danger by reason of the Covetous humor of the Cretans For he brought a considerable sum of money with Him the rumour of which he knew was already spread abroad This therefore was his device Having fill'd a great number of Vessels with Lead and covering the top of them with Gold and Silver He places them in the Temple of Diana in the presence of the Gortynians pretending that He committed his whole Fortune to their Trust After he had put this cheat upon them He fills up several Brass hollow Statues which he had brought along with Him with his money and throws them negligently in the outward Court. In the mean time they guard the Temple with the greatest strictness not so much suspecting other people as fearing least Hannibal without their knowledge might remove the prize He had committed to them Thus our Carthaginian having sav'd his Treasure intire and finely deluded the people of Crete He came at length to Prusias the King of Bythinia in Pontey where He still preserv'd his old inclination towards Italy and made it his endeavor to engage the King against the Roman People But when He perceiv'd He was not strong enough of Himself to oppose them He Associated other Kings and Warlike Nations in a Confederacy Eumenes as being a great Friend to the Roman Interest refus'd to joyn in the Alliance so that they maintain'd a War with each other both by Sea and Land But being back'd by the Romans He was infinitely too hard for them Now Hannibal perceiving how necessary it was for the better success in His Affairs that Eumenes should be cut off he resolves upon this way to rid himself of Him They were in a short time to engage at Sea but Hannibal being overpower'd in number Stratagem was to supply the place of Strength Accordingly he charges his Men to get as many poysonous Serpents as they could and put them into Earthen Vessels of which they procur'd as commanded a considerable number On the day that they were to fight having call'd his Seamen together he gave them order that they should all rush together upon the Ship in which Eumenes was and that in the mean time they need not doubt but that they were able enough to defend themselves from the rest since they were provided of so great a number of Serpents It should be his business to shew them which was the Ship he would have assaulted and likewise to reward the person who should either kill the King or take Him Prisoner After he had given these directions the two Fleets being set in order and about to engage That his Soldiers might plainly see where this Eumenes was before the sign was given He sends out a Messenger in a small Boat having a white Wand in his Hand as a token of Peace when he was come near to the Enemies Fleet he shews them a Letter asks for the King upon which he was immediately Conducted to Him every one taking it for granted that Hannibal had sent him to treat of Peace the Messenger having thus discover'd to his own Party which was the Kings Ship returns again When Eumenes had broke open the Letter He found nothing contain'd therein but what tended to Laughter and Contempt of his Person He very much wonder'd what the meaning of this should be which tho he could not understand without any more ado He engages the Enemy At the very first Onset the Bythinians according to their orders rushing on altogether beset Eumenes his Ship who being not able to withstand their shock saved his Life by flight which he could never have effected had he not betook himself to his Guards in the neighbouring Shore When the rest of the Navy of Eumenes began more fiercely to Attack the Bythinians they pour'd in their Vessels upon them which at first the Enemy only Laught at who could not devise what their intent could be But when they perceiv'd that their Ships were full of Serpents being affrightned with the strangeness of the thing and knowing not what danger chiefly to avoid at last they tack'd about and made to their Port So that the Cunning of Hannibal was too Powerful for the Force of the Pergamenan Navy Who by the same kind of Stratagem had frequently obtain'd great Victories at Land While these things were Transacting in Asia King Prusias's Embassadors then at Rome being accidentally at Supper with Caius Quintus Flaminius the Consul somebody accidentally happening to mention Hannibals Name one of the company said that He was in their Kingdom The next day Flaminius acquaints the Senate with what had been affirm'd by this person who imagining that they should be never free from Treacheries so long as Hannibal was alive despatched Embassadors into Bythinia one of which was Flaminius who were to demand of the King that He should not protect their most inveterate Enemy but forthwith deliver Him up into their Hands Prusias could not deny but that Hannibal was in his Dominions tho He refus'd Himself to betray Him to the Embassadors desiring that they would not Request any thing which was so much against the Laws of Hospitality But let them take Him if they could who without any difficulties might find Him out Hannibal constantly confin'd Himself to one place being a Castle with which the King had Presented Him as a Reward for his Services which He so contriv'd that he had Sallies on all sides through which he might escape if he should have occasion for he always suspected that that would befall Him which at last did really happen The Roman Embassadors accompanied with a great number of Men having at length surrounded this Castle on all parts his Servant perceiving them from the Gate runs to his Master and acquaints Him that there appear'd a more then usual company of Armed Men upon which He commands him to go round all the doors of the House and speedily bring Him word whither there was any way to escape When the Boy had immediately acquainted him how the case stood and had farther assur'd Him that all the passages were stopt he was soon satisfied that this could not happen by accident but that they came to seize his person and that consequently he could not long enjoy his Life which He was resolv'd should not be in another Mans disposal upon which he immediately swallowed a dose of poyson which he was always accustom'd to carry with Him Thus this our most Valiant Hero harrass'd with numerous and various Labours repos'd himself in Death the seventieth year of his Age. Authors do not agree in whose Consulship He dyed For Atticus in his Annals affirms that Claudius M. Marcellus and Q. Fabius Labeo did then bare that Office Polybius on the other hand asserts that it was in the time of Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Cn. Baelius Tamphilus But Sulpicius different from both says that P. Corn. Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus were at that time Consuls Tho this our Great Man was always imploy'd in the
died so very poor that he left scarce enough to defray the Charges of his Burial so that after his Death which was about four years after the Banishment of Themistocles his Daughters were maintain'd at the Charge of the Public and at their Marriage had Fortunes paid them out of the Common Treasure THE LIFE OF PAVSANIAS Done into English by Mr. Hoy Fellow of St. John's Coll. Oxon. PAUSANIAS the Lacedaemonian was a Great Man but various in all Conditions of Life for as he was conspicuous for eminent Vertues he was no less overborn by the contrary Vices The Glory of that famous Action at Plataeae is ascrib'd to him For in that Fight two hundred thousand chosen Foot and forty thousand Horse were shamefully beat out of Greece by an inconsiderable Handful of Men under his Conduct and their Lieutenant-General Mardodonius a Mede the King's Brother-in-Law of singular Personal Fortitude and Prudence above all the Persians left dead on the place Flusht with the success of this Victory his Ambition began to be tampering and he carry'd an Eye upon greater designs But in the very beginning he met with this rub in his way having sent to the Temple of Delphos a Golden Tripod found amongst the Spoils with an Epigram inscrib'd on it to this effect That by His Conduct the Barbarians were cut off at Plataeae and in Acknowledgment of the Victory that Present by Him Dedicated to Apollo The Lacedaemonians caus'd the Verses to be Raz'd out and in their stead Engrav'd only the Names of such Confederate Cities as had been instrumental in defeating the Persians After this Pausanias was again intrusted with a Common Fleet of the Associates for Cyprus and the Hellespont to dismantle the Garrisons of the Barbarians in those parts In which Adventure meeting with the like success he began again to behave himself more insolently and aim'd at greater things then ever For in the Sack of Byzantium taking many of the Persian Nobility and among them some of the Blood Royal he remitted them privately to Xerxes and sent with them Gongylus an Eraetrian with Letters to the King as Thucydides delivers in these words Pausanias the Spartan General understanding that some taken at Byzantium were nearly related to you has made you a Present of them and withall desires to Contract an Alliance with you Wherefore if you approve of the Proposals he sues for your Daughter in Marriage on Condition that by his means both Sparta and the rest of Greece be put into your Hands If you think these things worth your Consideration send an approv'd Minister to whom things may be communicated more particularly The King extremely well satisfied at the safety of so many Personages so near to himself immediately dispatch'd away Artabazus to Pausanias with this Answer That he applauded the Design and desir'd nothing should be omitted which might be serviceable to it promising in case it took effect he shoul'd never meet a Repulse in any thing he would sue for Pausanias being inform'd of the King's pleasure grew so forward in the Business that he incurr'd the Suspition of the Lacedaemonians who remanded him home where he was question'd for his Life but the Allegations charg'd upon him amounting to no more then High Misdemeanours he was only Fin'd and discharg'd from returning to the Navy Yet not long after of his own head he went back to the Army where he follow'd such indiscreet and rash Practices as confirm'd what hitherto had only been suspected of him He laid aside not only the severer Moralities of his own Country but their Fashions and Dress He appeared in Pomp and Splendour like a Foreign King and came into publick in the Median Habit. His Person was guarded by a Retinue of Medes and Egyptians his Entertainments were after the Persian manner with greater Luxury then his Friends thought allowable he was hard of Access he answer'd proudly and commanded cruelly In fine he refus'd to return to Sparta but withdrew to Getonae a place in the Country of Troas where he engag'd in Measures destructive to his Country and Himself The Lacedaemonians being certified of this sent Deputies to him with the Scytala in which after their manner it was specified That unless he immediately return'd home they would pass a Bill of Attainder against him Upon the receipt of this news he went home hoping to disperse the Clouds which hung over him by the power of his Money and Interest there But the Ephori secur'd him immediately in the Name and Behalf of the Community For by the Constitution of that Government this Power over the Prince is repos'd in the hands of any one of the Ephori However in some time he got rid of that Grievance but could not so easily remove the Suspition he lay under for it was still mistrusted he dealt underhand with the King There are a sort of People among the Lacedaemonians they call Helotes who are imploy'd in manuring the Lands and performing all other offices of Slaves These also it was thought he had endeavour'd to debauch to his Designs with hopes of Liberty But the Evidence against him being meerly Circumstantial they deferr'd proceeding against a Person of his Name and Quality upon Surmises and Presumptions till time should make a fuller Discovery While these things were in agitation Argilius a young man whom Pausanias had formerly defil'd to satisfie his unnatural Love being sent by him with a Pacquet to Artabazus a suspition ran in his head that there was somewhat in it nearly concern'd himself because he had observ'd that none who went thither on the like Errand had ever return'd back Upon this breaking up the Seals he found that on the delivery of the Letters he was to have been made away besides many things relating to the transactions then on foot between the King and Pausanias all which with the Letters themselves he immediately communicated to the Ephori But here the wariness and moderation of the Lacedaemonians is not to be pass'd by who suffer'd not themselves to be wrought upon even by such proof to take Pausanias into Custody but forbore to use any rigor towards him till such time as his own Verbal Evidence should be produc'd against himself and accordingly they gave Instructions to the Discoverer how to manage this affair Now there was a Temple of Neptune at Taenaris which the Greeks held inviolable hither the Discoverer was to fly for Sanctuary and kneel down before the Altar near this they had contriv'd a place under-ground from whence any one might hear what was discours'd to Argilius where several of the Ephori had privately posted themselves Pausanias as soon as he heard that Argilius was fled to the Temple hastning after him in great disturbance found him on his Knees before the Altar and enquiring into the occasion of that sudden motion he open'd to him the Contents of the Letters At this Pausanias's disturbance increas'd so far that he entreated him not to discover
not offer violence to the Man who once had bin his Friend that so he might perish with Famine without involving others in the guilt of his Blood and yet Eumenes after three daies languishment with hunger when his Spirits were impair'd and sunk unknown and without order from Antigonus was kill'd by his Keepers to prevent the care of tending him in following the Camp Thus Eumenes who as we told you before at twenty years of Age was receiv'd at Court withall possible demonstration of kindness who for the space of seven years was a constant Favourite and Attendant to King Philip and afterwards was admitted to the same place in Alexanders esteem and enjoy'd it thirteen years more to that degree that in his time he was constituted Master of the Horse in the SOCIAL ARMY who also after his Death was Commander in Cheif of the whole Army and either repelled the violence of his encroaching Competitors or slew them in the Fight maintaining the Boundaries and just Limits of their Power thus I say dyed this Great Commander in the forty fifth year of his Age and fell a Victim to the treachery of his Soldiers rather than overcome by the Prowess of Antigonus It is easy to judge what opinion the Officers who stiled themselves Kings after Alexander's Death had of this Mans merit and Valour by this single instance of their Pride since in his Life-time they durst not assume that swelling Title but were content with the Name and Appellation of Praefects but after his Fall took the Honour of the Name and all the outward Ornaments that belong to Soveraignty and a Crown'd Head neither did they perform what was the pretence and Ground of War The Office of Guardianship or seck to preserve the Kingdomes for Alexanders Legitimate or Natural Issue But as soon as Eumenes the only Defender and Asserter of their Cause was gone they shew'd themselves openly in their own colours and that their design was prinpally to raise and aggrandise themselves In this Conspiracy against Eumenes Antigonus Ptolemy Seleucus Lysimachus and Cassander were chiefly concern'd and passionately sought his Ruin however Antigonus had this Honour in him to give the Corps to be bury'd by his Relations Who perform'd his Funeral Rites in a Military Pomp with the Attendance of the whole Army at his Hearse and after this Ceremony was over transmitted his Urn into Cappadocia to be Religiously kept by his Wife and Children and preserv'd there THE LIFE OF PHOCION Done into English by Mr. Todd Fellow of University Coll. Oxon. PHOCION th' Athenian tho he was many times Chief Commander of the Forces of his Country and One who bore the highest Offices in the City yet is He much more known for Integrity and Agreeableness of Life then for any Military Exploits Hence 't is there is no account of These upon Record but very much said of his exact way of Living and other popular Qualities which gave him the Title of The Beneficent He was never Rich tho the several Places of Honour and Profit freely given him by the People might have plentifully fill'd his Coffers When King Philip presented him with a vast sum of Money and by his Ambassadors press'd Him earnestly to accept it advising Him withal That tho He for his own part might easily dispense with the want of it yet he ought to be concern'd for the good of his Children to whom it might be difficult in a low Ebb of Fortune to maintain the Greatness of their Fathers Character He generously refused the Present and told them If my Children prove such as my self then that small parcel of Ground will keep them that has advanc'd me to this But if they degenerate I should be loth their Luxury should be supported or encouraged at my Provision When he had enjoy'd a continu'd series of Prosperity till very near the eightieth year of his Age in his latter daies he grew extreamly out of favour with his Fellow-Citizens 'T was laid to his Charge that he conspir'd with Demades to deliver up the City to Antipater And by his Advice Demosthenes and the rest whom they now look'd upon as Persons that deserved well of the Common-wealth were by Decree of Common-Council Banish'd Nor was Male-administration his only Crime they accused him for violating the common Obligations of Friendship For whereas he had been advanc'd to those Honours which he had by the Eloquence and Interest of Demosthenes and particularly when he took his part against Cares in a Capital Cause had been defended by him and clearly brought off in open Court He did not only not defend Demosthenes but as was said perfidiously betray'd him But the Crime that most of all caus'd his Ruin was this When the Government of the City was in his hands and he had notice given by Dercyllus that Nicanor Cassanders Lieutenant General had a design to surprise Piraeus and also was desired to take special care that the City should not want Provision He said publickly in the hearing of the People thà t there was no danger at all and promis'd them that He would engage his Life for their security Not long after Nicanor took Piraeus And when the People rose in Arms to regain it without the Possession of that Fort Athens cannot long subsist he not only neglected to Summon the rest of the Citizens to their Assistance but refus'd to put himself in the head of those that were ready to make the Assault At that time there were two Factions in Athens One stood for the Liberties of the People the Other amongst whom were Phocion and Demetrius Phalereus asserted the Prerogatives of the Nobility Both courted the Protection and Favour of the Macedonians for the Cheif of the Popular Party favour'd Polypercon the Nobless sided with Cassander During these Heats Polypercon drove Cassander out of Macedonia By this Victory the People getting the upper hand immediately condemn'd all the Heads of the opposite Faction and banish'd them the City Amongst whom were Phocion and Demetrius Phalereus This done they dispatch an Express to Polypercon about the business and desire Him that he would confirm their Decree Phocion understanding this went thither in Person and as soon as he appear'd order was given that he should plead his own Cause in form indeed before King Philip but in effect before Polypercon for He was at that time Protector of the Kingdom One Agnonides accus'd him that he had betray'd Piraeus to Nicanor and thereupon by Order of Council he was committed to a Messenger and remanded to Athens that he might be proceeded against according to the Laws of his own Country At his entrance into the City by reason of an Impediment in his feet he being forc'd to be carried in a Coach there was a great concourse of People to see Him Some remembring the greatness of his former Renown extreamly pitied his old Age many were highly exasperated against him upon
tho there indeed he was publicly appointed by the Athenians as a Collegue with Evagoras nor did he dispatch from hence till he had subdued the whole Island and from the happy management of this Enterprize the Athenians purchas'd themselves a vast credit In the mean while arose a War between the Persians and Egyptians the Athenians enter'd into League with Artaxerxes King of Persia and the Lacedaemonians sided with the Egyptians of whom Agesilaus King of Lacedaemon made a very considerable advantage Chabrias taking notice of this and thinking himself no way inferior to Agesilaus frankly offer'd his Service to the assistance of the Egyptians and was made Admiral of their Fleet Agesilaus being Commander of their Infantry Upon this the Captains who were employ'd by the King of Persia dispatcht Messengers to Athens to complain that Chabrias took part with the Egyptians in a War against their Master The Athenians hereupon fix'd a day by which time if Chabrias return'd not they threatned he should forfeit his Life for disobeying the Summons Chabrias at this news comes back to Athens yet stay'd there no longer than was just necessary to avoid the penalty which was otherwise denounc'd against him For he was not fond of residing among his own Country-men having liv'd so splendidly and far'd so high that he could not but raise the Envy of the Rabble For this indeed is a common fault in Great and Free Cities That Envy is always fasten'd upon Glory and most Persons are extreme forward in detracting from those who are promoted to be their Superiors And what is ordinary to observe the Poor cannot without regret at their own harder Fate cast an eye upon the more ample Fortunes of the Rich. Chabrias upon these considerations was as much abroad as his Affairs could dispense with And herein he was not singular in his caution of staying little at home in Athens for almost all their eminent men took the same course thinking themselves so far remov'd from Envy as they were distant from their own Native Country Conon for this reason liv'd the most part in Cyprus Iphicrates in Thrace Timotheus in Lesbus and Chares in Sigaeum This Chares it is true was different from the rest both in Temper and Action yet he was a Person of great Honour and Wealth at Athens But finally Chabrias came thus to his end in the Social War The Athenians laid Siege to Chium Chabrias was in the Navy only as a Reformade yet he had greater Authority than any who were in places of Command the Common Soldiers paying more respect to him than to any of their Officers which prov'd the occasion of hasting his Death For whilst he was ambitious of making the first Entrance into the Harbour and accordingly had directed the Pilot to steer in this Adventure cost him his Life for when he was got in none of the other Vessels would follow whereupon being surrounded with the Attacks of the Enemy he fought couragiously till the Ship sprung a Leak by some damage toward the Head and began to sink under him Hereupon being unable to make any escape for if he had thrown himself overboard the Athenians would have took him up as he swum he therefore chose rather to dye in his station than to lay down his Arms and quit the Ship None of the other Sea-men would run the same hazard but leap'd out and escap'd safe to shore while Chabrias preferring an honourable Death before an ignoble and slavish Life fighting hand to hand upon the Deck was at last kill'd on the place THE LIFE OF TIMOTHEVS Done into English by the Honourable Mr. Booth of Ch. Ch. Coll. Oxon. TIMOTHEUS the Son of Conon an Athenian encreas'd his Hereditary Honour by his own Acquir'd Virtues for he was Eloquent Stout and Industrious and no less famous for the management of Civil than Military Affairs He perform'd many eminent Exploits but these following seem the most notable He conquer'd the Olynthians and Byzantins and took Samos in which Enterprize the year before the Athenians had spent two hundred thousand Talents yet Timotheus gain'd this Island without putting the Public to any Expence He manag'd the War against Cotys and took a Booty from him for the Common-wealth worth two hundred thousand Talents He also rais'd the Siege of Cyzicus and accompany'd Agesilaus when he went to assist Ariobarzanes of whom when Agesilaus receiv'd present Pay Timotheus chose rather to increase the Possessions of his Fellow-Citizens then accept of that his own private Family could only partake of therefore he took Erichthon and Sestus Timotheus being made Admiral of the Navy sailing along by Peloponnesus he wasted the Country of Laconia and beat their Fleet. He reduc'd Corcyra under the Government of the Athenians with their Confederates of Epirus Acarnania and Chaonia and all the Countries that border'd upon that Sea By which Action of his the Lacedaemonians were forc'd to let fall their old Quarrel and voluntarily to offer the Athenians the Dominion of the Seas a Peace being Concluded between these two Common-wealths one Article was That the Athenians should be Lords at Sea So great Joy was there at Athens upon the news of this Victory that then it was that public Altars were first Erected to the Goddess of Peace and a Pallet appointed Her The Memory of which noble Act that they might perpetuate they erected a Statue for him in the Forum which Honour was never pay'd to any man before him viz. That the same People who had set up a Statue for the Father should give the Son one to the last serving to revive the Memory of the former When Timotheus was very ancient and had quite left off all public business War began to threaten the Athenians on every side Samus and Hellespont revolted and Philip of Macedon being very powerful made great Preparations for a War Against whom when they had sent Chares they thought him not strong enough to oppose him and thereupon make Menestheus the Son of Iphicrates and Son-in-Law to Timotheus their General and order him to go to the War They also send along with him his Father and Father-in-Law to be his Councellors Men excelling in Experience and Wisdom whose Advice he should always follow because they were Persons of such Authority that there was great hopes by their means they might recover all they had lost When these two were gone to Samos and Chares had intelligence of it he drew all his Forces thither lest there should be any Action in his absence It so happen'd that when they came near the Island there arose a great storm for the avoiding of which the two old Generals thought it very expedient to cast Anchor But Chares without any consideration not obeying the Commands of his Councellors but as if he had Fortune in the Ship with him draws near to Engage and sends a Messenger to Timotheus and Iphicrates commanding them to follow him This Attempt having succeeded ill and losing a considerable number
that they would not chuse him General but supply'd that Trust with a very unskilful Commander whose imprudence led their Forces into such Streights that they were enclos'd by their Enemies and now near Ruin they began to reflect upon and wish for the good Conduct of Epaminondas who was at this time a Common Soldier in the Army To him they apply themselves for Assistance who taking no notice of their Ingratitude rais'd the Enemy's Leaguer and secur'd a safe Retreat to the Army Such Actions as these he often perform'd but that which bears a greater lustre then any of the rest is his brave deportment when he led the Army into Peloponnesus against the Lacedaemonians in which Expedition he had two Collegues one of which was Pelopidas a very valiant Man who falling under the Envy of some Crimes that were fasten'd upon him by his adversaries all their Commands were taken from them and new Pretors appointed to succeed Epaminondas refus'd to obey this Act of State and perswaded his Collegues to do the like and so they proceeded in the management of that War The reason upon which Epominandas acted was this He foresaw if he comply'd the Ignorance and Folly of the design'd Commanders would ruin the Army The Law was That it should be Death for any man to retain his Command longer than was limited by his Commission This Epaminondas well understood and the danger of it but did not think fit That the Law which was made for the Preservation of the Commonwealth should be turn'd to its Ruine therefore he durst continue his Command four months longer then the the People had Enacted After their return home his Collegues being impeach'd upon this Crime he permitted them to cast the whole guilt upon him and to plead that it was wholly thro his means they had not obey'd the Orders of the State Which Plea brought them clearly off but none could believe Epaminondas would make any Reply because the Crime being plain they could not fancy what Defence could be made in the Case He makes his Appearance pleads Guilty to his Inditement and confesses all that his Colleagues had laid to his Charge and tells them that he was very ready to undergo the punishment the Law appointed but now being a Dying Man desir'd this one favour of them that this Inscription might be wrote on his Tomb Epaminondas was put to Death by the Thebans because at Leuctra he forc'd them to overcome the Lacedaemonians whom before he was General not a Man of the whole Country of Boeotia had the Courage to look upon in the Field and that in one Battel he not only rais'd Thebes from out of its Ruins but restor'd all Greece its Liberty and so far chang'd the Scene of Affairs that the Thebans besieg'd Sparta and the Lacedaemonian Pride was brought so low as to be contented not to be Slaves Neither tho commanded would he lay down his Arms 'till he had Fortify'd Messena and by that means lay'd a perpetual Bridle upon the proud City of Sparta This Speech rais'd Admiration Laughter and Applause in the whole Assembly so that not one of the Judges durst give their Verdict And thus he came off this Trial for his Life with great Reputation The last time he was General was at Mantinea where pressing too boldly amongst the Enemies they soon apprehended the advantage and knowing his Death would be the safety of their Country turn'd their whole Force upon him encompass'd him and would not leave the pursuit 'till after a great Slaughter on both sides and a brave resistance made by Epaminondas they saw him wounded with a Dart fall to the ground This sad accident did at first somewhat discourage the Boeotians but recollecting themselves Revenge succeeded Grief and they gave not over till they had utterly routed the Enemy Epaminondas finding himself mortally wounded and knowing that should the Shaft be pull'd out of his Head he must immediately dye kept it in so long 'till 't was told him his Army had got the Victory Then says he I have liv'd long enough for I shall dye unconquer'd So the Iron being drawn out he immediately expir'd He was never Marry'd for which Pelopidas who had a very Debauch'd Son thus reproving him that he took but little Care of the Commonwealth who would not leave Children behind him to support it after his Death He replies Consider whether you do not perform worse Offices to it in leaving so leud an Heir who may help to destroy but cannot maintain a Commonwealth But as for me I cannot want Issue the Leuctrian Victory is my Offspring which will not only survive me but will immortalize my Name At the time that the Exiles under the Conduct of Pelopidas surpriz'd Thebes and drove the Lacedaemonian Garrison out of the Castle Epaminondas so long as his own Citizens were engag'd in the Fight kept himself at home and forbore all Action The reason of which proceeding was that he could not in Honour join with these Betrayers of their Country nor would he appear in Arms against them because he would not stain himself with the Blood of his Country-men for he well knew That Victory in a Civil War was at best but an unfortunate Prize But this same Man as soon as the Battel was drawn off as far as the Cadmea and the Lacedaemonians only concern'd thrust himself into the formost Rank I think I shall have said enough of the Virtues and Actions of this great Man if I add but this one thing which none can deny That before Epaminondas's Birth and after his Death Thebes was constantly subject to a Foreign Power but on the contrary while he Presided in that Commonwealth it became the Leading State of Greece Whence we may draw this conclusion That the Bravery of one Great Man does more advance a State than the whole Mass of People THE LIFE OF PELOPIDAS Done into English by Mr. Creech PELOPID AS the Theban is more famous in History then common Talk of whose Vertues I cannot tell in what manner I shall treat for should I give a full descriptionof of his Actions 't is justly to be fear'd that I should rather seem to write a History than his Life and if I should only touch upon the heads that then I should cloud his Reputation and those who are unacquainted with the Greek Histories would not perceive how great a Man he was Therefore to the best of my power to prevent both I shall provide against the satiety as well as ignorance of my Readers Phaebidas the Spartan as he led his Army thro Thebes towards Olynthus at the instigation of some few Thebans who that they might the more easily check the contrary Faction sided with the Spartan interest surpriz'd the Citadel Cadmea and this he did not by any order from the State but upon his own head for which the Lacedaemonians took away his Commission and set a Fine upon him but refus'd to surrender the Castle to