Physician in this sad distemper Now whereas by the Laws of Sparta such as had fled from a battel were not onely made incapable of Magistracy and of marriage with others who thereupon were noted with ignominy but were to be strucken by every one that met them walking in a dejected posture in Fools Coats with their beards half shaved there being many and powerfull who fled from Leuctra lest any inconvenience might follow upon their discontent Agesilaus procured that the Law for his time should be silent and without repealing obtain its antient vigour for the time to come Then to recreat the minds of the Soldiers he lead them out into Arcadia where industriously abstaining from fight he took a little Town of the Mantineans and made excursions into their Territories to give his Citizens a little hope and shew them that the fortune of Sparta was not altogether desperate 40. The Ephori made new Levies listing those now that were above 60. The Tegeatans Mantineans Corinthians Phliasians Achaeans and other Cities sent their numbers the Conduct of all which was committed to Archidamus Archidamus invadeth Boeotia because his father was not yet recovered The Thebans presently after the victory sent a Messenger Crowned to Athens to let them know their successe and demanded aid but the Athenians being not a little troubled at what had hapned gave him no audience Then sent they to Jason the Pheraean Prince of Thessaly who though he was otherwise employed with the Phocians yet came and when Archidamus had now invaded Boeotia procured a Truce betwixt them and thereupon the Spartan Army returned home This by Xenophon is related as done after the battel at Leuctra and because he maketh no mention of any Truce made by Jason betwixt them before the fight we may suspect a mistake in the time either of him or Diodorus A Truce is procured by Jason Prince of Thessaly who is presently after murdred by his brothers who relateth the story as before Jason returning home was murdred by seven young men having great designs in his head after he had partly by perswasion and partly by awe caused all Thessaly to receive him as General the Lacedaemonians having refused to send them aid to defend themselves from his power After his death his two brothers Polydorus and Polyphron Authors of his death were made Generals of whom the former was slain within a while by the later who turning his Principality into Tyranny held it but one year being then slain by his brother Alexander under pretence of revenging the death of Polydorus and overthrowing the Tyranny But he proved ten times more Tyrannical * Plutarch in Pelopida burying men alive convering them in beasts skins and so setting them before the Dogs to be devoured and killing others with Darts to make himself sport At length having a plot against his Wives brothers he was slain by them by her means and Tisiphonus the eldest of all the brothers succeeded who continued in the Government when Xenophon wrote his History 41. The Athenians considering that the Lacedaemonians still expected they should follow them in the Wars as formerly Xenoph. and would compell them thereto if they could thought it best for saving their credit to revive the peace formerly made with Artaxerxes They sent therefore fifty men about it to the Cities to take an Oath of them to this purpose That they would observe the Truce established by the King and confirmed by the Athenians and their Associates and if any injury should be offered to any that took the Oath to assist them with their full power All the States willingly admitted of it and received the Oath except the Eleans who after the example of the Thebans pretended that the Marganians Scilluntians and Triphyllians ought not to be set at liberty because they belonged unto them All Cities both little and great being by virtue of this peace to be set at liberty the Mantineans taking occasion thereat made a Decree to build their Citie again and to fence it with walls which formerly had been demolished by the Lacedaemonians They were agrieved that this should be done without their consent and sent Agesilaus to them to stop their proceedings but the Magistrates refused to call the People together to give him audience though a friend upon his fathers account telling him what was once deceed by the people could not be altered Some of the Arcadians sent and promised them assistance and the Eleans helped them with thirty talents of Silver At this time the inhabitants of Tegea fell out amongst themselves whilst some would have all the Arcadians meet together and choose some one man to be their Prince A Sedition at Tegea but others were for living under their own Laws onely and the maintenance of their liberty These at the first had the better of it Alias Diodorus vide but by the help of the Mantineans at length the other prevailed and killing some drove the rest of their Enemies to Lacedaemon to the number of 80. 42. The Lacedaemonians thought they were bound by Oath to revenge the cause of the Exiles upon the Mantineans who by falling on them had broken theirs and gave order to Agesilaus to invade them They by the advice of their friends the Arcadians contained themselves within their walls nevv built and suffered him to spoil their Country vvhich doing vvith great caution and warinesse yet without any losse of honour he returned home At this time it must be according to * In Arcadicis Pausanias who placeth it in the same year with the battel at Leuctra that by the perswasion of Epaminondas the Arcadians built them one City to inhabit destroying there many small Towns which thence had the name of Megalopolis Megalopolis built Aelian var. hist lib. 2. cap. 42. The fame of Ploto being now spread abroad the Thebans and Arcadians sent to him to desire his help not onely for the instruction of their youth and to teach Philosophy but also to prescribe them Laws for their Commonwealth At first he intended to go but asking the Ambassadors how their Superiours stood affected to an equal distribution of goods and honours and hearing they were utterly averse to such a constitution he thereupon refused to go to them At this same time also Epaminondas sent into Sicilie Italy as far as the Islands Euesperites and all over where the old Messenians dwelt Pausanias in Messenicis to invite them home into their antient Country which was restored to them and called after the old name Messene The Messenians recalled re-establisht Which restauration hapned 298 years reckoned from the first of the 28th Olympiad after the taking of Ira and their banishment in the third year of the 102 Olympiad Dyscinetas being Archon During all this time of their Exile they preserved intirely their antient Rites and the Dorick dialect unchanged which in our Age saith Pausanias by them and onely by them is
story of Aeneas and Dido to be a fiction and utterly against the course of History Further Eusebius noteth that some accounted Carthage built 143 years after the destruction of Troy about the 2966 year of the World and the 23 of the reign of David 164 years or more before the time assigned to Dido by Menander It consisted of three parts For the reconcilement of these several assertions it must be considered that Carthage consisted of three parts viz. Cothon Megara and Byrsa whereof the first was the Port and the last the Citadel compassed about by the second called Magalia and Magaria but more truely Megara signifying properly in the Punick language dwellings in a strange Countrey 'T is conceived that these might be built at several times as that part about the Haven before the War of Troy the other some time within 144 years after the destruction of it which might rightly in respect of the other be called Carthada or New Town and lastly the Byrsa by Dido 166 years after For the Phoenicians being masters at Sea might according to their pleasure as they had occasion send out Colonies which they began to do from the time that Joshua expelled them out of the Land of Canaan The Greeks themselves believed that Cadmus made an expedition into Africk and there built many Cities as appeareth out of Nonius and he built the Citadel at Thebes about the time of Joshua In Procopius his age who lived under Justinian the Emperour about the 540 year of Christ the two Pillars were yet standing which those Canaanites erected that fled from the face of Joshua in that part of Africk called Tingitana as the inscription testified which we formerly mentioned and Eusebius writeth that these same Canaanites led Colonies into Tripolis in Africk Lastly amongst several other Cities built by the Phoenicians the most considerable after Carthage was Utica Utica some ten miles distant from it which Aristotle from the Phoenician Histories reporteth to be 287 years antienter than Carthage and Velletus Paterculus to have been built by the Tyrians a few years after Gades about the time of Codrus who being Contemporary with Saul this Citie obtained the name of Utica or Ityca that is saith Bochartus in the Phoenician language Old or Antient. The story of Dido 6. Dido was sister to Pygmalion King of Tyre wife to Sichaeus Menander Ephesius apud Josephum ut priùs Justin lib. 18. Appian lib. de bellis Punicis Servius in Aeneiad lib. 1. or Sicharbas their Uncle the Priest of Hercules Sichaeus being murdred by Pygmalion for his Wealth she out of hatred to or for fear of her brother fled into Africk with all she could take thereby disappointed the murderer of his prey The story goeth that coming into Africk she her Companions were repelled by Hiarbas the King of that place till they craftily desired to buy of him so much ground as an Ox's hide would compasse The Africans laughed at their folly and out of desire to see what use they could make of so little ground swore to make good the bargain The Phoenicians then cut the Hide all into one small thong with which they encompassed twenty furlong and thereon built a Castle thence said the Greeks called Byrsa But learned men explode this story of the Hide as a meer invention and a fable raised from a false explication of the word which in the Hebrew tongue is Bosra and signifying a fortified place or Castel is changed into Byrsa for the better sound because the Genius of the Greek language suffereth not S R to be joyned together Justin out of Trogus relateth that Hiarbas King of Mauritania sent for ten of the principal Carthaginians and required Dido in marriage threatning else to make War upon them At their return they told her he desired some one who might teach his people breeding and manners but none could be found that was content to leave his Countrey and joyn himself with the Barbarians whose lives were like to those of wild beasts She blaming them all exceedingly that they preferred their private commodity before the good of their Countrey to which if need required they ought their very lives they opened to her the whole matter saying that what she would impose upon others she ought not her self to refuse Being caught with this wile she long called on the name of Sichaeus her husband with many tears and great lamentation then taking three moneths time for the doing of what there was necessity for she made a pile of wood as though to make a Parentation to Sichaeus and appease his Ghost before her second marriage Having killed many beasts she ascended the Pile with a Sword in her hand and turning to the people said that now she was going to her husband and therewithall killed her self Before the name of Dido which some make to signifie Loved or Amiable Vide Bocharti Canaan lib. 1. c. 14. Simson ad A.M. 3132. and others more probably Wandring or Erratick she had that of Elissa betokening a Divine Woman or Virago The Latin word Virago in Greek written Ouirago is in Eusebius corrupted into Origo and being applied as a name to the Citie and not to the woman by a misunderstanding hath much perplexed Joseph Scaliger and others 7. Carthage then being re-edified or inlarged by Dido and the Colony she brought thither about the 3132 year of the World in the dayes of Johas King of Judah and Jehu of Israel 310 years after the destruction of Troy The form of Government at Carthage 97 before the first Olympiad and 120 before the building of Rome was at first under Monarchical Government but afterwards rejecting it indured many hazards and hardships which followed loose liberty whereof most are briefly recited by Justin in his eighteenth book and those that follow The (a) Polit. lib. 2. cap. 9. Philosopher compareth this Commonwealth with those of the Cretans and Lacedaemonians saying that it was mixed of Aristocracy and Policy as he calleth it (b) Lib. 16. Polybius saith it was composed of Kingly Aristocratical and Democratical Governments and (c) In Nycocle pag. 61. tolius operis editi Genevae 1636. Isocrates maketh it Oligarchical at home and in War Monarchical As two Kings at Lacedaemon had the first rank of Magistracie with equal power so at Carthage two persons by them called Suffetes and by Aristotle and Polybius and Corn. Nepos termed Kings yet onely nominal As the former were for life so these were but Annual in which respect (d) Lib. 10. Livie compareth them with the Consuls of Rome and their dignity being hereditary those were yearly elected out of any noble Families Such were especially preferred as were accounted most eminent for Virtue and able to defray the charges of their place Aristotle commendeth this above the Lacedaemonian custom all but that concerning their wealth imputing it as an error to the Legislator who ought another way to
on the Sacrosanct body of the Tribune and being General of an Army had received a defeat and returned with ignominie The Patritian exceedingly concerned left nothing unattempted to save him and desired him that giving way to the time he would take the habit agreeable to his condition but he flatly refused to do any thing poorly or unworthy of his Ancestors adding that he would die a thousand deaths rather than touch the knees of any as was the custome of Suppliants He forbad his friends to supplicate for him saying his shame would be doubled if he saw any do that in his behalf which he himself disdained to do Giving out many such like speeches he neither changed apparrel nor his countenance nor remitted any thing of his antient magnanimity Before the Trial he killeth himself and when he saw the whole City earnestly intent upon his tryal a few dayes before the appointed time he killed himself His friends gave out that he died of a natural death and the body being bought forth into the Forum his Son was there ready and asked leave of the Consuls to commend him in a funeral Oration according to the custome The Tribunes commanded the body to be taken away without any ceremony but the People were thereat displeased and suffered the young man to perform this last and usual Office of honour to his deceased Father 77. For this and the two following years the Romans fought successively against the Aequi Sabines and Volsci From the later was taken Antium being surrendred to T. Quintius Capitolinus the Consul who placed therein a Garrison In the following year wherein were Consuls Tib. Aemilius again and Q. Fabius son to one of the three brothers that with their Friends and Clients died at Cremera the Tribunes made new stirs about the Agrarian and Aemilius furthering the businesse the Senate to gratifie the multitude decreed that some part of the Lands lately taken from the Volsci and Antiates should be divided Yet not many would give their names being unwilling to forsake their native Country so that the Colony was made up out of the Latines and Hernici The Consuls marched Aemilius against the Volsci and Fabius against the Aequi both had successe the later forcing the Aequi to beg Peace the conditions whereof were left to him by the Senate But the Aequi receiving the Fugitives of Antium suffered them to make excursions into the Territories of the Latines and refused to give them up whereupon succeeded another War though the Romans obtained a bloody Victory in the third year after the making of the Peace In the next Consulship which was executed by L. Ebutius and P. Servilius Priscus fell a more grievous plague upon the City than ever before hapned A most grievous Plague It first consumed almost all Cattel and from the Country came into the City wherein it swept away an innumerable company of slaves and a fourth part of the Senators and amongst these the Consuls with most of the Tribunes Livie writeth that the Aediles supplied the place of Consuls The disease began about the Calends of September and continued that whole year sparing no Sexe or Age. 78. When this was known by the neighbour Nations the Volsci and Aequi War with the Aequi and Volsci supposing the time of destroying the Roman Empire to be come provided all things for a Siege and to divert the Romans invaded the Latines and Hernici their associates These sending to Rome for aid Eubutius was already dead and Servilius as yet alive in small hope assembled the Senators who were brought half dead in their Litters to the Court They gave them liberty to defend themselves which doing when the Enemies had wasted their grounds at their pleasures they marched for Rome but contrary to their expectations they found it sufficiently guarded though with sick and feeble men When the next Consuls were created L. Lucretius and T. Veturius Geminus the Pestilence ceased and all things being quiet at home for the Tribunes making adoe according to the custome about the Agrarian were commanded by the People to desist and expect better times they invaded those who had taken advantage at the publick calamity They had good successe abroad and better near home when the Aequi in their absence came and thought to have surprized the City For understanding the walls to be furnished with armed men and four cohorts of 600 apiece to stand before the gates they altered their course when they came to Tusculum but Lucretius met and gave them battel which they were hasty to imbrace before the coming of his Colleague For a time they fought couragiously but seeing a band of men behind them which came from a certain Castle they thought it had been the other Consul and fearing to be inclosed ran away having lost both their Captains and many other valiant men Afterwards without any let the Consuls wasted the Territories both of the Aequi and Volsci and returned home at the time of the Comitia Lucretius in full triumph and Veturius in the other called Ovation by decree of the Senate with the like pomp in all things except that he entred on foot and not in a Chariot which words conclude the ninth Book of Dionysius his Roman Antiquities 79. For the year following which was the first of the 80 Olympiad wherein Torymbas the Thessalian was Victor and Phrasicles Archon P. Volumnius and Ser. Sulpitius Camerinus were created Consuls Dionys l. 10. who having nothing to do abroad imployed themselves at home in defending the power of the Patritians against the Commons now much instigated against it by their Tribunes They were come so far as to assert that it was most agreeable with the constitution of a free State for the Citizens to have equal power in Government A. M. 3545. Ol. 80. an 1 V. C. 294. Artax Longius 5. The People now would have all things done by the prescript of Laws Fresh stirs about new Laws whereof as yet there were none written the Kings having judged according to their own discretion and the Consuls by certain presidents of those Princes formerly in power The least part was recorded in the Books of the Pontifies which none could come at except the Patritians C. Terentius or Terentillus Arsa according to Livie Tribune of the Commons the foregoing year had endeavoured to circumscribe within certain limits the power of the Consulship but left the matter unfinished because the greater part of Citizens were imployed in the War the Consuls on set purpose drawing it out in length till the Comitia Now the whole College of Tribunes renewed the attempt by the procurement of A. Virginius one of the number the whole City being divided about it Much contention there was in the Senate betwixt the Tribunes and the contrary Faction but at length not doing any good in that place they called the People together and proposed a Law that ten men might be chosen in Lawful Assembly such as
his children some warm water wherewith refreshed they fully recovered The Original of the Terentine Games and told their father how in a dream they had seen a certain god who commanded that at the altar of Pluto and Proserpina black coloured sacrifices furvae hostiae should be offered as also that Lectisternes beds made for the cause of sacrifice as whereon to lye down after the Roman fashion at a solemn feast and night games should be made Valesius seeing no altar in the place thought of making one when as his slaves were digging for that purpose they found one in the earth dedicated to Pluto and Proserpina Here then he sacrificed and three nights together because of the number of his children made Lactisterns and Games being afterwards from this thing named Manius Valesius Terentinus Zozimus writeth Trina Terentio celebrata trinoctialudo Anson that the Romans 100 years before being to fight with the Albans were admonished to build this altar in the earth and that having sacrifized they covered it But this passage concerning Valesius hapned about the twelfth year of Servius Tullius wherein he founded the Lustrum in the 188 of the City and the same wherein the Panathenaea were instituted or rather reduced to the course of five years being-formerly instituted by Theseus at Athens this being the third year of the 53 Olympiad The Terentine and Saecular Games confounded 19. This was the Original of Terentine Games which some have confounded with the Saecular For the next that were celebrated were made by Valerius Poplicola in the year following the banishment of Tarquinius which Zozimus calleth Games of Pluto and Proserpina and * Quem vide cap. 17. lib. de die Natali Censorinus from Antias the Historian giveth them the name of Saecular This confusion cast Censorinus into such a perplexity about the Saecular Games that he thus expresseth the incertainty of the Roman intervals of times and ages Some think the Roman ages to be distinguished by the Saecular Games which if it be so Which much perplexed Censorinus the manner of the Roman age is uncertain For concerning the intervals of times wherein these Games ought to be celebrated we are not onely ignorant how great they were formerly but what they ought to be for the time to come For Antias and other Historians with Varro and Livy have written that they ought to be made every hundreth year But on the contrary both the Commentaries of the Quindecimviri or 15 men and the edicts of Augustus testifie that they ought to be reiterated every hundred and tenth as * Certus undenos decies per annos Orbis ut cantus referatque ludos Ter die clarâ totiensque gratâ Nocte frequentes Horatius Flaccus also saith Further if we search the annals of antient times we shall yet be in greater uncertainty by far For Valerius Antias saith that the first Saecular Games were made after the banishment of the Kings 245 years after the building of Rome by Valerius Publicola But the commentaries of the 15 Men say that 298 years M. Valetius and Sp. Virginius being Consuls The second Games Antias will have made in the 305 year of the City but it s written in the Commentaries of the 15 Men in the 408 M. Valerius Corvinus the second time and C. Paetilius being Consul and so he proceedeth 20. * Hist Sacra Exotica ad A. M. 3491. Jacobus Cappellus dissolveth the difficulty in this manner The cause of this perplexity which troubleth Censorinus is this All Saecular Games are Terentine The difficulty resolved by Jacobus Cappellus but all Terentine Games are not Secular For some were made upon some occasion as those which Valerius Publicola made this 245 year of the City and Valesius about the year 188. These were Terentine Games but not Saecular Now the Saecular are of two sorts The greater Quindecim Diana preces virorum curet Horat. in carm Saeculari which perhaps thou mayst not call amisse * Vide Tacitum Annal. lib. 11. Quindecimvirales were celebrated at the distance of 110 years Of this kind the first were made by the command of the Quindecimviri in the 298 year of the City 110 years as it seemeth after the first Terentine Games made by Valesius So the Valesian shall fall in the 188 of the City The first of the Quindecimviri were made in the 298 year of the City the Second in the 408 the Third in the 518 and the Fourth in the 628. The lesser Saeculum or Age consisted but of 100 years instituted as it seemeth by L. Valerius after the banishment of the Decemviri that year being according to some the 300 of the City So the First Centenarie Games agree with the 305 Varronian year of the City the Second with the 405 the Third with the 505 the Fourth with the 605. 21. Though the Second of the Centenaries should have been celebrated in the 405 year yet whether it happened through the Gallick War or otherwise they were not till that following wherein M. Popilius Laenas the fourth time and L. Cornelius Scipio were Consuls as Zozimus writeth These Censorinus hath omitted and four more Observations concerning the Centenaries if credit be given to the inscription of a certain stone mentioned by George Herwart from which it should appear that before this year were celebrated three Saecular Games viz. in the 100 200 and 300 years according to the account of Pictor and the 105 205 and 305 according to that of Varro Two Solemnities also at the distance of 110 years as in the 188 and 298 after the account of Varro to which may be added those made by Poplicola extraordinarily in the 245 year So that the Games celebrated this year viz. in the 406 may rightly be called the seventh Games The Quindecimvirals or those of 100 years continued till Constantine's time who forbad them to be celebrated in the 1067 year of the City His son Constantius also prohibited the Centenaries which in his time fell in the 1100 year of the City Fifty seven years after the Heathen got leave of Honorius to celebrate the Terentine Games again in his sixth Confulship for which Claudian thanks him 200 years after they had been kept by Severus But to return these Third Saecular Games which gave occasion to this discourse and were celebrated in the 518 year of the City and the fifth after the first Punick Warre P. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Lâ—cinius Varus being Consuls were those of the Quindecimviri or of the interval of 110 years that we may note thus much for the information of Students 22. In the sixth year afer the first Punick War (a) Livius l 1. Eutropius l. 3. Plutarch in Numa the Temple of Janus was shut at Rome now the second time The Temple of Janus shut the second time The first divorce all things being in quiet and the Romans having no Wars any where after the reducement
the Enemy but as the Samnites formerly did by another after the defeat at Caudinum they refused to receive him After this Brutus defeated many thousands of the Lusitanians and overthrew the Gallaecians but Lepidus the Proconsul set upon the Vaccaei an harmlesse People of the hithermost Spain or Hispania Terraconensis for in the 559 year of the City Bad sucesse in Spain Spain was divided into Citerior or Terraconensis and Ulterior or Betiea and Lusitania two Praetors being yearly sent thither the number of which Officers was therefore upon this occasion increased to six by whom he was utterly defeated Causeth Scipio Aemilianus to be created Consul the second time These things so affrighted the Roman Soldier that he almost quaked at the sight of a Spaniard and at Rome men were seized with great fear and shame Therefore Scipio Aemilianus Africanus must be created Consul the second time as the onely refuge and hope of his Country 4. At the first he restored discipline the want of which had spoiled all but then coming to engage found the courage of the Enemy such that he resolved to fight no more but lay close siege to Numantia and govern himself according to the comportment of affairs At length the besiged greatly straightned offered to yield upon reasonable conditions He besiegeth Numantia and taketh it or fight if they might have battel given them which being denied having drunk strong drink on purpose they assailed the besiegers so fiercely that the Romans had run but that Scipio was the General At last they fired the City over their own heads and scarcely one of them remained to be led in triumph This famous City was seated in the hithermost Spain in the head of Gallaecia and the confines of the Coltiberians It had with 4000 men for the space of fourteen years saith Florus or twenty according to Strabo born the brunt of 40000 Romans and many times put them to shameful flight with great slaughter Scipio destroyed it after he had for a year and three moneths continued the siege fourteen years after he had so dealt with Carthage in the 621 of the City A. M. 3871 P. Mutius Scaevola and L. Calpurnius Piso Fruges both learned men being Consuls At this time a servile War was raised in Sicily by one Ennus a Syrian of Apamea A servile war in Sicily the slave of Antigenes of Enna Excerpt Died. Siculi lib. 34. Orosius l. 5. c. 9 It was followed by Calpurnius Piso the Consul and finished by P. Rupilius Nepos his Successor Twenty thousand slaves were by him slain in battel Ennus being cast in prison died it's said of the lowsie disease at Morgantia 5. Ever since the beginning of the Tarentine War to this time for the space of almost 150 years was there much modesty abstinence selfdenial valour and virtue amongst the Romans in general of which yet especially the Fabii Fabritii Marcelli Curii Metelli the Scipio's and Aemilii have left examples admirable to be commended to all posterity such were their cautious and politick yet just and noble carriage both at home and abroad But now the Asian Expeditions and Triumphs having brought in excesse and riot and the ruine of Carthage having taken away fear idlenesse with security by degrees stole in upon them and the infirmity of the Government after that fear which hitherto had preserved it safe was removed again effectually shewed it self For though after this time many a People was subdued and brought under and much glory gotten abroad yet was it stained by emulations jealousies and contentions at home and even by shedding the blood of one another in an open though civil feud which first came to passe while the former things were performed in Spain by Scipio 6. Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus son to one of the same name who had been twice Consul and once Censor by Cornelia an excellent woman Orosius l. 5. c. 8 9. Florus l. 3. c. 14. daughter of Africanus the elder Tiberius Gracchus raiseth a sedition about the Agrarian being Quaestor to Mancinus the Consul in Spain had an hand in the dishonourable Peace made by him for which being reflected on by the Senate or or at least thinking himself so to be acted now by shame and fear in distast of the Nobility as it 's said he cast in his head how to become gracious and popular with the commons Procuring himself to be chosen Tribune he preferred a Law forbidding any man to possesse above 500 acres of the publick grounds and ordering the overplus to be divided to the poor For Joh. Stadius Com. in Flor. l. 3. c. 14. such grounds as the People of Rome took from their Enemies they were wont if tilled to divide to their own Citizens if not arable they then let them out to farm by the Censors to Italians or the ordinary sort of Romans on condition that if they plowed them they should pay the tenth part of the Corn and the fifth of other fruits and if they bred up Cattel they were charged with a certain rent But it came to passe that by incredible impudence and licentiousnesse of the rich the Husband-men were outed of their antient possessions which by purchasing and other wayes they got wholly into their hands so that the Publick was defrauded of it's revenue and the poor of their livelyhoods For restraining the avarice of the rich the Lex Licinia and Sempronia were enacted Gracchus increased the former by adding that lest the Law should be wrested half should be given to the children and the rest divided to such poor as had nothing And if any went about to inlarge their portion by purchase Triumviri or three men should be yearly appointed to judge what ground was publick and what private 7. This netled the Nobility exceedingly who by virtue of this Law were to part with their inheritances and one of his Collegues Octavius by name Livii Epitom l. 58. Velleius l. 2. c. 3. opposed it for which he so handled him as glad he was to quit his place into which Gracchus chose Q. Mummius one of his own facton This severity being without president much alienated even the minds of the multitude from Gracchus who also perceiving there was not ground enough to quiet them all the expectation of whom he had now raised he offered a Law for distributing the money which Attalus King of Pergamus had left Proposing another Law for dividing of money together with his Kingdom to the People of Rome The Senate being assembled to consult what was to be done and all being of opinion that P. Mutius Scaevola the Consul should defend the Commonwealth by arms he refused to do any thing by force Hereupon Scipio Nasica taking up his gown under his left arm held up his right hand and bade every one that loved the State to follow him Up he went into the Capitol A. M. 3872. Ol. 161. an 4. V. C. 621. Ptol. Physc 14. being
Honorarii being but Titular Consuls yet it also respecteth authority and power as well as meer Title in that the Law of the Praetor whereof we have formerly spoken is called Jus Honorarium 24. As for the Jus Coloniae it is so termed by Tacitus also in those words Atin Italia vetus oppidum Puteoli Jus Coloniae Cognomentum à Nerone adipiscuntur Gellius distinguisheth it from the Jus Municipii after this manner But of Colonies there is another relation or alliance necessitudo For they do come extrinsically into the City Jus Coloniae neither do they stand on their own roots but are as it were begotten by the State and have Laws and Institutions not of their own but those of the Roman people Yet this condition although it be more obnoxious and lesse free is accounted better and more excellent for the amplitude and Majesty of the Roman people whereof these Colonies seem to be certain Images and resemblances and also because the rights of the Municipia are obscure and obliturated which by reason of ignorance the owners cannot use Lib. 1. c. 14 15. From this it appears that Colonies were free of the Citie in which respect Paterculus giving us account of the several Colonies that were planted till the time of Marius mixeth with them such places as to which freedom was given making it as it were the same thing If it had been otherwise there would not have been any comparison as to privilege betwixt Municipia and Colonies and it would have saved Gellius the labour of proving against the common belief that the Jus Municipii was greater Now as for the Jus Latii Cap. 47. Suetonius distinguisheth it from Jus Civitatis for speaking what Augustus did to several Cities he hath this expression amongst the rest Latinitate vel civitate donavit Spartianus in the life of Adrian saith Latium multis civitatibus dedit And Tacitus coming up to our Term saith of Nero Annal. l. 15. c. 32. Jus Latii Eodem anno Caesar nationes Alpium maritimarum in Jus Latii transtulit The Latines were ever counted of the kindred of Rome the Romans having descended from them and upon this account there was a stricter League and Alliance with them than any other people which injoyed not the freedom of the Citie 25. The Latines envying the rising fortune of Rome their Colony laboured to suppresse it but still were worsted and ever forced to submit Servius Tullius the sixth King of Rome breathing after glory in future times in imitation of the Council of the Amphyctiones in Greece and other publick conventions as we have formerly said perswaded both Nations to build at Rome a Temple or Asylum out the common expense Dionys Halicarn lib. 4. where the Cities meeting yearly should sacrifize hold a fair at certain times and if any contention hapned amongst them it might be composed in a religious manner by their fellow Cities Gathering money he built the Temple of Diana in the Aventine Mount the most eminent in the Citie and wrote down the conditions of the League with the manner of observing the Feast and Mart. And that they might not be abolished by the injury of time he ingraved the Decrees of the Council in a pillar of brasse The strict League and Alliance betwixt the Romans and Latines and the Cities which were partakers of this society which pillar continueth till our age saith Dionysius dedicated in the Temple of Diana inscribed with such Characters as Greece antiently used which is no light argument that Rome was not built by Barbarians Tarquinius the last King and Successor of Servius renewed this League and taking in the Hernici and Volsci appointed another place in the midst of all those Nations viz. a Mount near to the Albanians called also Mons Albanus where yearly Feriae or a Festival were to be celebrated and for that time in respect of the religion of the place and the Law made for that purpose they were all to abstain from all manner of violence and in common sacrifize to Jupiter Latialis and Feast together it being appointed how much each people should contribute and receive Of these Feriae and this sacrifice were partakers 47 people and in our age saith the Historian the Romans observe these Ferlae called Feriae Latinae and some contribute Lambs some Cheese some a certain quantity of Milk and others Cakes or Wafers made up with Milk The sacrifice is one Bull for all of whose inwards a certain portion is given to every people They sacrifize for all in general and the Romans preside at the sacrifice Those Feriae at first consisted but of one day which Tarquinius appointed After his banishment the people added another And about six years after when Peace was composed betwixt Patritians and Plebeians after the Creation of the Tribuni Plebis and Aediles a third was added at what time the League was also renewed with the Latines because that after the Peace made with them at the end of the War with Tarquinius whose part they took they had continued peaceable and faithful to the Romans during their confusions and seditions 26. * Lib. 6. Dionysius mentioning the renewing of this League giveth us the substance of it by which description our design is accomplished as to the Jus Latii The Contents of the League These things were contained in the League Let there be mutual Peace betwixt the Romans and Latines as long as the Heavens and Earth keep the same Station and let neither make War upon the other nor procure others to do it nor give free passage to such as would but to the utmost help each other infested by War and equally divide the prey and spoils Concerning private contracts let the controversie be judiciarily decided in the Forum of that People where the contract was made Let nothing be added to the conditions of the League nor taken away without the consent of the Romans and all the Latine People To this purpose a League was established betwixt the parties and sworn to by all sacred things This near confederacy is to be taken as explanatory of the Jus Latii including such a strong alliance as was not made with any but afterwards according to this prescript In processe of time the Latines came to have the freedom of the City When this freedom was given to them is somethimg obscure Dionysius so relateth the story of Cassius in whose second Consulship according to him this League was renewed as if at the same time was given to them the freedom of the City for Cassius to curry favour with the Hernici gave them the same league and when he would have in his third Consulship the Agrarian to passe he caused the Latines and Hernici to be present at the Comitia to cary it by the greater number of voices But if any such thing were it was done rather by his over forwardnesse to gratifie them and without the consent of the
the Mountain Paropamisas at a vast distance from the Ocean Their seat Great Bochartus therefore placeth them in the Mediterranean parts of Arabia the happy the inhabitants whereof if they may be heard challenge Joctan for the founder of both the Arabian Nation and Language calling him otherwise Cahtan Almodad 1. From Almodad then descended the Almodaeans by the Greeks called Allumaeotae whom Ptolomie placeth in the middle of Arabia near the head of the River Lar which emptieth it selfe into the Persian Sea Sheleph 2. From Saleph the Salapeni who lived more remote upon the borders of Arabia Desert not far from the spring of the River Betius Hatsarmaueth 3. From Hatsarmaueth which word is variously written and by the Arabians called Hadramauth or Chadramauth were named the regions Adramyta Chatramis Chatramitis and the Inhabitants Athramotitae Chatramotitae Chatramotae Aâ—ramitâ—ae and Adramitae whose Metropolis was antiently called Sabota Sabbatae Saubata at this day Sebam From Jerach came the Alilaei Jerach 4. a people inhabiting near the Red Sea Jerachaei in Hebrew and Alilaei in Arabick being the Sons of Jarlach Hilal or the Moon Hadoram 5. Uzal 6. 16. From Hadoram issued the Drimanti placed by Pâ—iny upon the Persian gulfe near the Macae From Uzal the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Alieman in the eastern part of Arabia seem to be descended Sanaa the Metropolis being by the Jews still called Uzal Dicklah 7. Dicla in the Chaldaean and Syrian tongues signifying a Palm from him must that part of Arabia have been called wherein that Tree most grows inhabited by the Minaei Obal 8. Obal in the Arabian tongue Aubal and Abal seemeth to have passed over the gulf into Arabia Troglodytica and to have given name to the mart-Town and Bay of Abalites or Analites Abimael 9. Abimael was the Father of the Malitae whom Theophrastus maketh to have inhabited one of the four Regions fruitfull in spices Shebah 10. Of Seba came the Sabaeans properly so called named also Sabatae who dwelt by the Red Sea betwixt the Minaeans and Catâ—banes which Nations also together with the Chatramotae are by Writers often included amongst the Sabaeans Besides this Seba there were three others of that name and founders of Nations As (o) Gen. 10.7 one the Son of Chus another his Nephew by Ragmah and the (p) Gen. 25.3 third the Son of Jockshan and Nephew of Abraham Seba the Son of Joctan joyned to the Arabian Sea the rest to the Persian so that the Sabaeans of whom the Greeks and Romans know no distinction are said by Pliny to live from Sea to Sea The Son of Joksan lived on robberie but the rest by Commerce with other Nations Ophir in Arabick Ophir 11. Auphar signifying most rich gave name to that part of Arabia near the Sabaeans which was inhabited by the Cessanitae Casandres or Gasandrae so called from the Treasures gold for it's plenty being here in little request Another Ophir there was also in India in the Island Taprobane as most probable the Phoenicians being accustomed to give old names to new-found places Hauilah 11. From Chauila the Son of Joctan for there was another of this name Son to Chus descended the Chaulonitae called otherwise Carbi and Cerbani the most warlike of the Arabians whose seat is yet called Chaulan Jobab 13. Of Jobab the last of the thirteen came the Jobabitae placed by Ptolomy next to the Sachalites This was the habitation of the Sons of Irelan from Mesha called otherwise Musa and Muza a famous port upon the Red Sea as one goeth to Saphar a mountain Eastward where was a City of the same name both Port and City being well known to the Aegyptians and Aethiopians who used to trade into these parts This was the inheritance of the Sons of Sem the choisest of all though contained onely within Asia Japthet's portion 17. To Japhet fell a very considerable part of Asia and all Europe the least of the divisions of the Earth but better improved than the rest and far more populous of later times the seat of learning of two Empires which extended their power to the inwards both of Asia and Africa and in an especial manner blessed with more than worldly prosperity since Japhet dwelt in the tents of Sem. The Greeks acknowledged him for their Founder by the name of Iapetus Iapetus Japhet's 7. Sons Gomer 1. than whom they thought nothing more ancient Moses reckoneth seven of his Sons and as many Nephews The Sons are (q) Gen. 10.2 Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech and Titas Josephus maketh Gomer the Father of the Galatians which if so the same Originall must be extended to the Gauls of whom the other were but a colonie and to some the names of Cimmerii and Cimbri whereby the Inhabitants of the Western parts have been known as also those of Kumero Kumeri and Cymbro which our antient Brittains of the same stock with the Gauls called themselves seem to own no other originall Bochartus lib. 3. cap. 8. But another thinketh the Land of Gomer to be that part of Phrygia called Catecaucemene lying upon the rivers Cayster and Maeander and the City Philadelphia the Plains of which consist of a burnt kind of Earth like to ashes and the hilly parts are all stonie the whole Country being brittle adust and easie to be inflamed This he gathereth from the signification of Gomer and Phrygia both which import burning Moses according to his judgment not alwaies calling the Founders of Nations by their true and proper names but by the names of the Countries which they planted Ever when the word is of the plural number as of the Sons of Javan Citthim and Rodauim and all the Sons of Mâ—scaim and Canaan except Sidon and Heth must needs be names of peoples nor of particular Men. Hatsarmaueth he proveth to be the name of a place onely for that it signifieth the region of Death as Dikla a place of Palm-trees Ophir a rich Jobab so called from the desart and severall others Gomer's three Sons Askenaz 1. 18. Gomer hath three Sons mentioned by Moses Ashkenaz Riphath and Togarmah From Ashkenaz those descended according to Josephus by the Greeks called Rhegines which who they were is not to be understood Most probably by Ashkenaz is signified Bithynia in which is the Bay Ascanius besides a Lake and River of the same name or Troas and Phrygia the lesse in which were Ascanea both Country and City and Island Ascaniae Form Riphat Riphath 2. Togarmah 3. Josephus deriveth the Paphlagonians a people of Asia the lesse near Pontus and neighbours to the Phrygians Togarma is variously expounded by Writers It appeareth out of Ezekiel (r) chap. 58. chap. 27. v. 14. that Gomer and Togarma were not far distant both North of Judaea and that from Togarmah came Horses and Mules to be sold at Tyre Hereto well agreeth the opinion of Josephus who placeth Togarmah
in Phrygia to which Cappadocia was near adjacent North to Judaea and excelled in the breed of Horses and Mules 2. Magog 19. From Magog Japhet's second Son descended the Scythians according to Josephus and others Gog and Magog being that part of Scythia about Cancasus which the Colchi and Armenians whose language was half Chaldaean called Gog-hasan i. e. the Fort of Gog and thence the Greeks Caucasus The same with Prometheus to whom also Gogarene was known which Stephanus describeth to be between the Colchi and Eastern Iberi Magog seemeth to be the same with Prometheus For as Prometheus was the Son of Japetus so Magog of Japhet Prometheus was feigned to be fixed to Caucasus and Caucasus was the seat of the Scyhians of old time till they expelled the Cimmerii and succeded them Prometheus brought down fire from heaven which might take Original from Magog his finding out of Metals in Colchis and Iberia And the Fable of his Heart or Liver being eaten by an Eagle may be found in (Å¿) Vide Bochartum lib. 1. the word Magog which signifieth to be dissolved or to decay Hierapolis a City in Syria seemeth to have been called also Magog from him seeing Deucalion the Scythian and Son of Prometheus is by Lucian said to have consecrated the Temple there to the Syrian Goddesse 3. Madai From Madai it 's generally granted that the Medes are issued the Medes and Persians being constantly in the Books of Daniel and Esther named Maedai and Paras From Javan descended the Iones 4. Javan or all that inhabited Greece from Thrace to the Isthmus of Corinth the Macedonians being included Homer calling them Jaones and Alexander being signified by (t) cap. 8. v. 21. Daniel under the name of the King of Javan His 4 Sons Elisa 1. 20. The Sons of Javan were Elisa Tarshish Kittim and Dodanim from whom four Provinces took their names From Elisa Aeolis according to Josephus but rather Elis the most antient and ample region of Peloponnesus part whereof is by Homer called Alisium to be taken for the whole Peninsula From Tarsis 2. Tarshish Josephus and others derive Tarsus the great City in Cilicia some Carthage another Tunis but Eusebius and Bochartus understand the Iberians or Spaniards amongst whom was a place called Tarlessus Besides this there was another * a Chron. 20.36 Tarsis in the Indian Sea whither ships went from Esion-gaber and indeed whatever the word originally signifieth whether Cilicia or any other place it is secondarily applied to the Mediterranean Sea which reacheth unto Phoenicia and sometimes seemeth to denote the Ocean it selfe 3. Kittim Josephus will have Cittim to have possessed himselfe of the Island Cyprus where was a City called Citium the native place of Zeno the Stoick and hence he saith the Hebrews called all Islands and maritime places by the name of Chethim Others will have the Chians some certain Nations of India others Cilicia some Macedonia to be understood by this word The Romans are by Daniel signified under this name and in Italy were of old the Cities Cetia Echetia and the River Cetus and Chittim imports the same thing with the word Latium betokening to lye hid The opinion therefore of Josephus is very probable that these Islands and Coasts of the Mediterrenean might be known to the Hebrews Chap. 11. ver 29 30. under the name of Chethim 4. Dodanim or rather Rhodanim Dodanim omitted in Josephus by some is interpreted Dardanians by others Dodanaeans But most antiently it was read Rhodanim which the Greek rendreth Rhodians though the name of Rhodes is later than Moses his time Bochartus therefore placeth this people in Gaul about the River Rhodanus now Rhene which he proveth not to have been so named from Rhoda a Town there founded by the Rhodians Rhodanim he saith signifieth Yellow or Saffron-coloured which agreeth well with the colour of the hair of the antient Gaules either naturall or affected wherein also the Brittains shewed themselves descended of the same stock as Jornandes judgeth 5. Tubal 21. Tubal and Mesech the fifth and sixth Sons of Japhet are joyned in Scripture most commonly together as near to each other Josephus from them deriveth the Iberians 6. Mesâ—ch and Cappadocians who had a City in his time known by the name of Mazacha Bochartus understandeth by Mesech and Tubal the Moschi and Tibareni which are so joyned together by Herodotus as Mesech and Tubal in the Scripture The Moschi besides Moschica properly so called possessed all from Phasis as far as Pontus of Cappadocia the Moschian Mountains reaching so far Then next succeeded the Tibarens according to Strabo who extendeth their borders to Pharnacra and Trapezond the Moschian and Colchian Mountains so that they lay betwixt the Trapezuntians and Inhabitants of Armenia the lesse Tubal and Mesech are noted by Ezechiel to abound in Slaves and Brasse which Chap. 27. v. 13. by the consent of Authors fitly agreeth with the regions of Pontus especially Cappadocia From Thiras most Authors derive Thrace 7. Tiras a woman of which Country was called Threissa and many names there both of places and persons perswade the same thing This was the portion of Japhet answerable to the blessing of his Father that God should enlarge him For unto it belonged all Europe how big soever besides Asia the less Media part of Armenia Iberia Albania and those vast Tracts towards the North inhabited of old by the Scythians and now by the Tartars To say nothing of the new World into which it's probable the Scythians passed by the Straits of Anian To his Posterity belong the Northern parts which by Jornandes an Historian of the Goths are deservedly termed The work-houses of people and sheaths of Nations Cham's portion 22. Cursed Cham was not excluded from Earthly blessings To his lot fell Aegypt and all Africk a great part of Syria and Arabia besides Babylonia Susiana Assyria and other Countries which his Grand-son Nimrod possessed himselfe of David very often calleth Aegypt the Land of Cham or Ham the antient Inhabitants themselves Chamia or Chemia Plutarch in Iside In Arabia and Africk the name of Ammon the aspiration being taken away was universally known as appeareth by Ammon a River in Arabia the promontory Ammonium and the people called Ammonii In Africk the City Ammonis upon the River Cinyphus The Chappell of Ammonis in the Island Meroe In Marmarica the City Ammonia vulgarly Paraetonium And the Ammonian Country where was the famous Oracle of Ammon Nay all Africk was called Ammonis or Ammonia Ham signifieth hot in which respect it agreeth well with the Greek word Zeus the name of Jupiter Ham was Noah's youngest Son so was Jupiter the youngest of Saturne From Cham's living in Africk the hottest part of the World Jupiter may be counted the Lord of Heaven And Saturne his being made an Eunuch by his Son Jupiter or Caelius by his Son Saturn as
which the Priests from whom Herodotus had his information hid this and all other things that tended to the dishonour of their Countrey 19. Returning from Aegypt into Palaestine he besieged (p) 2 Chron. 32. 1 Kings 19. Esay 37. Lachish and thence removed to Libnah where he wrote a blasphemous Letter to Hezekiah For hearing that Tirhakah King of Aethiopia or Arabia by Josephus called Tharsices by Strabâ— Tearkon was coming against him in behalf of the Egyptians he removed for fear and God sent his Angel into his Camp who slew in one night 85000 men which thing as a plague was also recorded by (q) Apud Joseph ut supra cap. 2. Berosus Then returned he as God had promised Hezekiah with great consternation into his own Land where raging against the Jews that dwelt at Niniveh if credit be to begiven to the book of â—obâ— he was after 44 dayes slain in the Temple of his idol Nisroch by his two sons Adâ—amelech and Sharezer who fled for it into the Land of Ararat or Armenia and Esarchaddon his son reigned in his stead Esarchaddon the same with Assaradinus 20. This Esarchaddon is thought and that probably to be the same with Assaradinus mentioned by Ptolomy in his Catalogue of Kings and who subdued Babylon It is also thought that (r) 2 Kings 17. this is he who when he brought a new Colony into Samaria from Babylon Cathah Ana Hamath and Sepharvaim at the same time making an inroad into Judaea as 't is very probable took (Å¿) 2 Chron. 33. Menasseh the King thereof in the Thorns and carried him in Captivity into Babylon for it appeareth from both these passages mentioned in Scripture that at this time that Citie was subject to the King of Assyria After Esarchaddon or Assaradinus had reigned thirteen years Saosduchinus succeeded him according to Ptolomy Saosduchinus and not Meroâ—ach whom the general opinion will have being King of Babylon to have killed him and again overthrown the Empire of the Assyrians For this succession is founded upon a feigned (t) Pseudo-Metasthenes apud Annium vit Eâ—bensem fol. 221. De cujus fictis Authoribus vide Joh. Goropium Biblioth Hispan Tom. 2. pag. 356. Gaspar Barterium ibid. pag. 386. 407. 417. 431. Seth. Calvis Isagog Chronil cap. 28.29 Chron. p. 171. A. Non est germanum opus Pam. in Tert. Apol. n. 287. Author imposed on the World with several others of the same credit and therefore deserveth to be rejected The time of this Saosduchinus falling in with that of Deioces who according to Herodotus built Ecbatane the Metropolis of Media if any credit be to be given to the book of Judith we may judge him to be that Nabuchadonosor mentioned there to have overthrown Arphaxad King of the Medes and builder of that Citie in the great plains of Ragan After he had taken him in the Mountains he slew him plundred Ecbatane and then returned victoriously unto Niniveh where he feasted his Army for 120 dayes The year after entring into Consultation how to subdue the several Nations about him he ordained Holophernes his General who straitly besieging Bethsara a Town of Judaea by the wisdom and courage of Judith the Widdow of one Manasses of the Tribe of Ephraim was circumvented and had his head cut off in his Tent. Chuniladanus 21. Saosduchinus or Saosducmus having reigned twenty years Chuniladanus succeeded him thought also to be the same with Saracus mentioned by Alexander Polyhistor Against him came (u) Herodotus lib. 1.102 c. Phraortes the son of Deioces in revenge of his father's death after he had first of all others subdued the Persians and the rest of Asia But his good fortune here forsook him and he perished with the greatest part of his Army in the 22 year of his reign His son Cyaxares succeeding is said to have been more puissant then his Ancestors and the first that distinguished the people of Asia into several Provinces and Souldiers into their several ranks of Pike-men Horsmen and those that used Darts He fought with the Lydians at which time so great an Eclipse of the Sun hapned that the day seemed to be turned into night Having brought to his obedience all Asia beyond the River Halys he gathered his forces together and went against Nineveh with intentions to destroy the Citie He overthrew the Assyrians in battel and besieged the place but it hapned at this time that a great Army of Scythians having driven the Cimmerians out of Europe The Scythians obtain Asia 28 years under conduct of Madyes the son of Protothya called otherwise Judathyrsus their King still followed them and from the Lake Maeâ—is leaving the Mountain Caucasus on their right hand pierced into Media 22. Cyaxares hereby was constrained to raise his siege went and gave them battel but was overthrown and lost the Dominion of Asia which the Scythians having obtained marched straight for Egypt Psammetichus the King met them on their way when they had new entred Palaestine and by good words backed with money prevailed with them to go no further They enjoyed the Dominion of Asia 28 years after the expiration of which term managing their affairs with as great neglect as formerly they had used diligence in polling and rifling the Countrey the greatest part of them being entertained by Cyaxares were made drunken and slain and the King recovered his Dominion Loose it During these things (x) Polyhistor apud Cedrenum vide Usserium in Annot. vet Test ad A. M. 3378. Nabopolassar a Babylonian and General to the Assyrian King contracted affinity with Astyages the son of Cyaxares and Governour of Media Nebucadnesar the son of Nabopolassar marrying Amylis daughter to Astyages The effect of this alliance was that they joyntly set upon Baracus or Chynaladanus in Niniveh and taking the Citie slew him therein after he had reigned 22 years At this time the Prophecies against Niniveh seem to be fulfilled in its destruction For in the latter end of the Greek book of Tobiaâ— it is written that Nebuchadonosor and Assuerus took Niniveh Tobias being yet alive who is said to have lived 127 years or as the Latine hath it 99. 95 having already passed from the taking of Samaria at which time he was carried Captive with his father into Assyria by Salmanasar Nabopolassar 23. Chynaladanus being dead Nabopolassar or Nabulassar obtained his Kingdom in the 123th year of Nabonasar according to (y) Magn. Syntax l. 5. c. 14. Ptolomy whose Canon of Kings also as to the term of years collected from the particular reign of each directly answereth to this account (z) 2 Kings 23. 2 Chron. 35. Against him came up Pharoh Necho and took Carchemish a Citie situate upon Euphrates killing Josiah the King of Judah who attempted to stop his passage He holding this Town the (a) Berosus apud Joseph lib. 1. contra Apionem Governour of Coelosyria and Phoenicia revolted from the
he sent to make a League with the Lacaedemonians who being obliged to him easily complied though no supplies do we read of sent to him For he being in great haste prevented the sending of any and with all the force he could make invaded Cappadocia Croesus invadeth Cappadocia to revenge as he pretended upon Cyrus the injurie offered to Astyages his Brother in Law but indeed to lay that fertile Country to his own Dominions Having passed the River Hayis he came into a place of Cappadocia called Pteria the most safe of all the Country near to the City Sinopâ— which was situated upon the Euxine Sea Taking up his quarters here he made incursions took the City of the Pterians with all the rest round about and banished the Syrians so were the Cappadocians called by the Greeks till subjected to the Persian Empire though they had nothing ill deserved at his hands 38. Cyrus coming against him sent to the Ionians to draw them to his party but they standing off he proceeded and pitcht his Camp against Croesus After some skirmishes the Armies ingaged and a very hot dispute continued till night parted them many falling on both sides Croesus though neither party owned any defeat was blamed by his Soldiers for ingaging with so numerous an Army so that Cyrus not stirring out against him the next day he thought it best to retreat to Sardis and sent out of hand for aide to Amesis King of Aegypt and Labynitus of Babylon whom he had by a League obliged to him to the Lacedaemonians also to dispatch their Auxiliaries within 5. month with which resting that winter he would re-invade the Persians the following Spring Retreateth to Sardis Accordingly he dismissed all his mercenaries standing then in no need of them as he thought which Cyrus hearing resolved with all speed to follow him to Sardis hoping he might utterly defeat him before he could recollect his Forces and accordingly marching into Lydia he prevented any message of his coming Croesus though exceedingly perplexed at so unexpected a thing gathered his subjects together as time would give leave and provided for his defence which the other perceiving and fearing the power of his Horse wherein the Lydians excelled all other people of Asia took off the burthens from all the Camels that followed the Camp and setting Riders upon them placed them in the front the smell of which when the Armies joyned the Horses not enduring turned aside Overthrown in battel Yet were not the Riders thereby deterred from fighting but dismounting performed on Foot what could be expected till over-powered rather with number then valour they were put to flight and besieged in the Citie And besieged 39. Croesus thinking he might possibly be able to hold out some considerable time sent again to his confederates to hasten their succours But Cyrus on the fourteenth day of the siege offering a great reward to him that should first mount the Wall one Hyraeades a Mardian having taken notice of a place which because of its heighth and precipitancy was held impregnable and therefore neglected by the besieged where yet he had seen a Souldier come down to fetch his Helmet he had let fall made means to climb up and after him more and more followed till the Citie was thereby surprized Sardis taken All places being full of slaughters a Souldier not knowing Croesus was about to kill him which he neglected as willing to dye with his Kingdom But his dumb son affrighted at the danger he saw him in Vide Herod lib. 1. c. 85. Aul. Gellium l. 5. c. 9. Val. Max. l. 5. c. 4. Ext. Exem 6. Solinum c. 7. is said to have broken silence or dumbnesse with this expression Man do not kill Croesus and thenceforth to have enjoyed the use of his tongue Thus Croesus overturned a great principality as the Oracle had foretold after he had reigned fourteen years Croesus condemned and been besieged so many dayes Cyrus adjudged him to death and had burnt him alive but that he almost too late remembred the words of the wise Law-giver of Athens and cried out Solon Solon Solon Cyrus commanded the Interpreters to demand of him whom he invocated thinking it to be some God he mentioned to which he answered when compelled to speak that he named one whom rather then any thing he would have to speak with all Princes and being urged to explain himself told the whole story concerning the discourse betwixt him and Solon His life spared Herewith the Conquerour was so affected that considering the uncertainty of his own prosperous condition though the pile was already kindled yet commanded he the fire to be quenched and receiving him into his most inward counsels held him ever most dear and in great esteem for his wisdom wherein after such manifold experience he excelled This hapned in the fourth year of the 58 Olympiad the fifteenth year of the reign of Cyrus A. M. 3460. Olymp. 58. an 4. Cyri 15. A. M. 3460. 40. When the Ionians and Aeolians heard that Croesus Herodotus lib. 1. c. 141. c. with so little a ado was utterly subdued they sent to Cyrus offering to put themselves into his hands on the same terms as the Lydians were received but he returned them no satisfactory answer because of their refusal formerly to joyn with him All of them then except the Milesians those having yielded themselves made their application to the Lacedaemonians who refused to grant any aide but sent some to make discovery how matters went in Asia The Messengers finding Cyrus at Sardis according to order acquainted him with the pleasure of that Republick Not to suffer him to molest any of the Greek Cities He enquiring what the Lacedaemonians were presently sleighted them and answered That if the Gods preserved him they should have cause to bewail their own calamities and not busie themselves with what concerned the Ionians He committed Sardis to the custody of Tabalus a Persian to Pactyas a Lydian the Treasure of Croesâ—s and others and so set out for Ecbatane making little account of the Ionians against whom he intended to send some Lieutenant in comparison of Babylon the Bactrians Sacae and Egyptians upon all which he had cast an hungry eye with purpose to invade them After his departure Pactyas revolted Pactyas revolteth and drawing into Rebellion the Maritime Coasts besieged Tabacus whereat Cyrus being angry as esteeming it a plot of the Lydians Croesus fearing worse things might come upon them after an excuse of the generality advised him to take from them the use of Arms and enure them to effeminate courses whereby they would easily be kept under Cyrus according to his advise dispatched away with an Army one Mazares a Mede who finding Sardis deserted by Pactyas put in execution what Croesus had advised By this course was brought to passe that the Lydians to whom for valour no Nation in Asia could be compared grew infamous for
in times of Rebellion and for their exercise to be as Thorns in their eyes and Goads in their sides The Canaanites being thus deprived of their ancient habitation by Joshua and the Israelites Many of them as is conjectured removing to the Mediterranean-Sea where they were known afterwards by the name of Phoenicians continued not all there but spread themselves abroad and sent Colonies far and wide into many places of Europe Asia and Africk concerning which that excellent book of Bochartus called Canaan is to be consulted That is remarkable which * A. M. 2555. Procopius mentioneth concerning Pillars erected in the Province of Africk In Vandalius called Tingitana with a Phoenician-inscription to this purpose We are they who fled from the face of Joshua the Robber the son of Nane How long this War continued till the division of the Land is not expressed in Scripture yet is thence to be gathered For Caleb being fourty years old when with others he was sent by Moses to search the Land was at the time of the Division as he saith 45 years older Now the Spies were sent out in the fifth moneth of the second year after their departure out of Egypt or sooner so that from that time to the entrance into Canaan followed almost 39 years the Israelites being fourty years in the Wildernesse which being deducted out of the said forty five six years and some few remain during which the War in Canaan must have continued The Clerouchia or division of the Land 19. The Clerouchia then or division of the Land fell out in the beginning of the seventh year from their entrance into Canaan and in the year of the World 2555 also beginning It continued about one year as some gather from the story First of all an inheritance was given to two Tribes and an half viz. the Tribes of Judah Ephraim Chap. 14.15 c. and the other half Tribe of Manasses Then met the Israelites together in Shiloh because seven other Tribes yet remained undisposed of Therefore certain men were sent from that place to bring a Survey of all the Land which could not be done in a few dayes and then after their return the division was perfected for all which no lesse then the space of a year seemeth necessary So there are from the beginning of the World to the end of this Division 2555 years Vide Ludov. Capellum in Chronol Sacr. containing just so many weeks of years as there are natural dayes in a year viz. 365. Or if we make a great year consisting of so many years as the solar year consisteth of dayes then have we six or seven such great years It is further observable that from the beginning of the World to the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan may be reckoned so many Jubilies of years viz. 52. as are dayes in the seventh part of a Solar year one onely excepted The War having endured six years they rested on the seventh wherein the Division was made as in the Sabatical year 20. The rise therefore and beginning of the Sabbatical year and of Jubilies some chuse rather to fetch from the first entrance into Canaan then from the division of the Land The rise of Sabbatical years and Jubilies For though they began not to sow the Land on this side Jordan till after the division yet before this had they taken possession of the Countrey lying beyond the River which was divided betwixt the two Tribes and the half whereof though it must be granted that those which were fit for War accompanied their brethren over Jordan according to the charge laid upon them by Moses yet is it to be supposed that those which stayed behind were nourished by the fruits of that soyl For Manna had already ceased and the Corn which the other reaped of the Enemies sowing being but gotten by degrees according as they Conquered the Countrey could scarce maintain them without sending for supplies to those that stayed beyond the River When they had ended the division the Children of Israel gave for an inheritance to Joshua that which he asked even Timneth Serah in Mount Ephraim where he built a Citie and dwelt therein Josh 18. The Tabernacle of the Congregation was set up at Shiloh by the whole Assembly As for the Levites they had no inheritance assigned them Chap. 20. but the Lord being their inheritance they were to live of Tythes Offerings Onely 48 Cities on both sides of Jordan were set apart for them to dwell in which were also to be Cities of refuge whither those that were guilty of casual homicide might fly from the avenger of bloud and there remain in security till the death of the High-Priest Joshua dieth Joshua being very old at the division is by the Jews said to have lived past the first Sabbatical year but to have died before the next arrived Some give to his government twenty years and some above Chap. 24. v. 29. Judge 11.8 but others think he died not long after the division There is no certainty thereof from Scripture but that he lived a hundred and ten years is expresly recorded The Israelites fall to idolatry 21. After Joshua and that generation were dead which had seen the wonders of the Lord another arose after them that knew not the Lord nor the works he had done so that the Children of Israel followed other gods serving Baal and Ashtaroth For this cause the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers which spoiled them He sold them into the hands of their Enemies round about insomuch that they could not stand before them but whithersoever they went out the hand of the Lord was against them for evil as he had said and sworn Neverthelesse he raised them up Judges to deliver them out of the hands of those that spoiled them and yet they would not hearken to their Judges but went a whoring after other gods and bowed themselves unto them Hereupon the Lord resolved not to drive out thenceforth any Nations before them which Joshua left when he died that by them he might prove Israel whether they would keep his way and to teach them War Chap. 3. There were left five Lords of the Philistins with all the Canaanites the Sidonians and Hivites that dwelt in Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon unto the entring of Hamath The Children of Israel dwelt amongst the Canaanites Hittites Ammorites Perizzites Hivites and Jebusites they took their daughters to be their wives gave their daughters to their sons and served their gods Cushan oppresseth them 22. For this the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel Vers 8. and he sold them to the hand of Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia How long this was after the division the Scripture expresseth not Lud. Cappellus We read that he oppressed them eight years but some think it should be read in the
Lord as he slept in his Chamber and brought his head unto David Ishbosheth slain after seven years He rewarded them with death 1 Chron. 12. and was by the Captains and all the Elders of the Tribes anointed the third time King at Hebron over all Israel which government he held 33 years 2 Sam. 5.6 7. c. A little after this installment he took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it the seat of his Kingdom himself building and fortifying the Citie of Sion and Joab repairing the rest Then twice he overthrew the Philistins in Rephidim who came up against him after they heard he was made King 1 Chron. 12. c. The Ark of God he removed from Kiriath-Jearim to the house of Obed Edom the Gittite and thence after three moneths into Sion He purposed to build God an house but was forbidden because a man of bloud that work which was to be reserved for Solomon For besides his Wars in his younger time all the space betwixt this and the birth of Solomon seemeth imployed in Wars wherein he overcame the Philistins Amalekites Moabites Ammonites Idumaeans and Syrians The Borders of his Empire he very much inlarged not onely from Shihor of Egypt to the entring in of Hamath but also as far as Euphrates the utmost limits promised by God unto Abraham and onely possessed by him and his son and Successor Salomon David's adultery and murder 39. Salomon was the second son begotten on Bathsheba 1 Sam. 11.12 13. the wife of Uriah the Hittite with which woman David first committed Adultery and then for a cover added to it the Murder of her husband After he had been reproved by Nathan the Prophet he repented and wrote the 51 Psalm upon this occasion Punished Yet the Infant conceived in Adultery died as soon as it was born and though Salomon was born the next year at it's thought A. M. 2957. yet this sin escaped not without a further punishment For within awhile Davidis 14. his eldest son Amnon ravished his half-sister Tamar Amnon ravisheth Tamar and for that was killed by Absalom Some years after Chap. 15.16 17 18. Absalom by the advice and policy of Achitophel seized upon the Kingdom Absolom rebelleth David hereupon fled to God as his Rock of refuge and composed the 3d. and the 55th Psalms then opposing force to force overthrew Absolom in the Wood of Ephraim by Joab his General who thrust the young man through with a Dart as he hung in an Oak contrary to David's order who had charged all the Captains to deal gently with him for his sake This Rebellion was followed by a new sedition raised amongst the Israelites by one Sheba upon this occasion Chap. 19.20 because they had not the chief hand above the Tribe of Judah The conspiracy of Sheba in bringing back the King to his house but this was happily suppressed after Joab had procured the inhabitants of Abel to cut off Sheba's head 40. After these things several battels insued with the Philistins 2 Sam. 21. 1 Chron. 20. in one of which the last wherein he was present David hardly escaped the hands of Ishbi-benob one of the sons of the Gyant being rescued by Abishai his Nephew who slew the Philistin Not (c) 2 Sam. 24. long after tempted by Satan and his own ambition he numbred the people for which God being angry proposed to him three sorts of punishments David numbreth the people viz. Famine Sword 1 Chron. 20.7 or Pestilence as to which he chose rather to fall into the hands of God then of man Then God sent a Plague whereby perished in one day 70000 men but as the Angel was also about to destroy Jerusalem he was commanded to desist David at length having arrived at seventy years of Age was so decayed and spent by his many labours and troubles 1 Kings 1. that he could not receive any heat from Cloaths and therefore a young maid one Abisag 1 Chron. 28.29 a Shunamite was chosen out to lye in his bosom Adoniah his son taking advantage at this infirmity by the assistance of Joab the General and Abiathar the Priest seized upon the Kingdom Maketh Solomon King When he had notice thereof according to the prediction of God and his promise unto Bathsheba he established Solomon in his Throne and having given him a charge Dieth died about six moneths after when he had reigned over Judah alone in Hebron seven years and six moneths and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah 33 years in the year of the World according to the vulgar way of reckoning without taking in the 100 years formerly mentioned in the History of the Judges 2985. A. M. 2985. 41. David being dead and Solomon established in the Kingdom 1 Kings 2. Adonijah asked Abisag the Shunamite to wife and for that was put to death Solomon putteth Adoniah and others to death as affecting the Soveraignty Abiathar was removed from the Priesthood and Zadok of the Posterity of Phinehaz placed in his room as had been foretold by God against the house of Eli from which the Priesthood now returned Joab for fear fled to the horns of the Altar and there was slain by Benaiah who was made Generall in his stead Simei who had cursed David when he fled from Absalon was commanded to build him an house in Jerusalem and not to stir thence beyond the Brook Kidron upon pain of death which he after two years suffered having broken the order Chap. 3. Solomon within a year after his Father's death married the Daughter of Pharaoh after which offering 1000 burnt-offerings at Gibeon where the Tabernacle then rested God appeared to him in a dream and offered him whatsoever he would ask He asked onely wisdom to govern his people and neither riches nor honour with which God was so well pleased that he made him to excell therein all meer men and accumulated also the other upon himâ— 42. Having all things in a readinesse for building an house to the Lord Chap. 6. Clemens Stromat lib. 4. for which David his Father had made large provisions Vaphres King of Aegypt supplying him with 80000 Men and Hiram King of Tyre with as many besides an Architect named Hypero whose Mother was an Israelitish Woman of the Tribe of Judah he laid the foundation of the Temple in the 4th year of his reign and the second day of the second moneth Zif The Structure being in building 7 years The building of the Temple the work began according to their computation who by reckoning the years of the Judges and the oppressions severally add 100 years to the Aera of the World in the 3089th year from the Creation entering was dedicated in the 3095th ending and in the 587th year after the departure out of Aegypt also ending from which if we substract those 40 they lived in the Wildernesse then 547 years will be
afforded least advantage By Land no War arose that gave any sufficient advantage of inlarging their dominions further than to the disturbance of their next Neighbours they stirred not abroad nor gave their minds to any new Conquests Those that were Subjects were patient under the yoak and Equalls in power made no considerable quarrells till all Greece came to be divided in the old War betwixt the Inhabitants of Chalcis and Eretria Then to hinder them from growing great the affairs of the Persians were advanced till having cast out their Tyrants who all this while contenting themselves with the private power they had over particular places stirred not they got ground by little and little of the Eastern Empire Almost during this whole Period had they * No written Laws no written Laws Homer being witnesse who never useth the word * No written Laws Law throughout his writings †Joseph centra Apion l. 2. They were not generally governed but by indefinite Sentences and Praecepts of their Kings remaining a long time without any written Praecepts and referring all to the event according to which Judgment insued Such was the most antient condition of Greece in generall Now a particular account is to be given of the severall Kingdoms and States that were most considerable and contemporary with the Babylonian Empire SECT II. The Sicyonian Kingdom The Sicyonian Kingdom most ancient 1. THe affairs of the Sicyonian have the (a) Euseb in Chronic. August de Civit Dei l. 18. Pausan in Corinthiacis p. 49. Edit Graec. Francfurti 1583. first place allotted to them in Antiquity who inhabited a City situated upon the Bay of Corinth and the confines of Achaia Here Aegialeus began a Kingdom about 270 years after the universall Deluge 232 before the beginning of Inachus 1313 before the first Olympiad Aegialeus the first King the year of the World 1915 according to the Vulgar way of computation without taking in the 100 years formerly mentioned in the History of the Judges and the 859th year of Noah whilst Ninus reigned in Assyria A. M. 1915. From him the City was first called Aegialia and part of the Peninsula it self according to some SECT 2. which afterwards was from Pelops named Peloponnesus Europs Telchines Apis. He left his Kingdom to Europs his Son after he had reigned 52 years and Europs having reigned 45 was succeeded by Telchines He governed 20 and was followed by Apis who was so great that all within the Isthmus was from him called Apios When he had continued 25 years Thelxion his Son Thelxion succeeded him during whose reign all things were so prosperous and happie that being dead they worshiped him for a god by sacrifices Aegyrus and solemnizing games which as they say were first invented for his sake Him followed Aegyrus after he had reigned 52 years Aegyrus or Aegydrus Thurimachus Leucippus Peratus reigned 33 Thurimachus 45 Leucippus 53 who had onely a Daughter named Calchinia on which Neptune or rather Mesapus begat Peratus who was Heir to his Grand-father and governed 47 years Plemnaeus Orthopolis After Peratus followed Plemnaeus whose children all died as soon as they were born till Ceres came in the likenesse of a Woman and brought up Orthopolis who succeeded his Father having reigned 48 years 2. Orthopolis the twelfth King of Aegialea had a Daughter named Chrysorthe Coronus Corax Epopeus on which Apollo is supposed to have begot Corenus his successor Coronus left two Sons Corax and Lamedon Corax after he had reigned 30 years died without issue and Epopeus a Thessalian seized on his Kingdom Epopeus stole Antiopes the Daughter of Nycteus King of Thebes for which injury he was prosecuted with War by the Thebans A battell being fought he had the better but both the Kings were mortally wounded Nycteus presently died after he was carried home but left the tuition of Labdacus the Son of Polydorus and Nephew to Cadmus whose Guardian he had been to his Brother Lycus requesting of him to lead down another Army into Aegialea to revenge him upon Epopeus to punish Antiope if he could take her Lamedon but in the mean time Epopeus died also of his wounds being neglected and Lamedon the Son of Coronus obtained his Fathers Kingdom gave up Antiope to Lycus as Pausanias writeth though Apollodorus saith A. M. 2616. that Lycus took Aegialea and slew Epopeus Antiope in the way to Thebes fell in travell and brought forth Amphion and Zethus who being found and nourished by an Herdsman the former gave himself to Musick and the later to nourishing of Cattell and both afterwards revenged their Mother upon Lycus and his Wife Dirce from whose hard usage she had escaped and came to them 3. Lamedon maried Phenò the Daughter of Clytius an Athenian and undertaking War against Archander and Architeles the Achaeans sent for Sicyon the Son of Metion and Nephew of Erechtheus out of Attica to assist him Sicyon from whom the City was named to whom giving his Daughter Zeuxippe in mariage A. M. 2656. he left him also his Successor From Sicyon the City was named Sicyon and the Country Sicyonia He had a Daughter named Chthonophyle on which Mercury begat Polybus after whose birth she was maried to Phlias the Son of Dionysus Polybus Adrastus and to him bore Androdamas Polybus succeeding his Grand-father left also his Grand-Son Adrastus by his Daughter maried to Talaus King of Argos his Heyr who being expelled his own City had fled to him But he making his peace at home returned Janiscus and after his departure Janiscus or Inachus the Nephew of that Clytis whose Daughter maried with Lamedon came out of Attica and obtained the Kingdom Phaestus After Janiscus had reigned 42 years he gave way by death to Phaestus one vulgarly accounted the Son of Hercules who after eight years at the direction of an Oracle went over into Crete where he built a City of his own name Zeuxippus 4. After his departure Zeuxippus the Son of Apollo by the Nymph Syllis A. M. 2846. was King of Sicyon but reigned not long Hippolytus Nephew to Phaestus by his Son Rhopalus Hippolytus obtained his Grand-Fathers seat Against him Agamemnon King of Mycenae made War till he forced him to submit After four years succeeded Polyphides Polyphides Pelasgus and continued 31 then Pelasgus 20 and after this * Ex Castore Rhodio Chronographo Eusebius would have Zeuxippus to have begun his reign which after 32 years ended with the Kingdom The Priests of Apollo Carinus It having now continued the space of 962 years the Priests of Apollo Carnius obtained the Soveraignty and held it 33. SECT 3. Lacestades Phalces seizeth upon Sicyon But Pausanias writeth that when Lacestades the son of Hippolytus reigned at Sicyon Phalces the son of Temenus who had been King of Argos seized upon it with the Dores in the night time
he thrust his feet in Iron fetters and exposed him as a prey to wild beasts Yet either by those that had this charge Diodorus l. 4. p. 185. A.M. 2695. or others that found him he was carried to Polybus King of Corinth who caused his feet to be healed from the swelling of which he had the name of Oedipus and brought him up Many years after when he was grown Laius either hearing some rumor concerning him or carried by natural affection went to enquire of the Oracle what had hapned to his son and at the same time it chanced that Oedipus having heard of some design against himself went thither also to enquire who were his true Parents They met in Phocis A.M. 2722. where Laius bidding the other somewhat imperiously to give way Oedipus moved with choler killed him being utterly ignorant who he was Creon 8. Laius being dead Creon the brother of Jocaste called also Epicaste seized upon his Kingdom Oedipus and kept it for some time till Oedipus explained the ridle of Sphinx T is Munster which the Boeotians also called Phix Apollodorus is feigned to have had an head and face like a woman the hinder parts like a Lyon and wings as a Bird and keeping upon the Hill Phicion Plutarch in lib. quòd bruta ratione utuntur or Phiceon so named from her she proposed ridles which whosoever could unridle should have Jocaste in marriage with the Kingdom but if not she presently devoured them Unridleth the ridle of Sphinx Her ridle to Oedipus was this what is it that which goeth both on two Legs three and four A.M. 2758. Many having lost their lives for a misinterpretation he expounded it to be meant of a man who when an Infant creepeth on hands and feet when arrived at ripenesse of age goeth upright on legs and when he cometh to be old useth a staff Some think her a deformed and savage kind of woman that living on prey used to lie in wait for passengers But Pausanias writing that she was the Bastard daughter of Laius others judge her to have been for her wisdom preferred to determine the pretences of such as claimed the Kingdom and that those who were cast in the tryal she punished with death which cruelty the Poets detesting raised the fable Because of her abilities this kind of Monster was made by * Clemens Strom. l. 5. the Aegyptians an Hieroglyphick of wisedom and strength in both wich Plutarch maketh her to have excelled 9. Oedipus then married Jocasta his own mother not knowing what she was to him and obtained the Kingdom of Thebes Diodorus telleth us that he had two sons by her Eteocles and Polynices with as many daughters but others say he had them by Euryganea the daughter of Hyperphas At length all came to light both that he had killed his father and married his own mother whereupon she presently hanged her self and his sons kept him up close for the filthinesse of the thing as some say though others will have him driven from Thebes and that going to Theseus King of Athens he there died a little after Polynices while his father was yet living went to Argos Pausan Diodorus Apollod where he married Argia the daughter of Adrastus but after his death returned to Thebes to succeed him in the Kingdom The two brothers then agreed to reign by turns Eteocles Polynices but Eteocles having the first course refused to yield up his power at the time prefixed so that Polynices was glad to return to Argos At the same time there hâ—pned to be with Adrastus one Tydeus the son of Oeneus who having killed a man in Aetolia fled also to him both these he kindly received and by direction of the Oracle making them his sons-in-law promised to restore them to their Countreys and Estates Beginning first with Polynices he sent Tydeus in Ambassage to Eteocles who caused fifty men to lie in wait for him by the way but he killed them all and returned safe to Argos Adrastus to revenge the injury made all possible preparation for a War and invited all the best Souldiers from all quarters to the expedition Seven Eminent Captains gave their names whereof Amphiaraus who had married Eriphile the sister of Adrastus was Chief though of so ancient a thing as this Theban-war there can be little certainty The Theban War 10. A.M. 2785. Having each of them his several Army or Company rather they marched to Thebes which they besieged and divided themselves according to the Gates of the Citie Eteocles made all preparations for defence assigning to every Gate its Officer and consulted Tiresias a Prophet then blind concerning the event of the War He answered that the Thebans should overcome if Menaeceus the son of Creon would devote himself as a sacrifice to Mars which he presently did killing himself before the Gates Diod. l. 4. p. 177. The Thebans then made a sally but were beaten back to the Walls which when the Argives approched Capaneus one of the seven Captains first of all others set to Ladders and mounted but he being killed the other retreated and many of them were slain in the pursute After this it was agreed that the two brothers in a single Combat should decide the quarrel and so doing they mutually fell by the hands of each other then followed a very sharp fight wherein all the Captains that followed Adrastus were slain and he onely escaped by the swiftnesse of his Horse Arion Yet this victory cost the Thebans so dear that being themselves almost ruined hence Cadmea victoria became a proverb This War fell out 28 years before that of Troy Laodamus 11. Eteocles leaving behind him a young son named Laodamus Creon the brother of Jocasta assumed the Guardianship of him and would not suffer the Argives to be buried till Theseus and the Athenians procured it Ten years after the War when Laodamus was now grown up the sons of those Captains that had been slain called Epigoni made an expedition against Thebes to revenge the death of their fathers The expedition of the Epigoni A.M. 2795. Consulting before-hand the Oracle of Delphos about the successe they were bidden to chuse Alcmaeon the son of Amphiaraus for their General which having done and marching into Thebais they wasted all the Countrey round about the Citie Hereupon the Thebans made a sally and a sharp conflict insued wherein Laodamus slew Aegialeus the son of Adrastus and was himself killed by Alcmaeon though Pausanias saith he escaped out of the fight and fled to the Illyrians After this the Citie was taken and with other plunder Pausan Tiresias the Prophet was sent as a present towards Delphos but drinking by the way presently died This is he SECT 1. Thersander who is said to have experienced both Sexes and lived seven Generations even from the dayes of Cadmus to this time The Epigoni having taken
killed by one Celer who oversaw the work Romulus compassed in the Palatine Hill and made that the Rudiments of the Citie with an Heifer and a young Bullock joyned together plowing up a furrow where the Wall should be reared which use was afterwards observed by the Romans both in the building and razing of Cities This is the most common and received opinion about the Original of Rome Several opinions concerning the builder of Rome which some make built at another time and by other founders Cephalon Gergithius a most antient Historian wrote that it was built in the second age after the Trojan War by Romus one of the four sons of Aenaeas with whom many other Authors agreed Others made the founder of it to be Aeneas himself whom they will have come in company with Ulysses into Italy Aristotle the Philosopher wrote that part of the Achaeans themselves in their return from Troy were by Tempests driven upon Italy and forced to plant themselves in Latium Callias the Historian who Recorded the Acts of Agathocles mentioned a Trojan woman called Roma that being married to Latinus King of the Aborigenes bare to him two sons Remus and Romulus who building the Citie named it Rome after their mother Xenagoras reckoned up three sons of Ulysses by Circe Romus Antias and Ardea all which built Cities of their own name Dionysius of Chalcis with others would have this Romus to be the son of Ascanius some of Emethion and some of Italus by Electra the daughter of Latinus Besides these many other Greek Authors dissented about the founders of the Citie 11. Neither have Roman Writers agreed amongst themselves Some of them would have the sons of Aeneas to be founders of the Citie viz. Romulus and Remus others his Nephews by his daughter which he gave up as Hostages to Latinus King of the Aborigines Some write how Ascanius being left Heir by his father divided his inheritance with Romulus and Remus his brethren he himself built Alba and other Towns Romulus Capua so called from Capys his great Grand-father Anchisa from Anchises his Grand-father and that place afterwards called Janiculum which he named after his father Aeneas then lastly Rome after his own name which being afterwards desolate the Albans repeopled by a Colony led thither by Romulus and Remus According to this History this Citie should have been twice founded First not long after the Trojan times and then again in the fifteenth age after but more than this Antiochus of Syracuse mentioned a third Rome that must have been before the War of Troy writing that from Rome came a certain Sicilian fugitive to Morges the son of Italus King of Italy By reason of this uncertainty of the founders some whose prejudice against the Empire of the Citie moved them with envy accounted it no other than a receptacle and fortresse of Barbarians Fugitives and Vagabounds and were ready to call into question the History of Romulus as a meer invention made to hide the despicable Original of so great a Commonwealth 12. Whether it was a new Plantation or reparation of an old Town there is great variety of opinions concerning the time thereof Timaeus the Sicilian made its foundation contemporary with that of Carthage and the 38 year before the first Olympiad Several opinions concerning the time of the building But of those which seem to approach nearer to truth some place the foundation of it in the sixth Olympiad whereof Velleius Paterculus assigneth the first year others the third and Varro from the opinion of Tarcutius a most excellent Mathematician the fourth which opinion is followed by many Authors of great note besides Augustus Claudius Severus and Philip Emperours in their Saecular Games as Plutarch Tacitus Dio Gellius Censorinus Onuphrius Caesar Baronius Torniellus Joseph Scaliger and Jacobus Cappellus Solinus will have Pomponius Atticus and Cicero to reckon from the third year of this Olympiad but as Pliny Paterculus and Livy so Cicero varieth sometimes counting from the Calends of January of the foregoing one while of this and another of the following year M. Porcius Cato knowing that Rome was built something before the seventh Olympiad not standing upon minute and scrupulous deductions began the Aera of the Citie from the first of January that fell in the first year of that Olympiad and so the year of his own Consulship he said to be the 758 year of the Citie This Aera is followed by the Fasti Capitolini Solinus Eusebius Dionysius of Halicarnassus who taketh pains to prove the account good Polybius Sigonius Pighius Occo Goltzius Isaacus Casaubonus upon Polybius and others Fabius Pictor wrote that Rome was built in the eighth Olympiad the reason whereof as Cappellus thinketh is because Romulus might then have finished the Wall and Ditch some deriving the Aera of a building from laying of a foundation and others from the finishing of the structure Lastly L. Cineius as Dionysius informeth us held that the Citie was built in the second year of the twelfth Olympiad SECT 2. In this great variety of opinions we have rather more reason to approve that of Varro the most learned of all Romans A.M. 3252. Ol. 6. an 4. Jothami 6. Pekachi 7. which placeth the beginning of Rome in the fourth year of the sixth Olympiad the sixth of Jotham King of Judah and the seventh of Pekah King of Israel about the time that the Ephori were made at Sparta in the dayes of Charops the first Archon at Athens for ten years A.M. 3252. SECT II. From the building of the Citie to the destruction of the Kingdom the space of 245 years The founding of Rome 1. ROmulus being 18 years old laid the foundation of the Walls on the (a) Solinus cap. 2. Cicero de divin lib. 2. Plutarch in Romulo eleventh day before the Calends of May which answereth to the fourth of October after the Julian account betwixt the hours of two and three The Sun being in Libra and the Moon in Taurus Jupiter in Pisces Saturn Venus Mars and Mercury in Scorpio according to the Computation of Tarrutius the most noble of Mathematicians (b) De re Rustica l. 2. c. 1. Varro (c) Lib. 4. Fast Vide Joseph Scalig. de Emend temp l. 5. pag. 362. Ovid and several others write that Rome was founded on the Parilia or Palilia Festus telleth us that Parilia were so called a Pariendo from bringing forth those Stars in the head of Taurus or which make up the head of themselves as Gellius criticizeth against Tiro named Hyades and under which Rome was founded being also called Parilicium and Palilicium Sydus Servius noteth that Pales was the Roman Goddesse of fodder to whom a solemnity being observed on the eleventh of the Calends of May it had the name of Palilia Cappellus thinketh that according to the mind of Tarrutius the first year of the Citie commenced from the first of January and Capricorn in the new Moon
three moneths after the foundation was laid The number of the Colony 2. The number of the Colony amounted scarce to 300 horsmen and 3000 foot Dionys lib. 2. Livius lib. 1. wherewith Romulus which some make but the diminutive of Romus his true name planted this new Citie called Rome after himself To increase the number of his Citizens he opened a Sanctuary to all malefactors and discontented persons which then resorted to him in great numbers from the Countreys adjoyning Setting about the frame of the Commonwealth by his Grandfathers advice he remitted it to the choice of the people what kind of Government they would have whereby obtaining the Kingdom in way of gift his power became the more plausible He divided the people into three Tribes The division and distinction of Citizens every Tribe into ten Curiae and every Curia into ten parts or Decuriae over all which he appointed Officers According to the number of the Curiae he divided the grounds into thirty parts onely excepting one portion for publick use and another for superstitious Ceremonies He made a distinction of his people according to honour and dignity giving to the better sort the name of Patres either for that they were elder had Children for the Nobility of their stock or if detractors may be heard he therefore named these Patricii because they alone could shew their fathers the other multitude being a rable of fugitives that had no free and ingenuous parentage wherefore when an Assembly of the people was called by the King the Patricians were by a Cryer cited by their own and fathers name but the inferiour sort or Plebeians were gathered together by the sound of Ox horns Having distinguished his subjects into these two ranks he ordered what each should do The Patritii were to take care of superstition bear Offices of Magistracy administer Justice and Govern the Commonwealth together with the King The Plebeians till the fields feed Cattel and exercise trades lest by their medling in the Government and by mutual contention of the poorer and richer sort such seditions might arise as were too visible in other Commonwealths 3. To bind each to the other he commended to the Patricians certain of the Plebeians Patrons and Clients whom they should protect and countenance liberty being given to the common sort to make choice of whom they would for their Patrons This custome of Patron and Client was very ancient in Greece Dionysius especially amongst the Thessalians and Athenians where yet the Clients were very imperiously used their Patrons imposing on them services ill beseeming freemen and beating them like slaves if they disobeyed their commands The Athenians called them Thetae for their service and the Thessalians Penestae upbraiding them with their fortune But Romulus refined the use of Patronage rendring it profitable unto both Patrons by him were ordered to advise their Clients concerning Law of which they were ignorant and take care of them as well absent as present as their own children in what concerned mony and contracts undertaking sutes for them when oppressed and procuring them quiet both as to publick and private businesse On the other hand it was the duty of Clients to help their Patrons with money in the marriage of their daughters if need should be and redeem them or their sons if taken captive to bear the charges of private sutes or publick fines and that at their own cost in way of gratitude to assist them with their purses in defraying the charge of Magistracy or honourable employments This was common to both that neither ought to accuse the other to give any testimony or suffrage or to be reckoned amongst his Enemies which if any one did he was held guilty of treason by Romulus his Law and it was lawful for any one to kill him Hereby for many Ages this Patronage continued in force and was as effectual for love and mutual help as consanguinity or alliance it was the glory of the Nobility to have many Clients devolved upon them from their Ancestors and obtained by their own virtue But not onely the Plebeians in the City found themselves secured by this Patronage but in processe of time all Colonies associate Cities and such as were subdued by war had their Patrons to whom many times the Senate would remit such controversies as were brought before it from the said Cities or Common-wealths and ratifie their judgement Lastly such firm concord followed this constitution of Romulus that for 730 years as Dionysius reckoneth though many and great contests arose betwixt the Nobility and Commons about the Commonwealth as is usual in all both great and little States yet it never came to blood or slaughter but mutually yielding and granting all controversies were composed by civil expostulations till Caius Grachus Tribune of the people overthrew the peace of the City after which they neither spared to kill and banish one another nor to commit any other wickednesse whereby they might compasse Victory and their own devices 4. After this Romulus resolved to chuse a Senate which should assist him in the Government and from amongst the Patricians selected 100 after this manner Out of them all he first made choice of one particular man to whom Idem when he was constrained to be absent in the wars he committed the Government of the City Then he commanded every Tribe to chuse three men such as were eminent for birth and wisdom The Senate and every Curia to elect three out of the Patricians This number he called a Senate either for their age or virtue or because as Festus will have it nothing was done without their permission the Senate being named a Sinendo Perceiving after this that he stood in need of a Guard for his own person he caused the Curiae by their suffrages Celeres to chuse him out 300 young men ten out of each whom he called Celeres from their readinesse to execute his commands as most have written or according to Valerius Antias from their Captain whose name was Celer Under him were three Centurions and other inferiour Officers this Company with their Spears defended the King in the City and received his orders in battels were the first leaders and the keepers of his body beginning the fight first and retreating last of all which custom Dionysius thinketh Romulus to have taken from the Lacedaemonians Things being thus appointed The Office of King he limited unto all their work and honours The King's duty was to take care of their superstition to look to the preservation of the Laws and Customs either natural or written to decide the most weighty causes betwixt man and man and refer those of lesser consequence to the Senate into which he was also to have an inspection He was to call together the Senate assemble the people first to speak his opinion and ratifie what was approved by the major part This was the King's work at home who in
losse of their former estates reckoned amongst the Tribes and Curiae to the number of 3000 so that now the Roman footmen were increased to 6000 men Upon the Victory over Caenina and Antemna he first triumphed and designed a plot for a Temple to Jupiter Feretrius so called from Romulus his bringing home in triumph the spoils of Acron the King of Caenina whom he slew The spoiles were named by the Romans Opima Spolia The plot of ground was about 15 foot long and this was the original of the Capitol Having obtained a great name for his valour and clemency many eminent men went over to him with their families amongst whom was Caelius who gave name to an hill in the City and some whole people committed themselves to his protection having taken example from the Medullini and received Colonies from Rome This successe the Sabines sore repined at laying now the blame one upon another that they had not withstood the beginnings of the Roman greatnesse wherefore they resolved to correct their former carelessnesse by double diligence and assembling together at Cures their Metropolis decreed War against Rome for the spring following and made choise of T. Tatius their King to be General Romulus made all possible provision for resistance fortifying the Capitoline and Aventine hills Lucumo from Solonium a City of Hetruria brought Auxiliary forces and Numitor was not wanting to the assistance of his Grand-son 9. The Sabines having demanded restitution of their Virgins and to have the authors of the injury delivered up that they might have a more specious pretence for their actions received no satisfactory answer and therefore both parties drew out into the field The Sabines brought 25000 foot and almost 1000 horse and the Roman Army contained 2000 foot and 800 horse a very great number for a new builded City Tatius pitched his Tents betwixt the Quirinal and Capitolian hill where seeing all places strongly fortified and small hopes for him to attempt any great matter as he despaired of doing any good one Tarpeia the daughter of Tarpeius who kept the Capitol called to his men from above and covenanted with them to betray the place into their hands Concerning the wages she was to receive several stories or fables are related It is said that she required to have what they wore on their left arms meaning their bracelets but when she let them in they threw their Targets which they carried on their left arms upon her and therewith pressed her to death Being Masters of the Capitol they had thereby great advantage to continue the War at their pleasure and first some light Skirmishes insued but at length they resolved to do their utmost on both sides and for several dayes continued the fight so long as till night severed them for the most part with equal successe This made the Sabines seriously bethink themselves whether they had best carry on the War or retreat and the Romans were rather more to seek how to hold out yet neither party would stoop to desire a Treaty Whilst they remained in this anxious condition those Sabine women that were married to the Romans and the cause of the War through the perswasion of Hersilia one of the principal amongst them The end of Sabine War became mediators and made peace betwixt these Fathers and Sons in Law after the War had lasted six years The conditions were A. M. 2363. V. C. 12. Achazi 2. that Romulus and Tatius should reign at Rome with equal prerogative that the City from Romulus should be called Rome but the Citizens Quirites from Cures the native place of Tatius Such of the Sabines as would were made free of Rome and a respect was had of those Matrons that procured the peace that they which would live with their husbands should bee exempted from all work and service besides spinning and making of Cloath 10. Some write that from thirty of these women which undertook this reconciliation to perpetuate their memories the Tribes were named but Terentius Varro denied it alleging that they had names before and that by this honour given to thirty the rest of the women were not passed by and discouraged For five years the two Kings reigned peaceably together and joyntly subdued the Camerini a Colony of the Albans but in the sixth it hapned that some of Tatius his friends plundring the Lavinians Tatius killed and by him being protected notwithstanding Romulus and the Senate judged they were to be given up moreover killing the Ambassadors sent to demand them wherein they were also born out by him when he went to Lavinium to sacrifize or perswade the injured persons to be quiet the friends of the Ambassadors fell upon and knocked him in the head Romulus to his great contentment thus freed from his partner made satisfaction to the injured and burying Tatius at Rome very honourably subdued Fidenae a Town five miles off which had seized on provisions coming to Rome in a time of famine Thither he sent some of his own to inhabit according to his custom and then punished the Crustumini who had killed those Planters which hee sent amongst them The Veii overcome and over them he obtained his second triumph The Veii a most powerful people of Hetruria inhabiting a City no lesse than Athens situated upon a craggy Rock at some twelve miles distance from Rome found themselves concerned in what the Fidenates suffered and by an Embassie required the Romans thence to remove their Garrison and restore the Inhabitants to their whole demesens This being denied they met at Fidenae and there fought two bloody battels wherein Romulus had the better and triumphed the third time Plutarch writeth that the Veientes ridiculously challenged Fidenae to belong to them and receiving a scornful answer from Romulus divided themselves into two parts whereof with one they fought the Fidenatae and with the other went to meet Romulus who slew of them above 8000 with the losse of 2000 of his own men In the next battel he is fabulously reported to have killed 7000 with his own hand being half the number that was slain The Veientes now betook themselves to intreaties and entred into a League with the Romans for an hundred years on these conditions to quit a great part of their grounds with the Salt-pits near the River and give up fifty Hostages of their most considerable families Romulus triumphed over them on the Ides of October leading with him their Captain an aged man who had badly performed his office for which he was afterwards personated by an old man in all Triumphs Romulus grown tyrannical 11. This was the last War managed by Romulus who being grown exceeding high and tyrannical upon his successe inlarged his prerogative beyond those bounds he had formerly set to it and made use onely of the Senate to ratifie his commands Hereby hee contracted the hatred of that Order though the Soldiers loved him which brought him to an untimely death Some think
the one consisting of 354. and the other of 365 doubled these eleven dayes and every other year inserted a moneth after February consisting of 22 dayes and by the Romans called Mercedonius because at that time wages were wont to be paid He changed the order of the moneths assigning to March formerly the first the third place to January the first and February the second whereof this was the last and the other the 11th in the dayes of Romulus Many have been of opinion that Numa added January and February to the rest of the moneths and that formerly the Romans had but 10. which appeareth by the name of December the last moneth and because the fifth and sixth moneths from March were called Quintilis and Sextilis Thus March must have been the beginning of the year which Romulus so named from Mars his supposed father The second was April so called from Venus as some thought because her superstitious worship was performed in it when the women were Crowned with Myrtle as they washed or as others gathered from the opening of Plants at that time of the year The third was May named from Maia and sacred to Mercury the fourth was June from Juno as some thought others deriving the names of these two from Majores and Juniores the Elder and younger The rest had their names from their order as Quintilis Sextilis September October November December Afterwards Quintilis was from Julius Caesar called July Sextilis August from Augustus September and October the Emperour Domitian changed into his own names but presently after he was killed they recovered their former Onely the two last ever retained their first appellations Of those moneths which Numa either added or ranked February was so called from the expiations which used to be in it signified by the word Februa then they were wont to make parentations to the dead and celebrate the Lupercalia certain Sacrifices and Games in honour of Pan much like to the Sacrifice of Expiations January was named of Janus which Numa seemeth to have set before March because he would shew that Civil vertue is ever to be preferred before what is exercised in War For Janus was accounted one of the most antient Gods or Kings from whom reigning in Italy some make the Romans descended very studious for civil society and humane converse and who changed the course of mans life from brutish and savage to an humane and gentle kind He is therefore feigned to be double faced because he brought in another fashion of life than what formerly had been and had a Temple built by Numa with two doors that were shut in peace and open in vvar as was before said These things Plutarch relateth in the life of Numa 15. But Livie and other considerable Authors (a) C. 3. Solinus (b) Satur. lib. 1. c. 12. Macrobius and (c) c. 20. Censorinus write that the first Roman year consisted but of ten moneths and 304 dayes six of the moneths having 30 dayes and the other four 31 apiece But this account differing from the course of the Sun Numa to make them agree added 51 dayes to the year That he might make up the twelve moneths from the six consisting of thirty dayes he took one day apiece and therewith made up 57. which were divided into two moneths whereof the one contained 29. and the other 28 dayes and so the year began to have 355. Of this opinion besides Junius Grauhanus and Fulvius both Varro and Suetonius were as appeareth out of Censorinus Yet Licinius Macer and Lucius Fenestella by the same testimony two antient Writers of Annals delivered that the first Roman year consisted of 12 moneths agreeable to the former opinion related by Plutarch This a * Joseph Scaliger de Emendatione Temp. lib. 2. Lidyatus de variis annorum formis cap. 17. noble pair of modern Criticks prove to have been the truer opinion affirming that January and February were not added by Numa but transferred from the end to the beginning of the year and endeavouring to shew that they who would have the year but to consist of 10 moneths make it no shorter than they that are for 12. distinguishing it not so much in number as placing of dayes for the Romans in Romulus his time filled up the year either by assigning more dayes than thirty to the moneths or adding so many in the end thereof as seemed to be wanting But it sufficeth to have touched these things for the direction of beginners 16. Numa to gain credit and obedience to his constitutions feigned that he had converse with the Goddesse Egeria He married Tatia daughter to Tatius the King by which he had a daughter named Pompilia Some said he neither had any other wife nor any more Children but others both as to wife and children dissented from them He lived above 80. reigned 43 years and at his death was buried with great honour His body was not burned which he forbad but buried in a stone Coffin under the Janiculum and the Books of his Ceremonies laid by him in another which being twelve written in Latine and as many in the Greek tongue were 400 years after when Publius Cornelius and Marcus Baebius were Consuls by water wrought out of the earth and for that it was thought wickednesse to have such things discovered to the multitude from which he also kept them after the fashion of the Pythagoreans not communicating discipline by writing but onely by word of mouth burned by command of the Senate He kept the State in constant peace and his ability herein contributed to the general quiet of Italy so that by the example of his reign Plutarch judgeth that saying of Plato to be verified that the onely means whereby men should be made happy would be to have a Philosophical mind and regal power concur in a Prince who would make vertue superiour to dishonesty But the fortune of the succeeding Kings added to the lustre of his glory For of the five which followed the last was cast out and died in exile and none of the rest obtained a natural and quiet end according to Plutarch Tullus Hostilius 17. Numa being dead and the Government devolved upon the Senate after several Interreges at length Tullus Hostilius was created King by the Universal consent of the Citie His Grand-father was that Hostilius A. M. 3333. V.C. 82. Olymp. 27. an 1. who most gallantly behaved himself against the Sabines at the Cittadel and married of that Nation the daughter of Hersilia After much valour shewn he was slain in battel and left a young son who at ripenesse of age of a noble Matrone begat this Tullus Hostilius the third King of Rome whose beginning according to the account of Dionysius was in the second year of the 27th Olympiad wherein Eurybates the Athenian was Victor when Leostratus was Archon at Athens in the 83 year of the Citie and the 31 of Manasses King of Judah At his first beginning he
Communion in Sacrifices into Tribes and Curiae so Servius making every one give an account how much he was worth according to their riches divided them into six Ranks or Classes Of these the first and highest consisted of such as were worth 110000 Asses each of which answereth to ob 9. of our money the next four decreased in value a fourth part and in the last were contained all such whose Estates were of little or no value The Census 31. The Classes he did also so subdivide into Centuries as 192 were made in all his design herein being to know certainly how many were fit to bear Arms and what Treasure might be supplied for Wars or other occasions He also first ordained the Lustrum so named a Luendo from paying saith Varro Lustrum as Flustrum a Fluendo to be celebrated after this Census De Lingua Latina lib. 5. or value of each according to their substance On a certain day after the valuation he enacted that all the Citizens should meet in their Armour in the Campus Martius every one in his several Classis and Century where by sacrifice the Citie was expiated or Lustrated This solemnity was termed Solitaurilia Lib. 1. cap. 5. or rather Suovetaurilia because an Hog Sheep and Oxe were sacrificed as we read in Quintilian These things being performed the Lustrum was finished which because of continual change of mens Estates he ordained should be reiterated every five years so that he who begun it according to Lipsius in his twelfth year celebrated it himself four times according to Valerius Maximus Every fifth year the Tribute or Taxe called Census was paid and thence Lustrum seemeth to have had it's name Lib. â— c. 4. After the banishment of the Kings the Consuls managed this businesse till the Censors Magistrates proper to the work were brought in Lastly Joseph Scaliger telleth us we must distinguish the old Roman Lustrum from the later or Julian which is onely a Systeme of four Julian years whereof the last consisteth of 366 dayes absolutely without any overplus of hours De Legibus l. 3. For the Old and Proper Lustrum contained five years compleat which that cited by Cicero concerning the Censors out of the Laws of the twelve tables Let them be two Let them obtain the Magistracy for five years maketh manifest so that this Lustrum cannot answer to an Olympiad properly so called of which beginners are to take notice 32. Of the six Classes which contained 193 Centuries Dionys ut suprà the first and richest was divided into 98 the Equites or Horsmen being counted in the second into 22 taking in Artificers the third into 20 the fourth 22 the fifth 30 and the sixth and last of the poorer sort made up but one Century Men and moneys being levied according to these Centuries and not by poll each Century such a quantity it came to passe that the richest being fewer yet divided into more Centuries here the word is not to be taken for 100 persons precisely The Centuries and Cexturiata Comitia being made use of onely to expresse such a division were never free from warfare and contributed also more money than the rest they that were but moderately or meanly provided of wealth being exceeded by the other in twenty Centuries went to the War by turns and paid but little Tribute and they that had not any estate to speak on underwent no burthens This seemed very just and equal to him that they who were most concernd should take most pains and bear the greatest cost the Romans at that time maintaining themselves in the Wars without any pay from the publick But the richer sort something grieved to undergo all charge and danger for the preservation of others as well as themselves Servius sufficiently satisfied and requited by giving them in a maner the whole prerogative in matters of State the porer being almost wholly removed from any power in the Commonwealth though at first they did not perceive it 33. This secret lay in the Comitia or Assemblies where the people resolved about the most important affairs these three things being in their power viz. Creation of Magistrates as well Military as Civil making or abrogating Law and decreeing Peace or War concerning which things the suffrages of the several Curiae were wont to be gathered and the vote of the porest availed as much as that of the richest person whence the poorer sort being much more numerous than the rich ever prevailed by their Multitudes Tullius understanding this instead of those of the Curiae called the Comitia of the Centuries upon such occasions First of all were called the Centuries of the first or richest Classis viz. the 18 of Knights or Horsmen and the 80 of Footmen which being three more in number than all the rest besides if they all agreed they overcame in number and there was no need of calling any of the others to the vote If they disagreed the 22 Centuries of the second Classis were called and if need were the third Classis and the fourth till 97 Centuries agreed in their suffrages If this hapned not after the calling of the fifth 192 Centuries being divided equally in number and of several opinions then was the sixth Classis called conteining the last Centurie free from Tributes and War and to which side it joyned that overcame 34. This rarely hapned and was almost impossible the Comitia being ended most commonly by the first call but however seldom came it to the fourth Classis so that the two last were supervacaneous By this constitution the poorer sort were deceived thinking it enough that every mâ—n as well one as another gave his suffrage and not considering that the suffrage of the whole Centurie was but one whether it contained more or fewer persons in it But at length seeing themselves freed from danger and charge they were content and the richer injoying such priviledges for their pains and cost were well satisfied and this order was kept for many Ages till afterwards by the violent actings of some the common sort got more power as Dionysius himself observed the innovation to have broken in in his time At the first Lustrum were found 84700 Citizens but to increase their number hee brought in the custom of making Slaves free of the Commonwealth whom being before manumitted or set free he distributed into the four Tribes of the City 35. These Slaves were either made or born such as Justinian the Emperor distingisheth them The custom of manumiting Slaves The former sort were either taken in War then properly called Mancipia or bought of the publick or of some private man The later were those that were born either of both Parents being such or of the Mother onely At first they obtained their liberty gratis by well deserving some way of their Masters or some by payment of money earned by their honest labours they having a certain Peculium though all
roof 42. In the time of this Tarquinius another great blessing as it was counted hapned to the Romans A certain strange woman came to the King Sibyls offering to sell nine books of the Oracles of Sibyl which when he refused to buy at her rate she went away and burning three of them returned and demanded as much for the six Being derided for a mad woman she departed and burning half of them returned with the other three still asking as much as at the first whereat Tarquin astonished sent for the Augures to know her meaning who answered that the nine ought to have been bought and the three were to be purchased at the same Rate The woman after the sale and delivery vanished and never after could be seen Tarquin chose two men out of the Nobility to keep them to whom he allowed two publick servants After his expulsion the people Elected most Noble persons Sibyls books who all their lives executing this Office were freed from all other burthens both Military and Civil to whom onely it was lawfull to look in them No sacred thing was so carefully kept as these Sibylline Oracles They were consulted by decree of the Senate when the Commonwealth was disturbed by any seditions when any great overthrow was received in War or any prodigies hapned They were kept by the Decemviri or ten men appointed to this Office within a Vault under the Capitol in a stone Chest till they perished at the burning of the place Those that the Romans used afterwards were Copied out of such as belonged to other Cities and private persons wherein were some supposititious things which they distinguished by the difference of the Acrosticks 43. The woman that brought those books to Tarquin having the name of Sibylla and there being many found to whom it hath been given besides something is to be said of those women for distinction The first Sibylla or woman Prophetesse to which the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Council of Jupiter was communicated as the word importeth was a Persian according to (a) Vide Ludov Vivem in Augustin de Civitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 23. Varro or else a Caldaean or an Hebrewesse born at Noe a Citie near the Red-Sea her name was Sambetha her father called Barossus and her mother Erymantha The second was a Lybian Themis of Delphos was the third The fourth was called Cumaea because she was born at Cimeriam a Town of Campania in Italy near to Cuma The fifth of Erythrae a Citie of Ionia in Asia at this day called Cabo Bianco The sixth was of the Island Samus her name being Phyto The seventh of Cuma and called Cumana her proper name being Amalthea according to some but Herophile and Demophila according to others Suidas calleth her Hierophile and saith she brought nine books to Tarquinius Priscus and demanded for them 300 Philippines being Gold Coyn of Philip King of Macedonia Pliny contrary to the common account of Writers mentioneth three books not nine and writeth that she burnt two of them But the eighth was called Hellespontiaca being born in the Trojan Countrey upon the Hellespont in a Village named Marmissus near to Gergetium which Heraclides of Pontus affirmed to have flourished in the dayes of Solon and Cyrus The ninth was a Phrygian and Prophecied at Ancyra The tenth was of Tibur by name Albanea being worshipped for a Goddesse at that place near the Banks of the River Aniene wherein her image is said to have been found holding a book in one hand These ten are reckoned by Varro There were several others also (b) Lib. 14. pag. 633. Strabo maketh two to have lived at Erythrae whereof the later flourished in the time of Alexander There was another of Colophon a Citie of Ionia Elissa and Cassandra the daughter of Priamus were accounted Sibyls There were also a Thessalian Marto the daughter of Tiresias the Theban and another of Epirus Moreover Carmentis the Arcadian the Mother of Evander and Fauna or Fatua the sister and wife of Faunus King of the Aborigenes in Italy might be reckoned in the number The siege of Ardea 44. In the work of the Capitol Tarquin employed the people and in other baser works wherewith he even tired them out so that to appease them and especially to recruit his own Coffers he made War against the Rutuli and besieged the rich Citie Ardea five German miles toward the East distant from Rome The quarrel he pretended to be for that they received the Roman Exiles and endeavoured to restore them but the true cause was his thirst after the riches of this most flourishing place once the Metropolis of the Rutuli While he lay before this Town taking great pains to gain it and the other as eagerly resisting yet so as he seemed to have hope to carry it an act of his eldest son Sextus occasioned both the freedom of the one and other Citie Dionysius writeth that he was sent to Collatia about some businesse concerning the War and going to the house of Tarquinius Collatinus his Kinsman Grand-son to Egerius the Nephew of Priscus he ravished his wife Lucretia Sextus Tarquinius ravisheth Lucretia the daughter of Lucretius a Noble Roman Livy and Aurelius Victor relate that the Courtiers drinking together in the Camp before Ardea and with them Tarquinius Collatinus the son of Egerius they fell severally on praising each one his own wife in so much as proceeding to an earnest dispute Collatinus said there needed not many words for that they might see within a few hours how far his Lucretia excelled them all and he desired them to ride to the several places and judge accordingly as they should find Being well heated with wine they agreed to this motion and away they rode They found not Lucretia junketting and idely spending her time as the Kings daughters in law but late at night hard at work amongst her maids so that by consent of all she far excelled the rest and Collatinus nobly entertaining his Guests returned with them to the siege 45. Now was Sextus Tarquinius inflamed with a lustfull desire after Lucretia because of her beauty and as it hapneth towards difficult or forbidden things the more because of her eminent chastity Within few dayes without the knowledge of her husband accompanied onely with one servant he returned to Collatia where being kindly entertained by her he was brought to his bed-chamber but when he thought all asleep having observed where she lay with a naked Dagger he went to her and laying his hand on her breast threatned her with death if she offered to stir He mixed threats with fair words but yet could not prevail till he told her he would first kill her and then his slave whom laying by her side he would report it was for having surprized her in Adultery with him whereby obtaining his prey in the morning he departed When he was gone she sent for her father from Rome and her husband from the Camp
Commanders in Darius his Army being incouraged by his Mule that foaled mangled his face cutting off his ears and nose and in gore blood counterfeited a flight to the besieged as thus abused by the King The Babylonians believed and according to his expectation chose him for their General after which he made several sallies and the besiegers according to the former agreement fled but within a while he betrayed the City to Darius And recovered He demolished the walls and nailing 3000 of the principal actors unto crosses pardoned the rest for whom 5000 women were sought by whom they might repair their decayed stock Zopyrus was rewarded as with other things in greatest account amongst the Persians so with the City of Babylon for his life The son of this Zopyrus was Megabyzus who afterwards conducted the Persian Army against the Athenians and their companions and son to this Megabyzus was that Zopyrus who revolted from the Persians to the Athenians 11. After the recovery of Babylon Darius wanting neither men not mony Darius goeth against the Scythians undertook an Expedition against the Scythians to be revenged on them for holding the (a) Vide l. 1. c. 2. p. 21. dominion of Asia 28 years at such time as persuing the Cimmerians they overthrew and kept under the Medes whom they found Lords of all in the dayes of their King Cyaxares This (b) Lib. 4. c. 1 c. Herodotus maketh the pretended cause of the War but (c) Lib. 2. Justin from Trogus relateth that it was because Lanthius the Scythian King denied him his daughter in marriage Darius caused a bridge to be laid over the Bosphorus into Europe half a mile long and thereon passing his forces over crossed the Sea himself by ship and gave charge to the Ionians his Subjects who together with the Aeoâ—ians and others that lived upon the Hellespont A.M. 3497. Olymp. 68. an 1. V.C. 246. Darii 14. made up the Navie to sail up the Sea as far as the River Ister which parted Scythia from Thrace over which he also enjoyned them to make a bridge In his march through Thrace all submitted to him except the Getes who out of Ignorance withstood him The Ionians prepared the bridge against his coming whom after he had transported his forces he commanded there to expect him Sixty dayes at the end of which if he returned not he permitted them to return into their own Country 12. The Scythians had no constant dwelling or habitation removing with their wagons wherein they lay and cattel from place to place according as they were furnished with grasse living upon milk and raw flesh without Towns or corn and taking their conduct from the Pole-Star as the Chrim Tartars their posterity at this day also live the great Chrim himself having no other City than an Agora or one of the Carts Having intelligence of his coming they sent their wives children and cattel towards the North then stopped all the wells destroyed all fruits of the Earth and sometimes appearing to the Persians again retired on purpose to deride them Darius seeing himself thus mocked and despairing to come at them by reason of their perfect knowledg of the Country and his ignorance therein fearing also his provisions might fail and especially lest the Ionians should forsake him at the bridge now that the Sixty dayes were expired bethought how he might make a safe retreat The Scythians getting knowledge hereof laboured to remove the Ionians from the bridge telling them how good it would be for them to return home in safety for that now the time prefixed by the King was expired They fell into consultation hereupon and Miltiades Tyrant or petty Prince of the Chersonesus besought them that having this opportunity they would not let it slip but free themselves from the Persian yoak But Histiaeus Tyrant of Miletus a City of Ionia and others who had enslaved their own Citizens at home fearing lest if the power of the Persians by which they were maintained were broken they should be reduced into a private condition or worse by their own Country-men resolved that nothing more concerned them than that the greatnesse of that Empire might be established Yet it was judged convenient to break the bridge so far as to be out of bow-shot from the Scythian side therein to comply with that People who perhaps else might force them to do it Beginning therefore to break it the Scythians believed their promise of performing the whole and returned to hunt out the Persians Expecting them to retreat that way which was best for Provisions they missed of them for Darius returned the same he went His retreat and with great difficulty recovered the banks of Ister Here he arrived by night and was much discouraged when he found the bridge broken but upon the first shout Histiaeus came with all his Vessels and made it up for the transportation of the Army 13. Darius passing over his Army marched through Thrace unto Sestus and thence sailed over into Asia leaving Megabysus in Europe with an Army of 80000 men Megabyzus according to order subdued the Perinthians and Paeonians whom he translated into Asia and having reduced to obedience all the Maritime Coast Earth and water demanded of Amyntas King of Macedonia Herod l. 5. c. 1. c. Justin lib. 7. sent into Macedonia to demand earth and water of Amyntas the King These were Symboles of subjection signifying an acknowledgement of fealty and voluntary homage the chief Soveraignty over all wherein propriety lay being yielded up with these two Elements Darius had formerly sent to demand them of the Scythians and they in return sent him a Bird Frog Mouse and five Arrows leaving him to make the interpretation which he framing according to his own wish thought that they had yielded all those Elements wherein those Creatures live and their Weapons withall into his hands But Gobryas construed the meaning to be this O ye Persians get ye wings like Birds dive under the water or creep into the holes of the Earth for else our Arrows will overtake you which exposition was accordingly verified Amyntas doubting of his own strength kindly entertained the Messengers and granting what they came for magnificently feasted them insomuch that being well heated with Wine they desired that women according to the custom of Persia might be brought in to them He replied that was not the fashion of Macedonia but yet he would gratifie them therein which being done they began to be uncivil towards the women whereat he inwardly fretted but for fear suppressed his indignation But his eldest son Alexander being present a young man of prompt boldnesse and little experience desired him to quit the room and let him alone to entertain the Guests and though he suspected him for his courage and disswaded him from any rash attempt yet did he withdraw accordingly Alexander then told the Persians they might have liberty to enjoy these women but for
of their Enemies the Samaritans and others neither could their habitation in the Citie be secure nor the work of the Temple go on with safety and in what could all that Treasure be spent but in Fortifications So that we may even conclude sufficient Licence and Authority to be included in this Decree and that Esra began to build the Walls but was either hindred by other occasions or the negligence of the Jews or more probably the molestations of their Enemies who because the Licence was not expressed took thence occasion to interrupt the work till thirteen years after it was renewed and perfected by the procurement and industry of Nehemiah who obtained a confirmation rather of the former Edict than any new Decree So though Syrus had first of all granted Licence for the rebuilding of the Temple yet because the work was hindred by the Enemies of the Jews there was need of another Edict granted out by Darius As the decrees of these two Kings were in effect the same so also those were onely put in execution afterwards by Nehemiah because the execution of it as to the rebuilding of the Walls was either remitted by negligence or by malice of the Borderers 9. If so the beginning of the seventy weeks of Daniel fitly may be taken hence ending most probably in the death of our Savious Jesus Christ Daniel 9.24 Seventy weeks saith the Angel are determine upon thy people and upon thy holy Citie to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse and to seal up the Vision and Prophecy and to anoint the most holy Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks and the street shall be built again and the Wall even in troublous times And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the Citie and the Sanctuary and the end thereef shall be with a Flood and unto the end of the War desolations are determined And he shall confirm the Covenant with many in one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate even untill the consummation and that determined shall be powred upon the desolate Thus the Oracle in which is contained a Prophecy concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the coming of Christ who should bring unconceivable benefits along with him and yet at length be put to death not for himself but others and this should be all accomplished within 70 weeks of years which contain 490. Lastly it foretels that for that horrible sin of the Jews in murdering the Messias they should lose both Principality and Priest-hood and be punished with perpetual Exile and the utter and unreparable desolation of the Citie 10. Many are the opinions concerning the beginning and end of these seventy weeks amongst Chronologers Some begin them in the first year of the Empire of Cyrus and end them in the Nativity of Christ Others fetch their rise from the second of Darius Nothus Successor to Artaxerxes and conclude them with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian Some make them Commence from the 20 of Artaxerxes when Nehemiah obtained another Decree of him and to conclude with the passion and death of Christ and others will have them begin in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Mnemon and end in the desolation of the Citie by the Romans But many there are who rejecting all these with best reason fix the beginning of them in the seventh of Artaxerxes Longimanus and their conclusion in the death of Christ in which termination most of the Learned both ancient and modern agree 11. For if we seriously consider the account of time and judge of it according to the best approved Authors The beginning of Daniel's seventy weeks the three former opinions will be found either to exceed or come short of the number From the beginning of the Persian Empire to Christ's Nativity passed about 530 years From the second of Darius Nothus indeed to the destruction of Jerusalem near upon 490 years intervened but concerning any Edict made by that Prince there is not a word in Scripture From the 20th of Artaxerxes Longimanus to the death and passion of Christ are found 476. or 477. which come too short by thirteen of the 490. and betwixt the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemor and the destruction of Jerusalem are found but about 450. which come far short of the true account as also the Chronology of such as would fetch the rise of the 290 from the first of Darius Medus and the second or sixth of Darius the son of Hystaspes And although the Angel mentioneth the punishment to be inflicted on the Jews yet doth he not comprise it in the 490 years the end of which he signalizeth by the annointing and sufferings of the Mâ—ssias but assigneth half a week or of seven years for the accomplishment of those plagues which in such a quantity of time were to be inflicted upon his murderers Vide Ludovic Cappelli tabulas in Chron. Sacra 12. But if we reckon from this seventh of Artaxerexes Longimanus down by his Successors in the Persian Empire the Ptolomies of Aegypt after that of Alexander the Great and then by the Assamonaeans or Jewish Princes till we come at length to Herod the Great and so to Christ the just number of 290 we shall find accomplished at his death with such small difference as is pardonable to so many Authors handling so many things Or if we reckon by the years of the Olympiads and the building of Rome we shall find Christ to have died in the 490th year after the promulgation of this decree The seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus fell in with the second and third of the 80th Olympiad according to Eusebius and the 295 or 296th of the City from which continuing to the second year of the 202d Olympiad and the 785th of the City in which Christ was crucified 289 years or â—90 are precisely found so that farther we shall not enquire about these seventy weeks having therein already satisfied what this design and work requireth leaving the further enquiry thereof to the studious Reader and the judgement to the Learned 13. In the fifteenth year of Artaxerxes the Athenians having recalled Cimon whom for ten years they had banished by the Ostracism Thucyd. lib. 1. Diodorus ad Olymp. 82. an 3. sent him with a Fleet of 200 Sail against Cyprus subject to the Persian Sixty of these ships he sent into Aegypt to the aid of Amyrtaeus who still was up in the marishes and with the rest he set upon Citium a Town in the Island Plutarch in Cimone At
departed with his men towards Ionia another way The Carducians a warlike Nation and at Enmity with the King and much exercised in slinging of great and massie stones Xenoph. lib. 4 Diorus much disturbed the Graecians in their passage of their Country and in the passing the Mountains thereof were spent seven dayes With great difficulty and danger having passed it they went over the River Centritis into Armenia of which Artabazus being then Governour entred into league with them and suffered them quietly to passe but in travelling thorow the Mountains they were near all being overwhelmed in the snow the discerning of wayes being taken away thereby The whole Army had perished also by extream cold had they not light upon some Villages near hand wherein being furnished with plenty of necessaries they refreshed themselves The houses stood within the ground into which the Men descended by stairs and their Cattel by desents made for that purpose Having here stayed eight dayes they journyed thence to the River Phasis 46. Having continued four dayes at this River they marched through the Country of the Tacchi and Phasiani by whom being opposed they fought and made great slaughter of them and then seized upon their Villages which were plentifully furnished with such things as they wanted they there rested fifteen dayes Thence marching through the Territories of the Chalcidensians in seven encampings they came to the River Harpasus and thence coming into the Plains of the Tascutin they there refreshed themselves three dayes and proceeding in four encampings they arrived at a great City called Gymnasia The Prince of this Country entring into a League with them furnished them with Guides to the Sea of which after fifteen dayes being got up to the hill Chenius they got a sight afar of at which the Front shouted so for joy that those in the Rear thinking they had been set upon by some Enemy prepared themselves for a Fight and there laid they a great heap of stones as a Monument to Posterity of the spoils obtained from the Barbarians and the immortal memory of their Expedition 47. Then came they into the Country of the Macri with whom they made a League by taking and receiving a Spear according to the custom of these Barbarians Having got over their Mountains they came into the Territories of the Coleti where a great multitude opposing them they made no small slaughter of the Inhabitants and made great spoil where they found a kind of Honey of which whosoever did eat became according to the quantity eaten drunken mad or as dead but the next day at the same hour returned to their right Senses and after three or four dayes arose as having received some Medicine Thence in two encampings they come to Trapezond a Graecian City well inhabited They came to Trapezond upon the Euxine Sea situate upon the Euxine Sea being a Colony of the Sinopeans placed in the Colchian Country Here Jason with his Companions are reported to have arrived with their ship Argos They sacrifized to Hercules and Jupiter and celebrated Games of Exercise Exped Cyri l. 5. and hence was Cherisophus sent to Byzantium to provide ships for the transportation of them home and for him here they staied thirty dayes but after that term he returning not their provisions growing scarce Diodorus ut suprà though they had made excursions both by Sea and Land they put on shipboard having obtained a little shipping of the Trapezuntans the sick all those above forty years of age with the women and children and passed in three dayes to Cerasunt a Graecian City situate upon the Sea being also a Colony of the Sinopeans in the Colchian Country Here they remained ten dayes and taking a muster found 8600 remaining of those that ascended with Cyrus into Persia the rest being consumed by the Enemies hand or Snow or sicknesse Here also they divided the money that arose out of the sale of Captives the tenth part of which the Officers took into their hands being severed as an offering to be made to Apollo and Diana of Ephesus every one keeping and preserving a share for his gods 48. From Cerasunt they came into the Country of the Mesynecans the veriest Barbarians they had met with in the whole journy which they passed by force in eight encampings and in three more that of the Tibarenes through which they came to Cotyora a Graecian Colony also of the Sinopaeans Thus far the Army marched on foot the whole length of the retreat from the place of the battel in the Babylonian Territories hither being 122 encampings 620 parasangs 10820 furlongs 1352 miles and something more At Cotyora they continued 50 dayes making encursions upon the neighbouring people of Paphlagonia Then the Heracleans and Synopeans a Colony of the Milesians in Paphlagonia furnished hem with shipping into which they put themselves and their baggage and sailed away Xenoph. lib. 6. Diodorus Cherisophus meeting them with a few Vessels Holding on their course they sailed by Jason's shore where the Ship Argo is said to have anchored and by the mouths of the Rivers Thermodon Halys Parthenius by which after they had passed they arrived at Heraclea a Graecian City and Colony of the Megaraeans situate in the Territory of the Maryandens and came to anchor near the Cherronnesus or Peninsula of Acherousia where Hercules is said to have fetcht the Dog Cerberus out of Hell the marks being there shewn of his descent and the depth of the place being more than two furlongs 49. Here the Soldiers through the perswasion of Lycen an Achaian making unreasonable demands of money from the Heracleans they shut their gates upon them They part asunder at Heraclea and provided for their own defence which bred a sedition in the Army so that they parted asunder The Arcadians and Achaeans being more than 4500 all heavy armed sailed away first having got shipping of the Heracleans that falling sodainly upon the Bithynians they might prevent the rest and make the greatest prey Cherisophus a little before chosen General having 1300 armed and 700 Peltasts who were the Thracians that followed Clearchus marched on foot from Heraclea and as soon as he entred Thrace led along by the Sea-coast being now sick and presently dead of a Medicine he took in an Ague Xenophon with 1700 Armed 300 Peltasts and 40 Horse taking shipping landed in the confines of Thrace and marched through the midst of the Land With great difficulty passed they through the Country on foot the Thracians of Asia and the Bithynians grievously afflicting them till meeting together again they resolved no more to part and decreed it should be death for any one to move such a thing Then came they safe though with great difficulty to Chrysopolis a City in Chalcedonia whence without much trouble some returned home Xenoph. l. 7. Diodorus others were employed by Seuthes the King of Thrace and after that Thymbro joyning them to the rest
it would prosecute with War to his utmost power both at Sea and Land The Ambassadors went home and made report of what was proposed to the several Commonwealths who grudged it much that the Cities of Asia for whose liberty Agesilaus had taken so much pains should be so unworthily again betrayed But being necessitated to submit they accepted of the conditions and the peace was sworn to at length by all Greece in the second year of the 96th Olympiad A. M. 3618. and the 18th year of Artaxerxes A. M. 3618. 75. Artaxerxes being thus freed from this tedious controversie with the Graecians set himself to a preparation for the Wars of Cyprus Diodorus l. 16. ad Olymp. 98. ann 3. from which as yet he had been diverted Evagoras by this time through the assistance of Chabrias whom the Athenians had sent to his aid with 800 Peltasts and ten Gallies had brought under the whole Island having got together also a most numerous Army whilest the King was kept in play by the Graecians For he entred into society with Acoris King of Egypt Artaxerxes turneth his forces from the Graecians against Cyprus who furnished him with great store of money and Hecatomnus the Viceroy of Caria under-hand supplied him with some for the hiring of forein Souldiers and the King of Arabia with others who bore no good will to Artaxerxes sent a great power of men He had in a readinesse 90 Gallies whereof twenty lay at Tyre in Phoenicia which with other Cities he had got into his hands and the rest anchored readily furnished before Cyprus The King gathered together both his Land and Sea forces the former consisting of 300000 men and the later of 300 Gallies Over his Land Army he appointed General Orontes his son-in-law and Teribazus Admiral of his Navy who taking up their forces out of Phocaea and Cuma marched down into Cilicia whence passing over into Cyprus with great industry they began the War 76. Evagoras having 6000 men of his own many more Auxiliaries and having hired a great force of strangers over and above money being very plentifull with him first with his Pinnaces well Armed set upon the Enemies ships as they brought in provisions whereof some he took others he sunk or chaced away Hereby it came to passe that no Commodities being imported into the Island a great dearth ensued in the Persian Camp and hereby a mutiny of the Souldiers especially of the mercenaries who fell upon their Officers and killed some of them This put Glos the Admiral upon a resolution to sayl with the whole Fleet into Cilicia whence he brought sufficient supply which Evagoras seeing and considering his Navy to be far inferiour to the Persian he got ready other sixty ships and procuring fifty more from Acoris who readily furnished him with all things necessary for the War he made up his Fleet 200 sayl Getteth a victory at Sea against Evagoras Then exercised he his men often to prepare them for a fight and that to the terror of the Enemy who beheld it and at length as the Persian Fleet sayled by Citium he fell upon it taking some Vessels and sinking others but the Admiral and other Commanders standing close to their tackling a sharp conflict ensued in which though Evagoras at the first prevailed yet Glos with all his power and with great earnestnesse and valour grapling with him he was at length after great losse put to flight 77. The Persians after this victory mustered all their forces both by Sea and Land at Citium and presently both wayes laid siege to Salamine Now Evagoras though he had had the better of it formerly in some sallies out upon the besiegers cooled in his courage after this defeat Though the siege was very straight and pressing yet resolving to continue the War he left his son Pythagoras for the defence of the Citie with full Authority and departed by night with ten Gallies into Egypt where he laboured hard with Acoris the King to perswade him to carry on the War with him and that with all his power He granted him some money Diodorus ad ann 4. Olymp. 98. but for that he was discouraged by the late defeat nothing according to his expectation so that returning and finding the Citie very much straightned and himself destitute of succour he was forced to send about an accommodation Teribazus offered his consent upon these terms that quitting all the Cities except Salamine he should for that pay a yearly Tribute to the King and be at his command as a servant to his Lord which though hard he consented to except the last thinking it a great disgrace to be at his back as a servant and more reasonable to be subject to him as one King to another His Captains disagree and peace is made 78. Teribazus not admitting of this exception Orontes his colleague and emulator accused him by secret Letters to the King as well for other matters as that having an opportunity sufficient to take Salamine he did not use it but spent his time in treaties with the Enemy he farther laid to his charge privatly entring into friendship with Lacedaemon sending to consult the Oracle about warring against the King and especially alluring the Officers by honours gifts and promises Artaxerxes believing these things wrote back to Orontes to arrest Teribazus and send him presently unto him who accordingly sent earnestly desired to be brought to his tryal but being for the present committed to prison and the King employed in the Cadusian War his judgement was still delayed In the mean time Orontes being now General with full power and authority in Cyprus finding that Evagoras with great courage still held out and that his own Souldiers taking ill the imprisonment of Teribazus refused to obey him sent to Evagoras to treat of peace offering him the same conditions he was formerly willing to admit of from Teribazus He being thus delivered beyond hope concluded a peace on these terms to pay yearly Tribute for the Kingdom of Salamine and as King to be obedient to the King of Persia Isocrates in Evagora And thus the Cyprian War ended ten years after the first preparation for it and after it had been managed 2 years Artaxerxes after all this time and the expence of 50 Talents leaving Evagoras in effect in the same condition he was before 79. Gaus the Persian Admiral after this War Diodorus ut suprà having married the daughter of Teribazus fearing lest because of his affinity he should be suspected also by the King and suffer upon that account resolved for a prevention to fortifie himself against him by entring into league with his Enemies This he did presently with Acoris of Egypt Gaus out of fear conspireth with the Lacedaemonians against the King and wrote to the Lacedaemonians to excite them to break the peace making large offers of what he could do for Greece They had of late as before cast in
that he onely could trust and rely upon him Ochus judging then that no delay was to be used procured Harpates the son of Ieribazus who fell in the treason of Darius to murder him Artaxerxes was already so spent with age that he seemed to want but the least furtherance to his death so that word being brought him of the death of Arsames he was not able to bear it but died heart-broken with sorrow after he had lived 94 years in the 43th of his reign in the third of the 104 Olympiad A. M. 3644. about 360 before the birth of Christ He was esteemed mild and loving towards his subjects which opinion was mightily confirmed by the cruelty and paricide of his successor SECT IV. From the death of Artaxerxes Mnemon and the beginning of Ochus to the death of Darius Codomannus containing the space of 32 years 1. OChus succeeded his father Diodorus after whom he was also named Artaxerxes and whose name the Persians put upon his Successors for a memorial of his mild and prosperous Government Some think him by the Persians to have been called Ochosueros Ochus succeedeth or Achosueros and that he is to be taken for that Achesuerus or Ahasuerus the husband of Esther mentioned in Scripture who by the seventy and Josephus after them is named Artaxerxes Some have thought Cambyses to have been the man Jacobus Cappellus alii but he reigned onely seven years whereas above twelve are given to Ahasuerus Neither could Darius the son of Hystaspes be he if the Jews with others rightly accounted the book of Esther to have been the last in order of all the Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament and for that Vashti his wife is thought to be Atossa the daughter of Cyrus it cannot be because he never put away Aâ—ossa on whom he begat Xerxes And although some plead hard for Xerxes because his wife is called by Herodotus Amestris which they take in the Persian tongue to be onely Ham-Esther yet 't is apparent out of the same Author that she was the daughter of Otanes a Persian Satrapa by Religion an Heathen and of a most cruel disposition Besides Ahasuerus in the seventh year of his reign was at Sushan but Xerxes in the seventh of his reign was absent in the War with Greece and though the Greeks corrupted forein names and might call Xerâ—es him whom the Persians named Actachsasta or Artachas-ta yet not one in his own language called Achoschverosch Esther's husband Neither is it probable that Longimanus could be the man who is both in sacred and prophane story called Artach-sasta and Artaxerxes but no where Achasuerus The same may be said of Nothus who both by Nehemiah and Greek writers is called Darius and of Artaxerxes Mnemon concerning whose wife Statira such things are written as can neither agree with Vashti nor Esther Now if that of Esther be the last Canonical book and Nehemiah lived to the time of Darius Nothus then is it probable that Esther lived in the reign of his son or Grand-son and cannot so conveniently be assigned for a wife to any as to Ochus 2. Ochus knowing of how great Authoâ—ity his fathers name was to his subjects and how contemptible he should be after his death was known Polyaenus Stratagem lib. 7. procured of the Eunuchs Chamberlains and Colonels to conceal it for ten moneths and in the mean time sending about the Royal Seal commanded in his fathers name to proclaim Ochus King When all owned and obeyed him as King he then confessed his fathers death and commanded a general mourning according to the custom of Persia and presently took away all Competition filled (a) Justin lib. 10. the Court with the bloud of his kindred and relations no regard being had either to Sex or Age. Amongst the rest he put to death his (b) Valerius Max. lib. 9. cap. 2. Ext. ex 7. Lib. 10. cap. â— sister Ocha being also his mother-in-law with cruel torments and his Uncle with his two sons and Nephews he caused to be set in an empty place and killed with Darts who seemeth well to have been father to Sisigambis mother to Darius the last Persian King whose 80 brethren together with their father Curtius reporteth to have been murdered by Ochus 3. From Ochus revolted Artabazus Diodorus ad Olymp. 106. ann 1. 4. against whom were sent some of the Persian Satrapaes with 70000 men and yet by the help of Chares the Athenian he overthrew them and rewarded Chares with a great summe of money Artabazus revolteth from him which he laid out in the paying of his Souldiers Ochus knowing of this expostulated seriously with the Athenians about it who hearing that he intended with 300 ships to assist their Enemies with whom they were now ingaged in the social War presently clap't up a peace with them Artabazus being forsaken of the Athenians betook himself to the Thebans who ordered Pammenes with 500 men to passe over into Asia to assist him by whose help Artabazus again overthrew the King's forces sent against him in two great and bloudy battels which got no small credit to Pammenes and his Boeotians Yet a few years after Idem ad Olymp. 107. ann 2. when the Thebans were ingaged in the Phocian War and reduced to extremity for want of money they sent to Artaxerxes Ochus and obtained of him 300 Talents which he did as it seemeth to put an obligation upon them to assist him in the War which he renewed against the Egyptians 4. Although Egypt had long before this revolted from the Persian Empire yet Ochus not at all affecting War kept himself quiet for having sent some Armies thither by the treachery or ignorance of their Captains they miscarried so that having several times badly sped though despised on that account by the Egyptians yet being a lover of his ease and quiet he submitted to the disgrace But now at this time about the eleventh year of his reign the Phoenicians and Cyprians taking heart and rebelling also he resolved to chastise them all with Arms and that in his own person and making great provision of all things for the War raised 300000 foot 30000 horse He invadeth Phoenicia and 300 Gallies besides Vessels of burthen The first Tempest of the War fell upon Phoenicia which revolted upon this occasion A famous Citie there was therein named Tripolis consisting according to it's name SECT 4. of three Cities distant a furlong from each other and inhabited by Tyrians Sidonians and Arcadians in which the assembly General of the Phoenicians met and resolved of their most important affairs Herein the Persian Satrapaes and Ambassadors behaving themselves very uncivilly and abusing the Sidonians they thereupon resolved to rebel and perswading the other Phoenicians to side with them for the obtaining of their liberty sent to Nectanebus King of Aegypt to desire him to receive them into confederacy against Ochus Then to begin their hostility they
of the Persians sending for him The King of Sidon was one Strato who being the son of Gerostratus the King of Aradus the Island Governed it in his absence he joyning his ships as the rest of the Phoenician Kings to the fleet of Darius meeting Alexander as he came into Phoenicia put a Golden Crown on his head and gave up Aradus Diodorus ad Olymp. 111. anâ— 4. and Marathus a great and wealthy Town standing upon the Continent over against it with Mariamne and all that belonged unto them into his hands But now because he had done this rather for that the will of the people was such than out of his own inclination Alexander deprived him of his Kingdom and permitted his beloved Hephaestion to bestow it upon any of his friends He chose to confer it upon a Sidonian by whom he was entertained but he refused it for that it was unlawfull for any but one of the Royal stock to possesse it He wondring at the greatnesse of his spirit joyned with so much honesty bid him choose any one of the Royal Race on whom to bestow it who accordingly made choice of Abdalmon or Abdalomnius a poor Gardiner who wrought for his living but of unblameable life and descended of the Royal family Alexander admitting of him said the habit of his body could not withstand the noblenesse of his stock but desired to know with what patience he had endured such poverty to whom he answered That he wished he could as well bear a Kingdom and that those his hands had satisfied his desire whilest he had nothing nothing was wanting to him The King being much taken with his carriage not onely gave him the hous-hold stuff of Strato but most of the booty got from the Persians subjected the Countrey adjacent unto his power and afterwards also the Citie of Tyre according to Diodorus 38. Now was all Syria in the hands of the Macedonians Curtius lib. 4. and whole Phoenicia also except Tyre which Citie was seated in an Island about half a mile distant from the Continent As he marched thitherwards the Tyrians sent him a Crown of Gold of great value in a Congratulatory way Justin lib. 11. and a large quantity of provisions which he received as from friends Diodorus ad Olymp. 112. ann 1. Plutarch in Alexandro and friendly signified to the Messengers his intention to go into their Citie to pay some vows he had made to Hercules They told him there was a Temple of Hercules without the Citie in the place called Old Tyre wherein his devotion would be most suitably performed and so disswaded him from entrance that he was inraged thereat and threatned ruin to the Citie telling them Arrianus lib. 2. that though they were confident in the strength of the place and despised his Land-Army yet in short time he would make them find they were in the Continent And in confidence that their Town not onely fenced with high and strong Walls but also with the Sea was impregnable they resolved to stand out against him being incouraged also by the Carthaginian Ambassadors who after their yearly custom in token of observance to their Mother City were come to celebrate the sacred Anniversary and promised them certain and speedy supply by Sea which for the most part at that time was commanded by their Fleets 39. Alexander yet having not his Navy at hand and foreseeing that a long siege would be a great hindrance to his designs sent to them about an agreement but contrary to the Law of Nations they slew the Messengers and threw them into the Sea with which affront being much moved he resolved to besiege them Ere he could do this such a quantity of earth or other matter was to be cast into the Sea as to joyn the Island to the main land which for the depth of the water the force of the Current was a task almost insuperable but there being great store of stones and rubbish at hand in Old * Palaetyrus Tyre Alexander his great attempt for the Conquering of Tyre he caused it to be utterly demolished and by the hands of many thousands of his own men and the people of the neighbouring places set upon the work The Tyrians whose King Azelmicus being absent with Darius his Admiral had left them to the Government of his son hindred it all wayes possible and when it was near concluded a violent wind spoiled a great part of it but to repair it he caused great Trees to be cut down in the Mountains which together with the boughs being cast in and earth being heaped upon them resisted the violence of the waves and at length by the great number of hands and incredible industry the Island became but a Peninsula But for all this the Tyrians having the command of the Sea their City seemed yet to be impregnable whereupon Alexander had thoughts of gathering together a Fleet but in the mean time came in the Kings of Aradus and Byblus who had withdrawn themselves with their Fleet from Autophradates the Persian Admiral and with them the Sidonian Gallies Besides these Vessels belonging to Phoenicia which were 80 in number at the same time came ten from Rhodes from Solos and Mallos three and from Lycia ten besides one great Gally from Macedonia All these he pardoned as having been necessitated to joyn with the Persians And Azelmicus the King of Tyre now left Autophradates and came home Arrianus writing that he was taken in the City 40. From the Mountain Libanus was wood brought for the making of Engines Towers and Ships in which work whilst Alexander his men were imployed some of the wild Arabians fell upon them slew thirty and took scarcely so many He upon notice hereof left the charge of the Siege to Perdâ—â—cas and Craterus and speedily with a ready Band of men went into Arabia where when they came to the mountainous parts of the Hill called Antilibanus they left their Horses and marched on foot When it grew night and the Enemy approached though his men were before yet would he not leave his School-master Lysimachus being weary and spent but still drawing him on was parted from the Army and forced with a few about him to passe the night in a dark and cold place But seeing many fires to be kindled afar off by the Enemy he being nimble of body ran to one of them and killing two Babarians that there sate brought away a fire-stick burning to his Companions who therewith kindled a great fire and thereby struck such a terror into the Arabians as all that night they passed in quietnesse Then partly by force and partly by agreement he reduced the Country into obedience and in eleven dayes time returned to Sidon where he found arrived out of Peloponnesus 4000 Greekish Mercenaries under the conduct of Alexander the Son of Polemocrates 41. Having then got together a Navy of 190 or 200 ships he set sail from Sidon and
knowledge of it In the midst of the way he encountred Ambassadours sent to him from the Cyrenaeans Diodorus ad Olymp. 112. ann 2. who brought a Crown with other great gifts amongst which were 300 excellent horses trained up and taught for the War which receiving in good part he entred into confederacy with them Two great dangers especially to be met with in this journey viz. want of water in so dry a place Justin lib. 2. and of being overwhelmed by heaps of sand which the South-wind threw upon 50000 of Cambyses his army he escaped wonderfully by abundance of rain which is said to have falln whereby the way was made more firm and passable Goeth to the Temple of Jupiter Hammon and two Crows are reported to have been his Guides and in the night-time when they could not be seen by their croaking to have given notice which way they tended When he arrived at the Temple the Priest either hired to it or mistaking the Greek language as it is thought saluted him by the name of Jupiter's son Hereupon he took the name upon him and to his Mother Olympias as well as others wrote with that Title She facetiously checked him for slandering and bringing her in danger with Juno by making her an Whore to Jupiter By the terrour hereof he hoped to do wonders with the Barbarians Gellius lib. 13. cap. 4. because Hammon was painted with the upper parts like a Ram and the nether like to a man he also would appear to be horned for which reason amongst the Arabians he obtained the name of Dulcarnaijn When he received an answer satisfactory as he pretended he returned into Egypt the same way he came or as another wrote by a more direct one towards Memphis 51. Being come to Memphis he received many Embassies from Greece whence also came a new supply of Forces viz. 400 Greekish Mercenaries from Antipater and 500 horse out of Thessaly Arrianus Curtius Justin Josephus de bello lib. 2. Antiquit. lib. 11. cap. â— The neighbouring Cities he exhausted for the peopling of his new one which he ordained should be the Metropolis of Egypt Amongst other sorts of people the Jews also whose fidelity he approved were inrolled inhabitants having equal privilege with Graecians and obtaining the name not onely of Alexandrians but of Macedonians also and to the Souldiers of Sanballat the Cuthaean who followed him into Egypt caused he Lands to be assigned Thebais which Province he committed to their defence He greatly desired to see not onely the remoter parts of Egypt but Aethiopia also but the War depending yet with Darius hindred him and therefore disposing of Egypt he removed in the Spring thence to Tyre in Phoenicia Curtius Over Egypt he left Aeschylus the Rhodian and Peucestes the Macedonian with 4000 Souldiers and the care of the River Nile he committed to Polemon with 30 Gallies As for the Civil Goverment he left it to Dolaspes the Egyptian to rule according to the antient Laws 52. Ere his departure he understood of the death of Andromachus the Governour of Syria whom the Samaritans burnt alive With all expedition then he removed to revenge his death but being on his way the murderers were delivered up to him whom he punished according to their deserts and placed Memnon in his room Taking the Citie Samaria he gave it to the Macedonians to inhabit but the Countrey about it to the Jews Eusebius for their fidelity to him with immunity from Tribute Coming to Tyre Josephus contra Apionem lib. 2. he celebrated Games as he had done at Memphis and sacrifized again to Hercules and nominating several Governours over the places already Conquered took his journey towards Euphrates 53. Darius having understood of his design to find him out whithersoever he should go gave out orders for all his Forces to meet at Babylon Arrianus Curtius c. whereof some consisted of such Nations as rather seemed to fill up the names of men than to make resistance This Army being almost greater by the half than that which perished at Issus many wanted Arms which were sought for with all diligence Some have reckoned 1000000 foot and 400000 horse bedes 200 Chariots and 15 Indian Elephants whereas Alexander his Forces amounted but to 40000 foot and 7000 horse In the moneth Hecatombaeon Alexander came to Thapsacus where he found two bridges on the River Euphrates but such as reached not quite over to the further side Mazaeus was sent thither to hinder his passage with order also if he could not do this to spoyl and destroy all things in his way but upon his approach he made haste away Alexander passeth Euphrates and Alexander then making up the bridges transported over all his Forces and so proceeding through Mesopotamia having Euphrates and the Armenian Mountains on his left hand made for Babylon not the nearest way but that which was more convenient for provision and moderation of heat As he went forwards he was given to understand by some Scouts which he took that the King had pitch't his Camp on the further side of the River Tigris And Tigris with intentions to hinder his passage but coming thither he neither found him nor any opposition at all This River was so swift being upon that account by the Persians called the Arrow that by the violent force of its stream it drave many weighty stones before it and those that lay in the bottom were made so round and well pollished by continual rolling that no man was able to fight on so slippery a footing so that the Macedonian foot-men to wade the River were forced to enterlace their Arms thereby making one weighty body to resist the fury of the stream so deep the Chanel was on the further side that to keep their Bowes from being weâ— as also their Arrows and Darts they were inforced to lift them above their heads so that Darius might here have easily resisted the Macedonians and given a check to the fortune of the Conquerour had not the fate of the dying Persian Empire besotted his mind and deprived him of all common prudence 54. Having though with great danger passed the River without any losse save of a little of the Baggage he led on through Assyria having on the right hand the River Tigris and on the left the Gordian Mountains On the fourth day after his passage Mazaeus sent a party of 1000 horse upon him which was easily repelled by the Paeonian Captain Ariston who slew their Captain and bringing his head to Alexander demanded a Cup of Gold as his fee according to the custom of their Countrey to whom he replied smiling That an empty one was due but he would give him one full of good liquor Two dayes he here continued giving orders for a march the next morning but it hapned that in the first watch the Moon was Eclypsed and seemed of a bloudy colour An Eclypse of the Moon discourageth his
therewith acquainted one Aristogiton a man of a middle rank amongst the Citizens Stirs at Athens and who most passionately loved him He fearing he should be deprived of this his dear one consulted with himself how he might destroy both Hipparchus and the Tyranny Hipparchus still going on to sollicite Harmodius but in vain at length resolved to be revenged on him and executed it on his sister which being on a certain solemnity to carry up the basket that was to be dedicated to Minerva he put her by as unworthy of the office though some of late have thought that he ravished her 10. Harmodius taking this in very evil part and Aristogiton much worse prepared all things necessary for their conspiracy but expected the great feast called Panathenaea on which day onely the Citizens might be in Armour without suspition for discharging the solemnity They provided not many men before hand for the more close carrying of the businesse and because they hoped all the rest would without any hesitation be ready to come in to them When the day came they and their party being ready with their Poniards espied a man talking with Hippias Whereupon they thought they were discovered and therefore resolved to do that wherein especially they were concerned Hipparchus slain by Harmodius and Aristogiton if they could and so rushing in violently upon Hipparchus they slew him in the place Aristogiton defended himself for some time from the Guard but the multitude flocking in he was taken after he had received many wounds and his friend Harmodius slain outright Hippias having notice of what had passed came cunningly upon the Citizens that were Armed for the solemnity and by his Guard picking out such as had Daggers about them or whom he suspected thereby prevented at this time all further trouble The behaviour of the Pisistratidae in the Goverment of Athens 11. Hitherto he and his brethren had not been distrustfull of their own safety and therefore had used no great Guards about them not rendring their power very burthensom to the people but acting according to the rules of vertue and prudence They exacted onely the 20th part of the publick revenue exceedingly beautified the Citie waged War and left the Citizens to their former Laws onely some one of them was alwayes Magistrate and other men held of them yearly Offices Pisistratus the son of Hippias and Nephew to the founder of this Kingdom as it appeareth from Thucydides having sometimes had the power in his hands But Hippias after this fearing himself exercised his power very severely against the Athenians putting many of them to death and to establish himself by forein alliance he gave his daughter in marriage to Hippocâ—us the son of Aeantides the Tyrant of Lampsacus knowing them to be in great grace with Darius King of Persia To find out the complices of these two young men he tortured amongst others a woman named Leaena the Paramour of Aristogiton but she was so constant as to endure all and biting off her tongue spit it in the face of the Tormentors lest therewith she should discover any one in memory of which the Athenians afterwards Consecrated in the Castle a Lionesse without a tongue as also Erected Statues to the memory of Harmodius and Aristogiton as the liberators of their Countrey These Statues were taken away by Xerxes into Asia and long after sent back by Alexander or Antiochus or Seleucus as is severally delivered by Historians They also Decreed that their names should never be given to any slaves 12. Though these two did not actually procure the freedom of Athens but perished in the attempt yet it was attributed to them because that in the 4th year after some imitating their example expelled Hippias effectually prored it At this time the Alcmaeonidae or those of the family of Alcmaeon Herodotus lib. 5. Capp 62. c. who was great Grand-son to Nestor and being cast out of Messenia by the Heraclidae came and lived at Athens being driven into exile by the Pisistratidae or Pisistratus his sons having sometimes endeavoured in vain the recovery of their Countreys liberty still lay in wait for a more convenient opportunity to accomplish it Being full of money they hired the Amphyctiones to let them build a new Temple at Delphos which was very magnificent and corrupted the Pythia or the woman that received and delivered the Oracles standing in a Tripos or three footed stool as often as any of Sparta came thither still to propose to them to set Athens at liberty This being constantly done the Lacedaemonians accounted it a piece of their religion to do it and sent Anchimolius a man of prime Rank amongst them with an Army to expell the Pisistratidae though their friends and such as had deserved no otherwise than well of them They being aware of this had contracted friendship and alliance with the Thessalians and now procured from them a supply of 1000 horse which by a common decree they sent under the Command of Cixeas their King which falling in upon the Camp of the Spartans slew amongst many others Anchimolius the General and beat the other to their ships in which they returned home 13. Afterwards the Lacedaemonians sent another Army by Land under the Conduct of Cleomenes the son of Anaxandridas Herodotus ut priùs cap. 64. c. who invading the Athenian Territories was encountred by the Thessalian horse which he put to flight and having killed above fourty of them the rest shifted away and betook themselves as they could into Thessaly Cleomenes then coming up to the Citie besieged the Tyrants being shut up within the Pelasgick-wall but being unprovided for a siege and they furnished sufficiently with provisions after a few dayes he was about to depart homeward had not one thing falln out As the Children of the Pisistratidae were privatly to be conveyed out of the Countrey The Pisistratidae banished they were intercepted which overturned the affairs of their Parents and forced them to Covenant with the Athenians for their Ransom within five dayes to depart out of Attica which accordingly was done Hippias going straight to Sigaens thence to Lampsacus from which place he went to Darius and in the 20th year after returned with his Army Thucydides ut suprà and died as some say in the battel at Marathon Sigeus was a Town situate upon the Hellespont which Pisistratus took by force out of the hands of the Mitylenaeans and made Hegesistratus his base son by a woman of Argos Tyrant there Hippias was offered from Amyntas the King of Macedonia either Anthemus or Iolcos a Citie in Macedonia but he refused both and betook himself to Darius whose Army he afterwards conducted into Attica 14. The state of Athens great before Herodotus cap. 66. grew greater after this grand mutation in which two men contended for the chief Authority Clisthenes one of the Alcmaeonidae the Nephew by his Mother of Clysthenes the
Athenians fearing they might passe the long walls and invade their territories came out of the City with Masons and Workmen and repaired that part which was towards them The Lacedaemonians grudging that the Argives should flourish at home and prosper abroad sent Agesilaus with an Army against them who laying waste all their Territories brake through to Corinth and took the walls which the Athenians had repaired Agesilaus sent against the Argives his Brother Teleutias Admiral taking the ships and Arcenals upon the Gulf. Returning home he was not long after sent out again who when he came to Corinth thought to have surprised it but the Citizens aware of it called in a Garrison of the Athenians under the command of Iphicrates and thereby prevented him At this time Ambassadors came to him from several parts and amongst the rest from Boeotia to know what terms of Peace he would propound but he carried himself so high that he would take no notice of them though Pharax interceded out of an inveterate grudge he bare towards the Thebans But before their departure there came news that the party he had left in Lechaeus was defeated by Iphicâ—ates at which unusual message being much affected he leaped out from his Throne and in all haste went to relieve them but in his way met with three Hors-men who acquainted him how late his assistance would be Hereupon he returned and the next day sent for the Ambassadors to hear what they had to say but they something incouraged at what had hapned and minding to requite him for his disrespect made then no mention of peace but desired leave to go to Corinth 18. He easily apprehending them told them they should the next day see their friends in the Town rejoycing and the defeat of his men which was the true cause of their desire to go to Corinth and accordingly wasting all about the Citie went to the Walls and having in vain provoked the Inhabitants to fight marched to the Lechaeus the place of the defeat after which he dismissed the Ambassadors not suffering them to go to Corinth His Army now beholding with their eyes the monument of the late mischance were sorely afflâ—cted having not at all been accustomed to such a sight onely the Parents Kindred and relations of the slain according to the Laconian custom seemed to rejoyce in the Calamity of their Countrey Having re-inforced the Garrison of Lechaeus he returned home his men shunning the light and sight of all men out of shame for what had hapned in this expedition contrary to their former fortune But Iphicrates after his departure in confidence of his good successe proceeded and reduced such places as had been taken by Praxitas Agesilaus Agesilaus sent to relieve the Achaeans After these things the Achaeans being put to it by the Acarnanians who endeavoured to wrest from them Calydone a Town formerly belonging to the Aetolians sent to Lacedaemon and expostulated with them for not assisting them who alwayes were ready to follow them into all places The State upon this complaint sent Agesilaus to aid them who invading Acarnania wasted the Countrey made prey of most of their Cattel and being opposed by them was much pur to it on the mountainous and precipitous places by Darts and Arrows but coming to hand-stroaks they were presently put to flight and 300 of them slain Then consumed he all things with fire and sword and attempted some Towns by the perswasion of the Achaeans but in vain Now Autumn growing on he could not be staid by their intreaties to prevent the Acarnanians from sowing their Corn telling them they were not well advised in their request for his intention being to return the next year how much more Corn they should have upon the ground by so much would they be the more desirous of peace 19. And according to his promise the Winter being over he returned at the report whereof the Athenians seated in a mid-land Countrey and thereupon more obnoxious to damage in their Corn and in great danger of losing their Towns made an agreement with the Achaeans and entred into a society of War with the Spartans This War being over the Lacedaemonians not thinking it safe to contend with the Athenians and Boâ—otians whilest the Argives were at their back they resolved to send their Forces against them The conduct of them falling to Agesipolis Agesipolis the other King sent against the Argives the other King he would not undertake it till he had consulted both the Oracle of Jupiter Olympius and that of Apollo at Delphos concerning the lawfulnesse of the War because the Argives desired a Truce but being satisfied therein he invaded and wasted their Territories yet ere long terrified with divers prodigies he retreated without any considerable thing done In the mean time Pharnabazus and Conon having overthrown the Lacedaemonians in a Sea-fight at Cnidus freed the Greek Cities from the Lacedaemonian Governours Pharâ—abazus and Conon their acts against Lacedaemon which Conon suggested to the other as the onely way to make them his own and not to attempt to deprive them of liberty which would force them to combine against him and thereby give him work enough He attempted Sestus and Abydus but Dercyllidas having secured them he lost his labour and gave order to Conon to procure a Navy from the Cities upon the Hellespont against the Spring being much incensed against the Lacedaemonians and resolving to invade their Dominions At Spring he did so and having strengthened the Enemies of Sparta as much as possible he furnished Conon with a Fleet and money to rebuild the long Walls of the Piraeus than which Conon perswaded him he could not do any thing more suitable to his own interest involved in the damage of the Lacedaemonians and gaining the good will of the Athenians The Spartans understanding that their own affairs must necessarily decline as much as those of Athens were advanced notwithstanding Teleutias brother to Agesilaus had recovered the Soveraignty of the Gulf of Corinth yet thought it necessary as much as in them lay to prevent it 20. Lest Conon should again recover the Islands to the Athenian state they thought good to advertise Teribazus another of the Persian Satrapaes hereof hoping either to draw him to their party or at least to procure that no more furtherance should be afforded to the design of Conon Antalcidas sent into Asia by the proposals of a peace to counter-work them To this purpose they sent Antalcidas to him to lay open these things and to try what could be done with him about a peace who according to his instructions to gain it the more easily fully left to his disposal the Greek Cities in Asia provided those without were but left to their own freedom Teribazus liked well of this but the Athenians Boeotians Corinthians and Argives having also dispatched away their Ambassadors upon report of his employment refused to assent upon their own private interests
The peace of Antalcidas the Exiles returned home These things being done and the League sworn to by all parties this first peace was made betwixt the Lacedaemonians and Athenians with their followers A. M. 3618. Ol. 98. an 2. V.C. 367. Artax Maem 18. after the ending of the Peloponnesian War and casting down of their Walls being called the peace of Antalcidas for so it was termed from the procurer being indeed the shamefull betraying of those Cities into the hands of Artaxerxes for which Agesilaus had prosecuted the War in Asia 25. The Lacedaemonians were they who had the benefit thereof being the Protectors and Patrons of it and grew so high upon the successe that now they resolved to chastize such of the Associates as had in the late War born greater affection to their adversaries than themselves The Spartans hereupon grew high First they fell upon the Mantineans as guilty of this Crime whom by their King Agesipolis for Agesilaus because of the friendship that passed betwixt his father and them desired to be excused they forced first to break down their Walls by turning the River upon them which ran through the Citie and then to divide themselves into Villages After this they forced the Phliasians to receive their Exiles and made War upon the Olynthians in Thrace at the request of the Acanthians and Apollonians who accused them of clandestine practices with the Athenians and Thebans By these courses they hoped that all the small Towns in Greece upon occasion would willingly follow them in their Wars as Authors of their liberty and the great Cities having lost their Dependents would be unable to make opposition And in particular they had conceived an emulation against Olynthus now grown so mighty that not onely she commanded her neighbour Towns but was become terrible to places far remote The practices of the Olyâ—thians and to Sparta her self The Olynthians had taken a great part of Macedonia together with Pella the Metropolis of that Kingdom and now imitating the old pretence of the Lacedaemonians to set at liberty the places over which Amyntas did Tyrannise had almost driven him out of his Dominions and taken all to themselves They of Acanthus and Apollonia further adding that either they must War upon Olynthus or become subject to it and fight shortly in its defence Eudamidas was sent before with 2000 men He arriving in Thrace fortified the Cities and recovered Potidaea which had associated it self to the Olynthians and managed his affairs with successe answerable to such force In the mean time his brother Phoebidas according as he had requested of the Ephori was employed in raising the main body of the Army and having compleated the leavy marched away for Thrace to joyn with him 26. At this time the Thebans were much divided amongst themselves Xenoph. ut supra Plutarch in Agesilao being headed by two Polemarchi Ismenias and Leontidas When Phoebidas was come on his journey as far as Thebes Ismenias out of his hatred to the Lacedaemonians would not see him but his Collegue betrayed Cadmaea the Citadel of Thebes into his hands seized on Ismenias and got the command of the whole Citie whereat those of the contrary faction to the number of 400 fled to Athens Cadmea the Citadel of Thebes betrayed Then another being chosen into the place of Ismenias Leontidas went to Sparta where he found the Ephori and people much displeased with what Phoebidas had done being both against the League and without any Commission from them and such as were Enemies to Agesilaus especially aggravated the matter labouring to draw him into suspition about it He otherwise as great both a commender and practiser of Justice as any yet took upon him to defend the fact saying that Phoebidas was worthy to be punished if he had done any thing that was hurtfull to the Commonwealth but if it was profitable The fact is unjustly excused by Agesilaus then according to the ancient custom he was not bound in such cases where haste is required to stay for a Warrant Following herein his ambition or giving way to his passion which most shewed it self against the Thebans he not onely indemnified Phoebidas but perswaded the Citie to own what he had done to keep the Castle and prefer Archias and Leontidas who had betrayed it to the chief command of Thebes The rest of the Graecians were sore aggrieved at what was done but the Confederates durst not contradict it and each Citie joyned one Commissioner to three sent from Sparta who all together should take Cognisance of and judge the cause of Ismenias He was accused before them of having favoured the Barbarians and held intelligence with the Persian that he had received part of the money sent from him to corrupt the Graecians Ismenias put to death and together with Andocides had been the great incendiary who kindled and fomented their intestine broils He answered severally and apart to all but being believed to have attempted great and pernicious things was condemned and put to death Then was the power established in Leontides and his Complices who did more in favour of the Lacedaemonians than was desired of them 27. Things thus prospering the Lacedaemonians more cheerfully pursued the War against Olynthus They sent General thither Teleutias who with the help of Amyntas the Macedonian Teleutias sent by the Spartans against the Olynthians and Derdas Prince of Elimea overthrew the Olynthians under their walls and wasting their grounds for that Summer was ended withdrew to their Winter quarters But the next year when he returned the Olynthians sallied out against him whom to repel he sending a party which drave them back beyond a River which ran by the Town and followed them over they then thinking they had his men at an advantage turned back upon them and slew to the number of 100. He being in a great chafe hereat went in to the rescue with all his Forces and following them within bow-shot from the walls his men were sore galled by those that stood on the Turrets and forced to give back and then being hotly charged he lost his life with many others so that the rest clearly put to the rout Is slain and shifting for themselves to several places the strength of this Army was broken which defeat Xenophon chargeth upon the passion of Teleutias shewing how dangerous it is in the Leader of an Army The Lacedaemonians having notice of what had hapned Agesipolis sent after him dieth of a Feaver dispatched away Agesipolis their King with all convenient speed into Thrace who upon better advantages invading the Olynthians took Torone one of their confederate Towns and harrazed the Country but at Midsummer by extremity of heat got a Fever of which he died the seventh day being much lamented by Agesilaus his Colleague for their long familiarity though emulated by him Being put into Honey and brought home there he was interred with Royal rites and
still proceed to incommodate their affaires Accordingly five Ambassadors were dispatched away Philip lulleth the Athenians asleep whereof one was Aeschines but coming into Macedonia they were there forced to stay till Philip had setled all things in Thrace according to his own pleasure and passed through the Pylae or Straights into Phocis The Athenians hearing of his coming notwithstanding the place were in great fear and caused all their goods to be brought into the City The Thessalians and Boeotians earnestly now desired of him that he would undertake the conduct of all Greece against the Phocians and on the other side the Ambassadors of the Phocians Lacedaemonians and Athenians earnestly dehorted him from the War He hearing both sides beeing accustomed to double dealing promised them he would do as all had desired and so making them secure hereby seized upon the Straights of Thermâ—pylae 25. The Phocians having sent to Lacedaemon for aid procured 1000 Footmen of heavy Armour which were commanded by Archidamus Diodorus ad Olymp. 108. an 3. Philip in conjunction with the Thessalians with a strong Army went down into Locris where finding Phalaecus restored to his Generalship he hasted to decide the controversie by action but the other lying at Nice and perceiving himself too weak to fight sent to treat with him and they agreed that he should have freedom to depart with his men whither he pleased Faith being given and received he departed with his Mercenaries to the number of 8000 into Peloponnesus He endeth the Phocian War and the Phocians being thus deserted were forced to yield So the War was ended by Philip without a stroak in the tenth year after the beginning thereof in the third year of the 108 Olympiad according to Diodorus when Archias was Archon but as * In Phocicis Pausanias writeth in the first of this Olympiad and in the government of Theophilus 26. Philip calling a Council of the Boeotians and Thessalians Diodorus ibid. it was resolved to remit the matter of the Phocians wholly to the judgment and sentence of the Amphyctiones Pausan ut prius They decreed that Philip as a reward for his good service should be enrolled in the number of themselvâ— and have the double voice which the Phocians formerly had That the Phocians should be debarred from the Temple That they should neither have Horse nor Arms till such time as they had repayed the money which they had stolen from Apollo All their Exiles and as many as were guilty of Sacrilege in their own persons should be accounted piacular and it might be lawful to take them out of any place The Phocians how punished by the Amphyctiones All their Cities were to be levelled with the ground and they reduced into Villages not exceeding the number of Fifty little Families apiece and distant a furlong one from another They were to pay to the Temple a yearly tribute of Sixty talents till the money stolen was made up But from this punishment Pausanias telleth us the Abaeans were excepted who alone had not contaminated themselves The Council then took order for restoring of the Oracle and for the establishment of peace in Greece and Philip having confirmed their Decrees imbracing them all with singular kindnesse returned into his own Kingdom flourishing with great glory both upon the account of Piety and Martial matters This Expedition made not a little for the enlargment of his Empire and the improvement of his design already laid to procure himsef to be chosen Captain General of Greece and to make War upon the Persians 27. Two years after and in the 17 of his reign he invaded the Illyrians his old Enemies with a potent Army took therein many Towns Diodorus ad Olymp. 109. an 1. wasted the Country and with rich booty returned into Macedonia Then went he into Thessalie where casting out the Tyrants out of the Cities he much won upon the People having a design hereby to make use of their favour as a decoy to bring in the affections of the rest And it failed not for their neighbours led by their example very readily entred into League with him The year after he prosecuted this design to a further advantage for Kersobleptes the King of the Thracians much distressing the Greek Cities in Thrace Idem ad an 2. he exhorted them to joyn together and with a strong force going against him overthrew the Thracians in several battels and forced them to pay the tenths of their Lands to the Kingdom of Macedonia Philip overthroweth the Thracians He built Forts in such places as were convenient for the bridling of their power whereby the Cities being delivered now from their fear most gladly imbraced his alliance and society The year after this Arymbas King of the Molossians died Idem ad an 3. who left a Son named Aeacides the Father of Pyrrhus but Philip deprived him of the Kingdom and gave it to Alexander the brother of his wife Olympias * Justin l 7. 8. Another saith that he deprived Arymbas yet alive and expelling him the Kingdom setled Alexander therein 28. The next Expedition Philip undertook Diodorus ad an 4. was against Perinthus a strong City situate upon the shore of the Propontis the Inhabitants whereof in favour of the Athenians crossed his designs With his utmost might he fell upon it continuing the storm without intermission by fresh men sent in the place of the dead or wounded Besiegeth Perinthus he built Turrets higher than theirs and with battering rams and mines brake down a part of the wall But the defendants being relieved from Byzantium manfully resisted and built a stronger wall in the room of that which was thrown down By this means the Siege being drawn on in length and great talk being in Asia of the power of the Macedonian Ochus the Persian King being now jealous of his power thought it wisdom to ballance him and for that purpse gave order to his Satrapaes upon the Sea Coasts to assist the Perinthians They uniting their Forces together gave them their utmost assistance which with the natural strength of the place inabled them to stand it out For it was seated upon the cliff of a Peninsula about a furlong in length the houses were thick and high rising one rank above another according to the ascent of the hill so that the whole Town represented the form of a Theatre Hereby though the wall was batterd down yet stopping the ends of the streets their defence was little diminished Marcheth thence to Byzantium which Philip perceiving and how all things necessary for the War were abundantly supplied from Byzantium he left a strong party under expert Captains to carry on the Siege and with the rest of the Army hasted against that City the inhabitants whereof having sent their men and arms to the Perinthians were thereby much straightned 29. By this time the grudges betwixt Philip and the Athenians were
forced to fly for his life and went into Crete There being courteously entertained by Minos he wrought many rare pieces of Architecture but at length so displeased the King in some thing which concerned Pasiphae his wife that he also fled thence into Sicily where he was entertained by Cocalus King of the Sicani then reigning at Inycus called also Camicus Some thought that by the means of Pasiphae he escaped by boat his Son Icarus accompanying him in another and that having invented sails whereas before oars onely were in use Icarus not managing his with skill enough his Vessel sunk and thereupon arose the Fable that they escaped with wings made of feathers waxed together and of the young man's soaring so high till the Sun melting the wax he thereupon fell headlong into that part of the Sea which afterwards bare his name Others thought Icarus was drowned as he took water But Minos getting notice whither Daedalus was fled pursued him with an Army and required Cocalus to give him up Cocalus returned him a satisfactory answer and invited him unto his house where he stifled him in a bath or else his daughters for the love they bore to Daedalus when they came to wash him which was the custom for women and maids to do unto guests according to Athenaeus instead of warm water poured on him scalding pitch He gave up his body to his men pretending he had slipped by chance into hot water and perswaded them to stay and plant in the Island where they built Minoa and Engyum now Gange the two first Greek Cities founded in Sicily as some note The Cretans afterwards in revenge for their King's death came and besieged Camicus five years to no purpose and were shipwrackt in their return upon the Coast of Italy where then resolving to stay and hide their disgrace they built Hyria betwixt Tarentum and Brundusium and from them descended the Iapyges and Messapii This passage concerning Minos the younger happened in the dayes of Hercules the Graecian an Age before the Trojan War 7. After Cocalus the several Cities because they wanted rightful and successive Kings as it seemeth and lived under loose Democracy became the prey of Tyranni whereof no Country was ever more fertil than this Island saith Justin Of these Ut supra Anaxilaus his Justice vied with the Cruelty of the rest and was not unrewarded For at his death leaving his children young whom he committed to the trust of Micythus his faithful slave his Subjects so prized his memory as they chose rather to obey him and suffer the Majesty of a Kingdom to be managed by a slave than desert his sons But if by these Tyranni be to be meant such as after the setlement of the Greek Colonies made themselves Masters of the Cities as we have no other ground than to believe the name of Anaxilaus sufficiently declaring it's original then Cocalus living an Age before the Trojan War and the first Greek Colony mentioned by Thucydides being planted in the * A. M. 2723. 11 Olympiad this after Cocalus is with great liberty used by Trogus or Justin several hundreds of years viz. five or six intervening betwixt Cocalus and those Tyrants For the Cities were many years after their founding governed by the People according to the custom of Greece till Phalaris usurped in the State of Agrigentum which Suidas writeth to have happened in the 52 Olympiad and Eusebius in the 54. This difference betwixt them may well be reconciled if with Cappellus we believe that Phalaris coming to Agrigentum there was kindly entertained for eight years A. M. 3441. Olymp. 54. an 1. V. C. 190. Evilmerodachi 2. at the end whereof took occasion from a guest and perhaps a Judge of Controversies to make himself Tyrant and the People slaves 8. Phalaris was born at Astypalea a City in Crete his Fathers name was Laodamus Phalaris the Tyrant who died whilst this his son was an infant He married Erythia and on her begat Paurolas a little before whose btrth being banished and deprived of the greated part of his estate he continued long in a desolate condition not knowing what to do till at length a Sedition being raised in the State of Agrigentum he was sent for by the weaker faction and in conclusion got all the power into his hands He kept the Tyranny by the same arts he first obtained it viz. fraud and cruelty for which cause he was grievously hated by many and his life laid at by those of whom he had well deserved Erythia continued all her life with her son Paurolas at Astypalea where though she was much importuned by many Suters yet she remained stedfast in fidelity to her husband The Citizens of Astypalea when they saw Phalaris had so advanced himself either for that now their hatred was allaied or out of fear of revenge sent to him to intimate that they had revoked what had been formerly done against him as unjust He despised not this late repentance but sent them his hearty thanks and rewarded them Having obtained a victory over the Leontines his son Paurolas sent him a Crown of Gold which he returned back unto his wife Erythia She was at length poysoned by Python one of her Suters inraged at a repulse which thing Phalaris took most impatiently 9. It hapned that one Perillus an Athenian and an excellent Statuary came to Agrigentum where shewing his rare skill he was kindly entertained by Phalaris He taking notice of Phalaris his cruelty framed a brazen Bull which being heated and a man put in his belly would by the roaring of him that was thus tormented Perillus and his brazen Bull. imitate the voice of a natural one Presenting him with this exquisite piece as incomparable for the torturing of men he admired his skill but detesting his wickednesse caused him first to make a tryal of it and excused himself to the Athenians who took it ill as having done nothing but what was just and meet If Perillus had onely made experiments Phalaris had satisfied all reasonable men but threatning his Enemies with this Engine and making good his word upom them as often as he could have occasion he thereby incurred and slighted the hatred of mankind At the same time flourished one Stesichorus a Poet of Himera who died eight years before Phalaris He wrote verses against the Tyrant and raised an Army animating the Inhabitants of Himera against him with whom joyned Conon a most leud and naughty man and divers others all which together with the Poet at length fell into his hands Conon was presently condemned to the Bull. He doubted at first what to do with Stesichorus but at length beholding his worth he not onely dismissed him unpunished but with large gifts and ever after mightily reverenced him both alive and dead insomuch as he desired the Himerians to build him a Temple and Altars offering for that purpose men money and all necessaries and most lovingly comforted
of Peloponnesus by Archias the Corinthian in the eleventh Olympiad Romulus then reigning at Rome and the Messâ—nian War being very hot in Peloponnesus This new Colony because of Archias and for that many followed him from Corinth owned that Citie for its Metropolis which at that time was most powerfull at Sea But many afterwards flocked out of other parts of Peloponnesus and by little and little the Citie of Syracuse so increased as it became not onely the greatest and most beautifull of all in Sicily but of Greek Cities whatsoever as Cicero affirmeth It contained as he writeth four great Cities the Island Acradina Tycha and Neapolis It s compasse was 180 furlongs having besides Suburbs two Ports very commodious for shipping being separated by the Island and grounds about it very fertile in some places rising into little Hills but compassed about with Fennes The first Inhabitants dwelt in the Island antiently called Ortygia then as the Citie increased the other parts were added whereof the latest was Neapolis As for the state of the Citie after it received a new beginning from Archias the form of the Commonwealth was without doubt the same that then was in the Metropolis under the Government of the Bâ—chiadae viz. Oligarchical bordering upon Aristocracie Afterwards the common people waxing heady outed the better sort of the possession of the grounds and seizing on the Government made bad to be worse as the sad changes and desolations will shew The Exiles by Herodotus called Gamori betook themselves to Gelon the Tyrannus of Gela who coming to restore them with an Army the people resisted not but received him into the Citie whereby obtaining the whole power he restored it not to the Nobility but made himself master of Syracuse This hapned at the time aforesaid and about 244 years after the Plantation of Archias 3. Gelon so used his power as he was loved by all and feared by none He every way much inlarged The acts and power of Gelon adorned and inriched the Citie out of all Conquered Towns he took the Noblest and worst disposed Citizens and brought them to Syracuse He procured the affections of almost all that dwelt in Sicily and so greatly strengthen'd himself that he was able with a Navy of 200 Triremes and as great an Army as all Greece could set forth against Xerxes to help the Graecians in the Median War and had gone to their assistance if they would either have granted him the Command of the Land Army or the Fleet. When he could obtain neither of those he imployed his forces against the Carthaginians who had been called into Sicily by the Egestans and on the same day wherein the Greeks obtained their victory at Salamine got so great an one over them at Himera a Maritime Town that his glory is thought to have equalled His successe against the Carthaginians if not exceeded the other of Themistocles At this time the Carthaginians were very powerfull and become Eminent whose affairs being by necessity to be joyned with such matters as relate to this Island of Sicily a more convenient place cannot be had to speak something as this work requireth of the Original and progresse of their Common-wealth The Original of Carthage 4. Carthage was a Colony of Tyre and Tyre of Sidon the most antient Metropolis of Phoenicia mentioned by Homer with commendation for ingenious industry who hath not one word concerning Tyre and built by Sidon the eldest son of Canaan Tyre was built about the 2747 year of the World and 240 years before Solomons Temple as (a) Antiquit. l. 8. c. 2. Josephus hath observed The Greeks thought it received its name from Tyrus the Founder and (b) Stephanus Byzantius Pollux lib. 1. some invented a fable of a Nymph called Tyros beloved by Hercules But Tsor in the Phoenician language signifying a Rock the situation it self sufficiently declareth the Original of the name which upon this account was communicated to three other places besides this eminent Citie viz. (c) Scylax in descriptione Phoenices vide Bocharti Canaan lib. 2. cap. 17. two in the Continent and another in the same Island Near the Island of this famous City stood Palaetyrus or Old Tyre mentioned by Joshua and called a strong Citie even at the division of the Land of Canaan which hapned about 200 years before the building of that whereof we speak Now (d) Antiquit. lib. 8. cap. 2. Contra Apionem lib. 1. Josephus maketh the Temple of Jerusalem to have been founded in the eleventh year of the reign of Hiram King of Tyre who was son to Abebaal by Josephus called Abibalus and by Eusebius Abelbalus Hiram or Huram according to the Hebrews by the Greeks called Irom and Syron for Horom by Eupolemus was a great friend to David and supplied Salomon his son with materials and work-men for building the Temple He also proposed hard questions to Solomon to be unfolded as Menander testified who translated the Tyrian Annals into the Greek language He strengthned and inlarged the Citie of Tyre as Dius also wrote and reigned 34 years After him his son Beleastartus reigned 7. and Abdastartus 9. who being slain by the four sons of his Nurse the eldest of them reigned twelve years Then Astartus the son of Baleastartus 12. his brother Astarimus 9. who was slain by his brother Phelles Phelles reigned but eight moneths being killed by Ithobalus the Priest of Astarta who reigned 32 years after him Badezorus his son 6. then Mettinus his son 9. and lastly Pygmalion 40. in the seventh of whose reign his sister Dido built the Citie of Carthage in Africk Therefore from the beginning of Hirams reign to the building of Carthage intervened 155 years and eight moneths and whereas the Temple was founded at Jerusalem in the twelfth of his reign from the building of the Temple to that of Carthage passed 143 years and eight moneths as Josephus collecteth from the Testimony of Menander the Ephesian in his first book against Apion The several opinions concerning the building of Carthage 5. But Appian in his History of the Punick Wars writeth that Carthage was built by the Tyrians 50 years before the destruction of Troy which precedeth the former date 360 years He nameth as founders Zorus and Carchedon according to the opinion of the Greeks who thought them the Captains of the Colony whereas Tsor or Zor was the name of the Metropolis and Carchedon of the new Citie Carthada signifying a New Citie in the Phoenician language as Solinus witnesseth Lib. 1. p. 48. Strabo again will have the Phoenicians to have led out Colonies as far as the Pillars of Hercules and planted some a little after the Trojan War upon the Maritime Coasts of Africk with which Virgil closing feigneth Dido to have reigned at Carthage at that time whereas she was 300 years later according to the Testimony of the Phoenician Annals so as Servius upon the Poet affirmeth the whole
to stand to any award as he knew they would a more specious pretence might be obtained for the War They accordingly opposing it the Syracusians decreed to hold them as Allies and Confederates and also to be at peace with the Carthaginians but the two concerned Cities falling upon each other both Syracuse and Carthage was thereby drawn into the quarrel Hannibal then having both in Spain and Africk made great preparations Ad ann 4. the next year landed at Lilybaeum the most Southern Cape of Sicily towards Africk and setting upon the Selinuntians at unawares with a vast Army took their Citie in the 10th day of the siege wherein he made Captive 7000 persons 16000 being slain and 2600 escaped to Agrigentum He permitted Empedion and his kindred to people it anew Selinuns taken by the Carthaginians under condition of paying Tribute to Carthage This was the condition of Selinuns after it had stood 242 years from its first founding by the Megarians who being descended from Megara in Greece first came into Sicily under conduct of Lamis and built a Town upon the River Pantacius called Trotilus Thence Lamis departing with some of his Colony went to the Leontines and Chalcidians with whom having lived some time he was driven out by them and planting some Inhabitants in Thapsus after his death they left the place and under conduct of Hyblon the Sicilian King who betrayed the Countrey inhabited Megara and were called Hyblaeans After 245 years they were driven hence by Gelon of Syracuse but 145 years before this they sent out a Colony with Pammilus which built Selinuns 22. Hannibal from Selinus marched to Himera having a particular grudge against that place for his Grand-father's death And Himera Falling on it with all his might he was repulsed for a little time by the resolute valour of the Inhabitants but the Wall being beaten down with his Engines he shortly took it Many Women and Children had withdrawn themselves out of the Citie of those men which he took he carried up 3000 to the Hill where his Grandfather had been slain and there killed them being before used with all kinds of indignities then rased he the Citie which had been inhabited 240 years and dismissing his Mercenaries and Subjects of Sicily departed home where he was received with greatest expressions of honour and affection for having done in three moneths what other Captains would have required far larger time to effect After his departure Hermocrates the Syracusian who having been sent as General to the assistance of the Lacedaemonians was condemned to banishment in his absence through the malice of his Enemies returned with a considerable Force into Sicilie and to ingratiate himself with his Country-men repeopled Selinus and fell upon the tributaries of Carthage The more still to indear himself he took up the bones of those Syracusians that fell at Himera and in a cariage sent them to the City Diodorus ad Olymp. 93. an 1. well knowing that this would procure as love to him so envy and hatred to Diocles his main adversary who having been the Captain of the slain had taken no care for their burial Diocles much opposed their publick Sepulture but the People resolutely decreed it then banished him and yet they recalled not Hermocrates being lealous lest he should improve his power and abilities to the making of himself absolute He then being in despair of returning by fair means attempted to do it by force and getting in to the City was amongst his complices killed by the multitude 23. In the second year of the 93 Olympiad A. M. 3598. Ol. 93. an 3. V.C. 347. Idem ad an 2. the Syracusians sent to Carthage to complain of the late War and to desire that for the time to come they would forbear all hostility to which they returned an ambiguous answer and made all possible provision for an Army wherewith to subdue the whole Island Before they transported any Forces they sent a Colony thither which at the hot waters built a City and called it Thermae The year following they ordered Hannibal to go over as General who excusing himself by reason of his Age they joyned with him Imilco the son of Hanno one of the same Family These two Generals then made Levies throughout Africk Ad an 3. hired Soldiers out of Spain the Islands Baleares and Italy and got together an Army of 120000 men according to Timaeus but after Ephorus his reckoning 300000. As they were passing over the Syracusians met them and sunk fifteen of their Vessels but with the rest Hannibal passed safe over and fell upon the rich and stately City of Agrigentum which contained 200000 persons The Agrigentines wanted not assistance from their friends all the Greek Cities being deeply concerned in their welfare and the Syracusians gave the besiegers a considerable defeat who demolishing the Tombs and Monuments the better to get to the walls had thereby pulled down a Pestilence upon themselves saith Diodorus wherein Hannibal died But Imilco or Imilcar thereby not discouraged continued the Siege expiating the offence as he thought by sacrifizing a Boy to Saturn and drowning a company of Priests in the Sea as an offering to Neptune His Soldiers mutinying for provisions he supplied by taking of the ships which loaded with necessaries were sent from Syracuse to the besieged Hereby he starved them within And Agrigentum and constrained them to quit the City being guarded to Gela by armed men Imilcar found extrordinary rich plunder in it whereof some rarities he sent to Carthage amongst which was Phalaris his Bull though Timaeus the Historian carping at all others by denying that there was ever any such thing is justly censured by Diodorus For Scipio Africanus the younger 260 years after having destroyed Carthage restored this Engine to the Agrigentines with whom it was yet remaining when Diodorus wrote his History 24. Imilcar having after a Siege of eight moneths thus mastered Agrigentum a little before the Winter solstice destroyed it not presently that therein he might quarter his Soldiers that Winter All the Island was struck with great fear upon report of what had happened some of the Sicilians departed to Syracuse and others transported their wives and children with their wealth into Italy The Agrigentines being got safe to Syracuse accused their Captains as having betrayed their Country and the Syracusians were also blamed by the rest for having chosen such Generals as by their dishonesty had brought Sicilie into extreme danger A meeting being had at Syracuse and great fear of a War possessing all men's minds none dared to speak one word or give any advice All sticking at the matter at length stood up Dionysius the Son of Hermocrates and accusing the Captains of having betrayed Agrigentum Dionysius his tricks for making himself absolute earnestly moved the People to punish them forthwith and not stay the time prefixed by Law For this unlawful and seditious motion the Magistrates
the Kings house and watch the servants there that they should carry away no Letters he himself with his Clients and Friends went to the house of the Aquillii where he got into his hands what was written to Tarquinius The Aquillii being abroad met him at the Gate where they endeavoured to recover by force the Letters from him but he through the help of those about him drew them into the Forum as his brother also having seized on other Letters at the King's house forced some of his servants thither The tumult being appeased by the Consuls Vindicius related the Story and the Letters were read The parties said nothing for themselves all were astonished and silent at length some to flatter Brutus mentioned banishment Collatinus shedding tears gave the prisoners hope and this was increased because Valerius held his peace 8. But furious and implacable Brutus calling both his Sons by their names Titus and Tiberius asked them why they said nothing to what was laid to their charge and when they answered not at the third time he turned to the Lictors or Executioners Brutus putteth to death his sons and said Now is it your part to perform the rest They presently took the youths and stripping them tied their hands behind them then did they beat with rods and after that beheaded them he whilst others could not behold so abhominable a spectactle feeding his angry eyes with the object till all was done Then left he the rest to the discretion of his Colleague and departed after which a stupidity horrour and amazement as the things required for a time possessed all Collatinus his backwardnesse and delay incouraged the Aquilii to desire time to answer and that Vindicius their Slave might be given up to them and not continue in the hands of their accusers The Consul was about to do both when Valerius who kept the Slave all this while in the midst of his followers would neither deliver him nor suffer the People to depart without censuring the accused though Collatinus was ready to dismisse the Assembly He laid hands upon the Aquilii and sent for Brutus crying out that Collatinus did unworthily to impose upon his Colleague a necessity of killing his sons and think of granting the lives of the other unto women The Consul being vexed commanded the Lictors to take away Vindicius so that they laying hands on him wounded those that kept him and Valerius his friends fighting in his behalf the People cried out for Brutus When he came he said that by his full authority he had animadverted upon his own Sons and left the other delinquents to the People giving leave to every man to speak There was no need of this The rest beheaded saith Plutarch though Dionysius relateth a great contest betwixt the two Consuls but the rabble called to the vote condemned them by all their Suffrages according to which sentence they were beheaded Collatinus now who for being a kin to the King had been suspected and whose name was hateful to the People having by his carriage in this businesse offended the generality voluntarily laid down his Office and departed from the City seeing now to what a sad passe he had helped to bring things and too late repenting of his rebellion To him succeeded Valerius the Comitia being held for an election whom Brutus much desired to have had his Colleague at first but that the greatnesse of Collatinus carried it from him Valerius Consul in the room of Tarquinius Collatinus 9. Valerius being with the good-will of all the multitude created Consul thought the first fruits of his Office due to Vindicius whom manumitted he made free of the Commonwealth this privilege being given to him first of all Liberti or Freed-men according to Plutarch which Appius long after communicated to them all and from him a perfect and full manumission had the name of Vindicta This done the Consuls gave the gooâ—â— of the King to be rifled by the People demolished his house Dionys lib. 5. Livius lib. 2. Val. Maxim l. 1. c. 8. Plutar. in Poplicola Plin. l. 29. c. 1. Festus in voce Insula and laid the Campus Martius which he had to himself open as before wherein lying Corn cut down already they threw it into the River and sending trees that grew there after it these receiving gravel and such rubbish as came down the chanel at last grew into an Island called Insula Sacra though some say this happened in after times when Tarquinia a Vestal Nun gave the adjoyning field to the Publick and for that obtained great honours as these amongst the lest of all women alone to appear as a witnesse in any cause and liberty to marry which she refused But Tarquinus seeing that reason failed betook himself to force and brought a great Army of Tuscans against Rome The Consuls opposed him with another and when they came to joyn Aruns the son of Tarquin and Brutus the Consul with greater wrath and fury than discretion singled out each other and so carelesly demeaned themselves as both of them lost their lives A great and bloody battel was fought betwixt the Armies Brutus slain which night onely broke up and that with such equal fortune as neither party could boast it self till at length either by a voice out of a grove A. M. 3497. Ol. 68. an 1. V.C. 246. Darii 15. as the story goeth that the Etruscans had lost one man more or some other way the Romans were so revived and the other discouraged that the later forsook their tents for fear and being fallen upon by the Enemy were nigh 5000 taken prisoners having lost 11300 in the fight Valerius triumphed at his return to the City leaving an example to posterity which was duly followed and then buried his Colleague with great honour making himself a funeral Oration in his commendation which custom Dionysius will have more ancient at Rome than in Greece although Anaximenes wrote that Solon was the Author of it Valerius suspected 10. But when the People considered how Brutus the father of their liberty as they accounted him would not govern alone without a Colleague and yet Valerius made no haste to take a partner they began to complain that he had not taken to himself so much the place of Brutus which yet not at all belonged to him but that of Tarquinius and were much offended with him They confirmed themselves in their hard opinion from his having all the Rods and Axes caried before him and with them in greater state than Tarquinius used marched from his house which was much larger than the Palace that he demolished His house was very fair situate in such a place as afforded him prospect round about and had a difficult ascent so that the convenience of the site considered with his Kingly port and attendance seemed to threaten their infant Commonwealth now an Orphan by Brutus his death His friends remonstrating to him these particulars he
honour of both Offices the power of People Tribunes and Dictator with the strength of discipline For the People betook it self to intreaties and was seconded by the Tribunes Whereupon the Dictator pardoned the party granting his life to the request of those who as he confesseth might have commanded it 29. At what time this Appeal was brought in or how long it continued in force seeing that Sylla and other Dictators made use of the old and absosute power is uncertain It is probable that the People being overwitted in ratifying the Decree of the Senate as Dionysius telleth us they were grew sensible how they had thereby given the power again out of their hands SECT 2. it being lawfull for the Senate at any time when they should pretend a necessity and that for the bridling of the People it self to give order to the Consul to name a Dictator and therefore resumed its antient power of Appeal without which no lawlesse freedom could be enjoyed But in the declining condition of the Commonwealth when Dictators grew more imperious their Soldiers more dissolute and the Tribunes of the people especially more factious an opportunity might be wanting for it to exert that right which as yet it had not given up to any other If what Dionysius writeth of the Dictator's being approved by the people after the Consul's nomination be true the State stood in lesse need of the Appeal but it being not possible for a multitude never to mistake in its opinion of a person this defect might at length experimentally be discovered and thence a recourse had to that remedy which was ever certain whilest it could be applied By these cautions and restrictions with the modesty of the Romans this Grand Office was for 400 years managed for the publick good as it was accounted till Sylla and afterward Caesar converted it into a Tyranny as the multitude counted it and rendred the very name thereof so odious that after Caesar's death in the 710 year of the Citie when M. Antonius and P. Cornelius Dolabella were Consuls a Law was made from the former Consul called Lex Aâ—tonia whereby it was for ever banished The Magister Equitum The Dictator when he was Created made choice of one who had either been Consul or Praetor to be Magister Equitum who saith Varro had chief power over the hors-men De Ling. Latin lib. 4. p. 22. and Adcensi Criers Beadles or publick Messengers as the Dictator had over the Roman people whence he also was called Magister Populi The rest because they were of lesse value than these Magistri were named Magistratus as from alâ—us Albatus If the Dictator was absent the Master of the hors-men executed his place in the Army but if he present he commanded the horse yet so as to be obedient to the Dictator's orders and not to fight either contrary to or without his command In the second Punick War M. Fabius Buleo was made Dictator for filling up the Senate without a Master of hors-men But he alleged that he could not approve of two Dictators to be at the same time nor a Dictator without a Master of hors-men and having perfected his work on the same day laid down his Office The time of the first Dictatorship 30. Concerning the time of the first Dictatorship Authors differ in the space of two years and do not full agree about the person Dionysius a grave faithfull and wary Author by consent of the most learned sort of men referreth it to the 255 year of the Citie but Livy and most Latine Authors assign it to the 253. Dionysius saith expresly that T. Largius Flavus was the first Dictator The Person being Consul that year Livy saith it could not be certainly known from antient Authors who was the first yet confesseth that the most antient mentioned Largius and upon good grounds approveth of their opinion rather than that which maketh M. Valerius the son of Marcus yet living and Grand-son to Volesus the first of all which Festus seemeth to follow Livy mentioneth no other cause of the Original than a falling out with the Sabines and the conspiracy of the 30 Latine Cities putting off the Sedition till after the finishing of the Latine War but as there can little hold be taken of one who uncertainly relateth matters so no need would there have been of an absolute Authority for the Latine War if no stir had been made in the Citie all giving their names with alacrity and obeying the Consuls as in former Wars And if the Consuls had been suspected to favour the cause of Tarquinius as some wrote they were then new ones might have been made in their rooms nothing being prevalent to alter the ordinary form of Government but a necessity of absolute power for a time and no ordinary accident about War could make this necessity so that compulsion must have been the end and the taking away that help from the multitude which was unalterably given to it against the Consuls by the Valerian Law Thus might the Nobility if they had had that duty have seen cause to repent in time of their Kings banishment SECT 1. 31. T. Largius the first Dictator having named Sp. Cassius for his Master of hors-men who had born the Office of Consul in the 70th Olympiad câ—used Axes to be carried before him with the Rods T. Largius the first Dictator as had been wont till the time of Poplicola before the chief Magistrates both Kings and Consuls Having with these other Ensigns of power terrified the Seditions he began the Census after the Pattern of Ser. Tullius according to the Tribes taking the names and ages of such as were Cessed and of Children In a short space fear of losing freedom of the Citie and Estates so prevailed as 150700 of such as were ripe of age gave their names which he distributed into four parts whereof taking one to himself he gave the rest to his Master of hors-men and two others one being to continue in the Citie for the defence thereof This done he sent some who underhand dealt with the several Latine Cities and procured them to suspend the War and make a Truce for a year notwithstanding all that Mamilius and Sextus Tarquinius could do to the contrary Then returned he home with the Army and ere his 6 moneths were out the Consuls being appointed laid down no Citizen being killed banished or otherwise chastized by any grievous punishment which carriage was imitated by his Successors untill the third age from that wherein we live saith Dionysius But in the time of our fathers 400 years from the Dictatorship of Largius L. Cornelius Sylla first of all others behaved himself cruelly in this Office so that the Romans conceived then what before they had cause to be ignorant of that the Dictatorship was a Tyrannis 32. When the Truce betwixt the Latines and Romans was ended both parties prepared for the War The former were
so inflamed those of his party especially the younger sort that nothing could be determined for the heat of contention This put the Consuls upon dismissing the Senate for that time admonishing the younger sort to carry themselves more respectfully and modestly for the time to come or else they would neither use them as Advisers nor Judges but prefer a Law for limiting a certain age for Senators The graver men they exhorted also to concord letting them know they had a way to end the controversie by referring the matter to the decision of the People which had right to judge of it as a case about Peace and War At the next meeting the ancient men were of the same opinion as formerly but the younger modestly referred themselves to whatsoever they should determin so that the major part by far being wearied with the cries and sollicitations of those who had relations in the Army rather than any reason notwithstanding Appius stuck close to his former resolution resolved to follow the advice of Menenius who with nine others were commissionated with full power both by Senate and People to compose the difference At first the offers of the Commissioners could not be heard through the instigation of two cunning and turbulent fellows Sicinius and L. Junius who conceited of his abilities affected the name of Brutus also Menenius to give full satisfaction promised that such as were unable to pay their debts should be discharged both from obligation and imprisonment and for the time to come matters of this nature should be ordered by the joynt consent both of People and Senate Then adding the Fable of the several members falling out with the belly as consuming all which they provided and thence the ruine and decay of the whole body he so improved it to the present occasion likening the Senate to the belly which digesteth and distributeth sustenance to all the rest though they provide it that the whole multitude convinced of the necessitie of Union cried out He should lead them home without delay 39. Little wanted of their departure without any other security than the bare word of the Commissioners But Junius Brutus a Plebeian formerly mentioned with-held them saying that they were gratefully to acknowledge the kind offers of the Senate but whereas some men of tyrannical spirits might reserve their anger to a convenient opportunity the Commons wanted such good security for the time to come as might defend them from the unreasonable malice of great ones and he moved that they might have certain Officers created yearly out of their own bodie whose power should onely be to give relief to such Plebeians as were injured and suffer none to be defrauded of their right and therefore not to resist the Consuls as some thought This being received by the multitude with great approbation was insisted on to Menenius and his fellows who thought not good to admit of a matter of such large consequence without leave from the Senate and demanded time to know the pleasure thereof The Consuls reporting the matter Valerius thought this favour was to be granted to the Commons and though Appius opposed it earnestly crying out calling their gods to witnesse and truly foretelling what calamities they would bring upon the Commonwealth yet the major part inclining to Peace it was caried for them and the Commissioners were sent back with the resolution of the house The Commons by the advice of Menenius A composure by bringing in the Tribunes first sent to take from the Senate a religious confirmation of this privilege and afterwards in the Assembly of the Curiae elected L. Junius Brutus and C. Sicinius Bellutus A. M. 3511. Ol. 71. an 3. V. C. 260. Darii 28. A. Virginio Montano T. Veturio Gemiao Coss to whom they afterwards joyned C. and P. Licinius and Sp. Icilius Rugu These five first entred this new Office on the fourth of the Ides of December according to the History and computation of Dionysius sixteen years after the expulsion of Tarquin 40. These Officers were called Tribuni Plebis there having been from the beginning other Tribunes in the City named Tribuni Celerum so called from the Peoples being divided into three parts at that time from which so many were sent into the Army as (a) Ling. Lat. l. 4. p. 22. Varro and (b) De Orig. Juris par 20. Pomponius derive the word or because they were elected by the Tribes or oversaw them as others Varro seemeth to hold that the Tribuni Plebis were called Tribunos because they were first made of the Tribunes or Colonels of the Soldiers Livie nameth C. Licinius and L. Albinus for the first two to whom were shortly after added three more viz. Sicinius the Author of the departure and two others concerning which saith he Authors differ In the 297 year of the City five more were added and this number of ten so continued Their number As these Officers were elected by the Commons so ever out of their body except where we read in Livie in his third Book of two Patritians Nay most commonly of the lower sort till a Law ordained that they should be created out of the Senate that is out of such Plebeians as were admitted into the Senate What time this Law was preferred cannot certainly be discovered (c) Bel. civil lib. 1. Appian saith it is not certain whether Sylla did it It should appear from (d) Lib. 14. c. 8. Gellius that there passed a Plebiscitum or Decree of the People for this purpose called Plebiscitum Atinium but what Atinius this should be is also obscure there being one P. Atinius Tribune of the Commons when Julius Caesar and Bibulus were Consuls As concerning their power (e) De Legib. lib. 3. Cicero saith they were opposed against the Consuls but this is not true the occasion of their making not rising from the Consuls At the beginning their power was onely to relieve the oppressed Power as a shield to keep off evil and not as a weapon to inflict it They nulled the unjust as they accounted them Decrees and Commands of the Senate and Magistrates and to shew their readinesse to protect the meanest (f) Plutarch probl 81. their doors stood open night and day to their complaints (g) Lib. 3. c. 2. Gellius telleth us that they could not be absent from the Citie one day not an hour saith (h) Lib. 37. Dion and (i) De bell Civil l. 2. Appian going further confineth them within the Walls They interposed by this one word Veto solemnly pronounced They procured themselves afterward to be accounted Sacrosancti Privilege so as by a Law confirmed with an Oath none might compel a Tribune to do any thing as one of the vulgar neither strike nor command him to be beaten neither kill nor command him to be killed If any did contrary he was to be held as Sacer and his goods being Confiscated unto Ceres it should
Ser. Furio Coss He presently lifted her up His mother prevaileth with him to retreat and cried our Mother thou hast got the victory advantageous to my Countrey but destructive to my self and accordingly drew off the Volsci into their own Countrey who were variously affected Some blamed both him and the action others that were studious of peace did neither and some though they condemned the thing yet absolved the man who was constrained by so great necessity to do it yet none refused to obey his orders but followed him more through the authority of his virtue than of his power 58. But when he was come to Antium Tullus the great Aemulator of his glory supposing he had a sufficient advantage against him required him to lay down his Office and give an account of his actions to the people He refused to resign his place except commanded by the people to do it unto which he said he was not afraid to give an account of any thing he had done at that present The people being called together the principal of Tullus his faction instigated them against him but when he arose to speak for himself those turbulent spirits for shame gave way and all sober and peaceable men openly declared they would hear him candidly and judge him according to right and equity Tullus then fearing the mans eloquence and sufficiently apprehensive how much repute the very Crime objected would bring him for they could not seem to be injured by him in not taking Rome without considering that he had brought things to that passe by his incredible valour and dexterity that they were near taking of it would not expect the judgement of the multitude but crying out with his complices that the betrayer of the Volsci was not to be suffered to hold the Tyranny over them by refusing to lay down his Office rushed out and slew him in the place Though no man stood up in his defence yet that this wicked act displeased most it presently appeared He is slain For upon report of his death they came generally out of the Towns and buried him honourably adorning his sepulchre as of a General and a famous Warrier with Arms and Trophies Such was the end of the Eminentest man of that age for valour who by his sour rigidity procured extreme hazard to his Countrey and destruction to himself whilest he preferred private revenge before publick good and yet would not stoop to any provision for his own safety 59. At Rome upon Marcius his retreat was such exultation as is suitable to the joy of those that are rescued from utter desolation The Senate Decreed to the women what honours they would ask but they onely desired they might build a Chapel to Women's fortune in the place where they had delivered their Countrey which was done at the publick charge and they at their own dedicated the image When the death of Coriolanus was heard there was neither expression of joy nor sorrow further than this that the women were permitted to mourn for him ten moneths the longest time allowed by Numa for the nearest relations according to Plutarch The Consuls not long after took the field with a considerable Army but had no occasion to make trial of it for the Volsci and Aequi joyning their forces together resolved to take the Romans unprovided but in their march they fell out about a General of whether Nation he should be and from words to blows in such a manner that they fought a great battel and if night had not severed them one party had been utterly destroyed The year following the new Consuls C. Aquilius and T. Sicinius overthrew the one the Hernici and the other the Volsci amongst whom fell Tullus Actius a man of personal valour but no good conduct Their Successors Proculus Virginius and Sp. Cassius took the field with the Legions the Aequi falling to the former as the Volsci and Hernici to the later The Volsci presently asked peace having in the last battel lost the flower of their strength and after them shortly the Hernici refusing any more to contest for equality with the Romans Cassius having received money and provisions as from such as confessed themselves conquered gave them truce and referred them for conditions to the Senate 60. After along debate the Fathers resolved they should be received into amity and that Cassius at his discretion might prescribe the conditions of the League confirming whatsoever they should be Cassius returning home asked and obtained a triumph though he had neither taken any City worsted any Enemy nor had any Captives or spoils for ornament of the solemnity which possessed men with an apprehension of his arrogancy and procured him envy After his triumph be published as conditions of peace the very same that were granted to the Latines which gave great distaste it being conceived an unworthy thing to make strangers equal in privilege with their kinsmen the Latines such as could allege no merit with those who had exceedingly well deserved of the State the Patritians took it also disdainfully that he would determine fully on his own head a matter of such weight without asking any of them his advice His three Consulships and two Triumphs made him seem to himself far superiour to any of the same rank so that no lesse than the Principality would now content him Cassius aimeth at the Soveraignty Knowing that the ordinary way to it was to gain the favour of the People by some great act of kindnesse he resolved upon that course and first to divide amongst them certain publick grounds which through the neglect of the Magistrates had been seized on and possessed by the rich The successe might have been dubious had he stayed here but he would also have the Latines into the lot with the Hernici his new denizons that he might procure the favour of those Nations The day after his Triumph calling together the People according to the custom he recalled to their memories the great services he had done in his several Consulships how in the first he had subdued the Sabines in the second reduced the Commons into the City after the appeasing of the Sedition as also received the Latines into fellowship and Communion in the third the Volsci of Enemies were made friends and the Hernici a great and powerful Nation received into close and inward confederacy By these discouses he insinuated as if above all others he took charge of the Commonwealth and so would continue to do And he concluded with a promise to do more for the Commons than any man ever did who was most in favour and that should presently appear 61. The day following he called together the Senate which was very much troubled at his speech and declared that because the Common People were very useful both in procuring Dominion and defending Liberty it was convenient to divide to them those publick grounds which were most impudently held from the State by some Patritians and pay
bore the greatest sway commended the opinion of Appius that the * Vide suprà Parag. 66. onely way to crosse the design of the Tribunes was to set them one against another and if so it would make more for the interest of the Senate to have their number increased The number of Tribunes increased to 10. Accordingly a Senatus Consulum was drawn that it should be lawfull for the Commons to increase their College of Tribunes to the number of 10. and it was presently confirmed by the People After this the Sedition being appeased the Consuls levied Forces and managed the War succesfully against the Sabines and Aequi. 86. The ensuing year being the second of the 81 Olympiad A. M. 3350. Ol. 81. ann 2. V. C. 280. Art Longim 10. and the 297 year of the Citie according to Cato as the 298 after the account of Varro had for Consuls M. Valerius and Sp. Virginius who having nothing to do abroad had too much employment in the Citie Before this time the Tribunes onely reigned in the Assemblies neither taking upon them to call together the Senate nor give their voices therein But now they ventured to assemble the Fathers by the procurement of Icilius principal of the College an industrious and eloquent man who presumed to make a further innovation in the State requiring the Aventine Mount for the People to build upon which being a mile and an half in circuit was not as yet fully inhabited but publick Their incroachments and full of vvood The Tribune moving the Consuls to procure a Decree of the Senate for his new project and they deferring the matter an Apparitor was sent from the College to cite the Consuls before it He applying himself to one of their Lictors was beaten and sent back which so inraged the Tribunes that apprehending the Lictor they led him to the Tarpeian Rock the Consuls though much troubled not being able to rescue him for that none could hinder the execution of what the whole College resolved all they could do was to desire some of the Tribunes themselves to interpose But this could not be effected they having resolved at the beginning not to dissent from one another that thereby they might preserve their Authority inviolable As concerning the Lictor then they answered they were resolved yet they put not the man to death giving his life to the intreaties of the graver sort of Patritians lest that order should be driven by just indignation to attempt something extraordinary Having then assembled the Senate the Consuls sharply reprehended them but Icilius excused what had been done to the Lictor by the sacred Laws which forbade all both publick and private to crosse a Tribune By a premeditated Oration he endeavoured to shew that he had not unjustly assembled the Senate and when he had seemed sufficiently to have answered the charge of the Consuls he mentioned the Law A Law for division of certain grounds That what private men were possessed of and was justly gotten should remain unto them what ground by force or fraud was already furnished with buildings the expence of building beâ—â—â— considered by arbitration should be recovered to the use of the People and what was yet publick be divided amongst them He shewed that this Law would be exceedingly profitable for the suppression of all Agrarian Seditions forasmuch as the Commons would be satisfied with possessions at home No man dissenting except C. Claudius a Decree of the Senate passed for it accordingly 87. The remainder of the year was spent in building For the next were created Consuls T. Romulius and C. Veturius Icilius and his Colleague being continued in their Office The civil dissentions supposed to be removed by the late Law were again revived and the forein Enemies of the Commonwealth were in Arms Dissentions renewed to the greater profit than discommodity of it For such a vicissitude now there was that Peace brought Sedition and Warre procured Concord which the chief Magistrates apprehending wished for nothing more than external motions and when there was Peace abroad sought occasion for War as understanding the growth of the Citie 's prosperity to be procured thereby The present Consuls were of this mind being jealous of the beggerly and idle multitude And their opinion was right that they were to be diverted but there they failed that wheras in so ill a crasis of the State they ought to have proceeded gently they admitted the excuse of none who desired exemption from the War but severely inflicted penalties upon all which gave occasion to the Tribunes to make disturbance crying out that they violated the privilege of their Office by imprisoning such as appealed to it From mutual revilings sometimes it came to blows both parties being berounded with those of their faction and the People not fully complying with the Tribunes in their demands they went into the Senate where they required that the Consuls might either lay down their Offices or answer their crime against the Sacrosanct Tribunitial power before the People The Senate determined nothing seeing it dangerous to diminish the power either of the Consuls or Tribunes at which the later much discontented returned to the multitude Some were for departing again from the Patritians others more moderate would expect the course of Law against those who had violated so sacred an Office and a third the most sober party disliked this as well as the other for that the Consuls were the Supreme Magistrates and thought it meeter to punish their abettors If the Tribunes had not at length restrained their anger against Senate and Consuls the City that day had destroyed it self so intent were both parties upon Arms and War But they set the Consuls a day to answer before the People and then were prevailed with to let the matter fall telling the Commons that they remitted what concerned themselves for their sakes whom they ought not to deny it but would revenge the injury done to the whole to prevent an ill example The Agrarian Law after 30 years with another of equal right published 88. This was by promulgating the Agrarian Law which hitherto had layn dormant for thirty years to which another was added of equal right which the former year could not be passed Having with an oath promised to prefer these Laws they appointed a day for the Comitia wherein having first themselves spoken largely several others related what good service they had done for the Commonwealth and laboured to shew how unworthy a thing it was for them to be defrauded of those grounds which by their labour and danger they had gained and admitted to no part of reward The multitude gladly hearing such discourses none more affected mens minds than L. Siccius Dentanus a man of admirable shape 58 years old and furnished with military eloquence for a seditious attempt He told them he had served his Country in the Wars forty years and been an Officer thirty sometimes a
shall find it all in the twelve Tables which describe all the interests and parts of the State or if any one be taken with this glorious Philosophy Cicero his commendation of the 12 tables I will speak more boldly these are the fountains of all his disputes contained in the Civil Law Jure Civili and Laws Legibus Though all be displeased I will speak what I think that little Book of the twelve Tables alone in my opinion excelleth the Libraries of all the Philosophers if one view the fountains and heads of Laws both in weight of authority and copiousnesse of advantage In another (f) De Legibus lib. 2. place he writeth that when he was a boy they were wont to learn the twelve Tables as some necessary Poem Lastly a collection of the fragments of these Tables out of approved Authors such especially as conduce to the explication of the Institutions and of antient Law with deep Antiquities hath been made by I. Crispinus to which the Reader is referred The Decemviri retain their power 8. But to return the Decemviri at the usual time of the Comitia bidding farewel to the customs of their Country and the new Laws neither regarding the approbation of Senate nor People continued themselves in power for the year following which was the third of the Decemvirate the first of the 83 Olympiad according to Dionysius wherein Criso of Himera was Victor Philiscus being Archon at Athens They so ordered the matter shortly as even all the considerable part of the Citizens Patritians and others they either killed or forced to quit the City This pleased them well enough but the Sabines and Aequi thinking it a fit time to attempt some great matter against Rome invaded the territories thereof and of the Latines The Decemviri much troubled hereat after a consultation how to make resistance several wayes found themselves constrained to assemble the Senate wherein Appius with a premeditated Oration propounded the matter of the War They assemble the Senate about War L. Valerius Potitus the son of him that besieged the Capitol and grandson of Poplicola first arose and though he was commanded by Appius to forbear flew high against the tyranny of the present Usurpers He being forced to silence was seconded by Marcus Horatius Barbatus great grandson of the Collegue of Poplicola who having expressed great indignation the Decemviri incensed with his biting words threatned to cast him down headlong from the Rock All the Senators at this cried out as at a breach of their privilege and made a tumult whereat the Ten repented of what they had done and excused themselves saying they deprived none of speaking to the matter in hand but interrupted Seditious Orations which they might do by their power of Consuls and Tribunes received from the People not for a year onely nor any limited time but till the work of Laws were finished untill which time they were resolved to act and then give an account of their administration Appius having delivered this in the name of all Stirs in the Senate asked the opinion of C. Claudius his Uncle 9. Claudius beginning his Oration with the occasion of their meeting fitly shewed what was the occasion of it The War he demonstrated to be begun by no other inducements than what the present distempers of the State afforded which were bred by the arbitrary and tyrannical carriage of his Nephew and his nine Companions He made out what these distempers were and by virtue of his relation to Appius took upon him after a sharp reproof by the nearnesse of their blood their Ancestors and the Decemvir's Father with all that was dear and religious to them both to conjure him that putting a stop to his ambitious course destructive to himself as well as the publick he would resign his usurped power and restore the Common-wealth to it 's former government and liberty Appius answered him not a word which so moved him that with tears he signified he would depart to Rhegillum the seat of his Forefathers and there continue till that fell upon the Decemvirate which he guessed would happen in a short time for as much as he could not endure to behold his Nephew degenerate so much from the antient worth of their Family As concerning the War he advised the Fathers to resolve nothing till the accustomed Magistrates were first created The graver and more eminent sort of Senators that spake after were all of this opinion which made the Ten resolve to ask none now according to their age as the custome was but M. Cornelius called upon his brother Lucius to deliver his opinion He attributed all that had been said against the Decemviri to envy saying it was because the speakers themselves could not compasse the Office and laboured to shew that it was most foolish counsel to resolve upon new elections which would require time and defer the War that threatned ruine and desolation By pressing the danger very close and urging what necessity there was of committing the War to the management of the Decemviri he drew almost all the younger sort to his party there being many even in the Senate from whom fear wrested compliance After all these the Decemviri gave Valerius leave to speak whom first of all they had interrupted He professed he was of Claudius his judgement as to the whole and answered all the reasons of Cornelius by one proposal that a Dictator might be instantly named shewing that if they missed of this opportunity they could not expect again to bee assembled by the Decemviri 10. Few that delivered their opinions after him remained unconvinced and many were changed from the sense they had before delivered He required then of the Ten that the matter might be further considered of and all might have liberty to recall their votes which caused a great contest betwixt him and Cornelius who desiring that the Decemviri might have the command in the War cried out that the thing was already decided in a legal manner and desired the parties might be counted Much heat being shewed by both the Fathers were also divided which advantage the Ten took to do what they pleased Appius then formally declaring for what cause they had been assembled told them they were divided according to the three several opinions of Claudius Cornelius and Valerius every one having had liberty to speak his mind freely and seeing that most had approved of what Cornelius had propounded he declared his partie to have overcome Then commanded he the Clerk to draw up a Senatus Consultum whereby power of raising Forces and commanding them was given to the Decimviri and therewith the Senate was dismissed They were by this kind of victory rendred more confident and imperious as having now in their own thoughts established themselves by having an Army at their command which Valerius had advised the Fathers earnestly to beware They make use of the Senate to their own advantage Horatius
Classes Centuries and Tribes further the authority of the Senate and Commons with the Power of Magistrates he of all others hath delivered most accurately That these things may be better understood It 's commendation he compareth them with the customs of Greece as where he speaketh of Clients he occasionally maketh mention of this relation amongst the Athenians and Thessalians as Caesar also writeth it to have been ordinary amongst the Galls He compareth the Roman Dictator with the Harmostes of the Lacedaemonians the Archons of the Thessalians and the Aesymnetes of the Mitylenaeans The Laws of Romulus Numa and Servius had perished but for him as also the knowledge of the Original of Rome in a great measure and so choice are all his Collections that they tend as to the instruction of the Reader in the depth of State mysteries so also to his acquiring or retaining a religious awe of Providence Such is his History saith * Bodinus Method Histor cap. 4. one well able to judge that if it had been kept intire for it consisteth of twenty Books as Photius informeth us there would have been no cause of bewailing the losse of Varro's treasures with whom he was very familiar as well as Pompey the Great and Tubero and from whom he seemeth to have derived his choicest Antiquities These things render a sufficient account why he is made use of in the History of Roman matters rather than any other 20. Servius Tullius the sixt King of Rome first instituted the Census as was shewn before and did the work himself without any peculiar Officer as also did the Consuls untill this time But now in the 66th year from the banishment of Tarquinius and the 311 of the City there having been no Census for seventeen years for that the Consuls were necessarily diverted from that work by more urgent businesse the Senate procured out of their own order two peculiar Officers to be created who were called Censores because according to their Censio or estimation the People was cessed saith Varro or because every one accounted himself worth so much quanti illi censuissent as they judged or estimated according to Festus 21. At the beginning they were created for five years because according to Servius his constitution the People were to be cessed at ever Lustrum The duration of the Office of Censors which conteined so many But their dignity and power so increasing that they seemed of too long a continuance nine years after in the 320 of the City by a Law which Mamercus Aemilius the Dictator preferred Livius lib. 3. the duration of their Office was confined within the term of one year and an half Though their Office at first was onely to take an estimate of mens Estates and describing all publick and private fiches to distribute the People according to their wealth into Classes and Centuries Their power yet within a while they came to have inspection into manners also For they upon misdemeanour put out of the Senate took away publick horses and cast out of the Tribes The former kind of punishment was inflicted upon Senators the second upon Equites and the last upon meer Plebeians Their removing Senaters was by passing them by at the new election For In voce Praeteriti such Senators saith Festus as were passed by in former times were lyable to no disgrace because as the Kings chose and substituted whom they pleased so after them the Consuls and Tribunes Military such as they had greatest interest in first Patritians and then after Plebeians till by the Tribunitial Law of Ovinius it was ordained that the Censors out of every order or rank should curiatim elect the most worthy into the Senate whence it came to passe that such as were passed by or removed were noted with ignominie This note out of Festus hinteth to us the antient power of the Roman Kings in making Senators one of the greatest supporters of the Throne of their Empire 22. As for the disgrace which they put upon Equites Vide Plutarchum historiam narrantem in Pompeio Livium lib. 29. Festum in voce censio It was the custome for every Eques at the publick Census to appear before the Censors with their Horses in their hands If they approved of them they bade them passe by and lead away the Horse if they determined otherwise they took away the Horse and commanded him to be sold The third note of disgrace concerned the Plebeians whom they either removed from their own Tribe into another lesse honourable according to Livie or made them Aerarii and registred them in the tables of the Caerites whereby rhey were deprived of their Centurie and remained Citizens onely in this respect ut pro capitibus suis tributi nomine aera solverent as writeth Asconius Pedianus upon the Oration of Cicero against Q. Caecilius called Divinatio which disputeth who ought to be admitted the Accuser of Verres Lib. 16. cap. 13. Gellius telleth us what was meant by the tabulae Caeritum The Caerites inhabitants of Caere in Tuscany once called Agylla we understand to have been first of all made Municipals without any right of suffrage and it was granted them that they might receive the honour of being free of Rome without any trouble or burthen for that they received the Sacra or idols of the Romans and preserved them in the Gallick War that is when Rome was taken by the Galls as Livie hath the story also in this fourth Book Hence were those called Tabulae Caeritum vice versa wherein the Censors caused such to be registred as they deprived of the right of Suffrage Although these several sorts of punishment respected the several rancks of men Livie lib. 4. yet sometimes those of higher degree tasted of all or most of them so that Senators might not onely be passed by and Equites deprived of their Horses but lose their Tribes also and be reduced to the condition of Aerarii 23. This Office being committed to the prudent management of able persons The effects of it became effectual to the repression of such vice as fell not under the particular cognisance of penal Laws Private faults and domestick miscariages were by them noted with such actions sometimes as now would not simply incur the censure of precise illegallity or indecency Some of their questions upon oath were such as these (a) Lege A. Gellium l. 4. cap. ult Hast thou a wife according to thy mind to which one once making a jesting answer was made an Aerarius A certain man yawning before the Censors had been punished in that sort but that he swore he did it unwillingly being troubled with that disease which the Romans called Oscedo P. Scipio Nasica and M. Pompilius being Censors and finding a certain Knight very fat and compt whose horse was exceeding lean and ill favoured they asked him the reason of that difference to which he answered Because he looked to himself
they might revolt to him sent to Polysperchon and with vast promises secretly perswaded him to make away the young man which accordingly was performed Made away About this time Demetrius overthrew Ptolomy his Lieutenants in Cilicia and he to be revenged invaded Licia where he took some Cities after that sailed into Greece where he endeavoured in emulation to Antigonus to set the Cities at liberty but the Greeks not keeping their promise of sending money and corn having received Sicyon and Corinth from the Widdow of Alexander the son of Ephaestion who had revenged stoutly her husbads death and kept still these places he agreed with Cassander that each should retain such places as he had in his power and returned 26. Alexander had yet a sister living called Cleopatra Diodorus l. 20. ad Olymp. 118. formerly the Widdow of Alexander King of Epirus who making an Expedition into Italy perished against the Lucanians as Livie tells us and after that maried to Perdiccas whom also now being at Sardis Antigonus seems to have wooed But she inclining rather to Ptolomy stole out of Saxdis to go to him whereupon Antigonus took such order by the Governour of the Town that she was not onely stopped in her journy And Cleopatra their Aunt but by means also of some women secretly made away after which to colour the matter he put some of them to death and buried her body with royal magnificence Shortly after this Demetrius was sent into Greece to set the Cities at liberty which he accomplished at this time for Athens Demetrius Phalareus being driven out and conducted to Thebes where he lived till Cassander's death and then fled to Ptolomy After this Demetrius being recalled to make War in Cyprus thither he passed where he overthrew Menelaus Ptolomy his brother and Governour there and pursuing him to the City Salamine slew 3000 of his men and took 1000 and then besieged him in that place Ptolomy hearing of the defeat of his men came both with Sea and Land forces and ingaged the besiegers in battel Demetrius his Victories against Ptolomy whereupon Antigonus and then the rest take the title of Kings wherein though he overthrew that Wing against which he himself fought yet the other prevailing he was discomfited with the losse of 8000 men and all his ships save eight with which he fled away and Demetrius became Master of the Town and Island Idem ibid. Plutarch in Demetrio Justin lib. 15. A. M. 3698. Ol. 118. an 2. V.C. 447. Seleuci 6. Ptolom 17. Antigonus being elevated with this successe received the title of King given him by his friends and a Diadem set upon his head which title and honour he also gave to his Son Demetrius The Aegyptians also hearing this lest they should seem to be dejected for their losse gave the name of King to Ptolomy who thenceforth in all his Letters stiled himself so Neither now would the other great ones come behind these for Seleucus Cassander and Lysimachus after their example took upon themselves the same dignity and title all the near relations of Alexander being quite extinct CHAP. III. From Alexanders Captains taking the Title of Kings to the death of Seleucus the Surviver of them containing the space of 24 years 1. ANtigonus animated by his late successe against Ptolomy in Cyprus Diodorus ibid. now thought of no lesse than outing him also of Egypt it self wherefore recalling his son from the Island he commanded all his Forces to meet at Antigonia a Citie newly built by him upon the River Orontes in Syria as convenient for the lying in wait against the upper Provinces Egypt which afterwards Seleucus destroyed translated the Inhabitants to his Seleucia Antigonus leading the Land-forces himself committed the Fleet to his son which was to sayl along upon the Coasts with the Army as it marched Having good Provision both for men and beasts he marched through the desert the Navy went through great hazard at Sea but the Tempest ceasing in good time Antigonus his fruitlesse expedition against Ptolomy they came all together unto Nile Ptolomy by this time had so fortified the several mouths of the River as the Sea-forces could do no good though they removed from one to another and the Land-Army could not find any food at that time of the year the water being very high Moreover A. M. 3699. Ol. 118. ann 3. V.C. 448. Seleuci 7. Ptolom 18. Ptolomaeus in Regum Canone many fell away to the Enemy being allured with his promise of 2. l. to every common Soldier and a Talent to an Officer so that Antigonus was fain to retreat into Syria Ptolomy being exceeding glad hereof sent to his Confederates to acquaint them with his good successe and now having thus defended his Kingdom accounted himself rightly to enjoy it and hereupon some have accounted the beginning of his reign from this very time fixing it at 19 years distance from the death of Alexander 2. This want of successe allayed not the ambition of Antigonus For Diodorus ibid. he sent his son Demetrius presently against the Rhodians who had formerly displeased him by a denial to send him aid and ships For they endeavouring as near as they could to keep in with all these great ones yet were drawn by their private interest especially to favour Ptolomy from whose Kingdom they got the greatest part of their livelyhood by way of Traffick And as fruitlesse against Rhodes Demetrius according to his fathers command went and besieged their Citie lying before it nigh a whole year during which time he made all sorts of opposition he could till ordered by his father to make peace with them which they were prone to accept of though Ptolomy with others sent them Provisions A. M. 3700. Ol. 118. ann 4. V.C. 449. Seleuci 8. Ptolom 19. and supplies of men Departing from Rhodes Demetrius passed into Greece to restore the Cities which Cassander and Polysperchon had lately mastered through the absence of Antigonus his Forces Chalcis he freed from a Garrison of the Boeotians whom he also withdrew from Cassander's friendship joyned in society with the Aetolians and afterwards restored Sicyon Corinth Athens and other places to their freedom Cassander seeing things by the help of Demetrius to go well with Greece sent over to Antigonus to desire peace but he refused it except he would refer himself whole unto him He being affrighted at this sent to Lysmachus in Thrace to come and Consult with him and then they both dispatch away Messengers to Ptolomy and Seleucus to let them see how they were concerned also to resist Antigonus A Combination against him They hearkned willingly to the offers made unto them and joyned in Confederacy against him as their common Enemie promising great supplies for carrying on the War 3. Cassander thinking it good policy not to stay for the Enemy to come upon him but invade him first gave part of his Army to Lysimachus
division of the Kingdom though she besought him by her breasts that gave him suck to spare her life After her death he endeavoured to expel his brother out of Macedonia who therefore craved aid of Demetrius and Pyrrhus King of Epâ—rus who being expelled out of his Kingdom Stirs betwixt his sons about the Kingdom had married Ptolomy's Wives Daughter and by him was restored Demetrius being now employed otherwayes the other came and received some Countreys in way of incouragement and reward for his service which he fortified with his own Garrisons Antipater now had his recourse to Lysimachus his father-in-law who being also hindred with other affairs and fearing Demetrius his coming advised him to make an agreement with his brother and for that he knew Pyrrhus would in any thing seek to gratifie Ptolomy that he might take him off he feigned a Letter to him from him wherein he adviseth him for 300 Talents received from Antipater to forsake his Enterprize Pyrrhus as soon as he opened the Letter easily discerned it to be counterfeit for that it was not directed after the usual manner as from the father to the son but as from the one King to the other 7. Lysimachus his perswasion seems to have wrought so with the Elder together with the presence of Pyrrhus as they came near to an agreement but the coming of Demetrius spoiled all For Plutarch in Demetrio A. M. 3711. Ol. 121. ann 3. V. C. 460. Seleuci 18. Ptol. 30. he having lost Cyprus lately to Ptolomy which forced him to quit Lacedaemon after he had taken Athens and now had almost taken it also came into Macedonia to amend his fortunes Procureth the destruction of them all Alexander being troubled at his coming seeing he knew the peace was partly made went out to meet and received him with great honour but told him he now had no need of his help but he either having or pretending to have a suspicion of him procured him to be slain telling the Macedonians a fair tale afterwards who seeing the one of Cassanders sons thus dead and hating the other for his impiety towards his mother received him as King Some have delivered that Alexander used Demetrius his help Pausanias in Boeoticis first in killing his brother Antipater and so revenged the death of his Mother upon him Others say that Lysimachus after Alexanders death Justin ut suprà for that he was imployed in a War with Dromichetis King of the Getes delivered also up to Demetrius that part which belonged to Antipater his son-in-law and afterwards slew him also when he complained to him that by his means he had lost his Kingdom and imprisoned Eurydice his wife his ovvn daughter for partaking vvith him in the complaint But thus one vvay or other Antipater vvas revvarded for his mother's death and so in a short time fell the posterity of Cassander by the just Judgment of God as Heathen Writers observe 8. For some time Demetrius enjoyed Macedonia during which he still aspired after his former height and power Plutarch ibid. for now having this Kingdom and Thessalâ—e in his hands as also Athens and Megara and the greater part of Peloponnesus he subdued the Boeotians Then hearing Lysimachus to be taken prisoner by the King of the Getes who shortly after yet set him at liberty he resolved to return for Thrace Demetrius getting Macedonia aspireth still after his former height but the Boeotians revolting caused him to retreat though on his march thither coming back he found that his son Antigonus had overthrown the revolters in sight but Thebes still remained untaken and whilst he was going about that Pyrrhus of Epirus being now alienated from him since the death of Deidamia his sister which Demetrius had maried invaded Thessaly from his own Frontiers and pierced as far as the Straights of Thermopylae Demetrius hearing this left his son in the Siege and hasted against him but he staied not his coming but retired and then Demetrius fortifying Thessalie returned to Thebes where the Inhabitants so stoutly defended themselves that he lost many men and himself was wounded in the neck yet according to his skil and fortune in taking of Cities whence he had the Sirname of Poliorcetes he stormed the place and though he pretended at first severely to punish the Inhabitants yet he satisfied himself with the death of ten or thirteen and banishing a few pardoned the rest 9. Finding that his Macedonians were quiet when abroad but seditious at home he fell upon the Aetolians to divert them Plutarch Wasting their borders there he left Pantauchus with some Forces and with the rest marched against Pyrrhus who hearing it came out to meet him but they missed of each other and went several wayes Demetrius into Epirus which he harrased Pyrrhus light upon Pantauchus who challenging him to fight gave him a wound but he received two for it himself and thereupon falling he had been slain but that his friends presently rescued him after which his Army was put to flight and 5000 of them taken After this Demetrius fell sick at Pella and then Pyrrhus again invaded his Territories a great way no body resisting him nay he had such an opportunity as scarce could he have desired a better for seizing upon the whole Kingdom many revolting to him and Demetrius his Captains making but slow endeavours to hinder his progresse But he having his mind set more upon booty than any thing else stayed not their coming but fled away losing many of his men in the retreat For all this Demetrius seeing him have a restlesse spirit thought it not amisse to reconcile him unto him but especially at this time for now he resolved to make for his Father's Kingdom with all the might he possibly could and therefore lest he should leave an Enemy at his back concluded a Peace and entred into a league with him 10. Greater preparations he made than ever had been since Alexander his time For he got together little lesse than 100000 Foot and 12000 Horse a Navie also of 500 sail But labouring to get some ships whereof were of extraordinary bignesse Seleucus Ptolomy and Lysimachus being startled hereat combined together for resistance and joyntly sent to Pyrrhus to move him to break the league which Demetrius had made with him as they alleged not to rest in peace but to make War upon whom he pleased He believing as much agreed with them for that he hoped Demetrius might as easily lose Macedonia as he had got it and then Ptolemy sailing into Greece sollicited there the Cities from their obedience Lysimachus from Thrace A. M. 3717. Ol. 123. v. 1. V.C. 466. Seleuci 25. Ptolom Lagi 30. and Pyrrhus from his borders made inroads into Macedonia Demetrius first began to march against Lysimachus but afterwards hearing that Pyrrhus had gotten Berrhaea into his hands returned and went against him thither where when he was come divers from the Town
Olympiad and 40 after the death of Alexander the Great 14. Seleucus being exceedingly elevated with the thoughts of his Victory and more with consideration that he onely survived of Alexander's followers resolved to passe into Macedonia and there to end his dayes giving up Asia to his son Antiochus Who being the surviver of Alexander's Captains is slain by Ptolomy Ceraunus the same year Hee passed the Hellespont and journying towards Lysimachia came to a place called Argos where his time being but to live seven moneths after Lysimachus he was slain by Ptolomy Sirnamed Ceraunus the son of Ptolomy the first by Euridice daughter to Antipater who having fled out of Aegypt for that his Father preferred his younger brother before him joyned himself first to Lysimachus Justin ut prius Memnon apud Photium who had maried his sister and afterwards to Seleucus by whom he was lovingly entertained though he thus requited him Ptolomy as soon as he had done his feat posted away to Lysimachia when putting on a Diadem and taking a Company of Gallants along with him he went to the Army which received him as King having all Seleucus his money given unto them Antigonus Genatas so called it 's probable from a place in Perrhaebia where he was born son of Demetrius Poliorcetes presently after undertook an Expedition for the recovery of Macedonia hoping to justle out Ptolomy ere he could be well setled but he having notice of his coming and enjoying Lysimachus his Fleet went and met him at Sea where he overthrew him and forcing him to retire into Boeotia then confirmed himself in his Kingdom CHAP. IV. The Macedonian Kingdom From the death of Seleucus to the Captivity of Perseus and the end of this Kingdom containing the space of 139 years Ptolomy Ceraunus King of Macedonia maketh Alliances 1. PTolomy that he might provide for the time to come made Alliances with other Princes as Antiochus of Asia and Pyrrhus of Epirus who now being about to passe into Italy made him Overseer of his son and Kingdom he also wrote to his brother Ptolomy Philadelphus pretending to acquiesce in the missing of that his fathers Kingdom being sufficiently satisfied with this taken from his fathers Enemy Moreover he counterfeited himself to be in Love with his sister Arsinoe and married her for that it was according to the custom of Egypt promising to adopt her Children which he badly performed for being received by her into Cassandria he caused them to be first killed in the bosom of their mother and then thrust her out of the Citie from whence she went to Samothracia At this time the Galls being too many for their own Countrey under three Captains went to seek their fortunes so many several wayes some towards Thrace under the Conduct of Cerethrius others unto Pannonia under Brennus and Acichorius and the rest to Macedonia being headed by Belgius or Bolgius These Ptolomy met with a stragling company being more heady than wise refusing 20000 men offered him by the King of the Dardanians and peace by the Galls if he would but buy it which he scornfully rejected and answered he would not yield them it except they would give up the Chiefest amongst them as Hostages and deliver up their Arms. Joyning battel his Army was overthrown and he being sore wounded was cast by an Elephant on which he rode Is slain by the Galls and so taken alive by the Enemy They tore him in pieces and cutting off his head put it upon a Lance and carried it about to the terror of his followers of which a few escaping all the rest were either taken or slain This end came Ptolomy to after he had held Macedonia scarce a year and a half 2. Meleager his brother succeeded but onely for two moneths Porphyrius in Graecis Eusebii Justin lib. 24. for then the Macedonians cast him out as unworthy of the Dignitie and in his room placed Antipater son to Philip the brother of Cassander whom they sirnamed afterwards Etesia because he continued but 45 dayes during which term the Etesian winds blew After this succeeded an Interregnum if we look at the title of King for Sosthenes who gathering together a company of young men and thereby restraining the pride and covetousnesse of the Gauls though he might have been preferred before divers of Royal Races yet refused the name and made the Soldiers swear to him onely as General But Brennus hearing of the good successe of Belgius and what plunder he had got in the East with 150000 foot and 15000 horse marched thitherwards but 20000 falling off from him by the way and turning up for Thrace where they brought under the Cities of the Propontis he came into Macedonia where he made havock of all things Sosthenes overthrown by Brennus Belgius as it seems before his coming being repelled or gone Sosthenes went and met him with an Army but carrying too few against so great a number was easily overthrown after which the Macedonians securing themselves in the Cities Brennus wrought his pleasure in the Countrey and Villages throughout the Land When he had satisfied himself here with an Army of 152000 foot and 20400 horse of Celtes or Cimbres and Illyrians together he invaded Greece Each horsman had two servants followed him on hors-back who were to succeed their dead Masters which custom they called Trimarkasia or Trima asia rather for Mare in the Teutonick signified the whole species as also in our own Saxon tongue and so furnished they entred Thessaly and came to the Straights of Thermopylae Here they were opposed by the Greeks so as they lost many men till being lead over the Mountains the same way that in the expedition of Xerxes Hydarnes passed and getting over came upon the backs of the Spartans the Greeks then fled away Who with his whole Army is destroyed and they went to Delphos then to spoyl the Temple where with Thunder and Lightning Cold falling of Rocks and the opposition of the Enemy most of them came to their ends Brennus himself being wounded and not willing or not daring to outlive this shamefull expedition of which he had been the Author at home first drinking much Wine killed himself the rest flying were taken with a Pannick fear and killed one another for Enemies and what by this means the rage of the Countreys through which they passed with hunger and cold scarce any of them ever returned to their homes 3. During their stay in Greece Sosthenes died after he had ruled 2 years Euseb and then Antigonus Gonatus having made peace with Antiochus Soter returned and obtained his fathers Kingdom Brennus departing into Greece Justin lib. had left some Gaules to defend the borders and they lest they should be idle with 15000 foot and 3000 horse first fell upon the Getae and Triballi whom overcoming Antigonus Gonatus they then sent to Antigonus offering him peace if he would purchase it with money but
1 Maccab. 7. 2 Mac. 14. and now was not received nor owned by the people because that in the dayes of Epiphanes he had defiled himself came to Demetrius with other Apostates and such like as himself and accused his Countrey-men especially the Hasmonaeans i. e. Judas and his brethren that they had cut off and banished his friends Bachides sent by him against the Jews whereupon he sent one Bachides a trusty friend with great forces into Judaea confirming the Priesthood to Alcimus whom he sent back with him All their design being arrived there was to get Judas into their hands divers Scribes going out to them to sollicit for peace being confident because the Priest was of the seed of Aaron he most wickedly and contrary to his Oath given slew sixty of them in one day then Bachides going from Hierusalem sent about and caused divers that had fled from him and many of the people whom being slain he cast into a great pit and so committing the Countrey to Alcimus to the defence of which he left him some forces he returned unto his King Leaveth Alcimus the High-Priest with some forces After his departure Alcimus striving to confirm himself in the Priesthood made great havock of the people to restrain which Judas went throughout the Countrey and compelled his party to shut themselves up within their holds and growing stronger he restrained their invasions so that Alcimus being afraid of him goes once more unto the King carrying along with him a Crown of Gold a Palm and of the boughs which were used solemnly in the Temple and seeing he could not have any more accesse to the holy Altar taking a fit opportunity when he was asked of the affairs of his Countrey accused the Asidaeans and especially Judas as seditious of depriving him of the Priesthood the honour as he said of his Ancestors and plainly affirmed that as long as Maccabaeus lived the Kings affairs could not be secure This being seconded by some ill-willers to the Jews Demetrius was inflamed and sending for Nicanor one of his chiefest Princes Who accusing Judas Nicanor is sent against him and a bitter Enemy to the Israelites made him Captain over Judea and sent him forth with a Command to slay Judas to scatter them that were with him and make Alcimus High Priest of the great Temple 60. When he was come thither and understood the courage and resolution of Judas his brethren and companions for the defence of their Countrey he feared to try the chance of War and sent to make peace with the people who having agreed unto the Covenants the two Captains came together to consult about the League Nicanor was so taken with Judas as he continued with him loved him in his heart and perswaded him to marry and beget Children and so remained constant in his affection to him till Alcimus perceiving it Nicanor at first much loveth Maccabaeus and understanding the Covenants which were made betwixt them took a third journey to the King told him that Nicanor had taken strange matters in hand and appointed Judas a Traitor to the Realm to be his Successor Demetrius being hereat displeased by Letters checked him for these things and commanded him in all haste to send Maccabaeus bound unto Antioch which grievously troubled him that he who had done no hurt should be thus used but conceving it necessary for him to comply with the pleasure of the King he waited for a convenient opportunity to accomplish it Then complained of by Alcimus seeketh his destruction Behaving himself thenceforth more roughly to him the other suspected something by the great change of his carriage and therefore gathering a few of his men withdrew himself from him but he followed him with a strong power to Hierusalem and drawing him out to talk with him had prepared some to seize on him yet he having notice hereof got away and would see him no more Seeing his design to be discovered he went and fought with him near Capharsalama in which he lost about 5000 of his men and the rest fled into the Citie of David After this he came up to Mount Sion and some of the Priests with the Elders of the people went forth of the sanctuary to salute him peaceably and shew him the burnt-offering that was offered for the King but he jeering hereat demanded Judas to be delivered unto him and they affirming with an Oath that they knew not where he was he stretching out his hand against the Temple swore that except Judas and his forces were delivered up he would when he should return in peace set the sanctuary on fire His blasphemous threats demolish the Altar and build there a stately Temple to Bacchus The Priests hearing this went in and standing before the Altar with tears begged of God that he would frustrate the mans intentions and be avenged upon him and his Host for his blasphemous words 61. Hearing that Judas was gone from Jerusalem into Samaria 1 Maccab. 7. 2.15 he went and pitched his Tents in Bethhoron where new supplies from Syria came to him the Enemy being in Hadasa 30 furlongs off with no more than 3000 men He would fain have fought on the Sabbath day which the Jews who were constrained to follow friendly dehorting him from with great blaspemy uttered against God he refused to hear them demanding if there were a living Lord in heaven who commanded that seventh day to be kept and saying he himself was mighty upon earth to command them to Arm themselves and to perform the Kings businesse He is slain in battel But coming to the ingagement he himself was slain first which when his Army saw they cast away their Arms and fled and the Israelites following the chace slew 30000. so that not one of the Army was left remaining Coming to the plunder of the field they cut off Nicanor's head and hands and carried them to Jerusalem where they were hung up before the Temple his tongue being cut in pieces and cast unto the Fouls The end of the second book of Maccabees Then they decreed that the 13th day of the 12th moneth Adar as the Syrians call it the day before Mardocheus his day should be observed every year as the Author of the second book of Maccabees tells us who with this story finisheth his work 1 Maccab. 8. 9. being the Epitome of the five books of Jason a Jew of Cyrene After Nicanor's death Judaea was quiet for some time and then Judas hearing of the power of the Romans and their compassion of the distressed and how much Demetrius stood in awe of them sent Eupolemus the son of John and Jason the son of Eleazer on an Ambassage to the Senate Bachides and Alcimus sent into Judaea against Judas that entring into society with them the People might be freed from the yoke of Demetrius and the Greeks But Demetrius hearing of the mischance of Nicanor and his
for the Tributes of the places other 500 upon pain of being prosecuted with War To these things Simon answered that he held no Towns belonging to any other but had recovered his own by right of War but as for Joppe and Gazara which had done great harm to his people he offered to pay him 100 Talents at which the King was so displeased that following at that time Tryphon to Orthosias Cendebaeus sent by Antiochus against the Jews is defeated by John the son of Simon he left Cendebaeus to oversee the Sea-Coasts with order to build up Cedron whence he might make War upon the Jews He coming to Iamnia made inroads upon Judaea and built up that Town according to order which John the son of Simon then lying at Gazara understanding gave notice thereof to his father who now being decrepit committed the War to him and his brother Judas He taking with him 20000 foot and a party of horse marched straight down against Cendebaeus and then placing his horse in the midst of the foot that it might protect and be protected against the Cavalry of the Enemy which was exceeding strong he overthrew him and putting the whole Army to the rout some betook themselves into the Fort newly built and others flying away he pursued them as far as the Towers of Azotus which having set on fire and slain 2000 men he retreated safe into Judaea 74. This successe of John sufficiently moved Antiochus to punish Simon but it was done to his hand by one who of all others might least have done it There was one Ptolomy the son of Abubus son-in-law to Simon and by him set over the Province of Jericho He entertaining his father-in-law as he went his Circuit about the Countrey to take care for the Government thereof slew him treacherously after a feast together with his two sons Mattathias and Judas Simon and his two sons murdered by his son-in-law when he had governed the people 8 years His design was being rich to obtain the Principality of that Countrey where he lived and therefore he presently certified Antiochus of his feat desiring an Army of him wherewith he might subdue the Cities of Iudaea He also sent certain cut-throats to murder Iohn Simons son wrote to the Collonels of the Army to draw them over to him and sent others to seize upon Ierusalem and the Temple But Iohn having timely notice of his treachery prevented his death by that of the Messengers and was made High-Priest in the room of his father and here the Author of the first books of Maccabees concludes his work having therein delivered the history of 40 years Antiochus besiegeth Jerusalem Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 16. Antiochus taking the opportunity of Simons death came into Iudaea which wasting round about he drove up Iohn sirnamed Hyrcanus into Ierusalem to which he laid close siege his Army being divided into seven parts The besieged being exceedingly helped from the strength of the Walls stood out manfully so that he raised an hundred Turrets from which he endeavoured to scale the Walls and compassed in the Town with a double Trench that none might escape but they still defending themselves sometimes sallied out and did him harm Hyrcanus seeing a great and uselesse multitude in the Citie which consumed the victuals put out the more infirm out of the Walls whence being hindred from going any further by the siege they wandred about the Walls almost famished till at the feast of Tabernacles out of pity they were again admitted 75. At this feast of Tabernacles Hyrcanus sent out to Antiochus to desire a Truce for seven dayes because of the celebration thereof He not onely granted this but sent in also Bulls with gilded horns golden and silver Cups with all sorts of spices and beasts for sacrifice and made a feast to the Army by which the other taking notice of his great humanity whence he was sirnamed Pius as also uncertain for what other reason Sidetes withall considering that the Sabbatical year being now at an end and the people being hindred from sowing a famine was likely to insue he sent out to him desiring that the Iews might be suffered to live according to their own Laws Many about the King advised him utterly to destroy the Citie to blot out the very name of the Iews from under heaven at least to dissolve their Laws and change their course of life so diverse from and disagreeable to other Nations but he being moved by a principle of magnanimity and bounty rejected this counsel and approving of the piety of the Iews commanded them to deliver up their Arms But departeth upon good terms for the besieged pull down their Walls pay Tribute for Joppe and other Towns without Judaea and receive a Garrison A. M. 3870. Ol. 161. ann 2. V.C. 619. Seleucid 178. Ptol. Physconis 12. Joh. Hyrcan 1. upon which conditions he offered them peace They yielded to all but the last because they would not converse with the Gentiles yet in Lieu of it chose to give Hostages amongst others Hyroanus his own brother and pay 500 Talents whereof 300 at present whereupon the siege was removed and they were freed from any further incumbrance Hyrcanus opening the sepulcher of David who had been the richest of Kings took out thence 3000 Talents wherewith filling his Coffers he first listed strangers in his Militia and entertained Antiochus and his Army in Ierusalem very plentifully 76. Antiochus Sidetes in the eighth year of his reign Iustin lib. 38. Appian in Syriacis Livius lib. 59. three years after his departure from Ierusalem undertook an expedition against Phraates the Parthian to fetch back his brother Demetrius still kept there in free custody who had twice attempted an escape but being retaken still was sent back to his wife and children not so much out of any pity or respect of alliance as because that King having an itching desire of getting Syria also into his power preserved him to use against his brother as time and opportunity should serve Antiochus with a great but extraordinarily effeminate Army marched into Media where many Eastern Princes met him with all their hearts giving up themselves and Countreys to him and cursing of the pride of the Parthians whereby he got such strength as overthrowing the Enemy in three several battels he reduced him within the bounds of his own Countrey But what he thus suddenly got he almost as quickly lost again for upon the approach of Winter quartering his Soldiers abroad in the Countrey the people were so oppressed what by the exaction of provisions and their insolence that they again revolted to the Parthian and upon agreement at one and the same time set upon them as they were severally disposed of in their quarters Antiochus Sidetes is slain by the Parthians Antiochus hearing this with that party which lay with him came in to relieve the next to him and there met with Phraates himself
accompanied with most of the Senate many Equites and some Commoners where Gracchus was speaking to the People and endeavoring to be chosen Tribune for the following year They fell upon him and his hearers whereof they killed 300 and amongst them himself with a piece of a seat as he ran down from the Capitol Thus he fell by the means of his own kinsman He and his complices are killed by the means of Scipio Nasica his kinsman which was the first blood drawn by the Romans from one another being a most excellently accomplished man though too violent in a matter honest enough Offic. l. 1. And this was the first blood which in a seditious way the Romans first drew from one another observed by Cicero to have been at the same time that the other Scipio destroyed Numantia 8. At this time were there some risings at Athens and in Delos Livii Epitom l. 59. being as sparks of that fire formerly kindled by Ennus in Sicily which with some trouble were extinguished neither was Italy altogether free from them But a more noble War insued about the Kingdom of Asia For Orosius l. 5. c. 8 9. Attalas King of Pergamus or Asia for so he is called because of a good part of Asia given to Eumenes his father by his last will left the People of Rome his heir But after his death Aristonicus his base brother seized on the Kingdom as his inheritance Aristonicus contesting with the Romans for the Kingdom of Pergamus First was Licinius Crassus the Consul sent against him Velleius Patercul l. 2. c. 4. Florus l. 2. c. ult but was overthrown and being taken struck one of the Soldiers on the eye on purpose to provoke him to kill him which he did He having thus miscaried though he was assisted in his enterprise by several Kings his Successor M. Perpenna hasting into Asia set upon Aristonicus at unawares when he was not yet recovered of the security contracted by his Victory and overthrowing him in battel besieged him in Stratonice where he forced him by famine to yield and shortly after the Consul died at Pergamus The remainder of the War was finished by M. Aquilius the next year's Consul Is taken who poisoned Fountains for taking in some Cities and having together with those joyned with him according to the custom setled the Province with sufficient oppression of the people he led Aristonicus in Triumph though taken by another man's labour who by order of the Senate was strangled in prison in the 625 year of the Citie And strangled the said M. Aquilius Nepos and C. Sempronius Tuditanus being Consuls 9. Vide Appian de bello civili lib. 2. Velleium lib. 2. cap. 6. Plutarch in Gracchis Val. Maxim lib. 6. cap. 2. Exemp 3. Livii Epitom lib. 59 60. Orosium lib. 5. cap. 10. Florum lib. 3. cap. 15. The civil dissentions died not with Gracchus who perished four years before his Law for division of the grounds being still in force and the people being sensible of the equity thereof as they accounted it for that the rich had got all into their hands The civil dissentions renewed and those that underwent all the toyl in Conquering the Land were ready to starve being also exhausted by the Wars and almost none but slaves left in Italy for ordering of the grounds Gracchus had a younger brother called Caius whom together with Fulvius Flaccus and Papirius Carbo he had made Triumviri for division of the grounds Caius Graccbus the brother of Tiberius patronizeth his Law He with his Collegues undertook the patronage of the Law and prosecuting his Enterprize with all earnestnesse such trouble arose about the division in accounting and removing that the Italians finding themselves agrieved betook themselves to Scipio Africanus He refused not to undertake their patronage yet in the Senate spake nothing against the Law onely thought fit that the executive power thereof should be taken from the Triumviri and given to some others The Senate most willingly did this and conferred it on Sempronius Tuditanus the Consul who finding the work troublesom went his way under pretence of the War in Illyricum There being now none to flie to in this case the people conceived great indignation against Scipio as ingratefull and favouring the Italians more than themselves from which his Enemies took occasion to raise further jealousies Indeed hearing of Gracchus his death at Numantia by repeating a verse in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odyss 1. Homer he liked well of what was done to him and being at his return asked concerning his death he approved of it before all the people which being offended at him for it he rebuked the multitude with contumelious language But at night going to his Chamber he meditated of something he intended to speak to the people the day following and in the morning was found dead in his bed it 's uncertain by what means Scipio Africanus the younger dieth suddenly Cornelia the Mother of the Gracchi was suspected to have joyned with her daughter his wife who being not over-handsome neither loved him much not was over much loved in practizing something upon him No inquisition was made after his death and he was buried privately though so great a man and one that had been the pillar of the Commonwealth 10. The Possessors of the grounds still made delayes in the division and some thought that they to whom they were to be divided should in way of recompense be made free of the Citie which however pleasing to others was highly displeasing to the Senate While men muttered much of these things C. Gracchus procured the Tribuneship and then bearing a grudge to the Senate effectually shewed it Caius getting the Tribuneship preferreth Laws distastfull to the Senate He preferred a Law for dividing of the publick Corn to every man monethly and getting his Office continued to him for another year that he might gratifie the Equites brought down the Office of judging corrupt Officers from the Senators unto them Romulus as we said instituted three Centuries of Equites or Hors-men whereof one from himself was named Ramnensis another from Fitus Tatius Tatiensis and the third from Lucanio or Lucus Luceris Under Romulus and the Kings they were also called Celeres Flexumines and Trossuli Afterwards Tarquinius Priscus added 300 more and so there continued to be 600 Equites The Order and Rank of Equites or Knights how and when it came up But though they were in the Commonwealth from the beginning yet had they no peculiar order authority or rank till this Law of Gracchus by which it was enacted that these judgements should be peculiar to them Their reputation thence forward increased with various successe about the Publicans till Cicero's time who boasting himself of this order procured it such honour that from his Consulship it came to be as a peculiar order in the State before being included in the
People should make disturbance within sent to him about an agreement He refused to admit of any addresse made to him as a private man so that they were forced to treat with him as Consul and desired he would swear to abstain from blood This he flatly refused to do but promised that wittingly and willingly he would not be the cause of any mans death so he was received and the Law abrogated for banishing Marius and his associates Getteth into Rome and there cruelly rageth with Cinna his Collegue Upon their entrance began plundering and slaughters in all places Octavius though having the oath both of Cinna and Marius refusing to flye from his charge was killed and his head set upon the Rostra to which was afterwards added that of Antonius Grand-father to the Triumvir an excellent Orator who for a good space defended himself by his eloquence from the Soldiers and several others None were spared either for dignity worth or age The dead bodies being mangled and abused otherwise were left to be torn in pieces by dogs and fowls none daring to bury them All Sylla's friends were killed his house defaced and his goods put to sale he being judged and declared an Enemy Merula though he never sought the Consulship but had it put upon him and Catulu having their dayes set them to answer destroyed themselves 6. Cinna and Marius having thus satisfied their bloody minds made themselves Consuls for the following year But Marius died ere the moneths end having born this Office now seven times a man more profitable to his Country in the time of War than of Peace Dieth To him succeeded Valerius Flaccus whom Cinna sent into Asia to supply the room of Sylla there But he by this time had done the work and was coming home to revenge the former injuries having subdued Mithridates in lesse than three years killed 160000 of his men recovered Grecce Macedonia Ionia Asia and other Countries which he had got into his hands taken his Navy from him and forced him to be content with his own inheritance These things are to be declared in order 7. After Mithridates had taken Aquilius with the rest A. M. 3917. and seized upon Asia and other Countries whilst Sylla was at Rome setling things there against Marius and his faction as is before shewed he sent his letters abroad into all the Cities of Asia willing them at one day prefixed to kill all Italians and Romans Mithridates causeth 80000 Italians and Romans or more in one day to be killed with their wives and children and cast them out unburied then to seize on their estates taking one part to themselves Valer. Max. l. 9. c. 2. Ext. exemp 3. Plutarch in Sylla and reserving the other for his use This was accordingly done and 80000 according to some according to others 150000 perished in one day Then went he into the Island Cous where getting great treasure into his hands there laid up by one of the Cleopatraes he departed to Rhodes and all manner of waies attempted to take the City though without successe such was the constancy and fidelity of the Rhodians towards the Romans amongst other confederates which universally revolted Then sent he Archelaus his General into Greece leaving Pelopidas in Lycia to carry on the War there he himself providing Forces and punishing such as he found inclinable towards the Romans 8. Archelaus first recovered Delos which from the Athenians had revolted to the Romans then joyned he to himself the Achaians Lacaedemoniads and Boeotians After this he was fought by Brittius who had put to flight Metrophanes sent also into Greece from the King but having fresh supplies Brittius withdrew himself to the Piraeus or Haven of Athens Vide Appian in Mithridaticis Plutarch in Sylla which shortly after Archelaus took in with his Fleet. Now Sylla arrived in Greece with five Legions and some Companies of Horse Sylla arriving in Greece and having furnished himself with money and provisions in Aetolia and Thessaly marched into Attica against Archelaus almost whole Boeotia with Thebes the chief City revolting to him in his passage He besieged Archelaus in the Piraeus a very strong place as fenced with a wall almost 40 cubits high consisting of square stones and built by Pericles during the first motions of the Peloponnesian War Having also besieged Athens it self he spent the whole Summer in the siege and at length took it the Inhabitants being unable to make any more resistance through famine which so far prevailed as they made meat of sodden lether Taketh Athens and the Piraeus and overthrows Archelaus the Kings General once and fed upon the bodies of dead men The Piraeus was also shortly after taken and the walls thereof demolished with the Arcenal and all the rarities therein were destroyed Then Sylla followed Archelaus through Boeotia and fought with him near Cheronea in a place so straight that no way being open for flight he slew so many that of 120000 not many more than 10000 remained this being an Army sent over by the King out of his new Provinces 9. Mithridates put divers Princes of his newly conquered Provinces to death for fear they should kill or betray him by which cruelty he lost all Gallograecia Ephesus also and other towns revolted from him whereof such as he recovered he used cruelly Appian ut supra Orosius lib. 6. cap. 2. Florus l. 3. c. 5. and afterwards fearing a general defection to purchase favour he set the Greek Cities at liberty Some that conspired his death were discovered and upon suspition were 1600 men made away Then sent he another supply to Archelaus of 80000 men which with the other 10000 remaining of the former Army were routed by Sylla near Orchomenes and about 15000 being slain the rest betaking themselves to their Camp were also killed or taken And again a vast slaughter having been made Archelaus having lost his son Diogenes hid himself in a fen and thence fled to Chalcis once more After this Sylla chastized the Boeotians for their ficklenesse for they would stand to neither party long and took up his Winter quarters in Thessaly providing himself of shipping because he heard nothing of Lucullus whom he had sent into Aegypt to procure a Navy Now at this time was Flaccus who had succeeded Marius sent into Asia by Cinna to succeed Sylla Him Fimbria his Quaestor killed in a quarrel about lodging being hated by his Soldiers and he headed his Army with which he several times fought and that prosperously against Mithridates his son and drove the King himself into Pergamus and thence to Pitane where he took ship and fled to Mitylene and might have been taken if Lucullus would Then did Fimbria haraze Cappadocia and burnt Ilium the daughter of Troy for that the Inhabitants had given up themselves to Sylla and not to him so that though a Roman and so akin to them he is said to have used them
Nero disswaded it judging it better to secure them till Cataline were suppressed and the thing better sifted out Of this opinion was C. Julius Caesar something suspected to be privy to the design He would have them dispersed in several Towns in Italy by the Consul's appointment afterwards to be tried and not put to death altogether unheard This seemed very plausible till Cato great Grand-son to M. Porcius Cato the Censor very earnestly pressed the contrary falling foul upon Caesar as a suspicious person Fourth Then the Consul made his fourth Oration wherein he so disputeth of the two contrary opinions as he evidently inclineth to severity as fearing what the guilty party might do the night following out of necessity and desperation Catalines complices put to death Hereby the Senate was induced to put them to death as surprized in the fact which Cicero saw done accordingly ere the house arose After this Cataline was overtaken by C. Antonius the other Consul near the Alps as he was going into Gall to perfect his Levies and there fighting most valiantly was slain And he himself slain His men also fought it out to the last scarcely one of them being taken So was quasht this most dangerous conspiracy by the vigilancy especially of Cicero the Consul who wrote an History thereof which is lost Publick thanks for his great care and pains were given to him and at the instance of Cato with divers acclamations of the People he was first of all others stiled Father of his Countrey C. Julius Caesar beginneth to be eminent 43. Now began C. Julius Caesar to be very eminent two years after these stirs being sent as Praetor into the further Spain Lege Suttonium in Julio He was born in the 654 year of the Citie C. Marius the sixth time and L. Valerius Flaccus being Consuls the same that the Sedition about Saturninus hapned on the 12th day of the moneth Quinctilis afterward from him named July by Antonius his Law His birth His father was C. Julius Caesar who never arose higher than the Praetorship and died suddenly at Pisae as his shooes were drawing on in the morning his mother was Aurelia the daughter of C. Cotta and Julia the wife of Marius was his Aunt In his youth having married Cinna's daughter by which he had Julia refusing to put her away he was in great danger being with much ado spared by Sylla who as it were foretelling what trouble he would bring to the State said that in Caesar were many Marii The foundation of his Military skill he laid in Asia The foundation of his Military skill under M. Thermus the Praetor by whom being sent into Bithynia to fetch away the Navy he stayed with Nicomedes the King to whom it was suspected that he prostituted himself Afterwards in the taking of Mitylene he had deserved well and served under Servilius Isauricus in Cilicia but not long For hearing of Sylla's death and hoping to make his fortune out of the dissentions raised by Lepidus home he came but not finding a convenient oppportunity and having to no purpose accused Dolobella to shun the Envy thereby contracted he went to Rhodes to hear Apollonius whence sayling in Winter he fell into the hands of the Pirates and was forced to purchase his freedom with fifty Talents to revenge which he procured some ships took some of them whom he nailed to Crosses though without leave from the Praetor who would have sold them After this he gave a stop to Mithridates his Lieutenant and saved divers Cities in Asia He assisted Pompey the Consul and others Made Quaestor in restoring the Tribuneship which Sylla had broken Shortly after he was made Quaestor and sent into further Spain where going about to administer Justice he came to Gades and saw Alexanders image in the Temple of Hercules It troubled him exceedingly to consider that he himself had done no memorable thing at that age wherein Alexander had Conquered the World and thereupon he earnestly desired to be recalled that being in the Citie he might catch at some opportunity for his own advancement Joyneth with factious persons 44. Having got leave to return ere his time was out he joyned presently with the Latine Colonies in demanding the freedom of the Citie and had incited them to some desperate design but that the Senate for fear of the worst retained the Legions some time which were raised for Cilicia He was suspected to have been of the party of M. Crassus of P. Sulla also and Autronius who having been designed Consuls were found to have indirectly sought for the Office and so according to Law forfeited their places to the discoverers in the beginning of the year to set upon the Senate and kill whom they pleased Crassus being made Dictator he was to have been Master of the hors-men under him and all things being ordered according to their pleasure the Consulship was to have been restored to the other two â—ome have affirmed whom Suetonius citeth that he also conspired with Cn. Piso that the one in the Citie and the other abroad should rise which was prevented by Piso's death Made Aedilis Being after this Aedilis he so managed the businesse of publick buildings and shews that all was ascribed to him and nothing to his Collegue by which means and others he procured the favour of the People and essayed by the Tribunes to get Egypt assigned to him which now having expelled the King he thought would affoard him an opportunity of an extraordinary command But he was crossed by the great ones whom that he might vex he restored the Trophies erected by Marius over the Cimbri which Sulla had caused to be pulled down and suborned those who accused Rabirius By his means especially the Senate had suppressed Saturninus the seditious Tribune and now being brought before Caesar as his Judge he was so severe against him that nothing so much helped the man in his appeal from him to the People 45. After his repulse as to Egypt he stood for the High-Priesthood and by large sums such corruption were those times arrived at bought so many voices as he carried it from two most powerfull men and his Seniors Getteth by bribery the High Priesthood having more suffrages out of their two Tribes than they had out of all the rest besides Then being Praetor he stood for the complices of Cataline so earnestly as he drew to his party the brother of Cicero the Consul and diverse others After this he assisted Caecilius Metellus the Tribune in preferring turbulent Laws till both of them by a decree of the Senate were displaced and yet then would he sit and execute his Office still till forced to withdraw then out of policy he restrained the multitude which flocked to him Joyneth again with seditious men and offered to restore him by strong hand of which the Senate taking notice gave him thanks with great commendations and re-invested
him in his Office After this he fell into another danger being accused by Vettius and Curius as a partner of Cataline yet appealing to Cicero that he had discovered some things to him he came off and revenged himself upon his accusers Then obtained he by lot as we said the Government of Spain and having contracted a vast debt Goeth Praetor into Spain put off his Creditors for that time by the interposition of sureties Coming into his Province he spent not his time in administring Justice A. M. 3944. V. C. 693. but pierced farther into the Countrey and subdued certain people before this untouched seeking matter for a Triumph which then to obtain he hasted to Rome But it being now the time for the Consular Comitia he had an extraordinary desire to that Office and begged of the Senate that he might stand for it by proxy for that he could not himself be present it being against the custom for any that was to Triumph to enter the Citie ere that day came for which as yet he was not provided This though against the Laws was not without president but could not now be granted Therefore he resolved rather to lose his Triumph than misse of the Consulship and coming to Town stood for it himself 46. Great contests hapned about this Office and he had not carried it but that Pompey at this time stood in need of it Obtaineth the Consulship by the means of Pompey For Idem ibid. Plutarch in Pompeio Caesare Lucullo Velleius Patercul l. 2. c. 20. Appian de bello civili lib. 2. Dio lib. 37. pag. 55. A. Livii Epitom lib. 103. the great ones envying his fame refused to confirm those conditions which he had granted to the Kings Governours and Cities of Asia Lucullus his Predecessor in the War with Mithridates who since his return had given up himself wholy to idlenesse and luxury for he first brought into Rome the extravagancy of buildings and feasting they stirred up by his authority to promote their opposition and he presently fell upon him together with Metellus Creticus who bore him malice also ever since the Piratick War Lucullus bade him report his matters singly and not as a Soveraign Lord expect they should all be confirmed without any consideration and whereas he had rescinded several of his acts he desired of the Senate that this might be considered of whether justly done or otherwise Cato Metellus Celer the Consul and Crassus defended Lucullus who boasted that the victory over Mithridates was his own and he obtained that his decrees which Pompey had repealed might be in force and those that Pompey made in reference to the Conquered Kings should be null and he hindred by the help of Cato a Law which he would have preferred about dividing grounds to his Soldiers Pompey being thus used in the Senate betook himself to the Tribunes one whereof L. Flavius that the Law for the grounds might more easily passe would have given the suffrage to all Citizens but Metellus the Consul so earnestly opposed it that though the Tribune cast him in prison yet would he not depart from his former sence which pertinaciousnesse of him and others when Pompey saw he desisted repenting too late that he had disbanded his Armies and exposed himself thus to the malice of his Enemies 47. At this time came C. Julius Caesar to Rome to stand for the Consulship Pompey joyned with him upon condition that he procuring the Consulship for him he would confirm his acts And whereas Pompey and M. Crassus had formerly been at odds ever since their joynt Consulship which they executed with great discord Pompey and Crassus made friends and they three make the conspiracy called the Tricipitina Caesar now made them friends A. M. 3946. Ol. 180. ann 2. V.C. 695. Hyrcani 5. and not onely so but they all three conspired together that nothing should be done in the Commonwealth which displeased any one of them which conspiracy say Writers was pernicious to the Citie the World and at length to themselves This conspiracy of these three principal persons Varro who wrote 490 books described in one book called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tricipitina or Three headed Diodorus Siculus fetcheth the Original of Caesarean matters from this year wherein he travelled into Egypt when young Ptolomy Dionysus was King With this conspiracy also Asinius Pollio begun his History of the Civil War For the falling out of Caesar and Pompey did not as most have thought procure the Civil Wars but rather their Conjunction which was designed to break in pieces the power of the Nobility as Plutarch observeth in the life of Caesar This was the 694th year of the Citie the first of the 180th Olympiad Herodes being Archon at Athens the 58th year before the birth of Christ A. M. 3945. Q. Caecilius Metellus and L. Afranius being Consuls SECT 6. SECT VI. From the beginning of the Tricipitina or first Triumvirate to the absolutenesse of Julius Caesar containing the space of sixteen years 1. CAESAR by the help of Pompey obtained the Consulship but not without the assistance of money also There were two other Competitors L. Lucerius and M. Bibulus whereof he was much for the former Caesar and also his adversaries purchase the Consulship having agreed with him that because he was lesse in favour Velleius l. 2. c. 33. Appian belli civilis l. 2. p. 435. Strabo lib. 12. p. 558. Plutarch in Caesare Lucullo Pompeio Livii Epirom l. 10. but very rich he should give money for them both through the Centuries But the Grandees understanding this and fearing if he had him for his Collegue he might do what he listed they caused Bibulus to offer more they themselves contributing to the expence which corruption Cato denied not to be for the good of the Commonwealth now brought by the means of such evil members into absolute danger and necessity Caesar confirmed Pompey's acts according to agreement neither Lucullus nor any other opposing it and Pompey procured that what honour Lucullus had promised to certain men of Pontus should not be confirmed by the Senate filling the City with Soldiers and by force casting him and Cato out of the Forum In this his first Consulship he sold alliances with Rome and also Kingdoms and to procure the favour of the Commons His acts therein preferred a Law for dividing certain grounds in Campania which had been preserved to defray publick charges to such Citizens as had three children or more This he caused to passe by force and compelled all Plebeians to swear to observe the Law and the Senators also though Cato urged them to refuse for they did it to save their lives he having caused the People to decree that it should be capital for any to deny it He had recourse to the People in all cases making little use of the Senate which he seldom called together Bibulus his Collegue
change the customs of his Country All these Magistrates he would have of Caesar's making and not this power to be left in any case to the Senate or People He counselled him by all means to diminish their antient power which else might procure trouble and alteration but leave them their whole honour and dignity The way to this was to make them execute their Offices in the City Magistrates of Senatorian dignity and not suffer them then nor presesently after to have any Military command but for some time to live privately He would have these Magistrates to celebrate games and exercise judicial power in all cases except that of murther for some Judges were to be chosen from amongst the rest of the Senators but the chief power to remain in these Then he said a certain Governour or Mayor of the City was to be made out of the most principal men who had born these Offices to joyn with the rest in governing the City to receive appeals and judge capital causes except some afterwards to be spoken of both in the City and 81 miles round about Another of the same rank was to be chosen who should make inspection into the stock estates and manners of Senators and Knights or Equites both those of under age and others and as well of women as the other Sex to correct such things as being not worthy of punishment yet being neglected might occasion great inconveniences and refer the greater matters to Caesar himself who was to bear the name of Censor and the other being a Patrician and the next in dignity to the Mayor but that of Subcensor These two Officers might be for life except they commited some fault or by old age or sicknesse were rendred unserviceable for no dammage could thence arise the one having no Soldiers and the other but a few and who should execute his Office before Caesar's eyes for the most part The other Magistrates would fear to do any unjust thing being presently to be reduced into a private condition and others to succeed them in their power He added that the Provinces were onely to be committed to men of Praetorian rank the rest being Propraetors in order once and again should arrive at the Consulship if they well exercised their former Offices and then be preferred to greater commands 15. He further advised him to divide Italy for 94 miles round about the City and all the rest of conquered Countries after such a manner according to People Nations and Cities as if they were to be governed by single men with absolute power In each of these Soldiers were to be placed over whom was to be set one person of Consular dignity and two more of Praetorian rank from those there lying appeal to the other in all cases except when Officers of the Army were to be animadverted on who were to be punished by none but Caesar himself lest they should thereby be brought by fearing some one more to attempt something against the Prince All those who had any command out of the City were to have their salaries set as was suitable to the imployment for that they could not live of their own and it was not convenient they should spend what they list as they did at present They were not to hold their imployments under the term of three years nor longer than five for in so short a space they could but learn the interests of places and how to behave themselves and longer commands made men but proud and provoked them to attempt new matters And one great command he said was not to be given them presenly after another for this would amount to as much as if they had one continued to them but after they had been reduced to a private condition and therein lived at home Thus much for Senators 16. From amongst the Equites he would have him chuse out two of the most excellent Of Equestrian rank and make them Captains of his Guard For to commit that trust to one would not be safe and to more than two would not want trouble Being two in number if one should be treacherous the other would preserve him They were to be such as had been trained up in the Wars and much exercised in Offices and to have the command not onely of his Guard but of all Soldiers in Italy so as to punish and reward them except Centurions and such as belonged to Senatorian Magistrates These Captains of the Guard ought to have their Deputies and hold their places for their lives as also the Mayor of the City and the Subcensor Besides out of the next rank of Equites one should be chosen for Captain of the Watch and another â—o take care for provision of Corn but these for a limited time The care of the Treasury Exchecker and other matters as well at Rome as throughout Italy was to be committed to those of Equestrian rank who were to have salaries suitable to their condition being poorer than Senators He told him the reason why he would have these Offices committed to them was for that it was inconvenient to have both the sword and money in the same hands and better that publick businesse should be managed by many both that more might reap benefit from it and learn experience and hereby his Subjects would love him more and he would have a sufficient number fit for employment One Eques would be sufficient at Rome for gathering money and one in each Province who might have assistants out of the Equites and Caesar's Liberti or Freed-men For he told him it was convenient to joyn those with them that his servants might get something and he receive certain intelligence how matters should go Now if any Eques or Knight if we may so call him should grow so famous by businesse as to be thought worthy to be received into the Senatorian rank his age ought not to be any obstacle and sometimes some Officers of the Army were to be received into the Senate provided they had never been ordinary Soldiers but from the beginning Centurions at the least 17. He further advised him to educate all of Senatorian and Equestrian rank Education of the children of Senators and Equites whilst they were boyes at School in humanity and when grown up in fencing and riding by Masters hired publickly in both places Forasmuch as it is the part of an excellent Prince not onely that he do well himself but to take care that all else do so This would be effected not by permitting them to do ill and then correcting them but teaching them before-hand such things And he added that he needed not to fear that such as were so excellently educated would attempt innovation forasmuch as such as were not cultivated by any discipline but dissolute in breeding and cariage were hereof to bee suspected who easily would commit the most wicked and abhominable things both against themselves and others 18. Forasmuch as by reason of the
for he contented himself with the Equestrian rank neither could he not obtain greater things but he would * Maecenas eques Hetrusco de Sanguint regum Intra fortunam qui cupis esse tuam Propertius l. 3. not He had great power with Augustus which he improved to the allaying of his passion and doing good offices for others as one example shews above the rest On a time as Augustus sate in Judgment and was about to sentence many to death he perceiving it and nor able to come at him for the croud wrote these words Rise up at last Executioner in a table and cast them into Caesar's lap as some other matter who having read them presently departed without condemning any Neither did this offend Augustus but he was glad that he had one who would be so free with him and curb that anger which either his inclination or the urgency of businesse moved him to (a) Cilnius Arreti Tyrrhenis ortus in oris Clarum nomen erat Silius Italicus Cilnius was the antient name of his Family and Arretium in the Tyrrhenian Coasts the place of it (b) L. 7. c. 5â— Pliny telleth strange passages of him as that he never was without an Ague and for three years before his death never slept a quarter of an hour together In the same year which was that wherein Augustus mended the Calendar and called the moneth Sextilis after himself Horace the Poet also died in the 57 year of his age His familiarity with Caesar and Maecenas is sufficiently known His life is written by Suetonius 40. Augustus having again quieted all Nations and shut the Temple of Janus the third time having ordained a general taxation throughout the Empire that he might know the State and worth thereof having also refused the name of Dominus or Lord with great earnestnesse which he forbad even his Children and Nephews by an edict to use towards him the Lord and Heir of all things came into the World in the fulnesse of time revealed by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Daniel for the fulfilling of the promises made concerning the seed of the woman The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which should break the serpents head A. M. 4003. Ol. 194. an 3. V. C. 752. Caesare Augusto 13. M. Plautio Silano Coss Great difference there is in assigning the year of the World wherein our Saviour was born by reason of the difficulty of computation arising from the several versions of the Scriptures the intricate and uncertain successions of the Judges the variety of the forms of years and the several reckonings as to parcels of such as are related in Scripture A great help for the regulation of these things is afforded from prophane Histories But it beginneth but with Cyrus whose History as to the restauration of the Jews presenteth us with the first certain note of conjunction he being so named both by holy and prophane Writers but not Nebuchadnesar and yet the duration of his reign is also uncertain Yet as from all these opinions weighed together a good account may be given in another place more proper for the length of it as to the year of the World so the Evangelist teaching us that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Christ was about thirty years old it must needs follow that Augustus reigned fifteen years after his birth so that if we count as some do the reign of Augustus from the death of Julius Caesar it lasted 57 years and then must Christ be born in the 42 of it But if we follow them as the order of this Work doth who with more reason fetch the beginning of his Empire from the death of Antony and the conquest of Aegypt then Christ's birth fell into the 28 year thereof and according to the computation which we most approve into the 4003 year of the World the 752 of the City and the third year of the 194 Olympiad wherein Caesar Augustus himself the thirteenth time and M. Plautius Silanus were Consuls Although Cyrenius who was Consul ten years before and is called elsewhere P. Sulpicius Quirinus might not formally be President of Syria which Office as others say was now obtained by Quintilius Vanus Josephus Antiq. l. 17. c. 7. who succeeded Saturninus who as yet was not departed out of the Province yet being set over this taxation by Augustus in that place this title might well be given him though he then governed Cilicia De bello Judaic l. 1. c. 15. as Herod is by Jesephus said to be constituted Procurator of all Syria though it had it's Officers who were to act by his assistance and direction Herod had now reigned 37 years and odd moneths and being deluded by the Wise Men whom he willingly suffered to search out Christ that he might destroy him killed all the children in and about Bethlehem of two years and under Matth. 2.16 which cruelty was but agreable with his disposition and constant practice Here that we may describe his affaires we must make a little digression and take them where we formerly left them A digression to the affairs of Herod 41. After he had obtained the possession of his Kingdom Josephus Antiq. l. 15. c. 1 c. he put to death 45 of Antigonus his friends having procured him to be beheaded as we formerly shewed Then did he prefer to the High-Priesthood one Ananel an obscure man neglecting Aristobulus the son of Aristobulus the King and brother to his own wife Mariamne and Antony desiring to see this youth for the fame of his beauty he fearing the Roman might advance him to stay him at home gave him the Priesthood and excused his neglect to send him by the inclination of the Jews to rebellion Perceiving him then to be in extraordinary favour with the Jews and that his mother Alexandra which he kept very close because of her restlesse spirit plorted the escape of her self and son into Aegypt a year after as he was swimming he caused him to be drowned and though Cleopatra accused him hereof to Antony yet by presents he made his Peace He maketh away Aristobulus In the Civil Wars he sided with Antony who having forces sufficient desired him to chastize the Arabians that denied the Tribute imposed on them This he did and though at first his attempts miscaried yet in another battel he quite overthrew and brought them under After the overthrow of Antony he had little hope that his own matters would go well He murdered Hyrcanus who onely survived of all the males of the Royal Family and whom he had recalled from Babylon Idem ibid. c. 9 c. whither he was caried by the Parthians He took the advantage of the old man's intent to flye into Arabia through the importunity of his daughter Alexandra who promised him great things if Herod should miscary under the power of Augustus Then providing as well as he could for the worst in case it should happen
amongst the rest with swords hid under their Cloaths who killing Eleazar and many of his faction seized also on that part of the Temple Idem ibid. Tacitus Hist l. 5. c. 12. and thereby the number of the factions was reduced to that of two That under John consisted of 8400. and the other under Simon of 10000 fighting men besides 5000 Idumaeans Notwithstanding the Enemy was at the Walls and to oppose him they a little joyned together yet did they break out the one upon the other and the poor people miserably suffered under both 16. The Citie being fortified with three Walls on every side Josephus de bello l. 6. c. 7 8 9 10 11. but where it was fenced with deep Valleys Titus having with much opposition placed his Engines battered the uttermost of them and breaking on the third of May into the Citie Breaking into it possessed all the North part as far as the Tower of Antonius and the Valley of Cedron Five dayes after he brake within the second Wall though the besieged made divers sallies They beat him out again but the fourth day after he recovered the place and prepared for the battery of the third Wall Yet he sent Joseph the Historian to them who exhorting them with many words to yield was entertained onely with scoffs and reproaches The people thinking to escape out of the Citie John and Simon stopped up all passages yet the famine increasing many came out whom being taken Titus caused to be Crucified to such a vast number that room was wanting for Crosses and Crosses for persons On the 12th of May he began four Mounts whereon to place his battering rams two near to the Castle Antonia where he hoped he might take the Temple and other two near the Monument of John the High-Priest where he thought he should with most ease break into the upper part of the Citie But John whose part it was to oppose the Romans in the former place cast down and burnt them two and two dayes after Simon did as much by the other though seventeen dayes had been spent in making them all He destroyed also many rams and engines and brake into the very Camp of the Romans but was repelled by Titus from Antonia who in a Council of Officers resolved now to compasse the whole City with a trench which with incredible diligence and celerity was finished in three dayes with thirteen forts to hinder the flight of the besieged and hinder the conveyance of relief into the City 17. The seditious were nothing herewith moved though the famine not only raged amongst the common sort but themselves also were pressed by it A certain Noble woman sod her child to eat it and such a mortality ensued that from the fourteenth of April to the first of July were caried out to be buried at the publick charge 115080 carkeises of the poorer sort Famine rageth as Titus was told by one Mannaeus who was appointed to pay the money Divers Noble men that fled to him certified him also that 600000 of the ordinary sort were cast dead out of the gates and others that were dead besides were innumerable for because they could not cary all out they laid them up in houses A bushel of corn was sold for a talent sinks and holes were raked to find old dung of Oxen to eat which much moved the Romans to compassion but the seditious were hereby nothing changed For Simon not obstaining from murders and rapines notwithstanding this lamentable condition killed Matthias the High-Priest by whom he had been let into the City with his three sons and sixteen others pretending that they purposed to flie to the Enemy Judas one of his own Officers hereupon weary of his cruelty attempted to betray a certain Tower whereof he had the charge to the Romans but being discovered was put to death with ten others of his complices John also being driven by necessity converted the Golden Vessels of the Temple with the sacred Money to prophane uses and was constrained to divide the Wine and Oil ordained for Sacrifices to his Soldiers 18. Titus cut down all the groves within a great distance of the City Idem l. 7. c. 1 c. and causing more mounts or scaffolds to be erected within 21 dayes on the first of July began to batter the wall of Antonia John that opposed him being beaten back and on the fift day broke into the Castle At this time many false Prophets suborned by the seditious told the multitude they must expect assistance from God and therefore though Titus often exhorted them to yield â—et the deluded defendants refuse to yield they flatly refused boasting that they would rather endure all miseries The contest was earnest about the Temple The wall of the inward part thereof was too strong for the battering rams and the defendants valiantly resisted at the top the foundation of the gates could not be undermined and therefore Titus was constrained to set them on fire Yet was it his intention to save the Temple but on the tenth of August a certain soldier without any command nay against the command of his General moved as by an instinct from above cast fire into the buildings on the North side which catching the flame imparted it to the Temple it self notwithstanding all that Titus could do to quench it The Temple burnt on the same day of the same moneth that it was formerly set on fire by the command of Nebuchadnezar The Temple thus burning Titus was saluted Imperator by his Soldiers and the Tyrants with their companions fled into the City They now desired a parly with the General himself who checked them much for their obstinacy but promised them life if they would yield But refusing to commit themselves to his fidelity they required to depart the City with their wives and children wherewith being greatly angred he commanded to be proclaimed by a Crier that They should not look any longer for mercy 19. He permitted his Soldiers to plunder and burn the City Idem ibid. c. 14 15 16 17 18. but the seditious wretches got to the King's house where many had deposited their wealth and thence repelled the Romans They also killed of their own Country People to the number of 6400 and rifling the money got them into the upper and strongest part of the City called Sion where for all this danger they still most cruelly tyrannized Titus having considered the strength of the place provided engines to batter the walls and began so to do it on the seventh day of September Part of the wall being broken down the Tyrants were seized with great fear and amazement not knowing what to do Some said the East part of it was broken down others that the Romans were entred and that they saw them out of the Towers so that the power of God appeared in the overthrow of these wretches for they forsook the Towers which were their onely strength and
in vain seeking to escape hid themselves in caves and privies The Romans entering put all to the Sword and burnt the houses with all that fled to them for safeguard Titus commanded both the Temple and City to be utterly razed by a plow brought over them Titus commandeth the Temple and City to be utterly razed according to the custom onely the West part of the wall with three Towers for their strength and beauty he preserved A. D. 71. Ol. 212. an 2. V. C. 823. to bear testimony of the statelinesse of the City to posterity They would have crowned him as a Conquerour for this work but he refused the honour denying he was the author of it for that he onely served God herein who by it demonstrated his wrath against the Jews To such an end came this famous City on the eighth day of September in the second year of Vespasian he and Titus his son being Consuls 38 years after the death of Christ the Blood of whom now fell heavy upon them It had been taken in all six times by Asochaeus or Shishack King of Aegypt Nebuchadnesar Antiochus Epiphanes Pompey Herod and Sosius and now by Titus but twice onely was it destroyed viz. by Nebuchadnezar and Titus It was first built saith Josephus by Melchisedeck King of Salem and afterwards inlarged by David It was destroyed by the Babylonians 1468 years and six moneths after the founding of it and 477 years and six moneths after it had been taken by David from the Canaanites By Titus Vespasian it was destroyed 1179 years after David took it but from it's first founding to it's last destruction intervened 2177 years 20. John and Simon having hid themselves were taken and the former being condemned to perpetual prison the other was reserved for a Triumph The rest of the thieves and seditious were discovered one telling of another and were all slain Of those which during the whole War were taken captives the number amounted to 97000 and of those that perished in the siege to 1100000. ' o heavy was the guilt which lay on them for the death of Christ and such were the horrid enormities committed by them that we have reason to agree with Josephus who thought Lib. 6. c. 16. that if the Romans had delayed to come against them the City would either have been swallowed up of the Earth or have perished by some Deluge or else by Thunderbolts and Lightning have undergone the punishments of Sodom whose Inhabitants they exceeded in wickednesse A year after was Lucilius Bassus sent Lieutenant into Judaea Idem l. 7. c. 25 26 28 29 30 31. who taking the Army of Cerealis Vitellianus took the Castle of Herodian and of Machaerun beyond Jordan Not long after Vespasian wrote to Liberius Maximus the Governour to sell all the Land of the Jews upon whom wheresoever they lived he imposed a yearly tribute to be paied into the Capitol it being that they were wont to pay into the Temple at Jerusalem The War finished by Sylva About a year after Publius Sylva succeeded Bassus then dead and finished the War taking the strong Castle of Massada from Eleazar who held it with 960 hacksters who upon his motion set fire on the Castle and all their goods and then killed themselves Many such as these flying out of the Country came to Alexandria in Aegypt where they sollicited the Jews to revolt but were by them delivered up to the Romans and those of them that then escaped were afterwards taken Vespasian hearing of their attempt gave order to Lupus Governour of Alexandria The Temple of the Jews in Aegypt destroyed to demolish the Temple of the Jews built in Aegypt in times past by Onias brother of the High-Priest which he neglecting to do onely spoiled it of some consecrated things and shut it up But Paulinus his Successor utterly bereaved it of all and so shut it up that he made it inaccessible and without any shew of Religion 343 years after it was first built by Onias 21. But the Jews of Cyrene were also infected with a distemper of madnesse There one Jonathan a Weaver led many of the simple sort into the Wildernesse promising to shew them signs and wonders but by the chiefest of the Jews the matter being discovered to Catullus Governour of those parts A sedition of the Jews in Cyrene he sent Soldiers who slew most of them and not long after Jonathan himself was taken Catullus a covetous man procured him and others to accuse many unjustly whom having slain and seized on their estates he caried him to Rome where following the same trade Joseph the Historian was also accused but Vespasian having found out the deceit caused Jonathan first to be whipped and then burnt alive Catullus at present escaped through the mildnesse of the Emperour but not long after fell into grievous anguish of mind imagining he saw the ghosts of those he had slain and his bowels rotted away from him that he died miserably Thus far hath Josephus communicated to us the affairs of the Jews Vide Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 9 16. who being kindly entertaind by Vespasian was honoured with a Statue and his Books were thought worthy of the publick Library For the truth of his History concerning the Wars he had the testimony of the Emperours King Agrippa and others Titus would have the certain knowledge of these Wars delivered unto the World by his Books onely The end of Josephus his History Josephus contra Apionem lib. 1. Antiquit. l. ult c. ult commanding them to be published with the privilege of his own hand And King Agrippa wrote 62 Epistles wherein he testified of the true History delivered by him But his Jewish Antiquities he finished not till the thirteenth of Domitian when he himself was 56 years old as he testifieth at the end of that Work The Lex Regia renewed in behalf of Vespasena 22. To Vespasian was renewed the Lex Regia and the same power that Augustus Tiberius and the rest enjoyed was confirmed to him as hereditatr A fragment of this Law which evinceth that absolute power we formerly proved to have been in the Emperours is yet extant after this manner Let it be lawful for him to make a League with whom he pleaseth as it was lawful to Divus Augustus Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus and Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus The Lex Regia renewed to Vespasian c. As also to hold the Senate make report dismisse and make Senatus Consulta by reporting and separation as it was lawful to Divus Augustus Tib. Julius Caesar Augustus Tib. Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Moreover when as by his will authority Ex tabula aenea in basilica Lateranensi alta palmos 9. lata 5 digitos 3 crassa in Inscrip Gruteri pag. 242. Et ex Antiq. Epigrammatum libro apud Hottomannum l. de Legibus Romanis command or mandate or he being present the
the Common-wealth King of Babylon he set himself about the work of reformation and first of all eased the people of the great burthen of their debts whereby they redeemed their bodies and estates which act was in Greek called Sisachthea Some have thought that it was onely of the interest but others of the principal too alleging him to have forgiven 5 some have said 15 talents that were owing to himself However he made them more able to satisfie their Creditors by raising the value of money as of the Attick Mina from 75 drachms to 100. Then for the setling of the Commonwealth in way thereto and in the first place he abrogated all Draco's Laws except that against murther as too severe The four Tribes of the people he left as they were ordered by Erechtheus distinguished into Souldiers Crafts-men Husband-men and keepers of Goats but for that here was no distinction made according to estates and it concerned those that had most therein to take care of the Commonwealth he also divided the people into four Ranks or Classes according to their substance and out of the three first ordered all Magistrates to be chosen the fourth and last having equal Votes in the great Council or Assembly of the whole body of the State in which lay the supream power The first was called Pentacosio Medimni the second was the Ordo Equestris the third called Zeugitae and the fourth Thetae Hereby he gave a right to the common sort to elect and call to account the Magistrates to have an hand in making and repealing Laws and in the highest Court of Judicature by which equal temper he suppressed all these factions that had lately risen And yet lest the multitude should be too much elevated A Senate of 400. besides the Court of Areopagus he instituted a Senate of 400. 100 to be chosen out of each Tribe through which all things should passe into the great Assembly wherein nothing was to be debated but what was offered from this Council elected a new every year 25. The College of the nine Archons he left Elective as he found it but ordained that they should not be admitted to take their Oath till they had first in the Senate made proof of their descent and the unblameablenesse of their life especially of their duty to their Parents and then been approved in the great Assembly after which they were to take their Oath in the Kings Gate to keep the Laws and accept of no bribes Vide Ubbonem Emmium in descript Reip. Athen. or if they should be thereof detected then to erect at Delphos a Statue of Gold of their own bignesse and the same Oath they were again to take as they went up to the Castle Crowned with Myrtle Unto them severally he assigned their Offices for the most part as they were before onely more certain and for a reward of their good service if after much and through examination they were found upright and faithfull they were to be chosen unto the Senate of Areopagus the Colledge of the Archous being hereby constituted the seminary of it To this Council Of Areopagus consisting of most grave experienced and upright men an inspection was given into all concernments of State a power of preserving the Laws and Customs and also of reforming manners in which particular they were so severe that once they condemned a boy for a custom of pulling out the eyes of Quails as hereby betraying a bad disposition They met ordinarily thrice a moneth on Mars his hill whence the Council had it's name but extraordinarily as occasion required and then in the place called the King's Gallery As for the Council of State consisting of 400 it had power also to determine great matters and controversies of it self and if it saw it convenient to report them to the people If the assent of the people was had then passed it's acts and constitutions into firm Laws if not they continued in force one year and no longer To this Council moreover it belonged to provide for such as were grown poor and were to be maintained by the publick to call all indebted to the State to an account and provide for the making of Gallies The Assembly of the People 26. To the great Assembly of the people alone belonged the power of making and nulling Lawes of Peace and War sending Ambassadors and giving the freedom of the City When they were met together they took an Oath with a bitter execration to consult the best they could for the good of the Commonwealth Those that were above fifty years of age spake first and after the businesse was throughly debated they signified their pleasure by holding up their hands Solon ordained that all the Laws should be reviewed once a year being recited by the Thesmothetae But when any were to be abrogated or new ones made the whole Assembly took not that matter of debate upon it self but committed it to the care of the most grave and prudent amongst them chosen for that purpose and called Nomothetae amongst which none were admitted but such as had dealt in the most important affaires Before them five Orators called Syndici pleaded concerning any Law that was to be abolished which should not be done without mature advice lest thereby an occasion might be given to sedition and innovation and what was concluded by these Nomothetae the body of the people alwaies approved The Assembly was had ordinarily thrice in 35 dayes at the pleasure of the Council of State or 400 but extraordinarily upon occasion called together either by the same authority of the Strategi or Generals for War and sometimes of the nine Archons Courts of Judicature 27. For Courts of Judicature besides the Areopagites formerly mentioned there was that of the Ephetae founded as its thought by Demophon the Son of Theseus consisting at first of 50 Judges chosen out of Attica and as many from Argos but Draco excluding the Strangers made the number onely 51 Citizens and after him Solon tempering the rigor thereof transferred thence the more weighty matters to Areopagus leaving the Judgment of casual homicide and lying in weight for life in some cases to it The causes brought in thither were reported by the King or second Archon There was another Court most large and common consisting of 500 1000 or sometimes 1500 persons according to the occasion chosen by lot out of all the Citizens of 30 years old and upwards They judged of many and often of the greatest causes and this was called the Heliastick Council becuase they sate in an open place where the Sun shone A fourth Court there was of Arbitrators consisting of 220 chosen out of the Tribes and being aequilly divided according to the number of them heard and determined their Causes A fifth and least considerable there was yet made up of thirty persons at the first afterwards increased to forty going in circuit to the several sorts of people gathered by Theseus
into one City heard and judged lesser matters As for the Officers belonging to the several Courts the twelve men for imprisonment and execution with the Officers of the several tribes they are scarce to be mentioned by this Work Particular Laws 28. For particular Laws Solon knowing what a multitude of people inhabited Athens took such care for prevention of idlenesse that he absolved any son from the duty of maintaining his Father fallen into povery Plutarch in Solon that had not procured him to be instructed in some Trade and the same liberty he gave unto such as were born of Strumpets He made a Law whereby he gave leave to the people to make Testaments which they never could do before all the estates of deceased persons going to the next Heir He forbad women to have any portions lest marriages should be made for gain yet succeeded they in the inheritances of their Fathers in default of issue Male. Some things about Marriages and Adultery he decreed which have been noted and not unworthily as absurd He commanded the Court of Areopagus to take an account of all persons how they lived and punish those that could render none He forbad all native fruits except that of the Olive to be transported out of Attica And nothing is more memorable than this that he deprived of all honour and rendred infamous those that in a time of faction and sedition in the City joyned themseves to neither party concluding that such as were concerned for the good of the Commonwealth would according to their best apprehensions side with such as contended for it His Laws he exposed to publick view that none should pretend ignorance in them He sware the People Magistrates and Senate to observe them for an hundred years and the Archons if they brake them to set up a Statue at Dephos of their own bignesse Then to conclude his Work he reformed the Calender much amisse at that time and reduced the year into such a form as was agreeable to the motion of the Sun Solon travelleth 29. The work being over there wanted not those who would both praise and discommend it Some would be amending it by addition Idem ibid Herodotus l. 1. others by Substraction or change so that plainly seeing what stir would be about it he got leave to travel for ten years in which time he went into Aegypt where he conversed with Amesis and into Lydia where he had that notable conference with Croesus before mentioned But while he was abroad the City anew brake into factions There were the Pediaeans headed by Lycurgus the Paralians by Megacles and the Diacrians by Pisistratus one who was descended from Codrus the last King To the later a company of the poorer sort joyned themselves such as were most inveterate against the rich and although they had not much to say against Solon's Laws yet were they desirous of innovation hoping to be gainers therein Things were in this posture when Solon returned home who being received with much honour laboured by his authority to take off the ring-leaders of the several factions and reconcile them Pisistratus seemed to give ear to him being a man of deep dissimulation and so much apter to deceive in that no man appeared so great a friend to equality as he and therfore a greater Enemy to the change of the present Government But Solon quickly found him out yet prosecuted him not with any open malice but sought to draw him from his designs by fair means often professing that no man was more inclined to Virtue or to make a good Common-wealth's-man if the desire of rule and soveraignty were but taken from him 30. For all this Pisistratus proceeded and by his seeming readinesse to patronize the poorer sort against the rich invaded the Tyranny He wounded himself and his Chariot-horses and drove into the Forum Plutarch ut suprà making shew of an escape from great danger and desired of the people that he mignt have a guard assigned him to defend his person He so far prevailed as to have fifty persons allowed him though Solon stepping to him told him he did not well to act Ulysses in Homer A. M. 3425. who as he counterfeited himself wounded to circumvent his Enemies so did he the same that he might cheat his fellow Citizens and opposed the thing as much as possible Having obtained the liberty of so many followers he then took leave to increase their number and thereby got the Castle into his hands at which the City was much startled Solon went into the Assemblie of the people Pistratus invadeth the tyranny where upbraiding them with their former stupidity he earnestly exhorted them yet now to pluck up that tyranny by the roots which before they might have so easily prevented but not at all prevailing such consternation had seized upon men's spirits he got him to his house and laying his weapons before his Court-gate said he had discharged his duty towards his Country and thenceforth kept himself quiet continuing in the City though his friends moved him to flie for his life But such a reverence bore Pisistratus not onely to his person but also to his Laws that he retained still the most of them in their former vigour A few he made himself as one for maintenance of maimed Soldiers though some attribute this also to Solon and say the occasion was given by one Thesippus and another against idlenesse whereby he caused the ground to be more diligently tilled and the City more quiet than usual By these two he effectually provided for his own interest obliging the Soldiers by the one and by dispersing the people into the Country through the other under praetence of preventing idlenesse and keeping up tillage cutting off from them all occasion of plotting any thing prejudicial to him For he knew well that as Theseus his gathering them all up into one Town conduced to the preservation of that liberty he meant to bestow on them so this contrary way tended as much to the keeping up of his arbitrary power 31. Being seized of the Soveraignty he carried it exceeding well to People Magistrates and Laws and much adorned the City of which he held possession about three years Then Megacles and Lycurgus with their parties Expelled so prevailed as they banished both him and his tyranny Herodot l. 1. cap. 59. and being condemned his goods were set to sale of which none but Callias the Son of Phoenippus would adventure to buy any But not long it was before those that cast him out became the means of his restitution for falling out amongst themselves Megacles upon promise that he would marry his daughter covenanted to bring it about and effected it by a strange and ridiculous wile There was a woman in the City named Phya Val. Max. l. 1. c. 2. Ext. exemp 2. almost four cubits tall but otherwise of tolerable beauty her being armed curiously dressed and seated