men in Rome that conspired to murther Caesar of which the principle were Decius Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius Gaius Casca Attilius Cimber Servius Galba Quintus Ligarius Marcus Spurius c. who after diverse consultations concluded to kill him upon the Ides of March which was the fifteenth day of that moneth in the Temple where the Senators were to sit that day Yet Brutus was held to be Caesars Son and had received great honours and many favours from him This conspiracy was kept so secret notwithstanding the great number of them that there was not any one found that discovered the same But there were so many signes and Prodigies and to himself there happened so many forewarnings that without knowing any cause all men were of opinion that Caesars Death was neere at hand Spurina also who was his Southsayer forewarned him to look to himself till the Ides of March were past for that his Life was in great danger And Caesars own Wife intreated him upon her knees that he would not that day go to the Senate For shee had dreamed that he lay dead in her lap These and such like warnings prevailed so far with him that he was about to send to Mark Anthony to make his excuse and to put off the Senate to another day But what God hath determined must come to passe and therefore Brutus being present advised him by no meanes to discover any such fear and so he resolved to go Caesar made small account of Death and said That as for himself he had won power and fame and glory enough and that at no time he could die with greater honour And some discoursing the night before he was slaine what Death was best Even that qouth he which is sudden and least prepensed The fifteenth of March being come he went from his House in a Litter towards the Senate and as he passed along the street there was a Petition delivered to him wherein was set down in writing all that was concluded in this conspiracy and he which gave it prayed him to read it presently which he began to doe but there came so many to speake to him that he could make no farther progresse and this Paper was found in his hand when he was dead As he passed on he met with Spurina the Southsayer and pleasantly jesting he said to him Dost thou not know Spurina that the Ides of March are come Yea answered Spurina and I know that they are not yet past When he came to the Temple where the Senators met he alighted from his Litter and went in and having first done Sacrifice according to the custome which all that saw persaged to be fatall and infortunate he sat him down in his Chair and Brutus Albinus entertaining Mark Anthony at the door with discourse one of the Conspirators whose name was Celer came to Caesar under a pretence to intreat him to release a Brother of his from Banishment and presently all the rest of the conspirators drew neere to his Chair which when Caesar saw thinking that they had all come for the same purpose he said unto them what force is this and at that instant one of them whose name was Casca beginning they all drew their poyniards and Swords which they had privately under their Gowns and began to wound him The first blow he received Casca gave him in the throat At which Caesar said aloude What dost thou Traitor Casca and wresting the Poyniard out of his hand he arose and stabbed Casca through the Arme and being about to strike him again he was prevented by the many wounds which the others gave him wilest with great force and courage he leaped from one side to the other to defend himself But when he saw Marcus Brutus with his drawn Sword in his hand wherewith he had already wounded him in the Thigh he was much amazed and said in the Greek Tongue Why how now Son Brutus And thou also And having so said seeing so many weapons bent against him and that no body came to his rescue he remembred to keep the honour of his person with his right hand he covered his Head with part of his Robe and with his left hand girt himself and setled his cloathes about him and being so covered he fell down to the ground having received three and twenty wounds and it happened that his fall was at the foot of the seat on which Pompeys Statue stood So in this manner died one of the most Mighty Worthy Valient Wise and most successfull Princes and Captaines that ever was in the World For his excellencies abilities invincible mind incomparable courage the Battels which he fought and Victories which he obtained The Provinces Kings and Nations which he subdued His Counsels Policies and Stratagems and bold attempts his Magnanimity clemency and bounty both to the conquered and Conquerors the great designes which he had proposed to himself a little before he was slaine being all well weighed and considered it will plainly appear that in none of those things aforesaid nor in any other that may be said of him there hath been any Heathen King or Captain that ever excelled him And setting apart his ambition and desire of rule he was onely noted and blamed for being too much given to women Caesar was thus slaine in the fifty sixth year of his age a little more than four years after the Death of Pompey in the seven hundred and tenth year after the building of Rome and about fourty and two years before the Incarnation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Caesar left behind him neither Son nor Daughter legitimate at the time of his Death For though he had been four severall times married yet he had but one only Daughter named Julia that was married to Pompey and dyed before him Wherefore by his last Will he adopted for his Son and made his Heire in the Dodrant that is in nine parts of twelve of his goods his Nephew Octavius Caesar after wards called Octavianus Augustus who was the Son of Acia his neece and of Octavius Praetor of Macedonia which Octavius at this time was by the commandment of his Uncle in the City of Apollonia in the Province of Epirus where he applied himself to his studies staying for him there thence to go with him to the Parthian War being now about seventeen years of age Caesar being thus slaine the newes of it ran presently all over the City and the tumult therein was so great that no man knew what to doe or say All Offices ceased the Temples were all shut up and every man was amazed Caesars Friends were affraid of those that slew him and they as much feared his Friends Brutas Cassius and the other Conspirators and others that joyned with them seeing the great tumult durst not go to their Houses nor prosecute their other designs for fear of Mark Anthony and Lepidus whereof the one was Consul and the other Generall of the
For Brutus on the one side of the Field did beat Octavian and put his Battalion to rout pursuing them into the Camp where many of them were slaine and while Brutus was following his Victory his partner Cassius was overthrown by Mark Anthony though he did all that was possible to encourage his men and by reason of the clouds of dust knew nothing of Brutus his Victory whereupon retiring to an high ground he there pitched his Tent and so standing and looking about he saw Brutus his Troops comming to his aid and to relieve him but he imagining that they came flying before their enemies commanded a slave of his whom he had made free to kill him who did it accordingly Octavians men that escaped by flight retired to Mark Anthonies Camp and had not Brutus his men busied themselves in ransacking Octavians Camp they had that day obtained an intire Victory for they might in due time have rescued and relieved Cassius and both of them being joyned together might easily have overthrown Mark Anthony but God had otherwise determined The Victory being thus devided the Generals of either party gathered their forces together and of Brutus side were slaine eight thousand men and of the enemies side a far greater number Brutus did his best to encourage and comfort his Souldiers and the Gentlemen which followed Cassius and the next day though both Armies were put in Battell array yet they fought not but a few dayes after Brutus by his Souldiers was forced to come to an other Battell who was of himself willing rather to delay and prolong the War knowing that his enemies wanted Victuals and many other necessaries and because he reposed no great trust in the forces of Cassius for he found that they were fearfull and hard to be commanded because of their late overthrow When they came to the second encounter Brutus did all the Offices of an able Generall and of a Valiant Knight yet in the end his men were broken and overthown by the enemy Burtus having gathered his scattered Troops together found himself unable to make any further resistance and being advised by some of his Friends to fly he told them That so be would yet not with his feet but with his hands and thereupon taking a Sword from a servant of his called Stratus he slew himself Thus Octavian and Mark Anthony remained Victors and Masters of the Field and all things succeeded according to Caesars desire for whom God in his secret Counsell had reserved the Monarchy of the whole World which for the present was devided between three These Wars being ended and the Legions of Brutus and Cassius reduced to the obedience of the Conquerors Octavian and Mark Anthony agreed and resolved that Anthony should remaine to Govern Greece and Asia that Lepidus should go into Africk and that Octavian should returne to Rome and accordingly Mark Anthony went into Asia where he gave himself up to sensuality and delights with the fair but wanton Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt and Octavian though with some hindrances by reason of his health at last came to Rome Not long after there arose new Wars and troubles for though Octavian was at peace with Lepidus who was now in Africk Octavian having under his command Spain France part of Germany Italy and Illyricum yet Lucius Antonius who at this time was Consul being provoked thereto by his Sister in Law Fulvia Wife to Mark Anthony began to oppose himself against Lepidus and Octavian seeking to overthrow the Triumvirat which contention brake out about the division of Fields which Caesar had made to the Souldiers which had served him in his Wars Some say that Fulvia made this stirre that she might procure the return of Mark Anthony to her of whom she was jealous hearing of his familiarity with Cleopatra The discord in Rome grew to that height that they came to Armes and Lucius Antonius went from the City and levied an Army against Octavian who also marched towards him with his Forces But Lucius not daring to joine Battell shut himself up in Perugia where Caesar immediately besieged him and divorced himself from Claudia the Daughter of Fulvia and was married to his third Wife Scribonia by whom he had one only Daughter Octavian being about twenty three years old so strictly besieged Perugia that Lucius and his men were brought to such straits for want of Victuals that he was forced to yeild up himself to Octavian who pardoned him and used him kindly and thus this War was ended without bloudshed And so Octavian returned to Rome of which he was now sole Lord and from hence some reckon the beginning of his Empire which was about four years after the Death of Julius Caesar and about thirty eight years before the Incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Caesar being now in quiet Fulvia by letters and false informations sought to stirre-up her Husband Mark Anthony against Octavian with which resolution she left Italy and went towards him and at the same time Mark Anthony departed from Alexandria in Aegypt and came to the Isle of Rhodes where he was informed of all that had happened to his Brother Lucius From thence he went into Greece and at Athens he found his Wife Fulvia sick yet vehemently inveying against Octavian wherefore leaving her there he went with two hundred Gallies into Italy and landed at Brundusium where the Wars began between him and the Forces of Octavian who was yet at Rome But newes comming of Fulvias death some Friends interposed to reconcile them and at last it was agreed that Arbitrators should be chosen to compose their differences Octavian chose Mecaenas and for Mark Anthony was Asinius Pollia and these brought it to this issue that Mark Anthony should have all the East from Italy beginning from the Jonian Sea which is the entry into the Venetian Gulph unto the River of Euphrates wherein were included all the Provinces of Graecia and Asia with all the Islands within these limits To Octavian was allotted from the said Jonian Sea to the Westerne or Spanish Sea wherein were contained Spain France Italy Germany and Britan. To Lepidus was confirmed Africa where he then was with all the Provinces thereof And for the strengthening of this League Mark Anthony now a Widdower was to marry with Octavia the Sister of Octavian by the Fathers side formerly married to Mareus Marcellus by whom she had one Son called also Marcellus whom Octavian adopted And this marriage was dispensed with by the Senate because in Rome Widdows were not permitted to marry till they had lived ten moneths in Widdowhood which she had not done This being concluded Octavian and Mark Anthony went to Rome where the wedding was solemnized and they were seemingly good Friends but their Peace was disquieted by the Neighbourhood of Sextus Pompeius who commanded the Seas from Sicily where he lived and with his Ships and Pirates he disquited Caesars
shut for some Nations of the Germans rebelled so that it was again opened These were the Inhabitants of Noricum now Bavaria and the Pannonia's now Austria and Hungary and the two Missia's now Bulgary and Servia as also Illyricum now Sclavonia and the Province of Dacia now Transylvania and Walachia and some others though at severall times Against these Augustus sent his Generals and Armies amongst which were his Sons in Law the Sons of Livia Tiberius Nero who succeeded him in the Empire and his Brother Drusus Nero of whom Livia was with child when Octavian married her and these two Brothers though the War lasted somewhat long vanquished those Nations and obtained great Victories in Germany and the confines thereof especially Tiberius who in three years space subdued the Pannonia's Illyricum and Dalmatia for which Victories he afterwards entered into Rome in an Ovation Triumph with great Pomp and honour Marcus Crassus also overcame and put to flight the Missians a People who had never seen the Romans before And when they were ready to give Battell they said Tell us who you are that seek to molest and disquiet us We are said they Romans the Lords of Nations whereupon they replyed It shall be so if you overcome us which fell out accordingly But Augustus obtained not these Victories without some crosses For in these Wars dyed his Son in Law Drusus who was highly esteemed for his Noble acts and grear Victories for the losse of whom both Augustus and Livia were much afflicted But yet his griefe was greater for the mishap which befell Quintilius Varro who was Generall of three Legions in Germany and being carelesse was surprized by the Almans and himself his Legions and all his Auxiliaries were slaine and two Standards with the Emperiall Eagles taken for which he was so immoderately grieved that he knocked his Head against the Wall and cryed out unadvisedly Quintilius Varro Give me my Legions again For certaine moneths also he suffered the haire of his Head and Beard to grow carlesly And the very day of this unhappy accident he did every year observe mournfully with sorrow and lamentation Of his Son in Law Drusus there remained two Sons Germanicus and Claudius which he had by Antonia Augustus his Neece and Daughter of his Sister Octavia and Mark Anthony of which Claudius was Emperour And Germanicus married Agrippina the Daughter of Julia Augustus his Daughter by whom he had Caius Caligula who also was afterwards Emperour Augustus after many notable Victories compelled his enemies at length to sue for Peace whereupon again he commanded the Temple of Janus to be shut up and from thenceforth all things succeeded prosperonsly with him The Subjects of the Empire were now very obedient to him and all other sent their Ambassadours seeking his favour and Friendship The Indians in the remotest parts of the East and the Scythians that inhabited the North and the Parthians an untamed People sent their Ambassadours to him giving security to keep the Peace and restoring to him the Standards and Eagles which were taken when Marcus Crassus was slaine There came also Kings who were Friends and Subjects to the Roman Empire to do him Homage laying aside their Ensignes and Royall Robes and many of them built Cities to his Name and for his honour calling them Caesaria So did Herod the Great in Palestine King Juba in Mauritania and others The World being thus at Peace and quietnesse forty and two years being expired since that Augustus after the Death of Julius Caesar came to Rome in the time of this generall Peace was the Prince of Peace our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ borne in Bethlem of the Virgin Mary Herod being King of Judaea placed there by the Romans of whose blessed Life and bitter Death as also of the order of his Ministery and Miracles see his Life published by me Anno Christi 1664. At which time their came forth a command from Caesar Augustus that all the Roman World should be taxed which taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria Luck 2. 1. Out of which a little Book was made by Augustus in which all the publick Riches were contained as also how many Citizens and Allies in Armes what Navies How many Kingdomes and Provinces what Tribute and Customs there were what necessary charges and Pensions went out Shortly after Augustus was called Lord by the People but he did not only refuse that Title but forbad it by a publick Edict Augustus enjoying so great prosperity was yet nothing altered in his qualities and behaviour as often it happens in other Princes but rather became more mild just and affable more courteous liberall and temperate He established very good Laws and orders for the reformation of abuses and evill customes He erected both within and without Rome many stately and sumptuous Edifices which made him to boast concerning Rome Latericiam inveni Marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick and left it built with Marble He bestowed great gifts and favours upon all sorts of People He delighted the People with Feasts and Playes of sundry kinds going himself in person to honour them He sent Colonies into sundry parts and Provinces He made excellent good Orders for the Governours and Government of the whole Empire The like he did also for the Wars and Martial Discipline He shewed himself loving and sociable to his Friends and Familiars whom he honoured and loved much Some conspiracies against him which were discovered he punished without rigour being more prone to pardon than to punish Of murmurings and defamatory Libels he never desired to know the Authours but answered them with gravity giving satisfaction and purging himself from those things which were charged upon him He was much addicted to and affected with learning and himself was very learned and eloquent and compiled some notable Books He much honoured and rewarded wise and learned men yet he escaped not the tainture of some vices growing through humaine frailty and his great liberty especially he was much given to Women though in his diet apparel and ornaments he was very sparing and modest He gave himself also excessively to play at Dice and other Games then in use Thus though in many things he was very happy yet besides his troubles and dangers he was very unhappy in his Children and Successours For by his four Wives to whom he was married he had only one Daughter called Julia by his third Wife Scribonia and she proved exceeding Wanton and unchast yea she left nothing undone in luxury and lust which was possible for a woman to do or suffer accounting every thing lawfull that pleased her Yea she came to that heigth of laciviousnesse that she kept her feasting even in the Courts of Justice abusing those very places with lascivious acts in which her Father had made Laws against Adulterers Hereupon her Father was so enraged that he could not contain his anger within his
Government should be prorogued for five years longer Then Caesar returning into Gaul to his Army found there a great War begun For two Potent Nations of the Germans having passed over the River of Rhine to conquer new lands Caesar fought with them which himself thus discribeth These Barbarous People saith he after they had sent Ambassadours to me to desire peace contrary to the Law of Armes came and set upon me as I travelled by the way insomuch as eight hundred of their men overthrew five thousand of my Horsemen who nothing at all expected their comming And going on to describe their farther proceedings he saith that they again sent Ambassadours to him to mock him whom he kept Prisoners and then setting upon the enemies who were about four hundred thousand Persons he slew most of them saving a few that flying gat back over the River of Rhine and so escaped Caesar taking this occasion and being ambitious to have the honour of being the first Roman that ever passed this River with an Army he built a Bridg over it though the River were very broad and ran with a violent streame and especially there where he built the Bridge and the Barbarians casting great Trees into the River they were carried down with such violence that by their great blowes they did sore shake the Posts of the Bridge to prevent which and to abate the sury of the streame Caesar caused a Pile to be made a good way above the Bridge which was forcibly rammed into the bottom of the River so that in ten dayes space he had finished his Bridge of goodly Carpenters work A very rare invention as could be possibly devised Then passing his Army over this Bridge he found none that durst fight with him For the Suevians who were the most Warlike People of the Germans had retired themselves and goods into great Valleys Bogs Woods and Forrests Caesar therefore having burnt up the enemies Country and confirmed the League with the consederates of the Romans he returned back into Gaul About this time also he made a journey into England being the first that sailed the Westerne Ocean with an Army and that passed through the Atlantick Sea to make War in this great and famous Island and was the first that enlarged the Roman Empire beyond the habitable Earth For he twice passed the Seas out of France into England where he fought many Battels with the Brittans in which he did more hurt to the enemies than enrich his own men therefore this War had not such successe as he expected which made him onely to take pledges of the King and to impose a yearly Tribute upon him and so returned back into Gaul He was no sooner landed there but he met with Letters which advertised from Rome of the death of his Daughter the Wife of Pompey for which they both of them were very sorrowfull and by this meanes the league betwixt Pompey and Caesar was broken to the great prejudice of the Commonwealth Caesars Army being very great he sent it into severall Garrisons for their Winter Quarters and returned into Italy as he used to do During which time all Gaul rebelled again and had raised great Armies who were led by one Ambiorix These did first set upon the Garrisons of Caetta and Titurius whom they slew together with all their men Then they went with sixty thousand men and besieged the Garrison which Quintus Cicero had in charge and had almost taken it by storme Ciceroes Souldiers being all wounded yet they shewed such valour that they did more than men in their own defence This newes comming to Caesar who was far off he returned with all possible speed and levying seven thousand Souldiers he hasted to relieve Cicero that was in great distresse The Gauls that besieged him hearing of Caesars comming arose and went to meet him making little account of his small number Caesar to entrap them still drew back making as though he fled from them but still lodging in plaees of safety and commanded his men that they should not stirre out to skirmish with them but rather to raise the ramparts of his Camp and to fortifie the Gates as men affraid that their enemies might the lesse esteeme them But at length he took the opportunity when the enemies came in a disordered manner to assault his Camp and then sallying out he routed and slew a great number of them This Act suppressed all the rebellions of the Gauls in those parts Himself also went in the midst of Winter in those places where they did Rebel for now he had a new supply out of Italy of three whole Legions to fill up the rooms of those that were slaine of which Pompey lent him two and the other Legion was raised about the River Po. Shortly after there brake out the greatest and most dangerous War that ever he had in Gaul which had been long designed by the chiefest and most Warlike People in all that Country who had a very great Army leavying multitudes of men and much Treasure to fortifie their strong holds The Country where thy were was very hard to come into especially then in the Winter when the Rivers were high and the Woods and Forrests covered with Snow the meddowes drowned with floods and the Snow so deep that no wayes could be discerned all which might have discouraged Caesar from setting upon them the rather because many Nations joyned in this conspiracy of whom the chief were the Vernians and the Carnutes who had chosed Vercing entorix for their Captain He divided his Army into divers places under divers Captaines and drawn into his assistance all the Nations as far as to the Adriatiek Sea So that if he had tarried a little longer till Caesar had been ingaged in his Wars with Pompey he had put all Italy into great fear and danger But Caesar who knew his advantages and how to take the best opportunities as soon as he heard of this Rebellion he hasted towards them intending to let them know that they had to do with an Army that was invincible and which they could not possibly withstand seeing they had marched with such speed in so hard a Winter This made them wonder when they saw him burning and destroying their Country when they thought him far off Such Towns and strong Forts as yeilded to him he received to mercy But the Hedui who used to be stiled the Brethren of the Romans taking Armes against him much discouraged his men wherefore Caesar went through the Country of the Lingones to enter into Burgundy who were confederates with the Romans Thither the enemies followed him endeavouring to compasse him in on every side Caesar tarried their comming and then fighting with them a long time he at last overcame them Of those which fled most of them together with their King got into the City of Alexia which Caesar presently besieged though it seemed inexpugnable both in regard of
do by Caesar as they had done by Pompey so that within a few dayes there began between Caesar and his small Army both in the City and in the Harbour where the Ships and Galleys lay the most cruel and dangerous encounters that ever Caesar met with For he was often forced to fight in his own Person both within the City whereof the enemies held the Greater part and also in the Harbour with his ships and was sometimes in so great perill and danger that he was forced to leap out of the Boat into the Water and by swimming to get to one of the Gallies at which time he held his Commentaries in one hand above Water and carry his Robe in his teeth and to swimme with the other hand But when his other Forces were come to him from Asia and other parts he at the end of nine moneths for so long these Wars lasted became Victorious as in all other his enterprises he had been and the young King Ptolomy was slaine in fight In this Warre Caesar did such exploits and behaved himself so gallantly that for the same onely he well deserved the fame and name of a brave Captain The Pride of the Aegyptians being thus tamed Caesar put to death the murtherers of Pompey and established the faire Cleopatra the Queen and Governesse of Aegypt whom during his stay there he intertained for his Friend and had a Son by her called Caesarion And when he had quitted and settled all things in Aegypt he departed thence into Asia and travelled through Syria now Soria being informed that during his troubles in Aegypt King Pharnaces the Son of that mighty King Methridates thought it a fit time whilst the Romans were embroiled in Civil Wars to recover what his Father had lost For which end having overthrown Domitius whom Caesar had sent to govern those parts and having taken by force of Armes the Provinces of Bithynia and Cappadocia expelling thence King Ariobarzanes a Friend and Subject of Rome and beginning to do the like in Armenia the lesse which King Deiotarus had subjected to the Romans Caesar I say being informed hereof went with his Army sooner than Pharnaces imagined though he expected him and had intelligence of his approach so that in few dayes they came to a Battell in which the King was soon overthrown and put to flight with great slaughter of his People yet himself escaped Caesar was very joyfull for this Victory because his of earnest desire to returne to Rome where he knew that many scandals were raised and many insolencies were committed for want of his presence He knew also that Pompeys eldest Son had seized upon a great part of Spain and had raised great forces of those which Marcus Varro had left there and of his Fathers Troops He also understood that in Africa many principal Romans who had escaped from the Battell of Pharsalia were gethered together where of M. Cato surnamed Uticensis was the chief and Scipio Pompeys Father in Law and that these went thither with the greatest part of the Ships and Galleys which belonged to Pompey and with the greatest power that they were able to leavy and that joyning with Juba King of Mauritania they had subdued all that Country and had a great Army in a readinesse to oppose him having chosen Scipio for their Generall because that Cato would not take that office upon him and for that the Name of Scipio had been so fortunate in Africa Caesar having intelligence of all these things within the space of a few dayes with great celerity and diligence recovered all that Pharnaces had usurped and chasing him out of Portus he regained all those Countries and so leaving Celius Minucius for General with two Legions to gaurd that Province pacifying the controversies and contentions in the rest and rewarding the Kings and Tetrarchs which continued firme in their Leagues and amity with the Romans without any longer aboad he departed out of Asia and in a short space arrived in Italy and so passed to Rome within little more than a year after he went thence which was a very short time for the performance of so great matters and so long a journey Presently after his comming to Rome he caused himself to be chosen Consul the third time and reforming so much as the time and his leasure would permit all disorders in Rome being troubled and not able to endure that his enemies should possesse Africk with great expedition he prepared all things necessary and from Rome took his way towards Africk commanding his Army to follow him First he went into Italy from from whence taking Ship he passed over into Africk and though neither his Navy nor his Army arrived with him trusting to the valour of those that he had with him and his own good Fortune he landed with small Forces neere to the City of Adrumentum and from thence marched to an other City called Leptis into which he was received and after some conflicts that passed his Legions being come to him and certaine other Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot he began the War which continued four moneths He first began with Petreius and Lubienus and then with Scipio and King Juba who brought to those Wars eight thousand men the one half whereof were Horse In this War were many encounters and Battels in which Caesar was in great danger but at last his good Fortune still attending him he overcame them in a great Battell wherein there were slaine of the enemies ten thousand and Caesar remained Master of the Field and in a short time after subjected all the Country to him Scipio and all the chiese Captaines with him died sundry Deaths and Juba escaping by flight from the Battell finding no place of security Asranius and he resolved to dye fighting one against the other in which combate King Juba being the stronger man slew Afranius and then commanded one of his slaves to kill him and so he died desperately Marcus Cato who was in the City of Utica hearing that Caesar was marching thitherward though he knew that he would not put him to death but rather had a desire to pardon him and to do him honour yet resolving neither to receive life nor honour from his enemy he slew himself In whose death there passed many remarkable accidents recorded by Historians Ftorus saith thus of it Cato saith he hearing of the death of his Partners he dallyed not at all but joyfully hastened his end For after he had embraced his Son and his Friends and bad them good night and then rested a while upon his bed having first perused Plato's Book of the immortality of the Soul then about the relieving of the first watch he got up drew his sword and therewith thrust himself through after which the Phisicians applied plaisters to his wounds which he indured whilst they were in the roome but then he pulled them away and the bloud following
he did accept of the Adoption For it was the Roman custome in Adoptions to interpose the authority of the Praetor which acceptance being Regisired by the Scribes from thence he presently went to Mark Anthony the Consul who behaved himself proudly towards him and scarcely admitting him into Pompeys Gardens gave him time to speak with him Octavitanus had a great mind to revenge the Death of Julius Caesar but by his Mother and Philip his Father in Law he was advised to conceal his Purpose for a time both because the Senate had approved his Death and because Mark Anthony who was principally to assist him therein did not shew himself very friendly to him Octavianus understanding that Mark Anthony had in his custody all the Treasure that was left by Julius Caesar he desired him to command it to be delivered to him therewith to pay his debts and to distrubte it as Caesar had appointed in his Will But Anthony with greater Pride than Octavianus could well bear not only refused what he demanded but reproved him for desiring it whereupon discords presently arose betwixt them and Octavianus strengthened himself with the Counsel of Cicero a great enemy to Anthony and one whose authority at that time by reason of his Wisdom and Eloquence was very great Anthony being Overseer of those things which Caesar had commanded to be done what by corrupting the Notes and changing them at his pleasure did what himself listed as if it had been the appointment of Caesan by this meanes gratifying Cities and Governours and heaping vast summes of money to himself selling not onely Fields and Tributes but freedomes and immunities even of the City of Rome and that not onely to particular Persons but to whole Provinces and of these things there were Tables hung up all over the Capitol Octavianus being nineteen years old at his own charges gathered an Army and sought the favour of the People and prepared forces against Anthony for his own and the Commonwealths safety He also stirred up the old Souldiers who by Julius Caesar had been planted in Colonies so that Anthony being afraid of him by the mediation of Friends had a conference with him in the Capitol and they were for the present reconciled but within a few dayes through the whisperings of some their enmity brake our again and Anthony not thinking himself strong enough and knowing that the Legions of Macedonia were the best Souldiers and six in number with whom also were many Archers light harnessed men and Horsemen these he sought to draw to himself who because of their neernesse might presently be brought into Italy and thereupon he caused a rumour to be spread that the Getae wasted Macedonia by their inrodes and upon that occasion he demanded an Army of the Senate saying that the Macedonian Army was raised by Caesar against the Getae before he intended the Parthian War whereupon he was chosen Generall of those Forces and he abtained a Law for the change of Provinces whereby his Brother Cains Anthony challenged Macedonia which before by lot fell to Marcus Brutus On the seventh of the Ides of October Anthony went to Brundusium there to meet foure of the Macedonian Legions whom he thought to draw to himself by money Thither also Octavianus sent his Friends with money to hire these Souldiers for himself and himself posted into Campania to engage those Souldiers which were in Colonies to take his part and first he drew to him the old Souldiers of Galatia then those of Casilinum on both sides of Capua giving to each man five hundred pence by which meanes he gat together about ten thousand men who marched with him under one Ensigne as a guard In the mean while the four Legions of Macedonia accusing Anthony for his delayes in revenging Caesurs Death without any acclamations conducted him to the Tribunal as it were to hear an account of this matter and there continued silent Anthony taking this ill upbraded them with their Ingratitude and complained that they had not brought to him some disturbers of the Peace who were sent from that malapert young man for so he called Octavian and to ingratiate himself with them he promised an hundred pence to each of them which niggardly promise was intertained with laughter which he took so ill that being returned to his Quarters in the presence of his most converous and most cruel Wife Fulvia he put to death some Centurions out of the Martian Legion When those of Caesars party that were sent to corrupt the Souldiers saw that they were more exasperated by this deed they scattered Libels about the Army wherein they disgraced Anthony and extolled the liberality of Caesar. And when some sided with Octavian and others with Anthony the Army as if it had been set to sale at an outery addicted themselves to him that would give most And because that Decius Brutus who commanded Gallia Cisalpirea now Lombardy opposed Anthony he went to besiege him in the City of Mutina now Modena which being known in Rome Cicero his authority and credit in the Senate was such that Mark Anthony was declared an enemy to the State and the new Consuls Hircius and Pansa were sem against him and with them was Octavian sent with Ensignes of a Consul and Title of a Pro-praetor having been first admitted into the Senate though so young which was done by the procurement of Cicero though he afterwards requited him ill for it Octavian with the Consuls drew neer to Mark Anthony Cicero remaining to command in chief in all matters at Rome and between the two Armies there passed many skirmishes and encounters and at last they came to a Battell wherein the Consuls and Caesar had the Victory but Hircius was slaine in the Battell and Pansa was so wounded that he died within a few dayes after and both the Armies of the slaine Consuls obeyed Caesar. By this meanes D. Brutus was freed from his siege and Anthony was forced to forsake Italy by a dishonourable flight leaving his baggage behind him In this service Octavian made marvelous proof of himself being but twenty years old performing the Office not onely of a good Captaine but also of a stout Souldier For seeing the Standart bearer sore wounded and ready to fall Octavian took from him the Eagle and bare it a great while till he had lodged it in safety Mark Anthony after the Battell gathering the remainders of his Army passed the Alps and went into France solliciting the Friendship of Lepidus who was there with an Army ever since the Death of Julius Caesar whom after some treaties he made his Friend and Octavian after the Victory obtained presently sent to the Senate to require a Triumph for his Victory as also the Counsulship for the remainder of the year in the roome of the dead Consuls with their succession in their charge and command of the Army But the answer of the Senate was not according to
Friends who thereupon resolved to ruine him But at the request of the Senate and of Mark Anthony he harkned to Peace and by the mediation of Friends it was agreed that all matters past should be forgotten that they should live like good Nighbours and Friends and that Sextus Pompey should enjoy Sicily Sardinia and Corsica which he had in possession and that he should cleere the Seas from Pirates that Marchants and passengers might passe safely and that he should furnish Rome yearly with a certaine quantity of Corne. This being concluded they agreed upon a meeting of all three upon the Sea side in the straight of Messina in a Fortresse built for that purpose which reached into the Water whither Sextus Pompey might come with his Galleys and be in safety which accordingly was performed with great joy and solemnity and Sextus Pompey feasted them in his Galleys and they likewise him by Land From hence Sextus Pompey returned into Sicily and Octavian and Mark Anthony to Rome where for a while they remained in great familiarity and then Mark Anthony preparing for his journey into the East sent Ventidius before him with a great Army against the Parthians wherein he had so good successe that he overcame and defeated Pacorus the Parthian Kings Son and slew twenty thousand of his men and thereby sufficiently revenged the Death of Marcus Crassus for which he afterwards Triumphed at Rome Mark Anthony departed from Rome with his new Wife and wintered with her in Athens Octavian in the mean time in Rome growing mighty and in high esteem was yet very pensive being troubled at the Nighbourhood of Sextus Pompey in Sicily attending an occasion to War against him for which purpose he prepared a great Fleet pretending that Sextus with his Ships and Gallyes hindred the comming of Corne into Italy These Sicilian Wars continued for some years in the beginning whereof Octavian had ill successe yet more from stormes and tempests than from the force of his enemies and if Sextus Pompey had been as Prudent and able to offend his enemy as he was to defend himself and as he was Valiant if he had been as Wise and Politick he might have greatly distressed Octavian in all matters concerning Italy yet the matter was so handled that at Octavians request Mark Anthony came twice out of the East into Italy to assist him in these Wars The first time he came to Brundusium where not finding Octavian according to appointment he returned without seeing him upon some jealousies which grew betwixt them But Octavian having lost most of his Fleet in a storme he sent his intire Friend Mecenas to Mark Anthony at whose intreaty he returned into Italy with three hundred Ships and Galleys giving it out that he came to Caesars aid And though there were some differences between them yet Octavia so laboured between her Husband and Brother that she reconciled them and so they met in the mouth of the River neer Tarentum where Mark Anthony gave to Octavian one hundred and twenty of his Galleys for his Wars and Octavian gave to him some of the Italian Souldiers and they renewed their Triumvirat for other five years Which done Mark Anthony returned to the East to prosecute his Wars against the Parthians his Wife Octavia and her Children remaining in Rome Anthony being gone Octavian resolving to prosecute the Wars against Sextus Pompey with all his Forces armed two Navies whereof Agrippa was the Admirall of the one and himself of the other He sent also to Lepidus intreaing his aid who accordingly came and brought with him a Thousand Ships little and great and eighty Galleys wherein he transported five thousand Horse and twelve Legions of Foot Souldiers Sextus Pompey hearing what great preparations were made against him did strongly fortifie all the Sea-coasts of Sicily and on the frontiers of Africk neere to Lilibaeum he placed Plinius a good Captain with good companies of Souldiers and his whole Fleet by Sea he drew into the Port of Messina purposing to mannage his Wars by Sea having neither experience nor power to do it by Land and so he attended the comming of his enemies Lepidus loosing with his whole Fleet from Africk was encountered with a tempest wherein with the losse of a great part of his Navy he with the rest landed at Lilybaeum and took in certaine places there about but having small judgement and experience in the Wars he made a greater noise then did hurt to Pompey Octavius also being at Sea in a tempest lost thirty of his Galleys besides small Ships and with much difficulty returned to Italy and Taurus who commanded the Galleys which Anthony left landed at Tarentum though with great losse and danger Octavian was so grieved at these losses that he had thoughts of giving over the War for that yeer but changing his mind he repaired his Fleets and ordered Agrippa with one of them to passe into Sicily and there to make War both by Sea and Land and himself following with the other Fleet did the like About this time Octavian divorced himself from Scribonia though he had a Daughter by her called Livia and then he married Livia Drusilla Wife to Tiberius Nero by whom she had a Son called also Tiberius hereupon Tiberius was forced to leave her to please Octavian though at this time she was with child of a Son This Livia he loved deerly and continned with her till his Death Agrippa assaulted and took in some places in Sicily which Pompey hearing of departed from Messina with one hundred and seventy five Galleys to relive them and Agrippa being advertised of his comming prepared to meet him his Galleys being almost equall in number and so they joyned Battell which for a time seemed to be equall but at last Agrippa prevailed and Pompey rerreated in time his Galleys and Foists withdrawing themselves into some Rivers neer at hand whither Agrippa with his bigger Vessels could not follow them In this fight Pompey lost thirty of his Galleys Agrippa the next day went to a City called Tindaria thinking to surprise it by reason of intelligence which he had with the Citizens and Pompey in the night gave secret order to his whole Fleet to retire to Messina Octavian in the mean time imbarked a great part of his Army which he landed in Sicily and set them on shore under the command of Cornificius little thinking that Pompey had been so neer who if he had taken this opportunity might have defeated Octavian But loosing it Octavian imbarking again intended to determine the quarrell by a Battell at Sea leaving Cornificius with his men fortified on the Land Then did Pompey saile out of Messina with his whole Fleet and neither Parties refusing it they came to a Battell in which Octavian was overcome and all his great Fleet scattered and lost and himself driven to fly into Italy in a Brigandine where through many dangers he at last came to
own House but published these things yea and communicated them to the Lords of the Senate He kept himself also a long time from company for very shame He had thoughts of putting his Daughter to death but at last he banished her into Pandataria an Island of Campania her Mother Scribonia of her own accord accompanying her in banishment Julia being at this time thirty eight years old For want of Sons to succed him Augustus first adopted his Nephew Marcellus the Son of his Sister Octavia to whom he first married his Daughter Julia and Marcellus dying without issue he then married her to his Favourite Agrippa who also left her a Widdow but yet he had by her three Sons and two Daughters Two of these Sons having been adopted by Augustus died before him whereupon he adopted the third who bore his Fathers Name Agrippa the which adoption he afterwads revoaked for some displeasure conceived against him and lastly he adopted his Son in Law Tiberius Nero and made him his Heire whom also he married to his Daughter Julia the Widdow of Agrippa yet this he did more through the importunity of his mother than for any good liking that he had of him being sorry that such an one should succeed him Not long after the first Letter of his Name that was upon the Inscription of his Statue that was set up in the Capitol fell down being struck with a flash of lightening whereupon the Southsayers foretold that he should live only one hundred dayes after which was denoted by the letter C. and that he should be Cannonized for a God because Aesar which remained of his Name in the Hetruscan Tongue signified a God Hereupon he wrot a Catalogue of his doings which he appointed to be engraven in Tables of Brasse and to be set over his Tomb. Things being thus done Caesar Augustus being now seventy six years old and odd dayes having raigned above fifty six and being the best beloved and the best obeyed Prince in the World Death overtook him which was occasioned by a flux which held him for some dayes and so Augustus died at Nolla in Campania in the same House and Chamber wherein his Father Octavius died being the nineteenth day of August upon which day he was first made Consul and in the fifteenth year after the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. He was generally lamented and there was a universall sorrow and heavinesse over the whole Empire for him For he did wisely and uprightly Govern that Monarchy which he had gotten by force and fraud He was of a mean stature of a very good shape and proportion of Body of an exceeding fair face mixed with modesty and gravity His eyes were very clear and bright He was very advised in his speeches and loved to speak quick and briefly His last Will and Testament was written a year and four moneths before he died and left in the custody of the Vestall Virgins In his life time he was very desirous to reforme abuses in Rome and in the first place he corrected some disorders in the Senate whom he reduced to the number of six hundred He reformed what was amiss in their playes and Games in the Knights and in their manner of suing for publick Offices He set fines upon their Heads that would not marry and bestowed much upon those that had Wives and Children He gave unto Hortensius twenty five thousand Crowns to procure him to marry that he might raise up issue to that Noble Family of the Hortenses He ordained that maids should be at least twelve years old before they married and suffered them to kill Adulterers that were taken in the fact and condemned the Sodomites without pardon He gave order that none should be put in nomination for Offices but such as were vertuous and of good repute He tied not himself to any certain hours for his meales but used to eat when he was hungry and that which he fed upon was neither dainty nor delicate and he drank little Wine Instead of a Looking-glasse he used to read or write whilst his Barber was trimming him He never spake to the Senate or people or to his Souldiers but what he had first written and premeditated though he had words at command He delighted to read good Authours but gathered nothing more then sentences teaching good manners and having written them out word for word he gave Coppies thereof to his familiar Friends and sent them about to the Governours of Provinces and to the Magistrates of Rome He was too much adicted to Divinations and was marvellously afraid of Thunder and Lightning Our Saviour Christ being borne all the Devils Oracles ceased and the Oracle of Delphes was faigne to confesse it and ever after remained dumb whereupon Augustus being astonished caused a great Altar to be set up in the Capitol with an Inscription signifying that it was the Altar of the God first born To prevent the great abuse of Usury which undid many Families he put into the Exchequer twenty five hundred thousand Crowns and suffered private men to take of it for three years without Interest putting in good security for the paying back of the principall and condemned such usurers as had taken more than the Law allowed to pay four times as much to those who had been oppressed by them FINIS Caesars Parentage His danger by Sylla His flight He is taken by Pirates His boldnesse He is delivered He crucifies the Pirates His studies His return to Rome He grows popular And is feared His preferment His ambition He is made High Priest His Moderation He puts away his wife His ambition His victories in Spain His Prudence His subtilty He is chosen Consul He marries his Daughter to Pompey He is sent into Gaul He bettays Cicero His Valour and great successes His Souldiers Valour His Temperance His activity He overcomes the Swissers And the Germans And the Gauls His policy He overcomes the Belgae A Battel His Policy He overcomes the Germans He passes over the Rhine And went into England Julias death He beates the French The French rebell Caesar overcomes them Non vult Caesarve priorem Pompeiusve pareni Disorders at Rome Pompey sole Consul Pompey deluded Factions in Rome Caesar goes against Pompey He passes Rubicon Pompey flies and the Senate Caesar pursues him He is Lord of all Italy And went to Rome He went into Spain And conquered Pompeys men And other places He takes Marcelleis His Captaines had ill successe Pompey prepares for War Caesar goes against him Now Brindez Sksrmishes betwixt them Caesars rashness Caesar is beaten Caesars policy Pompeys good resolution Pompey beaten and slain Caesars clemency He pursues Pompey He comes into Egypt Vanity of vanities His Wars in Egypt His danger His Victory He passes into Asia Overcomes Pharnaces He comes to Rome He passes into Africk He overcomes Scipio Cato kills himself He returns to Rome His Triumphs He goes nto Spain A cruel Battell His Victory He returns â—o Rome His power His clemency and Magnaminity Disconten's arise Base flattery His great projects His Pride His dissimulation A conspiracy against him His death foretold He is slaine His character His will Peace concluded A tumult He favoured the Jewes His Parentage His first imployment He comes into Italy Many resort to him He comes to Rome M. Anthony's pride And falshood Caesar raises an Army Anthony leaves Rome His Parsimony Caesars Policy Anthony declared an enemy Caesar overcomes him He fliesinto France Caesar makes himself Consul A Triumvirate erected Many proscribed Ingratitude Cicero flies And is slaine Horid cruelty Sons unnaturall Sons dutifull and good Wives good Wives bad Servants bad Servants good A good Son A Jezabel Base coveteousnesse Valour Oppression They go against Brutus and Cassius Prodigeis A Spectarum Brutus beats Caesar M. Anthony beats Cassius Brutus beaten Kills himself Anthony With Cleopatra Troubles in Rome Caesars Victory Authony comes into Italy Peace made bewixt them Anthony marries Octavia They are reconciled with Sextus Pompey The Parthian bea ten Caesar envies Sextus Pompey Wars against him Caesar marries Livia Pompey beaten Caesar beaten Pompey beaten And flies And is slaine Caesars dangers He falls out with Lepidus Caesars Policy Lepidus overcome Caesar retern to Rome Anthony besotted with Cleopatra Caesar seeks a quarrill with him Caesars new troubles Qurrals betwixt them Preparation for War Anthonys imprudence Caesars message Antonys answer They meet They prepare to fight A Battell Antony flies His mens fidelity His Army yeilds to Caesar. Anthony lives privately Caesar highly honoured Anthony prepars for War Casar pursuss him into Aegypt Prodigies Cleopatras treachery Anthony kills himself Casar bewailes his Death Caesar pardons the Egytians Cleopatras Passion She kills herself Caesars Triumphs Caesare commendations Flattery Janus Temple shut up New troubles Spain subdued Augustus his crosses Many Ambassadours come to him Our Saviour Christ borne His Prudence and Justice His vices His crosses A prodigy His Death His Character He was a friend to marriag His temperance His Prudence The Devils Oracles dumb His Charity