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
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
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
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
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
and the Macedons for the souereyntye The one partie lacked a capteine and the other rowme to fight in The manifolde aduentures and causes that fel that daie encreased both the hope and feare of both parties fortune as it were of purpose bringing suche valiant men to fight togithers neither of them preuailing vpon other But the streytnes of the place wherin they fought did not suffre them to ioyne with there whole force at ones for more were beholders the fighters and such as stode without daunger encouraged the other with their crie Atlength the LacedemoniaÌ„s began to faint and scarsly able for sweating to sustain their armour began to drawe backe to haue the more libertie to fle from their enemies that preased sore vpon them WheÌ„ they were ones brokeÌ„ and scatered abrode the victor pursued after And passing the place wherupon the Lacedemonians batteyll was first araynged with all haste made a sore pursuyt vpon Agym who seing his men flieng and his enemies approch at haÌ„de wylled his men to set him downe Where stretching out him selfe to fele if the force of his body could aunswere vnto his hart When he found him selfe vnable to stand remaining vpon his knees put on his helmet and couering his body with his target shaked his spere and prouoked his enemies to drawe nere if any were desirous of his spoile but there was not one that preassed nere hym but did cast dartes afarre of which he alwayes toke and threwe at his enemies againe till such tyme as he was thrust into the bare breast with a speare Agiâ— was slayne which pulled out of the wound he fainted and bowing downe himself vpon his target shortly after fel downe dead bloud and lyfe failing both together There were slayne of the LacedemoniaÌ„s .v. M.iii. C.lx. and of the Macedons not passing .iii. C. but there was scarsely any of theÌ„ that escaped vnwouÌ„ded This victory brake the hartes not only of the LacedemoniaÌ„s and of their confederates but also of all other whiche lay in wayte loking for the successe of that warre Antiparer was not ignorant howe the couÌ„tenauÌ„ces of such as did gratefie his victory differed muche from the ententes of their hartes but desirous to finishe the warre that was begonne perceiued it necessary for him to disseÌ„ble suffre hiÌ„self to be deceiued And though he reioysed much in the fortune of the thing yet he feared the enuy that might ensue therof being a greater matter then the estate of a lieutenaunt did beare For AlexaÌ„der was of the nature that he desired that his enemies had wonne the victory shewyng manifestly that he was not contented with Antiparers good successe thinking that what honour soeuer chaunsed to any other man was a derogacion to his owne glory Antipater therefore which knew full wel his stomake durst not vse the victory according to his owne will But assembled a counsel of Grekes to aduise what thei thought expedieÌ„t The LacedemoniaÌ„s made no other request but that they might send Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche vpon their repaire to him and their suite made obtained pardon to all men sauing to suche as were the authores of the rebellion The Megapolitans whose citie did abide the sieg Megapolitane were coÌ„pelled to pay as a fine for ther rebellion .xx. talentes to the Aheians and the catolians This was the ende of the warre Howe Alexander in prosprytie â—ell to vice which being sodeinly begone was ended before that Alexander had ouerthrowne Darius at Arbella Assone as his minde was deliuered of those present cares as one that coulde beare better the warres then quietnes or rest gaue him selfe al to pleasures By the vices wherof ensewing he was ouercome whom no powre of the Percians or any other was able to subdue He was geuen to banquetting out of season to a fonde delight of drinking watching in plaies and amonges flocks of Concubines that drwe him into strauÌ„g manners custumes Which he folowing as thinges better then the vsagies of his countrey offended therby greatly both the eyes the hartes of his owne nacion caused many that loued hym before entierly to hate him then as an enemy For the MacedoÌ„s that were obstinate in keaping their own discipline accustumed not to be curius but so scarse in their diet as might suffise nature WheÌ„ they sawe he went about to bring in amonges them the vices of those nacions whych they had subdued coÌ„spiracies then began to be made againste hym mutyne risse amonges the souldiers euery one complaynning to an other frely vttred ther griefes therby he was prouoked to wrath to suspicion sodeine feare diuers other inconuenience ensuing therupon which shal be declared herafter Alexander being giuen as it hath bene saied before to vnreasonable banquetinge wherin he consumed both daie night When he was satisfied of eating drinking passed ouer the tyme with plaies pastimes And not coÌ„tented with such musiciaÌ„s as he brought out of Greace caused the womeÌ„ that were taken captiue tosing before him such songs as abhored the eares of the Macedons not accustumed to suche thinges Emonges those women Alexander spyed one more sadder then the rest which with a certaine shamfastnes did striue with them that brought hir fourth She was excellent of bewty throughe hir shamfastnes hir bewty was augmentyd Bicause she did caste hir eies towardes the earth couered hir face so much as she might caused him to suspect hir to come of greater nobilitie then that she ought to be shewed furth amoÌ„such banquetting plaies And therfore being demaunded what she was she shewed hir self to be the doughter of the sonne of Occhus that lately reigned in Perce the wief of Histaspis which was Darius kinsmaÌ„ Histaspis and had ben his lieutennant ouer great armies Their yet remaynned in the kinges hart some smalle sparkes of his former vertue For in respect of her estate beinge come of kinges blood the reuerence he bare to such a name as the nese of Occhus commaunded hir not only to be set free but also to be restored to hir goods and hir husband whoÌ„ he willed to be sought out The next daie he apointed EphestioÌ„ to bring al the prisoners vnto the court where enquering of the nobilitie of euery one commaunded them which were descended of noble blood to be seuered from the reste amonges whom they found Oxatres brother to Darius that was no lesse noble of mind then of blood There was made of the laste spoile .xxvi. M. talentes whereof .xii. M. were consumed in rewardes amonges the men of warre the smoe amoÌ„ted to no lesse value that was coÌ„uaied away by them that had the keapinge thereof There was one Oxydates a noble man of Perce that was put in prison by Darius and apointed to suffre death Oxydates whom Alexander delyuered and gaue vnto hym the signorie of Medya and receyued Darius brother amonges the nombre of his frendes reseruing to him all the