strait Then he asked who had the Victory The Boeotians answered the Target-bearer Then he commanded them to bring to him Diophantus and Jolidas they told him they were both dead Upon this he advised his Citizens to make Peace with their enemies for that they had not any Captain of skill to lead them to the Wars And now said he it is time for me to die and therefore pluck the Dart Head out of my Body At this word all his Friends that were about him fetched grievous sighs and even cryed out for sorrow and one of them weeping said unto him Alas Epaminondas Thou diest now and leavest no Children behind thee Yea said he that I do Eor I leave two faire Daughters behind me whereof the one is the Victory at Leuctres and the other this of Mantinea So they pulled out the Dart and immediatly he gave up the Ghost without shewing any signe that he was at all troubled at it He used often to say That War is the Bed of Honour amd that it is a sweet Death to dye for ones Country He was one of the bravest Captaines that ever we read of For whereas others excelled in some one or two Virtues by which they made their Fame great and glorious he excelled in all the Vertues and good Parts that could be desired in a Grave Politick and Great Captain to make him compleat in all things that could be expected in an Heathen In his time he advanced his Country to the Principality of all Greece But after his Death they soon lost it and not long after Alexander the Great utterly â—rake them in peices made slaves of those that survived and razed their City to the very ground Aâ— in hiâ— life time he had alwayes detested covetouâ—nâ—sse so after his Death the Thebans were faigne to bury him at the common charge of the City because they found no mony in his house to defray the least patt of the Funerall expences FINIS Courteous Reader be pleased to take notice that these Books following are Printed for and sold by William Miller at the 〈…〉 in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North Door HIckes Revelation Revealed Folio Clarkes Martyrology Compleat with the Persecutions of England to the end of Queen Maries Reign Folio Lives of ten Eminent Divines some being as follow Bishop Vsher Dr Gouge Dr Harris Mr Gataker Mr Whittaker c. and some other famous Christians Life of Christ 4º Life of Herod the Great 4º Life of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus the Great the one the first founder of the Baylonian Empir the other the first founder of the Empire of the Medes and Persians 4º Life of Alexander the Great the first founder of the Grecian Empire As also of Charles the Great commonly called Charlemagne the first founder of the French Empire 4º A Prospect of Hungary and Transylvania together with an account of the qualities of the Inhabitants the Commodities of the Countries the Chiefest Cities Towns and Strong-holds Rivers and Mountains with an Historycal Narration of the Wars amongst themselves and with the Turks continued to this year 1664. As also a Brief Description of Bohemia Austria Bavaria Steirmark Crâ—atia Dalmatia Moravia and other Adjacent Countries contained in a Map joyned therewith by which Map you may know which Places are in the Power of the Turk and which Christians have 4º Cradock's KNOWLEDGE and PRACTICE Or a Plain Discourse of the Chief Things necessary to be KNOWN BELIEVED and PRACTISED in Order to SALVATION 4º Ford of Baptism 8º Cotton on the Covenant of Grace 8º Culverwell of Assurance 8º Records Urinal of Physick 8º Ravins Oriental Grammer 12º Peacocks Visitation 12º Dr Tuckney's Good Day well Improved 12º Death Disarmed 12º Balm of Gilead 12º Clamor Sanguinis 12º Aristippâ—â— or Bâ—lsac's Master piece 12º 〈◊〉 Charles's Works 24º Hannibal chosen General He besieges and takes many Townes His Valour and Policy His Victory He besieges Saguntum Saguntum taken Roman Ambassadors sent to Carthage The Carthaginians answer War denounced by the Romanes Hannibal prepares for Italy He Conquers much of Spain His passage through France He is opposed His Victory in France Some Gauls incourage him He passeth the Alps. The Gauls rise aganst the Romans They besiege Modena The Romans send an Army into Spain Hannibals losses in his march Hannibal prepares to fight A Battel The Romans beaten The Gauls forsake the Romans Hannibal beates the Consul He wins Clastidium Hannibals Forragers beaten Another Battel The Romans beaten Hannibals Policy Treacheries against him His dangerous march The Romans beaten again· The Romans beaten Great feaâ— at Rome A Dictator chosen Fabius his warinesse Hannibals Policy Fabius his wisdom Hinnibals Stratagem Hannibal Forragers beaten Minutius made equall with Fabius A Battel The Romans beaten Cannae Castle taken Varro makes hast to fight They prepare to fight The great Battel at Cannae Hannibals Policy The Romans beaten Many Towns inertain Hannibal Capua intertains him The Romans mourn Their Superstition A Dictator chosen Hinnibal beaten Acerrae taken by Hannibal Cassiline besieged· Mago sent to Carthage Large supplies promised to Hannibal Diverse Cities taken The promised Supplies come not Gracchus his Prudence The Capuans beaten Cuma besieged The Siege raised Hannibal delaies A Battel The Carthaginians bâ—aten The Romans poverty how supplyed Cassilâ—ne taken by the Râ—mans Arpi taken by the Romans The Romans beaten Tarentumâ—ake â—ake by Hannibal The Carthaginians beaten Capua besieged by the Consuls The Seige raised by Hannibal The Romans beaten Another victoâ—y Capua besieged again Hannibal comes to relieve them Hannibal intends for Rome and leaves it Capua taken The Consuls cruelty The publick wants supplied Salapia yeilded to Marcellus The Romans beaten A Battel A Battel The Romans beaten Tarentum taken The Romans beaten Locry besieged The Romans beaten The Consuls slaine The Romans beaten Great fear at Rome Asdrubal comes into Italy A Battel Asdrubal slaine Hannibal retires into Brusia His Prudence Scipio coms from Spain· Is chosen Consul He goâ— into Sycily Sends inti Africk And goes himself Vtica besieged The Carthaginians beaten And a second time They sue for Peace They dealt deceitfully Hannibal leaves Italy Comes into Afrck. An interview of the Generals Hannibals Speech to Scipio Scipios reply They prepar to fight A Battel Hannibal beaten He flies to Carthage and perswades them to seek Peace His Civil imployment He is complained of to the Romans He flies from Carthage to Tyre· He goes to Antioccus His counsel neglected He flies to Prusias Who betrays him His last Speech He poisons himself His Parentage and Education His parts He exercises and studies His Discourse with a Phylosopher His contempt of Riches His Poverty His Charity His Sobriety His Vigilance His Valor Tyran's in Thebes His prudence The Tyrants slain His Modesty He is advanced to Honour The Spartans beaten A Battel The Spartans beaten Peace among the Greeks The Thebans are excepted Plataees destroyed Hiâ— wisdom And courage His Prudence Fat men cashired His Prudence And Policy A Battel The Spartans beaten His Humility He plunders Laconia He braves the Spartans Messina re-edified Pallene destroyed Peloponesus fortified He beates the Spartans His Clemency He is envied His prudence He is accused and abused Pelopidas imprison ed by a Tyrant His Policy His Prudence Pelopidas released His witty speeches His Humility Megalopelis built The Thebans build a Navy New Wars A notable atempt An other but frustrated A Battel He is deadly woundâ—d The Spartans beaten His advice to the Thebans His death His character Hâ—s poverty
was expected but there came no more than a few Elephants and Hannibal was forced to rest contented with them Then did he take the Field and sought to make himself master of some good Haven Town that might serve to intertain the Carthaginian Fleet when it should arrive with the supplies For this end he sent Himilco who by the help of his good Friends the Brusians won Petilia he won also Concentia and Crotan and the City of Locri and many other places only the Town of Rhegium over against Sicily held out against him The Romans at this time were in such a case that Hannibal with a little help from Carthage might have reduced them to great extremity But his own Citizens suffered him to languish with expectation of their promised supplies which being still deferred from year to year caused as great opportunities to be lostâ— as a Conquerer could have desired But whatsoever Hannibal thought he was faign to apply himself to his Italian Friends and to feed them with Hopes and to trifle away his time about Nola Naples Cumae c. being loath to weaken his Army by a hard Siege that was to be reserved for a work of more importance Many offers he made upon Nola but alwayes with bad successe Once Mercellus fought a Battel with him there under the Walls of the City having the Citizens to assist him wherein Hannibal lost a thousand men which was no great marvil his forces being then divided and imployed in sundry parts of Italy at once At this time T. Sempronius Gracchus and Q. Fabius Maximus the late famous Dictator were chosen Consuls But Fabius was detained at Rome about matters of Religion or Superstition rather wherewith the City was commonly especially in the times of danger very much troubled so Gracchus alone with a Consular Army waited upon Hannibal amongst the Campanes not able to meet him in the Field yet attentive to all occasions that should be presented The Slaves that lately had been Armed were a great part of his followers These and the rest of his men Gracchus continually trained and had not a greater care to make his Army skilfull in the exercises of War than in keeping it from quarrels that might arise by their upbrading one another with their base condition Gracchus at this time had a bickering with the Capuans upon whom he came at unawars and slew above two thousand of them and took their Camp but staid not long to rifle it for fear of Hannibal that lay not far off By this his Providence he escaped a greater losse than he brought upon the Capuans For when Hannibal heard how things went he presently marched thither hoping to find these young Souldiers and Slaves busied in loading themselves with the Booty But they were all gotten safe into Cumae which so angred Hannibal that at the earnest request of the Capuans he assailed it the next day Much labour and with ill success he spent about this Town He raised a woodden Tower and brought it close to the Walls thereby to assault it but they within built a higher Tower whence they made resistance and found meanes to set Hannibals Tower on fire and whilst the Carthaginians were busy in quenching the fire they issued out charged them valiantly and drove them to their Trenches The Consul wisely sounded a retreat in time or Hannibal had requited them The day following Hannibal presented Battel to them but Gracchus refused it Seeing therefore no liklyhood to prevail he raised his Siege and departed About this time Fabius the other Consul took the Field and recovered some small Towns that Hannibal had taken and punished the Inhabitants severely for their revolt the Carthaginians Army was too small to Garrison all the Towns that had yeilded to them and with all to abide as it must do strong in the Field Wherefore Hannibal attending the supply from Carthage that would enable him to strik at Rome itself was driven in the mean time to alter his course of War and instead of making as he had formerly done a general invasion upon the whole Country he was faign to wait upon occasions that grew daily more commodious to the enemy than to him When Hannibal was gone to Winter in Apulia Marcellus wasted the Country of the Hirpines and Samnites the like did Fabius in Campania The People of Rome were very intentive upon the work they had in hand they continued Fabius in his Consulship and joyned with him Cladius Marcellus Of these two Fabius was called the Shield and Marcellus the Roman Sword The great Name of these Consuls and the great preparations which they made put the Campans in fear that Capua it self should be besieged wherefore at their earnest request Hannibal came from Arpi and having comforted his Friends on a sudden he fell upon Puteoli a Sea-town of Campania about which he spent three dayes in vain there being six thousand in Garrison wherefore he left it and marched to Terentum werein he had great intelligence In the mean time Hanno made a journy against Beneventum where T. Gracchus met him Hanno had with him about seventeen thousand Foot Brutians and Lucans besides twelve hundred Horse most of them Numidians and Moors Four hours he held the Romans work ere it could be perceived to which side victory would incline But Gracchus his Souldiers which were most of them Slaves had received from him a peremptory denunciation that this day or never they must purchase their Liberty by bringing every man an enemies head The sweet reward of Liberty was so desireable that they feared no danger in earning it though the cuting off their enemies Heads troubled them exceedingly which Gracchus perceiving proclaimed that they should cast away the Heads assuring them that they should have their liberty presently after the Battel if they wan they day This made them run headlong upon the enemy whom their disparate fury had soon overthrown if the Roman Horse could have made their party good against the Numidians But though Hanno did what he could and pressed so hard upon the Roman Battel that four thousand of the Slaves retired to a ground of Strength yet was he glad at length to save himself by flight with two thousand Horse all the rest being either slain or taken Gracchus preformed his promise to the Slaves making them free only on those four thousand that went aside in the Battel he inflicted this slight punishment that as long as they served in the Wars they should eat standing unlesse sicknesse forced them to break this order So Gracchus with his Army returned into Beneventum where they newly enfranchised Souldiers were Feasted in publike by the Townsmen some sitting some standing and all with their Heads covered as the manner of such was with white Caps This was the first Battel worthy of note that the Carthaginians lost since the comming of Hannibal into Italy Thus the Romans by degrees began to get heart and
Offices Yet despised he not this meane Office but discharged it very Faithfully For said he the Office or Authority shewes not only what the man is but also the man what the Office is Shortly after Epaminondas was returned out of Thessaly the Arcadians were overcome by Archidamus and the Lacedemonians who in the fight lost not a man and therefore they called this journey the tearlesse Battel and Epaminondas forseeing that the Arcadians would yet have another storme he gave them counsel to fortifie their Towns which they did accordingly and built that City which afterwads was called Megalopolis situated in a very convenient place Whilst the Thebans made War with the Elians their neighbours the minde of Epaminondas was alwayes lifted up to high enterprizes for the good of his Country wherefore in an Oration which he made to his Citizens he preswaded them to make themselves strong by Sea and to endeavour to get the principality and to make themselves the Lords thereof This Oration was full of lively reasons whereby he shewed and proved unto them that the enterpize was both honourable and profitable which he made out by sundry Arguments telling them that it was an easy thing for them who were now the stronger by Land to make themselves also the stronger by Sea and the rather for that the Athenians in the War against Xerxes though they had armed and set forth two hundred Gallyes armed and well appointed with men yet they willingly submitted themselves to the Lacedemonians He alleadged many other reasons whereby he prevailed so far that the Thebans were willing to undertake the enterprize and thereupon gave present order to build an hundred Gallies and an Arsenall with so many rooms that they might lay them under covert in the Dock They ordered also to send to them of Rhodes and of Chio and of Byzantium to desire their furthrance in this enterprize for which end Epaminondas was sent with an Army unto these Cities In his Passage he met with Leches a Captain of the Athenians with a number of Ships in his Fleet who was sent on purpose to hinder this designe of the Thebans Yet Epaminondas so affrighted him that he made him retire back again and holding on his course he brought the aforenamed Cities to enter into League with the Thebans Shortly after the Thebans fell out with the City of Orchomene which had done them great hurt and mischiefe and having won it by assault slew all the men that were able to bear Armes and made all the women and children Slaves Some time after the death of Pelopidas certain private Persons of Mantinea fearing to be called to an account for their bad behaviours and robberies which they had committed if the Arcadians and Elians should agree they so brought it about that they raised a new quarrel in the Country which was divided into two Factions whereof the Mantineans were the chief on the one side and the Tageates on the other This quarrel went so far that the Parties would needs try it by Armes The Tageates sent to request aid of the Thebans who accordingly chose Epaminondas their Captain Generall and sent him with a good number of men of War to aid the Tageates The Mantineans being terrified with this aid that came out of Boeotia to their eneemies and at the reputation of their Captain they immediatly sent to the Athenians and Lacedemonians the greatest enemies of the Boeotians for their assistance which both the Cities granted Upon this there fell out many and great skirmishes in diverse parts of Peloponnesus and Epaminondas being not far off from Mantinea understood by some of the Country men that Agesilaus and his Lacedemonians were come into the Field and that they wasted all the Territories of the Tageates whereupon judging that there were but few men left in the City of Sparta to defend it he undertook a great exploit and dangerous and had certainly effected it if the marvelous good Fortune of Sparta had not hindred it His designe was this He departed from Tegea by night the Mantineans knowing nothing of it and taking a by way he had certainly surprised Sparta without striking a stroak had not a Post of Candia speedily carried word of it to Agesilaus who immediatly dispatched away an Horsman to give intelligence to them of Sparta to stand upon their guard and he himself speedily hasted after and arrived there a little before the coming of the Thebans who being very near the City a little before day they gave an assault to them that defended it This made Agesilâ—us to bestir himself wonderfully even beyond the strength of so old a man But his Son Archidamus and Isadas the Son of Phaebidas fought valiantly on all parts Epaminondas seeing how prepared the Spartanes were to oppose him began then to suspect that his design was discovered yet notwithstanding he left not off to force them all he could though he fought with great disadvantage considering the places wherein he was yea he continued fighting courageously till the Army of the Lacedemonians came on and till the night approached whereupon he sounded a retreat Then being informed that the Mantineans came on also with their forces he withdrew his Army somewhat farther off from the Town and there Camped After which he caused his men to refresh themselves with victuals and leaving certain Horsemen in the Camp he commanded them to make fires in the morning and in the mean time himself with the rest of his men went to surprize Mantinea before any should discover that he was departed Yet herein also he failed of his purpose the prosperity of the Thebans being come to its height and the course of Epaminondas his Life drawing neer to an end whereby Greece was deprived of this Noble and famous Captain from whom was taken a most notable Victory and that twice by strange accidents For at the second time when he was come neer to Mantinea that was left without guard and defence just then on the other side of the Town there arrived six thousand Athenians conducted by their Captain Hegelecus who having put sufficient force into the Town ordered the rest of his Army in Battel array without the Walls and immediatly also came the Mantineans and Lacedemonians together who prepared to put all to the hazard of a Battel and therefore sent for their Allies from all parts and when they were come together they were in all twenty five thousand Foot and two thousand Horse The Arcadians Boeotians and their partakers were thirty thousand Foot and three thousand Horse When they came to the Battel first the Horse charged with great fury and the Horsmen of the Athenians encountering with the Thehans proved too weak for them not because they were lesse valiant or hardy than the other but because they had not so good Chieftains and had few Archers amongst their Troops The Thebans on the other side were all excellently well appointed and had
and saved them both Not long after the Lacedemonians by a stratagem won the strong Castle of Thebes called Cadmaea and put a strong Garrison into it and gave the Government of the City of Thebes unto Archias Philippus and Leontidas authors of all the mischief whereupon to avoid their Tyranny Pelopidas and many others were fain to save themselves by flight upon which they were banished by sound of Trumpet But as for Epaminondas they as yet said nothing to him but let him alone in the City for he was contemned as a man of no account because he was so much given to his Book and if he should have any mind to stir against them yet they judged he could could do nothing because of his Poverty Whilest Pelopidas and his Companions were at Athens they laid a plot to free Thebes from those Tyrants But Epaminondas not making a shew of any thing had devised an other way to effect it by raising the hearts and courages of the young men of the City For when they went out to play and exercise themselves he alwayes found out a way to make them wrestle with the Lacedomonians and when he saw the Lacedomonians throw them and give them shrewd falls they being the stronger he would prvately rebuke the Thebans and tell them that it was a shame for them to suffer the Lacedomonians to set their feet upon their throats for want of courage who yet were not half so strong and boisteâ—ous as themselves were All this while Pelopidas and his followers went on in their Plot and had such good success that one night they got privily into the City of Thebes and met at Charons House about forty eight in number Epaminondas knew all this well enough and at night some took him aside and endeavoured to perswade him to joyn with them in delivering their City from these Tyrants to whom he answered that he had taken order with his Friends and Gorgidas to put themselves into a readiness upon any such occasion but for his own part he would not have a hand in putting any of his Citizens to death unless they were legally condemned yet said he if you will make an attempt for the delivery of the City so as that it be without murther or blood shed I will joyn with you with all my heart But if you will persevere in your former determination pray you let me alone pure and not defiled with the blood of my Citizens that being blameless I may take hold of another occasion which may tend more to the good of the common wealth For the murthers that will be committed in this way cannot be contained within any reasonable bounds I know indeed that Pherecidâ—s and Pelopidas will especially set upon the Authors of the Tyranny but 〈◊〉 and Sâ—miâ—das being fierce and Cholerick men taking the liberty of the night will never sheath their swords till they have filled the whole City with murther and slain many of the chief Citizens Besides it s very convenient for the People of Thebes that some be left free and blamelesse of these murthers and guiltlesse of all that should be done in the fury of this action Notwithstanding all that was said the enterprise was executed and the Tyrants put to death the City was restored to her ancient liberty the Castle of Cadmaea was rendred up by composition and Lysandradâ—s the Lacedemonian and other Commanders that were in it were suffered safely to depart with their goods and Souldiers This was the occasion of the long Wars which followed between the Lacedomonians and Thebans with whom the Athenians joyned in League Epaminondas still applyed himself to his Book yet at last he was put forwards by Pammenes a chief man amongst the Thebans and he began to follow the Wars very eagerly and in divers encounters gave good proof of his prudence hardinesse and valour insomuch as by degrees he attained to the highest charges of Government in the Commonwealth and his Citizens who before made small account of him till he was fourty years old after when they knew him better they trusted him with their Armies and he saved the City of Thebes that was like to be undone yea and freed all Greece from the servitude of the Lacedemonians making his virtue as in a cleer light to shine with Glory shewing the effects when time served Upon a time Agesilaus King of Lacaedemon entered into Boeotia with an Army of twenty thousand Foot and five thousand Horse wherewith he harrased and spoiled all the plain Country and presented Battel to the Thebans in the open Fields which yet they would not accept of finding themselves the weaker Howbeit they defended themselves so well by the assistance of the Athenians and the wise conduct of Epaminondas and Pelopidas that they caused Agesilaus to return home with his Army But when he was gone the Thebans went with their Companies before the City of Thespies which they surprized and put to the Sword two hundred of the Garrison and afterwards returned back with their Army to Thebes and Pâ—aebidas the Lacedemonian who was then Governour of that City sallyeâ— out of the Town and charged upon the Thebans in their retreat who intertained him so hotly that he lost five hundred of his men and himself was slain in the fight Not long after the Lacedemonians returned with their former Army to make War with the Thebans who having seized upon certain straights and places of advantage so blocked up the way that they could not over run the Country and spoile it as they had done before yet did Agesilaus so molest and trouble them that at last it came to a main Battel that held long and was very cruel and though at the first Agesilaus had the better yet the Thebans charged him so furiously that at the length he himself was wounded and forced to retire being well paid for teaching the Thebans Millitary Discipline And this was the first time that the Thebans knew themselves to be as strong and lusty as the Lacedemonians whereupon they Triumphed in signe of Victory and from that time forward they grew more couragious to make head against the Enemy and to present them battel But that which most encouraged them was the presence of Epaminondas who counselled commanded and executed very wisely valiantly and with great successe At another time they went with a great number of chosen men before the City of Orobomene where yet they prevailed not because there was a strong Garrison of the Lacedemonians that sallied out upon them and the fight was very sharp betwen them yet though the Lacedemonians were far more in number the Thebans gave them the overthrow which never happened to them before For all other Nations thought that they had done excellent well if with a far greater number they had overcome a small number of the Lacedemonians But this Victory and an other which fell out shortly after under the conduct of