the siege thereof one of his friendes hight Archelaye with .v. thousande footemen and a thousande horsse to continue the siege and him selfe with the reste returned to Sea ¶ The Romaines vnder the coÌ„duct of Quinte Fabie their Dictator winne and take two Cities from the Samnites The .xlvj. Chapter DUring the time that these things aforesaide were done in Asie the warres betwene the Romaines and Samnites in Italy waxed and continued more fierce neuer ceasing besieging of Townes making incursions and robberies one into anothers countrey and running all ouer with rolling campes For these two Nations notable Souldiours and warlike people left nothing vnhazarded for the winning of Empire and Dominion one of another It happened also that y e Romaine Consuls with one part of their armie were come and encamped more néere the campe of the enimie to espie the tyme and aduauntages for them to fight and also to staye the enemie that they might thereby hold kéepe the Cities allied and confederate with them in suertie The other parte of the armie ledde Quinte Fabie Generall of the whole armie and soueraigne Dictator who wonne and forcibly toâ— ke the Citie of Ferent and sent two hundred of the principall Citizens to Rome prisoners whom for their common rebellion against the Romaines they according to the Lawe and maner of the Romane custome were whipt about the Citie and after beheaded in the great market place Shortlie after he entred the territorie of the Nolaines tooke the citie and by the sound of the drumme sold the butine thereof and deuided one parte of their lande amongs the men of warre Wherefore the Romanes séeing their affaires prosper and go forward sent a Colonie of Citizens into the Isle of Potide ¶ After the alliaunce made and confirmed betwene Cassander Ptolome Lysimache and Antigone Cassander putteth to death the yong Alexander and Roxanne his mother The .xlvij. Chapter THe yeare ensuing in which Thesimonide hadde the gouernement of Athens and that Maâ— ke Valerie Publy Dece were at Rome created Consuls Cassander Ptolome and Lysimache treated a league and amitiâ— which was put in writing By which Cassander was declared and named Gouernour and Emperour of Europe Lysimache of Thrace Ptolome of Egipt and the Cities neere there about aswell in Lybie as Arabie And Antigone of all Asie vntil that Alexander Roxanne hir sonne came to his full age It was also concluded and agréed vppon that the Grekes should remayne and be at libertie after their accustomed lawes Neuerthelesse the sayde Princes continued nor remained not in that accord and appointement for euery of them by exquisite meanes went about to enlarge and encrease his Dominion and authoritie But Cassander séeing that Alexander y e sonne of Roxanne waxed and grewe in yeares and bignesse that in Macedon the voices went and men talked that it was néedfull and requisite to take Alexander oute of prison and to restore hym to the authoritie and gouernement of his fathers Realmes and fearing if that should so come to passe it would go awry with him commaunded Glaucye who had charge and kéeping of the infant secretlie to put him his mother to death whiche thing was spéedily done Through which facte both Cassander Ptolome Lysimache and Antigone so soone as they had thereof intelligence were clerely deliuered of the feare they had of the yong King Alexander For after him remayned no succeâ—â— our of Alexander the great but euery of the Gouernours of the Countreys and Prouinces aspired the Kingdomes and principalities and after held and kept them as their owne inheritaunce acquired and gotteÌ„ by the right and conquest of warre And the same tyme in Italy the Romaines with a great number of footemen and horse went to besiege the citie of Spolite in the countrey of Maruce and sent into that countrey a Colonie of their Citizens whom they called Interanneis The ende of the .xix. Booke of Diodorus Siculus the second part of this present volume and here beginneth the .xx. of this volume the third parte A little shorte Prologue wherin the Author declareth in what sorte it is commendable and well beseeming a good and perfect HistoriaÌ„ to vse Rhetoricke Orations Declarations and such other like NOt without iuste cause ought they which vnderstand and knowe the arte of Rhetorick to reproue their order which in Histories do admixt eyther too long or many orations bycause they by such impertinent and superfluous wordes doe not onely interrupt and breake the order of their narration but also do hinder the desire of the Readers for vnderstanding of the things passed And if suche Oratours and Rhetoritians wil by such orations shew their skill and learning and the elegancie of their spéeche and language they may particularly by them selues couch the orations and Ambassades apperteyning to Ambassadours the prayses and disprayses able and méete and other suche like and so vsing their arte and elegancie in such tales and busying them in this and that matter particularlie shall be coÌ„mended therin Howbeit at this day some writers w t vsing the art Oratory reduce the greater part of Histories into Orations tales whiche to the Readers are verie tedious and yrkesome not only for that they haue naughtely written and made them but also bycause they no whit regarded the order and nature of the Historie By reason whereof suche as do read them verie ofte passe ouer vnread the saide orations and declarations which by great arte and cunning had bene composed and made or else for the length impertinencie are so weried that they leaue all vnread And not withoute good reason for the nature of an Historie is to be plaine and continued without interruption like as when the bodye of a man is dismembred it loseth hys kindely vertue but when it is whole ioyned togyther it hath then the full grace and perfect strength And so in like case the narration and setting forth of an History gyueth to the Reader thereof a manifest and delectable pleasure if it be playne and continued Notwithstanding I wil not altogyther reiect and forbidde the vse of Rhetoricke in an Historie for that to make it pleasant it ought with some varietie and copie to be garnished is therfore very requisite that in some corner place thereof be orations and declarations Neyther will I my selfe be altogyther voide of that facultie and arte when I shall come to the talke of any Ambassadoure Counsailour or other such graue personage but I will recite what he hath saide And they whiche haue not the knowledge to do that might find manie excuses and say they had forgotten to put it in which had ben expedient and necessarie in the same place to haue ben interlaced Therefore where things be worthie memory and profitable whereby the Historie should be garnished they ought not negligentlie to be passed ouer as it were vnder colour that they nothing serued to y e purpose not properlie couched and
vnto the time of his death But this which now I am in hand with comprehendeth and setteth forth the renoumed actes of Alexander his successors being an Historie of .vij. whole yeares continuaunce ¶ After the death of Alexander the great Aride his brother is established king and Perdicas appointed to be his gouernoure The first Chapter THE same yeare that the Athenians ordained and chose Celphisodore to be their Prouost and gouernour and the Romaines created Lucie Fury and Dece Iuny theyr Consuls King Alexander deceasing without issue chaunced betwéene the raigne state to arise great dissention and sedition amoÌ„gs the Princes for the principalitie and gouernement For the regiment of his foote men were wholy determined to aduaunce Aride to the kingdom who although soÌ„ne to king Phillip and brother to Alexander yet notwithstaÌ„ding he was attainted with the incurable disease of the mind By reason wherof the rest of the Princes and Nobles in aucthority which garded Alexander his body hauing with them the horse men called the Souldiours condescended and agréed by one whole and common consent to reare warres against the footemen rather than they would suffer and abide their insolent boldnesse But before they enterprised the matter they thought best to send certaine of the chiefest and most honourable personages in their company with an ambassade to the footemen Amongs whom Meleager was appointed chief principal Ambassador to dissuade them to desist and leaue of their atteÌ„pt alleaging that it stode most with reason that they shold obey the Princes But so soone as Meleager was come amongst them he neuer made mention of the Ambassade and charge committed vnto him but contrariwise approuing alowing their attempt and enterprise did al that in him lay to support and maintaine them agaynst the Princes and their confederates so that the footemen hauing great good liking both of his counsaile and corage ordained him forthwith their Coronel and thereupon armed them to giue battail to the aduersary In so muche that the Princes and Nobles in their company issued out of the towne in armes and put them selues in order of battaile How be it certaine of the wisest and most circumspect deepely waying considering the case concluded a finall peace Wherein was agréed that Aride shold be established king And Perdicas chiefe of the Macedonian princes to whom Alexander at the hour of his death gaue his ring deputed his gouernor And to the rest of the Princes and chiefe of the army were diuided and geuen the administrations and gouernmentes of the Prouinces late vnder the subiection of Alexander Which administratioÌ„s or presidentships the Gréekes called Satrapies the gouernors of the same Prouinces Satrapes conditionally that euery of the sayd Princes at all times should be subiect and obedient vnto the King and Perdicas his gouernor ¶ Perdicas taking vpon him the gouernement of the realme deuideth the Satrapies amongs the Princes The second Chapter SHortly after that Perdicas hadde taken vpon him the rule ouer the rest he forthwith assembled all the princes and captains assigned to euery of them certaine Prouinces to gouern And first he bestowed the gouernmeÌ„t of Egipt on Ptolome the sonne of Lage on Laomedon of Mytthilene Syrie on Philote Cilice on Phiton Mede on Eumenes Paphlagone and Cappadoce together the regions to them adioyning in which Alexander by reason of the continuall warres betwixt him and King Darye neuer came on Antigone Pamphilie and Licie together Phrigie the great on Cassander Carie on Meleager Lydie and on Leonate the lesser Phrigie which bordereth aboue Hellespont In this sort were deuided the Prouinces of Asia In Europe was appointed to Lysimache the Countrey of Thrace with the Countreys and people therunto adioyning lying vpon the Sea coast of Euxine to Antipater Macidone with all the rest of the Countreys bordering thereon And for the residue of the Countreys and Satrapies of Asie ouer beside those already named he thought good to leaue to the rule and gouernment of those whom Alexander had deputed in his life time And the rest next to them he left to Taxille and the other Kings and Princes which before enioyed them And the Countreis lying beyond Caucase the Mount which is Paropanisade he left to Osarte King of the Bactrians whose daughter Alexander had espoused named Roxanne He bestowed also on Sebirte Aracose and Gedrose on Stasanor the Solian Arrye and Draucine on Phillip Bactriane and Sogdiane on Frataferne Parthe and Hircane on Lucete Perside on Tlepoleme Carmanie on Atrapes Mede on Archon Babilon on Achesilaye Mesopotame Besides all this be constituted and ordained Seleuck captaine general of the horsse men called the Souldiers being the chiefest Office of charge most honorable within the army which charge Ephestion first had and after him Perdicas Moreouer the Realmes and dominions which Alexander gaue to Taxille Pore they held and enioyed them according as Alexander had lefte them And as touching the transporting of Alexander his body to the Temple of Iupiter Hammone the setting vp of his Toomb the apparelling therof with the furniture and solempnization of the funeralles the whole charge was committed to Aride While Alexander liued he appointed Cratere one of hys chiefe Captaines withâ—â— M. old souldiors to goe into Cilice to whom he gaue certaine ordinaunces and Commissions to execute and performe But assone as Alexander was dead the Princes his successors would in no wise agrée that the sayd ordinaunces should be performed For after Perdicas had seene and red the letters registers of the said Alexander whereby he appointed a great deale of treasure to be leuied for y e buriall of Epheston and that he had farther assigned many other things of great cost and charge to be done he was of the opinion that all the said ordinaunces of Alexander shold be reuoked and adniâ— hilate But to the end it shold not be thought that he weÌ„t about to derogate the aucthority and honor of Alexander he comprimitted the matter to the deliberation of the Macedonians and amongs diuers and sundry things they found great and waightye matters worthy remembraunce appointed by Alexander For first he ordained that a thousande tall Gallies should be built longer and bigger than were in Phenice Sirye Cilice or Cypres to warre against the Carthagians and certaine other Countreis lying and bordering vpon the Lybian and Spanishe seas the regions to them adioyning euen vnto Sicile to the end he wold be Lord and gouernour of all the Libian seas hard to the pillers of Hercules He also ordained that there should be erected .v. royall and honorable Temples to the value of fiue hundred talents euery of them and that there should be cut out a number of large and great harborowes in places méete for the purpose to ride at harborow the said nauie of gallies That done he willed and commaunded diuers mighty and great Cities to be built those to be peopled as
the Libians one daye among the rest finding abrode disordered discomfited ouerthrew of which some were slaine other were taken prisoners the rest recouered thire shippes and went to sea meaning to arriue at some Port where they might finde friendship But sodenly arose so gréeuous and vehement a tempest y t it perished and drowned manie of their shippes and such as escaped were driuen with winde and weather into Cypers and vpon the coast of Egypt Yet for all this ill fortune he neuer desisted his purpose and attempt but without stoppe sent certeyn of his chiefe and assured friēds into Peloponese to mustre and take vp Souldiers willing them also to entertaine the two thousand men of warre straungérs lying and abyding in the Countrey of Tenare and to bring them also into Libie All this time the Cirenians by reason of the late ouerthrowes by them gyuen trusting in their owne courages and hoping well of better successe boldly attempted Thymbron with battaill wherein they vanquished kild a great numbre of his people which conflict made him almost despaire of the conquering and subduing the Cyrenians But sodenly came in his ayde the Souldiers of Tenare wherewith he tooke such harte that he a fresh assembled an other great numbre to commence and beginne his warres But when the Cyrenians sée that they by and by sent to the Libians Chartagians their neighbours requiring ayde so that with them and of their owne Citie they had gotten together about xxx thousand men with whom they arrered an other great army wherein on eyther side cōsisted and depended the whole and totall victorie And although the fight endured long yet in the end Thymbron obtayned victorie whereof he was right ioyous hoping then in short time to conquere and subdue all the Cities thereabout In whiche conflict the Cirenians lost al their Captaynes wherfore they chose for their Chieftayne and Generall Mnasicles and other vnder him to defend the hauen and Citie whiche Thimbron had before besieged and yet still dayly approched But in the ende the siege so long continued that victuals within the Towne were verie scarse which caused great muteny wherfore the Cirenians expulsed the most worshipfull and riche Citisens whereof some tooke part with Thimbron and the rest went for rescous into Egypt and desired ayde of Ptolome for their retourne home whereunto he graunted So they departed thense towards Sirene with a puissaunt army both by sea and lande vnder the conduct of Orphellon When the exiles with Thimbron vnderstood of their cōming they determined by night to steale vpon them and so to rob and spoyle them but their enterprise being reuealed and discouered they were all slayne Then the Cōmoners which kept the Towne perceyuing the exiles at hand truced with Thimbron and ioyned together to fight against Orphellon who encountred them in battaill and ouerthrew them tooke Thimbron prisoner Whē al these conflictes had thus taken end he toke the Citie of Cirene the rest of the Cities neare about whiche before liued at libertie to the behoofe of Ptolome his Lorde and Soueraigne ¶ Perdicas entring Piside taketh the Lauradians prisoners by siege so distresseth the Isaurians that they kil them selues And at the entreatie of Antigone Antipater and Cratere which warred vpon the Etholians conclude a peace with them bycause they would go against Perdicas The x. Chapter BUt now to returne to Perdicas and King Phillip after they had ouerthrowen and discomfited Ariarathe and bestowed the gouernement of Cappadoce on Eumenes they tooke their iourney into Pisided etermining to sacke raze the Cities of Laurade and Isaure bycause that they in the life of King Alexander had slaine Balacre the Sonne of Nicanor whom Alexander had deputed their Patrone and Gouernour And first by force they tooke the Citie of Laurade and killed all the men and made portsale of their infaunts and yong children But bycause the Citie of the Isaurians was strong and throughly manned to hold out the enimy after they had two dayes besieged it wherin many of their Souldiers were lost they seing the Citisens wel furnished of all things for the defence thereof fully determined to maintayne it to death retired howbeit after thrée dayes past they agayne approched the wals and gaue a fresh assault which the Citisens to their great losse manfully defended wherfore being thē disfurnished of able men for the manning of their wals rampiers and Bulwarks they purposed an honorable fact worthy memorie First foreséeing their iminent destruction ineuitable by reason they were no lenger able to resist and knowing for certein that they should shamefully and villaniously be entreated they therefore determined rather than to yelde to the enimy to die an honest and honorable death For first they shut vp in their houses the old men women and children and to the ende there to burie them they set all the houses on fire which being on a light and the flame issuing out on euery side they cast in all their mouable goodes and all other things which any way might be profitable or gaynefull to the enimy whereat Perdicas greatly amased commaunded his Souldiers to enuiron the Towne and gyue the attempt to the wals but the Townesmen so valiaunly defended the curten that they ones agayne repulsed the assaylaunts Then Perdicas much more astonied enquired the cause why they so couragiously stoode to the defence of the Citie considering they had burnt both their houses and goods But after Perdicas had retiered his Souldiers from the assault the Isaurians threwe them selues into the fier and so were buried in their houses with their friends and familiers The next day in the morning Perdicas licenced his soldiers to sacke and spoyle the Citie who after the fier was throughly put out found infinite treasure of gold siluer forasmuch as the said Citie had long continued without warres and through traffique great trade of merchaundise grew to great wealth and became very riche When Perdicas had wonne these two townes he purposed thē to marry being in choyse of two Gentlewomen to saye of Nice the daughter of Antipater whome he had already fianced and of Cleopatre sister to Alexander the great and daughter to king Phillip sonne to Amint. But first he determined to allie himself with Antipater bicause his puissaunce and aucthority was not yet throughly confirmed established and therfore fianced he his daughter But after he had once obtayned an army royal princily estate he altered his purpose meaning for his greater aduaūcement to espouse Cleopatre wherin he affected the kingdom of Macedone to y e ende the Macedonians might accept and take him for their Lorde and Soueraigne Neuerthelesse bycause he would not that this his practise should come to light he in the meane while married Nice fearing that if he did not Antipater woulde be come his vtter enemy But after he perceyued that Antigone friende to Antipater had smelt out
greeuously accused and adiudged them worthy the death the summe of which accusation was this that they after the Lamian warre were the principall and chiefe causers that their Citie and Countrey were brought in thraldome and bondage the gouernement and authoritie of the people wholy extinguished and the lawes and ordinaunces of the same Countrie clerely violated and infringed When the daye assigned was come Phocion very sagely and wysely beganne to plead and defende his cause but so soone as the multitude and great numbre of the people heard him beginne to speake they made suche a noyse and vprore that he could not be heard When the noise was ceased and that he beganne agayne to speake they likewise interrupted and stopped him that he coulde haue no audience for the multitude of the baser sorte which had bene degraded and put from the publique gouernement being sodenly newly authorised were very insolent against those which had depriued them their libertie Howbeit Phocion in daunger to lose his life boldly and stoutely stood to the defence of his iustification so that these about him heard what he sayde But they which were any thing farther of could heare nothing for the noyse and vprore of the people but they might all sée that he spake and made many gestures with his body as a man in great daunger and feare But in the ende when he sée no boote he with a loud voice cried and sayde that he was contented to dye but prayde that they might be forgiuen whome he had inuegled and attracted to his will and pleasure some forcibly and some by gentle admonitions and persuasions When certaine of Phocions friendes sée that the violēce and rage of the people ceassed not they preased in to speake for him whome the multitude incontinent hearkened vnto before any man knewe what they woulde say But after it was perceyued they spake in the fauour of the accused they were in lyke sorte reiected by the clamors of the people so that in the ende by the cōmon voyce and exclamation of the multitude they wer condemned to death and that done carried to prison Then many of their friendes seing their miserie were very pensife and sorowfull For when they sée that such personages being the chief and principal of the Citie as wel for their nobilitie as their authoritie and renoume had done many good and gracious déedes to the Citie were in such sort condēned without order of iustice they greatly feared to come in the like dāger But forasmuch as fortune is common and mutable many of the people dispiteously agreued with the sayd Phocion spake al the oultrages viltanies against him they could reproching hym of many wicked acts déedes as people commonly doe which dissimule their anger against them in authoritie But when they see fortune turne hir saile that it otherwise hapneth then wil they without reason or measure in all despiteful crueltie vtter and shew forth their priuie griefe and pestiferous malice Not long after the condemned acording to the custome of the coūtrey dranke poyson and their carkaises were throwne without the limites and precinctes of Athens vnburied and this was their ende Polyspercon besiegeth Cassandre in Pyrey and perceiuing that he coulde not win it departeth thence and besiegeth the citie of Megalopolis where by the wisedome and policie of Demades he is at an assault repulsed The .xxix. Chapter DUring the time that these matters were done in Asia Antigone had sent Cassander with .xxxv. tall warlike gallies and foure thousand souldiours to saile into Pire whom Nichanor captaine of the Castle receiued and rendred to him the port and castle But as for Munichie Nicanor garded and helde that with his owne garrison When Polispercon who abode and continued in Phocide vnderstoode that Cassander had taken and enioyed Pire he came into the Countrey of Athens and encamped before Pire with twentie thousād Macedonians and foure thousand straungers and confederates and thrée score and fiue Elephantes and besieged the same But séeing the scarcitie and want of victuals and the siege like long to continue he left behind at the siege such number of Soldiours as the Countrey might wel vittell deputing for his lieuetenant Alexander his sonne and him selfe with the rest being the greater number entred Peloponess to the ende to force the Megalopolitanes to come vnder the obeisaunce of the Kings being greatly enclined to Cassander and the continuation of their Oligarchie to say the gouernement of certaine particular offices and dignities which Antipater had appointed them While Polispercon was about this enterprise Cassander with his Nauie hauing alliaunce with the Eginets went and besieged the Citie of Salamine his enimie And euery day with shot whereof he had foyson assaulteth the town bringing them in great hazarde and feare And being almost in despaire aide came from Polispercon bothe by sea and land Wherevpon Cassander was so daunted that he raised his siege and returned to Pire After that Polispercon meaning to set and order and stay about the affaires of Peloponese assembled before him the Deputies of all the Cities whom with gentle and gratious woordes he allured to ioyne with him and afterward sent his Ambassadoures to all the Cities commaunding them that they should sodainely kill all the gouernors appointed by Ptolome and restore the gouernement to the people Which commaundement the people incontinently obeyed so that there were great slaughters and banishmentes throughout the Cities of the friends of Antipater Then the commonaltie being restored to libertie and authoritie ioyned with Polispercon And bicause the Megalopolitames would not obey but still sticke to Cassander Polispercon fully determined to besiege them When they vnderstood his meaning and purpose they incontinently caused all their goodes in the Countrey to be brought into their towne and after mustered and tooke viewe of their people which were of Citizens and forainers about fiftene thousand besides their slaues all able men and deuided them into two bandes whereof some made rampiers and other workes some manned the walles so that at one instant they were all busied and occupied One companie ditched about the Towne an other companie carried woode and earth out of the fieldes to make the Rampiers other repaired and mended the walles where they were any thing at all decayed some forged harnaies and engines of Artillarie and on this sort was all the whole Citie occupied bicause that euery one was minded and disposed thereto for so muche as the power which came against them were men of inuincible courages and the Elephantes of great violence and might Not long after that they had brought all things into a readinesse and perfection Polispercon with his whole armie arriued before the same and on both sides besieged it On the one side encamped Macedonians and on the other side his allyes and straungers He builded also many Towers of woode hygher than the curten and wall and planted them in places conuenient and thrust into them
Momme except which Aristone kept the Citie of Amphipolis and Monime the Citie of Polle When Olympias see that one parte of the Macedonians had quite forsaken hir that y e rest were vnable to mainteyn help hir she went about to saue hir self hir friends in a Gally by sea which she caused to be sent for and brought to the Port. But Cassander being therof aduertised by one that fled out of the town tooke the sayd Gallie Whereupō the Queene despayring in hir affaires businesse sent Ambassadours to Cassāder to treat a peace But he séeing the necessitie wherein she stood and therfore meaning that she should yeld hir self to his curtesie he hardly graūted hir safe cōduct for hir owne person When Cassander had the citie rendred to him he incontinent sent certen of his men of warre to take Amphipolis and Polle Whereupon Monime Captayne of Polle vnderstanding the state of Olympias yelded without resistaunce But Aristone who was extréeme proude both of his great hande of men of warre as also for that he had a little before vanquished and ouercome Cratebas one of Cassanders Captaynes in battaill slayne a great parte of his armie subsecuted chased him through the countrey of Busalcie hard to the Citie of Bedine it besieged tooke by cōposition whom he after with .ij. thousand of his men besides sent away w t white roddes in their hands supposing that Eumenes had not ben yet dead and hoping that Polispercō and Alexander his sonne would come to ayde hym vtterly refused the yelding vp of the Citie of Amphipolis But after Olympias had written to him to render the Towne summoning him of his faith and allegiaunce he thought it best so to do and taking suertie for his persone gaue vp the same Notwithstanding Cassander cōsidering the great aucthoritie of Aristone by reason of Alexanders aduauncing him in his life and meaning to make quicke dispatch of so many as would or might any way let or hinder his affaires and doings caused Cratebas owne kinsfolkes to kill him He persuaded likewise all their friends which Olympias had put to death to accuse hir in the place of iudgement before the assemblie of the Macedonians which thing they did where the Macedonians in hir absence without patrone or Aduocate there to defend hir cause condemned hir to death wherupon after sentence and iudgement gyuen Cassander sent to hir certen of his friends persuading hir to flie promising to enbarque hir in a Gallie which should bring hir to the citie of Athens And this did he not for anie good will to saue hir but to the end she might by that meane voluntarily runne in exile and be drenched in the Sea so y t it might after haue ben said how by fortune of the sea and iudgemēt of the Goddes she was for hir cruell mischeuous and wicked déedes iustly punished Neuerthelesse she aunswered y t messangers that flie she would not nor yet refuse the iudgement of the Macedonians Which thing Cassander perceyuing he for feare that the people and assemblie of the men of warre would alter their determinations and minds when they vnderstood she was well able to purge hir of euery offence wherewith they would charge hir and should likewise reduce and call to memory the great good turnes and honour◠by them long before at the hands of Phillip and Alexander receiued sent CC. of his trustiest soldiers about him to kill hir Who with great violence entring the Palaice where she was were at the first sight so abashed with the Maiestie of hir face that they returned without doing hir any hurte But their kinsfolkes whom she caused to be slayne thinking to reuenge their deaths also to gratifie Cassander out of hande slew hir who neuer made woords or shewed any countenaunce of a woman dismayed or yet fainte harted In this sorte Olympias whiche in hir time hadde bene the most honorable Dame of the world Neoptoleme his daughter King of Epire Alexander his sister King of Epire who warred in Italy King Phillip his wyfe of Macedone the most puissaunt of all other which before him in Europe raigned Alexander his mother surnamed the great which hadde exployted the most notable and honorable warres that euer were worthie the writing and talke miserablie ended hir life ¶ After the death of Olympias Cassander espouseth Thessalonice Alexander the great his sister foundeth the Citie of Cassander And after he hath put in safe keeping Roxanne and Alexāder his sonne he goeth into the countrey of Beote and reedifieth the Citie of Thebes The .xx. Chapter WHen Cassander thus gloriously prosperously raigned he affected the realme of Macedon and the better to bring his purpose to passe espoused Thessalonice Phillip his daughter and Alexander his sister both by father and mother being always desirous to insinuate him selfe with the ligne royall He likewise in the countrey of Palene within the Region of Macedone found and built a citie named Cassandria and peopled it with inhabitaunts of the Cities of Cheronese and Potede and diuerse other villages about the same Citie and the remnaunt of the Olinthians By whiche meane also bycause of the great fertile territorie he laid and gaue thereto and by other ways he tooke wherewith on hand to enlarge and make it great The Citie in short time became so mightie and riche that it was named to be the greatest and worshipfullest amongs all the Cities of Macedone Nowe had Cassander purposed to put to death Alexander his sonne and Roxanne his mother to the end there shoulde no more of Alexanders ligne remayne on liue But before he would execute this execrable murder he stayed first to vnderstand what the Macedonians thought of the death of Olympias what talke was emongs them togither what Antigone did in Asie Wherefore he all that while caused Roxanne and hir sonne to be brought into the Castle of Amphipolis and charged Glaucias Captayne thereof and one whome he greatly trusted with the kéeping of them commaunding him to vse and treat them no other wayes but as common persones laying al princilie honours and dignities towardes them aparte and to put away all the children which had ben brought vp with the said Sonne of Alexander as his playe fellowes After that he tooke vppon him the aucthoritie and gouernement as King and caused solemne exequies for Euridice and Phillip whome Olympias had made be murdred to be celebrated with great pompe and solemnitie entombed them in a tombe royall with y e Kings their predecessours making sports and pastimes at those dayes accustomed That done he leuied a great numbre of men of warre in the countrey of Macedone to go into Peloponese While Cassander was thus occupied and that Polispercon who laye besieged in the Citie of Naxe in the Region of Perrheby vnderstood of Olympias death apperceyuing no lōger hope for him to take in hand to rule the affaires of Macedone priuilie
placed But where the matter effect of the History is euident and of importaunce it is not conuenient that the declaration thereof be inferior to the déedes It is also sometimes méete and necessarie to vse the arte Oratorie to saye when any thing happeneth otherwise than is looked for For it is expedient by copye of wordes to make the orations artificially as it falleth oute And nowe since we haue sufficiently aunswered this matter it is méete we returne to the narration of our Historie and deuide the things whereof we haue spoken according to the times they were done in The third Booke ¶ Of certen ayde whiche Cassander sendeth to the King of Peons of certen enterprises by Ptolome against Antigone done in Phenice How Polispercon taketh on hand to restore Hercules the sonne of Alexander to the realme of Macedon And finally of the pitifull and lamentable death of Nycocles and his whole familie The first Chapter THe yeare that Hieronemon gouerned Athens and Quinte Iulie and Quinte Emelie were Consuls at Rome as Antholeon King of Peons laye in Macedon the Antariates warred vpon him to whom Cassander sent ayde and succoure so that where before he was in case like to haue lost his estate he is nowe clerely deliuered of that daunger and enforced the Antaryates with their wyues and children to go inhabite the mount Odorbel In this same verie season Ptolome Antigone hys Lieutenaunt of his armie in Peloponnese vnder coloure that he was not so well entreated and honoured as he had merited and deserued reuolted from hym and tooke parte with Cassander and left Captayne Satrapeas the Phenician whom he best trusted in Hellespont and sent to him certen men with commaundement not to take parte with Antigone but to kéepe and garde the places and Townes he held for him in his owne propre name Again bicause in the league peace concluded betwene the Princes as aforesaide amongs other things was pronounced and declared that the Cities of Grece should remayne and continue at their libertie and popular gouernaunce Ptolome Prince of Egipt for that Antigone kept his garrisons in some of them determined to arrere open hostilitie and warre against him Whereuppon he sent one of his Captaynes named Leonide into the hier Cilice to take the Cities of the same countrey subiect to Antigone and sent likewise to Cassander and Lysimache praying them to ioyne with him that they thrée togyther might warre vppon Antigone and no longer permit his power to waxe and encrease eyther greater or mightier For resisting of which enterprise Antigone sent his yongest sonne Philip into Hellespont to warre vppon the Phenician and other rebelles And sent hys sonne Demetre into Cilice against Leonide who chased expulsed Ptolome hys Souldiours and recouered the Townes whiche they had taken Amongs these enterfactes Polispercon abyding in Peloponnese finding hym selfe agréeued with Cassander did all y t in him laye to recouer the gouernement of Macedon Wherfore he sent for Hercules Alexander the great his bastard Sonne by Barsine to Pargame where he was brought vp and then about .xvij. yeares olde and writte to all his friends and to so many as he thought hated Cassander for helpe in Alexander his ayde for recouerie of his fathers realme And further writte to the Etholians in generall to ioyne with him in that enterprise promysing that if the said Hercules could by their meane and ayde recouer his Fathers realme to gyue them great things To which persuasions the Etholians and many other agréed and put them selues in armes to the number of .xx. thousande footemē a thousand horsse And Polispercon who about this enterprise was most carefull leuied money on all sides and sent secret Messangers to the Macedonians to exhorte them to take parte with the yong King thinking that to be their best and most agreable to reason Againe when Ptolome Lorde of the Isle of Cypres vnderstood that Nycocles King of Paphe had secretly allied with Antigone he sent two of hys principall and chiefe friends to wete Argey and Calicrate into Cypres charging them to kil the said Nycocles fearing that if he left him vnpunished the rest would not styck to do the like When they were arriued in Cypres and had taken with them Ptolome his souldiers vnder Menelaye his charge and encompassed Nycocles house they signified to hym their charge from Ptolome and exhorted him to kill him selfe who from the beginning vsed many wordes in excusing the fact and déede But when he see there was no accompt made of his talke he at laste slew him selfe And after that Axithea his wife vnderstood of his death the first slew two yong maides hir daughters whom she had by him to the end they should not come in the hands of hir husbandes enimies and after exhorted Nycocles brothers wyues willinglie to die with hir whiche they did albeit Ptolome had commaunded that no hurte should be done to the women but let them alone In this sorte was the Palaice Royall of Paphe full of murdres and wilfull slaughters and after in maner of a Tragedie burnt For immediatly after Nycocles brethrens wiues were dead they shut vp the dores of the houses set them on fire and forthwith killed them selues ¶ Of the warres betwene Parisade his three children King of Bosphore after hys death for the succession of the Realme togyther their deedes and gestes and also their endes The .ij. Chapter IN this season while these matters were done in Cypres great controuersie arose in the countrey of Pont after the death of Parisade sometyme King of Bosphore Cymerique betwene Satyre Eumele and Pritame Parisade his sonnes for the succession of the said Realme Bycause that the sayd Satire in the life of his father had by him ben named and declared heire apparaunt and successour and had also gouerned and ruled the estate the space of .xviij. yeares Eumele who there with was much moued and offended assembled a great number of men of the countreys thereto adioyning to warre vppon hys brother And he vnderstanding his fetch and enterprise with a mightie power came against hym And when he had passed the Ryuer Thatis whiche ranne betwene the two armies he enpaled his Campe with hys carriages whereof he badde store and arranged his Souldiours in order of battaill and placed him selfe in the middest of the Phalange according to the custome of the Scythes He had in his companie and armie aboute two thousand Mercenarie Grekes and so many Thracians .xx. thousand Scythian footemen and aboue .x. thousand horsse And on Eumele his side came Arypharne King of Thrace with xx thousand horsse and .xxij. thousand footemen And at last they courageouslie ioyned battaill Satire then hauing about him his choise and picked horssemen so lustely charged Arypharne in the middest of hys battaill that there was a sharpe and cruell conflicte betwixt the horssemen and many on bothe sides slaine but in the ende
Aripharne was put to flight whome Satire a while chased and ouerthrew and killed a great number of hys people But when he vnderstood that his brother Eumele which lead the other wing ouer against the Mercenarie Grekes hadde the better of them he desisted chasing of Aripharne and came to the rescous of his owne men At whose comming the enemie was repulsed and in the end put to flight And in this maner Satyre him selfe was cause of victorie in both the wings By which well appeared y t the realme aswell for his Seignoritie as also for his vertue and prowes to him only apperteyned The victorie thus wonne Aripharne and Eumele retired into a Castle standing on a verie stéepe rocke scituate in the middest of the Riuer of Thatis By reason whereof and also bycause the walles were strong and hie well manned and also furnished with all kyndes of shot and weapon it was not easie to be taken but verie difficile and harde to besiege hauing but two wayes to enter both of them artificially made and wrought the one went directlie to the castle enuironed and defended with flankers and bulwarks the other to certen marshes lying round about the castle fortified with rāpiers of wood in the middest of whiche marshes were faire houses buylt vppon great pillers standing vppon the ryuer When Satyre had considered the strong situation and great daunger in the siege thereof he first made incursions and robberies vppon all the countrey round about and tooke a great numbre of the paysauntes prisoners with great plenty of cattell and burnt and fouraged all the villages And after he had thus done he determined forcibly to assaile the place whiche lead to the Castle but he was repulsed with losse of many men Notwithstanding he desisted not but so lustely and courageously assaulted the other waye that he wanne the rampers and houses standing on the marshes and spoyled them and after passed the ryuer where he began to cut and hew down the piles and houses of wood through which he must néedes passe if he determined to come to the Palaice Which thing when Arypharne sée and fearing the taking of the Palaice his whole trust and chief refuge defended the same by all the possible meanes he could Now had he a great numbre of shot which he deuided on both sides the waye who hurt a great numbre of the wood fellers bycause they coulde not auoyde the shot nor yet endomage them which did the hurte Neuerthelesse they couragiouslie endured the daunger and for thrée dayes togyther neuer ceased cutting downe of wood so that they hadde made a playne beaten waye through the marshes and the fourth daye were gotten hard to the curten For Menisce Captayne of the Mercenaries a valiaunt and wise man came brauely and courageouslie with his Souldiours throughe the same waye to gyue the assault But after he had long susteyned the violēce of the shot within and the greater number of his men hurt he then of force retired And in the retire they of the Castle in such number sallied out vppon him that what through the narrownes of the way and disaduauntage of the place he surely had ben slayn had it not ben that Satyre séeing them so distrest incontinent came to their rescous Who nobly fighting and abyding the force of the enimie was with the blowe of a launce in one of his armes so sore hurte that he was faine to be taken and carried backe into his campe and the night ensuing died on the same stroke when he had raigned but .ix. monethes after the death of his Father When Menisce sée that he raysed the siege and retired the armie to the citie of Galgaze and from thence sent his brothers bodie downe elongest the Ryuer vnto hys brother Prytame in the citie of Panticape who caused it very sumptuously honorably to be enterred amongs the sepulchres and tombes of the Kings And that done he incontinent went into the citie of Galgaze and there seized on the armie and Realme To whom Eumele hys brother sent Messangers to demaund particion of y e said Realme who harkened not to any suche demaund but after he had placed his garrisons in Galgaze forthwith returned to Pāticape to establish and set an order about the affaires and estate of the realme The same time Eumele with the ayde of a numbre Barbarians tooke the citie of Galgaze and many other Townes and Uillages thereabout Whereof Pritame aduertised leuied a great armie and came against him where he in battaill was vanquished and enforced to flie into a place in the straight néere the marshe Meothide and being there by Eumele enclosed was driuē of necessitie to come to a cōposition wherein he gaue ouer restored to him his armie and also forsooke his right and title of the realme But after he was returned to Panticape the Palaice Royall of the King of Bosphore he againe forcibly tooke vppon him the gouernement and estate of the Realme but he was a fresh by Eumele ouerthrowen and fleing through certen orchyardes there slaine After whose death Eumele meaning to assure himselfe of the realme caused all the friends wyues and children of Pritame Satyre his brethren to be put to death except and reserued Parisade Satyre his sonne a verie yong stryppling who on horse backe got out of the towne and fled to Agare King of the Scythes But when Eumele sée the Citizens for the slaughter of their friendes and familiars waxe mutinous he assembled them and declared the causes which moued him to do the same saying farther that he would restore them into their auncient estate immunitie and franchize sometime had vnder his predecessours and that they should be exempte of all trybutes and impostes by which meane he appaised them and wanne againe their good willes and fauoures and after sagely and courteouslie gouerned behaued hym selfe in his raigne to the great admiration of all his neighbours For through his munificencie and curtesie he made all his friendes to loue him as the Byzancians Synopians and the rest of the Grekes inhabiting the countrey of Pont. And when Lysimache besieged the Calantians who for want of victuals were brought into great daunger and necessitie he receyued a thousand of them which came out by reason of the famine and not onely licenced and assured them to remayne in his Countrey but also gaue them one of his owne cities named Yse amongs them deuided the territorie thereof He moreouer warred vppon the Heniques Thaures and Achees Barbarians and Sea rouers to make the Sea Pontique nauigable to them of the countrey By which his doings he both got great prayse and renowne of the countrey men there and also of the whole world bycause of the reporte the people of that countrey made to all whiche sailed and came thyther so that he hadde wonne a great parte of the region of Barbary ioyning vpon his realme and became so puissaunt and renoumed that he
to passe before they vnderstood what he would do they durst not trust him nor yeld vntill such time as Demetre sent to them certen of his men which in his behalfe sayde that they néeded not to feare him for it was not his will to do them any hurte but prayed them to come to him and then he woulde shewe them a good reason why he hadde done that he dyd Whereupon the Macedonians ioyed that they were deliuered of that feare and daunger Wherfore they went all togyther vnto him and without gyuing eare or attending his oration salued him as their King and néedes would bring him into Macedon Of this chaunge was all the countrey maruelous glad for they so mortally hated Cassander for the cruell facts and great villanies by hym against the great King Alexander and his ligne after his death committed and also for the great oultrage and impious murder whiche Antipater Cassander his sonne had vsed towards his mother Thessalonicke that they desired nothing so much as a new King By reason whereof Demetre was of al the Macedonians generally well liked Ageyne his wife Phile and the children he had by hir so much renewed liuely reuyued the Image and likenesse of the good olde Antipater hir father that they reputed Demetre the verie true and vndoubted successour and heire to the sayde Realme ¶ Seleuke through a fatherly loue remitteth to Antioche his sonne his owne wife Stratonice daughter to Demetre and gyueth to them in title and name of the realme all the hier Prouinces The .v. Chapter THe same season that these things were exployted in Madecone Demetre had newes that his wife children besieged at Salamine were by Ptolome deliuered and with great honours and presentes sent awaye And soone after it was throughout al the coastes of Asie bruted that Stratonice Demetre his daughter whome Seleuke had married was diuorsed and espoused to Antioche his sonne and therfore by the people of the heir Prouinces receyued and named Quéene as followeth While Antioche laye and aboade in the house and companie of Seleuke his father he so muche haunted and frequented the cōpanie of Stratonice his mother in law being then yong maruelous faire and beautifull and had had also a childe by the sayde Seleuke in processe of time became so enamoured and rauished that daye and night his mynde wholy ranne on hir whereby he was so troubled fel into such weakenesse y ◠to euery mans sight he dried and consumed awaye and so muche the more gréeued it him bicause what for shame as also for the reuerence and naturall loue he bare his Father he durst neuer discouer it to any in the worlde Wherfore séeing his maladie dayly vexe and trouble him and no hope of remedie he to be deliuered of that so gréeuous a martirdome tooke vppon him a quicke dispatche more necessarie than holsome He determined to feine hym sicke and vnder that colour to absteyne from meate whereby to being him selfe so féeble and weake that as then death must followe But after Erasistrate at those days a great Doctor in Phisicke whome Seleuke before all other had sent for to cure his sonne by his statue other wayes well considered what disease this yong Prince might haue he at last apperceiued it only to proceede of loue but for whome he knew not Wherefore he diligently and circumspectly marked and noted al the partes of his body which are woont to moue whē a man in amours séeth that he loueth And with great care watched when he sée any of the yong and faire Ladies Damosels of the house come to visite him But he could by no meanes perceyue that for any of them who often had recourse vnto him as it had ben moste reason that eyther he moued or chaunged his countenaunce but only when Stratonice entred with Seleuke And thē he was so sodenly taken that he as it were loste hys speache waxed very red his pulse vehemently beat a fine and subtill sweat running throughout all his body and in effect appeared in him all the accidentes that men gather to be in them which are in loue and after by little and little lost his senses waxing very pale and wanne ouer all the body By these signes knewe Erasistrate clerely that it was Stratonice whom the yong Prince loued and none other Notwithstanding fearing the angre and displeasure of◠his father and the daunger he might incurre if he discouered the case determined rather to leaue the sonne in that daūger whatsoeuer should come on him than to open the secret to the Father and putte his persone and life in hazard Howbeit after certen dayes when he see the great loue that Seleuke bare hys sonne and the malancolie he was in daye and night for his sicknesse he determined to bord and tel him and by some subtill meane and swéet vaine to feed his humour concerning his sonne Wherfore one daye he came vnto him and spake in this sorte Knowe Sir King that the mortall dysease which infesteth thy sonne is no dysease in the bodye whatsoeuer they saye but only an ardent desire in loue And paraduenture it were better for me to hold my peace and kéepe it close than to reueale and tell it thée considering there is for him no remedy Whereat King Seleuke all astonied and abashed of the matter said vnto him Now I praye thée my friend tell me ◠ow the case standeth And if my sonne haue none other dysease but amoures is it not possible to find remedie Are we so vnprouided of wyt and wealth that we can no waye remedie it Finallie after long talke betwene them Erasistrate feining him to be sore troubled said Know Sir King that it is my wyfe on whom he is enamoured Whiche wordes Seleuke hearing w t warme teares trickling down hys chéekes embraced instauntly desired him to helpe that poore yong man and not suffer him wilfully to perishe considering it was he in whome consisted all his ioye and hope to whome the whole realme should lineally descend and in whome all the people and nations vnder his subiection hadde their expectation and hope And that after his death there remayned for him none other comforte but likewise present death without redemption Certes Sir King quod Erasistrate you speake this all on pleasure but admit he were as amorous of Stratonice as he is of my wife peraduenture you would then be of an other opinion Now I would it pleased the Goddes quod Seleuke it were so and that I could alter and chaunge that loue of thy wife to myne For I take all the Goddes to witnesse that if all the things whiche I holde moste déere in this world were togyther I would gyue them al for the sauegard of my sonnes life Then Erasistrate seeing hys maruelous affection and wéeping so tenderly tooke him by the hande and began thus to saye Nowe haste thou Sir King no more néede of my ayde for being a King
and amitie with them Cap. 43. 96 ¶ Of the Lake Asphalte and the maruelous nature thereof also the discomfiture of Antigone hys people there by the Arabians Cap. 44. 99 ¶ Demetre Antigone his sonne at hys Fathers commaudement goeth to Babylon to make thereof a conquest and after returneth to his father Cap. 45. 100 ¶ The Romaines vnder the conducte of Quinte Fabie their Dictator winne and take two cities from the Samnites Cap. 46. 101 ¶ After the alliaunce made and confirmed betwene Cassander Ptolome Lysimache and Antigone Cassander putteth to death the yong Alexander and Roxanne hys mother Cap. 47. 101 Of the third Booke OF certen aide which Cassander sendeth to the king of Peons of certen enterprises by Ptolome against Antigone done in Phenice How Polispercon taketh on hand to restore Hercules the sonne of Alexander to the realme of Macedone And finally of the pitiful and lamentable death of Nycocles and his whole familie Cap. 1. 103 ¶ Of the warres betwene Parisade his thrée children King of Bosphore after his death for the succession of the Realme togyther their déedes and gestes and also their endes Cap. 2. 104 ¶ Of two victories whiche the Romaines woon against the Samnites whereby they tooke many of their Cities Cap. 3. 107 ¶ Ptolome Prince of Egipt winneth from Antigone certen cities practizeth and getteth to him Ptolome Nephew to Antigone and after putteth him to death Polispercon also through the persuasion of Cassander putteth to death Hercules the sonne of Alexander And finally of Cleomenes death King of Lacedemon Cap. 4. 108 ¶ Of certen victories which the Romaines haue vppon the Tyrrhenians and Samnites And of certen innouations by Appie Claudie the Romaine Censor made in cōtempt and defacing of the Senate and nobles in fauoure of y e communaltie Cap. 5. 109 ¶ After Ptolome Prince of Egipt hath restored one parte of the cities of Grece to libertie he for despite and in recompence of their breach of promisse with him concludeth a peace with Cassander And Cleopatre sister to Alexander the great comming on hir waye towardes him is by the commaundement of Antigone miserablie slaine Cap. 6. 110 ¶ After the taking and razing of Munichie Demetre Antigone his sonne by his fathers commaundement restoreth Athens Megare and many other Cities of Grece to libertie and of their liberalitie towardes him and the honours they iudged hym worthie for that hys benefite and good turne Cap. 7. 111 ¶ Demetre Antigone his sonne vanquisheth in a battaill at Sea Ptolome before the citie of Salamine in Cypres and by that meane winneth the whole Isle from him And after the sayd Antigone Demetre and Ptolome take vppon them the Tytles and Dyademes of Kings Cap. 8. 112 ¶ Antigone and Demetre hys sonne with a mightie power inuade Egipt both by Sea and lande And after finding the entry and border of the countrey well prouided and furnished they returne without any exploit Cap. 9 116 ¶ Of certen exploites of warre betwene the Romaynes and Samnites Cap. 10. 118 ¶ Demetre by the commaundement of hys Father both by Sea and lande besieged the citie of Rhodes Of the great and lustie assaultes they gaue and the maruelous and honorable defence y t the Townesmen made Cap. 11. 119 ¶ Of two victories by the Romaines hadde vppon the Samnites Cap. 12. 124 ¶ Demetre at many assaultes by the Rhodians repulsed concludeth a peace And departing thence restoreth to libertie many cities of Grece Of the death of King Eumele of Bosphore and the raigne of Spartace his sonne Cap. 13. 124 ¶ The conclusion of a peace betwixt the Romaines and Samnites and certen other their neyghbours and of their subduing the Asculaines Cap. 14. 130 ¶ Demetre by force and treatie taketh many Cities of Grece and diuerse other render to hym all whiche he restoreth to their auncient accustomed libertie Cap. 15. 130 ¶ The Tarentines desire Cleonyme the Lacedemonian to ayde them against the Lucaines of the villanies and lecheries he committeth and after two mischiefes whiche in one tyme betyde him he retireth into Corcyre Cap. 16. 132 ¶ Cassander and Lysimache attending ayde frō Ptolome and Seleuke beginne to warre vppon Antigone the one in Thessalie the other in Asie and do take from him certen townes cities and castles Cap. 17. 133 ¶ Antigone commeth against Lysimache and after he hath him twice be sieged and can not gette him oute to battaill they are both fayne to sende their Souldiours in garrisons to winter Cap. 18. 134 ¶ Demetre commeth into Grece against Cassander and after certen small exploites on eyther side done they grow to a composition That ended Demetre goeth into Hellespont to ioyne with his father and of many and diuerse other things Cap. 19. 135 Of the fourth Booke ANtigone comming to battaill against the enimie is through the defaulte of hys sonne Demetre slayne Cap. 1. 137 ¶ After this discomfiture the Athenians woulde not suffer Demetre to enter their citie and how he ageyne gathereth togyther his armie After Demetre his daughter is married to Seleuke who treateth a marriage betwene Demetre and Ptolomais daughter to King Ptolome and of the deniall he hath of two little Cities Cap. 2. 138 ¶ Demetre at his pleasure taketh by siege the citie of Athens of his bountie and humanitie towardes them And after besiegeth the citie of Sparte in the countrey of Laconie Cap. 3. 140 ¶ Alexander King of Macedone praying Demetre his ayde goeth aboute to betraye him but in the ende hym selfe according to his demerite is by Demetre with such lyke practize slayne whome the Macedonians after receyued and honour as their King Cap. 4. 142 ¶ Seleuke through a fatherly loue remitteth to Antioche his fonne his owne wife Stratonice daughter to Demetre and gyueth to them in title and name of the realme all the hier Prouinces Cap. 5. 144 ¶ Demetre thrice conquereth the countrey of Beoce and citie of Thebes and chaseth King Pyrrhe oute of the countrey of Trace Cap. 6. 146 ¶ Demetre robbing and ouerrunning the countrey of the Eholians enterpriseth warre against Pyrrhe King of Epyre and after missing of their encountre and méeting eyther of them do all the mischiefe they can one to anothers countrey and of the renowme and fame that Pyrrhe getteth in that warre against the Macedonians Cap. 7. 148 ¶ King Pyrrhe entring the countrey of Macedone is by Demetre expulsed And after Demetre raiseth a mightie power to recouer his fathers Realme and the other Kings linke togyther against him And going ageyne to encountre Pyrrhe who was entred Macedone is throughe the mutinie of the Macedonians enforced to flie and after of the deuision of the realme betwene Pirrhe and Eysimache Cap. 8. 150 ¶ After Demetre his flight out of Macedone he besiegeth the citie of Athens whiche rebelled from whence he departeth withoute taking it and goeth into Asie to warre on Seleuke After he hath taken many Cities he is so sore pressed on that he sendeth towardes
¶ A RIGHTE noble and pleasant History of the Successors of Alexander surnamed the Great taken out of Diodorus Siculus and some of their liues written by the wise Plutarch Translated out of French into Englysh by Thomas Stocker Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider streat at the signe of the Mermayd for Humfrie Toy ANNO DOMINI 1569. TO THE RIGHT honourable his verie good Lord Lord Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwyck Baron Lisle of the right honorable order of the garter Knight and M. of the ordinaunce to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie AS of late came vnto my handes right honourable and my very good Lord this Booke entituled the Historie of the successors of AlexaÌ„der surnamed the great written in the Greeke tong by Diodore the Sicilian and translated into Frenche by M. Claude of Seissell sometime M. of the Requestes to the most Christian King Lewis the xij of that name and to him addressed I was when I had ouer read and well considered the same maruellously rauished and earnestly wished it hadde bene published in our vulgare tong that many others might vnderstand it Bycause as me thinketh it is both noble and pleasaunt as well for the noueltie of the Historie as also for the varietie and stile which is right propre and such one as apperteyneth and chiefly belongeth to a very good Historian wherein is shewed the vncerteintie of fortune whiche maruellously may serue and helpe to read and consider the worldly happes heretofore to great Kings Princes and Nobles chaunced who sometime were in great dignitie and had high authoritie and wonderful prosperitie Wherby in seeing after great felicitie and maruellous prosperitie the straunge aduersitie and miserie whiche happened them and the continual chaunge of their estates and aduentures may more and more be vnderstood the instabilitie and imperfection of wordly matters And chiefly in those great and honorable personages the successors of Alexander the great by whome is most declared the inconstancie of all things subiect to alteration and chaunge and where Fortune to speake after the vulgare opinion hath best shewed the power and auctoritie Whiche Booke when I hadde finished I aduised me to what honorable and Martiall personage I might fitliest addresse it And as I aboade in this imagination I at last called to remembrance your late noble progenitor who in facts of warre and Martiall pollicies surmounted in these our dayes the more parte of this noble Realme of Englande And forthwith considering that your honoure is he who in those noble vertues rightly representeth the very liuely Image of your most noble progenitor and also vnderstanding your affabilitie and naturall inclination to all suche as haue delight therein I am therefore all these things considered the rather enboldened to take on hande to dedicate this the firste fruite of my trauell vnto your honour Most humbly beseching the same that it woulde vouchsafe to take in worth thys small present and gifte and to consider rather the harte and good will of the giuer who desireth nothing more than to do you seruice agreable than the value or qualitie of the present very small and in a rude stile to dedicate vnto so Noble a personage And bycause the sayd Claude of Seissell would not that this sayde Historie shoulde remayne imperfect to leaue the Reader in doubt of the ende and issue of the warres begonne by Antigone the great and Demetre his sonne against al the rest of the Kings and Princes successors of Alexander in those dayes somewhat touched in the beginning of the third Boke by the sayd Diodore he hath therefore taken out of the wise Plutarche the remnaunte in the life of Demetre vnto his death in whose tyme were almoste all the great and notable factes of warre worthie memorie exployted and done Wherefore in reuoluing the sayd Historie with iudgement and to the ende it is translated there may in my opinion some commoditie and profit be receyued For as touching the course of worldly things may be sene the Stratagemes and pollicies in the facts of war togither many sundry and diuerse battailles sieges and enterprises verie pleasaunt to read and heare wherein may also be lerned many things apperteyning to that arte And farther as concerning the morall direction of mannes life there may besides be founde both by learning and examples manie goodly documentes And chiefely that whiche is moste meete and becomming a noble personage whereof he is called Magnanimus that he shoulde not for any prosperitie whiche happeneth him be ouer high minded nor yet for any aduersitie he hath or might chaunce him lose hys harte courage or hope whiche things wholly seruing to the perfection of man in this present life and consisteth in the habitude and operation of Morall vertues and also to the perfection of the soule ordering and appointing the latter ende and intentioÌ„ to the euerlasting blisse which god of hys infinite goodnesse and grace graunt your honour and vs al after the course of this present life Your honours most humble at commaundement Tho. Stocker ¶ The first Booke of the successours of Alexander surnamed the great wrytten by Diodore the Sicilian in the Greeke tongue and after Translated into the French by Claude of Seisel sometime a Counsailour and maister of the Requests to IEWES the twelfth of that name then the FRENCH King And now Englished from the FRENCH By THOMAS STOCKER The Prologe PYTHAGORAS the Samian and diuers other graue and wise Philosophers haue taught lefte in writing that the soules of men are immortal and the more strongly to approue and verify their opion and iudgement therin they affirme that wheÌ„ the soules depart the bodyes that they haue the prescience and foreknowledge of things to come Thereunto also accordeth the famous Poet Homer as appeareth by his introducing of Hector who a little before he died prognosticated the death of Achilles which shortly after ensued The like also of later dayes hath bene wel noted knowne in many that died who at the hour of their deathes prophecied what should happen and chiefly confirmed in Alexander surnamed the greatâ— his death King of Macedone For he lying at Babilon vpon his death bed being by his friends asked in the very extréeme and laste article of death to whom he would leaue his Realme and royal dignities answered to the most worthy the gouernement thereof For I ê™ he foresée that in stead of my sepulture and funeral my friends are determined to moue open hostilitie warrs which in déede soone after came to passe For the greatest most honorable his friends striuing for the principalitie and gouernment were the causes of many great conflicts Al which matters together with the deedes and gestes of hys said successours shall be contained in this present Booke and be made manifest and plain to al studious learned which wil read and desire to vnderstand the same For the booke precedent treateth of the Noble and worthy déedes of Alexander