it But Fabius contrarilie persuading him selfe that the enterprise this young rashe youthe tooke in hande was vtterly to ouerthrowe the common weale or to put the state of ROME in great daunger deuised to put ROME in the greatest feare he could possible without sparing speache or dede he thought might serue for his purpose to make the people chaunge from that minde Now he could so cunningly worke his purpose what with speaking and doing that he had drawen all the Senate to his opinion But the people iudged it was the secret enuie he bare to Scipioes glorie that drue him to encounter this deuise only to bleamish Scipioes noble fortune fearing least if he should happen to doe some honorable seruice as to make an end altogether of this warre or otherwise to draw Hannibal out of ITALIE that then it would appeare to the world he had bene to softe or to negligent to drawe this warre out to suche a length For my parte me thinkes the only matter that moued Fabius from the beginning to be against Scipio was the great care he had of the safetie of the cōmon weale by reason of the great daūger depending vpon such a resolution And yet I doe thinke also that afterwards he went further then he should contending to sore against him whether it was through ambition or obstinacie seeking to hinder and suppresse the greatnes of Scipio considering also he dyd his best to persuade Crassus Scipioes companion in the Consulshippe that he should not graunte vnto him the leading of the armie but if he thought good to goe into AFRICKE to make warres vpon the CARTHAGINIANS that he should rather goe him self And moreouer he was the let that they gaue him no money for maintenaunce of these warres Scipio hereupon being turned ouer to his owne credit to furnish himselfe as he could he leauied great summes of money in the citties of THVSCAN who for the great loue they bare him made contribution towardes his iorney And Crassus remained at home both bicause he was a softe and no ambitious nor contentious man of nature as also bicause he was the chiefest Prelate and highe bishoppe who by the lawe of their religion was constrained to kepe ROME Fabius seeing his labour lost that waye tooke againe another course to crosse Scipio deuising to staye the young men at home that had great desire to goe this iorney with him For he cried out with open mouth in all assemblies of the Senate people that Scipio was not contented only to flye Hannibal but that he would carie with him besides the whole force of ITALY that remained alluring the youthe with sweete baytes of vaine hope and persuading them to leaue their wiues their fathers mothers and their countrie euen now when their enemie knocked at ROME gates who dyd euer conquer and was yet neuer conquered These wordes of Fabius dyd so dampe the ROMAINES that they appointed Scipio should furnishe his iorney only with the armie that was in SICILIA sauing that he might supply to them if he would three hundred of the best souldiers that had serued him faithfully in SPAYNE And so it doth appeare euen to this present that Fabius both dyd and sayed all things according to his wonted manner and naturall disposition Now Scipio was no sooner arriued in AFRICKE but newes were brought to ROME incontinently of wonderfull exploytes and noble seruice done beyond measure and of great spoyles taken by him which argued the trothe of the newes As the king of the NVNIDIANS taken prisoner two campes of the enemies burnt destroyed at a time with losse of a great number of people armour and horses that were consumed in the same letters and postes for life ronning in the necke one of another from CARTHAGE to call Hannibal home and to praye him to hunte no longer after vayne hope that would neuer haue ende hasting him selfe with all speede possible to come to the rescue of his countrie These wonderfull great fortunes of Scipio made him of suche renowme and fame within ROME that there was no talke but of Scipio Fabius notwithstanding desisted not to make a newe request being of opinion they should send him a successour alledging no other cause
nor reason but a common speache of euery bodie that it was a daungerous thing to commit to the fortune of one man alone so great exceeding prosperitie and good successe bicause it is a rare matter to see one man happie in all things These wordes dyd so muche mislike the people that they thought him an enuious troublesome man or els they thought his age had made him fearefull and that his corage failed with his strength fearing Hannibal more doubtfully then he needed For now though Hannibal was forced to leaue ITALIE and to returne into AFRICKE yet Fabius would not graunte that the peoples ioye and securitie they thought they were in was altogether cleare and without feare and mistruste but gaue it out that then they were in greatest daunger and that the common weale was breeding more mischief now then before For when Hannibal sayed he shall returne home into AFRICKE and come before CARTHAGE walles the ROMAINES shall be lesse able to abide him there then they haue bene before and Scipio moreouer shall meete with an armie yet warme and embrued with the bloude of so many Praetors Dictators and Consuls of ROME which they haue ouercome and put to the sword in ITALIE With these vncomfortable speaches he still troubled disquieted the whole cittie persuading them that notwithstanding the warre was transferred out of ITALIE into AFRICKE yet that the occasion of feare was no lesse neere vnto ROME then it was euer before But within shorte space after Scipio hauing ouercome Hannibal in plaine battell in the field and troden vnder foote the glory and pryde of CARTHAGE he brought a greater ioye to ROME then they euer looked for and by this noble victorie of his he shored vp again the declining state of the empire of ROME which a litle before was falling downe right Howbeit Fabius liued not to the ende of this warre nor euer heard while he liued the ioyfull newes of Hannibals happy ouerthrowe neither were his yeres prolonged to see the happy assured prosperitie of his countrie for about that time that Hannibal departed out of ITALIE a sicknes tooke him whereof he dyed The stories declare that the THEBANS buried Epaminondas at the common charges of the people bicause he dyed in so great pouertie that when he was dead they founde nothing in the house but a litle iron spit Now the ROMAINES buried not Fabius so at the common charge of the cittie but euery man of beneuolence gaue towards his funerall charges a pece of coyne that caried the least value of their currant money not for that he lacked abillitie to bring him to the grounde but only to honour his memorie in making his obsequies at their charges as of one that had bene their common father So had his vertuous life an honorable ende and buriall THE COMPARISON OF Pericles with Fabius HERE haue you heard what is written of thesetwo great persones And forasmuche as they haue both left behinde them many noble examples of vertue aswell in martiall matters as in ciuill gouernmēt let vs beginne to compare them together First of all Pericles begāne to gouerne the common weale at what time the people of ATHENS were in their chiefest prosperitie and of greater power and wealth then euer they had bene of before or since The which might seeme to be a cause of the continuall maintenance of the same in securitie without daunger of falling not so muche for their worthines as for their common power and felicitie where contrariwise Fabius acts fell out in the most dishonorable vnfortunate time that euer happened to his countrie in the which he dyd not only keepe the cittie in good state from declining but raised it vp and deliuered it from calamitie and brought it to be better then he found it Furthermore Cimons great good fortune and successe the victories and triumphes of Myronides and of Leocrates and many notable valliant dedes of armes of Tolmides gaue good cause to Peritles to entertaine his cittie in feastes and playes whilest he dyd gouerne the same and he dyd not finde it in such ill case and distresse that he was driuen to defend it by force of armes or to cōquer that againe which he had lost But Fabius in contrary manner when he sawe before him many ouerthrowes great flying awaye muche murder great slaughters of the generalles of the ROMAINE armies the lakes the playnes the woddes filled with scattered men the people ouercome the flouds and riuers ronning all a gore bloude by reason of the great slaughter and the streame carying downe the dead bodies to the mayne sea dyd take in hande the gouernment of his countrie and a course farre contrarie to all other so as he dyd vnderproppe and shore vp the same that he kept it from flat falling to the grounde amongest those ruines and ouerthrowes other had brought it to before him Yet a man maye saye also that it is no great matter of difficultie to rule a cittie already brought lowe by aduersitie and which compelled by necessitie is contented to be gouerned by a wise man as it is to bridle and keepe vnder the insolencie of a people pufte vp with pryde and presumption of long prosperitie as Pericles founde it amongest the ATHENIANS The great multitude also of so many grieuous calamities as lighted on the ROMAINES neckes at that time dyd playnely shewe Fabius to be a graue and a constant man which would neuer geue waye vnto the importunate cries of the common people nor could euer be remoued from that he had at the first determined The winning recouering againe of TARENTVM maye well be compared to the taking of SAMOS which Pericles wanne by force and the citties of CAMPANIA vnto the I le of EVBOEA excepting the cittie of CAPVA which the Consuls Faluius and Appius recouered againe But it seemeth that Fabius neuer wanne battell saue that only for which he triumphed the first time where Pericles set vp nine triumphes of battels and victories he had wonne aswell by sea as by lande And so also they cannot alledge such an acte done by Pericles as Fabius dyd when he rescued Minutius out of the handes of Hannibal and saued a whole armie of the ROMAINES which doubtles was a famous acte and proceeded of a noble minde great wisdome and an honorable harte But Pericles againe dyd neuer commit so grosse an errour as Fabius dyd when he was outreached deceyued by Hannibals fine stratageame of his oxen who hauing founde his enemie by chaunce to haue shut him selfe vp in the straight of a vallye dyd suffer him to escape in the night by a subtiltie in the daye by playne force For he was preuented by ouermuch delaye and fought withall by him he kept inclosed Now if it be requisite a good captaine doe not only vse well that he hath in his handes but that he wisely iudge also what will followe after then the warres of the ATHENIANS fell out in suche sorte