And not to pardon such disloyalty Of Treason Murther and base Cruelty If not because Darius thus did pray Yet that succeeding Kings in safety may Their lives enjoy their Crowns and dignity And not by Traitors hands untimely dye He also sends his humble thankfulness For all the Kingly grace he did express To 's Mother Children dear and wife now gone Which made their long restraint seem to be none Praying the immortal Gods that Sea and Land Might be subjected to his royal hand And that his Rule as far extended be As men the rising setting Sun shall see This said the Greek for water doth intreat To quench his thirst and to allay his heat Of all good things quoth he once in my power I 've nothing left at this my dying hour Thy service and compassion to reward But Alexander will for this regard This said his fainting breath did fleet away And though a Monarch late now lyes like clay And thus must every Son of Adam lye Though Gods on Earth like Sons of men they dye Now to the East great Alexander goes To see if any dare his might oppose For scarce the world or any bounds thereon Could bound his boundless fond Ambition Such as submits again he doth restore Their riches and their honours he makes more On Artabaces more then all bestow'd For his fidelity to 's Master show'd Thalestris Queen of th' Amâ—â—s now brought Her Train to Alexander as 't is thought Though most of reading best and soundest mind Such Country there nor yet such people find Then tell her errand we had better spare To th' ignorant her title will declare As Alexander in his greatness grows So dayly of his virtues doth he lose He baseness counts his former Clemency And not â—eseeming such a dignity His past sobriety doth also â—ate As most incompatible to his State His temperance is but a sordid thing No wayes becoming such a mighty King His greatness now he takes to represent His fancy'd Gods above the Firmament And such as shew'd but reverence before Now are commanded strictly to adore With Persian Robes himself doth dignifie Charging the same on his nobility His manners habit gestures all did fashion After that conquer'd and luxurious Nation His Captains that were virtuously inclin'd Griev'd at this change of manners and of mind The ruder sort did openly deride His feigned Diety and foolish pride The certainty of both comes to his Ears But yet no notice takes of what he hears With those of worth he still desires esteem So heaps up gifts his credit to redeem And for the rest new wars and travails finds That other matters might take up their minds And hearing Bessus makes himself a King Intends that Traitor to his end to bring Now that his Host from luggage might be free And with his burthen no man burthened be Commands forthwith each man his fardle bring Into the market place before the King VVhich done sets fire upon those goodly spoyles The recompence of travails wars and toyles And thus unwisely in a mading fume The wealth of many Kingdomes did consume But marvell 't is that without mutiny The Souldiers should let pass this injury Nor wonâ—er less to Readers may it bring Here to observe the rashness of the King Now with his Army doth he post away False Bessus to find out in Bactria But much distrest for water in their march The drought and heat their bodies sore did parch At length they came to th' river Oxus brink Where so immoderately these thirsty drink Which more mortality to them did bring Then all their warrs against the Persian King Here Alexander's almost at a stand To pass the River to the other land For boats here 's none nor near it any wood To make them Rafts to wast them o're the flood But he that was resolved in his mind Would without means some transportation find Then from the Carriages the hides he takes And stuffing them with straw he bundles makes On these together ti'd in six dayes space They all pass over to the other place Had Bessus had but valour to his will With little pain there might have kept them still But Coward durst not fight nor could he fly Hated of all for 's former treachery Is by his own now bound in iron chains A Coller of the same his neck contains And in this sort they rather drag then bring This Malefactor vile before the King Who to Darius brother gives the wretch With racks and tortures every limb to stretch Here was of Greeks a town in Bactria Whom Xerxes from their Country led away These not a little â—oy'd this day to see Wherein their own had got the sov'raignty And now reviv'd with hopes held up their head From bondage long to be Enfranchised But Alexander puts them to the sword Without least cause from them in deed or word Nor Sex nor age nor one nor other spar'd But in his cruelty alike they shar'd Nor reason could he give for this great wrong But that they had forgot their mother tongue While thus some time he spent in Bâ—ctria And in his camp strong and securely lay Down from the mountains twenty thousand came And there most fiercely set upon the ame Repelling these two marks of honour got Imprinted in his leg by arrows shot The Bactrians against him now rebel But he their stubborness in time doth quell From hence he to Jaxarta River goes Where Scythians rude his army doth oppose And with their outcryes in an hideous sort Beset his camp or military court Of darts and arrows made so little spare They flew so thick they seem'd to dark the airâ— But soon his souldiers forc'd them to a flight Their nakedness could not endure their might Upon this rivers bank in seventeen dayes A goodly City doth compleatly raise Which Alexander he doth likewise name And sixty furlongs could but round the same A third Supply Antipater now sent Which did his former forces much augment And being one hundred twenty thousand strong He enters then the Indian Kings among Those that submit he gives them rule again Such as do not both them and theirs are slain His warrs with sundry nations I 'le omit And also of the Mallians what is writ His Fâ—ghts his dangers and the hurts he had How to submit their necks at last they 're glad To Nisâ— goes by Bacchus built long since Whose feasts are celebrated by this prince Nor had that drunken god one who would take His Liquors more devoutly for his sake When thus ten days his brain with wine he 'd soakt And with delicious meats his palate choakt To th' River Indus next his course he bends Boats to prepare Ephestion first he â—ends Who coming thither long before his Lord Had to his mind made all things to accord The vessels ready were at his command And Omphâ—â— King of that part of the land Through his perswasion Alexander meets And as his Sov'raign Lord him humbly greets
The Greeks had chose him Captain General Which honour to his Son did now befall For as Worlds Monarch now we speak not on But as the King of little Macedon Restless both day and night his heart then was His high resolves which way to bring to pass Yet for a while in Greece is forc'd to stay Which makes each moment seem more then a day Thebes and stiff Athens both ' gainst him rebel Their mutinies by valour doth he quell This done against both right and natures Laws His kinsmen put to death who gave no cause That no rebellion in in his absence be Nor making Title unto Sovereignty And all whom he suspects or fears will climbe Now taste of death least they deserv'd in time Nor wonder isâ—t if he in bâ—ood begin For Cruelty was his parental sin Thus eased now of troubles and of fears Next spring his course to Asia he steers Leavs Sage Antipaâ— at home to sway And through the Hellisâ—â—nt his Ships made way Coming to Land his dart on shore he throws Then with alacrity he after goes And with a bount'ous heart and courage brave His little wealth among his Souldiers gave And being ask'd what for himself was left Reply'd enough sith only hope he kept Thirty two thousand made up his Foot force To which were joyn'd five thousand goodly horse Then on he marcht in 's way he view'd old Troy And on Achilles tomb with wondrous joy He offer'd and for good success did pray To him his Mothers Ancestors men say When news of Alexander came to Court To scorn at him Darius had good sport Sends him a frothy and contemptuous Letter Stiles him disloyal servant and no better Reproves him for his proud audacity To lift his hand ' gainst such a Monarchy Then to 's Lieftenant he in Asia sends That he be ta'ne alive for he intends To whip him well with rods and so to bring That boy so mallipert before the King Ah! fond vain man whose pen ere while In lower terms was taught a higher stile To River Granick Alexander hyes Which in Phrygia near Propontike lyes The Persians ready for encounter stand And strive to keep his men from off the land Those banks so steep the Greeks yet scramble up And heat the coward Persians from the top And twenty thousand of their lives bereave Who in their backs did all their wounds receive This victory did Alexander gain With loss of thirty four of his there slain Then Sardis he and Ephesus did gain VVhere stood of late Diana's wondrous Phane And by Paâ—meâ—â—o of renowned Fame Militus and Pamphilia overcame Halliâ—arnassus and Pisidia He for his Master takes with Lycia Next Alexander marcht towards the black Sea And easily takes old Gordium in his way Of Ass ear'd Midas once the Regal Seat VVhose touch turn'd all to gold yea even his meat VVhere the Prophetick knot he cuts in twain VVhich who so doth must Lord of all remain Now news of Memnon's death the Kings Viceroy To Alexanders heart 's no little joy For in that Peer more valour did abide Then in Darius multitude beside In 's stead was Arses plac'd but durst not stay Yet set one in his room and ran away His substitute as fearfull as his master Runs after two and leaves all to Disaster Then Alexander all Cilicia takes No stroke for it he struck their hearts so quakes To Greâ—â—â— he thirty thousand talents sends To raise more Force to further his intends Then o're he goes Darius now to meet Who came with thousand thousands at his feet Though some there be perhaps more likely write He but four hundred thousand had to fight The rest Attendants which made up no less Both Sexes there was almost numberless For this wise King had brought to see the sport With him the greatest Ladyes of the Court His mother his beauteous Queen and daughters It seems to see the Macedonian slaughters It s much beyond my time and little art To shew how great Darius plaid his part The splendor and the pomp he marched in For since the world was no such â—â—geant seen Sure 't was a goodly sight there to behold The Persians clad in silk and glistering gold The stately horses trapt the lances gilt As if addrest now all to run a tilt The holy sire was borne before the host For Sun and â—ire the Persians worship most The Priests in their strange habit follow after An object not so much of fear as laughter The King sate in a chariot made of gold With crown and Robes most glorious to behold And o're his head his golden Gods on high Support a party coloured Canopy A number of spare horses next were led Lest he should need them in his Chariots stead But those that saw him in this state to lye Suppos'd he neither meant to fight nor flye He fifteen hundred had like women drest For thus to fright the Greeks he judg'd was best Their golden ornaments how to set forth Would ask more time then was their bodies worth Great Sysigambis she brought up the Reer Then such a world of waggons did appear Like several houses moving upon wheels As if she 'd drawn whole Sâ—â—han at her heels This brave Virago to the King was mother And as much good she did as any other Now lest this gold and all this goodly stuff Had not been spoyle and booty rich enough A thousand mulâ— and Camels ready wait Loaden with gold with jewels and with plate For sure Darius thought at the first sight The Greeks would all adore but none would fight But when both Armies met he might behold That valour was more worth then pearls or gold And that his wealth serv'd but for baits to ' lure To make his overthrow more fierce and sure The Greeks came on and with a gallant grace Let fly their arrows in the Persians face The cowards feeling this sharp stinging charge Most basely ran and left their king at large Who from his golden coach is glad to ' light And cast away his crown for swifter flight Of late like some immoveable he lay Now finds both legs and horse to run away Two hundred thousand men that day were slain And forty thousand prisoners also tane Besides the Queens and Ladies of the court If Curtius be true in his report The Regal Ornaments were lost the treasure Divided at the Macedonians pleasure Yet all this grief this loss this overthrow Was but beginning of his future woe The royal Captives brought to Alexander T'ward them demean'd himself like a Commander For though their beauties were unparaled Conquer'd himself now he had conquered Preserv'd their honour us'd them bounteously Commands no man should doe them injury And this to Alâ—xander is more fame Then that the Persian King he overcame Two hundred eighty Greeks he lost in fight By too much heat not wounds as authors write No sooner had this Victor won the field But all Phenicia to his pleasure yield Of which the
And yet in equal tempers how they 'gree How divers natures make one Unity Something of all though mean I did intend But fear'd you 'ld judge Du Bartas was my friend I honour him but dare not wear his wealth My goods are true though poor I love no stealth But if I did I durst not send them you Who must reward a Thief but with his due I shall not need mine innocence to clear These ragged lines will do 't when they appear On what they are your mild aspect I crave Accept my best my worst vouchsafe a Grave From her that to your self more duty owes Then water in the boundess Ocean flows March 20. 1642. ANNE BRADSTREET THE PROLOGUE 1. TO sing of Wars of Captains and of Kings Of Cities founded Common-wealths begun For my mean pen are too superiour things Or how they all or each their dates have run Let Poets and Historians set these forth My obscure Lines shall not so dim their worth 2. But when my wondring eyes and envious heart Great Bartas sugar'd lines do but read o're Fool I do grudg the Muses did not part 'Twixt him and me that overfluent store A Bartas can do what a Bartas will But simple I according to my skill 3. From school-boyes tongue no rhet'rick we expect Nor yet a sweet Consort from broken strings Nor perfect beauty where 's a main defect My foolish broken blemish'd Muse so sings And this to mend alas no Art is able ' Cause nature made it so irreparable 4. Nor can I like that fluent sweet tongu'd Greek Who lisp'd at first in future times speak plain By Art he gladly found what he did seek A full requital of his striving pain Art can do much but this maxime's most sure A weak or wounded brain admits no cure 5. I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a neeâ—le better fits A Poets pen all scorn I should thus wrong For such despite they cast on Female wits If what I do prove well it won't advance They 'l say it 's stoln or else it was by chance 6. But sure the Antique Greeks were far more mild Else of our Sexe why feigned they those Nine And poesy made Calliopâ—'s own Child So ' mongst the rest they placed the Arts Divine But this weak knot they will full soon untie The Greeks did nought but play the fools lye 7. Let Greeks be Greeks and women what they are Men have precedency and still excell It is but vain unjustly to wage warre Men can do best and women know it well Preheminence in all and each is yours Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours 8. And oh ye high flown quills that soar the Skies And ever with your prey still catch your praise If e're you daigne these lowly lines your eyes Give Thyme or Parsley wreath I ask no bayes This mean and unrefined ure of mine Will make you glistring gold but more to shine The Four Elements THe Fire Air Earth and water did contest Which was the strongest noblest and the best Who was of greatest use and might'est force In placide Terms they thought now to discourse That in due order each her turn should speak But enmity this amity did break All would be chief and all scorn'd to be under whence issu'd winds rains lightning thunder The quaking earth did groan the Sky lookt black The Fire the forced Air in sunder crack The sea did threat the heav'ns the heavn's the earth All looked like a Chaos or new birth Fire broyled Earth scorched Earth it choaked Both by their darings water so provoked That roaring in it came and with its source Soon made the Combatants abate their force The rumbling hissing puffing was so great The worlds confusion it did seem to threat Till gentle Air Contention so abated That betwixt hot and cold she arbritrated The others difference being less did cease All storms now laid and they in perfect peace That Fire should first begin the rest consent The noblest and most active Element Fire What is my worth both ye and all men know In little time I can but little show But what I am let learned Grecians say What I can do well skil'd Mechanicks may The benefit all living by me finde All sorts of Artists here declare your mind What tool was ever fram'd but by my might Ye Martilists what weapons for your fight To try your valour by but it must feel My force your sword Gun your Lance of steel Your Cannon's bootless and your powder too Without mine aid alas what can they do The adverse walls not shak'd the Mines not blown And in despight the City keeps her own But I with one Granado or Petard Set ope those gates that'fore so strong were bar'd Ye Husband-men your Coulters made by me Your Hooes your Mattocks what e're you see Subdue the Earth and fit it for your Grain That so it might in time requite your pain Though strong limb'd Vulcan forg'd it by his skill I made it flexible unto his will Ye Cooks your Kitchen implements I frame Your Spits Pots Jacks what else I need not name Your dayly food I wholsome make I warm Your shrinking Limbs which winter's cold doth harm Ye Paracelsâ—â— too in vain 's your skill In Chymistry unless I help you Still And you Philosophers if e're you made A transmutation it was through mine aid Ye silver Smiths your Ure I do refine What mingled lay with Earth I cause to shine But let me leave these things my flame aspires To match on high with the Celestial fires The Sun an Orb of fire was held of old Our Sages new another tale have told But be he what they will yet his aspect A burning fiery heat we find reflect And of the self same nature is with mine Cold sister Earth no witness needs but thine How doth his warmth refresh thy frozen back And trim thee brave in green after thy black Both man and beast rejoyce at his approach And birds do sing to see his glittering Coach And though nought but Salmanders live in fire And fly Pyrausta call'd all else expire Yet men and beast Astronomers will tell Fixed in heavenly Constellations dwell My Planets of both Sexes whose degree Poor Heathen judg'd worthy a Diety There 's Orion arm'd attended by his dog The Theban stout Alcides with his Club The valiant Perseus who Medusa slew The horse that kil'd Belerophon then flew My Crab my Scorpion fishes you may see The Maid with ballance wain with horses three The Ram the Bull the Lion and the Beagle The Bear the Goat the Raven and the Eagle The Crown the Whale the Archer Bernice Hare The Hidra Dolphin Boys that water bear Nay more then these Rivers ' mongst stars are found Eridanuâ— where Phaeton was drown'd Their magnitude and height should I recount My story to a volume would amount Out of a multitude these few I touch Your wisdome out of little gather
But in the eighth against his Prince rebels The ninth came Nebuchadnezzar with power Besieg'd his city temple Zions tower And after eighteen months he took them all The Walls so strong that stood so long now fall The cursed King by flight could no wise fly His well deserv'd and foretold misery But being caught to Babels wrathfull King With children wives and Nobles all they bring Where to the sword all but himself were put And with that wofull sight his eyes close shut Ah! hapless man whose darksome contemplation Was nothing but such gastly meditation In midst of Babel now till death he lyes Yet as was told ne're saw it with his eyes The Temple 's burnt the vessels had away The towres and palaces brought to decay Where late of harp and Lute were heard the noise Now Zim Jim lift up their scrieching voice All now of worth are Captive led with tears And sit bewailing Zion seventy years With all these conquests Babels King rests not No not when Moab Edom he had got Kedar and Hazar the Arabians too All Vassals at his hands for Grace must sue A total conquest of rich Egypt makes All rule he from the ancient Phraohes takes Who had for sixteen hundred years born sway To Babilons proud King now yields the day Then Put and Lud do at his mercy stand VVhere e're he goes he conquers every land His sumptuous buildings passes all conceit Which wealth and strong ambition made so great His Image Judahs Captives worship not Although the Furnace be seven times more hot His dreams wise Daniel doth expound full well And his unhappy chang with grief foretell Strange melancholy humours on him lay Which for seven years his reason took away VVhich from no natural causes did proceed But for his pride so had the heavens decreed The time expir'd bruitish remains no more But Goverment resumes as heretofore In splendor and in Majesty he sits Contemplating those times he lost his witts And if by words we may ghess at the â—eart This king among the righteous had a part Fourty four years he reign'd which being run He left his wealth and conquests to his son Evilmerodach Babels great Monarch now laid in the dust His son possesses wealth and rule as just And in the first year of his Royalty Easeth Jehojakims Captivity Poor forlorn Prince 〈◊〉 had all state forgot In seven and thirty years had seen no jot Among the conquer'd Kings that there did ly Is Judah's King now lifted up on high But yet in Babel he must still remain And native Canaan never see again Unlike his Father Evilmerodach Prudence and magnanimity did lack Fair Egypt is by his remisness lost Arabia and all the bordering coast Warrs with the Medes unhappily he wag'd Within which broyles rich Croesus was ingag'd His Army routed and himself there slain His Kingdome to Belshazzar did remain Belshazzar Unworthy Belshazzar next wears the crown Whose acts profane a sacred Pen sets down His lust and crueltyes in storyes find A royal State rulâ—d by a bruitish mind His life so base and dissolute invites The noble Persian to invaâ—e his rights Who with his own and Uncles power anon Layes sieâ—ge to 's Regal Seat proud Baâ—â—n The coward King whose strength lay in his walls To banquetting and revelling now falls To shew his little dread but greater store To chear his friends and scorn his foes the more The holy vessels thither brought long since They carrows'd in and sacrilegious prince Did praise his Gods of mettal wood and stone Protectors of his Crown and Babylon But he above his doings did deride And with a hand soon dashed all this pride The King upon the wall casting his eye The fingers of a hand writing did spy Which horrid sight he fears must needs portend Destruction to his Crown toâ—s Person end With quaking knees and heart appall'd he cries For the Soothsayers and Magicians wise This language strange to read and to unfold With gifts of Scarlet robe and Chain of gold And highest dignity next to the King To him that could interpret clear this thing But dumb the gazing Astrologers stand Amazed at the writing and the hand None answers the affrighted Kings intent Who still expects some fearful sad event As dead alive he sits as one undone In comes the Queen to chear her heartless Son Of Daniel tells who in his grand-sires dayes VVas held in more account then now he was Dâ—niel in haste is brought before the King VVho doth not flatter nor once cloak the thing Reminds him of his Grand-Sires height and fall And of his own notorious sins withall His Drunkenness and his profaness high His pride and sottish gross Idolatry The guilty King with colour pale and dead Then hears his Mene and his Tekel read And one thing did worthy a King though late Perform'd his word to him that told his fate That night victorious Cyrus took the town Vâ—ho soon did terminate his life and crown VVith him did end the race of Baladan And now the Persian Monarchy began The End of the Assyrian Monarchy The Second Monarchy being the Persian began under Cyrus Darius being his Uncle and Father-in-law reigned with him about two years CYrus Cambyses Son of Persia King Whom Lady Mandana did to him bring She daughter unto great Astiages He in descent the seventh from Arbaces Cambyseâ— was of Achemenes race VVho had in Persia the Lieftenants place VVhen Sardanapalus was overthrown And from that time had helâ— it as his own Cyrus Darius Daughter took to wife And so unites two Kingdomes without strife Darius unto Manâ—aâ—a was brother Adopts her son for his having no other This is of Cyrus the true pedegree VVhose Ancestors were royal in degree His Mothers dream and Grand-Sires cruelty His preservation in his misery His nourishment afforded by a Bitch Are fit for such whose ears for Fables itch He in his younger dayes an Army led Against great Cressâ—â— then of Lidia head Who over-curious of wars event For information to Apollo went And the ambiguous Oracle did trust So overthrown by Cyrus as was just Who him pâ—asues to Sardis takes the Town Where all that dare resist are slaughter'd down Disguised Cressus hop'd to scape i' th' throng Who had no might to save himself from wrong But as he past his Son who was born dumb With pressing grief and sorrow overcome Among the tumult bloud-shed and the strife Brake his long silence cry'd spare Cressus life Cressus thus known it was grâ—at Cyrus doom A hard decree to ashes he consume Then on a wood pile set where all might eye He Solon Solon Solon thrice did cry The Reason of those words Cyrus demands Who Solon was to whom he lifts his hands Then to the King he makes this true report That Solon sometimes at his stately Court His Treasures pleasures pomp and power dâ—d see And viewing all at all nought mov'd was he That Cressus angry urg'd him to express If ever King
But Kings ne're want such as can serve their will Fit Instruments t' accomplish what is ill As Tyssaphernes knowing his masters mind Their chief Commanders feasts and yet more kind With all the Oaths and deepest Flattery Gets them to treat with him in privacy But violates his honour and his word And Villain like there puts them all to th' Sword The Greeks seeing their valiant Captains slain Chose Xenophon to lead them home again But Tissaphernes what he could devise Did stop the way in this their enterprize But when through difficulties all they brake The Country burnt they no relief might take But on they march through hunger through cold Oâ—re mountains rocks and hills as lions bold Nor Rivers course nor Persians force could stay But on to Trabesond they kept their way There was of Greeks setled a Colony Who after all receiv'd them joyfully Thus finishing their travail danger pain In peace they saw their native soyle again The Greeks now as the Persian king suspects The Asiaticks cowardiâ—e detects The many victoryes themselves did gain The many thousand Persians they had slain And how their nation with facillity Might gain the universal Monarchy They then Dercilladus send with an host Who with the Spartans on the Asian coast Town after town with small resistance take Which rumour makes great Artaxerxes quake The Greeks by this success encourag'd so Their King Agesilaâ—s doth over goe By Tissaphernes is encountered Lieftenant to the King but soon he fled Which overthrow incens'd the King so sore That Tissaphern must be Viceroy no more Tythraustes then is placed in his stead Commission hath to take the others head Of that perjurious wretch this was the fate Whom the old Queen did bear a mortal hate Tytâ—â—austes trusts more to his wit then Arms And hopes by craft to quit his Masters harms He knows that many Towns in Greece envyes The Spartan State which now so fast did rise To them he thirty thousand Tallents sent With suit their Arms against their Foes be bent They to their discontent receiving hire With broyles and quarrels sets all Greece on fire Agesilaus is call'd home with speed To defend more then offend there was need Their winnings loâ—â— and peace their glad to take On such conditions as the King will make Dissention in Greece continued so long Till many a Captain tell both wise and strong Whose courage nought but death could ever tame ' Mongst these Epimanondas wants no same VVho had as noble Raileigh doth evince All the peculiar virtues of a Prince But let us leave these Greeks to discord bent And turn to Persia as is pertinent The King from forreign parts now well at ease His home bred troubles sought how to appease The two Queens by his means seem to abate Their former envy and inveterate hate But the old Queen implacable in strife By poyson caus'd the young one lose her life The King highly inrag'd doth hereupon From Court exile her unto Babilon But shortly calls her home her counsells prize A Lady very wicked but yet wise Then in voluptuousness he leads his life And weds his daughter for a second wife But long in ease and pleasure did not lye His sons sore vext him by disloyalty Such as would know at large his warrs and reign What troubles in his house he did sustain His match incestuous cruelties of th' Queen His life may read in Plutarch to be seen Forty three years he rul'd then turn'd to dust A King nor good nor valiant wise nor just Dorius Ochus Ochus a wicked and Rebellious son Succeeds in th' throne his father being gone Two of his brothers in his Fathers dayes To his great grief most subtilly he slayes And being King commands those that remain Of brethren and of kindred to be slain Then raises forces conquers Egypt land Which in rebellion sixty years did stand And in the twenty third of 's cruel raign Was by his Eunuch the proud Bagoas slain Arsames or Arses Arsames plac'd now in his fathers stead By him that late his father murthered Some write that Arsames was Oâ—hus brother Inthron'd by Bagoas in the room of th' other But why his brother 'fore his son succeeds I can no reason give ' cause none I read His brother as t is said long since was slain And scarce a Nephew left that now might reign What acts he did time hath not now left pen'd But most suppose in him did Cyrus end Whose race long time had worne the diadem But now 's divolved to another stem Three years he reign'd then drank of 's fathers cup By the same Eunuch who first set him up Darius Codomanus Darius by this Bagoas set in throne Complotter with him in the murther done And was no sooner setled in his reign But Bagoas falls to 's practices again And the same sauce had served him no doubt But that his troason timely was found out And so this wretch a punishment too small Lost but his life for horrid treasons all This Codomanus now upon the stage Was to his Predecessors Chamber pagâ—â— Some write great Cyrus line was not 〈◊〉 run But from some daughter this new king was sprung If so or not we cannot tell but find That several men will have their several mind Yet in such differences we may be bold With learned and â—udicious still to hold And this ' mongst all 's no Controverred thing That this Dariâ—â— was last Persian King Whose Wars and losses we may better tell In Alexâ—nder's reign who did him quell How from the top of worlds felicity He fell to depth of greatest misery Whose honours treasures pleasures had short stay One deluge came and swept them all away And in the sixth year of his hapless reign Of all did scarce his winding Sheet retain And last a sad Catastrophe to end Him to the grave did Traitor Bessus send The End of the Persian Monarchy The Third Monarchy being the Grecian beginning under Alexander the Great in the 112. Olympiad GReat Alexander was wise Philips son He to Amyntas Kings of Macedon The cruel proud Olympias was his Mother She to Epirus warlike King was daughter This Prince his father by Pausanias slain The twenty first of ' sage began to reign Great were the Gilts of nature which he had His education much to those did adde By art and nature both he was made fit To ' complish that which long before was writ The â—ry day of his Nativity To ground was burnt Dianaes Temple high An Omen to their near approaching woe Whose glory to the earth this king did throw His Rule to Greece he scorn'd should be confin'd The Universe scarce bound his proud vast mind This is the He-Goat which from Grecia came That ran in Choler on the Persian Ram That brake his horns that threw him on the ground To save him from his might no man was found Philip on this great Conquest had an eye But death did terminate those thoughts so high
the father as the son This sound advice at heart pleas'd Alexander Who was so much ingag'd to this Commander As he would ne're confess nor yet reward Nor could his Captains bear so great regard Wherefore at once all these to satisfie It was decreed Parmenio should dye Polidamus who seem'd Parmenio's friend To do this deed they into Media send He walking in his garden to and fro Fearing no harm because he none did doe Most wickedly was slain without least crime The most renowned captain of his time This is Parmenio who so much had done For Philip dead and his surviving son Who from a petty King of Macedon By him was set upon the Persian throne This that Parmenio who still overcame Yet gave his Master the immortal fame Who for his prudence valour care and trust Had this reward most cruel and unjust The next who in untimely death had part Was one of more esteem but less desert Clitus belov'd next to Ephestian And in his cups his chief companion When both were drunk Clitus was wont to jeer Alexander to rage to kill and swear Nothing more pleasing to mad Clitus tongue Then 's Masters Godhead to defie and wrong Nothing toucht Alexander to the quick Like this against his Diety to kick Both at a Feast when they had tippled well Upon this dangerous Theam fond Clitus fell From jest to earnest and at last so bold That of Parmenio's death him plainly told Which Alexanders wrath incens'd so high Nought but his life for this could satisfie From one stood by he snatcht a partizan And in a rage him through the body ran Next day he tore his face for wâ—at he 'd done And would have slain himself for Clitus gone This pot Companion he did more bemoan Then all the wrongs to brave Parmenio done The nâ—x of worth that suffered after these Was learned virtuous wise Calisthenes VVho lov'd his Master more then did the rest As did appear in flattering him the least In his esteem a God he could not be Nor would adore him for a Diety For this alone and for no other cause Against his Sovereign or against his Laws He on the Rack his Limbs in pieces rent Thus was he tortur'd till his life was spent Of this unkingly act doth Seneca This censure pass and not unwisely say Of Alexander this th' eternal crime VVhich shall not be obliterate by time VVhich virtues fame can ne're redeem by far Nor all felicity of his in war VVhen e're 't is said he thousand thousands slew Yea and Calisthenes to death he drew The mighty Persian King he overcame Yea and he kill'd Calistâ—hâ—nâ—s of fame All Countryes Kingdomes Provinces he wan From Hellispont to th' farthest Ocean All this he did who knows ' not to be true But yet withal Catisthenes he slew From Macedon his Empire did extend Unto the utmost bounds o' th' orient All this he did yea and much more 't is true But yet withal Catisthenes he slew Now Alexander goes to Media Finds there the want of wise Parmenio Here his chief favourite Ephestian dies He celebrates his mournful obsequies Hangs his Physitian the Reason why He suffered his friend Ephestian dye This act me-thinks his Godhead should a shame To punish where himself deserved blame Or of necessity he must imply The other was the greatest Diety The Mules and Horses are for sorrow shorne The battlements from off the walls are torne Of stately Ecbatane who now must shew A rueful face in this so general woe Twelve thousand Talents also did intend Upon a sumptuous monument to spend What e're he did or thought not so content His messenger to Jupiter he sent That by his leave his friend Ephestion Among the Demy Gods they might inthrone From Media to Babylon he went To meet him there t' Antipater he 'd sent That he might act also upon the Stage And in a Tragedy there end his age The Queen Olimpias bears him deadly hate Not suffering her to meddle with the State And by her Letters did her Son incite This great indignity he should requite His doing so no whit displeas'd the King Though to his Mother he disprov'd the thing But now Antipater had liv'd so long He might well dye though he had done no wrong His service great is suddenly forgot Or if remembred yet regarded not The King doth intimate 't was his intent His Honours anâ— his riches to augment Of larger Provinces the rule to give And for his Counsel near the King to live So to be caught Antipater â—s too wise Parmenio's death 's too fresh before his eyes He was too subtil for his crafty soe Nor by his baits could be insnared so But his excuse with humble thanks he sends His Age and journy long he then pretends And pardon craves for his unwilling stay He shews his grief he 's forc'd to disobey Before his Answer came to Babylon The thread of Alexanders life was spun Poyson had put an end to 's dayes 't was thought By Philip and Cassander to him brought Sons to Antipater and bearers of his Cup Lest of such like their Father chance to sup By others thought and that more generaâ—ly That through excessive drinking he did dye The thirty third of 's Age do all agree This Conquerour did yield to destiny When this sad news came to Darius Mother She laid it more to heart then any other Nor meat nor drink nor comfort would she take But pinâ—d in grief till life did her forsake All friends she shuns yea banished the light Till death inwrapt her in perpetual night This Monarchs same must last whilst world doth stand And Conquests be talkt of whilest there is land His Princely qualities had he retain'd Unparalled for ever had remain'd But with the world his virtues overcame And so with black beclouded all his fame Wise Aristotle Tutor to his youth Had so instructed him in moral Truth The principles of what he then had learn'd Might to the last when sober be discern'd Learning and learned men he much regarded And curious Artist evermore rewarded The Illiads of Homer he still kept And under 's pillow laid them when he slept Achilles happiness he did envy ' Cause Homer kept his acts to memory Profusely bountifull without desert For such as pleas'd him had both wealth and heart Cruel by nature and by custome too As oft his acts throughout his reign doth shew Ambitious so that nought could satisfie Vain thirsting after immortality Still fearing that his name might hap to dye And â—ame not last unto eternity This Conqueror did oâ—t lament t is said There were no more worlds to be conquered This folly great Augustus did deride For had he had but wisdome to his pride He would have found enough there to be done To govern that he had already won His thoughts are perisht he aspires no more Nor can he kill or save as heretofore A God alive him all must Idolize Now like a mortal helpless man