Avenue that lay towards the Sea whereby their Provision was not obtain'd but with great difficulty And now albeit they attempted one another with all the Art and Address that is practis'd in Sieges and Attacks after they had equally felt all sorts of Violence were pinch'd with extremity of Famine and had experimented whatsoever Hardships are done or suffer'd in the most calamitous Adventures incident to a Siege they may nevertheless be said to have been mutually crown'd with Victory but not as it is represented by Fabius who reports them to have been Vanquish'd by the Miseries they underwent but Triumphing over all that could be put in practice to subdue each other For before it could be seen who was likely to have the better tho' it was a Dispute on one single Spot of two whole Years duration yet the War at length determin'd after another manner Thus have I recounted the Occurrences of Erix and the Actions of the Land-armies those two States being fitly resembled to Birds which in Fight shew more Courage than Strength where it often happens that their Anger remains when their Power is lost and so retireing by Consent leave it doubtful who had the Advantage In like manner may it be said to have far'd with the Romans and Carthaginians who weaken'd by so long a War and wasted by the expence of so many Years Dispute were reduc'd on both sides to the last Extremity Nevertheless the Romans maintain'd a certain Inflexibility of Resolution not to be express'd for altho' for the space of five Years they had totally desisted from all Naval Preparations discourag'd by the many Misfortunes which attended their Navigations proposing they should be able to put a period to this long and dagerous War with their Land-forces alone yet at length perceiving that the great Abilities of Hamilcar were likely to frustrate that Expectation they determin'd now the third time to place their Hopes in a Fleet concluding it to be the only Means whereby to put a happy Issue to the Dispute if Fortune would but in any sort favour their Beginning and the Sequel prov'd they did not reckon amiss They forsook the Sea the first time by reason of the Shipwrecks they had sustain'd and the second time they were compell'd by the loss of their Fleet in a Battel near Drepanum And yet they wanted not Assurance to attempt Fortune a third time how averse soever she had hitherto been And now having cut off all the means of Subsistance from the Carthaginians in Erix they by that means subdu'd them and put an end to the Strife But let us observe by the way that this Undertaking of the Romans was owing more to their Vertue than to any other Cause whatsoever For their Treasure was exhausted to so low an Ebb that there appear'd no sort of Fond whereby to enable them to pursue their Design but their Greatness of Mind and the Generosity of those who were in the Government surmounted all Impediments And it so sell out that means were at length found more than sufficient to effect this great Determination for every one voluntarily contributed in proportion to his private Fortune and undertook as they were able among themselves some two some more joining their Stock to build and equip a Vessel for their share on no other Condition than to be reimburs'd by the Publick at the end of the War So that in a short space a Fleet of Two Hundred Sail was Built and put to Sea all contriv'd according to the Model of the Rhodian Vessel we have else-where mention'd the Command of this Fleet was given to the Consul C. Lutatius who departing early in the Spring arriv'd in Sicily when he was least look'd for the Carthaginian Fleet being retir'd He presently possess'd himself of the Port of Drepanum and all the Harbours in the Neighbourhood of Lilybaeum then he made Preparations for laying Siege to the Town of Drepanum but he proceeded therein with such Caution as betoken'd his Forsight that the Carthaginian Fleet might speedily arrive and bearing in Mind what had been concluded in their Deliberations at their first setting out namely that nothing could put a Period to the War but a Naval Battel he therefore pursuant to that Result lost no occasion of Exercising and Disciplining his Soldiers and Seamen in all Points wherein they might be render'd serviceable to his Design And as he was careful to preserve good Order among them so they soon became expert and knowing in their Business and his Soldiers ready and capable of pursuing any Orders they should receive The Carthaginians very much surpris'd at the News of a Roman Navy dispatch'd away a Fleet with all expedition against them sending at the same time a good relief of Provision of Victuals and all sorts of Stores of War But their chief care was that those who were straiten'd in Erix might be supply'd with whatever they wanted Hanno therefore who Commanded the Carthaginian Fleet shap'd his Course first towards Hieronnesus with design to touch at Erix before the Romans should have any account of his Motions determining after he had supply'd them and lighten'd his Vessels to re-inforce his Troops from thence with the choice of the Mercenaries that were there and that then joining with Barcas he should be in a condition to give the Enemy Battel But Lutatius who had got Advice of Hanno's Arrival and suspected indeed his Design took on board the choice of his Land-forces and sail'd away for the Island of Aegusa commonly call'd Aegates which lies just against the Port of Lilybaeum where after an Exhortation to the Army suiting the Time and the Occasion he notify'd to the Commanders of his Vessels that he purpos'd the next Day to give the Enemy Battel but when in the Morning he observ'd the Wind to blow in favour of the Enemy and consequently not fair for them and further that the Sea began to swell and threaten foul Weather he then became undetermin'd how to proceed But after he had well weigh'd the matter and consider'd that by engaging them tho' the Weather were not favourable he should however have to do with Hanno alone and the Troops only that Embark'd with him that over and above he should deal with a Fleet loaden and incumber'd with the Stores and Provisions which they had taken on Board and that on the other hand if he delay'd out of fear of the foul Weather and by that means gave the Enemy the opportunity of passing by and joining their Forces he must then fight not only with a Fleet light and discharg'd of all their Lumber but with an Army strengthen'd with the choice of their Land-Forces and what was yet more formidable he must engage against the known Gallantry of Hamilcar Wherefore he resolv'd not to lose the occasion that offer'd And now it was not long before they descry'd the Enemy coming with a flown Sheet whereupon he stood out of the Port and drawing up in a Line of
They therefore decreed them a Supply of as many Soldiers as could be carry'd in Fifty Vessels who were dispatch'd under the Command of Hannibal the Son of Hamilcar and Adherbal's intimate Friend who after he had been exhorted to govern and comport himself as their Affairs upon the place should counsel him he was forthwith dispatch'd with Instructions however to attempt speedily by all ways possible to succour the Town Hannibal being now departed with a Supply of Ten Thousand Men and arriving safely at the Isles of Aegusa which lie in the way between Carthage and Lilybaeum he there attended a fair Wind to waft him to his Port which no sooner presented but he put to Sea and came with a flown Sheet before the Mouth of the Harbour ordering his Soldiers to be rang'd in a fighting Posture on the Decks of his Vessels In the mean while the Roman Fleet surpris'd at this unlook'd for arrival of the Cathaginians and fearing if they should attempt to hinder them they might be forc'd into the Port together with the Enemy by the violence of the Wind they therefore thought it adviseable not to attack them So they kept their Station having a good Offin and contented themselves to abide there and wonder at this hardy Attempt of the Carthaginians In the mean while the Garrison being drawn together upon the Walls of the Town stood expecting with great Anxiety the Success of the Adventure and greatly incourag'd at the arrival of this Succour did by their Cries and Acclamations much animate their approaching Friends Thus Hannibal by an intrepid Assurance compass'd his Design getting safe into the Haven where he speedily landed his Soldiers The Town express'd great Joy by this Reinforcement of their Garrison and tho' the Succour was great in effect and much comforted and incourag'd them howbeit they were less affected with the pleasure of their Relief than to behold the Romans tamely consenting to their Passage without daring to oppose them And now Hamilcar the Governour observing the general Joy upon this their increase of Strength and weighing farther that they had not yet felt any extraordinary Hardships incident to a Town straiten'd by a Siege wisely resolv'd not to permit the Inclination he observ'd in the Soldiers to attempt something upon the Enemy to cool without Exercise he resolv'd therefore that their first business should be to attack and burn the Roman Engines while this warm Fit lasted accordingly he assembled the Garrison and Townsmen and increas'd this their Ardour by his Exhortations which were suited to the present occasion promising magnificent Rewards to such as should signalize themselves in the Action and farther assur'd them of grateful Largesses from the Republick And now all as it were with one Voice expressing their Willingness to ingage he dismist them to take their Repose letting them know that this Chearfulness of theirs greatly pleas'd him directing them carefully to obey their Leaders Then he assembled his Officers distributing their several Posts and distinguishing them according to their Talents some to succour and sustain others to attack giving the Word and assigning the time when they should Sally and directing that all things should be in a readiness at the several Posts by break of Day These Orders being punctually observ'd as soon as they could see to march Hamilcar order'd them to sally out and attack the Machines in several places at once The Romans who were well aware of what might happen were not on their side to seek being prepar'd for the utmost that could besal them wherefore with great readiness they advanc'd against the Enemy resisting and disputing with a Courage worthy of the Roman Name till at length the access of fresh Supplies as occasion press'd it came to pass that their whole Strength on both sides became ingag'd and a Battel was fought under the Walls of the Town for there sallied out of the Garrison no less than Two and Twenty Thousand Men while those of the Romans much exceeded that number But forasmuch as this Conflict was manag'd without any Order or formal drawing up every Party engaging after their own Humour the Action became by that means much more violent for in short tho' the two Bodies that fought were numerous yet the Ingagement was a kind of Combat Man to Man but the heat of the Conflict was about the Engines for those who were appointed to attack and defend obey'd their Orders with such Gallantry on both sides that the Emulation became very bloody neither Party giving place to the other but obstinately dying on the spot where they were posted In the mean while those of the Carthaginians who brought Fire and combustible Matter wherewith to destroy the Engines perform'd their part with so much Resolution that the Romans despairing longer to sustain the Attack were giving all for lost when Hamilcar seeing many of his People slain and observing that they were not yet Masters of the Enemies Works which was a principal part of his Design he order'd to sound a Retreat so that the Romans who were on the point of losing both their Machines and their whole Equipage of War having in the end preserv'd their Works preserv'd in effect all and might be said in some sort to have had the better of the Day After this Hannibal passing in the Night by the Enemies Camp went to Drepanum there to Consult with Adherbal who Commanded in that Place for the Carthaginians This Town having a commodious Port and being within Fifteen Miles of Lilybaeum was of that Consequence that they thought it imported them to keep it by any means in their Possession In the mean while those of Drepanum having been some time without any Intelligence from Lilybaeum and having an anxious Desire to know the state of their Condition all Correspondence by Land being cut off through the straitness of the Siege and the vigilance of the Enemy a certain Rhodian call'd Hannibal a Man of Condition among them undertook to get into Lilybaeum by Sea and so bring them Intelligence how their Affairs stood This Undertaking was very well receiv'd but every body despair'd of the Success of the Enterprise in regard the Roman Fleet rid at Anchor and kept a Guard at the Haven's Mouth on the very Spot by which he was to pass Nevertheless the Rhodian with a Vessel of his own prepar'd for his Voyage and going off to Sea got under covert of one of those Islands that lie opposite to Lilybaeum and the next Morning with a fair Wind and a fresh Gale he stands away for the Port and passing in view of the Enemy got by Ten a Clock safely in to their great Astonishment and Surpise at the boldness of the Attempt and the next Day he prepar'd for his Return In the mean while the Consul gave strict Orders to have a more careful Eye on the Entrance of the Port on all sides and directed that by Night their nimblest Vessels should be appointed to be on the Guard
that Bostar was a plain well meaning Man of easie Faith unpractis'd in subtile Arts and had a good Opinion of him He therefore imparts to him what he seign'd was the best Counsel he could take namely that since the Romans had now gain'd their passage over the River the Carthaginians would be no longer able to hold the Spaniards in subjection by fear but that it imported them in the present evil Conjuncture of their Assairs to acquire by some extraordinary means the Affection and Good-will of the Natives That the Romans were already under the Walls of Saguntum which was in a manner besieg'd and would be soon streightned That therefore if he would give a check to their Ambition and Success he could not take a wifer or more safe course than presently to resolve on the restoring all the Hostages to their Parents and Relations For that the Enemy coveted nothing with more passion than to be able to get them into their hands to the end that by delivering them up they might acquire and conciliate thereby the good Opinion of the Spaniards That in a word it would be an act of great Wisdom in him to obviate this Inconvenience by restoring the Hostages himself which would bind the Spaniards to him for ever and that he for his part would labour his utmost that the Carthaginians might reap the best fruit of so fair a proceeding if they should think sit to commit the Conduct thereof to his management For if it were transacted by him he should be both able and willing to negotiate the Affair with such regard to the Interest of the Carthaginians in the respective Towns concern'd that their Relations should not only be made sensible of the Benefit but the People in general dispos'd to acknowledge their Good-will when they beheld such remarkable Instances of the Carthaginians Friendship He likewise gave Bostar himself hopes of a valuable Reward from those whose Children should be so deliver'd and that in short by his restoring in so generous a manner and contrary to all expectation what was so dear to them every one would emulate the other in their Expressions of Gratitude to such a Benefactor In a word he dealt with Bostar by all the fair Arguments he was able to urge to win him over to his purpose After this Conference matters being concluded between them and a Day set when he should return with all necessary Preparations to receive and conduct the Hostages Abilyx return'd home The following Night he went to the Roman Camp where after some Discourse with certain Spaniards that serv'd in the Army he was by them conducted to the Scipio's to whom he made it appear by many Reasons That the whole Body of the Spaniards would come in to them were it but once known that their Hostages were in their Possession and thereupon gave them his Word to deliver them into their hands Publius list'ned with great pleasure to the Proposition and after solemn promise of a noble Recompence and the time when and the place where they should attend to execute the Design agreed on he dismiss'd them who return'd back to Sagunrum And now Abilyx having provided Persons proper for his Enterprize came to Bostar and after the Hostages were put into his hands he departed by Night from Saguntum as feigning thereby to be able to go more conceal'd from the Enemy's Sentinels But having pass'd their Camp he then took another way and led them at the time agreed on to the place appointed where he deliver'd them to those who had been order'd to take charge of them This was so great an Instance of Abilyx's Good-will to the Romans that Scipio held him ever after in great esteem making use of him in conjunction with People of his own to see the Hostages restor'd to their Parents and their Country who went accordingly from Town to Town where he negotiated so well for the Romans giving the People such Impressions of their Generosity and Humanity and declaiming so justly against the Carthaginians Cruelty and Insidelity and producing himself as an Example of deserting them that he wrought many Towns over to the Romans who enter'd into Confederacy with them Bostar who had committed these Children to the Faith of Abilyx acted a very Child's Part himself and not like an Officer of his Age and Experience becoming afterwards thereby liable to many and great Dangers But forasmuch as the Season of the Year forbad any further present action they withdrew on both sides into Winter-Quarters Afterwards the Romans Fortune changing in favour of their Affairs receiv'd manifold Advantages by means of the Hostages they had so given up being thereby greatly assisted in their future Enterprizes Thus have we deliver'd a state of the Occurrences in Spain But to return to our History of Hannibal He receiving intelligence by his Spies That there was much Corn at Luceria and Gerunium and that Gerunium was a commodious place wherein to make his Magazines thereupon resolv'd to make that Country his Winter-Quarters and so lead his Army by the way of the Mountains of Liburnum to the said Towns When he arriv'd at Gerunium which stands about twenty five Miles from Luceria he sought by all fair Means and large Promises to win them to take part with the Carthaginians offering to bind himself by Oath to the punctual execution of the Conditions that should be accorded to But seeing he could not so prevail he sat down before the Town and laying siege to it soon 〈◊〉 it putting all the Inhabitants to the â—â—word reserving the greatest part of the Buildings undemolish'd whereof to make Granaries and lodging his Troops under the Walls fortify'd his Camp with a good Retrenchment From thence he sent two third parts of his Army to gather in Corn ordering them by turns to supply daily the other third part that remain'd with him with a certain quantity for their Expence he continuing with them constantly in Battalia as well for the guard of the Camp as to prevent any sudden attempt on those who were employ'd in gathering in the Corn. In short the Country being very fertile and the time of Harvest at the heighth they daily brought in very great quantities As soon as Minutius had receiv'd the Command of the Army from Fabius as we noted he lost no time but march'd by the tops of the Mountains to find out the Enemy hoping for an occasion to deal with Hannibal there But when he came to understand That he was already Master of Gerunium that the Carthaginians were spread all over the Country gathering in Corn and that the Army was encamp'd under the Walls of the Town he forthwith descended from the Hills into the Champaign Country and encamp'd in the Territory of Larinam on a high Ground call'd Calela with a full determination to do his utmost to come by any means speedily to a Battel Hannibal having notice of the approach of the Romans permitted only one part of his Army to pursue
had liv'd to act in every thing the part of an able and vertuous Citizen and especially in this occasion The Romans resisted yet a while but as their Men fell their Ground by degrees became more and more streightned till at length they were so huddled up that they had not space to move and weild their Arms so they were all put to the Sword The two Consuls of the preceding Year likewise fell in this occasion Men of great Reputation for their Wisdom and Probity and who in this Action gave noble Proofs of the power and extent of Roman Vertue While matters pass'd thus here the Numidians who went in pursuit of the Roman Horse kill'd the greatest part of them and took some Prisoners A few got into Venusia and among these the Consul Terentius Varro a Person every way unworthy and who was chosen into the Magistracy for a Curse to his Country This issue had the Field of Cannae famous for the number of illustrious Men there present on both sides as well on the part of the Vanquish'd as the Victors And certainly the Action it self witnesseth its own Greatness for of six Thousand Roman Horse there escap'd no more than Seventy who got with the Consul into Venusia and about three Hundred of the Allies some by one means some by another As to the Foot ten Thousand were made Prisoners who were not in the Action Of the rest not above three Thousand escap'd all the rest dying bravely with their Swords in their Hands to the number of Seventy Thousand In a word the great advantage the Enemy had in Horse mainly contributed to their Success and prositable Instruction may be gather'd by remarking from hence That it is more safe to Fight with one hals the number of Foot less while you exceed the Enercy in Horse than to have both sides equal in Foot and Horse in a Battel But this Victory came not cheap to the Carthaginians for there dy'd in Battel on their part four Thousand Gauls fifteen Hundred Spaniards and Africans and about two Hundred of their Horse The Romans who were taken Prisoners were not in the Battel for Aemilius had left then in the Camp with Orders to march and attack that of the Enemy after the Battel should begin thereby to become Masters of their Stores and Ammunition in case Hannibal should chance to leave his Camp without a good Guard and in case he did he was sure to find his Army thereby diminish'd and the Romans with less business on their hands These then were taken much after this manner Tho' Hannibal left not his Camp without a good Guard nevertheless as soon as the Battel began the Romans pursuant to their Orders march'd to the Attack the Carthaginians for a while gallantly opposing them but at length when they were on the point of yielding to the superiour force of the Enemy Hannibal who was by that time Master of the Field came in to their Relief and routing the Romans forc'd them to take Refuge in their own Camp of these were kill'd about two Thousand the rest were taken alive Such as were scatter'd and dispers'd about the Country and had got into Fortify'd Places shar'd no better Fortune for the Numidians attack'd them where-ever they went taking to the number of two Thousand of their Horse Prisoners as we before noted The issue of this Battel prov'd in effect what either Party foresaw for the Carthaginians thereby became soon possess'd in a manner at least of all that part of Italy call'd the Ancient Province and Magna-Graecia Those of Tarentum the Arpinates and some Capuans putting themselves presently into their hands and all the rest giving manifest signs of their good Inclinations toward them Nor was Hannibal in doubt but that Rome it self would be his on the first Attempt while the Romans became now desperate after this Defeat of preserving their Dominion of Italy And under these Agitations terrify'd at once at their own and Countries Danger expected every moment to see Hannibal at their Gates And as if Fortune had a mind to make them drink the Dreggs of this bitter Cup they receiv'd news shortly after while the City was sinking under the weight of their Adversity that their Praetor whom they had sent to the Cisalpine Gauls was himself with his whole Army routed and cut off by an Ambush they had laid in his way Howbeit the Senate deserted not their Duty in this exigent They call'd on the Inhabitants to strengthen the Works of the City and gave all those needful Orders which their Circumstances would permit as by the success soon appear'd And tho' in truth the whole World was now witness that the Romans at this time were vanquish'd and gave place in Military Reputation to their Enemy nevertheless it will also be confess'd That what by their Constancy of Mind and the Wisdom of their Counsels they overcame at length these their Conquerors and not only rescu'd their Country but added not long after to their recovery of Italy the Conquest of the World Here then we have thought it proper to sinish this Book which contains so many memorable Tranfactions as well in Spain as Italy during the hundred and fortieth Olympiad And when we shall have spoken of the Occurrences of Greece during the same Olympiad we shall then return to Rome and discourse at large on the subject of that Common-wealth being persuaded that such Remarks as may be thence collected will not only be found worthy the Pen of an Historian but of excellent use both to those who would improve their Minds in such Contemplations as others who are actually in the Ministry of Publick Affairs as well for the correcting the Errors of present Governments as the forming and founding of new Common-wealths The End of the First Volume A Catalogue of BOOKS Printed for Rich. Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard and Sam. Briscoe near Covent-garden THE Italian Voyage or a compleat Journey through Italy In two Parts being an exact Character of the People and a Description of the chief Towns Churches Monasteries Tombs Libraries Pallaces Villa's Gardens Pictures Statues Antiquities as also of the Interest Government Rules Force c. of all the Princes By Richard Laswell Gent the second Edition with large Additions by a modern Name A Discourse of the Nature and Faculties of Man in several Essays with some Considerations on the Occurrences of Humane Life By Tim. Nourse Gent. Familiar Letters Written by John late Earl of Rochester to the Honourable Henry Savile Esq and several other Persons of Quality with Love-letters writ by the ingenuous Mr. Otway with several other Letters writ by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham Sir George Etheridge and Mr. Tho Brown In 2 Vol. Each may be had singly The Histories and Novels of the late ingenuous Mrs. Anne Behn Vol. I. viz. Oroonoko or the Royal Slave The fair Gilt or Prince Tarquin Agnes de Castro or the Force of generous Love The Lovers
Watch or the Art of making Love being Rules for Courtship for every Hour in the Day The Ladies Lookinglass to dress themselves by or the whole Art of charming Mankind The lucky Mistake Memoirs of the Court of the King of Bantam The Nun or the perjured Beauty The Adventures of the Black Lady These three never before published with the Life and Memoirs of Mrs. Bohn written by one of the fair Sex with Love-letters written between her and Myn heir Van Brain a Dutch Merchant Next Week will be published the second and last Volume of Mrs. Brâ—â—'s Histories and Novels which make her Works Compleat The whole Works of that excellent practical Physitian Dr. Tho. Sydenham wherein not only the History and Cures of acute Diseases are treated of after a new and safest way of curing most chronical Diseases the second Edition corrected from the Original Latin By John Pechey of the Colledge of Physitians Reflections on antient and modern Learning by William Wotton Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Nottingham the second Edition enlarged to which is added A Dissertation on the Epistles of Phalaris Themistocles Socrates c. By Dr. Bentley Printed for Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard where you may be furnished with most Plays THE HISTORY OF POLYBIUS The MEGALOPOLITAN CONTAINING A General Account OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD And Principally of the ROMAN PEOPLE During the First and Second Punick Wars c. Translated by Sir H. S. VOL. II. III. The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Samuel Briscoe at the Corner of Charles-Street in Covent-Garden MDCXCVIII The Mapp of Antient GREECE Expressing especially the Places mentioned in Polybious by Sr H. S. Vol II. POLYBIUS'S General History OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE WORLD VOL. II. BOOK IV. IN our foregoing Book we have related the Causes of the Second War that fell out between the Romans and Carthaginians We have deliver'd the Particulars of Hannibal's March and Invasion of Italy and have recounted the Adventures of the two Armies to the time of the Battel that was sought on the Banks of the River Anfidus near Cannae Now the Occurrences of Greece during the same Period of time shall be the Subject of our Pains But we have thought it necessary to remind the Reader briefly First Of what hath been already observ'd of the Greeks in our Second Book and principally of the Achaians Inasmuch as it hath so come to pass that in the short space of ours and our Fathers Days that Republick hath grown to a marvellous Greatness For being founded by Tisamenes one of the Sons of Orestes we have observ'd that the Achaians were first govern'd by Kings who sprang from him in a continu'd Line of Succession to the Reign of Ogyges From whose time the Supreme Power being translated to the People became establish'd in an excellent form of Government Which was afterward first broken and dissolv'd by the Kings of Macedon when the Cities and Towns thereof became independent each governing according to their own Rules without any common Subjection to a Supreme General Tribunal to which they might have recourse After this Revolution we shew'd how they came to Unite and Incorporate into one Body at what time it was that they came to this Resolution and who they were that gave the Occasion In short we have related by what Means and Counsels the Towns being drawn to Unite the whole People of Peloponnesus grew to have one common Appellation and to be under one and the same Form of Common-wealth After having treated in general of that Enterprize and said something in particular touching the Actions of the Achaians we pursu'd the Story down to the time that Cleomenes King of the Lacedaemonians was despoil'd of his Government Then we gave a brief Recapitulation of general Occurrences to the Death of Antigonus Seleucus and Ptolemy who all dy'd about the same time having promis'd to begin our History at that Period which gave an end to those Matters we have now last recited In conclusion I determin'd that I could not any where better begin than from thence First In regard that there Aratus finisheth his Commentaries so that by continuing the Thread of his Discourse we shall thereby make the relation of the Greek Affairs as far as we propose to touch them all of a piece and then it will come to pass that the time succeeding and that which shall compose our History will be so united to the foregoing Period that in part what shall be related of our own and the Transactions of our Fathers Days will be compriz'd in one Body For as I have been a Witness to a good part of what shall be deliver'd and compos'd the rest from the Relations of such as could yield me the like certain Testimony so I have shun'd the delivering of remoter Occurrences through the doubts to which they are subjected And have thought nothing worthy of an Historian's Pen beyond that Period Nor indeed can Truth farther fairly be shewn nor Men consequently safely judge of any thing they hear otherwise deliver'd A farther particular Motive we had for taking our beginning from thence was that Fortune seem'd at that time to have made an universal Revolution and given a new Face to the Affairs of the World Tho' Philip Son of Demetrius were yet a Child nevertheless he soon came to sway the Scepter of Macedon Achaeus who govern'd the Countries of Asia on this side Mount Taurus did not only bear the Port of a Prince but was in effect vested with Sovereign Authority Antiochus sirnam'd the Great a little before succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom of Syria being then but very young And Ariarathes took possession at the same time of the Kingdom of Cappadocia which was deliver'd into his hands About the same time Ptolemy Philopater reduc'd Egypt to his Obedience And a little after Lycurgus became establish'd King of the Lacedaemonians The Carthaginians on that side had newly made Hannibal their General in order to those Attempts we have already recounted So that the Government as one may say of the World being put into new hands it could not by the Law of Nature but beget new Counsels and produce new Things The Romans then enter'd upon the War we have related Antiochus and Ptolemy were soon in Hostility one against the other for the Dominion of the Lower Syria And the Achaians and Philip joyn'd in a War against the Lacedaemonians and those of Aetolia The reasons of which War we shall now deliver The Aetolians had been long weary of Peace which oblig'd them to live Honestly at their own Expence who had been us'd heretofore to subsist on Spoil and Rapine And whosoever hath lead that sort of Life without prospect of other Profit than what ariseth by the Damage of another after the manner of Savage Beasts are without any sence of Friendship or Alliance reckon all their Enemies they can prey on and believe they have a right