who were the Founders of their Rites and Customs as also how long they had continued in that discipline and then endeavour'd to perswade them to change for the better Afterwards applying himself to his Disciples he commanded them to ask whatsoever they would and told them that whosoever would Philosophize so as he did should in the morning first converse with the Gods then as the day grew on discourse concerning the Gods and last of all consult of humane Affairs Now when he had answer'd all such Questions as were asked him by his Companions and was satisfied with their Converse he would then apply himself to the multitude yet never in the forenoon but only towards the evening And when he had discours'd with them so much as he thought convenient he would be 6 anointed and afterwards being rubbed he went into cold Water saying that 7 Hot Baths were the old age of Mankind from which when the Antiochians were expell'd for their enormous vices Apollonius said the King hath granted to you long life for your wickedness Also the 8 Ephesians being about to stone the Master of the Baths for not making them hot enough Apollonius said unto them Ye accuse the Bath-master because you do not bathe well but I accuse you for that you bathe at all Illustrations on Chap. 12. 1 ANtioch sirnamed the Great There were divers Cities among the Ancients which bore this Name One the chief City of Pisidia lying in the lesser Asia and now by the Turks called Versacgeli Long. 61 20. Lat. 39 36. Another upon the Mountain Cragus being a City of the Cilician shore bordering upon Pisidia and Pamphylia and lying between Selinuntes and Nephelis two adjacent Cities Long. 62 30. Lat. 38 30. Another of Margiana which as Pliny writes was called by some Alexandria by others Seleucia but at this day named Indion Another in Caria now called Pythopolis Another near the Mountain Taurus a Bishop's See Long. 68 40. Lat. 39 20. This City took its Name from Antiochus the Great who fled from Syria to that place when he was overcome by the Romans herein St. Luke the Evangelist was born Another which is the Metropolitan City of Mesopotamia call'd at this day Nisibis founded by King Seleucus who therefore Christned it after the name of his Father Antiochus it stands upon the River Tigris There were likewise seven other Cities called by the Ancients after this name which being inconsiderable I shall here omit But Antioch the Great mention'd in this place by Philostratus was a famous City of Syria built by Seleucus Nicanor to whom in honour of his memory in Mount Casius they observed sacred Solemnities as to a Demi-god this was sometimes the Seat of the Syrian Kings third City of the Roman Empire third Seat of the Christian Patriarchs and place where the first Council wâ—s held also wherein men first receiv'd the name of Christians Long. 68.10 Lat. 36.20 This City was called by some Epiphanâ— by others Reblatha or Rebla by others Theopolis or the City of God and by others the Daphnean Antioch because it is but five miles distant from the Sacred Daphne Villonovanus calleth it Aleppo upon which indeed it bordereth and by others it is named Alexandria however in our common Maps they appear to be three distinct Cities bordering upon one another Strabo in his Geography lib. 16. tells us that there were four Cities viz. Antioch near Daphne Seleucia in Pieria Apamea and Laodicea which by reason of their concord were called Sisters he saith that all four were built by Seleucus Nicanor who named the first Antioch the Great from his Father Antiochus the second Seleucia from his own name the third Apamea from his Wives and the fourth Laodicea from his Mothers No City was more famous amongst the Ancients than this of Antioch and none at present more desolate and ruinous Boterus calls it the Sepulchre of it self and Niger a great Wilderness being left but a small Village in the midst of its own Walls 2 Apollo-Daphnaeus so call'd from that Fable of Daphne which you may read at large in Ovids Metamorph. lib. 1. Daphne was the Daughter of the River Paneus or Ladon with whom Apollo being violently in Love and she refusing his unchast embraces he pursued her to ravish her by force whereupon Daphne being unable to outrun him pray'd to her Father the River that by some Transformation he would rescue her from Apollo's violence who immediately thereupon transform'd her into a Laurel Vix prece finita torpor gravis occupat artus Mollia cinguntur tenui praecordia libro In frondem crines in ramos brachia crescunt Pes modo tam velox pigriâ— radicibus haeret Ora cacumen habent remanet nitor unus in illa Ovid. Metam lib. 1. Having pray'd a numbness all her Limbs possest And slender films her softer sides invest Hair into Leaves her Arms to Branches grow And late swift Feet are standing Roots below Her graceful Head a leafie Top sustains One beauty throughout all her form remains Thus Daphne is said to be changed into a never-withering Tree as an Emblem of what immortal honour a Virgin obtains by preserving her Chastity inviolable She is call'd the Daughter of Paneus because the Banks of that River abound with Laurel to be beloved of Apollo in that the fairest grew about his Temple of Delphos to fly his pursuit in that they affect the shadow and to resist the Fire of Lust in not being scorched by the Sun nor by Lightning About five miles from Antioch as I said before stood this fair and sacred Daphne which Ortelius in his Theatre hath presented to the view of his Spectators with a peculiar description thereof Sozom. lib. 5. ch 18. It was ten miles about being on all sides environed with many stately Cypresses and other Trees which suffer'd not the Sun to salute the Earth It was replenish'd with variety of Flowers according to the Season and with great diversity of Waters One Spring there was deriving as men suppose her water from the Castalian Fountains to which Superstitious Antiquity attributed a Divining faculty with like name and force to that of Delphos Here were erected sumptuous Buildings the Temple of Apollo Daphneus with a stately Image therein the Work as was thought of Seleucus also Diana's Chappel and Sanctuary Niceph. lib. 10. ch 18. Evagr. lib. 1. ch 16. Strabo lib. 16. Iulius Capitolinus writeth that Verus a voluptuous Emperor spent four Summers here and Winter'd in Laodicea and Antioch Severus put to death certain Tribunes by whose negligence several Souldiers were suffer'd to Riot here The Oracles added great renown to this place which were deliver'd out of these Daphnean Waters by a certain breathing wind From hence is Hadrian the Emperor reported to have receiv'd the faculty of Divining by dipping a Cypress-leaf in that Fountain and for the same purpose Iulian did frequently resort hither also before he began his War against the Persians he
Conspiracy to assist the Persians against their own Country was forced to save his Life by flying into Persia where by Artaxerxes Longimanus the then King he was honourably receiv'd and bountifully entertain'd having three Cities given him one for Bread another for Wine and a third for Victuals to which some add two more for Cloaths and Linen and that afterwards he died a natural death at Magnesia However others write that Themistocles being unable to perform his promise to the King of conquering Greece which by this time had Cimon and many other experienced Captains amongst them poysoned himself for grief But of this see more in Plutarch Cornelius Nepos Thucydides and Valerius Maximus Now for as much as in this Chapter and elsewhere in this Book are written the Lives of some of the Persian and Grecian Monarchs it may not be improper to give you a compendious Account of the Succession of the four Monarchies which although I design for a distinct Treatise hereafter by it self in a general Body of History if Life Health and Peace will permit me may nevertheless at this time prove usefull to such as read the foregoing part of this Chapter Know then that History is the Commemoration of things past with the due Circumstances of Time and Place in distinct Distances Intervals Periods or Dynasties by lineal Descents for the more ready help of Memory and Application And this as the learned Prideaux observes may be divided into Either 1. Ecclesiastical 2. Political 3. Of Successions in States Countreys or Families 4. Of Professions as the Lives of famous men in any Faculty 5. Natural as that of Pliny the Lord Bacon's Natural History c. 6. Various such as we have from Valerius Maximus Plutarch and Aelian Or 7. Vain Legendary or Fabulous such as are comprehended under the Name of Romances But of these the two first being only to my purpose at this time I shall not trouble you with the other five First For Ecclesiastical History that insisteth chiefly on Church-matters and hath precedency before others in respect of its Antiquity Dignity and pretended Certainty Now that is generally reckoned after this manner Beginning 1. From the Creation to the end of the Flood 1657 years 2. From the Flood to the calling of Abraham 367 years 3. From the calling of Abraham to the Israelites departing out of Aegypt 430 years 4. From the Aegyptians coming out of Aegypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 480 years 5. From the building Solomon's Temple to the erecting of the second Temple by Zorobabel 497 years 6. From the building Zorobabel's second Temple to the Nativity of our Saviour Christ 529 years 7. From the Nativity of our Saviour to this present time 1680 years Secondly To Ecclesiastical History thus briefly comprehended Political in the same method succeeds treating of Civil Matters in Kingdoms States or Commonwealths and this is according to prophane Chronology carried along in these Periods Beginning 1. From Nimrod or rather Belus to Cyrus 2. From Cyrus to Alexander the Great 3. From Alexander the Great to Iulius Caesar and the fourth Monarchy beginning 4. From Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great in whom it ended For thus Historians have ever divided the Series of prophane Story into these four Empires called the Assyrian the Persian the Grecian and the Roman As for the first of these viz. the Assyrian Monarchy it was first begun by Nimrod and destroy'd by Cyrus as for what passed before the beginning of this Empire we have no other account but in sacred Writ wherewith since every one either is or ought to be already acquainted I shall take no further notice of it in this place We read therefore that after the Division of the Earth Nimrod the Son of Chush and Nephew of Cham fixed his Seat at Babel and therein first began that Kingdom or Empire which was call'd by some the Babylonian from Babel the place of the King's Court or Residence by others the Chaldaan from the Countrey Chaldaea wherein the City Babylon was seated and by others the Assyrian from Ashur the Son of Sem who is call'd by prophane Authors Niâ—us and whom Iustin out of Trogus would have to be the first Founder of this Empire as also the first King that made War upon his Neighbours Iustin lib. 1. Now as this Monarchy was at first instituted by Nimrod or Belus which from Iulius Africanâ—s and the best Authors I find to be the same so was it enlarged by Ninus and his Wife Semiramis in whose time it was at the height of glory and grandeur for afterwards by reason of the effeminacy of its Princes it declined till by the ruine and fall of that Monster Sardanapalus who was Mars ad opus Veneris Martis ad arma Venus the Empire became divided between those two Rebels Arbaces and Belâ—chus in whose Successions it lasted till by the death of Belshazzar last King of the Babylonians and of Darius last King of the Mâ—des the whole Empire was again united and so descended upon Cyrus the Great who began the second Empire of the Medes and Persians This first Empire began in the year of the World 1788. it lasted 1646 years and was subverted or translated into Persia in the year of the World 3434. Now the several Races and Successions of Kings that govern'd this first Assyrian Monarchy are as followeth I. Familia Beli. 1. Nimrod or Belus 2. Ninus 3. His Wife Semiramis 4. Ninâ—as or Ninus the II. 5. Arius of whom together with these that follow there is little known till we come to Sardâ—â—â—palus 6. Araliâ—s 7. Balâ—â—â— the I 8. Armatrites 9. Belachus the I. 10. Baleus the II. 11. Altadas 12. Mamitus 13. Mancaleus 14. Shaerus 15. Maâ—â—elus 16. Sparetus 17. Ascaâ—â—des 18. Aâ—yntas 19. Belochâ—s the II. 20. Bellopares 21. Lamprides 22. Sosares 23. Lamparâ—s 24. Pâ—nnias 25. Sâ—sarmus 26. Mitreus 27. Tauâ—anâ—s 28. Teutaeus 29. Tiâ—aeus 30. Dâ—â—â—ilus 31. Eâ—paâ—â—s 32. Lâ—â—sthenes 33. Pyrithidias 34. Ophraâ—â—â—s 35. Ophragaâ—â—â—s 36. Ascrazapeâ— 37. Sardanapalus after whose death the Empire was divided between Arbaces and Belochus Arbaces enjoy'd the Government of the Medes and Belochus of the Assyrians their Successions were are as followeth 1. Arbaces 2. Mandauces 3. Sosarmus 4. Artycas 5. Arbianes 6. Arsaeos or Deioces 7. Phraortes 8. Cyaxares And 9. Astyages the Father of Darius Medus 1. Phul-Belochus 2. Tiglat-Philassar 3. Salmanassar 4. Sennacherib 5. Assar-Haddon 6. Merodach 7. Ben-Merodach 8. Nabopalassar 9. Nabuchodonosor 10. Evil-Merodach And 11. Belsazar For Astyages and Belsazar gave a period to this first Monarchy whereof Cyrus became sole Monarch Now concerning this second Monarchy some will have it that Darius Medus the Son of Astyages began it and that Cyrus Astyages his Grandson by his Daughter Mandana did enlarge and perfect it for that they being both Kings one of Media and the other of Persia when joyning their Forces together they overthrew Belsazar Darius thereupon annex'd Babylon to his part of
the Empire Yet nevertheless the most general and most reasonable opinion is that Cyrus alone was the first Founder of the second Monarchy because that whilst Darius lived the Empire was divided betwixt Cyrus and himself for as Xenophon testifies Cyrus out of his liberality and bounty permitted Darius to possess the Kingdoms of Media and Babylon during his life both which after Darius's death he united to his own from which union we may most properly derive the original of the second Monarchy and by consequence attribute its sole foundation to Cyrus It was call'd the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians because the Empire did chiefly consist of those two Kingdoms The principal Enlargers of this second Monarchy were Cyrus the Great Darius Hystaspes and Artaxerxes Longimanus as for the rest of the Kings that ruled it they were so tyrannical and vicious that the Empire suffer'd much under their Government till it was totally subverted under the Reign of Darius Codomannus who being overcome by Alexander the Great lost both his Life and Empire which was immediately thereupon translated into Greece where Alexander began the third and Grecian Monarchy from that fall of Darius Codomannus This second Monarchy of the Medes and Persians lasted from its beginning under Cyrus to its subversion under Darius 228 years wherein there were two Families possest the Empire the first was of Cyrus the second of Darius Hystaspes as for the Family of Cyrus it expired in his Son Cambyseâ— who killing his own Brother Smerdis and committing Incest with his Sisters did afterwards lose his life by a Rebellion of the Magi who pretending the King's Brother Smerdis was not slain set up a Pseudo-Smerdis of their own to reign which was soon discover'd by his cropt ears and made away by the Nobles After which Cambyses having left behind him but only one Daughter Pantaptes and the Empire being left without a Prince to govern it was agreed on by those seven Noblemen Otanes Intaphernes Gobryas Megabysus Aspathines Hydarnes and Darius afterwards call'd Hystaspâ—s who had lately conspired together and destroy'd both the Magi and their Pseudo-Smerdis that from amongst themselves a new King should be elected after this manner viz. that each of them riding the next morning into the Suburbs he whose Horse first neigh'd should obtain the Empire which thereupon as I have shew'd elsâ—where fell to Darius Hystaspes by the cunning of his Groom Oâ—bares who giving his Master's Horse a Mare in the same place over-night the Horse immediately fell a neighing so soon as he came thither again the next morning and so won his Master Darius the Kingdom whose Family was the second and last Race of Kings that govern'd this second Monarchy of the Mâ—des and Persians as appears in this Line of their Succession I. Familia Prima 1. Cyrus the Great 2. Cambyses II. Familia Secunda 3. Darius Hystaspes 4. Xerxes 5. Artaxerxes Longimanus 6. Darius Noâ—huâ—â— 7. Artaxerxes Mnemon 8. Artaxerxes Ochus 9. Arsames And 10. Darius Codomâ—â—nus who was the last of the Persian Monarchâ— and in whose death the second Monarchy was extinct for Alexander the Great robbing him both of his Life and Empire did thereupon begin the third great Monarchy in Greece As for the third Empire or Monarchy which immediately took its rise from the fall of the second it is called the Grecian or Macedonian Monarchy from its 〈◊〉 Founder Alexander the Great who was of Macedon and a Grecian born for he â—aving overcome Darius the last King of the Persians first establish'd this third Monarchy of Greece in the year of the World 3642. aâ—te Christi Nat. 329. This Dominion of Alexander's excell'd all others that had been before for that having annex'd the Kingdoms of Media and Persia to his own Empire of Greece he in the space of twelve years rendred himself almost Master of the whole Universe But this third and Grecian Monarchy lasted not long in this united flourishing condition for Alexander dying without Sons and leaving his Dominions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the worthiest occasion'd many Competitors every one in his own esteem claiming a share till after many sharp Contests amongst them four of the most eminent shared the Empire between themselves dividing it into four Dynasties or Kingdoms viz. the Kingdom of Macedon the Kingdom of Asia Minor the Kingdom of Syria and the Kingdom of Aegypt all which were in process of time reduced to the Roman Yoke 1. Asia Minor was conquer'd by the Romans when Antiochus the Great was vanquish'd by L. Scipio the Proconsul who for that Victory was ever after call'd Asiaticus Iustin lib. 31. and Livy lib. 37. 2. The Romans subdued Macedon when Paulus Aemylius the Roman Consul took Perseus the last King of Macedonia Prisoner which was A. M. 3803. and about 156 years after the death of Alexander the Great 3. The Romans conquer'd Syria when Tigranes was defeated by Pompey which was 260 years after the death of Alexander M. Iustin Plutarch Livy 4. and lastly Augustus Caesar added the Kingdom of Aegypt to the Roman Empire upon his Victory over Anthony and Cleopatra reducing it into the form of a Province which happen'd 294 years after Alexander's death Plutarch in Anton. Polem lib. 3. ch 8. So as this Grecian Monarchy lasted compleatly 300 years that is to say from the death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra 294 years as Ptolemy writes whereunto if 6 more are added for the Reign of Alexander from the death of Darius Codomannus to his own death it will amount to the just and full time of 300 years Arrianus Diodâ—rus Now for the Succession of those several Kings that possess'd the four Divisions of this third Grecian Monarchy they were as followeth I. Over the whole Grecian Monarchy reign'd Alexander M. 6 years beginning his Reign A. M. 3642. II. Over the Monarchy as it was divided reign'd four several Kings the Macedonian Asiatick Syrian and Aegyptian I. The Kings of Macedon were 1. Aridaus the Brother of Alexander M. 2. Cassander the Son of Antipater 3. Philippus the Son of Cassander 4. Antipater and Alexander both Sons of Cassander 5. Demetrius Poliorcetes Son of Antigonus King of Asia 6. Pyrrhus King of Epirus 7. Lysimachus of Thrace Alexander's Officer that kill'd the Lion 8. Ptolemaus Ceraunus Son of Ptolomaus Lagus 9. Meleager one of Alexander's old Officers 10. Antipater the II. 11. Sosthenes 12. Antigonus Gonatas Son of Demetrius Poliorceres 13. Demetrius the second Son of Antigonus 14. Antigonus the second sirnamed Doson 15. Philippus Son of Demetrius the 11 th was overcome by the Romans 16. Perseus the last King of Macedon who being overcome by Paulus Aemyâ—â—us the Roman Consul was imprison'd during life by which means the Kingdom of Macedon coming under the Roman Jurisdiction they were nevertheless permitted to enjoy their freedom till being betray'd into a Rebellion by a counterfeit Philip their Commander the Romans upon that reduced them into a Province
there was no sign of Rain came into the Stadium with a furr'd Garment and presently after there succeeded a vehement Shower Likewise foretelling that a certain House would fall to the ground he was in the right for it fell Also predicting that the day would be turn'd to night and that 4 Stones should fall down from Heaven about the River 5 Aegos he told true And yet they who have ascribed these things to the Wisdom of Anaxagoras will not allow Apollonius to foresee things by Wisdom but say that he did such things by Magick Art Wherefore thinking it convenient to remove so great ignorance out of the minds of many and to search diligently of this Man both the times when he said or did any of these things as also the kind of Wisdom by which he acquired to himself the reputation of so divine a Person Now whatever I here propose to write concerning him is collected partly from those Cities which entertain'd him partly from the Writings of those Priests with whom he had convers'd or rather from those Temples whose Rites he had restored and partly from those things which others have reported of him He wrote also Epistles to Kings Sophisters and Philosophers at 6 Elea 7 Delphos 8 Aegypt and India concerning their Gods Customs Manners and Laws among whom he reform'd whatsoever was done But the most certain I have thus collected Illustrations on Chap. 2. 1 SElf-love is so predominant in mankind that no person how good or how just soever can be exempt from partiality to himself and his profession 'T is that which renders Mahumetanism so odious to Christians and Christianity so contemptible to the Turks as also Popery to the Protestants and the Protestant Religion to the Papists This made Hierocles the Heathen so much extol Apollonius above Christ and Eusebius the Christian so highly prefer Christ before Apollonius Apollonius is by many accused of Magick and so was Christ himself by Celsus and others Therefore whether one both or neither did justly merit such accusation ought to be impartially examined without any regard either to Interest or Religion since whatever person tryes matter of fact by his own Catechise gives the same reason to his enemies Negative as to his own Affirmative and so leaves the contest in statu quo prius Therefore he who would indifferently judge between both must consider three things 1. Their Doctrine 2. Their Miracles And 3. Their Evidence After which if you find them equal in all three points then how to prove that one acted by a diviner spirit than the other is a work too difficult for any but he that can remove Mountains which grain of Mustard-seed I pretend not to Nor do I need it for that I am satisfi'd in Christ's preheminence Most men are apt to flatter their own Party calling that Religion in themselves which in others they term Irreligion or Superstition how often have I heard a pretended Zealot call the same passion Love in himself and Lust in another the same noise chiding in himself and scolding in others Concerning this Partiality we have frequent Examples in ancient History as well sacred as prophane For instance how mightily can Tertullian inveigh against the Heathens for persecuting a few Christians but never exclaim against Vespasian for murthering so many hundred thousand of the Iews and why because whoever is our enemy we also make him to be God's enemy that we may have the better pretence to kill him Again Tertullian in his Apology denies the Divinity of the heathen Gods because says he had they had the power of making themselves they would never have been born men and subjected themselves to mortality when they might have enjoy'd so much a more excellent condition which Argument is not only partial but dangerous when the wicked Heathens urge the same Objection even against Christ himself saying How then was he a God who subjected himself to far more miseries both in life and death than ever any of the heathen Gods underwent which according to his Rule he must never have done had he been a God Tertull Apol. chap. 11. Furthermore Tertullian in the same Chapter speaking of the heathen Deities says He knows not what need God has to communicate himself to men that 't were an injury to the Divinity to require the assistance of any person living much lâ—ss that he should imploy to so excellent an end the ministry of dead men c. which Argument the wicked Pagans are too apt to retort So that nothing can be of a more pernicious consequence than such an over-active and partial zeal which snatching up all weapons to defend its Cause most commonly lights upon one with a double edge If you believe the Monks such as Suidas and others Lucian was torn in pieces by Dogs which scandal they rais'd upon him for being an enemy to their Religion notwithstanding other Historians tell us he died in much honour being Procurator of Egypt They will also tell you that Iudas was blear-ey'd hump-shoulder'd and crook-legg'd because he betray'd Christ Again that the Iews notwithstanding their mixture with other Nations renders it impossible have a particular ill savour because of their aversion to Christianity not distinguishing whether a Iew converted or a Child begot between a Iew and a Christian shall retain its ill scent if such an one there be Thus like some of the primitive Christians with their piae fraudes many do still propagate their Religion and Interest with lyes Dare we not say a Thief is handsom if he really be so or that a Woman hath a good Breath because she is dishonest or that a Lawyer pleads well because he is for my Adversary Many are so zealous to help their Prophet into the Saddle that they endanger tumbling him over and breaking his Neck Will you says Iob talk deceitfully in God's Cause and tell a lye for his sake No we mistake 't is not for God's sake but for their own I have heard the Heathens object it as a stumbling-block that David who murther'd his Friend Vriah and then lay with his Wife should be accounted a man after God's own heart whereas say they if one of us had done so we should have been counted worthy of death here and damnation hereafter And when I told them of David's Repentance they reply'd that so much was usual in all Malefactors at the hour of condemnation But to conclude this Discourse we must have great care lest like Esop's Ape when we too much commend our selves we procure that laughter at our selves which would otherwise never have happen'd For 't is a great mistake to think that our own Opinions or the custom of our own Countrey is always infallibly the best and it betrays a narrowness of fancy in us when our Party infects our understanding 2 Of Socrates â—s Genius I have spoken more at large in another place See the Index 3 Anaxagoras the Philosopher Son of Hegesibulus was born in
write The Inhabitants of Cappadocia were esteem'd to be of a poysonous nature in so much that if a Snake should draw bloud of a Cappadocian the mans bloud would poyson it 7 Proteus the Son of Oceanus and Thetis esteem'd by the Ancients a God of the Sea for that reigning in the Isle of Carpathio and in Egypt he chiefly inhabited moorish watry places by the assistance of which Waters he preserv'd himself from the fury of the Scythians He sometimes dwelt in the Pharos or Tower of Alexandria It is reported by all the Ancients that this Proteus used when he was asleep to be transform'd into divers shapes into wild Beasts Serpents Birds Trees Water Fire c. from whence arose that Proverb Proteo mutabilior The Author of which Fable Homer is thought to have been for so he writes in his Odysses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the same purpose hath Virgil written Georg. 4. Fiet enim subitò sus horridus atraque Tigris Squamosusque draco fulv◠cervice Leaena Aut acrem flammae sonitum dabit atque ita vinclis Excidet aut in aquas tennes dilapsus abibit Ille suae contra non immemor artis Omnia transformat sese in miracula rerum Ignemque horribilemque feram fluviumque Liquentem Most of our ancient Poets have written to the same effect As Horace lib. 2. sat 3. Ovid Metam lib. 8. and Silius Italicus lib. 7. Horace compares the unconstancy of vulgar people with this of Proteus Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea Nodo Some report the original of this Fiction to be the Diadem which Egyptian Kings used to wear whereon were engraved divers shapes of all kinds of things Natalis Comes says that this Proteus or as some call him Vertumnus reign'd four years before the Trojan War An. Mundi 2752. and that Paris having ravisht Helena fled to Proteus for shelter which both Herodotus and Diodorus affirm CHAP. IV. Where Apollonius was born also concerning the marvellous Vertue of a certain Water APollonius is reported to have been born in a certain Meadow near unto which there is now a Temple erected to him therefore let not the manner of his Birth be unknown as something worth relating That when his Mother was near the time of her delivery she was admonish'd by a Dream to go forth into a Meadow to gather Flowers which accordingly she did the day following Where having stay'd somewhat long and her Maidens being all dispers'd and imploy'd in gathering Flowers she her self fell asleep in the Grass Whereupon the Swans that fed in the Meadow encompass'd her round in a Circle whilst she slept and clapping their Wings as their manner is fill'd all places round about with a great noise a South-west Wind blowing gently at the same time over the Meadows Now she being awaken'd from her sleep with the singing of these Swans was presently brought to bed of a Boy any fright being apt to make a Woman fall in labour before her time Moreover the Inhabitants of that place say that at the time of her 1 delivery a flash of Lightning fell down from Heaven upon the Earth which was no sooner seen but immediately ascending up on high into the Air it vanish'd quite away This very thing as I conceive portending that the new-born Child should transcend all earthly things and dwell near unto the Gods they foreshewing a brightness above all things below with a vicinity to the Gods and all the greatness this man arrived to Now there is near unto Tyana a 2 Water for Oaths consecrated as they report to Jupiter which the Inhabitants call 3 Asbestos that is to say such as will not be consumed by fire The Spring it self is very cold however it boyleth and bubbleth up like a Kettle over the fire This Water as they say is mild and sweet to the taste and sight of all such persons as are just and careful in keeping their Oaths but unto them that are false and 4 perjured it is a present punishment in so much that having drank thereof it seizeth their hands eyes and feet taking them with Dropsies and Consumptions Nor are they able to depart from thence but abiding by the Water-side they there confess their perjuries and lament their calamity The Inhabitants of that place acknowledge Apollonius to be the Son 5 of Jupiter notwithstanding he himself affirm'd that he was the Son of Apollonius Now in process of time being grown up to those years that are capable of Discipline he soon gave remarkable Testimonies of his great Wit and Memory He used the Attick nor would he so far comply with the custom of the place to use any other He drew the eyes of all men upon him for his incomparable Beauty Illustrations on Chap. 4. 1 T Is well known to all men that have search'd into the Records of ancient Time how necessary it hath ever been esteem'd for Heroes to have a Birth no less miraculous than their Life as it appears by the several Histories of Semiramis Cyrus Romulus and many of the heathen Gods We have a common saying That a good beginning makes a good ending and a miraculous Birth goes half way towards the making of a Prophet A seventh Son because unusual without any Daughters between is naturally born with a healing Hand according to the Vulgars opinion A Prodigy at any persons Birth like a Comet hanging over a Kingdom hath ever been esteem'd an Omen Thus was Plato's swarm of Bees that lighted upon him in his Cradle lookt upon with admiration although perhaps had not his Life been so eminent it would never have been regarded or remembred Now when Poets or vain Historians do tell of such prodigious Births of great persons I conceive that such Wonders may be Lyes that have been added after their Deaths to compleat the strangeness of their Lives since no Story loses by its carrying for every man improving his Talent in those Cases desires to make his Tale more wonderful I have heard the Story of a Bastard-child that being cast off London-bridge in a Hand-basket was miraculously caught and saved by a Boat that was accidentally going underneath The strangeness of this Child's preservation gave many curious persons great expectation what he would come to but he disappointed them all for he was no sooner grown up to be a lusty young Fellow but he was hang'd for stealing verifying that old Proverb He that 's born to be hang'd will never be drown'd This matter of Fact is certainly true and happen'd in Queen Elizabeths Reign But to conclude this Subject I question not but Hierocles in his Parallel did impiously compare this Miracle of the Swans and Lightning at Apollonius's Birth with that melody of holy Angels and new Star appearing at Christ's Nativity as being both equally strange but not alike true For to believe any Stories that are not approved of by the publick Authority of our Church is Superstition
his Father he removed his Master to Aegas a City not far distant from Tarsus where was not only a fit accommodation for the study of Philosophy but also such exercises as were suitable to Youth together with the Temple of 3 Aesculapius wherein Aesculapius himself did sometimes appear unto men He there came acquainted with divers Sects of Philosophers having the conversation of Platonists Chrysippeans and Peripateticks He likewise made an inspection into the Doctrine of Epicurus thinking that even that was not to be despised But for the Pythagoreans he had little or no opportunity to learn their abstruse Tenents in that his Tutor was not very studious of that kind of Discipline nor cared much to conform the Actions of his Life thereunto for totally resigning up himself to Gluttony and Lust he rather seem'd to frame his Life after the prescript of Epicurus his name was Euxenus of 4 Heraclea in 5 Pontus As for the Opinions of Pythagoras he 6 knew them no otherwise then Birds do the sentences which they have learn'd from men sometimes uttering such like expressions as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God save you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God speed you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may Iupiter be favourable to you c. not knowing what they say nor apt for converse with men but only taught a certain modulation of the Tongue Wherefore as young Eagles when first taught to fly by their Parents dare not stir far from their sides but when they are grown strong of wing do oftentimes fly higher than their Parents especially if they perceive them to he given to their belly and stooping after their prey even so Apollonius whilst he was a Child submitted to the government of Euxenus but when he was once arrived to 16 years of age he fell in love with a Pythagorical course of life being wing'd for an higher flight by some better Master Nevertheless he câ—ased not to express his love to Euxenus but having begg'd of his Father an House in the Suburbs accommodated with pleasant Gardens and Fountains he bestow'd it upon him saying Live thou after thine own 7 humour but for me I will conform to the Institution of Pythagoras Euxenus perceiving him to be of so great Spirit asked him how he would begin such a course of Life to whom Apollonius answer'd He would begin as Physicians used to do who having first purged the Entrails prevent some from falling into diseases and cure others that are already fallen into them And having said this he began to abstain from eating the flesh of living Creatures as being impure and stupifying to the understanding Wherefore he fed only on Fruits and Herbs saying that such meats were pure which the Earth did afford unto men He was also of opinion that Wine was a pure kind of drink as proceeding from a mild Plant yet nevertheless he esteem'd it an enemy to the settled state of the mind in respect that it sometimes disturb'd the Air of the Soul Illustrations on Chap. 5. 1 TArsus a City in Cilicia now called Terassa Hama or Hamsa Long. 60. Lat. 38. is at this day possess'd by the Turks and esteem'd to be the capital City of all Cilicia or Caramania Strabo lib. 15. it is pleasantly situated amongst spacious Fields and water'd with the River Cydnus Solinus reports that it was built by Perseus the Son of Danae saying Matrem Vrbium habet Tarson quam Danais proles nobilissima Perseus locavit Solin cap. 14. from whence sings Lucan lib. 4. Deseritur Taâ—rique nemus Perseaque Tarsos Others as Athenaeus lib. 12. will have this City to be founded by Sardanapalus and that it was so express'd in the inscription on his Tomb-stone in these words Anchialen Tharsam uno die à Sardanapalo conditas Strabo called it the Mother of Cities from the great Learning which flourish'd therein surpassing as well Athens as Alexandria In this place resided many great and famous Philosophers of the Sect of the Stoicks as Antipater Archelas Nestor and the two Athenodoruâ—'s Nor is it less famous for being the Country of St. Paul as he mentions of himself when speaking to the Tribune he says Acts 21.39 I am a man which am a Iew of Tarsus a City of Cilicia a Citizen of no mean City As also for that famous Council which was held in it under the Emperor Valent mention'd in Sozom. Hist. Ecclesiast lib. 6. ch 12. This City for its Antiquity was freed from the Roman yoke Now concerning its Name some think it was called Tarsus from the dryness of its Soyl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying siccare or because that those parts were first freed from the Waters after Noah's Floud Besides this Tarsus of Cilicia there were many other Towns bore the same Name whereof one was situated in Spain near the River Betis and two miles distant from Corduba being built by the Phaenicians who Traded into those parts Strabo lib. 3. Polybius lib. 3. it was to this City many think that Solomon sent his Vessels with those of Hyram as it is written 2 Chron. 9.21 For the Kings ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram once every three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing Gold and Silver Ivory and Apes and Peacocks Hesychius will have Tarsus to be a City of Syria Ptolomy that there is one of that name in Hungary and Strabo that there is a River so called in Trâ—as Also Arrianus that there is a Promontory named Tharsus in Persia. 2 Cydnus a River in Cilicia now called Carasu which issuing out of the Mountain Taurus runneth through the City Tarsus Quintus Curtius lib. 3. speaking of this River Cydnus saith That it is most famous not so much for its greatness as for the clearness of its Water which from its original Fountain runneth clearly thorow all the Country without any other River mixing with it to disturb the pureness of the Stream for which cause it remaineth always clear and cold by reason of the Woods that do shadow all the Banks This River as Vitruvius writes is famous for curing the Gout Cydnum podagrae mederi docet cruribus eo mersis Vitruv. 8.3 however Alexander the Great had like to have received his death from it who as both Curtius and Iustin write when he arrived at Tarsus being much delighted with the pleasantness of the River Cydnus having unbuckled his Armour and being cover'd with sweat and dust he cast himself into the River which was extremely cold whereupon immediately so great a numbness and chilness invaded every Joynt that being speechless his danger boaded nothing less than present death However by the assistance of one of his Physicians whose name was Philip Alexander was recover'd to his health again Iust. lib. 11. Curt. lib. 3. Solinus writes that this River took its name from its whiteness and clearness Quicquid candidum est inquit Cydnum gentili linguâ Syri dicunt Dionys. vers 868. Tibul. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Stage such as leaving out the action of the Poet by reason of his own ill voice for before his time the Poet himself always acted he invented white Shoes which the Actors and Dancers wore he augmented the Chorus of Youths to fifteen which before were but twelve and likewise fitted his Tragedies to the Natures of his Actors Also Vossius writes that he first made use of Tribus Histrionibus by adding as Eschylus a second so he a third Actor who was therefore called Tritagonista viz. an Actor of the third and last part Concerning his death notwithstanding what has been said before Lucian writes that he was choaked with a Grape-stone which opinion is likewise confirm'd by that Verse of Sâ—tad apud Stobaeum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas saith that besides his Tragedies he wrote likewise Elegies Paâ—ans and some Prose Cicero tells us that a great golden Platter being taken out of the Temple of Hercules by theft the God appear'd unto Sophocles in a Dream and told him who had done it the first and second time he slighted the Vision but upon its frequent soliciting him he credited it so far as to inform the Magistrate thereof who commanding that person to be apprehended whom Sophocles had accused he was no sooner charged with the Fact but he voluntarily confess'd it and brought back the Plate Cicero de Divinat lib. 1.50 Caroli Stephans Edit Sophocles resided very much at Colonus a place near Athens from whence Oedipus living there an Exile was called Colonâ—us at this place Neptune was worshipp'd Cicero de Finib lib. 5.2 Concerning the true Character of Sophocles I find the Ancients had a great Veneration for him Pompey when he was betray'd to the Egyptian shore by Sempronius no sooner discover'd his error and grew jealous of his own ruine but he though too late reflected on the great wisdom of Sophocles and repeated to himself saith Appian lib. 2. de Civil Bell. Rom these Lines of his To Tyrants Courts the Valiant and the Brave Though free they enter soon become their Slave Sophocl Vell. Paterculus says that one Age and that not consisting of many years did enoble the Tragick Buskin by means of those Divine-spirited men Aeschylus Sophocles and Euripides lib. 1. Polemon the Athenian Philosopher was so delighted with Sophocles and with Homer that he would frequently say they were both endued with equal wisdom calling Homer Heroical Sophocles and Sophocles Tragical Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert. lib. 4. How much Virgil esteem'd him appears sufficiently in his Eclogues when he says Solo Sophocleo tua Carmina digna Cothurno Virg. Eclog. 8. The wise Simonides terms him the Flower of Poets his stile was so sweet that Suidas tells us he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bee his Verses masculine and lofty as may be inferr'd from this Line of Iuvenals Grande Sophocleo carmen bacchamur hiatu Sat. 6. He left behind him five Sons viz. Iophontes Leosthenes Aristones Stephanus and Meneclides Opsopaeus in Greek Epigram 3. upon the Sepulchre of Sophocles prefers Sophocles much before either Aeschylus or Euripides We read in Plutarch de vitis X. Orator that Lycurgus enacted for a Law in Athens That at the publick expence of the City there should be erected Statues of Brass for Aeschylus Sophocles and Euripides also that their Tragedies should be exemplified and fairly engross'd for to be kept in the Chamber of the City that the publick Notary of the City should read them unto the Players and that otherwise it were unlawful to Act them Some think that Sophocles first introduced upon the Stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Painting of Scenes which Horace seems to aim at when he says Modicis instravit pulpita signis but I rather find this Ornament to be first invented by Aeschylus and afterwards perfected by Sophocles CHAP. XI What Apollonius answer'd to him that ask'd him why he did not commit somewhat to writing And of his five years silence wherein he did not utter so much as one word but yet by Nods and other signs did very much good Also concerning the Sanctuary of Tiberius 1 WHen Euxenus ask'd Apollonius why he did not commit somewhat to writing being so good a Philosopher and able to write so approved and quick a stile his Answer was That he had not yet exercised Silence and from that time he began to think it his duty to 2 practice Silence Wherefore laying a restraint upon his Tongue yet nevertheless both with his Eyes and Mind reading many things he committed all that he either heard or saw to his memory by which exercise of his memory when he was even an hundred years of Age he was thought to excel 3 Simonides He did likewise sing an Hymn in praise of memory wherein he saith that all things are faded by Time and that Time it self never groweth old but is immortal through the memory However during the time of his Silence he was no unpleasing Company for his eyes and hands as also the nodding of his head signified something to all that was said nor was he found unpleasant or morose being of himself a lover of his Friends and of an agreeable conversation Moreover he affirm'd that this course of Life which he continued for five years together was very irksom to him being one who had many things to say yet not to say them that heard many exasperating speeches yet not to hear them and when provoked to reprove sundry things only to say within himself Be quiet Heart and Tongue for he received with silence many opprobrious terms against himself Now all this time of his silence he resided partly in 4 Pamphilia and partly in 5 Cilicia where notwithstanding he lived amongst such a soft and effeminate people yet did he never speak one word Sometimes when he came into a City that was full of sedition and division about vain Shows he going to the People and presenting himself to them in publick would by his hands and looks express that reproof which he intended against them and thereby appease their discords making them as mute as if they were conversant about the mysteries of Religion For when men are at variance about such small matters as Shows or Horses it is no great difficulty to pacifie them because they who are disorderly about such things with blushes recollect themselves and come to their right mind at the sight of any 6 grave person amongst them Nevertheless when a City is oppress'd with 7 Famine it is no easie matter to appease their wrath with ever so powerfull restraining words But the meer silence of Apollonius was able to work such an effect for coming to 8 Aspendus the third eminent City of Pamphylia which is situate by the River 9 Eurymedon he there found nothing to be sold but Vetches and such kind of mixt Grain whereon so many people fed because whatsoever Corn there was a few Rich men that were of Power in the City had
Artabanus whose Story we read in Tacituâ—â— his Annals lib. 6. lib. 11. Artabanus dying left behind him several Children viz. Arsaces Darius Bardanes Gotarzes Orodes Volâ—geses Pacores and Tiridates besides one Daughter whereof we have no farther mention Now Arsaces having the Government of Armenia given him by his Father was there kill'd by his own Subjects being suborn'd so to do by Mithridates and Pharasinâ—â— two Princes of Spain Darius was sent in Hostage to Rome to the Emperor Tiberius whereupon the third Son Bardanes of whom Philostratus here speaks came to the Crown by his Fathers Will by reason of his two older Brothers misfortune which happen'd to them during Bardanes's Life Of his Wars you may see an account at large in Tacitus as also of his unlucky death 3 Babylonish Wine Strabo lib. 16. speaking of the fertility of the Province of Babylon says that this Country produces greater store of Corn then any other in so much that it is said to render 300 for one and for all other necessaries requisite to the subsistance of man their Palms supply them with as Wine Honey Vinegar and Cloathing which they extract from the Palm-Tree together with Nuts which serve their Smiths and such as make use of Fire instead of Coals also these Nuts being steep'd in Water serve to fatten their Sheep and Oxen Plâ—ny lib. 14 writes that all the East used no other Wines but what are made of Palms Athenaeus lib. 14. ch 26. saith that the Persian Kings used only to drink the Calyboniaâ— Wine which as Possidonius affirms grew only in Damascus of Syria for that the Persians had there planted Vines He that would know more of this Subject let him peruse Pliny's 14 th Book as also Athenaeus wherein you may find all the several sorts of Wine extant in the World together with their original growth and encrease 4 Those Fruits are sweeter that grow wild Apollonius esteem'd them so as admiring the simple works of God and Nature beyond all the Art and improvement of Man How much sweeter are the wild Notes of the Nightingale than any Artificial ones which we teach our tame Birds How much more beautiful are the colours of the Rainbow than any we can imitate and we find by daily experience how much sweeter many of our Fruits are which grow of their own accord than such as we nurse up with our hot Beds in Gardens 5 Wormwood is call'd in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotabile ob amaritudinem vel ingustabile quia illud non tangunt animalia in Depascendis herbis Dioscorides calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à profundo amarore Dioscorides and Galen make mention but of three sorts of Wormwood the one a common sort well known by all men whereof the best grows in Pontus and Cappadocia the other Sea-wormwood or Seriphium and the third Santonicum of the Country beyond the Alpes in France Nevertheless there hath since been found out many Herbs accounted to be kinds or sorts of them both for their likeness of Face and Virtues Absinthium vulgare or the common Wormwood is of an heating and binding property it purgeth Choler that cleaveth to the Stomach or Belly But of this see more in Parkinson's Theatrum Bâ—tanicum Tribe 1. ch 36. also Pliny lib. 27. ch 7. 6 Barbarous Language Charron who is but an imitator of Montaign wearing his Thoughts at second hand tells us in his Treatise of Wisdom that Speech is the interpreter and image of the Soul animi index speculum the Messenger of the heart the Gate whereby all that is within issueth forth in so much that an ancient Philosopher said once to a Child Speak that I may see thee that is to say the inside of thee As Vessels are known whether they be broken or whole full or empty by the sound and Metals by the touch so Man by the sound of his Tongue or Speech Of all the visible parts of the Body which shew themselves outward that which is nearest the Heart is the Tongue by the root thereof so that which comes nearest unto our Thought is our Speech for from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Life and Death are in the power of the Tongue so that there is nothing better and nothing worse than the Tongue Hearing and Speech are the two Gates whereby the Soul does traffick at the one all things enter in and at the other all go forth But Hearing is the first Gate through which all must first pass for there can nothing come forth of the Soul but that which first entreth and therefore he that by Nature is born deaf the same is likewise dumb Now from the communication of these two as from the stroke of two Flints or Irons together there comes forth the sacred Fire of Truth The Tongue like other benefits of Nature is bestow'd upon us as a singular blessing yet nevertheless as with those Legs which are given us to walk about our necessary occasions we may leap into a River or off from a Steeple or with those Hands which are lent us by providence for our defence and service we may cut our own Throats so likewise our Tongues though an eminent gift of Nature may if irregularly managed prove our destruction as I have already shew'd in the 11th Chapter of this Book A man's wit should serve rather for a Buckler to defend himself by a handsom reply than a Sword to wound others though with never so facetious a Reproach remembring that a word cuts deeper than a sharper weapon and the wound it makes is longer in curing A sudden blow is the effect of an inconsiderate Passion but a disgraceful Speech is the result of a low and base esteem settled of the party in your Heart Therefore nothing blows up Anger into mischief like Bitterness of words especially if they be aculeate and proper for communia maledicta are little resented No sharp expressions are so much allow'd of as smart Repartees which being both ex tempore and on the defensive part are not only pardonable but commendable wherefore all applauded that Nobleman who being given the Lye by a Physician told him he had rather take that of him than Physick I must confess there is nothing for the which I have a greater aversion than foul words in so much that I can sooner Study with twenty Drums beating about my ears than with two people a Scolding for not only the noise but also the curiosity to hear what they say too much commands my attention and that out of an opinion I have that there is not so much Truth spoken any where as at Billinsgate when the Orange-wenches call one another Whore Thief c. 'T is the same reason induces me to peruse those Polemical Books which are written in a more refined Billinsgate Dialect such as the Friendly Debate its several Parts the Books in Answer to Mr. Hobbs Marvel's and Parker's several
the fatal hour Again if I knew I should dye at such a Relations House this might terrifie me from visiting him for fear of making his Habitation my Sepulchre So that the All wise disposer of all things who doth nothing in vain hath for the good of mankind conceal'd this prescience from us 3 Eretrians were the Inhabitants of Eretria which was a famous City of Euboea They are said to take their name from Eretrius the Son of Phaeton Herodotus lib. 6. speaking of these Eretrians says that Datys and Artaphernes being arrived in Asia took these Eretrians Prisoners and sent them away captive to Susa for that they had exasperated Darius in making War upon him wiâ—â—out any provocation where being presented before Darius he planted them at Anderica in Cissia about 210 furlongs distant from Susa. 4 By Darius This Darius was the Son of Hystaspes who got the Crown of Persia by the Neighing of his Horse at Sun-rising for his Groom Oebares having the Night before let his Horse cover a Mare at that place the Horse was no sooner brought thither the next morning but he immediately fell a Neighing in remembrance of his past pleasure and by that means won his Master the Crown after the death of Cambyses He married Atossa the Daughter of Cyrus for the strengthning of his Title He recover'd Rebellious Babylon by a Stratagem of Zopyrus one of his Noblemen who cutting off his own Lips and Nose and miserably disfiguring himself got in with the Babylonians to be their Leader against the Tyrant his Master who as he pretended had so martyr'd him which done he betray'd to his Master Darius After this he march'd against the Scythians who in derision presented him with a Bird a Frog a Mouse and Five Arrows which by Hieroglyphical interpretation signified that if the Persians did not speedily depart from them flying as Birds in the Air or ducking themselves as Frogs in a Marsh or creeping as Mice into Holes then they should have their Arrows in their sides to send them packing which was soon done with shame Upon his being defeated by the Scythians the Greeks rebell'd against him and were subdued which encouraging him to think of conquering all Greece and thereupon marching with 600000 men against it he was shamefully overthrown by Miltiades the Athenian who brought but 10000 against him in the Field of Marathon and register'd as Plutarch saith by almost 300 Historians In this Fight Themistocles the Athenian gave sufficient proofs of his valour wherein also one Cyneris a common Souldier was so fierce that when both his hands were cut off he fasten'd his Teeth upon a flying Ship of the Persians as if he meant to stay it Afterwards Darius thinking to repair this ignominious loss the Rebellion of the Aethiopians and quarrel between his Sons for the Succession brought him to his end for Artabazanes his eldest Son claimed it as Heir but in regard he was born whilst his Father was but a Subject the younger Son Xerxes carried away the Crown he being Grandchild to Cyrus by Atossa Of this Prince you may read at large in Herodotus lib. 3 4 5 6. also in Iustin lib. 1 2. in Valerius Maximus Aelian and others He began his Reign An. Mund. 3431. 5 Euboea an Isle in the Aegean Sea on the side of Europe over against Chios it is sever'd from Achaia by a little Euripus by the Ancients it was sometimes called Macra Macris Chalcis Chalcodontis Aesopis Oche Ellopia and by Homer Abantis and the Inhabitants Abantes It is now called Negropontâ— or Egriponte and by the Turks who won it from the Venetians An. Chr. 1470. Egribos and Eunya 6 Clazâ—menian Sophist so called from Clazomenae a City of Ionia in Asia built by Paralus it was afterwards called Gryna it lies near Smyrna This Clazomenae was the Country of Anaxagoras it borders upon Colophon 7 Sophist a Sophism is a cunning evading Argument or Oration in Logick it is when the form of a Syllogism is not legally framed or false matter introduced under colour of Truth whence a Sophist is in plain English but a subtle Caviller in words Thus we read that Protagoras the Disciple of Zeno as also of Democritus wanting Solidity endeavour'd to be Subtle and coming short of a Philosopher set up for a Sophist 8 Nomades were a certain people of Scythia Europaea said to be descended from those that follow'd Hercules in his Expedition into Spain Salust They were called Nomades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is à pascendo in that they spent their time chiefly in feeding Cattel and lying amongst them Dionys. vers 186. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Also Virgil mentions the same Aen. lib. 4. 8. They are also thought to be people nigh Polonia and Russia as likewise of Numidia in Africk otherwise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Numida Also people of Asia by the Caspian Sea now call'd Daae and Parni 9 Caphareus a high Mountain of Euboea towards Hellespont by which place the Greeks Navy were sore afflicted for the death of Palamedes Son of Nauplius King of that place who was slain by Vlysses Homer Odys 4.11 and Ovid Met. lib. 14. represent to us a famous Shipwrack which the Grecian Navy suffer'd in their return from Troy Euboicae cautes ultorque Caphareus Virg. Aen. 11. 10 Forum So call'd by the Romans was a Market-place or Common Hall wherein they kept their Courts of Judicature 11 Xerxes This Xerxes was the Son of Darius Hystaspes who in the third year of the third Olympiad succeeded his Father to the Crown and was the 4 th King of the Empire drawing his Title thereunto from Cyrus his Grandfather by the side of his Mother Atossa Now his Father Darius having at the time of his death prepared all things in readiness for a War with the Aegyptians his Son Xerxes had nothing left to do but to begin his March wherefore his first Expedition was against the rebellious Aegyptians who had revolted from his Father wherein proving successful he returns and makes that great Feast mention'd in the Book of Esther who becomes his Queen in place of Vasthi His second Undertaking was to revenge his Fathers Quarrel upon Greece against which he is said to have led the most numerous Army that ever was yet heard of consisting as Herodotus writes of 1700000 Foot and 80000 Horse besides Camels and Chariots Diodorus writes of 800000 Foot Trogus Iustin and Orosius mention 1000000 in all also 1207 Ships of War all which numerous Army was entertain'd by one Pythius at Sardis who besides presented Xerxes himself with 2000 Talents in Silver and in Gold four millions Now having from Sardis sent into Greece to demand Earth and Water in token of subjection he afterwards march'd from thence with his Forces making Mount Athos an Island for the convenient passage of his Fleet also passing his Army over the Hellespont by a Bridge of Boats which Bridge happening one time to be broken by
adored by the Inhabitants of that Countrey as so many Gods And this saith Diodorus is the account which Fables give of Semiramis's Birth which as Sabellicus observes very much resembles the Fictions which Posterity invented of Cyrus and Romulus not to mention the true and sacred Narrative of Moses Now Semiramis surpassing all other Virgins in beauty and being then marriageable Menon the Governour of Syria who had been sent by the King to take an account of his Cattel and residing at Simma's House fell in Love with her and married her then carrying her back with him to the City of Niniveh he there had two Sons by her Iapetes and Idaspes Now her beauty did so totally influence Menon that wholly resigning up himself to Semiramis he would do nothing without her advice But Fortune who envies nothing so much as the happiness of Lovers would not permit them long to enjoy this mutual and calm satisfaction for the Prince is engaged in the Fields of Mars and the Subject must not lye sleeping at home in the Embraces of Venus King Ninus is storming the City Bactria and Menon his Officer must no longer absent himself from the Camp Therefore leaving Venus for Mars his Semiramis for the War Menon posts away to the King who was then besieging Bactria where he had not continued long but impatient of his Wifes absence he sends for Semiramis to accompany him in the Camp Thereupon she being a most prudent Woman and endued with more courage than is usually found in that Sex making use of this opportunity of shewing her extraordinary vertue undertakes the Journey in obedience to her Husband notwithstanding it was long and tedious But to render it the less difficult she attires her self in such a Garment as she might pass either for Man or Woman upon occasion and which would not only protect her from the heat of the Weather but was withall so light as it could no ways incommode her in case of any Action which Habit was so generally approved of that first the Medes and afterwards the Persians when they possest the Asiatick Empire did for a long time use no other than this Semirian Garment Now in this Dress she arrived incognito at the Assyrian Camp where having observ'd the posture of the Siege as also the situation of the City she discover'd that the Castle naturally strong and difficult of access was therefore neglected and unprovided of men for its Guard the Bactrians at that time being wholly imploy'd in defending the Outworks of the City which the Assyrians only assaulted as looking upon the Castle impregnable Whereupon Semiramis having privately made this observation selects out of the whole Army a Detachment of such men as were best skill'd in climbing up steep Rocks and Mountains who with much difficulty ascending up thorow the rough and narrow passages made themselves Masters of one part of the Castle when to amaze the Enemy she makes a dreadful noise withall giving notice to the Besiegers that the Castle was taken whereat the Besieged within were so terrified that evacuating themselves they abandoned the defence of the Town and attempted nothing more but the saving of their own Lives by flight The City thus taken and Semiramis discover'd all persons were in admiration of her heroick Vertue and Beauty in so much that King Ninus himself who is call'd in the Scripture Ashur falling desperately in Love with her did first by fair means require her Husband Menon to resign up his Wife to him which he refusing to do the King at length threatned him with the loss of both his Eyes to prevent which Torture Menon desiring of Evils to choose the least did with his own hands strangle himself Hereupon the King married his Widow Semiramis by whom he had one Son called Ninus the second or Ninyas and soon after died leaving the Government both of his Son and Kingdom to Semiramis There are various Reports concerning this Ninus's Death for some with Orosius and Reusnerus will have it that he died of a Wound receiv'd by a Dart in the Bactrian War but Diodorus tells us that the Athenians and other Historians affirm that Semiramis presuming upon the influence of her Beauty requested Ninus that she might be invested with the Royal Robes and rule absolutely but for five days whereunto he assenting she after having made experiment of the Fidelity and Obedience of some of her Guards commands them to imprison the King her Husband which immediately they perform'd and by this means she assumed the Government of the Empire Herewith likewise both Aelian and Plutarch agree differing only in these Circumstances that whereas Diodorus saith she imprison'd him they affirm that she kill'd him also whereas Diodorus and Aelian write that she requested to rule five days Plutarch says her petition was but for one day Now for Semiramis's Government after her Husband's Death Iustin gives us this Account of it That Ninus himself being slain and his Son Ninus but young Semiramis not daring to commit the Government of so great an Empire to a Boy nor openly to exercise the Command of it her self so many and so powerful Nations being scarcely obedient to a Man would be much less to a Woman did counterfeit her self to be the Son instead of the Wife of Ninus and a Boy instead of a Woman They were both of a middle Stature their Voice but soft their Complexion and Features of Face as likewise the Lineaments of their Bodies were alike both in Mother and Son she therefore with Rayment cover'd her Arms and Thighs putting a Tire on her Head and that she might not seem to conceal any thing by her new Habit she commanded the people all to be cloath'd in the same Attire which that whole Nation have ever since observ'd having thus counterfeited her Sex she was believ'd to be a young Man After this she made her self famous by great Atchievements by the magnificence whereof when she thought shâ— had overcome all Envy she confess'd who she was and whom she had counterfeited neither did this detract from the dignity of her Government but rather increas'd her admiration that a Woman not only surpass'd her own Sex but also the bravest of Men in Vertue She builded Babylon as I shew'd before and being not contented to defend the bounds of the Empire obtain'd by her Husband she not only made an addition to the same of all Aethiopia but also carried the War into India which besides her self and Alexander the Great never any invaded At last when she desired to lye with her own Son she was kill'd by him Thus far Iustin lib. 1. Arrianus and others allow her a more honourable death and say that marching against the Indians with an Army of 3000000 Infantry and 50000 Cavalry besides 100000 Chariots she was overthrown by Stanrobates upon the Banks of Indus and there slain or as some will have it turn'd into a Dove Venus's Bird whence the Babylonians ever after carried a
to be honour'd and worshipp'd with the same honour and worship which is due to the person whereof it is an Image Azor. Inst. Moral Tom. 1. lib. 9. ch 6. This made Ludovicus Viveâ— a learned Catholick confess that there could be found no other difference between Paganish and Popish worship before Images but only this that Names and Titles are changed Comment in Aug. Civit. Dei lib. 8. ch 27. for as the Italian Proverb hath it They are both one Broth only mutatis Nominibus so that when the Spaniards conquer'd the West-Indies they pull'd down one Idolatry to set up another and in my opinion the New was worse than the Old 2 Darius the Father of Cyrus and Artaxerxes this was Darius Nothus the 6 th King of the Persians and Son of Artaxerxes Longimanus as some say by a Concubine or as others say he was Longimaenus's Son-in-law by marrying of his Daughter Parysatis Philip Melancthon lib. 2. p. 137. and Sleidan believe that this Parysatis was the Sister of Longimanus and accordingly that Darius Nothus was by Marriage his Brother-in law But Plutarch in the Life of Artaxerxes writes that Parysatis was the Daughter of Longimanus and that she was incestuously married to her Brother Darius Nothus This Darius had two Brethren Xerxes and Sogdiaâ—us that reign'd before him but their Behaviour was so unworthy and their Reign so short ending within the compass of one year that there is little notice taken of them in History So that this third Brother who was at first call'd Ochus and afterwards Darius Nothus took possession of the Throne wherein he was no sooner seated but by the advice of his Wife Parysatis who was a Woman of great cunning and cruelty he endeavour'd to get into his possession another of his Brothers call'd Secundianus who was yet alive as thinking it his safest way to spend and destroy all such of the Blood Royal that might contend with him for Title Wherefore alluring Secundianus by fair promises and oaths he at last prevail'd with him to trust himself in his hands notwithstanding Mâ—nostanes the Eunuch had disswaded him from so doing Now Darius Nothus had no sooner gotten Secundianus into his power but he immediately put him to death This King had one policy beyond his Ancestors for seeing his Forces had been often routed he chose rather to bribe and conquer with the Purse than to fight upon an uncertainty with the Pike The old observation was that no Town is so strong but an Ass loaden with Gold might enter therein The corruption of mens Natures is so great that all honesty depends upon who bids most This will I fancy in time render all strong holds and fortifi'd places useless since if any one of the Officers within the same be dishonest and what principles can such men have who live upon Rapine Fire and Sword the place is lost Moreover if Princes consider'd the lives of their common Souldiers when lost in their service any more than dead Dogs or Crows they would all follow the example of this Darius and rather purchase a Fort with the Bribe of 10000 l. than with the loss of 10000 mens lives But of this more hereafter Now Darius by this means closed with the stout Lacedemonians and recover'd most of what his Predecessors lost in Asia In Scripture it is said that he promoted the building of the Temple which by his Father had been interrupted Ezra 6. His chief Favourites were three Eunuchs Artoxares Artibarxanes and Athous but his chiefest Counsellor was his Wife Parysatis by whom he had thirteen Children whereof only his Daughter Amistris and his three Sons Artaxerxes his first Cyrus his second and Oxendras his third outlived him Ctesias writes that Arsites the King 's own Brother together with Artyphius the Son of Megabyzus joyn'd with the Greeks in a revolt whereupon they were both taken by Darius's General Artasyras and immediately by Parysitis's advice put to death both being cast into ashes which manner of death Valerius Maximus saith was invented by Darius the Son of Hystaspes though others attribute it to this Darius Nothus Now soon after this Pâ—sathnes Governour of Lydia began another Rebellion which succeeded as the former for Darius's General Tissaphernes by corrupting with money some of Pisathnes's men took him Prisoner and cast him into ashes whereupon Darius bestow'd the Government of Lydia upon Tissaphernes Afterwards follow'd the Treason of Artoxares a great Favourite with Darius who conspired about killing him and transferring the Kingdom to himself for which purpose he being an Eunuch caus'd his Wife to disguise him with a counterfeit Beard but this Plot being detected Parysatis had him put to death At this time it was that Artaxerxes Darius's eldest Son married Statira the Daughter of Idarnes a man of great quality among the Persians and Terituchâ—es the Son of Idarnes married Amistris Darius's Daughter which cross Match proved very unhappy for Terituchmes falling in Love with his Sister Roxana a Woman of great Beauty and well skill'd in Shooting detested his Wife in so much as he resolv'd to murder her by the help of 300 men with whom he also practised to revolt In the mean while Vdiastes a man that had great power with him being promised a high reward if he could preserve Amistris from the danger of her Husband slew his Master Terituchmes but the Son of this Vdiastes who was Armour-bearer to Terituchmes and not present at his death after he had notice thereof cursed his Father and seizing upon the City Zaris deliver'd it up to Terituchmes's Son Thereupon Parysatis did bury alive the Mother Brethren and Sisters of Terituchmes also commanded Roxana to be cut in pieces alive Darius would have had her to have made away Statira his Daughter-in-law as well as all the rest but through the importunity of her Husband Artaxerxes she gave her her life of which Darius told her she would afterwards repent and it fell out accordingly Against this Darius Nothus the Medes rebell'd but were after some time reduced again into obedience At this time the States of Greece being embroyl'd in the Pâ—lâ—ponesian War he made great advantages by siding with the Lacedemonians against the Athenians who did him much hurt in Asia by their great skill in Navigation In the 17th year of his Reign he dispatch'd away his second Son Cyrus who was born since he came to the Government down to the Sea-side as Satrapa or Lievtenant-General over all his Forces which were used to muster at the Plains of Castolus with orders to assist the Lacedemonians in their War against the Athenians by whose assistance they recover'd all that they had formerly lost Cyrus had not continued in this Employ above a year or two before he grew so high that he kill'd his two Cosin-germans Autobaesaces and Mittraeus because they came not to him with their hands folded under their cloaths which Ceremony was only observ'd in the presence of a King Their
took an Oath of secresie yet nevertheless soon after discover'd the whole business so that Artabanus was instantly put to death for the same at which time all his other Treasons came out concerning the Murder of Xâ—rxes and Dariâ—â— After Aâ—tabanus's death which is at large describ'd by Iustin great Troubles ensued his Party being very strong and numerous till at length by the courage of Megabyzus who was dangerously wounded in the Conflict three of Artabanus's Sons being kill'd the Tumult ceas'd The next Disturbance that alarm'd Artaxerxes was a Revolt of the Bactriaâ—s occasion'd as some say by his Brother Hystaspes their Governour out of indignation to see his youngest Brother preferr'd before him Two Battels were fought in this Quarrel in the latter of which the Wind blowing in the Faces of the Bactrians Artaxerxes became victorious and reduced all that Countrey to his obedience After this Artaxerxes had no sooner â—ettâ—ed the Affairs of his Kingdom and removed all such Officers as were not for his turn but the Aegyptians having heard of the Disorders in Persia upon the death of Xerxes began to think of recovering their Liberty for which purpose setting up Inarus King of Lybia and Son of Psammetichus for their Prince they began a Revolâ— under his Conduct they furthermore sent to crave aid of the Athenians who desiring as well to get â—ooting in Aegypt as to reduce the power of the Persian Monarch furnish'd them with 300 Shipâ— Against these Preparations Artaxerxes dispatch'd besides a great Fleet also an Army of 3 or 400000 Foot under the Command of Achaemenidâ—s who as Ctesias saith was his Brother but as Diodorus saith his great Uncle being the Son of Darius Hystaspes This Persian Army was encounter'd and beat by the Egyptian and Lybian Forces wherein Achaemenides the General and 100000 Persians were slain After this Artaxerxes offer'd great Bribes to the Lacedâ—monians for their assistance in this War which they refused his design being to make them fall out with Athens that so the Athenians might be compell'd to withdraw their Forces out of Egypt Nevertheless Artaxerxes by the next Spring raises a new Army of above 300000 which he sent against the Egyptians under the Command of Megabyzus the Son of that Zopyrus who recover'd Babylon to Darius joyning Artabazus in Commission with him In this second Expedition Megabyzus wounded King Inarus in the Thigh and obtain'd so great a Victory that he totally reduced the Egyptians to obedience and having taken King Inarus Prisoner Artaxerxes made him be crucified The Athenian Fleet was likewise destroy'd by a stratagem for the Persians diverting the course of the River wherein they lay by making new Channels at the mouth of it left the Ships at Anchor upon dry ground and so assaulted them with their Land-Army and took them Now Artaxerxes having thus composed his Troubles in Bactria and Egypt did in the 7th year of his Reign make a Decree in behalf of the Iews that whosoever of them would might go up with Ezra and inhabit Ierusalem He also contributed several sums of Money for their Sacrifices and other uses to be disposed of according to the discretion of Ezra wherewith Ezra began to build the Walls of Ierusalem In the 15th year of Artaxerxes the Athenians having recruited their former losses did with their Fleet under the Convoy of their Admiral Cimon very much infest the Persians at Cyprus in so much that Artaxerxes was glad to clap up a Peace with them upon disadvantagious terms viz. that all the Greek Cities in Asia should be free from the Persian yoke In this last Engagement at Cyprus Cimon perish'd and in him the true Gallantry of the Greekish Nation for none of their Captains after him did any thing considerable against the Barbarians excepting Agesilaus whose War also was short and of little consequence In the 20th year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah his Cup-bearer Nehem. 1.11 hearing that the Wall of Ierusalem was broken down and the Gates burnt with fire obtained leave of him to go with a large Commission for the rebuilding of the Walls as also with a Mandâ—mus to the Keeper of the King's Forrests to furnish him with Wood for that purpose About this time it was that Megabyzus Artaxerxes's General who had done him that service in Egypt was disobliged by the King in putting those Egyptian Prisoners to death whom he had promis'd their Pardons in so much that Megabyzus leaving the Court in discontent and retiring to his Command in Syria did there with the assistance of some Greeks begin an open Rebellion against the King his Master and obtain'd two famous Victories over him Nevertheless by the mediation of Friends betwixt both together with the assurance of a free Pardon Artaxerxes and Megabyzus were again reconciled and he brought into the King's presence But soon after being both together hunting of a Lion and Megabyzus happening to kill the Lion just as the King was going to strike him the King was so greatly offended thereat that he commanded Megabyzus his Head to be cut off however by the intercession of Friends the King for that time gave him his life and only banished him so unmindful are Princes of all past services when after five years exile he made Friends with Artaxerxes and was restored again to his Favour so as to eat at his own Table but soon after he died being 76 years of age whose loss was much lamented by the King and all others Nor did the King himself Artaxerxes Longimanus long survive him but departed this life having reign'd according to Diodorus 40 years according to Sulpitius Severus 41 years according to Ctesias 42 years but the most probable opinion is that he died in the beginning of the 42d year of his Reign being the 2d year of the 89th Olympiad A. M. 3582. and 421 ante Nat. Ch. Ctesias in Excerpris Histor. Persiâ— writes that Artaxerxes had only one legitimate Son by his Wife Damaspia named Xerxes but 17 by Concubines amongst which the three chief were Sogdianus Ochus call'd afterwards Darius Nothus and Arsiâ—es whereof Sogdianus killing Xerxes and Sogdianus himself being put to death by the Army Ochus or Darius Nothus succeeded his Father Longimanus to the Crown Some write that Artaxerxes Longimanus had one Daughter named Parysatis but this is uncertain 5 The story of Themistocles the Athenian who sometimes coming out of Greece convers'd with Artaxerxes c. This Themistocles was a person of great eminency amongst the Athenians who having spent his youth in Luxury and Extravagancy attoned for the same by the great Virtue of his riper years for he first fortified that famous Harbour Piraeeus and afterwards overcame the Persians in a Sea-Engagement at Salamines Plutarch who hath written his Life at large saith that none of the Greeks excell'd him and few equaliz'd him Now the Story which Philostratus here mentions concerning him is this That Themistocles being falsly accused by the Athenians for joyning with Pausanias in a
had several inferior Sports and Recreations such as Pyrrhus's Dance invented in Creet by one of Cybeles Priests so call'd as a preparative of Youth for War dancing it in Armour and with Weapons on Horseback Naked Games invented by Lycaon Funeral Plays by Arastus Wrestling by Mercury Dice Tables Tennis and Cards invented by the Lydians not for any pleasure or lucre but for the Commonwealths good when in time of Famine they asswaged their Hunger by eating every other day and fasting by the help of these sedentary Pastimes the next Also the Game of Chess invented A. M. 3635. by a Politician one Xerxes thereby to demonstrate how inconsiderable and impotent any Tyrant or Magistrate is without the strength and assistance of his Subjects They used casting of the Bar which was made either of Iron or Brass and of a vast weight which whosoever cast highest or farthest wan the Prize They used Wrestling when two men having anointed themselves whosoever flung the other first to the ground was esteem'd the Victor They sometimes disputed at Cuffs which Combatants named Pugiles did tye about their Hands hard Thongs of an Ox's Hide call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these Sports were call'd Gymnici because the parties fought naked Palaestra was the place where they exercised Feats of Activity and the Masters who taught there were called Gymnastae About this time there were in Greece Athletes such as Apollonius here mentions or Combatants of incredible strength as Milon of Crotone and Polydamas whereof the one carrying a Bull along the Stadium did afterwards knock him down with a blow of his Fist and the other Polydamas strangled a Lion in Mount Olympus with his bare hands Now these Games and Exercises of the Grecian Youth caused them to be such good Souldiers that with a small number of men they defeated millions of the Persians who invaded them Neither were these Plays and Combats esteem'd of only as relating to War or to divert the people but they were also instituted as appears by the four first I mention'd in honour of their Gods whose Festivals were celebrated with such kinds of Sports Thus Homer tells us how in the Temples they exercised themselves at many pretty Plays when he speaks of those who did handle the Dice before the Altars of Minerva See more of this Subject in Panciroll Cael. Rhodigin and Gualtruchius 14 Olynthos a Town in Macedon which is call'd to this day Olintho Ferrar. CHAP. XXIII Apollonius asketh of the King only that he would be merciful to the Eretrians saying that he for his part needed nothing but Bread and Fruits A certain Eunuch taken with one of the King's Concubines is by the intercession of Apollonius saved from death Apollonius telleth the King what is to be done that he may reign safely Of the Embassy sent to the King IN the mean time an Eunuch came and called him in to the King to whom Apollonius return'd this Answer that he would come so soon as he had finish'd to his desire what concern'd the Gods Accordingly having finish'd his Offerings and Prayers he approach'd the King in such a Garb and Habit as procured the admiration of the Spectators When he was come into the presence the King said to him I give you ten Boons judging you to be such a man as never yet came out of Greece To which Apollonius answer'd Oh King I refuse not all your Gifts but there is one which I would ask rather than many tens and withall began to fall upon the Story of the Eretrians taking his Rise from Datis I pray you therefore said Apollonius let not these poor Wretches be driven out of their Borders and the Hill that hath been assign'd them but constitute you unto them that portion of Land which Darius appointed for them In as much as it is a sad case if being driven out of their Countrey they shall not enjoy that Morsel which was assigned them instead of their own Land Wherefore the King assenting to him said The Eretrians even till of late have been the Enemies both of me and of my Ancestors and seeing they had begun the 1 War against us they have been look'd upon with an evil eye so that their whole Generation is almost extinct but for the time to come they shall be set down among my Friends and I will appoint a good Governour over them who shall do them right as touching the place assigned them But why will you not accept the other nine Gifts Because said Apollonius I have as yet acquired no Friends here But do you your self need nothing said the King Yes said Apollonius Bread and Fruits which to me are pleasant and sumptuous Fare As they were thus discoursing a great noise was heard out of the Palace both of the Eunuchs and of the Women for a certain Eunuch was taken lying with one of the King 's 2 Concubines and acting as Adulterers are wont to do whereupon they dragged him by the Hair about the Womans Chamber after that manner as the King's Servants were used to be dragged But when the eldest of the Eunuchs related that he had long since observ'd this Eunuch to be in Love with that Woman and therefore had forewarn'd him not to speak with her nor touch her Neck or Hand and to abstain from dressing her only of all that were within the Chamber nevertheless he had now found him lying with her and doing the work of a man Thereupon Apollonius looking upon Damis tacitly admonish'd him that now he had a demonstration of that Discourse which was formerly Philosophised between them concerning Eunuchs being capable of Lust. But the King said to the standers by It is a shame that we should in the presence of Apollonius adventure to discourse of Modesty or Chastity and not refer the determination of such matters to him What therefore do you Apollonius appoint this Eunuch to suffer Apollonius contrary to the opinion of all that were there present answer'd What else but to live At that the King blushing replied Think you that such a Fellow is not worthy of many deaths who durst violate my Bed But said Apollonius I spake not this for his pardon but for his punishment which shall gnaw him continually for if this Love-sick Eunuch be permitted to live longing for Impossibilities neither will his Meat nor Drink please him nor those Shews which give great content to you and your Attendants Moreover his Heart will often pant whilst his Sleep suddenly departeth from him as it is used to happen to those that are in Love and what Consumption can so pine him away or what Pestilence can so fret his Bowels Nay if he be not a very 3 Coward he will often supplicate you to kill him or else will dispatch himself much lamenting this present day wherein he was not put to death Such was the Answer of Apollonius so wise and so mild that the King permitted the Eunuch to live Afterwards the King going forth to
hunt in the Parks where Lions Bears and Panthers were enclosed for the Barbarians asked Apollonius whether he would go a hunting with him To whom Apollonius answer'd You have forgotten Oh King that I would not be present with you whilst you sacrificed and besides 't is no pleasing thing to look on while Beasts are tortured and brought into bondage contrary to their own Nature Then the King demanding of him by what means he might reign firmly and securely Apollonius answer'd If you honour many and trust few When a certain Prince of Syria had sent Envoys to him concerning two Towns that lay near the Confines of his Countrey saying that they had sometimes belong'd to Antiochus and Seleucus but now were under his jurisdiction as being part of the Roman Empire And though the Arabians and Armenians durst not make any attempt upon those Towns yet the King had invaded them that he might enjoy the Profits of so remote a Countrey as pertaining rather to him than to the Romans The King having caused the Ambassadors to withdraw a little said to Apollonius These Towns were by the aforesaid Kings granted to my Ancestors for the breeding of these wild Beasts which being taken by us do pass over Euphrates unto them but they forgetting these matters do seek after unjust Innovations What therefore think you Apollonius is the meaning of this Embassy Apollonius replied Their meaning seemeth very fair and reasonable if being able to retain the possession of those Towns situate in their Confines whether you will or no they had rather receive it of you of your own accord He further added that he ought not for the sake of certain Towns than which many private persons have possessed greater to enter into contention with the Romans or to undertake a War upon so small an occasion Illustrations on Chap. 23. 1 THey had begun the War upon us c. Man is nothing but Self-interest incarnate which consists totally in love of Life and fear of Death These are in effect to man as two Ears to a Pot whereof the one is to be held by Love the other by Fear Love is the fairer but Fear the surer and of greater operation wherefore Pallas the God of Wisdom is always pictured armed and the modern Inscription upon our great Ordnance is Ratio ultima Regum to shew that in perswading people to Submission and Obedience after all Arguments of Conscience and Law used in vain the Death-thundring Cannon is the last and surest Motive for Self-love is deaf to all Motives but that of Death the King of Terrors therefore Princes to express their Character by Herald Hieroglyphicks are usually observ'd to choose Birds or Beasts of prey as the Roman Eagles the English Lions c. only France to outshine the Glory of Solomon chose the Lillies The Ancients to decipher the best Education of a Prince report Achilles to have been bred up under Chyron the Centaur who was half a Man and the other half a Beast and that very fierce The Camel a great and strong Creature yet by reason of his meek and harmless Nature is led by Boys and heavy laden whereas the Leopard a small but mischievous Beast frees himself from that slavery by his own fierceness What makes the Subject of England enjoy that Liberty and Property which other neighbouring Subjects want but our own happy ill Natures And when others called the King of England Rex Diabolorum they did it only out of envy for that his Subjects were Men and not Cowards Leopards and not Camels In like manner if Princes are tame and unwarlike their Neighbours will invade them as well as their own Subjects rebel for if men continue long in peace it is metu non moribus War either publick or private is almost the only thing which commands and governs mankind the Thief on a sudden with his Pistol against your breast commands your Purse a poor man's Back and Belly lay siege against him and force him to hard labour vulgar Souls are often forced from their lewd Lives by the continual War which Preachers make against them with their spiritual Weapons of Fire and Brimstone The Life of all Creatures supports it self by a daily warfare upon one another some upon living Creatures some upon Plants and Plants upon the Water of the Earth Torva Leoena Lupum sequitur Lupus ipse Capellam Florentem Citysum sequitur lasciva Capella As for the Antiquity and Original of Waâ— Diodorus saith it was invented by Mars Tully saith by Pallas and 〈◊〉 writes that Tubulcain practised Chivalry before the Flood but Trogus will have it that Ninâ—â— the Husband of Semiramis was the first King that ever made War upon his Neighbours However he that studies the Nature of men will find that mankind hath ever continued in a state of War from its first Original and if to disobey be to offend and to offend is War then was Adam in a state of War before his Fall which made him have a desire to violate the Commands of God in eating the forbidden Fruit since his appetite to commit the sin preceded the sin it self and therefore not wholly innocent before For War as Mr. Hobbs well observes Leviath part 1. chap. 13. consisteth not only in Battel or the act of Fighting but in a tract of Time wherein the Will to contend by Battel is sufficiently known and therefore the notion of Time is to be consider'd in the nature of War as it is in the nature of Weather For as the nature of foul Weather lyeth not in a shower or two of Rain but in an inclination thereto of many days together so the nature of War consisteth not in actual Fighting but in the known disposition thereto during all the time that there is no assurance to the contrary Now that this War betwixt man and man proceeds originally from Nature is evident for Nature having made all men equal in the faculties of Body and Mind at least in their own conceit from this equality of Ability there ariseth equality of Hope in the attaining of our ends And therefore if any two men desire the same thing which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy they become Enemies and in the way to their end endeavour to destroy or subdue one another from whence arises a diffidence betwixt them and from that diffidence War Again Every man looketh his Companion should value him at the same rate he sets upon himself and upon all signs of contempt or undervaluing naturally endeavours even to their destruction if not prevented by some higher Power to extort a greater value from his contemners by Victory and from others by the Example Moreover To this War of every man against every man this also is consequent that nothing can be unjust The Notions of Right and Wrong Justice and Injustice have there no place Where there is no common Power there is no Law where no Law no Injustice Force and Fraud are in war the two
and written by that eminent Poet and Divine Dr. Donn the Dean of Pauls wherein with no weak Arguments he endeavours to justifie out of Scripture the Legality of self-Homicide As to the second Objection of self-Preservation those that are for self-Murder urge that self-Preservation is no other than a natural Affection and appetition of good whether true or seeming so that if I propose to my self in this self-Killing a greater good although I mistake it I perceive not saith the Doctor wherein I transgress the general Law of Nature which is an Affection of good true or seeming and if that which I affect by death as Martyrs who expect a Crown of Glory and to lye snug in Abraham's bosom under the umbrage of his Beard be really a greater good wherein is the Law of self-Preservation violated Therefore some that are Enemies to our Faith will have Afflictions to be God's Call out of this Life and by the same Reason as we preserve our well-being ought we then to destroy our ill-being Another Reason which prevails with them as shewing self-Homicide to be consistent with the Law of Nature is this that in all Ages in all places and upon all occasions men of all conditions have affected iâ— and inclin'd to do it when man as though he were Angelus sepultus labours to be discharged of his earthly Sepulchre his Body And though this may be said of all other sins that men are propense to them and yet for all that frequently they are against Nature yet if this sin saith the Doctor were against the particular Law of Nature and that so it wrought to the destruction of our Species any otherwise than intemperate Lust Surfets or incurring penal Laws and the like it could not be so general since being contrary to our sensitive Nature it hath not the advantage of pleasure and delight to allure us withal which other sins have When I frame to my self a Martyrology saith he of all which have perish'd by their own means for Religion Countrey Fame Love Ease Fear and Shame I blush to see how naked of Followers all Vertues are in respect of this Fortitude and that all Histories afford not so many Examples either of Cunning subtle Devices or of forcible and violent Actions for the safeguard of Life as for the destroying Petronius Arbiter who served Nero a man of Pleasure in the Office of Master of his Pleasures upon the first frown went home and cut his Veins How subtlely and curiously Attilius Regulus destroy'd himself whom Codrus exceeded in forcing his own Death Comas Captain of the Thieves died by stopping his own Breath Herennius the Sicilian beat out his own Brains against a Post. Annibal for fear of being reduced to the necessity of being beholden to others died with poyson which he always carried in a Ring as Demosthenes died with poyson carried in a Pen. Aristarchus starved himself and Homer is said to have hanged himself because he understood not the Fishermens Riddle Democles scalded himself to death Portia Caâ—o's Daughter and Catulus Luctatius died by swallowing burning Coals Poor Terence because he lost his 108 translated Comedies drowned himself And the Poet Labienus because his Books were burnt by publick Edict burnt himself also Zeno upon a small hurt of his Finger hanged himself when he was almost an hundred years of age for which reason Laertius proclaims him to be Mira faelicitate vir qui incolumis integer sine morbo excessit Portius Latro kill'd himself for a quartan Ague and Festus Domitian's Beloved only to hide the deformity of a Ringworm in his Face Hipponiâ—s the Poet rimed Bubalus the Painter to death with his Iambicks and so Cassius Licinius to escape Cicero's Judgment choak'd himself with a Napkin These and many other Examples could I instance were it necessary as those who die voluntarily for Religion and the Wives among the Indians who burn themselves upon their Husbands death One of the most cruel Roman Emperors said of his Prisoners that he would make them feel death and if any fortuned to kill himself in Prison he would say That Fellow hath escaped me Lastly Cato alone that pattern of Vertue may serve instead of all other Examples Moreover I do verily believe that he who hangs himself in a Garret as the late Parson of Newgate did feels less pain horror and trouble than such as die of Feavers in their Beds with Friends and Relations weeping about them CHAP. XXIV Apollonius whilst the King lay sick told him many things of the Souls Immortality Divers Speeches pass'd to and fro between them Apollonius is at length dismiss'd by the King with Camels and other Necessaries for his Iourney into India NOw the King being fallen sick Apollonius standing by him utter'd so great and so divine things concerning the Soul that the King-plucking up his courage said to the standers by that Apollonius had by his words caused him not only to contemn a Kingdom but even 1 Death it self when the King shew'd the Trench to Apollonius which was made under Euphrates and whereof we spake before and ask'd him whether he thought it not a great wonder Apollonius depressing the strangeness thereof said to the King It would be a wonder indeed if you were able to pass over so deep and unpassable a Current on your feet Afterwards when he shew'd him the Walls of Ecbatana saying that they were the Dwelling of the Gods Apollonius replied They are not certainly the Dwelling of the Gods and whether they be the Dwelling of men I cannot tell for the City of 2 Lacedemon Oh King is inhabited without Walls Again when the King had been administring Iustice to certain Towns and boasted to Apollonius that he had spent two days in hearing and determining Causes Apollonius answer'd You were very slow in finding out what was just Aâ— another time after the Tributes coming in thick from his Subjects the King opening his Treasury shew'd his Wealth to Apollonius alluring him to the desire of Riches But Apollonius admiring at nothing which he saw said to the King To you Oh King these are 3 Riches but to me nothing but Straw When the King demanded what he should do to make good use of his Riches Apollonius's Answer was If you make use of them considering you are a King Now having had many such Conferences with the King and having found him ready to do what he advised him to also thinking that he had sufficiently convers'd with the Magicians he said to Damis Go to now Damis let us begin our March towards the Indians for they that sail towards the Eaters of 4 Lotus being taken with the sweetness of that Plant forget their own proper manners but we though we have not tasted of any thing that is here do yet tarry in these parts longer than is fitting I my self had the same thoughts said Damis but reckoning the time which we conjectured from the Lioness which we saw I waited till that space
was expired which is not yet pass'd for 't is now but a year and four months with us nevertheless could we now get away from hence it would do well But the King answer'd Apollonius will not dismiss us before the end of the eighth month for you see that he is full of Courtesie and Humanity too good to reign over Barbarians But when he was resolv'd to depart and the King had given him leave so to do Apollonius call'd to mind the Gifts which hitherto he had forborn to receive until he had gotten Friends in that Countrey wherefore going to the King he said to him Best of Kings I have hitherto bestow'd no Benefit on my Host also I owe a Reward to the Magicians wherefore my Request is that you would be mindful of them and for my sake take care of them being wise men and full of good will towards you The King being exceedingly well pleas'd said unto him You shall see these men to morrow made marks of Emulation and greatly rewarded moreover in as much as you your self have need of none of my Riches permit at least that these men pointing to those about Damis may receive something of my Wealth even what they will But when they also turn'd away at this word Apollonius answer'd Do you see Oh King my Hands both how many they are and how like one another However said the King take a Guide to direct you in your Iourney and 5 Camels whereon you may ride for the way is too long to travel it all on foot Let this be done Oh King answer'd Apollonius as you command for they report that the way cannot be passed over by any who doth not so ride also this Creature is easie to be provided for and fed where there is but little Forrage I suppose likewise that we must provide Water and carry it in Bottles as men do Wine for three days Iourney said the King the Countrey is without Water but after that there is great plenty of Rivers and Springs I conceive it best for you to travel over Caucasus for that Countrey is fertile and affordeth good Accommodation Now when the King asked him what Present he would bring him from thence Apollonius answer'd It should be a pleasing one for if said he my Converse with the men of that Countrey improve my Wisdom I shall return to you far better than I leave you Whereupon the King embracing him said unto him Go on your way for this Present will be great Illustrations on Chap. 24. 1 COâ—temn even Death it self c. It is worthy the observing saith the Lord Bacon that there is no Passion in the Mind of man so weak but that it masters the fear of Death Revenge triumphs over Death Lâ—ve slights it Honour aspireth to it Grief flyeth to it and Fear pre-occupateth it Nay we read that after the Emperor Otho had slain himself Pity which is the tenderest of Affections provoked many to die out of meer compassion to their Soveraign Moreover Seneca adds Niceness and Sâ—tiety saying that a man would die though he were neither valiant nor miserable only upon a wearisomness to do the same thing so often over and over Hence it is that the Approaches of Death make so little alteration in good Spirits that they appear to be the same men to the very last instant Thus Augustus Caesar died in a Complement Livia conjugii nostri memor vive vale Tiberius in Dissimulation as Tacitus saith of him Iam Tiberium vires corpus non dissimulatio deserebant Vespasian in a Jest sitting upon a Stool Vt puto Deus fio Galba with a Sentence Feri si ex re sit Populi Romani holding forth his Neck Septimius Severus in Dispatch Adeste si quid mihi restat agendum c. Bac. Ess. Again many vulgar persons are seen to bear Deaths intermixt with Shame and Torments with an undaunted assurance some through stubbornness and some through simplicity who without any visible alteration take leave of their Friends and settle their domestick Concerns but an hour before they die sometimes singing jesting or laughing and sometimes drinking to their Acquaintance with their very last breath even as unconcern'd as Socrates himself could be One saith Montaign when he was led to the Gallows desired it might not be through such a Street for fear a Merchant should arrest him for an old Debt Another wish'd the Hangman not to touch his Throat because he was ticklish Another answer'd his Confessor who promis'd him he should sup that night with our Saviour in Heaven Go thither your self to Supper for I use to fast at nights Another calling for Drink upon the Gibbet and the Hangman drinking first said he would not drink after him for fear he should take the Pox of him Another seeing the people running before him to the place of Execution told 'em they need not make such haste for that there would be no sport till he came Another being upon the Ladder ready to be turn'd off a lame Weneh came and offer'd to save his Life by marrying him but he perceiving her Lameness cryed out Away away good Hangman make an end of thy Business she limps And many other Stories of the like nature I could here produce to shew with how little Concern some men look Death in the face Quoties non modo Ductores c. How often saith Tully have not only our Commanders but also our whole Armies run violently on to an undoubted Death Tusc. Qu. lib. 1. Pyrrho being in a violent Storm at Sea made those that were timorous ashamed of themselves by shewing them a Hog that was on board the Vessel what little Concern he had for the Storm What cause have we then to boast of our Reason if it only robs us of our Tranquility and Courage making us more fearful and unhappy than Pyrrbo's Hog Mont. Ess. Death is a debt due to Nature our Lives are borrow'd and must be restored What is it makes Death so irksom to us when Sleep the image of Death is so pleasant Is it the parting with a rotten Carcass that is hardly one hour free from trouble sickness or pain Is it the leaving that which we shall not need our Estates Is it the loss of Conversation such as bely'd you betray'd you abus'd you and deceiv'd you Is it the fear of pain or the fear of what shall become of you hereafter If it be the fear of pain and that you esteem of Death only as you do of drawing a Tooth Emori nolo sed me esse mortuum nihil estimo wish it were out yet fear to have it drawn then take this for your comfort Si gravis brevis si longus levis Cic. de fin lib. 2. You shall read saith the Lord Bacon in some of the Friers Books of Mortification that a man should think with himself what the pain is if he have but his Fingers end crushed or tortured and thereby imagine
what the pains of Death are when the whole Body is corrupted and dissolved whereas many times Death passeth with less pain than the torture of a Limb for the most vital parts are not the quickest of sense Death is but felt by Discourse because it is the motion of an instant Aut fuit aut veniet nihil est praesentis in illa The Sickness that occasions our Death is perhaps less painful than many other Sicknesses we have formerly had however that is antecedent to Death and so relates not to it and for Death which is nothing but the seperation of Soul and Body I cannot concei ve it to be any pain or at most so short as not worth an hours fear If it were Death it self which caus'd the pain then all men would have the same Agony at their departure since Death is common to all Secondly If it be the fear of what shall become of us hereafter that depends altogether upon Faith which Faith ought to be regulated by the holy Scriptures but at this time writing in a Philosophical way I shall treat only of such Opinions as have been maintain'd according to un-enlightned Nature Know then that some have deny'd any Reward or Punishment hereafter as thinking that the supream Being concern'd not himself with humane Affairs Ipsa suis pollens opibus niâ—il indiga nostri Nec bene promeritis capitur nec tangitur ira Lucr. 1. Rich in himself to whom we cannot add Not pleas'd with good deeds nor provok'd with bad Others deny any future Account believing that when we are dead we shall be as though we had never been born according to these lines of the Poet Post mortem nihil est ipsaque mors nihil Velocis Spatii meta novissima Spem ponant Avidi Solliciti metum Quaeris quo jaâ—â—as post obitum loco Quo non nata jacent Tempus nos avidum devoraet chaos Mors individua est noxia corpori Nec parens animae Taenara aspero Regnum sub domino limen obsidens Custos non facili Cerberus ostio Rumores vacui verbaque inania Et par sollicito fabula somnio Senec. Troas Act. 2. Chor. Thus English'd by a Person of Honour After Death nothing is and nothing Death The utmost limit of a Gasp of Breath Let the ambitious Zealot lay aside His hopes of Heaven whose Faith is but his Pride Let slavish Souls lay by their Fear Nor be concern'd which way nor where After this Life they shall be bâ—rl'd Dead we become the Lumber of the World And to that Mass of Matter shall be swept Where things destroy'd with things unborn are kept Devouring Time swallows â—s whole Impartial Death confounds Body and Soul For Hell and the foul Fiend that rules God's everlasting fiery Iayls Devis'd by Rogues dreaded by Fools With his grim grisly Dog that keeps the Door Are sensless Stories idle Tales Dreams Whimsies and no more Many other as vain and impious Tenents were held amongst the un-enlightned Heathens which I shall treat of more at large in my Illustration of the Souls Immortality and have only instanced these at present to shew that before the Gospel shin'd amongst them many denied a future Reward and Punishment and those who did so could have no fear of Death upon the account of what would become of them hereafter But now writing in a Christian Government I shall wave all such Arguments and fly only to the infinite Attribute of God's Mercy which were not infinite did it not extend to the vilest Sinner in Hell He delights not in the death of a Sinner and we have found daily Experiments of his Mercy may such a thought never enter into my heart that the Deâ—s optimus maximus communis Pater of all Mankind should create men to damn them The best natured of the Fathers viz. Origen had another opinion of God and thought the very Devils themselves would not suffer eternally which if it was an error was an error on the right hand Has God brought us into the World preserv'd us in it several years given us a comfortable subsistance brought us to our Journeys end in peace and happiness and shall we then at last distrust him We knew not how he would dispose of us when we came into this World and we know not how he will dispose of us when we go out of it but since he dealt so bountifully with us before why may he not do the same again The very Dogs that wait at out Trenchers will upbraid us with this Diffidence when after two or three meals meat and one days sport they chearfully follow us without any distrust at the first whistling Summons Neither will I despair when our Divines tell me I have offended an infinite Majesty unless I had infinitely offended him which I neither can nor would do For I consider him not only as my God and Creator but also as my heavenly Father who will own me for his so long as I do nothing purposely to offend him and that if through the sensual Nature in me I commit any frailties he will give me only a filial chastisement and with that his pardon I think I may without vanity affirm that the thoughts of Death are not at all frightful to me and though an unprepared Death I dread yet a sudden Death of all others appears to me least terrible Mitius ille perit subita qui mergitur unda Quam sua qui liquidis brachia lassat Aquis Ovid. de Ponto l. 3. Lastly As for a future Account I find the Bill to swell rather than shrink by continuance From all which I conclude that Death needs not seem terrible to any out of a fear of what shall become of them hereafter unless it be to such who by their hard censures of God Almighty make Salvation seem almost impossible and of those I wonder any will marry since according to their belief 't is above ten thousand to one but the Children they get are damn'd Men saith the Lord Bacon fear Death as Children fear to go in the dark and as that natural Fear in Children is increas'd with Tales so is the other Nevertheless the Groans Convulsions discolour'd Face Friends weeping Mourning and Obsequies represent Death more terrible than really it is Pompa mortis magis terret quam mors ipsa It is as natural to die as to be born and to a little Infant perhaps the one is as painful as the other Moreover Death hath this advantage also that it openeth the Gate to Fame and extinguisheth Envy Extinctus amabitur idem Horat. However this fear of Death which Nature hath implanted in us all is one of the greatest Benefits Mankind enjoys since without it there would be no Peace no Meum or Tuum and no security either for Life or Estate all Laws then being rendred uneffectual Now some are so base-spirited to judg of men according to their Deaths if they be of a Perswasion different
greatness of their feet whereas the lesser are no whit prejudicial to the passage of the bigger in that they make a less Cavity in the River Furthermore I have found in the Writings of Juba how the Elephants help one another in their being hunted and defend him that fainteth when if they bring him off they stand about him and anoint him with the tears of Aloes as if thâ—y were Physicians Many such like things they Philosophically discours'd of together taking occasion from such passages as seem'd most worthy their remark As for the things related by 3 Nearchus and Pythagoras concerning the River 4 Arcesinus how running into the River Indus it beareth Serpents of seventy cubâ—â—â— length they say they are so as 't is by them reported But we will adjourn the Relation of this Matter to that place where we intend to speak of Dragons of whom Damis discourseth shewing in what manner they are taken Now being arrived near the Banks of Indus and ready to pass the River they ask'd the Babylonian their Guide whether he was acquainted with the Passage who answer'd He had never forded over it nor knew where it was fordable Why then said they did yoâ— not hire a Guide There is one answer'd he bâ—ne present who will direct you which having said he shew'd them a Letter that should do it for which they say Vardanes was much admired for his kindness and care of them in as much as he had written this Letter to the Governour that was set over the River Indus although he was not in subâ—ection to his Iurisdiction recounting therein the many Favours he had shew'd him but not desiring any recompence for that 't was not his custom so to do only telling him that if he did entertain Apollonius and â—onvey him whithâ—rsoever he pleas'd he should acknowledge the courtesie He had also given Gold to the Gâ—ide that if he perceiv'd Apollonius stood in need of any thing he should furnish him with it that so he might not be put to ask it of others Wherefore the Indian receiving the Letter said he did much esteem it and that he woâ—ld shew no less respect to Apollonius than if he had been recommended to him by the King of the Indians Accordingly he sent his own Barge wherein he himself was used to be wasâ—ed together with Vessels to câ—rry over his Camels He likewise furnish'd him with a Guide for all that Countrey which Hydraotes boundeth and wrote to his own King that he would be pleas'd to shew as much courtesie towards this Greek who was a wise and divine man as King Vardanes had done By this means therefore they passed the River Indus whose breadth where it is navigable reacheth about forty Furlongs Concerning this River it is thus related that it riseth out of Mount Caucasus and runneth with a greater Current than anâ— River in Asia in his passage receiving in many Rivers thaâ— are navigable likewise thâ—â— iâ— 5 oveâ—floweth India like to Nilus leaving a grâ—at deal of Mud on the Land which gives opportunity to the Indians to sâ—we their Seed after the manner of the Egyptians Illustrations on Chap. 8. VIpâ—rs â—re bred c. The Viper hath a Body long and slender like an Eel or Snake a broad Head with red flaming Eyes As for his Teeth they be enclosed as it were 〈◊〉 little Bladder in which he carryeth his Poyson from thence infusing it into the Wound 〈◊〉 he hath bitten Pliny lib. 10. ch 62. writes that when the Vipers ingender â—he Male puâ—teth his Head into the Females Mouth which â—he being overcome with the pleasure of Copulation biteth off affirming moreover that their young use to gnaw themselves out of their Dams Belliâ—s which put an end both to Male and Female the one â—n time of Conception the other in time of Birth and are therefore called Vipers a vi pa riendo Nevertheless Aristotle Hist. Animal lib. â— cap. ultim â—aith that the Viper putteth forth her young ones infolded in a Membrane which breaketh forth the third dayâ— and that also sometimes those which are within the Belâ—y issue forth having gnawn asunder the foreâ—aid Membrane Nicholâ—us Damascenus as also Strabo make mention of Vipers sixteen Cubits long Of this Serpent is made that excellent cordial Wine called Viper-Wine so effectual in curing Leprosies Surfeits c. Of the Viper's manner of Birth see Brown's Vulg. Err lib. 3. 2 To commend Euripides the Verse which Andromache speaks is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning this Tragedy of Andromache in Euripides the Intrigue is That this Princesâ— after she had lost her Husband Hector had seen her Father Priam murther'd and the chief City of his Kingdom burâ—t became a Slave to Neopâ—olâ—mus Now Hermione the Wife of this Prince being enraged with jealousie against Andromache determin'd to kill her whereupon Menelaus Father of Hermione causes her with her Son Astyaâ—ax to be dragg'd to Execution And this is the Result of the Plot. As for Euripides he was the Son of one Mnesarchus and Clito and had not as some have reported a seller of Herbs for his Mother Suidas vindicates him from the disparagement of so mean a Descent asserting that he was of noble Birth as Philochorus well demonstrates He was born on that very day wherein Xerxes was defeated by the Athenians He flourish'd in the time of Archelaus King of Macedon by whom he was highly esteem'd He was at first a Painter but afterwards became most eminent in writing Tragedies For Rhetorick he was the Scholar of Prodicus and for Philosophy the Auditor both of Socrates and Anaxagoras He sometimes disputed with Plato and travell'd into Egypt to be inform'd of the Wisdom of their Priests as Laertius testifies His Name Euripides he took from Euripus but for his Austerity they call'd him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hater of Women for as Suidas â—ffirms he was a married man and had two Wives being divorced from the first for her Unchastity neither found he the second more loyal to his Bed He died in the 75th year of his Age being the 93d Olympiad and was torn in pieces by Dogs as Valerius Maximus and Gellius write or rather as Suidas hath it was devoured in the night by barbarous and bloudy Women The Athenians grievously lamented his death He wrote 75 Tragedies for every year he lived a Tragedy whereof he obtained five Victories four in his life-time and one after his death his Brother's Son being the Actor of that Tragedy It is a great Question which was the better Poet he or Sophocles though they went a different way Quintilian says That all moral Philosophy iâ— comprehended in the Verses of Euripides And Heinsiâ—s speaking of him saith Omnium Oratorum non minus Pater quam optimus Poeta Aeschylus Sophocles and Euripides were the three chief Princes of the Tragick Style who exhibited to the people every year their Poems at some publick Solemnities striving who should get the victory by the approbation
in so much that Appion the Grammarian invoked his Ghost to come forth from the dead and declare which was his Countrey that so the Controversie might be ended Concerning his Countrey and Age there is so great variation amongst Authors that no Question about Antiquity seems more difficult to be resolved Some make him a Native of Aeolia and say that he was born about 168 years after the Siege of Troy Aristotle in 3. de Poetic affirms he was born in the Isle of Io Michael Glycas places him under Solomon's Reign but Cedrenus saith that he lived under both Solomon and David as also that the Destruction of Troy happen'd under Saul Nevertheless that Book of Homer's Life which follows the ninth Muse of Herodotus and whether composed by him or no is very ancient makes the Labour of those men very ridiculous who even at this day pretend to so much certainty of Homer's Countrey which was not then known But of this Leo Allatius hath written a distinct Treatise Neither is there less uncertainty concerning his Parentage Aristotle affiâ—ms he was begot in the Isle of Io by a Genius on the Body of a Virgin of that Isle who being quick with Child for shame of the deed retired into a Place call'd Aegina and there being seiz'd on by Thieves was brought to Smyrna to Maeon King of the Lydians who for her Beauty married her after which she walking near the Floud Meletes being on that shoar overtaken with the Throws of her Delivery she brought forth Homer and instantly died the Infant was receiv'd by Maeon and brought up as his own tiâ—l he himself likewise died Alex. Paphius saith Eustathius makes Homer to be born of Egyptian Parents Dmasagoras being his Father and Aetbra his Mother also that his Nurse was a certain Prophetess and the Daughter of Oris one of Isis's Priests from whose Breasts Honey often flow'd in the Mouth of the Infant after which in the night he is reported to utter nine several Notes or Voices of Birds viz. of a Swallow a Peacock a Dove a Crow a Partridge a Wren a Stare a Blackbird and a Nightingale also that being a little Boy he was found playing in his Bed with nine Doves Others make him the Son of Maeona and Ornithus and others the Off-spring of some Nymph as Gyraldus writes Hist. Poet. Dial. 2. But the opinion of many is that he was born of Critheis Daughter of Melanopus and Omyris who after her Father and Mothers death was left to a Friend of her Fathers at Cuma who finding she was with Child sent her away in high displeasure to a Friends House near the River Meles where at a Feast among other young Women she was deliver'd of a Son whose Name she call'd Melesigenes from the Place where he was born That Critheis went with her Son to Ismenias and from thence to Smyrna where she dressed Wooll to get a Livelyhood for her self and her Son at which Place the Schoolmaster Phemius falling in Love with her married her and took her Son into the School who by his sharpness of Wit surpass'd all the other Scholars in Wisdom and Learning in so much that upon the death of his Master Homer succeeded him in teaching the same School whereby he acquired great Reputation for his Learning not only at Smyrna but all the Countreys round about for the Merchants that did frequent Smyrna with Corn spread abroad his Fame in all Parts where they came But above all one Mentes Master of â— Leucadian Ship took so great a kindness for him that he perswaded him to leave his School and travel with him which he did and was plentifully maintain'd by Mentes throughout their Travels Their first Voyage was to Spain from thence to Italy and from Italy through several Countreys till at last they arrived at Ithaca where a violent Rheum falling into Homer's Eyes prevented his farther progress so that Mentes was fain to leave him with a Friend of his called Mentor a person of great Honour and Riches in Ithaca where Homer learn'd the principal Matters relating to Vlysses's Life but Mentes the next year returning back the same way and finding Homer recover'd of his Eyes took him along with him in his Travels passing through many Countreys till they arrived at Colophon where relapsing into his old Distemper he quite lost the use of his Eyes after which he addicted himself to Poetry when being poor he return'd back again to Smyrna expecting to find better Entertainment there whereof being disappointed he removed from thence to Cuma in which passage he rested at a Town called New-wall where repeating some of his Veâ—ses one Tichiâ— a Leather-seller took such delight to hear them that he entertain'd him kindly a long time Afterwards he proceeded on his Journey to Cuma where he was so well receiv'd that some of his Friends in the Senate did propose to have a Maintenance settled on him for Life though others opposed the rewarding so great a man Some will have it that at this Place he first receiv'd the Name of Homer Now being denied Relief at Cuma he removed from thence to Phocaea where lived one Thestorides a Schoolmaster who invited him to live with him by which means Thestorides procured some of his Verses which he afterwards taught as his own at Chios Whereupon Homer hearing how Thestorides had abused him immediately followed him to Chios and by the way falling into discourse with a Shepherd who was keeping his Master's Sheep the Shepherd was so taken with Homer that he reliev'd him and carried him to his Master where he lived some time and taught his Children till being impatient to discover Thestorides his Cheat he went to Chios which Place Thestorides left when he heard of Homer's coming who tarried there some time taught a School grew rich married and had two Daughters whereof one died young and the other he married to the Shepherd's Master that entertain'd him at Bollisus When he grew old he left Chios and went to Samos where he remain'd some time singing of Verses at Feasts and at new-Moons at great mens Houses From Samos he was going to Athens but as some say fell sick at Ios where dying he was buried on the Sea-shoar And long after when his Poems had gotten â—n universal Applause the people of Ios built him a Sepulchre with this Epitaph upon it â—s saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hac sacrum terra caput occultatâ—r Homeri Qui canere Heroum praestantia facta solebat Melancthon Or rather as Gyraldus renders it Sacrum hic terra caput divinum claudit Homerum Herâ—um atque virum cecinit qui fortia facta Hist. Poet. Dial. 2. This is the most rational account of his Death and not that he pined away upon the Riddle of the Fishermen as others would have it and so saith Herodotus or whoever it was that wrote that Book de Vita Homeri Ex hac aegritudine inquit extremum
where great Debates arise their Spirits grow warm and all Heaven is in a Mutiny only because Achilles's Mistress is taken from him which at the bottom is but a Trifle 'T is likewise by this great Art of Fiction that all the Voyages and indeed every step that Telemachus made in the Odysses to seek his Fatheâ— Vlysses became considerable because Minerva is of his Retinue and of his Council and all became remarkable by the â—mpression they receiv'd from the Conduct of a Deity that presides over Wisdom Rapin's Reflect on Arist. Poes But to conclude this point The greatest Excellency of Homer lyes in his Invention in his Moralâ—ty in the Elegancy of his Words in his Epithets and Adverbs wherein he surpasses all others Yet notwithstanding all this that hath been said some Exceptions have been rais'd against him ex gr that by the Fable of his Iliad he has disgraced his Countrey in taking for his Hero a person who occasion'd the destruction of so many gallant Officers whom he sacrificed to his grief and discontent That Homer's chief Hero Achilles is made subject to great weaknesses and imperfections below his Character when according to the Pourtraicture Horace hath left of him Achilles is a Bravo but withal hasty impetuous furious passionate violent unjust inexorable a contemner of Laws and one that places all his Reason in his Sword Impiger iracundus inexorabilis acer Iura negat sibi nata nihil non arrogat armis Horat. Arte Poet. Achilles is cruel even towards the Body of Hector so far as to take pleasure in exercising vengeance upon it and out of an unparallel'd Avarice sells to his afflâ—cted Father the Body of his Son I shall not say any thing of his quitting with a Lightness not to be pardon'd that great and generous Enterprize made by a general Combination of all Greece upon the occasion of a she-Slave for whom he abandons himself to tears and complaints with many discoveries of weakness That if the Action and principal Subject of Homer's Iliad be the War of Troy according to the judgement of Hâ—race who therefore calls him Trojâ—ni belli scriptorem then that Action is defective and imperfect in as much aâ— that War has not in the Iliad either beginning or end according to that Verse of the Poets Infaelix operis summa qui ponere totum Nesciat Horat. Epist. ad Pison But if the principal Subject be the Anger of Achilles as is more likely and as Homer himself acknowledges by his Proposition that Anger has indeed a beginning but neither end nor middle for it is thrust out of doors by another animosity of the same person against Hector for the death of Patroclus so as there are two Anger 's one upon the loss of his Friend the other upon the taking away of his Mistress But the greatest defect is that the rest of the Poem has no connection with that Anger and Homer during the space of 18 Books thinks no more of it as if he had clearly forgot his Proposition and Design but during that long Interval speaks only of Sieges Battels Surprizes Consultations of the Gods and all things that relate to the Siege of Troy which made Horace as I said before think that the Subject of the Iliad was the War of Troy according to the Name it goes under So that which way soever we look on that Poem it will in that part appear defective Neither is the Odyssey an Action more correct than that of the Iliad it begins with the Voyages of Telemachus and ends with those of Vlysses All is made for Telemachus in the four first Books Menelaus Nestor and the other Greciâ—n Princes relate to him the Adventures of Troy without any thought at all of Vlysses which is the principal Action so that the four first Books of the Odyssey are neither Episode nor part of Action nor have any connexion with the rest of the Work in so much that the Fable of the Odyssey is apparently double Take them as they are and one knows not what to make of them In the Representation of those Games and Pastimes which Achilles in the 23d Book of the Iliads makes upon the death of Patroclus there are abundance of things utterly incredible Also Homer introduces Miracles and Machines without any just occasion when Priamus hath lost Hector Iupiter sends the Goddess Iris his Messenger to caution him to take care of his Son's Body and redeem it from Achilles as if his Father who had so great a tenderness for his Son could not think of it himself without a Machine to put him in mind that he was a Father If Telemachus in the Odyssey go to find out Vlysses in the Courts of Greece he cannot stir a foot forsooth without the assistance of his Governess Minerva to lead him up and down by the Sleeves Nay this Machine hath not so much as any appearance of probability in as much as Minerva conducts Telemachus to seek for Vlysses all over Greece save only to the place where he is which she ought not to have been ignorant of upon the score of her Divinity from which nothing should be conceal'd And yet this is Homer's way to imploy the Gods upon all trifling matters as so many Porters without any regard to their rank thus Mercury becomes Coachman to Priamus as well as his Scout Again Homer's Episodes are forced His Kings and Princes speak as scurrilously of one another as so many Plowmen could do Thus Agamemnon in the Iliad treats Chryses the High-Priest as an extravagant impious person when he only demands with much respect nay and with Presents his own Daughter which Agamemnon had taken away from him by force In like manner the Priest forgetting all Charity did out of revenge implore Apollo to destroy the Greeks Vlysses whom Homer proposes as an exemplar of Wisdom suffers himself to be made drunk by the Pheacians for which Aristotle and Philostratus condemn the Poet. How extravagant was it in that accomplisht Sage so soon to forget so vertuous a Wife and Son for the dalliances of his Prostitute Calypso to run after the famous Sorceress Circe and being a King as he was so far to debase himself as to go to Fifty-cuffs with a rascally Beggar named Irus Priamus in the 24th Iliad does not speak like a Father when he wishes all his Children dead so Hector were alive again his grief might have been express'd some other way How barbarous was the Inhumanity of Achilles upon the dead Body of Hector How immodest and undecent was the long though accidental interview between Vlysses and the Daughter of Alcinous in the 6th of the Odysseys In fine There is but little observance of Decorum in Homer's Poems Fathers cruel and harsh Heroes weak and passionate Gods subject to miseries unquiet quarrelsom and mutinous c. What can be more ridiculous than the Discourse which Antilochus's Son Iliad 23. makes to his Father's Horses telling them His Father Nestor
and thorny Brakes Whilst the misguided follower climbs with pain Mountains of Whimsies heap'd in his own Brain Tumbling from thought to thought falls headlong down Into Doubts boundless Sea where like to drown Books bear him up a while and make him try To swim with Bladders of Philosophy In hope still to o'retake th' escaping light The vapour dances in his dazled sight Till spent it leaves him to eternal night Then old age and experience hand in hand Lead him to death and make him understand After a Search so painful and so long That all his Life he has been in the wrong Huddled in dirt the Reas'ning Engine lyes Who was so proud and thought himself so wise Pride drew him in as Cheats do Bubbles catch And made him venture to be made a wretch His wisdom did his happiness destroy Aiming to know that World he should enjoy This supernatural gift that makes a mitâ— Think he 's the Image of the Infinite This busie puzling stirrer up of doubt That frames deep myst'ries and then finds them out Trifling with frantick Crowds of thinking Fools Thosâ— Reverend Bedlams Colledges and Schools Born on whose wings each heavy Sot can pierce The flaâ—ing Limits of the Vniverse So cheating Oyntments make an old Witch fly And bear a crippled Carkass through the Sky 'T is the exalted power whose businesâ— lyes In Nonsence and Impossibilities This made a whimsical Philosopher Before the spacious World his Tub prefer And we have modern cloyster'd Coxcombs who Retire to think 'cause they have nought to do But thoughts were given for Actions government Where Action ceases thought's impertinent Our Sphere of Action is Life's happiness And he who thinks beyond thinks like an Asâ— Satyr against Man 3 Philosophical Pirates give themselves to Gluttony Veneâ—y c. It was ever the Reproach of the ancient Philosophers that their Lives were no way correspondent to their Doctrines and that Probitas laudatur alget Their long Robes great Beards and affected Gravity were so notoriously defamed by their Avarice and dishonest Lives as made them often banish'd from several States and at last quite ruined the profession In those Times the Heathen Religions did little meddle with Morals but especially with the Rites and Ceremonies of divine Adoration leaving the moral part of humane Conversation to be managed by moral Philosophers who with their loud prayses of Vertue gull'd the World for many Ages till after notorious and universal experience of their lewd Lives and gross Hypocrisie it was found that such talkative Vertue was but â— Chimaera or Nomen inane Lucian in his Dialogue concerning the Manners of Philosophers brings in Menippus speaking thus of them Because I was saith he uncertain what course of Life to hold I thought good to go to the Philosophers and take their advice that they might direct me herein not considering that as the Proverb saith I cast my self out of the frying-pan into the fire for I found amongst them all things more uncertain than amongst any sort of men in so much that the Life of the veriest Ideot seem'd unto me more happy than theirs For when I beheld their Lives I perceived they were clean contrary to their own precepts and doctrines those who taught that Money and Riches were to be contemn'd did gape after nothing more than Gain lending to usury teaching for hire and doing all for money those who in words seem'd most to contemn glory referr'd all the whole course of their Lives thereto and finally those that openly spake most against voluptuousness and pleasure secretly sought and embraced nothing else Thus far Lucian But to justifie this by Example let us reflect upon some few of the most eminent amongst them What can be more absurd than the Laws of Plato wherein following the Doctrines of his Masters Socrates and Pythagoras he not only tolerates but enjoyns community of Women and a promiscuous generation also that young Men and Women should be stark naked when they perform'd their Exercises at the Gymnasian Games Likewise what shall we say of Aristotle Plato 's Scholar whom divers that lived in the same Age did testifie to be a most wicked man Cephisodorus the Disciple of Isocrates charg'd him with Delicacy Intemperance and Gluttony Lieon the Pythagorean said he was so covetous that he used to sell the Oyl wherein he bathed himself Demochares objected against him that he betray'd his own Countrey Stagira to the Macedonians and finally one of his Followers who undertook to defend him against others confesseth that two things commonly reported of him were probable that is to say that he was ungrateful to his Master Plato and that he secreâ—ly debauch'd the adopted Daughter of his Friend Hermias the Eunuch and married her of which Eunuch he had been also before so much enamour'd that Eubulides saith he made a kind of Marriage with him and Theocritus of Chio wrote an Epigram of their bruitish Love and Conversation Euseb. contra Philosoph Lastly Let us examine the Laws of Aristotle than some of which nothing could be more barbarous One was that if a man had any lame or deform'd Child he should cast it out like a Whelp and expose it to perish Another Law of his was that if a man had above such a certain number of Children which number he would have determined according to every man's ability that then his Wife should destroy the fruit in her Womb when ever after she conceived than which nothing could be more inhumane Neither can I forbear to mention another Constitution of his which was no less absurd or ridiculous when prohibiting the use of lascivious Pictures for fear of corrupting the Youth he nevertheless in the same Law excepteth the Images and Pictures of certain Gods in whom saith he the custom alloweth Lasciviousness Again Aristotle who hath written so exactly of all moral Vertue in his Book de Ethicis or de Moribus and was himself the Prince or Head of the Peripatetick Philosophers was forced to fly privately out of Athens for fear of being punish'd for his wicked Life he most ungratefully as some say poyson'd his best Benefactor Alexander the Great who had restored to him his Countrey and trusted him with his Life he deny'd to the Soul any place of Joy after this Life he collected the Writings of others whose several other Copies having stifled he publish'd them under his own Name and last of all running mad out of an immoderate desire of Knowledge he is said to be the Author of his own Death And so much for Aristotle See Agrip. vanit scient In the next place Our great Seneca whom notwithstanding St. Ierâ—â—â— would have inserted into the Catalogue of Saints as little deserv'd it as either Plato or Aristotle for I do not think any of the Heathens lived worse than he did as we may find if we trace him right In the time of the Emperor Claudius we find he was banish'd for suspiâ—ion of Incontinency with Iulia
brought me to the wise men sooner perhaps than was fitting for I was but 12 years old however they took me and bred me up as their own Child for they shew far greater kindness to such as are skill'd in the Greek Tongue before they receive them in as much as they are more capable of their Instructions My Parents afterwards dying soon after one another the wise men brought me to my Towns that I might look to my own Affairs as being now about 19 years of age But my good Vncle had by this time taken away the 7 Towns so that he did not so much as leave me the Fields which my Father had purchased saying that they all belong'd to his Kingdom and that it was a favour he suffer'd me to live Wherefore having gather'd up a small stock from my Mothers freed men I lived poorly having but four Attendants In this condition as I was reading the Tragedy called Heraclidae there came a Messenger to me from this Place bringing a Letter from a certain Friend of my Father's who bade me pass over the River Hydraotes and consult with him about recovering this Kingdom for there were great hopes for me that I might easily attain it if I were not wanting to my self I thinking that some of the Gods had brought that Tragedy into my thoughts follow'd the Presage Now when I had cross'd the River I heard that one of them who had usurped the Kingdom was dead and that the other was besieg'd in his Palace Wherefore complying with these things I came with open mouth in all the Towns wheresoever I pass'd crying out that I was the Son of such a one and that I came to possess my own Government Whereupon they received me with very great joy and thinking me to be very like my Grandfather embraced me and accompanied me with Swords and Bows in great numbers which continually increas'd Wherefore coming to the Gate of the City those that were here receiv'd me so chearfully that they lighted Torches at the Altar of the Sun wherewith came to the Gates and conducted me hither singing praises of my Father and Grandfather As for that Drone within they thrâ—w him over the Walls notwithstanding I interceded for him that they would not put him to such a death Illustrations on Chap. 13. 1 TO strive against Fortune c. It is a very faâ—nâ— Opinion for any man although Fortune hath given him one shrewd Blow 〈◊〉 to despond or though in a great Design his second or third Attempt be â—oyl'd yet the works of Destiny are kept so secret from us till enlighten'd by time as for ought we know that success which is deny'd to our first second or third Attempt may be reserv'd to a fourth nothing is more â—â—â—ally seen than in the sealing the Walls of strong Placeâ— after one or two desperate repulses an obstinate perseverance carries them and so in mens civil Undertakings perseveranti dabitur for in persevering many times strange and unthought of Accidents are found to come in by means whereof the success is beyond what could have been imagined for God does as well disappoint our Fears as our Hopes Therefore in the old Roman way of such as slew themselves if they did it out of scorn to endure any base disgrace then it was set upon the score of Magnanimity or if it was to ease them of some grievous paiâ— then it excused it self upon that Dictate of Nature Of Evils choose the least but if in case of adverse Fortune and an over-hasty Despair it was certainly then the effect of a pusillanimous Spirit which had not courage enough to hold out till a better condition might appear 2 The Tragedy of Heraclidae this Tragedy was written by Euripides 3 I would not be wanting to my self c. The main Reason why there are so few gallant Exploits done among men and how it comes to pass that they suffer such base Oppressions as they do is for the most part because they are wanting to themselves that is they either see not the opportunities they have of helping themselves or else they want the courage to undertake them The Reason of the first is not so much the daily diversion of their minds upon pleasures or other impertinencies as a meer thoughtlessness and stupidity wherein we pass most of our time in thinking seriously upon nothing This perhaps is a great cause of publick Quiet in not observing those Emergencies which more vigilant and hot Heads would lay hold of for turbulent Attempts and therefore in our Institutions is not censured but Mahomet has by an express Edict prohibited it as a mortal sin and I am of opinion that his strict Injunction for such perpetual Meditation and Advertency is one great cause of the daily growth and progress of his Church and Empire Yet indeed were I a Prince especially if I did not exactly govern as the Peoples good required I should not much fancy my thinking Subjects lest observing things too narrowly their thoughts might not be to my advantage The second way wherein men usually fall is want of Courage Magnis conatibus obstat impunitatis â—â—pido If man were not a Creature as timid as he is crafty and malicious how could one man or a few enslave a whole Nation Yet most certainly it was the great wisdom of God to plant this fear of Death in the heart of man without which the poor would rifle the rich the People would disobey their Governors and every superstitious Fool would to escape Purgatory murder whomsoever his Confessor bid him Now besides these two Deficiencies men are wanting to themselves in many other Points but above all in Industry how many appear in the Streets half naked and begging for a farthing when others as feeble as they support themselves by Labour and others who lye tortured with Diseases have usually fail'd themselves in point of Temperance when rather than restrain their Gluttony or Drunkenness they choose as the easier to fall a praying Poscis opem nerviâ— corpusque fidele senectae Esto age sed patinae grandes Tucetaque crassâ— Annuere his superos vetuere Iovemque morantur Thus in all kind of Afflictions that men endure upon a severe scrutiny they shall find that their endurance or at least their long endurance proceeds from their being wanting to themselves one way or other 4 Receiv'd me with great joy c. The Case in brief was thus This King Phraotes his Father came young to the Crown which being by some great men usurp'd from him he not long after dying they still detaâ—n'd it from his young Son Phraotes who thereby was constrained to live poor in exile till after that the Usurpers had with much oppression for some years exasperated the People they then revolted from the Usurpers and sent for the right Heir Phraotes and settled him in the Throne of his Ancestors The People are so basely in love with their own ease and safety as they many