office By reason wher of the Macedons could not haue scoope to caste their dartes with any force taking more care howe to place them selues out of perill then for to auoyde their enemies Their ingyns stode them in great steade which seldome did shote in vaine against their enemies that stoode thicke before them proffering to resiste their laÌ„ding When the Scithians sawe them nere the shore they did shote an infinite nombre of arrowes into the boates so that there was not in maner any target that had not many heades sticking in it At length the boates arriued at the land then the target men did ryse vpon their feete and hauing more scope and sure footing threw their dartes more certainly with greater force wherby when they perceiued their enemies to shrinke and reane backe their horses they then leaped cherefully vnto the land one exhorting and encourging an other and frely pursued the Scythians whoÌ„ they sawe falle out of aray By that tyme Alexanders horsemen which had assembled them selues in tropes brake vpon their ennemies and put them to great dysordre In the meane season the rest being defended by them that were fighting landed and prepared them selues to the battell Nor Alexander letted not wyth stowtnes of courage to supplye the impotency of hys bodye Hys voyce could not be hard when he spake exhorted his men the scarre of his wound not yet closed but all men might se him fighting Wherefore euery one vsed the office of a captaine in giuing exhortacion vnto hys fellowes and ran vpon their ennemies wythout respect of their owne liues Then the Scythians could not endure any lenger the countenance the force nor the crye of ther enemies but being all on horsback fled away vpon the spoores Whom the king pursued .iiii. score furlonges notwithstaÌ„ding that with great payne he endured hys informitye When his hart faynted he coÌ„maunded hys men that they should folowe still in the chace so long as the day lasted and not hauing strength to sustaine any further trauaile returned into hys camp to rest hym selfe The Macedons in their pursuite passed the boundes of Bacchus In mounment of whom their were great stones set vp by equal distaunce and highe trees whose stocks were couered ouer with I vye But no bouÌ„des could be a stay to the MacedoÌ„s â–ª being caried forwards in there fury for it was midde night before they returned againe to their campe who hauing killed many and taken great nombre of prisoners dyd driue before them M. viii.c horses Ther were slayne of the Macedons .lx. horsemen of the fotemen to the poynt of one hundred a thousand of them were hurte This enterprise with the fame of the victory falling in so good a seasoÌ„ kept the more part of Asia in obedience which was of the point to haue rebelled For they beleued that the Scythians were inuincible Who being veinqueshed they iudged no nacioÌ„ hable to withstand the powre of the Macedons Sacans The Sacans therefore after thys victory sent ther Embassadours vnto Alexander offring them selues to come vnder his obedience To the doing whereof they were not so greatly moued with feare of his force as they were with report of the clemency he vsed towardes the Scythans after he had discoÌ„fited them For he deliuered home all their prisoners wtout raunsome to witnes to the world that he made warre with those firste nacions to shew his powre his vertue not for any malice nor to shewe his wrath vpon them That was the cause that he so geÌ„tly receiued the Embassadours of the SacaÌ„s causing Excipinus to accompany them Excipinus who being a beutiful yong man in the first flowre of his youth was in that respect in great fauour and familarity with Alexander In parsonage he was like to Ephestion but inferior to him in pleasauÌ„tnes of speach After this Alexander giuing ordre to Craterus to folowe him by small iorneys with the greater parte of hys armie he him selfe came to the city of MaracaÌ„da from whence Spitamenes that hard of his coÌ„myng was fled into Bactria The king therfore making great iourneyes foure dayes continuially came into the place where as vnder the conduct of Megedemus he had lost two M. fotemen .iii. C. horsemeÌ„ Whose boÌ„es he caused to be gathered togithers buried celebrating their funeralls after his contrey maner By that time Craterus with the phalaux was come vnto the king to thinteÌ„t he might puÌ„ishe with the sword al suche as had rebelled he deuided his powre into diuerse partes coÌ„manÌ„ding them to burne in euery place where they went and to kyl al the children The contrey of the SogdiaÌ„s is for the more parte wast by reason of the great desertes that be there wherof some be iiii score furlonges in bredth The riuer called Bolytimetum passeth in maner throught the length of the countrey which ronneth violently in a narowe chanel and then is receyued into an hole of the earth from whence it goeth vnderneth the ground whose course is manifest by the noise of the water that may be hard And yet in all grounde vnder the which suche a riuer doth ronne ther do not apeare any moisture put forth Of the captiues that were taken amoÌ„gs the Sagdians there were .xxx. of the most noblest brought vnto Alexander Which vnderstanding by an interpreter that by the kinges commaundement they shoulde be put to execution They beganne as men in myrth to sing and daunce and by a certaine lasiuious mocion of ther bodies expressed a great ioyfulnes of the mind Alexander merueling that they toke their death wyth such sâ—owtnes and magnanmitye of harte called them vnto him enquering why they shewed so great a gladnes when they had death before therface They aunswerrd that if they had bene put to death by any savinge by such one as he was that they should haue takeÌ„ their death sorofully But now seing they should be restored to their predecessors by a kyng that was a conqerour of all nacions they reioysed in their honest death as the thing that all men should wyshe desyre The king then meruayling at there magnauymitye I enquere of you qd he if you can be content to liue become frendes to him by whose benifite you shal receiue your life They said that as they neuer were his enemies but as they were prouoked by occasion to the warres euen so if he would make an experiment of them rather by a benefite then an iniury They would labour not to be ouercome in good will nor in doyng the thing that pertained to their dutie Thei were axed what pledge they would laye of their promyse They said their liues they had receiued shuld be their pledge redy to be yelded againe when it were required wherin they brake no promise for suche of them as were returned home into their couÌ„trey kept the people in good obedience foure of them that were appointed to be of the kinges guard gaue place to
THE HISTORIE OF QVINTVS Curcius conteyning the Actes of the greate Alexander translated out of Latine into Englishe by Iohn Brende 1553. ¶ Imprinted at London by Rycharde Tottell Cum Priuilegio ab imprimendum so lam ⧠TO THE RIGHT hyghe and myghtye Prince Ihon Duke of Northumberlande Earle marshall of Englande c. Iohn Brende wisheth continuall prosperitie wyth encrease of honour MAnye haue wrytten and experyence besydes declareth how necessary historical knowledge is to all kynd of men but specially to princes and to others whiâ—h excel in dignitye or beare aucthorytye in eny commune wealth the same beyng counted the most excellent kynde of knowledge the chiefest parte of ciuyl prudence and the mirrour of mans lyfe There is required in all magistrates both a fayeth and feare in God and also an outwarde policye in worldly thynges wherof as the one is to be learned by the scryptures so the other must chiefly be gathered by readyng of histories For in them men may see the groundes and beginnynges of coÌ„men wealthes the causes of their encrease of their prosperous mayntenauÌ„ce and good preseruation and againe by what meanes they decreased decayed and came to ruyne There the vertues and vices of men do appeare howe by their good doynges they florished by their euil actes they decayed How they prospered so loÌ„g as they mainteyned iustice persecutd vice vsed clemencye mercye were liberal religyous vertuous and voyde of couetousnes And contrariwise howe they fell into manifold calamityes miseries troubles when they embraced vyce and forsoke vertue In historyes it is apparaÌ„t how dauÌ„gerous it is to begyn alteracions in a coÌ„men wealth How enuy hatredes oft risyng vpoÌ„ smal causes haue ben the destruction of great kyngdomes And that disobeyete of hygher powers suche as rebellyd agaynst magystrates neuer escapyd punyshment nor came to good end In theym there be presydentys for all cases that may happeÌ„ in folowyng the good in eschuyng the euyl in auoydyng incoÌ„uenyences in forseyng mischiefes In them may be learnyd how to temper in prosperitye how to endure in aduersytye after what maner men should vse them selues both in tyme of peace warre As in all artes there be certeyne prynciples and rules for men to folowe so in hystoryes there be ensamples paynted out of all kynde of vertues wherin both the dignitye of vertue foulenes of vyce appeareth much more lyuelye then in eny morall teachyng there beyng expressed by way of ensample all that Philosophy doth teach by waye of precepts Thys is suche a kynde of knowledge as make men apt eueÌ„ wyth smal experyeÌ„ce eyther to gouerne in publyke matters or in their owne pryuate affayres For by coÌ„paryng thynges past wyth thynges presente men maye easelye gather what is to be folowyd and what is to be eschuyd And he whyche can reade theÌ„ wyth such iudgement waiyng the tymes wyth the causes and occasions of thynges shall bothe see moste deepelye in all matters best declare hys opynion wynne most estymacioÌ„ of prudence wysdome For if aged men be estemyd for the wysest by reason of their experyeÌ„ce Or if Homer paynted forth in the persoÌ„ of Vlyxes the ymage of a perfyte wyse man imputyng the cause therof to the knowledge he hadde gatheryd by traueylyng many couÌ„treyes by vewyng and markyng the customes and maners of dyuers nacyous Then such as be wel experte in hystories and by the well applying of them can take the due fruite perteyning to the same must nedes obteygne profouÌ„dnes of iudgement with a stable and grouÌ„ded wysedome For in them men may beholde as it were before there eies both the whole worlde and the gouerment therof with the policies and lawes the discipline customes maÌ„ners of al people from the begynnyng Thys is suche a thyng that who so euer is clerely voyde of it though he be endued wyth neuer so greate a wytte otherwise with such aptnes of nature or other goodly vertues Yet when he shall haue to do in weyghtye affaires he shall fynde a certeigne mayme and imperfection not onely in ciuyll gouerment but also in the matters perteining to the warre For al though in an excellent capitaine nature must geue the chiefest partes that is to say hardines stowtenes of stomacke wyth a natural wisdome and vnderstanding by which qualities onely experience therunto adioyned diuers haue become famous capitaines Yet thys is a thynge that geueth a greter policye groundeth a deaper Iudgemente addeth a further ornament and glory and formeth a perfitnes an excellencie in a shorter space The shortnes of a mans liefe shortened besides by so manye casualties is the cause that men be taken awaye before the canne get suche an actual experience as may make theÌ„ perfite and coÌ„monly become rotten before they canne attayne to a rypenes in knowledge But by thys kynd of learning in youth a man is become aged he hathe knowledge wythout experience he is wyse before it is loked for he is become a councelour the firste houre and a man of warre the fyrste daye The same thynge hath bene verified in manye whych in young age haue bene prudente councellours and in small experience politique capitaynes Alexander hereof is an euidente ensample who brought vp vndre Aristotle in learnynge and so geuen to this kinde of studye that he had Homer alwayes laied vnder his beddes hede wherby he myght be admonished of the vertues and offyce of an excellent Prynce entered into hys kingdome whan he was but .xx. yeares of age and neuerthelesse bothe established hys owne estate wyth suche prudence that wythin shorte space besides the enlargynge of hys owne boundes he subdued the greatest parte of the worlde And albeit he began so young and continued so smale tyme yet no mans actes be comparable to his beinge counted the most excellente captayne from the begynnyng But if eny man wyl impute the greatnes of his doynges to the perfyte disciplyne the Macedons vsed in the warres and to the politique Capitaynes and expert souldiers left to hym by hys father Phyllyp it shal appeare euydeÌ„tly by the decaye of Realmes when they haue bene gouerned by imprudent Prynces and by the ouerthrowes the Romaynes receyued when they were conducted by euyll Capitaines that no prudence of counsellours can take place nor eny dysciplyne or experience of the souldiours can auayle if the heade be not a maÌ„ of excelleÌ„t vertue There is nothing newe vnder the Sunne as the wyse man faith and it is impossible for eny thing to chauÌ„ce either in the war or in coÌ„mon policye but that the lyke maye be founde to haue chaunced in times past Al which thinges laied vp in memorye as in a place of store meÌ„ may alwayes be furnished for all chaunces that maye occurre Seing histories be then so good and necessary it were muche requisite for mens instruccion that they were translated into suche touÌ„ges as most men myght vnderstaÌ„d them and specially the histories of antiquitye whych both
other marieng a wyfe There were set furth sondry notable playes and deuises plesaunt to beholde And as Kyng Philip betwene the two Alexanders the one his natural sonne and the other his sonne in lawe was passyng through the preasse without any guarde The death of Philip. One Pansanias a young man of the nobilitie of Macedon when no man suspected any suche thing sodainly slewe him starck dead making that day whiche was apoincted to Ioye and triumphe lamentable and dolorous by the death of suche a prince Pansanias This Pansanias being a boie was enforced by Attalus to the vnnatural vse of his body whiche not content to do so himself at an other open banket caused diuers of his familiars to abuse him likewyse Attalus with whiche shame and villany the young man beyng sore greued as reason would coÌ„playned to the kyng whome although the dishonestie of the matter moued muche yet for the loue he bare to Attalus and for the respect of his seruice forbare to vse any reformacion in the matter This Attalus was very nere vnto the kynge and in speciall fauoure by reason he was kynsman vnto the Quene Cleopatra whoÌ„ Philip had laste maried He was also elected generall Capytayne of the Kynges Armye prepared to passe into Asia as one that was bothe valiaunt of hys persone and no lesse politique in the feates of warre vpon these respectes the Kynge endeuoured by all the meanes he coulde to pacefie Pansanias beyng kyndled with moste iuste cause of grief aswell by gyuing him great giftes and promocions as placing hym honourably amongest those IentlemeÌ„ that were for the guarde of his persone But all this could not appease the iust rage of his Ire whiche wrought so in hym that he determined to be reuenged not only vpon Attalus that dyd the villony but also vpon the Kynge that would not minister iustice Whiche determinacion he put in effect as is sayd before Many thynges myght be sayd more of the doynges and sayenges of this Philip but one thyng aboue an other is to be noted that although for the more parte he was alwayes occupied in the tourmoyle of the warres and other like busines yet had he euer suche affeccion to the studies of humanitie and good learnyng that he both did and spake many thynges worthy memory whiche were both witty and plesaunt He lyued seuen and fourty yeares and reigned .xxv. yeares beyng the .xxiii. kynge of the Macedons as they reigned in ordre ¶ The seconde boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of Alexander the greate Kyng of Macedonie WHen Philip was dead Alexander toke vpon hym as king the .20 yere of his age his sonne whiche for the greatnes of his actes was afterwardes called the great Alexander toke vpon him the kyngdome the .4.26 yeare after the buylding of Rome being of the age of .20 yeares His state stode at that tyme subiect to muche enuie hatred and hasard from all partes For the nacions and prouinces borderyng vpon hym could not wel beare their present bondage and euery one of them sought howe to recouer agayne their auncient dominion and enheritaunce The first thyng he attempted after he was kyng was the greuous execution he dyd vpon as manye as hadde conspiryd his fathers death whyche done he celebrated his funeralles with great pompe Concernyng his estate he sone establysshed it and that muche better theÌ„ any man could haue imagyned in one beyng of so yoÌ„g and tendre yeares for beyng of some had in contempt and of some suspected to be cruell towardes the one he bare hym self so stoutely that he toke from them all contempt and to the other so gentylly that their ymagened feare of his cruell disposition was cleane taken away he graunted vnto the Macedons fredom and priuiledge from all exaccion and bondage sauing from the seruice of warre by whiche act he got so great fauour and loue amonges his people that all affirmed by one consent howe the persone of their Kynge was chaunged and not his vertue his name was altered but not his good gouernement In the beginning of his raigne rebellion was made against hym on all sydes he by and by with an incredible stowtenes and coÌ„stancy of mynde stayed all their tumultes which thyng pacified and set in ordre he went to Corinthe in Peloponese Corinthe where callyng a generall Counsell of all the states of Grece Alexander elected Capitain generall against the PerciaÌ„s he was elected their generall Capitain against the Percians whiche before tyme had afflicted Grece with many plagues and at that present possessed the greatest Empire in the world his father had purposed that warre before but the preuencioÌ„ of death was the cause he brought not his purpose to passe Whiles he was in preparacion of this enterprise he was enfourmed howe the Atheniens the Thebanes and Lacedemonians were reuolted from hym and confederate with the Percians and all by meanes of an Oratour called Demosthenes Demosthenes whiche was corrupted by them with a great somme of money For the reformacion whereof Alexander so sodeynly had prepared an Army wherewith he came vpon them that they could scarsely beleue they sawe hym present of whose commyng they had not herde before In his way he practysed wyth the Tessalians and vsed to them suche gentle wordes and apte persuasions by puttyng them in remembraunce of his fathers benefites and of the auÌ„cient kynrede betwene theÌ„ by the discent froÌ„ Hercules that he brought them to the pointe that by an vnyuersall decre of the hole Countrey he was created their Gouernour So great was the celeritie that this young man vsed and his diligence so effectuall in all his doynges that he brought all suche in feare of hym as before turned from hym and regarded hym litle As the Atheniens were the firste that fayled so they firste of all repented and extolled with prayses Alexanders chyldhode whyche before they had despysed aboue the vertue of the auncient conquerours They also sent Embassadours to require of hym peace whome he sore rebuked when they came to his presence but yet was content at length to remytte their offence And although Demosthenes was chosen one of the Embassadours yet he came not to his Prince but from Cythron retourned agayne to Athens whiche his doyng was ether for feare that he had so often â—ayled agaynst Philip and stoored the Atheniens against hym or els to take away the suspicion of hym selfe from the Kynge of Percie of whome it was sayd that he had receyued a great somme of gold to stand agaynste the Macedons The same thyng was layed agaynste hym by Aesthines in an Oracion where he saieth Aesthynes presently the Kynges gold doth beare his charges but that can not laste hym long seyng no ryches can suffise his prodigall liuyng When Alexander had pacified those sturnes that were begonne in Grece before he would passe his Army into Asia he made a iourney agaynst the Peones the
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