highest Charges of them came Favorites and the greatest Captains According to all appearance these young Nobles were more likely than any to tolerate their Prince's Defects and Government as having bin for a long time accustom'd to his Humour and brought up in his Court as Sons But as it is impossible intirely to bereave Lions of their natural fierceness so there is in humane Nature something so fierce and indomitable that though it may for some time be kept under it can never be extinguish'd there is a self-love which is as it were the measure and first mover of all our Affections there is a Liberty which the weight of Chains cannot bow Who could have thought that these young Nobles having contriv'd a Conspiracy against Alexander so much the more dangerous as they were driven by a desire of Glory and an implacable hatred and given each other their Faith should neither by the caresses of their Prince nor the inconstancy of their Age be induc'd to violate the same for a long time all but one observing it intirely which is rare in Traitors Alexander being one day a Hunting Hermolaus one of his Pages threw his Dart at a Wild Boar and kill'd him The King who was running in to present the Beast with his Spear conceiving indignation against Hermolaus caused him to be whipp'd according to the custom of the Macedonians But this young Nobleman not brooking the Affront shew'd that those who are so far advanc'd in Years as to be able to take up Resolutions beseeming Men of courage are not to be dealt withal as Children Nothing is more capable to incite a resolute and ambitious Spirit to revenge than the receiving shameful Punishment for a bold and generous Action worthy of a Prince's Applause Virtue has its Venom 't is dangerous to provoke it we see daily Pity converted into Fury Hermolaus in dispair seeks out Calisthenes that wise Philosopher and enemy to Flattery famous for his Learning and the austerity of his Manners Presently he complains to him with tears of the out-rage he has receiv'd and 't is reported that Calisthenes whether it were to incite him to revenge or to comfort him said to him Consider Hermolaus that thou art now no Child These words gave him such courage that from that very instant he conspir'd the death of Alexander The Counsel of great Men is held in a Common-Wealth as an Oracle and a Law whence it comes that a Man esteem'd wise by the Vulgar can easily raise a Multitude and cause a great disorder in a State The more powerful therefore a Man is in Counsel the more moderate should he be in giving it Calisthenes whom every one heard with pleasure ought to have taken heed to his words more than any under the reign of a Prince who punish'd the intemperance of the Tongue with the severest Punishment He had done like a Man of great Wisdom if he had only comforted Hermolaus in his disgrace and not set him on revenge a young Man apparently incapable of such kind of Enterprizes One must be certain of the Event destroy ones Enemy or not attack him Hermolaus inflam'd with a desire of Revenge and not being able to accomplish it himself assembles his Companions and speaks to them in this manner If the Affront I received only concern'd me I would only lament my disgrace and impute it to my bad Fortune But all the Macedonians have part in my Infamy and it concerns their Glory to take a memorable Revenge Doubtless the Gods jealous of their own Grandeur have suffer'd Alexander who dares equal himself to them to deal with us so unworthily that they might inspire us with a just resentment and courage to free our selves from this Monster of Pride Be not deceived my Companions I have not bin punish'd according to Law Alexander could not suffer that I should rob him of the Glory of killing a Wild Boar he has exercised his private Indignation Envy is the only cause of this outrage I have done a bold Exploit for my Age fit to be admir'd and he has treated me like a Slave What recompence can you now expect for your great Services if Ingratitude and Ignominy be the Reward of Courage What avails it you Macedonians that you have gain'd by the price of your Blood the Empire of the Universe Were it not better to be in bondage to the Persians A generous Action gives a Slave his Liberty which we lose in the midst of Victories Happier the Vanquish'd than the Vanquishers under the Government of a Tyrant He cannot suffer the Glory of the latter they are incessantly the Object of his Fury whereas the former come not within the reach of Envy I scruple not to say that Alexander is a Tyrant What fitter name can be given to one that is so greedy of his own Citizens Blood How shall I find words to express his Impiety his Cruelty his Arrogance Is he not a Monster to make himself Arbiter of Mens Lives and the Glory of the Gods who would be Master of our Bodies and Tyrant o're our Hearts who not content to reign on Earth would have command in Heaven He is not asham'd to require Honours that another would refuse and because we free Macedonians laugh at the base complaisance of the Persians he hates us he lays Snares for us he oppresses us See how he recompences those to whom he is indebted for the Empire of the East his Glory and his Life His insolence ascends to that degree of impiety as to make us own for the Son of Jupiter a wicked perfidious Desertor who forsakes the Laws of his Country to follow the Customs of Barbarians whom we have known born of Olympias who is jealous of his Father's Glory and assassinates his best Friends What do you expect O generous Souls a Death as cruel as that of Parmenio and Clitus Shall we yet sprinkle Alexander's Laurels with our Blood to be at last like those great Men sacrific'd to his fury Consider that there is nothing dearer to miserable Mortals than their Lives shall we suffer them freely to be taken from us Why should we not rather secure them by Alexander's Death So memorable an Action will eternize our glorious Memory to posterity This Tyrant's Life is in our Hands the Heavens have given him over to our Vengeance in us whom he has cruelly injur'd he reposes all his confidence would you have a more convincing proof of the Will and Anger of the Gods Without doubt 't is their pleasure to make use of our tender Youth in so bold an Enterprize to make it known to the World that they are the Authors we only their Instruments Is there any of you so ill advis'd as to oppose the Gods Incited by the Heavens Alexander's insupportable Pride and Cruelty aâ—m'd greedy of Glory and full of firm Resolution shall we not dare attack a Man without Guards unarm'd oppress'd with Crimes in a deep sleep I have chosen you my Companions
provide for your Safety There 's no Eloquence more perswasive than that of a Courtier He 's a vehement and pathetick Orator who knows his Prince's Genius his Weakness his Inclination the Intriegues of the Court and all its Policies Craterus his Speech though artificial appeared full of Zeal and prevail'd in Council You see how cunningly he could conceal under a profound dissimulation the jealousy he had a long time had of Philotas his Grandeur Of the whole Company there was not one that undertook this miserable Man's defence all concluded upon his Death The resolution they had taken requir'd secrecy which Alexander recommended to them and to avoid giving suspicion he order'd all his Captains to get ready to march on the morrow In the mean while Caenus and Erigyus Leonatus and Perdiccas received order to send out a detachment of Cavalry to seize all the Passages that led into Media that Parmenio might have no intelligence given him And about midnight Attarras commanding three-hundred Men went out to secure Philotas his House Fifty of the boldest of them forc'd the Dore and whether it were that he rely'd on his reconciliation with the King or that his Disquiets had over-tired his Spirits Attarras loaded him with Irons whilst he lay fast a-sleep The rustling of Arms and the weight of his Chains wakening him at the same time he cry'd out starting Ah! Sir the malice of my Enemies has prevail'd with your bounty They carried him afterwards to the Palace neither his Fetters nor the consideration of his Misery being able to extract from him so much as one word or one groan The Authority of the Kings of Macedonia was limited during Peace by the common People and in time of War by the Souldery both the one and the other were Judges of Capital Crimes so that Alexander Emperor as he was and Master of all the East was forced by the Laws to plead his own Cause and be the Accuser of Philotas Alexander having caus'd the Macedonians to be assembled in the Palace and expos'd the Body of Dymnus to their view spake to them in manner following Souldiers a handful of Conspirators had almost rob'd you of Alexander I owe my safety to the Gods I have liv'd to see you and your presence animates me the more against my Parricides I cannot bear it that these wicked Vilains would have frustrated me of my Intentions and the Fruit of my Labours which can be no other than to honour your Valour and to recompence your Services Here his Speech was interrupted by the sighing of his Souldiers who all wept bitterly from whence he took occasion to prosecute in these terms How will you behave your selves then when I shew you who these Traitors are I scarce dare yet name them I expel them as far as I am able from my memory as if this could save them from their Punishment But I must stifle the remembrance of former friendship and discover this abominable Plot. And how indeed can I well conceal it Parmenio our Friend of a longer standing than any on whom both my Father and I have liberally heap'd up Favours has in his old Age made himself the Head of this Attempt Philotas his Son the chief Instrument of his Treachery has suborn'd Peucolaus Demetrius this wretched Dymnus whose Body lies before you and as many others as he could find capable of so great a madness At these words arose a great noise and confus'd murmur such as is common to great Assemblies especially of Souldiers seized with anger and amazement Nicomachus Metron and Ceballinus are introduced Each of them gives in what he had already declar'd but none charges Philotas So that the whole Army hearing no Evidence against him immediately laid aside their Anger and there was a general silence The King pursu'd thus What can you imagine the Design of a Man who inform'd of this Conspiracy kept it secret Dymnus by killing himself declar'd the Information true Ceballinus chose rather to expose himself to Tortures than to conceal a thing of such Importance though he was not certain of it Metron was so disquieted that to discharge himself soon enough he rush'd into the Chamber where I was bathing Only Philotas believes nothing fears nothing A most excellent Courage when his King 's in greatest danger he changes not his Countenance he slights the Information Ah! doubtless this silence was not without Design The desire of reigning animated Philotas to the perpetration of the highest Crime His Father commands all Media and he relying on the credit he has in my Army and imagining himself Master of my Forces aspires to more than he is capable of to more than he deserves It may be he despises me because I have no Children but he 's mistaken you are my Family as long as you live I am not without Children Then he rehears'd the Letter that had bin intercepted written from Parmenio to his two Sons Nicanor and Philotas There was nothing charg'd them more home of so capital an Enterprise The substance of it was this In the first place take care of your selves then of those that are under you and we need not fear accomplishing our Designs The King added That 't was conceived in these terms for fear of being intercepted that none but the Confederates might understand it But you 'l say Dymnus when he told Nicomachus the Names of the Conspirators said nothing of Philotas That 's nothing at all Souldiers to his Innocency but rather an effect of his Power He is so dreaded by those that can accuse him that when they confess their own Crime they conceal his We may judg of Philotas by the Actions of his Life He was a Confederate in the Conspiracy of my Cousin Amyntas in Macedonia He gave his Sister in Marriage to Attalus the greatest of my Enemies And when I wrote to him in a familiar Letter what the Oracle of Jupiter Ammon had spoken in my favour he had the confidence to answer me That he was glad to hear I was received into the number of the Gods but that he pity'd those that were to live under the Government of a Man that could not contain himself within the bounds of Humane Nature Are not these sufficient Marks of the alienation of his Spirit and of the envy he had for my Glory All this I kept to my self as long as possibly I could For I look'd on it as a ripping up of my own Bowels to disgrace those to whom I had bin so favourable But now they are not Words that are to be chastised From liberty of Speech he has proceeded to that of Action from wounds of Words to those of Swords Philotas you may believe it has design'd to assassinate me and if he be capable to perform it Souldiers Where shall I seek for safety Whom shall I trust my Life with I have made him the only General of the Cavalry which composes the greatest part of the Army and the Flower of the
is oppos'd to the Admiral the Affection of the People to the Souldier's Rebellion but if a Minister be General of an Army Superintendent of the Treasury Admiral or if these Charges are at his disposal what is there that he cannot do if faithful he is formidable if unfaithful he is King Parmenio and Philotas were Masters of the Empire one General of the Cavalry the other of a whole Army the former Governor of several Provinces Superintendent of the Treasury having in all Battels the command of one Wing the latter awing the great Ones a Favorite and Arbiter of his Prince's Life The immense Riches of Philotas the great number of Creatures of all sorts and conditions inseparably linked to his Fortune his Authority in the Armies almost equalling the King's might well induce him young as he was cruel full of delicacy and pride to conspire the death of Alexander the only Let to him in his way to the highest pitch of Grandeur Add to these the Love of a Woman the true cause of his destruction Antigone of a noble Birth an excellent Beauty a sweet Nature a lively pleasant charming Spirit was one of those illustrious Prisoners that the Governor of Damascus delivered to Permenio with all the Treasures Darius had committed to his disloyal custody This fair Slave made her self Mistress of Philotas his Liberty he forgot that he had all power over her and shamefully submitted himself to her Laws That pride that contempt that made him but a little before despise Darius his Nobles the chiefest of the Macedonians and equal himself to his King chang'd it self immediately into submissions to his own Captive he became fearful as are the greatest part of Lovers and thought himself unworthy of her because he was not Alexander The violence of his Passion rouzes in his Heart a vehement desire of making himself King impatient of enjoying Antigone he despairs of possessing her unless he share the Empire with her At the Wars egg'd on with great Love and Courage he exposes himself to dangers more than ordinary he is liberal to prodigality gentle affable gains the Hearts of his Souldiers cloaths himself like them accommodates himself to their Manners protects them is belov'd and reigns already over the whole Army But so many good Qualities were produc'd by Love which being blind can never guide Lovers in their Conduct and in his Reason and Prudence had no share At Table in his Bed in the midst of good Cheer and Imbracements he begins to celebrate his Actions Alexander could not recompence them with a Kingdom large enough for his Ambition Philotas looks on him no longer as his Benefactor accuses him of Injustice speaks insolently of him debases this great Monarch ascribes all his Conquests to Parmenio le ts scape some injurious Language the most clear-sighted penetrate into his Designs and suspect his Loyalty Perhaps he might think that he discharg'd his Heart into the Bosom of a Woman amorous and discreet A strange thing that so many Examples of Infidelity cannot make Lovers suspicious of the usual Inconstancy of their Mistresses Fickle Antigone ceases to love Philotas and betrays him She must destroy him to preserve her new Lover She thinks it her securest way to acquaint Alexander with the imminent danger threatning him Craterus whom the King honour'd particularly with his Favour jealous of Philotas his Glory and an Enemy to his Grandeur seeks occasion to ruin him which Antigone proffers him and tells him all that miserable Wretch had discover'd to her of his Mind during the most tender moments of their privacy As it is impossible that the Dust cast into the Wind should not be scatter'd so it is very difficult for a Secret intrusted with a Woman young handsom and amorous not to be divulg'd She longs to know that that 's kept from her and when she knows it desires as much to publish it She is ardent in her Pursuit treacherous after Enjoyment cruel in her new Love No kindness can retain her the remembrance of a Man she has lov'd tenderly and amorously embrac'd affects her not like the Earth that darkens the Sun from whence it receives its warmth But if there be any thing firm in the tenderness of her Sentiments happy is the Man that has her she is an inexhaustible Sourse of Pleasures Craterus glad to destroy his Enemy by preserving the Life of his King runs to Alexander and gives him an account of what he had heard Antigone is call'd and is not asham'd to publish her own Infamy and the secret of a Man that so intirely lov'd her The King nevertheless dissembles whether it were that the consideration of Parmenio's great Services his unbyass'd Friendship his incorrupted Loyalty inclin'd him to Clemency or whether it were that he thought Philotas innocent or feared too lightly to condemn upon the bare testimony of a slave the fidelity of an ancient Servant most passionate for his Glory one of his chief Captains and Confidents adored by the Souldiers for his Liberality and Magnificence But Fortune that took a particular care of Alexander and prepar'd for him new Conquests discover'd the whole Intreigue of a most horrid Plot. Dymnus one in no great Authority at Court but of a stout Heart and great Spirit was one of those that had conspir'd the King's Death he was so in love with a young Youth call'd Nicomachus that he could not but intrust him with a Secret upon which depended his own safety and that of so many Persons of Quality who were concern'd in the Enterprize He declares it to him and endeavours to perswade him to make one as well from the consideration of their Friendship as from that of his future Grandeur after the Attempt He Weeps Caresses Threatens Urges and sometimes promising him a Kingdom sometimes setting the Image of Death before his Eyes if he refuse to hold with them Would'st thou have says he my dear Nichomachus a greater Testimony of my Affection I trust my Life to thy Faith and I call thee to be a sharer in the Empire of all Asia This young Youth bearing a great love towards his King was seized with horror at a Crime so full of cruelty he protests he 'l never be wanting to his Duty to the Loyalty he owes his Master that all he can do for his Friend is not to ruin him if he 'l repent of so great a wickedness Dymnus stood wavering between Love and Fear at length setting his Sword at his Friend's Brest calling him sometimes Coward sometimes Traitor he was going to begin with him the execution of his Design but that the young Man in a fright promis'd more than he was ask'd He feigned therefore a resolution to execute the Enterprize and desired to know the number and quality of the Conspirators Dymnus full of joy that he had gain'd him names Peucolaus Nicanor Aphaebetus Loceus Demetrius Dioxenus Archepolis and Amyntas 'T is certain he made no mention of Philotas who I am