time by Charidemus by occasion of a Horse falling down at the Gate which hindred the Trojans so as they could not shut them soon enough and of two Cities which take their Names from most delightful odoriferous Plants Jos and Smyrna the one from a Violet the other from Myrrh the Poet Homer is reported to have been born in the one and to have died in the other To these Remarks if it may be permitted we may further observe that the most warlike Commanders who have perform'd the greatest exploits and carried on the most notable Stratagems by their Courage and Skill in Martial Affairs have had but one Eye as Philip Antigonus and Hannibal and Sertorius also whose Life and Actions we describe at present and who far surpassed the other in all noble Vertues for we may give this true report of him That he was more Temperate Sober and Continent than Philip more Faithful to his Friend than Antigonus and more Merciful and Courteous to his Enemies than Hannibal for Prudence Wisdom and Judgment he gave place to none of them but in Fortune was inferiour to them all who though she was every where more severe and cruel to him than to all his Illustrious Enemies yet for Skill and Experience in War he made himself equal to Metellus for bold Attempts Valour and Bravery he might compare with Pompey and in Success he no ways yielded to Sylla and for Power and Force he made himself a March for the whole Roman Empire and fought gloriously against the united Arms of Rome when he was a Banished Man and a Stranger amongst Barbarous People Of all the Grecian Commanders Eumenes of Cardia may be best compared with him for they were both of them great Generals both Valiant and Politick Commanders making use of Deceit intricate designs and cunning Stratagems in War they were both Aliens and Strangers Banished from their Countries and had the Command of Foreign Forces both had Fortune for their Adversary and so extravagantly injurious to them in the end that they were both betrayed and villainously murdered by those who served them and by whom they had formerly overcome their Enemies Quintus Sertorius was of a noble Family he was born in the City of Nursia in the Country of the Sabines his Father died when he was young he was carefully and decently educated by his Mother whose Name was Rhea and whom he extreamly loved and honoured he exercised himself in Oratory and pleading in his Youth which he performed so judiciously that he acquired no small Reputation and Power in Rome by the force of his Eloquence but the splendor of his glorious Actions in Arms and his successful Atchievments in the Wars induced him to alter his Ambition and to seek for Honour wholly in martial Affairs At his first entring the Field he served under Scipio when the Cimbri and Teutones invaded Gaul where the Romans fighting unfortunately and being put to flight he was wounded in many parts of his Body and thrown from his Horse yet nevertheless he swam cross the River Rhosne in his Armour with his Breast-plate and Shield bearing himself up against one of the swiftest Rivers in the World and breaking through its furious Waves by clear strength so strong a Body he had inur'd to hardship and by long exercise brought to endure all Labour The second time that the Cimbri and Teutones came down with some hundreds of thousands threatning death and destruction to all when it was no small piece of Service for a Roman Souldier to keep his Rank and obey his Commander Sertorius undertook to view the enemies camp and to discover their utmost Forces and Designs and to this intent having learned the manner of their Salutations and the ordinary expressions of their Language he threw himself in amongst the Barbarians dressed in the Habit of a Celtick Gaul where having carefully seen with his own Eyes or having been fully informed by Persons upon the place of all their most important Concerns and Affairs of greatest Moment he returned to Marius General of the Roman Army from whose hands he received the honourable Rewards of his Valour And afterwards giving frequent Demonstrations both of his Conduct and Courage in all the following War he was advanced to Places of Honour and Trust under his General who highly esteemed and consided in him After the Wars with the Cimbri and Teutones he was sent into Spain having the Command of a thousand Men under Didius the Roman General and wintered in the Country of the Celtiberians in the City of Castulo where the Souldiers enjoying great plenty of all things grew insolent and continually drinking the Inhabitants despised them and sent for aid by Night to the Gyrisenaeans their near Neighbours who sell upon the Romans in their Lodgings and slew a great Number of them but Sertorius being alarm'd withdrew out of the City with a few of his Souldiers and rallying together the rest who had slipp'd out he marched round about the Walls and finding the Gate open by which the Gyrisaenians privately entring had set upon the Romans he gave not them the same opportunity but placing a Guard at the Gate and seizing upon all Quarters of the City he slew those who were of age to bear arms and then ordering his Souldiers to lay aside their weapons and put off their own Cloaths and put on the accoutrements of the Barbarians he commanded them to follow him to the City from whence those were sent who fell upon the Romans by Night and deceiving the Gyrisaenians with the sight of their own Armour and Equipage he found the gates of their City open and took great Numbers of them Prisoners who came out thinking to meet their Friends and Fellow-Citizens coming from performing a worthy piece of Service Many also were slain by the Romans at their own Gates and the rest within yielded up themselves and were sold for Slaves This action made Sertorius to be highly renowned throughout all Spain and as soon as he returned to Rome he was constituted Treasurer General of Gallia Cisalpina on both sides of the River Po very advantageously for the Roman Affairs at that time for the War with the Marsi being unanimously resolved upon Sertorius was ordered to raise Souldiers and provide Arms which he performed with such Diligence Speed and Alacrity contrary to the languishing feebleness and slothfulness of his Companions that he got the repute of a man of Life and Spirit in Business nor did he any ways desist from his Milirary Boldness and Bravery when he arrived at the Dignity of a great Commander but performed Wonders with his own hands and never sparing himself but exposing his Body freely in all Conflicts he lost one of his Eyes which was cut out of his head and yet continued to have a chearful Look and always esteemed it an honour to him For others do not continually carry about with them the marks
between him and Pyrrhus for besides the inroads he made into Thessaly the innate disease of Princes Ambition of greater Empire rendred their Neighbourhood formidable and suspected especially since Deidamia's death and both having seiz'd Macedon they came foul upon the same thing and the difference between them had the fairer colours Demetrius having entred into a War with the Aetolians and subdu'd them and left Pantanchus there with a considerable Army march'd directly against Pyrrhus and Pyrrhus as he thought against him but by mistake of the ways they past by one another Demetrius falling into Epirus wasted the Country and Pyrrhus meeting with Pantanchus prepar'd for an Engagement The Soldiers falling in pell-mell there was a sharp and great Fight especially where the Generals were Pantanchus in courage dexterity and strength of body being confessedly the best of all Demetrius his Captains and having both Resolution and Conduct challeng'd Pyrrhus to fight hand to hand on the other side Pyrrhus not less than any of the Kings in Valour and Glory and esteeming the Honour of Achilles rather due to him for his Courage than his Blood advanc'd against Pantanchus through the Front of the Army First they us'd their Lances then came to a close Fight and manag'd their Swords both with Art and Force Pyrrhus receiving one wound but returning two for it one in the Thigh the other near the Neck repuls'd and overthrew Pantanchus but did not kill him outright for he was suddenly rescu'd by his Friends the Epirots rais'd with the Victory of their King and admiring his Courage forc'd through and cut in pieces the close Body of the Macedonians and pursuing those that fled kill'd many and took 5000 Prisoners This Fight did not so much exasperate the Macedonians with Anger for their Loss or with Hatred to Pyrrhus as it caus'd an Esteem and Admiration of his Virtue and a great Discourse among those that saw what he did and were engag'd against him in the Action They thought his Countenance and Swiftness and Motion exprest those of the Great Alexander and that in him they beheld Shadows and Resemblances of his Vivacity and Strength in Fight other Kings in Purple and Guards and a formal bending of their Necks and speaking in a lofty tone only Pyrrhus in Arms and Action representing Alexander Of his Knowledge in Military Order and Discipline and his Great ability that way we have the best information from the Commentaries he left behind him about this Argument Antigonus being ask'd who was the greatest Souldier said Pyrrhus if he liv'd to be old meaning those only of his own time Hannibal of great Commanders esteem'd Pyrrhus for Sufficiency and Conduct the first Scipio the second and himself the third as is reported in the Life of Scipio In a word he seem'd ever to make this all his Thought and Philosophy as the most Kingly part of Learning other Curiosities he held in no Account He is reported when ask'd at a Feast whether he thought Python or Caphisias the best Musician to have said Polysperchon was the best Souldier as becoming a King only to enquire and understand such things Towards his Familiars he was mild and not easily incensed forward and ready in answering Kindnesses so that when Aeropus was dead he could not bear it with moderation saying he indeed had suffer'd what was common to humane Nature but condemning and blaming himself that by puttings off and delays he had not return'd his kindness in time for our Debts may be satisfy'd to the Creditor's Heirs but the acknowledgement of receiv'd Favours not paid in while they to whom it is due can be sensible of it afflicts a good and a worthy Nature Some thinking it fit that Pyrrhus should banish a certain ill-tongu'd Fellow in Ambracia who had spoke very indecently of him let him rather said he spake against me here to a few than rambling about to a great many And others who in their Wine had made reflections upon him being afterward question'd for it he ask'd them whether they spoke such words one of the young Fellows told him Yes Sir those very words and should have said more if we had had more Wine at which smiling he discharg'd them After Antigone's death he married several Wives to enlarge his Interest and Power He had the Daughter of Antoleon King of Paeonia Barcenna Bardyllis the Illyrian's Daughter Lanassa Daughter of Agathocles the Syracusian who brought with her in Dowry the City of Cercyra taken by Agathocles By Antigone he had Ptolomee Alexander by Lanassa and Helenus the youngest by Barcenna he brought them up all in Arms hot and eager Youths and by him sharpned to war from their very Infancy 'T is said when one of them yet a child ask'd him to which he would leave his Kingdom he reply'd to him that had the sharpest Sword which was much like that Tragical Curse of Oedipus to his Sons Divide not as the Common Rout But with the Sword each cut his portion out So unsociable and brutal are the measures which Ambition takes After this Battle Pyrrhus returning gloriously home entertain'd himself with the sense of his own Honour and Greatness of Mind and being call'd Eagle by the Epirots By you says he I am an Eagle for how should I not be such while I am born up by your Arms as on Wings A little after having Intelligence that Demetrius was dangerously sick he fell on a sudden into Macedon intending only an Incursion and to harrass the Country but was very near seizing upon all and taking the Kingdom without a blow He march'd as far as Edessa unresisted great numbers deserting and coming in to him This danger excited Demetrius beyond his Strength and his Friends and Commanders in a short time got a considerable Army together and with all their Forces briskly attack'd Pyrrhus who comming only to pillage would not stand a Fight but retreating lost part of his Army as he went off by the close pursuit of the Macedonians Demetrius although he had easily and quickly forc'd Pyrrhus out of the Country yet did not slight him but having resolv'd upon great Designs and to recover his Father's Kingdom with an Army of 100000 men and 500 Sail of Ships would neither embroil himself with Pyrrhus nor leave the Macedonians so active and troublesome a Neighbour and since he had no leisure to continue the War with him was willing to treat and conclude a Peace and to turn his Forces upon the other Kings Articles being agreed upon the Designs of Demetrius quickly discover'd themselves by the greatness of his preparation And the other Kings being alarm'd sent to Pyrrhus Ambassadors and Letters expressing their wonder that he losing so fair an Occasion would rather stay till Demetrius was ready to fight and being now able to chase him out of Macedon involv'd in designs and disturb'd would expect till he were at Leisure and grown greater and
Action was so surprizing that 't was thought a particular Providence was concern'd in it Some say Castor and Pollux plac'd themselves on each side Lysander's Ship and attended this affair with extraordinary influence Others fansi'd a stone that seem'd to fall from Heaven to be an Omen of this overthrow 'T was of a vast bigness and fell by the River Egus The Peloponnesians esteem it very much and show it among their Curiosities to this day Theophrastus tells us that Lysander when the three Thousand Athenians which he took prisoners were condemned by the Council call'd Philocles and asked him What punishment he thought that man deserv'd who advis'd the Citizens to proceed so severely against the Grecians Philocles not at all daunted in his Adversity reply'd You are no judge in this Case but do you use your Prisoners as I wou'd have us'd you if you had been mine After this bold answer with all gayety and cheerfulness he led on his Country-men as if he had been going rather to a Triumph than his Execution When this Tragedy was over Lysander visited all the neighbouring Cities and Commanded all the Athenians he found upon pain of death to repair to Athens His design was this That the City being thus throng'd might soon be reduc'd to Famine and glad to surrender upon discretion as soon as he open'd the Siege Where-ever he came he chang'd the present Government of the place and put in a Lacedaemonian as Chief with ten other Assistants Thus he dealt not only with his Enemies but his Allies and by this means had in a manner engross'd to himself the whole Empire of Greece He did not employ the Nobility or the wealthy Citizens in any part of the Government but put it into the hands either of private Friends or strangers and entrusted 'em with full power of Life and Death Many were executed whilst he was present and whoever exprest any dislike of his Friends proceedings were sure to meet with very hard usage This management gave the Greeks an ill Opinion of the Lacedaemonian Government From hence Theopompus took occasion by way of drollery to compare the Lacedaemonians with Vint'ners who whilst they pretend to entertain us with sweet Wine give it a dash of Vinegar for though Lysander openly profess'd he allow'd 'em all their Freedom and privileges yet he oppress'd 'em so much by his Ambitious and Tyrannical Officers that no Slavery cou'd be more uneasie to 'em than what he call'd Liberty Having settled Affairs here according to his mind and dispatch'd Messengers to tell the Lacedaemonians that he shou'd return to them with two hundred Sail in a very short time he appear'd before Attica with such assurance as if he thought of nothing less than the immediate surrender of the City But when he found the Athenians made a vigorous defence beyond his expectation he retreated into Asia and made the same alteration in other Cities as he had done in those we mentioned before putting some to death who did not submit to his Tyranny and forcing others to quit their Country He utterly routed the Samians and gave Fugitives the possession of their Cities He us'd the same Barbarity to the Inhabitants of Sestos which was then in the hands of the Athenians and divided it among his Sea-men The Lacedaemonians themselves were displeas'd at these inhumane proceedings though against their Enemies and re-establish'd the Sestians The Greecians were well satisfi'd with Lysander's Conduct for by his means the Aeginites were restor'd to their own Cities of which the Athenians had injustly possess'd themselves By this time Lysander had intelligence that there was a Famine in Athens upon which he sail'd to the Piraeum and had no sooner began his siege but the City surrendred submitting to whatever Terms he demanded 'T is reported among the Lacedaemonians that Lysander wrote to the Magistrates thus Athens is taken To which they return'd this Answer in the same way You say 't is taken we are satisfi'd But this was recorded rather as Laconick than true for they commanded him to observe these orders They run thus Know this is the decree of the Lacedaemonians Pull down the Piraeum and the long Wall Divide their Lands among the neighbouring Cities Allow 'em what 's necessary and set the Captives at liberty When you have perform'd this enjoy that peace which you have so well deserv'd As for the number of Ships use your own discretion in that matter When these orders came to the Athenians they took Theramenes his advice thereupon whom Cleomenes one of the young Councellors ask'd why he acted contrary to the intention of Themistocles and gave those Walls into the hands of the Lacedaemonians which he built in defiance of ' em Youth says he I have my eye upon Themistocles his design He rais'd these Walls for the preservation of the City and I for the very same reason wou'd have 'em destroy'd and if Walls only secure a City Sparta which has none is in a very ill condition Lysander as soon as the Ships and Fortifications of the Athenians were deliver'd into his hands attempted the same alteration among them as he had made in the other parts of Greece but finding 'em more stubborn than he expected he complain'd to the Lacedaemonians that their orders were not observ'd by the Athenians that the Walls were yet standing after the time fix'd for their pulling down was expir'd and now since they had broke their first Articles he declar'd he wou'd not enter into new conditions with ' em Some say he mov'd in Council that they might be reduc'd to Slavery when at the same time Erianthus the Theban propos'd wholly to destroy the City and leave the Country desolate but a little afterwards at an entertainment of the Captains one of 'em repeated some verses out of Eurypides's Electra They begun thus Electra O unhappy Queen Whither wou'd you fly return Your absence the forsaken Groves And desert Palace seem to mourn This struck 'em and gave 'em occasion to reflect how barbarous 't wou'd appear to lay that City in ruine which had been renown'd for the birth and education of so many famous men However Lysander the Athenians entirely submitting to him call'd a great consort of Musick both out of the City and Camp and whilst he pull'd down the Walls and burn'd the Ships his associates dancing and Crown'd with Garlands express'd as much joy as if the end of other men's happiness had been the beginning of their own After this according to his usual way of dealing with Conquer'd People he alter'd their Government appointed thirty Rulers over the City and ten over the Piraeum plac'd a strong Garrison in the Tower and made Callibius a Spartan the Governour who upon some slight occasion offer'd to strike Autolycus a famous wrestler the same whom Xenophon mentions in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the young Gentleman avoided the blow and gave Callibius a fall Lysander though this reflected upon one of his Officers
scattered them in that disorder and confusion Here the Gods fulfilled Sylla's Dream For the Soldiers stirred up with anger left off to work and sticking their Piles on the Bank with drawn Swords and a couragious Shout came to handy blows with the Enemy who made but small resistance and were miserably slain in the Flight Marius fled to Praeneste but finding the Gates shut tied himself round by a Rope that was thrown down to him and was taken up on the Walls Some there are as Fenestella for one who affirm that Marius knew nothing of the Fight but over-watch'd and spent with hard Duty had reposed himself when the Signal was given beneath some Shade and was hardly to be awakned at the Flight of his Men. Sylla according to his own account lost only three Men in this Brush having killed of the Enemy twenty thousand and taken alive eight thousand The like Success had others of his Commanders as Pompey Crassus Metellus Servilius who with little or no loss cut off vast numbers of the Enemy insomuch as Carbo the prime Supporter of the Cause fled by night from his Charge of the Army and sailed over into Libya In the last Encounter the Samnite Telesinus like to some Champion whose lot it is to enter last of all into the List and take up the wearied Conqueror came nigh to have foiled and overthrown Sylla before the Gates of Rome For Telesinus with his second Lamponius the Lucan having drawn together huge Levies of Men made all hast toward Praeneste to free Marius from the Siege but perceiving Sylla at the Head of him and Pompey in the Tail both making violently at him streightned thus before and behind he as a valiant and expert Soldier arose by night and marching directly with his whole Army had like to have fallen unexpectedly into Rome it self He lay that night before the City some ten Furlongs off from the Gate Collatina all jocund and swoln with further Hopes as having already bafled so many eminent Commanders by Stratagem At break of day being charged by the Noble Youth of the City among many others he overthrew Appius Claudius a Person renowned for Nobleness of Blood and Valour The City as it is easie to imagine was all in an Uproar the Women shrieking and running about as if he had been entred forcibly by Assault till at last Balbus advanced with seven hundred Horse on full speed and after some small halt made for rubbing and bridling again fell into skirmish with the Enemy In the mean time Sylla appeared and commanding the formost to take refreshment drew into order Dolabella and Torquatus were extreme earnest with him to desist a while and not with spent Forces to hazard the whole sum of Affairs having before them in the Field not Carbo or Marius but two warlike Nations bearing immortal hatred to Rome the Samnites and Lucans to grapple with but he put them by and commanded the Trumpets to sound a Charge about four a Clock in the afternoon In this Conflict which was the sharpest as ever was the Right-wing where Crassus stood embattelled had clearly the advantage the Left was overcharged and in a declining condition when Sylla came to its succour mounted on a white Courser full of mettle and exceeding swift of foot which two of the Enemy knowing him by had their Lances in a readiness to cast but this Gentleman giving the Horse a touch he was unknown to himself so far advanced as that the Points falling beside the Horse-tail stuck in the Ground There goes a Story That having a golden Image of Apollo from Delphos he was always wont in the day of Battel to carry it about him in his Bosom and that then he kissed it with these words O Apollo Pythius the Fortunate Cornelius Sylla whom in so many Battels thou hast raised to Honour and Greatness wilt thou now cast down bringing him before the Gate of his Country to perish shamefully with his Fellow Citizens After he had thus addressed himself to the God some of his Men he intreated some he threatned and others he laid hold on till at length the left Wing being wholly shattered he was forc'd in Company of the Rout to betake himself to the Camp having lost many of his Friends and Acquaintance many likewise of the City-spectators were trod to Death So as Common Fame gave the City for taken and had like to have raised the Siege of Praeneste many who escaped by Flight posting thither and advising Lucretius Offella who was appointed to keep on the Siege to rise in all haste for that Sylla was defeated and Rome fallen into the Hands of the Enemy About Midnight there came into Sylla's Camp Messengers from Crassus to fetch Provision for him and his Soldiers for having vanquish'd the Enemy they pursu'd him to the Walls of Antemna and had sat down there Sylla hearing this and that most of the Enemy were destroyed came to Antemna by break of day where three Thousand of the Besieged having sent forth a Herald he promis'd to receive them to Mercy on condition they did the Enemy mischief in their coming over Trusting to his Word they fell foul on the rest of their Companions and made a great Slaughter one of another but however Sylla gathered together in the Cirque as well those as others of the remaining party to the number of seven Thousand and as he was speaking to the Senate in the Temple of Bellona causeth them all to be slain by Men appointed for that Service The cry as must needs be of so vast a multitude put to the Sword in so narrow a space flying abroad and startling the Senators he as he was speaking with a secure unconcern'd Countenance bad them listen to what he had to say and not busie themselves with what was a doing without doors for himself had ordered the Chastisement of a few naughty People This gave the most stupid of the Romans to understand that they had made an exchange only of Tyrannical Government not a change Marius being in himself austere altered not but confirmed Nature by Authority whereas Sylla behaving himself moderately and prudently at first and giving good hopes of a true Patriot firm to the Interests both of the Nobility and Commonalty being moreover of a gay pleasant humour from his youth and of such a melting compassionate disposition as to weep easily has perhaps deservedly cast a Blemish upon the higher Offices of State as if these put us beside our former course of Life and were occasion of Folly Pride Inhumanity This whether it be real change and new frame of Mind arising from Fortune or rather a malicious sly Nature discovering it self in Authority to decide were matter of another sort of Disquisition Now that Sylla was wholly bent upon slaughter and filled the Town incessantly with infinite Executions many disinteressed Persons falling a Sacrifice to private Enmity through his permission and indulgence to a Party Cajus Metellus one of
most ungovernable of all humane Passions could then yield to the necessities of the State Cimon as soon as he returned put an end to the War and reconciled the two Cities Peace thus establish'd seeing the Athenians impatient of being Idle and eager after the Honour and Spoils of War lest they should set upon the Grecians themselves or with so many Ships cruising about the Isles and Peloponnesus they should give Occasions to intestine Wars or Complaints of their Allies against them He equipped two hundred Galleys with design to make an attempt upon Aegypt and Cyprus by this means to use the Athenians to fight against the Barbarians and enrich themselves by spoiling those who are by nature Enemies to Greece But when all things were prepared and the Army ready to imbark Cimon had this Dream It seemed to him an angry Bitch bark'd at him and a kind of humane voice mixt with barking uttered these Words Go on for shortly thou shalt be A Friend to my young Whelps and me This Dream was hard to interpret yet Astyphylus of Posidonium a man skilled in Divinations and intimate with Cimon told him that his Death was presaged by this Vision which he thus explained A Dog is Enemy to him he barks at and one is always most a friend to ones Enemies when one is dead that mixture of humane Voice with barking signifies the Modes for the Army of the Medes is mixt of Greeks and Barbarians But after this Dream as he was sacrificing to Bacchus and the Priest cutting up the Victim a great number of Emmets taking up the little congealed particles of the blood laid them about Cimon's great Toe This was not observed a good while but as soon as Cimon spied it the Priest came and shewed him the Liver of the Sacrifice imperfect wanting that part of it which they called the head of the Entrail But he could not then recede from the Enterprize so he set sail sixty of his Ships he sent toward Aegypt with the rest he went and fought the King of Persia's Fleet composed of Phaenician and Cilician Sail subdued all the Cities thereabout and threatned Aegypt designing no less than the entire Ruin of the Persian Empire And the rather for that he was informed Themistocles was in great repute among the Barbarians and had promised the King to lead his Army whenever he should make War upon Greece but they say Themistocles losing all hopes of compassing his designs and despairing to equal the Vertue and good fortune of Cimon dyed a voluntary Death Cimon still framing great designs and keeping his Navy about the Isle of Cyprus sent Messengers to Consult the Oracle of Jupiter Hammon upon some secret matter for 't is not known about what they were sent the God would give them no Answer but commanded them to return again for that Cimon was already with him Hearing this they returned to Sea and as soon as they came to the Grecian Army which was then about Aegypt they understood that Cimon was dead and computing the time of the Oracle they found that his Death was meant by it as being then with the Gods Some say he died of Sickness at Citium in Cyprus and others of a wound he received in a Skirmish with the Barbarians when he perceived he should dye he commanded those under his charge to return to their Country and by no means to spread the news of his Death by the way this they did with such secrecy that they all came home safe and neither their Enemies nor Allies knew what had hapned Thus as Phaenodemus relates the Grecian Army was as it were conducted by Cimon thirty days after he was dead But with him perished all the good fortune of Greece for after his Death there was not a Commander that did any thing considerable or which might deserve the name of a great action and instead of uniting against their common Enemies they who bore sway in the Principal Cities animated them against one another to that degree that none durst or would interpose their good Offices to reconcile them Thus by mutual discord ruining themselves the Persians had time to recover Breath and repair all their losses 'T is true indeed Agesilaus made some shew of the Grecian Forces in Asia but 't was a long time after he seemed to revive some little appearances of a War against the Kings Lieutenants in the Provinces but they all quickly vanisht for before he could perform any thing of moment he was recalled by civil Dissentions at home So that he was forced to leave the Persian Kings Officers to impose what Tribute they pleased on the Grecian Cities in Asia tho under the Dominion of the Lacedaemonians Whereas in the time of Cimon no Officer of What Quality or Character soever could Command there nor durst any Souldier in Arms come within four hundred furlongs of the Sea The Monuments called Cimonian to this day in Athens shew that to be the place of his Burial yet the Inhabitants of the City Citium pay particular honour to a certain Tomb which they call the Tomb of Cimon according to Nausicrates the Rhetorician who also reports that in a Famine when there necessities were very great they sent to the Oracle which commanded them to honour Cimon as a God Thus have I drawn the Life of this Famous Captain and by these Proportions judge of him LUCULLUS See siere Lucullus sues He humbly bends Of PRISCA bvys his Honors and his friends The way is base but thus hard state commands For ffortune still is in a Womans hands THE LIFE OF LUCULLUS Translated by Giles Thornburgh A. M. VOLUME III. LVCVLLVS his Grandfather had been Consul his Uncle by the Mothers Sister was Metelius surnamed Numidicus As for his Parents his Father was convict of Extortion and his Mother Caecilia's Reputation was blasted by her loose Life The first thing that Lucullus did before ever he came to any Office or medled with the Affairs of State being then but a Youth was to accuse the Accuser of his Father Servilius the Augur having caught him in a Publick Trespass This thing was much taken notice of among the Romans who commended his Justice therein as an Act of singular Vertue Even without the Provocation the Accusation was esteem'd no unbecoming Action for they delighted to see young Men as eagerly pursuing injustice as good Dogs do wild Beasts But when great Animosities arose thereupon insomuch that some were wouned and killed in the Fray Servilius fled Lucullus followed his Study and became Master of the Greek and Latin Tongues which made Sylla dedicate to him the commentaries of his Life which he wrote himself that the History thereof might be more methodically ordered and digested His Speech was not Elegant and ready for Gain only like one That disturbs the Hall as a mad Thynnus doth the Waters Out of it altogether as dry illiterate and mute For in his younger days he chiefly addicted himself to the
all his Baggage As he made toward the Alps Cassius that was Praetor of that part of Gaul that lies about the Po met him with ten thousand Men but being overcome in Battel he had much ado to escape himself with the loss of a great many of his Men when the Senate understood this they were displeased at the Consuls and ordering them to meddle no farther they appointed Crassus General of the War and a great many of the Nobility went Volunteers with him partly out of Friendship and partly to get Honour He staid in Picena expecting Spartacus would take a compass and come that way and sent his Lieutenant with two Legions to wheel about and observe the Enemies motion but upon no account to engage or Skirmish but he upon the first opportunity joyned Battel and was routed having a great many of his Men slain and a great many saving their lives with the loss of their Arms. Crassus rebuked Mummius severely and Arming the Soldiers again he made them find Sureties for their Arms that they would part with them no more but for Five hundred that were the Beginners of the flight he divided them into Fifty tenths and one of each was to Die by Lot thus he revived the ancient punishment of Decimation where Ignominy is added to the Circumstances of Death like the representation of a dismal and terrible Tragedy where the rest sit as Spectators When he had thus reclaimed his Men he led them against the Enemy but Spartacus retreated into Lucania toward the Sea and in the straights meeting with some Cilician Pyrats he had thought of attempting Sicily whereupon Landing Two thousand Men he hoped to new-kindle the War of the Slaves which was but lately extinguished and seemed to need but little fewel but after the Pyrats had struck a bargain with him and received his Earnest they deceived him and sailed away He thereupon retired again from the Sea and pitched his Camp in the Peninsula of Rhegium there Crassus came upon him and considering the nature of the place and that it supplyed him for all that was necessary for his undertaking he designed to build a Wall cross the Isthmus thus keeping his Soldiers at once from idleness and his foes from forrage which great and difficult undertaking he perfected in a small time beyond all expectation making a Ditch from one Sea to the other over a neck of land of Three hundred furlongs long fifteen foot broad and as much in depth and upon it built a wonderful high and strong Wall which Spartacus at first slighted and despised but when Provisions began to fail and intending to pass further he found he was walled in and no more was to be had in the Peninsula taking the opportunity of a snowy stormy night he filled up part of the Ditch with earth and boughs of Trees and so passed over the third part of his Army wherefore Crassus was afraid lest he should March directly to Rome but was soon eased of that fear when he saw many of his men upon a mutiny revolt from him and encamp by themselves upon the Lucanian Lake This Lake they say is very changeable sometimes sweet and sometimes so salt that it cannot be drunk Crassus falling upon these beat them from the Lake though he could not pursue the slaughter by reason of Spartacus his coming in who stayed the flight Now he began to repent that he had formerly writ to the Senate to call Lucullus out of Thrace and Pompey out of Spain so that he did all he could to finish the War before they came knowing that the honour of the Action would redound to him that came to his assistance resolving therefore first to set upon those that were revolted and encamped apart whom C. Cunicius and Castus Commanded he sent six thousand men before to secure a little Eminence and to do it as privately as possible which that they might do they covered their Helmets but being discovered by two Women that were sacrificing for the Enemy they had been in great hazard had not Crassus immediately appeared and joined Battel with them which proved very Bloody for twelve thousand three hundred were slain and two only wounded in their backs the rest all died standing in their ranks and fighting bravely Spartacus after this Discomfiture retired to the Mountains of Petilia but Quintus one of Crassus his Commanders and Scropha the Questor pursued and overtook him but when Spartacus rallied and faced them they basely betook themselves to flight and had much ado to carry off their Questor who was wounded this Success ruined Spartacus because it encouraged the Fugitives who now disdained any longer to make a flying Fight not to obey their Officers but as they were upon their March they came to them with their Swords in their Hands and compelled them to lead them back again through Lucania against the Romans and to make what haste they could to find out Crassus here News is brought that Pompey was at hand and people used to talk openly that the honour of this War was reserved for him who would come and oblige the Enemy to fight and certainly rout him Whereupon Crassus desiring to fight he encamped very near the Enemy and made Lines of Circumvallation but the Slaves made a Sally and attacqu'd the Pioneers now as fresh Supplies came in on either side and Spartacus seeing there was no avoiding it he set all his Army in Array and when his Horse was brought him he drew out his Sword and killed him saying if he got the day he should have a great many better Horses of the Enemies and if he lost it he should have no need of this so making directly towards Crassus himself through Wounds and Darts he missed of him but two Centurions that fell upon him together he slew at last being deserted by those that were about him he himself stood his ground and being surrounded by the Enemy he bravely defending himself was cut in pieces But though Crassus made use of his Fortune and not only did the part of a General but gallantly exposed his Person yet Pompey shared in the honour of the Action for he met with many that fled and slew them so that he Wrote to the Senate that Crassus indeed had Vanquished the Fugitives in a pitched Battle but that he had put an end to the War Pompey was honoured with a magnificent Triumph for his Conquest over Sertorius and Spain but Crassus himself could not so much as desire a Triumph and it look'd meanly in him to accept of an Ovation for a Servile War and pass through the City on Foot as to the Difference between Ovation and Triumph it is writ in the life of Marcellus And Pompey being immediately called to the Consulship tho Crassus hoped to be joyned with him he did not scruple to request his Assistance who very readily laid hold on that Opportunity for he desired by all means to lay some Obligation upon Crassus and
him What evil Genius would he often say hurries us perpetually from worse to worse and we who disdained to obey the Dictates of Sylla the great Ruler of Sea and Land and might have lived at home in Peace and Quiet are come hither to our destruction hoping to enjoy Liberty where most wretchedly we have made our selves Slaves of our own accord and are become the contemptible Guards and Attendants of the banished Sertorias who that he may expose us the further gives us a name that renders us ridiculous to all that hear it and calls us the Senate when at the same time he makes us undergo more hard Labour and forces us to be more subject to his haughty Commands and Insolencies than the poor Spaniards and Lusitanians With these mutinous Discourses he continually seduced them and many who could not be brought to fall into Rebellion openly against Sertorius fearing his great Power and Authority were prevailed with to endeavour to destroy his Interest secretly and by many ways to ruin his Affairs For by abusing the Lusitanians and Spaniards by inflicting severe Punishments upon them by raising exorbitant Taxes and by pretending that all this was done by the strict Command of Sertorius they caused great Troubles and made many Cities to revolt and those who were sent to mitigate and heal these Differences did rather exasperate them and encrease the Number of his Enemies and left them at their return more obstinate and rebellious than they found them Which so highly incensed Sertorius and caused so great an alteration in his former Clemency and Goodness towards the Spaniards Sons educated in the great City of Osca that coontrary to all Civil Justicie he cruelly put some of them to Death and sold others In the mean time Perpenna having encreased the Number of his Conspirators drew in Manlius a Commander in the Army who at that time loved a Youth and to endear him the more discovered the Confederacy to him perswading him to neglect his other Lovers and to be constant to him alone who in a few days was to be a person of great Power and Authority but the Youth having a greater Inclination for Aufidius disclosed all to him which much surprized and amazed him for he was also one of the Confederacy but knew not that Manlius was any ways engaged therein but when the Youth began to name Perpenna Gracinus and others which he knew very well were sworn Conspirators he was very much terrified and astonished but made slight of it to the youth and bid him not regard what Manlius said a vain boasting fellow but however went presently to Perpenna and giving him notice of the danger they were in and of the shortness of their time desired him immediately to put their designs in Execution and when all the Confederates had consented to it they provided a Messenger who brought feigned Letters to Sertorius in which he had notice of a Victory obtained by one of his Lieutenants and of the great slaughter of his Enemies and as Sertorius being extreamly well pleased was Sacrificing and giving thanks to the Gods for his prosperous Success Perpenna invited him and those with him who were also of the Conspiracy to an Entertainment and being very importunate prevailed with him to come At all Suppers and Entertainments where Sertorius was present great Order and Decency was wont to be observed for he would not endure to hear or see any thing that was rude or unhandsome and their Freedom and Mirth was Modest and Inoffensive but in the middle of this Entertainment those who sought occasion to quarrel fell into dissolute Discourses openly and making as if they were very Drunk committed many Insolencies on purpose to provoke him and Sertorius being Offended with their ill behaviour or perceiving the unquietness of their Minds by their muttering and sudden disrespect changed the posture of his lying and leaned backward as one that neither heard nor regarded them When Perpenna took a Cup full of Wine and as he was drinking let it fall out of his hand and made a noise which was the sign agreed on between them and Antonius who was next to Sertorius immediately wounded him with his Sword and whilst Sertorius upon receiving the Wound turned himself and strove to get up Antonius threw himself upon his Breast and held both his hands whereby not being able to free himself he was exposed to the fury of the rest of the Confederates who killed him upon the place with many Wounds Upon the first News of his Death most of the Spaniards left the Conspirators and sent Embassadors to Pompey and Metellus and yielded themselves up to them Perpenna attempted to do something with those that remained but he made so ill use of Sertorius's Arms and Preparations for War that he soon made it evident to all that he understood no more how to Command than he knew how to Obey and when he came against Pompey he was soon overthrown and taken Prisoner neither did he bear this last affliction with any bravery of Mind but having torius's Papers and Writings in his hands he offered to shew Pompey Letters from Persons of Consular Dignity and of the highest Quality in Rome written with their own hands expresly to call Sertorius into Italy and to let him know what great Numbers there were that did earnestly desire to alter the present State of Affairs and to introduce another manner of Government Upon this occasion Pompey behaved himself not like a young Man or one of a light inconsiderate Mind but as a Generous Commander of a confirmed mature solid Judgment whereby he freed Rome from great Fears and Innovations for he put all Sertorius's Writings together and read not one of them nor suffered any one else to read them but burnt them all and caused Perpenna immediately to be put to Death lest by discovering their Names further Troubles and Revolutions might ensue Of the rest of the Conspirators with Perpenna some of them were taken and slain by the Command of Pompey others fled into Africa and were set upon by the Moors and run through with their Darts and in a short time not one of them was left alive except only Aufidius the Rival of Manlius who hiding himself or not being much enquired after dyed an Old Man in an obscure Village in Spain in extreme Poverty and hated by all The Comparison of Sertorius with Eumenes THese are the most Remarkable Passages that are come to our knowledge concerning Eumenes and Sertorius In comparing their Lives we may observe that this was common to them both that being Aliens Strangers and banished Men they came to be Commanders of Powerful Forces and had the leading of Numerous and Warlike Armies made up of divers Nations This was peculiar to Sertorius that the Chief Command was by his whole Party freely yielded to him as to the Person undoubtedly of the greatest merit and of the highest Worth and Renown whereas many