which differ one from another as there is more or less Light inclos'd in them in the Concretion And for the same Reason Birds Feathers differ in Colour so that some are all over of a Purple Dye others only spotted here and there For some things seem red others yellow some green and many of a golden Colour according to their Position to the Light To conclude P. 95. innumerable sorts of Colours very difficult to be reckon'd up are occasion'd by this Means which we see is done by the Reflection of the Sun's Beams upon the Rainbow Whence the Naturalists do agree that even the various Colours of Things above proceed from their Diversity of Heat the lively Operation of the Sun causing their several Forms and Shapes and that the various Colours of Flowers and even of the Earth it self proceed from the Efficacy of the Sun whose natural Operations the Arts of Men as Nature's Scholars do imitate framing Variety of Colours in Painting and Embroidery And that as Colours are form'd by Light so Smells of Fruits Variety of Tastes Greatness of living Creatures and the natural Constitution of every Thing and the several Properties of the Earth are caus'd by the Heat of the Sun which makes both the Earth and Water fruitful with its cherishing Heat and is the Parent of every Creature and therefore neither the Marble of Paros nor any other Stone tho' never so admirable are comparable to the Stones in Arabia which exceed all others for Lustre Weight and Delicacy This singular Property as I have said every thing is cloath'd with by the Power of the Sun in this Region For by its Heat it concretes by Exhalation hardens and by its Light beautifies Hence it is that Birds are of a hot Nature swift of Flight and deck'd most with Variety of Colours in those Regions that are directly under the Scorching Heat of the Sun For in the Province of Babylon are bred many Peacocks beautify'd with various Colours and in the * Eastern Parts furthest Parts of Syria Parrots †Porphyrio see Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 10. c. 46. Porphyrios * Meleagrides sorts of Turky-Cocks or Hens in Africa into which the Sisters of Meleager were transform'd for their immoderate Mourning for him Ovid. Met. lib. 8. Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 10. c. 26. Meleagrides and many strange Birds of various Natures and Colours The like may be said of other Parts of the World where the Climate is the same as of India the Parts about the Red Sea of Ethiopia and some Parts of Africa But the Eastern Parts being richer and more fruitful breed larger and more noble Creatures Those Creatures that are bred in other Countries have Natures agreeable to the Goodness of the Soyl. So as to the Trees the * Date Trees Palm Trees of Africa bear but small and indigested Fruit But in Coelo-Syria the Dates which they call †Cariots so call'd because the wine made of the Juice is hurtful to the Head Plin. N. H. l. 13. c. 4. Cariots excel all others for pleasant Juice Sweetness and Largeness Yet in Arabia and in the Province of Babylon grow far larger than those in Quantity fix Fingers round some of a yellow some scarlet and others of a purple Dye delightful both to the Eye and grateful to the Taste The Palm Trees are very tall streight and smooth to the Top. The Branches grow near to * Plin. Nat. Hist l. 13. c. 4. the Head but not all in the like Manner For some have their Branches growing round them on every side here and there and between them the Fruit bursting out in Clusters through the Bark Others represent a burning Lamp their spiring Branches surrounding only one Part near the Top. Others whose Boughs clasp on every Part round the Tree and guarded on both sides with a double row of tender Sprouts represent something painted or inscrib'd That Part of Arabia lying to the South is call'd Arabia the Happy the Arabians Arabia the Happy that inhabit the inner Parts live Pastoral Lives and in Tents They have great Herds of Cattle and are continually in vast and large Pastures That Region which lyes between them and Arabia the Happy is Desert without Water as Arabia the Desert we have before observ'd The Places towards the West are sandy Deserts so that all that travel there direct their Course as Mariners at Sea by the * Artic Pole Bear P. 96. Star The other Part of Arabia stretching towards Syria is full of Husbandmen Sandy Arabia and divers sorts of Merchants These by their Traffic and Merchandize by importing and exporting plentifully furnish all other Parts round about with what things they want That Part bordering upon the Ocean lyes about Arabia the Happy and there by many Rivers falling down together are made many large Ponds and Lakes up and down in the Country And because large Tracts of Ground are water'd by the Rivers and the Rains that fall in the Summer time they have a double Harvest This Place breeds Troops of Elephants and other Beasts of vast Proportion and likewise of double Shapes and strange Kinds and also abundance of tame Cattle especially Oxen and Sheep which have very great and thick Tales There are there bred in like manner a sort of Camels far beyond all others both †Hairy and smooth bare and rough and the Bulch upon their Backs twice as big as any others and therefore they are call'd * Doublebulch'd Dityles Some of these bring in great Profit both by their Milk and their Flesh Others accustom'd to Burthens will carry †Ten Medimnas twenty Bushels of Corn upon their Backs which being of smaller Bodies but swifter than the rest are us'd to running and dispatch a vast Tract of Ground especially in the dry and desert Country These Beasts are useful in times of War for in Battles they carry two Archers sitting back to back the one to oppose them that attack them in the Front and the other to repulse such as fall upon them in the Rear Although this Discourse of Arabia and the Things there bred and produc'd may perhaps seem to be too tedious yet the observing Reader may find in it many things worthy to be known And now we purpose to say something briefly of a certain Island lying in the Southern Ocean and of the Wonders there Taprobana now Ceylon or Zeilan in Scripture call'd Ophir as Bochaâ—â— proves giving first an exact Account by what Means it came to be discover'd There was one Iambulus from his Youth studious and learn'd After the Death of his Father who was a Merchant he apply'd himself likewise to that Calling but as he travell'd through Arabia to This Island describ'd by Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 6. c. 22. The Discovery by Iambulus that Part of the Country where Spices most abounded he and all his Company fell into the Hands of Thieves And
all that was done Whereupon their Courage reviv'd and the Senate blam'd all the Officers of the Fleet that being Masters at Ant. Ch. 308. Sea they should be so careless as to suffer the Enemies Forces to make a Descent upon Africa and they created Hanno and Bomilcar Generals of their Army notwithstanding Hanno and Bomilcar made Generals they were at private feuds between themselves and that ancient grudges had been in their Families one towards another For they thought that these private Quarrels would much tend to the common advantage of the City But they were very much mistaken For Bomilcar had for a long time been ambitious of the Monarchy but never yet had an opportunity fitted for his purpose to put his Designs in execution and therefore he greedily imbrac'd the offer of such a Command as was exactly agreeable to what he was aiming at And the chief cause of these Plots and Contrivances of his was the severity and cruelty of the Carthaginians For they advance the most eminent Persons to be Generals in their Wars because they conclude they 'l fight with more Resolution then others when all lies at stake But after the Wars are ended and Peace concluded then they bring false Accusations against them and most unjustly through Envy put them to death And therefore some Generals out of fear of those unjust Sentences either give up their Commissions or seek to be absolute Monarchs as Bomilcar one of the Carthaginian Generals P. 738 then did of whom we shall speak by and by The Carthaginian Generals therefore seeing now that delays were dangerous waited not for Soldiers to be rais'd out of the Country and from the Cities of their Confederates but led out the Citizens themselves into the Field having under their Command no Ant. Ch. 308. Battle between the Carthaginians and Agathocles less than Forty thousand Foot a thousand Horse and Two thousand Chariots and possessing themselves of a Hill not far from the Enemy drew up in Batalia Hanno commanded the Right Wing supported by them of the Sacred Brigade Bomilcar the Lest making his Phalanx very deep because the nature of the place would not allow him to extend his wing further in front The Chariots and Horsemen he plac'd in the Van to the end that with these at the first Charge they might try the Courage of the Greeks Agathocles on the other side viewing how the Barbarians had drawn up their Army committed the Right Wing to Archagathus his Son delivering to him Two thousand and five hundred Foot Then he drew up about Three thousand and five hundred Syracusians Next to them Three thousand Mercenaries out of Greece and Lastly Three thousand Samnites Tyrrhenians and Celts He himself with the Troops of the Houshold and a Thousand heavy Arm'd Men commanded in the Left Wing opposite to the Carthaginians Sacred Brigade The Archers and Slingers to the number of Five hundred he mix'd here and there in the two Wings The Truth was his Soldiers were scarce all Arm'd And therefore when he saw some of those that were naked and without Arms he took the Covers and Cases of the Shields and stretcht them out upon Sticks in the round shape of a Shield and so deliver'd 'em to them however in truth useless yet so contriv'd by him to the end that those that were at a distance and knew nothing of the Stratagem should look upon them to be Arm'd Men. Perceiving likewise that the Spirits of his Soldiers were very low and much discourag'd by reason of the great numbers of their Enemies especially of their Horse he Ant. Ch. 308. let out several Owls which he had before prepar'd for the purpose into divers parts of the Camp here and there to rid them of their fears which Birds flying up and down His Stratagem of Owls through the Army and lighting ever and anon upon their Shields and Bucklers chear'd up the spirits of the Soldiers all taking it for a very happy Omen because that creature is sacred to Minerva These sorts of tricks and devices altho' they may seem to some to be foolish and vain yet they have many times been the causes of extraordinary success As it fell out likewise at this time for the soldiers by this means growing more bold and couragious and it being generally nois'd abroad that the Goddess plainly soretold that they should be victorious they more resolutely underwent all dangers and difficulties For when the Chariots charg'd fiercely upon them some they pierc'd through with their Darts and Arrows others they avoided and suffer'd to pass by and most of them they drave back into the midst of their own Foot In the same manner they receiv'd the Charge of their Horse wounding many and putting them all at last to flight When they had thus gallantly behav'd themselves in the first Charge the Barbarians began to fall upon them with their whole Body of Foot at once upon which there was a very sharp Engagment wherein Hanno with that Body of Men call'd the Sacred Brigade striving to win the day by his own Valour makes a fierce Charge upon the Grecians and hews down many of them And tho' he was even overwhelm'd with showers of Darts and Arrows yet he fell not but receiving one Wound after another on he still goes till being overprest and altogether tir'd out down he fell and gave up his last Breath On the other hand Agathocles his Soldiers were so lifed up with expectations Ant. Ch. 308. of Victory that they were still more and more couragious which when the other General Bomilcar came to understand conceiving that the Gods had put an opportunity into his hand to gain the Tyranny he reason'd with himself That if the Army of Agathocles were destroy'd he could not mount the Throne because the City would be too strong for him but if Agathocles were Conqueror and by that means broke the Spirits of the Carthaginians then when they were brought low he should be able to lead them which way he would and as for Agathocles he concluded he should be able to subdue him P. 739. when ever he pleas'd Revolving these things in his mind he began to face about and Retreat willing the Enemy should take notice of what they were about to do then telling his Soldiers that Hanno was slain order'd them to keep their ranks and get to a rising ground there near at hand for that was now the last course for them to take But the Retreat looking like a down-right flight the Enemy prest so close upon them that the Africans who were in the Rear supposing that those in the Front of the Battle were Routed took to their Heels likewise In the mean time those in the Sacred Brigade fought bravely for a while after the death of Hanno and resolutely prest forward upon the Enemy over the Carkases of their fellow-soldiers but when they perceiv'd that most of their Army was fled Ant. Ch. 308.
yield them this advantage that the Sheep Yean twice in a Year and are shorn as often This Increase of the Nile is wonderful to Beholders and altogether incredible to them that only hear the Report for when other Rivers about the Solstice fall and grow lower all Summer long this begins to increase and continues to rise every day till it comes to that height that it overflows almost all Egypt and on the contrary in the same manner in the Winter Solstice it falls by degrees till it wholly return into its proper Channel And in regard the Land of Egypt lies low and Champain the Towns Cities and Country Villages that are built upon rising-rising-ground cast up by Art look like the Islands of the Cyclades Many of the Cattel sometimes are by the River intercepted and so are drown'd but those that fly to the higher Grounds are preserv'd During the time of the Inundation the Cattel are kept in the Country Towns and small Cottages where they have Food and Fodder before laid up and prepar'd for them But the common People now at liberty from all Imployments in the Field indulge themselves in Idleness feasting every day and giving themselves up to all sorts of Sports and Pleasures Yet out of fear of the Inundation a Watch Tower is built in * Now Grand Cairo Memphis by the Kings of Egypt where those that are imploy'd to take care of this concern observing to what height the River rises send Letters from one City to another acquainting them how many Cubits and Fingers the River rises and when it begins to decrease and so the People coming to understand the Fall of the Waters are freed from their fears and all presently have a foresight what plenty of Corn they are like to have and this Observation has been Registred from time to time by the Egyptians for many Generations There are great Controversies concerning the Reasons of the overflowing of Controversies about the overflowing of Nile Nile and many both Philosophers and Historians have endeavour'd to declare the Causes of it which we shall distinctly relate neither making too long a Digression nor omitting that which is so much banded and controverted Of the Increase and Spring-heads of Nile and of its emptying of it self at length into the Sea and other properties peculiar to this River above all others though it be the greatest in the World yet some Authors have not dar'd to say the least thing Some who have attempted to give their Reasons have been very wide from the Mark. For as for Hellanicus Cadmus Hecataeus and such like ancient Authors they have told little but frothy Stories and meer Fables Herodotus above all other Writers very industrious and well acquainted with General History made it his Business to find out the Causes of these things but what he says is notwithstanding very doubtful and some things seem to be repugnant and contradictory one to another Thucydides and Xenophon who have the reputation of faithful Historians never so much as touch upon the Description of any Place in Egypt But Ephorus and Theopompus though they are very earnest in this matter yet they have not in the least discover'd the Truth But it was through Ignorance of the Places and not through Negligence that they were all led into Error For anciently none of the Grecians till the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus ever went into Ethiopia or so much as to the utmost Bounds of Egypt For those Places were never frequented by Travellers they were so hazardous till that King marcht with a Grecian Army into those Parts and so made a more perfect Discovery of the Country No Writer hitherto has pretended that he himself ever saw or heard of any one else that affirm'd he had seen the Spring-heads of Nile All therefore amounting to no more but Opinion and Conjecture the Priests of Egypt affirm that it comes from the Ocean which flows round the whole Earth But nothing that they say is upon any solid grounds and they resolve Doubts by things that are more doubtful and to prove what they say they bring Arguments that have need to be proved themselves But the Troglodites otherways call'd Molgii whom the scorching Heat forc'd †Bolgii to remove from the higher Parts into those lower Places say that there are some Signs whence a Man may rationally conclude that the River Nile rises from Streams which run from many Fountains or Spring-heads and meet at last in one Channel and therefore to be the most fruitful and richest River of any that is known in the World The Inhabitants of the Isle of Meroe who are most to be credited upon this account are far from inventing so much as any probable Arguments and though they live near to the Place in controversy are so far from giving any certain account of this matter that they call Nile Astapus which in the Greek Language signifies Water that issues out of a Place of Darkness so that they give a Name to the River to denote their Ignorance of the Place whence it springs But that seems the truest Reason to me that looks to be furthest from Fiction and study'd Contrivance Yet I am not ignorant that Herodotus who bounds Lybia both on the East and West with this River does ascribe the exact Knowledge of it to the Africans call'd Nasamones and says that Nile rises from a certain Lake and runs through a large Tract of Ground down all along through Ethiopia But neither are the Sayings of the Africans in this behalf as not altogether agreeable to Truth nor the affirmation of the Writer who proves not what he says to be of absolute credit But enough concerning the Spring-heads and Course of Nile let us now venture to treat of the Causes of the Risings of this River Thales who is reckon'd one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece is of Opinion that the Etesean Winds that beat fiercely upon the Mouth of the River give a Yearly Winds check and stop to the Current and so hinder it from falling into the Sea upon which the River swelling and its Channel fill'd with Water at length overflows the Country of Egypt which lies flat and low Though this seem a plausible Reason yet it may be easily disprov'd For if it were true what he says then all the Rivers which run into the Sea against the Etesean Winds would overflow in like manner which being never known in any other part of the World some other Reason and more agreeable to Truth must of necessity be sought for Anaxagoras the Philosopher ascribes the Cause to the melting of the Snow in Ethiopia whom the Poet Euripides who was his Scholar follows saying thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pleasant Streams of th'River Nile forsakes Which flowing from the Negro's parched Land Swells big when th' melting Snow to th'River takes Comes furling down and overflows the Strand Neither is it any
as looking upon that to be the best sort Funerals of Burial Others by pouring upon them melted Glass keep them in their Houses because they think it not convenient or decent that their Countenances should not be known by their Kindred or that they should be forgotten by their Posterity Some bury them in Earthen Coffins about their Temples and to swear by their Names is counted the most Sacred Oath Those that are most Beautiful some of of them chuse to be their King judging that Regal Power and Beauty are always the Gifts of Fortune Others intrust the Royal Power in the Hands of the most industrious Shepherds as such as would make it their business to take most care for the good of their Subjects Others bestow the Kingdom upon those that P. 104. are richest judging such only most able by their Riches to supply the wants of their People There are others that are for the advancing them to the Throne who are most approv'd for their Valour because they judge those that are Conquerors to be most worthy of Honour That part of the Country in Lybia that borders upon Nile is the most pleasant The Description of the Parts of the Country and richest for all manner of Provision for the Morasses afford the most advantagious shelters against the parching heat of the Sun and therefore the Ethiopians and Africans quarrel and are at continual Wars one with another for the possession of that Place Herds likewise of Elephants out of the higher Lybia as some write come down into those Parts because of the abundance of Pasture and the sweetness of it For there are wonderful Morasses abounding in all sorts of Food all along the Banks of the River and here they are held by the Mouth when they taste the sweetness of those Reeds and Canes that grow here and so eat up the Food of the Inhabitants and therefore the People are forc'd to resort to these Places for Relief being Shepherds and living in Tents making that their Country where they can find the most Plenty The Herds of Elephants of which we before hinted leave the upper Parts for want of Pasture which is presently burnt up there by the heat of the Sun For by reason of the scorching Heat and want both of Spring and River-water the Grass is parcht up and none to be had Some write that in the Deserts and other wild Places as they are call'd are bred a World of Serpents of a wonderful bigness These they say with great fury and violence set upon the Elephants at the brink of the Waters clasping themselves in many Circles round their Thighs and sticking fast there so long as that at length the Beasts tir'd out by their great and weighty bulk fall down in a foaming Sweat to the ground upon which others in multitudes coming in they presently devour them and that with ease the poor Creatures being so unweldy as scarce able to move themselves If for some Reason or other they succeed not in their Attempt out of eagerness to their natural Food they pursue not the Elephants to the Rivers Bank before mentioned For they say these vast Serpents avoid all they can the open Fields and abide about the Feet and hollows of the Mountains in deep Holes and Caves And hence it is that they leave not those Places so fit for their shelter and defence Nature teaching every Creature to make use of that which is most helpful to it and to avoid what is hurtful And thus much we have thought fit to say of the Ethiopians and their Country And now something is to be said of the Historians For many have written such things concerning Egypt and Ethiopia as deserve not the least credit in as much as the Authors were either too easie to believe Lies or else in sport and for diversion invented them themselves But Agatharchides of Cnidus in his Second Book of the Affairs of Asia Artemidorus the Ephesian in his Eighth Book of Geography and some others that were natural Egyptians who have written Histories of the things herein before by us related have in their Writings nearly pursu'd the Truth And I my self in the time of my Travelling and Sojourning in Egypt associated with many of the Priests and conferr'd with many Ambassadors and others sent out of Ethiopia whence having exactly come to the knowledge of every thing and having likewise examin'd the several Relations of the Historians have fram'd and moulded my History so as to suit with those things wherein all of them did agree and consent But this shall suffice to be said of the Western Ethiopians We shall now speak a little of those inhabiting the Southern Parts and towards the Red Sea But it 's fit first that we say something of the making of Gold in these Parts In the Confines of Egypt and the neighbouring Countries of Arabia and Ethiopia P. 105. Manner of making Gold there 's a Place full of rich Gold-mines out of which with much Cost and Pains of many Labourers Gold is dug The Soyl here naturally is black but in the Body of the Earth run many white Veins shining with white Marble and glistering with all sorts of other bright Metals out of which labourious Mines those appointed Overseers cause the Gold to be dug up by the labour of a vast Multitude of People For the Kings of Egypt condemn to these Mines notorious Criminals Captives taken in War Persons sometimes falsly accus'd or such against whom the King is incens'd and that not only they themselves but sometimes all their Kindred and Relations together with them are sent to work here both to punish them and by their Labour to advance the Profit and Gain of the King There are infinite numbers upon these Accounts thrust down into these Mines all bound in Fetters where they work continually without being admitted any rest Night or Day and so strictly guarded that there 's no possibility or way left to make an escape For they set over them Barbarians Souldiers of various and strange Languages so that it 's not possible to corrupt any of the Guard by discoursing one with another or by the gaining Insinuations of a familiar Converse The Earth which is hardest and full of Gold they soften by putting Fire under it and then work it out with their Hands The Rocks thus softn'd and made more pliant and yielding several Thousands of profligat Wretches break it in pieces with Hammers and Pickaxes There 's one Artist that is the Overseer of the whole Work who marks out the Stone and shews the Labourers the way and manner how he would have it done Those that are the Strongest amongst them that are appointed to this Slavery provided with sharp Iron Pickaxes cleave the Marble-shining Rock by meer Force and Strength and not by Art or Slight of Hand They undermine not the Rock in a direct Line but follow the bright shining Vein of the Mine They carry Lamps
the Piles whereupon arises a great and suffocating Smoke which so stifles the Locusts as they fly over the Vale that they go not much further before they fall down dead to the Ground This Destruction of them is continu'd for many days together so that they lye in great Heaps The Country being full of Salt they gather these Heaps together and season 'em sufficiently with this Salt which gives them an excellent Relish and preserves them a long time sweet without the least Putrefaction so that they have Food ever ready at hand from these Insects during all the rest of the Year For they neither concern themselves with Flesh or Fish being far remote from the Sea nor have any other Provision for their Support and Sustenance They are a little sort of People very swift of Foot but exceeding short liv'd for they that live the longest never exceed forty And as the Manner of their Their miserable Death Death is strange and wonderful so it 's sad and most miserable For when they grow old wing'd Lice breed in their Flesh not only of divers Sorts but of horrid and ugly Shapes This Plague begins first at the Belly and Breast and in a little time eats and consumes the whole Body He that is seiz'd with this Distemper first begins to itch a little as if he had the Scab Pleasure and Trouble being mixt together But afterwards when the Lice begin to break out at the Skin abundance of putrid Matter accompany'd with intolerable sharp Pa 〈…〉 issues out with them Hereupon the sick Person so tears himself in Pieces with his own Nails that he sighs and groans most lamentably and while he is thus scratching of himself the Lice come pouring out in such Abundance one after another as out of a Vessel full of Holes and thus they miserably close and end their Days Whether this proceeds from the Nature of their Food or the Temper of the Air is uncertain Upon this Nation there borders a large Country rich in fair Pastures but desert and uninhabited not that there never were any People there but that formerly when it was inhabited an immoderate Rain happen'd which bred a vast Company of Spiders and Scorpions And as they write these Creatures did so increase that tho' at the first the whole Nation attempted to destroy these implacable Enemies of their Country yet they were not able to master them for whosoever was bit or string with them immediately fell down dead so that not knowing where to abide or how to get Food they were forc'd to fly to some other Place for Relief And this is not at all incredible for we are assur'd by very good and substantial Historians that far more strange and wonderful Things than those have happen'd in the World For in Italy Field-mice bred in such vast Numbers that they forc'd the Inhabitants out of the Country In Media great Flocks of Sparrows ate up all the standing Corn so as the People were forc'd to remove elsewhere The People call'd Autariats were forc'd by Frogs bred in the Clouds which pour'd down upon them instead of Rain to forsake their Country and fly to these Parts where they are now settl'd And who is there that is not well acquainted by Ancient Histories how among those many Labours Hercules undertook to eternize his Name his driving out those devouring Birds out of the Marishes of Stymphalides was one And some Cities of Lybia were altogether P. 115. depopulated by Lyons breaking in upon them And these Instances we have given to convince those that are apt to question whatsoever Historians relate that seem strange and unusual But to return to the orderly Course of our History The Southern Border is inhabited by Men whom the Grecians call Cynomones but Cynomones or Cynomolges Dog-hunters by the neighbouring Barbarians they are call'd in their own Country Language Wild Ethiopians They wear long Beards and keep up numbers of fierce Dogs to get them Food For from the beginning of the Summer Solstice to the middle of Winter an innumerable number of Indian Oxen come into their Countrey the Reason of it is unknown For its uncertain whether they fly from cruel wild Beasts which in Troops set upon them or that they do it for want of Pasture or upon some other Accident the Effect of Nature the Parent of all Wonders which Man's Reason cannot comprehend These Oxen are so numerous that the Inhabitants are not able to master them therefore they loose their Dogs upon them and by hunting 'em take many of which they eat some fresh and others they salt up Many other Beasts they kill with these masty Dogs and by this Means live upon Flesh The Nations that lye furthest South live the Lives of Beasts under the Shapes of Men. But it yet remains to speak of two other Nations the Ethiopians and the Troglodites But of the Ethiopians mention is made elsewhere and therefore now we shall treat of the Troglodites The Grecians call them * Shepherds Nomades for they live Pastoral Lives in the Manner of Shepherds and are divided into Tribes under a Monarchical Government and enjoy their Wives and Children in common except only the Wife of the King yet if any of them happen to lye with her he 's only fin'd by the King in a certain Number of Sheep When the Etesian Winds blow at which time there falls abundance of Rain they feed upon Milk and Blood mingl'd together and boil'd for a little time Afterwards when the Pastures are burnt up with the scorching Heat of the Sun they fly into the low Marishes where they often fight one with another for convenient Pastures for their Flocks Those Cattle that grow old or are sick they knock on the Head and eat them and from these always they have their Food and Sustenance And therefore they never call any Father and Mother but only a Bull an Ox a Goat or a Sheep of which they call the Males Fathers and the Females Mothers because they have their daily Food from these and not from their Parents Their ordinary Drink is a Liquor strain'd out of the Plant call'd * Bearing a red Fruit. Paliurus But the Drink â—or the Noblemen and Persons of Quality is made of the Juice of a Flower no better than the worst of our Wines Because of their Cattle they often shift and remove from one Pasture to another and are very cautious and careful not to stay long in one Place Their whole Bodies are naked except about their Loyns which they cover with Beasts Skins All the Troglodites are circumcis'd like the Egyptians except those who by reason of some Accident are call'd Cripples for these only of all Circumcision those that inhabit these Streights have from their Intancy that Member which in others is only circumcis'd wholly cut off with a Razor Among the Troglodites those call'd Megabareans for Arms bear round Shields made of Ox raw Hides and
was open and near at hand In the mean time while he was filling the Net by rouling of himself round in it some forthwith rid up with full speed to the Place who before the Beast could wind up himself ty'd up the mouth of the Net which was to the Top made very long on purpose for quickness of dispatch in this business Then with all speed they put Roulers under the massy weight of the Net to lift it up and so drew it forth The Serpent being thus shut up hiss't most dreadfully gnawing the Bulrushes with his Teeth and tossing himself to and fro as if he were just leaping out of the Net which the Hunters exceedingly fearing he would do drew him out upon the ground and by often pricking him in the Tail caus'd him to snap and bite there where he was most sensible of pain At length they brought him to Alexandria and presented the Beast to the King a most strange Monster and almost incredible And to admiration this Creature was afterwards made tame For keeping him low in want of Food he abated in his fierceness so as by degrees to be very gentle Ptolemy liberally rewarded the Hunters and kept and fed the Serpent thus tam'd a most wonderful sight to all Strangers that travell'd into his Kingdom It may not therefore be judg'd altogether incredible or accounted for a Fable what the Ethiopians have related since so vast a Monster has been expos'd to open view For they affirm that there have been seen Serpents amongst them of that extraordinary bigness that they have not only devour'd Cows and Bulls and other Beasts of that size but have even fought with Elephants themselves P. 120. For they so wrap themselves round their Thighs and hold them so fast that they are not able to move or stir and pricking up their heads from under the Elephants Trunk and looking direct upon them full in the Face with the fiery Rays that dart out of their Eyes strike them blind so that they fall down to the Ground as if they were struck with a flash of Lightning and when they are down they tear them in Pieces And now since we have given a clear and sufficient account of Ethiopia and Troglodita and the bordering Countries as far as to the Torrid Zone and of the Southern Coasts and Climates of the Red Sea and the Atlantick Ocean we shall proceed to the Description of the other parts bordering upon the * Red Sea Arabian Gulf which we have learnt partly from the publick Records in Alexandria and partly from those that have seen the Places themselves For this part of the inhabited World as likewise the British Isles and the Places lying far to the North are the least known of any other But we shall describe those Northern parts which border upon the Frigid Zone together with the British Isles when we come to treat of the acts of Caius Caesar who inlarg'd the Bounds of the Roman Empire as far as to those parts and by his means we come to the Knowledge of all those Countries which were altogether unknown to us before CHAP. III. A Description of the Coasts and Countries on both sides the Arabian Gulf or Red Sea The Perfumes of Arabia the Happy The Fortunate Islands A Description of part of Lybia The Spectras near the Syrtes THe * The Red Sea Arabian Gulf as it 's call'd empties it self into the Southern Ocean and stretches out many Furlongs in length where it falls into the Sea it s both bounded with Arabia and Troglodita It 's breadth both at the Mouths and where it 's lost in the Sea is about Fifteen Furlongs But from the Port of Panormus the opposite Shoar is one Days sailing The greatest breadth is at Mount Tyrceus and Macaria where the Sea is very rough and tempestuous nor can Land be seen from one side to another from thence it grows narrower till it fall into the Ocean In the Sea are many great Islands between which the Passage for Ships is very narrow and the Water very rough And this in short is the Situation of this Gulf. We shall begin at the †That is next the Ocean utmost Parts of this Sea and describe the Coasts on both sides and what is remarkable in each as if we were sailing along And first we shall give an account of the Coast on the * Westward Right Hand the Seat of the Troglodites The Troglodites take up all this part as far as to the vast Deserts All along the Shoar on this right side from the City of Arsinoe Mariners meet with many Rivers of Salt-water pouring down from the Rocks into the Sea After the passing these running Fountains appears a Mountain in a vast and large Plain of a red Colour which dazles the Eyes of all those that look earnestly upon it At the Foot of this Mountain is a Lake with an Entrance of many windings and turnings into it known by the Naâ—e of †Venus Aphrodites in this are Three Islands Two of which abound with Figs and Olives but the Third has neither yet breeds great numbers of those Birds they call Mâ—leogrides From hence you sail through a vast Gulf call'd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acathar 〈…〉 s. Filthy or Acathartus and near unto it is an exceeding deep Current making a Peninsula carrying Ships through a narrow straight into the open Sea on the other side In sailing along by these Places there lies an Island surrounded with a deep Sea Fourscore Furlongs in length call'd the * Ophiodes Serpents Island because that in former times it abounded P. 121. with divers sorts of dreadful Serpents but in after-times by the diligence of the Kings of Alexandria it was so improv'd that now there 's not the least sign of any such Beast there But it 's not to be omitted for what Reason this Island was with so much charge improv'd The chief reason was for that in this Island was found the Topaz a resplendent Stone of a delightful Aspect like to Glass of a Golden colour and of admirable brightness and therefore all were forbidden to set footing upon that Place and if any landed there he was presently put to death by the Keepers of the Island These Keepers were few and liv'd a most miserable Life And lest the Stones should be stolen and carry'd off there was not a Ship left there and if any by chance pass near to these Places out of fear of the King they sail away as far off as they can The Provision that is imported is commonly soon spent and there 's nothing to be had that grows naturally in the Island and therefore when their Store grows low all the Inhabitants of the Village sit upon the Shoar waiting and longing for the arrival of the Provision Ships and if they stay longer than ordinary the People are driven to the utmost desperation This Stone grows in the Rocks darken'd by the
amorous Pang of Love as with other Women but meerly for Procreation sake And therefore willing that his Embraces at this time should be lawful he forbore all Violence and knowing that the Woman's Chastity was such that no Arguments would prevail with her he deceiv'd her by taking upon him the Shape of Amphitryo And now the Time of her Delivery drew nigh when Jupiter full of thoughts concerning the Birth of Hercules in the presence of all the Gods declar'd that he would make him King of the Persians who was to be born that P. 152. that day Whereupon Juno inrag'd with Jealousie with the assistance of * Ilithyia a Goddess assistant to them in Travel Ilithyia her Daughter gave a Check to the delivery of Alcmenes and brought forth Eurystheus before his full time But though Jupiter was thus outwitted by Juno yet that he might perform his Promise he took care to preserve the Honour and Reputation of Hercules And therefore it s reported that he prevail'd with Juno to consent that Eurystheus being made King according to his Promise Hercules who should be subject to him performing Twelve Labours such as Euristheus should impose upon him should be taken into the Society of the Immortal Gods Alcmenes being deliver'd out of fear of Juno's Jealousie expos'd the Child in a place which is now from him call'd Hercules's his Field About which time Minerva together with Juno walking Abroad found the Infant and much admiring his Beauty Minerva persuaded Juno to give it suck The Child drawing the Breast with more violence than at his Age was usual Juno not able to indure the pain cast away the Infant whom Minerva took up and brought Home to his Mother to be nurs'd by her The Accident here seems very strange and remarkable For the Mother who ow'd a natural Affection to her own Child expos'd him to Destruction but she who hated him as a Stepmother unknowingly preserv'd her natural Enemy Afterwards Juno sent two * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Dragons Serpents to devour the Child But he took them with both his Hands by their Throats and strangl'd them Upon which account the Argives coming to understand what was done call'd him Hercules * Hercules signifies the Glory of Juno who is call'd in Greek Hera because Juno was the Occasion of his Glory and Fame for he was before call'd Alcaeus Others are nam'd by their Parents but he gain'd his Name by his Valour In After-times it happen'd that Amphitrio being banish'd from Tyrinthe settl'd himself in Thebes here Hercules was educated here he was instructed and greatly improv'd in all laudable Exercises in so much as he excell'd all others in Strength of Body and also in the excellent Endowments of his Mind Being now grown up to Man's Estate he first freed Thebes from tyrannical Slavery and thereby made a grateful Return to the Country where he was bred The Thebans at that time were under the Tyranny of Erginus King of the * A People of Thessaly Menyans who every year exacted Tribute from them not without Scorn and Contempt Hercules therefore not at all discourag'd with the Greatness of the Bondage they labour'd under attempted a glorious Piece of Service For when those who were sent from the Menyae to collect the Tribute carry'd it * insolently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards the People he cut off their Ears and cast them out of the City whereupon Erginus demanded the Delivery up of the Malefactor and Creon the Prince of Thebes dreading the Potency of Erginus resolv'd to deliver him up But Hercules stirr'd up the young Men of the City to arm themselves in order to recover the Liberty of their Country and to that end took away all the Arms that were in the Temples formerly dedicated to the Gods by their Ancestors of the Spoyls of their Enemies For none of the Citizens had any Arms of their own by Reason the Menyans had disarm'd the City so that the Thebans had not the least Thought of a Revolt Intelligence being brought that Erginus with an Army approach'd the City Hercules set upon him in a strait Passage where a Multitude was of little Use and kill'd Erginus and cut off almost his whole Army He fell likewise suddainly upon the City of the Orchomenians entring unexpectedly and burnt the Palace of the Menyae and raz'd the City to the Ground The Fame of this notable Exploit was presently nois'd over all Greece while such a suddain and unexpected Atchievement was the Subject of every Man's Admiration and Creon the King wonderfully taken with the Valour of the young Man gave him his Daughter Megaera to Wife and committed to him the Care and Charge of the City as if he had been his own Son But Euristheus King of Argos jealous of Hercules his growing Greatness sent P. 15◠for him to perform the Labours he was to impose upon him which he refusing Jupiter commanded him to obey King Euristheus whereupon Hercules went to Delphos and inquir'd of the Oracle concerning this Matter who answer'd him That it was the Pleasure of the Gods that he should perform twelve Labours at the Command of Euristheus and that when he had finish'd them he should receive the Reward of Immortality Hereupon Hercules became exceeding sad and melancholy for he judg'd it very much below him to be at the Beck of his inferior and to disobey his Father Jupiter a second time he concluded was both unprofitable and impossible While he was in this Perplexity Juno struck him with Madness being therefore through the Discomposure of his Mind become distracted and by the Growth of his Distemper altogether a mad Man he design'd to murder Iolaus who saving himself by Flight he fell upon his own Children by Megara who were next in his Way and struck them through with his Darts as if they had been his Enemies As soon as he came again to himself and understood his Error he almost sunk under the Weight of his Misery being pity'd by every Body and shut up himself in his own House a long time from the Converse and Society of Men. At length Time moderating his Grief resolving to undergo all the Difficulties that were enjoyn'd him he went to Euristheus who in the first place commanded Hercules his 12 Labours 1. The Nemean Lyon him to kill the Lyon in the Forest of * This Forest was in Achaia Nemea which was of a monstrous Bigness not to be pierc'd or wounded by Sword Spear or Stones and therefore not to be dealt with but by meer Force and Strength of Hand His Walks were commonly between Mycenas and Nemea near the Mountain from what happen'd to it call'd †Tretos bor'd through Tretos For at the Foot of this Hill there was a Den in which this Monster us'd to lurk Hercules here meeting with him lay'd hold on him whereupon the Beast beginning to fly to his Den he resolutely pursu'd him having before stop'd
he had by the Amazon to Troezena to be bred and brought up by his Sister Aethra Of Phoedra he begat Acamantes and Demophon Hippolytus a while after coming to Athens to the Celebration of a great Festival Phoedra was so taken with his Beauty that she fell passionately in love with him But he going back again for that time she built near to the Citadel the Temple of Venus whence she might have a prospect of Traezene Afterwards going with Theseus to Traezene to visit Pittheus she solicited Hippolytus to lye with her who refusing the Motion her Love was turn'd into Hatred and Rage and therefore she accus'd him to her Husband that he attempted to Ravish her Theseus suspecting the truth of what she said summon'd Hippolytus to appear and answer the Accusation but Phoedra fearing she should be discover'd upon the Trial of the Cause hang'd herself When Hippolytus first heard of the Accusation he was driving a Chariot upon the News whereof he was in such a Consternation and Disturbance that he let the Reins fall which so startled the Horses that they hurried him away and broke the Chariot in Pieces and he himself being fastn'd in the Harness was drag'd along upon the Ground and so perish'd Hippolytus thus losing his Life upon the account of his commendable Chastity was ador'd by the Troezenians as a God Theseus afterwards by a Sedition being driven out of the City died in Banishment But the Athenians being sorry for what they had done brought back his Bones and honour'd him as a God and the Place where they bury'd him in the midst of Athens they made a Sanctuary which from him was call'd Theseion Since we have proceeded so far in the Story of Theseus we shall give a distinct account also of the Rape of Helen and of the intention of Perithous to court Proserpina for these things have a Relation to the History of Theseus Perithous the Son of Ixion after the Death of his Wife Hippodamia by whom he had a Son call'd Polypodes went to Athens to Theseus whom finding a Widower having then lately bury'd his Wife Phoedra he advis'd to steal away Helen the Daughter of Jupiter and Laeda who was then about Ten Years of Age and of surpassing Beauty To this end they went with some other of their Associates P. 185. to Lacedemon and catching a fit opportunity for the purpose seiz'd upon Helen as their common Prize and carry'd her away to Athens where it was agreed between them to cast Lots for her and that he who should have the good Fortune to gain her should faithfully assist the other through all Hazards whatsoever in procuring him another Wife This Compact being confirm'd by a Solemn Oath she fell by Lot to Theseus The Athenians were much incens'd at what was done in this Business Theseus therefore fearing the bad effect of it privately kept Helen at Aphidna one of the Cities of Attica and committed her to the care of his Mother Aethra and some other Persons of Quality that were his Faithful Friends Afterwards Perithous had a desire to court Proserpina and for this purpose requir'd Theseus to go along with him At first Theseus endeavour'd to dissuade him and to take him off from such a wicked and impious Design But Perithous urging him the more vehemently and by vertue of his Oath being bound thereunto he at length agreed to joyn with him in the Attempt To this end both of them descended into the * Hell See this explain'd in Plut. Thes This Pluto was the King of the Molossians and his Wives and Daughters Name was Proserpina who clapt both Theseus and the other up in Prison Shades below and for their Impudence and Impiety were clapt up and bound fast in Chains but Theseus was afterwards releas'd for the sake of Hercules But Perithous suffers Eternal Pains with the Infernal Spirits for his Wickedness though some Writers report that neither of 'em ever return'd About the same time they say Castor and Pollux the Brother of Helen assaulted Aphidna and taking it by Storm raz'd it to the Ground and carry'd away Helen still a Virgin to Lacedemon and with her among the Captives Aâ—thra the Mother of Theseus Having spoke sufficiently of these things we shall now proceed to give an Account of the Seven Captains that made War against Thebes and shew the first Causes of that War Laius The Seven Captains against Thebes This is the first War related by any Heathen Historian either in Prose or Verse An. Mund. 2727 the 10th Year of Jair Judg. 10. 3. Before Christ 1221 about 30 Years before the Trojan War the King of Thebes having marry'd Jocasta the Daughter of Creon and for a long time being without Children at length consulted the Oracle whether he ever should have any Issue Pithia the Priestess gave answer from the Oracle that it would be unfortunate to him to have any Issue for the Son that he should afterwards beget should kill him and involve his whole Family in most dreadful Calamities But somewhat forgetful of what the Oracle had declar'd he afterwards begat a Son but bor'd his Feet through with an Iron and order'd him to be expos'd in the open Fields and for that reason he was afterwards call'd Oedipus The Servants that took him Oedipus into their Custody for that purpose were unwilling to leave him so to the wide World but gave him to †King of Scicion or Corinth Polybus his Wife who was barren Being attain'd at length to Man's Estate Laius resolv'd to inquire of the Oracle to know what was become of the expos'd Infant and Oedipus at the same time being by some one inform'd of the Design against him when he was so very Young took a Journey to Delphos to inquire of the Oracle who were his true Parents It so fell out that both of them meeting one another upon the Road in Phocis Laius in a proud and haughty manner commanded Oedipus to get out of the way who thereupon was so inrag'd that he fell upon Laius and kill'd him not knowing him to be his Father About that time they report that Sphinx a double shap'd Monster came to Sphinx Thebes and put forth a Riddle to be resolv'd by any that could Which none being able to do by reason of the difficulty of the thing she destroy'd many At length she became more moderate and offer'd a Reward to such as should unfold it that he should marry Jocasta and with her injoy the Kingdom of Thebes When none else could expound the Riddle Oedipus was the only Man that did it The Riddle propounded by Sphinx was this What Creature is that that is Two-Footed Three-Footed and Four-Footed When all others were puzled Oedipus interpreted it to be a Man who when he is an Infant creeps upon all * His Hands and Feet Four when he grows elder goes upright upon his Two Feet but when he is old he 's Three-Footed using a
of her Parents Of this Lady he begat Galetes who for Virtues of Mind and strength of Body far excell'd the rest of his Nation When he came to Man's Estate and was possess'd of his Grandfather's Kingdom he subdu'd many of the Neighbouring Countries and perform'd many notable Atchievments by his Sword His Valour being every where nois'd Abroad he call'd his Subjects after his own Name * Gauls Galatians and the Country †Or Gallia Gall. Gallatia Gall. Having shewn the Original of the Name something is to be said of the Country it self Gall is inhabited by several Nations but not all alike Populous The greatest of them have in 'em Two Hundred Thousand Men the least but Fifty Thousand Of these there 's one that has been an Ancient Ally of the Romans and continues so to this Day In regard it lies for the greatest part under the Artick Pole it 's very cold and subject to Frosts for in Winter in Cloudy Days instead of Rain the Earth is cover'd with Snow in clear Weather every Place is so full of Ice and Frost that the Rivers are frozen up to that degree that they are naturally cover'd over with Bridges of Ice For not only a small Company of Travellers but vast Armies with their Chariots and loaden Carriages may pass over without any P. 211. danger or hazard There are many great Rivers run through Gaul which by their various Windings and turnings cut through and parcel the Champain Grounds some of which have their Spring-heads from deep Lakes others issue out from the Mountains and empty themselves either into the Ocean or into our * The Mediterranean Seas The greatest that falls into our Sea is the Rhosne which rises out of the Alps and at Five Mouths disgorges itself into the Sea Of those that empty themselves into the Ocean the greatest are the Danube and the Rhine over the last of which Caesar call'd †The God or Divine Divus in our time to admiration cast a Bridge and past over his Forces and subdu'd the Gauls on the other side There are many other Navigable Rivers in Celtica to write of which particularly would be tedious Almost all of them are some times Frozen up as if Bridges were cast over their Channels But the Ice being naturally smooth and therefore Slippery to the Passengers they throw Chaff upon it that they may go the more firmly In many Places of Gaul there 's something strange and very remarkable which is not fit to pass over in silence For the West and North Winds in Summer are so fierce and violent that they fling into the Air great Stones as big as a Man can grasp in his Hands together with a Cloud of Gravel and Dust Nay the violence of this Whirlwind is such that it forces Mens Arms out of their Hands rents their Cloaths off their Backs and dismounts the Rider from his Horse This excessive Cold and immoderate Temper of the Air is the cause why the Earth in these Parts produces neither Wine nor Oyl and therefore the Gauls to supply the want of these Fruits make a Drink of Barley which they call Xythus They mix likewise their Hony-Combs with Water and make use of that for the same purpose They are so exceedingly given to Wine that they guzle it down as soon as it is imported by the Merchant and are so eager and inordinate that making themselves drunk they either fall dead asleep or become stark mad So that many Italian Merchants to gratify their own Covetousness make use of the Drunkenness of the Gauls to advance their own profit and gain For they convey the Wine to 'em both by Navigable Rivers and by Land in Carts and bring back an incredible price For in lieu of a Hogshead of Wine they receive a Boy giving Drink in truck for a Servant In Gaul there are no Silver Mines but much Gold with which the nature of the Place supplies the Inhabitants without the labour or toyl of digging in the Mines For the winding Course of the River washing with its Streams the Feet of the Mountains carries away great pieces of Golden Ore which those imploy'd in this business gather and then grind and bruise these Clods of Golden Earth and when they have so done cleanse them from the gross Earthy part by washing them in Water and then melt them in a Furnace and thus get together a vast heap of Gold with which not only the Women but the Men deck and adorn themselves For they wear Bracelets of this Mettal about their Wrists and Arms and massy Chains of pure and beaten Gold about their Necks and weighty Rings upon their Fingers and Croslets of Gold upon their Breasts The Custom observ'd by the higher Gauls in the Temples of their Gods is admirably remarkable for in their Oratories and sacred Temples of this Country in honour of P. 212. their Gods they scatter Pieces of Gold up and down which none of the Inhabitants their superstitious Devotion is such will in the least touch or meddle with tho the Gauls are of themselves most exceeding Covetous For Stature they are tall but of a * Weak sweaty and pale Complexion Red-Hair'd not only Naturally but they endeavour all they can to make it redder by Art They often wash their Hair in a Water boyl'd with Lime and turn it backward from the Forehead to the Crown of the Head and thence to their very Necks that their Faces may be more fully seen so that they look like Satyrs and Hobgoblins By this sort of management of themselves their Hair is as hard a Horse's Mane Some of them shave their Beards others let them grow a little The Persons of Quality shave their Chins close but their Mustaches they let fall so low that they even cover their Mouths so that when they eat their Meat hangs tangling in their Hair and when they drink the Liquor runs through their Mustaches as through a Sieve At Meal-time they all sit not upon Seats but upon the Ground and instead of Carpets spread Wolves or Dogs Skins under them Young Boys and Girls attend them such as are yet but meer Children Near at Hand they have their Chimneys with their Fires well furnish'd with Pots and Spits full of whole Joynts of Flesh Meat and the best and fairest Joynts in a way of due honour and regard they set before the Persons of best Quality As Homer introduces the Grecian Captains entertaining of Ajax when he return'd Hom. Iliad lib. 7. ver 321. Victor from his single Combat with Hector in this Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Agamemnon as a favouring Sign Before great Ajax set the lusty Chine They invite likewise Strangers to their Feasts and after all 's over they ask who they are and what 's their Business In the very midst of Feasting upon any small occasion it 's ordinary for them in a heat to rise and without any regard of their Lives
upon the chief of the Citizens and especially those who could most influence the People and afterwards cut their Throats and so quite dissolved the Democracy But the Corcyreans were presently assisted by the Athenians and recoverd their Liberty and were resolved to execute Justice upon Ant. Ch. 427. the Ringleaders of the Defection But they through fear of punishment fled for refuge to the Altars of the Gods and as Suppliants begg'd Pardon both of the Gods and the People Euthydemus was Governor of Athens when Three Military Tribunes invested P. 316. Olymp. 88. 3. Ant. Chr. 426. Plague breaks forth again at Athens with Consular Power were again chosen at Rome Marcus Fabius Phalinius and Lucius Sereulius In their time the Plague broke out afresh when they were freed from this Contagion but very lately before It rag'd so exceedingly that they lost Four Thousand Foot Soldiers and Four Hundred Horse and of others Freemen and Servants above Ten Thousand And now because the Course of the History may require a Declaration of the Causes of this violent Distemper it is necessary for us in this place to set them forth Abundance of Rain had fallen in the Winter by reason whereof the Earth being over-wet in many Places especially in low and hollow Grounds the Water lay like standing Pools and those being corrupted and putrify'd by the heat of the Summer thence proceeded a Mist of gross and stinking Vapours which corrupted the Air as it often happens about filthy Marishes And besides the want of good Food much advanc'd the progress of the Disease for the Year before the Fruits by too much Rain were crude and unwholsom There was likewise a Third cause of this Distemper which was this the * That is Winds which come at stated and certain times every Year Plin. lib. 2. c. 47. Etesian Winds this Summer blew not by whose gentle Breezes the violent heat of the Air was constantly allay'd before at other times so that the Heat being now excessive and the Air as it were inflam'd Mens Bodies now wanting the usual Refreshment contracted an evil Habit from whence arose through the vehement and immoderate heat all sorts of burning Distempers And hence it was that many seiz'd with this Disease to free themselves from the burning heat that was in their Bodies cast themselves into Pits and Wells But the Athenians judg'd that Ant. Chr. 426. so grievous a Distemper was from God and therefore according to the charge given them by the Oracle they purg'd the Island Delos which was formerly dedicated to Apollo now polluted as they conceiv'd by burying many dead Bodies there Therefore all the Graves of the Dead were dug up and the Urns were transported into the next Island to Delos call'd Rhene and a Law was made that it should not be lawful for any for the time to come either to bury or to bear any Child in Delos They then likewise reviv'd the Panegyrick Festival in Delos now for a long time disus'd While the Athenians were thus religiously imploy'd the Lacedemonians with their Confederates in Peloponesus incamp'd in the Isthmos and there consulted together concerning the invading of Attica again But there then happening such terrible †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Earthquake Earthquakes in several parts of Greece that it so terrify'd and possess'd them with fear and awe of the Gods that they all return'd to their respective Countries For the horrible Concussions of the Earth were so great that many Cities near the Sea were sunk and drown'd And whereas that Tract of Land near Locris was before a Peninsula by the violence of the Earthquake a Channel was made through the Isthmos and the Place turn'd into an Island now call'd †Near Eubea now call'd Negropont Atalante While these things were doing the Lacedemonians sent new Colonies into Trachin and changed its Name into * There are many of this Name but this is near the Mountain Oeta and the Straits of Thermopyle Ant. Chr. 426. Heraclea The Reason was for that the Trachinians having had Wars with the Oeteans many Years had lost most of their Citizens And therefore being almost depopulated they addressed themselves to the Lacedemonians whose Colonies they were to repeople their City The Lacedemonians in regard they were their Countrymen and Hercules their Ancestor in times long past had resided at Trachin resolved to make it a large and beautiful City And to this end they sent a Colony thither out of their own City and out of others in Peloponesus to the number of Four Thousand and out of the rest of Greece as many as pleased were receiv'd as Members of the Cololony The whole number was little less than Six Thousand To conclude Trachin was at length so far inlarged that it contain'd Ten Thousand Men and when they had divided the Land adjoining by Lot they call'd the City Heraclea Stratocles being Archon of Athens the Consular dignity was conferr'd upon the Three Military Tribunes at Rome Lucius Furius * Medullus Metellus †Mamercus P. 317. The Acts of Demosthenes the Athenian General Lucius Pinarius and S. Posthumius Albus In the time Olymp. 88. 4. An. Mu. 3547. of their Government Demosthenes made Admiral of the Fleet by the Athenians with Thirty Ships well man'd join'd with Fifteen more from Corcyra and other Aids from the Cephaleans Acarnanians and Messenians inhabiting ‖ A City of Achaia now call'd Lepantum by the Venetians Ant. Chr. 426. Naupactus and so set sail for Leucas and when he had harrased and wasted the Country of Leucadia he bent his Course for Aetolia and there burnt and destroy'd many of their Villages but the Aetolians making head against them routed the Athenians who fled to Naupactus The Aetolians incouraged with this Victory with the aid of Three Thousand Lacedemonians march'd against Naupactus which the Messeneans then inhabited but were repulsed From thence they made an Expedition against * A City of Aetolia Molycria and took the City The Athenian General Demosthenes fearing lest they should attack Naupactus sent a Thousand Men out of Arcarnania to strengthen the Garrison He himself continu'd in Acarnania and fell upon a Thousand Ambraciots in their March and cut them almost all off Upon this the whole Strength of the †Ambracia City came out against him and he destroy'd most of them likewise so that the City was almost made desolate Hereupon he entred into a Consultation of assaulting Ambracia hoping it might be easily won by reason there were few left to defend it But the Acarnanians fearing that if the Athenians were Masters of the Town they should have more troublesome Neighbours than the Ambraciots were refused to follow Demosthenes Upon this Mutiny the Acarnanians became Friends with the Ambraciots and entred into a League of Peace and Amity for an Hundred Years Demosthenes thus deserted by the Acarnanians returns with Twenty Sail to Athens Presently after the
And that all the Mercenaries under the Command Ant. Ch. 399. of Clearchus and Arideus should pass peaceably through all places provided they committed no outrages Upon which they set upon their Journey and the King march'd back with his Army to Babylon and there rewarded them that had behaved themselves couragiously in the Battle amongst whom Tissaphernes was judg'd the bravest Man and therefore he honour'd him with many Rich and Princely Gifts and bestow'd his Daughter upon him in Marriage using him ever after as his fast and faithful Friend He made him likewise Governor and Lord-Lieutenant of all the Provinces that had been under the Command of Cyrus upon the Sea-Coasts But Tissaphernes perceiving that the King was Tissaphernes pursues the Grecians irreconcileably incens'd against the Grecians promis'd to destroy 'em all if he would furnish him with an Army and be reconcil'd to Arideus for through him he said he should be able to circumvent all the Grecians in their Journey This Advice was very acceptable to the King and therefore he suffer'd him to chuse the best of the Soldiers and as many as he thought fit out of the whole Army * Within the Parenthesis this or some thing like in sense is omitted in the Greek With these in all haste he pursu'd the Grecians and at length encamp'd not far off from them and sent Messengers to them to desire that Clearchus and the rest of the Commanders would come to him and hear what he had to say to them Upon which almost all the Colonels and Captains as became them went along with Clearchus to Tissaphernes and about Two hundred Soldiers follow'd after to buy Provision Tissaphernes call'd all the Colonels and Chief Officers into his Tent but the Captains and other inferior Officers stood without In a short time after upon the putting forth of a Purple Flag from the top of his Pavilion the Commanders within were 〈◊〉 seiz'd and others appointed for that Ant. Ch. 399. Tissaphernes's Treachery in killing the Grecian Commanders purpose kill'd all the rest that stood without and the other Soldiers that came to buy Victuals were kill'd in every place here and there as they were found only one made his escape to the Camp and there related the Slaughter Upon the hearing of this bloody Fact the Soldiers in great Consternation ran in confusion to their Arms having neither General Colonel or almost any other Officer When none was willing to undertake the Charge they chose several Officers from Cheirisophus chosâ—n General of the Greeks P. 411. amongst themselves and fix'd upon one of those to be the General which was Cheirisophus the Lacedemonian The Army hereupon being Marshall'd by these Officers into that Order which was judg'd best set forward towards Paphlagonia Tissaphernes in the mean time sends the General and the other Commanders bound in Chains to Artaxerxes who put them all to death but only Menon whom he releas'd for he was suppos'd to have been willing to have deliver'd up the Grecians because he was angry with them for not surrendring themselves After this horrid Act Tissaphernes with his Forces pursu'd the Greeks and pick'd up stragglers here and there but durst never face their whole Army because he was afraid of the rage and valour of Men in a desperate condition And therefore setting upon them now and then only in such places as he judg'd most for his advantage he made no great slaughter of them but with small and inconsiderable loss on the Grecians part pursu'd them as far as the Country of the * The Carducians are People in Media not subject unto Persia Carducians But then perceiving he was not likely to gain any advantage by attacking the Enemy thus in the Rear he marches away with his Army towards Jonia But the Grecians spent seven days in passing over the Mountains of the * Or Carduchi Carducians and in that time suffer'd very much from the Inhabitants being a Warlike People and well acquainted with the Passes in those parts They were a free People and Enemies to the King and very good Soldiers especially skilful and experienc'd in Hurling great Ant. Ch. 399. Stones out of Slings and shooting in Bows of a vast bigness and more than ordinary strength These People gall'd the Grecians from the rising Grounds killing and miserably wounding many of them for their Arrows being above Two Cubits long pierc'd both their Shields and Breast-plates so that no Armour could repel their force And it 's said that these sort of weapons were so extraordinary big that the Grecians us'd to cast these as Saunians instead of their Thong-Darts When they had pass'd this Country with great difficulty they came to the River * Which divides Armenia from the Carduchi Centrites and pass'd over here into Armenia which was then under the Government of Teribazus Lord-Lieutenant to the King of Persia with whom they made a League and so passed quietly as friends through his Province But as they march'd over the Mountains of Armenia the Snow was so very deep they were in danger every Man to be lost For at the first when the Wind begins to rise the Snow falls but leisurely and by degrees so that it occasions no great molestation or trouble to the Travellers But then presently the Wind increasing the Snow falls so tempestuously and on a suddain covers the ground so thick and deep that none can possibly see before them nor know where they are Hence Fear and Terror seiz'd upon the whole Army seeing nothing but certain Destruction Ant. Ch. 399 was behind 'em if they return'd and no possibility to advance forward by reason of the depth of the Snow besides Winter was then very sharp and coming on apace A Tempest upon the Grecians at Land and such a Tempest of Wind with a storm of Hail arose and blew like a Whirlwind into their very Faces that the whole Army was forc'd to stand still For none being able to endure so sad and lamentable a March every Man was necessitated to abide in the place where the Storm found him And thô all were in extream want yet they patiently endur'd that whole Night and Day the sharpness of the Winter 's Cold attended with all manner of uncomfortable circumstances For all their Arms were cover'd with Snow which fell continually in great abundance Their Bodies were stiff and benum'd with Ice which became more sharp and biting after the Air was calm and still and so grievous were the pressures they lay under that they took no Rest all the Night long Some indeed cherish'd themselves with a little Fire they had kindled others had their Bodies so benum'd with Cold that little hopes of Life remain'd having all their Fingers and Toes perish'd When the Night was over they found most of their Carriage-Horses and Cattle Lame and Useless many Men dead and not a few there were who tho' they had some Life remaining yet
Mylas and took it and and discharg'd all the Naxians that were there * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon terms of mutual Friendship who went to the Sicilian and Grecian Cities some to one place and some to another Dionysius now having made a League with the Cities that lay upon the Sea-Coasts determin'd to pass over with an Army against Rhegium But for the present his Design was retarded by the Sicilians at Tauromenum whom therefore he resolv'd in the first place to reduce Dionysius besieges Tauromenium to which end he marched thither with all his Forces and Encamp'd on that side towards Naxos and continu'd his Siege all Winter in hopes that the Sicilians would leave the Hill because they had not been long there But they having heard their Fathers declare that the ancient Sicilians the former Inhabitants of that Place were expuls'd thence by the Grecians when they arriv'd there and built Naxus they therefore concluded they had just cause both to defend their own Country and to revenge the Injury done to their Ancestors by the Greeks and so they defended the Place with great Resolution In the mean time while the Dispute was hot on both sides * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ant. Ch. 392. the Winter Solstice drew near at hand and Winter coming on apace all the Places near the Castle were full of Snow and Dionysius conceiving that the Sicilians by reason of the strength of the Place and height of the Walls kept but a slender Guard in the Castle he ascends those high and steep Places in a dark and tempestuous Night and with much difficulty by reason of the steepness of the Rock and depth of the Snow at length with a scarr'd Face and half blind with Cold and Snow possess'd himself of one part of the Castle Then presently forcing into another he laid open a Passage for his Army into the City Upon which the whole Power and Strength of the Sicilians ran together and drove the Dionystans out of the City and Castle and he himself by a blow upon his Brigandine in the pursuit was knock'd down and was very near falling alive into the hands of his Enemies And in regard the Sicilians had the advantage of high Ground from whence they gall'd the other above Six hundred of Dionysius's his Men were kill'd and many lost their Arms Dionysius himself Dionysius near killing sav'd only his Corslet After this Misfortune they of Agrigentum and Messina those that sided with Dionysius being at a great distance were altogether intent upon regaining their Liberty and therefore sent back Dionysius's Ambassador who was order'd to them to renew and continue the Confederacy and League that then was between them and the Tyâ—ant About this time Pausanias King of Sparta fled out of his Country by reason of some hainous Crimes laid to his charge by the Citizens when he had reign'd Fourteen Years Agistpolis his Soft succeeded him and continu'd as many years more Then likewise dy'd Pausaniaâ— King of Macedon whom Amyntas treacherously murther'd after he had reign'd only one Year Amyntas who thus thus got the Kingdom held it Four and twenty Years At the End of the Year Demostratus was chosen Archon of Athens and six Military Olymp. 96. 4. Ant. Ch. 391. Tribunes Lucius Titinius Publius Licinius Publius Melius Quintus * Maenius The Acts of Mago in Sicily P. 444. Mallius Gneius Genutius and Lucius Attilius govern'd as Consuls at Rome In their time Mago the Carthaginian General was busie in Sicily endeavouring to settle the Affairs of Carthage there which were then but in an ill Condition since the last slaughter and ruin of their Army To this end he carry'd himself with all Mildness and Humanity towards all the Cities within his Government and receiv'd all others into his Protection that were Enemies to Dionysius and enter'd into Leagues with many of the Sicilians At length he rais'd an Army and march'd against Messina and when he had wasted the Country he return'd with rich Booty and Encamp'd near Abacena a City of his Confederates But Dionysius with his Army march'd up to him and upon his approach both Armies were drawn out in order of Battel upon which there was a sharp and hot Engagement in which the Carthaginians were routed and fled to the City with the loss of above Eight hundred Men And Dionysius return'd to Syracuse But within a few days after he made an Expedition against Dionysius sets upon Rhegium in Italy Rhegium with an hundred Sail well Mann'd and coming upon them on a sudden in the Night he set the Gates on Fire and rear'd Scaling-Ladders to the Walls A few only of the Rhegians at first ran to repulse the Enemy and busied themselves in extinguishing the Fire but by the advice of Heloris the Governor they left the Fire and fell with all their force upon the Enemy and by that means sav'd their City For if they had continu'd Ant. Ch. 391. still in quenching the Flames so small a number could not have kept out the Dionysians till the rest of the Citizens had come in to their assistance For by throwing of Timber and other combustible matter from the Tops of the Houses next adjoining they rather increas'd the Fire Dionysius being thus disappointed in his design wastes and destroys all the Country round about with Fire and Sword but afterwards made a Truce with them for one Year and so return'd to Syracuse In the mean time the Grecians in Italy perceiving that Dionysius his Covetousness and The Grecians confederate in Italy against Dionysius Ambition extended as far as to their Countries enter'd into a general League and appointed a publick Place for their Common Assemblies By this means they hop'd that they should both be able to oppose Dionysius and likewise have an Army always ready to fight the Lucanians who were ever and anon making inroads upon them While these things were doing the Exiles that were in the Lecheum at Corinth being let into the City in the Night endeavour'd to possess themselves of the Walls but were The Lacedaemonians beaten by Iphicrates near Corinth driven out again by Iphicratis and forc'd to fly to the Arsenal with the loss of Three hundred Men. Within a few days after part of the Spartan Army march'd through the Territories of Corinth and were suddenly fallen upon by Iphicrates and some other Confederates who out off the greatest part of them And marching from thence with his Light-arm'd Men against Phlias he engag'd with them that came out of the Town and kill'd above Three hundred of them Hence he made against Sicyon who drew out under Ant. Ch. 391 the Walls and fought him but were beaten and forc'd into the City with the loss of Five hundred Citizens After these things the Argives with all their Forces came against Corinth and took both Corinth taken by the Argives the Castle and City and join'd that Territory to their
Achaia Upon this they declar'd in the publick Assembly of the Achaians the occasion of their Embassy and desir'd them to grant their Request But Ant. Ch. 370. they of Helica had an Ancient Prophecie That then they would he in the greatest danger when the Ionians sacrific'd upon the Altar of Neptune remembring therefore this they would not suffer the Ionians to take the Images alledging that that Temple was not common to all the Achaians but peculiar to themselves only The same Addresses were made to them of Bura who were of the same Mind with them of Helica However the Ionians by publick Edict of the Achaians that the Prophecy might be fulfill'd offer'd Sacrifices upon the Altar of Neptune Upon this they of Helica seiz'd upon all the Goods of the Ionians and committed the Ambassadors to Prison and so carried it very impiously towards the Deity Therefore they say that Neptune being angry to revenge himself upon their Impiety by this Earthquake and Inundation of the Sea brought this grievous calamity upon those Cities And that it was done by him they use this for an Argument That it is generally believ'd that this God hath the power of Inundations and Earthquakes in his own hand and that Peloponnesus had been ever reputed the Habitation of Neptune and the Country Dedicated to him and that all the Peloponnesian Cities worship'd this God above all others Besides this they give a further reason of this sad Ant. Ch. 370. Accident There are as they say in Peloponnesus great Cavities under-ground which by the Sea flowing here and there through the Earth are turn'd into great Ponds and Lakes of Water And indeed it is very certain that there are Two Rivers in that Peninsula which apparently fall into the Caverns of the Earth For the Rivers which run by * A City in Aâ—cadia Pheneum in former Ages sunk in one place into the Earth and became invisible being swallow'd up in these Caverns under ground * Erasinus River Another was lost at a great opening of the Earth at * Stymphalus in Arcadia Stymphius and ran unseen under ground for the space of Two hundred Stages and rose up again near the City Argos To what is related is further added That none suffer'd but only they who were guilty of the Impiety before-mention'd And this shall suffice to be said of the Earthquakes and Inundations in Peloponnesus Afterward When Alcisthenes was Chief Magistrate of Athens and Eight Military Tribunes viz. Olymp. 102. 1. Ant. Ch. 369. * 25 Mile Lucius * Lucius Publius Valerius Valerius Publius Ancius Caius Terentius Lacius Menenius Caius Sulpitius Titus Papyrius Lucius Aemilius and * Marcus Fabius A Coinet in Peloponnesus Fabius Marcus bore the Consular Authority at Rome the Hundred and second Olympiad was celebrated at Aelis wherein Damon the Thurian was Victor At that time God by some Signs and Prodigies foretold the Fall of the Lacedemonian Sovereignty over Greece after they had enjoy'd it near Five hundred Years For a great Comet which from its shape was call'd the Fiery Beam was seen in the Heavens several Nights And not long after the Lacedemonians being overcome in a great Battle suddenly beyond all Mens imagination lost their Dominion Some Ant. Ch. 369. among the Natural Philosophers ascribe the Original of this Comet to proceed from Natural Causes and say that these sort of Meteors at some stated times do happen of necessity And that the Eminent Chaldeans in Babylon and other Astrologers have certainly and exactly foretold the appearance of these Comets And that it 's not to be admir'd tho' such things do happen accordingly but that it would be a greater wonder if they should not being that all things have their proper Courses and turns and at length by incessant Motions are brought into Act in fixed and stated Times and Seasons It 's related that this Comet was so very light that it cast a shadow upon the Earth like the Moon CHAP. VI. Artaxerxes sends again to make Peace among the Grecians All compli'd but the Thebans The Spartans raise an Army against the Thebans Epaminondas made the Theban General The famous Battle of Leuctra The terrible Seditions and Cruelties in Argos Jason of Pherae stirs up the Thessalonians to gain the Sovereignty of Greece Pollydore Prince of Pherea in Greece poison'd by his Brother Alexander Plot to depose Alexander King of Macedonia Treated with to that purpose ABout this time Artaxerxes King of Persia hearing that Greece was fallen into new Broils sent Ambassadors again to exhort them to live in peace one with another according to the late Establishment The Grecians readily compli'd with the Advice and Peace made again by the Mediation of Artaxerxes and all made Peace again among themselves except the Thebans For they were not admitted into the League because they challeng'd all Beotia to be under their own Government And it was Decreed that all the Cities should be bound by Oath to observe the League Being therefore excluded as they were before they kept Beotia under the sole Jurisdiction of their own City Upon which the Lacedemonians being inrag'd resolv'd to make War upon them as the common Enemies of Greece For their growing Pow'r began to be suspected lest being Masters of all Baeotia they should some Ant. Ch. 369. The Lacedemonians decree War against the Thebans P. 484. time or other catch an opportunity to deprive Sparta of the Sovereign Command Especially for that they were a Warlike Nation Inferior to none in Greece and by their daily Exercise in the publick Schools their Bodies became far stronger and besides had many valiant Commanders and especially three Epaminondas Gorgias and Pelopidas And to this may be added That the Thebans by reason of the Nobility of their Ancestors who were famous in the Heroick times were of Proud and Lordly Spirits and ever aspiring to great matters Upon this account the Lacedemonians this Year rais'd an Army compos'd of their own Cities and of their Confederates and prepar'd themselves for War So that When Phrasichides was Lord Chancellor of Athens and the Romans appointed Eight Military Tribunes to execute the Office of Consuls viz. Publius Manlius Caius Erenucius Olymp. 102. 2. Caius Sextius Tiberius Julius * Lucius Julius Lucius * Marcus Albinius Labinius Publius Fibonius Caius Manlius and Lucius Antistius The Thebans excluded from the common League were forc'd by their own strength alone to bear the brunt of the War against the Lacedemonians for by the Articles of the Peace Ratifi'd and confirm'd by all none of the Cities were to send them any Aid or Relief Therefore the Lacedemonians now that the Thebans were wholly desert'd decreed a War against them and were resolv'd to subject Thebes to the Lacedemonian State And forasmuch as all observ'd that the Lacedemonians made extraordinary preparations and that the Thebans on the other hand had none to stand by them
vain to persuade the Grecians to be at Peace among themselves to which all willingly comply'd except the Thebans who were so obstinate that they refus'd the Conditions having before brought all Beotia in subjection to their own Government There being therefore no hopes of Peace Philiscus return'd into Asia leaving behind him Two thousand-Mercenaries who receiv'd their Pay for the Service of the Lacedemonians Whilst these things were doing Euphron of Sicyon a bold and rash Fellow not inferior Euphron gains the Sovereignty of Sycion to any in that kind with the assistance of the Argives plotted to gain the Sovereignty and to that end Fortune favour'd him so far that forthwith he banish'd Forty of the Citizens and confiscated their Goods and Estates by which he rais'd a vast sum of Money wherewith he hir'd a Guard of Foreigners and so possess'd himself of the Command of the City Nausigenes being Lord Chancellor of Athens and Four Military Tribunes viz. Lucius Papyrius Lucius Menenius Servius Cornelius and Servius Sulpitius executing the Consular Olymp. 103. 1. Ant. Ch. 366. Authority at Rome the Hundred and Third Olympiad was celebrated at Elis in which Pythostratus the Athenian carry'd away the Prize This Year Ptolemy Alorites the Son of Amyntas treacherously Murther'd his Brother Alexander and Govern'd the Kingdom of Macedonia for the space of Three Years At the same time Pelopidas in Beotia emulating the Glory of Epaminondas and perceiving what great Service he had done in Peloponnesus for the Common-wealth of Beotia made it his business to advance his own Reputation by enlarging the Power and Sovereignty of the Thebans in other parts out of Peloponnesus To that end and joining with Ismenia his special Friend and a Man of great Esteem for his Valour he took a journey into Thessaly where upon Discourse Pelopidas and Ismenias unexpectedly secur'd by Alexander of Pherea with Alexander Tyrant of Pherea when he never expected any such thing he and Istmenias were both seizd and clapt up in prison This Fact highly incens'd the Thebans upon which they sent Eight thousand heavy Arm'd Men and Six hundred Horse into Thessaly At whose coming Alexander was in a great fright and sent Ambassadors to Athens to Treat with them for their assistance Upon this the People of Athens forthwith dispatch'd away Thirty Sail and a Thousand Men under the Command of Autocles But while he sail'd round Eubea the Thebans entred Thessaly And tho' Alexander was well furnish'd with Foot and exceeded the Beotians in Horse yet the Beotians at the first concluded they should put an end to the War by one Fight especially being enforc'd by the Thessalians But being deserted by them and Alexander assisted by the Athenians The Boeotians brought into a great strait in Thessaly and other Confederates and Meat and Drink and all other Provision being scarce the Baeotarchs were resolv'd to return home and accordingly drew off and in their march through the Plain they were fallen upon in the Rear by Alexander's Horse who kill'd and wounded many of the Beotians At length not being able either to keep their Ground or go forward they knew not which way to turn themselves or what to do Ant. Ch 366. Brought off by Epaminondas and to aggravate the perplexity they were in they were in want of Food In this desperate condition Epaminondas who was then but a private Soldier was chosen General by the Army who presently plac'd the best and choicest of the Light Arm'd Men and the Horse in the Rear with these he repuls'd the Enemy that press'd upon the backs of the Beotians and by frequent skirmishes making head as occasion serv'd and keeping his Troops in good Order he brought off the Army safe Thenceforth more and P. 495. more advancing his own Reputation by his Noble Actions he wan Praise and Renown both amongst his Citizens and all their Confederates But The * Beotarchs Magistrates of Beotia set great Fines upon the Officers and Leaders in this late Expedition and so rais'd a great deal of Money But in regard the Question may be very well ask'd How it came to pass that so great a Man was plac'd in so low a Post as a Common Soldier in that Expedition into Thessaly It 's fit a Reason should be given in justification of Epaminondas When he had in the Fight at Corinth beaten off the Lacedemonians who guarded the Fortification he might have kill'd a great number of them but resting satisfy'd that he had gain'd the Pass he forbore all further pursuit Being therefore suspected that he spar'd the Lacedemonians out of a design to ingratiate himself into their Favour those that envy'd his Glory watch'd an opportunity to accuse him of Treason Upon which the People were so exasperated that they depriv'd him of his Command and order'd him to serve as a Common Soldier But having by his Noble Actions wip'd off those stains of Dishonour cast upon him he was restor'd by the People to his former Dignity Not long after a sharp Battel was fought between the Lacedemonians and the Arcadians in which the former obtain'd a famous Victory and was the first Fight since that at Fight between the Arcadians and Lacedemonians Note Not one Man lost Leuctra wherein they had any considerable success There were above Ten thousand of the Arcadians slain and not one Man lost of the Lacedemonians The Priests at Dodona had before foretold That this War should end without any Mourning on the Lacedemonians part After this Battle the Arcadians were in that fear of the Lacedemonians that they built the City call'd Megalopolis in a place commodiously situated for their security and brought into it the Menalians and Parrhasians out of Twenty Villages in Arcadia And this was the state of Greece at that time In Sicily Dionysius the Tyrant having rais'd a great Army resolved to take advantage of Ant. Ch. 366. Dionysius invades the Carthaginian Territory in Sicily the present Opportunity and to fall upon the Carthaginians who were then but in a very ill Condition by reason of the Plague that rag'd amongst them and their being deserted by many of the Africans And because he had not the least colour and ground for the War he pretended that the Carthaginians Incroach'd and made Incursions into his Country Having therefore an Army of Thirty thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse besides a Navy of Three hundred Sail with these he Invades the Carthaginian Territory and presently wan Salinunte and Entella and wastes and harrasses all the Country round about Then taking Aeryx he at length besieg'd Lilybeum But the strength of the Garison presently forc'd him to raise his Siege Afterwards being inform'd that the Arsenals belonging to the Carthaginians were burnt down and therefore conceiving their whole Fleet was destroy'd he grew secure and despis'd the Enemy so that he laid up Thirty of his best Gallies in the Haven at Eryx and sent all the rest back to
The Foot as soon as they Engag'd fought with wonderful heat and resolution Never was there greater Armies in the Field in any Battle between Grecians and Grecians nor more brave and excellent Commanders or that ever approv'd themselves with more Valour and Courage For the Boeotians and Lacedemonians who were in that Age counted the best Land Soldiers in the World fronted one another and began the Onset with that Fury as if they valu'd not their Lives in the least They first began with their Lances which being for the most part broken in pieces by the violence and heat of the Charge they fell to their Swords Then setting Foot to Foot all sorts of Wounds curable and Mortal slight and deadly were given and receiv'd without remitting any thing of their first Heat or Resolution And they continu'd in this sharp Engagement with that Valour and so long a time neither side giving the least ground that Victory seem'd to hover over both uncertain where it would fall For every one slighted and contemn'd Danger and desiring nothing more P. 503. than to make himself remarkable by some Glorious piece of Service for his Country with a brave Gallantry of Mind coveted to exchange Life for Honour After the Battle had continu'd long and none were able to judge who would be the Conquerors Epaminondas conceiving the present state of the Parties engag'd requir'd his assistance resolv'd to decide the Matter with the hazard of his own Life To that end taking a choice Band of the most able Men he had with him and drawing them up in close Order he forthwith Charg'd at the head of them and was the first that cast his Javelin and kill'd the Lacedemonian General and then broke into the midst of his Enemies Ant. Ch. 361. then others presently following beating down all before him he clave asunder the Enemies Battle For the Fame of Epaminondas and the strength of that Body he then had with him struck such a Terror into the Lacedemonians that they turn'd their backs and began to make away Upon which the Boeotians pursu'd close and kill'd all that were in the Rear so that heaps of Carkasses cover'd the Ground At length when the Lacedemonians perceiv'd that the fierceness and heat of Epaminondas had precipitated him too far they all in a Body made up upon him throwing infinite number of Darts at him of which he put by some and receiv'd others upon his Target and pluckt others out of his Body with his own hands and threw them back into the face of the Enemy At last whilst he was most Heroically bestirring himself to gain the Victory for his Country he receiv'd a Mortal wound in his Breast by a Dart * By one Anticiates a Spartan Justin Epaminondas falls thrown with such a force as that the Wood broke and the Iron with the Trunchion remain'd in his Body so that by the greatness of the wound he suddenly fell to the ground And now the Contest grew very sharp and hot for the recovery of his Body and after a great slaughter made the Thebans being of much stronger Bodies than the Lacedemonians at length put their Enemies to flight The Boeotians pursu'd them a little way but presently return'd as looking upon it absolutely necessary to have the power of the Bodies The Trumpets therefore sounding a Retreat both Armies drew off and each party erected a Trophy both pretending to the Victory For the Athenians possess'd the Bodies of all those Eubeans and Mercenaries that were slain at the Hill On the other side the Boeotians that had routed the Lacedemonians and were Masters of the dead challeng'd the Victory And for some time neither side sent any Trumpets to Treat for burying the Ant. Ch. 361. Dead lest they that were first should be thought to yield the day Yet at last the Lacedemonians first sent a Trumpet to procure Liberty to bury their Men Whereupon all were buried that were slain on both sides But Epaminondas yet living was brought back into the Camp and when the Physitians that were sent for told him that he would certainly Die as soon as the Dart was drawn out of his Body he was not at all daunted But first call'd for his Armour-bearer and ask'd whether his Shield was safe When he answer'd it was and shew'd it to him then he enquir'd whether side had got the day The Youth making return that the Boeotians were Victors Why then saith he Now is the time to die And forthwith order'd the Dart to be drawn out And when all his Friends round about him cry'd out and one with great Lamentation express'd himself thus And what O Epaminondas Dost thou die Childless No by Jupiter said he But I leave behind me Two Daughters whereof the one is Victory at Leuctra and the other at Mantinea And so upon drawing out the head of the Dart he quietly breath'd out his last without any shew of Trouble or Disorder Epaminondas dies of his 〈…〉 und of Mind And because it was our usual Method to give an Honourable Testimony of Worthy and Deserving Men after their Deaths we think we might be justly blam'd if we should The Commendation of Epaminondas omit so brave a Man without a peculiar remark For he seems to me to be not only the most skilful General and of the most Just and Generous Disposition of any of his own time among whom the most famous were Pelopidas the Theban Timotheus Conon Chabrias Iphicrates Athenians and Agesilaus the Spartan who was a little before him but likewise P. 504. Ant. Ch. 361. of any that liv'd before him in the time of the Medes and Persians as Solon Themistocles Miltiades Cimon Mironides Pericles and some other Athenians and Gelo the Son of Dinomenes in Sicily and some others whose several Excellencies if any will compare with the Military Art and the Glory of the Arms of Epaminondas he shall soon find him to exceed them in many degrees For among them some one peculiar Excellency was only remarkable in each particular Person but in him a Constellation of Virtues were Hous'd together For in Strength and Comliness of Body Volubility of Tongue Gallantness of Spirit Contempt of Wealth and impartial Justice and that which was far before all the rest in Valour and Skill in Martial Affairs absolutely necessary for a General he far excell'd 'em all When alive he gain'd the Sovereign Power for his Country but by his Death they lost it again and their Affairs declin'd to the worse ever afterwards and at length by the Sloth and Ignorance of their Commanders they were utterly ruin'd and reduc'd to perfect Slavery And this was the end of Epaminondas a Man honoured and esteemed of all After this Battle the Grecians being tir'd out with continual Wars and contented now to draw stakes put an end to the War and entred into a general League Offensive and Defensive in which the Messineans were included But the Lacedemonians
Army towards Hircania and the third day came near the City * From its 100 Gates Hecatompylon and there encamp'd Here he continu'd some Days to refresh his Army because the Country was exceeding Rich and abounded with every thing for Man's Use Thence he mov'd forward an Hundred and fifty Furlongs and encamp'd near a very high Rock at the foot of which is a Cave not unbecoming the Gods from whence as the Spring-head issues the great River Stiboetes Thence it runs with a fierce and violent Stream for the space of Three Furlongs 'till it dash it self upon a great Rock in shape like a Woman's Pap under which is a vast Gulph or opening of the Earth into which being now divided into two Channels it falls down with a mighty Noise turn'd all into Froth and Spume and there runs under-ground * About 43 Miles Three hundred Furlongs and then appears again as if that we e its Spring-head Having entred Hircania with his Army he gain'd all the Town and Cities as far as the Caspian Sea which some call likewise the Hircanian Sea It 's reported that in that Sea are many Serpents of Ant. Ch. 327. an extraordinary Bigness and Fish of all sorts much differing in Colour from those in our Parts When he entred further into Hircania he came to Towns call'd the Fortunate Towns The Fertility of Hircania which are so in Deed as well as in Name For this Country excels all the rest in fertility of Soil for every Vine they say affords a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about 49 Quarts Metrete of Wine And that some Fig-trees are so very fruitful that they 'll bear Ten †Every Medimna is about 18 Gallons Medimnas of dried Figs and that what are left upon the Tree after Harvest fall upon the Ground and spring up again of themselves and bring forth abundance of Fruit to perfection There 's a Tree in that Country much like to an Oak which distills Honey from its Leaves and this the Inhabitants gather in great plenty for their own use There 's likewise a little Insect in this Tract call'd an Anthredon less than a Bee but very remarkable it gets its living in the Mountains sucking the Flowers that grow here and there in those places It works its Combs within hollow Rocks or Trees shatter'd or made hollow by the Thunder-bolts and there makes a Liquor not inferiour to any for sweetness In the mean time Alexander while he was on his March through Hircania and the bordering Countries gain'd great Reputation and was highly honour'd for his Clemency in carrying himself with so much Humanity towards all those Commanders who fled away with Darius and afterwards submitted themselves to him So that Fifteen hundred brave and valiant Grecians who sided with Darius forthwith came unto him and laid themselves at his Feet whom he readily pardon'd and plac'd them in several of his Ant. Ch. 327. Regiments and allow'd them the same Pay with the rest Having run through the Sea-Coasts of Hircania he entred the Country of the Mardi who being a Warlike Nation slighted the growing Power of the King and shew'd him not the least Respect either by sending Ambassadors or otherwise but having possess'd themselves of the strait Passes of the Mountains with Eight thousand Men stood there waiting for the coming of the Macedonians Hereupon the King sets upon them kills many and drives the rest within the Straits But while he was burning up the Country all before him it fell out that some of the King's Boys who led his Horses being at some distance from the rest of the Army his best Horse by a sudden Incursion of the Alexander's Horse Barbarians was carry'd away This Horse was given him by Damarotus the Corinthian and the King had made use of him in all his Battels in Asia When he was bare-back'd he would admit only his Tender to mount him but when he had the King's War-Saddle and the rest of his brave Trappings upon him he would not suffer his former Rider to get upon his Back nor any other Person but Alexander and to him he would down upon his Knees for the King to get into the Saddle Because of these excellent Properties of the Horse the King was the more griev'd and troubled and therefore he order'd all the Trees in all parts of the Country as he went to be hewn down and caus'd a Proclamation to be made in their own natural Tongue That unless his Horse were restor'd he would waste and destroy all before him with Fire and Sword which he began presently to put in execution Upon which the Barbarians were so terrify'd that they Ant. Ch. 327. not only restor'd the Horse but brought along with them many rich Presents for the King and by Fifty Ambassadors begg'd his Pardon Upon which the King accepted some of the most Honourable among them for Hostages When he came back into Hircania Thalestris Queen of the Amazons met him whose Dominions lay between Phasis and Taermodon of an admirable Beauty and strong Body Thalestâ—is greatly honour'd in her own Country for here Brave and Manly Spirit She presented herself to the King with Three hundred Amazons in their Warlike Habit having left the rest of her Forces on the Borders of Hircania The King being struck with admiration at the sudden and unexpected approach of the Queen and the graceful appearance of the Women ask'd Thalestris what was the Reason of her Journey thither Who answer'd him That she came there to have Issue by him for she look'd upon him to transcend all other Men for Great and Noble Actions and she her self to exceed all other Women both in Body and Mind as to the Strength of the one and Courage of the other And therefore there was good ground to hope that the Issue of such Parents would excell all other Men in Valour The King was greatly pleas'd with what she said and gratisy'd her Request and after he had convers'd with her for the space of Thirteen Days he presented her with honourable Gifts and suffer'd her to return to her own Kingdom Alexander conceiving that he had now effected all that he design'd and that there was no Competitor with him for the Empire began to indulge the soft and effeminate Manners Alexander i 〈◊〉 the Persians of the Persians and to imitate the Luxury of the Asian Kings And therefore in the first place he order'd all the * The Lictors who carry'd Rods before the Magistrates Officers of the Court to be Asiaticks and the Nobility of Asia to be * ' Squires of the Body amongst whom Oxathres the Brother of Darius was one He put likewise the Persian Diadem upon his Head and wore the White Cassock and Belt after the manner of the Persian Kings and all the rest except the Persian Hose †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such carry'd Lances Ant. Ch. 327. and Vestment call'd the Candys He bestow'd
of all the Elephants in that Tract and receiv'd the Indians into his Protection Thence he mov'd to the River Indus where being furnish'd with some Ships of Thirty Oars a piece with them he made a Bridge over the River and continu'd in that place Ant. Ch. 326. for thirty days space to refresh his Army and there offer'd magnificent Sacrifices to the Gods After he had pass'd over his Forces there hapned something unusual and remarkable One Taxilis who formerly reign'd in that Country being lately dead his Son Mophis succeeded him this Mophis some time before had sent an Ambassador to Alexander when he was in Sogdiana to offer him his Assistance against the Indians that were then preparing to oppose him and likewise promis'd to deliver up his Kingdom into the King's hands When the King was Thirty Furlongs distant Mophis and his Friends march'd towards him with a well-appointed Army and Elephants adorn'd and fitted for Battel When Alexander saw so numerous an Army advance he believ'd the Indian had made a Cloak of his Promises to cover his Fraud by that means to surprize the Macedonians at unawares therefore he commanded the Trumpets to give the Sign of Battel and drew up his Army in Battalia and advanc'd towards the Indians But Mophis being inform'd of the sudden Commotion that was amongst the Macedonians easily judging what was the occasion commanded his Army to make an halt and he himself with a few in his Company posts away and presently undeceives the Macedonians by delivering up himself and his Army which was the Strength of the Kingdom into the Power of the King who was so well pleas'd with what the Barbarian had done that he restor'd him to his Kingdom and ever after found Taxiles for so he was call'd his constant and faithful Friend and Associate And these were the Transactions of this Year CHAP. X. Alexander overcomes Porus. How Apes are taken Strange Serpents for Venem Large Trees Marches against the Andrastians Catheri and against Sophithes The Custom of them under Sophithes Indian Dogs Entertain'd by Phigeus The Macedonians refuse to march against the Gandarides Alexander leaves Monuments behind him at the River Hyphasis Nicea built and Bucephalis The Ibori present Alexander Routs the Agalassians In danger in the River Indas by Whirlpools Marches against the Oxidracans and Mallians The King leaps off the Wall into the Town A Duel between Coragus and Dioxippus The Sambestae submit to Alexander and the Sodrans and Massanians Subdues Musicanus Porticanus and Sambus Poison'd Weapons The King's Dream Comes into the main Ocean Comes into Gedrosia The Savageness of the People His Army near perishing in Gedrosia Comes into Carmania Punishes the Bormcial Goremours Nearchus returns Islands cover'd at high Tides The strange Death of Calanus Alexander marrieth Statira Harpalus his Luxury He seizes with his own Hand them that mutiny'd AT the time when Chremes was Lord Chancellor at Athens and Publius Cornelius and Olymp. 113. 2. Ant. Ch. 325. An. M. 3623. Aulus Posthumius executed the Consulship at Rome Alexander after he had refresh'd his Army in the Province of Taxilis march'd against Porus Prince of the Neighbouring Indians who had in his Army above Fifty thousand Foot Three thousand Horse above a Thousand Chariots and an Hundred and thirty Elephants and was confederated with another Neighbouring King call'd Embisarus not inferior in Power to Porus. Alexander's Battel with Porus. Alexander understanding that he was not above 400 Furlongs distant from Porus advanc'd with a Resolution to fight him before the other join'd him Porus perceiving him to approach drew up his Horse in two Wings His Elephants so accountred as to terrifie his Enemies he plac'd at equal distances one from another in the Front and lin'd them with his arm'd Men who were commanded to guard and defend them from Darts and Arrows in the Flank The whole Army drawn up thus in Battalia seem'd like a City For the Elephants stood like so many Towers and the Soldiers plac'd among them resembled the Walls Alexander on the other hand observing how his Enemies were drawn up so dispos'd and order'd his own Men as the present Circumstances of his Affairs then requir'd The Horse engag'd in the first place and thereupon almost all the Indians Chariots were presently broken in pieces Afterwards the Elephants being made use of by the mighty Bulk of their Bodies and their great Strength bore down and trod underfoot Ant. Ch. 325. many of the Macedonians others were catch'd up in their Trunks and toss'd into the Air and then fell down again with great violence upon the Earth and so miserably perish'd Many likewise were so rent and torn by their Teeth that they died forthwith However the Macedonians with invincible Courage indur'd all the Hardships wherewith they were press'd and with their * The Macedonian Pikes Sarissas kill'd the Soldiers that guarded the Elephants So that now they fought upon equal Terms and not long after the Beasts being ply'd with Darts on every side and not being able longer to endure the many Wounds they receiv'd their Riders were not able to rule them insomuch as they furiously rush'd backwards and broke in upon their own Regiments and trode many of them underfoot which caus'd great disturbance and consusion Upon which Porus mounted upon the Bravest Elephant seeing how things were like to be commanded Forty of those that were not as yet startled and affrighted to be plac'd round about him And with these he made so desperate and sierce a Charge that he made a sad Slaughter amongst the Macedonians especially being a Man of the strongest Body of all those that were with him for he was five Cubits high and in bulk proportionable so that his Breast-plate was twice as big as any of the rest of the most strongest Men amongst them and he threw a Dart with as great force as if it had been shot out of an Engine But this extraordinary Strength of Porus did not at all terrifie the Macedonians that were plac'd in the front against him Alexander therefore commanded the Archers and light-arm'd Men with all their Darts and Arrows to make at Porus himself who did as they were commanded So that such a multitude of Archers were got in one Body together and such Showers of Darts and Arrows pour'd out upon him that they could not possibly miss their Mark Porus overcome Porus at length having fought with great Valour and Resolution by multitude of Wounds lost so much Blood as that his Spirits fail'd him and he fell down from his Beast to the Ground Upon which it being presently spread abroad that the King was dead the rest of the Indians fled and thereupon a great Slaughter was made amongst ' em Thus Alexander having gain'd this glorious Victory at length commanded his Trumpets Ant. Ch. 325. to sound a Retreat But there were kill'd in this Battel above Twelve thousand Indians amongst whom were Two Sons of
them who besieg'd the Rock Aornon with Hercules and after that they were defeated in that Design were planted in this Country by that Hero Here he encamp'd near an eminent City of greatest Command in those parts The Citizens went out to the King and were admitted to converse with him and there they renew'd the Memory of their ancient Kindred and promis'd to perform all Offices of Respect and Kindness as became so near Relations and seal'd and confirm'd what they said with extraordinary rich Presents The King receiv'd them very graciously and in return freed all their Cities to govern according to their own Laws Thence he mov'd towards the bordering Nations amongst whom he found the Agalassians had rais'd an Army of Forty thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse Alexander 〈◊〉 Agalassians fought 'em and routed 'em many were kill'd upon the spot and the rest fled into Holes and Dens and the neighbouring Towns and Villages which being afterwards taken they were all sold for Slaves There were 20000 of the rest of the Inhabitants that got together for shelter into a great City which he took by Storm though the Indians blocking up all the strait Passages fought resolutely from the Tops of their Houses and kill'd multitudes of the Macedonians which put him into such a Rage as that he set the Town on fire and burnt most of them in it so that only Three thousand remain'd who Ant. Ch. 325. fled into the Castle and su'd for Pardon and had it Then he with his Friends went on board again and sail'd down the River to the place where the two * Hydaspes and Acisines Rivers as was said before and likewise Indus now met together But these great Rivers rushing in one upon another in one and the same place there were most terrible Whirlpools where the Ships that fell into them were so whirl'd about that there they perish'd And the Stream was so fierce and violent that no Pilot could govern their Ships so that two long Ships were sunk and many of the rest driven upon the Shoar The King's Ship was likewise catch'd in a Whirlpool and he himself now Alexander in danger by Whirlpools in the utmost Extremity and Danger of losing his Life which he perceiving stript himself naked and prepar'd for the last Remedy Whereupon his Friends came round the Ship endeavouring with all their Might to take in the King in case his Ship pérish'd A great Hurry and Confusion there was while the Men strove with the Violence of the Waves but the River overmatch'd both their Strength and Skill Yet the King with great difficulty by the help of the Ships was at length brought to land Being thus unexpectedly preserv'd he sacrific'd to the Gods for his Deliverance and that he had like another Achilles conquer'd the River it self Thence he march'd against the * Oxydracons and Mallians Syracusians in the Greek mistaken for Oxydracans Ant. Ch. 325. Oxydracans and Mallians populous and warlike Nations of India whom he found ready prepar'd with an Army of above Fourscore thousand Foot and Ten thousand Horse and Seven hundred Chariots These People were at War amongst themselves before the King came amongst them but being terrify'd at his approach they were forc'd to agree and confederate against him And in Confirmation of their League they mutually dispos'd of Ten thousand Virgins in Marriage and thereby entred into Affinity one with another However they came not against him with their Armies into the Field but afterwards fell at variance one with another concerning the Chief Command and slipt away here and there into the Neighbouring Cities Alexander approaching to the Capital * Of the Oxydracans Vid. Appian lib. 2. Bell. Civil latter end And Curtius 〈◊〉 9 sect 5 City design'd without any further delay to assault it But one Demophoon a Soothsayer disswaded the King from his Purpose alledging That by certain Signs and Prodigies by him observ'd were portended that the King would be in extream danger by a Wound receiv'd in this Siege and therefore intreated him that he would wave this Town and apply himself to some other Affair Upon this the King was very angry because he discourag'd the Soldiers therefore preparing all things necessary for an Assault he himself led up his Men to the Walls with an undaunted Spirit eager to gain the Place by force His Men being slow in fixing the Engines as he thought he was the first that broke through the Gate into the City upon which many were hewn down and the rest fled whom he pursu'd to the very Castle And because the Macedonians came not on so roundly to make the Assault as he expected he took a Scaling-Ladder himself and set it to the Castle-Wall and holding his Buckler over his Head mounted the Ladder and was so quick that before they within could force him back he had gain'd the Top of the Ant. Ch. 325. Wall None of the Indians durst engage him hand to hand but they so ply'd him with Darts and Arrows at a distance that he was overprest In the mean time the Macedonians had apply'd two Scaling-Ladders but two many thronging up at once the Ladders broke and down they all fell to the Ground The King being then left without all hope of Relief was so desperate as that he did that which is worth special remark and almost incredible For looking upon it as a diminution of his Glory to make back down amongst his own Soldiers he leapt off the Wall with his Arms in his hand into the * Castle-Yard rather The King leaps into a 〈◊〉 himself Town Then the Indians came rushing upon him in droves and he receiv'd their Assault with great Resolution For having a Tree which grew near to the Wall on his right hand and the Wall on his left he more easily defended himself standing his ground with that Courage and Resolution as became a King that had perform'd such Noble Acts coveting to end his Days by a glorious and honourable Death Having now receiv'd many Cuts upon his Helmet and as many on his Shâ—eld At length he receiv'd so grievous a Wound under one of his Paps that it brought him down upon his Knees Upon which the Indian that wounded him ran heedlesly upon him to give him another Blow but the King thrust his Sword through his Body and there he fell down dead Then raising himself up by the help of a Bough of the Tree he challeng'd any of the Indians that had a mind to fight with him And now came in to his relief Peucestes one of his Guard being one of the first that by other Ladders had scal'd the Wall and after him came several others so Ant. Ch. 325. that the Barbarians being now in a fright Alexander was at length preserv'd and rescu'd The City being thus taken the Macedonians being enrag'd upon the account of the King put all the Men they sound to the Sword and fill'd every
Slaughter The Right Wing being thus distress'd and at length totally routed was forc'd to retreat to the Foot But in the left Wing commanded by Neoptolemus oppos'd to Eumenes there was a very sharp Engagement the two Generals singling out one another For being known to each other by their Horses and other Combat between Neoptolimus and Eumenes special Marks they fought hand to hand and by combating thus singly they put a Remark upon the Victory for after they had try'd it out by their Swords they presently began an admirable and new sort of Encounter Anger and Revenge mutually stirring up each other For letting their Bridles fall upon their Horses Necks they catch'd hold Ant. Ch. 320. with their left hands one upon another and so grappling together their Horses violently pressing forward ran from under them leaving them both tumbling on the Ground together And though it was a difficult matter for either of them after so violent a Fall to rise again and besides being press'd down by the weight of their Arms yet Eumenes rising first wounded Neoptolemus in the Ham with so great a Gash and Cut that he lay Hamstrung groveling upon the Ground and by reason of the grievousness of the Wound was not able to raise himself upon his Feet But the Stoutness and Courage of his Mind overcoming the Weakness of his Body he got upon his Knees and gave his Adversary three Wounds upon his Arm and Thigh but none of them being mortal while they were yet warm Eumenes gave Neoptolemus a second Blow upon his Neck and kill'd him outright In the mean time great Slaughter was made among the rest of the Horse on both sides so that while some were kill'd and others wounded the Fortune of the Day at the first was very uncertain But as soon as it was nois'd abroad that Neoptolemus was slain and both Wings broken the whole Body fled and made away to the * The Battalion of the Macedonian Foot P. 645. Ant. Ch. 320. Phalanx as to a strong Wall of Defence But Eumenes content with keeping of his Ground and the Possession of the Bodies of both the Generals sounded a Retreat to his Soldiers Then he set up a Trophy and after he had bury'd the Slain he sent to the Phalanx and to them that were thus routed to let them know That whoever would should have liberty to take up Arms with him or to go their way wherever they pleas'd The Macedonians accepted of these Terms of Peace and upon Oath of Fidelity given they had liberty to march away to the next Towns to supply themselves with Provision But they dealt treacherously with Eumenes for recollecting their Forces and furnishing themselves with Provision in the Night they stole away and went to Antipater Eumenes indeed did all he could to revenge this Breach of their Oaths and to that end forthwith endeavour'd to pursue the Phalanx but by reason of the Strength of the Enemy and his own Indisposition through the Wounds he had receiv'd he was not able to do any thing effectually and therefore he judg'd it better to forbear from further Pursuit Having therefore gain'd so glorious a Victory and cut off two eminent Commanders his Name grew very famous Antipater having receiv'd those that had escap'd after they were refresh'd hasted away to Cilicia and to aid Ptolemy But †Perdiccas comes into Aegypt Perdiccas hearing of the * His first Victory over Neoptolemus for Perdiccas was kill'd before the News of this last arriv'd as appears afterwards Victory gain'd by Eumenes prosecuted his Expedition into Aegypt with much more Assurance When he came near to the River Nile he encamp'd not far off Pelusium and while he was cleansing an old Sluce Nile so overflow'd that it defeated all his Design and spoil'd his Works and many of his Friends deserted the Camp and went over to Ptolomy For he inclin'd to Cruelty and having remov'd the rest of the Captains from the Sovereign Command he made it his only Business to be sole Monarch and absolute Tyrant Ptolemy on the contrary was courteous and mild and gave free Liberty to the rest of the Captains to advise him in all his Enterprizes Besides he had put strong Garisons Ant. Ch. 320. into all the convenient Places of Aegypt and had furnish'd them with all sorts of Weapons and other Things that were necessary By which means he succeeded in every thing for the most part that he undertook while many that lov'd the Man chearfully expos'd themselves to undergo all Hazards for his sake But Perdiccas to repair his Losses call'd together the Commanders and having regain'd some by Gifts and others by large Promises and all by smooth Words he hearten'd himself so as to bear up against the Hazards and Difficulties that were coming apace upon him And when he had order'd them all to be ready for a March about Evening he mov'd from thence with his whole Army Not acquainting any whither he would lead them he march'd all Night with a swift March and at length encamp'd upon the Banks of the Nile not far from a Castle call'd the Camel's Wall When it was Day he pass'd his Army over the Elephants leading the Way and next to them the Targateers with those that carry'd the Sealing Ladders and other things he had occasion to use in a Siege His best Horse at length brought up the Rear with Ant. Ch. 320. whom he intended to attack the Ptolemeans if it happen'd that they appear'd In the middle of their March Ptolemy's Horse shew'd themselves making forward in a swift Career for the Defence of the Town who though they hasted away to enter the Fort and by sounding of Trumpets and shouts of Men gave sufficient notice to all of their Approach yet Perdiccas was not at all amus'd but boldly led up his Army close to the Fort and forthwith the Targateers with their Ladders mounted the Wall and those that rid the Perdiccas assaults the Fore call'd the Camelâ—-wall but is re 〈…〉 d. Elephants threw down the Fortifications and demolish'd the Bulwarks Whereupon Ptolemy with those of his own Guard about him to encourage the rest of his Officers and Friends manfully to behave themselves catch'd hold of a Sarissa and mounted the Bulwark and so being on the higher Ground struck out the Eyes of the foremost Elephant and wounded the Indian that sate upon him And as for those that seal'd the Walls he hurl'd them down shamefully cut and wounded together with their Arms into the River After his Example Ptolemy's Friends valiantly bestirr'd themselves and by killing the Indian that govern'd the next Elephant the Beast became unserviceable The Assault P. 646. continuing long Perdiccas his Soldiers assaulted the Wall by turns striving with all the Vigour imaginable to gain the Fort by Storm On the other hand Ptolemy calling to his Friends now to approve their Faithfulness and Loyalty to him by their Courage Ant. Ch.
Agathocles possess'd himself of another Castle of Phaleris over-against them which he call'd Phalerius Between both Armies lay a River which was as a Defence and Bulwark to both sides There was an ancient Prophecy That a great Battel should be fought and Multitudes of Men destroy'd about this Place and being that it Ant. Ch. 309. was uncertain on which side the Slaughter should mainly fall out of a superstitious Awe of the Gods the Armies were more backward and slow to ingage and therefore neither Party for a long time durst pass the River with their whole Forces till a sudden and unexpected Occasion forc'd them to fight For the Africans making a sudden Incursion upon the Enemy stirr'd up Agathocles to do the same For when the Greeks were driving away their Cattel and some Carriage Horses and other Beasts out of the Camp some sally'd out from among the Carthaginians to pursue them But Agathocles foreseeing what The Battel between Agathocles and Amilcar at Himera the Enemy would do had before laid an Ambuscado of stout and resolute Men near the River who as soon as the Carthaginians had pass'd the River and were in pursuit of those that were driving away the Cattel rose out of the Ambush and fell upon them as they were then in Disorder and easily routed them and put them to flight While the Barbarians were thus hew'd down and flying to their Camp Agathocles looking upon it now as a sit time to ingage led forth his whole Army against the Enemy and falling upon them on a sudden presently fill'd up a part of their Trench and cut through their Breast-work and so forc'd their Camp The Carthaginians amaz'd with this sudden Attack having no time to put themselves in order of Battel fell in as Fortune led them and ingag'd the Enemy in the best manner they could And in regard the hotest Work was near the An. Ch. 309. Trench the Ground all thereabout was strew'd with dead Carkasses for the chiefest of the Carthaginians made to the Defence of that Place where they saw the Camp enter'd P. â—â—0 On the other hand the Agathocleans incourag'd by the happy Success of their Attempt and supposing they should put an end to the War by this one Battel press'd resolutely upon the Barbarians Amilcar therefore perceiving that his Men were too weak and that the Grecians were continually pouring in more Men into the Camp brings up a Thousand Slingers of the Baliary Islands who wounded many by multitude of great Stones out of their Slings and kill'd many that were forcing into the Camp and broke in pieces the Shields and Armour of many of their Assailants For these Men being us'd to cast Stones of * Mina Weight Three Pound Weight were always very serviceable and contributed much in several Battels to the gaining of the Victory as being those that were diligently taught and well exercis'd in the Art of Slinging from their very Childhood And now at this time they gain'd the Point driving the Grecians back again beyond the Out-works of the Camp But Agathocles broke into it in other places and just as the Camp was forc'd unexpectedly arriv'd Succours from Carthage which again reviv'd the Spirits of the Carthaginians and those in the Camp fought the Enemy in the Front and the new Supplies hem'd the Greeks in the Rear and hew'd them down so as the Fortune of the Day Agathocles routed turn'd suddenly and unexpectedly For the Grecians fled outright some to the River Himera and others to their own Camp which was * About 6 miles Forty Furlongs distant and being a Plain and Champain Country they were pursu'd with no fewer than Five thousand of the Barbarian Horse so that the Plain all along was cover'd with dead Bodies the River contributing much to the Destruction of the Greeks For the pursuit being about Noon Ant. Ch. 309. and in the Dog-Days many of them that fled were so parch'd with Thirst by the Heat of the Weather and the Fatigue of their Flight that they greedily swill'd themselves with salt Water insomuch that as many that had not the least Hurt were found dead near the River as were kill'd by the Sword in the Pursuit There were kill'd of the Barbarians in this Battel about Five hundred but no fewer than Seven thousand of the Greeks Agathocles being thus grievously defeated after he had receiv'd all those that had escap'd burnt his Camp and went to Gela. But he had caus'd it to be rumour'd abroad that he was gone strait away for Syracuse It happen'd that Three hundred African Horse then in the Country fell in among some of Agathocles his Soldiers who told them that Agathocles was gone back to Syracuse and thereupon the Horsemen enter'd Gela as Friends But being thus deluded they were all shot to Death by Darts Yet Agathocles shut not himself up in Gela because he could not get safe to Syracuse but that he might divert the Carthaginians from Syracuse to the Besieging of Gela that so by that means the Syracusians might have leisure enough to get in their Harvest while he protracted the time at Gela. Amilcar indeed at the first intended to have besieg'd Gela but hearing that there was there a strong Body of Men to oppose him and that Agathocles was furnish'd with plenty of all things necessary he laid aside that design and made his approaches to the Forts and Castles and had them all surrender'd to him and to gain the good Opinion of the Sicilians Several Cities revolt from Agathocles Ant. Ch. 309. he carry'd himself Courteously and Obligingly towards all The Camareans Leontines Cataneans and Tauromeneans sent continually Ambassadors and made their Applications to the Carthaginians And a little time after the Messenian and Abacenians and many other Cities who before were at variance amongst themselves all went over to Amilcar such was the Zeal of the Common People after the late Defeat through the Hatred they bore against the Tyrant But Agathocles led away all the Forces that were yet left him to Syracuse and there repair'd the ruinous Parts of the Walls and got in all the Corn and Fruits out of the Fields and now contriv'd to leave a strong Garison for the Defence of the City and to transport the Power and Strength of the Army into Africa with an intent to draw the War out of P. 731. the Island into the Continent We shall therefore as we at first design'd begin the following Book with the passing of Agathocles into Africa BOOK XX. THose who stuff their Histories with long and tedious Harangues or are ever P. â—â—3 PREFACE and anon setting forth their Matter with Rhetorical Orations are not without just Cause to be blam'd For besides that it interrupts and cuts off the natural Course of the History by an unseasonable Introduction of set and contriv'd Speeches it likewise gives an unpleasant Check to the earnest Expectation of such as are eager to
Alarms and vain and needless Fears which often occasions great Mischief and Prejudice And at that time the Passes being strait and rough the Drivers of the Carriages and other Servants and Attendants of the Army that were not of any Ant. Ch. 307. form'd Companies quarrell'd one with another for the Way and not being able to move forward by reason of the Throng some fell to down-right Blows so that many on each side coming in to help their several Parties a great Tumult Noise and Clamour ran through the whole Army Upon which the Syracusians who were posted at Euryclus understanding the approach of the Barbarians by their tumultuous March and having the higher Ground fell in upon the Enemy Some from the high Places where they were posted gall'd them as they came on with their Darts and Arrows and some prevented them by gaining the necessary Passes and so block'd up their Way Others drave those that fled Headlong down the Rocks for by reason of the Darkness of the Night and want of Intelligence they thought the Enemy was coming upon them with a mighty Army so that the Carthaginians by reason of the Disturbance and Tumult amongst their own Men * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Ignorance of the Ways and straitness of the Passages were at a stand and confounded and at last fled outright And because there was no room to give way great numbers of them were trodden under Foot by their own Horse and part of the Army fought one with another as if they had been Enemies led into the Error by the Darkness of the Night Amilcar indeed at the first receiv'd the Enemy's Charge with great Resolution and call'd out to the Colonels and Commanders to stand to it and valiantly bear the Brunt with the rest But afterwards being deserted by his Soldiers through the Consternation that was amongst them having much ado to save his Life * For that some made away even upon the appearance of the Enemy especially being penn'd up and in amaze through their Ignorance of the Places he fell into the hands of the Syracusians Here a Man may justly observe the Inconstancy of Fortune and the surprizing Events Men are overtaken with contrary to what they expected For Agathocles not inferiour to any for Valour and who had the Command of a great Army in the Battel at Himera was not only beaten by the Barbarians but lost the best and greatest part of his Army But those that were left and penn'd up within the Walls of Syracuse with a small handful of Men that had been before beaten not only routed the Army of the Carthaginians by whom they were besieg'd but took Amilcar the General one of the noblest of the Citizens of Carthage Prisoner And that most to be admir'd is that a small Body of Men by an Ambuscado and the Advantage of the Place should utterly rout Ant. Ch. 307. an Army of an Hundred and twenty thousand Foot and Five thousand Horse So that it 's very true what 's in every Body's Mouth Many things are vain and to no purpose in P. 748. War After this Flight the Carthaginians scatter'd and dispers'd far one from another scarce got together the next day But the Syracusians returning to the City with much Spoil deliver'd Amilcar to them that were resolv'd to revenge themselves of him They remembred what was foretold by the Augur That he should Sup in Syracuse the next day the Truth of which the Deity now confirm'd by the Event The Kindred therefore of them that were slain led Amilcar bound through all Parts of the City and after they had most horridly tormented him kill'd him with the greatest Scorn and Contempt imaginable Then the principal Men of the City sent his Head to Agathocles with an Express Amilcar Head sent 〈◊〉 Africa to give him an Account of the late Victory But the Army of the Carthaginians after their Defeat though they came to understand what was the Cause of such great Calamities and Misfortunes yet were scarce after all Ant. C 〈…〉 freed from their Fears And because they wanted a General Quarrels arose between the Barbarians and the Grecians The Exiles therefore and the rest of the Greeks made Dinocrates General over themselves And the Carthaginians intrusted the supream Command with those that were next in Dignity to the late General At this time when the Agrigentines The Agrigentines seek to Command Sicily perceiv'd that Sicily was now in that Condition as that it might be easily gain'd they began to seek after the Sovereign Command of the Island themselves For they suppos'd that the Carthaginians were not able to deal with Agathocles in the War and that Dinocrates who had none but a company of Fugitives about him might be easily vanquish'd and that the Syracusians who were grievously press'd for want of Provisions would not so much as attempt to gain the Sovereign Command And lastly that which was of greatest weight was That inasmuch as they took up Arms to free all the Greek Cities they concluded that all would readily concur both upon the account of the Hatred they bore against the Barbarians and the Natural Love and Regard they all had to the Laws of their own Country They created therefore Xenodicus General and sent him forth to the War with a considerable Army who forthwith makes to Gela and by some of his own Friends was in the Night let into the City and so gain'd both the Town more Forces and a great deal of Money at one and the same time The Geloans having thus 〈◊〉 Ch. 307. recover'd their Liberty join'd in the War with the whole Strength and Power of the City and most readily put to their helping Hands for the restoring all the Cities to their ancient Laws This Attempt of the Agrigentines being nois'd abroad throughout the whole Island a sudden itch of Liberty spread over all the Cities And first the Enneans sent Agents and deliver'd up their City to the Agrigentines who freeing this City march'd on to Erbessus a Garison of the Carthaginians Here was a sharp Engagement but the Citizens coming in to the Assistance of the Agrigentines the Garison was expuls'd and many of the Barbarians kill'd and Five hundred laid down their Arms and gave up themselves While the Agrigentines were busi'd in these Affairs some of Agathocles his Soldiers in Syracuse having taken Echetla wasted and harrass'd the Country of the Leontines and Camareans This Calamity grievously afflicted the Cities because the Country was laid wast and all the Corn and Fruits destroy'd Whereupon Xenodicus the General march'd into those Parts and drave the Enemy out of the Country of the Leontines and Camarenians and then retaking Echetla which was a very strong Fort he restor'd the Democratical Government to the City and struck a Terror into the Syracusians To conclude he march'd up and down to the several Garisons and Cities and freed them from the Carthaginian Government
farther acts in Africa part of the Army at Tunis and he himself with Eight thousand Foot and Eight hundred Horse of the most Valiant Men of his Army and Fifty African Carriages made after the Enemy with all speed possible In the mean time the Carthaginians being come among the Numidians call'd Suphons caus'd many of the Inhabitants to join with them and reduc'd likewise some of the Revolters to their former Alliance and Confederacy with them but when they heard of the Enemies approach they Incamp'd upon an high piece of ground lying on the other side of a deep and unpassable River to secure themselves against all suddain Attacks and incursions of the Enemy and commanded the most active Numidians to hinder the march of the Grecians by vexing them ever and anon with continual Attacks in the Rear who accordingly executing their Commands Agathocles sent out the Archers and Slingers against them and he himself with the rest of the Army made towards the Enemies Camp But the Carthaginians understanding his design drew the Army out of the Camp and stood rang'd in Battle array ready and prepar'd for fight As soon as they saw Agathocles his Soldiers pass the River they fell upon them in a full Body and made a great slaughter at that part of the River where it was so difficult to pass and in this indeavour to force their way through the River the Greeks as far excell'd the Barbarians in valour as they did them in number and multitude while both sides stood Ant. Ch. 306 stoutly to it for a long time the Numidians in each Army left off fighting expecting the issue of the Ingagement with a design to rifle the Carriages of that party that was Routed At length Agathocles with those brave and valiant men he had about him broke through that part of the Enemies Battalion that was oppos'd to him and put them to flight and the rest presently follow'd them only the Grecian Horse that sided with the Carthaginians under the Command of Clino bore the shock of the Agathocleans who prest very sore upon them upon which there was a very sharp Ingagement and many fighting couragiously di'd upon the spot the rest by good fortune escaping Then Agathocles leaving off the pusuit bent all his strength against them who had fled back into the Camp but endeavouring to break in at places strongly fortifi'd and of difficult approach he sustain'd as much loss as the Carthaginians however he remitted nothing of his resolution but being lifted up with his Victory still prest upon the Enemy confidently concluding he could force the Camp In the mean time the Numidians were very intent in observing how things were like to go but could not fall upon the Bag and Baggage P. 753 of the Carthaginians because both Armies were so near the Camp When therefore they saw that Agathocles was at a great distance and the Guards but small in the Grecians Camp they broke in there and easily kill'd those that withstood them and took many Prisoners and possess'd themselves of other prey and plunder Which as soon as Agathocles came to understand he hasted thither with his Forces and recover'd some of the spoil but the Numidians carri'd most away with them and in the night got a long way off from the place Then the Prince erected a Trophy and divided all the Booty Ant. Ch. 306. amongst the Soldiers that none might repine at the losses they had sustain'd The Greeks likewise that sided with the Carthaginians he committed Prisoners to a Castle who fearing the Prince would revenge himself of them in the Night fell upon the Guard in the Castle but being worsted they got into a Fort and shelter'd themselves there to the Number of a Thousand at least amongst whom were above Five hundred Syracusians As soon as Agathocles came to know what was done he march'd with his Army thither where after Terms and Articles agreed upon those Complotters came forth of the Hould but he put them all to the sword Being crown'd with this Victory and having done all that he could possibly contrive for the subduing of the Carthaginians he sent Ortho the Syracusian to Cyrene as his Ambassador to Ophellas who was one of Alexander's Captains all along in the late Wars and was then possess'd of Cyrene with the Ophellas Lord of Cyrene deco 〈…〉 and cut off by Agathocles neighbouring Cities and had the Command of a great Army and was contriving how to inlarge his Dominion and while he was beating his brains with these ambitious projects Agathocles his Agent just then arriv'd to solicite him to join with him in affording his assistance to subdue the Carthaginians In return of which piece of service Agathocles promis'd him he would yield up to him the Soveragin Command of all Africa and that he himself would be content with Sicily where being freed from all fear of future dangers and troubles from the Carthaginians he should be able with ease and safety to Ant. Ch. 306. reduce the whole Island to his Obedience And if he should have a desire to inlarge his Dominion he said that Italy was near at hand where he might gratifie his Ambition in that respect That Africa was far from him separated by a large Sea and that he came not into it of choice but was driven thither of necessity This therefore coming in the way so heightned him in his former hopes that he readily hearkn'd to him and sent his Agent to Athens to pray their Aid and Association in this War For he had marri'd from thence Eurydice the Daughter of Miltiades who was General of the Conquerors at the Battle of Marathon and therefore upon the account of this Marriage and other acts of kindness he was receiv'd into the Franchises of the City many of the Athenians readily hearkned to this motion and not a few likewise of the other Grecians willingly join'd in this Expedition hoping thereby to have the sharing of the richest parts of all Africa with all the wealth of Carthage amongst themselves For the State of Affairs of Greece by season of the continual Wars and Quarrels of the Princes among themselves was but in a very weak and low condition therefore they concluded they should not only reap much advantage but be freed likewise from those pressing evils which at that time lay heavy upon them Ophellas at length when he had made plentiful provision of all things necessary for the Expedition in hand led forth his Army having with him above Ten thousand Foot Ant. Ch. 306. and Six hundred Horse and a Hundred Chariots and above Three hundred Men-drivers and Soldiers to manage them besides Extraordinaries and followers of the Camp to the number o◠Ten thousand more many of which drew their Wives and Children with their stuff and Baggage along with them so that they looked like to a Colony going to be planted Having therefore march'd Eighteen days journey and in them gone
it was a thing intolerable that Enemies and Besiegers of the City should have the same Honours as those that were Friends and Benefactors But the People were much incens'd at this motion and and check'd them that propos'd it as those that did ill and would not suffer any thing in diminution to the Honour of Antigonus thereby wisely consulting both their own Reputation and Advantage For this greatness of Mind and soundness of Judgment in a Democratical Government redounded amongst all to the praise of the Besieged and softned and melted the Spirits of the Besiegers For they that had set at liberty the Greek Cities who had testify'd nothing of their good Will towards them as their Benefactors now seem'd to go about to enslave that City who had given a clear and evident Demonstration of the firmness and constancy of their Gratitude This Resolution likewise might reasonably be concluded to be of singular Advantage to them in the worst of Fortune for if the City were taken the remembrance of their Kindness might plead and prevail for their Pardon It 's clear therefore that the Rhodians manifested singular Prudence in the Management of this Affair Demetrius had even now undermin'd the City when a Deserter very opportunely came in and inform'd the City that the Miners were approach'd almost within the Walls Ant. Ch. 302. Upon which the Rhodians drew a deep Trench all along the Wall that was now ready to be tumbled down and forthwith fell to Countermining and at length met the Enemy under Ground and so prevented the Mine from proceeding any further And while both Parties guarded the Mines some of Demetrius his Soldiers with Money brib'd Athenagoras the Captain of the Guard for the Rhodians He was a Milesian sent thither by Ptolemy and Captain of the Mercenaries who having promis'd to betray the City appointed a Day on which Demetrius should send some one of the chiefest of his Commanders P. 782. who should enter in the Night through the Mines into the City and find out a Place fit and convenient to receive the Soldiers Athenagoras having now rais'd up the Hopes and Expectations of the Demetrians discovers the whole Intrigue to the Senate The King according to the Compact sends one of his Noblemen Alexander a Macedonian But the Rhodians seiz'd him as soon as he peep'd up out of the Mine but crown'd Athenagoras with a Crown of Gold and for a Reward gave him Five Talents of Silver and then made it their Business to engage the rest of the Mercenaties and Strangers to be faithful to the People all the ways they could However Demetrius having now finish'd all his Engines and plain'd and laid even every place under the Walls brought up his * The great Engine Helepolis in the middle and so order'd his Testudoes for filling up of Trenches and Ditches which were Eight in Number that he plac'd Four on each side of the Helepolis To each of these was adjoin'd a Gallery that they who went in and out might execute what was commanded without any Danger He had likewise two other Testudoes that bore Battering Rams far larger than the rest for both of them were a Hundred and twenty Cubits long strongly arm'd with Iron and their Ant. Ch. 30◠* The Rams Heads Heads resembled the Beak of a Ship and were easily mov'd forward by the help of Wheels but to do effectual Execution they were forc'd on by a Thousand Men at least Being ready to bring up his Engines to the Walls he fill'd every Story in the Helepolis with as many Engines for shooting of Stones Arrows and Darts as each would hold Then he sent his Sea-Forces to the Haven and the Places adjoining and order'd his Land-Army to the rest of the Wall where any approach could possibly be made At length at one Signal and Word of Command all set up a shout together and with great Violence storm'd the City on every side And at the very time that the Walls were shaking and trembling with the Strokes of the Battering Rams and Stones shot from the Engines in came Ambassadors from Cnidus and intreated him to forbear all further Proceedings by force of Arms and promis'd that they would persuade the Rhodians to submit as far as it was possible to his Commands The King hereupon remitted his Heat and Ambassadors were sent from both sides who banded Matters to and fro but could not come to any Agreement Whereupon he resolutely renew'd the Assault and batter'd down one of the strongest Towers built of Four-square Stone and so shook the whole space between Ant Ch. 302. the Towers that the Besieg'd could not pass that way to the Bulwarks But at this time King Ptolemy sent a great Fleet with Provision to the Rhodians in which were Three hundred thousand * A Persian Measure something larger than a Medimna which is 18 Gallons Artabans of Corn Beans and Pease These making a straight course for Rhodes Demetrius sent Shipping after them in order to seize the Provision for the use of his own Camp But the Ptolemeans hoising up all their Sails by the favour of a fair Gale of Wind arriv'd safe at their Port and so those that were sent after them by Demetrius return'd as they went Cassander likewise sent Ten thousand Medimnas of Barly to the Rhodians and Lysimachus Forty thousand of Wheat and as much of Barly The Town thus supply'd with Plenty of Provision their languishing Spirits now reviv'd and thereupon judging it much to their Advantage if they could ruine the Enemies Engines they got together abundance of Fire-balls and other Engines for shooting of Fire and plac'd them and all their other Artillery upon the Walls and the next Night about the second Watch on a sudden they play'd continually upon the Enemies Guard with their Shot of Arrows Darts Stones and other Weapons and making use also of all sorts of Fire-Engines they grievously wounded and galled all that came flocking into that Part Hereupon the Demetrians who were altogether surpriz'd by so sudden and unexpected an Attack being mightily concern'd for their Engines and their other Works ran all in a Body together to defend them The Night being very dark no Moon appearing P. 783. Firebrands flying about with great violence gave Light to the Night and Darts and Stones from the * Engines to shoot Darts and Arrows Catapults and †Engines to shoot great Stones Ant. Ch. 302. Ballistas not discern'd when they were shot wounded and gall'd many of the Combatants who could not see how to avoid them And now at this very time some of the Iron Plates fell off from the great Engine and the Firebrands had the good Fortune to fall upon that part that was bare Upon which Demetrius was in a great Fright lest the Engine should be totally consum'd as the Fire encreas'd and therefore endeavour'd to prevent it with all the speed possible and to quench the raging Flame by
the Water before prepar'd and ready in the Apartments of the Engine for such Accidents At length he call'd together by sound of Trumpet those that were to move the Engines and by their Help brought them off out of the reach of the Darts When it was day he order'd the Boys and Pages in the Army to gather all the Darts and Arrows shot by the Rhodians because he had a desire by numbering of these to make a Conjecture how the Citizens were furnish'd and provided These Boys performing what they were commanded there were in number of Fire-brands and other Vehicles for Fire of several sizes above Eight Hundred of Darts no fewer than Fifteen hundred This vast number of Darts Arrows Firebrands and Balls shot in in so little a portion of the Night caus'd him to admire the Store and Provision of the City in their Ammunition and likewise their great Charge and Expence in providing them Then he set about repairing of his Engines burying the Dead and curing those that were Wounded During which time the Citizens having a Respite from the Assaults and Batteries of the Engines built a third Wall in the shape of an Half-Moon which compass'd in all that part of the Wall that lay most open and obnoxious to the Enemies Batteries And besides this they drew a deep Trench round that part of the Wall which Ant. Ch. 302. was ready to fall that the King might not enter on a sudden at the first Push They sent out likewise some Ships that were swift Sailers under the Command of Amyntas who made over to the Continent in Asia and there set upon some Privateers that were Commission'd by Demetrius They had three open Vessels and were reputed the stoutest Men the King had in his Fleet. After a short Fight the Rhodians took both the Ships and Men together among whom were Timocles the chief of the Pirates They fell likewise upon some Merchant Ships and took some light Vessels loaden with Corn and with these and the Pirates open Vessels they secretly pass'd by the Enemy and got into Rhodes Demetrius having repair'd his Machines brings them up again to the Walls and with showers of Darts and Arrows forc'd the Besieg'd off from the Bulwarks and battering the Place adjoining with his Rams beat down two Spaces between the Towers In the heat of this Action the Besieg'd with all their Might defended the middle Tower and were continually press'd upon with strong Parties of fresh Men one after another so that Aminias their chief Commander couragiously behaving himself was there slain with many other of the common Soldiers While these Things were doing King Ptolemy sent to the Rhodians as much Corn and other Provision as he had done before and Fifteen Hundred Soldiers besides under the Command of Antigonus a Macedonian About the same time there came to Demetrius above Fifty Ambassadors from Athens and other Cities of Greece all solliciting the King to compose Matters and strike up a Peace with the Rhodians Whereupon there was a Ant. Ch. 302. Cessation of Arms and many Harangues were now made to the People and then again to Demetrius but they could not agree upon any Terms and therefore the Ambassadors went away without effecting any thing Demetrius afterwards was contriving to make an Attack upon the City in the Night at that part of the Wall that was fallen down to this end he pick'd out the best of his Soldiers P. 784. and some others fit for the Purpose in all to the number of Fifteen Hundred whom he commanded to approach the Walls secretly about the second Watch. He himself stood ready with the rest of the Army and gave Orders to the Officers of every Regiment upon a Signal given to set up a Shout and forthwith to make an Assault upon the City both by Sea and Land who all executed his Commands accordingly and presently one Party made to the Ruines and killing the Watch at the Trench broke into the City and possess'd themselves of all the Places round the Theatre The Rhodians seeing all the City in an Uproar upon the knowledge of what had happen'd commanded them that guarded the Port and the Walls every one to keep their several Posts and endeavour to beat off the Enemy that attempted to enter They in the Town with the stoutest of the Citizens and those Soldiers then lately come from Alexandria set upon Ant. Ch. 302. them that were broke in within the Walls But as soon as it was Day Demetrius lifted up the * Standard Signal at which both they that had made an Attack upon the Port and those round the Walls set up a Shout all together to encourage their Men that had enter'd and were about the Theatre The poor Women and Children throughout the whole City were in terrible Frights and Lamentations as if the Town had been then certainly taken by Storm However a sharp Encounter there was between them that had enter'd within the Walls and the Rhodians and though many fell on both sides yet neither of them at first gave the least Ground But after a while when many more of the Rhodians came flocking in resolv'd to endure the greatest Extremity as now to fight for their Country and for all that was dear to them in the World the King's Party were overborn and Alcimus and Mantias the Commanders of the Party after many Wounds receiv'd were there slain most of the rest were either kill'd upon the Spot or taken Prisoners but some few made their escape and got to the King Many likewise of the Rhodians were slain at the same time amongst whom was Damotetis * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pre 〈…〉 or Chief Magistrate President of the Council a Man most Renown'd for his Valour Demetrius although he judg'd that Fortune had as it were wrung the City out of his Hands yet prepar'd for another Assault But his Father writing to him to make Peace with the Rhodians upon such Terms and Conditions as he could get he watch'd for the most convenient opportunity which might afford him a Ant. Ch. 302. colourable Pretence for an Agreement and Composure of Matters between them Ptolemy likewise though he had before writ to the Rhodians to acquaint them that he intended to send them a great quantity of Corn and Three thousand Men yet afterwards advising them to Treat and Agree with Antigonus upon any reasonable Conditions they all inclin'd to Peace At the same time likewise the Aetolian Commonwealth sent Ambassadors to Negociate a Pacification The Rhodians therefore at length struck up a Peace with Peace made with the Rhodians Demetrius upon the Conditions following viz. That the City should Govern according to their own Laws and should be without a Garison That they should Enjoy their own Estates and Revenues That they should join with Antigonus in his Wars against all Persons except Ptolemy And that they should deliver a Hundred Citizens for Hostages such
upon him the Government a Warlike Prince and in all respects accomplish'd for the Kingdom who joining Battle with the Persians and behaving himself with great Gallantry and Resolution was kill'd in the Fight and his Son Ariamnes succeeded him in the Kingdom To whom were born two Sons Ariarathes and Holophernes And after he had Reign'd 50 Years he dyed Holofernes having done nothing memorable and the Elder of his Sons Ariarathes succeeded him who it's said bore so great and tender a Love to his Brother that he advanc'd him to the highest degree of Honour and Preferment And sent him to join with the Persians in the War against the Aegyptians who after return'd loaden with many and large marks of Honour conferr'd upon him by Ochus for his Valour and dy'd in his own Country leaving behind him two Sons Ariarathes and Arysses And that his Brother the King of Cappadocia * Gr. having no legal Issue having no legal Issue adopted Ariarathes his Brother 's Eldest Son About this time Alexander the Macedonian King ruin'd the Persian Empire and presently after dy'd But Perdiccas who had the chief Command sent Eumenes as General into Cappadocia who subdu'd and kill'd Ariarathes and brought Cappadocia and all the bordering Territories into the the power of the Macedonians But Ariarathes the adopted Son of the former King despairing for the present to regain the Kingdom with a few followers fled into Armenia But Eumenes and Berdiccas both dying not long after and Antigonus and Seleucus imbroil'd in War one with another Ariarathes with the help of Arcloathus King of Armenia who furnish'd him with forces routed and kill'd Amyntas the Macedonian General and presently drave all the Macedonians out of the Country and recover'd his Kingdom He had 3 Sons the Eldest of which Ariamnes succeeded him who join'd in affinity with Antiochus Theos and Married his Eldest Son Ariarathes to Stratonice Antiochus his Daughter And for the great love he had to him above all his Children â—e set the Diadem upon his Head and made him Co-parther with him in the Kingdom and after the death of his Father he reign'd alone Then he dying Ariarathes his Son of a very tender Age succeeded He Marry'd Antiochide the Daughter of Antiochus the great a very subtile Woman Who because she bore no Children to make up that defect contriv'd unknown to her Husband a suppositious Birth as if she had Born two Sons which were call'd Ariarathes and Holofernes But not long after she conceiv'd in reality and unexpectedly was deliver'd of two Daughters and one Son call'd Mithridates Upon this she acquainted her Husband with the Imposture and so wrought with him that she prevail'd with him to send away the Eldest of the two Sons with a small Sum of Money to Rome and the other into Ionia lest they should challenge the Kingdom from him that was lawful Heir to the Crown who after he came to Man's Estate its said was call'd Ariarathes and was Educated in all the learning of Greece and was a Person accomplish'd with all manner of Virtuous Endowments That the Father who was wonderfully belov'd by the Son strove all he could to repay his Son's love again And their mutual endear'd affections one towards another went so far that the Father would have given up the whole Kingdom into the Hands of the Son but the Son on the other side told him he could not possibly accept of so great an advantage from living Parents After therefore his Father dy'd he succeeded spending the rest of his life very virtuously and in the study of Philosophy So that Cappadocia which was before little known to the Grecians was now a desireable place of Residence for all learned Men He renew'd the League of Peace and Friendship with the Romans And in this manner is the Pedegree of those that have hitherto reign'd in Cappadocia brought down from Cyrus 4. For Statues are made of such Romans as are of noble Families in near resemblance of the Persons and according to the whole proportion of their Bodies For all their life long they have some who observe their Mien and Deportment and the special remarks of every part exactly Likewise every Mans Ancestor * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stands in that Habit and in those Ornaments and is so clearly represented that every one knows the Person as soon as he looks upon him and to what degree of Honour every one was advanc'd and what Share and Interest they had in the Commonwealth 5. * Rather Fulvius Olymp. 156 4. Ant. Ch. 151. Memmius was sent General with an Army into Spain But the * Lusitanians now Portugals Lusitanians just upon his Landing fell upon him and routed him and cut off most of his Army When this success of the Iberians was nois'd abroad the Araucians who look'd upon themselves to be far better Soldiers than the Iberians slighted and contemn'd the Enemy and upon this ground and confidence chiefly it was that in their general Council they determined to make War upon the Romans * Araucians now of Aurang Out of the 32d BOOK Fragment 1. ALexander fled out of the Fight with 500 Men to a City in Arabia call'd This was Alexander Epiphanes King of Syria and this Battle was with Ptolometor near Antioch Olymp. 158. 3. Ant. Ch. 144. See Mac. 1. Mac. 10. c. Joseph lib. 13. c. 8. Abas to Diocles the Prince there with whom he had before entrusted his Son Antiochus a Child of very tender Age. Afterwards the Chief Commanders who were about Heliades and had been with Alexander plotting to assassinate Alexander sent away some Messengers privately from among themselves promising secretly to Murder him Demetrius consenting to what they propos'd they became both Traitors and Murderers of their Prince We might be justly condemn'd if we should pass in silence that which happen'd before the death of Alexander tho' for the strangeness of the thing it be scarce credible King Alexander a little before these times consulted with the Oracle in Silicia where they say is the Temple of Apollo of Sarpedon and it is reported that the Oracle made Answer that he should take heed of that place which should bring forth a God of two shapes This Divine Hint was then taken for a Riddle but after the King was dead the Truth was discover'd in this manner For in Abas a City of Arabia dwelt one Diophantus a Macedonian This Man Marry'd an Arabian Woman by whom he had a Strange Stories of Hermaphrodites Heraides became a Man Son call'd after his own Name and a Daughter call'd Heraides His Son dy'd while he was young But he gave a Portion to his Daughter when she was grown up and Marry'd her to one Semiades who after he had liv'd with his Bride one year undertook a long Journey In the mean time it is reported that Heraides fell into a strange and wonderful distemper such as is scarce credible For she had a
be left to tell Tales so that they that were in the Cities scarce enjoy'd any thing that was their own though it were with them within the Walls But as for that which was without all was swallow'd up and violently seiz'd on as a Prey taken from a Common Enemy Many other things against all the Laws of Humanity were impudently committed by many throughout all Sicily Salvius likewise he who had besieg'd Morgantina after he had harrass'd all the Country as far as to the Territories of Leontium there mustered his Army consisting of above 30000 Fighting Men. Then Sacrificing to the Heroes of Italy he Dedicated one of the Royal Purple Robes in gratitude for his Victories And now he caus'd himself to be proclaim'd King and was call'd by the Rebells * Or Trophon rather an ancient Soothsayer who liv'd in a Cave into which whosoever descended he never laught afterwards Tryphon having a design to possess himself of Tricala and there to build a Palace he sent to Athenio and as King commanded him as General to repair to him Every Man then thought that Athenio would endeavour to gain the Sovereignty for himself and by that means the Rebels would be divided and so a speedy period would be put to the War But Fortune so order'd the Matter that the Armies of the Fugitives being thus increas'd the two Generals were Unanimous and agreed very well one with another For Tryphon march'd speedily with his Army to Tricala and Athenio came thither to him with 3000 Men in every thing observing the Commands of Tryphon as his King Athenio had sent the rest abroad to harrass and spoil the Country and to bring over as many as they could to join with them in the Defection But not long after Tryphon suspected that Athenio had a design to supplant him and therefore he caus'd him to be seiz'd betime The * The Castle at Tricala Castle that was well fortify'd before he made more strong and adorn'd it likewise with many stately Buildings After which they say it was call'd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tricala because it was Remarkable and Famous for three things First for Springs of excellent sweet Water Secondly for Vineyards and Olive yards and rich Lands for Tillage And Thirdly That it was a Place impregnable built upon an high and inaccessible Rock After he had drawn a Line of eight Stages round about it for the building of a City and had compass'd it in with a deep Trench he made it the Seat-Royal being a Place abounding in Plenty and Fatness of all things necessary for Man's Life He likewise built there a stately Palace and a Market-place capable to receive a vast Number of Men. He chose likewise a competent Number of the most prudent Men to be of his Council and made use of them for Administration of Justice Moreover whenever he sate in the Courts of Justice he put on a * The Roman Toga Praetexta which was White long Gown edg'd with Purple and a ** The Coat was the Roman Tunick Embroidred with large Studs of Gold or Purple called Nails and the Garment Tunica laticlevia Olymp. 169. 3. Ant. Ch. 102. Coat pouder'd with large Studds of Purple Lastly He appointed Lictors with Rods and Axes to go before him and took care that all other Ensigns and Badges of Royalty should be observed At length Lucius Licinius Lucullus was chosen General by the Senate at Rome to go against the Rebels who had with him 14000 Romans and Italians 1800 Bithynians Thessalians and Acharnans and out of Lucania 600 under the Command of one Cleptius an Expert and Valiant Soldier and 600 from other Places in the whole amounting to 17000. With this Army he entred Sicily Upon this Tryphon releas'd Athenio and advis'd with him how to manage the War against the Romans Tryphon was of Opinion that it was the safest way to continue in Tricala and there expect the Enemy But Athenio advis'd rather to draw out and fight in the open Field than to suffer themselves to be besieg'd whose Counsel prevailing they march'd out and Encamp'd near Scirthaea with no fewer than 40000 Men twelve Furlongs distant from the Roman Camp At first the Armies employ'd themselves every day in light Skirmishes but at length they Engag'd and while Victory seem'd to incline sometime to one side and sometime to another and many fell on both sides Athenio came on with 200 choice Horse and cover'd the Ground round about him with the Bodies of his Enemies But being wounded in both his Knees and then receiving a Third he was wholly disabled for Fight which so discouraged the Rebels that they fled outright Athenio lay conceal'd as if he were Dead and feign'd himself so till Night came and then stole away The Romans having now gain'd a glorious Victory forc'd Tryphoh himself to take to his heels and in the pursuit kill'd at least 20000 Men. The rest by the advantage of the Night got to Tricala though the General might easily have cut them all off if he would have continu'd the Pursuit Upon this rout they were now all so discourag'd that it was mov'd amongst them that they should return to their Masters and submit themselves wholly to their Power and Pleasure But those who advis'd to stand it out to the last and not to give up their Lives to the Lusts of their Enemies prevail'd above the other Nine days after the Roman General besieg'd Tricala but after several slaughters on both sides he was forc'd to draw off and leave the Place Upon this the Rebels got heart and the General on the other side either through Sloath and Negligence or Corrupted by Bribes minded nothing to the Discharge of his Duty for which afterwards he gave an account to the Romans Neither did Caius Servilius who succeeded Lucullus do any thing worth remembring and therefore he was brought to Judgment as Lucullus was before and banish'd In the mean time Tryphon dy'd and Athenio enjoy'd the Kingdom And what with taking of Cities and wasting and spoiling the Country without Controul or any Opposition from Servilius he got together a great deal of rich Booty and Plunder But the year after Caius Marius being chosen at Rome the Fifth time Consul and with him * Marcus Aquilius Caius Aquillius Aquillius was made General against the Rebels and his Valour so far advanc'd his Success that he wholly overcame them in a great Battel And like an Heroe fought Hand to Hand with Athenio the King of the Rebels and kill'd him but receiv'd himself a wound in the Head And now he resolv'd to prosecute the War against the rest that remain'd who were about 10000 who though they fled to their Defences as not being able to stand before him yet Aquillius slacken'd not his Resolution in the least but pursu'd his design till he had wholly broke them There remain'd now only 1000 led by Satyrus whom at first he determin'd to reduce by
Articles made with Scipio their Enemies tho' confirm'd by solemn Oaths most Religiously observ'd and kept his promises with the Besieg'd and us'd them with all Humanity and Clemency when they fell into his hands His Faith and Integrity therefore being nois'd abroad all over Africa none surrendred up themselves into the hands of the Romans unless Scipio join'd in signing of the Articles 86. When there were only three Romans kill'd in the Skirmish and were left lying upon the Ground unbury'd all were very much troubled and concerned at it But Scipio with the Consent of the Consul writ a Letter to Hasdrubal to desire him to bury those Romans who presently order'd the thing to be done and when all was perform'd sent their Ashes to the Consul which added much to the Honour of Scipio as one whose Authority was prevalent even with the Enemies themselves 87. The Counterfeit Philip having beaten the Romans in a great Battle became Proud Cruel and Tyrannical there was not a Wealthy Person which he put not Pseudophilippus call'd Andriscus Liv. Book 50. Flor. Hist lib. 2. c. 14. Orosius lib. 4. c. 22. Ush An. 469. Before Ch. 149. P. Scipio most wickedly to death upon false Accusations He spar'd not his own intimate Friends but dispatch'd many of them out of the Way for he was naturally Fierce and Cruel Proud and Haughty in all his Familiar intercourses and at last deeply ingag'd in Covetousness and all manner of Vice 88. The Romans had such a kindness for Publius Scipio that tho' neither his Age nor the Laws did qualifie him yet they endeavour'd with all their might to Elect him Consul 89. Calpurnius the Consul after he had some Towns deliver'd up to him upon Articles contrary to the Terms agreed upon and against his Faith and Ingagements raz'd them * Lucius Calpurnius Piso to the ground and therefore in all his Designs and Contrivances afterwards he was disappointed as a Faithless and Treacherous Person as if some Deity set himself against him for he attempted many things but was never able to effect any thing 90. King Prusias being both of an ugly Visage and a mean and effeminate Presence was mortally hated by the Bythinians 91. After the taking of Carthage Scipio gave Liberty to the Sicilian Ambassadors to search among the Spoils and order'd every one to carry back into their several Cities Scipio such things as had formerly been taken away from them by the Carthaginians Upon which were found many Statues and Pictures of famous Men of exquisite Workmanship besides many things Devoted and Consecrated to the Gods some of Silver and others of Gold among which was the famous Phalarian Bull of Agrigentum made by Perilaus for the Tyrant Phalaris who caus'd the Artificer himself to make the first experiment of his own Art by executing that sort of punishment upon him which he had invented for the Torturing of others 92. In our time Caius Julius Cesar sirnamed for the greatness of his Actions * Divine Julius Cesar rebuilt Corinth Divus when almost a hundred Years after he saw the Ruins and Rubbish of Corinth was so compassionately Affected and withal desirous to make himself glorious that he put forth himself to the utmost to rebuild the City And therefore it is but just that the Humanity and Clemency that was eminently in this Man should be allow'd its just and due praises and that his Virtues should be Recorded in History for an everlasting remembrance to his eternal Praise and Honour For when his Ancestors were Extreme in their severity against this City he rectified their Excesses by his own Lenity and Moderation preferring Mercy before Cruelty Besides he far excell'd all that were ever before him in the Greatness of his Actions and upon the account of his Virtuous Qualifications was sirnamed Divus To conclude this Man was the most Famous and Renown'd for Eminency of Birth Fluency of Tongue the Art of War and Contempt of Riches of any whatsoever that was in his Age. 93. Viriathus of Lusitania the Captain of the Robbers was just and exact in distributing the Spoil and those who had valiantly behaved themselves in Battle he would A part of Spain now Portugal liberally reward according to their several Merits and he never converted any of the publick Moneys to his own private use and therefore the Lusitanians never shrunk or drew back from any hazardous undertaking when he Commanded them and was their Leader honouring him as the Common Benefactor and Saviour of their Country 94. Plautius the Roman Praetor greatly misgovern'd his Province being therefore Condemn'd by the People because he had dishonour'd his Government he fled from Rome C. Plautius 95. In Syria King Alexander being far unfit for so high a Station by reason of his Sloath and Meanness of Spirit gave up the Government of Antioch to Hierax and Diodotus Vid. Liv lib. 40. Alexander of Syria call'd Alexander Belas a Counterfeit Son of Antiochus Epiphanes See Joseph lib. 13. c. 8. Ush An. 470. Before Ch. 140. 96. The Kingdom of * In the Greek it is Aegypt but mistaken I conceive Demetrius Nicanor Son of Demetrius Soter Josephus ib. 1 Mac. 11. Olymp. 158. An. 1. Syria being now brought low and Demetrius being only the surviving Branch of the Royal Stock believing himself to be out of all Danger disregarded the Deportment of the former Kings who studied to ingratiate themselves into the good Opinion of their People by their affable and courteous Behaviour But he growing every day more and more unsufferable fell at length to downright Cruelty and all sorts of hainous Enormities The cause of all which is not only to be attributed to his own corrupt Disposition but to one of his Friends who had the Management of all the Affairs of the Kingdom For being a Wicked and Rash Fellow he incited by his Flattery the young Man to all manner of Wickedness At first therefore he put to death all that had sided against him in the War with unusual sorts of Punishments Afterwards when the Antiochians Taunted and Jear'd at him as they were wont to do * One Lastlienes he got together a Company of Mercenary Soldiers against them and commanded that they should be disarm'd but the Antiochians refusing to deliver them some he kill'd as they fell into his hands others he Murdered in their own Houses together with their Wives and Children upon which a great Uproar being rais'd in the City he burnt down most of the Town to the Ground and many that were accus'd to be Heads of this Commotion were put to death and their Estates Confiscated and brought into the Kings Exchequer And therefore many of the Citizens both out of Fear and Hatred of Demetrius Fled Ush An. 475. Before Ch. 145. out of the City and wander'd up and down all Syria watching for a fit time and opportunity to be reveng'd In the mean time Demetrius hated of every Body
in his Speeches drown'd in filthy Lusts and his Body Emasculated by his Intemperance 111. * Physco Nastiness Ush An. 483. Aemilius the Consul being of an heavy and unweildy Body by reason of his bulk Mareus Aemllius and too much pampering of himself was very unfit for Martial Affairs Out of the 34th BOOK 1. ABout this time there arose so great a Mutiny and Sedition of the Slaves in Sicily Olymp. 161. Ant. Ch. 133. The servile War by Eunus vid Frag. Diodor in Photius lib. 34. in my Translation f. 57. Orosius Lib. 5. c. 9. as no Age before could ever parallel in which many Cities suffer'd were miserably ransackt and innumerable multitudes both of Men Women and Children fell into most grievous Calamities and the whole Island was now upon the point of falling into the hands of the Slaves who design'd no other bounds should be put to their exorbitant Power than the absolute Destruction of their Masters And these things fell out when none in the least suspected them but those who were accustomed to pierce deep into the Grounds and Causes of all Events concluded that this was not a thing that happen'd meerly by chance For the Inhabitants of this rich Island growing wanton with too much plenty fell into Luxury and Voluptuousness and then into Pride and Insolence For those reasons the Cruelty of the Masters towards their Servants and the Hatred of the Servants to their Masters raging and increasing more and more every day at length a fit opportunity offering it self their Hatred broke forth and many Thousand Slaves on a suddain without any sign or appearance of any such thing before got in a Body together to cut the Throats of their Masters And the same thing happen'd in Asia almost about the same time For when * Base Brother to Attalus King of Pergamus Velleius Paterc Lib. 2. c. 4. Luc. Fl. Lib. 2. c. ult vid. Ush An 489. Wanting Aristonicus without any colour of Right sought to gain the Kingdom of Asia all the Slaves by reason of the Cruelty of their Masters join'd with him and fill'd many Towns and Cities with Blood and Slaughter 2. In like manner those that had large Possessions in Sicily bought up whole Goals to till their Lands Some they shackled others they overcharg'd with hard Labour and branded and stigmatiz'd every one of them So that such a multitude of Slaves even like a Deluge overflow'd all Sicily that the excessive number may seem incredible to all that hear of it for all the rich Men of Sicily vied with the Italians for Pride Covetousness and vicious Practices For many of the Italians who had great numbers of Servants accustom'd their Shepherds to that degree of Rapine and Licentiousness as that they suffered them to Rob and Steal for want of necessary subsistence from them themselves Which Liberty being once Granted to those Men who had strength of Body sufficient to enable 'em readily to execute any Villany together with Time and Leisure and through want of Subsistence were reduc'd to the utmost Extremity of attempting any thing for their Supply these unruly Fellows in a short time were ripe and compleat in wickedness At first they us'd to Murder Travellers upon the High-way when only One or Two were together Afterwards they would in Bodies enter into little Villages in the Night and pillage poor Mens Houses and forcibly carry away whatever they found and kill all that oppos'd them At length growing every day more and more Audacious there was neither Security in the Roads in Sicily for Travellers in the Night nor Safety in their Houses for them that dwelt in the Country but all places were full of Rapine Robberies and Murthers And because the Shepherds and Herdsmen were furnish'd with Arms and inur'd to lie Night and Day in the open Fields they every Day grew bold and daring For carrying Clubs and Lances and long Staves and cover'd with the Skins of Wolves and Wild Boars they lookt with a most dreadful and terrible Aspect as the Children of Mars Besides every one had a Guard of great Mastiff Dogs to attend them and guzling down Milk and glutting themselves with Flesh and all sorts of other Food and Provision they resembled Beasts both in Souls and Bodies So that the whole Island seem'd as if it had been full of Soldiers roving up and down in every place or as if all the daring Slaves were let loose by their Masters to act the parts of raging Mad men It 's true indeed that the Roman Praetors and Governors did what they could to suppress this Insolency of the Slaves but because they durst not punish them by reason of the Potency of their Masters they were forc'd to suffer the Country to be infested with Robberies for whereas most of their Masters were Roman Knights who had Judicial Authority at Rome and were us'd to chuse Judges out of the Aequestrian Order in the Causes of the Praetors and the Proconsuls who were summon'd to appear before them after their Provincial Authority was determin'd the Magistrates were upon good grounds afraid of them 3. The Italians who had large Possessions in Sicily and therefore bought many Slaves Damopilus his Luxury and Cruelty to his Servants every one of whom they stigmatiz'd with marks on their Cheeks and opprest them with hard Labour and yet defrauded them of their Wages and Subsistence 4. There was one Damophilus of Aenna a wealthy Man but very proud and arrogant this Man Till'd a large compass of Land and had a vast Stock of Cattle initiated the Luxury and Cruelty of the Italians towards their Slaves For being carry'd in a Coach drawn with stately Horses he travers'd the Country up and down guarded with a company of Arm'd Slaves he carry'd likewise about with him continually many beautiful Boys Flatterers and Parasites and in the City and Villages had his Silver Vessels curiously wrought and all sorts of Purple Carpets of very great value and made Magnificent Feasts and Entertainments after the State and Grandeur of a King in Pomp and Expence far surpassing the Persian Luxury and as much as all other Men in Pride and Arrogancy For being rude and never bred up with Learning or any liberal Education and having heap'd up a great deal of Wealth and himself left to a licentious Liberty without controul he first from fulness and plenty became insolent and at last was a plague to himself and occasion of bringing many Miseries and Calamities upon the Country For having bought many Slaves he abus'd them in the highest degree And those that were Free born in their own Country and taken Captives in War he stigmatiz'd in their Cheeks with the sharp points of Iron Pins some of which he sent bound in Fetters to the Goals and to others that were order'd to look after the Cattle in the Fields he neither allow'd Cloaths nor Food sufficient to satisfie Nature 5. The Barbarity and Cruelty of this Damophilus
likewise the Son of Asclepâ—odorus Lord Lieutenant of Syria Epimenes the Son of Arseus and Anticles the Son of Theocritus together with Philotas the Son of Carsides the Thracian were all brought in by him to join in the same Treason The Night that it came to Antipater's turn to wait in the Bedchamber was the time pitch'd upon to kill Alexander when he was asleep But it hapned as some write that Alexander that very Night sate up Drinking till Morning But Aristobulus says That a certain Woman of Syria pretending to be divinely inspir'd still follow'd Alexander from place to place whom Alexander and his Courtiers at first ridicul'd but when what she had foretold was still verify'd by the Event she was no longer despis'd by Alexander but was freely admitted to the King both by night and by day and often was in his Bed-chamber when he was asleep 'T is said at that time this Prophetess by chance met the King as he came from his Cups and entreated him to return to his Companions and spend the whole Night in Drinking Alexander judging it might be a Divine Warning return'd and by that means disappointed the Traiterous Designs of the Pages The next day Epimenes the Son of Arseus one of the Conspirators discover'd the whole matter to his Friend Caricles the Son of Menander Caricles to Eurylochus the Brother of Epimeues Eurylochus going into Alexander's Tent reveal'd all to Ptolemy the Son of Lagus the Esquire of the King's Body and he to Alexander who forthwith order'd all that Eurylochus had nam'd to be seiz'd who being apprehended upon their Examination confess'd their Treason and discover'd some others Aristobulus indeed says that they declar'd Calisthenes stirr'd 'em up to undertake this piece of Villany which Ptolemy likewise confirms But there are some others that give another account of this matter viz. That Alexander perfectly hated Calisthenes and because there was a great Intimacy between him and Hermolaus he was easily wrought up on by the Informers to suspect Calisthenes Some likewise say That Hermolaus being brought beforethe Macedonians confess'd that he himself plotted the Treason and that it was not in the Power of any free-born Man to endure the Disgrace and Dishonour Alexander had brought upon him and then reckon'd up all that Alexander in that kind had done to wit the unjust Death of Philotas and with far more Injustice his putting to death Parmenio Philotas's Father and the rest that were then kill'd the Murder of Clitus through his Drunkenness his assuming the Habit of the Medes the Edict for his Adoration not yet recall'd his carousing and drunken Dozing which vile Courses he not able further to endure he was earnest to regain Liberty both to himself and the rest of the Macedonians Hereupon Hermolaus and the rest that were seiz'd were ston'd to death by the Standers-by But Aristobulus says That Calisthenes was carry'd about with the Army in Chains and died Ptolemy says he was first rack'd and afterwards hang'd So that these Authors though of great Credit and Repute and who were themselves present in the Army and attending upon Alexander at the very time when these things were acted yet cannot agree about a matter whereof there cou'd be no doubt at all at the time when it was done 10. The King's Expedition against those call'd Nauticans or Naurans and the Destruction of many of his Army by a great Snow Curtius lib. VIII c. 4. THese things being thus set in order the third Month he march'd * From Naura or Nautica out of his Winter-Quarters towards a Country call'd †In Sogdiana Gabaza The first day he had an easie March the next day was not as yet stormy or gloomy but something darker than the day before not without some threatning of a Storm at hand The third day the whole heaven flash'd with Lightning sometimes light then presently dark which not only amaz'd the Eyes but terrify'd the Hearts of the distracted Army The Air resounded with continual Thunder and Thunder-bolts up and down seem'd to be shot from the Clouds the Army even struck deaf with the Thunder as Men astonish'd durst neither march nor stand still Then on a sudden fell down a Storm of Hail like a violent Torrent At first they cover'd themselves with their Shields but presently their henumb'd and frozen Hands let fall their Arms neither did they know towards what Place or Country to move themselves the Violence of the Storm being greater than could possibly be avoided turn themselves which way soever they would Their Ranks and Order therefore being broke they wander'd through the * Oâ—r Forest Wood in Parties as they could and many fainting rather with Fear than through Weariness fell down upon the Ground although the Fierceness of the Cold had frozen the Hail others lean'd themselves to the Bodies of Trees which was to many both a Support and Defence Neither were they deceiv'd in chusing out a place to die in when their natural Heat overcome by the Cold left them immovable But it was a grateful Sloth to them that were tir'd out neither did they count it iâ—ksome to find Rest by Death for the Cold was not only vehement but also not likely to abate and the dark Shades of the Wood besides the Storm which was as the Night supprest and kept out the Light that common Comfort and Refreshment The King only was patient under this sad Misforttune and walk'd round his Camp and brought together the dispers'd and lifted up them that were down shewing them the Smoak that came from Chimneys afar off advising every one to take the highest Refuge Neither did any thing conduce more to their Safety than to see the King who had taken more Pains than they yet most unwearied of any and therefore were asham'd to leave him But Necessity more forcible than Reason in their Distresses found out a Remedy for the Cold For hewing down the Trees with their Axes they set the Heaps of Wood up and down on fire so that you would have thought all the Wood had been on a â—lame and scarce any place left for the Army to lodge This Heat presently enliven'd their benumb'd Limbs and by degrees their Spirits which the Cold had even clos'd up began freely to pass Some were entertain'd in the Houses of the Barbarians which hid from them in the late Wood but now their Necessity had discover'd others lodg'd in their Tents which though wet yet were more tolerable the Fury of the Storm being something abated This unhappy Accident swept away a thousand Soldiers and other mean * Scullions Horse-boys c. Attendants upon the Camp 'T is reported that some were found standing at the side of the Trees and seem'd not only as if they had been alive but as if they had been discoursing one with another in the same posture as they were in when they died 11. How Alexander falling in Love with Roxana marry'd her and induc'd many
his Hand amaz'd at the sight of him they fell flat upon the Ground and were silent a long time together But after that Alexander had commanded them to rise and cheer up Acuphis thus began The Nysaeans intreat O King That in reverence to Bacchus you would leave the City free and the Inhabitants to Govern by their own Laws For Dionysius after he had conquer'd the Indians and was about to return to the Grecian Sea built this City for those Soldiers who were unserviceable for War being of Bacchus ' s Family as a perpetual Monument to Posterity of his Expedition and Victory as your Majesty has built Alexandria at Mount Caucasus and another in Egypt and many others some finish'd and others now in building having now perform'd much more than our Dionysius did And he call'd the City Nysa from his Nurse so nam'd and the Country Nysaea and the Mountain which hangs over the City he was pleas'd to call Meros which is a Thigh because according to the Fables he was cherish'd in Jupiter ' s Thigh Since that time we have dwelt in Nysa as a free City and have liv'd at ease under the Use of our own Laws And that this Place was built by Bacchus this one thing may be a Demonstration That Ivy grows no where in India but in this City This Speech of Acuphis was very pleasing to Alexander for he had a great desire those things should be believ'd that were related concerning Bacchus's Peregrination and wou'd have none to doubt but that Nysa was built by Bacchus because that he himself was now come as far as Bacchus ever came and was still desirous to go further than he ever did And he was of Opinion that the Macedonians out of Emulation to the Acts of Bacchus wou'd willingly with himself undergo further Toils and Labours He granted therefore Liberty to the Nysaeans and that they should Govern according to their own Laws And when he understood what their Laws were and how they were under the Government of an Aristocracy he commended their Constitution and commanded 'em to furnish him with three hundred Horsemen and send him a hundred of them that were of the Aristocracy who were three hundred in all such as he would chuse Acuphis was one of the Number of them that were pick'd out whom the King had made Governour of the whole Province of Nysaea 'T is reported that Acuphis smil'd at these Demands and that Alexander asking him why he laugh'd Acuphis answer'd How is it possible O King for the City to be well Govern'd when 't is stript of an hundred good Men all at once But if your Majesty have a Kindness for the City be pleas'd to accept of three hundred Horsemen and more if you think fit but as for an hundred of the best Men of the City which you desire be pleas'd to be content with two hundred of the worst that whensoever you return hither again you may find that the City has maintain'd and kept up her ancient State and Grandeur With these Words because he judg'd them prudently spoken Alexander was persuaded and commanded only the three hundred Horsemen to be sent him and for the three hundred of the Chief of the City he neither desir'd them nor any others in their stead But Acuphis his Son and his Nephew by his Sister were sent to Alexander Afterwards Alexander had a longing desire to see that City in which the Nysaeans boast there are some Monuments of Dionysius and to go likewise accompanied with some Horse of his Friends and a Regiment of Foot to the Mountain Meros that he might see the Hill grown over with Ivy and Laurel and the shady Groves that abounded with all sorts of wild Beasts The Ivy was a very pleasant Sight to the Macedonians having not seen any of a long time for India bears no Ivy neither those Places where Vines grow Of the Ivy they wore Garlands on their Heads singing Praise to Bacchus with all his Titles and Appellations Alexander there sacrific'd to Bacchus and feasted with his Friends 14. How having taken a strong City call'd Massaga he put to the Sword all the Mercenary Soldiers that had fought Valiantly Arrianus lib. IV. WHen the Barbarians heard of Alexander's coming they durst not abide him in a Body but brake up their Army and dispers'd themselves every one as they could into several Cities purposing there to stand upon their Guard Alexander march'd first with his Army to * Mazaga Massaga the greatest City of that †The Country of the Assacenians Country approaching therefore with his Army close to the City the Barbarians having got into the Town for their assistance seven thousand Mercenary Indians from the inner parts of India made a fierce Sally upon the Macedonians as they lay Encampt Alexander perceiving that the Fight was likely to be under the City Walls design'd to draw off the Enemy at a further distance lest when they fled which he clearly foresaw they would they might with ease being so very near get into the Town and so escape perceiving therefore the Barbarians pouring out upon them he forthwith commanded his Macedonians to wheel about and make to a Hill about seven furlongs distant from the River Guraeus where he had purpos'd to Encamp The Enemy hereupon emboldned the Macedonians seeming to give back in great confusion and disorder hotly pursu'd them But when they were got within the cast of a dart upon a sign given by Alexander the Phalanx furiously turned upon ' em But first indeed the Horse that were darters the Agrians and Archers made an excursion and ingag'd with the Barbarians But Alexander led the Phalanx in Battalia himself The Indians amaz'd at the sudden and unexpected turn when it came to the Swords point fled back into the City Two hundred of 'em were kill'd in the pursuit but the rest got within the Walls Alexander presently drew up his main Battel of Macedons before the Walls and from thence was slightly wounded by an Arrow struck into his Heel The next day the Engines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Curtius l. 8. c. 10. says the Calf of the Leg. being brought up to the Walls part of 'em were easily batterr'd down upon which the Macedonians endeavouring to force their way through the Ruins the Indians stoutly withstood them so far as that Alexander for that day sounded a retreat and call'd off his Men. But the next day the Macedonians renew'd the Assault with greater vigour bringing up a wooden Tower to the Walls out of which the Archers powring showers of Darts and Arrows grievously gall'd the Indians But yet with all these devices they were not able to enter The Third day the main Body of the Macedonians being again led up to the Walls a Bridge was cast out of the Wooden Tower over that part of the Wall that was broken down upon which Bridge the King order'd the Agyraspides who had before taken Tyre after the same manner