the Mountains of Judaea Ammonite 4. and passing over Jordan made War upon the Moabites and Ammonites seized upon Basan Hesbon and all the Country lying between the Rivers Jabbok and Arnon in memory whereof one of their Poets wrote a Poem which Moses (a) Num. 21.27 hath inserted into his Writings Gergasite 5. The Gergasites seem to have continued about Geresa or Gadara over against Galile beyond Jordan (b) Mat. 8.28 Mark 5.1 Luke 8.26 till Christ's time Hivite 6. The Hivites dwelt in Mount Hermon towards the East of the Land of Canaan from whom descended the Gibeonites living nigh to Jerusalem and the Sichemites dwelling near to Samaria more towards the West Arkite 7. The Arkites inhabited Arca or Arce a City in Libanus mentioned by Josephus and Ptolomy Sinite 8. The Sinites had a City called Sin not far from Arce according to Hierome but Bochartus placeth them at Pelusium Sin signifying mud or clay as Pelos in Greek Arnadite 9. The Arnadites or Aradites seized upon the Island Aradus on the Coast of Phoenice at the motuh of the River Eleutherus and part of the neighbouring Continent where was Axtaradus Marathus and Laodicea The Zemarites Zemarite 10. or Semerites dwelt as it 's thought about Finesa a notable City of Caelosyria upon the River Orontes and built Semarajim in the Tribe of Benjamin And the Hemathites were seated about the City of Syria Hemathite 11. called Epiphania and not at Antiochia which is at too great a distance This was the Inheritance of the Sons of Canaan whose border was from Sidon as thou comest to Gerar unto Gaza as thou goest unto Sodome and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboim even unto Lasha which some interpret Caesarea Philippi others Callichoë but Bocharius thinketh it to be Lysa a City of the Arabians in the mid-way between the Dead and Red Seas Thus was the Earth most antiently divided and possessed after the Flood How it hath since in the severall parts of it changed it's Inhabitants shall be discovered upon occasion as the Work will bear CHAP. II. Of the Babylonian Empire from the first founding thereof to it's utter subversion by Cyrus The beginning of Nimrod's Kingdom 1. AFter the division of the Earth Nimrod as we said the Son of Chus and Nephew of Cham fixed his seat at Babel and therein first began a Kingdom having joyned to it (a) Gen. 10.10 Erech and Accad and Calneh in the Land of Shinar By Erech the ancients understood Edessa and by Acâ—ad Nisibis But neither the names nor situation of these Cities do agree they being in that part of Mesopotamia which lyeth towards Armenia and very far from Babylon Therefore Erech is rather to be taken for Arecca a City of Susiana upon Tigris mentioned by Ptolomy which also seemeth to be the same with Arderica or Anderica (b) Lib. 1. c. 185. in Herodotus Ard in the Persian tongue signifying great And well Arecca might so be called which was so long that sailing up the River one should meet with it three severall dayes one after another as the Historian relateth Bochartus thinketh Accad called also Archad to have given name to the River Argad which ran through Sittacena a Province near to Babylonia since called Apolloniatis By Calneh which is also Calno and Cauno is to be understood that City by the Parthians re-built and called Clesiphon It stood upon Tigris three miles from Seleucia being the Metropolis of Chalonitis a Province denominated from it and mentioned by Strabo and others Babylon was exhausted by the building of Seleucia as Pliny (c) Lib. 6. c. 26. telleth us and the Parthians built or rebuilt Clesiphon in Chalonitis three miles off to drain Seleucia The beginning and duration of the Assyrian Empire 2. The duration of this Babylonian or Assyrian Empire till Sardanapalus is variously assigned the cause of which seemeth to be for that some derived the Originall thereof from the birth of Chus as Cappellus * Ad A. M. 1822. p. 45. thinketh and so Herodotus might assign 1520 years to the continuance of it Others from the beginning of the Babylonian Kingdom as Diodorus who reckoneth 1400 years to the death of Sardanapalus Some from the building of Ninive as Clesias who hath 1360. And lastly others from the death of Belus as Trogus and Eusebius who give to it 1300 years That Nimrod should begin his Kingdom within an hundred years after the Flood is not very probable as neither that the building of the Tower of Babel happened within that time which would have been too short a space for the propagation of mankind to so great multitudes An hundred years after the Deluge A. M. 759. Phaleg was born in whose dayes it was that the Earth was divided Some make the division to have been at the same time of his birth and thence his name imposed as from a thing already done or in doing Others assign it to the latter end of his dayes and will have his name prophetically given by his Father Lege Vossii Isag Chron. Dissert 5. c. 5 6. But there are not wanting who take a middle way betwixt these two and think the division made when he was come to ripenesse of age or in the middle of his years the number of which amounted to 239. When Alexander the great had conquered Babylon which fell out about the 3675th year of the World Callisthenes the Philosopher who followed him in his Wars Porphyrius apud Simplicium in Aristot de coelo lib. 2. at the desire of Aristotle his Kinsman inquired into the Antiquities of the Chaldaeans and could find no observations of any longer date then 1903 years which being cast back from the foresaid years fall in their beginning into the 1772 from the Creation the 116th from the Deluge and the 16th of Phaleg's life Nimrod named Belus 3. Nimrod the founder of this Empire was by his subjects named Beâ— or Belus which signifieth Lord or Soveraign That he was the ancient Belu's is thence proved that * Semiramis eam coâ—diderat vel ut plerique credidere Belus cujus regia ostenditur Curtius lib. 5. cap. 1. Berosus apud Joseph contra Aptonem lib. 1. Abydenus apud Euseb praep Evang. lib. 9. Dorotheus Sidoâ—is â—oâ—ta apud Julium Firmicum most of the old Writers accounted Belus the builder of Babylon although some attributed it to Semiramis herein relying upon the credit of Clesias which now is deservedly suspected by learned men and in no case worthy to stand in Competition with that of Berosus the famous Babylonian Priest who as Pliny saith had a Statue erected to his memory at Athens with a guilded tongue nor with that of Abydenus who also collected his Histories out of the Chaldaean Archives After Moses hath spoken of the four Cities which were the beginning of Nimrod's Kingdom we read that out of that Land of Shinar Assur went forth and
formerly agreed that what the major part should conclude it should oblige all except some divine impediment interposed The Corinthians replied in the Assembly of the Agents of those Cities which refused the League that in general the Lacedaemonians themselves had not fully performed the conditions of the League who had not taken order that the places forced from them should be restored and that for their part they could not desert their confederates in Thrace whom they perswaded to rebel against Athens and taken into protection and to whom they were obliged by oath taken more than once which to them appeared to be a sufficient divine impediment why they could not enter into a League with Athens And as for their conjunction with Argos after they had advised with their friends they should do what was right and fitting After their departure in the next assembly they entred into a League with the Argives and so did the Eleans with the Corinthian Colonies and those of Chalcis in Thrace 37. All the Summer of the eleventh year the Athenians and Peloponnesians had commerce with one another though great consultations were on foot and the associates bickered with one another and both parties wanted not dissatisfaction For the Lacedaemonians restored not Amphipolis neither procured the associates in Thrace the Boeotians nor Corinthians to sign the League though they ingaged joyntly to cause them to do it and that if within a certain time they did it not both were to hold them as Enemies The Athenians seeing that they performed not these things suspected they dealt deceitfully with them Dissatisfacti betwixt the parties and for this cause refused to surrender Pylus repented they had dismissed the prisoners and with-held other places till the Spartans had first performed the Covenants They excused themselves for that they had done as much as in them lay having set at liberty their prisoners drawn out their Forces from Thrace and omitted nothing in their power in which the restitution of Amphipolis was not and as for what concerned the Boeotians and Corinthians they would do what they required They earnestly desired that Pylus might be restored or at least that the Helots and Messenians might be taken thence which after much adoe was granted and these men were conveied into the Island Cephalenia 38. In Winter the Deputies of the Confederates came to Lacedaemon and laboured in vain to dissolve the League betwixt that State and Athens But now other Ephori having entered into their Office who had nothing to do in making the straight alliance and were also much averse unto it they dealt secretly with the Boeotians and Corinthians to perswade the former to joyn themselves to Argos and then all to enter into a League with Sparta which they were sure would purchase this willingly with a breach betwixt them and Athens for that then the War would be more easie out of Peloponnesus onely they desired much that the Boeotians would deliver up Panactus into their hands that therewithall making exchange with the Athenians for Pylus they might with lesse difficulty make War against them As the Ambassadors were in their way two of the principal men of Argos met them and were very earnest with the Boeotians to imbrace their society which when they came home The designs of the Boeotarchae frustrated they laid open to the Boeotarchae and Ambassors followed from Argos to perswade them to it who were kindly entertained and dismissed with hope that some Ambassadors should follow them to conclude upon the businesse In the mean time the Agents from Corinth Megara and Thrace agreed with the Boeotarchae that they should bind themselves by Oath to assist him who should want it and not to begin or finish any War without the joynt consent of all and upon these terms that the Treaty should be signed But ere this could be done the Boeotarchae were to refer the matter to the four Councils of Boeotia wherein lay the supreme power which not being made acquainted by them what advice the Ephori and others of Sparta had given for fear they should give that State offence by joyning with Corinth which had revolted they judged the contrary and so by the means of the Boeotarchae who took it for granted that the Councils would act according to their advice the matter proceeded no farther now and afterwards was neglected by them 39. This Winter also many Treaties were held betwixt the Athenians and Lacedaemonians about the restitution of the places and the Spartans hoped that if Panactus was but restored to the other they should recover Pylus But such Towns as their old Allies had gotten by their means in the late War could not be restored without their consent and therefore Ambassadors were sent earnestly to request the Boeotians to deliver up Panactus with the Athenian prisoners They stoutly refused to do it except they would enter into as peculiar and straight a League with them as they had done with the Athenians Now this could not be legally done because in the League with Athens it was provided that neither should make either League or War without mutual consent Yet being possessed with an inflamed desire of recovering Pylus and the more for that they something now were moved by the Ephori and others that desired a breach with Athens they struck up a League with them Then did the Boeotians utterly demolish Panactus instead of giving it up Panactus dismantled and so the eleventh year of the War ended 40. In the Spring the Argives hearing nothing of the Boeotian Ambassadors promised to be sent but great talk of the demolishing of Panactus and the League betwixt them and the Spartans whom they thought to have drawn them in with the consent of the Athenians were much perplexed thinking they now should be run upon by all though they formerly promised themselves the Dominion of Peloponnesus by forsaking the alliance of Lacedaemon They therefore sent presently thither and struck up another League with them for fifty years In the mean while three were sent from Sparta to receive from the Boeotians the Aâ—henian prisoners and Panactus who yielded both persons and place but this utterly demolished pretending for their excuse that by an antient League it was to be held by neither of them in particular but be common to both The Athenians thereat and otherwise offended The Athenians received their men but were much moved that Panactus was demolished though the Ambassadors put it off by telling them they needed not now then to fear any thing from it being sensible of a double injury received both as to the Town and the League made without their knowledge and then they called to mind other breaches of the peace and were jealous that they were circumvented by the Spartans An occasion was hence taken by such amongst them as bare no good will to the peace to seek all manner of wayes to destroy it Amongst these was Alcibiades the son of Clinias by the
same man concerning whom Moses the Law-giver of the Jews wrote Xisythrus by one (f) Abydeaus apud Eusebium praeparat Evangel lib. 9. is related being forewarned of a Deluge by Saturn to have fled by Boat into Armenia where the waters decreasing he sent out Birds to discover dry Land which finding none returned to him again He is said by (g) Alexander Polyhistor apud Cyrill contra Julian lib. 1. a second to have escaped a great Deluge which hapned in his dayes being also forewarned by Saturn thereof by providing an Ark wherein with himself birds creeping things and beasts were preserved (h) Plato in Timaeo A third brings in an Aegyptian Priest declaring to Solon out of the monuments of Antiquity that before the particular Ogygian and Deucalionaean Deluges there was an universal one by which the Earth was much defaced (i) Lucian in lib. de dea Syra Another yet telleth a story like in all things to the History of Moses but that Deucalion is placed in the room of Noah The particular Deluges which hapned afterwards in Greece and other places have by the ancients been confounded with this and (k) Vide Gerard Iohan. Vossii Chronol Sacr. Isagog Dissert 4. cap. 3. Vide cuadem Dissert 5. c. 1. some think they did not in reallity differ from it Noah's progeny 9. Noah before the Flood begat three Sons Sem Ham and Japhet of which the last in order seemeth to have been the first in Nature although the contrary is defended and yet so as Cham is never accounted the eldest (l) Bochart Phaleg lib. 1. cap 1. Noah is with great probability thought to be Saturn so much talked of by the Heathen He is compared with Saturn for many things concur to perswade us to it He was the common father of all mankind after the Flood which thing is by Orpheus attributed to Saturn Not onely a just person as Saturn (m) Diodorus lib. 5. Aurelius Victor de orig Rom. was but a preacher of righteousnesse From the time of the Flood to the division of the Earth he had a natural Dominion over all mankind which space fitly answereth to the Golden Age under Saturn In that Age there was but one Language which Mythologists (n) Plato in Polit. so far extended as to make men beasts to have spoken in the same Dialect Noah is called an husband-man or in the Hebrew phrase a man of the Earth and Saturn's wife Rhea is the same with the Earth he (o) Servius in Virgil. Aenead 8. being also said to have taught Janus the use of the Vine and sicle in imitation of Noah who planted a Vineyard From Noah's once being overtaken with Wine the liberty of the Saturnals might proceed and from his cursing of Cham with servitude the custom (p) Athenaeus lib. 14. observed amongst the Romans during that solemnity of exercising servile Offices The occasion of the Curse was Cham's seeing his father's nakednesse and making a jest thereof and the Poets (q) Callimachi Hymni feign'd a Law made by Saturn that none should see the gods naked and go unpunished Saturn and Rhea are said (r) Plato in Timaeo to have been begotten of the Ocean and Thetis and thence the ancient Romans would have (Å¿) Vide Aurelium Victorem de orig Gentis Rom. ad initium the badge of Saturn to be a ship which things much accord with the History of Noah Saturn devoured all his Children but these three Jupiter Neptune and Pluto who divided the World amongst them as did Sem Cham and Japhet Cham is Jupiter Japhet Neptune Sem Pluto Of these Cham the youngest agreeth with Jupiter being named Jupiter Hammon Japhet with Neptune for that he had his portion in Islands and Peninsula's And Sem being for his goodnesse hated by idolaters might by them be condemned to Hell and termed Pluto The posterity of Sem. 10. Two years after the Flood Sem being an hundred years old begat Arphaxad who is rationally (t) Jacobus Cappellus in Hist sacra Exotica p. 34. thought his eldest Son although Elam and Assur be named before him the Scripture in Genealogies not alwayes observing the order of birth Arphaxad at the Age of 35 years begat a Son called Selah according to the Hebrew but the Greek Translation of the 72. maketh him at the Age of 135. to have begat Cainan which is followed by Luke in the Genealogie of Christ Much is said on both sides for these several readings but most likely it is that this Cainan was neither thought of by Moses the 72 Interpreters nor St. Luke but that by a mistake of the Transcribers he crept into the Copies of Luke and the 70. Beza had a Copy of Luke very antient and now in the publick Library of the University of Cambridge wherein he is not found and what is more he was not acknowledged by the primitive Church as appeareth by (u) Lib. 3. cap. 33. Vide de hac re Jacob. Capell Hist sacr erotic pag. 35. Geraâ—d â—ohan Vâ—ssiâ—n iâ— Dâ—ssâ—rt 〈◊〉 genere Jesu Christi ad aâ—or 5. Et Chromel sacr Isagog Dâ—ssert 5. cap. 2. Gregorium Angâ—m in Opuscuâ—s Bocharti Phaleg lib. â— c. 13. Usserii Chronicl sacra c. 6. Irenaeus That the Version of the 70. most antiently had him not is probably inferred from Josephus who though he wrote in Greek and usually followeth that Translation nameth him not neither doth Epiphanius against Haeresies nor Hierome in his Hebrew Traditions though he there discourseth of the differences betwixt the Hebrew and Greek Copies Neither is he read in all Copies of the 1 Chron. 1. In Moses he is no where to be found either in the Hebrew Text or the Chaâ—daean or Samaritan Versions Selah or Schelach at the Age of thirty years begat Heber from whom many think the Hebrews and the Hebrew tongue to be so named Heber being 34 years old begat Phaleg so called because in his dayes the Earth was divided The building of Babel 11. The division of the Earth was occasioned by the confusion of Languages and this by building of the Tower of Babel (x) Antiquit. lib. 1. c. 4. Josephus telleth us that God had several times admonished men to separate themselves and inhabit the Earth which they impiously taking in an ill sense as though he did it upon design to destroy them at the instigation of Nâ—mrod the son of Chus and Nephew of Cham who now ambitiously affected dominion over them agreed to build a stately Citie and a Tower which should reach to Heaven to defend them from danger in case another Deluge should overwhelm the Earth They came from the East into the Land of Shinar and there began their work Some put no other distinction betwixt the Citie and Tower but will have it onely a Citie adorned with Towers Others place them at a great distance from each other but it
built Niniveh and the Citie Rehoboth and Calah and Pesen between Niniveh and Calah Some according to this Translation will have this Assur to have been the son of Sem who having built Niniveh Whether he built Niniveh and founded the Assyrian Kingdom Nimrod dispossessed him or his or some manner of way obtained and joyned it to the Babylonian as Julius Africanus hath delivered But others contend that this Assur is the name of the Countrey and not of a Man and that it is to be read And out of that Land went out Nimrod into Assur i. e. Assyria and builded Ninive c. Otherwise they think it would be out of the way for Moses to mention the son of Sem in this place where he is in hand with the Genealogie of Cham neither could it be peculiar to him to go out of this Land and build Niniveh seeing all mankind almost at the division of the Earth went out of it The last reading onely maketh the sense intire for how else could the four Cities properly be said to be the beginning of Nimrod's Kingdom except he added more unto it Lastly this seemeth very urgent that in Scripture Assyria is called the Land of Nimrod Mich. 5.6 4. He was a mighty Hunter before the Lord or therein none was to be compared with him things being said to be such before God as were so indeed or in an eminent manner He judging not according to outward appearance but as they are in their own natures By the means of Hunting it is probable that he made way unto his Monarchy Made way to his Kingom by hunting For under pretence of what was very necessary at this time when men were few scattered and lying abroad without defence against wild beasts which ever especially abounded about Arabia and Babylon he might gather a band of men and by such exercises which the Heathens (d) Xenophon de venatione in Cyropaedia by their practice as well as opinion shewed to be convenient for breeding of Warriours train them up till he converted their force from beasts to men What was performed by him seemeth to have been attributed to his successors Ninus is (e) Diodorus l. 2. p. 64. A. said to have gathered an Army of Arabians and therewith to have subdued the Babylonians which seemeth to have related to his Conquest of that Countrey For being a Chasaean and consequently an Arabian he might by the assistance of his own Countrey-men and Kindred effect it whom he (f) Bochartus l. 4. c. 12. rewarded with that Region beyond Tigris which thence was by the Hebrews called Chus by the Caldaeans Chuth Cissia by the Greeks and Chuzestan i. e. the Province of Chus by the Persians From his usurping the right of Noah some think the Fable to have sprung of Saturn being cast out of his Kingdom by Jupiter the word Nimrod signifying a Rebell and answerable to his carriage He is also judged to be the true Bacchus The true Bacchus this word being little changed from Bar-Chus that is the son of Chus Bacchus was the son of Jupiter and he was the Grand-son of Jupiter Hammon The most ancient name of Bacchus was Zagreâ—s which signifieth a strong hunter answerable to the Epithete given to Nimrod He undertook an expedition into the East wherein seem to be contained the Facts of Nimrod and his Successors Bacchus was feigned to be born at Nysa in Arabia and Nimrod was also an Arabian And not unlikely might Nimrod be thought to be over the Vines who first raigned at Babylon where was that most excellent kind of Wine dignified by the Ancients with the name of Nectar To the raign of Belus or Nimrod Athenaeus 65 years are given by Julius Africanus Ninus 5. Ninus his son succeeded him and canonized him for a God which gave as 't is said the first occasion to Idolatry He made a confederacy with Arieus His Conquests King of Arabia which Countrey withstood most Conquests and then invading Armenia forced Barzanes the King thereof to submit to his Vassallage Next he entred Media where he took and Crucified Phamus the King and then being pricked on by desire of glory and incouraged by his successe he subdued all the people of Asia in seventeen years except the Indians and Bactrians (g) Biblioth l. 2. p. 65. ex Ctesia Cnidio Justin lib. 1. the latter whereof under Conduct of their King Zoroastres or rather Oxgartes for Zoroaster the great Magician lived many ages after stoutly opposed him and yet at length were brought under as we have it from Diodorus who reporteth also that Ninus built Ninive which he so named after himself Ninive Whether he his father or any other built it A Citie it was of great bignesse strength and ornament being in compasse sixty miles of a Quadrangular form incompassed and fortified with a Wall a hundred foot high and of such a breadth as three Charriots might have been driven together a-breast upon it adorned also with Towers 200 foot in height The place of it is not agreed of and (h) Lege Bocharti Phaleg l. 4. c. 20. some think there were two Cities of this name one upon Euphrates in Comagena and another in Assyria beyond Tigris As for Ninus many things done both by his father and successors seem to be attributed to him He reigned 52 years and the manner of his death is diversly related (i) Orosius One saith he was shot with a Dart as he lay before a Town (k) Dinon apud Aelian var. Hist l. 7. c. 1. Another writeth that Semiramis his wife whom he had chosen for her admirable beauty and now doated on obtained leave to wear his Royall Robe and reign over Asia five dayes and then when she had got the power into her hands commanded one of the Guard to kill him But a (l) Diodorus ubi supra p. 76. D. ex Athenaeo aliis third His death onely relateth him to have been secured in prison Semiramis his wife counterfeiteth her son 6. He left a son by Semiramis named Ninyas who being but young she put on mans Apparel and counterfeiting his person as well as Sexe is reported to have done very great things part of which might rather be challenged by the two foregoing Kings and by some that followed her Justin ex Trogo lib. 1. Diodorus ut prius The resemblance of her son in all the lineaments and proportion of his body took away suspicion for the further prevention whereof she commanded the same kind of Garment to be worn by the people At length when she thought she had got fame sufficient she made her self known which detracted not from her glorie Her acts but added to the lustre of it She re-edified and inlarged Babylon incompassing it with a Wall made up of Brick Sand and a certain Clay or slime clammy like Pitch which there abounded and * Herodotus
was commited and so enjoyed the Queen with the Kingdom wherein he was confirmed by the Oracle of Dâ—lphos to the sentence of which he and his adversaries had agreed to stand 34. Gyges reigned 38 years in which space he made War upon Miletus and Smyrna and took the City Colophon Ardys his Son and Successor subdued Priene fought against Miletus and in his time the Cimmerians being expelled their seats by the Scythian Nomades passed into Asia and took Sardis all but the Castle He reigned 49 years His Son Sadyattes 12 who gave place to Alyattes his Son and Successor Alyattes waged War with * Vide suprà paragraph 21. Cyaxares King of Media and expelled the Cimmerians out of Asia took Smyrna and set upon Clâ—zomenae In the 6th year of the War betwixt the Median and him whilst they fought upon equall terms the Sun was eclipsed which Thales one of the 7 wise men had foretold to his Milesians Both the armies seing the day beginning to be turned into night left off fighting and then by the mediation of Syennesis the Cilician and Labynitus the Babylonian a peace was concluded Ariena the Daughter of Halyattes being marryed to Astyages the Son of Cyaxares From the Tables of Ptolomy or of Hipparchus it appeareth that this Eclipse happened in the 4th year of the 44th Olympiad the 147th of Nabonasar the 4th day of the Aegyptian month Pachon which answereth to the 20th of September 3 hours and 25 minutes before noone 9 digits being eclipsed and the duration almost 2 hours Halyattes pursued also the War left him by his Father against Miletus the Inhabitants whereof received from him two great blows for that none of the Ionians helped them except the Chians in way of requitall for the aide they had afforded them against the Erythraeans At length having notice that he intended to send a messenger into the City at the command of Thrasybulus their Prince they brought all the provision they had into the market-place which appearing to be much and as such related to Aâ—yattes he thinking himselfe mistaken in his former belief of their distressed condition made Peace with them and died after he had reigned 57 years 35. Croesus his Son suceeded him at the age of 35 years Herod ubi suprà c. 26 c. He made War upon Ephesus which when he besieged the Towns-men for their security gave up the City to Diana by a rope fastned from the wall to her Temple but for all this he brought them under and subdued all the rest of the Greek Cities in the continent He brought into his subjection all the people of Asia within the River Hulis as the Phrygians Mysians Bâ—thynians Paphlagonians the Mariandyni Chalibes Thracians Thyni Carians Ionians Dorians Aeolians Lycians and Cilicians Being grown great and flowing with wealth and flourishing with glory the choisest wits of Greece flocked to Sardis and amongst the rest Solon the Athenian who being now in his travells had been with Amesis of Aegypt and now came to visite Croesus He kindly entertained him and shewing him his treasures out of a vain conceit of his own felicity demanded of him Whom he thought the happiest Man He answered he esteemed for such one Tellus an Athenian who having lived in good credit and leaving divers Children and Nephews of honest and virtuous cariage died in the War at Eleusine after he had first helped to put to flight the enemy for which he was honoured by his Citizens with a publick and stately funerall Croesus expecting if not the first yet the second place asked him Whom he accounted next to Tellus He replied Cleobis and â—iton two brothers of Argos who had sufficient to live on and being very strong had gotten the better in tryall of Masteries On a time at the feast of Juno their Mother being to be drawn in a Chariot to the Temple and the Heiffers not at hand they yoked themselves and drew her thither She being much affected with the piety of her Sons praied the Goddesse that whatsoever was best for Man might be bestowed on them who sleeping that night in the Temple were found dead in the morning and honoured by the Argives with two Statues erected to their memory at Delphos 36. The King was troubled that his felicity should be so little valued as not comparable to that of private men But Solon plainly told him that all things were uncertain in this life and no man ought to be accounted happy til his End for which Philosophy as strange to the Courtiers he was dismissed with small reputation for learning Croesus growing exceeding proud and irreligious to humble him had a dream that the choisest of his two Sons whereof one was dumb should be slain with the iron head of some weapon Hereupon he removed all things of that nature out of the way looked to him diligently and marryed him out of hand But at this time it hapned that a certain wild Boar haunted about the Mountain Olympus in Mysia which doing great harm to the Inhabitants they were in no wise able to master and therefore sent to Croesus desiring him to send his Son accompanied with a sufficient train to hunt and kill the Wild beast He plainly denied because of his dream to let him stir from home but the young Man having a great desire to the exercise thereby to approve himselfe for activity to his new married wife obtained leave to be sent saying that no such thing would be used in the game as that of which he had dreamed He committed him then to the care of one Adrastus the Son of Gordius and he of Midas King of Phrygia who having at unawares killed his brother had been banished by his his Father When they came into the field and had dislodged the Boar Adrastus throwing a dart at him chanced to hit the young Man and so fulfilled the dream for which offering himselfe to be killed upon Croesus his refusall as done without any intention he yet slew himselfe Croesus took the accident very heavily and kept himselfe in mourning two years 37. This mourning was broken off by the prosperity of Cyrus who having now overthrown the Kingdom of the Medes advanced highly the affairs of Persia Herein he found himselfe exceedingly concerned so as to withstand if possible his successe and make an addition thereby to his own Fortune For encouragement in this design Croesus Halyâ— gressus magnam pervertet opum vim he sent to enquire of the Oracles far and near which answering with one consent that he should overturn a great Principality he was much incouraged not doubting but that of the Persians was meant thereby and much more after the Oracle at Delphos had in answer to his requiry whether his Empire should long continue bid him look to himselfe when a Mule should have possession of the Soveraignty of Media taking this in a literall sense notwithstanding the constant ambiguity of such answers Now the Oracle giving way to it
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
thirteen years and him Amenophis who reigned 21 under whom Jacob died To him succeeded Mephres according to Eusebius but Manethon after him placeth his Sister Amesses or Amerses to which he giveth 21 years and 9 moneths After this reigned Mephres twelve years Mephramuthosis 26 and Thuthmosis or Thmosis 9. After him followed Amenophis otherwise called Palmanothis and Phamenophis who reigned 31 years and by some is accounted that Memnon whose image of stone at Thebes in Aegypt sounded like an Harp when the Sun-beams first in the morning beat upon it which is witnessed by many Authors of good credit To him succeeded Orus or Horus who reigned 38 years and to him Acenchres who reigned 12. Manetho maketh Acenchres the Daughter of Orus and giveth to her 12 years and one moneth after her he bringeth in Rathâ—tis her Brother to whom he giveth 9 yeas But after Acencheres Eusebius placeth Achoris and giveth to him but 7 years to whom succeeded Cenchres the twelfth King who being more wicked than his Praedecessors oppressed the Israelites most grievously and continued eighteen years in his tyranny A.M. 2508. till an end was put to it in the Red Sea The Israelites afflicted in Aegypt 9. Above Eighty years had they vexed the Israelites with insupportable burthens notwithstanding which they grew and increased exceedingly nay although order was given to drown all the Male Children lest growing too numerous they might in time of War joyn with their enemies else get them out of the Land with an high hand or because of a Praediction mentioned by Josephus that an Hebrew should be born who was to afflict and overthrow the Aegyptians That the Jews lived amongst them is ever acknowledged by their Historians accounting it an honour as all Nations do to have sent forth Colonies But to take away disgrace and to save the honour of their Country which to the Priests was ever most solemn abhominable lyes have been made and strange stories devised concerning their first coming into Aegypt and especially about their departure which briefly to relate seemeth agreeable enough to the nature of our design 10. Manetho an Aegyptian Priest and Historian pretending to describe the Originall of the Jews relateth that in the dayes of one of their Kings In 2º Aegyptiac apud Josephum lib. 1. contr Apionem Timaus by name Manetho his Lyes concerning the Originall of the Jews a certain ignorant people called Hycsos which signifieth Royall Shepherds or Captives as he himself interpreteth it from the Eastern parts with great confidence invaded Aegypt which easily obtaining without any force of Arms they burnt the City and Temples and raged against the Natives with Sword and Servitude At length they made them a King of their own stock named Saltis who coming down into the Country about Memphis imposed a Tribute upon the upper and neather Province and put Garrisons in convenient places Especially he took care of the Eastern Coasts being jealous of the Power of the Assyrians so that in the Principality of Sais Eastward from the River Bubastis he built up a City called antiently Anaris which fortifying with most strong walls he therein placed a Garrison of 240000 Men. When he had reigned nineteen years he gave place to Baeon who governed 44 after him Apachnas 36 with seven moneths then Apochis 61 Janias 50 and one moneth then Assis 49. Under those six first Kings they sore oppressed and endeavoured utterly to destroy Aegypt and 511 years had they power over it Afterwards the Kings of the Province of Thebes and the remaining part of Aegypt fell on them with a great and lasting War and by a King named Alisfragmuthosis were they overcome and driven up into a place containing the quantity of 10000 Akers of ground called Auaris The Son of this King Themosis by name attempted the taking of this place besieging it with 480000 Men but dispairing of successe agreed with them that leaving Aegypt they should go whither else they pleased so that departing with all their goods to the number of 240000 persons they travelled through the Desart into Syria for that they feared the Assyrians who then obtained the Empire of Asia and built them a City in the Country afterwards called Judaea which might suffice for so many thousands and named it Jerusalem 11. To this history taken out of the antient records Manetho addeth as he confesseth fabulous reports rife amongst the Vulgar mixing with the Israelites a multitude of Aegyptians languishing with Leprosie and other diseases which he relateth as having forgotten that the Shepherds left Aegypt 518 years before as may be gathered from the series of the Kings and the distance of time betwixt Themusis who reigned when the Shepherds departed and Amenophis under whom the Lepers went out the time of whose reign neither dareth he to define though he be exact in the years of other Princes as Josephus noteth Now this Amenophis forsooth was told by a Priest of the same name That he might see the gods if he would cleanse his Kingdom from Lepers and other unclean persons He being a very religious Man gathered all the infirm out of the Land to the number of 80000 whom he sent with others to cut stones on the East of the River Nile there being amongst them also some of the learned Priests infected with Leprosie Because favour was shewed towards them the Priest who would have had them destroyed feared much the displeasure of the gods as well against himself as the King and foreseeing they should have power over Aegypt for thirteen years he durst not tell the King so much but wrote a Book concerning the matter and then killed himself which cast the King you must know into a great melancholly 12. But being still desired to do something for the security of the diseased people he gave them Avaris the City of the Shepherds now not inhabited whither being entred and perceiving the place to be very advantagious for rebellion they made choice of Osarsiphus one of the Priests of Heliopolis for their Captain swearing to obey him in all things He presently established for Law that they should not worship the gods nor abstain from such creatures as were most sacred to the Aegyptians to marry with none but those that were tied to them by the same league and commanding many other things especially such as he knew contrary to Aegyptian customs he prepared for War Then sent he to the Shepherds at Jerusalem formerly expelled by Themusis to open their condition to them and to invite them to give their assistance against Egypt The Shepherds readily closed with the motion and all to the number of 200000 marched down to Avaris Amenophis much startled hereat especially because of the Praediction of the Priest committed his Son but five years old to a Friend and together with Apis and his other gods went into Aethiopia where he was received with all his multitudes of Subjects and was kindly entertained by the King who
ever for peace and the restitution of Helena But Dionysius relateth out of Hellanicus that the lower part of the City being taken Aeneas with his associates that came from Ophyrynium and Dardanus to the aid of Ilium timely perceiving it retired into the Castle where were the Idols and much treasure protected by the most valiant Soldiers A. M. 2821. Hither also betook themselves such as escaped the fury of fire and sword and they easily repelled the force of the Enemy but Aeneas considering that the City could no way be preserved resolved to quit the Castle as might stand with the safety of the Company He therefore sent out with a guard the aged an infirm in the mean time diverting the Enemy and then marched out in order of battel when Neoptolemus and the Achaeans had now taken part of the Fortifications Whilst the Greeks were busied in plunder they all escaped to the Mount Ida where fortifying themselves the same night others flocked to them out of Dardanus Opyhrynium and the rest of the Trojan Towns expecting till the Enemy satisfied with the destruction of Ilium would draw off and return into his own Country 4. But the Achaeans having wasted the City and lesser Towns provided also to storm the Hills when a Treaty was desired by the Trojans It was there agreed that Aeneas and his Companions with such things as they had should depart out of the Country under safe conduct whereupon he first sent away his eldest son Ascanius with part of his associates whereof the greater number was Phrygians to the Lake Ascanius for that he was desired by the Inhabitants of that Country to be their King He continued not long with them for the Scamandridae with others of the family of Hector now dismissed out of Greece by Neoptolemus the son of Achilles coming to him he returned with them to Troy and restored them to their Father's Principality Aeneas with the rest of his children Anchises his Father and his houshold passed over the Hellespont into a Peninsula called Pallene whence he sailed to to the Island Delus thence to another named Cythera over against Peloponnesus Touching at the promontory Cinaethium so called for that Cinathus a Trojan was here buried they renewed their friendship with the Arcadians their kinsfolk and passed on to the Island Zacynthus which was so named from Zacynthus one of the sons of Dardanus Thence they came to Actium and so to Ambraciae from which Bay Anchises directed his course towards Batrotus an Haven of Epirus and Aeneas by land went two dayes journey to the Oracle of Dodoria which having consulted about new Seats in four dayes he came to the Navy at Batrotus From this Haven sailing towards Italy they touched upon some parts thereof but passing into the Straights of Sicilie they fell also upon that Island where leaving part of their Company they passed over and landed at Laurentum the place appointed to put an end to these wandrings This account Dionysius giveth us as most probable amongst others which he briefly toucheth Alexander the Ephesian as he is cited by Aurelius Victor wrote that Ilium being betrayed by Antenor Aeneas took his Father upon his back with his gods and his little son in his hand and thus loaded made towards Ida whither being suffered to come by the Greeks who were much moved at his piety he there built ships and by the advice of an Oracle came into Italy The piety of Aeneas is much spoken of and commended by many and amongst others by the pen of Xenophon that Attick Muse but some wrote that he joyned with Antenor in betraying the City 5. The Trojans landing at Laurentum there pitched their Tents in the place called Troy from this occasion distant from the Sea about half a mile Dionys l. 1. Livius l. 1. Taking their dinner on the ground some laid their meat on Parsley that there grew or as some said on crusts of Bread which afterwards they did also eat up and then understood that they had fulfilled the Oracle which bad them go so far Westward as till they should eat up their Tables and then take the conduct of a Sow which they should follow till she lay down and in that very place build a City Now was Latinus busie in War against the Rutuli his neighbours as some wrote he was first overcome by Aeneas and then made peace with him but others say he first sent to expostulate the injury offered him by these strangers in the invasion of his Kingdom and then understanding who they were agreed to give them all the ground lying five miles about the Hill where the Sow lay down upon their ingagement to assist him in his War against the Rutuli This accord made and Hostages delivered on both sides they soon utterly subdued the Rutuli and then built up the Trojan City which was called Lavinium as the Romans said Nam te jam septima portat Omnibus errantem terris fluctibus astaâ— Aen. 1. A. M. 3824. from the daughter of Latinus Virgil too much indulging his Poetick fancie in imitation of Homer bringeth Aeneas into Italy not till the eighth year after the destruction of Troy But Dionysius and Solinus out of the Annals of Cassius Haemina write that he arrived at Laurentum in the second year and the later saith with no more than 600 followers Aeneas succeedeth Latinus 6. Aeneas in the third year after his departure from Troy and the second of his abode in Italy reigned onely over the Trojans but the next brought him also the Kingdom of the Aborigines by the right of his wife Lavinia daughter to Latinus now deceased and the favour he had purchased of this people by his conduct against the Rutuli For they had again revolted through the procurement of a certain fugitive named Turnus who being the Nephew of Amata Latinus his wife out of indignation that a stranger should be preferred to the marriage of Lavinia before him at the instigation of Amata and others revolted to the Rutuli with a party of men which he commanded Livie maketh him King of the Rutuli and to have made War upon Latinus because he had first made him a promise of his daughter The Aborigines had the victory but lost Latinus in the battel Dionysius saith that Turuus was now also slain with many others but Livie will have him again to renew the War and to call in Mezentius King of the Hetruscans who was already jealous of the growing power of the Greeks Aeneas to oblige his new Subjects caused both them and his own Country-men to be called by the common name of Latini but ingaging in another great and bloody battel with Mezentius which night onely interrupted he was never seen more by some thought to be taken up to Heaven and by others drowned in the River Numicon This happened to him in the fourth year of his reign over the Latines and the seventh after the destruction of Troy He was honoured by
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
purchased the favour of the poorer sort by dividing unto them man by man that portion of Land which the two former Kings had kept to bear their charges saying that his own inheritance would suffice for his own expences Lest these should want room he took in the Hill Caelius where such as wanted habitation and now had gotten grounds built them houses and he also dwelt himself He was not onely of a different temper from Numa but as Livie describeth him more fiery than Romulus being as well moved by his proper inclination as the glory of his Grand-father so that he sought and greedily imbraced all occasions for War It was not long ere one was presented from the Albans who made depredations in the Roman Territories His War with the Albans and were again robbed by the Romans At that time Caius Cluilius Governed Alba who envying the growth of Rome sought to stir up division and raise War betwixt the two Cities Dionysius writeth that for this end he privately procured some to prey upon the Romans knowing they would revenge the injury and when they did so upon such as they could take he perswaded the Albans that they had received a great affront and excited them to take up Arms. 18. Ambassadors were sent to Rome to demand restitution Dionysius l. 3. Livius l. 1. and such as had been Authors of the injury to be given up into their hands This Hostilius being aware of and knowing that they who first refused to make satisfaction would bear the Odium of the War caused some of his friends kindly to entertain the Ambassadors pretending he was by necessary occasions hindred from giving them audience till he first sent some of his own to Alba to demand restitution They received a sharp repulse from Cluilius whereof Hostilius having notice then gave audience to the Albans told them how those that he sent had already received such an answer as argued the league quite broken whereupon he denounced a just and necessary War against the Albans which he would carry on not onely with his domestick forces but by the aid of his other subjects and dependents Both parties then made all possible preparations and drew out their forces to a place afterwards called the Ditch of Cluilius some five miles distant from Rome When they expected suddenly to decide the quarrel Cluilius was found dead in his Tent whether by some secret practice upon himself by grief or any other means is uncertain Into his place was chosen Metius Suffetius a man of a turbulent spirit and scarce able for warlike matters but thought fit for the place because as great an incendiary as his predecessor Yet sensible of danger that hung over his head from the Fidenates who gaped after the destruction of both he drew out the War in length and fearful to lose all was inclinable to a present composure Hostilius was now also not averse to a determination of the businesse being desirous to punish the Fidenates and Veientes who formerly overcome by Romulus had submitted to the obedience of Rome and in the dayes of Numa taken occasion of his peaceable Grovernment to provide for the absolute shaking off of the yoak This time they thought to present them with a fit opportunity for gathering together at Fidenae they were ready when the Albans and Romans should in battel have weakened each other to fall upon both 19. This plot discovered wrought so upon both the Captains that they came to a conference wherein much being alleged for the justice and right of both parties at length it was agreed that three persons on each side should by combat decide the quarrel and that City whose Champions should have the better obtain preheminence and command over the other Whiles every Officer desired to be one of the three Suffetius bethought himself of two ternions of brothers that were most fit as he thought to take it upon them One Seguinius of Alba had two daughters whereof one he married to Curiatius his fellow Citizen The Horatii and Curiatii and the other to Horatus a Roman It hapened that both being with child at the same time brought forth each of them three sons at the first birth which their Parents educated as the hope of their Families to these it was that Suffetius thought the Combat concerning Principality was to be committed being of equal years strength and courage The motion was imbraced by the parties who dispensed with their private affection no whit unsuitable to their consanguinity now that the honour and welfare of their Country was concerned In the Combat two of the Horatii were slain first and the third left to deal with three adversaries spirited afresh by the great advantage they had of him but warily retreating so as he might have but one upon him at a time he slew them all and Rome in him remained Conqueror As he returned into the City he was met by his Sister that fell upon him with chiding and outragious words for imbruing his hands in the blood of his Cousin-germans whereof one was contracted to her Now elevated by his successe and transported with a certain kind of Ecstatical love to his Country he killed her in the place as one that preferring private respect before publick good was unworthy to live Hereof he was accused and Tullus neither thinking it seemly to quit or condemn him as same say created the Duumviri for capital Judgement who condemed him but if so there lying appeal from these Officers to the People the multitude granted his life to the tears of his Father who not onely took not ill his daughters death but esteemed it an heroick act and gave her an ignominious burial 20. Hostilius dealt moderately with the Albans but Metius Suffetius their Dictator or King thinking his credit much impaired by the event of the Combat sought how he might betray the Romans and wrest the power out of their hands He dealt therefore underhand with the Fidenates and Veientes who now called to account for their double-dealings brake out into open rebellion and by promise of assistance incouraged them in their enterprize And when the Romans and the other came to ingage he resolved to stand neuter till he saw wich party had the better intending then to cloze with it The Romans were discouraged to see their friends stand aloof suspecting the treachery which Tullus also apprehending gave out that it was by his order as meaning by some stratagem to surprize the Enemy upon which report the Fidenates and their companions were discouraged and at length by the Romans who resumed their courage put to the rout After the Victory he called the Albans together and laying open the treachery of Suffetius which savoured the more of Treason because he had trusted him as his inward friend and kept him three years in his place caused him to be pulled in pieces having beforehand sent Marcus Horatius to Alba who rased the City and translated the Inhabitants
the name of King might not utterly perish whence may be concluded that his judgment was not against the Office though his passion was he would have the title given to one who should be called Rex Sacrorum and having this honour for his life with immunity from warfare should medle with nothing else but these superstitious Rites of which the Kings had charge before 49. Having first got a decree of the Senate for the Kings banishment according to the custom of publick proceeding the Comitia were assembled by Brutus and the body of Lucretia brought in her gore into the meeting place where it was set for a spectacle to all Brutus then discovered himself told them why he had seemed what he now appeared never to have been and then declared the occasion of their meeting to be that the Patritians might have their assent for banishing Tarquin who having obtained the Principality illegally had abused it more than any Tyrant that was ever heard of He illustrated his assertion by a relation of his crimes as of his poysoning his own brother before he was King together with his lawful wife and marrying the other sister that was partaker with him in his wickednesse his killing Servius Tullius and strangling his wife whom he ought to have respected as Parents then his invading the Government without decree of Senate or Suffrages of the people by force of Arms. He reckoned up the injuries received by the Patritians most of whom he had made away and reduced the rest to the estate of beggers how from the Plebeians he had taken Laws Religious Meetings the Comitia and Suffrages and used them no better than Slaves bought with woney He then demanded how long they should endure this bondage whether no longer than till the death of Tarquin when as he had three sons more wicked and mischievous than himself especially the elder which he proved by the spectacle before their eyes telling them then the whole storie This advantage he improved to the utmost shewing how the King being now absent and the Patritians resolved nothing could be wanting to them if they had but courage for the enterprize not Men Mony Arms Captains nor forein aid urging that it was a shame they should think of commanding the Volsci Sabines or others and be Slaves to others at home or maintain so many Wars for to serve the ambition of Tarquin and undertake none for their own liberty As for the Army now at the Siege there was no fear but for their own freedom and accommodation they would readily cloze with them and if any should be found to intend the Contrary they had their wives and children as Hostages in the City whereby they might easily draw them off 50. The multitude being variously affected with hope of liberty and fear to misse of it during his Speech yet made acclamations to the particulars and at the end with one voice desired he would give them Arms. He said he would if first they should confirm what was offered from the Fathers as the beginning of their liberty and therewithall recited the forme of this severe Decree The people decree Tarquinius his banishment that the Tarquinii should be banished with all their off-spring and be capital for any one to speak or act for their return The several Curiae being called confirmed it by all their Suffrages which being done he acquainted them how it was agreed that unto two men the Government should be committed whom they should elect in their Centuriate Comitia which was also passed Then according to the custom by virtue of his Office formerly mentioned he named Sp. Lucretius to be Inter-rex for holding of the Comitia or Assemblie who adjourned the meeting to the Campus Martius where it was the custom for the Romans in their Armour to elect Magistrates There he named Brutus and Collatinus as was formerly agreed on betwixt the conspirators for to have the Regal power and the Centuries confirmed them by their Suffrages In the mean time whilst these things were done in the City Tarquinius having heard by such as escaped out ere the gates were shut that Brutus called the people to their liberty making none acquainted but his sons and some trustie friends with them rode away post to prevent the general defection but finding the gates fast shut and the walls full of Armed men in great grief returned to the Camp There now he could not be received for Brutus foreseeing his sodain coming sent Letters to the Army or went himself by another way than that he knew he would come wherein he acquainted them with the decree of the People and desired that they would revolt from the King The letters were read to the Soldiers by T. Herminius and M. Horatius whom Tarquin had left to govern the Army and they being called to give their Suffrages also by Centuries all thought that what their friends at home had done was to be approved and would not admit the King at his return Frustrated of this hope he went Caere in Hetruria saith Livie to Gabii saith Dionysius where he had made his son Sextus King now gray-headed He is driven into exile having reigned 25 years Herminius and Horatius took truce with the Enemy for 15 years and breaking up the Siege before Ardea returned with the Army This happened in the 244th year of the City after the account of Cato but the 245th A.M. 3496. V.C. 245. Olymp. 67. an 4. Darii 13. according to the computation of Terentius Varro in the latter end of the 67th Olympiad or the beginning of the 68th A. M. 3496. Pliny writeth that it was the same year wherein the Pisistratidae were banished Athens and Clemens joyneth it with the recovery of Babylon by Darius Hystaspis This was somewhat above twenty years after the beginning of Cyrus and the destruction of the Babylonian Empire AN INSTITUTION OF General History The First Part. BOOK II. Of the Persian Empire and the Affairs of the World Contemporary with it CHAP. I. The Persian Empire SECT I. From the beginning of the Empire of Cyrus to the death of Cambyses his Son and Successor 1. CYRUS having obtained the Empire of the East through the Conquest of Babylon after a three years siege Ezra 1.11 as is conjectured was sensible of Gods providence therein whom he understood to have foretold it and called him by name above 100 years before he was born and out of obedience to his decree The Jews return out of Captivity gave leave to all the Jews that were in Captivity in his Dominions to return to their own Countrey the 70 years of their exile foretold by Jeremiah the Prophet being now expired In compliance with this opportunity Zorubbabel the son of Salathiel and Grand-son to Jechoniah as Captain with Joshua the son of Josedec which Josedec was brother to Esdras and son to Seraiah the Chief Priest SECT 2. who being Counsellour to Zedekiah was slain by Nebuchadnesar
Temple of Argus and had burnt the grove which he had taken This passage betwixt the Lacedaemonians and Argives is to be described though in the same order Herodotus hath done it it having hapned long before the death of Cleomenes In Laconicis and as Pausanias saith in the beginning of his reign 23. Consulting the Oracle at Delphos it was answered that he should take Argos and hereupon he raised at Army and invaded the Territories of that State The Argives in their own defence made hast to meet him but he setting upon them as they were at dinner put many of them to the Sword and besieged the rest in the grove at Argus whither they fled Then learning their names from such fugitives as were with him he called them man by man out of the Wood to redeem themselves which at the Lacedaemonian rate was for two minae a man and so 50 of them coming out of the grove in which place they could no see beforehand what was done to their Companions he put to the Sword At length one of them climbing up on a tree discovered the matter after which no man would come out but then he set fire to the grove and burnt it and them together After this asking to whom of their gods the grove belonged to it was answered to Argus and so he found and acknowledged himself deceived by the Oracle Returning to Sparta he was accused as having been corrupted for that he might have taken Argos if he would but the major part were satisfied with his excuse and acquitted him As for Argos it was rendred by this overthrow so desolate of men that the Slaves governed all things till such time as the sons of the slain grew up and recovered their Patrimony after which the Slaves conquered Tyrinthes and held it till perswaded by Cleander a certain Wizard they returned and made War upon their Masters which continued long till such time as the Argives with difficulty remained Conquerours 24. Cleomenes being dead the Aeginetans sent and complained of Leutychides for the injury he had done to them in causing together with Cleomenes ten of their principal men to be kept as Hostages at Athens He was given up to them but fearing to carry a King of Sparta away prisoner though for the present the State had given him up they took him onely to Athens to procure them the liberty of their Hostages But the Athenians put them off Leutychides punished for the injury offered to Demaratus as refusing to deliver them without the authority of two Kings seeing both of them committed them to their custody and the journy being to no purpose Leutychides was dismissed and so returned but yet he also paid for the injury offered to Demaratus * Herodotus Lib. 6. cap. 72. For Menander leading an Army into Thessaâ—ie of which as of the War he had full and ample power he was corrupted with money and betrayed the interest of his Country after which being discovered as he held the money in both his hands fitting in his tent he was apprehended and carried to Sparta where being called to account he fled to Tegea and there died in exile his house being razed as a traytor to his Country 25. But the Aeginetans of old Enemies to those of Athens Idem cap. 87. were now much more incensed against them for detaining their Hostages and set themselves to studie a revenge At that time there was at Sunium the utmost promontory of Attica a Gallie which according to the custome observed every year since the time of Theseus was then going to Delphos abord of which were the principal men of Athens on this they seized and taking the men prisoners bound them all The Athenians hereat inraged laboured with all might on the other hand to revenge this and agreed with one Nicomachus to have the City betraied to them yet for that they could not get their Fleet together soon enough they came a day too late and missed of that enterprise But through the counsel of Themistocles having rigged a Fleet of 70 Gallies 20 of which the Corinthians sold them at an inconsiderable rate because by the Law they could not give them they set upon the Aeginetans War betwixt the Athenians and Aeginetans and overthrew them in a Sea-fight They betook themselves for aid to the Argives their old friends but having offended them not long before they received a publick denial yet underhand a supply of 1000 Volunteers most of whom fell in Aegina by the hands of the Athenians against whom yet the Aeginetans afterwards reinforcing their power at Sea in another battel became Victors But what the issue of this War farther was is not declared by Herodotus who yet elsewhere affirmeth that it give occasion to the safety of all Greece by putting the Athenians upon the care of Sea matters whereby when Xerxes came they became the bulwark thereof Probable it is that this War which was begun before the battel of Marathon was not composed till the time that Xerxes was about to invade Greece when we read that all the Graecians and these two States amongst the rest resolved to lay aside all private quarrels amongst themselves the Aeginetans being observed by * Euseb in Chronico another to have had the Dominion of the Sea 20 years untill the passage of Xerxes which thenceforth they were forced to yield to the Athenians 26. Whilest the Athenians were busie in the War against Aegina Darius sent his Forces into Greece against them and the Eretrians inhabitants of the Island Euboea which though they took the Citie of the later and made them Captives yet were they overthrown by the former in the battel at Marathon The battel of Marathon After the fight 2000 Spartans came to Athens being hindred hitherto by their superstition which forbad them from a Law of Lycurgus not to stir out till the full Moon whence they proceeded to Marathon to see the number of the slain and then commending the valour of the Athenians returned home Of these were slain in this fight Callimachus one of the Polemarchs Cynaegirus commended by many Writers Justin lib. 2. who when the Persians fled and betook themselves to their ships held one of them with with his hands till they were cut off and then with his teeth till at length he was slain and Hippias the late Tyrant who now hoping to recover after twenty years banishment his old power became the conducter of the Persian Forces though neither Herodotus nor Thucydides make mention of his death yet is reported by later Authors here to have been slain Miltiades Themistocles now a young man behaved himself gallantly in the battel but the successe is ascribed to the valour and conduct of Miltiades to whom Plutarch in Aristide when Aristides one of the Captains had assigned his day's Goverment the rest when it came on their turns did the same after that by the same help he
time which he would make as his own he perswaded the Ephori to give way that he should follow him with another Army under pretence of assisting him upon which account the Corinthians and Boeotians amongst the Confederates refused to follow him alleging they should break their Oaths by fighting against them who had done nothing prejudicial to the peace This they did concluding that the Lacedaemonians would lay the Territories of Athens to their own demains Pausanias after his arrival sent to them in the Piraeus to bid them depart and they refusing it for a colour to his designs he lead his Forces against them But returning without any thing performed he went to view the Walls the next day at which time they sallied out upon him and still fresh supplies coming in on both sides wrought and received considerable damage 5. Yet for all this he underhand sent unto them about a composure and instructed them what they should offer They obeyed him and he perswaded also those in the Citie to end the controversie that both might become friends to the Lacedaemonians But Pausanias the Spartan King emulating Lysander taketh up the matter The two Ephori present with him for two used alwayes to accompany the Spartan Kings in their expeditions inclined to his opinion rather than to the severity of Lysander and so accordingly they sent Ambassadors from both parties to Lacedaemon about an agreement The Lacedaemonians after audience presently dispatched ten Commissioners with them back to Athens who together with Pausanias might make an agreement They presently composed all on these terms That all should return home to their own habitations except the 30. and the 10. and 11 men which had commanded in the Piraeus and if any feared the people they might remove to Eleusine These things being done Pausanias drew off the Spartan Army and those that were in the Piraeus went up with their Arms into the Citie The popular Government restored and there sacrifized to Minerva Then by the perswasion of Thrasybulus the popular Government was restored and all things ordered as in former times A little after it being heard that they in Eleusine hired Soldiers abroad attempting new matters the whole Citie rose against them took their Captains as they came to parley and slew them the rest by their friends sent to them were perswaded to agree Then passed a general Act of Oblivion for all that was past confirmed by an Oath to keep which they being very carefull even yet saith Xenophon joyntly mannage the affairs of the Commonwealth By which wise order the Citie returned to its former quietnesse upon this Sedition raised by the 30 Tyrants who being created by a Decree of the Senate as * another saith put to death 1400 Citizens unheard Isocrates in Areopagit and forced more than 5000 to fly into the Piraeus 6. But this Tyranny of the 30. not onely produced the destâ—uction of many in the Town but of Alcibiades also then living in Asia with Phanabazus Plutarch in Alcibiad Cora. Nepos whom he intended to make use of to bring him to the King hoping he might deserve no worse of that Prince than Themistocles had done of his Predecessor When the Athenians were deprived of their liberty by the means of Lysander and the Tyranny of the 30. they then began again to repent of what they had done to him judging that if he had been yet at the Helm they should never have made shipwrack of their liberty and still their confidence was in him and thought their cause was not utterly desperate as long as he was safe The thirty Tyrants procured Alcibiades to be made away The Tyrants also were jealous of him procuring all the intelligence they could concerning all his actions and at length Critias remonstrated to Lysander that things could not stand as they did long if he lived who yet was nothing perswaded to procure his death till he received a Scytala from the Magistrates at Sparta who either feared his great abilities or did it to gratifie Agis to remove him by some means out of the way He sent to Pharnabazus requiring him to dispatch him who enjoyned his brother Magaeus and his Uncle Susamiâ—hres to be his Executioners They coming to the Village in Phrygia where he lived durst not enter his house but compassing it about set it on fire He perceiving what was done took some Clothes and casting them into the fire which keeping down the flame for some space he brake out whereupon the Barbarians fled not daring to stand to him but at a distance killed him with Darts after which his body was burnt with that matter that was prepared to consume him alive by the care of his Paramour Timandra the Mother of Lais the famous Corinthian Courtisan Thus he died in the flour of his age scarce exceeding fourty years a man very beautifull of most excellent parts fit for any imployment able to accommodate himself to all both times and customs though never so repugnant and therein yet esteemed also to excell Socrates upon him exercised the true Platonick love labouring to infuse such virtue into him as might make him truely lovely but such were his temptations and inclination that counterpoising the instructions nature in this man seemed to try what she could do it being agreed by all saith * Com. Nepos one who wrote of him that none was ever more eminent both for vice and virtue 7. After these things Cyrus made War upon his brother Artaxerxes Xenoph. lib. 3. as hath been said elsewhere at what time he sent to Lacedaemon demanding a return for his kindnesses shewed to them who thinking it most just sent their Admiral to keep in play Syeunesis the Satrapa of Cilicia till he passed that Countrey After his overthrow Tissaphernes his greatest Enemy being a most insolent man before now grew more haughty after the King had laid the Province of Cyrus to his Satrapie and began to be more troublesome to the Greek Cities in Asia Thimbro sent into Asia They sent to complain hereof at Sparta which State sent to their relief Thimbron with an Army of 1000 new raised Soldiers out of Laconia 4000 Foot of Peloponnesus and 300 Horse from Athens which the Citie willingly parted withall with no good prosperity wished to their persons for that they had been in the service of the thirty Tyrants What he did in Asia and how he returned home after Dercyllidas was sent to succeed him and was banished upon complaint of the Confederates is related in the Affairs of Asia At the same time as Dercyllidas managed the War beyond the Seas the Lacedaemonians and Eleans reviving their old grudges and complaints broke out into another War which was begun by the Lacedaemonians at the instance of the Ephori They sent out Agis their King who led an Army into the Territories of the Eleans but an Earth-quake hapning at his first entrance which was counted ominous he returned
contended not Cleareth himself but that very night sent for Carpenters who demolished the house ere morning the next day the People were presented with a new and unexpected sight which fully altered their opinion concerning Valerius who now wanting an house of his own was glad to accept of the courtesie of friends till the People gave him a place wherein he built a mansion lesse stately than the former Further that he might render not onely himself but also his Office in stead of terrible familiar and acceptable to all he removed Axes from the bundle of Rods and the Rods themselves vvhen he came into the Assembly he bowed or vailed to the People thereby intimating that in them lay the chief power which custom his Successors followed Hereby as to his own person he lesned not himself but cut off envy and got so much power as he renounced of liberty the People willingly submitting to him because he flattered them out of which respect they gave him the Sirname of Poplicola not Publicola as Sigonius hath evinced He gave free leave to any to sue for the Consulship but before a Colleague should be joyned with him being ignorant what might happen and fearing he might either through emulation or ignorance crosse his designs by his sole authority he gave birth to several Popular Constitutions which at length produced such effects as shewed the excellency of that Government which he had helped to destroy 11. First he filled up the Senate which had been exhausted by an addition of 164 Persons as some delivered the number Then made he several Laws His constitutions which gave beginning to that paramount or rampant liberty whereof the People was afterwards possessed By one he gave leave to an accused person to appeal from the Consuls to the People By another he made it death for any one to take upon him an Office of Magistracy without the People's order A third gave relief to poor Citizens by taking away the payment of Tribute Another punished disobedience towards the Consuls and appointed the mulct to be the price of five Oxen and two Sheep the price of a Sheep was ten Oboli each Obolus was worth 1 d. q. and 100 the value of an Oxe For at that time the use of money was but rare amongst the Romans wealth consisting in plenty of Cattel whence riches were afterwards called Peculia from Pecus and upon the antient money an Oxe Sheep or Hog was stamped which gave it the name of Pecunia and hence they imposed upon their sons as Plutarch observeth the names of Suillii Bubulci Caprarii and Porcii Another Law Valerius made which gave power to any man to kill him unheard that affected the Supreme power if he could demonstrate the crime The last was a Law for the creation of two Quaestors or publick Treasurers as Plutarch writeth For it being necessary that the People should contribute money for maintenance of Wars he would neither undertake the keeping of it himself nor commit the care of it to his friends neither thought it convenient that the Publick money should be kept in a private house therefore he made the Temple of Saturn the Aerarium or Treasury and caused the People to chuse out two young men to be Quaestors The Quaestors The first were P. Veturius and M. Minucius A great quantity of money was now brought into the Aerarium For at the Census 130000 were cessed or valued besides Widdows and Orphans Thus much Plutarch delivereth concerning this Office 12. But some give a more antient beginning to the Quaestors making theirs antienter than any Office except that of the Kings (a) Lib. de Potestatibus Gracchanus a Lawyer wrote When first made that both Romulus and Numa had their Quaestors created by the consent of the People however he saith it is certain that Tullus Hostilius had his (b) Lib. de officio Quaestoris Ulpian confirmeth the later and (c) Annal. l. 16. 11. Tacitus seemeth to agree with either of them affirming that under the Kings there were Quaestors which the Lex curiata sheweth that was renewed by L. Brutus He addeth that the Consuls had power to chuse them till the People took that honour to it self and first of all created Valerius Potitus and Aemilius Mamercus that they might follow the Army in the 63 year after the banishment of Tarquinius Lipsius thinketh this number should be read 23 that it might agree with (d) Lib. 8. Dionysius and also (e) Lib. 3. Livie who first mentioneth the Quaestors in the 269 year of the City 23 years after the banishment of the King and differeth onely in one of their names having for Aemilius Caeso Fabius Concerning the antiquity of these Officers (f) Lib. 2. ff de Orig. Juris Pomponius also the Lawyer agreeth with the rest They had their name à quaerendo saith (g) De Lingua Latin lib. 4. pag. 22. ex Edit Joseph Scalig. Varro because they made inquiry after publick money and also Malefactors or the actions of such which later employment was afterwards committed to the Triumviri for capital matters so that Quaestor is written as for Quaesitor Justus Lipsius is of opinion that though the Kings might have these Officers for the punishment of vice yet the Treasurers were not created till the change of the Government when the Publick Treasure being increased there was need of such At the beginning they were but two by consent of all Their number and those were made for the City retaining afterwards the name of Urbani But afterward when they were to look to the paying of the Armies abroad and selling plunder and booty then were there other two made to accompany the Consuls as Livie saith which hapned about the 232 year of the City 13. This number long continued until all Italy was brought in then was it again doubled no fewer than eight being thought to suffice for the Tributes of the Provinces and this hapned when Silver money was first coined about the 439 year of the City as may be gathered from the Epitome of Livie's 15 Book Not long after Sylla procured by a Law that twenty should be made for the assistance of the Senate as Tacitus writeth to which he had delivered the judicial power and for such an end did Caesar cause fourty to be created The Quaestorship was the first step to Offices of Magistracy Their duty as is clear from several Authors was to gather lay up and pay out the publick revenues Their duty to keep the military Ensignes of Gold and Silver for they then used no banners in the Treasury to sell plunder and booty receive lodge and carry out Ambassadors They had also the government of certain places as Ostia and Cales They received from Augustus the privilege of keeping the Senatus consulta which formerly belonged to the Aediles and Tribunes And the Emperours had a certain Quaestor of their own called Candidatus
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
the several Interregnums The first Interregnum was extraordinary being betwixt the reigns of Romulus and Numa when the Senate governed for the space of a year the other were ordinary and continued but for five dayes under particular men at the end whereof another was Elected and called Interrex having for that time the power of Consuls All these changes of Government except the Interregnums betwixt the reigns of the Kings whereof none but one is considerable hapned to the Commonwealth of Rome within the space of 134 years scarce so many having compleatly passed from the banishment of Tarquinius to this alteration in the Consulship It is not in vain to have made these observations that the Reader may plainly see the ridiculous sicklenesse weaknesse and danger of the Roman Government after that it came to be Antimonarchical 43. In the beginning of the year news came of the Galls their meeting together who had before been dispersed through Apulia and of the intended revolt of the Hernici but all preparations were deferred by the Senate because it troubled them that any thing should be done by a Plebeian Consul and there was a great silence with a general intermission of businesse as in some great Vacation Onely the Tribunes were not silent because that for one Plebeian Consul the Nobility had got three Patritian Magistrates who sate as Consuls in their Curule Chairs and their Praetextae especially were they concerned about the Praetor who administred Justice was a Collegue of the Consuls and created by the same Auspicia Modesty therefore suffered not the Fathers to create both the Aediles Curules out of their own body so that it was agreed first that every other year they should be chosen out of the Commons but afterwards they were Elected promiscuously The year following fell a grievous plague upon the Citie which took away besides great multitudes of the common sort One Censor one Aedilis Curulis and three Tribunes And who was more than all Camillus with many others dieth of the plague Camillus himself now died having born the Office of Consul more than once been five times Dictator having Triumph four and done such things as he deservedly was written the second founder of Rome The plague raging both in this and the following year gave place to no means that were used so that all mens minds being superstitiously bent the Stage-playes were brought up to appease their impure gods The Actors were sent for out of Hetruria in the language of which Countrey Hister signifying a Player thence was derived the Roman word Histrio these playes were very barbarous and antick at the first M. Curtius Two years after this the ground cleaving asunder in the Forum M. Curtius is said to have rode into the hole and so being swallowed up purchased conquest for his Countrey according to the Declaration of their gods After this there was action abroad with the Hernici and the Galls One of these provoking any one Roman to a single Combat T. Manlius accepted of the challenge and killing his Enemy took a Torques or chain from his neck Torquatus whence he and his posterity obtained the Sirname of Torquatus In this fight the Galls had the worst so also three years after and eight years after that when M. Valerius a young man and Tribune of the Soldiers fighting with another Gall as Manlius did had the same successe As he was fighting a Crow came and sitting upon his head with beak and wings assisted him in his combat whence he had the Sirname of Corvinus Corvinus At this time also were several Victories obtained against the Latines and Hetruscans 44. But that we may joyn domestick affairs with those of the Camp after the Commons had enjoyed the Consulship nine years the Patritians took it from them again A Plebeian Dictator made which causeth great discontent out of disdain that the year before C. Martius Rutilius a Plebeian had been Dictator Hereat the multitude was so inraged that at the end of three years more the Senate was forced to restore the Office and because Usury was again grown exceeding burthensom to the poorer sort they appointed five men to order the payment of debts out of the Treasury For the following year also one of the Censors was chosen out of the Plebeians Hitherto were the Wars of the Romans as it were at their gates now they were removed further off and henceforth continued longer For in the 412 year from the founding of the City and the 46 from it's restauration began the War with the Samnites a People of Italy Strabo l. 5. p. 228. c. * In Florio l. 1. c. 16. descended from the Sabines from whom also they had their name or from Saunia or Sannia which in the Greek tongue signifie Spears The War with the Samnites or from the hill Samnium where as they came from the Sabines they seated themselves according to Festus They had the Sabines Peligni and Aequi on the West the Picentini and Apuli on the East on the South the Campanians and Sidicini and on the North the Marucini Dauni and Apuli as is observable out of History saith * In Florio l. 1. c. 16. Joh. Stadius It was the custome of the Romans by helping others to espouse quarrels The Samnites having unjustly molested the Sidicini with War they betook themselves to the Campanians for succour These being luxurious and effeminate were easily worsted and sent to Rome for aid their Ambassadors imploring it with tears and giving up themselves and Country into the hands of the Senate and People The Senate was at first unwilling to use any force for that the Samnites were their friends in confederacy but upon the importunate cries and prayers of the Ambassadors and the scornful denial of the Samnites to abstain from the Territories of Capua and Campania their request was granted and the Consuls sent forth the one to Capua and the other into Samnium vvhere the Samnites vvere overthrovvn in both places and many thousands of them slain For in Campania Valerius after a bloody battel became Master of their Camp In Samnium Cornelius having unvvarily led his Army thither vvhere they lay in vvait for him P. Decius a Tribune in the Army possessed himself of an hill above the Enemy vvho much vvondring thereat applied themselves thither and so gave liberty to the Consul to dravv forth his men into a more convenient place Then brake he through though besieged vvhereat the Enemy vvas so much astonished that the Consul falling on obtained so great a Victory that 30000 of the Samnites vvere slain 45. This defeat together with inroades made upon them the next year drew them to make a peace the Sidicini being left to their mercy They desired that the Latines and Campanians might be commanded not to assist the Sidicini but because the Senate would not deny that these Nations were under their command and were also afraid to provoke them so
purpose and afterwards resolved to go 3 dayes journey off into Gabiene for that the Armies were both much straightned for necessaries Eumenes hearing this sent some who as Fugitives should acquaint him how as that night he intended to fall in upon his Camp which he believing stayed expecting him and then did Eumenes make haste to get into Gabiene before him Antigonus seeing himself deluded marched after with great expedition and leaving behind the rest of his Army with a party got before him He presented then himself to his view upon the Mountains which Eumenes seeing and thinking he had all his Forces with him made an Alt and so they mutually deceived each other Here in the Countrey of the Paraetaceni they joyned battel wherein Eumenes had the better though the other got the advantage of ground but then his Soldiers beginning to be refractory would needs depart to their baggage The victory controverted and not stay to bury their dead Whereupon Antigonus doing this first the victory came to be controverted 16. Antigonus finding himself to have had the worst of it Diodorus ut suprà Plutarch in Eumene Cornel. Nepos went his way to Gamarga in Media where was plenty of Provisions and then Eumenes finding his Army in no good case to pursue him departed to Gabiene Here he divided his Forces into their Winter quarters not according to his own desire but the pleasure of the Soldiers for the old ones which had followed Alexander in his Conquests were grown so high as they would rather give Laws to their Captains than receive them Antigonus hearing this thought to surprize them on a sudden and for that they should know nothing of it resolved to take a by-way which yet was declared to Eumenes who not being able to call his Soldiers together so soon as was requisite betook himself to his seldom failing policy He caused fires to be made on the Mountains where the Enemy was to passe which they beholding thought he had there with him his whole Army and so took the common way after they were come into the midst of their journey Antigonus stayed one day to recruit his Army and Eumenes gathered in the mean time his Forces together which admired his prudence so much as they ordered him to be the Chief which made him come into the danger of life divers of the great ones conspiring against him which made him say he was amongst a company of wild beasts and caused him to make his Will and tear his Letters lest any of them that had wrote unto him should be troubled after his death This as it was faithfully done to his friends so was it also in good time as it after fell out 17. For shortly after Antigonus and he came to a Pitch-battel which decided the controversie though not for the Conquerour Eumenes lead into the field 36700 foot 6050 horse and 114 Elephants Antigonus brought 2â—000 foot 9000 horse and 65 Elephants The Argyraspides or silver shields got the victory for they put all Antigonus his foot to flight and killed 5000 of them so that though Peucestes withdrew himself out of the fight with his own horse and 1500 more yet Eumenes with the losse of 700 on his side got the day But neither valour nor wisdom could befriend him for the place where they fought being exceeding dusty so as ones sight was taken away at a little distance Eumenes getteth the better Antigonus sends a party of his horse to plunder his Enemies baggage so that the Macedonians though Conquerors after the battel fell into a deep melancholy for the losse of their Wives and Children taken away and Teutamus first without the knowledge of any one sent to Antigonus who Covenanted with him to restore him all on condition Eumenes were delivered to him and they would all passe into his Camp whereupon the Macedonians But is betrayed by his men the 1000 which Peucestes commanded and most of the other Captains revoked and Eumenes having his hands tied behind him was delivered up his Army shamefully following him to the Tents of Antigonus leading it self in Triumph after him Antigonus for shame would not see Eumenes his old fellow Soldier in that condition but assigned him to Keepers at first requiring he should be strictly looked to but afterwards remitting that rigour till almost all perswaded him to make an end of him This he was loath to do and took 7 dayes to consult in but then fearing some Sedition might arise in the Army he commanded his dayly allowance of meat should be withdrawn saying he would never lay hands upon him Two or three dayes he languished in this condition and then the Army being to march And killed one was sent in and killed him without the knowledge of Antigonus so fell this brave man excelled in Military glory but by few Captains in the eighth year after the death of Alexander 18. Cassander having obtained of Antigonus 35 ships and 6000 men Diodorus l. 18. sayled with them to Athens which together with the Haven he had got into his power by means of Nicanor whom he had sent before-hand for that purpose Against him came Polysperchon intending to besiege him but his Provisions failing he left his son with a party in Attica and with the greatest part of the Army marched into Peloponnesus against the Inhabitants of Megalopolis who onely amongst the Cities had refused to take away their Oligarchy and had joyned with Cassander Here he had the worst of it and that brought him so into contempt as most of the Greek Cities revolted from him to Cassander and the Athenians seeing they could not shake off his Garrison agreed with him that he should retain the Fort Munychia till the War was finished with the Kings but that the Citie should be governed by one whom he appointed which was Demetrius Phalereus the Philosopher Theophrastus his Scholar who Governed ten years with moderation and was honored with 360 Statues Laertius in vita Phocionis Then Cassander making an expedition into Macedonia found there many friends The year after Polysperchon by the help of Aeacida King of the Molossians reduced Olympias with Alexander the son of Rhoxane her Grand-Child into Macedonia whereupon Eurydice the Wife of Aridaeus the King fortified herself and sent to Cassander for aid but the Macedonians fearing the Majesty of Olympias fell away from her Olympias destroyeth Aridaeus and his Wife and she with her husband being both committed to prison he was first made away and then Olympias sent her a Sword an Halter and Poyson to chuse which of them she pleased so she praying the gods that she might have at length such gifts sent unto her hanged her self with her Garter This hapned after Aridaeus had enjoyed the title of King six years and four moneths 19. Olympias killed Nicanor the brother of Cassander Diodorus l. 19. and destroyed the Sepulchre of his other brother Iollas and then chusing
to passe over with it into Asia and with the rest marched for Thessaly there to oppose Demetrius and the Greeks Stirs preceding the great battel There meeting and incamping with vast Armies neither of them would begin the battel expecting how things went in Asia till Demetrius was recalled thither by his father Lysimachus being landed there the Inhabitants of Lampsachus submitted to him whom he restored to their liberty stormed Sigeus and placed a Garrison there then he taketh in Phrygia upon the Hellespont and divers other places by the means of Docimus an Officer of Antigonus whom he had drawn over to him Prepelaus also whom he sent with a party to subdue the Cities of Aeolis and Ionia took other Towns Antigonus was at this time celebrating publick Games at Antigonia when hearing this news he presently broke them off and with all speed marched against Lysmachus Whom he reached and besieged him in his Camp for some time till he taking the opportunity of a dark and rainy night fled away Then hearing that Seleucus was drawing down his Forces from the upper Provinces he sent for Demetrius to come over with all expedition Seleucus had lately made peace with Sandrocottus or Androcottus who being a man of no quality had sollicited the Indians to revolt after the death of Alexander and to kill his Officers and thence took an occasion to subdue them under himself Bactria being subdued Seleucus had waged War with him but now for a Composure gave to him some Countrey lying upon the River Indus which Alexander had taken from the Arians and received 500 Elephants again of him in exchange Ptolomy with a compleat Army had come into Caelesyria where he reduced divers Cities but as he was besieging Sidon came a false report that Antigonus had overthrown Seleucus and Lysimachus and now was coming thitherward wherefore he made a Truce with the Sidonians for five moneths and returned but not long after came up again to that fatal ingagement with Antigonus 4. Plutarch in vita Demetrii Appianus in Syriacis The Forces of these several Princes were drawn down to be in readinesse against the Spring Antigonus had an Army of 70000 foot 10000 horse and 75 Elephants the contrary party had made up amongst them 64000 foot 1500 horse 400 Elephants and 120 Chariots Antigonus bragged that he would scatter the meeting of these Kings together as one might do the flocking of birds gathering Corn with the throwing of a stone but when they approached he was more melancholick than usual and was seen to discourse with his son in private in his Tent which he never used to do commended him also to the Army as his Successor This battel was fought at Ipsus a Town in Phrygia in which Demetrius leading the best party of horse ingaged with Antiochus the son and afterwards Successor of Seleucus whom he routed and put to flight but being too hot in the pursute undid all for retiring back he could not again joyn himself with the foot by reason that the Elephants were gotten between them Seleucus seeing this made as if he would have falln upon the Infantry thus destitute of the horse wherein his expectation failed him not for they fearing it part revolted to him and the rest were broken Antigonus slain in it and put to flight Antigonus standing his ground expected continually Demetrius to come to relieve him but in that expectation ended his life by a multitude of Darts thrown against him being now something above 80 years old Demetrius his son with 5000 foot and 4000 horse fled to Ephesus but there fearing his Soldiers might be some way false to him A. M. 3704. Ol. 119. ann 4. V. C. 453. Seleuci 12. Ptolom 23. he sayled to Salamine in Cyprus which he then held This fell out in the 3704 year of the World the fourth of the 119 Olympiad 23 years after the death of Alexander and six after their taking the Title of Kings upon them 5. The Conquerours parted his Dominions amongst them as we are told Iidem but it seems to have been chiefly Seleucus and Ptolomy who did not well agree about their prey and upon this account left a contention to their Successors Seleucus fell presently upon building Cities the first of which he called after himself Seleucia and the later to which he transferred the Inhabitants of Antigonia to the number of three thousand five hundred as we said before he called Antiochia either after his father or son's name for both are affirmed and this afterwards proved the Metrapolis of Syria Ptolomy after the death of Antigonus got Syria again with Cyprus Vide Usserium in prima parte Annal. pag. 461. and afterwards Cyrene also into his power and married his daughter Arsinoes unto Lysimachus as few years after his other to Agathocles the son Seleucus seeing that thus these two strengthned themselves in affinity The Alliances of the Kings thought not amisse to joyn also with Demetrius though gone down the wind and accordingly sent to him for his daughter Stratonice He receiving this unexpected Message sayled with her into Syria Passing by Cilicia which then Cassander held Plistarchus his brother cried out that he would invade his Territories and went strait to Seleucus to expostulate with him his being reconciled to the common Enemy But Demetrius landing went to Quinda where finding yet 200 Talents left in the Treasury he took them away and so went and met with Seleucus at Orossus who taking his wife away with him to Antioch Demetrius seized upon Cilicia and sent his wife Phila to Cassander her brother to purge him of those things laid to his charge by Plistarchus Notwithstanding Cassander he held Cilicia Plutarch ibid but Seleucus his son-in-law required that for a sum of money he would give it up into his hands which he refused and then he with some anger demanded Tyre and Sidon of him not being content though he held all from the Syrian Sea as far as India that his father-in-law should rest quiet with it A. M. 3707. Ol. 120. ann 3. V.C. 456. Seleuci 15. Ptolom 26. being sufficiently tossed with adverse fortune but he as stoutly denied this also saying that though he were a thousand times more overcome yet would he never purchase the affinity of Seleucus Cassander dieth and fortified the Cities with Garrisons The next year Cassander King of Macedonia died of a Dropsie which was so loathsom as Lice withall broke out of him after he had ruled that Countrey 19 years 26 after the death of Alexander A. M. 3707. 6. He left three sons by Thessalonice the daughter of Philip Idem ibid. in vita Pyrrhi Just lib. 16. and sister to Alexander Philip Antipater and Alexander The first succeeded his father but died presently of a Consumption Antipater coming after him killed his mother for that after her husbands death she seemed to favour his younger brother Alexander more than him in the
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
Philip lighting upon his men drove them to their ships and then going to Dymae cast out thence the Garrison of the Aetolians called thither by the Eleans Their Territories he also wasted Cycliadas the General of the Achaeans having united his Forces with his and then went against the Citie it self Philip again worsted by the Romans at Elis. It hapned that Sulpicius was secretly got in thither with 4000 men which struck a terror into the besiegers as soon as they espied the Roman colours and Philip would fain have drawn off his men but a skirmish being begun he was forced to charge the Roman Cohort with his horse His own horse being shot under him A. M. 3796. Ol. 142. ann 4. V.C. 545. Antioch M. 15. Ptolom Philop 14. a sharp conflict followed about his person now on foot but being overpowered he was rescued by his followers and mounting another fled away Then pitched he his Tents five miles from Elis and the next day marching to Pyrgus a Castle not far off there took a multitude of Countrey people which with their Cattel had fled thither for protection but as he was dividing the plunder a Messenger came out of Macedonia and informed him that a certain man of the Aeropians had taken Lychnidus and was raising the Dardanians wherefore leaving 2500 men under the Government of Menippus and Polyphas for a Guard to the Achaeans away he marched into Thessaly where he heard the Dardanians had invaded his Kingdom and that he was reported to be slain After his departure Sulpicius went and wintred at Aegina with Attalus and the Achaeans fought prosperously against their Enemies His acts in Greece 35. The year after Livius lib. 28. P. Sulpicius Galba the Proconsul and Attalus departing from Aegina with their Navies joyned together which made up fifty sayl came into Euboea and there took Oreus through the treachery of Plator the Governour Philip now being at Demetrias great complaints came to him of the Aetolians who being very high troubled grievously the Associates the Achaeans moreover being molested again by Machanidas Tyrant of Lacedaemon and desiring aid he dismissed the Messengers with promise to provide for the safety of all as near as he could and appointed fires to be made on the tops of the Mountains with a Watch-Tower to give him warning if the Enemy invaded the Sea-Coasts The fires upon the coming of the Navy to Oreus were by the cunning of Plator made too late but upon the sign given he hasted with his Army having beaten off the Aetolians who opposed him at the Straights of Thermopylae and came to Elatea a Town in Phocis Attalus at this time the Proconul having attempted Chalcis to no purpose came to Opus which being taken the King's Soldiers were to have the plunder of it as the Romans had before of Oreus Here he staying too long to gather money was almost surprised by Philip and hasting to his ships had not got all his men aboard before he fell upon him then departing to Oreus he there received news that Prusias King of Bithinia had invaded his Kingdom so that he presently returned home and Sulpicius to Aegina Philip chiding the Opuntians for yielding so soon went and took Thronium inhabited by them of Thebes Pthiotick who being outed thence by him 8 years before as we said the Aetolians had given them this Town to dwell in After this returning to Elatia where the Ambassadors of Ptolomy and the Rhodians stayed his coming to move him again about the peace and hearing that Machanidas had determined to set upon the Eleans he resolved to prevent him Machanidas hearing of his coming retreated presently to Sparta and then went he to Aegium to the general Council of the Achaeans to whom he restored Heraea and Triphylia and Aliphera to the Megalopolitans He made some depredations upon the Aetoliam then returned to Oreus and so to Demetrias where he gave order for making of ships things being quiet there after the departure of Attalus and so into his own Kingdom against the Dardanians 36. The two years following Idem lib. 29. little or nothing was done by the Romans in Greece so that the Aetolians being destitute of their aid in which they most confided were forc'd to make a Peace with him on his own terms Scarce was it concluded The Aetolians forced to make a peace with him when Publius Sempronius the Proconsul was sent to succeed Sulpicius who carelessly managed his affaires with 10000 Foot 1000 Horse and 35 Gallies who coming to Dyrrhachium raised the Parthini and set upon Damallum Coming a little after to Apollonia Philip having received the news of his arrival marched down thither and would have given him battel but the Proconsul refusing it and he not daring to attempt the Town as also because he was now inclinable also to Peace he returned again into his own Kingdom Not long after the Epirotes bearing also the same mind sent to him desiring he would think of Peace which they despaired not of so he and Sempronius would but meet together He condescended to go down into Epirus and then came to an interview with the Proconsul at Phoenice together with Aminander King of the Athamanians and the Deputies of the Epirotes and Acarnanians where it was agreed that the Parthini A general peace made betwixt him the Romans and others the Cities Dimalum Bargulum and Eugenium should fall to the share of the Romans and the Atintanae because they had desired it from the Senate at Rome to Philip in the confederacy were included on the Kings part Prusias King of Bithinia the Achaeans Boeotians Thessalonians Acarnanians and Epirotes and on the Roman the Inhabitants of Ilium King Attalus Plearatus the Eleans Messenians and Athenians with Nabis Tyrant of Sparta and successor of Machanidas Polybius l. 11. excerpt c. 7. slain in battel by Philopomenes who now had begun to defend his Country from the Lacedaemonians and others A Truce was made for two moneths to have the consent of the People of Rome who now having turned the War into Africk upon the Carthaginians were glad to free themselves from all other troubles and therefore the Peace was confirmed by the suffrages of all the Tribes 37. But Philip's mind was so inured to action Plutarch in Philopomene that he could not but make himself work for perceiving Philopomenes now Praetor the second time of the Achaeans to be in great respect for his military skil and valour he sent to murder him at Megalopolis which being discovered he deservedly incurred the displeasure of all Greece He kept some correspondence together with Antiochus the Great with Ptolomy Philopator He incurreth odium several wayes when living but after his death they two consulted together to deprive his young son of his Kingdom and might well have done it especially seeing the Aegyptian Court was much vexed by the discord of the great ones had they not both been diverted
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
Carthaginians had the better A great part of the Africans were slain and the rest fled to a neighbouring Citie where not long after they yielded themselves Utterly defeateth them and the War endeth after three years and almost four moneths and Mathos was taken alive The subjects of Carthage now turned to obedience all except they of Hippacrita and Utica who being past hope of mercy from their inraged Lords seemed resolved to stand out but Hanno and Amilcar bringing their forces constrained them to submit to such conditions as the Carthaginians would lay upon them Mathos and those that were with him being carried to the Citie was used with all sorts of contumely and torment and so this Libyan War ended having lasted three years and almost four moneths being saith Polybius the most cruel and wicked that ever we heard of But it gave the Carthaginians occasion to repent of two great errors viz. Trusting so great a multitude of Mercenaries together when they were idle and the cruel and tyrannical usage of their subjects 16. The Romans that we may return to them the History of whom is our proper subject though they observed the League during these troubles and at length as was said gave the Carthaginians also reason to like well of their friendship yet thought they had some cause to be angry with them For such of their subjects as sayled from Italy into Africk they seized on lest they should carry Provisions to their Enemies and had at Carthage almost 500 of such kind of men in prison Yet when Ambassadors were sent to complain hereof they kindly dismissed all those in custody which so affected the Romans that they also sent them all their prisoners gave them all they asked and permitted their Merchants to carry them necessaries forbidding them to Traffick with their Enemies they also refused to hearken to such of the Carthaginian Mercenaries as having betrayed their trust invited them into Sardinia But though Polybius telleth us that this they did yet it appeareth from him also that this modesty continued but for a time For allured as it seemeth by this invitation they sayled thither which much offended the Carthaginians who thought that the place by far more right belonged to them so that they prepared to send forces into the Island The Romans took occasion hereat to decree War against them complaining that these forces were not designed so much against the Sardinians as themselves The Romans wrest Sardinia from the Carthagians with more Tribute which forced the other who found themselves in no good case to manage the War with them to give way to the time and quit not onely Sardinia but pay further to the Romans 1200 Talents This though submitted to at present bred such grudges and malice as at length brake out into another War a more dangerous and bloudy than the former as will appear 17. In the (a) Cicero Tuscul lib. 1. in Bruto Cassiodorus in Chronico year after the ending of the first Punick War the 514 of the Citie C. Claudius Cento and M. Sempronius Tuditanus being Consuls the year preceding the birth of Ennius the first Comedies and Tragedies were made by Livius Andronicus the Poet. This man being a Graecian born was rightly called Andronicus Comedies and Tragedies first Rome made by Livius Andronicus and sirnamed Livius from his Master Livius Salinator whose Children he taught and for his learning was manumitted by him (b) Lib. 17. cap. 21. Gellius saith that he now first at Rome taught playes about 160 years after the death of Sophocles and Euripides and 52 after that of Menander But whereas he is said by Gellius first to have made or taught playes as Rome it is to be understood of these two sorts of Poetry now mentioned (c) Lib. 2. c. 4. Valerius Maximus telling us that he drew the minds of the spectators to those shews from the use of Satires which by little and little succeeded that most antient and plain Roman sport of the Histriones brought out of Etruria as we shewed before for the stopping of the Pestilence through the command of the Oracle The Ludi Senici These Ludi Scenici were first managed with rude gestures Lege Livium l. 7. Casaub de Satira Romana and incomposed Songs called Versus Fescennini from Fescennium a City of Hetruria From these jocular speeches which at random were wont to be uttered at the Roman solemnities came the Satire as later in time so more elaborate and as for metre a perfect Poeme containing ridiculous things digested into Verse which they were wont to utter amongst themselves after the antient custom The Satire It differed as much from that of the Greeks as from the rest differeth Dramatick Poetry whereof the Romans at this time knew not so much as the name A Satire being afterwards variously handled by the Romans at length was reduced to two sorts which Fabius onely acknowledgeth The former was found out by Lucilius and the later ennobled by Varro Horace mentioneth two kinds of most antient Poetry one whereof they used in the praise of their gods as when they appeased Tellus with a sow-pig and Sylvanns with milk the other when in jest and sport they jeered one another being the same with the Fescennine Verses whence came the Satires to which Livius Andronicus added the playes of Comedies and Tragedies as was observed 18. Four years after A. M. 3769. Ol. 136. an 1. V. C. 518. Seleucid 77. Seleuci Callinici 11. Ptol. Euerget 11. were celebrated at Rome the third time the Saecular Games concerning which it is convenient to speak in this place that beginners may know the differences of Roman exercises These were called Ludi Magni The third Saecular or Terentine Games as others were in opposition to the Scenici and games made by private men and Ludi Terentini not Tarentini whereof Students are to beware from Terentus a place in the Campus Martius where they were celebrated But there were other games called also Terentini Ludi which some not considering have run into confusion and that more properly than these Saecular ones were and therefore the rise of them all is to be related There was one Valesius a man of prime note amongst the Sabines who living near Eretus and not far from Tiber in a great Plague Vide Valerium Maxim l. 2. c. 4. had two sons and a daughter which fell dangerously sick Amongst his prayers for them he heard a voice that they should recover if carying them to Terentus he would fetch them some warm water of Tiber from the altar of Pluto and Proserpina He thought the City Tarentum was meant and doubted how he should come by any Tiberine water in that remote part of Italy but resolving to be obedient he sailed down the River towards Ostia and late at night arrived at the Campus Martius where he understood there was a place called Terentus Landing here he gave
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
occasion of the social War which had been partly promised them 36 years before by Flaccus the Consul who being earnest for it was diverted into Gall by the Senate and afterwards joyned himself in the Tribuneship with the younger Gracchus to no purpose endeavouring with him the passing of it with whom also as is formerly shewn he lost his life Now again their expectation was heightned by Drusus but then was he murdered and all the great ones banished who stood for them by a Law which the Equites by force of Arms obtained who hoped that having the power of Judicature in themselves the profit would be great which would arise in ridding away their Enemies They also thought they had reason enough to expect this privilege from that Citie which was maintained both in its subsistence and Empire by their valour they ever sending out forces double in number to those of the Romans Upon these grounds they resolved to procure by force what could not be by fair means obtained sending Messages to and fro and for the performance of what was agreed on receiving Hostages from one another 26. This being known late enough at Rome so busied with its private seditious contests Spies were sent out into the several quarters One of them seeing a young man of Asculum carried into another Citie as an Hostage therewith acquainted Servilins the Proconsul who going to Asculum and chiding the Citizens was set upon and slain together with all the Romans After this the Conspiracy being quite discovered all broke out into open Rebellion the Marsi Peligni Vestini Marrucini Ferentani Hirpini Picentes Pompeiani Venusini Apulians Lucanians and the old Enemies of the Romans the Samnites They thought good first to send to Rome to complain but the Messengers could not be admitted without repentance for what was already done Preparations for it Hereupon the War vvas committed to both the Consuls L. Julius Caesar and P. Rutilius Lupus to vvhom vvere added Cn. Pompeius Strabo father to Pompey the Great C. Marius vvho had been six times Consul L. Sylla Licinius Crassus C. Perpenna Q. Caepio Q. Metellus Pius son to the Numidian M. Marcellus Val. Messala and T. Didius vvho vvere all sent vvith Proconsular power The forces on either side amounted to 100000 fighting men Rutilius the Consul quickly lost his life falling into an ambush laid for him by the Marsi and many other blows did the Romans receive The Romans receive many blows so that they vvere forced to list such as once had been slaves The bodies of the Consul and those of several others being carried into the Citie the sight of them so discouraged the people that the Senate made a decree that thenceforth the slain should be buried vvhere they died vvhich as a prudent example vvas followed by the Enemy 27. None succeeded Rutilius all the year for that Caesar could not come to a new Election but his Army vvas committed to Marius his Lieutenant and Q. Caepio Caepio vvas killed not long after being intrapped by Popedius one of the Italian Generals Marius now alone commanding the forces did good service as did also Sylla For the following year Cn. Pompeius Strabo and L. Porcius Cato vvere made Consuls Now the Senate thought fit to make such Italians free of the Citie as had not revolted vvhich thing established those vvho something vvavered in their minds and took off the courage of the other already ingaged Yet they chose them not into any of the 35 Tribes but placed them by themselves behind all so that as in voting they could not hinder the rest so seldom vvere they called to vote at all vvhich afterwards considered though not at present vvrought some disturbance Cato the Consul did very good service but thereof boasted so much that he compared himself to Marius for vvhich as he vvas fighting against the Marsi he vvas killed in a croud by Marius his son Pompey overthrew the Picentes and Asculani Having long besieged Asculum he defeated the Enemy which sallied forth killed 18000 of the Marsi took 3000. and being got into Asculum caused all the Officers and principal men to be beaten vvith Rods and then beheaded SECT 5. Sylla his Successor in the Consulship overthrew the Samnites and stormed two of their Camps by vvhich successe elevated he vvent stood for and carried that greatest Office A. M. 3917. Ol. 173. ann 1. V. C. 666. This War vvas ended by him after it had endured above two years Sylla endeth the War in the 666 year of the Citie he the said L. Cornelius Sylla and Q. Pompeius Rufus being Consuls 28. What the Italians could not get with armed hand was given them Conquered at first to all except the Lucanians and Samnites and shortly after to them also but ranked by themselves in the same manner as the former After which freedom of the Citie is given to the Conquered Italians having been before this denied to them Not long after this which was a kind of Civil War there were stirs in the Citie about Usury which being rigorously exacted by the Creditors Asellio the Praetor who withstood it was murdered by them Yet hitherto these Seditions in the Citie were managed but by private persons or in a private manner but now came it to that passe that the heads of the factions got whole Armies to themselves and carried on their interests in open War one against another their own Countrey being as the prize and reward of the victory such were the manners and behaviour of those who through the infirmity of the Government were not able to bear that greatnesse of fortune which from the temperance and moderation of their fathers had descended upon them But an occasion to the first Civil War was ministred by that with Mithridates which began ere the Social or Italian ended SECT V. From the War with Mithridates and first Civil War to the combinanation of Pompey Crassus and Caesar termed by Varro Tricipitina which proved the ruin of the Popular Government for the space for 28 years Mithridates King of Pontus 1. MIthridates was King of Pontus a Countrey of Asia Justin lib. 37. Strabo lib. 10. so called because it lieth upon the Euxine Sea thought by some to have been descended from one of the seven Persians who conspired against the Magi that had usurped after the death of Cambyses He was sirnamed Eupator and Dionysus being a man of a vast mind and ambitious spirit Memnon apud Photium Succeeding his father who was a friend of the people of Rome at thirteen years of age within two years he made away his mother who was left partner with him in the Kingdom and after her his brother also and in his youth he subdued the Kings about Phasis beyond Caucasus His vast designs and great attempts Thirty years after his coming to the Kingdom he thought of no lesse than the Empire of Asia the Romans as he fancied being now sufficiently imployed in
statue made him a Senator though but nineteen years old decreed that he should be considered towards preferment as ten years older and gave him equal power with Hirtius and Pausa the Consuls whom now they sent to relieve Brutus They took Bononia but Antony being bold for that he had got the better in some skirmikes went and met Pansa whom he overthrew but returning carelesly into his Camp was worsted by Hirtius A littel after a great battel was fought near Mutina wherein Antony was quite defeated and fled to Lepidus then Proconsul in the further Gall. A. M. 3962. V. C. 712. Both the Consuls died of wounds Hirtius in Antonie's Camp and Pansa at Bononia Brutus being at this time spared by Caesar thought of departing with his ten Legions to M. Brutus and Cassius now in Greece but his Soldiers moved by the difficulty of the journy revolted the six new raised Legions to Caesar and the four of old Soldiers to Antony He then purposing with a small attendance to passe through Gall was taken at Aquilea and betraied by Capenus Sequanus Governour of the Countrey who sent his head to Antony Before this Appian Livius lib. 120. Cicero Philip. 11. Trebonius another of his Complices in Caesar's death excluding Dolabella whom the Senate had judged an Enemy from Pergamus and Smyrna was taken by him in the later place and after grievous torments had his head cut off which the Soldiers kicking about as a foot-ball did so abuse as no face was to be seen on it Not long after the death of Decimus Brutus Minutius Basilius another of the Conspiratours was slain by his slaves whom he had gelded in a great rage 9. Now the Senate having no need of young Caesar slighted him exceedingly Yet having no need of Caesar the Senate again slighted him decreeing the honour due to him unto Brutus whom he had relieved giving him very bitter taunts and denying him a Triumph Being sensible hereof and how most of them were of Compey's Faction Appian ut supra Livius l 119. Sueton. in Angusto Patercul l. 2. c. 62. Livii Epitom lib. 120. he began to tamper with Antony by Letters as also with Lepidus for a conjunction and sent 400 Soldiers into the City in the name of the Army to demand the Consulship for him Hereat the Senat straining hard one Cornelius a Centurion laying his hand on his Sword said This shall do it if you will not Then called he Antony and Lepidus into Italy whereat the Senate much startled and too late blaming their own rigidity decreed him Consul and whomsoever he would take to himself So he invaded the Consulship a moneth and five dayes before he was twenty years old and took Q. Pedius for his Collegue Then by a Law was fire and water forbidden to all that had an hand in the death of Caesar and their goods were sold The Senate was now so changed either through good advice or fear that in stead of slighting they advanced him above all example Vide Dionem lib. 46. They resolved that after his Consulship he should take place of all Consuls and though formerly they were displeased with his levying forces being a private man now they desired him to add to his Army and decreed to him the Legions of Decimus Brutus The City was committed to his care Livii Epit. l. 120. Appian bell civil l. 4. and power given him to act what he pleased Which procureth the Thumviraté though without the prescript of the Laws which he retained fifty six years till his death Not long after came Aemilius Lepidus and M. Antonius into Italy whom he met about Bononia and after a three dayes conference entred into confederacy with them which is famous by the name of the Triumvirate The Terms of the Combination 10. The terms of this Combination were That Caesar for the remainder of the year should leave the Consulship to Ventidius who formerly in the Social War when a Boy was led in Triumph and after that rubbed the heels of * Concurrite omnes Augures Aruspices Portentum inusitatum constatum est recens Nam mulos qui frecabat Consul factus est Mules for his living Idem ibid. Dio lib. 46. That a new authority of three men should be erected to take away civil dissentions which they three should execute for five years with Consular power for the Dictatorship was waved because of a Law lately preferred against it by Antony with authority to dispose of all Offices for that Term. That Antony should have as a Province all Gall except that of Narbon which Lepidus was to have with Spain and to Caesar was Africk with Sardinia and Sicily assigned other places beyond the Seas being left to another time They agreed further that their Enemies should be destroyed wherein the case of Cicero moved the greatest controversie For Antony would not meddle except he in the first place should be slain These Verses were scattered up and down the Citie Lepidus was content but Caesar stood much against it Gellius lib. 5. cap. 4. yet on the third day he assented an exchange being made for he yielding up Cicero Lepidus permitted his brother Paulus and Antony L. Caesar his Uncle by the Mother's side to be proscribed Lastly it was agreed that Lepidus should be Consul the following year instead of Decimus Brutus designed formerly by Julius Caesar He guarding Rome and Italy the other two were to make War upon Brutus and Cassius who now though at first without any decree of the Senate had seized on Macedonia and Syria Cassius in Laodicea besieged Dolabella who being judged an Enemy by the Senate for the death of Trebonius when the Citie vvas taken caused his Page to cut off his head and so ended his life being a man of no great solidity He vvas son-in-law to Cicero but after the divorcing of Tullia they fell into great enmity vvhereupon the Orator proved a back friend to him in the Senate reigning amongst the Fathers and the People with his Eloquence The effects of it 11. The first effect of the Triumvirate was a Proscription of some 300 persons of Equestrian and Senatorian ranks Appian Though the pretence was to revenge Caesar's death yet many were murdered for their rich Estates others out of malice and some for their convenient Houses and Gardens Amongst those of greatest note was Varro who now living to see and feel a second Tricipitina yet escaped with his life Cicero the man most aimed at by Antony for opposing him so vehemently in the Senate upon the Triumvirs their coming went to Sea but the winds being contrary and because he could not endure the shaking of the ship he returned saying he would die in his Countrey often preserved by him Being weary both of his flight and life Plutarch in Cicerone he came to a Village a little more than a mile distant from the Sea Here his servants
was even now out of the Consulship and neither provoking nor being provoked coveted slothfull idlenesse as Tacitus telleth us with the specious and comely name of Peace 32. The year after was Albinus sent into Judaea to succeed Festus who died in his Government Albinus succeedeth Festus Josephus Antiquit lib. 20. cap. 8. About the same time Agrippa who had power after his Uncle of Chalcis to bestow the High-Priesthood on whomsoever he pleased gave it to Ananus son of that Annas or Ananus who beyond example having himself enjoyed the Office had five sons who every one of them executed the same This young Ananus being a Sadduce as also very bold and cruel conceiving he had got a convenient opportunity Festus being dead and Albinus not yet arrived called a Council and condemned James the brother of Jesus Christ James the Just killed by the procurement of Ananus the High-Priest as Josephus writeth with some others as guilty of impiety to be stoned This act displeased saith the Historian A. D. 63. V.C. 815. all good men and especially such as were most studious of the Law who desired of Agrippa that he would command Ananus to forbear the like for the time to come some going also to meet Albinus told him that the High-Priest had no authority to call a Council whereupon he wrote to him very angrily and threatned him upon which account Agrippa the King removed him from his Office after the third moneth Burrhus dieth At this time died Burrhus at Rome Tacitus Annal. lib. 14. capp 51 52 c. not without suspition of poyson and Seneca's power was weakned by the losse of that conjunction whereby they had mutually strengthned the hands of each other Seneca was now backbited and by Nero sleighted of whom he desired leave to withdraw himself having been with him fourteen years and he offered to give up his great estate into his hands for that had brought him so far into envy but Nero having learnt and practised dissimulation under colour of respect denied his Petition Nero marrieth Poppaea Now did Nero marry Poppaea whom all this while he had kept as his Concubine and dismissed Octavia loaded with accusations of barrennesse and greater Crimes and when the people troubled at it grew seditious he caused her to be put to death in that fatal Island Pandateria The same year also as 't is believed he poysoned the Chief of the Liberti or Freed-men Peryphorus because he was against his marrying Poppaea and Pallas for that living very long he had scraped together a vast sum of money 33. At this time were the stirs renewed in Armenia Tacitus Annal. lib. 15. capp 1. 2 3 c. For Vologeses seeing his brother thus beaten off and Tigranes set up in his stead had invaded the Countrey to revenge the injury offered to the line of the Arsacidae Corbulo though very warily yet resisted and repelled him when Cesennius Paetus was sent to defend that Countrey who by his ignorance in Military matters and rashnesse undid all The stirs in Armenia renewed Being besieged he was glad to Covenant for his preservation to quit Armenia and remove the Garrisons thence which done Nero was to be sent to Yet so ridiculous and degenerate were they at Rome as to erect Trophies over the Parthians though they knew nothing of the successe either one way or other The Parthian Ambassadors came to Rome to desire that as they hinted which had been gotten by force but without effect for War was decreed against them to be managed by Corbulo yet were they dismissed with gifts so as there might be hope that if Tiridates himself would intreat for the Diadem it should not be in vain Corbulo again invaded Armenia at which the Parthians affrighted came to a Treaty wherein it was agreed that Tiridates laying down his Diadem at the feet of Nero's Statue should not receive it without his leave Nero now growing now worse and worse broke out into most horrid impieties well nigh beyond all belief 34. The next year being the 817 of the Citie Idem ibid. capp 37 38 c. the 65th after the birth of Christ and of his own reign the 10. C. Lecanius Bassus and M. Licinius Crassus being Consuls acting the common Stage-player and giving up himself to all luxury and unheard-of pollutions Sueton in Nâ—â—urone cap. 38. amongst the rest he married himself as a woman to one of his filthy crue called Pythagoras all things being provided and celebrated as at a marriage He made himself also the husband of Sporus from whom he took as much of the Male as possible and ordered him to be brought to him in a Veil as a Bride Nero's wickednesse Being offended at the deformity of the old buildings and the narrownesse of the streets or else to feed his cruel eye with so sad a spectacle as he had read to have hapned at the siege of Troy he caused the Citie to be set on fire which burning six dayes and seven nights of the fourteen divisions four onely remained whole A. D. 65. V. â— 817. Idem ibid. cap. 16. Tacitus ut suprà cap. 44. the other being wasted or defaced with the fury of the flame He beheld the fire from the Tower of Maecenas and very merry at the beauty of it as he termed it in a Player's habit sung the destruction of Ilium This calamity being generally attributed to him as the cause he accused the Christians thereof Setting Rome on fire he accuseth and persecuteth the Christians and raised the First Persecution torturing them with most exquisite kinds of punishment About this time he sent Gessius Florus into Judaea to succeed Albinus who desiring to gratifie them of Jerusalem for all the mischief he had done ere his departure brought out all the prisoners whereof those that were commited for any capital offence he put to death but the rest he fined onely and dismissed whereby all the Gaols being thus emptied the Country was filled with thieves more than before The year following was discovered a conspiracy against Nero which gave him occasion further to indulge his cruel humour 35. Who was the Author of it is uncertain as also upon what particular grounds it was hatched though all the persons bore him malice Idem ibid. c. 49 c. as they thought they had reason But Lucan the Poet who wrote the Civil Wars betwixt Caesar and Pompey A conspiracy against him and was nephew to Seneca by his brother Annaeus Mela was aggrieved that Nero envied him the glory he had got by his Verses and several others joyned with them out of love to Cn. Piso the head of the party It was discovered by Milichus the Freed-man of Sceninus who had commanded him to scour his dagger and provide necessaries for wounds whereupon some would have had Piso to have gone to the Rostra and laid open the Tyrant to the People to
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
Captain Amilcar Barcas and sent him into the field with 70 Elephants and 10000 men There he was encompassed by the Africans on his Front the Numidians on his Rear and Spendius on his Flanck where Naravasus a Numidian with 2000 of his followers revolted to him Amilcar Barcas defeateth the Mercenaries Encouraged by this addition he engaged with his Enemies causing his men so to face about as the Front became the Rear whereby seeming to be in confusion the Mercenaries thought they ran and breaking their Ranks to pursue them he took this opportunity and setting on them out of order obtained the victory having slain 10000 and taken 4000 prisoners 12. He gave Arms to all such prisoners as would serve under him and having exhorted the rest to fight no more against the Carthaginians dismissed them freely Spendius and Matho together with Autaritus Captain of the Galls hearing this doubted how far his clemency especially the offer of indemnity might prevail with the Africans and others and consulted how to obviate this his design by setting the multitude at irreconcilable enmity with the Carthaginians To this purpose they feigned Letters to be sent out of Sardinia from their friends giving them to understand that certain amongst them held intelligence with the Enemy and advising them to keep close Gesco and the other with him Spendius taking hereat occasion earnestly advised them not to trust to the pretended clemency of Amilcar Who are further provoked by their Captains and by no meants to permit Gesco to escape for thereby they should incur the contempt of their Enemies and by strengthning them through the assistance of so great a Captain not a little damnifie their own affairs Whilest he yet spake another Carrier brought Letters as from Tunis of the same Contents with the former and then Autaritus openly protested that whosoever had any regard to the kindnesse of the Carthaginians could not be faithfull and therefore such were to be heard as perswaded the most bitter things against Carthage all others being Traitors and Enemies Then did he perswade them to Torture Gesco to death with such as were now with him and all that hereafter should be taken There were many which spoke against this cruelty especially as Gesco was concerned in it but for some time they were not understood speaking in their own languages and when what they aimed at was fully known some one cried out strike them which so provoked the multitude that they fortwith stoned them After this bringing forth Gesco and the other Carthaginians to the number of 700 they cruelly tormented them to death and made a decree that whomsoever of them for the time to come they should take he should be used in the same manner and if any of their Allies were taken his hands being cut off he should be sent back to Carthage This they very carefully afterwards observed having also refused to deliver the dead bodies to the Messengers that came for them and threatned if any more came to deal with them as they had used Gesco 13. Amilcar seeing into what straights he was cast by this boldnesse of the Mercenaries sent for Hanno judging that an end might sooner be put to the War if the forces of the State were all United Amilcar Uniteth the Carthaginian forces Such of the Enemies as he took in the heat of the fight he killed as he might by the Law of War or taking them alive cast them to wild beasts When he thought that he had brought matters into a fair way of recovery they presently relapsed into a far worse condition than ever For the ships that brought Provisions miscarried by force of Tempest Sardinia at the same time revolted from them which was wont to supply them with large Provisions and Hippacrita and Utica which hitherto had remained faithfull now revolted without any manifest cause Mathos and Spendius herewith elevated resolved to lay siege to Carthage it self Mathos and Spendius elevated by their successe besiege Carthage and shortly after performed it The Carthaginians in this their distresse betook themselves to their neighbours whereof the Romans and Hiero King of Syracuse in Sicily being sensible of the sawcinesse of their Enemies were ready to do them all good Offices Herewith better enabled they held out and Amilcar lying abroad so cut off all Provisions from the Mercenaries that being no other than besieged themselves they were forced at length to rise up and depart resolving to observe Amilcar's motions Amilcar forceth them to break up and ly in wait for him on the sides of the Mountains for they would not venture to take the plain being afraid of his Elephants and the horse of Naravascus and otherwise they were much inferiour to the Carthaginians who far surpassed them in Military skill though but equal to them in valour 14. But Amilcar singling them out by parties killed many of them and when they ingaged with their whole force cut them off by stratagems sometimes by day otherwhiles by night he would fall upon them on a sudden with great terrour and such of them as he took he cast them to the beasts At length he compassed them about in such a place as though they were afraid to fight they could not escape and being shut up within a Ditch and Rampire they were forced to devour one another Though they now could expect no mercy yet they sent to desire a Parley and having obtained leave Autarolus Zarxas Spendius and other Captains were ordered to manage it It was agreed that the Carthaginians should pick out ten men whom they pleased and the other be dismissed in their Coats The Covenants being finished Amilcar declared that he made choice of those who were present and so got the most eminent Leaders into his power The Africans understanding that their Officers were seized took Arms in great haste but Amilcar with his Elephants and his Army compassing them in on every side put them to the sword For the improvement of this successe he and Annibal went and besieged Mathos in Tunis before the Walls whereof he nailed Spendius to a Crosse with the rest of the Captives Annibal pitching his Camp on that side of the Town towards Carthage carelesly demeaned himself which Mathos considering made a Sally and killing many took much plunder and amongst other prisoners Annibal himself whom bringing to Spendius his Cross after he had taken down his Collegue's body he nailed him to it and killed 30 more of the most noble Carthaginians 15. It was long ere Amilcar knew of this disaster and when he did for the distance of place and difficulty of passage he could give no relief Marching therefore from Tunis he sate down by the mouth of the River Macaris and his Superiours at Carthage making new Levies joyned Hanno in Commission with him These two after several passages at length agreed to fight one set battel with the Enemy who consenting a bloody contest ensued wherein at length the