cittie of CVMA he perceyued that all the coastes by sea were layed for him to apprehende him and that he had many spyalls vpon him among the which these were two speciall noted men Ergoteles and one Pythodorus the reward being very great for men that sought their gayne any waye they could For the king of PERSIA had proclaymed by sound of truÌpet two hundred taleÌts to him that brought him Themistocles Whereupon he fled vnto a litle towne of AEOLIA called AEGES where no liuing bodie knewe him but his host only called Nicogenes who was the richest man of all the AEOLIANS and knewe all the noble men of authoritie that were about the king of PERSIA Themistocles continued hidden certen dayes in his house in which time on a night after the feast of a sacrifice one Olbius schoolemaster to Nicogenes children by some secret working of the goddes sodainely fell besides him selfe and beganne to singe these verses out alowde Doe thou beleeue vvhat so the night tells and geue thy voyce thy counsell and conceipts Vnto the night in darcksomnes that dvvells thereon also thy victorie avvaits The next night following Themistocles being fast asleepe in his bed dreamed that a snake wounde it selfe round about his bellie and glided vpwardes to his necke vntill it touched his face and sodainely then it became an eagle and imbraced him with his winges and so at length dyd lifte him vp into the ayer and caried him a maruelous waye of vntill he thought he sawe a golden rodde suche as Herauldes vse to carie in their handes whereupon the eagle dyd set him and so was deliuered of all this feare and trouble he thought him selfe in The trothe was Nicogenes had this deuise in his heade howe he might bring him safe to the king of PERSIAES courte The Barbarous nations for the most parte and specially the PERSIANS are of a very straunge nature and maruelous iealous ouer their women and that not onely of their wiues but also of their bonde women and concubines which they keepe so straightly locked vp that no man euer seeth them abroade at any time but are allwayes like housedoues kept within doores And when they haue any occasion to goe into the country they are caried in close coches couered all about that no man can looke into them Themistocles was conueyed into one of these coches drest after this manner and had warned his men to aunswer those they met by the waye that asked whom they caried howe it was a young GRECIAN gentlewoman of the countrie of IONIA which they caried to the courte for a noble man there Thucydides and Charon Lampsacenian saye he went thither after the death of Xerxes and spake with his sonne there But Ephorus Dino Clitarchus Heraclides and many other write that he spake with him selfe Yet notwithstanding it appeareth that Thucydides wordes doe best agree with the chronicles tables recording the succession of times although they be of no great certaintie Themistocles being come nowe to the swordes pointe as it were and to the extremitie of his daunger dyd first present him selfe vnto one Artabanus Colonell of a thousand footemen and sayed vnto him Syr I am a GRECIAN borne and desire to speake with the King I haue matters of importance to open to his maiestie and such as I knowe he will thanckefully receyue Artabanus aunswered him in this manner My friend syr straunger the lawes and customes of men are diuers and some take one thing for honest others some another thing but it is most honestly for all men to keepe and obserue the lawes and manners of their owne countrie For you GRECIANS haue the name to loue libertie and equalitie aboue all things for vs amongest all the goodly lawes and customes we haue we esteeme this aboue the rest to reuerence and honour our King as the image of the god of nature who keepeth all things in their perfect life and state Wherefore if thou wilt facion thy selfe after our manner to honour the King thou mayest both see him and speake with him but if thou haue another minde with thee then must thou of necessitie vse some thirde persone for thy meane For this is the manner of our countrie the King neuer geueth audience to any man that hath not first honoured him Themistocles hearing what he sayed aunswered him againe My lord Artabanus the great good will I bear vnto the King and the desire I haue to aduaunce his glorie and power is the only cause of my present repaire vnto his courte therefore I meane not only to obey your lawes since it hath so pleased the goddes to rayse vp the noble empire of PERSIA vnto this greatnes but will cause many other people also to honour the King more then there doe at this present Therefore let there be no staye but that my selfe in persone maye deliuer to the King that I haue to saye vnto him Well sayed Artabanus whom then shall we saye thou arte For by thy speache it seemeth thou art a man of no meane state and condition Themistocles aunswered him as for that Artabanus none shall knowe before the King him selfe Thus doth Phanias reporte it But Eratosthenes in his booke he wrote of riches addeth further howe Themistocles had accesse vnto this Artabanus being recommended to the King by a woman of ERETRIA whom the King kept Themistocles being brought to his presence after he had presented his humble duety and reuerence to him stoode on his feete and sayed neuer a worde vntill the King commauÌded the interpreter to aske him what he was and he aunswered Maye it please your maiestie ô noble King I am Themistocles the Athenian a banished man out of my country by the GRECIANS who humbly repayreth to your highnes knowing I haue done great hurt to the PERSIANS but I persuade my self I haue done them farre more good then harme For I it was that kept the GRECIANS backe they dyd not follow you wheÌ the state of GRECE was deliuered from thraldome and my natiue country from daunger and that I knew I stoode then in good state to pleasure you Nowe for me I finde all mens good willes agreable to my present misery and calamitie for I come determined most humbly to thancke your highnes for any grace and fauour you shall shewe me also to craue humble pardone if your maiesty be yet offended with me And therfore licence me most noble King to beseche you that taking mine enemies the GRECIANS for witnesses of the pleasures I haue done the PERSIAN nation you will of your princely grace vse my harde fortune as a good occasion to shewe your honorable vertue rather then to satisfie the passion of your heate and choller For in sauing my life your maiestie saueth an humble suter that put him selfe to your mercie and in putting me to death you shall ryd away an enemy of the GRECIANS Hauing spoken thus these words he sayed further That the goddes
their campe but the most parte of them ranne to the citie of PLATAEES and were maruelously out of order dispersing them selues here and there and set vp their tents where they thought good before the places were appointed for them and there were none that taried behinde but the LACEDAEMONIANS onely and that was against their willes For one of their Captaines called Amompharetus a maruelous hardie man that feared no daunger and longed sore for battell he was in such a rage with these triflinge delayes that he cried is out in the campe that this remouinge was a goodly runninge away and sware he woulde not from thence but woulde there tary Mardonius comminge with his companie Pausanias went to him and tolde him he must doe that the other GREECIANS hadde consented to in counsell by most voyces But Amompharetus tooke a great stone in his handes and threw it downe at Pausanias feete and told him there is the signe I geue to conclude battel and I passe not for all your cowardly conclusions Amompharetus stubbornnesse did so amaze Pausanias that he was at his wittes ende So he sent vnto the ATHENIANS that were onwardes on their way to pray them to tary for him that they might goe together and there withall made the rest of his menne to marche towardes the citie of PLATAEES supposinge thereby to haue drawen Amompharetus to haue followed him or else he ment to remaine alone behinde But in triflinge thus the day brake and Mardonius vnderstandinge that the GREECIANS did forsake their first lodging he made his army presently marche in battell ray to sette apon the LACEDAEMONIANS So the barbarous people made great showtes and cries not thinking to goe fight but to goe sacke and spoyle the GREECIANS flyinge away as in deede they did litle better For Pausanias seeinge the countenaunce of his enemies made his ensignes to stay and commaunded euery man to prepare to fight but he forgate to geue the GREECIANS the signall of the battell either for the anger he tooke against Amompharetus or for the sodayne onset of the enemies which made them that they came not in straight nor altogether to the battell after it was begonne but stragglinge in small companies some here and some there In the meane time Pausanias was busie in sacrificinge to the goddes and seeinge that the first sacrifices were not acceptable vnto them by the Soothsayers obseruations they made he commaunded the SPARTANS to throwe their targettes at their feete and not to sturre out of their places but onely to doe as he bad them without resistinge their enemies When he hadde geuen this straight order he went againe and did sacrifice when the horsemen of the enemies were at hande and that their arrowes flewe amongest the thickest of the LACEDAEMONIANS and did hurte diuerse of them and specially poore Callicrates amonge the rest that was one of the goodliest menne in all the GREECIANS hoste and armie He hauing his deathes wounde with an arrow before he gaue vppe the ghost sayed his death did not greue him bicause he came out of his contrie to dye for the defence of GREECE but it greued him to dye so cowardly hauinge geuen the enemie neuer a blowe His death was maruelous lamentable and the constancy of the SPARTANS wonderfull for they neuer stirred out of their places nor made any countenaunce to defende them selues against their enemies that came apon them but suffred them selues to be thrust through with arrowes and slaine in the field lookinge for the houre the goddes would appoint them and that their Captaine would commaunde them to fight Some wryte also that as Pausanias was at his prayers and doing sacrifice vnto the goddes a litle behinde the battell certeine of the LYDIANS came apon him and ouerthrew and tooke away all his sacrifice and how Pausanias and those that were about him hauinge no other weapons in their handes draue them awaye with force of staues and whippes In memorie whereof they saye there is a solemne procession kept at SPARTA on that daye which they call the LYDIANS procession where they whippe and beate younge boyes about the aulter Then was Pausanias in great distresse to see the Priestes offer sacrifice vppon sacrifice and that not one of them pleased the goddes at the last he turned his eyes to the temple of Iuno and wept and holdinge vp his handes besought Iuno Cithârââ and all the other goddes patrones and protectors of the contry of the PLATAEIANS that if it were not the will of the goddes the GREECIANS shoulde haue the victorie yet that the conquerors at the least should buie their deathes dearely and that they shoulde finde they fought against valliant men and worthy souldiers Pausanias had no sooner ended his prayer but the sacrifices fell out very fauorable insomuch the Priestes and Soothsayers came to promise him victory Thereupon he straight gaue commaundement to march toward the enemy which flew from man to man incontinently how they shoulde march So as he that hadde seene the SquadroÌ of the LACEDAEMONIANS would haue said it had bene like the body of a fierce beast raising vp his bristels preparing to fight Then the barbarous people saw they shoulde haue a hotte battell and that they should mete with men that would fight it out to the death wherefore they couered their bodies with great targets after the PERSIAN facion bestowed their arrowes lustely apon the LACEDAEMONIANS But they keeping close together and coueringe them selues with their shieldes marched on stil apon them vntill they came to ioyne with the enemy so lustely that they made their targets flie out of their hands with the terrible thrustes and blowes of their pikes speares apon their breastes and ouerthwart their faces that they slew many of them and layed them on the grounde For all that they dyed not cowardly but tooke the LACEDAEMONIANS pikes and speares in their bare hands and brake them in two by strength of their armes and then they quickely pluckt out their cimeters and axes and lustely layed about them and wrong the LACEDAEMONIANS shields out of their hands by force and fought it out with theÌ a great while hand to hand Now whilest the LACEDAEMONIANS were busily fighting with the barbarous people the ATHENIANS stoode still imbattelled farre of kept their ground But when they saw the LACEDAEMONIANS tary so long that they came not and heard a maruelous noyse of men as though they were fighting and besides that there came a speedy messenger vnto them sent from Pausanias to let theÌ vnderstand they were fighting then they marched with all speede they could to help them But as they were comming on a great pace ouer the playne vnto that parte where they heard the noyse the GREECIANS that were on Mardonius side came against them Aristides seeing them coÌming towards them went a good way before his company cried out as loude as he could for life and coniured the GREECIANS in the name
being to he compared in iustice valliancy and greatnes of corage with the most excellentest GREECIANS in his time dyed shortly after in a battell by sea which he lost vppon the Iles ARGINVCES Wherefore the consederates of the LACEDAEMONIANS seeing that their state was in declining they all together sent an Ambassade vnto SPARTA by whom they made request to the counsell that they would send Lysander againe for their Admirall promising that they would do all things with better corage goodwill vnder his conduction then they would vnder any other Captaine they could sende them So much did Cyrus also wryte vnto them But bicause there was an expresse law forbidding that one man should be twise Admirall and besides they being willing to graunt the request of their confederats made one Aracus their Admirall but in effect gaue Lysander the whole authoritie of all thinges Who was maruelous welcome vnto them and specially vnto the heades and rulers of cities which long before had wished for his comming bicause that by his meanes they hoped to make their authority greater and altogether to take away the authority from the people But they that loued plaine dealing and open magnahimitie in the manners of a gouernor and generall when they came to compare Lysander with Callicratidas they founde that Lysander had a fine subtill head and did more in warres with his policy and subtiltie then by any other meanes And moreouer that he estemediustice when it fell out proffitable and tooke profit for iustice and honestie not thinking that plaine dealing was of better force then crafte but measuring the value of the tone and thother by the profit that came out of them and mockinge of them that sayed that the race of Hercules should not make warres with craft and subtilty For sayd he when the lyons skin will not serue we must help it with the case of a foxe And hereunto agreeth that which they wryte he did in the citie of MILETVM For his frendes and familiars to whome he had promised aide for destruction of the peoples authority and to driue their enemies out of the city they hauing chaunged their mindes and being reconciled vnto their aduersaries he openly made great showe of gladnes and seemed as though he would helpe to agree them together but secretly being alone he tooke them vp sharply and told them that they were cowards to doe it and did procure them to the contrarie to set apon the people And then when he vnderstoode that there was commocion among them in the citie he ranne thither sodainly as it were to appease it But when he was also comen into the citie the first he met with of them that would alter the state of gouernment and take the authority from the people he fell out withall and gaue them rough wordes commaunding with extreamitie that they should fellow him as though he would haue done some great punishment And againe meeting with them on the contrary parte he willed them also that they should not be afrayed nor dout that any man should doe them hurte where he was This was a wicked and malicious practise of him to stay the chiefest of them that were most affected to the popular faction to the ende that afterwardes he might put them all to death as he did For they that trusting to his words remained quiet in the city were all put to death Moreouer Androclidas touching this matter hath left in wryting that which Lysander was wont to say by the which it appeareth that he made very litle reckening to be periured For he sayd that children should be deceiued with the play of kayles and men with others of men following therein Polycrates the tyran of SOMOS but without reason for he was a lawfull Captaine and the other a violent vsurper of tyrannicall power Furthermore it was not done like a true LACONIAN to behaue him selfe towardes the goddes none otherwise then towardes men but rather worse more iniuriously For he that deceiueth his enemy breaketh his othe to him sheweth plainly that he feareth him but that he careth not for god Cyrus therefore hauing sent for Lysander to come to SAâDIS to him gaue him money largely and promised him more and bicause he would more honorably shewe the good will he had to gratifie him tolde him that if the kinge his father would geue him nothing yet he would geue him of his owne And furthermore wheÌ all other meanes fayled to helpe him with money that rather then he should lacke he would melt his owne chayer to make money of which he sate in when he gaue audience in matter of iustice being altogether of gold and siluer And to be shorte when he was going into MEDIA to the king his father he gaue Lysander power to receiue the taxes and ordinary tributes of the cities vnder his gouernment and made him Lieutenaunt of all his contry And lastly bidding him farewell praied him that he woulde not geue battell by sea vnto the ATHENIANS vntil he returned from the courte and that before his comming againe he woulde haue authoritie to leauie a greate nomber of shippes aswell out of PHOENICIA as out of CICILIA Wherfore whilest Cyrus was in his iorney Lysander not being able to fight with his enemies with like nomber of shippes nor also to lye still and doe nothing with so good a number of gallyes went and scowred the seas where he tooke certaine Ilandes and robbed also AEGINA and SâLAMINA From thence he went landed on the firme lande in the contrye of ATTICA and did his dutie there vnto Agis king of LACEDAEMONIA who came purposely from the forte of Decelea to the sea side to see him bicause their armye by lande also shoulde see what power they had by sea and howe it ruled more by sea then they woulde Neuertheles being aduertised that the fleete of the ATHENIANS followed harde after him he tooke an other course to flye backe againe into ASIA by the Iles and returninge againe founde all the country of HELLESPONT without men of warre So he laied siege before the citie of LAMPSACVS and did assault it with his gallies by sea and Thorax being come thither also at the selfe same time in great hast with his armie by land gaue thassault on his side Thus was the citie taken by force which Lysander left to the spoile of the souldiers Now in the meane time the fleete of the ATHENIANS which was a hundred and foure score saile came to an ancker before the citie of ELEVNTE in the contrie of CHERRONESVS and newes being broughte them that the city of LAMPSACVS was taken they came with all spede possible vnto the citie of SESTOS where getting freshe acates and vittelles they coasted all alongest the coast vnto a certaine place called the goates riuer directly ouer against the fleete of their enemies which lay yet at ancker before the citie of LAMPSACVS Now there was a captaine
order him selfe had made touching the reformation of banckets comforting his sorrow with ordinary feastes full of all vanity and lasciuiousnes Within a fewe monethes after he had fensers games at the sharpe and the roomes of the Theater being open and vnseuered men and women sitting together it fortuned that there was a fayer Lady and of a noble house that sat hard by Sylla called Vaeleria she was the daughter of Messala and sister of Hortensius the orator and had bene diuorsed not long before from her husbande This Lady passing by Sylla behinde him did softly put her hand on his shoulder and tooke a heare from of his gowne and so went on to her place and sat her downe Sylla marueling at this familiarity looked earnestly vpon her it is nothing my Lord quod she but that I desire with others to be partaker a litle of your happines Her words misliked not Sylla but contrarily he shewed that she had tickled him with them for he sent straight to aske her name and enquired of what house she was and how she had liued But after many slye lookes betwene them they turned their faces one to an other vpon euery occasion with prety smyling countenaunces so that in the end they came to promise contract mariage together for the which Valeria was not to be blamed For though she was as wise as honest and as vertuous a Lady as could be possible yet the occasion that made Sylla mary her was neither good nor commendable bicause he was taken straight with a looke and a fine tongue as if he had bene but a young boy which commonly shew forth the filthiest passions of the minde to be so caried and with such motions Now notwithstanding he had this fayer young Lady in his house he left not the company of women minstrells tumblers and to haue pleasaunt ieasters and musitians about him with whome he would lye wallowing and drinking all the day long vppon litle cowches made for the nonest For his companions that were in greatest estimacion with him at that time were these three Roscius a maker of common playes Sorex a prince of scoffers and one Metrobius a singing man whom he was in loue withall while he liued yet did not dissemble his loue though he was past age to be beloued This wicked life of his was cause of increasing his disease the originall cause whereof had a light foundacion at the first For he liued a great time before he perceiued that he had an impostume in his body the which by processe of time came to corrupt his fleshe in such some that it turned all to lice so that notwithstanding he had many men about him to shift him continually night and day yet the lyce they wiped away were nothing in respect of them that multiplied still vpon him And there was neither apparell linnen bathes washing nor meate it selfe but was presently filled with swarmes of this vile vermine For he went many times in the day into the bathe to washe and clense him selfe of them but all would not serue for the chaunging of his flesh into this putriture wanne it straight againe that there was no clensing nor shifting of him that could kepe such a nuÌber of lyce from him Some say that in old time amongest the most auncientest men whereof there is any memory Acastus the sonne of Pelias dyed of the lowsie euill and long time after also the Poet Alcman and Pherecides the deuine and so did Callisthenes OLYNTHIAN in prison and Mutius a wise lawyer And if we shall make mencion of those that are famous men although it be not in any good matter we finde that a bonde man called Eunus he that was the first procurer of the warres of the bondmen in SICILIA being taken and caried to ROME dyed also of the same disease Furthermore Sylla did not only foresee his death but he wrote some thing of it also for he made an end of wryting the two and twenty booke of his commentaries two dayes before he dyed In that booke he sayth that the wise men of CHALDEA had told him long before that after he had liued honorably he should ende his dayes in the flower of all his prosperity And there he sayth also that his sonne who departed a litle before his mother Metella appeared to him in his sleepe apparrelled in an ill fauored gowne and that comminge vnto him he prayed him he would go with him vnto Metella his mother thenceforth to liue in peace and rest with her But for all his disease he would not geue ouer to deale in matters of state For tenne dayes before his death he pacified a sedition and tumult risen among the inhabitantes of the city of PVYLOLANVM in Italian called POZZOLO and there he gaue them lawes and ordinaunces werby hey should gouerne them selues And the day before he dyed hearing that Granius who was in debt to the common wealth defferred payment of his money looking for his death he ãâ¦ã for him and made him come into his chamber and there caused his men to compasse him about and commaunded them to strangle him in his fight The passion of his anger was so vehement against him that by the extreame straining of him selfe he brake the impostume in his body so as there gushed out a wonderfull deale of blood by reason whereof his strength failing him he was full of paine and panges that night and so dyed leauing the two litle children he had by Metella For Valeria was brought to bed of a daughter after his death which was called Posthumia bicause the ROMANES call those children that are borne after the death of their fathers Posthumi Now when Sylla was dead many gathered about the Consull Lepidus to let that his body should not be honorably buried as they were accustomed to bury noble men men quality But Pompey though he was angry with Sylla bicause he had geue him nothing in his will and had remembred all his other frendes yet he made some for loue some by intreaty and others with threatning to let it alone and accompanying the corps in to ROME gaue both safety and honor vnto the performance of his funeralls And it is sayd also that the ROMANE Ladies amongest other things bestowed such a quantity of perfumes odoriferous matter towardes the same that besides those which were brought in two hundred and tenne great baskets they made a great image to the likenes of Sylla him selfe and an other of a sergeaunt carying the axes before him all of excellent incence synamon When the day of the funeralls came fearing least it would raine in the forenone all the element doing so clowdly they deferred to cary forth the body to be burnt vntill past three of the clocke in the afternone And then rose there such a sodaine boysterous winde that it set all the stake of woode straight a fire that the body was
made Dinarchus to be taken and commaunded them to put him to death after they had racked him then he willed the ATHENIANS to tell what they had to say Then they beganne to quarrell and to be lowde one with an other accusing one an other in the presence of the king and his counsell vntill Agnonides at length stepped forth and sayd my Lordes of MACEDON put vs all in prison and then send vs bound handes and feete to ATHENS to geue accompt of our doinges The king laughed to heare him say so But the noble men of MACEDON that were present then and diuers straungers besides to heare their complaints made signe to the Ambassadors to vtter their accusations before the king rather then to referre them to the hearing of the people at ATHENS Howbeit both parties had not alike in different hearing for Polyperchon checked vp Phocion oftentimes and did still cut of his tale as he thought to purge him selfe insomuch as in anger he bet his staffe he had in his hand against the ground and commaunded him at length to hold his peace to get him thence And when Hegemon also told Polyperchon that he him selfe could best witnesse howe Phocion had alwayes faithfully serued and loued the people he angrily aunswered him come not hether to lye falsely vpon me in the presence of the king Therewith the king rose out of his seate and tooke a speare in his hand thinking to haue killed Hegemon had not Polyperchon sodainly embraced him behinde and stayed him So the counsell rose and brake vp but presently Phocion was apprehended and they that stoode by him Certaine of his frends seeing that which stoode further of muffeled their faces and straight conueyed them selues away The rest were sent prisoners to ATHENS by Clitus not so muche to haue their causes heard there as to haue them executed for condemned men Furthermore the manner of the carying of them to ATHENS was shamefull For they were caried vpon cartes through the great streete Ceramicum vnto the Theater where Clitus kept them vntill the Senate had assembled the people excepting no bondman no straunger nor defamed person out of this assemblie but left the Theater wide open to all comers in whatsoeuer they were and the pulpit for Orations free for euerie man that would speake against them So first of all the kings letters were read openly by the which he did aduertise the people that he had found these offendors conuicted of treason notwithstanding that he referred the sentence of their condemnation vnto them for that they were free men The Clitus brought his prisoners before the people where the noble men when they saw Phocion were ashamed and hiding their faces wept to see him Howbeit there was one that rose vp and sayd my Lordes sith the king referreth the iudgement of so great persons vnto the people it were great reason all the bondmen and straungers which are no free citizens of ATHENS should be taken out of this assembly The people would not agree to it but cried out that such traitors should be stoned to death that fauor the authoritie of a few and are enemies of the people whereupon silence was made and no man durst speake any more for Phocion Neuerthelesse when Phocion with muche a doe had obteyned audience he asked them my Lords will ye iustly or wrongfully put vs to death Some aunswered him iustly Howe then can ye doe it q he that will not heare our iustifications Yet coulde they not be heard for all this Then Phocion comming neerer sayd vnto them For my selfe my Lordes I confesse I haue done you wrong haue in gouernment committed faults deseruing death but for these prisoners with me what haue they done why you shoulde put them to death The common people aunswered him bicause they are thy frends With this aunswere Phocion departed and spake neuer a word more Then the Orator Agnonides holding a decree in his hand ready wrytten red it openly to the people declaring how they should be iudged by voyces whether the offendors had deserued death or not and if it were sound they had then that they should all be put to death And there were that when this decree was red cried out that they should adde further vnto the decree that before Phocion should be put to death they should first torment him therewithall commaundement was geuen that the wheele should besette vp to breake his ioints apon it and also that the hangman should be sent for But then Agnonides perceiuing that Clitus was offended with it and thinking besides it were too beastly and barbarous a parte to vse him in that sorte he sayd openly my Lordes when you shall haue such a varlet in your handes as Callimedon then you may cast him on the wheele but against Phocion I would not wish such cruelty Then rose vp a noble man among them and added to his words thou hast reason to say so Agnonides for if Phocion should be layed on the wheele what should we then doe with thee The decree being confirmed according to the contents thereof iudgement was geuen by voyces of the people no man sitting but all standing vp and most of them with garlandes on their heades for the ioy they had to condemne these prisoners to death With Phocion there were condemned Nicocles Thudippus Hegemon and Pythocles but Demetrius PHALERIAN Callimedon and Charicles were also in their absence condemned to dye Now when the assembly was broken vp and that the person condemned were caried backe to prison from thence to be conueyed to execution others imbracing their frends and taking their last leaue of them as they went wept and lamented their cursed fortune But Phocion looking as cheerefully of it as he was wont to doe being Generall when they honorably waited on him to his house from the assembly he made many of them pitie him in their harts to consider his constancie and noble corage On thother side also there were many of his enemies that came as neere vnto him as they could to reuile him amongst whom there was one that stepped before him and did spit in his face Then Phocion turning him vnto the Magistrates sayd will you not cause this impudent fellow to leaue his rayling When they were in prison Thudippus seeing the hemlocke which they brayed in a morter to geue them to drinke he beganne desperatly to curse and banne saying that they wrongfully put him to death with Phocion Why sayd Phocion againe and doost thou not rather reioyce to dye with me When one that stoode by asked Phocion if he would any thing to his sonne Phocus yes q he that I will bid him neuer reuenge the wrong the ATHENIANS do me Then Nicocles one of Phocions dearest frendes prayed him to let him drinke the poyson before him Phocion aunswered him thy request is grieuous to me Nicocles but bicause I neuer denyed thee any thing in my life I wil also graunt
vnto the gods Darius army of tenne hundred thowsand fighting men against Alexander at the riuer of Euphrates The magnanimity of Alexander Alexanders third battell with Darius The armor of Alexander An Eagle flewouer Alexanders head when he went so fight with Darius The flying of Darius Alexanders third victory of Darius and liberalithe of all men * The strength and power of Nepina in the contry of Ecbatania VVhat Medaes enchantment was * In this place there lacke certaine lynes in the Greeks originall No lââe in the countrie of Babylon Tresure found by Alexander at the citie of Susa. * Is seemeth that he meaneth of silke dyed in purple whereof the best that was in Europe was made in the citie of Hermiona in Laconia Alexanders iorney into Persia. Alexander found a maruelous measure in Persia The insoleus boldnes of Thais the herles Persopolls set a fire by Alexander Alexanders prodigalitie reproued by his mother Olympias Alexander reproueth the finenes and curiositie of his frendes Alexander enemy to idlenes Alexanders care of his frendes and wonderfull curtesie towards them Alexander keps one eare for the condeÌmed person Alexander would not pardon ill wordes spoken of him Alexanders painefull iorney in following of Darius The loue of Alexander to his souldiers and abstinence Alexander regarded not the spoyle of gold siluer in respect of pursuing his flying enemy The death of Darius The punishment and execution of Bessus The sea Hyrcanium or Caspium Alexander goeth after the maner of the Persians Some faultes are to be borne with in a man of great vertues Orexartes fl Alexander with one word of his mouth brought the Macedonians to obedience Alexander maried Roxane a Persian Quarrell betwext Hephaestion and Craterus VVhy Philotas was suspected and enuied of Alexander Limnus traizerously seeketh to kill Alexander Philotas and his father Partmenio put to death Antipater was affrayed of Alexander VVVhy Alexander slue Clitus Alexanders dreame of Clitus The malapertnes of Clitus against Alexander Alexander slue Clitus grieuously repented him Callisthenes and Anaxarchus do comfort Alexander The cause why Callisthenes was envyed Aristotle thought Callisthenes eloquent but not wise Callisthenes suspected of treasoÌ against Alexander Alexander offended with Aristotle The death of Callisthenes the rethoritian The iourney of Demaratus CorinthiaÌ vnto Alexander and his death Alexanders iourney into India Alexander burnt his cariages The crueltie of Alexander towardes his men A monsterous lamme appeared vnto Alexander A spring of oyle found by the riuer of Oxus Oyle refresheth wearynes The citie of Nisa Acuphis wise aunswer vnto Alexander King Taxiles talke with Alexander Alexanders aunswer to Taxiles Alexander dishonorably brake the peace he had made Alexanders actes against king Porus. Hydaspes fl The statute of king Porus. The quick-wit and catâ of the ElephaÌt to saue the king his master Alexanders conquests in the Indiaes The death of Bucephal Alexanders horse Bucephalia a great citie built by Alexander apon the riuer of Hydaspes why so named Peritas Alexanders dogge Ganges fl Gangaridae and Prosij people of India Alexanders returne out of India Alexanders vaine deuises to make him selfe immortall King Androcottus Alexander in daunger at the citie of the Mallians The wise men of India Alexanders questions propounded to the ten Philosophers of India Alexander rewarded the ten wise men and did let them goe Onesicritus a Philosopher Calanus other wise called Sphines Dandamis Calanus a wise man of India The ãâ¦ã of a kingdom shewed by a peece of leather Psitulcis an Iland Alexanders nauie in the sea Oceanum Alexanders armie going in to India Sheepe fed with fishe The contry of Gedrosia The contry of Carmania The riot of Alexanders souldiers The citie of Thapsacus The prouinces conquered by Alexanders rebelled against him The death of Polymachus Pelleian Calanus the Indian did sacrifice him selfe aliue Alexander made men drinke to wyn a game and price The Macedonians maried vnto the Persians The wonderfull giftes of Alexander Alexander payed the soldiers dets Antigenes with one eye a valiant Captaine banished the court for making a lye Thirty thowsand boyes of the Persians taught the discipline of wars by Alexanders commauÌdement The clemencie and liberalitie of Alexander vnto his soldiers The death of Hephaestion Alexanders sorow for the death of Hephaestion Stasicrates an excellent image maker Diuers signes before Alexanders death Alexander feared Antipater Alexander fell sicke of an agew Arsitobulus report of the sicknes and death of Alexander The death of Alexander the great Aristotle suspected for the poysoning of Alexander Statira slaine by Roxane Aridaeus Alexanders bastard brother Caesar ioyned with Cinna Marius Caesar tooke sea and went vnto Nicomedes king of Bithynia Caesar taken of pirate Iunius Praetor of Asia Caesar eloquence Caesar loued hospitalitie Caesar a follower of the poeple Ciceroes iudgement of Caesar. The loue of the people in Rome was Caesar. Caesar chosen Tribunus militum Caesar made the funerall oration at the death of his aunt Iulia. Caesar the first that praised his wife in funerall oration Caesar made Questor Pompeia Caesars third wife Caesars prodigality Caesar accused to make a rebellion in the state The death of Metellus chiefe Bishop of Rome Caesar made chiefe Bishop of Rome Caesar suspected to be coÌfederate with Catiline in his conspiracy Caesar went about to deliuer the conspirators Catoes oration against Caesar. The loue of P. Clodius vnto Pompeia Caesars wife The good goddesse what she was and her sacrifices Clodius taken in the sacrifices of the good goddesse Clodius accused for prophaning the sacrifices of the good goddesse Caesar putteth away his wife Pompeia Clodius quit by the Iudges for prophaning the sacrifices of the good goddesse Caesar Praetor of Spaine Crassus surety for Caesar to his creditors Caesars actes in Spayne Caesar order betwext the creditor and detter Caesar souldiers called him Imperator Caesar reconÌcileth Pompey and Crassus together Catoes foresight and prophecy Caesars first Consulship with Calphurnius Bibulus Caesars lawes Lex agraria Caesar maried his daughter Iulia vnto Pompey Caesar maried Calphurnia the daughter of Piso. Pompey by force of armes authorised Caesars lawes Caesar sent Cato to prison Caesar by Clodius draue Cicero out of Italy Caesar a valliant souldier and a skillfull Captaine Caesars conquestes in Gaule The loue and respect of Caesars souldiers vnto him The wonderfull valliantnes of Acilius Cassius Scaua diuers others of Caesars souldiers Granius Petronius Caesar had the falling sickenes The temperance of Caesar in his dyet Caesar ciuilitie not to blame his frend The Tigurinians slaine by Labienus Arax fl Caesar refused his horse wheÌ he sought a battell The Heluetians slaine by Caesar. Rheynus fl Caesar made warre with king Ariouistus The wise women of Germany how they did foretell thinges to come King Ariouistus ouerthrowen by Caesar. The Belgae ouercome by Caesar. Neruij the slowtest warriers of all the Belgae The Neruij slaine by Caesar The great Lordes of Rome come to Luca to Caesar Ipes
deuise of Artaxerxes how to preuent the conspirators and to saue him selfe Tiribazus the traitor slaine Darius condemned to dye and executed King Artaxerxes sonne The death of king Artaxerxes Artaxerxes was 94 yeres olde at his death Dion Brutus both Platonians Plato de virtute How mens acts should be famous in the coÌmon wealth A wicked spirite appeared vnto Dion Brutus Dionysius maried Hermocrates daughter Dionysius wiues Doride of Locres Aristomaché of Syracvsa Hipparinus daughter and Dions sister Dion kindred with Dionysius Plato came out of Italie vnto Syracvsa Dion Platoes schollar Plato and Dionysius the elder talke together Dionysius malice vnto Plato Plato solde in the I le of AEgina Dions boldnes in speaking plainly to the tyran Gelon signifieth laughture Sophrosynè and Areté the daughters of Dionysius by Aristomaché Dion marieth his Nece Areté the daughter of Dionysius of his sister Aristomaché The death of Dionysius the elder Flattering Courtiers do intense Dionysius the younger to hate Dion The vices of Dionysius the younger Dions maners too graue and seuere Obstinacie follow and companion of solitarines Dionysius the elder a maruelous timerous suspitious man. Dionysius dreame Dion persuadeth the younger Dionysius to fall to study The assured gard of Princes is the loue of their subiects Plaââ goâth into Sicilia to teach Dionysius the youngeâ Philistus the Historiographer Philistus the Historiographer banished out of Sicilia by Dionysius the elder Democratia the gouernment of the people Dion allowed not popular state Aristocratia the gouernment of a few of the nobilitie Plato came into Sicilia vnto Dionysius the younger The chaunge of Dionysius vpon Platoes comming Philistus accusations against Dion Dions letters vnto Carthage Dion sent away by Dionysius into Italie Dions wealth Dionysius tyrannicall loââ to Plato Dionysius sent Plato from home Dions life in Graece Dions vertues and honors done vnto him by the Graecians Archytas a Pythagorian Philosopher Dionysius sendeth againe for Plato to come into Sicilia Platoes third iorney into Sicilia Aristippus saying of Dionysius Helycon a Mathematician Aristippus diuination Architas requireth Plato of Dionysius Dionysius maried Dions wife to an other man. Polyxenus maried Thesta his father Dionysius sister The noble answere of Thesta vnto her brother Dionysius the elder Dion beginneth to make warre against Dionysius The Philosophers aduanced Dions warre Aristotles dialogue de anima Dions army Dions sumptuous fare in feasting The eclipse of the Moone and cause of the eclipse VVonders shewed vnto Dion VVonders appearing vnto Dionysius Dions preparation Pachynus the foreland of Sicilia A tempest on the sea against Dion Synalus Captaine of Minoa for the Carthaginians Dion wanne Minoa Dion goeth to Syracusa A straunge chaunce happened vnto the Messenger sent to Dionysius A woulfe caried away the Messengers portmanteau Anapus ti Dionysius picke thankes slayne Dion receiued into Syracusa Dion restoreth the Syracusans to libertie Dionysius clocke The predictions of the Soothsayers Dionysius seÌt Ambassadors vnto Dion Dion fighteth with Dionysius Dion hurt Dions victory of Dionysius Hipparinus Dions sonne Dionysius craft vnto Dion Heraclides what he was Heraclides returneth to Syracusa The Syracusans do choose Heraclides Admirall to spight Dion Heraclides a dissembler practising to make the people to rebell against Dion Sosis a wicked man moueth sedition against Dion Dion cleareth Sosis accusation against him Sosis condemned to death Philistus slain Timaus and Ephorus the Historiographers reproued Dionysius flyeth from Syracusa Apollocrates the eldest sonne of Dionysius the yonger Signes appearing to the Syracusans Dion departeth out of Syracusa The cowardlines of the Syracusans The Leontines doe receiue Dion The negligence and troubles of the Syracusans The Syracusans doe send for Dion againe Dions oration vnto his souldiers perswading them to ayde the Syracusans The inconstancy of the Syracusans Syracusa set a fire by Dionysius souldiers Dions fight in the citie of Syracusa Nypsius compelled by Dion to flie into the castell Dions mercy to his enemies the great profit he tooke by study in the Academy at Athens No maÌ should be worse by an others wickednes The frowardnes of the Syracusans against Dion Heraclides againe stirreth vp the Syracusans to rebell against Dion Gaesylus Lacedaemonian commeth to Syracusa to be generall of the Syracusans Gaesylus maketh Dion Heraclides friends again The castell of Syracusa surrendred vnto Dion The words of Aristomaché vnto Dion at his entry into the castell of Syracusa Dion taketh his wife Areta againe which had forcibly bene maried vnto another man. Dions temperance and thriftines Heraclides conspireth againe against Dion Dion sent to the Corinthians to stablish a common wealth to the Syracusans Dion ment to abolish Democratia and to aduaunce Aristocratia The authoritie of the people resembled by Plato to a fayer or market The common wealth of the Corinthians The murther of Heraclides Callippus Athenian conspireth against Dion Note the suttletie of tale bearers A spirite appeared vnto Dion The lamentable death of Dions sonne Apollocrates Dionysius sonne The great oth of the Syracusant Dion slaine by Callippus Athenian Dions wife brought to bed of a sonne in prison The punishment of Callippus * ãâ¦ã in corrupt speech signifieth a knife to scrape or cut cheese which it truelier called ãâ¦ã Iulius Pollux lib. 10 cap. 24. Callippus slaine with the same dagger that slue Dion The crueltie of the Syracusans vnto Dion and his posterity The pareÌtage of Brutus Brutus maners Seruilia M. Brutus mother Brutus parentage by his father Seruilia Catoes sister Brutus studies Brutus followed the olde Academyks Empylus an Orator wrote a booke of Caesars death and intituled it Brutus Brutus maner of wryting his Epistels in Graeke A briefe letter to the Samians Brutus followed Cato into Cyprus * Or Canidius Brutus taketh parte with Pompey Brutus exercise in Pompeys campe Brutus studied in Pompeis campe Iulius Caesar carefull of Brutus safary Iulius Caesar loued Seruilia Brutus mother Brutus saued by Iulius Caesar after the battell of Pharsalia * This king was Iuba howbeit it is true also that Brutus made intercession for Deiotarus king of Galatia who was depriued notwithstanding of the most parte of his contrie by Caesar and therefore this place were best to be vnderstanded by Deiotorus Caesar made Brutus Gouernor of Gaule on this side the mouÌtaines Brutus and Cassius contend for the Praetorship of the citie Cassius maried Iunia Brutus sister The first cause of Cassius malice against Caesar. Caesar suspected Brutus Caesar saying of Brutus Cassius incenseth Brutus against Caesar. Cassius Lions at Megara Cassius an enemie of tyranâ How Brutus was incensed against Caesar. Cassius praieth Brutus first to helpe him to put downe the tyran * In an other place they cal him Quintus Brutus maketh Ligarius one of the coÌspiracie They do hide the conspiracy against Caesar from Cicero Ciuill warre worse then tyrannicall gouernment The wonderfull faith and secrifie of the Conspirators of Casars death Porcia Catoes daughter wife vnto Brutus Bibulus booke
Otho The wonderfull corage of a souldier of Othoes The noble corage of Otho before his death ââ his oracion to the souldiers The Emperor Othoes words to his Nephew Cocceius Otho in his death seemed to follow Case Vaican Otho slue him selfe The funeralle of Otho the Emperour The Emperor Othoes tombe in the citie of Bresselles Othoes age and raigne The parteÌlage of Annibal The sharpe wit and disposition of Annibal Annibal chosen Lieuetenant generall after the death of Hasdrubalâ being but 26. yeare olde Diuers causes of Annibals mortall hate to the Romanes The Barcinian faction Iberus fl The conspiracie of the Spanyards against Annibal Tagus fl Annibal stra tageame The Iberians yeeld them selues vnto Annibal Annibal layeth seege to the citie of Saguntus Two contrary factions in the Senate of Carthage the Barcinians Hannians Hamilcar Barcha Hanno a graue counseller and gouernor in peace A happy thing to follow good couÌsell VVise counsell for gouernors to preuent things at the beginning Annibal wan the citie of Saguntus P. Cornelius and T. Sempronius Consuls marg VVarres proclaymed by the Romanes with the Carthaginians The greatnes of the dominion of Africke * This place is false Annibal determineth to inuade Italy Annibale dreame at the riuer of Iberus The head course of the riuer of Rhone Arar fl The Volcin people that inhabited about the riuer of Rhone P. Cornelius Scipio Consule sent against Annibal and arrived at Massilia The Boians InsubriaÌs reuolt from the Romanes take parte with Annibal Lagdunum built by PlaÌcus Munatius Druentiâ fl Annibal made waies through the rockes of the mountaines by force of fire and vineger The valley of Taurinus Annibals comming into Italie by Piedmont not farre from Turine Anniballs army in Italie Annibals first conflict with the Romanes and victorie P. C. Scipio Consul hârâ and sââed from âââ enemies by his sonne who was afterwards called African Paedâs fl P. Cornelius Scipio and T. Sempronius Longuâ Consulls against Annibal Trebia fl Ambush laied by Annibal to entrappe Sempronius Annibal fought with Sempronius the Consul aâ the riuer of Trebia The Numidians craft iââ flying Annibals victorie of the Consul Sempronius Arnus fl Annibal lost one of his eyes in the marishes by the riuer of Arnus C. Flaminius Cn. Seruilius Consuls Montes Cortonenses Lacus Thrasimenus The iudgement of a souldier Battell betwext Annibal and C. Flaminius the Consul by the lake of Thrasymene The Romanes were so earnest in fight that they heard not the noise of an earthquake C. Flaminius the Consul slaine * Plutarke in the life of Fabius Maximus addeth to as many prisoners Annibals craftines to dissemble vertue The naturall disposition of Annibal Extreame ioy causeth sodaine death The office of Dictator of what effect Q. Fabius Maximus created Dictator Hastines of Captaines oftentimes very hurtfull The guide cruelly put to death by Annibal Annibals stratageame in the mountaines of Gallicmum and Casilinium against Q. Fabius Dictator Certaine bathes at Swessa called the tower of the bathes Gleremen a citie in Apulia Two Dictators together neuer heard of before L. Paulus AEmylius and C. Terentius Varro Consuls Ansidusfl Battell at Cannes A stratageame of Annibal * Pluturke in the life of Fabius sayth that there were fiftie thousand slaine and foureteene thowsande taken prisoners Paulus AEmylius Consul slaine as the battell of Cannes Great slaughter at the battell of Cannes The constancy of the Romanes in extreamities The Romanes left three great battells to Annibal at Ticinum Trebia and Thrasimens Maharbal generall of Annibals horsemen Maharbals saying to Annibal Conspiracy against Annibal at Capva Marcellus victorie of Annibal at the citie of Nola. Annibals souldiers marred with ease at Capua Pleasure the baite of all euills One wintere ease spoiled a souldier and made him a coward The hard shife of the Cassilinians to liue during Annibals siege Annibals good seruant began to faile him Three famous Captaines of the Romanes Fabius Maximus Sempronius Gracchus Marcus Marcellus * Plutarke in the life of Marcellus speaketh of fiue thowsand CarthaginiaÌs slaine and only of fiue hundred Romanes The victories of the Romanes against Annibal Two factions in Naples The citie of Tarentum deliuered vnto Annibal by treason Tarentum wonne by Annibal Annibals stratageame Vulturnus fl Sulpicius Galba Cornelius Centimalous Consuls Anienes fl Annibal commethe to inuade Rome A wonder Salapia a city where Annibal fell in loue The death of Fuluius Viceconsul Diuers conflicts of the Romanes with Annibal Annibals wordes of Marcellus Marcellus Crispinus Consuls Annibal Layeth ambushe for the Romanes The death of Marcellus The power of magnanimitie Marcus Liuius and C. Nero Consuls Sena a citie of Apulia Metaurum fl M. Leuius C. Nero Consuls ouercame Hasdrubal slue 56000. of his men The chaunge and alteration of the Carthaginians good fortune The praise of Annibals great wisedomes in that gouernment of his army P. C. Scipio inuaded Carthage The last battell Annibal fought in ledily with Sempronius in the which he ouercame Annibal Annibals arche of trietumphe Annibal departeth out of Italy Annibal sent for to returne into Africk after he had warred 16. yeares in Italy Annibal and Scipioes meeting talke Scipioes victory of the Carthaginians at the battell of Zama The flying of Annibal Annibal could not abide to heare fooles talke of warre Annibal in his misery fled vnto king Antiochus into Asia Enuy the coÌmon plague and poyson of Princes Courtes Scipio African met with Annibal at Ephesus Annibals iudgement of the most famous Captaines Annibal cost selleth king Antiochus to make warre with the Romanes King Antiochus iudgement of Annibal Annibal made generall of Antiochus army by sea together with Apollonius Annibal fled to Prusias king of Bithynia Annibal king Prusias generall by sea against Eumenes king of Pergamum A straunge deuise of snakes put in earthen pots and throwen into the enemies shippes Titus Quintius Flaminius sent Ambassador into Asia Annibal poysoned him selfe being 70. yeare old Annibals tombe by Libyssa The praise of Annibal The pareÌtage of Scipio The first souldiers are of P. Cor. Scipio being but seuenteene yeare olde P. Scipio rescued his father from being taken of the enemies Honors done to Scipio being but a young man. Scipio Viceconsul at 24. yeares of age Scipioes great mind and goodly personage Scipioes iorney into Spayne The valiantnes of Lucius Martius a Romane knight Scipio beseegeth new Carthage in Spayne Scipio wanne citie of new Carthage by assault The great chastitie of Scipio Mago Hasdrubal Barcinian Hasdrubal Gisgo the three famous Captaines of the CarthaginiaÌs Besula fl Scipioes liberaltie to his enemies Vertues meete for a General Scipio called king by the Spanyards Hasdrubal sent into Italie to his brother Annibal with an army Hanno the chiefe of the contrarie faction vnto Hasdrubal Barcinian ouercomen in battell and takeÌ prisoner Masinissa offereth his frendshippe vnto the Romanes Syphax king of the Masasylians Hasdrubals iudgement of Scipio Syphax king of the MasaesyliaÌs maketh league with the Romanes The vnfortunate fight of two cousin germanes The rebellion of the Romaneâ souldiers against their Captaines in Scipioes sicknes Mandonius Indibilis two kinges is of Spayne Scipioes wisedome suppressing his anger Scipioes great wisedome in punishing the offendors Scipioes care of his countriemen Scipio did put the authors of the rebellion to death A noble thing to ouercome the enemie by clemencie Masinissa cometh vnto Scipio A Princely Maiestie in Scipioes personage The antiquitie of those of Gades Scipioes noble deedes Scipioes returne out of Spayne to Rome Scipio made Consul Scipio prepared his armie and nauy by sea in 45. dayes Scipio policie in Sicilia P.C. Scipio accused Q. Fabius Maximus a great auersary vnto Scipio Scipioes nature King Syphax reuolteth froÌ the Romanes The ready faithfull good will of Masinissa to the Romanes Hanno ouercomen and slaine Sophonisba king Syphax wife Scipioes craft A maruelous great slaughter of the CarthaginiaÌs Syphax king of the Masaesylians ouercome takeÌ in battell Masinissa wan the city of Cyrtha where he fell in loue with Sophonisba king Syphax wife The great rare coÌtinency of Scipio Sophonisba poysoned her selfe through Masinissaes procurements Annibal sent for into Italy to runno into Afrike Battell at Zama and Scipiues victorie of the Carthaginians The praise of Annibal Fiue hundred shippes of the CarthaginiaÌs burnt by Scipio Scipio returne to Rome Scipioes triumphe at Rome for the Carthaginians Scipio and AElius Petus chosen Censors Scipio Prince of the Senate Scipio and Sempronius Longus chosen Consuls The craftie counsell of Scipio The naturall loue of Scipio African to his brother L. Scipio The fidelitie and loue of P. Scipio to his contrie Antiochus being ouercome acceptesh condicions of peace Great kingdomes and wealth are ful of troubles L. Scipio surnamed Asian for his coÌquest of Asia T. Q. Flaninius M. C. Marcellus Censors The time of the florishing of the Corneli The inconstaÌcy of these worldly things Great men most enuied The last fortunate day of the Africans good fortune The voluntary banishmeÌt of P. Scipio from Rome T. Gracchus Tribune diuers opinions about the accusasion of the Africans The Africans wife children Diuers opinions touching the death of P. Scipio Statues of the two Scipioes and Ennius the Poet by the gate Capena at Rome Scipio African dyed at Linternvm The Epitaphe of Scipio African Scipio African 54. yeare old at the time of his death The power of vertue Phormio Peripatetician reading Philosophie in Ephasus Annibals witty aunswer vnto the king Antiochus Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier dvvelling in the Blacke Friers by Ludgate
that Theseus also should enioye it after his death Whereupon they determined to make warre with them both and diuiding them selues into two partes the one came openly in armes with their father marching directly towardes the cittie the other laye close in ambushe in the village GARGETTVS meaning to geue charge vpon them in two places at one instant Nowe they brought with them an Heraulde borne in the towne of AGNVS called Leos who bewrayed vnto Theseus the secret and deuise of all their enterprise Theseus vpon this intelligence went forth and dyd set on those that laye in ambushe and put them all to the sworde The other which were in Pallas companie vnderstanding thereof dyd breake and disparse them selues incontinently And this is the cause as some saye why those of Pallena doe neuer make affinitie nor mariadge with those of AGNVS at this daye And that in their towne when any proclamation is made they neuer speake these wordes which are cryed euery where els through out the whole countrye of ATTICA Aconete Leos which is as muche to saye as Hearken O people they doe so extreamely hate this worde Leos for that it was the Herauldes name which wrought them that treason This done Theseus who woulde not liue idelly at home and doe nothing but desirous there withall to gratifie the people went his waye to fight with the bull of Marathon the which dyd great mischieues to the inhabitants of the countrye of TETRAPOLIS And hauing taken him aliue brought him through the citie of ATHENS to be seene of all the inhabitants Afterwardes he dyd sacrifice him vnto Apollo Delphias Nowe concerning Hecale who was reported to haue lodged him and to haue geuen him good enterteinment it is not altogether vntrue For in the olde time those townes and villages thereaboutes dyd assemble together and made a common sacrifice which they called Hecalesion in the honour of Iupiter Hecalian where they honoured this olde woman calling her by a diminutiue name Hecalena bicause that when she receyued Theseus into her house being then but very younge she made muche of him and called him by many prety made names as olde folkes are wont to call younge children And forasmuche as she had made a vowe to Iupiter to make him a solemne sacrifice if Theseus returned safe from the enterprise he went about and that she dyed before his returne in recompence of the good chere she had made him she had that honour done vnto her by Theseuscommaundement as Philochorus hathe written of it Shortely after this exployte there came certaine of King Minos ambassadours out of CRETA to aske tribute being nowe the thirde time it was demaunded which the ATHENIANS payed for this cause Androgeus the eldest sonne of king Minos was slayne by treason within the countrye of ATTICA for which cause Minos pursuing the reuenge of his death made very whotte and sharpe warres vpon the ATHENIANS and dyd them greate hurte But besides all this the goddes dyd sharpely punishe and scourge all the countrye aswell with barrennes and famine as also with plague and other mischieues euen to the drying vp of their riuers The ATHENIANS perceyuing these sore troubles and plagues ranne to the oracle of Apollo who aunswered them that they shoulde appease Minos and when they had made their peace with him that then the wrathe of the goddes woulde cease against them and their troubles should haue an ende Whereupon the ATHENIANS sent immediately vnto him and intreated him for peace which he graunted them with condition that they should be bounde to sende him yerely into CRETA seuen younge boyes and as many younge gyrles Nowe thus farre all the Historiographers doe very well agree but in the reste not And they which seeme furdest of from the trothe doe declare that when these yonge boyes were deliuered in CRETA they caused them to be deuowred by the Minotaure within the Laberinthe or els that they were shut within this Laberinthe wandring vp and downe and coulde finde no place to gett out vntill suche time as they dyed euen famished for hunger And this Minotaure as Euripides the Poet sayeth was A corps combynd vvhich monstrous might be deemd A Boye a Bull both man and beast it seemd But Philochorus writeth that the CRETANS doe not confesse that but saye that this Laberinthe was a gayle or prisone in the which they had no other hurre sauing that they which were kept there vnder locke and keye coulde not flye not starte awaye and that Minos had in the memorye of his sonne Androgeus instituted games and playes of prise where he gaue vnto them that wanne the victorie those younge children of ATHENS the which in the meane time notwithstanding were carefully kept and looked vnto in the prisone of the Laberinthe and that at the first games that were kept one of the Kings captaines called Taurus who was in best creditt with his master wanne the prise This Taurus was a churlishe and naughtie natured man of condition and very harde and cruell to these children of ATHENS And to verifie the same the philosopher Aristotle him selfe speaking of the common wealth of the BOTTIEIANS declareth very well that he neuer thought that Minos dyd at any time cause the children of ATHENS to be put to death but sayeth that they poorely toyled in CRETA euen to crooked age earning their liuing by true and painefull seruice For it is written that the CRETANS to satisfie an olde vowe of theirs which they had made of auncient time sent somtimes the first borne of their children vnto Apollo in the cittie of DELPHAS and that amongest them they also mingled those which were descended of the auncient prisoners of ATHENS and they went with them But bicause they coulde not liue there they directed their iorney first into ITALIE where for a time they remained in the realme of PVGLIA and afterwardes from thence went into the confines of THRACIA where they had this name of BOTTIEIANS In memory whereof the daughters of the BOTTIEIANS in a solemne sacrifice they make doe vse to singe the foote of this songe Lett vs to ATHENS goe But thereby we maye see howe perilous a thing it is to fall in displeasure and enmitie with a cittie which can speake well and where learning and eloquence dothe florishe For euer sence that time Minos was allwayes blased and disgraced through out all the Theaters of ATHENS The testimonie of Hesiodus who calleth him the most worthie King dothe nothing helpe him at all nor the prayse of Homer who nameth him Iupiters famillier friende bicause the tragicall Poets gott the vpper hande in disgracing him notwithstanding all these And vpon their stages where all the tragedies were played they still gaue forth many ill fauored wordes and fowle speaches of him as against a man that had bene most cruell and vnnaturall Yet most men thincke that Minos was the King which established the lawes and Radamanthus
slayne in battell by Achilles Patroclus in the couÌtrye of THESSALIE neere to the riuer of Sperchius that his brother Hector tooke the cittie of TROEZEN from whence he brought awaye AEthrae in which there is no manner of apparance or likelihodde But AEdoneus king of the MOLOSSIANS feasting Hercules one daye as he passed through his realme descended by chaunce into talke of Theseus of Pirithous howe they came to steale away his daughter secretly after told how they were also punished Hercules was marueilous sorye to vnderstand that one of them was now dead the other in daunger to dye thought with him self that to make his mone to AEdoneus it would not helpe the matter he besought him only that he would deliuer Theseus for his sake And he graunted him Thus Theseus being deliuered of this captiuitie returned to ATHENS where his friends were not altogether kept vnder by his enemies at his returne he dyd dedicate to Hercules all the temples which the cittie had before caused to be built in his owne honour And where first of all they were called Thesea he did now surname theÌ all Hercules excepting foure as Philochorus writeth Nowe when he was arriued at ATHENS he would immediately haue coÌmaunded and ordered things as he was wont to doe but he found him self troubled much with sedition bicause those who had hated him of long time had added also to their old canckered hate a disdain conteÌpt to feare him any more And the comoÌ people now were become so stubborn that where before they would haue done all that they were coÌmanded haue spoken nothing to the contrarie now they looked to be borne with flattered Whereupon Theseus thought at the first to haue vsed force but he was forced by the faction conteÌtion of his enemies to let all alone in the end despairing he should euer bring his matters to passe to his desire he secretly sent away his children into the I le of EVBOEA to Elphenor the sonne of Chalcodias And himself after he had made many wishes curses against the Athenians in the village of Gargettus in a place which for that cause to this daye is called Araterion that is to saye the place of cursings he did take the seas weÌt into the I le of SCIROS where he had goods thought also to haue founde friends Lycomedes raigned at that time was king of the I le vnto whom Theseus made request for some lande as inteÌding to dwell there albeit some saye that he required him to giue him ayde against the AtheniaÌs Lycomedes were it that he douted to entertaine so great a personage or that he dyd it to gratifie Menestheus caried him vp to the high rocks faining as though he would from thence haue shewed him all his countrye round about But when he had him there he threw him downe hedlong from the toppe of the rocks to the bottome put him thus vnfortunately to death Yet other write that he fell down of him self by an vnfortunate chaunce walking one daye after supper as he was wont to doe There was no maÌ at that time that dyd followe or pursue his death but Menestheus quietly remained king of ATHENS and the children of Theseus as priuate souldiers followed Elphenor in the warres of TROIA But after the death of Menestheus who died in the iorney to TROIE Theseus sonnes returned vnto ATHENS where they recouered their state Sithence there were many occasioÌs which moued the Athenians to reuerence honour him as a demy god For in the battell of Marathon many thought they sawe his shadow image in armes fighting against the barbarous people And after the warres of the Medes the yere wherein Phaedon was gouernour of ATHENS the nunne Pithea answered the AtheniaÌs who had sent to the oracle of Apollo that they should bring backe the bones of Theseus putting them in some honorable place they should preserue honour them deuoutely But it was a harde matter to finde his graue if they had founde it yet had it bene a harder thing to haue brought his bones awaye for the malice of those barbarous people which inhabited that I le which were so wild fierce that none could trade or liue with them Notwithstanding Cimon hauing taken the Iland as we haue written in his life seeking his graue perceiued by good happe an eagle pecking with her beake scraping with her clawes in a place of some prety height Straight it came into his minde as by diuine inspiration to search digge the place where was founde the tumbe of a great bodye with the head of a speare which was of brasse a sword with it All which things were brought to ATHENS by Cimon in the admirall gallie The AtheniaÌs receiued them with great ioye with processions goodly sacrifices as if Theseus him self had bene a liue had returned into the cittie againe At this daye all these relicks lye yet in the middest of the cittie neere to the place where the younge men doe vse all their exercises of bodye There is free libertie of accesse for all slaues poore men that are afflicted pursued by any mightier then themselues to pray sacrifice in remembraunce of Theseus who while he liued was protectour of the oppressed dyd curteously receiue their requests petitioÌs that prayed to haue ayde of him The greatest most solemne sacrifice they doe vnto him is on the eight daye of October in which he returned from CRETA with the other younge children of ATHENS Howbeit they doe not leaue to honour him euery eight daye of all other moneths either bicause he arriued froÌ TROEZEN at ATHENS the eight daye of Iune as Diodorus the Cosmographer writeth or for that they thought that number to be meetest for him bicause the bruite ranne he was begotten of Neptune They doe sacrifice also to Neptune the eight daye of euery moneth bicause the nuÌber of eight is the first cube made of euen number the double of the first square which dothe represent a stedfastnes immoueable properly attributed to the might of Neptune whom for this cause we surname Asphalius and Gaiochus which by interpretation dothe signifie the safe keeper the stayer of the earthe The ende of Theseus life THE LIFE OF Romulus THE Historiographers doe not agree in their writings by whom not for what cause the great name of the cittie of ROME the glorie wherof is blowen abroad through all the worlde was first geuen vnto it For some thincke that the Pelasgians after they had ouercome the greatest parte of the world and had inhabited and subdued many nations in the ende dyd staye them selues in that place where it was newe buylded and for their great strength and power in armes they gaue the name of ROME vnto the cittie as signifying power in the Greeke tongue Other saye thatafter
pleasaunt to his citizens to beholde did cut downe a goodly straight growen young oke which he lighted on by good fortune in the place where his campe did lye The same he trimmed dyd set forth after the manner of victorie hanging and tying all about it in fayer order the armour and weapons of king Acron Then he girding his gowne to him and putting vpon his long bushe of heare a garland of lawrell layed the young oke vpon his right shoulder and he first marched before towards his cittie songe a royall songe of victorie all his armie following him in armes vnto the cittie in order of battell where his citizens receyued him in all passing wise triumphe This noble stately entrie euer since hath geuen them minds in such sorte in statelier wise to make their triumphe The offering of this triumphe was dedicated to Iupiter surnamed Feretrian bicause the Latine worde Ferire signifieth to hurt kill the prayer Romulus had made was he might hurt kill his enemie Such spoyles are called in Latine Spolia opima therefore sayeth Varro that opes signifie riches Howbeit me thinckes it were more likely to saye that they were so named of this worde Opus which betokeneth a dede bicause he must needes be the chief of the armie that hath slayne with his owne hands the generall of his enemies that must offer the spoyles called Spolia opima as you would saye his principal spoyles dedes This neuer happened yet but to three Romaine captaines onely of the which Romulus was the first who slew Acron king of the CENINENSES Cornelius Cossus was the second who killed Tolumnius the generall of the THVSCANS Clodius Marcellus was the thirde who slewe Britomartus king of the GAVLES with his owne hands And for the two last Cossus Marcellus they made their entrie into the cittie carrying their triumphes vpoÌ charets triumphant but Romulus dyd not so Therefore in this poynt Dionysius the historiographer hath erred writing that Romulus dyd enter into ROME vpon a charret triuÌphant For it was Tarquinius Priscus the sonne of Demaratus who first dyd set out triumphes in so stately and magnificent showe Other holde opinion it was Valerius Publicola who was the first that euer entred vpon triumphant charret Concerning Romulus his statues are yet to be seene in Rome carying his triumphe a soote After this ouerthrowe taking of the CENINENSES the inhabitants of the citties of FIDENA CRVSTVMERIVM ANTEMNA rose altogether against the ROMAINES whiles the other SABYNES also were a preparing theÌ selues So they fought a battell in which they tooke the ouerthrowe left their citties to the spoyle of Romulus their lands to be geuen where he thought good and them selues to be caried to ROME Romulus then dyd geue their lands among his cittizens except those lands which did belong to the fathers of the maydens that they had taken away rauished For he was conteÌted that the fathers of them should kepe still their laÌds By by the other SABYNES stomaking thereat did chuse them a generall called Tatius so went with a puysant army toward the cittie of ROME whereunto to approche at that time it was very harde the castell or keepe of their cittie of being seated where at this day the Capitoll standeth within which there was a great garrison whereof Tarpeius was captaine not his daughter Tarpeia as some will saye who set out Romulus as a foole But Tarpeia the captaines daughter for the desire she had to haue all the golde bracelets which they dyd weareabout their armes solde the forte to the SABYNES and asked for reward of her treason all they did weare on their left armes Tatius promised them vnto her she opened them a gate in the night by the which she did let all the SABYNES into the castell Antigonus then was not alone who sayed he loued those which did betraye hated theÌ that had betrayed nor yet Caesar Augustus who told Rymitalces the THRACIAN that he loued treason but he hated traytors And it is a comon affection which we beare to wicked persons whilest we stand in neede of them not vnlike for all the world to those which haue nede of the gall poyson of venemous beasts For when they finde it they are glad take it to serue their turne but after their turne is serued they haue that they sought they hate the crueltie of such beasts So played Tatius at that time For when he was gotten into the castell he coÌmanded the SABYNES for performance of his promise he had made to Tarpeia they should not sticke to geue her all they weare on their left armes to doe as he did who taking from his owne arme first the bracelet which he ware did cast it to her and his target after And so did all the rest in like sorte in so much as being borne downe to the ground by the weight of bracelets targets she dyed as pressed to deathe vnder her burden Neuertheles Tarpeius self was atteinted condeÌned also of treason by Romulus order as Iuba sayeth it is set forth by Sulpitius Galba They that write nowe otherwise of Tarpeia saying she was the daughter of Tatius generall of the SABYNES was forced by Romulus to lie with him how she was punished in this sorte by her own father after her said treason coÌmitted those I saye amoÌgest whom Antigonus is one are not to be credited And the poet Simylus also dothe dote most who sayeth Tarpeia solde the Capitoll not to the SABYNES but to the king of GAVLES with whom she was in loue as in these verses dothe appeare Tarpeia that mayde of foolishe mynde vvhich nere vnto the Capitoll did dvvell In feruent flames of beastly loue be blynde vvherevvith the king of Gaules did make her svvell Causd stately ROMEsurprised for to be by enemies as euery man maye see And so throughe hope of his fidelitie betrayed her syre vvith all his familie And a litle after in speaking of the manner of her deathe he sayeth also Yet lo the Gaules those vvorthie men of might threvv her not dovvne into the vvaues of Po But from their armes vvherevvith they vvonte to fight they cast their shields vpon her body so That she surprest vvith such an heauy vvaight Ah vvoefull mayde to death vvas smoothred straight This may den therefore being buried in the same place the whole hill was called afterwardes Tarpeius after her name which continued vntill Tarquinius the King dyd dedicate all the place to Iupiter for then they caryed her bones into some other place and so it lost her name Onles it be that rocke of the Capitoll which at this present time they call Rupes Tarpeia from the toppe whereof they were wonte in olde time to throwe downe hedlong all wicked offenders When the SABYNES now had gotten this holde Romulus being exceeding
place nowe called Armilustrium Further he neuer shewed any countenaunce to reuenge his death There are some Historiographers that write that those of the cittie of Laurentum being afeard at this murder dyd deliuer forthwith to Romulus the murderers of the ambassadours He notwithstaÌding dyd let them goe againe saying one murder was required by another This gaue some occasion of speache to thincke he was glad he was rydde of his companion yet the Sabynes neither sturred nor rebelled for all this but some of them were affrayed of him for the great loue they bare him other for his power he was of other for the honour they gaue him as a god continuing still in duetie obedience towards him Diuers strauÌgers also had Romulus valiancie in great honour as amongest other those who then were called the auncient Latines which sent ambassadours to him to make league and amitie with him He deuised to take the cittie of Fidena which was nere neighbour to Rome Some saye he tooke it vpon a sodaine hauing sent before certen horse men to breake downe the hookes hingewes with force which the gates hang by him selfe came after with the rest of his armie and stale vpon them before the cittie mistrusted any thing Other write that the Fidenates first inuaded his couÌtrye and foraged vnto the very suburbes of Rome where they did great harme and howe Romulus layed an ambushe in their waye as they returned home and slewe a great number of them When he tooke their cittie he did not rase it but made a colonye of it as a place to send the ouerincrease of Rome vnto whether he sent afterwards two thousand fiue hundred Romains to inhabite there it was on the thirtenth daye of Aprill which the Romaines call the Ides of the same moneth Not long after there rose suche a great plague in Rome that men died sodainely and were not sicke the earth brought forth no fruite bruite beasts deliuered no increase of their kynde there rayned also droppes of bloude in Rome as they saye In so much as besides the euills men felt in this extremitie they fell in a marueilous feare of the wrathe of the goddes Afterwards perceiuing the like happened to the inhabitants of LaureÌtum then euery man iudged it was the very vengeance and heauie hand of the goddes who plagued and punished these two citties for the murder committed vpon Tatius and the ambassadours that were killed Whereupon the murderers of both sides were apprehended and executed and these plagues by and by ceased both in the one and in the other cittie Romulus besides did purifie the cities with certaine sacrifices that he deuised which they keepe still at this daye at the gate called Ferentina But before the plague ceased the Camerines came to assaulte the Romaines had ouercomen all the countrie supposing they should not be able to withstand them bicause they had bene so sore troubled with the plague Yet notwithstaÌding Romulus set vp on them with his army wanne the field of them in which conflict there were slaine about sixe thousand men After the battell done he tooke their cittie conueyed to Rome the one half of the inhabitants that remained After this he sent twise as many Romaines as there were naturall CameriaÌs left at Camerine to dwell there among them This was done the first daye of August so great was the multitude of the inhabitaÌts of Rome that had increased in sixteene yeres from the first foundation of the cittie Emong other spoyles he got there he caried away a charret of brasse with foure horses which he caused to be set vp in the temple of Vulcan and his owne statue vpon it and victorie crowning him with a garland triuÌphant His power being growen thus great his weake neighbours did submit themselues vnto him being contented to liue in peace by him His stronger neighbours were affrayed of him and enuied much his greatnes and dyd take it no good policie to suffer him thus to rise in the face of the world and thought it meete spedilie to dawnte his glorie and clippe his winges The first of the Thuscans that bent their power against him were the Veians who had a great countrie dwelled in a stronge and mightie cittie To picke a quarell to him they sent to haue redeliuered to theÌ the cittie of FIDENA which they sayed beloÌged vnto them This was thought not only vnreasonable but a thing worthy laughing at coÌsidering that all the while the FIDENATES were in warre daunger the THVSCANS neuer came to their ayde but had suffered them to be slayne and then came to demaunde their lands and tenements when other had possession of them Therefore Romulus hauing geuen them an aunswer full of mockerie and derision they diuided their power into two armies and sent the one against them of FIDENA and with the other they marched towards ROME That which went against the cittie of FIDENA preuayled and killed there two thousand ROMAINES the other was ouerthrowen and discomfited by Romulus in which there dyed eight thousand VEIANS Afterwards they met againe somewhat neere the cittie of the FIDENATES where they fought a battell and all dyd confesse the chiefest exployte was done by Romulus owne hands that daye who shewed all the skill and valliantnes that was to be looked for in a worthy captaine It seemed that daye he farre exceeded the coÌmon sorte of men in strength of bodye feates of armes Neuertheles that which some saye is hardely to be credited to be plaine is out of all compasse of beliefe and possibilitie For they write there were fourteene thousand men slayne at that battell that more then halfe of them were slayne by Romulus own hands the rather for that euery man iudgeth it a vaine bragge and ostentation which the MESSENIANS reporte of Aristomenes who offered in sacrifice to the goddes three hundred beastes of victorie as for so many LACEDAEMONIANS him self had slayne in the battell Their armie being thus broken Romulus suffered them to flye who by swiftnes could saue them selues and marched with all his power in good arraye towards their cittie The citizens then considering their late great losse and ouerthrowe would not hazard the daunger of withstanding him but went out all together made their humble petition sute for peace All was graunted them for a hundred yeres saue they should forgoe their territorie called Septemagium that was the seuenth parte of their countrye yeld to the ROMAINES all their salt houses by the riuers side and deliuer fiftie of their chiefest citizens for their pledges Romulus made his entrie and triumphe into ROME for them the daye of the Ides of October which is the fiftenth daye of the same moneth leading in his triumphe many prisoners taken in those warres among other the generall of the VEIANS a very auncient man who fondly behaued him selfe in his charge and shewed by his
afterwards when she was forsaken of her sonne onles peraduenture those things that they write of the imprisonment and captiuitie of AEthra be founde false and but fables as for the same and memorie of Theseus were behouefull that both it and many other things also were of no more trothe nor likelyhood That which they write of Romulus diuinements maketh great difference betwene him and Theseus For Romulus in his birthe was preserued by the maruelous fauour of the goddes Theseus to the contrarie was begotten against the goddes will as appeared plainely by the aunswer of the oracle to AEgeus that he should not medle with any woman in straunge and foraine countrie The ende of Romulus life THE LIFE OF Lycurgus A MAN can not speake any thing at all of Lycurgus who made the lawes of the LACEDAEMONIANS but he shall finde great contrarietie of him amongest the historiographers For of his parentage trauaill out of his countrie of his deathe and making of lawes of his forme and gouernment and order of executing the same they haue written diuersely And yet aboue all things concerning him they agree worst about the time he liued in For some of them and Aristotle is of that number will needes haue him to haue bene in the time of Iphytus and that he dyd helpe him to stablish the ordinaunce that all warres should cease during the feast of the games olympicall for a testimonie whereof they alledge the copper coyte which was vsed to be throwen in those games and had founde grauen vpon it the name of Lycurgus Other compting the dayes and time of the succession of the kings of LACEDAEMON as Eratosthenes and Apollodorus saye he was many yeres before the first Olympiades Timaeus also thincketh there were two of this name and in diuers times howbeit the one hauing more estimation then the other men gaue this Lycurgus the glorie of both their doings Some saye the eldest of the twaine was not longe after Homer and some write they sawe him Xenophon sheweth vs plainely he was of great antiquitie saying he was in the time of the Heraclides who were neerest of bloude by descent to Hercules For it is likely Xenophon ment not those Heraclides which descended from Hercules self for the last kings of SPARTA were of Hercules progenie aswell as the first Therefore he meaneth those Heraclides which doubtles were the first and nearest before Hercules time Neuertheles though the historiographers haue written diuersely of him yet we will not leaue to collect that which we finde written of him in auncient histories and is least to be denied and by best testimonies most to be prooued And first of all the poet Simonides sayeth his father was called Prytanis and not Eunomus and the most parte doe write the pettigree otherwise aswell of Lycurgus self as of Eunomus For they saye that Patrocles the sonne of Aristodemus begate Sous and Sous begate Eurytion and Eurytion begate Prytanis and Prytanis begat Eunomus and Eunomus begat Polydectes of his first wife and Lycurgus of the second wife called Dianassa yet Euthychidas an other writer maketh Lycurgus the sixte of descent in the right line from Polydectes and the eleuenth after Hercules But of all his auncesters the noblest was Sous in whose time the cittie of SPARTA subdued the Ilotes and made them slaues and dyd enlarge and increase their dominion with the lands and possessions they had got by conquest of the Arcadians And it is sayed that Sous him self being on a time straightly besieged by the CLITORIANS in a hard drye grounde where no water could be founde offered them thereupon to restore all their lands againe that he had gotten from them if he and all his companie dyd drincke of a fountaine that was there not farre of The CLITORIANS dyd graunte vnto it and peace also was sworne betweene them Then he called all his souldiers before him and tolde them if there were any one amongest them that would refrayne from drincking he would resigne his kingdome to him howbeit there was not one in all his companie that could or would forbeare to drincke they were so sore a thirst So they all drancke hartely except him self who being the last that came downe dyd no more but a litle moyste his mowthe without and so refreshed him self the enemies selues standing by and drancke not a droppe By reason whereof he refused afterwards to restore their lands he had promised alledging they had not all droncke But that notwithstanding he was greately esteemed for his actes and yet his house was not named after his owne name but after his sonnes name Eurytion they of his house were called Eurytionides The reason was bicause his sonne Eurytion to please the people dyd first let fall and geue ouer the sole and absolute power of a king Whereupon there followed afterwardes marueilous disorder and dissolution which continued a great time in the citie of SPARTA For the people finding them selues at libertie became very bolde and disobedient and some of the Kinges that succeeded were hated euen to deathe bicause they woulde perforce vse their auncient authoritie ouer the people Other either to winne the loue and goodwilles of the people or bicause they sawe they were not stronge enough to rule them dyd geue them selues to dissemble And this dyd so muche increase the peoples lose and rebellious mindes that Lycurgus owne father being Kinge was slayne among them For one daye as he was parting a fraye betweene two that were fighting he had suche a wounde with a kytchin knyfe that he dyed and left his Realme to his eldest sonne Polydectes who dyed also sone after and without heyre of his bodye as was supposed In so muche as euery man thought Lycurgus should be Kinge and so he tooke it vpon him vntill it was vnderstoode that his brothers wife was younge with childe Which thing so soone as he perceyued he published openly that the Realme belonged to the childe that should be borne if it were a sonne After this he gouerned the Realme but as the Kings lieutenante and regent The LACEDAEMONIANS call the regents of their Kinges that are left within age Prodicos Lycurgus brothers widowe dyd send and let him secretly vnderstande that if he would promise to marye her when he should be King that she would come before her time and either miscarye or destroye that she went with Lycurgus detestably abhorring this brutishe and sauage vnnaturallnes of the woman dyd not reiect her offer made him but seemed rather to be very glad then to dislike of it Neuertheles he sent her worde againe she should not neede to trye masteryes with drinckes and medicines to make her come before her time for so doing she might bring her selfe in daunger and be cast awaye for euer Howbeit he aduised her to goe her full time and to be brought a bed in good order and then he would finde meanes enough to make awaye the childe that
or dauÌger 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 roÌne ouer all ITALIE had watered it that the mildnes of his wisdom had froÌ hand to hand bene disparsed through the whole world Insomuch as the ouer excessiue speaches the Poets accustomably doe vse were not sufficieÌt 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 coÌspiracie 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 protectioÌ 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 exaÌple of that which Plato long time after did affirme saye concerning true gouernmeÌt 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 coÌpulsion 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 amoÌg 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 MamerciaÌs 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
and Pythagoras I easely pardone those which mainteine their opinion that Numa and Pythagoras were familiarly acquainted and conuersant together Valerius Antias the historian writeth there were twelue bookes written concerning the office of Priestes and twelue other conteining the philosophie of the GRECIAHS And the foure hundred yeres after in the same yere when Publius Cornelius and Marcus Bebius were consuls there fell a great rage of waters and raine which opened the earthe and discouered these coffines and the liddes and couers thereof being caried awaye they founde the one altogether voyde hauing no manner of likelyhoode or token of a bodie that had layen in it and in the other they founde these bookes which were deliuered vnto one named Petilius at that time Praetor who had the charge to reade them ouer and to make the reporte of them But he hauing perused them ouer declared to the Senate that he thought it not conuenient the matters conteined in them should be published vnto the simple people and for that cause they were caried into the market place and there were openly burnte Surely it is a common thing that happeneth vnto all good and iust men that they are farre more praysed and esteemed after their death then before bicause that enuie doth not long continue after their death and oftentimes it dieth before them But notwithstanding the misfortunes which chaunced afterwardes vnto the fiue Kings which raigned at ROME after Numa haue made his honour shine with much more noble glorie then before For the last of them was driuen out of his Kingdome and died in exile after he was very olde And of the other foure none of them died their naturall death but three of them were killed by treason And Tullus Hostilius which raigned after Numa deriding contemning the most parte of his good and holy institutions and chiefly his deuotion towardes the goddes as a thing which made men lowly and fainte harted dyd assone as euer he came to be King turne all his subiects hartes to the warres But this mad humour of his continued not long For he was plagued with a straunge most grieuous disease that followed him which brought him to chaunge his minde and dyd farre otherwise turne his contempt of Religion into an ouer-fearfull superstition which dyd nothing yet resemble the true Religion deuotion of Numa besides he infected others with his contagious errour through the inconuenience which happened vnto him at his death For he was striken and burnt with lightning THE COMPARISON OF Lycurgus with Numa THVS hauing written the liues of Lycurgus and Numa the matter requireth though it be somewhat harde to doe that we comparing the one with the other should set out the difference betweene them For in those things wherein they were like of condition their deedes doe shewe it sufficiently As in their temperaunce their deuotion to the goddes their wisdome in gouerning and their discreete handling of their people by making them beleeue that the goddes had reuealed the lawes vnto them which they established And nowe to come vnto their qualities which are diuersely seuerally commended in either of them Their first qualitie is that Numa accepted the Kingdome and Lycurgus gaue it vp The one receyued it not seeking for it and the other hauing it in his handes did restore it againe The one being a straunger and a priuate man was by straungers elected chosen their lorde king The other being in possession a King made him selfe againe a priuate persone Suer it is a goodly thing to obtaine a Realme by iustice but it is a goodlier thing to esteeme iustice aboue a Realme Vertue brought the one to be in such reputatioÌ that he was iudged worthy to be chosen a King and vertue bred so noble a minde in the other that he esteemed not to be a king Their second qualitie is that like as in an instrumeÌt of musicke the one of them did tune and wrest vp the slacke stringes which were in SPARTA so the other slackened and set them lower which were to highe mounted in ROME Wherein Lycurgus difficulty was the greater For he did not persuade his cittizens to plucke of their armour curates nor to laye by their swordes but only to leaue their golde siluer to forsake their softe beddes their fine wrought tables and other curious riche furniture and not to leaue of the trauell of warres to geue them selues only vnto feastes sacrifices and playes But to the contrarie to geue vp bancketing and feasting continually to take paynes in the warres yelding their bodies to all kinde of paynes By which meanes the one for the loue and reuerence they did beare him easely persuaded all that he would and the other by putting him selfe in daunger and being hurte also obtained not without great trauell and aduenture the end of his intended purpose and desire Numa his muse was so gentle louing and curteous that the manners of his cittizens which before were furious and violent were now so tractable and ciuill that he taught them to loue peace and iustice And to the contrarie if they will compell me to number amongest the lawes and ordinaunces of Lycurgus that which we haue written touching the ILOTES which was a barbarous cruell thing I must of force confesse that Numa was muche wiser more gentle and ciuill in his lawes considering that euen vnto those which in deede were borne slaues he gaue some litle tast of honour sweetnes of libertie hauing ordained that in the feastes of Saturne they should sit downe at meate at their masters owne table Some holde opinion that this custome was brought in by king Numa who willed that those which through their labour in tillage brought in much fruite should haue some pleasure thereof to make good cheere with the first fruites of the same Other imagine that it is yet a token and remembraunce of the equalitie which was emoÌgest men in the world in Saturnes time when there was neither master nor seruaunte but all men were a like equall as brethern or hinsemen To conclude it seemeth either of them tooke a direct course thought best to them selues to frame their people vnto temperaunce and to be contented with their owne But for their other vertues it appeareth that the one loued warre best and the other iustice onles it were that men would saye that for the diuersitie of the nature or custome of their people which were almost contrarie in manners they were both compelled to vse also contrary and diuers meanes from other For it was not of a fainte harte that Numa tooke from his people the vse of armes and desire to be in warres but it was to the ende they should not doe any wrong to others Neither did Lycurgus also studie to make his people souldiers and warlike to hurte others but for feare rather that others should hurte them And so to cut of the excesse in the one
indifferently to his will. As the offices of state common assemblies voyces in election iudgemeÌts in iustice and the bodie of the Senate And they gaue him also full power and authoritie to sesse and taxe any of them to appointe the number what time the sesse should continewe and to keepe confirme and disanull at his pleasure any of the auncient lawes and customes then in being To beginne withall he first tooke away all Dracons bloudy lawes sauing for murder and manslaughter which were to seuere cruell For almost he dyd ordaine but one kinde of punishment for all kinde of faultes and offences which was death So that they which were condemned for idlenes were iudged to dye And pety larceny as robbing mens horteyards gardens of fruite or erbes was as seuerely punished as those who had committed sacriledge or murder Demades therefore encountered it pleasauntly when he sayed that Dracons lawes were not written with incke but with bloud And Draco him selfe being asked one daye why his punishmeÌts were so vnequall as death for all kinde of faultes he aunswered Bicause he thought the least offence worthie so much punishment and for the greatest he found none more grieuous Then Solon being desirous to haue the chief offices of the cittie to remaine in riche mens handes as already they dyd and yet to mingle the authoritie of gouernment in such sorte as the meaner people might beare a litle swaye which they neuer could before he made an estimate of the goodes of euery priuate cittizen And those which he founde yerely worthe fiue hundred busshells of corne other liquide fruites and vpwards he called Pentacosiomedimnes as to saye fiue hundred busshell men of reuenue And those that had three hundred busshells a yere and were able to keepe a horse of seruice he put in the second degree and called them knightes They that might dispend but two hundred busshells a yere were put in the thirde place called Zeugites All other vnder those were called Thetes as ye would saye hyerlings or craftes men liuing of their labour whom he dyd not admit to beare any office in the cittie neither were they taken as free cittizens sauing they had voyces in elections and assemblies of the cittie and in iudgements where the people wholy iudged This at the first seemed nothing but afterwardes they felt it was to great purpose for hereby the most parte of priuate quarrells and strifes that grewe among them were in the ende layed open before the people For the suffered those to appeale vnto the people which thought they had wrong iudgement in their causes Furthermore bicause his lawes were written somewhat obscurely and might be diuersely taken and interpreted this dyd geue a great deale more authoritie and power to the iudges For considering all their controuersies could not be ended and iudged by expresse lawe they were driuen of necessitie allwayes to ronne to the iudges and debated their matters before them In so muche as the iudges by this meanes came to be somewhat aboue the lawe for they dyd euen expounde it as they would them selues Solon self doth note this equall diuision of the publicke authoritie in a place of his poesies where he sayeth Suche povver haue I geuen to common peoples hande as might become their meane estate vvith equity to stande and as I haue not pluct from them their dignitie so haue I not to much increast their small authoritie Vnto the riche likevvise I haue allovved no more then vvell might seeme in iust conceit sufficient for their store And so I have for both prouided in such vvise that neither shall eche other vvrong nor seeme for to despise Yet considering it was meete to prouide for the pouertie of the common sorte of people he suffered any man that would to take vpon him the defence of any poore mans case that had the wrong For if a man were hurte beaten forced or otherwise wronged any other man that would might lawfully sue the offendour and prosecute lawe against him And this was a wise lawe ordeined of him to accustome his cittizens to be sorie one for anothers hurte so to feele it as if any parte of his owne bodie had bene iniured And they saye he made an aunswer on a time agreable to this law For being asked what cittie he thought best gouerned he aunswered That cittie where such as receyue no wronge doe as earnestly defend wroÌg offered to other as the very wrong iniurie had bene done vnto them selues He erected also the couÌsaill of the Areopagites of those magistrates of the cittie out of which they did yerely choose their gouernour he him self had bene of that number for that he had bene gouernour for a yere Wherefore perceyuing now the people were growen to a stomake hawtines of minde bicause they were cleare discharged of their detts he set one vp for matters of state another counsell of an hundred chosen out of euery tribe whereof foure huÌdred of them were to consult debate of all matters before they were propounded to the people that when the great counsell of the people at large should be assembled no matters should be put forth onles it had bene before well considered of digested by the counsell of the foure hundred Moreouer he ordeined the higher courte should haue the chiefe authoritie power ouer all things and chiefly to see the lawe executed and mainteined supposing that the common weale being settled and stayed with these two courtes as with two stronge anker holdes it should be the lesse turmoyled and troubled and the people also better pacified and quieted The most parte of writers holde this opinion that it was Solon which erected the counsaill of the Areopagites as we haue sayed and it is very likely to be true for that Dracon in all his lawes and ordinaunces made no manner of mention of the Areopagites but allwayes speaketh to the Ephetes which were iudges of life and death when he spake of murder or of any mans death Notwithstanding the eight law of the thirtenth table of Solon sayeth thus in these very words All such as haue bene banished or detected of naughty life before Solon made his laws shal be restored againe to their goodes and good name except those which were condemned by order of the counsaill of the Areopagites or by the Ephetes or by the Kings in open courte for murder and death of any man or for aspiring to vsurpe tyrannie These wordes to the contrarie seeme to proue and testifie that the counsell of the Areopagites was before Solon was chosen reformer of the lawes For howe could offenders and wicked men be condemned by order of the counsell of the Areopagites before Solon if Solon was the first that gaue it authoritie to iudge onles a man will saye peraduenture that he would a litle helpe the matter of his lawes which were obscure and darke and would supply that they lacked
Iupiter Olympian only remained vnperfect so the wisdome of Plato amongest many goodly matters of his that haue come abroade left none of them vnperfect but the only tale of the Iles ATLANTIDES Solon liued long time after Pisistratus had vsurped the tyrannie as Heraclides Ponticus writeth Howbeit Phanias Ephesian writeth that he liued not aboue two yeres after For Pisistratus vsurped tyrannicall power in the yere that Comias was chief gouernour in ATHENS And Phanias writeth that Solon dyed in the yere that Hegestratus was gouernour which was the next yere after that And where some saye the ashes of his bodie were after his death strawed abroade through the I le of SALAMINA that seemeth to be but a fable and altogether vntrue Neuertheles it hath bene written by many notable authours and amongest others by Aristotle the philosopher The ende of Solons life THE LIFE OF PVBLIVS Valerius Publicola NOWE we haue declared what Solon was we haue thought good to compare him with Publicola to whom the ROMAINE people for an honour gaue that surname for he was called before Publius Valerius descended from that auncient Valerius who was one of the chiefest worckers and meanes to bring the ROMAINES and the SABYNES that were mortall enemies to ioyne together as one people For it was he that most moued the two Kings to agree and ioyne together Publicola being descended of him whilest the Kings dyd rule yet at ROME was in very great estimation aswell for his eloquence as for his riches vsing the one rightly and freely for the maintenaunce of iustice and the other liberally and curteously for the relief of the poore So that it was manifest if the Realme came to be conuerted into a publicke state he should be one of the chiefest men of the same It chaunced that king Tarquine surnamed the prowde being come to the crowne by no good lawfull meane but contrary lie by indirect and wicked wayes and behauing him selfe not like a King but like a cruell tyrante the people much hated and detested him by reason of the death of Lucretia which killed her selfe for that she was forcibly rauished by him so the whole cittie rose and rebelled against him Lucius Brutus taking vpon him to be the head and captaine of this insurrection and rebellion dyd ioyne first with this Valerius who dyd greately fauour and assist his enterprise and did helpe him to driue out king Tarquine with all his house familie Nowe whilest they were thincking that the people would chuse some one alone to be chief ruler ouer them in stead of a King Valerius kept him selfe quiet as yelding willingly vnto Brutus the first place who was meetest for it hauing bene the chief authour and worcker of their recouered libertie But when they sawe the name of Monarchie as much to saye as soueraintie alone was displeasaunt to the people and that they would like better to haue the rule deuided vnto two and how for this cause they would rather choose two Consuls Valerius then begaÌne to hope he should be the seconde persone with Brutus Howbeit this hope fayled him For against Brutus will Tarquinius Collatinus the husband of Lucretia was chosen CoÌsul with him not bicause he was a man of greater vertue or of better estimation than Valerius But the noble men of the cittie fearing the practises of the Kings abroade which sought by all the fayer flattering meanes they could to returne againe into the cittie dyd determine to make such an one Consul whom occasion forced to be their hard and heauy enemie persuading them selues that Tarquinius Collatinus would for no respect yeld vnto them Valerius tooke this matter greuously but they had a mistrust in him as if he would not doe any thing he could for the benefit of his countrie notwithstanding he had neuer any priuate iniurie offered him by the tyrannes Wherfore he repaired no more vnto the Senate to pleade for priuate men and wholy gaue vp to medle in matters of state insomuch as he gaue many occasion to thincke of his absence and it troubled some men much who feared least vpon this his misliking and withdrawing he would fall to the Kings side and so bring all the cittie in an vprore considering it stoode then but in very tickle termes But when Brutus who stoode in iealousie of some would by othe be assured of the Senate had appointed them a daye solemnely to take their othes vpon the sacrifices Valerius then with a good cheerefull countenaunce came into the market place and was the first that tooke his othe he would leaue nothing vndone that might preiudice the Tarquines but with all his able power he would fight against them and defend the libertie of the cittie This othe of his maruelously reioyced the Senate gaue great assuraunce also to the Consuls but specially bicause his dedes dyd shortly after performe his wordes For there came ambassadours to ROME which brought letters from king Tarquine full of sweete lowly speaches to winne the fauour of the people with commission to vse all the mildest meanes they could to dulce and soften the hardened harts of the multitude who declared how the King had left all pryde and crueltie ment to aske nought but reasonable things The Consuls thought best to geue them open audience and to suffer them to speake to the people But Valerius was against it declaring it might perill the state much and deliuer occasion of new sturre vnto a multitude of poore people which were more affrayed of warres then of tyrannie After that there came other ambassadours also which sayed that Tarquine would from thenceforth for euer geue ouer and renounce his title to the Kingdome and to make any more warres but besought them only that they would at the least deliuer him and his friends their money and goods that they might haue wherewithall to keepe them in their banishment Many came on a pace and were very ready to yeld to this request and specially Collatinus one of the Consuls who dyd fauour their motion But Brutus that was a fast and resolute man and very fierce in his harte ranne immediately into the market place crying out that his fellowe Consul was a traytour and contented to graunt the tyrannes matter and meanes to make warre vpon the cittie where in deede they deserued not so much as to be relieued in their exile Hereupon the people assembled together and the first that spake in this assembly was a priuate man called Gaius Minutius who speaking vnto Brutus to the whole assembly sayed vnto them O noble Consul Senate handle so the matter that the tyrannes goods be rather in your custodie to make warre with them than in theirs to bring warre vpon your selues NotwithstaÌding the ROMAINES were of opinion that hauing gotten the liberty for which they fought with the tyrannes they should not disapoint the offered peace with keeping backe their goodes but rather
their voyces also there in deede are they most bounde and subiect bicause they doe but obaye the rich in all they doe commaund But yet in this acte there is a thinge more wonderfull and worthie to be noted That commonly discharging of dettes was wont to breede great tumultes and seditions in common weales And Solon hauing vsed it is a very good time as the phisitian ventring a daungerous medecine dyd appease the sedition already begonne and did vtterly quenche through his glorie and the common opinion they had of his wisdome and vertue all the infamie and accusation that might haue growen of that acte As for their first entrie into the gouernment Solons beginning was farre more noble For he went before and followed not another and him selfe alone without any others helpe dyd put in execution the best and more parte of all his notable and goodly lawes Yet was Publicolaes ende and death much more glorious and happie For Solon before he dyed sawe all his comon wealthe ouerthrowen but Publicolaes common weale continued whole as he left it vntill the broyle of ciuill warres beganne againe among them Solon after he had made his lawes and written them in wodden tables leauing them without defence of any man went his waye immediatly out of the cittie of ATHENS Publicola abiding continually in ROME gouerning the state dyd throughly stablishe confirme the lawes he made Furthermore Solon hauing wisely forseene Pisistratus practises aspiring to make him selfe King he could neuer let him for all that but was himselfe ouercome and oppressed with they tyrannie he sawe stablished in his owne sight and in dispight of him Where Publicola ouerthrewe and dyd put downe a mightie Kingdome that had continued of long time and was throughly stablished his vertue and desire being equall with Solons hauing had besides fortune fauorable and sufficient power to execute his vertuous and well disposed minde But as for warres and marshall deedes there is no comparison to be made betweene them For Daimachus Plataian doth not attribute the warres of the MEGARIANS vnto Solon as we haue written it where Publicola being generall of an armie and fighting himselfe in persone hath wonne many great battels And as for matters of peace and ciuill gouernment Solon neuer durst present him self openly to persuade the enterprise of SALAMINA but vnder a counterfeat madnes and as a soole to make sporte Where Publicola taking his aduenture from the beginning shewed him selfe without dissimulation an open enemie to Tarquine and afterwardes he reuealed all the whole conspiracie And when he had bene the only cause and autor of punishing the traitours he dyd not only driue out of ROME the tyrannes selues in persone but tooke from them also all hope of returne againe Who hauing allwayes thus nobly valiantly behaued him self without shrinking backe or flying from ought that required force a manly corage or open resistaunce dyd yet shewe him selfe discreete where wisedome was requisite or reason and persuasion needefull As when he conningly wanne king Porsena who was a dredfull enemie vnto him and inuincible by force whom he handled in such good sorte that he made him his friend Peraduenture some might stand in this and saye that Solon recouered the I le of SALAMINA vnto the ATHENIANS which they would haue lost Publicola to the contrarie restored the lands vnto Porsena againe which the ROMAINES had conquered before within the countrie of THVSCAN But the times in which these things were done are allwayes to be considered of For a wise gouernour of a Realme and politicke man doth gouerne diuersely according to the occasions offred taking euery thing in his time wherein he will deale And many times in letting goe one thing he saueth the whole and in losing a litle he gayneth much As Publicola dyd who losing a litle pece of another mans countrie which they had vsurped saued by that meanes all that was assuredly his owne And whereas the ROMAINES thought he should doe very much for them to saue their cittie only he got them moreouer all the goodes that were in their enemies caÌpe which dyd besiege them And in making his enemie iudge of his quarrell he waÌne the victorie winning that moreouer which he would gladly haue geuen to haue ouercome and haue sentence passe of his side For the King their enemie dyd not only make peace with them but dyd also leaue them all his furniture prouision and munition for the warres euen for the vertue manhood and iustice which the great wisedome of this Consul persuaded Porsena to beleeue to be in all the other ROMAINES The end of Publicolaes life THE LIFE OF Themistocles THEMISTOCLES parentage dyd litle aduaunce his glorie for his father Neocles was of small reputation in ATHENS being of the hundred of Phrear tribe of Leontis of his mother an allien or straunger as these verses doe witnesse Abrotonon I am yborne in Thracia and yet this highe good happe I haue that into Grecia I haue brought forth a sonne Themistocles by name the glorie of the Greekishe bloods and man of greatest fame Howbeit Phanias writeth that his mother was not a THRACIAN but borne in the countrie of CARIA and they doe not call her Abrotonon but Euterpé And Neanthes sayeth furthermore that she was of HALICARNASSVS the chiefest cittie of all the Realme of CARIA For which cause when the straungers dyd assemble at Cynosargos a place of exercise without the gate dedicated to Hercules which was not a right god but noted an alien in that his mother was a mortall woman Themistocles persuaded diuers youthes of the most honourable houses to goe down with him to annointe them selues at Cynosargos conningly thereby taking away the differeÌce betwene the right alien sorte But setting a parte all these circumstaunces he was no doubt allied vnto the house of the Lycomedians for Themistocles caused the chappell of this familie which is in the village of PHLYES being once burnt by the barbarous people to be buylt vp againe at his owne charges and as Simonides sayeth he dyd set in forth and enriche it with pictures Moreouer euery man doth confesse it that euen from his childhood they dyd perceyue he was geuen to be very whotte headed sturring wise and of good spirite and enterprising of him selfe to doe great things and borne to rule weighty causes For at such dayes and howers as he was taken from his booke and had leaue to playe he neuer played nor would neuer be idle as other children were but they allwayes founde him conning some oration without booke or making it alone by him selfe and the ground of his matter was euer comonly either to defend or accuse some of his companions Whereupon his schoolemaster obseruing him ofte sayed vnto him suer some great matter hangeth ouer thy head my boye for it cannot be chosen but that one daye thou shalt doe some notable good thing or some extreme mischief Therefore when they went about to
that ought to be among citizen would beare For this manner of banishment for a time called Ostracismon was no punishment for any faulte committed but a mitigation and taking away of the enuie of the people which delited to plucke downe their stomaks that to much seemed to exceede in greatnes and by this meanes they tooke awaye the poyson of his malice with diminishing his glorie and honour So Themistocles being banished ATHENS went to dwell in ARGOS In this meane season Pausanias trecchery fell out which gaue his enemies occasion to lye heauie on his backe But he which became his accuser was partener of the treason was one called Leobotes Alemeons sonne borne in a village called AGRAVLA Besides this the SPARTANS also dyd sit on his skirtes charged him forely For Pausanias neuer before reuealed to Themistocles the treason he had purposed although he was his very familiar friende But after he sawe Themistocles was banished and dyd take his exile very vnpaciently then Pausanias was bolde to open his treason to him to procure him to take his parte and shewed him the letters the king of PERSIA had written to him and all to sturre him vp against the GRAECIANS as against vngratefull and vnnaturall people Howbeit Themistocles shooke him of and tolde him plainely he would be no partener of his treason Notwithstanding he neuer reuealed it to any liuing creature nor disconered the practise he intended hoping either he would haue geuen it ouer or that shortely it would appeare by some other meane considering he so fondly aspired to things of great daunger and without purpose or possibilite After Pausanias was condemned and had suffered paynes of death for the same they found amongest his papers certaine writings and letters which made Themistocles to be very sore suspected Whereupon the LACEDAEMONIANS on the one side cried out of him and his enemies and ill willers at ATHENS accused him on th' other side To the which he made aunswer by letters from the beginning and wrote vnto the people it was not likely that he who sought all the wayes to rule and was not borne to serue neither had any minde thereto would euer haue thought in his heade to sell his owne libertie and the GRAECIANS also vnto the Barbarous people their enemies Notwithstanding this purgation of his the people by the procurement of his enemies sent to apprehende him and to bring him before the states of all GRAECE to be iudged by that counsaill Whereof Themistocles hauing intelligence in time he dyd conuey him selfe into the I le of CORPHV bicause the citie there was greatly beholding to him for a certen pleasure in time paste he had done them For they being at sute and strife with the CORINTHIANS he tooke vp the matter betweene them and gaue iudgement on their side condemned the CORINTHIANS to paye them tweÌty talents damages and did set downe an order that they should occupie the I le of LEVCADE in coÌmon together as ground that had bene inhabited with the people aswell of the one cittie of the other From thence he fled to Epirus whether being followed by the ATHENIANS the LACEDAEMONIANS he was compelled to venter him selfe vpon a doubtfull and very daungerous hope For he went to yelde him selfe into the hands of Admetus king of the MOLOSSIANS Who hauing heretofore made certen requestes vnto the ATHENIANS and being shamefully denied them by meanes of Themistocles who then was at his chiefest height and authoritie the King was maruelously offended with him and it was a clere case in deede that if he could then haue layed handes on him he would haue bene reuenged of him throughly Howbeit feeling the present miserie of his exile he thought he might lesse feare the Kings olde quarrell and displeasure then the freshe hate enuie of his contriemen Whereupon he went vnto king Admetus trusting to his mercie and became an humble suter to him in a straunge extraordinarie sorte For he tooke the Kings litle young sonne in his armes and went and kneeled downe before the altar in his chappell which humble manner of suinge the MOLOSSIANS take to be most effectuall and such as they dare not denie nor refuse Some saye that Queene Phthia her selfe the Kings wife dyd enforme him of this their country custome and manner brought her litle sonne also neere vnto the altar Other write also that it was Admetus him selfe that taught shewed him this inforcing manner of petition only for a cloke to excuse him selfe to those that should come to demaunde Themistocles of him that by duetie of religion he was so straightly bounde restrained that he might not deliuer him out of his protection In this meane time Epicrates Acharnian founde the meanes secretly to conuey Themistocles wife and children out of ATHENS dyd send them priuelie vnto him whereupon he was afterwards accused put to death vpon Cimons accusation motion as Stesimbrotus writeth Who not remembring those matters I knowe not howe or making as though Themistocles had not remembred him selfe doth saye that Themistocles sayled into SICILE where he sought to mary Hierons daughter the tyranne of SYRACVSA promising him if he would let him haue her he would assure him to conquer all GRECE for him and to bring them vnder his obedience But Hieron refusing this offer Themistocles went from thence into ASIA but that is not likely For Theophrastus writeth in his booke intituled of Kingdomes that Hieron hauing sent certain running horses to the feast of games Olympicall hauing set vp a maruelous riche and sumptuous tent there Themistocles made an oration to the GRECIANS declaring vnto them how they should teare the tyrannes tente in peces and not to suffer his horses to ronne with other swifte and light horses and to cary away the price in those holy games Thucydides againe declareth howe he went vnto the other sea and imbarked in the cittie of PYDNE being knowen of neuer a man in the shippe vntill such time as the winde beganne to carie them into the I le of NAXOS which the ATHENIANS by chaunce dyd besiege at that time where being afeard to be set on lande he was forced to bewraye him self to the master of the shippe the masters mate and wrought them what with fayer wordes and what with threates by saying he would accuse them to the ATHENIANS that they dyd not ignorantly receiue him in but hiered for money so as he compelled them to sayle on further and to cary him into ASIA As for his goodes his friendes saued the most parte of them and sent them into ASIA to him But for those that came to light and were confiscate vnto the state Theopompus writeth they dyd amounte to the value of one hundred talents And Theophrastus sayeth but to foure score talents only So that all his goodes was not worth three talents when he beganne to gouerne the state of the common weale when he came vnto the
the people of Themistocles which kept watche perceyuing them ranne vpon them and tooke them So Themistocles hauing escaped this daunger wondred greately at the fauour of the goddesse which had appeared vnto him In recompence whereof when he was in the cittie of MAGNESIA he built a temple vnto Dindymena and made his daughter Mnesiptolema prioresse of the same As he passed by the cittie of SARDIS for his recreation he went to visite the temples and offerings that had bene geuen there So he sawe an image of a mayden in copper in the temple of the mother of the goddes being two yeardes highe which they called the Hydrophora as much to saye as the water carier And it was a statue which him selfe had heretofore dedicated and caused to be made with the fines of those that had payed forfeytures for stealing or turning away the water course at ATHENS at suche time as he was master surueyer of the water workes and conduites there Wherfore whether Themistocles was sory to see this goodly image a prisoner in the handes of the Barbarous people or that he would showe vnto the ATHENIANS the greatnes of his credit and authoritie through all the Kings dominions he spake to the gouernour of LYDIA prayed him for his sake that he would send this image againe to ATHENS But this Barbarous gouernour was very angry with his request and tolde him he would aduertise the King thereof Then Themistocles beganne to be afeard was driuen to seeke to the gouernours women and concubines whom he got for money to intreate him and so made fayre weather againe with the gouernour But from thenceforth he tooke better garde of him selfe in all his doings greatly fearing the enuy of the Barbarous people For he progressed not vp and downe ASIA as Theopompus writeth but laye a long time in the cittie of MAGNESIA quietly enjoying the Kings gratious giftes bestowed on him where he was honoured reuerenced for one of the greatest persones of PERSIA whilest the King was els where occupied in the affayres of the highe prouinces of ASIA and had no leysure to thincke vpon those of GRECE But when newes was brought him that AEGYPT was rebelled by meanes of the fauour assistance of the ATHENIANS that the GRECIANS gallyes dyd scowre the seas euen vnto the I le of CYPRVS vnto the coastes of CILICIA that Cimon had all the sea in subiection that made him then to bende all his thoughts howe to resist the GRECIANS that their greatnes might not turne to his hurte Then commissions went out to leauy men to assemble captaines to dispatche postes vnto Themistocles at MAGNESIA with the Kings letters straightly charging him to haue an eye to the GRECIANS doings and moreouer that he should faithfully keepe his promise he had made to him But he to shewe that he neither maliced his citizens nor was moued with the desire of greatnes and authoritie he might haue growen vnto in those warres or els for that he thought the Kings expectation would proue to a greater matter then he could ende or wade through considering GRECE was full at that time of famous captaines and that Cimon amongest the rest had maruelous good fortune and that it should be a reproche to him to stayne the glorie of so many noble actes so many triumphes and so great victories as Cimon had done and wonne he tooke a wise resolution with him self to make suche an ende of his life as the same thereof deserued For he made a solemne sacrifice vnto the goddes and feasted at the same all his friends And after he had taken his leaue of them all he drancke bulles bloude as most men thincke or as other saye poyson which dispatcheth a man in foure and twenty howers and so ended his dayes in the cittie of MAGNESIA after he had liued threescore and fiue yeres and the most parte of them allwayes in office and great charge It is written that the king of PERSIA vnderstanding the cause and manner of his deathe dyd more esteeme him afterwards then he dyd before and that euer after he continued to vse his friends and familliars in very good sorte For he left children behinde him which he had of Archippa Lysanders daughter of the towne of ALOPECIA Archeptolis Polyeuctus and Cleophantus of whom Plato the philosopher maketh meÌtion saying that he was a good man at armes but otherwise that there was no goodnes in him His other sonnes that were elder as Neocles dyed being bitten with a horse and as for Diocles another sonne his grandfather Lysander dyd adopt him for his sonne He had many daughters of the which Mnesiptolema which he had by a seconde wife was maried vnto her halfe brother Archeptolis for they were not both of one venter An other called Italia was maried vnto one Panthides of CHIO Sybaris vnto Nicomedes an ATHENIAN And Nicomacha vnto Pharsicles Themistocles nephue vnto whom her brethern dyd mary her within the cittie of MAGNESIA after the death of their father This Pharsicles dyd bring vp ASIA which was the youngest of all his daughters Furthermore his sumptuous tumbe standeth yet in the market place of MAGNESIA But that Andocides writeth of his bones in a booke he made to his friendes is not to be credited which was that the ATHENIANS hauing founde the ashes of his bones dyd cast them vp into the ayer as a deuise to sturre vp the noble men against the people And Phylarchus in his historie much like vnto the fayned subtilties of a tragedie bringeth in I can not tell what Neocles and Demopolis for Themistocles sonnes to moue the readers with compassion Howbeit no man is so simple but will iudge it straight a very fayning and deuise Diodorus the cosmographer also in a booke he hath written of tumbes and monuments sayeth by coniecture rather then of any certen knowledge that alongest the hauen of PIROEA coming towardes the head of Alcimus there is a forelande in forme of an elbowe within the which when they haue doubled the pointe the sea is allwayes calme and there they finde a great and long foundation or base vpon the which there is as it were the forme of an altar and that is sayeth he Themistocles tumbe And he supposeth that Plato the comicall poet doth witnesse it in these verses Thy graue is set and plast comodiously vvhere passengers and marchants that come by maye visite thee and vvhere it maye regarde all such as seeke that porte to be their vvarde Somtimes also it maye reioyce to see the bloudy fights vpon the sea that be And furthermore those of MAGNESIA dyd institute certen honours vnto the issue of Themistocles which continew yet vnto this daye And in my time another Themistocles also of ATHENS dyd enjoy the same honours with whom I was familliarly conuersante in the house of Ammonius the philosopher The ende of Themistocles life THE LIFE OF Furius Camillus AMONGEST many great matters which
yet but a young man and was ruled altogether by Cleandrides counsell and direction whom the Ephores had placed about him to counsell direct him he sought priuilie to corrupt Cleandrides When he had wonne him sone with his money he persuaded him to drawe backe the PELOPONNESIANS out of their countrie of ATTICA and so he dyd But when the LACEDAEMONIANS sawe their armie cassed that the people were gone their waye euery man to his owne cittie or towne they were so mad at it that the King was condemned in a great some The King being vnable to aunswer his fine which was so extreme great he was driuen to absent him self from LACEDAEMON Cleandrides on the other side if he had not fled in time euen for spight had bene condemned to death This Cleandrides was Gylippus father that afterwards ouercame the ATHENIANS in SICILIA in whom it seemed nature bred couetousnes as a disease inheritable by succession from father to the sonne For he being shamefully conuicted also for certen vile partes he had played was likewise banished from SPARTA as we haue more amply declared in the life of Lysander And Pericles deliuering vp the accoÌpt of his charge and setting downe an article of the expense of renne talentes he had employed or should employe in needefull causes the people allowed them him neuer asking question how nor which waye nor whether it was true that they were bestowed Now there are certen writers amoÌg whom the philosopher Theophrastus is one who write that Pericles sent yerely vnto SPARTA tenne taleÌts with the which he entertained those that were in authoritie there bicause they should make no warres with them not to buye peace of them but time that he might in the meane season with better commoditie and that leysure prouide to mainteine the warres After that as the armie of the PELOPONNESIANS were out of the countrie of ATTICA he returned again against the rebels passed into the I le of EVBOEA with fiftie sayle c fiue thousand footemen well armed there he ouercame all the citties that had taken armes against him and draue away the Hyppobates who were the most famous men of all the CHALCIDIANS aswell for their riches as for their valliantnes He draue awaye also all the HESTIAEIANS whom he chased cleane out of all the countrie and placed in their cittie only the citizens of ATHENS And the cause why he delt so rigorously with them was bicause they hauing taken a galley of the ATHENIANS prisoner had put all the men to death that were in her And peace being concluded afterwards betwene the ATHENIANS and LACEDAEMONIANS for thirtie yeres he proclaimed open warres against those of the I le of SAMOS burdening them that they being coÌmaunded by the ATHENIANS to pacifie the quarrells which they had against the MILLESIANS they would not obaye But bicause some hold opinion that he tooke vpon him this warre against SAMOS for the loue of Aspasia it shall be no great digression of our storie to tell you by the waye what manner of woman she was what a maruelous gifte and power she had that she could entangle with her loue the chiefest rulers and gouernours at that time of the common weale and that the philosophers them selues dyd so largely speake write of her First of all it is certaine that she was borne in the cittie of MILETVM and was the daughter of one Axiochus she following the steppes and example of an olde curtisan of IONIA called Thargelia gaue her selfe only to entertaine the greatest persones chiefest rulers in her time For this Thargelia being passing fayer and carying a comely grace with her hauing a sharpe wit and pleasaunt tongue she had the acquaintaunce and friendshippe of the greatest persones of all GRECE and wanne all those that dyd haunte her company to be at the king of Persiaes commaundement So that she sowed through all the citties of GRECE great beginnings of the faction of the MEDES for they were the greatest men of power authoritie of euerie cittie that were acquainted with her But as for Aspasia some saye that Pericles resorted vnto her bicause she was a wise woman and had great vnderstanding in matters of state and gouernment For Socrates him selfe went to see her somtimes with his friends and those that vsed her company also brought their wiues many times with them to heare her talke though her traine about her were to entertaine such as would warme them by their fire AEschines writeth that Lysicles a grasier being before but a meane man and of a clubbishe nature came to be the chief man of ATHENS by frequenting the companie of Aspasia after the death of Pericles And in Platoes booke intituled Menexenus although the beginning of it be but pleasauntly written yet in that this storie is written truely that this Aspasia was repaired vnto by diuers of the ATHENIANS to learne the arte of rethorike of her Yet notwithstanding it seemeth most likely that the affection Pericles dyd beare her grewe rather of loue then of any other cause For he was maried vnto a kinsewoman of his owne and that before was Hipponicus wife by whom she had Callias surnamed the riche had afterwards by Pericles Xantippus and Paralus But not liking her companie he gaue her with her owne good will and consent vnto another and maried Aspasia whom he dearely loued For euer when he went abroad came home againe he saluted her with a kisse Whereupon in the auncient comedies she is called in many places the newe Omphale and somtimes Deianira and somtimes Iuno But Cratinus plainely calleth her whore in these verses His Iuno she him brought Aspasia by name vvhich vvas in deede an open vvhore and past all ãâ¦ã of shame And it seemeth that he had a bastard for Eupotu in a comedie of his called Demosâ bringeth him in asking Pyronides thus I praye thee is my bastard sonne yet alive And then Pyramides aunswered him A perfect man long sence he surely had bene founde if that this levvde and a naughty vvhore his vertue had not drovvnâe To conclude this Aspasia was so famous that Cyrus he that sought against king Artaxerxes his brother for the empire of PERSIA called Aspasia his best beloued of all his concubines which before was called Milto and was borne in PROCIDES being Hermotineus daughter And Cyrus being slayne in the field Aspasia was caried to the King his brother with whom afterwardes she was in great fauour As I was writing this life this storie came in my minde and me thought I should haue delt hardly if I should haue left it vnwritten But to our matter againe Pericles was charged that he made warres against the SAMIANS on the behalfe of the MILESIANS at the request of Aspasia for these two citties were at warres together for the cittie of PâIâNA but the SAMIANS were the stronger Now the ATHENIANS commaunded them
a good rounde pace to embrace his sonne and sayed vnto him You haue reason sonne and doe well to shewe ouer whom you commaund vnderstanding the authoritie of a Consul which place you haue receiued For it is the direct course by the which we and our auncesters have increased the ROMAINE empire preferring euer the honour and state of our countrie aboue father mother or children And truely they saye that Fabius great grandfather being the greatest and most noble persone of ROME in his time hauing fiue times bene Consul and had obteined many triumphes for diuers honorable and sundrie victories he had wonne was contented after all these to be his sonnes lieutenaunt and to goe to the warres with him he being chosen Consul And last of all the Consul his sonne returning home to ROME a conquerour in his triumphing charret drawen with foure horses he followed him a horse backe also in troupe with the rest thinking it honour to him that hauing authoritie ouer his sonne in the right of a father and being also the noblest man of all the cittizens so taken and reputed neuertheles he willingly submitted him selfe to the lawe and magistrate who had authoritie of him Yet besides all this he had farre more excellent vertues to be had in admiration then those already spoken of But it fortuned that this sonne of Fabius died before him whose death he tooke pacieÌtly like a wise man and a good father Now the custome being at that time that at the death of a noble man their neerest kinseman should make a funerall oration in their prayse at their obsequies he him selfe made the same oration in honour of his sonne and dyd openly speake it in the marketplace and moreouer wrote it and deliuered it out abroade About this time Cornelius Scipio was sent into SPAYNE who draue out the CARTHAGINIANS from thence after he had ouerthrowen them in many battells and had conquered many great citties and greately aduaunced the honour and estimation of the state of ROME for the which at his returne he was asmuche or rather more honoured beloued and esteemed then any other that was in the cittie of ROME Hereupon Scipio being made Consul considered that the people of ROME looked for some great matter at his handes aboue all other Therefore he thought to take vpon him to fight against Hannibal in ITALIE he should but followe the olde manner and treade to muche in the steppes of the olde man whereupon he resolued immediately to make warres in AFRICKE and to burne and destroye the countrie euen vnto CARTHAGE gates and so to transferre the warres out of ITALIE into LIBYA procuring by all possible deuise he could to put it into the peoples heades and to make them like of it But Fabius contrarilie persuading him selfe that the enterprise this young rashe youthe tooke in hande was vtterly to ouerthrowe the common weale or to put the state of ROME in great daunger deuised to put ROME in the greatest feare he could possible without sparing speache or dede he thought might serue for his purpose to make the people chaunge from that minde Now he could so cunningly worke his purpose what with speaking and doing that he had drawen all the Senate to his opinion But the people iudged it was the secret enuie he bare to Scipioes glorie that drue him to encounter this deuise only to bleamish Scipioes noble fortune fearing least if he should happen to doe some honorable seruice as to make an end altogether of this warre or otherwise to draw Hannibal out of ITALIE that then it would appeare to the world he had bene to softe or to negligent to drawe this warre out to suche a length For my parte me thinkes the only matter that moued Fabius from the beginning to be against Scipio was the great care he had of the safetie of the coÌmon weale by reason of the great dauÌger depending vpon such a resolution And yet I doe thinke also that afterwards he went further then he should contending to sore against him whether it was through ambition or obstinacie seeking to hinder and suppresse the greatnes of Scipio considering also he dyd his best to persuade Crassus Scipioes companion in the Consulshippe that he should not graunte vnto him the leading of the armie but if he thought good to goe into AFRICKE to make warres vpon the CARTHAGINIANS that he should rather goe him self And moreouer he was the let that they gaue him no money for maintenaunce of these warres Scipio hereupon being turned ouer to his owne credit to furnish himselfe as he could he leauied great summes of money in the citties of THVSCAN who for the great loue they bare him made contribution towardes his iorney And Crassus remained at home both bicause he was a softe and no ambitious nor contentious man of nature as also bicause he was the chiefest Prelate and highe bishoppe who by the lawe of their religion was constrained to kepe ROME Fabius seeing his labour lost that waye tooke againe another course to crosse Scipio deuising to staye the young men at home that had great desire to goe this iorney with him For he cried out with open mouth in all assemblies of the Senate people that Scipio was not contented only to flye Hannibal but that he would carie with him besides the whole force of ITALY that remained alluring the youthe with sweete baytes of vaine hope and persuading them to leaue their wiues their fathers mothers and their countrie euen now when their enemie knocked at ROME gates who dyd euer conquer and was yet neuer conquered These wordes of Fabius dyd so dampe the ROMAINES that they appointed Scipio should furnishe his iorney only with the armie that was in SICILIA sauing that he might supply to them if he would three hundred of the best souldiers that had serued him faithfully in SPAYNE And so it doth appeare euen to this present that Fabius both dyd and sayed all things according to his wonted manner and naturall disposition Now Scipio was no sooner arriued in AFRICKE but newes were brought to ROME incontinently of wonderfull exploytes and noble seruice done beyond measure and of great spoyles taken by him which argued the trothe of the newes As the king of the NVNIDIANS taken prisoner two campes of the enemies burnt destroyed at a time with losse of a great number of people armour and horses that were consumed in the same letters and postes for life ronning in the necke one of another from CARTHAGE to call Hannibal home and to praye him to hunte no longer after vayne hope that would neuer haue ende hasting him selfe with all speede possible to come to the rescue of his countrie These wonderfull great fortunes of Scipio made him of suche renowme and fame within ROME that there was no talke but of Scipio Fabius notwithstanding desisted not to make a newe request being of opinion they should send him a successour alledging no other cause
any seruice and that Lamachus also though he were a valliant man of his handes yet he lacked honour and authoritie in the armie bicause he was but a meane man borne and poore besides Now Alcibiades for a farewell disapointed the ATHENIANS of winning the cittie of MESSINA for they hauing intelligence by certaine priuate persones within the cittie that it would yeld vp into their handes Alcibiades knowing them very well by their names bewrayed them vnto those that were the SYRACVSANS friendes whereupon all this practise was broken vtterly Afterwards when he came to the cittie of THVRIES so sone as he had landed he went and hid him selfe incontinently in suche sorte that such as sought for him could not finde him Yet there was one that knewe him where he was and sayed Why how now Alcibiades darest thou not trust the iustice of thy countrie Yes very well q he and it were in another matter but my life standing vpon it I would not trust mine own mother fearing least negligeÌtly she should put in the blacke beane where she should cast in the white For by the first condemnation of death was signified and by the other pardone of life But afterwards hearing that the ATHENIANS for malice had condemned him to death well q he they shall knowe I am yet aliue Now the manner of his accusation and inditement framed against him was found written in this sorte Thessalus the sonne of Cimon of the village of LACIADES hath accused and doth accuse Alcibiades the sonne of Clinias of the village of SCAMBONIDES to haue offended against the goddesses Ceres Proserpina counterfeating in mockery their holy mysteries shewing them to his familliar friends in his house him selfe apparrelled and arrayed in a long vestemeÌt or cope like vnto the vestemeÌt the priest weareth when he sheweth these holy sacred mysteries naming him selfe the priest Polytion the torche bearer and Theodorus of the village of PHYGEA the verger the other lookers on brethern and fellowe scorners with them all done in manifest conteÌpt derision of holy ceremonies and mysteries of the Eumolpides the religious priests ministers of the sacred teÌple of the cittie of ELâVSIN So Alcibiades for his conteÌpt not appearing was condeÌned and his goodes confiscate Besides this condemnation they decreed also that all the religious priestes women should baÌne accurse him But hereunto aunswered one of the Nunnes called Theano the daughter of Menon of the village of AGRAVLA saying that she was professed religious to praye and to blesse not to curse and banne After this most grieuous sentence and condemnation passed against him Alcibiades departed out of the cittie of THVRIES went into the countrie of PELOPONNESVS where he continued a good season in the citie of ARGOS But in the ende fearing his enemies and hauing no hope to returne againe to his owne countrie with any safety he sent vnto SPARTA to haue safe conduct and licence of the LACEDAEMONIANS that he might come and dwell in their countrie promising them he would doe them more good being now their friend then he euer dyd them hurte while he was their enemie The LACEDAEMONIANS graunted his request receyued him very willingly into their cittie where euen vpon his first comming he dyd three things The first was That the LACEDAEMONIANS by his persuasion procurement dyd determine speedily to send ayde to the SYRACVSANS whom they had long before delayed so they sent Gylippus their captaine to ouerthrowe the ATHENIANS armie which they had sent thither The secoÌd thing he did for them was That he made them of GREECE to beginne warre apon the ATHENIANS The third greatest matter of importance was That he dyd counsell them to fortifie the cittie of DECELEA which was within the territories of ATTICA selfe which consumed and brought the power of the ATHENIANS lower then any other thing whatsoeuer he could haue done And if he were welcome well esteemed in SPARTA for the seruice he dyd to the coÌmon wealth muche more he wanne the loue good willes of priuate men for that he liued after the LACONIAN manner So as they that sawe his skinne scraped to the fleshe sawe him washe him selfe in cold water howe he dyd eate browne bread suppe of their blacke brothe would haue doubted or to saye better neuer haue beleeued that suche a man had euer kept cooke in his house nor that he euer had seene so muche as a perfuming panne or had touched clothe of tissue made at MILETVM For among other qualities properties he had wherof he was full this as they saye was one whereby he most robbed mens hartes that he could frame altogether with their manners and factions of life transforming him selfe more easely to all manner of shapes then the camelion For it is reported that the Camelion cannot take white culler but Alcibiades could put apon him any maners customes or facions of what nation soeuer could followe exercise counterfeate them when he would as well the good as the bad For in SPARTA he was very paynefull in continuall exercise he liued sparingly with litle led a straight life In IONIA to the coÌtrary there he liued daintely superfluously gaue him self to all mirthe pleasure In THRACIA he dranke euer or was allwayes a horse backe If he came to Tissaphernes lieutenaunt of the mightie king of PERSIA he farre exceeded the magnificence of PERSIA in pompe sumptuousnes And these things notwithstanding neuer altered his naturall condition from one facion to another neither dyd his manners to saye truely receyue all sortes of chaunges But bicause peraduenture if he had shewed his naturall disposition he might in diuers places where he came haue offended those whose companie he kept he dyd with such a viser cloke disguise him selfe to fit their manners whom he companied with by transforming him selfe into their naturall countenaunce As he that had seene him when he was at SPARTA to haue looked apon the outward man would haue sayed as the common prouerbe sayeth It is not the sonne of Achilles but Achilles selfe Euen so it is euen he whom Lycurgus brought vp But he that had inwardly seene his naturall doings and good will in deede lye naked before him would haue sayed contrarilie as they saye commonly in another language This vvoman is no chaungeling For he entertained Queene Timaea King Agis wife of SPARTA so well in his absence he being abroade in the warres that he got her with childe she her selfe denied it not For she being brought a bed of a sonne who was named Leotychides openly to the world called him by that name but when she was amongest her familliars very friends she called him sofetly Alcibiades she was so farre in loue with him And Alcibiades ieasting out the matter sayed he had done it for no hurte nor for any lust of fleshe to satisfie his desire but
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 suÌme 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 coÌtrarie 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 atteÌd 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
a lane through them and opened a passage into the battell of the enemies But the two winges of either side turned one to the other to compasse him in betweene them which the Consul Cominius perceyuing he sent thither straight of the best souldiers he had about him So the battell was maruelous bloudie about Martius and in a very shorte space many were slaine in the place But in the ende the ROMAINES were so strong that they distressed the enemies and brake their arraye and scattering them made them flye Then they prayed Martius that he would retire to the campe bicause they sawe he was able to doe no more he was already so wearied with the great payne he had taken and so fainte with the great woundes he had apon him But Martius aunswered them that it was not for conquerours to yeld nor to be fainte harted and thereupon beganne a freshe to chase those that fled vntill suche time as the armie of the enemies was vtterly ouerthrowen and numbers of them slaine and taken prisoners The next morning betimes Martius went to the Consul and the other ROMAINES with him There the Consul Cominius going vp to his chayer of state in the presence of the whole armie gaue thankes to the goddes for so great glorious and prosperous a victorie then he spake to Martius whose valliantnes he commended beyond the moone both for that he him selfe sawe him doe with his eyes as also for that Martius had reported vnto him So in the ende he willed Martius he should choose out of all the horses they had taken of their enemies and of all the goodes they had wonne whereof there was great store tenne of euery sorte which he liked best before any distribution should be made to other Besides this great honorable offer he had made him he gaue him in testimonie that he had wonne that daye the price of prowes aboue all other a goodly horse with a capparison and all furniture to him which the whole armie beholding dyd maruelously praise and commend But Martius stepping forth tolde the Consul he most thanckefully accepted the gifte of his horse and was a glad man besides that his seruice had deserued his generalls commendation and as for his other offer which was rather a mercenary reward then an honorable recompence he would none of it but was contented to haue his equall parte with other souldiers Only this grace sayed he I craue and beseeche you to graunt me Among the VOLSCES there is an olde friende and hoste of mine an honest wealthie man and now a prisoner who liuing before in great wealth in his owne countrie liueth now a poore prisoner in the handes of his enemies and yet notwithstanding all this his miserie and misfortune it would doe me great pleasure if I could saue him from this one daunger to keepe him from being solde as a slaue The souldiers hearing Martius wordes made a maruelous great showte among them and they were moe that wondred at his great contentation and abstinence when they sawe so litle couetousnes in him then they were that highely praised and extolled his villiantnes For euen they them selues that dyd somewhat malice and enuie his glorie to see him thus honoured and passingly praysed dyd thincke him so muche the more worthy of an honorable recompence for his valliant seruice as the more carelesly he refused the great offer made him for his profit and they esteemed more the vertue that was in him that made him refuse suche rewards then that which made them to be offred him as vnto a worthie persone For it is farre more commendable to vse riches well then to be valliant and yet it is better not to desire them then to vse them well After this showte and noyse of the assembly was somewhat appeased the Consul Cominius beganne to speake in this sorte We cannot compell Martius to take these giftes we offer him if he will not receaue them but we will geue him suche a rewarde for the noble seruice he hath done as he cannot refuse Therefore we doe order and decree that henceforth he be called Coriolanus onles his valliant acts haue wonne him that name before our nomination And so euer since he stil bare the third name of Coriolanus And thereby it appeareth that the first name the ROMAINES haue as Caius was our Christian name now The second as Martius was the name of the house and familie they came of The third was some addition geuen either for some acte or notable seruice or for some marke on their face or of some shape of their bodie or els for some speciall vertue they had Euen so dyd the GRAECIANS in olde time giue additions to Princes by reason of some notable acte worthie memorie As when they haue called some Soter and Callinicos as muche to saye sauiour and conquerour Or els for some notable apparaunt marke on ones face or on his bodie they haue called him Phiscon and Grypos as ye would saye gorebelley and hooke nosed or els for some vertue as Euergetes and Phyladelphos to wit a Benefactour and louer of his brethern Or otherwise for ones great felicitie as Endemon as muche to saye as fortunate For so was the second of the Battes surnamed And some Kings haue had surnames of ieast and mockery As one of the Antigones that was called Doson to saye the Geuer who was euer promising and neuer geuing And one of the Ptolomees was called Lamyros to saye conceitiue The ROMAINES vse more then any other nation to giue names of mockerie in this sorte As there was one Metellââ surnamed Diadematus the banded bicause he caried a bande about his heade of longe time by reason of a sore he had in his forehead One other of his owne familie was called Celer the quicke flye Bicause a fewe dayes after the death of his father he shewed the people the cruell fight of fensers at vnrebated swordes which they founde wonderfull for the shortnes of time Other had their surnames deriued of some accident of their birthe As to this daye they call him Proculeius that is borne his father being in some farre voyage and him Posthumius that is borne after the deathe of his father And when of two brethern twinnes the one doth dye and thother suruiueth they call the suruiuer Vopiscus Somtimes also they geue surnames deriued of some marke or misfortune of the bodie As Sylla to saye crooked nosed Niger blacke Rufus red Caecus blinde Claudus lame They dyd wisely in this thing to accustome men to thincke that neither the losse of their sight nor other such misfortunes as maye chaunce to men are any shame or disgrace vnto them but the manner was to aunswer boldly to suche names as if they were called by their proper names Howbeit these matters would be better amplified in other stories then this Now when this warre was ended the flatterers of the people beganne to sturre vp sedition
them selues out of the campe with targets of copper that made all plaine to shine with the brightnes of their steele and copper And all the hilles and mountaines thereabouts dyd ringe againe like an Eccho with the crie and noyse of so many fighting men one incoraging another In this order they marched so fiercely with so great harte burning such swiftnes that the first which were slaine at the incounter fell dead two furlonges from the campe of the ROMAINES The charge being geuen and the battell begonne AEmylius galloping to the voward of his battell perceyued that the captaines of the MACEDONIANS which were in the first ranckes had already thrust their pikes into the ROMAINES targets so as they could not come neere them with their swordes and that the other MACEDONIANS carying their targets behinde them had now plucked them before them and dyd base their pikes all at one time and made a violent thrust into the targets of the ROMAINES Which when he had considered and of what strength and force his walle and rancke of targets was one ioyning so neere another and what a terrour it was to see a fronte of a battell with so many armed pikes and steele heades he was more afeard and amazed withall then with any sight he euer sawe before Neuertheles he could wisely dissemble it at that time And so passing by the companies of his horsemen without either curaces or helmet vpon his head he shewed a noble cherefull countenaunce vnto them that fought But on the contrarie side Perseus the king of MACEDON as Polybius writeth so sone as the battell was begonne withdrewe him self and got into the cittie of PYDNE vnder pretence to goe to doe sacrifice vnto Hercules who doth not accept the fainte sacrifice of cowards neither doth receyue their prayers bicause they be vnreasonable For it is no reason that he that shooteth not should hyt the white nor that he should winne the victorie that bideth not the battell neither that he should haue any good that doeth nothing toward it nor that a naughty man should be fortunate and prosper The goddes dyd fauour AEmylius prayers bicause he prayed for victorie with his sworde in his hande and fighting dyd call to them for ayde Howbeit there is one Posidonius a writer who sayeth he was in that time and moreouer that he was at the battell and he hath written an historie conteining many bookes of the actes of king Perseus where he sayeth that it was not for fainte harte nor vnder culler to sacrifice vnto Hercules that Perseus went from the battell but bicause he had a stripe of a horse on the thighe the daye before Who though he could not very well helpe him self and that all his friends sought to persuade him not to goe to the battell yet he caused one of his horse to be brought to him notwithstanding which he commonly vsed to ryde vp and downe on and taking his backe rode into the battell vnarmed where an infinite number of dartes were throwen at him from both sides And emong those he had a blowe with a darte that hurte him somwhat but it was ouerthwart and not with the pointe and dyd hit him on the left side glawnsing wise with suche a force that it rent his coate and rased his skinne vnderneath so as it left a marke behinde a long time after And this is all that Posidonius writeth to defend and excuse Perseus The ROMAINES hauing their hands full and being stayed by the battell of the MACEDONIANS that they could make no breache into them there was a captaine of the PELIGNIANS called Salius who tooke the ensigne of his band and cast it among the prease of his enemies Then all the PELIGNIANS brake in apon them with a maruelous force furie into that place for all ITALIANS thinke it to great a shame dishonour for souldiers to lose or forsake their ensigne Thus was there maruelous force of both sides vsed in that place for the PELIGNIANS proued to cut the MACEDONIANS pikes with their swordes or els to make them geue backe with their great targets or to make a breache into them and to take the pikes with their handes But the MACEDONIANS to the contrarie holding their pikes fast with both hands ranne them thorow that came neere vnto them so that neither target nor corselet could hold out the force and violence of the pushe of their pikes in so muche as they turned vp the heeles of the PELIGNIANS and TERRACINIANS who like desperate beastes without reason shutting in them selues emong their enemies ranne wilfully vpon their owne deathes and their first rancke were slaine euery man of them Thereupon those that were behind gaue backe a litle but fled not turning their backes and only retired geuing backe towardes the mountaine Olocrus AEmylius seeing that as Posidonius writeth rent his arming coate from his backe for anger bicause that some of his men gaue backe other durst not fronte the battell of the MACEDONIANS which was so strongly imbattelled of euery side and so mured in with a wall of pikes presenting their armed heades on euerie side a man could come that it was impossible to breake into them no not so muche as to come neere them only Yet notwithstanding bicause the field was not altogether plaine and euen the battell that was large in the fronte could not allwayes keepe that walle continuing their targets close one to another but they were driuen of necessitie to breake and open in many places as it happeneth oft in great battells according to the great force of the souldiers that in one place they thrust forward and in another they geue backe and leaue a hole Wherefore AEmylius sodainly taken the vauntage of this occasion deuided his men into small companies and commaunded them they should quickly thrust in betwene their enemies and occupie the places they sawe voyde in the fronte of their enemies and that they should set on them in that sorte and not with one whole continuall charge but occupying them here and there with diuers companies in sundry places AEmylius gaue this charge vnto the priuate captaines of euery band and their lieutenaunts and the captaines also gaue the like charge vnto their souldiers that could skilfully execute their commaundement For they went presently into those partes where they sawe the places open and being once entred in among them some gaue charge vpon the flanckes of the MACEDONIANS where they were all naked and vnarmed other set vpon them behind so that the strength of all the corpes of the battell which consisteth in keeping close together being opened in this sorte was straight ouerthrowen Furthermore when they came to fight man for man or a fewe against a fewe the MACEDONIANS with their litle shorte swordes came to strike vpon the great sheldes of the ROMAINES which were very strong and couered all their bodies downe to the foote And they to the contrarie were driuen of necessitie to
the least if those thinges be to be credited which so many graue and auncient writers haue left in writing to vs touching so great and holy things The THEBANS returning backe from ORCHOMENE and the LACEDAEMONIANS on the other side returning also from LOCRIDE both at one time they fortuned both armies to mete about the citty of TEGYRA Now so sone as the THEBANS had discouered the LACEDAEMONIANS passing the straite one of them ranne sodainely to Pelopidas and tolde him Sir we are fallen into the handes of the LACEDAEMONIANS Nay are not they rather fallen into ours aunswered Pelopidas againe with these wordes he commaunded his horsemen that were in the rereward to come before and sett apon them and him selfe in the meane time put his footemen immediately into a pretie squadron close togeather being in all not aboue three hundred men hoping when he should come to geue charge with his battell he should make a lane through the enemies though they were the greater nomber For the LACEDAEMONIANS deuided them selues in two companies and euery company as Ephoreus writeth had fiue hundred mens and as Callistenes sayed seuen hundred Polybius and diuers other authors saye they were nyne hundred men So Theopompus and Gorgoleon the Captaynes of the LACEDAEMONIANS lustely marched agaynst the THEBANS and it fell out so that the first charge was geuen where the chiefetaynes or generalles were of either side with great furie on eyther parte so as both the generalls of the LACEDAEMONIANS which sett vppon Pelopidas together were slayned They being slayne and all that were about them being either hurt or killed in the fielde the rest of the armie were so amased that they deuided in two and made a lane on either side for the THEBANS to passe through them if they would But when they saw Pelopidas ment not to take the passage they offered him and that he came on still with his men to set apon those that were yet in battel raye and slue all them that stoode before him then they turned tayle and tooke them to their legges Howbeit the THEBANS did not chase them farre fearing the ORCHOMENIANS who were not farre from them and the new garrison besides that were come from LACEDAEMON not long before And this was the cause they were contented that they had ouercomed them by force and had passed through their armie in despite of them and broken and ouerthrowen them So when he had set vp markes of triumphe and spoyled their slayne enemies they returned home againe glad men for their obteyned victorie For in all the warres the LACEDAEMONIANS euer made as well with the GRAECIANS as with the barbarous people also there was neuer chronicle mencioned at any tyme that their enemies being so fewe did ouercome them that were so many nor that they were ouercome also by any number equall in battell Whereuppon they grewe so coragious and terrible that no man durst once abyde them for their onely same did so terrifie their enemies that came to fight agaynst them that they thought with no equall force to be able to performe asmuche as they had done But this battell of TEGYRA was the first that made both them and the other GREECIANS knowe that it was not the ryuer of EVROTAS alone nor the valley that lyeth betweene the tyuers of CNACION and of BABYCE that breedeth the valiant and hardy fighting men but that it is in all places else where they learne young men to be ashamed of dishonest and vyle thinges and to venter their liues for honest causetâ fearing more dishonorable reproche then honorable daunger These are the people most to be feared are most terrible also to their enemies And for the holy baÌd we meÌcioned before it is saide Gorgidas was the first erector of the same They were three hundred chosen men entertained by the state and they alwaies kept within the castell of CADMEA and the bande was called the townes bande for at that time and specially in that part of GREECE they called the castels and great holdes in citties the townes Other say it was a bande of fooremen that were in loue one with another And therefore Pammenes pleasaunt wordes are noted saiying that Nestor coulde no skyll to set an armie in battell raye seeing he gaue the GREECIANS counsell in the ILIADES of HOMER that they should set them in battell raye euery countrie and tribe by them selues That by affections force and lynkes of kyndly loue that one might alvvaise helpe at hande that other to behoue For saide he one frende should rather be set by another that loues togeather bicause in daunger men commonly do litle regarde their contrie men or suche as are of their tribe But men that doo loue one another can neuer be broken nor ouercome for the passion of loue that entertaineth eche others affection for affection sake dothe kepe them from forsaking one another And those that are beloued being ashamed to doo any vyle or dishonest thing before those that loue them for very loue will sticke one by another to the death And sure3 the reason is good if it be true that louers doo in deede more regard them they loue though they be absent then other that be present As appeareth by the example of hym that being striken downe to the ground his enemie lifting vp his swoorde to kyll him he praied him he woulde geue him his deathes wounde before lest his frende that loued him seeing a wounde on his backe shoulde be ashamed of him It is reported also that Iolaus being beloued of Hercules did helpe and accompanie him in all his labors and quarrels Whereupon Aristotle writeth that vnto his time such as loued hartily togeather became sworne brethren one to another apon Iolaus tombe And therefore me thinkes it is likely that this bande was first called the holy bande by the selfe same reason that Plato calleth a louer a diuine frende by goddes appointment It is written also that this bande was neuer broken nor ouerthrowen before the battel of CHAERONEA After that battel Philip taking vewe of the slaine bodies he stayed in that place where the foure hundred men of that bande laye all dead on the grounde one harde by another and all of them slayne and thrust through with pikes on their brestes whereat he wondred muche and being tolde him that it was the louers bande he fel a weeping for pittie saying Wo be to them that thinke these men did or suffered any euyll or dishonest thing And to be short the misfortune of Laius that was slaine by his owne brother Oedipus was not the first originall cause of this custome that the THEBANS beganne to be in loue one with an other as the POETS write but they were their first lawmakers who perceiuing them to be a stout fierce natioÌ of nature they sought euen froÌ their youthe to make them gentell and ciuill and therefore in all their actions both of sport and earnest they
Hanniball who was a dreadfull and a violent enemy so were the THEBANS also at that very time with the LACEDAEMONIANS who notwithstanding were ouercome of Pelopidas at the battells of TEGYRA and of LEVCTRES Whereas Marcellus did neuer so much as once ouercome Hanniball as Polybius wryteth but remained vnconquered alwayes vntill that Scipio ouercame him in battell Notwithstandinge we do geue best credit to the reportes of Caesar Liuie Cornelius Nepos and of king Iuba among the GREECIANS who wryte that Marcellus otherwhile did ouerthrow certaine of Hanniballs companies howebeit they were neuer no great ouerthrowes to speake of it seemeth rather it was through some mockerie or deceite of that AFRICAN then otherwise Yet sure it was a great matter and worthy much coÌmendacion that the ROMAINES were brought to that corage as they durst abide to fight with the CARTHAGINIANS hauing lost so many great ouerthrowes hauing so many generalls of their armies slaine in battell and hauing the whole Empire of ROME in so great daunger of vtter destruction For it was Marcellus only of all other generalls that put the ROMAINES in hart againe after so great and longe a feare thorowly rooted in them and incoraged the souldiers also to longe to fight with their enemy and not onely to hope but to assure them selues of victory For where by reason of their continuall losses and fearefull ouerthrowes they hadde they thought them selues happy men to escape Hannibals handes by runninge away he taught them to be ashamed to flie like cowardes to confesse they were in distresse to retyre leaue the fielde before they had ouercome their enemies And where Pelopidas was neuer ouercome in battell beinge generall and Marcellus did ouercome more then any generall in his time it might seeme therefore that the great number of the victories of the one should compare with the good happe of the other that was neuer ouercome It is true that Marcellus tooke the city of SYRACVSA Pelopidas failed of taking the city of SPARTA but yet do I thinke that it was more valliantly done of Pelopidas to come so neere SPARTA as he did and that he was the first that passed the riuer of EVROTAS with an army which neuer enemy did before him than it was of Marcellus to winne all SICILE Vnles some paraduenture will say againe this was Epaminondas not Pelopidas acte as also in the victorie of LEVCTRES where no man liuing can pretend any parte of glory to the doinges of Marcellus For he tooke SYRACVSA being onely generall alone and did ouerthrow the GAVLES without his fellow Consull and fought with Hanniball without any mans helpe or incoragement for all other were against it and perswaded the contrary and he was the first that altered the maner of warres the ROMAINES vsed then and that trained his souldiers that they durst fight with the enemy For their death I neither commend the one nor the other and the straungenesse of either of their deathes doth greue me maruelously as I do greatly wonder also how Hanniball in so many battells as he fought which are innumerable could alwayes scape vnhurt I can not but greatly commende also the valliantnes of one Chrysantas whom Xenophon speaketh of in his booke of the institucion of Cyrus saying that he hauing lift vp his sword in his hand ready to kill one of his enemies and hearing the trompet sound the retreate he softly retyred would not strike him Howbeit it seemeth Pelopidas is more to be excused for beside that he was very hot and desirous of battel yet his anger was honorable and iust and moued him to seeke reuenge For as the Poet Euripides sayth The best that may betyde is vvhen a captaine likes and doth suruiue the victories vvhich he vvith force achieues But if he needes must fall then let him valliantly euen thrust amid the thickest throng and there vvith honor dye For so becometh his death famous not dishonorable But now besides Pelopidas iust cause of anger yet was there an other respect that most pricked him forward to do that he did for he saw his victorie ended in the death of the tyran Otherwise he shoulde hardly haue founde so noble an occasion to haue shewed his valliantnesse as in that And Marcellus contrarily without any instant necessity and hauinge no cause of heate or choller which putteth all men valliant in fight besides them selues that they know not what they do did rashly and vnaduisedly thrust him selfe into the middest of the daunger where he dyed not as a generall but as a light horseman and skowt forsaking his three triumphes his fiue Consullshippes and his spoyles and tokens of triumphe which he had gotten of kinges with his owne hands among venturous SPANIARDS and NVMIDIANS that folde their blood and liues for pay vnto the CARTHAGINIANS so that I imagine they were angry with theÌ selues as a man would say for so great and happy a victory to haue slaine amongest FREGELLANIAN skowtes and light horsemen the noblest and worthiest person of the ROMAINES I would no man should thinke I speake this in reproch of the memory of these two famous men but as a griefe onely of them and their valliantnes which they imployed so as they bleamished all their other vertues by the vndiscrete hazarding of their persones and liues without cause as if they woulde and shoulde haue dyed for them selues and not rather for their contry and frendes And also when they were dead Pelopidas was buried by the allies confederats of the city of THEBES for whose cause he was slaine and Marcellus in like maner by the enemies selues that hadde slaine him And sure the one is a happy thing and to be wished for in such a case but the other is farre aboue it and more to be wondered at That the enemy him selfe shoulde honor his valliantnesse and worthinesse that hurt him more then the office of frendshippe performed by a thankefull frende For nothing moueth the enemy more to honor his deade enemy then the admiration of his worthines and the frende sheweth frendeship many times rather for respect of the benefit he hath receiued then for the loue he beareth to his vertue The ende of Marcellus life THE LIFE OF Aristides ARistides the sonne of Lysimachus was certeinly of the tribe of Antiochides and of the towne of ALOPECIA But for his goodes and wealth they diuersely write of him For some say he liued poorely all the daies of his life and that he left two daughters which by reason of their pouerty liued vnmaried many yeres after their fathers death And many of the oldest writers do coÌfirme that for troth Yet Demetrius Phalerius in his booke intituled Socrates wryteth the contrary that he knew certeine landes Aristides had in the village of PHALERIA which did yet beare the name of Aristides lands in the which his body is buried And furthermore to shew that he was well to liue and that his
no more then if he had neuer enuied him in his prosperity And touching Aristides death some write he dyed in the realme of PONTVS being sent thither about matters of the state other thinke he dyed an old man in the citie of ATHENS greatly honored and beloued of all the citizens But Craterus the MACEDONIAN wryteth of his death in this sorte After that Themistocles sayeth he was fled the people of ATHENS became very stubborne and insolent whereupon many lewde men grew to be common appeachers and accusers of the noble men and chiefest citizens and to stirre vp the malice and ill will of the common people against them who were waxen proude by reason of their prosperity and dominion that was enlarged Amonge the rest Aristides was condemned for extorcion and ill behauiour in the common wealth apon one Diophantes accusation of the village of AMPHITROPE who burdened him that he tooke money of the IORIANS to make the annuell tribute cease which they payed vnto ATHENS and so Craterus sayth that bicause Aristides was not able to pay the fine they set apon his heade which was fiue Minas he was driuen to forsake ATHENS and to gette him into IONIA where he dyed Yet doth not Craterus bring foorth any probable matter to proue this true he wryteth as his pleadinge his sentence and condemnation or any decree passed against him although he vsed great diligence else in collectinge all such matters and vowchinge his authors Furthermore all other wryters that haue specially noted the faultes and offences committed by the people of ATHENS in former times against their Captaines and gouernors they do declare Themistocles exile Miltiades captiuity that dyed in prison Pericles fine wherein he was condemned and Paches death that slue him selfe in the pulpit for orations when he sawe he was condemned and tell diuerse such stories addinge to also Aristides banishment but yet they make no maner of mencion of the condemnation which Craterus speaketh of Moreouer Aristides tombe is to be seene at this day apon the hauen of Phalerus which was set vp for him at the charge of the common wealth as it is reported bicause he dyed so poore a manne as they founde nothing in his house to bury him with Other go further and say that his daughters were maried by decree of the people at the charge of the common wealth and that the citie gaue euery one of them three thowsande Drachmas and his sonne Lysimachus a hundred Minas of siluer and a hundred Iugera and at Alcibiades request who was the author of the decree they gaue him foure Drachmas a day besides of ordinarie allowance Furthermore when this Lysimachus dyed he left aliue one onely daughter called Polycrite whom the people appointed as Callisthenes wryteth as much prouisino to liue withall as they gaue to any that wanne the Olympian games And sithence Demetrius PHALERIAN Hieronymus RHODIAN Aristoxenus the musitian and Aristotle the Philosopher at the least if the booke intituled of Nobilitie be any of Aristotles workes all these agree together that one Myrto Aristides daughters daughter was maried to the wise Socrates who tooke her to his wife hauing a wife already bicause she was a poore widdow could not be maried for her pouerty hauing much a do to liue Yet Panaetius doth wryte against them in his booke of Socrates life But Demetrius PHALERIAN wryteth in his booke he intituled Socrates that he could remember very well he had seene one Lysimachus Aristides sonnes sonne or his daughters sonne that was very poore and liued of that he could get to interpret dreames by certaine tables wherin was wrytten the arte to interpret the signification of dreames and that he kept commonly about the temple of Bacchus called Iacchion vnto whom together with his mother and his sister he sayd he had caused the people to geue them a Triobolum a peece euery day towards their liuinge It is very true that the selfe same Demetrius PHALERIAN when he reformed the state of ATHENS ordained that his mother and sister should haue ech of them a Drachma by the day to finde them withall out of the common chamber of the city And it is no new nor straunge thing that the people of ATHENS were so carefull to helpe and to relieue the women that dwelt in the citie considering that in times past Aristogiton hauing a litle daughter in the I le of LEMNOS in very hard and poore state and that coulde not be bestowed in mariage for her pouerty they caused her to be brought to ATHENS and maried her in one of the noblest houses of the city and made her a ioynter besides in the village of POTAMOS Which great curtesy humanity of theirs hath euer deserued great fame and commendacion yet coÌtinueth euen vntil this day in that noble city of ATHENS in the mouth of euery man there THE LIFE OF Marcus Cato the Censor MArcus Cato and his auncesters were as they say of the city of TUVSCVLVM but before he went vnto the warres and delt in matters of the common wealth he dwelt liued in the contry of the SABYNES vpon certeine land his father left him And though to many his auncesters were knowen to haue bene obscure yet he him self did highly commende his father Marcus by bearing his name and saying he was a souldier and had serued valliantly in the fielde And he telleth also of an other Cato that was his great grandfather who for his valliant seruice had bene oft rewarded of the generals with such honorable giftes as the ROMAINES did vse to geue vnto them that had done some famous act in any battell and how that he hauinge lost fiue horses of seruice in the warres the value of the fame were restored to him againe in money of the common treasure bicause he had shewed himselfe trusty and valliant for the common wealth And where they had a common speeche at ROME to call them vpstartes that were no gentlemen borne but did rise by vertue it fortuned Cato to be called one of them And for his parte he did confesse it that he was of the first of the house that euer had honor and office of state but by reason of the noble actes and good seruice of his auncestors he maintained he was very auncient He was called at the beginning after his third name Priscus but afterwardes by reason of his great wisedom and experience he was surnamed Cato bicause the ROMAINES call a wise man and him that hath seene much Cato He was somewhat geuen to be redde faced and had a payer of staring eyes in his heade as this man telleth vs that for ill will wrote these verses of him after his death Pluto the god vvhich rules the furies infernall vvill not receiue the damned ghost of Porcius in his hall his saucy coppered nose and fiery staring eyes his common slaunderous tales vvhich he did in this vvorld deuise made
towardes the city but scattering wise abroade in the fieldes in euery place he caused the trompet to sound the retreate Then he commaunded the chase to be followed no further for that all the contry thereabout was full of thicke woddes and groues very ill for horsemen and also bicause there were many brookes vallies and quauemyres which they should passe ouer he encamped him selfe presently being yet broade day And so fearinge least his enemies would in the night time draw vnto the city one after an other and by couples he sent a great number of ACHAIANS laid them in ambush amongest the brookes and hilles neere about it which made great slaughter of Nabis souldiers bicause they came not altogether in troupes but scatteringly one after an other as they fled one here an other there and so fell into their enemies handes as birdes into the fowlers net These acts made Philopoemen singularly beloued of the GREECIANS and they did him great honor in all their Theaters and common assemblies Whereat Titus Quintius Flaminius of nature very ambitious and couetous of honor did much repine and was enuious at the matter thinking that a Consul of ROME should haue place honor amongest the ACHAIANS before a meane gentleman of ARCADIA And he imagined he had deserued better of all GREECE then Philopoemen had considering howe by the onely proclamation of an heraulde he had restored GREECE againe to her auncient liberty which before his comminge was subiect vnto kinge Philip and vnto the MACEDONIANS Afterwardes Titus Quintius made peace with the tyran Nabis Nabis was shortely after very traiterously slaine by the AETOLIANS Whereuppon the citie of SPARTA grew to a tumult and Philopoemen straight taking the occasion went thither with his army and handeled the matter so wisely that partely for loue and partely by force he wanne the city ioyned it vnto the tribe of the ACHAIANS So was he maruelously commended and esteemed of the ACHAIANS for this notable victory to haue wonne their tribe and communalty of famous a city and of so great estimacion For the city of SPARTA was no smale encrease of their power and being ioyned as a member of ACHAIA Moreouer he wan by this meanes the loue and good will of all the honest men of LACEDAEMON of the hope they had to finde him a protector and defender of their liberty Wherefore when the tyran Nabis house and goodes were solde as forfitted to the state they resolued in their counsell to make him a present of the money therof which amounted to the summe of sixe score talents and sent Ambassadors purposely vnto him to offer it him Then Philopoemen shewed himselfe plainely to be no counterfeate honest man but a good man in deede For first of all there was not one of all the LACEDAEMONIANS that durst presume to offer him this money but euery man was afrayed to tell him of it and euery body that was appointed to do it made some excuse or other for them selues Notwithstandinge in the ende they made one Timolaus to take the matter vpon him who was his familiar frend and also his hoste And yet the same Timolaus when he came vnto MEGALIPOLIS was lodged entertained in Philopoemenes house did so much reuerence him for his wise talke and conuersation for his moderate diet and iust dealing with all men that he sawe there was no likely possibility to corrupt him with money so as he durst not once open his mouth to speake to him of the present he had brought him but founde some other occasion to excuse the cause of his comminge vnto him And beinge sent vnto him againe the second time he did euen as much as at the first time And making a third proofe he ventured at the last to open the matter vnto him and told him the good will the city of SPARTA did beare him Philopoemen became a glad man to heare it and when he had heard all he had to say to him he went him selfe vnto the citie of SPARTA There he declared vnto the counsell that it was not honest men and their good frends they should seeke to winne and corrupt with money considering they might commaund their vertue vpon any occasion without cost vnto them but that they should seeke to bribe naughty men with money and such as by seditious orations in counsell did mutine and put a whole citie in vprore to the ende that hauing their mouthes stopped with giftes they should trouble them the lesse in the common wealth For said he it is more necessarie to stoppe your enemies mouthes and to sowe vp their lippes from libertie of speaking then it is to keepe your frendes from it So noble a man was Philopoemen against all couetousnesse of money Shortely after the LACEDAEMONIANS beginning to stirre againe Diophanes who was then General of the ACHAIANS beinge aduertised of it beganne to prepare to punish them The LACEDAEMONIANS on the other side preparinge for the warres did set all the contry of PELOPONNESVS in armes Hereupon Philopoemen sought to pacifie Diophanes anger declaring vnto him that king Antiochus and the ROMAINES being at warres together at that present time and they both hauing puisant armies one against an other in the middest of GREECE it was meete for a good Generall and wise gouernor to haue an eye to their doings to be carefull of the same and to beware that he did not trouble or alter any thinge within his contry at that instant but then rather to dissemble it and not to seeme to heare any fault whatsoeuer they did Diophanes would not be perswaded but entred the territories of LACEDAEMON with a great army and Titus Quintius Flaminius with him and they together marched directly towardes the city of SPARTA Philopoemen was so madde with their doings that he tooke apon him an enterprise not very lawfull nor altogether iust neuerthelesse his attempt proceeded of a noble minde and great corage For he got into the citie of SPARTA and beinge but a priuate persone kept out the General of the ACHAIANS the Consull of the ROMAINES for entring the city when he had pacified all troubles and seditions in the same he deliuered it vp againe as it was before into the handes of the communaltie of the ACHAIANS Neuerthelesse him selfe being afterwardes Generall of the ACHAIANS did compell the LACEDAEMONIANS to receiue those home againe whom they had banished for certaine faultes and did put foure score naturall borne citizens of SPARTA vnto death as Polybius wryteth Or three hundred and fifty as Aristocrates an other historiographer reciteth Then he pulled downe the walles of the city and rased them to the grounde and tooke away the most parte of their territories and gaue them to the MEGALOPOLITANS All those whome the tyrannes had made free denizens of SPARTA he compelled them to departe the contry of LACEDAEMON and forced them to dwell in ACHAIA three thousand only excepted who would
the vpper hand of Scipio and that Scipio bare it paciently and left not of walking for that neither shewed any countenaunce of misliking And in entring into discourse of many matters they discended in the ende to talke of auncient Captaines and Hanniball gaue iudgement that Alexander the great was the famousest Captaine Tyrrus the second and him selfe the thirde Then Scipio smilinge gently asked him what wouldest thou say then if I had not ouercome thee Truely quod Hanniball I would not then put my selfe the third man but the first and aboue all the Captaines that euer were So diuers greatly coÌmending the goodly sayinges and deedes of Scipio did maruelously mislike Titus for that he had as a man may say layed his handes vpon the death of an other man Other to the contray againe sayd it was well done of him sayinge that Hanniball so longe as he liued was a fire to the Empire of the ROMAINES which lacked but one to blow it and that when he was in his best force and lusty age it was not his hande nor body that troubled the ROMAINES so much but his great wisedome and skill he had in the warres and the mortall hate he bare in his hart towardes the ROMAINES which neither yeares neither age would diminishe or take away For mens naturall condicions do remaine still but fortune doth not alwayes keepe a state but chaungeth stil and then quickeneth vp our desires to set willingly vppon those that warre against vs bicause they hate vs in their hartes The thinges which fell out afterwards did greatly proue the reasons brought out for this purpose in discharge of Titus For one Aristonicus sonne of a daughter of a player vpon the citherne vnder the fame and glory of Enmenes whose bastard he was filled all ASIA with warre rebellion by reason the people rose in his fauor Againe Mithridates after so many losses he had receiued against Sylla and Eimbria and after so many armies ouerthrowen by battell and warres and after so many famous Captaines lost and killed did yet recouer againe and came to be of great power both by sea and land against Lucullus Truely Hannibal was no lower brought then Caius Marius had bene For he had a king to his frend that gaue him entertainment for him and his family and made him Admirall of his shippes and Generall of his horsemen and footemen in the field Marius also went vp and downe AFRICKE a begging for his liuing insomuch as his enemies at ROME mocked him to scorne soone after notwithstanding they fell downe at his feete before him when they saw they were whipped murthered and slaine within ROME by his commaundement Thus we see no man can say certainely he is meane or great by reason of the vncertainty of thinges to come consideringe there is but one death and chaunge of better life Some say also that Titus did not this act alone and of his owne authority but that he was sent Ambassador with Lucius Scipio to no other end but to put Hanniball to death by what meanes soeuer they could Furthermore after this Ambassade we do not finde any notable thing written of Titus worthy of memory neither in peace nor in warres For he died quietely of naturall death at home in his contrie THE COMPARISON OF Titus Quintius Flaminius with Philopoemen IT is time nowe we come to compare them together Therefore as touchinge the great benefits that came to the GREECIANS neither Philopoemen nor all the other former Captaines are to be compared with Titus For all the auncient Captaines almost being GREECIANS made warres with other GREECIANS but Titus beinge a ROMAINE and no GREECIAN made warres for the liberty of GREECE When Philopoemen was not able to helpe his poore citizens distressed sore vexed with warres he sayled away into CRETA Titus hauing ouercome Philip kinge of MACEDON in battell did restore againe to liberty all the people and cities of the same which were kept before in bondage And if any will narrowly examine battells of either partie they shall finde that Philopoemen being Generall of the ACHAIANS made more GREECIANS to be slaine then Titus did of the MACEDONIANS fightinge with them for the liberty of the GREECIANS And for their imperfections the one of them was ambitious the other was as obstinate the one was quicke and sodainly angered the other was very hard to be pacified Titus left kinge Philip his realme and crowne after he had ouercome him and vsed great clemency towardes the AETOLIANS where Philopoemen for spite malice tooke townes and villages from his owne natiue contry and city wherein he was borne that had alwayes payed them tribute Furthermore Titus continued a sounde frend to them to whome he had once professed frendshippe and done pleasure vnto and Philopoemen in a geare and anger was ready to take away that he had giuen and to ouerthrow the pleasure and good turne he had shewed For Philopoemen when he had done the LACEDAEMONIANS great pleasure did afterwards rase the walls of their city and spoyled and destroyed all their contry and lastly ouerthrew their whole gouernment It seemeth also by reason of his immoderate choller he was him selfe cause of his owne death for that he made more hast then good speede to go out of time to set vpon those of MASSINA and not as Titus who did all his affaires with wisedome and euer considered what was best to be done But if we looke into the number of battells and victories the warre which Titus made against Philip was ended with two battells Whereas Philopoemen in infinite battells in which he had the better neuer left it doutfull but that his skill did euer helpe him the more to victory then the good fortune he had Moreouer Titus wanne honor by meanes of the power of ROME when it florished most and was in best prosperitie Philopoemen made him selfe famous by his deedes when GREECE beganne to stoupe and fall all together So that the deedes of the one were common to all the ROMAINES the dedes of the other were priuate to himselfe alone For Titus was General ouer good and valliant souldiers that were already trained to his hand and Philopoemen being chosen Generall did traine his men him selfe made them afterwards very expert and valliant that were but meane and greene souldiers before And whereas Philopoemen had continuall warres with the GREECIANS it was not for any good fortune he had but that it made a certaine proofe of his valliantnesse For where all other thinges are aunswerable to his there we must iudge that such as ouercome haue the most corage Now Philopoemen making warres with the most warlike nations of all GREECE as the CRETANS and the LACEDAEMONIANS did ouercome the subtillest of them by finenesse and policy and the most valliant by prowes and hardinesse But Titus ouercame by putting that only in practise which was already found and stablished as
the flower of their age and we in the prime of our youth they would not haue sayed euery where that he was altogether inuincible as now at this present they doe but either he should haue left his body slaine herein battell or at the least wise haue bene driuen to flie and by his death or flyinge shoulde greatly haue enlarged the renowne and glory of ROME you plainly show it now that all these words spoken theÌ were but vaine arrogant vaunts of foolish pride Considering that you tremble for feare of the MOLOSSIANS CHAONIANS who were euer a pray to the MACEDONIANS and that ye are afrayed of Pyrrus also who all his life time serued and followed one of the gard vnto Alexander the great and nowe is come to make warres in these partes not to aide the GREECIANS inhabiting in ITALIE but to flie from his enemies there about his owne contry offering you to conquer all the rest of ITALIE with an army wherewith he was nothing able to kepe a small parte of MACEDON only for him selfe And therefore you must not perswade your selues that in making peace with him you shall thereby be rid of him but rather shall your draw others to come set apon you besides For they will vtterly despise you when they shal heare ye are so easily ouercome and that you haue suffered Pyrrus to escape your handes before you made him feele the iust reward of his bolde presumptuous attempt vpon you carying with him for a further hier this aduantage ouer you that he hath geuen a great occasion both to the SAMNITES and TARENTINES hereafter to mocke and deride you After that Appius had tolde this tale vnto the Senate euery one through the whole assembly desired rather warre then peace They dispatched Cineas away thereupon with this aunswere that if Pyrrus sought the ROMAINES frendshippe he must first departe out of ITALIE and then sende vnto them to treate of peace but so longe as he remained there with his army the ROMAINES would make warres vpon him with all the force and power they could make yea although he had ouerthrowen and slaine tenne thowsand such Captaines as Leuinus was They say that Cineas during the time of his abode at ROME intreating for this peace did curiously labor to consider and vnderstande the manners order and life of the ROMAINES and their common weale discoursing thereof with the chiefest men of the city and how afterwards he made ample reporte of the same vnto Pyrrus and tolde him amongest other thinges that the Senate appeared to him a counsell house of many kinges And furthermore for the number of people that he feared greatly they should fight against such a serpent as that which was in olde time in the marises of LERNE of which when they had cut of one heade seuen other came vp in the place bicause the Consull Leuinus had nowe leauied an other army twise as great as the first was and had left at ROME also many times as many good able men to cary armor After this there were sent Ambassadors from ROME vnto Pyrrus and amongest other Caius Fabricius touching the state of the prisoners Cineas tolde the kinge his master that this Fabritius was one of the greatest menne of accompt in all ROME a right honest man a good Captaine and a very valliant man of his handes yet poore in deede he was notwithstanding Pyrrus taking him secretly a side made very much of him and amongest other thinges offered him bothe golde and siluer prayinge him to take it not for any dishonest respect he ment towardes him but only for a pledge of the goodwill and frendshippe that should be betwene them Fabricius would none of his gift so Pyrrus left him for that time Notwithstanding the next morninge thinkinge to feare him bicause he had neuer seene elephant before Pyrrus commaunded his men that when they sawe Fabricius and him talkinge together they shoulde bringe one of his greatest elephantes and set him harde by them behinde a hanging which being done at a certaine signe by Pyrrus geuen sodainly the hanging was pulled backe and the elephant with his troncke was ouer Fabricius heade and gaue a terrible and fearefull crie Fabricius softely geuing backe nothing afrayed laughed and sayd to Pyrrus smiling neither did your golde oh king yesterday moue me nor your elephant to day feare me Furthermore whilest they were at supper fallinge in talke of diuerse matters specially touchinge the state of GREECE and the Philosophers there Cineas by chaunce spake of EPICVRVS and rehearsed the opinions of the EPICVRIANS touching the goddes and gouernment of the common wealth how they placed mans chiefe felicity in pleasure how they fled from all office publike charge as from a thing that hindereth the fruition of true felicity howe they maintained that the goddes were immortall neither moued with pity nor anger and led an idle life full of all pleasures and delightes without taking any regarde of mens doinges But as he still continued this discourse Fabricius cried out alowde and sayd the goddes graunt that Pyrrus and the SAMNITES were of such opinions as long as they had warres against vs Pyrrus marueling much at the constancy and magnanimity of this man was more desirous a great deale to haue peace with the ROMAINES then before And priuately prayed Fabricius very earnestly that he would treate for peace whereby he might afterwards come and remaine with him saying that he would giue him the chiefe place of honor about him amongest all his frendes Whereunto Fabricius aunswered him softly that were not good oh king for your selfe quod he for your men that presently doe honor and esteeme you be experience if they once knew me would rather choose me for their kinge then your selfe Such was Fabricius talke whose wordes Pyrrus tooke not in ill parte neither was offended with them at all as a tyran woulde haue bene but did him selfe reporte to his frendes and familiars the noble minde he founde in him and deliuered him apon his faith only all the ROMAINE prisoners to the ende that if the Senate would not agree vnto peace they might yet see their frendes and kepe the feast of Saturne with them and then to send them backe againe vnto him Which the Senate established by decree vpon paine of death to all such as should not performe the same accordingly Afterwardes Fabricius was chosen Consull and as he was in his campe there came a man to him that brought him a letter from kinge Pyrrus Phisitian wrytten with his owne handes in which the Phisitian offered to poyson his maister so he would promise him a good reward for ending the warres without further daunger Fabricius detestinge the wickednesse of the Phisitian and hauing made Q. AEmilius his colleague and fellowe Consull also to abhorre the same wrote a letter vnto Pyrrus and bad him take heede for there were that ment to poyson him The contentes of his
it be a newter frend vnto them both King Antigonus agreed vnto it and gaue them his sonne for hostage Pyrrus also made theÌ fayer promise to do so too but bicause he gaue no caution nor sufficient pledge to performe it they mistrusted him the more Then there fel out many great wonderful tokens as wel vnto Pyrrus as vnto the ARGIVES For Pyrrus hauing sacrificed oxen their heades being striken of from their bodies they thrust out their tongues and licked vp their owne blood And within the city of ARGOS a sister of the temple of Apollo Lycias called Apollonide ranne through the streetes crying out that she saw the city full of murder and blood running all about and an Eagle that came vnto the fraye howbeit she vanished away sodainly and no body knewe what became of her Pyrrus then comminge hard to the walles of ARGOS in the night finding one of the gates called Diamperes opened by Aristeas he put in his GAVLES who possessed the market place before the citizens knew any thing of it But bicause the gate was too low to passe the elephantes through with their towers vpon their backes they were driuen to take them of afterwards when they were within to put them on in the darke in tumulte by reason whereof they lost much time so that the citizens in the ende perceiued it and ran incontinently vnto the castell of Aspides and into other strong places of the city And therewithall they sent with present speede vnto Antigonus to pray him to come and helpe them and so he did and after he was come hard to the walles he remained without with the skowtes in the meane time sent his sonne with his chiefest Captaines into the towne who brought a great number of good souldiers and men of warre with them At the same time also arriued Areus king of SPARTA with a thowsand of the CRETANS and most lusty SPARTANS all which ioyning together came to geue a charge vpoÌ the GAVLES that were in the market place who put them in a maruelous feare hazard Pyrrus entering on that side also of the city called Cylarabis with terrible noyse cries when he vnderstoode that the GAVLES aunswered him not lustely and coragiously he doubted straight that it was the voyce of men distressed and that had their handes full Wherefore he came on with speede to relieue them thrusting the horsemen forwards that marched before him with great daunger and paine by reason of holes and sinckes and water conduites whereof the city was full By this meane there was a wonderfull confusion amongest them as may be thought fightinge by night where no man saw what he had to doe nor could heare what was commaunded by reason of the great noyse they made straying here and there vp and downe the streetes thâne scattered from the other neither could the Captaines set their men in order as wel for the darkenes of the night as also for the confused tumult that was all the city ouer for that the streetes also were very narrow And therefore they remained on both sides without doing any thing looking for day light at the dawning wherof Pyrrus perceiued the castel of Aspides ful of his armed enemies And furthermore sodainly as he was come into the market place amoÌgest many other goodly common workes sette out to beautifie the same he spied the images of a bull and a woulfe in copper the which sought one with an other This sight made him afrayed bicause at that present he remembred a prophecy that had bene tolde him that his end and death should be when he sawe a woulfe and a bull fight together The ARGIVES reporte that these images were set vp in the market place for the remembraunce of a certaine chaunce that had happened in their contrie For when Danaus came thither first by the way called Pyramia as one would say land sowen with corne in the contry of THYREATIDE he saw as he went a woulfe fight with a bull whereupon he stayed to see what the end of their fight would come to supposing the case in him selfe that the woulfe was of his side bicause that being a straunger as he was he came to set vppon the naturall inhabitantes of the contry The woulfe in the ende obtained the victory wherefore Danaus making his prayer vnto Apollo Lycias followed on his enterprise had so good successe that he draue Gelanor out of ARGOS who at that time was king of the ARGIVES And thus you heare the cause why they say these images of the woulfe and bull were set vp in the market place of ARGOS Pyrrus being halfe discoraged with the sight of them and also bicause nothinge fell out well according to his expectations thought best to retyre but fearing the straitenesse of the gates of the city he sent vnto his sonne Helenus whome he had left without the city with the greatest parte of his force and army commaunding him to ouerthrow a peece of the wall that his men might the more readily get out and that he might receiue them if their enemies by chaunce did hinder their comming out But the messenger whom he sent was so hasty and fearefull with the tumult that troubled him in going out that he did not well vnderstand what Pyrrus sayd vnto him but reported his message quite contrary Whereuppon they young prince Helenus taking the best foâââsors he had with him and the rest of his elephantes entred into the city of helpe his father who was now geuing backe and so long as he had roome to fight at ease retyring still he valliantly repulsed those that set vpon him turning his face oft vnto them But when he was driuen vnto the streete that went from the market place to the gate of the city he was kept in with his owne men that entered at the same gate to helpe him But they coulde not heare when Pyrrus cried out and bad them go backe the noyse was so great and though the first had heard him and would haue gone backe yet they that were behinde and did stil thrust forward into the prease did not permit them Besides this moreouer the biggest of all the elephantes by misfortune fell downe ouerthwart the gate where he grindinge his teeth did hinder those also that would haue comen out and geuen backe Furthermore an other of the elephantes that were entred before into the city called Nicon as much to say as conquering seeking his gouernor that was striken downe to the ground from his backe with terrible blowes ran vpon theÌ that came backe vpon him ouerthrowing frendes and foes one in an others necke til at the length hauing founde the body of his master slaine he lift him vp from the ground with his troncke and carying him vpon his two tushes returned backe with great fury treading all vnder feete he found in his way Thus euery man being thronged and crowded
and downe in other contries and remembred the great misfortunes he had passed and the sundrie daungers he fell so often into being pursued still by sea and by land it grieued him to the harte and made him so vnquiet that he coulde not sleepe in the night or if he slept had fearefull dreames that troubled him and still he thought he heard a voyce bussing in his eares A Lyons very denne is dreadfull to behold Though he him selfe be gone abroade and be not therein hold But fearing most of all that he should no more sleepe and take his rest he gaue him selfe to make vnreasonable banckets and to drinke more then his yeres could beare seeking to winne sleepe by this meanes to auoyde care the better But at the length there came one from the sea that gaue him certaine intelligence of all that was an increase of a new feare vnto him And thus he being now extreamely troubled partely for feare of the thing to come partely also for the ouer heauie burden of his present ill there neded but litle more aggrauation to fall into the disease whereof he dyed which was a plewrisie as Posidonius the Philosopher wryteth who sayeth plainly that he went into his chamber when he was sicke and spake vnto him about matters of his Ambassade for the which he came to ROME Yet an other historiographer Caius Piso wryteth that Marius walking one day after supper with his frendes fell in talke of his fortune from the beginning of his life telling them at large how often fortune had turned with and against him concluding that it is no wise mans parte to trust her any more So when he had done he tooke his leaue of them and layed him downe vpon his bed where he lay sicke seuen dayes together and on the seuenth day dyed Some wryte that his ambition appeared plainly by a straunge rauing that tooke him in his head during his sickenes For he thought that he made warres with Mithridates and shewed in his bed all his gestures and mouings of his bodie as if he had bene in a battell crying the selfe same cryes out alowde which he was wont to crie when he was in the extreamest fight The desire he had to haue taken this charge in hande against Mithridates was so deepely setled in his minde through extreame ambition and iealouzy that possest him that being then three score and ten yeare old after he had bene the first man that euer was chosen seuen times Consull in ROME and also after that he had gotten a world of goodes and richesse together that might haue suffised many kinges yet for all this he dyed for sorrowe lamenting his harde fortune as if he had dyed before his time and before that he had done and ended that which he had desired But this was cleane contrarie vnto that the wise Plato did when he drewe neere to his death For he gaue God thankes for his fatall end and good fortune First for that he had made him a reasonable man and no brute beast secondly a Greke and no barbarous man and furthermore for that he was borne in Socrates time It is reported also that one Antipater of THARSIS calling to mind a litle before his death the good fortune he had in his life time did not forgette amonge other thinges to tell of the happie nauigation he made comming from his contrie vnto ANTHES which did witnesse that he put vpon the fyle of his good accompts for a singular great grace all fauor fortune had shewed him and that he kept it in perpetuall memorie being the onely and most assured treasure a man can haue to kepe those giftes that nature or fortune doe bestowe vpon him But contrariwise vnthankefull fooles vnto God and nature both doe forget with time the memory of their former benefittes and laying vp nothing nor keping it in perpetuall memory are alwayes voyde of goods and full of hope gaping still for things to come leauing in the meane time the things present though reason perswades them the contrary For fortune may easily let theÌ of the thing to come but she can not take that from theÌ which is already past and yet they vtterly forget the certaine benefit of fortune as a thing nothing belonging vnto theÌ dreame alwayes of that which is vncertaine And sure it chaunceth to them by great reason For hauing gathered outward goodes together and locking them vp before they haue built and layd a sure grounded foundacion of reason through good learning they can not afterwardes fill nor quenche their vnsatiable greedie couetous minde Thus ended Marius his life the seuenteenth day of his seuenth Consulshippe whereof all the citie of ROME was not a litle glad and tooke harte againe vnto them supposing they had then bene deliuered from a bloodie cruell tyranny But within few dayes after they knew it to their cost that they had chaunged an olde master taken out of the worlde for a younger that came but newly to them such extreame vnnaturall cruelties murders did Marius the younger commit after the death of his father Marius murdering in manner all the chiefest noble men of ROME At the first they tooke him for a valliant and hardy young man whereuppon they named him the sonne of Mars but shortly after his deedes did shew the contrary and then they called him the sonne of Venus In the end he was shut in and besieged by Sylla in the city of PERVSIA where he did what he could possible to saue his life but all was in vaine lastly seeing no way to éscape the city being taken he slewe him selfe with his owne handes The end of Caius Marius life THE LIFE OF Lysander IN the treasorie of the ACANTHIANS which is in the temple of Apollo at DELPHES there is this inscription Brasidas and the ACANTHIANS with the spoile of the ATHENIANS That inscription maketh many men thinke that the image of stone that standeth within the chamber by the dore therof is the image of Brasidas howbeit in truth it is the liuelie image of Lysander him selfe made with a great bush of heare a thicke long beard after the old auncient facion And where some say that the ARGIVES after they were ouercome and had left a great battell did all of them shaue them selues in token and signe of common sorrow and that the LACEDAEMONIANS on thother side to shewe the ioy of their victory did all let their heares growe that is not true No more then this is true which other do reporte of the BACCHIADES who being fled from CORINTHE vnto LACEDAEMON the LACEDAEMONIANS founde them so ill fauoredly disguised and deformed bicause their beâââ were all shauen that thereupon they had a desire to let their heare and beards grow For that was one of the ordinaunces of Lycurgus who sayd that the long bushe of heare maketh them that are naturally fayer the pleasaunter to looke vppon
DELPHES and for euery priuate Captaine of the gallies in like case and the two starres of Castor Pollux in golde besides which vanished away a litle before the battell of Leuctres and no man knewe what became of them Againe in the chamber of the treasory of Brasidas and of the ACANTHIANS there was also a galley made of gold and iuory of two cubittes long which Cyrus sent vnto him after the victory he had wonne by sea of the ATHENIANS And furthermore Alexandrides the historiographer borne at DEEPHES wryteth that the selfe same Lysander had left there to be kept safe a tallent of siluer two fifty Minas and eleuen peeces of gold called Stateres But all this accordeth not with the which all the other historiographers write agreeing of his pouerty But Lysander being aâââ then and of greater power then euer any GREECIAN was before him caried a greater poâe and countenaunce then became his ability For as Duris writeth he was the first of the GREECIANS vnto whome they did euer erect any aulters and offer sacrifice vnto as a god and in honor of whom they did first sing any hvmnes and at this day there is yet good memory of one which beganne in this maner The noble Captaines praise vve meane to celebrate Of Greece that land vvhich is deuine in euery kinde of state Euen be vvhich vvas both borne and brought to high renovvne VVithin the noble vvealthie vvalles of Sparta stately tovvne The SAMIANS by publicke decree ordained that the feastes of Iuno which were called in their city Heroea should be called Lysandria Lysander had euer one Cherilus a SPARTAN Poet about him to wryte and set forth all his doinges in verse An other Poet called Antilocus one day made certaine verses in his praise which pleased him so well that he gaue him his have full of siluer There were two other Poets Antimachus COLOâââONIAN and NICERAUS borne as HERACLEA which did both wryte verses to honor him striuing whether of them should do best Lysander iudged the crowne and victory vnto Niceraus where with Antimachus was so angry that he rased out all that he had writteÌ of him But Plato who at that time was young loued Antimachus bicause he was an excellent Poet did comforte him and tolde him that ignoraunce did blinde the vnderstanding of the ignoraunt as blindenes doth the fight of the blinde Aristonous an excellent player of the citerne one that had six times worthe the prises of the Pythian games to winne Lysanders fauor promised him that if once he wanne the prise of his arte againe he would cause him selfe to be proclaimed Lysanders slaue This ambition of Lysander was very odious and grieuous only vnto great persones and men of his estate but besides his ambition in th ende he became very prowde and cruel through the ãâ¦ã of his followers and them that courted him so that he exceeded in recompencing his frendes as also in punishinge of his enemies For to gratifie his frendes and familiars he gaue them absolute power and authority of life and death in their townes and cities and to pacific and appeease his anger where he once hated there was no other way but death without all possibilitie of pardon And that he plainly shewed afterwards in the city of MILETVM where fearing least they would flie that tooke parte with the people bicause he would haue them appeare that hid them selues he gaue his word and sware that he would doe them no hurt at all The poore men gaue credit to his worde But so soone as they came out and did appeare he deliuered them all into the handes of their aduersaries which were the chiefest of the nobility to put them all to death they were no lesse then eight hundred men one without other He caused great murders of people to also be done in other cities for he did not only put them to death that had priuatly offended him but numbers besides onely to satisfie and reuenge the priuate quarrells enmities and couetousnes of his frendes whom he had in euery plate And therefore was Eteocles LACEDAEMONIAN greatly commended for his saying that GREECE could not abide two Lysanders Theophrastus wryteth also that the very like was spoken of Alcibiades by Archestratus Howbeit in Alcibiades there was nothing but his insolency and vaine glory that men misliked but in Lysander a seuere nature and sharpe condicions than made his power fearfull intollerable Neuerthelesse the LACEDAEMONIANS passed ouer all other complaintes exhibited against him sauing when they heard the complaints of Pharnabazus who purposely sent Ambassadors vnto them to complaine of the wrongs and iniuries Lysander had done him spoyling and destroying the contry vnder his gouernment Then the Ephori being offended with him clapped vp Thorax in prison one of his frendes and Captaines that had serued vnder him and finding that he had both gold and siluer in his house contrary to the law put him to death And to him selfe they sent immediatly that which they call Scytala as who would say the scrolle wrytten apon a rounde staffe commaunding him that he should retorne immediatly apon receite thereof The Scytala is in this sorte When the Ephori doe sende a Generall or an Admirall to the warres they cause two litlerounde staues to be made of the like bignes and length of which the Ephori doe keepe the tone and thother they geue to him whome they sende to the warres These two litle slaues they call Soytales Nowe when they will aduertise their Generall secretly of matters of importaunce they take a scrolle of parchement long and narrowe like a leather thonge and wreath it about the round staffe leauinge no voyde space betwene the knottes of the scrowle Afterwardes when they haue bound them fast together then they wryte vppon the parchment thus rolled what they will and when they haue done wryting vnfolde it and sende it to their Generall who can not else possibly read it to know what is writteÌ bicause the letters are not ioined together not follow in order but are scattered here and there vntill he take his litle rowle of wodde which was geuen him at his departure And then wreathing the scrowle of parchment about it which he receaueth the folding and wreathes of the parchment falling iust into the selfe same place as they were first folded the letters also come to ioyne one with an other as they ought to doe This litle scrowle of parchement also is called as the rowle of wodde Scytala euen as we commonly see in many places that the thing measured is also called by the name of the measure When this parchement scrowle was brought vnto Lysander who was then in the contrie of HELLESPONT he was maruelously troubled withall fearing aboue all other thinges the accusations of Pharnabazus so he sought meanes to speake with him before he departed Hoping thereby to make his peace with him When they were
burnt at a tryce and the fire going out fell a great shower of raine that held on till night so that it seemed good fortune following him euen to his ende did also helpe his obsequies after his death His tombe is to be seene in the fielde of Mars and they say that he him selfe made his owne epitaphe that is wrytten vpon it which was that no man did euer passe him neither in doing good to his frendes nor in doing mischiefe to his enemies THE COMPARISON OF Sylla with Lysander NOw that we haue at large also set forth the life of the ROMANE let vs come to compare them both together In this they are both a like that both of them grew to be great men rising of theÌ selues through their owne vertue but this only is proper to Lysander that all the offices dignities which he attained vnto in the common wealth were layed apon him through the peoples good wills and consents For he compelled them to nothinge neither vsurped he any extraordinarie authoritie vppon them contrarie to lawe for as the common saying is VVhere partialitie and discorde once doe raigne There vvicked men are most esteemde and rule vvith greatest gaine As at that time in ROME the people being corrupted and the state of gouernment vtterly subuerted and brought to nought to day there rose vp one tyranne to morow an other And therefore we may not wonder if Sylla vsurped and ruled all when such fellowes as Glaucia and Saturninus did both banish and driue out of ROME such men as Metellus was and where also in open assembly they slue Consuls sonnes in the market place and where force of armes was bought sold for gold and siluer with the which the souldiers were corrupted where they made new lawes with fire and sword and forced men to obey the same Yet I speake not this in reproache of him that in such troublesome times founde meanes to make him selfe the greatest man but to shew that I measure not his honesty by the dignity he grew vnto in so vnfortunate a city although he became the chiefe And as touching him that came from SPARTA at what time it florished most and was the best gouerned common weale he in all great causes and in most honorable offices was reputed for the best of all bests and the chiefe of all chiefes Wherefore it happened that the one resigned vp the authority to his contry men the citizens which they had geuen him who also restored it to him againe many and sundry times for the honor of his vertue did alwayes remaine and made him iustly accompted for the worthiest man Where the other being once only chosen generall of an army remained tenne yeares continually in warres and hostilitie making him selfe by force sometime Consull somtime vice Consull and somtime Dictator but alwayes continued a tyranne In ede Lysander attempted to chaunge and alter the state of gouernment in his contrie howbeit it was with greater lenity and more lawfully then Sylla did For he sought it by reason and good perswasion not by the sword neither would he make a chaunge of the whole at one selfe time as Sylla did but sought only to reforme the election of kinges The which thing according to nature doubtlesse seemed very iust that he which was the best amongest good men should be chosen king of that citie which was the chiefe ouer all GREECE not for her nobility but for her vertue only For like as a good hunter doth not seeke for the whelpe of a good dogge but for the good dogge him selfe not a wise man of armes also the colte that commeth of a good horse but the good horse him selfe Euen so he that taketh vpon him to stablish a civill gouernment committeth a fowle fault if he looke of whom his Prince should be borne and not what the Prince him selfe should be considering that the LACEDAEMONIANS them selues haue depriued diuerse of their kinges from their crowne and realme bicause they were not Princely but vnprofitable and good for nothing Vice although it be in a noble man yet is it alwayes ill of it selfe but vertue is honored for her selfe alone and not bicause she is placed with nobility Now for the wronges and iniuries they both committed the one did worke only to pleasure his frendes and the other to offend them to whom he was bounden For it is certaine that Lysander did great wronges to gratifie his familliars and the most parte of them whom he put to death was to establish the tyrannicall power of certaine his frendes Where Sylla sought for spite to take away his army from Pompey and the Admirality from Dolobelle which he him selfe geuen caused Lucretius Offella to be slaine openly in his owne sight bicause he sought to be Consull for recompence of the good seruice he had done for which cruelty of his causinge his owne frendes to beslaine in such sorte he made euery man a feard of him Furthermore their behauiors touching couetousnes and pleasure doth shew that the intent of the one was the desire of a good Prince and the other that of a tyranne For we doe not finde that Lysander for all his great Princely authority did euer vse any insolency or lasciuiousnes in his deedes but alwayes auoyded as much as a man might the reproache of this common prouerbe Lyons at home and Foxes abroade He led such a true LACONIAN life straightly reformed in all poyntes Where Sylla could neuer moderate his vnlawfull lustes neither for pouerty when he was young nor yet for age when it came vpon him But whilest he gaue lawes to the ROMANES touching matrimoniall honestie and chastitie him selfe in the meane time did nothing but follow loue and commit adultries as Salust wryteth By meanes whereof he so much impouerished ROME and left it so voyde of gold and siluer that for ready money he sold absolute freedome vnto the cities their confederates yet was it his dayly study to confiscate and take for forfeit the richest and most wealthiest houses in all the whole citie of ROME But all this spoyle and hauoke was nothing in comparison of that which he dayly cast away vpon his ieasters flatterers What sparing or measure may we thinke he kept in his giftes at priuate banckets when openly in the day time all the people of ROME being present to see him sell the goodes which he had caused to be confiscate he made one of his frendes and familiars to trusse vp a great deale of household stuffe for a very litle price And when any other had out bidden his price that the crier had cried it out a lowde then was he angry and sayd My frendes I haue great wrong done me here not to suffer me sell the spoile I haue gotten at mine owne pleasure and dispose it as I list my selfe Where Lysander contrarily sent to the common wealth of SPARTA with other money the very presentes that were geuen to
vnto whome I might compare Lucullus I thought it best to compare him with Cimon bicause they haue bene both valliant souldiers against their enemies hauing both done notable exploytes in warres against the barbarous people and moreouer they haue both bene curteous mercifull vnto their citizens were both the only men that pacified the ciuill warres and dissention in their contrie and both the one the other of them wan notable victories of the babarous people For there was neuer GREECIAN Captaine before Cimon nor ROMANE Captaine before Lucullus that had made warres so farre of from their contrie leauing a parte the deedes of Bacchus and of Hercules and the deedes also of Perseus against the AETHIOPIANS the MEDES and the ARMENIANS and the deedes of Iason also if there remaine any monument extant since their time worthie of credit in these our dayes Furthermore herein they are to be likened together that they neuer ended their warres they only ouerthrewe their enemies but neuer ouercame them altogether Againe they may note in them a great resemblaunce of nature for their honestie curtesie and humanitie which they shewed vnto straungers in their contrie and for the magnignificence and sumptuousnes of their life and ordinarie expence It may be we doe leaue on some other similitudes betwene them howbeit in the discourse of their liues they will easily appeare Cimon was the sonne of Miltiades and of Hegesipyle a THRACIAN woman borne and the daughter of king Olorus as we finde wrytten in certaine poeticall verses which Melanthiusâ and Archelaus haue wrytten of Cimon The father of Thucydides the historiographer him selfe who was of kinne also vnto Cimon was called in like manner Olorus showing by the agreeing of the name that this king Olorus was one of his auncesters and did also possesse mines of gold in the contry of THRACIA It is sayd moreouer that he dyed in a certaine place called the ditchie forrest where he was slaine howbeit that his ashes and bones were caried into the contrie of ATTICA where his tombe appeareth yet to this day amongest the tombes of them of the house and family of Cimon neere vnto the tombe of Cimons owne sister called Elpinicè Notwithstanding Thucydides was of the village of ALIMVS and Miltiades of the village of LACIA This Miltiades Cimons father being condemned by the state to pay the summe of fifty talentes was for non payment cast into prison and there dyed and left Cimon and his sister Elpinicè aliue both Orphanes and very young Now Cimon in his first young yeares had a very ill name and reporte in the city being counted a riotous young man a great drinker following his grandfather Cimons facions vp and downe as he had also his name sauing that his grandfather for his beastlines was surnamed Coalemos as much to say as foole Stesimbrâtââ THASIAN who was about Cimons time wryteth that Cimon neuer learned musike nor any other of the liberall sciences accustomably taught to young noble mens sonnes of GREECE that he had no sharpe wit nor good grace of speaking a vertue proper vnto children borne in the contry of ATTICA howbeit that he was of a noble minde and plaine without dissimulacion so that he rather liued PELOPONNESIAN like then like an ATHENIAN For he was euen such as the Poet Euripides described Hercules to be A simple man he vvas and could not vvell disguise As honest eke in thinges of vveight as vvit could vvell deuise This serued fitly to be applied vnto Stesimbrotus wordes wrytten of him but notwithstanding in his first younge yeares he was suspected of incontinency with his sister who in deede otherwise had no very good name For she was very familiar with the painter Polygnotus who painting the TROIAN Ladies prisoners vpon the walls of the gallery called the Plesianaction and now Poecile to say set out and beawtified with diuers pictures he drue as they say LAOPICES face vpon Elpinices picture This painter Polygnotus was no common artificer nor hierling that painted this gallery for moneys sake but gaue his labor franckely to the common wealth as all the historiographers that wrote in that time do witnesse and as the Poet Melanthius also reciteth in these verses At his ovvne proper charge great cost he hath bestovved In decking vp our temples here vvith gilted roofes embovved For honor of the goddes And in our tovvne likevvise He hath adornd the common place vvith many a fine deuise Painting and setting forth in stately shovv to see The images of demy goddes that here amongest vs be Yet some say that Elpinicè did not secretly companie with her brother Cimon but lay with him openly as his lawfull maried wife bicause she could not for her pouerty haue a husband of like nobilite and parentage to her selfe Howbeit that a certaine man called Callias being one of the richest men of the citie did afterwardes fall in fansie with her and desired to mary her offering to pay her father Miltiades fine of fiftie talents wherein he stoode condemned a debter to the state so that he might haue her to his wife Cimon was contented and vppon that condicion maried his siste Elpinicè vnto Callias This notwithstandinge it is certaine that Cimon was somewhat amorous and geuen to loue women For Melanthius the Poet in certaine of his elegies maketh mencion for his pleasure of one Asteria borne at SALAMINA and of an other called Muestra as if Cimon had bene in loue with them But vndoutedly he loued his lawefull wife Isodice maruelous well the daughter of Euryptolemus Megaetes sonne and tooke her death very grieuouslie as we may coniecture by the elegies that were wrytten vnto him to comforte him in his sorowe Panaetius the Philosopher is of opinion that Archelaus the Phisitian wrote those elegies and sure it is not vnlikely considering the time in which they were wrytten But furthermore Cimons nature and condicions deserued great commendacion For his valliantnesse he gaue no place vnto Miltiades and for his wisedome and iudgement he was not inferior vnto Themistocles and it is out of all doubt that he was a iuster and honester man then either of them both For he was equall with the best of either of both in the discipline of warres and for the valliantnesse of a noble Captaine and he did much excell them both in the properties of a good gouernor and in thadministracion of the affayres of a citie when he was but a younge man and had no experience of warres For when Themistocles at the comminge in of the MEDES counselled the people of ATHENS to goe out of the citie to leaue their landes and contrie and to shippe into gallies and fight with the barbarous people by sea in the straight of SALAMINA as euerie man was wonderinge at his bolde and venturous counsell Cimon was the first man that went with a life and iolitie through the streete Ceramious
could do them but litle hurt and yet were very likely to take the greater harme them selues For as fast as the ROMANES came apon them so fast did the PARTHIANS flie from them and yet in flying continued still their shooting which no nation but the SââââDââS could better doe than they being a matter in deede most greatly to their aduantage For by their fight they best doe saue them selues and fighting still they therby shunne the shame of that their flying The ROMANES still defended them selues and held it out so long as they had any hope that the PARTHIANS would leaue fighting where they had spent their arrowes or would ioyne battell with them But after they vnderstoode that their were a great number of camels lodeÌn with quiuers full of arrowes where the first that had bestowed their arrowes fetched about to take new quiuers then Crassus seeing no end of their shotte began to faint and sent to Publius his sonne willing him in any case to charge vpon the enemies and to geue nan onset before they were compassed in on euery side For it was on Publius side that one of the winges of the enemies battell was neerest vnto them and where they rode vp and downe to compasse them behinde Whereuppon Crassus sonne taking thirteene hundred horsemen with him of the which a thowsand were of the men of armes whom Iulius Caesar sent and fiue hundred shot with eight enfignes of footemen hauing targets most neere to the place where him selfe then was âhe put them but in bredth that wheling about they might geue a charge vpon them that rode vp downe But they seeing him comming turned straight their horse and fled either bicause they met in a marrisse or else of purpose to begine this young Crassus intising him thereby as farre from his father as they could Publius Crassus seeing them flye cried out these men will not abide vs and so spurted on for life after them so did Censorinus and Megabacchus with him the one a Senatour of ROME a very eloquent man the other a stowte coragious valliant man of warre both of them Crassus well approued frendes and in maner of his owne yeares Now the horsemen of the ROMANES being trained out thus to the chase their footemen also would not abide behinde nor shew them selues to haue lesse hope ioy and corage then their horsemen had For they thought all had bene won and that there was no more to do but to follow the chase till they were gone farre from the army and then they found the deceit For the horsemen that fled before them sodainly turned againe and a number of others besides came and set vpon them Whereuppon they stayed thinking that the enemies perceiuing they were so few would come and fight with them hande to hande Howbeit they set out against them their men at armes with their barbed horse made their light horsemen whele rounde about them keeping non order at all who galloping vp and downe the plaine whurled vp the sand hilles from the bottome with their horse feete which raised such a wonderfull dust that the ROMANES could scarce see or speake one to an other For they being shut vp into a litle roome and standing close one to an other were sore wounded with the PARTHIANS arrowes and died of a cruell lingring death crying out for anguish and paine they felt and turning and tormenting them selues apon the sande they brake the arrowes sticking in them Againe striuing by force to plucke out the forked arrowe heades that had pearced farre into their bodies through their vaines sinewes thereby they opened their woundes wider and so cast them selues away Many of them dyed thus miserably ãâ¦ã tyred and such as dyed not were not able to defend them selues Then when Publius Crassus prayed and besought them to charge the men at armes with their barbed horse they shewed him their handes fast nailed so that targets with arrowes their feete likewise shot ãâ¦ã and raised to the ground so as they could neither flie nor yet defende them selues Thereâpon him selfe incoraging his horsemen went and gaue a charge and did valliantly set vppon thenemies but it was with too great disaduantage both for offence and also for defence For him selfe and his men with weake light staues brake apon them that were armed with ãâ¦ã races of sââcke or stiffe leather iackes And the PARTHIANS in contrary manner with mighââ strong pykes gaue charge apon these GAVLES which were either warmed or else but lightly armed Yet those were they in whom Crassus most trusted hauing done wonderfull ãâ¦ã of warre with them For they receiued the PARTHIANS pykes in their handes tooke them about the middells and threw them of their horse where they lay on the ground and could not storre for the weight of their harnesse and there were diuers of them also that lighting from their horse lay vnder their enemies horse bellies thrust their swordes into them That horse flinging bounding in the ayer for very paine threw their maisters vnder feete their enemies one apon an other in the end fell dead among them Moreouer euer came ãâ¦ã and thirst did maruelously comber the GAVLES who were vsed to abide neither of both and the most parte of their horse were slaine charging with al their power apon the men at armed of the PARTHIANS and so ranne them selues in apon the pointes of their pikes At the length they were driuen to retyre towardes their footemen Publius Crassus among them who was very ill by reason of the woundes he had receiued And seeing a sand hill by chaunce not faâ from them they went thither setting their horse in the middest of it compassed it in round with their targets thinking by this meanes to couer and defende them selues the better from the barbarous people howbeit they founde it contrary For the contry being plaine they in the formest ranckes did somewhat couer them behinde but they that were behinde standing heir than they that stoode formest by reason of the nature of the hill that was hiest in the middest could by no meanes saue them selues but were all hurt alike as well the one as the other bewailing their owne miserie and misfortune that must needes dye without reuenge or declaration of their valliancy At that present time there were two GRAECIANS about Publius Crassus Hitronymus and Nitomachus who dwelt in those quarters in the city of CARRââ they both counselled P. Crassus to steale away with them and to flie to a city called ISCHNES that was not farre from thence and tooke the ROMANES parte But P. aunswered them that there was no death so cruell as could make him forsake them that dyed for his sake When he had so sayd wishing them to saue them selues he embraced them tooke his leaue of them and being very sore hurt with the shot of an arrow through one of his handes commaunded one of his gentlemen to
and fearing his power punished him in mony for that he made the common loue of his contrie priuate to him selfe For as naturall Philosophers holde opinion that if contention and strife were taken out of nature it would come to passe that the heauenly bodies should stand still and also that the generation of all thinges should be at a stay by reason of the mutuall agreement betwene the worlde and them euen so the lawemaker of LACEDAEMON seemeth to haue allowed ambition strife in the common wealth as a spurre to vertue by procuring alwayes some contencion and emulacion amonge great persones And his reason was that this base and effeminate fauor in winking one at an other when men are to be rebuked ought not of right to be called by the name of concorde And sure some thinke that Homer also saw the same for he would neuer else haue made Agamemnon to haue reioyced to see Vlysses and Achilles at great wordes together if he had not bene of opinion that enuy and contencion among great men were very auailable for the common wealth Yet is not this thus simply to be allowed for contentions are hurtfull to cities where they are violent and doe bring great daungers with them Nowe when Agesilaus was entred into his kingdome of LACEDAEMON newes were brought him out of ASIA that the king of PERSIA prepared a great nauy to conquer the LACEDAEMONIANS signory by sea Lysander being glad of this occasion longing to be sent againe into ASIA to succour his frends whom he had left there as Gouernors Lieutenants of cities prouinces of the which some of them were driuen away by their citizens others also put to death for abusing of their authority ruling ouercruelly perswaded Agesilaus goe into ASIA to make warre apon this barbarous king farre from GRAECE before his army were gathered together And to coÌpasse this the easilier he wrote vnto his frends in ASIA that they should send vnto SPARTA to require Agesilaus for their Captaine and so they did Thereupon Agesilaus going to the assembly of the people accepted the charge with condition that they would geue him thirtie Captaines of the SPARTANS to be counsellers assistants to him in these warres two thowsand free ILOTES six thowsand of the confederates of LACEDAEMON All this was immediatly graunted through Lysanders frendshippe towards him and he was sent away straight with the thirty Captaines which he had requested of the which Lysander was the chiefest not only for his riches and authoritie but also for the good will he bare vnto Agesilaus who thought him selfe more beholding to him for procuring him this charge than for his frendship he shewed him in bringing him to be king Now Agesilaus army being assembled at the hauen of Geraeste him selfe with certaine of his frends went vnto the citie of AVLIDE where in his sleepe he drempt that one sayd vnto him O king of the LACEDAEMONIANS thou knowest that neuer none but Agamemnon now thy selfe was chosen Generall of all GREECE considering therefore that thou commaundest the same people he did that thou makest warres with the selfe same enemies departing from the selfe same place to goe thither it is reason that thou make the selfe same sacrifice vnto the goddesse the which he made at his like departure Agesilaus straight apon this vision remembred that Agamemnon though the perswasion of the Soothsayers did sacrifice his owne daughter in the same place Yet this made him not afrayed but the next day he told it to his frendes and said he would sacrifice that vnto the goddesse which he thought woulde please her well enough and that he would not followe that cruell deuotion of this auncient Captaine Agamemnon And with that he brought a hynde crowned with a garland of flowers and commaunded his Soothsayer to sacrifice her and would not suffer him to haue the honor to doe the sacrifice that was appointed for the same purpose by the Gouernors of BOEOTIA according to the custome of that place The Gouernors of BOEOTIA vnderstanding it were much offended and sent their officers to will Agesilaus not to doe any sacrifice there contrarie to the law and custome of their contrie The officers that were sent performed their commission and finding that the beast was slaine the quarters of it apon the aulter they tooke and flong them of the aulter euery way This vexed Agesilaus being readie to imbarke and departed thence in choller against the THEBANS and mistrusted much his good successe by this vnluckie prediction which seemed to prognosticate vnto him that he should not preuaile according to his desire Furthermore when he was arriued at EPHESVS he presently misliked the honor he saw done vnto Lysander and the great traine that waited on him For all the contriemen there repaired continually to his house that when he came abroade they all followed him whensoeuer he went as though Lysander had in deede bene in authority to doe what he would and that Agesilaus only had but the name to be general so appointed by the law of LACEDAEMON For in troth there was neuer GRAECIAN Captaine in those partes that had won him such estimation nor that was more feared than he nor there was neuer man that was more beneficial to his frends neither also that was more hurtfull to his enemies All these thinges being fresh in memorie the contriemen of that contrie perceiuing the simplicity of Agesilaus and howe he was geuen to please the people and caried no great maiestie nor countenaunce with him and obseruing in Lysander that wonted roughnes and sharpe speech wherewith they had bene acquainted before euery man obeied him and nothing was done but what he commaunded This first to all made the other SPARTANS angrie for that it appeared they were come as it were to serue Lysander and not as to counsell the king but after that Agesilaus him selfe also grew miscontented although of his owne nature he was not enuious nor sorie to see others honored besides him selfe Yet being a man ambitiously geuen and of a noble corage fearing if he should doe any noble exployt in his warre that they would impute it vnto Lysander for the great estimation he was of he first beganne to deale in this sorte with him First he contraried all his counsells and what matters soeuer he preferred which he was desirous should haue taken effect Agesilaus would none of that but tooke some other in hand Furthermore if any of Lysanders followers came to make sure to him for his fauor perceiuing that they did leane vnto Lysander he sent them away without any thing done for them In like case also in matters of iudgements if Lysander were against any they were sure to haue the matter passe on their side On the contrarie parte also if Lysander bare good will to the partie and fauored the cause to gratifie him they hardly escaped from setting a fine of their heades Agasilaus continuing
though his master Pompey was but meanly housed till his third Consullshippe Howbeit afterwardes he built that famous stately Theater called Pompeys Theater and ioyned vnto that also an other house as a penthouse to his Theater farre more sumptuous and stately then the first and yet no more then needed Insomuch as he that was owner of it after him when he came into it he marueled and asked where abouts it was that Pompey dyned supped These thinges are reported thus Now the king of the ARABIANS that dwelt also at the castell called Petra hauing neuer vntill that time made any accompt of the ROMANES army was ãâ¦ã greatly affrayed of them and wrote vnto Pompey that he was at his deuotion to doe what he would commaunde him Pompey thereuppon to proue him whether he ment as he ãâ¦ã brought his army before this castell of Petra Howebeit this voyage was not liked of many men bicause they iudged it was an occasion found out to leaue following of Mithridates against whom they would haue had him rather haue bent his force being an auncient enemy to ROME and that beganne to gather strength againe and prepared as they heard say to lead a great army through SCYTHIA and PANNONIA into ITALIE But Pompey thinking he should sooner minishe his power by suffering him to goe on with warres then that he should otherwise be able to take him flying would not toyle to follow him in vaine And for these causes he would needes make warres in other places and linger time so long that in the end he was put by his hope For when he was not farre from the castell of Petra had lodged his campe for that day as he was riding and managing his horse vp and downe the campe postes came stinging to him from the realme of PONTVS and brought him good newes as was easily to be discerned a farre of by the heades of their iauelings which were wreathed about with laurell boughes The souldiers perceiuing that flocked straight about him but Pompey would make an ende of his riding first before he red these letters Howbeit they crying to him and being importunate with him he lighted from his horse and returned into his campe where there was no stone high enough for him to stand vppon to speake vnto them and againe the souldiers would not tary the making of one after the manner of their campe which men of warre doe make them selues with great turnes of earth laying one of them vppon an other but for hast earnest desire they had to heare what newes there was in the letters they layed together a heape of saddells one apon an other and Pompey geuing vp of them colde howe Mithridates was dead and had killed him selfe with his owned handes bicause his sonne Pharnaces did rebell against him and had wonne all that which his father possessed wryting vnto him that he kept it for him selfe and the ROMANES Vpon these newes all the campe ye may imagine made wonderfull ioy and did sacrifice to the goddes geuing them thankes were as mery as if in Mithridates person alone there had dyed an infinite number of their enemies Pompey by this occasion hauing brought this warre more easily to passe then he hoped for departed presently out of ARABIA and hauing speedily in few dayes passed through the contries lying by the way he came at length to the city of AMISVS There he founde great presents that were brought vnto him from Pharnaces and many dead bodies of the kinges blood and amongest the rest Mithridates corse which could not well be discerned by his face bicause they that had the carying of his body had forgotten to drie vp the braine neuerthelesse such as desired to see him knew him by certaine skarres he had in his face For Pompey would is no wise see him but to auoide enuy sent him away vnto the city of SYNODE He wondred much at the maruelous sumptuons riche apparell and weapons that he ware The scaberd of his sword which cost foure hundred talents was stolen by Publius and sold to Ariarathes Also a hatte of Mithridates of wonderfull workemanshippe being begged of Carus his foster brother was secretly geuen to Faustus the sonne of Sylla without Pompeys priuity But afterwards when Pharnaces vnderstoode of it he punished the parties that had imbezelled them Pompey hauing ordered all things and established that prouince went on his iorney homewards with great pompe and glory So comming vnto MITYLENE he released the city of all taxes and paymentes for Theophanes sake was present at a certaine play they yearely make for gain or where the Poets report their workes contending one with an other hauing at that time no other matter in hande but Pompeys actes and ieâstes Pompey like exceeding well the Theater where these playes were made and drew a modell or platforme of it to make a statelye then that in ROME As he passed by the city of RHODES he would nedes heare all the Rethoritians dispute and gaue euery one of them a talent Posidonius hath written the disputation he made before Pompey against Hermagoras the Rethoritian vpon the theame and proposition Pompey selfe did geue them touching the generall question Pompey did the like at ATHENS vnto the Philosophers there For he gaue towards the reedifying of the city againe fifty talents So he thought at his returne home into ITALIE to haue bene very honorably receiued and longed to be at home to see his wife and children thinking also that they long looked for him that the god that hath the charge geuen him to mingle fortunes prosperity with some bitter soppe of aduersity layed a blocke in his way at home in his owne house to make his returne more sorowfull For Mutia his wife had in his abscence played false at tables But Pompey being then farre of made no account of the reportes nor tales that were tolde him Howbeit when he drewe neerer into ITALIES and that he was more attentiue to geue eare to the ill reportes he heard then he sent vnto her to tell her that he refused her for his wife wryting nothing to her at that time neither euer after told the cause why he had forsaken her Notwithstanding in Ciceroes Epistles the cause appeareth Furthermore there were rumors ranne abroade in ROME which troubled them sore being geuen out that he would bring his armie straight to ROME and make him selfe absolute Lord of all the ROMANE Empire Crassus thereuppon either for that he beleued it in deede to be true or as it was thought to make the accusation true and the entry towardes Pompey the greater conueyed him selfe his family and goodes sodainely out of ROME So Pompey when he came into ITALIE called all his souldiers together and after he had made an oration vnto them as time occasion required he commanded them to feuer them selues euery man to repaire home to apply his busines remeÌbring to mete at
of an armie may easily be brought from his wife and safe counsell with rumor and tumult of a few fearefull men that should perswade him it were a shame and dishonor for him if he did otherwise yet were this no straunge matter but a fault to be pardoned But for Pompey the great whose campe the ROMANES called their contrie and his tent the Senate and called all the Praetors and Consuls that gouerned at ROME rebells and traitors to the common wealth of ROME who coulde excuse him who was neuer seene commaunded by other then him selfe but had bene alwayes chiefe Captaine and Generall in any warre he made and euer had the vpper hand but that he was drawen on by the scoffes of Faonius and Domitius to hazard battell to endaunger the whole Empire and liberty of ROME only for feare they should call him king Agâmemnon Who if he had so much regarded present infamie he should haue fought from the beginning for defence of the citie of ROME and not to haue taken example of Themistocles policie by flying and afterwards to thinke it a shame as he did to lye in THESSALIE a time without fighting Neither did God appoint them the fieldes of Pharsalia for a Theater or close campe of necessitie to fight which of them shoulde haue the Empire of ROME Further there was no Heraulde to summone him to fight as there are at games of price where he must aunswere to his name and come and fight or else to loose the honor of the crowne vnto an other But there were infinite other fieldes and townes and as a man woulde say the whole earth which the commoditie of his armie by sea gaue him choyse to conquer if he would rather haue followed the steppes of Fabius Maximus of Marius of Lucullus or of Agesilaus him selfe who did paciently abide no lesse tumultes within the citie selfe of SPARTA when the THEBANS went to summone him to come out to fight for all the rest of his contrie And in AEGYPT also he did abide many false accusations against him wherewith the king him selfe did burden him praying him alwayes to haue a litle pacience In fine hauing followed the best counsell which he had determined with him selfe from the beginning he saued the AEGYPTIANS against their willes and furthermore he did not only keepe the citie of SPARTA from so great a daunger but did also set vp tokens of triumphe in the same against the THEBANS whereby he was not compelled at that time to lead them out to the slaughter and besides that gaue his citizens occasion to obtaine victorie afterwardes Hereupon Agesilaus was highly praised of them whose liues he had saued against their wills And Pompey contrarily was blamed by them selues through whom he had offended yet some say that he was deceiued by his father in law Scipio For he meaning to keepe the most parte of the money to him selfe which he had brought out of ASIA did hasten and perswade Pompey to geue battell telling him that there was no money left The which though it had bene true a worthie Captaine should not so lightly haue bene brought into error vpon a false accompt to hazard him selfe to loose all Thus may we see what both of them were by comparing them together Furthermore for their iorneys into AEGYPT the one fled thither by force the other willingly went thither with small honor for moneys sake to serue the barbarous people with intent afterwards to make warre with the GRAECIANS Lastly in that which we accuse the AEGYPTIANS for Pompeys sake for the like matter doe they againe accuse Agesilaus For the one was cruelly put to death betrayed by them whom he trusted Agesilaus forsooke them which trusted him and went to the enemies hauing brought aide to fight against them The end of Pompeys life THE LIFE OF Alexander the great HAuing determined in this volume to write the life of king Alexander of Iulius Caesar that ouercame Pompey hauing to speake of many things I will vse none other preface but only desire the readers not to blame me though I do not declare al things at large but briefly touch diuers chiefly in those their noblest acts most worthy of memory For they must remember that my intent is not to write histories but only liues For the noblest deedes doe not alwayes shew mens vertues and vices but ofteÌtimes a light occasion a word or some sporte makes mens naturall dispositions and maners appeare more plaine then the famous battells wonne wherein a slaine tenne thowsand men or the great armies or cities wonne by siege or assault For like as painters or drawers of pictures which make no accompt of other partes of the bodie do take resemblaunces of the face and fauor of the countenauce in the which consisteth the iudgement of their maners disposition euen so they must geue vs leaue to seeke out the signes and tokens of the minde only and thereby shewe the life of either of them referring you vnto others to wryte the warres battells and other great thinges they did It is certaine that Alexander was discensed from Hercules by Caranus and that of his mothers side he came of the blood of the AEacides by Neoptolemus They say also that king Philip his father when he was a young man fell in fancie with his mother Olympias which at that time also was a younge maiden and an orphane without father or mother in the I le of SAMOTHRACIA where they were both receiued into the misterie and fraternity of the house of the religious and that afterwards he did aske her in mariage of her brother Arymbas with whose consent they were maried together The night before they lay in wedded bed the bride dreamed that lightning fell into her belly and that withall there was a great light fire that dispersed it selfe all about into diuers flames King Philip her husband also shortly after he was maried dreamed that he did seale his wiues belly and that the seale wherewith he sealed left behinde the printe of a Lyon. Certaine wisards and soothsayers tolde Philip that this dreame gaue him warning to looke straightly to his wife But Aristander TELMECIAN aunswered againe that it signified his wife was conceiued with childe for that they doe not seale a vessell that hath nothinge in it and that she was with childe with a boy which should haue a Lions hart It is reported also that many times as she lay asleepe in her bed there was seene a serpent lying by her the which was the chiefest cause as some presuppose that withdrewe Philips loue and kindnes from her and caused him that he lay not so oft with her as before he was wont to doe either for that he feared some charme or enchauntment or else for that he thought him selfe vnmeete for her company supposing her to be beloued of some god Some do also report this after an other sort as in this
booke desired to read much He learned also the Iliades of Homer of Aristotles correction which they call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the corrected as hauing passed vnder the rule laid it euery night vnder his beds head with his dagger calling it as Onesicrates writeth the institution of martiall discipline And when he was in the high contries of ASIA where he coulde not readily come by other bookes he wrote vnto Harpalus to send them to him Harpalus sent him the histories of Philistus with diuers tragedies of Euripides Sophocles and AEschylus and certaine hymnes of Telestus and Philoxenus Alexander did reuerence Aristotle at the first as his father and so he tearmed him bicause from his natural father he had life but from him the knowledge to liue But afterwardes he suspected him somewhat yet he did him no hurt neither was he so frendly to him as he had bene whereby men perceiued that he did not beare him the good will he was wont to doe This notwithstanding he left not that zeale and desire he had to the studie of Philosophie which he had learned from his youth and still continued with him For he shewed diuers testimonies thereof As the honor he did vnto Anaxarchus the Philosopher The fiftie talentes which he sent vnto Xenocrates Dandamis and Calanus of whome he made great account When king Philip made warre with the BIZANTINES Alexander being but sixteene yeare olde was left his Lieutenaunt in MACEDON with the custodie and charge of his great seale at what time he also subdued the MEDARIANS which had rebelled against him and hauing wonne their citie by assault he draue out the barbarous people and made a Colonie of it of sundrie nations and called it ALEXANDROPOLIS to say the citie of Alexander He was with his father at the battell of CHAERONEA against the GRAECIANS where it was reported that it was he that gaue charge first of all apon the holie bande of the THEBANS Furthermore there was an old oke seene in my time which the contry men commonly call Alexanders oke bicause his tent or pauillion was fastned to it and not farre from thence is the charnell house where those MACEDONIANS were buried that were slaine at the battell For these causes his father Philip loued him very deerely and was glad to heare the MACEDONIANS call Alexander king him selfe their Captaine Howbeit the troubles that fell out in his court afterwards by reason of Philippes new mariages and loues bred great quarrell and strife amongest the women for the mischiefe of dissention gealozy of women doth separate the harts of kings one from an other whereof was chiefest cause the sharpenes of Olympias who being a gealous woman fretting and of a reuenging minde did incense Alexander against his father But the chiefest cause that prouoked Alexander was Attalus at the mariage of Cleopatra whom Philip maried a maiden falling in fancie with her when him selfe was past mariage This was the matter Attalus being vncle vnto this Cleopatra fell droncke at the mariage and hauing in his cuppes he perswaded the MACEDONIANS that were at the feast to pray to the goddes that they might haue a lawfull heire of Philippe and Cleopatra to succeede him in the kingdome of MACEDON Alexander being in a rage therewith threwe a cuppe at his head and sayd vnto him why traytor what am I dost thou take me for a bastard Philip seeing that rose from the bourd and drew out his sword but by good fortune for them both being troubled with choller and wine he fell downe on the grounde Then Alexander mockinge him loe sayd he to the MACEDONIANS here is the man that prepared to go out of EVROPE into ASIA and stepping onely from one bedde to an other ye see him layed alongest on the ground After this great insolency he tooke his mother Olympias away with him and carying her into his contrie of EPIRVS he left her there and him selfe afterwards went into ILLYRIA In the meane time Demaratus CORINTHIAN a frend of king Philippes and very familliar with him came to see him Philip when he had curteously welcommed him asked him howe the GRAECIANS did agree together Truely O king quod he it importes you much to inquier of the agreement of the GRAECIANS when your owne court is so full of quarrell contencion These words nipped Philip in such sorte caused him to know his fault that through Demaratus meanes whom he sent to perswade Alexander to returne Alexander was made to come backe againe Now wheÌ Pexodorus a Prince of CARIA desiring for necessities sake to enter in league and frendship with Philip offred his eldest daughter in mariage vnto Aridaeus king Philips sonne had sent Aristocritus Ambassador into MACEDON for that purpose the frends of Alexander his mother began againe to inueigle him with new reports and suspicions how Philip by this great mariage would aduaunce Aridaeus to his vtter vndoing and leaue him his heire in the kingdom Alexander being nettled therwith sent one Thessalus a plaier of tragedies into CARIA to Pexodorus to perswade him to leaue Aridaeus that was a bastard a foole rather to make alliaÌce with Alexander This offer pleased Pexodorus far better to haue Alexander his sonne in law than Aridaeus Philip vnderstanding this went himself into Alexanders chaÌber taking Philotas with him the sonne of Parmenio one of his familliars bitterly tooke vp Alexander telling him that he had a base mind was vnworthy to be left his heire after his death if he would cast himselfe away marying the daughter of a CARIAN that was a slaue subiect of a barbarous king TherupoÌ he wrote letters vnto CORINTH that they should send Thessalus bouÌd vnto him And furthermore he banished out of MACEDON Harpalus Nearchus Phrygius Ptolomy his sonnes companions whom Alexander afterwards called home againe placed them in great authority about him Shortly after Pausanias susteining villany by the counsell and commaundement of Attalus Cleopatra crauing Iustice of Philip and finding no amends he conuerted all his anger against him and for spight slue him him selfe Of this murther most men accused Quene Olympias who as it is reported allured this young man hauing iust cause of anger to kill him And Alexander also went not cleare from suspition of this murther For some say that Pausanias after this villanie was done him complained vnto Alexander and told him how he had bene abused who recited these verses to him of Euripides in the tragedie of Medea where she said in anger that she would be reuenged Both of the bridegroome and the bride And of the father in lavve Notwithstanding afterwardes he caused diligent searche to be made and all them to be seuerely punished that were of the conspiracie and was angrie also that his mother Olympias had cruelly slaine Cleopatra So he came to be king of MACEDON at twenty yeares of age and found his
of riche moueables and of gold and siluer So when he was come to the campe putting of his armor he entred into the bathe and sayed come on lette vs goe and washe of the sweate of the battell in Darius owne bathe Naye replyed one of his familliers againe in Alexanders bathe for the goodes of the vanquished are rightly the vanquishers When he came into the bathe and sawe the basons and yewers the boxes and vyolles for perfumes all of cleane gold excellently wrought all the chamber perfumed passing sweetely that it was like a parradise then going out of his bathe and comming into his tent seeing it so stately and large his bedde the table and supper and all ready in suche sumptuous sort that it was wonderfull he turned him vnto his familliers and did this was a king in deede was he not thinke ye As he was ready to goe to his supper âârd was brought him that they were bringing vnto him amongest other Ladies taken prisoners king Darius mother and his wife and two of his daughters vnmaried who hauing seene his chariot and bowe burst out into lamentable cries and violent beating of them selues thinking Darius had bene slaine Alexander pawsed a good while and gaue no aunswere pittying more their misfortune then reioycing at his owne goodhappe Then he presently sent one Leonatus vnto them to let them vnderstand that Darius was a liue and that they should not neede to be afraid of AlexaÌder for he did not fight with Darius but for his kingdom onlye and as for them that they should haue at his handes all that they had of Darius before when he had his whole kingdome in his handes As these wordes pleased the captiue Ladies so the deedes that followed made them finde his clemencie to be no lesse For first he suffred them to burie as many of the PERSIAN Lordes as they would euen of them that had bene slaine in the battell and to take as much silkes of the spoiles iuells and ornamentes as they thought good to honor their funeralles with also did lessen no parte of their honor nor of the nomber of their officers and seruauntes nor of any iotte of their estate which they had before but did allowe them also greater pencions then they had before But aboue all the princelyest grace and most noble fauor that Alexander shewed vnto these captiue princesses which had alwayes liued in honorable fame and chastitie was this That they neuer heard worde or so much as any suspition that should make them afrayed to be dishonored or deflowred but were priuately among them selues vnuisited or repayred vnto by any man but of their owne not as if they had bene in a campe of their enemies but as if they had bene kept in some close monasterie although Darius wife as it is written was passing faire as Darius also was a goodly prince and that his daughters likewise did resemble their father and mother Alexander thinking it more princely for a kinge as I suppose to conquer him selfe then to ouercome his enemies did neither touche them nor any other maide or wife before he maried them Barsine onely excepted who being left Memnons widow generall of kinge Darius by sea was taken by the citie of DAMAS She being excellently well learned in the Greeke tongue and of good enterteinment being the daughter of Artabazus who came of a kinges daughter Alexander was bolde with her by Parmenioes procurement as Artstobulus writeth who intised him to embrace the companie of so excellent a woman and passing faire besides Furthermore beholding the other PERSIAN Ladies besides which were prisoners what goodly faire women they were he spake it pleasauntly that the Ladies of PERSIA made mens eyes sore to behold them Notwithstanding preferring the beautie of his continencie before their sweete faire faces he passed by without any sparke of affection towardes them more then if they had bene images of stone without life To confirme this Philoxenus whom he had left his lieutenaunt in the lowe contries apon the sea cost wrote vnto him on a time that one Theodorus a marchaunt of TARENTVM had to sell two goodly young boies maruelous faire and therefore that he sent vnto him to knowe his pleasure if he would bye them Therewith he was so offended that many times he cried out alowde O my frendes what villany hath euer Philoxenus seene in me that he should deuise hauing nothing to doe there to purchace me such infamie whereuppon he wrote vnto him from the campe with reprochfull wordes that he should send that vile TARENTIN marchaunt Theodorus and his marchaundise to the Deuill He sharpely punished also one Agnon that wrote vnto him he would bye a young boye called Crobylus who for beautie bare the onely name in CORINTHE and bring hin to him An other time also when he heard that Darius and Timotheus MACEDONIANS vnder Parmenioes charge had deflowred two of the souldiers wiues that were straungers and waged of him he wrote vnto Parmenio to looke vnto it and to examine the matter And if he found them giltie of the rape that then he should put them both to death as brute beastes borne to destroie mankinde And in that letter he wrote thus of him selfe For my selfe said he I haue neither seene nor desired to see Darius wife neither haue I suffred any speach of her beawtie before me Moreouer he saied that he did vnderstand that he was mortall by these two thinges to wit sleepe and lust for from the weakenes of our nature proceedeth sleepe and sensualitie He was also no greedy gutte but temperate in eating as he shewed by many proofes but chiefly in that he saide vnto the princesse Ada whom he adopted for his mother and made her Queene of CARIA For whââ for the loue she bare him she daily sent him sundrie delicate dishes of meate tartes and marchpaines and besides the meate it selfe the pastlers and cookes to make them which were excellent workemen he aunswered that he could not tell what to doe with them for he had better cookes than those appointed him by his gouernour Leonidas to witte for his diner to rise before daye and to marche by night and for his supper to eate litle at diner And my gouernour said he would oftentimes open the chestes where my bedding and apparell lay to see if my mother had put any fine knackes or conceites among them Furthermore he was lesse geuen to wine then men would haue iudged For he was thought to be a greater bibber than he was bycause he sate longe at the bourde rather to talke then drinke For euer when he dranke he would propound some tedious matter and yet but when he was at leysure For hauing matters to doe there was neither feaste bancket plaie mariage not any pastime that could staie him as they had done other captaines The which appeareth plainely by the shortenes of his life and by the wonderfull and notable deedes he
not tell where there came crowes vnto them that did guide them flying before them flying fast when they saw them follow them and stayed for them when they were behind But Callisthenes writeth a greater wonder then this that in the night time with the very noise of the crowes they brought them againe into the right waie which had lost their waie Thus Alexander in th end hauing passed through this wildernes he came vnto the temple he sought for where the prophet or chiefe priest saluted him from the god Hammon as from his father Then Alexander asked him if any of the murtherers that had killed his father were left aliue The priest aunswered him and bad him take heede he did not blaspheme for his father was no mortall man Then Alexander againe rehersing that he had spoken asked him if the murderers that had conspired the death of Philip his father were all punished After that he asked him touching his kingdome if he would graunt him to be king ouer all the world The god aunswered him by the mouth of his prophet he should and that the death of Philip was fully reuenged Then did Alexander offer great presentes vnto the god and gaue money large to the priests ministers of the temple This is that the most parte of writers doe declare touching Alexanders demaund and the oracles geuen him Yet did Alexander him selfe write vnto his mother that he had secret oracles from the god which he would onely impart vnto her at his retorne into MACEDON Others saie also that the prophet meaning to salute him in the Greeke tongue to welcome him the better would haue said vnto him O Paidion as much as deere sonne but that he tripped a litle in his tongue bycause the Greeke was not his naturall tongue and placed an s for an n in the latter ende saying O Pai dios to wit O sonne of Iupiter and that Alexander was glad of that mistaking Whereupon there ranne a rumor straight among his men that Iupiter had called him his sonne It is said also that he heard Psammon the philosopher in EGYPT and that he liked his wordes very well when he saide that god was king of all mortall men For ê he he that commaundeth all things must needes be god But Alexander selfe spake better and like philosopher when he said That god generally was father to all mortall men but that particularly he did elect the best sorte for him selfe To conclude he shewed him selfe more arrogant vnto the barbarous people and made as though he certainly beleued that he had bene begotten of some god but vnto the GRAECIANS he spake more modestly of diuine generation Porin a letter he wrote vnto the ATHENIANS touching the citie of SAMOS he said I gaue ye not that noble free citie but it was geuen you at that time by him whom they called my Lord father meaning Philip. Afterwardes also being striken with an arrow and feeling great paine of it My frendes said he This blood which is spilt is mans blood and not as Homer said No such as from the immortall gods doth flovv And one day also in a maruelous great thunder when euery man was afraid Anaxarcbus the Rethoritian being present said vnto him O thou sonne of Iupiter wilt thou doe as much no said he laughing on him I will no be so fearefull to my frends as thou wouldest haue me disdaining the seruice of fishe to my borde bycause thou seest not princes heades serued in And the report goeth also that Alexander vpon a time sending a litle fishe vnto Hephes ãâ¦ã Anaxarchus should saye as it were in mockery that they which aboue others seeke for ãâ¦ã with great trouble and hazard of life haue either small pleasure in the world or els ãâ¦ã as others haue By these proofes and reasons alleaged we maie thinke that Alexander lead no vaine nor presumptuous opinion of him selfe to thinke that he was otherwise begotten of a god but that he did it in policie to kepe other men vnder obedience by the opinion conceiued of his godhead Retorning out of PHOENICIA into EGYPT he made many sacrifices feastes and precessions in honor of the goddes sondry daunces Tragedies and such like pastimes goodly to behold not onely for the sumptuous serring out of them but also for the good will and diligence of the setters forth of them which striued euery one to exceede the other For the kings of the CYPRIANS were the setters of them forth as at ATHENS they dâaââ by lot a citizen of euery tribe of the people to defraie the changes of these pastimes These kinges were very earnest who should doe best but specially Nicocreon king of SALAMDAâââ CYPRVS and Pasicrates Lord of the citie of SOLES For it fell to their lot to fournish run of the excellentest plaiers Pasicrates fournished Athenodorus and Nicocreon Thessalus whom Alexander loued singulerly well though he made no shew of it vntill that Athenodorus was declared victor by the iudges deputed to geue sentence For when he went from the plaies he told them he did like the iudges opinion well notwithstanding he would haue bene extented to haue geuen the one halfe of his realme not to haue seene Thessalus ouercome Athenodorus being condemned vpon a time by the ATHENIANS bycause he was not in ATHENS at the feastes of Bacchus when the Comedies and Tragedies were plaied and a fine set of his head for his absence he besought AlexaÌder to write vnto them in his behalfe that they would release his penalty Alexander would not so doe but sent thether his money whereof he was condemned and paide it for him of his owne purse Also when Lycon SCALPHIAN an euedlent stage player had pleased Alexander well and did foiste in a verse in his comedy conteining a petition of tenne talents Alexander laughing at it gaue it him Darius at that time wrote vnto Alexander and vnto certen of his frendes also to pray him take tenne thousand tallentes for the raumson of all those prisoners he had in his handes and for all the contrie landes and signories on this side the riuer of Euphrates and one of his daughters also in mariage that from thence forth he might be his kinsman and frend Alexander imparted this to his counsell Amongest them Parmenio said vnto him if I were Alexander ê he surely I would accept this offer So would I in deede ê Alexander againe if I were Parmenio In fine he ãâ¦ã againe vnto Darius that if he would submit him selfe he would vse him courteously if not that then he would presently marche towardes him But he repented him afterwardes when king Darius wife was dead with childe For without dissimulation it greeued him much that he had lost so noble an occasion to shew his courtesie and clemencie This notwithstanding he gaue her body honorable buriall sparing for no cost Amongest the Eunuches of the queenes chamber there was one Tireus taken prisoner among the
GEDROSIA he staied there also certein daies to refresh his army with feasting baÌketing It is said that one day wheÌ he had dronke hard he went to see the games for daunsing amongst theÌ the games which a yong man called Bagoas had set forth with whoÌ Alexander fel in liking bare the bel This Bagoas being in his daunsing garmeÌts 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 nauigatioÌ 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 coÌpasse in all the coasts of ARABIA AFRICKE theÌce into Mare MediterraneuÌ by the straights of the pillers of Hercules To this inteÌt he built a great nuÌber 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 coÌquest of INDIA the daunger he was in wheÌ he fought with the MALLIANS the nuÌber of his meÌ which he lost besides which was very great al these things coÌsidered together making meÌ beleue that he should neuer return with safetie they made all the people which he had coÌquered bold to rise against him gaue his gouernors Lieuetenants of prouinces occasion to coÌmit great insoleÌcies robberies exactioÌs of people To be short it put al his kingdom in broile sedition Insomuch as Olympias Cleopatra rising against Antipater they deuided his gouernmeÌt betwene theÌ Olympias chosing for her the kingdoÌ of EPIRVS Cleopatra the kingdoÌ of MACEDON Which wheÌ Alexander had heard he said his mother was the wisest for the realme of MACEDON would neuer haue suffred a womaÌ to raigne theÌ Therupon he sene Nearchus back again to the sea determining to fil all the sea coasts with warre As he trauelled through the coÌtries farre froÌ 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 haÌd roÌning him thorow with a pike And wheÌ Abulites self also had brought AlexaÌder iij thowsaÌd taleÌts only without any other prouisioÌ 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 prouisioÌ therwithal immediatly coÌmitted him to prisoÌ As he came through the coÌtry of PERSIA he first renued the old custoÌ there which was that as often times as the kings did return home froÌ any far iorney they gaue vnto euery womaÌ 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 coÌtry that Ochus amoÌgst others did not so much as once returne back again willingly banishing him self out of his coÌtry of niggardlines because he would not be at this charg After that Cyrus tomb king of PERSIA being touÌd brokeÌ 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 WheÌ he had red the inscriptioÌ writteÌ apoÌ it in the Persian toÌgue he would needes also haue it writteÌ in the Greeke toÌgue this it was O maÌ vvhat so thou art vvheÌcesoeuer thou coÌmest 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 wheÌ he coÌsidered 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 theÌ 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 theÌselues 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 coÌmonly 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 theÌ as Chares writeth one forty persons of an extreme cold that tooke theÌ 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 coÌmon mariages amongst the MACEDONIANS of theÌ that had ben maried before At which feast it is writteÌ 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 woÌderful 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 maÌ in the warrs For wheÌ he was but a yong man he was shot into the eye before the city of
persons at this battel After this exployte Caesar left his armie amongest the SEQVANES to winter there he him selfe in the meane time thinking of th affayres at ROME went ouer the mountaines into GAVLE about the riuer of Po being parte of his prouince which he had in charge For there the riuer called Rubico deuideth the rest of ITALIE from GAVLE on this side the Alpes Caesar lying there did practise to make frendes in ROME bicause many came thither to see him vnto whom he graunted their sutes they demaunded and sent them home also partely with liberall rewards and partely with large promises and hope Now during all this conquest of the GAVLES Pompey did not consider how Caesar enterchaungeablie did conquer the GAVLES with the weapons of the ROMANES and wanne the ROMANES againe with the money of the GAVLES Caesar being aduertised that the BELGAE which were the warlikest men of all the GAVLES and that occupied the third parte of GAVLE were all vp in armes and had raised a great power of men together he straight made towardes them with all possible speede and founde them spoyling and ouerrunninge the contrie of the GAVLES their neighbours and confederates of the ROMANES So he gaue them battell and they fighting cowardly he ouerthrew the most parte of them which were in a troupe together slue such a number of them that the ROMANES passed ouer deepe riuers and lakes a foote vpon their dead bodies the riuers were so full of them After this ouerthrow they that dwelt neerest vnto the sea side and were next neighbours vnto the Ocean did yeeld them selues without any compulsion or fight whereupon he led his army against the NERVIANS the slowtest warriers of all the BELGAE They dwelling in the woode contrie had conueyed their wiues children and goods into a maruelous great forrest as farre from their enemies as they could and being about the number of sixe score thowsand fighting men and more they came one day and set apon Caesar when his armie was out of order and fortifying of his campe litle looking to haue fought that day At the first charge they brake the horsemen of the ROMANES and compassing in the twelfth seuenth legion they slue all the Centurions Captaines of the bands And had not Caesar selfe taken his shield on his arme and flying in amongest the barbarous people made a lane through them that fought before him the tenth legion also seeing him in daunger ronne vnto him from the toppe of the hill where they stoode in battell and broken the ranckes of their enemies there had not a ROMANE escaped a liue that day But taking example of Caesars valliantnes they fought desperatly beyond their power and yet could not make the NERVIANS flie but they fought it out to the death till they were all in manner slaine in the field It is wrytten that of three skore thowsand fighting men there escaped only but fiue hundred and of foure hundred gentlemen and counsellers of the ROMANES but three saued The Senate vnderstanding it at ROME ordeined that they shoulde doe sacrifice vnto the goddes and keepe feastes and solemne processions fifteene dayes together without intermission hauing neuer made the like ordinaunce at ROME for any victorie that euer was obteined Bicause they saw the daunger had bene maruelous great so many nations rising as they did in armes together against him and further the loue of the people vnto him made his victory much more famous For when Caesar had set his affaires at a stay in GAVLE on the other side of the Alpes he alwayes vsed to lye about the riuer of Po in the winter time to geue direction for the establishing of thinges at ROME at his pleasure For not only they that made sure for offices at ROME were chosen Magistrate by meanes of Caesars money which he gaue them with the which bribing the people they bought their voyces and when they were in office did al that they could to increase Caesars power and greatnes but the greatest chiefest men also of the noblitie went vnto LVKE vnto him As Pompey Crassus Appius Praetor of SARDINIA and Nepos Proconsull in SPAYNE Insomuch that there were at one time sixe score sergeaunts carying roddes and axes before the Magistrats and aboue two hundred Senators besides There they fell in consultacion and determined that Pompey Crassus should againe be chosen Consuls the next yere following Furthermore they did appoint that Caesar should haue money againe deliuered him to pay his armie and besides did proroge the time of his gouernment fiue yeares further This was thought a very straunge an vnreasonable matter vnto wise men For they theÌ selues that had taken so much money of Caesar perswaded the Senate to let him haue money of the coÌmon treasure as though he had had none before yea to speake more plainly they compelled the Senate vnto it sighing lameÌting to see the decrees they passed Cato was not there then for they had purposely sent him before into CYPRVS Howbeit Faonius that followed Catoes steppes when he sawe that he could not preuaile not withstande them he went out of the Senate in choller and cried out amongest the people that it was a horrible shame But no man did hearken to him some for the reuerence they bare vnto Pompey and Crassus and others fauoring Caesars proceedinges did put all their hope and trust in him and therefore did quiet them selues and sturred not Then Caesar returning into GAVLE beyonde the Alpes vnto his armie founde there a greate warre in the contrie For two great nations of GERMANIE had not long before passed ouer the riuer of Rheyn to conquer newe landes and the one of these people were called IPES and the other TENTERIDES Now touching the battell which Caesar fought with them he him selfe doth describe it in his commentaries in this sorte That the barbarous people hauing sent Ambassadours vnto him to require peace for a certaine time they notwithstanding against lawe of armes came and sette apon him as he trauelled by the way insomuch as eight hundred of their men of armes ouerthrewe fiue thowsande of his horsemen who nothinge at all mistrusted their comming Againe that they sent him other Ambassadours to mocke him once more but that he kept them and therewith caused his whole armie to marche against them thinklng it a follie and madnesse to keepe saith with such trayterous barbarous breakers of leagues Canutius wryteth that the Senate appointing againe to doe newe sacrifice processions and feastes to geue thankes to the goddes for this victorie Cato was of contrarie opinion that Caesar should be deliuered into the handes of the barbarous people for to pourge their city and common wealth of this breache of faith and to turne the curse apon him that was the author of it Of these barbarous people which came ouer the Rheyn being about the number of foure hundred thowsand persons they
went forthwith to set apon the campe of Afranius the which he tooke at the first onset and the campe of the NVMIDIANS also king Iuba being fled Thus in a litle peece of the day only he tooke three campes slue fifty thowsand of his enemies and lost but fifty of his souldiers In this sorte is set downe theffect of this battell by some wryters Yet others doe wryte also that Caesar selfe was not there in person at th execution of this battel For as he did set his men in battell ray the falling sickenesse tooke him whereunto he was geuen and therefore feeling it comming before he was ouercome withall he was caried into a castell not farre from thence where the battell was sought and there tooke his rest till th extremity of his disease had left him Now for the Praetors Consulls that scaped from this battell many of them being taken prisoners did kill them selues and others also Caesar did put to death but he being specially desirous of all men else to haue Cato aliue in his hands he went with all possible speede vnto the citie of VTICA whereof Cato was Gouernor by meanes whereof he was not at the battell Notwithstanding being certified by the way that Cato had flaine him selfe with his owne handes he then made open shew that he was very sory for it but why or wherfore no man could tell But this is true that Caesar sayd at that present time O Cato I enuy thy death bicause thou diddest enuy my glory to saue thy life This notwithstanding the booke that he wrote afterwardes against Cato being dead did shew no very great affection nor pitiefull hart towardes him For how could he haue pardoned him if liuing he had had him in his handes that being dead did speake so vehemently against him Notwithstanding men suppose he would haue pardoned him if he had taken him aliue by the clemencie he shewed vnto Cicero Brutus and diuers others that had borne armes against him Some reporte that he wrote that booke not so much for any priuate malice he had to his death as for a ciuil ambition apon this occasion Cicero had written a booke in praise of Cato which he intituled Cato This booke in likely hoode was very well liked of by reason of the eloquence of the Orator that made it and of the excellent subiect thereof Caesar therewith was maruelously offended thinking that to praise him of whose death he was author was euen as much as to accuse him self therfore he wrote a letter against him heaped vp a number of accusations against Cato and intituled the booke Anticaton Both these bookes haue fauoâers vnto this day some defending the one for the loue they bare to Caesar. and others allowing the other for Catoes sake Caesar being now returned out of AFRICKE first of all made an oration to the people wherein he greatly praised and commended this his last victorie declaring vnto them that he had conquered so many contries vnto the Empire of ROME that he coulde furnishe the common wealth yearely with two hundred thowsande busshells of wheate twenty hundred thowsand pound weight of oyle Then he made three triumphes the one for AEGYPT the other for the kingdom of PONTE and the third for AFRICKE not bicause he had ouercome Scipio there but king Iuba Whose sonne being likewise called Iuba being then a young boy was led captiue in the showe of this triumphe But this his imprisonment fel out happily for him for where he was but a barbarous NVMIDIAN by the study he fell vnto when he was prisoner he came afterwards to be reckoned one of the wisest historiographers of the GRAECIANS After these three triumphes ended he very liberally rewarded his souldiers and to curry fauor with the people he made great feasts common sportes For he feasted all the ROMANES at one time at two and twenty thowsand tables and gaue them the pleasure to see diuers sword players to fight at the sharpe and battells also by sea for the remembraunce of his daughter Iulia which was dead long afore Then after all these sportes he made the people as the manner was to be mustered and where there were at the last musters before three hundred and twenty thowsande citizens at this muster only there were but a hundred and fifty thowsand Such misery and destruction had this ciuill warre brought vnto the common wealth of ROME and had consumed such a number of ROMANES not speaking at all of the mischieues and calamities it had brought vnto all the rest of ITALIE and to the other prouinces pertaining to ROME After all these thinges were ended he was chosen Consul the fourth time and went into SPAYNE to make warre with the sonnes of Pompey who were yet but very young but had notwithstanding raised a maruelous great army together and shewed to haue had manhoode and corage worthie to commaunde such an armie insomuch as they put Caesar him selfe in great daunger of his life The greatest battell that was fought betwene them in all this warre was by the citie of MVNDA For then Caesar seeing his men sorely distressed and hauing their hands full of their enemies he ranne into the prease among his men that fought and cried out vnto them what are ye not ashamed to be beaten and taken prisoners yeelding your selues with your owne handes to these young boyes And so with all the force he could make hauing with much a doe put his enemies to flight he slue aboue thirty thowsand of them in the fielde and lost of his owne men a thowsand of the best he had After this battell he went into his tent and told his frends that he had often before fought for victory but this last time now that he had fought for the safety of his owne life He wanne this battell on the very feast day of the BACCHANALIANS in the which men say that Pompey the great went out of ROME about foure yeares before to beginne this ciuill warre For his sonnes the younger scaped from the battell but within few dayes after Diddius brought the heade of the elder This was the last warre that Caesar made But the triumphe he made into ROME for the same did as much offend the ROMANES and more then any thing that euer he had done before bicause he had not ouercome Captaines that were straungers nor barbarous kinges but had destroyed the sonnes of the noblest man in ROME whom fortune had ouerthrowen And bicause he had plucked vp his race by the rootes men did not thinke it meete for him to triumphe so for the calamities of his contrie reioycing at a thing for the which he had but one excuse to alleage in his defence vnto the gods and men that he was compelled to doe that he did And the rather they thought it not meete bicause he had neuer before sent letters nor messengers vnto the common wealth
and wished Brutus only their Prince and Gouernour aboue all other they durst not come to him them selues to tell him what they woulde haue him to doe but in the night did cast sundrie papers into the Praetors seate where he gaue audience and the most of them to this effect Thou sleepest Brutus and art not Brutus in deede Cassius finding Brutus ambition slurred vp the more by these seditious billes did pricke him forwarde and egge him on the more for a priuate quarrell he had conceiued against Caesar the circumstance whereof we haue sette downe more at large in Brutus life Caesar also had Cassius in great gelouzie and suspected him much whereuppon he sayed on a time to his frendes what will Cassius doe thinke ye I like not his pale lookes An other time when Caesars frendes complained vnto him of Antonius and Dolabella that they pretended some mischiefe towardes him he aunswered them againe as for those fatte men and smooth comed heades q he I neuer reckon of them but these pale visaged and carian leane people I feare them most meaning Brutus and Cassius Certainly destenie may easier be foreseene then auoyded considering the straunge wonderfull signes that were sayd to be seene before Caesars death For touching the fires in the element and spirites running vp and downe in the night and also these solitarie birdes to be seene at noone dayes sittinge in the great market place are not all these signes perhappes worth the noting in such a wonderfull chaunce as happened But Strabo the Philosopher wryteth that diuers men were seene going vp and downe in fire and furthermore that there was a slaue of the souldiers that did cast a maruelous burning flame out of his hande insomuch as they that saw it thought he had bene burnt but when the fire was out it was found he had no hurt Caesar selfe also doing sacrifice vnto the goddes found that one of the beastes which was sacrificed had no hart and that was a straunge thing in nature how a beast could liue without a hart Furthermore there was a certaine Soothsayer that had geuen Caesar warning long time affore to take heede of the day of the Ides of Marche which is the fifteenth of the moneth for on that day he shoulde be in great daunger That day beng come Caesar going vnto the Senate house and speaking merily to the Soothsayer tolde him the Ides of Marche he come so be they softly aunswered the Soothsayer but yet are they not past And the very day before Caesar supping with Marcus Lepidus sealed certaine letters as he was wont to do at the bord so talke falling out amongest them reasoning what death was best he preuenting their opinions cried out alowde death vnlooked for Then going to bedde the same night as his manner was and lying with his wife Calpurnia all the windowes and dores of his chamber flying open the noyse awooke him and made him affrayed when he saw such lights but more when he heard his wife Calpurnia being fast a sleepe weepe and sigh and put forth many fumbling lamentable speaches For she dreamed that Caesar was slaine and that she had him in her armes Others also doe denie that she had any suche dreame as amongest other Titus Liuius wryteth that it was in this sorte The Senate hauing set vpon the toppe of Caesars house for an ornament and setting foorth of the same a certaine pinnacle Calpurnia dreamed that she sawe it broken downe and that she thought she lamented and wepe for it Insomuch that Caesar rising in the morning she prayed him if it were possible not to goe out of the dores that day but to adiorne the session of the Senate vntill an other day And if that he made no reckoning of her dreame yet that he woulde searche further of the Soothsayers by their sacrifices to knowe what should happen him that day Thereby it seemed that Caesar likewise did feare and suspect somewhat bicause his wife Calpurnia vntill that time was neuer geuen to any feare or supersticion and then for that he saw her so troubled in minde with this dreame she had But much more afterwardes when the Soothsayers hauing sacrificed many beastes one after an other tolde him that none did like them then he determined to sende Antonius to adiorne the session of the Senate But in the meane time came Decius Brutus surnamed Albinus in whom Caesar put such confidence that in his last will and testament be had appointed him to be his next heire and yet was of the conspiracie with Cassius and Brutus he fearing that if Caesar did adiorne the session that day the conspiracie woulde out laughed the Soothsayers to scorne and reproued Caesar saying that he gaue the Senate occasion to mislike with him and that they might thinke he mocked them considering that by his commaundement they were assembled and that they were readie willingly to graunt him all thinges and to proclaime him king of all the prouinces of the Empire of ROME out of ITALIE and that he should weare his Diadeame in all other places both by sea and land And furthermore that if any man should tell them from him they should departe for that present time and returne againe when Calpurnia shoulde haue better dreames what would his enemies and ill willers say and how could they like of his frendes wordes And who could perswade them otherwise but that they would thinke his dominion a slauerie vnto them and tirannicall in him selfe And yet if it be so sayd he that you vtterly mislike of this day it is better that you goe your selfe in person and saluting the Senate to dismisse them till an other time Therewithall he tooke Caesar by the hand and brought him out of his house Caesar was not gone farre from his house but a bondman a straunger did what he could to speake with him and when he sawe he was put backe by the great prease and multitude of people that followed him he went straight vnto his house and put him selfe into Calpurnides handes to be kept till Caesar came backe againe telling her that he had great matters to imparte vnto him And one Artemidorus also borne in the I le of GNIDOS a Doctor of Rethoricke in the Greeke tongue who by meanes of his profession was verie familliar with certaine of Brutus confederates and therefore knew the most parte of all their practises against Caesar came brought him a litle bill wrytten with his owne hand of all that he ment to tell him He marking howe Caesar receiued all the supplications that were offered him and that he gaue them straight to his men that were about him pressed neerer to him and sayed Caesar reade this memoriall to your selfe and that quickely for they be matters of great waight and touche you neérelyâ Caesar tooke it of him but coulde neuer reade it though he many times attempted it for the number of people that did salute him but
tooke the firebrandes and went vnto their houses that had slaine Caesar to set them a fire Other also ranne vp and downe the citie to see if they could meete with any of them to cut them in peeces howbeit they could meete with neuer a man of them bicause they had locked them selues vp safely in their houses There was one of Caesars frends called Cinna that had a maruelous straunge terrible dreame the night before He dreamed that Caesar bad him to supper that he refused and would not goe then that Caesar tooke him by the hand and led him against his will. Now Cinna hearing at that time that they burnt Caesars body in the market place notwithstanding that he feared his dreame and had an agew on him besides he went into the market place to honor his funeralls When he came thither one of the meane sorte asked what his name was He was straight called by his name The first man told it to an other and that other vnto an other so that it ranne straight through them all that he was one of them that murdered Caesar for in deede one of the traitors to Caesar was also called Cinna as him selfe wherefore taking him for Cinna the murderer they fell vpon him with such furie that they presently dispatched him in the market place This sturre and furie made Brutus and Cassius more affrayed then of all that was past and therefore within fewe dayes after they departed out of ROME and touching their doings afterwards and what calamity they suffered till their deathes we haue wrytten it at large in the life of Brutus Caesar dyed at six and fifty yeres of age and Pompey also liued not passing foure yeares more then he So he reaped no other frute of all his raigne dominion which he had so vehemently desired all his life and pursued with such extreame daunger but a vaine name only and a superficiall glory that procured him the enuy and hatred of his contrie But his great prosperitie and good fortune that fauored him all his lfe time did continue afterwards in the reuenge of his death pursuing the murtherers both by sea land till they had not left a man more to be executed of al them that were actors or counsellers in the conspiracy of his death Furthermore of all the chaunces that happen vnto men vpon the earth that which came to Cassius aboue all other is most to be wondred at For he being ouercome in battell at the iorney of Philippes slue him selfe with the same sworde with the which he strake Caesar. Againe of signes in the element the great comet which seuen nightes together was seene very bright after Caesars death the eight night after was neuer seene more Also the brightnes of the sunne was darkened the which all that yeare through rose very pale and shined not out whereby it gaue but small heate therefore the ayer being very clowdy darke by the weakenes of the heate that could not come foorth did cause the earth to bring foorth but raw and vnrype frute which rotted before it could rype But aboue all the ghost that appeared vnto Brutus shewed plainly that the goddes were offended with the murther of Caesar. The vision was thus Brutus being ready to passe ouer his army from the citie of ABVDOâ to the other coast lying directly against it slept euery night as his manner was in his tent and being yet awake thinking of his affaires for by reporte he was as carefull a Captaine and liued with as litle sleepe as euer man did he thought he heard a noyse at his tent dore looking towards the light of the lampe that waxed very dimme he saw a horrible vision of a man of a wonderfull greatnes and dreadfull looke which at the first made him maruelously afraid But when he sawe that it did him no hurt but stoode by his bedde side and sayd nothing at length he asked him what he was The image aunswered him I am thy ill angell Brutus and thou shalt see me by the citie of PHILIPPES Then Brutus replied againe and sayd well I shall see thee then Therewithall the spirit presently vanished from him After that time Brutus being in battell neere vnto the citie of PHILIPPES against Antonius and Octauius Caesar at the first battell he wan the victorie and ouerthrowing all them that withstoode him he draue them into young Caesars campe which he tooke The second battell being at hand this spirit appeared again vnto him but spake neuer a word Thereuppon Brutus knowing he should dye did put him selfe to all hazard in battell but yet fighting could not be slaine So seeing his men put to flight and ouerthrowen he ranne vnto a litle rocke not farre of and there setting his swordes point to his brest fell vpon it and slue him selfe but yet as it is reported with the helpe of his frend that dispatched him The end of Caesars life THE LIFE OF Phocion THe Orator Demades on a time florished in ATHENS bicause in all his doings and sayings in the administration and gouernment of the comcom wealth he alwayes fauored the MACEDONIANS and Antipater in respect whereof he was est soones compelled both in his counsell and lawes to preferre many things to the dishonor of his city saying that they must pardon him bicause he gouerned the shippewrackes of his contrie This was an arrogant speache but yet referring it to the gouernment of Phocion he sayd truely For in deede Demades selfe was the shippewracke of the common weale bicause he liued so insolently and gouerned so lewdly Insomuch as Antipater sayd of him after he was very old that there was nothing left of him no more then of a beast sacrificed but the tongue and belly But the vertues of Phocion which had to fight against the cruell and bitter enemy of the time were so obscured by the calamities of GRAECE that his fame was nothing so great as he deserued For we must not credit Sophocles words making vertue of it selfe but weake in these verses VVhen stormes of sore aduersities ò king doe men assaile It dauntes their corage cuts their combs and makes their harts to quaile But we must onely geue place to fortune who when she frowneth vppon any good and vertuous men her force is so great that where they deserue honor and fauor she violently heapeth false malicious accusations against them which maketh their vertue same not of that credit which in dede it deserueth And yet it seemeth to many that free cities are most cruel vnto their good citizens in time of prosperity bicause they flow in wealth liue at ease which maketh them of hauty mindes But it is cleane contrary For aduersity commonly maketh mens maners sower chollericke and very hasty besides slow to heare churlish and offended with euery litle sharpe word For he that correcteth them that offend seemeth to cast their
the GRAECIANS which was the losse of their libertie For not many yeares before there was brought an oracle from DODONE vnto ATHENS that they shoulde looke well to the rockes of Diana that straungers shoulde not possesse them And about that tyme also the couerings with the which they doe adorne the holy beddes of the mysteries beeing wette with water became from a purple culler which they had before to looke yellowe and pale as it had beene the couering of a deade bodie Yea and that which was moste to bee wondered at of all other was this that taking other couerings which were not holy and putting them in the same water they did without chaunging keepe their culler they had before When one of the Ministers of the temple also did washe a litle pygge in the sea in a cleane place by the wharfe there sodainely came a greate fishe that bytte at it and caryed the hinder partes of the pygge cleane awaye with it Whereby men coniectured that the goddes did signifie vnto them that they should lose the lowest parte of their citie nearest to the sea and should keepe the highest partes thereof This notwithstanding the garrison did not offend nor trouble the ATHENIANS bicause of the honestie of their Captaine Menyllus Now there were aboue twelue thowsand Citizens that for their pouertie lost the benefit of their freedome of the which parte of them remayned at ATHENS vnto whome it seemed they offered great wronge and iniurie and parte of them also went into THRACIA where Antipater assigned them townes and landes to inhabite They seemed to be men like vnto them that had beene taken by assaulte or by seege within a citie which had beene compelled to forsake their contrie Furthermore the shamefull death of Demosthenes in the I le of CAIAVRIA and of HYPERIDES by the citie of CLEONES whereof we haue written heretofore were almost occasion giuen them to lament the tymes of the raigne of king Philip and Alexander As it is reported that when Antigonus was slayne they that had ouercomen him were so cruell vnto their subiectes that a laborer in the contrie of PHRYGIA digging the earthe beeing asked what he sought for aunswered sighing I seeke for Antigonus Then many men beganne to say as much when they remembred the noble mindes of those two great Princes howe mercifull they were to pardon in their anger forgetting their displeasure not like Antipater who craftily cloked his tyrannicall power which he vsurped by beeing famillier going simplely apparelled and faring meanely and yet showed him selfe notwithstanding a more cruell Lorde and tyrant vnto them whome he had ouercome Neuertheles Phocion obtayned of him the restoring agayne of diuers men whome he had banished and those whome he coulde not gette to bee restored yet he procured that they shoulde not be banished into so farre contries as others which had beene sent beyonde the Mountaines Acroceraunians and the head of Taenarus out of GRAECE but that they had libertie to remayne within the contrie of PELOPONNESVS amonge the which was one Agnonides a Sycophant and false accuser Furthermore he gouerned them that remayned in ATHENS with great iustice and lenitie and such as he knewe to be good men and quiet them he alwayes preferred to some office but such as he sawe were fantastyke people and desirous of chaunge he kept them from office and tooke all occasion from them so that they vanished awaye of them selues and learned in tyme to loue the contrye and to followe tillage When he sawe Xenocrates also paye a certeine pension or tribute to the common wealth which all straungers dwelling in ATHENS did vse yearely to paye he woulde haue made him a free man and offered to put his name amongest the number of free Citizens But Xenocrates refused it saying he woulde haue no parte of that freedome for the hinderance whereof he had beene sent Ambassador And when Menyllus had sent Phocion money he made him aunswer that Menyllus was no greater Lorde then Alexander had beene neyther had he at that tyme any greater occasion to receyue his present then when he had refused King Alexanders gyfte Menyllus replying agayne sayde that if he had no neede of it for him selfe yet he might let his sonne Phocus haue it But Phocion aunswered if my sonne Phocus will leaue his naughtye lyfe and become an honest man that which I will leaue him shall serue his turne very well but if it bee so that he will still holde on the course he hath taken there is no riches then that can suffice him An other tyme also he aunswered Antipater more rowndely when he woulde haue had him done an vnhonest thinge Antipater sayde he can not haue me his friende and flatterer both Antipater selfe was wont to saye that he had two friendes in ATHENS Phocion and Demades of the which he coulde neuer make the one to take any thinge of him and the other he coulde neuer satisfie him And truely Phocions pouertye was a greate glorye of his vertue sythe he was growen olde continuing in the same after he had beene so many tymes generall of the ATHENIANS and had receyued suche friendshippe and curtesie of so many Kinges and Princes Where Demades to the contrarye delighted to shewe his riches in thinges that were contrarye to the lawes of the citie For a decree beeing made at ATHENS commaunding that no straunger vppon forfeyture of a thowsand Drachmas to bee payed by the defrayer of the daunces to the citie shoulde bee any of the Dauncers that daunced at any common playes or sportes Demades one daye making certeyne games and sportes at his owne charges brought a hundred Dauncers of straungers at one tyme and withall brought also a hundred thowsand Drachmas to paye the forfeyture thereof Another tyme when he maryed his sonne Demas he sayde vnto him sonne when I maryed thy mother there was so small roste that my next neyghbour knewe not of it where nowe at thy maryage Kinges and Princes are at the charge of the feaste Furthermore when the ATHENIANS were importunate with Phocion to goe to Antipater to intreate him to take his garrison out of their citie he still refused the ambassade eyther bycause he had no hope to obtayne it or for that he sawe the people more obedient vnto reason for feare of the garrison Howebeit he obtayned of Antipater that he shoulde not bee too hastye in demaundinge of his money but shoulde deferre it tyll a further tyme So the ATHENIANS perceiuing they could doe no good with Phocion they intreated Demades who willingly tooke the matter vpon him and went with his sonne into MACEDON whether doubtles his destinie caried him to his vtter destruction euen at that very time when Antipater was fallen sicke of a dissease whereof he dyed Whereby the affayres of the Realme went through the handes of Cassander his sonne who had intercepted a letter of this Demades which he had sent vnto Antigonus in ASIA
by Cato then Cato by him He had fiftene slaues with him two free men foure of his frends which rode he himselfe went a foote somtime talking with one otherwhile with an other as he went When he came to the campe where there were many legions of the ROMANES the Praetor immediatly gaue him charge of one of them who thinking it smal honor to him for himselfe only to be valliant sith he was but one man he practised to make all his souldiers vnder him like vnto himselfe The which he did not by feare terror but by lenitie gentle perswasion training instructing theÌ in euery point what they should doe adding to his gentle instruction and perswasions reward to those that did well and punishement to them that offended Whereby it was hard to iudge whether he had made them more quiet then warlicke more valliant then iust So dreadfull they shewed them selues to their enemies and curteous to their frendes fearefull to doe euill and readie to winne honor Whereof followed that which Cato least accounted of that is he wanne fame and good will for his souldiers did greatly honor and loue him because he him selfe would euer first set his hande to any thing he commaunded them and bicause also both in his diet in his apparrell and in any iorney or paines he was rather like vnto the meanest souldier then any of the other Captaines In contrarie maner also in good nature noble corage and eloquence he farre exceded all the other Colonells and Captaines For the true loue of vertue to wit the desire to followe it taketh no roote in mens mindes onlesse they haue a singular loue and reuerence vnto the person whome they desire to followe When Cato vnderstoode that Athenodorus surnamed Cordylion a Stoicke Philosopher excellently well learned dwelt at that time in the city of PERGAMVM being a very old man and one that stiffely refused the frendship of kings Princes and noble men desirous to haue him about them to write to him he thought it was but lost labor Wherefore hauing two moneths liberty by the lawes of the ROMANES to followe his owne affaires he tooke sea and went into ASIA to him hoping he should not lose his iorney for the great vertues he knew in him So when he had spoken with him and talked of diuers matters together at length he brought him from his first determination and caried him to the campe with him esteeming this victorie more then all the conquestes of Lucullus or Pompey who had conquered the most parte of all the prouinces and realmes of the East partes of the world In the meane time whilest he lay at his charge in the campe being Colonell of a thowsand footemen his brother preparing to go into ASIA fell sicke in the citie of AENVS in the contrie of THRACIA Cato hauing speedie intelligence thereof tooke sea presently when it was maruelous rough and boysterous and imbarked in a litle crayer of a marchaunts of THESSALIE with two of his frends and three bondmen only and did scape drowning very narrowly and yet by good fortune arriued safely a litle after his brother Capioes death He tooke his death more sorowfully then became a Philosopher not onely mourning and lamenting for him imbracing the deade corse of his brother but also for the exceding charge and sumptuous funerals which he bestowed vpon him in perfumes sweete sauors and sumptuous silkes that were burnt with his bodie and furthermore in the stately tombe of THRACIAN marble which he made for him and set vp in the market place of the AENIANS that cost eight talents Some did mislike this vaine charge that Cato bestowed considering the modestie and temperance he vsed in all things else not regarding with iudgement his tender loue and affection towards his kinsemen which was mingled in him with his seuerity and hardnes against all voluptuousnes feare and shamelesse requests Diuers cities Princes and noble men sent him many sundrie presents to honor the funeralls of his brother Capio howbeit he tooke no money of all them sauing only spyces and sweeete sauors such other ornamentes as honored the obsequies of the dead and yet payed for them vnto those that brought them as much as they were worth Furthermore in the land that fell vnto him and a litle daughter of his by the death of his brother notwithstanding the charge he had bene at in his funeralls he did not reckon it in the particion of the land betwext him and his brother Capioes daughter All the which things when they were solemnised some write notwithstanding that he did clense the imbers whre his brothers body had bene burnt through a sieue or riddell where through they clense corne all to get out the gold siluer that was molten there But suche thinke that their wrytinges should be as farre from controlement as their doings So when Catoes time of his charge was expired they did accompany him at his departure not only with ordinary praises vowes and prayers to the goddes for his health but with imbracings teares and maruelous lamentations of the souldiers which spred their garments on the ground as he went and kissing of his hands which honor the ROMANES did but to verie fewe of their Generalls Furthermore Cato being determined before he returned to ROME to deale in the affaires there to go and see ASIA partely to be an eye witnes of the maners customes and power of euery prouince as he went and partely also to satisfie king Deiotarus request who hauing bene his fathers frend had earnestly intreated him to come and see him he went the iorney and vsed it in this sorte First by peepe of day he sent his baker and cooke before where he ment to lye that night They comming soberly into the city or village inquiered if there were none of Catoes frends and acquaintance there and if they found none then they prepared his supper in an Inne and troubled no man but if there were no Inne then they went to the Gouernors of the towne and prayed them to helpe them to lodging and did content them selues with the first that was offered them Oftentimes the townes men did not beleue they were Catoes men and made no accompt of them bicause they tooke all things so quietly made no a do with the officers Insomuch as Cato somtime came himselfe found nothing ready for him when he was come they made as small account of him seeing him set apon his cariages and speake neuer a word for they tooke him for some meane man and a timerous person Notwithstanding sometime he called them vnto him and tolde them O poore men learne to be more curteous to receiue trauelling ROMANES that passe by you and looke not alwayes to haue Catoes to come vnto you and therefore see that you vse them with such curtesie entertainment that they may bridle the authority they haue ouer you
ouertooke him apon the wodden bridge where two of his frends that were with him stayed to defende him against his followers and bad him in the meane time make shift for him selfe whilest they fought with them apon the bridge and so they did and kept them that not a man got the bridge of them vntill they were both slaine Nowe there was none that fled with Caius but one of his men called Philocrates notwithstanding euerie man did still encorage and counsell him as they do men to winne a game but no man would helpe him nor offer him any horse though he often required it bicause he sawe his enemies so neere vnto him This notwithstanding by their defence that were slaine apon the bridge he got ground on them so that he had leasure to crepe into a litle groue of wodde which was consecrated to the furics There his seruaunt Philocrates slue him and then slue him selfe also and fell dead vpon him Other write notwithstanding that both the maister seruaunt were ouertaken and taken aliue and that his seruaunt did so straight imbrace his maister that none of the enemies could strike him for all the blowes they gaue before he was slaine him selfe So one of the murderers strake of Caius Gracchus head to carie to the Consul Howbeit one of Opimius frendes called Septimuleius tooke the head from the other by the way bicause proclamacion was made before they fought by trompet that whosoeuer brought the heades of Fuluius and Caius they should be payed the weight of them in gold Wherefore this Septimuleius caried Caius head vpon the toppe of his speare vnto Opimius whereuppon the skales being brought to wey it it was found that it weyed seuenteene pounde weight and two third partes of a pound bicause Septimuleius besides the horrible murder he had committed had also holpen it with this villanie that he had taken out his braine and in liew thereof had filled his scull with lead Now the other also that brought Fuluius head bicause they were poore men they had nothing The bodies of these two men Caius Gracchus and Fuluius and of other their followers which were to the number of three thowsand that were slaine were all throwen into the riuer their goods confiscate and their widowes forbidden to mourne for their death Furthermore they tooke from Licinia Caius wife her ioynter but yet they delt more cruelly and beastly with the young boy Fuluius sonne who had neither lift vp his hand against them nor was in the fight among them but only came to theÌ to make peace before they fought whom they kept as prisoner and after the battell ended they put him to death But yet that which most of all other grieued the people was the temple of concorde the which Opimius caused to be built for it appeared that he boasted and in maner triumphed that he had slaine so many citizens to ROME And therefore there were that in the night wrote vnder the inscription of the temple these verses A furious fact and full of beastly shame This temple built that beareth concordes name This Opimius was the first man at ROME that being Consul vsurped the absolute power of the Dictator and that without law or iustice condemned three thowsand citizens of ROME besides Fuluius Flaccus who had also bene Consul and had receiued the honor of triumphe and Caius Gracchus a young man in like case who in vertue reputacion excelled all the men of his yeares This notwithstanding coulde not keepe Opimius from theuerie and extorcion For when he was sent Ambassador vnto Iugurthe king of NVMIDIA he was bribed with money therupon being accused he was most shamefully conuicted and condemned Wherefore he ended his dayes with this reproch and infamy hated and mocked of all the people bicause at the time of the ouerthrow he delt beastly with them that fought for his quarrell But shortly after it appeared to the world how much they lamented the losse of the two brethren of the Gracchi For they made images and statues of them and caused them to be set vp in an open and honorable place consecrating the places where they had bene slaine and many of them also came and offred to them of their first frutes and flowers according to the time of the yere went thither to make their prayers on their knees as vnto the temples of the gods Their mother Cornelia as writers report did beare this calamity with a noble hart and as for the chappells which they built consecrated vnto them in the place where they were slaine she said no more but that they had such graues as they had deserued Afterwardes she dwelt continually by the mount of Misene and neuer chaunged her manner of life She had many frends and bicause she was a noble Ladie and loued euer to welcome straungers she kept a very good house and therefore had alwayes great repaire vnto her of GRAECIANS learned men besides there was no king nor Prince but both receiued giftes from her and sent her againe They that frequented her coÌpany delighted maruelously to heare her report the dedes and maner of her fathers life Scipio AFRICAN but yet they wondred more to heare her tell the actes and death of her two sonnes Tiberius and Caius Gracchi without sheading teare or making any shew of lamentacion or griefe no more then if she had told an history vnto them that had requested her Insomuch some writers report that age or her great misfortunes had ouercomen and taken her reason and sence from her to feele any sorowe But in deede they were senselesse to say so not vnderstandinge howe that to be noblie borne and vertuouslie brought vp doth make men temperatly to disgest sorow and that fortune oftentimes ouercomes vertue which regardeth honestie in all respectes but yet with any aduersity she can not take away the temperaunce from them whereby they paciently beare it THE COMPARISON OF Tiberius and Caius Gracchi with Agis and Cleomenes NOw that we be come to the end of this history we are to compare the liues of these two men the one with the other First as touching the two Gracchi their enemies that most hated them and spake the worst they could of them could not deny but that they were the best geuen to vertue and as well taught and brought vp as any ROMANES that were in their time But yet it appeareth that nature had the vpper hand of them in Agis and Cleomenes For they hauing bene very ill brought vp both for learning and good manners for lacke whereof the oldest men were almost spoyled yet did they notwithstandinge make them selues the first maisters and example of sobrietie temperaunce and simplicitie of life Furthermore the two first hauing liued in that time when ROME florished most in honor and vertuous desires they were more then ashamed to forsake the vertues inherited from their auncesters These two last
will proceede to consider further of his nature and conditions by his actes and deedes in the affaires of the common wealth Now Demosthenes first beginning when he came to deale in the affaires of the state was in the time of the warre made with the PHOCIANS as him selfe reporteth and as appeareth further in his orations which he made against Philip of the which the last were made after the warre was ended the first doe touch also some particuler doings of the same He made the oration against Midias when he was but 32. yeare old and was of small countenance reputacion in the common wealth the want whereof was the chiefest cause as I thinke that induced him to take money for the iniury he had done him to let his action fall against him He vvas not of a meeld and gentle mind But feerce and hastie to reuenge by kind But knowing that it was no small enterprise nor that could take effect by a man of so small power authoritie as him selfe to ouerthrow a man so wealthy so befriended so eloquent as Midias he therfore yelded him selfe vnto those that did speake intreate for him Nether do I think that the three thowsand Drachmas which he recieued could haue brideled the bitternes of his nature if otherwise he had seene any hope or likelihood that he could haue preuailed against him Now at his first coÌming vnto the common wealth taking a noble matter in haÌd to speake against Philip for the defence maintenaÌce of the lawes liberties of the GRAECIANS wherein he handled him self so worthely that in short space he wanne him maruelous same for his great eloquence and plaine manner of speech Thereby he was maruelously honored also through all GRAECE and greatly esteemed with the king of PERSIA and Philip him self made more accompt of him then of all the Orators in ATHENS his greatest foes which were most against him were driuen to confesse that they had to doe with a famous man For in the orations which AEschines Hyperides made to accuse him they write thus of him And therefore I maruell what Theopompus ment when he wrote that Demosthenes had a sutell vnconstant mind could not long continue with one kind of men nor in one mind for matters of state For in contrary maner in my iudgement he continued constant still to the end in one selfe maner order vnto the which he had betaken him self at the beginning that not only he neuer chaunged all his life time but to the contrary he lost his life bicause he would be no chaungeling For he did not like Demades who to excuse him self for that he had oft turned coate in matters of gouernment said that he went oftentimes against his own sayings as matters fel out but neuer against the benefit of the common wealth And Melanopus also who was euer against Callistratus hauing his mouth stopped many times with money he would vp to the pulpit for orations tel the people that in deede Callistratus which mainteineth the contrary opinion against me is mine enemy yet I yeld vnto him for this time for the benefit of the common wealth must cary it And another also Nicodemus MESSENIAN who being first of Cassanders side toke part afterwards with Demetrius then said that he did not speake against him selfe but that it was meete he should obey his superiors They can not detect Demosthenes with the like that he did euer halt or yeld either in word or deed For he euer continued firme and constant in one mind in his orations Insomuch that Panatius the Philosopher sayth that the most part of all his orations are grounded vpon this maxime and principle that for it selfe nothing is to be taken or accepted but that which is honest As the oration of the crowne the which he made against Aristocrates that also which he made for the franches and freedom and in fine all his orations against Philip of MACEDON And in all those he doth not perswade his contry men to take that which is most pleasant easiest or most profitable but he proueth that oftentimes honestie is to be preferred aboue safetie or health So that had he in all his orations and doings ioyned to his honestie curtesie and francke speeche valliantnes in warres and cleane hands from briberye he might deseruedly haue bene compared not with Myrocles Polyeuctus Hyperides and such other Orators but euen with the highest with Cimon Thucydides and Pericles For Phocion who tooke the worst way in gouernment of the common wealth bicause he was suspected that he tooke part with the MACEDONIANS yet for valliantnes wisedom and iustice he was euer thought as honest a man as Ephialtes and Aristides But Demosthenes on thother side as Demetrius sayth was no man to trust to for warres nether had he any power to refuse gifts and bribes For though he would neuer be corrupted with Philip king of MACEDON yet he was bribed with gold and siluer that was brought from the cities of SVSA ECBATANA was very ready to praise commend the deeds of their auncestors but not to follow them Truely yet was he the honestest man of all other Orators in his time excepting Phocion And besides he did euer speake more boldely and plainely to the people then any man els and would openly contrary their mindes and sharpely reproue the ATHENIANS for their faultes as appeareth by his orations Theopompus also writeth that the people on a time would haue had him to accuse a man whome they would needes haue condemned But he refusing to doe it the people were offended and did mutine against him Thereuppon he rising vp sayd openly vnto them my Lordes ATHENIANS I will alwayes counsell ye to that which I thinke best for the benefit of the common wealth although it be against your mindes but falsely to accuse one to satisfie your minds though you commaund me I will not do it Furthermore that which he did against Antiphon sheweth plainly that he was no people pleaser and that he did leane more vnto the authoritie of the Senate For when Antiphon was quit by the people in an assemblie of the citie Demosthenes notwithstanding tooke him called him againe into the Court of the Areopagites ahd did not passe vpon the peoples ill will but there conuinced him for promising Philip of MACEDON to burne the arsenall of ATHENS so by sentence of that court he was condemned suffred for it He did also accuse the Nunne Theorides for many lewd parts committed amongst others for that she taught slaues to deceiue their maisters so following the matter against her to death she was condemned and executed It is thought also that he made the oration Apollodorus spake against the Praetor Timotheus proued thereby that he was a detter to the common wealth so a naughty man that he wrote those orations also
when they will finely conuey the hardnes of the speeche to say he is dead When night was comen and that he was going homeward as he came through the market place the people did wayte vpon him no more with silence as before but with great cryes of his praise and clapping of handes in euery place he went and called him Sauior and second fownder of ROME Besides all this at euery mans dore there were lynckes and torches lighted that it was as light in the streetes as at noone dayes The very women also did put lights out of the toppes of their houses to doe him honor and also to see him so nobly brought home with such a long trayne of the chiefest men of the citie of the which many of them had ended great warres for the which they had triumphed and had obteyned many famous conquests to the Empire of ROME both by sea and land confessing betwene them selues one to another that the ROMANES were greatly bound to many Captaines and generalls of armies in their time for the wonderfull riches spoyles and increase of their power which they had wonne howbeit that they were to thanke Cicero onely for their health and preseruation hauing saued them from so great and extreme a daunger Not for that they thought it so wonderfull an acte to haue striken dead the enterprise of the conspirators and also to haue punished the offenders by death but bicause the conspiracie of Catilin being so great and daungerous an insurrection as euer was any he had quenched it and pluck it vp by the rootes with so small hurt and without vprore trouble or actuall sedition For the most part of them that were gathered together about Catiline when they heard that Lentulus and all the rest were put to death they presently forsooke him and Catiline him selfe also fighting a battell with them he had about him against Antonius the other Consul with Cicero he was slayne in the fielde and all his armie defeated This notwithstanding there were many that spake ill of Cicero for this facte and ment to make him repent it hauing for their heades Caesar who was already chosen Praetor for the yeare to come Metellus and Bestia who should also be chosen Tribunes They so soone as they were chosen Tribunes would not once suffer Cicero to speake to the people notwithstanding that he was yet in his office of Consul for certaine dayes And furthermore to let him that he should not speake vnto the people they did set their benches vpon the pulpit for orations which they call at ROME Rostra and would neuer suffer him to set foote in it but onely to resigne his office and that done to come downe againe immediatly He graunted thereunto and went vp to the pulpit vpon that condition So silence being made him he made an othe not like vnto other Consuls othes when they resigne their office in like manner but straunge and neuer heard of before swearing that he had saued the citie of ROME and preserued all his contry and the Empire of ROME from vtter ruine and destruction All the people that were present confirmed it and sware the like othe Wherewithall Caesar and the other Tribunes his enemies were so offended with him that they deuised to breede him some new sturre trouble amongest others they made a decree that Pompey should be sent for with his army to bridle the tyranny of Cicero Cato who at that time was also Tribune did him great pleasure in the furtherance of the common wealth opposing him selfe against all their practises with the like authoritie and power that they had being a Tribune and brother with them and of better estimation then they So that he did not onely easily breake all their deuises but also in a goodly oration he made in a full assembly of the people he so highly praised and extolled Ciceroes Consulship vnto them and the thinges he did in his office that they gaue him the greatest honors that euer were decreed or graunted vnto any man liuing For by decree of the people he was called father of the contry as Cato him selfe had called him in his oration the which name was neuer giuen to any man but onely vnto him also he bare greater swaye in ROME at the time then any man beside him This notwithstanding he made him selfe enuyed and misliked of many men not for any ill acte he did or ment to doe but onely bicause he did too much boast of him selfe For he neuer was in any assembly of people Senate or iudgement but euery mans head was full still to heare the sound of Catulus and Lentulus brought in for sporte and filling the bookes and workes he compiled besides full of his owne prayses the which made his sweete and pleasant stile tedious and troublesom to those that heard them as though this misfortune euer followed him to take away his excellent grace But nowe though he had this worme of ambition and extreme couetous desire of honor in his head yet did he not malice or enuy any others glory but would very franckly praise excellent men as well those that had bene before him as those that were in his time And this appeareth plainly in his writings They haue written also certaine notable wordes he spake of some auncient men in olde time as of Aristotle that he was like a golden flowing riuer and of Plato that if Iupiter him selfe would speake he would speake like him and of Theophrastus he was wont to call him his delight of Demosthenes orations when one asked him on a time which of them he liked best the longest saide he There be diuers writers also who to shewe that they were great followers of Demosthenes doe followe Ciceroes saying in a certaine epistle he wrote vnto one of his friends wherein he said that Demosthenes slept in some of his orations but yet they forget to tel how highly he praised him in that place and that he calleth the orations which he wrote against Antonius in the which he tooke great paines and studied more then all the rest PHILIPPIANS to followe those which Demosthenes wrote against Philip king of MACEDON Furthermore there was not a famous man in all his tyme either in eloquence or in learning whose fame he hath not commended in writing or otherwise in honorable speech of him For he obteyned of Caesar when he had the Empire of ROME in his handes that Cratippus the PERIPATETICKE Philosopher was made Citizen of ROME Further he procured that by decree of the court of the Areopagites he was intreated to remaine at ATHENS to teach and instruct the youth there for that he was a great honor ornament vnto their city There are extant also of Ciceroes epistles vnto Herodes others vnto his sonne willing him to follow Crattipus in his studie and knowledge He wrote an other letter also vnto Gorgias the Rethoritian and
one Varius a companion of his that would drinke lustely with him and therefore in mockery was surnamed Cotylon to wit a bibber So Octauius Caesar would not leane to Cicero when he saw that his whole trauail and endeuor was onely to restore the common wealth to her former libertie Therefore he sent certaine of his friends to Antonius to make them friends againe and thereuppon all three met together to wete Caesar Antonius Lepidus in an Iland enuyroned round about with a litle riuer there remayned three dayes together Now as touching all other matters they were easily agreed did deuide all the Empire of ROME betwene them as if it had bene their owne inheritance But yet they could hardly agree whom they would put to death for euery one of them would kill their enemies and saue their kinsmen and friends Yet at length giuing place to their gredy desire to be reuenged of their enemies they spurned all reuerence of bloud and holines of friendship at their feete For Caesar left Cicero to Antonius will Antonius also forsooke Lucius Caesar who was his Vncle by his mother and both of them together suffred Lepidus to kill his owne brother Paulus Yet some writers affirme that Caesar Antonius requested Paulus might be slain that Lepidus was conteÌted with it In my opinion there was neuer a more horrible vnnatural crueller chaunge then this was For thus chaunging murther for murther they did aswel kill those whom they did forsake leaue vnto others as those also which others left vnto them to kil but so much more was their wickednes cruelty great vnto their friends for that they put them to death being innocents hauing no cause to hate them After this plat was agreed vpon betwene theÌ the souldiers that were thereabouts would haue this friendship league betwixt them coÌfirmed by mariage that Caesar should mary Claudia the daughter of Fuluiae Antonius wife This mariage also being vpon they condeÌned three huÌdred of the chiefest citizens of ROME to be put to death by proscriptioÌ And Antonius also coÌmauÌded theÌ to whoÌ he had geuen coÌmission to kil Cicero that they should strik of his head right hand with the which he had written the inuectiue Orations called Philippides against Antonius So wheÌ the murtherers brought him Ciceroes head hand cut of he beheld them a long time with great ioy laughed hartily that oftentimes for the great ioy he felt Then when he had taken his pleasure of the sight of them he caused them to be set vp in an open place ouer the pulpit for Orations where when he was aliue he had often spoken to the people as if he had done the dead man hurt and not bleamished his owne fortune shewing him selfe to his great shame and infamie a cruell man and vnworthie the office and authoritie he bare His vncle Lucius Caesar also as they sought for him to kill him and followed him hard fledde vnto his sister The murtherers comming thither forcing to breake into her chamber she stoode at her chamber dore with her armes abroade crying out still you shall not kill Lucius Caesar before you first kill me that bare your Captaine in my wombe By this meanes she saued her brothers life Now the gouernment of these Triumuiri grewe odious and hatefull to the ROMANES for diuers respects but they most blamed Antonius bicause he being elder then Caesar and of more power and force then Lepidus gaue him selfe againe to his former riot and excesse when he left to deale in the affaires of the common wealth But setting aside the ill name he had for his insolencie he was yet much more hated in respect of the house he dwelt in the which was the house of Pompey the great a man as famous for his temperaunce modestie and ciuill life as for his three triumphes For it grieued them to see the gates commonly shut against the Captaines Magistrates of the citie and also Ambassadors of straunge nations which were sometimes thrust from the gate with violence and that the house within was full of tomblers anticke dauncers iuglers players ieasters and dronkards quaffing and goseling and that on them he spent and bestowed the most parte of his money he got by all kind of possible extorcions briberie and policie For they did not onely sell by the crier the goods of those whom they had outlawed and appointed to murther slaunderously deceiued the poore widowes and young orphanes also raised all kind of imposts subsidies and taxes but vnderstanding also that the holy vestall Nunnes had certaine goods money put in their custodie to keepe both of mens in the citie and those also that were abroade they went thither and tooke them away by force Octauius Caesar perceiuing that no money woulde serue Antonius turne he prayed that they might deuide the money betwene them and so did they also deuide the armie for them both to goe into MACEDON to make warre against Brutus and Cassius and in the meane time they left the gouernment of the citie of ROME vnto Lepidus When they had passed ouer the seas and that they beganne to make warre they being both camped by their enemies to wit Antonius against Cassius and Caesar against Brutus Caesar did no great matter but Antonius had alway the vpper hand and did all For at the first battell Caesar was ouerthrowen by Brutus and lost his campe and verie hardly saued him selfe by flying from them that followed him Howebeit he writeth him selfe in his Commentaries that he fled before the charge was geuen bicause of a dreame one of his frends had Antonius on the other side ouerthrewe Cassius in battell though some write that he was not there him selfe at the battell but that he came after the ouerthrowe whilest his men had the enemies in chase So Cassius at his earnest request was slaine by a faithfull seruaunt of his owne called Pindarus whom he had infranchised bicause he knewe not in time that Brutus had ouercomen Caesar. Shortly after they fought an other battell againe in the which Brutus was ouerthrowen who afterwardes also slue him selfe Thus Antonius had the chiefest glorie of all this victorie specially bicause Caesar was sicke at that time Antonius hauing found Brutus body after this battel blaming him muche for the murther of his brother Caius whom he had put to death in MACEDON for reuenge of Ciceroes cruell death and yet laying the fault more in Hortensius then in him he made Hortensius to be slaine on his brothers tumbe Furthermore he cast his coate armor which was wonderfull rich and sumptuous vpon Brutus bodie and gaue commaundement to one of his slaues infranchised to defray the charge of his buriall But afterwards Antonius hearing that his infranchised bondman had not burnt his coate armor with his bodie bicause it was verie riche and worth a great summe of
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 theÌ 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
when he had found him clapped spurres to his horse and came with full cariere vnto him and cryed out O traytor and most vnfaithfull and desperate man thou now dishonorest the name of Cyrus which is the goodliest and most honorablest name of all the PERSIANS for that thou hast brought so valliant GRAECIANS hether to so wicked an enterprise to spoyle the PERSIANS goods in hope to destroy thy soueraine Lord and onely brother who hath an infinite number of slaues and seruaunts farre honester men then thou wilt be while thou liuest and that thou shalt presently knowe by proofe for thou shalt dye before thou see the king thy brothers face and therewithall he threw his dart at him with all the force he had But Cyrus armor was so good that it pearsed him not yet the blowe came with such good will that it made him stagger on his horse back When Artagerses had giuen him that blowe he presently turned his horse But Cyrus therewithall threw a dart at him so happily that he slue him right in the place aboue the bone that ioyneth the two shoulders together so that the head of his dart ranne quite through his necke Nowe that Cyrus slue Artagerses with his owne hands in the field all the Historiographers doe agree vpon it but for the death of Cyrus bicause Xenophon toucheth it but a litle by the way for that he was not present in the very place where he was slayne it shal not be hurtfull particularly to set downe the manner thereof both according to the report of Dinon and also of Ctesias First Dinon writeth that after Cyrus had slayne Artagerses he went with great fury and flue in amongest the trowpe of them which were nearest vnto the kings person and that he came so neare the king that he slue his horse starke dead vnder him and the king fell to the ground withall But Tiribazuz that was hard by him straight mownted the king againe vpon an other horse and sayd vnto him your grace will remember this battell another day for it is not to be forgotten And Cyrus clapping spurres againe to his horse threwe an other dart at Artaxerxes and hit him But at the third charge the king tolde them that were about him he could not abide this and that he had rather dye then suffer it so therewithall he spurring his horse to charge Cyrus who came fiercely and desperatly hauing an infinite number of blowes with darts throwen at him on euery side threw his dart at him also So did all those that were about his person and so was Cyrus slayne in this conflict Some saye that he was slayne with the wounde the kinge his brother gaue him Others saye that it was a man at armes of the contry of CARIA vnto whom the king for reward of his good seruice gaue him the honor in all battells to cary before the first ranke a cocke of gold on the toppe of a speare for the PERSIANS doe cal the CARIANS cocks bicause in the warres they vse to weare creasts in the toppe of their headpeeces And this is Dinons reporte But Ctesias to cowche in fewe words that which Dinon reporteth at large sayth that Cyrus after he had slaine Artagerses he gallopped on the spurre against the king him selfe and the king against him and not a worde betwene them both Ariaus one of Cyrus flatteres threwe the first dart at the king but killed him not and the king with all his force againe threwe his dart thinking to haue hit Cyrus but he missed him and slue Tisaphernes one of the valliantest and stowtest men Cyrus had about him and so fell downe dead Then Cyrus hit Artaxerxes so sore a blowe on his breast that he pearced his armor and entred into his flesh two fingers deepe The king with this blowe fell downe to the ground wherewithall the most part of his men about him were so affrayd that they forsooke him and fled Howbeit he got vp againe with the helpe of others that were about him amongest whome Ctesias sayd he was one and so recouered a litle hill not farre of to take a litle breath In the meane time Cyrus horse that was whotte in the mouth and hard headed as we haue told you caried his master spyte of his hart farre from his men amonge his enemies and no man knew him bicause it was night and his men were very busie in seeking for him But Cyrus hoping he had wonne the victory being of a whot stirring nature and valliant he went vppe and downe in the thickest of his enemies crying out in the PERSIAN tongue saue your selues poore men saue your selues When they heard him say so some made a lane for him to passe by them and did him reuerence But by euill fortune his Tiara which is the highe royall hat after the PERSIAN manner fell of of his head Then a younge PERSIAN called Mithridates passing by him hit him a blowe with his dart vpon one of his temples hard by his eye not knowing what he was His wound straight fell of a maruelous bleeding Whereuppon Cyrus staggering at it fell to the ground in a swownd and his horse ranne away from him but the capparison he had vppon him fell to the ground all bloudied and his page that had hurt him tooke it vp Shortly after Cyrus being comen to him selfe againe some of his Euenukes which were men gelt and groomes of his chamber that were about him did lift him vp thinking to set him vpon another horse and to get him out of the prease but he was not able to sit on his horse Thereuppon he proued if he could better goe a foote the Euenuks hold him vp by the armes led him amased as he was not able to staÌd on his feete although he thought he had won the battell bicause he heard his enemies flying about him cry the gods saue king Cyrus and they prayed him to pardon them and to receiue them to mercy But in the meane time there came certaine poore men of the citie of CAVNVS who followed the kings campe getting their liuing as drudges and slaues to doe most vile seruice They ioined with the trowpe where Cyrus was supposing they had bene the kings men but when they perceiued in the ende by the red coates they ware vpon their armors that they were enemies for that the kings men ware white coates there was one among the rest that valliantly strake at Cyrus behind with his pertisan not knowing in deede that it was Cyrus The blowe lighted full on the hamme of his legge and cut his sinewes so that Cyrus fell withall and falling by misfortune fell vpon a great stone with his browe where he had bene hurt before that he died forthwith Thus doth Ctesias report it where me thinketh he cutteth his throate with a dull edged knife he hath such a doe to bring Cyrus to his ende Now after Cyrus was dead Artasyras one
losse So she prayed him also to play one of his Euenukes with her the king was well contented with it But before they would play they agreed betwene theÌ that they should both name except fiue of the trustiest chiefest Euenukes they had then which of them lost should presently deliuer vnto the winner his choyce of all the other Euenukes he would demaund Thus they fel to play she imploying all the cunning she had playing as warely as she could possible besides that the dyce ranne of her side her luck serued her so that she wanne then she required Mesabates for her winnings being none of those the king had excepted WheÌ she had him deliuered her she gaue him to the hangmen willed theÌ to flea him aliue then that they should crucifie him naile him to a crosse hang his skin vpon an other peece of tymber by him the which was done accordingly The king was maruelous angry withall when he knew it greeuously offended with his mother Howbeit she sported it out laughing told him in deed it becomes thee wel to be angry for losing an old gelded Villain where I lost a thowsand Darecks quietly said neuer a word So there came no other thing of it sauing that the king was a litle angry repented him that he had plaied so fondly was so finely mocked But Queene Statira on the other side besids that she was against her in al other things she spared not to tel Queene mother plainly that it was wickedly done of her to put the kings good faithful seruaunts so cruelly to death for Cyrus sake But now after that Tisaphernes king Artaxerxes Lieuetenant had deceiued Clearchus other captaines of GRAECE detestably falsifying his word he had giuen theÌ that he had sent them bound vnto the king Ctesiaes sayth that Clearchus praied him to helpe him to a combe that hauing had one by his meanes and also comed his head it pleased him so wel that to requite his good wil he gaue him his seale of armes from his finger wherewith he sealed his letters for a witnes of the great friendship that was betwene them two He sayth also that in the stone of this ring there was grauen the daunce of the CARYATIDES And furthermore that the other souldiers which were prisoners with Clearchus did take away the moste part of the vittells that were sent to him and left him litle or nothing and that he did remedye all this procuring a greater quantitie to be sent vnto them that they should put Clearchus portion apart and all the other souldiers part also by them selues This he did as he sayth by Parysatis consent commaundement who knowing that amongest other vittells they dayly sent Clearchus a gammon of bacon she tolde him one day he should doe well to hide a litle knife in this gammon of bacon and to send it him to th end that the life of so noble valliant a man as he was should not fall to the crueltie of the king Howbeit that he was affrayd to meddle withall and durst not doe it that the king sware promised his mother who was an earnest suter to him for Clearchus that he would not put him to death This notwithstanding the king being afterwards procured and perswaded to the contrary by Queene Statira his wife he put them all to death but Menon Therefore Parysatis Queene mother after that time sayth Ctesias deuised all the wayes she could to poyson Queene Statira and to make her out of the way But me thinketh this smelleth like a lye that Parysatis should entend so wicked and daungerous an acte as to put the kinges lawfull wife to death by whome he had sonnes that were to inherite the crowne onely for the loue and respect of Clearchus and it is too plaine that he coyned that to honor and magnifie Clearchus memorie the more But to proue it a man may easily find it by the lyes he addeth afterwards vnto it saying that after the Captaines were slayne all the bodies of the rest were torne a peeces by dogges fowles and also that there came a boysterous winde and couered all Clearchus body with a great hill of dust and that out of this hill of dust shortly after there spronge vp many palme trees which made a prety thicke groue that it shadowed all that place Insomuch that the king him selfe did afterwards maruelously repent him for putting of him to death for that he was an honest man beloued of the gods This was not for Clearchus sake but for an olde canckered malice Parysatis had long time borne in her hart against Queene Statira bicause she saw wel enough that the credit authoritie herself had with the king was in respect of a sonnes duty obedieÌce to his mother in contrary maner Statiraes credit authoritie had a better ground fouÌdacioÌ bicause it came of the loue good wil the king did beare her And this is the onely cause that made her to practise the death of Quene Statira hauing determined that her self or daughter in law must nedes dye Now Quene mother had one of the women of her chamber called Gigis that was of great credit about her whome she onely trusted Diâon writeth that this Gigis did help Parysatis to make the poyson But Ctesias writeth contrarily saith that she onely knew it but otherwise that it was against her will that he that made the poyson was one Belitaras but Dinon calleth him Melantas Now though in outward semblance and shew Queene mother Statira semed to haue forgotteÌ all malice betwene them that they begaÌ again one of them to keepe company with the other did eate drinke together yet one of them mistrusted the other tooke great heede to them selues both of them eating one selfe meate in one dishe together and were both serued with one self officers men In PERSIA there is a litle bird of the which all the parts of it is excellent good to eate is ful of fat within so that it is thought it liueth by ayer dewe and in the PERSIAN tongue they cal it Ryntaces Parysatis as Ctesias sayth tooke one of these birdes and cut it in the middest with a litle knife the which was poysoned onely on one of the sides and gaue that halfe which was poysoned vnto Statira Yet Dinon writeth that it was not Parysatis her selfe that gaue it her but her caruer Melantas that carued her meate still gaue Queene Statyra of that meate which the side of his poisoned knife had touched So Quene Statira preseÌtly fel sick of the dissease wherof she died with greuous panges gripings in her bowels found plainly that she was poysoned by Parysatis meanes wheruppoÌ she told the king as much who was of the same opinion thought it was his mother
bicause he knew her cruel reueÌging mind that neuer pardoned any against whoÌ she conceiued any grudge The king therefore to know the troth when his wife Statira was dead apprehended all his mothers houshold seruaunts officers did put them to torments to make them confesse the troth sauing Gigis whome Queene mother kept close in her chamber a long time would neuer suffer the king to haue her who earnestly requested her to deliuer her vnto him Notwithstanding Gigis her selfe at length prayed Quene mother to giue her leaue one night to go home to her house The king vnderstanding it layed waite for her and intercepted her by the way and when she was taken he condemned her to suffer the paynes of death ordeyned for poysoners the which in PERSIA is executed in this manner They make them put their head vpon a great plaine stone and with an other stone they presse and strike it so long till they haue dashed the braynes of the malefactor out of their head After this sort was Gigis put to death Now for Parysatis his mother the king did her no other hurt nor sayd no more vnto her but confined her vnto BABYLON according to her desire sware that whilest she liued he would neuer see BABYLON In this state stoode the affaires of the king But now Artaxerxes hauing done the vtmost he could to haue ouercomen the GRAECIANS which came to make warre with him in the hart of his Realme and would haue bene as glad of that as he was to haue ouercome Cyrus to keepe his crowne Realme he could neuer preuaile against them For though they had lost Cyrus that gaue them enterteinment all their priuate Captaines that led them they saued them selues notwithstanding being in the hart of his Realme and shewed the PERSIANS by experience that all their doings was nothing but gold siluer curiositie fayer women otherwise nothing but pompe vanity Hereuppon al the GRAECIANS became couragious despised the barbarous people insomuch that the LACEDAEMONIANS thought it a great shame dishonor vnto them if they did not deliuer the GRAECIANS that dwelt in ASIA from the slauery boÌdage of the PERSIANS kept them from the open violence cruelty of the barbarous people For they hauing at other times attempted to doe it by their Captaine Thimbron afterwards also by Dercyllidas whom they sent thither with an army hauing done nothing worthy memory at leÌgth they determined to send their king Agesilaus thither in person who passing through ASIA with his shipps began presently to make hot warre against the PERSIANS as soone as euer he had landed his army For at the first coÌglict he ouerthrew Tisaphernes the king of PERSIAES Lieuetenant in battel and made the most part of the cities of GRAECE that are in ASIA to rebel against him Artaxerxes loking into this warre wisely coÌsidering what way meanes he was to take to make warre with the GRAECIANS he sent into GRAECE one Hermocrates a RHODIAN of great credit about him with a maruelous suÌme of gold siluer bountifully to bestow in gifts among the nobilitie chiefe rulers of the cities of GRAECE to make all the other GRAECIANS to rise against the LACEDAEMONIANS Hermocrates wisely executed his coÌmission for he made the chiefest cities of GRAECE to rebel against LACEDAEMON so that all PELOPONNESVS being vp in armes and in great garboyle the Ephori at LACEDAEMON were inforced to send for Agesilaus home again Agesilaus being sory to depart out of ASIA said vnto his friends that the king of PERSIA had driuen him out of his Realme with thirty thowsand archers bicause that the PERSIAN coyne is staÌped with an archer hauing a bow in his hand Artaxerxes also draue the LACEDAEMONIANS out of all their iurisdiction by sea by the meanes of Conon general of the ATHENIANS whoÌ Pharnabazus one of his Lieuetenant had wonne to take his part For Conon after he was ouerthrowen in battel at a place called the goates riuer kept euer after in the I le of CYPRVS not so much for the safetie of his person as also for that it was a mete place to stay in vntil the wars of GRAECE were appeased He knowing that the deuise he had in his head lacked power to put it in execution on the contrary side that the power of the king lacked a man of deepe iudgemeÌt to be imployed he wrote letters vnto him of his deuise what he thought to doe straightly charging him whom he deliuered his letters vnto that if he could possibly he should cause the same to be deliuered vnto the king by Zenon the CRETAN one of the kings dauncers or by one Polycritus his Phisition born in the city of MENDE in both their absences then to giue it vnto Ctesias to deliuer vnto the king It chaunced so that this letter came to the hands of Ctesias who as it is reported added moreouer vnto the coÌtents of the letter that the king should send him vnto Conon bicause he was a necessary man to be employed in his seruice but specially by sea Ctesias sayth not so but writeth that the king of his owne voluntary motion gaue him this charge Now after Artaxerxes had through the leading of Conon Pharnabazus won the battell by sea neare to the I le of GNIDVS that therby he had driuen all the LACEDAEMONIANS from their iurisdiction by sea all GRAECE had him in maruelous great estimation so that he gaue vnto the GRAECIANS with such coÌditions as he would that so famous peace called Antalcidas peace This Antalcidas was a citizeÌ of SPARTA the sonne of one Leon who fauoring king Artaxerxes affaires procured by the treatie of this peace that the LACEDAEMONIANS left vnto Artaxerxes all the cities of GRAECE in ASIA all the Iles conteined in the same to enioy quietly making theÌ pay tribute at his pleasure This peace being coÌcluded with the GRAECIANS if so shameful a treason reproch common infamy to all GRAECE may be called a peace as neuer warre fell out more dishonorable infamous for the vanquished king Artaxerxes that otherwise hated the LACEDAEMONIANS to the death that estemed theÌ as Dinon writeth the impudentest men liuing did notwithstanding loue Antalcidas passingly wel enterteined him very honorably when he came into PERSIA vnto him It is reported that the king one day tooke a garland of flowers did wet it with the most pretious sweetest oyle of perfume that was prepared for the feast seÌt the same vnto Antalcidas insomuch as euery maÌ maruelled to see the kiÌg set so much by him In deed he was a mete than to follow the vanity curiositie of the PERSIANS had wel deserued such a garland to be sent him who was so bold to daunce a daunce before the PERSIANS mocking couÌterfeating Leonidas Callicratidas two of the valliantest
money to him selfe and lodged Plato that before lay the next Court to his pallace among the souldiers of his gard whom he knewe maliced him of long time and sought to kill him bicause he did perswade Dionysius to leaue his tyranny and to liue without his gard Plato being in this instant daunger Archytas sent Ambassadors foorthwith vnto Dionysius in a galley of thirtie owers to demaund Plato againe declaring that Plato came againe to SYRACVSA vppon his worde and caution Dionysius to excuse him selfe and to shewe that he was not angrie with him at his departure from him he made him all the great cheere and feastes he coulde and so sent him home with great shewes of good will. One day among the rest he sayd vnto Plato I am affrayed Plato sayd he that thou wilt speake euill of me when thou art among thy frendes and companions in the Academy Then Plato smiling aunswered him againe the goddes forbidde that they shoulde haue suche scarcetie of matter in the Academy as that they must needes talke of thee Thus was Platoes returne as it is reported although that which he him selfe wryteth agreeth not much with this reporte These things went to Dions harte so that shortly after he shewed him selfe an open enemie vnto Dionysius but specially when he heard how he had handled his wife Plato vnder couert words sent Dionysius worde of it by his letters And thus it was After Dion was exiled Dionysius returning Plato backe againe he willed secretlie to feele Dions minde whether he woulde not be angrie that his wife should be maried to an other man bicause there ranne a rumor abroade whether it were true or inuented by Dions enemies that he liked not his mariage and coulde not liue quietlie with his wife Therefore when Plato was at ATHENS and had tolde Dion of all thinges he wrote a letter vnto Dionysius the tyranne and did sette all other thinges downe so plainelie that euerie man might vnderstande him but this one thing only so darkelie that he alone and none other coulde vnderstande him but him to whom he had wrytten declaring vnto him that he had spoken with Dion about the matter he wore of and that he did lette him vnderstande he woulde be maruelous angrie if Dionysius did it So at that time bicause there was great hope of reconciliacion betwene them the tyranne did nothing latelie touching his sister but suffered her still to remaine with Dions sonne But when they were so farre out that there was no more hope to returne in fauour againe and that he had also sent home Plato in disgrace and displeasure then he maried his sister Aretè Dions wife against her will vnto one of his frends called Timocrates not following therin his fathers iustice and lenitie For Polyxenus that had maried his fathers sister Thesta being also become his enemie he fled out of SICILIA Dionysius the elder sent for his sister Thesta and tooke her vp verie sharpely for that she knowing her husbande would flie she did not come and tell him of it Thesta noblie aunswered him againe and neuer was affrayed nor abashed why Dionysius doest thou thinke me a woman so faint harted and beastlie that if I had knowen my husband would haue gone his way and left me that I would not haue taken the sea with him and both haue runne one fortune together Truely I knew not of his departure till he was gone for it had bene more for mine honor to haue bene called the wife of the banished Polyxenus then the sister of thee a tyran Dionysius maruelled to heare his sister speake thus boldly and the SYRACVSANS wondred at her noble corage insomuch that when the tyrannie was vtterly destroyed they did not refuse to doe her all the honor they could deuise as vnto a Queene And when she was deade also all the citizens of SYRACVSA by a common decree did accompanie her bodie at her buriall This litle digression from our historie is not altogether vnprofitable But now againe to our matter Dion from thenceforth disposed him selfe altogether vnto warre against Platoes counsell and aduise who did his best endeuour to disswade him from it both for the respect of Dionysius good enterteinment he had geuen him as also for that Dion was of great yeares Howbeit on the other side Speusippus and his other frendes did prouoke him vnto it and did perswade him to deliuer SICILIA from the slauerie and bondage of the tyran the which helde vp her handes vnto him and woulde receiue him with great loue and good will. For whilest Plato lay at SYRACVSA Speusippus keeping the citizens companie more then Plato did he knew their minds better then he For at the first they were affrayed to open them selues vnto him and frankelie to speake what they thought mistrusting he was a spie vnto the tyran sent amongest them to feele their mindes but within a short time they beganne to trust him and were all of one minde for they prayed and perswaded Dion to come and not to care otherwise for bringing of shippes souldiers nor horses with him but onely to hyre a shippe and to lend the SICILIANS his bodie and name against Dionysius Speusippus reporting these newes vnto Dion did put him in good hart againe wherupon he began secretly to leauie men by other mens meanes to hide his purpose and intent The Philosophers doe set forward Dions warres Many citizens dealing in the affaires of the common wealth did aide him and diuers of them also that onely gaue their mindes to the studie of Philosophie and among them Eudemus CYPRIAN on whose death Aristotle wrote his dialogue of the soule and Timonides LEVCADIAN went with him Furthermore there ioyned also with him Miltas THESSALIAN a Soothsayer and that had bene his companion in studie in the Academy Nowe of all them whom the tyran had banished which were no lesse then a thowsande persons there were but onely fiue and twentie that durst accompanie him in this warre For all the other were suche dastardes that they forsooke him and durst not goe with him The place where they appointed to meete was the I le of ZACYNTHE where they leauied all their souldiers that were not aboue eight hundred in all but all of them braue souldiers and valliant men and excellentlie well trained in warres and to conclude such lustie men as would incorage all the armie Dion hoped of at his ariuall in SICILE to fight like valliant men with them These hyered souldiers the first time that they vnderstoode it was to go into SICILIA to make warre with Dionysius they were amased at the first and misliked the iorney bicause it was vndertaken rather of malice and spite that Dion had to be reuenged then otherwise of any good cause or quarrell who hauing no better hope tooke vppon him desperate and impossible enterprises Therefore the souldiers were offended with their Captaines that had pressed them bicause they had not
So when he had thus openly shewed him selfe an enemy vnto Dion he came no more that daye into the market place but the next morning he was seene ronning vp and downe the citie naked his head and face all of a gore bloud as if he had bene followed by men to haue slayne him Thus Sosis comming in this manner into the middest of the market place cryed out that Dions straungers had lyen in wayte for him and had handled him in this sort shewing his wound on his head Many of the people tooke this matter very grieuously and cried out vpon Dion and sayd it was vilely and tyrannically done of him by feare of murther and daunger to take away the libertie from the Citizens to speake Nowe though the whole assembly hereuppon fell into an vprore withall Dion notwithstanding came thither to cleare him selfe of these accusations and made them presently see that this Sosis was brother to one of Dionysius gard who had put into his head in this sort to put the citie of SYRACVSA in an vprore bicause Dionysius had no other hope nor meanes to escape but by stirring vp faction and sedition amonge them to make one of them fall out with another The Surgions were sent for forthwith to searche the wounde of this Sosis who founde that it was rather a litle scratche then any violent wound giuen him For the woundes or cuts of a sword are euer deepest in the middest and Sosis cut was but very litle and not deepe hauing had many beginnings and giuen him as it seemed at sundry times that for very paine the party that cut him was driuen to leaue of so came to cut him at diuers times Furthermore there came certaine of his friends in the meane time that brought a raser before the assembly and reported that as they came they met Sosis by the way all bloudied who sayd that he fled from Dions souldiers which had but newly hurt him Whereuppon they presently followed them but found no man and onely they saw a raser which some bodye had cast vpon a hollow stone thereabout where they first saw him comming vnto them Thus Sosis deuise had but euill successe For beside all these proofes and tokens Dions houshold seruaunts came to be a witnes against him that very earely in the morning he went abroad alone with a raser in his hand Then they that before did burden and accuse Dion knewe not what to say the matter but shroncke away whereuppon the people condeÌning Sosis to death they were quiet againe with Dion Yet were they alwaies affraid of these souldiers that were straungers specially when they saw the greatest conflicts they had with the tyranne was by sea after that Philistus was come from the coast of APVGLIA with a great number of gallies to ayde the tyranne For then they thought that these souldiers the straungers being armed at all partes to fight by land they would do them no more seruice by sea bicause the Citizens them selues were they that kept them in safetie for that they were men practised to fight by sea and were also the stronger by meanes of their ships But beside all this the onely thing that made them to be coragious again was the good fortune they had at the battel by sea in the which when they had ouercome Philistus they cruelly and barbarously vsed him Truely Ephorus saith that Philistus slue him selfe when he sawe his galley taken Howbeit Timonides who was alway with Dion from the first beginning of this warre writing vnto Speusippus the Philosopher saith that Philistus was taken aliue bicause his galley ranne a land and that the SYRACVSANS first tooke of his curaces and stripped him naked and after they had done him all the villanie and spight they could they cut of his head and gaue his body vnto boyes commaunding them to dragge it into that part of the citie called ACRADINE and then to cast it into the common priuie Timaus also to spight him the more sayth that the boyes tyed the deade bodye by his lame legge and so dragged him vp and downe the citie where all the SYRACVSANS did what villanie to it they could being glad to see him dragged by the legge that had sayd Dionysius should not flie from the tyranny vpon a light horse but that they should pull him out by the legge against his will. Now Philistus reporteth this matter thus not as spoken to Dionysius by him selfe but by some other But Timaus taking a iust occasion and culler to speake euil of the good will fidelitie and care that Philistus had alwayes seemed to shew in the confirmation defence of the tyrannie doth liberally bestow iniutious wordes on him in this place Nowe for them whome he had in deede offended if they of malice and spight to be reuenged did offer him crueltie peraduenture they were not much to be blamed but for them that since his death haue written the ieasts who were neuer offended by him in his life time and who ought to shewe them selues discreete in their writing me thinkes that if they had regarded their owne credit and estimation they should not so fondly and outragiously haue reproued the aduersities and misfortunes which by fortune may as well chaunce to the honestest man as vnto him Thus fondely doth Ephorus prayse Philistus who though he haue an excellent fine wit to counterfeate goodly excuses and cunningly to hide wicked and dishonest partes and eloquently to deuise by honest words to defend an euill cause yet can not he with all the fiue wits he hath excuse him self that he hath not bene the onely man of the world that hath most fauored tyrannes and that hath euer loued and specially desired power wealth and alliance with tyrannes But he in my opinion taketh the right course of an Historiographer that nether doth commend Philistus doings nor yet casteth his aduersities in his teeth to his reproche After Philistus death Dionysius sent vnto Dion to make him an offer to deliuer him the castell armor munition and souldiers that were in it with money also to paye them for fiue monethes space For him selfe he prayed that he might be suffered to goe safely into ITALY and to lye there to take the pleasure of the frutes of the contry called GYARTA which was within the territorie of SYRACVSA and lyeth out from the sea towardes the mayne land Dion refused this offer and aunswered the Ambassadors that they must moue the SYRACVSANS in it They supposing they should easily take Dionysius aliue would not heare the Ambassadors speake but turned them away Dionysius seeing no other remedie left the castell in the handes of his eldest sonne Apollocrates and hauing a lusty gale of winde he secretly imbarked certaine of his men he loued best with the richest thinges he had and so hoysed sayle vnwares to Heraclides the Admirall of SYRACVSA The people were maruelously offended with Heraclides for it and beganne to mutine
withstande it and rather dye then lose my libertie Cassius being bolde and taking holde of this worde why ê he what ROMANE is he aliue that will suffer thee to dye for the libertie What knowest thou not that thou art Brutus Thinkest thou that they be cobblers tapsters or suche like base mechanicall people that wryte these billes and scrowles which are founde dayly in thy Praetors chaire and not the noblest men and best citizens that doe it No be thou well assured that of other Praetors they looke for giftes common distribucions amongest the people and for common playes and to see fensers fight at the sharpe to shew the people pastime but at thy handes they specially require as a due det vnto them the taking away of the tyranny being fully bent to suffer any extremity for thy sake so that thou wilt shew thy selfe to be the man thou art taken for and that they hope thou art Thereuppon he kissed Brutus and imbraced him and so each taking leaue of other they went both to speake with their frendes about it Nowe amongest Pompeys frendes there was one called Caius Ligarius who had bene accused vnto Caesar for taking parte with Pompey and Caesar discharged him But Ligarius thanked not Caesar so muche for his discharge as he was offended with him for that he was brought in daunger by his tyrannicall power And therefore in his hearte he was alway his mortall enemie and was besides verie familiar with Brutus who went to see him beinge sicke in his bedde and sayed vnto him O Ligarius in what a time art thou sicke Ligarius risinge vppe in his bedde and taking him by the right hande sayed vnto him Brutus sayed he if thou hast any great enterprise in hande worthie of thy selfe I am whole After that time they beganne to feele all their acquaintaunce whome they trusted and layed their heades together consultinge vppon it and did not onelie picke out their frendes but all those also whome they thought stowt enough to attempt any desperate matter and that were not affrayed to loase their liues For this cause they durst not acquaint Cicero with their conspiracie although he was a man whome they loued dearelie and trusted best for they were affrayed that he being a coward by nature and age also hauing increased his feare he woulde quite turne and alter all their purpose and quenche the heate of their enterprise the which speciallie required hotte and earnest execucion seeking by perswasion to bring all thinges to suche safetie as there should be no perill Brutus also did let other of his frendes alone as Statilius EPICVRIAN and Faonius that made profession to followe Marcus Cato Bicause that hauing cast out wordes a farre of disputing together in Philosophie to feele their mindes Faonius aunswered that ciuill warre was worse then tyrannicall gouernment vsurped against the lawe And Statilius tolde him also that it were an vnwise parte of him to put his life in daunger for a sight of ignoraunt fooles and asses Labeo was present at this talke and maintayned the contrarie against them both But Brutus helde his peace as though it had bene a doubtfull matter and a harde thing to haue decided But afterwardes being out of their companie he made Labeo priuie to his intent who verie readilie offered him selfe to make one And they thought good also to bring in an other Brutus to ioyne with him surnamed Albinus who was no man of his handes him selfe but bicause he was able to bring good force of a great number of slaues and sensers at the sharpe whome he kept to shewe the people pastime with their fighting besides also that Caesar had some trust in him Cassius and Labeo tolde Brutus Albinus of it at the first but he made them no aunswere But when he had spoken with Brutus him selfe alone and that Brutus had tolde him he was the chiefe ringleader of all this conspiracie then he willinglie promised him the best aide he coulde Furthermore the onlie name and great calling of Brutus did bring on the most of them to geue consent to this conspiracie Who hauing neuer taken others together nor taken or geuen any caution or assuraunce nor binding them selues one to an other by any religious others they all kept the matter so secret to them selues and coulde so cunninglie handle it that notwithstanding the goddes did reueale it by manifest signes and tokens from aboue and by predictions of sacrifices yet all this woulde not be beleued Nowe Brutus who knewe verie well that for his sake all the noblest valliantest and most couragious men of ROME did venter their liues waying with him selfe the greatnesse of the daunger when he was out of his house he did so frame and facion his countenaunce and lookes that no man coulde discerne he had any thing to trouble his minde But when night came that he was in his owne house then he was cleane chaunged For either care did wake him against his will when he woulde haue slept or else oftentimes of him selfe he fell into suche deepe thoughtes of this enterprise casting in his minde all the daungers that might happen that his wife lying by him founde that there was some maruelous great matter that troubled his minde not beinge wont to be in that taking and that he coulde not well determine with him selfe His wife Porcia as we haue tolde you before was the daughter of Cato whome Brutus maried being his cosin not a maiden but a younge widowe after the death of her first husbande Bibulus by whome she had also a younge sonne called Bibulus who afterwardes wrote a booke of the actes and ieastes of Brutus extant at this present day This young Ladie being excellentlie well seene in Philosophie louing her husbande well and being of a noble courage as she was also wise bicause she woulde not aske her husbande what he ayled before she had made some proofe by her selfe she tooke a litle rasor suche as barbers occupie to pare mens nayles and causinge all her maydes and women to goe out of her chamber gaue her selfe a greate gashe withall in her thigh that she was straight all of a goare bloode and incontinentlie after a vehement feuer tooke her by reason of the payne of her wounde Then perceiuing her husbande was maruelouslie out of quiet and that he coulde take no rest euen in her greatest payne of all she spake in this sorte vnto him I being O Brutus sayed she the daughter of Cato was maried vnto thee not to be thy beddefellowe and companion in bedde and at borde onelie like a harlot but to be partaker also with thee of thy good and euill fortune Nowe for thy selfe I can finde no cause of faulte in thee touchinge our matche but for my parte howe may I showe my duetie towardes thee and howe muche I woulde doe for thy sake if I can not constantlie beare a secret mischaunce or griefe with thee
cold and paynes he had taken This sicknes chaunceth often both to men beasts that trauaile when it hath snowen Either bicause the naturall heate being retyred into the inward parts of the body by the coldnes of the ayer hardening the skinne doth straight disgest and consume the meate or els bicause a sharpe suttell wind comming by reason of the snow when it is molten doth pearce into the body and driueth out the naturall heate which was cast outward For it seemeth that the heate being quenched with the cold which it meeteth withall comming out of the skinne of the body causeth the sweates that follow the dissease But hereof we haue spoken at large in other places Brutus being very faynt and hauing nothing in his campe to eate his souldiers were compelled to goe to their enemies comming to the gates of the citie they prayed the warders to helpe them to bread When they heard in what case Brutus was they brought him both meate and drinke in requitall whereof afterwards when he wanne the citie he did not onely intreate and vse the Citizens thereof curteously but all the inhabitants of the citie also for their sakes Now when Caius Antonius was arriued in the citie of APOLLONIA he sent vnto the souldiers thereabouts to come vnto him But when he vnderstoode that they went all to Brutus and furthermore that the Citizens of APOLLONIA did fauor him much he then forsooke that citie and went vnto the citie of BVTHROTVS but yet he lost three of his enseignes by the way that were slayne euery man of them Then he sought by force to winne certaine places of strength about BYLLIS to driue Brutus men from thence that had taken it before and therefore to obtayne his purpose he fought a battell with Cicero the sonne of Marcus Tullius Cicero by whome he was ouercome For Brutus made the younger Cicero a Captaine and did many notable exploytes by his seruice Shortly after hauing stolen vpon Caius Antonius in certein marishes farre from the place from whence he fled he would not set on him with furie but onely road round about him commaunding his souldiers to spare him his men as reckoning them all his own without stroke striking and so in deede it hapned For they yelded them selues and their Captaine Antonius vnto Brutus so that Brutus had now a great army about him Now Brutus kept this Caius Antonius long time in his office and neuer tooke from him the markes and signes of his Consulship although many of his friends Cicero among others wrote vnto him to put him to death But when he sawe Antonius secretly practised with his Captaines to make some alteracion then he sent him into a shippe and made him to be kept there When the souldiers whome C. Antonius had corrupted were gotten into the citie of APOLLONIA and sent from thence vnto Brutus to come vnto them he made them aunswer that it was not the maner of ROMANE Captaines to come to the souldiers but the souldiers to come to the Captaine and to craue pardon for their offences committed Thereuppon they came to him and he pardoned them So Brutus preparing to goe into ASIA newes came vnto him of the great chaunge at ROME For Octauius Caesar was in armes by commaundement and authoritie from the Senate against Marcus Antonius But after that he had driuen Antonius out of ITALY the Senate then began to be affrayd of him bicause he sued to be Consul which was contrary to the law and kept a great army about him when the Empire of ROME had no neede of them On the other side Octauius Caesar perceiuing the Senate stayed not there but turned vnto Brutus that was out of ITALY and that they appoynted him the gouernment of certaine prouinces then he began to be affrayd for his part and sent vnto Antonius to offer him his friendship Then comming on with his armye neare to ROME he made him selfe to be chosen Consul whether the Senate would or not when he was yet but a strippling or springal of twenty yeare old as him selfe reporteth in his owne commentaries So when he was Consul he presently appoynted Iudges to accuse Brutus and his companions for killing of the noblest person in ROME and chiefest Magistrate without law or iudgement and made L. Cornificius accuse Brutus and M. Agrippa Cassius So the parties accused were condemned bicause the Iudges were compelled to giue such sentence The voyce went that when the Herauld according to the custom after sentence giuen went vp to the chaier or pulpit for orations proclaymed Brutus with a lowd voyce summoning him to appeare in person before the Iudges the people that stoode by sighed openly and the noble men that were present honge downe their heads durst not speake a word Among them the teares fell from Publius Silicius eyes who shortly after was one of the proscripts or outlawes appoynted to be slayne After that these three Octauius Caesar Antonius and Lepidus made an agreement betwene them selues and by those articles deuided the prouinces belonging to the Empire of ROME amonge them selues and did set vp billes of proscription and outlary condemning two hundred of the noblest men of ROME to suffer death and among that number Cicero was one Newes being brought thereof into MACEDON Brutus being then inforced to it wrote vnto Hortensius that he should put Caius Antonius to death to be reuenged of the death of Cicero and of the other Brutus of the which the one was his friend and the other his kinsemen For this cause therefore Antonius afterwards taking Hortensius at the battell of PHILIPPES he made him to be slayne vpon his brothers tombe But then Brutus sayd that he was more ashamed of the cause for the which Cicero was slayne then he was otherwise sory for his death and that he could not but greatly reproue his friendes he had at ROME who were slaues more through their owne fault then through their valliantnes or manhood which vsurped the tyranny considering that they were so cowardly and faynt harted as to suffer the sight of those things before their eyes the report whereof should onely have grieued them to the hart Nowe when Brutus had passed ouer his army that was very great into ASIA he gaue order for the gathering of a great number of shippes together aswell in the coast of BITHYNIA as also in the citie of CYLICVM bicause he would haue an army by sea and him selfe in the meane time went vnto the cities taking order for all things and giuing audience vnto Princes and noble men of the contry that had to doe with him Afterwards he sent vnto Cassius in SYRIA to turne him from his iorney into AEGYPT telling him that it was not for the conquest of any kingdom for them selues that they wandred vp and downe in that sort but contrarily that it was to restore their contry againe to their libertie and that the
multitude of souldiers they gathered together was to subdue the tyrannes that would keepe them in slauery and subiection Wherefore regarding their chiefe purpose and intent they should not be farre from ITALY as heare as they could possible but should rather make all the haste they could to helpe their contry men Cassius beleued him returned Brutus went to meete him and they both met at the citie of SMYRNA which was the first time that they saw together since they tooke leaue eche of other at the hauen of PIRAEA in ATHENS the one going into SYRIA and the other into MACEDON So they were maruelous ioyfull and no lesse coragious when they saw the great armies together which they had both leauied considering that they departing out of ITALY like naked and poore banished men without armor and money nor hauing any shippe ready nor souldier about them nor any one towne at their commaundement yet notwithstanding in a short time after they were now met together hauing shippes money and souldiers enowe both footemen horsemen to fight for the Empire of ROME Now Cassius would haue done Brutus as much honor as Brutus did vnto him but Brutus most commonly preuented him and went first vnto him both bicause he was the elder man as also for that he was sickly of bodye And men reputed him commonly to be very skilfull in warres but otherwise maruelous chollerick and cruell who sought to rule men by feare rather then with lenitie and on the other side he was too famillier with his friends and would iest too brodely with them But Brutus in contrary manner for his vertue and valliantnes was wellbeloued of the people and his owne esteemed of noble men and hated of no man not so much as of his enemies bicause he was a maruelous lowly and gentle person noble minded and would neuer be in any rage nor caried away with pleasure and couetousnes but had euer an vpright mind with him and would neuer yeeld to any wronge of iniustice the which was the chiefest cause of his fame of his rising and of the good will that euery man bare him for they were all perswaded that his intent was good For they did not certainly beleue that if Pompey him selfe had ouercome Caesar he would haue resigned his authoritie to the law but rather they were of opinion that he would still keepe the souerainty and absolute gouernment in his hands taking onely to please the people the title of Consul or Dictator or of some other more ciuill office And as for Cassius a hot chollerick cruell man that would oftentymes be caried away from iustice for gayne it was certainly thought that he made warre and put him selfe into sundry daungers more to haue absolute power and authoritie then to defend the libertie of his contry For they that will also consider others that were elder men then they as Cinna Marius and Carbo it is out of doubt that the ende and hope of their victorie was to be Lordes of their contry and in manner they did all confesse that they fought for the tyranny and to be Lordes of the Empire of ROME And in contrary manner his enemies them selues did neuer reproue Brutus for any such chaunge or desire For it was sayd that Antonius spake it openly diuers tymes that he thought that of all them that had slayne Caesar there was none but Brutus only that was moued to doe it as thinking the acte commendable of it selfe but that all the other conspirators did conspire his death for some priuate malice or enuy that they otherwise did beare vnto him Hereby it appeareth that Brutus did not trust so much to the power of his army as he did to his owne vertue as is to be seene by his writings For approaching neare to the instant daunger he wrote vnto Pomponius Atticus that his affayres had the best happe that could be For sayd he eyther I will set my contry at libertie by battell or by honorable death rid me of this bondage And furthermore that they being certeine and assured of all thinges els this one thing onely was doubtfull to them whether they should liue or dye with libertie He wrote also that Antonius had his due paiment for his folly For where he might haue bene a partner equally of the glory of Brutus Cassius and Cato haue made one with them he liked better to choose to be ioyned with Octauius Caesar alone with whome though now he be not ouercome by vs yet shall he shortly after also haue warre with him And truely he proued a true Prophet for so came it in deede to passe Now whilest Brutus and Cassius were together in the citie of SMYRNA Brutus prayed Cassius to let him haue some part of his money whereof he had great store bicause all that he could rappe and rend of his side he had bestowed it in making so great a number of shippes that by meanes of them they should keepe all the sea at their commaundement Cassius friendes hindered this request and earnestly disswaded him from it perswading him that it was no reason that Brutus should haue the money which Cassius had gotten together by sparing and leauied with great euill will of the people their subiects for him to bestowe liberally vppon his souldiers and by this meanes to winne their good willes by Cassius charge This notwithstanding Cassius gaue him the thirde parte of his totall summe So Cassius and Brutus then departing from eche other Cassius tooke the citie of RHODES where he too dishonestly cruelly vsed him selfe although when he came into the citie he aunswered some of the inhabitants who called him Lord and king that he was nether Lord nor king but he onely that had slaine him that would haue bene Lord and king Brutus departing from thence sent vnto the LYCIANS to require money and men of warre But there was a certaine Orator called Nauârates that made the cities to rebell against him insomuch that the contry men of that contry kept the straights and litle mountaines thinking by that meanes to stoppe Brutus passage Wherefore Brutus sent his horsemen against them who stale vppon them as they were at dinner and slue six hundred of them and taking all the small townes and villages he did let all the prisoners he tooke goe without payment of ransome hoping by this his great curtesie to winne them to drawe all the rest of the contry vnto him But they were so fierce and obstinate that they would mutyne for euery small hurt they receyued as they passed by their contry and did despise his curtesie and good nature vntill that at length he went to beseege the citie of the XANTHIANS within the which were shut vppe the cruellest and moste warrelikest men of LYCIA There was a ryuer that ranne by the walls of the citie in the which many men saued them selues swymming betweene two waters and fledde howbeit they
at the foote of a rocke with certaine of his Captaines and frends that followed him and looking vp to the firmanent that was full of starres sighing he rehearsed two verses of the which Volumnius wrote the one to this effect Let not the vvight from vvhom this mischiefe vvent O loue escape vvithout devv punishment And sayth that he had forgotten the other Within a litle while after naming his frendes that he had seene slaine in battell before his eyes he fetched a greater sigh then before specially when he came to name Labio and Flauius of the which the one was his Lieutenant and the other Captaine of the pioners of his campe In the meane time one of the companie being a thirst and seeing Brutus a thirst also he ranne to the riuer for water and brought it in his sallet At the selfe same time they heard a noyse on the other side of the riuer Whereupon Volumnius tooke Dardanus Brutus seruaunt with him to see what it was and returning straight againe asked if there were any water left Brutus smiling gentlie tolde them all was dronke but they shall bring you some more Thereuppon he sent him againe that went for water before who was in great daunger of being taken by the enemies and hardly scaped being sore hurt Furthermore Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slaine in battell and to know the trueth of it there was one called Statilius that promised to goe through his enemies for otherwise it was impossible to goe see their campe and from thence if all were well that he woulde lift vp a torche light in the ayer and then returne againe with speede to him The torche light was lift vp as he had promised for Statilius went thither Nowe Brutus seeing Statilius tarie long after that and that he came not againe he sayd if Statilius be aliue he will come againe But his euill fortune was suche that as he came backe he lighted in his enemies hands and was slaine Now the night being farre spent Brutus as he sate bowed towards Clitus one of his men and told him somwhat in his eare the other aunswered him not but fell a weeping Thereuppon he proued Dardanus and sayd somwhat also to him at length he came to Volumnius him selfe speaking to him in Graeke prayed him for the studies sake which brought them acquainted together that he woulde helpe him to put his hande to his sword to thrust it in him to kill him Volumnius denied his request and so did many others and amongest the rest one of them sayd there was no tarying for them there but that they must needes flie Then Brutus rising vp we must flie in deede sayd he but it must be with our hands not with our feete Then taking euery man by the hand he sayd these words vnto them with a cheerefull countenance It reioyceth my hart that not one of my frends hath failed me at my neede and I do not complaine of my fortune but only for my contries sake for as for me I thinke my selfe happier than they that haue ouercome considering that I leaue a perpetuall fame of our corage and manhoode the which our enemies the conquerors shall neuer attaine vnto by force nor money neither can let their posteritie to say that they being naughtie and vniust men haue slaine good men to vsurpe tyrannical power not pertaining to them Hauing sayd so he prayed euerie man to shift for them selues and then he went a litle aside with two or three only among the which Strato was one with whom he came first acquainted by the studie of Rethoricke He came as neere to him as he coulde and taking his sword by the hilts with both his hands falling downe vpon the poynt of it ran him selfe through Others say that not he but Strato at his request held the sword in his hand turned his head aside and that Brutus fell downe vpon it and so ranne him selfe through and dyed presently Messala that had bene Brutus great frend became afterwards Octauius Caesars frend So shortly after Caesar being at good leasure he brought Strato Brutus frende vnto him and weeping sayd Caesar beholde here is he that did the last seruice to my Brutus Caesar welcomed him at that time and afterwards he did him as faithfull seruice in all his affaires as any GRAECIAN els he had about him vntill the battell of ACTIVM It is reported also that this Messala him selfe aunswered Caesar one day when he gaue him great praise before his face that he had fought valliantlie and with great affection for him at the battell of ACTIVM notwithstanding that he had bene his cruell enemy before at the battell of PHILIPPES for Brutus sake I euer loued sayd he to take the best and iustest parte Now Antonius hauing found Brutus bodie he caused it to be wrapped vp in one of the richest cote armors he had Afterwards also Antonius vnderstanding that this cotearmor was stollen he put the theefe to death that had stollen it sent the ashes of his bodie vnto Seruilia his mother And for Porcia Brutus wife Nicolaus the Philosopher and Valerius Maximus doe wryte that she determining to kill her selfe her parents and frendes carefullie looking to her to kepe her from it tooke hotte burning coles and cast them into her mouth and kept her mouth so close that she choked her selfe There was a letter of Brutus found wrytten to his frendes complayning of their negligence that his wife being sicke they would not helpe her but suffred her to kill her selfe choosing to dye rather then to languish in paine Thus it appeareth that Nicolaus knewe not well that time sith the letter at the least if it were Brutus letter doth plainly declare the disease and loue of this Lady and also the maner of her death THE COMPARISON OF Dion with Brutus TO come nowe to compare these two noble personages together it is certaine that both of them hauing had great gifts in them specially Dion of small occasions they made them selues great men therfore Dion of both deserueth chiefest praise For he had no cohelper to bring him vnto that greatnesse as Brutus had of Cassius who doubtlesse was not comparable vnto Brutus for vertue and respect of honor though otherwise in matters of warre he was no lesse wise and valliant then he For many doe impute vnto Cassius the first beginning and originall of all the warre and enterprise and sayd it was he that did encourage Brutus to conspire Caesars death Where Dion furnished him selfe with armor shippes and souldiers and wanne those frendes and companions also that did helpe him to prosecute his warre Nor he did not as Brutus who rose to greatnesse by his enterprises and by warre got all his strength and riches But he in contrarie maner spent of his owne goods to make warre for the libertie of his contrie and disbursed of his
he could to leade his armie into some other prouince Furthermore he thought it would increase his estimacion much amoÌg strauÌgers 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 SeÌpronius army was geuen he was come vnto ARETIVM against the Senates minde who were maruelously offended with him bicause he left his coÌpanion 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 âought 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
was in suche a rage withall that he rescued his brother by force on of the Sergeaunts hands and from the Tribunes of the people And they report beside that Tiberius Gracchus one of the Tribunes complayning first that the authoritie of the Tribuneship was troden vnder feete by a priuate person he afterwardes letting fall all the malice and enuy he bare vnto the Scipioes defended their cause bicause the Tribunes should rather seeme to be ouercome by a Tribune then by a priuate person They sayd moreouer that the selfe same daye the Senate supped in the Capitoll he perswaded the AFRICAN to let Tiberius Gracchus mary his younger Daughter This promise was no sooner made but P. Scipio comming home to his house tolde his wife that he had bestowed their Daughter Whereuppon she being angry told him againe that he should not haue married her without consent of her mother though he could haue bestowed her vpon Tiberius Gracchus This auÌswer liked Scipio maruelous wel when he saw that his wife was of his mind touching the mariage of their Daughter I knowe it is thought of some that it was attributed to Tiberius the sonne and to Appius Claudius his father in lawe For Polybius and other auncient writers affirme that Cornelia the mother of Caius and Tiberius Gracchi was maried vnto Gracchus after the AFRICANS death For Scipio AFRICAN was maried vnto AEmylia the Daughter of L. Paulus AEmylius Consul that was slayne at the battell of CANNES By her he had two Daughters of the which the eldest was maried vnto P. Cornelius Nasica and the younger vnto Tiberius Gracchus either before or after the death of his father Nowe towching his sonne there is litle mention made of him in writing that a man may write of certainty to be true We haue spoken of his younger sonne that was taken by king Antiochus and afterwards franckly sent vnto his father of whome notwithstanding afterwards I find no mention in writing sauing that some say he was afterwards Praetor and that he came to this office by meanes of Cicercius his fathers Secretary There appeareth in writing also that the younger AFRICAN was adopted by the sonne of P. Scipio Cicero in his booke intituled Cato Maior sayth how weake sayd he was the sonne of P. AFRICAN that adopted thee his sonne And in his sixth booke also de repub AEmylius the father exhorteth Scipio his sonne to follow iustice and piety as his grandfather Scipio AFRICAN had done And touching the death of P. Scipio AFRICAN writers doe diuersly varye for some say that he dyed and was buryed at ROME And for proofe thereof they doe bringe forth the monument that was set vp for him by the gate Capena ouer the which stoode three statues or images two whereof were the images of P. and Lucius Scipio and the third was of Q. Ennius the Poet. And surely that which Cicero wrote seemeth to confirme it true our Ennius sayd he was maruelously beloued of AFRICAN the great and therefore it is thought that he was buryed in Scipioes tombe Other authors write also and surely they agree best with the common report that Scipio AFRICAN dyed at LINTERNVM and that there he was buried at his owne appoyntment bicause his contry so vnthankfully acknowledging his seruice should do him no honor at his death and that there they set him vp a tombe and his statue vpon that the which afterwards was blowen downe by a tempest of wind and the which Liuie him selfe witnesseth he saw Furthermore by CAIETA this Epitaphe was grauen in a plate of copper set in a marbell tombe The man that vanquishe Annibal and conquered Carthage tovvne And eke increast the Romanes both in Empire and renovvne Lyes heere a beape of dust and earth bid vnderneath this stone His deedes his provvesse and his life are altogether gone VVhom mother Europe could vvithstand nor Africk in time past Behold mans frailtie heere he lyes in litle roome at last Now touching the time of his death hauing made great searche for it I haue found in certaine Graeke Authors that the AFRICAN liued foure and fifty yeares and dyed shortly after Furthermore he was a noble Captaine and worthy of all commendacion for martiall discipline and besides excelled in all other vertues the which did so delight his mind that he was wont to say he was neuer lesse idle then when he tooke his ease nether more solitary then when he was alone For some times he would withdraw him selfe out of the assembly from all mens company and thought him self safe when he was alone The fame of his noble deedes was so great that wheresoeuer he went all fortes of people would come and see him The common report went that when he was at LINTERNVM there came certaine rouers vnto him to see so famous a man and to losse that so faithfull and victorious a hand For vertue hath great force and power with all sortes of people bicause it doth not onely make the good but the euil also to loue and honor it THE COMPARISON OF Annibal with P. Scipio African NOW let vs compare Annibal and Scipioes deedes together as touching their ciuill discipline First if we remember their deedes in warres it is manifest that both of them haue bene great and famous Captaines in warre and that they haue not onely bene comparable with the noblest Kinges and Princes in their time being also in that age when warres florished most but with those also that were before their time One thing maketh me wonder much at them that they hauing great and heauy enemies in their contry who sought to ouerthrow all their doings and enterprises could possibly goe thorough with so great matters and to obtayne such happie and famous victories in straunge and forreyne warres Therefore passing ouer all other matters what a doe had P. Scipio before he could obtayne to be sent into AFRICK to make warre with the CARTHAGINANS Fabius Maximus and other noble men of the citie being greatly against it Againe what enemy had Annibal of Hanno who was Prince and head of the contrary faction against him Now they both hauing ouercomen such great troubles at home did notwithstanding bringe thinges to end worthy perpetuall memorie not by chaunce as it hapneth vnto many but through their industrie great wisedom and counsell So diuers doe wonder greatly at Annibals corage and noble mind who after he had sacked the citie of SACVNTVS came boldly from the furdest part of the world into ITALY and brought with him a great army of footemen and horsemen and came to make warre with a great state and common wealth the which his predecessors alwayes dreaded and after he had wonne many battells and slayne sundry Consuls and Captaines of the ROMANES he came and camped hard by the citie of ROME it selfe and procured straunge kings and farre nations to make warre with the ROMANES He that was able to doe so great things as these men can
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 sââelry and was full of stratageames policie And therefore all Authors both Graeke and Laâyây 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
Irenes Melirenes The ââeeuerie of the Lacedaemonians Straight dyet causeth groeth and height Childrens exercise afect their supper The LacedamoniaÌs manner of liuing Short speache taught among the Lacedaemonians Lycurgus wise aunswere Lycurgus loue to god To geue a haÌd is to consesse him self ouercome Shorte sentences of certaint Laconians Leonidus Charilaus Archidamidas Shaâe sentences of the Laconians Demaratus Agis Theopompus Plistonax Pausanias sonne Archidamidas In the life of Agesilous The Lacedaemonians songes Three daunces among the Lacedaemonians Terpander of the Lacedaemonians Pyndarus of the Lacedaemonians The longe bushes and beare of the Laconians How the Laconians beganne battell The LaconiaÌs songe when they marched Eust. Ilia 15. How save the Lacedaemonians dyd pursue their enemies Lycurgus a very good captaine Oulames The LaconiaÌs opinion to serue their countrie The rest and leysure of the Lacedaemonians Idie liuers punished at Athens Sutes in lawe went aways with golde siluer that was banished How they spâo the time in Sparta The Lacedaemonians liued not priuately to them selues in the comm'd weale Paedaretus saying The manner of choosing the Senate in Sparta VVhat was done the Senatour being chosen The manner of buriall with the Lacedaemonians The time of mourning None allowed to trauell into other couÌtries without licence No straungers suffered to dwell in Sparta Cryptia with the Lacedaemonians The cruelty of the Lacedaemonians against the Ilotes Diodorus lib. 2. Plato in Timaeo Lycurgus wonderfull counsell in stablishing his lawes Lycurgus death Sparta florished fiue hundred yeres Lycurgus lawes were broke in king Agis time by Lysanders meanes Money corrupteth Lycurgus Lawes See more in Lysaders life Lysander brought in richer againe into Sparta Theopompus wordes of obeying and commauÌding Good gouernmeÌt breedeth due obedieÌce Antisthenes Socrates schollers wordes The foundation of a common weale Diuine honours to Lycurgus after his death Antiorus Lycurgus âââââ In what time Numa âââ Cicero de Or. 2. Tuscâl 4. Lius Hâlic lib. 2. VVhether Pythagoras had any conversation with Numa Pythagoras the seconde a Spartan borne taught Numa at Rome The death of Romulus In the life of Romulus he is named Trocolus â Dissention as Rome about choosing of their King. Liuie sayeth but a hundred Dionysius 200. Plutar. in the life of Romulus agreeth with Dionysius Interregnum Numa chosen King. Numa borne in the cittie of Cures Quirites why so called The life and manners of Numa before his raigne Tatia the wife of Numa Numa conuersant with the goddesse Egeria Goddes familliar with men VVho are beloued of the goddes Proclus and Velesus ambassadours to offer Numa the kingdom The orasion of Numa to the abassadours refusing to be King. Numa beginneth his kingdome with seruice of the goddes Numa was consecrated by the Augures The garde of Celeres discharged by Numa Flamen Quirinalis instituted of Numa Numa inducent ciuill quiet life Plato de Rep. lib. 2. Numa and Pythagoras institutions muche a like Numa worshipped Tacita one of the Muses Pythagoras taught his schollers to kept silence Pythagoras opinion of god Numa forbad images of God. Proofes for the conuersation of Numa and Pythagoras Numa instituteth Bishoppes Pontifices why so called The wodden bridge as Rome The highe bishoppe The institution of the Vestall Nunnes The holy and immortal fire How the holy fire is drawen from the pure flame of the sunne See the life of Camillus touching the Vestall Nunnes The Vestalls prerogatius The punishment of the Vestall Nunnes The temple of Vesta represenseth the figure of the worlde VVhere the fire abideth The manner of buriall Libitina honored at funeralls The time of mourning Salâi Feciales Pluto Probl. 62. Gell. lib. 16 c.4 Feciales called Irenophylaces Irenen a quarrell pacified with reason without the sword Rome taken by the Gaules See Camillus Life The institution of the Salij A target from heauen VVhereof they were called Salij Ancylia whereof so called Regia the Kings palace The manner of the Romaines worshipping of the goddes The Pythagorians opinion touching prayer Hoc age a watcheword to tend diuine seruice The similitude of Numa and Pythagoras precepts By what means Numa made the Romaines quiet and gentle The wonders of Numa Numaes speaking with Iupiter Picus Fannus The purifying of thunder Ilicium the name of the place Numa buylded temples to Faythe and Terme Numa made the boundes of the territorie of Rome Numa aduaunceth jillage Numa deuided his people into sundrie occupations Numa tooke away the factions of Romulus and Tatius The ordinaunce of the moneths of Numaes institution Macrob. 1. Sarâr 13. The yere diuersely counted * Peraduenture ye must read in the Greke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is to saye of the name of Iuno * Some olde Grecian copies saye in this place marg ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as much to saye as for the deade VVhy Ianus is painted with two faces At what time the temple of Ianus is thus in Rome Liu. lib. 1. The Romains had us warres in al Nunaes time Platoes saying concerning the felicitie of a coÌmon weale Numaes tiues and posteritie Pompilia Numaes daughter Pompilia maried to Caius Martius Corislanus Martius the Sabyne made Sunatouar at Rome Ancus Martius the sonne of Caius Martius Coviolanus The death of Numa Numaes bookes VVhy the Pythagoriâagrave left nothing in writing 12. bookes of priesthood 12. bookes of philosophie Good men praysed after their death The misfortunes of Numaes successours Hostilius The vertues of Numa and Lycurgus were alike but their deeds diuers VVhat things were harde to Lycurgus Slaues sai with their master as Saturnes feasts Macrob. Satur lib. 1. Diuers causes of the diuersitie of institutions of Numa and Lycurgus Description of their people Reason for mariages Numaes order for maidens the better The Laconians were to manly The Romaine women very modest The first diuorce aâ Rome Howe much education and discipline is worthe Arist. polit 8. How Lycurgus lawes were stablished VVhy Numaes orders dyed Why Numa is to be preferred before Lycurgus Solons linage Great friendshipp betâixâ Solon Pisistratus A statute for bondmen Solon gaue him selfe in youth to trade marchauÌdise Solons iudgemeÌt of riches The commodities of merchandise A marchauns builded Massilia Thales Hippocrates Plato all marchaunts Pouerty with vertue better than riches How Solon vsed his poetrie Solon delited in morall but not in naturall philosophie Hellens three footed stoole of gold draweÌ vp in a drag net The rare modesty of the wise men Anacharsis and Solons meeting Anacharsis saying of Solons written lawes Solons talke with Thales at Miletum about mariage for hauing of children VVe should not let to get things necessarie fearing to lose them Cybistus Thales adopted sonne The instinct of naturall loue Proclamation vpon paâne of death no man so moâe the counsell for the title of Salamina Solon fained madnes to recouer Salamina Solons Elegies of the Salaminians Of the temple of Venus Coliade Sâab lib 4. âârsan of the Athenians Solons stratageames Solon wanne Salamina Great stryfe betwext
tombe built in the market place The coÌparison of Timoleon and Paulus AEmylius for the vvarres The woÌderful continencie of AEmylius from bribes Not to take giftes commended for a singular vertue AEmylius Constancie for exceeded Timoleons To be so bold veÌturous is not good The aunswere of a souldierâ to king Antigonus Diuers opinions of life death why the Greecians do punish him that casteth away his target Iphicrates comparison of an armie of men A lieutenant of an armie must be careful to saue him selfe Timotheus saying Pelopidas Marcellus lost both their liues by to much venturing Pelopidas stock liberalitie Aristotles saying of rich men Pelopidas saying for the necessitie of monie The persit frendshippe betwixt Pelopidas Epaminondas The true cause of frendshippe Agesipolis king of the Lacedaemonians Cadmea the castel of Thebes taken by Phebidas captaine of the Lacedaemonians Ismenias death Pelopidas Pherenicus and Androclidas banished from Thebes Archias and Leontidas gouerners of Thebes vnder the Lacedaemonians Androclidas slayne The thanckfulnes of the Athenians vnto the Thebans Pelopidas counsel for the libertie of the Thebans Conspiracie against the Lacedaemonians for the libertie of Thebes Charon kept promise with daunger of life Pelopidas coÌmeth into Thebes disgised in cloynes apparel Philidas secretary to the tyrans Pelopidas daunger Archias Bishop of AtheÌs bewraieth the treason to Archias in a letter VVeighty matters to morrow Prou. Pelopidas killeth the tyrans The Liberty of the Thebans restored Pelopidas receiueth the Castell of Cadmea by Composition Pelopidas ouerthrewe the seigniorie of the Lacedaemonians Pelopidas policy to make the Athenians fall out againe with the Lacedaemonians The Thebans exercise in armes Antalcidas saying to king Agesilaus The victory of Thebans against the Lacedaemonians Pelopidas victory of the Lacedaemonians at the battlle of Tegyra Melas ft. Latona brought to bed betwene two springes called the Palme and the Oliue Pelopidas victorie What enemies are moste terrible to be feared The first institution of the holie bande Men louing together fight desperately against their enemies Hercules Iolaus loue Platoes saying of a louer The Goddesse Harmonia Cleombrotus king of the Lacedaemonians Pelopidas princely aunsweare Se what plagues folowe where iustice is denied Pelopidas dreame vision in the fieldes of Leuetrea Agesileus dreame Godly sayings concerning God. Gods prouidence and sodaine ayde The filly slaine sacrificed The battell at Leuctres The cause of the ouerthrow of the Lacedaemonians Pelopidas and Epaminondas victorie at the battaile of Leuctres Pelopidas Epaminondas iorney into Peloponesus being both gouernors of Boeotia Apenall lawe at Thebes for resigning vp of offices at the yeers end Pelopidas Epaminondas went ouer the riuer of Eurotas with 70. thousand meÌ The ingratitude of the Thebans toward Pelopidas and Epaminondas The Lawe Boucation Epaminondas patience Pelopidas coÌdemneth Meneclidas a seditious orator and accuser The practise of spitefull men Our forefathers did paint and set forth their battailes Alexander the tyran of Pheres Larissa a city Philip of Macedon deliuered for ostage vnto Pelopidas Pelopidas taken prisonner by the tyran Alexander at Pharsale Pelopidas stoutnes Thebe the wife of Alexander the tyran Epaminondas sent into Thessalie with an army The brutishe cruelty of Alexander the tyran Epaminondas deliuered Pelopidas out of prison Artaxerxes king of Persia Pelopidas sent Ambassador to the king of Persia Pelopidas greatly honored of the king of Persia. Pelopidas refused the great giftes of the kinge Artaxerxes Timagoras Ambassador for the Athenians put to death for taking great giftes of the kinge of Persia Pelopidas second iourney against the tyran AlexaÌder of Pheres The eclipse of the sunne made the Thebans afraid Battaâll geuen by the temple of Thetis vnto the tyran Alexander Pelopidas slaine The great lamentacion mourning for Pelopidas death The oration of the ThessaliaÌs to the Thebans The strange manner of sorowe of Alexander the great for the death of Ephestion Pelopidas happines Esops sayinge of the happines of the dead Death a blessed thing The Thebans reuenged Pelopidas death Alexander the tyran of Pheres slaine by his wife Alexander the tyran of Pheres was the first tyran that was slaine by his wife Marcellus kinred Marcellus condicions The Romaines troubled with warres Marcellus saved his brother Octacilius Marcellus chosen AEdilis and Augure Marcellus accuseth Capitolinus The Romaines had warres with the Carthaginians two twenty yeres together The warre of the Gaules Gessates mercenary Gaules A lawe to exempt ecclesiasticall persone froÌ the warr The Romaines did feare the warre of the Gaules Men and women buried aliue Flaminius P. Furius Consulls Newes brought to Rome of strange things seene in Romania Flaminius ouercome the Gaules in battayle The great religion of the Romaines An ordinance for publike sacrifice Marcellus Cneus Cornelius Consulls The Gaules Gessates make warres with Rome and come ouer the Alpes Acerres a city apon the riuer of Po. Clastidium a village or this side the mountaines The maner of the Romaines when they worship The combat a horsebacke betwixt Britomarus king of the Gaules and Marcellus Marcellus slue king Britomaerus as Clastidium Marcellus prayer vnto Iupiter Feretrian The Gaule ouercome by Marcellus Marcellus wanne the city of Millaine Marcellus triumphe Marcellus offeringe up of his rich spoiles The three persones that offered vp Spolia opima in Rome Romulus Cossus Marceâus Iupiter Feretrian why so called Spolia opima what they be Marcellus sent into Sicile with an army Posidonius wordes of Fabius Marcellus Lucius Bandius of Nola a valliant man. Marcellus gentlenes Reward made Bandius a true subiect Marcellus victorie of Hanniball at Nola. Marcellus proconsull Certaine Spanyards and Numidians are reuolted from Hannibal Marcellus the third time Consull sent into Sicile The seuerity of the Romaines to cowardly souldiers Cowardes detested of the Romaines Hippocrates generall of the Syracusans Marcellus wanne the city of the Leontines Marcellus besiegeth Syracusa Archimedes a notable mathematician Architas and Eudoxus famous Mathematicians VVhy Plato reproued Eudoxus and Architas Archimedes with an engine drew one of the greatest hackes Hieron the king had a shore The woÌderful force of Archimedes engines as Marcellus siege of Syrcusa Marcellus Sambuca Marcellus wondred as Archimedes engynes Archimedes profowndely learned Archimedes Siren. Archimedes demonstracion of the Cylinder Marcellus victories in Sicile Danippus a LacedaemoniaÌ Captaine taken prisoner Marcellus winneth Syracusa Acradina Marcellus gentlenes Rich spoyled at Syracusa Archimedes mathematiciaÌ slaine in his study Marcellus clemency Engyivm a city in Sicile Nicias craft Marcellus the first that brought in finenes curious tables and pictures into Rome of the spoyles of Syracusa Marcellus entreth into Rome with Ouation triumphe VVhos the Ouation triumphe is Ouation whereof it is called The sacrifices of the quiet triumphe The sacrifices of the litle triumphe Ouation The differeÌces betwixt the Spartans and Romaines in their sacrifices for victorie The Syracusans accuse Marcellus Marcellus being Consull aunswered the Syracusans accusations as a
priuate man. Marcellus constancy Marcellus curtesie to the Syracusans Marcellus actes against Hanniball in his fourth Consullship Cneus Fuluius viceconsull slaine in Apulia by Hanniball Marcellus fought a battell with Hanniball at Numistron in Apulia The Dictator chosen by the Consull or Praetor not by the people nor Senate VVhereof Dictator commeth Quintus Fuluius chosen Dictator by the people Marcellus Proconsull Hannibals oration to his souldiers Marcellus stratageame Marcellus ouercome in battell by Hanniball Marcellus had wordes vnto his souldiers Hannibals wordes of Marcellus Battell betwixt Hanniball and Marcellus The worthy act of Flauius Tribunus milium Marcellus victory of Hannibal Hanniball lay in garrison in the city of Sinuesse in Campania P. Bibulus Tribune of the people accuseth Marcellus Circus Flaminius Marcellus chosen Consul the fift time The temples of honor and vertue built by Marcellus VVonderfull signes were seene in Rome vnfortunate to Marcellus Marcellus three score yeare olde beinge chosen Consull the fift time Q. Crispinus Consull Hanniball lay betwixt the cities of Bancia and Venousa Mons Petelium An ambush layd by Hanniball Ill signes to Marcellus Quintus Crispinus fellowe Consull with Marcellus Marcellus slaine in an ambush at the hill of Pââelie The Consull Crispinus slaine Marcellus funerall honored by Hanniball Marcellus monuments Marcellus posterity Pelopidas Marcellus actes in wars Marcellus actes preferred before Pelopidas The maner of Marcellus Pelopidas deedes Marcellus made the Romaines coragious Rashneâ in a Captaine deserueth blame The valliantnes and obedience of Chrysantas a souldier Plutarch excuseth his free speech and Iudgement of these famous men Pelopidas Marcellus funeralls vnlike Aristides wealth Good men may take giftes but after a sorie Damon banished bicause he was to wise Socrates was not poore Aristocratia what it signifieth Aristides and Themistocles enemies in the common wealth Themistocles disposition Aristides nature Themistocles saying for partiality Aristides maner of dealing in the common wealth Barathrum a prison or dungeon Aristides constancy Aristides iustice Aristides wise saying Aristides chosen treasorer Themistocles couetously geuen Aristides accused condemned for abusing his office Aristides fine released and he made treasorer againe Aristides openly reproueth close theeues in the coÌmon wealth and detesteth their praise Miltiades chiefe of the ten Captaines that went against Dathis the king of Persiaes Lieutenant Miltiades victory of the Parsians The wicked parte of Callias the torche bearer Aristides chosen prouost of Athens Aristides called the Iust. The praise of iustice Authority would be with out corruptioÌ Themistocles enuieth Aristides iustice Aristides banished with the Ostracismon The nature of the Ostracismon Hyperbolus the last man banished with the Ostracismon The cause of Hyperbolus banishment A description of the Ostracismon A tale of a plaine man that came to Aristides with his shell to pray him to write Aristides name in it Aristides called from exile Aristides acts and councells against kinge Xerxes Aristides wordes of Themistocles Aristides victory as Psyttalea Aristides wise counsell for Xerxes flying out of Greece A stratageame of Themistocles Xerxes left Mardonius his Lieutenant in Greece with 300000. men The noble minde of the Athenians Aristides Lieutenant generall of the AtheniaÌs against Mardonius Pausanias king of Lacedaemon generall of all Greece Asopus flu Oracles of the victory of Plateas The Nymphes Sphragitides Arymnestus dreame The magnanimity of the Plataeians Alexander the great doth honor the Plateians for their noble mindes Strife betwene the Athenians Tegeates Aristides wisely pacifieth the mutinie The conspiracy of the rich noble men of Athens Mount Cithaeron Masistius generall of the horsemen of the Persians Masistius slaine by the Athenians Alexander kinge of Macedon reuealeth the Persian secrete counsell vnto Aristides The treason of the Thebans The stubbornnes of Amompharetus Captaine of the Lacedaemonians The battell of the GreeciaÌs with the Persians at the city of Plataees Callicrates slaine without fighting Note the obedience of the Spartan souldiers vnto death Barteââl betwixt the Greecians Persians The Greecian victorie of the Persians as Platees Mardonius slaine of Arimnestus a Spartan with a blow of a stone Two hundred and three score thousand Persians slain A thowsande three hundred three score Greecians slaine Strife betwixt the AtheniaÌs and Lacedaemonians for honor of the victory Corinthe the third city of estimacion in Greece Sparta Athens Corinthe The Greecians graâânt the honor of the victory vnto the Plataeians The wonderfull speede of Euchidas the Plataeian a foââe Diana Euclia Euchidas death A generall counsell holden at the city of Plataees Solemne sacrifices and funeralls kepe by the Plataeians yerely for the Greecians that were slaine as the battaill of Plataees Aristides preferreth the popular state A wicked deuise of Themistocles Aristides sentence apon Themistocles deuise The iustice of the AtheniaÌs Aristides and Cimon generalls of the Athenians against the barbarous people Aristides iustice and vertue tooke from the Lacedaemonians all their rule and authority in Greece Pausanias proude and couetous Pausanias cruell punishing of his souldiers Aristides fine triall of traytors The rebellious act of Vliades and Antagoras against Pausanias The temperance of the Lacedaemonians Aristides did sesse the cities of GREECE Aristides a true cesser Tauntes betwixt Themistocles and Aristides Aristides preferred necessity of time before law reason Aristides gloried in his pouerty A hard thing to away with pouerty VVho may be ashamed of pouerty Aristides coÌmended of Plato Aristides temperance vnto Themistocles Aristides death Aristides coÌdemned for extorcion Aristides tombe The Athenians thankefulnes vnto Aristides children Myrto Aristides daughters daughter maried vnto Socrates The Athenians commended for their liberality Cato called an vpstare The definition of this worde Cato Catoes maners and life Cato an excellent orator Cato a souldier at 17. yeares of age A grimme looke geueth terror to the enemy This Manius Curius ouerthrew kinge Pyrrus being generall of the Tarââinas Cato the elder wondered as the thrifânes of Manius Curius The moderacion of Manius Curius Nearchus the Pythagorian Philosopher Caenes scholemaister Platââs opinion of pleasure Cato learned the Greeke tongue in his olde age Cato profited most by Demosthenes eloquence Valerius Flaccus a great wise man. Catoes strauÌge life Cato goeth to Rome by Valerius Flaccus perswasion Cato chosen Tribunus militum Catoes offices in the Senate Cato followed Fabius Maximus Catoes emulacion with Scipio the great Cato beinge treasorer vnder Scipio Afrikan reproued him for his wastfull expences Cato accuseth Scipio of riot Catoes eloquence his continent life and extreame paynes Catoes wonderfull thrift Catoes sharpnes Gentlenesse goeth further then iustice Gentlenesse to be vsed vnto brute beastes A gentle lawe made by the Athenians in fauer of their laboringe moyles Xanthippus buried his dogge that swame by his gallyes side from Athens to Salamina and dyed wheÌ he landed Catoes straight life Cato Praetor in Sardinia Catoes neerenes in his circuite Catoes seuerity Catoes speech and writing Catoes sayinges Themistocles saying Honor nourisheth ââie Cato
Xenophon great about Agesilaus marg The practise of Lysander about alteratioÌ of gouernment The wise conÌsell of a Senatour at Sparta The policie of Agesilaus to win his enemies Agesilaus Agesipolis kinges of Lacedaemon Teleutias Agesilaus halfe brother made Generall of the army by sea Certaine Apothegmes of Agesilaus * Meaning that he was not well in his wittes to be so presumptuous Agesilaus ouercome the Acarnanians Antalcidas peace Phoebidas possesseth the castel of Cadmea Agesilaus praise of iustice Sphodrias practise to take the hauen of Pirâa at Athens Sphodrias accused of treason Home Sphodrias was saued froÌ death Agesilaus cockering his children too much Agesilaus iorney into Boeotia Antalcidas saying Rhetra of Lycurgus Agesilaus suâtill deuise to shewe the weakenes of the allies Agesilaus sell sodainly sicke of a daungerous disease Epaminondas the Theban sent Ambassador vnto Lacedaemon The strife betwext Agesilaus and Epaminondas for the libertie of Boeotia The Lacedaemonians slaine at the battell of Leuctres Cleombrotus king of the Lacedaemonians slaine Cleonymus the sonne of Sphodrias slaine at king Cleombrotus foote Xenophons saying The constancy and fortitude of the Spartans The fortitude of the Spartan women Tresantas be cowardes or faint harted men Punishment at Sparta for cowardly souldiers Epaminondas inuadeth Laconia with three score ten thowsande men Certaine witty aunswers Conspiracies at Lacedaemon vnder Agesilaus Issorium the temple of Diana A fine deuise to apprehende the traitors The departure of the Thebans out of Laconia Agesilaus saued the citie of Sparta The tearelesse battell of Archidamus ouercomming the ArcadiaÌs The Lacedaemonians were not wonâ to reioyes much at any victory Messina restored againsâ by Epaminondas Epaminondas second iorney vnto Sparta Agesilaus repulsed Epaminondas from Lacedaemon The fortitude of Archidamus The valliantnes of Isadas a Spartan Isadas rewarded amerced The death of Epaminondas Machariones why so called Agesilaus greedy of warres Agesilaus devided of the Egiptians Agesilaus despised al dainty thinges Agesilaus forsaketh Tachos goeth vnto Nectanebos In whom stratageames take most effect The stratageame of Agesilaus against the Egyptians The liberality of king Nectanebos vnto Agesilaus The death of Agesilaus The raigne of Agesilaus Agesilaus body noynted with waxe for lacke of honnie The father of Pompey hated in Rome Strabo the father of Pompey The Loue of the Romanes vnto Pompey The fauour of Pompey Flora the curtisan loued Pompey Flora the curtisan was passing sayer The temperaunce of Pompey in dyes The treason of Lucius TereÌtius against Pompey Pompey accused for robbing the common treasure The cause of the crie of Talassio at mariages in Rome Pompey maried Antistia The death of Cinna Pompeyes first Captainshippe vnder Sylla Pompey was Chiefetaine of an army at 23. yeares of age The citie of Auximum Pompey goeth vnto Sylla Pompey victories of the Marians Pompey ioyned with Sylla Pompey called Imperator of Sylla The honor Sylla did vnto Pompey Pompey went to aide Metellus in Gaule VVonderfull victories of Pompey Pompey put away his wife Antistia â and maried AEmylia the daughter of Metella Syllaes wife The death of Antistius Pompey sent from Syllainto Sicile Lawe must geue place to armie The death of Carbo The death of Q. Valerius The bolde speache of Sthenis Pompey sealed vp his souldiers swordes Pompeis iorney into Msâicke vnder Sylla against Domitius Domitius camped by Pompey with his army Pompeis victory of Domitius Domitius slaine Pompey tooke king Iarbas Pompeis conquestes at 24. yeares of age The loue of the souldiers vnto Pompey Pompey called Magnus by Sylla The wisedom of the Romanes commended for rewardinge foreine and home seruice Valerius and Rullus called Maximi in Rome Pompeis slowt aunswere vnto Sylla Pompey not being Senator triuÌpheth against the law Marcus Lepidus created Consull Sylla fallow from the loue of Pompey Lepidus moueth ciuill warre Brutus the father slaine by Pompey The death of Lepidus The valliantnes of Sertorius in Spayne Pompeys iorney into Spayne against Sertorius Metellus geuen to royt pleasure Sertorius wan the city of Lauron in the fight of Pompey Pompey slue Herennius Perpenna Battell betwext Pompey and Sertorius Sucron fl The modesty of Pompey Metellus Pompey ouercame Perpenna and slue him Pompey burnt Sertorius letters the like also did Iulius Caesar wheÌ he ouercame Pompey Pompey ouercame the rest of the bondemen Pompey and Crassus first Consullshippe The custome of the Knights in Rome Pompey as a Knight of Rome sueth to be discharged from the warres Pompey submitteth to the Censors Pompey and Crassus made frendes Pompeye pride and glory The beginning of the pirates warre The power insolency of the pirates in Cilicia The pirates nauy a thowsand shippes The pirates scorning of the Romanes when they were taken Gabinius law for Pompeys authority against the pirates At the voyce of the people a crow flying fell downe Pompeys preparation against the pirates The courtesie of Pompey vnto Piso. The victory of Pompey vpon the pirate How men are tamed Pompey lewd fact against Metellus Achilles dishonest fact Pompey appointed Lucullus successor The boldnes of Catulus in disswading Manilius law Pompeys great dissimulation Quarrell betwixt Pompey and Lucullus Pompey and Lucullus meeting in Galatia Pompeys iorney against Mithridates Mithridates dreame Pompey ouerthrew Mithridates Hypsicratea Mithridates concubine otherwise called Hypsicrates for his valliantnes like a man. Araxes fl Tigranes yeldeth him selfe vnto Pompey Tigranes laied his diadeame at Pompeys feete Tigranes sonne a prisoner Ambassadors sent from the king of Parthia vnto Pompey Caucasus mont Albani and Iberes what meâââ of people Cyrnus fl Pompey ouerthrew the Albanians Pompey ouercame the Iberians Phasis fl The AlbaniaÌs rebell against Pompey Abas fl Pompey slue Cosis the kinges brother of the Albanians The Amazones Gele and Leleges people that do company with the Amazones Thermodon fl Stratonice Mithridates chiefe harlot Pompeys abstinence from taking of gifts Mithridates remeÌbrauÌces Rutilius an historiographer Pompeis faâe Pompeys iorney into Syria Pompey brought Syria into the forme and gouernment of a prouince Pompeys vertues The power insolency of Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Catoes exclamation against Demetrius Pompeys infranchised bondman Pompeys Theater The king of Arabia Petrea submitted him selfe to Pompey Mithridates death The value of Mithridates scaberd of his sword Pompeys returne out of Asia Mutia the wife of Pompey Pompey forsooke his wife Mutia Pompey at his returne out of Asia discharged his souldiers Pompeis honorable returne to Rome out of Asia A law for triumphe Cato refreseth Pompeis alliance Pompeis third triumphe The canââies conquered by Pompey Captiues led in Pompeis third triuÌphe Pompey conquered three partes of the world Africke Europe Asia Pompey triumphed thrise before the age of forty yeres The chaunge of Pompeys fortune and honor Lucullus beloued of the Senate at his returne out of Asia Lucullus inueyed against Pompey by Catoes ressistance Pompey ioyned with Clodius Tribune of the people Pompey forsaketh his frend Cicero Caesar reconciled Pompey and Crassus
Tenterides people of Germany Caesars horsemen put to flight The Ipes and Tenterides slaine by Caesar Sicambri a people of the Germaines Caesar made a bridge ouer the riuer of Rheyn Caesars iorney into England The death of Iulia Caesars Daughter The rebellion of the Gaules Cotta and Titurius with their armie slaine Caesar slue the Gaules led by Ambiorix The second rebellion of the Gaules against Caesar. Vercingentorix Captaine of the rebells against Caesar. * Some say that in this place is to be redde in the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the riuer Saone The Hedul rebell against the Romanes * Sequani Vercingentorix ouerthrowen by Caesar. The seege of Alexia Caesars daunger and wise policie Caesars great victorie at Alexie Alexia yelded vp to Caesar The discord betwixt Caesar and Pompey and the cause of the ciuill warres Caesars crassines The peoples voices bought at Rome for money Pompey gouerned Spain and Africk Caesar sueth the second time to be coÌsul and to haue his gouernment proroged Caesar bribeth the Magistrates at Rome Pompey abused by slauerers Caesars requests vnto the Senate Antonius Curio Tribunes of the people fly from Rome to Caesar Caesars doubtfull thoughts at the riuer of Rubicon The Greeke vseth this phrase of speech cast the dye Caesar tooke the citie of Arminum Caesars damnable dreame Rome in vprore with Caesars comming Pompey flyeth from Rome Labienus forsooke Caesar and fled to Pompey Domitius escaped from Caesar fled to Pompey Pompey flyeth into Epirus Silent leges inter arma Caesar taketh money out of the temple of Saturne Caesars iorney into Spayne against Pompeys Lieuetenants Caesar Dictator Caesar and Isauricus Consulls Caesar goeth into the kingdom of Epirus Complaints of the olde souldiers against Caesar. A great aduenture of Caesar. Anius ââ Caesars daungers troubles in the Realme of Epirus Caesars armie fled from Pompey Caesars wordes of Pompeys victory Caesar troubled in mind after his losse Pompeys determination for the warre Pompey called Agamemnon and king of kings The citie of Gomphes in Thessaly Pompeys dreame in Pharsalia The securitie of the Pompeians Pompeys armie at great againe as Caesars A wonder seene in the element before the battell in Pharsalia Caesars armie and his order of battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Pompeys army and his order of battell An ill counsel and fowle fault of Pompey The battell in the fieldes of Pharsalia Caesars strategeme Caesar ouercommeth Pompey Pompeys flight Brutus that slue Caesar taken prisoner at the battell of Pharsalia Signes tokens of Caesars victory A straunge tale of Cornelius an excellent Prognosticatos Caesars clemeÌcy in victory The cause of Caesars warre in Alexandria Pothinus the Euenuke caused Pompey to be slayne Cleopatra came to Caesar Cleopatra trussed vp in a mattresse and so brought to Caesar vpon Apollodorus backe The great library of Alexandria burnt Caesars swimming with bookes in his hand Caesar made Cleopatra Queene of AEgypt Caesarion Caesars sonne begotteÌ of Cleopatra Caesars victorie of king Pharnaces Caesar wyteth three wordes to certifie his victory Caesars iorney into Africke against Cato and Scipio Caesars troubles in Africke Alga and dogges tooth geuen to the horse to eate Caesars daungers in Africke Caesars great victorie and small losse Caesar trobled with the falling sickenes Caesar was sory for the death of Cato Caesar wrote against Cato being dead Cicero wrote a booke in praise of Cato being dead Iuba the sonne of king Iuba a famous historiographer Caesars feasting of the Romanes The muster taken of the Romanes Caesar Consull the fourth time Battell fought betwext Caesar and the young Pompeyes by the city of Mvnda Caesars victory of the sonnes of Pompey Caesar triumphe of Pompeis sonnes Caesar Dictator perpetuall The temple of clemency dedicated vnto Caesar for his curtesie Cassius and Brutus Praetors Caesars saying of death Good will of subiectes the best gard and safety for Palaces Caninius Rebilius Consull for one day Anienes Tiber flu Caesar reformed the inequality of the yeare * Mercedonius mensis intercularis VVhy Caesar was hated The feast Lipercalia Antonius being Consull was one of the Lupercalians Antonius presented the Diadeame to Caesar. Caesar saued Marcus Brutus life after the battell of Pharsalia Brutus conspireth against Caesar. Cassius stâroeth vp Brutus against Caesar. Predictions foreshewes of Caesars death Caesars day of his death prognosticased by a Soothsayeth The dreame of Calpurnia Caesars wife Decius Brutus Albinus perswasion to Caesar. Decius Brutus brought Caesar into the Senate house The tokens of the conspiracy against Caesar. The place where Caesar was slaine Antonius Caesars faithfull frend Casca the first that strake at Caesar. Caesar slaine and had 23. wounds apon him The murtherers of Caesar doe goe to the Capitall Caesars funeralls Cinnaes dreame of Caesar. The murther of Cinna Caesar 56. yere olde at his death The reuenge of Caesars death Cassius being ouerthrowen at the battell of Philippes slue himselfe with the selfe same sword wherewith he strake Caesar. VVonders seene in the element after Caesars death A great Comet Brutus vision A spirit appeared vnto Brutus The second appearing of the spirit vnto Brutus Demades arrogaÌt saying The power of vertue and fortune Aduersitie maketh men hasty Ciceroes saying of Cato the common wealth at Rome Catoes plaine maner became not the corrupt and suretie time The parââage of Phocion Phocion neuer wept nor laughed Phocions maners VVherein excellencie of speech consifieth Phocions first souldier saâe The victory of Chabrias and Phocion in the I le of Naxos Phocions notable sayings Aristogiton a Sycophant coward Phocion called by surname goââ Phocions iorney into Euboâa Phocion perswadeth his Captaines to suffer the musinous souldiers cowards to depart the campe Phocions victory in Eubââa Phocion saued the citie of Byzantium PhocioÌ draws Philip out of Hellespont Phocion ioyned Megara vnto Athens To reioyce at any mans hurt sheweth a base mind vile nature Alexander pacified with the Athenians by Phocions meanes Phocions vertue and integrity refusing of Alexanders money Phocions house and wiues Phocus Phocions sonne what he was Phocion despiseth Harpalus money Phocion refused to defend his sonne in law in an ill cause Phocions victory of the Macedonians The Graecians ouercomeÌ by Antipater Phocion Ambassador vnto Antipater Xenocrates authoritie Xenocrates despised of Antipater Presages of the miseries of the Athenians The crueltie of Antipater Phocion refuseth Menyllus giftes Phocion loued pouertie The insolencie of Demades the Orator Cassander king Antipaters sonne The ãâ¦ã end of Demades Polyperchon Generall of the armie of the Macedonians Polyperchon conspiracie against Phocion Nicanor to receiue then to offer an iniury Alexander the sonne of Polyperchon practiseth treason against the Athenians Phocion accused of treason Polyperchon did put Dinarchus to death Phocion sent prisoner to Athens to be condemned The furie of the Athenians against Phocion The crueltie of the Athenians vnto Phocion Phocion condemned to death The constancy and corage of Phocion being condemned
to dye Phocion gaue money to be put to death Phocions funeralls The percentage of Cato Liuius Drusus Catoes vncle Catoes maners VVhy quicke wits haue neuer good memorie Sarpedo Catoes scholemaister Catoes austeritie The maruelous constancie of Cato when he was a child Syllaes loue vnto Cato being but a boy Catoes hate being a boy against a tyran Catoes loue to his brother Antipater the Stoicke Catoes schoolemaister Catoes act for Basilica Porcia Catoes exercises Catoes drinking Ciceroes saying of Cato Catoes mariages Attilia Catoes wife Lelius mariage Catoes first souldierfare in the ware of the bondmen Cato chosen Tribunus milââan Howe Cato trained his men made them valliant The loue of vertue from whence it proceedeth Athenodorus the stoicke Catoes frend The death of Caepio Catoes brother Catoes mourning for his brother Capioes death * It seemeth to be mens of Caesar which wrote the booke called Anticaten Catoes iorney into Asia Catoes modestie A laughing matter hapned vnto Cato Demetrius a slaue great with Pompey Cato honored of Pompey in Asia Pompey rather suspected Cato then leued him Catoes iorney vnto king Deiotarus and his abstinence ãâ¦ã gisu Cato made Quaestor Catulus Luctatius what he was Cato made the Quaestorshippe of great dignity Cato was reuenged of Syllaes bloody murthers Catoes notable leauing of his office Catoes care and imegritie to the commoÌ wealth Catoes minde and determination to take charge in the commoÌ wealth Cato draue Clodius out of Rome The authoritie and credit of Cato Cato tooke Philosophers with him wheÌ he went into the country The office authoritie of the Tribune what it is Catoes Tribuneship Cicero definded Muraena against his accuser Cato The conspiracie of Catilin against Rome Catoes oraetion against Caesar touching Catilins conspiracie Cicero taught them how to write briefly by notes and figures Cato vnfortunate in his wiues Martia Catoes wife Platoes felowship and communitie of women Cato perswaded corne to be distributed vnto the people Cato resisteth Metellus tribune of the people Iulius Caesar Praetor Catoes noble courage and constancie Catoes doings of Lucullus Cato resisteth Pompey Cato refuseth allyance with Pompey Lex agraria The allyance and friendship betwixt Caesar and Pompey Cicero by his oration brake Catoes stifnes Cato committed to prison by Caesar. P. Clodius Tribune of the people The crafty iugling betwixt Caesar and Pompey with P. Clodius Cato sent Ambassador into Cyprus Ptolomy king of AEgypt goeth vnto Cato Catoes diligence about money in Cyprus The enuy betwixt Cato Munatius To much loue oftentymes causeth hate Money gotten together by Cato in Cyprus Cato receiued into Rome with great honor of all the people VVhy Cato sued to be Praetor Cato put from the Praetorship by Pompey Cato was against the law for the prouinces of Pompey and Crassus Cato foreshewed Pompey the things which happened vnto him by Caesar Cato chosen Praetor Cato preserved a law for vnlawfull bribing The power of iustice M. Faonius Catoes frend Cato doth set forth the playes for Faonius AEdilis Catoes wise counsell for playes Pompey was created sole Consull by Catoes sentence Cato sued to be Consull to resist Caesar. Cato was denied the Consulshippe Cicero blameth Cato Catoes opinion against Caesar. Cato inueyeth against Caesar. Cato prognosticated Caesars tyrannie Cato followeth Pompey Caesar reproueth Catoes couetousnes Cato is sent into Sicile Cato leaueth Sicile Catoes law as in Pompeys army VVhy Pompey chaunged his minde for the gouernment of the army by sea VVhy Pompey left Cato at Dyrrachivm Cato saueth Ciceroes life from Pompeis sonne Cato went into Africke Psilles be men which heale the stinging of serpents * Men in olde time bathed and washed them selues then laied them downe in their bed to suppe The modestie and noble minde of Cato Cato ioyneth with Scipio in Africke Cato was made Gouernor of the city of Vtica Scipio despiseth Catoes counsell Catoes constancy in extremity Catoes ãâ¦ã vnto the Romanes at Vtica The equity of Cato Cato forsaken of three hundred Romane marchant at Vtica Catoes pitie and regard vnto the Senators Cato an earnest suter for the Senators The sinceritie of Cato Catoes minde vnconquerable Cato reproueth the ambition of man. Statilius a follower of Cato Cato would not haue pardon begged of Caesar for him Cato forbad his sonne to meddle with matters of State in a corrupt time The paradoxes of the Stoicks Platoes dialogue of the soule Catoes last wordes vnto the Philosophers his frends Cato considered his sworde wherewith he killed him selfe The death of Cato Catoes funeralls Caesars saying vnto Cato the dead The sonne of Cato what conditions he had Psyche signifieth mind The death of Porcia the Daughter of Cato the youÌger and wife of Brutus The death of Statilius The fable of Ixion against ambitious persons Theophrastus for the praise of vertue Immoderat praise very daungerous Phocions saying The fable of the Dragons head and taile Plutarch excuseth the Gracchi The lynage of Agis The lynage of Leonidas Aristodemus tyrant of Megalipolis Leonidas brought superfluitie and excesse into Sparta The continency of Agis The first beginning of the Lacedaemonians fall from their auncient discipline Lycurgus the âra for partition of landes broken by Epitadeus law Epitadues law for deuise of landes by will. Agis goeth about to reduce the common wealth of heer auncient estate How louing the Lacedamonians were vnto their wiues Agis law Pasiphaé the Daughter of Atlas Agis maketh his goods common Leonidas resisteth king Agis King Leonidas accused by Lysander Leonidas deprived of his kingdome Leonidas flyeth vnto Tegea King Agis deceiued by Agesilaus New lawes stablished by the Lacedaemonians Aratus generall of the Achaians King Agis iorney into AchaiaÌ King Agis gaue place vnto Araetus King Leonidas returneth from ââile into Sparta The naturall loue of Chelonis Leonidas daughter vnto her father and husband The oration of Chelonis the Daughter of Leonidas The banishment of king Cleombrotus The great vertue and loue of Chelonis to her husband Cleombrotus Amphares betrayed king Agis King Agis caried vnto prison There the reuerent regard of the heatheÌ vnto the person of a king abhorring in lay violens handes vpon him King Agis her mother grandmother all three straÌgled The enemies did not willingly kill any king of Lacedaemon Here beginneth Cleomenes life Cleomenes the sonne of Leonidas Agiatis the Daughter of Gylippus and wife to king Agis Agiatis king Agis wife maryed vnto Cleomenes Sphaerus a Philosopher of Borysthenes Cleomenes did set the Lacedaemonians and Achaians together by the eares Cleomenes iorney into the contry of the Argiues The victorie of Cleomenes against Aratus The saying of the kings of Lacedaemon touching their enemies Archidamus king Agis brother slaine Lysiadas slaine Cleomenes victorie of the Achaians Lysiadas tyranne of Megalopolis gaue ouer his tyrannie and made it a popular state The dreame of one of the Ephores Cleomenes siue the Ephores Diuers teÌples at Sparta of feare death such other fancies The valliantest men are most
Antonius acts in AEgypt vnder Gabinius Antonius curtesie vnto Archelaus being dead Antonius shape presence The house of the Antonij discended from Hercules Antonius liberalitie Antonius Tribune of the people and Augure Antonius acts for Caesar. Antonius flyeth from Rome vnto Caesar. Cicero reproued for lying Alexander Cyrus Caesar all contended to raigne Caesars ambition the onely cause of the ciuill warre Caesar gaue the charge of Italy vnto Antonius Antonius vices Antonius taketh sea with his army at Brundusium and goeth vnto Caesar. Antonius manthood in warres Antonius led the left wing of Caesars battell at Pharsalla where Pompey left the field The dignitie of the general of the horsemen Dissention betwixt Antonius and Dolabella Antonius abominable life Antonius laid vp his stomack before the whole assembly Antonius insolency Caesar Lepidus Consuls Antonius byeth Pompeys house Antonius maried Fuluia Clodius widowe Fuluia ruled Antonius at home and abroad Caesar Antonius Consuls Antonius vnwittingly gaue Caesars enemies occasion to conspire against him Antonius Lupercian putteth the diademe vpon Caesars head Brutus Cassius conspire Caesars death Consultation about the murther of Antonius with Caesar Antonius maketh vprore among the people for the murther of Caesar. Calpurnia Caesars wife Charonites why so called M. Antonius Consul Caius Antonius Praetor Lucius Antonius Tribune all three brethren Variance betwixt Antonius and Octauius Caesar heire vnto Iulius Caesar. Octauius Caesar ioyned to friendship with Cicero Antonius and Octauius became friends Antonius dreame Antonius iudged an enemy by the Senate Hircius and Pausa Consuls Antonius ouerthrowen in battell by the citie of Modena Antonius pacient in aduersitie Antonius hardnes in aduersitie notwithstanding his fine bringing vp Antonius won all Lepidus army from him Varius surnamed Cotylon The conspiracie and meeting of Caesar Antonius Lepidus The prescription of the Tr ãâ¦ã Antonius cruelty vnto Cicero Lucius Caesars life saued by his sister Antonius riot in his Triumââ-rate The praise of Pompey the great The valliantnes of Antonius against Brutus The death of Cassius Brutus slue him selfe Antonius gaue honorable buriall vnto Brutus Antonius great curtesie in Graece The plagues of Italie in riot Antonius crueltie in Asia Hybraeas wordes vnto Antonius touching their great payments of money vnto him Antonius simplicity Antonius maners Antonius louâ to Cleopatra whom he sent for into Cilicia The wonderfull sumptuousnes of Cleopatra Queene of AEgypt going vnto Antonius Cydnus fl The sumptuous preparations of the suppers of Cleopatra and Antonius Cleopatraes beawtie An order set vp by Antonius Cleopatra The excessiue expences of Antonius and Cleopatra in AEgypt Eight wilde boares rosted whole Philotas a Phisition borne in Amphissa reporter of this feast Philotas Phisition to the younger Antonius Philotas subtil proposition Plato writeth of foure kinde of flatterie Cleopatra Queene of all flatterers Antonius fishing in AEgypt The warres of Lucius Antonius and Fulvia against Octauius Caesar The death of Fuluia Antonius wife All the Empire of Rome deuided betwene the Triamuri Octania the halfe sister of Octauius Caesar daughter of Anchavia which was not Caesars mother A law at Rome for marying of widowes Antonius maried Octauia Octauius Caesar halfe sister Antonius and Octauius Caesar doe make peace with Sexius Pompeius Sextus Pompeius taunt to Antonius Sexius Pompius being offered wonderfull great fortune for his honestie and faithes sake refused it Antonius told by a Soothsayer that his fortune was inferior vnto Octauius Caesar Antonius vnfortunate in sport and earnest against Octauius Caesar Orades king of Parthia Ventidius notable victorie of the Parthians The death of Pacorus the king of Parthians sonne Ventidius the only man of the Romanes that triumphed for the Parthians Canidius conquest Newe displeasures betwext Antonius and Octauius Caesar The wordes of Octauia vnto Macinas and Agrippa Octauia pacifieth the quarrell betwixt Antonius and her brother Octanius Caesar Plato calleth coÌcupiscence the lawes of the minde Antonius sent for Cleopatra into Syria Antonius gaue great provinces vnto Cleopatra Antigonius king of Iuvrie the first king beheaded by Antonius Antonius twinnes by Cleopatra their names Phraortes slue his father Orodes king of Persia. Antonius great puisant army Antonius dronke with the loue of Cleopatra Antonius besiegeth the city of Phraata in Media The ParthidÌs tooke Antonius engines of battery Battell betwext the Parthians Antonius The Romanes good order in their march Decimation a marshall punishment The craft of the Parthians against the Romanes Antonius returneth from the iorney of the Parthian The ParthiaÌ doe see vpon Antonius in his returne The bold act of Flauius Gallus Canidius fault Antonius Captaine Flauius Gallus slaine Antonius care of theâ that were wounded The loue and reuerence of the souldiers vnto Antonius The rare and singular gifts of Antonius The king of Parthia neuer came to fight in the field Antonius charitable prayer to the gods for his army The Romanes âestudo and couering against shot Great famine in Antonius army A deadly erbe incurable without wine The valliantnes of tenne thowsand Graecians whome Xenophon brought away after the ouerthrow of Cyrus The Parthians very suttell and craftie people Mithridates a Parthian bewrayeth vnto Antonius the conspiracie of his own contry men against him A salt riuer Antonius great liberalitie vnto Mithridates for the care he had of his saftie The tumult of Antonius soldiers through courteousnes Antonius desperat minde Hroxes ft. 18. seuerall battels fought with the Parthians The trechery of Artabazus king of Armenia vnto Antonius Antonius triumphed of Artabazus king of Armenia in AEgypt Antonius pined away looking for Cleopatra Cleopatra come to BlaÌcbourg vnto Antonius VVarres betwixt the Parthians and Medes Octauia Antonius wife came to Athens to meete with him The flickering enticements coments of Cleopatra vnto Antonius The occasion of ciuil warres betwixt Antonius and Caesar. The loue of Octauia to Antonius her husband and her wise and womanly behauior Antonius arrogantly onely deuideth diuers prouinces vnto his children by Cleopatra Caesarian the supposed soÌne of Caesar by Cleopatra Alexander Ptolomy Antonius sonnes by Cleopatra Accusations betwixt Octauius Caesar Antonius Antonius came with eight hundred saile against Octauius Caesar Antonius carieth Cleopatra with him to the warres against Octauius Caesars kept great feasting at the I le of Samos together Antonius put his wife Octauia out of his house at Rome Octauius Caesar exacteth grieuous payments of the Romanes Titius and Plancus reuolt from Antonius and doe yeld to Caesar. A famous librarie in the citie of Pergamum Furnius an eloquent Orator among the Romanes Geminius sent from Rome to Antonius to bid him take heede to him selfe Many of Antonius friends doe forsake him Antonius Empire taken from him Signes and wonders before the ciuill wares betwixt Antonius and Oct. Caesar. Pesaro a citie in Italy sonck into the gretle by an earthquake An ill signe foreshoned by swallowes breding in Cleopatraeas shippe Antonius power against Oct. Caesar. Antonius had eyght kinge
of Brutus actes Porcia studied in Philosophie The corage of Porcia Great difference betwext a wise and a harlot Porciaes words vnto her husband Brutus The wonderfull constancy of the conspirators in killing of Caesar. Sundrie misfortunes to haue broken of the enterprise The weakenes of Porcia notwithstanding her former corage Brutus with his countenaunce encoraged his fearefull consories * In Caesars life it is sayd it was Decius Brutus Albinus that kept Antonius with a talke without * In Caesars life he is called Metellus Cimber The mother of Caesar. Casca the first that wounded him VVhy Antonius was not slayne with Ceasar Brutus with his consorts went vnto the Capitoll Honors decreed for the murtherers of Caesar. Caesars will funeralls Brutus committed two great faults after Caesars death Antonius funerall oration for Caesar. The straunge dreame of Cinna the Poet The murder of Cinna the Poet being mistaken for an other of that name Brutus and his consorts doe flye from Rome Brutus playes and sportes at Rome in his absence Octauius Caesar comming to Rome Brutus reproued Cicero for taking part with Octauius Caesar. Porciaes sorowfull returne to Rome for the absence of her husband Brutus The story of Hector and Andromachè set forth in painted tables How Brutus bestowed his time at Athens Brutus commendeth Ciceroes sonne Brutus prepareth him selfe to warre A strange disease tooke Brutus at Dyrrachium VVho by snow this hungry disease taketh men that are wearied with trauaile Brutus thankfulnes and clemency C. Antonius yelded vnto Brutus Octauius Caesar ioyneth with Antonius Brutus senteÌsed and condemned by Octauius Caesars meanes for the death of Iulius Caesar. The Triumuirate C. Antonius murdered Brutus and Cassius doe ioyne armies together The sharpe and cruell condicions of Cassius Brutus gentle and âaâer condicions Brutus intent good if he had ouercomen Antonius testimonie of Brutus Brutus to his mind to his contry Brutus a true Prophet of Antonius Cassius wanne the citie of Rhodes Brutus âeâts in Lycia The citie of Xanethus set a fire The desperat ende of the Xanthians The Palareâans doe yeld them selues vnto Brutus The extreme couetousnes and crueltie of Cassius to the Rhodians Brutus clemeÌcy vnto the Lycians Theodotus borne in Chio a Rethoritian Scholemaister is Ptolomy the young king of AEgypt Theodotus saying a dead man biteth not Theodotus Chian the Rethoritian that gaue counsell to kill Pompeys was put to death by Brutus Brutus and Cassius doe meete at the citie of Sardis Brutus and Cassius complaints one vnto the other M. Phaonius a follower of Cato Cynick Philosophers cowÌred dogges Iulius Caesar slayne at the Ides of March. The wonderfull constency of Brutus in matters of iustice and equitie Brutus care and watching A spirit appeared vnto Brutus in the citie of Sardis Cassius opinion of spirits after the Epicurians sect The cause of dreames A wonderfull signe by two Eagles Brutus and Cassius camps before the citie of Philippes against Octauius Caesar Antonius Brutus souldiers brauely armed Brutus opinion for the brauery of souldiers in their armor and weapons Vnlucky signes vnto Cassius Cassius and Brutus opinions about battell Atellius opinion for the battell Cassius words vnto Messala the night before the battell Brutus and Cassius talke before the battell Brutus aunswer to Cassius The battell at Philippes against Octauius Caesar and Antonius Octavius Caesar falsely reported to be slaine at the battell of Philippes Cassius misfortune Cassius offended with the sundrie errous Brutus and his men committed in battell Cassius valliantnes in warres The importance of error mistaking in warres Cassius slaine by his man Pindarus The death of Titinnius The number of men slaine at the battell of Philippes Brutus clemeÌcy courtesie Brutus fault wisely excused by Plutarke Brutus victorie by sea VVonderfull famine amoÌg Caesars souldiers by sea The ignoraÌce of Brutus victorie by sea was his vtter destruction The euill spirit appeared againe vnto Brutus Straunge fightes before Brutus second battell Brutus second battell Brutus valliantnes and great skill in warres The death of the valliant young man Cato the sonne of Marcus Cato The fidelitie of Lucilius vnto Brutus Brutus flying Appian meaneth this by Antonius The death of Statilius Brutus saying of flying with hands not with feete Brutus slue him selfe Strato Brutus familiar and frend Strato receiued into Caesars frendship Messala Coruinus Brutus frend Brutus funeralls Porcia Brutus wife killed her selfe with burning coles In what things Dion was inferior vnto Brutus Brutus hoââaved of his enemies after his death Brutus image or statue standing in brasse in Milleine was preserued and kept by Octauius Caesar The example of our auncesters wherein profitable to their posteritie The common weale of the Sicyonians commersed into tyrannie Abantidas ââran of Sicyone Aratus the sonne of Clinias scaped the handes of the tyran Abantidas Aratus malice against tyrannes Aratus fauor Aratus wrote a booke of CoÌmentaries Abantidas the tyran slaine Aristotle the Logitian Aratus goeth about to deliuer his contry from the tyrannie * In an other place he calleth him Ecdemus Aristomachus and Ecdelus doe ioine with Aratus Aratus preparacioÌ to deliuer his contrie from tyrannie Aratus policy to deceiue Nicocles spialls Aratus daungers in deliuering of his contrie from the tyranny of Nicocles Aratus was the citie of Sicyone without bloodshed Nicocles the tyrant flyeth Aratus ioyneth the citie of Sicyone vnto the Achaians Aratus referred all things to the common wealth VVhy owles set best by night and not by day Management of Philosophy be likined unto owles Aratus taketh sea to go to king Ptolomy into AEgypt The pictures and paynted tables made in the citie of Sicyone did passe all the other paintings in Graece The excelleÌcy of Aristratus picture the tyran of Sicyone painted by all Melanthus scholers and Apelles help Aratus consultation for the defacing of it The saying of Nealces the paynter touching tyraÌne The great liberalitie of Ptolomey vnto Aratus Aratus temperances Aratus doings in his first Praetorship Presche an Island of Peloponnesus Acto or inthus means Young king Philips saying of the castell of Corinth Antigunus wife and dauise Antigonus craftily taketh the castell of the Acrocorinthe Ouergreat as lay to a simple man maketh him mad Perceiue the Philisopher made captaine of the Acrocorinthe Aratus determination for the taking of the Acrocorinthe The error and daunger by likenes of men one vnto another Aratus great daunger in taking of the castell of the Acrocorinthe The happy benefit of the Moone Aratus taketh the Acrocorinthe Aratus ioyneth the city of Corinthe vnto Achaia Zenoes opinion that a man could not be a good Captaine vnles he were a perfit wise man. Persaus aunswer to Zenoes opinion Philopaemen the last famous man of the Graecians Aratus power and authority with the Achaians Aratus gaeth about to set Argos at libertie Aratus prepared litle short daggers against the tyrants decree ordinance Aristippus tyrant of the citie of Argos Aristippus layed man to kill Aratus No
THE LIVES OF THE NOBLE GRECIANS AND ROMANES COMPARED together by that graue learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chaeronea Translated out of Greeke into French by IAMES AMYOT Abbot of Bellozane Bishop of Auxerre one of the Kings priuy counsel and great Amner of Fraunce and out of French into Englishe by Thomas North. Jn repentance remembrance ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier and Iohn VVight 1579. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCESSE ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF ENGLAND Fraunce and Ireland Queene defender of the faith c. VNDER hope of your highnes gratious and accustomed fauor I haue presumed to present here vnto your Maiestie Plutarkes lyues translated as a booke fit to be protected by your highnes and meete to be set forth in Englishe For vvho is fitter to giue countenance to so many great states than such an highe and mightie Princesse vvho is fitter to reuiue the dead memorie of their fame than she that beareth the liuely image of their vertues vvho is fitter to authorize a vvorke of so great learning and vvisedome than she vvhome all do honor as the Muse of the vvorld Therefore I humbly beseech your Maiestie to suffer the simplenes of my translation to be couered vnder the amplenes of your highnes protection For most gracious Souereigne though this booke be no booke for your Maiesties selfe vvho are meeter to be the chiefe storie than a student therein and can better vnderstand it in Greeke than any man can make it Englishe yet I hope the common sorte of your subiects shall not onely profit them selues hereby but also be animated to the better seruice of your Maiestie For amonge all the profane bookes that are in reputacion at this day there is none your highnes best knovves that teacheth so much honor loue obedience reuerence zeale and deuocion to Princes as these liues of Plutarke doe Hovve many examples shall your subiects reade here of seuerall persons and vvhole armyes of noble and base of younge and olde that both by sea lande at home and abroad haue strayned their vvits not regarded their states ventured their persons cast avvay their liues not onely for the honor and safetie but also for the pleasure of their Princes Then vvell may the Readers thinke if they haue done this for heathen Kings vvhat should vve doe for Christian Princes If they haue done this for glorye vvhat should vve doe for religion If they haue done this vvithout hope of heauen vvhat should vve doe that looke for immortalitie And so adding the encouragement of these exsamples to the forvvardnes of their ovvne dispositions vvhat seruice is there in vvarre vvhat honor in peace vvhich they vvill not be ready to doe for their vvorthy Queene And therefore that your highnes may giue grace to the booke and the booke may doe his service to your Maiestie I haue translated it out of French and doe here most humbly present the same vnto your highnes beseeching your Maiestie vvith all humilitie not to reiect the good meaning but to pardon the errours of your most humble and obedient subiect and seruaunt vvho prayeth God long to multiplye all graces and blessings vpon your Maiestie VVritten the sixteene day of Ianuary 1579. Your Maiesties most humble and obedient seruaunt Thomas North. To the Reader THE profit of stories and the prayse of the Author are sufficiently declared by Amiot in his Epistle to the Reader So that I shall not neede to make many wordes thereof And in deede if you will supply the defects of this translation with your owne diligence and good vnderstanding you shall not neede to trust him you may proue your selues that there is no prophane studye better then Plutarke All other learning is priuate fitter for Vniuersities then cities fuller of contemplacion than experience more commeÌdable in the students themselues than profitable vnto others Whereas stories are fit for euery place reache to all persons serue for all tymes teache the liuing reuine the dead so farre excelling all other bookes as it is better to see learning in noble mens liues than to reade it in Philosophers writings Nowe for the Author I will not denye but loue may deceiue me for I must needes loue him with whome I haue taken so much payne but I beleue I might be bold to affirme that he hath written the profitablest story of all Authors For all otherwere sayne to take their matter as the fortune of the contries whereof they wrote fell out But this man being excellent in wit learning and experience hath chosen the speciall actes of the best persons of the famosest nations of the world But I will leaue the judgement to your selues My onely purpose is to desire you to excuse the faults of my translation with your owne gentlenes and with the opinion of my diligence and good entent And so I wishe you all the profit of the booke Fare ye well The foure and twenty day of Ianuary 1579. Thomas North. Amiot to the Readers THe reading of bookes vvhich bring but a vaine and vnprofitable pleasure to the Reader is iustly misliked of vvise and grauemen Againe the reading of such as doe but onely bring profit and make the Reader to be in loue therevvith and doe not ease the payne of the reading by some pleasauntnes in the same doe seeme somevvhat harshe to diuers delicate vvits that can not tary long vpon them But such bookes as yeeld pleasure and profit and doe both delight and teache haue all that a man can desire vvhy they should be vniuersally liked and allovved of all sortes of men according to the common saying of the Poet Horace That he which matcheth profit with delight Doth winne the price in euery poynt aright Eyther of these yeeld his effect the better be reason the one runneth vvith the other profiting the more bicause of the delight and deliting the more bicause of the profit This commendation in my opinion is most proper to the reading of stories to haue pleasure and profit matched together vvhich kind of delight and teaching meeting in this vvise arme in arme hath more allovvance then any other kind of vvriting or inuention of man In respect vvhereof it may be reasonably auovved that men are more beholding to such good vvits as by their graue and vvise vvriting haue deserued the name of Historiographers then they are to any other kind of vvriters bicause an historie is an orderly register of notable things said done or happened in time past to mainteyne the continuall remembrance of them and to serue for the instruction of them to come And like as memorie is as a storehouse of mens conceits and deuises vvithout the vvhich the actions of the other tvvo parts should be vnperfect and vvelneare vnprofitable So may it also be sayd that an historie is the very treasury of mans life vvhereby the notable doings and sayings of men and the vvonderfull aduentures straunge cases vvhich the long
continuance of time bringeth forth are preserued from the death of forgetfulnes Hereuppon it riseth that Plato the vvise sayth that the name of historie vvas giuen to this recording of matters to stay the fleting of our memorie vvhich othervvise vvould be soone lost and retaine litle And vve may vvell perceiue hovv greatly vve be beholding vnto it if vve doe no more but consider in hovv horrible darkenes and in hovv beastly and pestilent a quamyre of ignorance vve should be plunged if the remembrance of all the thinges that haue bene done and haue happened before vve vvere borne vvere vtterly drovvned and forgotten Novv therefore I vvill ouerpasse the excellencie and vvorthines of the thing it selfe forasmuch as it is not onely of more antiquitie then any other kind of vvriting that euer vvas in the vvorlde but also vvas vsed among men before there vvas any vse of letters at all bicause that men in those daies deliuered in their lifetimes the remembrance of things past to their successors in songes vvhich they caused their children to learne by hart from hand to hand as is to be seene yet in our dayes by thexample of the barbarous people that inhabite the nevvfound landes in the VVest vvho vvithout any records of vvritings haue had the knovvledge of thinges past vvelneare eight hundred yeares afore Likevvise I leaue to discourse that it is the surest safest and durablest monument that men can leaue of their doings in this vvorld to consecrate their names to immortality For there is nether picture nor image of marble nor arche of triumph nor piller nor sumptuous sepulchre that can match the durablenes of aneloqueÌt history furnished vvith the properties vvhich it ought to haue Again I mind not to stand much vpon this that it hath a certaine troth in it in that it alvvayes professeth to speake truth for that the proper grouÌd therof is to treate of the greatest highest things that are done in the vvorld insomuch that to my seeming the great profit thereof is as Horace sayth that it is commonly called the mother of trothe vprightnes vvhich commendeth it so greatly as it nedeth not elsvvhere to seeke any authoritye or ornament of dignitie but of her very selfe For it is a certaine rule and instruction vvhich by examples past teacheth vs to iudge of things present to foresee things to come so as vve may knovve vvhat to like of vvhat to follovv vvhat to mislike and vvhat to eschevv It is a picture vvhich as it vvere in a table setteth before our eyes the things vvorthy of remembrance that haue bene done in olde time by mighty nations noble kings Princes vvise gouernors valliant Capteines persons renovvmed for some notable quality representing vnto vs the maners of stranÌge nations tha lavves customes of old time the particular affaires of men their consultations enterprises the meanes that they haue vsed to compasse theÌ vvithall their demeaning of them selues vvhen they vvere comen to the highest or throvven dovvne to the lovvest degree of state So as it is not possible for any case to rise either in peace or vvarre in publike or priuate affaires but that the person vvhich shall haue diligently red vvell conceiued throughly remembred histories shall find matter in them vvhereat to take light counsell vvherby to resolue himselfe to take a part or to geue aduice vnto others hovv to choose in doutfull daungerous cases that vvhich may be for their most proffit and in time to find out to vvhat poynt the matter vvill come if it be vvell handled and hovv to moderate him selfe in prosperitie and hovv to cheere vp and beare him selfe in aduersitie These things it doth vvith much greater grace efficacy and speede than the bookes of morall Philosophie doe forasmuch as examples are of more force to moue and instruct than are the arguments and proofes of reason or their precise precepts bicause examples be the very formes of our deedes accompanied vvith all circumstances VVhereas reasons and demonstrations are generall and tend to the proofe of things and to the beating of them into vnderstanding and examples tende to the shovving of them in practise and execution bicause they doe not only declare vvhat is to be done but also vvorke a desire to do it as vvell in respect of a certaine naturall inclination vvhich all men haue to follovv examples as also for the beavvtie of vertue vvhich is of such povver that vvheresoeuer she is seene she maketh her selfe to be loued and liked Againe it doth things vvith greater vveight and grauitie than the inuentions deuices of the Poets bicause it helpeth not it selfe vvith any other thing than vvith the plaine truth vvher as Poetry doth commonly inrich things by commending them aboue the starres and their deseruing bicause the chiefe intent thereof is to delight Moreover it doth thinges vvith more grace and modestie than the ciuill lavves and ordinances doe bicause it is more grace for a man to teach and instruct than to chastise or punish And yet for all this an historie also hath his maner of punishing the vvicked by the reproch of euerlasting infamie vvherevvith it defaceth their remembrance vvhich is a great meane to vvithdravv them from vice vvho othervvise vvould be levvdly and vvickedly disposed Likevvise on the contrarie parte the immortall praise and glorie vvherevvith it revvardeth vvelldoers is a very liuely sharpe spurre for men of noble corage and gentlemanlike nature to cause them to aduenture vpon all maner of noble and great things For bookes are full of examples of men of high corage and vvisedom vvho for desire to continue the remembraunce of their name by the sure and certaine recorde of histories haue vvillingly yeelded their liues to the seruice of the common vveale spent their goods susteined infinite peines both of bodie and minde in defence of the oppressed in making common buildings in stablishing of lavves and gouernments and in the finding out of artes and sciences necessarie for the maintenance and ornament of mans life for the faithfull registring vvhereof the thanke is due to histories And although true vertue seeke no revvard of her commendable doings like a hireling but contenteth her selfe vvith the conscience of her vvell doing yet notvvithstanding I am of opinion that it is good and meete to dravv men by all meanes to good doing and good men ought not to be forbidden to hope for the honor of their vertuous deedes seeing that honor doth naturally accompanie vertue as the shadovv doth the bodie For vve commonly see not to feele the sparkes of desire of honor is an infallible signe of a base vile and cloynish nature and that such as account it an vnnecessarie needelesse or vnseemely thing to be praised are likevvise no doers of any things vvorthy of praise but are commonly men of faint corage vvhose thoughtes extend no further than to their liues vvhereof also they haue no further remembranuce than is before
stealth For the AMAZONES sayeth he naturally louing men dyd not flie at all when they sawe them laÌde in their countrye but sent them presents that Theseus entised her to come into his shippe who brought him a present so sone as she was aborde he hoysed his sayle so caried her away Another Historiographer Menecrates who wrote the historie of the cittie of NICEA in the countrye of BYTHINIA sayeth that Theseus hauing this AMAZONE ANTIOPA with him remained a certaine time vpon those coasts that amongest other he had in his companie three younge brethern of ATHENS Euneus Thoas and Solois This last Solois was marueilously in loue with ANTIOPA and neuer bewrayed it to any of his other companions sauing vnto one with whom he was most familiar and whom he trusted best so that he reported this matter vnto ANTIOPA But she vtterly reiected his sute though otherwise she handled it wisely and curteously and dyd not complaine to Theseus of him Howbeit the younge man despairing to enioye his loue tooke it so inwardly that desperately he lept into the riuer and drowned him selfe Which when Theseus vnderstoode and the cause also that brought him to this desperation and ende he was very sorye and angric also Whereupon he remembred a certeine oracle of Pythia by whom he was commaunded to buyld a cittie in that place in a straunge countrye where he should be most sorye and that he should leaue some that were about him at that time to gouerne the same For this cause therefore he built a cittie in that place which he named PYTHOPOLIS bicause he had built it only by the commaundement of the Nunne Pythia He called the riuer in the which the younge man was drowned Solois in memorye of him and left his two brethern for his deputies and as gouernours of this newe cittie with another gentleman of ATHENS called Hermus Hereof it commeth that at this daye the PYTHOPOLITANS call a certen place of their cittie Hermus house But they fayle in the accent by putting it vpon the last syllabe for in pronouncing it so Hermu signifieth Mercurie By this meanes they doe transferre the honour due to the memorie of Hermus vnto the god Mercurie Now heare what was the occasion of the warres of the AMAZONES which me thinckes was not a matter of small moment nor an enterprise of a woman For they had not placed their campe within the very cittie of ATHENS nor had not fought in the very place it selfe called Pnyce adioyning to the temple of the Muses if they had not first conquered or subdued all the countrye thereabouts neither had they all comen at the first so valiantly to assaile the cittie of ATHENS Now whether they came by lande from so farre a countrye or that they passed ouer an arme of the sea which is called Bosphorus Cimmericus being frosen as Hellanicus sayeth it is hardely to be credited But that they camped within the precinct of the very cittie it selfe the names of the places which coÌtinewe yet to this present daye doe witnesse it the graues also of the women which dyed there But so it is that both armies laye a great time one in the face of the other ere they came to battell Howbeit at the length Theseus hauing first made sacrifice vnto Feare the goddesse according to the counsaill of a prophecie he had receyued he gaue them battell in the moneth of August on the same daye in the which the ATHENIANS doe euen at this present solemnise the feast which they call Boedromia But Clidemus the Historiographer desirous particularly to write all the circumstances of this encownter sayeth that the left poynte of their battell bent towards the place which they call AMAZONION and that the right poynte marched by the side of CHRYSA euen to the place which is called PNYCE vpon which the ATHENIANS coÌming towards the temple of the Muses dyd first geue their charge And for proofe that this is true the graues of the women which dyed in this first encouÌter are founde yet in the great streete which goeth towards the gate Piraica neere vnto the chappell of the litle god Chalcodus And the ATHENIANS sayeth he were in this place repulsed by the AMAZONES euen to the place where the images of Eumenides are that is to saye of the futies But on thother side also the ATHENIANS coÌming towards the quarters of Palladium Ardettus Lucium draue backe their right poynte euen to within their campe slewe a great number of them Afterwards at the ende of foure moneths peace was taken betwene them by meanes of one of the women called Hyppolita For this Historiographer calleth the AMAZONE which Theseus maried Hyppolita and not Antiopa Neuertheles some saye that she was slayne fighting on Theseus side with a darte by another called Molpadia In memorie whereof the piller which is ioyning to the temple of the Olympian ground was set vp in her honour We are not to maruell if the historie of things so auncient be founde so diuersely written For there are also that write that Queene Antiopa sent those secretly which were hurte then into the cittie of CALCIDE where some of them recouered were healed and others also dyed which were buried neere to the place called AMAZONION Howsoeuer it was it is most certain that this warre was ended by agreement For a place adioyning to the temple of Theseus dothe beare recorde of it being called Orcomosium bicause the peace was there by solemne othe concluded And the sacrifice also do the truely verifie it which they haue made to the AMAZONES before the feast of Theseus long time out of minde They of MEGARA also doe shewe a tumbe of the AMAZONES in their cittie which is as they goe froÌ the market place to the place they call Rhus where they finde an auncient tumbe cut infacion forme of a losenge They saye that there died other of the AMAZONES also neere vnto the cittie of CHAERONEA which were buried all alongest the litle broke passing by the same which in the olde time in mine opinion was called Thermodon is nowe named Haemon as we haue in other places written in the life of Demosthenes And it semeth also that they dyd not passe through THESSALIE without fighting for there are seene yet of their tuÌbes all about the cittie of SCOTVSA hard by the rocks which be called the doggs head And this is that which is worthy memorie in mine opinion touching the warres of these AMAZONES Howe the Poettelleth that the AMAZONES made warres with Theseus to reueÌge the iniurie he dyd to their Queene Antiopa refusing her to marye with Phadra as for the murder which he telleth that Hercules dyd that me thinckes is altogether but deuise of Poets It is very true that after the death of Antiopa Theseus married Phadra hauing had before of Antiopa a sonne called Hippolytus or
as the Poet Pindarus writeth Demophon And for that the Historiographers doe not in anything speake against the tragicall Poets in that which concerneth the ill happe that chaunced to him in the persones of this his wife of his sonne we must needes take it to be so as we finde it written in the tragedies And yet we finde many other reportes touching the mariages of Theseus whose beginnings had no great good honest grouÌd neither fell out their endes very fortunate yet for all that they have made no tragedies of them neither haue they bene played in the Theaters For we reade that he tooke away Anaxo the TRâEZENIAN that after he had killed Sinnis and Cercyon he tooke their daughters perforce and that he dyd also marye Peribea the mother of Aiax and afterwards Pherebaea Ioppa the daughter of Iphicles And they blame him much also for that he so lightly forsooke his wife Ariadne for the loue of AEgles the daughter of Panopaeus as we haue recited before Lastely he tooke awaye Hellen which rauishement filled all the Realme of ATTICA with warres finally was the very occasion that forced him to forsake his countrye and brought him at the length to his ende as we will tell you hereafter Albeit in his time other princes of GRECE had done many goodly and notable exploits in the warres yet Herodotus is of opinion that Theseus was neuer in any one of them sauing that he was at the battell of the Lapithae against the Centauri Others saye to the contrarie that he was at the iorney of Cholchide with Iason that he dyd helpe Meleager to kill the wilde bore of Calydonia from whence as they saye this prouerbe came Not vvithout Theseus Meaning that suche a thing was not done without great helpe of another Howbeit it is certaine that Theseus self dyd many famous actes without ayde of any man and that for his valiantnes this prouerbe came in vse which is spoken This is another Theseus Also he dyd helpe Adrastus king of the ARGIVES to recouer the bodyes of those that were slayne in the battell before the cittie of THEBES Howbeit it was not as the poet Euripides sayeth by force of armes after he had ouercome the THEBANS in battell but it was by coÌposition And thus the greatest number of the most auncient writers doe declare it Furthermore Philochorus writeth that this was the first treatie that euer was made to recouer the dead bodyes slayne in battell neuertheles we doe reade in the histories and gestes of Hercules that he was the first that euer suffered his enemies to carye awaye their dead bodyes after they had bene put to the sword But whosoeuer he was at this daye in the village of ELEVTHERES they doe showe the place where the people were buried and where princes tumbes are seene about the cittie of ELEVSIN which he made at the request of Adrastus And for testimonie hereof the tragedie AEschilus made of the ELEVSINIANS where he causeth it to be spoken euen thus to Theseus him self dothe clerely ouerthrowe the petitioners in Euripides Touching the friendshippe betwixt Pirithous and him it is sayed it beganne thus The renowne of his valliancy was maruelously blowen abroade through all GRECE Pirithous desirous to knowe it by experience went euen of purpose to inuade his countrye and brought awaye a certaine bootie of oxen of his taken out of the countrye of MARATHON Theseus being aduertised therof armed straight and went to the rescue Pirithous hearing of his comming fled not at all but returned backe sodainly to mete him And so sone as they came to see one another they both wondred at eche others beawtie and corage and so had they no desire to fight But Pirithous reaching out his hande first to Theseus sayed vnto him I make your selfe iudge of the damage you haue susteined by my inuasion and with all my harte I will make suche satisfaction as it shall please you to assesse it at Theseus then dyd not only release him of all the damages he had done but also requested him he would become his friend and brother in armes Hereupon they were presently sworne brethren in the fielde after which othe betwixt them Pirithous maried Deidamia sent to praye Theseus to come to his mariage to visite his countrye to make merye with the Lapithae He had bidden also the Centauri to the feast who being druncke committed many lewde partes euen to the forcing of women Howbeit the Lapithae chasticed them so well that they slewe some of them presently in the place draue the rest afterwards out of all the countrye by the helpe of Theseus who armed him selfe and fought on their side Yet Herodotus writeth the matter somewhat contrarie saying that Theseus went not at all vntill the warre was well begonne and that it was the first time that he sawe Hercules spake with him neere vnto the cittie of TRACHINA when he was then quiet hauing ended all his farre voyages greatest troubles They reporte that this meeting together was full of great cheere much kindnes and honorable entertainement betwene them and howe great curtesie was offred to eache other Neuertheles me thincks we should geue better credit to those writers that saye they mett many times together and that Hercules was accepted and receyued into the brotherhed of the mysteries of ELEVSIN by the meanes of the countenaunce and fauour which Theseus showed vnto him and that his purification also was thereby allowed of who was to be purged of necessitie of all his ill deedes and cruelties before he could enter into the companie of those of holy mysteries Furthermore Theseus was fiftie yeres olde when he tooke awaye Hellen and rauished her which was very younge and not of age to be maried as Hellanicus sayeth By reason whereof some seeking to hyde the rauishement of her as a haynous facte doe reporte it was not he but one Idas and Lynceus that caryed her awaye who left her in his custodie and keeping and that Theseus would haue kept her from them and would not haue deliuered her to her brethern Castor and Pollux which afterwardes dyd demaunde her againe of him Others againe saye it was her owne father Tyndarus who gaue her him to keepe for that he was affrayed of Enarsphorus the sonne of Hippocoon who would haue had her away by force But that which commeth nearest to the trothe in this case and which in deede by many authors is testified was in this sorte Theseus Pirithous went together to the cittie of LACEDAEMON where they tooke awaye Hellen being yet very younge euen as she was dauncing in the teÌple of Diana surnamed Orthia they fled for life They of LACEDAEMON sent after her but those that followed weÌt no further then the cittie of TEGEA Now when they were escaped out of the countrye of PELOPONNESVS they agreed to drawe lots together which of them two
actes to haue their death extolled for worthines So he imagined that his death would be the perfection and crowne of his felicitie after he had made and ordeined so many good and notable lawes for the honour and benefit of his countrie and should be as a seale of confirmation of his lawe and the continuall preseruitour of his cittie considering all his cittizens had sworne to keepe them all inuiolably vntill he were returned He was not deceaued of his hope for his cittie was the chiefest of the worlde in glorie and honour of gouernment by the space of fiue hundred yeres For so long his cittie kept his lawes without any chaunge or alteration by any of the Kings successours vntill king Agis the sonne of Archidamus beganne to reigne For the creation of the Ephores did not breake not discontinewe any of the lawes of Lycurgus but reduced them rather to a more straight and strickt order although it seemed at the first that the Ephores were ordeined for the maintenaunce defence of the libertie of the people whereas in deede they did also strengthen the authoritie of the Kings and Senate Nowe in the raigne of king Agis gold and siluer beganne first to creepe in againe to the cittie of SPARTA by meanes of Lysander With money there came in straight couetousnes and gredines to get and gather And although Lysander was not desirous to get it nor would be corrupted for any money yet he brought riches and couetousnes into the countrie and filled the same with all finenes by bringing in great store of golde and siluer from the warres directly against the lawes and ordinaunces of Lycurgus The which so long as they were in force and vse it appered that the gouernment of SPARTA seemed not to be a pollicy or common weale but rather a certaine holy place order of religion And euen as the Poets fayne the Hercules went through the world with his clubbe and lyons skynne punishing cruell robbers and vnnaturall tyrannes so in like case with a litle scrowe of parchement and a poore cape did the SPARTANS commaund and geue lawes to all the rest of GRECE euen with their good liking and consent And they chased the tyrannes awaye which vsurped tyrannicall power ouer any of their citties and did decide all controuersies and oftentimes pacified their seditions without sending out one souldier but only a simple poore ambassadour At whose commaundement the people presently assembled like the bees which gather together about their King so soone as they spye him they did then so greatly reuerence the good gouernment iustice of the SPARTANS Therefore I can but wonder much at those which saye the cittie of LACEDAEMON could obey well but not commaunde and for proofe they alleage wordes of king Theopompus who aunswered one which sayd that SPARTA was mainteined bicause the Kings could commaund well Naye the rather sayd he bicause the cittizens can obey well For men commonly disdaine to obey those which are not wise in commaunding So that the faithfull obedience of the subiectes dependeth much vpon the sufficient commaundement of the wise prince For he that directeth well must needes be well obeyed For like as the arte of a good rider is to make his horse gentle and ready at commaundement euen so the chiefest pointe belonging to a prince is to teach his subiects to obey Wherefore the LACEDAEMONIANS procured that not onely other people did willingly obey them but also desired to be ruled and commaunded by them For they asked them neither shippes nor money nor yet did send them any number of men of warre to compell them but onely they sent one cittizen of SPARTA to gouerne them to whom all the other people submitted them selues and were holpen by him in their necessitie as fearing and reuerencing him In this wise the SICILIANS were holpen by Gysippus the CHALCIDIANS by Brasidas and all the GRECIANS inhabiting ASIA by Lysander Callicratidas and by Agesilaus who were called the reformers and directers of princes peoples and Kings vnto whom they were sent here and there but euer they had their eye vpon the cittie of SPARTA as vpon the most perfect patterne to order mans life by and to gouerne a common weale after To this effect tended the mery worde spoken in iest by Stratonââeââ Who said he did order the ATHENIANS to tend their sacrifices and the ELIANS to tende their games and if they made any faulte therein the LACEDAEMONIANS should be well whipped That was merely spoken and in a iesting manner But Antisthenes the philosopher and one of Socrates scholers seeing the THEBANS growen very hawtie glorious after that they had conquered the LACEDAEMONIANS in the iorney of LEVCTRES me thinketh sayed he these THEBANS here doe like the schoole boyes which bragge and reioyce when they haue a litle beaten their master But this was not Lycurgus meaning to haue his cittie to commaunde many But he thought the felicitie of a cittie as of a priuate man consisted chiefly in the exercise of vertue and in the vnitie of the inhabitants thereof He framed his common wealth to this ende that his cittizens should be nobly minded content with their owne and temperate in their doings that thereby they might mainteine and keepe them selues long in safetie The self same intention had Plato Diogenes and Zenon in setting forth their bookes which they wrote of the gouernment of common weales and so had likewise many other great and learned men which haue written of the same matter Howbeit they only left behinde them wordes and written bookes but Lycurgus contrariwise left no written bookes nor pamplets but stablished and left behinde him a royall forme of gouernment which no man euer before had inuented nor neuer after could be followed He hath made them plainely see a whole cittie liue together and gouerne it selfe philosophically according to the true rules and preceptes of perfect wisdome which imagined that true wisedome was a thing hanging in the ayer and could not visible be seene in the worlde Whereby he hath worthily excelled in glorie all those which euer tooke vpon them to write or stablishe the gouernment of a common weale And therefore sayeth Aristotle that after his death they did him lesse honour in LACEDAEMONIA then he had deserued albeit they did him all the honour they possibly could deuise And yet they buylt a temple for him and made solemne sacrifice to him euery yere as vnto a god More they saye that when the ashes of his bodie were brought to SPARTA there fell straight lightning vpon his tumbe where they were put which they had not often seene to happen to other men of name after their decease sauing only to the poet Eurâpides who dying in MACEDONIA was buried neere the cittie of ARETHVSA The which is some manifest argument for suche as loue the Poet to laye against those which somewhat depraue him seing this signe came to him after his death
which had happened before to a most well beloued man of the goddes Some laye Lycurgus died in the cittie of CIRRHA But Apollothemis sayeth he died in ELIDA Timaeus and Aristoxenus write he ended his dayes in CRETA And Aristoxenus sayeth further that those of the I le of CRETA doe shewe his graue in the place which they call Pergamiâ by the broade highe wayes side He left one onely begotten sonne named Antiorus who died without issue so that his house and name fayled with him But his neere kinsemen and famillier friendes did set vp a company or brotherhood in memorie of him which continued a long time and the dayes wherein they assembled were called the Lycurgides There is another Aristocrates the sonne of Hipparchus who sayeth that he being dead in CRETA his friendes burned his bodie and afterwardes threwe his ashes into the sea according as he had prayed and requested them For he feared that if any parte of him should at any time haue bene brought to SPARTA the inhabitans would haue sayed he was returned againe and thereby would haue thought them selues discharged of their othe and might haue lawfully altered the lawes which he had appointed And this is the discourse and ende of Lycurgus life The end of Lycurgus life THE LIFE OF Numa Pompilius THE Historiographers differ maruelously of the time in which Numa Pompilius raigned King albeit some will deriue from him many noble houses desceÌded in ROME For one Clodius who wrote the booke intituled the table of time affirmeth that the auncient registers of the cittie of ROME were lost when it was taken and sacked by the GAVLES and that those which are extant at this daye be not true but were only made by men desirous to gratifie some which haue thrust in auncient houses and families of the first ROMAINES that concerne nothing them whom they ment to represent On the other side although the common opinion be that Numa was as familier friend and scholler of Pythagoras the philosopher yet some saye he was neuer learned nor had any knowledge at all in the Greeke tongue And yet mainteining that it is possible enough that he was so well borne and had suche perfection in all kind of vertue that he neuer neded any master though he had neded they had rather attribute the honour of the instructing of this King vnto some other foreane person that was more excellent then Pythagoras Other saye that Phythagoras the philosopher was long time after the raigne of Numa well nighe fiue ages after him How beit other saye there was another Pythagoras borne in SPARTA who hauing wonne the pryse of running at the games Olympicall in the sixtenth Olympiade the third yere of Numaes raigne did come into ITALIE where he kept much about Numa did assist helpe him in the gouerning ordering of his Realme By meanes whereof there be many customes yet of the LACONIANS mingled with the ROMAINES which this second Pythagoras was sayed to haue taught him Neuertheles his not confessed that Numa was borne of the SABYNES which they saye are descended from the LACEDAEMONIANS So it falleth out very hard to agree certainly of the time when Numa was and chiefly for suche as will followe the rolle or table of those which from Olympiades to Olympiades haue wonne the pryses of games Olympicall considering the rolle or table that they haue at this present was very lately published by one Hippias an Elian who deliuereth no reason or argument of necessitie why it should be taken for an vndoubted trothe which he in that sorte hath gathered Yet we will not leaue to put in writing those things worthie of memorie which we could gather by any meanes of king Numa beginning at that place which we thought to be meetest It was nowe sithence ROME was buylt seuen and thirtie yeres for so long time raigned Romulus when Romulus the fifte of the moneth of Iuly which they call the Nones of the goates made a solemne sacrifice without the cittie neere to a certaine place commonly called the goate marshe As all the whole Senate with the most parte of the people were present at this sacrifice sodainely there rose in the ayer a very great tempest and a maruelous darcke thicke clowde which fell on the earthe with suche boysterous windes stormes lightnings and thunder that the poore common people being affrayed of so fore a tempest dispersed them selues sodainely running here and there for succour and therewithall king Romulus vanished awaye in suche sorte that he was neuer after seene aliue not dead This brought the Senatours and noble men whom they called Patricians into great suspition And there ranne a fowle tale among the common people howe they had a long time borne very impaciently to be subiects to a King bicause them selues would haue had and taken vpon them some soueraine authoritie and that for this cause they had killed king Romulus Adding somewhat more vnto it howe a litle before he had vsed them more roughely and commauÌded them more straightly then he was wont or accustomed Neuertheles they found the meanes to quenche all these bruites and murmurings by doing diuine honour and sacrifice vnto him as one not dead but passed to a better life To confirme this one of the noblest men among them called Proclus came in and by othe affirmed before all the people that he sawe Romulus ascending vp into heauen armed at all peces and that he heard a voyce saye from thenceforth call him Quirinus This being thus appeased there sprange vp another trouble to knowe whom they should choose in his place For the straungers which were come then from other places to dwell in ROME were not yet throughly ioyned to the naturall borne ROMAINES in so muche as the common people dyd not only wauer and stagger vp and down in opinion but the Senatours also that were many of diuers nations did enter into a suspition one of another These things notwithstaÌding they all agreed in this that of necessitie they must choose a King howbeit in the rest they differed much not only whom they should choose but also of what nation he should be For those which were the first founders and buylders of the cittie of ROME with Romulus could in no wise abide norsuffer that the SABYNES to whom they had diuided parte of their landes and a moytie of their cittie should attempt and presume to commaund them whom they dyd receyue and associate into their company and felowshippe The SABYNES alledged on thother side for them a good reason and such as caried great probabilitie Which was that neuer sence the death of their king Tatius they neither had in any thing disobeyed nor disquieted king Romulus but had suffered him to raigne peaceably and therefore Romulus being nowe deceased reason would that the newe King should be chosen of their nation And that albeit the ROMAINES had receyued them into their cittie they could