for that he went straight into his campe and spake neuer a word to say man rightly verifiyng Homers verses to this effect But mightie loue vvho sittes aloft in yuorie chariot hie Strake Aiax vvith so great a feare that Aiax byandby Let fall his lethern target made of tough oxe hide seuen folde And ran avvay not looking backe for all he vvas so bold In this estate Pompey entred into his tent and sate him downe there a great while and spake neuer a worde vntill such time as many of the enemies entred pell mell with his men that fled into his campe And then he said no more but what euen into our campe and so rising vp he put a gowne on his backe euen fit for his misfortune and secretly stale out of the campe The other legions also fled and great slaughter was made of the tent kepers and their sernantes that garded the campe For Asinius Pollio writeth who was at that battell on Caesars side that there were slaine onely but six thowsand souldiers Howbeit at the taking of their campe Caesars souldiers then sound plainly the madnes â—ovanitie of Pompeys men For all their tentes and pauilions were full of nosegayes and garlandes of mirtle their couches all couered with flowers their tables full of bowles of wine and men prepared ready to do sacrifice for ioye rather then to arme them selues to fight Thus went they to battell caried away with the vaine foolish hope WheÌ„ Pompey was gone a litle way froÌ„ his campe he forsooke his horse hauing a very few with him perceyuing that no man pursued him he went a foote faire softly his head full of such thoughts and imaginations as might be supposed a man of his like calling might haue who for foure thirty yeares space together was wont coÌ„tinually to cary victorie away and beganne then euen in his last cast to proue what it was to flie and to be ouercome and who thought then with him selfe how in one howers space he had lost the honor and riches which lie had gotten in so many foughten feildes and battels whereby he was not longe before followed and obeyed of so many thowsand men of warre of so many horsemen and of such a great flete of shippes on the sea and then to goe as he did in such poore estate and with so small a traine that his very enemies who sought him knew him not Thus when he was passed the citie of LARISSA and comming to the vallie of Tempé there being a thirst he fell downe of his bellie and dranke of the riuer Then rising vp againe he went his way thence and came to the sea side and tooke a fishers cotage where he lay all night The next morning by breake of the daye he went into a litle bote vpon the riuer and tooke the free men with him that were about himâ— and as for the slaues he sent them backe againe and did counsell them boldely to goe to Caesar and not to be affrayed Thus rowing vp and downe the shore side in this litle bote he spyed a great shippe of burden in the maine sea ryding at anker which was ready to waye anker and to saile awaye The master of the shippe was a ROMANE who though he was not familiarly acquainted with Pompey yet knew him by fight very well He was called Peticius who had dreamed the night before that he sawe Pompey speake vnto him not like the man he was wont to bâ— but in pouerty and in misery So he had tolde this dreame vnto the mariners which sailed with him as men commonly vse to doe specially when they dreame of such weighty matters and being at leasure withall and at the very instant there was one of the mariners that told him he sawe a litle bote of the riuer rowing towards them and that there were men in it that shooke their clokes at them bold out their hands Thereupon Peticius standing vp knew Pompey straight euen in like case as he had dreamed of him the night before and clapping his head for anger commaunded his mariners to let downe his bote and gaue him his hand calling him Pompey by his name mistrusting seeing him in that estate what misfortune had happened to him Therupon not looking to be intreated nor that he should tell him of his mishappe he receiued him into his shippe and all those he would haue with him and then hoised saile With Pompey there were both the Leâ—tuli Faonius Shortly after also they perceiued king Deiotarus comming from the riuer to them that beckened and made signes to receiue them which they did At supper time the master of the shippe made ready such meate as he had abord Faonius seeing Pompey for lacke of men to waite on him washing of him selfe ran vnto him washed him and annointed him and afterwardes continued still to waite vpon him and to doe such seruice about him as seruaunts do to their masters euen to washing of his feete making ready of his supper When a simple man saw him that could no skill of seruice he sayd Good gods hovv euery thing becommeth noble men Pompey passing then by the citie of AMPHIPOLIS coasted from thence into the I le of LESBOS to goe fetch his wife Cornelia and his sonne being then in the city of MITYLENE There hauing cast out his ancker and riding at rode he put a messenger on the shore sent him into the citie to his wife not according to her expectacion who was still put in good hope by continuall letters and newes brought vnto her that the warre was ended and determined by the city of DYRRACHIVM This messenger now finding her in this hope had not the hart so much as to salute her but letting her vnderstande rather by his teares then wordes the great misfortune Pompey had told her she must dispatch quickely if she would see Pompey with one shippe only and none of his but borowed The young Lady hearing these newes fell downe in a sound before him and neither spake nor sturred of long time but after she was come to herselfe remembring that it was no time to weepe and lament she went with speede through the city vnto the sea side There Pompey meeting her tooke her in his armes imbraced her But she sincking vnder him fell downe and sayd Out alas woe worth my hard fortune not thine good husband that I see thee now brought to one poore shippe who before thou mariedst thy vnfortunate Cornelia wert wont to saile these seas with fiue huÌ„dred ships Alas why art thou come to see me and why diddest thou not leaue me to cursed fate and my wicked desteny sith my selfe is cause of all this thy euill Alas how happy a woman had I bene if I had bene dead before I heard of the death of my first husband Publius Crassus whom the wretched PARTHIANS slue And how wise a woman had I bene if
women who stealing out of Alexanders campe taking his horse backe rode vnto Darius to bring him newes of the death of his wife Then Darius beating of his head weping bitterly cried out alowd Oh goddes what wretched happe haue the PERSIANS that haue not onely had the wife and sister of their king taken prisoners euen in his life time but now that she is dead also in trauell of childe she hath bene depriued of princely buriall Then spake the Eunuch to him and said For her buriall most gracious king for all due honor that might be wished her PERSIA hath no cause to complaine of her hard fortune For neither did Queene Statira your wife whilest she liued prisoner nor your mother nor daughters want any parte or iot of their honor they were wont to haue before sauing onely to see the light of your honour the which god Oranusdes graunt to restore againe if it be his will vnto your maiestie neither was there any honor wanting at her death to set forth her starely funeralles that might be gotten but more was lamented also with the teares of your enemies For Alexander is as mercifull in victorie as he is valliant in battell Darius hearing the Eunuches wordes being vexed in minde for very griefe tooke the Eunuche aside into the secretest place of his tent and said vnto him If thou be not with the misfortune of the PERSIANS becomen a MACEDONIAN but doest in thy hart acknowledge Darius for thy soueraine Lord and master I pray thee and do also coniure thee by the reuerence thou bearest vnto this bright light of the sunne and to the right hande of the king that thou doe tell me truely Are these the least euills which I lament in Statira blest imprisonment and death And did she not in her life make vs more miserable by her dishonor than if we had dishonorably fallen into the hands of a cruell enemy For what honest communication I pray thee can a young victorious Prince haue with his enemies wife a prisoner hauing done her so much honor as he hath done Darius going on with these speeches Tireus the eunuch fell downe on his knees besought him not to say so neither to bleamish the vertue of Alexander in that sorte nor yet so to dishonor his sister and wife deceased and thereby also to depriue him selfe of the greatest comfort he could wish to haue in this calamitie which was to be ouercome by an enemy that had greater vertues than a man could possibly haue but rather that he should wonder at Alexanders vertue who had shewed him selfe chaster to the Ladies than valliant against the PERSIANS And therewithall the eunuch confirmed the great honesty chastity and noble minde of Alexander by many great and deepe othes Then Darius comming out among his frendes againe holding vp his handes vnto the heauens made this prayer vnto the gods O heauenly gods creators of men protectors of kings and realmes first I beseech you graunt me that restoring the PERSIANS againe to their former good state I may leaue the realme vnto my successors with that glorie and fame I receiued it of my predecessors that obtaining victory I may vse Alexander with that great honor and curtesie which he hath in my misery shewed vnto those I loued best in the world Or otherwise if the time appointed be come that the kingdom of PERSIA must nedes haue end either through diuine reuenge or by naturall chaunge of earthly things Then good goddes yet graunt that none but Alexander after me may sit in Cyrus throne Diuers writers do agree that these things came euen thus to paste Now Alexander hauing conquered all ASIA on this side of the riuer of Euphrates he went to meete with Darius that came downe with ten hundred thowsand fighting men It was told him by some of his frendes to make him laugh that the slaues of his army had deuided them selues in two parts and had chosen them a Generall of either parte naming the one Alexander and the other Darius and that at the first they beganne to skirmish only with cloddes of earth and afterwardes with fiftes but at the last they grew so hot that they came to plaine stones and staues so that they could not be parted Alexander hearing that would needes haue the two Generalls fight hand to hand one with the other and Alexander selfe did arme him that was called Alexander Philotas the other which was called Darius All the army thereupon was gathered together to see this combat betwene theÌ„ as a thing that did betoken good or ill lucke to come The fight was sharp betwene them but in th end he that was called Alexander ouercame the other and Alexander to reward him gaue him twelue villages with priuiledge to goe after the PERSIAN maner Thus it is written by Eratosthenes The great battell that Alexander fought with Darius was not as many writers report at Arbeles but at Gausameles which signifieth in the PERSIAN tongue the house of the cammell For some one of the auncient kings of PERSIA that had scaped from the hands of his enemies flying vpon a drumbledary cammell lodged him in that place and therefore appointed the reuenues of certaine villages to keepe the cammell there There fell out at that time an eclipse of the moone in the moneth called Boedromion now August about our the time that the feast of the misteries was celebrated at ATHENS The eleuenth night after that both their armies being in sight of the other Darius kept his men in battell ray and went him selfe by torche light viewing his bandes and companies Alexander on thother side whilest his MACEDONIAN souldiers slept was before his tent with Aristander the Soothsayer and made certaine secret ceremonies and sacrifices vnto Apollo The auncient Captaines of the MACEDONIANS specially Parmenio seeing all the vallie betwext the riuer of Niphates and the mountaines of the GORDIEIANS all on a bright light with the fires of the barbarous people and hearing a dreadfull noise as of a confused multitude of people that filled their campe with the found thereof they were amazed and consulted that in one day it was in maner vnpossible to fight a battell with such an incredible multitude of people Thereupon they went vnâ—â— Alexander after he had ended his ceremonies and did counsell him to geue battell by night bicause the darkenes thereof should helpe to keepe all feare from his men which the sight of their enemies would bring them into But then he gaue them this notable aunswere I wil 〈…〉 steale victorie ê™ he This aunswere seemed very fonde and arrogant to some that he was so pleasaunt being neere so great daunger Howebeit others thinke that it was a present noble corage and a deepe consideration of him to thinke what should happen thereby to geue Darius no maner of occasion if he were ouercomen to take hart againe and to proue another battell accusing the darkenes
the taking and destruction of TROYA there were certaine TROYANS which sauing them selues from the sworde tooke suche vessells as they founde at aduenture in the hauen and were by winds put with the THVSCANE shore where they anckred neere vnto the riuer of Tyber There their wiues being so sore sea sicke that possibly they could not any more endure the boisterous surges of the seas it happened one of them among the rest the noblest and wisest of the companie called ROMA to counsaill the other women of her cōpanions to set their shippes a fire which they dyd accordingly Wherewith their husbands at the first were maruelously offended But afterwards being compelled of necessitie to plant them selues neere vnto the cittie of PALLANTIVM they were appeased when they sawe things prosper better then they hoped for finding the soyle there fertile and the people their neighbours ciuill and gentle in entertaining them Wherefore amongest other honours they dyd to require this lady Roma they called their cittie after her name as from whom came the originall cause of the building and foundation thereof They saye that from thence came this custome continuing yet to this daye at ROME that the women saluting their kinsefolkes and husbands doe kisse them in the mouthe for so dyd these TROYAN ladyes to please their husbands and to winne them againe after they had lost their fauours and procured their displeasures with burning of their shippes Other saye that Roma was the daughter of Italus and of Lucaria or els of Telephus the sonne of Hercules and of the wife of AEneas other saye of Ascanius the sonne of AEneas who named the cittie after her name Other holde opinion that it was Romanus the sonne of Vlysses and of Circé that first founded ROME other will saye that it was Romus the sonne of Emathion whom Diomedes sent thither from TROYA Other write that it was one Romis a tyranne of the LATINES who draue the THVSCANS out of those partes which departing out of THESSALY went first of all into LYDIA and afterwards from LYDIA into ITALIE And furthermore they who thincke that Romulus as in deede it carieth best likelyhod was he that gaue the name to the cittie doe not agree about his auncesters For some of them write that he was the sonne of AEneas and of Dexithea the daughter of Phorbus and that he was brought into ITALIE of a litle childe with his brother Remus and that at that time the riuer of Tyber being ouerflowen all other shippes were cast awaye sauing the shippe in which the two litle boyes were which by great good happe came to a slaye vpon a very plaine euen grounde on the bancke and bicause the children beyond all hope were saued by this meanes therefore the place was afterwardes called ROMA Other saye that Roma the daughter of the first Troian ladye was maried vnto Latinus the sonne of Telemachus by whom she had Romulus Other write that it was AEmilia the daughter of AEneas and of Lauinia which was gotten with childe by the god Mars Other tell a tale of Romulus birth nothing true nor likely For it is sayed that there was sometime a king of ALBA named Tarchetius a very wicked and cruell man in whose house through the permission of the goddes appeared such a like vision that there rose vp in the harthe of his chymney the forme facion of a mans priuie member which continued there many dayes And they saye that at that time there was in THVSCANE an oracle of Thetis from whom they brought vnto this wicked king Tarchetius suche an aunswer that he should cause his daughter yet vnmaried to haue carnall companie with the straunge thing for she should beare a sonne that should be famous for his valliancie for strength of bodye and his happie successe wherein he should exceede all men of his time Tarchetius tolde this oracle vnto one of his daughters and willed her to entertaine this straunge thing but she disdaining to doe it sent one of her waiting women to vndertake the entertainement But Tarchetius was so mad at this that he caused them both to be taken to put them to death howbeit the goddesse Vesta appeared to him in his sleepe in the night and charged him he should not doe it Whereupon he dyd commaund them to make him a pece of clothe in the prisone with promise that they should be maried when they had finished it These poore maydes toyled at it all the liue longe daye but in the night there came other by Tarchetius commaundement that dyd vndoe all they had done the daye before In the meane time this waiting woman that was gott with childe by this straunge thing was deliuered of two goodly boyes or twynnes whom Tarchetius gaue vnto one Teratius with expresse commaundement he should cast them awaye This Teratius caryed them vnto the bancke of the riuer thither came a shee woulfe and gaue them sucke and certaine byrdes that brought litle crommes and put them in their mouthes vntill a swyne heard perceyuing them and wondring at the fight dyd boldly goe to the children and tooke them awaye with him These infantes being thus preserued after they were come to mans state dyd set vpon Tarchetius and slewe him One Promathion an Italian writer deliuereth this storie thus But the reporte that carieth best credit of all and is allowed of by many writers commeth from Diocles Peparethian whome Fabius Pictor followeth in many thinges who was the first that put forth this storie among the GRECIANS and specially the chiefest poynts of it Though this matter be somewhat diuersely taken yet in effect the storie is thus The right line and bloude of the kings of ALBA descended from AEneas by succession from the father to the sonne and the Kingdome fell in the ende betweene two brethern Numitor and Amulius They agreed by lotte to make diuision betweene them whereof the one to haue the Kingdome and the other all the golde syluer readye money goodes and iuells brought from TROIA Numitor by his lotte chose the Realme for his portion Amulius hauing all the golde and treasure in his handes dyd finde himselfe thereby the stronger and so dyd easely take his Realme from him And fearing least his brothers daughter might haue children which one day might thrust him out againe he made her a Nunne of the goddesse Vesta there to passe her dayes in virginitie neuer to be maried some call her Rhea other Syluia and other Ilia neuertheles not longe after she was founde with childe against the rule and profession of the Vestall Nunnes So nothing had saued her from present death but the petition of Antho the daughter of king Amulius who intreated her father for her life yet notwithstanding she was straightly locked vp that no body could see her nor speake with her least she should be brought a bedde without Amulius knowledge In the ende she was deliuered of two fayre boyes and marueilous
or daūger visited one another making great cheere as if out of the springing fountaine of Numaes wisedom many pretie brookes streames of good honest life had rōne ouer all ITALIE had watered it that the mildnes of his wisdom had frō hand to hand bene disparsed through the whole world Insomuch as the ouer excessiue speaches the Poets accustomably doe vse were not sufficiēt enough to expresse the peaceable raigne of that time There spiders vveaue their cobvvebbes daye and night in harnesses vvhich vvont to serue for vvarre there cancred rust doth fret the steele full bright of trenchant blades vvell vvhet in many a Iarre There mighty speares for lacke of vse are eaten vvith rotten vvormes and in that countrie there the braying trompe dothe neuer seeme to threaten their quiet eares vvith blasts of bloudy feare There in that lande no drovvsie sleepe is broken vvith hotte alarmes vvhich terrours doe betoken For during all king Numaes raigne it was neuer heard that euer there were any warres ciuil dissention or innouation of gouernment attempted against him nor yet any secret comitie or malice borne him neither any cōspiracie once thought on to reigne in his place And whether it was for feare of displeasing the godds which visibly seemed to take him into their protectiō or for the reuerent regarde they had vnto his vertue or for his prosperous good successe all the time he raigned I cannot tell howbeit he sought to keepe men still pure honest from all wickednes layed most open before the eyes of the whole world a very exāple of that which Plato long time after did affirme saye concerning true gouernmēt which was That the only meane of true quietnes remedy from all euill which euer troubleth men was when by some diuine ordinaunce from aboue there meteth in one person the right maiestie of a King the minde of a wise philosopher to make vertue gouernesse ruler ouervice For in deede happie is such a wise man more happy are they which maye heare the graue counsaill good lessons of such a mouthe And there me thincks needeth no force no cōpulsion no threates nor extremitie to bridle the people For men seeing the true image of vertue in their visible prince in the example of his life doe willingly growe to be wise of them selues doe fall into loue liking and friendshippe together and doe vse all temperaunce iust dealing and good order one toward another leading their life without offence and with the commendation of other which is the chiefe pointe of felicitie and the most happie good that can light vnto men And he by nature is best worthy to be a King who through his wisdome and vertue can graffe in mens manners such a good disposition and this Numa aboue all other seemed best to knowe and vnderstand Furthermore touching his wiues and children there are great contrarieties amōg the historiographers For some of them saye he neuer maried other wife then Tatia and that he neuer had any children but one only daughter and she was called Pompilia Other write to the contrarie that he had foure sonnes Pompo Pinus Calpus and Mamercus of euery one of the which by succession from the father to the sonne haue descended the noblest races and most auncient houses of the ROMAINES As the house of the Pomponians of Pompo the house of the Pinarians of Pinus the house of the Calphurnians of Calpus the house of the Mamerciās of Mamercus All which families by reason of their first progenitor haue kept the surname of Reges Kings There are three other writers which doe reproue the two first saying that they dyd write to gratifie the families making them falsely to descend of the noble race of king Numa Moreouer it is sayed he had his daughter Pompilia not by Tatia but by his other wife called Lucretia whom he maried after he was made king Howbeit they all agree that his daughter Pompilia was maried vnto one Martius the sonne of the same Martius which persuaded him to accept the kingdome of ROME For he went with him to ROME to remaine there where they dyd him the honour to receyue him into the number of the Senatours After the death of Numa Martius the father stoode against Tullus Hostilius for the succession of the Realme and being ouercome he killed him selfe for sorowe But his sonne Martius who maried Pompilia continued still at ROME where he begotte Ancus Martius who was king of ROME after Tullus Hostilius and was but fiue yere olde when Numa dyed Whose death was not so daine For he dyed consuming by litle and litle aswell through age as also through a lingring disease that waited on him to his ende as Piso hath written and Numa at his death was litle more then foure score yere old But the pompe and honour done vnto him at his funeralles made his life yet more happie and glorious For all the people his neighbours friendes kinsemen and allies of the ROMAINES came thither bringing crownes with them and other publicke contributions to honour his obsequies The noble men selues of the cittie which were called Patricians caried on their shoulders the very bedd on which the course laye to be conueyed to his graue The Priestes attended also on his bodie and so dyd all the rest of the people women and children in like case which followed him to his tumbe all bewaling and lamenting his death with teares sighes and mournings Not as a King dead for very age but as they had mourned for the death of their dearest kinseman and nearest friende that had dyed before he was olde They burnt not his bodie bicause as some saye he commaunded the contrarie by his will and testament but they made two coffines of stone which they buried at the foote of the hill called Ianiculum In the one they layed his bodie in the other the holy bookes which he had written him selfe much like vnto those which they that made the lawes among the GRECIANS dyd write in tables But bicause in his life time he had taught the priestes the substaunce of the whole conteined in the same he willed the holy tables which he had written should be buried with his bodie For he thought it not reasonable that so holy matters should be kept by dead letters and writings but by mens manners exercises And he followed herein they saye the Pythagorians who would not put their worckes in writing but dyd printe the knowledge of them in their memories whom they knew to be worthy men and that without any writing at all And if they had taught any manner of persone the hidden rules and secretes of Geometrie which had not bene worthy of them then they sayed the goddes by manifest tokens would threaten to reuenge such sacriledge and impietie with some great destruction and miserie Therefore seeing so many things agreable and altogether like betweene Numa
incontinently hauing liued as honorably and vertuously all the dayes of his life as any man liuing might doe The people then tooke order for his funeralles that the charges thereof should be defrayed by the citie as if they had neuer done him any honour in his life and that they had bene still debters vnto him for the noble seruice he had done vnto the state and common weale whilest he liued Therefore towardes his funeralle charges euery citizen gaue a pece of money called a Quatrine The women also for their parte to honour his funeralles agreed among them selues to mourne a whole yere in blackes for him which was a great and honorable memoriall He was buried also by expresse order of the people within the cittie in the streate called Velia and they graunted priuiledge also vnto all his posteritie to be buried in the selfe same place Howbeit they doe no more burie any of his there But when any dye they bring the corse vnto this place and one holding a torche burning in his hande doth put it vnder the place and take it straight awaye againe to shewe that they haue libertie to burie him there but that they willingly refuse this honour and this done they carie the corse awaye againe THE COMPARISON OF Solon with Publicola NOWE presently to compare these two personages together it seemeth they both had one vertue in them which is not founde in any other of their liues which we haue written of before And the same is that the one hath bene a witnes and the other a follower of him to whom he was like So as the sentence that Solon spake to king Croesus touching Tellus felicitie happines might haue better bene applied vnto Publicola than to Tellus whom he iudged to be very happy bicause he dyed honorably he had liued vertuously and had left behinde him goodly children And yet Solon speaketh nothing of his excellencie or vertue in any of his poemes neither dyd he euer beare any honorable office in all his time nor yet left any children that caried any great fame or renowme after his death Whereas Publicola so long as he liued was allwayes the chief man amongest the ROMAINES of credit and authoritie and afterwards since his death certaine of the noblest families and most auncient houses of ROME in these our dayes as the Publicoles the Messales the VALERIANS for six hundred yeres continuance doe referre the glorie of the nobilitie aunciētie of their house vnto him Furthermore Tellus was slaine by his enemies fighting valliantly like a worthy honest man But Publicola died after he had slaine his enemies which is farre more great good happe then to be slaine For after he as generall had honorably served his country in the warres had left them conquerers hauing in his life time receyued all honours triumphes due vnto his seruice he attained to that happy end of life which Solon accompted esteemed most happy blessed Also in wishing manner he would his end should be lamented to his prayse in a place where he confuteth Mimnermus about the continuaunce of mans life by saying Let not my death vvithout lamenting passe But rather let my friendes bevvayle the same VVhose grieuous teares and cries of out alas maye ofte resound the Eccho of my name If that be good happe then most happy maketh he Publicola for at his death not only his friends and kinsefolkes but the whole cittie also and many a thousand persone besides dyd bitterly bewayle the losse of him For all the women of ROME dyd mourne for him in blacks and dyd most pittiefully lament his death as euery one of them had lost either father brother or husband True it is that I couet goodes to haue but yet so got as maye me not depraue Solon sayeth this bicause vengeance followed ill gotten good And Publicola tooke great heede not only to get his goodes most iustly but had regarde that those which he had he spent most honestly in helping the needie So that if Solon was iustly reputed the wisest man we must needes confesse also that Publicola was the happiest For what the one desired for the greatest and most perfect good a man can haue in this worlde the other hath wonne it kept it and vsed it all his life time vntill the hower of his death And thus hath Solon honoured Publicola and Publicola hath done like vnto Solon shewing him self a perfect example and looking glasse where men maye see howe to gouerne a popular state when he made his Confulshippe voyde of all pride stately shewe and became him self affable curteous and beloued of euerie bodie So tooke he profit by many of his lawes As when he ordeined that the people only should haue authoritie to choose and create all common officers and magistrates and that they might appeale from any iudge to the people as Solon when he suffered them to appeale vnto the iudges of the people In deede Publicola dyd not create any newe Senate as Solon dyd but he dyd augment the first number with as many persones almost as there were before He dyd also first erect the office of Quastores for keeping of all fines taxes and other collections of money Bicause the chiefest magistrate if he were an honest man should not for so light an occasion be taken from the care of better and more weightie affayers and if he were wickedly geuen and ill disposed that he should haue no such meane or occasion to worke his wicked will by hauing the treasure of the cittie in his handes and to commaund what he lyst Moreouer in hating the tyrānes Publicola therein was farre more sharpe terrible For Solon in his lawes punished him that went about to make him selfe tyranne yet after he was conuicted thereof by lawe but Publicola ordeined that they should kill him before the lawe dyd passe on him that sought to be king And where Solon iustly and truely vaunteth him self that being offered to be King Lord of ATHENS and that with the whole consent of the citizens yet be dyd notwithstanding refuse it This vaunte and glorie is as due vnto Publicola who finding the dignitie of a Consul tyrannicall he brought it to be more lowly and favour 〈…〉 people not taking vpon him all the authoritie he might lawfully haue done And it seemeth that Solon knewe before him what was the true and direct waye to gouerne a common weale vprightly For he sayeth in one place Both great and small of povver the better vvill obaye if vve to little or to much vpon them doe not laye The discharging of dettes was proper to Solon which was a full confirmation of libertie For litle preuayleth lawe to make equalitie among cittizens when dettes doe hinder the poore people to enioye the benefit thereof And where it seemeth that they haue most libertie as in that they maye be chosen iudges and officers to speake their opinion in the counsell and geue
preseruing charme the women had tyed as a carkanet about his necke to let him vnderstand he was very ill since he suffered them to apply suche a foolishe bable to him In the ende Pericles drawing fast vnto his death the Nobilitie of the cittie and such his friendes as were left aliue standing about his bed beganne to speake of his vertue and of the great authoritie he had borne considering the greatnes of his noble actes and counting the number of his victories he had wonne for he had wonne nine foughten battells being generall of the ATHENIANS and had set vp so many tokens and triumphes in honour of his countrie they reckoned vp among them selues all these matters as if he had not vnderstoode them imagining his sences had bene gone But he contrarilie being yet of perfect memorie heard all what they had sayed and thus he beganne to speake vnto them That he marueled why they had so highly praysed that in him which was common to many other captaines and wherein fortune delt with them in equalitie a like and all this while they had forgotten to speake of the best most notable thing that was in him which was that no ATHENIAN had euer worne blacke gowne through his occasion And suer so was he a noble and worthie persone For he dyd not only shewe him selfe mercifull and curteous euen in most weightie matters of gouernment among so enuious people and hatefull enemies but he had this iudgement also to thincke that the most noble actes he dyd were these that he neuer gaue him selfe vnto hatred enuie nor choller to be reuenged of his most mortall enemie without mercy shewed towardes him though he had committed vnto him suche absolute power and sole gouernment among them And this made his surname to be Olympius as to saye diuine or celestiall which otherwise for him had bene to prowde and arrogant a name bicause he was of so good and gentle a nature and for that in so great libertie he had kept cleane handes vndefiled euen as we esteeme the goddes authors of all good and causers of no ill and so worthy to gouerne and rule the whole monarchie of the world And not as Poets saye which doe confounde our wittes by their follies and fonde faynings and are also contrarie to them felues considering that they call heauen which conteineth the goddes the euerlasting seate which trembleth not and is not driuen nor moued with windes neither is darkened with clowdes but is allwayes bright and cleare and at all times shyning equally with a pure bright light as being the only habitation and mansion place of the eternall God only happy and immortall And afterwardes they describe it them selues full of dissentions of enmities of anger and passions which doe nothing become wise and learned men But this discourse peraduenture would be better spoken of in some other booke Nowe the troubles the ATHENIANS felt immediatly after Pericles death made them then lament the losse of so noble a member For those who vnpaciently dyd brooke his great authoritie while he liued bicause it drowned their owne when they came after his death to proue other speakers and gouernours they were compelled then to confesse that no mans nature liuing could be more moderate nor graue with lenitie and mercie then his was And that most hated power which in his life time they called monarchie dyd then most plainely appeare vnto them to haue bene the manifest ramper and bullwarke of the safetie of their whole state and common weale suche corruption and vice in gouernment of the state dyd then spring vp immediatly after his death which when he was aliue he dyd euer suppresse and keepe vnder in suche sorte that either it dyd not appeare at all or at the least it came not to that hed and libertie that suche faultes were committed as were vnpossible to be remedied The ende of Pericles life THE LIFE OF Fabius Maximus HAVING already declared vnto you such things worthy memorie as we could collect and gather of the life of Pericles it is nowe good time we should proceede to write also of the life of Fabius Maximus It is sayed the first Fabius from whom the house and familie of the Fabians dyd descend being the greatest noblest house of all other in ROME was begotten by Herculos whom he gatte of a Nymphe or as other saye a woman of the coūtrie by the riuer of Tyber And some saye that the first of this house were called at the beginning Fodians bicause they dyd hunte wilde beastes with pittefalles and ditches For vnto this present the ROMAINES call ditches Fossae and to digge Fodere Since that time the two second letters haue bene chaunged and they haue called them Fabians But howsoeuer it was this is certaine that many noble men haue come out of that house and among other there was one of that house called Fabius Rullus whom the ROMAINES for his noble actes dyd surname Maximus very great After him Fabius Maximus whose life we haue now in hande was the fourth lineally descended of the same line and he was surnamed Verrucosus bicause of a certen birth marke he had vpon one of his lippes like a litle warte And he was also surnamed Ouicula a litle lamme for his softnes slownes and grauity of his doings whilest he was a childe But bicause of nature he was dull still and very silent and that he was seldome seene to playe at any pastime among the boyes and for that they sawe he was but of slowe capacitie and hard to learne and conceyue and withall that the boyes might doe to him what they would he was so lowly to his fellowes this made men iudge that looked not into him that he would proue a very foole and nigeot Yet other were of contrarie opinion of him who considering more deepely the man perceyued in his nature a certen secret constancie the maiestie of a lyon But Fabius selfe when he was called to serue the common weale dyd quickely shewe to the world that which they tooke for dullnes in him was his grauitie which neuer altered for no cause or respect and that which other iudged fearefullnes in him was very wisedome And where he shewed him selfe not hastie nor sodaine in any thing it was found in him an assured and setled constancie Wherefore when he came to consider the great soueraintie of their common weale and the continuall warres it was in he dyd vse his bodie to all hardnes and brought vp him selfe therewithall that he might be the better able to serue in the field and he gaue him selfe much to eloquence also as a necessary instrument to persuade souldiers vnto reason His tongue likewise dyd agree with his conditions and manner of life For he had no manner of affectation nor counterfeate finenes in his speach but his words were euer very graue and profounde and his sentences euen grafte in him by nature and as some saye were
Conon fled and the other being not much lesse then two hundred in number were euery one of them taken and caried awaye with three thousand prisoners whom Lysander put to death Shortely after he tooke the cittie self of ATHENS and rased their long walles euen to the ground After this great and notable victorie Alcibiades fearing sore the LACEDAEMONIANS who then without let or interruption of any were only Lords and Princes by sea and by lande he went into the countrie of BITHYNIA and caused great good to be brought after him and tooke a maruelous sūme of money with him besides great riches he left also in the castells of THRACIA where he dyd remaine before Howbeit he lost much of his goodes in BITHYNIA which certaine THRACIANS dwelling in that countrie had robbed him of taken from him So he determined to repaire forthwith vnto king Artaxerxes hoping that when the King had once proued him he should finde him a man of no lesse seruice then he had found Themistocles before him besides that the occasion of his going thither should be muche iuster then his was For he dyd not goe thither to make warre against the cittie of ATHENS and his countrie as Themistocles did but of a cōtrarie intent to make intercession to the King that it would please him to ayde them Now Alcibiades thinking he could vse no better meane then Pharnabazus helpe only to see him safely conducted to the Kings courte he proposed his iorney to him into the countrie of PHRYGIA where he abode a certaine time to attēd vpon him was very honorably entertained and receyued of Pharnabazus All this while the ATHENIANS founde them selues desolate in miserable state to see their empire lost but then much more when Lysander had taken all their liberties and dyd set thirtie gouernours ouer their cittie Now to late after all was lost where they might haue recouered againe if they had bene wise they beganne together to bewaile and lament their miseries and wretched state looking backe apon all their wilfull faultes and follies committed emong which they dyd reckon their second time of falling out with Alcibiades was their greatest faulte So they banished him only of malice and displeasure not for any offense him selfe in persone had committed against them sauing that his lieutenaunt in his absence had shamefully lost a fewe of their shippes and they them selues more shamefully had driuen out of their cittie the noblest souldier and most skilfull captaine that they had And yet they had some litle poore hope lefte that they were not altogether cast awaye so long as Alcibiades liued and had his health For before when he was a forsaken man and led a banished life yet he could not liue idely and doe nothing Wherefore now much more sayed they to them selues if there be any helpe at all he will not suffer out of doubt the insolencie pryde of the LACEDAEMONIANS nor yet abyde the cruelties and outrages of these thirtie tyrauntes And surely the common people had some reason to haue these thoughts in their heades considering that the thirtie gouernours them selues dyd what they could possiblie to spye out Alcibiades doinges and what he went about In so muche as Critias at the last declared to Lysander that so long the LACEDAEMONIANS might reckon them selues Lordes ouer all GREECE as they kept from the common people the rule and authoritie of the cittie of ATHENS And further he added that notwithstanding the people of ATHENS could well awaye to liue like subiects vnder the gouernment of a fewe yet Alcibiades whilest he liued would neuer suffer them so to be reigned ouer but would attempt by all deuise he could to bring a chaunge and innouation emong them Yet Lysander would not credit these persuasions before speciall commandement was sent to him from the Senate of LACEDAEMON vpon his allegiaunce that he should deuise to kill Alcibiades by all meanes he could procure either bicause in trothe they feared the subtiltie of his wit and the greatnes of his corage to enterprise matters of great weight and daunger or els that they sought to gratifie king Agis by it Lysander being thus straightly commaunded dyd send and practise incontinently with Pharnabazus to execute the facte who gaue his brother Magaeus and his vncle Sosamithres commission to attempt the matter Now was Alcibiades in a certen village of PHRYGIA with a concubine of his called Timandra So he thought he dreamed one night that he had put on his concubines apparell and how she dandling him in her armes had dressed his head friseling his heare and painted his face as he had bene a woman Other saye that he thought Magaeus strake of his head and made his bodie to be burnt and the voyce goeth this vision was but a litle before his death Those that were sent to kill him durst not enter the house where he was but set it a fire round about Alcibiades spying the fire got suche apparell and hanginges as he had and threwe it on the fire thincking to haue put it out and so casting his cloke about his left arme tooke his naked sworde in his other hande and ranne out of the house him selfe not once touched with fyer sauing his clothes were a litle singed These murderers so sone as they spied him drewe backe and stoode a sonder and durst not one of them come neere him to stande and fight with him but a farre of they bestowed so many arrowes and dartes of him that they killed him there Now when they had left him Timandra went and tooke his bodie which she wrapped vp in the best linnen she had and buried him as honorably as she could possible with suche things as she had and could get together Some holde opinion that Lais the only famous curtisan which they saye was of CORINTHE though in deede she was borne in a litle towne of SICILIA called HYCCARA where she was taken was his doughter Notwithstanding touching the death of Alcibiades there are some that agree to all the rest I haue written sauing that they saye it was neither Pharnabazus nor Lysander nor the LACEDAEMONIANS which caused him to be slaine but that he keeping with him a young gentlewoman of a noble house whom he had stolen awaye and instised to follie her brethern to reuenge this iniurie went to set fire vpon the house where he was and that they killed him as we haue tolde you thinking to leape out of the fyre The ende of Alcibiades life THE LIFE OF CAIVS Martius Coriolanus THE house of the Martians at ROME was of the number of the Patricians out of the which hath sprong many noble personages whereof Ancus Martius was one king Numaes daughters sonne who was king of ROME after Tullus Hostilius Of the same house were Publius and Quintus who brought to ROME their best water they had by conducts Censorinus also came of that familie that
entred the teÌ„ple of Apollo in the cittie of DELPHES with Philodemus PHOCIAN with Onomarchus who were partakers of their sacriledge Moreouer they were lose people abiectes that were abhorred of euerie body who vacabondlike wandred vp downe the contry of PELOPONNESVS when Timoleon for lacke of other was glad to take them vp And when they came into SICILE they alwaies ouercame in al battells they fought whilest they were in his company But in the ende when the furie of warres was pacified Timoleon sending them about some speciall seruice to the ayde of some of his they were cast away euery man of them and not all together but at diuers times So as it seemed that Goddes iustice in fauor of Timoleon did separate them from the rest when he was determined to plague them for their wicked desertes fearing least good men should suffer hurt by punishing of the euill And so was the grace goodwill of the goddes wonderful towards Timoleon not onely in matters against him but in those things that prospered well with him Notwithstanding the common people of SYRACVSA tooke the iâ—asting wordes and writings of the tyrans against them in maruelous euill part For Mamercus amongest other thinking well of him selfe bicause he could make verses tragedies hauing in certen battels gotten the better hand of the strauÌ„gers which the SYRACVSANS gaue pay vnto he gloried very much And when he offred vp the targets he had gotten of them in the teÌ„ples of the godds he set vp also these cutting verses in derision of them that were vanquished VVith bucklers pot lyd like vvhich of no value vvare vve haue these goodly targets vvonne so vichly trymmed here All got gorgeously vvith golde and eâ—e vvith Iuorye vvith purple cullers finely vvrought and dect vvith Ebonye These thinges done Timoleon led his armie before the citie of CALAVRIA Icetes therewhile while entred the coÌ„fines of the SYRACVSANS with a maine army caried away a maruelous great spoile And after he had done great hurt spoiled the contry he returned backe againe came by CALAVRIA to despite Timoleon knowing wel enough he had at that time but few men about him Timoleon suffered him to passe by but folowed him afterwards with his horsemen lightest armed footemeÌ„ Icetes vnderstanding that passed ouer the riuer called DAMIRIAS so staied on the other side as though he would fight trusting to the swift roÌ„ning of the riuer and the height of the bankes on either side of the same Now the captaines of Timoleons bands fell out maruelously amongest them selues striuing for honor of this seruice which was cause of delaying the battel For none would willingly come behind but euery man desired to lead the voward for honor to begin the charge so as they could not agree for their going ouer one thrusting another to get before his companion Wherfore Timoleon fell to drawing of lots which of them should passe ouer first tooke a ring of euery one of them and cast them all within the lappe of his cloke so rolling them together by chaunce he pluckt one at the first wheron was grauen the markes tokens of a triumph The young Captaines seeing that gaue a shoute of ioy without tarying drawing of other lottes they began euery man to passe the riuer as quickly as they could to let apoÌ„ the enemies as sodainely But they being not able to abide their force ranne their wayes and were faine to cast their armor away to make more hast howbeit there were a thowsand of them lay dead in the feilde And within few daies after Timoleon leading his armie to the citie of the LEONTINES tooke Icetes aliue there with his sonne Eupolemus and the generall of his horsemen who were deliuered into his hands by his owne souldiers So Icetes his sonne were put to death like the traitors tyrannes and so was Euthydemus also who though he was a valliant souldier had no better mercie shewed him then the father the sonne bicause they did burden him with certaine iniurious words he spake against the CORINTHIANS For they say that when the CORINTHIANS came first out of their contrie into SICILE to make wars against the tyrannes that he making an oration before the LEONTINES said amoÌ„gest other things that they should not neede to be afraide if The vvomen of Corinthe vvere come out of their contrie Thus we see that men do rather suffer hurt then put vp iniurious words do pardone their enemies though they reuenge by deds bicause they can do no lesse But as for iniurious words they seme to proceed of a deadly hate of a cancred malice Furthermore wheÌ„ Timoleon was returned againe to SYRACVSA the SYRACVSANS arrained the wiues of Icetes and his sonne and their daughters who being arrained were also condemned to die by the iudgement of the people Of al the actes Timoleon did this of al other in my opinion was the fowlest dede for if he had listed he might haue saued the poore womeÌ„ from death But he passed not for them so left them to the wrath of the cittizens who would be reuenged of them for the iniuries that were done to Dion after he had driuen out the tyranne Dionysius For it was Icetes that caused Arete the wife of Dion to be cast into the sea his sister Aristomache and his sonne that was yet sucking child as we haue written in another place in the life of Dion That done he weÌ„t to CATANA against Mamercus who taried him by the riuer of ABOLVS where Mamercus was ouerthrowen in battel aboue two thowsand men slaine the greatest part wherof were the CARTHAGINIANS whoÌ„ Gisco had sent for his reliefe Afterwards he grauÌ„ted peace to the CARTHAGINIANS vpon earnest sute made vnto him with conditioÌ„ that they should kepe on thother side of the riuer of LYCVS that it should be lawful for any of thinhabitaÌ„ts there that would to come dwel in the territory of the SYRACVSANS to bring away with theÌ„ their goodes their wiues their children and furthermore that from thenceforth the CARTHAGINIANS should renounce al league coÌ„federacy alliance with the tyrannes Wherupon Mamercus hauing no hope of good successe in his doings he would goe into ITALYE to stir vp the LVCANIANS against Timoleon and the SYRACVSANS But they that were in his company returned backe againe with their gallies in the myd way and when they were returned into SICILE they deliuered vp the cittie of CATANA into the handes of Timoleon so as Mamercus was constrained to saue him selfe and to flye vnto MESSINA to Hippon the tyranne thereof But Timoleon followed him and beseged the cittie both by sea and by lande Whereat Hippon quaked for feare and thought to flye by taking shippe but he was taken startyng And the MESSENIANS hauing him in their hands made all the childreÌ„ come from the schole to the
Consullshippes whereof he maketh his boast vnto them at ROME Is he afrayed they should take him as they did Carbo Caepio whom the enemies haue ouerthrowen He must not be afrayed of that for he is a Captaine of an other manner of valor and reputacion then they were and his army much better then theirs was But howesoeuer it be yet were it much better in prouing to loose something then to be idle to suffer our frends and cōfederats to be destroyed sacked before our eyes Marius was maruelous glad to heare his men cōplaine thus did comfort them told thē that he did nothing mistrust their corage valiantnes howbeit that through the coūsell of certaine prophecies oracles of the gods he did expect time place fit for victory For he euer caried a SYRIAN womā in a litter about with him called Martha with great reuerence whom they said had the spirit of prophecie in her that he did euer sacrifice vnto the gods by her order at such time as she willed him to do it This SYRIAN woman went first to speake with the Senate about these matters and did foretell prognosticate what should follow But the Senate would not heare her made her to be driuē away Wherupon she went vnto the womē made thē see proofe of some things she vaūted of specially Marius wife at whose feete she was set one day in an assembly of the cōmon playes to see swordplayers fight for life death for she told her certenly which of thē should ouercome Whereupon this Lady sent her vnto her husband Marius who made great reckening of her caried her euē in a litter with him whersoeuer he went She was alwaies at Marius sacrifices apparelled in a gown of purple in graine clasped to her with claspes held a speare in her hand woūd all about with nosegayes garlands of flowers tyed on with laces This man̄er of ieast made many dout whether Marius shewed this woman opēly beleuing in dede that she had the gift of prophecy or els that knowing the cōtrary he made as though he did beleue it to helpe her fayning But that which Alexander the MYNDIAN wrote touching Vultures is a thing greatly to be wōdred at For he said there were two of thē followed Marius in his warres that they euer shewed thē selues missed not when he should win any great battel that they did know them by latin collers they ware about their necks which the souldiers had tyed about thē afterwards let them go where they would by reason whereof they did know the souldiers againe it semed also that they did salute thē were very glad when they saw thē perswaded thē selues that it was a signe token of good lucke to follow Many signes and tokens were seene before the battell howbeit all the rest were ordinary sightes sauing that which was reported to be seene at TVDERTVM AMERIA two cities of ITALIE For they say there were seene speares and targets in the night burning like fire in the element which first were caried vp downe here and there and then met together euen as men moue sturre that fight one with an other vntill at the length the one geuing backe and the other following after they all vanished away and consumed towardes the West About the selfe same time also there came from the citie of PESSINVNTA Batabaces the chiefe priest of the great mother of the goddes who brought newes that the goddesse had spoken to him within her sanctuary and told him that the victory of this warre should fall out on the ROMAINES side The Senate beleued it and ordained that they should build a temple vnto that goddesse to geue her thankes for the victorie which she did promise them Batabaces also would haue presented him selfe vnto the people in open assemblie to tell them as much But there was one Aulus Pompeius a Tribune that would not suffer him to do it calling him tombler or rugler violently thrust him behinde the pulpit for orations but the mischaunce that felt apon Pompeius afterwards made thē the more to beleue Batabaces words For Pompeius the Tribune no sooner came home vnto his house but a great vehement agew tooke him wherof he dyed the seuenth day after as all the world could witnes Now the TEVTONS perceiuing that Marius stirred not at all out of his campe they proued to assault him howbeit they were so well receiued with shotte and slinges that after they had lost certaine of their men they gaue it ouer and determined to goe further perswading them selues that they might easily passe the Alpes without daunger Wherfore trussing vp al their baggage they passed by Marius campe at which time it appeared more certainly then before that they were a maruelous great multitude of people by the length of time which they tooke to passe their way For it is sayd they were passing by his campe sixe dayes continually together And as they came raking by the ROMAINES campe they asked them in mockery if they would wryte or send home any thing to their wiues for they would be with them ere it were long When they were all passed and gone and that they continued on their iorney still Marius also raised his campe and went and followed them fayer and softly foote by foote and euer kept hard at their taile as neere as he could alwayes fortifying his campe very well and euer choosing strong places of scituacion aduantage to lodge in that they might be safe in the night time Thus they marched on in this sorte vntill they came vnto the city of AIX from whence they had not farre to goe but they entered straight into the mountaines of the Alpes Wherefore Marius prepared nowe to fight with them chose out a place that was very strong of scituacion to lodge his campe in howebeit there lacked water And they say he did it of purpose to the ende to quicken his mens corage the more thereby Many repined at it and tolde him that they should stande in great daunger to abide maruelous thirst if they lodged there Whereunto he made aunswere shewing them the riuer that ranne hard by the enemies campe saying withall that they must go thither and buy drinke with their blood The souldiers replyed againe and why then doe ye not lead vs thither whilest our blood is yet moyste he gently aunswered them againe bicause the first thing we doe we must fortifie our campe The souldiers though they were angry with him yet they obeyed him but the slaues hauing neither drinke for them selues nor for their cattell gathered together a great troupe of them and went towardes the riner some of them carying axes other hatchets other swords and speares with their pottes to cary water determining to fight with the barbarous people if otherwise they could not come by it A fewe
with the Ostracismon For himself was the last as Hipparchus CHOLARGIAN and nearest kinseman to the tyranne was the first Sure fortune is a very vncerten thing without coÌ„ceit of reason For had Nicias franckely put him selfe to the hazard of this banishment against Alcibiades one of these two things must needes haue happened him either to haue remained in the city with victory his aduersary being banished or being conuict by his banishment to haue scaped those extreame miseries and calamities the which he afterwards fell into besides the same he had wonne of a wise Captaine though he had bene ouercomen I know notwithstanding that Theophrastus wryteth how Hyperbolus not Nicias was banished through the dissention that fell betwext Phaeâ—x and Alcibiades albeit most wryters agree with that I haue told you before Now the Ambassadors of the EGESTANS and LEONTINES being comen to ATHENS to perswade the ATHENIANS to attempt the conquest of SICILIA Nicias being against it was ouercome by Alcibiades craft ambition For he before they were called to counsell had already through false surmises filled the peoples heades with a vaine hope perswasion of conquest Insomuch as the young men meeting in places of exercise the old men also in artificers shoppes and in their compassed chayers or halfe circles where they sate talking together were euery one occupied about drawing the platforme of SICILE telling the nature of the SICILIAN sea reckoning vp the hauens and places looking towards AFRICKE For they made not their accompt that SICILE should be the end of their warres but rather the storehouse and armorie for all their munition and martiall prouision to make warre against the CARTHAGINIANS and to conquer all AFRICKE and consequently all the AFRICKE seas euen to Hercules pillers Now all their mindes being bent to warres when Nicias spake against it he founde very fewe men of quality to stand by him For the riche fearing least the people would thinke they did it to auoide charge and the cost they should be at about these warres they held their peace though in dede not contented with all yet would not Nicias leaue still to counsell theÌ„ to the contrary But when they had past the decree in counsell for the enterprise of SICILE and that the people had chosen him chiefe Captaine with Alcibiades and Lamachus to follow the same at the next session of the counsell holden in the citie Nicias rose vp againe to see if he could turne the people from this iorney with all the protestations he could possibly make burdening Alcibiades that for his owne ambition and priuate commodity he brought the common wealth into so farre and daungerous a warre But all his wordes preuailed not Him selfe before all others was thought the meetest man for this charge partely bicause of his experience â—â—â— chiefely for that they knew he would handle their matters with greater safety when his tiâ—â—rous foresight should be ioyned with Alcibiades valiantnes and with Lamachus softnes which in deede most confirmed the election Now after the matter thus debated Demostratus one of the Orators that most procured the ATHENIANS to vndertake this enterprise stepped foorth and sayd It were good that Nicias lest of and set a side all these excuses and deuises and preferred a decree that the people shoulde thorowely authorise the Captaines that were chosen to set forward execute what they thought good as well here as there and so perswaded the people to passe and authorise it Yet it is sayd that the Priestes obiected many thinges to hinder the iorney But Alcibiades also hauing suborned certaine soothsayers alleaged inâ— like case some auncient Oracles that sayd the ATHENIANS should haue great honor from SICILE further had intised certaine pilgrimes who sayd they were but newly come from the Oracle of Iupiter Ammon and had brought this Oracle thence That the Athenians should take all the Syracusans But worst of all if any knew of contrary signes or tokens to come they held their peace least it should seâ—me they entermeddled to prognosticate euill for affections sake seeing that the signes them selues which were most plaine and notorious could not remoue them from thenterprise of this iorney As for example the hacking and cutting of the Hermes and images of Mercurye which in one night were all to be mangled sauing one image only called the Hermes of Andocides which was geuen consecrated in old time by the tribe of the AEGEIDES and was set vp directly ouer against a citizens house called Andocides Furthermore the chaunce that happened by the aulter of the twelue goddes where a man leaping sodainly vpon it after he had gone round about it cut of his genitories with a stone And in a temple also in the city of DELPHES where was a litle image of Minerua of gold set apon a palme tree of copper which the citie of ATHENS had geuen of the spoyles wonne of the MEDES Apon that palme tree sate certaine crowes many dayes together and neuer left pecking and iobbing at the frute of it which was all of golde vntill they made the same to fall from the tree But the ATHENIANS sayd that the DELPHIANS whom the SYRACVSANS had subdued had finely fained this deuise There was a prophecy also that commauÌ„ded them to bring one of Mineruaes Nunnes to ATHENS that was in the city of CLAZOMENES So they sent for this Nunne called Hesychia which is rest it seemeth it was that which the goddess by this prophecy did counsell them vnto that for that time they should be quiet Meton the Astronomer hauing charge in the army leauied for the warre of SICILE being afrayed of this prophecie or otherwise misliking the celestiall signes and successe of the iorney fained him selfe mad and set his house a fire Others say he counterfeated not madnes but did one night in deede set his house a fire and that the next morning looking ruefully on it he went into the market place as a man brought to pitiefull state to sue to the people that in coÌ„sideration of his great misfortune happened him they would discharge his sonne of the voyage who was to take charge of a gallie at his owne cost and ready to make sayle Moreouer the familiar spirite of wise Socrates that did vse to tell him before what should happen told him then that this iorney would fall out to the destruction of ATHENS Socrates told it â—o certaine of his very familiar frendes and from them the rumor became common And this also troubled a number of them for the vnluckie dayes on the which they did imbarke For they were the very dayes on the which the women celebrated the feast and yereday of Adonis death and there were also in diuers partes of the city images of dead men caried to buriall and women following them mourning lamenting So that such as did put any confidence in those signes sayd they misliked it much and that they were afrayed
GEDROSIA he staied there also certein daies to refresh his army with feasting bāketing It is said that one day whē he had dronke hard he went to see the games for daunsing amongst thē the games which a yong man called Bagoas had set forth with whō Alexander fel in liking bare the bel This Bagoas being in his daunsing garmēts came through the Theater sat him downe by Alexander The MACEDONIANS were so glad of it that they showted clapped their hands for ioy crying out alowde to kisse him So that in fine he toke him in his armes kissed him before them all Thither came Nearchus his Admiral vnto him who made report what he had sene done in his nauigatiō Alexander was so glad of that as he was desirous to saile by sea him self so entring into the sea oceanum by the mouth of Euphrates with a great fleete of ships to cōpasse in all the coasts of ARABIA AFRICKE thēce into Mare Mediterraneū by the straights of the pillers of Hercules To this intēt he built a great nūber of ships in the city of THAPSACVS sent for mariners shipmasters pilots out of al parts But now the difficultie of the iorney which he tooke apon him for the cōquest of INDIA the daunger he was in whē he fought with the MALLIANS the nūber of his mē which he lost besides which was very great al these things cōsidered together making mē beleue that he should neuer return with safetie they made all the people which he had cōquered bold to rise against him gaue his gouernors Lieuetenants of prouinces occasion to cōmit great insolēcies robberies exactiōs of people To be short it put al his kingdom in broile sedition Insomuch as Olympias Cleopatra rising against Antipater they deuided his gouernmēt betwene thē Olympias chosing for her the kingdō of EPIRVS Cleopatra the kingdō of MACEDON Which whē Alexander had heard he said his mother was the wisest for the realme of MACEDON would neuer haue suffred a womā to raigne thē Therupon he sene Nearchus back again to the sea determining to fil all the sea coasts with warre As he trauelled through the cōtries farre frō the sea he put his capteines gouernors to death which had reuolted against him of those he slue Oxyarthes one of Abulites sonnes by his own hād rōning him thorow with a pike And whē Abulites self also had brought Alexāder iij thowsād talēts only without any other prouisiō made for vittels for his army he made him put the money before his horse which would not once touch it Then sayd he vnto him I pray thee to what purpose serueth this prouisiō therwithal immediatly cōmitted him to prisō As he came through the cōtry of PERSIA he first renued the old custō there which was that as often times as the kings did return home frō any far iorney they gaue vnto euery womā a crown a peece It is said therfore that for this cause some of their natural kings many times did not returne again into their cōtry that Ochus amōgst others did not so much as once returne back again willingly banishing him self out of his cōtry of niggardlines because he would not be at this charg After that Cyrus tomb king of PERSIA being toūd brokē vp he put him to death that did it although he were a MACEDONIAN of the citye of PELLA and none of the meanest called Polymachus Whē he had red the inscriptiō writtē apō it in the Persian tōgue he would needes also haue it writtē in the Greeke tōgue this it was O mā vvhat so thou art vvhēcesoeuer thou cōmest fro I knovve thou shalt come I am Cyrus that conquered the Empire of Persia I pray thee enuy me not for this litle earth that couereth my body These words pearced Alexanders hart whē he cōsidered the vncertainty of worldly things There also Calanus the INDIAN Philosopher hauing had a flyxe a litle while praied that they would make him a stacke of wod such as they vse to burne dead bodies on then rode thither a horse back after he had made his praier vnto the godds he cast those sprincklings apon him which were vsed to be sprinckled at the funerals of the dead Then cutting of a locke of his heare before he went vp on the wodstacke he bad al the MACEDONIANS that were there farewel shooke them by the hands praying thē that day to be mery and drinke freely with the king whom he would see shortly after in the citye of BABYLON When he had said these words he layd him down vpon the wodstack couered his face neuer sturred hand nor foote nor quinched when the fire tooke him but did sacrifice him self in this sort as the maner of his contry was that the wise men should so sacrifice thēselues An other INDIAN also who followed Iulius Caesar did the like many yeares after in the citye of ATHENS there is his tombe yet to be seene cōmonly called the INDIANS tombe When Alexander came from seing this sacrifice of Calanus he did bid diuers of his frends Capteines to supper to him there did bring forth a crown for a reward vnto him that drank best He that drank most of al other was one Promachus that drank foure gallons of wine wan the crown worth a talent but he liued not aboue three dayes after And of other also that fell in sport to quaffing who should drink most there died of thē as Chares writeth one forty persons of an extreme cold that tooke thē in their dronkennes wine When they were in the citie of SVSA he married certein of his frends him self also married Statira one of king Darius Daughters disposing also of the other PERSIAN Ladies according to their estate and birth vnto his best frends He made also a solemne feast of cōmon mariages amongst the MACEDONIANS of thē that had ben maried before At which feast it is writtē that nine thowsand persons sitting at the bords he gaue vnto eueryone of them a cup of gold to offer wine in honor of the gods And there also amongst other wōderful gifts he did pay al the dets the MACEDONIANS ought vnto their creditors the which amounted vnto the summe of tenne thowsand talents sauing a hundred thirty lesse Wherupon Antigenes with one eye falsely putting in his name amongest the number of the detters bringing in one that said he had lent him money Alexander caused him to be paid But afterwards when it was proued to his face that there was no such matter Alexander then was so offended with him that he banished him his court depriued him of his captainship notwithstanding that he had before shewed him self a valiant mā in the warrs For whē he was but a yong man he was shot into the eye before the city of
That such as were in debt should be cleered of all their debts and that the landes also should be diuided into equall partes so that from the valley of Pallena vnto mount Taugetus and vnto the citie of MALEA and SELASIA there should be foure thowsand fiue hundred partes and without those boundes there should be in all the rest fifteene thowsand partes the which should be distributed vnto their neighbours meete to cary weapon and the rest vnto the natural SPARTANS The number of them should be replenished with their neigbours and straungers in like manner which should be very well brought vp and be able men besides to serue the common wealth all the which afterwards should be diuided into fifteene companies of the which some should receiue two hundred others foure hundred men should liue according to the olde auncient institucion obserued by their auncestors This lawe being preferred vnto the Senate the Senators grewe to diuers opinions apon it Whereuppon Lysander him selfe assembled the great counsell of all the people and there spake vnto them him selfe and Mandroclidas and Agesilaus also praying them not to suffer the honor of SPARTA to be troden vnder foote for the vanitie of a fewe but that they would remember the auncient oracles of the goddes warning them to beware of auarice as of the plague and destruction of the common wealth and of the late oracle also brought vnto them from the temple of Pasiphaé The temple and oracle of Pasiphaé was famous at the citie of THALAMES and some say that Pasiphaé was one of the Daughters of Atlas which was gotten with child by Iupiter was deliuered of a sonne called Hammon Other thinke that it was Cassandra one of king Priamus Daughters that died there which was surnamed Pasiphaé bicause she gaue all the aunswers oracles of things to come But Phylarchus writeth that Daphné the Daughter of Amycla flying from Apollo that would haue rauished her was turned into a lawrell tree and honored by Apollo with the gift of prophecie So they said that this oracle of the god commaunded them that the SPARTANS should againe returne vnto their former auncient equalitie stablished first by Lycurgus lawe When euery man els had spoken king Agis rising vp briefly speaking vnto the people sayd that he would bestowe great contributions for the reformation of this common wealth which he was desirous to restore againe For first of all he would make common all his errable and pasture he had and besides that he would adde to six hundred talents in ready money and so much should his mother grandmother kinsemen and friendes all the which were the richest and wealthiest in SPARTA When the people heard what he sayd they maruelled much at the noble minde of this younge king and were very glad of it saying that for three hundred yeares space together the citie of SPARTA had not so worthy a king as he But Leonidas contrarily assayed with all his power he could to resist him thinking with him selfe that if king Agis purpose tooke place he should also be compelled to doe as he did and yet he should haue no thankes but king Agis bicause that all the SPARTANS indifferently should be compelled to make their goods in common but the honor should be his onely that first beganne it So he asked Agis whether he thought Lycurgus had bene a good and iust man or not Agis aunswered that he had bene Then replyed Leonidas did you euer see that he had taken away and abolished any detts or had receyued straungers into the number of the Citizens of SPARTA Who contrarily thought his common wealth vnperfect if all straungers were not banished the citie Agis agayne aunswered him that he maruelled not that Leonidas beeing brought vp in a straung contry and also maryed there in a noble mans house he should be ignorant of Lycurgus lawes who banishing gold and siluer out of his citie did therewithall exile dette and lending And for straungers he hated them that woulde not conforme them selues vnto the manners and facions of life which he instituted and those they were which he banished not for any ill will he bare vnto their persons but bicause he feared their manners of life least that mingling them with the Citizens they should make them runne after vanitie and couetousnes to be riche For otherwise Terpander Thales and Pherecydes which were all straungers were maruelously reuerenced and honored in SPARTA in olde tyme bicause they did singe in their writings the selfe same thinges which Lycurgus had established in his lawes And thou thy selfe also doest commend Ecprepes being one of the Ephores bicause he did cut with a hatchet the two stringes which Phrynis the Musitian had added vnto the Citheme more then the seuen common stringes and those also which did the like vnto Timotheus and yet thou reprouest me bicause I goe about to roote out all excesse and pride out of SPARTA as though those men did not farre of preuent that these superfluous stringes of the musicke delighting the Citizens mindes too much with their songes should not cause them fall vnto such trade and manner of life as should make the citie at discord with it selfe After this contencion the common people did sticke vnto king Agis and the riche men followed Leonidas praying and perswading him not to forsake them and further they did so intreate the Senators in whom consisteth the chiefe authority to determine and disgest all matters before they be propownded vnto the people that they ouerthrew the law by the onely voice of one man more Wherefore Lysander who was yet in office attempted to accuse Leonidas by an auncient lawe forbidding that none of the race of Hercules should mary with any straung woman nor beget children of her and sayde further that no man vpon payne of death should dwell anywhere but in SPARTA When he had instructed others to obiect these thinges agaynst Leonidas her with other of his colleagues obserued a signe in the element the ceremony wherof was in this sorte Euery nynenth yeare the Ephori chusing a bright night without moone-light did sit downe in some open place and beheld the starres in the element to see if they saw any starre shoote from one place to another if they did then they accused their kinges that they had offended the goddes and did depriue them of their kingdom vntill some oracle came from DELPHES or Olympus to restore them againe Lysander then declaring that he had seene a starre flie in the element did therefore accuse king Leonidas and brought forth witnesses against him how he had maried a woman of ASIA the which one of king Seleucus Lieuetenants had giuen him in mariage that he had two children by her afterwards being forsaken of his wife that refused him he returned againe into his contry against his will so had possessed the kingdom for lacke of lawful heire So following his accusation in this manner
Leonidas incontinently with a great number of souldiers that were straungers beset the prison round about The Ephores weÌ„t into the prison sent vnto some of the Senate to come vnto them whom they knew to be of their mind then they coÌ„maunded Agis â—â— if it had bene iudicially to giue accompt of the alteracion he had made in the coÌ„mon wealth The younge man laughed at their hypocrisie But Amphares told him that it was no laughing sport that he should pay for his folly Then another of the Ephores seeming to deale more fauorably with him to shew him a way how he might escape the condeÌ„nation for his fault asked him if he had not bene intised vnto it by Agesilaus and Lysander Agis aunswered that no man compelled him but that he onely did it to follow the steppes of the auncient Lycurgus to bring the common wealth vnto the former estate of his graue ordinaunce institution Then the same Senator asked him againe if he did not repent him of that he had done The younge man boldly aunswered him that he would neuer repent him of so wise and vertuous an enterprise though he ventred his life for it Then they condemned him to death and commaunded the Sergeants to cary him into the Decade which was a place in the prison where they were strangled that were condemned to dye Demochares perceiuing the Sergeaunts durst not lay hold of him likewise that the souldiers which were straungers did abhorre to commit such a fact contrary to the law of God and man to lay violent hands vpon the person of a king he threatned reuiled them and dragged Agis perforce into that place called the Decade Now the rumor ranne straight through the citie that king Agis was taken a multitude of people were at the prison dores with lights torches Thither came also king Agis mother grandmother shreeking out praying that the king of SPARTA might yet be heard and iudged by the people For this cause they hastned his death the sooner and were afraid besides least the people in the night would take him out of their hands by force if there came any more people thither Thus king Agis being led to his death spied a SergeauÌ„t lamenting weeping for him vnto whom he said good fellowe I pray thee weepe not for me for I am honester man then they that so shamefully put me to death with those words he willingly put his head into the halter Amphares then going out of the prison into the street found Agesistraetae there king Agis mother who straight fel downe at his feete but he taking her vp againe in old famillier manner as being her very friend told her that they should doe king Agis no hurt that she might if she would goe see him Then she prayed that they would also let her mother in with her Amphares sayde with a good will and so put them both into the prison house and made the dores be shut after them But when they were within he first gaue Archidamia vnto the Sergeaunts to be put to death who was a maruelous olde woman and had liued more honorably vnto that age then any Lady or Matrone beside her in the citie She being executed he commaunded Agesistraetae also to come in Who whe she sawe the bodye of her dead sonne layed on the ground her mother also hanging on the gallowes she did her selfe helpe the hangman to plucke her downe and layed her body by her sonnes Then hauing couered her in decent manner she layed her downe on the ground by the corps of her sonne Agis and kissing his cheeke sayd out alas my sonne thy great modestie goodnes and clemencie brought thee and vs vnto this deathe Then Amphares peeping in at the dore to see what was done hearing what she sayde came in withall in a greate rage and sayde I perceyue thou hast also beene of counsell with thy sonne and sithe it is so thou shalt also followe him Then she rising likewise to be strangled sayd the goddes graunt yet that this may profit SPARTA This horrible murther beeing blowen abroad in the citie and the three dead bodies also brought out of prison the feare though it were great amongest the people could not keepe them back from apparant show of griefe and manifest hate against Leonidas and Amphares thinking that there was neuer a more wicked and crueller fact committed in SPARTA since the DORIANS came to dwell in PELOPONNESVS For the very enemies them selues in bartell would not willingly lay hands vpon the kings of LACEDAEMON but did forbeare as much as they could possible both for feare reuerence they bare vnto their maiestie For in many great battels coÌ„flicts which the LACEDAEMONIANS had against the GRAECIANS there was neuer any king of LACEDAEMON slain before Philips time but CleoÌ„brotus only who was slain with a dart at the battell of LEVCTRES Some write also that the MESSENIANS hold opinioÌ„ that their Aristomenes slue king Theopompus howbeit the LACEDAEMONIANS sayde that he was but hurt not slayne But hereof there are diuers opinions but it is certain that Agis was the first king whom the Ephores euer put to death for that he had layd a plat of a noble deuise and worthy of SPARTA being of that age when men doe easily pardon them that offend and was rather to be accused of his friendes and enemies bicause he had saued Leonidas life had trusted other men as the best natured younge man that could be Now Agis hauing suffered in this sort Leonidas was not quicke enough to take Archidamus his brother also for he fled presently Yet he brought Agis wife out of her house by force with a litle boy she had by him and maried her vnto his sonne Cleomenes who was yet vnder age to marye fearing least this younge Ladye should be bestowed els where beeing in deede a great heire and of a riche house and the Daughter of Gylippus called by her name Agiatis besides that she was the fayrest woman at that tyme in all GRAECE and the vertuousest and best condicioned Wherefore for diuers respects she praied she might not be forced to it But now being at length maried vnto Cleomenes she euer hated Leonidas to the death and yet was a good and louing wife vnto her young husband Who immediatly after he was maried vnto her fell greatly in fancy with her and for compassions sake as it seemed he thanked her for the loue she bare vnto her first husband and for the louing remembraunce she had of him insomuch as he him selfe many times would fall in talke of it and would be inquisitiue how thinges had passed taking great pleasure to heare of Agis wise counsell and purpose For Cleomenes was as desirous of honor and had as noble a minde as Agis and was borne also to temperancie and moderation of life as Agis in like manner was howbeit
very well brought vp in the LACONIAN discipline and better then any man of his yeares Cleomenes did loue him dearely and commaunded him that when he should see he were dead and all the rest also that then he should kill him selfe last of all Now they all being layed on the ground he searched them one after another with the poynt of his sword to see if there were any of them yet left aliue and when he had pricked Cleomenes on the heele amongest others and saw that he did yet knit his browes he kissed him sate downe by him Then perceiuing that he had yelded vp the ghost imbracing him when he was dead he also slue him selfe and fell vpon him Thus Cleomenes hauing raigned king of SPARTA sixteene yeares being the same manner of man we haue described him to be he ended his dayes in this sort as ye heare Now his death being presently bruted through the citie Cratesiclea his mother though otherwise she had a noble minde did notwithstanding a litle forget her greatnes through thextreame sorow she felt for the death of her sonne and so imbracing Cleomenes sonnes she fell to bitter lamentacion But the eldest of his sonnes no man mistrusting any such matter found meanes to get out of her handes running vp to the toppe of the house cast him selfe headlong downe to the ground that his head was all broken and splitted yet died not but was taken vp crying and angry with them that they would not suffer him to dye This newes being brought to king Ptolomy he commaunded they should first flea Cleomenes and then hange vp his body and also that they should put his children his mother and all her women wayting on her to death among the which was Panteas wife one of the fayrest and curteousest women in her tyme They had not beene longe maried before when these mischieues lighted apon them at what tyme their loue was then in greatest force Her parents then would not let her depart and imbarke with her husband but had locked her vp and kept her at home by force Howbeit shortly after she found the meanes to get her a horse some money and stale away in the night and gallopped towards the hauen of Taenarus where finding a shippe ready bound for AEGYPT she imbarked and went to seeke her husband with whome she gladly and louingly ledde her life forsaking her owne contry to liue in a straunge Realme Now when the Sergeaunts came to take Cratesiclea to put her to death Panteas wife led her by the arme carying vp her traine and did comfort her although Cratesiclea otherwise was not affraid to dye but onely asked this fauor that she might dye before her litle children This notwithstanding when they came to the place of execution the hangman first slue her children before her eyes and then her selfe afterwards who in such great griefe and sorowe sayd no more but thus Alas my poore children what is become of you And Panteas wife also being a mighty tall woman girding her clothes to her tooke vp the slayne bodies one after another and wrapped them vp in such things as she could get speaking neuer a word nor shewing any signe or token of griefe and in fine hauing prepared her self to dye and plucked of her attyre her selfe without suffering any other to come neare her or to see her but the hangman that was appoynted to stryke of her head In this sorte she dyed as constantly as the stowtest man liuing could haue done and had so couered her body that no man needed after her death to touche her so carefull was she to her ende to keepe her honestie which she had alwayes kept in her life and in her death was mindefull of her honor wherewith she decked her body in her life tyme Thus these LACEDAEMON Ladies playing their partes in this pitifull tragedie contending at the time of death euen with the corage of the slayne SPARTANS their contrymen which of them should dye most constantly left a manifest proofe and testimonie that fortune hath no power ouer fortitude and corage Shortly after those that were appoynted to keepe the body of king Cleomenes that hong vpon the crosse they spied a great Serpent wreathed about his head that couered all his face insomuch as no rauening fowle durst come neare him to eate of it whereuppon the king fell into a supersticious feare being affrayd that he had offended the goddes Hereuppon the Ladyes in his Court began to make many sacrifices of purification for the cleering of this sinne perswading them selues that they had put a man to death beloued of the gods and that he had something more in him then a man The ALEXANDRINIANS thereuppon went to the place of execution and made their prayers vnto Cleomenes as vnto a demy god calling him the sonne of the goddes Vntill that the learned men brought them from that error declaring vnto them that like as of oxen being dead and rotten there breede bees and of horse also come waspes of asses likewise bitels euen so mens bodies when the marie melteth and gathereth together doe bringe forth Serpents The which comming to the knowledge of the auncients in olde tyme of all other beastes they did consecrate the Dragon to Kinges and Princes as proper vnto man. The end of the life of Agis and Cleomenes TIBERIVS AND CAIVS GRACCHI NOW that we haue declared vnto you the historie of the liues of these two GRAECIANS Agis and Cleomenes aforesayd we must also write the historie of two ROMANES the which is no lesse lamentable for the troubles and calamities that chaunced vnto Tiberius and Caius both of them the sonnes of Tiberius Gracchus He hauing bene twise Consul and once Censor and hauing had the honor of two triumphs had notwithstanding more honor and fame onely for his valiantnes for the which he was thought worthy to marye with Cornelia the daughter of Scipio who ouercame Hanniball after the death of his father though while he liued he was neuer his friend but rather his enemy It is reported that Tiberius on a tyme found two snakes in his bed and that the Soothsayers and wysards hauing considered the signification thereof did forbid him to kill them both and also to let them both escape but one onely assuring him that if he killed the male he should not liue long after and if he killed the female that then his wife Cornelia shoulde dye Tiberius then louing his wife dearely thinking it meeter for him also that he being the elder of both and she yet a younge woman should dye before her he slue the male and let the female escape howbeit he dyed soone after leauing twelue children aliue all of them begotten of Cornelia Cornelia after the death of her husband taking vpon her the rule of her house and children led such a chast life was so good to her children and of so noble a minde that euery man
fel downe and geuing one gaspe gaue vp the ghost Now touching the poyson Aristo reporteth that he sucked and drewe it vp into his mouth out of his quill as we haue sayd before But one Pappus from whom Hermippus hath taken his historie wryteth that when he was layed on the ground before the aulter they founde the beginning of a letter which sayd Demosthenes vnto Antipater but no more Nowe his death being thus sodaine the THRACIAN souldiers that were at the temple dore reported that they sawe him plucke the poyson which he put into his mouth out of a litle cloth he had thinking to them that it had bene a pece of gold he had swallowed downe Howbeit a maide of the house that serued him being examined by Archias about it tolde him that he had caried it about him a long time for a preseruatise for him Eratosthenes writeth that he kept this poyson in a litle boxe of gold made hollow within the which he ware as a bracelet about his arme There are many writers also that do reporte his death diuersly but to recite them all it were in vaine sauing that there was one called Demochares who was Demosthenes verie frende sayd that he dyed not so sodainly by poyson but that it was the speciall fauor of the gods to preserue him from the crueltie of the MACEDONIANS that so sodainly tooke him out of his life and made him feele so litle paine Demosthenes dyed the sixteenth day of the moneth Pynepsion to wit October on the which day they doe celebrate at ATHENS the feast of Ceres called Tesmophoria which is the dolefullest feast of all the yeare on the which day also the women remaine all day longe in the temple of the goddesse without meate or drinke Shortly after the ATHENIANS to honor him according to his desertes did cast his image in brasse made a lawe besides that the oldest man of his house shoulde for euer be kept within the pallace at the charge of the common wealth and ingraued these verses also apon the base of his image Hadst thou Demosthenes had strength according to thy hart The Macedons should not haue vvrought the Greekes such vvoe and smart For they that thinke that it was Demosthenes him selfe that made the verses in the I le of CALAVRIA before he tooke his poyson they are greatly deceiued But yet a litle before my first comming to ATHENS there went a reporte that such a thing happened A certaine souldier being sent for to come vnto his Captaine did put such peeces of gold as he had into the handes of Demosthenes statue which had both his hands ioyned together and there grew hard by it a great plane tree diuers leaues whereof either blowen of by winde by chaunce or else put there of purpose by the souldier couered so this golde that it was there a long time and no man found it vntill such time as the souldier came againe and found it as he left it Hereuppon this matter running abroade in euerie mans mouth there were diuers wise men that tooke occasion of this subiect to make epigrammes in the praise of Demosthenes as one who in his life was neuer corrupted Furthermore Demades did not long enioy the honor he thought he had newly gotten For the iustice of the goddes reuenger of the death of Demosthenes brought him into MACEDON to receiue iust punishment by death of those whom he dishonestly flattered being before growen hatefull to them and afterwardes committed a fault whereby he coulde not escape For there were letters of his taken by the which he did perswade and pray Perdiccas to make him selfe king of MACEDON to deliuer GRAECE from bondage saying that it hong but by a threde and yet it was halfe rotten meaning thereby Antipater Dinarchus CORINTHIAN accused him that he wrote these letters the which so grieuously offended Cassander that first he slewe his owne sonne in his armes and then commaunded they should afterwards kill Demades making him feele then by those miseries which are the cruellest that can happen vnto man that traitors betraying their owne contrie do first of all betray them selues Demosthenes had often forewarned him of his end but he would neuer beleue him Thus my frend Sossius you haue what we can deliuer you by reading or raporte touching Demosthenes life and doings THE LIFE OF Marcus Tullius Cicero AS touching Ciceroes mother whose name was Heluia it is reported she was a gentlewoman borne liued alwayes verie honestly but for his father the reports of him are diuers and infinite For some say that he was borne and brought vp in a fullers shoppe others reporte that hè came of Tullius Actius who while he liued was honored among the VOLSCES as king and made verie sharpe and cruell warres with the ROMANES But surely it seemes to me that the first of that name called Cicero was some famous man and that for his sake his offpring continued still that surname and were glad to keepe it though many men scorned it bicause Cicer in English signifieth a riche pease That Cicero had a thing vpon the tippe of his nose as it had bene a litle wart muche like to a riche pease whereuppon they surnamed him Cicero But this Cicero whose life we write of nowe nobly aunswered certaine of his frendes on a time geuing him counsell to chaunge his name when he first made sute for office and beganne to practise in matters of state that he woulde endeuour him selfe to make the name of the Ciceroes more noble and famous then the Scauri or Catuli After that Cicero beinge made Treasorer in SICILE he gaue an offering of certeine siluer plate vnto the goddes and at large engraued on it his two first names Marcus Tullius and in place of his third name he pleasauntly commaunded the workeman to cut out the forme and facion of a riche pease Thus muche they wryte of his name Nowe for his birth it was sayed that his mother was brought a bedde of him without any paine the third daye of Ianuarie on which day the Magistrates and Gouernours of ROME doe vse at this present yearely to make solemne prayers and sacrifices vnto the goddes for the health and prosperitie of the Emperour Further it is reported that there appeared an image to his nurse that did prognosticate vnto her she gaue a childe sucke which in time to come shoulde doe great good vnto all the ROMANES Nowe though such thinges may seeme but dreames and fables vnto many yet Cicero him selfe shortly after proued this prophecie true bicause that when he came of age to learne he grewe so toward and wanne suche fame among the boyes for his excellent wit and quicke capacitie For thereuppon came the other boyes fathers them selues to the schoole to see his face and to be eye witnesses of the reporte that went of him of his sharpe and quicke witte to learne But
him not presently for the blood stinted a litle when he was layed and when he came somwhat to him selfe againe he praied them that were about him to dispatch him But they all fled out of the chamber and lest him crying out tormenting him selfe vntill at last there came a secretarie vnto him called Diomedes who was commaunded to bring him into the tombe or monument where Cleopatra was When he heard that she was aliue he verie earnestlie prayed his men to carie his bodie thither and so he was caried in his mens armes into the entry of the monument Notwithstāding Cleopatra would not open the gates but came to the high windowes and cast out certaine chaines and ropes in the which Antonius was trussed and Cleopatra her owne selfe with two women only which she had suffered to come with her into these monumentes trised Antonius vp They that were present to behold it said they neuer saw to pitiefull a sight For they plucked vp poore Antonius all bloody as he was and drawing on with pangs of death who holding vp his hands to Cleopatra raised vp him selfe as well as he could It was a hard thing for these women to do to lift him vp but Cleopatra stowping downe with her head putting to all her strength to her vttermost power did lift him vp with much a doe and neuer let goe her hold with the helpe of the women beneath that bad her be of good corage and were as sorie to see her labor so as she her selfe So when she had gotten him in after that sorte and layed him on a bed she rent her garments vpon him clapping her brest and scratching her face stomake Then she dried vp his blood that had berayed his face and called him her Lord her husband and Emperour forgetting her owne miserie and calamity for the pitie and compassion she tooke of him Antonius made her ceasse her lamenting and called for wine either bicause he was a thirst or else for that he thought thereby to hasten his death When he had dronke he earnestly prayed her and perswaded her that she would seeke to saue her life if she could possible without reproache and dishonor and that chiefly she should trust Proculeius aboue any man else about Caesar. And as for him selfe that she should not lament nor sorowe for the miserable chaunge of his fortune at the end of his dayes but rather that she should thinke him the more fortunate for the former triumphes honors he had receiued considering that while he liued he was the noblest and greatest Prince of the world that now he was ouercome not cowardly but valiantly a ROMANE by an other ROMANE As Antonius gaue the last gaspe Proculeius came that was sent from Caesar. For after Antonius had thrust his sworde in him selfe as they caried him into the tombes and monuments of Cleopatra one of his gard called Dercetaeus tooke his sword with the which he had striken him selfe and hidde it then he secretly stale away and brought Octauius Caesar the first newes of his death shewed him his sword that was bloodied Caesar hearing these newes straight withdrewe him selfe into a secret place of his tent and there burst out with teares lamenting his hard and miserable fortune that had bene his frende and brother in law his equall in the Empire and companion with him in sundry great exploytes and battells Then he called for all his frendes and shewed them the letters Antonius had written to him and his aunsweres also sent him againe during their quarrell and strife how fiercely and prowdly the other answered him to all iust and reasonable matters he wrote vnto him After this he sent Proculeius and commaunded him to doe what he could possible to get Cleopatra aliue fearing least otherwise all the treasure would be lost and furthermore he thought that if he could take Cleopatra and bring her aliue to ROME she would maruelously beawtifie and sette out his triumphe But Cleopatra would neuer put her selfe into Proculeius handes although they spake together For Proculeius came to the gates that were very thicke strong and surely barred but yet there were some cranewes through the which her voyce might be heard and so they without vnderstoode that Cleopatra demaunded the kingdome of AEGYPT for her sonnes and that Proculeius aunswered her that she should be of good cheere and not be affrayed to referre all vnto Caesar. After he had viewed the place verie well he came and reported her aunswere vnto Caesar. Who immediatly sent Gallus to speake once againe with her and bad him purposely hold her with talke whilest Proculeius did set vp a ladder against that high windowe by the which Antonius was trised vp and came downe into the monument with two of his men hard by the gate where Cleopatra stoode to heare what Gallus sayd vnto her One of her women which was shut in her monumēts with her saw Proculeius by chaunce as he came downe and shreeked out O poore Cleopatra thou art taken Then when she sawe Proculeius behind her as she came from the gate she thought to haue stabbed her selfe in with a short dagger she ware of purpose by her side But Proculeius came sodainly vpon her and taking her by both the hands said vnto her Cleopatra first thou shalt doe thy selfe great wrong and secondly vnto Caesar to depriue him of the occasion and oportunitie openly to shew his bountie and mercie and to geue his enemies cause to accuse the most curteous and noble Prince that euer was and to appeache him as though he were a cruell and mercielesse man that were not to be trusted So euen as he spake the word he tooke her dagger from her and shooke her clothes for feare of any poyson hidden about her Afterwardes Caesar sent one of his infranchised men called Epaphroditus whom he straightly charged to looke well vnto her and to beware in any case that she made not her selfe away and for the rest to vse her with all the curtesie possible And for him selfe he in the meane time entred the citie of ALEXANDRIA and as he went talked with the Philosopher Arrius and helde him by the hande to the end that his contrie men should reuerence him the more bicause they saw Caesar so highly esteeme and honor him Then he went into the show place of exercises and so vp to his chaire of state which was prepared for him of a great height and there according to his commaundement all the people of ALEXANDRIA were assembled who quaking for feare fell downe on their knees before him and craued mercie Caesar bad them all stande vp and told them openly that he forgaue the people and pardoned the felonies and offences they had committed against him in this warre First for the founders sake of the same citie which was Alexander the great secondly for the beawtie of the citie which he muche esteemed and wondred
yet I am forbidden and kept from tearing murdering this captiue body of mine with blowes which they carefully gard and keepe onely to triumphe of thee looke therefore henceforth for no other honors offeringes nor sacrifices from me for these are the last which Cleopatra can geue thee sith nowe they carie her away Whilest we liued together nothing could seuer our companies but now at our death I feare me they will make vs chaunge our contries For as thou being a ROMANE hast bene buried in AEGYPT euen so wretched creature I an AEGYPTIAN shall be buried in ITALIE which shall be all the good that I haue receiued by thy contrie If therefore the gods where thou art now haue any power and authoritie sith our gods here haue forsaken vs suffer not thy true frend and louer to be caried away aliue that in me they triumphe of thee but receiue me with thee and let me be buried in one selfe tombe with thee For though my griefes and miseries be infinite yet none hath grieued me more nor that I could lesse beare withall then this small time which I haue bene driuē to liue alone without thee Then hauing ended these doleful plaints and crowned the tombe with garlands and sundry nosegayes and maruelous louingly imbraced the same she commaunded they should prepare her bath and when she had bathed and washed her selfe she fell to her meate and was sumptuously serued Nowe whilest she was at dinner there came a contrieman and brought her a basket The souldiers that warded at the gates asked him straight what he had in his basket He opened the basket and tooke out the leaues that couered the figges and shewed them that they were figges he brought They all of them maruelled to see so goodly figges The contrieman laughed to heare them and bad them take some if they would They beleued he told them truely and so bad him carie them in After Cleopatra had dined she sent a certaine table written and sealed vnto Caesar and commaunded them all to go out of the tombes where she was but the two women then she shut the dores to her Caesar when he receiued this table and began to read her lamentation and petition requesting him that he would let her be buried with Antonius founde straight what she ment and thought to haue gone thither him selfe howbeit he sent one before in all hast that might be to see what it was Her death was very sodaine For those whom Caesar sent vnto her ran thither in all hast possible found the souldiers standing at the gate mistrusting nothing nor vnderstanding of her death But when they had opened the dores they founde Cleopatra starke dead layed vpon a bed of gold attired and araied in her royall robes and one of her two women which was called Iras dead at her feete and her other woman called Charmion halfe dead and trembling trimming the Diademe which Cleopatra ware vpon her head One of the souldiers seeing her angrily sayd vnto her is that well done Charmion Verie well sayd she againe and meete for a Princes discended from the race of so many noble kings She sayd no more but fell downe dead hard by the bed Some report that this Aspicke was brought vnto her in the basket with figs that she had cōmaunded them to hide it vnder the figge leaues that when she shoulde thinke to take out the figges the Aspicke shoulde bite her before she should see her howbeit that when shew would haue taken away the leaues for the figges she perceiued it and said art thou here then And so her arme being naked she put it to the Aspicke to be bitten Other say againe she kept it in a boxe and that she did pricke and thrust it with a spindell of golde so that the Aspicke being angerd withall lept out with great furie and bitte her in the arme Howbeit sewe can tell the troth For they report also that she had hidden poyson in a hollow raser which she caried in the heare of her head and yet was there no marke seene of her bodie or any signe discerned that she was poysoned neither also did they finde this serpent in her tombe But it was reported onely that there were seene certeine fresh steppes or trackes where it had gone on the tombe side toward the sea and specially by the dores side Some say also that they found two litle pretie bytings in her arme scant to be discerned the which it seemeth Caesar him selfe gaue credit vnto bicause in his triumphe he caried Cleopatraes image with an Aspicke byting of her arme And thus goeth the report of her death Now Caesar though he was maruelous sorie for the death of Cleopatra yet he wondred at her noble minde and corage and therefore commaunded she should be nobly buried and layed by Antonius and willed also that her two women shoulde haue honorable buriall Cleopatra dyed being eight and thirtie yeare olde after she had raigned two and twenty yeres and gouerned aboue foureteene of them with Antonius And for Antonius some say that he liued three and fiue yeares and others say six and fiftie All his statues images and mettalls were plucked downe and ouerthrowen sauing those of Cleopatra which stoode still in their places by meanes of Archibius one of her frendes who gaue Caesar a thowsande talentes that they should not be handled as those of Antonius were Antonius left seuen children by three wiues of the which Caesar did put Antyllus the eldest sonne he had by Fuluia to death Octauia his wife tooke all the rest and brought them vp with hers and maried Cleopatra Antonius daughter vnto king Iuba a maruelous curteous goodly Prince And Antonius the sonne of Fuluia came to be so great that next vnto Agrippa who was in greatest estimacion about Caesar and next vnto the children of Liuia which were the second in estimacion he had the third place Furthermore Octauia hauing had two daughters by her first husband Marcellus and a sonne also called Marcellus Caesar maried his daughter vnto that Marcellus and so did adopt him for his sonne And Octauia also maried one of her daughters vnto Agrippa But when Marcellus was deade after he had bene maried a while Octauia perceiuing that her brother Caesar was very busie to choose some one among his frends whom he trusted best to make his sonne in law she perswaded him that Agrippa should mary his daughter Marcellus widow and leaue her owne daughter Caesar first was contented withall and then Agrippa and so she afterwards tooke away her daughter and maried her vnto Antonius and Agrippa maried Iulia Caesars daughter Now there remained two daughters more of Octauia and Antonius Domitius AEnobarbus maried the one and the other which was Antonia so fayer and vertuous a young Ladie was maried vnto Drusus the sonne of Liuia and sonne in law of Caesar. Of this mariage came Germanicus and Clodius of the which Clodius afterwards
glad of it passed it ouer with laughing and told him that had brought them vnto him doest thou not see that of all these thou hast brought me there is not an honest woman but she After that Cyrus began to make muche of her and loued her better continually then all the rest called her Aspasia the wise This Aspasia was taken among the spoiles of Cyrus campe after he was ouerthrowen and Darius as we haue told ye did begge her of his father who was verie angrie with it in his mind For the barbarous people of all other things are maruelous gealous of their women so that not onely he should be put to death that durst but speake to or touch any concubine of the kings but in sport but also whosoeuer came nere them or neere their coches as they trauelled The kings daughter Atossa whom he had maried against all lawe was yet liuing and besides her he had also three hundred and three score passing fayer concubines and yet when his sonne Darius asked Aspasia of him the king aunswered she was a free woman borne and therefore if she woulde he was content he should haue her but if she were vnwilling to goe to him then he would not haue him force her by no meanes So Aspasia was sent for and she was asked with whom she had rather be She answered with Darius contrarie to king Artaxerxes expectacion who both by the custome and also the law was compelled to let him haue her But shortly after he tooke her from him againe saying that he woulde place her in a Nunrie of Diana in the contrie of ECBATANE where they call her Anitis there to serue the goddesse and to liue chast all the daies of her life supposing by this meanes to punish his sonne not rigorously but moderatly with griefe mixt with sporte and earnest Howebeit his sonne tooke it not so pacientlie either bicause he was deepelie in loue with Aspasia or else for that he saw his father mocked him in that point Tiribazus finding this and perceiuing that Darius tooke it verie grieuouslie he aggrauated his anger against his father knowing the passion of loue in Darius by his owne vpon the like occasion King Artaxerxes had many daughters and had promised Pharnabazus one of them called Apama vnto Orontes Rodogoune and to Tiribazus Amestris The king performed the other two mariages did put Tiribazus by his wife For the king him selfe maried his owne daughter Amestris and for her he promised Tiribazus the younger Atossa with whom also he him selfe fell in loue and maried her Tiribazus hereupon was in such a rage with the king that he hated him to the death not bicause he was any traitor or seditious man in nature but a madde harebrained fellow For sometime he was aloft and in as good credit and authoritie as the best sodainly againe he woulde play some madde parte to anger the king and then he was in as much disgrace and out of countenaunce and could not away with neither fortune For when he was in authoritie he made euerie man hate him for his pride and being in disgrace he could not humble him selfe but looke bigger then before Nowe there was fire and brimstone met when Tiribazus tooke parte with Darius For he dayly blewe into his eares that it was to no purpose for him to weare his hat right vp if his affaires also went not rightly forward and that he deceiued him selfe much if he did not know that his brother by meanes of the women he kept secretlie aspired to the crowne and that his father being so vnconstant as he was he must not trust in any sorte to succeede his father in the kingdome what proclamation soeuer he hath made in his behalfe to the contrarie For sayd he he that for a GRAECIAN woman hath broken and violated the holiest lawe that was in PERSIA thou must not looke that he will performe that he hath promised thee And furthermore he perswaded him that it was not a like repulse vnto Ochus to be denied that which he looked for as it was for him to be turned out of all that euer he had gotten For sayd he if it please Ochus to liue like a priuate man he may safelie doe it and no man will trouble him but for him selfe that was alreadie proclaimed king he must of necessitie make him selfe king or else he must not liue So the Poet Sophocles his saying most commonly proueth true Ill counsell eazly takes place For the way is large and plaine for a man to beleeue as he lyst and men commonly are giuen rather to beleue the euill then the good bicause most men know not what goodnes meaneth But now beside these perswasions the greatnes of the kingdome and the feare Darius stoode in of his brother Ochus tooke great force and effect with him and it may be also that Venus her selfe did somewhat in the matter for the malice and spight that Aspasia was taken from him But whatsoeuer the cause was thus was it handled that Darius flatly conspired against his father Artaxerxes together with Tiribazus Now they hauing gotten many conspirators to ioyne with them one of the kings Euenukes perceiuing it ranne and told the king of it and howe they had sodainly determined to assaile him knowing certainly that it was agreed among them selues that they should kill him in his bedde in the night Artaxerxes receiuing this aduertisement thought it was not good to be carelesse of a matter of so great importaunce as his life and also that it were too great lightnes in him so sodainly to beleue his Euenuke without better proofe or knowledge So he tooke this way with him selfe He commaunded the Euenuke that had geuen him this informacion to keepe companie still with the conspirators to follow them wheresoeuer they went to see their doings and in the meane time he bet downe his wall behind his bed and made a dore thorowe and set vp a hanging of tapistrie before it When the time was come as the Euenuke had aduertised the king that the traitors ment to doe their feate Artaxerxes being layed on his bedde rose not vp till he had seene euerie traitor of them in the face that came to kill him Then when he sawe them comming towards him with their swords drawen he sodainly lift vp the hanging and got in to his inner chamber shut the dore after him making an outcrie murder murder So the traitors being plainly seene and knowen by the king fled the same way they came and failed of their purpose and bad Tiribazus saue him selfe bicause he was knowen So they dispersed them selues and scaped by flying But Tiribazus was taken tardie although he had slaine diuers of the kings gard valliantly defending him selfe yet they tooke him not till he was striken with a dart a good way of which slewe him Darius was also taken and apprehended and brought prisoner with his sonnes and
graunt the most straungest and oldest opinion of this which sayth that there be euill spirites which enuying the vertue of good men to withdraw them from their godly mindes doe make them affrayed with these fearefull sights intising them to forsake their godlynes least that persisting therein they should be rewarded with better life in the world to come then theirs is But let vs referre this disputacion to some other booke and now in this twelfth couple of these famous mens liues compared let vs first begin to write the life of him that is the elder of these two men we speake of Dionysius the elder after he had the gouernment of SICILIA in his handes he maried the daughter of Hermocrates a citizen of SYRACVSA But yet not being throughlie settled in his tyrannie that SYRACVSANS did rebell against him did so cruellie and abhominablie handle the bodie of his wife that she willinglie poysoned her selfe So after he had established him selfe in his gouernment with more suretie then before he maried againe two other wiues together the one a straunger of the citie of LOCRES called Doride and the other of the contry it selfe called Aristomaché the daughter of Hipparinus the chiefest man of all SYRACVSA and that had bene companion with Dionysius the first time he was chosen Generall It was sayd that Dionysius maried them both in one day and that they could neuer tell which of them he knewe first but otherwise that he made as much of the one as he did of the other For they commonly sate together with him at his table and did either of them lye with him by turnes though the SYRACVSANS would haue their owne contrywoman preferred before the straunger Howebeit the straunge woman had this good happe to bring foorth Dionysius his eldest sonne which was a good countenaunce to defend her being a forreiner Aristomaché in contrarie maner continued a long time with Dionysius without frute of her wombe although he was verie desirous to haue children by her so that he put the LOCRIAN womans mother to death accusing her that she had with sorceries and witchcraft kept Aristomaché from being with child Dion being the brother of Aristomaché was had in great estimation at the first for his sisters sake but afterwards the tyran finding him to be a wise man he loued him thē for his owne sake Insomuch that among many sundrie things pleasures he did for him he commaunded his Treasorers to let him haue what money he asked of them so they made him acquainted withall the selfe same day they gaue him any Nowe though Dion had euer before a noble minde in him by nature yet muche more did that magnanimitie increase when Plato by good fortune arriued in SICILE For his comming thither surelie was no mans deuise as I take it but the verie prouidence of some god who bringing farre of the first beginning and fundation of the libertie of the SYRACVSANS and to ouerthrow the tyrannicall state sent Plato out of ITALIE vnto the citie of SYRACVSA and brought him acquainted with Dion who was but a young man at that time but yet had an apter witte to learne and redier good will to follow vertue then any young man else that followed Plato as Plato him selfe writeth and his owne doinges also doe witnesse For Dion hauing from a child bene brought vp with humble conditions vnder a tyran and acquainted with a seruile timerous life with a prowde and insolent reigne with all vanity and curiositie as placing chiefe felicity in couetousnes neuerthelesse after he had felt the sweete reasons of Philosophie teaching the broad way to vertue his hart was enflamed straight with earnest desire to follow the same And bicause he found that he was so easelie perswaded to loue vertue and honestie he simplie thinking being of an honest plaine nature that the selfe same perswasions would moue a like affection in Dionysius obteined of Dionysius that being at leasure he was contented to see Plato and to speake with him When Plato came to Dionysius all their talke in maner was of vertue and they chiefely reasoned what was fortitude where Plato proued that tyrans were no valliant men From thence passing further into iustice he told him that the life of iust men was happy and contrarily the life of vniust men vnfortunate Thus the tyran Dionysius perceiuing he was ouercomen durst no more abide him and was angrie to see the standers by to make suche estimacion of Plato and that they had such delight to heare him speake At length he angrily asked him what businesse he had to doe there Plato aunswered him he came to seeke a good man Dionysius then replied againe what in Gods name by thy speache then it seemeth thou hast founde none yet Now Dion thought that Dionysius anger would proceede no further and therefore at Platoes earnest request he sent him away in a galley with three bankes of owers the which Pollis a LACEDAEMONIAN Captaine caried backe againe into GRAECE Howbeit Dionysius secretlie requested Pollis to kill Plato by the way as ouer he would doe him pleasure if not yet that he would sell him for a slaue howsoeuer he did For said he he shall be nothing the worse for that bicause if he be a iust man he shall be as happie to be a slaue as a freeman Thus as it is reported this Pollis caried Plato into the I le of AEGINA and there sold him For the AEGINETES hauing warre at that time with the ATHENIANS made a decree that all the ATHENIANS that were taken in their Ile should be sold. This notwithstanding Dionysius refused not to honor and trust Dion as much as euer he did before and did also sende him Ambassador in matters of great weight As when he sent him vnto the CARTHAGINIANS where he behaued him selfe so well that he wan great reputacion by his iorney and the tyran coulde well away with his plaine speach For no man but he durst say their mindes so boldly vnto him to speake what he thought good as on a time he reproued him for Gelon One day when they mocked Gelons gouernment before the tyrans face and that Dionysius him selfe sayd finely deskanting of his name which signifieth laughture that he was euen the verie laughing stocke him selfe of SICILE the Courtiers made as though they liked this encounter and interpretacion of laughture passingly well But Dion not being well pleased withall sayd vnto him for his sake men trusted thee whereby thou camest to be tyran but for thine owne sake they will neuer trust any man For to say truly Gelon shewed by his gouernment that it was as goodly a thing as coulde be to see a citie gouerned by an absolute Prince but Dionysius by his gouernment on thother side made it appeare as detestable a thing This Dionysius had by his LOCRIAN wife three children and by Aristomaché foure of the which two were daughters the
And thus was the end and death of Callippus Now for Aristomaché and Areta they were taken out of prison and Icetes SYRACVSAN that somtimes had bene one of Dions frends tooke them home to his owne house and vsed them verie well and faithfully for a certaine time but afterwards was wonne and corrupted by Dions enemies So he caused a shippe to be prouided for them and bare them in hande that he would sende them into PELOPONNESVS but he gaue them charge that caried them away to kill them as they went and to throw them ouer bord into the sea Some say that the two women and the litle young boy were cast aliue into the sea But this reward of the sinfull act that he committed returned againe vppon him selfe as it had done before vnto others For he was taken by Timoleon that put him to death and besides the SYRACVSANS did also kill two of his daughters in reuenge of the vnfaithfulnes he had shewed vnto Dion THE LIFE OF Marcus Brutus MArcus Brutus came of that Iunius Brutus for whome the auncient ROMANES made his statue of brasse to be set vp in the Capitoll with the images of the kings holding a naked sword in his hand bicause he had valliantly put downe the TARQVINES from their kingdom of ROME But that Iunius Brutus being of a sower stearne nature not softned by reason being like vnto sword blades of too hard a temper was so subiect to his choller and malice he bare vnto the tyrannes that for their sakes he caused his owne sonnes to be executed But this Marcus Brutus in contrarie maner whose life we presently wryte hauing framed his manners of life by the rules of vertue and studie of Philosophie and hauing imployed his wit which was gentle and constant in attempting of great things me thinkes he was rightly made and framed vnto vertue So that his verie enemies which wish him most hurt bicause of his conspiracy against Iulius Caesar if there were any noble attempt done in all this conspiracie they referre it whollie vnto Brutus and all the cruell and violent actes vnto Cassius who was Brutus familiar frend but not so well geuen and condicioned as he His mother Seruilia it is thought came of the blood of Seruilius Hala who when Spurius Melius went about to make him selfe king and to bring it to passe had entised the common people to rebell tooke a dagger and hid it close vnder his arme and went into the market place When he was come thither he made as though he had somewhat to say vnto him and pressed as neere him as he could wherefore Melius stowping downe with his head to heare what he would say Brutus stabbed him in with his dagger and slue him Thus muche all writers agree for his mother Now touching his father some for the euil wil malice they bate vnto Brutus bicause of the death of Iulius Caesar doe maintaine that he came not of Iunius Brutus that draue out the TARQVINES for there were none left of his race considering that his two sonnes were executed for conspiracie with the TARQVINES and that Marcus Brutus came of a meane house the which was raised to honor and office in the common wealth but of late time Posidonius the Philosopher wryteth the contrarie that Iunius Brutus in deede slue two of his sonnes which were men growen as the histories doe declare howebeit that there was a third sonne being but a litle childe at that time from whom the house and family afterwardes was deriued and furthermore that there were in his time certeine famous men of that familie whose stature and countenaunce resembled much the image of Iunius Brutus And thus much for this matter Marcus Cato the Philosopher was brother vnto Seruilia M. Brutus mother whom Brutus studied most to follow of all the other ROMANES bicause he was his Vncle and afterwards he maried his daughter Now touching the GRAECIAN Philosophers there was no sect nor Philosopher of them but he heard and liked it but aboue all the rest he loued Platoes sect best did not much geue him selfe to the new nor meane Academy as they call it but altogether to the old Academy Therefore he did euer greatly esteeme the Philosopher Antiochus of the citie of ASCALON but he was more familiar with his brother Ariston who for learning and knowledge was inferior to many other Philosophers but for wisedom curtesie equall with the best and chiefest Touching Empylus whom Marcus Brutus him selfe doth mencion in his Epistells and his frends also in many places he was an Orator and left an excellent booke he wrote of the death of Iulius Caesar and tituled it Brutus He was properly learned in the Latine tongue and was able to make long discourse in it beside that he could also plead verie well in Latine But for the Graeke tongue they do note in some of his Epistells that he counterfeated that briefe compendious maner of speach of the LACEDAEMONIANS As when the warre was begonne he wrote vnto the PARGAMENIANS in this sorte I vnderstand you haue geuen Dolobella money if you haue done it willingly you confesse you haue offended me if against your wills shewe it then by geuing me willinglie An other time againe vnto the SAMIANS Your counsels be long your doinges be slowe consider the ende And in an other Epistell he wrote vnto the PATAREIANS The XANTHIANS despising my good wil haue made their contrie a graue of dispaire and the PATAREIANS that put them selues into my protection haue lost no iot of their libertie And therefore whilest you haue libertie either choose the iudgement of the PATAREIANS or the fortune of the XANTHIANS These were Brutus manner of letters which were honored for their briefenes So Brutus being but a young stripling went into CYPRVS with his Vncle Cato who was sent against Ptolomy king of AEGYPT who hauing slaine him selfe Cato staying for certaine necessarie busines he had in the I le of RHODES had alreadie sent Caninius one of his frends before to keepe his treasure and goods But Cato fearing he woulde be light fingered wrote vnto Brutus foorthwith to come out of PAMPHYLIA where he was but newlie recouered of a sickenesse into CYPRVS the which he did The which iorney he was sorie to take vpon him both for respect of Caninius shame whome Cato as he thought wrongfullie slaundered as also bicause he thought this office too meane and vnmeete for him being a young man and geuen to his booke This notwithstanding he behaued him selfe so honestlie and carefullie that Cato did greatly commende him and after all the goodes were sold and conuerted into readie money he tooke the most parte of it and returned withall to ROME Afterwards when the Empire of ROME was deuided into factions and that Caesar and Pompey both were in armes one against the other and that all the Empire of ROME was in garboyle
honor and the slaue enfranchised had priuiledge giuen him to weare ringes of gold and he was called Martianus Vicellus who afterwards of all the infranchised bond men became the chiefest man about his Master Galba In the meane tyme Nymphidius SABINE began at ROME not couertly but with open sorce to take vpon him the absolute gouernment of the Empire perswading him self that Galba was so old that he could hardly be brought in a lytter vnto ROME being at the least three score and thirteene yeare olde besides also that the army of the PRAETORIANS which were in ROME did beare him good will of long tyme and then acknowledged none other Lord but him onely for the large promise he had made them for the which he receiued the thankes and Galba remained the debter So he presently commaunded Tigellinus his companion and Captaine with him of the army of the PRAETORIANS to leaue of his sword and disposing him selfe to bancketing and feasting he sent for all those that had bene Consuls Praetors or Proconsuls of prouinces and made them all to be inuited in the name of Galba So there were certaine souldiers gaue out this rumor in the campe that they should doe well to send Ambassadors vnto Galba to praye him that Nymphidius might be their onely Captaine still without any companion ioyned with him Furthermore the honor and good will the Senate bare him calling Nymphidius their benefactor and going dayly to visite him in his house procuring him to be Author of all their decrees passed in Senate and that he should authorise them this made him hie minded and the bolder by much insomuch that shortly after they that came to honor him in this sort did not onely hate and mislike his doings but moreouer he made them affrayd of him Furthermore when the Consuls had giuen to commoÌ„ purseuants any commissions vnder seale or letters pattents signifying the decrees of the Senate to cary them to the Emperor by vertue of which letters pattents when the officers of the citie doe see the seale they straight prouide the purseuants of coches and â—reshe horses to further their speede and hasty iorney Nymphidius was very angrye with them bicause they did not also come to him for his letters sealed by him and his souldiers to sende likewise vnto the Emperor But besides all this it is also reported that he was like to haue deposed the Consuls howbeit they excusing them selues vnto him and crauing pardon did appease his anger And to please the Commons also he suffred them to put any of Neroes friends to death they could meete withall Amonge other they slue a Fenser called Spicillus whome they put vnder Neroes statues which they dragged vp and downe the citie Another also called Aponius one of Neroes accusers they threw him to the ground and draue carts ouer him loden with stones And diuers others also whom they slue in that manner of the which some had done no maner of offence Hereuppon one Mauriseus one of the noblest men of the citie so esteemed sayd openly in the Senate I feare me we shall wish for Nero againe before it be long So Nymphidius being comen in manner to the fulnes of his hope he was very glad to heare that some repyned at him bicause he was the sonne of Caius Caesar that was the next Emperor after Tiberius For this Caius Caesar when he was a young man had kept Nymphidius mother which had bene a fayer young woman and the Daughter of one Callistus one of Caesars infranchised bond men whome he had gotten of a Laundres he kept Howbeit it is found contrary that this Nymphidius was borne before Caius Caesar coulde knowe his mother and men thought that he was begotten by a Fenser called Martianus with whome his mother Nymphidia fell in fancie for that he had a great name at that time in ROME and in deede Nymphidius was liker to him in fauor then vnto any other So he confessed that he was the sonne of this Nymphidia how beit he did ascrybe the glory of the death of Nero vnto him selfe and thought him selfe not sufficiently recompensed with the honors they gaue him nether also with the goods he enioyed nether for that he lay with Sporus whome Nero loued so dearely whome he sent for to Neroes funeralls whilest his bodye was yet a burning and kept him with him as if he had bene his wife and called him Poppaeus Furthermore all this did not content him but yet secretly he aspyred to be Emperor partly practising the matter in ROME it selfe by the meanes of certaine women and Senators which were secretly his friends and partly also through one Gellianus whome he sent into SPAYNE to see how all thinges went there Howbeit after the death of Nero all things prospered with Galba sauing Verginius Rufus only who stoode doubtfull yet and made him sorely mistrust him for that he was affrayd besides that he was generall ouer a great and puisant army hauing also newly ouerthrowen Vindex and secretly ruling the best parte of the Empire of ROME which was all GAVLE and then in tumult and vprore ready to rebell lest he would harken vnto them that perswaded him to take the Empire to him selfe For there was no Captaine of ROME at that tyme so famous and of so great estimation as Verginius and that deseruedly for that he had done great seruice to the Empire of ROME in tyme of extreamitie hauing deliuered ROME at one selfe tyme from a cruell tyranny and also from the daunger of the warres of the GAVLES This notwithstanding Verginius persiâ—ting still in his first determination referred the election of the Emperor vnto the Senate although that after the death of Nero was openly knowen the common sort of souldiers were earnestly in hand with him and that a Tribune of the souldiers otherwise called a Colonel of a thowsand men went into his tent with a sword drawen in his hand and bad Verginius either determine to be Emperor or els to looke to haue the sworde thrust into him Yet after that Fabius Vaelens Captaine of a legion was sworne vnto Galba and that he had receiued letters from ROME aduertising him of the ordinaunce and decree of the Senate in th end with much a doe he perswaded the souldiers to proclayme Galba Emperor who sent Flaceus Ordeonius to succeede him vnto whome he willingly gaue place So when Verginius had deliuered vp his army vnto him he went to meete with Galba on whome he wayted comming on still towards ROME And Galba all that time neither shewed him euill countenance nor yet greatly esteemed of him Galba him selfe being cause of the one who feared him and his friends of the other but specially Titus Iunius who for the malice he bare vnto Verginius thinking to hinder his rising did vnwittingly in deede further his good happe and deliuered him occasion to draw him out of the ciuill warres and mischieues the which lighted afterwards vpon
he could to leade his armie into some other prouince Furthermore he thought it would increase his estimacion much amoÌ„g strauÌ„gers also greatly encorage his owne people if he could make the power of the CARTHAGINIANS to seeme so great also their Captaine to be of so noble a corage as to dare to make warre so neere to the citie of ROME All things therefore set a part he marched with his campe by the mountaine Appenine and so comming through the contry of the LIGVRIANS he came into THVSCAN by the way that bringeth them into the champion contry to the marisses about the riuer of Arnus The riuer of Arnus at that time was very high and had ouerflowen all the fields thereabouts Annibal therefore marching with so great an army as he had could not avoyde it but that he must needes lose a number of his men horse before he could get out of those euill fauored marisses Insomuch that he him selfe lost one of his eyes by reason of the great paines he had taken day night without sleepe or rest and also through the euill ayer though he was caried vpon a high Elephants back which only was left him of all that he had brought with him In the meane time C. Flaminius Consul to whom the charge of SeÌ„pronius army was geuen he was come vnto ARETIVM against the Senates minde who were maruelously offended with him bicause he left his coÌ„panion Cn. Seruilius at ROME went vnto his prouince by stelth as it were without the furniture of a Consul his officers This was a very hasty man of nature one whom the people had brought to that dignity office so that he was become so prowde insolent that men might see he would hazard all things without wit or iudgement Annibal hauing intelligence hereof thought it the best way to anger the Consul to do what he could possible to allure him into the field before his fellow Consul should come to ioyne with him Therfore he marching forward with his campe through the contry of FESVLA ARETIVM he burnt spoiled all the contry thereabout filled them all with feare neuer leauing to destroy all before him vntil he came to the mountaines Cortonenses so to the lake called Thrasimene When he had viewed the place he went about to surprise his enemy by some ambush wherupon he conueied certen horsemen vnder the hills hard by the straight that goeth vnto Thrasimene and behind the mountaines also he placed his light horsemeÌ„ TheÌ„ he him selfe with the rest of his army came downe into the field supposing that the Consul would not be quiet and so it fell out For hot stirring heades are easely intrapped fall into the enemies ambush oftentimes do put all in hazard bicause they will follow no counsell nor good aduise C. Flaminius therefore seeing their contry vtterly spoiled the corne destroyed and cut downe and the houses burnt he made great hast to lead his armie against the enemie contrarie to all mens minds who would haue had him taried for his companion Cn. Seruilius the other Consul So euen at sunne set when he was come to the straightes of the lake of Thrasimene he caused his campe to stay there although his men were not wearie with the long iorney they had taken by the way So the next morning by breake of day making no view of the contrie he went ouer the mountaines The Annibal who long before was prepared for this did but stay for the oportunitie to worke his feate when he saw the ROMANES come into the plaine he gaue a signall vnto all his men to geue charge vpon the enemie Thereuppon the CARTHAGINIANS breaking out on euerie side came before and behinde and on the flanckes to assaile the enemie being shut in betwene the lake and the mountaines Now in contrarie maner the ROMANES beginning to fight out of order they â—ought inclosed together that they could not see one an other as if it had bene darke so that it is to be wondered at how and with what minde they fought it out so long considering they were compassed in on euerie side For they fought it out aboue three howres space with such fury and corage that they heard not the terrible earthquake that was at that present time neither did they offer to flie or stirre a foote vntil they heard that the Consul C. Flaminius going from rancke to rancke to encourage his men was slaine by a man of armes called Ducarius Then when they had lost their Generall and being voyde of all hope they fled some towardes the mountaines and others towards the lake of the which diuers of them flying were ouertaken slaine So there were slaine fifteene thowsand in the field there scaped about ten thowsand Furthermore the report went that there were six thowsande footemen which forciblie at the beginning of the battell got to the mountaine and there stayed on a hill till the battell was ended and at length came downe vpon Annibals promise but they were betrayed and slaine euery mothers sonne of them After this great victorie Annibal did let diuers ITALIAN prisoners goe free without raunsome paying after he had vsed them maruelous curteouslie bicause that the same of his clemencie curtesie should be knowen vnto all nations whereas in deede his owne nature was contrarie to all vertues For he was hastie and cruell of nature and from his youth was brought vp in warres and exercised in murther treason ambushes layed for enemies and neuer cared for law order nor ciuill gouernment So by this meanes he became one of the cruellest Captaines the most suttell and craftiest to deceiue and intrap his enemie that euer was For as he was alway prying to beguile the enemie so those whom he could not ouercome in warre by plaine force he went about to intrappe by slight and policie The which appeareth true by this present battell and also by the other he fought against the Consul Sempronius by the riuer of Trebia But let vs returne to our matter and leaue this talke till an other time Now when the newes of the ouerthrow and death of the Consul Flaminius was reported at ROME hauing lost the most parte of his armie there was great mone and lamentation made through all the citie of ROME Some bewailing the common miserie of the common wealth others lamenting their priuate particular losse some also sorowing for both together But in deede it was a woefull sight to see a world of men women to run to the gates of the citie euerie one priuatly asking for their kinne and frends Some do write that there were two women who being very sorie and pensife dispairing of the safetie of their sonnes dyed sodainly for the extreame ioy they had when beyond their expectacion hope they sawe their sonnes aliue and safe At the selfe same time Cn. Seruilius
not otherwise thinke of him but that he was a great and valiant Captaine Others also speaking of Scipio doe greatly prayse and commend him for the foure Chieftaines he ouercame and for the foure great armies which he defeated and put to flight in SPAINE and also for that he over came and tooke that great king Syphan prisoner In fine they come to prayse that famous battell in the which Scipio ouer came Annibal ZAMA For if Fabius sayd they were praysed bicause he was not ouercome by Annibal what estimation will they make of the AFRICAN that in a pitched battell ouercame that so famous dreadfull Captaine Annibal and also did ende so daungerous a warre Besides alfeo that Scipio did alwayes make open warre and commonly fought with the enemy in plaine field Where Annibal in contrary manner did alwayes vse craft and sâ—â—elry and was full of stratageames policie And therefore all Authors both Graeke and Laâ—yâ—y doe count him very fine and suttell Furthermore they greatly commend Annibal for than he maynteyned his army of so sundry nations so long time in peace as he had warre with the ROMANES and yet that there was neuer any mutinie of rebellion in his campe On the other side they blame him againe bicause he did not follow his victory when he had ouercomen the ROMANES at that famous battell of CANNES and also bicause he spoyled his souldiers with too much ease and the pleasures of CAMPANTA and APVLIA whereby they were so chaunged that they seemed to be other souldiers then those that had ouercomen the ROMANES at the sundry battells of TREBIA THRASYMENE and CANNES All writers doe reproue these thinges in Annibal but specially his crueltie For amongest other thinges what crueltie was it of him to make a woman with her children to come from ARPIto his campe and afterwardes to burne them aliue What shall a man say of them whome he cruelly put to death in the temple of Iuno Lacinia when he departed out of ITALY For Scipio AFRICAN on the other side if we shall rather credit the best authors that write then a number of other detracters and malitious writers we may say he was a bountifull and temperate Captaine and not onely liuely and valiant in fight but also curteous and mercifull after victorye For oftentimes his enemies proued his valiantnes the vanquished his mercy and clemency all others men his faithfulnes Now therfore let vs tel you what his continency liberalitie was the which he shewed in SPAYNE vnto a young Lady taken prisoner and vnto Luceius Prince of the CELTIBERIANS doth it not deserue great prayse Nowe for their priuate doings they were both vertuously brought vp and both of them imbraced learned men For as it is reported Annibal was very famillier with Socillus LACEDAEMONIAN as the AFRICAN was with Ennius the Poet. Some saye also that Annibal was so wel learned in the Graeke tongue that he wrote an historie in Graeke touching the deedes of Manlius Volso Now truely I doe agree with Citero that sayd in his booke de Oratore that Annibal heard Phormio PERIPATETICIAN in EPHESVS discoursing very largely of the office and duety of a Chieftaine and generall and of the martiall lawes ordinaunces and that immediatly after being asked what he thought of that Philosopher he should aunswer in no very perfit Graeke but yet in Graeke that he had seene many old doting fooles but that he had neuer seene a greater doterd then Phormio Furthermore both of them had an excellent grace in their talke Annibal had a sharpe tawnting wit in his aunswers When king Antiochus on a time prepared to make warre with the ROMANES and had put his army into the field not so well furnished with armor and weapon as with gold and siluer he asked Annibal if he thought his army sufficient for the ROMANES yea Sir ê™ he that they be were the enemies neuer so couetous This may truely be sayd of Annibal that he obtayned many great victories in the warres but yet they turned to the destruction of his contry Scipio in contrary manner did preserue his contry in such safetie and also did so much increase the dominions thereof that as many as shall looke into his desert they can not but call ROME vnthankefull which liked rather that the AFRICAN preseruer of the citie should goe out of ROME then that they would represse the fury and insolency of a few And for myne owne opinion I can not thinke well of that citie that so vnthankfully hath suffred so worthy and innocent a person to be iniured and so would I also haue thought it more blame worthy if the citie had bene an ayder of the iniurye offred him In fine the Senate as all men doe report gaue great thankes vnto Tiberius Gracchus bicause he did defend the Scipions cause and the common people also following the AFRICAN when he visited all the temples of ROME and left the Tribunes alone that accused him did thereby shewe how much they did loue and honor the name of the Scipioes And therefore if we should iudge the Citizens harts and good wills by those things men would rather condemne them for cowards to haue suffered such outrage then vnthankfull forforgetting of his benefits for there were very few that consented to so wicked a deede and all of them in manner were very sory for it Howbeit Scipio that was a man of a great minde not much regarding the malice of his enemies was content rather to leaue the citie then by ciuill warres to destroy it For he would not come against his contry with ensignes displaied nether would he solicite straunge nations and mighty kings to come with force and their ayde to destroy the citie thew which he had beautified with so many spoyles and triumphes as Martius Coriolanus Alcibiades and diuers others did by record of auncient stories For we may easily perceiue howe carefull he was to preserue the libertie of ROME bicause when he was in SPAYNE he refused the title and name of king which was offred him and for that he was maruelous angry with the people of ROME bicause they would haue made him perpetuall Consul and Dictator and considering also that he commaunded they should set vp no statue of him nether in the place of the assembly nor in the iudgement seate nor in the Capitoll All which honors afterwardes were giuen by the Citizens vnto Caesar that had ouercomen Pompey These were the ciuill vertues of the AFRICAN which were great and true prayses of continency Now therefore to deliuer you the summe and effect of all these thinges these two so famous Captaines are not so much to be compared together in their ciuill vertues in the which Scipio chiefly excelled as in the discipline of warres and in the glory of their famous victories To conclude their deathes were somewhat a like for they both dyed out of their contries although Scipio was not condemned by his contry as
according to my determinacion I had killed my selfe immediatly after him where now I liue to bring yet this misfortune vnto Pompey the great It is reported that Cornelia spake these words and that Pompey also answered herin this maner Peraduenture Cornelia mine thou hast knowen a better fortune which hath also deceiued thee bicause she hath continued lenger with me then her maner is But since we are borne men we must paciently beare these troubles and proue fortune againe For it is no impossible matter for vs againe to come into prosperitie out of this present miserie as to fall out of late prosperitie into present calamitie When Cornelia heard him say so she sent backe into the city for her stuffe and family The MITYLENIANS also came openly to salute Pompey and prayed him to come into the city and to refresh him self but Pompey would not gaue them counsell to obey the conqueror not to feare any thing for Caesar was a iust man and of a curteous nature Then Pompey turning vnto Cratippus the Philosopher who came amoÌ„g the citizens also to see him made his complaint vnto him and reasoned a litle with him about diuine prouidence Cratippus curteously yeelded vnto him putting him still in better hope fearing least he would haue growen too hot and troublesome if he would haue holden him hard to it For Pompey at the length might haue asked him what prouidence of the gods there had bene in his doings And Cratippus might haue aunswered him that for the ill gouernment of the common wealth at ROME it was of necessity that it should fall into the handes of a soueraine Prince Peraduenture Cratippus might then haue asked him how and whereby Pompey wouldest thou make vs beleue if thou haddest ouercome Caesar that thou wouldest haue vsed thy good fortune better then he But for diuine matters referre them to the goddes as it pleaseth them Pompey taking his wife and frends with him hoised saile and landed no where but compelled to take freshe acates and water The first city he came vnto was ATTALIA in the contry of PAMPHYLIA Thither came to him certaine gallies out of CILICIA many souldiers also insomuch he had a three score Senators of ROME againe in his company Then vnderstanding that his army by sea was yet whole and that Cato had gathered together a great number of his souldiers after the ouerthrowe whome he had transported with him into AFRICKE he lamented and complained vnto his frends that they had compelled him to fight by land not suffred him to helpe him selfe with his other force wherin he was the stronger and that he kept not still neere vnto his army by sea that if fortune failed him by land he might yet presently haue prepared to his power ready by sea to haue resisted his enemy To confesse a troth Pompey committed not so great a fault in all this warre neither did Caesar put foorth a better deuise then to make his enemie fight farre from his armie by sea Thus Pompey being driuen to attempt somewhat according to his small abilitie he sent Ambassadors vnto the cities To others he went him selfe in person also to require money wherewith he manned and armed some ships This notwithstanding fearing the sodaine approach of his enemy least he should preuent him before he could put any reasonable force in readines for to resist him he bethought him selfe what place he might best retyre vnto for his most safetie When he had considered of it he thought that there was neuer a prouince of the ROMANES that could saue and defend them And for other straunge realmes he thought PARTHIA aboue all other was the best place to receiue them into at that present hauing so smal power as they had and that was better able to helpe aide them with more power then they Other of his counsell were of minde to go into AFRICKE vnto king Iuba But Theophanes LESBIAN said he thought it a great folly to leaue AEGYPT which was but three dayes sailing from thence and king Ptolomy being but lately comen to mans state and bound vno Pompey for the late frendshippe and fauor his father found of him and to goe put him selfe into the handes of the PARTHIANS the vilest and vnfaithfullest nation in the world and not to proue the modesty of a ROMANE that had bene his father in law whose prosperity if he could haue endured he might haue bene the chiefest man and now to put him selfe to Arsaces good will who could not away with Crassâ—â— when he liued Further he thought it an ill parte also for him to go cary his young wife of the noble house of Scipio amongst the barbarous people who thinke it lawfull for theÌ„ to vse what villany and insolency they list to any For admit she haue no villany offered herby them yet is it an vndecent thing to thinke she might haue bene dishonored they hauing her in their power to doe it There was no perswasion as they say but this only that turned Pompey vnto Euphrates for it seemeth that Pompeys counsell and not his fortune made him take that way Being determined therefore to flie into AEGYPT he departed out of CYPRVS in a gally of SELEVCIA with his wife Cornelia The residue of his traine imbarked also some into gallies others into marchauntes shippes of great burden and so safely passed the sea without daunger When Pompey heard newes that king Ptolomy was in the citie of PELVSIVM with his armie making warre against his sister he went thither and sent a messenger before vnto the king to aduertise him of is arriuall and to intreate him to receiue him King Ptolomy was then but a young man insomuch as one Pothinus gouerned all the whole realme vnder him He assembled a counsell of the chiefest and wisest men of the court who had such credit and authoritie as it pleased him to geue them They being assembled he coÌ„maunded euery man in the kings name to say his minde touching the receiuing of Pompey whether the king should receiue him or not It was a miserable thinge to see Pothinus an eunuche of the kinges and Theodotus of CHIO an hyered schoolemaster to teache the young king rethoricke and Achillas AEGYPTIAN to consult among them selues what they should doe with Pompey the great These were the chiefest counsellers of all his eunuches and of those that had brought him vp Nowe did Pompey ride at ancker vpon the shore side expecting theresolution of this couÌ„sel in the which the opinions of other were diuers for they would not haue receiued him the other also that be should be receiued But the Rethoritian Theodotus to shew his eloquence perswaded them that heither the one nor the other was to be accepted For sayd he if we receiue him we shall haue Caesar our enemie and Pompey our Lord and if they do deny him on thother side Pompey will blame them for refusing of him
had no other helpe but his mother he might haue had of her what he would haue taken and desired Againe to shew that of him selfe he had abilitie enough we neede but alleage the souldiers and straungers he gaue pay vnto in diuers places as Xenophon wryteth For he brought them not all together into one armie bicause he desired to kepe his enterprise as secret as he could but he had frendes and seruaunts that leauied them in diuers places and vnder diuers colours And furthermore he had his mother alway about the king that cleered all suspicions conceiued against him He him selfe also on the other side whilest he made these preparacions wrote verie humbly vnto his brother somtime asking somwhat of him and an other time accusing Tisaphernes all to blinde the king to make him thinke that he bent all his malice and spite against him besides that the king of his owne nature was somwhat dull and slow which the common people thought to proceede of his curtesie and good nature At his first comming to the crowne he followed the first Artaxerxes goodnes and curtesie by whom he had his name For he gaue more easie audience vnto suters he did also more honorably reward recompence those that had deserued well he vsed such moderacion in punishing offendors that it appeared he did it not of any malicious minde and desire of reuenge nor yet of will to hurte any man When he had any thing geuen him he tooke it as thankefully as they offered it him and did as willingly and frankely also geue againe For how litle a thing soeuer was offered him he tooke it well And it is reported that one Romises on a time presented him a maruelous fayer pomegarnet By the sunne sayd he this man in a short time of a litle towne would make a great citie he that would make him gouernor of it Another time there was a poore laborer seing euery mā giue the king a present some one thing some another as he passed by them he hauing nothing at hand to giue him ranne to the riuers side tooke both his hands full of water and came and offred it him King Artaxerxes was so glad of it that he sent him in a cuppe of massy gold a thowsand Darecks which were peeces of gold so named bicause the image of Darius was stamped vpon them And vnto one Euclidas a LACEDAEMONIAN that presumed to giue him bold words it pleased him to aunswer him by one of his Captaines thou mayst say what thou lyst and I as king may say and doe what I lyst Another time as he was a hunting Tiribazus shewed the king his gowne that was all to tattered well sayd the king and what wouldest thou haue me to doe Tiribazus aunswered him I praye your grace take another and giue me that you haue on The king did so and told him Tiribazus I giue thee my gowne but I commaund thee not to weare it Tiribazus tooke it and cared not for the kings commaundement that he should not weare it not that he was any euill disposed man but bicause he was a fond light headed fellowe that cared for nothing thereuppon he straight put the kings gowne on his backe and not contented therewith he did besides set on many iewells of gold which kings onely are wont to weare and womens trinckets and ornaments Therewithal euery man in the Court murmured at him bicause it was a presumption directly against the lawes and ordinaunces of PERSIA Howbeit the king did but laugh at it tolde him I giue thee leaue Tiribazus to weare those womens gawdes as a woman and the kings robe as a foole Furthermore where the manner was in PERSIA that no person sate at the kings bord but his mother and wife of the which his mother sate vppermost his wife lowermost Artaxerxes made his two brethren Ostanes and Oxathres sit at his owne bord But yet he pleased the PERSIANS best of all bicause was content his wife Statyra should sit openly in her charter and that she might be seene and reuerenced by the other Ladyes of the contry And this made him singularly beloued of the people Now such as desired innouation and chaunge and that could not away with quite life they gaue out that the Realme of PERSIA required such a Prince as Cyrus that was liberall of nature giuen to armes greatly rewarded his seruaunts and that the greatnes of the Empire of PERSIA stoode in neede of a king whose mind was bent to high attempts and noble enterprises So. Cyrus thereuppon began to make warre vpon his brother not onely trusting vnto them that were of the lowe contries about him but hoping of those also in the high prouinces neare vnto the king Furthermore he wrote also vnto the LACEDAEMONIANS to pray them to send him men of warre promising to giue the footemen they sent horses and the horsemen coches landed men whole villages and to those that had villages to giue them cities Besides all this that for the ordinary wages of them that should serue him in this warre he would not pay them by accompt but by full measure and boasting largely of him selfe he sayd he had a greater mind then his brother that he could better away with hardnes then he that he vnderstoode magick better then he and that he could drinke more wine then he and cary it better And that the king his brother in contrary manner was so womanishe and fearefull that when he went a hunting he durst scarce get vp vpon his horse backe and when he went to the warres he would hardly take his charriot When the LACEDAEMONIANS had red his letters they sent a litle scrowle vnto Clearchus commaunding him to obey Cyrus in any thing he would commaund him So Cyrus did set forward to make warre against his brother hauing leauied a great number of fighting men of barbarous nations and of GRAECIANS litle lesse then thirteene thowsand men sometime aduertising one cause sometime another why he leauied such a multitude of men But his purpose could not be long dissembled for Tisaphernes went him selfe vnto the Court to bringe newes of his attempt Then all the Court was straight in an vprore withall Many men also did accuse the Queene mother for the practise of this warre all her friends seruaunts were vehemently suspected to be conspyrators with Cyrus but the greatest thing that troubled Parysatis most was Queene Statyra her Daughter in lawe who stormed maruelously to see this warre begon against king Artaxerxes her husband and incessantly cryed out on her O where is the faith thou vowedst by othe whereto are thy intercessions come thou madest for the pardon of his life who now conspyreth his brothers death By sauing of his life art not thou now the cause of this warre and troubles we see at hand After this reproch and shame receiued by Statira Parysatis being a cruell and malicious woman of nature
so hated her that from thenceforth she sought all the wayes she could to put her to death And Dinon the Historiographer sayth that during this warre she did execute her wicked purpose vpon her but Ctesias writeth that it was after the warre And therfore it is liker that he being daily in the king of PERSIAES Court should certainely knowe the tyme when she did execute her treason against her and also there is no cause why he should rather write it in any other time then in that in the which the facte was done although in many other places he commonly vseth to fitten and to write deuises of his owne head Therefore let vs leaue the report of this fact to the selfe same time and place as he hath written it Now when Cyrus drew neare vnto his brothers contry he had newes and a rumor ranne through his campe that the king was not determined to come and fight with him so soone and that he ment first to goe further into PERSIA and to tary there til he had gathered his army together out of all parts And for proofe hereof the king hauing cast a great trenche of ten yardes broad and as many high the space of foure hundred furlong in length he left it without gard and let Cyrus winne it who came on further without any resistaunce euen to the very citie selfe of BABYLON Howbeit in the ende Tiribazus as it is reported was the first man that durst tell the king that he should not flie fight in that sort nor hide him selfe in the furdest part of PERSIA leauing his enemy the Realmes of MEDIA BABYLON and SVSA considering also that he had many moe souldiers in readines then his enemye and an infinite number of Captaines more skilfull and abler to giue counsell and to fight then he was These words of Tiribazus made the king alter his mind and to determine to giue battell as soone as he could Thereuppon he marched forward against his enemie with nyne hundred thowsand fighting men excellently well armed and marching in very good order That maruelously astonied Cyrus men and made them affrayd at the first when they saw them in so excellent good order before them for that they were dispersed stragling here and there without any order and men vnarmed trusting too much in them selues in despising of their enemie so that Cyrus had much a doe to set his men in battell raye and yet was it with great noyse and tumult But the GRAECIANS wondred most of all other when they sawe the kinges armye marche in so good order of battell without any noyse For they thought to haue seene a wonderfull great disorder and confusion in such an infinite multitude of people and supposed they would haue made such a noyse that one of them should not haue heard another Where in deede to the contrary all was so well marshalled specially bicause he had placed before his battell the best carts he had armed with siethes and drawen with the strongest and biggest great horse he had in all his armie hoping by the fiercenes and furye of their careere to breake into the ranckes of the enemies before they could come to ioyne with theirs But sith this battell is described by diuers Historiographers but specially by Xenophon who hath as a man would say liuely set it out to the eye setteth it forth to the Reader not as a battell already fought but presently a fighting stirring vp their mindes as if them selues were in the action and instant daunger he hath so passingly set it downe it were but a folly therefore of me to take vppon me to make any further description of it sauing to touch some speciall poynts worthy of note which he peraduenture hath left out As the place where the battell was fought is called COVNAXA fiue hundred furlongs from BABYLON and how that before the battell Clearchus gaue Cyrus counsell to keepe behind the squadron of the GRAECIANS and not to hazard his person among the first and that Cyrus aunswered him what sayest thou Clearchus wouldest thou haue me that striues to be king to shew my selfe vnworthy to be a king But Cyrus hauing made this fault not standing vpon his safetie and garde but ouer rashely thrusting him selfe into great daunger Clearchus selfe also committed as great a fault if it were not worse when he would not set his men in order directly against the battell of the enemies where the kings person stoode but went and pent them vp by the riuers side being affrayd least they should haue bene compassed in behind For if he would haue looked so straightly to him selfe and haue prouided euery way for his safetie that no man might come to hurt him he should haue kept him selfe at home and not haue sturred one foote out of the dotes But sith he had comen so farre as from the low contries of ASIA vnto the place where the field was fought and vncompelled onely to put Cyrus in his fathers seate imperiall crowne to goe choose a place in the battell not where he might doe his Lord best seruice that had hyered him but rather where he might fight more at his ease and at lesse daunger it was euen as much as if through cowardlines his wits had bene taken from him when he should haue fought or that through treason he had forsaken his enterprise For to proue that the trowpes which where about the kinges person had neuer bene able to haue receiued the charge of the GRAECIANS and that those being ouerthrowen the king had bene slayne in the field or els forced to flie and that Cyrus had wonne the field and by this victorie had bene king the successe of this battell doth plainely shewe it And therefore Clearchus ouer curious respect deserued more blame for the losse of this battell then Cyrus ouerhardines For if king Artaxerxes would haue chosen or wished a place where the GRAECIANS might haue done him lesse hurt he could not haue deuised a fitter place that was so farre from him and from whence the GRAECIANS could neither see nor heare what was done where he was as it fell out in sequell For Cyrus was slayne before he could preuaile by Clearchus victorie he was so farre from him and furthermore Cyrus therein knew before what was meetest to be done For he commaunded Clearchus to place him selfe with his company in the middest of the battell who aunswered him he should take no thought for nothing for he would see all things well ordered And when he had sayd so he marred all afterwardes For where the GRAECIANS were they ouerthrewe the barbarous people that made head against them had thē in chase while they were weary of following of them Cyrus being mownted vpon a whot stirring horse that had a hard head and was very fierce and dogged called Pasacas as Ctesias writeth Artagerses the gouernor of the prouince of the CADVSIANS spyed him a farre of and