Illiads which Homer Alexander the great so esteemed by the reading of the atchievements of Achilles being brought up in school in his fathers days with that learned Phylosopher Aristotle that he never went to bed but he had Homer under his pillow and there fell in love with the prowesse of Achilles honoured his life and magnified his death insomuch that he went unto Illion in Phrygia where that famous City of Troy sometimes stood to sée the grave of Achilles where when he saw the worthy monuments of his martial chivalry his famous feats and renowned life depainted about the Temple which invironed round his sumptuous Tomb he brake out into tears beholding the tomb and said O happy Achilles who had such a Poet as Homer that so well could advance thy fame And thus Alexander being moved by Homer to imitate Achilles minded nothing else but magnanimity and courage of mind as Curtius and Diodorus Siculus can well testifie whose life though it was but short was a mirrour unto all the world that being but twenty years when he began to imitate the acts and feats of Achilles in twelve years more which was his whole time of life he became King over Kings a Conquerour over Conquerours and was named another Hercules for his prosperous successe in his enterprises insomuch that Julius Caesar the first and most valiant Emperor that ever was in Rome after his great conquests entring into the Temple of Hercules in Gades and reading the life of Alexander painted round about the Temple his worthy fame declared his noble déeds set forth his victories and conquests in every place described such monuments and mirrours in memory of his noble life every where expressed he fell into the like tears for Alexander as Alexander did for Achilles Thus was one in love with another for magnanimities sake each one so desirous of others fame that Caesar thought himself happy if he might be counted Alexander Alexander judged himself renowned if he might be named Achilles Achilles sought no greater fame then Theseus Theseus ever desired the name of Hercules Therefore Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians wondered much at the singular magnanimity and prowesse of Epaminondas sometime Prince of Thebes who with one little City could subdue all Gréece This Epaminondas having wars with the Lacedemonians people no lesse renowned by war then justly feared by Epaminondas after great victories and triumphs was after this sort prevented by Agesilaus in the wars of Mantinia that all the people of Sparta were counselled either to kill Epaminondas or to be killed by Epaminondas whereby the whole force and power of Lacedemonia was fully bent by commandment given by Agesilaus their King to fall upon Epaminondas where that valiant and noble Prince by too much pollicy was wounded to death to the utter destruction of all the people of Thebes and yet being carried unto his tent alive he demanded of his souldiers the state of the field whether Thebes or Sparta was conquered being certified that the Lacedemonians fled and that he had the victory he forthwith charged the end of the spear to be taken out of his wounded side saying Now your Prince Epaminondas beginneth to live for that he dies a Conqueror We read not of Epaminondas his parralel who being compared unto Agamemnon for his magnanimity was angry therewith saying Agamemnon with al Greece with him was ten years about one town the City of Troy Epaminondas with little Thebes in one year conquered all Gréece An order was observed amongst the Lacedemonians before they did go to the wars they were by their Laws charged to make solemn sacrifice unto the Muses And being demanded why they so did sith Mars hath no society with the Muses Eudamidas then their King answered For that we might obtain as well of the Muses how to use victory gently as Mars to become victors manfully These Lacedemonians were so valiant that having banished their King Cleonimus for his extraordinary pride and violence did make Arcus King in his place Who being in Creet aiding the people of Corcyra in wars with the most part of the Citizens of Sparta Cleonimus their exiled King consulted with Pyrrhus King of Epyre and perswaded him then or never to conquer Sparta considering Areus was in Creet and that Sparta was not populous to defend any strength of invasion they both came and pitched their field in the open face of the City of Sparta assuring themselves to sup that evening at Cleonimus house The Citizens perceiving the great Army of Pyrrhus thought good by night to send their women unto Créet to Areus making themselves ready to â—ie manfully in resisting the hoast of the enemie and being thus in the Senate agréeing that the womankind should passe away that night lest their nation at that time should be quiet destroyed by Pyrrhus a great number of women appeared in armor amongst whom Archidamia made an Oration to the men of Sparta wherein she much blamed their intent and quite confounded their purpose saying Think you O Citizens of Sparta that your Wives and Daughters would live if they might after the death of their Husbands and destruction of Sparta Behold how ready we are how willingly the women of Sparta will die and live with their Husbands Pyrrhus shall well feel it and this day be assured of it No marvel it is that the children of these women should be valiant high in their resolution If Demosthenes who was so much esteemed in Athens had said in Sparta that which he wrote in Athens that they who sometime ran away should fight again he should have the like reward that Archilogus had who wrote in his book that it was sometime better to cast the buckler away then to die for which he was banished the confines of Lacedemonia At what time the noble city of Sagunâ—um was destroyed the Senate of Carthage having promised the contrary the renowned Romans though the league was broken and peace defied yet the Senators did send Fabius Maximus as their Embassador with two tables the one containing peace the other wars which were sent to Carthage either to choose peace or wars the election was theirs though the Romans were injured Hardie then the Romans were when Scaenola went alone armed unto the Tents of Porsenna King of Hetruria either to kill Porsenna or to be killed by Porsenna greater fortitude of mind could be in no man a more valiant heart also was séen in no man then in Cocles who alone resisted the whole army of King Porsenna and when the draw bridge was taken up he leaped in all his harnesse from his enemies into the midst of the river Tybur And though he was in divers places sore wounded yet neither did his fall hurt him nor his Armour press him neither the water drown him neither thousands of his enemies could kill him but he swam through the river Tybur unto Rome to the great admiration of King Porsenna and excéeding joy of Rome so that one
we go we go a pilgrimage and thus we live and thus we die CHAP. V. Of Martial Triumphs and the solemnity of Kings and Princes AFter that Mars had moved first Ninus King of the Assyrians unto wars who was the first after the floud that invaded the confines of Asia the world at that time for the simplicity of the people and temperance of life and specially for that it was not populous was called the golden world for the space of two hundred years and a half after Noah untill Ninus first framed wars whence in short time after proceeded sundry wars in several countries Insomuch that to animate the souldiers and to stir their Captains with greater courage to defend their countries they invented glorious triumphs whereby the deserved fame of the Conquerours might be renowned And as the victory of it self was either more or lesse so were the triumphs appointed to be correspondent unto the same The Lacedemonians a people most studious of war had appointed several triumphs according unto the state of the victory for if through deceit or craft they had gotten a victory they would kill a Bull to do sacrifice unto their Gods If again through strength and courage they had purchased a victory then in triumph thereof they would kill a Cock The Athenians at any victory would crown the Conqueror with a Garland made of Oken leaves in triumph of his successe properly appointed for him that defended the estate of Cities or the persons of Citizens Thus Pericles and Demosthenes used often to triumph in wearing the crown called Civica Corona the Civick Garland This order also was observed among the Gréeks that the victors might onely make a triumphant shew of their victory not to move any enmity or to maintain discord against the enemy as sometime the Thebans did who were of all Gréece with one consent accused for that they made a perpetual monument of the victory against the Lacedemonians to stand in brasse rather to stir enmity and discord amongst their successours and posterity then justly to triumph in their present fortune The Princes of Carthage used such triumphs as at the yéelding of the Empire of Carthage by Hasdrubal unto his brother Hamilcar who was Hannibals father and oftentimes triumphed against the Romans It is read in Justine that at the beginning the triumphs were not gorgeously nor sumptuously appointed as they were in processe of time for the Romans who far excelled all countries had no such triumph when Romulus had vanquished Acron King of the Senenses He did wear nothing else but Bay-leaves in triumph thereof for first the branches and bows of trées were cut down in triumph Secondly divers fresh flowers were gathered Then they invented Garlands made of Time intermingled with silver and with gold At length divers kinds of Garlands were so used in Gréece that at their banquets and their drinkings they had their Garlands on their heads for as the world grew in wealth so it grew in sumptuousnesse for the triumph of Romulus was far inferiour to the gorgeous triumphs of Camillus and yet Romulus was a King and Camillus was but an Officer Time bringeth things unto perfection In time Rome waxed so wealthy that Camillus I say was carried in a Chariot all gilded and wrought over with gold having all white horses gallantly furnished a Crown of pure Gold on his head all the Senatours and Consuls of Rome going on foot before him unto the Capitol of the City and thence unto the Temple of Jupiter where to honour the triumph further they slue a white Bull as a sacrifice unto Jupiter and thence he was brought triumphantly unto the City of Rome unto his owâ— house Even so in Gréece and Carthage in time they grew into such pomp and sumptuous triumphs that there was as much study to invent brave shews and solemn sights in triumphs as there was care and diligence to have removed the enemies when Epaminondas ruled stately Thebes when Hannibal governed proud Carthage when Leonidas bare sway in war like Sparta then Gréece and Lydia were acquainted with solemn and brave triumphs In Ninus time the triumphs were in Assyria In Arbaces time the triumphs flourished amongst the Medes In Cyrus time the triumphs were in Persia In Alexanders time they were in Macedonia In Caesars time they were in Rome and thus alwaies from the beginning of the world triumphs followed victories And here I mean a little to intreat of the triumphs of the Romans which far divers ways surmounted the rest whose Fame was spread over all the world and yet imitating in all things the Gréeks insomuch that Rome alwaies had Athens as a Nurse or a patern to frame their laws by for although the Kings were banished as well in Athens as in Rome yet they ruled and triumphed more by Orateurs in Athens and by Consuls in Rome then by Kings Therefore as Plini saith they exercised such feats of arms they contrived such policies they used such solemnities in triumphs that Rome then was noted to be the lamp and lanthorn of Mars They had I say divers Garlands made onely for the triumphs of wars Plini counteth seven sorts of Garlands which the Romans had the first made of pure gold appointed onely for the triumphs of Princes The second of Laurell which of all was most ancient in Gréece and in Italy appointed for the triumphs of souldiers The third of all kind of swéet flowers appointed to him that restored Cities to their liberties again The fourth made of Oken leaves to him that defended Citizens from death these two Garlands were of great honour in Rome but especially in Gréece the one Cicero waâ—e in Rome for his invectives against the conspiracies of the wicked Cacelin the other Fabius Maximus did wear for that he saved Rome from the second wars of Carthage where Hannibal was Captain The fift Garland was appointed for him that assaulted the walls of the enemies first and entred the town The sixth for him that attempted the tents of the enemies The seventh bestowed upon him that boarded first the Navie of the enemy These three last Garlands mentioned for the scaling of walls the boarding ships and attempting the tents were made all of gold and given by the Princes or Senatours to the aforesaid Souldiers There was likewise in Rome a decrée concerning the triumphs that none might triumph unless he had béen before some Officer in Rome as Dictator Pretor Consul or such like and if any unless by the Senate had won any victories though their conquest were never so great and their victorie never so famous as Pub. Scipio for all his victories in Spain and Marcus Marcellus for all that he took the great City of Syracuse they might in no wise by Law make any claim of Triumphs because they were not appointed by the Senator Then Rome flourished and was defended from divers injuries and saved from enemies At what time M. Curius triumphed over the Samnites Mae Agrippa over the
yet lived that he might the better in that season win favour and find friendship with his subjects for then some came by heritage some by the sword and the most came by election Nothing saith Plutarch doth so establish the estate of a Common-wealth as the clemency of a Prince towards his subjects and the love of the subjects towards their Prince the one is never séen without the other King Darius therefore understanding that his subjects were taxed sore with Subsedies blamed his counsel rebuked their law and made an open oration unto his commons to signifie how loth he was to molest his subjects and that he was as loth to take any from his poor commons as he knew them to be willing in giving all they had to pleasure their Prince his care therein shewed and his speech so affable and his good will opened with such curtesie and lenity inflamed such benevolence kindled such a love caused such a readinesse in his subjects and made them through gentlenesse so beneficial that both goods lands and lives were at Darius commandement Plutarchus in the life of King Antigonus doth recite a famous history concerning the alteration and change of Antigonus who with tyranny a long while fomed in bloud and delighted in murther being given altogether to wickednesse of life spoiling at all times every where sparing no place at any time but at length having obtained the kingdome of Macedonia became so méek so liberal so quiet towards his subjects that he was of all men wondred at for his sudden change from so cruell a tyrant to so gentle a Prince from a spoiler of all places to be a sparer now of his subjects being demanded the cause thereof answered Then I travelled for the Kingdome of Macedonia which was to be won with wars and tyranny and now I labour for the good will of my subjects which is to be gotten with gentleness The onely remedy the sure way to win good will of the subjects is always for Princes to be courteous and gentle Pitie in a Prince causeth love in the subjects Such pity was found in that gentle Emperor Aurelian when he would have entred into that City called Iâ—aena the gates being shut against him he did send his Heralds to signifie unless the gates should be opened he would not leave one dog alive within the City The City more stout then wise refused to open their gates until with force of Engines the walls were battered down and the City in the hand of the Emperor to do what it liked him The souldiers gréedy of the spoil were by the gentle and mercifull Emperor charged not to meddle with any within the City until they had licence The Emperor being charged by the souldiers with his promise to kil and to spoil all and not to leave a dog alive he kept promise like a Prince and destroyed all the dogs of the City and restored the City again to the inhabitants thereof This noble Aurelian had rather his souldiers should want then that they should not shew mercy according to his custome to the comfortless Xerxes the great King of Persia used such lenity and gentleness towards his brother Arimenes with whom before he was a great enemy that he made him of a foe a friend Porus a famous Prince of India being conquered by Alexander the Great fearing that pity might not have place in the heart of such a conqueror sought nothing else of Alexander who willed him to ask any thing and he should have it but clemency This vertue long waited upon Alexander till pride the root of all mischief corrupted his gentle heart and he was by the Medes and Persians perswaded to be the son of Jupiter So gentle he was before the King Darius did wish either to conquer Alexander because he might shew courtesie unto Alexander or else to be conquered by Alexander Aeneas Sylvius was wont to use the saying of Sigismund the Emperor that happy are those Princes that foster up clemency in Court and prudent are those Princes that use humanity in their Cities It was no small proof of humanity in the Senators of Rome at the burial of Siphax King of Numidia who being taken by the Romans and kept in Tiberius house according to martial law before he was ransomed by the Numidians died at Rome where such solemnity honour and pomp was shewed at his funeral such gifts given such liberality used as if Siphax had died amongst his own subjects he might have wanted to have such glorious burial in Numantia being there their King as he had in Rome being a prisoner That is worthy humanity which is shewed to men in adversity and that is méer clemency which is done to those banished strangers as the Romans sometime did to Prusius King of Bithinia who being driven to exile by his son Nicomedes came unto Rome where humanity and clemency were used and nourished in the Senate and was met at Capua a City sometime by Hannibal conquered by Scipio and Cornelius and brought to Rome not like a banishâ—d man but as a noble Prince with such triumphs and honour done to him and such passing courtesie and liberality of Senators that although he was banished Bithinia his Kingdome and by Nicomedes his own son yet was he received into Rome by strangers and that to the honour and the fame of Rome Thereby the Romans grew to that admiration with all people that for their lenity and surmounting courtesie they were of all men beloved and for their valour and magnanimity they likewise were of all the world feared For as to Siphax and Prusius wonderfull clemency and humanity were by the Romans tendered so was the like to Ptolomy King of Egypt being of his own brother banished and by them restored again to his Kingdome Rome then was called the Haven of succour the anchor of trust the Key of courtesie whereto all succourless Princes and noble Captains sled Rome flourished then while pity and mercy continued Rome prospered while humanity and clemency were fostered Rome excelled all nations in gentleness and pity when Marcellus and Metellus lived the one Captain of Syracusa the other in Celtiberia The noble Captain Marcellus was so pittiful that after his souldiers had conquered Syracusa with great slaughter and murther of men women and children he mounted up into a high Tower of the Castle and there with tears he lamented the cufull sight of Syracusa more like to one conquered then a conqueror more like to a Prisoner then a Prince so that any who then saw him might rather judge Marcellus a Syracusan captive then a Roman Captain Happy was Syracusa sith fortune was no better to happen on such a gentle Conqueror who was not so glad of his own victory as he was sorrowfull for the fall of Syracusa That renowned Roman Merellus besieging the great City of Centobrica in the countrey of Celtiberia when he perceived their Bulwarks broken their Walls ready to fall and victory nigh at hand
he began to be moved with pity and mercy possest the chief place in his heart so that when the women of the City brought their children in their arms to crave mercy at Merellus hand he avoided the calamity and misery that was ready to fall on Centobrica and spared the City and removed his Camp being conquered himself with pity and mercy of the ruthfull women and innocent children Thus gentle Metellus where he might have béen a Conqueror over men did suffer himself to be conquered by little Infants O Rome happy were those golden days wherein through clemency and gentleness thou wast as much loved and honoured as thou hast béen by valiant Captains trembled at and feared Pompieius the great when Tigâ—anes King of Armenia being by him conquered had knéeled before Pompeius face yéelding his Crown and Scepter at Pompeius his foot and himself unto his gentleness as a captive took him in his arms embraced him put his Crown on his head and restored him to to the Kingdome of Armenia again The like courtesie he used toward Mithridates King of Pontus being dead in giving him a royal burial though he knew well the great hatred that Mithridates had fourty years against the Romans yet in stead of just revengement Pompey used Princely clemency The gentleness that was then used in Rome yet betwixt foes was such that Julius Caesar that valiant Emperor and Conqueror was as willing to revenge the death of his great enemy Pompey upon Photina and Bassus who slew Pompey and did send his head to Caesar as L. Parâ—lus was courteous and favourable to his most mortal foe Perseus Hannibal though he was counted the most and greatest enemy that ever Rome felt yet moved with Princely clemencie he won more commendations for the burial of P. Aemilius Gracchus and Marcellus three noble Romans then he wan fame by overcomming two thousand Romans in field The chief fame that Hannibal was worthy of was for his humanity and gentlenesse as is proved by these two noble Romans before mentioned whose dead carcasses Hannibal caused diligently to be sought for in the field and solemnly to be buried with honour and renown though they were his enemies And as Hannibal was much commended in Rome and well beloved of the Romans for his humanity so was he feâ—red much in Rome for his prowesse and valiant déeds of arms Polycrates that Tyrant of Samos was chiefly commended for his gentlenesse and courtesie shewed towards women which were the wives and mothers of the dead souldiers in restoring them unto liberty in giving them wealth to live and a great charge that no man should do them any wrong Augustus the Emperor when he beheld in the City of Alexandria the sword wherewith Marcus Antonius slew himself could not refrain from tears to shew his humanity and opening his clemency of nature to his enemy he commanded that he should be honourably buried with his dear friend Cleopatra in one grave Cicero in his first book of Tusculans commendeth much the clemency of Cleobes and Bâ—ton in shewing such love and obedience to their mother who being in her Chariot ready to go to the solemn feast of the Goddesse Juno the horses suddenly died and there being no other remedy least their mother should go on foot they yoked themselves to draw the Chariot ten miles to their immortal praise and commendations I remember a history in Patritius of one Simonides who for that he was moved with pity to bury a dead corps left in the way where no man put it into the earth as he was passing with his fellows over the seas that night before they should sail in the morning appeared unto Simonides the self-same man whom he had buried upon the way warning him that day not to go to sea so when he should take shipping he remembring his dream told if unto his fellows desiring them to stay that day but his company laughing him to scorn leaving Simonides on the shore sailed to the seas where in sight of Simonides the ship and all his fellows were lost The like pity was found in Simon the son of that most valiant Gréek Militiades who being elected Generall over the Athenians against the great might and force of puissant Zerxes in the wars of Marathon was nothing inferiour unto his renowned father in prowesse but far passed him in clemency and curtesie this young man for his lenity and pity being joined with valiantnesse was appointed by the City of Athens to incounter with Xerxes whom his father Militiades often plagued at the first time of trying his magnanimity inforced Xerxes after spoil of his souldiers and victory of field to fly unto Persia he was so pittifull that he paied a great sum of monies to have his father Militiades buried who after many conquests and fawning of fortune in victories died in prison whose death and burial shewed no lesse love and faithfulnesse in Simon towards his father then it shewed evidently the pity and mercy he had in redéeming his fathers corps to be buried Wherefore that pitifull Emperour Alexander Severus being demanded what is that which is chief felicity in this world said to foster friends with benefits and gentlenesse and to reconcile foes with pity and rewards Alphonsus at what time a certain dog barked at him took a toast out of his cup and cast it to the dog then saying gentlenesse and clemency shall make foes friends I know not what greater humanity could be then was in Vespasian the Emperour after that Vitellius had killed his brother Sabinus and had long persecuted Vespasians son being at last subdued he spared not to shew gentlenesse to Vitellius his daughter and gave her a great sum of money towards her marriage Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians after he had the victory of Corinth did not so joy in his conquest as he lamented the deaths of so many Athenians and Corinthians and as Plutarch doth witnesse he said wéeping O Greece thou spillest more men with civil wars by discord then would defend thy state against all the world with courage To use victory genty is more famous then to conquer cruelly As the Emperour Adrian was wont to say that Princes ought rather with pity to say this I can do then with tyranny to say this I will do Augustus that most pittifull Prince after he had conquered that famous City Alexandria which the great Conquerour Alexander had builded and named it according unto his own name being moved with pity stirred with mercy in sight of the Citizens who hoped to have nothing but death said for the beauty of your city and memory of Alexander as also for the love I have unto Prius your Philosopher and for the pity I bear unto you all I spare unto you your City and grant you your life O swéet sounding words from a pittifull Prince not much unlike his predecessour Julius Caesar his own mothers brother who after vanquishing of Pompey at Pharsalia sent letters unto
much given to soft clothing gay apparel and delicate fare as Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers delighted to go brave in gorgeous apparel with rich Chains and Kings and had herein great felicity Demosthenes and Hortensius two famous and noble Oratours the one of Athens and the other of Rome went so fine in their cloths with such neat and wanton gesture that L. Torquatus would often call Hortensius the son of Dionisia for that she had great pleasure in dancing and light gesture of bodie But I will omit such examples and speak of dissembling persons who thinking to hurt others destroyed themselves as that strong Golias who contemning all Israel for force and strength David a weak man overcame him Hammon was hanged upon that gallows that he prepared for Mardocheus even so Absalon going about to destroy his father King David was hanged by the hairs of his head by Gods appointment CHAP. XXXIII Of Famine CIcero in his first book of Tusculans questions doth note the saying of Socrates that hunger was the best sauce to meat and thirst the best occasion to drinke Wherefore King Dioniusis the tyrant hearing much report of the Lacedemonians hard fare and specially of their pottage which was called Jus nigâ—um the black pottage he took a Cook of that Countrey to be his servant to dresse his diet in the ordinary way of the Lacedemonians the Cook having taken much pains in making the foresaid pottage he brought a messe thereof unto the King who much longed for it but assoon as he tasted of it he spit it again out of his mouth and was vâ—ry angry with the Cook saying is this the pottage that the Lacedemonians so much brag of my dog said Dâ—onisius should not eat it the Cook perceiving the gluttony of the King said O Dionisius whensoever thou art to eat of this pottage thou must bring fit sauce for it which is a Lacedemonians stomack for the Princes of Sparta have more pleasure in this kind of fare then ever King Mydas had in his golden banquets What maketh any meat swéet hunger What causeth man to féed pleasantly hunger Or what makes any drink pleasant thirst For at what time Darius was enforced of méer thirst to drink of a lake all defiled with stinking carcases of dead souldiers being then in the field and compelled to take his flight he said after his draught that he never drank swéeter drink in his life Though this King was a proud Prince over the Persians and had all kind of wines at commandement yet his want and penury now and his thirsty stomack was the onely cause of this noble drink which he so much commended and preferred before all the wine that ever he drank before Even so affirmed King Artaxerxes in his wars when his victuals and all were spoiled by the enemies of a few dry figs and of a piece of a barley loaf upon which he fel so hungerly that he spake after this sort O good Lord of how great a pleasure have I béen all this while ignorant Lisimachus likewise being in wars in Thracia against Domitianus the Emperour where he and all his souldiers were kept so long without drink untill he was so thirsty that he was inforced with all his host to yeeld as captives to the Emperour Domitianus and now being in captivity having a draught of drink of the Emperour he said O God that I should make my self from a King to be a captive from a noble Prince of Greece to be a bondslave unto the Romans for one draught of drink See what hunger and thirst is how it hath made Kings to yeeld and Princes to be vanquished Yea it hath made King Ptolomy in his own Kingdome of Egypt to commend a piece of bread which was given him in a poor Cottage and to say that he never eat better meat nor more comfortable chear in all his life then that piece of bread was It was the custome of that noble Emperor Julius Caesar in all his wars more with famine then with sword to vanquish his enemies For this famous warriour would often say that even as the physitian would use his patients so would he his enemies the rule of the physitian is to make his patient fast to recover his health The order of Caesar was to kéep the enemy from victual to make them yéeld Great is the force of Famine And by Histories we read that when King Cambyses marched towards the Ethiopians he endured great scarcity of victuals and such penury and want of food was among the souldiers that they agréed with themselves to kill the tenth throughout all the host to asswage hunger and the Famine continued so long that Cambyses the King was in great fear lest the Lot should at length happen upon him and so to be eaten of his own souldiers Sagunthus a City in Spain as Eutropius doth witnesse in great amity with the Romans was besieged by the Carthaginians so long that all the City was brought unto such famine that the Lords and the Captains of the City made a great fire in the Market place and there brought all their wealth and substance and threw it into the fire and after made their Wives and their Children to enter into the fire and last of all the chief Lords and Captains ended their own lives in it lest they should come into the enemies hand So great was that Famine that it was before prognosticated by a Woman in the time of her delivery whose child his head being out entred into his Mothers womb again The like calamity happened in Caligurium a City where Quintilian was born which being likewise long besieged by Cneius Pompey to bring them in subjection and to kéep promise with Sertorius they lacked victuals and waxed so hungry that all kind of beasts whatsoever being slain they were constrained to eat their own Wives and Children It was séen in Ierusalem when that it was destroyed by Vespasian the Emperor of Rome that the mothers were compelled to eat their own children for very hunger whose small and tender bones were left as a shew and token of their calamity Pliny in his eighth book of Natural Histories saith that when Hannibal laid siege to the city Casilinum the Roman souldiers were in such hunger that one Mouse was sold for two hundred pieces of silver and he that sold the Mouse died himself for hunger The Athenians likewise were brought unto such hunger by Sylla who afterward was Dictator of Rome that one bushel of Wheat was sold amongst the souldiers for a thousand Drachmes the common souldiers being poor for want of money on the one side and sore plagued with hunger on the other were compelled to eat the gréen grasse of the fields about the City of Athens and to gather the mosse off the walls of the City and did eat it This City of Athens was oftentimes brought to that misery as by King Demetrius by King Philip and by his son Alexander the great So
much was famine feared amongst the ancient Gréeks that in the time of abundance they used to scourge famine with rods out of their houses saying For as fames intra divitiae Away penury come in plenty We read in Q. Curtius that Alexander was driven by hunger to eat his Camels and Elephants and other huge beasts that carried the trains for the wars Such hunger and famine did happen among the Lacedemonians that the Citizens of Sparta were so hungry that they did eat the very serpents that had béen dead a long while which multitude of serpents did presage this great calamity to come and though they had been dead a long time yet the Spartans most hungerly did feed on them and mitigated the rage of their famine Doda King of Syria besieged a great and famous City in Iewry called Iora where the miserable mothers were by meer hunger enforced to féed on the bowels of their own children Not much unlike was that horrible and cruel famine in the countrey of Apulia where the souldiers being enforced by the French men then their enemies in War were compelled to take the skins from their Bucklers and to warm and boil the hard horns and to eat them To speak of the wonderfull calamity miseries and plagues that happened through hunger the charge thereof were too much too many authorities are manifest in this behalf Antonius whom Augustus Caesar could never vanquish by force of arms was driven to yeeld in a City called Perusia by hunger and famine Wherefore that noble Athenian Nicias always thought the easiest way of conquest was by Famine which he shewed at Melos a City of Thessaly where he made the Citizens to yeeld by hunger O raging force of famine O terrible misery of man which compelleth the parents to eat the children the children to kill their parents what beast was spared ever when this hapned The people named Hymmi through hunger were constrained to eat their own dogs as the Macedonians did sometime feed themselves with Camels Elephants Horses and such like What herb was unsought What root was not found to feed this cruel Monster Sabellicus doth witnesse of a dearth that chanced in his time that in some parts of the countrey of Flaminia and about the fields Piâ—eni the common people did live by grasse and herbs and by such like that proceeded from the earth Thus was the world ever plagued with famine as with that Monster that spoileth and devoureth it self as we read of divers that did eat their own arms and flesh Again in the sacred scripture divers examples we have of the like plagues sent from GOD to plague man But even as hunger one way is most excellent if meat may be had so hunger another way is most terrible if meat doth fail Therefore Stratonicus never went to bed without a cup of drink by him not for that he thirsted when he went to bed but lest he should thirst in the bed and so be compelled to do some injury to one or other for that he wanted drink So did Alphonsus King of Arragon when he saw the poor countrey man greedily feeding on Grapes he said O would the Gods had framed me to be such a one as this is So that hunger is good to those that want food Gnefactus King of Egypt his souldiers in the deserts of Arabia wanting victuals waxed so hungry that he himself not amongst the countrey men and their homely fare was so acceptable unto him that he set up a table for a Monument of the same in the Temple of Jupiter in Thebes Of divers Famines we read in scripture as of that in the time of Abraham who fled from the land of Canaan into Egypt and Isaac was driven by famine unto Abimelech King of the Palestines and all the sons of Jacob were enforced to go to King Pharaoh where their own brother Joseph ruled as chief Officer Famine is appointed for a just scourge to sin as appeareth by David who for causing the people to be numbred had leave to chuse either Plague Famine or Warres which are the instruments to punish offenders CHAP. XXXIIII Of Warinesse WE will here leave Apollo in Delphos and Jupiter in Boetia with their wise answers and Oracles we will not speak of Socrates Solon and thousands such as were counted and known wise and discreet among the Gréeks and Gentiles We will onely entreat of those worldly and natural wise men which by their prudent policie and wary practises have greatly advanced their fame as well in vanquishing their enemies as by inventing such policies for the obtaining of the same as their wits thereby were worthily commended Hannibal perceiving the courage and strength of the Romans used this stratagem He gathered a great number of serpents and put them in huge vessels and caused them to be brought to the field amongst his souldiers commanding the Captains and chief officers to throw the same into the face of the enemies who being thereby astonished fled away as men almost in dispair of themselves thinking the souldiers of Hannibal to be Devils and not Men. Of the like wisdome was King Cyrus who â—eing in his Tents and ready to pitch the field the next day against the Messagetes he commanded his souldiers to be in a readinesse that night to flée from their tents leaving behind their victuals and substance that the enemies being busie about the spoil and given up to banquettting and carowsing of wine he with all his army might unawares return and finding the Messagetes more greedy of the spoil then ready for their enemies he did destroy and kill them So that in wars saith Salust wit doth as much good as strength policy sometimes is better accepted then power and Virgil saith so that victory be gotten men weigh not whether it be through courage or through policy For Sertorius that worthy Captain of Rome was wont by false letters by dreams and outward religion to feign and invent a thousand waies to stir his souldiers to courage The invention of wit is much and so divers that too much it were to repeat it Sicionius deceived Xerxes with all his souldiers through policy Pisistratus moved the Athenians to revenge his false wrongs upon the chief Officers of Athens Darius after Cambises death became King of Persia by means of a horse and such like But letting passe infinite numbers of such I will declare what nature wrought in silly and simple beasts in flying fowls and in the very fishes swimming in the water The Lion by nature is taught being very sick to find out an Ape which by outward sports and pastime doth heal his great grief The huge Elephant is so subtil when he is like to die that he will séek by all means the Cameleon which he so estéemeth that his sicknesse forsaketh him straight The Panther knoweth by nature his ready salve for his sore for féeling himself not well he streight séeketh the dung of man and by the scent thereof he
men There is nothing neither can there be any thing more ugly to behold then mans face when he is angry nor to be feared because he hath no rule over himself All the painters of Persia had much to do to draw in colours the terrible countenance and fiery face of Queen Semiramis when she heard that her City of Babylon was besieged by the enemies being then dressing of her head she came with her hairs hand flying in the wind half amazed at the news Her picture in this discontent and fury stood as long as Babylon continued as a monument and a terrible mirrour to posterity We read of the like history of Olimpias whose anger was such when she thought of her son Alexander that she straight ways like a raging Lion or a cruel Tiger digged up the body of Iolas Alexanders murtherer and tare his body in small pieces and gave it to the birds of the air Such anger was in Marcus Antonius towards Cicero that he was not contented at Ciceroes death but comanded his head to be set before him on the Table to féed therewith his wrathfull heart and gréedy eys and his wife Fulvia to shew her anger pulled out his tongue and pinned it to her hood and ware it on her head in token of her cruel and Tigrish heart The noble Roman Metellus was so inflamed against Pompey for at what time he was appointed by the Senatours of Rome to succéed Metellus in his pro-consulship in Spaine Metellus perceiving that hee was discharged he brake for very anger all the furniture of wars and dedestroied all the provision he famished the Elephants and permitted his souldiers to do what injury they could against Pompey so great was his anger that to hinder Pompey he injured his native City of Rome The property of anger is to hurt divers in séeking to offend one As he is not wise that cannot be angry so he is most wise that can moderate anger The fame and renown that both Themistocles and Aristides got in vanquishing their anger one towards the other was great for being sent both as Embassadours for the stâ—te of Athens travelling over a high hill Themistocles said unto Aristides shall we both bury our anger on this hill and go as friends and not as enemies and there though the cause was great they became friends one to the other forgetting and forgiving one anothers fault Anger and wrath are the onely poison of the world whence hidden hatred doth procéed for to nourish the one is to féed the other Therefore it is written that hidden hatred private wrath and young mens counsel hath béen the very cause of divers destructions Manlius Torquatus after he had conquered Campania and triumphed over the Latins returning into the City with noble fame though the Senatours of the City met him in triumph yet the young men of Rome more disdainfull then courteous were more willing to have his death then desirous of his life the cause is known in Valerius I will omit to speak of Caligula whose anger and hatred was such that he wished Rome had but one neck that with one stroke he might strike it off Neither will I recite Hâ—logabalus who amongst writers is named the beast and not the Emperour of Rome The histories of Catelin Silla and Appius for their anger and hatred towards their country and native City are extant in Plutarch and Salust by this anger and wrath proceeded invectives and declarations and then envy and malice began to build their bowers by their chief Carpenter anger and mischief and vengeance doth alwaies depend upon them And because anger is the onely counsel of all mischief I will speak of those two monstrous furies incident alwaies to anger I mean Envy and Malice and shall referre that to Envy and Malice which might have been spoken on this subject CHAP. XLI Of Perjury and Faith and how Princes have been honoured and punished accordingly FAith is the foundation of Iustice and Iustice is the chief means as Aristotle saith to preserve a Publick Weal We will therefore note how faithfull just some Princes have béen how wicked and false others have shewed themselves there are so many vertues in the one and vices in the other For some from foes become friends as Clodius and Cicero two great enemies a long time and yet before two faithfull friends Tiberius likewise and Affricanus from mortal foes grew to be such perpetual friends that Affricanus gave his onely daughter Cornelia in marriage to Tiberius Even so some again from friends became foes yea from tried friendship to mortal enmity as Dion of Siracusa was killed by Calicrates his most assured friend as he thought with whom alwaies before he found friendship and faith Polimnestor likewise though King Priamus reposed such great trust and confidence in him that he committed his own son Polidorus to his custody yet he falsly slew him and murthered him though beside friendship he was his near kinsman How well saith Socrates do faithfull friends far excell all Gold for in danger faith is tried and in necessity friends are known Such is the secret force of truth and love and such is the hidden subtilty of falshood as may be proved in a history of Sextus Pompeius son and heir unto Pompey the great The faith and justice of Pompey at what time he had appointed a banquet for Augustus Caesar and Marcus Antonius upon the seas was well tried for being moved by divers at that time to revenge his fathers death Pompeius the great and especially at that time being prompted to it by his friend and master of the ship whose name was Menedorus Sextus in no wise would suffer it saying that faith and justice ought not to be turned into perjury and falshood for said he as it is perjury to omit faith and promise made to these Emperours so this is tyranny and not justice to revenge my fathers death upon innocence And true it was that Augustus Caesar was then but a boy and brought up in school in Apulia when his uncle Julius Caesar vanquished Pompey And Marcus Antonius was rather a friend to Sextus father then a foe and therefore no lesse faithfull was Sextus in preserving then just in weighing innocency Far unlike was false Hannibal who under pretence of peace with the Romans sent Embassadours unto Rome to treat thereof where they were honourably received but well requited he the courtesie of Rome to his Embassadours For when that noble Roman Cornelius came from Rome as an Embassadour unto Hannibal his welcome was such that he never went alive unto Rome again for most cruelly and falsly was he slain by Hannibal In this falshood and perjury was Hannibal much defamed whose vertues were not so much corrupted by the vilenesse of his own nature as by the falshood and corruption of the Countrey which alwaies in this was not to be trusted of which it is proverbially spoked Poeni perfidi the Carthaginians are false for
the people of Carthage delighted in falshood practised perjury and used all kind of crafts as the people of Sarmatha were most false in words most deceitfull in déeds and most cruell one towards the other The Scythians being much molested with wars and driven to leave their wives at home in the custody of the slaves and servants having occasion to be absent four years their wives married their servants and brake their former faith with their husbands until with force and power their servants were slain and so they recovered their countreys and wives again Apollonius the chief Governâ—ur of Samos whom the Commons of the countrey from low estate had exalted to dignity to whom they committed the Government and state of Samos was so false of his faith towards his subjects that having their goods lands livings and lives in his own hanâ— he betrayed them to Philip King of Macedonia their most mortal enemy That proud perjurer Cocalus King of Sicily slue King Minos of Créet though under colour of friendship and pretence of communication he had sent for him Cleomines brake promise with the Argives with whom he took truce for certain days and having craftily betrayed them in the night he slue them being sleeping and imprisoned them against his former faith and promise made before Even so did the false Thracians with the Boetians they brake promise violated their faith destroyed their countreys depopulated their cities and having professed friendship and vowed faith became wicked foes and false traytors and all of these received condign punishment But of all false perjurers and unnatural foes Zopyrus amongst the Persians and Lasthenâ— â— amongst the Olinthians to their perpetual Fame shall be ever mentioned the one in the famous City of Babylon deformed himself in such sort with such dissimulation of forged faith that having the rule and government thereof in his hand he brought King Darius to enjoy it through his deceit and was more faithfull to his King then to his Countrey Lasthenes being the onely trust of the Citizens delivered Olinthus their City into the hands of their long and great enemy Philip King of Macedonia What fraud hath béen found always in friendship what falshood in faith the murthering of Princes the betraying of Kingdoms the oppressing of innocents from time to time in all places can well witnesse the same When Romulus had appointed Spu. Tarpeius to be chief Captain of the Capitol the chamber of Rome where the substance and wealth of Rome did remain Tarpeia Spurius daughter in the night time as she went for water out of the city méeting Tatius King of the Sabines though he was then a mortal enemy to Rome and in continual wars with Romulus yet by her falshood and policy he was brought to be Lord of the Capitol Thus Tarpeia was as false to Rome as King Tatius was to Tarpeia for she looking to have promise kept by Tatius did find him as Rome found her she was buried alive by Tatius close to the Capitol which was then called Saturnus Mount and after her death and burial it was named Tarpeiaes Rock untill Tarquinius Superbus did name it the Capitol by finding a mans head in that place There was never in Rome such falshood shewed by any man as was by Sergius Galba who caused the Magistrates of three famous cities in Lusitania to appear before him promising them great commodities concerning the states and Government of their Cities yéelding his faith and truth for the accomplishment of the same whose professed faith allured to the number of Nine thousand young msn picked and elected for some enterprise for the profit of their countrey But when false Galba had spoiled these thrée cities of the Flower of all their Youth against all promise and faith he slue the most part of them sold and imprisoned the rest whereby he most easily might conquer their Cities Men are never certain nor trusty in doing when they are faulty in Faith For as the Sun lighteneth the Moon so Faith maketh Man in all things perfect For Prudence without Faith is Vain-glory and Pride Temperance without Faith and Truth is Shamefacednesse or sadnesse Iustice without Faith is turned into Injury Fortitude into Slothfulnesse The orders in divers countreys for the observation of Friendship and for maintainance of certain and sure love one towards another were Oaths of Fidelity The noble Romans at what time they sware had this order He or she to take a slint stone in their right hand saying these words If I be guilty or offend any man if I betray my countrey or deceive my friend willingly I wish to be cast away out of Rome by great Jupiter as I cast this stone out of my hand And therewith threw the stone away The ancient Scythians to obserbe amity and love had this Law They poured a great quantity of wine into a great Boul and with their knives opened some vein in their bodies letting their bloud to run out one after another into the boul and then mingling the wine and bloud together they dipped the end of their spears and their arrows in the wine and taking the boul into their hands they drank one to another professing by that draught faith and love The Arabians when they would become faithfull to any to maintain love thereby had this custome One did stand with a sharp stone betwéen two and with it made bloud to issue from the palms of both their hands and taking from either of them a piece of their garment to receive their bloud he dipped seven stones in the bloud and calling Urania and Dionisius their Gods to witnesse their covenant they kept the stones in memory of their friendship and departed one from another The like law was among the Barcians who repairing to a Ditch and standing thereby would say as Herodotus affirmeth As long as that hollow place or ditch were not of it self filled up so long they desired amity and love In reading of Histories we find more certainty to have béen in the Heathen by prophane Oaths then truth often in us by Evangelist and Gospel Oaths lesse perjury in those Gentiles swearing by Jupiter or Apollo then in Christians swearing by the true and iiving God more amity and friendship amongst them with drinking either of others bloud then in us by professing and acknowledging Christs bloud When Marcus Antonius had the government of Rome after Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and having put to death Lucullus for his consent therein Volummus hearing of his friend Lucullus death came wéeping and sobbing before Antonius requiring one his knées one grant at Antonius hand which was to send his souldiers to kill him upon the grave of his friend Lucullus and being dead to open Lucullus grave and lay him by his friend Which being denied he went and wrote upon a little piece of paper and carried it in his hand untill he came to the place where Lucullus was buried and there holding fast the
poor Romane gave the repulse to the whole Army of a King Valiant was Rome and the Romans feared when Popilius was sent Ambassador to Antiochus the Great King of Syria when Antiochus either for pride or pomp of his person or contempt of Popilius refused to answer the Roman Embassador but was presently enforced to answer the Senate of Rome and give satisfaction to the demands of the Embassador before he might go out of a little round circle which Popilius made with his riding Rod. Rome was then faithfull when Pomponius a Roman Knight and souldier under Lucullus who was General in the field against Mithridates King of Pontus was taken prisoner by Mithridates and was sore wounded and mangled the King demanded If he should give him Quarter for his life he would be true to Mithridates to whom the poor wounded Roman answered Pomponius will be unto Mithridates as Mithridates will be unto Lucullus So true and faithfull were Romans as they were stout and valiant insomuch that Scipio being almost thréescore years of age and was desired by a young souldier to buy a brave Buckler and a fine Target said That a true Roman must not trust to the left hand where the Buckler is or to hide himself under a Target but must trust to his right hand and show himself in field in open sight This magnanimity had the people of Scythia at what time Darius King of Persia was marching with his Army towards Scythia they having intelligence thereof like people of great magnanimity sent certain Ambassadors to méet Darius to signifie his welcome unto Scythia by presents sent by their Ambassadours When the Ambassadors met with King Darius they began to tel their message and opening in the privy chamber the Wallet where their presents were they took out a mouse saying Vnless you créep like this mouse to some countrey or swim like this frog to another or flie like this bird to a third these arrows shall pierce your hearts The presents were a Mouse a Frog a Sparrow and five Arrows rare presents sent unto a King simple gifts small charges but yet containing valour fortitude and contempt of Darius â—ather to move him to war then to entreat for peace Though Scythia was bare yet was she stout though rude and barbarous yet valiant and manfull It is not in the nature of the place or in the number of the persons that magnanimity consisteth but in the valiant heart and noble mind Wherefore Leonides King of Sparta was wont to say unto his souldiers that he had rather have one Lion to lead a whole herd of Déers then to have a whole band of Lions ruled and led by one Déer applying his meaning unto King Xerxes who had ten hundred thousand ships on the Seas sayling towards Gréece so many as all Gréece could hardly receive so many that divers rivers and flouds were dried up by his huge Armie a proof saith Justine more of his wealth then of his magnanimity Leonides knowing well the manner of Xerxes that he was séen first in the flight and last in the field whose glorious pomp and numerous army was not so famous and terrible at his comming to Gréece as his departure from Gréece was shamefull and ignominious began so perswade the Lacedemonians being but four thousand in number willingly to die in the streights of Thermopylae for the renown of Sparta exhorting them to dine as merrily with Leonides their King as though they should â—up with Pluto But perswasions to these that were already perswaded were superfluous spurs unto those that might not be stopt with bridles were néedlesse as in the Thermopylae was well séen and proved to the noble fame of Leonides and great shame of Xerxes It is not in multitude of men that magnanimity of men consisteth but in wise and valiant hearts for wit and courage joyned together saith Salust do make men valiant Wherefore Agamemnon that most renowned Emperour of all Greece at the siege of Troy would often say that he had rather have ten wise Nestors then ten strong as Achilles ten such as Ulysses then ten such as Ajax wisedome in war availeth much Plutarch reciteth four famous and renowned Princes and either of these four had but one eye to the advancement of their renowned fame the first was Philip King of Macedonia and Father unto Alexander the great whose wisedome in wars whose policy in feats whose liberallity unto his souldiers whose clemency and humanity to his enemies in fine whose successe in his affairs were such that his son Alexandeâ— doubted whether the valiantnesse of his Father would leave any place to Alexander unconquered The second was Antigonus King in the self-same place succeeding after Philip whose wars with Mithridaies King of Pontus and Pyrrhus King of Epire fully set forth in Plutarch do yeeld due honour and renown unto him for his force and magnanimity The third was Hannibal Prince of Carthage the whole stay of all Lybia for sixtéen years the scourge and terrour of all Rome and Italy whose name was so terrible for his courage and hardinesse that Antiochus King of Syria and Prusia and King also of Bithinia rather for fear then for love Hannibal being then but a banished man did receive him with honâ—ur The fourth was Sertoâ—ius a Roman Prince born in Sabina the thunder of whose Fame was nothing inferiour to the proudest these were not so famous by their prowesse and chivalry one way as they were notorious and spoken of for that either of them had but one eye These renowned Princes and singular souldiers excelled all men in wisedome and prowess as is recorded by Plutarch in their lives Philip for temperance of life Antigonus for faith and constancy to his friend Hannibal for truth and patience for his county Sertorius for his clemency and gentlenesse towards his enemies and all of them for their passing courage invincible stoutnesse and worthy enterprizes although they were incomparable yet were they all deprived of their eys as Philip lost one of his eys at the siege of the City of Methron Antigonus at Perinthia Hannibal in Hetruria Sertorius in Pontus When the people of Thasius had erected altars and appointed sacrifices to honour Agesilaus in their Temples for his Fame of fortitude they sent Embassadours to certifie the King thereof who reported that as Apollo was in Delphos honoured as a God so Agesilaus was in Thasius but the King as he was valiant so he was wise and much detesting the assentations of the people he demanded of the Embassadours and desired them that if their country could make Gods they would make some first for their own country saying Agesilaus had rather be a King in Sparta then a God in Thasius While hidden hatred was exempted while civil wars were not known while Athens sought no supremacy over Sparta while Sparta sought no mastery over Thebes then all the power of Persia the force of Macedonia might not stain one little town in Gréece but the
insolency of Princes the desire of Fame the felicity of renown the honour of glory was such as Alexander the great answered King Darius Embassadours who coming from Persia to Macedonia to treat of peace tendering unto Alexander the daughter of Darius in marriage with all the country of Mesopotamia and twelve thousand talents yearly beside and the assurance of the kingdom of Persia after Darius days as there wanted no princely liberallity in Darius offering so there waÌ„ted no princely stoutnesse in Aâ—exanders answer saying unto the Embassadors tel your master Darius King of Persia that as two suns may not be in the firmameÌ„t so two Alexâ—nders may not rule one earth Such high and valiant minds could be subject in no wise neither Dâ—rius unto Alexander nor Alexander unto Darius Such stoutnesse reigned in Princes to maintain states that as Archestratus the Athenian was want to say that in the City of Athens two Alcibiades might not rule so Ethocles the Lacedemonian did likewise speak that two Lisanders could not agree in Sparta So opposite were Princes so high and lofty of courage so valiant of heart so noble of mind that though fortune could not so often fawn and favour their estates yet she could not bereave them of their valiant minds nor spoil them of their magnanimity nor diminish their courage as may appear by that worthy and most ancient souldier Mithridates King of Pontus who after he had plagued the Romans with wars for the space of forty years during which time he shewed himself no lesse hardy and stout in resisting the strong force of Romane then valiant and couragious in attempting the fortitude of Romans and though he were by fortune forsaken in his latter days and spoiled of all health friends children countries kingdomes and all worldly wealth yet to spite fortune his mortal foe he went to Celâ—ae thinking with them to passe over into Italy to let the Romans understand that though friends and countries by fortune were spoiled yet neither fortune with her spite nor all the Romans with their force could subdue King Mithridates valiant heart It was then the onely joy of Princes not to be conquered In this onely they triumphed that they could not be vanquished In this gloried they most in that they were free from subjection Cercilidas being one of the wise men named Ephou in Sparta hearing the thundring threatnings of King Pyrrhus Embassadours the slaughter and murther that King Pyrrhus intended upon men women and children the cruel destruction and last confuâ—ions of the Lacedemonians answered no lesse stoutly then wisely the Embassadours of the King saying If Pyrrhus your master be a God we have not offended him and therefore doubt him not but if Pyrrhus be but a man tell your master that the Lacedemonians be men likewise and therefore we nothing fear him at all The valiant Pyrrhus thought so well of himself and judged all men so inferiour unto him in their atchievements that being at the victory of that noble City Tarentum where he saw such feats attempted such acts done such stoutnesse shewed by the Romans that dismaied at the manhood and boldnesse of them thought that if magnanimity were lost the spirit thereof should be found in a Romans heart insomuch that beholding of them he cried out and said O how soon would Pyrrhus conquer all the world if either he were King of Rome or Roman souldiers subject unto Pyrrhus Of these Romans Hannibal being inforced to forsake Carthage was wont to say unto King Antiochus of Syria that Rome would never suffer equality but be Prince over all Rome was compared unto the Serpent Hidra of Lerna that having so many heads when one was cut off another sprung up insomuch that all the world might not destroy Rome being either injured or overcome by the enemies Licinius having lost divers of his souldiers unto Perseus King of Macedonia who afterwards was subdued by that valiant Roman Pompey the great Perseus did send certain Orators to speak for peace who eloquently perswaded Licinius to consent thereto after a long debate and the learned councel and pithy perswasions of the Orators it was answered as briefly and plainly by Licinius that the best way for King Perseus to obtain peace of the Romans was first to restore the prisoners he had taken and then afterwards to send his Embassadours to the General Licinius otherwise the whole country of Macedonia should féel the force and magnanimity of the Romans To speak of the conquest and victories of Julius Caesar of the resolution of Merellus of the Fortune of Silla of the severity of Marcellus being therefore called the spur of Rome and of Fabius named the Target of Rome of divers more valiant Romans it were infinite but I mean not to molest the Reader to prove the renowned Romans most worthy of this valiaÌ„t vertue magnanimity Claudian makes meÌ„tion of one Camillus a noble RomaÌ„ who having a long time laid siege at Philiscus could not prevail the Schoolmaster of the City taking his schollers with him under preteÌ„ce of walking out of the town came and offered the schollers unto Camillus saying by this means you may do what you will unto Philifeus for here be their children whom to redéem I know they will yeeld up the town Camillus having regard to the Fame of Rome and loathing much to shew such treachery rewarded the School-master after this sort he did set him naked before his schollers fast bound with his hands behind him and every one of his schollers with a rod in his hand saying unto the boys bring him home to your Parents and tell your friends of his falshood and the poor boys having an opportunity to requite old beatings were as glad as he was sorrowfull laying on load and jerkt him with so many stripes as loitering trevants may best be bold to number untill they came unto the City where they told their Parents the cause thereof who weighing the clemency and humanity of Camillus to be such they gladly and willingly yeelded themselves and their City into the hands of Camillus knowing well that he that would use them so being his enemies could not use them ill by yeelding all into his courtesie who might have had all by tyranny Now because this vertue was often séen in divers Quéens Ladies Gentlewomen and others I may not omit the pilgrimage of their lives We read of two Quéens of the Amazons Penthesilaea the first and Hyppolica the second the one so valiant against the Gréeks at the destruction of the noble City of Troy that she feared not in open field to encounter face to face with that valiant Gréek Achilles the other so hardy that she shrunk not at the force and stoutnesse of that renowned Champion Theseus who being commended by Theseus for her singular stoutnesse and courage was married to him which certainly had hapned unto Penthesilaea had she not béen taken by Achilles Camilla likewise Queen of the Volscians beside her Princely
repeat the fable of grashoppers and the ants to exhort men to travel and to labour with little ants Plato that divine and noble Philosopher in his second book de Rep. doth use the like fables Aristotle in his Rhetorick doth use fables Mark how fables ease the Philosopher in his study help the Orator in his perswasioÌ„s garnish the Divine in his sermons and in fine they bring pleasure in any thing Thus I thought good to write in the commendations of Painting and Poetrie of which for the secret friendship and for the affinity of one with another much more might be spoken I meane not those fonde foolish and fantasticall fables fostered by women and old men sitting at the fire where often the idle braine is occupyed but those wise and prudent fables of Poets which containe wisedom in sense though they séeme light in words which durst not be opened plainely in those dayes for the Tyranny of Princes which then would not have their faults touched by any yet were they covertly reprooved in fables Poeticall As the fable of Sphinx of Circes of Tantalus of Acteon and of others CHAP. IX Of Eloquence the Delight and defence of Princes in their pilgrimage PYrthus King of the Epycotes the defender a long time of the Tarentines was woont to say of Cineas his Oratour that he wan more victories through the eloquence of Cineas theÌ„ through the force and puissance of all his Epirâ—tes besides for through eloquence Cineas would make the stout enemies to yéeld and by eloquence would Cineas move the cowardly souldiers to victory Valerius a noble and eloquent Romane at what time the Kings of Rome were expelled and their names quite banished and the popular state having such liberty therby that the whole City through sedition and late sprung liberty was like to come to ciâ—ill ware amongst themselves had not Valerius appeased the fury of the people being ready in hearts to become enemies unto their countrey finding them triumphing much and rejoycing within themselvs and devided one from another to maintains discord he reduced them not onely through his eloquence unto peace and quietnesse but also brought them unto such state that where Rome was like to fall over to greatest ruine Rome at that time began most to flourish and prosper Great was the force of eloquence in Marcus Antonius who with his sugred and sweet perswasions turned the furious rage and tyranny of the souldiers of Marius and Cinna being sent by these two cruel Captains to kill him unto such lenity and mercy that having their swords naked drawne and ready to kill him having heard Antonius his eloquence as men convicted with words would not perform the execution though they had great rewards appointed nor could they of themselves though enemies they were unto Antonius finde in their hearts to kill him Pericles wanne such renown in Athens by his eloquence who sometime was a scholler unto Anaxagoras that he had the government and rule of Athens committed to him as to one in whose words the people reposed more credit and trust then they did in the force strength of al Athens beside Insomuch that when he would speak any thing unto the people such mellifluous words and sugred sentences procéeded out of his mouth that they were amazed or astonied to hear him being alwayes never weary of his counsel Wee read that their eyes did water to sée him their eares were allured to hear him their hearts were convicted to yéeld unto him Cowards are made couragious and stout tyrants are made gentle and merciful Cities preserved victories gotten and all by eloquence What is it but man is able through comely gesture and apt pronountiation to bring to passe What could escape Cicero in Rome What might have avoyded Demosthenes in Athens Whose knowne eloquence whose learned perswasions whose swéet and sugred words could not aswel move emnity in Athens toward King Philip as it could kindle love in Rome toward Pompeius Such is the excellency of eloquence that it moveth as well men to behold for the gesture countenance and pronunciation as it doth inforce men to hear for the Majesty and sweetnesse of words For Hortensius was not so eloquent in words but he was as comely in gesture and so excellent in either of them that when he spake before the people Senators and Citizens of Rome they were no less enamoured with his sight then they were allured and enticed with his words for he laboured no lesse outwardly to please the times then he studied inwardly to please men Therefore Demosthenes the Well and source of flowing eloquence being demanded what was the chief part of eloquence answered that it was pronunciation again being demanded what was the second part of eloquence he said pronunciation And so the third time being likewise demanded said as before pronunciation Insomuch that he travelled and studied oftentimes to have this pronunciation being somewhat by nature letted to speak putting stones in the roof of his mouth and wrastling with nature until he had the perfection of pronunciation When Aeschines had forsaken Athens for certain causes and was come unto Rhodes whose fame for his eloquence was spread not onely in Rhodes but well known in all Greece after he was desired by the Citizens to recite some Oration or other of his own making whereby the Rhodians might sée and hear that which long before of all men they heard praised He to satisfie the request of the City repeated an Oration that he made against Ctesiphon wherein the people of Rhodes mused much at his eloquence And when he had ended his own Oration that he inveighed against Ctesiphon to put the people in a greater admiration of eloquence he recited another Oration that Demosthenes made in the defence of Ctesiphon against Aeschines wherein the people were amazed at the eloquence of Demosthenes more then at the first Which when Aeschines saw that his enemy Demosthenes was so praised for they were one envious of another he was enforced to speak that if the Rhodians might but hear Demosthenes himself then would they rightly praise him since they praised Demosthenes Oration in Aeschines mouth for no man hath so great a delight to tell another mans story and especially his enemies as he hath pleasure to set forth his own Plato therefore that famous Gréek attributing unto every man due honour when certain men skilfull in Geometry came to ask Plato's counsel concerning the measure quantity and longitude of things he counselled them to go unto Euclides where they should be sufficed and fully satisfied of their demands for that Euclides might more aptly speak in Geometry for it was his profession For every man saith Aristotle may boldly speak in that which he professeth and therefore Apelles that noble and cunning Painter when a Shoomaker came unto his schoole and féeding his fight with the worthy works of Apelles he found fault with a latchet of a shoe Apelles because he was a Shomaker gave him
translating Titus Livius though he was a King I do not hold with age in divers men who for want of discretion and wit was childish again but of perfect men in whom age seemed rather a warrant of their doings For even as he that playeth much upon instruments is not to be commended so well as he that playeth cunningly and artificially so all men that live long are not to be praised so much as he that liveth well For as apples being green are yet sower untill by time they wax sweet so young men without warrant of time and experience of things are oftentimes to be misliked If faults be in old men saith Cicero as many there be it is not in age but in the life and manners of men Some think age miserable because either the body is deprived from pleasure or that it bringeth imbecility or weaknesse or that it is not far from death or calleth from due administration of Common-wealths these four causes saith Cicero make age seem miserable and loathsome What shall we say then of those that in their old age have defended their countries saved their Cities guided the people and valiantly triumphed over their enemies as L. Paulus Scipio and Fabius Maximus men of wonderfull credit in their old years What may be spoken of Fabritius Curius and Cornucanus aged men of great agility of famous memory in their latter days How can Appius Claudius be forgotten who being both old and blind resisted the Senatours to compound with King Pyrrhus for peace though they all and the Consuls of Rome hereunto were much inclined If I should passe from Rome a place where age was much estéemed unto Athens amongst the sage Philosophers if from Athens to Lacedemonia where age altogether bare sway and rule if from thence unto the Ethiopians and Indians where all their lives are ruled and governed by old men If from thence to any part of the world I might be long occupied in reciting the honour and estéemation of age Herodotus doth write that the Aethiopians and Indians do live most commonly a hundred and thirty years The people called Epeii in the Countrey of Aetolia do live two hundred years naturally and as it is by Damiates reported Lictorius a man of that Countrey lived thrée hundred years The Kings of Arcadia were wont to live thrée hundred years the people of Hyperborii lived a thousand years We read in the old Testament that Adam our first father lived nine hundred and thirty years and Eve his wife as many Seth nine hundred and twelve years Seth his son called Enos nine hundred and five Cainan the son of Enos nine hundred and ten Mahalalehel the son of Cainan eight hundred fourscore and fifteen so Enoch the son of Iared lived nine hundred thréescore and five years Enoch his son named Mechuselah lived nine hundred threescore and nine years with divers of the first Age I mean till Noah's time who began the second world after the floud who lived as we read nine hundred and five his son Sem six hundred years and so lineally from father to son as from Sem to Arphaxad from Arphaxad to Sala from Sala to Heber the least lived above thrée hundred years This I thought for better credit and greater proof of old ago to draw out of the Old Testament that other prophane authorities might be beleeved as Tithoniâ—s whom the Poets fain that he was so old that he desired to become a Grashâ—pper But because age hath no pleasure in the world frequenteth no banquets abhorreth lust loveth no wantonness which saith Plato is the only bait that deceives young men so much the happier age is that age doth loath that in time which young men neither with knowledg with wisdome nor yet with counsel can avoid What harm hath happened from time to time by young men over whom lust so ruled that there followed eversion of CoÌ„monwealths treason to Princes Friends betrayed countreys overthrown and Kingdoms vanquished throughout the world Therefore Cicero saith in his book entituled De Senectate at what time he was in the City of Tarentum being a young man with Fabius Maximus that he carried one lesson from Tarentum unto the youth of Rome where Architas the Tarentine said that Nature bestowed nothing upon man so hurtfull to himself nor so dangerous to his Countrey as lust or pleasure For when C. Fabricius was sent as an Embassadour from Rome to Pyrrhus King of Epyre being then the Governour of the City of Tarentum a certain man named Cineas a Thessalian by birth being in disputation with Fabritius about pleasure affirmed that hee heard a Philosopher of Athens affirm that all which we do is to be referred to pleasure which when M. Curius and Titus Coruncanus heard they desired Cineas to perswade King Pyrrhus to yéeld to pleasure and make the Samnites believe that pleasure ought to be esteemed Whereby they knew that if King Pyrrhus or the Samnites being then great enemies to the Romans were addicted to lust or pleasure that then soon they might be subdued and destroyed There is nothing that more hindreth magnanimity or resisteth vertuous enterprises then pleasure as in the Treatise of pleasure it shall more at large appear Why then how happy is old age to despise and contemn that which youth by no means can avoid yea to loath and abhor that which is most hurtfull to it self For Cecellius contemned Caesar with all his force saying to the Emperor that two things made him nothing to estéem the power of the Emperor Age and Wisdome By reason of Age and Wisdome Castritius feared not at al the threatnings of C. Carbo being then Consul at Rome who though he said he had many friends at commandement yet Castriâ—iâ—â— answered and said That he had likewise many years that could not fear his friends Therefore a wise man sometime wept for that man dieth within few years and having but little experience in his old age he is then deprived thereof For the Crow liveth thrise so long as the man doth the Hart liveth four times so long as the Crow the Raven thrice so long as the Hart and the Phoenix nine times longer then the Raven And thus Birds do live longer time then man doth in whom there is no understanding of their years But man unto whom reason is joyned before he commeth to any ground of experience when he beginneth to have knowledge in things he dieth and thus endeth he his toyling Pilgrimage and travel in fewer years then divers beasts or birds do CHAP. XIX Of the manners of sundry People under sundry Princes and of their strange life THe sundry fashions and variety of manners the strange life of people every where thorow the world dispersed are so charactered and set forth amongst the writers that in shewing the same by naming the Countrey and the people thereof orderly their customes their manners their kind of living being worthy of observation I thought briefly to touch and to note
sacrifice unto death for a pledge of their true and faithfull love What means doth love séek to save it self and to be acquainted with ease and pleasure how carefully the Greek Poet Antimachus bewailed the death of his wife Lisidides in such mourning verses and wofull plaints that whosoever did read them he would be as ready to weep in reading the dolefull Epitaph of Lisidâ—des as was Antimachus her husband sorrowfull for her death Pericles was so loving to his wife being a noble Captain of Athens and he was withal so chast that when Sophocles espied a marvellous beautifull young maid saying Behold a passing fair young maid Pericles answered and said Not onely the heart and the hands of a Magistrate must be chast but also his eys must refuse the sight of any but his wife It is read that Pericles being at Athens he was found kissing and making much of his wife and being from Athens he was found as sad to depart from his wife as he was willing to die for his countrey Orpheus loved so well his wife Euridice that as the Poets feign he feared not the power of King Pluto to redéem his wife with hazard and danger of his own body Innumerable are they that deserve the like fame so that these few may be a sufficent proof of others And now I will produce a few examples to prove the like good will and love from the wives shewed toward their husbands as hitherto you heard the great love of husbands towards their wives Alcestes a noble Qu. of Thessaly at what time K. Admetus her husband should die having received an answer by an Oracle that if any would die for the King he should live which when all refused his wife Queen Alcestes offered her self to die to save her husbands life Julia the wife oi Pompey the great and onely daughter to that famous and renowned Julius Caesar Emperour of Rome was no lesse obedient to her father Caesar then she was loving to her husband Pompey who though they both were enemies one to to another yet she shewed her self a loving daughter unto her father and a true wife to her husband and so true that when she saw her own Pompey coming bloudy from the field as his apparel made a shew a great way off she supposing that her husband was hurt being great with child did straight fall into travel and died before Pompey had yet come in The love of Artemisia Quéen of Caria towards her husband King Mausolus is as well declared by the sumptuous Tomb. and gorgeous Grave which she made for him when he died counted for the excellency thereof to be one of the seven wonders of the world it was also truly verified by ceremonies at his death in making the scull of his head her drinking cup in drinking all the ashes of his body as sugar to her wine and in knitting of his heart to her body saying Though our bodies be parted yet our hearts shall never be asunder That noble Greek Laodamia loved her husband so well that when she heard that her husband Protesilaus was slain by Hector at the siege of Troy she desired onely of God that she might see his shadow or likenesse once before she died which when she saw embracing the likenesse of her husband as she thought in her arms she then presently died We read that Quéen Ipsicratea loved her husband King Mithridates so entirely that she shaved off all the hairs of her head and did wear mans apparel and followed him like a Lackey for that he should not know her to be his wife she had rather go to the wars with her husband like a Lackey then tarry from her husband in Pontus like a Quéen Paulina when she heard that her husband Seneca was put to death by that cruel Emperour and Tyrant Nero whom Seneca sometime taught in his youth but was at length requited with death when I say Paulina heard thereof she enquired what kind of death her husband suffered which being known she attempted to die the same kind of death her self as Seneca her husband Likewise that noble Portia daughter to Cato and wife to Brutus hearing that her husband was slain at Phillipi for that she could not procure a knife she choaked her self with coals The like History is read of Triata who when she knew by letters that her husband Vitellius was environed by his enemies and no way able to escape his wife rushed into the Camp and preast near her husband ready to die or to live in the field with him What can be so hard to take in hand but love will hazard it What can be so perilous but love will venter it Neither water can stay it nor fire stop it Sulpitia the wife of Lentulus the daughter of that worthy Roman Paterculus when she perceived that her husband was appointed by the Magistrates of Rome to passe unto Sicilia as an Embassador and there to continue for a season though her mother had great charge over her and very carefull and studious she was to comfort her daughter in the absence of her husband yet she deceived her mother she changed her apparel and caused her two maids likewise to be disguised and went all by night from Rome to Sicily Aemilia the wife of Affricanus and mother to the noble Cornelia who was mother to those famous Romans called Gracchi perceiving her husband to be in love with one of her maids in the house and often to use the maid as his wife though Aemilia knew well of it yet she never hated the maid nor opened it unto her husband But after that her husband was dead she gave unto this Maid a great summe of money and married her wealthily in Rome A rare thing to be found in a woman What shall I speak of the love of Penelope in Gréece towards her husband Ulysses or shew the constancy of Lucreece in Rome towards her husband Collatine the one twenty years was proved by divers noble Greeks yet she remained true unto Ulisses the other through force being ravished by proud Tarquinius son named Sextus would not be false to Collatinus but opened the same and revenged it with her own death Now again how well did Queen Tomiris love her son Margapites the death of great Cyrus King of Persia with two hundred thousand of his souldiers can testifie or how Aegeus loved his son Theseus who when he had perceived the black sail he supposing his son was slain in that Labyrinth he threw himself from a high rock into the sea Why should I molest the Reader herein since an end can hardly be found I will but onely recite one worthy History out of Valerius of a servant to one named Panopion who hearing that certain souldiers came to the City of Reatina in purpose to kill his master he changed apparel with his master and conveyed his master first away safe from the enemies and he went unto his masters bed as though he had béen
whose water if any man taste thereof he forgetteth any thing done or past before In this were the Thracians so dull of memory that they could not count above the number of four Now that memory is praised in some and obliviousnesse is dispraised in others there vvant no testimonies therein vvhat may be spoken of those that vvere counted famous clerks and the renovvnedst Oratours in all the vvorld vvhich did not onely stay in their Orations but also were quite beside their matters as Demosthenes Cicero two noble Oratours upon whom depended the City of Athens and Rome such imperfection was in them that Demosthenes was so dismaied at the presence of Philip King of Macedonia and Cicero so astonied at the presence of some bold Senators that both tongue and countenance failed these noble Orators Likewise Theophrastus that grave Philosopher who succéeded Aristotle many times was put to silence in the middest of his Oration before the people of Athens So was Heraclitus Severus dumb before the Emperour Herodus Atticus was before M. Antonius so that the presence of Princes the dignity of places the majesty of states abate and change the worthinesse of the person Some again challenge to themselves that which altogether they are in no capacity to apprehend as Hyparchion who when he would have contended with Ruffinus had not a word to speak in somuch that a proverb grew thereon applied unto him that is more talkative then wise Hiparchion is dumb Some again with Cassius Severus who though all his books were burned by Senatours said that he carried all his learning in mind and memory which could not be taken away For my learning said he is in my mind and not printed in books The greatest excellency that can be in man is memory and the next thing that approacheth immortality is memory and so nigh that if a man could but remember the end of the things he should never taste death but he should live for ever CHAP. XXXII Of Dissimulation and Craft of Subtiltie and Deceit THat Cynick Philosopher Diogenes making himself ignorant sometime in that which he knew best was wont in banquets and feasts to say if any man had demanded what kind of meat there was I cannot name it but I can eat it and so would passe to answer any thing with dissimulations So likewise Sigismund the Emperour would say that he that could not dissemble could not rule At what time Galba a Citizen of Rome had bidden a Gentleman named Mecaenas unto supper perceiving the Gentleman to be in love with his wife he feigned himself asléep for that Mecaenas might shew some part of his will and love in the mean season In the mean time while his wife and he were in talk came one of his servants to take some things away from the table supposing his master had béen asléep unto whom his master said Sirrah forbear though I sée not Mecaenas yet I sée you I sléep to him and not to you The like dissimulation was betwéen Demosthenes and Archia at what time he fled from Athens for fear of Antipaters displeasure and went to the Isle of Calabria where in the Temple of Neptune he hid himself till Archias came and promised him what honour and dignity he could enjoy if he would come unto Antipater Demosthenes perceiving his dissimulations and crafty ways answered plainly to move him to anger and said Thou of all men couldest never play upon the stage playing thy part then where truth is oftentimes opened and now at this time thou canst not be an Orator to perswade me whereat Archias waxed angry and threatned to hale him out of the Temple to whom Demosthenes answered Now perforce thy dissimulation is broke forth into truth I might hereon stay to note the great dissimulation betwéen Metellus and Scipio which was so great that Metellus feigned that Rome was happy that Scipio was born therein and yet was his mortal enemy all the days of his life In like case Frederick an Emperor sometime of Rome at what time the Senators would sit about the state of the City he would say Before you go into the Senate house cast away from you two things that you carry with you And being demanded of the Senate what two things were they he said Simulations and Dissmulations In this Philip of Macedon differed much from his son Alexander insomuch that Alexander would exercise nothing but magnanimity and truth and his father used all kind of falshood as was séen by subduing of the Sarunsians and the Cities of Thrace for under colour of peace he commanded his souldiers to bring under their Clokes every one a cord that at what time King Philip made silence to speak the enemies being attentive to hear he stretched forth his right hand for a Watch-word to his souldiers suddenly to bind the enemies with their cords and to bring them captive to Macedonia The like craft used Alcibiades amongst the Agrigentines feigning that he had something to speak for the common profit as well of Athens as of Agrigentum calling them into place as though he would open something necessary for them and had the Gréeks ready in the mean time to take the City and to possesse their substance by this craft Such craft used Thrasillus to take the City of Byzantium such deceit used Zopyrus to overcome Babylon such did Sextus the son of Tarquinius practise against the Gabians who when he perceived that his father might by no means subdue them he imitated Zopyrus craft making the enemies to believe that he was ill handled and cruelly used by his father and that he knew well how to deceive his father and to betray him unto them they being ready to beleeve Sextus made him chief of their company He straight sent messengers to his father to signifie unto him that he might do his pleasure with his enemies Tarquinius understanding the craft and subtilty of his son did bring the messenger into a fair garden mistrusting like a wise Prince the matter and gave this subtil warning to his son Walking up and down the Garden with divers noble man he with his staff did strike off the chief flowers in the Garden saying to the messenger Farewel tell my son what I do and bid him do accordingly Young Sextus Tarquinius perceiving his fathers mind flew the most eminent of his enemies and having thus oppressed the chief men he betrayed the City to his Father By this means and like craft Conon the Athenian deceived the Persians in Cyprus The subtilty that Pysistratus used to beguile the people of Megaera what Hannibal used in Italy when he subdued Tarentum are to like effect insomuch that Hannibal was wont to say when the Romans had again won Tarentum Eadem arte qua prius cepimus Tarentum amisimus For by craft Hannibal vanquished the Tarentines and by craft did the Romans win the same again Antigonus deceived the Citizens of Corinth under the colour of a marriage betwixt his son
paper in one hand he with his dagger in the other hand slue himself upon the grave holding the paper fast in it being deâ—d where this sentence he wrote Thou that knewest the faithfull friendship betwixt Volumnius and Lucullus join our bodies together being dead as our minds were alwaies one being alive The like history is written of Nisus who when his faithfull friend Eurialus was slain in the wars betwixt Turnus Aeneas he having understood thereof weÌ„t up down the field tumbling and tossing the dead carcasses til he found out Eurialus body which having long looked on and embraced he drew out his sword held it in his hand a little while saying As my body shal never depart from thy body so shall I never fear to follow thy ghost and laying the pummel of his sword upon the ground he fell upon it having the body of his friend Euâ—ialus betwixt his arms This love was great betwixt Princes who did live honourably and died willingly A strange thing for men so to love their friends as to weigh their deaâ—hs more then their own lives Orestes faith and friendship towards Pylades was such that being come unto a strange Region named Taurica to asswage his grief and to mitigate his furious flames because he slew his mother Clitemnestra and being suspected that he came onely to take away the image of Pallas their Goddesse in that country the King understanding the matter made Orestes to be sent for and to be brought before him to have judgement of death For Pylades was not mentioned nor spoken off but onely Orestes he it was that should steal their Goddesse away and carry it into Gréece Orestes therefore being brought and his fellow Pylades with him the King demanded which of them was Orestes Pylades that knew his friend Orestes should die suddenly stept forth and said I am he Orestes denied it and said he was Orestes Pylades again denied it and said that it was even he that was accused unto the King thus the one denying and the other affirming either of them most willing to die for the other the King dismaied at their great â—mity and love pardoned their faults and greatly honoured their natural love and faith So many like histories to this there be that then Princes would die for their friends even that great Conquerour Alexander would have died presently with his friend Hephestion had not his counsel letted him he loved him alive so well that he was called of all men another Alexander he so much estéemed his friend that when Sisigambis King Darius mother had saluted Hephestion instead of Alexander and being ashamed at her errour he said forbear not to honour Hephestion for he is Alexander also What was it that Anaxagoras wanted that Prince Pericles could get for him whither went Aeneas at any time without Achates with him there was nothing that Pomponiuâ— had but Cicero had part of it the friendship of Scipio never wanted towards Cloeâ—ius Though Rome could alter state though fortune could change honour yet could neither Rome nor fortune alter faith or change friends After the Senatours had judged Tiberius Gracchus for divers seditions in the City to die his friend Blosius having knowledge thereof came and kneeled before the Senators besought Laeâ—us whose counsel the Senators in all things followed to be his friend saying unto the rest after this sort O sacred Senate and noble Counsellours if there remains in the City of Rome any sparkle of Iustice if there be regard unto equity let me crave that sentence by law which you injuriously award unto another and since I have committed the offence of Gracchus whose commandement I never resisted whose will I will during life obey let me die for Gracchus worthily who am most willing so to do and let him live who justly ought so to do Thus with vehement invectives against himself he made the Senatours astonied with his rare desire of death saying the Capitol had béen burned by Blosius if Gracchus had so commanded but I know that Gracchus thought nothing in heart but that which he spake to Blosius and that which he spake to Blosius Blosius never doubted but to do and therefore I rather deserve death then he The faith and love betwixt Damon and Pythias was so wondred at by King Dionisius that though he was a cruel Tyrant in appointing Damon to die yet was he so amazed to sée the desire of Pythias his constant faith and his love and friendship prosessed in Damons behalf striving one with another to die that he was inforced in spight of tyranny to pardon Damon for Pythias sake Thelcus and Perithous became such faithfull friends that they made several oaths one unto another never during life to be parted neither in affliction plague punishment pain toil or travel to be dissevered insomuch that the Poets fain that they went unto the Kingdome and region of Pluto together I will not speak of the great love of that noble Greek Achilles toward King Patroclus Neither will I recite the history of that worthy Roman Titus toward Gisippus nor report the love of Palemon and Arceir nor of Alexander and Lodwick whose end and conclusion in love were such as is worthy of everlasting memory CHAP. XLII Of Envy and Malice and the tyranny of Princes AS Malice drinketh for the most part her own poison so Envy saith Aristotle hurteth more the envious it self then the thing that it envieth Like as the sloathfull in war or Darnel amongst Wheat so is the envious in a City not so sad for his own miseries and calamities as he lamenteth the hap and and felicity of others Wherefore the Philosopher Socrates calleth the enemy serrom anima the sow of the soul for that it cutteth the heart of the envious to sée the prosperity of others For as it is a grief to good and vertuous men to sée evill men rule so contraily to the evill most harm it is to sée good men live Therefore the first disturber of Commonwealths and last destroyer of good states the beginning of all sorrows the end of all joys the cause of all evil and the onely let of all goodnesse is envy How prospered Greece Had flourished Rome How quiet was the whole world before envy began to practise with malice two daughters of tyranny never séen but hidden in the hearts of flatterers Then I say Gréece was glorious Rome was famous their names were honoured their prowesse feared their policy commended their knowledge extolled their fame spread over the whole world but when envy began to sojourn in Gréece and malice to build her Bower in Rome these sisters like two monsters or two grim Gorgons oppressed Castles destroied countries subdued Kingdoms depopulated Cities in fine triumphed over all Gréece and Italy Hannibal chief General of the Carthaginians Jugurth King of Numidia Pyrrhus of Epirus most valiant puissant mighty Princes with long wars and mighty slaughter could not with all their force and