Chron. 19 20 21. chap. travelling himself from Beersheba unto Mount Ephraim to accomplish it he also constituted Judges to whom he gave a pious and strict charge After this the Moabites Ammonites and a great multitude of others invaded him against which he first strove by Prayer to God and thereby obtained Victory his Enemies being so stricken with madnesse that they fell upon and slaughtered one another Afterwards intending to send Ships for gold to Ophir because he joyned with wicked Ahaziah King of Israel the Lord spoiled the works and the Ships were broken at Esion-geber Some think he made his Son Partner in the Kingdom it self having formerly been but his Vicegerent a year or two before he died He reigned 25 years or rather 24 with some odd months Joram 6. To Jehosaphat succeeded Joram being 32 years old 2 Chron. 21. A. M. 3109. to the best Father the worst Son who being established in his Seat made away all his Brethren and some of the Princes In his dayes the Edomites or Idumaeans who hitherto from the time of David had been in subjection to the Kings of Judah revolted They had heretofore been governed by a Vice-Roy chosen either out of themselves or the Jews but now they made themselves a King the Prophecie of Isaac the common Progenitor of both Nations being now fulfilled that though Esau should serve his younger Brother Jacob yet the time should come when he should break the yoak from off his neck Gen. 27.40 At the same time Libnah a City of the Priest's in the Tribe of Judah revolted because he had forsaken the God of his Fathers for having married Ahab's Daughter he followed the example of his house making high-places in the Mountains of Iudah and causing his Sujects to commit Idolatry therein Because of this 2 Chron. 21. vers 12. there came a Writing to him from the Prophet Elijah rebuking him for his sin and foretelling his punishment Elijah being before this taken up to Heaven the Jews have believed that this Letter was sent down thence Some think there was another Prophet of this name but most are inclined to believe that foreseeing before his assumption the Idolatry of this man he left this Letter with his Schollers to be delivered to him in due time According to the threatnings therein contained God first stirred up against him the Philistins and Arabians who making an invasion took away all his goods his wives and sons except Jehoahaz the youngest otherwise called Ahaziah and Azariah Afterwards God struck him with an incurable disease in his bowels which after two years came out of his body so that he miserably died having reigned eight years three whereof are to be reckoned in conjunction with his father He was buried without honour at Jerusalem not in the Sepulcher of Kings not desired missed nor lamented Ahaziah A. M. 3116. 7. 2 Kings 8. 2 Chron. 22. Ahaziah his son succeeded him who followed the steps of his Grand-father Ahab's wicked family and became a Patron of Idolaters But having scarce reigned one year he went down to Jezreel to visite his Uncle Joram King of Israel where they were both killed by Jehu 2 Kings 9. Joram being slain outright and Ahaziah dying shortly after of his wound at Megiddo Athaliah his mother seized upon the Kingdom Athaliah usurpeth Chap. 11. 2 Chron. 24. wherein to establish her self she destroyed all the Royal seed Onely Jehosheba the daughter of Joram and wife to Jehojada the High-Priest withdrew Joash an infant her brother's son and hid him six years in the house of God At the end of these years Jehojada brought him out to the people then seven years old and anointing him King slew Athaliah restored the worship of God and destroyed the house of Baal whose Priest Matthan he slew before the Altar Joas 8. Joas then succeeded his father after six years 2 Kings 12. A. M. 3122. who did what was good and just as long as Jehojada the Priest lived and through his advice took care to repair the Temple which now had stood 155 years But Jehojada being dead who lived 130 years the Jews observing that he the repairer of the Temple was born the same year that the builder thereof died Idolatry brake out afresh through his connivance The Prophets exclaimed against it in vain especially Zacharias the son and successor of Jehojada against whom Joas was so far transported beyond the bound's of piety gratitude to his father's memory that he commanded him to be stoned and that in the Court of the house of the Lord. Whil'st as he died he said The Lord look upon it and requite it So he did for after a years time the forces of Hazael King of Syria though but small invaded Judah destroyed all the Princes of the people and sent the spoyl to their King Joas himself they left very sick of great diseases but when they were departed from him his own servants conspired against him for the bloud of the sons of Jehojada the Priest and slew him on his bed in the 40th year of his reign A. M. 3160. 9. Amaziah his son succeeded him Chap. 14. who also seemeth to have reigned with him the three last years seeing he is said to have begun his reign in the second year of Joas King of Israel When he was confirmed in his seat 2 Chron. 25. A. M. 3160. he put those to death that slew his father sparing their Children according to the Law of Moses In his 12th year he undertook an expedition against the Edomites with 300000 of his own Subjects and 100000 Israelites which he hired for 100 Talents of silver But as he was about to begin his march a Prophet dehorted him from joyning to himself the Idolatrous Israelites so that he dismissed them and they returned home in great discontent He prospered against the Idumaeans but the Souldiers dismissed fell upon his Cities and smiting 300 of them took much spoyl Yet he at his return to amend the matter having brought home the gods of the Edomites set them up to be his gods bowed down before them and burnt incense to them The Lord being sore angry for this sent first a Prophet to him whom he rejected But burning with a desire to be revenged upon the Israelites he sent and defied Joas their King who admonished him to be well advised but this being in vain they met and joyned battel wherein Amaziah was taken and led back to Jerusalem the Wall of which Citie Joas demolished 400 Cubits and plundering the house of the Lord with the Kings house then departed Fifteen years after Amaziah lived but then having turned away from following the Lord a conspiracy was made against him in Ierusalem whence he fled to Lachish and there was slain by the pursuers after he had reigned 29 years Uzziah 10. He left a son named Uzziah and Azariah who succeeded him 2 Kings 15. but being
and whatsoever was in his house for which Isaiah the Prophet denounced the carrying away of all these things to Babylon For the pride of his heart there was wrath upon him and Iudah yet he humbled himself both he and the inhabitants of Iudah so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in his dayes He flourished in abundance of riches and honour stopped the upper water-course of Gihon and brought it streight down to the West-side of the Citie of David He reigned 29 years 3 whereof were together with his father being dead they buried him in the chiefest Sepulchers of the sons of David and all Iudah with the Inhabitants of Ierusalem did him honour at his death Manasses 15. Manasses his son succeeded him at the Age of twelve years 2 Kings 21. 2 Chron. 33. A. M. 3304. Olymp. 19. an 4. and therefore was begotten by him after his recovery He did evil in the sight of the Lord above those Nations which the Lord had cast out before Israel being more Idolatrous then any of his Predecessors he was also given to Witchcraft and Divinations built Altars for all the Host of heaven which he served in the two Courts of the house of the Lord wherein he also set up an Image of the Grove which he had made He filled Ierusalem with innocent bloud amongst other Martyrs Isaiah the Prophet as it 's said being sawn asunder with a wooden saw because he was free with him in reproving his ungodly life although he was of the bloud royal as the son of Amos the brother of King Amaziah according to the tradition of the Jews who also have related him to have been father-in-law nay as some Grand-father by the Mothers side to Manasses himself In such wickednesse continued he for several years till such time as God sent upon him the Captains of the King of Assyria Esarchaddon some think who took him lying hid amongst the thorns and carried him bound with fetters unto Babylon which City as it appeareth from this place was now again under the King of Assyria Here having leisure and occasion to bethink himself in his affliction he repented was humbled greatly and besought the Lord who heard his Prayer and restored him to his Kingdom After this he knew that the Lord was God and purged his Realm of Idolatry which Reformation the Jews make to have been in the 33th year before his death He reigned 55 years Amon. 16. Amon his Son succeeded him in his Kingdom and Idolatry A. M. 3359. Olymp. 33. an 4. but not in his Repentance worshipping and sacrificing to all the carved Images which his Father had made and going on to trespasse more and more After two years his servants conspired against him and slew him in his own house Chap. 34. all whom the people of the Land put to death and made Iosiah his Son a child of eight years old King in his stead Josiah He in the eighth year of his reign began to seek after the God of his Fathers and in his twelfth to cleanse his Kingdom and all the Land of Israel from Idolatry although the greatest part of the later was now subject to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 23. 2 Chron. 35. A. M. 3368. Olymp. 35. an 4. In the 18th year of his reign and of his age the 26th he commanded the Temple to be repaired and the Worship of God therein restored where also finding a Book of the Law he renewed the Covenant between God and the people and celebrated such a solemn Passeover as had not been kept in Israel since the time of the Judges Now if the time of the Judges and the Oppressions be not confounded but taken at their full length then this year being the 9â—0th ending or the 931th beginning from the entering into Canaan was the 7th of the 133 week or the last of the 19th Jubilie Iosiah in his 31th year ending disguised himself that he might fight with Necho King of Aegypt who was going up against the Assyrian and would not hearken to his words from the mouth of God labouring with him to refuse fighting against the Lord who had sent him and commanded him to make haste Therefore joyning battell with him in the Valley of Megiddo he was sore wounded and being carried to Ierusalem died there all Iudah and Ierusalem mourning and making great lamentation for him Jehoahaz 17. Whilst Pharaoh was busie in his affairs against the Assyrians the people made Jehoahaz the younger Son of Josias King 2 Chron. 36. A. M. 3392. Olymp. 41. an 4. who continued but three moneths in the dignity For Pharaoh having finished his work at Euphrates and in Coelesyria came to Jerusalem whence he led away into Aegypt this young King and left his elder Brother Eliakim in his place whose name he changed into Jehoiakim Jehoiakim imposing a taxe of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold upon the Land Though Jeoahaz be said to have reigned three moneths yet some will have a year to have passed betwixt the 31 year of Josias and the first of Jehoiakim partly for that Josias seemeth to have reigned something more than 31 years and some space would be taken up in so solemn a mourning for him before the instalment of Jehoahaz and also to consult about this thing seeing it was against right and custom to give this honour to the younger Brother lastly some time perhaps some moneths was requisite for setling the affairs of Judaea about the instalment of Jehoiakim and the tribute Ludovicus Cappellus moreover giveth a whole year to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim though the Scripture speaketh but of three moneths a piece that the last year of Zedekiah might fall into the 390th year from the rent of the Kingdom of which more when we arrive at that time 18. Jehoiakim thus advanced by Pharaoh Necho was 25 years old when he began to reign which if so he was born in the fifteenth year of his Father's age as if Jehoahaz was 23 when he began his reign he must also have been born in the sixteenth of Josiah This maketh Josiah to have applied himself to procreation of children at least in the fourteenth year of his life which seeming too early and not agreeable to the Piety of that Prince there are that suspect for 25 ought to be read 15 and 13 for 23 so that the one might be born in the 24 and the other in the 25 year of his Father But thereis no necessity for such a reading of the Text. The fourth year of Jehoiakim fell in with the first of Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon Ierem. 25 1 3. and was the 23th from the 13th of the reign of Josias wherein Jeremiah the Prophet first began to prophesy and hence it also appeareth that Iosias reigned at least full 31 years and that one passed between his death and the beginning of Iehoiakim else 23 onely had passed betwixt the
well he died full of honour at Syracuse after he had held the Principality about thirteen years In the third year of the 75 Olympiad his elder brother Hieron succeeded him Hieron of Syracuse He rebuilded Catana and changed it's name into Aetna the Mountain of which name about this time brake out into flames as fifty years after it did also In the beginning of his reign he was much unlike to his brother Gelon being suspicious cruel covetous and turbulent then caught with a lingering disease he was much amended by the conversation of most Learned men After this he fought prosperously against the Carthaginians who now again returned into Sicilie overthrew Thrasydaeus of Agrigentum in a great battel and drove him to desperation at length he incurred the hatred of the Syracusians uncertain for what cause and shortly after withdrawing himself to Catana there died in the second year of the 78 Olympiad when he had held the Principality from the death of Gelon eleven years and eight moneths Thrasybulus 15. After him his brother Thrasybulus seized upon the power A. M. 3538. Ol. 78. an 2. V. C. 287. whose practices stirred up the Citizens to recover their liberty with the hastening of his ruine For being set upon by them he was overthrown and reduced to such a straight that he fled into Locri on the Coast of Italy and there killed himself having held the Soveraignty ten moneths from the death of Hieron The Syracusians recover their liberty The Syracusians now gladly resumed their liberty yet not therewith content that they might the more secure it they freed also many other Cities of Sicilie from Tyranni and forein Garrisons But not long after they fell into a most pernicious Sedition Arist Polit. l. 5. c. 3. For excluding those from honours whom Gelon had brought into Syracuse for the establishment of his own interest they themselves bearing all Offices of Magistracy and governing the Commonwealth though they took not away from the other the freedom of the City the lately made Denizons not enduring it conspired together being in number 7000 of 10000 which Gelon had brought in Three years after liberty recovered they sodainly fell upon two parts of the City the Island and Acradina The natural Inhabitants overpowering them in numbers besieged them close and overthrowing them in a Sea fight at length constrained them to acquiesce in the present state of things or else quit the City after the Sedition and tumult had endured two years In the mean time by the conduct of Ducetius a Sicilian those planters that Hiero had placed in Catana were thence ejected and the old Inhabitants restored to the place whom he had cast out now also the whole Island was restored to it's antient condition the Exiles being repossessed and new comers driven out who setlâ—d themselves at Messana the utmost part of the Island The form of the Syracusian Common-wealth 16. That form of a Commonwealth was now established at Syracuse which Aristotle properly calleth Policie mixed of Oligarchie and Democracie which how dangerous it was appeared shortly For after some years the State continuing in this form and the number of Citizens increasing one Tyndarides an Eminent man and very rich egged on by his ambition brought it into great danger For binding to him the indigent rabble by his gifts and using them as a Guard he manifestly pressed towards the soverainty but by the Union of those who were in greatest grace with the people he was repressed and when the beggerly sort would needs undertake his protection killed in a tumult When others not at all deterred by this example aspired after such power as threatned liberty the people for to humble those that carried their heads highest in imitation of the Athenians brought in the use of the Petalism The Petalism As they by their Ostracism removed such Citizens for ten years who for their reputation and interest were dangerous to the freedom of the Citie so the Syracusians by the Petalism removed such like for five years This kind of banishment without losse of honour or fortune was called in Greek Pesalismos because his name whom any one would have banished was written in a leaf of an Olive according to * Quom lege ad Olymp. 81. ann 2. Diodorus both which in the same language were signified by the word Petalos But this constitution as the other at Athens could not long continue For those Eminent persons who were most fit for State Affairs for fear thereof bv little and little withdrew themselves from publick businesse to a private life Hereby the Commonwealth fell into the hands of bold Quickly abrogated for weighty reasons rash unskilfull and the naughtiest sort of men whence grievous incommodities and dangers followed By these things the people were moved to abrogate the Law of Petalism and the better sort returned to the care of the Commonwealth after which it remained in quietnesse for some time but again relapsed as necessarily it must from the informity of Antimonarchical Government The Wars of the Syracusians 17. Abroad the Syracusians had War with the Tuscans in Italy with Ducetius Captain of the Siculi as also the Agrigentines Trinacrians Leontines and Egestans in Sicily wherein most commonly they had the better and either fully brought under or bound to them by Leagues most of the Cities in the Island Leontium a most flourishing Town was utterly destroyed when it now gaped after the Empire of Sicily the principal Citizens being removed to Syracuse and the multitude driven into Exile Out of these motions they fell into the Athenian War in the first year of the 91th Olympiad concerning which we have already sufficiently spoken Syracuse was so exhausted therein with expences and slaughters that upon the brink of ruin it was meerly preserved by the wisdom and valour of Gylippus a stranger of Sparta and not onely preserved but made victorious to admiration and inabled to return to the Athenians so great overthrows by Land and Sea This War which begun in the 50th year after the recovery of their liberty by means of the Egestans who craved aid of Athens against them and the Selinuntians lasted not fully three years leaving a sufficient warning to all of the vicissitude of humane affairs and shewing that they who gape after Dominion and are busie to inlarge their bounds being carried out by the force of ambition rather than reason often fall into a necessity of defending their own Estate and sometimes lose all 18. The multitude grown exceeding high upon this successe would not rest satisfied with its former privileges but so ordered the matter that the temper of this Commonwealth more and more degenerated Lib. 2. cap. 4. Diod. Diocles a man of principal note who had perswaded them to put to death Nicias and Demosthenes the Athenian Generals being of a most severe and rigid disposition A.M. 359â— Olymp. 92. ann 1. V.C. 342. Darii
all their minds upon the Isthmus the advise of Themistocles was not at all regarded and they resolved to weigh Anchors and to be gone that night and notice hereof was given to the Mariners 47. For now Xerxes his Fleet was drawn down so repaired and increased by a new Accession of ships that it was altogether as considerable as before the shipwrack at Sepâ—as and taking all Nations as he passed along with them his Land Army contained as great a number as heretofore at Thermopylae The King came down from Athens to Phalerus the Port and called a Council to deliberate what should be done All the Captains were for a Sea-fight the Kings of Tyre and Sidon being first asked their opinions by Mardonius onely a woman Artemisia Queen of Halicarnassus a wise and valiant woman who had followed Xerxes in this expedition with five ships with grave and important arguments disswaded a Sea-fight and advised him to enter Peloponnesus with his Land Army for thereby he would presently dissolve the Greekish Fleet and finish the War Though this advice followed would have been enough and Xerxes could not but commend it yet the major and worse part carried it and it was resolved to fight the Graecians out of hand at Salamine The Anchors then were weighed and the Fleet made thitherwards but night coming on suffered them not that day to reach the Island 48. At this time were the Peloponnesians ready to depart homewards Plutarch in Themistoc and thereby the Estate of Greece to be ruined by their breaking their united power and reducing themselves into their particular and inconsiderable conditions had not Themistocles born for the preservation of his Countrey relieved it by his wisdom in its great necessity There was one Sicinus a Persian who taken prisoner was a great lover of Themistocles and taught his Children Him he sent privately to the King to tell him that he preferring his good before that of the Graecians gave him now first to understand that they were about to fly and advised him not to suffer it but prevent them and set upon them whilest they were disordered and the Fleet was severed from their Land Army Xerxes gladly hearing the message as believing it to proceed out of Themistocles his affection to him communicated it to his Officers and whilest the rest could be furnished with Souldiers sent 200 ships about the Island to block up the Straights so that none of the Enemies might escape Themistocles communicated what he had done to Aristides who approving of it went to perswade the Greeks to fight when presently whilest theit minds hung in suspense came a ship of Tenedos from the Persian Fleet and acquainted them with what was done in the Straights so that necessity compleated what was but half effected by the speech of Aristides 49. Then prepared they themselves unanimously to the battel Idem Herod ut priùs Themistocles made a speech unto them wherein he shewed where their concernments lay exhorting them to fight manfully for their Countrey and Liberty for their Parents Wives Children and whatsoever was dear to them with which being provoked they applied themselves to their ships and put forth the Fleet into the Main Xerxes placed himself on an high Throne to behold the fight over against Salamine and had some with him to write down the particulars thereof A bloudy fight was fought with great earnestnesse on both sides the one fighting under the eyes of their King who marked every passage and accordingly was affected and the other for as much as could be dear to them in so dangerous a condition Herein the Greeks had the advantage that they were more exercised in Sea matters and having all they had lying at the stake they did it with the more earnestnesse and in that they fought with greater order the Persian with so great a multitude of ships fought in disorder and hindred one another and if the Vessels sunk were all lost whereas their Enemies by their skill in swimming saved themselves At length their Ionians sollicited as was said by little and little withdrawing themselves from the fight Xerxes his Fleet defeated the rest what by that discouraged and overcome by the pertinacious valour of their enemies began to fly the Athenians pressing hard upon them and destroying many of their ships of such as fled towards Phalerus many were intercepted by the Aegenaetans the Emulators of the other in deserving well of Greece such as escaped them and got to the Port thence withdrew themselves to the Land Army 50. Of all the Graecians the Athenians and Aeginaetans deserved best and amongst them Themistocles the Captains of the Fleet each one when upon their Oaths they pronounced who merited most naming him after themselves Amongst the Persians the valour of Artemisia the Queen was most conspicuous acknowledged by Xerxes himself who thereupon said that his men were turned women and women became men she was saved as it hapned and escaped to Phalerus Many Noble Persians fell amongst the rest Ariabignes the Kings brother few of the Graecians Xerxes exceedingly discouraged with this great losse considered of his safe retreat out of Europe fearing the Ionians might break the bridge laid over the Hellespont yet that he might colour any such intention he began a new project by casting earth into the Straights to joyn the Island Salamina with the Continent But Mardonius understanding his temper and bethinking himself in what case he himself might stand for being the first adviser to the War went to him and extenuating the losse the Land Army being left intire at length proposed to him to leave to him 300000 men with which he would engage to revenge him upon Greece and reduce it all under his power if he pleased to depart himself into Asia being nothing tainted in honour for that things had not so well succeeded in this encounter because the miscarriage was procured by the Cowardise of the Egyptians Phoenicians Cilicians and others no better than slaves the Persians having gallantly enough behaved themselves and he their Prince having subdued already the greater part of Greece and taken Athens it self against which the War was principally intended 51. He liked very well the motion but still dissembled the matter answering he would refer it to his Council which he accordingly called and asked the advice particularly of Artemisia She approved of Mardonius his Counsel for that if he should subdue Greece it would be to the Kings advantage and if he miscarried it would be no disgrace to him who in his own person had accomplished the main design of the expedition in taking and wasting Athens he was pleased therewith sent her beforehand away with his sons he had brought with him and gave liberty to Mardonius to make choice of what and how many Forces he pleased all this being done the same day with the fight at Salamis The night following in great fear and disorder the Fleet loosed from Phalerus and
200 Gallies 10000 most valiant Souldiers and out of Egypt it self raised 80000 foot Agesilaus the King of Lacedaemon he also procured to come to him Xenoph. Plutarch Aemilius Probus in Agesilao promising him the command of all his forces Upon the report of his landing all sorts of presents were dispatched to him but the Courtiers finding no Train nor any thing of State about him onely an old man little of stature not at all trimmed but with coarse and old Clothes sitting on the shore upon the grasse they greatly despised him and were seized with wonder at his poornesse of spirit when they beheld how amongst the presents taking the Meal Calves and Geese to himself he gave the sweet Meats and Oyntments to be divided amongst the slaves Tachos King of Egypt strengthneth himself And Tachos himself gave him not the chief command according to his promise deriding him for the smalnesse of his stature and saying that the fable was fulfilled in him the Mountains are in Travel and a Mouse is brought forth to which with anger and scorn he answered that afterwards he should have cause to think him a Lyon Diod. Plutarch 95. With Tachos also was Chabrias the Athenian though not sent from the State as was Agesilaus but on his own account who advised him wanting Treasure to command his richest sort of subjects to furnish him with as much money as they could spare and he would repay them out of his yearly Tributes which course he following got great store of money and yet injured no man To him he committed his Fleet to Agesilaus the conduct of the 10000 mercenary Graecians to Nectanebus his son or rather the son of his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sister being called his Nephew reserving to himself the command over all and though Agesilaus advised him rather to manage the War by his Lieutenants Nectanebus King of Egypt and stay in Egypt he sayled into Phoenicia the Spartan following him though against his dignity and disposition Coming into Phoenicia he sent Nectanebus against the Cities in Syria to whom came a message from the Viceroy of Egypt left there by Tachos signifying that he had revolted and now invited him to seize upon the Kingdom to which he consenting drew presently to his party all the Officers by gifts and the Souldiers by large promises Tachos now being in fear of his own servants and Agesilaus whom he derided betook himself to Sidon and thence to Artaxerxes by whom he was courteously entertained though not declared General in the Egyptian War and so by the help of Agesilaus recovered his Kingdom as Diodorus writeth 96. Another King besides these two was made by the Egyptians of Mendesium of whom 10000 arose and for him made War upon Nectanebus Plutarch Xenoph Cornelius Nepos Diodorus ut suprà The case being thus Agesilaus took part with Nectanebus whom he thought more to favour the Graecians took the other prisoner and confirmed him in the Kingdom who importuning him to stay and winter with him he refused hasting homewards Agesilaus having served him in his return dieth for that he knew the Lacedaemonian State to be at this time ingaged in a War destitute of Treasure and yet to keep strangers in constant pay for want of their own men Nectanebus when he would not stay dismissed him with great gifts and honours giving him 220. or 230 Talents for the maintenance of the War at home with which taking ship he sayled homewards though in the midst of Winter making haste lest through his absence the State should do nothing the next Summer but being carried by Tempest into a desart place called the Haven of Menelaus lying betwixt Cyrene and Egypt he there fell sick and died His friends laying his Corps in Wax for want of Honey carried it to Lacedaemon where it was buried according to his worth and dignity 97. About the time of his death died also Artaxerxes the King of Persia Plutarch in Artaxerxe Justin lib. 10. after he had reigned 43 years He had 115 sons of which three onely were legitimate Darius Ariaspes and Ochus the rest being begotten of Concubines Artaxerxes dieth having before his death made Darius King who plotting against him of which he kept 360. with which yet he could not be contented without the addition of Atossa his own daughter his own mother to please him becoming a Bawd to his incestuous affections When he was grown old perceiving his sons to strive about the succession and especially Ochus who although the youngest hoped by the means of Atossa to procure the Kingdom of him fearing lest after his death he might do as his Uncle Cyrus had formerly done contrary to the custom of Persia which admitted not of two Kings at the same time he made Darius the eldest now 50 years old King whilest he lived lest his death should involve the Empire in civil broils It was the fashion for him that was made King to ask and receive something at the hands of him that made him according to which Darius asked Aspasia to wife which formerly having been Concubine to Cyrus Artaxerxes took and afterwards married He out of indulgence to him first granted his request for that she being a free woman and no slave might chuse whether she would have him and hoping she would refuse but she willingly accepting of the thing and he then repenting of what he had rashly promised consecrated her as a Nun to Diana that she might live for the remainder of her dayes a single life Darius hereby incensed through the provocation of Tiribazus who bore Artaxerxes malice for defrauding him of his daughter Amistris whom he promised to him but married her himself entred with 50 of his brethren into a conspiracy against the life of his father Is put to death and the plot being revealed by an Eunuch was put to death with his complices Darius being removed out of the way Ochus was more inflamed with a desire of reigning to which he was more incensed by Atossa his sister But he feared two of his brothers Ariaspes legitimate and the elder and one Arsames who though base born and the younger yet was much esteemed for his wisdom and especially beloved by his father Both of them he resolved to destroy Ochus his wicked practices for the Kingdom the former by his cunning and the later by down-right cruelty for he hired some who never ceased to tell Ariaspes as a great secret that his father was resolved to make him away by a cruel and shamefull death and so often inculcating it unto him as speedily to be done drove him to that fear and desperation that he poysoned himself Artaxerxes mourned for him but knowing the kind of his death and suspecting the cause yet through extream age was unable to search into the matter and find it out onely he imbraced Arsarmes more affectionatly than ever and not obscurely signified
expedition and that both the Armies might joyn the readilier upon occasion that they should be in the hands of one man whom they could trust But in this one thing he is accounted to have erred in that not having respect to the publick good he passed by many far more Eminent for prudence and gravity and pitched upon Pisander his wives brother a man very bold but meanly practised in businesse for his Admiral Tithraustes by Gold sent into Greece corrupteth the States to War against Lacedaemon As he was going towards the Fleet and Agesilaus marching for Phrygia Tithraustes who having cut off the head of Tissaphernes had succeeded in his place considering in how great danger his masters affairs stood sent Timocrates a Rhodian with much Persian Gold into Greece wherewith to corrupt the principal men in the Cities and procure them to make War against the Lacedaemonians This was effected at Thebes and Argos and the Athenians though they had no Gold yet were very ready to imbrace the War believing that therein they should have the Chief command Those that were corrupted then grievously inveighing against the Lacedaemonians procured that the chief Cities entred into a Combination against them The Thebans knowing that they would not begin the War except first provoked took occasion to do it by the Locrian Opuntians whom they procured to quarrel with the Phocians and their other Neighbours about some grounds in question amongst them concluding that thereupon the Phocians would break into Locris They did so and did more hurt than they had received whereupon Audocides who had received much Gold procured the Thebans to assist the Locrians The Thebans then invaded Phocis which they wasted and presently did the Phocians send to Lacedaemon to desire aid shewing that they had not been the beginners of the War 12. The Lacedaemonians not unwillingly imbraced this occasion of falling out with the Thebans to whom they bore many grudges Xenoph. ut supra They exacted the tenth part assigned to Apollo at Decelea refused to make War against the Piraeus perswading also the Corinthians as they judged to do the same they remembred also how they had forbidden Agesilaus to sacrifize casting the sacrifice from off the Altar and would not follow him into Asia They resolved now that they had no War in Greece and that their affairs were in so good a condition in Asia to curb their insolence Lysander was then dispatched to Phocis where he should gather the Forces of the Confederates together and stay for Pausanias the King Corn. Nepos Plutarch in Lysandro who was to bring the Forces of Sparta and the rest of the associates to Haliartus He marching into Boeotia drew Orchomenus from the league of Thebei and impatient of delay tarried not for Pausanias who hovered about Tegaea but went with such Forces as he had already to Haliartus which he summoned but in vain the Thebans which already were in the City hindring the surrender Upon refusal he led his men to the walls Lysander slain and they of Thebes upon notice hereof hasted out of their City to help their friends and falling upon Lysander whether aware of their coming or not is uncertain slew him in the place and routed his Forces of which were slain 1000 men and of the Thebans 300. This was the end of Lysander which he partly brought upon himself by his eagernesse to make this Expedition being in his old age fallen into melancholy which rendred him more pevish than usual His character He left a great name behind him but purchased rather by his good successe than Virtue He would neither spare for cruelty nor falsehood to compasse his designs taking no estimate of any thing by any balance but that of profit He scoffed at such as said that those who were descended of Hercules amongst which he was reckoned though not of the royal families ought to manage Wars without deceit saying that where the Lyon's skin would not serve the Foxes was to be sowed to it A design of his was discovered after his death whereby he intended to have taken the Regal power out of the two families and have made them common to all in general To this purpose a writing was found containing a speech he intended to offer to the People which Agesilaus would have published that it might have been seen what kind of Commowealths-man he was but was disswaded by Lacratidas chief of the Ephori who said that Lysander was not to be digged up again but rather that speech to be buried with him Notwithstanding his ambition yet he died poor which rendred him the more famous so that to do honour to his memory the Spartans imposed a mulct upon certain Citizens who being contracted with his Daughters before his death afterwards when his poverty appeared refused to marry them 13. The Thebans having lost so many men in the late fight thought they had but small cause to triumph counting their losse equal with that of the Enemy The day after when they understood that the Phocians and others had retreated they took more courage but again when they perceived Pausanias to draw near they esteemed themselves in no small danger Yet the day following the Athenians joyning themselves to them and Pausanias not moving forwards they then had no small confidence in the goodnesse of their Fortune Pausanias being doubtful what to do called a council of the confederates to consult whether he had best by main force or by truce recover the body of Lysander who for that it lay near the Town walls and it was very dangerous to fetch it off by strong hand concluded a truce was to be desired and the rather for that the Corinthians refused to joyn with them and the Enemy had good store of Horse which they wanted The Thebans refused to give up the dead bodies except the Lacedaemonians would ingage to depart out of Boeotia and therefore to their great grief they were constrained to do it and in their retreat the Thebans grown very insolent killed such as staid behind never so little in the Villages The Expedition was unfortunate to the Spartans in general Pausanias sentenced to die but especially to Pausanias who at his return was accused capitally for not meeting Lysander in convenient time according to agreement for that he had not by fight but truce recovered the slain and dismissed such Athenians as had been taken in the Piraeus and lastly had not appeared at his tryal Being condemned he fled to Tegea where afterwards he fell sick and died 14. The Lacedaemonians awakened by their losse Xenoph. lib. 4. Plutarch in Agesilao Apothegmat Xenoph. in Orat. de laudibus Agesilai and now knowing for certain that money had been sent out of Asia to the several Cities which had moved them to take arms they thought themselves in some danger and recalled Agesilaus to defend his Country He having had successe in the War suitable to his
Principis and Quaestor Principis or Augusti whose Office Ulpian describeth This gave original to the Quaestor Palatii saith Lipsius to whom was granted great authority as to make Laws and Decrees subscribe Petitions return answers and to be as it were the keeper or President of the Laws which name is now changed into Chancellour But to speak something of the Treasury the Temple of Saturn was first made use of to this purpose The Aerarium or Treasury as Plutarch telleth us Here also were kept the Libri Elephantini Books wherein the 35 Tribes were written and the Decrees of the Senate but the Libri Lintei or the Annals were kept by the Pontifices who therein recorded such things as were memorable In the Aerarium was also a more secret place where the twentieth part of the revenues were reserved for cases of extremity onely The Aerarium was afterwards called Fiscus from the Fiscella or bags wherein the money was kept according to Varro The first Advocatus Fisci was instituted by Adrian the Emperour as Spartianus witnesseth Amongst other tributes the People of Rome had the twentieth part of all revenues of Corn throughout Italy besides Salt which was the device of Livie thence Sirnamed Salinator Those that farmed the Tributes or Custom were called Publicans and the principal of them Mancipes according to Pedianus whom Volateranus followeth 14. Valerius Poplicola having finished his constitutions of Setlement held the Assembly of the People for the election of another Consul Lucietius the father of Lucretia was chosen Lucretius Consul to whom as the elder Poplicola granted the Fasces or bundle of Rods which respect of age was ever after observed by their Successors till the time of (a) In poplicola Plutarch as himself writeth This granting of the Fasces was yet but for the first moneth which indeed afterwards was wont to be granted to the elder Consul but no longer than till the Lex Julia in the seventh Chapter whereof this privilege was given to him who had most children either still in his own power that is to be understood not emanicipated or already lost in War But if both Consuls had an equal number of children he who at present was a maried man was preferred If both were husbands and fathers alike then the antient custom returned and he who was eldest had first the Fasces Concerning such who were both unmaried had the same number of children or were both maried and had no children the Law commanded nothing But I hear saith (b) Noct. Attic. lib. 2. c. 15. Gellius that those who were exempted were wont to yield the Fascos of the first moneth to their Colleagues that far exceeded them in age or in birth or entred upon their second Consulship In the mean time that Consul who had no Fasces that he might be known by some note of distinction had an Accensus a certain Bedle or Crier concerning whom (c) De Ling. Lat. pag. 62. Varro is to be consulted that went before him and Lictors followed with Rods and Staves as (d) Lib. 5. Dionysius (e) Lib. 3. Livie and (f) In Julio Suetonius de testifie 15. Lucretius died also a few daies after his creation to whom succeeded M. Horatius Horatius who continued the Colleague of Poplicola for the remaining part of the year Novv vvas the Capitol finished vvhich had been vovved by Tarquinius Priscus and begun by Superbus his grand-son Poplicola had a great ambition to dedicate it but the Nobility envied him the honour and stirred up Horatius to stand for it whom when the other was constrained to be absent in the War they injoyned by a Decree to do it and caried him up thither knowing that in the presence of Poplicola they could not have prevailed Some write that by lot the War fell to Poplicola much against his will and the Dedication to Horatius On the Ides of September which fell in with the full Moon of the Greek moneth Metagitnion answering to August the 28 of the Julian year as Jacobus Cappellus computeth when many flocked to behold the Solemnity Horatius having commanded silence and finished all the usual rites touched the door and pronounced the words of Dedication Then Marcus the brother of Poplicola standing near for that purpose and watching for an opportunity said Thy son O Consul is dead in the Camp whereat when all others were struck Horatius nothing disturbed answered onely Then cast him out whither you please for I admit not of mourning and went on with the matter in hand Neither was the story true The Capitol dedicated but feigned by Marcus to deter him from the Dedication The same fortune hapned to the Dedication of the second Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus after this was burnt in the Civil Wars For Sylla having rebuilt it died before the Dedication as Tarquinius was banished and so that honour came to Catulus When this had perished in the sedition of Vitellius Vespasian built the third and was herein more fortunate than Sylla thâ—t as he died before the Dedication of his so the Emperour lived not to see the destruction of this which presently after his death was also burned The fourth which stood in Plutarch's time was both built and dedicated by Domitian Tarquinius as was reported spent 40000 pounds of silver in founding his Temple but the fourth was not guilded for so little as the wealth of the richest private man The Marble Pillars Plutarch saw at Athens being then of a thicknesse answerable to their length but afterward when they were new cut at Rome they got not so much splendour as they lost of proportion and beauty being rendred too slender in bulk or substance 16. In the * Polyb. lib. 3. p. 160. Consulship of Junius Brutus and M. Horatius that is in the same year that Horatius succeeded though not immediatly into the place of Brutus who with Tarquinius his Collegue governed but 4 moneths when the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was Consecrated 28 years before Xerxes his expedition into Greece the first League was made betwixt the Romans and Carthaginians The first League betwixt the Romans and Carthaginians Herein it was provided that the Romans should not sayl beyond the Fair Promontory which lay before Carthage towards the North. Polybius thinketh the cause was for that the Carthaginians would not have them take notice of the places about Byzacium nor the little Syrtis which for the fruitfulnesse of the soyl they termed Emporia But if it hapned that any either by Tempest or Pirats were forced in thither they promised they would furnish them with all things necessary but forbad any thing to be taken by force and commanded all to be gone thence within five dayes It was lawfull hereby for the Romans to Traffick to Carthage and all that part of Africk which lieth on this side the Fair Promontory as also Sardinia and that part of Sicily then under the Carthaginians who promise
Mercenaries hapned which much distressing the Commonwealth he passed over into Spain where having to do with such an Enemy as he could grow upon The Acts of Amilcar Barcas after the ending of the first Punick War he there inlarged far and wide the Carthaginian Dominion and died in great honour though he was drowned in a River being put also to flight by Orisson King of the Iberi Diod. Sicul. lib. 25. Eclog. who pretending to come to his assistance in the siege of Helice unexpectedly fell upon him As he had governed the Army in Spain nine years Of Asdrubal his son-in-law so his son-in-law Asdrubal succeeding him commanded it almost as many with a mind as averse from the Romans as he but he dissembled his hatred and designs that he might gain all Spain to the Carthaginian interest After 8 years he was slain by a Gall saith Polybius or a slave to a certain Spaniard saith Justin who killed him in revenge for his Masters death He also much bettered the affairs of Carthage not so much by Arms Polyb. lib. 3. Livius l. 21. Corn. Nepos in Hamilcar Val. Max. l. 9. c. 3. Eater Exemp 3. as his winning carriage upon the petty Princes After his death Annibal the son of Amilcar Barcas was chosen Captain by the Army Annibal the son of Amilcar Barcas created General by the Carthaginians and presently confirmed at Carthage by the people whom his father taking along with him into Spain being then nine years old compelled to swear at the Altar his hand touching the sacrifice that as soon as he could he would be an Enemy to the people of Rome 31. Annibal presently after his Creation fell upon the Olcades whom he subdued and besides them within a years space the Vaccaei and Carpentani and nothing remained beyond the River Iberus that was considerable and unsubdued besides the Saguntines They being confederate with Rome gave them there intelligence how things went who sent some into Spain to see how matters stood and what was intended by the Carthaginians These Commissioners having audience of Hannibal religiously admonished him not to meddle with the Saguntines and according to the League made with Asdrubal not to passe over the River Iberus His answers did not conceal his inward hatred which caused the Romans to expect no better than a War but they hoped to have Saguntus the seat thereof and endeavoured to clear themselves of Illyricum ere it hapned Annibal was not ignorant of what they designed and therefore resolved by taking that Town to cut off all hope of vvarring in Spain He doubted not by that example to terrifie others so as to reduce to obedience those that yet stood out and confirm therein such as he had already brought under and this especially he aimed at by reducing this place to leave no Enemy at his back by the plunder of which also he intended to gratifie his Soldiers With all his force then he set upon it and provoking his men by his own example to all manner of diligence He taketh Saguntus a Town in Spain confederate with Rome took it in the eighth moneth The Inhabitants retained their fidelity unto the Romans to the last and when almost spent with hunger Fire Sword and Engines they that remained in a fire made in the Forum consumed themselves with all their riches as Florus writeth though Polybius speaketh of much money found in the Town besides rich stuff which Hannibal sent to Carthage 32. When first the Romans heard that Saguntus was taken they sent Ambassadors to Carthage to require that Hannibal should be delivered up as the breaker of the League Satisfaction is demanded by the Romans or else to denounce War Upon their arrival the Carthaginians deputed Hanno to treat with them who sleighted the matter of the League made with Asdrubal pretending there was none and if there was it was made by his meer pleasure without consent of the Senate Besides therein he said was no mention made of the River Iberus that a regard was to be had of the Allies of both the States he confessed but this nothing concerned the Saguntines who at the time of the ratification were not confederates with Rome The Ambassadors perceiving the Carthaginians backward to what they propounded said no more but the Senior of them holding out the lap of his Gown to the Senate Here saith he we bring you both War and Peace whether you will have I shall bring forth The Carthaginian King bade them bring forth which they pleased then the Roman saying he would take out War many of the Senators answered that they accepted of it And none being given War is denounced and accepted of This fell out in the Consulship of M. Livius afterward called Salinator from his bringing up the Impost upon Salt and L. Aemilius Paulus In their time forein Ceremonies begun to be brought into Rome which displeasing the more sober sort of men the * Val. Max. l. 1. c. 3. exemp 3. Senate thought fit that the Chapels of Isis and Serapis should be pulled down When no Artificers would venture to touch them Aemilius the Consul put off his pratexta or long Roab edged with purple silk and taking an Hatchet struck it into the door 33. In the year following being the 536 of the City A. M. 3787. Ol. 140. an 3. V. C. 536. Antiochi Mag. 6. Ptol. Philop. 5. Polyb. l. 3. Livius l. 21. the sixth of Antiochus the Great and the fifth of Ptolomy Philopator in the Consulship of Pub. Cornelius Scipio and Tib. Sempronius Longus three and twenty years after the ending of the first Punick War the Second began which we have described by Polybius The second Punick or Carthaginian War beginneth and after him by T. Livius who hath transcribed the 21 Book of his History almost word for word Annibal now 26 years of age in the Spring moved from his winter quarters with 90000 Foot and 12000 Horse and passing over the River Iberus subdued all the Towns as far as the Pyrenaean hills Annibal having conquered all Spain as far as the Pyrenaean hills Then leaving Hanno with a sufficient force to keep the Country and sending as many of the Spanish Soldiers home he marched with the the rest in number 50000 Foot and nigh 9000 Horse over the Pyrenaean hills and so through Gall unto the Alpes Having marched 100 miles in ten days from the River Rhodanus he came to the foot of these mountains which when he ascended he encountred with great difficulties being opposed by the Allobroges inhabiting the Country now called Savoy who possessed themselves of the places through which he must necessarily passe On the ninth day he came to the top whence his Soldiers had a prospect of Italy Proceeding after a little rest he lost as many men here in the depth of the Snow as formerly by the incursions of Enemies and at length came to a place which would
any Roman although he carried in Tables a representation of what he had done in the Civil Wars Then went he once more into Spain against Pompey's sons Pompey's sons in Spain A. M. 3960. Ol. 183. ann 4. V. C. 709. Hyrcani 20. to whom several had fled out of Africk where coming to fight near Munda his Army was struck with such fear as it was never nearer running It had fled but that he snatching a Target out of a Soldier 's hand went and ingaged the Enemy himself had 200 Darts thrown at him whereat his Officers being ashamed came on and he got the day 30000 of his Enemies being slain with two of their Captains Labienus and Varus Cn. Pompey also though he fled was taken and his head sent to Caesar 35. This year being that of his third Consulship which he exercised with M. Aemilius Lepidus being Pontifex Maximus or High-Priest he amended (a) Sueton. in Julio Plutarch in Caesare Dio l. 43. p. 226. E. Caesorinus de die natali c. 20. Macrobius Saturnal l. 1. c. 14. Plin. l. 18. c. 25. the Roman year which reformed by him is yet after him called Julian The Julian year Herein he used the skill of Sosigenes an excellent Mathematician of Alexandria where he learned this account though the Alexandrian Moneths consisted of 30 dayes apiece and five dayes were added at the end of every year in Astronomical Calculations SECT 7. and of Flaevius the Scribe in rectifying the Calendar Whereas now in the Moneth of February were intercalated 23 dayes he intercalated betwixt November and December two other Moneths containing 67 dayes so that this present year had fifteen Moneths and 445 dayes But this work seemeth to have been done before his last expedition into Spain After his return he (b) Dio ut suprà p. 236. c. laid down the Conshulship and bringing in a new mode of creating honorary Consuls for three moneths made Q. Fabius Maximus and C. Trebonius whereof the former dying in the last day of the year Caninius Rebilus obtained to succeed him for the few hours that remained whereupon Tully (c) Famil Epist l. 7. Epist 30. Caninio consule scito neminem prandisse nihil tamen eo consule mali factum est fuit enim mirifica vigilantia qui suo toto consulatu somnum non viderit calls him the most vigilant Consul for that he never slept during his Office Now were vast honours decreed him by the Senate Vast honours decreed to Caesar (d) Dio ut suprà Livius lib. 116. Appian belli civil lib. 2. as that he should be Dictator in perpetuum and have the stile of Imperator not in that sense as Generals were wont to have it given by their Soldiers after some worthy exploit but whereby the greatest Authority in the Commonwealth was signified For the Militia was to be wholely and solely at his disposal as also raising of money and all sorts of Magistrates even Plebeian were to be subject to him and swear to contradict none of his decrees SECT VII From the absolutenesse of Julius Caesar to the end of the second Triumvirate and the absolutenesse of Octavius Caesar or Caesar Octavianus the space of 15 years 1. CAESAR being now Consul the fifth time with M. Antonius whom he much favoured and promoted for that in his Tribuneship he so much stood for him to shun (a) Sueton in Julio Appian belli civil lib. 2. envy in the Citie thought upon making War upon the Getae and Dacae which had made inroads into Pontus and Thrace About this time young Castor the son of Castor by (b) Lib. 12. pag. 568. Suidas in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Gerard. Vossium de Historicis Graecis lib. 1. cap. ult Strabo called Saocondarius by the daughter of Deiotarus the King or Tetrarch of Galatia to whom Pompey gave Armenia the Lesse which gift the Senate having confirmed was taken away by Caesar because he took part with Pompey came to Rome to accuse his Grand-father He was sent by his father and mother together with Phidippus a Physician Deiotarus his slave who was corrupted by their promises to feign an accusation against his Lord that he would have killed Caesar vvhen he entertained him in his Tetrarchy King Diotarus defended by Cicero Deiotarus father and son vvho reigned together had at that time four Ambassadors in the Citie vvho offered their own bodies to Caesar for the safety of their Masters But Cicero being mindfull of the friendship and familiarity he had had vvith the old man made an Oration for him in Caesars house vvherein he premiseth that it vvas so unusual a thing for a King a real King for as for the Kings of Lacedaemon vvho vvere called to account by the impudent Ephori they vvere indeed no Kings having nothing but the title and therefore this can make nothing against this truth to be questioned for his life that before that time it vvas never heard of Deiotarus being acquitted by Caesar put to death his daughter as she had deserved together with her husband Castor Saocondarius that noble Chronographer concerning whom Gerard John Vossius is to be consulted in his Treatise of Greek Historians 2. Caesar in his last Consulship to (a) Joseph Antiquit lib. 14. cap. 17. gratifie Hyrcanus the High-Prtest and Ethnarcha of the Jews as also the Nation granted to him to enjoy and Govern the Citie of Jerusalem as he pleased which he might also fortifie with Walls To the Jews he granted also a freedom from the charge of Portage and Toll with an abatement of the publick Revenue in the second year of letting it out to farm In this second Julian year his Collegue (b) Appian bell civil lib. 2. Dio lib. 44. Censorin de die Natali cap. 9. M. Antonius procured by a Law that the Moneth Quintilis should in honour of his name be after it called July He now restored (c) Dio lib. 43. Strabo lib. 8. 17. Carthage and Corinth which two Cities had both in one year been destroyed by Roman Colonies sent thither The moneth Quintilis called July Now (d) Dio lib. 43. Appian belli civil lib. 2. Plutarch in Caesare Sueton. in Julio Livii Epitom lib. 116. the people had a great desire to be revenged on the Parthian for the losse of Crassus and his Army and to him unanimously the War was decreed and lest any stirs should be in his absence he was permitted to name all Officers that should be in the Citie for three years 'T is thought he would gladly have had the title of King though the people being against it he declined it For as he came into the Citie from the Hill Albanus where he had sacrifized some saluted him by the name of King which the people took ill whereupon he said he was not King but Caesar and all holding their peace he passed on sad and grieving And when one of
India to beg his friendship Returning home he shut the Temple of Janus the second time having formerly so done after his Triumph over Antony and his return out of Egypt which shutting was the third from the foundation of the Citie Strabo lib. 2. But after his return out of Spain it continued not long shut For Aelius Gallus made War against the Arabians and piercing far into their Countrey had subdued all Arabia Foelix but that he was betrayed At the same time also Candace Queen of Aethiopia sent her Captains to invade Egypt but they were repulsed by Petronius Governour of that Countrey for Cornelius Gallus having bespattered Augustus Lib. 17. and for that being condemned by the Senate had killed himself who also pursued them and taking divers Towns forced the Queen to beg peace and returned inriched to Alexandria Dio l. 17. Augustus some time after went into Greece and thence into Syria whither the Parthian now affrighted sent the Ensigns taken at the overthrow of Crassus and flight of Antony and now again did the two Kings of India Pandion and Porus send Ambassodors with presents As he returned home Virgil the Poet met him at Athens who now out of a desire to finish his Aeâ—eiados had resolved to withdraw himself out of the way into Greece and Asia but meeting here with Augustus in whose especial favour he flourished he was drawn back with him and viewing Megara in a very hot season contracted a distemper which was so much increased with sayling that growing still worse Vide vitam Virgilii A. M. 3990. V. C. 735. he died at Brundusium within a few dayes after his landing Virgil dieth in the 52th year of his age on the 12th of September and the 735th year of the Citie C. Sextius and Q. Lucretius being Consuls 37. Augustus his first wife was Scribonia which had been married to two persons of Consular Dignity and by one was a Mother Of her he begat his daughter Julia but within a short time divorced her as he pretended Sueton in Octavio cap. 62. 63 64. because of the perversity of her disposition Then did Nero who had followed L. Antonius to Perusium Augustus his wives and issue but afterwards was reconciled freely yield unto him Livia Drusilla though he had had one son already by her named Tiberius and she was big with another which being born three moneths after she had married Caesar was called Drusus By Livia Augustus had no Children but abortive His daughter Julia he married to Marcellus his sister Octavia's son and after his death to Agrippa making him put away his wife the daughter of Octavia for in a consultation Macenas took the liberty to tell him that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa or take away his life there was no third way he had made him so great By Agrippa she had three sons Caius Lucius and Agrippa Posthuâ—â—us and two daughters Agrippina and Julia. The three sons were adopted by their Grand-father but the two former died before and the later was killed by Tiberius after the death of Augustus Dio lib. 54. Tiberius and Drusus subdued the Rhatians and Vindelicians People of Germany and afterwards the Pannonians and Frisians apart Agrippa was made partaker of the Tribunitial power by Augustus amongst other honours and ruled Syria by himself and Agents ten years Being sent into Pannonia of which Hungaria is part he stilled the Natives by the rumour of his coming and returning into Campania died shortly after Then was Tiberius compelled to mary Julia although he had already to wife Agrippina the daugher of Agrippa Within two or three years after Sueton. in Claudio Drusus having pierced very far into Germany and entered his Consulship together with L. Quintius Crispinus died also leaving two sons viz. Germanicus and Claudius in the 746 year of the City 38. The same year that Drusus died by a fall from his Horse as Livy wrote Sueton in Octavio Plinius l. 18. c. 25. Orosius lib. 6. cap. 21. Dio l. 55. p. 552. A. M. 3996. V. C. 745. Sueton in Tiberio Seneca de beneficiis l. 32. Tacitus Annal. lib. 1. who intended his History just so far Augustus being High-Priest which Office he took not upon him till the death of Lepidus amended the Calendar He amendeth the Calendar corrected formerly by his adoptive Father For in those 36 years there had been made an intercalation of twelve dayes whereas there ought to have been but of nine therefore he commanded that the twelve years following should passe without any intercalation at all that so the three dayes might be swallowed up Now he named August after himself the moneth Sextilis because in it he entered his first Consulship and had the first ensigns of Victory and Power rather than September wherein he was born The moneth â—â—â—ilis called 〈◊〉 hâ—m Aâ—gâ—sâ— Not long after did Tiberius rather by craft than force of Arms again subdue the Germans who maintained a most difficult Warre After his Triumph he withdrew himself into the Island Rhodes either because of Caius and Lucius or by reason of the intolerable dishonesty of his wife Julia for she was so abominably wanton that her father at length banished her into the Island Pandataria and very imprudently in his anger revealed her naughty cariage in way of complaint to the Senate of which indiscretion being afterward sensible he would often say that if either Agrippa or Maecenas had lived no such thing had hapened to him 39. Agrippa as we said having quieted Pannonia died after his return into Campania in the 743 year of the City three years before Drusus A. M. 3993. V. C. 743. Lib. 7. c. 8. Pliny telleth that they were first called Agrippae which were born with the feet forward as if a man should say born hardly or with much adoe And in this manner The death of Agrippa saith he as they say M. Agrippa came forth of his mothers womb the onely man almost known to have brought any good fortune with him and prospered in the World of all that were in that sort born Yet he was much pained with the Gout and passed all his youth and many a day after in bloody Wars and in danger of a thousand deaths Unfortunate he was in his children and especially in his two daughters the Agrippinae who brought forth two children pernicious to the whole Earth namely C. Caligula and Domitius Nero Emperours He died in the 51 year of his age A. M. 3997. V. C. 746. Velleius l. 2. c. 88. Dio l. 55. p. 552. tormented and vexed with the adulteries of his wife and oppressed with the intolerable servitude in which he lived under her father Four years after him and the year after Drusus died Maecenas the other favourite of Augustus Of Maecenas and the great Patron of Learned men He was in as great grace with Caesar as Agrippa though lesse honoured
Syllaeus thence came to lay open his forgeries against Herod to whom Augustus was throughly reconciled and had given him Arabia too but that he received from him other Letters containing another complaint against his sons For whilest he was thus out with Caesar the former stirs were renewed in his house by means of Eurycles a Lacedaemonian who winding himself into Alexander's acquaintance betrayed him first to Antipater and then to Herod himself He denied all accusations except that he intended with his wife to fly to Archelaus King of Cappadocia her father but Caesar being consulted as we said willed Herod to call a Council at Berytum with the Roman Presidents Archelaus of Cappadocia and the rest of his friends and Nobility there abouts and do as he should be advised He called all but Archelaus and in an Assembly of 150 men declaimed most furiously against his sons not producing any proof at all further than that they intended to fly and not suffering them to be present to answer for themselves He onely required the suffrages of the Assembly to countenance his private resolution which the major part giving though Saturninus and his sons gave an indifferent sentence he acted by fury Putteth his onâ— to death and unnatural madnesse Joseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 1. c. caused them to be strangled at Sebaste Antipater after the death of his brothers quickly plotted the destruction of his father and for that he was hated by all men procured some esteem by his gifts and drew Pheroras into the conspiracy to the issue of whom the Pharises promised the Kingdom For refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance they were fined by Herod to whose Kingdom they prophesied destruction and happinesse to the family of Pheroras because his wife payed their fine Herod getting out these things by the means of Salome put the principal of the Pharises to death with others and urged his brother Pheroras to put away his wife which he refusing to do he banished him his Kingdom Pheroras then departing into his Terrarchy died shortly after being visited by Herod who buried him honourably at Jerusalem Antipater standing in fear of his father wrought by his Creatures at Rome to be sent for by Caesar But this availed nothing for in his absence all came out which confirmed Salome's words to which the King in this matter had given but little credit knowing her to be too free in accusations and brought vengeance upon him notwithstanding all his craft for the murther of his brethren 45. Pheroras his wife being accused of poysoning her husband Cap. 6. c. her maids were tortured and in their pain gave some suspition of the conspiracy which was more cleared by one Antipater that had the ordering of Antipater's affairs A grievous Conspiracy against him who confessed that his Master had compounded a poyson and delivered it to Pheroras to be given to the King in his absence and that it was kept by Pheroras his wife She confirmed the same declaring that the poyson was bought in Egypt by Antipater's procurement that it was committed to her charge and how that when her husband was sick and Herod came out of kindnesse to visit him being overcome with his love he forbade her to give it him Amongst the accessaries was Herod's own wife the daughter of the High-Priest she was put away her father deposed and Mathias the son of Theophilus preferred to his place Herod also her son was put out of the Kings Teâ—â—ment wherein he had bequeathed the Kingdom to him after his death In the mean time Bathillus the Freed-man of Antipater returning from Rome was tortured and confessed that he had brought with him a poyson to deliver to Pheroras wherewith the King might be certainly and speedily dispatched in case the other should fail Antipater returned ignorant of these passages for that almost every one was his Enemy and before his father and Quintilius Varus though he sought to cover his wickednesse all things were made plain against him whereupon he was committed to close prison He sickneth Shortly after Herod himself sickned and became exceeding teasty and wrathfull as well for these things as for that he thought the people was glad of his misfortunes having at the instigation of the Doctors of their Law cut down an Eagle of Gold of great value that stood over the Portal of the Temple But his sicknesse more and more increased 46. His disease was strange and fearfull Cap. 8. 9. For he burned with an inward heat which pierced and tormented him in his bowels He was also vexed with a ravenous and infatiable appetite and an Ulcer in his Entrails with a strange and furious Colick His feet were swoln with moisture and a shining kind of flegm His strange Disease his stomack being no lesse afflicted His body rotted and was full of crawling Worms which afforded an intollerable stench besides he was held with a filthy and troublesom Priapism a strong Convulsion of his Nerves and shortnesse of breath being generally judged thus to be punished for his infinite impieties and sins committed against the Majesty of God doubtlesse his intention to kill Christ with the innocent bloud of the Infants cried loud He used all means for recovery and went over Jordan to the hot Baths of Callirhoe Thence returning to Jericho a melancholick humour seized on him which rendred him unsociable and displeased with all men Perceiving now that he should die and supposing that the Jews would much rejoyce in his death he shut up many of the chiefest of them in the Hippodrome and gave in charge to his sister Salome and her husband Alexas that as soon as he was dead they should cause them all to be killed that a lamentation might accompany his funeral Before his death he received Letters from Caesar who gave him leave to deal with his son as he saw occasion Antipater yet believing that he was dead plotted how to escape and seize on the Kingdom but his Jaylor with whom he dealt revealed it to Herod He killeth his son Antipater who had procured the death of his brothers and plotted against his father's life who commanded one of his Guard instantly to kill him and to such an end came he for the murther of his brethren and the sad Tragedies he had raised in his father's house Herod having attempted to kill himself died some five dayes after his son in the 72 year of his age 27 after his getting possession of the Kingdom and 29 after he had been declared King by the Romans 't is uncertain how long after the birth of Christ but as is supposed not above two years in the first of the 195 Olympiad the 754 of the Citie A. D. 2. Ol. 195. ann 1. V. C. 754. Caius Caesar and L. Aemilius Paulus being Consuls Salome and Alexas before his death was throughly known And dieth to their great honour discharged those that were locked up in