the names of their men places rivers c. do shew Therefore they judge it most probable that Abram speaking the Chaldaean language before which onely differeth in dialect from the Hebrew got both the name and language after his arrival in the Land of Canaan The Heathen (f) Artapanus apud Euseb Charax apud Stephanum Writers thought them to have been called Hebrews from Abraham as corrupted from Abrahaeans out of ignorance of the language Augustine also once inclined to this opinion which he afterwards renounced 7. Abram after his victory over the Kings Retractat l. 2. c. 16. received a more large promise from God who ingaged to become to him a shield and a sufficient reward and for that it troubled him to go childlesse to give him issue Gen. 15. from which should proceed an innumerable posterity that inhabiting a strange Land four hundred years was to return and possesse this of Canaan when the iniquity of the Amorites would be full in the fourth Generation Chap. 16. This League made betwixt God and Abram was confirmed by Sacrifice yet Sarai Ismael born seeing her self barren perswaded her husband to go in unto Hagar her handmaid of which he had a son born to him and named Ismael in the eleventh year after his coming into Canaan Chap. 17. the 86 of his Age and of the World the 2094. In the 13th year after A. M. 2094. God made another Covenant with him concerning the seed of Isaack who was to be born the year following and Circumcision was instituted as a seal thereof Abraham and Sarah Now whereas his name before was Abram or an High-father it was changed into Abraham or Father of a great multitude And Sarai which signifieth My Princesse or Lady as of one family was altered into Sarah or a Princesse absolute as of many Nations Not long after God made known to Abraham his purpose to destroy Sodom and the other Cities for their abominable wickednesse He interceded hard for them Sodom c. destroyed but there being not so many as five righteous persons in Sodom God having taken care for Lot and his family rained fire and brimstone down upon the Cities which together with the Plain were utterly destroyed onely Bela was spared for Lot's sake who fled thither Of the rest the Dead Sea into which the ground was converted reremaineth a lasting Monument to this day Vide John Bistelium Jesuetam de Illustribus ruinis In this Sea or Lake no living Creature is bred having nothing but a Sulphureous matter thence taken in great quantities It is described to be 72 miles in length and 19 in breadth Nigh to it fair and pleasant Apples grow which being touched turn into a Sulphureous vapour and a tradition remained amongst the Heathen of these Cities being destroyed * Lege Tacitum Histor l 5. with Thunder and Lightning from Heaven Lot's wife after she had got out of Sodom looked back and was turned into a Pillar of Salt His two daughters thinking all mankind to have perished made their father drunk and lay with him from which incestuous copulation came Moab and Ammon fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites two great and powerfull Nations Gen. 20. 8. A little after in the same year Abraham having continued in the Plain of Mamre about eighteen years departed unto Gerar the Metropolis of the Philistins where hapned the same thing concerning his wife A. M. 2108. as formerly had done in Aegypt Abimelech the King having taken her into his house Isaak born who therefore was plagued till he restored her with large gifts Chap. 21. The year being precisely finished Sarah bare to him Isaac so called because he laughed when God made mention of it to him he being now an hundred years old and she ninety four hundred before the departure of his posterity out of Aegypt At the weaning of Isaack Sarah seeing Ismael mocking procured him and his mother to be banished the house God bidding Abraham fulfill her desire herein and promising to make of him a great Nation When Isaack was grown up though of what Age is not expressed Chap. 22. some guessing thirty years others unprobably ten or twelve because he must have been of sufficient strength to carry wood God to try his father's faith commanded him to Offer him up for a burnt-offering on Mount Moriah where afterwards the Temple of Solomon stood He out of obedience went about to do it but God accepting his will for a performance renewed his promise to him Sarah dieth Sarah died aged 127 years Chap. 23. and after her death Abraham married another wife called Keturah by which he had other six sons To those he gave gifts and before his death sent them away from Isaack the Heir of the promise Isaac married 9. When Isaack was fourty years old his father Chap. 24. procured him to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel who was son to Nachor A. M. 2148. the brother of Abraham She married at fourteen years of Age according to the tradition of the Jews was barren twenty years Chap. 25. but then her husband beseeching God for her she brought * A.M. 2168. forth twins Esau and Jacob which strugled in her womb the elder being as God foretold to serve the younger Fiveteen years after Abraham died Abraham dyeth being 175 years old having sojourned in the Land of Canaan a hundred years 22 after the death of Sem four before that of Heber in the dayes of Inachus King of the Argives 1821 years before the Aera of Christ in the 2183 year of the World Of Abraham besides Artapanus and Charan before mentioned * Apud Joseph Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Berosus the Caldaean had some knowledge though he named him not Hecataeus not onely made mention of him by the way but wrote an History of him Nicolaus Damascenus in the fourth book of his Histories related that Abraham a certain stranger reigned at Damascus having come from a Countrey about Babylon said to be that of the Chaldaeans That he departed thence with his people into the Land of Canaan afterwards called Judaea where his posterity grew very numerous concerning which he should speak in another place In Josephus his time the name of Abraham was famous at Damascenus where was shewn a certain Village called Abrahams dwelling 10. After the death of Abraham God blessed Isaack Gen. 26. and made the same Covenant with him In a time of Famine he also sojourned in Gerar where dissembling concerning Rebecca his wife the same thing happened to them as formerly to Abraham and Sarah from another Abimelech which name was common to all the Kings of the Philistins Ismael dieth Some years after Ishmael died aged 137 years 48 after his father in the year of the World 2231. From his eldest son Nebaioth His posterity descended the Nabathaeans who (g) Strabo l.
Antigonus got divers Cities into his hands and restored the Milesians to their liberty At this time the inhabitants of Cyrene revolting Ptolomy reduced them again to obedience by the means of Agis his General and in Cyprus suppressed some of the Kings which were of the contrary faction Returning home he was sollicited be Seleucus to undertake an Expedition against Demetrius then in Caelesyria Whose Son Demetrius is defeated by Ptolomy so that with 18000 Foot and 4000 Horse he marched to Gaza where Demetrius expected him In the fight the forces of Demetrius seemed rather to prevail till his Elephants being wounded and taken his Horse out of fear ran away He himself fled accompanied with many till he came to passe by Gaza but then so many forsook him and went in thither to fetch out their goods as multitudes flocking to the gates and they therefore being hindred from being shut the enemies entred with them and took the Town Ptolomy took Sidon also and besieged Tyre whose Governour Andronicus upon summons refused to yield and reviled him A. M. 3693. Ol. 117. an 1. V. C. 442. Seleuci 1. Ptolom 12 yet he getting the place into his power through the sedition of the Soldiers when he looked for present death not onely forgave him but entertained him courteously as his familiar friend 23. Ptolomy getting the places about Syria into his power returned into Aegypt being followed thither by many which were drawn by his great courtesie and clemency But Seleucus thinking this a good opportunity for him to return to his former Principality obtained of him 800 Foot and 200 Horse and with them marched for Babylon In his way in Mesopotamia he got partly by fair means partly by foul those Macedonians which quartered at Carrhae to joyn with him but when he came to Babylon the Inhabitants there willingly received him and he shortly after stormed the Castel which was held by Antigonus his garrison Nicanor the Governour of Media hearing this came against him with above 10000 Foot and 7000 Horse whom he went out to meet with but few more than 3000 Foot and 400 Horse and knowing himself too weak to engage in a set battel with him he hid his men in the Fens till he was past with his Army and then came upon him lying carelesly in the night without any strict guards Seleucus recovereth Babylon and the Eastern parts so as the Persians coming to fight Euagrus their Captain was slain with other Officers at which being struck and also weary of Antigonus his government they revolted and Nicanor with a few at his heels escaped being glad he was not delivered up Seleucus by this means getting a strong Army easily made himself Master of Susiana Media and the Countryes thereto adjoyning so as getting hereby Royal Majesty and Glory suitable to his dignity some have from this year fetched the rise of that Aera which afterwards was called that of the Seleucidae and of the Greeks for that his Kingdom proved the most considerable about the year of the World 3694 Eusebius in Chronico alii the first of the 117 Olympiad 309 years before the Aera of Christ and twelve years after the death of Alexander 24. When Antigonus heard of it he sent his son Demetrius against him who had now redeemed his credit by the overthrow of Cilles sent to expel him out of Syria by Ptolomy and upon it called thither his Father so as they recovered all that Country and Phoenicia out of his hands he not daring to stay and try a battel with Antigonus Demetrius his attempts against him Demetrius led with him an Army of 15000 Foot and 4000 Horse with order to recover the Principality of Babylon and then go down to the Sea Patrocles A. M. 3694. Ol. 117. an 2. V.C. 443. Seleuci 2. Ptolom 13. whom Seleucus had left Governour of Babylon hearing of his coming advised the inhabitants to leave the City and flie some into the Desart or over the River Tigris he himself with a Band of men flew up and down taking advantages at the Enemy and sent to Seleucus into Media for aid so that Demetrius coming and finding the City forsaken stormed one of the Forts therein and for that his time was out beyond which he could not stay he left Archelaus with a strong party to besiege the other Then giving leave to his Soldiers to plunder all they could he departed according to his Father's order to the Sea where he besieged Halicarnassus but was beaten off by Ptolomy and so as it were took his leave of that Province for ever taking what he could get along with him and perhaps for this reason the Chaldaeans with the Author of the second Book of the Machabees in this year one after the other fix the Aera of Seleucus Not long after Ptolomy Cassander and Lysimachus made a Peace with Antigonus on these terms An agreement betwixt Ptolomy Cassander Lysimachus that Cassander should be Captain General of Europe Lysimachus should retain Thrace and Ptolomy Aegypt and the rest which he now enjoyed until Alexander the son of Roxane should come to age and that Antigonus should be over Asia and the Greeks live after their own Laws This agreement was not kept long each one seeking under any pretence to inlarge his Dominions and indeed they might better do it seeing he for whom they pretended themselves Administrators and was their Soveraign Lord was taken away For Cassander taking notice that young Alexander grew up and that the People began to talk that now he ought to be delivered out of custody and to enjoy his Fathers Kingdom he fearing his own interest commanded secretly Glaucius his Keeper to kill him and his Mother and concealing their bodies to acquaint no person living with it Thus he who was unborn when his Father died The death of young Alexander died by the hands of violence and treason thirteen years after him 25. He had a brother yet living elder than himself who being begotten of Barsines never maried to Alexander was held as illegitimate by the Captains Hercules his brother though born before his Father's death His name was Hercules being now kept at Pergamus whence he was called shortly after the death of the other by Polysperchon who now being in Peloponnesus and envying Cassander the Principality of Macedonia sent about to his friends intreating that the youth being seventeen years old might be brought and established in his Fathers Throne The Aetolians especially with others imbraced the motion so as he got together about 20000 Foot and 1000 Horse in no great space and within a while after gathered up a numerous Army with which he marched and came on his way to Stymphalia Diodorus ad Olymp. 117. Justin lib. 15. A. M. 3696. Ol. 117. an 4. V.C. 445. Seleuc. 4. Ptolom 15. Here Cassander opposed him and seeing that his Macedonians took well enough this reduction of their Prince and fearing
Herod by St. Luke labouring all manner of wayes to gratifie the Jews killed James the brother of John and shut up Peter in prison Act. 12. intending to bring him forth to the People after the Passeover but he was miraculously delivered by an Angel A just punishment from God overtook Agrippa not long after For having begun to build the walls of Jerusalem when upon complaint of Marsus President of Syria he was forbidden by Claudius he descended to Caesarea there to celebrate games in honour of Caesar Being clothed with a robe of silver which glittered exceedingly by the reflection of the Sun-beams he rejected not the flatteries of those who ascribed to him divine honours and was presently seized by a pain in his guts Whom vengence overtaketh for the death of James and being eaten with worms gave up the ghost within five dayes after he had reigned seven years in all A. D 45. V.C. 797. and three over Judaea His Kingdom was not committed to his son by reason of his youth for he was but seventeen years old and therefore Cuspius Fadus was sent to govern it 9. Claudius restored also Mithridates the Iberian to his Kingdom whom Caius had imprisoned On another Mithridates descended from Mithridates the Great King of Pontus he bestowed the Kingdom of Bosphorus giving one part of Cilicia to Polemo in requital and another part of this Country to Antiochus with Commagena Claudius restoreth several Princes for he had also been deprived of this his Kingdom by Caius But the Lycians and Rhodians he deprived of their liberty The former for that they had raised a Sedition wherein some Romans had been slain and the later because they had crucified some of them About this time the Britains were very tumultuous The Britains tumultuous for the reducing of whom to obedience he sent A. Plautius in his second year with an Army out of Gall. 10. Since the time of Julius Caesar the Romans had attempted nothing upon Britain Augustus seemeth of purpose to have neglected it Lege Cambdenum counting it policy to keep the Roman Empire within it's bounds to wit the Ocean the Rivers Ister and Euphrates limits set by nature to the end it might be a State Adamantine for so he himself speaketh in Julian or invincible and not miscary through it 's too great bulck and burthen This Island from Julius Caesar his Expeditions untouched by the Romans Strabo is of opinion that he despised it seeing no cause to fear nor hope of much profit from the Britans and yet it seemed that no small danger would be presented from other Nations lying about the said Island But at length he departed from Rome with a purpose to transfer the War into Britain but when he was come into Gall the Britains pacified him by Ambassadors and having obtained his amity dedicated presents and oblations in the Capitol They brought the Island now familiar to the Romans and endured taxes and imposts which saith Strabo are now nothing grievous to them being raised out of such marchandise and commodities as are shipped to and fro out of Gall and Britain those be Ivory works bits and bridles chains and wreathes Vessels of Electrum and glasse with other base and common wares of like sort And therefore there needs no Garrison for that Island For it would require one Legion at least and some Horsemen if tributes were to be levied from thence and the said tributes would but countervail the charges of maintaining a Garrison there Augustus was diverted from it for of necessity by imposing a tribute the revenues coming by tollage and poundage and such like imposts would be lesse and if any violent course were used some peril or other must be expected The year following also Augustus intended a second Expedition into Britain because there was some variance about the Covenants but by occasion of some insurrections made in Spain by the Cantabri and others that journey was staied 11. Tiberius nothing transported with an inordinate desire of inlarging the Empire seemeth to have rested in that counsel of Augustus For he brought out a Book written with Augustus his own hand wherein was contained the whole wealth and estate of the Commonweal what number as well of Roman Citizens as Allies were in Arms how many Navies Kingdoms and Provinces what tributes and imposts belonged to the State with a resolution annexed thereto of containing the Empire within the same bounds Which advise and resolution of Augustus contented him so well that as Tacitus reporteth Tiberius neglected it he would attempt nothing in Britain nor maintain any Garrison or Deputies there For whereas Tacitus reckoneth up the number of Legions and what Coasts and Countries they defended at that time he maketh no mention at all of Britain And yet it seemeth that the Britains entertained amity with the Romans For when as at the same time Germanicus sailed the Ocean some of his Company being by force of Tempest driven to this Island were by the Princes thereof sent back again That Caius Caesar cast in his mind to enter this Island is certain but by his shittle brain sudden repentance and wonderful attempts against Germany it came to nothing For to the end that he might terrifie Britain and Germany over which he hovered with the same of some mighty piece of work he made a bridge between Baiae and the Piles of Puteoli three miles and 600 paces in length Caius his rare exploits But having atchieved no greater exploit than received to grace Adminius the son of Cynobelliuus King of the Britans who being by his Father banished had fled over Sea with a small power and train about him he sent magnificent and glorious letters to Rome as if the whole Isle had been yielded up into his hands warning and wishing the Posts to ride forward directly into the Forum and Curia and in no wise to deliver the said missives unto the Consuls but in the Temple of Mars and that in a frequent Assembly of the Senate 12. After this to the Ocean he marched as if he minded to translate the War over into Britain There upon the shoar he embattelled his Soldiers he himself took Sea in a Gally and having lanched forth a little from the Land returned again Then mounting an high scaffold he sate him down and gave his Soldiers the sign for battel And great atchievement and commanding the Trumpets to sound on a sodain charged them to gather Cockles Muskles and other small shel-fishes Having gotten these spoils he waxed proud as if he had conquered the Ocean and having rewarded his Soldiers he brought some of these shel-fishes to Rome to shew the booty he had gotten In token and memorial of this great atchievement he caused to be built a brave high Turret out of which as from a watch-tower there might blaze all night long lights and fires for the better direction of Sea-men The ruines hereof are some times
much prudence and dexterity The regaining of such places as were lost to the Illyrians and Olynthians with the overthrow of the neighbouring Kings and the State of Olynthus were such things as would have seemed too difficult for many ages to his predecessors The matters atchieved by him required both Mars and Mercury for assistants and therein he bred so many choise Commanders as for their skill and valour being worthy to wear Crowns He seemeth most to deserve that glory which his son by the influence of his abilities afterwards attained 35. Alexander his son succeeded him aged about twenty years Diodorus ibid. in the first of the 111th Olympiad wherein Cleomantes was Victor Pithodorus being Archon in the first of the reign of Darius Codomannus and the year of the World 3669. being by the father's side descended of Hercules Plutarch in Atexandro Alexander succeedeth him and the mother 's from Achilles neither of which lines he disgraced by the course of his fortunes Of a great and lofty spirit he was from a Child easie to be perswaded but hard to be compelled His father apprehending his wit procured Aristotle to be his School-master offering him very large rewards whose Native Citie Stageira being before by him demolished he re-edified for his sake By such a Master he was not onely instructed in morality but had some insight into the more abstruse Sciences and seemed to have some skill in Physick being wont to give directions to his friends about their health Being sixteen years old Philip undertaking an expedition against the Byzantians left him his Deputy in Macedonia where improving his time he subdued the Medaeans who had revolted and taking that Citie planted it with new Inhabitants and called it after himself Alexandropolis At the battel of Chaeronea he behaved himself very stoutly which with other his good parts drew great love upon him from his father insomuch as he willingly suffered the Macedonians to call him King and himself General but Philips mind towards his later end being withdrawn from his mother and fastned upon Cleopatra thereupon ensued great dissatisfaction on both sides whilest his mother stirred him to great indignation insomuch as he escaped not suspition of being privy to her designs against his father's life 36. Yet began he his reign with justice against such as had an hand in the murther killing them upon his Grave Idem ibid. Diodorus ad Olymp. 111. ann 2. and blamed his mother that in his absence she had dealt so cruelly with Cleopatra Then celebrating the funeral of his father with royal Rites and Ceremonies he began to take care of his publick affaires He beginneth his reign well and being contemned for his youth and little experience above all expectation explicated himself out of all difficulties by imitating his Fathers courtesie and overcoming many by the invinciblenesse of his spirit which through the course of his life bore down all opposition He renewed the discipline of War and gained the affections of the Army knowing also that Attalus upon the account of his Niece Cleopatra lay at all advantages to do him mischief he sent Hecataeus with a band of men with order to attack him and send him over alive if possible or else to kill him one way or other which was at length effected In the mean time Demosthenes having had secret intelligence of Philip's death went to the people and pretending to have dreamt it stirred up the Athenians all wayes possible to contemn the youth of Alexander and not to suffer him to obtain the Principality of Greece and to this purpose they sent unto Attalus and entred into conspiracy with him how they might best effect it The Aetolians intended to restore the Exiles of the Acarnanians banished by Philip. The Ambraciots expelled the Garrison there His difficulties in Greece and the Thebans decreed to do the same by that in Cadmea As the Arcadians had refused to consent that the Father should be General of Greece so were they now nothing better inclined towards the Son and the rest of the Peloponnesians as the Argives Eleans and Lacedaemonians were ready to do any thing for the asserting of their own liberty and power The Nations about Macedonia began to stir being altogether inclining to renounce their obedience 37. Alexander as an earnest of his future successe easily removed those obstacles reducing some by entreaty and good words others by awe and some by force of Arms. He first obtained of the Thessalians by a publick Decree to be owned as his Fathers Successor in the Generalship and then easily bringing the neighbouring People to do the same Which he overcometh passing the Pylae called the Council of the Amphyctiones and procured by their suffrages to be elected the Captain General of all Greece Having done this to bring over the rest by fear he led down his Army into Boeotia where pitching his tents by Cadmea he affrighted the Thebans and the Athenians also so much that these getting in all their goods to the City and fortifying it as well as they might they sent to beg his pardon that they had owned him no sooner One of the Ambassadors was Demosthenes who came not with the rest to Alexander but returned back when he was come on his way either fot that he stood in fear of him for the Orations made against his Father or because he would not crack his credit with the Persian King from whom Aeschines accused him to have received much money He answered the Ambassadors to their satisfaction and then sent for the Deputies of the Estates to meet him at Corinth where speaking very courteously to them he vvas again declared General against the Persian and aid decreed to him for carrying on the War after vvhich he returned into Macedonia Whilst he here vvas in the Isthmus many Philosophers came to salute him * Diogenes Laertius Plutarch alii onely Diogenes the Sinopian made no reckoning of him The King understanding this vvent to visit him then at Athens and finding him sunning himself in his tub saluted him kindly and desired him to ask any thing of him vvhatsoever he pleased He onely desired him to stand out of the Sun vvhich greatnesse of mind Alexander so much admired that vvhen his follovvers laughed and jeered at the man he ansvvered that If he were not Alexander he would be Diogenes 38. In the beginning of the Spring he made an Expedition into Thrace Diodorus Plutarch vvhere he subdued several People and afterwards prospered in the same manner in Poeonia and Illyria In the mean time came intelligence that many of the Greeks had a design to revolt and not a few Cities amongst which Thebes was most eminent and had renounced his authority Hereupon he returned into Macedonia But the Thebans fall upon his Garrison in Cadmea the Thebans in the mean while besieging his Garrison in Cadmea which being supplied with Arms by Demosthenes they fell upon and
the Kings house and watch the servants there that they should carry away no Letters he himself with his Clients and Friends went to the house of the Aquillii where he got into his hands what was written to Tarquinius The Aquillii being abroad met him at the Gate where they endeavoured to recover by force the Letters from him but he through the help of those about him drew them into the Forum as his brother also having seized on other Letters at the King's house forced some of his servants thither The tumult being appeased by the Consuls Vindicius related the Story and the Letters were read The parties said nothing for themselves all were astonished and silent at length some to flatter Brutus mentioned banishment Collatinus shedding tears gave the prisoners hope and this was increased because Valerius held his peace 8. But furious and implacable Brutus calling both his Sons by their names Titus and Tiberius asked them why they said nothing to what was laid to their charge and when they answered not at the third time he turned to the Lictors or Executioners Brutus putteth to death his sons and said Now is it your part to perform the rest They presently took the youths and stripping them tied their hands behind them then did they beat with rods and after that beheaded them he whilst others could not behold so abhominable a spectactle feeding his angry eyes with the object till all was done Then left he the rest to the discretion of his Colleague and departed after which a stupidity horrour and amazement as the things required for a time possessed all Collatinus his backwardnesse and delay incouraged the Aquilii to desire time to answer and that Vindicius their Slave might be given up to them and not continue in the hands of their accusers The Consul was about to do both when Valerius who kept the Slave all this while in the midst of his followers would neither deliver him nor suffer the People to depart without censuring the accused though Collatinus was ready to dismisse the Assembly He laid hands upon the Aquilii and sent for Brutus crying out that Collatinus did unworthily to impose upon his Colleague a necessity of killing his sons and think of granting the lives of the other unto women The Consul being vexed commanded the Lictors to take away Vindicius so that they laying hands on him wounded those that kept him and Valerius his friends fighting in his behalf the People cried out for Brutus When he came he said that by his full authority he had animadverted upon his own Sons and left the other delinquents to the People giving leave to every man to speak There was no need of this The rest beheaded saith Plutarch though Dionysius relateth a great contest betwixt the two Consuls but the rabble called to the vote condemned them by all their Suffrages according to which sentence they were beheaded Collatinus now who for being a kin to the King had been suspected and whose name was hateful to the People having by his carriage in this businesse offended the generality voluntarily laid down his Office and departed from the City seeing now to what a sad passe he had helped to bring things and too late repenting of his rebellion To him succeeded Valerius the Comitia being held for an election whom Brutus much desired to have had his Colleague at first but that the greatnesse of Collatinus carried it from him Valerius Consul in the room of Tarquinius Collatinus 9. Valerius being with the good-will of all the multitude created Consul thought the first fruits of his Office due to Vindicius whom manumitted he made free of the Commonwealth this privilege being given to him first of all Liberti or Freed-men according to Plutarch which Appius long after communicated to them all and from him a perfect and full manumission had the name of Vindicta This done the Consuls gave the gooâ—â— of the King to be rifled by the People demolished his house Dionys lib. 5. Livius lib. 2. Val. Maxim l. 1. c. 8. Plutar. in Poplicola Plin. l. 29. c. 1. Festus in voce Insula and laid the Campus Martius which he had to himself open as before wherein lying Corn cut down already they threw it into the River and sending trees that grew there after it these receiving gravel and such rubbish as came down the chanel at last grew into an Island called Insula Sacra though some say this happened in after times when Tarquinia a Vestal Nun gave the adjoyning field to the Publick and for that obtained great honours as these amongst the lest of all women alone to appear as a witnesse in any cause and liberty to marry which she refused But Tarquinus seeing that reason failed betook himself to force and brought a great Army of Tuscans against Rome The Consuls opposed him with another and when they came to joyn Aruns the son of Tarquin and Brutus the Consul with greater wrath and fury than discretion singled out each other and so carelesly demeaned themselves as both of them lost their lives A great and bloody battel was fought betwixt the Armies Brutus slain which night onely broke up and that with such equal fortune as neither party could boast it self till at length either by a voice out of a grove A. M. 3497. Ol. 68. an 1. V.C. 246. Darii 15. as the story goeth that the Etruscans had lost one man more or some other way the Romans were so revived and the other discouraged that the later forsook their tents for fear and being fallen upon by the Enemy were nigh 5000 taken prisoners having lost 11300 in the fight Valerius triumphed at his return to the City leaving an example to posterity which was duly followed and then buried his Colleague with great honour making himself a funeral Oration in his commendation which custom Dionysius will have more ancient at Rome than in Greece although Anaximenes wrote that Solon was the Author of it Valerius suspected 10. But when the People considered how Brutus the father of their liberty as they accounted him would not govern alone without a Colleague and yet Valerius made no haste to take a partner they began to complain that he had not taken to himself so much the place of Brutus which yet not at all belonged to him but that of Tarquinius and were much offended with him They confirmed themselves in their hard opinion from his having all the Rods and Axes caried before him and with them in greater state than Tarquinius used marched from his house which was much larger than the Palace that he demolished His house was very fair situate in such a place as afforded him prospect round about and had a difficult ascent so that the convenience of the site considered with his Kingly port and attendance seemed to threaten their infant Commonwealth now an Orphan by Brutus his death His friends remonstrating to him these particulars he
for he contented himself with the Equestrian rank neither could he not obtain greater things but he would * Maecenas eques Hetrusco de Sanguint regum Intra fortunam qui cupis esse tuam Propertius l. 3. not He had great power with Augustus which he improved to the allaying of his passion and doing good offices for others as one example shews above the rest On a time as Augustus sate in Judgment and was about to sentence many to death he perceiving it and nor able to come at him for the croud wrote these words Rise up at last Executioner in a table and cast them into Caesar's lap as some other matter who having read them presently departed without condemning any Neither did this offend Augustus but he was glad that he had one who would be so free with him and curb that anger which either his inclination or the urgency of businesse moved him to (a) Cilnius Arreti Tyrrhenis ortus in oris Clarum nomen erat Silius Italicus Cilnius was the antient name of his Family and Arretium in the Tyrrhenian Coasts the place of it (b) L. 7. c. 5â— Pliny telleth strange passages of him as that he never was without an Ague and for three years before his death never slept a quarter of an hour together In the same year which was that wherein Augustus mended the Calendar and called the moneth Sextilis after himself Horace the Poet also died in the 57 year of his age His familiarity with Caesar and Maecenas is sufficiently known His life is written by Suetonius 40. Augustus having again quieted all Nations and shut the Temple of Janus the third time having ordained a general taxation throughout the Empire that he might know the State and worth thereof having also refused the name of Dominus or Lord with great earnestnesse which he forbad even his Children and Nephews by an edict to use towards him the Lord and Heir of all things came into the World in the fulnesse of time revealed by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Daniel for the fulfilling of the promises made concerning the seed of the woman The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which should break the serpents head A. M. 4003. Ol. 194. an 3. V. C. 752. Caesare Augusto 13. M. Plautio Silano Coss Great difference there is in assigning the year of the World wherein our Saviour was born by reason of the difficulty of computation arising from the several versions of the Scriptures the intricate and uncertain successions of the Judges the variety of the forms of years and the several reckonings as to parcels of such as are related in Scripture A great help for the regulation of these things is afforded from prophane Histories But it beginneth but with Cyrus whose History as to the restauration of the Jews presenteth us with the first certain note of conjunction he being so named both by holy and prophane Writers but not Nebuchadnesar and yet the duration of his reign is also uncertain Yet as from all these opinions weighed together a good account may be given in another place more proper for the length of it as to the year of the World so the Evangelist teaching us that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Christ was about thirty years old it must needs follow that Augustus reigned fifteen years after his birth so that if we count as some do the reign of Augustus from the death of Julius Caesar it lasted 57 years and then must Christ be born in the 42 of it But if we follow them as the order of this Work doth who with more reason fetch the beginning of his Empire from the death of Antony and the conquest of Aegypt then Christ's birth fell into the 28 year thereof and according to the computation which we most approve into the 4003 year of the World the 752 of the City and the third year of the 194 Olympiad wherein Caesar Augustus himself the thirteenth time and M. Plautius Silanus were Consuls Although Cyrenius who was Consul ten years before and is called elsewhere P. Sulpicius Quirinus might not formally be President of Syria which Office as others say was now obtained by Quintilius Vanus Josephus Antiq. l. 17. c. 7. who succeeded Saturninus who as yet was not departed out of the Province yet being set over this taxation by Augustus in that place this title might well be given him though he then governed Cilicia De bello Judaic l. 1. c. 15. as Herod is by Jesephus said to be constituted Procurator of all Syria though it had it's Officers who were to act by his assistance and direction Herod had now reigned 37 years and odd moneths and being deluded by the Wise Men whom he willingly suffered to search out Christ that he might destroy him killed all the children in and about Bethlehem of two years and under Matth. 2.16 which cruelty was but agreable with his disposition and constant practice Here that we may describe his affaires we must make a little digression and take them where we formerly left them A digression to the affairs of Herod 41. After he had obtained the possession of his Kingdom Josephus Antiq. l. 15. c. 1 c. he put to death 45 of Antigonus his friends having procured him to be beheaded as we formerly shewed Then did he prefer to the High-Priesthood one Ananel an obscure man neglecting Aristobulus the son of Aristobulus the King and brother to his own wife Mariamne and Antony desiring to see this youth for the fame of his beauty he fearing the Roman might advance him to stay him at home gave him the Priesthood and excused his neglect to send him by the inclination of the Jews to rebellion Perceiving him then to be in extraordinary favour with the Jews and that his mother Alexandra which he kept very close because of her restlesse spirit plorted the escape of her self and son into Aegypt a year after as he was swimming he caused him to be drowned and though Cleopatra accused him hereof to Antony yet by presents he made his Peace He maketh away Aristobulus In the Civil Wars he sided with Antony who having forces sufficient desired him to chastize the Arabians that denied the Tribute imposed on them This he did and though at first his attempts miscaried yet in another battel he quite overthrew and brought them under After the overthrow of Antony he had little hope that his own matters would go well He murdered Hyrcanus who onely survived of all the males of the Royal Family and whom he had recalled from Babylon Idem ibid. c. 9 c. whither he was caried by the Parthians He took the advantage of the old man's intent to flye into Arabia through the importunity of his daughter Alexandra who promised him great things if Herod should miscary under the power of Augustus Then providing as well as he could for the worst in case it should happen