befell vpon them In Pompey there was this desire and thought to ouercome with as little bloudshed as might be But what fiends and damned spirits diddest thou inuocate Caius Caesar what Stygian furies what infernall hagges and what nightly terrors didest thou intreat to what Eumenides diddest thou sacrifice intending such a generall slaughter Pompey being earnestly vrged by his souldiers thought good to marshall his men and to set the armie as might be most conuenient for the soile whereon they were to combate The left wing of the armie was committed to L. Lentulus the leading of the right wing had L. Domitius the strength and middest of the battell did wholly relie vpon P. Scipio vpon the bankes and sides of the riuers did march the Cappadocians Ponticke horsemen in the brode field were Tetrarches Kings and Princes and all the purpled Lords that were tributarie to Rome Pompeis squadrons were furnished with many Romanes Italians and Spaniards Caesar seeing his enemies to haue discended into the plaine was heartily glad that so good occasion was offred him and that the day was come which with a million of wishes he called for wherefore departing out of his tents and marshalling his souldiers he made toward Pompey In this battell the fathers face was directly against the sonnes the brother was preparing himselfe against his brother the vncle was the first that leuelled at the nephew and he that did slay most of his kindred was accompted most couragious VVhen the trūpets denounced the warres and gaue a signe of fight the Caesarians did fiercely giue assault to the Pompeians The force and vigor of the warre did consist in the launces speares and swords which Pompey had well prouided against by ioyning the targets one with another so that Caesar had much ado to breake the array but fearing lest his foremen should faint he caused the transuers legions to follow his ensigne who as it were with a side-wind aduenturing vpon Pōpeis armie stroke them downe on each side so fast as they went The barded horse being incensed with the heate of the warre his heart being boared with the point of the speare exempted himselfe from the reine The Barbarians being not able to restraine them gaue way to Caesar and the foming steede being now the regent of the field the fight was confused and disordered for vpon whom the dart did vncertainly light leauing their horses perforce they lay groning and groueling on the earth till the hoofes of the arrearing coursers did crush the veile of their braines Caesar was now come to the heart and center of Pompeis armie but the night drew on which made both sides pause Caesar did thanke his souldiers and gliding through euery troope and band of them he did put nourishing oile into their burning wrath He tooke view of their swords curiously obseruing whose weapon was ouerflowed with bloud and whose was dipped at the point whose hand did trēble and whose was stedfast who changed the countenance through feare who through furie and casting his eyes on the prostrate carcasses frowning vpon them with curled forehead as not yet satisfied he fed his irefull lookes with the desolate aspect of his slaine countriemen but if he perceiued a gaspe in the flesh of his owne souldiers he would endeuour to close it vp with his hand giuing them words of comfort and encouragement did sooner heale them then indeede they were healed At the dawning of the day next ensuing and at the first entrance of that mornings bloudie houres when the welkin had put aside the vizard of the night the starres being couered and the earth discouered by the Sunne Caesar giuing his souldiers new swords new darts speares and launces and awaking their courage giuing them also to vnderstand with the point of his launce in what part of the aduerse armie the forreine kings the Consuls the Senators and the nobilitie were placed directed them as it were by aime to gage the bodies of many excellēt men who entangling their weapons in the intrals of these noble enemies did throw to the ground to extreme ruine many princely potentates many reuerent persons were buried in go are many of the Lepidi of the Metelli of the Coruini and Torquati but amongst the rest the fortune of Domitius was dolorous and despitefull he as before hath bene said was once pardoned and dismissed of Caesar but now was singled out by Caesar and grieuously wounded but yet so great was his mind that he would not stoope to begge a second pardon whome Caesar looking vpon like a tyrant and seeing him rowle his fainting members in the moistned dust did with this bitternesse insult giuing him the scornefull gaze L. Domitius now I hope at length you wil forsake your maister Pompey hereafter I trust you will practise no enmitie against Caesar But as good fortune would he had as yet breath enough to replie in these few words Caesar I dy a free man and I go to the region of Proserpina not seeing thee as a conquerour but as yet inferiour to Pompey and euen at my death am I refreshed with this hope that thou liuest to be subdued by the rigor of destinie which wil take reuenge both for vs and for thy sonne in law Hauing spoken these words his life fled from him and his sight was taken away with a dreadful darknesse by whose wounds so much bloud was not lost as there was glorie gained For he gaue a cleare token of an honorable mind accompting it a great deale better to haue dignitie without life then life without dignitie But Caesar thinking nothing to be done if any thing were vndone ragingly and earnestly did seeke for the person of Pompey rushing into the thicke of his souldiers neuer stretched out his arme without deaths warrant and neuer looked backe but when he saw none to fight withall Pompey standing a farre off on the top of an hill seeing the fields to swimme with bloud and the Romane Senate to be nothing now but an heape of carcasses and that his owne decay was sought for by the bloud of a multitude reseruing himselfe to some better fortune forsooke the field and fled to Larissa Caesar perceiuing it thought it better to giue some rest to his armie then with a sudden pursuite to make after him wherefore he retired his souldiers came to Pompeys tents VVhen the wandering night was chased frō the inferiour Islands by the recoursing day and the Sunne had imparted his brightnesse to our vnder-neighbors and the dreames were readie to possesse the Theater of the fancie the wearisome creatures of the world declining to their rest the Caesarians hauing ransacked Pompeis tents and refreshed their fainting bodies with the viand there left betooke themselues to their ease and reposed their wearied limmes in these plots which the Pompeians did before lodge in But how shall I describe the deformitie of that night in which hell did breath out the ghosts of them that
reuolts and runagates Sylla hauing thus appeased and qualified forraine affaires went by sea toward Rome and in the way met him certaine ambassadours from the Parthian king which were sent to gratulate his victorie he being the first of the Romanes to whome the king of Parthia sent ambassadours There was nothing more worthie among Syllaes labours then that whole three yeares space whilst the factioners of Cinna Marius did besiege the townes of Italie he neither pretended any fauour toward them neither did he omit that which he had in hād namely the subduing and vanquishing of forraine enemies for he knew when external tumults were ended he might with more ease extinguish domesticall enemies Before the comming of Sylla Cinna in a mutinie of his owne souldiers was slaine a captaine more worthie to be adiudged to death by the discretion of the conquerour then to loose his life through the furie of his souldiers of whom it may truly be said that he aduentured those things which no vertuous man wold attempt that he brought those things to passe which none but a valiant souldier could accomplish His fellow Cōsul Carbo hauing no colleague did now praedominate and beare sway Sylla hauing entred Italie it was thought he came not as a reuenger of warre but as an authour of peace with such quietnesse and mildnesse he lead his armie through Calabria and Apulia with a great speciall regard of the growing corne of meddowes of men of castles and cities and indeed he assayed by lawfull articles and equall conditions to appease the discord but peace could not please them which were immoderatly couetous Sillaes army did daily increase euery good and discrete Italian making recourse vnto him and he had a most happy victory about Capua against Scipio and Norbanus Consuls Norbanus being ouercome by fight Scipio being forsaken of his army yet Sylla gaue him leaue to depart without hurt or hinderance so vnlike was he to himselfe in his warres and after his victory for whilst the victorie was fresh he was more mild then equitie required but when peace had taken roote he was more cruell then any barbarous Scythian for Q. Sertorious the fury and firebrand of that rebellious warre which not long after ensued being disarmed by Sylla was sent away in safety and many others he did with the same clemency intreate of purpose as I thinke that he might giue an example of a double and diuerse mind in one man and by that meane shroud and couer the contents of his heart At that time to fill vp the measure of publike mishap in the city of Rome where before men did emulate one another in vertuous actions now they did combate and contend in malicious practises he thought himselfe the best man that was most wicked and iniurious Sylla had three mighty aduersaries Carbo and C. Marius the sonne of Marius that was the seauenth time Consull which both were Consuls whilst Sylla rong an allarme at the gates of Preneste and Pontius Telesinus who leuying an army of the Samnites did stoutly confront Sylla before the walles of Preneste he was an Italian borne but was not free of the city of Rome a valiant souldier and a great enemy to a Romane name who stood in defence of Preneste but not with the Consuls This Telesinus conducting forty thousand fighting men ioyned battell with Sylla at Collina and brought both him and the commō-weale to extreame danger for Rome was not in greater feare when the tents of Hanniball were but three miles distant from her walles Telesinus did greatly encourage his souldiers saying that the day of their battell was the last period of the Romane glorie and he cried that Rome Rome must be throwne downe and razed frō the foundations adding therewithall that there wold neuer be wanting inuadors of the Italian liberties as long as the wood stoode where such wolues were harboured At the first houre of the night the Romane armie reuiued their courage Telesinus the next day after was found halfe dead bearing the countenance rather of a conqueror then of a man subdued whose head being cut off Sylla cōmaunded to be caried along the streetes of Preneste C. Marius his life being in a desperate case was faine to creepe through certaine holes of the earth to escape his enemies but he was slaine of Syllaes souldiers that were appointed for that purpose of which towardly gentleman what opinion Sylla caried a man may easily coniecture for when he was slaine he intitled himselfe Sylla the fortunate which had indeed bene true if he had ended his life with his victories For hauing entred the citie and vsurped the Dictatorship which had bene an hundred and twentie yeares intermitted for the last Dictator before Sylla was made the first yeare after Hannibals departure out of Italie so that it was apparant that the Romanes did not so much desire the vse of a Dictator as they did feare his tyrannie he began presently to broach the bloud of citizens hauing alreadie drawne to the bottome the bloud of straungers foure legions of souldiers who had bene of the contrarie faction and had now vpon couenant of life submitted themselues to his mercie calling in vaine vpon the faith of a Romaine soldier he caused to be slaine fiue thousand of that armie which fought against him at Preneste being promised life by P. Cethegus his Lieutenant he put to a sudden and vnlooked for death and caused their ioynts to be plucked in peeces and commaunded that they should be dispersed and cast abrode in the wastes and mores After these great and extreme cruelties he put in practise the heauie penaltie of proscription which if it had died with Sylla would haue beene a great part of the Romane happinesse by that meanes he brought to passe that whose names soeuer he writ in the table of proscription should be vpon their attachemēt presently put to death their goods also were subiect to sale euery one taking the benefit to whome Sylla would graunt it neither was he content to rage against them onely which had before opposed themselues to him but the most quiet and innocent citizens for the greatnesse of their wealth he depriued also of life and against silly women did he bend his wrath as not satisfied with the death of men and which was a signe of a Thracian crueltie as soone as the heads of the slaine citizens were parted from their trembling corses breathing as yet their faces being not wholly depriued of a vitall bloud he did gaze vpon them and tosse thē in his hands that he mightfeed on them with his eyes though he could not crush them with his teeth VVith what sauagenesse did he behaue himselfe in the killing of M. Marius whose eyes were pluckt out before his death and euery part of his bodie was sundred and disioynted and at that instant he enforced his sword through the bowels of M. Pletorius because he
valure and fortune in Affricke and within a yeare and three moneths after his comming thither he tooke Numantia and caused euerie stone to be throwne to the ground as a notable monument of a Romane victorie There was neuer anie man of anie name or nation that by the sacking of cities did more aeternise his house or enlarge his glorie for hauing rooted vp Carthage he deliuered the Romanes from feare and hauing razed Numantia he deliuered them from reproch Being returned into the Citie within a short time after two Consulships two victories and two notable triumphs he was found dead in his bed his iaw bone being dissolued and dislocated There was no inquisition made afterward of the death of this inuincible Captaine the bodie of Scipio was brought out into the streete his head couered by whose great labours and warlike exploits Rome lifted vp her head ouer all the world to the terrour and dismay of other cities and countreys His death was as the most say fatall as some say conspired his life doubtlesse was of that singularitie that it was ouercome of no mans glorie but onely his grandfathers After the death of Ti. Gracchus the same fury and rage of mind that possest him entred as it were by a kind of transmutation into his brother C. Gracchus a man as like to Tiberius in his vertues as in his errour who when with great facilitie and ease of mind he might haue bene the Prince of the Citie and the ruler of the Senate tooke the Tribuneship vpon him to raise tumults to licence swords and to reuiue discord to no other intent or purpose but either to reuenge his brothers death or purchase to himselfe a soueraigntie and for the more hastie pursuing of his drift he bestowed the freedome of the Citie vpon euery inhabitant of Italy he interdicted and forbad by Tribunitial law that no citizen should possesse more then fiue hundred akers of land he erected new hauens he filled the prouinces with new colonies he transferred the authoritie of iudgement froÌ„ the Senate to the Nobles he determined to distribute and deuide corne amongst the people to be briefe he left almost nothing vnaltered or vndisturbed This man was slaine by the sharpe and hastie pursuite of L. Opimius Consull who was in armes against him and Fuluius Flaccus was likewise slaine one that had enioyed both the Consulship and the honor of Triumph a man of a detestable meaning whom C. Gracchus had denominated and designed to be one of the Treuiri in the place of Tiberius his brother being his associate in all his enterprises and defiled with the like dishonest intendment Opimius caused proclamation to be made that whosoeuer could bring vnto him the head of Gracchus should haue the weight of the head in gold Flaccus inciting his soldiers on the hill Auentine was there slaine together with his eldest sonne C. Gracchus coÌ„mitting himselfe to flight lest he might fall into the hands of them whoÌ„ Opimius had sent to take him putting his bare necke vnder the naked sword of his seruant Euporus was of him beheaded and the same Euporus was suddenly a slaughter-man to himselfe Thus the two Gracchi finished the course of their life men that had a fortunate beginning sinister proceedings a cursed ending to whom if they had embraced quietnesse the commoÌ„weale wold haue offered these honors which by tumult and disquietnesse they sought their mother Cornelia as yet liuing a vertuous and learned Ladie who hauing nurtured and trained them vp in the studie of learning and vertuous demeanour did greatly bewaile that her good endeuors had so bad successe and that her two sonnes whom nature praetended to be the solace of her age were so sodainely and shamefully disgraced that she could not see their bodies couered with earth they being in most despitefull maner throwne into Tiber whose mindes she had furnished and beautified with such excelleÌ„t learning so was her ioy ouercome and surprised with griefe that she must either loath her children or else lament for them but howsoeuer for euer lacke them In that tract of time C. Marius waging battaile in Numidia against Iugurtha who were both fellow souldiers and managed armes together vnder Scipio Affricanus sent L. Sylla his Quaestor to Bocâ—hus the King of the Mores to treate and capitulate with him about the taking of Iugurth whom by that meane he enioyed and being made the second time Consull in the beginning of his Consulship and in the Calends of Ianuary he brought Iugurth in triumph to Rome The Cimbrians Teutons at that time did cause great slaughter and manie massacres of the Romanes in France and hauing put to flight and discomfited Caepio Manlius Carbo and Silanus they killed in fight Scaurus Aurelius one of the Consuls and other excellent men of memorable qualities The people of Rome did not thinke anie Generall so fit to encounter these foes as C. Marius whilest he was in these warres he was continually Consull his third Consulship he spent in warlike preparation thinking it not sufficient to haue souldiers but to haue practised and skilfull souldiers training them by pettie skirmishes and encouraging theÌ„ by the conquest of base townes to more haughtie and valorous attempts his fourth Consulship was spent about the warres of Sextus where he fought with the Teutons and before that warre finished he razed out of the world the whole progenie of the Teutons In his fifth Consulship he planted his fight betwixt the Alpes and Rome and in that battell Marius him self being Consull and Q. Catulus Proconsul a fortunate victorie ensued farre beyond the expectation of the Romanes and the admiration of strangers an hundred thousand men being brought into the power of the Romans wherof some were slaine some were slaues By this victorie Marius deserued that Rome should not repent her selfe of his birth nor requite his acts with reproch His sixth Consulship was giueÌ„ him as the crowne of his merits yet he is not to be defrauded of the glorie which during this Consulship did of right belong vnto him euen by the confession of the enuious Marius being the sixt time Consul Saturninus one of the Tribunes of the people did promulgate a lawe that what lands or demesnes Marius had gained in France by his expulsion of the Cimbrians from thence should be equally parted deuided amongst the people of Rome and that euery Senator should sweare to this thinking to bind them by their oath from dispossessing and disseising the people of these alotmeÌ„ts and purparties Q. Metellus a Senator against whom Saturninus had a burning stomacke denied to ratifie that lawe by oath wherupon he had day giuen him to appeare before the Senate For Marius being wholly addicted to please the people in all things which did not oppugne his owne profite did greatly fauour the law Metellus though he were supported in
this action by many good and vertuous citizens yet fearing some bloudshed in the citie by maintaining that cause committed himselfe to voluntarie exile and shortly after water fire was forbidden him which was the title stile of the banishment vsed in Rome This Saturninus was afterward made the third time Tribune and because he feared that C. Memmius who at that time sued for the Cōsulship would with maine force oppose himselfe to his actions and enterprises he gathered a garrison of souldiers and caused him to be slaine Marius presently rowzing himselfe for the punishmēt and reuenge of this proud Tribune and by Senate-councell authorised charged his bodie with harnesse and with a troupe of warlike citizens besieged the Capitoll which Saturninus and the Praetor Glancias together with Saufeius the Quaestor his adherents did hold as the castle of their defence But Marius cutting in peeces the conduit pipes enforced them to yeeld and to submit themselues promising thē life liuing and libertie but when he had them in his power he made hauocke of them all leauing not one aliue the house of Saturninus he razed from the lowest foundation VVhen the conspiracie of Saturninus was appeased there began of fresh a new quarell betwixt the Senators an◠M. Liuius Drusus a noble Gentleman eloquent and modest nature being as bountifull vnto him as fortune was iniurious he had alwayes a great desire to restore the former honor to the Senate and to transferre the iudiciall power from the Nobles for they being possest of that authoritie by the law of C. Gracchus which is aboue mentioned did practise extreme and brutish crueltie vppon manie excellent Senators and guiltlesse Citizens and amongst the rest was slaine P. Rutilius a man in that age incomparable yet the fortune of Drusus was such that he was crossed and confronted by the Senate in those matters which he moued for the good behoofe of the Senate they either not perceiuing or not willing to perceiue that though the petitions which Drusus made as Tribune and as of dutie he ought sounded and indeed tended to the profite of the people yet his drift to be this that the people hauing lesser things graunted them might permit greater to the Senate that so giuing them a litle the reyne they might enioy the fruite of libertie but yet might easily be plucked in if there were anie feare of disorder which was the onely meane to preserue the dignitie of the Senate and to restraine the humours of the people but the eyes of the Senators were so dazeled with enuie toward Drusus with enmitie toward the people and selfe-loue toward their owne persons that they did more allow the pernitious practises of the other Tribunes then the dutifull meaning of Drusus despising the reuerence wherwith Drusus did alwayes honour them and yet digesting the iniuries wherwith his fellow Tribunes did molest them which vniust and absurd dealing did euidently proceed from the gall of their enuie Then this good Tribune hauing his mind surcharged with malcontentment seeing that his honest purpose was maliciously peruerted lacking patiēce to beare his griefe and constancie to perseuere in his commendable intents resolued sodainly in a desperat passion to maintaine the faction of the Gracchi to entertaine into his heart rebellion to swarue from vertue to prostrate himselfe to the violence of fortune and being garded with a great multitude of vnknowne soldiers who were seditious Italians whom Drusus laboured to make free-men of the Estate he thought to terrifie the citie but within a short time he was slaine in his owne porch his side being pierced with a knife which sheathed in his entrailes and was left there sticking and filling the mouth of the wound but when he yeelded vp to the heauens his vitall spirit casting his eyes vpon the companie that stoode about him lamenting that dismall chance he breathed out these words at the last instant and with the surrender of his soule Tell me my friends and kinsfolke may the common-weale at any time enioy a more faithfull citizen then I haue heretofore bene This ende of life had that noble Gentleman who if he had bene armed with patience might haue triumphed ouer enuy Caius Marius was now become the refuge and defender both of Senate and people he was of bodie hardfauored in maners rigorous famous for warre odious in peace vnsatiable in ambitious desires impatient in his wrath and alwayes attempting some strange noueltie he did not long after valiantly endeuor to suppresse the flames and perillous scalefire of the Italian warre which because it was most dangerously begun and continued with great difficultie quenched and ended I thinke it not amisse to make full description thereof laying for my foundation the cause which moued the Italians or Latines to reuolt from the Romans and to breake their faith before constantly kept But the causes of things are so secret misticall being the most remote obiects to which our vnderstanding may aspire that we may easily be deceiued by disguised and pretenced reasons whilest we seeke for the true and essential causes For to report things that be done it is easie because the eye and the tongue may dispatch it but to discouer and vnfold the causes of things requireth braine soule and the best prowesse of mans nature wherefore to find out the causes of this warre diligence must be vsed This warre is of diuerse men diuersly named some terme it the Italian some the Marsian some the Sociall war all which haue sufficient reason to make good their seuerall appellations The Italian warre it was tearmed because it was raised by such Italians as were in league with the Romanes which was the occasion of the entercourse of manie good turnes and benefits betwixt them and the Romanes for though they did not inioy the liberties of the city of Rome in such large and ample maner as the citizens or free men of that Citie yet they possessed them in farre greater measure then others which were meere straungers to that Estate and that by the law of societie which to the Romanes was alwayes sacred and inuiolate this warre therfore vpon their reuolt was termed Sociale as maintained by them who had contracted established a league of societie The Marsian war it was called because the first commotion was attempted by the Marsians a free people of Italie The cause the beginning of this war do in time greatly differ for the cause hath a retrospect to the first times of the Romane monarchie when the people of Italie being greatly infested and endamaged by the continuall inuasions of the Romanes did watch oportunitie and with serious expectation attended if by anie possible meanes they might requite the Romanes with the like and recouer their auncient rights and iurisdictions and at one instant breake both the league and shake off the feare which they then had of the Romanes and which was the
then those disorderly and enormous quarellers or rather furious and traiterous conspirers He was Cōsull with Cn. Octauius who because one of them namely Cinna fauoured Marius and the other Sylla fell to a sodaine iarre maintaining seuerall armies in the Citie caused much terror and some bloudshed Cinna was expulsed the Citie by the power of Octauius and the Senators his Consulship was abrogated and in his place L. Cornelius Merula Iupiters priest was elected Cinna hauing corrupted the Centurions Tribunes souldiers with hope of liberalitie was admitted of that armie which was as yet about Nola for their Captaine and hauing sworne all his souldiers to obeisance and loyaltie he marched in his Consul robes toward Rome his armie consisting of three hūdred bands of good souldiers amounting in the view of spials to the number of thirtie legions but though he had manie souldiers and much courage he lacked notwithstanding factioners and fauourites to vphold him and was destitute of popular credit which might bolster and support his doings For supplying of which want he called from banishment C. Marius and his sonne with all the other Romanes which were before by Syllaes horsemen chased out of the Citie VVhilest Cinna was thus preparing warre against his mother towne Cn. Pompeius father to that great state of whom we shall hereafter speake whose worthie actes in the Marsian warre together with his victorie at Asculum was verie beneficiall and commodious to the common-weale being frustrate of hope to continue the Proconsulship shewed himselfe verie indifferent and equall to the factions doing all things for his proper and priuate good and lying in waite for oportunitie to serue his owne turne and aduancement enclining his armie this way and that way now as a fauourer to Cinna now as a friend to Sylla following fortune by coniectures and determining to ioyne with him who by all likelihood should be most puissant at length he encountred with Cinna before the citie wals where after a maine sea of bloudshed the Romanes that were vpon the walles beholding the slaughter of their brethren friends and kinsfolke vnder the wals the battell was fully finished but the victorie was doubtfull Not long after Cn. Pōpeius died by whose death the souldiers of Cinna conceiued so great ioy and gladsomnesse that they forgat the finall ouerthrow of their fellow souldiers and the Romans did bestow their reuenge vpō Pompey being dead which they did owe to him being aliue Cinna and Marius did not without great hauocke of men and matrons inuade the citie but Cinna entred first and published a lawe touching the receiuing of Marius then C. Marius entred the wals with a most fatall and daungerous returne to the citie of Rome Nothing had bene more bloudie then his entrance if his death had not shortly ensued for hauing possessed the citie he was more vnsatiate in his crueltie then any rauenous tiger and more mercilesse in his tragicall punishments then any furie breathing nothing but bloud and delighting in nothing but murder neither did the licentious rage of his wrath content it selfe with the bloud of meaner men but it seised vpon the states and starres of the citie Then did Octauius one of the Consuls a man of a mild douelike humor render vp his life into the pawes of these wolues and Merula who a little before the returne of Cinna had through feare renounced the Consulship cut in peeces his owne veines and sprinkling his lukewarme bloud vpon the altar vpon which he had often sacrificed the bloud of beasts and intreating the gods for the execratiō of Cinna to whom he had often prayed for the preseruation of the citie gaue vp his fainting ghost in a great agonie of mind M. Antonius the chiefe of the citie and the Phaenix of eloquence was slain at the commaundement of Marius and Cinna by the swords of their souldiers whome by the sweetnesse of his eloquence he did a longtime restraine and delay from the killing of him Q. Catulus a man famous for his vertues and valour in the Cimbrian warre the glorie of which he did participate with Marius as we haue aboue reported when he was hunted to death by these greedie bloud-hounds shut himself into a narrow closet that was newly pargited with lime and hauing there a fire of burning coales which might raise vp a sudden dampe stopping his breath with a vaporous and darkish smoke departed this world rather according to his owne wish then his enemies will then were the streetes channels theaters market places and temples strewed and ouerspread with carcasses so that it could hardly be iudged whether these two tyrants did slay more that they might obtaine the victorie or more were put to the sword that they might safely enioy the victorie For euerie one to whome Marius would not reach out his hand by way of salutation was immediatly slaine The common weale was now in a tottering and ruinous estate couetousnesse was the cause of crueltie and the more wealthie a man was the more faultie he was iudged the accuser of a rich man had his pay and reward out of the coffers of him that was accused and then was profite and honestie confounded and made one Afterward Cinna and Marius were Consuls Cinna was now the second time Consul Marius the seuenth time who in that consulship died a Romane in war terrible to his enemies in peace to his friends and at all times impatient of quietnesse in his place was chosen Valerius Flaccus Cinna being now the sole regent of Italie the greatest part of the Nobilitie fled to Sylla into Achaia who in the meane time did so fight with Mithridates his Lieutenants and Coronels about Athens Macedonia and Beotia that he tooke Athens and made great hauocke of his enemies But if any impute the rebellion of these times vnto the citie of Athens he is altogether ignorant of the truth For the faith of the Athenians was alwaies so firme and inuiolate towards the Romanes that euery action which was performed without blemish or staine of promise was said to be done by an Athenian faith but they being heauily oppressed by the vnsufferable vsage of Mithridates his host were besieged of their friends when they were held captiue of their enemies and obaying necessitie stayed their bodies within the wals though their minds were without and entirely with the Romans Sylla did then conduct his armie into Asia where he found Mithridates very tractable suppliant vnto him whome he punished with the paiment of a great summe of mony and with the losse of part of his nauie enioyning him to depart out of Asia and out of all the prouinces which he had vniustly inuaded and constraining him to content himselfe with the inheritance discended from his father which was the kingdome of Pontus he tooke from Mithridates the Romane prisoners without ransome and vsed great seueritie against the traiterous
distempered declamation it is no noueltie with vs my Lords for it is the vsuall methode of his mercenare toung vpō poore and pitifull presumptions to hazard the life and soule of his clients cause But what madnesse is it for one that is lately crept into the citie to talke of antiquities taking matters in hand which are elder then his memorie which were forgotten and dead before he was begotten and borne Thou art not auncient enough Cicero to speake of our auncestors nor worthie enough to talk of our worthies thou art as a pilgrime in this citie thou art ignorant of the orders and customes therof thou seemest to wander in another countrie and not to beare office in the Metrapolis of Italie thou threatnest vs with extremities and layest on load with imprisonments as if our bodies should be anuils to thine hatred but suffer not my sweet mild and curteous magistrates of Rome that vpon Ciceroes suggestion we should endure such reproch the ignominie of arraignment is miserable the arresting of guiltlesse men is lamentable banishment is discomfortable but the racking rowling tearing and tormenting of men far be it not only frō the bodie of a Romane but euen from his thoughts from his eyes from his eares For mine own part I confesse and professe and pretend that Catiline liueth not to please but to displease and displace M. Cicero of whome when I speake I speake of tyrannie of villanie of basenesse and assure thy selfe Cicero that either the law of Rome or the lawe of reason shall be my warrant in this case and to them that be discontented in this citie thy fall will be a generall s atisfaction Catiline departed out of the senate house continuing his furie and because danger was feared it was thought good that the Senate should be dismissed in the night time Catiline went with a slender gard to the tents of Manlius Lentulus Cethegus and diuerse others that were priuie to the conspiracie and did as yet remaine in the citie were arrested and imprisoned and being conuicted by manifest euidence were presently put to death The day wherein the punishment of these traitors was decreed did greatly illustrate beautifie the worthinesse of M. Cato He discended from M. Cato the Prince of the Portiā familie after whome this Cato in degree of discent was accompted and numbred in the third place This M. Cato was of all the Romanes most sincere and most like to vertue itselfe and seemed in his iustice and integritie to be nearer to God then to man who did not liue honestly orderly because he would seeme to be vertuous but because it was against the course of his disposition to be dishonest and disorderly thinking that onely to be reasonable which was iust and lawfull he was free from fancies and had alwaies fortune in his owne power he was then Tribune of the people young in respect of his yeares but in wisedome and aduise a father a right Senator who when others perswaded that the conspirators should be kept aliue in seuerall wards being the last of them that sentenced the rebellious did inueigh with such force of mind and wit against the conspirators that by the vehemencie of his speech he cancelled their opinions which perswaded lenitie and made their softnesse to be suspected and the greater part of the Senate in fauour of Catoes gracious seueritie did accōpanie him to his house C. Caesar did at that time giue some token of a rebellious humor whereof Rome tasted afterward too much himselfe in the end was poisoned with the dregs Catiline hearing what was done at Rome gathered an armie and making a laborious iourney through the steepe and craggie hils intended a voyage into that part of Fraunce which is beyond the Alpes which Q. Metellus perceiuing who was leader of three bands of soldiers in the Picē prouince he remooued his tents and pitched them at the bottome of the Pistorian heath frō which place the armie of C. Antonius was not farre Catiline when he saw that he was on euery side embayed with mountaines armed mē chose rather to fight with Antonius who cōmitted the vantgard to the conduct of M. Petreius Catiline in that battell gaue a sharpe onset and continued the fight with an vndaunted stomacke but in the end was slaine and dying with great indignation was there trampled to death by the hoofes of horses Thus he that did defend himself in the Senate house was confounded in the field and that by the iustice of destinie who with a scourge of steele followeth proud aspirers this insolent Romane perceiued at the time of his death the deceitfull glose of his fawning fancie the vaine sophistrie of bewitching ambition ⸪ LACHESIS Or the second Booke CN Pompeius for his great valor magnanimitie iustly intitled Magnus did in course of time grow to an exceeding greatnesse of authoritie and had purchased through his worthie exploits the loue applause and admiration of the whole world his father was Cn. Pompeius an approued souldier and a Consularian his mother was Lucilia a Senators daughter he was of a comely personage not so commendable for beautie as for a pleasing and constant complection which continued euen to his last houre his wisedome was of a wonderfull excellencie his life in all parts absolute his eloquence but indifferent he was desirous to haue honour offred but was not ambitious to vsurpe it a fast friend a religious obseruer of his word in reconciling mē that were at variance most faithfull in receiuing satisfaction for offences most easie neuer vsing his power to impotēcie nor his wit to vanitie from his cradle a souldier in his youth a conqueror triumphant and in all his warres couragious and dreadfull For though Sertorius did more cōmend Metellus yet he was more afraid of Pompey And of the Spaniards he triumphed when he was but a Romane knight not hauing as yet borne any office of estate To be a knight of Rome was so much better then to be a common gentleman by how much a patritian Senator was more honorable then a nouitian whose auncestours were neuer of the Senate And Pompey by degrees did endeuour to aduance his credit and in the end by the conquest of many mightie nations became peereles Mithridates his power was enfeebled by Sylla disiointed by Lucullus broken in peeces by Pompey after which victorie he subdued the Iewes tooke their citie and possest the temple of Ierusalem a rare and miraculous monument which though he filled with his souldiers yet he restrained thē from the spoile In that warre he partly recouered and partly subdued to the Romane power Armenia Colchis Cappadocia Cilicia Syria and all the region of Palestine to the riuer of Euphrates He ouercame beside Paphlagonia Galatia Phrigia Mysia Lydia Caria Ionia and all that part of Asia which lyeth about Pergamus He committed the regiment of Armenia maior to Tigranes the Island of Bosphorus to
doth so little shame me that it would haue grieued me to haue bene silent for whether it shall please thee to follow this course or some better I shall not be mooued sith I haue spoken as much as my barrennesse could bring foorth It remaineth for me and for vs all to wish that such things as thou shalt in wisedome effect the gods would prosper Caesar afterward to match his foure triumphs was made the fourth time Consul his statue also was placed amongst the statues of the auncient kings in the Senat-house there was a throne of iuorie made for him in the theater his roome was such as it contained pleasure pompe and cost his image was exquisitly painted in the Orchester a place wherein the Romaine gentlemen did vse to daunce and vaut the moneth of Iuly was then also cōsecrated to Iulius as the moneth of March is to Mars Caesar did not rest in these honors but thought still to propagate his fame by warlike exploits VVherefore hearing that Pōpeis sons did raise great tumults vprores in Spaine he made great hast thitherward at the towne of Siuill opposed himselfe to Cn. Pompeius one of the sonnes of Pompey the Great who was constrained to flye but Labienus met him at vnawares and hauing slaine him brought his head to Caesar Sex Pompeius his brother escaped by flight ⸪ ATROPOS Or the third Booke THe warre in Spaine being quickly dispatched Caesar returned to Rome and the Romanes did redouble his honours for he was presently made Dictator perpetuall Censor perpetuall Consull for ten yeares and Emperour of Rome he was called also the father of his countrie But Caesars fortunes did soone after begin to decline and these diuerse coloured titles were but as reinebowes which do glitter gallantly for a time but are suddenly extinct his fatall houre was now approching and enuie stayed in the cloudes expecting his end But as a mightie and huge oake being clad with the exuuials and trophes of enemies fenced with an armie of boughs garnished with a coate of barke as hard as steele despiseth the force and power of the windes as being onely able to dallie with the leaues and not to weaken the roote but the Northerne wind that strong champion of the airie region secretly lurking in the vault of some hollow cloud doth first murmur at this aspiring oake and then doth strike his crest with some greater strength and lastly with the deepest breath of his lungs doth blow vp the roote So vndoubtedly was it with Caesar who disdained feare and thought it a great deale better to die then to thinke on misfortune but destinie is no mans drudge and death is euery mans conqueror matching the scepter with the spade and the crowned king with the praislesse peasant As none was more noble then Caesar so nothing was more notable then the death of Caesar for his dearest friēds became his greatest enemies and their hands plucked him downe whose shoulders did lift him vp Many causes were pretended of the conspiracie bent against him the honours which were bestowed vpon him being both manie and great did cause him to be enuied of the Nobles and likewise it was a matter of cauill because sitting before temple of Venus genitrix the Senate comming to him to consult with him of great affaires he did sit and welcome them and did not rise vnto them another occasion of quarell was because M. Antonius would haue set a Diademe vpon his head the fourth cause was because he depriued Epidius Metellus and Cesetius Flauius of the Tribuneship fiftly it was greatly murmured because it was constantly reported that L. Cotta Quindecemuir that is a cōtemplatiue reader of Sybillaes prophecies would pronounce sentence that because it was contained in the prophecies of Sybilla that the Parthians could not be ouercome but by a king therefore Caesar should be highted the king of Rome For these causes a conspiracie being raised against him in which the chiefe agents of the Pompeians were M. Brutus and C. Cassius and of the Caesarians D. Brutus and C. Trebonius in the Ides of March and in the Senate-house which was called Pompeyes court he was pierced with three and twentie wounds which because they were many and most of them were in the belly and about the midrife Caesar as ashamed of such wounds did let downe his robe from his shoulders to couer them and fell as a sacrifice vnder the statue of Cn. Pompeius Magnus M. Antonius and other friends of Caesar were spared by the aduise of M. Brutus lest they might seeme rather to be authors of a faction then of Caesars death After this bloudie exploit they by whō he was slaine held the Capitolle I cannot giue Brutus praise for this but I rather thinke that he deserueth dispraise for had the cause of quailing him bene iust yet the course maner of killing him doth apparantly seeme vnlawfull for by that act the law Portia was broken by which it was prouided that it should not be lawfull for anie to put to death anie citizen of Rome indicta causa The law Cornelia de maiestate was also violated by which it was made high treason for any man to take anie aduise or make anie conspiracie whereby a Romane Magistrate or he which had a soueraigne power without iudiciall proces might suffer death And that ancient law was also despised by which it was forbidden that no Senator should enter into the Senate-house armed with any warlike weapō or hauing about him anie edged toole Surely they that will end tumult with tumult can neuer be seized of good successe or fortunate euēt for discord may breed continue augment contention but it can neuer end it and to expect that all differences should be calmely compounded by generall accord is a thing not much to be hoped for because it seldome happeneth M. Brutus the chiefe actor in Caesars tragedie was in counsel deepe in wit profound in plot politicke and one that hated the principality whereof he deuested Caesar But did Brutus looke for peace by bloudshed did he thinke to auoyd tyrannie by tumult was there no way to wound Caesar but by stabbing his own conscience no way to make Caesar odious but by incurring the same obloquie VVill anie man speake vnto me of the wisedome of Brutus when he thinketh vpō the field of Philippi wherein Brutus was like to the Comet who feeding vpon vapours vaine opinions at length consumed and confounded himself and thus were the two Bruti I meane the first and the last famous men of that honourable name both fatall to the estate of the Romane Common-weale for the former of them did expell the last king of the Romanes and the later did murder their first Emperour But if Caesars death had bene attended till naturall dissolution or iust proceeding had caused it his nephews entrie into the monarchie might well haue bene barred and intercepted because these honors were