the Treaty to project a form of accord and to keep a good correspondence betwixt his Master and the Tyrant but in truth to discover the intrigues of the Syracusan counsels and to be a Spy upon the affairs of Sicily to discover the easiest way of invading it and to practise the Tyrant to some destructive enterprizes Oxythemis had an handsome reception and great credit with Agathocles whose humours and inclinations he soon found and dexterously moved him to renew his attempts against Carthage and follow his pretensions in Africk This he eagerly prosecuted that so the Tyrant leaving Sicily his Master with more ease might attack it This seemed to Agathocles as the counsel of his Fortune for he was now free from any Troubles in the Island Syracuse by an open and continued Trade and some years of Peace had recovered so much Wealth as defaced all the marks of the former War He was now strengthned with the new alliance of a powerful Neighbour whose assistances Oxythemis after the Greek manner did augment and enlarge He therefore embraced the design and made preparations answerable unto it He had provided two hundred Vessels equipped with all necessary furniture for the transporting of his Forces and had begun Hostility by intercepting the Carthaginian Ships that carried provisions of Corn and other necessaries from Sicily and Sardinia to Africk But in the very beginnings of his design that Vengeance of Heaven which had been long due unto him did at last take hold of him and blasted his counsels with his Ruine which was thus effected The Tyrant being now old and doubting the chances of War and the varieties of Fortune which he had so often experienced would provide for the Succession in his ill-gotten dominion before he departed from Sicily Those whom propinquity of Blood the affections of the Tyrant and the Vulgar report marked out for the Honour were the younger Agathocles and Archagathus the Son of that Archagathus that was betraied by his Father and slain by the Souldiers in Africk Both these had great hopes and strong expectations to be the heirs of the Empire The first built his upon the indulgent Affections of the old Tyrant which he had gained by a specious observance continual presence accompanied with a quiet industry in all that was commanded though he were unfit for War and would wear out daies of action with words of Obedience Besides his late Embassie and magnificent reception in Greece had made him more splendid though they were but the arts of the Enemy not the effects of his Merits And it is not to be doubted but that Oxythemis favoured his choice whom he saw least able to hinder his Projects On the other side Archagathus founded his pretensions to the Succession because he was General of the Forces and was now with them about Aetna he had been in several Expeditions in which by his boldness and generous meen he had got the esteem of valiant and the affections of the Souldiery So that the old Tyrant seemed to hold but a precarious Empire of him which he could take away at his pleasure But the obsequiousness of the younger Agathocles did over-balance all these Merits in the judgement of his Father Therefore when Archagathus was abroad with the Army the Tyrant commends his Son Agathocles to the obedience of the Syracusans as the future hopes of all their Peace and Safety and whom he had designed for his Throne And that he might have the like reverence from the Army he sends him with a Letter to Archagathus commanding him to deliver up the charge of the Forces into the hands of his Uncle Archagathus seeing his hopes deluded and that all his glorious hazards were fruitless when the rewards of danger were conferred on him that was never near them conceives an inexpiable hatred both against his Grandfather and Rival and resolves to quench it with the blood of both To this end he sends presently a Messenger to Maenon his Correspondent at Court and with whom he had often treated of dangerous Secrets and had prepared him for any design he should advise him unto and desires him to poison the Old Tyrant and he himself would contrive the death of the Younger This Maenon was a native of Aegesta where Agathocles had acted those incredible Cruelties and in the Ruine of the City was taken with the other youth that were appointed to be sold for Slaves But the comeliness of his Person had preferred him to the Tyrant's own Lust who used him as a Bardacio This he took patiently and seemed to be well pleased with his emploiment and to gain the more Credit with the Tyrant and advantage of doing mischief did glory that he was admitted into the number of his Prince's most beloved Confidents and professed that the present Benefits had cancell'd the old Injuries But yet his soul did inwardly burn with a desire of revenge both for the abuse of his Body and the destruction of his City and therefore was watchful and studious of a fit opportunity to accomplish it Archagathus was not ignorant of his Discontents and had found him a fit engine for such attempts as his defeated hopes did stand in need of For to enterprize upon a Tyrant by a secret Conspiracy none are more proper instruments then such as have a charge about their Persons because they cannot be easily ruined but by those whom they most trust and none are fitter to be wrought to this then such as have been abused by their Masters in their bodies And therefore Aristotle saith that many of those hateful Beasts have been dispatch'd out of the world by their forced Pathicks Besides he that is to perform it must be a person of a firm spirit made so either by Nature or Passion and resolved either for Death or Revenge Maenon had all these requisites and therefore receiving the summons prepares for his work and acts it about the same time that his Correspondent had finish'd his For Archagathus not shewing any signs of Discontent but professing a ready submission to the Command of his Old and the pleasures of his New King invites his Uncle to a Sacrifice wherein he used his Grandfather's method of making Religion the preface to Villany in an Island somewhat distant from the quarters of the Army and there making him drunk he cuts his throat and casts his dead body into the Sea As if he would appease it for the pollutions of the Old Tyrant who had often defiled it with the carcasses of murdered innocents But the waves cast it back to the shore and it being known to the Inhabitants was taken up and conveyed to Syracuse there to vex the eyes and soul of his inhumane Father who by this time also felt the approaches of death For Agathocles being accustomed to pick his teeth after Supper rising from table called for his Pick-tooth which Maenon whose office it was to provide it had anointed with a most mortal poison The Tyrant using it
Miseries the Sun seldome rose but he saw the ruines of that Government which he had left at his setting and the erection of a new And Peace and Quietness were set at such a distance from our hopes that they could not be expected but after a Desolation Then which effects though nothing could be more convincing of the destructiveness of such Principles and Practices that they neither proceeded from God who is the Authour of Order and Government nor agreed with Justice which is the preservative of Peace yet because they so impudently pretended to an Extract from Heaven and seemed to be owned by it in an uninterrupted Success against a Lawful Soveraign and are still importunately urged by Persons of no just hopes and whose broken Interests are impatient of a calm they are as yet received by some deluded Souls as Oracles and as the sober dictates of right Reason and the mischievous Consequences are reputed the depravations of the Actors not the legitimate Issues of the Principles But as the Divine Records do vindicate the Immaculate Purity of God from whom nothing proceeds which doth not make men happy in obedience to it from having any benigne influence on such destructive counsels and right Reason doth free Justice from any alliance with such wicked practices so the History of all Ages will testifie that these have been the artifices of Ambitious persons who seeking a criminal Greatness have devested themselves of all sense of Vertue do by these waies delude and distract the minds of men that so being weakned by their own Factions and disarmed by vitious habits they may more easily be oppressed by them And this History of Agathocles transmitted to posterity by Diodorus Siculus and Justin from whom it was gathered will evidently shew That the usual Method of overthrowing an ancient Government established by Law is to slander the actions and counsels of the present Magistrate That those that have the extremest Tyranny in projection will be the greatest pretenders of the Publick good and the most importunate assertors of the People's Rights That it is the most compendious way of imposing Slavery by raising in the Multitude too eager and passionate desires of Liberty That in a corrupted and disquiet State the most Contemptible member of that Community may without the help of a Miracle arise to Soveraignty That it is not the Indulgence of Heaven to the Usurper but the Indignation thereof to the People when Success attends the Tyrants enterprizes That Power acquired by Fraud or Violence will never be emploied in the exercise of Justice These therefore being the onely fruits that are to be expected from the unquiet Principles and deluding hopes which designing Demagogues infect the People with Wise men have constantly advised that even the Vices of Bad Princes are to be born with the like Patience as we endure Dearths and Tempests and other deviations of Nature from her usual course And this not to flatter Offending Kings who at a most dreadful Tribunal are accountable for their disobediences to their Eternal Superiour but in affection to mankind and pity of the deceivable Multititude Because though Princes as they are Men may be Vitious yet as such are not Immortal and a Pious Successour may repair all the ruines of a former Oppressour But when the People will usurp the Office of Heaven whose Prerogative it is to chastise Kings and to cut off the Fury of Princes and they themselves will correct their lawful Magistrates God most severely punishes them by suffering the basest of men to ride over their heads And the Primitive Christians thought it not onely their Duty but their Prudence by praiers and tears onely to seek the deliverance of Heaven from the injuries of a Governour rather then by opposing their lawful Soveraign to administer to a Tyrants Ambition who according to that Maxime of changing all things that were under the former Governour must deface Religion to maintain his Power and on the dishonour of Piety build his Greatness We have had experience of the Anger of Heaven for our Sins in giving us over to the delusions of men who sought and acquired Power by slandering a PRINCE whose most Eminent Worth we understood not till our ignorance had made Him and us miserable Which Power being so impiously got was not otherwise used For the Treasures and Ornaments of many Ages Peace were wasted and consumed by their Oppressions in a few years And we are now under the return of Mercy by a Lawful Soveraign Both Conditions may teach us to measure the Benefits and Inconveniences of Government as they are in their own nature and not by the sinister interpretations and seditious Harangues of Unquiet persons who will calumniate even the justest Rulers and the wisest Counsels And if the discovery of the methods of Tyranny which is made in this History may contribute any thing to effect a just hatred of such practices or establish sober Minds in a thankful acquiescence in that Gracious Providence which hath restored our ancient Government and given us a Prince instructed both by Affliction and Mercy in the best arts of Empire the Compiler hath attained his chiefest ends Farewell ERRATA PAg. 5. l. 23. r. hating p. 18. l. 5. r. for p. 89. l. 12. r. for p. 113. l. 6. r. councils p. 185. l. 14. r. impress p. 201. l. 3. r. provoke p. 234. l. 26. r. Ambicas THE General CONTENTS of the several BOOKS LIB I. THE Introduction The necessity of Government The causes of the Changes of Government The Miseries that attend those Changes Occasions to Usurpers The requisites of an Usurper A Tyrant in Title will be a Tyrant in Exercise Agathocles an Example of Usurpers Agathocles's Birth the prediction of his Cruelty and Greatness The uncertain Original of such Predictions Agathocles's abject beginnings baser Youth and infamous introduction into emploiment His Seditious practices cause a change of Government at Syracuse His flight from thence and vain attempts for Tyranny abroad His return home and another change of Government His exploits in his Command The City's Jealousie of him and his Banishment His War against Syracuse Amilcar reconciles him to his City and they revoke his Banishment He practices the arts of a Demagogue gets the office of Praetor and Keeper of the Liberty of Syracuse His plot to get an Army fit for his purpose by whom he massacres all the Senate and chief Citizens By dissimulation he prevails upon his associates in the Massacre to force the Principality upon him The Sicilians confederate against the Tyrant Acrotatus chosen General of the League by his Vices overthrows the enterprize Agathocles designs the Empire of all Sicily by fraud seizeth upon Messene The Exiles send an Embassy to Carthage The Death of Amilcar Agathocles's success against the Exiles LIB II. THE Carthaginian War Amilcar the son of Gisgo chosen General who by his wise conduct restores and heals the losses of his shipwreckt Army and raises up
Forces for a Battel Hanno commanded the right Wing and with him was the Sacred Band of Carthaginians the Chariots and Horse being placed in the Front and Bomilcar commanded the left Agathocles was glad the Enemy was so forward to ingage and that their Confidence made them neglect those safe counsels of permitting his desperate Army to spend it self in its own fury and waste by delaies therefore declines not the fight but uses his greatest diligence in his preparations and orders of this Battel upon which depended the fortune of Syracuse and all his hopes knowing that Fear and Confidence have their birth in the first events and that by the issue of this first encounter he should administer to Fame to preoccupate the minds of men in concluding the fortune of the whole War He orders his Battel according to the manner of the Enemy For having learned the temper of the two Generals a necessary part of the arts of a Leader and of which Annibal afterwards made great use in his war in Italy forming his designs according to the humour of him who commanded the Enemies battel he commits the charge of his right wing to his son Archagathus that was to ingage against Bomilcar where an insolent treacherous Captain and diffident Souldiers promised the fewest dangers and least opposition and he himself commands the left to confront Hanno where were all things that are to be expected in a good Leader and resolute Souldiers And because many of his party wanted arms he supplies them with this invention he causes them to take the coverings of shields and to distend them with sticks and rods and to stuff them out in the form of a shield and gave them to such as wanted and were in the rear not as fit for use but to elude the Enemies sight who at a distance could not judge them other then real shields And lest his Souldiers should be discomfited by that terrible prospect of their enemies number and horse For the eyes most commonly are the first that are overcome in every battel he had another invention to secure their minds of Victory for he caused many Owles which he had provided for that purpose to be let flie in several places of the Camp which flying round about the Army and alighting sometimes upon the helmets sometimes upon the shields of the Souldiers was taken for an auspicious augury because this kind of bird was consecrated to Minerva a warlike Goddess And withal he causes it as an interpretation of the Omen to be rumoured that she had assured him of an happy success These devices though they seem trifles and empty projects yet often prove great moments to wonderful successes they raising in the spirits of an Army great Confidence and by that Confidence they overcome For a Confidence that is derived from the conceived care and promises of Heaven and to which a Deity gives the first Original is most active and vigorous because a Prediction doth not onely raise an infallible hope and promise an assistance from Heaven but also doth by those hopes tacitely admonish to brave resolutions Therefore the Romans who could boast of more Victories then any other Nation used to raise a Confidence in their Forces by the waies of Religion for they never would create their Consuls for their Expeditions levy their Armies begin their marches or join in Battel without their Auguries and Auspicies And without doing some such thing never did any of their wise and noble Captains attempt any great action conceiving it difficult to be successful in it unless their Souldiers did first apprehend that the Gods were on their part And herein doth this Confidence differ from that which ariseth in an Army from the consideration of their own strength and contempt of the enemy this commonly is pregnant with neglect of discipline and too much security but the former never disarms it self either by negligence or rashness for the Commanders who knew the uncertainty of human affairs and how much vanity there was in such Auguries used them onely to heighten the rude multitude and themselves in the mean while were careful of taking every advantage for Victory Agathocles that had omitted no part of care for his Army was ready and prepared either to fight or chase not heavy with luggage not greedy of spoil intent upon the commands of their Leader and observing his very nods not anxious for safety nor too presumptive of Victory soon found the effects of his invention to have raised the confidence of his Souldiers For upon the first charge they stoutly repulsed the Punick Chariots upon their own Foot and bravely receiving their Horse forced them to flight and when Hanno had brought up his Foot doing all that the Love of his Country and Glory exacted from him for he thought to have gotten the Victory by his alone Wing with many wounds they slew him being sooner forsaken by Fortune then Valour and with him fell the courage of the whole party which were put to flight onely the Sacred Band did for a while stoutly endeavour to make good the retreat In the other wing Bomilcar did but faintly assault the Enemy and scarce stood upon his own defence not seeking the Victory but the Empire of Carthage which he conceived their overthrow would facilitate and their low condition impose on his shoulders and then he doubted not with ease to send the Syracusans out of Africk Therefore as soon as he heard of Hanno's death he divulges it among his own party and commands them to retreat to a neighbouring Hill which being very disorderly performed the Sacred Band being now no longer able to sustain the victorious Greeks they were at last all totally routed every one running the next way to Carthage and casting away their arms which they had taken for their defence as if they feared their own assistances The Sicilians pursued them not far but greedily returned to the rifling of the Camp where among the other spoils they found the preparations not for War but for Victory those Fetters which had been provided for their Slavery This increased the hatred of the Enemy and heightned the joy of the Victory by the prospect of the dangers they had escaped For although we rather wish an uninterrupted flourishing fortune yet such doth not affect us with so high a sense of pleasure as that which Providence raises us unto from the utmost dangers This likewise administred occasion of discoursing and wondering at the Justice of that over-ruling power of the World that had thus shewed the vanity of humane power and counsels and bound the proud Carthaginians in those fetters which they had provided for a despicable Enemy As also how quick the returns of Prosperity may be after the most desperate misery That there is no condition so low but may have hopes nor any so high that is without the reach of fears The Tyrant while his forces were intire in Sicily was overthrown by the Carthaginians yet with