same with the Common of all Greece he might be unwilling to force them to the utmost But he placed a Garrison of his own in Thebes and Justin writeth how he sold for slaves all the prisoners of that Citie and the bodies of such as had been slain to their friends for burial that of the chiefest of the Citizens some he put to death and confiscated the goods of the rest being sufficiently sensible of their ingratitude After the fight when the Athenians fortified their Citie as expecting a siege (d) Plutarch in Demosthene Demosthenes at his own charge re-edified part of the Wall for which service Ctesiphon thought he was to be honoured with a Garland at the publick meeting of Greece but Aeschines contended it was against the Law and so his Oration against Ctesiphon concerning the Crown or Garland was written this year Charonides or Charondas being Archon the third of the 110th Olympiad and the first of the reign of Arses the Persian King 32. (a) Diodorus ad ann 4. Philip by his successe having utterly broken the courage of the principal Cities of Greece now gave out that he would undertake a War against the Persian for the general commodity all the estates and thereby and with his great courtesie gained much upon some sorts of people At length he called them together at Corinth and largely discoursing of the War shewed the certain hope of successe and earnestly exhorted them to undertake it Obtaineth to be named General at Sea for all Greece against the Persian to which all either out of love or fear assented He was chosen Captain General for the expedition allowance of men and money were appointed to the several Cities the (b) Justin lib. 9. Lacedaemonians alone scorning both him and the conditions of his peace accounting that slavery and not peace which was imposed by the Conquerour The Auxiliaries of Greece amounted to 200000 foot and 15000 horse over and above the forces of Macedonia and the barbarous Nations thereto adjoyning Whilest he thus prospered in his affairs abroad (c) Plutarch in Alexandre great differences arose in his own house by his putting away Olympias upon pretence of incontinency and marrying Cleopatra the Niece of Attalus Olympias a woman of an high spirit and melancholick nature took it exceedingly to heart Differences in his house by a new marriage incensed all she could her son Alexander who at the Wedding hearing Attalus in his Cups to exhort the Macedonians to pray for a lawfull Heir of the Kingdom from Philip and Cleopatra calling him naughty fellow asked him if he counted him a Bastard and therewith threw a Cup at him Philip hereupon with his drawn Sword made at Alexander but to the good of both being light headed with Wine and mad with anger stumbled and fell After this Alexander carried his mother into Epirus and went himself into Illyricum whence his father shortly recalled him by the procurement of Demaratus the Corinthian Not long after Pexodarus the Governour of Caria sent to offer his eldest daughter in marriage to Aridaeus the base son of Philip whence great talk being raised that Philip did it on purpose to devolve the Crown upon Aridaeus Alexander sent one Thessalus a player to Pexodarus to perswade him to neglect a Bastard and a Fool and transfer his affinity upon himself which was very well liked by Pexodarus Philip smelling out the matter checked Alexander grievously as degenerate and unworthy of the hope of a Kingdom being ambitious to become son-in-law to a Carian who was no better than a slave to a barbarian King 33. The next Spring having enquired of the Oracle concerning the successe of the Persian War which gave him answer as ambiguous Diodorus ad Olymp. 111. ann 1. Pausan in Arcadicis Justin and to the same purpose as formerly to Craesus he sent three Captains over into Asia under pretence of setting the Greek Cities at liberty Attalus Parmenio and Amyntas He himself whilest the forces were gathering together made a magnificent sacrifize to the gods and celebrated the marriage of his daughter Cleopatra with her Uncle Alexander of Epirus to which he invited all that would and gave large entertainment being willing to show to the Graecians how thankfully he took their making him General of all Greece Feasting and Musick there was in abundance and the Feast being done for that day but all the solemnity to be renewed on the next whilest it was yet night all the people ran together into the Theatre Thither were carried twelve Images of his gods in solemn procession and his own next after in a Divine habit as arrogating to himself a place in the Council of the gods Then followed he himself apparelled in a white Roab in the midst of the two Alexanders his son and son-in-law As he thus proceeded in the ruff of his pride He is stabbed the people sending up loud acclamations to the skies and Ecchoing his felicity one Pausanias met him in the straightest place of his passage and stabbed him into the side the wound being so mortal that he fell down dead This Pausanias having been invited to a Feast by Attalus had been carnally abused by him after he was drunk and then prostituted to the filthy lust of base fellows A.M. 3668. Ol. 110. ann 4. V.C. 417. Arsis 2. Phllippi 24. for which having complained to the King partly because of their affinity and because Philip intended to use him in the War he could have no satisfaction and for this cause took this revenge upon his unjust judge yet Alexander objected to Darius that his father was made away by his procurement 34. The murderer having mounted on hors-back had got away whilest the tumult was about the body but that his shooe catching hold on a Vine he was thereby pulled down and then slain by Perdiccas and others This end had Philip after he had reigned 24 years and lived 46. to which Olympias is reported by some to have contributed by incouraging Pausanias to commit the fact and neither knew they how to clear Alexander of the matter She put a Golden Crown upon Pausanias his head as he hung on the Crosse and a few dayes after burnt his body upon the Reliques of her husband and built him a Monument in the same place and caused a yearly parentation to be made to him After this having killed Cleopatra's young son in her bosom she then hanged her or as one saith fried them both to death in a brazen Vessel and consecrated the sword wherewith Philip was slain to Apollo under the name of Myrtalis by which she was called when young The foundation of a great Empire was laid by Philip and a great pattern left unto his son which to make was far more hard than what with greater glory was atchieved by Alexander His great atchievements The recovery of Macedon when there were two Competitors that had such assistants was a work of
to passe over with it into Asia and with the rest marched for Thessaly there to oppose Demetrius and the Greeks Stirs preceding the great battel There meeting and incamping with vast Armies neither of them would begin the battel expecting how things went in Asia till Demetrius was recalled thither by his father Lysimachus being landed there the Inhabitants of Lampsachus submitted to him whom he restored to their liberty stormed Sigeus and placed a Garrison there then he taketh in Phrygia upon the Hellespont and divers other places by the means of Docimus an Officer of Antigonus whom he had drawn over to him Prepelaus also whom he sent with a party to subdue the Cities of Aeolis and Ionia took other Towns Antigonus was at this time celebrating publick Games at Antigonia when hearing this news he presently broke them off and with all speed marched against Lysmachus Whom he reached and besieged him in his Camp for some time till he taking the opportunity of a dark and rainy night fled away Then hearing that Seleucus was drawing down his Forces from the upper Provinces he sent for Demetrius to come over with all expedition Seleucus had lately made peace with Sandrocottus or Androcottus who being a man of no quality had sollicited the Indians to revolt after the death of Alexander and to kill his Officers and thence took an occasion to subdue them under himself Bactria being subdued Seleucus had waged War with him but now for a Composure gave to him some Countrey lying upon the River Indus which Alexander had taken from the Arians and received 500 Elephants again of him in exchange Ptolomy with a compleat Army had come into Caelesyria where he reduced divers Cities but as he was besieging Sidon came a false report that Antigonus had overthrown Seleucus and Lysimachus and now was coming thitherward wherefore he made a Truce with the Sidonians for five moneths and returned but not long after came up again to that fatal ingagement with Antigonus 4. Plutarch in vita Demetrii Appianus in Syriacis The Forces of these several Princes were drawn down to be in readinesse against the Spring Antigonus had an Army of 70000 foot 10000 horse and 75 Elephants the contrary party had made up amongst them 64000 foot 1500 horse 400 Elephants and 120 Chariots Antigonus bragged that he would scatter the meeting of these Kings together as one might do the flocking of birds gathering Corn with the throwing of a stone but when they approached he was more melancholick than usual and was seen to discourse with his son in private in his Tent which he never used to do commended him also to the Army as his Successor This battel was fought at Ipsus a Town in Phrygia in which Demetrius leading the best party of horse ingaged with Antiochus the son and afterwards Successor of Seleucus whom he routed and put to flight but being too hot in the pursute undid all for retiring back he could not again joyn himself with the foot by reason that the Elephants were gotten between them Seleucus seeing this made as if he would have falln upon the Infantry thus destitute of the horse wherein his expectation failed him not for they fearing it part revolted to him and the rest were broken Antigonus slain in it and put to flight Antigonus standing his ground expected continually Demetrius to come to relieve him but in that expectation ended his life by a multitude of Darts thrown against him being now something above 80 years old Demetrius his son with 5000 foot and 4000 horse fled to Ephesus but there fearing his Soldiers might be some way false to him A. M. 3704. Ol. 119. ann 4. V. C. 453. Seleuci 12. Ptolom 23. he sayled to Salamine in Cyprus which he then held This fell out in the 3704 year of the World the fourth of the 119 Olympiad 23 years after the death of Alexander and six after their taking the Title of Kings upon them 5. The Conquerours parted his Dominions amongst them as we are told Iidem but it seems to have been chiefly Seleucus and Ptolomy who did not well agree about their prey and upon this account left a contention to their Successors Seleucus fell presently upon building Cities the first of which he called after himself Seleucia and the later to which he transferred the Inhabitants of Antigonia to the number of three thousand five hundred as we said before he called Antiochia either after his father or son's name for both are affirmed and this afterwards proved the Metrapolis of Syria Ptolomy after the death of Antigonus got Syria again with Cyprus Vide Usserium in prima parte Annal. pag. 461. and afterwards Cyrene also into his power and married his daughter Arsinoes unto Lysimachus as few years after his other to Agathocles the son Seleucus seeing that thus these two strengthned themselves in affinity The Alliances of the Kings thought not amisse to joyn also with Demetrius though gone down the wind and accordingly sent to him for his daughter Stratonice He receiving this unexpected Message sayled with her into Syria Passing by Cilicia which then Cassander held Plistarchus his brother cried out that he would invade his Territories and went strait to Seleucus to expostulate with him his being reconciled to the common Enemy But Demetrius landing went to Quinda where finding yet 200 Talents left in the Treasury he took them away and so went and met with Seleucus at Orossus who taking his wife away with him to Antioch Demetrius seized upon Cilicia and sent his wife Phila to Cassander her brother to purge him of those things laid to his charge by Plistarchus Notwithstanding Cassander he held Cilicia Plutarch ibid but Seleucus his son-in-law required that for a sum of money he would give it up into his hands which he refused and then he with some anger demanded Tyre and Sidon of him not being content though he held all from the Syrian Sea as far as India that his father-in-law should rest quiet with it A. M. 3707. Ol. 120. ann 3. V.C. 456. Seleuci 15. Ptolom 26. being sufficiently tossed with adverse fortune but he as stoutly denied this also saying that though he were a thousand times more overcome yet would he never purchase the affinity of Seleucus Cassander dieth and fortified the Cities with Garrisons The next year Cassander King of Macedonia died of a Dropsie which was so loathsom as Lice withall broke out of him after he had ruled that Countrey 19 years 26 after the death of Alexander A. M. 3707. 6. He left three sons by Thessalonice the daughter of Philip Idem ibid. in vita Pyrrhi Just lib. 16. and sister to Alexander Philip Antipater and Alexander The first succeeded his father but died presently of a Consumption Antipater coming after him killed his mother for that after her husbands death she seemed to favour his younger brother Alexander more than him in the
intervening matters impertinent to his present purpose read the History of any Empire or Kingdom Contemporary to it by it self so he may likewise observe that the principal passages in all of them are linck'd together by Synchronisms not onely placed in the Margent but in the beginning or end of every notable Occurrence Thus I have briefly and with much sincerity couch'd together some of those Excellencies which amongst many others I have observed in this Institution of History of which if I may presume to give my private opinion though I am conscious to my self how little it ought to signifie to the World I think the work taken all together is for the order of it handsomly and judiciously contrived for its style perspicuous and for the learning in the several parts of History Antiquity and Chronology uncommon Those who desire a greater politenesse in the style may consider that the florid way of writing which hath undeservedly acquired so great a name to some of our own Age and Nation is nothing proper to an Historian and that our Author busied himself in matters more serious and of greater use he chose rather the plain but comely strength of the Dorique Pillar than the Effeminate though curious shape of the Corinthian For my own part I confesse that plainnesse and unaffected simplicity is pleasing to me and I think no Intelligent Person that goes upon businesse will leap Hedges out of the open and direct Road to Travel over Flowry Fields or painted Meadows AN INSTITUTION OF Generall History The First Part. BOOK I. CHAP. I. From the beginning of the world to the beginning of the first Empire 1. IN (a) Gen. 1.1 the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth By (b) Heb. 1.3 Faith we understand that they were framed by his Word so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Man created 2. Mans habitation being made and conveniently furnished the sixth day Gen. 1. c. then and not till then was he made of the dust of the Earth and God breathing into his nosthrils the breath of life he became a living Soul Being placed in the Garden of Eden and a meet help wanting to him Eve was framed of one of his ribs Of all the Trees of the Garden except that of the knowledge of Good and Evil they might safely eate and at such time as they should eat it they were surely to dye But the Serpent beguiled the woman Falleth who did eat thereof and giving to her Husband he also did eat Hereby they rendred themselves guilty of temporall and eternall death they were condemned to labour and sorrow and those not confined to their own persons but extended to their whole posterity involved with them in the same guilt the demonstrating whereof might seem the Scope of this present Work nothing having succeeded but vanity and vexation of spirit nothing but labour and travail under the Sun Expelled Paradise 3. Adam being expelled Paradise to till the ground begat of Eve his wife Cain and Abel though in what years is not expressed Abel was a Keeper of Sheep and Cain a Tiller of the Ground By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous and contracted such envy that his Brother slew him in the field Cain killeth Abel The voice of his blood cryed to God from the ground and drew down this punishment upon Cain besides that of the ground formerly laid upon his Father to be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth Then departed he from the presence of the Lord and went into the Land of Nod where he built a City and called it Enoch after the name of his Son His Family was propagated to Lamech the fifth in descent from himselfe by whom the Jews * Vide Mererum in Gen. 1. Pererium have thought him to have been slain by reason of Lamech's words to his two wives that he had slain a man to his wounding and a young man to his hurt if Cain should be avenged seven fold then Lamech Seventy and seven fold Seth's birth After the death of Abel Adam begat Seth in the hundred and thirtieth year of his Age as Moses (c) Gen. 3. maketh expresse mention neglecting the account of time in the Family of Cain because his wicked race perished in the Flood the Church of God being to be continued in the posterity of Seth of whom also as to the flesh his Son himselfe was to proceed And posterity 4. In the race of (d) Gen. 1. Seth is laid down the account of years from the Creation to the Deluge For Seth being born when Adam was 130 years old begat * Here the word begat is to be understood in the same sense as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin gignere which are applied to Mother as well as to Father and betoken birth rather than conception The Latin word genitus and natus signifie the same thing Tune ille Aeneas quem Dardanio Anchisae Alma Venus Phrygiae genuit Simoentis ad undas Vide Gen. 40.20 Mat. 11.1 Luc. 1.47 1 Pet. 2.2 Vide Plin. lib. 7. cap. 8. Enos at the age of 105 Enos being 90 begat Caixan and Cainan when he was 70 begat Mehalelec From the birth of Mehalelec to that of his son Jared passed 65 from Jared's to Henoch's 162. and thence to that of Methusalah 65. Methusalah when he begat Lamech was aged 187 years Lamech when he begat Noah was 182 and Noah at the time of the Flood had lived 600 years all which amount to the summe of 1656 each year of the Father's age being supposed compleat at the birth of his Son All these by divine providence for the propagation of Mankind obtained a very long time upon the Earth Though Enoch had the shortest yet he never died being taken up by God after he had walked with him 365 years Methusalah his son of all others arrived at the greatest age being 969 when he died Yet in a certain sense Adam lived longer than he for being created in his perfect strength and fit for generation he had the advantage of 60 years before which age we read none of them to have had any children Nature then requiring a longer time for maturity If 60 now be added to 930 years which he lived the number exceeds that of Methusala's age by 21. Seeing the World required it it cannot but be presumed that each of these begat other children and some of them before these here mentioned But such being but collaterall to that line Gen 5. A. M. 1656. which was to be brought down to Noah who was to continue the generation of Mankind and to re-people the Earth Moses upon that account had no occasion to make mention of them Man's wickednesse causeth a Deluge 5. In the 480
kindly unto him set his Throne above the Throne of the Kings that were with him in Babylon and changing his prison garments allowed him a continuall diet all the dayes of his life But for his wickednesse and debaucheries he continued not long Neriglissor being circumvented by Neriglissor his Sister's Husband and slain when he had raigned but two years Neriglissor after his death reigned 4. After him came his Son Laborosardochus Laborosardochus Nabonidus who being of an untowardly disposition was made away by his Relations after nine months and they preferred to his place one Nabonidus a Babylonian by Ptolomy called Nabonadius by others Nabannidochus and Labynitus (g) Apud Iosephum lib. 1. contr Apiâ—em Who reigned 17 years for which some think 27 is to be read This succession we have from Berosus the Caldaean attested by Ptolomy who yet leaveth out Laborosardochus either for his small continuance or because he reigned together with his Father But learned Men do not agree in the manner of reconciling this History with what Daniel hath written of Belshazar Whether the same with Belshazar Some will have Zabynitus or Nabonodus to be Belshazar Nabonodus being the last of the Kings which Belshazar also seemeth to be at his death Babylon being taken by Cyrus as the interpretation of the writing on the wall hinteth Peres thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians As for Darius the Mede he seemeth to them to be no other then Cyaxares the Son of Astyages King of Media and the Uncle of Cyrus who of his own accord delivered Babylon to him and they think this sufficient to prove that Laborosardochus could not bee Belshazar because hee hath but nine months assigned him by Berosus whereas we read in Daniel of the third year of Belshazar 28. Others think they have ground enough to denie Nabonidus to be Belshazar who is called the Son of Nebuchadnesar in regard no such relation is mentioned by Berosus that can intitle him to so much as his grand-child which Laborosardochus was by his Daughter being called his Son by a common Hebraism For the Latin version of Josephus which maketh Nabonodus of the blood it is in no case agreeable to the Originall which plainly relateth him to have been of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspiracy For the 5th year of Belshazar it well enough agreeth with Laborosardochus because he reigned 4 years with his Father and after his Father's death nine moneths by himself Now the History of Daniel onely relateth Belshazar to have been slain not that Babylon was then besieged by Cyrus it being improbable say they that a time of so great danger the King and his Nobles should spend in feasting and jollity but rather likely that behaving himselfe too insolently in that drunken fit he was knocked in the head by his Companions as Berosus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hinteth and the Scripture rather seemeth to approve than contradict As for the interpretation of the Writing on the wall it might note what was already determined and within a little time was to be accomplished concerning Cyrus the Persian who being at that time known to the World could not be hid from Daniel who had met with his name long before in the Prophesie of Isaiah and had his mind without doubt fixed upon the 70 years of Captivity foretold by Jeremiah to which a period should shortly be put by that person That Darius Medus was of Median descent appeareth but that he was King of the Medes can no way be evinced especially seeing that no antient Greek Historian maketh mention of Cyaxares the Son of Astyages whom we read to have had but one Daughter except Xenophon and he either one purpose seemeth to thwart Herodotus or to have written his Cyropaedia rather (h) Cicero ad quintum Fratrem Ep. 1. to shew what a Prince ought to be than what Cyrus was indeed and so to have taken some of that liberty of invention which others (i) As the Grand Cyrus of George de Scudery Governor of Nostre Dame de la Garde a Romance of 10. Volumes have done of late upon the same and other Subjects But though Joseph Scaliger may seem to show more reason for this later assertion yet Pererius truly affirmeth the thing to be obscure perplexed and difficult 29. If Laborosardochus bee taken for Belshazar then Nabonodus must be the same with Darius Medus whom further some would have to be the Brother of Astyages not his Son and yet called Cyaxares In him the Empire of the Babylonians ceased and was derived upon the Persians by Cyrus whose first beginnings are to be viewed with the progresse of his actions Cyrus which made way to that pitch of greatnesse whereat he arrived Herein Historians do not relate the same things That Astyages was his Grand-father is acknowledged by all except Ctesias who will have them nothing akin and calleth him Astyigas His Father's name is granted to be Cambyses his Country Persia but his condition is diversly reported of Herodotus writeth how Astyages dreaming two dreams concerning his Daughter Mandane The sum of what Herodotus hath written concerning his Birth and Fortune which by the Wizards were interpreted to portend the losse of his Kingdom through the greatnesse of her issue gave her in marriage to one Cambyses a Persian of obscure fortune and not satisfied in this security sent for her when she was with child and as soon as the Boy was born gave him to one Harpagus to be made away Harpagus fearing he might afterwards be called to an account by the Mother for violence offered to the Babe delivered him to the King's Shepherd to be exposed in the Woods unto the mercie of wild beasts This being done and the Shepherd's Wife lately brought to bed of a stil-born child she prevailed with her Husband to fetch him home nursed and brought him up as her own Son amongst the Shepherds At seven years of age being chosen King of the Boyes in their play he executed the office with severity towards such as were disobedient and for this was complained of by their Parents to the King Being sent for and accused of the crime he would acknowledge none alledging he had done like a King and standing in his justification without the least change of countenance Astyages was struck with admiration and presently called to mind his dream Upon examination of the Shepherd he got out the whole matter owned him for his Grand-son because he thought the dream fulfilled in his boyish reign amongst the Shepherds onely he thought it good to send him out of the way into Persia 30. But to punish Harpagus for his disobedience he invited him to supper and caused to be served up to the table his onely Son of which after he had eaten heartily and approved the meat he let him see his entertainment by the head hands and feet reserved in another platter Harpagus for
the present kept down his passion seeming to acquiesce in the King's pleasure untill Cyrus came to man's estate Then hearing of his activity and forwardnesse he resolved by presents to make him his friend meditating a convenient way of revenge by the means of this Youth from whom he expected something answerable to his Grandfather's dream Knowing Astyages his tyrannicall carriage towards the Medes he insinuated himself into the chief of them by degrees and secretly perswaded them that it was convenient he should be removed from the Government especially seeing they might with some plausibility place Cyrus in his Seat Having thus made War he wrote Letters to the young Man into Persia which to prevent discovery he sowed up in the belly of an Hare wherein recalling to his memorie what he had suffered from his Grandfather upon his account he sollicited him to draw the Persians to revolt then to come down with an Army into Media where he might be sure of him or any other the Kings Generals and so easily become Master of all 31. Cyrus considering of a way how to accomplish this businesse which now he made no lesse than a design called the Persians together first gave out that he was chosen their Generall by Astyages and then easily perswaded them by laying open how much Liberty was to be preferred before that Slavery they now underwent to close with him and break out into open rebellion The old Man hearing of this sent a messenger for him but he returned answer he would come sooner than he should have cause to desire his company whereupon he armed his Subjects of Media and forgetting how he had formerly injured Harpagus committed the Army to his conduct Harpagus revolting he lost thereby the first Battell yet was not daunted but threatened Cyrus nailed to crosses the Magicians who had perswaded him to dismisse him and arming all both old and young that were in the City led them out to a second engagement Cyrus overthroweth Astyages his Grand father wherein his successe was worse than before he being taken prisoner When Harpagus boasting of his revenge insulted over him he taxed him of imprudence and injustice of the one for that having power to make himselfe King he should transfer the dignity to another and of the other because for to revenge a private injury he had enslaved the whole Nation of the Medes out of which he might rather have chosen one to the Kingdom refusing it himselfe than him who would now so order the matter that the Persians slaves before should be Lords and Masters of all Thus Astyages lost his Kingdom after he had held it 35 years enjoying all things else at his Grandson's hands till his naturall death And the Medes became subject to the Persians after they had enjoyed the dominion of Asia beyond the River Halys the space of 128 years except that space wherein the Scythians kept them under in the 2d year of the 55th Olympiad of the World 3446. 32. Cyrus having obtained the soveraignty of Persia and Media A. M. 3446. Olymp. 55. an 2. Urbis conditae 195. was within a while provoked by Croesus King of Lydia Provoked by Croesus King of Lydia who at this time was grown eminent having improved the inheritance which descended upon him from his Ancestors Lydia whence so called The Lydian Nation was of great antiquity so named from Lud the Son of Sem or rather descended of him who by Moses is so called Lege Bochartum Phaleg lib. 2. cap. 12. both he and they having obtained this name from that Country which from the crookednesse and winding of the River Maeander took the appellation of Lud in the Phoenician Language signifying crooked or winding The Greeks say (k) Herodotus lib. 1. c. 7. Strabo lib. 13. p. 586. c. Plin. l. 5. c. 29. Diodorus Halicar lib. 1. Diodorus l. 3. p. 165. B. that the Lydians were first called Maeones and Lydia Maeonia from Maeon an antient King of Phrygia and Lydia who was thought to have been the Father of Cybeles Mother of the gods and that long after him reigned Lydus the Son of Atys and Brother of Tyrrhenus from whom they fancie the Country to have been named Better is the opinion of Stephanus who deriveth Maeonia from the River Maeon or Maeander For though the Greeks might call them Lydians yet that their right name was Ludians appeareth from the Latin words Ludus Ludo Ludio c. thence derived seeing it is granted that the first Players came form (l) Tertull. de Spectac lib. 5. Dionys Halic lib. 2. Lydia into Hetruria so to Rome as the Lydians (m) Herodotus l. 1. c. 95. boasted themselves to have been inventors of those Games which afterwards were common with them to the Greeks Hence it appeareth that though the Country might be called both Lydia and Maeonia from the selfesame thing yet most ancient was the name of Lud. After the Posterity of Lydus reigned the Heraclidae or those that were descended from Hercules by his Son Alcaeus The first was Argon saith Herodotus the Son of Ninus Grand-son of Belus and great Grand-son of Alcaeus the last was Candaules the Son of Myrsus by the Greeks called Myrsitus Candaules (n) Asheu l. 12. Plut. Sym. l. 4. Herodotus lib. 1. c. 49. or Candylos signified a certain kind of Lydian meat made of Flowre Cheese Honey Bread and Flesh the Lydians being accounted the first (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Nations that busied themselves in Cookery insomuch that they became a Proverb for it 33. The Antiquity of the Lydians appeareth further out of the antient Fables Attis Tamalus Pelops Niobe and Arachne being of this Country Their fruitfulnesse from the Colonies they sent out into Peloponnesus and Caria into Etruria also as they say Euseb in Chron. Their valour and power is shewn to have been of great antiquity from their holding the dominion of the Sea 92 years which they took from the Cretians about the time of Jepthe and 1200 years before Christ The Royall Families of Lydia losing it again and recovering it afterwards But Candaules with his Family being extinct and the Kingdom devolved upon the Mermnadae of whom Croesus descended the power of the Nation grew greater also at Land These Heraclidae held it the space of 505 years through 22 Successors unto this Candaules Herodotus l. ◠c. 8 c. who so far being enamoured of his Wife as he esteemed her the most beautifull of all women constrained his servant Gyges to see her naked She espying Gyges whilst therein he onely satisfied his Masters will offered him the choice of killing her husband and marrying her with the Kingdom or of suffering death himselfe one of their two lives being the least she could require in way of Justice He in so great a strait preferring his own safety before his Master's life slew him in his bed-chamber the place where the fault
What hapned to his children and sent about to the principal Cities to beg harbour which none would afford them except the Athenians who placed them in Tricorinth one of the four parts of their City After some time when they were come to ripenesse of age and now bare themselves high upon the glory of their Father Eurystheus much more suspecting their growth lead down a great Army against them but assisted by the Athenians under conduct of their Cousin Iolaus and Theseus they overthrew and slew (h) Strabo l. 8. p. 377. him with all his Sons and then invaded Peloponnesus Now a Plague seized on the Country and the Oracle answered that it was because they returned thither before their time whereupon Hyllus returned as some say and went to Aepalius King of the Dorienses about Oeta by whom he was (i) Idem lib. 9. p. 427. c. adopted because by Hercules his means Aegymius had formerly recovered his Kingdom and thenceforth the Heraclidae became imbodied with the Dorienses Diodorus writeth that Hyllus provoking some one of his Enemies to a single Combat upon this condition that if he overcame then were the Heraclidae to be Masters of Mycenae if not they should depart for fifty years was slain and so they accordingly returned and kept themselves quiet for that time 24. Euristheus being slain after he had reigned at Mycenae 43 years (k) Euseb Atreus the son of Pelops succeeded him Atreus the son of Pelops who also at this time had the soveraignty of Argos This Pelops above an hundred years before for so famous a Man must not be omitted being the son of Tantalus Prince of Phrygia had made War upon Ilium where after he was put to the worst by Ilus the King he was forced to flye into Greece and coming to Pisa fell in love with (l) Diodorus lib. 4. p. 191. Hippodamia Daughter of Oenomaus Prince of that City who being warned by the Oracle to take heed to himself when she should take an husband had condemned her in his resolutions to perpetuall virginity Therefore he admitted no Suter but on this condition to run a race with him in the Chariot and if he won her not then to suffer death to which he brought many through the swiftnesse of his Horses till Pelops or Hippodamia for him corrupting the Chariot-driver obtained the Prize for grief of which the old man thinking now the Oracle to be fulfilled hanged himself Pelops Obtained Pisa with most of the Peninsula Pelops then obtained Hippodamia and Pisa with her after which by little and little he got most of the Peninsula into his possession called after him Peloponnesus wherein he reigned 58 years Of Hippodamia he begot many children by which he promoted his affairs more than power for by the marriage of them he insinuated into the Principalities of most of the Cities Amongst his Sons the most eminent were Atreus Thyestes and Plisthenes The two former he left his Successors and Plisthenes dying young left two Boyes to Atreus to be brought up called Agamemnon and Menelaus Atreus married their Mother by name Aerope the Daughter of Minos King of Crete with whom his Brother Thyestes committing Adultery he first banished and after recalling him feasted him with the flesh of his own sons 25. Some will have Atreus to have outlived Thyestes others say he died before him and being reconciled left him the Kingdom at his death on this condition to restore it to Agamemnon when he should come to age After Eurystheus his death it seemeth that he became Master of all Peloponnesus and opposed Hyllus who challenging any in his Army as was said to a single Combat Echemus King of the Tegoatae in Arcadia accepted the challenge and slew him He was very skilful in Astrology being by some reputed the first that discovered the motion of the Sun to be contrary to that of the Starry Heaven Agamemnon Menelaus (m) Servius and that observed the Eclypse of that luminary He adopted his two Nephews Agamemnon and Menelaus who succeeded him (n) Clemens in Stromat seventeen years before the beginning of the Trojan War Agamemnon a Man of prudence and courage obtained not onely Mycenae but Argos also with all as far as (o) Strabo ex Homero lib. 8. p. 377. Sicyon and Corinth and that Country then called Ionia and Aeglalea afterwards Achaia Menelaus got Laconia and their reigned at Lacedaemon For Castor and Pollux the sons of Tyndareus the King (p) Apollod dying before their Father he sent for him to Sparta and delivered up his Kingdom to him having first given him his Daughter Helena whom Paris the second Son of Priamus King of Troy by his wife Hecuba stealing away The Trojan War gave occasion to the famous ten years War and the ruine of that City concerning which something is to be spoken The Original of the Trojans 26. The first (q) Dionysius Halicarnasseus lib. 1. Diodorus lib. 4. p. 192. lib. 5. Man reported to have reigned in Arcadia was Atlas who inhabited about the Mountain of Caucasus and had seven Daughters which made up the Pleiades whereof on Electra Jupiter her husband begat Jasus and Dardanus Jasus lived unmaried but Dardanus had by his wife Chryse the Daughter of Palaus two sons Idaeus and Dimas who succeeded Atlas in his Kingdom Afterwards great inundations happening in this Country they were forced to divide the people into two parts whereof leaving one with Dimas in Arcadia with the other Jasus Dardanus and Idaeus left Peloponnesus and coasting by Eupope at length came into the Bay of Melane and arrived at a certain Island of Thrace called Samo-thracia from the Countrey and a Man's name who inhabited it one Samon the son of Mercury by the Nymphe Rhene Here finding no convenient habitation the greater part under the conduct of Dardanus for Jasus died in the Island being struck with a Thunder-bolt because he attempted the chastity of Ceres passed into Asia and landing in the Hellespont seated themselves in Phrygia Idaeus with part of the Army setled upon the Mountains which bore his name and Dardanus in that part of the Country since named Troas built a City of his own name having some grounds given him by Teucer the King of the place the Son of Scamander from whom the Country was called Teucris Dardanus and whose daughter Batea he married He succeeded him in his Kingdom and changed the name of his Subjects from Teucri to Dardani and built the City upon the Sea-side about the 2530th year of the World in the dayes of Sthenelaus King of Argos On Batea he begat his Son and successor Erichthonius called Erichthonius reported by (r) Iliad l. 20. Homer and others to have been exceeding rich and fortunate who on Callirhoë the Daughter of Scamander begat Tros Tros from whom the Country was named Tros succeeding him begat Ilus Ilus Assaracus and Ganymedes Ilus
roof 42. In the time of this Tarquinius another great blessing as it was counted hapned to the Romans A certain strange woman came to the King Sibyls offering to sell nine books of the Oracles of Sibyl which when he refused to buy at her rate she went away and burning three of them returned and demanded as much for the six Being derided for a mad woman she departed and burning half of them returned with the other three still asking as much as at the first whereat Tarquin astonished sent for the Augures to know her meaning who answered that the nine ought to have been bought and the three were to be purchased at the same Rate The woman after the sale and delivery vanished and never after could be seen Tarquin chose two men out of the Nobility to keep them to whom he allowed two publick servants After his expulsion the people Elected most Noble persons Sibyls books who all their lives executing this Office were freed from all other burthens both Military and Civil to whom onely it was lawfull to look in them No sacred thing was so carefully kept as these Sibylline Oracles They were consulted by decree of the Senate when the Commonwealth was disturbed by any seditions when any great overthrow was received in War or any prodigies hapned They were kept by the Decemviri or ten men appointed to this Office within a Vault under the Capitol in a stone Chest till they perished at the burning of the place Those that the Romans used afterwards were Copied out of such as belonged to other Cities and private persons wherein were some supposititious things which they distinguished by the difference of the Acrosticks 43. The woman that brought those books to Tarquin having the name of Sibylla and there being many found to whom it hath been given besides something is to be said of those women for distinction The first Sibylla or woman Prophetesse to which the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Council of Jupiter was communicated as the word importeth was a Persian according to (a) Vide Ludov Vivem in Augustin de Civitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 23. Varro or else a Caldaean or an Hebrewesse born at Noe a Citie near the Red-Sea her name was Sambetha her father called Barossus and her mother Erymantha The second was a Lybian Themis of Delphos was the third The fourth was called Cumaea because she was born at Cimeriam a Town of Campania in Italy near to Cuma The fifth of Erythrae a Citie of Ionia in Asia at this day called Cabo Bianco The sixth was of the Island Samus her name being Phyto The seventh of Cuma and called Cumana her proper name being Amalthea according to some but Herophile and Demophila according to others Suidas calleth her Hierophile and saith she brought nine books to Tarquinius Priscus and demanded for them 300 Philippines being Gold Coyn of Philip King of Macedonia Pliny contrary to the common account of Writers mentioneth three books not nine and writeth that she burnt two of them But the eighth was called Hellespontiaca being born in the Trojan Countrey upon the Hellespont in a Village named Marmissus near to Gergetium which Heraclides of Pontus affirmed to have flourished in the dayes of Solon and Cyrus The ninth was a Phrygian and Prophecied at Ancyra The tenth was of Tibur by name Albanea being worshipped for a Goddesse at that place near the Banks of the River Aniene wherein her image is said to have been found holding a book in one hand These ten are reckoned by Varro There were several others also (b) Lib. 14. pag. 633. Strabo maketh two to have lived at Erythrae whereof the later flourished in the time of Alexander There was another of Colophon a Citie of Ionia Elissa and Cassandra the daughter of Priamus were accounted Sibyls There were also a Thessalian Marto the daughter of Tiresias the Theban and another of Epirus Moreover Carmentis the Arcadian the Mother of Evander and Fauna or Fatua the sister and wife of Faunus King of the Aborigenes in Italy might be reckoned in the number The siege of Ardea 44. In the work of the Capitol Tarquin employed the people and in other baser works wherewith he even tired them out so that to appease them and especially to recruit his own Coffers he made War against the Rutuli and besieged the rich Citie Ardea five German miles toward the East distant from Rome The quarrel he pretended to be for that they received the Roman Exiles and endeavoured to restore them but the true cause was his thirst after the riches of this most flourishing place once the Metropolis of the Rutuli While he lay before this Town taking great pains to gain it and the other as eagerly resisting yet so as he seemed to have hope to carry it an act of his eldest son Sextus occasioned both the freedom of the one and other Citie Dionysius writeth that he was sent to Collatia about some businesse concerning the War and going to the house of Tarquinius Collatinus his Kinsman Grand-son to Egerius the Nephew of Priscus he ravished his wife Lucretia Sextus Tarquinius ravisheth Lucretia the daughter of Lucretius a Noble Roman Livy and Aurelius Victor relate that the Courtiers drinking together in the Camp before Ardea and with them Tarquinius Collatinus the son of Egerius they fell severally on praising each one his own wife in so much as proceeding to an earnest dispute Collatinus said there needed not many words for that they might see within a few hours how far his Lucretia excelled them all and he desired them to ride to the several places and judge accordingly as they should find Being well heated with wine they agreed to this motion and away they rode They found not Lucretia junketting and idely spending her time as the Kings daughters in law but late at night hard at work amongst her maids so that by consent of all she far excelled the rest and Collatinus nobly entertaining his Guests returned with them to the siege 45. Now was Sextus Tarquinius inflamed with a lustfull desire after Lucretia because of her beauty and as it hapneth towards difficult or forbidden things the more because of her eminent chastity Within few dayes without the knowledge of her husband accompanied onely with one servant he returned to Collatia where being kindly entertained by her he was brought to his bed-chamber but when he thought all asleep having observed where she lay with a naked Dagger he went to her and laying his hand on her breast threatned her with death if she offered to stir He mixed threats with fair words but yet could not prevail till he told her he would first kill her and then his slave whom laying by her side he would report it was for having surprized her in Adultery with him whereby obtaining his prey in the morning he departed When he was gone she sent for her father from Rome and her husband from the Camp
of the Graecian Forces They return home made War with them against Tissaphernes 50. The Governours of the King's Provinces through which they journyed were Artymas of Lydia Artacamas of Phrygia Mithridates of Lycaonia and Cappadocia of Cilicia Syenesis of Phoenicia and Arabia Dernes of Syria and Assyria Belesis of Babylonia Roparas of Media Arbacas of the Phasiens and Hesperites Teribazus The Governours of the King's Provinces at their return The Carduchans Chalybes Chaldaeans Macrons Cholcans Mosynaecans Coitans and Tibarens were free people and under no man's subjection Paphlagonia was ruled by Corylas the Bithynians by Pharnabazus the Europaean Thracians by Seuthes The total number of the Ascent and Descent was 212 encampings 1150 parasangs 34255 furlongs 4281 miles and more The time of the Ascent and Descent one year and three moneths Thus these Strangers wanting all things ignorant of the Countries through which they passed over precipitous Mountains straight and almost impassable wayes notwithstanding the malice of Enemies sharpnesse of air and difficulty of the Soil by the wonderful Providence of God and singular prudence of Xenophon returned home into Greece as we have it described by Xenophon himself though the seven Books of this Expedition notwithstanding the constant opinion of Antiquity are adjudged by a late Learned Man by reason of the disagreement of their manner of writing from his other works from him and are ascribed to Themistogenes the Syracusian whom * Hellen. 3o. elsewhere he mentioneth to have related these matters However this service performed to Cyrus cost him the losse of his Country being for that banished by the Athenians his Countrymen but the Lacedaemonians taking pitty of him gave him some Lands in the Country of Elis and the Territories of Triphyllis whence we may very well fetch an account of his writing that elegant Treatise of the form of their Commonwealth Plutarch in Artaxerxe 51. In this mean time whilst the Graecians were on their way homewards Parysatis the Queen-mother of Persia greatly lamented the death of her son Cyrus and meditated nothing but revenge upon such as had been instruments in his death whom one way or other getting into her hands she killed with most exquisite torments Parysatis rageth against such as had any hand in the death of her son Cyrus The Carian who vaunted he and no other had killed him being designed by Artaxerxes to be beheaded because he robbed him of the glory of so valiant an action she begged of the King that she might have the punishing him and so delivered him to those who for ten dayes tormented him then digged out his eyes and lastly made an end of him by powring melted brasse into his ears Mithridates guilty of the same Crime of boasting and thereby greatly incensing the King who would have had all men to believe that he alone in a single Duel had slain his brother was condemned to be put to death after an odd kind of punishment full of cruelty then in use in Persia The Malefactor was laid on his back between two hollow things in form like to Boats so fitted together that his head hands and feet mightâ—ly out and the rest of the body be contained within Being thus made fast meat was given to him and if he would not receive it he was forced to eat by pricking of his eyes and when he did eat instead of drink honey and milk mixed together were powred into him being so placed as ever to have his eyes against the Sun Hereby it came to passe that his face would be wholely covered with flies and doing that within the Engine which a man needs must who keepeth constantly eating and drinking from the putrefaction of the Excrements were Maggots and Worms bred which creeping up into the entrails fed upon the body so that the miserable man being dead and the upper part of the Engine removed they might see the flesh devoured and swarms of filth sticking on the Carcasse After this manner was Mithridates by degrees extinct after seventeen dayes 52. Parysatis after this having won from Artaxerxes her son at Dice Idem ibid. the Eunuch Megates who had cut off the head and hands of Cyrus caused him to be flead alive Her study then was how to rid herself of Statira her daughter-in-law whom she never cared for now hated mortally and emulated her by reason of her hatred against Cyrus and her power with the King her husband so as she resolved in the procurement of her destraction to hazard her own safety Being now in appearance reconciled and all old things forgotten so as they met and supped together she thence took occasion secretly to work her death The Bird Rhyntaces wherein Parysatis poysoneth Statira There was a bird in Persia called Rhyntaces in which being nothing superfluous or of excrement all the inward parts were filled with fat This as Ctefias wrote she cut it in two with a knife whereof the one side was onely poysoned then taking the clear half to her self she gave the other which the poyson had touched unto Statira who suspecting nothing for that she see her eat herself of the bird before her did eat it up and died after great convulsions and torment She suspected her before her death and possessed the King with the matter who knew sufficiently the cruel and implacable disposition of his mother He presently with Tortures examined her neerest servants but she kept Gygis a woman who had been accessary to the fact and would not give her up to him till at length having notice that she should go out of the house by night he surprized and condemned her to die the death due to poysoners by the Persian Law which was that the head of the Malefactor being laid on a great stone with another it was broken and flatted As for his Mother he hurt her not at all either by word or deed but she desiring to go to Babylon he sent her adding onely this that he would not see that Citie so long as she lived This was the state of the Domestick affairs of Artaxerxes 53. After the overthrow of Cyrus Diodorus ad an 1. Olymp. 95. he sent down Tissaphernes not Pharnabazus as is falsly written in Diodorus to the Sea-Coasts to recover them into his power the Governors of which fearing now to pay dearly for their compliance with Cyrus sent to make their peace with this new General and sought all wayes possible to be received into his favour But Tamos a man of prime note amongst them and Governour of Ionia shipping his goods and all his sons except one named Cyaos who afterwards became Captain of the Kings forces sayled for fear of Tissaphernes into Egypt to Psammitichus the King hoping for former curtesies to be received but he without consideration of former benefits to get his ships and money to himself murdered his friend with his Children In the mean time the Ionians fearing Tissaphernes Idem ibid. Xenoph.
retired back to Rhodes the Inhabitants of which not long after expelled his Fleet and revolting to the Persians received Conon and his Navy It hapned after this revolt that those that brought the Corn from Aegypt being gnorant of what had happened thrust their Ships into the Haven which Conon and the Rhodians seizing upon thereby well furnished the City Afterwards came in to Conon 90 Gallies more 10 from Cilicia the rest out of Phoenicia of which the petty King of Sidon had the charge And here the soldiers of Conon mutinied for want of pay Justin lib. 6. who therefore more earnestly called for their Arrears because their service was the stricter under so great a Captain 62. Agesilaus knowing that without Horse he could not well carry on the War in Champain places in the Winter-time took order about it Xenoph. Plutarch Aemilius Probus ut prius permitting such rich men in the City as would not fight themselves to furnish him with each of them an Horse and a Man in their stead Then upon the approach of the Spring drawing together all his Forces to Ephesus he trained and exercised them in the management of Arms that City serving them as the shop of War during these Exercises When he had thus prepared their minds and encouraged them by rewards and otherwise he gave out he would march straight into the most fortified places of the Enemies Country further to exercise them for the Fight Tissaphernes thinking this rumor to be spread on purpose to deceive him again marched into Caria whither he thought indeed he meant to go but Agesilaus as he said invaded the Territories about Sardis which wasting round about on the fourth day his men stragling about for plunder were set upon by the Enemies Horse which slew many of them He going in to their relief understanding the Persians had no Foot there and considering how he had all things in a readinesse resolved to make something of it so that falling on in good earnest he got a considerable Victory near the River Pactolus and plundering the enemies Camp from what belonged to friend and foe got booty worth above 70 talents amongst which was Camels which he carried with him into Greece 63. Tissaphernes at the time of this engagement if we may believe Xenophon who accompanied Agesilaus in this Expedition Diodorus Justin ut supra Aemil. Probus in Conone rather than Diododorus or Pausanias was at Sardis and upon that account was accused by the Persians to have forsaken and betrayed them About this time it happened that Conon the Admiral of the Persian Fleet having to no purpose for a long time sollicited the King by letters for money to pay his men resolved now himself to go to him Pharnabazus egging him on that he might accuse Tissaphernes of treachery Leaving then his Fleet to the care of two Athenians he came to Thapsacus in Syria and passing down Euphrates unto Babylon made application to Tithraustes to whom hee signified that hee would speak with the King But none being to be admitted to his presence except he adored him he transacted his businesse by letters and messengers and prevailed to have Tissaphernes adjudged an enemy the Lacedaemonians to be prosecuted with War and to chuse whom he pleased for the paying of moneys and with great gifts returned he to the Sea having commission to charge the Phoenicians Cyprians and other maritime Inhabitants with long ships and having Pharnabazus for his associate according to his desire to provide a Navie for the defence of the Seas against the next Summer 64. These accusations of Tissaphernes were so prosecuted by Parysatis who bore him mortal hatred in the behalf of her son Cyrus that Artaxerxes made Tithraustes Captain General of the War in his stead Xenoph. Diodorus ut prius Plutarch in Artaxerxe Agesilao Polyaenus Stragem lib. 7. enjoyning him to make him away and granting letters to all the Cities and Lieutenants to be obedient to him He gave him two letters at parting whereof the one was written to Tissaphernes being a pretended Commission to him to have full and absolute power in the War the other to Ariaeus Lieutenant of Larissa commanding him to assist Tithraustes in the apprehending of him He delivered the letter as soon as he came to Collosse in Phrygia whither Ariaeus procured Tissaphernes to come as to advise together about the War and as he was in the Bath having laid by his scimiter caused his servants to take him and sent him to Tithraustes who carrying him as far as Celaenae cut off his head which he conveyed to the King Tissaphernes put to death He sent it to his Mother who greatly rejoyced at the sight with her also the Graecian women who had lost their sons or husbands through his fraud and the whole Nation in the death of their mortal Enemy 65. Tithraustes now sent to Agesilaus to acquaint how the incendiary betwixt the King and the Graecians was deservedly punished so that his Master thought it reasonable that he would withdraw his Forces out of Asia Xenoph. Hellen. 3o. and the Greek Cities being left to their own laws should pay their accustomed tribute to him He denyed to do any thing herein without consent of the Lacedaemonian State Plutarch in Agesilao Pausan in Lacon whereupon they agreed that Tithraustes paying him thirty talents for the maintenance of his Army he should depart into the parts subject to Pharnabazus till such time as he understood the will of his Superiours Then led he towards Phrygia when in the way he met with an order come from Lacedaemon whereby not onely the power at Land but over the Navy also was given unto him over which he might make Admiral whomsoever he pleased He then to gratify the Cities and those who at home studied to pleasure him made up a Navy of 120 ships over which he set Pisander his wives brother a man indeed greedy of honour and of prompt boldnesse but of little experience in such great concernments 66. Tithraustus taking notice hereof and how Agesilaus did not intend to quit Asia but rather conceived great hopes of overthrowing the King resolved there was no way to be taken but to find his Countrymen such work at home that they must necessarily recall him Xenoph. ibid. Plutarch in Artax Agesilao Pausan ibid. To this purpose he sent one Timocrates a Rhodian into Greece with gold to the value of 50 Talents to the intent that he might therewith corrupt the leading and the principal men of the several Cities and engage them into a War with the Athenians against Lacedaemon which was accordingly brought about Agesilaus in the mean time entring Phrygia which was subject to Pharnabazus about Autumn spoiled the Country and by fair or foul means took many Cities Thence marched he into Paphlagonia which he withdrew from the obedience of the Persian and received 1000 Horse and 2000 Foot from Cotys the King
much prudence and dexterity The regaining of such places as were lost to the Illyrians and Olynthians with the overthrow of the neighbouring Kings and the State of Olynthus were such things as would have seemed too difficult for many ages to his predecessors The matters atchieved by him required both Mars and Mercury for assistants and therein he bred so many choise Commanders as for their skill and valour being worthy to wear Crowns He seemeth most to deserve that glory which his son by the influence of his abilities afterwards attained 35. Alexander his son succeeded him aged about twenty years Diodorus ibid. in the first of the 111th Olympiad wherein Cleomantes was Victor Pithodorus being Archon in the first of the reign of Darius Codomannus and the year of the World 3669. being by the father's side descended of Hercules Plutarch in Atexandro Alexander succeedeth him and the mother 's from Achilles neither of which lines he disgraced by the course of his fortunes Of a great and lofty spirit he was from a Child easie to be perswaded but hard to be compelled His father apprehending his wit procured Aristotle to be his School-master offering him very large rewards whose Native Citie Stageira being before by him demolished he re-edified for his sake By such a Master he was not onely instructed in morality but had some insight into the more abstruse Sciences and seemed to have some skill in Physick being wont to give directions to his friends about their health Being sixteen years old Philip undertaking an expedition against the Byzantians left him his Deputy in Macedonia where improving his time he subdued the Medaeans who had revolted and taking that Citie planted it with new Inhabitants and called it after himself Alexandropolis At the battel of Chaeronea he behaved himself very stoutly which with other his good parts drew great love upon him from his father insomuch as he willingly suffered the Macedonians to call him King and himself General but Philips mind towards his later end being withdrawn from his mother and fastned upon Cleopatra thereupon ensued great dissatisfaction on both sides whilest his mother stirred him to great indignation insomuch as he escaped not suspition of being privy to her designs against his father's life 36. Yet began he his reign with justice against such as had an hand in the murther killing them upon his Grave Idem ibid. Diodorus ad Olymp. 111. ann 2. and blamed his mother that in his absence she had dealt so cruelly with Cleopatra Then celebrating the funeral of his father with royal Rites and Ceremonies he began to take care of his publick affaires He beginneth his reign well and being contemned for his youth and little experience above all expectation explicated himself out of all difficulties by imitating his Fathers courtesie and overcoming many by the invinciblenesse of his spirit which through the course of his life bore down all opposition He renewed the discipline of War and gained the affections of the Army knowing also that Attalus upon the account of his Niece Cleopatra lay at all advantages to do him mischief he sent Hecataeus with a band of men with order to attack him and send him over alive if possible or else to kill him one way or other which was at length effected In the mean time Demosthenes having had secret intelligence of Philip's death went to the people and pretending to have dreamt it stirred up the Athenians all wayes possible to contemn the youth of Alexander and not to suffer him to obtain the Principality of Greece and to this purpose they sent unto Attalus and entred into conspiracy with him how they might best effect it The Aetolians intended to restore the Exiles of the Acarnanians banished by Philip. The Ambraciots expelled the Garrison there His difficulties in Greece and the Thebans decreed to do the same by that in Cadmea As the Arcadians had refused to consent that the Father should be General of Greece so were they now nothing better inclined towards the Son and the rest of the Peloponnesians as the Argives Eleans and Lacedaemonians were ready to do any thing for the asserting of their own liberty and power The Nations about Macedonia began to stir being altogether inclining to renounce their obedience 37. Alexander as an earnest of his future successe easily removed those obstacles reducing some by entreaty and good words others by awe and some by force of Arms. He first obtained of the Thessalians by a publick Decree to be owned as his Fathers Successor in the Generalship and then easily bringing the neighbouring People to do the same Which he overcometh passing the Pylae called the Council of the Amphyctiones and procured by their suffrages to be elected the Captain General of all Greece Having done this to bring over the rest by fear he led down his Army into Boeotia where pitching his tents by Cadmea he affrighted the Thebans and the Athenians also so much that these getting in all their goods to the City and fortifying it as well as they might they sent to beg his pardon that they had owned him no sooner One of the Ambassadors was Demosthenes who came not with the rest to Alexander but returned back when he was come on his way either fot that he stood in fear of him for the Orations made against his Father or because he would not crack his credit with the Persian King from whom Aeschines accused him to have received much money He answered the Ambassadors to their satisfaction and then sent for the Deputies of the Estates to meet him at Corinth where speaking very courteously to them he vvas again declared General against the Persian and aid decreed to him for carrying on the War after vvhich he returned into Macedonia Whilst he here vvas in the Isthmus many Philosophers came to salute him * Diogenes Laertius Plutarch alii onely Diogenes the Sinopian made no reckoning of him The King understanding this vvent to visit him then at Athens and finding him sunning himself in his tub saluted him kindly and desired him to ask any thing of him vvhatsoever he pleased He onely desired him to stand out of the Sun vvhich greatnesse of mind Alexander so much admired that vvhen his follovvers laughed and jeered at the man he ansvvered that If he were not Alexander he would be Diogenes 38. In the beginning of the Spring he made an Expedition into Thrace Diodorus Plutarch vvhere he subdued several People and afterwards prospered in the same manner in Poeonia and Illyria In the mean time came intelligence that many of the Greeks had a design to revolt and not a few Cities amongst which Thebes was most eminent and had renounced his authority Hereupon he returned into Macedonia But the Thebans fall upon his Garrison in Cadmea the Thebans in the mean while besieging his Garrison in Cadmea which being supplied with Arms by Demosthenes they fell upon and
the Kings house and watch the servants there that they should carry away no Letters he himself with his Clients and Friends went to the house of the Aquillii where he got into his hands what was written to Tarquinius The Aquillii being abroad met him at the Gate where they endeavoured to recover by force the Letters from him but he through the help of those about him drew them into the Forum as his brother also having seized on other Letters at the King's house forced some of his servants thither The tumult being appeased by the Consuls Vindicius related the Story and the Letters were read The parties said nothing for themselves all were astonished and silent at length some to flatter Brutus mentioned banishment Collatinus shedding tears gave the prisoners hope and this was increased because Valerius held his peace 8. But furious and implacable Brutus calling both his Sons by their names Titus and Tiberius asked them why they said nothing to what was laid to their charge and when they answered not at the third time he turned to the Lictors or Executioners Brutus putteth to death his sons and said Now is it your part to perform the rest They presently took the youths and stripping them tied their hands behind them then did they beat with rods and after that beheaded them he whilst others could not behold so abhominable a spectactle feeding his angry eyes with the object till all was done Then left he the rest to the discretion of his Colleague and departed after which a stupidity horrour and amazement as the things required for a time possessed all Collatinus his backwardnesse and delay incouraged the Aquilii to desire time to answer and that Vindicius their Slave might be given up to them and not continue in the hands of their accusers The Consul was about to do both when Valerius who kept the Slave all this while in the midst of his followers would neither deliver him nor suffer the People to depart without censuring the accused though Collatinus was ready to dismisse the Assembly He laid hands upon the Aquilii and sent for Brutus crying out that Collatinus did unworthily to impose upon his Colleague a necessity of killing his sons and think of granting the lives of the other unto women The Consul being vexed commanded the Lictors to take away Vindicius so that they laying hands on him wounded those that kept him and Valerius his friends fighting in his behalf the People cried out for Brutus When he came he said that by his full authority he had animadverted upon his own Sons and left the other delinquents to the People giving leave to every man to speak There was no need of this The rest beheaded saith Plutarch though Dionysius relateth a great contest betwixt the two Consuls but the rabble called to the vote condemned them by all their Suffrages according to which sentence they were beheaded Collatinus now who for being a kin to the King had been suspected and whose name was hateful to the People having by his carriage in this businesse offended the generality voluntarily laid down his Office and departed from the City seeing now to what a sad passe he had helped to bring things and too late repenting of his rebellion To him succeeded Valerius the Comitia being held for an election whom Brutus much desired to have had his Colleague at first but that the greatnesse of Collatinus carried it from him Valerius Consul in the room of Tarquinius Collatinus 9. Valerius being with the good-will of all the multitude created Consul thought the first fruits of his Office due to Vindicius whom manumitted he made free of the Commonwealth this privilege being given to him first of all Liberti or Freed-men according to Plutarch which Appius long after communicated to them all and from him a perfect and full manumission had the name of Vindicta This done the Consuls gave the gooâ—â— of the King to be rifled by the People demolished his house Dionys lib. 5. Livius lib. 2. Val. Maxim l. 1. c. 8. Plutar. in Poplicola Plin. l. 29. c. 1. Festus in voce Insula and laid the Campus Martius which he had to himself open as before wherein lying Corn cut down already they threw it into the River and sending trees that grew there after it these receiving gravel and such rubbish as came down the chanel at last grew into an Island called Insula Sacra though some say this happened in after times when Tarquinia a Vestal Nun gave the adjoyning field to the Publick and for that obtained great honours as these amongst the lest of all women alone to appear as a witnesse in any cause and liberty to marry which she refused But Tarquinus seeing that reason failed betook himself to force and brought a great Army of Tuscans against Rome The Consuls opposed him with another and when they came to joyn Aruns the son of Tarquin and Brutus the Consul with greater wrath and fury than discretion singled out each other and so carelesly demeaned themselves as both of them lost their lives A great and bloody battel was fought betwixt the Armies Brutus slain which night onely broke up and that with such equal fortune as neither party could boast it self till at length either by a voice out of a grove A. M. 3497. Ol. 68. an 1. V.C. 246. Darii 15. as the story goeth that the Etruscans had lost one man more or some other way the Romans were so revived and the other discouraged that the later forsook their tents for fear and being fallen upon by the Enemy were nigh 5000 taken prisoners having lost 11300 in the fight Valerius triumphed at his return to the City leaving an example to posterity which was duly followed and then buried his Colleague with great honour making himself a funeral Oration in his commendation which custom Dionysius will have more ancient at Rome than in Greece although Anaximenes wrote that Solon was the Author of it Valerius suspected 10. But when the People considered how Brutus the father of their liberty as they accounted him would not govern alone without a Colleague and yet Valerius made no haste to take a partner they began to complain that he had not taken to himself so much the place of Brutus which yet not at all belonged to him but that of Tarquinius and were much offended with him They confirmed themselves in their hard opinion from his having all the Rods and Axes caried before him and with them in greater state than Tarquinius used marched from his house which was much larger than the Palace that he demolished His house was very fair situate in such a place as afforded him prospect round about and had a difficult ascent so that the convenience of the site considered with his Kingly port and attendance seemed to threaten their infant Commonwealth now an Orphan by Brutus his death His friends remonstrating to him these particulars he
Antigonus got divers Cities into his hands and restored the Milesians to their liberty At this time the inhabitants of Cyrene revolting Ptolomy reduced them again to obedience by the means of Agis his General and in Cyprus suppressed some of the Kings which were of the contrary faction Returning home he was sollicited be Seleucus to undertake an Expedition against Demetrius then in Caelesyria Whose Son Demetrius is defeated by Ptolomy so that with 18000 Foot and 4000 Horse he marched to Gaza where Demetrius expected him In the fight the forces of Demetrius seemed rather to prevail till his Elephants being wounded and taken his Horse out of fear ran away He himself fled accompanied with many till he came to passe by Gaza but then so many forsook him and went in thither to fetch out their goods as multitudes flocking to the gates and they therefore being hindred from being shut the enemies entred with them and took the Town Ptolomy took Sidon also and besieged Tyre whose Governour Andronicus upon summons refused to yield and reviled him A. M. 3693. Ol. 117. an 1. V. C. 442. Seleuci 1. Ptolom 12 yet he getting the place into his power through the sedition of the Soldiers when he looked for present death not onely forgave him but entertained him courteously as his familiar friend 23. Ptolomy getting the places about Syria into his power returned into Aegypt being followed thither by many which were drawn by his great courtesie and clemency But Seleucus thinking this a good opportunity for him to return to his former Principality obtained of him 800 Foot and 200 Horse and with them marched for Babylon In his way in Mesopotamia he got partly by fair means partly by foul those Macedonians which quartered at Carrhae to joyn with him but when he came to Babylon the Inhabitants there willingly received him and he shortly after stormed the Castel which was held by Antigonus his garrison Nicanor the Governour of Media hearing this came against him with above 10000 Foot and 7000 Horse whom he went out to meet with but few more than 3000 Foot and 400 Horse and knowing himself too weak to engage in a set battel with him he hid his men in the Fens till he was past with his Army and then came upon him lying carelesly in the night without any strict guards Seleucus recovereth Babylon and the Eastern parts so as the Persians coming to fight Euagrus their Captain was slain with other Officers at which being struck and also weary of Antigonus his government they revolted and Nicanor with a few at his heels escaped being glad he was not delivered up Seleucus by this means getting a strong Army easily made himself Master of Susiana Media and the Countryes thereto adjoyning so as getting hereby Royal Majesty and Glory suitable to his dignity some have from this year fetched the rise of that Aera which afterwards was called that of the Seleucidae and of the Greeks for that his Kingdom proved the most considerable about the year of the World 3694 Eusebius in Chronico alii the first of the 117 Olympiad 309 years before the Aera of Christ and twelve years after the death of Alexander 24. When Antigonus heard of it he sent his son Demetrius against him who had now redeemed his credit by the overthrow of Cilles sent to expel him out of Syria by Ptolomy and upon it called thither his Father so as they recovered all that Country and Phoenicia out of his hands he not daring to stay and try a battel with Antigonus Demetrius his attempts against him Demetrius led with him an Army of 15000 Foot and 4000 Horse with order to recover the Principality of Babylon and then go down to the Sea Patrocles A. M. 3694. Ol. 117. an 2. V.C. 443. Seleuci 2. Ptolom 13. whom Seleucus had left Governour of Babylon hearing of his coming advised the inhabitants to leave the City and flie some into the Desart or over the River Tigris he himself with a Band of men flew up and down taking advantages at the Enemy and sent to Seleucus into Media for aid so that Demetrius coming and finding the City forsaken stormed one of the Forts therein and for that his time was out beyond which he could not stay he left Archelaus with a strong party to besiege the other Then giving leave to his Soldiers to plunder all they could he departed according to his Father's order to the Sea where he besieged Halicarnassus but was beaten off by Ptolomy and so as it were took his leave of that Province for ever taking what he could get along with him and perhaps for this reason the Chaldaeans with the Author of the second Book of the Machabees in this year one after the other fix the Aera of Seleucus Not long after Ptolomy Cassander and Lysimachus made a Peace with Antigonus on these terms An agreement betwixt Ptolomy Cassander Lysimachus that Cassander should be Captain General of Europe Lysimachus should retain Thrace and Ptolomy Aegypt and the rest which he now enjoyed until Alexander the son of Roxane should come to age and that Antigonus should be over Asia and the Greeks live after their own Laws This agreement was not kept long each one seeking under any pretence to inlarge his Dominions and indeed they might better do it seeing he for whom they pretended themselves Administrators and was their Soveraign Lord was taken away For Cassander taking notice that young Alexander grew up and that the People began to talk that now he ought to be delivered out of custody and to enjoy his Fathers Kingdom he fearing his own interest commanded secretly Glaucius his Keeper to kill him and his Mother and concealing their bodies to acquaint no person living with it Thus he who was unborn when his Father died The death of young Alexander died by the hands of violence and treason thirteen years after him 25. He had a brother yet living elder than himself who being begotten of Barsines never maried to Alexander was held as illegitimate by the Captains Hercules his brother though born before his Father's death His name was Hercules being now kept at Pergamus whence he was called shortly after the death of the other by Polysperchon who now being in Peloponnesus and envying Cassander the Principality of Macedonia sent about to his friends intreating that the youth being seventeen years old might be brought and established in his Fathers Throne The Aetolians especially with others imbraced the motion so as he got together about 20000 Foot and 1000 Horse in no great space and within a while after gathered up a numerous Army with which he marched and came on his way to Stymphalia Diodorus ad Olymp. 117. Justin lib. 15. A. M. 3696. Ol. 117. an 4. V.C. 445. Seleuc. 4. Ptolom 15. Here Cassander opposed him and seeing that his Macedonians took well enough this reduction of their Prince and fearing
years they shall joyn themselves together for the Kings daughter of the South shall come to the King of the North to make an agreement But as it followeth she shall not retain the power of the Arm neither shall he stand nor his Arm c. For Philadelphus dying shortly after Appian in Syriacis Antiochus took again his former wife Laodice who being sensible of the injury and fearing her husbands inconstancy poysoned him after he had reigned 15 years 6. Laodice his wife kept his death close Idem ibid. Justin lib. 27. till such time as she had secured the Kingdom to Seleucus her eldest son sirnamed for his victories though of none but one we read Callinicus Seleucus sirnamed Callinicus and Pogon and from his beard Pogon The next thing she went about was to make away Berenice who understanding that some were sent to kill her shut up her self in Daphne a Town near Antioch and when she was besieged news flying about the Cities of Asia they commiserated her condition and out of respect of her Fathers and Grandfathers Dignity sent men to her relief But above all A. M. 3759. Ol. 133. ann 3. V.C. 508. Ptol. Euerget 1. her brother Ptolomy Euergetes being affrighted at her danger hastened out of his Kingdom with his whole power Yet ere any relief could come she was taken by treachery promise of safety being made to her and quickly slain at which base and unworthy act the Cities conceiving great indignation Ptolomy Euergetes revengeth the death of his sister Berenice provided a great Fleet and to revenge her death gave up themselves to Ptolomy who invading Syria slew Laodice seized upon Caelesyria with Seleucia got into his hands Syria Cilicia and the upper Provinces beyond Euphrates and almost all Asia even as far as Bactria Without doubt he had Conquered all Seleucus his Kingdom had he not been forced by a Domestick Sedition to return after whose departure Seleucus having prepared a great Fleet for the reducing of those Cities which revolted from him lost it in a great Tempest at the which they were so far from rejoycing that pitying him for this shipwrack they voluntarily returned to obedience 7. Rejoycing that he fared so well by his shipwrack he now made War upon Ptolomy but being overthrown fled to Antioch in great fear Idem ibid. being as destitute as before though he found not such relief For writing to his younger brother Antiochus He invadeth Ptolomy and thence is cast into great straights he craved his help offering him all Asia within the Mountain Taurus for a reward who though he was but yet fourteen years old being greedy of reigning imbraced this occasion and then behaved not himself as an helper or brother but like a robber intending to get the whole Kingdom He shewed incredible boldnesse in invading and snatching whence he had the Sirname of Hierax or Goshauck Ptolomy hearing of his aiding his brother lest he should have two to deal with at once made Peace with Seleucus for ten years and then Antiochus hiring the Gauls with them made War upon his brother in the other's stead in which he had the better of it Antiochus Hierax his brother rebeleth and they supposing Seleucus to be slain in the battel that cutting off all the Royal race they might be Lords of Asia turned their force against him that hired them so that Antiochus was glad to purchase his freedom with Gold and enter into society with his Mercenaries The two brothers being thus at odds and every one gaping after Asia Eumenes of Bithinia puts in amongst the rest and overthrowing the Gauls and after them Antiochus got a great part of it into his possession Idem lib. 41. Now also Arsaces hearing of the distresse of Seleucus perfected the revolt of the Parthians for invading that Country with a band of robbers he slew the Governour Andragorus and invaded the Principality and not long after seizing on the Kingdom of the Hyrcanians Arsaces perfecting his revolt establisheth his Parthian Kingdom so strengthened himself thereby that after some years he overthrew Seleucus and established his Kingdom Hence the Parthians accounting ever after the day of this Victory as the day of their liberty constantly observed it and Arsaces being no lesse memorable to them than Cyrus to the Persians Alexander to the Macedonians or Romulus to the Romans out of honour to him they called all their Kings by his name This beginning of Arsaces fell out in the first of the 135 Olympiad of the City 510 the second of Seleucus and the third of Ptolomy Euergetes A. M. 3761. 8. Idem lib. 27. Now understanding that Eumenes had got the greatest part of Asia into his power and both the brothers had even lost their Principalicies yet could they not agree but instead of opposing the forein and common Enemies sought the destruction of each other by renewing the War In the next battel Antiochus was overthrown and flying many dayes and not knowing how to bestow himself The two brothers renew the War and at length being wearied he went to Artamenes King of Cappadocia his Father in Law by whom at first being received very civilly he afterwards understood there was a plot laid against him and fled thence Whereupon not knowing where to be secure he betook himself to Ptolomy judging he might rather trust to him than his brother being as well he might be mindful of what he would have done to him or had deserved of him Ptolomy commanded him to be narrowly looked to but by the help of a certain whore with whom he had been too familiar he deceived his Keepers and got away Yet as he was flying he was slain by thieves Seleucus also almost at the same time being outed of his Kingdom and thrown by an horse ended his life Dye after he had reigned about twenty years A. M. 3779 the third of the 138 Olympiad 98 years after the death of Alexander 9. He left two sons Seleucus and Antiochus Seleucus Ceraunus of which the former succeeded according to his birthright in the seventh year of Antigonus Doson King of Macedonia and was Sirnamed Ceraunus Eumenes King of Pergamus who had got so much of Asia into his power now being dead of Drunkennesse Attalus his younger brother's son succeeded him and had got all on this side Taurus into his power which being understood by Seleucus Ceraunus he thought it concernd him to look about him Polybius lib. 4. Appian in Syriacis and with Achaeus whose Father Andromachus was brother to Laodice his wife passed over Taurus with an Army against him but then was poysoned in Phrygia by the treachery of Apaturius a Galatian and Nicanor after he had reigned scarce three years Achaeus to revenge his death presently slew the conspirators and then ordering the Army with great wisdom and courage recovered all on this side the Mountain Taurus which had been lost A. M.
for he contented himself with the Equestrian rank neither could he not obtain greater things but he would * Maecenas eques Hetrusco de Sanguint regum Intra fortunam qui cupis esse tuam Propertius l. 3. not He had great power with Augustus which he improved to the allaying of his passion and doing good offices for others as one example shews above the rest On a time as Augustus sate in Judgment and was about to sentence many to death he perceiving it and nor able to come at him for the croud wrote these words Rise up at last Executioner in a table and cast them into Caesar's lap as some other matter who having read them presently departed without condemning any Neither did this offend Augustus but he was glad that he had one who would be so free with him and curb that anger which either his inclination or the urgency of businesse moved him to (a) Cilnius Arreti Tyrrhenis ortus in oris Clarum nomen erat Silius Italicus Cilnius was the antient name of his Family and Arretium in the Tyrrhenian Coasts the place of it (b) L. 7. c. 5â— Pliny telleth strange passages of him as that he never was without an Ague and for three years before his death never slept a quarter of an hour together In the same year which was that wherein Augustus mended the Calendar and called the moneth Sextilis after himself Horace the Poet also died in the 57 year of his age His familiarity with Caesar and Maecenas is sufficiently known His life is written by Suetonius 40. Augustus having again quieted all Nations and shut the Temple of Janus the third time having ordained a general taxation throughout the Empire that he might know the State and worth thereof having also refused the name of Dominus or Lord with great earnestnesse which he forbad even his Children and Nephews by an edict to use towards him the Lord and Heir of all things came into the World in the fulnesse of time revealed by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Daniel for the fulfilling of the promises made concerning the seed of the woman The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which should break the serpents head A. M. 4003. Ol. 194. an 3. V. C. 752. Caesare Augusto 13. M. Plautio Silano Coss Great difference there is in assigning the year of the World wherein our Saviour was born by reason of the difficulty of computation arising from the several versions of the Scriptures the intricate and uncertain successions of the Judges the variety of the forms of years and the several reckonings as to parcels of such as are related in Scripture A great help for the regulation of these things is afforded from prophane Histories But it beginneth but with Cyrus whose History as to the restauration of the Jews presenteth us with the first certain note of conjunction he being so named both by holy and prophane Writers but not Nebuchadnesar and yet the duration of his reign is also uncertain Yet as from all these opinions weighed together a good account may be given in another place more proper for the length of it as to the year of the World so the Evangelist teaching us that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Christ was about thirty years old it must needs follow that Augustus reigned fifteen years after his birth so that if we count as some do the reign of Augustus from the death of Julius Caesar it lasted 57 years and then must Christ be born in the 42 of it But if we follow them as the order of this Work doth who with more reason fetch the beginning of his Empire from the death of Antony and the conquest of Aegypt then Christ's birth fell into the 28 year thereof and according to the computation which we most approve into the 4003 year of the World the 752 of the City and the third year of the 194 Olympiad wherein Caesar Augustus himself the thirteenth time and M. Plautius Silanus were Consuls Although Cyrenius who was Consul ten years before and is called elsewhere P. Sulpicius Quirinus might not formally be President of Syria which Office as others say was now obtained by Quintilius Vanus Josephus Antiq. l. 17. c. 7. who succeeded Saturninus who as yet was not departed out of the Province yet being set over this taxation by Augustus in that place this title might well be given him though he then governed Cilicia De bello Judaic l. 1. c. 15. as Herod is by Jesephus said to be constituted Procurator of all Syria though it had it's Officers who were to act by his assistance and direction Herod had now reigned 37 years and odd moneths and being deluded by the Wise Men whom he willingly suffered to search out Christ that he might destroy him killed all the children in and about Bethlehem of two years and under Matth. 2.16 which cruelty was but agreable with his disposition and constant practice Here that we may describe his affaires we must make a little digression and take them where we formerly left them A digression to the affairs of Herod 41. After he had obtained the possession of his Kingdom Josephus Antiq. l. 15. c. 1 c. he put to death 45 of Antigonus his friends having procured him to be beheaded as we formerly shewed Then did he prefer to the High-Priesthood one Ananel an obscure man neglecting Aristobulus the son of Aristobulus the King and brother to his own wife Mariamne and Antony desiring to see this youth for the fame of his beauty he fearing the Roman might advance him to stay him at home gave him the Priesthood and excused his neglect to send him by the inclination of the Jews to rebellion Perceiving him then to be in extraordinary favour with the Jews and that his mother Alexandra which he kept very close because of her restlesse spirit plorted the escape of her self and son into Aegypt a year after as he was swimming he caused him to be drowned and though Cleopatra accused him hereof to Antony yet by presents he made his Peace He maketh away Aristobulus In the Civil Wars he sided with Antony who having forces sufficient desired him to chastize the Arabians that denied the Tribute imposed on them This he did and though at first his attempts miscaried yet in another battel he quite overthrew and brought them under After the overthrow of Antony he had little hope that his own matters would go well He murdered Hyrcanus who onely survived of all the males of the Royal Family and whom he had recalled from Babylon Idem ibid. c. 9 c. whither he was caried by the Parthians He took the advantage of the old man's intent to flye into Arabia through the importunity of his daughter Alexandra who promised him great things if Herod should miscary under the power of Augustus Then providing as well as he could for the worst in case it should happen
Syllaeus thence came to lay open his forgeries against Herod to whom Augustus was throughly reconciled and had given him Arabia too but that he received from him other Letters containing another complaint against his sons For whilest he was thus out with Caesar the former stirs were renewed in his house by means of Eurycles a Lacedaemonian who winding himself into Alexander's acquaintance betrayed him first to Antipater and then to Herod himself He denied all accusations except that he intended with his wife to fly to Archelaus King of Cappadocia her father but Caesar being consulted as we said willed Herod to call a Council at Berytum with the Roman Presidents Archelaus of Cappadocia and the rest of his friends and Nobility there abouts and do as he should be advised He called all but Archelaus and in an Assembly of 150 men declaimed most furiously against his sons not producing any proof at all further than that they intended to fly and not suffering them to be present to answer for themselves He onely required the suffrages of the Assembly to countenance his private resolution which the major part giving though Saturninus and his sons gave an indifferent sentence he acted by fury Putteth his onâ— to death and unnatural madnesse Joseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 1. c. caused them to be strangled at Sebaste Antipater after the death of his brothers quickly plotted the destruction of his father and for that he was hated by all men procured some esteem by his gifts and drew Pheroras into the conspiracy to the issue of whom the Pharises promised the Kingdom For refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance they were fined by Herod to whose Kingdom they prophesied destruction and happinesse to the family of Pheroras because his wife payed their fine Herod getting out these things by the means of Salome put the principal of the Pharises to death with others and urged his brother Pheroras to put away his wife which he refusing to do he banished him his Kingdom Pheroras then departing into his Terrarchy died shortly after being visited by Herod who buried him honourably at Jerusalem Antipater standing in fear of his father wrought by his Creatures at Rome to be sent for by Caesar But this availed nothing for in his absence all came out which confirmed Salome's words to which the King in this matter had given but little credit knowing her to be too free in accusations and brought vengeance upon him notwithstanding all his craft for the murther of his brethren 45. Pheroras his wife being accused of poysoning her husband Cap. 6. c. her maids were tortured and in their pain gave some suspition of the conspiracy which was more cleared by one Antipater that had the ordering of Antipater's affairs A grievous Conspiracy against him who confessed that his Master had compounded a poyson and delivered it to Pheroras to be given to the King in his absence and that it was kept by Pheroras his wife She confirmed the same declaring that the poyson was bought in Egypt by Antipater's procurement that it was committed to her charge and how that when her husband was sick and Herod came out of kindnesse to visit him being overcome with his love he forbade her to give it him Amongst the accessaries was Herod's own wife the daughter of the High-Priest she was put away her father deposed and Mathias the son of Theophilus preferred to his place Herod also her son was put out of the Kings Teâ—â—ment wherein he had bequeathed the Kingdom to him after his death In the mean time Bathillus the Freed-man of Antipater returning from Rome was tortured and confessed that he had brought with him a poyson to deliver to Pheroras wherewith the King might be certainly and speedily dispatched in case the other should fail Antipater returned ignorant of these passages for that almost every one was his Enemy and before his father and Quintilius Varus though he sought to cover his wickednesse all things were made plain against him whereupon he was committed to close prison He sickneth Shortly after Herod himself sickned and became exceeding teasty and wrathfull as well for these things as for that he thought the people was glad of his misfortunes having at the instigation of the Doctors of their Law cut down an Eagle of Gold of great value that stood over the Portal of the Temple But his sicknesse more and more increased 46. His disease was strange and fearfull Cap. 8. 9. For he burned with an inward heat which pierced and tormented him in his bowels He was also vexed with a ravenous and infatiable appetite and an Ulcer in his Entrails with a strange and furious Colick His feet were swoln with moisture and a shining kind of flegm His strange Disease his stomack being no lesse afflicted His body rotted and was full of crawling Worms which afforded an intollerable stench besides he was held with a filthy and troublesom Priapism a strong Convulsion of his Nerves and shortnesse of breath being generally judged thus to be punished for his infinite impieties and sins committed against the Majesty of God doubtlesse his intention to kill Christ with the innocent bloud of the Infants cried loud He used all means for recovery and went over Jordan to the hot Baths of Callirhoe Thence returning to Jericho a melancholick humour seized on him which rendred him unsociable and displeased with all men Perceiving now that he should die and supposing that the Jews would much rejoyce in his death he shut up many of the chiefest of them in the Hippodrome and gave in charge to his sister Salome and her husband Alexas that as soon as he was dead they should cause them all to be killed that a lamentation might accompany his funeral Before his death he received Letters from Caesar who gave him leave to deal with his son as he saw occasion Antipater yet believing that he was dead plotted how to escape and seize on the Kingdom but his Jaylor with whom he dealt revealed it to Herod He killeth his son Antipater who had procured the death of his brothers and plotted against his father's life who commanded one of his Guard instantly to kill him and to such an end came he for the murther of his brethren and the sad Tragedies he had raised in his father's house Herod having attempted to kill himself died some five dayes after his son in the 72 year of his age 27 after his getting possession of the Kingdom and 29 after he had been declared King by the Romans 't is uncertain how long after the birth of Christ but as is supposed not above two years in the first of the 195 Olympiad the 754 of the Citie A. D. 2. Ol. 195. ann 1. V. C. 754. Caius Caesar and L. Aemilius Paulus being Consuls Salome and Alexas before his death was throughly known And dieth to their great honour discharged those that were locked up in
Herod by St. Luke labouring all manner of wayes to gratifie the Jews killed James the brother of John and shut up Peter in prison Act. 12. intending to bring him forth to the People after the Passeover but he was miraculously delivered by an Angel A just punishment from God overtook Agrippa not long after For having begun to build the walls of Jerusalem when upon complaint of Marsus President of Syria he was forbidden by Claudius he descended to Caesarea there to celebrate games in honour of Caesar Being clothed with a robe of silver which glittered exceedingly by the reflection of the Sun-beams he rejected not the flatteries of those who ascribed to him divine honours and was presently seized by a pain in his guts Whom vengence overtaketh for the death of James and being eaten with worms gave up the ghost within five dayes after he had reigned seven years in all A. D 45. V.C. 797. and three over Judaea His Kingdom was not committed to his son by reason of his youth for he was but seventeen years old and therefore Cuspius Fadus was sent to govern it 9. Claudius restored also Mithridates the Iberian to his Kingdom whom Caius had imprisoned On another Mithridates descended from Mithridates the Great King of Pontus he bestowed the Kingdom of Bosphorus giving one part of Cilicia to Polemo in requital and another part of this Country to Antiochus with Commagena Claudius restoreth several Princes for he had also been deprived of this his Kingdom by Caius But the Lycians and Rhodians he deprived of their liberty The former for that they had raised a Sedition wherein some Romans had been slain and the later because they had crucified some of them About this time the Britains were very tumultuous The Britains tumultuous for the reducing of whom to obedience he sent A. Plautius in his second year with an Army out of Gall. 10. Since the time of Julius Caesar the Romans had attempted nothing upon Britain Augustus seemeth of purpose to have neglected it Lege Cambdenum counting it policy to keep the Roman Empire within it's bounds to wit the Ocean the Rivers Ister and Euphrates limits set by nature to the end it might be a State Adamantine for so he himself speaketh in Julian or invincible and not miscary through it 's too great bulck and burthen This Island from Julius Caesar his Expeditions untouched by the Romans Strabo is of opinion that he despised it seeing no cause to fear nor hope of much profit from the Britans and yet it seemed that no small danger would be presented from other Nations lying about the said Island But at length he departed from Rome with a purpose to transfer the War into Britain but when he was come into Gall the Britains pacified him by Ambassadors and having obtained his amity dedicated presents and oblations in the Capitol They brought the Island now familiar to the Romans and endured taxes and imposts which saith Strabo are now nothing grievous to them being raised out of such marchandise and commodities as are shipped to and fro out of Gall and Britain those be Ivory works bits and bridles chains and wreathes Vessels of Electrum and glasse with other base and common wares of like sort And therefore there needs no Garrison for that Island For it would require one Legion at least and some Horsemen if tributes were to be levied from thence and the said tributes would but countervail the charges of maintaining a Garrison there Augustus was diverted from it for of necessity by imposing a tribute the revenues coming by tollage and poundage and such like imposts would be lesse and if any violent course were used some peril or other must be expected The year following also Augustus intended a second Expedition into Britain because there was some variance about the Covenants but by occasion of some insurrections made in Spain by the Cantabri and others that journey was staied 11. Tiberius nothing transported with an inordinate desire of inlarging the Empire seemeth to have rested in that counsel of Augustus For he brought out a Book written with Augustus his own hand wherein was contained the whole wealth and estate of the Commonweal what number as well of Roman Citizens as Allies were in Arms how many Navies Kingdoms and Provinces what tributes and imposts belonged to the State with a resolution annexed thereto of containing the Empire within the same bounds Which advise and resolution of Augustus contented him so well that as Tacitus reporteth Tiberius neglected it he would attempt nothing in Britain nor maintain any Garrison or Deputies there For whereas Tacitus reckoneth up the number of Legions and what Coasts and Countries they defended at that time he maketh no mention at all of Britain And yet it seemeth that the Britains entertained amity with the Romans For when as at the same time Germanicus sailed the Ocean some of his Company being by force of Tempest driven to this Island were by the Princes thereof sent back again That Caius Caesar cast in his mind to enter this Island is certain but by his shittle brain sudden repentance and wonderful attempts against Germany it came to nothing For to the end that he might terrifie Britain and Germany over which he hovered with the same of some mighty piece of work he made a bridge between Baiae and the Piles of Puteoli three miles and 600 paces in length Caius his rare exploits But having atchieved no greater exploit than received to grace Adminius the son of Cynobelliuus King of the Britans who being by his Father banished had fled over Sea with a small power and train about him he sent magnificent and glorious letters to Rome as if the whole Isle had been yielded up into his hands warning and wishing the Posts to ride forward directly into the Forum and Curia and in no wise to deliver the said missives unto the Consuls but in the Temple of Mars and that in a frequent Assembly of the Senate 12. After this to the Ocean he marched as if he minded to translate the War over into Britain There upon the shoar he embattelled his Soldiers he himself took Sea in a Gally and having lanched forth a little from the Land returned again Then mounting an high scaffold he sate him down and gave his Soldiers the sign for battel And great atchievement and commanding the Trumpets to sound on a sodain charged them to gather Cockles Muskles and other small shel-fishes Having gotten these spoils he waxed proud as if he had conquered the Ocean and having rewarded his Soldiers he brought some of these shel-fishes to Rome to shew the booty he had gotten In token and memorial of this great atchievement he caused to be built a brave high Turret out of which as from a watch-tower there might blaze all night long lights and fires for the better direction of Sea-men The ruines hereof are some times
Zachaeus Tobias Benjamin and John in the 19th and last of Trajan In the eleventh of his reign was Euaristus Bishop of Rome Crowned with Martyrdom on the sixth of the Calends of November and Alexander succeeded him who also being Martyred in the 19th year on the fifth before the Nones of May (h) Euseb l. 3. cap. 35. Cistus had his seat according to Damasus And we must not forget that Heros succeeded Ignatius in the Sea of Antioch Gods judgements upon Trajan for his persecuting Christians 8. The persecution of the Christians drew down heavy judgements upon the Empire in the time of Trajan In the later end of his reign hapned most grievous Earth-quakes in several places by which four Cities in Asia three in Greece and three in Galatia were overturned Antioch also whilest he wintered there was grievously shaken whereby multitudes which for his sake had flocked thither perished by many sorts of deaths He himself was by an unknown hand drawn out of a window and continued in the open air till the Earth-quake ceased not daring to venture himself in any house for many dayes He was now marching towards the East and not being removed from his purpose proceeded crossed Tigris subdued Adiabene and peirced as far as Ctesiphon and Babylon Orosius lib. 7. cap. 12. Euseb Eccles Hist l. 4. but presently it came to passe through the sicklenesse of such as had revolted to him that he who had already devoured the whole East was forced to retreat to defend his own For the Jews 1 supposing him intangled in an inextricable Warre 2. Perswading themselves that by the Earth-quake was portended the ruin of the Roman Empire 3. Thinking that from the first of Cyrus to this present had but passed 483 years and consequently but one of Daniels weeks to be unfulfilled entred into a conspiracy and made incredible slaughters of the Romans using in several Countreys several Captains The Jews rebel whereof yet Barcocab was chief The fury of this rebellion fell upon Egypt Cyrene and Cyprus The manner of the outrageous Massacres they practised both upon Greeks and Romans was as hainous as the facts themselves though these hainous beyond all belief if not related by most credible and most impartial Writers Dio l. 68. They ate their flesh besmeared themselves with their bloud wore their skins sawed them asunder cast them to wild beasts made them kill one another c. Besides the particular butcheries which they committed throughout Egypt about Cyrene they slew 200000. and in Cyprus 250000. Trajan resolving to pursue them throughout his Dominions not as Enemies or Rebels of the Empire but as Creatures noxious to humane society with revenge suiting their former outrages sent Marcus Tubero with a great power both by Land and Sea 9. He neither in a short space nor without long and cruel hostility finished the War but he slew many Myriads of the Jews Partly for the better security of the Cyprians in time to come partly in memory of their former misery and the infamy of the Jews it was publickly enacted That no Jew though driven by Tempests thither should presume to set foot within their Coast upon pain of present execution as already condemned by his very appearance on that soil which had been tainted with the deadly venom of his Countrey-men Their carriage in the West made the Emperour suspect their brethren in Mesopotamia whereupon he commanded L. Quintius to banish them that Countrey and he joyning battel with them slew also a great number In the time of Trajan was Nero's golden house burnt and also the Pantheon by Thunder not the Pantheon of Agrippa as Scaliger and Cappellus note but perhaps that of Jupiter Ultor or Minerva Medica At length Trajan died in Cilicia of a flux in August Trajan dieth having reigned 19 years six moneths and 15 dayes in the 64th year of his age the first of the 224 Olympiad of the Citie the 870. A. D. 117. Quintius Niger and T. Vipsanius Apronianus being Consuls He was first of all Emperours buried in the Citie being so beloved that in succeeding times the people in their acclamations to their Princes would wish them the felicity of Augustus and the goodnesse of Trajan In his time flourished Plutarch Euseb in Chron. Lucian first a Christian and then an Atheist Plinius Secundus Suetonius L. Florus Cor. Tacitus and others Hadrian 10. Aelius Hadrianus or Adrian succeeded Trajan being the son of his Cousin German and born also in Spain in the Citie Italica near to Civil the birth-place of Trajan Xiphilinus ex Dione He was more ingaged to Plotina the Empresse than to her husband for his succession for she ere his death was published signed the Testament whereby he was made Heir and the Soldiers standing to him he took upon him the government in Syria where he was President At his first beginning he cut off all he suspected Aurel. Victor Spartianus Festus Rusus and restored Discipline to the Army He crossed the Seas into Britain where he reformed divers things and caused a Wall 80 miles in length first to be made to sever the Barbarians from the Romans He took the greatest pains of any Emperour in visiting the Provinces for coming into Britain out of Gall and Germany he also went into Spain then did he visit Mauritania Parthia Asia and Greece and by Sicily returned to Rome After this he went into Africk again and thence returning into the Citie once more into Greece thence into Arabia and so into Egypt He ever travelled on foot and without any thing on his head either in heat or cold For this travelling Florus the Poet twitted him to whom he as wittily answered 11. He overthrew the Sauromatae or Sarmatae inhabiting the Countreys now called Russia and Tartary but the greatest contest was with the Jews The principal cause of their rebellion was for that he built a new Citie and therein a Temple to Jupiter Capitolinus where Jerusalem stood and called the place after himself Aelia Capitolina and he forbad them to be Circumcised The Jews again rebel They were confirmed in their sedition by one who pretending he came down to them as a light from Heaven to save them from slavery and bondage saying he was the Star foretold by Balaam whence being called Barcocab he was first worshipped as the Messiah and anointed at Bitter a Citie in Africk but afterwards proving to be an Impostor they called him Barcozba or the son of a lye Dio wrote Lib. 69. p. 793. that the whole World was in a manner shaken with this Commotion of the Jews Hadrian sent the best Captains he had against them whereof the chief was Julius Severus who at this time governed Britain Albeit in the end he had the victory yet would he not have wished for many Triumphs at the same rate For very many of the Romans fell insomuch that Adrian writing to the Senate used not that beginning
division of the Kingdom though she besought him by her breasts that gave him suck to spare her life After her death he endeavoured to expel his brother out of Macedonia who therefore craved aid of Demetrius and Pyrrhus King of Epâ—rus who being expelled out of his Kingdom Stirs betwixt his sons about the Kingdom had married Ptolomy's Wives Daughter and by him was restored Demetrius being now employed otherwayes the other came and received some Countreys in way of incouragement and reward for his service which he fortified with his own Garrisons Antipater now had his recourse to Lysimachus his father-in-law who being also hindred with other affairs and fearing Demetrius his coming advised him to make an agreement with his brother and for that he knew Pyrrhus would in any thing seek to gratifie Ptolomy that he might take him off he feigned a Letter to him from him wherein he adviseth him for 300 Talents received from Antipater to forsake his Enterprize Pyrrhus as soon as he opened the Letter easily discerned it to be counterfeit for that it was not directed after the usual manner as from the father to the son but as from the one King to the other 7. Lysimachus his perswasion seems to have wrought so with the Elder together with the presence of Pyrrhus as they came near to an agreement but the coming of Demetrius spoiled all For Plutarch in Demetrio A. M. 3711. Ol. 121. ann 3. V. C. 460. Seleuci 18. Ptol. 30. he having lost Cyprus lately to Ptolomy which forced him to quit Lacedaemon after he had taken Athens and now had almost taken it also came into Macedonia to amend his fortunes Procureth the destruction of them all Alexander being troubled at his coming seeing he knew the peace was partly made went out to meet and received him with great honour but told him he now had no need of his help but he either having or pretending to have a suspicion of him procured him to be slain telling the Macedonians a fair tale afterwards who seeing the one of Cassanders sons thus dead and hating the other for his impiety towards his mother received him as King Some have delivered that Alexander used Demetrius his help Pausanias in Boeoticis first in killing his brother Antipater and so revenged the death of his Mother upon him Others say that Lysimachus after Alexanders death Justin ut suprà for that he was imployed in a War with Dromichetis King of the Getes delivered also up to Demetrius that part which belonged to Antipater his son-in-law and afterwards slew him also when he complained to him that by his means he had lost his Kingdom and imprisoned Eurydice his wife his ovvn daughter for partaking vvith him in the complaint But thus one vvay or other Antipater vvas revvarded for his mother's death and so in a short time fell the posterity of Cassander by the just Judgment of God as Heathen Writers observe 8. For some time Demetrius enjoyed Macedonia during which he still aspired after his former height and power Plutarch ibid. for now having this Kingdom and Thessalâ—e in his hands as also Athens and Megara and the greater part of Peloponnesus he subdued the Boeotians Then hearing Lysimachus to be taken prisoner by the King of the Getes who shortly after yet set him at liberty he resolved to return for Thrace Demetrius getting Macedonia aspireth still after his former height but the Boeotians revolting caused him to retreat though on his march thither coming back he found that his son Antigonus had overthrown the revolters in sight but Thebes still remained untaken and whilst he was going about that Pyrrhus of Epirus being now alienated from him since the death of Deidamia his sister which Demetrius had maried invaded Thessaly from his own Frontiers and pierced as far as the Straights of Thermopylae Demetrius hearing this left his son in the Siege and hasted against him but he staied not his coming but retired and then Demetrius fortifying Thessalie returned to Thebes where the Inhabitants so stoutly defended themselves that he lost many men and himself was wounded in the neck yet according to his skil and fortune in taking of Cities whence he had the Sirname of Poliorcetes he stormed the place and though he pretended at first severely to punish the Inhabitants yet he satisfied himself with the death of ten or thirteen and banishing a few pardoned the rest 9. Finding that his Macedonians were quiet when abroad but seditious at home he fell upon the Aetolians to divert them Plutarch Wasting their borders there he left Pantauchus with some Forces and with the rest marched against Pyrrhus who hearing it came out to meet him but they missed of each other and went several wayes Demetrius into Epirus which he harrased Pyrrhus light upon Pantauchus who challenging him to fight gave him a wound but he received two for it himself and thereupon falling he had been slain but that his friends presently rescued him after which his Army was put to flight and 5000 of them taken After this Demetrius fell sick at Pella and then Pyrrhus again invaded his Territories a great way no body resisting him nay he had such an opportunity as scarce could he have desired a better for seizing upon the whole Kingdom many revolting to him and Demetrius his Captains making but slow endeavours to hinder his progresse But he having his mind set more upon booty than any thing else stayed not their coming but fled away losing many of his men in the retreat For all this Demetrius seeing him have a restlesse spirit thought it not amisse to reconcile him unto him but especially at this time for now he resolved to make for his Father's Kingdom with all the might he possibly could and therefore lest he should leave an Enemy at his back concluded a Peace and entred into a league with him 10. Greater preparations he made than ever had been since Alexander his time For he got together little lesse than 100000 Foot and 12000 Horse a Navie also of 500 sail But labouring to get some ships whereof were of extraordinary bignesse Seleucus Ptolomy and Lysimachus being startled hereat combined together for resistance and joyntly sent to Pyrrhus to move him to break the league which Demetrius had made with him as they alleged not to rest in peace but to make War upon whom he pleased He believing as much agreed with them for that he hoped Demetrius might as easily lose Macedonia as he had got it and then Ptolemy sailing into Greece sollicited there the Cities from their obedience Lysimachus from Thrace A. M. 3717. Ol. 123. v. 1. V.C. 466. Seleuci 25. Ptolom Lagi 30. and Pyrrhus from his borders made inroads into Macedonia Demetrius first began to march against Lysimachus but afterwards hearing that Pyrrhus had gotten Berrhaea into his hands returned and went against him thither where when he was come divers from the Town