should presume to make him such a reproachful offer And immediately wrote him a very sharp Letter commanding him to dismiss Theodorus and his vile Merchandize with disgrace Nor was he less severe to Agnon who sent him word he would buy a pretty Corinthian Youth nam'd Crobylus to present him with And hearing that Damon and Timotheus two of Parmenio's Soldiers had abus'd the Wives of some Strangers who were in his Pay he wrote to Parmenio charging him strictly if he found them guilty to put them to Death as Beasts that were good for nothing but to corrupt and ruine Mankind In the same Letter he added that he had not so much as seen or desir'd to see the Wife of Darius no nor suffer'd any body to speak of her Beauty before him He was wont to say that Sleep and the Act of Generation chiefly made him sensible that he was Mortal withal affirming that Pain and Pleasure proceeded both from the same Frailty and Imbecillity of humane Nature In his Diet he was most temperate as appears omitting many other Circumstances by what he said to Ada whom he adopted to be his Mother and afterwards created Queen of Caria For when she out of Kindness sent him every day many curious Dishes and Sweet-meats and would have furnish'd him with such Cooks and Pastry-men as were excellent in their kind he told her He wanted none of them his Praeceptor Leonidas having already given him the best which were Night-marches to prepare him for his Dinner and moderate Dinners to create an Appetite for Supper And that he us'd to open and search the Furniture of his Chamber and his Wardrobe to see if his Mother had left him any thing that was nice or superfluous He was much less addicted to Wine than was generally believ'd that which gave People occasion to think so of him was that when he had nothing else to do he lov'd to sit long and discourse rather than drink and tell long Stories between every Glass For when his Affairs call'd upon him he would not be detain'd as other Generals often were either by Wine or Sleep Nuptial Solemnities Spectacles or any other Diversion whatsoever A convincing Argument of which is that in the short time he liv'd he accomplish'd so many and so great Actions When he was free from Employment after he was up and had Sacrifi'd to the Gods he us'd to sit down to Dinner and then spend the rest of the day either in Hunting or writing Memoirs or composing Differences among his Soldiers or Reading In Marches that requir'd no great haste he would practise Shooting as he went along or to mount a Chariot and alight from it in full speed Sometimes for Sports sake his Journals tell us he would go a Fox-Hunting and Fowling and when he came home after he had Bath'd and was anointed he would call for his Bakers and chief Cooks to know if they had got his Supper ready in good order He never car'd to Sup till it was pretty late and was wonderful circumspect at Meals that every one who sate with him should be serv'd alike His talkative Humour as I noted before made him delight to sit long at Table and then though otherwise no Princes Conversation was ever so agreeable he would fall into such a vein of Ostentation and Soldierly Bragging as gave his Flatterers a great advantage to ride him and made his best Friends and Servants very uneasie For though they thought it too base to strive who should Flatter him most yet they found it hazardous not to do it so that between the Shame and the Danger they were in a great strait how to behave themselves After such an Entertainment he was wont to Bath and then perhaps he would Sleep till Noon and sometimes all day long He was so very Temperate in his Diet that when any excellent Fish or Fruits were sent him he would distribute them among his Friends and hardly reserve any for his own Eating His Table however was always Magnificent the Expence of it still increasing with his good Fortune till it amounted to 10000 Drachmas a day to which Sum he limited it and beyond this he would suffer none to lay out in an Entertainment though he himself were the Guest After the Battel of Issus he sent to Damascus to seize upon the Money and Baggage the Wives and Children of the Persians of which the Thessalian Horsemen had the greatest share for he had taken particular notice of their Gallantry in the Fight and sent them thither on purpose to make their Reward suitable to their Courage Not but that the rest of the Army had so considerable part of the Booty as was sufficient to make the Fortune of every private Soldier This first gave the Macedonians such a taste of the Persian Wealth Women and manner of Living that they pursued and trac'd it with the same eagerness and ardour that Hounds do when they are upon a Scent Alexander before he proceeded any farther thought it necessary to assure himself of the Sea-Coast Those who Govern'd in Cyprus put that Island into his Possession and all Phoenicia except Tyre was Surrendred to him without a stroke During the Siege of this City which with Mounts of Earth cast up and battering Engines and 200 Gallies by Sea was carried on with all imaginable vigour for seven Months together he chanc'd to Dream that he saw Hercules upon the Walls reaching out his Hand and calling to him And many of the Tyrians in their Sleep fancied that Apollo told them he was displeas'd with their Actions and was about to leave them and go over to Alexander Upon which as if the God were a Fugitive they took him in the Fact chaining his Statue and nailing it to the Pedestal withal reproaching him that he was an Alexandrist or a Favourer of Alexander's Party Another time Alexander Dream'd He saw a Satyr mocking him at a distance and when he endeavour'd to catch him he still escap'd from him till at last with much perseverance and running about after him he got him into his Power The Soothsayers making two words of Satyros assur'd him that in all probability Tyre was as good as his own The Inhabitants at this time shew the Fountain near which Alexander slept when he fancied the Satyr appear'd to him While the Body of the Army lay before Tyre he made a short Excursion against the Arabians who inhabit Mount Antilibanus in which he hazarded his Life extreamly to bring off his Master Lysimachus who would needs go along with him bragging he was neither older nor inferior in Courage to Phoenix Achilles his Tutor whose Name he affected to bear For when quitting their Horses they march'd up the Hill on foot the rest of the Soldiers out-went them a great deal so that Night drawing on and the Enemy near Alexander was fain to stay behind so long to encourage and help up the lagging tir'd
Master of Greece as he was walking up and down at Delphos and looking on the Statues at the sight of that of Alexander he was suddenly struck with Horrour and shook all over his Eyes rowl'd his Head grew dizzy and he had much ado to recover himself When once Alexander gave way to Superstition his Mind grew so disturb'd and timorous that if the least unusual or extraordinary thing happen'd he would needs have it thought a Prodigy or a Presage and his Court was throng'd with Diviners and Priests whose business was to Sacrifice and Purifie and foretel the future So horrid a thing is Incredulity and Contempt of the Gods on one hand and no less horrid is Superstition on the other which like Water always creeping on the Ground invades us with servile Fear and Folly as it did now Alexander himself But upon some Answers which were brought him from the Oracle concerning Hephestion he had laid aside his Sorrow and fell again to Sacrificing and Drinking and having given Nearchus a splendid Entertainment after he had bath'd as was his Custom just as he was going to Bed at Medius his Request he went to Supper with him Here he drank all that night and the next day to such excess as put him into a Fever which seiz'd him not as some write after he had drank of Hercules his Bowl nor was he taken with a sudden pain in his Back as if he had been struck with a Lance for these are the Inventions of some Authors who thought it became them to make the conclusion of so great an Action as tragical and moving as they could Aristobulus tells us That in the rage of his Fever and a violent Thirst he took a draught of Wine upon which he fell into a Frenzy and died the 30th of June But in his Journals we have this account of his Sickness That the 18th of June by reason of his Illness he lay in his Bathing-room where it first seiz'd him that when he had bath'd he remov'd into his Chamber and spent that day at Dice with Medius In the evening having wash'd and sacrific'd he eat with a good Stomach and had his Fever that night The 20th after the usual Sacrifices and Bathing he kept his Bed in the same Room and heard Nearchus his Relation of his Voyage and the Observations he had made of the Ocean The 21st he pass'd in the same manner his Fever still encreasing and had a very ill night of it The next day he had a severe Fit and caus'd himself to be remov'd and his Bed set by the great Bath and then discours'd with his principal Officers about filling up the vacant Charges in the Army with Men of tryed Valour aud Experience The 24th being much worse he was carried out to assist at the Sacrifices and gave order that his chief Commanders should wait within the Court whilst the Colonels and Captains kept Watch without doors The 25th he was remov'd to his Palace on the other side the River where he slept a little but his Fever abated not and when the Commanders came into his Chamber he was speechless and continued so the following day Then the Macedonians supposing he was dead came with great Clamours to the Gates and menac'd his Friends so that they were forc'd to admit them and let them all pass through unarm'd along by his Bed-side The same day Python and Seleucus being sent to Serapis his Temple to enquire if they should bring Alexander thither were answer'd by the God that they should not remove him The 28th in the Evening he Died. This Account is most of it word for word as it is written in his own Diary At that time no body had any suspicion of his being poyson'd but upon a discovery made six years after they say Olympias put many to death and threw abroad the Ashes of Jollas who was dead as if he had given it him But those who affirm Aristotle counselled Antipater to do it and that by his means wholly the Poyson was brought produce one Agnothemis for their Author who heard King Antigonus speak of it and tell us that the Poyson was Water deadly cold as Ice distilling from a Rock in the Territory of Nonacris which they gather'd like a thin Dew and kept in an Asses Hoof for it was so very cold and penetrating that no other Vessel would hold it However most are of opinion that all this is false no slight evidence of which is that during the Dissentions among the Commanders which lasted a great many days the Body continued clear and fresh without any sign of such Taint or Corruption though it lay neglected in a close sultry place Roxana who was now with Child and upon that account much honour'd by the Macedonians being Jealous of Statira sent for her by a Counterfeit Letter as if Alexander had been still alive and when she had her in her power kill'd her and her Sister and threw their Bodies into a Well which they fill'd up with Earth not with out the Privity and assistance of Perdiccas who at this time under the shelter of Arideus whom he carried about with him for his own security bore the greatest sway of any Arideus himself who was Philip's Son by one Philinna an obscure common Strumpet was a man of weak Parts by reason of his Indisposition of Body which was neither natural to him nor contracted of it self for in his Childhood he was quickwitted and hopeful enough but caus'd by Drinks that Olympias gave him which not only impair'd his Health but weakned his Understanding C. IVLIVS CAESAR 〈…〉 THE LIFE OF Julius Caesar Englished from the Greek by Mr. Smalridge of Christchurch AS soon as Sylla had made himself Master of Rome he resolved to force Cornelia Daughter to Cinna the late Usurper from Caesar her Husband but being unable to compass it either by hopes or fears confiscated her Dowry The ground of Sylla's hatred to Caesar was the alliance between him and Marius for Marius the elder Married Julia Caesar's Aunt by the Fathers side and had by her the younger Marius who consequently was Caesar's Cousin-german And thô at first in the heat of his Tyranny and hurry of business Caesar was overlook't by Sylla he could not lie still but presented himself to the People as a Candidate for the Priesthood thô he was yet under Age. But Sylla by his under-hand management so carried it that Caesar fell short of his pretensions and in a Consult of Friends to take him off when it was urged by some that it was not worth his while to contrive the death of a Boy he answered that They knew little who did not see many Marius's in that Boy Caesar upon notice of this lay concealed a long while among the Sabines often changing his Quarters till one night as he was removing his Lodging for his health he fell into the hands of Sylla's Soldiers who
did those who punished them revenge the Fact but the ill Will The day after Brutus with the rest came down from the Capitol and made a Speech to the People who attended to it without expressig either any Pleasure or Resentment but shewed by their deep silence that they pitied Caesar and reverenc'd Brutus The Senate made Acts of Oblivion for what was past and took healing Measures to reconcile all Parties They order'd that Caesar should be worshipp'd as a God and that not any the least thing should be alter'd which he had enacted during his Government At the same time they gave Brutus and his Followers the Command of Provinces and other considerable Posts so that all People now thought things were well settled and put into a very good Posture But when Caesar's Will was open'd and it was found that he had left a Considerable Legacy to each one of the Roman Citizens and when his Body was seen carried through the Market-Place all mangled with Wounds the Multitude could no longer contain themselves within the Bounds of Decency and Order but heap'd together a Pile of Benches Bars and Tables which they placed the Corps on and setting Fire to it burnt them Then they took Firebrands and ran some to fire the Houses of the Assassinates others up and down the City to find out the Men and Limb them but they met with none of them they having taken effectual Care to secure themselves One Cinna a Confident of Caesar's chanc'd the Night before to have an odd Dream He fancied that Caesar invited him to Supper and that upon his Refusal to go with him Caesar took him by the Hand and forc'd him though he hung back Upon Notice that Caesar's Body was burning in the Market-Place he got up and went thither out of respect to his Memory though his Dream gave him some ill Apprehensions and though he was at the same time Fevorish One of the Rabble who saw him there ask'd another Who that was And having learnt his Name told it to his next Neighbour It presently went for currant that he was one of Caesar's Murtherers and indeed there was one Cinna a Conspirator They taking this to be the Man immediately Seized him and tore him Limb from Limb upon the Spot Brutus and Cassius frighted at this within a few days retir'd out of the City What they afterwards did and suffer'd and how they dy'd is written in the Life of Brutus Caesar dy'd in his Fifty sixth year not having surviv'd Pompey above four years That Empire and Power which he had pursued through the whole Course of his Life with so much Hazzard he did at last with much difficulty compass but reap'd no other Fruits from it then an empty Name and invidious Title But that happy Genius which was Propitious to him during his Life seems to have stuck to him after his Death as the Revenger of his Murther for it pursu'd by Sea and Land all those who were concern'd in it and suffer'd none to escape but reach'd all who were either actually engaged in the Fact or by their Councels any way promoted it The most signal Accident of all here below was that which befell Cassius who when he was conquer'd at Philippi kill'd himself with the same Dagger which he had made use of against Caesar The most remarkable Appearance in the Heavens was a great Comet which shone bery bright for seven Nights after Caesar's Death and then disappear'd There was also a very faint Light in the Sun for the Orb of it was pale for the space of an Year nor did it rise with its usual Brightness and Vigor Hence it gave but a weak and feeble Heat and consequently the Air was damp and gross for want of stronger Rays to open and rarifie it The Fruits for that Reason were crude and unconcocted so that they rotted and decay'd through the Chilness of the Air. Above all the Phantôm which appear'd to Brutus shew'd the Murther was not pleasing to the Gods The Story of it is this Brutus being to pass his Army from Aâ—ydos to the Continent on the other side lay'd himself down one Night as he used to do in his Tent and was not a-sleep but thinking of his Affairs and what Events he might expect For he was naturally of a watchful Constitution and very little inclin'd to Sleep He thought he heard a Noise at the Door of his Tent and looking that way by the Light of his Lamp which was almost out saw a terrible Figure like that of a Man but of an extraordinary Bulk and grim Countenance He was somewhat frighted at first but seeing it neither did nor spoke any thing to him only stood silently by his Bed-side he ask'd it at last Who it was The Spectre answer'd him I am thy Evil Genius Brutus and thou shalt see me by Philippi Brutus answer'd very courageously Well I will see you there and immediately the Ghost vanish'd When the time was come he drew up his Army near Philippi against Anthony and Caesar and in the first Battel got the Day routed the Enemy and plunder'd Caesar's Camp The Night before the second Battel the same Ghost appear'd to him again but spoke not a word He presently understood his Death was near and expos'd himself to all the Danger of the Battel yet he did not die in the Fight but seeing his Men defeated got up to the top of a Rock and there presenting his Sword to his naked Breast and assisted as they say by a Friend who helpt him to give the Thrust died upon the Spot FINIS PHOCION 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MBurgh sculp commonly said That the Populace is most insulting and contumelious to great men when they are puff'd up with Prosperity and Success the contrary oft happens Afflictions and publick Calamities naturally eagering and sowring the Minds and Manners of men and disposing them to such Peevishness and Chagrin that hardly can any one carry himself so swimmingly in his words or actions but they will be apt to take pett he that remonstrates to their Miscarriages is interpreted to insult over their Misfortunes and even the mildest Expostulations are constru'd Contempt Honey it self is searching in sore and ulcerated parts and the wisest though soft Counsels may prove to be provoking to distemper'd minds that have not well prepar'd ears to entertain them This made the Poet express such applications by a word signifying a grateful and easie touch upon the mind without harshness or offence inflamed Eyes require a retreat into gloomy and dusky places amongst Colours of the deepest shades unable to endure the vigorous and glaring light So fares it in the Body politick when heated with Factions and Irresolution there is a certain Niceness and touchy Humour prevails in the Minds of men and an unaccountable jealousie of any person that with openness and freedom offers to scan their actions even when the necessities of their affairs most require such plain-dealing And surely
they were all inclined to the milder opinion when Cato standing up began to speak with great Passion and Eloquence blaming Silanus for his change of Opinion and reflecting on Caesar for his affectation of Popularity who he said would ruine the Common-wealth by mild words and plausible speeches yet endeavoured to frighten the Senate where he himself ought to fear for he might take it kindly if he escaped unpunished or unsuspected who did thus openly and boldly dare to protect the Enemies of the State seemed to have no compassion for so great and glorious an Empire brought so near its utter ruine yet was full of pity for those men who had better never been born and whose death must deliver the Commonwealth from danger and destruction This only of all Cato's Speeches 't is said was preserved for Cicero the Consul had dispersed about the Senate house several expert Writers whom he had taught to make certain figures which did in little and short strokes express a great many words till that time they had not used those we call Short-hand Writers who then first as 't is said laid the foundation of that Art Thus Cato carried it and so turned the House again that it was decreed The Conspirators should be put to death Not to omit any the least strokes that may shew Cato's Temper and contribute to draw the Image of his Mind it is reported that while Coesar and he were disputing very earnestly in this Business and the whole Senate regarding them two a little Note was brought in to Coesar which Cato presently declared to be suspicious and some of the Senators moved it might be read Whereupon Coesar delivered the Letter to Cato who discovering it to be a Love letter from his Sister Servilia to Coesar by whom she had been debauched he threw it to him again crying Take it you Sot and so went on with his Discourse In short it seems Cato had but ill Fortune in Women for this Lady was ill-spoken of for her Familiarity with Coesar and another Servilia Cato's Sister also was yet more infamous for being married to Lucullus one of the greatest Men in Rome and having brought him a Son she was afterward divorced for Incontinency But what was worst of all Cato's own Wife Atilia was not free from the same Fault and after she had born him two Children he was forc'd to put her away for her ill Conduct After that he married Martia the Daughter of Philip a Woman of good Reputation who yet has occasioned much Discourse for this Passage in the Life of Cato looks like a Fable in a Play and is very difficult to be cleared or made out with any certainty It is thus related by Thraseas who refers to the Authority of Munatius Cato's Friend and constant Companion Among many that loved and admired Cato some were more remarkable and conspicuous than others of these was Quintus Hortensius a Man of signal Worth and approved Virtue who desired not only to live in Friendship and Familiarity with Cato but also to be united to his Family by some Alliance in Marriage Therefore he set himself to perswade Cato that his Daughter Porcia who was already married to Bibulus and had born him two Children might nevertheless be given to him as a fruitful Field from which he might raise an Off-spring For said he tho' this in the opinion of men may seem strange yet in Nature 't would be honest and profitable for the Publick that a Woman in the prime of her youth should not lie useless and lose the Fruit of her Womb nor on the the other side would it be convenient she should burthen and impoverish one Man by bringing him too many Children Also by this Communication of Families among worthy Men Virtue would increase and be diffused through their Posterity and the Common-wealth would be united and cemented by their Alliances Yet if Bibulus would not part with his Wife altogether he would restore her as soon as she had brought him a Child whereby he might be united to both their Families Cato answered That he loved Hortensius very well and did much approve of uniting their Houses but he thought it very strange to speak of marrying his Daughter which was already given to another Then Hortensius turning the Discourse did not stick to acknowledge that 't was Cato's own Wife which he desired for she was young and fruitful and he had already Children enough Neither can it be thought that Hortensius did this as imagining Cato did not love Martia for 't is said she was then with Child Cato perceiving his earnest desire did not deny his Request but said that Philip the Father of Martia ought also to be consulted Philip therefore being sent for came and finding they were well agreed gave his Daughter Martia to Hortensius in the presence of Cato who himself also assisted at the Marriage These things were done afterward but since I was speaking of Women I thought fit to make mention thereof in this Place Lentulus and the rest of the Conspirators were put to death but Coesar by reason of what was said against him in the Senate betook himself to the People and stirred up the most corrupt and dissolute Members of the State to follow him Cato apprehensive of what might ensue thereupon perswaded the Senate to win over the poor and disorderly Rabble by a distribution of Corn the Charge of which amounted to twelve hundred and fifty Talents This Liberality did in appearance dissipate the present Danger But Metellus coming into his Office of Tribune began to hold tumultuous Assemblies and had prepared a Decree That Pompey the Great should presently be called into Italy with all his Forces to preserve the City from the danger of Catiline's Conspiracy This was the fair pretence but the true design was to deliver all into the hands of Pompey and give him an absolute Power Upon this the Senate was assembled and Cato did not fall sharply upon Metellus as he used to do but spoke many things full of great Reason and Moderation At last he descended even to Entreaty and extolled the House of Metellus as having always taken part with the Nobility At this Metellus grew the more insolent and despising Câ—to as if he yielded and were afraid let fall many audacious Speeches openly threatning to do whatever he pleased in spite of the Senate Hereupon Cato changed his Countenance his Voice and his Language and after many sharp Expressions boldly concluded That while he lived Pompey should never come armed into the City The Senate thought them both extravagant and not well in their Wits for the Design of Metellus seemed to be the effect of his Rage who out of excess of Malice would bring all to Ruine and Confusion and Cato's Virtue look'd like a kind of Ecstasie while he with so great heat and passion contended for what was good and just Afterward when the People were to give their Voices for the passing this
again to see if any of them should happen to return for any thing they wanted and to acquaint him therewith Now the Birds began to sing and Cato again fell into a little Slumber At length But as came back and told him All was quiet in the Haven Then Cato laying himself down as if he would sleep out the rest of the night bid him shut the Door after him But as soon as But as was gone out he took his Sword and stabb'd it into his Breast yet not being able to use his Hand so well by reason of the Swelling he did not immediately die of the Wound but struggling fell out of the Bed and throwing down a little Mathematical Table that stood by made such a noise that the Servants hearing it cry'd out And immediately his Son and all his Friends came into the Chamber where seeing him lie weltring in his Blood great part of his Bowels out of his Body himself not quite dead but looking ghastly they all stood amazed The Physician went to him and would have put in his Bowels which were not pierced and sow'd up the Wound Cato hereupon coming to himself thrust away the Physician pluck'd out his own Bowels and tearing open the Wound immediately expired In less time than one would think his own Family could have known this Accident all the three hundred were at the Door And a little after the People of Vtica flock'd thither crying out with one Voice He was their Benefactor and their Saviour the only free and only invincible man At the very same instant they had News that Caesar was coming yet neither fear of the present Danger nor desire to flatter the Conquerer nor the Commotions and Discord among themselves could divert them from doing Honour to Cato for they sumptuously set out his Body made him a magnificent Funeral and buried him by the Sea-side where now stands his Statue holding a Sword Which being done they returned to consider of preserving themselves and their City Coesar had been advertised that Cato stay'd at Vtica and did not seek to fly that he had sent away the rest of the Romans but himself with his Son and a few of his Friends continued there very unconcernedly so that he could not imagine what might be his Design but having a great Consideration for the Man he hastned thither with his Army When he heard of Cato's Death 't is reported he said these words Cato I envy thee thy Death for thou hast envy'd me the preservation of thy Life And indeed if Cato would have suffer'd himself to be preserved by Coesar 't is like he would not so much have impar'd his own Honour as augmented the others Glory yet what would have been done we cannot know but from Coesar's usual Clemency we may guess what was most likely Cato was forty eight years old when he Dy'd His Son suffered no Injury from Coesar but 't is said he grew idle and debauch'd with Women In Cappadocia he lodg'd at the House of Marphadates one of the Royal Family who had a very handsom Wife where staying longer than was decent he was reflected on by some that made such Jests as these upon him Cato goes to morrow after thirty days and Porcius and Marphadates are two Friends that have but one Soul for Marphadates Wife was named Psyche i. e. Soul and Cato is very well born and an illustrious Man for he has a Royal Soul But all these Stains were clearly wip'd off by the Bravery of his Death for in the Battle of Philippi where he fought for his Countrey 's Liberty against Caesar and Antony when the Army was broken he disdaining to fly or to escape called out to the Enemy shew'd them who he was and encouraged those of his Party to stay At length he fell and left his Enemies in admiration of his Valour Nor was the Daughter of Cato inferiour to the rest of her Family for Prudence and greatness of Spirit She was married to Brutus who killed Caesar was acquainted with that Conspiracy and ended her Life as became one of her Birth and Vertue All which is related in the Life of Brutus Statyllius who said he would imitate Cato was at that time hindred by the Philosophers when he would have put an end to his Life He afterward follow'd Brutus to whom he was very faithful and very serviceable and died in the Field of Philippi AGIS AND CLEOMENES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MBurg sculp THE LIFE OF AGIS Translated from the Greek by Sir Robert Thorald THe Fable of Ixion who imbracing a Cloud instead of Juno begot the Centaurs was ingeniously enough invented to represent to us ambitious Men whose Minds doting on Glory which is a meer Image of Vertue produce nothing that is genuine or uniform but born away by violent and contrary Passions their Actions being the off-spring of such a Conjunction must needs be deform'd and unnatural and they may say with the Hersdmen in the Tragedy of Sophocles We follow those whom we ought to govern And they command us tho' th' are dumb That is indeed the true condition of those ambitious Men who to gain a vain Title of Magistracy are content to subject themselves to the Humours of the People for as they who row in the fore-part of the Ship may seem to guide the Motions of it yet have continually an eye on the Pilot who sits at the Helm and must proceed in the Course he will steer so these Men steer'd as I may say by popular Applause tho' they bear the Name of Governours are in reality Slaves to the Mobile The Man who is compleatly wise and virtuous regards not Glory but only as it disposes and prepares his way to great Attempts A young Man I grant may be permitted to glory a little in his good Actions for as Theophrastus says his Vertues which are yet tender and as it were in the bud cherish'd and supported by Praises grow stronger and take the deeper root but when this Passion is exhorbitant 't is dangerous in all men and especially in those who govern a Commonwealth for being joyn'd with an unlimited Power it often transports men to a degree of Madness so that now they no more seek Glory by Vertue but will have those Actions only esteem'd good that are glorious As Phocion therefore answered King Antipater who sought his Approbation of some unworthy Action I cannot be your Flatterer and your Friend so these men shou'd answer the People I cannot govern and obey you lest it shou'd happen to the Commonwealth as to the Serpent in the Fable whose Tayl rising in rebellion against the Head complain'd as of a great Grievance that it was always forc'd to follow and pray'd it might be permitted by Turns to lead the way which being granted but for a day quickly discover'd the Folly by the Mischiefs which befell the whole Body and particularly to the Head in following contrary to Nature a
to speak more truly they took away those things which were the cause of all their Calamities and so restor'd their City to its ancient Grandeur However this must be confess'd in the behalf of the Gracchi That their Undertakeings were always opposed by Men of the the greatest Quality But on the other side those which were first attempted by Agis and afterwards consummated by Cleomenes were supported by the famous Authority of those ancient Laws concerning Frugality and Levelling which were instituted by Lycurgus ratified and confirmed by Apollo It is also further observable That from the Transactions of the Gracchi the City of Rome received no Additions to her former Greatness whereas by the Conduct of Cleomenes Greece presently saw that Sparta exerted the soveraign power over all Peloponnesus and she still sought to enlarge her Dominions with the greatest Princes of that Age designing by all her warlike Actions to set Greece at liberty from her subjection to the Gauls and Illyrians and restore her Government as formerly to the Race of Hercules From their different manner of Dying we may also make some Observations in relation to their Courage The Gracchi fighting with their fellow-Citizens were both slain as they endeavour'd to make their Escape but Agis willingly submitted to his Fate rather than any Citizen should be in danger of their Lives Cleomenes also after his being affronted and abused tho' he did design to be revenged yet having fail'd of that opportunity he then generously fell by his own Hand But on the contrary we must consider That Agis never did a great Action worthy a Commander being prevented by an untimely Death And as for those heroick Actions of Cleomenes we may justly compare with them that of Tiberius's when he was the first who attempted to scale the Walls of Carthage it being look'd upon as no mean Exploit To which may be added likewise the Peace which he concluded with the Numantines by which he saved the Lives of 20000 Romans who otherwise had certainly been cut off And Caius not only at this Place but in Sardinia too behaved himself very valiantly that their early Actions were no small Argument that afterwards they might have been deservedly compared with the chiefest of the Roman Commanders if they had not dyed so young Agis proceeded very mildly in the management of publick Affairs and meeting too with some Disappointments by the Craft of Agesilaus he frustrated the Expectations of the Citizens as to the division of the Lands and was constrained to leave all his Designs imperfect and unfinish'd only for want of a manly Resolution Cleomenes on the contrary acted more boldly and rashly in all his publick Transactions and unjustly slew the Ephori whom he might by Conquest have gain'd over to his Party or else might easily have banish'd not only them but several others also of the City for to cut off any Members unless in the extreamest necessity is neither the part of a good Chirurgeon nor a Politician but argues unskilfulness in both By this therefore Cleomenes appears cruel as well as unjust Neither of the Gracchi were forward to be engaged in a Civil War and Caius is reported to have avoided all manner of Revenge even when his Life was aim'd at showing himself always valiant against a foreign Enemy but wholly unactive in a Sedition This was the Reason that he went from his own House unarm'd and was present in the Battel which makes it evident that he had consulted rather not to do any harm to others than not to suffer any himself Even the very flight of the Gracchi must not be look'd upon as an argument of their mean Spirit but an honourable Retreat from endangering of others for if they had stay'd they must either have yielded to those who assail'd 'em or else have sought 'em in their own defence The greatest Crime that can be laid to Tiberius's charge was the deposing of his fellow Tribune and that he afterwards substituted Caius in his room and as for the Death of Attyllius it is falsly and unjustly attributed to Caius for he was slain unknown to him and much to his Grief On the contrary Cleomenes not to mention the Murther of the Ephori set all the Slaves at liberty and govern'd by himself alone in reality having a Partner only for show which was the Reason he made choice of his Brother Euclid who was of the same Family He also prevail'd upon Archidamus who was the next Heir to the Kingdom of the other Line that he would venture to return home from Messene but after this being slain because Cleomenes did not endeavour to revenge his Death he gave an occasion of being justly suspected that he was privy to it himself Truly Lycurgus whose Example he pretends to imitate after he had voluntarily settled his Kingdom upon Charilaus his Brother's Son fearing lest if the Youth should chance to die by Accident he might be suspected for it he travell'd a long time and would not return again to Sparta till Charilaus had a Son and an Heir to his Kingdoms But we have ne'er another Grecian who is worthy to be compared with Lycurgus for amongst the Deeds of Cleomenes there were greater Innovations and worse Faults than these They therefore who strictly examine their different Manners may observe That the two Grecians were warlike even from their Youth and inclining to be Tyrants that Tiberius and Caius by nature had too great an Emulation after Glory and Honours and besides they never stood in Competition for any thing but as soon as the Contention began with their Adversaries their Heat and Passions would so far prevail beyond their natural Temper that by them as by ill Winds they were driven afterwards to all their rash Undertakings What could be more just and honourable than their first Design had not the Power and the Faction of the Rich by endeavouring to abrogate that Law engag'd 'em both in those fatal Quarrels the one for his own Preservation the other to revenge his Brother's Death who was murder'd without any Law or Justice From the account therefore which has been given you your self may perceive the Difference which if it were to be pronounc'd of every one singly I should affirm Tiberius to have excell'd 'em all in Virtue that young Agis had been guilty of the fewest Miscarriages and that in Action and Boldness Caius came far short of Cleomenes FINIS Books Printed for Jacob Tonson at the Judge's Head in Chancery Lane near Fleetstreet History PLutarch's Lives in Five Volumes translated from the Greek by several the most Eminent hands adorn'd with fifty five Copper Cuts Mezeray's Chronological History of France Sir Paul Rycaut's History of the Spaniards Conquest of Peru with several Cuts explaining the Natural Customs of the Natives there The most diverting Travels of Ferdinando Pinto Camden's History of the Life and Reign of Queen Elizabeth The History of the Wars c. between the League and the two Kings