in largeness This number may be thought strange in so small a Territory being far greater than any Muster ever taken of that Country Ioab had found 500000 Rehoboam 180000 Abia 408000 Asa 580000 Amazia found 300000 Uzziah 307000 and surely if Iehosophat had 1160000 Men he would not have feared Moab and Ammon c. I am therefore of Opinion submitting to better Judgments that the numbers spoken of 2 Chron. 17. were not all at one time but that the two first numbers under Adnah and Iehobanan were after Mustred and Commanded by Amasia Eliada and Iehosabad yet this Mighty Prince made a League with Ahab and matched his Son Ioram with his Daughter and assisted him at Ramoth-Gilead for which he was reproved by Iehu the Prophet as he was a second time by the Prophet Eliezer for joyning with Ahab's Son in preparing a Fleet. So he joyned with Iehoram against Moab and had perished by Famine if Elisha had not relieved them from God whose Goodness was ever prone to save the Evil for the sake of the Good but never destroyed the Good for the Evil. Ophratenes now Reigned in Assyria Capetas and Tiberinus at Alba in Italy Atazedes in Athens Agesilaus in Corinth Archilochus in Lacedemon Badesorus in Tyrus Achab Ochozias and Iehoram in Israel CHAP. XVI Of Jehoram and Ahazia JEhoram the Son of Iehosaphat being thirty two Years old began to Reign and Reigned 8 Year of which 4 was in his Father's Life who at his two Journeys with Ahab and Iehoram Kings of Israel left him Viceroy 'till his return The first was in Iehosaphat's 17th Year when also Ahazia Son of Ahab began to Reign whose Brother Iehoram the 2 d year after succeeded K. of Israel in the 2 d year of Iehoram King of Iuda that is of his Reign when his Father Iehosaphat took the sole Government again upon him 'till the Fifth year after when he reassumed his Son Ioram into the Government 2 Kings 8. two years before his death in the fifth year of Iehoram King of Israel So that Iehosaphat Reigning Twenty five years 2 King 22.42 it is evident his Son Iehoram could not be King of Iuda 'till the Eighth year of Iehoram King of Israel The like regard is to be had in accounting the Reigns of other Kings of Iuda and Israel whose years are sometime to be taken compleat current or confounded with other Kings preceding or succeeding as the comparing of their Times together shall require In this History consider that Iehosaphat a Religious King is the first of Rehoboam's Issue that entred a League both Offensive and Defensive with the Kings of Israel with whom his Predecessors had tyred themselves in vain with continual Wars This Confederacy with one which hated the Lord could not long prosper not issuing from the true Root and Fountain of all Wisdom yet as a piece of sound Policy it wanted not fair Pretences of much common good as mutual Fortification of both Kingdoms against Uncircumcised Ancient Enemies For confirmation of such an apparent Good unto Posterity therefore the Bond of Affinity was knit by Marriage of Iehoram with Athalia a Lady of a Masculine Spirit who had learned so much of Iezabel her Brother's Wife that she durst undertake more in Ierusalem than the other in Samaria as a Fire-brand ordained by God to Consume many Nobles in Iuda and perhaps some whose Worldly Wisdom regardless of God's pleasure had brought her in The Syrian Wars at Ramoth-Gilead were the first Fruits of this League undertaken upon equal Adventure but upon the hope of Benefit only to Ahab As godly Princes seldom thrive by matching with Idolaters but rather serve the Turns of those false Friends who being ill-affected towards God cannot be well affected to his Servants At this time also as Ahaziah was designed King by Ahab his Father so was Ioram by Iehosaphat after the others Example without Example in any of their Predecessors § 2. Iehoram's Reign so diversly dated in Scripture argueth that Iehosaphat having taken him into the Government as Ahab had given Example found cause after to recall that Power Probable it is that his Insolent Idolatrous Wife having corrupted him was the cause that the Government both for Religion and Justice grew so far out of order that Iehosaphat was forced to the Reformation we read of and sequestred his Son from the Government 'till it were setled again and so after five years called him to it the second time which bred a new Date as did his Father's death two years after breed a third Many things might move Iehosaphat to Iehoram's second calling to Govern him as to try what Wisdom his restraint had wrought or to prevent his Brethrens Insolency against him if Iehosaphat had at his Death left him in disgrace which might be the cause of great Tumults it may be also Iehoram by dissimulation had won the good Opinion on of his â—ather and Brethren formerly offended it being usual in violent fierce Natures to be as abject and servile in their Adversity as insolent and bloody upon Advantage Howsoever it was this is manifest that his Father at his death doubting his Affection to his Brethren for their better Security besides great Riches gave them the custody of strong Cities and unusual means against unusual Perils § 3. Jehoram 's Reign alone in which Edom and Libna Rebel § Iehosaphat's providence for his younger Sons availed nothing against the determination of an higher Providence for these strong Cities were a weak defence for the young Princes against his Power to whom the Citizens were obedient If they came in upon the King's Summons he had them without difficulty if they refused they were Traytors yet could not hold out when all would fail them for fear of a Potent King However it was all were slain and many great Men with them who had any way offended the Tyrant either formerly or in behalf of his Brethren Iehoram after this made innovation in Religion not only incouraging the People prone to Idolatry of all other sins detested of God but using Compulsion also and was the first we read of that inforced Irreligion Edom in the mean time revolted and made themselves a King having from David's days been Tributaries and govern'd by Vice-Roys Now Isaac's Prophecy began to take effect that Esau should break the Yoke of Iacob for after this Edom was never subject to the Kings of Iuda Yea in process of time Antipater and Herod Elumeans Reigned as Kings in Ierusalem Lybna also a City of the Levites in Iuda rebelled against him because he had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers In defence of whose Worship these Levites thought themselves bound especially against his inforcement to the contrary Wherein also they might take Incouragement for Iehosaphat's Charge 2 Chron. 29.8 But as Iehoram had left Edom in their defection so he attempted nothing against Libna which seemeth to proceed from a doubtful Mind whether to put Weapons into the Hands of his
and Publius Licinius Crassus are chosen Consuls Scipio had Sicily decreed for his Province with leave to make War in Africa if he thought fit Which Quintus Fabius Maximus opposed nevertheless Scipio proceeds But was not allowed to Press Souldiers for Africa but what Fabius and other Ancient Senators should allow of Besides his Roman Forces Italy sent him seven Thousand Volunteers and all manner of needful Provision In Sicily he found two Legions sent thither from the Battle at Canna and Pressed three Hundred Horse Notwithstanding all which he had like to have been hindred in this Expedition upon complaint of the Locrians whose Town he had gotten from the Carthaginians by their assistance who were much oppressed by the Governours put in by him But the Commissioners sending into Sicily to examine matters found him so well prepared for Carthage that they quickened his March He sent Laelius into Asrick to make discoveries who met with Masanissa revolted from the Carthaginian side to the Roman for an injury they did him about Asdrubal's Daughters being Betrothed to him but by them given to Syphax a more mighty Numidian Prince Laelius understood the State of Africa by Masanissa whom â—â—phax had driven out of his Country and by persuasion of Sophonisba renounced the Alliance of Rome to join with the Carthaginians her Country-men This troubled Scipio and made him hasten to Africa lest the Senate hearing thereof should stay his Journey to which he had been induced upon hopes of his assistance He Lands in Africa is met by Masanissa and Incamped before Vtica Asdrubal was with Syphax his Son in Law to whom the Carthaginians send to call him Home being chosen their General and to intreat Syphax against Scipio who lay before Vtica Asdrubal makes a Levy of thirty Thousand Foot and three Thousand Horse and Syphax brings fifty Thousand Foot and ten Thousand Horse with which they March toward Scipio who dislodged to a place fit for his Navy where he designed to Winter and there Fortified his Camp Asdrubal and Syphax Incamp near to him but carelesly presuming upon their Numbers While they lay thus Scipio endeavours to draw Syphax from the Carthaginians and he tries to persuade Scipio to a Peace this is in debate while Scipio learns how weak the Enemies Camp was and how it might be set on fire whereupon he breaks off the Treaty of Peace pretending his Counsel would not agree to it Setting therefore all things in order for such a business he sent Laelius and Masanissa to begin with Syphax who lay farthest off and when he saw the Flame he drew on to Asdrubal's Camp which was in confusion running to help Syphax but immediately they found the like Flame in their own Camp Great was the slaughter in which but few escaped with Syphax and Asdrubal After this new Levies are made and a second Battle fought and the Romans obtain a second Victory Asdrubal flying to Carthage and Syphax home whither Masanissa and Laelius pursue him Scipio takes in many Towns some by force others by surrender for all the Subjects of Carthage wavered and Carthage it self durst not exact Taxes of them whom they had so often overburthened It is therefore decreed to Fortifie the City to send for Hannibal and to set out the Fleet against that of Scipio before Vtica who perceiving it hastened thither from Tunis to defend them so they returned having gotten only six empty Hulks from the Romans In the mean time Masanissa recovers his Kingdom and with Laelius proceeds against Syphax who quickly raised as great an Army as his first which he also lost as soon with himself and his Kingdom For being taken Masanissa carried him bound to Cirta his chief City which presently opened where Sophonisba yielded her self intreating she might not be delivered to the Romans which suit her Youth and excellent Beauty so recommended that Masanissa Married her presently Laelius and Scipio were afterwards offended with this Marriage and persuaded Masanissa to give her over for fear she should draw him into the same courses she had drawn Syphax Masanissa to prevent her falling into the Romans hands sent her a Cup of Poison with which she ended her Days And he presently after to prevent the effects of Melancholy for that fact is comforted by Scipio with a Crown and Proclaimed King § 19. Carthage hearing this bad News and seeing Scipio returned to Tunis are so astonish'd that they send Thirty of the Princes which were of the Privy Council of the City unto Scipio to beg Peace prostrate kissing his and his Councils Feet humbly acknowledging their fault in breaking the former Peace Scipio considering the poor case that Rome was in and the Wealth and Strength of Carthage accepted the submission on Condition Carthage should call home her Forces in Italy relinquish all the Islands deliver up all their Ships of War but Twenty all Prisoners and Fugitives meddle no more with Spain pay a great Sum of Mony and certain Hundred Thousand Bushels of Corn. These Articles are approved a Truce granted 'till they send to Rome and Masanissa sent home to his new Kingdom as if all were ended but it appeared after their Ambassadors were come to Rome they only sought to gain time 'till Hannibal were come by whom at least they hope to get a better Peace the Senate therefore refer all to Scipio But before their return Carthage had seiz'd on the Roman Ships with Provision from Sicily scatter'd by storm and sought to surprize Scipio's Ambassadors in their return from Carthage § 20. Hannibal after his loss at Metaurus remained among the Brutains expecting aid from Carthage and his Brother Mago with Forces raised in Gaul and Liguria who also solicited the Hetrurians which caused the Romans to employ Three Armies in those Three Countries Mago near Milan met with the Roman Forces with which he fought like a Son of Amilcar but with the Carthaginian Fortune losing Five Thousand and himself wounded to death was forced to retire to Liguria where he found Ambassadors to call him home immediately which he obeyed but died by the way Hannibal receiv'd the like Message of return which he heard with such impatience that he gnash'd his Teeth and hardly refraining from Tears he cried out that not Scipio but Hanno had overthrown the Barchines with the ruine of Carthage so he departed as if it had been to Exile Rome being certain of his departure appoint an Holy-day for Thanks to the Gods but Quintus Fabius rejoyc'd little being in doubt of the issue in Africa § 21. Hannibal Landed in Africk at Leptis almost an Hundred Miles from Carthage that marching along he might gather Horses which he wanted and Scipio sends to Masanissa and the Roman Company with him to make speed to him who brought Four Thousand Horse and Six Thousand Foot Laelius also is returned with the Carthaginian Ambassadors from Rome at which time M. Baebius kept the Camp in Scipio's absence He laid hands on the Ambassadors and
after the Flood which succeeding Times through Vain-Glory amplified So Berosus and Ephigenes tell us of the like Antiquities of Chaldea where the Babylonians knew Letters and Astronomy 3634 Years befor Alexander the Great Egypt was divided in the Upper called Thebaida from Syene to Memphis and in the lower from Memphis to the Mediterranean Sea making the Form of a Δ by Memphis Pelusin and Alexandria Thebes had 100 Gates called Diospolis by the Greeks No-hamon in Scripture from the incredible number of Inhabitants Phut the Third Son of Cham Planted Lybia whose Ancient People were called Phuts said Iosephus and Pliny found the River of Phut in Mauritania running from Mount Athos Two Hundred Miles Phut and Lud Associated Egypt Ezek. 30. § 12. Canaan Fourth Son of Cham Possessed Palestine from Sidon to Gerar in length Gen. 10. Sidon his Eldest Son built a City of his Name in Phoenicia See ca. 7.6.3 Heth his Second Son Father of the Hittites in the South about Beersheba near Paran Iebusen the Third Son Father of the Iebusites about Iebus or Hierusalem Conquered by David Amoreus the Fourth East of Iordan from Arnon past the Sea of Galilee containing two Kingdoms His Posterity also Inhabited the Mountains of Iuda part of Idumea near Libania Gergeseus the Fifth East from the Galilâ—an Sea where was Gerasa he also Built Geris after called Beritus Three Miles from the River Adonis in Phoenicia Hevius the Sixth under Libanus near Emath The Caphtorims expelled many of them Archius the Seventh between Libanus and the Sea over against Tripolis He Built Archas. Sinius the Eighth Iunius placeth him South of Iebus more probably he Built Sin which the Iews call Sein or Symira by Ptolomy or Synoctis by Arcas after Brocardus Aradeus the Ninth Built Arados in the Isle against Phoenice opposite to Antarados in the main Ocean Zemari the Tenth Son 't is uncertain whether he Inhabited Coelosyria or was Father of the Perizzites or the Emisani or of Samaria which latter the Scripture seemeth to disprove 1 Kings 16.28 Hamath the Eleventh Son Founder of Emath in Iturea East of Hermon joining to Libanan not Emath which Iosepus and Ierom confound with Antioch or Epiphania c. § 13. Seba or Saba Eldest Son Chush setled in the West of Arabia the Happy East of the Red Sea Regama or Raama the Fourth Brother and Sheba his Son took the West side by the Persian Gulf. Pliny saith the Sabeans dwelt along the Persian and Arabian Seas where Ptolomy places the City Saba toward the Red Sea and Regma toward the Persian where also Sabta another Brother is found by Montanus out of Ptolomy Beroaldus thinks it strange that any of these Sabeans should go One Thousand Two Hundred Miles to Rob Iob in Traconitis between Palestine and Coelosyria But Guilandinus Melchior findeth Sabeans nearer in Arabia the Desart whom Ptolomy calls Save now Semiscasac from whence the Magi came to Worship Christ as he judgeth The Queen of Saba which came to Solomon Beroaldus and Pererius bring from East Arabia I rather think the West next Midian and Ezion Gaber then under the command of Solomon Sabeta hath there left his Name in the City Sabbatha or Sabota Iosephus's fancy is that Saba was Father of the Ethiopians about Meros and Sabta of the Aabanies is Confuted by the Names For in Arabia Desert are the Cities of Saba or Save and Ragana for Regma and People called Raabeni of Raamah In Arabia the Happy are Rhegama and Rabana and the Cities Sapta in the South of Arabia is Sabatta the Metropolis and the great City Saba toward the Red Sea and the Region Sabe more Southern Didan the second Son of Raamah whom Iosephus and Ierom carry to West-Ethiopia but Ezechiel joyned with Father and Brother in Trade to Tyre with precious Cloaths which Naked Black-Moors never knew 'till the Portugals Traded with them But Ieremy and Ezechiel will shew us Dedan near Idumea which will remove all Scruples § 14. Ludim Eldest Son of Mizraim Father of the Lybians in Africa where the Lydians are also adjoined as a Nation of Africa For 2 Chron. 12.3 Lubim or Luhaei is the same with Ludim in Hebrew saith Montanus with some difference in writing from the Lybies Misraim's other Sons are assigned no certain place in Holy Scripture only the Philistins are said to come of Casluhim and Caphtorim in the Entrance into Egypt by the Lake Serbonis and the Hill Cassius Caphtorim between that and Pelusium is a Tract called Sithroitis where Pliny and Stephanus place the City Sethron which Ortelius takes to be Hercules parva in Ptolomy The Philistins Inhabited the South of Canaan driving out the Avims or Hevites saith Iunius on Gen. 10.14 Deut. 2.23 Ios. 13.3 where their Bounds are set forth and their five Principalities § 15. Sem's Posterity Moses reckoneth up last that he might proceed with the Genealogy of the Hebrews to Abraham for which Arpbaxad's Age only is expressed and his Children and of Aram. The common Opinion possessed him of what was beyond Tygris to the Indian-Sea saith Ierom saving India which I believe Noah held to whom after Ioctan came Ophir and Havilah and planted there of whom hereafter Elam Father of the Elamites the Princes of Persia whose Seat was Susan by the River Vlai which Ptolomy calls Eulaeus which runneth into Hiddekel Asher the Second Son of Sem Father of the Assyrians disdaining Nimrod's Pride left Babel and built Ninivy according to the common Opinion and contended for the Empire Arphaxad was Father of those Chaldeans which were about Vr the rest were possessed by the Sons of Cham. Lud Sem's Fourth Son Iosephus and Ierom place in lesser Asia but I question it Aram his Fifth Son Father of the Syrians as well about Mesopotamia as Damascus Padan Aram or Aram Neharaim that is Syria between two Rivers which were Tygris and Euphrates Strabo reports it was antiently called Aramenia or Aramia and the Name Aram was changed into Syria by Syrus before Moses saith Eusebius Part of it is called Ancobaritis by Ptolomy being divided by the River Chaboras saith Iunius Vz or Hus Aram's Eldest Son built Damascus saith Iosephus Ierom and Lyra. It hath Iordan West Mount Seir East Edrai South and Damascus North in the East part of Traconitis and adjoining to Basan where Iob the Son of Hus the Son of Nahor dwelt full of petty Kings in the days of Ieremy 25.20 Hal Aram's Second Son Father of the Armenians saith Ierom but Iunius placeth him in the Palmeriâ—n Desarts by Euphrates where Ptolomy places the City Cholle Gether the Third Son set down in Cassiotis and Seleucis and is seated where Ptolomy places the City Gindarus Mesech the Fourth Son set down North of Syria tween Silicia and Mesopotamia near the Mount Masius These Plantations can no other ways be known than by this probability The Fathers having large Regions planted their own Children in them for mutual Comfort 'till Ambition bred
and revenge the other 2 And it was God's will when he would impose that long and tedious Journey upon Abraham that the Countreys should be in Peace through which he wandred to which end those Millions of Warriours and Engins perished with Semiramis to make the Recovery of lost Liberty the more easy Lastly Histories report that Arrius who succeeded Ninias recovered Bactria and Caspia and Baleus or Xerxes reduced the rest even to Egypt which argueth their former Revolt § 13. Consent of Writers almost forceth us to think as I have delivered touching the Four Kings yet if we take them rather for Four petty Kings which in that sluggish Reign of Ninias had gathered Colonies out of those Four Countries and Planted themselves elsewhere we shall remove some difficulties For if Chedorlaomer were King of Persia it self beyond Babylon what a Journey were it to come so far and gather such Forces which must pass so great Countries as Assyria Chaldea Mesopotamia Syria and part of Arabia to Conquer five small Cities and leave all the rest of Canaan yea to come in Person and that the second time But the Scripture maketh this Invasion no great matter but as matching four Kings to five as if the five were not so unequally matched though petty Kings as of necessity they had been if these four had been absolute Kings of the Kingdoms whose Names they bear If then the former Conjectures cannot agree to the Text to the Authority whereof all Human Reason must subscribe let the received Opinion stand that Amraphel was Ninias who was become inferiour to Chedorlaomer of Persia. From the Assyrian the History of Abraham leadeth us to the Egyptian Kingdom then also flourishing CHAP. II. Of the Kings of Egypt from Cham to the Delivery of the Israelites THE Kings of Egypt 'till Israel 's Deliverance and the causes of the uncertainty of the History § Cham after Babel's Confusion having known Egypt's Fertility Planted it Anno 191 after the Flood Osiris succeeded Anno 352. Typhon or Hercules Anno 603. Orus 620. Sesostris the Great 735. Sesostris the Blind 786. Busiris or Oris 2 d. Anno 782. Acenchere or Thermutis or Meris 820. Rathoris 832. Chenchrese 841 drowned Augustin a diligent searcher of Antiquities omitted the Succession of Egyptian Kings finding no certainty of them through the Ambition of their Priests who to magnify the Antiquities which they only kept filled the Records with Romances and Names of Kings which never Reigned Other good Authors were over-credulous of what they found so Recorded Published the same in their own Names Of these Annius finding some Fragments and adding what he would is no farther to be Credited than where approved Writers Confirm his Assertion Herein the Old Christian Writers follow Eusebius but the Modern Annius and Prophane Authors follow Diodorus Herodotus c. § 2. C ham began his Reign in Egypt after the Flood Anno 191. § This is gathered from the Dyanasties of Egypt whose 16 th began in the 43 d. year of Ninus The 12 first under their 12 great Gods lasted 84 Years seven a-piece the 13 indured 14 years the 14 lasted 26 the fifteen was 37 which three last were under three younger Gods All the 75 added together make 161 years which being deducted out of 352 the remainder is 191 the beginning of Government there after Cham's arrival The same also is probable from their coming to Babel which being after the Flood Anno 131 and Forty years according to Glicas spent in Building we can allow no less than Twenty years for the slow passing such a Company through such a difficult long way which Sums being added make up 191 years when the first Dynasty began for to begin them sooner were either to plant Egypt as soon as Babel or with Mercator to make them before the Flood which their number exceeding the number of those long-liv'd Fathers will not admit § 3. The Dynasties of Egypt were not absolute Kings but Vice-Roys under Kings § The probability of this will appear by the custom of Kings governing by Great Men as of old the Kings of France by the Master of the Palace the Turk by a Grand Visier the Philistin Kings which came out of Egypt had a Captain as Abimelek had Phicol the Kings of Israel as Saul had Abner David had Ioab And Cham's lend disposition to follow Pleasure might breed the Custom which continued even to the days of Ioseph advanced to the place by Pharaoh from which Example William Arch Bishop of Tyre affirms the same Form of Government continued in Egypt in his days when the Sultans govern'd under the Calif as Lieutenants under a King How these Dynasties succeeded and how long they continued is uncertain § 4. Cham. and Mizraim or Oris § Of C ham the Scripture calls that Country the Land of Ham not for being Peopled by his Sons for so were other Countries which yet are never so called but for that himself planted it Osiris called himself the Eldest Son of Saturn as in Diodorus lib. 1. which Saturn of Egypt was Grand-father of Ninus as in his Monument Of Cham came the Temple of Hammon near Egypt And in Ierom's days the Egyptians called their Country Ham so Ortelius saith out of Plutarch that Egypt was called Chemia That Cham reigned 161 years is not improbable considering Sem his Brother lived 600 years Mizraim or Osiris according to Diodor succeeded of whom the Land also took its Name and by the Natives is yet called Mezre as Reineccius sheweth How long he Reigned is hard to determine but that he began at Abraham's Birth is probable when the Dynastie of the Thebaei began according to Eusebius § 5. Osiris Reign is guessed at by his Son Lebabim or Hercules Lybeus his Warring with Typhon and the Giants his Associates in Revenging his Fathers Death His Egyptian Wars he ended and begun his Italian in the 41 Year of Baleus King of Assyria according to Berosus when he left the Kingdom to his Brother Orus To this Egyptian and many other Wars before his Italian Krentzhemius alloweth but 6 Years which draweth Osiris Death to the 34 th Year of Belus and so makes him Reign 297 Years and so should end 7 Years after Israel came into Egypt This cannot be for the King under whom Israel came out-lived Iacob and had Reigned from before Ioseph's standing before Pharaoh yea we may give 13 Years more of Ioseph's Bondage to him This King then could not be Osiris who lived not so long as Iacob nor Typhon nor Hercules but Orus Son of Osiris advanced by Hercules § 6. Typhon and Hercules their Reigns are not distinctly defined only Orus is placed 7 Years after Osiris by Krentzhemius and whose Reign seemeth to last 115 Years and from whose Death to the Israelites Departure are 122 Years Sesostris or Sesonchosis succeeded according to Scholiast Apollonii He was a great Conquerour in Asia even into India and Europe Whom Iustin erroniously maketh Vexoris saith
corrupt in Judgment the least of which Offences were heinous to a King how odious then is it to God to make him break Promises to Deceive to pervert Judgment Four Hundred Years after Saul's breaking this Oath of his Fore-Fathers brought evil on all Israel which manifested that God had not forgotten that his Name had secured secured that Poor People and he did them Justice on Saul's House And certainly if Equivocating may delude another the strength of the Objection is broken and Truth in all Tryals is driven away and honest Men are Inthralled to Villanies No League between Kings nor Truce between Armies but the Sword must still be held unsheathed Yet can it not do oftentimes what the Powerful Name of God in an Oath can do in making of Peace and procuring Passage for Men held no security like an Oath no Witness Surety or Judge like God neither durst Men which feared him call him forth to their occasions but with Religious Truth Almarick the Fifth King of the Christians in Palestine breaks Faith with Elbadech Caliph of Egypt who thereupon called the Turk to aid who after he had made War beat the Christians out of Palâ—stine neither could the Wooden Cross brought into the Field as the last Refuge Save them having for-sworn by him which was Crucified on it So when Eugemenes Commanded the King of Hungary after a great Victory to break the Oath with Amurath he lost himself and Thirty Thousand Christians Lastly Observe how it pleased God that the unconquered Cities became Thorns in their Eyes c. See Iosh. 1. 2. 11. 13. Ioshua Governed 18 Years others hold more or less but the Necessity of 480 Years from their Delivering to Solomon's Temple admits no more nor any space between him and Othoniel Ericthonius King of Athens Lynceus of Argive Phoenix and Cadmus flourished now CHAP. VII Of the Phoenician Kingdom and of the Invention of Letters § 1. I Have gathered a Brief of those Kings of whom Time hath left any Record to Posterity The Limits of this Kingdom of Phoenicia in the South are uncertain Strabo extends it to Pelusium the first Port of Egypt Corvinus and Budaeus to Gaza Pliny takes but Ioppa Ptolomy who seldom failed in his Art stayeth at Chorseus which seemeth to be the River at Megiddo He also begins it in the North at Elutherius which falls into the Sea at Aradus North of Orthosia Thus it comprehends these Maritime Cities Aradus Orthosia Tripolis Botris Biblus Beritus Sidon Tyrus Acon Dora and Caesarea of Palestine so that it Commanded the Trade of the Mediterranean for all the East Zidon was the Regal Seat and so continued till Ioshua and all the People were called Zidonians as Procopius confirmeth in his Vandal Wars That Zidon the First Son of Canaan was the Founder we doubt not and yet it was in his Posterities command in Moses Days As for Agenor whether he was an Egyptian of Thebes or a Native of this Country bred up there it may be that in Ioshua's days he and his Four Sons Cadmus Phoenix Cyrus and Cilix might come out of Egypt with such Force as the Egyptians could spare to the succoâ—r of the Coast and so to Fortifie the Sea Towns having the benefit of such Ships as were then in use And when Cadmus his Eldest pursuing Taurus King of Crete who had stoln away his Sister Europe in the Surprize of Tyre was drawn into Greece he seated himself there Agenor commiting this Country to his Two Sons called it by his Name when also North Tyrus was Built and Zidon Fortified whereof it was that Agenor was reputed the Founder from whose time Phoenicia became more Famous Belus whether Grandfather or Father to Agenor as some judge it is no matter but it seemeth he was Ancienter to the Phoenicians who Honoured that Name great was the strength of these Phoenicians Cities which held out against the Iews but put Nebuchadonosor and Alexander to great difficulties Touching the mention of Letters the Ethiopians claim it and that Atlas Orion Orpheus Linus Hercules Prometheus Cadmus had the first light from them and that Pythagoras was instructed by the Lybians The Phoenicians boast of it and indeed they were very Ancient and had Famous Records used by Iosephus Lastly Some ascribe it to Moses without all probability seeing Learning then flourished in Egypt and Assyria but true it is the Excellent Spirits of the First Age found it either Seth Enos c. And God every where present hath given this Invention to Nations which never had Commerce with others As in Mexico were found Books like Egyptian Hieroglyphicks The Americans have an Heraldry § 2. Of the Phoenician Kings especially of Tyrus § Agenor living with Ioshua Phoenix succeeded after whom till the Siege of Troy when Phasis Governed we find not who succeeded In Ieremy's time we find Zidon and Tyre had petty Kings and in Xerxes time Tetrannestus Ruled that part of Phoenicia at the Persians Command and afterwards subdued by Nebuchadonosor Alexander also cast out Strabo King of Zidon and put in Balonimus a Poor Gardner of the decayed Royal Blood preferred by another Citizen to whom Hephestion offered it by Alexander's gift more we find not of Zidon Tyrus sometime a Daughter of Zidon outlived her Mother and had her own Kings of which Twenty in Descent are found in Iosephus and Theophilus Antiochius though they differ in the time of their Reigns and other particulars Abibalus the First whom Suron succeeded and paid Tribute to David and Solomon Others Named by Iosephus and Theophilus Fellow to Ithabalus called in Scripture Eâ—hbaal Father to Iezabel who is there called King of the Zidonians and by Iosephus King also of the Tyrians The Third from him they Name Pigmalion whose Sister Elisa Married Sycheus whom Pigmalion slew for his Wealth but was prevented by Elisa who Conveyed it to a Ship and fled into Africa where she Built Carthage 143 Years 8 after Solomon's Temple and as long before Rome and 289 after Troy's Destruction Eluleus succeeded who overthrew Salmanassers Fleet in the Port of Tyrus Ethobales succeeded in whose time Nebuchodonoser after 13 Years Siege won Tyrus Baal succeeded Ethobales and after Baal 't was govern'd by Iudges successively § 3. Bozius believes that the Tyrians proceeded from the Edumaeans c. But is confuted by Scripture by which it appears that Eliphas which came from Theman to Iob was no Edomite nor was that Theman in Edumaea but in Arabia East from Iob whereas Edom was South Ismael had a Son called Theman who by all likelihood gave Name to Theman in the East From â—hom Eliphaz Iobs Friend descended Suhe also a Son of Kethura and Midian his Brother of whom came Bildad the Shuite and the Midianites at their first setling were sent by Abraham into the East which from Canaan was Arabia the Desart not Seer which was South So in the History of the Judges the Midianites and Amalekites are said to be
attempted it in Iephtha's days finding Israels weakness by long oppression of the Philistins who had disarmed them had also slain 34000 of them and that 50000 perished about Bethshemes and their King was not yet so acceptable to all his Subjects who were encouraged to begin with Iabesh Gilead so near unto them Saul to shew himself King being proprobably descended of one of the Four Hundred Virgins taken from the Gileadits undertook the relief of Iabesh assembling 330000 Men and Defeated the Ammonites Hence Samuel drew them all to Gilgal where Saul was again Confirmed King where also Samuel exhorted them to fear the Lord and rehearsed his own Justice After a Years Reign Saul chose him a strong Guard of Three Thousand 1 Sam. 13.2 § 4. Saul 's Disobedience and Rejection § Ionathan with his Regiment of 1000 surprised a Garrison of the Philistins which some judge was in Careatjearim where was the Ark but Iunius taketh it to be Gebah in Benjamin near Gibha where Ionathan stayed with his Thousand so that though the Philistins were much broken under Samuel yet they held some strong places in Israel of which this was one whose Surprise so enraged them that they gathered together the greatest Forces mention'd 1 Sam. 12. while Saul was at Gilgal expecting Samuel as he had been required 1 Sam. 10.8 But because Samuel came not so soon as Saul expected he hasteâ—ed to Sacrifice taking the Office of a Priest on him as some think or as others judge he in diffidence and distraction upon the Philistins Power and his Peoples deserting him attended not the Prophet's coming to direct him and pray for him For Samuel had sharply reproved and threatned him with great Indecency had he not had extraordinary warrant from the Lord. So they departed each from other Saul being come to Gibeah his own City being of strength his Forces were but 600 between him and Ionathan and of these not one had Sword or Spear of which the Reason is rendred in the Text. The like Policy Nebuchadonozer us'd in the Conquest of Iudaea and Dyonisius in Sicily It may be the other Israelits had some though these Six hundred had not for they might gain some at the overthrow of the Philistins and Ammonites As for the Weapons the Israelites used in these Wars they were Clubs Bows and Slings wherein they were expert 1 Chr. 12.2 and their Victories were rather extraordinary as by Thunder or Astonishments sent from God as in this next Overthrow by the hand of Ionathan and his Armour-bearer wherein God set them at dissention cap. 14.10 So that the Israelites needed no Swords when every Philistin's Sword supplyed the want After this Victory Saul undertook by turns all the bordering Enemies and by special Commandment the Amalekites in Arabia Petraea and the Desart ravaging from Havila to Shur But for presuming contrary to God's express Charge to spare Agag c. he was utterly rejected of the Lord for all his pretence of Sacrifice and Samuel never after visited Saul § 5. Samuel fearing to Anoint another King as God willed him is directed how to do it safely So that by cautious care to avoid danger he did no way derogate from God's Providence seeing the Lord himself tho' All-sufficient instructed Samuel to avoid Saul's Fury by the accustomed cautions ways of the World and therefore Men neglecting of Prayer to God and exercise of that Wisdom he hath indued the Mind of Man with for his preservation are stupified with the Opinion of Fate c. Iesse having presented all his Sons but David to Samuel he only whom the Father neglected is chosen of God and anointed by Samuel The Philistins in the mean time considering how Saul's Power increased while they sat still and doubting least Israel might become able to revenge themselves if they were suffer'd thus to encrease thought it good to offer a new Check presuming of their own Abilities and former Successes as for late Disasters they might suppose the one was by a casual Tempest and the last by a mistaken Alarum which wrought needless fear and put the Army to Rout. Having therefore taken the Field Encamping near Saul's Army and both keeping their ground of advantage they maintained some Skirmishes not joining in gross which the Philistins had cause to fear considering their late Success and thereupon perhaps provoked to single Combat with their Giant upon Condition of a general subjection of the vanquished Nation in their Champion This gave occasion to David now to make a famous entrance into the publick notice of the People with the success Recorded in Scripture By this Victory David fell under the heavy displeasure of Saul by reason of his great Merits whereupon he became a Convert Tyrant faithless to Men and irreligious to God as the History sheweth which brought him to the end we read of § 6. Of such as lived with Samuel and Saul § Aeneas Sylvius began to Reign over the Latins in Alba about the 11th year of Samuel and Reigned Thirty one years The same year Dorcillus began in Assyria being the Thirty first King and Reigned Forty years The Dores which came with Heraclides obtained Peloponnesus in this Age. Here follows the Account of the First Planters of Greece from Iopetus Father of Prometheus Father of Deucalion and Pyrrha King and Queen of Thessaly of whom came Helen Father of Xuthus Dorus and Aeolus Xuthus fled to Erictheus of Athens of whose Daughter came Achaeus and Ion. Achaeus for a slaughter fled to Laconia in Peloponnesus and gave it his Name and after recovered Thessaly Ion was made Governour of Attica which he brought into a civil Course and Planted Syciona then called Aegiolio and Married Helice the Kings Daughter of whom also the Land took Name Dorus second Son of Helen Planted about Parnassus and Lacedemon but when the Heraclides Nephews of Hercules Invaded Peloponnesus the Dores assisting they expelled the Achaeans in Laconia who seeking Habitation drove out the Ionians who failed into Asia on whose West Coast they Built Twelve Cities Hercules Ancestor of the Heraclides and his Twelve Labours of Fabulous Poets rehearsed Sure it is Greece was oblig'd to him for freeing it from many Tyrants and Thieves which oppressed the Land in the Reign of Euristheus who employed him therein being Jealous of him for his Virtue and Descent from Perseus His Children after his Death fled to the Athenians who assisted them against Euristheus whom they slew but upon the death of Hillus Son of Hercules slain in Combat by Echenus King of Tegeates in Arcadia who assisted Atreus Successor of Euristheus they were to leave the Country for one Hundred years now expired when they returned under Aristodemus when Tisamenus was King of Achaea § 7. Homer the Poet seemed to live about this time but the diversity of Mens Opinions and curiosity about this Age is so Ridiculous that I would not offend the Reader therewith But to shew the uncertainty of Historians as well in
Palm or Olive so that the choice Orators Poets and Musicians resorted thither to shew their skill in setting out his Praise that won the Garland with such Vanity said Tully as if it had been a Conquest of a Province The time of the year was the Fifteenth of Hecatobaeon our Iune whereto they brought the Full Moon § 6. Iotham Twenty Five years old succeeded his Father Vzziah in his life time and reigned 26 years happy in all things as he was Devout and Virtuous 2 King 15.33 Contemporaries Aucomenus succeeded Pelesteus in Corinth whom Annual Magisteus succeeded contrary to Pausan. Aesculus in Athens Accamenes in Sparta Tiglath Pileser in Assyria Twenty five years and Two with his Son Twenty Seven in all Nahum the Prophet now fore-told the destruction of Ninive One Hundred and Fifty years beforehand Sosarmus and Medidus succeeded Arbaces in Media the Second and Third Kings there § 7. Achas succeeded in Iudah one year with Iotham in the Seventeenth year of Peka he was Twentâ— years old and Reigned Sixteen years an exceeding Idolater Sacrificing his Sons to Moloch or Saturn after the manner of the Heathens used of old Levit. 18. Deut. 12. by many Nations and at this day by the Americans as Acosta witnesseth c. God raised â—im Enemies on all sides so that when he saw his dead Gods failed him yet neglecting the living God he sought Aid of Tiglath Pileser who embraced the Advantage to go through with what his Father entred but had no leisure to finish it He therefore invaded Syria and won Damascus all Israel made Iudah Tributary though Achaz had hired him Contemporaries the Ephori in Lacedemon 130 years after Lycurgus opposed to Kings as the Tribunes in Rome against Consuls Alcamenon in Athens the last Governour for Life after which followed a Magistrate for Ten years Sylvii of Aeneas's Race ended after Three Hundred Years Romulus now built Rome the Eighth of Achaz the First of the Seventh Olympiad CHAP. XX. Of Italy and Rome's Foundation in Ahaz's time § 1. ITALY before the Fall of Troy was known to the Greeks by the names of Hesperia Ausonia Oenotria of a Colony of Arcadians and Italy of Italus Reyneccius derives the Name rather from a Colony of Aetolians which Inhabited Brundusium from whose Names with small Change that part was called Italia which in time grew the common name saith Pliny Such change in the Aeolic Dialect is Familiar as to call an Island Peopled by Aetholians Aethalia The Original of Greeks and Latins was from Iavan who sailing over the Ionian Sea between Aetolia and the Western Ocean planted Greece and Italy Reyneccius makes Atlai Italus one which Berosus calls Cethim Italus but is deceived for Atlas is esteemed more Antient than Moses and if he were Cethim or Kithim Noah's Grand-Son his Antiquity exceeds that of Italy which Name Virgil confesseth later and from a Captain But seeing Hercules a little before Troy's Fall left a Colony of Eleans or Aetoleans it may be under the command of one called Aitolus a Name famous among Aetolians Italy might take Name of him § 2. Aborigines that is the Natives of the place Inhabited Latium whom Halycarnassus Varro and Reyneccius think to have been Arcadians who used to vaunt of their Antiquity having more constantly kept their Country in Peloponesus than other Greeks yet being fruitful sent Colonies to other Countries as when Evander was sent into the same parts of Italy Pelasgi an Antient Nation after gave Name to all Greece but such of them as came into Italy lost the Name of their Tribe in a short time Sicani Ausones Aurunci Rutili in after Ages disturbed Latium whiâ—h Satâ—rn had brought to some Civility and taught to dung the Ground That Latium took the name of Saturn's lurking there from Iupiter is far fetched and questionless a Fable yet many Fables were occasioned from some Antient Truths It may be then that Saturn hiding himself was some allusion to the old Opinion of the Wise Heathen that the true God was an unknown God to whom Paul found an Altar dedicated It cannot be in vain that the word Saturnus should also signify hidden coming of the Hebrew Satar to hide as some think c. Reyneccius proceedeth in deriving Latium from the Posterity of Iavan Inhabiting a Territory in lesser Asia called Elaitia who after the Trojan War went into Italy whence might grow Elaitinus and so Latinus c. § 3. The Latin Kings 'till Aeneas were Saturnus Picus Faunus Latinus Whether Saturnus were he whom the Greeks called Cronos e. the time of the Aborigines will admit but his Names of Stercus or Sterculius do argue him another so called of the Dungs he taught them to lay upon their ground Ezechiel often cals Idâ—ls Deos Stercoreos as Belzebul is Dominus Stercoreus c. § 4. Aeneas a Trojan of the Blood-Royal came to Latium with some 1200 Trojans and Married Laviana King Latinus's Daughter He had a Son before by his Wife Creusa Daughter of Priamus called Ascanius and Sirnamed Iulus After Aeneas's death Lavinia was great with Child by him and fearing Ascanius fled into a Wood where being Delivered the Child was called Sylvius Posthumus Bâ—t upon the Peoples disapproving of Lavinia's flight Ascanius called her home used her like a Queen and Educated her Son Ascanius to avoid dissention left the City Lavinium to Laviana and Founded Alba-Longa where he Reign'd about 30 Year and left his Son Iulus who upon contention with Sylvius whom the People favoured left the Kingdom and took the Priesthood for him and his Posterity Sylvius Posthumus Reigned 29. Sylvius Aeneas 31. Sylvius Latinus 10. Sylvius Alba 39. Sylvius Atis 36. Sylvius Capijs 28. Sylvius Capelus 13. Sylvius Tiberinus 8. Sylvius Agrippa 41. Sylvius Alladyus 19. Sylvius Aventinus 37. Sylvius Procas 23. Sylvius Amulius 44. He expelled his Elder Brother Sylvius Numitor slew his Son Aegestius and made his Daughter Ilia a Vestal-Virgin Numitor who yet either by her Uncle or some Warlike-Man conceived 2 Sons Romulus and Reineccius who in time slew Amulius and all his Family and restored Numitor in whom the Kingdom of Alba ended and received Magistrates Yet it contended with Rome 'till her Three Curiatij were vanquished by the Three Horatij Champions for Rome After this Metius the Alban Dictator following Tullus Hostilius in his War upon Tullus's disadvantage withdrew his Companies to distress Tullus for which he was torn in pieces at two Chariots and Alba Reigned but the Citizens were made free Denisons and her Nobles Patricians of Rome among whom was a Family of Iulij which hath since risen in Iulius Caesar c. § 5. Rome which devoured the Alban Kingdom and brake all the Kingdoms from Euphrates to the Western Ocean as that Alban the IV th a Beast with Iron-Teeth forespoken of cometh now to be handled only touching her Original which some seek to derive from Ianus others from the Greeks Plâ—tarch in the Life of Romulus
that in Nebuchadnezzar's Seven Years of Madness Niglisar might govern by his Wife Nitocris's means Nebuchadnezzar's Daughter and Labassardach after him but slain after Nine Months presently before Nebuchadnezzar's Restauration CHAP. II. The Persians greatness how it grew § 1. THAT the Medes were chief in the overthrow of Babylon the infallible Witness of Two great Prophets maketh good Esa. 13 17. Ier. 51.11.28 according to which Iulius Africanus proveth Babel was taken before Cyrus began to Reign So that the Empire lost by Balthassar the last of Belochus's Line fell to Cyaxares or Darius Medus the last of Arbaces's Race who succeeded his Father Astyages c. § 2. Cyrus to whom alone the Greeks ascribe the Conquest of Babel was thought immediate Successor to Astyages by some who deny he had any other Son than this Cyrus Son of Mandane his Daughter Viginer also probably reasoneth that Astyages had no such Son as Darius being unknown to so many Authors there named But Negative Arguments from Authors are of no force and necessity Either Astyages must be Darius in Daniel 9. which his Time will not suffer or another Successor before Cyrus must be granted who for Life commanded all Yet in regard he was Old and followed not the Wars in Person but Cyrus as his Lieutenant did all the Greeks who heard only of him ascribed all to him as did the Persians in Honour to him who shortly brought all to them § 3. Xenophon's Report of the Wars between the Assyrians and the Medes and Persians The Assyrians having command of so many Countries desired to bring under the Medes and Persians Knowing therefore their great strength he perswaded Croâ—sus the rich and strong King of Lydia to join with him which he easily yielded for the quarrel to the Medes who had warred against Alyattes his Father These together compose an Army of Two Hundred Thousand Foot and Sixty Thousand Horse but are overthrown by Darius and Cyaxares King of the Medes and Cyrus General of the Persian Forces and the Assyrian King slain so that many Assyrians revolted and Babylon was glad for her security to get mercenary strength while Cyrus pursueth his Victory to lesser Asia and took Croesus Prisoner After this followed the Attempt at Babylon Cyaxares bearing the Charge and Cyrus being Leader c. § 4. Achaemenes govern'd in Persia when Arbaces did the like in Media and both joined with Belochus against Sardanapalus and after held Persia for himself as the other did Media and Babylon yet Arbaces's absolute Command decayed 'till Deioces One hundred fortys year after when Salmanassar Reigned in Syria so that neither the Medes nor Persians found it fit to stir From Deioces to Astyages there past above Ninety years in which time Phraortes Reigned but not like to have Conquered Persia as Herodotus Writ For Susiana was under Daniel's Charge for Nebuchadnezzar who also would hardly have ventured into Syria and Egypt leaving such an Enemy on his Back It seemeth the Successors of Achaemenes did little worth remembring seeing in the Persian Greatness nothing was Published of their first Kings Xenophon reports the Crown descended from Father to Son many Descents and that Cambyses begot Cyrus so that the Story of Astyages's giving Mandane his Daughter to a base Man to disable her Issue whose Greatness he feared is improbable Two Races sprung from Achaemenes the First according to Reyneccius are Darius Cyrus First Cambyses Cyrus the Great Cambyses c. Of the Second Race came the Seven Princes who overthrew the Magi and chose Darius Son of Hystaspes one of them for King Persia first called Elemais of a Son of Shem c. Their City called Persepolis in the Second Book of Maccabees is called Elemais in the First Book and now Cyrus but Built in another place for that which Alexander destroyed at the request of the Harlot Thais The First Kingdom known to us according to the Interpreters of Gen. 14. was Chedorlaomer with whom Amraphel or Ninus joined in the War against the Arabians CHAP. III. Of Cyrus the First Persian Monarch § 1. CYRVS saith Strabo was so called of the River which watereth Persia Herodotus saith it signifies a Father Plutarch saith the Son Esai named him almost Two Hundred years before He Conquered Lydia and took Croesus before Babylon which he won in the Fifty Fifth Olympiad and in the Twenty Eighth Olympiad upon a Rebellion subdued it again § 2. Lydia had Lydus the Son of Atys her first King which Family was extinguished Argon descended from Hercules was chose by the Oracle and held Twenty two Generations to Candaulus the last Gyges succeeded him in Bed and Kingdom which he left to Atys Father of Sadiattes Father of Halyattes who begat Croesus All their time was One Hundred Seventy years Croesus so inlarged his Dominion that he was Inferiour to no King of that Age commanding Phrygia Bythynia Caria Misia Paphlagonia c. He in confidence of his good Success envying Cyrus's Fame and desirous to check his Prosperous Undertakings asked Counsel of Apollo Then Darius who assured Croesus passing Halis's River shall dissolve a great Dominion An Answer doubtful because the Devil was Ignorant of the Event § 3. Croesus thus resolved despised all Sandanes his Consellor's Arguments to the contrary as the Barrenness of the Enemies Country their hard manner of Living War-like Indefatigable and Prosperous by whose Fall he can gain only Fame wherein he excelled and if he were Beaten his Loss could be hardly told or soon conceived Croesus proceeds with a powerful Army but is staid at Pterium a strong City of Capadocia which he sought to force while Cyrus advanc'd Cratippus answer'd Pompey well That Kingdoms have their Increase and Periods from Divine Ordinance and so was it with these two great Princes whose Forces meeting the Persians had somewhat the better but Night parted them Croesus doubtful of the next days Success quit the Field to Cyrus and with all haste got into Sardis and because of Winter sent home his Forces not doubting any persuit Cyrus finding the Lydians gon followed slowly after to avoid discovering and having good Intelligence of Croesus's proceedings delay'd 'till the Forces were dispos'd to their Winter Garrison when unexpectedly he invested Sardis and in fourteen days forced it Croesus thrusting in among the multitude was ready to be slain had not his dumb Son forced by Passion cried Spare Croesus who thereupon was brought to Cyrus who judged him to be burnt Being upon the heap of Wood he cryed out O Solon Solon Solon and upon urging to declare what he meant answer'd That he found Solon's words true That no Man knew his own Happiness 'till his End Cyrus hearing thereof called for him remembring his own Mortality forgave him and ever after used him as a King and Companion Xenophon Reports that Cyrus used him so without speaking of the purpose of burning belike thinking it a Cruelty unworthy Cyrus so to use his Great Unkle by his Grandmother
deliberate grave and resolute for which all other Sâ—ates of Greece followed them the Athenians were eager sudden in concluding and hasty in execution obeyed by force and by means of their Ships forced the Islanders to hard Tribute The Lacedemonians being In-Landers perceiving the Athenians to grow great became jealous of them § 2. Athens to enlarge her Command used to protect the weaker States against the stronger though having been their Colonies as Corcyra was to Corinth This Wrong Corinth complained of to Sparta as others did and when Sparta could not prevail by intreaty they resolve on Force which Athens prepares for The Lacedemonians exceed in numbers and qualities the Athenians in many Ships and absolute Subjects § 3. Athens the tâ—o-first years had all the Country about wasted and the Towns visited with a grievous Pestilence by the throng of People and Cattle fled thither The Lacedemonians win Plataea but cannot rescue Mytilene from the Athenians for want of Ships their Confederates also grew weary so that the Lacedemonians seeing how little hurt they can do to Athens which was easily relieved by Sea fall to build Ships but to no purpose wanting good Seamen § 4. Sparta hearing that a Fleet of Athenians by contrary Winds stayed at Pilus a Promontory began to fortifie themselves there and hasted from Attica to put off such ill Neighbours from planting so near Peloponesus but finding the Garrison not so easily to be forced they possessed the Haven put four hundred Men into the Island and send part of the Fleet for Materials to ruine the Garrison The Athenian Fleet hearing of the Garrisons distresses returned and overthrew the Spartan Fleet c. The four hundred Men in the Island the Magistrates of Sparta seek to recover by sending to Athens to treat of Peace but in vain for Athens weighed Honour by Profit and held the advantage gotten and in the end by force took the Spartans in the Island Prisoners and sent them to Athens § 5. The Lacedemonians in this Condition labour for Peace which the insolent Athenians neglected 'till the overthrow their Forces by the Lacedemonians imployed in Thrace had received which made the Athenians more earnest to effect a Peace especially considering that beside the Athenian Power the Argives their ancient and not to be neglected Enemies were like to joyn with the Athenians the Thirty years Peace being expired The Peace at last is concluded but Conditions impossible for Lacedemon could not restore all the Cities which the Athenians had lost by their means as the Cities taken into their Protection refused to return subject to their old Lords the Athenians But before any quarrel grew the Spartans enter into a straighter Alliance with Athens by a League Offensive and Defensive to disappoint the Argives This League put all Greece in jealousie that these two would prove Lords of all § 6. The States of Greece which had excessively admired the Valour of Sparta seeing it now to seek Peace upon Terms not so Honourable grew to contemn it as the Corinthians Thebans c. who cast their Eyes upon the great Rich City of Argos and conceived great matters of it This is the common base Condition of the most who curiously searching into other Mens Vices cannot discern their Virtues and comparing our best parts with their first are justly plagued with false opinion of that good in others which we know wanting in our selves the Corinthians beginning complain that the Lacedemonians had left some of their Towns in the Athenians hands the Mantinians follow who feared revenge for that they had drawn some Arcadians from the Spartans to follow them These begin to enter League with the Argives and other Cities of Peloponesus follow The Lacedemonians knowing the scope of this new Confederacy send to Corinth to stop the Matter where it began chargeing them with their Oath of old Alliance which the Corinthians answer saying the Lacedemonians had first broken in concluding with Athens without care of restoring the Towns taken from Corinth c. The Corinthians thereupon enter League with Argos and draw others only the Thebans were not so forward because Argos was a popular State The Corinthians also for further security sought Peace with Athens and obtained a Truce but no League But in conclusion as Athens had by force gotten an absolute command and could perform what she promised so Lacedemon which had so many followers but voluntary could not do so as where they should restore Panacty held by the Thebans for recovery of Pylus they could not and so gave discontent to Athens There were also in Athens Alcibiades a young brave Noble-man and others as also some in Sparta desirous of War who promoted the breach of Peace what they could Alcibiades therefore sent to Argos which thought not now of superiority as lately she did but of Security advising them to secure-themselves by League with Athens The Lacedemonians seeing that Argos took that course sent to Athens to stay the proceeding knowing the Combination was not for their Wealth but by a trick of Alcibiades lost their labour § 7. The Argives presuming of their Allies molest the Epidaurians which the Spartans were bound to defend upon which occasion the Athenians and Spartans collaterally infest each other and the Corinthians Baeotians Phocians Locrians follow the Lacedemonians who in one Victory recovered much Reputation so that the Nobles of Argos getting the uper-hand of the Citizens made League with them renouncing Athens but the People recovering chased away their Nobles and reversed all § 8. Athens in the intermission of open War at home renew their hopes of subduing Sicily and sent such a Fleet as Greece never set out of which Alcibiades was one General Siracuse is besieged but relieved by the Lacedemonians and the Fleet block'd up in the Haven neither could Athens relieve it through home Factions whence Alcibiades was driven to banish himself and by this reason Sparta in the absence of their Forces Invaded Attica the Persians lending Money The Lacedemonians also by Alcibiades's Advice who fled to them fortifyed Decelia near Athens and all the Country about Yet the Athenians in their Obstinacy sent another Fleet which was quite vanquished in the Haven and the Army by Land utterly over-thrown This befell the Athenians deservedly by Nicias's Resolution who chose to venture little less than all the Power of Athens rather than to incur the Athenians Censure upon Return to be condemned unjustly as other Generals had been this Resolution cannot be commended seeing an honest valiant Man should do what Reason directs and measure Honour and Dishonour by a well-informed Conscience rather than the malicious Report and Censure of others yet it is excusable considering the Peoples Injustice and knowing an ill Fact is nothing so pernicious as an unjust Sentence which begun upon one becomes a President But his fear to fly as he thought to do was ridiculous because of an Eclipse that day which made him defer it 'till
way for Greece to visit Persia the second time to the translating of the Empire CHAP. XI Of the Greeks Affairs under the Lacedemonians Command § 1. GReece understanding the effeminate Baseness of the Asiaticks desired an undertaking of that huge unweildy Empire but were hindred by home Distractions through the Theban War which called the Lacedemonian Power out of Asia Xenophon's retreat from Babylon to Greece four thousand two hundred and eighty one Mile in one Year and three Months through Enemies Countries I know not whether any Age hath parallel'd Conon the Briton with six Thousand Men came home thro' all the breadth of Italy and length of France in despight of the Emperor Theodosius which Retreat was like rather than equal § 2. Timbro the Grecian General in Asia receiving Xenophon's Men took in Towns which fell from Tissaphernes but for his Oppressions is deposed and Dercillidas a Spartan succeeded who bearing a grudge to Pharnabasus and not favoured by Tissaphernes the other Persian Governours in lower Asia upon appointment with Tissaphernes entred Aeolis and in few days subdued it wasted Bithynia took Atarne a strong City and Cheronia with Eleven Towns in it Then he was Commanded from Sparta to attempt Caria the Seat of Tissaphernes In defence whereof Pharnabasus joyned with Tissaphernes by which means the Greeks were over-match'd being forsaken by the Ionians and Islanders yet Tissaphernes feared to Fight well remembring Xenophon's Retreat and so contrary to Pharnabazus's Councel a Truce is concluded § 3. The Lacedemonians being now at leisure resolve to revenge some private Wrongs done by the Eleans who were Precedents of the Olympian Games and accordingly forced them to free the Cities which had been subject to them and overthrew their Walls This pretence of Liberty was their usual ground of Wars though after that they made the same Towns little better than Vassals to Sparta § 4. Agesilaus newly made King of Sparta ambitious of the honour of Victory against the Persians with a great Army set forward to Aulis in Baeotia to Sacrifice there as Agamemnon had done long before but the Thebans Lords of that Country interrupted him Agesilaus resented this Contumely pursued his Enterprize and landed at Ephesus where Tissaphernes entertained him with a Treaty of Peace seeking only to gain time for the better supplying himself with Men and Mony which being come he sent to Agesilaus to be gone or to maintain his Post by force Agesilaus answer'd He was glad he had to deal with an Enemy which by Perjury deserved vengeance from Heaven So seeming to prepare for Caria where Tissaâ—hernes was prepared for him he went directly to â—â—rygia which he plundred 'till Tissaphernes's Cavalry came up whom he could not well repell for want of Horses and therefore returned to Ephesus to furnish himself with them and as soon as the Season served he entred and took Baeotis in Tissaphernes's Country overthrew his Cavalry in the Plain of Meander for want of their Infantry and took their Camp which was very Rich. The King his Master distrusting him and seeing how odious he was to the Greeks thought fit for procuring Peace to take off his Head by Tithraustes whom he sent to succeed him Which being done he sent to Agesilaus to certifie the Author of the War was dead and that the King was content that the Greeks should enjoy their Liberty paying his Tribute The Answer is referred to the Council of Sparta and 'till it came Agesilaus is content for Thirty Talents at his request to transfer the War against Pharnabasus Thus these Lieutenants valu'd not the King's Affairs further than in their own Provinces the foolish Custom of those Kings being to be guided by Eunuchs and Concubines Rewarding or Punishing the Provincials as they got or lost § 5. Agesilaus wasteth Phrygia took Pharnabasus's Palace and drove him out of his Camp c. Pharnabasus seeketh some good Composition representing the many good Offices done to the State of Sparta in the Wars with Athens Agesilaus replieth That having War with his Master they were forced to offend him but if he would revolt from the King they would Establish him a free King over his Province Pharnabasus answering plainly That while his Master trusted him he would be their Enemy but if the Charge were taken from him he would shift sides and come over to them So Agesilaus removeth out of Phrygia having made a violent Enemy of an honourable Friend § 6. Tithraustes perceiving Agesilaus design'd not to leave Asia took a wise Course and sent Fifty Talents to be dispersed among the Principal of Thebes and caus'd the Argives and Corinthians to raise War against Sparta whom they formerly hated The Quarrel is framed from the Locrians paying a Rent to the Thebans which the Phocians claimed and for which they made a Distress by violence whereupon the Thebans invaded Phocis in Hostile manner which flyeth to Sparta for aid The Spartans send Lysander to raise Men about Phocis and to attend Pausanias the other King with Forces out of Peloponesus but Corinth refused to assist Thebes knowing how many Succours Lacedemon should have even of those which affected them little sent to Athens to beg assistance and obtained it by Thrasibulus's means who in the time of the Thirty Tyrants being Banish'd was courteously used at Thebes while Pausanias stayed for the Confederates Lysander was slain at the Siege he layed to Halyartus whither after Pausanias came and that the Athenian Aid was come to the Thebans he departed for which he was Condemned and fled to Tegea § 7. The Thebans upon this Success had the Argives Corinths Eubaeans and others come into Confederation so that Sparta seeing the danger sent for Agesilaus Pharnabasus considering how much the Greeks Division imported the King his Master as before he had advanced the Lacedemonians Sea-Forces to the Overthrow of the Athenians so now he seeketh to raise the Athenian and break the Lacedemonian who for three Talents had sold his Favour He therefore furnish'd Conon and the Athenians with Eight Ships and gave him Command of a great Navy with which he destroyed the Spartan Fleet at Cnidus in requital of the loss of the Athenian Navy at Aegos Potamos surpriz'd by Lysander Conon thus return'd to Athens with a strong Navy and much Gold § 8. The Lacedemonians for some years support their Reputation by some Victories gotten by Agesilaus 'till Iphicrates the Athenian General gain'd a great Victory over them at Lechaeum and that by Pharnabasus's persuasion promising them to Rule by their own Laws The Cities in Asia expelled the Spartan Governours Abidos only excepted and Thrasibulus the Athenian with a Fleet had taken Bizantium Chalcedon Lesbos c. § 9. The Lacedemonians not able to maintain War against Men as good as themselves assisted with Persian Treasure crave Peace with Artaxerxes offering to leave the Greeks in Asia to him and set the Islands and Towns in Greece all free so that Greece should never be able
Honour of the Day by forcing all their Enemies out of the Field but lost their incomparable Commander Epaminondas by the stroak of a Dart in his Breast of which he died when the Truncheon was pulled out but first advised the Thebans to make Peace as wanting a General when he heard that Lobidas and Diophantes two Principal Men of War were slain Thus died the Worthiest Man that ever Greece bred and hardly matched in any Age or Country § 8. The Mantinean Battle was the greatest that had been ever in the Country of Natives in which all Greece were interessed which never had better Souldiers or braver Commanders The issue made all willing of a General Peace wherein was concluded every Estate should enjoy what it then held and none forced to depend on other the Messenians being included in this League for which the Lacedemonians refuse it After this Athens and Sparta had leisure to seek Wealth in foreign Wars as did Agesilaus who sent to assist Tachos King of Egypt descended from Amyrtaeus who rebelled against Darius Nothus But Agesilaus Trayterously fled from the King to his Rebels so that he was forced to flye to Persia and Nectanebus succeeded who Rewarded Agesilaus with two Hundred and Thirty Talent of Silver with which returning home he died THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD BOOK IV. Part I. Of the Macedonian Kingdom from Philip to the Race of Antigonus CHAP. I. Of Philip Father to Alexander the Great § 1. MAcedon at this time was little valued by the Greeks whose Glory in their Persian Victory did so pamper them that they neglected all Nations but themselves especially the Macedonians lately weakned by Neighbouring Princes in the time of Amyntas Father of Philip. But it fared with the Greeks as it commonly falleth out with Men of Note in the World that they often fall by the hands which they least fear and they considered not that all great Alterations are sudden and violent in which it is ever late to repair decayed Banks when inraged Rivers are once swollen Greece was far from care to repair their Fences between them and this Inundation that they rather brake them down by wasting each other so that as Orosius said the Cities of Greece lost all Command by striving each of them to Command all Macedon so called from Macedon Son of Osiris bordereth on the North whose Kings were from Temenus of the Race of Hercules and Argives by Nation Caranos of Argos Planted a Colony there upon surprize of Edessa about six years after Arbaces became King of Medea § 2. Philip the Second the youngest Son of Amyntas II. Educated under Epaminondas in Thebes where he was in Hostage escaped thence in the first year of the Hundred and Fifth Olympiad which was three Hundred Ninety and Three years after the Building of Rome Being returned to Macedon invironed with many Enemies he took upon him to Command as a Protector of his young Nephew Son of Percidas his Brother late King but his fruitful Ambition soon overgrew his Modesty and was easily persuaded by the People to take upon him the Absolute Rule as the necessity of the State required a King both Prudent and Active for as the King of Thrace sought to set Palesanias and the Athenians Argaeus the Sons of Aeropus the late Usurper so the Illyrians and Pannonians made daily incursions on all sides Philip to ease himself of these heavy burthens corrupted the Pannonian's Men of War with Mony and brought the Thracian King from Pausania and then made head against the Athenians and Argaeus whom he overthrew and forced the Athenians to desire Peace § 3. Philip had now leisure to look Northward invaded his bordering Enemies and slew Bardilus King of Illyrium recovering what he held in Macedon and forced the Pannonians to Tribute Then hasting to Thessalia his South Neighbour he took Larissa upon the River Peneus but before he would proceed with Thessaly he made sure of the entrance out of Thrace winning Amphipolis seated upon the bordering River he also recovered Pydna and Crenidus which he called Phillipi He also entred League with the Olynthians his Father 's mortal Enemies and gave them Pydna yet not designing they should hold it or their own § 4. Philip by the Phocian or Sacred War in the second year of the hundred and sixth Olympiad was drawn into Greece This War grew by occasion that the Phocians having Plowed up one piece of ground belonging to Delphos's Temple were by the Thebans prosecution fined a great Summ at the General Council of Greece and for refusing are Condemned to the Sword The Phocians hereupon plunder'd Apollo's Temple which yielded them Ten thousand Talents with which they hired many Men but after three Victories were beaten by the Thebans Thessalians c. In the mean time Philip at the Siege of Methon lost an Eye shortly after his Forces were overthrown in Thessaly by the Phocians and Thracians whom in the next Battle he defeated slew six thousand and took three thousand and freed Thessaly of the Tyrant Lycophron who had by force taken the City of Pheres § 5. Philip after this quarrel'd with the Olynthians a powerful People who had a contest with the Macedonians for protecting two of his half Brethren against his Sword for his Quarrels were balanced by his Ambition which made all things lawful that any way served his turn whether Murther of Brethren breach of Faith corrupting by Mony esteeming no place strong where his Ass laden with Gold could enter Therefore having overthrown them twice and forced them to keep their City he corrupted two Citizens which gave him entrance where he slew his Brethren and sold the Citizens for Slaves Thus he Conquer'd more by Corruption and Fraud than by Force as did Philip of Spain § 6. Philip at the Request of the Boeotians sent them aid against the Phocians sufficient to retard but not to end the War so to weaken the strength of Greece Artaxerxes Ochus also sent them One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Crowns but upon further request of his own presence whom they promise to give entrance into their Territory he went with Power sufficient to give Law to both Parties Upon whose coming Phatlecus the Phocian Leader fearing to shock with him made his Peace with him and with a Regiment of Eight Thousand Men withdrew into Peloponesus and left the Phocians to his mercy who made them Slaves § 7. Philip afer this slew many Thousands of the Illyrians and Dardanians brought Thrace to Tribute but was forced to leave Perinthus and Bizantium reliev'd by Athens Chios and Rhodes and when he sought Peace with Athens they refuse it upon Demosthenes's Eloquent persuasions Putting up this Affront he supplied himself by taking Seventy Merchants Ships and with new Forces entred Scythia with Alexander his Son but prospered not § 8. Philip after Eight Years spent Northward was again called by the Greeks against Amphissa who refused to obey the Decree of the Amphyctians or
by Leosthenes their Captain who called in the Aetolians overthrew the Boeotians which sided with Antipater Lieutenant to Alexander Antipater doubting his own strength sent to Craterus in Asia whose coming into Macedon had so troubled his Thoughts but a Month before So vain are the Hopes and Fears of Men which decree all by mortal Wisdom shunning and persuing their Destiny afar off even when it seems near at hand Craterus and the Captains in Asia nearest to Europe are solicited to make haste for Antipater could raise in Macedon but Thirteen Thousand raw Souldiers and six hundred Horse besides the Thessalian brave Troops Whereas Leosthenes brought into the Field twenty two thousand Foot and two thousand five hundred Horse besides many Auxilaries which came in But before Craterus came Antipater ventred a Battle which he lost and was forced into Lamia a fortifyed and well provided Town to endure a Siege which Leosthenes presented him with § 4. Perdicas Protector of Aridaeus had no peculiar Province but greater Forces than any with which and his Marriage with Cleopatra Alexander's Sister he hoped for greater Matters He first subdued Cappadocia which had never submitted to Alexander and committed it to Eumenes whom he trusted above all Men. § 5. Antipater having in vain expected his Asian Succours offered to yield upon Terms of Reason but Leosthenes will have an absolute yielding which the other having been his Commander refused so the Siege is delayed 'till the Aetolians grew weary and departed so that the Trenches were thinly Mann'd Upon this advantage Antipater sallied out and slew many and Leosthenes himself but yet was not relieved of the Siege Leonatus in the mean time is persuaded to hasten to it with twenty Thousand Foot and Two thousand five hundred Horse out of Phrygia the lesser which he willingly undertook for Cleopatra's sake which sent for him to Pella in Macedon But Antiphilus who succeeded Leosthenes raised his Siege and went to meet him before Antipater and he joined and obtain'd a great Victory and the greater by Leonatus's Death The vanquished Macedonians too proud to fly and weak to renew the Fight betook them to high grounds 'till the day following when Antipater came who also kept the high ground as if he meant not to fight which moved many Greeks to depart This instability incorrigible in Volunteers was the more inexcusable Craterus with a strong Army at length is come and joineth with Antipater making between them Forty thousand heavy Armed Three thousand light and Five thousand Horse of which number the Greeks wanted one thousand five hundred Horse and Eighteen thousand Foot who lost he day with the slaughter only of Five hundred Men. So the Greeks not subject to one General desiring to preserve their own Estates betrayed their Country's liberty by a careless defence while Thessaly seeks her Peace § 6. Antipater's gentle Conditions to such as were forward to seek Peace drew on the rest only Athens and Aetolia are plotting to prosecute the War begun by them more bravely than wisely 'till Antipater is come to their Doors when wanting wherewith to resist they seek Peace absolutely submitting as Leosthenes had proudly required of Antipater who now overthrew the Popular Estate raised a Democracy of Nine thousand of the most considerable Persons transmitted the tumultuous into Thrace and slew Demosthenes § 7. Antipater giveth his Daughter Phila to Craterus and after the Marriage both go against the Aetolians who had conveyed their impotent People and Goods into places of great safety of which that rough Mountainous Country yields many and the rest fortify their strong Cities Here the two great Commanders are kept in play ' â—â—ll News out of Asia made them desire very earnestly to be gone giving them what Conditions they pleased This Asiatique Expedition grew from Perdicas's Plot to bring Aridaeus into Macedon designing by his presence to make void the Offices of his Vice-Roys that so himself who Administred all under the Titular Majesty of Aridaeus might obtain Cleopatra and thereby both Greatness and a good Title Antigonus Governour of Phrygia whom he discerned no way proper for his purpose is called in question for Life but escaped with his Son Demetrius and came to Antipater § 8. Perdicas perceiving his intentions were laid open resolves to make them good with the Sword and first he will begin with Ptolomy of Egypt leaving Eumenes upon the Asiatique Coast to withstand Antipater and Craterus Ptolomy having won the Egyptians with his sweet behaviour and added the Dominion of Cyrene hearing of Perdicas's coming to the Camels Wall a little town in Egypt put himself into it and bravely kept it against him Perdicas removeth to a place over against Memphis where in vain attempting to pass over Nilus three thousand of his Men were drowned and devoured by Crocodiles and such as fell into Ptolomy's hands were saved alive whom he used courteously and buried the dead cast up by the River The Captains hearing of this his Humanity fell to mutiny thinking it unreasonable to make War on so Virtuous and Honourable a Person to fulfil the pleasure of a Lordly Ambitious Man using them like Slaves Pithon formerly made Governour of Medea being present and hating Perdicas for a disgrace offered him by the other which caused many Greeks to be slain who had yielded to him upon his Promise drew a hundred Captains and a good part of the Horse entred upon Perdicas's Tent and slew him who could endure no Greatness but his own Ptolomy the next day came to the Camp and was joyfully received and offered the Protectorship which he modestly refused and procured it for Pithon § 9. Eumenes being left by Perdicas to withstand Antipater Alcetas Brother of Perdicas refused to assist him as his Brother Commanded Neoptolemus pretended to be willing but being Summon'd came in a Hostile manner as he promised Antipater and was shamefully disappointed and put to flight leaving his Foot-men which upon Eumenes's Charge submitted and took Oath to serve him Neoptolemus being come to Antipater persuades Craterus to march against Eumenes assuring him that upon his appearance all the Macedonians with Eumenes would revolt Eumenes fearing Craterus's presence might be of ill consequence to him peremptorily for bad the admitting either Messenger or Trumpeter and placed in his Battle against Craterus such as knew him not charging the Leaders to run on without giving leisure to speak Craterus to incourage his Men promiseth the Spoil like him who sells the Bears Skin before he 's caught Eumenes had the day in which both Craterus and Neoptolemus lost their Lives but his own Macedonian Souldiers were incensed against him hearing of Craterus's death which he also much resented § 10. Pithon Protector of King Aridaeus was so interrupted by Euridice the King's Wife Daughter of Amyntas Philip's Elder Brother and of Cyna Alexander's Sister a Lady of a Masculine Spirit well understanding her place that he gave over his Office which she thought to supply
slew him Goes into Persia Peucestes entertain'd him obsequiously but lost his place § 9. Antigonus visiting Seleuchus in Babylon hath Kingly Entertainment and Susa's Castle with the Persian Treasure and Riches yet calls for a further Accompt Seleuchus doubts the meaning of his Friend of whom he never deserved well and so fled to Ptolomy in Egypt CHAP. V. Civil Wars between Alexander's Captains § 1. ANtigonus's Riches and Power made him formidable and caused Ptolomy Cassander and Lysimachus to combine against him notwithstanding his Embassadours by whom he intreated the continuance of their Amity In their Answer they require a share of the Eastern Treasure increase of Cassander and Lysimachus's Dominions and restoring of Seleuchus He roundly replyed that he would share his Victories with them who afforded him no succour and injoy'd what they had thereby being by his Arms freed from Polyspercon § 2. Antigonus prepareth for War Guards the Sea Coast to hinder Cassander and invaded Syria setting Workmen on Lybanus to build a Navy takes Ioppa and Gaza and forces Tyrus by Famine to yield upon Condition that Ptolomy's Souldiers might depart with their Armies Ptolomy kept close in his Country not being able to Incounter the other in the Field but sent a Fleet of One Hundred Sail with Sâ—leuchus to strengthen Cyprus by which also Caria held by another Cassander took a Resolution to hold out § 3. Greece was desired on both sides as an aid of much Importance where Antigonus by his Treasures gained the Lacedemonians and others of Peloponesus He also sought to make Cassander odious for the Death of Olympias and Imprisoneth Roxane and her Son forcing Thessalonica building Cassandria and re-edifying Thebes in spite of Philip and Alexander Upon these Reasons he required the Army to declare Cassander a Traitor except he restored Roxane and her Son and submitted to the Lieutenant General himself and that all the Cities of Greece should be set free His regard of the Royal Blood was not soon to be abated but 't was the Liberty of Greece which induced Ptolomy to decree the like Antigonus to make sure work gave Alexander Son of Polyspercon Five Hundred Talents to make War in Peloponesus But he at the persuasion of one sent from Cassander kept the Treasure and had the Lordship of Peloponesus put into his hand making a League with Ptolomy and Cassander But this Honour he enjoy'd not long being slain by the Treason of the Sycionians hoping thereby to become free but were subdued by Crâ—tisipolis his Wife c. § 4. Antigonus with his Five Hundred Talents having bought an Enemy stirred up the Factious Aetolians but Cassander curbed them and won from them Ptolomy's Fleet Commanded by Polyclitus who upon Alexander's defect from Antigonus left Peloponesus and returned homewards hearing of the Rhodian Fleet led by Theodatus Admiral to Antigonus he cunningly surprized it not one escaping This ill News brought Antigonus and Ptolomy to meet about some composition but to no effect § 5. Lysimachus Overthrew Seuthes a King of the wild Thracians with the Cities which Rebelled and slew Pausanias and took his Army sent by Antigonus Philip also Lieutenant of Cassander wasted the Aetolians and drove most out of their Country and slew Aeacides King of Epirus lately Restored Antigonus in the mean time won Caria sent Armies into Peloponesus and other parts of Grâ—ecâ— bestowing Liberty on whom he took and making shew to come over into Macedon forc't Cassander to hast thereto and to leave many places weakly Guarded which his Army freed § 6. Antigonus's Presence in lesser Asia gave life to his Affairs there and in Greece but Ptolomy took advantage of his Absence in Syria visited Cyprus recover'd it and left a Lieutenant in it and in return made Ravage in Caria and Cilicia and drew Demetrius Policartes Son of Antigonus to the rescue and departed to Egypt where with Seleuchus he raised a Royal Army for recovery of Syria Demetrius being return'd and hearing of Ptolomy's coming is advised to give way and not to Encounter two such Generals but he rejects the Council as a cold Temper of aged Men and will needs stand them at Gaza Ptolomy hath the odds but wanted Elephants which â—e supplied with a Palisade sharpned to gall the Beasts and Overthrew Demetrius who fled to Azotus Thirty Miles off Won Gaza and the best part of Syria § 7. Seleuchus Nicanor now took leave of Ptolomy with Eight Hundred Foot and Two Hundred Horse too small a Garrison to keep much less to win one of those great Cities in the East but Men enough to enter where the Hearts of the Inhabitants are already gain'd Seleuchus's Name whose Government the Babylonians had found so good was sufficient to them to put all the resistance upon Antigonus Men wishing them ill to speed The defection grew so general that the Antigonians durst stay in no strong Town only they held a Castle full of Hostages and Prisoners which Seleuchus took and so the Possession of Mesopotamia and Babel Nicanor left in Media by Antigonus with an Army came with Ten Thousand Foot and Seven Thousand Horse Seleuchus having but Four Hundred Horse and above Three Thousand Foot drew them into a Marsh near Tygris which Nicanor thinking to be a flight grew less careful to Fortiâ—ie his Camp and so was surprized the first Night and lost all with Susiana and Media Now began the Aera or Date of the Greeks used by the Iews Chaldeans and Syrians whose first Compleat Year at Babylon was accounted from the end of the 438th of Nabonasser saith Gauricus § 8. Ptolomy having taken Gaza sent Demetrius all his Goods Pages and Servants freely with a courteous Message that their War was upon Terms of Honour not Personal hatred This inflam'd Demetrius's earnest desire of Requital which made him gather all the Force he could and send to his Father for supply against which Ptolomy sent Cilles with part of his Army which was suddenly Surpriz'd by Demetrius through Cilles's careless Marching as against a beaten remnant Thus Demetrius repaired his Honour and requited his Enemy by restoring Cilles and many other Friends with rich Presents Antigonus hasteth into Syria to embrace his Son and perfect the recovering of it upon his Son's Foundation but Ptolomy now at leisure returns to Egypt Dismantling the Principal Cities as he went thus all fell to Antigonus presently So easily did the Provinces accept strange Lords as Sheep and Oxen change Masters having no Title to their own Heads These People of Syria Egypt Babylon Assyria Persia were of no such manly Temper as at this time the States of Greece were who took all occasion to recover Liberty which these little esteemed So that the Persian Nobles never strove to recover Liberty after Alexander's Death but tamely submitted to the Captains and Officers of the Army The Reason hereof Machivel gives from the Form of Government For where the Subjects are kept as Slaves as in Turkey a
Scipio took it who carried off One Million Four Hundred and Ten Thousand Pounds besides the Souldiers part It was oft Rebuilt and Invincible while it Commanded the Sea which almost compass'd it 't was Twenty Miles in Circuit and a treble Wall Without the Walls and between them were Streets with Vaults for Three Hundred Elephants and Stables for Four Thousand Horse with room for Provender and Lodging for the Horse-Men and Twenty Thousand Foot which never troubled the City as it is at this day in China The Castle of Beyrsa in the South-side was two Miles and a half in compass with an Arsenal under which the Ships and Gallies did Ride The Form of the Common-Wealth was like that of Sparta having Titular Kings and Aristocratical Senators but in latter times the People usurpt too much which confusion in Government with their too great trust to Mercenaries together with Avarice and Cruelty occasion'd their ruine They exacted from their Vassals one half of the Fruits of the Earth besides Tributes made merciless Officers by exactions to augment the Treasure and put to death without Mercy him who offended ignorantly nay even their Captains upon ill Success which made them often desperately to hazard all The Year after Tarquin's expulsion Rome sought a League with Carthage agreed the Romans should Trade in no part of Africk but no Haven in Italy to be shut against Carthage c. Their Care was to keep the Romans in continual War in Italy that Sicily destitute of aid from thence might more easily be brought under by them This made them offer Succours to Rome against Pyrrhus to prevent his interrupting their attempts in Sicily at which time the League was renewed especially against Pyrrhus who then defeated the purposes of Carthage for that time Some time before a Troop of Campanian Souldiers who had served under Agathâ—cles and were entertained in Messana as Friends with persidious Cruelty slew those that had trusted them and possessed their Cities Wives Lands and Goods and called themselves Mamertines who afterwards molested the Neighbours but were opposed by the Syracusians and Besieged But unable to hold out and being divided one side resolves to give themselves to Carthage the other to Rome The Carthaginians readily lay hold of the Offer send Forces and had the Castle surrendred But the contrary Faction drawing that side to agreement expelled the Captain for which he was Crucified at home as a Coward and Traytor Carthage hereupon besieges Messana and the Syracusians joyn with them by Sea and Land while Appius Claudius the Roman Consul with an Army passing the Streights of Sicily by Night put himself into Messana sending to the Carthaginians and Hierom King of Syracuse requiring them to depart from their Confederacy which Message being slighted occasion'd the Punick War § 2. Rome's undertaking the defence of Rhegium with a Legion of Four Thousand Roman Souldiers whom they had requested for their defence against Pyrrhus and the Carthaginians prov'd basely treacherous for these Confederating with the Mamertines plunder the City even as the Mamertines had formerly done at Messana The Romans upon Complaint hereof sent Forces which vanquished them and put all to death restoring Rhegium to its former Liberty to the high commendation of their Justice but when the Mamertines came to be consider'd tho' they had given example and aid to their Legion at Rhegium yet Profit prevailed against Justice which they used to pretend and their care to hinder Carthages further footing in Sicily persuaded them to defer the punishment of the Villains whose Fellows they had destroyed Appius Claudius being sent unto them of Messana sally'd out on that side Hierom kept and worsted him and the Syracusians who had foolishly joyned with Carthage against whom they must have sought aid at Rome if Messana had been won Hierom knowing such another Bargain would have made him Bankrupt departed and the next day the Carthaginians succeeded so ill that they left Camp and Country to the Romans who Confederated with this Nest of Thieves and Murderers with whom no League was just § 3. Sicily's Dominion is now become the Prize for which Rome and Carthage contend concerning which Island the general Opinion of Antiquity is that it was a Demy Island adjoyning to Italy near Rhegium and separated by Tempests others say by Earthquakes others by Tides It excells all the Islands of the Midland Sea in bigness and fertility and is formed like the Greek Δ Delta or a Triangle For Fertility Cicero calls it the Granary of the Commonwealth and Nurse of the vulgar sort furnishing their greatest Armies with Leather Apparel and Corn. About Leordium and other parts Wheat groweth of it self It had Six Colonies and Sixty Cities it bred Archimedes the Mathematician Euclid the Geometrician Empedocles the Philosopher and Diodorus the Historian It was Peopled by Sicans out of Spain after the first Inhabitants which were Giants and the Sicans were cast out by the Siculi from Italy driven out from the place in which Rome stands by the Pelasgi from these Siculi it beareth the name After them came the Morgetes out of Italy who were expelled by the Oznotrians c. The Trojans came after and then the Phenicians which built Parormus or Palmero The report of Giants which first Inhabited the Island I could reject did not Moses make us know that such were the first Planters of the Countries about Israel and did not other Authors confirm it as Augustine Tertullian Procopius Isidore Nicephorus Pliny Diodorus c. yea Vespusius in his second Navigation into America saw the like there And I wonder at this the less seeing the same is written of all Nations that is written of one touching their simplicity of Life mean Sustenance poor Cottages Cloathing of Skins Hunting Arms manner of Boats in all which as we are altered from the first Simplicity to extream Curiosity and excess in Building Diet Apparel so have we as monstrous Persons for Oppression and all Vices all which as Time bred and increased so shall it overthrow all Flesh at last The Greeks Plantation in Sicily was by Theocles who being driven upon it by an East Wind at his return reported to the Athenians the excellency of the place and upon their neglect persuaded the Chalcidians that were needy and industrious who sent a Colony of Eubaeans which built Naxus Archias with his Corinthians followed and built a part of that which was after called Syracuse adding three other parts as they encreased and possessing most of the Sea-Coast forced the Siculi into the Mountains at Trinacia The Chalcidians also got Leontium Catana and Hybla which they called Megara as the Rhodians and Cretians did Gala and their Postedid built Agrigentum The Syracusans also built Arra Casemeria Camerina Enna c. as the Messanians took Zancle changing the Name Agrigentium from popular Government was by Phaleris brought to Tyranny who after Thirty One Years was stoned to death and their liberty was recovered 'till
Thoro long after Usurped Gela forced Naxos Zancle and Leontium and giving aid to the Magistrates of Syracuse against the People was chosen Prince in the Second Year of the Seventy Second Olympiad He aiding Thoro his Father-in-Law of Agrigentum against Terillus of Himera slew One Hundred and Fifty Thousand led by Amilcar in defence of Terillus The Carthaginians well beaten seek his Peace which is granted on Condition no more to Sacrifice Children to Saturn but to pay Two Thousand Talents and Two Armed Ships whereto they added a Crown of Gold worth One Hundred Talents of Gold so much are some Natures improv'd by hardship His Subjects loved him exceedingly yea his Dog burnt himself with his Body at his Funeral Hierom his Brother succeeded a Cruel Rude Covetous Man but improv'd by Simonides became a Studier of good Arts. His Brother Thrasibulus succeeded who after Ten Months Tyranny was forced by the Citizens to restore their Liberty and was Banished so Syracuse kept her Liberty almost Sixty Years and was in some manner acknowledged of all the Greek Cities by freeing them from Ducetius King of the Sicilians except Trinacia But Leontium being oppressed by Syracuse sought aid from Athens the Sixth year of the Peloponesian War which sent One Hundred Gallies and other Forces which invaded Syracuse winning and losing 'till both sides wearied agree and Leontium is admitted into equal Fellowship and the Athenian Captains sent home whom their City banish for gaining nothing in Sicily as they expected Shortly after fell out the most memorable War that ever Greece made there Athens aided Egesta oppressed by Seleucus and Leontium and Catana wronged by Syracusa whom the Lacedemonians succoured Alcibiades Nicias and Lamachus are sent from Athens but did little the first Summer and Alcibiades is discharged and new Supplies on both sides are sent the next Spring but Syracuse is almost blocked up yet with Lamachus's death before the Succors from Sparta and Corinth led by Glippus and Pitbon came But after their coming Nicias was broken and forced to write for new Supplies which were sent with Euremedon and Demosthenes who the same day invaded the Syracusians with more hast than Success having such loss as they determined to return to succour Athens then in distress Nicias on the contrary persuaded them to stay upon intelligence the Town could not hold out long but had not the Moon been Eclipsed the suspicion whereof caused them to defer it they had departed But their Superstition cost them dear even the utter loss of all in two Sea-Fights in the great Haven and in their retreat by Land toward Camerina in which Forty Thousand are overthrown Nicias and Demosthenes taken and miserably murder'd for contrary to the Endeavours of Glippus and Hermocrates the Syracusian Commander to save them they were barbarously murdered by the cruel Multitude c. The Egestanes now fearing the Syracusians apply themselves to Carthage to whom they ofâ—er their City and Hannibal with Thirty Thousand Men is sent who in revenge of his Father's and Uncle's Death won and sack'd Himera and Seleucus and buried Three Thousand Himerans where Amilcar was slain Hermocrates after his good Service is by malice of his Enemies Exiled by the ungrateful Multitude being in Greece who being returned began to repair Silenus but upon persuasion of his Friends in Syracuse attempting to take a Gate was slain Dionysius Son-in-Law to Hermocrates being made Praetor and Commander of the Syracusian Armies behav'd himself so well that he got the good will of the People and Men of War and began early being but Twenty Five Years Old that he might play the Tyrant long He obtain'd his first Favour by accusing the Noblemen whom the baser sort desire to reign over then he got of them Six Hundred Men to guard his Person as Pisistratus at Athens had done against the malice of his Enemies and to gain the Souldiers he gave them double Pay and procured the restoring of many Banished Men who thereby were made his own Then he made himself absolute Lord by possession of the Citadel in which was great Provision and under which the Gallies Moored what he design'd by this the Chief Citizens discerned it though the People would not see Yet after a Foil given at Gela by the Carthaginians which the Men at Arms thought he was willing to they left him and hasting to Syracuse in hope to free the City of him they forced his Palace ransaked his Treasure and abused his Wife all which he revenged being at their heels sparing none that he suspected Then he grew so doubtful being the greatest Robber that ever State had that he trusted not a Brother to enter his Chamber unsearched yet being at the War the Citizens rebell at home so that with much difficulty he recovered the Citadel and so the Command of the City and when the multitude were gathering in Harvest he disarmed the Citizens Afterwards he went into the Field with Eighty Thousand Foot and Three Thousand Horse and sent his Brother Leptines with Two Hundred Gallies to Sea and Five Hundred Ships of Burthen which overthrew Fifty Ships of War Five Thousand Souldiers and many Ships of burthen brought by Himilco from Carthage while many Cities also yielded to Dionysius who yet lost a great part of his Army at Egesta Himilco finds half his Army with Mago by Sea which met again with Leptines and slew Twenty Thousand and took One Hundred Gallies which made Dionysius hasten home whom Himilco follows with speed besieging him by Sea and Land but the Plague having taken away One Hundred Thousand of his Men and other numbers slain by the City with the Lacedemonian aid he craved Peace which the other sold for a great Summ and on Condition to leave such as were not Carthaginians but when he was out at Sea the Tyrant followed and slew many Mago who stayed behind to strengthen the Carthaginians in Sicily received Supplies of Eighty Thousand Men which did nothing but make Peace with Dionysius who march'd into Italy where he took Rhegium and used much Cruelty therein Afterwards in another Battle with Mago he slew him and Ten Thousand Africans but Mago's Son slew his Brother Leptines and Fourteen Thousand Men which made him now buy his Peace Shortly after he died after Thirty Eight Years Tyranny and his Son Dionysius succeeded with his Father's disposition tho' to gain favour he dissembled freed many Prisoners and remitted many Taxes but slew his Brethren by another Mother the Sister of Dionysius a Valiant Just Man This Man had so prevail'd with him as to hear Plato whom he had sent for by whose Wisdom he began to be reform'd but continu'd it not After this his Flatterers procure Dionysius's Banishment persuading the King Dionysius sought to weaken his Mind by Philosophy and by offer which he had made to furnish the King with Fifty Gallies to make himself Master of the Kingdom Dionysius was well beloved in Greece where he gathered Eight
Hundred brave Followers whom he carried to Syracuse while the Tyrant was in Italy he entred without resistance and recovered the Cities Liberty though the Tyrant held the Castle After this the Worthy Man had the Reward which popular Estates use to give and was forced to abandon the City but returned twice from Leontium to assist them against the Castle which gall'd them and at last recovered the Castle and was after murthered by Cratippus who shortly after was slain by the same Dagger Dionysius after this recovered the City and made many fiye to Icetes Tyrant of Leontium who with the Carthaginians force Dionysius into the Castle and besieged him After comes Timolion with Forces from Corinth to free the City who with the Carthaginians forsake Icetes wins the City and hath the Castle rendred by Dionysius which he beats down calling it the Nest of Tyrants Syracuse wasted by former Wars is new Peopled with Ten Thousand Greeks by Timolion's means who also overthrew Asdrubal but Amilcar coming with Seventy Thousand Africans with Two Gallies and One Thousand Ships of burthen vanquish'd Icetes and slew him and his Followers suppres'd all the Tyrants in Sicily and died in Peace and Honour Sicily after Twenty Years Peace from Timolion's death falls under the Tyranny of Agathocles who rising by degrees in the Field came from a Beggar to be Praetor and after Tyrant of Syracuse Being Praetor and in League with Amilcar the Carthaginian he entertain'd Five Thousand Africans and many old Souldiers pretending to besiege Herbita but indeed sets upon the Senators the Rich and all his Enemies dividing the Spoil among the Poor and giving liberty to the Souldiers to Plunder Murther and Ravish calling it a violent Remedy for the violent Disease of the Commonwealth pretending now to reduce the Oligarchy to the ancient and indifferent Democracy But having left none fit for Magistracy he knew that those whom he assisted in their Murders and Outrages would need his aid to protect them and therefore would make him King which accordingly they did This Amilcar was content with in hope that upon his wasting the Island all would fall into the Carthaginians hands but the Carthaginians upon complaint send another Amilcar upon which the former chose rather to destroy himself than to give an account to Carthage Agathocles before the Carthaginians came had made the better part of Sicily his own and defeating the first Supplies that they returned and so encountred the second brought by Amilcar by which he grew presumptuous of that which failed him One misfortune is enough to overthrow a Tyrant without great circumspection as it was with him who after one great Defeat was glad to retire home and being there besieged with that wicked Rabble which had been Executioners of his Tyrannous Entrance he to prevent the Famine which was like to follow Shipped himself with as many as he thought convenient leaving the City Antander his Brother went to Sea when the Carthaginian Fleet was going out to seize on certain Ships coming with Provision these seeing Agathocles made toward him who hasted toward Africa while the Provision got into the City but before he got to Land the Carthaginians Fleet is fatigu'd by endeavouring to overtake him and was beaten and routed by him Being landed after many plausible Speeches to his Company as if he were Master of all the Riches in Africk he burnt all their Ships except one or two to use for Messengers In this heat of resolution he winneth two Cities and demolish'd them to the great amazement of Carthage who sent out against him Hanno and Bomilcar which were his profess'd Enemies of whom Agathocles cut Hanno and his Followers in pieces the other looking on This Success drew an African King to joyn with him as did Ophellas King of the Cyrenians to whom he promised to deliver what he wan in Africk but indeed treacherously murthered him and entertain'd his Army After this he made a start to Sicily and appeased some Eruptions returned to Africa pacify'd his Souldiers in mutiny for want of Pay and might have brought Carthage to buy Peace and give over all in Sicily if his thoughts of the Conquest of Carthage had not deceived him by an impression which as light an accident as a flash of fire caused to vanish for upon two Fires in the Night kindled by accident both Armies fled each afraid of other Agathocles in the dark falling on his African Souldiers which he took for Enemies lost four Thousand which so discouraged him that he endeavour'd secretly to steal away which being understood of the Army they slew his two Sons and made their Peace with Carthage Agathocles returning to Sicily grew more cruel exceeding Phalaris but in the end is driven to seek Aid of the Carthaginians against those that he had banished which took Arms against him whom he subdued by their help for which he restored to them all the Phoenician Towns he held in Sicily and they suppli'd him with Corn and four hundred Talents of Gold and Silver After this he went into Italy subdued the Brutians made the Isle Lipara buy Peace for a hundred Talents of Gold but in his return with Eleven Ships laden with Gold all was lost and all the Fleet but his own Galley which brought him to a more miserable end by grievous torment in his Sinews and Veins over all his Body in which he was forsaken of all and dyed basely as he began His fellow Souldiers after that Trayterously possessed themselves of Messana § 4. Hierom Tyrant of Syracuse is followed home with the Wars by Appias Claudius but thought it Wisdom to buy Peace for a hundred or two hundred Talents neither could Carthage be justly offended seeing they made no haste to his Relief knowing the City not able to hold out now as in their attempting it besides that Rome sought only their Friendship whereas Carthage strove for a command of them § 6. Hierom a just and good Prince beloved of his Subjects as he sought their good sided with Rome Lucius Posthumus and Q. Mamisius remove the Army to Agrigentum which Carthage had stored with all manner of Ammunition and Fifty Thousand Souldiers between whom upon a Sally made by the Besieged was a Fight which made the one side keep in and the other strongly to Intrench before and behind Hanibal in the City sends for Succour to Carthage which imbarks an Army under the Command of Hanno with certain Elephants who landing at Hiraclea surprised Erberus where lay the Roman Provision which loss had distressed the Romans but that Hierom supplied them Hanno after that assails them and by pretending flight of his Horse-men drew them further to the place where he lay cover'd and so slaughter'd many But in his second Assault he lost the day and fled to Heraclia whither shortly after Hanibal with the remainder of his Army breaking in the Night through the Romans Camp escaped The Romans who came into Sicily with no other intent
but to Succour the Mamils and keep the Carthaginians from their own Doors now aspire to the Command of Sicily and peradventure to visit Carthage This is the Disease of Mortal Men to covet the greatest things and not to enjoy the least the desire of what we neither have nor need taking from us the fruition and use of what we have already The Romans send two new Consuls Lucius Verus and Titus Octacilius so the Inland Town became theirs and as many Maritime places were Commanded by Carthage which was the cause the Romans determined to raise a Fleet which before this knew not how to move an Oar. Having now built one hundred and twenty Gallies and trained Men to row C. Cornelius one of that Years Consuls with Seventeen of them past over to Messena and taking Pleasure therein went to Zippara whereof Hannibal Governour of Panormus having Intelligence sent and surprised the Consul and his Gallies and flush'd with this success himself with Fifty went to surprise the rest but came off with great loss Cornelius is redeemed and Duillius his Fellow is made Admiral who considering the Advantage of the Carthaginian light Gallies in rowing away from the heavy ones of the Romans devised an Iron to grapple when they met and so got the Advantage which an heavy strong broader Vessel hath of weaker and lighter which are in danger of splitting neither are they so steady which is no small help in Fight wherein the best use of the Hand is in them which best keep their Feet § 7. Rome proceeds in War by Sea sends a Fleet to Sardinia and Hannibal had obtained a Fleet a◠Carthage which now Anchored in Sardinia Haven which the Romans coming suddenly surprized and Hannibal escaping hardly was hanged at his return For in War it is too much to offend twice But Amilcar lying in Panormus sent Hanno upon Intelligence of the Roman disorder in Sicily who unlooked for slew four thousand of them Panormus was the next which the Consul Besieged but could not draw the Carthaginians into the Field nor force the great City so strongly guarded so they left it and took the Land Towns C. Attilius Consul next Year was beaten and lost Nine Gallies of Ten but by coming up of the rest of his Fleet the Carthaginians lost Eighteen Upon this Rome built a Fleet of three hundred and Thirty Ships and Carthage another of Three hundred and fifty to try who should Command the Seas the Romans one hundred forty thousand and the Carthaginians one hundred and fifty thousand Men aboard Both Navies met but Attilius had the better taking sixty three and sinking Thirty with loss of twenty Four which fell out by Amilcar's ordering his Gallies so as that himself being forced and not able to recover to join with his other Squadrons that Squadron of the Romans which forced him fell back and helped their Fellows § 8. The Romans repair their Fleet set forward to Africa landing at Clypea a Port Town which yielded and so gave them an Haven without which all Invasions are foolish Amilcar is also come to Carthage and defence is prepared while Mantius one of the Consuls with all the Navy is called home with two thousand Captive Africans leaving but fifteen thousand Foot five hundred Horse and forty Gallies with Atilius He Besieged Adis where to hinder him Amilcar Hanno and Bester are sent with an Army who designing to weary him with lingring place themselves on the top of an Hill Regulus discovering the advantage that neither the Carthaginian Horse nor Elephants could do service there set stoutly upon them and forc'd them to leave their Camp to the Spoil after which they proceed to Tunis sixteen Miles from Carthage to the great Terrour of that City which being incumber'd with Multitudes fled into it from the Romans could not long keep Famine out which would let in the Romans Atilius finds this Advantage but doubting they will hold out 'till his Year expire and so the next Consuls shall have the Honour he treats of Peace with Carthage that he may reap his own Fruit Ambition seeking only to gratify it self but Atilius's Conditions were so unworthy that the Carthaginians disdain'd 'em changing Fear into a Couragious Resolution to defend their Liberty to the last Man To strengthen their Resolution Xantippus a Spartan a very expert Souldier with a great Troop of Greeks formerly sent for came who shewing the Errours of the Commanders in the former Over-throw to the Senate is made General of Twelve thousand Foot four thousand Horse and one hundred Elephants which were all the Forces which Carthage could raise at home to fight for Liberty Lives and all But such as use Mercenaries as they did are stronger abroad than at home as we see in their other Armies of one hundred and forty thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand at Sea c. Xantippus so ordered this Army in a Level Ground that he utterly overthrew the Romans took Atilius and five hundred others and slew all the rest but two thousand c. Thus one wise head overmatch many Hands Atilius upon his word went to Rome to treat about Exchange and Ransome of Prisoners which he dissuaded considering the loss Rome should take thereby and returning to Carthage dyed by Torture as a Malicious obstinate Enemy whose vain-glorious Frowardness rather than necessity of State the Romans afterwards slighted and made the Exchange losing all he had gotten and more as did the Flanderkins at Gaunt § 9. Carthage by this Victory recovered all in Africa but Clypea kept by the Romans to whose Succour three hundred and fifty Gallies are sent which being encountred by two hundred from Carthage they took one hundred and fourteen of them and taking on board their Besieged Men at Clypea return from Sicily hoping to get all there that Carthage held The Pilots persuade them to put into Harbour the Season threatning a Storm urging that the South of Sicily hath no good Ports but these Men being Conquerors desperately oppose the Elements and near Cameria all their Fleet but Eighty three were cast away which was the remainder of their late Victory The Carthaginians hoping to recover command at Sea send Asdrubal with two hundred Gallies with all the old Souldiers and one hundred and forty Elephants which land at Lilybaeum while the Romans make a hundred and twenty Ships which with the remainder of their Wrack they sent to Panormus and surrounded it by Sea and Land and take it Then they visit Africk again make some Spoil but in return between Panormus and Italy Neptune spoiled them of all that Mars had given with the loss of a hundred and fifty Ships so that now the Sea hath devoured four hundred and six Ships and Gallies and made them resolve to keep the Land and upon Experience of Atilius's loss by Elephants they dread fighting in Champain Countries But finding how impossible possible it was to succour the places they held in Sicily by
Land-Marches against the speedy Passage of the Carthaginians by Sea they change their minds § 10. Coetilius with half of the Roman Army in Panormus is attempted by Asdrubal and his Forces from Lilybaeum who sending his Elephants before against a Legion which came by Appointment to draw them on under colour of retireing 'till they came to a Trench which they could not pass where being repell'd by the Souldiers in it inraged they turn on their own Foot and disorder them Caecilius seeing the advantage brake out â—lew many and took the Elephants Rome hereupon hoping at once to end the Fourteen Years War of Sicily prepare a new Fleet of two hundred Sail which is sent to Lilybaeum the only place of Importance in the Cartbaginians Hands This Himilco with a Garrison of ten thousand held against them and Hannibal Son of Amilcar is sent with ten thousand more which he led into the City in despite of all resistance During this Siege a Rhodian undertook with a very swift Gally to enter the Town through the Roman Fleet and performed it coming back again to Carthage after the Rhodian others performed as much which made the Romans sink so many Ships with Stones that the Passage was block'd up so that at his next coming he was taken with another Carthaginian Gally Lilybaeum begins to be distressed by continual watching and labour but in this Despair some of the Roman Engines are thrown down by a violent Storm and burnt by a Greek Souldier which the Romans would not repair but resolve to starve the Defendants M. Claudius a Consul arrives with ten thousand and re-inforced the Army and propounds the Surprize of Drepanum a City on the other side of the Bay which all imbrace and being imbarked Arrive Adherbal a Valiant and prudent Warriour exhâ—rting his Men to Fight abroad rather than to be shut up at home puts to Sea the Consul's Fleet being more in haste to surprize than in order to defend is forced into a Bay in which he wants room to range himself In this streight he forceth his way out with Thirty Gallies and fled leaving Ninety four Ships to his Enemies Entertainment L. Iunius a Consul is sent from Rome with sixty Gallies to take the Charge who met the remainder of the Fleet at Messana except some in Lilybaeum Port and made up a hundred and twenty Gallies and eight hundred Ships of Burden and at Syracuse sent the Questors or Treasurers with half the Provision of some Gallies for Convoy Adberbal upon this Victory not being secure sends Carthalo with a hundred Gallies to try what he can do in Lilybaeum Port who surprized took and burnt all the Gallies in it and Coasting along the South met with Consul Iunius's Victuallers forced them into a Road full of Rocks where Carthalo took some of them waiting for the rest who could not stay long in so dangerous a place Whilst he is thus waiting for them the Consul is discovered against whom he went out who is also glad to take into a dangerous Creek Carthalo takes a station sit to watch which will stir first but discerning a Storm at hand he made haste to double the Cape of Pachinus and left the Consul to the boisterous South Wind which utterly wrackt all his Gallies c. Rome at the Report hereof again renounces the Sea resolving rather to trust to their Legions upon firm Land § 11. Iunius the Consul to regain the Honour he had lost at Sea resolves to attempt Erix on the Mount which he took and Fortify'd as being fit for a Garrison between Lilybaeum and Panormus Shortly after in the Eighteenth Year of this War Amilcar sirnamed Barcas Father of G. Hannibal is sent with a Fleet and Army with which he so wasted the Locrians and Brutians that he repayed the Roman Spoils In Sicily he settles himself between Panormus and Erix and three Years molested the Romans and after found way into Erix before the Guards either at the bottom or on the top of the Hill knew it and there he kept them in play almost two Years Rome now knows no way to be rid of this obstinate Warriour 'till they command the Sea which requires a Fleet and they having wasted the common Treasure the private Citizens must make it good It is decreed and two hundred Gallies are by the Rhodian Pattern raised and committed to C. Luctatius Catullus Hanno Admiral of the Carthaginian Fleet well furnish'd as he thought for them at Erix but neither with fit Mariners nor stout Fellows as soon appear'd For Catullus the Consul having well exercised his Men in rowing he lightned his Gallies and stored all of them with choice Land Souldiers which Hanno was so deficient in that at the first Encounter he had fifty stem'd seventy taken and ten thousand made Prisoners Carthage thus utterly discourag'd sends to Amilcar referring it wholly to his Wisdom what to do who considering the present necessity sent to Luctatius to treat of Peace who upon the same consideration of Romes present Poverty agreed on Conditions which were sent to Rome who sent Commissioners to conclude the Peace Carthage is expell'd out of Sicily restores Prisoners and payed three thousand two hundred Talents in Twenty Years CHAP. II. What pass'd between the First and Second Punick Wars § 1. THE Carthaginians thus quit of Sicily and the Islands about it have now leisure to think how to help themselves in a following War rather than to be content with the present Peace for that the Conquerors give and the Conquered receive Laws But Rome forgot in this Affair what had been answered a Senator demanding what Peace Rome may hope for or be assured of if they quitted the present Advantage over them It was Answered if the Peace you give us be good and faithful it will hold if it be ill it will not The Senate approved the Answer as manly and free for who will believe that any People will endure an over-hard Condition longer than Necessity compells They therefore grosly flatter themselves to think that the Carthaginians inferiour neither in Power or Pride will sit down with loss and dishonour any longer than they are deprived of the means and opportunity of Revenge But when the Army of the Carthaginians was to be transported home which Amilcar committed to Gesco who considering the great Sums Carthage did owe the Souldiers more than the City was able to pay they sent them over in smal Numbers to be dispatched and sent away before the Arrival of others of their Fellows The Governors on the contrary put them off 'till all were come and to avoid the disorders of such lawless Guest sent them to Sicca to prevent their coming to Carthage Then Hannoâ— is sent to persuade them to be content with part of their Pay considering the Poverty of the City They which had expected the uttermost Farthing with some donative hearing this are inraged and resolving to demand their due nearer home remove to Tunis
not far from Carthage which now began to see her Errours against that old Rule Have special care that valiant Poverty Be not opprest with too great Injury Many other Errours besides the first gathering together so many in Arms whom they went to wrong were committed as thrusting out their Wives and Children who might have been Hostages and to send Senators daily promising to satisfie all demands By these shiftings the Souldiers perceive the City's fear and thereupon raise other demands besides Pay The Commotion increased and they are requested to refer all to any that had commanded in Sicily and they chose Gesco who had made a quiet end but for two seditious Persons Spendius and Matho who prevail with the African Souldiers putting all in uproar neither could Gesco's offering to pay the whole stipend pacify them who now seek a Quarrel rather than Money They therefore chose Spendius and Matho Captains and upon further Speech which Gesco made which discontented them they cast him and those that came with him into Bonds and lay violent Hands upon the Treasure he brought for them Matho and Spendius send Embassadors to solicit all Africk easily stirred up against Carthage which now must hear of their Oppressions in exacting half their Corn Tribute and were extreme in punishing small Offences For Adversity hath been told of her Errors Now all that are able fly to Arms and the very Women bring forth their Jewels so that besides seventy Thousand Africans which came in their Treasure vastly encreased § 2. Tyranny must use the help of Mercenaries which commonly are as false as the War against Tyrants is Cruel Tyranny is a violent Form of Government respecting the Commanders pleasure and not the good of Subjects Violent it is seeing no Man can yield willing Obedience where his Life and Wellfare is not regarded Tyrants which are most Cruel seem mild sometimes to some for their own advantage but in large Dominions where they cannot take such particular knowledge of Men he who cannot endure the face of one so honest as will put him in mind of moderation will not bound his desires The sweetness of Oppression from a few inflames his appetite to spare none seeing there is no cause to respect one more than other and Covetousness is never satisfied Having squeez'd from all yet believing every one could have spared more and he knows many pretend want without cause and therefore deviseth new tricks of Robbery which please him as much as the gain devouring the recreation of his Spirit He knows he is hated for it and therefore seeks to turn hatred into fear by cruelty against the suspected whether justly or no so that the Conspirator can be no more fearful of his Tyranny than the Inocent Wherefore thinking upon his own security he must disarm all fortifie himself in some strong place and take a guard of lusty Souldiers not of Subjects lest any one grow to the feeling of the common misery but of Strangers which neither have Wealth nor Credit at home To make theâ—â— his own they shall be permitted to do as he doth to Rob Ravish Murder aâ—d satisfy their own Appetites § 3. Carthage câ—lls us back to proceed with her Mercenaâ—ies 〈◊〉 Arms against her at the Siege of Vtica and Hippagâ—â—â—a â—â—ted on the Western Haven of Carthage the rest of 〈◊〉 Forces encamped at Tunis Hanno is sent with â—ower against them from Carthage whose sudden 〈◊〉 made them forsake their Tents to flye to a râ—â—gh high ground to avoid his Hundred Elephants â—ut perceiving he was entred the City they return force his Camp with great slaughter took his Provision and possessed all Passages from Carthage The Carthaginians upon this loss send Amilcar with Ten Thousand Men and Seventy Elephants more whose Passage over the Bridge of Macra or Bagradas the Mercenaries having taken by Hanno's oversight Amilcar was forc'd to take his opportunity formerly observed by him when the Rivers mouth us'd to be stop'd with Sand and Gravel and so passed over to the Enemies amazement which yet took heart by the coming of Fifteen Thousand Men from Vtica besides Ten Thousand which guarded the Bridge Their Army now far exceeded his they wait their advantage but with some disorder which Amilcar espying made haste in his March as if he had fled which drew the Enemy to follow confusedly as to a Victory but by his wheeling about upon them Six Thousand of them were slain and Two Thousand taken After this Narvasus who led Two Thousand Numidian Horse sent to the Mercenaries and came over to Amilcar as being a Man of Honour with whose assistance Amilcar set upon Spendius and slew Ten Thousand and took Four Thousand Prisoners whom he kindly treated Matho Spendius and other Leaders to prevent the falling away of their Men by allurement of Amilcar's lenity to such procure a general consent to put Gesco and his Fellows to death so to make them odious to Carthage and decree further to kill all Carthaginian Prisoners which execrable fury and desperation was like the Councel of Achitophel Vtica and Hippagreta now fall from Carthage and slew their Garrison so that Hanno comes to joyn with Amilcar but by reason of the animosity between them the common Cause is little promoted so by judgment of the Army Hanno was sent home and Hannibal succeeded him The Mercenaries with Fifty Thousand Men are come near Carthage but too weak to assault it or famish it having the Sea open by which it received Succour from Syracuse and Rome made overtures of like assistance Amilcar is at their backs keeping them in and when they durst not leave their higher ground for fear of Amilcar's Elephants and Narvasus's Horses Amilcar to prevent what Desperation might put them to shut them up with Trench and Rampart so while they expect aid from Matho at Tunis Famine forced them to eat their Prisoners and then one another In this extremity they force Spendius and Two others to go to Amilcar to seek Peace which was granted upon condition he shall chuse any Ten and the rest to depart in their Shirts Amilcar chose Spendius and the two with him and with his Army goeth to chuse the rest which the Mercenaries thinking to be to assault them ran the two Armies in confusion and were all slain to the number of Four Thousand Amilcar proceeds to Tunis in the Siege whereof Hannibal is taken by Matho and Crucified as Spendius had been upon which loss Hanno is sent upon a feigned reconciliation with Amilcar which shortly after overthrew Matho and ended that War of two Years and four Months § 4. Carthage being endangered by her Sicilian Mercenaâ—ies at home was also troubled with Mercenaries in Sardinia which murthered the Governour against whom another Hanno was sent with as many Mercenaries as Carthage could spare who also â—lew Hanno and joyned with the first and expelled all the Carthaginians Then looking to succeed in Command of the Island the Inhabitants withstood them and
wintred when the Year was well advanc'd he pass'd the Appenine Mountains with such difficulty that he chose to take through the Fenns in which he lost his Elephants and the use of one Eye with the severity of his March and so came to Aretium where wasting all the Countries about Sixteen of which he set on fire just by Flaminius the Consul an hot-headed popular Orator who intending to quench it with Carthaginian Blood fell unadvisedly into Hannibal's Troops between Cortona and the Lake Thrasamene where he and Fifteen Thousand of the Romans were slain and Six Thousand escaped to the Mâ—untains where being discover'd they stay'd not but yet were overtaken by Maharbal to whom they yielded upon promise of Liberty which Condition Hannibal would not allow being made without him a trick learned of the Romans to break Covenants Now he had Fifteen Thousand Italian Prisoners of which the Romans he kept to hard meats but freed the rest in hopes to make the Italians his Allies but an ancient Reputation is not so soon lost Servilius the other Consul not knowing what was done sent Centronius with Four Thousand Men to encrease the Army but Maherbal intercepted them slew half and the rest yielded the News whereof made Servilius hasten to the defence of Rome Thus we discern the fruits of popular Jealousie in changing the Commanders in War yearly which endangereth the growth of the Empire For the best Wit in the World cannot inform it self in the compass of one year of all the good helps requisite to the prosecution of War to the best effect as Caesar did in Gaul by Ten Years continuance § 6. Rome amazed at this success and the imminâ—nt danger flye to an old Remedy long out of use and create a Dictator whose Office was above a Consul and scarcely subject to any controul The People as having Supream Authority chose Fabius Maximus the best Man of War in the City who chose M. Minutius Rufus Master of the Horse which is as his Lieutenant Fabius began with Reformation in Religion a commendable beginning if the Religion had been good The Sybil's Books were herein consulted which directed Vows to Mars a Sacrifice to Iupiter and a Temple to Venus which Trumperies prove the Books written by an ill Spirit Fabius sets out with four Legions and received Servilius's Army and sent him to Sea to pursue the Carthaginian Fleet which had intercepted the Supply sent to Scipio in Spain Hannibal in the mean time refreshed his Men armed the Africans after the Roman manner and so Coasted toward Apulia not to take any City by long Siege which breaks the force of a great Army but seeking to weaken the Romans reputation desired to be Master of the Field which would soon open the Gates of Cities Therefore he presented Fabius Battel as soon as he saw him but he would not bite knowing the difference between old Victorious Souldiers and Novices whom he would acquaint with dangers and to look upon the Lyon afar off before they set foot upon his Tail Minutius had a contrary disposition fiery like Flaminius taxing Fabius with Cowardise but that moved not this well-advised Commander who knew the danger of pursuing misfortune which wasteth it self by Suffering sooner than by Opposition It is the Invading Army that desires Battel and Hannibal's was also Victorious therefore Fabius suffered him to fall upon the Rich Territory of Campania himself keeping the Hills being much weaker in Horse But Winter drawing on Hannibal cannot stay in the wasted Country and could not get into a fresh but must pass by the Dictator who presumed he now had him fast but was deceived for Hannibal in a dark Night tying Faggots to the Horns of Two Thousand Kiâ—e and setting them on fire drove them over the Hills which terrible sight caus'd Fabius to keep his Trenches lest he should be circumvented so Hannibal pass'd by Fabius is call'd home about some matter of Religion leaving the Army with Minutius yet with peremptory Charge not to fight but Minutius finding the Army of one mind resolved to fight though it were death to transgress the Dictator's Charge His Success in the Encounter was good having taken such advantage that he dared Hannibal in his Camp and came off with the better The Army applauds Minutius but the People of Rome more and by motion of Metellus a Tribune seconded by Terentius Varro a Popular Fellow Enemy to the Nobility and who had been Praetor the last year Minutius is joyn'd in equal Authority with Fabius When they met Fabius divided the Army with Minutius by Lot which the other likes not so well as to Command the whose by Course but took his Lot and incamped a mile and a half from the Dictator as desirous to have occasion to Fight as Fabius to the contrary Hannibal design'd to try Minutius's Courage the next day and in the Night conceal'd an Ambush of Horse and Foot in spacious Caves in the Vallie and early in the Morning gave occasion to Minutius like the former which he gladly took but succeeded worse and had lost all if Fabius had not come to rescue him § 7. Fabius is commended by the principal Citizens but the inferiour sort cry out against his cold protracting the War doing nothing of Consequence all his year Terentius Varro took advantage to put in for the Consulship which far exceeded his own worth without the favour of the Multitude which supply all his wants especially having Bibilus Herenneus a Kinsman Tribune of the People who by his Place might speak what he pleas'd to assist him This bold Orator inveighed against the Nobility as the Causes which drew Hannibal into Italy who now could not be expelled without a Plebeian Consul The Fathers labour to hinder this first by choice of a Dictator which held not and by an Inter-Regnum which was a Government of Ten of the Fathers for Five Days in which the heat of the Multitude might be assuaged and all begin again but after five Days no other but Terentius will be heard of so that to bridle this violent Person Lucius Paulus Aemilius a Worthy Honourable Man is chosen the second Consul and a great levy of Men which made up the Army under the old Consuls Eighty Thousand Foot and Six Thousand Horse While this preparation and other businesses are ordering at Rome Hannibal who Wintred at Geryon in Apulia took the Castle of Canne where much of the Roman Provision lay but Servilius the old Consul could do nothing 'till the new came At their departing Fabius gravely exhorted Aemilius not only to play the Man against the Carthaginians but also in bridling the rashness of his Collegue who answer'd He would do his utmost for his Country but would rather adventure upon the Enemie's Sword than the Citizens malice § 8. Aemilius with his Collegue being come to the Camp took occasion to encourage the Souldiers by the Consideration of old Victories against the Carthaginians and other more warlike