as the Poet Pindarus writeth Demophon And for that the Historiographers doe not in anything speake against the tragicall Poets in that which concerneth the ill happe that chaunced to him in the persones of this his wife of his sonne we must needes take it to be so as we finde it written in the tragedies And yet we finde many other reportes touching the mariages of Theseus whose beginnings had no great good honest grouÌ„d neither fell out their endes very fortunate yet for all that they have made no tragedies of them neither haue they bene played in the Theaters For we reade that he tooke away Anaxo the TRâ—EZENIAN that after he had killed Sinnis and Cercyon he tooke their daughters perforce and that he dyd also marye Peribea the mother of Aiax and afterwards Pherebaea Ioppa the daughter of Iphicles And they blame him much also for that he so lightly forsooke his wife Ariadne for the loue of AEgles the daughter of Panopaeus as we haue recited before Lastely he tooke awaye Hellen which rauishement filled all the Realme of ATTICA with warres finally was the very occasion that forced him to forsake his countrye and brought him at the length to his ende as we will tell you hereafter Albeit in his time other princes of GRECE had done many goodly and notable exploits in the warres yet Herodotus is of opinion that Theseus was neuer in any one of them sauing that he was at the battell of the Lapithae against the Centauri Others saye to the contrarie that he was at the iorney of Cholchide with Iason that he dyd helpe Meleager to kill the wilde bore of Calydonia from whence as they saye this prouerbe came Not vvithout Theseus Meaning that suche a thing was not done without great helpe of another Howbeit it is certaine that Theseus self dyd many famous actes without ayde of any man and that for his valiantnes this prouerbe came in vse which is spoken This is another Theseus Also he dyd helpe Adrastus king of the ARGIVES to recouer the bodyes of those that were slayne in the battell before the cittie of THEBES Howbeit it was not as the poet Euripides sayeth by force of armes after he had ouercome the THEBANS in battell but it was by coÌ„position And thus the greatest number of the most auncient writers doe declare it Furthermore Philochorus writeth that this was the first treatie that euer was made to recouer the dead bodyes slayne in battell neuertheles we doe reade in the histories and gestes of Hercules that he was the first that euer suffered his enemies to carye awaye their dead bodyes after they had bene put to the sword But whosoeuer he was at this daye in the village of ELEVTHERES they doe showe the place where the people were buried and where princes tumbes are seene about the cittie of ELEVSIN which he made at the request of Adrastus And for testimonie hereof the tragedie AEschilus made of the ELEVSINIANS where he causeth it to be spoken euen thus to Theseus him self dothe clerely ouerthrowe the petitioners in Euripides Touching the friendshippe betwixt Pirithous and him it is sayed it beganne thus The renowne of his valliancy was maruelously blowen abroade through all GRECE Pirithous desirous to knowe it by experience went euen of purpose to inuade his countrye and brought awaye a certaine bootie of oxen of his taken out of the countrye of MARATHON Theseus being aduertised therof armed straight and went to the rescue Pirithous hearing of his comming fled not at all but returned backe sodainly to mete him And so sone as they came to see one another they both wondred at eche others beawtie and corage and so had they no desire to fight But Pirithous reaching out his hande first to Theseus sayed vnto him I make your selfe iudge of the damage you haue susteined by my inuasion and with all my harte I will make suche satisfaction as it shall please you to assesse it at Theseus then dyd not only release him of all the damages he had done but also requested him he would become his friend and brother in armes Hereupon they were presently sworne brethren in the fielde after which othe betwixt them Pirithous maried Deidamia sent to praye Theseus to come to his mariage to visite his countrye to make merye with the Lapithae He had bidden also the Centauri to the feast who being druncke committed many lewde partes euen to the forcing of women Howbeit the Lapithae chasticed them so well that they slewe some of them presently in the place draue the rest afterwards out of all the countrye by the helpe of Theseus who armed him selfe and fought on their side Yet Herodotus writeth the matter somewhat contrarie saying that Theseus went not at all vntill the warre was well begonne and that it was the first time that he sawe Hercules spake with him neere vnto the cittie of TRACHINA when he was then quiet hauing ended all his farre voyages greatest troubles They reporte that this meeting together was full of great cheere much kindnes and honorable entertainement betwene them and howe great curtesie was offred to eache other Neuertheles me thincks we should geue better credit to those writers that saye they mett many times together and that Hercules was accepted and receyued into the brotherhed of the mysteries of ELEVSIN by the meanes of the countenaunce and fauour which Theseus showed vnto him and that his purification also was thereby allowed of who was to be purged of necessitie of all his ill deedes and cruelties before he could enter into the companie of those of holy mysteries Furthermore Theseus was fiftie yeres olde when he tooke awaye Hellen and rauished her which was very younge and not of age to be maried as Hellanicus sayeth By reason whereof some seeking to hyde the rauishement of her as a haynous facte doe reporte it was not he but one Idas and Lynceus that caryed her awaye who left her in his custodie and keeping and that Theseus would haue kept her from them and would not haue deliuered her to her brethern Castor and Pollux which afterwardes dyd demaunde her againe of him Others againe saye it was her owne father Tyndarus who gaue her him to keepe for that he was affrayed of Enarsphorus the sonne of Hippocoon who would haue had her away by force But that which commeth nearest to the trothe in this case and which in deede by many authors is testified was in this sorte Theseus Pirithous went together to the cittie of LACEDAEMON where they tooke awaye Hellen being yet very younge euen as she was dauncing in the teÌ„ple of Diana surnamed Orthia they fled for life They of LACEDAEMON sent after her but those that followed weÌ„t no further then the cittie of TEGEA Now when they were escaped out of the countrye of PELOPONNESVS they agreed to drawe lots together which of them two
of the gouernment of the other consisted in suche ceremonies and diuine studies They reporte also that Numa dyd put on the outwarde showe and semblaunce of Pythagoras holines as following his intention and example For Pythagoras as they saye made an eagle so tame and gentle that she would stoupe and come downe to him by certaine voyces as she flewe in the ayer ouer his head And that passing through the assembly of the games Olympicall he shewed her thighe of golde and many other prety feates and deedes they tell of which seemed to be wonderfull and for which Timon Phliasian hath written these verses of him Pythagoras vvhich loued to dvvell in dignitie and had an harte to glorie bent and past in pollecie Muche like a man vvhich sought by charming to enchaunte did vse this arte to vvinne mens mindes vvhich vnto him did haunte His graue and pleasaunt tongue in sugred speache did flovve vvhereby he drevve most mindes of men to bent of his ovvne bovve Euen so the sayned fable of Numa which he so cunningly disguised was about the loue of a goddesse or some Nymphe of the mountaine with whom he seemed to haue certaine secret meetings and talke whereof we haue spoken before And it is sayed he muche frequented the Muses in the woddes For he would saye he had the most parte of his reuelations of the Muses and he taught the ROMAINES to reuerence one of them aboue all the rest who was called Tacita as ye would saye ladye silence It seemeth he inuented this after the example of Pythagoras who did so specially commaund and recomend silence vnto his schollers Againe if we consider what Numa ordeined concerning images and the representation of the goddes it is alltogether agreable vnto the doctrine of Pythagoras who thought that god was neither sensible nor mortall but inuisible incorruptible and only intelligible And Numa dyd forbid the ROMAINES also to beleeue that god had euer forme or likenes of beast or man So that in those former times there was in ROME no image of god either painted or grauen and it was from the beginning a hundred three score tenne yeres that they had buylt temples chappels vnto the godds in ROME and yet there was neither picture nor image of god within them For they tooke it at the first for a sacriledge to present heauenly things by earthely formes seeing we cannot possibly any waye attaine to the knowledge of god but in minde and vnderstanding The very sacrifices which Numa ordeined were altogether agreable like vnto the manner of seruing of the goddes which the Pythagorians vsed For in their sacrifices they spilt not the bloude but they did theirs commonly with a litle meale a litle sheading of wine and milke and with suche other light things Suche as affirme that those two men did much company and were famillier together doe laye further proofes arguments for the same The first is this That the ROMAINES did make Pythagoras a free man of the cittie of ROME as Epicharmus the Comicall poet an auncient writer and sometimes one of Pythagoras schollers sayeth in a booke he wrote dedicated vnto Antenor The other proofe is That Numa hauing had foure children called one of them Mamercus after Pythagoras sonnes name from whom they saye is discended the house of the AEmylians which is the noblest of the Patricians for the King gaue him the surname of AEmylius bicause of this sweete tongue and pleasaunt voyce Furthermore I my self haue heard saye many times in ROME that the ROMAINES hauing receyued an oracle which commaunded them to set vp images in their cittie to the wisest and valliantest man that euer was amongest the GRAECIANS caused two statues of brasse to be set vp in their market place the one of Pythagoras and the other of Alcibiades Howbeit to striue about this matter any further seeing there are so many doubtes me thincketh it were but vaine Moreouer they attribute to Numa the first erection of the colledge pontificall and saye he him selfe was the first Pontifex that euer was But touching the name of Pontifex some will saye they were so called bicause they chiefly were ordeined appointed for the seruice of the almightie for this worde Potens in the ROMAINE tongue betokeneth mightie Other thincke this name was geuen to them by their founders as to exempt persones out of the worlde who enioyned them to doe all the seruices and sacrifices to the goddes they could possibly yet notwithstanding if they had any other lawfull let or impediment thereof they were not straight condemned for omitting the same Howbeit the most parte doe bring out another deriuation of this name wherein me thinckes there is litle reason As that they should be called Pontifices bicause they had the charge of maintenaunce of the bridge For that which the GRECIANS call Gephyran the LATINES call Pontem that is a bridge And to saye truely the charges of repairing the bridge belongeth to the bishoppes aswell as the keeping of the most holy and vnchaungeable ceremonies For the ROMAINES thought it not only a thing vnlawfull but tooke it for a most damnable wicked acte to destroye or breake the bridge of wodde which was only ioyned together as they saye with pinnes of wodde without any iron at all by the commaundement of an olde oracle But the stone bridge was buylt long time after the raigne of Numa and in the time of the raigne of his nephewe Martius Nowe the first and chiefest of these bishoppes which they call the great Pontifex hath the place authoritie and dignitie of the highe prieste and master of their pontificall lawe who should be carefull not only about all publicke sacrifices and ceremonies but also about suche as were priuate and to see that no man priuately should breake the auncient ceremonies nor bring in any newe thing into religion but rather euery man should be taught by him how and after what sorte he should serue and honour the goddes He also hath the keping of the holy virgines which they call Vestales For they doe geue Numa the first foundation and consecrating of them and the institution also of keeping the immortall fire with honour and reuerence which these virgines haue the charge of Either for that he thought it meete to commit the substaunce of fire being pure and cleane vnto the custodie of cleane and vncorrupt maydes or els bicause he thought the nature of fire which is barren and bringeth forth nothing was fittest and most proper vnto virgines For in GRECE where they kept continuall fire likewise as in the temple of Apollo in DELPHES and at ATHENS the maydens doe not keepe the same but olde women which are past mariage And if this fire chaunce to faile as they saye in ATHENS the holy lampe was put out in the time of the tyrannie of Aristion and in the cittie of DELPHES it was put out when the temple of Apollo
Whereupon the men of Co sent it first to Thales in the cittie of MILETVM as being willing to graunte that vnto a priuate persone for which they had made warres with all the MILESIANS before Thales sayed he thought Bias a wiser man than him selfe and so it was sent vnto him He likewise sent it againe vnto another as to a wiser man And that other sent it also vnto another So that being thus posted from man to man and through diuers handes in the ende it was brought backe againe vnto the cittie of MILETVM and deliuered into the handes of Thales the seconde time and last of all was caried vnto THEBES and offered vp vnto the temple of Apollo Ismenian Howbeit Theophrastus writeth that first it was sent to the cittie of PRIENA vnto Bias and then vnto Thales in the cittie of MILETVM by Bias consent And after that it had passed through all their handes it was brought againe vnto Bias and lastely it was sent to the cittie of DELPHES And thus much haue the best and most auncient writers written sauing that some saye in steade of a three footed stoole it was a cuppe that king Croesus sent vnto the cittie of DELPHES Other saye it was a pece of plate which Bathycles left there They make mention also of another priuate meeting betwext Anacharsis and Solon and of another betweene him and Thales where they recite that they had this talke Anacharsis being arriued at ATHENS went to knocke at Solons gate saying that he was a straunger which came of purpose to see him and to desire his acquaintaunce and friēdshippe Solon aunswered him that it was better to seeke friēdshippe in his owne countrie Anacharsis replied againe thou then that arte at home and in thine owne countrie beginne to shew me friendshippe Then Solon wondering at his bolde ready wit enterteined him very curteously and kept him a certaine time in his house and made him very good cheere at the selfe same time wherein he was most busie in gouerning the common weale making lawes for the state thereof Which when Anacharsis vnderstoode he laughed at it to see that Solon imagined with written lawes to bridell mens couetousnes and iniustice For such lawes sayed he doe rightly resemble the spyders cobwebbes bicause they take holde of litle flies and gnattes which fall into them but the riche and mightie will breake and ronne through them at their will. Solon answered him that men doe iustly keepe all couenants and bargaines which one make with another bicause it is to the hinderāce of either partie to breake them euen so he dyd so temper his lawes that he made his cittizens knowe it was more for their profit to obey lawe iustice then to breake it Neuertheles afterwardes matters proued rather according to Anacharsis comparison then agreable to the hope that Solon had conceyued Anacharsis being by happe one daye in a common assembly of the people at ATHENS sayed that he maruelled much why in the consultations meetings of the GRECIANS wise men propounded matters and fooles dyd decide them It is sayed moreouer that Solon was somtime in the cittie of MILETVM at Thales house where he sayed that he could not but maruell at Thales that he would neuer marie to haue children Thales gaue him neuer a worde at that present but within fewe dayes after he suborned a straunger which sayed that he came but newly home from ATHENS departing from thence but tenne dayes before Solon asked him immediately What newes there This straunger whom Thales had schooled before aunswered none other there sauing that they caried a young man to buriall whom all the cittie followed for that he was one of the greatest mens sonnes of the cittie and the honestest man withall who at that present was out of the countrie and had bene a long time as they sayed abroade O poore vnfortunate father then sayed Solon and what was his name I haue heard him named sayed the straunger but I haue forgotten him nowe sauing that they all sayed he was a worthy wise man So Solon still trembling more and more for feare at euery aunswer of this straunger in the ende he could holde no longer being full of trouble but tolde his name himselfe vnto the straunger and asked him againe if he were not the sonne of Solon which was buried The very same sayed the straunger Solon with that like a mad man straight beganne to beat his head and to saye and doe like men impacient in affliction and ouercome with sorowe But Thales laughing to see this pageant stayed him and sayed Loe Solon this is it that keepeth me from marying and getting of children which is of such a violence that thou seest it hath nowe ouercome thee although otherwise thou arte stronge and able to wrestle with any Howbeit for any thing he hath saied vnto thee be of good cheere man for it is but a tale and nothing so Hermippus writeth that Patacus he which sayed he had Esops sowle reciteth this story thus Neuertheles it lacketh iudgement and the corage of a man also to be afrayed to get things necessarie fearing the losse of them for by this reckoning he should neither esteeme honour goodes nor knowledge when he hath them for feare to lose them For we see that vertue it selfe which is the greatest and sweetest riches a man can haue decayeth oftimes through sicknes or els by phisicke and potions Furthermore Thales selfe although he was not maried was not therefore free from this feare onles he would confesse that he neither loued friends kynsemen nor countrie howbeit Thales had an adopted sonne called Cybistus which was his sisters sonne For our soule hauing in it a naturall inclination to loue and being borne aswell to loue as to feele to reason or vnderstand and to remember hauing nothing of her owne whereupon she might bestowe that naturall loue boroweth of other As where there is a house or inheritaunce without lawfull heires many times straungers and base borne children doe creepe into the kinde affection of the owner and when they haue once wonne possessed his loue they make him euer after to be kynde and tender ouer them So that ye shall see many times men of such a hard and rough nature that they like not of them that moue them to marie and get lawfull children and yet afterwardes are ready to dye for feare sorowe when they see their bastardes that they haue gotten of their slaues or concubines fall sicke or dye and doe vtter wordes farre vnmeete for men of noble corage And some such there be that for the death of a dogge or their horse are so out of harte and take such thought that they are ready to goe into the grounde they looke so pittiefully Other some are cleane contrarie who though they haue lost their children forgone their friendes or some gentleman deare vnto them yet no sorowfull worde hath commen from
had in his hande but if we commend lying in sporte â— he we shall finde it afterwards in good earnest in all our bargaines dealings Shortely after Pisistratus hauing wounded him self and bloudied all his bodie ouer caused his men to carie him in his coche into the market place where he put the people in an vprote tolde them that they were his enemies that thus traiterously had haÌ„dled arraied him for that he stoode with them about the gouerning of the coÌ„mon weale insomuch as many of theÌ„ were maruelously offended mutined by by crying out it was shamefully done Then Solon drawing neere sayed vnto him O thou sonne of Hippocrates thou doest ill fauoredly couÌ„terfeate the persone of Homers Vlysses for thou hast whipped thy self to deceiue thy cittizeÌ„s as he did teare scratch him self to deceiue his enemies Notwithstanding this the common people were still in vprore being ready to take armes for Pisistratus and there was a generall counsell assembled in the which one Ariston spake that they should graunte fiftie men to cary holberds and mases before Pisistratus for garde of his persone But Solon going vp into the pulpit for orations stowtely inuayed against it and persuaded the people with many reasons like vnto these he wrote afterwards in verse Eche one of you ô men in priuate actes can playe the foxe for slye and subtill craft But vvhen you come vfore in all your factes then are you blinde dull vvitted and bedaft For pleasaunt speache and painted flatterie beguile you still the vvhich you neuer spye But in the ende seeing the poore people dyd tumult still taking Pisistratus parte and that the riche fled here and there he went his waye also saying he had shewed him selfe wiser than some and hardier than other Meaning wiser than those which sawe not Pisistratus reache and fetche and hardier than they which knewe very well he dyd aspire to be King and yet neuertheles durst not resist him The people went on with the motion of Ariston and authorised the same touching the graunte of halbetders limiting no number but suffered him to haue about him and to assemble as many as he would vntill such time as he had gotten possession of the castell Then the cittie was maruelously affrayed and amazed and presently Megacles and all those which were of the house of the Alemeonides dyd flye Solon who for yeares was now at his last cast and had no man to sticke vnto him went notwithstanding into the market place and spake to the cittizens whom he found there and rebuked their beastlines and faynte cowardly hartes and encouraged them not to lose their libertie He spake at that time notably and worthie memorie which euer after was remembred Before sayed he you might more easely haue stayed this present tyrannie but nowe that it is already facioned you shall winne more glorie vtterly to suppresse it But for all his goodly reasons he found no man that would hearken to him they were all so amazed Wherefore he hied him home againe and tooke his weapons out of his house and layed them before his gate in the middest of the streete saying For my parte I haue done what I can possible to helpe and defend the lawes and liberties of my countrie So from that time he betooke him selfe vnto his ease and neuer after delt any more in matters of state or common weale His friends dyd counsell him to flye but all they could not persuade him to it For he kept his house and gaue him selfe to make verses in which he sore reproued the ATHENIANS faults saying If presently your burden heauy be yet murmure not against the godds therefore The fault is yours as you your selues maye see vvhich graunted haue of mightie mars the lore to such as novve by your direction doe holde your necks in this subiection His friends hereupon dyd warne him to beware of such speaches and to take hede what he sayed least if it came vnto the tyrannes eares he might put him to death for it And further they asked him wherein he trusted that he spake so boldly He aunswered them in my age Howbeit Pisistratus after he had obteined his purpose sending for him vpon his worde and faith dyd honour and entertaine him so well that Solon in the ende became one of his counsaill and approued many things which he dyd For Pisistratus him selfe dyd straightly keepe and caused his friends to keepe Solons lawes Insomuch as when he was called by proces into the courte of the Areopagites for a murther euen at that time when he was a tyrante he presented him selfe very modestly to aunswer his accusation and to purge him selfe thereof But his accuser let fall the matter and followed it no further Pisistratus him selfe also dyd make newe lawes as this That he that had bene maymed and made lame of any member in the warres should be mainteined all his life long at the common charges of the cittie The selfe same was before decreed by Thersippus as Heraclides writeth by Solons persuasion who dyd preferre it to the counsell Pisistratus afterwards tooke holde of the motion and from thence forth made it a generall lawe TheophrasÌ„tus sayeth also it was PisisÌ„tratus and not Solon that made the lawe for idlenes which was the only cause that the countrie of ATTICA became more fruitefull being better manured and the cittie of ATHENS waxed more quiet But Solon hauing begonne to write the storie of the Iles ATLANTIDES in verse which he had learned of the wise men of the cittie of SAâ—S in EGYPT and was very necessary for the ATHENIANS grewe wearye and gaue it ouer in mid waye not for any matters or busines that troubled him as Plato sayed but only for his age and bicause he feared the tediousnes of the worke For otherwise he had leysure enough as appeareth by his verses where he sayeth I grovve olde and yet I learne still And in another place where he sayeth Novve Venus yeldes me svvete delights and Bacchus lends me comfort still the muses eke refreshe my sprights and much relieue my vveary vvill These be the pointes of perfect ease vvhich all mens mindes oftetimes doe please Plato afterwards for beawtifying of the storie and fables of the Iles ATLANTIDES was desirous to dilate them out at length as if he would by waye of speache haue broken vp a field or laye lande of his owne or that this gifte had descended to him of right from Solon He beganne to raise vp a stately fronte vnto the same and enclosed it with high walles and large squared courtes at the entrie thereof such was it as neuer any other worke fable or poeticall inuention had euer so notable or the like But bicause he beganne a litle to late he ended his life before his worke leauing the readers more sorowfull for that was left vnwritten than they tooke pleasure in that they founde written For euen as in the cittie of ATHENS the temple of
triumphed into the city with Catulus Luctatius meaning to shew himselfe curteous and moderate in so great prosperity and peraduenture also fearing Catulus souldiers who were in readinesse and prepared if Marius would haue depriued their Captaine of that honor to let him also of his triumphe And thus you see howe he passed his fift Consulshippe After that he made more earnest sute for the sixt Consulshippe then euer any other did for his first seeking the peoples goodwilles by all the fayer meanes he could to please them humbling him selfe vnto them not only more then became his estate and calling but directly also against his owne nature counterfeating a curteous populer manner being cleane contrarie to his disposition His ambition made him timerous to deale in matters of the state concerning the city For that corage and boldenesse which he had in battell against the enemy he lost it quite when he was in an assembly of people in the city and was easily put out of his byase with the first blame or praise he heard geuen him And though they reporte that on a time when he made a thowsande CAMERINES free of the city of ROME bicause they had done valliant seruice in the warres that there were some that did accuse him saying that it was a thing done against all law he aunswered them that for the noyse of the armor he could not heare the law Notwithstanding it seemeth that in dede he was greatly afeard of the fury of the people in an assembly of the city For in time of warres he euer stoode apon his reputacion and authority knowing that they had neede of him but in peace and ciuill gouernment bicause he would rather be the chiefest man then the honestest man he would creepe into the peoples bosomes to get their fauor and goodwil And thus through his euill behauior he brought all the nobility generally to be his enemies But he feared nor mistrusted none so much as he did Metellus for the great vnthankefull parte he remembred he had played him and the rather also bicause he knew him to be a iust true dealing man and one that was euer against these people pleasers and flatterers Marius therefore practised all the wayes he could to get Metellus to be banished ROME Wherfore to compasse his intent he fell in frendship with Glaucia and one Saturninus two of the most boldest most desperate and most hardbraind young men that were in all ROME who had all the rablement of rogues and beggers and such tumultuous people at their commaundement by whose meanes he made new populer lawes and caused the souldiers to be called home out of the warres mingled them with the people of the city in common assemblies to trouble and vexe Metellus Moreouer Rutilius an honest and true writer howbeit an enemy vnto Marius wryteth that he obtained his sixt Consulshippe by corruption of money which he caused to be distributed amongest the tribes of the people that he bought it for ready money to put by Metellus and to haue Valerius Flaccus not for his fellowe and companion in the Consulshippe but rather for a minister of his will. There was neuer ROMAINE to whome the people graunted the Consulshippe six times except it were vnto Valerius Coruinus only But for him they say that there was fiue and forty yeares betwene his first Consulship and the last Where Marius since the first yeare of his Consulshippe continued fiue yeares together by good fortune one after an other But in his last Consulship he wanne him selfe great hate and malice bicause he did many fowle faultes to please Saturninus withall as amongest others when he bare with Saturninus who murdered Nonius his competitor in the Tribuneship Afterwardes when Saturninus was chosen Tribune of the people he preferred a law for distribution of the landes among the common people and vnto that law he had specially added one article that all the Lords of the Senate should come openly to sweare that they should kepe and obserue from pointe to pointe that which the people by their voyces should decree and should not deny it in any iotte But Marius in open Senate made as though he would withstand this article saying that neither he nor any other wise man of iudgement would take this othe for said he if the law be euill then they should doe the Senate open wrong to compell them by force to graunt it and not of their owne goodwills But he spake not that meaning to do as he said for it was but a bayte he had layed for Metellus only which he could hardly escape For imagining that to tell a fine lye was a peece of vertue and of a good wit he was throughly resolued with him selfe not to passe for any thing he had spoken in the Senate And to the contrary also knowinge well enough that Metellus was a graue wise man who esteemed that to be iust and true as Pindarus sayd is the beginning and foundacion of great vertue he thought he would outreach him makinge him affirme before the Senate that he would not sweare knowinge also that the people would hate him deadly if he would refuse afterwardes to sweare And so in dede it happened For Metellus hauing assured them then that he would not sweare the Senate brake vp vppon it And shortly after Saturninus the Tribune calling the Senators vnto the pulpit for orations to compell them to sweare before the people Marius went thither to offer him selfe to sweare Whereupon the people making silence listned attentiuely to heare what he would say But Marius not regarding his large promise bragges made before the Senate sayed then his necke was not so long that he would preiudice the common wealth in a matter of so great importance but that he would sweare and obey the lawe if it were a law This shifting subtilty he added to it to cloke and couer his shame and when he had sayd so he tooke his othe The people seeing him sweare were maruelous glad and praised him with clapping of their hands but the nobility hanging downe their heads were ashamed of him and were maruelous angry in their hartes with him that he had so cowardly and shamefully gone from his word Therupon all the Senate tooke their othes one after an other against their wills bicause they were afrayed of the people Sauing Metellus whome neither parentes nor frendes perswasion and intreaty could once moue to sweare for any punishment that Saturninus had imposed vpon them which refused to take the othe but continued one man still according to his nature and would neuer yelde vnto it offering to abide any payne rather then to be brought to consent to a dishonest matter vnbeseming his estate And thereuppon went out of the assembly and talking with them that did accompany him told them that to do euill it was too easie a thing and to doe good without daunger it was also a
did willingly resigne the kingdom vnto his brothers sonne Charilaus and being afrayd also that if the young child should chaunce to miscary they would suspect him for his death he exiled him selfe out of his owne contry a long time trauelling vp and downe and returned not to SPARTA againe before Charilaus had gotten a sonne to succeede him in his kingdom But we can not set another GRAECIAN by Lycurgus comparable vnto him We haue declared also that amongest Cleomenes deedes there were many other greater alteracions then these and also many other breaches of the lawe So they that doe condemne the manners of the one and the other say that the two GRAECIANS from the beginning had an aspyring minde to be tyrannes still practising warres Whereas the two ROMANES onely euen by their most mortall enemies could be blamed for nothing els but for an extreame ambition and did confesse that they were too earnest and vehement aboue their nature in any strife or contencion they had with their aduersaries and that they yelded vnto that choller and passion as vnto ill windes which brought them to doe those thinges they did in the ende For what more iust or honest intent could they haue had then the first was had not the riche men euen through stowtnes and authoritie to ouerthrow the lawes brought them against their wills into quarrell the one to saue his life the other to reuenge his brothers death who was slayne without order iustice or the authoritie of any officer Thus thou maiest thy selfe see the difference that was betwene the GRAECIANS and ROMANES and nowe to tell you plainly my opinion of both I think that Tiberius was the stowtest of the foure that the younge king Agis offended least and that for boldnes and corage Caius came nothing neare vnto Cleomenes THE LIFE OF Demosthenes HE that made the litle booke of the praise of Alcibiades touching the victorie he wanne at the horse rase of the Olympian games were it the Poet Euripides as some thinke or any other my friende Sossius sayde that to make a man happy he must of necessitie be borne in some famous citie But to tell you what I thinke hereof douteles true happines chiefly consisteth in the vertue and qualities of the minde being a matter of no moment whether a man be borne in a pelting village or in a famous citie no more then it is for one to be borne of a fayer or fowle mother For it were a madnes to thinke that the litle village of IVLIDE being the least part of the I le of CEO the whole Iland of it selfe being but a small thing and that the I le of AEGINA which is of so smal a length that a certaine ATHENIAN on a time made a motion it might be taken away bicause it was but as a strawe in the sight of the hauen of Piraea could bring forth famous Poets and excellent Comediants and not breede an honest iust and wise man and of noble corage For as we haue reason to thinke that artes and sciences which were first deuised and inuented to make some thinges necessary for mens vse or otherwise to winne fame and credit are drowned and cast away in litle poore villages So are we to iudge also that vertue like a strong and frutefull plant can take roote and bringe forth in euery place where it is graffed in a good nature and gentle person that can patiently away with paines And therefore if we chaunce to offend and liue not as we should we can not accuse the meanenes of our contry where we were borne but we must iustly accuse our selues Surely he that hath taken vpon him to put forth any worke or to write any historie into the which he is to thrust many straunge things vnknowen to his contry and which are not ready at his hand to be had but dispersed abroad in diuers places and are to be gathered out of diuers bookes and authorities first of all he must needes remaine in some great and famous citie throughly inhabited where men doe delight in good and vertuous thinges bicause there are commonly plenty of all sortes of bookes and that perusing them and hearing talke also of many things besides which other Historiographers peraduenture haue not written of and which will cary so much more credit bicause men that are aliue may presently speake of them as of their owne knowledge whereby he may make his worke perfect in euery poynt hauing many and diuers necessary things conteyned in it But I my selfe that dwell in a poore litle towne and yet doe remayne there willingly least it should become lesse whilest I was in ITALY and at ROME I had no leysure to study and exercise the Latine tongue aswell for the great busines I had then to doe as also to satisfie them that came to learne Philosophie of me so that euen somewhat too late and now in my latter time I began to take my Latine bookes in my hand And thereby a straunge thing to tell you but yet true I learned not nor vnderstood matters so much by the words as I came to vnderstand the words by common experience knowledge I had in things But furthermore to knowe howe to pronownce the Latin tongue well or to speake it readily or to vnderstand the signification translations and fine ioyning of the simple words one with another which doe bewtifie set forth the tongue surely I iudge it to be a maruailous pleasant and sweete thing but withall it requireth a long and laborsome study meete for those that haue better leysure then I haue that haue young yeares on their backes to follow such pleasure Therefore in this present booke which is the fift of this work where I haue taken vpon me to compare the liues of noble men one with another vndertaking to write the liues of Demosthenes and Cicero we will consider and examine their nature manners and condicions by their acts and deedes in the gouernment of the common wealth not meaning otherwise to conferre their workes and writings of eloquence nether to define which of them two was sharper or sweeter in his oration For as the Poet Ion sayth In this behalfe a man may rightly say The Dolphynes in their proper soyle doe play The which Caecilius litle vnderstanding being a man very rashe in all his doings hath vnaduisedly written and set forth in print a comparison of Demosthenes eloquence with Ciceroes But if it were an easie matter for euery man to know him selfe then the goddes needed haue giuen vs no commaundement nether could men haue said that it came from heauen But for my opiniō me thinks fortune euen from the beginning hath framed in maner one self mowld of Demosthenes and Cicero and hath in their natures facioned many of their qualities one like to the other as both of them to be ambitious both of them to loue the libertie of their contry and both of them very feareful
and their brethern They brought meate and drincke for them that would eate They dressed vp the woundes of those that were hurte They caried them home with them to their houses They shewed them howe they were mistresses there with their husbands They made them see howe greately they were accompted of and esteemed yea howe with a wedlocke loue and reputation they were honored So in the end peace was concluded betwene them wherein it was articled that the SABYNE women which would remaine with their husbands should tarye still and be exempted from all worke or seruice as aboue recited saue only spinning of wolle And that the SABYNES ROMAINES should dwell together in the cittie which should be called ROMA after Romulus name the inhabitants should be called Quirites after the name of the cittie of Tatius king of the SABYNES that they should reigne gouerne together by a comon consent The place where this peace was concluded is called yet to this daye Comitium bicause that Coire in the Latine tongue signifieth to assemble So the cittie being augmented by the one halfe they dyd choose of the SABYNES another hundred new PATRICIANS vnto the first hundred of the ROMAINES that were chosen before Then were the Legions made of sixe thousand footemen six hundred horsemen After they diuided their inhabitāts into three Tribes wherof those that came of Romulus were called Ramnenses after his name those that came of Tatius were called Tatienses after his name and those that were of the third stocke were called Lucerenses as from the Latine word Lucus called with vs a groue in English bicause thither great number of people of all sortes dyd gather which afterwards were made citizens of ROME The very worde of Tribus which signifieth bands wards or hundreds dothe witnesse this beginning of ROME from wards or hundreds For hereupon the ROMAINES call those at this daye their Tribunes which are the chiefe heades of the people But euery one of these principall wardes had afterwards ten other particular wards vnder them which some thincke were called after the names of the thirtie SABYNE women that were rauished but that semeth false bicause many of them cary the names of the places they came frō Howbeit at that time many things were stablished ordeined in honour of women as to geue them place the vpper hande in meeting them the vpper hand in streets to speake no fowle or dishonest word before them no man to vnraye himselfe or shew naked before them that they should not be called before criminall iudges sitting vpō homicides murderers that their children should weare about their necks a kind of a Iuell called Bulla facioned in māner like these water bubbles that rise vpō the water when it beginneth to raine that their gownes should be garded with purple Now the two Kings dyd not straight cōferre together so sone as any occasion of busines was offered them but either of them dyd first counsell alone with his hundred Senatours and afterwards they dyd all assemble together Tatius dwelt in the place where nowe is the temple of Iuno Moneta Romulus in the place called at this present the stayers of the fayer bācke then the descēt of mount Palatine as they goe to the showe place or great listes where they saye was somtime the holy cornell tree whereof they make so great accompt Romulus one daye desirous to proue his strength threwe as it is sayed a darte from mount Auentine toward mount Palatine The staffe whereof was of a cornell tree the Iron of it entred so deepe into the ground being a lustye farte soyle that no man could pul it out although many proued it and did the best they could The ground being very good and fit to bring forth trees did so nourishe the ende of this staffe that it tooke roote and beganne to spread braunches so that in time it became a fayer great cornell tree which the successours of Romulus dyd inclose with a walle dyd kepe and worshippe it as a very holy thing If by chaunce any went to see it and found it looked not freshe and grene but like a tree withered and dryed awaye for lacke of moysture he went awaye straight as one affrayed crying to all he met they with him went crying still in euery place water water as it had bene to haue quenched a fyre Then ranne they thither out of all quarters with vessels of water to water and moyste the tree In the time of Caius Caesar who caused the stayers about it to be repayred they saye the labourers raysing the place and digging about this cornell tree dyd by negligence hurte the rootes of the same in suche sorte as afterwardes it dryed vp altogether Nowe the SABYNES receyued the moneths after the manner of the Romaines whereof we haue written sufficiently in the life of Numa Romulus againe vsed the SABYNES sheldes and both he and his people chaunged the facion of their armour and weapons they vsed For the ROMAINES before dyd carye litle sheldes after the facion of the ARGIVES As for either of their holy dayes and sacrifices they kept them bothe together and dyd not take awaye any of them which either the one or the other people obserued before but they added thereunto some other newe As that which they call Matronalia which was instituted in honour of the women bicause by their meanes peace was cōcluded And that also of Carmentalia in the honour of Carmenta whom some suppose to be the goddesse of fate or destinie bicause she hathe rule power ouer the natiuities of men by reason whereof the mothers call vpon her often reuerence her very much Other saye she was the wise of Euander the Arcadian who being a prophetesse inspired by the god Phoebus gaue the oracles in verse wherupō she was surnamed Carmenta bicause that Carmina in Latine signifie verses for it is of certaintie that her proper name was Nicostrata Howbeit there are some which geue another manner of deriuation and interpretation of this worde Carmenta which is the liklier to be true as if they would saye Carens mente which signifieth wanting wit for the very furie that taketh them when they are inspired with the propheticall spirite For in Latine Carere betokeneth to lacke and Mens signifieth wit. As for the feast of Palilia we haue tolde of it before but the feast of Lupercalia considering the time of celebrating thereof it seemeth it is ordeined for a purification For it is celebrated on the vnfortunate dayes of the moneth of Februarie which are called the purging dayes The dayes in the olde time on which they did celebrate the same were called Februata But the proper name of the feast is as much to saye as the feast of woulues Wherefore it seemeth to be a feast of great antiquitie and instituted by the ARCADIANS which came in with Euāder albeit the name of
conuenient number of their daughters and young widowes to marie with them they should haue peace as they had before time with the SABYNES vpon the like occasion The ROMAINES hereat were sore troubled thincking that to deliuer their women in such sorte was no better then to yelde and submit them selues to their enemies But as they were thus perplexed a wayting mayde called Philotis or as other call her Tutola gaue them counsell to doe neither the one nor the other but to vse a pollicy with them by meanes whereof they should scape the daunger of the warres and should also not be tyed nor bounde by any pledges The deuise was they should send to the LATINES her selfe and a certaine number of their fayrest bonde maydes trimmed vp like gentlewomen and the best citizens daughters and that in the night she would lifte them vp a burning torche in the ayer at which signe they should come armed and set vpon their enemies as they laye a sleepe This was brought to passe and the LATINES thought verely they had bene the ROMAINES daughters Philotis fayled not in the night to lyft vp her signe and to shewe them a burning torche in the toppe of a wilde figge tree and dyd hange certaine couerlets and clothes behinde it that the enemies might not see the light and the ROMAINES contrariwise might decerne it the better Thereupon so sone as the ROMAINES sawe it they ranne with all spede calling one another by their names and issued out of the gates of the cittie with great haste and so tooke their enemies vpon a sodaine and slewe them In memorie of which victorie they doe yet solemnise the feaste called the Nones of the goates bicause of the wilde figge tree called in Latine Caprificus And they doe feast the women without the cittie vnder shadowes made of the boughe of figge trees The wayting maydes they tonne vp and downe and playe here and there together Afterwards they seeme to fight and throwe stones one at another as then they dyd when they holpe the ROMAINES in their fight But fewe writers doe auowe this tale bicause it is on the daye time that they call so eche other by their names and that they goe to the place which they call the goates marshe as vnto a sacrifice It seemeth this agreeth better with the first historie when they called one another by their names in the night going against the LATINES onles peraduenture these two thinges after many yeres happened vpon one daye Furthermore they saye Romulus was taken out of the worlde when he was foure and fiftie yeres of age and had raigned eight and thirtie yeres by accompt THE COMPARISON OF Theseus vvith Romulus THVS haue we declared all things of Theseus and Romulus worthy memorie But to compare the one with the other it appeareth first that Theseus of his owne voluntarie will without compulsion of any when he might with safety haue reigned in the cittie of TROEZEN and succeeded his grandfather in no small kingdome dyd desire of him selfe and rather sought meanes to aspire to great things and that Romulus on the otherside to deliuer him self from bondage and seruitude that laye sore vpon him and to escape the threatned punishment which still dyd hange ouer his head was certainely compelled as Plato sayeth to shewe him selfe hardie for feare who seeing howe extremely he was like to be handled was of very force constrained to seeke aduenture and hazarde the enterprise of atteining highe and great things Moreouer the chiefest acte that euer he dyd was when he slewe one onely tyranne of the cittie of ALBA called Amulius where Theseus in his iorney only as he trauelled gaue his minde to greater enterprises and slewe Sciron Sinnis Procrustes and Corynetes And by ridding them out of the worlde he deliuered GRECE of all those cruell tyrranes before any of those knewe him whom he had deliuered from them Furthermore he might haue gone to ATHENS by sea and neuer needed to haue trauelled or put him selfe in daunger with these robbers considering he neuer receyued hurte by any of them where as Romulus could not be in safetie whilest Amulius liued Hereupon it maye be alledged that Theseus vnprouoked by any priuate wronge or hurte receyued dyd set vpon these detestable theues and robbers Remus and Romulus contrariwise so longe as the tyranne dyd them to harme dyd suffer him to oppresse and wronge all other And if they alledge these were noble dedes and worthy memorie that Romulus was hurte fighting against the SABYNES and that he slewe kings Acron with his owne handes and that he had ouercome and subdued many of his enemies Then for Theseus on thother side may be obiected the battell of the CENTAVRI the warres of the AMAZONES the tribute due to the king of CRETA and howe he ventered to goe himselfe thither with the other young boyes and wenches of ATHENS as willingly offering him selfe to be deuowred by a cruell beaste or els to be slayne and sacrificed vpon the tumbe of Androgeus or to become bondslaue tyed in captiuitie to the vile seruice of cruell men and enemies if by his corage and manhodde he could not deliuer him self This was such an acte of magnanimitie iustice glorie briefly of so great vertue that it is vnpossible truely to be set out Surely me thinckes the philosophers dyd not ill define loue when they sayd she was a seruitour of the goddes to saue younge folkes whom they thought meete to be preserued For the loue of Ariadne was in mine opinion the worke of some god and a meane purposely prepared for Theseus safety Therefore the woman is not to be reproached nor blamed for the loue she bare Theseus but rather it is muche to be wondred at that euery man and woman in like wise dyd not loue him And if of her selfe she fell in loue with him I saye and not without cause she afterwards deserued to be beloued of a god as one that of her owne nature loued valiantnes and honour and entertained men of singuler value But both Theseus and Romulus being naturally geuen to rule and raigne neither the one nor the other kept the true forme of a King but bothe of them dyd degenerate alike the one chaunging him self into a popular man the other to a very tyranne So that by sundrie humours they both fell into one mischief and errour For a prince aboue all things must keepe his estate which is no lesse preserued by doing nothing vncomely as by doing all things honorably But he that is more seuere or remisse then he should be remaineth now no more a King or a prince but becommeth a people pleaser or a cruell tyrante and so causeth his subiects to despise or hate him Yet me thinckes the one is an errour of to muche pittie and basenes and the other of to muche pryde and crueltie But if we maye not charge fortune with all mischaunces happening vnto men but that
garde from euery spoyle ◠Shal be the chief graue causes to decyde vvith Senatours vvhose sounde aduise is tride And next to them the people shall fulfill as muche as seemes to please their princes vvill Lycurgus now hauing thus tempered the forme of his comon weale it seemed notwithstanding to those that came after him that this small number of thirtie persones that made the Senate was yet to mightie of to great authoritie Wherefore to bride them no litle they gaue them as Plato sayeth a bytte in their mouths that was the authoritie of the Ephores which signifie as much as comptrollers and were erected about a hundred and thirtie yeres after the death of Lycurgus The first which was chosen of these was Elatus and it was in the time of king Theopompus whose wife on a daye in her anger sayed howe throughe his negligence he would leaue lesse to his successours then he had receyued of his predecessours To whom he aunswered againe not lesse but more for that it shall continue lenger and with a more sweete For in losing thus their too absolute power that wrought them great enuie hatred amōg their citizens they dyd escape the daūger mischief that their neighbours the AXOTVES and MUNSENIANS dyd feele who would not geue ouer the soueraine authoritie which they had gotten once This example maketh Lycurgus great wisdome and foresight manifestly knowen who so will deeply consider the seditions ill gouernements of the ARGIVES MESSENEANS their neere neighbours and kinsemen aswell from the people as from the Kings Who from the beginning had all things alike to the SPARTANS in deuiding of their lands a farre better order then theirs This notwithstanding they dyd not prosper longe but through the pryde of their Kings and the disobedience of their people they entred into ciuill warres one against another shewing by their disorders misfortunes the speciall grace the godds dyd beare to SPARTA to geue them such a reformer as dyd so wisely temper the state of their common weale as we will shewe hereafter The second lawe that Lycurgus made and the boldest and hardest he euer tooke in hande was the making of a newe diuision of their lands For he sawe so great a disorder vnequality among the inhabitants as well of the countrie as of the citie LACEDEAMON by reason some and the greatest number of them were so poore that they had not a handfull of grounde and other some being least in number were very riche that had all he thought with him self to banishe out of the cittie all insolencie enuie couetousnes deliciousnes and also all riches and pouertie which he tooke the greatest and the most continuall plagues of a cittie or common weale For this purpose he imagined there was none so ready and necessarie a meane as to persuade his citizens to suffer all the landes possessions and inheritance of their countrie to ronne in common together and that they should make a newe diuision equally in partition amongest them selues to liue from thenceforth as it were like brothers together so that no one were richer thē another none should seeke to go before eache other any other waye then in vertue only thincking there should be no difference or vnequalitie among inhabitants of one cittie but the reproaches of dishonestie the prayses of vertue Thus Lycurgus following his determination dyd out of hande make a lawe of the diuision of their lands For first he dyd deuide all the countrie of LACONIA into thirtie thousand equall partes the which he dyd set out for those that inhabited about SPARTA and of those landes that ioyned next to the cittie of SPARTA that was the chief metropolitan cittie of LACONIA he made other nine thousand partes which he deuided to the naturall citizens of SPARTA who be those that are properly called Spartans Howbeit some will saye he made but sixe thousand parts that king Polydorus afterwards dyd adde to other three thousand partes Other saye also that Lycurgus of these nine thousand partes made but the halfe onely Polydorus the rest Euery one of these partes was such as might yelde vnto the owner yerely three score and tenne bushels of barley for a man and twelue bushels for the woman and of wine other liquide fruites much like in proportion which quantitie Lycurgus iudged to be sufficiēt to kepe the bodye of a man in health to make him stronge lustie without any further allowance They saye after this as he returned home one day out of the fields and came ouer the lands where wheate had bene reaped not long before and sawe the number of sheaues lying in euery shocke together no one shocke bigger then another he fell a laughing told them that were with him me thinks all LACONIA is as it were an inheritance of many brethern who had newly made partition together He gaue an attempt to haue deuided also moueables to haue made a common partition betwene them to th end he would haue vtterly taken away all vnequalitie But finding the citizens tooke it very impatiently that openly that which they had should be taken awaye he went about to doe it more secretly and in a conninger wise to take away that couetousnes For first of all he dyd forbid all coyne of golde and syluer to be currant then he dyd set out certaine coynes of iron which he commaunded only to be currant whereof a great weight and quantitie was but litle worthe So as to laye vp therof the value of tenne Minas it would haue occupied a whole celler in a house besides it would haue neded a yoke of oxen to carie it any where Nowe golde siluer being thus banished out of the countrie many lew departes faultes must needes cease thereby For who would robbe steale picke take awaye hyde procure or whorde vp any thing that he had no great occasion to desire nor any profit to possesse nor would be any pleasure to vse or employe For the iron they occupied for their coyne they cast vineger vpon it while it was redde hotte out of the fire to kill the strength working of it to any other vse for thereby it was so eger brickle that it would byde no hammer nor could be made beaten or forged to any other facion By this meanes he banished also all superfluous vnprofitable sciences which he knew he should not neede to doe by any proclamation bicause they would fall awaye or the most parte of them euen of them selues when the baseries of the money they should take for their worke should vndoe them For their iron moneys were not currant els where in the citties of GRECE but euery bodye made a ieste of it there By this occasion the LACEDAEMONIANS could buye no forrein wares nor marchandises neither came there any shippe into their hauen to trafficke with them neither any fine curious Rethorician dyd
and close together in the fire nor dryed vp all the moisture thereof but rather to the contrarie it dyd swell to such a bignes and grewe so harde and strong withall that they were driuen to breake vp the head and walles of the fournes to get it out The soothesayers dyd expounde this that it was a celestiall token from aboue and promised great prosperitie and increase of power vnto those that should enioye this coche Where upon the VEIANE resolued not to deliuer it vnto the ROMAINES that demaunded it but aunswered that it dyd belong vnto king Tarquine and not vnto those that had banished him Not many dayes after there was a solemne feast of games for running of horses in the cittie of VEIES where they dyd also many other notable actes worthy sight according to their custome But after the game was played he that had wonne the bell being crowned in token of victorie as they dyd vse at that time brought his coche and horses fayer and softely out of the showe place and sodainely the horse being affrayed vpon no present cause or occasion seene whether it was by chaunce or by some secret working from aboue ranne as they had bene mad with their coche to the cittie of ROME The coche driuer dyd what he could possible at the first to staye them by holding in the raynes by clapping them on the backs and speaking gently to them but in the ende perceyuing he could doe no good and that they would haue their swynge he gaue place to their furie they neuer linne ronning till they brought him neere to the Capitoll where they ouerthrewe him and his coche not farre from the gate called at this present Ratumena The VEIANS woundering much at this matter and being affrayed withall were contented the workmen should deliuer their coche made of earth vnto the ROMAINES Now concerning Iupiter Capitolins temple king Tarquine the first which was the sonne of Demaratus vowed in the warres that he made against the SABYNES that he would buyld it And Tarquine the prowde being the sonne of him that made this vowe dyd buyld it howbeit he dyd not consecrate it bicause he was driuen out of his Kingdome before he had finished it When this temple was built and throughly finished setforth with all his ornaments Publicola was maruelously desirous to haue the honour of the dedication thereof But the noble men and Senatours enuying his glorie being very angrie that he could not content him selfe with all those honours that he had receyued in peace for the good lawes he had made and in warres for the victories he had obteined well deserued but further that he would seeke the honour of this dedication which nothing dyd pertaine vnto him they then dyd egge Horatius persuaded him to make sute for the same Occasion sell out at that time that Publicola must haue the leading of the ROMAINES armie into the field in the meane time while Publicola was absent it was procured that the people gaue their voyces to Horatius to consecrate the temple knowing they could not so well haue brought it to passe he being present Other saye the Consuls drewe lotts betweene them and that it lighted vpon Publicola to leade the armie against his will and vpon Horatius to consecrate this temple which maye be coniectured by the thing that fortuned in the dedication thereof For all the people being assembled together in the Capitoll with great silence on the fiftenth daye of the moneth of September which is about the newe moone of the moneth which the GRECIANS call Metagitnion Horatius hauing done all the ceremonies needefull in suche a case and holding then the doores of the temple as the vse was euen to vtter the solemne wordes of dedication Marcus Valerius the brother of Publicola hauing stoode a long time there at the temple doore to take an oportunitie to speake beganne to say alowde in this wise My lorde Consul your sonne is dead of a sicknes in the campe This made all the assembly sorie to heare it but it nothing amased Horatius who spake only this muche Cast his bodie then where you will for me the thought is taken So he continued on to ende his consecration This was but a deuise and nothing true of Marcus Valerius only to make Horatius leaue of his consecration Horatius in this shewed him selfe a maruelous resolute man were it that he streight founde his deuise or that he beleeued it to be true for the sodainenes of the matter nothing altered him The very like matter fell out in consecrating of the second temple For this first which Tarquine had built and Horatius consecrated was consumed by fyer in the ciuill warres and the second was built vp againe by Sylla who made no dedication of it For Catulus set vp the superscription of the dedication bicause Sylla dyed before he could dedicate it The second temple was burnt againe not long after the troubles and tumultes which were at ROME vnder Vitellius the Emperour The third in like manner was reedified and built againe by Vespasian from the ground to the toppe But this good happe he had aboue other to see his worke perfited and finished before his death and not ouerthrowen as it was immediately after his death Wherein he dyd farre passe the happines of Sylla who dyed before he could dedicate that he had built and thother deceased before he sawe his worcke ouerthrowen For all the Capitoll was burnt to the ground incontinently after his death It is reported the only foundations of the first temple cost Tarquinius fortie thousand Pondos of siluer And to gyld only the temple which we see nowe in our time they saye all the goodes and substaunce that the richest cittizen of ROME then had will come nothing neere vnto it for it cost aboue twelue thousand talents The pillers of this temple are cut out of a quarrie of marbell called pentlike marbell and they were squared parpine as thicke as long these I sawe at ATHENS But afterwardes they were cut againe and polished in ROME by which doing they got not so much grace as they lost proportion for they were made to slender and left naked of their first beawtie Nowe he that would wounder at the stately buylding of the Capitoll if he came afterwardes vnto the palace Domitian and dyd but see some galerie potche hall or hotte house or his concubines chambers he would saye in my opinion as the poet Epicharmus sayed of a prodigall man. It is a fault and folly both in thee to lashe out giftes and prodigall revvardes For fonde delights vvithout all rule that be regarding not vvhat happens aftervvardes So might they iustly saye of Domitian Thou art not liberall nor deuoute vnto the goddes but it is a vice thou hast to loue to buyld and desirest as they saye of olde Midas that all about thee were turned to gold and precious stones And thus much for this matter Tarquine after that
great foughten battell wherein he lost his sonne that was slaine by Brutus in fighting together hande to hande went to the citie of CLVSIVM vnto king Claras Porsena the mightiest prince that raigned at that time in all ITALIE and was both noble and a curteous prince Porsena promised him ayde first of all sent to ROME to summone the cittizens to receiue their King againe But the ROMAINES refusing the summones he sent forthwith an Heraulde to proclaime open warres against them and to tell them where and when he would meete them and then marched thitherwardes immediatly with a great armie Publicola nowe being absent was chosen Consul the second time and Titus Lucretius with him When he was returned home againe to ROME bicause he would exceede king Porsena in greatnes of minde he begāne to buyld a cittie called SIGLIVRIA euen when the King with all his armie was not farre frō ROME hauing walled it about to his maruelous charge he sent thither seuen hundred cittizens to dwell there to shewe that he made litle accompt of this warre Howbeit Porsena at his coming dyd geue suche a lustie assault to the mount Ianiculum that they draue out the souldiers which kept the same who flying towards ROME were pursued so harde with the enemies that with them they had entered the towne had not Publicola made a saly out to resist them Who beganne a hotte skirmishe harde by the riuer of Tyber there sought to haue stayed the enemies to follow any further which being the greater number dyd ouerlaye the ROMAINES dyd hurte Publicola very sore in this skirmishe so as he was caried away into the cittie in his souldiers armes And euē so was the other Cōsul Lucretius hurte in like case which so discoraged frayed the ROMAINES that they all tooke thē to their legges fled towards the cittie The enemies pursued them at their heeles as farre as the wodden bridge so that the cittie was in maruelous hazarde of taking vpon the sodaine But Horatius Cocles Herminius and Lucretius two other of the chiefest noble young men of the cittie stood with them to the defence of the bridge made head against the enemie This Horatius was surnamed Cocles as much to saye as one eye bicause he had lost one of them in the warres Howbeit other writers saye it was bicause of his flat nose which was so soncke into his head that they sawe nothing to parte his eyes but that the eye browes dyd meete together by reason whereof the people thinking to surname him Cyclops by corruption of the tōgue they called him as they saye Cocles But howsoeuer it was this Horatius Cocles had the courage to shew his face against the enemie to kepe the bridge vntill such time as they had cut broken it vp behind him When he saw they had done that armed as he was hurte in the hippe with a pike of the THVSCANS he leaped into the riuer of Tyber and saued him selfe by swimming vnto the other side Publicola woundring at this manly acte of his persuaded the ROMAINES straight euery one according to his abilitie to giue him so much as he spent in a daye afterwards also he caused the common treasury to geue him as much lande as he could compasse about with his plowe in a daye Furthermore he made his image of brasse to be set vp in the temple of Vulcane comforting by this honour his wounded hippe whereof he was lame euer after Nowe whilest king Porsena was hottely bent very straightly to besiege ROME there beganne a famine among the ROMAINES to encrease the daunger there came a newe armie out of THVSCANE which ouerranne burnt and made waste all the territorie of ROME Whereupon Publicola being chosen Consul then the third time thought he should neede to doe no more to resist Porsena brauely but to be quiet only to looke well to the safe keeping of the cittie Howbeit spying his oportunity he secretly stole out of ROME with a power did set vpon the THVSCANS that destroyed the countrie about ouerthrew slue of them fiue thousand men As for the historie of Mutius many doe diuersely reporte it but I will write it in such sorte as I thincke shall best agree with the trothe This Mutius was a worthie man in all respects but specially for the warres He deuising howe he might come to kill king Porsena disguised him selfe in THVSCANS apparell and speaking Thuscan very perfectly went into his campe and came to the Kings chayer in the which he gaue audience and not knowing him perfectly he durst not aske which was he least he should be discouered but drue his sworde at aduenture slewe him whom he tooke to be king Vpon that they layed holde on him examined him And a panne full of fire being brought for the King that entēded to doe sacrifice vnto the goddes Mutius held out his right hand ouer the fire and boldly looking the King full in his face whilest the flesh of his hand dyd frye of he neuer chaunged hewe nor contenaunce the King woundering to see so straunge a sight called to them to withdraw the fire and he him selfe dyd deliver him his sworde againe Mutius tooke it of him with his lost hand whereupon they saye afterwardes he had geuen him the surname of Scaeuola as much to saye as left handed and told him in taking of it Thou couldest not Porsena for feare haue ouercomed me but nowe through curtesy thou hast wonne me Therefore for goodwill I will reueale that vnto thee which no force nor extremitie could haue make me vtter There are three hundred ROMAINES dispersed through thy campe all which are prepared with like mindes to followe that I haue begonne only gaping for oportunitie to put it in practise The lot sell on me to be the first to breake the Ise of this enterprise yet I am not sorie my hande sayled to kill so worthie a man that deserueth rather to be a friend then an enemie vnto the ROMAINES Porsena hearing this did beleeue it euer after he gaue the more willing eare to those that treated with him of peace not so much in my opinion for that he feared the three hundred lying in waite to kill him as for the admiration of the ROMAINES noble minde and great corage All other writers call this man Matius Scaeuola howbeit Athenodorus surnamed Sandon in a booke he wrote vnto Octauia Augustus sister sayeth that he was also called Opsig onus But Publicola taking king Porsena not to be so daūgerous and enemie to ROME as he should be a profitable friēd allie to the same let him understand that he was cōtēted to make him iudge of the controuersie between them Tarquine Whom he dyd many times prouoke to come haue his cause heard before king Porsena where he would iustifie to his face that he was the naughtiest most wicked
mens good and ill worckes you knowe right well that we haue not willingly without wrong and cause offered vs begonne this warre but iustly and by compulsion to be reuenged of a cittie our enemie which hath done vs great iniuries But if to conteruayle this our great good prosperitie and victorie some bitter aduersitie and ouerthrowe be predestined vnto vs I beseeche you then most mercifull goddes in sparing our cittie of ROME and this her army you will with as litle hurte as maybe be let it all fall and light vpon my persone alone And as he had spoken these wordes and was turning on his right hande according to the manner of the ROMAINES after they haue prayed vnto the goddes he fell downe flat before them all The standers by taking this fall for an ill token were somwhat troubled with the matter but after he got vp on his feete againe he tolde them that the thing he requested of the goddes was happened vnto him And that was a litle hurte in exchaunge of a great good fortune So the whole cittie being spoyled and rifled he was also desirous to carie Iunos image to ROME to accomplishe the vowe he had made And hauing sent for worckemen for this purpose he dyd sacrifice first vnto the goddesse beseching her to accept well of the ROMAINES good will that she would willingly vowchesafe to come and dwell with the other goddes who had the protection of the cittie of ROME Some saye that the image aunswered she was contented But Liuius writeth that Camillus made this prayer as he touched the image and that the assistants aunswered she was contented and would goe with a goodwill Yet they which doe affirme it was the image selfe that spake doe fauour this miracle grounding their proofe vpon the opinion of the fortune of ROME the which from so base and meane beginning had impossibly attained vnto so highe glorie and power as it had without the singular fauour of the goddes and that hath manifestly appeared vnto the world by sundry great proofes and examples They bring forth also such other like wonders As that images haue heretofore let fall droppes of swet from them that they haue bene heard to sighe that they haue turned and that they haue made certen signes with their eyes as we finde written in many auncient stories And we could our selues also tell such like wonders which we haue heard men of our time affirme which are not vncredible nor lightly to be condemned But for such matters it is as daungerous to geue to much credit to them as also to discredit them to much by reason of the weaknes of mans nature which hath no certen boundes nor can rule it self but ronneth somtimes after vanitie and superstition and otherwhile also dispiseth and contemneth holy and diuine matters and therefore the meane is the vertue not to goe to farre in this as in all other things besides it is the best Nowe Camillus whether his late enterprise performed in winning a cittie that stoode out with ROME helde siege with them tenne yeres together had put him into an ouerwening or conceipt of him selfe or that the wordes of the people which dyd blesse and prayse him had made him looke highe and presume vpon him selfe more then became the modestie of a ciuill magistrate and gouernour of the common weale one that was subiect to the lawe he shewed a stately triumphe set forth with all riche furniture specially for that him self was caried through ROME vpon his triumphant charret drawen with foure fayer white coursers This neuer captaine nor generall before him durst vndertake to doe neither any euer after him attēpted it for they thinke it is a sacred cariage and only mete for the King and father of the goddes This bred him much enuy amongest the citizēs which had not bene acquainted with so great statelynes There was another occasion also that made them mislike him much which was bicause he stood against the lawe put forth that they should deuide the cittie of ROME For the Tribunes of the people dyd set out an Edict that the Senate people of ROME should be deuided into two partes and that those on whom the lotte should fall should abide still in ROME and the other should goe dwell in the newe wonne cittie of VEIES These were the reasons to persuade this that both the one and the other sorte should be richer then they were before should more easely keepe their lands and goodes from the inuasion of their enemies by meanes of these two great citties The people which were multiplied nowe into great numbers had serued duetifully daūgerously thought it the best waye in the worlde Therefore they still cried out and thronged with great tumulte about their pulpit for orations praying that this lawe might be put vnto the voyces of the people But the whole Senate and wisest citizens among them iudging this motion of the Tribunes would be the destruction and not the diuision of the cittie of ROME could in no wise abide it should goe any further Whereupon they went prayed Camillus helpe who fearing to bring it to the pointe whether the lawe should passe or no dyd allwayes seeke new occasions and letts still to delaye put of the matter staye the confirmation of this lawe For these causes he was hated of the common people But the originall apparant cause of the peoples ill will towards him was for taking from them the tenth parte of their spoyles and it was not altogether without some reason and to saye truely the people dyd him much wrong to beare him such malice for that For before he went to the cittie of VEIES he made a solēne vowe to offer the tenth parte vnto the goddes of the spoyles of the cittie if he wāne the same But when it was taken and sacked whether it was that he was lotheto trouble the cittizens or hauing a worlde of busines in his head that he easely forgate his vowe he suffered the souldiers to deuide the spoyle amongest them to take the benefit to them selues Shortely after he was discharged of his charge he dyd enforme the Senate of his vowe Furthermore the soothesayers made reporte at that very time howe they know by certaine signes and tokens of their sacrifices that the goddes were offended for somwhat and howe they must of necessitie be pacified againe Whereupon the Senate presently made an order where it was vnpossible euery man should bring in againe the selfe same things he had gotten to make a new diuision of euery mans share that euery one therefore vpon his othe should present the tenthe parte of his gaynes he had gotten by that bootie There was great trouble about it They were driuen to vse great extremitie to the poore souldiers which had traueled sore and taken great paynes in the warres to make them to restore backe such a coloppe out of their gaine and
ouercame king Tigranes the ARMENIANS And that Attalus Pompey also dyed both on the selfe same daye they were borne To conclude infinite examples of men might be brought vnto whom after like reuolutions of time there happened notable chaunces of good or ill But to returne againe vnto our historie The daye of this ouerthrowe is one of those which the ROMAINES take for one of the vnfortunatest dayes that euer came vnto them And by reason of that day they reckon two other dayes of euery moneth very vnfortunate engendred through feare superstition which spreadeth farre as commonly it doth vpon such sinister misfortunes But for this matter we haue written it more largely exquisitly in the booke we made of the ceremonies customes of the ROMAINES Now after this battell lost if the GAVLES had hottely pursued the chase of their flying enemies nothing could haue saued ROME from being taken the inhabitāts therof from being put vnto the sword For the ROMAINES that fled from the battell brought such a feare vpon those that receyued them and filled the whole cittie of ROME with such greif trēbling that they wist not what to doe The barbarous people againe beleeuing litle their victorie was so great as it was fell to make good cheere for so great a ioye receiued deuided among them the spoyle of their enemies goods they found in the campe So gaue they time leysure by this meanes to the multitude of people that fled out of ROME to seeke them some place of safety to such as remained still they left good hope to saue them selues to make someprouision for defence Thereupon they all fortified them selues within moūt Capitoll storing it with all kind of vitaill armor munition they wholy dyd forsake the rest of the cittie But the first worke they tooke in hande was this They dyd bring into their sayed forte parte of their sacred relickes the professed Vestalls brought thither also their holy fire all other their holy monumēts Some writers saye that they had nothing els in keeping but the sempiternall fyer were so consecrated by king Numa who dyd first institute that the fyer should be worshipped as the beginning of all things For that it is the most motiue quickest substance that is of all naturall things notwithstanding that generation also is a mouing or at the least not done without motion For we see that all other substance which lacketh heate remaineth idle without action sturreth not no more then doth a dead thing which craueth the force and heate of fyre as the soule it selfe recouering heate beginneth somewhat to moue and disposeth it selfe to doe and suffer some thing Wherefore Numa being as they saye a man of great learning and vnderstanding who for his wisedome was reported to talke many times with the Muses dyd consecrate the same as a most sacred thing and commaunded that they neuer should suffer that fyre to goe out and but keepe it as they would preserue the liuely image of the eternall God the only King maker of the worlde Other saye that the fyer burned continually there before the holy sacred things signifying a kinde and manner of purification which opinion the GRECIANS holde also howbeit behinde the same fyer there were certen hidden things which in no case any might see but those holy Vestall Nūnes Many also holde an opinion that the Palladium of TROYE as much to say as Pallas image is hidden also there which was brought by AEneas into ITALIE Other doe reporte also that Dardanus at that time when he first beganne to buylde the cittie of TROYE brought thither the holy images of the goddes of SAMOTHRACIA and he dyd offer them vp there and howe AEneas after the cittie was taken dyd steale them awaye and kept them vntill he came to dwell in ITALIE Some other also that take vpon them to knowe more therein then the common sorte doe holde opinion that there are two pipes not very great whereof the one is emptie and standeth open the other is full fast locked vp howbeit they are not to be seene but by these holy Nunnes Other thincke also that these imaginers inuented that they spake of their owne heads bicause the Vestall Nunnes dyd cast all that they could put in at that time into two pipes which they buried after in the grounde within the temple of Quirinus and herefore that very place carieth the surname at this daye of pipes Howbeit they caried about them the most precious things they had fled alongest the riuer Where one Lucius Albinus one of the common people flying also hauing brought away his wife litle children and other household stuffe he had in a carte by chaunce he lighted vpon the Vestall Nunnes in the waye But so sone as he perceyued these holy Nunnes carying the blessed relickes and iuells in their armes dedicated vnto the seruice of the goddes all alone that they were wearie with going a foote he caused his wife and his children to come out of the carte tooke downe all his goodes also willed them to get them vp and flye into some cittie or towne of GRECE Thus me thought I could not well passe ouer with silence Albinus reuerence deuotion he shewed vnto the goddes in so daungerous a time pinche of extremitie Furthermore the priests of other goddes the most honorablest olde men of the cittie of ROME that had bene Cōsuls before time or had past the honour of triumphe had not the harte to forsake ROME but putting on all their most holy robes vestments dyd vowe and as it were willingly sacrificed them selues vnto the fortune that should befall them for the safety of their countrie And vsing certain words prayers which their high bishoppe Fabius had taught them they went euen thus apparelled into the great market place dyd sit them downe there in chayers of iuory expecting the good will pleasure of the godds what should become of them But with in three dayes after Brennus came to ROME with his army who finding the gates of the cittie all open the walles without watche he dowted some deuise in it feared some priuie ambush had bene layed as one hardly beleeuing to haue found the ROMAINES of so base a mind as to forsake their cittie After being enformed of the troth he entred into ROME by the gate Collina tooke the same litle more thē three hūdred three score yeres after it was first builded if it be true at the least there hath remained any certen chronicles of those times vnto this present daye considering the trouble confusion of that time hath made many things more vncerteine then that dowtefull vnto vs But so it was that the rumor ranne to GRECE incontinently howe ROME was taken but yet withall somwhat doubtefully vncertainely For Heraclides Ponticus who was about that time sayeth in
prognosticator dyd rightly mere together in trothe the one directly telling the cause and the other the ende of the euent as it fell out For the profession of the one is to knowe howe it commeth and of the other wherefore it commeth and to foretell what it betokeneth For where some saye that to shewe the cause is to take awaye the signification of the signe they do not consider that in seeking to abolishe by this reason the wonderfull tokens and signes in the ayer they doe take awaye those also which are done by arte As the noyse of basons the lightes of fyre by the sea side and the shadowes of nedles or pointes of dyalles in the sunne all which things are done by some cause and handyworke to be a signe and token of something But this argument peraduenture maye serue better in another booke And nowe againe to Pericles Whilest he was yet but a young man the people stoode in awe of him bicause he somwhat resembled Pisistratus in his countenaunce and the auncientest men of the cittie also were muche afeard of his softe voyce his eloquent tongue and ready vtteraunce bicause in those he was Pisistratus vp and downe Moreouer he was very riche and wealthy and of one of the noblest families of the cittie and those were his friendes also that caried the only swaye and authoritie in the state whereupon fearing least they would banishe him with the banishment of Ostracismon he would not medle with gouernment in any case although otherwise he shewed him selfe in warres very valliant and forward and feared not to venter his persone But after that Aristides was dead that Themistocles was driuen awaye and that Cimon being euer in seruice in the warres as generall in forreine countries was a long time out of GRECE then he came to leane to the tribe of the poore people preferring the multitude of the poore communaltie aboue the small number of Nobilitie and riche men the which was directly against his nature For of him selfe he was not popular nor meanely geuen but he dyd it as it should seeme to auoyde suspition that he should pretend to make him selfe king And bicause he sawe Cimon was inclined also to take parte with the Nobilitie and that he was singularly beloued and liked of all the honester sorte he to the contrarie enclined to the common people purchasing by this meanes safety to him selfe and authoritie against Cimon So he presently beganne a newe course of life since he had taken vpon him to deale in matters of state for they neuer sawe him afterwardes at any time goe into the cittie but to the market place or to the Senate house He gaue vp going to all feastes where he was bidden and left the entertainment of his friendes their company and familiaritie So that in all his time wherein he gouerned the common weale which was a long time he neuer went out to supper to any of his friendes vnles it were that he was once at a feast at his nephew Euryptolemus mariage and then he taried there no longer but while the ceremonie was a doing when they offer wine to the goddes and so he rose from the table For these friendly meetings at suche feastes doe much abase any counterfeate maiestie or set countenaunce and he shall haue much a doe to keepe grauity and reputation shewing familiaritie to euery knowen friende in such open places For in perfect vertue those things truly are euer most excellent which be most common and in good and vertuous men there is nothing more admirable vnto straungers then their dayely conuersation is to their friendes Pericles nowe to preuent that the people should not be glutted with seeing him to ofte nor that they should come much to him they dyd see him but at some times and then he would not talke in euery matter neither came muche abroade among them but reserued him selfe as Critolaus sayed they kept the SALAMINIAN galley at ATHENS for matters of great importaunce And in the meane season in other matters of small moment he delt by meanes of certaine orators his familliar friendes amongest whom Ephialtes as they saye was one he who tooke awaye the authoritie and power from the courte of Areopagus and dyd geue to muche libertie to the people as Plato sayed Vpon which occasion as the Comicall poets saye he became so stowte and head strong that they could no more holde him backe then a younge vnbrideled colte and tooke such a corage vpon him that he would obaye no more but inuaded the I le of EVBOEA and set vpon the other Ilandes Pericles also bicause he would facion a phrase of speache with a kynde of style altogether agreable to the manner of life and grauitie he had taken vpon him he gaue him selfe to all matters which he had learned of Anaxagoras shadowing his reasons of naturall philosophie with artificiall rethoricke For hauing obteined a deepe vnderstanding by studying of philosophie and a ready waye effectually to ende any matter he vndertoke to proue besides that nature had endued him with an excellent witte and capacitie as the diuine Plato doth write to bring any thing to serue his purpose he dyd so artificially compasse it with eloquence that he farre passed all the orators in his time And for this cause was he as they saye surnamed Olympius as muche to saye as heauenly or diuine But some are of opinion he had that surname by reason of the common buildings and stately workes he raysed vp in the cittie of ATHENS that dyd muche set forth the same Other thinke it was geuen him for his great authoritie and power he had in gouernment aswell in warres as in peace But it is no maruaill that this glorie was geuen him considering the many other qualities and vertues that were in him Howbeit the comedies the Poetes caused to be played in those times in which there were many wordes spoken of him some in earnest some in sporte and ieast doe witnesse that he had that surname geuen him chiefly for his eloquence For it is reported that he thundered and lightened in his oration to the people that his tongue was a torrible lightning And touching this matter they tell of an aunswer Thucydides Milesius sonne should pleasauntly make concerning the force of Pericles eloquence Thucydides was a noble man and had long time contented against Pericles in matters of the common weale Archidamus king of LACEDAEMON asked Thucydides on a time whether he or Pericles wrestled best Thucydides made him aunswer When I haue geuen him an open fall before the face of the world he can so excellently deny it that he maketh the people beleeue he had no fall at all and persuadeth them the contrarie of that they sawe Notwithstanding he was euer very graue and wise in speaking For euer when he went vp into the pulpit for orations to speake to the people he made his prayers vnto the goddes that nothing
might escape his mouthe but that he might consider before whether it would serue the purpose of his matter he treated on yet are there none of his workes extant in writing vnles it be some fewe lawes he made and but very fewe of his notable sayings are brought to light saue only these He sayed on a time that they must take awaye the cittie of AEGINA bicause it was a strawe lying in the eye of the hauen PIRAEA And another time he sayed that he saw the warres a farre of comming from PELOPONNESVS Another time as he tooke shippe with Sophocles his companion in commission with him as generall of the armie who commended a fayer young boye they met as they came to the hauen Sophocles sayed he a gouernour must not only haue his handes but also his eyes cleane And Stesimbrotus writeth that in a funerall oration he made in the prayse of those that were slaine in the warre of SAMOS he sayed they were immortall as the goddes For we doe not see the goddes sayed he as they be but for the honour that is done to them and the great happines they enioye we doe coniecture they are immortall and the same things are in those that dye in seruice and defence of their countrie Nowe where Thucydides doth write the gouernment of the common weale vnder Pericles to be as a gouernment of Nobilitie and yet had apparaunce of a popular state it is true that in effect it was a Kingdome bicause one alone dyd rule and gouerne the whole state And many other saye also he was the first that brought in the custome to deuide the enemies landes wonne by conquest among the people and of the common money to make the people see playes and pastimes and that appointed them rewarde for all things But this custome was ill brought vp For the common people that before were contented with litle and got their liuing paynefully with swet of their browes became nowe to be very vaine sumptuous and riotous by reason of these things brought vp then The cause of the alteration doth easely appeare by those things For Pericles at his first comming sought to winne the fauour of the people as we haue sayed before only to get like reputation that Cimon had wonne But comming farre shorte of his wealthe and abilitie to carie out the porte and charge that Cimon dyd entertaining the poore keeping open house to all commers clothing poore olde people breaking open besides all inclosures and pales through all his landes that euery one might with more libertie come in and take the fruites thereof at their pleasure and seeing him selfe by these great meanes out gone farre in good will with the common people by Demonides counsell and procurement who was borne in the I le of IOS he brought in this distribution of the common money as Aristotle writeth And hauing wonne in a shorte time the fauour and good will of the common people by distribution of the common treasure which he caused to be deuided among them aswell to haue place to see these playes as for that they had rewarde to be present at the iudgementes and by other suche like corruptions he with the peoples helpe dyd inuey against the courte of the Areopagites wherof he neuer was any member For it neuer came to be his happe to be yerely gouernour nor keeper of the lawes nor King of the sacrifices nor master of the warres all which were offices chosen in auncient time by lot And further those on whom the lot fell if they had behaued them selues well in their office they were called forwards raised to be of the bodie of this courte of the Areopagites Pericles nowe by these meanes hauing obteined great credit and authoritie amongest the common people he troubled the Senate of the Areopagites in suche sorte that he pluckt many matters from their hearing by Ephialtes helpe and in time made Cimon to be banished ATHENS as one that fauored the LACEDAEMONIANS and contraried the common wealthe and authoritie of the people Notwithstanding he was the noblest and richest persone of all the cittie and one that had wonne so many glorious victories and had so replenished ATHENS with the conquered spoyles of their enemies as we haue declared in his life so great was the authoritie of Pericles amongest the people Nowe the banishment wherewith he was punished which they called Ostracismon was limited by the lawe for tenne yeres In which space the LACEDAEMONIANS being come downe with a great armie into the countrie of TANAGRA the ATHENIANS sent out their power presently against them There Cimon willing to shewe the ATHENIANS by his deedes that they had falsely accused him for fauoring the LACEDAEMONIANS dyd arme him self and went on his country mens side to fight in the companie of his tribe But Pericles friends gathered together and forced Cimon to departe thence as a banished man And this was the cause that Pericles fought that daye more valliantly then euer he dyd and he wanne the honour and name to haue done more in the persone of him selfe that daye then any other of all the armie At that battell also all Cimons friends whom Pericles had burdened likewise to fauour the LACEDAEMONIANS doings dyed euery man of them that daye Then the ATHENIANS repented them much that they had driuen Cimon away and wished he were restored after they had lost this battell vpon the confines of the countrie of ATTICA bicause they feared sharpe warres would come vpon them againe at the next spring Which thing when Pericles perceyued he sought also to further that the common people desired wherefore he straight caused a decree to be made that Cimon should be called home againe which was done accordingly Now when Cimon was returned he adulsed that peace should be made betwene both citties for the LACEDAEMONIANS dyd loue Cimon very well and contrarily they hated Pericles and all other gouernours Some notwithstanding doe write that Pericles dyd neuer passe his consent to call him home againe before suche time as they had made a secret agreement amongest them selues by meanes of Elpinice Cimons sister that Cimon should be sent out with an armie of two hundred galleys to make warres in the king of Persia his dominions that Pericles should remaine at home with the authoritie of gouernment within the cittie This Elpinice Cimōs sister had once before intreated Pericles for her brother at such time as he was accused before the iudge of treason For Pericles was one of the committees to whom this accusation was referred by the people Elpinice went vnto him besought him not to doe his worst vnto her brother Pericles aunswered her merilie Thou art to old Elpinice thou art to olde to goe through with these matters Yet when his matter came to iudgement that his cause was pleaded he rose but once to speake against him for his owne discharge as it were went his waye when
wrought there fell by mischaunce from the height of the castell to the grounde which fall dyd so sore broose him and he was so sicke with all that the phisitians and surgeons had no hope of his life Pericles being very sorie for his mischaunce the goddesse appeared to him in his sleepe in the night and taught him a medicine with the which he dyd easely heale the poore broosed man that in shorte time And this was the occasion why he caused the image of the goddesse Minerua otherwise called of healthe to be cast in brasse and set vp within the temple of the castell neere vnto the altar which was there before as they saye But the golden image of Minerua was made by Phidias and grauen round about the base Who had the charge in manner of all other workes and by reason of the good will Pericles bare him he commaunded all the other workemen And this made the one to be greatly enuied and the other to be very ill spoken of For their enemies gaue it out abroad that Phidias receyued the gentlewomen of the cittie into his house vnder culler to goe see his workes and dyd conuey them to Pericles Vpon this brute the Comicall poets taking occasion dyd cast out many slaunderous speaches against Pericles accusing him that he kept one Menippus wife who was his friend and lieutenante in the warres and burdened him further that Pyrilampes one of his familiar friends also brought vp fowle and specially peacoks which he secretly sent vnto the women that Pericles kept But we must not wonder at these Satyres that make profession to speake slaunderously against all the worlde as it were to sacrifice the iniuries and wronges they cast vpon honorable and good men to the spight and enuie of the people as vnto wicked spirites considering that Stesâ—â—brotus THASIAN durst falsely accuse Pericles of detestable incest and of abusing his owne sonnes wife And this is the reason in my opinion why it is so hard a matter to come to the perfect knowledge of the trothe of auncient things by the monuments of historiographers considering long processe of time doth vtterly obscure the trothe of matters done in former times For euery written historie speaking of men that are aliue and of the time of things whereof it maketh mention somtime for hate and enuie somtime for fauour or flatterie doth disguise and corrupt the trothe But Pericles perceyuing that the orators of Thucydides faction in their common orations dyd still crie out vpon him that he dyd vainely waste and consume the common treasure and that he bestowed vpon the workes all the whole reuenue of the cittie one daye when the people were assembled together before them all he asked them if they thought that the coste bestowed were to muche The people aunswered him a great deale to muche Well said he then the charges shal be mine if you thinke good and none of yours prouided that no mans name be written vpon the workes but mine onely When Pericles had sayed so the people cried out alowde they would none of that either bicause that they wondred at the greatnes of his minde or els for that they would not geue him the only honour and prayse to haue done so sumptuous and stately workes but willed him that he should see them ended at the common charges without sparing for any costs But in the end falling out openly with Thucydides putting it to an adueÌ„ture which of them should banishe other with the banishment of OsÌ„tracismon Pericles got the vpper hand and banished Thucydides out of the cittie therewithall also ouerthrewe the contrarie faction against him Now when he had rooted out all factions and brought the cittie againe to vnitie concorde he founde then the whole power of ATHENS in his handes and all the ATHENIANS matters at his disposing And hauing all the treasure armo ur gallyes the Iles and the sea and a maruelous seigniorie and Kingdome that dyd enlarge it selfe partely ouer the GRECIANS and partely ouer the barbarous people so well fortified and strengthened with the obedience of nations subiect vnto them with the friendshippe of Kings with the alliance of diuers other Princes mightie Lords then from that time forward he beganne to chaunge his manners and from that he was wont to be toward the people and not so easely to graunt to all the peoples willes and desires no more then as it were to contrarie windes Furthermore he altered his ouer gentle and popular manner of gouernment which he vsed vntill that time as to delicate to effeminate an harmonie of musike and dyd conuert it vnto an imperious gouernment or rather to a kingly authoritie but yet held still a direct course and kept him self euer vpright without fault as one that dyd sayed and counselled that which was most expedient for the common weale He many times brought on the people by persuasions and reasons to be willing to graunt that he preferred vnto them but many times also he draue them to it by force made them against their willes doe that which was best for them Following therein the deuise of a wise phisitian who in a long and chaungeable disease doth graunt his pacient somtime to take his pleasure of a thing he liketh but yet after a moderate sorte and another time also he doth geue him a sharpe or bitter medicine that doth vexe him though it heale him For as it falleth out commonly vnto people that enioye so great an empire many times misfortunes doe chaunce that fill them full of sundrie passions the which Pericles alone could finely steere and gouerne with two principall rudders feare and hope brideling with the one the fierce insolent rashenes of the common people in prosperitie and with the other comforting their grief and discoragement in aduersitie Wherein he manifestly proued that rethorike and eloquence as Plato sayeth is an arte which quickeneth mens spirites at her pleasure and her chiefest skill is to knowe howe to moue passions and affections throughly which are as stoppes and soundes of the soule that would be played vpon with a fine fingered hande of a conning master All which not the force of his eloquence only brought to passe as Thucydides witnesseth but the reputation of his life and the opinion and confidence they had of his great worthines bicause he would not any waye be corrupted with gifts neither had he any couetousnes in him For when he had brought his cittie not onely to be great but exceeding great and wealthy and had in power and authoritie exceeded many Kings and tyrannes yea euen those which by their willes and testaments might haue left great possessions to their children he neuer for all that increased his fathers goodes and patrimonie left him the value of a grote in siluer And yet the historiographer Thucydides doth set forth plainely enough the greatnes of his power And the Comicall
as Pericles sayed they would come to passe for with ambition to imbrace to muche they ouerthrewe their estate But the ROMAINES contrariwise hauing sent Scipio into AFRICKE to make warres with the CARTHAGINIANS wanne all that they tooke in hande where their generall dyd not ouercome the enemie by fortune but by valliantnes So that the wisedome of the one is witnessed by the ruine of his countrie and the errour of the other testified by the happy euent of that he would haue let Now the faulte is a like in a generall to fall into daunger for lacke of forecaste as for cowardlines to let slippe a fit oportunitie offred to doe any notable pece of seruice For like defaulte and lacke of experience maketh the one to hardie and the other to fearefull And thus muche touching the warres Now for ciuill gouernment it was a fowle blotte to Pericles to be the author of warres For it is thought that he alone was the cause of the same for that he would not haue them yeld to the LACEDAEMONIANS in any respect And yet me thinkes Fabius Maximus also would no more geue place vnto the CARTHAGINIANS but stood firme bold in all dauÌ„ger to mainteine thempire of his countrie against them But the goodnes clemency Fabius shewed vnto Minutius doth much condeÌ„ne Pericles accusations practises against Cimon and Thucydides bothe of them being noble good men taking parte with the Nobilitie whoÌ„ he expulsed out of ATHENS banished for a time So was Pericles power authoritie in the coÌ„mon weale greater by reason whereof he dyd euer foresee that no generall in all his time dyd rashely attempt any thing hurteful vnto the coÌ„mon weale except Tolmides onely who fled from him in despight of him went to fight with the BOEOTIANS where he was slaine As for all other generals they wholy put theÌ„selues into his haÌ„ds dyd obey him for the greatnes of his authoritie But Fabius although for his parte he neuer committed any faulte and that he went orderly to worke in all gouernment yet bicause he was not of power to keepe other from doing ill it seemeth in this respect he was defectiue For if Fabius had caried like authoritie in ROME as Pericles dyd in ATHENS the ROMAINES had not fallen into so great miserie as they dyd And for liberalitie the one shewed it in refusing the money offred him and the other in geuing vnto those that needed and redeeming his poore captiue contry men And yet Fabius might dispend no great reuenue for his whole receiptes came only to sixe talents But for Pericles it is hard to saye howe riche he was who had comming in to him great presents by his authoritie aswel of the subiects as of the friends and allies of the ATHENIANS as also of Kings and straunge Princes yet he neuer tooke bribe for all that of any persone liuing And to conclude as for the sumptuous building of temples the stately workes and common buildings put all the ornaments together that euer were in ROME before the times of the Caesars they are not to be compared with those wherewith Pericles dyd beawtifie adorne the cittie of ATHENS For neither in qualitie nor quantitie was there any proportion or like comparison betweene the exceeding sumptuousnes of the one and of the other The ende of Fabius Maximus life THE LIFE OF Alcibiades ALCIBIADES by his fathers side was aunciently descended of Eurysaces that was the sonne of Aiax and by his mothers side of Alemaeon for his mother Dinomacha was the daughter of Megacles His father Clinias hauing armed and set forth a gallye at his owne proper costes and charges dyd winne great honour in the battell by sea that was fought alongest the coaste of ARTEMISIVM and he was slaine afterwardes in another battell fought at CORONEA against the BOEOTIANS His sonne Alcibiades tutours were Pericles and Ariphroa Xanthippus sonnes who were also his neere kinsemen They saye and truely that Socrates good will and friendshippe dyd greatly further Alcibiades honour For it appeareth not neither was it euer written what were the names of the mothers of Nicias of Demosthenes of Lamachus of Phormion of Thrasibulus of Theramenes all which were notable famous men in their time And to the contrarie we finde the nource of Alcibiades that she was a LACEDAEMCNIAN borne and was called Amicla and that his schoolemaster was called Zopyrus of the which Antisthenes mentioneth the one and Plato the other Now for Alcibiades beawtie it made no matter if we speake not of it yet I will a litle touche it by the waye for he was wonderfull fayer being a child a boye and a man and that at all times which made him maruelous amiable and beloued of euery man For where Euripides sayeth that of all the fayer times of the yere the Autumne or latter season is the fayrest that commonly falleth not out true And yet it proued true in Alcibiades though in fewe other for he was passing fayer euen to his latter time of good temperature of bodie They write of him also that his tongue was somewhat fatte and it dyd not become him ill but gaue him a certen naturall pleasaunt grace in his talke which Aristophanes mentioneth mocking one Theorus that dyd counterfeat a lisping grace with his tongue This Alcibiades vvith his fat lisping tongue into mine eares this trusty tale and songe full often songe Looke upon Theolus ê™ he lo there he bovves beholde his comely crovvebright face vvith fat and flatling blovves The sonne of Clinias vvould lispe it thus somevvhiles and sure he lisped neuer a lye but rightly hyt his vviles And Archippus another poet also mocking the sonne of Alcibiades sayeth thus Bicause he vvould be like his father euerie vvaye in his long trayling govvne he vvould goe ietting daye by daye And counterfeate his speache his countenaunce and face as though dame nature had him geuen therein a perfect grace To lispe and looke aside and holde his head avvrye even as his father lookt and lispt so vvould he prate and prye For his manners they altered and chaunged very oft with time which is not to be wondred at seing his maruelous great prosperitie as also aduersitie that followed him afterwards But of all the great desiers he had and that by nature he was most inclined to was ambition seeking to haue the vpper hand in all things and to be taken for the best persone as appeareth by certaine of his dedes and notable sayings in his youthe extant in writing One daye wrestling with a companion of his that handled him hardly and thereby was likely to haue geuen him the fall he got his fellowes arme in his mouth and bit so harde as he would haue eaten it of The other feeling him bite so harde let goe his holde straight and sayed vnto him what Alcibiades bitest thou like a woman No mary doe I not ê™ he but like
them selues from the instant daunger of the warre Whereupon the Senate ordeined that the magistrates to gratifie and honour these ladyes should graunte them all that they would require And they only requested that they would build a temple of Fortune of the women for the building whereof they offered them selues to defraye the whole charge of the sacrifices and other ceremonies belonging to the seruice of the goddes Neuertheles the Senate commending their good will and forwardnes ordeined that the temple and image should be made at the common charge of the cittie Notwithstanding that the ladyes gathered money emong them and made with the same a second image of Fortune which the ROMAINES saye dyd speake as they offred her vp in the temple and dyd set her in her place and they affirme that she spake these wordes Ladyes ye haue deuoutely offered me vp Moreouer that she spake that twise together making vs to beleeue things that neuer were and are not to be credited For to see images that seeme to sweate or weepe or to put forth any humour red or blowdie it is not a thing vnpossible For wodde and stone doe commonly receyue certaine moysture whereof is ingendred an humour which doe yeld of them selues or doe take of ayer many sortes and kyndes of spottes and cullers by which signes and tokens it is not amisse we thincke that the goddes sometimes doe warne men of things to come And it is possible also that these images and statues doe somtimes put forth soundes like vnto sighes or mourning when in the middest or bottome of the same there is made some violent separation or breaking a sonder of things blowen or deuised therein but that a bodie which hath neither life nor soule should haue any direct or exquisite worde formed in it by expresse voyce that is altogether vnpossible For the soule nor god him selfe can distinctly speake without a bodie hauing necessarie organes and instrumentes mete for the partes of the same to forme and vtter distinct wordes But where stories many times doe force vs to beleeue a thing reported to be true by many graue testimonies there we must saye that it is some passion contrarie to our fiue naturall sences which being begotten in the imaginatiue parte or vnderstanding draweth an opinion vnto it selfe euen as we doe in our sleeping For many times we thinke we heare that we doe not heare and we imagine we see that we see not Yet notwithstanding such as are godly bent and zealously geuen to thinke apon heauenly things so as they can no waye be drawen from beleeuing that which is spoken of them they haue this reason to grounde the foundation of their beleefe vpon That is the omnipotencie of God which is wonderfull and hath no manner of resemblaunce or likelines of proportion vnto ours but is altogether contrarie as touching our nature our mouing our arte and our force and therefore if he doe any thing vnpossible to vs or doe bring forth and deuise things without mans common reache and vnderstanding we must not therefore thinke it vnpossible at all For if in other things he is farre contrarie to vs muche more in his workes and secret operations he farre passeth all the rest but the most parte of goddes doings as Heraclitus sayeth for lacke of faith are hidden and vnknowen vnto vs Now when Martius was returned againe into the cittie of ANTIVM from his voyage Tullus that hated and could no lenger abide him for the feare he had of his authoritie sought diuers meanes to make him out of the waye thinking that if he let slippe that present time he should neuer recouer the like and sit occasion againe Wherefore Tullus hauing procured many other of his confederacy required Martius might be deposed from his estate to render vp accompt to the VOLSCES of his charge and gouernment Martius fearing to become a priuate man againe vnder Tullus being generall whose authoritie was greater otherwise then any other emong all the VOLSCES aunswered he was willing to geue vp his charge and would resigne it into the handes of the lordes of the VOLSCES if they dyd all commaund him as by all their commaundement he receyued it And moreouer that he would not refuse euen at that present geue vp an accompt vnto the people if they would tarie the hearing of it The people hereupon called a common counsaill in which assembly there were certen oratours appointed that stirred vp the common people against him and when they had tolde their tales Martius rose vp to make them aunswer Now notwithstanding the mutinous people made a maruelous great noyse yet when they sawe him for the reuerence they bare vnto his valliantnes they quieted them selues and gaue still audience to alledge with leysure what he could for his purgation Moreouer the honestest men of the ANTIATES and who most reioyced in peace shewed by their countenaunce that they would heare him willingly and iudge also according to their conscience Whereupon Tullus fearing that if he dyd let him speake he would proue his innocencie to the people bicause emongest other things he had an eloquent tongue besides that the first good seruice he had done to the people of the VOLSCES dyd winne him more fauour then these last accusations could purchase him displeasure and furthermore the offence they layed to his charge was a testimonie of the good will they ought him for they would neuer haue thought he had done them wrong for that they tooke not the cittie of ROME if they had not bene very neere taking of it by meanes of his approche and conduction For these causes Tullus thought he might no lenger delaye his pretence and enterprise neither to tarie for the mutining and rising of the common people against him wherefore those that were of the conspiracie beganne to crie out that he was not to be heard nor that they would not suffer a traytour to vsurpe tyrannicall power ouer the tribe of the VOLSCES who would not yeld vp his estate and authoritie And in saying these wordes they all fell vpon him and killed him in the market place none of the people once offering to rescue him Howbeit it is clere case that this murder was not generally consented vnto of the most parte of the VOLSCES for men came out of all partes to honour his bodie and dyd honorably burie him setting out his tombe with great store of armour and spoyles as the tombe of a worthie persone and great captaine The ROMAINES vnderstanding of his death shewed no other honour or malice sauing that they graunted the ladyes the request they made that they might mourne tenne moneths for him and that was the full time they vsed to were blackes for the death of their fathers brethern or husbands according to Numa Pompilius order who stablished the same as we haue enlarged more amplie in the description of his life Now Martius being dead the whole state of the VOLSCES
it were with a certaine compassion considering what great power secret and diuine causes haue ouer mens weakenes and frailtie and those thinges that daily passeth ouer our heades For the world then did neuer bring forth any worke of nature or of mans hand so wonderful as was this of fortune Who made the world see a man that before was in maner Lorde and King of all SICILE sit then commonly in the cittie of CORINTHE talking with a vitailer or sitting a whole day in a perfumers shoppe or commonly drinking in some celler or tauerne or to brawle and scolde in the middest of the streetes with common whores in face of the world or els to teach common minstrels in euery lane alley and to dispute with them with the best reason he had about the harmony musike of the songs they sang in the THEATERS Now some say he did this bicause he knew not els how he should driue the time away for that in dede he was of a base mynde and an effeminate person giuen ouer to all dishonest lusts and desires Other are of opiniō he did it to be the lesse regarded for feare lest the CORINTHIANS should haue him in gealouzy and suspicion Imagining that he did take the chaunge and state of his lyfe in grieuous part and that he should yet looke backe hoping for a tyme to recouer his state againe and that for this cause he did it and of purpose fained many thinges against his nature seeming to be a starke nideotte to see him do those thinges he did Some notwithstanding haue gathered together certaine of his answers which doe testifie that he did not all these thinges of a base brutish mynde but to fitte himselfe onely to his present misery and misfortune For when he came to LEVCADES an auncient cittie built by the CORINTHIANS as was also the citty of SYRACVSA he told the inhabitants of the same that he was like to yong boyes that had done a fault For as they flye from their fathers being ashamed to come in their sight are gladder to be with their brethrē euē so is it with me said he for it would please me better to dwell here with you then to go to CORINTHE our head citty Another tyme being at CORINTHE a stranger was very busie with him knowing how familiar Dionysius was with learned men and Philosophers while he raigned in SYRACVSA and asked him in the ende in derision what benefite he got by Platoes wisedome and knowledge he answered him againe how thinkest thou hath it done me no good whē thou seest me beare so paciently this change of fortune Aristoxenus a musitian and other asking him what offence Plato had done vnto him he answered That tyrans state is euer vnfortunate and subiect to many euills but yet no euill in their state was comparable to this That none of all those they take to be their most familiars dare once tell them truely any thing and that through their fault he left Platoes company Another tyme there commeth a pleasaunt fellow to him and thinking to mocke him fiuely as he entred into his chamber he shooke his gowne as the manner is when they come to tyrans to shewe that they haue no weapons vnder their gownes But Dionysius encountred him as pleasantly saying to him do that whē thou goest hēce to se if thou hast stollē nothing And again Philip King of MACEDON at his table one day discēding into talke of songs verse and tragedies which Dionysius his father had made making as though he wondred at thē how possibly he could haue leisure to do them he answered him very trimly and to good purpose He did them euen at such tymes quod he as you and I and all other great Lordes whom they recken happy are disposed to be drunke play the fooles Now for Plato he neuer saw Dionysius at CORINTHE But Diogenes Sinopian the first tyme that euer he met with Dionysius sayd vnto him O how vnworthy art thou of this state Dionysius stayed sodainely and replied Truly I thanke thee Diogenes that thou hast compassion of my misery Why sayd Diogenes againe Doest thou thinke I pitty thee Nay it spiteth me rather to see such a slaue as thou worthy to dye in the wicked state of a tyrant like thy father to lyue in such securitie and idle lyfe as thou leadest amongst vs When I came to compare these wordes of Diogenes with Philistus wordes the Historiographer bewailing the harde fortune of the daughters of the LEPTINES saying that they were brought from the toppe of all worldly felicity honor and goodes whereof tyrannicall state aboundeth vnto a base priuate and humble life me thinkes they are the proper lamentations of a woman that soroweth for the losse of her boxes of painting cullers or for her purple gownes or for other suche prety fine trimmes of golde as women vse to weare So me thinkes these things I haue intermingled concerning Dionysius are not impartinent to the description of our liues neither are they troublesom not vnprofitable to the hearers oneles they haue other hasty busines to let or trouble them But now if the tyraunt Dionysius wretched state seeme straunge Timoleons prosperitie then was no lesse wonderfull For within fiftie dayes after he had set foote in SICILE he had the castel of SYRACVSA in his possession and sent Dionysius as an exile to CORINTHE This did set the CORINTHIANS in suche a iollitie that they sent him a supply of two thousand footemen and two hundred horsemen which were appointed to land in ITALIE in the countrie of the THVRIANS And perceyuing that they could not possiblie goe from thence into SICILE bicause the CARTHAGINIANS kept the seas with a great nauie of shippes and that thereby they were compelled to staye for better oportunitie in the meane time they bestowed their leysure in doing a notable good acte For the THVRIANS being in warres at that time with the BRVTIANS they dyd put their cittie into their hands which they kept very faithfully and friendly as it had bene their owne natiue countrie Icetes all this while dyd besiege the castel of SYRACVSA preuenting all he could possible that there should come no corne by sea vnto the CORINTHIANS that kept within the castell and he had hiered two straunge souldiers which he sent vnto the cittie of ADRANVS to kill Timoleon by treason who kept no garde about his persone and continued amongest the ADRANITANS mistrusting nothing in the world for the trust and confidence he had in the safegard of the god of the ADRANITANS These souldiers being sent to do this murther were by chaunce enformed that Timoleon should one day do sacrifice vnto this god So apon this they came into the temple hauing daggers vnder their gownes by litle and litle thrust in through the prease that they got at the length hard to the aulter But at the present time as one encoraged another
of CENCHREES they ouerthrew the ATHENIANS that came to trouble them in entringe into the straight of PELOPONNESVS supposinge to haue stopped their passage Thus was the valliantnes of these two worthy men greatly commended and honored of euery body for so many notable exployts victories as they had wonne and their maruelous good successe greatly wondered at But as their glory and renowne increased abroade so did their contrie mens malice and enuie encrease against them at home who had prepared such a welcome home for them as was to bad and vile for so honorable seruice as they had done For Epaminondas and Pelopidas bothe at their returne were accused of treason For there was a speciall law at THEBES that commaūded all such as should happen to be gouernors of BOEOTIA to resigne their office immediatly to the new officers elect at the beginning of the first moneth of the yeare which in BOEOTIA they call BOVCATION and they had kept it foure whole moneths aboue their tearme appointed in which time they had done all that we haue spokē of before as well in the prouince of MESSENIA of ARCADIA as also in the contrie of LACONIA Pelopidas was the first of the two that was called in by processe therfore he stoode in the greater daūger howbeit in the end they were both discharged again As for Epaminondas he tooke his accusatiō the attempt of his enemies wherby they sought to haue cast them both away quietly enough Iudging that pacience to those that deale in state and gouernment is a great shew of force magnanimitie But Pelopidas being of a hotter nature and more chollericke and set on besides by some of his friendes did take this occasion to be reuenged Meneclidas the orator was one of those that came into Charons house with Pelopidas and Melon but notwithstandinge the THEBANS did nothing honor him as they did the rest He taking this ill at their handes being maruelous eloquent of speeche but vitiously geuen otherwayes and a man of a vile and mischieuous nature did fondly abuse his eloquence falsely accusinge those that were his betters in honesty and credit And not beinge contented with this first accusation he practised so commonly that he put Epaminondas one yeare from being gouernor of BOEOTIA which he sued for and moreouer he was euer against him in all matters of state he tooke in hande But he coulde neuer bring Pelopidas out of fauour with the people and therefore he sought to make bate betwixt him and Charon For it is the common tricke of all spitefull persones when they can not be thought so honest men as those whome they enuie to go about to proue that they are not so honest and meete men as those whome they preferre and commende So in all his orations he made to the people he continually extolled and commended Charons noble actes and victories and specially that victory aboue other which the THEBANS wanne before the iorney of LEVCTRES in a skirmish of horsemen that was before the city of PLATEES he hauinge charge of the same of the which he woulde leaue this memory Androcydes a CYZICENIAN and painter was at a price with the THEBANS to painte them some other battell in a table and he did drawe this worke in the citie selfe of THEBES but as he was in hand with all the rebellion of the THEBANS fell out against the LACEDAEMONIANS and warre followed on the necke of that whereuppon the painter forsooke THEBES leauinge his worke in manner done and perfitte The THEBANS kept this table by them and this Meneclidas moued the people they woulde hange it vp in some temple or publicke place with an inscription apon it sayinge thus This was Charons victorie of purpose to deface and obscure the glorie of Pelopidas and of Epaminondas To vaine and fond was his ambition to set before so many noble battells and victories one simple ouerthrowe of Charon in the which Gerandas one of the meanest gentlemen of all SPARTA was slayne and forty other with him this was all he did Pelopidas misliked Meneclidas motion maintaining that it was directly against the lawes of THEBES which did expresly forbid that no priuate person should be honored with the title of common victorie but willed the glory thereof should be attributed to all the people generally In dede Pelopidas in all his orations did greatly praise and commend Charon notwithstandinge he made open proofe howe Meneclidas was an enuious and spitefull detractor and a naughty wicked man oftentimes askinge the THEBANS if they them selues were worthy of no honor so as in the end he caused Meneclidas to be condemned in a great summe of money But he finding him selfe vnable to pay it beinge so great a summe practised afterwardes to alter the whole state and gouernment I thought good to dilate this at large bicause me thinkes it doth somewhat declare Pelopidas nature and maners what they were Now about that time Alexander the tyran of PHERES was at open warres with many people of THESSALIE and did vse all policie he coulde to bringe them all to his obedience Whereupon the free cities sent their Ambassadors vnto THEBES to pray them to send them a captaine with an armie to aide them Then Pelopidas seeinge Epaminondas occupied about the warres of PELOPONNESVS did offer himselfe to the THESSALIAN Ambassadors beinge lothe to drowne his experience and sufficiency in warres with vnprofitable and tedious idlenes knowing that in those partes where Epaminondas lay there neded no other captaine Now when he came with his armie into THESSALIE the citie of LARISSA yelded presently vnto him where the tyran Alexander came to mete with him and to pray him to treate a peace betwixt him and the THESSALIANS Pelopidas attempted to bring it to passe seeking in steade of a tyran to make him a gentle iust and lawefull gouernor of THESSALIE But when he saw no perswasions could take place with the tyran and that he grewe more stubborne and vntractable and woulde not heare reason and moreouer that he heard many greuous complaintes of his great cruelties and how they accused him to be a maruelous dissolute and vnruly person in all his doinges and extreamely couetous besides then he beganne to speake roundly to him and to handle him roughly But the tyran thereupon stole away secretely from him and fled with his gard and souldiers about him So Pelopidas leauinge the THESSALIANS out of all feare and daunger of the tyran and furthermore in good peace and amity one with the other he went into MACEDON where Ptolomy made warre at that time with Alexander beinge kinge of MACEDON they bothe hauing sent for him to heare and determine the quarrell betwixt them and also to helpe him that had the right against him that did the wrong So when he came thither he pacified them bothe and restored the banished men of either side to their landes and goodes againe For assurance of
much as they were worth to the end that such as had bestowed their money in those curious trifles should pay so much more subsidie to the maintenance of the common wealth as their goods were ouer valued at Moreouer he ordained for euery thousand Asset that those trifling things were praised at the owners of them should pay three thousand Asset to the common treasory to the ende that they who were greeued with this taxe and sawe other pay lesse subsidy that were as much worth as them selues by liuing without such toyes might call home them selues againe and lay a side such foolishe brauery and finenesse Notwithstandinge Cato was enuied euery way First of them that were contented to pay the taxe imposed rather then they would leaue their vanity and next of them also that would rather reforme them selues then pay the taxe And some thinke that this law was deuised rather to take away their goodes then to let them to make shew of them and they haue a fonde opinion besides that their riches is better seene in superfluous things then in necessary Whereas they say Aristotle the Philosopher did wonder more then at any other thing how men could thinke them more rich and happy that had many curious and superfluous things then those that had necessary and profitable things And Scopas the THESSALIAN when one of his familiar frends asked him I know not what trifling thing to make him graunt it the sooner told him it was a thinge he might well spare and did him no good mary sayeth he all the goodes I haue are in such toyes as do me no good So this couetous desire we haue to be rich commeth of no necessary desire in nature but is bred in vs by a false opinion from the common sorte Now Cato caringe least of all for the exclamations they made against him grewe to be more straight and seuere For he cut of the pipes and quilles priuate men had made to conuey water into their houses gardens robbing the city of the water that came from their cōmon conduite heades and did plucke downe also mens porches that were made before their dores into the strete brought downe the prises of cōmon workes in the city and moreouer raised the common farmes and customes of the city as high as he could all which things together made him greatly hated and enuied of most men Wherefore Titus Flaminius and certaine other beinge bent against him in open Senate caused all Catoes couenauntes and bargaines made with the master worke man for repayring mending of the common buildings holy places to be made voide as things greatly preiudiciall to the common wealth And they did also stirre vp the boldest and rashest of the Tribunes of the people against him bicause they should accuse him vnto the people and make request he might be condemned in the summe of two talentes They did maruelously hinder also the buildinge of the pallace he built at the charge of the common wealth looking into the market place vnder the Senate house which pallace was finished notwithstanding called after his name Basilica Porcia as who would say the pallace Porcius the Censor built Howebeit it seemed the people of ROME did greatly like and commend his gouernment in the Censorshippe For they set vp a statue of him in the temple of the goddesse of health whereunder they wrote not his victories nor triumphe but only ingraued this inscription word for worde to this effect by translation For the honor of Marcus Cato the Censor bicause he reformed the discipline of the common wealth of ROME that was farre out of order and giuen to licentious life by his wife preceptes good maners and holy institutions In deede before this image was set vp for him he was wont to mocke at them that delighted and were desirous of such thinges saying they did not consider how they bragged in founders painters and image makers but nothing of their vertues and that for him selfe the people did alwayes cary liuely images of him in their hartes meaninge the memory of his life doings When some wondered why diuerse meane men and vnknowen persones had images set vp of them and there were none of him he gaue them this aunswer I had rather men should aske why Cato had no Image set vp for him then why he had any In the ende he would haue no honest man abide to be praised onles his praise turned to the benefit of the common wealth and yet was he one of them that would most praise him selfe So that if any done a fault or slept awry and that men had gone about to reproue them he woulde say they were not to be blamed for they were no Catoes that did offende And such as counterfeated to follow any of his doinges and came shorte of his maner he called them left handed Catoes He would say that in most daungerous times the Senate vsed to cast their eyes vpon him as passengers on the sea do looke vpon the master of the shippe in a storme that many times when he was absent the Senate would put ouer matters of importance vntill he might come amonge them And this is confirmed to be true as well by other as by him selfe His authority was great in matters of state for his wisedome his eloquence and great experience Besides this commendacion they praised him for a good father to his children a good husband to his wife a good sauer for his profit for he was neuer careles of them as things to be lightly passed on And therfore me thinkes I must nedes tell you by the way some parte of his well doinge to followe our declaration of him First of all he maried a gentlewoman more noble then rich knowing that either of both should make her proude stoute enough but yet the euer thought the nobler borne would be the more ashamed of dishonesty then the meaner borne and therefore that they would be more obedient to their husbandes in all honest maner and reasonable things Furthermore he sayd that he that bet his wife or his child did commit as great a sacriledge a if he polluted of spoiled the holyest thinges of the world and he thought it a greater praise for a man to be a good husband then a good Senator And therefore he thought nothinge more commendable in the life of olde Socrates then his pacience in vsing his wife well that was such a shrewe and his children that were so harebrainde After Catoes wife had brought him a sonne he could not haue so earnest busines in hande if it had not touched the common wealth but he would let all alone to go home to his house about the time his wife did vnswadell the younge boy to washe and shift him for she gaue it sucke with her owne brestes and many times woulde let the slaues children sucke of her also bicause they might
in like maner and so followed Titus charret on the day of his triumphe and entrie made into ROME in the triumphing manner It was a goodly sight also to see the spoyles of the enemies which were caried in the show of this triumphe as store of helmets after the GREECIANS facion heapes of targets shieldes and pykes after the MACEDONIAN manner with a wonderfull summe of gold and siluer For Itanus the historiographer writeth that there was brought a maruelous great masse of treasure in niggots of golde of three thousand seuen hundred and thirteene pounde weight and of siluer of forty three thousande two hundred three score and tenne pound weight and of gold ready coyned in peeces called Philips foureteene thousand fiue hundred and foureteene besides the thousand talents king Philip should pay for a raunsome The which summe the ROMAINES afterwardes forgaue him chiefly at Titus sute and intercession who procured that grace for him and caused him to be called a frend and confederate of the people of ROME and his sonne Demetrius to be sent vnto him againe who remained before as an hostage at ROME Shortely after king Antiochus went out of ASIA into GREECE with a great fleete of shippes and a very puisant army to stirre vp the cities to forsake their league and allyance with the ROMAINES and to make a dissention amongest them To further this his desire and enterprise the AETOLIANS did aide and backe him which of long time had borne great and secrete malice against the ROMAINES and desired much to haue had warres with them So they taught king Antiochus to say that the warre which he tooke in hande was to set the GREECIANS at liberty whereof they had no neede bicause they did already enioy their liberty but for that they had no iust cause to make warre they taught him to cloke it the honestest way he coulde Wherefore the ROMAINES fearinge greatly the rising of the people the rumor of the power of this great king they sent thither Manius Acilius their generall and Titus one of his Lieutenaunts for the GREECIANS sakes Which arriuall did the more assure them that already bare good will to the ROMAINES after they had once seene Manius and Titus and the rest that beganne to flie out and to shrinke from them those Titus kept in obedience from starting remembringe them of the frendship and good will they had borne him euen like a good skilfull phisitian that coulde geue his pacient phisicke to preserue him from a contageous disease In deede there were some but fewe of them that left him which were won and corrupted before by the AETOLIANS and though he had iust cause of offence towardes them yet he saued them after the battell For king Antiochus being ouercome in the contry of THERMOPYLES fled his way and in great hast tooke the sea to returne into ASIA And the Consull Manius following his victory entred into the contry of the AETOLIANS where he tooke certaine townes by force and left the other for a pray vnto kinge Philip. So Philip kinge of MACEDON on the one side spoyled and sacked the DOLOPIANS the MAGNESIANS the ATHAMANIANS and the APERANTINES and the Consull Manius on the other side destroyed the city of HERACLEA and layed siege to the citie of NAVPACTVN which the AETOLIANS kept But Titus takinge compassion of them to see the poore people of GREECE thus spoiled and turned out of all went out of PELOPONNESVS where he was then vnto Manius Acilius campe and there reproued him for suffering king Philip to vsurpe the benefit and reward of his honorable victory still conqueringe many people kings and contries whilest he continued siege before a city and only to wreake his anger vpon them Afterwardes when they that were besieged saw Titus from their walles they called him by his name and helde vp their handes vnto him prayinge him he would take pitie vpon them but he gaue them neuer a word at that time and turning his backe vnto them he fell a weeping Afterwards he spake with Manius and appeasing his anger got him to graunt the AETOLIANS truce for certaine dayes in which time they might sende Ambassadors to ROME to see if they could obtaine grace and pardon of the Senate But the most trouble and difficulty he had was to intreate for the CHALCIDIANS with whome the Consull Manius was more grieuously offended then with all the rest bicause that kinge Antiochus after the warres was begonne had maried his wife in their citie when he was past yeares of mariage and out of all due time For he was now very olde and beinge in his extreame age and in the middest of his warres he fell in dotage with a yoūg gentlewoman the daughter of Cleoptolemus the fayrest woman that was at that time in all GREECE Therefore the CHALCIDIANS were much affected vnto king Antiochus and did put their city into his handes to serue him in this warre for a strong safe retyring place Wherupō whē Antiochus had lost the battel he came thither with all possible speede and takinge from thence with him his passinge fayer younge Queene which he had maried and his golde his siluer and frendes he tooke the seaes incontinently and returned into ASIA For this cause the Consull Manius hauing wonne the battell did marche straight with his army towardes the citie of CHALCID◠in a greate rage and fury But Titus that followed him did alwayes lye vppon him to pacifie his anger and did so much intreate him together with the other ROMAINES of state and authoritie in counsell that in the ende he gotte him to pardone them of CHALCIDE also Who bicause they were preserued from perill by his meanes they to recompence this fact of his did consecrate vnto him all their most stately and sumptuous buildinges and common workes in their citie as appeareth yet by the superscriptions remaininge to be seene at this day As in the show place of exercises The people of CHALCIDE did dedicate this show place of exercises vnto Titus Hercules And in the temple called Delphinium The people of CHALCIDE did consecrate this temple vnto Titus and vnto Apollo And furthermore vnto this present time there is a priest chosen by the voyce of the people purposely to do sacrifice vnto Titus in which sacrifice after that the thing sacrificed is offered vp and wine powred apon it the people standing by do sing a song of triumphe made in praise of him But bicause it were to long to wryte it all out we haue only drawen in briefe the latter end of the same and this it is The cleare vnspotted faith of Romaines vve adore And vovv to be their faithfull frendes both novv and euer more Sing out you Muses nyne to loues eternall fame Sing out the honor due to Rome and Titus vvorthy name Sing out I say the praise of Titus and his faith By vvhom you haue preserued bene from ruine dole and death Now the
the Senate by the next Censors and many iudge that he was worthy of this infamy for that he was periured in iudgement or bicause he was so subiect and geuen to his pleasure Caius Herennius was also called for a witnesse against Marius but he did alleage for his excuse that the law and custome did dispense with the Patrone to be a witnesse against his follower client and he was quit by the iudges For the ROMAINES alwayes call those Patrons who take the protection of meaner then them selues into their handes saying that Marius predecessors and Marius him selfe had euer bene followers of the house of the HERENNIANS The iudges receiued his aunswere and allowed thereof But Marius spake against it alleaging that since he had receiued this honor to beare office in the common wealth he was now growen from this base condicion to be any more a follower of any man the which was not true in all For euery office of a Magistrate doth not exempt him that hath the office nor yet his posterity to be vnder the patronage of an other nor doth discharge him from the duety of honoring them but of necessity he must be a Magistrate which the law doth permit to sit in the crooked chayer called Curulis that is to say caried vppon a charet through the city But notwithstanding that at the first hearing of this cause Marius had but ill successe and that the iudges were against him all they could yet in the ende for all that at the last hearing of his matter Marius contrary to all mens opinions was discharged bicause the iudges opinions with and against him fell to be of like number He vsed him selfe very orderly in his office of Praetorshippe and after his yeare was out when it came to deuide the prouinces by lot SPAINE fell vnto him which is beyond the riuer of Baetis where it is reported that he skowred all the contrie thereabouts of theeues and robbers which notwithstanding was yet very cruell and sauage for the rude barbarous and vnciuill manner and facion of life of the inhabitantes there For the SPANYARDS were of opinion euen at that time that it was a goodly thinge to liue apon thefte and robbery At this returne to ROME out of SPAYNE desiring to deale in matters of the common wealth he saw that he had neither eloquence nor riches which were the two meanes by the which those that were at that time in credit and authority did cary the people euen as they would Notwithstanding they made great accompt of his constancy and noble minde they found in him of his great paynes and trauell he tooke continually and of the simplicity of his life which were causes to bring him to honor and preferment insomuch as he maried very highly For he maried Iulia that was of the noble house of the Caesars and aunte vnto Iulius Caesar who afterwardes came to be the chiefest man of all the ROMAINES and who by reason of that allyance betwene them seemed in some thinges to followe Marius as we haue wrytten in his life Marius was a man of great temperaunce and pacience as may be iudged by an acte he did puttinge him selfe into the handes of surgeons For his shanckes and legges were full of great swollen veynes and being angrie bicause it was no pleasaunt thinge to beholde he determined to put him selfe into the handes of surgeons to be cured And first laying out one of his legges to the surgeon to worke vpon he would not be bound as others are in the like case but paciently abode all the extreame paines a man must of necessity feele being cut without sturring groning or sighing still keeping his countenaunce and sayed neuer a word But when the surgeon had done with his first legge and would haue gone to the other he would not geue it him nay sayd he I see the cure is not worth the paine I must abide Afterwardes Caecilius Metellus the Consull being appointed to go into AFRICKE to make warre with king Iugurthe tooke Marius with him for one of his Lietenauntes Marius being there seeing notable good seruice to be done and good occasion to shew his manhoode was not of minde in this voyage to increase Metellus honor and reputacion as other Lieutenauntes did and thought that it was not Metellus that called him forth for his Lieutenaunt but fortune her selfe that presented him a fit occasion to raise him to greatnes and as it were did lead him by the hand into a goodly field to put him to the proofe of that he coulde doe And for this cause therefore he endeuored him selfe to shew all the possible proofes of valliantnesse and honor he could For the warres being great continually there he neuer for feare refused any attempt or seruice how daungerous or painfull so euer it were neither disdained to take any seruice in hand were it neuer so litle but exceeding all other his fellowes and companions in wisedome and foresight in that which was to be done and striuing with the meanest souldiers in liuing hardly and painefully wanne the goodwill and fauor of euery man For to say truely it is a great comforte refreshing to souldiers that labor to haue companiōs that labor willingly with them For they thinke that their company laboring with them doth in manner take away the compulsion and necessity Furthermore it pleaseth the ROMAINE souldier maruelously to see the Generall eate openly of the same bread he eateth or that he lyeth on a hard bed as he doth or that him selfe is the first man to set his hande to any worke when a trenche is to be cast or their campe to be fortified For they doe not so much esteeme the Captaines that honor and reward them as they doe those that in daungerous attempts labor and venture their liues with them And further they do farre better loue them that take paines with them then those that suffer them to liue idlely by them Marius performing all this and winning thereby the loue and goodwills of his souldiers he straight filled all LIBYA and the city of ROME with his glory so that he was in euery manns mouth For they that were in the campe in AFRICKE wrote vnto them that were at ROME that they should neuer see the ende of these warres against this barbarous king if they gaue not the charge vnto Marius and chose him Consull These thinges misliked Metellus very much but specially the misfortune that came apon Turpilius did maruelously trouble him which fell out in this sorte Turpilius was Metellus frende yea he and all his parentes had followed Metellus in this warre being master of the workes in his campe Metellus made him gouernor ouer the city of VACCA a goodly great city and he vsing the inhabitantes of the same very gently and curteously mistrusted nothing till he was fallen into the handes of his enemies through their treason For they had brought king
fought to keepe the way open for him with so great labor and paine that they were all wearie and ouerharried And furthermore there fell a maruelous great shower of raine vpon them as they were busie opening the way that troubled them more then the labor they had in hande Whereuppon the priuate Captaines of the bandes went to make Sylla vnderstande it and to pray him to deserre the battell vntill an other day showing him howe the souldiers wearied with labor lay downe vpon their targettes on the grounde to take their case Sylla perceiuing this was contented withall though greatly in deede against his will. But when he had geuen the signall to lodge and that they beganne to trenche and fortifie their campe Marius the younger commeth a horse backe marching brauely before all his companie hoping to haue surprised his enemies in disorder and by that meanes to haue ouerthrowen them easily But farre otherwise did fortune then performe the reuelation which Sylla had in his foresayed dreame for his men fallinge in a rage withall left their worke in the trenche where they wrought stucke their dartes vppon the bancke ranne vppon their enemies with their swordes drawen and with a maruelous crie set apon them so valliantly that they were not able to resist their furie but sodainly turned their backes and fled where there was a great and notable slaughter made of them Marius their Captaine fled to the citie of PRAENESTE where he found the gates shut but they threw him downe a rope from the wall which he tied about his midle and so was triced vp by it Yet some wryters say and Fenestella among other that Marius neuer sawe the battell for beinge wearied with labor and verie sleepie he laye vnder some tree in the shadowe to rest a litle after he had geuen the signall and word of the battell and slept so sowndly that he coulde scant awake with the noyse and fleeinge of his men Sylla him selfe wryteth that he lost at this battell but three and twentie men slewe twentiethowsande of his enemies and tooke eight thowsande prisoners His Lieutenauntes also had the like good successe in other places Pompeius Crassus Metellus and Seruilius which without any losse of their men or but with a verie small ouerthrewe many great mightie armies of their enemies Insomuch as Carbo the heade and chiefe of all the contrarie faction and he that most maintained it fled one night out of his campe and went beyonde the seaes into AFRICKE The last battell that Sylla had was agianst Thelesinus SAMNYTE who comming like a fresh champion to set apon him when he was already 〈…〉 ried and had fought many battells had almost slaine him euen at ROME gates For Thelesinus hauinge gathered together a great number of souldiers with one Lamponius LVCANIAN marched with all speede towards the city of PRAENESTE to deliuer Marius the younger that was besieged there But vnderstandinge that Sylla on the side came in great haste also to meete him and that Pomponius came behinde him on the other side perceiuing moreouer that the way was so shut vp that he could neither go forward nor backeward being a vallian◠souldier and one that had bene in many great foughten fieldes most daungerously ventured to go straight to ROME And so stale away by night with all his whole power and marching to ROME ward had almost taken it at his first comming for that there was neither watch nor ward kept but he stayed happely tenne furlonges from the gate Collina bragging with him selfe and beleuing that he should doe wonders for that he had mocked so many great Captaines The next morning betimes came diuerse young noble men and gentlemen out of the citie to skirmishe with Thelesinus who slue a great number of them and among others one Appius Claudius a young gentleman of a noble house and very honest Whereuppon as you may easily imagine the city trembled for feare and specially the women who fell a shreeking and running vp and downe as if they had bene all taken But in this great feare and trouble Balbus whom Sylla had sent came first with seuen hundred horse vpon the spurre and staying but a litle to coole and geue them breath brideled straight againe and went to set apon the enemies thereby to stay them Soone after him came Sylla also who commaunded his men that came first quickely to eate somwhat and that done put them straight in battell ray notwithstanding that Dolobella and Torquatus perswaded him to the contrary and besought him not to put his souldiers wearied with their iorney to so great and manifest a daunger and the rather bicause the had not to fight with Carbo and Marius but with the SAMNYTES and LVCANES who were both warlike nations good souldiers and those besides that most deadly hated the ROMANES But for all that Sylla draue them backe and commaunded his trumpets to sounde the alarome being almost within foure houres of night and this battell was sharper and more cruell then any other that euer he fought before The right wing where Crassus was had the better much but the left wing was very sore distressed stoode in great perill Sylla hearing thereof and thinking to helpe it got vp vppon a white courser that was both swift and very strong The enemies knewe him and there were two that lifted vp their armes to throw their dartes at him whom he saw not but his page gaue his horse such a lash with his whippe that he made him so to gird forward as the very pointes of the dartes came hard by the horse tayle and stucke fast in the grounde Some say that Sylla had a litle golden image of Apollo which he brought from the city of DELPHES and in time of warres ware it alwayes in his bosome which he then tooke in his hand and kissing it sayd O Apollo Pythias hast thou so highly exalted Cornelius Sylla so fortunate hitherto through so many famous victories and wilt thou now with shame ouerwhelme him wholly euen at the very gates of his owne naturall city among his contry men And so crying out to Apollo for helpe thrust into the prease among his men intreating some threatning others and layinge apon the rest stay them But for all he coulde doe all the left winge of his army was broken and ouerthrowen by his enemies and him selfe amongest them that fled was compelled to recouer his campe with speede hauing lost many of his frendes and familiars There were moreouer many citizens slaine and troden vnder seete both with horse and men that came only to see the battell fought so that they within the city thought them selues vtterly vndone Lucretius of sella furthermore he that besieged Marius in the citie of PRAENESTE had almost raised his siege vpon the wordes of them that fled and came thither from the battell who wished him to remoue with all speede possible for Sylla was slaine and
loued and esteemed that they called him the kinges father Mithridates at the beginning of his warres had sent him Ambassador vnto Tigranes to pray ayde of him against the ROMANES At which time Tigranes sayd vnto him â—â—â— what sayest thou to it Metrodorus what aduise wilt thou geue me Metrodorus either bicause he had regard vnto Tigranes profit or else bicause he was loth Mithridates should escape aunswered him againe As Ambassador O king I would wish you should do it but as a counsellor that you should not do it Tigranes now reported this speache vnto Mithridates not the king he would haue hurt Metrodorus for it though in deede he presently put him to death vpon it Whereat Tigranes was hartely sorie and repented him greatly to haue tolde him so much although he was not altogether the occasion of his casting away hauing but only â—uiued Mithridates euill will before conceiued against him For he had borne him displeasure of a long time as appeared amongst his secret papers and writings that were taken from him where he had ordained that Metrodorus should be put to death but in recompence thereof Tigranes buried his body honorably sparing no cost at all vnto the dead body of him whom liuing he had betrayed There dyed in king Tigranes courte also an Orator called Amphicrates if he deserue that mention should be made of him for the citie of ATHENS sake whereof he was borne for it is sayd that when he was banished out of his contrie he fled into the city of SELEVCIA which standeth vpon the riuer of Tigris When the inhabitaÌ„ts of the same praied him to teache them the arte of eloquence in their contrie he would not vowchesaue it but aunswered them prowdly that a platter was too litle to holde a Dolphine in meaning that their citie was too small a thing to containe it From thence he went vnto Cleopatra Mithridates daughter and king Tigranes wife where he was quickely suspected and accused so that he was forbidden to frequent the GRAECIANS coÌ„pany any more which grieued him so much that he famished him selfe to death and would eate no meate And that man was also very honorably buried by the Queene Cleopatra nere vnto a place called Sapha as they call it in that contry Now when Lucullus had quieted all thinges in ASIA and had established good laâ—â—â— among them he was not carelesse also of games and pleasaunt pastimes but while he was at leasure in the city of EPHESVS he made many games feastes wrestlinges and fence playes at the sharpe for ioy of his victory delighting all the cities of ASIA with them the which in recompence therof did institute a solemne feast also in the honor of him which they called Lucullea and did celebrate it with great ioy shewing a true and no fained frendshippe and good will towardes him which pleased him better and was more to his contentation then all the honor they could deuise to geue him But after that Appius Clodius was returned from his Ambassade and had tolde Lucullus that he must make warres with Tigranes Lucullus went backe againe vnto the realme of PONTVS where he tooke his armie which he had left in garrison and brought it before the city of SINOPE to lay siege vnto it or rather to besiege certaine CILICIANS that were gotten into the city in the behalfe of Mithridates But when they sawe Lucullus come against them they slue a great number of the citizens and setting fire on the city fled their way by night Lucullus being aduertised of it entred the citie put eight thowsande of the CILICIANS to the sword which he found there and restored the naturall citizens and inhabitantes thereof to all that was theirs But the originall cause that made him to be carefull to preserue the city was this vision he had He thought in his nightes dreame that one came to him and sayd goe a litle further Lucullus for Autolycus commeth who is desirous to speake with thee This dreame awaked him but being awake could not imagine what the vision ment It was the selfe same day on the which he tooke the city of SINOPE where following the CILICIANS that escaped by flying he found an image lying on the ground vpon the sea side which the CILICIANS would haue caried away but they were taken and followed so neere that they had no leasure to shippe it This statue as it is reported was one of the goodliest and notablest workes of Sthenis the Image grauer And some say that it was the image of Autolycus who founded the city of SINOPE For Autolycus was one of the princes that went out of THESSALIE with Hercules to go against the AMAZONES and he was the sonne of Deimachus And they reporte that at the returne from this voyage the shippe in the which Autolycus was imbarked with Demoleon Phlogius made shippewracke vpon a rocke on the coast of CHERRONESVS where she was cast away howbeit that he his meÌ„ scaping with all their furniture came to the city of SINOPE which he tooke from certaine SYRIANS who came as they say of one Syrus the sonne of Apollo and of the nimphe Sinope Asopus daughter Lucullus vnderstanding this matter called a saying of Sylla to minde which he wrote in his commentaries that nothing is more certaine nor that we may geue more credit vnto then that which is signified to vs by dreames In the meane season he was aduertised that Tigranes Mithridates were ready to come downe into LYCAONIA and CILICIA bicause they might first enter ASIA Lucullus marueled much at Tigranes counsell that sithence he was minded to warre with the ROMANES he did not vse Mithridates ayde in his warres at such time as when he was in his best strength and force and that he did not then ioyne his power with Mithridates rather then suffer him to be destroyed and ouerthrowen and afterwards with a cold hope go now to begin a new warre hazarding him selfe with those that could not helpe them selues While these thinges paffed in this sorte Machares king Mithridates sonne that kept the realme of BOSPHORVS sent a crowne of golde vnto Lucullus of the waight of a thowsande crownes praying him that he would name him a frende and confederate of the ROMANES Whereupon Lucullus thought he was then at the very last ende of his first warre and leauing Sornatius with sixe thowsand men to keepe the realme of PONTVS he departed with twelue thowsand footemen and lesse then three thowsand horsemen to go to the second warres And herein all the world condemned him and thought it too rash and light a parte of him to goe with so small a company to fight with so many warlike nations and to put him selfe vnto the hazard of so many thowsandes of horsemen in a maruelous large contry and of a wonderfull length enuironned round about with deepe riuers and mountaines couered with snowe all the yeare through so
and lasie that they could endure no paines nor hardnes of warres but desired to liue in all idlenes and ease And hearing the reporte of their fellowes stowtenesse called them lustie laddes saying they must needes take the like course and doe as they taught them vaunting of their good seruice of long time done which well deserued leaue nowe to departe home with safety and thenceforth take their rest Lucullus hearing of this their talke many other their words worse and fuller of sedition then these brake of his enterprise against the PARTHIANS and went againe in the middest of sommer to meete with Tigranes But when he was come to the top of mount Taurus it grieued him to see the fields so full of wheate yet standing which came by the season of the yeare and coldnes of the ayer being so slacke and slowe in all those partes Neuertheles he came downe into the valley and at two or three skirmishes ouerthrew the ARMENIANS that ventered to abide his comming downe And ranne ouer all the valley and destroyed the whole contry without let or stoppe of any man taking away the prouision of corne that was made for Tigranes campe wherby he straighted his enemies vnto that nede and necessity of vittells which him selfe feared yet ceased not to prouoke them by all other meanes to come to battell Somtime enclosing their cāpe with trenches about as if he ment to famish them somtime againe destroying and spoyling the whole contry before their face But bicause they had so ofte bene discomfited they would no more stirre nor once moue against him Lucullus perceiuing that in the end raised his campe went and layed siege vnto ARTAXATA the chiefe city of the kingdom of ARMENIA in the which were Tigranes lawfull wiues young children hoping that Tigranes would rather hazard an other battell then suffer that city to be lost It is sayd that Hanniball of CARTHAGE after king Antiochus was ouerthrowen in battell by the ROMANES went vnto king Artaxes whom he taught many necessary and profitable things for his realme amongest others considering that one of the goodliest and pleasauntest places of all his kingdom lay wast and no reckoning made of it drewea plat of a city brought the king thither and caused it to be built and inhabited The king liked his deuise maruelous well and prayed him to take the charge vpon him to see the worke finished And thus was this noble and famous city built and called after the kings name Artaxata and held euer after the reputacion of the chiefest place of the whole realme of ARMENIA Tigranes being aduertised that Lucullus went to laye siege thereunto could not endure it but went with all his army to follow the ROMANES and the fourth day came and camped hardly them insomuch as there was but the riuer of Arsanias betwene them which the ROMANES of necessitie must passe ouer to goe to ARTAXATA Lucullus hauinge first sacrificed vnto the goddes assuring him selfe of the victorie as if he had it already in his handes made his armie passe ouer in order of battell putting twelue cohortes in the fronte and the other behinde fearing least the enemies hauing a great number of men of armes shoulde enuironne them at their backes They had against them also the MARDIAN bow men a horse backe and the IBERIANS with their laūces in whom Tigranes trusted more then in any other as in the best souldiers he had in pay and yet for all that they did no notable seruice For when they had skirmished but a litle with the horsemen of the ROMANES they durst not tarie the legyonaries or footebands that came behinde them but dispersed them selues some flying one way some an other which intised the ROMANE horsemen to follow the chase But when the men of armes that were about Tigranes person sawe the horsemen so scattered abroade they began straight to breake vpon the footemen Lucullus seeing the great multitude of them and how passingly they were armed and appointed being somewhat affrayed thereof sent in hast to call in his horsemen that followed the chase and in the meane time him selfe marched foremost against these Lordes and Sarrapes which were in the fronte before him with all the nobility of their hoast whom he put in such a feare that before he could come to hand strokes they all turned taile and fled There were three kinges ranged in battell one hard by an other howbeit of the three he that fled most shamefully and cowardly was Mithridates king of PONTVS who had not the hart so much as to abide the cries of the ROMANES The chase was very long for it continued all night vntill such time as the ROMANES were wearied with killing taking of prisoners and packing vp of all kindes of spoyles Titus Liuius sayeth that there were slaine moe men in the first battell but greater personages in the seconde and the chiefest of the enemies were all taken After this battell Lucullus hart being bigge and fearing nothing determined to goe further into the contry euen vtterly to destroy this barbarous king But in the time of the equinoctiall autumne when the weather waxed more bitter then any man would in that season haue thought there fell out so great a cold that for the most part it did nothing but snow and if the element did any thing cleere then frose it so hard that the horse could come by no water the riuers were so extreamely congealed with I se And there could no man passe ouer by forde for they did not so soone enter but the I se brake and cut the vaines sinewes of the horse legges a sunder they were so hard and thicke withall And furthermore the contry being full of trees woddes and forrestes and the wayes very narrowe not being able to passe by the fieldes they were through wet with snow that fell vpon them when they came to their lodging then it was worse for there were they constrained to lye in soft moyst places And therefore the souldiers had followed but few dayes after this battell but they refused to goe any further And first they sent their Collonells and Captaines to intreate Lucullus to leaue of this iorney Afterwards they gathered more boldly in trowpes and in the night time beganne to murmure and groyne in their tents which is a certaine signe and token of a mutinous armie that hath a minde to rebell against their Generall although that Lucullus vsed all gentle perswasions to winne them with pacience to abide this iorney at the least till time they might take the citie of CARTHAGE in ARMENIA to th ende they might there destroy the worke and memory of the greatest enemy that euer the ROMANES had in this world meaning Hanniball But when he saw all this would not preuaile he brought them backe againe passed ouer mount Taurus an other way and came downe into the contry called MYGDONIA
the way as they went in his procession so nobly set forth euen vnto the very temple of Apollo And when the sacrifice the feast and games that were to be played were finished he gaue a goodly palme tree of copper which he offered vp to Apollo bought landes besides that cost him tenne thowsande Drachmas which he consecrated also vnto the god Pâ—â—â—on of the Ileâ— and ordained that the profittes of the same should be yearely bestowed by the Dâ—LIANS apon an open sacrifice and feast in the which they should pray to their god for the health and prosperity of Nicias and so caused it to be wrytten and grauen apon a piller be left in DELOS as a perpetuall monument and keeper of his offring and foundation Afterwards this copper palme tree being broken by windes it fell apon the great image of the NAXIANS gift and threw it downe to the ground Surely in this ceremony and act of his there was a maruelous pompe great shew of popular ambition neuerthelesse he that shall consider of his life and actions may easely perswade him selfe that aboue all he did it of very pure zeale deuotion and secondly to geue pleasure and pastime to the people For by Thucydides reporte of him he was one that feared the gods with trembling and was wholly geuen to religion We finde wrytten in one of the dialogues of Pasiphoon that Nicias did sacrifice dayly to the goddess and kept a soothsayer continually in his house geuing out abroade that it was to counsayle with him what should happen about the affayers of the common wealth but in troth it was to inquier of his owne busines and specially of his mynes of siluer For he had many great mynes about LAVRION side that were very profitable to him but withall they digged with great daunger and he was driuen continually to kepe a maruelous number of slaues at worke there The most parte of Nicias riches was in ready money and thereby he had many crauers and hangers on him whome he gaue money vnto for he gaue as well vnto wicked people that might doe mischiefe as vnto them that deserued reward and were worthie of his liberalitie Thus was his feare a rent to the wicked as his liberalitie was also a reuenue to the good and hereof the comicall Poets doe deliuer vs auncient testimony For Teleclides speaking of a certaine informer sayth thus Charicles did refuse to geue one Mina for to stay The bruting of his secret birth conueyed close avvay But Nice the sonne of Nicerate did vvillingly bestovv A brace of Minaze doble told And though I vvell doe knovv The cause of his so doing yet I vvill not him bevvray For vvhy The man is my good frend and vvise I dare vvell say And he whom Eupolis mocketh in his comedy intituled Maricas bringing a plaine simple man apon the stage doth aske him The informer Hovv long is it a goe since thou didst speake vvith Nicias The plaine man. I savv him standing euen right novv vpon the market place The informer This man affirms be savv him there And vvherefore should be say He savv him but of some intent his levvdnes to bevvray Novv sâ—rs ye see hovv Nicias here is taken in the trip For all his vvalking close in clovvdes to geue the priuy-slip The Author O foolish folke suppose ye that so good a man as he In any fault or shamefull fact vvill tardy taken be And Cleon threatning in the comedie of Aristophanes intituled the Knightes sayth these wordes The Orators if by the throte I take Then sure I am that Nicias streit vvill quake Phrynichus selfe also telleth vs glaunsingly that he was so timorous and easie to be frayed when he sayd speaking of an other man A good stovvt man I knovv full vvell he vvas And not a covvard like to Nicias Now Nicias being thus timerous of nature and fearing to geue any litle occasion to the Orators to accuse him kept himselfe so warely that he neither durst eate nor drinke with any man in the city nor yet put foorth him selfe in companie to talke or passe the time amongest them but altogether auoyded such sportes and pleasures For when he was in office he would neuer out of the counsayle house but still busied him selfe in dispatching causes from morning till night and was euer the first that came and last that went away And when he had no matter of state in hande then was he very hardly to be spoken withall and would suffer no accâ—sse vnto him but kept close in his house and some of his frendes did euer aunswere them that came to his gate and prayed them to pardon him saying that he was busie then about affayers of the common wealth One Hieron whom Nicias had brought vp in his house and had him selfe taught him both learning musicke was his greatest procurer and instrument to keepe him from speech with any man and brought him to this reputation of greatnes and grauety This Hieron as it is reported was the sonne of Dionysius Chalcus of whom they finde certaine Poeticall workes at this day who being Captaine of a certaine number of men that were sent to dwell in ITALIE did build there the citie of THVRIES Hieron I say did serue his turne and holpe his secretly to inquier what he would vnderstande of the Soothsayers and gaue out these wordes among the people that Nicias led too miserable and painefull a life for the ouergreat care he tooke to serue the common wealth insomuch as though he was in his hotte house to wash him or at his table at meate his minde ranne still of some matters about the common wealth and to serve the state did neglect his owne priuate affayers so that he scant beganne to sleepe take rest when others commonly had slept their first sleepe and that he looked like no body Furthermore that he was growen crabbed and vncurteous euen to such as before had bene his familiar frendes So that sayd he he loseth them together with his goodes and all for seruice of the common wealth where others grow rich and win frendes by the credit they haue to be heard to the people and can make mery among them and sporte with the matters of state which they haue in their handes Now in troth such was Nicias life that he might truely say that which Agamemnon spake of him selfe in the tragedie of Euripides called Iphigenie in AVLIDE In outvvard shovv of stately pompe all others I exceede And yet the peoples vnderling I am in very deede And Nicias perceiuing that the people in some thinges did serue their turnes with the experience of them that were eloquent wiser then others although they yet mistrusted their sufficiency and had a speciall eye to them plucking downe their corage by taking their authority from them as for proofe the condemnation of Pericles the banishment of Damon and the mistrust they had of Antiphon
withall but two dishefulls of barley for their breade and one of water for eche man a day In deede many of them were conueyed away and sold for slaues and many also that scaped vnknowen as slaues were also solde for bondmen whom they branded in the forehead with the printe of a horse who notwithstanding besides their bondage endured also this paine But such their humble pacience and modesty did greatly profit them For either shortly after they were made free men or if they still continued in bondage they were gently intreated and beloued of their masters Some of them were saued also for Euripides sake For the SICILIANS liked the verses of this Poet better than they did any other GRAECIANS verses of the middest of GRAECE For if they heard any rimes or songes like vnto his they would haue them by hart one would present thē to an other with great ioy And therfore it is reported that diuers escaping this bondage and returning againe to ATHENS went very louingly to salute Euripides to thanke him for their liues and told him how they were deliuered from slauery only by teaching them those verses which they remembred of his workes Others tolde him also how that after the battel they scaping by flight wandering vp and downe the fieldes met with some that gaue them meate drinke to sing his verses And this is not to be maruelled at weying the reporte made of a shippe of the city of CAVNVS that on a time being chased in thether by pyrates thinking to saue thē selues within their portes could not at the first be receiued but had repulse howbeit being demaunded whether they could sing any of Euripides songes and aunswering that they could were straight suffered to enter and come in The newes of this lamentable ouerthrow was not beleued at the first when they heard of it at ATHENS For a straunger that landed in the hauen of PIRAEA went and sat him downe as the maner is in a barbers shoppe thinking it had bene commonly knowen there beganne to talke of it The barber hearing the straunger tell of such matter before any other had heard of it ranne into the city as fast as he could and going to the gouernors tolde the newes openly before them all The magistrates thereupon did presently call an assembly and brought the barber before them who being demaunded of whom he heard these newes could make no certaine reporte Whereupon being taken for a forger of newes that without ground had put the city in feare and trouble he was presently bound and layed on a wheele wheron they vse to put offenders to death and so was there tormented a great time vntill at last there arriued certaine men in the city who brought too certaine newes thereof and told euery thing how the ouerthrow came So as in fine they found Nicias wordes true which now they beleued when they sawe all those miseries light fully apon them which he long before had prognosticated vnto them The end of Nicias life THE LIFE OF Marcus Crassus MArcus Crassus was the sonne of a Censor who had also receiued the honor of triumphe but him selfe was brought vp in a litle house with two other of his brethren which were both maried in their fathers mothers life time and kept house together Whereuppon it came to passe that he was a man of such sober and temperate dyet that one of his brethrē being deceased he maried his wife by whom he had children For women he liued as continent a life as any ROMANE of his time notwithstanding afterwardes being of riper yeares he was accused by Plotinus to haue deflowred one of the Vestall Nunnes called Licinia But in troth the cause of that suspicion grew thus Licinia had a goodly pleasaunt garden hard by the suburbes of the city wherewith Crassus was maruelously in loue and would faine haue had it good cheape and vpon this only occasion was often seene in speeche with her which made the people suspect him But foras much as it seemed to the iudges that his couetousnes was the cause that made him follow her he was clered of thincest suspected but he neuer lest followinge of the Nunne till he had got the garden of her The ROMANES say there was but that only vice of couetousnes in Crassus that drowned many other goodly vertues in him for mine owne opinion me thinkes he could not be touched with that vice alone without others since it grew so great as the note of that only did hide and couer all his other vices Nowe to set out his extreame couetous desire of getting naturally bred in him they proue it by two manifest reasons The first his maner and meanes he vsed to get and the seconde the greatnes of his wealth For at the beginning he was not left much more worthe then three hundred talentes And during the time that he delt in the affayers of the common wealth he offered the tenthes of all his goodes wholly vnto Hercules kept open house for all the people of ROME and gaue also to euery citizen of the same as much corne as would kepe him three monethes yet when he went from ROME to make warre with the PARTHIANS himselfe being desirous to know what all he had was worth founde that it amounted to the summe of seuen thowsande one hundred talentes But if I may with license vse euill speeche wryting a troth I say he got the most parte of his wealth by fire and blood raising his greatest reuenue of publicke calamities For when Sylla had takē the citie of ROME he made portesale of the goods of them whom he had put to death to those that gaue most tearming them his booty onely for that he would the nobility and greatest men of power in the citie should be partakers with him of this iniquity and in this open sale Crassus neuer lest taking of giftes nor bying of thinges of Sylla for profit Furthermore Crassus perceiuinge that the greatest decay commonly of the buildinges in ROME came by fire and falling downe of houses through the ouermuch weight by numbers of stories built one apon an other bought bondme that were masons carpinters and these deuisours and builders of those he had to the number of fiue hundred Afterwardes when the fire tooke any house he would buy the house while it was a burning and the next houses adioyning to it which the owners folde for litle being then in daunger as they were and a burning so that by proces of time the most parte of the houses in ROME came to be his But notwithstanding that he had so many slaues to his workemen he neuer built any house from the ground sauing his owne house wherein he dwelt◠saying that such as delighted to builde vndid them selues without helpe of any enemy And though he had many mynes of siluer many ploughes and a number of hyndes and plowmen to followe the
though his master Pompey was but meanly housed till his third Consullshippe Howbeit afterwardes he built that famous stately Theater called Pompeys Theater and ioyned vnto that also an other house as a penthouse to his Theater farre more sumptuous and stately then the first and yet no more then needed Insomuch as he that was owner of it after him when he came into it he marueled and asked where abouts it was that Pompey dyned supped These thinges are reported thus Now the king of the ARABIANS that dwelt also at the castell called Petra hauing neuer vntill that time made any accompt of the ROMANES army was 〈…〉 greatly affrayed of them and wrote vnto Pompey that he was at his deuotion to doe what he would commaunde him Pompey thereuppon to proue him whether he ment as he 〈…〉 brought his army before this castell of Petra Howebeit this voyage was not liked of many men bicause they iudged it was an occasion found out to leaue following of Mithridates against whom they would haue had him rather haue bent his force being an auncient enemy to ROME and that beganne to gather strength againe and prepared as they heard say to lead a great army through SCYTHIA and PANNONIA into ITALIE But Pompey thinking he should sooner minishe his power by suffering him to goe on with warres then that he should otherwise be able to take him flying would not toyle to follow him in vaine And for these causes he would needes make warres in other places and linger time so long that in the end he was put by his hope For when he was not farre from the castell of Petra had lodged his campe for that day as he was riding and managing his horse vp and downe the campe postes came stinging to him from the realme of PONTVS and brought him good newes as was easily to be discerned a farre of by the heades of their iauelings which were wreathed about with laurell boughes The souldiers perceiuing that flocked straight about him but Pompey would make an ende of his riding first before he red these letters Howbeit they crying to him and being importunate with him he lighted from his horse and returned into his campe where there was no stone high enough for him to stand vppon to speake vnto them and againe the souldiers would not tary the making of one after the manner of their campe which men of warre doe make them selues with great turnes of earth laying one of them vppon an other but for hast earnest desire they had to heare what newes there was in the letters they layed together a heape of saddells one apon an other and Pompey geuing vp of them colde howe Mithridates was dead and had killed him selfe with his owned handes bicause his sonne Pharnaces did rebell against him and had wonne all that which his father possessed wryting vnto him that he kept it for him selfe and the ROMANES Vpon these newes all the campe ye may imagine made wonderfull ioy and did sacrifice to the goddes geuing them thankes were as mery as if in Mithridates person alone there had dyed an infinite number of their enemies Pompey by this occasion hauing brought this warre more easily to passe then he hoped for departed presently out of ARABIA and hauing speedily in few dayes passed through the contries lying by the way he came at length to the city of AMISVS There he founde great presents that were brought vnto him from Pharnaces and many dead bodies of the kinges blood and amongest the rest Mithridates corse which could not well be discerned by his face bicause they that had the carying of his body had forgotten to drie vp the braine neuerthelesse such as desired to see him knew him by certaine skarres he had in his face For Pompey would is no wise see him but to auoide enuy sent him away vnto the city of SYNODE He wondred much at the maruelous sumptuons riche apparell and weapons that he ware The scaberd of his sword which cost foure hundred talents was stolen by Publius and sold to Ariarathes Also a hatte of Mithridates of wonderfull workemanshippe being begged of Carus his foster brother was secretly geuen to Faustus the sonne of Sylla without Pompeys priuity But afterwards when Pharnaces vnderstoode of it he punished the parties that had imbezelled them Pompey hauing ordered all things and established that prouince went on his iorney homewards with great pompe and glory So comming vnto MITYLENE he released the city of all taxes and paymentes for Theophanes sake was present at a certaine play they yearely make for gain or where the Poets report their workes contending one with an other hauing at that time no other matter in hande but Pompeys actes and ieâ—stes Pompey like exceeding well the Theater where these playes were made and drew a modell or platforme of it to make a statelye then that in ROME As he passed by the city of RHODES he would nedes heare all the Rethoritians dispute and gaue euery one of them a talent Posidonius hath written the disputation he made before Pompey against Hermagoras the Rethoritian vpon the theame and proposition Pompey selfe did geue them touching the generall question Pompey did the like at ATHENS vnto the Philosophers there For he gaue towards the reedifying of the city againe fifty talents So he thought at his returne home into ITALIE to haue bene very honorably receiued and longed to be at home to see his wife and children thinking also that they long looked for him that the god that hath the charge geuen him to mingle fortunes prosperity with some bitter soppe of aduersity layed a blocke in his way at home in his owne house to make his returne more sorowfull For Mutia his wife had in his abscence played false at tables But Pompey being then farre of made no account of the reportes nor tales that were tolde him Howbeit when he drewe neerer into ITALIES and that he was more attentiue to geue eare to the ill reportes he heard then he sent vnto her to tell her that he refused her for his wife wryting nothing to her at that time neither euer after told the cause why he had forsaken her Notwithstanding in Ciceroes Epistles the cause appeareth Furthermore there were rumors ranne abroade in ROME which troubled them sore being geuen out that he would bring his armie straight to ROME and make him selfe absolute Lord of all the ROMANE Empire Crassus thereuppon either for that he beleued it in deede to be true or as it was thought to make the accusation true and the entry towardes Pompey the greater conueyed him selfe his family and goodes sodainely out of ROME So Pompey when he came into ITALIE called all his souldiers together and after he had made an oration vnto them as time occasion required he commanded them to feuer them selues euery man to repaire home to apply his busines remeÌ„bring to mete at
NVMANTINES hearing of it first tooke his campe and then ranne after them that fled and setting vpon the rereward slue them and enuyronned all his armye So that they were driuen into straight and narrowe places where out they could by no meanes escape Thereuppon Mancinus dispayring that he could get out by force he sent a Herauld to the enemyes to treate of peace The NVMANTINES made aunswer that they would trust no man but Tiberius onely and therefore they willed he shoulde bee sent vnto them They desired that partly for the loue they bare vnto the vertues of the younge man bicause there was no talke of any other in all this warre but of him and partly also as remembring his father Tiberius who making warres in SPAYNE and hauing there subdued many nations he graunted the NVMANTINES peace the which he caused the ROMANES afterwardes to confirme and ratifie Hereuppon Tiberius was sent to speake with them and partly obteyning that he desired and partly also graunting them that they required he concluded peace with them whereby assuredly he saued the liues of twenty thowsande ROMANE Citizens besides slaues and other stragglers that willingly followed the campe This notwithstanding the NVMANTINES tooke the spoyle of all the goods they founde in the ROMANES campe amonge the which they founde Tiberius bookes of accompt touching the money disbursed of the treasure in his charge Tiberius beeing maruailous desirous to haue his bookes agayne returned backe to NVMANTIA with two or three of his friendes onely though the armye of the ROMANES were gone farre on their waye So comming to the towne he spake vnto the gouernors of the citie and prayed them to redeliuer him his bookes of accompt bicause his malicious enemies should not acouse him calling him to accompt for his doings The NVMANTINES were very glad of this good happe and prayed them to come into the towne He standing still in doubt with him selfe what to doe whether he should goe into the towne or not the gouernors of the citie came to him and taking him by the hande prayed he would thinke they were not his enemies but good friendes and that he would trust them Whereuppon Tiberius thought best to yeelde to their perswasion beeing desirous also to haue his bookes agayne and the rather for feare of offending the NVMANTINES if he shoulde haue denyed and mistrusted them When he was brought into the citie they prouided his dynner and were very earnest with him intreating him to dyne with them Then they gaue him his bookes againe and offered him moreouer to take what he woulde of all the spoyles they had gotten in the campe of the ROMANES Howebeit of all that he woulde take nothing but frankensence which he vsed when he did any sacrifice for his contry and then taking his leaue of them with thankes he returned When he was returned to ROME all this peace concluded was vtterly misliked as dishonorable to the maiestie of the Empire of ROME Yet the parents and friendes of them that had serued in this warre making the greatest part of the people they gathered about Tiberius saying that what faultes were committed in this seruice they were to impute it vnto the Consul Mancinus and not vnto Tiberius who had saued such a number of ROMANES liues Notwithstanding they that were offended with this dishonorable peace would that therein they should follow the example of their forefathers in the like case For they sent backe their Captaines naked vnto their enemies bicause they were contented the SAMNITS should spoyle them of that they had to escape with life Moreouer they did not onely send them the Captaines and Consuls but all those also that bare any office in the fielde and had consented vnto that condition to the ende they might lay all the periurie and breache of peace apon them Herein therefore did manifestly appeare the loue and good will the people did beare vnto Tiberius For they gaue order that the Consul Mancinus should be sent naked and bound vnto the NVMANTINES and for Tiberius sake they pardoned all the rest I thinke Scipio who bare great sway at the time in ROME and was man of greatest accompt did helpe him at that pinche who notwithstanding was ill thought of bicause he did not also saue the Consul Mancinus and confirme the peace concluded with the NVMANTINES considering it was made by Tiberius his friend kinsman But these mislikings grew chiefly through the ambition of Tiberius friendes certein learned men which stirred him vp against Scipio But yet it fell not out to open malice betwene them neither followed there any hurte apon it And surely I am perswaded that Tiberius had not fallen into those troubles he did afterwards if Scipio AFRICAN had bene present when he passed those thinges he preferred But Scipio was then in warres at the seege of NVMANTIA when Tiberius apon this occasion passed these lawes When the ROMANES in olde tyme had ouercomen any of their neighbours for raunsom they tooke oftentymes a great deale of their land from them parte whereof they solde by the cryer for the benefite of the common wealth and parte also they reserued to their state as demeane which afterwards was let out to farme for a small rent yearely to the poore Citizens that had no lands Howbeit the riche men inhaunsed the rents and so began to thrust out the poore men Thereuppon was an ordinance made that no Citizen of ROME should haue aboue fiue hundred acres lande This lawe for a ryme did bridle the couetousnes of the riche men and did ease the poore also that dwelt in the contry apon the farmes they had taken vp of the common wealth and so liued with their owne or with that their Auncestors had from the beginning But by proces of time their riche neighbours by names of other men got their farmes ouer their heads and in the end the most of them were openly seene in it in their own names Whereuppon the poore people being thus turned out of all went but with saint corage afterwards to the warre nor cared any more for bringing vp of children So that in shortime the free men left ITALY and slaues and barbarous people did replenish it whom the rich men made to plough those landes which they had taken from the ROMANES Caius Laelius one of Scipioes friends gaue an attempt to reforme this abuse but bicause the chiefest of the citie were against him fearing it would breake out to some vprore he desisted from his purpose and therefore he was called Laelius the wise But Tiberius being chosen Tribune he did forthwith preferre the reformation aforesayd being allured vnto it as diuers writers report by Diophanes the Orator and Blossius the Philosopher of the which Diophanes was banished from the citie of MITYLENE and Blossius the ITALIAN from the citie of CVMES who was scholler and famillier vnto Antipater of TARSVS at ROME by whome he was honored by certaine workes
daughter he named his sonne Alexander his daughter Cleopatra and gaue them to their surnames the Sunne to the one the moone to the other This notwithstanding he that could finely cloke his stramefull deedes with fine words said that the greames magnificence of the Empire of ROME appeared most not where the ROMANES tooke but where they gaue much nobility was multiplied amongest men by the posterity of kings when they left of their seede in diuers places and that by this meanes his first auncester was begotten of Hercules who had not left the hope and continuance of his line and posterity in the wombe of one only woman fearing Solons lawes or regarding the ordinaunces of men touching the procreacion of children but that he gaue it vnto nature and established the fundacion of many noble races and families in diuers places Nowe when Phraortes had slaine his father Orodes and possessed the kingdome many gentlemen of PARTHIA forsooke him and fled from him Amongst them was Manaset a noble man and of great authority among his contry men who came vnto Antonius that receiued him compared his fortune vnto Themistocles and his owne riches magnificence vnto the king of PERSIA For he gaue Monases three cities LARISSA ARETHVSA HIERAPOLIS which was called before BOMBYCE Howbeit the king of PARTHIA shortly after called him home againe vpon his faith word Antonius was glad to let him go hoping thereby as steale vpon Phraortes vnprouided For he sent vnto him told him that they would remaine good frends haue peace together so he would but only redeliuer the standerds ensignes of the ROMANES which the PARTHIANS had wonne in the battell where Marcus Crassus was slaine the men also that remained yet prisoners of this ouerthrow In the meane time he sent Cleopatra backe into AEGYPT tooke his way towards ARABIA ARMENIA there tooke a general muster of all his army he had together of the kings his cōsederats that were come by his cōmaundement to aide him being a maruelous number of the which the chiefest was Artauasdes king of ARMENIA who did furnish him with six thowsande horsemen and seuen thowsand footemen There were also of the ROMANES about three score thowsand footmen of horsemen SPANIARDS GAVLES reckoned for ROMANES to the number of ten thousand of other nations thirty thowsand men reckoning together the horsemen and light armed footemen This so great puisant army which made the INDIANS quake for feare dwelling about the country of the BACTRIANS and all ASIA also to tremble serued him to no purpose all for the loue he bare to Cleopatra For the earnest great desire he had to lye all winter with her made him begin his warre out of due time and for hast to put all in hazard being so rauished enchaunted with the sweete poyson of her loue that he had no other thought but of her how he might quickly returne againe more then he how might ouercome his enemies For first of all where he should haue wintered in ARMENIA to refresh his men wearied with the long iorney they had made hauing comen eight thowsand furlongs and then at the beginning of the spring to go and inuade MEDIA before the PARTHIANS should stirre out of their houses garrisons he could tary no lenger but led them forthwith vnto the prouince of ATROFATENE leauing ARMENIA on the left hand forraged al the contry Furthermore making all the hast he coulde he left behinde him engines of battery which were caried with him in three hūdred carts among the which also there was a ramme foure score foote long being things most necessary for him and the which he could not get againe for money if they were once lost or marted For the hie prouinc◠〈…〉 ASIA haue no trees growing of such height and length neither strong nor straight enough to make such like engines of battery This notwithstanding he left them all behind him as a hinderance to bring his matters intent speedily to passe and left a certaine number of men to keepe them and gaue them in charge vnto one Tatianus Then he went to besiege the citie of PHRAATA being the chiefest and greatest citie the king of MEDIA had where his wife and children were Then he straight sounde his owne fault and the want of his artillerie he left behinde him by the worke he had in hande for he was fayne for lacke of a breache where his men might come to the swords with their enemies that defended the walle to force a mount of earth hard to the walles of the citie the which by litle and litle with greate labour rose to some height In the meane time king Phraortes came downe with a great armie who vnderstanding that Antonius had left his engines of batterie behind him he sent a great number of horsemen before which enuironed Tatianus with all his cariage and slue him and ten thowsand men he had with him After this the barbarous people tooke these engines of battery and burnt them and got many prisoners amongst whom they tooke also king Polemon This discomfiture maruelously troubled all Antonius army to receiue so great an ouerthrow beyong their expectacion at the beginning of their iorney insomuche that Artahazus king of the ARMENIANS dispairing of the good successe of the ROMANES departed with his men notwithstanding that he was him selfe the first procurer of this warre and iorney On the other side the PARTHIANS came coragiously vnto Antonius campe who lay at the siege of their chiefest citie and cruelly reuiled and threatned him Antonius therefore fearing that if he lay still and did nothing his mens harts would faile them he tooke ten legions with three cohorts or ensignes of the Praetors which are companies appointed for the gard of the Generall and all his horsemen and caried them out to sorrage hoping therby he should easely allure the PARTHIANS to fight a battell But when he had marched about a dayes iorney form his campe he saw the PARTHIANS wheeling round about him to geue him the onset to skirmish with him when he would thinke to march his way Therefore he set out his signall of battell yet caused his tents and fardells to be trussed vp as though he ment not to fight but only to lead his men back againe Then he marched before the army of the barbarous people the which was marshald like a cressant or halfe moone and commaunded his horsemen that as soone as they thought the legions were nere enough vnto their enemies to set vpon the voward that then they should set spurres to their horses begin the charge The PARTHIANS standing in battell ray beholding the countenaunce of the ROMANES as they marched they appeared to be souldiers in deede to see them marche in so good array as was possible For in their march they kept the rankes a like space one
the straungers in hand withall whilest the SYRACVSANS slept tooke their ease by morning he had compassed the castel round about with a pale The next day they that saw the greatnes sodaine expedition of this worke wondred much at it as wel the enemies as also the Citizens when he had buried the dead bodies redeemed them that were taken prisoners which were not much lesse then two thowsand persons he called a common counsel of the citie in the which Heraclides made a motion that Dion should be chosen general of SYRACVSA with absolute power authoritie both by sea land The chiefest men of the citie liked very well of it and would haue had the people to haue past it But the rabble of these mariners and other mechanicall people liuing by their labor would not suffer Heraclides to be put from his Admiralship but fel to mutinie thinking that though Heraclides did them no pleasure els yet he would euer be a more populer man then Dion please the common people better Dion graunted their desire made Heraclides Admiral againe of the sea howbeit he did anger them as much an other way whē he did not only reiect the earnest sute they made to haue the law Agraria passe for diuision of lands in equalitie amongest them but did also cancel reuoke all that had ben done before Wherefore Heraclides remaining at MESSINA began thenceforth to enter into new practises again to flatter the souldiers sea fairing men he had brought thether with him to stirre them vp to rebel against Dion saying that he would make him selfe tyranne him selfe in the meane time secretly practised with Dionysius by meanes of a SPARTAN called Pharax The noblest men of the SYRACVSANS mistrusted it thereuppon there fell out great mutinie in their campe whereby also followed great famine in SYRACVSA so that Dion was at such a straight that he could not tell what to say to it was reproued of all his friends for that he had againe preferred to great authoritie against him selfe so vntractable a man so malicious wicked a person as Heraclides was Now when Pharax laye in campe with an army neare vnto the citie of NAPLES in the marches of the AGRIGENTINES Dion did bringe the army of the SYRACVSANS into the field being yet determined not to fight with him til another time But through Heraclides the sea mens crying out that said he would not try this warre by battel but would draw it out in length bicause he would be still generall he was forced to giue battell and lost it Howbeit the ouerthrow was not great and happened rather bicause his men were at a iarre among them selues by reason of their faction and diuision then otherwise Dion therefore prepared to fight another battell and gathered his men together againe incoraging them when euen at twylight word was brought him that Heraclides with al his fleete was vnder saile towards SYRACVSA meaning to take the citie to shut Dion his army out of it Wherefore he presently tooke with him the chiefest men of authoritie in the citie and the most willingest men and rode all night with them in such haste that they were at the gates of SYRACVSA the next morning by nyne of the clocke hauing ridden seuen hundred furlong Heraclides that had sayled with all the possible speede he could to preuent him with his shippes perceiuing that he came short he turned saile and taking seas at all aduenture by chaunce he met with Gaesylus LACEDAEMONIAN who tolde him he was sent from LACEDAEMON to be general to the SICILIANS in this warre as Gylippus was sent at other times before He was glad he had met with him to haue such a remedy and defence against Dion boasted of it vnto the friends confederats of SYRACVSA and sent a Herauld before vnto the SYRACVSANS sūmoning them to receiue Gaesylus LACEDAEMONIAN who was sent to be their general Dion made aunswer that the SYRACVSANS had gouernors enow though that their affayres did of necessitie require a LACEDAEMONIAN Captaine yet that him selfe was he for that he was made free in SPARTA Thē Gaesylus perceiuing he could not obtaine to be general he went vnto SYRACVSA came to Dion there made Heraclides him friends again by the great and solemne othes he made bicause Gaesylus also sware that he him selfe would be reuenged of him for Dions sake punishe Heraclides if euer after he did once more conspire against him After that the SYRACVSANS brake vp their army by sea bicause it did them then no seruice and was beside chargeable keeping of it and further did also breede sedition and trouble amongest their gouernors and so went to lay straighter siege to the castell then euer they did and built vp the wall againe which the enemies had ouerthrowen Then Dionysius sonne seeing no aide to come to him from any parte and that vittels failed them and further that the souldiers began to mutine being vnable to keepe them he fel to a composition with Dion and deliuered vp the castell into his hands with all the armor and munition in it and so tooke his mother his sisters of Dion and put them abord vpon fiue gallies with the which he went vnto his father through the safe conduit of Dion There was not a man at that time in all SYRACVSA but was there to see this sight or if by chaunce there were any absent the other that were there called them thither as lowde as they could crie saying that they did not see the goodliest day and sunne shine which the citie of SYRACVSA might see then at her rising the same being now restored againe to her former libertie If vntill this present day they doe reckon the flying of Dionysius for one of the rarest examples of fortunes chaunge as one of the greatest and notablest thing that euer was what ioy thinke we had they that draue him our what pleasure had they with them selues that with the least meane that could be possible did destroy the greatest tyrannie in the world So when Apollocrates Dionysius sonne was imbarked and that Dion was entred into the castell the women within the castell would not tary till he came into the house but went to meete him at the gates Aristomaché leading Dions sonne in her hand and Areta following her weeping being verie fearefull how she should call and salute her husband hauing lyen with an other man Dion first spake to his sister and afterwards to his sonne and then Aristomaché offering him Areta said vnto him Since thy banishment O Dion we haue led a miserable and captiue life but now that thou art returned home with victorie thou hast ridde vs out of care and thraldom and hast also made vs againe bolde to lift vp our heades sauing her here whom I wretched creature haue by force thy selfe aliue seene
Caesars law for deuiding of landes Law Agraria Pompey gaue his consent with Caesar for passing his law Agraria Pompey maried Iulia the daughter of Caesar. Bibulus the Consull driuen out of the market place by Pompey The Law Agraria confirmed by the people Gaule and Illyria appointed vnto Caesar Piso and Gabinius Consulls Cato foresheweth the ruine of the common wealth of Pompey Clodius the Tribune Testeth vppon Pompey Pompey was grieuously scorned of Clodius Commission geueÌ„ to Pompey for bringing of corne into Rome The restoring againe of Ptolomy king of AEgypt to his realme Great repaire vnto Caesar winering at Luca. The violence of Pompey obtayning the second Consulship Pompey and Crassus secoÌ„d Consulships Prouinces deuided vnto Pompey Caesar and Crassus The death of Iulia the daughter of Caesar. The beginning of the dissention betwext Pompey Caesar. Variance among the Senate for Pompeys honor Cato spake in Pompeys fauor Pompey chosen Consull Pompey maried Cornelia the daughter of Scipio The vertues of Cornelia the daughter of Metellus Scipio Pompeys prouinces assigned him foure yeares further Pompey fell sicke at Naples Great reioycing for the recouery of PoÌ„peis helth Pride and foole conceit made Pompey despise Caesar. Appius soothed Pompey and fed his humor PoÌ„peys proud wordes Paule the CoÌ„sul bribed by Caesar. Curio Antonius Tribunes of the people bribed by Caesar. Pompey chosen to goe against Caesar. Cicero moueth reconciliation betwext Caesar and Pompey Rubicon fl Caesar passed ouer the riuer of Rubicon Caesars saying let the dye be cast Phaonius ouerbold words vnto PoÌ„pey Tumult at Rome apon Caesars comming Pompey forsooke Rome Caesar entred Rome when Pompey fled Caesar followeth Pompey Pompeis stratageame at Brundysinians for his flying thence from Caesar. Cicero reproued Pompey Caesar leaueth Pompey and goeth into Spayne PoÌ„peys power in Greece Pompey lying at Berroee traineth his souldiers Labienus forsaketh Caesar and goeth to Pompey Cicero followeth Pompey The clemency of Caesar. Caesar coÌ„ming out of Spayne returned to Brundusium Pompey ouerthrewe Caesar Pompey followeth Caesar into Thessaly Pompey mocked of his owne souldiers Caesar conquests Labienus general of Pompeis horsemeÌ„ Pompeys dreame before the battell of Pharsalia VVonderfull noises herd in Pompeys campe Pompeys army set in battel raye in Pharsalia Caesars order of fight Pompeis ordinance of his battell Caesar misliketh Pompeis ordinance Battel betwene Caesar and Pompey in Pharsalia Caius Crassinius geueth the onset of Caesars side Crassinius slaine PoÌ„peis horsemen put to flight by Caesar Pompeis flying in the fields of Phaâ—salia Asinius Pollio reperteth this battell The miserable state of Pompey Peticius dreame of Pompey Pompey â—â—baâ—keth in Peticius shippe a Romane Pompey arriueth in the Isle of Lesbos at the citie of Mitylene The sorowe of Cornelia for Pompeys ouerthrow The meeting of Pompey and his wife Cornelia The words of Cornelia vnto Pompey Pompeis aunswere vnto Cornelia Pompey reasoneth with Cratippus the Philisopher about diuine prouidence Pompey arriueth at Attalia in the contrie of Pamphylia Pompeys great error and Caesars crafty euise Theophanes Lesbian perswaded Pompey to flie into AEgypt Pompey arriueth AEgypt goeth to Pelusium Pothinus are eunuche and groome of the chamber to king Ptolomy ruleth all AEgypt The deliberacion of the AEgyptians for the receiuing of Pompey Theodotus perswaded them to kill Pompey A dead man byteth not Achillas appointed to kill Pompey How Pompey was received into AEgypt Pompey the great cruelly slaine as he landed The manlines and pacience of Pompey at his death The funeralls of Pompey Lucius Lentulus slaine Caesar arriueth in AEgypt Pompeis ring The murtherers of Pompey put to death How Pompey and Agesilaus came to their greatnes The faultes of Agesilaus and Pompey Thinges done by Agesilaus and Pompey in warres Agesilaus lost the signorie of the Lacedaemonians Pompeis faâ—le to forsake Rome A speciall point of a skilfull Captaine Agesilaus constanter than Pompey Pompeys flying into AEgypt is excused The face sheweth mens maners and condicions The parentage of Alexander Olympias the wife of Philip king of Macedon Olympias dreame King Philips dreame Olympias serpent The birth of Alexander The temple of Diana burnt at Ephesus VVonderfull things seene at the birth of Alexander Alexanders stature and personage Alexanders body had a maruelous sweete sauor Alexander coueted honor The noble minde of Alexander Leonidas the gouernor of Alexander Bucephal Alexanders horse The agility of Alexander in taming the wildnes of Bucephal the horse Philip prophecieth of his sonne Alexander Aristotle was Alexanders schoolemasters Aristotle borne in the city of Stagira An Epistle of Alexander vnto Aristotle Alexander the great practised phisicke Some thinke that this place should be meÌ„s of the riche coffer that was found among king Darius iuelle in the which Alexander would haue all Homers works kept Alexanders first souldierfare The city of Alexandropolis The quarells of Philip with Olympias and Alexander Alexander mocketh Philip his father Aridaeus king Philippes bastard begotten of a common strumpet Philima Philip king of Macedonâ— slaine by Pausanias The beginning of Alexanders reigne Alexander ouercome Syrmus king of the Triballians Thebes â—on and rased by Alexander The noble acte of Timoclea a noble womaÌ„ of Thebes Alexander chosen generall of all Graece Alexanders talke with Diogenes 〈…〉 signes appearing vnto Alexander before his iourney into Asia Alexanders armie into Asia The liberalitie of AlexaÌ„der Alexanders saying of Achilles Battell betwixt AlexaÌ„der and Darius at the riuer of Granicus Clitus saued Alexander Alexanders victory of the Persians at Granicus The memorie of Theodectes honored by Alexander The citie of Gordius in Phrygia where king Midas kept Darius armie and dreame Alexanders sicknesse in Cilicia Cydnus fl The wonderfull trust of Alexander in his phisitian Darius contemneth Amyntas profitable counsell Battell betwixt AlexaÌ„der and Darius in Cilicia Alexanders victory of Darius in Cilicia Darius mother wife and two daughters taken by Alexander The clemency of Alexander vnto the captiue Ladies The chastitie of Alexander Alexanders pleasant spech of womens beautie Alexander temperate in eating How Leonidas brought vp Alexander Alexanders life when he was at leisure Alexander pleasant prince as any could be Alexander beseegeth the citie of Tyre Alexanders dreame at the citie of Tyre Alexanders secoÌ„d dreame againe at Tyre Alexanders iorney against the Arabians Antiliban mens The corage and agilitie of Alexander The citie of Tyre beseged and taken by Alexander Alexander tooke the citie of Gaza The building of the citie of Alexandria Alexanders dreame in Eypt The lie of Pharos A wonder Alexanders iourney vtno the oracle of Hammon Cambyses army slaine by sandehilles Crowes guided AlexaÌ„der in his iorney The saying of Psammon the philosopher of the prouideÌ„ce of God. Alexander ascribeth god-head to himselfe Alexander made playes and feastes Darius sent Ambassadours vnto Alexander Statirae king Darius wife died in trauell of childe Tirius reporte to Darius of Statirae buriall Darius talke with Tireus the Eunuche The commendation of Alexanders chastisty Darius prayer
make their slaues dronke The cause of describing the liues of the wicked Plato of vertue and vice Demetrius parentage The death of Philip the younger brother of Demetrius Demetrius baâ—â—ie Demetrius maners Demetrius loue to his father A king can abide no equall The sport of the East kings was to kill their owne children wiues and mothers Demetrius curtesie Antigonus dreame Demetrius saueth Mithridates life Mithridates king of Poni * Bicause he sayd that loue and discord were euer the efficient causes of generation and corruption of all thinges Enmitie betwixt Antigonus and Ptolomy Demetrius generall to Antigonus against Ptolomy Demetrius ouerthrowen in battaile by Ptolomy The bountifulnes of Ptolomy the Conqueror vnto Demetrius conquered Demetrius victorie of Ptolomy Demetrius thankefulnes vnto Ptolomy Demetrius inuaded Arabia Demetrius inuadeth Mesopatamia Antigonus Demetrius do goe about to set Graece at libertie Demetrius Phalerian gouernor of Athens for Cassander Demetrius restoreth the Athenians to their liberties Demetrius Antigonus honoreth Demetrius Phalerius Demetrius daunger for lechery Demetrius winneth the city of Megara and restoreth it to her libertie Stilpo a famous Philosopher in Megara Stilpoes sayings vnto Demetrius Demetrius restoreth the Athenians to their lawes libertie Democrasias popular gouernment Oligarchias the gouernment of a fewe Too much honors decreed to Demetrius by the Athenians The boldnes of Stratocles Athenian Scratocles cruell saying The moneth of Munychion altered called Demetrion for the honor of Demetrius name VVonders Hemlocke the vsuall erbe with the iâ—yâ— whereof they poysoned offenders at Athens Philippides the Poet. Philippides notable aunswer vnto king Lysimachus not desiring to heare his secrets Demetrius maried unto Eurydice at Athens Demetrius had many wiues together Phila Demetrius wife Antipaters Daughter Craterus widdow The iudgemeÌ„t of marriage obedience Battell by sea in the I le of Cyprus betwixt Demetrius Antigonus and Ptolomy Demetrius victorye of Ptolomy Lamia the famous Curtisan taken by Demetrius vpon the defeating of Ptolomy Salamina yelded vp to Demetrius Aristodemus a notorious flatterer in Antigonus Court. The first time Antigonus Demetrius were called kinges Note the force of flattery by Aristodemus Milasian Antigonus Demetrius iorney against Ptolomy Medius dreame Antigonus mirth with his sonne Demetrius A straunge custom of the Scythians in their dronkennes Demetrius a skilfull Captaine and an excellent Shipwright Sundry delights of Princes Demetrius wonderfull workes Demetrius beseged Rhodes The description of Demetrius greatest engine of battery called Elepolis Two armors made of notable temper by Zoilus an 〈…〉 Alcimus Albanian were an armor of six score pouÌ„d weight The discourtesie of the Rhodians The great courtesie of the Athenians vnto king Philip Protogenes borne in the citie of Caunus an excellent paynter Protogenes table of the citie of Ialysus greatly commended by Apelles himselfe Demetrius concludeth peace with the Rhodians Demetrius victories in Graece Antigonus shame fastnes Demetrius â—antonnesse The names of Demetrius Curtisans Demetrius iorney into Peloponnesus Demetrius maried Deidamia king Phyrrbus sister châ—â—â—ged the name of the citie of Sicyone and called it Demetriade Demetrius chosen generall of all Graece Demetrius pride Philippides verses against Stratocles the boaster Demetrius prodigall gift of 250. talents to his Curtisans to buy them sope Lamia made Demetrius a supper of her owne cost Lamia Elepolis The saying of Demo a Curtisan touching Lamia Demetrius A prety sute commenced vpon a louers dreame and the iudgement reuersed by Lamia the Curtisan The suttelrye of Lamia reuersing Bocchoris Seniece The conspiracy of the kings against Antigonus Antigonus his enemies armie Demetrius dreame and signes Demetrius vpon the first onset made Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus flie Ouerrashly chasting the enemies he lost his victorie and was ouercome The death of king Antigonus Demetrius flight The vnfaithfulnes of the Athenians towards Demetrius Ouer great honors are signes of vnconstant frendship Seleucus requireth Stratonice Demetrius daughter in mariage Plistarchus the brother of Cassander at that time Gouernor of Cilicia Demetrius inuadeth Cilicia Seleucus marieth Stratonice Demetrius daughter The death of Deidamia Demetrius wife Demetrius marieth Ptolemaide Ptolomies daughter Dissention betwext Demetrius and Seleucus Platoes saying of riches Demetrius iorney against the AtheniaÌ„s The Athenians doe yeelde vnto Demetrius A rare deuise of Epicurus at the straight siege of Athens to kepe his schollers aliue with beanes Demetrius clemency vnto the Athenians Demetrius iorney against the Lacedaemonians Demetrius variable fortune Demetrius misfortunes Great dissertion and strife for the realme of Macedon after the death of Cassander Antipater Alexander the sonnes of Cassander Demetrius invadeth Macedon VVyles betwext Alexander and Demetrius Demetrius killeth Alexander the sonne of Cassander Demetrius proclaimed king of Macedon Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus maried his mother in law Stratonice with his fathers good will. Erasistratus Phisitian to Seleucus Erasistratus the Phisitians care to finde out the young Prince Antiochus loue Sappho describeth the signes and tokens of a passioned louer Seleucus loue vnto his sonne Antiochus The citie of Thebes yeelded vnto Demetrius Hieronymus the historiographer Demetrius Lieutenant * Corne unnethly distributed to the souldiers as their wages Demetrius iorney against Pyrrhus Demetrius insolencie Demetrius cloke drawen with the figure of the world and starres The plaine aunswere of the Ambassador of Sparta vnto Demetrius Axius â—â— The praise of king Philips curtesie The bolde speache of a poore woman to king Philip The chiefest office of a king Demetrius called a Fortgainer Demetrius armie preparacion for the recouering of his realme againe Ptolomyâ—â— wonderfull galley of forty bankes of owers Three kings Seleucus Ptolomy and Lysimachus conspired against Demetrius Demetrius armie forsaketh him and goeth to Pyrrhus Phila Demetrius wife poysoneth her selfe Demetrius straunge fortune Demetrius miserie from Princely happines Crates the Philosopher deliuereth Athens from Demetrius siege Demetrius marieth Ptolemaide Demetrius troubles in Asia Plague by ill meate Demetrius famine Patrocles stirreth vp Seleucus against Demetrius Desprate men are not to be sought with Amanus â—â—â— Demetrius dispairing of his good successe an emâ—â—eth to assault Seleucus by night Demetrius army forsooke him and yelded them selves to Seleucus Demetrius flyeth from Seleucus Demetrius yeldeth him selfe vnto Seleucus Demetrius kept as a prisoner in Syria by Seleucus The naturall loue of Antigonus to his father Demotrius Demetrius turned his captiuitie into pleasure The death of Demetrius in Cherronasus The funeralls of Demetrius Xenophantus a famous musition Demetrius posteritie Perseus king of Macedon the last king of Macedon came of the posteritie of Demetrius Antonius pareneage * Bicause that by his death he ended the warre which he vnfortunately made against those of Creta The liberalitie of Antonius father Iulia the mother of M. Antonius Antonius corrupted by Curio Antonius vsed in his pleading the Asiatik phrase Antonius bad charge of horsemen vnder Gabinius Proconsul going into Syria Antonius acts against Aristobulus Antonius tooke Aristobulus prisoner
Iupiter Olympian only remained vnperfect so the wisdome of Plato amongest many goodly matters of his that haue come abroade left none of them vnperfect but the only tale of the Iles ATLANTIDES Solon liued long time after Pisistratus had vsurped the tyrannie as Heraclides Ponticus writeth Howbeit Phanias Ephesian writeth that he liued not aboue two yeres after For Pisistratus vsurped tyrannicall power in the yere that Comias was chief gouernour in ATHENS And Phanias writeth that Solon dyed in the yere that Hegestratus was gouernour which was the next yere after that And where some saye the ashes of his bodie were after his death strawed abroade through the I le of SALAMINA that seemeth to be but a fable and altogether vntrue Neuertheles it hath bene written by many notable authours and amongest others by Aristotle the philosopher The ende of Solons life THE LIFE OF PVBLIVS Valerius Publicola NOWE we haue declared what Solon was we haue thought good to compare him with Publicola to whom the ROMAINE people for an honour gaue that surname for he was called before Publius Valerius descended from that auncient Valerius who was one of the chiefest worckers and meanes to bring the ROMAINES and the SABYNES that were mortall enemies to ioyne together as one people For it was he that most moued the two Kings to agree and ioyne together Publicola being descended of him whilest the Kings dyd rule yet at ROME was in very great estimation aswell for his eloquence as for his riches vsing the one rightly and freely for the maintenaunce of iustice and the other liberally and curteously for the relief of the poore So that it was manifest if the Realme came to be conuerted into a publicke state he should be one of the chiefest men of the same It chaunced that king Tarquine surnamed the prowde being come to the crowne by no good lawfull meane but contrary lie by indirect and wicked wayes and behauing him selfe not like a King but like a cruell tyrante the people much hated and detested him by reason of the death of Lucretia which killed her selfe for that she was forcibly rauished by him so the whole cittie rose and rebelled against him Lucius Brutus taking vpon him to be the head and captaine of this insurrection and rebellion dyd ioyne first with this Valerius who dyd greately fauour and assist his enterprise and did helpe him to driue out king Tarquine with all his house familie Nowe whilest they were thincking that the people would chuse some one alone to be chief ruler ouer them in stead of a King Valerius kept him selfe quiet as yelding willingly vnto Brutus the first place who was meetest for it hauing bene the chief authour and worcker of their recouered libertie But when they sawe the name of Monarchie as much to saye as soueraintie alone was displeasaunt to the people and that they would like better to haue the rule deuided vnto two and how for this cause they would rather choose two Consuls Valerius then begāne to hope he should be the seconde persone with Brutus Howbeit this hope fayled him For against Brutus will Tarquinius Collatinus the husband of Lucretia was chosen Cōsul with him not bicause he was a man of greater vertue or of better estimation than Valerius But the noble men of the cittie fearing the practises of the Kings abroade which sought by all the fayer flattering meanes they could to returne againe into the cittie dyd determine to make such an one Consul whom occasion forced to be their hard and heauy enemie persuading them selues that Tarquinius Collatinus would for no respect yeld vnto them Valerius tooke this matter greuously but they had a mistrust in him as if he would not doe any thing he could for the benefit of his countrie notwithstanding he had neuer any priuate iniurie offered him by the tyrannes Wherfore he repaired no more vnto the Senate to pleade for priuate men and wholy gaue vp to medle in matters of state insomuch as he gaue many occasion to thincke of his absence and it troubled some men much who feared least vpon this his misliking and withdrawing he would fall to the Kings side and so bring all the cittie in an vprore considering it stoode then but in very tickle termes But when Brutus who stoode in iealousie of some would by othe be assured of the Senate had appointed them a daye solemnely to take their othes vpon the sacrifices Valerius then with a good cheerefull countenaunce came into the market place and was the first that tooke his othe he would leaue nothing vndone that might preiudice the Tarquines but with all his able power he would fight against them and defend the libertie of the cittie This othe of his maruelously reioyced the Senate gaue great assuraunce also to the Consuls but specially bicause his dedes dyd shortly after performe his wordes For there came ambassadours to ROME which brought letters from king Tarquine full of sweete lowly speaches to winne the fauour of the people with commission to vse all the mildest meanes they could to dulce and soften the hardened harts of the multitude who declared how the King had left all pryde and crueltie ment to aske nought but reasonable things The Consuls thought best to geue them open audience and to suffer them to speake to the people But Valerius was against it declaring it might perill the state much and deliuer occasion of new sturre vnto a multitude of poore people which were more affrayed of warres then of tyrannie After that there came other ambassadours also which sayed that Tarquine would from thenceforth for euer geue ouer and renounce his title to the Kingdome and to make any more warres but besought them only that they would at the least deliuer him and his friends their money and goods that they might haue wherewithall to keepe them in their banishment Many came on a pace and were very ready to yeld to this request and specially Collatinus one of the Consuls who dyd fauour their motion But Brutus that was a fast and resolute man and very fierce in his harte ranne immediately into the market place crying out that his fellowe Consul was a traytour and contented to graunt the tyrannes matter and meanes to make warre vpon the cittie where in deede they deserued not so much as to be relieued in their exile Hereupon the people assembled together and the first that spake in this assembly was a priuate man called Gaius Minutius who speaking vnto Brutus to the whole assembly sayed vnto them O noble Consul Senate handle so the matter that the tyrannes goods be rather in your custodie to make warre with them than in theirs to bring warre vpon your selues Notwithstāding the ROMAINES were of opinion that hauing gotten the liberty for which they fought with the tyrannes they should not disapoint the offered peace with keeping backe their goodes but rather
he had sayed doing lesse hurte to Cimon then any other of his accusers How is Idomeneus to be credited nowe who accuseth Pericles that he had caused the orator Ephialtes to be slaine by treason that was his friende and dyd alwayes counsell him and take his parte in all kinde of gouernment of the common weale only for the iealousie and enuie he dyd beare to his glorie I can but muse why Idomeneus should speake so slaunderously against Pericles vnles it were that his melancholy humour procured suche violent speache who though peraduenture he was not altogether blameles yet he was euer nobly-minded and had a naturall desire of honour in which kinde of men such furious cruell passions are seldome seene to breede But this orator Ephialtes being cruell to those that tooke parte with the Nobilitie bicause he would spare nor pardone no man for any offence whatsoeuer committed against the peoples authoritie but dyd followe and persecute them with all rigour to the vttermost his enemies layed waite for him by meanes of one Aristodicus TANAGRIAN and they killed him by treason as Aristotle writeth In the meane time Cimon dyed in the I le of CYPRVS being generall of the armie of the ATHENIANS by sea Wherefore those that tooke parte with the Nobilitie seeing Pericles was nowe growen very great and that he went before all other citizens of ATHENS thincking it good to haue some one to sticke on their side against him and to lessen thereby somewhat his authoritie that he might not come to rule all as he would they raised vp against him one Thucydides of the towne of ALODECIA a graue wise man and father in lawe to Cimon This Thucydides had lesse skill of warres then Cimon but vnderstoode more in ciuill gouernment then he for that he remained most parte of his time within the cittie where continually inuaying against Pericles in his pulpit for orations to the people in shorte time he had stirred vp a like companie against the faction of Pericles For he kept the gentlemen and richer sorte which they call Nobilitie from mingling with the common people as they were before when through the multitude of the commnons their estate and dignitie was abscured and troden vnderfoote Moreouer he dyd separate them from the people and dyd assemble them all as it were into one bodie who came to be of equall power with the other faction and dyd put as a man will saye a counterpease into the ballance For at the beginning there was but a litle secret grudge only betwene these two factions as an artificiall flower set in the blade of a sworde which made those shewe a litle that dyd leane vnto the people and the other also somwhat that fauored the Nobilitie But the contention betwene these two persones was as a deepe cut which deuided the cittie wholy in two factions of the which the one was called the Nobilitie and the other the communaltie Therefore Pericles geuing yet more libertie vnto the people dyd all things that might be to please them ordeining continuall playes and games in the cittie many feastes banckets and open pastimes to entertaine the commons with suche honest pleasures and deuises and besides all this he sent yerely an armie of three score gallyes vnto the warres into the which he put a great number of poore cittizens that tooke paye of the state for nine moneths of the yere and thereby they dyd learne together and practise to be good sea men Furthermore he sent into the countrie of CHERRONESVS a thousand free men of the cittie to dwell there and to deuide the landes amongest them fiue hundred also into the I le of NAXOS into the I le of ANDROS two hundred fiftie into THRACIA a thousand to dwell with the BISALTES other also into ITALIE when the cittie of SYBARIS was built againe which afterwardes was surnamed the cittie of the THVRIANS All this he dyd to ryd the cittie of a number of idle people who through idlenes beganne to be curious and to desire chaunge of things as also to prouide for the necessitie of the poore townes men that had nothing For placing the naturall citizens of ATHENS neere vnto their subiects and friendes they serued as a garrison to keepe them vnder and dyd suppresse them also from attempting any alteration or chaunge But that which deliteth most and is the greatest ornament vnto the cittie of ATHENS which maketh straungers most to wonder and which alone doth bring sufficient testimonie to confirme that which is reported of the auncient power riches and great wealthe of GRECE to be true and not false are the stately and sumptuous buildings which Pericles made to be built in the cittie of ATHENS For it is the only acte of all other Pericles dyd and which made his enemies most to spight him and which they most accused him for crying out vpon him in all counsailles assemblies that the people of ATHENS were opēly defamed for carying awaye the ready money of all GRECE which was left in the I le of DELOS to be safely kept there And although they could with good honestie haue excused this facte saying that Pericles had taken it from them for feare of the barbarous people to the ende to laye it vp in a more stronger place where it should be in better safetie yet was this to ouer-great an iniurie offered vnto all the rest of GRECE and to manifest a token of tyrannie also to beholde before their eyes howe we doe employe the money which they were inforced to gather for the maintenaunce of the warres against the barbarous people in gilding building and setting forth our cittie like a glorious woman all to be gawded with golde and precious stones and howe we doe make images and build vp temples of wonderfull infinite charge Pericles replied to the contrarie and declared vnto the ATHENIANS that they were not bounde to make any accompt of this money vnto their friendes and allies considering that they fought for their safety that they kept the barbarous people farre from GRECE without troubling them to set out any one man horse or shippe of theirs the money only excepted which is no more theirs that payed it then theirs that receyued it so they bestowe it to that vse they receyued it for And their cittie being already very well furnished and prouided of all things necessary for the warres it was good reason they should employe and bestowe the surplus of the treasure in things which in time to come and being throughly finished would make their fame eternall Moreouer he sayed that whilest they continue building they should be presently riche by reason of the diuersitie of workes of all sortes and other things which they should haue neede of and to compasse these things the better and to set them in hande all manner of artificers and worke men that would labour should be set a worke So should all the townes men
and inhabitants of the cittie receyue paye and wages of the common treasure and the cittie by this meanes should be greatly beawtified and muche more able to mainteine it selfe For suche as were stronge and able men of bodie and of yeres to carie weapon had paye and entertainment of the common wealthe which were sent abroade vnto the warres and other that were not meete for warres as craftes men and labourers he would also they should haue parte of the common treasure but not without they earned it and by doing somewhat And this was his reason and the cause that made him occupie the common people with great buildings and deuises of works of diuers occupations which could not be finished of long time to the ende that the cittizens remaining at home might haue a meane and waye to take parte of the common treasure and enriche them selues aswell as those that went to the warres and serued on the sea or els that laye in garrison to keepe any place or forte For some gayned by bringing stuffe as stones brasse yuory gold ebbany cypres Other got to worke and facion it as carpinters grauers fownders casters of images masons hewers of stone dyers goldsmithes ioyners working in yuorie painters men that set in sundrie cullers of peces of stone or wodde and turners Other gayned to bring stuffe to furnishe them as marchaunts mariners and shippemasters for things they brought them by sea And by lande other got also as carte makers cariers carters corde makers sadlers collermakers pyoners to make wayes plaine miners such like Furthermore euery science and crafte as a captaine hauing souldiers had also their armie of the worke men that serued them labouring truely for their liuing who serued as preÌ„tises iorney men vnder the workemasters so the worke by this meanes dyd disperse abroade a common gayne to all sortes of people and ages what occupation or trade soeuer they had And thus came the buildings to rise in greatnes sumptuousnes being of excellent workemanshippe for grace beawtie not comparable bicause euery workeman in his science dyd striue what he could to excell others to make his worke appeare greatest in sight and to be most workemanly done in showe But the greatest thing to be woundred at was their speede and diligence For where euery man thought those workes were not likely to be finished in many mens liues and ages from man to man they were all done and finished whilest one only gouernour continued still in credit and authoritie And yet they saye that in the same time as one Agatarchus boasted him self that he had quickly painted certen beastes Zeuxis another painter hearing him aunswered And I contrarilie doe reioyce that I am a long time in drawing of them For coÌ„monly slight and sodaine drawing of any thing cannot take deepe cullers nor geue perfect beawty to the worke but length of time adding to the painters diligence and labour in making of the worke maketh the cullers to continue for euer For this cause therefore the workes Pericles made are more wonderfull bicause they were perfectly made in so shorte a time and haue coÌ„tinued so long a season For euery one of those which were finished vp at that time seemed then to be very auncient touching the beawtie thereof and yet for the grace continuance of the same it looketh at this daye as if it were but newly done and finished there is suche a certaine kynde of florishing freshnes in it which letteth that the iniurie of time cannot impaire the sight thereof As if euery one of those foresaid workes had some liuing spirite in it to make it seeme young and freshe and a soule that liued euer which kept them in their good continuing state Now the chief surueyour generall of all these workes was Phidias albeit that there were many other excellent worke masters in euery science occupation For the temple of Pallas which is called Parthénon as a man would saye the temple of the virgine and is surnamed Hecatompedon for that it is a hundred foote euery waye was built by Ictinus and Callicrates and the chappell of Eleusin where the secret ceremonies of the mysteries were made was first founded by Corabus who raised vp the first pillers in order standing beneath on the ground and dyd set them vp vnto the master chaptrells But after he was dead Metagenes borne in the towne of XYPETA turned the arches ouer and then dyd set the pillers in order also which are aboue and Xenocles of the towne of CHOLARGEA was he that made the lanterne or toppe of the steeple which couereth the sanctuarie but the long wall which Socrates heard Pericles him selfe geue order for the building of it was done by Calliâ—rates who vndertooke the worke Cratinus the Poet in a comedie he made laugheth at this worke to see how slowly it went forward and how long it was a doing saying Pericles long a goe dyd ende this vvorke begonne and build it highe vvith glorious vvordes if so it had bene done But as for deedes in dede he built nothing at all but let it stande as yet it stands much liker for to fall And as for the Theater or place appointed for musicke where they heare all musicians playe and is called Odeon it is very well made within with diuers seates degrees and many ranges of pillers but the toppe of the roofe is altogether rounde which is somwhat hanging downeward round about of it selfe comming together into one pointe And it is sayed that this was made after the patterne and facion of king Xerxes royall pauilion and that Pericles was the first deuiser and maker of it Wherefore Cratinus in another place of his comedie he maketh of the THRACIANS doth playe very pretily vpon him saying Pericles here doth come Dan Iupiter surnamed and onyons hed vvhich hath in his great noddell finely framed The plot of Odeon vvhen he deliuered vvas from banishment and daungers deepe vvherein he long dyd passe Pericles was the first that made maruelous earnest labour to the people that they would make an order that on the daye of the feast called Panathenaâ— they would set vp games for musicke And he him selfe being chosen ruler of these games as iudge to rewarde the best deseruer ordained the manner the musicians should euer after keepe in their singing playing on their flutes or vpon the citherne or other instruments of musicke So the first games that euer were for musicke were kept within the Odeon and so were the other after them also euen celebrated there The gate and entring into the castell was made and finished within the space of fiue yeres vnder the charge of Mnesicles that was master of the workes And whilest these gates were a building there happened a wonderfull chaunce which declared very well that the goddesse Minerua dyd not mislike the building but that it pleased her maruelously For one of the most painefullest workemen that