possibilitie and still called for Aridens to come forthe amonges them Wherupon Meleager for the malice and enuy he bare vnto Perdicas toke an occasion boldlye to bring him into the assemble whoÌ„ the multitude saluted as kinge and called him Philippe This was the voyce of the people Aridens was chosen kyng but the nobilitie was of an other mind of whoÌ„ Pithon toke vpon him to put Perdicas deuise in execution and appoynted Perdicas and Leonatus whiche were descended of the bloude royall to be gouernours of the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of Roxane addinge moreouer that Craterus and Antipater shoulde haue the rule within Europe And vpon this they sware men to be obedient to Alexanders issue Meleager then doubting notwithout cause that some euill might come to him departed with suche as were of his faction but he returned immediatly againe and brought Philip with him into the court criyng out to the multitude for the assistyng of the coÌ„mune welth in aydynge of the newe Kynge whiche a little before they had elected and wylled them to make an experimente of his actiuitie persuadinge that he was the metest to rule ouer theÌ„ that was the issue of Philip that had bothe a king to his father and a king to his brother There is no profouÌ„d sea so stormy nor teÌ„pestuous The inconstancy of a multitude that raiseth vp so many sourges waues as a multitude doth mocions and alteracions when they haue gotten the bridle of a newe libertie not likely long to coÌ„tinue There wanted not some that gaue their consent to Perdicas but more agreed to make Philip king They could neither agre nor disagre to any thyng long time together One while repenting them of that they had determined and streightwaies forthought theÌ„ of that repentaunce Yet finally they were enclyned to preferre the kinges bloud Aridens was put in such feare with the aucthoritie of the nobilite that he departed out of the assemble after whose departure the fauour of the souldiers was rather silent then cessed towardes him So that at length he was called agayne and put vpon him his brothers vesture regal whiche laye in the chayre And Meleager put on his armour folowing as a guarde to the persone of the newe king The souldiers of the Phalanx classhed their speares to their targettes threatening to shed their bloud whiche coueted the kingdome that pertained not to them They reioysed that the force of the Empire should still continue in the same familie the right of whose enheritaunce comming of the bloud royall they shewed themselues redy alwayes to defende For by reason they were accustomed to honour the name of their kyng and to haue it in veneracion they thought no man worthy for it but suche one as came therunto by discent of bloud Perdicas therfore was afraied and with .vi. hundred men that were of an approued manhode kept the lodging wheras the body of Alexander lay Ptolomeus ioyned him selfe vnto hym and the bande of the younge men that were about the kynges persone But so many thousand of armed men as were vpon the other side did easely breake in vpon them Amonges whome the king was present with a great bande for the guard about his persone wherof Meleager was chief Perdicas therfore in a greate furye called them to his parte which would defende AlexaÌ„ders body but they which brake in vpon theÌ„ shrew dartes at him afarre of wherby many were hurt At the last the auncient men plucked of their head peces the better to be knowen desired them whiche were with perdicas to abstayne from ciuill warre geue place to the kyng to the greater parte Wherupon Perdicas was the firste that layde downe his weapon the rest did in like maner Meleager then persuaded theÌ„ that they should not depart but remayne still about the dead corse but he iudging that to be a deceite and a meane to entrap hym fled to the further side of Euphrates lieng ouer against the court Then the horsemen whiche consisted chiefly of the nobilitie flocked about Perdicas and Leonatus whiche thought good to departe out of the cytie and take the fieldes but because Perdicas was not without hope that the footemen woulde haue taken his parte remained stil within the cytie lest he myght seme to be the cause that the horsemen should deuide them selues from the rest of the armye Meleager ceassed not to beate in the kynges head that he could not establyshe himselfe surely in his estate but by the death of Perdicas whose ambicious mynde desirous of innouation was he sayde to be preuented in time Willyng the kyng to remembre what Perdicas had deserued at his haÌ„des and that no man could be faithfull to him whom he feared The kyng suffring the thing rather then geuing his coÌ„sent to the matter Meleager toke his silence for a commaundement and sent for Perdicas in the kynges name and they whiche were sent had commission to kyll hym if he made any sticking to come with them Perdicas hearing of their comming accompanied only with .xvi. yonge men that were of Alexanders guarde mette them at the entrey of the house and callyng them Meleagers slaues rebuked them with suche a constancy both of mynde and countenaunce that they returned back agayne as men amased Perdicas wylled suche as were in his company to leape on horsebacke and so with a fewe of hys frendes came vnto Leonatus mynding if any violence were moued againste hym to repulce it with a greater force The next daye the Macedons grudged and thought it a matter vnworthy that Perdicas after this maner should be brought in daunger of death and therfore determined with force to reuenge the rashenes of Meleagers doynges But he vnderstanding the mutyne that was amonges the souldiers gaue place and they repayred vnto the kyng demaundyng of hym if he had coÌ„maunded Perdicas to be taken He coÌ„fessed he had so done but that was by Meleagers mocion whiche was no cause he sayde for them to make any storre seing that Perdicas was alyue The assemble hereupon brake vp and Meleager became greatly afrayed specially by the parting of the horsemen so that he wiste not what to do for he sawe the mischief whiche he a little before had wrought against his enemy lyke to light vpoÌ„ him selfe and whyles he deuysed this and that three dayes were consumed The wonted fourme and faâ—â—on of the courte dyd remayne in the meane season For the Embassadours of diuers nacions made repaire vnto the kyng the captaines of the army did assemble about him and the guard wayted in armour as they were accustomed But the great sadnes that was there without any apparant cause signified some extreame dispaire There was suche a suspicion amonges them selues that men durst not company togethers nor speake one to another but stode imagening secretly with them selues and by comparing the time present with the tyme past and the new kyng with the olde they began to desire hym that was gone
them selues in their flieng And so Nabarzanes toke the waye to Hircania and Bessus to Bactria with a few horsemen that eche of them had in their company When their souldiers were forsaken of theyr Captaines they scatered here and there where hope and feare did lead thē There were only fiue hundred horsmen which assembled them self togither and stode in a māmoryng whither it were better to resiste or to flee Alexander vnderstanding the feare his enemies were in sent Nycanor before wyth parte of hys horsemen by keping of them occupied and he with the rest folowed after Where were slayn about the nombre of .iii. thousand that stode at their defence and they dyd dryue before them the reste of the army like beastes from killyng of whome the kyng gaue commaundement to abstaine Amonges all the prisoners there was none that was able to shewe which was the cart that caried Darius for euery one was so desirous to fynd him that as they sawe any carte thei sought Darius therin and yet they could perceyue by no meanes where he was become Alexander made suche haste that scarsely thre thousand horsemen folowed hym of all his nombre but the whole army of the Percians fell into their lappes that folowed behynde It is scarsely credible to be beleued that there should be more prisoners taken then there were men to take thē But fortune in that feare had so taken away their sence that they could not consyder their owne multitude nor the smale nombre of their enemies In the meane season the beastes that drewe Darius wagon hauing no man to gouerne thē were swarued out of the hyghe way and wanderyng here and there had drawen Darius four furlonges frō the place he was woūded into a valley where they fainted by reason of their heate and their hurtes There was a spring there at hand whiche certaine that knew the countrey Polistratus had shewed to Polistratus a Macedon that was ouercome for thrust And whiles he was drinking water out of his helmet he spyed the beastes that were thrust in with darres and marueilyng that they were not rather caried away then hurt after that maner He loked foūd in the foule cart the body of a mā haulf aliue and at length perceiued it was Darius that lay there sore wounded drawing of his breath Then Polistratus drought to hym a Percian whome he had taken prisone◠Whome when Darius knewe by his voyce to be of his countrey sayde he toke that for a cōfort of his present fortune that he should speake before he died to one that vnderstode hym The message that Darius sent to Alexand before his death and not vtter his last wordes in vayne He required hym to declare vnto Alexāder that though he had neuer deserued any thing at his handes yet it was his chaunce to die greatly his debtour and had great thankes to geue hym for the fauour and goodnes that he had shewed towardes his mother his wife and his children to whome he had not only graūted lyfe but also the reuerēce of their former estate dignitie where as he of his kinsmen frendes to whome he had geuen both life and landes was now by thē bereaued of al. He praied therefore that he might alwayes be victor and that the Empire of the whole worlde myght come vnto his handes requiring that he would not neglecte to take reuengaunce of so foull an act not only for his cause but for ensample and the loue of other princes which should be a thing honorable vnto hym and proffitable in tyme cōmyng When he had spoken these wordes he fainted and called for water after he had dronke said to Polystratus that presented it vnto hym Whatsoeuer thou art this is vnto me the last mysery in all my aduerse chaunce that I am not able to requite the this benefite But Alexander shal rewarde the the goddes shall requite him for his great humanite clemency shewed towardes mine Vnto whome in my behalfe thou shalt geue my hande as a pledge of a kinges promise When he had spoken these wordes and geuen Polistratus his hand he died Whē these thinges were reported to Alexander he repayred where the dead corse lay there be wayled with teares that it was his chaunce to dye a death so vnworthy for so great an estate and taking of his owne clooke to couer the dead coorse withall adorned thesame with all thinges that pertayned to a kyng and sent it to his mother Sisigambis to be buried in suche sorte as the countrey maner was to bury kynges and to be layde amonges the rest of his predecessours ☞ Here the first parte of the syxt booke doth want wherin was conteyned the cause of the warre betwixt the Lacedemonians and Macedons with the preparacion of both nacions to the battaill that was fought betwixt Antipater Alexanders lieutenaunt in Macedonia and Agis kyng of the Lacedemonians ¶ The sixte boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie HE preassed forwardes where the fyght was moste daungerous The batail betwyxt Agys kynge of Lacedemon and Antipater laeutenāt in Macedonia and sleyng suche as made moste resistaunce put the greater parte of his enemies to flyght Then suche as were victorers before began to flye till they had drawe◠their enemies gredely folowyng them out of the streyte into a more playne ground In the retire many of them were slayne but when they had once recouered suche a ground where as they might staye and fall in ordre the battailes ioyned equally againe on both sides Amonges them all the kyng of the Lacedemonians appeared moste notable in all mens eyes not so muche by the beawty of his armour and goodly personage as through the greatnes of his courage wherein only he could not be ouercome He was layde to on all partes both nere hande and a farre of ye◠for all that he endured long in armes against his enemies auoiding their strokes parte with his target and parte with his body til suche tyme as he was thrust through both thies with a spere when by great effusion of bloud he was not able any lōger to endure the fyght Then the esquiers for his body toke hym vp vpon his target and caried hym into their campe that with great payne endured the slurring of his woundes The Lacedemoniās for all their kynges departure gaue not ouer the fyght but assone as they could recouer any ground of aduauntage they cloosed them selues in battaylle togither and receyued stowtly ther enemies that came ful vpon them Their is not found in any memorie of a battayl more vehemētly fought then that was where the armies of two nacions that were moste excellent in the warres contended togithers the victory not yet enclyning to any part The Lacedemonians called to mynde ther aunciente manhode and prowes and the Macedons considred ther present estymacion they had in the world The Lacedemonians striued for their libertie
middes of his legge where the hed did stike still The Macedons that were sorowfull and amased for their kinges hurt caried him into his campe of whose departure out of the field his enemies were not ignoraunt for they might behold all thinges from the mountaine Wherupon the next day they sent Embassadours vnto Alexander whom he admitted to his presence vnfolding his wouÌ„d wherby he thought to dissimule the greatnes therof shewed his legge vnto them When they were commaunded to sit downe they said that he ring of his hurte they were as sorowfull for it as his owne subiectes whiche should welbe knowen for if they could find out the persone that did the dede he shuld be deliuered vnto his haÌ„des Seing they could not iudge them but sacrileges that woulde fight with goddes of whose vertue they supposed hym to be and therfore were determined to yeld theÌ„ selues Therupon he gaue them assuraunce receiued againe his men that were takeÌ„ prisoners and admitted them as his subiectes That done he remoued his campe was caried in a foote litter for the bearing wherof the horsemen and footemen coÌ„tended together The horsmen alledged it to be their office because the king accustomed to fight amonges them And the footemen argued for their parte that in asmuche as they vsed to cary the hurt souldiers that thought no reason their office should be taken from them chiefly when the kyng should be caried Alexander therfore in so great a contention of both partes thought it a difficult matter to geue senteÌ„ce because the iudgemeÌ„t should be greuous to them that should be put froÌ„ the office therfore ordred that they should cary him by course FroÌ„ thence the fourth day he came vnto a citie called Maracanda the walles wherof were .lxx. furloÌ„ges about Maracanda but the castle was without any wall he set a guarrison in the citie then burned and destroied the countrey thereaboutes Embassadours came vnto him The Scythians there froÌ„ the Scythes called Auians whiche had bene fre since the time that Cyrus was amonges them but yet they shewed them selues then redy to be at his commaundement They were knowen to be the moste rightuous people of all the barbarous nacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 that neuer vsed to make warre but when thei â—e prouoked whose moderacioÌ„ and temperauÌ„ce in vsing of their libertie made the inferriours equall vnto the supperiours Alexander receiued them gently and sent Penidas a frend of his to those Scithes that inhabited within Europe Penydas to forbid theÌ„ to passe the riuer of Tanais without his appointment Who had also a secrete commission to viewe the scituacioÌ„ of the couÌ„trey to visit those ScithiaÌ„s that inhabited about Bosphorus he willed him besides to choise out a place vpoÌ„ the brinke of Tanais where as he might build a citie to remain as a fortres for the subduing of those people that he entended to visite The rebellion of the Sogdians But this deuise was delayed by the rebellioÌ„ of the SogdiaÌ„s who had also drawen the BactriaÌ„s to their part There were of theÌ„ .vii. in horsmeÌ„ whose autoritie the rest folowed for the daunting of whome Alexander caused Spytamenes and Catenes the betrayers of Bessus to be sent for thinking by their meanes to bring the countrey agayn to his obedience and to subdue suche as had made this sturre But they whiche were iudged mete to stay the rebellioÌ„ and were sent for to that intent were the chief authours of all the reuolt whiche caused it to be noysed abrode that Alexander had sent for the Bactrian horsemen of purpose to kill them all Whiche commission they sayd being appointed to them they would not execute because they thought it ouer foull an act to commit against their countreymen And for that cause could as il beare then Alexanders crueltie as in times past Bessus treason By this meanes when feare of death was put into their heades they were easely sturred to armes whiche before were sufficiently enclyned of their owne myndes When Alexander was aduertised of their doinges he willed Craterus to besiege Cyropolis Ciropolis And he him self warme an other city of that countrey by an assault whiche he gaue to it on all partes at once and by a signe geuen caused all the chyldreÌ„ to be put to death making the rest a pray for the souldiers This done the cytie was rased to the ground to thintent that others by their ensample might be kept in obedience There was a valiaunt people called Memacenans Memacenans who were determined to abide the siege not only for their honesties sake but also for that they thought it moste for their suertie For the mitigating of whose wilfulnes the kyng sent to them fifty horsemen to declare his clemency towardes suche as submitted them selues and howe inexorable he was to suche as he wan by force Their answere was to them that they neither doubted of the kynges promis nor of his power but after their answere geuen they lodged them without their walles where as enterteining theÌ„ with great there till it was the depe of the nyght they set vpon them and slewe them all Alexander was no lesse moued with this matter then the case required but made an assault vnto the cytie on all partes at once whiche he found furnisshed in suche wyse that he could not take it at the first attempt Wherfore he appointed Meleager and Perdicas to the siege therof whiche first were at the siege of Ciropolis mynding to spare thesame because it was builded by Cyrus For he had not so great admiracion of any kyng that had reigned in those partes as of hym and Semyramis whose magnaminitie of mynde and fame of their actes semed to hym to excede all the rest But the obstinate wilfulnes of the inhabitauntes sturred vp his wrath For when he had taken the cytie he willed the Macedons to spoyle it whiche had great cause to be moued against them and so returned agayne to Meleager and Perdicas There was not one cytie that did more valiauntly abide the siege then the same did for both the hardiest of the souldiers were slayne and the kyng was brought in great daunger being striken in the necke with a stone so that he lost his sight and was felled to the earth so that he lost his sence The army lameÌ„ted thinking he had bene dead but he was inuincible against those thinges which put other men moste in feare For without tarieng he dressed his wounde and returned to the fyght and after anger had sturred vp the egernes he had of nature he renued the assault againe more fiersely then before At length a great peace of the wall was ouerthrowen by a myne at the whiche he brake in and put the whole cytie to sacke and to ruyne Menedemê° He sent from theÌ„ce Menedemus with .iii. M. footemen and .viii. C. horsemen to the citie of Maracanda which Spitamenes had newly taken and put out from theÌ„ce the guarrison of
furnisshed with faire armour apt to do any enterprise of the warre which he called Epigoni that is to saie his successours The MacedoÌ„s at theyr comming semed to be somwhat apalled whych weried with long warre vsed often in assembles to murmur speake mutinous wordes against the king For the cause he had prepared these souldiers to restraine the arrogaÌ„cy of other gaue to them great benefites Harpalus Harpalus to whome the king had coÌ„mitted the charge of the treasure and reuenewes at Babilon hearing of the actes that AlexaÌ„der had done in subduing the more part of the kynges of India his successe to be so prosperous that nothing could withstand him Knowing the insaciable desire that was in Alexander to visite farre couÌ„treis to encrease his glory though it shold be a hard matter for him to returned to BabiloÌ„ again wherfore he gaue him self to delight to lust misusing many that were noble fâ—e women wallowing in al kind of voluptuousnes Insomuch that he sent vnto AtheÌ„s for a famous harlot called Patonice Patonice to whom he both gaue many great and princely giftes while she was aliue and also after her death spent .xxx. talentes vpon her tombe Hauing in these suche other like voluptuous vanities consumed a great part of the treasure When he vnderstode AlexaÌ„der to be come out of India to vse extreme iustice vpon his officers that misused them of whoÌ„ they had rule by reason he was priuy to his own fowle conscience feared the like might tome to himself And therfore gathering together .v. M. talentes .vi. M. mercenary souldiers toke the way towardes Athens no maÌ„ willing to receiue him by the way Tenaron When he came to Tenaâ—on where as a great nombre of the mercenary Grekes which had bene discharged out of Asia were assembled he left his souldiers there went to Athens with his money when he was come thether noÌ„bre of the citezens flocked about him more for loue of his money then for his own sake but specially the oratours suche as vsed to make their gaine by oracioÌ„s and persuading of the people whoÌ„ by small rewardes he easely corrupted to defeÌ„d his cause with the people But afterwardes at a generall assemble vpoÌ„ the matter he was commaunded to depart the cytie and so returned againe amonges the Greke souldiers by whoÌ„ he was slayne Sunium Therfore with .xxx. shippes thei passed ouer to SuniuÌ„ whiche is a pointe of the land in the territory of AtheÌ„s from whence they determined to haue entred into Athens hauen These thinges being knowen AlexaÌ„der that was sore moued aswell againste the Athenians as against Harpalus prepared a nauy to make warre in persone immediatly against theÌ„ And as he was busied about the matter he vnderstode by secret letters both the Harpalus had bene in Athens corrupted with money the chief of the cytie And also that afterwardes by a counsel of the people he was coÌ„maunded to depart froÌ„ thence as he returned amoÌ„ges the Greke souldiers he was slayne by one of theÌ„ by treason The death of Harpalê° These newes greatly reioysed Alexander wherby he had occasion to leaue of his iourney into Europe but he sent coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all the cities of Grece that they shuld receyue againe all their banisshed men except such only as had committed any murther vpon their owne countrey men Although the Grekes knewe the same to be the breache of their liberties their lawes the beginniÌ„g of their bondage yet as men that durst not disobey his will they called home their banished men restored to theÌ„ such of their goodes as did remaine Only the Athenians which euer defended obstinatly the liberties of their comeÌ„ wealth which had not bene accustomed to liue vnder the obedieÌ„ce of any king but vnder the lawes customes of their couÌ„trey wold not agre that such dredge of men shuld liue amonges them but did driue theÌ„ out of their bouÌ„des redy to suffre any thing rather theÌ„ to receiue such againe as sometime were the rascall of al their citie then the refuse of al the outlawes The time was come that Alexander minded to dismisse his olde souldiers sende them into their countrey but he willed first .xiii. M. fotemeÌ„ .ii. M. horsemeÌ„ to be chosen out to remaine still in Asia which he iudged might be kept with a small army because he thought the guarrisons he had plaÌ„ted in many places the cities which he had newly builded filled with inhabiters shuld be able to stay such as wold atteÌ„pt any rebellion Alexander paide al his souldiers debtes But before he would make any deuision of such as should depart remaine He caused a proclamacioÌ„ to be made that all souldiers should declare their debtes wherwith he perceiued many of them sore burdened though their debte did rise through their own disordre excesse yet he was determined to discharge euery man But the souldiers thinking it had bene but a deuise to find out the prodigall froÌ„ the rest delaied the time brought not in their declaracions The king perceiued shame to be the let therof no disobedieÌ„ce or self wil. And therfore caused tables to be set vp throughout his caÌ„pe .x. M talentes to be brought fuâ—th Of all whiche treasure when their debtes were payd accordyng to the iust declaracion there remayned no more but Cxxx. taleÌ„tes Wherby it appeared that thei whiche were the conquerours of so many riche nacions A mutine amonges the souldiers brought out of Asia more glory then spoyle But after it was once knowen that some should be dispached and some remayne still they thought the kynge would haue establyshed his kingdome perpetually in Asia Wherfore like madde men and vnmyndfull of all disciplyne of warre fylled the campe full of sedicious wordes and came to the kyng more arrogantly and with greater rygour then euer they did before al with one voyce requiring to be discharged shewyng furth the hortnes of their heete and their faces disformed with scarres and herein thei could not be staied eithâ—â— by chastisement of their officers or by any râ—uerence of their kynge but when he would haue spoken vnto them they would not suffre hym to be heard but disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye violent thronge protesting opeÌ„ly that they would neuer moue one foote forwardes to any place except it were towardes their owne countrey After a great space because they thought that Alexander would enclyne to their purpose they kept silence stode in expectacion what he would do Alexanders wordes vnto his souldiers Then Alexander spake vnto them what meaneth this sodain trouble of mynde this so malypart and vnlaufull libertie I am afraied to speake vnto you you haue so manifestly broken your obedience towardes me I am now become a kyng at the appointmeÌ„t of my people you haue neither lefte me the libertie to knowe you to
exhorte you nor to behold you Beyng determined to sende some into their countrey before and to bryng the reste with me shortly after I see them aswell that shall go crying and mutining as those that I appoint to come with me What a matter is this Their crie is al a like notwithstanding that their cause is diuers I woulde fayne knowe whether they complaine that departe or they that tary still When he had spoken those wordes they cried all as it had bene with one mouth that they complayned euery man Then he said truly it cannot be so nor I cannot be persuaded that you should all be greued for the cause ye declare seing the case towcheth not the moste parte of you for I haue appointed more to departe then to remaine still There must nedes be some greater mischief then apeareth that shuld turne you al from me When was it euer sene that an whole army hath forsaken their kyng The slaues ronne not from their maisters all at once but there is alwayes a shame in some to leaue thē whō the rest forsakes But why do I forget that you be madde in your myndes or why go I about to cure you that be vncurable I condempne from hencefurth all the good hope that euer I conceiued of you am determined to worke no more with you as with my souldiers seing ye wil not be mine but with men vngrateful and vnmindfull of my goodnes The cause of this your madnes is euē the haboūdaunce of your prosperitie wherby you forget your old estate frō the which ye be deliuered through my benefite You are men worthy to haue spent your lyues in your former beggerie seing you cā better beare aduersitie then prosperous fortune behold you which a while ago were tributaries to the Illicians the Percians do now disdaine Asia the spoiles of so many naciōs You whiche vnder Philip went haulf naked now cōtepne robes of purple Your eyes cannot endure any lenger to behold the sight of gold siluer You desire againe your wodden disshes your targettes made of wikers your swordes couered with rust I receiued you in this simple estate with .v. C. talentes in debte when all my furnymētes exceded not in valure .lx. talentes This was the foūdaciō of my actes wherwith without enuie be it spoken I haue subdued the greatest part of the world Are you wery of Asia which haue ministred vnto you occasion of such glory that by the greatnes of your actes ye be made equal vnto the gods do you al make such haste into Europe to forsake me that am your kyng the more parte of you should haue lacked money to beare your charges there if I of my beneuolens had not payde your debtes Are you not ashamed that haue robbed all Asia to beare the spoyles of so many nacions within your belies and now to returne home to your wyfes childrē vnto whom there be but few of you that are able to shewe any rewardes of your victory For many of you shal be compelled to gage your armour if ye forsake this good hope ye might receiue at my handes These be the good men of warre that I shall want which of all their riches haue nothing left them but only their cōcubines The waye lieth open for your departure get you hence quickly out of my syght I with the Percians shall defende your backes when ye be gone I will hold none of you deliuer myne eyes ye vngratefull countremē of the sight I see of you Shal your parētes children receiue you with ioye whē they shal see you returne without your king Shall they couet to mete suche as be fugitiues forsakers of ther prince I truly shal triūphe vpō your departure whersoeuer you shall be I shall desire to be reuēged honoring alwaies preferring before you those whiche ye haue left here with me Now you shall knowe of what force an army is that lacketh a kyng and what moment doth consiste in me alone When he had spoken those wordes he leped in a fury from the iudgement seate and ranne into the throng of the armed men whereas he toke with his owne handes suche as had mutined moste against him Of whome there were none that durst make resistaunce deliuered xiii to his guarde for to be saufly kept Who woulde thinke that an assembly whiche a little before had spoken vnto their prince with suche fiersenes and rigour could haue bene so sodenly appalled for feare Which seing there companions ledde to execution durst not moue nor make any attempt But the inordinate libertie they vsed before their sedicious violence was then so stayed that neuer one of them durst resiste the king ronning amōges them but were al astonied for feare and stode like men amased with doubtfull imaginaciōs loking what he would determine of the offenders Whether it were the reuerēce they bare to his name because the naciōs that liue vnder kinges are wōt to honour thē as gods or were it the maiestie of his persone or els his own assured cōstancy executing his auctoritie with suche violence that put them in feare thei shewed a notable ensample of paciēce For they remained not only without slurre or mociō at the executing of their companions whō they knew to be put to death in the night time but also were more diligent in doing their duties then euer they were before pretermitting nothing pertaining to obedience naturall affeccion towardes their prince For the next day whē thei came to the courte and were not suffred to entre but all shotte out sauing the souldiers of Asia they made a sorowfull crye and lamentacion whiche spred ouer al the campe protesting that they would not liue if the kyng continued still in his wrath But he that was obstinat in all thinges that he had once conceiued in his head commaunded all the Macedons to keape still their cāpe and assembled the souldiers straungers together to whome by an Interpretour he made this Oracion Alexanders Oracion to the straūge souldiers At suche tyme as I came firste out of Europe into Asia my truste was to brynge vnder myne Empyre manye noble Nacions and greate power of men wherin I was not deceaued For besides that the fame reported you to be men of value I haue founde in you one thinge more whiche is an incomperable obediēce fidelitie and affection towardes your prince I thought voluptuousnes had ouerflowen all vertue amonges you and that through your great filicitie ye had bene drowned in pleasures But I finde it otherwise and perceyue that none obserue the discipline and order of the warres better then you do nor execute the same with more actiuitie nor stoutenes And beynge manfull and valeaunt menne ye embrace fidelitie no lesse then you do the rest This thinge I do but nowe acknowledge but I knewe it longe ago Whiche was the cause that I chose you out of the youth of your nacions to be my souldiours
Plateans that were confederat with hym through the manifold accusations that they brought in agaynste the Thebanes he slewe of them Six thousande â–ª and solde thirte thousand as Slaues the money wherof coming amouÌ„ted to the som of foure huÌ„dred and forty talentes yet he spared al the linage of Pindarus the Poete Pindarus the Poet. wherbye he woulde wytnes vnto the worlde the fauour he did beate vnto learned men In this Citie of Thebes was a notable woman called Timoclea â–ª Tymoclea whome when A capteyne of Thrace did rauishe wold haue enforced her to confes her monye she brought him to a well where she saide all her precious gere was hydden And whiles he stouped downe to loke into the wel she thrust him in and threwe stones after â–ª wherby he was slaine For this facte she being comitted to prysone and afterwardes brought before Alexander he asked her what she was she auÌ„swered with out feare that she was Suster to Theogenes whych beind elected general Captayne against kiÌ„g Philip his father maÌ„fully died for the libertie of Grece At wose stowtnes coÌ„staÌ„cy the King merueled so much that he caused her w e her childreÌ„ to be set at liberte The Athenians had so greate pitie and compassion of the estate of the Thebanes that contrarye to the commaundement of Alexander they receyued into theyr Citie such of them as escaped Whiche thing Alexander toke in such displeasure that when thei sente Embassadours the second tyme to demaunde peace he would not graunte atonement vpon any other condicion but that such Oratours Captaines which had sturred theÌ„ to rebellioÌ„ shuld be deliuered vnto his handes But at length the matter was brought to that poynet that the Oratours were reserued the Captayne 's banished which straight fled to Darius Kyng of Percia At such tyme as AlexaÌ„der assembled the GreciaÌ„s in Isthmos for the determinacioÌ„ of his iourney into Percia many Oratours Philosophers came to visite him Diogenes only Diogenes that remayned about Corinthe kept hym selfe away as one that estemed Alexander nothyng at all wherat he marueiled much weÌ„t to visit him wher he was beking of him selfe in the soÌ„ He asked Diogenes if he had nede of any thiÌ„ge that he might do To whoÌ„ Diogenes nether gaue reuereÌ„ce nor thaÌ„ks but willed hym to staÌ„d out of his son shine With whose behauour and wordes AlexaÌ„der was so delited that turning to those that were with hym said if he were not Alexander he would wysh to be Diogenes WheÌ„ he had put in ordre thaffaires of Grece comitting the rule therof togither with the Realme of MacedoÌ„ to the gouernemeÌ„t of Antipater Antipater whoÌ„ he most trusted in the begiÌ„ning of the spring came to Hellespont with his hole Armye Hellespont which he transported into Asia with incredible spede diligeÌ„s WheÌ„ they were come to the furder shore AlexaÌ„der threwe a darte to thennemies land and as he was armed lepyd out of the ship wyth great chetefulnes and their sacrified making peticioÌ„ vnto the gods that thei wold voucsafe towardes his enemies and forbad his Souldiers to make eny spoyle vpon the contrey persuadinge theÌ„ to spare that was ther owne and that thei shuld not destroyt the thinge which they came to possesse He not had in his Army aboue the nombre of .xxxii. M. The number of Alexander Armye fotemen v. M. horsemen and but Clxxx. ships wherfore yt is harde to iudge whither yt be more wonderful that he conquered the worde or that he dursd attempte the conqueste therof wyth so small a powre he chase not out to suche a dangerus enterpryse the yonge men whych were in the firste floure of there age but thold souldiers of whom the more parte for there longe contiunans in warres were by the custome at lyberty whither they wold go to the warres any more or no sauing at there owne pleasure And there was none of the captaynes nor of ani other that bare office in the Army that was vnder the age of .lx. yeares So that the souldiers for their experieÌ„ce semed to be Scolemastres of the warres And the captayns for there grauitie apered to be Senators in some auncient comon welth That was the couse that in the fighte none of the minded any flieng but everie one conceyued the victorie in his hedde nor any put trust in his fete but in his handes Alexander that euery where made sacrifice did vse moste solempnitie at Troye vpoÌ„ Achilles Tombe Achylles of whom he was discended by his mothers side He iudged hym moste happye of all men that had bene before because in suche glory he died yonge and had hys actes set forthe of such one as Homer was Homer From thence he passed forewardes into the domynions of Diarus Kynge of Perce which beinge the sonne of Arsanus Darius king of Perce and the fourtene Kyng after Cirus had gotten the possession of the Monarchie of the hole easte parte of the worlde The chiefe cause that moued Alexander too inuade hiÌ„ was to be reueÌ„ged of the damgs distruccoÌ„s wherwith his predecessours had afflicted the contrei of Greace also for demaÌ„ding tribut of Philip his father for that wiche he sent a proude presumptious ambassad called hiÌ„self the King of kiÌ„ges KiusmaÌ„ of the gods lastly he had written to Alexander called him his seruant gaue commission to his lieutenants that thei shuld beat the mad boy the sonne of Philip with roddes afterwards bring him to his preseÌ„ce in kings aparaile And lasteli that they shuld drowne both ship mariners conuey al the Souldirs that shuld be lefte on liue beyond the rede seas theytherfore purposiÌ„g to execute the kings coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t Troye Propontydes assembled theyr powre at the riuer of GraÌ„ik which doth deuid the coÌ„trei of Troie from propoÌ„tidis thei had to the nombre of .xx. M. fotmen as many horsemeÌ„ with whoÌ„ thei had takeÌ„ the grouÌ„d on the further sid of the ryuer wher AlexaÌ„der must nedes passe ouer wherof he being advertisid though he sawe but pÌ„seÌ„t ê‘il in theÌ„terprise to fight in the water the ouse froÌ„ the lower grouÌ„d The battal vppn the Ryuer of Grauyk agaynst his enemyes which had thaduantage of the higher bank yet vpon a singuler truste of hys owne good fortune and the valiantnes of his soulders attempted the matter At the fyrst he was sore resisted put in great hasard of repulse but at length he vanqueshed and otuerthrewe his enemies In doing whereof there neither wanted polycie in him self nor yet singler manhode in his men Ther was slayne in that battell of the percians .xx. M. fotemen with .cc.l. horsmen And of the Macedones but .xxxiiii. Thys victorie was greatlye effectuall to Alexanders purpose for therby he wan the Cytie of Sardes Sardes beinge the cheyfe strength the percians had for the maistering of the seas Lydia Ephelos vnto the whyche
Alexander remoued to the cytie of Marathon where he receyued letters from Darius that put him in great coller Letters froÌ„ Darius vnto Alexand because they were so arrogantly written the speciall poincte that moued AlexaÌ„der was for that Darius writing himself king did not vouchsaue to geue him that title but dyd write rather by way of coÌ„maundement then of request proffering for the ransom of his wife childreÌ„ somuch money as Macedon could receiue For the superioritie he said he put it to his choise to trie it by the sworde if he liste but if he would be better aduised he willed him to be content with his owne enheritauÌ„ce so he would ioyne in amitie with him become his frend in whiche poinct he was redy to enter into treatie â–ª Alexanders aunswere to Darius letters Alexander did wryte to him againe after this maner Darius whose name thou hast vsurped did great destruction vpon the Grekes inhabiting on the coast of Hellespont and vpoÌ„ the Iomans whiche be Greke cyties and from thence did passe the sea with a great army to make warre agaiÌ„st Grece and Macedon And also king zerxes the predecessour came to subdue vs with infinitie noÌ„bres which being vanquished in a battel on the sea left notwithstaÌ„ding Mardonius behind him in Grece to destroy their cities and burne their couÌ„treis It is manifest besides that Philip my father was slayne by such as were corrupted theruÌ„to with your money ye vndertake always vniust warres and occupyeng armes go about for all that to circumuent men with treason As thou of late hauing suche noÌ„bre of men in thine army diddest procure my death with the promis of a thousand talentes I am not therfore the beginner of the warres but repulce such iniuries as be proffered me In doing wherof through the help of the Goddes which fauour alway the right haue brought the more parte of Asia vnder my subiectioÌ„ hauing ouercoÌ„me the in battail by force of armes there is no cause that I should graunt the any thyng whiche haste not obserued towardes me the lawe of armes yet if thou wilt come and submit thyself I promis the that I will deliuer frely both thy mother wife and childreÌ„ for both I knowe howe to get the victory and howe to vse suche as I ouercome but if thou fearest to commit thy self to vs. I will geue the saufeconduite to come frely In the reste when thou writest vnto me remembre that thou writest not only to a king but also vnto hym that is thy kyng He sent this letter by Thersippus and went from thence into Phenicia Phenicia Biblon Sydon where the Cytie of Biblon was youlden vnto him And so came vnto Sydon which was a Cytie of great nobilitie by reason of the antiquitie and fame of the builders The same was vnder Stratos dominioÌ„ supported by the power of Darius who yeldyng more by the constreinte of the people then of his own good will was thought vnworthy to reigne there Alexand made a graunt to Ephestion that he should make suche one kyng whome the Sidons thought moste worthy that place There were diuerse noble yong men in that cytie that had familiaritie with Ephestion of whome he purposed to haue chosen one kynge but they refused his offre affirming that none myght enioye that dignitie except he were descended of the bloud roiall Ephestion wondred at the magnaminitie that was in them in despisyng the thyng whiche other sought for by sworde and fier and therfore sayd continewe you still in that vertuous mynde whiche be the firste that haue vnderstande howe muche more better it is to refuse then to receyue a kyngdome Chouse ye therefore suche one of the bloud royall that may remembre that he hath receyued the rule at your handes But when they sawe that diuers gaped for it and for the gredines they had to reigne fell to flatteryng such as were nere about Alexander resolued that there was none more mete for that dignitie then one Abdolominus who being of the auncient bloud of the kynges Abdolominus was made kyng for pouertie was enforced to dwell in a smale grange without the Cytie His honestie was the cause of his pouertie as it is to many other and beyng occupied in his daily labour harde no noyse of the warres that troubled all Asia They of whome we spake of before came into his gardein with garmentes to apparell hym lyke a kyng and found him weding of his ground whome they saluted as kyng and sayd vnto hym you muste make exchaunge of the vilenes of your apparell with these ryche robes we here ê‘sent you washe the body that is now foull and filthe take vpon you the harte of a kyng and in the fortune you be worthy to haue shewe the same moderacion and continencie you do vse presently And when you shall sit in your regall seate hauing in your handes power of the life and death of your people do in no wyse forget the estate ye were in when ye toke the kyngdom vpon you nor yet for what purpose ye did receiue it The matter seamed to Abdolominus lyke a dreame and asked them if they were madde that would mocke him after that manner But when he sawe theÌ„ affirme by othes the thyng to be in earnest he washed himself receiued the garment which was of purple gold so went with the into the palaice The fame as is wont in such a case did notably ronne abrode of this matter Some fauored the cause some did disdain it but suche as were riche did reproue his pouertie base estate to such as were nere about AlexaÌ„d which caused the king to send for him when he had loÌ„g beholdeÌ„ his behauour saied your personage doth not disagre to the fame of your lynage But I desire much to know with what pacience you did sustain your pouertie I would to God qd he I could beare my prosperitie in like case now when I am a kyng These handes did get that I desired hauing nothing I lacked nothing His wordes caused Alexander to conceiue of him a maruelous opinion so that he gaue vnto him not only the ryches stuf and furnimentes that appertained to the king before but also many thinges that were takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Percians adding to his dominion all the countrey nere about the citie In the meane season Amyntas with .iiii M. Grekes that escaped with him out of the field fled to Tripolis where he enbarcked them sailed vnto Cipres Tripolis thinking the world to be such then that euery one might enioy that he could get like as it had bene his owne enheritauÌ„ce His purpose was to go into Egipt so he thought to becoÌ„me enemy both to Darius Alexander waying with the worlde according as the tyme should alter Amintas ê‘swasion to his souldiours To briÌ„g therfore his souldiers to hope wel of his enterprice he declared how the gouernour of Egipt was slaine in
worthy to suffer misaduenture They geue a greuous sentence vpon the estate of mans mortalitie dispaire muche of mercy that deny their cōpassion to mē in misery Now therfore since the goddes haue offered to you the thing whiche ye durste neuer haue wisshed for that is your countrey your wiues your childrē being the thinges whiche men esteme more then lyfe redeame oftentymes with death why do you doubt for the enioymēt of thē to breake out of this imprisonemēt I iudge that a yet of our own countrey moste naturall to vs where me thīkes is an other maner of beholding the light other customes other religiō another maner of tonge whiche for the pleasaūtnes is coueted of the barbarous naciōs what great thinges therfore be those that ye would willingly leaue the wāte of which only is the cause of your misery My opiniō is plain that we visite our countrey our home and not refuse so great a benefite as Alexander hath proffered vs and if any be so deteined with the loue of suche wifes children as they haue gotten here in seruitude let suche be no impedement to others that of al thinges esteme moste their naturall countrey There were but few of his opiniō for custome that is of greater force then nature preuailed in that matter They agreed to demaunde of Alexander that he would geue vnto them some place to inhabite in and there chosed out an hundred to be suters vnto hym in that behalfe Whome when Alexander perceiued coming towardes hym thynking that they would haue required the thing that he conceiued in his minde I haue apointed to you qd he beastes to cary you and to euery one a M. denires and when you shal come to Grece I wil so do for you that excepting your misfortune no other shall thinke themselues in better case then you But when he sawe them loke still towardes the ground and that they neither lifted vp their countenaūces nor did speake he enquired the cause of their heuines Then Eutemon rehearsed again those thinges in effect which he had spoken before in coūsel The king therfore pitieng no lesse their demaunde then he did their misfortune cōmaunded .iii. M. deneres to be geuen to euery one of them garmentes besides with shepe cattell and corne wherby they might till and sowe the lande that should be appointed vnto them The next day he assembled all the captaines of his army togethers and shewed thē that there was no citie more enemy to the Grekes then the same that was the chief seage of the aunciēt kinges of Perce from whence all the great armies had bene sent into Grece and howe Darius first after Xerxes had come out of that place to moue their vniust warre against Europe with the destruction of whiche cytie he thought good to reuenge their predecessours Thinhabiters had abandoned the citie The taking of Persepolis fled where feare dyd driue thē Wherupon the king streight wayes brought in all his footemen to the spoyle therof He had before that time wonne many cities some by force some by composicion that were full of substaūce princes treasure But the ryches of that citie did excide all the rest as in the place where the Perciās had layd their whole substaunce Gold and siluer was there foūd in heapes and great plenty of ryche vestures and furnimentes of houses not only for necessitie and necessary vse but for excesse and ostentacion whiche was so great that it gaue the victourers occasion to fight amonges them selues eche takyng other for enemies that had gotten the rychest spoyle The plenty there was suche that they could not employe to their vse the ryches they found but when they sawe thynges of value estemed them rather then toke them away Till suche time that euery one couetyng to haue a parte of euery thyng tare and brake a sonder the princely robes and the precious vessels of curious workemanship and the Images of gold and syluer were either beaton in gobetes or plucked in peces as euery one caught holde nothing was left vntouched nor nothing caried away whole Crueltie bare no lesse rule there then couetousnes euery one was so laden with gold and siluer that they esteamed not the keping of prisoners but kylled suche as they first spared in hope of gayne There were many therefore that preuented their enemies handes with voluntary death and diuerse that clothyng them selues in their moste precious apparell leaped downe from the walles with their wyfes and chyldren Certayne there were that set their owne houses on fyer whiche they iudged their enemies woulde els haue done shortely after because they would burne themselues amunges their owne family At length the kyng dyd forbyd any violence to be done to women and that no man should medle with any thyng pertayning to them The some of money taken within this Cytie was greater then any man can well credite but eyther we muste doubte of the reste or els beleue that hath bene lefte in memory howe that the treasure there found The treasure taken at Persepolis amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand talentes whiche treasure because that Alexander purposed to employ in his warres caused horse and camels to be brought from Susis and Babilon to cary thesame The takyng of the Cytie of Persagadis Persagadis wherein was founde syx thousand talentes was an encrease to this some whiche Cytie beyng buylded by Cyrus was yeldid vp by Gobares that had the kepyng therof Gobares Alexander lefte in the castle of Persepolis thre thousand Macedons in guarrison vnder Nycarides Nicarydes capitaine of the same and reserued to Tiridates that deliuered hym the treasure thesame honour that he enioyed with Darius Leuing in this cytie the greater parte of his army with his cariages vnder the rule of Permenio and Craterus He with a thousand horsemen and a band of footemen without any bagage went to visite in the winter season the inward partes of Perce There he was vexed troubled with shoures tēpestes that were in maner intollerable but yet he letted not to go forwardes in his enterprise to the place that he appointed In his iourney he came vnto a coūtrey that was couered all with snowe thesame also frosen by force of the could The wildnes and desert maner therof put the souldiers that were weried of trauail insuch a feare and terror that they imagened to haue sene the vttermoste boūdes of the world For when they beheld all thinges wast and no signe appearing of habitaciō of man they were amased and made requeste to returne againe before that the light and the elementes should fail them The king would not chastice them being in this terror but leped frō his horse and went one fote in the snow and ice Which thing whē his frēdes sawe they could not for shame but folow then the captaines did the like and finally the souldiers The kyng was the first
was it no meruaill though he could not obstayne He turned towardes him and said thou vile slaue hast thou now found out a time mete to disclose the treason that lyeth in thy harte and therwyth all pulled out hys sworde to haue slaine him if Bessus had not straight waye come and the other Bactrians about him and letted his purpose they pretendyd to be sory for the matter But mindid in very dede to bind him if he had continued in his purpose In the meane season Nabazzanes escaped away and Bessus folowed after who imedialy dyd seperate the bandes they had charge of from the rest of the armye bicause they would vse them apart to their purpose Whē thei were departed Artabazus framed his talke according to thestate of the time then present and beganne to pacifie Darius wyth wordes putting him in remembraunce howe hys case was suche that it behoued hym to beare quietly the folishnes or rather the error of hys own men For asmuch as Alexander was at hande ouer sore an enemy for thē though there were no discord nor disobedience But if we shal be at variaunce qd he when he doth pursue vs our matters shal stand in very euil plight Thereupō Darius enclyned some what to Artabasus aduise though he was determined to remoue yet bicause he parceiued euery man to be troubled in mind remained still in the same place But he him selfe was so astoined with sorowe and disperaciō that he kept him self close and came not forth of his pauilion Wherupon the campe being without gouerment the hedes not consulting togither as they did before there rose amonges them great diuersitie of opynions and mocions of mynd Which thing when Patron sawe that was capetaine of the Greake souldiers he wylled his men to put on their armour to be in a redines to do as they should be apointed The Percyans encampyd by them selues and Bessus remained amonges the Bactrians practising to cary away the Percians into Bactria and to leue Darius signifieng to them the riches of that region yet vntouched and the perell they were in if they remayned styl But they were al in maner of one opynion that it was ouer great an offence for them to forsake their prince In the meane season Artabasus executed the kinges offence and went amongs the Percians in their lodginges admonishing and exorting them sometyme aparte and otherwhile all togithers and lefte them not before it apeared that they would do as the king would haue them That done with great paine difficulte he parsuaded Darius to take hys meate and to set hys mynd vpon hys busines But Bessus and Nabarzanes were so gredy to get the gouernement into their handes that they resolued to put in excution the thing they had longe conspired betwyxt them For so longe as Darius was in sauegard thei could not hope to cōpasse nor atteine so great powre and auctoritie The maiestie of a king is had in so great veneraciō amōges those nacions that at hys verie name they vse to assemble togither And the reuerens of Darius former fortune caused them to beare the like obedience to him in his aduersitie The greatnes and powre of the countreies whereof Bessus and Nabarzanes had the rule not being inferior to any other nacions in that parte of the world either in armour men or largenes of their territory gaue a great encourage vnto their wicked disposicions in attempting of this matter Which possessing the third part of Asia were able to make as great nombre of men as Darius before had loste In confidence wherof they not only dispised Darius but Alexander purposing when they were once become lordes of that countrey to reenforce from thence againe the powre of thempire mainteine the warres against the Macedōs Whē they had long deuised debated these thinges they determined to take Darius by the Bactriā souldiers which were at there cōmandiment then to send word to Alexander that they reserued him on liue to deliuer him vnto his hādes And if so be that Alexāder should nor accept their doing whiche in dede they doubted then ther purpose was to kill Darius and with their powre to flie into Bactria But for somuche as they sawe that Darius could not be taken openly seing there were so many thousādes redy to aide him And fearinge also the fidelitye of the Greakes determined to work by sleight the thing that they could not bring to passe by force Their deuise was lo coūterfeit a repentance of their former doinges in excusing vnto the king the feare they were in And in the mean season they sent certaine to practise with the Percians to proue their mindes The souldiers were tossed to fro with hope and feare Sometime thei thought that by leauing of ther king they should cōmit them selues to manifeste ruyne and destruccion and againe they remembred what entertaynment was promised them in Bactria that lay open for them where they should be receyued with such giftes and riches as they coulde not wel imagien Whiles Bessus Nabarzanes were bearīg of these thīges in their heades Artabasus came vnto them declaring howe Darius was wel pacefied and that they might of they would be in the same estate and degre with him that they were in before Therupon thei fel to weaping and purging of them selues requiring Artabasus that he would take vpon him the defence of there cause and cary their requeste and submissiō vnto the king The night was cōsumed in this kind of busines When it was day Nabarzanes wyth the Bactriā souldiers stode at the entrey of the kinges lodging colouring hys preuy treason with a solempne pretence of doing his dutye Darius caused warnyng to be giuen for his remoue and so mounted vpon hys chariot after his accustumed manner Nabarzanes and the other traytores fell vpon the ground to worshipe him and shed teares in token of repentaunce notwithstanding that they determined shortly after to put him in fetters mens nature is so apart to dissymulacion Darius being of a simple and gentle nature was enforced through their behauor not only to beleue that they pretēded but also caused him to weape for ioie yet that could not cause the traitors to alter ther porpose Whē they parceiued what kynd of man and what maner of prince they went about to deceiue Darius doubting nothing of his peril that was next at hand made al the haste he could to escape Alexander whom he only doubted Patron Patron that was captaine of the Grecians commaunded his souldiers to put on their harneys which they caried before in trusses and to be ready and attēt to euery thing that should be appointed thē For he vnderstanding the treason that Bessus went about folowed the kinges chariot seking occasiō to speake with him And Bessus doubting the same thing would not departe frō the chariot but folowed rather as a watche then a wayter Patron therefore hauing taried long interrupted oftentimes as he
sea the baÌ„kes therof resembling the hornes of the mone before it coÌ„meth to the full the sea lieng betwyxt them like a great bay vpon the lefte hand the people inhabite that be called Cercetes Cercetes whyche lye open towardes the north and vpon the other parte the Leucosyrians LeucosiriaÌ„s Mossynes Mossynes Chalybes and Chalibes and the plaines of the Amazones lye towardes the weste This sea whiche some call the Caspion and some the Hyrcanian sea The caspyoÌ„ sea being more sweater then anie other bringeth forth Serpentes of a wonderfull bignes and fyshes differinge in colour much from all the reste Theyr be dyuers of opynion that the lake of Meotis shoulde ronne into thys sea whiche they coniecture of the water thinkyng the same to receyue hys sweatnes of the lake Towardes the north the sea groweth into a fleat shore and putteth furth his waters farre vpoÌ„ the laÌ„d which rising high make many meares and plashes And as by certaine course of the planets they flowe out so at certaine time by an ebbe they returne in againe restoring the grouÌ„d to his former estate Some beleue those waters to be no parcel of the Caspian sea but that they come out of Inde and roÌ„ne into Hyrcania which lieth low in the forsaid vailey The king being remoued froÌ„ that place marched forwardes .xx. furlonge in a wylde desert way Where great woodes honge continually ner their heades and brokes of water and myer gaue great impediment to ther iourney But at length with out any impedimeÌ„t of his enemies he passed those difficulties and came vnto a more faire countrei wherin besides other vittells whereof it dyd habound grewe great plenty of appulles and the ground was veray apt for vynes There were also plenty of a certayne kynd of trees much like vnto okes whose leaues were couered with hony which the inhabitors gather before the sonne rising for els the moister would be drie vp with the heate When Alexander had passed .xxx. furlonges more forwardes Phrataphernes mette him yeldinge both him selfe such other as fled away after Darius death whom he receyued gentely and came to a towne called Aruas Aruas Phradates Thether came Craterus and Erigonus bringing with theÌ„ Phradates that had the rule of the Tapurians Tapurians whose frendly receyuing and gentle entertainment was the cause that many folowed his ensample in committing themselues to Alexanders mercy Menape was made their prince of Hitcania Menape who being a banished man in the tyme of Occhus came to king Philipp for refuge Phradates also was restored to the office he had before When Alexander was come to the vttermost bouÌ„des of Hiâ—cania Artabasus Artabayus yelded to Aâ—exander whom we declared to shewe hym selfe faithfull alway to hys Master met AlexaÌ„der with Darius kinsmen and children and with a smalle bande of Greake souldiers The kyng at his comming proffered him his hand bicause he had byn entertayned before by king Philippe when he was banished by Occhus but the chief cause that he accepted him so well was for the coÌ„tinual fidelitie that he obserued towardes his prince He beinge thus gentlye receyued by Alexander sayd vnto him Sir long may you florishe and reigne in perpetuall felicitie I that reioyce in all other thinges with one ani chiefly greuid that by reason of myne olde age I shall not be hable long to reioyse your goodnes He was iiii score .v. yeares of age brought with him .ix. sonnes borne of one mother whoÌ„ he presented before the king prayeng god to continewe their liues so long as their seruice might be acceptable vnto him Alexander was accustomed much to walk on fote but then left he the olde man might be ashamed to ride he goinge on fote called for horses for them bothe When he was encaÌ„ped he sent for the Grekes that Artabasus brought But they made requeste firste that he woulde giue assurance to the LacedemoniaÌ„s that were amoÌ„ges theÌ„ or els they would take aduise amonges them selues what were beste to do The same were the Embasseadours that the LacedemoniaÌ„s had sent vnto Darius After whose ouerthrowe they ioyned them selues to the Greakes that were in his wages The king willed theÌ„ to leue al assurauÌ„ces coÌ„posicioÌ„s come to receiue such apointment as he would gyue them They stode long in a staye vareing in openions but at length they agreed so to do Sauing Democrates of AtheÌ„ce which chefly had euer oppugned the successe of the Mace dons dispairing of pardon flewe him self But thother as they had determyned submitted them selues to AlexaÌ„ders wil being .x. M. vc in nuÌ„bre besides .iiii score .x of such as were seÌ„t Embassadores vnto Darius The more parte of the souldiers were distrubuted amongs the bandes to fyll vp the nombres that waÌ„ted and the rest were sent home except the Lacedemonians which he commaunded to be put in prison Ther was a nacion called Mardons bounding next to Hircania The Mardons rude in their manners and vsagies accustumed to lyue by theft They neither sent Embassadores nor gaue anye significacion that they woulde be at Alexanders commauÌ„diment he toke therat great indingnacioÌ„ that any one people should giue impediment to his victory And therfore leuing a guard for his cariages went against them with a strong powre He merched forwardes in the night and by the tyme that the day appeared his enemies were in sight But the matter came rather to a larom then to any fyght For thennemies were sone driuen from the hilles Who flieng away left their villagies to be sacked by the Macedons But the armye could not passe into the inward partes of the countrey without great trouble veracion the same being compassed about with high montains great woodes desert rockes â–ª the partes which were plaine were defended with a straung kind of fortificacion that is to say with tres set thick of purpose the bowes whereof wheÌ„ they were yong were wreathed one wythin an other The toppes bowed downe were put into the grouÌ„d againe from whence as out of an other rote ther sprong new bâ—aunches Which they would not suffre to growe as nature brought furth but did knit them so one with an other that when they were full of leaues they couered clene the earth The trees thus wreathed one with an other enclosed in the countrey as it were with a continuall hedge and were as snares to entangle suche as would go about to entre ther was no way could be deuised to passe through the same but onliby cutting down of the wood And therin they found a great difficultie and much trauail by reason that the wreathing wrappinge togither of the bowes kept them of from the bodies of the tres And the weaknes of the bowes so yelded to the strokes that they could not wel be cut a sonder The inhabiters of the countrey were accusâ—umed to creape amonges the brush like wilde bestes and by pryuie salies
breake out vpon their enemies AlexaÌ„der therfore caused his men after the maner of hunters to sake out ther lurkiÌ„g places killed many of them But at length he enuironed the woode with his souldiers round about to thintent they might breake in at euery place wher they should spie any entrey Wherby many wandred lost ther company in places that they knew not and were taken prysoners And amonges them Bucephalus AlexaÌ„ders horse Bucephalus Alexanders horse whom he did not esteame as men do other beastes for he would not suffre any other man to come vpon hys back and when the kynge would ride he would kneell downe vpon hys knees to receiue him so that he seamed to haue the sence to vnderstand whom he caried Alexander was more sorowfull and sturred to a greater wrath for the losse of the horse theÌ„ was expedient for such a cause for serching about to get the horse againe caused proclamacioÌ„ to be made by an interpreter the except he were restored he wold not leaue one of them aliue WheÌ„ they hard this terrible threating amoÌ„ges other giftes they presented vnto Alexander his horse yet he was not therwyth pacefied but comaunded the woodes to be cut downe earth to be brought for making of the wayes smooth which he cutt through the woodes This worck went so wel forward that the inhabiters dispayring of habilitie to defend their countrey yelded them selues to the kinge who receyuing their pledges committed them to the keaping of Phradates And from thence the fifte day returned againe to his campe There he gaue to Artabasus the double honor that Darius did vnto him and sent him home againe into his countrey After that he came to that citie of Hircania where Darius Palace was Nabarzanes vpon assurance came thither bringing with him great giftes and amonges the reste presented vnto AlexaÌ„der Bagoas an Enuche of singuler beauty being in the firste flowre of youth whom Darius accustomed and after Alexander The Amazons At whose intercession speicially he did pardon Nabarzanes The nacion of the AmazoÌ„s being nere vnto Hircania as hath bene sayed before did inhabite the playnes of Themiscirae about the riuer of Thermodoonta Thermodoonta had a quene reigning ouer theÌ„ called Thalestris which kept vnder her dominion all the countries betwene the Mount Caucasus and the riuer of Phasis Phasis who for the greate affeccion she had to see Alexander trauailed out of hir owne countrey and being come nere where he was she sente certayne before to declare that a quene was come of desire to visite him and to make hir acquayntaunce Whan libertie was giuen her to come to his presence she caused all the rest of hir band to stay and the came forwardes accompanied with .ccc. women Assone as she parceyued Alexander Thalestrys meâ—te Alexander she leaped from her horse carieng two Lances in hir hande The Amazons apparell is suche that it doth not couer all their bodies for their brestes be bare on the lefte syde nor their garmentes whiche they vse to knytte vp with a knot come not to their knees One breste thei alwaies reserue vntouched wherewith they noryshe their woman children but their ryght breastes thei vse to seare to make them more apt to drawe their bowes and caste their dartes Thalestis behelde Alexander with a bold countenaunce and considered in lokyng vpon hym that his personage aunswered not to the same that she had heard of his actes For the barbarous nacions geue great veneracion to the maiestie of the personage thynking none to be sufficient for the doing of greate actes but suche as nature haue endued with great personages It was demaunded of her if she had any request to make vnto Alexander Wherat she abashed not to confesse that she was come thether to get chyldren with hym thynkyng her selfe a personage worthy of whome he should get heires to enherite his kyngdome Couenanting that if it were a womaÌ„ she wold kepe it styll and if it were a man chylde she would restore it to the father Alexander enquired of her if she would go forwardes with him in his warres but therin she excused her selfe that she had left no ordre for the defence of her kyngdome But she continued styll in declaration of the cause of her commyng and required that her hope therein myght not be in vayne The womans appetite seamed to be more vehemently geuen to luste then the kynges was yet she obtayned of hym to stay for her cause and consumed thirtene daies in satisfieng of her desire Here AlexaÌ„der first forsoke vertue and fell to vice That done she departed to her owne kyngdome and Alexander went to Patthinia which was the place where he first shewed manifestly the vices that were in hym there he turned his continency and moderacion being the moste excellent vertues appearing in any kynde of estate into pryde and voluptuousnesse not esteamyng hys countrey customes nor the holsome temperaunce that was in the vsagies and discipline of the kynges of Macedon whiche iudged their ciuill vsage and maner to be ouer base for his greatnes but did counterfeit the heyghte and pompe of the Kynges of Perce representing the greatnes of the Goddes He was content to suffre men there to fall downe flat vpon the ground and worshyp hym and accustomed the victors of so many nacions by litle and litle to seruile offices coueting to make them equall vnto his captiues He ware vpon his head a diademe of purple interpaled with white lyke as Darius was accustomed and fasshioned his apparell of the maner of the Percians without scrupulesitie of any euell token that it signified for the victorer to chaunge his habite into the fasshion of hym whome he had vanquisshed And though he aduaunted that he ware the spoiles of his enemies yet with those spoyles he put vpon him their euell maners and the insolency of the mynde followed the pride of the apparell Besides he sealed suche letters as he sent into Europe with his accustomed seale but all the letters he sent abrode into Asia were sealed with Darius rynge So it appeared that one mynde could not beare the greatnes that apperteyned to two He apparelled also his frendes his capitaynes and his horsemen in Percian apparell wherat though they grudged in their myndes yet they durst not refuse it for feare of his displeasure His court was replenisshed with concubines for he still maynteined thre hundred .lx. that belonged to Darius amonges them were flockes of Enukes accustomed to perfourme the vse of women The old souldiers of Philippe naturally abhorryng suche thinges manifestly withstode to be infected with suche voluptuousnes and strauÌ„ge customes Wherupon there rose a general talke and opinioÌ„ throughout the caÌ„pe that they had lost more by the victory then they had wonne by the warre For when they sawe themselues ouercome in suche excesse foreine customes so to preuaile amonges them they iudged it aslender reward of their long being
instaunt he knew of the conspiracye firste he opened it to Philotas of whom he saied he might enquere the trueth Therupō it was demaunded of him whether he hadde required Philotas to be broughte to the kynges presence or no. Whiche thynge when the kyng by his confession perceiued to be true and that he did stifly abide by his first tale he lifted vp his handes to heauen the teares fallynge from his eyes greatlye complainynge that Philotas shoulde requite him with suche vntruthe whom he moste assuredly trusted Dimnus slew him selfe Dymnus in the meane season knowynge for what cause he was sente for wounded him selfe to death but yet somewhat letted by thē that were sente to take hym was broughte before the kynge whom as sone as he behelde saied vnto him Dymnus what haue I offended the that thou shouldest thinke Philotas more worthy to be kynge of Macedon then I. At whyche wordes Dymnus became speacheles and castynge forthe a greate sighe turned his face from the kynges sight and fell downe deade The kings wordes to Philotas The kynge called Philotas before him and saied this man whom thou here seest should haue suffered death if it could haue bene proued that he hadde conceiled two dayes the treason prepensed againste me with the whiche matter he chargeth Philotas to whome as he sayth he gaue knowledge immediatly the more nere thou art about me so muche more greater is thy offence and the fault had bene more tollerable in hym then in the. Howbeit thou hast a fauorable iudge for if there be any thyng that cannot be excused yet at the lest it may be pardoned Philotas aunswere To this Philotas nothing abasshed if the hart may be iudged by the coūtenaunce made aunswere that Ciballinus brought hym a tale the reporter wherof was ouer light of credit to be beleued and that he feared lest by the presentyng of suche a matter whiche did ryse vpon brabling betwixt two persones of euill disposiciō he might haue bene laught to scorne But afterwardes when he once knewe that Dymnus had slayne hymselfe he was clerely then resolued no longer to haue prolonged the thyng And so fallyng down before the kyng be sought him that he would rather haue respect to his life paste then to his fault whiche was only a consealement and no acte done It is hard to say whether the kyng beleued hym or grounded his displeasure more deapely in his harte neuertheles in token of pardon gaue hym his hand sayeng howe it appeared that thaccusacion was rather miscredited by hym then consealed of malice Alexander called a coūsell Notwithstanding he called his counsell together amonges whom Philotas was not admitted but Nycomachus was brought in before thē where he declared all suche matters as he before had shewed to the kyng There was one Craterus in speciall fauour with Alexander whiche for thenuie he had to Philotas aduauncement bare him alwaies grudge Who knew very wel that the kyng had often bene displeased with Philotas for the ouermuche auaunting of his good seruice and valeaunt actes but yet for all that in those matters he was not suspected of treason but onelye noted of presumption and arrogancie Craterus thought that he could not haue a better occasion to oppresse his enemy by colouryng his priuate hatred with a pretence of dutie towardes his Prince Woulde God quod he ye had taken our counsaile in the beginnyng of this matter for if ye woulde nedes haue pardoned ye shoulde haue kept from his knowledge how muche he was in your daunger rather then to haue brought him in feare of his life wherby ye shal make him more mindefull of his owne perill then of your goodnesse For he maie alwayes imagine your death but you shal not be alwaies in case to pardō him Let it neuer sinke in your hart that he which purposed so haynous a treason woulde chaunge his purpose for the beneuolence of a pardon you knowe well that such as offende are often in dispayre of mercy And though he perchaunce either with repentaunce of his faulte or remembraūce of your goodnes woulde chaunge his minde yet I am sure that his father Parmenio generall capitaine of so greate an armye and of so grounded aucthoritie amongest your souldiours that is with theim in maner as your selfe would be euill content to be in your debt for his sonnes life There be certaine benefites hatefull to men and it is shame to confesse to haue deserued death Therefore I conclude that he had rather it shoulde be thought you had done him wronge thē that ye had geuen him his life I can not see therefore but you shall be enforced to destroye theim for your owne suertie There be enemies enoughe remainynge yet vnconquered against whom we be goyng make your selfe sure from your foes at home so shal ye haue lesse nede to feare your enemies abrode The opiniō of the coūsaile These were Craterus wordes and the residue of the counsail were of opinion that Philotas woulde neuer haue conseiled this conspiracie excepte he had bene either principall or priuye therunto For thei thought there was no true man or of honest hart though he had bene none of the kynges familiers but one of his meane Seruauntes hearinge so muche as Philotas hearde but woulde forthwith haue opened the marter yet he beynge the sonne of Parmenio the master of the kynges horse of his priuie coūsaile did not so much as the straūger which straight waies made relation of that his brother had told him And where as he pretended that the king was at no leasure that thei iudged to be done to thentente the accuser shoulde not seke any other to whom he might vtter it Wher as Nicomachus albeit he was bounde by his othe to the cōtrary yet woulde he neuer rest till he had discharged his conscience But Philotas when he cōsumed in maner the whole daie in sport and pastime with the Kynge coulde not finde in his harte to caste forthe a fewe wordes specially in a matter so muche concernyng the kynges safegarde But admit quod they he had geuē no credite to the matter throughe the lightnes of the reporter why shoulde he haue differred the accuser .ii. daies as thoughe he had beleued it For if he had misliked the tale he might haue dismissed the partye It was also alledged that euerye mans mynde muche misgeueth him when the matter concerneth his owne ieopardye Muche more ought men to be credulous when it touched the suretie of a kynges person in whiche ease it ought to be examined though it be of small weight Thei al therfore determined that Philotas should be enforced to disclose the parteners of the conspiracie The king cōmaundyng thē to kepe the matter secrete departed and to the entente no inglynge shoulde appeare of this newe counsaile he caused it to be proclaimed that the armye should set forwardes the next daye The same night the Kynge called Philotas to a bācquete with whom he
me But beit that Dimnus were aliue wold spare me what thinke you by the other would thei coÌ„fesse of theÌ„selues forbeare me aduersitie as subiecte to manye miseries An offender wheÌ„ he is punished him self vseth not to kepe silence to spare another man Comonlye he that goeth to death wil spare no man nor no maÌ„ wil spare him that is ready to dye yet so many as be giltye put to tormentes wil there none coÌ„fesse the trueth But now I must aunswere to the point that was offence if there were any Why did I coÌ„ceile treasoÌ„ why did I heare it with so small regarde this fault if it were a faulte thou hast pardoned me O Alexander whersoeuer thou aâ—t by geuing me thy hand bidding me to thy bancâ—uet in token of atonement If thou didst beleue me I am clere If thou forgauest me I am quitte Stand at the least to thine owne iudgemeÌ„t Alas what haue I done siÌ„ce this laste nyghte â–ª I wente from thy bourde What newe reporte hathe chaunged thy mynde I rested in a sound slepe when mine enemies by their bindyng waked me that was sleapyng in myne owne misfortune OffeÌ„ders wheÌ„ thei can not slepe through their vnquiet coscience are wont to be vexed with rages not onely when their mischiefe is intended but also wheÌ„ it is ended But this â—uietnes came to me first throughe mine owne innocencye and then by the kinges pardon I feared not that others cruelâ—y shoulde take more place then his mercye But least he shoulde forthinke that he beleued me ye shall vnderstande that the matter was firste shewed me by a light felow who could not bring any witnes or waraÌ„t of his tale which if I had disclosed should haue put many men to trouble O vnhappy man I thought mine eares had bene seduced with the brabblemeÌ„tes of two boggerers and I suspected the trouth of the partie because he did not vtter the matter him selfe but procured his brother to do it I was in feare that the one shoulde haue denied that euer he shewed anye suche matter to the other and then shoulde I haue seamed to procure much trouble to manye of the Kynges frendes So that where I offended none I haue found some more desirous to procure my death then to saue my lief What hatred suppose ye shuld I haue gotten if I had accused innocents But Dymnus slew him self could I therefore deuyne afore that he would so do no surely Thus his death being the thing that only tried thaccusatyon trewe could not moue me to vtter it being preueÌ„ted by an other And if I had bene coÌ„spiratour with Dymnus of so great a treason It is not like that I would haue dyssimuled by the space of two daies after it was discouered As for Ceballinus it had bene smal mastery to haue dispatched him out of the way After the thing dysclosed wherefore should I haue delayed the matter I entred into the kings chambre alone hauing weapon about me whye deferred I my purpose durst I not attempt it with out Dymnus no parchaunce ye wyll saye bicause he was the cheife conspirator howe then standeth it to gither that I should be hys vnderling which did couet to be king of Macedon which of you al hath bene corrupte of me wyth bribes what capitaine what officer haue I made of aboue other It is laide to my charge that I abhorre the speakinge of my countrey language and that I disdaine the manners of the Macedons What do I so dispise the kyngdome that I couet Ye knowe well that our naturall tounge through the conuersacion of straung nacions is gonne out of vre as wel we that be victorers as they that be subdued must learne a newe language But suerly these things make no more against me theÌ„ dyd the treason that Amintas the sonne of Pardycas intended agaynste the Kynge Wyth whom I had frendshyp I wyll not deny excepte ye wyll make it a thinge vnlawfull to loue the kynges brother But â—ythens it was our dutie to honor a maÌ„ called to the degre of fortune I besech you am I gilty bicause I coulde not gesse before that he would offend Is the lawe so that the frends of offenders must suffre being innocents If that be reason why liue I so longe if it be no reasoÌ„ why am I coÌ„dempned to die But then I wrot that I had pietie of those that should liue vnder such a one as beleued him selfe the Sonne of Iupiter O faithfull fendship and daungerous libertie of true counsel that deceiued me that compelled me not to hide that I thought I confesse that I wrote so to the kinge but not of the king I dyd it not for spite but for my duities sake Mee thought it more meter for Alexander to haue knowledged the kindred of Iupiter wyth silence then to haue made auannt therof with vaine bosting But forbicause the truth of goddes Oracle is certeine lette god be witnes in my cause Retaine me in prison till ye may know Iupiters aunswere concerning this coÌ„spirasie And in the meane season he that hath vouchsaued our kynge to be his sonne will suffre none of them that haue coÌ„spired againste his ofspring to be vnknown If you suppose tormentes more certaine then Oracles I wil not desire to be saued from them in triall of the truth There is an olde vsage that such as be put to aunswere vpon life death are wont to bring there parents and kinsfolks before you Two brothers of late haue I loste my father neither I can bringe forth nor dare cal for bicause he is accused of this treason likewise Is it a small thing for him that was the father of many children and hauing but one sonne lest him in whom to take pleasure not only to lose him but also to lease his owne life with him Therfore my most dere father shalt thou dye for me with me it is I that take thy liefe from the. It is I that ende thyne olde dayes Why diddest thou beget me vnhappy wretch in hatred of the gods to take such frute by me as is prepared for the. I am in doubt whether my youth be more vnhappy or thy age For I in the very floure of myne yeres am wedded vp â–ª there cutioner shall bereue the thy life Whiche if fortune would haue suffred to continew yet nature would haue asked or it had bene loÌ„g The remeÌ„braunce of my father doth put me in mynd how loth timerous that I ought to haue bene in reporting of tales For when my father was enfourmed that Philip the phisicioÌ„ had prepared poyson for the king he wrote a letter to warne the king that he should not receiue the medicine that his phisicion had prepared was my father beleued was his letter of any aucthoritie I my self when I haue reported such thinges as I hard how often haue I bene shaken of with a check for my light belefe so that when we tel thinges we are hated
wheÌ„ we hold our peace we are suspected what would you haue vs do Then one of the company that stode by cried out that none ought to be traitours to them that put them in trust Thou saiest well qd Philotas whosoeuer thou art And therfore if I haue done treason I require no respect of my paine And here will I make an end of speaking because my last wordes seme tedious to your eares And as he was speaking so his keapers led him away There was amoÌ„ges the captaines one Belon Belons euidence a hardy man but very rude of al honest maner ciuilitie who being an old souldier was promoted froÌ„ lowe estate to the rowme of a captain This Belon presuming vpon a folishe audacitie when all others had done began to tell theÌ„ that wheÌ„ diuers had taken vp their lodginges in the campe how they were thurst out by the seruauntes of Philotas which would lay their baggage where other meÌ„ were placed before And how all the streates were ful of his wagons ladeÌ„ with gold and siluer He added further that Philotas would suffre none to lodge nere him but alwayes appointed certaine to wayte whiles he stept which should voyde al men alowf to thinteÌ„t he should not be disquieted with any noyse not so much for wakening of him as for his diseasing And howe he was so hault that he dispised the plaine men of Phrigia and Paphlagonia being a MacedoÌ„ borne would not be ashamed to here men of his owne nacion by an interpreter And where as Philotas had before moued to haue the oracle of Iupiter enquired of he sayd it was ment therby to make God a lier for knowledging AlexaÌ„der to be his sonne as though any man should enuie the king for that title whiche the goddes had geuen him But why qd he did he not aske counsel of Iupiter afore he did offend For nowe he would haue vs send for an oracle that in the meane season his father which ruleth in Media might raise a power vp with the money that he hath in custody might assemble disperat persones to the felowship of his mischief Neuertheles we shal qd he send to Iupiter not to enquire of any thing towching the matter but to geue him thankes do him sacrifice for the preseruacion of so good a king Then all the coÌ„pany was moued and amonges the kinges houshold there began a crye that the traytour shoulde be rent in peaces Whiche thyng Philotas who feared more greuous punyshement was content to heare The kyng returnyng into the prease deferred the counsell till the next day to thinteÌ„t to coÌ„mit Philotas either to prison there to be racked or els in the meane season to get further knowledge of thinges And albeit it drue towardes night yet commaunded he hys counsell to be called together Some of them thought it best Philotas should be stoned to death after the MacedoÌ„s lawes EphestioÌ„ Craterus and Cenus determined to haue the trouth tried by tormentes and then they which counseled the contrary turned to their opynion Therfore when the counsel was broken vp Ephestion with craterus and Cenus arose to take Philotas thexaminacion The king called Craterus vnto him and commauding the rest to auoide had secret coÌ„muinicacion with him in the innermoste parte of his lodging theffect wherof came not to any mans knowledg And their taried tyll the night was farre passed Philotas â—acked to here th end of thexaminacioÌ„ The executyoners set forth al sortes of cruel torments in the sight of Philotas who of his own mind said vnto them Why deferre you to kill such one as hath confessed hym selfe the kings enemy and a traitour what nedeth more examinacion It was myne intent It was my wil. Craterê° mind was that whatsoeuer was confessed before should be coÌ„fessed by Philotas againe vpon the racke Whych whiles he was taken vp hys eyes bounden and spoyled of his clothes cried out vpon the lawe of nature and the gods of the countrey But al was in vaine to their death eares Fynally as a condempned man he was torne wyth moste extreame torments by his enemies that wronge him sore for the kinges pleasure And notwithstanding that at the first fire on the one side and scourges on thother were ministred vnto him more to payne him then for any examinacion sake yet he had powre of him self to refraine both from speaking and groning But after that hys body beganne to be bolne with stripes that he coulde not abide the scourges that persed vnto the bare bones Then he promised if they would torment him no more he would confesse whatsoeuer they shoulde require to know But first he would haue them swere by the life of Alexander that thei shoulde cesse their tormentes set the racke aside The which thing obteyned he saied to Craterus Tell me what wil ye haue me to coÌ„fesse Therat Craterus was displeased thinkinge by those wordes that he had mocked him The confession or Philotas caused his tormentes to be renued Then Philotas besought him to haue a time of respite whiles he might take his breath then he would vtter all that euer he knewe In the meane season the chefe of the men at armes especially such as were nere to Parmenio in any degre of kinred after that the fame had bruted that Philotas was tormeÌ„ted fearing the MacedoÌ„s law wherin it was ordeined that the kinsâ—olke of suche as had done treasoÌ„ against the king should be put to death with the traitors Some slew them selues some fled into wilde mouÌ„taines and waist wildernesses great dreade feare fell through all the host vntil such time as the king hauing knowlege of that vprore made proclamation that he would pardon the rigour of the lawe to the kinsfolke of the traitours But in coÌ„clusion Philotas made this coÌ„fession whether it were to deliuer him self out of paine by accusyng him self falsly or not it is doubted Seing it is coÌ„munely sene that both such as truely coÌ„fesse falsly denye come all to one ende You are not ignoraunt quod he how familier my father was with Egilocus I meane the same that was slaine in the feild he was the cause of all our mischiefe For when the kyng toke vpoÌ„ him the title of Iupiters sonne he disdained therat Shal we knowlege him quod he to be our kyng that taketh scorne that Phillip was his father We are al vndone if we can suffer this He doth not onelye despise men but the Gods also which wil be reputed a God We haue lost Alexander we haue lost our kyng We are fallen to presumption nether tollerable to the Gods with whom he coÌ„pareth neither to men whom he despiseth Haue we with our bloud made him a god which despiseth vs which disdayneth to be in the numbre of men Trust me that we also if we be men shall be adopted likewise of the Gods Who hath reueÌ„ged the deathes of AlexaÌ„dre his great grandfather or of Archilaus or
long agoe by his mothers letters wherby he had warning to beware of thē and that now fearing the sequel of worser incōueniences had made thē sure wherunto he was enforced by apparaūt presūptions First he saied that day before Philotas treason came to light it was well knowen that they had much cōference with him in secrete also their brother which fled away whē Philotas was on that racke had declared by the absēting of him self the cause of his fliyng He shewed also that of late cōtrary to their accustomed maner of waiting without any cause mouing thē therunto but only by pretence of diligence preased next about the king of all other wherat marueilyng that they would furnish a roume wherunto thei were not appointed became so in doubt of their clustering together that he returned into the traine of the gētlemen that folowed him He declared besides that when Antiphanes clarke of the stable Antiphanes the daye before Philotas treasō came to light according to his accustomable maner gaue knowlege to Amintas that he should deliuer of his horse to such as had loste their owne He proudly aunswered again that except he would cōtent him selfe he should know shortly what maner of man he was Which violence of tonge rashnes of wordes bulked out quod he was nothing els but a declaratiō token of his traiterous hart These thinges beyng true he saied thei had no lesse deserued thē Philotas and if they were otherwise he desired thei might aunswere vnto the pointes Therupon Antiphanes was brought in to geue euidence of the horse not deliuered and of his proud aunswere geuē with threatening Whē Amintas had gottē libertie to speake he desired of the king that whiles they answered for thē selues their bādes might be losed which thing obtayned he made suite to haue his garment cast vpō him Thanswer of Amintas Which Alexander not only graūted but willed also such a spere to be deliuerd to his handes as other esquires vsed When he had receiued the same he eschued a little the place where the corps of Lincestes laye saied in this wise Whatsoeuer shall become of vs sir kyng we muste thinke if our chaunce be good the same to procede of your fauour if it be yil we must iudge the fault to be in our fortune seinge you suffer vs to pleade our cause without preiudice setting our mindes free our bodies at large with the same apparel restored vs wherin we were wōte to folow you Our cause is suche that we cā not doubt of it and we are passed the feare of fortune Therfore with your fauoure I wil aunswere first those poyntes wherwith you charged vs laste We knowe most assuredly that we be innocent of any kind of wordes spokē to the derogation of your maiestie And durst affirme that you had ouercome all enuy of men but that peraduenture you would thinke that I wente aboute wyth faire wordes to excuse thinges that haue bene maliciously spoken Though it were so that wordes sometime did escape vs either when we were fainte or weried in marchyng hasardyng our selues in fightynge or elles when we were sicke or dressyng of our woūdes our honest doynges otherwise do deserue that ye shoulde rather impute the same to the time then to any euil dispositiō in vs. For it is commenly sene where any thing chaūceth amisse al mē in maner become gilty of this fault We do violence sometime to our owne bodies whiche we hate not Yea the comming of the fathers vnto the children sometime is bothe vngratefull and also hateful But on the other side whē we receiue rewardes or giftes or whē we come ladē home with spoyle who can the stay vs who cā restraine our chearefulnes or who cā resist our courage in fighting The nature of mā is nether to kepe measure in displeasure nor in gladnes Thus are we driuē by the violēce of affectiō sometime with pitie sometime with fury as our presēt desire doth gouern vs. One while we are in mind to passe through India as far as the Occeā sea by by the memory of our wiues children and countrey call vs backe agayne dothe alter our purpose But as sone as the trumpet bloweth straight al these imaginations do passe away and euerye man then runneth into his araye and reuenge vpon their enemies the displeasures thei haue conceiued within their lodgynges I woulde Philotas had offended but onelye in wordes but passynge ouer that I will returne to the other poynte wherof we be accused The frendship that was betwixt Philotas vs. I will not onely not denye but also confesse that we did couet the same receiued therby great cōmoditye Do you maruaile that we did honoure and esteme the Sonne of Parmenio whom you did chose to be next about your persone and did auaunce aboue all other your frēdes you your self if it please you to heare the trueth are the cause of this our peryl What other thing moued vs to couet Philotas frendshyppe then that wee desired to please you By his preferment we were aduaūced to that degree of your fauour He stode in such case wyth you that it behoued vs as well to sue for his beneuolence as to feare to get his displeasure Haue not we sworne that we shoulde repute your enemies our enemies and honoure your frendes as our owne Should we haue bene found disobediēt in thys bonde of our dutie and specially towardes him whom ye did preferre aboue al mē If this be a fault ye haue fewe innocentes or surely none at all All men desired to be Philotas frendes but all that did couet coulde not be accepted So if ye will make no difference betwene the parteners of his treason and suche as were his frendes then so many be offenders as would haue bene his frendes What presūption haue you now that we shoulde offende I thinke because yesterday Philotas talked with vs familiarly alone Therof I cā not excuse my selfe if yesterday I chaūged any thing of mine accustomed maner liuyng but if so be we vsed euery day to do the like then custome must nedes make it to be none offēce But it may be said the horses were not deliuered to Antiphanes and the day before Philotas was detected this matter was betwene Antiphanes me for which cause if he wold make me to be suspected because I deliuered him not my horses that day There shal rise a doubtfull plee betwene the denier the demaūder sauing that his cause is better that kepeth stil his owne thē his that requireth another mans I had ten horses of the which Antiphanes had distributed .viii to suche as had loste their owne so there remained behind onely two which whē he would proudly wrongfully haue taken away I was enforced to kepe thē stil except I would haue serued on fote I can not denye but this cōmunicatiō was had betwene a man of a fre stomake a person of a
vile nature which could do no maner seruice but take away mēs horses geue thē to other What mischef is this that at one time I must purge my selfe both to Alexander and to Antiphanes But to the other poynte that your mother did write to you of vs as of your enemies I would god she had more wisely bene careful of hir sonnes safegarde thē doubtfully imagined such fained figures Why doth she not also expresse the cause of hir feare Besides she sheweth not hir aucthour nor yet signifieth one word wherby she was moued to write to you suche letters of feare O wretched estate of mine whiche standeth in lesse hasarde to howe my peace thē to speake Yet howsoeuer the matter shall passe I had rather mine excuse shoulde displease you then my cause If you remembre when ye sente me to fetche newe souldiours out of Macedon ye shewed me that in your mothers house there lurked many lusty yong gētlemen wherfore ye cōmaūded me that in executing your cōmissiō I should spare none but brynge with me perforce all suche as refused the warres Whyche thynge I did and fulfilled your will therin more largelye then was expedient for me For I brought vnto you Gorgeas Herateus and Gorgata whiche nowe minister vnto you right acceptable seruice What creature therfore is more wretched thē I which if I had not fulfilled your will should rightfully haue suffered and nowe peryshe because I obeyed you For truely there was none other cause that moued your Mother to persecute vs then that we preferred your vtilitie before a womans fauoure I brought vnto you of Macedons .vi. M. footemen .viii. hūdred horsemen of the which the more part woulde not haue folowed me If I hadde released suche as woulde not haue come It is reason therefore that in as muche as your mother is displeased wyth vs for your cause that ye mitigate her in whose displeasure ye haue put vs. Whiles Amyntas was thus pleadynge his cause thei that had pursued his brother Palemon of whō we spake before came leadyng him bounde into the place Palemon Then the rage of the people could scaresly be pacified but as the maner was in such causes thei would haue stoned Palemon to deathe Yet he boldelye spake to theim and saied I desire no fauoure for my selfe so that my fliynge be not hurteful to the innocency of my brethrē whom if ye can not thinke cleare let the faulte be layed to me For their matter appeareth the better because I whyche fled awaye am suspected Assone as he had spokē these wordes the whole assēble were inclined in his fauoure and resolued to teares beyng so sodainly cōtrary turned that now they were al conuerted on his parte whiche a litle before were al against him He was in the prime stoure of his youth through other mens feare fled away amōgest those horsemen which were amased at Philotas tormentes His cōpanye had left him behinde whiles he was in doubte whether he might turne againe or fle further forwardes was taken by theim whiche pursued after him He thē began to wepe and beate him selfe about the face not so much lamentyng his owne chaūce as the case of his brethren beyng in daūger for his cause with which his behauour he moued the kyng and al the cōpany there present Onely his brother Amintas coulde not be pacified but behelde him with a fierce countenaunce saied O madde creature then oughtest thou to haue wept when thou diddest put thy spores to thy horse as a traitour to thy brethren and a companion of traitours Thou wretche whether from whence didest thou flye Thou hast now brought to passe that bothe I am thought worthy of death also must become an accuser of other Palemon therupō confessed him selfe to haue offended in that pointe but more greuously against his brethren then towardes him selfe Thē the multitude coulde not abstaine from weaping showting being tokens wherby men in an assēble are wont to declare their affections and with one consent they cried all to the kyng with one voyce that he woulde spare innocentes and men of seruice his frendes also vpon that occasion did rise and with wepyng eyes required the kynge of mercye Amyntas pardoned Then he comman̄ded silence saied By mine owne iudgemente I do pardon bothe you Amyntas your brethren desirous that ye should be more myndfull of my benefite then of your owne ieopardy Come in fauour againe with me with that fidelitie I am reconsiled vnto you except those thinges which were brought in euidence had bene debated and tried to the vttermoste my dissimulacion might haue bene suspected in this matter better it is therfore to be clered then to remayne in Ielousy and thinke that no man can be acquited except he be first detected Thou Amintas pardon thy brother let that be a tokē of thy harte recōsiled vnto me This done the king dismissed the assēble sent for Poledamas Poledamas whō of all mē Parmenio loued best accustomed alwayes to stand next hym in battayll and though the clerenes of his conscience did assure him to come boldly yet after he was commaunded to bryng furth his brethren being but young vnknowē to the kyng his confidence was turned into feare and began to doubte imagening in his minde rather suche thinges as might hurte him then by what meanes he was thus circūuented In the meane seasō the guarde whiche had commaundemēt thereunto brought furth his brethrē When the kyng sawe Poledamas pale for feare he called hym nere and commaunding al men aparte sayd vnto hym Through Parmenios treason Alexanders wordes to Poledamas we were all in daunger but chiefly I and thou whome vnder colour of frendship he disceiued moste In the pursuyng and punishement of whome see howe much I trust thy fidelitie for I am determined to vse the as a minister therein and whiles thou goest about it thy brethrē shal be thy pledges Thou shalt go into Media and beare my letters to my officers writtē with mine owne hand It is necessary haste be made that the swiftnes of the fame may be preuented I will that ye come thether in the night and that the tenour of my writing be executed the day after ye shall cary letters likewise to Parmenio one from me and an other written in the name of Philotas I haue his signet in my custody So that when Parmenio shall see both the the letter sealed with his sonnes ringe he wil be without any suspition Polydamas being thus deliuered of his feare promised his diligence a great deale more ernestly then he was required When Alexāder sawe his promptnes in the matter bothe commended his good will and rewarded him accordingly And Polidamas chaunged his owne apparell and toke other after the Araby fashion with two men of the same countrey to be his guide for whose truth their wifes and children were pledges in the meane season And so they
though Alexanders chaunce was good herein yet the MacedoÌ„s knewe that by the custome of his countrey he shoulde not haue hunted on foote without the chiefest of his nobilitie and frendes about him He killed within that parke .iiii. M. wilde beastes and there did banket his army returning afterwardes to Macicanda Actabasus excusing himself there by his age that he was vnapt for the rule of that countrey AlexaÌ„der committed the same to Clitus Clytus whiche was he that defended him with his target when he was fighting bareheaded at the ryuer of Granick there cut of with his sworde Rosaceris hand that was in a redines to stryke the kyng He was an old souldier of Philippes his father notable in many feates of warre that he had done Hellanice his suster was Alexanders nurse Hellanice whome he loued no lesse then his owne mother For these causes he committed the strongest part of his Empire to his fidelititie The kyng that purposed to set forward in his iourney the next day Alexander offended his freÌ„des with ouermuche aduaunting of himself made that night a solempne banket wherin being ouergreat an aduaunter of him self when he was chafed with drinking began to set furth the actes that he had done in suche sort that his wordes offended the eares of suche as knewe them to be trewe The auncient men kept silence till such time as he began to deface the doynges of Philippe his father aduauntynge the notable victorye at Cheronese to be his dede The glorye wherof he saide was taken from him by the malice and enuy of his father For he alledged howe in the mutine whiche rose betwene the Macedons and the Greke souldiours when Philippe lay hurt of a wounde whiche he receiued at that fraye thought him selfe sure no otherwise then to counterfaite to be dead When he defended his body wyth his buckeler slewe them with his owne hand that ranne vpon Philip to haue killed him Which act he saied his father would neuer gladly coÌ„fesse nor neuer could abide to acknowlege his safegard to come by his soÌ„ne He also declared how after the iourney he made by him self into Illiria in writyng vnto his father he ascribed the victorye vnto him selfe whiche ouerthrew his enemies put them to flight when Philip was awaye He said that in his opinioÌ„ it deserued but small coÌ„mendation to make a iourney into Samothracia when Asia ought to haue bene spoyled brente Nor he thought no man worthy praise in dede but suche as do so great actes that thei excede all mens credite The yong men that were present were glad to heare these wordes and such other like but thei were vngrateful vnto the auncientes specially for Philips cause vnder whoÌ„ they had long serued Then Clitus which in like case was not very sober turned to such as sate beneth him rehearsinge verses of Euripides wherof the kyng myght rather heare the sounde then the wordes The effect of theÌ„ was that the Grekes did euil which in the monumeÌ„tes of their victories did subscribe only the names of their kyngê which vsurped the glory to theÌ„ selfes the other men did wynne by sheding of ther bloud Alexander therefore which iudged his wordes to bene worse then they were enquered of such as sat next him what Clitus said But wheÌ„ they keapt silence Clitus with a lowder voyce rehersed philips doinges warres he made in Greace one after an other prefarring them before any actes done since that time Wherupon ther did rise a contencion betwene the yong men and the old But the king enforcing a paciens in him self when he hard Clitus deface his prayse coÌ„ceiued a woÌ„derfull wrath in his mind Yet it semed that he wold haue bridled his affection if Clitus wold haue made ane and of his presumptuous talk But wheÌ„ he would not ceasse he gaue occasion to Alexander to be further moued Then Clitus did procede so fareforth that he durst defend Parmenio case and prefarred the victory that Philip waÌ„ne of the Athenyens before the distruccion of Thebes going further further not only through dronkenship but euen of a forwardnes of a contencious minde at length said If we must dye through the Clitus wordes Clitus is the first For they receyue greatest rewards of thy victory that can most shamefully deface thy fathers memory The couÌ„trey of SogdiaÌ„ is giuen vnto me that hath so often rebelled and now not onely vnsubdued but such one as by no meanes can be brought to subiectioÌ„ I am placed amoÌ„gs those wild beastes that be of such an vnciuil disposicion But I could passe ouer things parteyning to my self if the souldiers of Philip were not dispised forgetting that if the old Atharias had not turned againe the yong men â–ª that gaue ouer the fight we had yet styked about Alycarnasus How is it then that Asia is coÌ„quered with thes yong meÌ„ But I se it is true that your vncle said in Italy he chaunsed vpon men you vpoÌ„ womeÌ„ Ther was nothing that Clitus speak or did in his rashnes that moued more the king then the honorable mencion made of Parmenio yet for al that he kept in his greif was coÌ„tented to coÌ„maund hym only to depart out of the festnor speake eny euil words against Clitus Sauing that he said if he should talke a little lenger he would brayde me with the sauing of his life wherof in very dede he wold oftentymes proudly aduauÌ„ce him selfe But notwithstandinge that the king had willed hym to departe yet he taried stil and would not rise And therefore such as sat next him toke him by the armes to leade him away blaming and giuing him exhortacion for his better vsage When Clitus sawe him selfe drawn forth against his wyll Ire was added to his dronknes and declared then alowde howe that he with his breste defended the kinges backe but now when the good turne was past the very memory of his benefit was hated And therwyth layd to his charge the death of Attalus and fynally mocked the Oracle of Iupiter whom Alexander claymed to be his father and said that he told him better truth then his father did At those wordes the king was sturred to suche wrath as he could scarsly haue borne being sobre But hauing then his sences ouercome wyth drink leped sodeinly from the table His frendes were amased wyth throwing down the cups for hast risse to wayt the end of the thing they sawe hym go about in such a fury He toke a speare out of a squires hand and would haue striken Clitus that was yet raging with thintemperaunce of his toung But he was stopped by Ptolomeus and Perdicas who tooke him in theyr armes stayed him for all hys striuing And Lysimachus and Leonatus toke away the speare Then he called to hys souldiers for ayde crying out that he was taken by his next freÌ„des as Darius was of late willed the trumpet to be blowen that the armed men might
thing qd he to recoÌ„pence such great benefites towards you al with the cost of alitel fraÌ„kinsence He shewed the Percians custume to be both religious and wyse in worshipping there kinges as gods thinking ther defence saueguard to consiste in the maiestie of ther prince He said that Hercules bacchus wer defied wheÌ„ they had once ouercome the enuie of such as liued â— ther time And meÌ„ that come after do easely beleue such thinges as haue bene confyrmed by there predecessours And if any of you qd he will sticke at this matter ye shal se me the fyrste that at the kinges comming in shall fall downe grâ—ueling on the earth and worship him Which president others ought to folow spicially men of moste wysdome that should alwayes be ensample to others in doing their duities towards their Prince His tale tended direcly agaist Calistenes whose grauitye and prompte libertye of speaking was hatefull vnto the Kinge for he thoutht him the man which only had stayed the Macedones that ells would redely haue done to hym that honor Herupon euery manes eies were inurned towardes Calistenes The worde of Calisâ—enes which â—â—ter silence made said in this wise If the king were present Cleo to heare thes thy words yt shuld not be nedeful then to auÌ„swer the for he him self wold make request that he might not thus swarue out of his kind into the custumes of straungiers Nor he would not suffre that thou shouldest deface bring in the obloquie enuye of men with such thy parnicious flattery hys noble actes brought to passe with suche fâ—â—icetyâ— and good fortune But because he is away I for hym will thus aunswere the. There is no frute sone rype that will continew long This I meane by the deuine honours whiche whiles thou goest about to geue vnto the kyng thou takest his honour from hym There is a time required that men shoulde beleue hym to be a god for that gift hath alwayes bene geueÌ„ to great meÌ„ When they are once dead by suche as came after theÌ„ I wyshe vnto the kyng immortalitie after his death that his life may be long and his estate continual But sanctifieng is a thing that sometime doth followe â— man but it doth neuer accompany him Thou diddest reherse ensamples of the defyeng of Hercules and Bacchus Thinkest thou that thei were madde goddes vpoÌ„ drinke and by the decre of one dynner the nature of Alexanders manhode must be remoued from our mortall eyes before the fame can bring hym into heauen Are not they goodly goddes Cleo that thou and I can make Would the kyng trowest thou be content to receiue of vs the aucthoritie of his godhedde I haue great desire to proue thy power If thou canst make a good first make a kynge It is muche more easy to geue a worldly kingdome then the possession of heauen Thinkest thou Cleo that the immortall goddes will heare the without disdayne or suffre these thy wicked deuises to take effecte they would we shouâ—â— holde vs coÌ„tent with the customes of our fore fathers and for my part I am not ashamed of my couÌ„trey nor I requiâ—e not to learne after what maner I should honour my prince For in mine opinion we acknowledge him sufficiently to be king and victorer of whome we receiue lawes to liue vnder Calistenes was fauourably hard of all men as the persone whom they counted the recouerer of their vniuersall libertie He did not only in his tale paynte out suche flatterers but also liuely expressed the opinion of the Macedons specially of suche as were auncient men to whome the exchaunge of their olde vsages were greuous The kyng was nothyng ignoraunt of the wordes that had passed betwyxt them for he stode behynde a particion of the hall and heard all the matter He sent word therfore to Hages and Cleo that at his comming in they should moue the straungers only to fall downe and worship hym after their countrey custome And after a whyle the kyng as though he had bene about some matters of importaunce returned agayne into the feaste then the Percians fell downe and worshypped him after suche sorte as was deuised But Policarpon that sat aboue the kyng at the boâ—de Polycarpon asked one in skorne that touched the grounde with his chyrine why he kyssed no harder With whiche wordes he moued Alexander to yre wherof he was euer vnpacient So that he sayd vnto Polycarpon It is thou that disdaynest to honour me shall I be mocked of the alone He aunswered that it was not seamely that a kynge should be skorned nor yet a subiect be dispysed With whiche worde the kyng plucked hym from the table and threwe him downe to whome he sayd failyng grouelynges vpon the earth Loo hast thou not done thy self that before thou diddest skorne in an other man therupon he commaunded him toward so brake vp the feast Polycarpon being thus punished was afterwardes pardoned But Calistenes whose contempt stobburnes the kyng had long grudged at grounded his displeasure then more deaper vpon whome there chaunsed shortly after an apt occasion to be reuenged It was a custome as it hath bene sayd before amonges the noble men of Macedon to put their sonnes when they were past their childhode in seruice to the king as pages to doe necessary busines about his persone Their vsage was to watche nightly by course at the chambre dore where the kyng lay The concubines were brought in by them by an other way then where the guarde watched Thei likewise receiued the horses of the gromes of the stable and brought them to the king when he leped on They alwayes were about the kyng both in hunting and in battail and were brought vp in the study of liberall sciences The chiefest honour was geuen vnto them because they might sitte and eate with the kyng none had power to correct theÌ„ with stripes but only the king himself This company was like a masse or store from wheÌ„ce al the capitaines and gouernours of the Macedons did come From thence came their latter kynges whose lynage the power of the Romaynes long after did extinct A treason conspired against Alexander Harmalaus one of that nombre because he had striken a hore whome the kyng had thought to haue striken him self was by his commaundement beaten and scourged with roddes whiche rebuke he toke greuously and coÌ„playned to Sostrates his frende that was one of the same company Sostrates Whiche seing the body torne wherunto he had so great affeccion and peraduenture offeÌ„ded also with the kyng before for some other cause Stirred so Harmolaus whiche was prouoked sufficiently alredy that eche gaue faith to other to find a way to destroye the kyng Whiche they executed not with any chyldishe proceding but wysely agreed to bring Nycostratus Antipater Asclepiodorus and Philotas into the felowship of their coÌ„spiracie And afteawards they ioyned vnto them more Anticles Elaptonius Phimanes But the
woundes for thy glory and victory whome thou haste very well rewarded The one be sprynckled thy table with his bloud and the other coulde not be suffred to dye a simple death Thus the capitaines of thy people be tormented and put to death a plesaunt spectacle to the Percians of whome they were victorers Parmenio by whome thou diddest sie thine enemy Attalus was put to death without iudgement Thus thou vsest thy handes of vs wretches as instrumentes one to kill another and whom thou diddest make thy tormentours alitle before straightwayes thou commaundest them to be tormented of others At those wordes the multitude began to shout against Harmolaus and his father drewe his sworde of purpose to haue slaine him if he had not bene letted by the kyng whiche cōmaunded Harmolaus to speake required the rest to heare him paciently whiche he said enforced the cause of his own punishemēt At lēgth with great labour thei held their peace then Harmolaus began again how liberall is he to suffre rude children to speake When the voice of Calistenes is shut vp in prison because he alone is able to tell his tale and why because thou fearest the frespeche of an innocent because thou canst not endure to behold his face yet I will iustifie he is not priuy to this matter But other there be here that purposed with me a noble enterprise of whom there is not any that can accuse Calistenes of consent and yet thou that art our pacient and rightuous king hast determined here his death These be the rewardes of the Macedons whose bloud thou doest misuse as vile and of no valeur Thou hast .xxx. M. mules carieng spoyle and treasure and yet the poore souldiers cary nothing with them but vnrewarded woundes and skarres All which thinges we did easely suffre before thou diddest betray vs to the barbarous and after a newe trade of victourers make vs slaues Thou allowest the apparell and disciplyne of the Percians and despysest the maners of thine own coūtrey And therfore we determined to kil the not king of Macedō but kyng of Perce and as a fugitiue we persecuted the by the lawe of armes Thou wouldest haue the Macedōs knele to the and worship the as a god Thou doest refuse Philip for thy father if any God had bene before Iupiter thou wouldest haue refused him likewyse Doest thou maruaille if free men can not beare this thy pryde what can we hope for at thy handes seyng we muste either dye as innocentes or els that is worse then death lyue and remayne in boundage as slaues Thou arte greatly in my debte if by this thou couldest amende for thou haste begunne to learne of me the thyng that free hartes cannot endure Spare them whose age shal be sufficiently tormented with the losse of their chyldren but vpon vs cause execution to be done to thintent we maye obtayne by our owne death the thynge we sought for by thyne When Harmolaus had spoken these wordes the kynge then aunswered after this maner The oraciō of Alexāder Howe false these thynges be whiche he hath learned of his instructour my pacience doth declare For notwithstanding he before confessed this treason Yet my mynde was ye should heare what he could saye Knowyng very well that when I gaue lybertie to this thief to speake that he woulde vse thesame rage and fury in his talke which before moued him to haue kylled me whome he ought to haue loued as his father Of late when that in huntyng he vsed a great presumption I commaunded hym to be chastised after the custome of our countrey vsed by the kynges of Macedon Whiche chastisement we must graunt nedefull to be done lyke as the people bee accustomed of their tutors the wyfes of their husbandes and seruauntes of their maisters This was all the crueltie I vsed towardes hym which he would haue reuenged with murther and treason But howe gentle I am to all persones that suffre me to vse myne owne disposicion synce you your selfe doe knowe it were superfluous for me to reherse I can not maruayll at all though the punyshement of traytours be displesaunt to Harmelaus since he hym selfe is in thesame case for when he commendeth Parmenio and Philotas it maketh for his owne purpose I pardoned Lyncestes Alexandre whiche was accused by two witnesses that he twise cōspired treason against me And againe conuicted yet deferred I his punishment twoo yeares tyll you your selues required he might haue his deseruing Towching Attalus ye remembre very well howe he wrought treason agaynste me before I was kyng And for Clytus I would God he had not moued me to yre whose rashe tounge speaking rebuke and shame both of me and you I suffred lenger then he would haue done me speaking the like The clemency of kynges and rulers cōsisteth not only in their owne disposicions but in theres that be vnder their subiection For the rigor of suche as be rulers is mitigated with humilitie But when mens mindes be voyd of reuerence high lowe be confounded as a like thē force is necessary to repulce violēce But why maruel I that he did lay cruelty against me that durst obiect towardes me couetousnes I wil not cal you to witnes one by one lest I shuld braide you with liberalitie by making declaraciō what I haue bestowed vpon you Behold the whole multitude which a litle while ago had nothing els but their bare armour doe they not lye in syluer beddes be not their tables charged with plate and possesse they not whole flockes of slaues They are not able to susteyne the spoyles of their enemies But it is sayd the Percians be honoured of me whom we haue conquered Truly they be so yet what greater proufcan there be of my moderaciō thē that I do not reigne proudely ouer suche as I haue subdued I came into Asia not vtterly to subuert the naciōs nor to make the one half of the worlde desert but to geue the cōquered cause not to repent them of our victory This is the occasion they gladly fight for you and for your kyngdome they spend their bloud which if they were proudly vsed would streight rebell against you The possession is not durable whiche is possessed by violence but the thankes of gentlenes receiued endureth euerlastingly If we purpose to enioye Asia and not to make a progresse through it we muste make them partakers of our clemency and then their fidelitie shal make our empire stable and perpetuall And truly we haue nowe more then we can well wyshe or desire Couetousnes is an vnsaciable thyng specially when men desire to fill the vessell that ronneth ouer But ye will saye that I myxe and brynge their customes amonges ours It is so and whie because I see in diuers nacions right many thynges whiche we nede not be ashamed to folowe And so greate an Empire as we haue gotten cannot otherwise be aptly gouerned except we deliuer some thynges to
thē and receiue likewise some again One thing is to be laught at that I should refuse Iupiter for my father being so acknowledged by his oracle as who saith the answere of the gods were in my power he proffered the name of his sōne vnto me which was not vnmete for the thinges we purposed I woulde wishe that the Indians beleued me to be a god for the successe in warre stand much by fame and that which is faulsely beleued somtyme worketh theffect of thinges true Do you me geue too excesse and prodigalyte bicause I garnished your armor with gold and siluer my purpose was to shewe to men accustumed with it nothing to be more vile then such kynd of mettell and to declare that the Macedōs inuincible in other thinges could not be ouercome with gold it self After this maner I shall blynd the eyes of the barbarous which are wont at the first sight to wonder at things be they neuer so base and wile And in that we shewe to make no estimacion of it We shal declare to euery one that we are not com for desire of gold nor siluer but to subdue the hole world From which glory thou traitour woldest haue bereued me and betraied the Macedons I being slaine to the barbarous nacions Thou doest exhorte me to spare your Parentes It is nedefull I should make him priuie what I haue determyned vpon them no and to that intent he might die wyth the greater dolour if he hath any care or memory of them It is long ago sins I did fordo the custume of putting thinnocent parentes and kinsfolkes of traytours to death with them And I now professe to pardon and haue them al in the same estymacion I had before I knowe whie thou wouldest haue thy Maister Calistenes brought furth whiche only estemeth the being of his sorte bicause thou desirest to he re pronoūced of his mouth those rayling wordes which euen nowe thou diddest spyt out agaynst me If he had bene a Macedon borne I had brought hym in wyth the a worthye mayster for such a desiple But being borne in another countrey he is subiect to an other lawe When he had spoken these wordes he dismissed the counsail commaunded all suche as were condempned to be deliuered to the souldioures of their owne bandes who bicause they woulde declare by some crueltye the loue they bare towardes their prince flew theim all by tormentes Calistenes also died vpon the racke innocent of the conspiracye against the kinges person but a mā not pliable to the custome of the courte and abhorring from the disposition of flatterers There was neuer thynge that brought the Grekes in greater indignation againste Alexander then that he not onelye kylled but caused to be tormented to death and that wythout iudgement a man endued with Godly maners good sciences by whom he was perswaded to liue when he purposed to haue died for sorowe that he hadde slayne Clitus with his cruelty repentaūce folowed that came to late But least he myght nourishe idlenes apte for sowynge of sedicious rumours he marched towarde India alwayes more glorious in warre then after his victorye The discriptiō of India The whole countrey of India lieth chiefely towardes the East conteyning more in length then it doth in breadth The North partes be full of mountaines and hilles but all the rest of the lande is plaine hauynge manye faire riuers whiche runninge out of mounte Caucasus do passe pleasauntlye throughe the countrey Indus Indus is more colde thē any of the other riuers whose water is not vnlike the coler of the sea But of al the riuers in the orient Ganges is most excellent Ganges which running frō the south passeth directly throughe many great moūtaines vntil that by the encountring of rockes his course is turned towarde the east where it is receiued into the red sea the violence of the streame breaketh downe his bakes swalowing in trees much of the grounde In many places the streme is kept in with rockes wherupō it beateth But where the groūd is more softe there the riuer becommeth more larger maketh many Ilandes The greatnes of Ganges is much encreased by Acesines Acesynes wherunto Acesines doth enter into the sea where these two riuers mete the water is violētly troubled whiles the one resisteth the others enter neither of them seme to geue place Diardenes is a riuer of the lesse fame Diardenes bicause it runneth in the vttermost bondes of India but yet it bryngeth forth Crocadiles as Nylus dothe also Dolphines with other monsters vnknowen to other nations Erimāthus Croked Erymanthus with his many turnynges and reflexiōs is consumed by the inhabitours with wateryng their grounde which is the cause that when it draweth nere the sea it becommeth very little and beareth no nāme There be many other riuers that do deuide the countrey but none of theim be so famous as these because they do not runne so farre The northe wynde dothe blast and harme most those partes that be nexte vnto the sea But those wyndes be so broken wyth the toppes of the mountaynes that they can not endomage the inwarde partes of the countrey wherfore fruites be very plentifull there and perfite But that region doth differ so much for thordinary course of time in other partes of the world that when other coūtries be burned most with the sunne India is couered ouer with snow And when other places be frosē the heat is there most intollerable yet there appeare not any natural cause why it should be so The couler of the Indian sea not differing much frō the water of other seas did take his name of king Erithrus wherof the ignoraunte toke opinion that the water of those Seas was redde The land is very haboūdant of flaxe whereof the more part of their garments be made The twygges of the trees be so tender that they receyue the prynt of letrs lyke waxe The byrdes by teaching counterfeit mens voyce There be manye beastes that are not bred amonges other nacions Rinocerities be there brought furth but not bredde The Elyphantes of that countrey be stronger then those that be made tame in Affrike and thre bignes do aunswer vnto there strenght The water of the Riuers do cary downe gold and ronne mildly without any great fall The Sea doth cast vpon the Shore both parles and precious stones Wherof proceded the cause of there great riches after ther Marchandise was once knowē to other nacions the purgings of the seas being then estemed as mans fansy would make the price The dissposysiōs of the men as in all other places be according to the scytuacion of the countreys they dwell in They make there garmentes of lynnyn cloth whych couer their bodyes downe to there fete They bynde soules vnder there fete of beastes skynnes wrappe roules of linnine aboute there heades Such as be in any degre either of nobilitie or riches haue precious stones hanging at
nâ—t honor the doers for then sample sake nor punishe them bicause they serued his purpose From thence by .xvi. remouinges he came to that parte of the Riuer of Indus where Ephestion had prepared al thynges in such sort as he had commission One Omphis was king of that countrey Omphis on of the kinges of Iuda which before had persuaded his father to submyt him selfe vnto AlexaÌ„der Who in meadiatly vpon his fathers death sent Embassadours vnto hym to know his pleasure whither he shoulde take vpon hym as a kynge before his comming or els liue priuately in the meane season And although it was permitted him to gouerne as a king yet he would not vse the auctoritie that was graunted him He had caused Ephestion to be receiued in the beaste sort he could deuise but notwythstandyng had not visited him by cause he would not commit his parsone to any mans fidelitie but to the kinges But when he vnder stode of Alexanders comming he wente against him wyth his holle power whose Eliphantes by small distauÌ„ce myxed in battell amonges his fotemen shewed afarre of like castelles At the fyrste Alexander did not take him as a frend but as an enemye and therefore set his men in ordre of battell and hys horsemen in winges in redynes for to fight When Omphis vnderstode the errour of the Macedons he commauÌ„ded his men to staye and puttinge his spores to his horse ridde forwardes alone AlexaÌ„der did the like making no doubt whither he were afrend or an enemie but thought him selfe sure eyther through his owne manhode or the others fidelity Theyr meâ—ing as it apered by their couÌ„tenaunces was very frendely but for want of an interpretor they could not speake togithers Therefore after they had called one vnto them the Indian king declared vnto Alexander that the cause he met him with an army was to put in mediatly his hole powre into his handes nor that he had not taried to treate for any assuraunce by messengers but vpoÌ„ trust only had committed both his parson and his kingdome to hym whom he knewe to make warre for the wynning of of glory and fame and therfore could not feare in him any parfidye Alexander reioysed to se hys simplicitie and prouffred hym his righthand as pledg of hys promise and restoring to him agayne his kyngdome he presented vnto AlexaÌ„der .lvi. Elephantes with many other beastes of exceding greatnes and .iii thousande bulles which is a cattell of great value in those countreys and much estemed of kinges Alexander enquited of hym whither he had vnder hys dominion more souldiers or tyllers of the grounde He aunswered that he was driuen of necessity to haue more souldiers bicause he was at warre with two kinges whose kingdoms lay beyond the riuer of Hidaspis There names were Abyassares and Porus but the auctoritie remayned in Porus. And sayed that he was prepared and resolued to aduenture the hasard of the battell wyth such of them as should inuade him fyrst Hereupon Alexander graunted vnto Omphis both to take vpon him the Diadeame and the name of hys father that was called Taxiles the custome of the countrey being such that the name euer folowed the kingdome whosoeuer enioyed it When he had receyued Alexander honorablye in hospitalitie thre dayes the fourth daye declaring howe much corne he had deliuered to Ephestion and to his army presented to the kyng and to all his frendes Crownes af gold and besides of coyned siluer .lxxx. talentes Alexander reioysed so much in hys good will that he bothe returned agayne to hym hys giftes and gaue him besydes a thousands talentes of the pray he brought with him with much plate of gold and siluer many garments after the Parcian maner and .xxx. of his owne horses with the same furnymentes they warre when he did ride vpon them Which lyberalytie as it bound Omphis so it greatlye offended the mynds of the Macedones For Meleager at supper when he had well dronk saied he was verie glad that Alexander had yet found one in India whome he iudged worthy to receiue the gyfte of a thousand talentes The kyng bearing in mynd howe much he had repented the sâ—eaing of Clitus for the rashenes of his tounge refrayned his anger but yet â—old him That inuious men were euer tormenters to themselfes The next day the Imbasseadours of king Abyasares came King Abyasares vnto AlexaÌ„der who according to there commission offred all thinges vnto hys wyll Whervpon promise and assuraunce being confirmed Kynge Porus they retorned againe to their Master Alexander therfore thinking that through the greatnes of hys name Porus might be brought to do the like sent Cleochares to him for to demaunde tribute and to somone him to come and make his homage when he should entre the boundes of hys kingdome Porus made aunswer that of those two requests he would parforme on which was to mete him at the entrey of his kingdome but that should be in armes with a powre Alexander therfore being determined to passe the riuer of Hidaspes Barzentes Barzentes that had bene author of the rebellion amonges the Arachosias was taken brought to him bound with .xxx. Elephantes which was an apt assistance againste the IndiaÌ„s that were wont to put more trust in those beasts then in the force of there own nacion Gamaxus Gamaxus king of a smale porcion of India which had coÌ„federat with Barzentes was brought likewise bounde vnto him Wherfore coÌ„mitting theÌ„ bothe to prison the ElephaÌ„tes to Omphs came vnto the riuer of Hidaspes But Porus lay in camp on the further side to let his passag hauing .iiii. score v. ElephaÌ„tes of huge strength of body CCC wagoÌ„s of war .xxx. M. fotemen amoÌ„ges whoÌ„ there were many archers whose shaftes as hath bene said before were more heuie then they could wel weld Porus him self did ride vpoÌ„ an ElephaÌ„t greater then all the rest who also being of a big stature apeared notable in his armour that was garnyshed wyth golde and syluer hauinge also a courage equall to the strength of his body and so great a wysedome as was possible to be found amonges such rude nacions The Macedons were not so muche afrayed wyth the sight of ther enemies The Riuer of Hydaâ—â—is as they were with the greatnes of the riuer that they had to passe which beinge .iiii. thousand furlonges in bredth and so depe that no ford could be found apeared to them lyke a great Sea And yet the largenes thereof mitigated nothing the violence of the streame but ranne wyth no lesse furye then if it had bene narowe apering by the reparcussioÌ„ of the water in many places to be ful of great stones in in the bottome This riuer being sufficient to feare them of it self the sight of the further banck ful of horse and men was an encrease of there terror Where the Elephantes that had bodies of vnreasonable greatenes stode in there sight being prouoked to
thousand footemeÌ„ .x. M. horsemeÌ„ and .ix. C. armed wagons Wherof when the Macedons were aduertised whiche beleued that they had passed all perils seing a freshe warre arise with a new fierse nacion were amased with a sodayne feare and began agayne with sedicious wordes to reproue their kyng The â—uty â—â—s words of the souldiers They alledged that he would lately haue compelled them to passe the ryuer of Ganges for to make warre vpon those nacions lyeng beyonde the same Which enterpryse though it were left they had not for all that ended the warre neuer the more but rather made an exchaunge of a newe labour beyng put furthe amonges these wylde nacions to make the Occean sea open to hym with their bloud and to be drawen beyonde the sonne and sterres They were compelled they sayde to vysite those places whiche nature coueted to remoue from mans knowledge They grudged that to their newe armour thâ—â— were nowe enemies raysed vp whom if they should vanâ—â—ishe and put to flyght they coulde not see what benefite they shoulde receiue therby but onely darkenes and obscuritie of the ayre whiche alwayes couered the depe sea whyche sea was replenished wyth multitude of monsters wallowynge in those immoueable waters where as Nature decayinge fayled of her force The kynge little moued in his owne respecte was greatly troubled with those passions of his souldiours Alexander perswaded his souldiours Wherfore he assembled theim altogether declaring of howe feable a force those nacions were whom they feared so muche which only remayned and were impediment vnto them hauyng passed ouer so manye countreys to atteine both to the ende of their trauayle to the ende of the world He shewed howe that in respect of their former feare he had lefte his enterprice ouer Ganges with the conquest of the Nacions inhabitynge beyonde the same and had directed his iourney this waye where as their glorye should be as great and their peryll muche lesse and wherin they had not farre to trauayle seynge the Occean was in maner within sighte the ayre wherof he felt blowyng in his face He required them therfore that they woulde not enuye the glorye that he sought by passyng the boundes of Hercules and Bacchus seyng that with so little payne they myght geue vnto their kynge perpetuall fame and immortalitye In doynge wherof they shoulde departe out of India as victorers where as otherwise they shoulde seme to flye from thence It is the propertye of euerye multitude and specially of men of warre to be drawen with euery lyttle mocion amonges whom as sedition dothe sone rise so it is sone pacefied There was neuer a more cherefull crye made of any armye before theÌ„ the Souldiours then made vnto Alexander whiche willed him to leade them whether soeuer he would and make him selfe equall in glorye to them whose actes he dyd counterfeite Alexander reioysinge in the willyngnes that appeared in them remoued straightwayes towardes hys enemyes that were the stowtest people of all the Indians They prepared theim selues boldely for the warres and chose for their capitayne one of the Oxidracans that was of an approued manhode who encamped at the fote of a mountayne made fiers all abroade to cause his numbre appeare the greater and wente aboute in vayne to feare the Macedons when they were at reste by makynge of alaâ—oms with their cryes and maner of howlynge When the daye appeared Alexander hauynge an assured truste to winne the victorye commaunded the Souldiours to put on their armoure cherefully to fall in order of battayle But the Indians whether it were for feare or by reason of some sedition risen amonges them sodainelye fledde into the deserte mountaynes whom Alexander folowed in vaine and not able to ouertake them toke their cariage After this he came vnto a citye of the Oxidracans wherunto great numbre were fled The Oxidracans aswell in trust of the strength of the place as of their owne power As Alexander was about to make the approch Demophon his deuiner admonished him Demophon that he should eiher deferre the matter or els not meddle with it at all for that there appered signes that his life should be in perill When Alexander had hearde his wordes he behelde him and saide If any man should interrupt the when thou art busie about thy science or consideryng of the intrailes shoulde not he seme vnto the troublous and his coÌ„myng vngratefull Yes truely quod he So art thou nowe vnto me quod Alexander For hauynge so greate matters in hande whiche passe the intrailes of Beastes I fynde no greater impedimente then a supersticious diuiner And as sone as he hadde spoken the worde he caused them to rere vp ladders and whiles other menne sticked and stayed at the matter he mounted vp the walle The same was verye narrowe in the toppe not deuided wyth lopes as is communely vsed but enclosed with one whole and continuall battilment rounde aboute which caused it to be the more hard to scale Alexander therfore hauyng no conuenient rowme to stande at his defence stayed vpon the walle receyuyng vpon his target the dartes whyche were caste at him from all partes His souldiours could not get vnto him they were so beaten from the walles by castyng of Dartes and multitude of shotte that came from aboue Yet at length when by their stayinge thei sawe their kyng geuen vp into their enemies hands shame ouercame their immaculate daunger But their ouermuche haste was ouer great a lette and the cause why they coulde not come to the rescue of their king For whyles euery manne coueted vp the ladders they were so sore laden that they brake asunder and suche as were mounted vpon theim fell downe agayne deceyuynge Alexander of hys onelye hope So that in the syght of all the armye he stode destitute as in a deserte wythout anye ayde or succoure and hadde weried hys lefte arme wyth the whyche he helde his Target in receiuynge the blowes His frendes cried vnto hym that he shoulde leape downe vnto theim who stode in readines to receyue hym But he geuynge no eare vnto theim vndertoke an incredible enterprice and such one as hath not bene hearde of before deseruynge rather fame of rashenes then of any commendation that might sounde to his glorye For with a ful leape he did caste him selfe into the citye that was full of his enemies wheras he coulde sâ—arselye haue anye hope to fyght for his life or in diynge to be reuenged vpon his enemyes For before he coulde recouer hys fete agayne it was likelye either he shoulde haue bene slayne or taken aliue But he by chaunce so conueied his bodye that he fell vpon his fete and standinge encountred with such as came againste him Fortune so prouidyng that he coulde not be enclosed about by reasoÌ„ of an olde tree which as it had bene of purpose stode neare vnto the wall whose broade boughes full of leaues couered him from aboue and the greatnes of the stocke kept his enemies
as thoughe he had bene striken to the harte And beynge caried out of the feast halfe dead was so tormented wyth payne that he required a swerde to haue killed him selfe His frendes did publyshe abroade dronkennes to be the cause of his disease but in verye dede it was prepensed treason the infamye wherof the power of his successours did oppresse The poyson prepared longe before was deliuered by Antipater vnto Cassander his sōne whiche wyth his brethren Phillippe and Iolla were wonte to serue the kynge at meate He was warned that he shoulde not committe the same poyson to anye person except it were to Thessalus or to his brethren Philippe therfore and Iollas whiche were wonte to take the saye of the kynge cuppes hauyng the poyson readye in colde water mixed it with the wine after they had tasted it When the fourth daye was come the souldiours partly for that they suspected he hadde bene dead and partlye because they coulde not endure to wante longe his syght came sorowfullye vnto the courte desirynge to see the kynge whiche by his commaundemēt were admitted vnto his presence by such as had the charge of his person When they behelde him liynge in that case they made great sorowe and lamentacion for he semed not to them to be the same their kynge whom they were wont to see but rather a deade corse If their griefe were great the sorowe of theim that stode nexte to the bedde appeared muche more whom when Alexander behelde lamentyng after that sorte he saied vnto thē When I shall departe you shall finde a kynge worthye for suche men as you be It is a thynge incredible howe that he durynge the tyme the souldiours of his whole armye came to viset hym he neuer altered countenaunce nor gesture but continued in that kind of presence he gaue vnto the firste vnto the laste man When he hadde dismissed the multitude as though he had bene discharged of al the debt of life he laye downe againe to rest his weake body his voyce beginnyng to fayle him cōmaunded his frendes to come neare aboute him and then takinge his rynge from his finger deliuered it to Perdicas and gaue therwith a commaundemente that his bodye shoulde be conueyed to Hammon They demaunded to whom he would leaue his kingdome He saide to the worthiest By whiche wordes it appeared that he forsawe the contention that was like to ensue vpon his death Perdicas more ouer demaunded of him when he woulde haue diuine honours done vnto him At such time quod he as you shall finde your selfes in felicitie These were the laste wordes Alexander spake and shortelye after he died Immediatlye after his death the courte was full of howlynge The sorow that was made vpon Alexāders death lamentynge and sorowe makynge and by and by as it hadde bene in a deserte or a place solitary all thynges were whiste and a sorowfull silence was spredde ouer all euerye man beynge conuerted into imagination what shoulde become of the matter The yonge menne of the nobilitye that were accustomed aboute Alexanders person coulde not beare the greatnes of their doloure nor kepe them selfes within compasse of the courte but ranne aboute as menne out of their wyttes wherby the citye was filled with heauines and complainte and no kinde of lamentation pretermitted that sorow is wont to minister in such a case Suche therfore as were without the courte vnderstandynge this matter as well Macedones as other came runnynge thither wheras the Conquerours from the conquered nor the Victorers from the vainquished coulde not be discerned the sorowe was so indifferent to thē al. The Percians called vpō their iust and mercifull Lorde and the Macedons made inuocation to him that was so valeaunte and gracious a kynge and thus there was a certaine contencion of sorow amōges thē Men did not vse their only wordes of griefe and heauines but also of grudge and indignation that so yonge a prince beynge in the flower of his age and of his fortunate successe shoulde by the enuy of the Goddes be so taken out of this worlde They called to remembraūce what a cherefulnes they had alwaies sene in his countenaunce ether when he led them to the battel when he besieged or assaulted any citie or when he would geue any commendacion to the worthye in anye assemble Then the Macedons repented that euer they hadde denied him deuine honours confessyng them selues bothe wicked and vngratefull for depriuynge him of anye name wherof he was worthye And when they had continued long in the veneration and desire of him that was dead then they began to pitye their owne case whiche commyng out of Macedon were passed the riuer of Euphrates amonges the middes of their enemies that vnwillinglye receiued their new gouernement They saw them selues left destitute the Empire without any certaine heyre for wāt of whō euery one wold go about to draw the power of the state vnto his priuate behofe And thē they began to conceiue and forsee in their mindes the ciuill warres that did ensue that they shoulde be enforced to shede their bloude againe not for the cōquest of Asia but for the title of some such one that would go about to make him selfe king wherby their old scarres should breake out againe into new woūdes that such as by reason of their age had bene discharged from the warres by their noble righteous king should now be enforced to spend their liues in the quarell of some such one as was but his souldier Whiles thei were in these imaginaciōs the night came on encreased their terroure The men of warre watched in harnayes the Babilonians loked ouer the walles pepyng out frō the toppes of their houses to spye some certaintye how the matter wēt There was none that durst kyndle any light And bicause the vse of the eie did fail thei laied their eares to heare the rumours wordes that were spoken And many times thei wer afraied whē no cause was whē thei met together in the narow stretes or darke lanes thei would be amased suspect eche other as enemies The Percians after their accustumed maner clipped there heare and with ther wiues and children lamented the death of Alexander in mourning garmentes with vnfained affeccion not as a conqueror and one that lately had bene there enemye but as there rightwise and naturall kyng For they being accustumed to liue vnder a king could think no man more worthy then he to rule ouer them Thys sorowe was not only conteined within the walles of the citie but streightwayes spred ouer all the countrey ther aboutes And the fame of so great a mischiefe flyenge through oute Asia brought some tydinges therof vnto Darius mother She at the fyrste reporte tare a sonder the garment she ware and put on morning appareill she pulled her heare and fel downe groueling vpon the earth One of her neces sat by her morning the death of Ephestion whom she had
maintaine our conquest amonges theim of whom it is gotten For the doynge wherof it is nedefull for vs to haue an heade But whether the same shall be one or manye that consisteth in you You are not ignorant that a multitude of men of warre wythout an heade is a body without any life Sixe monethes be now passed sence Roxane was cōceiued wyth chylde we desire of God that she maye bringe forthe a male whiche maye enioye this kyngdome when he cometh to age In the meane season appoynte you of whom ye wyll be gouerned Nearchus wordes When Perdicas had spokē these wordes Nearchus risse vp and saied There is no man can denye but that it were mete for Alexanders succession to cōtinue in the bloude royall but to loke for a kynge that is not yet borne to passe ouer one that is in his being already is nether expedient for such men as the Macedons be nor yet dothe serue the necessitie of the time Barsynes There is a sonne whiche Alexander begot by Barsines what should let why the diademe may not be set on his heade Nearchus tale was acceptable to no man therfore the souldiers accordyng to their custome classhed the speares against the targets continued makinge of a noyse And when he woulde not forsake his opinion but obstinately maintened the same the matter had almost bredde a sedition which thing perceiued by Ptolomeus he spake after this maner Neither the sonne of Roxane nor Barsines Ptolomeus wordes is an issue mete to raigne ouer the Macedons whose names we shold be ashamed to rehearse within Europe their mothers beinge captiue Haue we subdued the Percians to that ende to become subiect to suche as be descended of them That was the thinge which Darius and zerxes beynge Kynges of Perce wrought for in vain with so mani mileons of men of warre and with so many nauies This therfore is my opinion that Alexanders chaire of estate be set in the middes of the court and that all such as were wont to be of counsail with him shal assemble together so often as any matter require to be cōsulted vpon And that the captaines and rulers of the armye shal be obedient to that order wherunto the greater number do assent There were some agreed wyth Ptolomeus but fewe with Perdicas Then Aristonus spake in this wise Aristonus wordes When Alexander was consulted withall to whom he would leaue his kingdome he willed the worthiest to be chosē Whō iudged he worthiest but Perdicas to whom he deliuered his rynge This was not done at such time as Alexander was alone but when al his frendes were presente he did caste his eyes amonges them and at length chose out one to whom he deliuered it Wherfore I thinke it ryght that the kingdome be committed vnto Perdicas There were many that agreed to his opinion so that the assemble cried to Perdicas that he shoulde come forthe amonges them and take vp the kynges signet But he stayed betwene ambition and shamefastnes thinkynge that the more modestye he vsed in gettynge the thinge whiche he coueted they woulde be so muche the more earnest to profer it hym When he had stande a good while at a staye doubtyng what to do at length he drewe backe and stode behind them which sate next vnto hym Weleagers wordes When Meleager that was one of the capitaynes sawe the staye that Perdicas made toke courage therupon and saide Neither the Goddes will permit nor men wil suffer that Alexanders estate and the weight of so great an empire should rest vpon his shoulders I will not rehearse how there be many men more noble thē he is and of greater worthines against whose wyll no suche thinge may be suffred to be done There is no difference whether ye make Perdicas kynge or the sonne of Roxane whēsoeuer he shal be borne Seynge Pedicas goeth aboute to make him selfe Kynge vnder pretence to be gouernoure to the other That is the cause why no kinge can please him but such one as is not yet borne And in suche an haste as all we make to haue a kynge whyche haste is bothe mete and necessary for the preseruation of our estate He onelye doth waite for the expirynge of tymes and monethes imaginynge that she shoulde brynge forthe a manne chylde whiche I thinke ye doubte not but he is readye to counterfayte and exchaunge if nede be If it were so in very dede that Alexāder had appointed him to be our king I am of opinion that the same thing onely of all the thinges he hath commaunded oughte not to be perfourmed and kepte Why do not you runne therfore to spoyle the treasure seyng that this kynde of riches the people ought to enherite When he hadde spoken those wordes he brake through the prease of the armed men and they whiche gaue him waye folowed him to the spoyle wherof he had made mencion The gredines of the treasure caused a greate bande of armed men to flocke about Meleager and the assemble began to fall to discorde and sedicion whiche had growen to greater incōuenience if a meane souldier whō verye fewe did knowe had not stepped forthe The words of a souldiour in the assemble and spoken to the multitude What nede we quod he to fall to force or ciuill warre seynge we haue a kynge alredye whiche you seke to finde The same is Aridens Philips sonne Aridens brother to Alexander that latelye was our kynge borne and brought vp in the same religion and ceremonies that we do vse who beyng the onelye heyre I maruayle by what deseruynge of his he is ouerslipped or what he hath done why he shoulde not enioye his ryght descended vnto hym by the vniuersall lawe of the worlde If you seke one to be comparable to Alexander you shall neuer fynde hym If you will haue suche one as shall approche nexte vnto him this is onelye he When these wordes were hearde amonges the multitude they kept silence at the firste as if they had bene commaūded so to do but afterwardes they cryed with one voyce that Aridens should be called and that they were worthy deathe whiche made any assemble wythout him Pythons wordes Then Python all besprinkeled wyth teares began to speake Nowe I perceyue quod he Alexanders case to be moste miserable seyng he is defrauded of the frute wyth such as wer his souldiers subiects shold bringforth at such a time as this is For you hauynge respect onelye to the name and memory of your kynge ye be vtterly blinde in the rest of thynges His wordes tended directlye to the reprofe of Aridens that was elected kynge but the tale procured more hatred to the speaker then contempte to hym against whom they were mente For the compassion they had of Aridens caused them the more to fauoure his cause and therfore declarred by an obstinate crye that they woulde not suffer any to reigne ouer them but him onely which was borne to that
discorde conceiued a suspicion that the horsemen ment them no good Wherfore they stode a while in a doubt whether they should retire into the cytie or no by reason that the fieldes serued best for the horsemen But left without cause they myght condempne the fidelity of their companions they stode still with a determinate mynde to fight if any would proffer them violence When the battailles were almoste mette together and only a smalle distaunce left betwixt them wherby the one parte was deuided from the other the kyng by the prouocation of Perdicas with one bande of horsemen did ride along the footemen requiring the deliuery of those to be executed which wer the aucthors of the discorde whome in very dede he ought to haue defended whiche if thei refused to deliuer he threatened to bring against them both the horsemen and the Elephantes The footemen were amased with the sodeines of the mischief whiche they loked not for and there was no more counsell nor courage in Meleager then in the rest but they all iudged it moste expedient for them rather to abyde the adueÌ„ture of that matter then further to hasard fortune When Perdicas sawe them astonied and in feare he seuered out to the nombre of three hundred of such as folowed Meleager when he brake out of the assemble that was first made after Alexanders death whiche in the sight of all the armye were caste to the Elephantes and there trampled to death with their feete Of which matter Philippe was neither the author nor the forbidder but thought to claime that for his owne doing whiche should appeare best in the ende This was a signification and a beginning vnto the Macedons of ciuill warre that ensued Meleager vnderstanding ouerlâ—te the sleyght of that deuise because there was no violence offred to his persone stode at the firste quietly within the square but shortly after when he sawe his enemies abusing the name of him whome he had made king to his destruccion he dispaired of his own saueguarde fled into a temple But the religion of the place could not defend him but that he was there slayne The deuisioÌ„ of TheÌ„pire Perdicas hereupon brought againe the army into the citie and called counsell of all the principall personages wherin it was agreed so to deuide thempire that the kyng should remayne as chief of the whole Ptolomeus to be lieutenaunt in Egipt and Affricke and to haue the rule of the nacions there that were vnder the Macedons dominion Siria and Phenices were appointed to Laomedon Cylicia to Philotas Licia with Pamphilia the greater Phrigia were assigned to Antigonus Cassander was sent into Caria and Menander into Lydia The lesser Phrigia that ioyned vnto Hellespont was Leonatus prouince Emmenes had Cappadotia and Paphlagonia who was commaunded to defende that countrey so farre as Trapezunt and make warre to Arbates whiche only remained enemy to the Empire Arbates Media was apointed to Python and Thrace to Lysmachus with other nacions there about borderyng vpon the sea of Ponte It was ordeined also that suche as should be presidentes amonges the Indians Bactrians Sogdians and other nacioÌ„s lieng vpon the Occean and read seas should in matters of iustice vse regall iurisdictioÌ„ It was decceed that Perdicas should remaine with the kyng and haue the gouernaunce of the men of warre that folowed him Some beleue that these prouinces were distributed by AlexaÌ„ders testament but we haue found that same to be false though some authors do witnes the same The Empire being deuided into partes euerye one might well haue defended his portion if any boundes could conteine mens immoderate desires Or if they whiche being but ministers vnto a kyng when vnder the colour of the administracion of an others dominioÌ„ had encroched into great kingdomes could haue auoyded the occasions of warre seing they were all of one nacion and had their couÌ„treis by limittes But it was hard for them to be contented with that they had in possession when occasion was proffered them of more For the first thynges alwayes appeare of no valure when men be in hope of greater thynges to come So that euery one of them thought it an easier matter to encrease his kyngdome then it was to come by it at the firste Alexanders body had layen seuen dayes vnburied for whyles euery man had care vpon the establyshing of the state their myndes were drawen from doing of that solempne office There is no countrey that haue more feruent heat then Mesopotamia For the sonne there burneth so hote that it killeth the beastes that be without couert and burne vp all thynges as it were with the fyer And to the encrease therof there be fewe springes of water and the inhabiters vse suche policy in hiding of those they haue that strauÌ„gers can haue no vse of theÌ„ This notwithstandinge when Alexanders frendes had gotten leasure to take care of the deade corse and came to visite the same they founde it wythout infeccion corruption or chaunge of coloure the same cherefulnes whiche consisteth of the spirite not beynge yet departed out of his countenaunce Then the Egipcians and the Caldeis were commaunded to dresse hys bodye after their maner who at the firste as though he had bene aliue durst not put their handes to him But afterwardes makyng their prayers that it might be lawfull for mortall men to touche him they purged his bodye and filled it wyth swete odours And afterwardes layed him vpon a hearse of golde and set a diademe vpon his heade Many thought that he dyed of poyson that Iolla Antipaters soÌ„ne beyng one of his ministers had geueÌ„ him the same Alexander oftentimes woulde saye that Antipater coueted the estate of a kinge affecting more greatnes then parteined to a LiuetenauÌ„t and through glorie of the victory he had gotten of the Lacedemonians was become so proude that he claymed al thinges committed vnto him as his owne It is thought also that Craterus was sente to kyll him with those olde souldiours that were dismissed It is certayne that there is a poyson in Macedon founde in a water called Stiges Stiges of suche force that it consumeth yron and will not be conteined in any thinge sauing in the houe of an horse or mule which poison was brought by Cassander and deliuered to his brother Iolle whiche presented it in the drinke that the kinge last dronke Howsoeuer these thinges be reported the power of them of whoÌ„ the rumour weÌ„t shortly after oppressed the infamy For Antipater betame Kynge bothe of Macedon and of Greace and his chyldren after him that did cut to death all suche as were anye thynge neare of kinne vnto Alexander Ptolomeus whiche had the rule of Egipte conueyed Alexanders bodye to Memphis whiche within fewe yeares after was remoued to Alexandria where as all honoure is geuen to the memorye of him and to his name Finis ⧠IMPRYNTED at London by Richarde Tottell dwellynge in Fletestrete at the signe of the hande and starre within Temple barre Anno domini 1553. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium
of Alexander the great Kyng of Macedon ABout the same time Cleandre Scytalces Agathon Eracion which by the kinges apoyntment had put Parmenio to deathe returned to hym brynging wyth them .v. thousand fotemen and a thousand horsemen There were many accusers that folowed them out of the prouince whereof they had the gouernaunce Whose behauor there was such that the acceptable seruice they had done to Alexander in killing of Parmento coulde be no satisfaccion for the multitude of the offence they had committed They vsed such an vniuersall spoyle not abstayning from the Temples nor from sacred thinges The virgins also and great Ladies of the countrey whom they had rauished complained of theÌ„ lamentyng the shame they had susteined They vsed so ther couetousnes and inordinat lust in there authoritye that it caused the name of the Macedons to be hated amonges those nacions And yet amonges al the reste Cleanders offence was moste horrible which rauishing a virgyn of noble bloode gaue hyr to hys slaue to vse as his Concubine The more part of Alexanders frendes were not so much offended with ther crueltye and fowle actes whereof they were accused as wyth the remembraunce of Parmenios deathe whiche they kept in silence leste the rehersall thereof myght haue procured them fauour with the Kynge reioysing that the kinges wrath was fallen vpon the minysters of hys Ire that no powre nor auctorytye gotten by euell meanes could haue any longe contynuans Alexander hearing the cause sayd that thatcusers ouerslipt the geatest offence which was the dispaire of hys saueguard For if they had eyther hoped or beleaued that he should euer haue returned out of India A notable Iustice they durste neuer haue committed any suche offences He commaunded therefore them to pryson and put .vi.. C. souldiers to death that had bene the mynisters of there crueltye and they also were executed the same daye which Craterus had brought for auctors of the rebellion out of Perci Within a while after Nearchus and Onesiccitus which had bene commaunded by the king to serche the Occean Sea returned vnto him declaring some thinges by reporte They shewed of an Ilande not farre from the mouth of Indus whyche habounded with golde and had no breed of horses amonges them wherefore the inhabytors would giue a taleÌ„t of gold for euery horse brought from the mayne land They also told of great monsterous fysshes wherof those Seas were full whyche caried downe with the tide would shewe there bodies aboue the water as bigge as a great ship and folowe ther nauye wyth a terrible noise And when they diued vnderneth the water they troubled the Seas as it had bene in a shypwâ—ack Thes were thinges they had sene the rest they had receyued by reporte of thinhabiters as howe that the redde Sea toke hys name of kinge Erithrus and not of the couler of the water They shewed also of an other Iland not fare from the mayne lande growing full of palme trees Wher was a great wood in the middes whereof stode a piller where as king Erithrus was buried with inscripcioÌ„ of such lettres as be vsed in the countrey They added besids that such mariners as caried the marchantes the durdges of th armie through couetousnes of the gold which had ben reported vnto them laÌ„ded in that Iland and were neuer sene after There wordes moued Alexander much and put in hym a great desire to get more certayne knowlege of those partyes therefore he coÌ„mauÌ„ded them againe to tha Sea willing that they should cost the land tyll they come wtin the riuer of Euphrates froÌ„ thence to come vp to BabiloÌ„ against the streame The thinges were infinite that he compassed in his head The enterprises that Alexander determined For he determined after he had brought the Sea coost of the Orient vnder his subieccion to go out of Siria into Affrick for the euytie he bare to the Carthagens His purpose was froÌ„ thence to passe ouer the desertes of Numidia towardes Gades wher he vnderstode by the fame that Hercules had plaÌ„ted his pillers so directing his iourney through Spaine the which the Greakes of the riuer Iberus call Iberia to go ouer the Alpes so into Italie tyll he should come to that part therof were the next passage was into Epyrus For thys intent he gaue commaundement to hys officers in Mesopotamia that they should cut downe tymber in the mount Lybanus Tapsagas and conuey the same to Tapsagas a Cytye in Syria And ther to make galeis of such greatnes that euerye one of them myght be hable to carye .vi. Ores vpon abanke and from thence he wylled them to be conuayed vnto Babylone He sent commaundement to the kynges of Cipres to furnishe them of Iren hempe and sayles Whyles thes thinges were in doing he receyued letteres from Porus and Taxiles signifieng that Abyasares was deade of a disease and that Phelix hys lieutenaunt in those parties was slayne and they put to death that were the doers therof Alexandr therefore in the place of Phelix apointed Endemon that was captaine of the Thracians Eudemon and gaue Abyasares kingdome vnto hys sonne Pasargadas From thence he came to Pasargadas beyng a countrey of the Percians the Prynce wherof was called Orsines which both in nobilytie and ryches Orsynes exceded all other men in those parties and conueyed hys pedigre froÌ„ Cirus that sometime was king of Perce The riches his predecessours left him was greate and he by a long continuauÌ„ce in his enheritaunce and auctorytie had much encreased the same He mett AlexaÌ„der comming thitherwardes and presented bothe hym and his freendes with gyftes of sondery fortes which were a multitude of horses redye to be ridden vpon Charyotes wrought with golde and siluer precious stuf excellent pearles and precious stones weighti vessel of gold robes of purple and foure thousand talents of coyned siluer But that his liberalitie was occasion of hys death For when he had presented al the kinges frendes with giftes aboue there desire he honoured not with anye giftes at all Bagoas the Enuke Bagone ther Enuke whom AlexaÌ„der specially fauoured of the vsage he had of him There were therefore that gaue him admonition how much Alexander estemed Bagoas But he aunsewred them that hys custume was to honour the kynges freendes and no harlottes Nor that it was not the Percians maner to haue any in estimacion which did effeminate them selfes with so shamefull an abuse When hys wordes were reported to the Enuke he vsed the powre whiche he had gotten with dishoneste meanes to the distruction of that noble and innocent man For he did subornat certayne leud parsones of Orcynes countrey to brynge in false accusacons againste him whiche he willed them to present at suche tyme as he should apoynt vnto them In the meane season whensoeuer Bagoas got the kyng alone he would fil his credulous eares wyth tales agaynst Orcynes euer dessimulinge the cause of
hys displeasure lest therby he might lose the credite of his false report The king had not Orcynes yet in suspect of such mater as afterwardes was laid against him but began to growe wyth him out of estimacion Hys accusacion was euer so secret that he could neuer get knowledge of the peril that was preuily wrought against him That importunat harlot in hys vile conuersacion had with the king was myndfull euer of the malice he bare to Oreynes whom he would not cease to bring in suspicion of couetousnes or of rebellion so ofte as he sawe Alexander bent to vse him familierly By that time the false accusacions were in redynes which he had prepared to the distruccion of the innocent whose fatall destynie that did approch could not be auoyded Cyrus Tombe was opened by Alexander It chauÌ„sed that AlexaÌ„der caused Cyrus tombe wherin his body was buried to be opened preteÌ„ding to vse certaine â—eremonies for the dead But thinking in very dede that his tombe had bene full of golde and siluer wherof ther was a constant fame amonges the Percians But when it was vyewed there was not thyngâ— found but a â—otten target two Scythian bowes and asword Alexander therefore caused the Coffyn wherein Cyrus body was laid to be couered wyth the garment he was accustomed to weare and set therupon a crowne of golde meruailinge that ther was no more sumptuousnes vsed in buryall of such a kyng endued wyth so great riches that laie there What an occacion Bagoas toke to accuse Orsynes but after the commen sort of men When this thing was done Bagoas stode next vnto Alexander who behyld him in the face and sayed what maruail is it though the sepulchres of kinges be emptie when lordes houses be not hable to receyue the goulde they haue taken out from thence For my parte I neuer sawe this tombe before but I haue hard Darius reporte that there were .iii. M. talentes buried with Eirus Therof qd he proceded Orcynes liberalitie in wynning your fauour by the gift of the thinges which he knewe he could not keape When he had thus sturred vp Alexanders wrathe against Orcynes he presented them whoÌ„ he had suborned to accuse him By whose reporte and by Bagoas surmised tales Alexander was so encensed againste Orcynes that he was put in pryson before he coulde suspect that he was accused The Enuke was not contented with the destruccion of this Innocent man but at his death laied violent hands vpon him Vnto whoÌ„ Orcines saide I haue hard that women in times past haue reigned borne great rule in Asia but it is nowe a more straung thing the agelding should haue thimpire in hys handes This was the ende of the moste noble man amonges the Percians who was not onely an innocent in the matter but such one as bare singuler affectioÌ„ vnto Alexander and had shewed great liberalitie to him his At the same time Phradrates whiche was suspected to haue gone about to make hym selfe king Alexander began to be enclined to the shedyng of blood was put to death Alexander beganne then to be much enclyned to the sheding of bloode and to be credulous in hearing of euil report Prosperitie is of such a force to chaunge a mans nature Wherein fewe men haue consederacion of vertue Thus he which a lyttle before would not condempne Lincestes Alexander when he was accused by two witnesses that suffred dyuers of more meane estate to be acquited though it grudged hys mynde bycause they seamed not gilty to other men And he whiche bestowed kingdomes vpon his ennemies whome he had subdued was in the ende soo muche altered from his former enclinacion that agaynste his owne appetite at the wyll of an harlot he would gyue kyngedomes to some and take awaye the lyues from other About the same time he receiued letters of thynges done in Europe whereby he vnderstode that whiles he was in India zophirus hys Lieutenaunte in Thrace had made iourney againste the Getes The Getes where by stormes and tempestes that sodeinly risse vpon hym he was destroyed and all hys armye Senthes When Senthes vnderstode the defeate of that armye he procured the Odrisians that were hys countrey meÌ„ to reuolt So that al Thrace was in maner loste therby and Greace stode in no great sureâ—ye The writers of the actes of great Alexander make mencioÌ„ in this place of Calanus an Indian that was verie famour in philosophye Calanus which by the persuasion of kyng Taxiles folowed Alexander and ended hys life after a straunge sort When he had liued .lxxiii. yeares without any disease at hys comming into Percia he felt a payne in hys bely wherefore coâ—iecturynge that the ende of hys life was come leste suche a perpeâ—uall felicitie as he had liued in â–ª should be spotted wyth anie longe disease or tormented wyth the multitude of medicines that phisicions vse to minister requyred Alexander that he myghte cause a fyer to be made and to burne hym selfe in the same The kyng began to dissuade him froÌ„ his purpose thinkyng to haue brought him froÌ„ the doinge of so horryble an act but when he perceiued with what stedfastnes and coÌ„stancy he stode in his intent and that there was no way to keape hym any lenger in lyfe He suffred a fyre to be made accordyng to his will where into Calanus did ryde on horsback makyng first his prayer to the goddes of his couÌ„trey and takyng the Macedons by the handes required them that they would spende that daye pleasantly in banketting with their kyng whom within a while he should see at Babylon When he had spoken those wordes he went merely into the fyre where as plieng his body comly kept still thesame gesture couÌ„tenauÌ„ce at his death which he was wont to vse When the fire flamed the trumpettes blewe the men of warre making such a shout as they accustomed going to the battaill whiche rebounded vp to the skye the ElephaÌ„tes also made a terrible noyse These be the thinges that sage writers do testifie of Calanus whiche was a notable ensample of an inuincible mynde coÌ„stantly bent to suffer any aduersitie From thence Alexander went vnto Susa Alexander maried Satyra Darius doughter wheras he toke to wife laufully maried Satyra Darius eldest doughter Whose yonger suster called Dripetis he gaue to wife vnto Ephestion And bestowed to the noÌ„bre of ixxx virgins of the noblest of all the nacions he had conquered Drypetis to the principal Macedons to the chiefest of his freÌ„des because he wold not seme alone to begin so strauÌ„ge a custome These mariages were celebrate after the Percian maner a princely feast prepared at the espowsels Wherat there were .ix. M. gestes to euery one of whome Alexander gaue a cuppe of gold to sacrifice with al. At the same time the rulers of cities which Alexander had subdued and builded sent vnto him .xxx. M. yong souldiers that were all of one age