the Romans others by their own Countrymen that were of the contrary faction Many threw themselves down headlong from the Rocks others setting their Houses on fire burnt themselves not enduring to behold those things that were done by the Enemy Here fell twelve thousand of the Jews whereas of the Romans there were but few slain though many wounded Amongst the Captives that were taken was Absolon the Uncle and Father in Law of Aristobulus the Son of John Hyrcanus Upon the same day and in the same month was the Temple taken by Pompey as it had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar five hundred and forty three years before and it fell out also to be on their Sabbath about the twenty eight day of our December Pompey entered into the Temple and many others with him and there beheld those things which were not lawful to be seen by any but the High Priests only And whereas there were in the Temple the Table and Candlesticks with the Lamps all Vessels for Sacrifice and the Censers all of pure Gold and a huge heap of Spices and in the Treasuries of sacred mony above two thousand Talents yet Pompey medled not with any of these but the next day he commanded them which had the charge of the Temple to purifie and cleanse it and to offer their solemn Sacrifices unto God Pompey then restored the High Priesthood to Hyrcanus both because he had shewed himself so forward all the time of the Siege as also for that he hindred the Jews that were in all the Country from joyning with Aristobulus and together with the Priesthood he gave him the Principality also only forbidding him to wear a Crown Then did he put to death those that were the chiefest cause of the War and made the Jews Tributaries to the Romans and the Cities which they had formerly conquered in Caelosyria he took from them commanding them to obey their own Governours and the whole Nation of the Jews formerly advanced through prosperity he contracted within their ancient bounds The King of the Arabians that dwelt at the Castle of Petra that never before made any account of the Romans was now greatly afraid and wrote to Pompey that he was at his devotion to do what he commanded Pompey to try him brought his Army before his Castle of Petra and lodged them for that day and fell to riding and mannaging his Horse up and down the Camp In the mean time Posts came riding from the Realm of Pontus with Letters of good news as appeared by their Javelins wreathed about with Lawrel the Souldiers seeing that flocked about the place to hear the news but Pompey would make an end of his riding before he would read the Letters whereupon many cryed to him to alight which he did But then he wanted a high place to stand upon and the Souldiers were so impatient to hear the news that they would not stay to make one they heaped Saddles one upon another and Pompey getting up upon them told them that Methridates was dead having killed himself because his Son Pharnaces rebelled against him and had wan all which his Father possessed writing to him that he kept it for himself and the Romans Upon this news all the Camp rejoyced wonderfully and Sacrificed to the Gods with great mirth Pompey finding this troublesome War to be so easily ended presently left Arabia and by speedy marches he came to the City of Amisus There he met with great Presents which were sent him from Pharnaces and many dead Bodies of the Kings Kindred and the Body of Methridates himself who was known by certain scars in his Face Pompey would by no means see him but to avoid envy he sent him away to the City of Sinope He much wondered at his rich Apparel and Weapons The Scabbard of his Sword cost four hundred Talents His Hat also was of wondrous Workmanship Pompey having here ordered all things according to his mind he went homewards with great pomp and Glory Coming to Mytylene he eased the City of all Taxes for Theophanes his sake and was present at certain Plays the subjects whereof were the great acts of Pompey He so liked the Theater where these Plays were made that he drew a moddle of it to make a statelier than it in Rome As he passed by the City of Rhodes he heard the Rhetoricians dispute and gave each of them a Talent The like he did at Athens unto the Philosophers there and towards the beautifying of the City he gave them fifty Talents At his return into Italy he expected to have been received very honourably and longed to see his Wife and Children thinking also that they longed as much to see him But God so ordered it that in his own House he met with occasion of sorrow For his Wife Mutia in his absence had played the Harlot Yet whilst he was a far off he made no account of the reports which were made to him of her But when he drew neer to Italy he was more attentive to them whereupon he sent her word he would own her no more for his Wife There were also rumours spread abroad in Rome which much troubled him it being given out that he would bring his Army strait to Rome and make himself absolute Lord of the Empire Crassus hereupon to give more credit to the report and to procure the greater envy against Pompey conveyed himself Family and Goods out of Rome But when Pompey came to Italy calling his Souldiers together he made an Oration to them as the time and occasion required and then commanded them to disband and every one to return to his own home and to follow his business till the time of his Triumph As he passed such was the love of the People to him that multitudes of them accompanied him to Rome whether he would or no and that with a greater power than he brought with him into Italy so that if he had been disposed to have made Innovation he needed not the assistance of his Army therein At this time there was a Law that no man should enter into Rome before his Triumph wherefore Pompey sent to the Senate requesting them to defer the choise of Consuls for a few days that he might further Piso who sued for the Consulship that year But through Caetoes means they denyed his request Pompey marvelling to hear of his boldness and free Speech was very desirous to make him his Friend So Cato having two Neeces he desired to marry one himself and to have the other for his Son but Cato flatly denied him though his Wife and Sister were angry that he refused to make alliance with Pompey the Great After this Pompey being desirous to prefer Afranius to be Consul he caused mony to be given to the Tribes of the People which being reported abroad made every man speak evil of him as having put the Consulship to sale for money whereas himself had
the Banks against him yet such as remained being willing to free their Countrey from such unwelcome Guests they helped him to make Boats informed him of a better passage higher up the River and sent him Guides When his Boats were ready he sent Hanno the Son of Bomilcar up the River to the Ford and himself in the mean time made a shew of entring the Ford below that Hanno charging the Gauls on their own side and himself at the same time passing the River in their faces might win the further Bank which was done accordingly though with some difficulty and thereby the enemies were dispersed Having passed this first brunt and overcome both the rage of the River and those that defended it he was visited by the Princes of the Cisalpine-Gauls that inhabited Piemout and Milan who had lately revolted from the Romans These informed him that the passage over the Alps was not so difficult as report made it and gave him Guides with many other encouragements Yet found he himself extremly incumbred by the Savoyards and lost more of his Carriages and Carthaginians than he could well spare For he was twice strongly assaulted by them before he could recover the Plains on the other side He was fifteen dayes passing over the Alps wherein besides the trouble of his enemies he was much assaulted by foul weather and Snow it being now the beginning of Winter But the fair and fertile plains which they now were entring into with the assistance and encouragement of the Cisalpine Gauls gave them much comfort having nothing else of difficulty remaining but that which from the beginning they made account to overcome by their proper Valour and Resolution namely the Roman Armies and resistance The Roman Ambassadours who had denounced War at Carthage in their return homewards took Spain in their way with a purpose to draw into their Alliance as many Cities and Princes as they could The first that they attempted were the Volcians from whom they received this answer that they would never joyn with them who had forsaken the Saguntines in their greatest need and that themselves had found the Carthaginians such good Neighbours that they meant still to adhere to them From Spain the Ambassadours passed through Gaul perswading them not to suffer Hannibal to pass through their Countrey and gloried much in their own strength But the Gauls laughed them to scorn and had scarce Patience to hear them speak telling them that they meant not to set their own Houses on fire to save the Romans from burning that the Carthaginians had never offended them as the Romans had done who had already forced some of them out of their habitations and made others Tributaries who were as free as themselves With these unpleasing answers the Ambassadours returned home carrying no good news of Friends like to help them but rather that the Gauls intended to take part with their enemies And accordingly when the Cisalpine-Gauls heard that the Carthaginians had passed Iberus and were marching towards Rome the Boij and Insubrians rose up against the Romans Their quarrel was the late planting of Roman Colonies at Cremona and Placentia within Territories Relying therefore upon the Carthaginian succour which they thought to be at hand laying aside all regard of those Hostages that they had lately given to the Romans they fell upon those Colonies The Towns they could not win but they forced the Roman Commissioners which were abroad to fly into Modena where they besieged them But the Gauls having little skill in besieging Cities grew weary and were desirous of Peace This they did on purpose to draw on some meeting that laying hands on the Roman Deputies they might with them redeem their Hostages and it fell out in part according to their wish For Ambassadours coming to them from Rome to treat with them they made them Prisoners Manlius the Praetor hearing of this outrage marched with his Army to relieve the Besieged But the Gauls laid an Ambush in his way that falling upon him utterly routed him and slew most of his Army except a few that escaped into a defensible place upon the River Po. This being heard of at Rome C. Atilius the other Praetor hasted with another Army to relieve the besieged But as the Gauls were too hastly so the Romans were too slow in the beginning of this War For they could not believe that Carthage which had almost servilely endured so many indignities from them in the late peace durst be so bold on a sudden as to attempt the Conquest of Italy it self Wherefore they appointed one of their Consuls to make War in Spain and the other in Africk Titus Sempronius went into Africk with one hundred and sixty Gallies of five to an Oar which preparations seemed to threaten Carthage her self P. Cornelius Scipio the other Consul hasted towards Spain and by the way touching at Massilia he was there informed that Hannibal had passed the River Rhodanus whom he had thought to have found busie in Spain Hannibal also heard of the Consuls arrival with whom he meant to have nothing to do Yet both sent forth Scouts Hannibal sent out five hundred Numidians and Scipio three hundred of his best Horse They met and fought and the Romans had the better of it But when Scipio drew near thinking to have met with the Carthaginians he found that they were gone three dayes before with an intent to see the Walls of Rome Scipio hereupon sent his Brother Cn. Cornelius Scipio into Spain with the greatest part of the Army against Asdrubal and himself with the choicest returned back and landing at Pisa he marched through Tuscany and Lumbardy where he drew together the broken Bands of Manlius and Atilius who were lately beaten by the Gauls intending therewith to oppose the enemy thinking to find them tired with their long Journey Five moneths Hannibal had spent in that tedious march from Carthagena When he had passed Rhodanus he had in his Army but thirty eight thousand Foot and eight thousand Horse the rest having perished with Diseases Enemies Rivers and Mountains Having newly passed the Alps and scarce refreshed his wearied Army in Piemont he sought the Friendship of the Taurini who being at this time in War with the Insubrians his good Friends the Taurini refused it whereupon he besieged their chief Town and in three dayes wan it the spoil whereof did much encourage his Army and the othere Calamity terrified their Neighbours Most of those parts would willingly have joyned with Hannibal but when the Consul Scipio came amongst them they began to be better advised This wavering affection amongst the People made the Generals to hasten to a Battel Their meeting was at Ticinum now Pavia where each of them wondred at the others expedition The Senate at Rome were much amazed at Hannibals arrival in Italy wherefore they sent presently to Sempronius and the other Consul now in Sicily to give him notice of it
Daughter She delivered the Castle into Pompey's hands and besides offered him rich and goodly presents all which he refused saving such as might serve to adorn the Temples of the Gods and that might beautifie his Triumph leaving the rest to Stratonice to dispose of as she pleased The King also of the Iberians sent him a Bedstead Table and Chair all of pure Gold praying him to accept it as a token of his love he delivered them into the Treasurers hands to be accountable for them to the State From hence Pompey went to the City of Amisus where he did such things as he had before condemned in Lucullus taking upon him to establish Laws to give Gifts and to distribute such honours as Victorious Generals used to do when they had ended all their Wars And this he did to gratifie twelve Barbarous Kings and Princes and Captains that came to him thither Writing also to the King of Parthia he gave him not that Title which others used to do who stiled him King of Kings He had also a wonderful desire to win Syria and to pass through Arabia even to the Red Sea that he might enlarge his Victories every way even to the Great Ocean As he did when he conquered Lybia and in Spain had enlarged the Roman Empire to the Atlantick Sea and in pursuit of the Albanians he went almost to the Hyrcanian Sea As he passed on towards the Red Sea he commanded his Souldiers with a sufficient number of Ships to wait for the Merchants that sailed to Bosphorus and to seize upon the Victuals and other Merchandize that they carried thither and so passing on with the greatest part of his Army he came to the place where he found the Bodies of the Romans that were slain by Methridates under their Captain Trierius which he caused to be honourably buried which thing Lucullus had neglected to do which made his Souldiers hate him Pompey having now by Afranius conquered the Albanians dwelling about Mount Amanus he marched into Syria and conquered it making it a Roman Province He conquered also all Judaea where he took King Aristobulus He built certain Cities there and delivered others from bondage sharply punishing the Tyrants in them He also spent much of his time there in deciding controversies and in pacifying the contentions which fell out betwixt free Cities Princes and Kings And truly if Pompey's fame and renown was great so was his Vertue Justice and Liberality which covered many faults which his familiar Friends about him did commit For he was of such a gentle nature that he could neither keep them from offending nor punish them when they had offended Whilst Pompey was in Judaea being angry with Aristobulus he marched against him Hyrcanus the Brother of Aristobulus who contended with him for the Kingdom provoking him thereunto Pompey understanding that Aristobulus was fled into Alexandrion a strong and stately Castle seated upon a high Hill he sent and summoned him to come unto him and Aristobulus being advised not to make War against the Romans he came to Pompey and after he had debated his Title to the Kingdom with his Brother Hyrcanus by Pompey's permission he retired into the Castle again This he did two or three times always flattering Pompey out of hope to prevail in his suit Yet Pompey required that he should deliver up his Castles into his hands which he was fain to do though he was much discontentedat it and therefore he went to Jerusalem with a purpose to prepare for War Pompey not thinking it fit to give him any time for preparation followed him immediately and first encamped at Jericho where were most excellent Dates and Balsom the most precious of all other Ointments and from thence he marched towards Jerusalem Aristobulus repenting what he had done came and met him promising him mony and that he would yield up both himself and the City in a peacable way Pompey pardoned him and sent Gabinius with a party of Souldiers to receive the mony Yet were they faign to return without it for Aristobulus's Souldiers would not stand to what he had promised Pompey being much provoked hereby committed Aristobulus into custody and presently marched against Jerusalem The Citizens being at this time divided amongst themselves they that stood for Hyrcanus were willing to open the Gates to Pompey But the faction of Aristobulus refused and prepared for War becausey Pompey kept their King Prisoner and accordingly they seized upon the Temple and cut down the Bridg which led into the City Hyrcanus and his Friends let in the Army and delivered over to them both the City and the Kings Pallace the custody of both which Pompey committed to Piso who fortified the Houses and buildings that were neer the Temple first offering to the Besieged conditions of Peace and when they refused he prepared to give a General assault being assisted by Hyrcanus with all things needful On the North side of the City Pompey encamped which was the easiest to be assaulted yet were there high Towers and a deep Ditch made with hands besides a deep Valley which begirt the Temple and towards the City the place was very steep when the Bridg was taken away To overcome these difficulties the Romans raised Mounts cutting down Trees round about and filling up the Trench with materials which the Souldies brought This work proved very difficult considering the vast depth of the Trench and the resistance of the Jews made from above But when Pompey observed that the Jews rested every seventh Day for though they would defend themselves from an assailing Enemy yet they held it unlawful on that day to hinder any work that the Enemy did he chose those Days especially wherein to carry on his work So that in time the Trench was filled and the Tower fitted upon the Mount and the Engins planted which shot huge Stones wherewith they battered the Temple yet was it long before those strong and stately Towers yielded to the assaults of the Besiegers The Romans being much tired Pompey wondered at the obstinacy of the Jews especially considering that all this while they never intermitted their daily Sacrifices which the Priests every Morning and Evening offered upon the Altar not omitting the same in their greatest extremities In the third month of the Siege the greatest Tower being shaken by the battering Rams at last fell and brake down a great piece of the Wall at which breach many of the Romans rushed into the Temple These running up and down while some of the Jews sought to hide themselves and others made small resistance slew them all Many of the Priests though they saw the Enemies rushing in with their drawn Swords yet being nothing at all dismaied continued their Sacrifices and were slain at the very Altar preferring the duty which they owed to their Religion before their own lives All places were full of slaughters Some of the Jews were slain by
in his Breast by Cyrus One of his Eunuchs therefore called Satribarzenes ran up and down to see if he could get any Water for him and as he ran here and there he met with same poor Slaves of the Caunians amongst which one had in an old ragged Goats Skin about eight glasful of stinking naughty Water This he presently carried to the King who drank it up every whit and his Eunuch asking him afterwards if that naughty Water did him no hurt The King swore by the Gods that he never drank better Wine nor sweeter Water than that was nor that pleased him better and therefore said he I beseech the Gods if it be not my hap to meet with this man that gave thee this Water to reward him that yet it will please them to send him good Fortune As the King was thus talking with the Eunuches the thirty men with Torches returned who assured him of the death of Cyrus Multitudes also of his Souldiers gathered about him so that he began to be couragious and with an infinite number of Torches and lights about him he went to the place where the Body of Cyrus lay and caused his Head and right hand to be stricken off and taking the Head by the Hair he shewed it to his men who were yet flying they taking courage hereby so flocked about the King that in a short time he had seventy thousand Souldiers about him with whom he returned again towards the Camp of Cyrus which he rifled and there met with a Concubine of Cyrus a woman famous for wit and beauty She was a Phocaean born in Ionia her name at first was Mitto but Cyrus called her Aspasia She was brought bound to the King for which he was so angry that he imprisoned those that bound her and ever after esteemed her above all the Harlots he kept who were in number three hundred and sixty all choice beauties and most doted on her The Brigade of Grecians not knowing what had befallen Cyrus kept on fighting still and had beaten Tisaphernes and all his power But the King coming with the main of his Army to the relief of Tisaphernes fell upon the Grecians Camp and rifled it yet when they returned from the pursuit they recovered it and beat the King out again and lodged Supperless in it that night as well as Dinnerless the day before Artaxerxes after this Battel sent rich Gifts unto the Son of Artagerses whom Cyrus had slain with his own hands He caused also the poor Caunian Slave that had given him the stinking Water to be sought out and of a poor wretch and unknown before he made him a rich Nobleman He punished such severely as had offended against martial Discipline And one Arbaces a Median who at the first ran over to Cyrus and after his Death he returned to Artaxerxes again for punishment he compelled him to carry a whore on his back stark naked all day long about the Market place and for one who had yielded himself to his enemies and yet falsly boasted that he had slain two he caused his Tongue to be boared through in three places Artaxerxes thinking that himself had slain Cyrus and being desirous that all others should think so too he sent Presents to Mithridates who had first hurt him in the fore-head commanding the Messenger to tell him from the King The King sends thee these Presents because thou didst first find the Caparisons of Cyrus his Horse and broughtest them to the King The Carian likewise that had cut Cyrus his hamm which made him fall to the ground asked his reward also which the King gave him and bad the Messenger tell him The King gives thee this because thou wast the second Person that brought him the good news of the Death of Cyrus Now Mithridates though he was not well pleased with the message said nothing for the present but the unhappy Carian in a foolish vain being overjoyed with the rich Presents said that he would not take them as a reward for bringing the news but called the Gods to witness that he was the man and the onely man that slew Cyrus and that he did him great wrong to take that honour from him The King was so incensed hereby that he commanded some presently to strike off his head But Parysatis the Queen-Mother said Let me alone with the Villain I will chastise him well enough and withall she sent Serjeants who hung him in chains for ten dayes together then caused his eyes to be pulled out of his head and lastly poured molten lead into his ears and so killed him Not long after Mithridates was invited to a Fcast where many of the Kings and Queen-Mothers Eunuchs were and Mithridates fat in the Golden Gown which the King had sent him and after Supper as they were drinking freely one of the Queen-Mothers Eunuchs said to him Mithridates the King hath given thee a rich Gown Goodly chains and Carckenets of Gold and every Rich so that every one thinks thee a happy man with them Mithridates answered What meanest thou by this Sparamixes I deserved better than these when the Battel was fought Why said Sparamixes what so valiant an act was it to take up a Caparison of a Horse that fell to the ground and to carry it to the King Mithridates being a cholerick man and his brain heat with wine answered You may talk as long as you list of a Caparison of a Horse but I tell you plainly that Cyrus was slain with my own hands and with no mans else For I hit him not in vain as Artagerses did but full in the forehead hardby the eye which pierced through his head of which blow he died The envious Eunuch at his departure told this to Parysatis who went presently and told it to the King He was marvellously angry to lose the thing that was most honourable and that best pleased him in his Victory For he desired that all the world should believe that though his Brother hurt him yet he slew his Brother with his own hand He therefore commanded that Mithridates should suffer the Death by Boats which was thus They took two Boats of equal size and laying the offender in one of them upon his back they covered him with the other and fastned both Boats together that his feet hands and head came out at holes made on purpose then they gave him meat as much as he would eat which if refused they thrust awls into his eyes to force him and when he had eaten they gave him Honey and Milk to drink pouring it also all over his face and turned his face full into the Sun which was covered over with Flyes sucking at it In his excrements also that came from him Worms did breed which devoured his Flesh And when they see the man is dead they take off the upper Boat and find all his flesh devoured to his very intrails Mithridates thus miserably languished
fill his Purse with money he judged him unworthy to be a Souldier Upon a time he understood that his Target-bearer had received a great sum of money for the ransom of a Prisoner whereupon he said to him Give me my Target and go thy ways home and buy thee a Tavern wherein to spend the rest of thy life for I perceive thou wilt no more like an honest man put thy self in danger in the wars as formerly thou hast done because now thou art grown rich and wealthy Though Epaminondas was thus virtuous and unblameable in his life yet the aforementioned Meneclides would never cease contending and reproaching of him and one day he went so far as to upbraid him because he had no Children and was not married and that he magnified himself more than ever King Agamemnon had done To this Epaminondas answered Thou hast nothing to do to counsel me to marry and in this respect there is never a man here whose advise I would less make use of than thine and this he spake because the other was taken notice of to be an Adulterer And whereas thou thinkest that I envy the fame and renown of Agamemnon thou art fouly deceived Yet let me tell thee that whereas he was ten Years in winning one City I on the contrary by putting the Lacedemonians to flight in one day have delivered not only our own City but all Greece from their slavery But thanks be to you My Lords Thebans speaking to all the Assembly by your assistance I did it and thereby overthrew the power and government of our insulting enemies Yet after all his brave deeds both he and Pelopidas were ill rewarded for all their good service by their ingrateful Citizens For at their return from Laconia they with some other of the six Counsellers were accused that after the time that their Government was expired they retained their power four months after the time appointed by the Law With much ado Pelopidas was quitted But Epaminondas willed all his other Companions to lay the fault upon him who by his Authority forced them to it and instead of excusing himself he told them all the brave exploits which he had done at that time Adding withal that he was willing and ready to die if they so pleased Provided that they wrote upon his Tomb that Epaminondas was put to death because he had compelled the Thebans against their wills to burn the Country of Laconia which in five hundred years before had never been plundered That he had repeopled the City of Messina with Inhabitants two hundred and thirty years after it had been laid wast by the Lacedemonians That he had brought all the People and Towns of Arcadia to be as one Body in League together and had set all the Greeks at liberty and all these things said he we did in that Journey The Judges when they heard this worthy and true defence they all arose from their seats and laughed heartily and would not take up their Balls to Ballot against him But for the second accusation to wit that he had shewed favour to the Lacedemonians for his own particular honour he would make no particular answer to it before the People but rising out of the Theater he passed through the Assembly and went into the Park of Exercises Upon this the People being incensed against him refused to chuse him into Office as they had wont to do though there was a great need of him and created other Counsellers to go into Thessaly and the more as they thought to despite him they commanded him to go that expedition as a private Souldier which he refused not but went very willingly Pelopidas being sent a second time into Thessaly to make peace between the People and Alexander the Tyrant of Pheres was by this Tyrant not regarding that he was an Ambassadour and a Theban committed to Prison together with Ismenias Upon this the Thebans being justly offended sent an Army of eight thousand Foot and five hundred Horse against him howbeit under the conduct of unskilful Captains who wanting judgment to use their advantages thought good to return home without doing any thing But as they went back Alexander being stronger in Horse than they pressed hard upon their Reer killing some and wounding others so that the Thebans knowing neither how to go forward nor backward were in great distress and that which aggravated their misery was that their Victuals were almost spent Being thus almost out of hope ever to get home in safety Epaminondas being at that time a common Souldier among the Foot both the Captains and Souldiers earnestly intreated him to help to redress this disorder He thereupon chose certain Footmen that were light armed and all the Horsemen and with these putting himself into the Rere of the Army he so lustily repulsed the Enemy that the rest of the Army afterwards marched in great safety and still making Head as occasion served and keeping his Troops in good order he at last brought them all well home This brave Act Crowned him with new Glory confounded his enemies and made him well spoken of every where and by it he obtained the love and good will of the Citizens who set great Fines upon the heads of those Captains who had behaved themselves so unworthily in that expedition And now the People seeing that by so many worthy deeds he had stopped the slanderous mouths and confuted the accusations of his ill willers they chose him again their Captain General to conduct a new Army into Thessaly At his coming all the Country wonderfully rejoyced only the Tyrant with his Captains and Friends were exceedingly dejected and possessed with fear being Thunderstruck with the fame of so Noble a Captain and his Subjects had a good mind to rise up against him hoping that they should shortly see the Tyrant fully recompenced for all the wicked and cursed deeds that he had done amongst them Epaminondas when he came into Thessaly preferred the safety and deliverance of his Friend Pelopidas before his own Honour and Glory and fearing lest Alexander when he should see himself and his State in danger to be overthrown should in his rage revenge himself upon Pelopidas he therefore purposely drew this War out in length marching often about him but never setting upon him in good earnest often seeming to make preparations and yet still delaying and this he did to mollifie the heart of this Tyrant and not to provoke to the danger of his Friend the inhumane and unbridled passion of this cruel Bloud-sucker Yet he being a Monster compounded of cruelty and cowardliness was so afraid of the very name and reputation of Epaminondas that he presently sent some to him to excuse his fact and to crave Peace But Epaminondas was not willing that his Thebans should make Peace and Alliance with so wicked a man only he was content to grant him a Truce for thirty Days upon the delivering to him
slain Antigonus being in a rage caused the dead body of Joseph to be whipped though Pheroras his Brother offered fifty Talents to have redeemed it After this loss the Galileans revolting from their Governours drowned those that were of Herods party in the Lake In Idumaea also there were many innovations Anthony having made peace with his enemy commanded Caius Sosius to assist Herod against Antigonus with two Cohorts When Herod came to Daphne the Suburbs of Antioch he heard of his Brother Josephs deah which caused him to hasten his journey and coming to Mount Libanus he took thence with him eight hundred men and one Cohort of the Romans and so came to Ptolemais from whence in the night he passed with his Army through Galilee Here his enemies met him whom he overcame in fight and forced them into the Castle from whence they had issued the day before Them he assaulted but was compelled to desist by reason of the extremity of the weather and to retreat into some neighbouring Villages but upon the coming of another Cohort from Anthony they in the Castle were so affrighted that they forsook the same by night Herod then hastned to Jericho purposing to revenge his Brothers death and being come thither he feasted his Nobles and the feast being ended and his guests dismissed he retired into his chamber and presently the room wherein they had supped being now empty of company fell down without hurting any which made many to think that surely Herod was beloved of God who had so miraculously preserved him The next day six thousand of the enemies came down from the Mountains to fight with him and their forlorn-hope with darts and stones so terrified the Romans and some of Herods Souldiers that they fled and Herod himself received a wound in his side Antigonus desiring to have his strength seem greater than it was sent one of his Captains named Pappus with some forces into Samaria whilst himself went against Machaeras In the mean time Herod took in five Towns and therein put two thousand of the Garrison Souldiers to the sword and setting the Towns on fire he went against Pappus and was strengthened by many that came to him out of Jericho and Judea yet was the enemy so confident that he would joyn battel with him but in fight Herod overcame them and being inflamed with a desire to revenge his Brothers death he pursued them that fled slew many of them and followed them into a Village and there slew many more of them who retreated into houses the rest fled After which Victory Herod had presently gone to Jerusalem and put an end to the war had not the sharpness of the Winter hindred him for now Antigonus bethought himself to leave the City and fly elsewhere for safety Herod in the evening when he had dismissed his Friends to refresh themselves as yet hot in his Armour went into a chamber attended with one only servant to wash himself wherein some of his enemies armed whom fear had forced thither were hidden and whilst he was naked and washing himself first one and then a second and a third ran out armed with naked swords in their hands so astonished that they were glad to save themselves without profering the least hurt to the King The next day Herod amongst others cut off Pappus his head and sent it by way of revenge for his Brothers death to his Brother Pheroras for it was Pappus that with his own hand had slain Joseph Herod in the beginning of the third year after he had been declared King at Rome coming with an Army to Jerusalem encamped near the City and from thence removing to that place where the Walls were fittest to be assaulted he pitched his Tents before the Temple intending to attempt them as Pompey had done in times past and having encompassed the place with three Bulworks by the help of many workmen he raised his batteries fetching materials from all places thereabouts and appointing fit men to oversee the work and then himself went to Samaria to solemnize his Marriage with Mariamne the Daughter of Alexander the Son of Aristobulus who was formerly betrothed to him The Marriage ceremony being over Sosius came with an Army of Horse and Foot being sent by Anthony to the aid of Herod and Herod also took a great party with him from Samaria to Jerusalem so that the whole Army being come together consisted of eleven Legions of Foot and six thousand Horse besides the Syrian Auxiliaries which were very many and so they pitched on the North-side of the City Over this great Army were two Generals Sosius and Herod who purposed to displace Antigonus as an enemy to the people of Rome and to establish Herod in the Kingdom according to the Decree of the Senate The Jews being gathered together out of the whole Countrey and shut up within the Walls made a valiant resistance boasting much of the Temple of the Lord and saying that the Lord would not forsake his people in the time of danger By secret sallies also they burnt up and spoiled all provision without the City both for Man and Horse whereby the Besiegers began to be pinched but Herod provided against their excursions by placing ambushments in convenient places and sending parties to fetch in provision from afar off so that in a short time the Army was well furnished with all necessaries By reason of the multitude of Workmen the three bulworks were soon finished it being Summer time so that no untemperateness of weather hindred them and with his Engines Herod often battered the Walls and left nothing unassayed but the besieged fought valiantly and were every way as active and subtile to make void his endeavours often sallying forth and firing their Works both those that were finished and others that were but begun and coming to handistrokes with the Romans they were nothing inferiour to them but only in Martial skill The Sabbatical year now coming brought a Famine upon the besieged Jews notwithstanding which they built a new Wall within that which was beaten down by the battering Rams and so countermined the Enemies mines that many times they came to Handystrokes under ground and making use of despair instead of courage they held it out unto the last though Pollio the Pharisee and Samias his Disciple advised them to receive Herod into the City saying that they could not avoid his being their King by reason of their sins They held out the siege for five moneths space though there was so great an Army before the City but at length twenty of Herods choicest Souldiers got upon the Wall and after them the Centurions of Sosius So that the first Wall was taken on the forti'th day and the second on the fiftieth and some Galleries about the Temple were burnt down which Herod charged though falsly upon Antigonus thereby to bring him into hatred with the people When the outward part of
and of greatness of spirit and courage He so marshalled his Army that all hands were brought to fight where every one might do the best service His Darters and Slingers he sent before to encounter the Roman Velites His Africans Armed after the Roman manner made the two Wings very deep in File Between these he ranged the Gauls and Spaniards armed the first vvith broad Swords and the other vvith short and vvell-pointed Blades The Gauls vvere strong of Body and furious in giving the Charge but soon vvearied spending their violence at the first brunt The Spaniards vvere less eager but more wary These Hannibal caused to advance leaving void the place wherein they had stood and into vvhich they might fall back if they vvere overhardly pressed Between the left Batallion by the River side vvere the Gauls and Spanish Horse under Asdrubal On the right Wing vvas Maharbal vvith the Numidian Horse Hannibal himself vvith his Brother Mago led the Rear His Army this day vvas ten thousand Horse and forty thousand Foot His Enemies had two to one against him in Foot and he five to three against them in Horse The Roman Army vvas marshelled after their usual manner On the right hand vvere the Roman Horsemen under the Consul Paulus On the left Wing vvas Varro with the rest of the Horse vvich were of the Latines and other associates and Servilius had the leading of the Battel The Sun was newly riâ—en and offended neither part the Carthaginians having their faces Northward and the Romans Southward After some light Skirmirshes betvveen the tvvo Forlorns Asdrubal brake in upon the Consul Paulus and after a rough charge and much execution done the Roman Horse vvere overborn and driven by plain force to a staggering recoil When the Battels came to joyning the Roman Legionaries found vvork enough and more than enough to break that Body upon vvhich at first they fell yet at last Hannibals men vvere forced to a hasty retreat But vvhilst the Legions follovving their supposed Victory rushed on upon those that stood before them and thereby engaged themselves deeply vvithin the principal strength of the Enemy the two African Battalions on either side advanced so far that getting beyond the Rear of them they almost vvholly inclosed them Asdrubal having broken the Troops of the Roman Horse follovved them along upon the River side beating dovvn and killing most of them vvithout regard of taking Prisoners The Consul Paulus left his Horse and cast himself amongst the Legions as hoping by them to make good the day But he failed of his expectation Yet did he cheer up his men as vvell as he could both by Words and Example slaying many vvith his ovvn hands The like did Hannibal amongst his Carthaginians in the same part of the Battel but vvith better success For the Consul received a blovv from a Sling that vvounded him much and though a Troop of Roman Gentlemen did their best to save him from further harm yet vvas he so hardly laid at that by vvounds and vveakness he vvas compelled to forsake his Horse vvhereupon all his Company also allighted Hannibal being near and seeing this said pleasantly I had rather he would have delivered them to me bound hand and foot meaning that he had them almost as safe as if they had been so bound All this vvhile Varro vvith his associates in the left Wing vvas marvellously troubled with Maharbal and his Numidians who beating up and down upon the great Sandy plain raised a foul dust which by a strong South wind was driven into the eyes and mouths of the Romans These using the advantage both of their number and lightness wearied the Consul and his followers exceedingly neither giving nor sustaining any charge but continually making offers and then wheeling about Yet at the first they seemed to promise him a happy day of it For when the Battels were even ready to joyn five hundred of these Numidians came pricking away from their Fellows with their Shields on their backs as was the manner of those which yielded and throwing down their Arms yielded themselves Varro had no leasure then to examine them but bad them to rest quietly behind his Army till all was done These crafty Marchants did as he bad them for a while till they had opportunity to put their design in execution Under their Jackets they had short Swords and Poniards with which and other Weapons that they gathered up of those that were slain they flew upon the hindmost of the Romans whilst all eyes were bent another way where they did much mischief and raised great terrour Thus Hannibal in a plain ground found means to lay an Ambush at the back of his enemies The last blow that put an end to all was given by the same hand that gave the first Asdrubal having routed and slain all the Roman Horse save the Company of A milius that joyned themselves to the Foot did not stay to charge upon the face of the Legions but fetching a compass he came up to the Numidiâ— ns with whom he joyned and gave upon Terentius This fearful Cloud prognosticated a dismal storm wherefore Terentius his followers having wearied themselves much in doing little and seeing more work towards then they were like to sustain thought it their saffest way to secure themselves by present flight The Consul also was as careful to provide for his own security as were they Now he found that it was one thing to talk of Hannibal at Rome and another to encounter him Close at the heels of him and his flying Troops were Numidians appointed by Asdrubal to the pursute as fittest for that service Asdrubal himself with his Gauls and Spanish Horse fetching a compass fell upon the backs of the Romans who were almost surrounded and much distressed before Here began a miserable slaughter the vanquished multitude thronging each other not finding which way to turn Aemilius who could not sit his Horse before whilst the spaces were open by which he might have withdrawn himself was now unable to fly his way being stopt by a throng of his miserable followers and heaps of Bodies that fell apace in that great Carnage In this terrible overthrow dyed all the Roman Foot save two or three thousand who escaped into their lesser Camp and the Night following about four thousand Foot and two hundred Horse fled into Canusium The Camps were both yielded to Hannibal by those who yet remained in them Terentius the Consul recovered Venusia with seventy at most in his Company the rest of his Troops were scattered over the Fields and gathered up by the Numidians and made Prisoners There died in this great Battel of Cannae besides the Consul Paulus two of the Roman Questors twenty one Collonels eighty Senators or such as had born Office amongst whom was Servilius the last years Consul and Minutius late Master of the Horse and about eight thousand were taken Prisoners Hannibal lost about four thousand Gauls fifteen hundred
besides twelve hundred Horse most of them Numidians and Moors Four hours he held the Romans vvork ere it could be perceived to vvhich side Victory would incline But Gracchus his Souldiers which were most of them Slaves had received from him a peremptory denunciation that this day or never they must purchase their Liberty by bringing every man an Enemies Head The sweet reward of Liberty vvas so desireable that they feared no danger in earning it though the cutting off their Enemies Heads troubled them exceedingly vvhich Gracchus perceiving proclaimed that they should cast away the Heads assuring them that they should have their liberty presently after the Battel if they wan the day This made them run headlong upon the Enemy vvhom their desperate fury had soon overthrown if the Roman Horse could have made their party good against the Numidians But though Hanno did vvhat he could and pressed so hard upon the Roman Battel that four thousand of the Slaves retired to a ground of strength yet was he glad at length to save himself by flight vvith two thousand Horse all the rest being either slain or taken Gracchus performed his promise to the Slaves making them free only on those four thousand that vvent aside in the Battel he inflicted this slight punishment that as long as they served in the Wars they should eat standing unless sickness forced them to break this order So Gracchus vvith his Army returned into Beneventum vvhere the newly-enfranchised Souldiers were Feasted in publike by the Townsmen some sitting some standing and all vvith their Heads covered as the manner of such was vvith vvhite Caps This vvas the first Battel vvorthy of note that the Carthaginians lost since the coming of Hannibal into Italy Thus the Romans by degrees began to get heart and repair their breaches only their Treasury was very empty vvhereupon the People vvere called together and vvere plainly told that in this exigent there must be no taking of mony for Victuals Weapons Apparel or other necessaries for the Souldiers but that they must trust the Common-vvealth with the loan of these things till the Wars vvere ended This vvas vvillingly assented to and the Armies vvere vvell supplyed both at home and abroad In the mean time the Roman Generals omitted no part of industry in seeking to recover what had been lost Cassiline was besieged by Fabius unto whose assistance Marcellus came The Town was well defended by a Carthaginian Garrison for a long time but at length the Inhabitants grew fearful craved a Parlee and agreed to deliver it up so as all might have liberty to depart whither they pleased This was consented to yet as they were issuing out Marcellus seizing upon a Gate entred with his Army and put all to the Sword only about fifty that had gotten out ran to Fabius who saved them and sent them to Capua Hannibal was this while about Terentum but after long expectation of having it delivered to him he was faign to depart without it So he went to Salapia which he intended to make his wintring place and began to Victual it The new Consuls chosen at Rome were Q. Fabius the Son of the present Consul and T. Sempronius Gracchus the second time The old Fabius became Lieutenant to his Son and on a time when the old man came to the Camp his Son rode out to meet him Eleven of the twelve Lictiors let him pass by on Horse-back which was against the custom but the Son perceiving this bad the last of the Lictiors to take notice of it who thereupon bad old Fabius alight and come to the Consul on Foot the Father cheerfully did so saying It was my mind Son to make tryal whether thou didst understand thy Self to be Consul Altinius a wealthy Citizen of Arpi came to Fabius and offered to deliver the Town into his hands Hannibal hearing of it was glad and sent for the Wife and Children of Altinius into his Camp he examined them by torment and being assured of the Treason he commanded them to be burnt and seized upon all Altinius his wealth Fabius shortly after came to Arpi which he took by Scalado in a stormy Night Five thousand of Hannibals Souldiers lay in the Town and of the Arpines there were about three thousand These were thrust formest by the Carthaginian Garrison who suspected them and therefore thought it no wisdom to trust them at their backs But after some little resistance the Arpines gave over the sight and Parlied with the Romans and the Arpine Pretor going to the Roman Consul received his Faith for the security of the Town wherefore they presently made head against the Garrison yet did the Carthaginians make stout resistance till it was agreed that they should pass safely and return to Hannibal About this time Cliternum was taken by Sempronius Tuditanus one of the Roman Praetors Also one hundred and twelve Gentlemen of Capua offered their service to C. Fulvius the other Praetor only upon condition to have their goods restored to them which shewed that their affections were turned from Hannibal to the Romans The Consentines also and the Thurines which had yielded to Hannibal when there was no appearance of those great succours which were promised from Carthage returned to their old allegiance again Others would have done the like but that at this time Hanno met with and slew L. Pomponius and a great multitude that followed him Hannibal in the mean time had all his care about Tarentum which if he could take it would be very commodious for the Landing of the supplies which he yet expected Long he waited for an opportunity and at last by the help of his Friends within it he one night entered at the two Gates that were opened for him and presently made to the Marketâ—place which the Governour perceiving fled to the Port and taking Boat got into the Citadel that stood at the mouth of the Haven Hannibal having gotten the spoil of the Roman Soldiers Goods he addressed himself against the Citadel which stood upon a Poninsula and was joyned to the Town by a causway which was fortified with a Wall and a Ditch Against this Hannibal raised some works hoping in a short time to take it but whilst he was thus busied there came in a strong supply by Sea to them which made his attempt hopeless The Tarentins Fleet lay in the Haven and could not go forth by reason of the Citadel whereby the Citizens were likely in a short time to suffer want To help this Hannibal caused their Ships to be drawn up and carried through the streets which were long and plain and lanched them into the Sea without which done they so cut off all supplies that the Citadel began to suffer want Now this while the Roman Forces grew strong and Q. Fulvius Flaccus with Appius Claudius the new Consuls prepared to besiege the great City of Capua having now armed twenty three Legions though to fill them up they
wherefore he went and besieged Locri the best City in Italy that held for the Carthaginian bringing all sorts of Engins to promote the work But Hannibal was not slow to relieve the City at whose approach Crispinus rose and retreated to his fellow Consul Thither followed Hannibal to whom the Consuls offered Battel He refused it yet dayly entertained them with Skirmishes waiting for some advantage and reserved his Army to a time of greater imployment when his Brother Asdrubal should come into Italy Marcellus was not well pleased with this and therefore sought to force him to fight for which end he commanded a Navy by Sea and the Garrison of Tarentum again to besiege Locri But Hannibal had an eye behind him and by the way laid an Ambush for those of Tarentum slew three thousand of them and made the rest to fly back into Tarentum As for the Consuls Hannibals desire was to wast them by little and little Betwixt him and them was a little Hill overgrown with Bushes amongst them he hid some Numidians willing them to attend every advantage To this Hill the Consuls thought fit to remove their Camp thither therefore they rode to view the place taking with them the Son of Marcellus a few Collonels and other principal men and about two hundred Horse The Numidian Centinel gave warning of their approach and the other discovered not themselves till they had surrounded the Consuls and their Company The Consuls defended themselves hoping to be quickly relieved from the Camp that was neer at hand But all their Horse save four forsook them and fled Marcellus was slain with a Lance Crispinus had his deaths wound and young Marcellus was wounded yet got to the Camp the rest were all slain Hannibal gave an honourable Funeral to Marcellus bestowing his ashes in a Silver pot covered with a Crown of Gold and sent it to his Son to be interred where he pleased Then Licinius the Roman Admiral laid hard Siege to Locri wherefore Hannibal went thither again but as soon as his Vant-couriers appeared the Romans ran in confused heaps to their Ships leaving all their Engins and whatsoever was in their Camp to Hannibal C. Claudius Nero and M. Livius were chosen Consuls at which time Asdrubal was already come into France and was approaching towards Italy Livius would not stir against him but with a considerable Army and those of the choisest men and Claudius with another Army was sent against Hannibal By this time news came that Asdrubal was passing the Alps and that the Ligurians and those about Genoa were ready to joyn with him When all was ordered according to the Consuls minds they went forth of the City each his several way The Citizens were full of fears there being another Son of Amilcar come into Italy and one that in this expedition seemed to be of more sufficiency than Hannibal For whereas in that long and dangerous march through so many Barbarous Nations over great Rivers and Mountains Hannibal had lost a great part of his Army Asdrubal in the same Journey had increased his descended from the Alps like a rowling Snowball far greater than when he came over the Pyrenes This made the People wait upon their Consuls out a Town like a pensive train of Mourners Asdrubal at his first coming into Italy set upon Placentia but there he lost a great deal of time and yet was faign at last to leave it whereby he gave the Roman Consuls leasure to make ready for him and caused his Brother Hannibal to make no hast to meet him knowing that Placentia would not be taken in hast Nero made what speed he could to meet with Hannibal and stop him from joyning with his Brother He had with him fourty thousand Foot besides Horse with which he oft offered Hannibal Battel and in diverse Skirmishes had the better of him At Grumentum Hannibal fought with him but was worsted yet gat he off and marched away to Venusia vvith Nero still at his heels Thence he vvent to Canusium and sat dovvn there near the place where he had obtained his most memorable Victory There also Nero sat down by him thinking it enough to hinder him from joyning with his succours There was he advertised of Asdrubals approach by Letters that were going to Hannibal which he intercepted wherefore he resolved that it was better to run some desperate adventure than to suffer them to joyn together He therefore took six thousand Foot and a thousand Horse all of his choisest men and away he posted as fast as he could to assist his Fellow Consul Livy at that time lay encamped neer to Serea Gallica and Asdrubal within half a Mile of him In six days Nero finished his journy thither and by the way his company was encreased by some voluntaries The next day after his coming they consulted together and resolved to fight the Enemy Asdrubal perceiving that both the Consuls were now together and thereupon feared that Hannibal was slain and though before he was forward to fight yet now he thought it no shame to retreat farther from them So he dislodged secretly by Night intending to get over the River Metaurus but being misled by his Guides he had not gone far before Nero was at his heels with all the Horse which hindred him from going any farther and the other Consuls followed with the Legions in order of Battel Asdrubal seeing a necessity to fight omitted no care or circumspection His Gauls he placed in the left Wing upon a Hill which the Enemy could not ascend without much difficulty In the right Wing he stood himself with his Africans and Spaniards His Lygurians he placed in the midst and his Elephants in the Front of the Battel On the Romans side Nero had the right Wing Livius the left and Portius led the Battel Livy and Portius found strong opposition and with great slaughter on both sides prevailed little of nothing Nero laboured much in vain against the steep Hill where the Gauls stood out of his reach wherefore taking part of his Forces he led them round behind Livy and Portius and charged Asdrubal in the Flank which made the Victory incline to the Romans For Nero ran all along the depth of Asdrubals Battel and put it to rout Of the Spaniards and Africans the greatest part were slain the Ligurians and Gauls saved themselves by flight Of the Elephants only four were taken alive the rest were slain most by their Riders the Guide having in readiness a mallet and a chissel wherewith he gave a stroak between the Ears in the joynt next the Head wherewith he killed the Beast upon a sudden Asdrubal strove with great Patience and against many difficulties and performed all the duties of a worthy General and stout Souldier and when he saw the loss irreparable he rode manfully into the thickest of the Enemies where fighting bravely he was slain The number of the slain on both sides is variously
upon these conditions That they should render up all the Prisoners and all their Renigadoes and Slaves That they should withdraw their Armies out of Italy and Gaul That they should not meddle with Spain nor with any Islands betwixt Italy and Africk That they should deliver up all their Ships of War save twenty That they should pay him a great sum of Money with some hundred thousand Bushels of Wheat and Barley All these they assented to whereupon he granted them a Truce that they might send their Ambassadors to the Senate of Rome But the truth was they desired only to get time till Hannibal might come back in whom they reposed all their confidence And therefore they took occasion to pick new Quarrels with the Romans which they were the rather encouraged to hearing news that Hannibal was already landed in Africk by whose means they hoped either to drive the Romans out of Africk or to procure better tearms of Peace Hannibal departed out of Italy no less passionate then men are wont to be when they leave their own Countries to go into Exile He looked back to the shore accusing both Gods and Men and cursing his own dulness in that he had not led his Army from Cannae hot and bloodied as it was to the Walls of Rome Arriving in Africk he disembarked his Army at Leptis almost one hundred Miles from Carthage He was ill provided of Horse which he could not easily transport out of Italy From thence he passed through the inland Country gathering Friends by the way Tychaeus a Numidian Prince that had the best Horses he allured to joyn with him and one Mazetallus another Prince brought him a thousand Horse The Carthaginians in the mean time neglected to make those preparations that would have secured the Victory and yet they sent to Hannibal requiring him without delay to do what he could Hannibal answered that they were his Lords and therefore might dispose of him and his Army but since he was General of their Forces he desired that he might have leave to make choise of his own time Yet to please them he made long marches to Zama and there encamped From Zama he sent forth his Scouts to learn where the Romans lay and what they were doing Some of these were taken and brought to Scipio who shewed them all his Camp and so dismissed them Hannibal admired at his Generosity and had a very great desire of an interview that he might talk with him and this he signified by a Messenger Scipio imbraced the motion and sent him word when and where he might meet with him Accordingly the two Generals rode forth with each of them a Troop of Horse till they met and then their men were bid to stand off Each of them had his Enterpreter and when they met they stood silent for a while viewing one the other with mutual admiration Then began Hannibal to salute the Roman to this effect That it had been better for Carthage and Rome if they could have contained their ambition within the shoars of Africk and Italy for that the Countries of Sicily and Spain were no sufficâ—ent recompence for so many Fleets as had been lost and so much blood as had been shed in making those costly purchases But since what was past could not be recalled he said That it was time for them at the length to put an end to those contentions and to Pray the Gods to endue them with more Wisdom for hereafter To which peaceable disposition his own years and long tryal of Fortune both good and bad made him inclinable But he feared that Scipio for want of such experiences would rather fix his mind upon uncertain hopes than upon the contemplation of that mutability whereunto all humane affairs are subject Yet said he my own example may peradventure teach thee moderation For I am that same Hannibal that after my Victory at Cannae wan the greatest part of Italy and devised what I should do with your City of Rome which I hoped verily to have taken Once I brought my Army to your Walls as thou hast since brought thine to ours of Carthage But see the change I now stand here intreating thee for Peace This may teach thee Fortunes instability I fought with thy Father Scipio He was the first Roman General I met with in the Field I did then little think that the time would come when I should have such business with his Son and thou maist have experience of the like in thy self who knows how soon what saist thou Canst thou be content that we leave to you Spain and all the Islands between Italy and Africk By effecting this thou shalt have Glory enough and the Romans may well be glad of such a bargain and we will be faithful in observing the Peace with you If thou refusest this consider what an hazzard thou must run to get a little more If thou stayest but till tomorrow Night thou must take such Fortune as the Gods shall allot The issue of Battels is uncertain and oft beguiles expectation Let us therefore without more ado make Peace Say not that some false-hearted Citizens of ours dealt fraudulently of late in the like Treaty It s I Hannibal that now desire Peace which I would never do but that I think it expedient for our Country and judging it expedient I will always maintain it To this Scipio answered That he was not ignorant of the mutability of Fortune That without any note of insolence he might well refuse the conditions offered But said he if thy Citizens can be contented besides what I proposed and they formerly assented to to make such reparation for these late injuries as I shall require then I will further advise what answer to give you otherwise prepare for War and expect the issue Hereupon they brake off and each returned to his own Camp bidding ther Souldiers to prepare for Battel wherein should be decided the quarrel between Rome and Carthage The next Morning at broak of Day they issued into the Field each of them ordering their Men as they judged most convenient After which Scipio rode up and down his Army bidding them remember what they had atchieved since they came into Africk He told them that if they wan the Day the War was at an end and this Victory would make them Lords of all the World for after this none should be able to resist them But if they were beaten there was no possibility of escaping they must either conquer or die or be miserable Slaves under most merciless enemies Hannibal was far the weaker in Horse and a great part of his Army were raw Souldiers yet his Lords of Carthage would brook no delay He encouraged therefore his men as was most furtable to their qualities To the Mercenaries he promised bountiful rewards The Carthaginians he threatned with inevitable servitude if they lost the day but especially he animated his old fellow Souldiers by
had endured great troubles and misery and set them again at liberty the Mamertines only excepted who dwelt in Messina they despising his jurisdiction and Government pleaded the ancient priviledges of the Romans which had been formerly granted unto them But Pompey ansvvered them angerly What do you prating to us of your Law that have our Swords by our sides He dealt also too cruelly vvith Carbo in his misery for he might have killed him in hot blood when he first fell into his hands with less blame But Pompey when he was taken caused him to be brought before him though he had been thrice Consul and to be publickly examined sitting himself in his Tribunal and condemned him to dye in the presence of them all to the great distast and offence of all that were present Yet he bad them take him away to execution which was done accordingly Pompey dealt as cruelly also with Quintus Valerius a man of rare parts and excellent Learning who being brought to Pompey he took him aside and walked a few turns with him and when he had learned what he could of him he commanded his Guard to take him away and dispatch him Pompey indeed was compelled to make away all Sylla's enemies that fell into his hands But for the rest all that he could suffer secretly to steal away he willingly connived at it and would not take notice of it yea himself did help many to save themselves by flight Pompey had determined to have taken sharp revenge of the City of the Himerians who had stoutly taken the enemies part But Sthenes one of the Governours of the City craved audience of Pompey told him boldly that he should do great injustice if he should pardon him who was the only offender and destroyed them who were not guilty Pompey then asking him who he was that durst take upon himself the offence of them all Sthenes answered That it was himself who had perswaded his Friends and compelled his enemies to do what was done Pompey being much pleased to hear the frank speech and boldness of the man he forgave both him and all the Citizens After this Pompey being informed that his Soldiers did kill divers in the high-ways he caused all their Swords to be sealed up and whose seal soever was broken he punished them soundly for it Pompey being busy about these matters in Sicily he received instructions and a Commission from Sylla and the Senate at Rome to depart thence immediately into Africk with all his power to make War against Domitius who had a very great Army Pompey accordingly speedily prepared to take the Seas leaving Memmius his Sisters Husband to Govern Sicily and so imbarking in sixscore Gallies and eight hundred other Ships wherein he transported his Victuals Ammunition Money Engines for Battery and all other his Warlike provision he hoised Sail and Landed one part of his Army at Utica and the other at Carthage and presently after his landing there came to him seven thousand Soldiers from his enemies to take his part besides seven whole Legions that he brought with him Against him came Domitius with his Army in Battel array but before him there was a Quagmire that ran with a very swift stream very hard to get over Besides it had rained exceedingly all that morning so that Domitius judging it impossible then to fight bad his men truss up and be gone Pompey on the other side spying this advantage caused his men to advance and coming upon the enemy who was now out of order had a cheap Victory over them wherein he slew about seventeen thousand of them whereupon he was by his Souldiers saluted with the name Imperator or Emperour but he told them he would not accept of that honourable Title so long as he saw his enemies Camp yet standing whereupon they ran presently and assaulted it and took it by force and slew Domitius therein After this overthrow all the Cities in that Country came and submitted to Pompey and those that refused were taken by force They took also King Jarbas who had sided with Domitius and gave his Kingdom to Heimpsal But Pompey being desirous further to imploy his Army he went many days Journey into the main Land conquering all wheresoever he came making the power of the Romans dreadful to those Barbarous Nations who before made small account of them He caused also the Wild Beasts of Africk to feel his force bestowing some days in Hunting of Lyons and Elephants And in fourty days he conquered his enemies subdued Africk and setled the affaires of the Kings and Kingdoms of that part of the Country being then but twenty four years old Pompey being returned to Utica he received Letters from Sylla willing him to discharge his Army and to retain only one Legion with himself till the coming of another Captain that was to succeed him in the Government of that Country This grieved him not a little though he made no shew of it at all But the Souldiers were much offended at it and when Pompey prayed them to depart they gave out broad speeches against Sylla and told him directly that they were resolved not to leave him whatsoever became of them and that they would not leave him to trust to a Tyrant Pompey seeing that he could not prevail with them rose out of his seat and went into his Tent weeping But the Souldiers followed him and brought him again to his Chair of State intreating him to remain there and command them and he desired them to obey Sylla and to leave their mutinies In fine he seeing they were resolved to press him swore that he would kill himself rather then they should compel him yet scarce did they leave him thus Hereupon it was reported to Sylla that Pompey was rebelled against him which when he heard he said to his Friends Well I see then that it is my Destiny in my old age to fight with Children This he said because of Marius the younger who had done him much mischief and had greatly endangered him But afterwards understanding the truth and hearing that all generally in Rome would go to meet Pompey and receive him with all the honour they could he resolved to go beyond them all in shew of good will wherefore going out of his House to meet him he embraced him with great affection and welcomed him home calling him Magnus that is Great and commanded all that were present to give him that Name also After this Pompey required the honour of a Triumph which Sylla opposed affirming that this honour should be granted to none but to such as had been Consuls or at least Praetors He told him also that if he should stand for it he would oppose him Pompey was not discouraged herewith but boldly told him That all men did honour not the setting but the rising Sun Sylla heard not well what he said and therefore enquired and when it was told him he wondred at
his Army Yet Curio Anthony and Piso procured that the Senate should decide the matter saying All they that would have Caesar disband his Army and Pomey to keep his let them go to the one side of the House and such as would have them both to disband let them stand on the other by this means it was carried against Pompey Curio much rejoyced at the Victory and going into the Market place he was there received by his faction with shouts of joy and clapping of hands and Nosegays of Flowers thrown upon him Pompey was not present to see the good will of the Senators to him but Marcellus stood up and said that he would not stand trifling and hearing Oration when he knew that ten Legions were already passed over the Alps intending to come in Arms against them and that he would send a man that should defend their Country well enough And so going through the Market place unto Pompey being followed by all the Senators he said openly Pompey I command thee to help thy Country with that Army thou hast already and also to leavy more to aid thee Lentulus also used the same Speech to him who was chosen for the year following When Pompey went to leavy Souldiers in Rome some would not obey him and others went very unwillingly the most part of them crying out Peace Peace Anthony also against the Senators minds read a Letter to the People sent from Caesar vvherein he seemed to make reasonable requests to draw the affections of the common People to him For he moved that both Pompey and he should resign their Governments and dismiss their Armies referring themselves wholly to the Judgments of the People and to deliver up unto them an account of their doings Cicero vvho was lately returned from Cilicia endeavoured to bring them to an agreement propounding that Caesar that should leave the Goverment of Gaul and his Army reserving only two Legions and the Government of Illyria attending his second Consulship Pompey liked not this motion and so all treaty of Peace was cut off In the mean time news came to Rome that Caesar had won Ariminum a large and strong City in Italy and that he came directly to Rome with a great power But the truth was he came but with three thousand Horse and five thousand Foot and would not stay for the rest of his Army that was not yet come over the Alps but hasted rather to suprise his Enemies on the sudden who were all in a hurly-burly not expecting him so soon than to stay till they were fully ready to fight with him When he came to the River of Rubicon which was the utmost bound of the Province which he had the charge of in Italy he made an Alt pondring with himself the great enterprise he took in hand At last he cryed out to them that were by Jacta est alea let the Die be cast Or let us put all to the hazard and so passed on with his Army News hereof coming to Rome never was there such a consternation and fear seen amongst them For all the Senate ran immediately to Pompey together with all the rest of the City Magistrates and Tullus asked him what power he had in readiness to resist Caesar He answered but something faulteringly that he had his two Legions that came from Caesar and with those that he had levied in hast he thought he should make up thirty thousand fighting men Then Tullus cryed out Ah! thou hast mocked us Pompey and thereupon ordered Ambassadours to be sent to Caesar. Phaonius also a bold man said Stamp now with thy Foot upon the Ground Pompey and make those Armies come which thou hast promised Pompey patiently bore this mock Then Cato thought good that they should make Pompey Lieutenant General of Rome with full and absolute Power to command all saying They that knew how to do the greatest mischief know best how to remedy the same And so immediately he departed to his Government in Sicily Also all the other Senators went to the Provinces whereunto they were appointed Thus all Italy being in Arms no man knew what was best to be done For such as were out of Rome came flying thither out of all parts and such as were in Rome fled out as fast where all things were in disorder They which were willing to obey were very few and they who by disobedience did hurt were too many neither would they suffer Pompey to order things as he would because every one followed his own fancy yea in one day they were in divers minds All this while Pompey could here no certainty of his Enemies the reports being so various and when he saw the tumult and confusion so great at Rome that there was no possibility of pacifying it he commandéd all the Senators to follow him declaring all such as staid behind to be Caesars Friends The two Consuls fled also without Sacrificing to the Gods as their manner was when they went to make War And Pompey in his greatest danger and trouble had great cause to think himself happy because he had every mans good will Shortly after Pompey was gone out of the City Caesar came into it who spake very friendly to all whom he found there labouring to quiet their fears Only he threatened Metellus one of the Tribunes because he would not suffer him to take any of the Treasure of the Commonwealth saying That it was not so hard a thing for him to kill him as to speak it Thus having put by Metellus and taken what he pleased out of the Treasury he prepared to follow Pompey intending to drive him out of Italy before his Army should come to him out of Spain Pompey in the mean time took Brundusium and having gotten some Ships together he caused the two Consuls presently to embark with thirty Compays of Footmen which he sent before to Dyrrachium He sent also his Father in Law Scipio and his Son Cneius Pompeyius into Syria to provide him Ships Then did he fortifie Brundusium and guarded the Walls with Souldiers commanding the Citizens not to stir out of their Houses He cast up Trenches also within the City at the end of all the streets saving those two which led to the Haven and filled those Trenches with sharp pointed stakes and when at leasure he had imbarked all the rest of his Souldiers he by a sign called off those vvhich guarded the Walls and having received them into his Ships he hoisted Sails and departed Caesar finding the Walls of Brundusium unguarded presently suspected that Pompey was fled and rushing into the City he had certainly faln into the Pits but that the Brundusians gave him warning of them whereupon he fetched a compass about to go to the Haven and coming thither he found all the Ships under sail save two vvherein were a few Souldiers Some judged this departure of Pompeys the best Stratagem of War that
also mocked him and went crying up and down My Masters I give you notice that you are like to eat no Tusculan Figs this year With these and many other such lewd Speeches they compelled Pompey to submit to their rash and giddy desires contrary to his more prudent purpose and determination which yet a General over so many Nations and Armies should not have done These little considered that he with whom he was to sight was Caesar who had taken a thousand Towns and Cities by assault had subdued above three hundred several Nations had won infinite Battels of the Germans and Gauls and was never overcome Had also taken a Million of men Prisoners and had slain as many in divers Battels Yet Pompeys men still vexing him with their importunity when they were come into the Fields of Pharsalia caused him to call a Counsel There Labienus the General of the Horsemen swore before them all that he would not return from the Battel till he had driven his Enemies out of the Field and the like Oath did all the rest of the Commanders take The Night before the fatal Battel there were heard sudden and fearful Noises in Pompeys Camp which awaked all the Souldiers At the changing of the fourth Watch there was seen a great light over Caesar Camp like unto a burning Torch which came and fell in Pompeys Camp In the morning Caesar intending to raise his Camp and to remove to the City of Scotusa whilst his Souldiers were busy in sending away their Bag and Baggage some brought Caesar word that they saw much Armour and many Weapons carryed too and fro in thier Enemies Camp and heard a great noise and bustling as of men that were preparing to fight His Scouts also brought him word that Pompeys Van was already set in Battel array Caesar much rejoyced when he heard this saying Now the day is come that we shall no longer sight with hunger and want but with men and thereupon gave order that they should presently put out the red coat of Arms upon his Tent which was the sign used amongst the Romans when they were to fight The Souldiers when they saw that left their Tents Carriages and all and with great shouts of Joy ran to arm themselves and so without noise or tumult they were by their Captains put into Battel array Pompey himself led the right Wing of his Battel against Anthony The middle Battle he gave to Scipio his Father in Law which was right against Domitius Calvinus His left Wing was led by Lucius Domitius Aenobarlius which was guarded by the men at Arms for all the Horsemen were placed there to distress Caesar if possibly they could and to overthrow the tenth Legion which contained the valiantest Souldiers that Caesar had and amongst whom himself always used to fight in Person Caesar seeing the lest Wing of his Enemies so strong with the guard of Horsemen brought six Company 's of Foot for a reserve and placed them behind the tenth Legion commanding them to stand close that they might not be discovered by the Enemy and commanded them when the Horsemen should charge upon them that they should not throw their Darts strait forward but upwards at their Faces For said he These brave Fellows and fine Dancers will not endure to have their Faces marred Pompey being on Horse-back rode up and dovvn to observe hovv both Armies vvere marshelled and perceiving that his Enemies stood still in their ranks expecting the signal of Battel and that his ovvn Battel vvaved up and dovvn disorderly as men unskilful in the Wars he feared that they would flie before they were charged Therefore he commanded his Van to stand steadily in their ranks and to defend themselves in a close fight when the Enemy should assault them But Caesar disliked this devise for thereby said he the force of their blows was lessened and by with-holding them from giving the charge that courage was taken away which the assailant carrieth with him when he comes on with fury it made them also more fainthearted in receiving the Enemies charge In Caesars Army there were about twenty two thousand fighting men and in Pompeys above twice so many When the signal of Battel was given on either side and the Trumpets sounded an Alarm every man began to look to himself But a few of the chiefest of the Romans and some Grecians that were amongst them that yet were not entred into the Battel perceiving the eminent danger began to bethink themselves to what a sad pass the ambition and contention between these two great Persons had brought the State of Rome unto where were Kinsmen against Kinsmen and Brethren against Brethren imbrewing their hands each in others blood Whereas if they could have been contented quietly to Govern what they had conquered the Roman Empire was big enough for them both Or if that could not have quenched their insatiable desires and thirst after Glory they had occasion enough offered them against the Germans and Parthians Or else they might have proceeded to conquer Scythia and India For what Scythian Horsemen or Parthian Arrows or Indian Riches could have withstood the power of seventy thousand Roman Souldiers especially being led by two such Captains as were Pompey and Caesar whose Names were famous through the World Now when the Fields of Pharsalia were covered over with Horse and Men in Arms after the Signal was given the first man of Caesars Army that advanced forward to give the charge was Caius Crassinius a Captain of one hundred twenty and five men and this he did to make good his promise to Ceasar who having asked him that morning what he thought of the event of the Battel he said Oh Caesar Thine is the Victory and this day thou shalt commend me either alive or dead Thereupon he brake out of his rank many others also followed him and ran into the midst of his Enemies making a great slaughter but as he still pressed forward one ran him through the neck and slew him Pompey did not make his left Wing to advance over suddenly but staid to see what his Horsemen would do who had already divided themselves intending to compass in Caesar and to force his Horsemen who were fewer in number to give back upon his squadron of Footmen and thereby to disorder them But on the other side Caesars Horsemen gave back a little and the six Companies of Footmen that he had placed secretly behind them being three thousand in number ran suddenly to charge the Enemy in the Flank and coming neer to Pompeys Horsemen they threw their Darts as Caesar had appointed them full in their Faces The young Gentlemen being raw Souldiers and little expecting such a manner of fight had not the hearts to defend themselves nor could abide to be hurt in their Faces but turning their Heads and clapping their hands on their Faces they fled shamefully They being thus routed Caesars men made no account to follow
him Caesar seemed to be very reasonable in what he requested For he said that whilst they required him to lay down Arms for fear of a Tyranny and yet permitted Pompey to keep his they went about to establish a Tyranny Curio in the name of Caesar moved before all the People that both should be commanded to lay down Arms which motion was entertained with great joy and clapping of hands by the People who threw Nose-gays and flowers upon him for it Then Anthony one of the Tribunes brought a Letter from Caesar and read it before the People in spite of the Consuls wherein he desired that they would grant him Gaul on this side the Alps and Illyria with two Legions only and then he would desire no more But Scipio the Father in Law of Pompey moved in the Senate that if Caesar did not dismiss 〈◊〉 Army by a day appointed that then he should be proclaimed an Enemy to Rome Marcellus also added that they must use force of Arms and not Arguments against a Thief whereupon the Senate rose without determining any thing and every one put on his mourning apparel as in the time of a common calamity Cicero being newly come from his Government in Cilicia took much pains to reconcile them together and perswaded Pompey all he could who told him that he would yield to whatsoever he desired so he would let him alone with his Army But Lentulus the Consul shamefully drave Curio and Anthony out of the Senate who were in such danger that they were faign to flie out of Rome to Caesar disguised in a Carriers coat This gave Caesar great advantage and much incensed his men when they saw and heard how his Friends were abused Caesar at this time had about him but five thousand Foot and three thousand Horse having left the rest of his Army on the other side of the Alps to be brought after him by his Lieutenants Judging it better suddenly to steal upon them at Rome then to assail them with his whole Army which would require time and give his Enemies opportunity to strengthen themselves against him He therefore commanded his Captains to go before and to take in the City of Ariminum a great City on this side the Alps with as little bloodshed as might be Then committing the rest of those Souldiers which he had with him to Hortensius he spent a whole day in seeing the Sword Players exercise before him At Night he went unto his lodging where having bathed himself a little he came into the Hall and made merry with those whom he had bidden to Supper Then rising from the Table he prayed his Guests to be merry and he would come again to them presently howbeit he had secretly before directed his most trusty Friends to follow him not all together but some on way and some another Himself in the mean time took a Coach that he had hired and pretending at first to go another way he suddenly turned towards Ariminum But when he came to the River of Rubicorn which divides the hither Gaul from Italy he suddenly made a stop for if he once passed that there could be no hope of peace considering with himself of what importance this passage was and what miseries would ensue upon it Some say that he spake thus to his Friends Doubtless if I forbear to pass over this River it will be the beginning of my ruin if I pass it the ruin will be general Then turning towards the River he said it is yet in our power to turn back but if we pass the River we must make our way with our Weapons Some say that Caesar standing thus doubtful he was encouraged by the apparition of a man of very great stature piping upon a Reed whereupon many of the Souldiers and some Trumpeters went neer to hear him and that he catching one of their Trumpets leaped into the River sounding to the Battel with a mighty blast and so passed on to the farther side of the River Whereupon Caesar with a furious resolution cryed out Let us go whether the Gods and the injurious dealing of our Enemies do call us The Dice are cast I have set up my Rest Come what will of it After which he set spurs to his Horse and passed the River his Army following him Caesar having passed the River and drawn his Army together he made an Oration to them shedding some tears and tearing his Garment down the Breast laying before them the equity of his cause and craving their assistance To whom having with a general applause and consent made answer that they were ready to obey his will he presently marched on and came the next day to Ariminum upon which he seized The like he did to all the Towns and Castles as he passed on till he came to Corfinium which was held by Domitius who in a factious tumult had been nominated for his successour in the Government of Gaul This being taken he pardoned the Souldiers and Inhabitants and used Domitius kindly giving him leave to depart who went straight to Pompey by which clemency he purchased to himself much honour These thirty Cohorts he kept with him Caesars resolution being known at Rome it troubled Pompey amazed the Senate and terrified the common People Pompey now found himself deceived who before could not believe that Caesar would thrust himself into so great danger or that he could be able to raise sufficient forces to resist him but the success proved otherwise For though Pompey had authority from the Consuls and Senate to leavy Souldiers to call home his Legions and to send Captains for the defence of those Cities in Italy by which Caesar should pass yet all this was not sufficient to resist his fury and the power that he brought with him The fame of Caesars coming increasing daily Pompey with the whole Senate left Rome going to Capua and from thence to Brundusium a Sea Town seated at the mouth of the Gulph of Venice where he ordered the Consuls to pass to Dyrrhachium now Durazzo a Sea Town of Macedonia there to unite all their Forces being out of hope to resist Caesar in Italy who had already taken Corfinium where having drawn Domitius's thirty Cohorts to serve him he marched on and hearing that Pompey and the Consuls were at Brundusium he hasted towards them with his Legions with all possible speed But Pompey though he had fortified the Town sufficiently for his defence yet when Caesar began to invest the Town he imbarked himself and his men in the night time and so passed over to Dyrrachium to the Consuls Thus Caesar injoyed Italy without opposition yet was he doubtful what to resolve on He would gladly have followed Pompey but wanted Shipping and it being Winter he knew that Ships could not be procured so soon as was requisite and considering with all that it was not safe to leave an Enemy behind him which might cause an alteration in France or Italy
he compounded a very great Army by Land and a very great Fleet of Ships and Gallies by Sea It being now the depth of Winter Pompey presuming it improbable if not impossible for Caesar to pass the Seas to him having also intelligence that Caesar was in Rome he disposed of his Army to their Winter Quarters in Macedonia and Thessaly and himself retired farther from the Sea commanding his Sea-Captains of whom Marcus Bibulus was chief to guard the Sea-coast But Caesar knowing that in the speedy execution consisted his greatest hopes of Victory and that occasion once lost could hardly be recovered he departed from Rome and came to Brundusium though all his Legions were not as yet come to him There he embarked seven of his best Legions in such ships as were ready sending a Command to the rest which were coming to hasten to Brundusium whither he would send for them with all possible speed And so departing he crossed the Seas with a prosperous gale of Wind and the third day after arrived upon the coast of Macedonia before Pompey had any intelligence of his embarking There he safely landing his men in dispite of Pompeys Captains and commanded his Ships and Gallies presently to return to Brundisium to fetch the rest of his Army Presently after his first landing he seized upon the Cities of Appallonia and Erico driving from thence Lucius Torquatus and Lucius Straberius who held them for Pompey Pompey hearing of Caesars arrival sent for his Troops which were neerest hand with all speed possible with whom he marched towards Dirrachium where his Victuals ammunition and other provisions for the War lay lest Caesar should go and surprise them which indeed he attempted but in vain the situation of the place making it inexpugnable Pompey being come their Camps were lodged within a few furlongs each of other where he passed many adventurous skirmished and also some Treaties of Peace offered by Caesar but rejected by Pompey so consident he was of his own power In the interim Caesar daily expected the coming of the other Legions who staying longer than he expected he resolved in Person with three confident Servants secretly to embark himself in a Brigandine and to pass that streight of the Sea and to fetch them hoping to perform the same without the knowledg of any And accordingly passing down the River to the Sea he found it so troublesome and tempestuous that the Master of his Brigandine not knowing whom he carried durst not adventure forth but would have returned Then Caesar discovering his face said Perge avdactèr Caesarum enim fers fortunam Caesaris Bear up bravely and boldly against the Winds and Waves for thou carriest Caesar and all his Fortunes The Master herewith encouraged strove all that possibly he could to proceed in his Voyage but the force of the Tempest was so great and the Wind so contrary that do what possibly they could they were driven back again When Caesars Army heard of these passages they much wondred grieved and were troubled at it Commending him more for his Valour than for his Wisdom But within few days after M. Anthony arrived with four of those Legions which were left behind in Italy presently returning the Ships back for the rest Anthony after some adventures joyned with Caesars Army near to Dirrachium where we lately left him Frequent skirmishes still continued between the two Armies and many were slain on both sides and one day the skirmish was so hot supplies being sent from both sides that it almost came to a just Battel wherein Caesars men were so beaten that they fled before the Enemies and could not be made to stand by any intreaties or menaces till they were come into their Camp which they had strongly fortified yet many durst not trust to that but fled out of it But Pompey either because he imagined their flight to be faigned to draw him into an Ambush or because he thought there needed no more to be done and that Caesar could no more resist him he neglected to prosecute his Victory causing a retreat to be sounded without assaulting Caesars Camp which probably he might have taken and made an end of the War that day Whereupon Caesar said to his Friends Truly this day had ended the War if our Enemies had had a Captain that had known how to overcome At this time Caesar lost a great number of his men amongst whom were four hundred Roman Knights ten Tribunes or Collonels and thirty two Centurions or Captains and his Enemies took from him thirty two Ensigns Upon this Victory Pompey sent news thereof to divers parts of the World holding himself for an absolute Conquerour Caesar much blamed some of his Captains and Ensign beà rers for their cowardize and his Army were so grieved and ashamed that they much importuned him to lead them forth again to Battel But he thought it not fit so soon to lead them forth against a Victorious Army He therefore sent his sick and wounded men to the City of Apolonia and departed by night with as great silence as could be from the place where he was and marched towards Thessaly intending there to refresh and encourage his Army and to draw his Enemies farther from the Sea coast where their chief strength lay and where their Camp was well fortified and victualled or at least he intended to attempt the overthrow of Scipio who as he heard was coming to joyn with Pompey Pompey finding Caesar was departed followed him for some few days and then taking Councel what to do he resolved to leave a lufficient Navy to guard the Seas and with the rest to return into Italy and to seize upon it together with France and Spain and afterwads to go against Caesar But the Roman Lords that were with him and the importunity of his unskilful Captains and Souldiers forced him to alter his determination and presently to pursue Caesar who made an Alt in the Fields of Pharsalia which are in Thessaly making his retreat with so much prudence and in so good order that upon all occasions that were offered he ever had the better till at length seeing his men full of resolution and courage he resolved no longer to defer the Fight Concerning which Battel the ordering and event of it the flight of Pompey into Egypt and how basely and barbarously he was murthered there see it before in the Life of Pompey the Great Julius Caesar having obtained this great and glorious Victory used therein his accustomed Clemency not suffering any Roman either to be slain or hurt after the Battel was ended but pardoned all those that were either taken in the Fight or found in the Camp amongst whom was Marcus Tullius Cicero After which being informed which way Pompey was fled he pursued him with the lightest and swiftest of his Army and in the way subduing all the Cities he at last came to the Sea side where he gathered together
all the Ships and Gallies that possibly he could together with those whom Cassius had brought he therein shipped as many of his men as they could contain and passed into the lesser Asia where being advertised that Pompey had been in Cyprus he presumed that he was gone into Aegypt wherefore he steered the same course taking with him two Legions of old Souldiers only When he arrived at Alexandria he understood that Pompey presuming upon the many benefits and good entertainment which the Father of this King Ptolomy had received in his House had sent to this Ptolomy to harbour and assist him which accordingly the King promised and Pompey coming upon his safe conduct in a small Boat was by the false Kings commandment basely murthered thinking thereby to win the favour of Caesar. He understood likewise that Cornelia the Wife of Pompey and his Son Sextus Pompeius were fled from thence in the same ship wherein they came Caesar being landed and received into the City they brought him for a present the Head of the Great Pompey but he turned away and would not see it and when they brought him Pompeys Ring with his Seal of Arms he wept considering the end and success of the great adventures and properties of Pompey who with such honour and fame had Triumphed three times and been so many times Consul in Rome and had obtained so many Victories abroad When Caesar was landed in AEgypt he found the Country imbroiled in Civil Wars there being great discord between young King Ptolomy and his Sister Cleopatra about the division and Inheritance of that Kingdom wherein Julius Caesar as being a Roman Consul took upon him to be an Arbitrator For which cause or because their guilty consciences accused them for the treacherous murther of Pompey Fotinus the Eunuch who had contrived the said murther and Achillas who had been the actor of it fearing that Caesar inclined to favour Cleopatra sent for the Kings Army that lay near the City consisting of twenty thousand good Souldiers purposing to do by Caesar as they had done by Pompey so that within a few days there began between Caesar and his small Army both in the City and in the Harbour where the Ships and Gallies lay the most cruel and dangerous encounter that ever Caesar met with for he was often forced to fight in his own Person both within the City whereof the Enemies held the greater part and also in the Harbour with his Ships and was sometimes in so great peril and danger that he was forced to leap out of the Boat into the Water and by swimming to get one of the Gallies at which time he held his Commentaries in one hand above Water and carry his Robe in his teeth and to swim with the other hand But when his other Forces were come to him from Asia and other parts he at the end of nine months for so long these Wars lasted became Victorious as in all other his enterprises he had been and the young King Ptolomy was slain in fight In this War Caesar did such exploits and behaved himself so gallantly that for the same only he well deserved the fame and name of a brave Captain The Pride of the Aegyptians being thus tamed Caesar put to death the murtherers of Pompey and established the fair Cleopatra the Queen and Governess of Aegypt whom during his stay there he intertained for his Friend and had a Son by her called Caesarion And when he had quitted and settled all things in Aegypt he departed thence into Asia and travelled through Syria now Soria being informed that during his troubles in Aegypt King Pharnaces the Son of that mighty King Methridates thought it a fit time whilst the Romans were embroiled in Civil Wars to recover what his Father had lost For which end having overthrown Domitius whom Caesar had sent to govern those parts and having taken by force of Arms the Provinces of Bithynia and Cappadocia expelling thence King Ariobarzanes a Friend and Subject of Rome and beginning to do the like in Armenia the less which King Deiotarus had subjected to the Romans Caesar I say being informed hereof went with his Army sooner than Pharnaces imagined though he expected him and had intelligence of his appproach so that in few days they came to a Battel in which the King was soon overthrown and put to slight with great slaughter of his People yet himself escaped Caesar was very joyful for this Victory because of his earnest desire to return to Rome where he knew that many scandals were raised and many insolencies were committed for want of his presence He knew also that Pompeys eldest Son had seized upon a great part of Spain and had raised great Forces of those which Marcus Varro had left there and of his Fathers Troops He also understood that in Africa many Principal Romans who had escaped from the Battel of Pharsalia were gathered together whereof M. Cato surnamed Uticensis was the chief and Scipio Pompeys Father in Law and that these went thither with the greatest part of the Ships and Galleys which belonged to Pompey and with the greatest power that they were able to leavy and that joyning with Juba King of Mauritania they had subdued all that Country and had a great Army in a readiness to oppose him having chosen Scipio for their General because that Cato would not take that office upon him and for that the Name of Scipio had been so fortunate in Africa Caesar having intelligence of all these things within the space of a few days with great celerity and diligence recovered all that Pharnaces had usurped and chasing him out of Portus he regained all those Countries and so leaving Celius Minucius for General with two Legions to guard that Province pacifying the controversies and contentions in the rest and rewarding the Kings and Tetrachs which continued firm in their Leagues and amity with the Romans without any longer aboad he departed out of Asia and in a short space arrived in Italy and so passed to Rome within little more than a year after he went thence which was a very short time for the performance of so great matters and so long a Journey Presently after his comming to Rome he caused himself to be chosen Consul the third time and reforming so much as the time and his leasure would permit all disorders in Rome being troubled and not able to endure that his Enemies should possess Africk with great expedition he prepared all things necessary and from Rome took his way towards Africk commanding his Army to follow him First he went into Italy from whence taking Ship he passed over into Africk and though neither his Navy nor his Army arrived with him trusting to the valour of those that he had with him and his own good Fortune he landed with small Forces near to the City of Adrumentum and from thence marched to another City called Leptis
into which he was received and after some conflicts that passed his Legions being come to him and certain other Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot he began the War which continued four months He first began with Petreius and Lubienus and then with Scipio and King Juâ—a who brought to those Wars eight thousand men the one half whereof were Horse In this War were many encounters and Battels in which Caesar was in great danger but at last his good Fortune still attending him he overcame them in a great Battel wherein there were slain of the Enemies ten thousand and Caesar remained Master of the Field and in a short time after subjected all the Country to him Scipio and all the chief Captains with him died sundry deaths and Juba escaping by flight from the Battel finding no place of security Afranius and he resolved to dye fighting one against the other in which combate King Juba being the stronger man slew Asranius and then commanded one of his Salves to kill him and so he died desperately Marcus Cato who was in the City of Utica hearing that Caesar was marching thitherward though he knew that he would not put him to death but but rather had a desire to pardon him and to do him honour yet resolving neither to receive life nor honour from his Enemy he slew himself In whose death there passed many remarkable accidents recorded by Historians Florus saith thus of it Cato saith he hearing of the death of his Partners he dallyed not at all but joyfully hastened his end For after he had embraced his Son and his Friends and bad them good night and then rested a while upon his bed having first perused Plato's Book of the immortality of the Soul then about the relieving of the first watch he got up drew his Sword and therewith thrust himself through after which the Phisicians applied plaisters to his wounds which he indured whilst they were in the room but then he pulled them away and the blood following abundantly he left his dying hand even in the wound Scipio who had been General in this War escaped also from the Battel by flight entered into some Gallies which being met with by Caesar Navy that he might not fall into his Enemies hand after he had given himself some wounds he threw himself into the Sea and so vvas drowned Caesar having obtained so great and absolute a Victory spent some few days in settling and ordering the Provinces of Africa making the Kingdom of Juba a Province and then marched to Utica vvhere he imbarked June the third and came to the Isle of Sardinia and after some short stay there he arrived at Rome the tvventy fifth day of July At his comming thither there vvere granted unto him four Triumphs First for his conquests and Victories in France in vvhich vvere carried the Portraictures of the Rivers of Rhodanus and the Rhine vvrought in Gold The second Triumph vvas for the conquest of Aegypt and of King Ptolomy vvhere vvere set the River of Nilus and the Pharus burning The third vvas for the conquest of Pontus and of King Pharnaces vvherein in regard of his speedy Victory vvas placed a vvriting vvith these vvords Veni Vidi Vici I come I savv I overcame The fourth Triumph vvas for the Province of Africa vvherein King Jubas Son vvas led Captive and in this Triumph vvere given Jevvels and Armes to Octavius Caesars Nephevv vvho succeeded him in the Empire As for the Battel vvherein he conquered Pompey he vvould not Triumph because it vvas against a Citizen of Rome These Triumphs being ended he gave great revvards to his Souldiers and entertained the People vvith Feasts and bountiful gifts and then caused himself to be chosen the fourth time Consul And so to the end that there should be left no place wherein he would not be obeyed he resolved to go for Spain hearing that Gneius Pompeius the Son of Pompey was retired with the rest of the Army which had escaped out of Africk to go to his Brother Sextus Pompeius who was in possession of a great part of Spain as we heard before together with the famous Cities of Sivil and Cordova and many others of those parts many Spaniards also comming to their aid Caesar in this Journey carryed with him his most valiant and most experienced Souldiers and made so good speed that in few days space he arrived in Spain in which Journey his Nephew Octavius followed him Entering into Spain he came to the Province of Betica now Andaluzia where were Sextus Pompeius with his Brother Gneius and such Legions and Souldiers as they had gotten together and there began betwixt Caesar and them a most cruel and bloody War the end whereof was that neer to the City of Munda Caesar and Gneius Pompeius for Sextus was then at Cordova joyned Battel which was one of the most obstinate and most cruel fights that ever was in the World For Caesar being a most excellent Captain and the Souldiers which he brought with him most brave and valiant men and fleshed with so many Victories held it out with great resolution and on the other side the bravery and courage of young Pompey and his men was such and they fought in such manner as Caesars Squadrons began to give ground and were ready to forsake the Field and at the very point to have been wholly overthrown and the matter came to this issue that Caesar was about to have slain himself because he would not see himself overcome Yet taking a Target from one of his Souldiers he rushed into the midst of his Enemres saying with a loud voice If ye be not ashamed leave me and deliver me into the hands of these Boyes For this shall be the last day of my Life and of your Honour with which words and his example his Souldiers took heart in such manner that recovering the ground which they had lost the Battel became equal which lasted almost a whole day without any sign of Victory to either party sometimes seeming to incline to the one sometimes to the other side until at the length Caesar and his men did so great exploits as that the evening being come his Enemies began to faint and fly and the Victory was apparently Caesars There died of the Enemies above thirty thousand in this Battel and Caesar lost above a thousand men of account besides common Souldiers Caesar esteemed so much of this Victory and so gloried in the danger which he had escaped that ever after he used to say That in all other Battels he had fought for honour and Victory and only that day he fought for his life Young Pompey after he had performed all the offices of a Prudent General and Valiant Souldier was foreed to fly and wandering through many places was at last taken and slain by some of Caesars Friends who carried his head to Caesar. His other Brother Sextus Pompeius fled from Cordova and
besiege him in the City of Mutina now Modena which being known in Rome Cicero his authority and credit in the Senate was such that Mark Anthony was declared an Enemy to the State and the new Consuls Hircius and Pansa were sent against him and with them was Octavian sent with Ensigns of a Consul and Title of a Pro-praetor having been first admitted into the Senate though so young which was done by the procurement of Cicero though he afterwards requited him ill for it Octavian with the Consuls drew neer to Mark Anthony Cicero remaining to command in chief in all matters at Rome and between the two Armies there passed many skirmishes and encounters and at last they came to Battel wherein the Consuls and Caesar had the Victory but Hircius was slain in the Battel and Pansa was so wounded that he died within few days after and both the Armies of the slain Consuls obeyed Caesar. By this means D. Brutus was freed from his siege and Anthony was forced to forsake Italy by a dishonourable flight leaving his baggage behind him In this service Octavian made marvellous proof of himself being but twenty years old performing the Office not only of a good Captain but also of a stout Souldier For seeing the Standard-bearer sore wounded and ready to fall Octavian took from him the Eagle and bare it a great while till he had lodged it in safety Mark Anthony after the Battel gathering the remainders of his Army passed tho Alps and went into France solliciting the Friendship of Lepidus who was there with an Army ever since the Death of Julius Caesar whom after some treaties he made his Friend and Octavian after the Victory obtained presently sent to the Senate to require a Triumph for his Victory as also the Consulship for the remainder of the year in the roome of the dead Consuls with their succession in their charge and command of the Army But the answer of the Senate was not according to his desire For the Friends and Kinsmen of those that had murthered Caesar began to fear him and to suspect his power wherefore they prevailed to delay that which he required and in the end they resolved to assign the Army to Decius Brutus and temporizing with Octavian they granted him a Triumph but denied him the Consulship whereat he was much discontented and therefore secretly treated of friendship with Mark Anthony and having drawn to himself the affection of the Army he therewith marched towards Rome and approaching near to the City in dispite of the Senate he caused himself to be chosen Consul being not fully twenty years old Then did he cause accusations to be exhibited against Brutus and Cassius and the rest of the Conspirators and in their absence having none that durst defend their cause they were condemned After this was done he left the City and with his Army marched toward Anthony and Lepidus who were already entred into Italy Decius Brutus hearing of the Treaties and League that was made between Octavian Lepidus and Mark Anthony not daring to stay in that Country departed with his Army which soon forsook him some going to Caesar others to Mark Anthony whereupon he fled but being at last taken he was brought to Mark Anthony who caused his Head to be cut off The Armies of these Captains drawing near together to whom Affinius Pollio and Planeus with their Legions were joyned these three Octavian Caesar Mark Anthony and Lepidus meeting after three days debate they concluded their accursed Peace and these fire-brands of sedition entered into a Tiumvirate with several intents and designs Lepidus was covetous and sought riches by troubling the State Anthony was by nature an enemy to Peace and to the Commonwealth desiring an opportunity to be revenged of those who had declared him an Enemy to the State And Octavian sought revenge upon Brutus and Cassius and those who had slain his adopted Father And to bring these things to pass Octavian put away his Wife who was Daughter to Servilius and contracted himself to Claudia Daughter in Law to Anthony by his Wife Fulvia who was now a child and from whom he was afterward divorced by reason of the discord that arose between Anthony and him In this League which they made besides dividing the Provinces amongst themselves they agreed to Proscribe and kill each of them his Enemies and the one delivered them into the others hands having more respect to be revenged upon an Enemy than to save a Friend and so there was made the most cruel and inhumane Proscription and Butchery that ever was before heard of giving and exchanging Friends and Kinsmen for Enemies For Mark Anthony gave up his Fathers Brother and Lepidus his own Brother Lucius Paulus and Octavian M. T. Cicero whom he called Father and who had intreated and honoured him as a Son And besides these they Proscribed and condemned to die three hundred other Principal men of Rome amongst whom were about one hundred and fourty Senators besides two thousand Romans of the order of Knighthood This agreement being made they all three went to Rome where they took upon them the Government of the Commonwealth by the name of Triumvirat the time being limited to five years though they never meant to leave the same And presently after those who were condemned and Proscribed were by their commandment put to death being sought out in all parts and places their Houses were ransacked and their goods confiscated Cicero understanding that his name was in the Catalogue amongst the Proscripts only because he had been a lover of Roman Liberty he fled to the Sea where he embarked himself but so hard was his hap that by contrary winds he was driven back to the shore whereupon returning to some possessions of his near Capua not far from the Sea as he lay sleeping there he was awakened by some Crowes which with their bills pluckt his cloaths from his back His servants being moved with this ill presage put him into his Litter and again carried him towards the Sea but being overtaken by the murtherers he put his neck but of his Litter and they cut off his Head and his right hand wherewith he had written his Orations against Mark Anthony called Philippicks And thus was he slain by one whom he had defended and delivered from death Anthony joyfully received his â—and and caused it to be nailed up in the place where he was wont to plead to which all the People repaired to behold so woful and miserable a spectacle of whom there was not any one but was heartily sorry for the Death of so great a Personage and so fervent a lover of his Country Salvius Otho a Tribune of the People invited his Friends to his last Supper and as they were sitting in came a Centurion and in the presence of them all strake off his Head Minutius the Praetor was slain sitting in his seat of Judgment
Sons the tenth part of their Fathers Patrimony and to Daughters the twentieth part but few or none had any benefit by this promise yea on the contrary they sacked many of them that demanded these rights They exacted great sums of money in Rome and all over Italy and to encourage the Souldiers they gave them unmeasurable gifts and granted them daily new pillage The Legions they Wintered in the richest Cities upon free Quarter To be short men by fear and custome were so inured to slavery that they became more slaves than the Tyrants would have had them These three men having done what they would in Rome and knowing that Brutus and Cassius had a very great Army in Greece who called themselves the Deliverers of their Countrey saying that they would go and set Rome at liberty from Oppression Cassius having overthrown and slain Dolabella in Syria and being informed that by the assistance of their Friends they had gotten together eighteen Legions hereupon Mark Anthony and Octavian resolved to go against them wich the greatest Army that they could possibly make of old Souldiers and that Lepidus should stay to guard Rome and accordingly they departed and arrived in Greece and marching on they drew near to the place where Brutus and Cassius were encamped which was in Macedonia in the Philippick Fields Before they came to joyn Battel there were sundry Prodigies for Fowls of prey hovered about the Camp of Brutus as if it had been their own already and as they marched out to Battel a Blackmoor met them which they accounted an ill Omen Brutus being alone in his Tent at night a man sad and gastly appeared to him and being asked what he was he answered I am thy evil Genius and so vanished But on the contrary Birds and Beasts promised good success to Caesar. These Armies lying so near together had frequent skirmishes and at last came to a Battel where the Victory was strangely divided For Brutus on the one side of the Field did beat Octavian and put his Battalion to rout pursuing them into the Camp where many of them were slain and while Brutus was following his Victory his partner Cassius was overthrown by Mark Anthony though he did all that was possible to encourage his men and by reason of the clouds of Dust knew nothing of Brutus his Victory whereupon retiring to an high ground he there pitched his Tent and so standing and looking about he saw Brutus his Troops coming to his aid and to relieve him but he imagining that they came flying before their enemies commanded a slave of his whom he had made free to kill him who did it accordingly Octavians men that escaped by flight retired to Mark Anthonies Camp and had not Brutus his men busied themselves in ransacking Octavians Camp they had that day obtained an entire Victory for they might in due time have rescued and relieved Cassius and both of them being joyned together might easily have overthrown Mark Anthony but God had otherwise determined The Victory being thus divided the Generals of either party gathered their Forces together and of Brutus side were slain eight thousand men and of the Enemies side a far greater number Brutus did his best to encourage and comfort his Souldiers and the Gentlemen which followed Cassius and the next day though both Armies were put in battel Array yet they fought not but a few dayes after Brutus by his Souldiers was forced to come to another Battel who was of himself willing rather to delay and prolong the War knowing that his Enemies wanted Victuals and many other necessaries and because he reposed no great trust in the Forces of Cassius for he found that they were fearful and hard to be commanded because of their late overthrow When they came to the second encounter Brutus did all the Offices of an able General and of a Valiant Knight yet in the end his men were broken and overthrown by the Enemy Brutus having gathered his scattered Troops together found himself unable to make any farther resistance and being advised by some of his Friends to fly he told them That so he would yet not with his feet but with his hands and thereupon taking a Sword from a Servant of his called Stratus he slew himself Thus Octavian and Mark Anthony remained Victors and Masters of the Field and all things succeeded according to Caesars desire for whom God in his secret Counsel had reserved the Monarchy of the whole World which for the present was divided between three These Wars being ended and the Legions of Brutus and Cassius reduced to the obedience of the Conquerours Octavian and Mark Anthony agreed and resolved that Anthony should remain to govern Greece and Asia that Lepidus should go into Africk and that Octavian should return to Rome and accordingly Mark Anthony went into Asia where he gave himself up to sensuality and delights with the fair but wanton Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt and Octavian though with some hindrances by reason of his health at last came to Rome Not long after there arose new Wars and troubles for though Octavian was at peace with Lepidus who was now in Africk Octavian having under his command Spain France part of Germany Italy and Illyricum yet Lucius Antonius who at this time was Consul being provoked thereto by his Sister in Law Fulvia Wife to Mark Anthony began to oppose himself against Lepidus and Octavian seeking to overthrow the Triumvirat which contention brake out about the division of Fields which Caesar had made to the Souldiers which had served him in his Wars Some say that Fulvia made this stir that she might procure the return of Mark Anthony to her of whom she was jealous hearing of his familiarity with Cleopatra The discord in Rome grew to that height that they came to Arms and Lucius Antonius went from the City and levied an Army against Octavian who also marched towards him with his Forces But Lucius not daring to joyn Battel shut himself up in Perugia where Caesar immediately besieged him and Divorced himself from Claudia the Daughter of Fulvia and was married to his third Wife Scribonia by whom he had one onely Daughter Octavian being about twenty three years old so strictly besieged Perugia that Lucius and his men were brought to such straits for want of Victuals that he was forced to yield up himself to Octavian who pardoned him and used him kindly and thus this War was ended without bloudshed And so Octavian returned to Rome of which he was now sole Lord and from hence some reckon the beginning of his Empire which was about four years after the Death of Julius Caesar and about thirty eight years before the Incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Caesar being now in quiet Fulvia by Letters and false Informations sought to stir up her Husband Mark Anthony against Octavian with which resolution she left Italy and
eight hundred Gallies and Ships of burthen two hundred whereof Cleopatra gave him together with all the Ammunition and Victuals necessary for the Fleet He also took her along with him contrary to the advise of all those which were of his Counsel Then sailed he to the Isle of Samos to which he had appointed all the Kings Tetrarchs and People which served under him in this War to come by a day prefixed The Kings that met him there were Tarcondemus King of the upper Cilicia Archalaus of Cappadocia Philodelphus of Paphlagonia Methridates of Comagena and others Besides those which sent there Forces as Herod King of Judaea Amyntas of Lycaonia and the Kings of Arabia Of the Medes and Palemon King of Pontus with some others So that he had one hundred thousand well trained Footmen and twenty two thousand Horse besides his Navy by Sea which consisted of five hundred Gallies besides Ships of burden which carried his Ammunition and Victuals If Anthony thus furnished had presently passed into Italy he had put Octavian into great hazard For then he had not sufficient Forces to have withstood him nor other necessary Provision for the Wars But Mark Anthony delaying the time at Athens let slip the opportunity and gave Octavian leasure to provide all things necessary from Italy France Spain and all other his Provinces from whence he levied eighty thousand choise Souldiers and above twenty thousand good Horse and seeing that Anthony stayed so long he sent him word that seeing he had Ships and other fit provision he should come for Italy where he staid in the Field to give him Battel promising to afford him good Ports and Havens where he might safely land without interruption To this Anthony answered that it would be more honourable if he would determine this quarrel in Person against him body to body which he would willingly accept though he was now old and crazed and the other young and lusty and if he liked not of this challenge he would stay for him with his Army in the Fields of Pharsalia in the same place where Julius Caesar fought with Cneius Pompey These Messages passing between them without effect Anthony drew his Army by Land and his Navy by Sea towards Italy and Octavian imbarked his Legions at Brundusium and crossed the Sea to a place called Torma in the Province of Epire now called Romania and after some notable exploits performed the two Armies drew neer together as also did the Navies Octavians Navy consisted of two hundred and fifty Gallies but better armed and swifter than were Mark Anthonies though his were more in number And Mark Anthony being perswaded by Cleopatra who in this also was the cause of his ruin thereby to have the better means to fly if the Battel should be lost would needs try his Fortune in a Sea fight though his Army by Land had a great advantage over the other Anthony chose twenty thousand out of his Army and put them aboard his Fleet and Octavian who refused not the Sea-fight made his provision also and so shipping himfelf in his Gallies he committed the charge of his Land Army to Taurus and Anthony left his Land Forces with Canidius and in the sight of both the Armies these two brave Captains with the best Navies in the World took the Seas where they fought for no less than the Empire of the World Yet was the Fight deferred for three days in dispite of both Parties the Seas rising so high that they could not Govern their Vessels The fourth day they came to an encounter at a Cape called Accius in Epire not far from the place where their Land Armies stood The Battel was one of the most cruellest that ever was heard of and lasted ten hours before Octavian obtained the Victory though Mark Anthony staid not so long in the fight For Cleopatra in the greatest fury of the Battel fled away in her Galley whom seventy of her other Galleys followed and unfortunate Mark Anthony who all his life time hitherto had been a valiant and brave Captain seeing Cleopatra fly on whom he had fixed his eyes and heart shifting out of his own Galley into a lighter followed her without regard of his Armies either by Sea or Land and overtaking her went aboard her Galley wherein he sailed three days without either seeing or speaking with her being confounded with shame for shewing so much weekness and at last they arrived in the Port of Alexandria in Aegypt His Navy which he left fighting though now Headless and without a Captain yet continued to make gallant resistance till five thousand of them were slain and at last they were overcome rather for want of a Commander then through any force of an Enemy though Octavians light and swift Galleys were a great help to him and so he remained Conquerour and granted life and pardon to the conquered getting into his hands three hundred of their Galleys In Anthonys Army by Land there wanted neither courage nor constancy to theit General though he had so unworthily deserted them and therefore they continued seven days in their Camp ready to give Battel without accepting any composition from the Enemy and they would have staid longer had not Canidius their Captain abused his trust flying secretly from the Camp to seek Anthony whereupon the Army being destitute of a General yielded to the Enemy who admitted them into his own Army being nineteen Legions of Foot and twelve thousand Horse The Senators Knights and Noble men that had served Anthony many of them he fined in great sums of Money many he put to death and some he pardoned Then did Caesar sail to Athens and being pacified with the Greeks he distributed the Corn that was left in the War to the Cities that were afflicted with Famine and that were dispoiled of their Money Servants and Horses And Anthony being arrived in Aegypt chose out one good Ship of good burden and fraught with store of Treasure and rich Plate of Gold and Silver and gave it to his Friends intreating them to divide it amongst them and to shift for themselves and he wrote to Theophilus the Governour of Corinth that he would provide them an hiding place till they might make their Peace with Caesar. And Caesar of the spoils of the Enemy dedicated ten Ships to Apollo Actius Anthony being come into Africk went into a desart place wandering up and down only accompanied with two Friends and after a while he sent to the General of the Army which he had formerly raised for the defence of Aegypt but he slew his Messengers and said that he would not obey Anthony whereupon he had thought to have killed himself but being hindered by his Friends he went to Alexandria and after a while he built him an House in the Sea by the Isle of Pharos and there lived from the Company of all men saying That he would live the life of Timon
which consisted of Parthians yet he had joyned with him the Prince of Thanais without whom he could not do any thing Tamerlane also gave special commandment that the passages which were not many should be diligently guarded to the end that the King of China should not be advertised of these tumults and so giving to Odmar the leading of his Avantguard he hasted forwards And surely it was high time for him so to do or else all had been revolted for Calix having assembled a hundred thousand fighting men presented himself before the great City of Cambalu chief of the Province of Cathai the Inhabitants whereof came out to meet him receiving him with all the joy that might be Tamerlane in his March went to Caindu and from thence to Calatia where he expected to meet with the forces of his native Country of Sachetai yet did he not neglect to send forward his Army towards Cambalu which caused the Inhabitants to their great terrour to think that all his forces were already on their neck Calix perceiving that the Citizens began already to repent his entertainment thought it not safe to remain amongst them and therefore withdrawing himself he sent for his forces from all parts resolving to meet Tamerlane in the Field and to put all upon the event and hazard of a Battel He drew out of Cambalu fifty thousand men whereof twenty thousand were Citizens the other thirty thousand were the Garrison-Souldiers placed there by the old Emperour Calix having corrupted their Leaders and so procured them to joyn with him in this revolt In short having assembled all his forces his Army consisted of fourscore thousand Horse and one hundred thousand Footmen which he gathered from all parts In the mean time Tamerlanes Army marching forward his Scouts which were two thousand Horse had news of the Army of Calix which came forward directly towards them of which they speedily advertised the Emperour who thereupon presently sent two thousand Horse more to the end that they should keep the passages of a certain River called Brore by which River Victuals were conveyed to his Army as also to win time the Prince well knowing that the motions of a Civil War are furious at the beginning and that therefore it 's best to resist slowly always drawing them out at length if it be possible For when means money and victuals fail the people use to be sensible of their faults and to return home The old Emperour sent to him to adventure all upon a Battel delivering up into his hands the safety of his life and estate that thereby he might end his days in peace By this means forces came to Tamerlane on all hands whose Army daily encreased whereas on the contrary the Enemies Army was then in its chiefest force and began to feel the want of Victuals Calix was about forty years old a Captain renowned with the great Cham and one of the chiefest in dignity and place about him so that many of the Tartars had always respected him as a Person most worthy of the Empire if the glory of Tamerlane and his reputation had not so far exceeded The Armies began to be in view one of another about eight a clock in the morning and many skirmishes began betwixt them before they came to the main Battel The place wherein they met at that time was a great Plain with like advantage on either part Odmar led the Avantguard wherein were forty thousand Horse and eighty thousand Foot which he divided into three Squadrons the first whereof he sent before him to begin the Battel Tamerlane marched in the same order but his Squadrons were much stronger The Footmen of both made the right and left Wings Tamerlane had drawn out six thousand Parthian Horsemen and two thousand Tartarians for his Arearguard which he committed to his faithful Servant Axalla a man of great judgment quick of conceit and in great esteem amongst the Souldiers although he being a Christian worshipped God in another manner than they did and he had many other Christians with him whom he had drawn from the Georgians and the Euxine Sea who fought with great agility Calix on the other side who was a well spoken man was exhorting and encouraging his Souldiers to fight for his Fortune and the Liberty of their Nation He divided his Army into three main Battels himself remaining in the midst encompassed with his Footmen and so the Battels joyned where after a terrible fight Calix fell into Axalla's hands being taken fighting valiantly which Axalla caused to be presently proclaimed through the Army to the overthrow of the courage of all the Adversaries who hereupon immediately fled Calix was kept till the next day and then by a Council of War was adjudged to death whereupon Tamerlane caused his head to be stricken off the which he sent as a present to the Inhabitants of Cambalu The like he caused to be done to all the chief Leaders not out of a cruel disposition but enforced thereto by necessity knowing very well that the way to cut off the foot of Civil War is to punish the Heads of the same which as Hydra's grow up too fast After this Tamerlane with his Army marched into the Kingdom of Cathay a Country rich in grass and all kind of pastures abounding with great quantity of beasts and people which knew not what War meant and the Prince gave command that they should not be used as Enemies but as his good Subjects and whereas divers Cities had adhered to Calix they came now and humbled themselves before him craving pardon which he gave them enjoyning them only to provide victuals for his Army which also they willingly did This example of Lenity of was no small importance for the appeasing of others which had put all their hope in extremity resolving to sell their lives dear and especially the Inhabitants of Cambalu had taken this resolution but being informed of the Emperours clemency they changed their purpose Yet as the Army daily approached nearer their fears encreased but Tamerlane was daily informed by his Friends in the City that the Inhabitants resolved to obey the Conquerour and therefore leaving his Army at Gonsa he only sent thirty thousand to the City which was the ordinary Garrison and within two hours after entred the City himself where he was received with great magnificence yet would he not pronounce their pardon but referred all to the old Emperour and to the ordinary course of Justice For which end he sent one of his Favourites to the old Emperour to certifie him of his Victory of the death of Calix and that the chief of his Faction remained Prisoners with him as also to know what Justice he would appoint to be inflicted upon those Citizens which were the authors of the revolt of this City and so after eight days he departed and not many days after he had intelligence that the great Cham his
the way you must understand that about forty years before the Father of this present King of China had conquered this City and Countrey from the Tartars and had so planted the same with new Colonies that but few of the Tartarians remained except only in the flat Countrey and some small walled Towns who all came with their Keys and willingly submitted to Tamerlane whereby he had great plenty of victuals in his Army which made him hope for good success there being nothing that doth sooner overthrow great Armies than the want thereof Thus was Paguinfou besieged round the footmen lying within a flight-shoot the Walls the Citizens and Souldiers using their best endeavour for their defence and Tamerlane doing the like for their offence Axalla having viewed a great Suburb which was in length almost half a League supposed that the Citizens kept no watch there and therefore acquainting the Emperour with his purpose in the first watch of the night his men being all ready with scaling Ladders he assaulted the same in sundry places and after a great fight entred and cut in pieces at least eight thousand men which were within the same yet on one side where they expected to be assaulted he lost many of his men The taking of this Suburb did greatly astonish the Citizens who observing the valour of the Tartarians began to suspect their own safety By this Suburb there ran a River which being now under the command of Axalla he stopt all provision from going to the City In the mean time the King of China's Army approached which was very great whereupon the Emperour determined to go in person and meet him with the greatest part of his Horsemen but to leave most of his Foot to continue the siege being very desirous to take the City for the accelerating whereof he caused his Engines for battery to approach as Rams and such like so that the City was assaulted on two sides very couragiously and in the end through the valour of Axalla who gave an assault with twenty thousand of his best Souldiers he won the Wall and at the command of the Emperour lodged there who desired rather to have the City by Treaty than storm the City being great and rich and the Enemy but thirty Leagues from thence and therefore he feared lest his Army should be found in disorder and knowing also that rich Souldiers never fight well Besides he intended to draw out of that wealthy City such things as he stood in need of and to make it his Magazine for the time to come Yet though the Wall was won the Enemies wanted not heart to defend themselves valiantly hearing that their King was coming for their relief but it so happened that an Engine shooting a bullet slew the Governour whereupon the Citizens were so discouraged that they resolved to yield saving their lives and the Souldiers to march away with Horse and Arms. The conditions were admitted and there came out of the City eighteen thousand Souldiers almost all the Inhabitants remaining behind This siege had lasted two months and the City had in it at first thirty thousand Souldiers Axalla had the honour of winning this City and therefore was made Governour of it and all the Country belonging to it but he beseeched the Emperour to bestow it upon some other Person reserving for himself the hope of his Master in whose fortune he would take part This gave great content to Tamerlane who much desired the service of Axalla and upon his refusal the charge was conferred upon the Prince of Thanais with the Title of Vice-Roy Then did Tamerlane give notice of his affairs to the old Emperour and having paid his Souldiers and setled all things in the best manner he could he marched forward and taking a general Muster of his whole Army Horse and Foot he found them to be diminished ten thousand men only And so with his Army he spent one whole day in Prayer calling upon the immortal invisible invincible and incomprehensible God and then went directly to meet the Enemy who was at Sintehu with all his own and the forces of his Allies and as soon as he received news that Tamerlanes Army was advanced over the River of Chulifu the King of China marched directly towards them with great magnificence There was nothing to be seen in his Army but Gold and precious Stones He himself usually rode in a Chariot whereof every part shone with Gold Pearls Rubies and Diamonds He was of the age of about three and thirty and had been brought up in pleasures and not under the bloody Ensigns of Mars So that he was very insolent in threatnings brava does and defying to the Battel He often accused Tamerlane for surprizing him before he was ready not giving him warning c. The rumours of his riches so fired the spirits of the Tartarians that they longed to be at the Battel and so both sides hasted forwards and in the way there was a City called Tunichevoy surrendred to Tamerlane which afforded him much refreshing for his Army And thus the two Armies drawing near together Tamerlane made choice of a place in his judgment most advantageous for the Battel and having set down to Odmar the Order which he would have to be observed he longed to see his Enemy Then did he send before him five or six thousand Horse as Scouts under Calibes and himself went with them and having viewed the great confused Army of his Enemies which came continually forward he commanded Calibes to retire himself so soon as they drew near to him And bring saith he this great cloud to me which I hope soon to disperse and so retiring to his Army he encouraged them assuring them of the Victory He placed all his Foot-men which were about a hundred and twenty thousand along a Mountain planting great store of Artillery for their guard Many of his Foot-Souldiers were armed after the Christian manner who were all commanded by Axalla His Horsemen were in a Battalia in a great plain who upon any disadvantage could retire to the assistance of the Footmen the Horsemen were eighty thousand Calibes with the Scythians were in the Avantguard being thirty thousand Horse who were to receive Odmar when he should retreat from the Enemy as he was commanded thirty thousand more were appointed for Odmar and Tamerlane himself remained in the Arrear at one of the Wings of his Footmen His purpose was to let that sixty five thousand Horse under two such Gallant Captains to break the force of the Enemy hoping after them to have a good market causing his Foot to march forward and reserving with himself twenty thousand of his best Horse who of themselves were able to make a new Battel if any mischance should befal the former For he understood that it was the custom of the Kings of China to enclose themselves in the midst of their Chariots with their Footmen and not to
Tamerlane greatly rejoyced yet without insolency and vaunting but rather with the countenance of such an one as judged the event of Battels to be alwayes doubtful saying sometimes That a small number well conducted did carry away the victory from the confused multitude Three dayes after he stayed at Buisabuich causing his souldiers continually to march forward who at two places passed over the River Euphrates which he did the rather to maintain his Army upon the spoil of the Enemies countrey chusing rather there to attend Bajazets coming then amongst his friends and allies All the Cities that yielded to him in the way as he marched he favourably received the other that refused to submit themselves to his obedience he used with all extremity especially the great and strong City of Sebastia where certain of the forerunners of his Army were by the Turks that kept Garrison in it cut off and slain and to despite him the more the City gates were set open in contempt of him Whereupon being justly offended he sent out certain Tartarian Horsemen charging them upon pain of his displeasure so to behave themselves against their Enemies that at his coming up to them he might find either the City taken or at least the Gates shut up against him And he had his men at so great command that no danger was unto them more dreadful than his displeasure neither did he punish any thing so severely as cowardize Now the Turks in Sebastia seeing these Tartarian Horsemen marching towards the City making little account of them because their number was not great issued out to meet them where they were so furiously charged by these few Horsemen that they were glad to retire and for hast to shut the Gates against some of their own men lest the Enemy should have entered pell mell with them which Turks were there slain at the Gates of the City Shortly after came Tamerlane with all the rest of his Army and sat down before the City where he lay still seven days not making any shew of violence at all The defendants because the City was of great strength thought that his purpose was by a long Siege to distress the same But about the eighth day the Towers and Walls being undermined in sundry places suddenly fell down leaving large breaches for the Enemy to enter wherewith the Turks being dismayed surrendred the City to Tamerlane in hope so to have saved their lives but he caused them all to be buried quick and the City utterly to be razed and then calling the Governour whose life he had spared for that end he bade him go and tell his Master what had happened to his strong City of Sebastia and what himself had seen there of which Tragical action when the Governour had made report to Bajazet he demanded of him whether of the two Armies he thought bigger or stronger for he had now assembled a mighty Army of three hundred thousand Horse and two hundred thousand Footmen whereunto the Governour having first craved pardon answered That it could not be in reason but that Tamerlane had the greater Army for that he commanded over far greater Countries wherewith proud Bajazet being offended replied in great Choller Out of doubt the sight of the Tartarian hath so affrighted this coward that he thinks every Enemy to be two As Bajazet marched forward he heard a Country Shepherd merrily pleasing himself with his homely Pipe as he sate on the side of a Mountain feeding his small flock whereupon he stood still and listned to him to the admiration of many and at last brake forth into these words O happy Shepherd which hadst no Sebastia to lose bewraying therein his own discontentment and yet withal shewing that worldly bliss consisted not so much in possessing of much subject unto danger as in enjoying content in a little devoid of fears The rest of the Cities as Tamerlane marched forwards warned by the destruction of Sebastia yielded to him the Citizens whereof he used courteously especially the Christians whom he set at liberty for the Greek Emperours sake whom he sought therein to gratifie But Tamerlane had not gone far into the Turks dominions before he was certainly informed that Bajazet was coming against him with a mighty Army and was now within thirty Leagues of him which caused him from thence forward to march with his Army more close together Axalla leading the Van sent forth Chianson Prince of Ciarchan with four thousand Parthian Horsemen to get knowledg of the Turkish Army and where Bajazet lay as also what manner of Countrey it was beyond Sennas and if he could learn any thing thereof to make relation of it to him This Prince of Ciarchan was Tamerlanes near Kinsman a man of great reputation and next to Axalla in whose absence he had the command of the Avantguard who also sent before him another Parthian Captain with five hundred Horsemen who having advanced about ten Leagues and surprized Sennas was certainly informed there of the state of Bajazets Army which was now at Tataeia and so marching forward which Tamerlane being informed of commanded him not to retire from that place till he saw the arrival of the enemy and thereof to give him advertisement every hour resolving himself to pass on no further being encamped in a fair large plain which was very advantageous for him his Army being bigger then Bajazets which made him make choise of those large plains His Army also being compounded of sundry Nations he considered that he was not to fight against the Chinois a soft effeminate people as of late but against the Turks a most warlike Nation and well acquainted with all manner of fights and warlike stratagems and therefore he judged it necessary to proceed warily against them Upon this consideration he presently sent for Axalla with him to view the said place and to have his opinion whether it would be advantageous for him to stay there or no Axalla not misliking his choice of the place yet withal advised him to keep Sennas as long as possible he could and accordingly he sent word to them at Sennas that when they could keep the place no longer they should set fire on it and so retreat and this he did that the Enemy should have no desire to encamp there but to march forward to those plains where Tamerlane desired to fight the rather because he was stronger in Horse than Bajazet Accordingly the Prince of Ciarchan sent out a hundred Horse toward the Turks then divided he the rest of his Forces into two parts commanding the former that as soon as they perceived the Enemy to pursue the hundred Horse whom he had commanded to fly disorderly before them that they should receive them into their Squadrons and so retire altogether He in the mean time with the other part stood close in a Valley near unto a Wood-side wholly unseen where having suffered two thousand
of the Enemies Horse the Vant-curriers of the Turks Army to pass by him he following them in the tail charged them home the other also which before retired now turned again upon them so that the Turks seeing themselves thus beset and hardly laid to both before and behind as men discouraged fled but in their flight were most of them slain the rest of them were taken Prisoners This was the first encounter between the Turks and the Parthians All the Prisoners taken were by the Prince sent as a Present to Tamerlane and amongst the rest the Bassa of Natolia who led those Troops of whom Tamerlane earnestly demanded what caused his Master Bajazet so little to esteem him as to shew so great a contempt of his Army Which saith he he shall find strong enough to abate his Pride To this the Bassa answered That his Lord was the Sun upon Earth which could not endure any corrival And that he rather was astonished to see how he from so far a Country had undertaken so dangerous a journey to hinder the fortune of his Lord in whose favour the heavens as he said did bend themselves to further his greatness and unto whom all the world subjected it self and that he commited great folly in going about to resist the same Unto this proud Speech Tamerlane replied That he was sent from heaven to punish his insolency and to teach him that the proud are hated of God whose promise is to pull down the mighty and to advance the lowly As for thy self said he thou hast already felt though I pity thy mishap what the valour of my Parthian Horse is against thy Turkish and I have already caused thy Master to raise his Siege before Constantinople and to look to his affairs here in Asia He also asked him whether his Master did come resolved to give him Battel Assure your self said he that there is nothing that he more desireth and would to God that I might acknowledg your greatness in giving me leave to assist my Lord in that Battel Good leave have thou said Tamerlane go thy ways and tell thy Lord that thou hast seen me and that in the Battel he shall find me on Horse-back there where he shall see a green Ensign displayed The Bassa thanked him and swore that next unto his Lord he vowed unto him his service And so returning he related unto Bajazet how he had seen Tamerlane and reported to him truly all that he had willed him to say not forgetting above all to praise his courtesie and bounty who besides that he had frankly set him at liberty had also given him a very fair Horse well furnished although he well knew that he was to serve against himself To this Bajazet answered no more but that he would shortly make trial of him and that he doubted not but before he had done with him he should make him acknowledg his folly The next day the two Armies drew neer together and encamped within a league the one of the other where all the night long you might have heard a noise of Horses which filled the heavens with their neighings and the air with sounds and every man thought the night long that they might come to the trial of their valours and the gaining of their desires The Scythians a people no less greedy than needy talked of nothing but the spoil the proud Parthians of attaining honour the poor Christians of their deliverance from an insulting adversary all which was to be gained by the next days Victory Every man during the night-time speaking according to his humour All which Tamerlane walking privately up and down in the Camp heard and much rejoyced to see the hope which his Souldiers had already conceived of the Victory and so after the second watch returning into his Pavilion and there casting himself upon a Carpet he purposed to sleep a while but his cares not suffering him so to do he then as his manner was called for a Book wherein was contained the Lives of his Fathers and Ancestors and of other valiant Worthies which he used ordinarily to read in as then also he did not vainly to deceive the time but to make use of it by imitating that which by them was worthily done and declinining such dangers as they by their rashness or oversight fell into After which having slumbred a little he commanded Axalla to be sent for to him who presently came accompanied with divers other Great Lords and Captains of the Army with whom after he had consulted a while about the order of the Battel himself presently mounted on Horseback and sent each of them to their charge to see their orders put in execution At which very instant he received intelligence that the Enemy was marching forwards and come to chuse his Ground for the Battel whose order of marching Tamerlane was very desirous to see that so he might marshal his own Army accordingly For said he I do not so much trust to the Lions skin wherein I wrap mine arm but that withall I will make use of the Foxes therein to wrap my head which my Grandfather neglected to his overthrow in a Battel against the Persians For being in a place of advantage he went out of it to seek his Enemy that was lodged strongly contrary to the advise of all his Captains which proved his ruin Then did he cause three thousand Horsemen to advance forward with charge to begin the skirmish himself following after to lodg every part of his Forces in such places as he had foreseen to be fittest for his advantage And seeing the Turkish Janizaries marching in a square Battel in the midst of the Army and upon the two Frons two great squadrons of Horsemen which seemed to be about thirty thousand and another which advanced before and covered the Battalion of the Janizaries he thought this their order to be very good and hard to be broken and therefore turning himself to Axalla he said I had thought this day to have fought on foot but I see that it behoves me now to fight on Horseback to encourage my Souldiers to open that great Battalion of the Enemies And my will is that my men come forwards to me so soon as may be for I will advance forward with a hundred thousand Footmen fifty thousand upon each of my two wings and in the midst of them forty thousand of my best Horsemen and my pleasure is that after I have tried the force of these men they come back into my Avantguard of whom I will dispose and fifty thousand Horsemen more in three bodies whom thou shalt command which I will assist with eighty thousand Horse wherein shall be mine own person having an hundred thousand Footmen behind me who shall march in two Squadrons and for my Arearward I appoint forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Footmen who shall not march but to my aid And I will make choise of
Tamerlane dost thou use such cruelty towards them whom thou overcomest without respect of Age or Sex That did I said he to strike the greater terrour into mine Enemies Then did Tamerlane ask him if he had ever given thanks to God for making him so great an Emperour No said he I never so much as thought upon any such thing Then said Tamerlane It s no wonder that so ungrateful a man should be made a spectacle of misery For you saith he being blind of an Eye and I lame of a Leg was there any worth in us that God should set us over two such great Empires to command so many men far more worthy than our selves But said Tamerlane what would thou have done with me if it had been my lot to have fallen into thy hands as thou art now in mine I would said Bajazet have enclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so have carried thee up and down in Triumph through my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served And so causing him to be taken out of his presence turning to his followers he said Behold a proud and cruel man who deserves to be chastised accordingly and to be made an example to all the proud and cruel of the World of the just wrath of God against them I acknowledg that God this day hath delivered into my hands a great Enemy to whom therefore we must return thanks which he also caused publickly to be performed the same day for the Battel was ended about four a clock and there were divers hours yet of day-light The next day he caused the dead to be buried where amongst the rest was found the body of the Prince of Ciarchan dead in the midst of the Janizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies shwing that he died not unrevenged whose untimely death Tamerlane much lamented causing his dead body to be Embalmed and with two thousand Horse and divers Turkish Prisoners chained together to be conveyed to Samercand until his coming thither All other dead bodies were with all honour that might be buried at Sennas This great bloody Battel was fought in the year of our Lord 1397. not far from Mount Stella where formerly the great King Methridates was by Pompey the Great in a great Battel overthrown It continued from seven a clock in the morning till four in the afternoon victory as it were all the while hovering with doubtful Wings over both Armies as uncertain where to light until at length the fortune of Tamerlane prevailed whose wisdom next unto God gave him the days Victory for that the politick tiring of the strong Forces of Bajazet was the safeguard of his own whereas if he had gone unto the Battel in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong opposition had put it self into confusion but this successive manner of aiding his men made them all unto him profitable The number of the slain is variously reported The Turks themselves say that Bajazet lost there his noble Son Mustapha with two hundred thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer Others say that the Turks lost about sixty thousand and Tamerlane not past twenty thousand But likely it is that the carnage was very great in so long a fight between two such Armies as probably never before met in a field together By this days event is plainly seen the uncertainty of worldly things and what small assurance even the greatest have in them Behold Bajazet the terrour of the World and as he thought superiour to fortune in an instant by the event of one Battel thrown into the bottom of misery and despair and that at such a time as he thought least of it even in the midst of his greatest strength It was three days before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still sought after death and called for it Neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards use him courteously but as of a proud and insolent man made small account of him And to manifest that he knew how to curb the haughty he made him to be shackled in fetters and chains of Gold and so to be shut up in an Iron Cage made like a grate that he might be seen on every side and so carried him up and down as he passed thorow Asia to be made a scorn and derision to his own people over whom he had before Tyrannized And to his further disgrace upon Festival days he used him for a footstool to tread upon when he mounted on Horseback and at other times scornfully fed him like a Dog with fragments that fell from his Table A rare example of the uncertainty of worldly honours and greatness that he unto whose ambitious mind Asia and Europe two great parts of the World were too little should now be carried up and down cooped up in a little Iron cage like a dangerous wild beast How might he have taken up that speech of Hecuba in Seneca Quicunque Regno fidit magna potens dominatur in aula me videat Non unquam tulit Documenta Fo rs majora quà m fragili loco starent superbi Tamerlane used this severity not so much out of hatred to the man as to manifest the just Judgment of God against the arrogant folly of the proud And when on a time he was requested by one of his Nobles to remit some part of this rigour to so great a man he answered I do not use this rigour against him as a King but rather to punish him as a proud amibitious Tyrant polluted with the bloud of his own brother and many other innocents This so great an overthrow brought such a fear upon all the Countries possessed by Bajazet in Asia that Axalla being sent before Tamerlane with Forty thousand Horse and a hundred thousand Foot without carriages to prosecute the Victory came without resistance to Prusa whither all the remainder of Bajazets Army was retired with Bassa Mustapha all places as he marched along still yielding to him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his coming and not thinking themselves in safety in Asia fled over the streight of Hellespont to Callipolis and so Hadrianople Axalla coming to Prusa had the City without resistance yielded to him which by his Army was plundered and there with other of Bajazet's Wives and concubines he took prisoner the fair Despina Bajazet's best beloved Wife to the doubling of his grief Emanuel Paleologus now hearing of Tamerlane's coming to Prusa sent honourable Ambassadours thither before to Axalla by whom they were entertained till the coming of Tamerlane who received them with all the honour that might be shewing them all his magnificence and the order of his Camp to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well governed City by reason of the order that was therein which brought it plenty of victuals and of
as Tamerlane's Army approached to it By this unexpected coming of the Sultan the great City that before was ready to have revolted was again confirmed in his obedience to the great prejudice of Tamerlanes affairs For to remain long before it was impossible through want of Victuals for so great an Army in an Enemies Countrey Yet this discouraged not Tamerlane from approaching to it and with all his Army to encamp near unto the same having caused a great Trench to be made for the security of his Horsemen and therein to lodge his Army more safely during which time he caused divers attempts to be made as well to try the enemies confidence as to see how the people of the City especially the slaves which in that populous City are in great numbers were affected towards him who indeed were glad to see the state of his Army and the proud Mamelukes still put to the worst but farther strirred not During this siege he thought good one day to draw forth his Army before the City to try whether the enemy had any mind to come to a battel as also to view his own Forces and so indeed to seek occasion to fight hoping that if the Sultan should come forth with his Army some revolt might happen at the same time in the City as well by the slaves unto whom by secret Spies he had promised liberty as by the Citizens themselves who were much discontented with the insolency of the Mamelukes and by whom Tamerlane by the same Spies had made it known that he came not to hurt them but to deliver them from the tyranny of his and their enemies But standing thus in Battel array none stirred out of the City neither was there any tumult raised within according as he expected For the Sultan being plentifully provided with all things in that rich City resolved to weary out Tamerlane by lying still and not to put all to the hazard of a battel Tamerlane perceiving his Design yet resolved not to depart till he was Victorious whereupon he thought fit also to attempt him in his greatest strength and in the heart of his greatest City though it could not be done without great hazard such confidence had he in the Valour and Multitude of his Army Now his purpose was first to take one of the Cities for Caire is divided into three and therein encamping himself by little and little to advance forwards as he could find opportunity Upon this resolution he commanded a strong assault to be given and having conducted his Footmen to the place chosen by him for the onset for the City was not Walled but only fortified with Ditches and Trenches he commanded the Prince of Thanais with fifty thousand men to begin the Assault even in the face of the Enemy which he most valiantly performed which occasioned a great and terrible fight Axalla in the mean time deeming as the truth was that the Sultan had drawn the greatest part to his Forces to that place fetched a compass about and in another part of the City with small resistance passed the Trenches where he presently left thirty thousand men to fill up the Ditches thereby to make way for the Horsemens entrance himself with the rest advancing forwards against twenty thousand sent by the Sultan to oppose his farther passage the Prince of Thanais being at the same time almost beaten back by the Mamelukes But the Ditches being presently levelled ten thousand Horsemen entred who charged upon the backs of the Mamelukes where the Sultan himself was there were likewise seconded by ten thousand more sent in by Tamerlane himself following after with all his power Hereupon the Sultan retreated into a second strength which he had made in the next City This fight continued full seven hours wherein were slain of the Sultans men above sixteen thousand and of Tamerlane's between seven and eight thousand Tamerlane being well contented that he had dislodged his enemy and gained one of the Cities caused a retreat to be sounded hoping the next day to win all the rest as indeed he did For the next morning the Prince of Thanais storming the Trenches in one part as Axalla did in another the Sultan after a great fight finding himself hardly pressed by the obstinate Enemy and unable longer to hold out retreated abandoning the City and encamping himself along the River Nilus resolving to retire to the City of Alexandria his second strength and only refuge which Tamerlane suspecting followed after him with his Horsemen who only were in order and some few Foot hardly drawn from the City which their fellows were in plundering Tamerlane promising them both to regard and reward their good service Against these the Sultan upon a narrow cawse-way had opposed twelve or fifteen thousand men to favour his passage who being of his best Souldiers maintained their ground stoutly the place being much for their advantage yet at length their enemies still increasing and pressing hard upon them they were forced to cast themselves into the great River and made a most honourable retreat every man having his Weapon in one hand and swimming with the other hand to the farther Bank The Sultan flying with about eighteen thousand Horse the rest being either drowned or dispersed is said to have comforted his flying men by telling them they were not men but gods that had vanquished them Divers of the Mamelukes that were taken Prisoners being brought before Tamerlane were by him courteously used and asked if they would be content to serve him seeing their Master was fled and gone This they all utterly refused whom notwithstanding for their fidelity Tamerlane set at liberty to go again to their Master being no less desirous to be admired by his Enemies for his Goodness and Bounty than to be feared for his Force and Valour The wonderful wealth of this so great and famous a City became a prey to his Souldiers who for the space of twenty four hours had the spoil thereof At the end of which time every man was straitly charged by open Proclamation to retire to his Quarters Tamerlane would not suffer any of the Citizens to be taken Prisoners and such as were he released and so leaving ten thousand good Souldiers with many others that followed his Camp for the Guard of the City and taking with him all such persons as he thought might hurt him he caused his Army to pass over the River and to follow the Sultan to Alexandria that so his Victory might be compleated Axalla hasted before with the Avantguard to hinder the Sultan from gathering up his Forces together The rest of the Army was conducted by the Prince of Thanais Tamerlane himself with an infinte number of Boats and many Souldiers to attend him went by Water greatly delighting to behold that fair River of Nilus sometimes running with a swift course other sometimes very calm and scarce moved The Citizens of Alexandria
the many Victories which they had gotten over those that far exceeded them in number He bad them look on their Enemies and see whether they were not by far fewer than that huge Army they had â—laughtered at Cannae He bad them remember that it was the Father of this Scipio whom they had made to run away c. Wherefore he intreated them upon whose virtue he meant wholly to repose himself that they would strive that day to make good their honour and to purchase the fame of Men Invincible When the Armies drew neer the Numidian Horse-men on both sides began to Skirmish the Trumpets and other Instruments sounded to Battel Hannibals Elephants which were always an uncertain kind of help were to break upon the Romans But some of them ran back upon their own Horse which they so disordered that Massanissa taking the advantage before they could re-ally charged them and drave them quite out of the Field The rest of these Beasts made a great spoil amongst the Roman Velites but being wounded they ran back upon the right point of their own Battel and disordered the Carthaginian Horse that were in the Wing vvhich gave such advantage to the Roman Horse that charging them vvhen they vvere in disorder they drave them away likewise Then did the Battels of Foot advance and ran one at the other and the Mercenaries at the first seemed to have the better of the Romans But at length the Roman Discipline prevailed against boisterous strength And whereas the Romans were seconded by their Friends these Mercenaries received no help from those that should have seconded them For the new raised Africans when they saw the Mercenaries give back they retired also which made the hired Souldiers think themselves betrayed whereupon they declined the fight The Carthaginian Battel was herewith more terrified than before so that refusing to give way to the Mercenaries they fell out amongst themselves and forbore to make head against their Enemies Thus were many of them beaten down and slain through their own indiscretion And this gave the Romans such advantage that they made a great slaughter both of the Carthaginians and Mercenaries who could neither sight nor easily flie Such as could ran towards Hannibal who kept his ground and would not stir to help these run-aways Then did Scipio advance against Hannibal who intertained him after another manner than ever he had been received in his Life before All the former days work seemed but a Pastime in comparison of this The Romans were encouraged because they had prevailed all the day before they were also far more in number But Hannibals old Blades were fresh and the better men They fought with such obstinate resolution that no man gave back one Foot but rather chose to die than to lose their ground so that for a long time the Victory was uncertain But the return of Massanissa and Laeli is with the Horse from the pursute of the Enemies was to the Romans most happy and in a needful time These upon a suddain charging Hannibal upon the Reer overbore them with meer violence and put them to rout Hannibal with a few Horse saved himself by flight and staid not till he came to Carthage where coming into the Senate he told them plainly that there was no other way left but to make such a Peace as could be procured Amongst other things it was agreed that the Carthaginians should pay to the Romans two hundred Talents a year for fifty years together Which mony when it came to be collected there was pitious lamentation amonst the People the Roman Yoak beginning to pinch them already that some of the Senators could not forbear Weeping but Hannibal could not refrain from Laughter For which Asdrubal Haedus one of Hanno's faction checked him saying that it ill becommed him to laugh since he had been the cause why all others did Weep He answered that Laughter did not always proceed from Joy but sometimes from indignation Yet said he My Laughter is more seasonable and less obsurd than your Tears For you should have wept when you gave up your Ships and Elephants and when you bound up your hands from use of Arms without the good leave of the Romans This miserable condition keeps us under and holds us in assured servitude But of these things you had no feeling Now when a little mony is wrung from you you are very sensible of that God grant that the time come not wherein you shall acknowledg that it was the least part of your misery for which you have shed these Teares Afterwards Hannibal in the Civil administration of the City gave an overthrow or two to the Judges which at that time bore all the sway in Carthage having all the lives goods and fame of the rest in their power Shortly after Hannibal was chosen Praetor by virtue of which Office he was superiour to them for that year He sent upon an occasion for one of the Treasurers to come to him but he proudly refused whereupon Hannibal sent a Pursevant for him and brought him in Judgment before the People accusing not only him but the rest of the Judges for their insolency and unbridled Power withall propounding a Law that the Judges should be chosen from Year to Year He found also that they had robbed the Treasury which caused the Taxes to be laid upon the common People whereof he made such plain demonstration that they were compelled to restore with shame what they had gotten by Knavery This so irritated his Enemies who were of the Roman Faction that they complained to the Roman Senate that the Barchine Faction grew strong again and that Hannibal would shortly be in Arms For he was like a Wild Beast that could never be tamed that he held secret intelligence with King Antiochus who was an enemy to the Romans c. Hereupon the Senate sent three Ambassadors to Carthage to demand Hannibal but he kept such good espial upon the Romans that he was informed of their intentions against which he was never unprepared And therefore when Night was come he stole out of the City accompanied with two Friends whom he could trust and having Horses in a readiness he rode all Night and came to a Tower of his own by the Sea side and having provided a Ship in a readiness he bad Africk farewel lamenting the misfortune of his Country more than his own and shaped his course to Tyre which was the Mother City of Carthage There he was intertained Royally in whose worth and honour the Tyrians thought themselves to have interest because of the affinity between the Cities Thence went he to Antiochus who was exceeding glad of his coming intending War against the Romans To him Hannibal gave excellent advice how he might carry on his War against the Romans vvith best advantage but Antiochus hearkned more to his Courtiers than to him and so was shamefully beaten by the Romans at