eighth year viz. after the division or eighth years because this servitude ended in the eight But that it began not immediatly after the division neither after the death of Joshua seemeth evident because the Israelites served the Lord as long as that Generation lasted which had seen his wonders which cannot be conceived extinct at the same time with him Others think a longer time then seven years to have passed betwixt the division and this oppression assigning fourteen years to the government of Joshua after the division then ten more to the government of the Elders after his death Jacobus Cappellus who might very well live longer then so none that were twenty years old when they came out of Egypt having entred Canaan except Joshua and Caleb After that as many years they attribute to an Anarchy in the sixth year of which they will have the Civil War to have broken out betwixt Benjamin and the rest of the Tribes Judg. 20. wherein all the Benjaminites except 600 were slain Four years after this War and at the end of the 10th Cushan the King of Mesopotamia afflicted Israel for its idolatry eight years But concerning this there is no certainty Othniel delivereth them 23. At the end of the eight years God stirred up for a deliverer Judg. Chap. 3. Othniel of the Tribe of Judah Nephew to Caleb by his younger brother Kenaz and his son-in-law Into his hands the Lord delivered Cushan and the Land had rest fourty years After his death which is set to the end of these fourty years Israel turned again to idolatry and the Lord delivered them up to Eglon Eglon oppresseth them King of Moab for eighteen years At the end of this term he stirred up Ehud a left-handed man of the Tribe of Benjamin who under colour of a message stabbed Eglon into the belly Delivered by Ehud and gathering the Israelites together on Mount Ephraim slew 10000 of the Moabites all men of War After this the Land is said to have rested 80 years the words being taken literally but then some think none of the years of the Tyrants or Oppressors are to be counted severally and by themselves but to be included herein as other years after mentioned else the account will swell much larger then the whole number of years which the Scripture seemeth to allow of If we take-in all the years ascribed to the Tyrants then they will have it an Enallage frequent in all Languages and instead of 80. Ehud governed or the Land rested under him onely eight years but others think they have as much reason to take them literally Shamgar judgeth Israel 24. After Ehud Shamgar the son of Aneth judged Israel Chap. 4. but no mention is made of any time It followeth when Ehud was dead the Children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he sold them into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan whose General was Sisera and who had 900 Chariots of iron Jabin oppresseth them he mightily oppressed them twenty years It is most probable that in this time the Government of Shamgar was included he slew with an Oxe-good 600 of the Philistins And the Philistins who at this time might also afflict Israel or else it being but short might fall betwixt Ehud's death and the oppression of Jabin there being probability enough that some time passed after his death before the Israelites so highly provoked the Lord as to be given up into Jabins hands At the end of these twenty years Deborah Deborah and Barach deliver them the wife of Lapidoth judging Israel at this time in Mount Ephraim moved by God sent for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kadesh-Naphtali and made him Captain He with 10000 men of Zebulon and Naphtali overthrew Sisera who flying on his feet to the Tent of Heber the Kenite descended of Jethro father-in-law to Moses Jael his wife killed him by a Nail driven into his Temples as he lay asleep So the Land rested under Deborah fourty years as we read it * Usher another interpreting it in the 40th year viz. after the rest restored to it by Ehud 25. This time expired and the Israelites relapsing to idolatry Jud. 6. God gave them up into the hands of the Midianites The Midianites oppresse them and other people of the East which afflicted them seven years destroying their Corn driving away their Cattel and making havock of all things This made them cry to the Lord who first reproved them by a Prophet and afterwards by an Angel stirred up Gideon the son of Joash of the Tribe of Manasses to deliver them He having pulled down the Altar of Baal and burnt his grove Chap. 7. out of 23000 men chose 300. with which number marching against the Midianites Gideon delivereth them he so affrighted them by a stratagem of Lamps and Pitchers that he routed their whole Army The Ephraimites took Oreb and Zeeb Gideon following the Chance beyond Jordan wholly discomfited them and took Chap. 8. and slew two Kings of the Midianites Zeba and Zalmanna After so great a victory the Israelites offered him the Kingdom but he refused it and asked onely the earings of the prey wherewith he made an Ephod which afterwards gave occasion to idolatry all Israel going a whoring after it and became a snare to him and his house But thus Midian being subdued the Country was in quietnesse under Gideon 40 years as most read it but as others was quiet in the 40th year viz. after quietnesse restored to it by Deborah and Barach Abimelech his Son maketh himself King 26. Though Gideon refused the Soveraignty Chap. 9. yet Abimelech his base Son thinking such a thing was not to be neglected dealt with the Sichemites of whose City his Mother was native to make him King and by their help he seized on the Kingdom having slain his Seventy Brethren upon one stone Jotham the youngest onely escaping The Israelites after Gideon's death had again turned after Idols and therefore God not onely subjected them to the Dominion of this most wicked of all parricides but to intestine dissentions by reason of him For after he had tyrannized three years Gaal with the Sichemites conspired against him which having timely discovered he destroyed them and their City sowing it with Salt and burnt the house of their god Berith with a thousand Men and Women which had fled to it Then went he against Thebez and took it the Inhabitants whereof retired for defence into a strong Tower Here as he was about to set fire to the door a Woman cast down a piece of a Mil-stone upon his head and so brake his skull that he caused his Armour-bearer to kill him lest it should be said that he died by the hands of a Woman Tolah judgeth Israel After his death Tolah the Son of Puah Chap. 10. the Son of Dodo a Man of Issachar that dwelt
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
those Devils that had possessed them In his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For in the name of this the Son of God Pag. 311. the first-born of every creature and born of a Virgin and made a man subject to suffering and crucified by your people under Pontius Pilate who died arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven every Devil adjured is overcome and subdued In another place of this Apology And now we who believe in Jesus Christ our Lord crucified under Pontius Pilate Pag. 302 adjuring all Devils and malignant spirits have them subject under our power He affirmeth the same thing in other places 31. That Christians constrained Devils to confesse themselves such and to acknowledge the truth of the Gospel in this matter hear also Tertullian If a man should bring before your tribunals one that were truly possessed of a Devil if a Christian should command him to speak this wicked spirit will confesse that he is a Devil Apol. cap. 23. with as much truth as he saith falsely at another time he is a god Let them present any one of these they believe to be wrought upon within by a deity that in the ceremony of the Sacrifices they offer on the altars have the virtue of a God in senting the smell which goes out of the Sacrifices who with force belch out words out of their stomachs within breathing declare Oracles if this heavenly Virgin that promiseth rain if this Aesculapius who teacheth the secrets of Physick who preserves the lives of them that must lose the same soon after confesse not by the mouths of these Impostors the fegined inspirations of whom deceive the World that they are but Devils if the presence of a Christian takes not from them the boldnesse of lying we are willing that in the same place you shed the blood of this Christian and punish him as a wicked person In the same Chapter Now seeing by our means your gods discover to you that they are no gods and that all the other to whom men erect altars are none in like manner but this at the same time they make you know who the true God is if it be this onely God whom we that are Christians worship if we must believe of him what the Christians believe if he must be served as their Laws ordain When you conjure your gods in the name of Jesus Christ do they ask who is that Jesus Christ do they call the History of his life a fable do they say he is a man of the same education as other men that he was a Magician that after he was dead his disciples took away his body privately from the Sepulcher and that he is now in Hell say they not rather he is in Heaven that he must descend to the terror of all the World with horrour to the Universe with the lamentation of all men but Christians and that he shall come down on the Earth full of Majesty as the Virtue of God the Spirit of God the Word Wisdom Reason and the Son of God 32. Whence Christians came to be so strong as to wrest these confessions from them hear him in the same place Whence they had this strength against them Now all the power we have of them is the name of Jesus Christ who gives it us it is the threatning we give them of the evils God is ready to pour on their heads and which one day Jesus Christ must declare unto them As they fear Jesus Christ in God and God in Jesus Christ they are under the Government of the servants of God and of Jesus Christ so by the onely touch of our hands and breath of our mouthes the Devils seized with fear at the sight of the flames that environ them are forced to obey us to come out of the bodies they possesse in despite of them and with murmuring to suffer this shame in our presence You that are wont to believe them when they lie believe them when they speak of themselves None will tell a lye to get shame by it but rather to gain honour one will sooner believe them that confesse against their own interest than those that denie to their advantage These testimonies which we have of your gods make men to be Christians for we cannot give a full belief to what they say without believing in Jesus Christ our Master Your gods kindle in our hearts the Faith which the holy Scripture teacheth us they strengthen our hope and confirm us in the assurance we have of our Salvation As for you to honour them you offer them also the blood of Christians and if it were permitted them to lie when Christians interrogate them and labour to make you know the truth by their confession they would take good heed of discovering your errors to you as well for keeping the profit they have of them and the honours you render them as for the fear they might have that in becomming your selves Christians you drive them away as we do from the bodies they torment with so much rage In the beginning of the following Chapter We need nothing but the acknowledgement we have from your gods when we make them confesse they are no gods and when they answer us there is no other God than the onely God we serve to purge us from the crimes of high-treason and impiety to the Roman Religion 33. No wonder then that these impure Spirits inraged at Christians sought all manner of wayes to destroy them But yet in their deaths they overcame them and in all sorts of indignities and tortures triumphed over their implacable adversaries for The blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church That this was so indeed Tertullian also informeth us the veracity of whom as to these things alleged is unquestionable because appealing to his adversaries he must needs in behalf of his cause produce such things as were most certain the contrary whereof would have Apologized sufficiently for what he laboured to confute We shall with the last words of his excellent Apology conclude this most delightful Subject But do what you please They triumphed over their enemies in their very sufferings all inventions the most exquisite cruelty can advise you unto are to no purpose so far are they from profitting you that contrarily they draw all the World to our Religion The oftner you make an harvest of the Christians the oftner their number increaseth their blood is a seed which dies not on the earth but puts forth prosperously Many among you have laboured to perswade men to suffer constantly pain and death as Cicero in his Tusculans Seneca in his Treatise against casual things Diogenes Pyrrhon and Callinicus but Christians have better taught constancy by the examples they have given in supporting patiently so many evils than all the Philosophers with all their discourses This same obstinacy wherewith you reproach us is an excellent mistresse of truth which we