the Empire Yet nevertheless the most general and most reasonable opinion is that Cyrus alone was the first Founder of the second Monarchy because that whilst Darius lived the Empire was divided betwixt Cyrus and himself for as Xenophon testifies Cyrus out of his liberality and bounty permitted Darius to possess the Kingdoms of Media and Babylon during his life both which after Darius's death he united to his own from which union we may most properly derive the original of the second Monarchy and by consequence attribute its sole foundation to Cyrus It was call'd the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians because the Empire did chiefly consist of those two Kingdoms The principal Enlargers of this second Monarchy were Cyrus the Great Darius Hystaspes and Artaxerxes Longimanus as for the rest of the Kings that ruled it they were so tyrannical and vicious that the Empire suffer'd much under their Government till it was totally subverted under the Reign of Darius Codomannus who being overcome by Alexander the Great lost both his Life and Empire which was immediately thereupon translated into Greece where Alexander began the third and Grecian Monarchy from that fall of Darius Codomannus This second Monarchy of the Medes and Persians lasted from its beginning under Cyrus to its subversion under Darius 228 years wherein there were two Families possest the Empire the first was of Cyrus the second of Darius Hystaspes as for the Family of Cyrus it expired in his Son Cambyseâ— who killing his own Brother Smerdis and committing Incest with his Sisters did afterwards lose his life by a Rebellion of the Magi who pretending the King's Brother Smerdis was not slain set up a Pseudo-Smerdis of their own to reign which was soon discover'd by his cropt ears and made away by the Nobles After which Cambyses having left behind him but only one Daughter Pantaptes and the Empire being left without a Prince to govern it was agreed on by those seven Noblemen Otanes Intaphernes Gobryas Megabysus Aspathines Hydarnes and Darius afterwards call'd Hystaspâ—s who had lately conspired together and destroy'd both the Magi and their Pseudo-Smerdis that from amongst themselves a new King should be elected after this manner viz. that each of them riding the next morning into the Suburbs he whose Horse first neigh'd should obtain the Empire which thereupon as I have shew'd elsâ—where fell to Darius Hystaspes by the cunning of his Groom Oâ—bares who giving his Master's Horse a Mare in the same place over-night the Horse immediately fell a neighing so soon as he came thither again the next morning and so won his Master Darius the Kingdom whose Family was the second and last Race of Kings that govern'd this second Monarchy of the Mâ—des and Persians as appears in this Line of their Succession I. Familia Prima 1. Cyrus the Great 2. Cambyses II. Familia Secunda 3. Darius Hystaspes 4. Xerxes 5. Artaxerxes Longimanus 6. Darius Noâ—huâ—â— 7. Artaxerxes Mnemon 8. Artaxerxes Ochus 9. Arsames And 10. Darius Codomâ—â—nus who was the last of the Persian Monarchâ— and in whose death the second Monarchy was extinct for Alexander the Great robbing him both of his Life and Empire did thereupon begin the third great Monarchy in Greece As for the third Empire or Monarchy which immediately took its rise from the fall of the second it is called the Grecian or Macedonian Monarchy from its 〈◊〉 Founder Alexander the Great who was of Macedon and a Grecian born for he â—aving overcome Darius the last King of the Persians first establish'd this third Monarchy of Greece in the year of the World 3642. aâ—te Christi Nat. 329. This Dominion of Alexander's excell'd all others that had been before for that having annex'd the Kingdoms of Media and Persia to his own Empire of Greece he in the space of twelve years rendred himself almost Master of the whole Universe But this third and Grecian Monarchy lasted not long in this united flourishing condition for Alexander dying without Sons and leaving his Dominions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the worthiest occasion'd many Competitors every one in his own esteem claiming a share till after many sharp Contests amongst them four of the most eminent shared the Empire between themselves dividing it into four Dynasties or Kingdoms viz. the Kingdom of Macedon the Kingdom of Asia Minor the Kingdom of Syria and the Kingdom of Aegypt all which were in process of time reduced to the Roman Yoke 1. Asia Minor was conquer'd by the Romans when Antiochus the Great was vanquish'd by L. Scipio the Proconsul who for that Victory was ever after call'd Asiaticus Iustin lib. 31. and Livy lib. 37. 2. The Romans subdued Macedon when Paulus Aemylius the Roman Consul took Perseus the last King of Macedonia Prisoner which was A. M. 3803. and about 156 years after the death of Alexander the Great 3. The Romans conquer'd Syria when Tigranes was defeated by Pompey which was 260 years after the death of Alexander M. Iustin Plutarch Livy 4. and lastly Augustus Caesar added the Kingdom of Aegypt to the Roman Empire upon his Victory over Anthony and Cleopatra reducing it into the form of a Province which happen'd 294 years after Alexander's death Plutarch in Anton. Polem lib. 3. ch 8. So as this Grecian Monarchy lasted compleatly 300 years that is to say from the death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra 294 years as Ptolemy writes whereunto if 6 more are added for the Reign of Alexander from the death of Darius Codomannus to his own death it will amount to the just and full time of 300 years Arrianus Diodâ—rus Now for the Succession of those several Kings that possess'd the four Divisions of this third Grecian Monarchy they were as followeth I. Over the whole Grecian Monarchy reign'd Alexander M. 6 years beginning his Reign A. M. 3642. II. Over the Monarchy as it was divided reign'd four several Kings the Macedonian Asiatick Syrian and Aegyptian I. The Kings of Macedon were 1. Aridaus the Brother of Alexander M. 2. Cassander the Son of Antipater 3. Philippus the Son of Cassander 4. Antipater and Alexander both Sons of Cassander 5. Demetrius Poliorcetes Son of Antigonus King of Asia 6. Pyrrhus King of Epirus 7. Lysimachus of Thrace Alexander's Officer that kill'd the Lion 8. Ptolemaus Ceraunus Son of Ptolomaus Lagus 9. Meleager one of Alexander's old Officers 10. Antipater the II. 11. Sosthenes 12. Antigonus Gonatas Son of Demetrius Poliorceres 13. Demetrius the second Son of Antigonus 14. Antigonus the second sirnamed Doson 15. Philippus Son of Demetrius the 11 th was overcome by the Romans 16. Perseus the last King of Macedon who being overcome by Paulus Aemyâ—â—us the Roman Consul was imprison'd during life by which means the Kingdom of Macedon coming under the Roman Jurisdiction they were nevertheless permitted to enjoy their freedom till being betray'd into a Rebellion by a counterfeit Philip their Commander the Romans upon that reduced them into a Province
And this was the end of that one part of the third and Grecian Monarchy call'd Macedonia A. M. 3803. II. The Kings of Asia Minor were 1. Antigonus Philip of Macedon's Natural Son 2. Demetrius Poliorcetes who was expell'd this Kingdom by his Son-in-law Seleucus Nicanor after which this Asia Minor was annex'd to the Kingdom of Syria A. M. 3683. III. The Kings of Syria were 1. Sâ—leucus Nicanor 2. Antiochus Sâ—ter the Son of Seleucus Nicanor 3. Antiochus the second sirnamed Theos 4. Seleuchus â—â—llinichus the Son of Theos 5. Seleucus Ceraunus the Son of Callinicus 6. Antiochus Magnus the Brother of Ceraunus 7. Seleucâ—s Philopater or Soter the Son of Antiochus M. 8. Antiochus Epiphanes the Brother of Seleucus Epiphanes 9. Antiochus Eupator the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes â—0 Demetrius Soter 11. Alexander Bala or Veles 12. Demetrius Nicanor the Son of Demetrius Soter 13. Antiochus Entheus 14. Tryphon 15. Antiochus Sideteâ— alias Soter the Son of Demetrius Nicanor 16. Demetrius II. Nicanor redux 17. Alexander Zebenna 18. Antiochus Grypus the Son of Demetrius 19. Antiochus Cyzicenus Seleucus the 5th Antiochus Eusebes Philippus and Demetrius were all the Sons of Grypus who being at variance amongst themselves became a prey to Tigranes of Parthia 20. Tigranes himself was soon after subdued likewise by Pompey and Syria made a Province by the Romans A. M. 3890. IV. The Kings of Aegypt were 1. Ptolemaeus Lagus Philip of Macedon's Natural Son 2. Ptol. Philadelphus that married his own Sister Arsinoe 3. Ptol. Evargetes 4. Ptol. Philopator 5. Ptol. Epiphanes 6. Ptol. Philometor 7. Ptol. Physcon 8. Ptol. Lathurus or Lamyrus 9. Ptol. Alexander 10. Ptol. Lathurus recall'd again from Banishment 11. Ptol. Auletes 12. Ptol. Dionysius 13. Cleopatra the Daughter of Ptol. Auletes was at first the beloved Mistress of Iulius Caesar and afterwards of Mark Anthony whose overthrow at Actium broke her heart so that she voluntarily threw away her own life with the biting of an Asp after which Aegypt was reduced into a Roman Province whereby the third Monarchy did totally expire Wherefore the Roman Power having in this manner swallow'd up the four several Divisions of the third Monarchy the fourth Monarchy must by consequence take its beginning at Rome and so we find it for Iulius Caesar is reckon'd to be the first Founder of this fourth Empire which derives its Name of Roman from the City of Rome it self Plutarch speaking of the greatness of this Empire saith Romanum imperium velut Anchora fuit fluctuanti Mundo The City of Rome was call'd the Head of the World and the Romans the Lords of the Universe Terrarum Dea gentiumque Roma Cuâ— par est nihil nihil secundum Mart Also Propertius Omnia Romanae cedant miracula terrae Natura hic posuit quicquid ubique fuit Again Ovid Gentibus est aliâ—s Tellus datalimite certo Romanae spatium est urbis orbis idem Lib. 2. Fast. Likewise Petronius Arbit Orbem jam totum victor Romanus habebat Qua mare qua terre qua sidus currit utrumque This Roman Empire is divided into several Periods whereof the first which comprehends all the Heathen Emperors and lasts about 355 years is reckon'd from Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great the second from Constantine the Great to Iustinian the third from Iustinian to Charles the Great and the fourth from Charles the Great down to our present Times therein containing the Government of the Western Franks But for as much as Philostratus lived long before any of these late Periods so that I can have no occasion to mention any part of their History I shall therefore at this time descend no lower than the first Period of this fourth Monarchy which begins with Iulius Caesar and ends in Constantius Câ—lâ—â—us the Father of Constantine the Great and so conclude The Succession of this Empire was thus 1. Caius Iulius Caesar. 2. Octavianus Caesar Augustus 3. Cl. Tiberius Nero. 4. Cajus Caligula 5. Claudius Tiberius Drusus 6. Cl. Domitius Nero. 7. Sergius Galba 8. Salvius Otho 9. Aulus Vitellius 10. Flavius Vespasianus 11. Titus Vespasianus 12. Fl. Domitianus 13. Nerva Cocceius 14. Ulpius Traianus 15. Aelius Hadrianus 16. Antoninus Pius 17. M. Aur. Antoninus Philosoph 18. Aurelius Commodus 19. P. Aelius Pertinax 20. Didius Iulianus 21. Septimius Severus 22. Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla 23. Opilius Macrinus 24. Heliogabalus 25. Aur. Alex and. Severus 26. Maximinus Thrax 27. Gordianus Father and Son 28. Pupienus and Balbinus 29. Gordianus the third 30. Philippios Arabs and his Son 31. Decius and his Son 32. Treâ—onianus Gallus 33. P. Licinius Valerianus 34. P Licinius Gallienus 35. Claâ—dâ—us 36. Valerius Aurâ—lianus 37. M. Claudius Tacitus 38. M. Aurelius Probus 39. M. Aurel. Caâ—us 40. Valerius Dioâ—lerianus and 41. Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great This compendious Scheme of History is what I some years since composed for my own private use as an assistant to my bad memory and whereby I have found no small benefit in my reading ancient Story for without some such general knowledge of the Succession as well of Empires as Kings at first obtain'd a man will find himself at a great loss when he reads any one Prince's Life which generally relates to former Occurrences whâ—reof he is ignorant as also not so well able to digest and remember what he then reads To be first well acquainted with the Rise Progress Declension and final Subversion of an Empire is above all things the greatest help to him that shall afterwards read the Lives of its several Princes he that knows how the first Assyrian Monarchy was founded by Nimrod enlarged by Ninus and Semiramis divided upon the death of Sardanapalus and destroy'd by Cyrus may afterwards launch with pleasure and confidence into the Chronicles of that first Monarchy He that understands how Cyrus by the defeat of Belsazer and by his Uncle Darius Medus's death possessed himself of the whole Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchy and translating the same into Persia did there begin the second Monarchy how Cyrus's Family extinguishing in his Son Cambyses Darius Hystaspes won the Empire by his Horse's neighing and how it continued in his Family till by Darius Codomanus's Luxury this second Monarchy was subverted and translated into Greece by Alexander the Great shall very easily acquaint himself with all other parts of the Persian Story Also he that is at first acquainted with the beginning of this third Grecian Monarchy by Alexander the Great his Victory over Darius with the division of the same by his death into four several Kingdoms and how each of those four Kingdoms were afterwards subdued by the Romans will be able the more easily to inform himself not only of the several Decays and final Ruine of the third Empire but likewise of the many Advances which the Romans made to the fourth till at last it began under Iulius Caesar and extended its first Period to Constantine the Great So that nothing is a
for in many places there are Crannies and in other parts certain Knobs like to Hail-stones which do not yield to the Artist But the Teeth of such as live in the Mountains are less than those yet are white enough and capable of being wrought howbeit the Teeth of such as live in the Plains are the best for they are the greatest and whitest also easie to be cut and may with little labour be wrought into any fashion you please Illustrations on Chap. 6. 1 TAxilla a famous City of India in the Kingdom of Varsa situated between the River Indus and the River Hydaspes See Pliny lib. 6. ch 17. Strabo lib. 15. Also Arrianus and Curtius 2 King Porus was a famous King of the Indians against whom Alexander fought and took him Prisoner as both Plutarch and Curtius write after which Alexander asking him how he would be handled Porus reply'd In a Princely manner Alexander then demanding of him if he had any thing else to say I have comprehended all said Porus in that word Princely Whereupon Alexander did not only restore to him the Viceregency of his own Kingdoms but also of many other Countreys It is reported that this King Porus was four cubits and a shaft in height and of bigness proportionable to the Elephant he rode Suidas writes that this King lived on nothing but Herbs and Water 3 Alexander the Son of c. sirnam'd the Greaâ— from the grandeur of his Acts. He was descended of the two best Families in Greece his Father being Philip King of Macedon and of the Lineage of Hercules his Mother Olympias the Daughter of Neoptâ—lemus King of the Molossians The time of his Birth was the first year of the 106 th Olympiad in the 6th day of the Month 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or August according to the Iulian Kalendar The day of Alexander's Birth was famous for several things 1. On that very day his Father Philip obtain'd a Victory over the Illyrians by the good Conduct of his General Parmeniâ— 2. On that very day Philip was declared Victor at the Olympick Games 3. On that same day the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was burnt by Erostratus as say Plutarch in Alexand. Pausan. Sâ—lin ch 49. Cicero de Divinat lib. 2. de Natura Deor. From hence it was that the Magicians deliver'd that Alexander would one day be the Firebrand of Asia As for the manner of his Birth it is said that his Mother Olympia dream'd on her Wedding-night that Lightning fell into her Belly and that there was a great light Fire which dispers'd it self in sundry flames also his Father King Philip soon after he was married dream'd that he did seal his Wives Belly with the print of a Lion which Aristander expounded to signifie that his Queen was with Child of a Boy who should have a Lion's heart Some fabulous Writers say that he was begotten of his Mother by Iupiter Ammon in the likeness of a Serpent wherefore as Philostratus here mentions he was styled by many the Son of Iupiter as in Gyrald lib. 1â—â— Hist. Deor Varro in Fragm also Plutarch Both Alexander and his Father Philip were born in a Greek City named Pella situate in the Kingdom of Macedonia from whence they were called Pellaei as well by Lucan as Iuvenal Vnus Pellaeâ— Iuveni non sufficit orbis Lastly For his Person his Complexion was white inlay'd with red his Constitution hot and fiery his Temper ambitious passionate and hasty his Body of a sweet fragrant odour and his Inclinations addicted more to Wine than Women He was easily perswaded to any thing by Reason but never by Force and that even in his very youth when as Quintilian says Mihi detur ille puer quem laÌ„us excitet quem gloria juvet qui victus fleat As for the manner of Alexander's Education at 15 years of age he was committed to the tuition of that great Philosopher Aristotle under whose Instruction he spent 5 years where he learnt all sâ—ch Sciences as are requisite in a Prince He studied Ethicks Politicks and all other parts of Philosophy even in Physick he exercis'd not only the Theory but Practick administring Physick to many of his sick Friends Leonides was also joyn'd in Commission with Aristotle for the instructing of him nevertheless Alexander had not that affection for any of his Masters no not for his own Father as for his Master Aristotle whereupon being ask'd by one of his Friends why he set a greater value upon Aristotle than upon his Father Philip his Answer was Quoniam à patre accepi ut viverem à praecepâ—ore vero accepi ut bene viverem nay King Philip himself had so great an esteem for Aristotle that writing to him he said Gratias ago Diis non tam quod mihi natus est filiâ—s quam quod eum nasci contigit temporibus vitae tuae spero enim ut à te edoctus dignus existat nobis tanto regno Moreover he rewarded him highly when besides other noble Presents King Philip for his sake restor'd Aristotle's ruined Countrey Stagirâ— The greatness of Alexander's Spirit appear'd in nothing more than in his dexterous manage of that wild Horse Bucephalus which his Father Philip had bought for 13 Talents and which no man living was ever able to ride but Alexander This Horse by his great courage and speed had in several Engagements preserv'd Alexander's life and reliev'd him from the fury of his Enemies till at last being slain by a Dart in his Indian Expedition Alexander in honour of his memory did there erect him not only a famous Sepulchre but also a great City in India which he called after his Horse's Name Bucephâ—lus Pliny lib. 6. ch 20. Strabo lib. 15. Gellius lib. 5. ch 2. Now for the several Alliances which Alexander being of man's estate contracted they were these He had 4 Wives 1. Statira the Daughter of Darius Codomannus 2. Barsine of whom he begat his Son Hercules 3. Parysatida and 4. Roxana of whom he begat his Son Alexander And besides these he had 365 Concubines as Diodorus writes Of all his men Favourites he had the highest veneration for Craterus but the greatest affection for Hephaestion being often used to say Craterus amat Regenâ— Hephaestion autem amat Alexandrum The one loved his dignity the other his person And accordingly he conferr'd honour on Craterus but reserv'd his private familiarity and friendship for Hephaestion Plutarch in Apotheg All his Secrets he communicated only to Hephaestion as appears by that private Letter which having receiv'd from his Mother Olympias he shew'd him and afterwards plucking a Seal off from his finger put it to Hephaestion's mouth thereby importing his secresie in that Affair Plut. in Alexand. Arcanis dictis linguam obsignare memento Dictorâ—m non majus depositum est opibus Lucian in Epig. lib. 3. Antilog Tit. 51. To begin now with the Reign of Alexander the Great we must observe that it lasted
adored by the Inhabitants of that Countrey as so many Gods And this saith Diodorus is the account which Fables give of Semiramis's Birth which as Sabellicus observes very much resembles the Fictions which Posterity invented of Cyrus and Romulus not to mention the true and sacred Narrative of Moses Now Semiramis surpassing all other Virgins in beauty and being then marriageable Menon the Governour of Syria who had been sent by the King to take an account of his Cattel and residing at Simma's House fell in Love with her and married her then carrying her back with him to the City of Niniveh he there had two Sons by her Iapetes and Idaspes Now her beauty did so totally influence Menon that wholly resigning up himself to Semiramis he would do nothing without her advice But Fortune who envies nothing so much as the happiness of Lovers would not permit them long to enjoy this mutual and calm satisfaction for the Prince is engaged in the Fields of Mars and the Subject must not lye sleeping at home in the Embraces of Venus King Ninus is storming the City Bactria and Menon his Officer must no longer absent himself from the Camp Therefore leaving Venus for Mars his Semiramis for the War Menon posts away to the King who was then besieging Bactria where he had not continued long but impatient of his Wifes absence he sends for Semiramis to accompany him in the Camp Thereupon she being a most prudent Woman and endued with more courage than is usually found in that Sex making use of this opportunity of shewing her extraordinary vertue undertakes the Journey in obedience to her Husband notwithstanding it was long and tedious But to render it the less difficult she attires her self in such a Garment as she might pass either for Man or Woman upon occasion and which would not only protect her from the heat of the Weather but was withall so light as it could no ways incommode her in case of any Action which Habit was so generally approved of that first the Medes and afterwards the Persians when they possest the Asiatick Empire did for a long time use no other than this Semirian Garment Now in this Dress she arrived incognito at the Assyrian Camp where having observ'd the posture of the Siege as also the situation of the City she discover'd that the Castle naturally strong and difficult of access was therefore neglected and unprovided of men for its Guard the Bactrians at that time being wholly imploy'd in defending the Outworks of the City which the Assyrians only assaulted as looking upon the Castle impregnable Whereupon Semiramis having privately made this observation selects out of the whole Army a Detachment of such men as were best skill'd in climbing up steep Rocks and Mountains who with much difficulty ascending up thorow the rough and narrow passages made themselves Masters of one part of the Castle when to amaze the Enemy she makes a dreadful noise withall giving notice to the Besiegers that the Castle was taken whereat the Besieged within were so terrified that evacuating themselves they abandoned the defence of the Town and attempted nothing more but the saving of their own Lives by flight The City thus taken and Semiramis discover'd all persons were in admiration of her heroick Vertue and Beauty in so much that King Ninus himself who is call'd in the Scripture Ashur falling desperately in Love with her did first by fair means require her Husband Menon to resign up his Wife to him which he refusing to do the King at length threatned him with the loss of both his Eyes to prevent which Torture Menon desiring of Evils to choose the least did with his own hands strangle himself Hereupon the King married his Widow Semiramis by whom he had one Son called Ninus the second or Ninyas and soon after died leaving the Government both of his Son and Kingdom to Semiramis There are various Reports concerning this Ninus's Death for some with Orosius and Reusnerus will have it that he died of a Wound receiv'd by a Dart in the Bactrian War but Diodorus tells us that the Athenians and other Historians affirm that Semiramis presuming upon the influence of her Beauty requested Ninus that she might be invested with the Royal Robes and rule absolutely but for five days whereunto he assenting she after having made experiment of the Fidelity and Obedience of some of her Guards commands them to imprison the King her Husband which immediately they perform'd and by this means she assumed the Government of the Empire Herewith likewise both Aelian and Plutarch agree differing only in these Circumstances that whereas Diodorus saith she imprison'd him they affirm that she kill'd him also whereas Diodorus and Aelian write that she requested to rule five days Plutarch says her petition was but for one day Now for Semiramis's Government after her Husband's Death Iustin gives us this Account of it That Ninus himself being slain and his Son Ninus but young Semiramis not daring to commit the Government of so great an Empire to a Boy nor openly to exercise the Command of it her self so many and so powerful Nations being scarcely obedient to a Man would be much less to a Woman did counterfeit her self to be the Son instead of the Wife of Ninus and a Boy instead of a Woman They were both of a middle Stature their Voice but soft their Complexion and Features of Face as likewise the Lineaments of their Bodies were alike both in Mother and Son she therefore with Rayment cover'd her Arms and Thighs putting a Tire on her Head and that she might not seem to conceal any thing by her new Habit she commanded the people all to be cloath'd in the same Attire which that whole Nation have ever since observ'd having thus counterfeited her Sex she was believ'd to be a young Man After this she made her self famous by great Atchievements by the magnificence whereof when she thought shâ— had overcome all Envy she confess'd who she was and whom she had counterfeited neither did this detract from the dignity of her Government but rather increas'd her admiration that a Woman not only surpass'd her own Sex but also the bravest of Men in Vertue She builded Babylon as I shew'd before and being not contented to defend the bounds of the Empire obtain'd by her Husband she not only made an addition to the same of all Aethiopia but also carried the War into India which besides her self and Alexander the Great never any invaded At last when she desired to lye with her own Son she was kill'd by him Thus far Iustin lib. 1. Arrianus and others allow her a more honourable death and say that marching against the Indians with an Army of 3000000 Infantry and 50000 Cavalry besides 100000 Chariots she was overthrown by Stanrobates upon the Banks of Indus and there slain or as some will have it turn'd into a Dove Venus's Bird whence the Babylonians ever after carried a
Parents making complaint of this Cruelty to the King his Father he summon'd Cyrus to come before him alledging he was not well Whereupon Cyrus leaving the Command of all his Cities Treasure and Tributes to Lysander the Spartan he began his journey taking along with him Tissaphernes as his Friend and 300 Greeks for his Guard under the Conduct of Xenias the Parrhasian His Father lived not long after his Arrival and in the time of his sickness Parysatis his Wife having ruled him all his life and loving her younger Son Cyrus above her eldest endeavour'd to make her Husband leave Cyrus his Successor as Darius the Son of Hystaspes did Xerxes for that he was born to him when he was a King and the other when he was but a private person However Darius not thinking it just refused to do it and therefore left Cyrus only those Cities whereof he had made him Governour but his Kingdom he left solely to his eldest Son Artaxerxes and so died after he had reign'd 19 years in the 4th year of the 93d Olympiad the 27th of the Peloponesian War then ending A. M. 3600. and 403 years before the Birth of Christ. From the 2d year of this Darius Nothus's Reign Sulpicius Severus Ioseph Scaliger Lively Iunius and other learned men reckon the beginning of the 70 weeks of Daniel Our Author Philostratus differs from all other Chronologers in making Darius possess the Kingdom of Aegypt 60 years Now as Apollonius here accuses Darius Nothus of his indiscreet education of his Children so Plato lib. 7 de Legib. did condemn Cyrus the Great and Darius Hystaspes for the same crime in that they educated their Children so weakly as gave occasion for their future Animosities and Wars 3 Cyrus and Artaxerxes this Artaxerxes the Son of Darius Nothus and Grandson of Artaxerxes Longimanus was in his minority call'd Arsaâ—es or as Plutarch hath it Darses but afterwards he receiv'd for his sirname Artaxerxes Mnemon Artaxerxes from the great vertue of his Grandfather and Mnemon or Memor so call'd from the excellency of his Memory He had many Wives and many Concubines We find mention in Story but of three of his Wives viz. Statira the Daughter of Idarnes Atossa and Amestris his own two Daughters The first of these Statira was poysoned by her Mother-in-law Parysatis for that she had been so great an enemy to her Son Cyrus as also had so great power with her Husband Artaxerxes His second Wife was Atossa his own Daughter whom being moved by the excitements of his own incestuous Lust as well as by the obsequious recommendations of his impious Mother Parysatis he married Plut. in Artax His third Wife was another of his own Daughters called Amestris who was at first married to one Tirabazus but afterwards to this her own Father Artaxerxes Mnemon Some will have this Prince to be the same with Ahasuerus and so give him Vasthi or Esther to Wife but Matthius and other Historians have sufficiently quash'd this erâ—our for Esther was divorced from Ahasuerus which none of Artaxerxes's Wives were Esth. ch 1.19 Also Queen Esther was an Hebrew by Birth which neither Statira Atossa nor Amestris were for they were all Persian Women Esth. 2.17 Plutarch Vitâ Artax writes that Artaxerxes had 360 Concubines whereof Aspasia being the most eminent for Beauty and Wit is the only one that is mention'd by Name she was at first his younger Brother Cyrus's Concubine but when he was dead the elder Brother receiv'd her into favour to the misfortune of his whole Court. Aelian lib. 12. ch 1. Artaxerxes Mnemon had many Children as well legitimate as illegitimate of those that were legitimate three Sons and five Daughters Darius the eldest Son who was executed for a Rebellion Ariaspes the second and Ochus the youngest Plâ—t in Artax Of his Daughters Atossa was the eldest whom afterwards he married Amestris the second whom he also married Sisygambis the third who married her natural Brother Arsames Rhodagune the fourth married to Orontes General of all the Land-Forces in Persia and Apame the fifth married to Pharnabazus Admiral of the Persian Navy Plut. in Artax Oâ— his illegitimate or natural Sons there were many Plutarch saith 160. and Iustin lib. 10. saith 115. whereof only Arsames is mention'd by Name The Ingratitude of his Sons was so great that when Artaxerxes had made his Son Darius King in his life-time thinking to make him sincerer to his paternal Interest nevertheless the same Darius was so inhumane to enter into a Conspiracy with 50 of his Brethren to kill their Father wherein as Iustin observes lib. 10. two things are most prodigious first the occasion of Darius's Conspiracy which was to commit Incest with Aspasia who had been formerly a Concubine to their Uncle Cyrus and was now the same to their Father Artaxerxes And the second thing remarkable is that in so great a number the Parricide should not only be agreed on but conceal'd and that amongst 50 of his own Children there was not one â—ound whom either the majesty of a King reverence of an ancient Man or indulgence of so kind a Father could recall from so horrible an act buâ— this execrable Treason being detected they were all most deservedly put to death together with their very Wives and Children Ne quod vestigium tanti sceleris extaret â—aith Iustin lib. 10. As for Aspasia when the old man first heard their demands he had put her into a Religious House call'd The Temple of the Sun which so exasperated Darius into this unnatural Revenge which soon after broke his Fathers heart Having thus therefore described the several Marriages and Children of Artaxerxes give me leave in the next place to acquaint you with the Dissentions betwixt his younger Brother Cyrus and him occasion'd as I said before by the Legacy of their Father Darius Nothus who bequeath'd to Artaxerxes his Kingdom and to Cyrus those Cities whereof he was before Lievtenant For Cyrus thinking this Legacy unequal as also being encouraged by his Mother Parysatis did secretly prepare to levy War against his Brother whereof Artaxerxâ—s having notice sent for him who pretending his great innocency immediately surrendred himself and was by his Brother bound in Chains of Gold also had been put to death had not his Mother interceded for him as having likewise design'd to have murder'd his Brother whilst he was shifting his Robes in the Temple whereof Tissaphernes was the discoverer But Cyrus being thus dismiss'd did now again begin to levy War upon his Brother not clandestinely but openly therefore with some Auxiliary Greeks to encourage his own Forces he marches up boldly to engage his Brother who was at the head of a far greater number yet nevertheless Cyrus his men and especially the Greeks had the better of the day till by the fatal wound and unhappy death of Cyrus the scales were turn'd some say he receiv'd the wound from Artaxerxes own hand but Ctesias Cnidius who was the King's
years After this he return'd to Athens being follow'd by many Disciples and died in the 53 year of his Age. See Laertius lib. 8. 11 Speusippus was an Athenian born at Myrrhinus which belong'd to the Pandonian Tribe his Father named Eurymedon his Mother Potone and Sister to Plato He was educated under his Uncle Plato whose Neece's Daughter he married having with her 30 Minae for a Portion which Dionysius sent her to which sum Chio added a Talent When Dion came to Athens Speusippus was his constant Companion which he did by his Uncle Plato's Advice to soften and divert the morose humour of Dion whereupon Timon in Sillis calls Pseusippus a good Jester Plat. Vit. Dion The last Voyage that Plato made into Sicily Speusippus accompanied him and grew much into favour with the Citizens of Syracuse by reason of his free Behaviour Afterwards Pseusippus at his return to Athens instigated Dion who was there in Banishment to levy War upon Dionysius which accordingly he did with great success as I have already shew'd in the Life of Dionysius upon this when Dion had recover'd Sicily he bestow'd upon Speusippus his Countrey-house which he had purchased at Athens as a reward for his good counsel Now Plato dying in the first year of the 108 th Olympiad Theophilus being Archon Speusippus succeeded him in the School of his Academy whom he follow'd also in his Doctrine he continued Master of this School 8 years till at last being very infirm and disabled by the Palsie he relinquish'd it to Xenocrates As for the profession of Philosophy which Speusippus made it was the same with that of Plato He first as Theodorus affirms looked into the Community and mutual assistance of Mathematical Disciplines as Plato did into that of the Philosophical He affirmed that the Mind was not the same either with good or one but of a peculiar nature proper to it self And he exacted Money of his Disciples contrary to the custom of Plato For though he followed Plato in his Opinions yet did he not imitate his Temper Speusippus being austere and cholerick nor had so great command over his Pleasures In Anger he threw a Dog into a Well and indulging himself in Pleasure he went to Cassander's Wedding in Macedonia Laert. Philostrat He was likewise a great lover of Money as Apollonius here mentions and also Laertius saith the same In so much that some indifferent Poems which he had made he himself sung publickly for profit These Vices Dionysius writing to him derides saying Plato took no money of his Scholars but you exact it whether they are willing or not as is extant in Athenaei Dipnos lib. 12. ch 24. He was as Timotheus saith very infirm of Body in so much that he was fain to be carried up and down the Academy in a kind of running Chair At length he died of grief as Laertius lib. 4. affirms who elsewhere citing Plutarch in the Lives of Lysander and Scylla saith that Speusippus died of the Phthiriasis but there is no such passage in Plutarch as now extant Lastly Concerning his Writings Phavorinus in the second Book of his Commentaries saith that Aristotle paid three Talents for them He wrote many things chiefly in Philosophy as Commentaries and Dialogues whereof you may see a large Collection in Stanly's Lives out of Laertius Suidas Plutarch Apuleius Stobaeus and Athenaeus Now for the further Illustration of those Philosophers Lives and Doctrines which are made use of in this Treatise give me leave as I did before in History so now to do the like in Philosophy and for the better Explanation thereof present you with this short Scheme as well of the principal Sects as Successions of the most eminent Philosophers which is thus digested and collected out of Clemens Alexandrinus Laertius and others Typus sive Epitome uti Clemens ipse vocat Successionis Philosophorum ex Clem. Alexandr Stromat 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 septem scil Sapientes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Italica à Pythagora Olympiad 62 In Metapente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Ionica à Thalete Olymp. 50. Anaximander Anaximenes Anaxagoras Hic Scholam suam ex Ionia Athenas traduxit ait Clemens Archelaus Socrates Plato Peripatetica in Lyceo Aristoteles Theophrastus Straton Lycoâ— Cristolaus Diodorus Academia vetus Speusippus Xenocrates Polemon Stoica secta Crates Zeno Citicus Cleanthes Chrysippus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Academica media Crantoâ— Arcesiaus c. usque ad Hegesilaum Carnâ—â—des 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antisthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Eleatica à Zenophane Oly. 40 Parmenides Zeno. Leucippus Democritus Protagoras Metrodorus Diogenes Smyrnaeus fort Diomeâ—es apud Laert. in vit Anaxarc Anaxaâ—hus Pyrrho Nauliphanâ—â— Epicurus uti Quidam 12 Cassander 's Wedding this Cassander was King of Macedonia and Son of Antipater who nevertheless respecting the publick Good more than that of his own Family left the Kingdom at his death to Polysperchâ—n and not to his own extravagant Son our Cassander here mention'd Which he reseâ—â—ing very iâ—â— resolv'd notwithstanding to push for the Kingdom of Macedonia wherefore entring into a Conspiracy with Ptolomy King of Egypt as also with Antigonus and divers other Captains he prepared all things ready for a War both by Sea and Land At the same time Polysperchon who was a cunning old Souldier and had been one of Alexander's Officers the better to secure Greece from a Revolt did abolish all such Oligarchies as since the passing of Alexander into Asia had been erected in any of the Greek Cities thereby restoring them to their former liberty in hopes to secure them from adhering to Cassander Now Cassander having obtain'd of Antigonus 35 Ships and 6000 Men sailed with them to Athens which together with the Haven he had got into his power by means of Nicanor whom he had sent before-hand for that purpose Against him came Polysperchon intending to besiege him but his Provisions failing him he was forced to raise his Siege when leaving his Son with a Party in Attica he march'd himself with the chief of his Army into Peloponesus against Megalopolis which was the only City amongst them that had adher'd to Cassander where he being worsted soon after the rest of the Greek Cities did thereupon revolt to Cassander After this ill fortune of Polysperchon's Cassander marching into Macedonia found likewise many Friends there who were for the Rising Sun The year following Polysperchon by the help of Aeacida King of the Molossians brought back Olympias with Alexander the Son of Roxane her Grandchild into Macedonia whereupon Eurydice the Wife of King Aridaeus fortify'd her self and sent to Cassander for aid but the Macedonians fearing the Majesty of Olympias fell away from her so that she and her Husband being both committed to Prison he was first kill'd and then Olympias sent her a Sword an Halter and Poyson to choose which of them she pleas'd who having pray'd to the Gods for Revenge hanged her self with her Garter This happened
the Daughter of Germanicus and if it be said that this proceeded meerly from the spight of Messalina why then did she not cause him to be put to death as well as she did the other who was her Husba d's Neece But 't is most certain what-ever his Life were he had paginam Lâ—scivam as 〈◊〉 appear by what he hath written de Speculorum usu l. 1. Nat. Qu. cap. 16. which admitting it may in a Poet yet how it should be excused in a Philosopher I know not In his exile he wrote his Epistle de Consolatione to Polybius Claudius's Creature and as honest a man as Pallas or Narcissus wherein he extolls him and the Emperor to the skyes seeking a discharge of his exile by so fordid a means whereby he lost much of his Reputation Upon Claudius's Marriage with Agrippina he was recall'd from Banishment by her means and made Praetor when having no need of him he forgets the Emperor labouring all he can to depress him and the hopeful Brittanicus also procured his Pupil Nero to be adopted Successor and the Emperor 's own Son to be disinherited likewise against the Emperor whom he so much prais'd when he had need of him after his Death he writes a scurrilous Libel In Nero's Court how ungratefully doth he behave himself towards Agrippina who although she were a wicked Woman yet she deserved well of him Also towards Nero himself what a treacherous part did he play in becoming an associate in Piso's Conspiracy Noâ— must we here omit his vast Riches and Avarice Moreover He doth in extremo actu deficâ—re when he must needs perswade his excellent Lady Paulina to die with him which according to his opinion for he believ'd not the Souls Immortality could be no advantage to her Last of all The Philosopher Theodorus who was honour'd with the title of a God deliver'd iâ— as his opinion that wise men would not stick to give their minds to Thieving Adultery or Sacriledge when they found a seasonable opportunity that none of these are evil by Nature and that setting aside the vulgar opinion there is no Reason but a Philosopher might go publickly to a Whore without Reproof Many more Instances could I produce to shew not only the ill precepts which were taught but likewise the evil Lives which were led by many of the ancient Philosophers whose practices have continually run counter to their Theory Now from hence it is that the wisest Governments grew to manage the Peoples Conscience rather by Religion than Philosophy since the terrors of Hell and hopes of Paradise would more effectually reform mankind than any Philosophical Notions And whereas the Philosophers were so multiply'd into Sects as St. Austin out of Varrâ— reports them to have been almost 300. and in effect each giving the other the Lye now Religion seemed likely to be more agreeable to its own Doctrine and more united in it self Yet in after Ages even that divided into so many Schisms as made a kind of necessity of setting up one supream Judge whose Dictates right or wrong should decide all Controversies about Religion and regulate the manners of the Clergy this rais'd the Pope over the Christians and Mafti over the Mahometans Yet in both of these so prone is flesh and bloud to corruption that many times the greatest Doctors are forced to bid men do as they teach and not as they do which nevertheless is apt to discredit the very Doctrines themselves among vulgar people who are more inclin'd to believe what they see than what they hear But to speak as a moral man their pretended Religion and Philosophy consisted in this Compositum Ius fasque Animi Sanctosque recessus Mentis incoctum generâ—so pectus honesto Pers. CHAP. XIII The Narration of King Phraotes touching his Parents and himself namely how his Father being in his youth cast out of his Kingdom studied Philosophy amongst the wise men and how he himself being instructed by his Father in the Greek Tongue was sent to the same wise men to be taught Philosophy but after the death of his Father was recall'd by his Father's Friends to the Kingdom AS for my self this is the History of what hath befallen me I am descended of a Grandfather who was a King and of the same Name with me but my Father was a private man for being left very young two of his near kindred were according to the Laws of India made his Guardians and managed the Government for him very tyrannically Whereupon they appear'd grievous to the Subjects and the Government was evil spoken of in so much that many of the Nobility conspiring together against them did at the great Solemnity when they were sacrificing to the River Indus set upon them and kill them when seizing on the Government they shared it amongst themselves Wherefore my Father's kinsmen being very solicitous of his safety when he was not yet 16 years old sent him to the King that reigneth near the River Hyphasis which Kingdom is far greater than that which I possess and the Countrey much more pleasant When the King would have adopted him his Son my Father refused it saying that he was unwilling to strive against Fortune who had already deprived him of Rule Wherefore he entreated the King to give leave that he might be brought up in Philosophy by the wise men of that Countrey which would make him the better undergo his domestick evils Now when the King was willing to restore him to his own Kingdom my Father answer'd If you perceive me to be a true and genuine Philosopher you shall restore me if not suffer me to continue as I am When the King heard this he himself went with him to the wise men promising to bestow no small Benefits on them if they used their utmost diligence in educating that Youth who was by nature so generous They discerning something more than ordinary in him very freely assented to communicate their Wisdom to him and readily instructed him who was as fully intent upon Learning After 7 years were expired the King falling sick of a Disease which ended his Life sendeth for my Father and maketh him co-partner with his own Son in the Kingdom giving him his Daughter then marriageable to Wife But he when he perceived the King's Son to be overcome by Flatterers Drinking and such like Vanities as also to have a suspicious eye over him said to him Take your Estate to your self and order it how you please for it is a ridiculous thing that he who is not able to recover his own Kingdom should boldly intrude into anothers grant 〈◊〉 only your Sister for this alone of all your Estate will satisfie me Wherefore taking his Wife he withdrew into those Places that are near to the wise men wherein he had 7 very pleasant Towns which the King gave to his Sister for her privy Purse Now I being sprung from this Marriage and my Father having instructed me in the Greek Learning he
white than if it had been wash'd with all the Water and Soap in Town 4 Perjury is the highest degree of Lying wherein we vouch God for the truth of what we say each mans Oath being recorded as well in Heaven as upon Earth A Prince that is made Mediator in any Treaty of Peace resents the violation of such a Peace for so high an affront to his Mediatorship that he immediately thinks his Honour engaged to fall upon them that first break it Even a private person receives it as a baffle and disrespect to elect him Arbitrator and afterwards to recede from his Arbitrement What then can we think of our selves when we dare to do that to God which we fear to do unto man Wherefore Montaign well observes that he who tells a Lye is bold towards God and a coward towards man for a Lye faces God and shrinks from man The Lord Bacon well observes that the mixture of falshood with truth is like an allay in gold or silver Coin which may make the Mettal work the better but still it embaseth it such winding and crooked courses being like the goings of the Serpent basely upon his belly and not on his feet No vice is so destructive to humane society as falshood nor would the greatest Lyar Iesuit or St. Omers Evidence but be ashamed to justifie that perjury which he so much practises In this late feign'd Presbyterian Plot how many worthy innocent Gentlemen had lost their Lives how many noble Estates had been unjustly forfeited and how many of the bravest Protestant Familiâ—s had been barbarously ruin'd and undone had not God of his mercy detected their Iesuitical forgery The Greeks who in opinions as well as honesty differ little from the Papists have almost undone one of the greatest Cities in the World viz. Grand-Cairâ— by their false Oaths which render all manner of Commerce with that place unsafe for Strangers that have any Wealth to lose in so much that the Turks were forced to make a Law that the Evidence of three Christians should but equal one Turk nor would it be unjust or unreasonable if we had the same Law here amongst us in reference to the Papists since by sad experience we find that their false Oaths are no less dangerous than their Daggers or Poyson Some will go to extenuate this Vice of Lying by softning its name and calling it breaking ones word however the thing is the same no better or worse a Lye Whoever is given to this Vice ought to have both prudence and memory leâ—t he saves other men the labour in giving himself the Lye The French as Montaigne writes receive not the Lye from any man without Duelling him as finding themselves more conscious of that Vice than any other Nation But now on the other side we must not lay down too general a Rule in this case in making all Falshoods alike when to pacifie my Children I tell them stories of a Cock and a Bull or when to illustrate my discourse I make use of a Fable in Esop or like the Holy Writers I mention some Parable for Argument sake I cannot think any of these Falshoods comprehended in the Ninth Commandment or equal to an Oath whereby I endanger my Neighbours Life Limb or Estate Nay if Christianity did not teach me otherwise I should think I might in some cases do evil that good might come of it and save my Friends life from a Murtlierer by denying even upon Oath if it be required that I know where he is Also that a King is not obliged to keep his Covenant with a Foreign Prince when 't is to the ruine of his Kingdom for that he is intrusted only with the power of doing his People good but not with power to ruine them However let not any Prince break his word with hiâ— own People though he doth it with Foreigners because he must live by the one and not by the other To concludâ— this subject givâ— me leave to cite one story out of Exodus Chap 1. and that is of the two Hebrew Midwives Shiphrah and Puah who to save as well their own lives as the lives of the young male Children pacified King Pharaoh with a Lye whereupon it is said that those Midwives feared God and that God dealt well with them for so doing vers 20. This in my poor Judgment seems to make it lawful for any one to save an innocent persons life though by a false Testimony Perjury in the extremity cannot produce any thing worse than Murther wherefore Murther is the worst of the two and if so then Nature bids us of two Evils choose the least Also Self-preservation tells me 't is all one whether I cut my Friends throat with a Knife or with an Oath 5 Apollonius we see in this Chapter refuses that honourable Title which the people would confer upon him of being Iupiter's Son Now whether he did this out of modesty like Mahomet who says that God has no Sons whether out of a distrust of succeeding in this pretence thinking Iupiter's other Children might obstruct the same Trick from passing twice or whether out of Cowardice fearing lest he might be knockt on the head as Sarpedon was I shall leave my Reader to judge However his Parents were too rich and too well known to suffer such a Fiction to pass for nothing is so great an assistant to a Divine Birth as obscure and mean Parents this made Alexander the Great render himself ridiculous when he pretended himself of the Iupitrean Family because his Father Philip was so well known Nay the Iews were so wicked to make this objection against the true Son of God Christ Iesus saying Was not this the Carpenter's Son c. And Minuâ—ius Felix hath some notable passages upon this subject where Octavius decrying the Heathen Deities says Of those that dye none be Gods because God cannot dye and no Gods are born because whatsoever is born must dye and that only is Divine which hath neither birth nor death and if there were Gods born why are not some born in our days unless Iupiter be now grown old and Iuno left off Teeming CHAP. V. Apollonius being 14 years of age was by his Father brought first to Euthydemus the Rhetorician and afterwards to Euxenus WHen he was arrived to 14 years of age his Father brought him to 1 Tarsus there to be instructed by that famous Rhetorician Euthydemus the Phoenician Apollonius well approved of his Masters discipline but thought the manners of that City absurd and not fit for one to study Philosophy amongst in that the Citizens being very much addicted to Luxury Scoffing and Insolence resembled the Athenians only in their outward Garb but not in their Wisdom and Manners The River 2 Cydnus runneth thorow this City on whose Banks the Citizens are used to fit like Water-Fowl Apollonius therefore wrote to them in an Epistle that they should give over making themselves drunk with Water When having obtain'd leave of
then wanted the knowledge of Divination by the Stars in such perfection as the Egyptians and Chaldeans had it so they devised these Arts to make themselves esteemed Prophets as if the Counsels of the Gods were hidden in the filthy dunghill of the Livers and Entrails of dead Men and Beasts for we read that both Heliogabalus and Iulian sacrificed men for this purpose as thinking that from their bowels the most knowing and fatal Divinations might be gather'd Moreover these Auguries were never undertaken without much Solemnity and Ceremony at which time a Procession was made by the Patriciâ— and better sort of People all crown'd with Bays before whom the Poâ—â—iâ—ex Maximus walk'd in great State accompanied behind with all sorts of People which Ceremony I could not but call to mind some years since when out of curiosity I beheld a Catholick Procession at St. Iames â— Chappel thinking the Papists had taken that Custom from the ancient Heathen Augurs it being but a politick and wise part to conform their Religious Rites as much as is possible to the practice of the ancient Roman Empire without innovating more then needs must Now that these predictions by Augury were only credited by the Vulgar and therefore countenanc'd by the Wise we may learn both from Pliny and Cicero whereof the first says That Auguries signifie nothing and gain force only from our Imagination wherefore he denieth that they pertain to an incredulous person And the other viz. Cicero writes That he wonders how one Augur can behold another without laughing when they think how they cozen the people miror câ—r Haruspex Haruspici videâ—s non rider which sentence a prophane person of my acquaintance did ever make use of when he beheld two Priests together Finally when a Roman General deferr'd to give the Signal of a Battel because the Soothsayers Chickens forbore to eat a young Nobleman standing by told him He wondred he would omit so great an opportunity for so small a thing to whom the General reply'd These things seem small but our Fore-fathers by regarding these little things have made this Empire great CHAP. XV. How Apollonius leaving Ctesiphon came into the Confines of Babylon and what Answer be made to a certain Governour that demanded who he was and whence he came Also how afterwards becoming intimate with the Governour he refused Treasure and other rich Presents offer'd to him accepting only of Bread and Herbs AFterwards Apollonius going above 1 Ctesiphon passed into the Confines of Babylon where the King had placed a Guard that suffer'd not any to pass without enquiring who and whence he was also what his business was there The Governour set over this Guard was in my opinion as an Eye to the King for the Median King being new come to the Kingdom thought not himself secure but fearing as well Chimaera's as real Dangers lived with continual Trembling and Apprehensions Therefore Apollonius and his Companions are brought before this Governour who had made himself a Tent on a Waggon and was riding abroad but seeing a man in a very sordid Garb he cry'd out like any timorous Woman and hid his face But afterwards with much ado looking up upon him he asked him as if he had been some Daemon From whence art thou sent to come among us Apollonius answer'd From my self to try if you can become men even against your wills The Governour ask'd him again Who he was that durst thus enter the Kings Territories To which Apollonius reply'd The whole Earth is mine and I have liberty to pass thorow the same Hereupon the Governour threatning to put him to torture unless he answer'd more plainly those things which he ask'd him Apollonius said to him If thou touch me thou shalt be tormented with thine own hands The Eunuch amazed at him for that he saw him want no Interpreter but understanding his speech with ease and without any trouble spake now more mildly to him and changing his Tone asked him In the name of the Gods who art thou Apollonius answer'd For as much as you now ask me in a fair and courteous manner hear thou who I am I am Apollonius the Tyanaean and my Iourney is to the King of the Indians that I may see the things there I would also willingly be admitted to your King because such as have been with him say he is no bad man if it be 2 Vardanes who hath lately recover'd the Kingdom which he had lost It is the same said the Governour O thou divine Apollonius of whom we have long since heard the same and he would yield his very Throne â—o a wise man no doubt therefore but he will send you to India every one with his Camel As for me I make you my Guest and give you leave shewing him a great Treasure of Gold to take of this what you please not only once but ten times over Now Apollonius refusing his Money the Governour said unto him Nevertheless you shall accept this Vessel of 3 Babylonish Wine whereof the King himself doth drink to the ten Governours You shall likewise take these pieces of roasted Pâ—rk and Goat together with Flower Bread and whatsoever provision else you please for in the greatest part of your Iourney you will meet with none but small Villages wherein good accommodation is not to be had The Governour had no sooner utter'd these words but he reprov'd himself saying How extremely have I been mistaken to entertain a man that neither eateth of living Creatures nor drinketh Wine so absurdly and clownishly To which Apollonius reply'd Notwithstanding my Diet is slender yet Sir you may Feast me with Bread and Fruits That said he I will willingly do for I will present you with leaven'd Bread and great yellow Dates together with all sorts of the best Herbs that the Gardens of Tigris produce But those Herbs and 4 Fruits said Apollonius are sweeter to me that grow wild of their own accord than those that are forc'd and produc'd by Art Those Herbs reply'd the Governour are indeed the sweeter but our ground about Babylon being full of 5 Wormwood brings them forth unpleasant and bitter Wherefore he accepted of such Herbs as the Governour proffer'd him and at parting said unto him Oh thou good man be not only courteous at the end but also in the beginning implicitely upbraiding him with the Torments that he had before threatned as also for the other 6 Barbarous Language he at first receiv'd from him Illustrations on Chap. 15. 1 CTesiphon a Town of Assyria lying upon the Shore of Tigris and built by the Parthians where in the Winters their Kings used to spend some time by reason of the Temperateness â—f that Air. Pliny lib. 6. 26. writes that Ctesiphon was the head City of the Babylonish Empire Also Ammianus Marcellinus reckoning up the three most famous Cities of Assyria mentions this as one of them viz. Babylon Selencia and Ctesiphon lib. 23. 2 Bardâ—nes or Vardanes was the Son of
in an honourable manner before them and to offer him no affront Who being come the Eldest man ask'd him what it was that made him thus slight the King whereto he answer'd I have not yet slighted him The man asking him But would you slight him By Jove I may do so said Apollonius if by conversing with him I find him not to be a good and virtuous person Do you bring the King any Presents said the man I bring said Apollonius Fortitude Iustice and the like Do you said the other bring these to the King as supposing him destitute of them By Jove said Apollonius only as to one that shall learn how to use them if he hath them The King saith the man hath by the use of such Virtues both recover'd his lost Kingdom which thou seest and regain'd his Palace not without much Toyl and Trouble How many years is it since he recover'd his Kingdom said Apollonius The other answer'd Two years and two months Hereupon Apollonius raising his voice as he in like cases was used to do said O Keeper of the Kings person or by what Title soever you are call'd 2 Darius the Father of Cyrus and 3 Artaxerxes having possess'd this Kingdom about 60 years when he suspected that the end of his Life drew near is reported to have sacrificed to Iustice and to have said these words O Lady whosoever thou art as having a long time been a Lover of Iustice but not yet knowing her nor possessed her in that he educated his Children so foolishly as that they waged War upon one another and one was wounded the other slain But you though the King perhaps scarcely knoweth how to sit in the Kingly Throne suppose him to have already acquired all kinds of Virtue and so puff him up beyond measure if he become better than he is I bring profit to you and not to my self Whereupon another Barbarian standing hard by looking upon Apollonius said This man was brought hither as a Present of the Gods For so good a man as this conversing with so good a man as the King will make him far better more modest and of a sweeter disposition in as much as he seemeth not a little to surpass other men Wherefore they ran to divulge the good news to all that there stood at the Kings doors a certain Greek who was a Wise man and an excellent Counsellor It happen'd when this News was brought to the King he was offering up Sacrifice in the presence of the Magicians for Sacred Rites are perform'd by their direction wherefore calling one of them he said to him I perceive my Dream is out which I related to you this day when you came to visit me as I lay in bed For such a Dream as this had happen'd to the King He seem'd to himself to be 4 Artaxerxes the Son of Xerxes and that his countenance was changed to be like him Wherefore the King was much afraid lest his affairs should fall into some alteration interpreting to that purpose the change of his countenance But when he had further heard that the Stranger which was come was a Greek and a Wise man he call'd to mind the Story of 5 Themistocles the Athenian who sometime coming out of Greece convers'd with Artaxerxes and did improve the King as well as shew his own worth Wherefore stretching forth his right hand he bid them call in the man that so he might both sacrifice and pray with him Illustrations on Chap. 19. 1 THe Kings Golden Image which if any one refused to worship this manner of Adoration was anciently much used among the Eastern people who paid the highest Veneration to the Statues of their deceased Princes This Ceremony which our Author here mentions was much for the same purpose as our Oath of Allegiance to shew their Respect and Fidelity to the Prince The sacred Images of the Heathens were a great part of their Religion to them they address'd themselves when many times their Imaginations were so much stronger than their Reasons that they fancied they either heard the Image speak saw her Nod or found her Sweat c. like timerous persons who in looking stedfastly on a dead corpse fancy they see its Eyes open or its Lips or Nose move Thus at the sacking of Vrii some of the Roman Souldiers entring into the Temple of Iuno accosting her Image and asking it vis venire Romam will you come to Rome to some of them she seem'd to becken by way of consent and others fancied she said Yes For those men being more then ordinary Religious as Titus Livy infers from the Devotion Reverence and Quietness wherewith they enter'd the Temple fancied they heard that Answer which 't is possible they expected before and Camillus with the other Magistrates of the City promoted their belief The reason why many of these Images have been observ'd to sweat saith Vaninus is either from the warmth of the Air or from Candles melting the colours of the Image or else the Priests did secretly die the Skin of the painted God with the bloud of a Beast or Man or privately convey a small stream of bloud by certain Pipes to the Eyes of the Idol whereupon when the doors of the Temple were open'd the people that came thither were amazed and not understanding or considering the Natural cause of the Event said it was a Miracle Now when any one was in danger of his Life he presently made his address to these Images with Vows Supplications and Prayers then if perhaps he obtain'd his wish he thought himself bound by his Vow to return thanks for it to the Gods otherwise he was declared by the Priest to be guilty of breaking his Vow and if the thing did not succeed according to his wish and the Votary as yet survived the Priests did then inculcate that his own wickedness was the cause why his Prayers were not heard by the Gods Again if a pious man was deluded they endeavour'd to perswade him to acknowledge the mercy of the Gods who chastise in this life those whom they Love but if he that had Vow'd did perish there would none be then left to raise any such objections against the Gods Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu c. and by these frivolous Superstitions the Priests deluded the People It 's true some object that Pyrrhus King of Epirus having taken money out of the Treasury of Proserpina Locrensis was punish'd with the calamity of Shipwrack To which it may be answer'd that after Dionysius had robbed the Treasury of the same Proserpina Locrensis he sail'd with a prosperous Gale and jeering the Gods spake to his Companions in this manner See what a prosperous Voyage is given by the immortal Gods to Sacrilegious persons Vanini Dialog 55. Now to pray to to swear by to obey to be diligent and officious in serving finally all words and actions that betoken fear to offend or desire to please iâ— Worship
the Wisdom of 7 Pythagoras the Samian who taught me in this manner to worship the Gods and to understand from them both the things that are seen and those that are not seen also to talk with the Gods and cloathe my self with this fleece of the Earth which was not shorn from the Sheep's back but springeth up purely from the pure being a gift of Water and Earth even made of linen Likewise the length of my Hair was taken up from Pythagoras as also my abstinence from living Creatures comes to me from his Wisdom Wherefore you must not expect that in Drinking and Revelling I should be a companion to you or any other As for doubtful and intricate matters I can resolve them for I do not only know but also foreknow the things that are to be done This is the Discourse that Damis said he had with the King and Apollonius himself hath written an Epistle of the same as he also digested many of his other Discourses into Epistles Illustrations on Chap. 20. 1 FOr they thought to gratifie the King by so doing c. This may justly give us occasion to reflect on the servile and obsequious Flatteries of Courtiers towards their Prince Titus Livy well observes that the speech of men educated in Courts is ever full of vain ostentation and flattery every man indifferently extolling the King beyond all the bounds of modesty and reason Quicquid calcaverit hic Rosa fiat If a Prince knows but the four corners of the Winds whereof no mean Subject is ignorant yet how greatly is this vertue extoll'd in him for being so Weather-wise If he understands but how to steer a small Barge or Cock-boat in a calm River wherein many thousand Tarpawlins exceed him yet how greatly do they magnifie his wonderful skill in Navigation If he knows but when a Fiddle is out of tune by its squeaking they presently cry him up for a Musician if he can ride a Horse but a foot pace for an expert Horseman and if he can distinguish between a Sign-post and some famous Italian piece drawn by an eminent Master for his great knowledge in Painting Thus are they abused by the servile Wretches about them and never suffer'd to come to the knowledge of truth What the King loves they love and what the King does they do be it never so mean and base All Alexander's Followers carried their Heads sideling as he did and those that flatter'd Dionysiâ—s run their Heads against Posts and tumbled over Chairs to be thought as purblind as their Master For the same Reason Montaign writes that he hath seen Deafness affected in the Court of France And because the King hated his Wife Plutarch saith the Courtiers in his time sued out a Divorce from theirs although they loved them never so well Mithridates pretending to skill in Physick his Flatterers came about him to have their Members incized and cauterized by him well knowing that when a Prince sets up for Doctor you cannot oblige him more than in becoming his Patient Favorinus the Philosopher being in a Dispute with the Emperor Adrian about the interpretation of some word yielded the victory to the Emperor and being ask'd why he did so reply'd Would you not have him who hath the absolute Command over thirty Legions to be wiser than I Asinius Pollio reâ—used to answer those Verses which Augustus had written against him because said he it is no wisdom to contend in writing with him who may prescribe And they had reason so to do for Dionysius not being able to equal Philoxâ—nus in Poetry or Platâ— in Discourse condemn'd the one to the Stone-quarry and sent the other to be sold as a Slave in the Isle of Aegina Nevertheless the good and the bad King are serv'd both alike he that is hated and he that is beloved are both equally courted by those about them they wait upon him as the Crows do upon a dying Horse not out of love to him but to themselves This made Iulian the Emperor when commended by his Courtiers for his justice say He should soon grow proud of those praises if they came from men that duâ—â—â— speak otherwise The Flatterers of Alexander the Great made him believe that he was the Son of Iupiter but being one day much hurt and seeing the bloud gush out at his wounds he ask'd them what they thought of that whether the bloud was not of a lively red colour and meerly humane Also Hermodorus the Poet calling Antigonus the Son of Phaebus in one of his Poems Antigonus very wisely reply'd My Friend He that emptieth my Close stool knoweth it to be otherwise Seneca makes this one of the greatest Blessings of Royalty that Subjects are forced to bear with and to commend even the very extravagancies of their Prince Maximum hoc regni bonum est Quod facta domini cogitur populus sui Quà m ferre tam laudare Thyest. Act 2. Scen. 1. If a Prince be as effeminate as Sardanapalus himself his Courtiers shall indulge him in his Lusts and be more ambitious of Cleopatra's favour more proud of a smile from her than of the greatest honour in the World This made an ingenious Author observe that a Courtier 's Face as well as his Cloaths must ever be in the fashion for that he amongst them who cannot upon all occasions shift his Countenance will not in time be able to shift his Linen When Sempronius so basely kill'd Pompey on the Egyptian shore it was only to curry favour with Caesar and had Caesar himself been in the like adversity they could have done the same for him There is nothing so treacherous and base which to gratifie their Prince they will not undertake even to the ruine both of King and Kingdom If he be inclin'd to Tyranny they shall promote it by advising to a standing Army to oppress the people with illegal Exactions and to govern without Law and if he be addicted to Women they presently turn his Pimps Now he that most eases the Prince of Care and Business or she that contributes most to his pleasures are always his chiefest Favourites and these though the greatest grievances of the Subject are idolized by the inferior hangers on for every young Courtier is like a Hop that must have a Pole to support him and therefore in the fall of one great Favourite several others perish Now as 't is said of the Whale that she is steer'd in her course through the guidance of a far smaller Fish so fares it with too too many Princes who hearing less truth than any one sort of men are in their weightiest affairs guided by no higher Dictates than those of a perfidious Mistress or Favourite 2 Pamphylia a Countrey in Asia the Less on the East-side of Cilicia by the Mountain Taurus Sit. Clim 5. 3 Sappho the famous Lesbian Poetess Concerning her Father Authors vary who he was some say Scammon Dronymus others Simon others Eunonimus or Eumenes others Eregius or Eucrytus
daily Experience inform us of the truth thereof When Sultan Achmet who lived but in the year of our Lord 1613. had 3000 Concubines and Virgins listed in his Venereal Service Purchase's Pilgrimage page 290. Nay in those Countreys the Wives are not all offended at the Rivals of their Bed for as custom hath taken off the shame so also hath it extinguish'd their anger Thus we read in holy Writ that Leah Rachel Sarah and Iacob's Wives brought their fairest Maiden-servants unto their Husbands Beds also Livia seconded the lustful Appetites of her Husband Augustus even to her own prejudice and Stratonica wife of King Deiotarus did not only accommodate the King with a handsom Maiden but also enroll'd the said Concubine for one of the Ladies of her Bed-chamber educating her Children and using all means possible to have them succeed in his Thronâ— of so base a Spirit was Queen Stratonica Again Princes have been as often ruined by their Wives as by their Concubines Thus Livia is infamous for the poysoning of her Husband Roxalana Solyman's Wife was the destruction of that renowned Prince Sultan Mustapha and otherwise troubled his House and Succession Edward the Second of England his Queen had the principal hand in the deposing and murther of her Husband Now this kind of danger is then chiefly to be fear'd when the Wives have Plots either for the raising of their own Children or for the promoting of their own new Religion or else when they be Advowtresses of all which her differing from her Husband in Religion whether she be Wife or Concubine renders her the most dangerous for then she looking upon him as out of the reach of God's mercy can think nothing an injury to his person or a loss to his Estate if her ghostly Fathers are pleas'd but to encourage her Lastly Upon another account Women have many times been the destruction of States Nam fuit ante Helenam Cunnus teterrima Belli Causa Horat. Lib. 1. Sat. 3. Paris his Robbery committed upon the Body of the fair Helena Wife to Menelaus was the original cause of that fierce War between the Greeks and Trojans the Rape of Lucreece lost the Tarquins their Government the Attempt upon Virginia was the ruine of the Decem-viri the same arm'd Pausanias against Philip of Macedon and many other Subjects against many other Princes in so much that Aristotle in his Politicks imputes the abomination of Tyranny to the injuries they do to people on the account of Women either by Debauchments Violences or Adulteries and this he delivers the rather for that no one Vice reigns more amongst Princes than this of Venery Semiramis is said to have had conjunction with a Horse and Pericles to have begun the Peleponesian War for the sake of Aspasia the Socratick Curtezan Iuda the Iewish Patriarch was a Fornicator and Sampson one of the Judges of the people of God married two Harlots Solomon the wisest King of the Iews kept whole Troops of Curtezans Sardanapalus that great Assyrian Monarch lost his Kingdom for a spinning-Wheel and a Whore Iulius Caesar the Dictator was called the Man of Women Mark Anthony was ruined by Cleopatra and Thalestris Queen of the Amazons march'd 35 days Journey through strange Countreys only to request Alexander the Great to lye with her which having obtain'd she returned home again well satisfied Much such another was Ioan Queen of Naples of fresher memory as also Pope Ioan which though denied by modern Papists I find confirm'd in some Books I have now by me that were both written and printed before the Reformation as for instance Polycronicon and another old great Chronicle entituled Chronicon Chronicorum Again Queen Pasiphae was another Example of Lasciviousness Heliogabalus much advanced the Art of Bawdery and Domitian is reported to have acted Sodomy with a Bull. And many other great persons were there whom History mentions that forsook their noble Enterprizes for the Snares of Love as did Mithridates in Pontus Hannibal at Capuâ— Caesar in Alexandria Demetrius â—n Greece and Anthony in Egypt Hercules ceas'd from his Labours for Iole's sake Achilles hid himself from the Battel for Love of Briseis Circe stays Vlysses Claudius dies in Prison for Love of a Virgin Caesar is detain'd by Cleopatra and the same Woman ruined Anthony For being false to their Beds Clytemnestra Olympia Laodicea Beronica and two Queens of France called Fregiogunda and Blanch as also Ioan Queen of Naples all slew their Husbands And for the very same reason Medea Progne Ariadne Althea and Heristilla changing their maternal Love into Hatred were every one the cause and plotters of their Sons Deaths 3 Nay if he be not a very Coward he will kill himself c. All things are importuned to kill themselves and that not only by Nature which perfects them but also by Art and Education which perfects her Plants quickned and inhabited by the most unworthy Soul which therefore neither will nor work affect an end a perfection a death this they spend their Spirits to attain this attain'd they languish and wither And by how much more they are by man's Industry warm'd cherish'd and pamper'd so much the more early they climb to this perfection and this death And if amongst men not to defend be to kill what a hainous self-murder is it not to defend it self This defence because Beasts neglect they kill themselves in as much as they exceed us in Number Strength and lawless Liberty yea of Horses and other Beasts they that inherit most courage by being bâ—ed of gallantest Parents and by artificial Nursing are better'd will run to their own Deaths neither solicited by Spurs which they need not nor by Honour which they apprehend not If then the Valiant kill himself who can excuse the Coward Or how shall man be free from this since the first man taught us this except we cannot kill our selves because he kill'd us all Yet lest something should repair this common Ruine we daily kill our Bodies with Surfets and our Minds with Anguishes Of our Powers Remembring kills our Memory of Affections Lusting our Lust of Vertues Giving kills Liberality And if these kill themselves they do it in their best and supream perfection for after perfection immediately follows excess which changing the Natures and the Names makes them not the same things If then the best things kill themselves soonest for no Affection endures and all things labour to this perfection all travel to their own death yea the frame of the whole World if it were possible for God to be idle yet because it began must die Then in this Idleness imagined in God what could kill the World but it self since out of it nothing is Donn's Paradoxes The two chief Objections against self-Homicide are the Law of God commanded in the Scriptures and the Law of Nature which obliges every man to self-Preservation As for the first of these I refer you to that excellent Treatise entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and written by that eminent Poet and Divine Dr. Donn the Dean of Pauls wherein with no weak Arguments he endeavours to justifie out of Scripture the Legality of self-Homicide As to the second Objection of self-Preservation those that are for self-Murder urge that self-Preservation is no other than a natural Affection and appetition of good whether true or seeming so that if I propose to my self in this self-Killing a greater good although I mistake it I perceive not saith the Doctor wherein I transgress the general Law of Nature which is an Affection of good true or seeming and if that which I affect by death as Martyrs who expect a Crown of Glory and to lye snug in Abraham's bosom under the umbrage of his Beard be really a greater good wherein is the Law of self-Preservation violated Therefore some that are Enemies to our Faith will have Afflictions to be God's Call out of this Life and by the same Reason as we preserve our well-being ought we then to destroy our ill-being Another Reason which prevails with them as shewing self-Homicide to be consistent with the Law of Nature is this that in all Ages in all places and upon all occasions men of all conditions have affected iâ— and inclin'd to do it when man as though he were Angelus sepultus labours to be discharged of his earthly Sepulchre his Body And though this may be said of all other sins that men are propense to them and yet for all that frequently they are against Nature yet if this sin saith the Doctor were against the particular Law of Nature and that so it wrought to the destruction of our Species any otherwise than intemperate Lust Surfets or incurring penal Laws and the like it could not be so general since being contrary to our sensitive Nature it hath not the advantage of pleasure and delight to allure us withal which other sins have When I frame to my self a Martyrology saith he of all which have perish'd by their own means for Religion Countrey Fame Love Ease Fear and Shame I blush to see how naked of Followers all Vertues are in respect of this Fortitude and that all Histories afford not so many Examples either of Cunning subtle Devices or of forcible and violent Actions for the safeguard of Life as for the destroying Petronius Arbiter who served Nero a man of Pleasure in the Office of Master of his Pleasures upon the first frown went home and cut his Veins How subtlely and curiously Attilius Regulus destroy'd himself whom Codrus exceeded in forcing his own Death Comas Captain of the Thieves died by stopping his own Breath Herennius the Sicilian beat out his own Brains against a Post. Annibal for fear of being reduced to the necessity of being beholden to others died with poyson which he always carried in a Ring as Demosthenes died with poyson carried in a Pen. Aristarchus starved himself and Homer is said to have hanged himself because he understood not the Fishermens Riddle Democles scalded himself to death Portia Caâ—o's Daughter and Catulus Luctatius died by swallowing burning Coals Poor Terence because he lost his 108 translated Comedies drowned himself And the Poet Labienus because his Books were burnt by publick Edict burnt himself also Zeno upon a small hurt of his Finger hanged himself when he was almost an hundred years of age for which reason Laertius proclaims him to be Mira faelicitate vir qui incolumis integer sine morbo excessit Portius Latro kill'd himself for a quartan Ague and Festus Domitian's Beloved only to hide the deformity of a Ringworm in his Face Hipponiâ—s the Poet rimed Bubalus the Painter to death with his Iambicks and so Cassius Licinius to escape Cicero's Judgment choak'd himself with a Napkin These and many other Examples could I instance were it necessary as those who die voluntarily for Religion and the Wives among the Indians who burn themselves upon their Husbands death One of the most cruel Roman Emperors said of his Prisoners that he would make them feel death and if any fortuned to kill himself in Prison he would say That Fellow hath escaped me Lastly Cato alone that pattern of Vertue may serve instead of all other Examples Moreover I do verily believe that he who hangs himself in a Garret as the late Parson of Newgate did feels less pain horror and trouble than such as die of Feavers in their Beds with Friends and Relations weeping about them CHAP. XXIV Apollonius whilst the King lay sick told him many things of the Souls Immortality Divers Speeches pass'd to and fro between them Apollonius is at length dismiss'd by the King with Camels and other Necessaries for his Iourney into India NOw the King being fallen sick Apollonius standing by him utter'd so great and so divine things concerning the Soul that the King-plucking up his courage said to the standers by that Apollonius had by his words caused him not only to contemn a Kingdom but even 1 Death it self when the King shew'd the Trench to Apollonius which was made under Euphrates and whereof we spake before and ask'd him whether he thought it not a great wonder Apollonius depressing the strangeness thereof said to the King It would be a wonder indeed if you were able to pass over so deep and unpassable a Current on your feet Afterwards when he shew'd him the Walls of Ecbatana saying that they were the Dwelling of the Gods Apollonius replied They are not certainly the Dwelling of the Gods and whether they be the Dwelling of men I cannot tell for the City of 2 Lacedemon Oh King is inhabited without Walls Again when the King had been administring Iustice to certain Towns and boasted to Apollonius that he had spent two days in hearing and determining Causes Apollonius answer'd You were very slow in finding out what was just Aâ— another time after the Tributes coming in thick from his Subjects the King opening his Treasury shew'd his Wealth to Apollonius alluring him to the desire of Riches But Apollonius admiring at nothing which he saw said to the King To you Oh King these are 3 Riches but to me nothing but Straw When the King demanded what he should do to make good use of his Riches Apollonius's Answer was If you make use of them considering you are a King Now having had many such Conferences with the King and having found him ready to do what he advised him to also thinking that he had sufficiently convers'd with the Magicians he said to Damis Go to now Damis let us begin our March towards the Indians for they that sail towards the Eaters of 4 Lotus being taken with the sweetness of that Plant forget their own proper manners but we though we have not tasted of any thing that is here do yet tarry in these parts longer than is fitting I my self had the same thoughts said Damis but reckoning the time which we conjectured from the Lioness which we saw I waited till that space
cleans'd the Stables of Augeas King of Elis wherein many thousand Oxen had dung'd continually a long time together for turning the Current of the River Alpheus and causing it to pass through the Stables he by that means carried away the filth all in one day 8. He brought a Bull from Crete into Greece drawing him along the Sea which Bull breath'd nothing but flames of Fire and was sent by Neptune as a punishment amongst them 9. He took Diomedes King of Thrace Prisoner giving him to be eaten of his own man eating Horses and afterwards breaking the said wild Horses he brought them to Eurystheus 10. He took Prisoner Geryon and his Cattel who was King of Spain and reported to have three Bodies because he had three Kingdoms 11. He went to Hell and brought thence with him Theseus and Pyrithous as also the Dog Cerberus And 12. he took the golden Apples out of the Garden of the Hesperides and kill'd the Dragon that kept them from him All which Actions rendred him terrible to the Tyrant Eurystheus for whose sake he had perform'd them Now concerning these Labours of Hercules mention is made in Lucret. lib. 5. Ovid. Metam 9. Senec. Agamemn 806. Hercul Fur. 214. and 526. Herc. Oet 15. Silius 3 333. Sidon Carm. 9. Boet. lib. 4. Met. 7. Claud. praef in lib. 2. de Raptu Pros. Moreover from hence arose these Proverbs Herculei Labores signifying a Work impossible to be atchiev'd Herculis Cothurnos Frustra Herculem Hercules Simia and Hercules Hospitator Suidas interpreteth Hercules's Club to be Philosophy whereby he slew the Dragon i. e. Natural Concupiscence Lastly For his Death it happen'd A. M. 2752. Ant. Christ. 1196. The learned Jesuit Galtruâ—bius who writes his Life more at large than any one I have met with supposes this Hercules of Thebes to have been the same that releas'â— Prometheus contrary to what Philostratus here asserts and this may proceed from the obscure Records of those Times which attribute the Actions of all others of that Name to this Hercules the Theban or Lybian as call'd by some because he conquer'd Lybia 3 Eagles Amongst all Fowls the Eagle only can move her self strait upward and downward perpendicularly without any collateral declining Munster This Bird is commended for her faithfulness towards other Birds in some kind though she often shews her self cruâ—â—â—â— They all stand in awe of her and when she hath gotten meat she useth to communicate it only to such Fowls as accompany her but some affirm that when she hath no more to make distribution of then she will attack some of her Guests and for lack of food dis-member them Her sight is sharp and quick in so much that being in the highest part of the Air she can easily see what falleth on the Land and thereupon the sooner find her prey It is said that she can gaze upon the Sun and not be blind and will fight eagerly with the Dragon who greedily coveting the Eagles Eggs causeth many Conflicts to be between them The Poets have call'd her Iove's Bird and Iupiter's Armour-bearer because she is never hurt with Lightning She has great affection towards her young in so much that she will endanger her own Body to secure them bearing her young ones on her back when she perceiveth them to be assaulted with Arrows She usually preyeth on Hares Geese Cranes and Harts as for her practice in killing the Hart Munster saith it is thus When she laboureth to destroy the Hart she gathereth much dust as she flyeth then sitting upon the Hart's Horns shaketh it into his eyes and with her wings beateth him about the mouth till she makes him fall fainting to the ground The Eagle buildeth her Nest-upon high places as Rocks and Mountains and the property of the young Eagle is when she findeth a dead Carkass first of all to pick out his eye Now although the Eagle be very tender over her young yet when they be able to fly of themselves she casteth them out of her Nest because she would have them shift for themselves and no longer depend upon their Dam. Moreover Aristotle writeth that when the Eagle waxeth old the upper part of her Bill groweth so much over the under that she dieth of Famine But Augustine observeth further that when the Eagle is thus overgrown she beateth her Bill upon the Rock and so by striking off her cumbersom part she recovereth her strength and eating to which the Psalmist alludeth Psal. 103.5 Which makes thee young and lusty as an Eagle Swan's Specul Mund. 4 So great was his Stature As for the bigness and stature of mens Bodies it decreaseth nor by succession of Off-spring but men are sometimes in the same Nation taller sometimes shorter sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker as the Times wherein they live are more temperate or luxurious more given to labour or to idleness And for those Narrations which are made of the Giant-like statures of men in former Ages such as the Poets and Philostratus here mention of Prometheus many of them were doubtless meerly Poetical and Fabulous I deny not but such men have been who for their strength and stature were the Miracles of Nature and the World's Wonder yet may we justly suspect that which Suetonius writes That the Bones of huge Beasts or Sea-monsters both have and still do pass currant for the Bones of Giants When Claudius with great strength entred this Island as Dion Cass. speaks l. 60. he brought with him a mighty Army both of Horse and Foot as also Elephants in great number whose Bones being since found have bred an error in us supposing them to be the Bones of Men and not of Beasts as Speed our Chronicler doth A notable Story to this purpose Camerarius reports of Francis the first King of France who being desirous to know the truth of those things spread abroad touching the strength and stature of Rowland Nephew to Charlemain caused his Sepulchre to be open'd wherein his Armour being found and the King putting it on his own Body found it so fit for him as thereby it appear'd that Rowland exceeded him little in bigness and stature of Body though himself were noâ— extraordinary big or tall Likewise I have often heard my Father say that the Coffin or Tomb-stone he saw in one of the Egyptian Pyramids wherein it is thought one of their ancient Kings were buried is of no greater length than his own Coffin must be If men have decay'd in their stature since the first Ages then by consequence the first Man Adam must have been a Giant of Giants the highest and most monstrous Giant that ever the World beheld whereof we have no account in Scripture Holy Writ makes mention of Giants in the 6th of Genesis not long before the Floud but long after the Creation Therâ—â—â—â—e Giants in the Earth in those days saith the Text. Nevertheless it is the phrase of holy 〈◊〉 to call such Giants as are in behaviour wicked
12 whole years whereof the first six were only over the Kingdom of Macedon the rest over the whole Empire King Philip being slain by Pausanias out of a private revenge young Alexander succeeded to his Kingdom in the 20th year of his Age when he had no sooner settled himself in his Throne and finish'd his Father's Exâ—quies but was surrounded with Troubles on every side from his Neighbours who thought to take the advantage of his Youth to dispossess him of his Kingdom as did the Athenians in their Conspiracy with Attalus also the rest of the Barbarians who were subject to the Kingdom of Macedon Whereupon Alexander first reduced the Barbarians near the River Danubius where in a great Battel he overthrew Syrmus King of the Triballians 2. Having understood that the Thebans revolted from him his next Expedition was against Thebes as well as against the â—thenians who were in Confederacy with the Thebans against both these he proved very successful the stubborn Thebanâ— refusing all oâ—â—â—rs of kindness from Alexander were together with their City utterly ruin'd and destroy'd whereas the Athenians rendring themselves upon discretion and imploring remission for their faults were again receiv'd into his favour it is remarkable in the subversion of Thebes that Alexander shew'd his generous esteem of Vertue and Learning when he preserv'd and pardon'd the vertuous Lady Timoclea the whole Family of Poet Pindorus together with all the Priests and Religious Orders excepting which he sold all the rest for Slaves 3. By this means Alexander having settled all his Affairs at home and being unanimously elected General of all Greece a Council of War was call'd in order to the enlarging his Empire abroad wherein it was resolv'd that his next attempt should be upon Asia when being interrupted his passage at the River Granicus by some Forces of Darius Codomannus King of Persia he there overthrew the Persians and forraged all Phrygia and the Asian shoar even to Cilicia also Diodorus writes that he at that time subdued all Caria Diod. lib. 17. And that in the City Gordius in Phrygia not being able to untye the Bark which was wreath'd about the Chariot he cut the knot asunder with his Sword thereby fulfilling as he thought that Prophesie which said that he who could undo that knot should conquer all the World 4. After this Alexander conquer'd the Paphlagonians and Cappadocians also was inform'd of the death of Memnon Darius's Admiral at Sea upon whom the Persians chiefly depended for their success against Alexander Nevertheless Darius King of Persia highly resenting the Defeat which his Forces receiv'd at the River Graniâ—us resolv'd to revenge it himself in person accordingly he levy'd an Army of 600000 fighting men which he rendezvous'd at Susa when in the mean while Alexander remaining a long time in Cilicia by reason of a Sickness befallen him with drinking of the River Cydnus when he was hot Darius not knowing the occasion of his delay supposed it to have been out of fear whereupon he began to march his whole Army towards Cilicia in order to his encountring Alexander At the same time Alexander moved towards Syria upon the like design to meet with Darius in the night when happening both to miss of one another the next day they both return'd to their several Posts Now Dariuâ— having contrary to the advice of Amyntas encamp'd himself in the Streights and Valleys between the Mountains presented Alexander with great advantage of ground which put Darius upon a necessity of engaging or not engaging according as his Enemies pleas'd being on every side encompass'd with the Macedonian Forces from the Hills in so much that Alexander with a much smaller Army than that of his Enemies put Darius to flight killing above 110000 of his men seizing on all the Persian Camps wherein besides the incredible Riches he took Prisoner Sisigambis the Mother Statira the Wife and two Daughters of King Darius whom he treated with all the civility imaginable This Battel was sought at Issus wherein Alexander himself received a wound in his Thigh and as some say from the very hands of King Darius Plutarch Arrianus Curtiâ—s Diodorus 5. After this success against Darius Alexander sent to the City Damas to surrender all the Men Women Children and Treasure that did therein belong to the Persians which accordingly was done he likewise to make himself Master of the Sea-coasts summon'd all the Kings of Cyprus and Phaenicia to deliver into his hands Phaenicia and the maritime Parts adjacent which was immediately perform'd all save the City of Tyre against which he began a strong Siege both by Land and Sea annoying them with 200 Galleys till at last after a seven months Siege he became Master of the City of Tyre 6. During this Siege he with another part of his Army made War upon those Arabians that dwell on the Mount Antilaban whom he overcame though not without much danger to his person occasion'd by his kindness to his Tutor Lysimachus as Plutarch saith 7. His next Expedition was against the City Gaza the chief City of Syria which he wan after having receiv'd two wounds in his Arm and Shoulder Diâ—dor lib. 17. Curtius lib. 4. Plut. in Alexand. Then he resolv'd to march up against Ierusalem and lay it waste from which design he was averted by the submissive prayers and entreaties of Iaddus their High-Priest 8. About this time it was that Alexander having conquer'd all Asia on that side the River Euphrates Darius sent Ambassadors to him to require his friendship and offer him 10000 Talents for the ransom of his captive Persians and such Territories as did formerly belong unto him which offers Alexander refusing Darius began a third Expedition against him having gather'd together an Army of 1000000 fighting men In the mean while Alexandâ—â— was imploy'd in conquering Egypt wherein after his conquest of that Kingdom he erectâ—â— that famous City call'd after his own Name Alexandria Now intelligence being brought to Alexander of the new War which Darius intended against him he began his March to meet him at the River Euphrates the place where this Battel was fought is as some say Arbela though Plutarch saith Gausameles where both Armies being engaged Parmenio Alexander's Lievtenant was at the first onset forced to retire also the Macedonian Baggage in danger of being taken by the Bactrians till Alexander himself coming into his relief with the main body of his Army gave so brisk a Charge upon the Persians that they soon betook themselves to flight also Darius himself was forced to fly for his life Alexander being thus flesh'd with Victory march'd forward into the Countrey of Babylon and Ecbatan where â—e made himself Master of the City Susa from thence Alâ—xaâ—deâ— proceeded into Persia whither Dariuâ— was fled putting all men that opposed him to the Sword burning the Palâ—ce of the Persian King 's Persepolis at the instigation of Thaâ—â— the Strumpet 9. Alexander continuing his pursuit after Darius Bessus in hopes of
What Conference passed between Apollonius and King Phraotes The King's Modesty Temperance and Skill in the Greek Tongue WHilst he is thus busied in Discourse certain Messengers come from the King bringing an Interpreter with them and tell them that the King had invited Apollonius to be his Guest for the 1 space of three days in as much as Strangers might not longer abide in that City wherefore they conducted Apollonius to the Palace With what Walls the City was encompass'd we have before declared They say it was evenly and regularly divided into Streets after the Attick fashion And that it was built of such Houses as if a man look on the outside of them seem to be of but one Story whereas if you enter into them you will find as many Rooms under ground as above They likewise report that they saw the Temple of the Sun wherein the Image of Ajax carv'd in Ivory was erected the Statue of Alexander in Gold and others of Porus in black Brass The Walls of the 2 Temple are built of a red Stone wherewith Gold being artificially mingled seemeth to dart out Rays The Pavement was inlaid with Pearls in a kind of Checquer-work which was much used in the Temples of the Barbarians But they say that in the King's Palace they found no sumptuousness of Building nor 3 Guards nor Halbardiers but as in the Houses of the best Citizens a few Domesticks and such as desired to discourse with the King being in number but three or four at most With which Shew they were far more delighted than with that pompous one at the Court of Babylon and much more when they were entred in for the Lodgings Galleries and whole Court was under discipline which was a sufficient argument to Apollonius that the Indian King was addicted to Philosophy Wherefore speaking by the Interpreter he said I am glad Oh King to see that you study Philosophy But I said the King am much gladder that you have such an opinion of me Then answer'd Apollonius saying Are these things appointed and enjoyn'd by your Laws or have you your self reduced your Kingdom to this good order The King replied Though our Laws be modest yet I use greater modesty than our Laws enjoyn and possess more than other men yet need very little esteeming the greatest part of my Wealth to belong unto my 4 Friends Happy are you said Apollonius who enjoy such a Treasure preferring your Friends from whom so many Benefits acâ—rue to you before Silver and Gold Nay said the King I impart my Riches to my very Enemies for I asswage and subdue with 5 Money the Barbarians that sometimes infested my Kingdom making Incursions into my Confines in so much that I now use them as Guards to defend my Kingdom for they do not only abstain themselves from invading me but also hinder other neighbouring Barbarians who are very dangerouâ— from molesting me When Apollonius asked Whether Porus was used to give Presents to them the King answered Porus was a lover of War but I of Peace With these Speeches he so ravish'd Apollonius that when on a time he rebuked one Euphrates for not studying Philosophy he said Let us reverence the Indian Phraotes for that was the King's Name A certain Nobleman for the many and great Favours he had receiv'd from the King desired to set a golden Mitre adorn'd with several Iewels on his Head the King made answer Though I were one of those who are taken with such things yet would I not admit them now but in the presence of Apollonius throw them from my Head Yet for as much as I have never heretofore used such Ornaments how should I now assume them as not knowing my Guest and forgetting my self When Apollonius also demanded of him What kind of Diet he used his answer was I drink only so much Wine as I sacrifice to the Sun and for the Quarrey which I take in Hunting others eat it the exercise it self being enough for me my Diet is Herbs with the tops and fruit of Dates and whatsoever things the River makes my Garden bring forth I have also many Dishes from these Trees which with my own hands I dress As these words Apollonius was overjoy'd often turning his Eyes towards Damis Afterwards when they had discoursed sufficiently concerning his Iourney to the Brackmans the King commanded the Guide that came from Babylon to be entertain'd as his Guest in such a manner as he was used to receive those that came from thence but the Guide who was sent by the Governour was dismissed having receiv'd Provision for his Iourney Then the King himself taking Apollonius by the hand and commanding the Interpreter to depart asked him whether he would admit him into his company at Meals Apollonius being amazed hereat and asking the King why he did not speak to him thus in the beginning the King reply'd It was that I might not seem over-bold as not knowing my self nor that it had pleased Fortune to make me a Barbarian But now being overcome by you in as much as I perceive you to take delight in me I could not any longer conceal my self and how full I am of the Greek Tongue I will manifest to you in many things But why said Apollonius did not you invite me to a Feast but had rather be invited by me Because said the King I judge you to be the better man for Wisdom is a more royal thing than all others Thus having spoken he led Apollonius and the rest of his company to the Bath wherein he himself was used to wash The place was an Orchard about the length of a Furlong in the midst whereof was a Fountain digged that received into it self certain Springs of cool and potable Water On either side were places to run in where the King was used to exercise himself with the Launce and Discus 6 after the Greek fashion for his Body was strong having used such Exercises and being but 27 years of age Now when he thought he had exercised himself enough on Land he was used to leap into the Water and there exercise himself in Swimming Illustrations on Chap. 11. 1 To be his Guest for the space of three days This Custom was I conceive practised amongst them ever after Alexander's Conquest over them and that for no other Reason but to prevent Strangers from being made acquainted either with their Strength or Riches Notwithstanding other Countreys have used the like Caution upon other Inducements as the Iaponeses who denied any admission to the Christians for their Religions sake and the Turks who suffer not any but Mahometans to approach within such a distance of Mecca also the Chineses who permit not any Trade with the Portugueses nor at this day with the English by reason of our Alliance with Portugal Nevertheless be it upon what Motive it will any such Custom is an infallible impediment to any City's Wealth or Power as on the contrary nothing can be more advantagious
Hereto several of the Poets refer As Ovid Volvitur Ixion se refugitque fugâ—t que Metam 10 And Claudian Non rota suspensum praeceps Ixiona torquet De Raptu Pros. 6 Nor do they fancy to themselves things which are not c. When I observe Ovid's Metamorphosis and other the strange Fictions of the Heathen Poets which our Mythologists undertake to expound mystically but vulgar Heathens believ'd historically and so had need of a Faith as strong as an Ostrich's Stomach that can digest Iron I verily think they might as really and truly expound the every days Dialogues at Bedlam Nor could those monstrous Fictions ever have been devis'd or believ'd any where but in Countreys where the Liquors which they usually drank had intoxicated and depraved their Brains for to clear Understandings they appear nothing but Frenzies Yea although you have read Natalis Comes or the ingenious Lord Bacon his Wisdom of the Ancients you could never receive them without an habitual previous infatuation of your Judgement Therefore Mahomet after he had most wisely prohibited the drinking of Wine was fain to be more circumspect what Fables he deliver'd as knowing they would never pass with Water-drinkers We daily see many Songs pass with great applause among our Drunkards that in the Poet's head had some little intentional sence and by himself esteem'd a Rapture which if one should as Horace advises turn into Prose and then examine the strength of the Fancy you would evidently perceive to be flat and vulgar So that before a man can admire them he must first drink as much Wine as the Poet did when he made them and so wind himself up to the same pitch to fit him for the Consort Aut bibe aut ubi 7 The wise Amphiaraus the Son of Oecleus was a famous Greek Prophet whom King Adrastus desired to go along with him to the War of Thebes but Amphiaraus foreseeing it would cost him his Life absconded himself till being betrayed by his Wife Eriphile who was bribed by a golden Bracelet he was forced to go and the first day he came to Thebes he was swallow'd up alive by the Earth Of this see Homer's Odys 15. After his Death he was worshipp'd for a God See his History at large written by Diod. Sicul. lib. 5. ch 5. Cicer. lib. 1. de Divin Pausan. in Attic. Stat. Theb. Plut. in Paral. 8 The Priest after he had drunk Water and not Wine gave his Answers The Priests of Amphiaraus whose Oracles were of great repute in old Time had a constant Custom that before the Priest declared the Oracle to those who came for Counsel at their Temple to abstain three days from Wine and one day from Flesh that so he might have his Understanding the better prepared to receive the pretended Inspiration which otherwise he was not thought so capable of while his Brain might be clouded and darkned with the gross Vapours which by a full Diet might ascend from his Stomach to his Head This was certainly a very wise Institution for he being upon each Demand to consider what Answer was fit to be given as most safe for the reputation of his Order and withal satisfactory to the Supplyant he had need to keep his Wits about him and to enable him so to do nothing was better than a thin Diet for the Brain is much of the nature of a bright Looking glass which if moisten'd by Mists cannot represent an Object clear Also as the Devil is said to imitate God as Apes do Men so it may be they had heard of the Prophet and divine Law-giver Moses who by God's own appointment had commanded as a perpetual Ordinance that the Priest when he entred into the Tabernacle of the Congregation should that day drink neither Wine nor strong Drink CHAP. XV. Apollonius sacrificeth to the Sun whilst Phraotes tarryeth for him that he might be present and give his advice touching a Field that had been sold and which was now in Controversie by reason of Treasure found therein which Field by the Sentence of Apollonius was adjudged to the Buyer because he was a good and just man and pious towards the Gods whereas the Seller was evil and impious and a contemner of the Gods The Story of the white Camels and the King's Letter in behalf of Apollonius to Jarchas his Master one of the wise men A Description of the Gates whereon were the Statues of Alexander and Porus Concering the Altars inscribed with an Epigram Also of the Pillars whereon was engraved this Sentence Alexander here made a Stand. WHen Apollonius perceiv'd that the King was now to give Answers to Embassies and such like Matters he said to him Do you O King those things that pertain to the government of your Kingdom and leave me at this time to the Sun for I must pray my accustomed Prayers unto him And let him hear your Prayers said the King for he delighteth in all that love Wisdom and I will in the mean time wait your Return for I must determine certain Controversies at which if you be present you will be very assistant to me The Morning being well spent Apollonius returns and asks the King What those things were which he had determined To whom the King made Answer That he had determin'd nothing that day in as much as the service of Religion did prohibit him Apollonius reply'd Do you then perform the service of Religion before you determine Causes as well as before you undertake a Iourney or an Expedition with an Army Yes said the King because here also is danger if he that determines Causes be turn'd aside from what is right Wherefore Apollonius judged that the King spake well and further ask'd him What that Controversie was which he was that day to determine For saith he I see you in suspence and doubtful on which side you should pass sentence Whereto the King answer'd I confess I am in no small doubt and therefore make you my Adviser A certain Man sold a piece of Land to another wherein Treasure had been hidden but was known to no man and not long after the Earth being opened was discover'd a Pot of Gold The Seller of the Land claim'd it in that he would not have sold the Land had he known that such Wealth had layn therein The Purchaser on the contrary said that all was his which he found in the Land that he had bought The Plea of both seem'd to have some Right in them neither should I avoid the imputation of Folly should I command them to share the Gold between them for such a decision any old Woman would give Hereunto Apollonius answer'd That these men are not Philosophers is apparent in that they contend about Gold But I suppose you will pass a right sentence if you thus reckon with your self that the Gods take an especial care of them who are both Philosophers and vertuous men but they regard them in the second place who are not