He also slewe Eudame captaine of the Indian Elephantes diuers other captaines his vtter enimies And for Eumenes he coÌ„mitted the garding of him to certayn of his men vntil he had determined what to do with him For gladly he would haue reteyned him if eyther by good or geÌ„tle entreatie he thought he might win him bicause he knewe him to be a noble warriour and stout man Notwithstanding he had no great confidence in his premis by reason of the maruellous loue and singular affection that he did beare Olympias the Kings which he before had well declared For although he was by his meane from the siege of Nore deliuered yet after in the quarel of the Kings he warred vpoÌ„ him with his whole power Moreouer seing the mortall hate of the Macedonians against him he determined to put him to death Howebeit for the loue and fauoure he before bare him he caused him to be burnt and in a faire vessell sent his bones to his kinsfolkes and friends He found likewise among the hurte men Ierome Cardian a wise and politike man whome Eumenes greatly honoured and familiarly vsed and therefore Antigone in like sorte after Eumenes hys death honoured and well entreated him ¶ Antigone retireth to winter in the countrey of Mede and of the deluge or floud which that time chaunceth in the countrey of Rhodes The .xvj. Chapter AFter Antigone had brought backe al his armie into the countrey of Mede he wintred in a village of the Ecbathanes harde by wherin is the Kings Palace of that quarter and deuided his men of warre through the whole countrey of Mede and chiefly in the waste country so called bicause of diuers mysfortunes which there sometime happened For in olde time about those quarters had bene the richest and gretest number of townes within al that Prouince and by reason of so many terrible and continuall earthquakes all the sayde townes together with their inhabitantes perished and were vtterly lost wherby the whole region was maruellously altered and chaunged for there were such new riuers and lakes séene as had not customably bene The same time that Antigone lay in Mede the citie of Rhodes was the thirde time by deluge or floude ouercome by reason wherof a great many Citizens a new were at that present drowned more thaÌ„ at the other two times For the first bycause the towne was newly buylt and little enhabited dyd no great hurt The second was much greater and did more domage for that there were more enhabitaunts But the third came about the spring and began through great raines showres whiche fel sodenly w t mightie maruellous hayle stones for they fel hole and bigge and waightie as a myne but some much bigger and heauier so that they beate downe the toppes of many weake built houses and kild a great number of people and bycause the Citie was round stepest and hiest in the middest in maner of a Theatre the waters on euery side so aboundauntlie flowed that the lower partes were incontinent filled vp and coulde no waye passe nor fall bicause the Citizens seeing winter paste tooke no great hâ— de to the clensing of their sinks vnder the earth And the more part of the sinks and chanels about the wals were so choked that the water in short time grew so â— ie strong that it flowed vp to the market place called Digma and the temple of Dionisie and in the end grew and arose vp like a lake euen to the temple of Esculape Whereuppon the Citizens seeing so great and sodayne a deluge sought euery man to saue him selfe Some ranne to the shippes some to the theatre and they whiche were most oppressed sâ— aled the tops of the churches and clymbed the pillers on whiche the statues and ymages stood And as the Citizens were in this terrour and perplexitie chaunced them a sodain remedy For one of the panes of the wall through the violence of the water fell downe and so by that means it voided and ranne into the sea It was also a happy tourne that the deluge chaunced on the daye bycause that when the Citizens see the imminent daunger they had leysure to get out of their houses and withdrawe them to the hiest places of the towne It was good happe lykewyse that the wals of their houses were stronglie buylt of stoane and not of bricke and therefore they which got vp to the toppes were safe Howbeit there died aboue .v. hundred and many houses ouerthrowen wholy beateÌ„ downe besides diuerse that were sore shaken and quashed In this daunger and inconuenience was the Citie of Rhodes ¶ Antigone by craft putteth to death Pithon who beginneth to rebell and gyueth the Satrapie of Mede to Orondonate and likewise vanquisheth certen other Median rebelles The .xvij. Chapter AS Antigone wintered in the countrey of Mede he was aduertised that Python practised with the soldiers in garrison about some enterprise Notwithstanding he made semblant that he beléeued not the report reprouing the reporters before the people saying that to set controuersie betwene him and Python they had fained and deuised it in their own heads He caused it also to be openly diuulged that he would leaue the said Python Satrapa and gouernour of al the Prouinces and Satrapes of the hye countrey together one parte of his armie so that he might rule the better and hold and kéepe him selfe in sauetie He writte also vnto him gentle and gracious letters praying hym to repaire ouer so soone as was possible to communicate and deuise of the affaires in those quarters to the ende Antigone might with more spéede returne to Sea This dyd he w t a crafty and painted contenaunce clerely to put him out of suspicioÌ„ thinking he would in hope of obtayning that Seignorie come to him For well he knew it was not hiâ—â— ase forcibly to take him bicause he was a valiaunt and couragious man and such one that Alexander when he lyued by reason of his vertue had gyuen hym the gouernement of the same countrey of Mede whiche to that day he held and enioyed And to be short he through corruption and other ways greatly got the good willes of the men of warre that the more numbre promised to forsake Antigone and follow him Notwithstanding although he for this cause somwhat mistrusted his crafty cloyning yet through the hope which certen of his familiars and friends with Antigone put him in he came at his commaundement And so soone as he was come Antigone caused him to be apprehended and the chiefe and principall Captaynes of the armie being there in maner of a Senate assembled accused him Before whome he was lightly conuict incontinent condemned to death and with greater spéede executed Whiche done he assembled the whole army in their presence proclaimed Orondonate the Median Satrapa of the said Countrey of Mede hauing for his assistaunce and ayde Captayne Hypostrate with foure thousand Mercenarie footemen
and vnderstoode his determination and practise and beyng he emongs the rest of the Princes who was both wise and martiall to enterprise any hie and notable matters he thought therefore to dispatch him cleane out of the waye Whereupon he began to reproue him of manie false and slaunderous imputacions whereby might easely be perceiued that he went about to bring him to his finall end and destruction But Antigone like a wise stout Champion dissimuled the matter openly pronouncing that he would aunswere and defend all such false and surmised accusations wherewith he should be charged But contrariwise making secret preparation to flye with Demetrie his Sonne his friends and houshold folkes enbarqued in certein shippes of Athens and with prosperous winds sailed into Europe to ioyne with Antipater The same time laye Antipater and Cratere in Camp against the Etholians with xxx thousand footemen and two thousande v. hundred horse For of all the regiments of Souldiers which conspired against the Macedonians in the Lemian warres remayned no more vnsubdued but the sayd Etholians who although they sée so huge a power inuade their countrey would not be daunted but assembled about ten thousand lustie yong men and taking with them their wiues children and all their goodes and cattels vp into the mountaines and strong places abandoned forsooke their townes and villages indefensable and thrust into the rest garrisons who right stoutly defended them against the power of the enimy But after Antipater Cratere were entr◠d the Countrey and found their Cities vnpeopled they turned all their force against those which were runne vp into the mountaynes where the Macedonians thinking at their first arriuall to winne by force and vertue those strong aud inuincible places being well and manfully defended were greatly discomfited and many slaine For the Etholians being ouer them in the straight passages places of aduauntage repulsed hurt so many as came against them Whiche thing Antipater and Cratere séeing besieged the mountaines pitched their camp set vp Tents and Hales of wood and there encamped all Winter By meane whereof the Etholians enclosed in the mountaines full of snowe were through colde and want of victuals brought into so great necessity and extremity that eyther they must descend the mountaines and come to battaill against the enimy which were many and especially against two valyaunt Chieftaynes of warre or else to dye of colde and hunger And being thus distressed and thereby almost desperate sodenly happened them for their deliueraunce straūge ayde and succours as if the Goddes had sent it frō heauen taking pitie of them and respecting their magnanimitie and noble courages For Antigone comming oute of Asie as aforesaid arryued at that present before Antipater and Cratere declaring the enterprise of Perdicas farther asserteyning them that incontinent after the mariage of Cleopatre which should be shortly he would w t his whole army come downe into Macedone as King and there enioy the Empire and dominion of the whole coūtrey With which newes they being both astonied assembled their Captaynes to consulte and deuise what were best to doe and by their aduise they concluded to take the honestest peace with the Etholians they might and then spéedely to passe with all their army into Asie and that Cratere should gouerne and enioy the Empire of Asie and Antipater Europe After to send towardes Ptolome into Egipt desiring his helpe and ayde knowing him to be their chief friende and vtter enimy to Perdicas who with asmuch expedition would practise the discomfiture of him by espiall or other martiall pollicies as they thē selues by any possible meane could or might wherfore incontinent they coucluded a peace with the Etholians thinking nothing lesse but at last to discomfite and transferre them with their wiues and children into some desert in Asie farre ynough of After they had put in writing and sealed the treatie and conclusion they made preparation about their enterprise Agayne Perdicas assembling his friends and Captaynes consulted whether it were best first to goe into Macedone with his army or into Egipt but they all agréed that he should first warre vpon Ptolome and discomfite him alleaging that there was then no let or staye to go into Macedone whereupon he following their counsaill and aduise first sent Eumenes with a great bande into Hellespont to garde the passages there who departed out of Piside and went straight into Egipt Al these matters were exployted the yeare that Philocles was Prouost of Athenes and Caie Sulpete and Gne Eley were created Consulles at Rome ¶ Of the transporting Alexandre his body out of Babylon into Alexandrie The forme and fashion of the Chariot with the Pompe and solemnity thereof The .xj. Chapter IN this meane while Aride to whome the charge for transporting Alexandre his body was committed so soone as he had finished the Chariot whereon it should be carried and made ready all the rest of the furniture there to belonging he immediatly tooke his iourney But bycause the excellencie of the workmanship was sumptuous and singuler agéeing with the state of so honourable a personage as Alexander both for the infinite charge dispence of many Talents as also for the singularitie and excellency thereof me thinke it not much from the purpose to staie a while in describing and setting forth the maner and order of the same First a Coffin was forged and beaten out of fine golde portured and made according to the stature and bignes of the body verie full of swéete spices and many other droogs aromatike aswell for swéetenesse as also for preseruing the body from corruption The couer wherewith it was couered well proporcioned and made fitted to the same was a fingers thicknesse of golde curiously and artificially wrought Ouer that was cast a purple cloth curiously enbroidered and wrought with golde with most excellent deuises standing vpright like a brouche whereon was hanged the armoure of the dead to the ende that all the whole worke standing together shoulde represent the figure of his noble actes and inuincible courage After that was brought out the Chariot whereon the Coffin shoulde be carried couered with a tabernacle of gold rered and set vp in maner of a vault garnished and set within with many precious stones Iewels eight cubits broad twelue cubits long vnder the same rouffe besides the workmanshippe thereof was a place of a state or Throne Imperiall foure square by which stood a certein kind of beastes y e one halfe of them like hartes and the other parte like goates thrusting out their forepartes excellently engrauen and wrought in golde with great collers of golde about their necks whereat hong the scutchins of the armes of Alexander such as customably are borne at hie solemne feasts pictured and couloured with most rich and orient colours In the toppes of euery the corners of the place of a state was a valence finely wrought like a net whereat hong great belles the noyse
strongly placed well victualed or whether to aduenture through the countrey whatsoeuer betid them Docine was of the opinion to go out and Attale cōtrary saying that through their long detention in prison which hadde much féebled their persons they wer not able to endure any warlike labours And while they thus contended certen souldiers of the next villages to the number of .v. thousand footmē and four thousand horse assembled with aboue four thousand paysantes whiche they had gotten together sodainly vnder suche a Captayne as they had chosen preuented and besieged them When Docine sée and apperceyued that they were agayn enclosed he had espied a certaine secrete way of the Towne vngarded by whiche he let downe a messanger of his and sent him towardes Stratonice Antigone his wife abiding thereby praying hir to take pitie and compassion on him And not tarrying for aunswere but t◠inking to escape tumbled him selfe twofold downe the wal where he was without suertie taken and cast in prison But the other whiche came out before him the enimie racked to make him confesse and shew the passage whiche he and the said Docine came out at which he did so that by his meane and conduct they wanne and tooke one of the rocks the castle stoode on although almost impregnable inaccessible Neuerthelesse the Captaynes within albeit few in number through their great vertue and prowes so valianntly them defended that they resisted and kept them out a yeare and foure moneths before they could be vanquished fighting almost euerie daye and in the ende were takē by force And now for whi◠e we will leaue of this matter and re◠orne to Antigone making mention of that he did ¶ Antigone being come into Babylon and ioyning with Seleuk◠and Pithon is by Eumenes repulsed the passage of Tygre to the great losse slaughter of his people The .vij. Chapter THe same yeare that Democlade was Pretor of Athens and Caye Iune and Quinte Emilye were Consulles at Rome and that Denomene of Laoco◠ia won the prise at the running in the Olympiade the Cxvj. Antigone departed out of Mesopotamie and w t his power came into Babylon where he founde Seleuke and Python who there ioyned with him Shortly after they made a bridge with their ships ouer the Riuer of Tygre vpon which they set ouer their armies and after marched against the enimie Which thing when Eumenes and the other Satrapes and Captaynes with him vnderstood gaue first in commaundement to Xenophile Captayne of the Castle of Suse not to deliuer to Antigone any of the money in his custodie nor yet once to communicate talke with him That done they departed the Citie and came all together to the Riuer of Tygre from the said Citie about a dayes iourney adioyning the mountaine in that Region wherein inhabit and dwell certayne people called the Vsians liuing at libertie The breadth of whiche in many places thereabout is commonly thrée and foure furlongs ouer and the midst of the streame as déepe as the height of an Elephant running through the countrey from the mountaines aboue .vij. hundred furlongs and falleth into the red Sea It is also full of Sea fishe and monsters whiche shew them selues after the first entring of the Canicular dayes When Eumenes and his companions were there arriued they encamped about the banks of the riuer next to the Sea side attending the enimie And bycause they wanted men for the garding of the said riuer Eumenes Antigene required Penceste to send for out of Perse ten thousand Archers and other shot who sligthly gaue them the hearing bycause he was not chosen generall of the army But after he had considered that if Antigone wonne the victorie he should lose his Satrapes and stand in daunger of his life and that hauing a greater number he might the easlier obtayne victorie accorded their requestes and sent for ten thousand Persians shot more And although some of the said Persians were thirtie dayes iourney from the place where the campe laye yet in one day they hadde newes and were by a maruelous industrie aduertised of the message And bycause it is a thing at the first sight hard to be beléeued I therefore meane to tell in what order and maner it was done And first thou must presupose that the Countrey of Perse is all hilly and full of little mountaynes wherefore they had appointed certaine people of the Countrey and especially suche as hadde the loudest and shrillest voices to stād in the hiest places of the mountaines to kéepe watch so néere one another that they which made a loude noise might both be hard vnderstood and by that meane they declared from one to another that which was commaunded by the sound of the first watch euen to the ende and farthest partes of the Countrey Then Eumenes and Penceste hauing regarde with their host to that before sayd Antigone with his whole armie entred the Citie of Suse and there proclaymed Seleuke gouernour of that Prouince And bycause Xenophile Captayne of the Castle and kéeper of the treasure refused to obey him he appointed a number of his men of warre to tarrie and besiege him and him selfe with the rest sette forth against the enimie throughe a hoate countrey very daungerous and painfull to a people of another Nation wherefore he was forced to trauell by night and at the Sunne rysing to soiorne about the Riuer so that he could no way escape without losse of many men by reason of the feruent heat and chiefly being about the canicular dayes And incontinent after he was come to the place he would be at he made readie all things méete and necessarie for his passage Now was he in the same corner or boought that the Riuer of Tygre descending from the Mountaynes entreth Pasitigre distaunt from the Camp of Eumenes foure score furlongs and commonly aboue foure oxgangs broade and besides that the Riuer was so violent and swift that it was impossible to passe ouer without a bridge or ships Wherefore taking some cockes and long boates he put ouer a certain numbre of his men commaunding them that as soone as they were on the other side to entrenche and strengthen them with ditches and trenches kéeping good watch vntill the rest were come ouer Whereupon Eumenes by hys intelligencers aduertised passed and came ouer the bridge which he had made ouer the riuer Tygre with foure thousand footemen and a thousande and thrée hundred horse to charge Antigone his Souldiers already passed being néere about thrée thousande footemen and foure hundred horse and of forragers victuallers and such like whiche went before to make prouision of victuals aboue six thousand And first he charged the disordered and straglers so that at his first arriuall he put some to flight and in the ende caused all the Macedonians whiche stood to their defence he runne into the Riuer bycause he had the greater number and therefore he charged them lustely
alwayes be poore who without setting measure to his couetousnesse hath an ardent desire to get Neuerthelesse although Demetre was thus of his intention purpose by his sonne in lawe frustrate yet lost he no whit his courage but as a man of an inuincible harte one that oftentimes had assayed the deceytes of Fortune said to his friends Although I should a thousand times haue ben vanquished and ouercome yet would I not be so fainte harted and effeminate for so small a trifle to lose the loue and fauoure of my sonne in lawe ¶ Demetre at his pleasure taketh by siege the Citie of Athens of his bountie and humanitie towardes them And after besiegeth the Citie of Sparte in the countrey of Laconie The .iij. Chapter WHile these matters were doing Demetre was by letters from his friendes oute of Grece aduertised how Lamacare throughe a popular sedition which had ben at Athens vsurped the Dominion thereof Wherfore they willed him not to lose any such occasion for recouerie of so noble a citie Whereuppon he incontinent went to Sea with his whole armie and sailed directly into Grece But as he drew néere the regiō of Athens sodenly arose a sore tempest wherein many of his shippes and men perished whereby he was enforced for his better sauetie to come on land and for that time to leaue of his enterprise of Athens vntill some other more conuenient season Wherefore he gaue in charge to certen of his mē that they should new calke amende hys shaken and brused shippes and hym selfe with the rest sailed into Peloponnese and besieged the Citie of Messene at whiche siege as he one daye went about the wall to view the Towne there came a shot out of it which gaue him such a blowe on the chappes that he had almost yelded the ghoste neuerthelesse being soone after healed he tooke the sayd citie by cōposition many other This done he ageyn enterprised his voiage of Athens and after his entry into the countrey he tooke the cities Eleusine and Rammise and farther commaunded his men to make incursions and to spoyle and rob all the countrey about the citie of Athens When the Athenians were by Demetre his Souldiours thus we◠ied and endomaged happened them an other sodain inconuenience which sore troubled them For as a Carracque of theirs was comming to the Citie laden with corne Demetre toke it immediatly hung the Patron thereof the taking of whiche draue them to so great a necessitie that a Myne of salte was solde for .xl. Drachmes and a Bushel of corne for three hundred Wherevpon they were so troubled and in suche despaire that they beganne to treat and rendre But as they were in that mind newes came to them from all coastes howe King Ptolome would send an Cl. sayle to their ayde alreadie séene at Eugine whereupon they were not a little encouraged and hoped to saue all When Demetre vnderstood of the comming of the saide Nauie he got togyther in the countrey of Peloponnese and Cypres two hundred shippes so that when Ptolome hys Captaynes see that they were not able to resiste so mightie a Nauie they durst not abide but incontinent retired After Lamacre had heard of that he secretly stoale out of the Citie and fled And although the Athenians had decréed and published a new and common Decrée that who so euer did talke or once make motion with Demetre of peace or conclusion in peace he should lose his hed yet being with famine sore oppressed and gréeued they were enforced to agrée vpon such composition as him best liked and set open the gate nexte to his campe and sent their Ambassadoures to rendre the Citie and Citizens at hys pleasure with petition that he would not forget his old accustomed benignitie and clemencie neyther to be reuenged of the iniuries and offences against his Maiestie committed And this did not the Athenians for any fauoure or grace y t they hoped for at Demetre his hands considering his mortall grudge towardes them but by famine enforced thought it muche better to submitte them to his highnesse discretion and mercie than to die of hunger which as they said was then so great that a rat falling from the toppe of a house downe vnto the flowre the father and hys Sonnes straue maruelously which of them should haue it to eate And the Philosopher Epicure fed his housholde with beanes whiche he gaue them out by tale When Demetre with his whole armie was entred the citie he commaunded that all the people should at the Theatre assemble in the middest wherof on a great scaffolde pitched he his Pauilion and appointed his Souldiours to stand about the same with their weapons in their handes And soone after the people were come togyther he descended from his Pauiliō vnto a Tribunall much lower whereat al y e people that sée him were in maruelous terrour and feare But after they heard him vtter no sharpe or rigorous words they were well recomforted And when he had in the beginning of his Oration checked and reproued their stubbornesse and obstinacie he gently in al humanitie benignitie procéeded on with the rest And in token and signe of reconciliation he gaue them two thousand Medymnes of wheat and appointed them such Officers as were méetest to Gouerne the Citie according to their auncient accustomed libertie Wherat y t people were so excéeding glad and reioyced that they neuer ceased highly to prayse and commend Demetre and to blason hys name throughoute all quarters the Oratours also of the citie were wel furnished to make and set forth Orations in his commendation and prayse And bycause Democlide after he had made his Oration would seeme to do something more than the reste he propounded a Decrée whereby was ordeyned that the people of Athens should fréely gyue to Demetre the Townes of Pyre and Munychie to vse at his pleasure which Decrée being by the people allowed Demetre calling to remembraunce their former rebellion receyued their gentle offer and immediatly fortified the Towne of Munychie to the ende if they at any tyme else rebelled he had now gotten a reyne to restrayne them After Demetre had thus recouered the citie and Countrey of Athens he rested not but still continued frō one warre to another and with his armie went against the citie of Lacedemonie and when he was come about the Towne of Mantine he encountred Archidame King of the Lacedemonians who with great power was come thyther to stoppe his passage whome at the firste ioyning he put to flight and incontinent without farther resistaunce entred the countrey of Laconie robbing and spoyling vntil he came before the citie of Sparte which he besieged And as he laye before the citie the Citizens sallied out vppon him but they so valiauntly repulsed them that there were two hundred slaine and .v. hundred taken and it went very narrowly that his Souldiours had not entred the
foloweth First that the inhabitaunts of Asie should be brought into Europe and the inhabitantes of Europe into Asia to the end that they being conioyned in mariage and affinitie with the other they should always liue and continue in amitie friendship concord And for the places where the Temples should be erected he appointed that one should be at Delos in the honor of Iupiter Dodone one in Macedone to Iupiter Nidie one in Amphipolis to y e goddesse Diane of Scithie the other two in y e honor of the goddesse Pallas the one in Cyrne the other in Illye Which temple in Illye he would should be so excellent and sumptuous that the like might not any where be found Ouer and bisides all this he appointed a tombe to be built in manner of a Pyramide or broche in the honoure of his father Phillip farre excéeding them in Egipt which are thought the most excellent things in the world that euer were séene or heard of When the ordinaunces and escriptes of Alexander were red and heard although the Macedonians loued Alexander maruellously yet after they see that his enterprises were suche and of so great charge and very difficult to bring to passe they all agréed that nothing should be done And shortly after Perdicas caused thirtie of the principal soldiours to be slaine which were against him and namely Meleager whom bisides that when he was sent Ambassador to the footemen he did traiterously and quite contrary to his charge he accused also to haue bene the chief conspirater and purposer of his death ¶ Perdicas sendeth Python against the Greekes rebelling in the hye Countries whom he ouerthroweth And incidently is described the scite and compasse of all Asie The thirde Chapter AFter Perdicas was aduertised that the Grekes which were deuided by Colonies into the higher prouinces rebelled and had assembled great puissance of men he sent against them one of the Princes named Python But before any mētion be made of the warres we think it first méete to make report in this History of the occasions of the said rebellion together the description of the scite and greatnesse of the Countrey of Asie and the natures and properties of the Prouinces of the same In doing whereof they which shall read the History hauing before their eyes the distaunces of the places may with greater ease conceiue and vnderstand it First the Mount Thaure adioyning to the Countrey of Cilice extendeth and reacheth all alongst Asie euen to the East Occean But bicause there are in the same many bowes and crookes they haue therfore diuers and sundry names so that Asie is deuided by the said Mount into two partes the one of which abutteth and lyeth towardes the North and the other towardes the Southe Some of the springs also which discend from the sayde Mountaine on the North side of the hil run into the Caspian sea some into the riuer Euxine and another part into the North Occean And the rest which descend from y e South side some fall into the Indian Sea some into the Occean adioining to that part of Inde and some into the red sea In this manner abut the prouinces of Asie some against the North other some against y e south And for the North part thereof the first prouinces which boūdre vpon the riuer Thanais are Sogdiane and Bectriane and adioyning to them Arrie and Parthe enuironing the Hircane-sea deuided from the rest Bisides all these are the Prouince of Mede the greatest and largest of all the rest hauing many and sundry countreys belonging there to called by their seueral names After these are Armenie Licaonie and Cappadoce very colde Countreis Beyonde this straight forward is Phrygie y e great which ioyneth vpon Hellespont and of either side it are Lydie and Carie. And on the right sidelieth Piside a great countrey Behinde that lieth Licie in the firme land and all alongst the Sea coastes are the Cities which the Greekes somtime builded and inhabited whose names shal not be néedful to be mētioned in this present history And in this sort do lie abut the prouinces of Asie towards y e North. But to returne to the prouinces towards the South the first that lieth about the Mount Cauc◠se is Inde a very great realme and wōderfully peopled with diuers nations amongs which the greater natiō are the Ga◠garides against whom Alexander could neuer bring his army by reason of their Elephants which countrey extendeth so the riuer Ganges In the same riuer boundreth the realm of Inde being in that quarter .xxx. furlōgs brode or there about Next vnto the Countrey of the Gangarides ioyneth the rest of the realme of Inde which Alexander cōquered ful of goodly holesome riuers and of great wealth In the same besides many other countreys are also the realme of Pore and Taxille amidst which runneth the riuer Inde◠wherof all the coūtrey first toke the name of Inde About which lie the Prouinces of Aracose Gedrofe and Carmanie and right ouer against thē Perse wherin are enclosed Fusiane and Sita◠ine together the Countrey of Babilon which reacheth to the deserts of Arabie And on y e other side leding hyer vp lieth Mesopotamie enclosed with tw◠riuers and therby so called And on thother side ioyneth al this region of Babilon the higher Sirie nere to them al alongst the Sea coast are Pamphile and the other part of Sirie called Celosyrie in which is enclosed Phenice To that and the desertes ioyning thereto by which the floud Nile runneth downe and deuideth Sirie there is on the other side of the riuer the Countrey of Egipt which was alwayes reputed and taken the richest and of greatest reuenues of all the rest And al these Prouinces are in a hote Region for so much as they lie towards the south euen as the others which be towards the North are very colde All whiche were deuided amongs the principall chiefetaines and Captaines of warre which serued Alexander as hath bene aforesaid But to returne to the History of the Greekes I meane those which Alexander had sent by Colonies to enhabit the hier prouinces there to dwel they were much agreued for that they wer driuen to forsake their maner of life the holesome aire and fertile soile of the good countrey of Grece ◠as it were become abiects in the farthe s◠wartes cōfines of the countrey Notwithstāding so long as Alexander liued they endured the case for feare of him But so sone as they had newes of his death they ge◠to rebell assemble in armes to the number of twentie thousand footemē or more thrée thousand horsemen all trained souldiers amongs whom Philo Enian◠was general When Perdicas vnderstood the rebellion of the sayde Grekes ◠he sent against them Phiton one of Alexanders garde or Pencioners a man of great magnanimitie and courage and for his prowes and martiall pollicie worthy the charge He deliuered to hym thrée thousand footemen
those whiche rebelled against the Kings as hereafter shalbe declared But at this present we meane to leaue speaking of the matter in Asie and make mencion of those which happened in Europe ¶ Cassander sheweth him selfe enimie to Polispercon and getteth to his alliaunce many of the Satrapes Polispercon by an edict royall restoreth the Cities of Grece into their auncient libertie The .xxv. Chapter VVHen Cassander of whome we haue before spoken of him self put frō the Empire gouernemēt of Macedone kept not his desire lōger vndiscouered but purposed by violēce to obtayne recouer y e said gouernement thinking it a great dishonor to suffer any other than him selfe to haue the rule and authoritie which his father held enioyed But apperceyuing y t the Macedonians in generall were prompt and ready at Polispercon his commaundement and tooke his parte he secretly beganne to discouer his intention to his trustie friends and vnder a colour made them go towards Hellespont occupying him selfe many dayes in the countrey in chasing and hunting to the ende his people should beleue and thinke that he forced not of any hie enterprises or princelie gouernement But after he had dispatched put al things in a readinesse he secretly departed went towards Hellespont sending forthwith to Antigone praying his aide aduertising him y t Ptolome had promised the like Whereunto Antigone accorded and promised to send out of hand both Souldiers and shippes This friendship fained he to doe for the great loue he had alwayes borne to Antipater his father but truth is he ment none other thing but to trouble Polispercon in his warres and affaires to the ende that while those matters were in deciding he might seaze on the whole countrey of Asie and after attayne to the Empire of Macedone When Polispercon had séene the sodayne departure of Cassander he knew he meant to worke him great trouble and mischief wherfore he did nothing without great aduise of his friends and the chief of Macedone declaring vnto them that he clerely see y e Antigone would ayde Cassander and by that meane should win the Cities of Grece bycause that diuerse of them were guarded by the seruitours of his father and the rest gouerned by some of the Citizens whome his said father had deputed gouernours and had alwayes supported them He sée also that Ptolome gouernour of Egipt and Antigone who apparauntly had alreadie withdrawne him from the obeysaunce of the Kings would ayde him eyther of them hauing an huge and mightie hoste great stoare of treasure and held vnder their obeysance great countreys and prouinces When they had at large consulted on these matters and that euery man had said his opinion he was finally resolued to restore the Cities of Grece into their popular gouernaunce and libertie thereby to depose the Tyraunts and Gouernours assigned by Antipater For y e Macedonians thought by that meane to diminishe and abate the power of Cassander and that the Kings and Polispercon shoulde winne great honor and renowne together the friendship of al the Cities who greatly might helpe them with their seruice Whereupon they sent out commaundements to all the cities that they shoulde sende their Ambassadoures to the Kings which they did And when they were al assembled it was by the kings declared and signified to them that they should be of good courage and haue an assured hope and confidence that they would restore them to their auncient libertie and popular gouernement deliuering forthwith in writing the decrée of the saide deliberation to be carried and published without delaye vnto the Cities to the ende they should know the liberalitie and franknesse of the said Kings and Macedonians towards them The contents and effect of which decrée was written in Greke as followeth Forasmuch as our noble Progenitours haue in times past greatly pleasured gratified the Grecians We therefore pursuing following their institution and ordinance therein doe declare and pronounce to all people the loue and good will we beare towards the Grekes Wherefore since the death of Alexander ◠and that the realmes came to our possession and gouernaunce thinking that they are all determined to peace and quietnesse and also contented to stand to the institutions and ordinaunces concerning the weale publique established by Phillip our noble parent we haue herein addressed our letters to all the saide Cities But bicause of our absence in farre coūtreys some of the said Grekes not rightly vnderstanding our meaning and intencion making warre vpon the Macedonians certain of them chaunted to be vanquished by our Captaynes and Chieftaynes of warre wherby many inconueniences ensued to some of their Cities which troubles and misfortunes ought to be imputed to the fault and negligence of our said Captaynes Wherefore we for our partes considering the auncient amitie and beneuolence of our Auncestors towardes you and yours are desirous and by vertue of this decrée do graunt you peace and farther doe remit restore you into that libertie and Ciuile gouernement which you heretofore haue had vnder Philip and Alexander and that all you and euery of you do gouerne according to the ordinaunces first by them to you graunted we wil also that all those whiche were banished and expulsed the Cities by our Lieutenaunts and Chieftaynes of war since Alexander passed into Asie be called home and being so called and come agayne will by these presents that they recouer and enioye all their goods and euer hereafter to lyue peaceably without sedition in their countrey forgetting all iniuries and wrongs done and passe and be partakers of the honors and ciuilities of their Cities aswell as any other And that all decrées and sentences made to the contrarie shall be reuoked and made voide except and alwayes reserued all such as are banished for murder or any other like villanous acte except also and reserued all those which were bannished Megapolite for the treason conspired with Polyenote except also the Amphisencians Tricians Pharcondonians and Heraclians And for the rest we well they be called backe and receyued home on this side the thirtie day of Aprill And if Philip our Father and Alexander our brother haue ordeyned and made any ordinaunces or lawes particular contrarie to this let them which find them selues agréeued come to vs and we will take such order as shall be both honest and reasonable for eyther parte And for the Athenians we will that they continue and remayne as they did in the time of Philip and Alexander and to enioye the citie of Orope and countrey thereof as they did at that present together the Citie of Samye as Phillip our progenitour and noble parent deliuered it them In this doing we forbid the Grekes that they enterprise nothing neyther serue or ayde any whom soeuer against vs vpon payne of banishement both they and their posteritie with confiscation of their landes and goods whiche attempt or do the contrarie Of all which things we haue gyuen notice and power to Polispercon
And for that euerie man was gladde to saue him selfe they made such spéede to their shippes to haue repassed that with an ouercharge the greater numbre sonke and the rest which thought to be saued assayed to swimme but few or none escaped drowning by reason of the violence and swiftnesse of the Riuer And they whiche thought better to render to the mercie of the enimie than to be drenched in the water were taken prisoners being aboue foure thousand And although Antigone see before his eyes so great an ouerthrow of his Souldiers yet could he by no meane remedie it by reason of the want of shippes Wherefore considering it was impossible to passe he returned went to the Citie of Bedace standing vpon the Riuer Eule But bycause it was in the middest of Sommer and the Countrey maruellous hoate he lost in traueling many of his Souldiers wherefore the rest of the Souldiers were almost in despaire but after that they had reposed them selues and soiourned in the same Citie a certaine time they were well refreshed and tooke then better harte ¶ Of Antigone his comming with his armie into the countrey of Mede and the daungers and harde passage he hath vpon the way The .ix. Chapter WHen Antigone had certain dayes in the Citie of Bedace well refreshed his armie he determined to marche therewith into the Region of Ecbathane in the countrey of Mede hoping thereby to conquer the hie Countreis And although there were two wayes to passe into Mede yet was it a hard matter for him without interruption and let to get through any of both For the way by the mannured lande was fayre excellent but very hoat and little lesse than .xl. dayes iourney But the other leading through the Countrey of the Eosians was very short and close howbeit colde sharpe straight hilly and barren and the enimies coūtrey so that it had ben very difficult without the good wils of the paysaunts to passe an army being a people which time out of mind had alwayes lyued at libertie dwelling in ca◠es liuing with acornes mushrubbes and the fleshe of sauage and wilde beastes poudered Neuerthelesse Antigone hauing so mightie an armie thought it ouer great a shame to pray and require suche paysauntlie slaues of passage recourse Wherefore determining to take that waye he chose out of the whole army the targe carriers archers all other shot and light armed men which were the lustiest fellowes and most aduenterours and deuided them into two bands whereof the charge of the one he gaue Nearche commaunding him to march before and to winne the most méete and conuenient passages And the other bande he deuided and set al alongs the way in diuerse places as occasion serued Then him selfe marched on with the phalange or battail of footemen and cōmitted the rereward to Python But the first which were sent out after they had won certain trifling passages to no purpose not the passages most necessarie the paysaunts at hande so stoutly charged them that they slew a great number and the rest very hardly escaped And Antigone comming on with his battail of footmen thinking to win the straightes was in great daunger which by no meanes could be remedyed For the paysants knowing the ways and straightes of the passages had preuented them and from the tops of the rocks cast and tumbled downe agaynst the souldiers as they marched huge and mighty stones They had also great strength of bowes wherwith they hurt and galled the enimie bicause they coulde neyther defende nor yet eschue the dinte of the shotte by reason of the hardnesse of the way which was stiepe and almost inaccessible so that the Elephants horsemen and the armed footemen coulde no waye succoure them for that that they were in as greate daunger or more than the rest Then acknowleged he his fault and repented him that he had not beléeued and followed the aduise counsel of Python other his friendes for buying of the passage Notwithstanding in the ende he so valiantly and wisely bare hym selfe that he had wythin nyne dayes with great losse maruelous daunger and sore trauaile of his souldiers gotten the countrey habitable of Mede Wherfore they were so mutinous that euery man cōplained cried out and spake very euill words of hym And to saye the truthe for the space of .xliij. dayes they had abidden many maruellous aduentures and suffered intollerable mischeues Howbeit he with swéete words and stoare of victuals appeased their mutinie and well refreshed them and after commaunded Python to trauaile through the whole countrey of Mede there to leuie so many horsmen horses as he coulde get Whiche commaundement he diligently executed and in shorte time bicause the region was well furnished with horse and other bestiall he brought .ij. thousande lusty horsemen and very neere a thousande spare horsse well appointed for the warres And of al other kinde of cattel as Mares and such like bearing beasts so many as suffised the whole armie and bisides broughte .v. hundred talents of the tresure royall on the emptie horses Then remounted Antigone all those which had loste their horses and amongs the reste diuided the other bestiall Which liberall dealing brought him againe in fauoure with his men of warre ¶ Eumenes to please his Satrapes with the whole armie marcheth into the countrey of Perse and by his wisedome and policie putteth Penceste who affected the gouernment and armie in great fear and after reconcileth the sayd Penceste and assureth him selfe of all the other Satrapes and Captaines The .ix. Chapter AFter Eumenes the Satrapes with him vnderstode of Antigone his commyng into Alcide they called many counsells and were of diuers opinions For Eumenes and Antigene captaine of the Argiraspides and all the rest whiche came out of the lowe countrey dyd thinke it méetest and moste for their safetie to go towardes the sea from whence they came But the Satrapes of the hye countreys hauing special regard to their owne particular case sayd that the best were to march into the higher regions When the dissention thus encreased and waxed hoter Eumenes foreséeing that if the armie should be deuided and dispersed either part then should be to weake to encounter the enimie condescended to the Satrapes of the high cuntreys Wherupon they remoued their Campe from the Ryuer of Pasitigre and marched on to Persepolis the honourablest citie of Perse being about .xxviij. dayes iorney a countrey very hilly the one way lying beneath the mountaines very hotte and barrein of all kindes of victuals and the other a hie countrey very holsome and a good aire ful of al kindes of pleasant fruites It was also ful of valeys close and shodowy and gardens aboūding with all sorts of trées and frutes great store of fountaines likewise running with cléere waters makyng the countrey maruellous pleasaunt and delectable whiche caused the passengers to desire to rest and soiorne there Moreouer there wer many faire
Momme except which Aristone kept the Citie of Amphipolis and Monime the Citie of Polle When Olympias see that one parte of the Macedonians had quite forsaken hir that y e rest were vnable to mainteyn help hir she went about to saue hir self hir friends in a Gally by sea which she caused to be sent for and brought to the Port. But Cassander being therof aduertised by one that fled out of the town tooke the sayd Gallie Whereupō the Queene despayring in hir affaires businesse sent Ambassadours to Cassāder to treat a peace But he séeing the necessitie wherein she stood and therfore meaning that she should yeld hir self to his curtesie he hardly graūted hir safe cōduct for hir owne person When Cassander had the citie rendred to him he incontinent sent certen of his men of warre to take Amphipolis and Polle Whereupon Monime Captayne of Polle vnderstanding the state of Olympias yelded without resistaunce But Aristone who was extréeme proude both of his great hande of men of warre as also for that he had a little before vanquished and ouercome Cratebas one of Cassanders Captaynes in battaill slayne a great parte of his armie subsecuted chased him through the countrey of Busalcie hard to the Citie of Bedine it besieged tooke by cōposition whom he after with .ij. thousand of his men besides sent away w t white roddes in their hands supposing that Eumenes had not ben yet dead and hoping that Polispercō and Alexander his sonne would come to ayde hym vtterly refused the yelding vp of the Citie of Amphipolis But after Olympias had written to him to render the Towne summoning him of his faith and allegiaunce he thought it best so to do and taking suertie for his persone gaue vp the same Notwithstanding Cassander cōsidering the great aucthoritie of Aristone by reason of Alexanders aduauncing him in his life and meaning to make quicke dispatch of so many as would or might any way let or hinder his affaires and doings caused Cratebas owne kinsfolkes to kill him He persuaded likewise all their friends which Olympias had put to death to accuse hir in the place of iudgement before the assemblie of the Macedonians which thing they did where the Macedonians in hir absence without patrone or Aduocate there to defend hir cause condemned hir to death wherupon after sentence and iudgement gyuen Cassander sent to hir certen of his friends persuading hir to flie promising to enbarque hir in a Gallie which should bring hir to the citie of Athens And this did he not for anie good will to saue hir but to the end she might by that meane voluntarily runne in exile and be drenched in the Sea so y t it might after haue ben said how by fortune of the sea and iudgemēt of the Goddes she was for hir cruell mischeuous and wicked déedes iustly punished Neuerthelesse she aunswered y t messangers that flie she would not nor yet refuse the iudgement of the Macedonians Which thing Cassander perceyuing he for feare that the people and assemblie of the men of warre would alter their determinations and minds when they vnderstood she was well able to purge hir of euery offence wherewith they would charge hir and should likewise reduce and call to memory the great good turnes and honour◠by them long before at the hands of Phillip and Alexander receiued sent CC. of his trustiest soldiers about him to kill hir Who with great violence entring the Palaice where she was were at the first sight so abashed with the Maiestie of hir face that they returned without doing hir any hurte But their kinsfolkes whom she caused to be slayne thinking to reuenge their deaths also to gratifie Cassander out of hande slew hir who neuer made woords or shewed any countenaunce of a woman dismayed or yet fainte harted In this sorte Olympias whiche in hir time hadde bene the most honorable Dame of the world Neoptoleme his daughter King of Epire Alexander his sister King of Epire who warred in Italy King Phillip his wyfe of Macedone the most puissaunt of all other which before him in Europe raigned Alexander his mother surnamed the great which hadde exployted the most notable and honorable warres that euer were worthie the writing and talke miserablie ended hir life ¶ After the death of Olympias Cassander espouseth Thessalonice Alexander the great his sister foundeth the Citie of Cassander And after he hath put in safe keeping Roxanne and Alexāder his sonne he goeth into the countrey of Beote and reedifieth the Citie of Thebes The .xx. Chapter WHen Cassander thus gloriously prosperously raigned he affected the realme of Macedon and the better to bring his purpose to passe espoused Thessalonice Phillip his daughter and Alexander his sister both by father and mother being always desirous to insinuate him selfe with the ligne royall He likewise in the countrey of Palene within the Region of Macedone found and built a citie named Cassandria and peopled it with inhabitaunts of the Cities of Cheronese and Potede and diuerse other villages about the same Citie and the remnaunt of the Olinthians By whiche meane also bycause of the great fertile territorie he laid and gaue thereto and by other ways he tooke wherewith on hand to enlarge and make it great The Citie in short time became so mightie and riche that it was named to be the greatest and worshipfullest amongs all the Cities of Macedone Nowe had Cassander purposed to put to death Alexander his sonne and Roxanne his mother to the end there shoulde no more of Alexanders ligne remayne on liue But before he would execute this execrable murder he stayed first to vnderstand what the Macedonians thought of the death of Olympias what talke was emongs them togither what Antigone did in Asie Wherefore he all that while caused Roxanne and hir sonne to be brought into the Castle of Amphipolis and charged Glaucias Captayne thereof and one whome he greatly trusted with the kéeping of them commaunding him to vse and treat them no other wayes but as common persones laying al princilie honours and dignities towardes them aparte and to put away all the children which had ben brought vp with the said Sonne of Alexander as his playe fellowes After that he tooke vppon him the aucthoritie and gouernement as King and caused solemne exequies for Euridice and Phillip whome Olympias had made be murdred to be celebrated with great pompe and solemnitie entombed them in a tombe royall with y e Kings their predecessours making sports and pastimes at those dayes accustomed That done he leuied a great numbre of men of warre in the countrey of Macedone to go into Peloponese While Cassander was thus occupied and that Polispercon who laye besieged in the Citie of Naxe in the Region of Perrheby vnderstood of Olympias death apperceyuing no lōger hope for him to take in hand to rule the affaires of Macedone priuilie
by night stoale out of the Citie with a fewe of his people and passing through Thessaly tooke the Souldiours with Eucide and trauelled into Ethole where he was verie well beloued to see what retinue or traine would there gouerne the affaires of Macedone hoping to find some mutacion or chaunge After Cassander had assembled a mightie armie he sped him into Peleponnese to chase Alexander the Sonne of Polispercon bycause there was not one of his enimies which hadde an whole armie but he who also had fortified and furnished all the Townes and Castles of the same Countrey by hym thought most meete and defensible Thus without empechement or stoppe passed Cassander through the countrey of Thessaly But after he was come to the entrie of the Piles the Etholian kept him such play and so stoutly resisted him that with great and difficult payne he perforce wanne the passage but after he was passed had entred the countrey of Beote he sped him to bring backe and agayne to assemble all the Thebanes and to restore and reedifie the Citie of Thebes thinking be should therby get both great praise and immortall fame aswell for the high and incomparable facts of the same Citie as also for the maruellous reports which came thereon And bycause it had ben greatly altered and chaunged oftentimes made desolate I thinke good to make some notable declaration of the fortunes and chaunces that thereto happened ¶ Of the foundation and fortunes of the Citie of Thebes in Beota The .xxj. Chapter AFter the deluge and flood of Deucation the Citie of Thebes in Beote was by Cadme first foūded built and by his name called Cadme by the Spartes inhabited to saye a people dispersed bycause the recourse there was of al sortes It was by some also named Thebicene to wete dwelling at Thebes for that by reason of the deluge the people departed thence and scattered abroad in diuerse countreys and after returned thyther It fortuned after that the Eucheleians by force chased and expulsed the said inhabitants aboute the same season that Cadme with his people was put to flight and fled into the countrey of Illyrie After that Amphion and Zethe who had the gouernement thereof enlarged the same as witnesseth Homere saying Who first with walles enuirond Thebane Towne And with seauen gates to winne fame and renowne Yet after that the inhabitaunts whome Amphion Zethe had thyther brought were by Polidore the sonne of Cadme the second time expulsed by reason of a sodaine mortalitie whiche happened Amphion his children And in processe of time the same being by the successours of the saide Polydor gouerned all the countrey bare the name of Beote so called of Beote the sonne of Neptune and Menelippe which somtime ruled there The Argiues likewise y e third time expulsed the Thebanes and tooke the Citie But after the Argiues were gone agayn into their countrey the Thebanes which retired into Alcomene in the mountaine of Thilphosine returned home Yet after that certen of the said Thebanes were gone to the siege of Troye the Pelasgians draue so many as remayned at home both oute of the Citie Countrey who continued in exile in diuerse miseries vntill the fourth generation as by an Augurie of certen Crowes was presaged But in the end the succession of the exiles in the fourth generation returned and there enhabited the space of eyght hundred yeares Who were the first that gouerned that Region and after contended and fought for the Empire of Grece vntil the tyme that Alexander the sonne of Phillip by force tooke the citie and after razed it But about .xx. yeares after Cassander desirous of glorie as aforesaid through his earnest request and maruellous persuasions by the assent and consent of the whole countrey reedified it and repeopled it with those which liued and of the ligne of the exiles which were dead aswel for the pitie he had of the miserable people as also for the glorie renoume of the citie The Athenians also at their owne costes and charges built and set vp one parte of the wall Manie other cities likewise and seuerall people of Grece Sicill Italy h◠lp them with money After this maner recouered the Thebanes their Citie and Countrey ¶ After Cassander hath taken and subdued certen Cities of Peloponnese and vnderstandeth of the comming of Alexander Polispercon his sonne against him he returneth into M◠c◠done The .xxij. Chapter WHen Cassāder was with his whole armie come to the entrie of Peloponnese called Isthmus and found the same by Alexander the sonne of Polispercon taken and guarded he passed beyond him and went to Megare and there got togyther a numbre of shippes barges and fery boats wherin he put ouer into Epidaure his armie and Elephants and so came against the citie of Argos which he constrained to reuolte from Alexander and to take his parte He reduced likewise after all the townes and cities of the Messenians to him except I◠home and by composition tooke the Citie of Hermonide And apperceyuing that Alexander came against him to fight left in the Citie of Gerannie about I◠thmus Moliecke one of his Captayns with .ij. thousand trayned souldiers and him self returned into Macedone ¶ Vpon Antigone his arriuall in Babylon Seleuke perceyuing that he seeketh occasions to expulse or kil him flieth into Egypt The .xxiij. Chapter THe yeare ensuing wherein Praxibule was created Gouernour of Athens and Nance Spure Marcke Popill were chosen Consulles at Rome after Antigone had gyuen to Aspise one of the Satrapes of the countrey the Satrapie of Susiane he got togyther a numbre of charriotes and Camelles to carrie all his golde and siluer to sea and with them and his armie tooke his iourney to Babylon And when he had in .xx. dayes iourneis reached Babylon Seleuke Gouernour of that Prouince honorablie receyued him on whome he bestowed great giftes and roially banquetted his souldiours Notwithstanding Antigone called him to an accompt for the reuenue of the said Prouince And bicause he held mainteyned that he was not accomptable for it considering that the said Prouince was by the Macedonians in the life of Alexander for his merites and good seruice bestowed on him they were at some controuersie Neuerthelesse after Seleuke had remembred his dealing towards Python he much doubted that Antigone vnder like colour would make quicke dispatch of him for so much as it was well knowen that he endeuoured hym to discomfite all the noble personages and men in aucthoritie which were appointed for the ruling and gouernement of any good and honest businesse Wherfore bycause of the notable fame and renoume whiche was blowen abroad of Ptolome his great honour and honestie and also his gentlie and friendlie entreaty of al such as came vnto him for helpe he with L. horse departed thence and fled into Egipt vnto him Whiche newes wonderfully
hauing alreadie such encrease of power and authoritie as might beséeme a right mightie King w t glory fame worthy a great Empire ¶ Demetre in battaill vanquisheth Cylles Ptolome his Lieutenaunt and after Antigone his Father commeth and ioyneth with him and then Ptolome forsaketh the countreys of Syrie and Phenice and leaueth them to the said Antigone The .xlij. Chapter DUring the time that Seleuke was occupied as is aforesayde Ptolome who had in battaile vanquished Demetre in Celosirie as aboue and there still remained vnderstanding that Demetre was againe come into the hier Syrie and there encamped sent one of his captaynes named Cylles a Macedonian with suche numbre of men as he thought good eyther to expulse him the coūtrey of Syrie or else to kéepe hym so occupied that he should do no kind of exploite But as he was vppon the waye Demetre being by his scoulte aduertised of hys comming and their disorder bycause he neyther feared or estéemed the enimie in the night departed from hys camp lying nere Myunte w t hys horsse and light armed footemē leauing in his camp the rest with the baggage and so hasted that about the daye breake he assayled Cilles camp which he found so disordered that they without resistaunce yelded togyther Cylles himselfe Whervpon when Demetre had thus sodenlie done so great an exploite he thought he had well reuenged the shame and domage by him at the battail before lost receiued Notwithstanding doubting that if Ptolome hearde of those newes he would with his power come agaynst him he pitched his campe in a verie strong place hauing at hys backe a great Marris and then so much as in him laye sent to aduertise his father of that he had done praying him with all diligence to sende a strong supplie or else with all his power to come him selfe and enter Syrie to recouer it Of these newes Antigone then lying in Cylene in the countrey of Phrigie was right glad that his sonne a yong man had wonne so great and honorable a victorie whereby he deserued to be a King And incontinent he with hys whole armie departed Phrigie and after he had passed the moūt Thaure he made such spéed that within few days he was come to his sonne When Ptolome vnderstood of his comming he aduised with hys counsaile what should be best to doe whether to attend the enimie in Syrie and there to fight or to returne into Egipt and from thence make warre as he hadde before done against Perdicas Whereuppon they all agréed that he should not hazard his case against the force of the enimie ioyned togyther and chieflie bycause they hadde a great numbre of Elephants and Antigone hym selfe also in persone who neuer yet was vanquished Wherefore it séemed to them that the beste surest way was that Ptolome should returne into Egipt where were victuals great store and might there kéepe hym selfe in strong and aduauntageous places In following which counsaill he delibered to go into Egipt but before hys departure he beat downe and razed certayne faire and beutiful cities to wete Hace in Phenice Yoppe in Samarie and Gaze in Sirie That done he with his armie and al the mouable goods which might be carried went into Egipt By this meane Antigone without difficultie or resistaunce recouered all the countreys of Sirie Phenice ¶ Antigone enterpriseth warres against the Nabathians inhabiting the deserts of Arabia and Athaney his Captayne is by them discomfited Also after Demetre hys comming thyther he concludeth a league and amitie with them The .xliij. Chapter AFter Antigone had thus recouered and wonne the countreys of Syrie and Phenice he indicted warres to the Arabians called Nabathians whō he thought his enimies Wherfore he chose out one of his Captains named Atheney and deliuered to him .iij. thousande shot and .vj. hundred of his lightest horsse cōmaunding them to enter the said countrie and to make so many incursions as they might But bycause the maner of life and order of the said Arabians is farre different and disagréeing from all other I thinke it meete and expedient here to make some mention and declaration thereof First they dwel wildlie abroad without eyther townes or houses wherefore they saie their lande is vnhabitable bicause there are neither ryuers or foūtayns wherwith to maintayne an armie They haue also a lawe which prohibiteth them on paine of death not to sowe any corne neyther to set or graf trées bearing fruit nor to drinke wyne or build houses This they hold mayntayn bycause they thinke that those which haue houses and maneured lands and fruitfull are always subiect to conquerours But there are amongs them many whereof some haue great flockes of shéepe other great heards of Camels going abroad in the desertes neuer tarrying long in one place And althoughe there are diuerse kindes of Arabians whiche inhabit the desertes yet are the Nabathians the richest and wealthiest and are about the numbre of .x. thousand whereof some are accustomed to trade by Sea with incense myrrhe and other drugs aromatique growing in the fertile Countrey of Arabie They are also meruelouslie determined to kéepe and mainteyne their libertie And when any enimie inuadeth they draw to the desert and places solitarie which serue in stead of castles and forts where no straunger can liue Notwithstanding they haue certen receptacles within the Caues whiche they digge in the same earth being of plaister and softe stones whereby they may the better digge the Caues the entry of which are little but within large and déepe so that they are more than an Arpent square and in those they set earthen vessels filled with great store of rayne water and then they in suche sorte couer the entry of the Caue aboue that they which passe by can not perceyue it but them selues knowe it again by a signe which they leaue behinde and euery third daye they water their cattell with that water to the ende if they were put to flight they should not want drinke and their chief foode is flesh mylke and other things which the lande bringeth forth verie good and holsome to eate In this lande also groweth Peper and wild honie which they drinke with water There are besides beyond these other Arabians dwelling in the maneured land and are tributaries as the Syrians and liue in such order as they doe saue that they dwell in no houses And this is y e maner and life of the Arabians Nowe is there a place in the same Countrey verie strong without walles or anie suche like defence distaunt from the land habitable two dayes iourney where at one time of the yeare whiche was euen verie then they repaire and come from all quarters of the countrey to buy and sell. And as the merchaunts were there assembled and had left at home their goodes wyues children and olde men and women in a certen strong rocke Atheney who had wel espied out his time with
Aripharne was put to flight whome Satire a while chased and ouerthrew and killed a great number of hys people But when he vnderstood that his brother Eumele which lead the other wing ouer against the Mercenarie Grekes hadde the better of them he desisted chasing of Aripharne and came to the rescous of his owne men At whose comming the enemie was repulsed and in the end put to flight And in this maner Satyre him selfe was cause of victorie in both the wings By which well appeared y t the realme aswell for his Seignoritie as also for his vertue and prowes to him only apperteyned The victorie thus wonne Aripharne and Eumele retired into a Castle standing on a verie stéepe rocke scituate in the middest of the Riuer of Thatis By reason whereof and also bycause the walles were strong and hie well manned and also furnished with all kyndes of shot and weapon it was not easie to be taken but verie difficile and harde to besiege hauing but two wayes to enter both of them artificially made and wrought the one went directlie to the castle enuironed and defended with flankers and bulwarks the other to certen marshes lying round about the castle fortified with rāpiers of wood in the middest of whiche marshes were faire houses buylt vppon great pillers standing vppon the ryuer When Satyre had considered the strong situation and great daunger in the siege thereof he first made incursions and robberies vppon all the countrey round about and tooke a great numbre of the paysauntes prisoners with great plenty of cattell and burnt and fouraged all the villages And after he had thus done he determined forcibly to assaile the place whiche lead to the Castle but he was repulsed with losse of many men Notwithstanding he desisted not but so lustely and courageously assaulted the other waye that he wanne the rampers and houses standing on the marshes and spoyled them and after passed the ryuer where he began to cut and hew down the piles and houses of wood through which he must néedes passe if he determined to come to the Palaice Which thing when Arypharne sée and fearing the taking of the Palaice his whole trust and chief refuge defended the same by all the possible meanes he could Now had he a great numbre of shot which he deuided on both sides the waye who hurt a great numbre of the wood fellers bycause they coulde not auoyde the shot nor yet endomage them which did the hurte Neuerthelesse they couragiouslie endured the daunger and for thrée dayes togyther neuer ceased cutting downe of wood so that they hadde made a playne beaten waye through the marshes and the fourth daye were gotten hard to the curten For Menisce Captayne of the Mercenaries a valiaunt and wise man came brauely and courageouslie with his Souldiours throughe the same waye to gyue the assault But after he had long susteyned the violēce of the shot within and the greater number of his men hurt he then of force retired And in the retire they of the Castle in such number sallied out vppon him that what through the narrownes of the way and disaduauntage of the place he surely had ben slayn had it not ben that Satyre séeing them so distrest incontinent came to their rescous Who nobly fighting and abyding the force of the enimie was with the blowe of a launce in one of his armes so sore hurte that he was faine to be taken and carried backe into his campe and the night ensuing died on the same stroke when he had raigned but .ix. monethes after the death of his Father When Menisce sée that he raysed the siege and retired the armie to the citie of Galgaze and from thence sent his brothers bodie downe elongest the Ryuer vnto hys brother Prytame in the citie of Panticape who caused it very sumptuously honorably to be enterred amongs the sepulchres and tombes of the Kings And that done he incontinent went into the citie of Galgaze and there seized on the armie and Realme To whom Eumele hys brother sent Messangers to demaund particion of y e said Realme who harkened not to any suche demaund but after he had placed his garrisons in Galgaze forthwith returned to Pāticape to establish and set an order about the affaires and estate of the realme The same time Eumele with the ayde of a numbre Barbarians tooke the citie of Galgaze and many other Townes and Uillages thereabout Whereof Pritame aduertised leuied a great armie and came against him where he in battaill was vanquished and enforced to flie into a place in the straight néere the marshe Meothide and being there by Eumele enclosed was driuē of necessitie to come to a cōposition wherein he gaue ouer restored to him his armie and also forsooke his right and title of the realme But after he was returned to Panticape the Palaice Royall of the King of Bosphore he againe forcibly tooke vppon him the gouernement and estate of the Realme but he was a fresh by Eumele ouerthrowen and fleing through certen orchyardes there slaine After whose death Eumele meaning to assure himselfe of the realme caused all the friends wyues and children of Pritame Satyre his brethren to be put to death except and reserued Parisade Satyre his sonne a verie yong stryppling who on horse backe got out of the towne and fled to Agare King of the Scythes But when Eumele sée the Citizens for the slaughter of their friendes and familiars waxe mutinous he assembled them and declared the causes which moued him to do the same saying farther that he would restore them into their auncient estate immunitie and franchize sometime had vnder his predecessours and that they should be exempte of all trybutes and impostes by which meane he appaised them and wanne againe their good willes and fauoures and after sagely and courteouslie gouerned behaued hym selfe in his raigne to the great admiration of all his neighbours For through his munificencie and curtesie he made all his friendes to loue him as the Byzancians Synopians and the rest of the Grekes inhabiting the countrey of Pont. And when Lysimache besieged the Calantians who for want of victuals were brought into great daunger and necessitie he receyued a thousand of them which came out by reason of the famine and not onely licenced and assured them to remayne in his Countrey but also gaue them one of his owne cities named Yse amongs them deuided the territorie thereof He moreouer warred vppon the Heniques Thaures and Achees Barbarians and Sea rouers to make the Sea Pontique nauigable to them of the countrey By which his doings he both got great prayse and renowne of the countrey men there and also of the whole world bycause of the reporte the people of that countrey made to all whiche sailed and came thyther so that he hadde wonne a great parte of the region of Barbary ioyning vpon his realme and became so puissaunt and renoumed that he