Alogi denied Christ to be the Word condemned John's Gospel and said that Cerinthus the Heretick wrote the Revelations Theodotus a Montanist through Sorcery took his flight towards Heaven but down he fell and died miserably Adamites devised a Church after the fashion of an hot-house to keep them from cold for the space of an hour or Service time they were all naked men and women Virgins preached unto the rest their Church they called Paradise and themselves Adam and Eve (a) Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 14 19. Florinus and Blastus fell from the Church and taught at Rome that God was the Author of evil whom Irenaeus confuted (b) L. 5. c. 28. Theodotus a Tanner denied the Divinity of Christ he was the first Author of the Heresy of Artemon for which cause Viator Bishop of Rome excommunicated him Artemon his disciple accounted Christ but a bare and naked man He lived in the time of Victor and Zephyrinus His companions were Asclepiodorus and Natalius who repented and fell at the feet of Zephyrinus Bishop of Rome for absolution (c) Lib. 6. c. 12. Marcianus the Heretick maintained an heterodox opinion out of the pretended Gospel of Peter whom Serapion Bishop of Antioch confuted (d) Epiphan haeres 57. Noetus denied there were three Persons saying All three were one He called himself Moses and said Aaron was his brother He said the Father Son and Holy Ghost suffered in the flesh CHAP. V. From the death of Pertinax and the exposing of the Empire to sale to the death of Maximinus the first elected Emperour without consent of the Senate the space of 45 years 1. THE Soldiers having murdered Pertinax got them to their Camp Herodian l. 2. and set the Empire to sale proclaming that they would prefer him that should offer most Two there were found who bade money for it first Sulpicianus a man of Consular dignity Governour of the City and Father in Law to Pertinax and Didius Julianus of the same degree a great Lawyer and exceeding rich The Soldiers being jealous lest the former should have an intention to punish them for the murther of Pertinax accepted the offer of Julianus who promised what they would ask having as he said treasures of Silver and Gold Didius Julianus purchaseth the Empire Being by a ladder received up to the wall and so into the Camp he promised to restore the honours and statues of Commodus to grant them what liberty they enjoyed under that Prince and to give them more than they cold ask or expect he was caried into the Palace the people by the way cursing and upbraiding him with his purchase Having thus invaded the Empire he gave himself up to all Luxury but being unable to perform his promise to the Soldiers lost their favour and fell into the contempt of all men the people desiring another Prince At this time Pescenninus Niger was Governour of Syria who as well for the greatnesse of his place his Province containing all from Phoenicia unto Euphrates as for his popularity was most eminent him did the People extol and they implored his assistance He being glad of this opportunity easily perswaded his Soldiers to accept of him for their Emperour and entertained Ambassadors which now had recourse to him as the lawful Prince But then giving himself up to idlenesse he neglected to setle and confirm his estate by going to Rome and what was more by drawing the Army in Illyricum to his side and so lost all 2. At this time governed both the Pannoniaes L. Septimius Severus an African born a man forward and crafty who seeing the Roman Empire thus obnoxious to every man's catch resolved to venture for it amongst the rest especially in regard that of those two who had seized on it the one was negligent and secure the other hated and despised Being also incouraged by some dreams he first of all inveighed against the Praetorian bands which had killed Pertinax whom knowing to be much beloved by his Soldiers he highly extolled him and easily perswaded them to revenge his death who once was Lieutenant of the forces in Illyricum Then presently though he pretended he sought it not was he saluted Emperour and took upon him the name of Pertinax which he knew was acceptable to all After this he marched with great speed to Rome the Italians who ever since the dayes of Augustus had not been used to War receiving him in all places and Julianus his Soldiers very slowly providing for resistance though he had now distributed to them all the money he could by any means compasse Severus conveyed his Soldiers in a disguised manner into the City which was full of them privily armed ere Julianus or the People were aware whereupon Julianus wrote to him to signifie he was willing to receive him into participation of the Empire and afterwards desired he might resign it For the Senate seeing him so timorous and the other now at hand being called together according to the antient custome by the Consuls decreed death to him and the Empire to Severus Julianus held the dignity seven moneths having purchased death at an excessive rate Severus obtaineth it 3. Severius having thus obtained the Empire that he might not at first crack his credit by falsifying his word got those Soldiers into his power that had slain Pertinax making them be stripped of their Military Cloaths banished them 100 miles from the Citie Then entring the Court Olymp. 243. ann 1. V.C. 946. A. D. 193. he promised great things to the Senate professing his intention was to govern after the prescript of Marcus and not onely to take the name but also disposition of Pertinax although there were some who so well knew him that they could not be deceived After this he prepared for an expedition against Niger but fearing to leave an Aemulator at his back he endeavoured to prevent him This was Clodius Albinus who at this time governed Britain was of Patrician rank and had a strong Army at his Command He flattered him with the title of Caesar beseeching him as the fittest person to take care of the Empire for that he himself grew old and his Children were Infants Albinus overjoyed that he should obtain what he had desired without any trouble fooled himself in his vain confidence especially for that Severus had written to the Senate in the same strain had ordered money to be stamped vvith his Image erected him some Statues and did him honour othervvise to deceive him 4. Niger much troubled at his coming towards him Lege Herodian lib. 3. Eutrop. lib. 9. Aurelium Victorem Xiphil ex Dione Orosium lib. 7. cap. 17. took care for securing the passages into Asia gathered together all the forces in those parts obtained aid from the Parthian and Atrenian Kings seized on Byzantium and fortified the straights of the Mountain Taurus Severus therefore directed not his course towards Byzantium but marched for Cyzicus where Aemilianus
the names of their men places rivers c. do shew Therefore they judge it most probable that Abram speaking the Chaldaean language before which onely differeth in dialect from the Hebrew got both the name and language after his arrival in the Land of Canaan The Heathen (f) Artapanus apud Euseb Charax apud Stephanum Writers thought them to have been called Hebrews from Abraham as corrupted from Abrahaeans out of ignorance of the language Augustine also once inclined to this opinion which he afterwards renounced 7. Abram after his victory over the Kings Retractat l. 2. c. 16. received a more large promise from God who ingaged to become to him a shield and a sufficient reward and for that it troubled him to go childlesse to give him issue Gen. 15. from which should proceed an innumerable posterity that inhabiting a strange Land four hundred years was to return and possesse this of Canaan when the iniquity of the Amorites would be full in the fourth Generation Chap. 16. This League made betwixt God and Abram was confirmed by Sacrifice yet Sarai Ismael born seeing her self barren perswaded her husband to go in unto Hagar her handmaid of which he had a son born to him and named Ismael in the eleventh year after his coming into Canaan Chap. 17. the 86 of his Age and of the World the 2094. In the 13th year after A. M. 2094. God made another Covenant with him concerning the seed of Isaack who was to be born the year following and Circumcision was instituted as a seal thereof Abraham and Sarah Now whereas his name before was Abram or an High-father it was changed into Abraham or Father of a great multitude And Sarai which signifieth My Princesse or Lady as of one family was altered into Sarah or a Princesse absolute as of many Nations Not long after God made known to Abraham his purpose to destroy Sodom and the other Cities for their abominable wickednesse He interceded hard for them Sodom c. destroyed but there being not so many as five righteous persons in Sodom God having taken care for Lot and his family rained fire and brimstone down upon the Cities which together with the Plain were utterly destroyed onely Bela was spared for Lot's sake who fled thither Of the rest the Dead Sea into which the ground was converted reremaineth a lasting Monument to this day Vide John Bistelium Jesuetam de Illustribus ruinis In this Sea or Lake no living Creature is bred having nothing but a Sulphureous matter thence taken in great quantities It is described to be 72 miles in length and 19 in breadth Nigh to it fair and pleasant Apples grow which being touched turn into a Sulphureous vapour and a tradition remained amongst the Heathen of these Cities being destroyed * Lege Tacitum Histor l 5. with Thunder and Lightning from Heaven Lot's wife after she had got out of Sodom looked back and was turned into a Pillar of Salt His two daughters thinking all mankind to have perished made their father drunk and lay with him from which incestuous copulation came Moab and Ammon fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites two great and powerfull Nations Gen. 20. 8. A little after in the same year Abraham having continued in the Plain of Mamre about eighteen years departed unto Gerar the Metropolis of the Philistins where hapned the same thing concerning his wife A. M. 2108. as formerly had done in Aegypt Abimelech the King having taken her into his house Isaak born who therefore was plagued till he restored her with large gifts Chap. 21. The year being precisely finished Sarah bare to him Isaac so called because he laughed when God made mention of it to him he being now an hundred years old and she ninety four hundred before the departure of his posterity out of Aegypt At the weaning of Isaack Sarah seeing Ismael mocking procured him and his mother to be banished the house God bidding Abraham fulfill her desire herein and promising to make of him a great Nation When Isaack was grown up though of what Age is not expressed Chap. 22. some guessing thirty years others unprobably ten or twelve because he must have been of sufficient strength to carry wood God to try his father's faith commanded him to Offer him up for a burnt-offering on Mount Moriah where afterwards the Temple of Solomon stood He out of obedience went about to do it but God accepting his will for a performance renewed his promise to him Sarah dieth Sarah died aged 127 years Chap. 23. and after her death Abraham married another wife called Keturah by which he had other six sons To those he gave gifts and before his death sent them away from Isaack the Heir of the promise Isaac married 9. When Isaack was fourty years old his father Chap. 24. procured him to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel who was son to Nachor A. M. 2148. the brother of Abraham She married at fourteen years of Age according to the tradition of the Jews was barren twenty years Chap. 25. but then her husband beseeching God for her she brought * A.M. 2168. forth twins Esau and Jacob which strugled in her womb the elder being as God foretold to serve the younger Fiveteen years after Abraham died Abraham dyeth being 175 years old having sojourned in the Land of Canaan a hundred years 22 after the death of Sem four before that of Heber in the dayes of Inachus King of the Argives 1821 years before the Aera of Christ in the 2183 year of the World Of Abraham besides Artapanus and Charan before mentioned * Apud Joseph Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Berosus the Caldaean had some knowledge though he named him not Hecataeus not onely made mention of him by the way but wrote an History of him Nicolaus Damascenus in the fourth book of his Histories related that Abraham a certain stranger reigned at Damascus having come from a Countrey about Babylon said to be that of the Chaldaeans That he departed thence with his people into the Land of Canaan afterwards called Judaea where his posterity grew very numerous concerning which he should speak in another place In Josephus his time the name of Abraham was famous at Damascenus where was shewn a certain Village called Abrahams dwelling 10. After the death of Abraham God blessed Isaack Gen. 26. and made the same Covenant with him In a time of Famine he also sojourned in Gerar where dissembling concerning Rebecca his wife the same thing happened to them as formerly to Abraham and Sarah from another Abimelech which name was common to all the Kings of the Philistins Ismael dieth Some years after Ishmael died aged 137 years 48 after his father in the year of the World 2231. From his eldest son Nebaioth His posterity descended the Nabathaeans who (g) Strabo l.
16. p. 779. C. inhabited part of Arabia from the River Euphrates to the Red-sea called Arabia Petraea from Petra the Metropolis of the Countrey which wanting fruits abounded in Sheep and Cattel (h) Lib. 19. p. 722. A. Diodorus describeth it to have lyen like a Wildernesse untilled as without inhabitants without Rivers or Fountains It was unlawfull with them to sow or plant to drink wine or build houses being extraordinary desirous of liberty and judging these things but temptations to such as were stronger to inthral them Some of them kept Camels others Sheep some used to convey Spices brought out of Arabia the Happy to the Sea When they were invaded by an Enemy they betook themselves into the Wildernesse which being vast and without water affoarded them sufficient protection Another son of Ismael named Kedar gave name to a place of Arabia the Desart often mentioned in Scripture It is thought that though the Chusaeans Madianites and Ismaelites were of several Originals yet they dwelt promiscuously together and grew up into one Nation of the Saracens 11. Fifteen years after this Isaack being 138 years old and blind Gen. â—7 sent his eldest son Esau to Hunt for Venison that he might eat and blesse him before his death But Jacob by his mother's help supplanted him and got the blessing having formerly bought his birthright for pottage Hereat Esau inraged determined to kill him after his fathers death which Rebecca knowing sent him into Mesopotamia to her brother Laban that he might thence also take a wife out of her own kindred and not make his choice amongst the Hittites of which Esau had married two wives In his journey Chap. 28.29.30 God appeared to him in a dream and blessed him for which cause he changed the name of the place from Luz into Bethel Coming to Laban after a moneths time Jacob flieth from his brother into Mesopotamia he Covenanted to serve him seven years for his youngest daughter Rachel which being ended Leah the eldest was given to him in her stead and presently after Rachel for which he agreed to serve him other seven years A. M. 2246. Rachel most beloved continued barren and Leah because neglected obtained favour of God to be fruitfull which raised such emulation betwixt them as Rachel first and then Leah gave her maid to his bed accounting the Children begotten on them as their own Within seven years he had by Leah seven sons His issue viz. Reuben Simeon Levi Judah Issachar Zabulon and a daughter named Dinah by Bilhah Rachel's maid two sons Dan and Naphtali by Zilpah Leahs maid also two sons Gad and Asher Lastly by Rachel her self one son named Joseph and born the fourteen year of his service ending Six years longer he served Laban for wages being to have the Cattel of such and such a colour which his hard master changed ten times but could not withstand the providence of God in his growing rich His return 12. Having served his father-in-law and Uncle twenty years Chap. 31.32 c. and observing what envy he had contracted from him and his sons he stole away with all he had and proceeded three dayes on his yourney ere his departure was known Then Laban with his friends pursuing overtook him after seven dayes in Mount Gilead which from the event of this meeting had its name After several expostulations they made a Covenant Laban being warned by God not to hurt him and in Testimony thereof laid together an heap of stones which Jacob called Galead but Laban in his Syrian tongue Jegar-Sahadutha Jacob then continued his journey towards Canaan A. M. 2266. wrestling with God's Angel in his way from which he received a blessing and the sirname of Israel His brother Esau also met him and lovingly received him contrary to his fears The first place he stayed at was Succoth so called because there he built an House and made Booths for his Cattel Thence he passed over Jordan and came to Sichem where he bought of Hamor the father of Sichem a Field for a hundred Lambs or so many pieces of money How long he continued in either of these places is not expressed Demetrius * and Alexander Polyhistor wrote that he abode ten years in Socot Apud Euseb praeparat Evang. lib. 9. cap. 21. saying nothing of Sichem perhaps because he made little stay there Indeed Dinah seemeth to have been ravished not long after their first coming thither Hamor speaking to his Citizens concerning them as persons lately come and her curiosity to see the women of that Countrey probably may be thought to have proceeded Dinah ravished from the strangenesse of it At the end of these ten years she was ravished then sixteen years old being born a little before Joseph and perhaps the same year To be revenged upon Sichem who committed the rape her two brothers Simeon and Levi slew him and put the whole Citie to the sword coming upon them when they were yet sore by Circumcision which he had procured them to admit of that he might obtain the maid for his wife 13. Jacob much troubled hereat was commanded by God to go to Bethel having buried all the strange gods and the earings of his family under the Oake in Sichem At Bethel he erected an Altar to the Lord and here Deborah the Nurse of Rebecca died Thence he removed to Ephrath being 107 years old Rachel dieth and when they had almost reached the place Rachel died in Travel of Benjamin having as Demetrius and Alexander wrote lived with her husband 23 years Eleven years after Jacobs return into Canaan Chap. 38. when he was now 109 years old Joseph being hated of his brethren because he had brought to their father their evil report and for his dreams which presaged his preheminence over them they sold him to the Ismaelites Joseph sold A.M. 2277. who carried him down into Egypt where Potiphar Captain of the Kings Guard bought him being now seventeen years old Ten years he lived with him till refusing to satisfie the wanton desires of his Mistresse he was falsly accused by her of her own fault and cast into prison The year after he interpreted the Dreams of the chief Butler and Baker of Pharoh both which were in prison with him and accordingly the Baker was hanged but the Butler restored who yet forgat Joseph 14. At this time his Grand-father Isaac died aged 180 years A. M. 2288. in the 2288 year of the World He was buried in Hebron by his two Sons Esau and Jacob Isaac dieth the former having as some think they have ground in charity to believe reconciled himselfe to his Brother and joyned himselfe to the Church not being estranged from the Grace of God but onely from the speciall and particular Covenant as to the promised Seed which they have the same reason to think concerning Ismael The Funerall past and the Goods divided betwixt them being both
the City Sais near to Delta being by the Aegyptians called Nâ—uth To her he had formerly erected a Statue in Aegypt and he as they say first gave the name of Zeus to him whom the Latins called Jupiter As there were several Minervaes so also more (e) Varro de Analogia Vide Ludovic Viâ—em in Augustin dâ— Civitat Dei lib. 18. cap. 9. than one City known by the name of Athenae From this in Attica And Athenae the Citizens were by the Romans called Athenienses but another there was in Euboea built by Cecrops the Son of Erechtheus the Inhabitants of which went by the name of Athenaeâ— and a City in Naâ—bone a Province of Gaule near to Marseils called Atheneopolis and the Citizens Atheneopolitae There was also in Laconia a Town called by the name of Athenae Deucalion his story 3. In the dayes of (f) Euseb Cecrops Deucalion the Son of Prometheus reigned in Thessalie whose history being remarkable must be briefly touched Lapetus had three Sons Atlas Prometheus and Epimetheus For (g) Servius ad 8. Aeneiad the first One telleth us there were three that bore the name of Atlas One a Moor and the greatest of all another an Italian Father to Electra the third an Arcadian Father of Maia the Mother of Mercury all which the antients confound according to their custom The first (h) Diodorus l. 5. lived near to Mount Atlas to which for his great skil in Astrology is attributed the bearing up of the Heavens and he is also counted the Father of Electra Prometheus found out the instrument to strike fire and thereupon is said to have stolen fire from the Gods Deucalion his Son married Pyrrha the daughter of his Uncle Epimetheus and in his time (i) August de Civit. Dei l. 18. c. 8. Orosius l. 1. happened that great deluge in part of Greece which is known by the addition of his name that Country called most antiently and truly Hellas his seat near to the Mountain Parnassus being chiefly afflicted with it on which Hill he is thought to have saved many men by boats and thence the Fable to have risen of his repeopling the Earth But that we may note it altogether there are three particular Floods which we read to have hapned to this Country of Geece The first under Ogyges called the Ogygean deluge concerning whom we shall speak in the History of Thebes This fell 248 years before either of the other and overwhelmed Attica especially so that as Pererius will have it it remained waste 200 years after The next was this of Deucalion which happened 737 years before the first Olympiad and the (k) Diod. l. 5. p. 223. third fell 86 after it in the dayes of Dardanus and Cadmus His issue which is especially to be noted for a distinct knowledge of the several sorts of Greeks 4. Deucalion of Pyrrha his wife begat Hellen and Amphyction Hellen gave the name of Hellenes to his Subjects before called Graeci and of Hellas to the Country formerly named Pelasgia from the Pelasgi who there inhabited as Haemonia from Haemon the son of Pelasgus and Pyrrhaea from Pyrhar Strabo l. 8. He had three sons Xuthus Aeolus and Dorus. To Aeolus he left his Kingdom and sent the other two abroad to seek out seats elsewhere Aeolus grew so famous that the name of Jupiter and Neptune came to be given him Dorus inhabited the Country Histiaeotis Herod l. 1. Pausan in Achaicis about the Mountains Ossa and Olympus Xuthus after his Father's death was banished Thessalie by his other Brothers for stealing away a great part of his Fathers treasure and came to Athens where he married the daughter of Erechtheus on which he begat Achaeus and Ion. Achaeus getting aid from Athens and Aegialus went into Thessalie and recovered his Grand-Father's Kingdom but afterwards killing a man by chance he fled into Laconia Strabo ut suprà where his posterity continued till expelled by the Heraclidae and Dorienses as we shewed in the History of Tisamenus Ion being exceeding famous at Athens had a numerous progeny which for that Attica was now grown too full was sent out as a Colony into Peloponnesus whence they were thrust out by their brethren the Achaeans after they had denied them harbour as is formerly said and returned to Athens from which Citie they were afterwards led out into Asia by the sons of Codrus But these things hapned in after times The Council of Areopagus 5. In Cecrops his time (l) Euseb one maketh the Council or Senate of Areopagus to have had its Original though no clear light can we discover concerning the true beginning of it (m) Cicero offic l. 1. Plutarch Some write that it began under Solon but (n) Aristot another of a more antient date signifieth that it was a Court of Judicature before (o) Pausan in Atticis One deriveth the word from Mars in Greek Ares making him to have been first tried there for killing Halirrhodius the son of Neptune who offered violence to his daughter Alcippe Others would fetch a reason from the erecting of his Spear there or from this Suidas that the Court of Areopagus took Cognisance of slaughters which are usually committed with Swords or other Weapons of Mars Lastly some think it thence to have been named for that the Amazons when they fought against Theseus made Mars his Hill their Fortresse and there offered sacrifice to him * Euseb Cecrops died after he had reigned 50 years and because Erysicthon his son died before him Cranaus Cranaus the most powerfull man then at Athens succeeded him in the Kingdom He after he had reigned some seven years Pausan ut suprà A. M. 3507. was thrust out by Amphyction Amphyction the son of Deucalion and his son-in-law the founder as some have thought of the National Council of the Amphyctiones of which we have already spoken He is reported to have given entertainment to Dionysus or Bacchus who at this time as they say came into Attica and when he had reigned ten years was also expelled by Erichthonius Erichthonius 6. The father of Erichthonius was said to be Vulcan and his mother the earth because he was found in Vulcan's Temple upon the earth Apollodorus l. 3. with a Snake wound about his feet whence also they feigned that he had feet like Snakes and invented a Chariot wherein he might ride and hide them He instituted Games to Apollo and Minerva and having reigned 50 years left his Kingdom to his son Pandion Pandion who also after 40. gave way to his son Erechtheus Erechtheus He became a man of great account and whereas the subjects of Athens were before his time called Cecropidae thenceforth they were named after the place it self He made War upon the inhabitants of Eleasine Ion the son of Xuthus and his own Grand-son by his daughter being his chief Commander
years or 20 with odd moneths Xerxes murdered though some there be that cut off nine years from that number Usher Their ground is for that Themistocles the Athenian being banished his Country came to Artaxerxes then the new King of Persia according to Thucydides so that Xerxes must at that time have been dead Now the same Author placeth this flight of Themistocles betwixt the Siege of Naxus which the Athenians subdued and the former exploits of Cimon so that his Expedition must have happened also not in the dayes of Xerxes as we have fixed it according to Diodorus but in the reign of Artaxerxes his successor and Eusebius placing the flight of Themistocles in the fourth year of the 76th Olympiad though Diodorus in the second of the 77th hence it must follow that the beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes must be placed higher by near to nine years The authority of that grave Author is in no wise to be despised yet notwithstanding this shortning of the reign Xerxes which must necessarily follow is not agreeable to the testimony of other Writers especially it is to be considered what difficulty will arise hereby to the Chronology of the sacred story it being most probable that the seventy weeks of Daniel commencing in the seventh year of Artaxerxes end at the death of Jesus Christ which cannot be if their beginning be to be assigned nine years higher This may incline us to believe that some reason Diodorus had who could not but have opportunity to see and compare several histories not to follow Thucydides and make us rather subscribe to the number of years by general consent ascribed unto the reign of Xerxes SECT 3. SECT III. From the death of Xerxes and the beginning of Artaxerxes Longimanus to the death of Artaxerxes Mnemon containing the space of 103 years 1. XERXES left three sons Darius and Artaxerxes Diodorus ibid. both of them at the time of his death resident in his Court and Hystaspes who was absent in his Government of Bactria See Justin Artabanus having murdered their Father presently in the dead time of the night went to Artaxerxes and made him believe that his elder brother Darius had made him away out of ambition to reign himself counselled him to provide for his own safety and honour Artaxerxes before he should establish himself and offered him the guard to rid him of him whereby he being perswaded sent and slew his brother When this was done Artabanus called his sons together telling them this was the time of obtaining the Kingdom and drew his sword with an intention now also to kill Artaxerxes But he being onely lightly wounded laid so about him that he slew him upon the place as we have it from one though others with more reason defer the time of Artabanus his death to whom also seven moneths in the Empire are attributed by * Eusebius In Chron. 2. It is probable that for that time the treason of Artabanus not being discovered or for some reasons winked at he might by a Vicegerency govern the Kingdom By his means came Artaxerxes to it in his youth a Prince of a great spirit and yet of a mild nature Sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Longimanus because his right hand was longer than the other in the fourth year of the 78th Olympiad or in the beginning of the 79th Lysitheus being then Archon at Athens A. M. 3540 463 years before the birth of Christ Within a while Artabanus laid in wait for his life also communicating his design to Megabyzus who had married the daughter of Xerxes Ctesias and for her loose life was fallen into a discontent Megabyzus swore secrecie as well as he Artabanus put to death but revealed the whole matter so that Artabanus finding not the same successe as in his other treasons was sent the same way and by the same means with which he intended to dispatch Artaxerxes Now came out the whole truth concerning Xerxes and his son Darius and Spamitres or Aspamitres the Eunuch who was accessary to the murders was tortured to death Justin telleth us how the King fearing the number and power of Artabanus his Sons commanded his Soldiers to be ready armed the next morning both for a muster and to exercise them Amongst the rest appeared he according to his place with whom Artaxerxes desired to change his coat-armour pretending his was too short for him which to do he first putting his off the King took the advantage and ran him thorow with his sword 3. After his death his party being strong great troubles ensued which ended at length in the destruction thereof three of his sons falling in fight and Megabyzus who opposed them being sorely wounded for whom now great lamentation was made through the Court till at length he escaped the danger by the skill and industry of Apollonides the Physician native of the Island Cos. The Bactrians also according to Ctesias revolted with another of the King's Officers named Artabanus who seemeth to have had some other command than over Bactria For we are told elsewhere that Hystaspes the son of Xerxes was Satrapas or Governour of that Province and thence may almost conclude him to have been the principal cause of the revolt out of indignation that being the second brother the youngest of all the three should be preferred before him Two battels were fought in this quarrel in the latter of which the wind being full in the faces of the Bactrians so disturbed them that thereby Artaxerxes became Victor and reduced all that Country into obedience Bactria recovered Diodorus ad Olymp. 79 an 2. Thucyd. lib. 1. Artaxerxes having thus revenged his Father's and Brother's death and brought Artabanus and his complices to condign punishment and recoverd Bactria setled the affairs of his Kingdom He took care of his revenue setled the Militia displaced suspicious Governours of Provinces and carrying all things with much moderation and Justice gained great Authority from his subjects In the mean while the Egyptians hearing of the death of Xerxes and in what disturbance the affairs of the Persians were out of desire to recover their liberty hearkned to the Counsel and perswasions of one Inarus King of Libya the son of Psammetichus so that the greater part of the Countrey revolted and making him their Prince sent about to crave aid The Egyptians revolt and amongst others to the Athenians They thought it their interest to impair all wayes possible the interest of Persia and concluding it not amisse to get some footing in Egypt resolved upon sending three hundred ships and prepared for the setting of them forward with all earnestnesse Artaxerxes hearing on the other hand how things went in Egypt determined to overmatch the revolters in provisions for the War and for that end levied Forces throughout his Dominions Rigged his Fleet and omitted nothing requisite for an expedition of that moment 4. He thought first of going
blessing all such as willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem Then returnd he to the King from whom he yet obtained leave to come again into Judah where he seemeth to have lived untill the sixteenth year of Darius Nothus in which the first part of the seventy weeks endeth consisting of 49 years viz. seven weeks which are thought to be those of which the Angel spake that the street should be built again and the wall even in troublous times 17. After Artaxerxes had made peace with the Graecians he fell into civil and intestine broils with Megabyzus who had done him such service in Aegypt and elsewhere if credit be given to Ctesias from whom we have a relation of these transactions This Megabyzus after he had quieted Aegypt and committed it to the Government of Sartamas departed thence and went to the King Artaxerxes his civil War with Megabysus leading along with him Inarus and some Greekish prisoners after he had obtained a promise from him that no punishment should be inflicted on them though Amytis or rather Amestris the King's Mother had so layn upon him to deliver into her hands not onely them but Megabyzus himself her son in Law being inraged for the death of Achaemenes who in the former Expedition was slain by the Ionians For five years he endured her importunity without yielding but at length being wearied and overcome he gave up the Greeks and Inarus into her power His body she nailed overthwart to three crosses and beheaded 50 of the Greeks which were all she could take That Inarus was crucified Thucydides witnesseth though nothing of this time or manner and Herodotus reporteth Lib. 3. cap. 15. that his son Thannyras was restored by the Persians to the Principality of his Father 18. Megabyzus being sorely moved with the usage of his prisoners concealed his displeasure for a time but getting leave to depart to his Government in Syria whither he had privately sent some Greeks beforehand broke out into open Rebellion and got an Army together of 150000 men Against him then was sent Osiris with 200000 who joyning battel with him wounded him in the thigh but received two wounds from him one in his thigh and the other in his shoulder with the anguish whereof and losse of blood he fell from his Horse and was taken prisoner and though his men well behaved themselves yet were they overthrown and Megabyzus getting the Victory used him very courteously and sent him back to the King who desired it After this was sent more forces commanded by Mexistenes Nephew to Artaxerxes by his Brother Artarius the Governour of Babylon He also giving battel to Megabyzus was wounded by him both in shoulder and head though not mortally and being put to flight Megabyzus obtained another famous Victory 19. Things going thus Artarius dealt with him by Messengers then Artoxares the Eunuch Governour of Paphlagonia and Amestris also advised him yet to be reconciled to the King afterwards Artarius himself Amytis his wife and Artoxares now twenty years of age were sent to him to perswade him to go to him Being perswaded after his return the King signified to him by a message that he freely pardoned him all that was past but going on a time a hunting with him when a Lyon set upon the King as he raised himself up Megabyzus slew him whereat Artaxerxes was in a great rage that he had stricken him before he could touch him and commanded his head to be cut off But by the intercession of Amestris Amytis and others his life was spared yet was he banished to Cyrta a Town upon the Red Sea and Artoxares the Eunuch into Armenia for speaking freely to the King in his behalf Five years he then continued in exile at the end of which feigning himself to be a Pisagas which in the Persian tongue signifieth a Leper at whom no man might come he fled away and came to his wife Amytis at his own house by whom scarcely being known he was by her means and the help of Amestris reconciled once again to the King who made him eat at his own table as formerly and so continued in great favour till his death at 76 years of age for which the King was much troubled 20. Whilst the Graecians were busie with one another in the Peloponnesian War of which now several years had passed Thucyd. l. 4. Artaxerxes sent Artaphernes a Persian to the Lacedaemonians with a Letter written in Assyrian Characters in which amongst other things he desired to know plainly of them how they stood affected for that he was utterly ignorant of what they thought many Ambassadours coming and no one of them agreeing with another wherefore he desired that if they intended to declare themselves they would send some of their own back with Artaphernes What was effected hereby is not known but we find elsewhere Diodorus ad Olymp. 84. an 3. that the Lacedaemonians entred into a League with him in one main matter contrary to that formerly made with the Athenians For whereas it was provided first in the one that the Greekish Cities in Asia should be left to their own liberty in the other they were expresly left under his Dominion such influence had then the Civil Wars of Greece upon the matters of Asia perhaps because the Lacedaemonians were jealous of the Ionians Artaxerxes dieth as the Colony of their adversaries the Athenians who if not now entred into War with them were much suspected jealousies abounding betwixt them Not long after this Message Artaxerxes died Ad Olymp. 88. an 4. having reigned according to Diodorus fourty years compleat according to Sulpicius Severus 41. but after Ctesias 42. amongst which opinions 't is probable that he died in the beginning of the 42 year after the death of Xerxes in the second year of the 89 Olympiad A. M. 3582. 421 years before the birth of Christ 21. Artaxerxes had onely one legitimate son by his wife Damaspia Ctesias in Excerptis Histor Persic named Xerxes but 17 by Concubines amongst which were Sogdianus Ochus and Arsites Xerxes succeeded his father but was slain by Secundianus as he was drunk in the 45th day after his death Secundianus then became King but causing Bagorazus the Eunuch to be stoned for something done about his fathers body incurred the displeasure of the Army which because of this and his brothers death could never be taken off by all the gifts he bestowed on them Being jealous of his brother Ochus whom his father had made Governour of the Hyrcanians he sent for him but he refused to come and so did several times till he had got a considerable Army For Arberius General of the horse revolted to him then Arxanes the Viceroy of Egypt and Artoxares coming out of Armenia caused him to take the Cidaris or Citaris a Cap peculiar to the Kings and Priests of Persia Ochus Ochus thus taking the Royal Ensign and Title of King Idem changed
Antigonus got divers Cities into his hands and restored the Milesians to their liberty At this time the inhabitants of Cyrene revolting Ptolomy reduced them again to obedience by the means of Agis his General and in Cyprus suppressed some of the Kings which were of the contrary faction Returning home he was sollicited be Seleucus to undertake an Expedition against Demetrius then in Caelesyria Whose Son Demetrius is defeated by Ptolomy so that with 18000 Foot and 4000 Horse he marched to Gaza where Demetrius expected him In the fight the forces of Demetrius seemed rather to prevail till his Elephants being wounded and taken his Horse out of fear ran away He himself fled accompanied with many till he came to passe by Gaza but then so many forsook him and went in thither to fetch out their goods as multitudes flocking to the gates and they therefore being hindred from being shut the enemies entred with them and took the Town Ptolomy took Sidon also and besieged Tyre whose Governour Andronicus upon summons refused to yield and reviled him A. M. 3693. Ol. 117. an 1. V. C. 442. Seleuci 1. Ptolom 12 yet he getting the place into his power through the sedition of the Soldiers when he looked for present death not onely forgave him but entertained him courteously as his familiar friend 23. Ptolomy getting the places about Syria into his power returned into Aegypt being followed thither by many which were drawn by his great courtesie and clemency But Seleucus thinking this a good opportunity for him to return to his former Principality obtained of him 800 Foot and 200 Horse and with them marched for Babylon In his way in Mesopotamia he got partly by fair means partly by foul those Macedonians which quartered at Carrhae to joyn with him but when he came to Babylon the Inhabitants there willingly received him and he shortly after stormed the Castel which was held by Antigonus his garrison Nicanor the Governour of Media hearing this came against him with above 10000 Foot and 7000 Horse whom he went out to meet with but few more than 3000 Foot and 400 Horse and knowing himself too weak to engage in a set battel with him he hid his men in the Fens till he was past with his Army and then came upon him lying carelesly in the night without any strict guards Seleucus recovereth Babylon and the Eastern parts so as the Persians coming to fight Euagrus their Captain was slain with other Officers at which being struck and also weary of Antigonus his government they revolted and Nicanor with a few at his heels escaped being glad he was not delivered up Seleucus by this means getting a strong Army easily made himself Master of Susiana Media and the Countryes thereto adjoyning so as getting hereby Royal Majesty and Glory suitable to his dignity some have from this year fetched the rise of that Aera which afterwards was called that of the Seleucidae and of the Greeks for that his Kingdom proved the most considerable about the year of the World 3694 Eusebius in Chronico alii the first of the 117 Olympiad 309 years before the Aera of Christ and twelve years after the death of Alexander 24. When Antigonus heard of it he sent his son Demetrius against him who had now redeemed his credit by the overthrow of Cilles sent to expel him out of Syria by Ptolomy and upon it called thither his Father so as they recovered all that Country and Phoenicia out of his hands he not daring to stay and try a battel with Antigonus Demetrius his attempts against him Demetrius led with him an Army of 15000 Foot and 4000 Horse with order to recover the Principality of Babylon and then go down to the Sea Patrocles A. M. 3694. Ol. 117. an 2. V.C. 443. Seleuci 2. Ptolom 13. whom Seleucus had left Governour of Babylon hearing of his coming advised the inhabitants to leave the City and flie some into the Desart or over the River Tigris he himself with a Band of men flew up and down taking advantages at the Enemy and sent to Seleucus into Media for aid so that Demetrius coming and finding the City forsaken stormed one of the Forts therein and for that his time was out beyond which he could not stay he left Archelaus with a strong party to besiege the other Then giving leave to his Soldiers to plunder all they could he departed according to his Father's order to the Sea where he besieged Halicarnassus but was beaten off by Ptolomy and so as it were took his leave of that Province for ever taking what he could get along with him and perhaps for this reason the Chaldaeans with the Author of the second Book of the Machabees in this year one after the other fix the Aera of Seleucus Not long after Ptolomy Cassander and Lysimachus made a Peace with Antigonus on these terms An agreement betwixt Ptolomy Cassander Lysimachus that Cassander should be Captain General of Europe Lysimachus should retain Thrace and Ptolomy Aegypt and the rest which he now enjoyed until Alexander the son of Roxane should come to age and that Antigonus should be over Asia and the Greeks live after their own Laws This agreement was not kept long each one seeking under any pretence to inlarge his Dominions and indeed they might better do it seeing he for whom they pretended themselves Administrators and was their Soveraign Lord was taken away For Cassander taking notice that young Alexander grew up and that the People began to talk that now he ought to be delivered out of custody and to enjoy his Fathers Kingdom he fearing his own interest commanded secretly Glaucius his Keeper to kill him and his Mother and concealing their bodies to acquaint no person living with it Thus he who was unborn when his Father died The death of young Alexander died by the hands of violence and treason thirteen years after him 25. He had a brother yet living elder than himself who being begotten of Barsines never maried to Alexander was held as illegitimate by the Captains Hercules his brother though born before his Father's death His name was Hercules being now kept at Pergamus whence he was called shortly after the death of the other by Polysperchon who now being in Peloponnesus and envying Cassander the Principality of Macedonia sent about to his friends intreating that the youth being seventeen years old might be brought and established in his Fathers Throne The Aetolians especially with others imbraced the motion so as he got together about 20000 Foot and 1000 Horse in no great space and within a while after gathered up a numerous Army with which he marched and came on his way to Stymphalia Diodorus ad Olymp. 117. Justin lib. 15. A. M. 3696. Ol. 117. an 4. V.C. 445. Seleuc. 4. Ptolom 15. Here Cassander opposed him and seeing that his Macedonians took well enough this reduction of their Prince and fearing
acquired possessions envying him not the inheritance of his Ancestors Four years he kept it till such time as Pompey the Great having finished the War against Tigranes reduced it into the form of a Roman Province Appian in Mithridaticis Justin ibid. though he challenged it as his inheritance But it being easie to deal with him as he listed who was utterly unarmed he put it off by affirming it to be unreasonable that after the Romans had been at all the cost and pains to conquer Tigranes the reward should fall unto another and with saying that he would not leave it to him Is untimely spoiled of it by Pompey lest he being unable to protect it it should bee rendered obnoxious to the depredations of the Jews and Arabians Thus Antiochus having never ill deserved of the Romans was commanded to content himself within Comagena whence his posterity never stirred and the Kingdom of Syria fell A. M. 3942 the second of the 179 Olympiad A. M. 3942. Ol. 179. an 2. V. C. 691. Seleucid 250. sixty one years before the Aera of Christ in the 250 of the Seleucidae the 270 after the battel at Issus after which it fell under the power of Alexander the Great M. Tullus Cicero and C. Antonius Nepos being Consuls CHAP. VI. The Aegyptian Kingdom From the death of Ptolomy the son of Lagus to the death of Cleopatra and the reducing of Aegypt into the form of a Roman Province containing the space of 254 years PTolomy the son of Lagus had several sons by Eurydice his wife the daughter of Antipater and by Berenice Pausan in Atticis Justin lib. 16. which woman was sent down by Antipater onely to accompany her with whom yet he fell so in Love as marrying her Ptolomy Philadelphus he passionately affected her alwayes and a year or two before his death made one of her sons called afterwards Ptolomy Philadelphus his Copartner in the Kingdom and more than that served him sometimes as one of his attendants saying it was more excellent than a Kingdom to be the son of a King His eldest son by Eurydice seeing this thought it was no staying for him in Aegypt but fled to Seleucus by whom being honourably entertained with some hopes of being setled in Aegypt after his fathers death he so badly requited him as he treacherously slew him as we before shewed Philadelphus after his fathers death made away two of his brothers the one as conspiring against his life and the other as suspected to raise a Rebellion in Cyprus In power and riches he surpassed his father Being learned himself above the common raite of Princes he sought to promote knowledge by rewarding the most eminent and industrious of which flourished many in his time and founding that his famous Library at Alexandria consisting of 200000 Volumes Demetrius Phalereus that noble Philosopher and sometime Prince of Athens being he that was imployed in the Collection perswaded him to send to Eleazar the High-Priest of the (a) Vide circares Judaeorum Josephum contra Apionem lib. 2. Tertull. in Apolog Josephus Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. Aristeas de 70 Inter. Jews to desire their Law and that he might be the easilier induced to send it by the Counsel of Aristeas who wrote the story he purchased the liberty of all such Jews as were slaves in Aegypt to the number of about 100000. which cost him more then 460 Talents He sent also extraordinary rich gifts to the Temple and the High-Priest chusing out 72 men most eminent for birth learning and experience dispatched them into Aegypt with the Law to be translated by them into Greek The Translation of the Septuagint Being nobly entertained and feasted by him for several dayes they were set to their work in the Island Pharos right over against Alexandria which in 72 dayes with admirable agreement they are said to have finished after which the King having exceedingly admired the wisdom of the Law-giver and commanded the book carefully to be kept dismissed them with great Rewards to themselves and Presents to him that sent them 2. He got the sirname of Philadelphus Pausan in Atticis not for any love shewed to his brothers two of whom he put to death but to his sister Arsinoe whom after an incestuous though Aegyptian fashion he married having Children before by another Arsinoe daughter to Lysimachus by his sister he never had any she dying before she was delivered Demetrius Phalereus laboured to disswade his father from leaving him his successor and counselled him to bestow the Kingdom on some of Eurydice's sons for which he was now cast out of favour and died by the biting of an Asp which he put to his hand He had a brother by his mothers side named Magas Laertius in vita Demetrii Pausan ibid. whose father was one Philip a Macedonian but of base Original Him his mother had procured to be made Governour of Cyrene the Inhabitants of which he now raised and caused them to revolt from him and marched with an Army towards Aegypt and Ptolomy securing all the passages went out to encounter him But news coming in the way that the Marmaridae a people of the Lybian Nomades had rebelled Magas his brother obtaineth Cyrene Magas retreated in all haste back to Cyrene and Ptolomy then intending to follow him was hindred by the Galls in his Army whom he having hired amongst others he found to have plotted to seize upon Egypt but he brought them all to the number of 4000 through the Nile to a desert Island where with famine and other wayes they were made away Magas after this having married Apames the daughter of Antiochus Soter perswaded him to break the League betwixt him and his brother and invade Egypt which he prepared to do but Ptolomy sent several parties abroad into Syria and found him so much work at home that he could have no time to look abroad Justin lib. 26. and Magas before his death having a desire to be friends with his brother betrothed his daughter to his son Betwixt this Ptolomy and the next Antiochus sirnamed Theos were continual Wars till both being weary thereof entered into an Alliance Ptolomy giving him in marriage his daughter Berenice which proved but an occasion of greater trouble and the destruction of the Bride though he lived not to see it For he notwithstanding all his learning gave himself up to luxury and fondly dreaming he should live alwayes and that by him alone was found out immortality presently died after he had reigned 38 years alone Athenaeus lib. 12. cap. 17. and one with some odd moneths together with his father A. M. 3758. and the 2d of the 133th Olympiad 3. Ptolomy his son by Arsinoe the daughter of Lysimachus Justin lib. 27. succeeded him in the 16th year of Antiochus Theos and was sirnamed Euergetes As soon as he came to the Kingdom he had work enough made him in Syria
plotted his destruction and being caught in the manner was according to her deserts though perhaps not his duty put to death after she had domineered over him and expelled his brother eighteen years 22. Alexander being known to the People to have killed his mother Justin ibid. such a Sedition was thence moved as glad he was to flie for his life and thence they recalled his elder brother Lathurus from Cyprus and restored him his Kingdom for many years after his expulsion Who being thereupon expelled Lathurus is restored being now if we may believe Justin so satisfied with his present condition as of himselfe hee would never have made War upon his mother nor thereby sought to recover out of his brothers hands what he had formerly injoyed About this time his base brother Apion of Cyrene died and left the People of Rome his heir which thereupon left the Country to it 's own freedom but after ten years was it sore shaken and almost rent in pieces by Wars and Tyranny Livius Epitom lib. 70. which fell on it being destitute of a Royal Monarch Lucullus going thither composed the differences and setled the Commonwealth as he thought which after other ten years came to be reduced out of necessity to a Roman Province From Cyrene Lucullus returned through Egypt and in his passage being set upon by Pyrats lost almost all his Vessels Platarch in Lucullo yet escaped he safe to Alexandria the Kings Fleet being sent out to meet him where Lathurus entertained him with great magnificence lodged him in his own Court which favour had never before been bestowed on any stranger and presented him with gifts to the value of 80 Talents He entertaineth Lucullus the Roman But he onely received what was necessary and neither visiting Memphis nor seeing any of the rarities of Egypt being called away by his occasions returned through Cyprus unto Sylla whose Lieutenant then he was in the War against Mithridates King of Pontus After this the Inhabitants of Thebes revolted from him but in the third year he reduced them again to obedience Pausan in Attiis which is not to be understood of Thebes in Boeotia seeing he had nothing there to do but of the City so called in his own Country Not long after he died 37 years wanting some moneths after the death of his Father Physcon A. M. 3925 and the first of the 175 Olympiad 23. It 's difficult to assign certainly who succeeded him (a) Porphyr in Graecis Euseb Some say Cleopatra his daughter and wife to his brother Alexander others (b) Apian de bello civ lib. 1. that Alexander's son being received into familiarity with Sylla the Roman Dictator was by him placed in the Kingdom then destitute of issue male They may be reconciled by that which is further affirmed by the former viz. that he maried Cleopatra then Queen Apian saith that being seized on the Kingdom Alexander the second the Alexandrians not enduring his insolence on the nineteenth day drew him out of the Court and killed him but Porphyrie reporteth him to have slain her nineteen dayes after he had maried her Certainly though his reign be accounted no longer and that of Auletes to begin here yet cannot be rejected that which is produced to the contrary For Suetonius reporteth In Julio c. 11. that Julius Caesar in his younger dayes having ingratiated himself with the People attempted by their Tribunes that Egypt might be assigned him as a Province having gotten an opportunity of extraordinary command for that the Alexandrians had expelled their King on whom the Senate had bestowed the title of friend and allie This can in no wise be meant of Auletes for when he was expelled and came to Rome Caesar was then above such a condition having spent some years in the Wars of Gall. And that King of Egypt mentioned by Cicero to have died at Tyre In Orat. 1a. 2a Agraria and reported to have left the People of Rome his heir in his Consulship can be meant of none but of this Alexander the Second who being expelled rebelliously by his Subjects lived and died there in exile so that we must necessarily assign him counting from the death of Lathurus to the Consulship of Cicero about fifteen years during which time of his life he is to be supposed to have reigned longer than onely so many dayes contrary to the vulgar opinion 25. Alexander being expelled by the Alexandrians they immediately set up in his room Auletes succeedeth Alexandor the son of Lathurus sirnamed Dionysius and Auletes because he was too much addicted to the rites of Bacchus and dancing to the sound of Cymbals and Pipes He was base born as appeareth by the Prologue to the 39 book of Trogus and so was also his brother the King of Cyprus if that be true which Pausanias speaketh of his Fathers having no legitimate issue except one daughter After some years they that set him up pulled him down for his brother of Cyprus being most unjustly spoiled of his Kingdom by the Romans through the malice of Clodius Tribune of the People they pressed him sore either to demand Cyprus of the Romans or renounce their friendship Being unwilling to do this â—od lib. 39. and by reason of his great exactions which hee made for paying of his debts contracted by his purchase of the Roman alliance he incurred their hatred Plutarch in Catone Minore and whereas he could neither quiet the tumults by fair means nor foul was glad to withdraw himself out of the way and went to Rome At Rhodes he met with Cato who was sent by Clodius out of the way under colour of doing him honour to reduce Cyprus into the form of a Roman Province Is compelled by his rebellious Subjects and betaketh himself to Rome who advised him to return and be reconciled to his subjects rather than leaving his former happy condition to expose himself to danger and the avarice of the Roman Officers which Egypt it self could not be able to satisfie Being by the Counsel of his grave and wise man reduced as into his wits he was minded to follow his advice but was presently again turned by his friends A. M. 3948. Ol. 180. ann 1. V.C. 697. Hyrcani 7. and hasted to the Citie where he had time and cause enough to repent of his despising the Oracle as then he accounted it of so great a man 25. Being come to Rome he created the Senate much trouble Strabo lib. 17. being commended to it by Pompey whom some reported to have been the cause of his leaving Egypt more than any injury offered him by his subjects Plutarch in Pompeio Dio ibid. Cicero Familiar Epist lib. 1. Epist 1. Strabo Dio ut priùs Porphyrius in Graecis Eusebii that so he might afford matter for new Wars He desired he might be reduced into his Kingdom by Cornelius Lentulus the Consul to whom Cilicia
an expedition against the Parthians but passing over Euphrates was hired by Ptolomy Auletes to reduce him into his Kingdom as we said in the foregoing Chapter In this voyage he used Hyrcanus and especially Antipater who furnished him with supplies both of men and provisions and prevailed with the Jews inhabiting about Pelusium to give him passage But during his absence Alexander the son of Aristobulus made work enough for him after his return for having gotten together a great multitude of Jews Alexander his son stirreth but is defeated he resolved to cut off all the Romans which inhabited those parts Gabinius sent Antipater before to see if he could perswade the people to be quiet and he effected it with many but 30000 remaining still with Alexander he came out and gave battel to the Romans near the Mountain Itabyrius wherein he lost 10000 men Gabinius victoriously thence marched to Jerusalem where setling things according to the pleasure of Antipater he went against the Nabataeans whom he overthrew in one battel and dismissed Mithridates and Orsanes two noble Parthians who had fled unto him pretending an escape Then returning to Rome he left his Province to Crassus his Successor 19. Crassus intending an expedition against the Parthians Cap. 12. came through that Countrey and spoyled the Temple not onely of those 2000 Talents which Pompey had spared but of all the Gold found there besides which amounted to the sum of 8000 Talents more Crassus his sacrilege and punishment though Eleazar the Treasurer had given him a beam of Gold weighing 900 pounds and he had taken an Oath therewith to be satisfied and abstain from the money But going against the Parthians he received the reward of his Sacrilege and Perjury being slain Cassius flying into Syria defended it from the incursions of the Enemy and being come to Tyre visited also Judaea where at the first onset he took Tarichaeas and therein 30000 Captives which he laid away and slew Pitholaus the favourer of Aristobulus at the desire of Antipater◠who now grew very considerable having entred into Confederacy and Alliance with divers Princes and especially with the Arabian out of whose Countrey he had married a wife of noble extraction by name Cypris on whom he begot four sons Phasaelus Herod Joseph and Pheroras and a daughter named Salome which sons he also sent into Arabia there to be kept whilest he was ingaged in the War with Aristobulus Cap. 13. de bello ut priùs cap. 7. When Pompey was driven beyond the Ionian Sea and Caesar had got Rome into his power he set Aristobulus at liberty and with two Legions sent him back into Syria hoping that all that Countrey and round about Judaea might be brought under by him but he was prevented in his journey being poysoned by those of Pompey's party and lay in his own Countrey for some time unburied being Embalmed till by Antony he was sent to be buried in the Sepulchre of his Ancestors Aristobulus poysoned by Pompey's party and his son Alexander beheaded This expedition proved fatal not onely to himself but his son Alexander also who was beheaded by Scipio at Antioch by order from Pompey being first arraigned before the judgement seat for his offences committed against the Romans His brother Antigonus with his sisters were sent for by Ptolomy the son of Minnaeus who held Chalcis under the Mountain Libanus and courteously entained For Philippio his son being his Messenger A. M. 3957. Ol. 183. ann 1. V. C. 706. Hyrcani 16. fell in Love with one of the sisters named Alexandra and married her but his passion overcoming both reason and nature he killed his son and took the Lady to himself By this time Pompey was slain and then Antipater betook himself to Caesar as his interest led him and by his great industry purchased his favour 20. Caesar vvarring with young Ptolomy in Egypt Idem ibid. lib. 14. cap. 14. after the death of Pompey Antipater joyned with Mithridates of Pergamus who went down thither with supplies for whereas being hindred from coming to Pelusium he was forced to stay about Ascalon he perswaded the Arabians to help him brought a supply of 3000 Jews himself and procured divers Princes in Syria Antipater his great services for Caesar as Ptolomy of Libarius Jamblichus and others to send their men Then at Pelusium did he special service being the first that broke down the vvall and entred and whereas the Jews inhabiting the Countrey of Onias hindred them from going any further he prevailed with them not to oppose and more than that to furnish the Army with Provisions Cap. 15. At the battel at Delta he recovered the battel almost lost by Mithridates A. M. 3958. Ol. 183. ann 2. V. C. 707. Hyrcani 17. and afterwards behaved himself very gallantly for Caesar having received many wounds as the tokens of his valour Some have delivered that Hyrcanus himself went down into Egypt and there deserved well of Caesar but whether it was so or not he endeavoured to requite them both Who rewardeth both him and Hyrcanus For Antigonus the son of Aristobulus coming with a great complaint to him against them whereas rather in policy he should have complained of the putting to death his father and brother through the procurement of Pompey and his faction he declined his requests upon the reply of Antipater De bello ut priùs cap. 8. lib. 14. Capp 16 17. confirmed Hyrcanus in the Priesthood offered to Antipater what Government he would desire and made him Procurator of Judaea gave him leave to rebuild the Walls of the Citie thrown down by Pompey and caused these grants to be registred in the Capitol and seconded them with divers decrees both of himself and the Senate in favour of him and the Jews Antipater then bringing Caesar on his journey as far as the borders of Syria returned and built up the walls and going about the Country by threatnings and other policy contained the People in obedience otherwise ready to rebel And whereas he saw Hyrcanus heavy and dull and unfit to manage the affaires of Government he made his son Phasaelus who also commanded the Army Captain of Jerusalem and the Country adjacent A. M. 3959. Ol. 183. an 3. V. C. 708. Hyrcani 18. and committed Galile to the custody of his second son Herod being now extream young as not exceeding fifteen years as our Author telleth us except as is most probable that number be mistaken for 25. 21. Herod even at the very first gave testimony of what spirit and height of courage he would be Herod the son of Antipater his notable forwardness finding out presently occasion for the exercise of it For at that time there being one Ezechias a notable Thief who with a great company of followers used to infest the Country of Syria he took and slew him with many others of that rout which thing so
Syllaeus thence came to lay open his forgeries against Herod to whom Augustus was throughly reconciled and had given him Arabia too but that he received from him other Letters containing another complaint against his sons For whilest he was thus out with Caesar the former stirs were renewed in his house by means of Eurycles a Lacedaemonian who winding himself into Alexander's acquaintance betrayed him first to Antipater and then to Herod himself He denied all accusations except that he intended with his wife to fly to Archelaus King of Cappadocia her father but Caesar being consulted as we said willed Herod to call a Council at Berytum with the Roman Presidents Archelaus of Cappadocia and the rest of his friends and Nobility there abouts and do as he should be advised He called all but Archelaus and in an Assembly of 150 men declaimed most furiously against his sons not producing any proof at all further than that they intended to fly and not suffering them to be present to answer for themselves He onely required the suffrages of the Assembly to countenance his private resolution which the major part giving though Saturninus and his sons gave an indifferent sentence he acted by fury Putteth his onâ— to death and unnatural madnesse Joseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 1. c. caused them to be strangled at Sebaste Antipater after the death of his brothers quickly plotted the destruction of his father and for that he was hated by all men procured some esteem by his gifts and drew Pheroras into the conspiracy to the issue of whom the Pharises promised the Kingdom For refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance they were fined by Herod to whose Kingdom they prophesied destruction and happinesse to the family of Pheroras because his wife payed their fine Herod getting out these things by the means of Salome put the principal of the Pharises to death with others and urged his brother Pheroras to put away his wife which he refusing to do he banished him his Kingdom Pheroras then departing into his Terrarchy died shortly after being visited by Herod who buried him honourably at Jerusalem Antipater standing in fear of his father wrought by his Creatures at Rome to be sent for by Caesar But this availed nothing for in his absence all came out which confirmed Salome's words to which the King in this matter had given but little credit knowing her to be too free in accusations and brought vengeance upon him notwithstanding all his craft for the murther of his brethren 45. Pheroras his wife being accused of poysoning her husband Cap. 6. c. her maids were tortured and in their pain gave some suspition of the conspiracy which was more cleared by one Antipater that had the ordering of Antipater's affairs A grievous Conspiracy against him who confessed that his Master had compounded a poyson and delivered it to Pheroras to be given to the King in his absence and that it was kept by Pheroras his wife She confirmed the same declaring that the poyson was bought in Egypt by Antipater's procurement that it was committed to her charge and how that when her husband was sick and Herod came out of kindnesse to visit him being overcome with his love he forbade her to give it him Amongst the accessaries was Herod's own wife the daughter of the High-Priest she was put away her father deposed and Mathias the son of Theophilus preferred to his place Herod also her son was put out of the Kings Teâ—â—ment wherein he had bequeathed the Kingdom to him after his death In the mean time Bathillus the Freed-man of Antipater returning from Rome was tortured and confessed that he had brought with him a poyson to deliver to Pheroras wherewith the King might be certainly and speedily dispatched in case the other should fail Antipater returned ignorant of these passages for that almost every one was his Enemy and before his father and Quintilius Varus though he sought to cover his wickednesse all things were made plain against him whereupon he was committed to close prison He sickneth Shortly after Herod himself sickned and became exceeding teasty and wrathfull as well for these things as for that he thought the people was glad of his misfortunes having at the instigation of the Doctors of their Law cut down an Eagle of Gold of great value that stood over the Portal of the Temple But his sicknesse more and more increased 46. His disease was strange and fearfull Cap. 8. 9. For he burned with an inward heat which pierced and tormented him in his bowels He was also vexed with a ravenous and infatiable appetite and an Ulcer in his Entrails with a strange and furious Colick His feet were swoln with moisture and a shining kind of flegm His strange Disease his stomack being no lesse afflicted His body rotted and was full of crawling Worms which afforded an intollerable stench besides he was held with a filthy and troublesom Priapism a strong Convulsion of his Nerves and shortnesse of breath being generally judged thus to be punished for his infinite impieties and sins committed against the Majesty of God doubtlesse his intention to kill Christ with the innocent bloud of the Infants cried loud He used all means for recovery and went over Jordan to the hot Baths of Callirhoe Thence returning to Jericho a melancholick humour seized on him which rendred him unsociable and displeased with all men Perceiving now that he should die and supposing that the Jews would much rejoyce in his death he shut up many of the chiefest of them in the Hippodrome and gave in charge to his sister Salome and her husband Alexas that as soon as he was dead they should cause them all to be killed that a lamentation might accompany his funeral Before his death he received Letters from Caesar who gave him leave to deal with his son as he saw occasion Antipater yet believing that he was dead plotted how to escape and seize on the Kingdom but his Jaylor with whom he dealt revealed it to Herod He killeth his son Antipater who had procured the death of his brothers and plotted against his father's life who commanded one of his Guard instantly to kill him and to such an end came he for the murther of his brethren and the sad Tragedies he had raised in his father's house Herod having attempted to kill himself died some five dayes after his son in the 72 year of his age 27 after his getting possession of the Kingdom and 29 after he had been declared King by the Romans 't is uncertain how long after the birth of Christ but as is supposed not above two years in the first of the 195 Olympiad the 754 of the Citie A. D. 2. Ol. 195. ann 1. V. C. 754. Caius Caesar and L. Aemilius Paulus being Consuls Salome and Alexas before his death was throughly known And dieth to their great honour discharged those that were locked up in
born in the Camp 't is certain that the sirname of Caligula he had for that reason because he was wont (f) Sueton ut prius to wear that habit of the ordinary Soldiers By the people he was gladly entertained out of their affection to Germanicus and commiseration of his family so grosly used by Tiberius whose cruelty he escaped meerly by his great dissimulation and taking in good part every thing so as it was said truely of him that never was there a better servant nor a worse Master than Caligula 2. Caius within a few dayes after the sumptuous funeral of Tiberius Josephus Antiq. l. 18. c. 8. made Agrippa King of that Countrey whereof Philip had been Tetrarch This Agrippa was the Grand-son of Herod the Great by his son Aristobulus whom he put to death Preferreth Agrippa being begotten of Berenice the daughter of Salome Having run through many straights for want of money by reason of his great profusenesse he became at length very dear to Caius who restored him to liberty being imprisoned by Tiberius for wishing his death that Caligula might succeed him and then set the Diadem on his head He had a sister named Herodias married to Philip Herodes not Philip the Tetrarch his and her Uncle and brother to Philip Antipas on the father's side his mother being daughter to Simon the High-Priest This woman Herod Antipas was so taken with that though he had already to wife the daughter of Aretas King of Arabia Petraea yet he divorced this and married her upon which account Aretas made War upon him and defeated his forces which * Idem ibid. cap. 7. was taken by the people as a judgement of God upon him for putting to death John Baptist Now Herodias envying exceedingly the promotion of her brother Agrippa importuned her husband to go to Rome and beg or buy the title of King Idem ibid. cap. 9. Agrippa smelling out their design before-hand wrote to Caius and accused him of having heretofore been of Seianus his conspiracy and of favouring at present the party of Artabanus King of Parthia whereof he said his Magazines could testifie being furnished with Provisions for 70000 men of War Herod Antipas banished to Lyons This furniture he could not deny and therefore Caius banished him to Lugdunum now Lyons in Gall whither Herodias would needs accompany him and gave his Principality and estate unto Agrippa Thus were these two punished for the death of John Baptist and so was Pilate for that of Christ For Euseb Eccles Hist l. 2. c. 7. Orosius l. 7. c. 5. being also banished by Caius to Vienna two years after he killed himself whereof the Gracians are witnesses Pilate killeth himself saith Eusebius who commit to memory in their Histories the Olympiads of times and so became the revenger of his wickednesse upon himself as he who betrayed Christ into his hands had been before 3. Sueton in Calig Capp 15 16 17 c. Josephus Antiquit lib. 18. cap. 9. Though the disposition of Caligula was from his Childhood tending to intemperance and cruelty yet at his first coming to the Goverment he used much moderation and equity as well towards publick as private persons He would not hear any accusations though said to be for his own safety permitted free and antient Jurisdiction to Magistrates attempted to bring in again the Comitia and restore the privilege of suffrages to the people payed the Legacies given by Tiberius Caligula beginneth well though his will was nulled and those given by Livia also though her son would never discharge them he remitted part of the Taxes to Italy relieved the necessities of such as received losses by fire and to such Kings as he restored he gave the Tributes collected in their absence At first he appeared a great Patron of virtue but degenerated into a Monster so that as far as a man could go in luxury and cruelty he seemed to proceed But turneth a Monster of men which made Seneca * De Consolat ad Albinam cap. 9. say that nature seemed to have brought him forth to shew what the greatest vitiousnesse backed with the greatest power could be able to do We may be more favourable to this opinion if we consider that the greatnesse of his estate made him so far surpasse the limits of all modesty as challenging to himself the title of Divinity he governed all things in contempt of God 4. He thought at first to have taken a Diadem Sueton ut suprà cap. 22. c. and changed his Principality into a Kingdom till by his flatterers he was told that he was above all such titles Assumeth divine honours At length he began to take to himself Divine honour For he caused the images of their Gods to be brought to Rome whereof the heads being taken off the image of his own was placed upon each in their stead He would offer himself to be adored amongst his brother gods as he called them and ordained Temples and Priests with sacrifice of no commoner things than Peacocks Turkies and Pheasants which were to be offered every day and he invited the Moon to his imbraces He could not endure to be accounted the off-spring of Agrippa because of his ignobility but gave out that his mother was conceived of the incest of Augustus with his daughter Julia. He himself committed incest with all his sisters and spared not the chastity of either Sex So imperious he was that he would make persons of greatest rank run by his Chariot and stand girt with Towels when he was at meat His Vices So cruel that he killed his Grand-mother Antonia by unkindnesse he murdered his brother Tiberius though he had adopted him with all his kindred except his Uncle Claudius whom he preserved for a laughing stock and he forced Macro and Ennia to kill themselves As for others he made havock of them causing some to be knocked in the head with Clubs if he were but disturbed in the shows He would cast old men or infirm to wild beasts and shutting up the Barns and Store-houses proclaimed a famine Many of quality being first stigmatized he condemned to the Mines or to repairing of High-wayes shut them up like beasts in a Den or sawed them asunder and that for no greater matters than if they had not high thoughts of his gifts and shews or had not sworn by his Genius 5. He forced Parents to be present at the death of their Children Idem ibid. Capp 27 28 c. To one that excused himself by sicknesse he sent a Litter to carry him A certain Knight whom he cast to wild beasts crying out that he was innocent he caused to be taken out and his tongue to be cut out of his head after this to be cast in again Demanding of one whom he had recalled out of banishment what he did all that time upon answer that he prayed for the death of Tiberius and
instructed in the same things by the same Masters he was thought also to have drunk some of the poyson which Nero gave to that Prince and that this was the cause of his want of health some conjectured He performed the Office of Tribune both in the Wars of Germany and Britain with great commendations and after that being Quaestor A. D. 79. V. C. 832. Titi 1. came to have the command of a Legion in Judaea After his father came to the Government he was suspected by some when he was yet in Aegypt as intending to establish himself whereupon he hasted to Rome to cut off all jealousies Taking then part with his father in the publick cares he triumphed with him over Judaea executed with him the Censorship Tribuneship and seven Consulships nay taking as it were all upon him he dictated letters in his fathers name published edicts spake in the Senate and that in the room of the Quaestor and took on him the Government of the Palace which never had formerly been discharged but by some Roman Knight and this Office he executed with such rigor that he contracted much envy and was accounted cruel He was suspected of luxury for feasting with voluptuous persons till midnight of incontinency also being amongst other arguments too familiar with Berenice the sister of King Agrippa to which Lady he is also said to have promised marriage but performed it not because of the distaste of the People Moreover rapacity was laid to his charge Hee was both accounted and openly talked of as another Nero and scarcely did any ever came with more fear or lesse favour to the Government 26. But so contrarily to expectation did he behave himself that his former cariage did but set him off with the greater lustre and so free was he from all vice His admirable virtues and adorned with so many virtues that he became the Love and delight of mankind and by an happy exchange was so called His temperance he shewed in the moderation of his diet the choice of his companions and putting away Berenice his moderation by abstaining utterly from other mens goods and refusing often ordinary benevolences although no man ever exceeded him in munificence He was the Mirrour of courtesy being wont to say that no man should go sorrowful from the presence of the Prince and on a day having done no courtesie for any man he said Amici diem perdidi My friends I have lost a day Several sad accidents hapned in his litle time so great a Pestilence as seldom had been known So great a fire there was in Rome and kindled from Heaven that it burnt three dayes together Several calamities in his time Vesuvius also the hill in Campania burst forth with great flames and destroyed all round about it all which miseries he lessened as much as he could neither sparing cost nor pains to relieve the distressed At the same time another War arose in Britain wherein Cn. Julius Agricola harrazed all the Country of the Enemies and first of all the Romans that we know of saith Dio * Apud Xiphil in excerpt l. 66. knew that Britain was compassed about by the sea For certain Soldiers in a Sedition having killed their Centurions and Tribunes fled to their ships and lanching out sailed about that part of Britain which lieth toward the West being caried by waves and wind when they had done this and by chance light upon the other Camp of the Romans on the other side Agricola sent out others to hold the same course from whom he also knew that it was an Island These things being done in Britain Titus was saluted Imperator the fifteenth time Agricola passed the rest of his life in ignominie and poverty because he had done greater things than were suitable for a Praetor and for that cause he was afterwards put to death by Domitian though by the permission of Titus he had triumphed But concerning these things Tacitus is rather to be consulted in the life of Agricola 27. Titus put down informers usually tollerated before His mercy was too great for he vowed he had rather perish than destroy another as according to the judgment of some it came to passe Amongst others that plotted his destruction he not onely spared his brother Domitian but had him in the same respect as from the beginning and owned him as his partner and successor onely betwixt them two he besought him with tears at length to relent to Love and Unity He was a man of excellent parts both outward and inward accomplishments but to the great losse of man-kind was presently taken away He dieth whether by the treachery of his brother or no is uncertain In the beginning of his sicknesse he is said to have look'd up to Heaven as taking it ill he should dye so soon being not conscious to himself of any sin save one which as he did not expresse so it is altogether unknown He was with good reason sadly lamented throughout the Provinces He died in the same Village his Father had ended his dayes near the Country of the Sabines in the 42 year of his age when he had reigned two years as many moneths and twenty dayes in the 834 year of the City A. D. 81. M. Plautius Silvanus and M. Annius Verus being Consuls Domitian his brother succeedeth him 28. Domitian so called from Domitilla their mother succeeded Titus Sueton Eutropius being more like to Nero Caligula or Tiberius than either father or brother His youth he passed disgracefully enough Doubting upon the death of his father whether he should not give a double donative to the Soldiers to obtain their good-will he never feared to boast that he was left partner in the Empire by his father but that his testament was corrupted He never ceased to plot against his brother secretly or openly A. D. 81. V. C. 834. Titi 3. and ere he was quite dead commanded him to be caried out as such In the beginning of his reign he restrained himself for his cruelty was then imployed upon flies which privately in a room hee was wont to catch and prick with a bodkin so that one asking whether any body was within with Caesar it was not unfitly answered by Vibius Crispus At his beginning dissembleth his Vices No not so much as a flie But though at present he strove to allay the fury of his vices by some forced virtue yet within a while he let fall also this vizard and became in appearance what inwardly his disposition inclined him to be 29. He undertook several Expeditions Sueton in Domitiano Eutropius ut suprà Orosius lib. 7. c. 16. as against the Catti and Sarmatians People inhabiting the Northern parts of Europe who had cut off a whole Legion Great difficulties in his time The Dacians also put him to much trouble and grievously afflicted the Roman State under conduct of Diurpaneus their King for they overthrew first Oppius Sabinus
a man of Consular dignity and next Cornelius Fuscus Captain of the Guards in several sore and bloody battels insomuch that the Historians of those times have thought fittest to passe over in silence the number of the slain Yet at length he triumphed over them all He was also struck at by a Civil War raised by L. Antonius President of upper Germany whom he had incensed by the odiousnesse of his vices and especially by uncivil language Which yet he overcometh This he finished absent with admirable felicity for that very hour the fight was to be the Rhine swelled so high that it hindred the Auxiliaries which were sent to Antonius from joyning with him In the second year of his reign Agricola defeated the Ordovices in Britain Tacitus in vita Agricolae and took the Isle Mona about Autumn and that upon his first coming into the Island So that the years of the Expeditions which Tacitus afterwards relateth are rather to be reckoned from the Kalends of January of the former year as Jacobus Cappellus hinteth Though Dion Cassius as appeareth from Xiphilin referred the discovery of that Britain an Island to the reign of Titus Yet others unto the time of Domitian who at length envying Agricola that great glory he had got in reducing Britain recalled him under pretence of sending him into Asia and he died two years after on the tenth of the Calends of September in the 56 year of his age Pompeius Collega and Cornelius Priscus being Consuls Whether hee died of poyson or not though there wanted not suspitions Tacitus his son-in-law dareth not affirm His cruelty 30. Domitian having suppressed the rebellion of Antonius grew extraordinarily cruel putting men to death upon small and trivial accounts Those of any note that were of his party he tortured to death by wayes unheard of and confounded the cause of the innocent with that of the guilty raging against the Christians with a second persecution He arrived at that horrid arrogance that he sticked not to say in the Senate that he gave the Empire to his father and brother who did but restore it to him and what was worse than this he would be called our Lord and God Being hereby rendred terrible and hatefull unto all he wrought his own destruction which fearing and being foretold it by the Chaldaeans he grew timorous out of measure and was ruined with the least suspition Hence did he cause the place where he was wont to abide to be beset with the stone Phengites that he might see if any one came behind him and though he was sufficiently ambitious yet did he refuse an extraordinary honour offered him by the Senate viz. that when he bore the Consulship Knights should go before him with spears amongst the Sergeants Hence also he put Epaphroditus his Secretary to death because it was believed that he had helped Nero in dispatching himself and he killed Flavius his Uncle though he had openly owned his two sons as his Successors whereof the one he called Vespasian and the other Domitian His death which hastened his destruction Eight moneths after he was slain by his own servants of whom Parthenius the chief of his Chamber was principal Domitia his wife being drawn in to the conspiracy A. D. 96. V. C. 849. Domitiani 15. for that she feared to be poysoned for her kindnesse to Paris Longinus Proculus then in Germany is said to have foretold the very day of his death and Apollonius Tyanaeus a famous Magitian who being convented before him vanished out of fight spoke of it that very hour exhorting Stephanus as it were to strike him home The people took his death indifferently the Soldiers heavily which they shortly after revenged upon the murtherers but the Senate as it were triumphed and ordered the memory of him to be abolished The best thing we find concerning him was that though he was no Scholar himself he took care for repaiting of Libraries He was murthered on the fourteenth before the Calends of October in the 45th year of his age and the 15th of his reign in the 849 year of the Citie A. D. 96. T. Fulvius Valens and C. Antistius Vetus being Consuls In his time flourished Statius Papinius who beginneth the fourth book of his Sylvae with the celebration of his 17th Consulship which fell in with the 14th of his reign Juvenal and Martial also flourished at this time whereof the later was of Equestrian rank though ever poor as * Sum fatcor semperque fui Callistrate pauper Sed non obscurus nec male notus eques he himself witnesseth 31. Now must we give a short account of Ecclesiastical affairs according to the course of time and matter Ecclesiastical matters in his time (a) Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 4. L. 4. c. 22. Dionysius the Areopagite being by St. Paul who converted him to the faith made Bishop of Athens governed that Church in the time of Nero and afterwards There are extant several works under his name but suspected and sundry Epistles whereof one to John the Evangelist then in the Isle Pathmos and another unto Polycarpus Linus the Bishop of Rome being Crowned with Martyrdom on the ninth of the Calends of October Bishops in the last year of Nero according to Damasus Cletus or Anacletus succeeded him in that Sea Some next unto Linus do place Clemens then Cletus and then Anacletus But Irenaeus Eusâ—bius and Epiphanius rank them thus Peter Linus Cletus or Anacletus Clemens for he whom Irenaeus and Eusebius call Anacletus is by Epiphanius and Damasus called Cletus This Cletus according to Damasus died in the 2 year of Domitian on the sixth before the Calends of May and was succeeded by Anacletus But (b) Lib. 3. c. 14. Eusebius maketh Anacletus to have been Bishop twelve years and in the 12th of Domitian to have been succeeded by Clemens whom St. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians calleth his fellow labourer In the fourth year of the reign of Domitian (c) Idem ibid. c. 13. Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria having continued there 32 years died to whom succeeded Abilius As for the Bishops of Byzantium afterwards called Constantinople we have them in this order from (d) Vide Joseph Scaliger in Eusebianis pag. 313. Nicephorus the Patriarch The first was Andrew the Apostle who having preached the word at Byzantium and built an Oratory in Argâ—ropolis ordained Stachys to be Bishop of whom (e) Rom. 16.9 St. Paul maketh mention Stachys governed 16 years after him succeeded in the year of our Lord 55 Onesimus who governed 14. then Polycarpus ruled 17. and Eleutherius 7. who came to the Chair A. D. 85. in the second of Domitian 32. Domitian having raised the second persecution against the Christian faith St. John the Apostle who having continued at Ephesus 27 years was in the ninth of his reign banished into the Island (a) Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c.
lib. 1. cap. 184. restrained by new works the violence of Euphrates which formerly was wont to overflow into the Town Not content with the Empire as her husband left it she inlarged it by the Conquest of Aethiopia and made War upon India though without successe in which undertaking she onely had Alexander the Great her Aemulator as Justin affirmeth But after she had reigned 42 years either for that she would have had to do unlawfully with her son being reported exceeding vitious of her body or because he was impatient of her so long retaining the power he slew her although some say she voluntarily resigned the Kingdom After her death she was feigned to be turned into a Dove and worshipped for a Goddesse under that shape the occasion of which seemeth to have been the bearing of that bird pourtraited in her Ensign Ninias 7. Ninyas or Ninus as Justin calleth him succeeding imitated neither Grand-father Father nor Mother but giving up himself wholly to an effeminate course of life would be seen by none except Concubines and Eunuchs Yet to him is ascribed that politick ordering of the Militia which was imitated constantly by his Successors Diodorus l. 2. p. 77. A. A yearly choice was made of Officers and Souldiers out of each Province to lye in Garrison in the Citie and to be ready at all Essayes there to continue for one year at the end of which they were succeeded by new Levies Hereby the subject was contained in obedience and yet by suffering the Souldiers no longer to continue together all conspiracies and plots were prevented which might else have risen amongst such multitudes the space of a year not being sufficient for such through and intimate acquaintance as might produce any considerable stirs Those that followed Ninyas for thirty Generations trod for the most part in his paths nothing either memorable or certain remaining of them except of Teutamus the 20th from Ninyas Teutamus to whom Priamus King of Troy when he was besieged by the Greeks sent for aid This Teutamus is said to have sent him a supply of 10000 Aethiopians and as many of the inhabitants of Susiana with 200 Chariots under the Command of Memnon who bearing himself very valiantly against the besiegers was at length by the wiles of the Thessalians circumvented and slain From the beginning of the Assyrian Empire to the destruction of Troy Eusebius reckoneth 943 years Cappellus from the building of Nineveh 995. Sardanapalus 8. The 30th in order was Tonos-Concoleros A. M. 3166. by the Greeks and Romans called Sardanapalus ennobled onely above the rest for his excesse in effeminatenesse and his ruin caused thereby He spent all his time amongst women with whom he would sit and spin imitating them in all things possible so as scarce ever in his whole time was he seen of the other Sex This extraordinary corruption of manners gave occasion to two of his greatest Officers to compasse his destruction Belesis Arbaces conspire against him For Belesis or Belochus the Governour of Babylon a great Magician and Astrologer out of the Doctrine of the Starres foretold to Arbaces Governour of Media otherwise called (m) Justin Arbachus (n) Strabo Orbachus and (o) Gaterculus Pharnaces that one day he should obtain the whole principality of Sardanapalus and excited him to attempts suitable to such an atchievement Arbaces herewith puffed up promised him the possession of Babylon if his Prediction should take and laboured to ingratiate himself with the Captains of the several Provinces Then having a great desire to see what manner of life the King lived he hired an Eunuch to bring him into the Pallace where beholding with his eyes his dissolute carriage he despised him and much more incouraged himself in the hope given him by Belesis They now resolved the one to draw the Medes and Persians and the other the Babylonians to revolt and Arbaces communicated his design and purpose to the Governour of Arabia his great friend 9. These things being as diligently put in practice as readily undertaken Diodorus the next year an Army of 400000 men coming up to Niniveh where the King then lay under pretence of relieving the former year's Guard resolved to employ their force in the ruin of the Assyrian Kingdom Sardanapalus having timely notice of the revolt drew out such forces as were in the Citie and falling upon the Rebels in the Plain put them to the rout They flying to the Mountains and recollecting their courage came down again and ingaged but with the same successe after which they retreated to the same place Hereupon Arbaces calling the Officers together to advise what was to be done all of them were for disbanding the Army and departing home except Belesis who urging them with what the Starres portended prevailed with them to stay but to no other purpose than that the King might gain the third victory He obtaineth three victories over them which shortly happened Now they fully resolved to be gone when Belesis his credit being deeply ingaged spent the whole night in viewing the Stars out of the mystery of which he was bold to affirm that help would come of its own accord and great changes follow if they would have patience but five dayes longer They being yet prevailed with for this once before the five dayes were expired news came that great forces were coming from Bactria to the aid of the King To them Arbaces sent and easily perswaded them to joyn with the Conspirators 10. Sardanapalus knowing nothing of this and puffed up with his successe returned to his former course of life which Arbaces understanding from certain Fugitives and how his Army lay in a secure and carelesse posture drew down upon it in the night made a great slaughter and drove those that escaped into Niniveh Is worsted twice Hereupon the King committed the conduct of the Army to Salaemenes his wives brother and took upon himself the defence of the Citie but the Rebels twice in the field overthrew his forces and killed the General with most of his Souldiers Then was the Citie closely besieged and many Nations revolted to the conspirators which the King considering and sensible of his condition sent out his three Sons and two Daughters with a great treasure to Cotta the Governour of Paphlagonia and dispatching Courriers into several Provinces took what care he possibly could for the making of new Levies 11. Neither was he behind hand in providing all things within that were necessary for resistance There being no fear of storming the Town by reason of the wonderful strength and heighth of the walls He considered the main danger to lye in the affections of the inhabitants to whom that they might have no cause to attempt any new thing he supplied all necessaries in a plentifull measure Two years and above he held out and doubted not but to be able to do it till relief should come and the rather for
years of age had a Son named Nachor And Nachor one when he was 29 called Terah or Thare Abram 2. Terah being 70 years old begat Abram Nachor and Haran Vers 26. Not that all these were born at the same time or are to be accounted in age as we find them in order What year of his Father he was born De istis lege Ludov. Cappellum Chronol Sacra notis ad Tabulam 5. Joh. Gerard. Vossii Isagog Chronolog Dissert 5. c. 6. Jacob. Cappell Hist Sacra Exotica ad A. M. 2003 multus alios priority in years not being constantly observed in Scripture but rather that of piety and true worth Haran is to be reckoned as the eldest who died at Ur of the Chaldees before his Father departed thence and left 3 children viz. one Son named Lot and two Daughters Milcah married to his Brother and her Uncle Nahor and Sarai or Iscah to Abram The second was Nahor Father to Chesed or Chased and so Abram the youngest because he was born not in the 70th as hath been thought but 130 year of his Father For Terah lived in all (a) Vers 32. 205 year and died in Charan Abram when he came out of Charran which (b) Acts 7. â—4 Stephen saith was after his Father's death was (c) Gen. 12.4 75 years old which being deducted out of 205 130 years will remain But if he was born in the 70 year of his Father then at his death was he 135 years old and having Isaac born to him when 100 in the Land of Canaan he must with him have returned back to Charran which seemeth very incredible or else he left it not at his Father's death as Stephen must make us believe he did 3. Abram therefore was born in the 130 year of his Father's life A. M. 2008. and the 2008th of the World as is clear from the ages of all his Progenitors taken at the births of their Sons and laid together About the 70 year of his age God commanded him to leave his Father's house SECT I. Gen 11.12 Acts 7. and come into the Land which he should shew him promising to make of him a great Nation to blesse him and in him all the Families of the Earth He obeying this command drew on his Father also with him He cometh from Ur to Canaan and so together with Lot the Son of Haran and Sarai Abram's wife they came from Ur of the Chaldaeans to Charran and dwelt there A. M. 2078. Dwelling there seemeth to intimate a longer stay than of one year so that some probably think 5 years to have been there spent For Terah now very old might detein them by his weaknesse they being unwilling to leave him till they saw him either recovered or dead But after his death mindfull of God's command they left Charran and came into the Land of Canaan Thence into Canaan This journey from Ur to Charran was the beginning of the 430 years of his and his posteritie's sojourning in a strange Land the promise also made to him being so many years before the promulgation of the Law in Mount Sinai as the Apostle Paul hath observed 4. The first place of Canaan in which Abram made any stay was Sichem Gen. 12. where God again appeared to him and renewed his Promise another of giving that Land to his Seed being added to it and in this place he built the first Altar to the Lord. Thence he removed towards the hilly Country and the Eastern tract of Luz afterwards called Bethel where he built another Altar and so proceeded into the Southern Coasts whence a Famine drove him into Aegypt Sojourneth in Aegypt There he sojourned and taught the Aegyptians Astrology which Josephus saith they were ignorant of till he communicated to them the knowledge of it and of Arithmetick His wife being beautifull for fear of his life he counterfeited himself her Brother so that Pharaoh began to cast his affections on her till plagued by God he was constrained to dismisse them both in peace Out of Aegypt then he returned to that place between Hai and Bethel where he built the second Altar Chap. 13. Now was he and Lot grown so rich that no longer could they conveniently live together Lot being departed to the Plains of Sodom God again renewed his promise to Abram which he more largely explained both as to the giving of the Land and the propagation of his Posterity After this as he was commanded he went and viewed the Land then pitch't his Tents in the Plain of Mamre neer Hebron where he built another Altar to the Lord. 5. At this time 4 Kings about the River Euphrates Chap. 14. viz. Amraphel King of Shinar oâ— Babylonia Arioch King of Ellasar thought to be Arabia because of a City upon the borders of that Country called Ellas Chedorlaomer King of Elam afterwards Persia and â—idal King of Nations thought to be many petty Kingdoms adjoyning to Phoenicia and Palaestine came and fought against the 5. Kings of the Pentapolis viz. Bera of Sodom Birsha of Gomorrah Shinab King of Admah Shemeber of Zebojim and the King of Bela afterwards called Zoar all who had 12 years served Chedorlaomer Recovereth Lot and the Booty from the 4 Kings and in the 1â—th rebelled They overthrew these five petty Princes led away much pillage and many Captives amongst which was Lot who then sojourned in Sodom Abram hearing this armed 318 servants and pursuing them recovered Lot and all the prey which he restored to the owners In his return Melchisedech whom some improbably make Sem King of Salem or Jerusalem Priest of the most high God brought forth Bread and Wine and blessed him to whom he gave the Tithes of all In this storie Abram is first called an Hebrew by Moses And there came one which had escaped and told Abram the Hebrew which word in Scripture is not found applied to any other before him 6. Some (d) Vide Bochartum Phaleg lib. 2. c. 10. think he was so called from Heber the Son of Salah and that this appellation onely was proper to his Family Why called an Hebrew because it kept the most antient or Hebrew tongue incorrupt But (e) Lege Ludov Cappell Chronol Sacra p. 111 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others finding the word to signifie one that cometh from beyond the water or a Stranger think it was given to Abram upon no other account then because he came from beyond Euphrates None of Heber's Posterity being called so but onely he and some of his they think addeth much to their reason They conclude that the Hebrew language was not appropriate to Heber as a reward of his piety because those that descended of him used it not alwayes and to others besides his posterity it appeareth to have been natural They instance that Laban spake Syriack and the Canaanites and Philistins the Hebrew naturally as
exceeding rich and therefore requiring large room Esau departed to his former possession of Mount Seir Providence so ordaining it that when the Israelites should afterwards come to inherit Canaan his posterity might neither be destroyed nor displaced He was otherwise called Edom Edom. and from him Idumaea took it's name which seemeth from Strabo to have also included the Country of the Nabataeans And likely enough it is that he who married the Sister of Nebaioth might joyn himself to them and praeside over them This is the famous Heroe Vide Fulleâ— Miscell 4. c. 20. from whom not onely Idumaea but also the adjoyning Erithraean Edomaean or Red Sea all signifying the same thing was so called being known to the Greeks by the name of Erythras the same with Edom. 15. Gen. 41. But two years after Joseph had interpreted the Dreams of the servants of Pharaoh he was called up out of prison to explain the meaning of one which the King himself had dreamed This A. M. 2290. betokening 7 years of great plenty to come and after them as many of famine and it being necessary as he hinted to Pharaoh to chuse out some wise Man who being set over the Land should gather and preserve the fruits of the Earth against the time of want Pharaoh made choice of him being about 30 years old for this purpose he appointed him next to himself Joseph advanced and gave him in marriage Asenath the Daughter of Potipherah Priest of On or Heliopolis where Strabo writeth that the Priests of old time had their habitation on which be begat Ephraim and * A. M. 2297. Manasses According to his praediction 7 most plentiful years ensued wherein he gathered into store-houses the Corn that abounded and after them came 7 other of famine which praevailed sore both in Aegypt and the neighbouring Countries of Canaan and Arabia Chap. 42 43 c. Jacob amongst others wanting provisions in the 2d year of the famine sent his Sons down into Aegypt to buy Corn. Joseph knowing them though undiscovered accused them for coming as Spies cast them into prison and dismissed them not till Simeon the eldest of those which conspired against his life was bound and left as an Hostage for their bringing down of Benjamin that so their story might be confirmed of their being one Man's Sons and that their youngest Brother was left behind The next year being pressed with famine they returned and Benjamin with them whom their Father was constrained to let go Now after some further terrifying of them he made himself known and sent for his Father down into Aegypt Jacob understanding of his Son's life and promotion whom he had given over of a long time Jacob goeth into Aegypt A. M. 2298. for dead gladly went down and with him 66 Souls besides his Sons Wives in the 3d year of the famine of the World the 2298th aged 130 years 16. By Pharaoh's consent Joseph placed them in the Land of Goshen Chap. 47. and there nourished them during the famine He sold to the Egyptians the Corn formerly treasured up and therewith purchased for the King all their Money Goods and Lands except the Lands of the Priests which were not alienated The grounds he afterwards granted to the former owners Chap. 48 49. paying the fifth part of the profit to Pharaoh's use After Jacob had lived in Aegypt 17 years he adopted the two eldest Sons of Joseph viz. Manasses and Ephraim of whom the younger he preferred before the elder He called his Sons together blessed them and told them apart what should befall them in their posterity From Reuben his first born he took the preheminence because he had defiled his bed and gave it to Judah A. M. 2315. He prophecied of Christ's coming Dieth commanded them to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah in the Land of Canaan with his Ancestors and then died at the age of 147 years in the year of the World 2315. Joseph caused his servants the Physitians to embalme Israel and a mourning of 70 dayes or 72 was observed for him which number in that Country was onely proper to Kings Then obtaining leave of Pharaoh he and his Brethren with a great company of Courtiers carried him into the Land of Canaan Gen. 50. and buried him there according to his will where they also mourned for him 7 dayes 17. Being returned into Aegypt Joseph forgave his Brethren the fault they formerly had committed against him which now they feared he would revenge after their Father's death and as long as he lived he nourished them and their children This space of time was 54 years after his Father's death at the end whereof having exhorted them to Unity and Concord foretelling them their departure out of Aegypt Joseph dieth and commanding them thence to carry his Bones he dyed at the age of 110 years A. M. 2370. when he had governed Aegypt under severall Kings the space of 80. Trogus Pompeâ—us as appeareth out of Justin * Lib. 36. c. 2. his Epitomizer wrote many things concerning him partly taken out of the Sacred History partly mixed with such Fables as the Heathen were not wanting to invent concerning the Jews Abram Moses and Israel are made by him Kings of Damascus which City took it's name from their Predecessor Israel had ten Sons to whom he committed the Kingdom and commanded them to call themselves Jews from Judah who died before the division and whose portion was divided amongst them all The youngest of the 10 Sons was Joseph whose excellent wit his Brothers fearing they sold him to some Marchants that carried him down into Aegypt Here learning the Magick Arts he became very dear to the King having skill in working Wonders and interpretation of Dreams moreover nothing either Divine or Humane was beyond his reach insomuch that he foretold the barrennesse of the ground severall years before it hapned and all Aegypt had perished with famine but that the King by his advice caused Corn to be treasured up many years finally such was his knowledge that his answers seemed rather the Oracles of a God then the replies of a Man Then followeth that Moses was his Son who being both wise and beautiful became a leader to such Aegyptians as were infected with scab and itch and so returned to Damascus the Country of his Ancestors Which lyes with others hereafter to be mentioned are to be attributed to the malice of the Aegyptians With the life of Joseph endeth the first Book of Moses his history called by the Greeks Genesis which containeth the account of 2369 years of the World The next to it in order of time the Book of Job is thought to be of which Moses also is reputed Author by the common consent and opinion of the Hebrews 18. After the death of Joseph and all that generation Exod. 1. the Children of Israel increased abundantly and grew exceeding mighty so
turned to the Lord cast off their idols The Philistins overthrown and solemnly repented at Mizpah Hereat God was pleased to spare them and thundring upon the Philistins when they were ready to joyn battel discomfitted them utterly so terrified them that they forsook the Cities formerly seized on leaving onely one Garrison in the Countrey and no more afflicted the Children of Israel so long as Samuel had the chief power in his hands When he grew old he made his sons Judges over the Land Chap. 8. who perverting Justice by bribery the people thence gladly took occasion to desire a King that in government they might be conformable to other Nations Their most urgent reasons were for that the Philistins yet kept an Hold in their Countrey Chap. 11. and Nahash the King of the Ammonites threatned them with War at which they were so affrighted that neither trusting in God's providence who hitherto had been their King The Israelites desire a King and avenger nor to the Justice and prudence of Samuel would they be satisfied or put off without a King God therefore gave unto them Saul the son of Kish of the Tribe of Benjamin Saul is King Hosea 13. 35. In the book of Samuel no certain years are either given to his own government or to that of Saul but it seemeth probable from Scripture that he governed about twenty years alone from the death of Eli to the election of Saul For it is said 1 Sam. 7.2 that the Ark of God abode in Kiriath-jearim twenty years and that the time being long all the house of Israel lamented before the Lord at Mizpeh which passages are joyned unto the serious exhortation of Samuel to move them to repentance So then the end of twenty years the exhortation their repentance hereupon and their moving for a King with good reason seem to have been about the same time so that 20. or 21 years and an half are to be given to his government which began at Eli's death Now Heli died when the Ark was taken which staying seven moneths in the Land of the Philistins was then sent away and came to Bethshemesh where the inhabitants losing 50610 of their number for their curiosity of looking into it sent Messengers to those of Kiriath-jearim to fetch It unto them with whom it remained twenty years and these years the Israelites counted long 36. Saul was first by Samuel privately anointed Chap. 10. and afterwards publickly declared King at Mizpah Not long after a moneth it 's thought Jabesh-Gilead was besieged by Nahash Chap. 11. who refused to grant peace to the inhabitants upon any other terms than to put out all their right eyes and lay this for a reproach upon Israel They desired truce but for seven dayes in which space Raiseth the siege at Jabesh-Gilead if no relief came they promised to come out to him But Saul hearing of their distresse got together an Army of 300000 of Israel and 30000 of Judah with which he easily overthrew the Ammonites and raised the siege Hereupon at the procurement of Samuel the people again met at Gilgall where the Kingdom was established and confirmed unto Saul at which time Samuel upbraiding them with their unthankfulnesse to God and him terrified them with Thunder and rain in Wheat Harvest and again comforted them in the mercy of God Saul having reigned two years Chap. 13. c. the Philistins again afflicted the Land with whom he had sore War all the dayes of his life He fought against his Enemies round about against Moab the Children of Ammon Edom and the Kings of Zobah he smote the Amalekites and delivered his people out of the hands of them that spoyled them Yet his heart not being upright before the Lord God chose him out a man after his own heart and rejected him and his family This man was David David anointed the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem-Judah whom Samuel was sent to anoynt some years before his own death and more before that of Saul In this space Saul persecuted him from place to place yet such ardent affection was there betwixt Jonathan his son and David that the love of a Kingdom it self joyned with the deep displeasure of a father was nothing able to interrupt it 37. The Apostle Paul declareth that Acts 13.21 after God had destroyed seven Nations in the Land of Canaan and divided their Land to them by Lot he gave unto them Judges for the space of 150 years untill Samuel the Prophet And afterward they desired a King and God gave them Saul the son of Kis a man of the Tribe of Benjamin by the space of fourty years Some take the words as giving so many years to his reign alone but by general consent the government of Samuel is to be included in them 1 Sam. 25. Samuel seemeth to have died not long before Saul two years it 's supposed at such time as David was provoked by the churlishnesse of Nabal Vers 55. and is said to have judged Israel all the dayes of his life Hence is it certain that Saul reigned not alone all those fourty years and probable that Samuel having governed alone for one half of them had still an hand in the publick affairs of the Nation At length Saul was overthrown in battel by the Philistins Chap. 31. and 1 Chron. 10. and lost his three sons Saul's three sons slain and he killeth himself Jonathan Abinadab and Melchisua And he himself being sore wounded after he could not prevail with his Armour-bearer to kill him fell upon his own sword and died His son Isbosheth by the means of Abner Captain of his Host Ishbosheth succeedeth him succeeded him at the Age of fourty years 2 Sam. 2.3 c. but the Tribe of Judah anointed David King over them in Hebron who had formerly been consecrated to this Office by Samuel and he reigned over that Tribe alone seven years and six moneths A. M. 2944. Isbosheth is said to have reigned over Israel two years which is to be interpreted peaceably and not disturbed by War as his father is said to have reigned one year 1 Sam. 13.1 viz. unmolested by the Philistins 38. For after these two years were expired a long War insued betwixt David and him his side growing weaker and weaker as David's grew stronger and stronger David to strengthen himself married Maacha the daughter of Talma King of Geshur on which he begat Absolom and Tamar 2 Sam. 2.3 c. At length Abner conceiving a displeasure against Ishbosheth because he had reproved him for medling with his father's Concubine revolted to David and laboured to transfer the Kingdom to him but coming to visite himabout this affair he was treacherously slain by Joab David's General and Nephew by his sister Zerviah All being out of order now in Israel Baanah and Recab two Benjamites the servants of Ishbosheth slew their
Lord as he slept in his Chamber and brought his head unto David Ishbosheth slain after seven years He rewarded them with death 1 Chron. 12. and was by the Captains and all the Elders of the Tribes anointed the third time King at Hebron over all Israel which government he held 33 years 2 Sam. 5.6 7. c. A little after this installment he took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it the seat of his Kingdom himself building and fortifying the Citie of Sion and Joab repairing the rest Then twice he overthrew the Philistins in Rephidim who came up against him after they heard he was made King 1 Chron. 12. c. The Ark of God he removed from Kiriath-Jearim to the house of Obed Edom the Gittite and thence after three moneths into Sion He purposed to build God an house but was forbidden because a man of bloud that work which was to be reserved for Solomon For besides his Wars in his younger time all the space betwixt this and the birth of Solomon seemeth imployed in Wars wherein he overcame the Philistins Amalekites Moabites Ammonites Idumaeans and Syrians The Borders of his Empire he very much inlarged not onely from Shihor of Egypt to the entring in of Hamath but also as far as Euphrates the utmost limits promised by God unto Abraham and onely possessed by him and his son and Successor Salomon David's adultery and murder 39. Salomon was the second son begotten on Bathsheba 1 Sam. 11.12 13. the wife of Uriah the Hittite with which woman David first committed Adultery and then for a cover added to it the Murder of her husband After he had been reproved by Nathan the Prophet he repented and wrote the 51 Psalm upon this occasion Punished Yet the Infant conceived in Adultery died as soon as it was born and though Salomon was born the next year at it's thought A. M. 2957. yet this sin escaped not without a further punishment For within awhile Davidis 14. his eldest son Amnon ravished his half-sister Tamar Amnon ravisheth Tamar and for that was killed by Absalom Some years after Chap. 15.16 17 18. Absalom by the advice and policy of Achitophel seized upon the Kingdom Absolom rebelleth David hereupon fled to God as his Rock of refuge and composed the 3d. and the 55th Psalms then opposing force to force overthrew Absolom in the Wood of Ephraim by Joab his General who thrust the young man through with a Dart as he hung in an Oak contrary to David's order who had charged all the Captains to deal gently with him for his sake This Rebellion was followed by a new sedition raised amongst the Israelites by one Sheba upon this occasion Chap. 19.20 because they had not the chief hand above the Tribe of Judah The conspiracy of Sheba in bringing back the King to his house but this was happily suppressed after Joab had procured the inhabitants of Abel to cut off Sheba's head 40. After these things several battels insued with the Philistins 2 Sam. 21. 1 Chron. 20. in one of which the last wherein he was present David hardly escaped the hands of Ishbi-benob one of the sons of the Gyant being rescued by Abishai his Nephew who slew the Philistin Not (c) 2 Sam. 24. long after tempted by Satan and his own ambition he numbred the people for which God being angry proposed to him three sorts of punishments David numbreth the people viz. Famine Sword 1 Chron. 20.7 or Pestilence as to which he chose rather to fall into the hands of God then of man Then God sent a Plague whereby perished in one day 70000 men but as the Angel was also about to destroy Jerusalem he was commanded to desist David at length having arrived at seventy years of Age was so decayed and spent by his many labours and troubles 1 Kings 1. that he could not receive any heat from Cloaths and therefore a young maid one Abisag 1 Chron. 28.29 a Shunamite was chosen out to lye in his bosom Adoniah his son taking advantage at this infirmity by the assistance of Joab the General and Abiathar the Priest seized upon the Kingdom Maketh Solomon King When he had notice thereof according to the prediction of God and his promise unto Bathsheba he established Solomon in his Throne and having given him a charge Dieth died about six moneths after when he had reigned over Judah alone in Hebron seven years and six moneths and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah 33 years in the year of the World according to the vulgar way of reckoning without taking in the 100 years formerly mentioned in the History of the Judges 2985. A. M. 2985. 41. David being dead and Solomon established in the Kingdom 1 Kings 2. Adonijah asked Abisag the Shunamite to wife and for that was put to death Solomon putteth Adoniah and others to death as affecting the Soveraignty Abiathar was removed from the Priesthood and Zadok of the Posterity of Phinehaz placed in his room as had been foretold by God against the house of Eli from which the Priesthood now returned Joab for fear fled to the horns of the Altar and there was slain by Benaiah who was made Generall in his stead Simei who had cursed David when he fled from Absalon was commanded to build him an house in Jerusalem and not to stir thence beyond the Brook Kidron upon pain of death which he after two years suffered having broken the order Chap. 3. Solomon within a year after his Father's death married the Daughter of Pharaoh after which offering 1000 burnt-offerings at Gibeon where the Tabernacle then rested God appeared to him in a dream and offered him whatsoever he would ask He asked onely wisdom to govern his people and neither riches nor honour with which God was so well pleased that he made him to excell therein all meer men and accumulated also the other upon himâ— 42. Having all things in a readinesse for building an house to the Lord Chap. 6. Clemens Stromat lib. 4. for which David his Father had made large provisions Vaphres King of Aegypt supplying him with 80000 Men and Hiram King of Tyre with as many besides an Architect named Hypero whose Mother was an Israelitish Woman of the Tribe of Judah he laid the foundation of the Temple in the 4th year of his reign and the second day of the second moneth Zif The Structure being in building 7 years The building of the Temple the work began according to their computation who by reckoning the years of the Judges and the oppressions severally add 100 years to the Aera of the World in the 3089th year from the Creation entering was dedicated in the 3095th ending and in the 587th year after the departure out of Aegypt also ending from which if we substract those 40 they lived in the Wildernesse then 547 years will be
Chron. 19 20 21. chap. travelling himself from Beersheba unto Mount Ephraim to accomplish it he also constituted Judges to whom he gave a pious and strict charge After this the Moabites Ammonites and a great multitude of others invaded him against which he first strove by Prayer to God and thereby obtained Victory his Enemies being so stricken with madnesse that they fell upon and slaughtered one another Afterwards intending to send Ships for gold to Ophir because he joyned with wicked Ahaziah King of Israel the Lord spoiled the works and the Ships were broken at Esion-geber Some think he made his Son Partner in the Kingdom it self having formerly been but his Vicegerent a year or two before he died He reigned 25 years or rather 24 with some odd months Joram 6. To Jehosaphat succeeded Joram being 32 years old 2 Chron. 21. A. M. 3109. to the best Father the worst Son who being established in his Seat made away all his Brethren and some of the Princes In his dayes the Edomites or Idumaeans who hitherto from the time of David had been in subjection to the Kings of Judah revolted They had heretofore been governed by a Vice-Roy chosen either out of themselves or the Jews but now they made themselves a King the Prophecie of Isaac the common Progenitor of both Nations being now fulfilled that though Esau should serve his younger Brother Jacob yet the time should come when he should break the yoak from off his neck Gen. 27.40 At the same time Libnah a City of the Priest's in the Tribe of Judah revolted because he had forsaken the God of his Fathers for having married Ahab's Daughter he followed the example of his house making high-places in the Mountains of Iudah and causing his Sujects to commit Idolatry therein Because of this 2 Chron. 21. vers 12. there came a Writing to him from the Prophet Elijah rebuking him for his sin and foretelling his punishment Elijah being before this taken up to Heaven the Jews have believed that this Letter was sent down thence Some think there was another Prophet of this name but most are inclined to believe that foreseeing before his assumption the Idolatry of this man he left this Letter with his Schollers to be delivered to him in due time According to the threatnings therein contained God first stirred up against him the Philistins and Arabians who making an invasion took away all his goods his wives and sons except Jehoahaz the youngest otherwise called Ahaziah and Azariah Afterwards God struck him with an incurable disease in his bowels which after two years came out of his body so that he miserably died having reigned eight years three whereof are to be reckoned in conjunction with his father He was buried without honour at Jerusalem not in the Sepulcher of Kings not desired missed nor lamented Ahaziah A. M. 3116. 7. 2 Kings 8. 2 Chron. 22. Ahaziah his son succeeded him who followed the steps of his Grand-father Ahab's wicked family and became a Patron of Idolaters But having scarce reigned one year he went down to Jezreel to visite his Uncle Joram King of Israel where they were both killed by Jehu 2 Kings 9. Joram being slain outright and Ahaziah dying shortly after of his wound at Megiddo Athaliah his mother seized upon the Kingdom Athaliah usurpeth Chap. 11. 2 Chron. 24. wherein to establish her self she destroyed all the Royal seed Onely Jehosheba the daughter of Joram and wife to Jehojada the High-Priest withdrew Joash an infant her brother's son and hid him six years in the house of God At the end of these years Jehojada brought him out to the people then seven years old and anointing him King slew Athaliah restored the worship of God and destroyed the house of Baal whose Priest Matthan he slew before the Altar Joas 8. Joas then succeeded his father after six years 2 Kings 12. A. M. 3122. who did what was good and just as long as Jehojada the Priest lived and through his advice took care to repair the Temple which now had stood 155 years But Jehojada being dead who lived 130 years the Jews observing that he the repairer of the Temple was born the same year that the builder thereof died Idolatry brake out afresh through his connivance The Prophets exclaimed against it in vain especially Zacharias the son and successor of Jehojada against whom Joas was so far transported beyond the bound's of piety gratitude to his father's memory that he commanded him to be stoned and that in the Court of the house of the Lord. Whil'st as he died he said The Lord look upon it and requite it So he did for after a years time the forces of Hazael King of Syria though but small invaded Judah destroyed all the Princes of the people and sent the spoyl to their King Joas himself they left very sick of great diseases but when they were departed from him his own servants conspired against him for the bloud of the sons of Jehojada the Priest and slew him on his bed in the 40th year of his reign A. M. 3160. 9. Amaziah his son succeeded him Chap. 14. who also seemeth to have reigned with him the three last years seeing he is said to have begun his reign in the second year of Joas King of Israel When he was confirmed in his seat 2 Chron. 25. A. M. 3160. he put those to death that slew his father sparing their Children according to the Law of Moses In his 12th year he undertook an expedition against the Edomites with 300000 of his own Subjects and 100000 Israelites which he hired for 100 Talents of silver But as he was about to begin his march a Prophet dehorted him from joyning to himself the Idolatrous Israelites so that he dismissed them and they returned home in great discontent He prospered against the Idumaeans but the Souldiers dismissed fell upon his Cities and smiting 300 of them took much spoyl Yet he at his return to amend the matter having brought home the gods of the Edomites set them up to be his gods bowed down before them and burnt incense to them The Lord being sore angry for this sent first a Prophet to him whom he rejected But burning with a desire to be revenged upon the Israelites he sent and defied Joas their King who admonished him to be well advised but this being in vain they met and joyned battel wherein Amaziah was taken and led back to Jerusalem the Wall of which Citie Joas demolished 400 Cubits and plundering the house of the Lord with the Kings house then departed Fifteen years after Amaziah lived but then having turned away from following the Lord a conspiracy was made against him in Ierusalem whence he fled to Lachish and there was slain by the pursuers after he had reigned 29 years Uzziah 10. He left a son named Uzziah and Azariah who succeeded him 2 Kings 15. but being
said to have begun his reign in the 27th year of Ieroboam 2 Chron. 26. King of Israel an Inter-regnum of twelve years must needs have passed betwixt his father's death and his beginning the Kingdom all this time having perhaps A. M. 3201. been governed by a Lieutenant or the High-Priest When he came to the Age of 16. all the people of Iudah took him and made him King in the room of his father and under him the State of Iudah much flourished He fought prosperously against the Philistins and Arabians that dwelt in Gur-Baal and Mehunims or Minaeans dwelling in Arabia the Happie upon the Red-Sea the Ammonites sought to him with presents and his name was great in those parts About his 35th year was celebrated in Greece the first Olympiad that great help to our understanding in the distinction of times He invaded the Priests Office in Offering Sacrifice and for that was strucken with Leprosie which continued upon him till his death living in an house by himself and Iotham his son ordering the affairs of the Kingdom He reigned 52 years Jotham 11. Iotham his son succeeded him who prevailed against the Ammonites 2 Chron. 27. and forced them to pay Tribute two years He became mighty A. M. 3253. because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God he built the High-Gate of the Temple much on the Wall of Ophal Moreover Olymp. 5. an 4. Cities in the Mountains of Iudah and in the Forrests thereof Castles and Towers Under him his Predecessor and his two Successors prophesied Isaiah and Hosea Micah began in his time and Nahum also according to Iosephus prophesied the destruction of Niniveh which was fulfilled 115 years after though others think the beginning of these years should rather be placed in the time of his son A. M. 3269. Olymp. 9. an 2. 2 Kings 16. 2 Chron. 28. He reigned sixteen years and was succeeded by Ahaz his son Ahaz whose reign if it be compared with that of Pechah and Hosea Kings of Israel it will appear that he reigned seven or eight years with his father He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord walking in the wayes of the Kings of Israel he made molten Images for Baalam burnt Incense in the Valley of the son of Hinnom burnt his Children in the fire Sacrificed and burnt Incense in the high places on the Hills and under every green Tree Because of this God stirred up Pekah King of Israel and Rezin the son of Remaliah King of Syria against him who invaded his Kingdom and did much hurt Rezin got Elath which Uzzias had recovered and built the King of Israel gave him a grievous overthrow the Edomites also afflicted him and the Philistins whom Uzziah had brought under made inroads upon him Suspecting his Estate because of these things he sent to Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help presenting him with the Silver and Gold which was found in the Temple 12. Tiglath-Pileser accordingly came up and taking Damascus Nicol. Damascenus apud Iosephum Antiq l. 7. c. 6. killed Rezin in whom fell this Kingdom which having continued ten Generations and begun in a Rezin ended in one of that name Then turned he his Forces upon Pekah transporting into Assyria the Inhabitants of Gilead and Naphthali as formerly he had done those of Damascus But Achaz to procure those things having made himself his Vassal was yet never the better remained in great fear of him and still continued in his wickednesse He made his son Hezekiah for his three last years partner with him in the Kingdom and at the end thereof died having reigned together with his father and by himself 16 years Hezekiah Hezekiah succeeding A. M. 3276. Olymp. 12. an 3. opened the Temple which his father had shut and reformed the abuses in Religion He brake in pieces the brazen Serpent 2 Kings 18. 2 Chron. 29. c. because the Superstitious multitude fancying some Divine vertue therein gave it suitable Worship He shook off the yoak of the King of Assyria refusing to pay Tribute for which cause in his fourteenth year Senacherib being to make War upon Egypt led part of his Forces into Judaea Besieging Lachish Hezekiah bargained with him to depart but he brake his promise and sent Rabshakes with others to Jerusalem who blaspheming God and reproaching the King laboured to draw the people from their obedience This being to no purpose Rabshakes returned to him who had now departed from Lachish and besieged Libnah a strong Citie of Judah removing still nearer Jerusalem that he might seem to pursue what he had given in charge to Rabshakes to denounce against Hezekiah 13. But lying before Libnah news came that Tirhakah King of Aethiopia who as it seemeth had entred into conspiracy with the Egyptian against him was moving towards him at which he was so terrified that he brake up his siege and departed homewards Yet having a greedy mind towards Judaea he sent a blasphemous Letter full of threats to Hezekiah but he lost in one night by the stroak of an Angel 180000 men as some think being on his way towards Jerusalem and confounded hereat returned to Niniveh where he was slain by his two sons Adramelech and Sharezer as he was worshipping in the house of Misroch his God In the time of these dangers Esay 38.8 Hezekiah fell sick unto death the sentence of which he received from Isaiah the Prophet But by his prayers and tears he obtained a prolongation of life for fifteen years and in confirmation of the promise the shadow of the degrees which was gone down in the Sun-dyal of Ahaz was brought ten degrees backward and it followeth The Sun returneth ten degrees backward So the Sun returned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down As for this Sun-dyal it's thought that in those ancient times the knowledge of Dyals was scarce amongst the Hebrews Yet is it possible that Achaz might have something of that nature though imperfect from the Babylonians who were of old much given to Astrology he being otherwise too curious an admirer of forrein things as appeareth in that he must needs have such an Altar made and erected at Ierusalem as he had seen at Damascus That the Sun went back hath been generally believed Gregory of Oxford but one of late hath gone about to prove that the shadow was lyable to reduction without retrocession of the great Luminary 14. 2 Chron. 32.31 The knowledge of this miracle coming to the Babylonians who by reason of their continual observation of the Heavenly bodies might have more occasion to take notice of it Merodach-Baladan their King sent to Hezekiah to congratulate his recovery desirous it 's likely of his friendship whom he had understood to be so much in the favour of God especially bearing no goodwill to the Assyrians He in a vain ostentation of his Wealth shew'd the Ambassadours all his Treasures
and whatsoever was in his house for which Isaiah the Prophet denounced the carrying away of all these things to Babylon For the pride of his heart there was wrath upon him and Iudah yet he humbled himself both he and the inhabitants of Iudah so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in his dayes He flourished in abundance of riches and honour stopped the upper water-course of Gihon and brought it streight down to the West-side of the Citie of David He reigned 29 years 3 whereof were together with his father being dead they buried him in the chiefest Sepulchers of the sons of David and all Iudah with the Inhabitants of Ierusalem did him honour at his death Manasses 15. Manasses his son succeeded him at the Age of twelve years 2 Kings 21. 2 Chron. 33. A. M. 3304. Olymp. 19. an 4. and therefore was begotten by him after his recovery He did evil in the sight of the Lord above those Nations which the Lord had cast out before Israel being more Idolatrous then any of his Predecessors he was also given to Witchcraft and Divinations built Altars for all the Host of heaven which he served in the two Courts of the house of the Lord wherein he also set up an Image of the Grove which he had made He filled Ierusalem with innocent bloud amongst other Martyrs Isaiah the Prophet as it 's said being sawn asunder with a wooden saw because he was free with him in reproving his ungodly life although he was of the bloud royal as the son of Amos the brother of King Amaziah according to the tradition of the Jews who also have related him to have been father-in-law nay as some Grand-father by the Mothers side to Manasses himself In such wickednesse continued he for several years till such time as God sent upon him the Captains of the King of Assyria Esarchaddon some think who took him lying hid amongst the thorns and carried him bound with fetters unto Babylon which City as it appeareth from this place was now again under the King of Assyria Here having leisure and occasion to bethink himself in his affliction he repented was humbled greatly and besought the Lord who heard his Prayer and restored him to his Kingdom After this he knew that the Lord was God and purged his Realm of Idolatry which Reformation the Jews make to have been in the 33th year before his death He reigned 55 years Amon. 16. Amon his Son succeeded him in his Kingdom and Idolatry A. M. 3359. Olymp. 33. an 4. but not in his Repentance worshipping and sacrificing to all the carved Images which his Father had made and going on to trespasse more and more After two years his servants conspired against him and slew him in his own house Chap. 34. all whom the people of the Land put to death and made Iosiah his Son a child of eight years old King in his stead Josiah He in the eighth year of his reign began to seek after the God of his Fathers and in his twelfth to cleanse his Kingdom and all the Land of Israel from Idolatry although the greatest part of the later was now subject to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 23. 2 Chron. 35. A. M. 3368. Olymp. 35. an 4. In the 18th year of his reign and of his age the 26th he commanded the Temple to be repaired and the Worship of God therein restored where also finding a Book of the Law he renewed the Covenant between God and the people and celebrated such a solemn Passeover as had not been kept in Israel since the time of the Judges Now if the time of the Judges and the Oppressions be not confounded but taken at their full length then this year being the 9â—0th ending or the 931th beginning from the entering into Canaan was the 7th of the 133 week or the last of the 19th Jubilie Iosiah in his 31th year ending disguised himself that he might fight with Necho King of Aegypt who was going up against the Assyrian and would not hearken to his words from the mouth of God labouring with him to refuse fighting against the Lord who had sent him and commanded him to make haste Therefore joyning battell with him in the Valley of Megiddo he was sore wounded and being carried to Ierusalem died there all Iudah and Ierusalem mourning and making great lamentation for him Jehoahaz 17. Whilst Pharaoh was busie in his affairs against the Assyrians the people made Jehoahaz the younger Son of Josias King 2 Chron. 36. A. M. 3392. Olymp. 41. an 4. who continued but three moneths in the dignity For Pharaoh having finished his work at Euphrates and in Coelesyria came to Jerusalem whence he led away into Aegypt this young King and left his elder Brother Eliakim in his place whose name he changed into Jehoiakim Jehoiakim imposing a taxe of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold upon the Land Though Jeoahaz be said to have reigned three moneths yet some will have a year to have passed betwixt the 31 year of Josias and the first of Jehoiakim partly for that Josias seemeth to have reigned something more than 31 years and some space would be taken up in so solemn a mourning for him before the instalment of Jehoahaz and also to consult about this thing seeing it was against right and custom to give this honour to the younger Brother lastly some time perhaps some moneths was requisite for setling the affairs of Judaea about the instalment of Jehoiakim and the tribute Ludovicus Cappellus moreover giveth a whole year to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim though the Scripture speaketh but of three moneths a piece that the last year of Zedekiah might fall into the 390th year from the rent of the Kingdom of which more when we arrive at that time 18. Jehoiakim thus advanced by Pharaoh Necho was 25 years old when he began to reign which if so he was born in the fifteenth year of his Father's age as if Jehoahaz was 23 when he began his reign he must also have been born in the sixteenth of Josiah This maketh Josiah to have applied himself to procreation of children at least in the fourteenth year of his life which seeming too early and not agreeable to the Piety of that Prince there are that suspect for 25 ought to be read 15 and 13 for 23 so that the one might be born in the 24 and the other in the 25 year of his Father But thereis no necessity for such a reading of the Text. The fourth year of Jehoiakim fell in with the first of Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon Ierem. 25 1 3. and was the 23th from the 13th of the reign of Josias wherein Jeremiah the Prophet first began to prophesy and hence it also appeareth that Iosias reigned at least full 31 years and that one passed between his death and the beginning of Iehoiakim else 23 onely had passed betwixt the
term it was then drowned by the Priests Being dead a great and solemn mourning there was untill another could be found with the same marks Now some make this beast to be worshipped in honour of Apis King of the Argives August de Civit Dâ— l. 18. c. 5. who going down into Egypt was there Deified after his death and called Serapis But there having been several Kings in divers places of that name they are confounded one with another 4. Nothing indeed but uncertainties attend the most ancient History of that Nation no two Authors agreeing betwixt themselves concerning the succession of the Egyptian Kings This is not onely to be attributed to the force of time but the unfaithfulnesse of their Priests who having it committed to their charge to record the Memorables of their Countrey foysted things of their own heads into the story concealed from the Natives whatsoever made against their own profit and from strangers all things that tended to the dishonour of their Countrey Out of such a kind of design they related not the same things to such as travelled thither with a desire to be informed so that from the corrupt Fountains of their records have proceeded the Histories of several who pretending to have taken them out of the very Archives are no lesse dissonant amongst themselves then from the truth The Catalogues of their Kings are full of inextricable Labrynths Manetho being of no credit because of his notable lying and all those who professe to follow him as Josephus Africanus Eusebius Syncellus Scaliger Usher and others not agreeing in their ranking and ordering of them The Dynasties of the Egyptian Kings 5. Several Dynasties are made to have preceded the time of Abraham Euseb with whose birth as it is placed in the 43th year of Ninus the beginning of the 16th is â—oyned Much labour is spent by some in an endeavour to clear the order of these Dynasties and to expound them But if they should be allowed of little more then 200 years are to be assigned to the continuance of all the first 15. because the passage of Cham and his posterity from the Mountains of Ararat into Egypt and the establishment of a formal Government there could scarce be performed within one Century after the Flood time for the increase of mankind and the unpassablenesse of the earth duely considered except we cast the beginning of the first Dynastie back beyond the Flood It hath been thought therefore that these were not several successions of Kings which continued for so small a time but rather certain Ranks and Orders of Governours under the Kings who might be content to injoy their ease and quiet together with the Dignity as the Kings did which Joseph served whil'st the management of publick affairs was wholly committed to these Regents or Lieutenants of sundry linages or sorts of men who by their actions might leave greater impressions upon posterity than the Kings themselves and so give occasion to the Egyptians of vaunting them for so many Soveraign Princes indeed That Eusebius might accommodate the times and Orders of these Dynasties to the Histories of other parts of the World he is not afraid to transpose them as he findeth them in several Authors Upon this account Jacobus Cappellus thinketh it a vain thing to recite in his Chronicle the series of the Kings seeing Manetho by whom Scaliger would amend Eusebius is most unworthy of creâ—it But it being requisite to give beginners some insight into the story such things must be briefly related as out of such uncertainties carry the greatest shew of probability Orus the last of the Egyptian gods 6. After Typhons death Isis as Diodorus writeth Lib. 1. p. 13. c. for some time governed the Kingdom but so joyntly with her son Orus or Horus that he is also said to have succeeded after the death of his father and is moreover accounted the last of the gods He instituted a year consisting of three moneths Censorious c. and thence a year was called after him Horos The Egyptian year properly so called consisted of 365 dayes but besides this they had also monethly years of thirty dayes and others of four moneths apiece or 120 dayes that by this various and cunning account as Cappellus thinketh they might delude the Greeks Of this later way few examples we meet with but Diodorus maketh mention of it assigning the cause to have been for that they divided their Solar year not into four but onely three parts and Cappellus maketh this following account to consist of such kind of years After the gods came men to the Government and the Egyptians boasted that they had Kings of their own Countrey and home-born for the most part during the term of 4700 years after Cambyses strangers as Persians and Macedonians having governed them Now these 4700 years he guesseth to consist of four moneths apiece and to contain 1544 Julian years Vide Cappellum ad A. M. 1931. 1941. which being deducted out of the years of the World at the period whereof Cambyses came down into Egypt 1931 will remain at what time Osiris or Orus his son might perhaps die who being the last of the gods Kings began where they ended Menis the first King 7. The first King that reigned after these gods was Menas or Menis Herodotus Diodorus which name by some is thought to have been onely of Dignity and that Osiris was so called Others think Mercurius Trismegistus meant thereby for that the Hebrew word Meni signifieth an Arithmetician and that Osiris might well be termed Trismegistus being a great Conquerour Philosopher and Benefactor to mankind in giving good Laws and teaching profitable arts Another would have Sesostris whom he supposeth to have succeeded Osiris to be meant by Menas as nothing inferiour to Osiris in prowesse and great undertakings But Sesostris the Great reigned not till many years after and nothing hindereth but Menas in the Egyptian language to say nothing of the Greek might be a proper name as well as a title of dignity But who succeeded him is not known the Priests feigning 52 Princes to have followed him in order for the space of 1400 years unto Busiris multiplying Kings years lies or fallacies to make their story the more admirable We must therefore in this unknown path take the blind conduct of the Dynasties again of which omitting the first seventeen to which almost 4000 years are ascribed the 18th is by Cappellus made to begin nine years before the time whereunto Eusebius sets it viz. in the 107th year of the Patriarch Jacob Amos or Amosis the first in order of it being Amos A.M. 2274. or Amosis 8. To his reign are given 25 years so that according to this account he it was who honoured Joseph and set him over the Land Euseb He dying in the second year of the Famin Chebros Amenophis Mephres c. Chebros succeeded him who reigned
heart so that he died but being wounded by Euphorbus Patroclus slain who came behind him he was slain by Hector Euphorbus endeavoured to get his body but was killed by Menelaus and the Soul of this Euphorbus Pythagoras affirmed according to his principle of commigration to have passed into his own body After this Achilles whose presence formerly had kept the Trojans within their Walls went out to fight and taking twelve young men alive slew them at the funeral of Patroclus By the River Scamander or Xanthus he killed Asteropaeus Captain of the Paeones from whom though he received a wound in the Arm yet went he to fight with Hector Hector slain who expected him without the Walls and would not be perswaded to decline his fury though it proved his ruine being slain in this single Combat about the 30th year of his age His body tied to a Chariot the Conquerour drew in Triumph about the Walls Diodorus l. 2. p. 91. but afterwards it was ransomed by Priamus After this he slew Memnon the Nephew of Priamus by his brother Tithonus who was sent out of Persia by the Assyrian King Teutamus to his aid then Troilus his son by Hecuba and lastly Penthesilea one of the Amazons who for murder had fled her Countrey and coming to Troas * Servius after Hector's death did good service against the Greeks When dead Achilles is said to have been enamoured of her body and with her also the valour of this sort of women is believed to have been extinct 31. Achilles whom no art nor violence of the Trojans could overcome was taken by the love of a Woman and slain by treachery For having a view of (a) Idem ad Virgil. Aeneiad l. 3. Polyxena the daughter of Priamus from the Wall he became so inslaved to her in his affections that he proceeded to a Treaty of marriage wherein he was shot with a Dart by Paris Achilles treacherously killed by Paris who hid himself behind the image of Apollo which idol is therefore feigned an assistant in the work Afterwards the Greeks had it revealed to them that except they could take the Palladium or Image of Pallas out of the City till they should get Hercules his Arrows and provide a wooden Horse Troy could never be taken Ulysses therefore and Diomedes as * Aeneiad 21. Virgil singeth stole away the Image Philoctetes who had the Arrows was sent for from the Island Lemnos and with them slew Paris the incendiary after whose death Deiphobus the son of Priamus obtained Helena as being of best account for valour next to his brother Hector Then was a wooden Horse prepared by the hands of Epeus which pretending to dedicate to Minerva they left before the Citie having industriously made it higher than the Gates hoping the Trojans would pull down part of the Wall to take it in They left also some of their choicest men in the Horses belly and Sinon with his hands bound behind him who under notion of a fugitive that had been ill used should perswade them to receive it into the Citie and then giving out that they would raise the siege for some time they withdrew into the Island Tenedos The Trojans with great resolution break down the Wall and taking in the Horse placed him in the Castel but in the night Sinon giving warning by fire the Greeks came from Tenedos and being easily let in by their companions by reason of the Trojans had drunk themselves fast asleep Troy taken the Citie was taken sacked and burnt A.M. 2821 Menelaus killing Deiphobus in his bed took away Helena and Priamus was slain in his own house by Pyrrhus or Neoptolemus the son of Achilles Of the Trojans which escaped Antenor being spared by the Greeks came with the Heneti into the Adriatick Sea where he built Padua and Aeneas the son of Anchises at length reached Italy This destruction of Troy hapned in the 10th year of the siege 408 before the first Olympiad 1182 before the Aera of Christ of the World 2821. in the dayes of Jepthah who judged Israel 32. Of the Greek Captains which escaped Ajax the son of Telamon striving with Ulysses for the Armour of Achilles and overcome by the judgement of the Army killed himself or else was circumvented by his adversary Ajax the younger the son of Oileus having taken prisoner Cassandra the daughter of Priamus unwilling to part with her was driven by the plots of Agamemnon to shift for himself and putting out to Sea in an unseasonable time miscarried by shipwrack Of those that returned home most encountred with many difficulties Ulysses especially who for many years wandred about The Greeks return home as it is poetically described by * In Odyss â— Homer Menelaus after the work was done presently commanded the Greeks to prepare for their return but Agamemnon being unwilling to depart before he had sacrifized to Minerva the Fleet was divided and a contention arose betwixt the followers of Menelaus when they came to Tenedos because some would have stayed for Agamemnon there insomuch as Ulysses then returned back to him Nestor set sayl thence before Menelaus but was overtaken by him about the Island Lesbos whence they sailed together as far as Attica where Menelaus staying to bury Phrontes the other left him and came safe home to Pylus Menelaus his ships were most of them overwhelmed in a Tempest about the Promontory of Malea and the rest with him and Helena driven into Egypt where and in other places he continued till * Consule Strab. l. 1. p. 37. c. the 8th year Agamemnon after he had sacrifized and erected an Altar to the twelve gods in the Promontory of Troas came home and was presently * Homer Odyss 4. murdered by Aegisthus the son of his Uncle Thyestes with whom Clytemnestra his wife the daughter also of Tyndareus had lived in Adultery and now conspired to make him away Orestes 33. He left a son named Orestes and three daughters begotten on this vvoman The Boy for he vvas but young was by his sister Electra and his Nurse vvhen they perceived his life vvas laid at by Aegisthus before his fathers return conveyed into Phocis unto Strophius Lege Simsonium in Chronico A. M. 2829. vvho had married his father's sister vvhence returning the 8th year after his death he killed Aegisthus together vvith his mother and recovered the Kingdom Because of his mothers death he vvas vexed by the furies and found some difficulty in mastering the Argives vvho now opposed him but by the help of the Phocians he recovered his father's Dominions though Menelaus his Uncle either for that he disapproved the death of his mother or for private respects bare him no good vvill and neglected him vvhich he shewed further in taking from him his daughter Hermione vvho had brought him a son and giving her to Pyrrhus the son of Achilles Tormented vvith the furies he vvent into Arcadia
and thence to Athens where he was acquitted in the Court of Areopagus about his mother the suffrages for and against him being equal in which case judgement alwayes passed on the Defendants side Paterculus l. 1. A little after this he is thought to have killed Pyrrhus as he was sacrifizing to his father at the Temple of Delphos and then resumed his wife Pausan in Corinthiacis When Menelaus was dead he obtained the Kingdom of Sparta the Lacedaemonians being more willing to receive him as the Grand-son of Tyndareus by Clytemnestra than the base sons of Menelaus Nicostratus and Megapenthos begotten on a slave It is probable that he as his father before him was supream Lord of Argos and that the Successors of Melampus and Bias ever since the division of the Kingdom or for a good space held their principalities of his Predecessors and himself But now being King of Lacedaemon and the greatest part of Arcadia lying near to Argos after the death of Cylababos the son of Sihenelus who left no Children and that Amphilochus was departed thence to the Amphilochians to whom he gave name having the Phocians constant friends to him he easily made himself sole master of Argos and so this Kingdom was re-united about 140 years after the threefold division of it Divers years after he placed a Colony of the Aeolians in Asia * Strabo l. 13. pag. 582. four ages before that of the Ionians and shortly after died in Arcadia when he had reigned 70 years 34. He left (b) Vide Pausan ut priùs p. 60. Apollodorum l. 2. pag. 123. two sons One legitimate and named Tisamenus from his revenging his fathers death begotten on Hermione and another born of Erigone the daughter of Aegisthus Tisamenus succeeded him according to Pausanias though Paterculus writeth that both of them reigned after their fathers death Tisamenus Scarce was Tisamenus warm in his seat when he was displaced by the Heraclidae or posterity of Hercules They had several times attempted their return into Peloponnesus but were ever frustrated till now Hyllus the son of Hercules once or twice Cleodaeus his son after him and Aristomachus his son also with the same successe Aristomachus left three sons Temenus Cresphontes and Aristodemus which being grown up consulted the Oracle of Apollo concerning their return and had the same answer their father formerly had that they should attain their desire if they went by the way Stenygrus which word in the Greek being of an ambiguous signification Aristomachus thinking by it to be meant the Isthmus as a narrow way led down his forces through it and miscarried Temenus objecting this the Pythia or woman that delivered the Oracles answered that their Ancestors by their misunderstanding had been Authors of their own infelicity for whereas Hyllus was told that the third fruit was to be expected the third Generation was meant and not the third crop or summer as he expounded it and accordingly perished And as for Stenygrus by it they were to understand the deep Sea on the right hand as one entreth Peloponnesus and not the narrow Isthmus Having received this answer and conceiving all things now to be fulfilled and ripe for their effectual return they built ships in Aetolia upon that Sea the place wherein they were made thenceforth keeping the name of Naupactus from that occasion Whil'st they were about this work a certain Prophet appeared to them and foretold them several things but Hippotes taking him for a Magician sent on purpose to delude the Army killed him For this a Pestilence was sent amongst them about which consulting the Oracle they were bidden to banish Hippotes for 10 years and use the conduct of a Captain with three eyes for two years space The return of the Heraclidae 35. Seeking out such a man they met one (c) Apollodorus Oxylus an Aetolian son to Thoas that went to the siege of Troy who being on hors-back had but one eye now returning into his own Countrey from Elea in Peloponnesus whither he had been banished for killing a man Him they made Captain of the expedition bargaining to procure him the possession of Elis as (d) Eliac 1. p. 150. Pausanias witnesseth who reporteth him to have ridden on a Mule that had but one eye and therefore to have been taken for the man meant by the Oracle through the perswasion of Cresphontes Being ready they (e) Polyaenus Stratag l. 21. A.M. 2901. gave out they would march again through the Isthmus and by that means the Peloponnesians attending their motions there easily passed over the Sea and landed at Molycrjum Three parts of Peloponnesus especially they challenged as their due Argos because descended of Perseus whereas Tisamenus the present King was of the posterity of Pelops Lege Pausan in Argolicis Strabon l. 18. p. 352 c. who had no right to that Kingdom Lacedaemon for that Hercules killed Hypocoon who had expelled Tyndareus thence and restored the later to the Kingdom on this condition to keep it for his children Messenia because having also conquered it when he destroyed the City Pilus and slew all the brothers of Nestor he gave it to him of meer goodness and compassion but on the same condition as Lacedaemon to Tyndareus The dominion of Argos without much adoe they got into their hands after that taking a certain Village in the confines thereof Temenus fortified it and used it for a place of retreat for carrying on the War One Philonomus betrayed Sparta into their hands Strabo lib. 18. p. 365. which they entered with sound of Pipes instead of Trumpets as most effectual by the tune to make the Soldier attentive and keep his ranks which use was constantly observed by the Lacedaemonians Polyaenus together with that of the Harp 36. Tisamenus and the Achaeans thus expelled these parts Phusan in Achaicis Messenicis Laeinicis and out of Messenia by the Heraclidae and Dorienses their associates sent to the Ionians then inhabiting Peloponnesus their Neighbours desiring leave to live amongst them But they being jealous of him lest for his high birth and valour he should be chosen King of the Country denied their request The Achaeans then driven by necessity and desperation attempted to get by force what they could not by intreaty and though they lost Tisamenus in the fight drave the Iones out of their Seats and constrained them to passe into Attica where they were received by the Athenians through the perswasion of Melanthus the King As for the Heraclidae when they came to divide what they had won Argos fell to Temenus Cresphontes by fraud used in the Lot obtained Messene and Lacedaemon became the portion of Procles and Eurystheus the sons of Aristodemus who was slain by the sons of Pylas kinsmen to Tisamenus before they entered Peloponnesus They also according to their ingagement possessed Oxylus of Elis. Temenus obtained Argos 37. Temenus being setled in Argos
wherein after he had slain Immaradus Pausan in Atticis the son of Eumolpus their General he also lost his life when he had reigned 50 years He left three sons Cecrops Metion and Pandorus who falling into contention about the succession put it to the arbitration of Xuthus He adjudged it to the eldest but yet would they not rest satisfied which made him leave Athens Cecrops 2d and go into Aegialea where he died This Cecrops the second some think to have gathered the people into twelve Towns for that living dispersedly abroad the Carians by Sea and the Boeotians called Aeonae by Land harrased the Countrey as * L. 9. p. 397. C. Strabo writeth At the end of 40 years his son named Pandion succeeded him Pandion who was expelled the Kingdom by the sons of Metion his Uncle and fled to Pyla the King of Megara his father-in-law who left him his Successor Whil'st he here reigned he begat four sons Aegens Lycus Pallas and Nisus Pausan ut priùs who after his death went against the Metiontidae and expelled them Athens the Dominions whereof they divided into four parts according to their father's injunctions Megara falling to Nisus who reigned there a long time Aegeus 7. Though this division was made yet was Aegeus Soveraign in effect for fear of whom Lycus fled to Athens Pallas the other brother had 50 sons A. M. 2723. which growing up gave cause enough to Aegeus to be jealous of them having him in contempt because he was childlesse For though he married two wives Plutarch in Theseo yet had he issue by neither of them which made him go to Delphos to enquire of the Oracle about posterity The answer being obscure in his return he was entertained by Pittheus the son of Pelops a man famous for learning at Traezene Begetteth Theseus who either understanding the Oracle or otherwise induced Apollod A.M. 2725. made his daughter Aethra to lye with him after he had caused him to drink good store of Wine At his departure he put a sword and a knife under a great stone bidding her if she brought forth a Boy as soon as he could remove the stone and take those things from under it to send him with them as tokens unto Athens and he would own him for his son She accordingly brought forth a son called Theseus from putting the marks under the stone whom Pittheus brought up and for that he proved exceeding prudent and couragious his mother at sixteen years of age brought him to the stone acquainting him with his Original and his fathers injunctions He easily removing it and taking away the tokens prepared for his journey but they were unwilling to let him go by Land because all the wayes were full of Robbers since Hercules who went up and down destroying them after his killing of Iphitus had quitted these parts and was gone into Lycia where for some years he served Omphale the Queen But Theseus burning with emulation upon hearing continually the praise of Hercules his Kins-man for their mothers vvere next Cousins resolved to take that vvay to obtain some renown in killing those Robbers and effected his design upon several of them 8. Being arrived at Athens he vvas in danger to be poysoned by his father through the perswasion of Medea who now vvas fled to him from Corinth Plutarch and filled his jealous head vvith suspitions of this stranger till thinking it vvisdom to make himself known rather than let another do it he shewed him the tokens vvhich he presently acknowledged owning him for his son made his subjects as such to take notice of him But the sons of Pallas who before had been seditious now seeing all hopes of the Kingdom taken from them by him and disdaining that Aegeus should first reign himself being not of the bloud Royal but adopted onely by Pandion as Plutarch vvriteth and then leave for his Successor a stranger and a Bastard they took Arms and the better to accomplish their design divided themselves into two parties whereof the one came openly vvith their father against Athens and the other lay in ambush The acts of Theseus Theseus having notice of the later sort surprized and cut them all off vvhich so discouraged the other as they separated themselves and fled Theseus after this to employ himself and gain the favour of the people went and took the Marathonian Bull fetch 't out of Crete by Hercules and brought him quick into the Citie after he had infested the Countrey very much Then sailed he to Crete vvhere as the fable goeth he slew the Minotaure a Monster kept by Minos King of that Island Minos 9. Minos (q) Diodorus l. 4. p. 183. Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon were the Children of Jupiter by Europa and all adopted by Asterius the Grand-son of Hellen by his son Teutamus King of that Island who married their mother and was childlesse Minos was the Law-giver of the Cretians this honour being ascribed to him by the most Authentick of ancient (r) Plato in legibus Aristot Politic. l. 2. cap. 8. Authors Yet (Å¿) Apud Strabon lib. 10. p. 476. Epherus in his book of Europaean Commonwealths vvrote that he was but an imitator of one Rhadamanthus of the same name with his brother who by others is also said to have been imployed by Minos in this work but more ancient who first cultivated the Island by Laws Cities and Common-wealths feigning that he had from Jupiter all the Ordinances which he published In (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitation of him Minos having continued in the Law of Jupiter nine years produced Laws in writing and ascribed them to the same Author as Homer also hinteth vvhich (u) Odyss vvord of Homer though Strabo taketh to signifie a continuance for ten years yet Plato and from him (x) Lib. 1. c. 2. Exter Exemp 1. Valerius Maximus interpret it not of nine years continuance but every ninth year vvherein as it seemeth he amended his Laws Although Minos vvas a King yet he directed according to * Apud Strab. ut priùs pag. 480. B. Ephorus the vvhole model of his Laws to the freedom of his subjects This liberty he thought to be preserved best by Concord vvhich vvould be most established by the prevention of avarice and luxury the great causes of disagreement He would therefore have them all live soberly and frugally to vvhich purpose he ordained that Boys should live together in companies called Ageloe vvhen they vvere grown up and men in others called Syssitia from eating together vvhich they also named Andrâ—a from their mâ—nhood that taking their meat all in publick the poor might live in equal condition vvith the rich The form of the Cretian Common-wealth 10. After the abdication of regal power the chief Magistracy was exercised by ten Cosmi in power though not in number like to 〈◊〉 Spartan Ephori being chosen out of the lowest
he thrust his feet in Iron fetters and exposed him as a prey to wild beasts Yet either by those that had this charge Diodorus l. 4. p. 185. A.M. 2695. or others that found him he was carried to Polybus King of Corinth who caused his feet to be healed from the swelling of which he had the name of Oedipus and brought him up Many years after when he was grown Laius either hearing some rumor concerning him or carried by natural affection went to enquire of the Oracle what had hapned to his son and at the same time it chanced that Oedipus having heard of some design against himself went thither also to enquire who were his true Parents They met in Phocis A.M. 2722. where Laius bidding the other somewhat imperiously to give way Oedipus moved with choler killed him being utterly ignorant who he was Creon 8. Laius being dead Creon the brother of Jocaste called also Epicaste seized upon his Kingdom Oedipus and kept it for some time till Oedipus explained the ridle of Sphinx T is Munster which the Boeotians also called Phix Apollodorus is feigned to have had an head and face like a woman the hinder parts like a Lyon and wings as a Bird and keeping upon the Hill Phicion Plutarch in lib. quòd bruta ratione utuntur or Phiceon so named from her she proposed ridles which whosoever could unridle should have Jocaste in marriage with the Kingdom but if not she presently devoured them Unridleth the ridle of Sphinx Her ridle to Oedipus was this what is it that which goeth both on two Legs three and four A.M. 2758. Many having lost their lives for a misinterpretation he expounded it to be meant of a man who when an Infant creepeth on hands and feet when arrived at ripenesse of age goeth upright on legs and when he cometh to be old useth a staff Some think her a deformed and savage kind of woman that living on prey used to lie in wait for passengers But Pausanias writing that she was the Bastard daughter of Laius others judge her to have been for her wisdom preferred to determine the pretences of such as claimed the Kingdom and that those who were cast in the tryal she punished with death which cruelty the Poets detesting raised the fable Because of her abilities this kind of Monster was made by * Clemens Strom. l. 5. the Aegyptians an Hieroglyphick of wisedom and strength in both wich Plutarch maketh her to have excelled 9. Oedipus then married Jocasta his own mother not knowing what she was to him and obtained the Kingdom of Thebes Diodorus telleth us that he had two sons by her Eteocles and Polynices with as many daughters but others say he had them by Euryganea the daughter of Hyperphas At length all came to light both that he had killed his father and married his own mother whereupon she presently hanged her self and his sons kept him up close for the filthinesse of the thing as some say though others will have him driven from Thebes and that going to Theseus King of Athens he there died a little after Polynices while his father was yet living went to Argos Pausan Diodorus Apollod where he married Argia the daughter of Adrastus but after his death returned to Thebes to succeed him in the Kingdom The two brothers then agreed to reign by turns Eteocles Polynices but Eteocles having the first course refused to yield up his power at the time prefixed so that Polynices was glad to return to Argos At the same time there hâ—pned to be with Adrastus one Tydeus the son of Oeneus who having killed a man in Aetolia fled also to him both these he kindly received and by direction of the Oracle making them his sons-in-law promised to restore them to their Countreys and Estates Beginning first with Polynices he sent Tydeus in Ambassage to Eteocles who caused fifty men to lie in wait for him by the way but he killed them all and returned safe to Argos Adrastus to revenge the injury made all possible preparation for a War and invited all the best Souldiers from all quarters to the expedition Seven Eminent Captains gave their names whereof Amphiaraus who had married Eriphile the sister of Adrastus was Chief though of so ancient a thing as this Theban-war there can be little certainty The Theban War 10. A.M. 2785. Having each of them his several Army or Company rather they marched to Thebes which they besieged and divided themselves according to the Gates of the Citie Eteocles made all preparations for defence assigning to every Gate its Officer and consulted Tiresias a Prophet then blind concerning the event of the War He answered that the Thebans should overcome if Menaeceus the son of Creon would devote himself as a sacrifice to Mars which he presently did killing himself before the Gates Diod. l. 4. p. 177. The Thebans then made a sally but were beaten back to the Walls which when the Argives approched Capaneus one of the seven Captains first of all others set to Ladders and mounted but he being killed the other retreated and many of them were slain in the pursute After this it was agreed that the two brothers in a single Combat should decide the quarrel and so doing they mutually fell by the hands of each other then followed a very sharp fight wherein all the Captains that followed Adrastus were slain and he onely escaped by the swiftnesse of his Horse Arion Yet this victory cost the Thebans so dear that being themselves almost ruined hence Cadmea victoria became a proverb This War fell out 28 years before that of Troy Laodamus 11. Eteocles leaving behind him a young son named Laodamus Creon the brother of Jocasta assumed the Guardianship of him and would not suffer the Argives to be buried till Theseus and the Athenians procured it Ten years after the War when Laodamus was now grown up the sons of those Captains that had been slain called Epigoni made an expedition against Thebes to revenge the death of their fathers The expedition of the Epigoni A.M. 2795. Consulting before-hand the Oracle of Delphos about the successe they were bidden to chuse Alcmaeon the son of Amphiaraus for their General which having done and marching into Thebais they wasted all the Countrey round about the Citie Hereupon the Thebans made a sally and a sharp conflict insued wherein Laodamus slew Aegialeus the son of Adrastus and was himself killed by Alcmaeon though Pausanias saith he escaped out of the fight and fled to the Illyrians After this the Citie was taken and with other plunder Pausan Tiresias the Prophet was sent as a present towards Delphos but drinking by the way presently died This is he SECT 1. Thersander who is said to have experienced both Sexes and lived seven Generations even from the dayes of Cadmus to this time The Epigoni having taken
the Wars had absolute authority To the Senate this honour and power was given to debate and resolve about such things as the King propounded Senate which were decreed by the greater number of voices as agreeable to the constitution of Lacedaemon as our Author observeth People To the People he committed three things to create Magistrates make Laws and resolve about War what was propounded by the King yet so as that the authority of the Senate interposed All the whole multitude together gave not their votes but the Curiae apart and whatsoever seemed good to most was referred to the Senate which custom was afterwards changed when the Senate did not confirm the Decrees of the People but the People the resolves of the Senate 5. For the increase of the City besides the opening of a Sanctuary which Dionysius ranketh after this setlement of the civil policy he forbad when any Town was taken Prisoners to be preserved that prisoners of ripe age should be slain or sold or their grounds left untilled but commanded a Colony to be sent from Rome to which part of them should be assigned and some of the strangers to be admitted to the freedom of the City which device our Author esteemeth of great weight and consequence He made many good and profitable Laws Laws in reference to marriage whereof most were unwritten He ordained in reference to marriage that the wife should be partaker of all that was her husband's when chast and modest If he died intestate she was his absolute Heir Consule Val. Max. l. 2. c. 1. and if he left children equally with them When she offended she was left to his disposal for punishment who admitted his kindred to judge with him concerning the fault if she either violated chastity or drank wine which Romulus utterly condemned as an incentive to wantonnesse So effectual became this constitution to the preservation of the conjugal knot that for 520 years there hapned not any divorce in Rome till in the 137th Olympiad when Marcus Pomponius and Caius Papirius were Consuls Sp. Caruilius an eminent man put away his wife and then though he sware to the Censors that he did it onely to provide for posterity yet was he ever hated by the people He gave to Fathers absolute power over their Sons and that for all their lives either to imprison Parents and their Children c. beat carry away bound to rustick labours or kill although the son bore the greatest Office in the Commonwealth or publickly commended and honoured By virtue of this Law some eminent Persons making Orations to the People in opposition to the Senate in the midst of popular applause have by their Parents been pulled down from their seats and led away to be punished according to their pleasure and as they passed along the Forum none could deliver or rescue them not the Consul Tribune nor multitude it self which they had flattered And because of this absolute paternal dominion several valiant men have been put to death for their valour shewed in some way against the Enemy contrary to the direction or Command of their Fathers 6. He compelled parents to educate all their male children and their eldest daughters he permitted a child younger than three years to be made away if it was born defective in some member or monstrous and yet then was it not to be exposed without approbation of the five next neighbours If any one broke this Law he besides other punishment forfeited half of his goods The Father was permitted by the Law-giver to sell his Son and that three times over if it hapned that he recovered his liberty a greater power than was had over slaves who if once made free thenceforth so continued All sordid Arts and such as were subservient to luxury he forbad which being left to slaves and strangers for a long time the Romans scorned to meddle with Two courses of life onely he enjoined them Warfare and Husbandrie allowing a Market once in nine dayes He divided equally to them the grounds slaves and money taken from the Enemy Concerning injuries be presently decided all controversies or referred them unto others inflicting punishment acording to the crime and seeing the people to be by fear best retained in order he set up his Judgment-seat in the most conspicuous place of the Forum where his guard of 300 Celeres and twelve Sergeants or Lictors carrying rods and axes and in the view of all men either beating or putting to death Malefactors made a terrible shew This is the form of the Commonwealth as Romulus first established it much admired by Dionysius above all the constitutions of his own Country-men the Graecians whose Religion also as giving occasion to the vulgar sort to contemn their gods involved in such misfortunes or to abstain from no iniquity and filthinesse to which they heard that their deities were also abnoxious he esteemeth vain frivolous and dangerous in comparison of that which was instituted by the Roman Law-giver 7. Romulus considering that there were several powerful Nations round about him which with evil eyes beheld the growth of his City bethought with himself how he might contract amity with them Concluding that affinity was the onely means by the advice and consent of the Senate he resolved upon a course to provide wives for his Subjects He caused at the suggestion of his Grand-father Numitor The Rape of the Sabine Virgins a Solemn Feast and exercises in honour of Neptune to be proclaimed throughout the Country to which many flocking with their wives and children upon sign given his men laid hold on such Virgins as were come to see and violently carried them to their houses The number of them amounted to 683 for which Romulus chose out so many husbands and married them after their own Country Rites making them covenant a Society or Communion of fire and water which custom continued for many Ages Some write that this happened in the first year of Romulus but others assign the fourth of his reign for it which scarce could be done till matters were something setled Some delivered that scarcity of women was the cause of this rape others thought that by it an occasion was onely sought for War but a third party will have that by this violent act an affinity with the neighbouring Cities was endeavoured 8. Some were grievously moved and others put a good construction upon the businesse Romulus his defensive wars but at length the matter brake out into a manyfold War of which that with the Sabines was most grievous The Cities Caenina Antemna and Crustumium first began after they could not perswade the Sabines to joyn with them The two former inhabited by the Aborigines Romulus presently subdued and afterwards the later also which was a Colony of Alba the grounds were divided betwixt some Romans sent thither to plant and the old Inhabitants of which such as would were made free of the City and without
Captains whether they should stand to the hazard of a battel Those that were for the Negative had carried it but that Miltiades who was all for fighting drew over Callimachus one of the Polemarchi to his party The major part of the votes then passing on his side each Captain assigned his day to him who had formerly been Prince of the Chersonesus and thence was expelled by the Persians committing the management of the fight to his discretion 26. Miltiades accepted of the charge yet thought good not to fight till his one day which was the tenth should be arrived Then set he the Army in order and being at a miles distance from the Enemy led very fast upon him which the Persians attributed to madnesse seeing the other so few in comparison of themselves and badly provided both of Horse and Arms. The fight continued long wherein in the middle battel the Persians put the other to flight but in both the wings the Graecians prevailed and turning themselves upon those that worsted their fellows Are overthrown at Marathon made great slaughter of them as far as the Sea side where they also seized upon seven of their ships Concerning the number of the slain Writers do not agree Herodotus writeth of 6400 of the Barbarians and 192 of the Graecians On the one side fell Hippias as Justin hath recorded out of Trogus Lib. 2. c. 9. and Callimachus on the other What year the battel was fought is not certainly known but in the second or third of the 72 Olympiad and four or five before the death of Darius 27. Datis and Artaphernes returning into Persia carried the Eretrians captive along with them to Susa where they presented them before Darius Herod l. 6. c. 119 c. though Ctesias wrote that Datis was slain in the battel of Marathon and that his body was denied to be restored Darius placed the Eretrians in Anderica in Cissia a Country so called at 210 furlongs distance from Susa the possession whereof their posterity held a long time together with their own language Notwithstanding the defeat at Marathon he left not off thoughts of conquering Greece making all possible provision for another invasion But in the fourth year after more work fell into his hands for though Diodorus telleth that the Aegyptians much honoured him as one of their Law-givers Idem lib. 7. c. 1 c. they now rebelled The year following he was provided for both Expeditions and was about to undertake them when the custom of the Country first required that he should name his Successor He had three children before he was King by the daughter of Gobryas whereof the eldest Artobazanes by others called Artemenes and Ariamenes challenged the Kingdom by virtue of his birth-right Darius declareth his Successor But it was judged due to Xerxes his eldest son by Mossa Cyrus his daughter who was founder of the Empire Vide Justin l. 2. c. 10. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apotheg in Artaxerxe and he accordingly was declared at this time although some make this civil and loving contest betwixt the two brothers to have happened after their Father's death and been judged by Artaphernes their Uncle But as Darius was about setting forwards for Greece he was prevented by death the first year after the rebellion of Aegypt ending Dieth after he had reigned 36 years compleat in the third year of the 73 Olympiad ending before the Aera of Christ 485. A. M. 3519. 28. Xerxes succeeded his Father in the third year of the third Olympiad Herodot lib. 7. ad initium being the fourth King of Persia the right to the Empire whereof he fetched from Cyrus his Grand-father by the Mother's side He was scarce setled in the Throne Xerxes when Mardonius his kinsman stirred him up with earnestnesse not to give over the War which he had begun with Greece promising to himself great command upon the conquest of Europe which he made Xerxes believe would be as readily performed as spoken He though ambitious enough was not at first of himself very forward but as it concerned him thought first of recovering Egypt for which all things were left in readinesse by his father and in the year next after his death turned his forces thither with present successe Recovereth Egypt For he reduced that Countrey under the yoak which he laid heavier upon it than formerly and committed the Government thereof to his brother Achaemenes who was after many years slain by Inarus the Libyan 29. Egypt being thus fortunately recovered he was therewith much elevated and now had resolved to follow on the War with Greece but to hear what his Captains would say he called them together to advise about it to whom with vanity enough he opened his mind and was seconded by an indiscreet flattering speech of Mardonius who seemed with words to be able to blast the present condition of Greece Consulteth about renewing the War with Greece His Uncle Artabanus a grave and long experienced man strongly urged the contrary shewing how vain humane confidence was how britle and instable the fortune of Princes and others which appeared sufficiently in his fathers expedition against the Scythians first and since that against the Athenians that the Greeks were not so weak a Nation he proved by the battel at Marathon that the thing which he attempted was most dangerous to be thought on again and again that without mature deliberation the attempt would be rash however the successe should happen that God many times pulls down the highest things and humbleth the haughty that trust in their own strength by making them to fall into sudden calamities and as for Mardonius he chastised his youthfull and ambitious heat with a sharp reprehension foretelling him what would be the reward of his rashnesse But this wise Counsel could not be heard from a grave man the ears of Xerxes being stopped by the suggestions of one more agreeable to his head-strong and youthfull humour so that he imputed to his Uncle basenesse of mind and cowardise inflicting this punishment upon him for it that staying at home he should not partake of so glorious an expedition To this enterprize he was also stirred up by the Aleuadae or Princes of Thessaly who grudged at the liberties of the Greeks by the son of Pisistratus also banished Athens who living in his Court abused his credulity by the help of a Wizard or Fortune-Teller 30. Yet not long after considering what Artabanus had said he changed his purpose and calling his Council together again after he had commended his Uncles opinion signified the same unto them at which all the wiser sort much rejoyced but the thing running much in his mind so that he was disturbed in his sleep he returned to his former resolution and resolved on the expedition In the preparation for it three years Herodotus saith four were taken up all Asia being concerned therein so far as to
his name into Dariaeus and was also most commonly called Darius Nothus By the advice of Parysatis his wife he enticed by all means Secundianus to come to him not sparing Oaths or any other wayes to get him into his hands and so far prevailed that though Menostanes the Eunuch counselled Secundianus not to trust himself yet he came to him and being cast into ashes he died the same way as Darius the son of Hystaspes formerly made away his Emulators Jacobus Cappellus though some think this Darius to have been the first inventor of this punishment and that it is falsly ascribed by Valerius Maximus to the son of Hystaspes Then reigned he alone by himself after his brother had reigned six moneths and twenty dayes The three Eunuchs Artoxares Artibarxanes and AthoÌ„us were in great power with him but especially he was advised by his wife His Children by whom he had two Children Amistris a daughter and Arsaces a son called afterwards Artaxerxes before he came to the Kingdom Afterwards he begot of her another son called Cyrus from the Sun and others to the number of 13. But all the rest died young except these two and his fourth son named Oxendras Ctesias Stirs in his time 22. After this Arsites his own brother both by father and mother and Artyphius the son of Megabyzus revolted from him Artasyras was sent with an Army against them who falling upon Artyphius was worsted in two battels but in the third overthrew him and corrupting the Greeks that fought for him drew away all his Company except three Milesians so that upon the Oath of Artasyras for his security for that Arsites could not be found he yielded himself to the King He was minded to put him to death but Parysatis his wife perswaded him to spare him for a time for Arsites seeing him unpunished would also be moved to yield himself and then he might rid himself of them both together which accordingly came to passe both being cast into the ashes though Darius was hardly brought by her perswasions to make away his brother now also Pharnacyas who with Secundianus had slain Xerxes was put to death and Menostanes being apprehended shunned the same punishment by laying violent hands upon himself This Rebellion was followed by the revolt of Pisathnes the Governour of Lydia against whom Tissaphernes and others being sent he met them having in his Army Lycon the Athenian with such Greeks as he had brought with him who being corrupted by the Kings Captains revolted from him so that with fair words he was drawn in and carried to the King who cast him into the ashes and gave his Government to Tissaphernes and the Cities with the regions adjoyning to Lycon for a reward of his treachery After this followed the treason of Artoxares in great power with Darius who conspired about killing him and transferring the Kingdom to himself For this purpose being an Eunuch he caused his wife to make him a beard that he might seem no other than a perfect man but the matter being revealed by her he was delivered up into the hands of Parasytis who put him to death 23. Arsaces afterwards called Artaxerxes the eldest son of Darius married Statira the daughter of Idarnes a man of prime rank amongst the Persians and Terituchmes the son of Idarnes who after his death succeeded in his Government married Amistris daughter to the King She had a sister named Roxana who being very beautifull and well skilled in shooting Terituchmes fell in love with her and having to do with her detested his wife insomuch as he resolved to murder her by the help of 300 men with whom he practised to revolt Whilest he thought hereof one Udiastes a man in great power about him being promised great matters if he could deliver the Kings daughter from so great a danger slew him but the son of this Udiastes who was Armour-bearer to Terituchmes and was not present at his death after he had notice thereof cursed his father and seizing upon the Citie Zaris delivered it up to Terituchmes his son Then did Parysatis bury alive the Mother Brethren and Sisters of Terituchmes and commanded Roxana to be cut in pieces alive Darius would have had her to have made away Statira his daughter-in-law together with the rest but through the importunity of Arsaces her husband she spared her of which Darius told her that afterwards she would sorely repent as it came to passe From the second year of this King * Hist sacr lib. 2. Sulpicius Severus and * Josephus Scaliger Edu Livelaeus Junius many learned men with him count the beginning of the seventy weeks of Daniel ending them with the destruction of Jerusalem because the number of years do agree and the Angel maketh mention of that desolation though nothing be spoken in any place concerning any going out of a Decree during the reign of this Prince from which those weeks must needs have commenced They must needs allow the work now to have been carried on by the sollicitation of the Prophets Haggai and Zachariah which had been interrupted for 115 years ever since the second year of the return of Zerubbabel and Jeshua at which time they began to build But now at this time and before this lived Malachias the last of all the Prophets who exhorts not the people to the building of the Temple as the others did which is an evidence of the finishing of it before but reprehends those corruptions which * Cap. ult Nehemiah in his second Government had observed amongst the Jews viz. marriages with strangers unjust detention of Tithes and corruption of Divine worship And because the succession of Prophets was no more to be expected in the later end of his Prophecie he exhorts the people to keep the Law of Moses untill such time as the great Prophet the Messias should be revealed before whom John Baptist was to come in the spirit and power of Elias The ending of the Canon of holy Scripture is by Eusebius placed in the 32th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus After these Prophets the Hebrews held the men of the great Synagogue to have succeeded but the later Jews reckon the three last Prophets amongst them and Esra as the President of the Council 24. Against this Darius the Medes rebelled but were after some time reduced again into obedience At this time the States of Gâ—eece being plunged deep in the Peloponnesian War Xenoph. Hellenic 10. he made his advantage thereof as much as he could siding with the Lacedaemonians against the Athenians who did him most hurt in Asia both by their great skill and practice in Navigation and being allied to the Ionians whom as their Colonies they helped against him so that much entercourse and great transactions passed betwixt Tissaphernes his Lieutenant and those of Sparta which are involved in the affairs of Greece Idem ibid. Exped Cyri lib. 1. Diodorus ad Olymp. 93. an 1. ad
that he onely could trust and rely upon him Ochus judging then that no delay was to be used procured Harpates the son of Ieribazus who fell in the treason of Darius to murder him Artaxerxes was already so spent with age that he seemed to want but the least furtherance to his death so that word being brought him of the death of Arsames he was not able to bear it but died heart-broken with sorrow after he had lived 94 years in the 43th of his reign in the third of the 104 Olympiad A. M. 3644. about 360 before the birth of Christ He was esteemed mild and loving towards his subjects which opinion was mightily confirmed by the cruelty and paricide of his successor SECT IV. From the death of Artaxerxes Mnemon and the beginning of Ochus to the death of Darius Codomannus containing the space of 32 years 1. OChus succeeded his father Diodorus after whom he was also named Artaxerxes and whose name the Persians put upon his Successors for a memorial of his mild and prosperous Government Some think him by the Persians to have been called Ochosueros Ochus succeedeth or Achosueros and that he is to be taken for that Achesuerus or Ahasuerus the husband of Esther mentioned in Scripture who by the seventy and Josephus after them is named Artaxerxes Some have thought Cambyses to have been the man Jacobus Cappellus alii but he reigned onely seven years whereas above twelve are given to Ahasuerus Neither could Darius the son of Hystaspes be he if the Jews with others rightly accounted the book of Esther to have been the last in order of all the Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament and for that Vashti his wife is thought to be Atossa the daughter of Cyrus it cannot be because he never put away Aâ—ossa on whom he begat Xerxes And although some plead hard for Xerxes because his wife is called by Herodotus Amestris which they take in the Persian tongue to be onely Ham-Esther yet 't is apparent out of the same Author that she was the daughter of Otanes a Persian Satrapa by Religion an Heathen and of a most cruel disposition Besides Ahasuerus in the seventh year of his reign was at Sushan but Xerxes in the seventh of his reign was absent in the War with Greece and though the Greeks corrupted forein names and might call Xerâ—es him whom the Persians named Actachsasta or Artachas-ta yet not one in his own language called Achoschverosch Esther's husband Neither is it probable that Longimanus could be the man who is both in sacred and prophane story called Artach-sasta and Artaxerxes but no where Achasuerus The same may be said of Nothus who both by Nehemiah and Greek writers is called Darius and of Artaxerxes Mnemon concerning whose wife Statira such things are written as can neither agree with Vashti nor Esther Now if that of Esther be the last Canonical book and Nehemiah lived to the time of Darius Nothus then is it probable that Esther lived in the reign of his son or Grand-son and cannot so conveniently be assigned for a wife to any as to Ochus 2. Ochus knowing of how great Authoâ—ity his fathers name was to his subjects and how contemptible he should be after his death was known Polyaenus Stratagem lib. 7. procured of the Eunuchs Chamberlains and Colonels to conceal it for ten moneths and in the mean time sending about the Royal Seal commanded in his fathers name to proclaim Ochus King When all owned and obeyed him as King he then confessed his fathers death and commanded a general mourning according to the custom of Persia and presently took away all Competition filled (a) Justin lib. 10. the Court with the bloud of his kindred and relations no regard being had either to Sex or Age. Amongst the rest he put to death his (b) Valerius Max. lib. 9. cap. 2. Ext. ex 7. Lib. 10. cap. â— sister Ocha being also his mother-in-law with cruel torments and his Uncle with his two sons and Nephews he caused to be set in an empty place and killed with Darts who seemeth well to have been father to Sisigambis mother to Darius the last Persian King whose 80 brethren together with their father Curtius reporteth to have been murdered by Ochus 3. From Ochus revolted Artabazus Diodorus ad Olymp. 106. ann 1. 4. against whom were sent some of the Persian Satrapaes with 70000 men and yet by the help of Chares the Athenian he overthrew them and rewarded Chares with a great summe of money Artabazus revolteth from him which he laid out in the paying of his Souldiers Ochus knowing of this expostulated seriously with the Athenians about it who hearing that he intended with 300 ships to assist their Enemies with whom they were now ingaged in the social War presently clap't up a peace with them Artabazus being forsaken of the Athenians betook himself to the Thebans who ordered Pammenes with 500 men to passe over into Asia to assist him by whose help Artabazus again overthrew the King's forces sent against him in two great and bloudy battels which got no small credit to Pammenes and his Boeotians Yet a few years after Idem ad Olymp. 107. ann 2. when the Thebans were ingaged in the Phocian War and reduced to extremity for want of money they sent to Artaxerxes Ochus and obtained of him 300 Talents which he did as it seemeth to put an obligation upon them to assist him in the War which he renewed against the Egyptians 4. Although Egypt had long before this revolted from the Persian Empire yet Ochus not at all affecting War kept himself quiet for having sent some Armies thither by the treachery or ignorance of their Captains they miscarried so that having several times badly sped though despised on that account by the Egyptians yet being a lover of his ease and quiet he submitted to the disgrace But now at this time about the eleventh year of his reign the Phoenicians and Cyprians taking heart and rebelling also he resolved to chastise them all with Arms and that in his own person and making great provision of all things for the War raised 300000 foot 30000 horse He invadeth Phoenicia and 300 Gallies besides Vessels of burthen The first Tempest of the War fell upon Phoenicia which revolted upon this occasion A famous Citie there was therein named Tripolis consisting according to it's name SECT 4. of three Cities distant a furlong from each other and inhabited by Tyrians Sidonians and Arcadians in which the assembly General of the Phoenicians met and resolved of their most important affairs Herein the Persian Satrapaes and Ambassadors behaving themselves very uncivilly and abusing the Sidonians they thereupon resolved to rebel and perswading the other Phoenicians to side with them for the obtaining of their liberty sent to Nectanebus King of Aegypt to desire him to receive them into confederacy against Ochus Then to begin their hostility they
the Ambassadors doing were much blamed at their return so now he told them if they would be safe they must receive Hippias They refused the Condition and chose rather to be professed Enemies to the Persian and thence presently after joyned with Aristagoras who withdrew the Ionians from their obedience A. M. 3501. V.C. 250. Olymp. 69. an 1. Darii 18. which provoked Darius afterwards to invade them procured the Expedition of Xerxes and the quarrel of that Empire with Greece But these things concerning Athens and Hippias hapned in the first year of the 69th Olympiad the 18th of the reign of Darius A. M. 3501. 19. After the Ionian War was over Herodotus Lib. 6. c. 48 c. and the Graecians in Asia were forced once more to undergo the yoke Darius in the 27th year of his reign and the third after his victory sent into Greece to demand Earth and Water as tokens of subjection The Athenians and Lacedaemonians threw the Messengers into a well and bad them thence fetch Earth and Water to carry to their Master The Aeginetans by giving Earth and Water to Darius incense the Graecians against them but the Inhabitants of Aegina and other Islanders for fear of the Persians promised obedience The Athenians presently took offence thereat as judging that the Aeginetans did it out of a grudge to them that they might fight under the conduct of the Persians against Athens and therefore they sent to Sparta to complain of them as Traitors to Greece Cleomenes was sent from that State and came to Aegina with an intention to apprehend the principal authors of the revolt but one Crius there openly opposed him threatning him in case he laid violent hands on any for that he knew he did it without any publick decree of the Lacedaemonians who else would have sent the other King with him Stirs at Sparta betwixt Cleomenes and Demaratus the Kings This he said at the instance of Demaratus the other King of Sparta who disagreeing with Cleomenes ever since the invasion of Attica now also grievously accused him in his absence Hereupon Cleomenes returned home cast out Demaratus upon pretence of his illegitimation from his Office and put Leutychides his kinsman in his place 20. The Father of Demaratus was Ariston of the posterity of Procles a man as worthy as any of his Ancestors Cap. 61 c. who having no children by two wives for which cause he divorced them to satisfie the desires of the people which greatly desired some issue male from him married a third which already was the wife of his friend Agetus covenanting with him for her she being the most beautiful woman next after Helena which by the Laws of Lycurgus he might do The birth of Demaratus Being married it hapned just after seven moneths when he was according to the custome sitting amongst the Ephori his houshold servant came and signified to him that he had a Son born with the suddainnesse of which thing being disturbed he rashly swore that it was not his coming so much within the Time The Ephori then neglected it and he afterwards repenting of his rashnesse brought up the Child as his own and because he was so desired by the publick wishes of the People gave him the name of Demaratus After his death Demaratus succeeded a man of great worth and who obtained a crown in the Olympick Games which never hapned before to the Kings of Sparta But that speech of his Father was now objected against him by his Colleague and Emulator Cleomenes the Son of Anaxandridas who accused now also for their retreating formerly out of Attica which occasioned all the difference betwixt them and all this was aggravated by Leutychides who sought for his place and had a private quarrel with him about a wife of which he had hindred him by taking her to himself 21. Great contention hence arising the Spartans resolved to send to Delphos and enquire of the Oracle whether Demaratus was the Son of Ariston which being done Cleomenes procured a friend he had at Delphos to corrupt Pyâ—hia Demaratus deposed and Leutychides put in his place so that being drawn by bribery she gave the answer against Demaratus Hereby Cleomenes procured him to be removed from the Kingdom and Leutychides his kinsman to succeed him yet though thus handled he ceased not to love his Country and continuing at home disdained not to bear inferiour Offices till further affronted by Leutychides who to insult over and deride him at such a time as overseeing the exercises of the Boyes he sent and demanded of him how he liked of that Office after the Kingdom He answered that he had tried both but the other not and that that question should be the original either of great mischief or happinesse to the Lacedaemonians and then getting him home with his head covered he sacrifized to Jupiter and sending for his Mother conjured her to tell him the truth concerning his Father Being assured from her of his Legitimation he went out of the City under pretence of going to Delphos but took the way to Elis and thence to the Island Zacynihus and so to Darius King of Persia the Zacynthians having refused to give him up to his Country-men who pursued him He was received with great honour by the Persians Pausan in Laconicis who bestowed Lands upon him to maintain him in a Princely equipage and there his posterity is reported to have endured a long season 22. Not long after Cleomenes received his just reward his own hands being his executioners for his treachery against Demaratus being come to light and fearing to be called to an account for it he first fled into Thessalie and thence returning into Arcadia stirred up the Inhabitants against the Spartans and attempted to swear them to be true to him whithersoever he should lead them The Lacedaemonians hearing of this and fearing what he might do to them Cleomenes his ill end recalled and restored him to his former dignity but when he was come home having not had before this time a very setled head he now fell into a Phrensie as he met any one in the City pushing their faces with his Scepter His friends then bound him with wooden fetters in which condition partly by intreaties and partly by threats he got a Sword of his Keeper wherewith beginning at the calf of his leg he cut up his flesh upwards to the thighs and when he ripped up his belly died leaving no issue behind him but a pattern of Justice to all Greece which being amused at his end most attributed it to the corruption of Pythia and that injustice done to Demaratus the Athenians to his invasion of Eleusine and his destroying the Temple of their gods but the Argives concluded this judgement to have fallen upon him because he had basely killed such of their Country-men as escaped from a battel fought with him after he had got them out of the
came to him one Calliccrates or Callippus an Athenian a most cunning dissembler and irreligious person He told him that seeing he was in such danger both in reference to Soldiers and People his best way was to have some friend who counterfeiting himself his Enemy should hold intelligence with his adversaries and thereby discover all their plots and practices against him This part by Dion's consent he took upon himself and under this pretence really and indeed practised his destruction which Dion's wife and sister hearing of therewith acquainted him but he regarded them not giving too much credit to what Callicrates had promised Circumvented by Callicrates and slain The women neverthelesse brought Callicrates into the Temple of Proserpina and there made him swear that he had not at all plotted against Dion's life but he minding no Religion but being egged on more forward to the accomplishment of his design sent certain young men natives of Zachynthus in to him whilst he was private in his chamber who being easily admitted for the knowledge his family had of them fell upon and presently bound him but being unarmed could not kill him till one Lyco a Syracusian reached them a Sword in at a window his Guard hearing but stirring not He died in the 55 year of his age and the fourth after his retutn out of Peloponnesus being much lamented after his death though before called Tyrant and what ever else could expresse him odious 46. Callicrates after Dion's death seized on the Principality which he held but thirteen moneths Callicrates expelled by Hipparinus and slain for then Hipparinus son to Dionysius the elder by Aristomache Dion's sister expelled him and placed himself in his father's Kingdom which he enjoyed two years Callippus or Callicrates with Leptines went against Rhegium which was held by a Garriron of Dionysius his Soldiers which taking he was there slain by Leptines and Polyspherchon it 's said with the same ' word wherewith Dion was killed After Hipparinus Nasaeus obtained the Soveraignty over Syracuse and then Dionysius recovered it in the tenth Nasaeus year after his expulsion In this time of his exile he made himself Lord of Locri where his mother was born Justin l. 21. and tyrannized over the Inhabitants six years in a most cruel manner ravishing their Virgins Dionysius recovereth Syracuse and playing other pranks suitable to his disposition There he raised a Company of men and coming over on a sodain to Syracuse Aelian l. 9. c. 8. where finding all men in deep security he expelled Nasaeus and erected his Tyranny afresh When he was gone the Locrians expelled his Garrison and in revenge for his ravishing their Virgins tormented his wife and two daughters to death by thrusting sharp Needles under their Finger Nails The Commonwealth of these Locrians being very famous is commended much by the antients not onely Diodorus Siculus and Strabo A.M. 3658. Ol. 108. ann 2. V.C. 407. Ochi 15. Phil. 14. but more antient than they as Plato and Demosthenes the former in his discourse which he maketh to have been betwixt Socrates and Timaeus a Locrian Philosopher of the Pythagorean Sect concerning the nature of things and Original of the World and the later in his Oration against Timocrates an Author of new and pernicious Laws Something is therefore according to the nature of our design to be said of it Zaleucus modelleth the Locrian Commonwealth 47. Zaleucus as he was accounted a wise just and honest man born of an Eminent family at Locri was the modeller of this Commonwealth Eusebius thinketh he flourished about the 29th Olympiad Lege Ubbonem Emmium de Repub. Locreâ—sium but Diodorus and several others making him a Scholar of Pythagoras who taught in Magna Graecia reckon him as Contemporary with Charondas the Law-giver of the Thurians another of Pythagoras his Scholars and who is famous for the strictnesse and severity of his Laws which he is said to have confirmed by his death in the same manner as Diocles did his the same story being told of him According to their account he must have flourished about the 80th Olympiad In the beginning of his Laws or his Preface to them this to some appeareth to have been his design to affect the minds of his people with piety towards God as the Original of all Right and Justice the Lord and Governour of Heaven and Earth as also an hater and punisher of wickednesse Then mentioned he Laws not very many in number but most effectual for the defence of Justice restraining Vice preserving concord and tranquillity in the State preventing innovations and for the establishment of themselves which as long as observed and they were observed long preserved the Commonwealth in safety He thought a few stable and unalterable Laws well obeyed to be more profitable for a State than an infinite multitude of weak ones which are easily changed by those that have a mind to innovate and he concluded that the spediest way to the ruin of a Commonwealth was by change and innovation That his opinion was true the example of Athens abundantly demonstrated which erring in this point paid dearly for it as Demosthenes often complaineth and Rome also which being infected with this itching distemper at length was constrained to submit to the power of one man It being almost impossible but that popular Governments should totter what ever might happen to this inconsiderable Citie He commanded his Laws to be strictly observed and the Magistrate to proceed according to the Letter of them without giving his own glosse or pronouncing sentence according to his private fancy To this purpose is most memorable of all his Laws that which Demosthenes and * Lib. 12. 7. Polybius relate concerning one who should afterwards prefer a new Law abrogate any old one alter any thing in it or dispute concerning the meaning of it He was to come into the Council of 1000 men with an halter about his neck where speaking his mind if to them he should demonstrate his opinion to be profitable for the State then was he to be dismissed safe and the Law admitted but if it should appear contrary then was he to be strangled forthwith in the sight of the Council The form thereof 48. Zaleucus chose 1000 men out of all the people in whom he appointed the Supream power to reside It is not to be doubted but he ordained also a Senate of a far lesse number by which dayly and lesser matters should be dispatched that there were also certain Magistrates and Courts of Justice which had orders prescribed to them we need not question though we find one onely Magistrate in * Quo prius Polybius called Cosmopolis who seemeth either to have presided in the Senate or the greater Council Zaleucus took care for preventing dissentions amongst Citizens pride in the greater ones and either favour or hatred in Courts of Justice For to cut off the pride and vanity of women
in the place Near upon 13000 were slain and 15000 taken with 200 Chariots the greatest part whereof was broken in pieces and 1000 brigandines with 10000 shields though most of the Arms were swallowed up in the water Those Carthaginians that remained in great consternation escaped to Lilâ—baeum Their friends at Carthage hearing of their defeat were in no little fear out of conceit that Timoleon would now come over thither Wherefore they recalled Gisco the brother of Hanno out of banishment and made him General over the Army which they raised with money out of other Nations not thinking it meet to thrust themselves into such danger for the time to come But Timoleon returning to Syracuse found it a convenient time to punish the mutiniers whom he banished Sicilie commanding them to depart the City before Sun set Passing over into Sicilie they seised on a Town amongst the Brutii who rising and besieging them took the place and therein put them all to the sword 55. Hicetas often mentioned before and Mamercus Tyrannus of Catana joyned with the Carthaginians against Timoleon perswading them for fear of losing their share in Sicilie to send over some forces They sent away Gisco who hired some Greeks the first which served that Nation They cut off some hundreds of Timoleon's Mercenaries and Hicetas invaded the Syracusian Territories whence getting much booty he marched into Calauria in contempt of Timoleon who lay there now with inconsiderable forces in comparison of his Hicetas being pursued by Timoleon got over the River Damyria and then endeavoured to hinder his passage but he pressing upon him slew 1000 of his men and putting him to flight pursued him into the Territories of Leontium Timoleon taketh and putteth to death Hicetas where he took him alive with his son Eupolemus and put them both to death as Traitors to their Country together with Euthymus his General of the Horse for that in a speech to the Leontines he had scoffed at the Corinthians saying they needed not to be afraid though the Corinthian women were come from home terming Timoleon and his men no other than women Overthroweth Mamercus After this Timoleon overthrew in battel Mamercus killing 2000 of his men whereof the greater number were Carthaginians who thereupon earnestly begged peace and had it granted on these conditions That they still retaining all in their hands within the River Lycus it should be yet lawful for any one to remove thence to Syracuse with his goods and family and to renounce alliance with them and with all the Tyranni in Sicilie which at this time had enslaved many Cities of the Island Mamercus fled over into Italy Hippo and Mamercus put to death and Catana was delivered up to Timoleon who betook himself to Messana where he besieged Hippo by Land and Sea and taking him in his flight delivered him up to the Citizens who put him to death Mamercus yielded himself to Timoleon who having promised him he would not be his accuser he cast himself upon the People of Syracuse but perceiving them as he began to speak inraged against him he attempted to dash out his own brains and that not dispatching him he was taken up and executed as a robber 56. Timoleon after this drove away Nicodemus who ruled over the Centorippini Nicodemus Apolloniades put out of their power and forced Apolloniades to lay down his power which he exercised over the Agynnaeans whom having restored thus to liberty he made free of Syracuse Then did he restore all the other Cities to their desired liberty one after another and received them into confederacy with Syracuse and it was proclaimed by the voice of a publick Crier throughout Greece A. M. 3666. Ol. 110. an 2. V. C. 415. Ochi 23. Phil. 22. that The People of Syracuse offered houses and land to all that would joyn themselves as members to their Commonwealth Hereby it came to passe that multitudes flocked thither as to a new inheritance Timoleon setting himself to the care of the State corrected and explained the Laws of Diocles and acted other things necessary SECT 1. as he thought to the well being thereof till growing old he lost his sight which calamity as he bore very moderatly so by reason of it he intermitted not publick businesse Not long after he died and was buried by the confluence of all Sicilie the affaires whereof he had setled Timoleon 's death games being celebrated yearly in memory of him as for an Hero This hapned in the 58 year of his government the last of the 110 Olympiad and the last also of the reign of Philip of Macedon father to Alexander the Great about the year of the World 3668 A. M. 3668. Ol. 110. an 4. V. C. 417. Arsis 2. Phil. 24. the second of Arses King of Persia and seven before the beginning of the Macedonian Empire to the time whereof what we have further to say concerning the affairs of Sicilie is to be referred which affaires will shew that the infirmity of Popular Government is greater than that Timoleon by his constitutions could heal the distempers thereof and further evince the worth of Monarchy CHAP. IV. The affairs of the Romans contemporary with the second Empire SECT I. From the Banishment of Tarquinius and first change of the Government to the alteration made by the Decemvivi the space of 57 years 1. THe Kingly Office being banished with Tarquinius though both rebelliously and impudently that of Consuls succeeded Consuls Who were so called a Consulendo Festus observeth out of Verrius that the word Consulas was used by the Antients not onely for Consilium petas and perconteris but also for judices and statuas Moreover the word Consulere is many times taken for providere or prospicere According to this Etymology various is the opinion of Learned Men concerning this Office Some derive it from the duty or work of consulting the Senate Whence so called which was incumbent upon the Consuls Others interpret it of judging which saith (a) De Magistrat pop Rom. cap. 7. Lipsius I onely read in (b) Lib. 1. c. 9. Quintilian who puts the question whether Consul was so named from consulting or judging seeing that consulere was used also for the later whence arose that phrase Rogat boni Consulas that is judices but not only Quintilian but Festus also in the word Consulas giveth this Etymology Lastly some derive it from the end of the Office which was consulere or providere as (c) Lib. 1. c. 9. Florus and Justinian's Code But those Magistrates were not first of all named Consules but Praetores which name although it was common to others yet stuck to them by way of excellency (d) In voc Praetoria Porta Festus saith it expresly and so doth (e) 24 25. Justinian in his Novellae Constitutiones Xonaras saith the name of Praetor continued till the Decemviri who being banished then at length crept in
the money back out of the Treasury that they had laid out for that Corn which being given freely to the City by Gelon the Tyrant of Sicilie ought to have been divided amongst the Inhabitants The Fathers heard him with great disdain and rejected the motion his Colleague Virginius grievously accusing him as seditious For several daies after Cassius discoursed of this to the People and Virginius held the Senate consulting how to withstand him The Tribunes of the People at length either for that they were jealous of some designe or were displeased that they themselves had not first proposed this thing withstood it alleging it was an unjust thing that what they had dearly purchased with their labour and blood should be common to strangers as well as themselves As this raised some dislike so Cassius again drew them to his party by propounding that the grounds might be divided amongst such as had most need and by urging that it was better to have a little than by expecting much to be frustrated of all As the People were thus perswaded to and fro C. Rabuleins one of the Tribunes found out a way which for the present ended the dispute Virginius pretending that he was for a division of the grounds but not unto foreiners hoping that these would ever be joyned and Cassius being both for Citizens and strangers he took them both at their words for the one and the other yielding there should be a division he bade the People accept of that and defer that wherein they dissented to another time 62. For some dayes after this Cassius kept his house pretending sicknesse and studied how he might cause his Law called Lex Agraria to passe by force For this purpose he sent for the Latines and Hernici to be present at the Comitia that he might carry it by greater number of voices so as the City was filled with them Virginius hereupon made Proclamation that all such as dwelt not in the City should depart within a short time prefixed and Cassius caused it to be proclaimed that all such as were free should stay till the matter were determined No end of the contention appearing the Fathers feared it might come to blows or further inconvenience and therefore assembled to make some effectual provision for the publick Peace After a little debate they came to this resolution that ten men of Consular dignity should be created to survey the grounds and declare how much of them was to be let out to farm and how much divided to the People That it should be declared that for as much as it was inequitable for the new associates or denizons to expect part in such Lands as were gained to the State before their admission if any afterward should be got by their assistance to each several People should be assigned it's portion according to the League That for the choice of the ten men and the distribution of the ground His design frustrated the succeeding Consuls should make provision This Decree being published to the People appeased all and frustrated the design of Cassius 63. In the year following being the first of the 74 Olympiad A. M. 3521. Ol. 74. an 1. V.C. 269. vel 70. Xerxis 1 vel 2. wherein Astylus of Syracuse was Victor Leostratus executing the place of principal Archon at Athens according to the computation of Dionysius in the first year of Xerxes his Reign Q. Fabius and S. Cornelius were Consuls Now two most noble young men Caeso Fabius the brother of the Consul and L. Valerius the grand-son of Poplicola being Quaestors and thereby having authority to assemble the People set a day to Cassius the late Consul to answer in the Comitia to the charge of affected tyranny Then in full Assembly did they lay open his actions how he had bestowed upon the Latines the third part of the plunder who thought it happinesse sufficient to be made free of the City then the Hernici who could expect no lesse than to be deprived of their own Lands he chose rather to make Friends than Subjects and Citizens than Tributaries whence both grounds and plunder being divided into three parts two of these must go to Subjects and Strangers so that if it were found necessary afterwards to give others the same privilege of the City the Roman Citizens being by right Lords of all should not have remaining one third to themselves They aggravated this with the management of the businesse as his doing all without consulting the Fathers and against the interposition of the Tribunes That these things tended to the designed establishment of a Tyranny they proved from the money and arms wherewith the Latines and Hernici had furnished him as also from the company of stout young men of those Nations which he had about his person In testimony hereof they produced several credible persons both Citizens and Associates who averred it To these the People giving credit notwithstanding his premeditated Orations and his three children who with many friends and clients accompanied him in mourning habit and interceded for him notwithstanding all his services He is condemned and put to death and the honour obtained by them they would not at all pity him but out of extreme hatred to Tyranny condemned the man and that to death lest being banished he should procure the State such trouble and danger as Marcius lately had done Therefore judgment being passed the Quaestors presently led him to the Rock near to the Forum and thence cast him down headlong in the sight of the People this being the then ordinary kind of punishment His estate was confiscated and his house razed Some would have had his sons also put to death but the Senate refused to use such severity and at Rome the children never suffered for their Father's fault although for high Treason till the Marsian War wherein those that broke the custome miscaried and he who destroyed them restored it to the State as Dionysius observeth who disliketh the practice of some of his Country-men the Graecians in killing or condemning to perpetual banishment the sons of Tyrants themselves 64. By the death of Cassius the Patritians were more elevated and the Commons grieved after they saw this and considered how serviceable a man to their interest as they foolishly thought they had cut off They now called hard for the execution of the Agrarian Law but the Senate being resolved to put it off caused the Consuls to make provision for an Expedition None would give their names and the Tribunes interposing hindred the Consuls from punishing any but it being given out that a Dictator would be created the multitude fearing to fall into the hands of Appius listed themselves and so Cornelius wasted the Territories of the Veientines as Fabius those of the Aequi. The year following being the 270 of the City when Nicodemus was Archon at Athens the Patritians procured Caeso Fabius one of Cassius his accusers and L. Aemilius to be created Consuls
during whose Office all was quiet at home the Volsci renewing the War upon the Romans Fabius was sent to the assistance of the Latines and Hernici whom they had invaded and Aemilius led the other part of the Forces to Antium where he was worsted by the Volsci and being forced to desert his Camp had with his whole Army been cut off but that his Colleague in good time sent some choice Companies to recruit him For the next year M. Fabius brother to Caeso and L. Valerius son of Marcus who put Cassius to death being Consuls proposed it to the Senate to fill up the Army at Antium A Decree passing for new Levies the People refused to be listed calling for the division of the grounds and one of the Tribunes withstood the Consuls This put them upon this device The Consuls evade the interposition of the Tribunes to sit in the Campus Martius where whosoever was cited and did not appear they punished him if he had any Lands by cutting his trees and pulling down his houses or if he hired grounds by driving away his Cattel or other wayes the Tribune not being able to do them any good for that the power of his Office was confined within the walls so as it was unlawful for them to lye one night out of the City except in the Latine feriae where all the Magistrates for the common safety were wont to sacrifize in the Albanian Mount unto Jupiter 65. This forced the Commons to submit and so the Consuls making Levies led out the Legions Fabius to the defence of the associates and Valerius against the Volsci who ingaging with him in battel came off on equal terms and afterwards neither party were forward to fight It was believed in the City that the Roman Army wilfully neglected an opportunity of victory out of hatred against the Consul whom they despised as a man of no experience and in revenge against the Fathers who had so long frustrated their hopes about the division of publick grounds At this time one of the Vestal Nuns Opimia by name being convicted of incontinencie was shut up within the ground in the Forum and her corrupters scourged and put to death At the next election of Consuls there was great contention the Patritians having a desire to prefer some in whom they could confide and particularly pitching upon the son of Appius a man of the same temper with his Father and the Commons as much labouring the Contrary When the Consuls held the Comitia the Tribunes interposed and when the Tribunes called the People together the Consuls would not suffer any thing to be done Commotions in the City contending that it belonged to their Office Both parties being incompassed with those of their Factions railed and sometimes came to hand cuffs so that worse threatning and the Senate consulting what was to be done some moved to have a Dictator named who might first correct all distempers of late brought in and then deliver the power to men of approved integrity but a middle way pleased to create Interreges for holding of the Assemblies The first was A. Sempronius who for his five dayes governing assaires in a peaceable manner the other Magistrates having laid down created according to the manner Sp. Largius He in the Centuriata Comitia made Consuls with the well liking of both sides C. Julius a favourite of the Commons and Q. Fabius now the second time elected a man addicted to the power of the great ones In their Consulship the Aequi and Veientes invaded the Roman Territories and did much hurt Against the later they were sent with the Legions after some contest with the People who were hardly drawn in by Largius because the Senate had now deferred the execution of the Agrarian Law five years and harrazing the Country returned home with much spoil neither was any thing else of moment done that year 66. The year following which was the first of the 75 Olympiad wherein Xerxes made his Expedition into Greece Callias being Archon at Athens had for Consuls Caeso Fabius again and Sp. Furius Dionys l. 9. to whom came messengers from the Latines desiring assistance against the insolence of the Aequi and all Hetruria was reported now to be in arms at the desire of the Veientes The Consuls were ordered to assist the one and suppress betimes the other but when they came to raise men Icilius one of the Tribunes interposed upon the old pretence of the Agrarian Law The work being hereby hindred Appius advised the Senate to set one Tribune against another by drawing ever some of them unto their side as the onely way to abate the power of that Office now so sacred and inviolable This course both at present and afterwards was effectual Wars abroad and the Consuls with their Armies departed each one into his Province Furius against the Aequi and Fabius into Hetruria Furius harrazed the Enemies Country and returned home with great booty Fabius though an able Warriour was so hated by his men that when they had in battel routed the Enemy they refused to pursue or do any thing more but departing against his command to their Camp thence also marched home lest they should procure him the honour of a Triumph The following Consuls Ch. Manlius and M. Fabius again were both sent to carry on the War in Hetruria where they held the Soldiers in the Camp so long till the Enemy was ready to fall upon it and for shame they desired to be led forth Fabius taking this opportunity upbraided them with their disobedience to the Consul the last year in that place and shewing them how little cause he and his Colleague had to trust them having sufficiently humbled them led them forth A greater and longer battel was never fought by the Romans who were thought to be Victors onely because the Hetruscans the night following forsook their tents Manlius was slain and for that cause his Colleague refused the Triumph saying it was not right for him to take the Laurel at his funerals Having disbanded his Army he laid down his Office two moneths before the time because his wounds disabled him for service and by the second Interrex in the Comitia were declared Consuls Caeso Fabius his brother who having extraordinarily deserved in the late battel was now honoured with this Office the third time and T. Virginius 67. Virginius being sent into Hetruria against the Veientes was over-powered by them and had lost his whole Army but that Fabius upon the intimation of his extream necessity came out of the Country of the Aequi and brought him off When the Romans were retreated the Veientes made excursions very near the City to the great losse and disparagement of the State The Senate found it necessary to have a constant guard upon the borders but the Treasury was low the tributes of private men were not sufficient for this new charge and it seemed that none would give their names willingly
Alexandri 7. of whom Livie is to be consulted the principal actors were together with â—itruvius put to death and the rest of the Inhabitants made free of the City The first year of this Warre fell in with the last of Darius Codomannus the last King of Persia being the 424 of the City when L. Papyrius Crassus the second time and L. Plautius Venox or Veuno were Consuls AN INSTITUTION OF General History The First Part. BOOK III. Of the Empire of the Macedonians and Affairs of the World Contemporary with it CHAP. I. From the beginning of the Monarchy of Alexander to his death containing the space of six years and ten moneths 1. ALexander riding hard after Darius came a little after he had expired Alexander bewaileth Darius saw the body and bewailed his death with tears he cast his own Garment over him and sent him to his Mother to be royally interred amongst his Ancestors Curtius lib. 5. cap. 14. Diodorus ad Olymp. 112. anâ— 3. 4. His brother Oxyathres he received into the number of his own friends and maintained him in his former Dignity Then did he begin to pursue Bessus but finding that he was fled far before into Bactria he left off his pursute and returned to Hecatompolis in Parthia where his Soldiers being tickled with a rumour that the Macedonians should have leave to return home Curtius lib. 6. Capp 2.3 rouzed him up from his idlenesse and luxury to which now he began to give way after the Persian fashion but they were at length quieted and perswaded by him to perfect the work thus for carried on in Asia Leaving then Craterus in this Countrey with some Forces he marched into Hyrcania which Nabarzanes had seized on who yielded it up Marcheth into Hyrcania and himself to him After this he invaded the Mardi a neighbouring people who not being wont to be thus provoked by any made resistance with 8000 men and intercepted Bucephalus his most beloved horse which being given him by Demaratus the Corinthian A.M. 3676. Ol. 112. anâ— 4. V.C. 425. Alexand. 8. when unsadled would suffer none to come on his back and when adorned none but the King himself whom to receive he bowed down Alexander exceedingly moved with the losse of him after he had slain and taken most of these men cut down all the Trees and threatned the Nation with utter destruction in case they did not restore the horse so that for fear they did it and with him sent their Presents and asked pardon by 50 Messengers 2. Returning back he received 1500 men which had been sent out of Greece to Darius with 90 Ambassadors Over this party he made Captain Andronicus who brought them to him and then went on to Zadracarta the principal Citie of Hyrcania where he staid fifteen dayes Hither Thalestris Queen of the Amazons Whether the Queen of the Amazons ever came to him is said with 300 vvomen Consulae Plutarchum in Alexandro Arrianum lib. 7. to have come to have issue by him which story though it be delivered for a truth by some yet is there better ground to suspect it seeing that neither Ptolomy the son of Lagus who was then with him and wrote his Acts neither any other good Author of those times approved of it and Alexander himself in his Letters to Antipater wherein he gave him an account of his affairs mentioned how the Scythian King offered to him his daughter in marriage but not a word of this matter After this he returned into Parthia and purposing now to go against Bessus who in Bactria had taken upon him a royal Robe and the name and little of Artaxerxes King of Persia he thence removed into the Countrey of the Arii He cometh into the Countrey of the Arii Satibarzanes the Governour thereof meeting him at the City Susia he confirmed him in his place but after his departure he revolted from him whereby the King was constrained to march back against him which he hearing fled with 2000 men towards Bessus so as Alexander following him some time but in vain reduced the Countrey to obedience and returned to his former expedition Then came he into the Countrey of the Zarangaei which was governed by one Barsaentes who having had an hand in the murther of Darius now fled into India whence he was afterwards sent That of the Zarangaei and put to death Here in this Land of the Zarangaei or Drangae was a conspiracy against Alexander discovered first by Dymnus to Nicomachus who though he swore secrecy communicated it to Zeballinus his brother Zeballinus or Ceballinus acquainted with it Philotas the son of Parmenio who delaying to tell it to the King either through heedlesnesse or on purpose thereby procured the destruction of himself and family 3. For Ceballinus suspecting him to be in the plot because of his delay discovered the matter to Metro a young Nobleman and Master of the Armory who acquainting the King therewith he presently caused them all to be apprehended Dymnus knowing wherefore he was called Lege Cartium lib. 6. 7. Plutarch Diodorum ut priùs Arrianum lib. 3. killed himself Ceballinus cast all the blame upon Philotas who denied not that he had been told of such a businesse but said he revealed it not to the King onely through neglect and because he esteemed it of no consequence Being brought to the Rack Philotas put to death for Treason he either confessed the thing as it was or feigned a story and wrongfully accused himself to escape the extremity of Torment after vvhich he vvas put to death Now vvas Parmenio his father a man of 70 years of age Governour of Media one vvho had done especial service for the King and his father Philip. Alexander either for that he feared he vvas privy to the conspiracy And Parmenio his Father or thought it not safe that he should out live his son sent one away vvith speed vvho delivering a counterfeited Letter to him as from Philotas slevv him as he read it Amongst others that vvere shot to death for this conspiracy was Alexander Lyncestes the son-in-law of Antipater who had conspired the destruction both of Philip and Alexander and for his treason been kept in durance now three years This being done the King proceeded in his Expedition against Bessus 4. Though the Soldiers condemned Parmenio and his Son while living yet they pittied them when dead and conceived great indignation against their Judges Alexander understanding this that he might know their several minds gave out that he was sending into Macedonia and whosoever would might have an opportunity thereby to write to their friends By their Letters all which he caus'd to be opened he knew who were discontented and ready to Mutiny and all those he gathered into one company lest they should corrupt the rest setting over them one Leonidas an intimate friend of Parmenâ—o The King in his March came to the Country of the
to passe over with it into Asia and with the rest marched for Thessaly there to oppose Demetrius and the Greeks Stirs preceding the great battel There meeting and incamping with vast Armies neither of them would begin the battel expecting how things went in Asia till Demetrius was recalled thither by his father Lysimachus being landed there the Inhabitants of Lampsachus submitted to him whom he restored to their liberty stormed Sigeus and placed a Garrison there then he taketh in Phrygia upon the Hellespont and divers other places by the means of Docimus an Officer of Antigonus whom he had drawn over to him Prepelaus also whom he sent with a party to subdue the Cities of Aeolis and Ionia took other Towns Antigonus was at this time celebrating publick Games at Antigonia when hearing this news he presently broke them off and with all speed marched against Lysmachus Whom he reached and besieged him in his Camp for some time till he taking the opportunity of a dark and rainy night fled away Then hearing that Seleucus was drawing down his Forces from the upper Provinces he sent for Demetrius to come over with all expedition Seleucus had lately made peace with Sandrocottus or Androcottus who being a man of no quality had sollicited the Indians to revolt after the death of Alexander and to kill his Officers and thence took an occasion to subdue them under himself Bactria being subdued Seleucus had waged War with him but now for a Composure gave to him some Countrey lying upon the River Indus which Alexander had taken from the Arians and received 500 Elephants again of him in exchange Ptolomy with a compleat Army had come into Caelesyria where he reduced divers Cities but as he was besieging Sidon came a false report that Antigonus had overthrown Seleucus and Lysimachus and now was coming thitherward wherefore he made a Truce with the Sidonians for five moneths and returned but not long after came up again to that fatal ingagement with Antigonus 4. Plutarch in vita Demetrii Appianus in Syriacis The Forces of these several Princes were drawn down to be in readinesse against the Spring Antigonus had an Army of 70000 foot 10000 horse and 75 Elephants the contrary party had made up amongst them 64000 foot 1500 horse 400 Elephants and 120 Chariots Antigonus bragged that he would scatter the meeting of these Kings together as one might do the flocking of birds gathering Corn with the throwing of a stone but when they approached he was more melancholick than usual and was seen to discourse with his son in private in his Tent which he never used to do commended him also to the Army as his Successor This battel was fought at Ipsus a Town in Phrygia in which Demetrius leading the best party of horse ingaged with Antiochus the son and afterwards Successor of Seleucus whom he routed and put to flight but being too hot in the pursute undid all for retiring back he could not again joyn himself with the foot by reason that the Elephants were gotten between them Seleucus seeing this made as if he would have falln upon the Infantry thus destitute of the horse wherein his expectation failed him not for they fearing it part revolted to him and the rest were broken Antigonus slain in it and put to flight Antigonus standing his ground expected continually Demetrius to come to relieve him but in that expectation ended his life by a multitude of Darts thrown against him being now something above 80 years old Demetrius his son with 5000 foot and 4000 horse fled to Ephesus but there fearing his Soldiers might be some way false to him A. M. 3704. Ol. 119. ann 4. V. C. 453. Seleuci 12. Ptolom 23. he sayled to Salamine in Cyprus which he then held This fell out in the 3704 year of the World the fourth of the 119 Olympiad 23 years after the death of Alexander and six after their taking the Title of Kings upon them 5. The Conquerours parted his Dominions amongst them as we are told Iidem but it seems to have been chiefly Seleucus and Ptolomy who did not well agree about their prey and upon this account left a contention to their Successors Seleucus fell presently upon building Cities the first of which he called after himself Seleucia and the later to which he transferred the Inhabitants of Antigonia to the number of three thousand five hundred as we said before he called Antiochia either after his father or son's name for both are affirmed and this afterwards proved the Metrapolis of Syria Ptolomy after the death of Antigonus got Syria again with Cyprus Vide Usserium in prima parte Annal. pag. 461. and afterwards Cyrene also into his power and married his daughter Arsinoes unto Lysimachus as few years after his other to Agathocles the son Seleucus seeing that thus these two strengthned themselves in affinity The Alliances of the Kings thought not amisse to joyn also with Demetrius though gone down the wind and accordingly sent to him for his daughter Stratonice He receiving this unexpected Message sayled with her into Syria Passing by Cilicia which then Cassander held Plistarchus his brother cried out that he would invade his Territories and went strait to Seleucus to expostulate with him his being reconciled to the common Enemy But Demetrius landing went to Quinda where finding yet 200 Talents left in the Treasury he took them away and so went and met with Seleucus at Orossus who taking his wife away with him to Antioch Demetrius seized upon Cilicia and sent his wife Phila to Cassander her brother to purge him of those things laid to his charge by Plistarchus Notwithstanding Cassander he held Cilicia Plutarch ibid but Seleucus his son-in-law required that for a sum of money he would give it up into his hands which he refused and then he with some anger demanded Tyre and Sidon of him not being content though he held all from the Syrian Sea as far as India that his father-in-law should rest quiet with it A. M. 3707. Ol. 120. ann 3. V.C. 456. Seleuci 15. Ptolom 26. being sufficiently tossed with adverse fortune but he as stoutly denied this also saying that though he were a thousand times more overcome yet would he never purchase the affinity of Seleucus Cassander dieth and fortified the Cities with Garrisons The next year Cassander King of Macedonia died of a Dropsie which was so loathsom as Lice withall broke out of him after he had ruled that Countrey 19 years 26 after the death of Alexander A. M. 3707. 6. He left three sons by Thessalonice the daughter of Philip Idem ibid. in vita Pyrrhi Just lib. 16. and sister to Alexander Philip Antipater and Alexander The first succeeded his father but died presently of a Consumption Antipater coming after him killed his mother for that after her husbands death she seemed to favour his younger brother Alexander more than him in the
of any evil purpose Credit being given hereunto Herodorus is racked to death confessing nothing and Demetrius being again accused by his brother of intended flight is destined to die though for fear of giving any offence to the Romans and discovering his intentions against them it 's resolved to be done cunningly Being sent to Aestraeum a Town of Paeonia and thence called to Heraclea he is there first poysoned by Didas A. M. 3824. Ol. 149. an 4. V.C. 572. Seleuci Philop. 6. Ptolom Epiph. 22. crying out against the cruelty of his Father the paricide of his brother and wickednesse of Didas Being tormented with the working of the Poyson two lusty Ruffians were let into the room who stifled him with the tapestry and so the innocent young man was murdered His Father within a year or two fell into a sad melancholy for the losse of him which being perceived by one Antigonus the son of Echecrates and Nephew also to Antigonus who was Philip's Father The device is discovered he having been alwaies a faithful friend to the King labored to discover to him the whole device and brought to him one Xyetius who was privy to the whole design He laid open the series of all things to him Hereupon Philocles one of the Ambassadors that were sent to Rome being present was put to death Apelles the other hearing the businesse was come out fled into Italy Perseus onely kept him out of sight but his Father intending to frustrate his expectations of the Kingdom which he so wickedly sought after declared Antigonus his heir and successor saying he had rather his Kingdom should be destroyed than ever come into the hands of Perseus Whereat Philip laboureth to disinherit Perseus and dieth of Melancholy Not long after being spent with extream grief and melancholy and having commended Antigonus to the States of Macedonia and uttered many a bitter curse against Perseus he died at Amphipolis after he had reigned 44 years A. M. 3826 the second of the 150 Olympiad 146 years after the death of Alexander the Great 52. Had Philip lived a little longer Antigonus had got possession of the Kingdom by his means but things being not now ripe A. M. 3826. Ol. 150. an 2. V. C. 575. Seleuci Philop. 9. Ptol. Philom 2. he lost it by the procurement of the Kings Physician who when he saw there was no hopes of life sent and acquainted Perseus with it and kept close his death till his arrival so that then having opportunity to oppresse his Enemies not once thinking of it Yet Perseus getteth the Kingdom and resolveth to renew the War with the Romans he obtained the Kingdom Being a little setled therein he caused Antiochus to be slain and then sent to Rome to renew the League made with his Father and to desire that he might be owned as King doing this onely to secure himself for the present and intending as soon as his affairs would permit to make use of the preparation his Father had made for another War as it afterwards proved His Father a little before his death had prevailed with the Bastarnae who lived near the River Ister to leave their ancient seat and come and live in the Country of the Dardanians which he intended to give unto them that there leaving there wives and children they might together with the Scordisci who being some of those Galls that invaded Thrace had seated themselves at the meeting of Danubius and Sabus and so called themselves invade Italy They re-entred Thrace again with quietnesse but after Philip's death falling out with the Inhabitants and pursuing them to the Mountains they were set upon with such a tempest as seized on the Galls at Delphi and being pressed also by the Thracians onely 20000 got into Dardania the rest of the multitude returning back beyond Danubius Livius lib. 41. Those that arrived in Dardania now did Perseus stir up against the Inhabitants as much as possible which being distasteful to the Romans their Ambassadors also returning from Carthage reported to the Senate that he held intelligence with them there for his Ambassadors had private audience of them by night and others were sent by them into Macedonia 53. About this time some of the Dolopians refusing to obey him and willing to submit their cause to the Roman Senate he went down and by force brought all their Country into his power he laboured then to curry favour with several Cities of Achaia and Thessaly in his passage and either sent or wrote to several others in Greece desiring them that an end might be put to the ancient grudges betwixt his Father and them the Achaeans especially The Roman Senate upon the report of the stirs in Dardania sent three to see how matters went but he refused to see them it being alleged sometimes that he was absent and otherwhiles that he was sick but it clearly appeared to them that he was providing for the War and so much the more for that the Aetolians were now so seditious as though their commissions gave them power to take up the differences amongst them yet could they not prevail by their authority Indeed now he was better provided to make War than the Romans to resist having 30000 Foot with 5000 Horse in a readinesse and provisions too for ten years Thrace was at Peace with him and though he was so infamous for his cruelty not onely in respect of his brother's death but also the killing of Apelles whom he used as an instaument in that businesse and also for making away his wife and upon other accounts yet either out of reverence to the Court of Macedonia or by reason of their emulation against the Romans were both the Greeks and Asiaticks generally more favourable to him than to Eumenes the King of Pergamus though of a clean contrary disposition Eumenes himself came to Rome to complain against him to answer to whose accusations he sent Ambassadors His bad cariage towards Eumenes maketh him the sooner be declared an Enemy and with them the Rhodians who inclined to his side and as Eumenes returned home he most basely sent some to murder him whom though that King escaped as to his life yet was he sore wounded in the straight passage to the Temple at Delphi This as it lost Perseus much with his friends so it made him be the sooner declared an Enemy by the Romans 54. It was thought good that some forces should be raised to be in a readiness Idem lib. 42 43 44. and that certain Commissioners should be sent into Greece to retain the States in their fidelity with Soldiers also to put into such places as wanted He perceiving their resolutions began to repent himself and procured a truce that he might send Ambassadors to Rome He desireth Peace which will not now be granted the Commissioners giving way to it for that they knew him in a good posture for War and themselves unprovided as yet but the
Senate for all this would not grant him Peace his faults being so aggravated against him that the War was denounced P. Licinius Crassus the Cousul being sent against him he had the better of it in an ingagement but yet his heart failed him so contrary to his former humour as that then he sent and desired Peace offering to perform all his Father was tied to but had answer by the stout Romans that on no other terms could it be granted except he absolutely referre himself and Kingdom to the courtesie of the Senate and cast all into their hands After this he sent to Genthius King of the Illyrians to draw him to his party having taken divers Towns from him and might have done himself good thereby had he not been besotted for that Prince was inclinable enough to him onely he said he wanted money which though he had enough by him yet neglected he to send He laboured also to draw into his aid Cotys King of Thrace and subdued again the Dardanians but Quem vult Jupiter perdere dementat priùs Q. Marcius Philippus coming against him His consternation of mind A. M. 3836 Ol. 152. an 4 V. C. 585. Ant. Epipharis 8. Ptol. Philom 12. by reason of the difficulty of the wayes and want of provisions might easily have been utterly defeated but he cried out he was conquered without fighting ran away left the Straights open for his Enemy sent to Thessalonica to burn his ships to Pella to cast his treasures into the Sea and then being angry with the messengers the one for that he had not obeyed him the other for that he had he put them both to death and recovering most of his treasure by those that dived out of the water onely satisfied himself for this madnesse by recovering Dius which had been taken by the Enemy 55. L. Paulus Aemilius the Consul was at length sent against him Livius ibid. who found some difficulty at first to come at him having incamped himself near the Sea under the mountain Olympus Plutarch in Aemilio but Scipio Nasica getting over a Rock led the way and then Perseus retired and pitched his tents near to Pydna The Consul was warie of ingaging with him who now had an Army of 39000 Foot and 4000 Horse his own men being tired but the night before the fight the Moon being eclypsed so terrified the Macedonians that they accounted it to presage the ruine of their Kingdom He is overthrown which made the Romans to whom it was foretold on purpose more eagerly to begin the fight Cato son to M. Cato and son in Law to the Consul behaved himself so stoutly as this encouraged the rest and thereby he was the means to gain the victory Of the Macedonians were slain 20000 and 6000 taken of the Conquerours but 100 lost their lives Perseus fled to Amphipolis and finding there no relief sayled to Samothrace where hoping to be secure in that sanctuary Cn. Octavius the Admiral being sent after him promised by the voice of a Crier safety and freedom to all that would come in whereby he was forsaken of almost all his followers Ion of Thessalonica gave up hfs young children into the hands of the Romans He thought now of escaping to Crete but being left thus gave up himself and eldest son to Octavius when he had reigned 11 years and after being lead in Triumph by the Consul was cast into prison at Alba where for seven dayes he lay in a most sad condition till through the importunity of Aemilius it was changed into a better Yieldeth himself and dieth in custody after two years Two years he thus continued and then through desire of life and liberty encouraging himself in new and vain hopes ended his dayes some say through the barbarousnesse of his Keepers who would not suffer him to take any rest but others by course of nature in free custody having his funeral discharged at the publick cost Thus ended this Macedonian Kingdom being changed into a free State through the seeming bounty of the Conquerours A. M. 3837. the first of the 153 Olympiad 156 years after the death of Alexander the Great CHAP. V. The Asian and Syrian Kingdom From the death of Seleucus to the reducing of Syria into the form of a Roman Province by Pompey containing the space of 220 years 1. FOur or five years after the death of Cassander Plutarch in Demetrio Valerius Maximus lib. 5. cap. 7. Appianus in Syriacis it hapned that Antiochus the eldest son of Seleucus fell in love with Stratonice daughter to Demetrius which woman we said before that Seleucus married after her father was overthrown and beaten out of Asia and for that he was ashamed to reveal his affection pined away and resolved to starve himself had not his disease been discovered by Erasistratus the Physician by the changing of his countenance when she came in or out Antiochus the son of Seleucus falling in love with his Father's wife hath her granted to him and by other tokens Seleucus who was ready to redeem his sons life with his own bloud presently gave him her to wife though he had a Child by her and that the businesse might seem to proceed of himself calling his Army together he declared it to be his pleasure to make them two King and Queen of all the upper Countreys having married them together and that he thought his son who had hitherto been obedient to him in all other things would also herein be ruled by him but if his wife should distaste so unusual a thing he desired his friends to shew and perswade her that whatsoever the King should think fit and the affairs of State required that she ought to account of as just and fitting After this he took Demetrius her father and imprisoned him in the Chersonesus of Syria where he died after three years as was before said and within a year after his death fought his last and the last of Alexander's Companions battel with Lysimachus in which he being Conquerour and his Enemy slain A. M. 3712. Ol. 121. ann 4. V. C. 461. Seleuci 20. Ptol. Lagi 31. left Asia wholy to his son having a desire to go into Macedonia where he had never been since he came over with Alexander and end his dayes in his Native Countrey But as he was journeying towards Lysimachia he was traiterously slain by Ptolomy Ceraunus whom he had lovingly entertained A. M. 3722. 23 years after he had taken the title of King being aged 73. and 42 after the death of Alexander From his Conquests he was called Nicanor and Nicator and is reported to have had the print of an Anchor on his Thigh Vide Jâ—stin lib. 25. and his posterity also after him as a note of their Original 2. Antiochus succeeded his father Appian in Syriacis Memnon excorpt cap. 16. c. and was sirnamed Soter from repelling the Gauls which in his time at the invitation of
and Bachides both of the Kings party killing above 20000 men so that then they recovered many strong holds at which Lysias was exceedingly troubled things falling out so contrary to his expectations the next year invaded Judaea with an army of 60000 choice foot and 5000 horse And Lysias himself but being met by Judas with 10000 men he was received with such resolution that with the losse of 5000 he was glad to retreat to Antioch intending greater preparations for his next expedition 2 Maccab. 10. Judas returning to Hierusalem cleansed the Temple offered sacrifice upon a new Altar after the Heathen had held it just three years then kept they a feast for eight dayes and ordered it to be observed to posterity which in the Gospel is called the Feast of the Dedication 50. Antiochus in the mean while waged War against Artaxias King of Armenia and that with such successe as cutting off many of his men Appian in Syriacis he took him prisoner Antiochus in the mean time prospereth in the upper Countreys Afterwards hearing that the Citie Elymais in Persia was exceeding rich and therein a Temple of Venus or Diana both being asserted wherein were laid up very rich Arms left by Alexander the Great he being greedy of this prey attempted to rifle them both but the Inhabitants taking Arms repelled and caused him shamefully to retreat Being come to Ecbatanâ— he there heard of the overthrow of Nicanor and Timotheus and then journeying towards Babylon in the Borders of Persia of the defeat given to that great Army of Lysias the throwing down the Idol of Jupiter Olympius 2 Maccab. 9. and the fortification of the Sanctuary whereupon he fell into a great rage resolved to revenge himself upon the Jews for his shamefull retreat and commanded his Chariot driver to make speed And in his return hearing of the miscarriage of Lysias and the rest breathes revenge but is presently struck with a foul disease saying he would make Jerusalem the common burying place of them when he should come thither Scarce had he made an end of threatning when he was suddenly struck with exceeding torment in his bowels which yet reduced him not to any good constitution of mind he still breathing fury and revenge against the Jews and crying out to make haste but the Chariot being driven very fast he was shaken out of it and by the fall so sore bruised that he was constrained to betake himself to his Litter and then Worms crawled out of his body the flesh whereof rotted and fell from him yet alive None could endure to carry him for the stench thereof which also offended his Army wherefore being forced to stay his journey for Oxbyton he stayed at Taba a Town in Persia Before his death he confessed this to have falln upon him for the injuries offered to the Jews acknowledged the Soveraignty of God and his own pride A. M. 3841. Ol. 154. ann 1. Seleucida 149. Ptol. Philomet 17. vowed if God would restore him to grant immunities to his people to adorn his Temple to turn Jew himself and to travel through the habitable world to declare his strength and power And when he perceived his end to draw near he wrote most kind Letters to the Jews desiring them to stand faithfull to him and his son after him then constituting Philip who had been brought up with him the Protector and Guardian of his son till he should come to age And dieth he died after he had reigned 12 years A. M. 3841. after the beginning of Seleucus the 149. the first of the 154 Olympiad 51. Antiochus his son a Child of nine years old succeeded him Appian in Syriacis Antiochus Eupator 2 Maccab. 10. sirnamed Eupator by the Syrians for his fathers virtue Him Lysias goverved who had brought him up so that Philip his designed Guardian by his father fled into Egypt and Ptolomy the son of Dorymenes for that being convinced how the Jews were wronged he went about to compose the difference with them was forced to drink poyson Demetrius the son of Seleucus Philopator Polyb. Legat. 107. whom we before said to have been sent Hostage to Rome Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus Philopator and the right heir desireth of the Romans to restore him but they out of policy refuse it hearing there of his Uncles death desired of the Senate that he might be restored to his Fathers Kingdom so long unjustly detained from him affirming he esteemed of Rome as his own Country in which he had been brought up of the sons of Senators as his brethren and themselves as so many Fathers but they judging it more for their interest that the Kingdom of Syria should be under a child than one of mans estate such as he was being now 23 years old resolved it should be secured to Antiochus and presently ordered three Commissioners to be sent thither to settle the affaires thereof according to instructions received from themselves which might now be done easily enough the King himself being so young and his Courtiers thinking they were well enough dealt withall so Demetrius was not restored but especially they gave them in charge to burn all the ships they should find there not allowed to Antiochus by the League and hough the legs of all the Elephants and diminish the Kings strength as much as possible These things being executed provoked one Leptines so far as he slew Cn. Octavius the chief Commissioner and who first brought the Consulship into his family out of which Augustus Caesar issued whom Lysias though he was suspected to incense the People against the Romans honourably buried and dispatched quickly Ambassadors to Rome in the King's name to disclaim any consciousnesse to the fact 52. Gorgias being Governour of the parts about Judaea 2 Maccab. 10. fomented a continual War with the Jews and with him joyned the Idumaeans who received all runnagates and gave them entettainment Against those therefore Judas Maccabaeus marched took divers places and put 20000 to the Sword after which turning upon the Ammonites he overthrew them in divers ingagements Gorgias fomenteth a War with the Jews and taking Jazer with the Territories thereto belonging returned again into Judaea Timotheus the General of the Ammonites hereat inraged and gathering many men out of Asia came as if he would devour Judaea but Judas with his having humbled themselves and called upon the name of God gave him battel in which 20500 Foot and 600 of his Horse being slain he fled to Gazara a strong Garrison kept by his brother but that being taken he was pulled out of a cave where he had hid himself and slain together with the other After this the Nations about Galaad and Galile afflicting sore the Jews Maccabaeus divided his Army into three parts 1 Maccab. 5. one of which viz. 3000 men he delivered to bis brother Simon to relieve them of Galile the second to Joseph the son of
for the Tributes of the places other 500 upon pain of being prosecuted with War To these things Simon answered that he held no Towns belonging to any other but had recovered his own by right of War but as for Joppe and Gazara which had done great harm to his people he offered to pay him 100 Talents at which the King was so displeased that following at that time Tryphon to Orthosias Cendebaeus sent by Antiochus against the Jews is defeated by John the son of Simon he left Cendebaeus to oversee the Sea-Coasts with order to build up Cedron whence he might make War upon the Jews He coming to Iamnia made inroads upon Judaea and built up that Town according to order which John the son of Simon then lying at Gazara understanding gave notice thereof to his father who now being decrepit committed the War to him and his brother Judas He taking with him 20000 foot and a party of horse marched straight down against Cendebaeus and then placing his horse in the midst of the foot that it might protect and be protected against the Cavalry of the Enemy which was exceeding strong he overthrew him and putting the whole Army to the rout some betook themselves into the Fort newly built and others flying away he pursued them as far as the Towers of Azotus which having set on fire and slain 2000 men he retreated safe into Judaea 74. This successe of John sufficiently moved Antiochus to punish Simon but it was done to his hand by one who of all others might least have done it There was one Ptolomy the son of Abubus son-in-law to Simon and by him set over the Province of Jericho He entertaining his father-in-law as he went his Circuit about the Countrey to take care for the Government thereof slew him treacherously after a feast together with his two sons Mattathias and Judas Simon and his two sons murdered by his son-in-law when he had governed the people 8 years His design was being rich to obtain the Principality of that Countrey where he lived and therefore he presently certified Antiochus of his feat desiring an Army of him wherewith he might subdue the Cities of Iudaea He also sent certain cut-throats to murder Iohn Simons son wrote to the Collonels of the Army to draw them over to him and sent others to seize upon Ierusalem and the Temple But Iohn having timely notice of his treachery prevented his death by that of the Messengers and was made High-Priest in the room of his father and here the Author of the first books of Maccabees concludes his work having therein delivered the history of 40 years Antiochus besiegeth Jerusalem Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 16. Antiochus taking the opportunity of Simons death came into Iudaea which wasting round about he drove up Iohn sirnamed Hyrcanus into Ierusalem to which he laid close siege his Army being divided into seven parts The besieged being exceedingly helped from the strength of the Walls stood out manfully so that he raised an hundred Turrets from which he endeavoured to scale the Walls and compassed in the Town with a double Trench that none might escape but they still defending themselves sometimes sallied out and did him harm Hyrcanus seeing a great and uselesse multitude in the Citie which consumed the victuals put out the more infirm out of the Walls whence being hindred from going any further by the siege they wandred about the Walls almost famished till at the feast of Tabernacles out of pity they were again admitted 75. At this feast of Tabernacles Hyrcanus sent out to Antiochus to desire a Truce for seven dayes because of the celebration thereof He not onely granted this but sent in also Bulls with gilded horns golden and silver Cups with all sorts of spices and beasts for sacrifice and made a feast to the Army by which the other taking notice of his great humanity whence he was sirnamed Pius as also uncertain for what other reason Sidetes withall considering that the Sabbatical year being now at an end and the people being hindred from sowing a famine was likely to insue he sent out to him desiring that the Iews might be suffered to live according to their own Laws Many about the King advised him utterly to destroy the Citie to blot out the very name of the Iews from under heaven at least to dissolve their Laws and change their course of life so diverse from and disagreeable to other Nations but he being moved by a principle of magnanimity and bounty rejected this counsel and approving of the piety of the Iews commanded them to deliver up their Arms But departeth upon good terms for the besieged pull down their Walls pay Tribute for Joppe and other Towns without Judaea and receive a Garrison A. M. 3870. Ol. 161. ann 2. V.C. 619. Seleucid 178. Ptol. Physconis 12. Joh. Hyrcan 1. upon which conditions he offered them peace They yielded to all but the last because they would not converse with the Gentiles yet in Lieu of it chose to give Hostages amongst others Hyroanus his own brother and pay 500 Talents whereof 300 at present whereupon the siege was removed and they were freed from any further incumbrance Hyrcanus opening the sepulcher of David who had been the richest of Kings took out thence 3000 Talents wherewith filling his Coffers he first listed strangers in his Militia and entertained Antiochus and his Army in Ierusalem very plentifully 76. Antiochus Sidetes in the eighth year of his reign Iustin lib. 38. Appian in Syriacis Livius lib. 59. three years after his departure from Ierusalem undertook an expedition against Phraates the Parthian to fetch back his brother Demetrius still kept there in free custody who had twice attempted an escape but being retaken still was sent back to his wife and children not so much out of any pity or respect of alliance as because that King having an itching desire of getting Syria also into his power preserved him to use against his brother as time and opportunity should serve Antiochus with a great but extraordinarily effeminate Army marched into Media where many Eastern Princes met him with all their hearts giving up themselves and Countreys to him and cursing of the pride of the Parthians whereby he got such strength as overthrowing the Enemy in three several battels he reduced him within the bounds of his own Countrey But what he thus suddenly got he almost as quickly lost again for upon the approach of Winter quartering his Soldiers abroad in the Countrey the people were so oppressed what by the exaction of provisions and their insolence that they again revolted to the Parthian and upon agreement at one and the same time set upon them as they were severally disposed of in their quarters Antiochus Sidetes is slain by the Parthians Antiochus hearing this with that party which lay with him came in to relieve the next to him and there met with Phraates himself
Cleomenes the Spartan entertained as we said lovingly by his father with promise to endeavour his restitution now finding things to make for it at home by the death of Antigonus and the Conjunction of the Aetolians with them of Sparta against the Achaeans earnestly desired to be dispatched away but he minding nothing but his pleasures and buried in sottishnesse regarded him not at all Sosibius indeed considered of the thing called his friends to advise about it but upon mature deliberation concluded it not wisdom to dismiss him provided of men and arms lest finding all clear abroad his Enemies being now dead or quiet he who knew sufficiently the state and condition of Egypt under such a Prince Stirs about Cleomenes King of Sparta might attempt something rather beneficial for himself than safe for it Hereupon it s resolved he shall be retained still and after some time an occasion was found to confine him For one Nicagoras a Messenian who ought him an injury coming to Town he not at all considering to whom he spake jeered the King to him for his filthy manner of life which he being glad of as having an opportunity against him acquainted Sosibius with his words and they two plot together that Nicagoras at his departure should leave a Letter directed to the other wherein he should accuse Cleomenes of an intention to make stirs in Egypt except he were sent away according to the promise of Euergetes This being laid to his charge by Sosibius and soundly aggravated to the King he was secured in free custody having a large house but kept with a Guard assigned to him whereupon growing desperate one day when Ptolomy was gone out of Town he made his Keepers drunk and with his followers brake out into the streets and called the people to liberty But none stirring being all astonished at the greatnesse of the Enterprize they made for the Castle which finding to be strongly defended he and all with him after a Laconian fashion as Polybius termeth it killed themselves This was the end of this famous man who being indued with a singular dexterity and promptnesse of wit had a genious suitable to great and weighty matters and was fitted by gifts of nature as well as experiences for the Offices either of a great Commander or a Prince 7. Though Cleomenes his sodain and unexpected attempt made no such impression upon the City as that any insurrections ensued thereupon and indeed the luxurie of the Court had infected it and the whole Land with the same distemper yet the minds of the People being something scowred by the Wars with Antiochus from this rust and elevated upon their successe against him after the battel at Raphia and the recovery of Coelesyria Polyb. ut prius they began to slight their lawful King and then arose to such an height as they clearly revolted intending to set up against him a Captain of their own making which shortly after they did and waged War with him though in what manner or with what end we know not further than thus that as it seemeth he had the better of it for he retained his dignity and power About this time 60000 Jews are said to have been slain in Aegypt Eusebius in Chronico 3. Maccab. Usserius Annal. Vet. Test pag. 510. who seeing they amounted to such a number we may have ground enough to think that they took part with the People and that his cruelty towards them ensued as a revenge hereupon though others there be that judge the contrary and deliver it as a thing not to be doubted of This is certain that about this time he grievously persecuted those of that Nation which lived at Alexandria abusing them first with libels and seeking to withdraw them from their Religion Those that refused to turn were either put to death or being deprived of all dignity and liberty were branded with the image of an Ivy leaf as the badge of Bacchus The Jews persecuted and because they were suspected to withdraw others from their obedience to the King all the Jews throughout the Land were in forty dayes space gathered together to be destroyed by 500 Elephants A. M. 3789. Ol. 141. an 1. V.C. 538. Ant. Mag. 8. â— Ptol. Philop. 7. to which was given wine mingled with much frankincence to inrage them But in the morning when Ptolomy should have come out to the sight a sluggish fit is said to have detained him until dinner and on the next day such a forgetfulness to have seized on him as he thought them mad which mentioned the thing to him and then on the third when the beasts were ready to be let loose two terrible Angels appeared which struck King and People with extraordinary horror and drove the Elephants upon those who came to be spectators of the cruelty Hereupon ensued such a change of the Kings mind as he dismissed the Jews after he had feasted them seven dayes and giving them leave to kill the Apostates Ptolomy dieth acknowledged God to be their protector At length he died leaving a childe of five years old and begotten of his sister behind him after he had reigned about eighteen years A. M. 3801 in the first of the 144 Olympiad 8. His son a child of five years succeeded him Justin lib. 30 being declared King by him before his death in the 20 year of Antiochus the Great King of Syria and was sirnamed afterwards Epiphanes Polyb. lib. 15 The death of Philopator was for a long time kept close by Agathocles and his party till his mother and sister had rifled the Court and he had found out such a way as he thought most effectual for the establishment of himself in that power he already enjoyed Then brought he out the King to the Macedonians His son Ptolomy Epiphanes a child of five years succeedeth him and with great expressions of sorrow for the death of his Father tells them the childe was by him delivered into the arms of Agathoclea his sister inveighs bitterly against one Tlepolemus who being a true Patriot was an eye-sore to him as if he intended to seize upon the Kingdom labouring to impose upon the belief of the Soldiers and secure himself by their strength but no man gave any credit to whatever he said so intirely was he hated by all The remembrance of the former outrages committed by him and his being more freshly renewed by some other attempts of cruelty whilst things still hung in this condition so inraged the multitude A. M. 3801. Ol. 144. an 1. V. C. 550. Ant. Mag. 20. that from all the quarters of the City flocking to the Court they would not be satisfied till having the young King first delivered to them they broke open the dores and getting him his sister mother and other of his creatures into their hands they put them to death mangling their bodies afterwards it being natural to that People to be cruel if once in
a great present of money and arms Some six years after he sent other Ambassadors to them now having well nigh fallen out with the Romans offering them ten ships of fifty oares sufficiently manned and furnished for War which as of concernment amounting almost to ten Talents they accepted of most gladly and dispatched back to him Lycortas again with Polybius his son though he was too young by the Laws for such an employment with Aratus the son of famous Aratus the Sicyonian to give him thanks for the former present and fetch the ships into Peloponnesus but he was dead ere they could get out of their own Country For plotting now against Seleuous Philopator who had succeeded Antiochus his Father in the Kingdom of Syria and preparing an Army against him Hieronym in Danel when one of his Captains asked him where he would get money sufficient for such an enterprize he answered that his friends were riches to him which being told abroad amongst the People his Officers fearing he would fleece them to supply himself Is poysoned took him away by poyson after he had lived 27 years and reigned 24 thereof A. M. 3825 and the first of the 150 Olympiad Ptolomy Philometor 12. He left two sons and one daughter all very young A. M. 3825. of which the eldest son succeeded him being sirnamed Philometor in the eighth year of Seleuous Philopator King of Syria After his Anacleteria Idem ibid. his mother Cleopatra the daughter of Antiochus the Great being lately dead through the perswasion of Eulaius the Eunuch and Lenaeus his principal Counsellours he began to cast his thoughts upon Coelesyria Prepareth for Soelesyria which being given to his mother as a portion was unjustly kept from him as he conceived by his uncle Antiochus Epiphanes who now had succeeded his elder brother in the Kingdom of Syria Antiochus hearing of their preparations for the War at Alexadria came down into Egypt to prevent them and overthrew the King several times as hath been said But his uncle Antiochus Epiphanes preventeth him by getting all Aegypt into his hands and got the whole Country except that City Polyb. Legat. 81 82. into his power after which Ptolomy deliberating with Comanus and Cineas what was to be done it was resolved that a Council of the most expert Captains should be erected by the advice whereof all things should be managed The first resolve of this Council was that such Graecian Ambassadors as were present should be sent to Antiochus about an agreement with whom Ptolomy joyned of his own two others The first day after their arrival they were entertained very nobly and on the next had audience wherein they laid all the blame upon Eulaius the Eunuch and urging the youth and kindred of the King to him laboured to pacifie him He after he had assented to them in these things and spoken more to the same purpose laboured with much earnestnesse to demonstrate that Coelesyria belonged to the Crown of Syria alleging it to have belonged to Antigonus the first founder of that Kingdom and produced the conveiances of it to Seleucus after the death of the other from the Macedonian Kings Moreover calling to their remembrance that Antiochus his Father had lately obtained it again by right of conquest he flatly denied that ever he passed it over as a portion with his daughter to the late King of Egypt and so having discoursed on this subject to the satisfaction of all his hearers he then departed to Naucratis where friendly treating the Inhabitants and giving a largesse to such Greeks as dwelt there he thence departed for Alexandria deferring to give any answer to those that had been sent to him till such time as Aristides and Theris were returned saying he would have all the publick ministers of Greece to be conscious to and witnesses of all his intentions 13. But no satisfactory answer if any was given Porphyr in Graecis Euseb or any thing done for Philometor by Antiochus so that being thus outed of his Kingdom after 12 years reign and giving up himself for all that to nothing but sluggishnesse and luxurie the Alexandrians took upon them to make his younger brother King sirnaming him Euergetes though the badnesse of his manners made them afterwards change it into Cacergetes being also called Physcon from his extraordinary fat paunch Athenaeus lib. 12. cap. 17. Philometor was forced at length to betake himself to the Alexandrians too who receiving him made him partaker with his brother in the Kingdom Ptolomy Physcon made King but shortly after again expelled him which thing Antiochus made use of and under pretence of restoring him continued the War and overthrowing young Ptolomy in a Sea-fight besieged Alexandria Polyb. Legat. 83 84. but seeing that to be to no purpose arose and departed into Syria leaving Philometor at Memphis to whom he restored all Egypt except Pelusium which he kept as the key of the Country in his own hands not doubting but when one of the brothers had ruined the other to come and with ease enough devoure the Conquerour Livius l. 45. But though his two Nephews were otherwise sottish enough yet in this they shewed prudence to disappoint him A. M. 3837. Ol. 153. ann 1. V.C. 586. Ant. Epiphan 9. Ptol. Philom 13. for the elder seriously considering how little he ought to trust him sent to Cleopatra his sister who seconding him to her brother both by advice and entreaty The two brothers agree and are saved harmlesse from their Uncle by the Romans procured a peace to be made with consent of both their friends the Citizens of Alexandria giving way the more readily because of the dearth which troubled them by reason of the War as well when they were at liberty as besieged This drew off the Vizard from Antiochus who whereas he ought to have rejoyced if he really intended the restitution of Philometor fretted exceedingly hereat and nothing would serve him but needs he must come down again into Egypt and had laid siege to Alexandria the second time had not the Roman Ambassadors terrified him from his purpose as we shewed in its more proper place and forced him to quit both Egypt and Cyprus 14. Idem ibid. The Roman Ambassadors took some pains by their Authority to make them two friends not being throughly reconciled before and so they continued for six years peaceably together Porphyrius ut prius But then differences betwixt them arose so high thar the Senate at Rome wrote to their Ambassadors sent into Syria after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes by all means to reconcile them of which mediation we yet hear of no fruit at all Polybius Legat. 107. for presently the younger expelled his elder brother Philometor being thus spoyled of his Kingdom with a very few attendants and in a pitifull habit Valerius Max. Lib. 5. cap. 1. Exemp 1. came to Rome for help making
to the Sun-beams 17. In the time of this Philometor Josephus ibid. the Jews and Samaritans inhabiting Alexandria fell out about their way of Worship they contending earnestly that the Temple of Jerusalem Dissention betwixt the Jews and Samaritans those that that at Gerizim was founded most according to the prescript of Moses and so earnest was the dispute that both parties appealed to him and his Council for a decision of the controversie who being to judge according to evidence produced out of the Law was to put to death those pleaders which could not make good their cause For the Jews appeared Andronicus the son of Messalani for the Samaritans Sabbaeus and Theodosius who being heard by Ptolomy in a full Assembly all were so well satisfied in the proofs brought by Andronicus as the King gave sentence on his side and condemned Sabbaeus and Theodosius Justin lib. 35. Philometer about this time was deeply ingaged in the affairs of Syria for Demetrius Soter having molested him much with War together with Attalus King of Asia and Ariarathes of Cappadocia all these agreed to suborn a young man of base condition who counterfeiting himself the son of Antiochus Epiphanes spoiled Demetrius both of his Kingdom and life This Alexander as he is called being especially beholden to Ptolomy for this change of his condition desired of him his daughter in marriage 1 Maccab. 10. 11. which he readily agreed to and brought her named Cleopatra to him to Ptolemais where the nuptials were solemnized with great state Afterwards Alexander giving up himself to cruelty and luxury Demetrius the son of Demetrius Soter Joseph Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 8. having hired Soldiers in Crete attempted the recovery of his fathers Kingdom Ptolomy with great forces both by Land and Sea came then into Syria under pretence of helping his son-in-law but getting a great part of the Countrey into his hands as far as the River Orontes and the Citie Seleucia he had other intentions having conceived great prejudice in his mind against Alexander the special occasion of which was that whereas one Ammonius a great Officer of his had conspired against his life at Ptolemais Ptolomy fighting against Alexander King of Syria whom he had formerly set up received a wound and dieth he refused to give him up to him upon his demand Wherefore though he went to Antioch and there set two Diadems on his head the one for Syria and the other for Egypt yet perswaded he the Antiochians to receive Demetrius for their King and taking away his daughter from Alexander gave her to him Alexander was overthrown after which he fled into Arabia as we said and there was made away A. M. 3859. Ol. 158. ann 3. V. C. 608. But in the fight it hapned that his Horse being affrighted at the noise of an Elephant threw him which the Enemies perceiving came upon him and gave him such a wound in his head that for four dayes he lay sencelesse and though coming to himself on the next he was mightily pleased at the sight of the head of Alexander Balas which was sent him yet proved it not such a Cordial but the third day after Livius Epit. lib. 52. as his Physicians were busie in dressing his own he died after he had reigned 34 years A. M. 3859. in the third of the 158 Olympiad 18. After his death the order of succession was first changed in this Kingdom For whereas hitherto the son had continually followed his father Justin lib. 38. Valerius Max. lib. 38. Valerius Max. lib. 9. cap. 1. Exter Exemp 5. and now Cleopatra his wife with the help of the Princes endeavoured to have it so in his son and hers yet his brother Euergetes the second or Physcon then reigning in Cyrene withstood her purpose and forced her for to put an end to the controversie to marry him Coming to Alexandria he first caused the favourers of the Child to be slain and then the boy himself in the arms of his mother on their Wedding day and amidst the solemnities according to which beginning he proceeded being nothing milder towards those that had sent for him For giving liberty to the outlandish Soldiers to kill and rifle he filled all places with slaughters Excerpt Diodori Siculi many being accused as though they had plotted against him were made away with cruel torments others under some pretence or other banished and their goods confiscate Ptolomy Physcon unjustly obtaining the Kingdom his cruelty Having a son born of this his sister he named him Memphitis after the place of his birth but whilest he was keeping his birth-day that he might also feed his cruel humour he put to death divers Cyrenaeans who brought him into Egypt for taxing him somewhat liberally for his too much familiarity with Irene his Concubine As his cruelty so also his lust knew no bounds for ravishing first his wives daughter and his own Niece both by Father and Mother he put away his wife and married her Val. Max. ibid. whereat the Inhabitants of Alexandria being affrighted for fear of death quit their habitations so that he being left alone as a King of houses and not of men by Proclamation called and gave leave to strangers to inhabit them It hapned that at such time as they flocked thither came also P. Scipio Africanus the younger Sp. Mummius and L. Metellus Cicero in somnio Scipionis A. M. 3875. Ol. 162. an 3. V. C. 624. Ptol. Phys 17. Joh. Hyrcani 6. sent from Rome to visit the Kingdoms and States of the East and compose their differences Scipio being landed and having his face covered the People flocked about him and desired him to uncover himself which he granting they out of the great pleasure conceived at the sight of such a person gave a shout Physcon himself coming out to meet them was exceedingly ridiculous to them being a man otherwise sufficiently deformed of a low stature and such corpulence as his belly resembled rather that of a beast than a man He provided magnificent entertainment but they despising his dainties as corrupting the manners of men ate very sparingly Excerpt Diodori onely minded that they came about and travelled into the Country where viewing the several places thereof considering the populousnesse strength and convenience of their situation they concluded Egypt a convenient seat for the greatest Empire if it had but Lords that knew how to make use of it and so departed to Cyprus and thence into Syria 19. After some time he became so odious to the new inhabitants also for his cruelty that they set fire to his Palace Justin ut prius Livius Epit. lib. 59. Val. Max. l. 9. c. 2. exter exempl 5. and he was driven with his wife and son to get away to Cyprus after which they restored the Kingdom to Cleopatra his sister whom he had put away Hereupon he raised an Army and made War upon her and them and fearing
lest they should become a prey to them and some killed their Wives and Children with their own hands rather than they should be led into Captivity It hapned that at the same time that Alexander was let in the Senate was met which consisting of 500 men he put all to the sword and then razing the Citie returned to Jerusalem a year after he first sate down before Gaza 8. He was not at all affected by his Subjects Idem ibid. De bello lib. 1. cap. 3. which they clearly manifested when the feast of Tabernacles came For then as he was about to sacrifize they threw Orenges at him and rail'd at him upbraiding him with Captivity that I suppose of his Grand-mother objected before to his Father and crying out that he was not worthy of so high an Office as the high Priest-hood Being inraged hereat he slew about 6000 of them made up the place about the Altar with boards to defend himself for the time to come from the violence of the multitude and furnished himself with Guards hired out of Pisidia and Cilicia Then overthrew he the Arabians and imposed Tribute upon the Moabites and Galadites and levelled Amathus with the ground Theoderus not once daring to ingage But making another expedition against the Arabians he was drawn into an ambush by Obeda their King and being thrust amongst the Craggy and precipitous Rocks by a multitude of Camels he hardly escaped himself by flight to Jerusalem his whole Army being cut off He is defeated by the Arabians and hath Wars with his rebellious and sawcy Subjects Then were his Rebellious Subjects encouraged by this his overthrow to begin fresh stirs which continued six years during which time they fought often but he had the better and destroyed no lesse than fifty thousand of them This yet was no matter of joy to him thus to lose the strength of his own Kingdom therefore he endeavoured to make up the breach and by fair means to be reconciled to them But being asked by him wherewith he should appease them they answered if he would kill himself for scarce could they pardon him being dead Then sent they to Demetrius Idem ibid. Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 22. sirnamed Aâ—aerus inducing him with great promises to come and aid them so that joyning with him they made up an Army of 3000 horse and 40000 foot their King having 26200 men in his Army Both at the first laboured to draw their Enemies men to revolt Demetrius those Greeks that were in pay with Alexander and he the Jews which had called him in but this succeeding on no part they both resolved to end the controversie with dint of sword Demetrius had the better of it all Alexanders Auxiliaries being slain though they behaved themselves most gallantly but he was no whit better but much worse for his victory For the Jews taking pity of their King after this his defeat about 6000 went over to him which so discouraged Demetrius that he thereupon retreated into his own Countrey 9. They thenceforth waged War with him by themselves but still had the worst of it and many of them were slain At length he forced the strongest up into a Town called Bethoma which reducing he took them in it and brought them up to Jerusalem A. M. 3920. Ol. 173. ann 4. V. C. 669. Seleucid 228. Alexand. 20. where he caused 800 of them to be nailed to Crosses and their Wives and Children to be slain in their sight yet living he beholding the Spectacle from an high place banquetting and dallying with his women He was highly provoked with that stubborn people who not onely brought him often into extream danger of life and estate but not contenting themselves with what they could do by their own power without calling in of forein aid had reduced him to that necessity that he was glad to restore those places he had subdued in the Countrey of Moab and Galaad to the Arabian and for animadversion upon them they nick-named him Thracida About 8000 men got away by night and passed all the time he lived in Exile and so ever after the Kingdom continued free from seditions Idem Antiquit. lib. 13. cap. 23. De bello lib. 1. cap. 4. Antiochus Dionysus King of Syria intending to make an invasion of Arabia through his Kingdom he getting knowledge of it drew a Ditch from Caparsale afterwards called Antipatris as far as the Sea of Joppe to hinder him strengthning it with a Bulwark and Forts built here and there upon it where he expected him But he burning these up easily got over and then invading Arabia was there slain in battel by Aretas the King who was made King of Coelesyria and making an inroad into Judaea overthrew Alexander at Adida and forcing him to subscribe to his own conditions then departed Afterwards Alexander gathering together his Forces went and took divers Towns with all the Valley of Antiochus as it was called and the Castle Gamala His Conquests abroad and returned to Jerusalem at the end of three years joyfully and honorably received then by his people for his valour and indeed at this time the Nation what by his own and the diligence of his Predecessors arrived at that height for dominion and glory abroad that they enjoyed many Cities in Syria Idumaea Phoenicia Antiquit. lib. 13. cap. 23. and other Countreys whereof a Catalogue of most Josephus hath left unto us and amongst which Polla a Town of Moab was destroyed because the Inhabitants refused to receive the Jewish Rites Alexander towards his latter end fell to drunkennesse whereby he contracted a Quartan Ague which held him three years yet recovered he his antient temper of mind though not of body and following on his Wars laid siege to Ragola beyond Jordan in the Countrey of the Gerasens where being spent with the force of the disease he died before the Walls of that place His death in the 27th year of his reign and of his age the 49. A. M. 3927. and the third of the 173 Olympiad some 76 years before the birth of Christ 10. His wife Alexandra seeing his end approaching A. M. 3927. Ol. 175. an 3. V. C. 676. Seleucid 235. bewailed much the condition of her self and children being destitute of succour and about to enter upon the government of a People likely enough to be untoward towards them which bore him so much ill will He advised her that she might reign securely first to keep close his death till that place should be gained then going victoriously to Jerusalem to send for the chief of the Pharisees His advice to his wife to gain the Pharisees whom both he and his Father had grievously offended and thereby incurred the hatred of the People and to gain their favour to shew them his body and give them power of disposing of it at their pleasure either as to bestow burial upon it or cast it out without Sepulture
Government of the City This was the end of Antipater a right good man a great States-man and one who had preserved his fidelity to his Prince and his care to his Country before his own private or ambitious purposes 24. His sons having knowlege of his death Idem ibid. Herod would have revenged it out of hand and by open force but Phasaelus thought good rather to circumvent the murderer by some way of his own lest a civil Warre should ensue and therefore seemed to be satisfied with Malichus his flat denial of the thing and set himself about building of a monument for his Father Herod visiting Samaria and seeing it much out of order laboured what he might to cherish it and sate in Judgement deciding the controversies of the People and then presently came up to Jerusalem to the Feast with a Company of Soldiers at his heels Malichus being exceedingly afraid of his coming perswaded Hyrcanus not to permit him to enter and he accordingly forbad him to approach so holy a solemnity with a prophane rout of strangers but he notwithstanding this got in by night and so affrighted Malichus that he betook him to his old trade of dissembling weeping to him bitterly for the death of Antipater as his kind friend yet in the mean time providing himself of a guard so that for a time it was thought fit by Herods friends nor to envince his deceit but for the shunning of suspition to treat him fairly yet did he signifie by letters his Father's death to Cassius who willed him again to revenge it Antiq. ut prius cap. 20. and gave order to the Tribunes then lying at Tyre to assist him in his just endeavours Cassius not long after having taken Laodicia they went and caried him crowns and money and then Herod thought to be even with him but he suspecting something at Tyre out of desperation cast higher matters than ever in his head For his son being kept hostage in that City he resolved to go in and cary him out by stealth into Judaea and then when Cassius should be ingaged in the War against Antony to sollicit that Country to revolt and get to himself the Principality and cast out Hyrcanus But the cunning of Herod prevented him who being aware of his project invited him and Hyrcanus to supper and then sent to the Tribunes to come out to meet him who remembring the commands of Cassius encountering him on the shoar slew him there Hyrcanus was so astonished with fear at the fact that he was not himself and scarce recovering his sense asked Herod who had slain Malichus to whom one of the Tribunes answered His son Herod revengeth his death the command of Cassius at which he replyed that Cassius had preserved both him and his Country by cutting off him that plotted the destruction of both Whether he spake this seriously or approved the thing out of fear is uncertain but thus Herod revenged his Father's death upon Malichus 25. Cassius being gone out of Syria Idem ibid de bello lib. 1. c. 10. there hapned a great stir at Jerusalem by means of Foelix who being left there Commander the Soldiers attempted violence upon Phasaelus intending by his death to revenge that of Malichus upon his brother Herod It hapned that at that time Herod living at Damascus with Fabius the Roman Captain was sick and unable to come and help his brother Falleth sick but he by himself was too hard for Foelix and forced him into a Tower whence he let him go with his life and then expostulated much with Hyrcanus objecting ingratitude to him for taking Foelix his part and suffering the brother of Malichus to seize upon divers Castles for now he held many and Massada amongst the rest the strongest of all But Herod after his recovery regained them all from him suffering him to depart quietly out of Massada upon his desire Antiquit. l. 14. cap. 21. Antigonus the son of Aristobulus about this time so bribed Fabius that he suffered him to get himself an Army and Ptolomy Minnaeus because of the former affinity betwixt them made him his son in Law Marion also who by Cassius his means had subjected Tyre and divers places of Syria His acts after his recovery came in to his help having seized upon three Castels in Galile but Herod also going against them had them all surrendred by the Tyrians whom he dismissed very graciously out of respect to their City and then marched against Antigonus whom being scarcely entred the Coasts of Judaea he overthrew Returning to Jerusalem he was received very honourably not onely by the People but Hyrcanus also who had of late received him into his family contracting him to Mariamne the daughter of Alexander the son of Aristobulus and his own niece by his daughter by which wife he was made a father of three sons and two daughters having on a former wife and his own Country-woman named Doris begotten Antipater his eldest son But now within a while Cassius and Brutus were overthrown at Philippi by Caesar and Antony of whom the former returning into Italy the other came over into Asia which gave occasion to new stirs in Judaea 26. Antony being come into Bithynia Cap. 22. Ambassadors were sent to him thither from all Countries Stirs in Judaea upon the approach of Antony and amongst the rest came some from the chief of the Jews to complain of Phasaelus and Herod who usurped as they said all the power an empty title being onely left to Hyrcanus Herod went to defend himself and so prevailed with his money that his accusers were never heard Antony having reached Ephesus an Ambassie was dispatched to him in the name of Hyrcanus and the whole Nation desiring that all Captives which Cassius had caried away out of Judaea might be set at liberty by his Letters published throughout the Province Cap. 23. which he readily granted out and as he was travelling into Syria Cleopatra met him in Cilicia to whose allurements wholy giving up himself at the same time came 100 of the most considerable of the Jews to complain again of the two brothers whom Messala defended and Hyrcanus himself stood by to assist Their cause being heard at Daphne Antony demanded of Hyrcanus whether part was fitter to Govern who answering in commendation of Herod he who formerly loved the young men for their fathers sake with whom he had contracted familiarity when he served in Egypt under Gabinius constituted them both Tetrarchs and committed to them the Government of the Jews To this purpose he wrote Letters and cast fifteen of their adversaries into prison and had put them to death had not Herods intercession prevailed for them and yet were they not discouraged so as to desist For instead of 100. a thousand returned in Ambassage and stayed for him at Tyre but his favour being further purchased by the two brothers he commanded the Magistrate of that place
Mercenaries hapned which much distressing the Commonwealth he passed over into Spain where having to do with such an Enemy as he could grow upon The Acts of Amilcar Barcas after the ending of the first Punick War he there inlarged far and wide the Carthaginian Dominion and died in great honour though he was drowned in a River being put also to flight by Orisson King of the Iberi Diod. Sicul. lib. 25. Eclog. who pretending to come to his assistance in the siege of Helice unexpectedly fell upon him As he had governed the Army in Spain nine years Of Asdrubal his son-in-law so his son-in-law Asdrubal succeeding him commanded it almost as many with a mind as averse from the Romans as he but he dissembled his hatred and designs that he might gain all Spain to the Carthaginian interest After 8 years he was slain by a Gall saith Polybius or a slave to a certain Spaniard saith Justin who killed him in revenge for his Masters death He also much bettered the affairs of Carthage not so much by Arms Polyb. lib. 3. Livius l. 21. Corn. Nepos in Hamilcar Val. Max. l. 9. c. 3. Eater Exemp 3. as his winning carriage upon the petty Princes After his death Annibal the son of Amilcar Barcas was chosen Captain by the Army Annibal the son of Amilcar Barcas created General by the Carthaginians and presently confirmed at Carthage by the people whom his father taking along with him into Spain being then nine years old compelled to swear at the Altar his hand touching the sacrifice that as soon as he could he would be an Enemy to the people of Rome 31. Annibal presently after his Creation fell upon the Olcades whom he subdued and besides them within a years space the Vaccaei and Carpentani and nothing remained beyond the River Iberus that was considerable and unsubdued besides the Saguntines They being confederate with Rome gave them there intelligence how things went who sent some into Spain to see how matters stood and what was intended by the Carthaginians These Commissioners having audience of Hannibal religiously admonished him not to meddle with the Saguntines and according to the League made with Asdrubal not to passe over the River Iberus His answers did not conceal his inward hatred which caused the Romans to expect no better than a War but they hoped to have Saguntus the seat thereof and endeavoured to clear themselves of Illyricum ere it hapned Annibal was not ignorant of what they designed and therefore resolved by taking that Town to cut off all hope of vvarring in Spain He doubted not by that example to terrifie others so as to reduce to obedience those that yet stood out and confirm therein such as he had already brought under and this especially he aimed at by reducing this place to leave no Enemy at his back by the plunder of which also he intended to gratifie his Soldiers With all his force then he set upon it and provoking his men by his own example to all manner of diligence He taketh Saguntus a Town in Spain confederate with Rome took it in the eighth moneth The Inhabitants retained their fidelity unto the Romans to the last and when almost spent with hunger Fire Sword and Engines they that remained in a fire made in the Forum consumed themselves with all their riches as Florus writeth though Polybius speaketh of much money found in the Town besides rich stuff which Hannibal sent to Carthage 32. When first the Romans heard that Saguntus was taken they sent Ambassadors to Carthage to require that Hannibal should be delivered up as the breaker of the League Satisfaction is demanded by the Romans or else to denounce War Upon their arrival the Carthaginians deputed Hanno to treat with them who sleighted the matter of the League made with Asdrubal pretending there was none and if there was it was made by his meer pleasure without consent of the Senate Besides therein he said was no mention made of the River Iberus that a regard was to be had of the Allies of both the States he confessed but this nothing concerned the Saguntines who at the time of the ratification were not confederates with Rome The Ambassadors perceiving the Carthaginians backward to what they propounded said no more but the Senior of them holding out the lap of his Gown to the Senate Here saith he we bring you both War and Peace whether you will have I shall bring forth The Carthaginian King bade them bring forth which they pleased then the Roman saying he would take out War many of the Senators answered that they accepted of it And none being given War is denounced and accepted of This fell out in the Consulship of M. Livius afterward called Salinator from his bringing up the Impost upon Salt and L. Aemilius Paulus In their time forein Ceremonies begun to be brought into Rome which displeasing the more sober sort of men the * Val. Max. l. 1. c. 3. exemp 3. Senate thought fit that the Chapels of Isis and Serapis should be pulled down When no Artificers would venture to touch them Aemilius the Consul put off his pratexta or long Roab edged with purple silk and taking an Hatchet struck it into the door 33. In the year following being the 536 of the City A. M. 3787. Ol. 140. an 3. V. C. 536. Antiochi Mag. 6. Ptol. Philop. 5. Polyb. l. 3. Livius l. 21. the sixth of Antiochus the Great and the fifth of Ptolomy Philopator in the Consulship of Pub. Cornelius Scipio and Tib. Sempronius Longus three and twenty years after the ending of the first Punick War the Second began which we have described by Polybius The second Punick or Carthaginian War beginneth and after him by T. Livius who hath transcribed the 21 Book of his History almost word for word Annibal now 26 years of age in the Spring moved from his winter quarters with 90000 Foot and 12000 Horse and passing over the River Iberus subdued all the Towns as far as the Pyrenaean hills Annibal having conquered all Spain as far as the Pyrenaean hills Then leaving Hanno with a sufficient force to keep the Country and sending as many of the Spanish Soldiers home he marched with the the rest in number 50000 Foot and nigh 9000 Horse over the Pyrenaean hills and so through Gall unto the Alpes Having marched 100 miles in ten days from the River Rhodanus he came to the foot of these mountains which when he ascended he encountred with great difficulties being opposed by the Allobroges inhabiting the Country now called Savoy who possessed themselves of the places through which he must necessarily passe On the ninth day he came to the top whence his Soldiers had a prospect of Italy Proceeding after a little rest he lost as many men here in the depth of the Snow as formerly by the incursions of Enemies and at length came to a place which would
which he willingly took upon him as one who alone sate at the helm and could steer matters concerning Rome according to his pleasure In his absence the Tribunes were very fierce against him yet through the interposition of Tiberius Gracchus formerly accounted his Enemy he was not condemned 10. Lucius Scipio Asiaticus his brother was also called to an account and escaped not condemnation the money supposed to be retained to his own use being charged upon his estate and he was kept from imprisonment meerly by the power of Gracchus Livius lib. 39. Val. Max. l. 6. cap. 3. exemp 7. Augustin de Civitate Dei l. 18. c. 13. The following year was discovered the abhominable practice of certain women at the feasts of Bacchus Asiaticus his brother is fined which being kept in the night all manner of filthinesse and continual murders were committed At first these festivals were observed but three dayes in a year but now five in every moneth and men were admitted whereas they were begun by women All who being present and drawn in would not consent to such abhominations were sacrificed as beasts A. M. 3819. V.C. 568. a vast number being bewitched with this folly The abhominable practices at the Bacchanalia discovered The matter being revealed to Sp. Posthumius Albinus the Consul he acquainted the Senate with it by which order was taken for apprehending the persons imprisoning some and putting others to death as well in other parts of Italy as in the City the contagion having infected many other places but especially Capua It was brought to Rome out of Hetruria 11. In the second or third year after this discovery and the fourth of his exile Africanus dieth died P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus whether at Linternum or Rome is unknown the place of his burial being also uncertain A. M. 3822. Ol. 159. ann 2. V. C. 571. Seleuci Philop. 5. Ptol. Epiph. 21. That he died this year Livy gathereth because having been Prince or chief of the Senate at the former Lustrum this year he was left our which none used to be as long as he lived by L. Valerius Flaccus and M. Porcius Cato the Censors the former whereof was chosen into the place Valerius Maximus telleth us that he commanded this to be ingraven on his Tomb Ingrata Patria ne ossa quidem mea habes which sheweth that he was not buried at Rome He had that hap which usually accompanieth the best men to find their Country ingrateful being of excellent parts and of a kingly spirit which he ascribed to himself in Spain when the natives saluted him by and would have had him take upon him the title it self And upon this account he might be hated by Cato who though a virtuous man was morose and sowre Livy joyneth with his in the same year the death of Philopoemen and of Hannibal And Philopoemen General of the Achaeans so that the three great Captains of the World at that time left it desolate as it were by agreement Philopoemen Captain of the Achaeans was through the fall off his Horse taken in an engagement with the Messenians and compelled to drink poyson having done great service for his Countrey Hannibal having notice that the Romans would demand him from Antiochus fled into Crete to the Gortynians Having great treasure with him and knowing himself to be in much danger because of the Avarice of the Cretans he filled many barrels with Lead which covering on the top with Gold he deposited in the Temple of Diana trusting the Gortynians with his wealth Then put he his money into brazen Statues Lege Livium ut supra Corn. Nepot in Hannibale Justin l. 32. Auctorem lib. de viris illustrib wich he was wont to cary about with him and cast them before the gate They then watching the Temple diligently from none so much as him he got away secretly and went to Prusias King of Bithynia who used him in the Warre against Eumenes But T. Quintius being sent to Prusias whether by the Senate on purpose or upon other occasions demanded him as the grand enemy of Rome to be delivered into his hands He had provided in his house several places for issuing out upon such an occasion And Hannibal all three in one year but being beset and no way left to escape he took poyson which it 's said he caried about him in his ring So this renowned Captain ended his life in his 70 year for which thing Quintius was by many hardly thought of and got the esteem of an importune and cruel man as Plutarch writeth 12. After these things Livius l. 40 41. the Ligurians were often defeated by the Consuls and other Commanders many a thousand of them being slain as also of the Celtiberians and other Nations in Spain who were continually rebelling The Istrians beat the Romans out of their camp and put them to the rout Manlius the Consul in vain opposing it Several Nations subued but shortly after they were discomfited by the said Manlius and afterward fully subdued by Claudius the Consul who quelled also the Ligurians as his Collegue Tib. Sempronius Gracchus did the rebellion of Sardinia with the losse of 1500 of the revolters About this time Corsica also was subdued The year following Cornelius one of the Consuls died at the bath at Cumae into whose place C. Valerius Laevinus was elected Petilius Spurinus the other Consul fighting against the Ligurians laboured to take a certain Mountain called Letus concerning which in his speech to his Soldiers he saying that that day he would take Letus Hodie ego Letum utique capiam by rash fighting confirmed what he had said in another sence viz. wherein Lethum signifieth death than he had meant it These actions abroad were shortly after followed by the second Macedonian War or that with Perseus in the 583 year of the City 24 after the Peace made with his Father and seventeen after the conclusion with Antiochus 13. Perseus in a manner succeeded to this War as well as the Kingdom his Father having intended and made great preparations for it The War with Perseus Puffed up by these preparations he sought to draw away the Allies of the Romans from their friendship and abused several of their friends Their Ambassadors he slighted refusing to give them audience which made the Senate resolve upon the War but it was to be committed to one of the following Consuls only for the present Cn. Sicinius the Praetor of the City was commanded to raise men and transport them into Epirus there to seize on the Sea-towns that the Consul might more freely land his Army Some were sent also into Greece to confirm the States in their friendship and alliance who also demanding audience of Perseus after long waiting he renounced the league made with the Romans as entred into at the beginning of his reign meerly for security Hereupon the Ambassadors renounced also the confederacy made with
occasion of the social War which had been partly promised them 36 years before by Flaccus the Consul who being earnest for it was diverted into Gall by the Senate and afterwards joyned himself in the Tribuneship with the younger Gracchus to no purpose endeavouring with him the passing of it with whom also as is formerly shewn he lost his life Now again their expectation was heightned by Drusus but then was he murdered and all the great ones banished who stood for them by a Law which the Equites by force of Arms obtained who hoped that having the power of Judicature in themselves the profit would be great which would arise in ridding away their Enemies They also thought they had reason enough to expect this privilege from that Citie which was maintained both in its subsistence and Empire by their valour they ever sending out forces double in number to those of the Romans Upon these grounds they resolved to procure by force what could not be by fair means obtained sending Messages to and fro and for the performance of what was agreed on receiving Hostages from one another 26. This being known late enough at Rome so busied with its private seditious contests Spies were sent out into the several quarters One of them seeing a young man of Asculum carried into another Citie as an Hostage therewith acquainted Servilins the Proconsul who going to Asculum and chiding the Citizens was set upon and slain together with all the Romans After this the Conspiracy being quite discovered all broke out into open Rebellion the Marsi Peligni Vestini Marrucini Ferentani Hirpini Picentes Pompeiani Venusini Apulians Lucanians and the old Enemies of the Romans the Samnites They thought good first to send to Rome to complain but the Messengers could not be admitted without repentance for what was already done Preparations for it Hereupon the War vvas committed to both the Consuls L. Julius Caesar and P. Rutilius Lupus to vvhom vvere added Cn. Pompeius Strabo father to Pompey the Great C. Marius vvho had been six times Consul L. Sylla Licinius Crassus C. Perpenna Q. Caepio Q. Metellus Pius son to the Numidian M. Marcellus Val. Messala and T. Didius vvho vvere all sent vvith Proconsular power The forces on either side amounted to 100000 fighting men Rutilius the Consul quickly lost his life falling into an ambush laid for him by the Marsi and many other blows did the Romans receive The Romans receive many blows so that they vvere forced to list such as once had been slaves The bodies of the Consul and those of several others being carried into the Citie the sight of them so discouraged the people that the Senate made a decree that thenceforth the slain should be buried vvhere they died vvhich as a prudent example vvas followed by the Enemy 27. None succeeded Rutilius all the year for that Caesar could not come to a new Election but his Army vvas committed to Marius his Lieutenant and Q. Caepio Caepio vvas killed not long after being intrapped by Popedius one of the Italian Generals Marius now alone commanding the forces did good service as did also Sylla For the following year Cn. Pompeius Strabo and L. Porcius Cato vvere made Consuls Now the Senate thought fit to make such Italians free of the Citie as had not revolted vvhich thing established those vvho something vvavered in their minds and took off the courage of the other already ingaged Yet they chose them not into any of the 35 Tribes but placed them by themselves behind all so that as in voting they could not hinder the rest so seldom vvere they called to vote at all vvhich afterwards considered though not at present vvrought some disturbance Cato the Consul did very good service but thereof boasted so much that he compared himself to Marius for vvhich as he vvas fighting against the Marsi he vvas killed in a croud by Marius his son Pompey overthrew the Picentes and Asculani Having long besieged Asculum he defeated the Enemy which sallied forth killed 18000 of the Marsi took 3000. and being got into Asculum caused all the Officers and principal men to be beaten vvith Rods and then beheaded SECT 5. Sylla his Successor in the Consulship overthrew the Samnites and stormed two of their Camps by vvhich successe elevated he vvent stood for and carried that greatest Office A. M. 3917. Ol. 173. ann 1. V. C. 666. This War vvas ended by him after it had endured above two years Sylla endeth the War in the 666 year of the Citie he the said L. Cornelius Sylla and Q. Pompeius Rufus being Consuls 28. What the Italians could not get with armed hand was given them Conquered at first to all except the Lucanians and Samnites and shortly after to them also but ranked by themselves in the same manner as the former After which freedom of the Citie is given to the Conquered Italians having been before this denied to them Not long after this which was a kind of Civil War there were stirs in the Citie about Usury which being rigorously exacted by the Creditors Asellio the Praetor who withstood it was murdered by them Yet hitherto these Seditions in the Citie were managed but by private persons or in a private manner but now came it to that passe that the heads of the factions got whole Armies to themselves and carried on their interests in open War one against another their own Countrey being as the prize and reward of the victory such were the manners and behaviour of those who through the infirmity of the Government were not able to bear that greatnesse of fortune which from the temperance and moderation of their fathers had descended upon them But an occasion to the first Civil War was ministred by that with Mithridates which began ere the Social or Italian ended SECT V. From the War with Mithridates and first Civil War to the combinanation of Pompey Crassus and Caesar termed by Varro Tricipitina which proved the ruin of the Popular Government for the space for 28 years Mithridates King of Pontus 1. MIthridates was King of Pontus a Countrey of Asia Justin lib. 37. Strabo lib. 10. so called because it lieth upon the Euxine Sea thought by some to have been descended from one of the seven Persians who conspired against the Magi that had usurped after the death of Cambyses He was sirnamed Eupator and Dionysus being a man of a vast mind and ambitious spirit Memnon apud Photium Succeeding his father who was a friend of the people of Rome at thirteen years of age within two years he made away his mother who was left partner with him in the Kingdom and after her his brother also and in his youth he subdued the Kings about Phasis beyond Caucasus His vast designs and great attempts Thirty years after his coming to the Kingdom he thought of no lesse than the Empire of Asia the Romans as he fancied being now sufficiently imployed in
not which the other took in ill part yet sent for him again For having laid out much upon the Fleet he intended to exchange it for some Italian Legions to be used in the Parthian Warr it being difficult for him to raise men in Italy which was subject to Caesar though by their last agreement both were left free there to make their Levies Antony and Caesar make a new agreement and prorogue their power Octavia coming over to her brother agreed them who then made the exchange and because the time of the Triumvirate set by the Senate was almost out prorogued their power for five years longer without any consideration had of the suffrages of the People So Antony departed into Syria Caesar deferring his Expedition into Sicily untill the following year 22. He determined to invade Sicily from three several quarters Lepidus Idem who now joyned with him was to invade it from Africk Taurus from Tarentum and he himself from Puteoli Pompey resolved to oppose him so many several wayes but at this time it needed not for Caesar's Navy was the second time wracked by a Tempest which so puffed up Pompey that he stiled himself Neptune's son But Caesar gave not over the enterprize for the same Summer having recruited his forces and mended his ships he put forth to sea and then though on Lepidus his part were lost two Legions overthrew Pompey's Fleet but was again worsted and yet landed 21 Legions and 2000 Horse besides 5000 lightly armed No great or memorable battel was there on Land but Pompey sent to his Enemy to know if he would fight by Sea fearing his Land-Forces He accepted of his offer and then finally defeated him having sunk 28 of his Vessels The rest were either taken or broken Pompey overthrown by Caesar seventeen onely escaped A. M. 3969. V. C. 718. and at the sight of this overthrow his Land-forces yielded to Caesar so that with his seventeen Vessels he fled to Antony from whom he expected protection having restored formerly his mother safe to him when in such a condition Messana still stood out but the Garrison at length yielded to Lepidus who granted to the Soldiers to draw them to his party the plunder of the Town equal with his own Having now by the addition of those Forces 22 Legions and a strong body of Horse under his command he pleased himself with thoughts of getting all Sicily into his hands to which he pretended a right as first invaded by him and he sought to hinder Caesar all he could from the possession of it 23. Caesar expostulated with him for his ingratitude but to no purpose Then found he means to draw away all his Army from him Appian ut supra Plutarch in Antonio Dio. l. 49. which now was something averse to Civil Warrs and satisfied of the greater worth of Caesar being moreover incensed against their General for making Pompey's Soldiers partakers with them in the plunder of Messana Yet though his Soldiers would have killed him did he save them alive but outed him of all power and banished him One head of the Tricipitina broken off so that thus fell one head of this Tricipitina Pompey not being persued by Caesar craved protection from Antony yet sent to the Parthian in case he should not be received by him Then thought he of seizing upon Syria and the parts adjacent upon a rumour of Antony's being overthrown whereupon he was pursued by his party and at last taken and killed at Midaius a Town of Phrygia as Dio writeth but as Florus and Appian at Miletus in the fourtieth year of his age fourteen years after the death of his Father Pompey killed Caesar at his return restrained roberies in the City setting watches therein and administred things in the antient way by annual Magistrates He burnt all letters written in time of War promising he would restore the Commonwealth as soon as Antony should return who he knew would also lay down the Magistracy all Civil Warrs being ended He was therefore received with luckie acclamations and had a Perpetual Tribuneship bestowed on him as invited by this honour to lay down his other power Concerning this he wrote privately to Antony who whilst Caesar was thus imployed about Pompey had called Cleopatra into Syria and there given her Phoenicia Caelesyria Cyprus a great part of Cilicia with part of Arabia Nabathaea Antony doateth on Cleopatra and so much of Judaea as brought Balsamum Then sending her home he marched into Armenia where yet he could do nothing for desire of her like himself but ever thought of returning to her which shortly after he did but was much troubled in his passage by the Parthians to whom his Army had revolted but that they killed such as first passed over to them 24. The year following and that wherein Pompey was slain Plutarch Dio. he was solicited by the King of Media in conjunction with him to make Warre upon the Parthian but was hindred by stirs which hapned betwixt Cleopatra and Octavia his wife who now returning to him out of Italy met with letters at Athens to stop her there he pretending necessary avocations by Warre Caesar then would have had her come to his house but she would go to her husbands where she educated both his children and her own as became her Then did Antony return into Armenia where he caught the King by a wile and brought him in triumph into Aegypt Now would he be called Father Bacchus His extravagancies in Aegypt as Cleopatra Isis who now was stiled by him Queen of Aegypt Cyprus Africa and Caelesyria Caesario whom she had by Julius Caesar being her partner in these Principalities But his own sons by her Alexander and Ptolomy he named Kings of Kings betwixt whom he did not onely part what Provinces he himself had but also Armenia Parthia and Media and to Cleopatra their daughter assigned Cyrene These things together with the disgrace of his sister provoked Caesar who made report of them to the Senate and People Hereby he incensed men's minds against Antony who shortly after went into Media and entered into league with the King thereof Caesar at the same time fought against several People of Illyrioum and the next year both provided for the Civil War betwixt themselves 25. Antony in way of recrimination to Caesar objected his putting Lepidus besides the Triumvirate and taking his Soldiers as those of Pompey to himself which ought to have been equally free for both and he challenged his part of the Soldiers raised in Italy Caesar and he fall out For Caesar besides what we formerly mentioned accused him of taking Aegypt as his Province Dio l. 50. Florus l. 4. c. 11. killing Pompey abusing Artavasdes the Armenian King to the great infamy of the Roman State but above all upbraided him with Cleopatra and what he had assigned to their children as also for that he owned Caesario as begotten by
India to beg his friendship Returning home he shut the Temple of Janus the second time having formerly so done after his Triumph over Antony and his return out of Egypt which shutting was the third from the foundation of the Citie Strabo lib. 2. But after his return out of Spain it continued not long shut For Aelius Gallus made War against the Arabians and piercing far into their Countrey had subdued all Arabia Foelix but that he was betrayed At the same time also Candace Queen of Aethiopia sent her Captains to invade Egypt but they were repulsed by Petronius Governour of that Countrey for Cornelius Gallus having bespattered Augustus Lib. 17. and for that being condemned by the Senate had killed himself who also pursued them and taking divers Towns forced the Queen to beg peace and returned inriched to Alexandria Dio l. 17. Augustus some time after went into Greece and thence into Syria whither the Parthian now affrighted sent the Ensigns taken at the overthrow of Crassus and flight of Antony and now again did the two Kings of India Pandion and Porus send Ambassodors with presents As he returned home Virgil the Poet met him at Athens who now out of a desire to finish his Aeâ—eiados had resolved to withdraw himself out of the way into Greece and Asia but meeting here with Augustus in whose especial favour he flourished he was drawn back with him and viewing Megara in a very hot season contracted a distemper which was so much increased with sayling that growing still worse Vide vitam Virgilii A. M. 3990. V. C. 735. he died at Brundusium within a few dayes after his landing Virgil dieth in the 52th year of his age on the 12th of September and the 735th year of the Citie C. Sextius and Q. Lucretius being Consuls 37. Augustus his first wife was Scribonia which had been married to two persons of Consular Dignity and by one was a Mother Of her he begat his daughter Julia but within a short time divorced her as he pretended Sueton in Octavio cap. 62. 63 64. because of the perversity of her disposition Then did Nero who had followed L. Antonius to Perusium Augustus his wives and issue but afterwards was reconciled freely yield unto him Livia Drusilla though he had had one son already by her named Tiberius and she was big with another which being born three moneths after she had married Caesar was called Drusus By Livia Augustus had no Children but abortive His daughter Julia he married to Marcellus his sister Octavia's son and after his death to Agrippa making him put away his wife the daughter of Octavia for in a consultation Macenas took the liberty to tell him that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa or take away his life there was no third way he had made him so great By Agrippa she had three sons Caius Lucius and Agrippa Posthuâ—â—us and two daughters Agrippina and Julia. The three sons were adopted by their Grand-father but the two former died before and the later was killed by Tiberius after the death of Augustus Dio lib. 54. Tiberius and Drusus subdued the Rhatians and Vindelicians People of Germany and afterwards the Pannonians and Frisians apart Agrippa was made partaker of the Tribunitial power by Augustus amongst other honours and ruled Syria by himself and Agents ten years Being sent into Pannonia of which Hungaria is part he stilled the Natives by the rumour of his coming and returning into Campania died shortly after Then was Tiberius compelled to mary Julia although he had already to wife Agrippina the daugher of Agrippa Within two or three years after Sueton. in Claudio Drusus having pierced very far into Germany and entered his Consulship together with L. Quintius Crispinus died also leaving two sons viz. Germanicus and Claudius in the 746 year of the City 38. The same year that Drusus died by a fall from his Horse as Livy wrote Sueton in Octavio Plinius l. 18. c. 25. Orosius lib. 6. cap. 21. Dio l. 55. p. 552. A. M. 3996. V. C. 745. Sueton in Tiberio Seneca de beneficiis l. 32. Tacitus Annal. lib. 1. who intended his History just so far Augustus being High-Priest which Office he took not upon him till the death of Lepidus amended the Calendar He amendeth the Calendar corrected formerly by his adoptive Father For in those 36 years there had been made an intercalation of twelve dayes whereas there ought to have been but of nine therefore he commanded that the twelve years following should passe without any intercalation at all that so the three dayes might be swallowed up Now he named August after himself the moneth Sextilis because in it he entered his first Consulship and had the first ensigns of Victory and Power rather than September wherein he was born The moneth â—â—â—ilis called 〈◊〉 hâ—m Aâ—gâ—sâ— Not long after did Tiberius rather by craft than force of Arms again subdue the Germans who maintained a most difficult Warre After his Triumph he withdrew himself into the Island Rhodes either because of Caius and Lucius or by reason of the intolerable dishonesty of his wife Julia for she was so abominably wanton that her father at length banished her into the Island Pandataria and very imprudently in his anger revealed her naughty cariage in way of complaint to the Senate of which indiscretion being afterward sensible he would often say that if either Agrippa or Maecenas had lived no such thing had hapened to him 39. Agrippa as we said having quieted Pannonia died after his return into Campania in the 743 year of the City three years before Drusus A. M. 3993. V. C. 743. Lib. 7. c. 8. Pliny telleth that they were first called Agrippae which were born with the feet forward as if a man should say born hardly or with much adoe And in this manner The death of Agrippa saith he as they say M. Agrippa came forth of his mothers womb the onely man almost known to have brought any good fortune with him and prospered in the World of all that were in that sort born Yet he was much pained with the Gout and passed all his youth and many a day after in bloody Wars and in danger of a thousand deaths Unfortunate he was in his children and especially in his two daughters the Agrippinae who brought forth two children pernicious to the whole Earth namely C. Caligula and Domitius Nero Emperours He died in the 51 year of his age A. M. 3997. V. C. 746. Velleius l. 2. c. 88. Dio l. 55. p. 552. tormented and vexed with the adulteries of his wife and oppressed with the intolerable servitude in which he lived under her father Four years after him and the year after Drusus died Maecenas the other favourite of Augustus Of Maecenas and the great Patron of Learned men He was in as great grace with Caesar as Agrippa though lesse honoured
he went to Rhodes to visit Caesar from whom he concealed not the love he bore to Antony but with notable courage declaring it withall signified that he was ready to serve him as faithfully which so wrought upon the magnificent Prince that he liked him extremely and confirmed him in his estate Is reconciled to Caesar having sided with Antony After Caesar's return out of Aegypt into Syria he entertained him and as he thereby procured the reputation of a noble and heroick spirit so also an addition to his Kingdom Yet was he unfortunate at home having commanded several times that if any thing hapened in his absence they should make away his beloved wife Mariamne She hearing of it used him frowardly whereat being inraged he was throughly perswaded to put her to death by his sister Salome which envious woman feigned certain accusations against her Killeth his wife Mariamne But after the deed was done having extraordinarily loved her he fell even mad and thereby into a great sicknesse so that casting off all Government he departed to Samaria then called Sebaste in honour of Augustus 42. Alexandra in the mean time endeavoured to get the strong places of Jerusalem into her hands wherewith he being acquainted Cap. 11 c. ordered her to be put to death Groweth cruel and then returning to the City grew exceeding cruel and distasteful The prejudice was increased by his making Games in honour of Caesar and hanging his Theatre with Trophies which the People sorely distasted as being by their Religion principled against Pictures Ten men conspired against him but were discovered and put to death Not long after he redeemed his credit by liberality in a great dearth and maried the daughter of Simon whom he preferred to the Priesthood having displaced Jesus the son of Phabes Then did he imploy his time and treasure in sumptuous and royal buildings as that of Caesarea amongst the rest formerly called the Tower of Straton and he built a Temple to the honour of Augustus who had again inlarged his Dominions and bestowed a Tetrarchy at his desire upon his brother Pheroras To the People which was ready to mutinie because of his idolatry he released the third part of their Tributes to please them forbad all their meetings punished severely such as were obstinate and bound the rest to him by an oath After this taking down the old Temple of Jerusalem he built another much more stately and magnificent being a Work of most admirable beauty in the space of nine years and six moneths Repaireth the Temple at at Jerusalem during which time it 's said that it onely rained on nights lest the Work should be hindred In the dedication he sacrificed 300 Oxen and the rest of the People according to their abilities He made a Law that thieves which broke walls should be sold for slaves out of the Kingdom Josephus Antiq. l. 16. c. 1 c. Which the People ill resented as against their Religion which not onely provided otherwise concerning thieves but would be broken also by these men who must necessarily serve Idolaters Now he himself fetched from Rome Alexander and Aristobulus his sons by Mariamne whom having sent thither to be bred Augustus had kindly entertained These youths were feared by Salome and Pheroras as intending to revenge their mothers death and therefore they resolved they must not live especially she that was incouraged by the successe she had had against their mother And they presented her with an opportunity of accusing them seeming indeed not to be well affected toward their father desiring the Kingdom and exclaiming greatly against the authors of their mother's death Herod troubled hereat called to Court Antipater his son begotten when he was a private man that opposing him against them he might make them more carefull of their behaviour But thereby were they more incensed and Antipater making use of his time got more and more into his father's affections who commended him in especial manner to Caesar though he had not a thought at first of making him his Heir and sent him to Rome to procure the Emperour's favour 43. Antipater improving his father's displeasure against his brothers Idem ibid. cap. 7. c. effected that he carried them to Augustus then at Aquileia and grievously accused them of an intention to poyson him Accuseth his two sons begotten of Mariamne unto Caesar Yet the young men by their tears and Alexander's refutation of the calumny so moved Caesar that he reconciled them and for that Herod had given him 300 Talents and been very liberal as his custom was to be in all places unto the people of Rome he bestowed on him half of the profits of the Mines in Cyprus and gave him liberty to leave which of his sons he pleased his Successor or if he would to distribute his Kingdom amongst them all which Herod presently would have done but Caesar would not permit it In his absence the Inhabitants of Trachonitis a considerable part of his Kingdom rebelled and were reduced by his Captains After his return he made a speech to the people and named to succeed him first Antipater and then his sons by Mariamne which naming a Successor beforehand when the inheritance is uncertain hath ever wrought great inconvenience to both parties Cap. 11. c. After he had opened David's Sepulchre to search for Treasure as John Hyrcanus had done before him where he found none except very costly Attire After his rifling of Davids Sepulchre his affairs decline and Ornaments of Gold 't is observed that his family fell into a very sad condition nothing being heard but complaints accusations one against another The greatest part of Antipater's malice fell upon Alexander and the Court hereby was filled with tortures and slaughters Herod suspecting all and trusting none put many to death and those of his most intimate friends and committed Alexander to prison being captivated by so great a fear of an untimely death that he was almost ready to run mad These things were diverted by the rebellion of the Inhabitants of Trachonitis which Countrey Caesar having taken it from Zenodorus gave unto him who again revolting were protected by Syllaeus an Arabian that being to marry his sister Salome was rejected because he would not turn Jew Saturninus and Volumnius Presidents of Syria resolved he might by force of Arms chastize these Rebels whereupon he entred Arabia and having formerly destroyed their families which they left in their Corn Countrey took a Castel they held there Syllaeus now being at Rome accused Herod unto Caesar as having wasted all Arabia and he so far believed it that he twice denied his Ambassadors audience The Rebels and Arabians hereupon did him much injury which he was glad to put up for the present but sent Nicholaus Damascenus to plead his cause 44. He first joyned with the Ambassadors of Aretas King of Arabia Cap. 16. c. â—â— in accusing
and exact in reforming manners by degrees falling into his natural humour Envieth Germanicus From the beginning he was much afflicted with the fame of Germanicus his brother Drusus his son by nature begotten of Antonia the younger daughter of Antony the Triumvir by Octavia the sister of Augustus concerning which Antonia Pliny reporteth that she never spate and his own by adoption who now prosperously carried on the War in Germany Within two or three years a very plausible occasion presented it self for the calling of him back from those Legions which were so much at his devotion For it hapned then that the Parthians were in great commotions about their Kings Phraates had 27 years before for his own security sent four of his sons as Hostages to Rome through the procurement of his wife I hermusa an Italian woman Josephus Antiquit lib. 18. cap. 3. which having been formerly his Concubine had then a son by him and that this her son might obtain the Crown got the rest to be sent out of the way and then they two murdered the King This Bastard called Phraataces reigned but being hated by the people for his paricide was not long after slain and then was set up one Orodes of the family of the Arsacidae who being also hated for his cruelty came to the same end Tacitus Annal. l. 2. Then sent the Parthians for one of the Hostages and Vonones the eldest was dismissed by Tiberius But they counting it a disgrace for any to reign over them who as they termed it had been a slave to Caesar rebelliously cast him off and called in Artabanus who then reigned in Media and was also one of the Arsacidae or the blood royal of Parthia He at his first entrance was repulsed by Vonones but the second time overthrew him and got possession of the Kingdom Vonones retiring into Armenia sent to Tiberius for aid who for that Artabanus threatned hard and the principal of the Armenians were of his faction did not think fit to make War upon him therefore Vonones yielded himself to Creticus Silanus who governed Syria and Artabanus set Orodes one of his own sons over Armenia At the same time Antiochus King of Commagena dying Sueton in Tiberio cap. 49. Tacitus ut priùs a contention arose betwixt the Nobility and Commons the former would have the Countrey reduced into the form of a Roman Province but the people were for a King Now also Philopator King of Cilicia being dead his subjects were divided upon the very same grounds Syria also and Judaea being weary of their burthens desired a diminution of their Tributes 57. Idem cap. 43. Tiberius now perswaded the Senate that the abilities of Germanicus were requisit for quieting the East whereupon the Provinces beyond the Seas were decreed to him with larger power than had been granted to any that governed them either by lot or the gift of the Prince Germanicus was often importuned by Tiberius upon this ground to return yet intent upon his businesse he first subdued several Nations in Germany and by the overthrow of Arminius obtained great glory which was something obscured at last by a shipwrack It was the design of Tiberius to expose him unto danger and treachery therefore he removed Silanus his friend and put Cn. Piso a froward man into his room to whom he gave in charge some secret thing as many believed Under pretence of quieting the East exposeth him to danger and treachery Germanicus being thus expelled to compose the affairs of the East as * Sueton in Caligula cap. 1. Tacitus ibid. cap 56. one truely termeth it placed Zeno the son of Polemo King of Pontus over Armenia Q. Veranius a Knight had the oversight of Cappadocia which was made a Province for Archelaus the King thereof courted not Tiberius enough when he was at Rhodes and therefore was called to Rome and there kept till his death Q. Servaeus also was set over Commagena Artabanus sent to Germanicus about renewing the league and good correspondence desiring that Vonones might not be kept in Syria nor suffered by his Messengers to sow discord amongst the people offering him also leave to come to the bank of Euphrates to which he answered as became the State and himself This year died Livy the Historian Euseb in Chronico who was born at Padua and also Ovid the Poet having remained a banished man in Pontus several years whither the displeasure of Augustus confined him either for that he had seen him do some unseemly thing which he would not have known or for publishing his wanton books concerning Love A. D. 19. V.C. 771. Lib. 2. De Tristibus as he hints himself This was the 771 year of the Citie the 19th after the birth of Christ Tiberius Augustus the third and Germanicus Caesar the second time being Consuls 58. Germanicus the year following made a voyage into Egypt Tacitus lib. 2. Capp 59 60 c. A. D. 20. V. C. 772. Sueton in Caligula cap. i 2 3 4 c. Josephus Antiquit l. 18 c. 8. to view it for the rarity of its Antiquities for which he was chidden by Tiberius as going without his leave Thence returning into Syria he was most shamefully and without any measure affronted by Piso and at length died of a lingring disease at Antioch Who dieth of a lingring disease at Antioch being thought to miscarry by the fraud of Tiberius and the Ministry of Piso who plainly said that he must either displease Father or Son But the fruit he reaped in pleasing thus the Father was but unpleasing for returning to Rome the year following he escaped narrowly tearing in pieces by the people and being condemned by the Senate killed himself For Germanicus there was an universal mourning not onely in Rome and the Provinces but also amongst Barbarians and Enemies themselves He was a person excellently accomplished and of a most sweet disposition whereby he became the love and delight of the people and Augustus long debating with himself whether he should not leave him his Successor at length caused Tiberius to adopt him who 't is thought being restrained by fear and reverence of him after his death broke out into such courses as made the other more missed and glorious By his wife Agrippina the daughter of Agrippa and Julia he died father of three sons His issue viz. Nero Drusus and Caius and of as many daughters He died in the 34th year of his age and that which followed his second Consulship M. Junius Solanus and C. Norbanus Flaccus being Consuls 59. Three or four years after was Tiberius punished in his own kind by the poysoning of his own son Drusus and that by his greatest favourite Aelius Seianus This man being the son of Seius Strabo a Roman Knight Tacitus Annal. lib. 4. when very young followed Caius the Nephew of Augustus and afterwards by divers Arts wound himself into the affections of Tiberius
obtain their help but he refused A. D. 66. V. C. 818. The next after him that was put to death was Annaeus Seneca the Philosopher and Nero's School-master Seneca his School-master put to death not being convicted of any treason though accused by one Natalis as it 's thought to please Caesar such an earnest desire his Scholar had to dispatch him having formerly without effect attempted it by poyson Being commanded to dye he did it very chearfully though he was forced to seek for death several wayes For he had so starved himself with abstinence that he could not bleed and poyson would not work upon him but at length entering into a bath he was stifled with the fume of it having all this while discoursed even to his last according to his wonted elegancy such excellent things as being then taken from his mouth came afterwards abroad Such was the end of this excellent Philosopher concerning the character of whom Students are rather to trust to Cornelius Tacitus than to Dio if Justus Lipsius be a competent Judge Dio accuseth him of extortion adultery with Agrippina and what not He maketh him a Sodomite and to have taught his Scholar that wickednesse Lipsius his Apology for him against Dio. as also the cause and procurer of the death of Agrippina and a cart-load of other Calumnies saith * Quam consule in Comment ad Taciti Annal l. 14. omnino ad l. 15. Lipsius doth the idle man heap upon him contrary to the belief and mind of all men What cause was there of this hatred or what reward had he for lying for Seneca lived so long before him that he neither could injure him nor oblige him I believe saith he it was a certain perversity of judgement and manners which also set him keen against Cicero and all good men I desire that youth may take heed and so to gather the flowers of Antiquity from these fields that they do not also gather poison But as for what concerneth the riches and galantry of Seneca see Reader and read his excellent Treatise De vita beata which he wrote with no other design than to stop the mouthes of these Calumniators especially from the seventeenth Chapter Thus hath Lipsius prevented us in our Apology for this excellent person in whose vindication much might be said 36. Pompeia Paullina the wife of Seneca Dio calleth her a most noble woman perhaps the daughter of Pompeius Paullinus to whom Tacitus giveth the title of Consularis and who was set over the publick customs or imposts cut also her veins that she might die with him but Nero bearing her no malice as it happened sent some to stop the bleeding and recover her Seneca had another brother besides the father of Lucan who was also put to death This was Annaeus Novatus otherwise called Junius Gallio from his adoptive Father being also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and then Governour of Achaia Their Father was M. Annaeus Seneca a Rhetorician of Coruba in Spain whose Suasories and Controversies are yet extant joyned to his sons Works Nero proceeded in his madnesse and cruelties Acting the Stage-player still he was reviled at his return home by Poppaea his wife for which he kicked her great with child and thereupon she miscaried Then raged he against many of greatest note Nero killeth Poppaea amongst whom was Mela the father of Lucan who had formerly perished for the conspiracy and this allaied the grief which was conceived for the death of many others by the pestilence that now raged because they seemed thereby well delivered from the fury and rage of the Prince who now neither used choice nor measure in his slaughters Being puffed up with the successe of his cruelty he said that None of his Predecessors knew their power hinting also that he meant to destroy the remnant of the Senators It was believed he had a great desire to deliver up quick men to be devoured of an Aegyptian a monstrous eater of raw flesh or any other thing that was given him 37. Neither was there wanting to him luxury and effeminatenesse suitable to his cruelty nor any other vice whereby the truth of that saying of Domitius his father might appear who hearing of his birth said that Of himself and Agrippina could proceed nothing but accursed detestable Vide. Sueton. in Nerone c. 1 2 3 4 5. and to the dammage of the Commonwealth For in him seemed to meet and be conjoyned not onely all the vices of his own family which of late had been too pregnant of them but all the corruption of his Country from the beginning to his very time The heighth of his wickednesse He lengthened his feasts from Noon to Midnight accounting no use of riches but in the abuse of them Such he thought to be sordid and base as took account of their expenses and he extolled and admired his Uncle Caius for spending in so short a time so vast sums as had been hoarded up by Tiberius To Tiridates that came to Rome to take the Diadem from his hands he allowed an incredible sum for his daily expenses and as profusely gratified him at his departure He put on no garment twice plaid for vast sums at dice fished with a golden net when he journyed any whither he never had lesse than 1000 Caroches in his train Idem ibid. c. 31 32. Tacitus Annal. lib. 15. c. 42. and he caused his mules to be shod with Silver But his house exceeded all belief having built it out of the ruines of the City For length for pleasantnesse of groves and fish-ponds it was incredible garnished also with Gold and precious stones To the madnesse of this expence he was incouraged by one that made him fair promises of discovering a vast treasure in Africk which Dido the Queen flying out of Tyre should thence bring with her But being deceived as was likely with so foolish a project he took such courses as became Nero to recruit his coffers 38. When Tiridates was departed into Armenia he went into Greece there to act Tragedies to sing and run races in the Chariot Running in the Olympick Games although he fell from his Chariot yet he was rewarded with a crown as Victor He took from Apollo the Cyrrhaean Territory and defaced the place whence they were wont to receive Oracles killing men at the hole whence the blast came He attempted to cut through the Isthmus of Peloponnesus digging first himself and carying out the first basket of Earth upon his shoulders but with the same successe as others had before him When he was in Achaia news came from Cestius Gallus President of Syria concerning the rebellion of the Jews Being long vexed with the injuries of the Deputies and Governours they could no longer contain themselves Christ's blood lying heavy upon them and crying for vengeance they themselves executed part of it The Jews rebel For such robberies in the Country A. D. 67.
built Castles at Jericho and Adida and made all things ready for the siege but hearing of Nero's death and the succession of Galba he deferred the Expedition and sent Titus to know Galba's pleasure But as Titus sailed by Achaia he heard of his end and Otho's advancement whereupon he returned to his Father Uncertain what would ensue and who should be Emperour they neglected the Warre against the Jews Vespasian subdueth all except three Castles and Jerusalem for they feared their own Country and therefore thought it an unfit time to assault strangers Yet he drew out his Army from Caesarea and subdued all forts of Judaea save three Castles Herodium Massada and Macheron which were kept by the thieves Besides these Jerusalem onely remained to be conquered 9. Vespasian hearing of Otho's death and having compassion on the State thought of freeing the Commonwealth from the tyranny of Vitellius but for that it was now Winter and he was at a great distance from Rome he strove to conceal that indignation which he had conceived But Mucianus President of Syria perswaded him to it very earnestly certain Soldiers also who were removed out of Syria into Maesia giving him large commendations the three Legions which proceeded as far as Aquileia to help Otho resolved to proceed notwithstanding his death and put Vespasian's name into their Colours First of all others Tiberius Alexander Governour of Aegypt Tacitus Histor lib. 3 4. Sueton in Vitellio Josephus de bello Judaico l. 5. c. 10 12 13 14. on the first of July swore the Legions to him and two daies after the Army in Judaea compelling him with threats to take the Government upon him took the oath The Armies in the East declare for Vespasian The Armies then in several Provinces declaring for him he sent Mucianus with forces into Italy and went himself to Alexandria to make sure of Aegypt The Maesian Legions hearing of Mucianus his coming chose Antonius Primus an excellent Soldier who had been banished by Nero and restored by Galba for their Captain and hasted for Italy that they might have the plunder of the Country Caecina otherwise called Allienus the General of Vitellius made haste and got to Cremona before them but considering the effeminatenesse of his Army he hearkned to the friendly advice sent him by Antonius and perswaded his Soldiers by laying before them the weaknesse of Vitellius and the force of his adversary to revolt They accordingly sware fealty to Vespasian but presently repenting cast bonds upon their General as a traytor and exhorted even Antonius to imbrace the quarrel of Vitellius then coming to blows though they wanted a Leader maintained a most sharp fight both parties being possessed with such fury as night it self could not sever them They knew and talked to one another nay intermitting the fight for some time gave victuals one to another and yet after their repasts fell to it again But in a morning the Soldiers of the third Legion saluting according to the fashion the rising Sun Vitellius his men thought Mucianus was arrived and thereupon betook themselves to Cremona where loosing Caecina they procured him to make their Peace and the Maesian Army entering the Town made great disorder 10. Vitellius hearing of this was amazed and not knowing what to do became ridiculous unto all men for his affairs went down the wind in all places Vitellius is to seek what to do He covenanted then with Flavius Sabinus the brother of Vespasian for his own safety and presently after at the stairs of the Palace before many Soldiers professed he would give up the Empire which he had unwillingly taken upon him But the Soldiers crying out against it he deferred the thing and in the morning went to the Rostra in a mourning habit where with many tears out of a paper he uttered the same words he had before spoken to the Soldiers who again interrupting him the People bad him be of good chear and promised him their assistance Taking courage hereat he forced Sabinus who was Governour of the City with others into the Capitol which setting on fire he suppressed them Sabinus being put to death whose nephew Domitian afterwards Emperour was hid by the Priest of Jupiter's Temple and escaped Then would he have had the Senate send Ambassadors to the Enemy with the Vestal Nuns to beg Peace or at least so much time as to consider what was to be done But Vespasian's Soldiers inraged at the report of the besieging of the Capitol made haste Petilius Cerealis being sent before with a thousand Horse set upon the City but was forced to retreat Antonius Primus coming on with the rest of the Army many skirmishes hapned till such time as the Guards being beaten from off the bridge Vespasian's men entred the Citie with great fury wherein they committed grievous outrages Vitellius was pulled out of an hole in the Palace where he lurked at first unknown but being discovered he desired he might be kept in prison for that he had something to reveal which concerned the safety of Vespasian But his hands being tied behind him Is killed and an halter cast about his neck A. D. 70. Ol. 212. an 1. V. C. 822. he was dragged half naked into the Market-place and abused in the way both by many words and deeds was killed with many blows and cast after the fashion of Traitors into Tiber. This hapned in the 57th year of his age after he had held the Government eight moneths and five dayes The day following Mucianus entred the Citie Vespasian ere his departure from Egypt ordereth his son Titus to besiege Jerusalem and the Soldiers being hindred from any further slaughters the Empire was by the Senate decreed to Vespasian who hearing these things at Alexandria receiving congratulatory Embassies from all quarters and having setled affaires in Egypt ere he set forward for Rome ordered his son Titus to set upon Jerusalem and finish the War in Judaea 11. Whilest Vespasian and Vitellius were yet disputing the controversie Tacitus Histor lib. 4. great commotions hapned in Germany Commotions in Germany the Batavians now Inhabitants of Holland in the Low-Countreys rebelling first at the instigation of Claudius Civilis the most eminent amongst them who having been sent prisoner in Chains unto Nero and dismissed by Galba came into danger again under Vitellius the Army requiring that he should be put to death He drew into the conspiracy besides the Caninafates a more inconsiderable people inhabiting the same Island by secret messages the Auxiliaries of Britain and the Batavian Cohorts which then quartered at Mogontiacum now Mentz They cast out or destroyed the Roman Garrisons overthrew Aquilius Captain of the Vantguard and after him Mumius Lupercus the Lieutenant Herennius Gallus also endeavouring to hinder the march of the Batavian Cohorts was worsted by them Civilis after the coming of the Cohorts to colour the matter sware his Soldiers to Vespasian and besieged
Lucius and was commanded to adopt Marcus but they being both young Hadrian adopted Pius and commanded him to adopt Lucius and Marcus Antoninus Pius F. Auâ—elius Fulvius Antoninus for his goodnesse sirnamed Pius the son of Aurelius Fulvius and born in Gall within the Alpes succeeded Adrian There was little stir in the Provinces during his reign onely something was done in Britain against the Natives by Lollius his Lieutenant and some bickering with the Jews the last and weakest struglings of a dying Nation Now was another wall of turf made in Britain and for the Victories obtained by Lollius Urbicus the Emperour was saluted Britanicus who as * In Arcadicis Pausanias telleth us fined the Brigantes part of their grounds because they had fallen with War upon the Genunii the Allies of the Roman People And at this time saith Cambden as we collect out of Jabolenus Seius Saturnius was Archigubernus of the Navy in Britain But whether by this title he was an Admiral of the said Navy or a principal Pilot or the Master of a ship I would have the Lawyers to tell Antoninus ruled with such care moderation and humanity that he was called another Numa all things flourishing in calmnesse and tranquility He repaired several Cities that had been overturned with Earthquakes in which and other respects Pausanias giveth him large commendations He was excellently learned a subtil and deep Philosopher He was rendered favourable to Christianity by the Apologies of Justin Martyr and the supplications of others in behalf of the faithful in Asia which were grieved with all sorts of contumelies practized against them by their Provincials He graciously sent a constitution in their behalf unto the body of Asia which was read at Ephesus in the audience of this great Assembly and yet is preserved to our sight in the end of Justin Martyr his second Apology and by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History according to this tenour 16. The Emperour Caesar Titus Aelius Adrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius Pontifex Maximus fifteen times enjoying the power of Tribune four times Consul not thrice as it is corruptly written in Eusebius Father of the Country to the People of Asia Health I know the gods are careful to disclose hurtful persons For they punish such as will not worship them more grievously than you do those whom you bring in trouble confirming that opinion which they have of you to be wicked and ungodly men It 's their desire in Gods quarrel His edict in behalf of the Christians rather to die than live So that they become conquerours yielding their lives unto the death rather than to obey Edicts It shall seem very necessary to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen amongst us that being therewith moved you may compare our estate with theirs They have more confidence to Godward than you have you during the time of your ignorance despise other gods contemn the Religion of the immortal God banish the Christians which worship him and persecute them unto the death In the behalf of these men many of the Principal Presidents have written heretofore unto our Father of famous memory whom he answered in writing again that they were not to be longer molested unlesse they had practized treason against the Roman Empire And many have informed us of the same matter whom we answered as our Father did before us If any therefore hereafter be found thus busied in other mens affaires we command that the accused be absolute and free though he be found such an one I mean as faulty and that the accuser be grievously punished That this Edict was proclamed at Ephesus in the hearing of the great Assembly of Asia witnesse is Meliton saith Eusebius Bishop of Sardis who flourished at that time in his profitable Apology for our doctrine delivered unto the Emperour Verus But Antoninus died on the Nones of March after he had reigned 22 years seven moneths and 26 dayes in the first year of the 235 Olympiad the 914 of the City A. D. 161. In his time flourished besides many excellent Lawyers and Justin the Christian Philosopher the son of Priscus Bacchius and born in Flavia a new City of Palaestine as he saith himself Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Galen that excellent Physician and Aelian Writer of the natural and various Histories 17. In the first year of Pius died Telesphorus Bishop of Rome on the Nones of January Bishops the Sea was vacant seven dayes both the terms being excluded and then Hyginus the ninth Bishop succeeded on the Ides of January and the first feria In the fifth of Pius died Hyginus on the third of the Ides of January and Pius succeeded him when Sex Erucius Clarus and Cn. Claudius Severus as Damasus will have it were Consuls which if it be true the Sea was vacant four years In the thirteenth of Pius Damasus died Pius the Bishop on the fifth of the Ides of July and his seat being vacant fourteen dayes Anicetus the eleventh succeeded him on the 25 of July the first feria (a) Euseb l. 4. c. 5 6. From the Passion of our Saviour till the eighteenth year of Adrian there were fifteen Bishops in the Church of Jerusalem all Jews In the which year after the utter overthrow the siege and conquering of the City under the said Aelius Adrianus Jerusalem was called Aelia and began to be inhabited of strange Nations Until (b) Idem l. 4. c. 22. wellnigh this time this Church was called a pure and uncorrupted Virgin for till about the year 110 there was no false doctrine sown there Of the Gentiles (c) Idem l. 4. c. 6. l. 5. c. 11. Marcus was the first Bishop of Jerusalem After Abilius (d) Idem l. 3. c. 21. Cerdo was Bishop of Alexandria in the first year of Trajan where he continued thirteen years Him succeeded Primus who continued in the Sea twelve years After Primus was (e) Idem l. 4. c. 4 5. Justus Bishop of Alexandria where he continued eleven years After Justus (f) Idem l. 4. c. 5 11. Eumenes was Bishop and so continued thirteen years He was succeeded by Marcus who governed that Church ten years Then followed (g) Idem l. 4. c. 11 20. Celadion who continued fourteen years And in the Sea of Antioch that we may still continue the series of Bishops formerly began after Heros who succeeded Ignatius (h) Idem l. 4. c. 20. Cornelius was Bishop about the twelfth of Adrian Hereticks 18. After the Bishops and Fathers of the Church it 's convenient to continue the series of Hereticks formerly laid down About the year 110 (a) Euseb l. 4. c. 22. Thebulis was the first Heretick in the Church of Jerusalem It 's said that he fell from the Faith because they would not chuse him Bishop after Simeon About the same time were certain Hereticks called Ophitae who worshipped a Serpent and thought that the Serpent which
of Adrian in the * Lib. 4. c. 25. words of Melita Bishop of Sardis who wrote an Apology to the Emperour and also * C. 13. exemplifieth the Epistle it self This letter also of M. Antoninus Philosophus is extant in the most antient Copy of the Vatican library in the end of Justin Martyr's works added by some studious and well-affected person first translated into Greek out of Latin and again into Latin out of Greek most accurately as we are informed by Syâ—burgius in his Annotations upon Justin Martyr But the Emperour being called into Pannonia for the finishing of the War there and passing into Sarmatia fell sick Hereupon seriously bethinking himself what might happen to the Empire in the minority of his son these parts being not fully reduced to obedience especially in case he should degenerate from the worth of his ancestors and give himself up to luxury and cruelty he called his friends together and seriously commended him unto them to be advised and assisted for the best After this he lived but one day and a night to the grief of all men He died at Vendebona the 17 of March in the 58 year of his age M. Aurelius dieth and of his Empire the 19 the 932 of the City A.D. 180. Arrius Praeseus the 2 time and Aelius Gordianus being Consuls Commodus 31. Herodianus l. 1. Olymp. 239. an 4. V. C. 932. A. D. 180. Commodus his son for whose sake Dio maketh the Physicians to have killed him succeeded him having two years before been made a Consul through a dispensation with the Lex Annaria as Lampridius writeth although it seemeth something strange that this Law could take place upon those to whom the title of Augustus was not denied Being owned by the Army for some time he governed according to the direction of his Father's friends but being obnoxious to flatterers by reason of his youth who sought to make their own ends out of him he shotly after contrary to the judgement of his best Counsellors made a dishonourable Peace with the Enemy and away he went to enjoy the pleasures of Rome where he was joyfully received for his fathers sake his beatuty also much commending him to the eye For a time he here also harkned to his fathers friends but making one Perennius an old Soldier Captain of his Guards he being excessively covetous allured him at first by pleasures to idlenesse and neglect of businesse then governing all himself he falsely accused them and others of the richer sort that he might seize on their estates This his design was furthered by Lucilla the Emperour's sister who grudging that Crispina Commodus his wife should take place of her entered into a conspiracy against her brother and ingaged one Quadratus a young Noble man therein who perswaded Quintianus to kill Commodus His difficulties But he meeting him had no power to do the deed onely shewing his dagger said The Senate sends thee this and so was apprehended and put to death with his complices These words concerning the Senate thus foolishly spoken never went out of the Emperours mind but made him suspect all the Fathers which advantage Perennius took and perswaded him to kill all the chiefest of them This being performed this man affected the Soveraignty but was in good time discovered both he and his sons whom he had sent into Illyricum to draw the Legions to revolt and received their reward 32. Commodus to prevent the too great power of one man put two into his place Cleander and Niger for the time to come and yet presently after had more plots laid for his life There was one Maternus who practising the trade of robbery got a great company of Highway-men together and making himself Captain of a considerable Army wasted Gall and Spain and thence repelled resolved to venture for the Soveraignty it self Having but little hope to obtain it by force because of the People and the Pretorian bands he betook him to his wits At that time the Annual solemnity was kept in honour of the mother of their gods wherein it was lawful for Soldiers or any other to imitate Magistrates or their Officers Taking this opportunity he sent some of his Soldiers privily armed to get amongst the Sargeants and Officers of the Emperour and so to kill him but being betrayed by his own party he and his plot both miscaried After this succeeded a terrible Pestilence accompanied with a Famine which Cleander a Phrygian one who from a slave came into greatest power made an occasion to advance himself He bought up all the Corn thinking by a largesse thereof to purchase the Empire of the Soldiers and People but these rising against him as the cause of the Dearth and Plague too after that with great difficulty by reason of his power the matter was revealed to Commodus he also received his reward These things caused the Emperour to be jealous of all men to cast off all care of State affaires and giving ear to every back-biter to kill any Hence also no persons of worth being admitted into his presence he was ruled by dissolute companions and fell more and more into disorder 33. He turned chariot-driver Idem ibid. Orosius l. 7. c. 16. and spent his time in killing beasts with darts and other unworthy exercises He was the best markesman that ever was known scarcely ever missing any mark he aimed at He publickly killed multitudes of wild beasts upon the theatre amongst the rest a Panthere which just being about to devour a man he hit and slew in the nick of time as she was about to seize on him In stead of Commodus the son of Marcus he commanded himself to be called Hercules the son of Jupiter Casting off the usual Robe of Princes in complyance with that name he would lye on a Lyons skin and have a club in his hand yet he would wear purple garments and cloath of Gold His cariage To his former title he added Amazonian and Conquerour Rome he stilled Immortal and Fortunate and the World His Colony A great fire hapened in the City which burned that excellent Library gathered by his Praedecessors with the Temple of Peace and other buildings which accident as the People accounted an ill omen so they laid the guilt upon him knowing well his practices which he never strove to conceal Though his throwing of darts upon the theatre much derogated from the Imperial Majesty they were indifferently pleased with it but when he came naked upon the stage and acted the common fencer it seemed intolerable At length at the Feast of Janus resolving not to proceed from his Palace as Emperour but as a Fencer from the fencing School attended with such like to the view of the People this occasioned his end 34. For this his resolution being known to his Friends Martia his beloved Concubine Laetus his General and Electus his Chamberlain laboured with all intreaties to divert him from so shameful a