entier and deare friend For suertie and performaunce of which things he gaue him in ostage his brother Agathon Notwithstanding before many dayes past he repented him of that alliaunce and founde the meanes by stealth to get awaye his brother And incontinent after he sent towardes Ptolome Seleuke and Cassander to send aide for his defence and suertie Whereof Antigone aduertised in great despite sent both by sea and lande a mightie armie to set the Grecians Cities at libertie to saie Mede his Admirall by sea and Decime by land And when they arriued before the citie of Mylese they denounced to the Citizens that they were come to restore them to their auncient libertie and to expulse the garrison in the Castle In this meane while Antigone tooke be force the citie of Tralles From thence he marched by land and came before the citie of Caune whether he made his shippes also to come by Sea and it besieged wonne except the castle he could not presentlie take Howbeit he entrenched it on that side it was siegeable and gaue many assauts And as he laye thus before the castle he sent in the meane time Ptolome with one part of his armie to the citie of Iase and draue them to a composition whome he enforced to take parte with Antigone and so the cities of the countrey of Carie became subiect to Antigone Few dayes after the Etholians and Beotians sent an Ambassade towardes him to treat an alliaunce which was concluded vppon That done he came to a communication with Cassander about Hellespont thinking to haue agréed vpon some conclusion of peace but they departed doing nothing By reason wherof Cassander voyde of all hope of peace determined againe to winne the Grecian cities Wherefore he departed with .xxx. saile to besiege the Citie of Orey and so stoutlie charged it with siege and assauts that it was in great daunger of taking or rendring But all at one instaunt Thelesphore came out of Peloponnese with .xx. saile and Medie out of Asie with an hundred who séeing Cassanders shippes kéepe the Port threw in amongs thē wilde fire and burnt foure and failed verie little that the rest had not ben so serued And as Cassander was thē the weaker behold so sodeyn ayde came to him frō the Rhodes where with his Souldiours tooke such courage that they assailed the enimie nothing fearing or doubting anie suche thing eyther yet accompting of their force vntil they had sonke one of their shippes and tooke other thrée and the men within them These matters were done in Grece and Pont. ¶ The Romaines winne a victorie on the Samnites And the rebellious Champanois by an agreemēt put them selues to their obeisaunce The .xxxvij. Chapter IN Italy the Samnites pursued their victorie winning destroying the townes and cities which hadde taken parte with the Romaines in Pouille Again the Romaine Cōsuls marched on with their armie to the ayde of their friends and allies and perceyuing that the Samnites laye before the citie of Cynue they came and encamped hard at their noses and forced them to raise the siege But few dayes after they ioyned battaill wherein manie on both sides were slaine but in the ende the Romaines wanne the victorie and in fight so lustelie pursued the enimie that they slew aboue .x. thousand During which time and before the victorie knowē abroad the Champanois contrarie to their alliaunce with the Romaines came towards the ayde of the Samnites which thing the Romaines vnderstanding fully aucthorized Caie Manlie and sodenlie sent him against them and according to their custome ioyned with him Manlie Fuluie And as they were encamped about Capue the Champanoys put them selues in armes to gyue battaill but so soone as they vnderstoode of the ouerthrow of y e Samnites and fearing that the Romaines had sent against them all their puissaunce they made an appointment by whiche were rendred the aucthours of the reuolte Who by reason of iudgement prolonged and sentence not pronounced they in the meane time slewe them selues And the cities of Champanois being pardoned continued with the Romaines their pristinate alliaunce and amitie ¶ Ptolome and Antigone to despite one the other restore diuerse cities of Grece to libertie And the same Antigone faileth of his entrie into Macedone After are entreated the matters by Ptolome done in Cypres and Cilice in the hier Syrie The .xxxviij. Chapter THe yere following that Ptolome gouerned Athens and that at Rome Lucie Papirie the .v. time and Caye Iunie were created Cōsuls And the Cxvij yeare of the Olympiade when Parmenon of Mythilene wonne the prise at the running Antigone sent his Captayne Ptolome into Grece to restore the Grekes to libertie gyuing him Cl. Gallies vnder Mede the Admirall .v. thousande footemen and .v. hundred horsse And besides allied with the Rhodians to fight for the libertie of Grece who sent him .xx. saile armed and furnished Ptolome likewise with his power at Sea arriued at a Porte of the Beotians called the déepe Porte and there mustered and tooke vp .ij. thousande two hundred Beotian footemen and three hundred horsse He called backe also his Nauie frō Orey ◠and after he had with a wall entrenched Salmone he brought thyther his whole power For he verilie trusted to take the Calcedonians being onelie defended from the enimie but by a garrison of Eubeans But Cassander myndfull of Calcide and fearing the loste thereof raised his siege from before Crea and came to the laid Calcide and commaunded his armie to marche thyther When Antigone vnderstoode that the two armies were assembled there togyther watching one another and euerie of them attending the oportunitie and aduauntge he commaunded Mede with al spéede to returne into Asie And at his comming backe he agayn enbarqued hys armie and hastily sailed into Hellespont thinking through Cas◠ander his absence to finde the countrey of Macedone vnprouided of men and so win the same before he could returne from Calcide or if he came backe for the defence of the realme of Macedone he should lose that he held in Grece When Cassander vnderstood thereof he left for the defence of Calcide his Lieutenaūt Plistarche with a numbre of his men and him selfe with the remnaunte went to the citie of Orope in B◠ote and by force tooke it and trucyng with the other Cities of the Countrey of Beoce left for his Lieutenaunt in Grece Eupoleme and returned into Macedone chieflie to stoppe the enimie for passing into Europe When Antigone was come to the passage of Propontide he sent his Ambassadoures towardes the Bizancians requiring their ayde in those warres who there found for the same matter the Ambassadoures of Lysimache requiring that they would not go against him nor Cassander By reason whereof the Bizancians fully determined to take neyther part When Antigone sée he failed of his purpose and that y e winter drew néere he deuided hys Souldiours into garrisons
and sent them abroad into the Countrey to winter In this meane time the Corcirians with the ayde of the Apollonians and Epidaurans expulsed Cassanders garrisons their cities and set at libertie the citie of Apollonie and restored Epydaure to the King of Illirie Ptolome also one of Antigone his Captaynes after Cassander was departed into Macedone tooke the citie of Calcide and after he had expulsed the garrison of the enimie he restored them to their pristinate estate to the end al men might thinke y e Antigone sans faile would restore the cities of Grece to libertie For if he had ment to kéepe retaine y e same citie it had ben a méete defence for such as would continue any warres to haue recourse vnto Ptolome likewise tooke the Citie of Orope and restored it to the Beotians and had Cassander Souldiours in his power After he made alliaunce with the Eretrians and Caristians and remoued his camp to the citie of Athenes Demetre Phalerey being then gouernour thereof But the Citizens vnderstanding of his comming first secretly sent Ambassadours towardes Antigone praying his ayde for the defence of their citie Whē Ptolome was approched the Citie they constrained Demetre to make a truce and after to send to Antigone to treat an alliaunce After the truce made taken he departed and came into Beote and there tooke the citie of Cadmea thrust oute the garrison of the enimie and deliuered the Thebanes Frō thence went he into the countrey of Phocide and there expulsed Cassanders garrisons the cities and after besieged the citie of Locres Cassanders confederate The same season the Cyrenians rebelled against Ptolome and besieged the castle which his Souldiours kept thinking out of hand to haue taken it It chaunced the same time certen Ambassadours to come out of Alexādrie in the name of the citie to praye and exhorte them to surcease and gyue ouer their enterprise and rebellion whiche Ambassadours they killed then made greater preparation to take the castle Wherewith Ptolome sore moued and agreeued sent by lande Agis a Captayne w e a mightie armie and by sea Epinete for his greater succoure Which Agis forcibly tooke the citie and sent the principall aucthours of the rebellion into Alexandrie and from the rest tooke their armour and weapon and taking order about the affaires of the citie returned into Egipt When Ptolome had thus reduced the Citie of Cirene to his minde he departed from Egipt and went into Cypres to subdue the kings which would not obey him Amongs which he slew Pigmalion bycause he had sent an Ambassade towardes Antigone to take Praxippes King of Lapithe and the tyraunt and Prince of Cyrene for that he mistrusted them w t Stasice Malie his sonne Whiche Citie he destroyed and transferred the inhabitaunts thereof into the citie of Paphe These things performed he left Nicocreon his Lieutenaunt in the Isle of Cipres and gaue to him the cities and reuenue of the Kings whome he had deposed and after sailed into the hier Syrie and there tooke the cities of Neptunie and Carie. From thence w e al spéede he departed into Cilice where likewise he tooke and forraged the citie of Male and solde the Citizens he tooke prisoners he wasted and spoyled also the next region And after he had enriched and furnished the whole armie with spoyle returned into Cypres for he so loued his Souldiours that he thought all he could do for them was to little to the ende they shoulde the willinglier serue him in all such high and great affaires as he hadde to do Amongs these entrefacts so soone as Demetre Antigone his sonne lying in Celosirie and nothing mynding the warres exploited in Egipt vnderstood the great spoile and domage whiche Ptolome had done in Cilice and the hier Sirie he left the charge of his armed men hys Elephantes and baggage to Python and him selfe with the horsse and shot departed with all spéede to the ayde of his friends in Cilice But when he came thyther he found the enimie quite dispatched and gone Wherefore by reason of his great haste he returned with the losse of many horsse for he had rydde from Maley thether in two dayes whiche was .xxiiij. reasonable dayes iourneys for men of warre to trauaill in so much that neyther Muleter nor horsse sclaue might follow him ¶ Ptolome and Seleuke come into Syrie against Demetre and in battaill vanquish him And after Ptolome conquereth the countrey of Phenice The .xxxix. Chapter WHen Ptolome had according to his harts desire woonne in shorte time so many victories and performed such notable exploictes he sailed into Egipt Howbeit not long after at the instigation of Seleuke and the rather bycause he maliced Antigone he determined a freshe to inuade Celosyrie and fight with Demetre Wherefore he assembled his armie and losed from Alexander to Peluse with .xviij. thousand footemen and .iiij. thousand horsse the one halfe Macedonians the other Mercenaries He had besides of the Countrey of Egipt a great numbre of men as victuallers and suche like and some armed men méete for the warres From Peluse daylie trauelled he through the desertes vntill he came about the old citie of Gaze in Syrie there encāped néere the enimie When Demetre vnderstood of his comming he likewise assembled and mustered his garrisons and brought them into the said old Gaze attending the violence of the enimie And although his Gouernours and friendes coūsailed him not to hazard battaill against so valiaunt a chieftayne mightie an armie yet would not he by their counsayls be stayed but made him readie to fight hoping notwithstanding hys yong yeares and absence of his father to winne honour and victorie And after he hadde assembled hys armie and by hys oration verie stoutlie exhorted them to warre perseuering and still abyding in the assemble pensiue and in great trouble of mynd the multitude with one voyce showted and cried vnto him to hope well and feare nothing And such was their honor reuerence towardes him y t before he could commaund them to silence they held their peace vppon this onely occasion for that he neyther in factes martial or cyuill hadde offended them in so much as he was but newly made chieftayne the first time that the charge of an armie had ben committed vnto him but it cōmonly chaunceth otherwise to them which long haue hadde such rule and leading bycause they sundrie wayes and by diuerse meanes gréeue their mē of warre and Souldiours And therefore when they once gette occasion to trippe and take their Captaynes in any one faulte they forthwith séeke reuenge of y e rest of the iniuries against them committed for the multitude loue not long to perseuer and continue in one estate but always desire and are glad of chaunge so it excéede not The men of warre besides séeing his father well stryken in yeares and the likelyhood of the succession of the Realme lyneallie to descend
certen victories which the Romaines haue vppon the Tyrrhenians and Samnites And of certen Innouations by Appie Claudie the Romaine Censor made in contempt and defacing of the Senate and nobles in fauoure of the communaltie The .v. Chapter ABout the same time the Tyrrhenians besieging the Citie of Souttre a colonie of the Romaines were in vattaill by the Romaine Consuls vanquished chased home into their campe whiche Romaines came thyther with great power of purpose to rayse their siege On the other side the Samnites séeing the Romaine armies farre from their countrey burnt wasted and pilled the landes and countrey of the Iapides confederats with the Romaines By reason whereof the Consuls were enforced to deuide their armie leauing Fabie in Toscane and sent Martie against the Samnites who tooke by force the citie of Aliphe and deliuered the Allies of the Romaine people from the necessitie and daunger they were in Agayne Fabie séeing that a great number of the Tyrrhenians were assembled to besiege the Citie of Souttre secretly departed from that quarter and passing throughe the territorie of their neighbours before they were espied entred the hie countrey whiche of long had bene vnpilled and vnrobbed of any enemie and spoyled and fouraged it all ouer and slew numbres of the paysaunts that resisted hym and tooke many prisoners Whiche done he went against Perouse and finding the Tyrrhenians there assembled in battaill discomfited them and slew a great numbre wherwith they were maruelously amazed for the Romaines had neuer ben so beforehand as Fabie was thē Who after that victorie trused with the Aretians Crotonians and Perousians and shortly after tooke by force the citie of the Tyrrhenians named Castolle by meane whereof they were enforced to raise their siege from before the citie of Souttre In this season Appie Claudie and Lucie Claudie were by the Romaines elect and named Censores And the said Appie being throughe flatterie of his companion in all doings followed chaunged and altered many of the ancient customes of the citie for he to please the communaltie had no regard to content the Senate And firste he caused a pipe of lead to be brought into the Citie by conductes foure score furlongs long to the great coste and charge of the common treasure withoute making the Senate any thing priuie thereto and called it after his owne name Appie He likewise caused the wayes and straights from Rome to Capue being a thousand furlongs distaunt betwene to be paued and called them Appie he playned and leuelled also all the rockes and mountaynes and filled vp all the ditches and vallies w t earth and rubushe so that he had about those works employed bestowed almost the whole reuenue of y e Citie to haue his name ymmortall for his liberalitie and munificence towardes the weale publicke besides great nouelties and chaunges in the Senate by him made For where in times past were none but of the noblest houses and greatest wealth admitted to the dignitie of a Senator he put in many sclaues borne wherewith the nobles and gentlemen were greatly offended He likewise graunted to euery of the Citizens to enrolle writte him selfe in what tribe he would and in the same paye his rente Moreouer when he perceyued the nobles wholie moued and bent against him he woulde do nothing that in any wise should seeme to please or content them nor do any thing according to their intention and desire that by any meane might displease the meane sorte of the communaltie making in this sorte hys parte good against the nobles through the good willes of the commons So that when it came to the musters of the horssemen he woulde not once reiect any horsse of theirs and in vewing the Senate would not put backe one of the infamed according to the auncient custome therein always before obserued and kepte By reason whereof the Senates to despite him when they assembled the Senate would not once cal to counsail the Senators by him appointed but onely those whiche before had ben by the others Censors nominated and chosen Howbeit the communaltie thinking to please Appie to vpholde and mainteyne that whiche he had done and also desiring that the promotion of their kinsfolkes and friends by him pronounced Senators might take effect chose to the chief and principall office of Edilite Gne Flauie sonne to a bondman whiche thing in Rome was neuer before seene When all these things were finished and done and that the ende and terme of Appie was cōsumed and determined to auoyde the malice and displeasure of the nobles cōceyued against him he feigned and countrefaited blindnesse and neuer after remoued out of his owne house ¶ After Ptolome Prince of Egipt hath restored one parte of the Cities of Grece to libertie he for despite and in recompence of their breach of promisse with him concludeth a peace with Cassander And Cleopatre sister to Alexander the great comming on hir waye towardes hym is by the commaundement of Antigone miserablie slayne The .vj. Chapter THe yeare that Carine helde the principalitie of Athens and at Rome were created Cōsuls Publie Decie and Quite Fabie◠and in the Olympiade the Cxxvij Ptolome Prince of Egipt went to Sea with a great armie from Mynde and sayling alongest the Isles of Grece deliuered first Andrie from the subiection of Antigone◠and expulsed his garrisons From thence he sayled to the straight of Peloponnese called Isthmus and there tooke the cities of Sycione Corynth and Cratesipole and restored them to libertie fully de◠ermined to do the lyke to the rest of the cities in Grece thinking thereby to get great good will and fauoure and so to fortifie and make strong his estate But after he sée that the Peloponnesians would not with victuals and money ayde him according to their promisse he for despite and anger allied and cōcluded a peace with Cassander wherein was declared agreed on that euery of them should gouerne the Cities and Prouinces alreadie in their possessions And vppon that conclusion after he had garrisonned Sycione and Corinth he returned into Egipt In the meane while Cleopatre séeing the enimitie dayly betwene hir and Antigone encrease determined to ioyne with Ptolome and so departed from the Citie of Sardis meaning to séeke hym out It is to be vnderstood that Cleopatre was sister to Alexander the great and sometime wife to Alexander late King of Epyre deceased whiche warred in Italie whome for the noblenesse of hir ligne and stemme Cassander Lysimache Antigone Ptolome and in effect all the puissaunt and renowmed Princes Chieftaynes which remained after Alexander the great greatly desired to wife thinking that the Macedonians would soone obey and follow him who shoulde marry hir by reason of the affinitie he should haue in the bloud Royall and be held for chief and soueraigne ouer the rest But the deputie of the Citie of Sardes for Antigone hauing from hym expresse charge and cōmaundement to take
and the other two escaped After this assaulte Demetre made an other engine of battery thrice so great as the firste but as he was sayling towards the Port there arose such a wind that the shippes and engine were all drowned When the Rhodians see such opportunitie they salied out of the Towne and assailed the Bulwarke aboute the Porte which a while was manfully defended But when they sée their ayde taken and cut of from them by reason of the tempest and the Rhodians continually relieued with fresh men so oppresse them y t they were forced to yeld being within aboue foure hundred Souldiours After this victorie great ayde arriued at the citie to saye from Gnose Cl. men and out of Egipt from Ptolome more than v. hundred amongs whome were some Rhodians which serued and had entertaynement of Ptolome In this sort was the siege of Rhodes ¶ Of two victories by the Romaines had vppon the Samnites The .xij. Chapter IN this season the Romaines wanne victorie against the Palinians and expulsed them their lande and bestowed the Citie on such as fauoured them tooke their parte But after the Consuls vnderstood that the Samnites kept the territorie and countrey of Phaleritide and it wasted and spoyled they made out and vanquished them in battaill in which they wanne aboue .xx. ensignes and tooke aboue two thousand prisoners After the Consuls hadde taken by assault the Citie of Vole Gellie Gaye Chieftayn of the Samnites came against them with sixe thousande Souldiours whome the Consuls likewise vanquished tooke him prisoner slew the one halfe of his men tooke the rest prisoners By meane of which victories the Cōsuls recouered their townes and cities confederates to saye Sore Arpine and Saronie ¶ Demetre at many assaultes by the Rhodians repulsed concluded a peace And departing thence restoreth to libertie many Cities of Grece Of the death of King Eumele of Bosphore and the raigne of Spartace his sonne The .xiij. Chapter THe yeare ensuing that Pherocles was Prince of Athens and Publie Sempronie and Publie Sulpitie were at Rome created Consuls And that Andromenes wanne the prize in the course at Eley the Cxix of the Olympiade Demetre besieging the Rhodes both by sea and land and seeing al he did at sea auailed him nothing determined with all hys power wholy to besiege it by land Whereupon amongs other artillarie for battery he buylt the engine Helepolis before mencioned and of suche hugenesse that the like before had neuer ben séene The foūdation thereof was foure square eche waye L. cubits long made of great square pieces of timber armed and bound with yron in the middest were great beames layed ouer a cubit betwene eche to set in men which shoulde thrust and runne the engine against a wall It ran vpon .viij. great and massiue wheles whose axeltrées were two cubits about armed with mightie yron cloutes and to turne it about were fine and subtil engines made to remoue it whether they woulde or listed At the foure corners were foure great pillers of wood armed and bound with yron eche of them an hundred cubits hie so leaning and bending one to an other that the whole building hauing in it .ix. stories or sellers the lowermost had .lx. beddes and the vppermost but .ix. And for defence of the engine against fire and other shot it was before and on both the sides armed w t thicke yron plates nailed to with great yron nayles In the front of the stories were windowes out of which they might lay out and shotte any kinde of artillary y ◠was within To euery window was a couer which opened and shut by cunning and arte as occasion serued for suertie of the enginers made of cowe hides farsed with wolle to breake the blow and dint of shot In euery storie also were two broad ladders the one to go vp on for carrying of such things as were néedeful and the other to come downe on to the ende one should not hinder and let another When the engine was throughlie finished they chose out thrée thousand and foure hundred of the mightiest and strongest mē in the armie to moue and dryue it whereof some were thrust in and the rest stood withoute at the bréeche with cables other things made for the purpose meete to runne it forward He also built Tortoises and couers to defend the other engines of artillary as rammes and such like He forced and cast a trenche also couered ouer wherein men might go and come in safetie from the place where the engines stood to the place they should be brought He made hys Marryners and Gallie sclaues likewise to smoothe and playne the ground where the engines should be drawē brought on being about foure furlongs broad whiche is halfe a myle Englishe ouer against whiche place of ground in the wal of the Towne stood .vij. great towers or Bulwarks and sixe little Turrets against which he planted his engines And althoughe the workemanship was maruelous and suche that in long tyme it was thought impossible to finish and end yet had he quickly atchieued and brought it to passe by reason of the great store of workemen he had of all sortes being .xxx. thousand or more all which things in the sight of the Citizens were very terrible For besides y e great multitude of engines and numbre of men which they sée they considered the diligence and violence of Demetre and his industrie in the making of engines of battery being of him selfe able to deuise more than the Masters of the mistery and occupacion had eyther wyt or skill to finde oute By reason whereof they named him Poliorcete which is in the Greke tong a besieger and ouerthrower of cities He was amongs all in that reputation and thought to be such a one that there was not so strong a wall in the world able to stand against him and his engines He was of personage and stature tall and thereto well proporcioned made so that he séemed a stout and noble Champion he had besides so good a grace so gentle and curteous enterteynement that all straungers which came where he was séeing his comlinesse of body his grace maiestie and royall attire did thereat much maruell and would followe hym for the pleasure they had to behold him Besides hys comely stature gesture beautie he was of that magnanimitie haultie courage that as he made little estimate of the meaner sorte of people euen so also made he small accompte of the Princes of warre Potentates In tyme of peace his propertie was to be very familiar with his Souldiours to banquet them ofte and many times play with them which bred him great fauoure and loue To be short he forced to follow in all pointes the manners and cōditions of Dionise accordingly as is of him written in the warres he was so ware and painful y t there was not one within hys campe who lesse rested in
chaunce and aduersitie might happē Howbeit he was therein greatly deceyued for so soone as he was thyther come arriuing aboute the Cyclades there came messangers to them from the Athenians whiche brought him such newes as he neuer thought on or looked for signifying to him that the Athenians had concluded and determined not to receyue any King into their Citie praying him therefore to refrayne and staye hys comming thyther Neuerthelesse that they would send him his wife in suche honorable estate as became them to do and as to the wife of so honorable and Noble a Prince apperteyned With whiche Ambassade Demetre was so angry agréeued that a litle thing would haue made him lost all the hope of his estate and almost desperate For although what with the losse of his Father armie and realme he see him reduced and brought from so great felicitie almost to extreme miserie and beggerie yet considering the power and nature of Fortune to whome al men are subiect he paciently endured and abyd all his misfortunes and infelicities But séeing him so frustrate of his hope deceyued and mocked of the Athenians he was thereat so agréeued and despited that he could by no meane beare it Whereupon by example may be learned and by experience knowen that the hyghe and mightie Princes which thinke bicause of the great honor and seruice that the people do them that therefore they singularly loue them and that that is a great establishemēt and suertie of their estate are therin maruelously deceyued And although of their owne accord for some good will they beare to Princes they oftentimes do them these honoures yet many tymes it is for feare for we dayly sée that they will do as great honour and make as humble reuerence to them whom they hate as to those they honour and loue Wherefore all sage Princes and Gouernours of common weales do not care or force to be so much honoured of the common people by Decrées by setting vp their statues or images by orations and other like means as to do such things as are worthie and deserue such honours Notwithstanding his angre and despite against the Athenians séeing yet no way of reuenge he dissimuled the matter hoping one daye to haue a more conuenient tyme season Neyther gaue he the Ambassadoures any euill or discurteous language nor yet made semblant as though he were discontented but required them one thing to send him his shippes lying in the Porte of Pyrey amongs which was one of .xiij. tier of ores on a side which they speedely did And so soone as he had them he sailed in all haste to the straight of Peloponnese called Isthmus being there arriued newes were brought hym out of al quarters that his case daily empaired and that his garrisons euery where were expulsed his townes without resistaunce rendred to the enimie Where upon he was in maruelous doubt what to do Notwithstanding considering that he left Pyrrhe in Grece he went w t his whole armie into Cheronesse to inuade Lysimache his countrey and in short time his strength and power so encreased that he had an able armie whereat the other Kings were nothing agréeued bycause they all maliced Lysimache his pride and enuied his puissaunce But shortly after happened Demetre a better aduenture For Seleuke séeing that Lysimache had had in marriage two of Ptolome his daughters one for him selfe an other for Agathocles his sōne he likewise determined by alliaunce with the other Kings to establishe and fortifie his realme as much as he could Whereupon he sent to Demetre demaunding in marriage his daughter Stratonice whiche sodaine aduenture Demetre right well knew how to accept and thereuppon incontinent with his whole Nauie sailed into Syrie brought his daughter to Seleuke But coasting alongest the shoare straight vppon the Countrey of Cilice hys Souldiours went on lande and robbed and spoyled the countrey Wherupon Pisistrate brother to Cassander whiche Cassander had had the same Countrey by particion made at the spoyle of Antigone was verie sore displeased Wherefore he incontinent went towardes Seleuke and made to him hys complainte and farther declared that he did euill to seperate him selfe from the other Kings who had altogyther made alliaunce with him against the said Antigone But when Demetre vnderstood that Pisistrate was gone he set on land the greater numbre of his Souldiours in the said Countrey and ageyne robbed and spoyled the same and in the ende made the paysaunts compound w t him for .xij. hundred Talents which they payed on the nayle and thereupon he ageyue enbarqued his Souldiours and kept his course directly towardes Syrie And one euening going on land with his wife Phile he found Seleuke come thyther before where at their firste méeting without countenaunce of mistrust the one of the other was made great chéere But firste Seleuke feasted Demetre in his Pauilion on lande and after Demetre feasted him in a Gallie of .xiij. tier of ores and all that daye they had great talke and long conference togyther without armour or watche one to another but altogyther good chéere and confidence amongs them and their Souldiours Finallie when Seleuke had espoused Stratonice he brought hir away and with his whole furniture departed thence towardes his Sonne Antioche Demetre likewise returned into Cilice and after his arriuall he incontinent sent Phile his wife towardes Cassander hir brother to excuse him of the incursions robberies by him in the said Coūtrey committed and done In the meane season arriued out of Grece Deidame before Demetre who within fewe dayes after fell into a disease whereof she died Shortly after whose death Demetre seeking new alliaunce a marriage by Seleuke his meane was concluded betwene Demetre and Ptolomaide daughter to King Ptolome wherein Seleuke dealt very gentlie and curteously towards Demetre But not long after he played him as vngentle a parte and ill agréeing to the affinitie with him newly contracted For notwithstanding Demetre his large and great offer of money to Seleuke he not only refused to render the coūtrey of Cilice but also denied him two Cities Tyre and Sydone whiche in Seleuke was a great discurtesie and therefore reputed of great pusillanimitie that he being Lord and King of all the lande and countreys betwene the Indian Sea vnto the Syrian shoare did more estéeme two trifling cities of no ◠alue than the amitie and parentage of one so noble and valiaunt a King And although he had married his daughter séeing him by Fortune persecuted euen to the hard hedge did not only refuse to ayde him but in refusing to giue him the domicile of two small Cities secretly expulsed him all hys landes and dominions And trulie this pusillanimitie doth the sayings of Plato well proue in this I counsaill him that woulde be riche sayeth Plato not to studie and deuise to gather togyther great store of treasure but that he refraine his couetous desire For he shall
published aunswered that he would cōclude no peace with the Athenians vnelesse they wold wholie submit them to his discretion and gouernement alleaging that what time they besieged him within the Citie of Lamie they woulde make none other answere to his Ambassadoures When y e Athenians sée none other boote that they were no longer able to resist they remitted the whole gouernement of the Citie to his pleasure Who being of such moderation of mind redeliuered to them their Citie and landes with all their goods and cattels Howbeit he altered and chaunged the gouernement of the Citie Declaring that where before the rule and estate of the Citie was common he therefore now decréed and ordayned that none should be admitted to anie office or dignitie within the Citie except suche as were of good reuenue and liuing that might at least dispend two thousand Drachmes by yeare they to haue all the aucthoritie gouernement and ordering of the same And that the rest whose lands did not amount to the clere yerely value aforesaid as persones seditious and desirous of tumultes and warres were clerely excluded from authorite and gouernement Neuerthelesse they that were contented to dwell elsewhere he gaue them the conntrey of Thrace for their habitation and reliefe of whiche sorte were aboue xx thousand which went to dwel al in Thrace And there remained in the Citie of auncient and landed Burgesses about ix thousand or néere thereabout who gouerned the same and territories therof after the Lawes of Solon without taking away frō Perseus any of the goodes which he possessed And for their better quietnesse and refuge Antipater least behinde vnder the the charge of Menille a garrison of men of warre for the repressing of such as would go about to commence or reuiue anie innouatiō or mutation And for as Samy he least it to the willes and discretions of the Kings Thus the Athenians being gently handled and well entreated farre beyond their expectation minded vpon that cōclusion to liue in rest and peace and to vse their trauaill without feare by meane wherof in shorte time they grew to great wealth After Antipater had atchieued and obtained these victories he retourned with Cratere into Macedone whome he perfectly loued and greatly honoured bestowing on him large and honorable gifts giuing him also in mariage hys eldest daughter Phile a yong a Damsel of excellēt fauoure and beautie making farther great preparation for his retourne into Asie Moreouer he used such great humanite and curtesie towards all the Cities of Grèce and reduced them to ciuility and politique gouernement that he acquired great prayse and renowme Perdicas lykewyse rendred to the Samians their Citie and Countrey and called home all the citisens which had ben in exile xl yeares and more ¶ Of the explotys done by Thimbron and Ptolome in the warres of Cyrene The ninth Chapter NOwe since we haue spoken of all the factes of warres done in the Lamian warre it behoueth vs out of hand to make mencion of the warres which the Macedonians had against Cyrene and to gyue it this meane space to the end we deferre not those gests so long from the time in whiche they were done but to make the matter more clere and manifest we must beginne somewhat farther of What time Harpale fled out of Asie into Crete with a certen numbre of souldiers as in the booke before we haue mencioned Thimbron who by outward apparaunce séemed his friend traiterously slew him and seising on all his money men and shippes sailed with all the said souldiers and riches into the countrey of Cyrene and by the meane of the aide and conduct of the exiles of the same Citie he gaue battaill to the Citisens gouernours and vanquished them wherof he slewe many and tooke a numbre of prisoners and so wanne the Port or hauen whereupon he put the Citisens in such terror and feare that he draue them to come to a composition wherein they agréed that he should haue v. hundred Talents of siluer and the one half of his Charriots and Charrets that he woulde occupie in his warres This agréement concluded on he immediatly sent his Ambassadours to the rest of the cities néere hand demaunding their ayde for the subduing of the Region of Lybye thereto adioyning He farther willed his Souldiers to spoile and but in all the goods which they founde in the shippes within the said Port the rather to enbolden them to enduer the warres And albeit fortune highly fauoured the said Thymbron that he became rich proude yet not long after she brought him agayne into as great miserie by this occasion for one of his Captaines named Mnasicles borne in Crete a man expert in martial factes chalenged him and said he had done yll bycause he made no egall diuision of the but in And being a valiaunt and stout man and of nature mutinous reuolted tooke parte with the Cyrenians greatly blaming and discommending the crueltie and disloyatie of Thymbron dissuading them to breake promisse with him and to set thē selues at their owne choise and libertie But when Thymbron sée that they had not as yet payd but lx Talents and that frō daye to day they delayed the payment of the rest he held the agréement and composition on their parte infringed brokē wherfore he tooke so many Citisens as were within the Port prisoners to the nūbre of foure score That done with al his force he besieged the Citie and preuayling nothing retired into the hauen In this while the Barcians Hesperits toke part with Thymbron wherfore the Cyrenians purposing some facte least one part of the Souldiers within the Towne and with the other parte salied out and ranne vpō the Barcian and Hesperite camp who were forced to send to Thymbron for ayde whether he came with all his power which when Mnassicles sée and perceyuing he had leaft the Hauen vnfurnished persuaded the Cirenians in the Towne to assaye to winne the hauen whereupon they immediatly issued out and with great ease wanne it bycause there were few or none leaft to defend the same all whiche was exploited and done by the meane and conduct of Mnasicles who straightwayes redeliuered to the merchaunts of the towne so muche of their goods as might be found and after furnished the Porte with a garrison of valiaunt men of warre When Thymbron vnderstood that the Port so méete a place for the anoying of y e enimy was lost al the bagage of his mē of warre he was thereat greatly abashed Howbeit he tooke to him a martiall courage went to the siege of an other Citie called Thacire which he wanne wherfore he waxed right glad and bolde Neuerthelesse not long after happened him other great misaduentures For first his Souldiers which were a bord hauing lost the Hauen therby cut of from victuals at land were constrayned to make out certeyn bandes to fourage the fields and Countrey for prouision of victuals whome
Souldioures with verie great plentie of shotte or slings who stoutly fought with them which manned the walles toures bulwarkes He vndermined likewise thrée of their toures and one parte of the curte◠and after gaue fire to the mynes and ouerthrew them When the Macedonians see the ouerthrowe of them they made a great outcrie wherat the townesmen were maruellously dismayed to see their curten layde on grounde Neuerthelesse when they see the Macedonian◠force to enter the breache of the toures and walles they deuided themselues into two bands wherof one band stode to the defence and through the aduaunting and difficultie of the passages where the enimie wold haue entred they valiātly repulsed them The other band made new rampiers and bulwarks more within the towne so that bisides the wall or curten which was ouerthrown they did make an other curten and trenche a good distaunce from the first workyng day and night vntill they had ended and finished it furnishing the same wyth shotte and engines of artillerie wherwith they sore hurt and galled the enimie vpon the toures of woode so that on eche side were many hurte and slayne vntill nyght approched and then Polyspercon cau◠ed to sounde the retraite and retired into his campe The next day in the morning he gaue a freshe assault and wanne the breache◠commaundyng hys Pyoners to cast abroade the rubbishe and greate stones whyche lay on heapes into the dytches and trenches for smoothing and playnyng the grounde that hys Elephauntes myght come neere bycause then they woulde greately helpe to winne and take the towne But the Megalopolitains through the wisedome and conducte of Damides who had long serued with Alexander in Asie knewe the nature of Elephantes founde an excellent remedie against them and through his policie and trauail made those monstrous and terrible beasts vnprofitable and able to do nothing in maner as foloweth First he caused many doores and gates to be made thrust them full of great pinnes and layde them within the little shallowe ditches wyth the poyntes of the pynnes vpwarde and couered them with mouldes of earth and suche lyght stuffe that they mighte not bée seene and when the enimie came to assaile to place on euery syde a strong companie of shot of all sortes and none before so y e Polyspercon séeing none to resist at the front of the entrie brought on hys Elephantes through the breache into the towne But as soone as they came to the place where the ditches were they by reason of their heauinesse so hurt their féete that they could neither go forwarde nor backwarde chiefly bicause of the violence of the shotte whiche came so thicke agaynste them on the side that the greater parte of the Ind◠ans their leaders were sore hurt or slaine not able to gouerne them and the beastes f◠lyng them selues hurte returned in great disorder against theyr owne people and maruellously hurt them and in the end the mightiest and fiercest fell downe deade and the rest able to doe no good ouerthrewe theyr owne companie When the Megalopolitanes sée that they hadde thus repulsed the enimie they were delyuered from al feare and waxed very proude After Clyte hath ouerthrowne at sea Cassander he is through the wisedome of Antigone soone after discomfited and finally slaine in his flight The .xxx. Chapter AFter this repulse Polyspercon repented hym that he had besieged the Citie before it was néedefull And bicause he would lose no time he left one part of his armie at the siege and with the rest he intended some greater and more necessarie exploites Wherfore he sente Clyte Admirall wyth hys whole Armie into Hellespont to stoppe his enimies for passing oute of Asie into Europe commaunding him to call vppon Aride to accompanie him abyding with hys armie in the Citie of Cyane for feare of Antigone his enimie When Clyte had sayled and was come to the passage of Hellespont and had taken in Aride and hys menne of warre and wonne to be his confederates the Cities of Proponetie Nicanor capitaine of Munychie was sent by Cassander with all the shippes there with a certaine companie of other Souldiers whych Antigone had also sente to the numbre of one hundreth and encountred Clyte about Bizance So he gaue him battaile but Clyte wonne the victorie in which he soonke .xvij. sayle of Nicanors and prized fortie and the men within them The rest packt on sayles and fledde into the porte of Calcedone After whyche ouerthrowe Clyte thought that hys ennimies durst no more encounter him at sea by reason of theyr greate losse Notwithstandyng Antigone aduertized of the sayde conflict shortly after thorough his wisedome and diligence amended and requited the same For be founde a meane to gette from the Bizances a certaine numbre of small ships which he furnyshed and charged with stoare of shotte and nimble and quicke footemen and sent them into Enrope who being landed before the daunyng of the day gaue the alarme to Clyte and hys Souldiers encamped on the lande whome they so disordered that they retired to theyr shyppes out of aray leauyng the greater parte of theyr baggage behynde them and many that did tarrie for the sauyng thereof were slaine or taken prisoners In the meane while Antigone furnished hys greatest shyppes wyth his best and most trained Souldiers and also a greate numbre of Maryners declaryng vnto them that if they would lustyly assayle and boorde the ennimie he would warrante them bothe great honoure and also victorie In pursuing which commaundement Nicanor departed that night and sped him with such diligence that about the day breake he wyth suche deuoire assayled and boorded the enimie that findyng them at his arriuall oute of order he put them to flight In whiche flight some of the ennimies shippes were sore shaken and broosed and the reste wholly rendred and became subiecte to Nicanor excepte the Admirall in whyche Clyte escaped Neuerthelesse after he was sette on lande and hoped safely to passe thorough the countrey of Thrace into Macedone he was by certayne of Lysimache his Souldiers encountred on the way and slaine ¶ Eumenes vnderstanding that Antigone is commyng against him departeth out of the countrey of Cilice And when he hath by his wysedome and industrie escaped in the way the handes and ambushes of Seleuke he commeth into Perse. The .xxxj. Chapter FOr this noble and honorable victorie Antigone was greatly esteemed wan thereby much glory reputation therfore fully minded to be lord of the seas and emperor of Asie wherfore he chose out of his whole armie .2000 footmen .4000 horse with whō he spéedily marched into Cilice against Eumenes thinking to ouerthrow him before such time as he might assemble a greter army But Eumenes being aduertised of his commyng albeit he was willing to recouer in the name of the Kings the Countrey of Phenicie whiche Ptolome vniustly enioyed séeing that the time then serued not and especially bicause he
And for that euerie man was gladde to saue him selfe they made such spéede to their shippes to haue repassed that with an ouercharge the greater numbre sonke and the rest which thought to be saued assayed to swimme but few or none escaped drowning by reason of the violence and swiftnesse of the Riuer And they whiche thought better to render to the mercie of the enimie than to be drenched in the water were taken prisoners being aboue foure thousand And although Antigone see before his eyes so great an ouerthrow of his Souldiers yet could he by no meane remedie it by reason of the want of shippes Wherefore considering it was impossible to passe he returned went to the Citie of Bedace standing vpon the Riuer Eule But bycause it was in the middest of Sommer and the Countrey maruellous hoate he lost in traueling many of his Souldiers wherefore the rest of the Souldiers were almost in despaire but after that they had reposed them selues and soiourned in the same Citie a certaine time they were well refreshed and tooke then better harte ¶ Of Antigone his comming with his armie into the countrey of Mede and the daungers and harde passage he hath vpon the way The .ix. Chapter WHen Antigone had certain dayes in the Citie of Bedace well refreshed his armie he determined to marche therewith into the Region of Ecbathane in the countrey of Mede hoping thereby to conquer the hie Countreis And although there were two wayes to passe into Mede yet was it a hard matter for him without interruption and let to get through any of both For the way by the mannured lande was fayre excellent but very hoat and little lesse than .xl. dayes iourney But the other leading through the Countrey of the Eosians was very short and close howbeit colde sharpe straight hilly and barren and the enimies coūtrey so that it had ben very difficult without the good wils of the paysaunts to passe an army being a people which time out of mind had alwayes lyued at libertie dwelling in ca◠es liuing with acornes mushrubbes and the fleshe of sauage and wilde beastes poudered Neuerthelesse Antigone hauing so mightie an armie thought it ouer great a shame to pray and require suche paysauntlie slaues of passage recourse Wherefore determining to take that waye he chose out of the whole army the targe carriers archers all other shot and light armed men which were the lustiest fellowes and most aduenterours and deuided them into two bands whereof the charge of the one he gaue Nearche commaunding him to march before and to winne the most méete and conuenient passages And the other bande he deuided and set al alongs the way in diuerse places as occasion serued Then him selfe marched on with the phalange or battail of footemen and cōmitted the rereward to Python But the first which were sent out after they had won certain trifling passages to no purpose not the passages most necessarie the paysaunts at hande so stoutly charged them that they slew a great number and the rest very hardly escaped And Antigone comming on with his battail of footmen thinking to win the straightes was in great daunger which by no meanes could be remedyed For the paysants knowing the ways and straightes of the passages had preuented them and from the tops of the rocks cast and tumbled downe agaynst the souldiers as they marched huge and mighty stones They had also great strength of bowes wherwith they hurt and galled the enimie bicause they coulde neyther defende nor yet eschue the dinte of the shotte by reason of the hardnesse of the way which was stiepe and almost inaccessible so that the Elephants horsemen and the armed footemen coulde no waye succoure them for that that they were in as greate daunger or more than the rest Then acknowleged he his fault and repented him that he had not beléeued and followed the aduise counsel of Python other his friendes for buying of the passage Notwithstanding in the ende he so valiantly and wisely bare hym selfe that he had wythin nyne dayes with great losse maruelous daunger and sore trauaile of his souldiers gotten the countrey habitable of Mede Wherfore they were so mutinous that euery man cōplained cried out and spake very euill words of hym And to saye the truthe for the space of .xliij. dayes they had abidden many maruellous aduentures and suffered intollerable mischeues Howbeit he with swéete words and stoare of victuals appeased their mutinie and well refreshed them and after commaunded Python to trauaile through the whole countrey of Mede there to leuie so many horsmen horses as he coulde get Whiche commaundement he diligently executed and in shorte time bicause the region was well furnished with horse and other bestiall he brought .ij. thousande lusty horsemen and very neere a thousande spare horsse well appointed for the warres And of al other kinde of cattel as Mares and such like bearing beasts so many as suffised the whole armie and bisides broughte .v. hundred talents of the tresure royall on the emptie horses Then remounted Antigone all those which had loste their horses and amongs the reste diuided the other bestiall Which liberall dealing brought him againe in fauoure with his men of warre ¶ Eumenes to please his Satrapes with the whole armie marcheth into the countrey of Perse and by his wisedome and policie putteth Penceste who affected the gouernment and armie in great fear and after reconcileth the sayd Penceste and assureth him selfe of all the other Satrapes and Captaines The .ix. Chapter AFter Eumenes the Satrapes with him vnderstode of Antigone his commyng into Alcide they called many counsells and were of diuers opinions For Eumenes and Antigene captaine of the Argiraspides and all the rest whiche came out of the lowe countrey dyd thinke it méetest and moste for their safetie to go towardes the sea from whence they came But the Satrapes of the hye countreys hauing special regard to their owne particular case sayd that the best were to march into the higher regions When the dissention thus encreased and waxed hoter Eumenes foreséeing that if the armie should be deuided and dispersed either part then should be to weake to encounter the enimie condescended to the Satrapes of the high cuntreys Wherupon they remoued their Campe from the Ryuer of Pasitigre and marched on to Persepolis the honourablest citie of Perse being about .xxviij. dayes iorney a countrey very hilly the one way lying beneath the mountaines very hotte and barrein of all kindes of victuals and the other a hie countrey very holsome and a good aire ful of al kindes of pleasant fruites It was also ful of valeys close and shodowy and gardens aboūding with all sorts of trées and frutes great store of fountaines likewise running with cléere waters makyng the countrey maruellous pleasaunt and delectable whiche caused the passengers to desire to rest and soiorne there Moreouer there wer many faire
the armie distaunt frō the place where Antigone laye by the maineured lande xxv iorneys but through the desertes where is neither victuals nor water .ix. or thereabouts In this sorte lodged Eumenes and Antigone their armies to winter exercisyng and refreshyng their Souldiours one farre inough from an other ¶ Cassander vnderstanding of that Queene Olympias had done with his armie commeth into Macedone and besiegeth the said Olimpias within the citie of Pidue where the Queene in short time is cleane voide of hope of all succours she loketh for The .xiij. Chapter IN the meane time that Antigone and Eumenes warred in Asie as aforesaid Cassander who besieged the Citie of Tege in the Countrey of Peloponese in Europe vnderstanding of Olympias comming into Macedone and the death of Euridice and Phillip hir husband and of the defacing the tombe of Iolas his brother concluded with the Tegeans a peace and with his armie marched towardes Macedone whereby he leaft his friendes and allies in great perplexitie For Alexander Polispercon his sonne hauing a great armie alwayes had an eye to the Cities of Peloponese And the Etholians minding to gratify Quéene Olympias and Polispercon toke and furnished the passage of the piles by whiche Cassander should passe wherefore he was forced to leaue that passage and to get together a number of Passengers out of the countrey of Eube and Locres in which he put ouer his armie into Thessalie where he was aduertised that Polispercon besieged the Citie of Perrhebie So he sent Calas one of his Captaynes with parte of his armie to maintaine the warres against Polispercon and Dynias an other of his Captaynes to win the passages of Macedon which he diligently exploited and wanne before the Souldiers of Olympias whome she had for that purpose thether sent were come But after she vnderstood that Cassander with a power royall was approched Macedone she constituted Aristone Generall to fight against him and hir self accompanied with the yong sonne of Alexander Roxanne his mother Thessalonique the daughter of Philip and sister to the saide Alexander Deidamie the daughter of Eacle King of Epire sister to Pyrrhe who after warred on the Romaines the daughters of Attale and many other of the principall Ladies of the countrey w t a great number of their kinsfolkes and friends retired into the Citie of Pidue the more parte of which people were vnméete for the warres and the towne vnprouided of victuals to maintaine the siege long And notwithstanding that she see she was in some daunger yet determined she to tarry there trusting that the greater parte of the Grekes and Macedonians wold come ayde hir She had aboute hir a certain numbre of footemen and horse whiche accustomably were restaūt in the court besides a fewe Elephants which Polispercon had least in the Countrey For Cassander at his first entry into the countrey had taken the greater number and after he had passed the straights of Perrheby he came and besieged the Citie of Pidue and with a trench enclosed it from the one side of the sea to the other For it stood in a gulfe of the Sea on eche side enuironed with water except the entrie wherein he made a crosse trench sent to them whiche would be his friends and allies for ships artillary and all other hablements of warre to besiege the same by sea and land And when he vnderstood that Eacke King of Epyre was with a great army comming to ayde Olympias his sister he sent Attarye with one parte of hys army out against him who made suche spéede that he wan and kept the straight passages betwene the countrey of Epyre and Macedone so that he put Eacle from his enterprise by which meane and also for that the greater parte of his subiects which with euill wil came against the Macedonians made in his camp such a muteny that he was fayne notwithstanding his meaning to succoure his sister to sende backe all those whome he sée euill willing and with the rest which determined the aduenture with him continued his iourney howbeit he was very weakely accompanied and whiche was worse they that forsooke him after their returne home brought all the rest of the people of the countrey into such a mutenie that by a common and publique decrée they bannished their King Eacke and allied with Cassander which thing in the countrey of Epyre was neuer séene since Neoptoleme the sonne of Achilles first gouerned there For that Realme always went by discēt from the father to sonne and the Kings vntill that daye died within the Countrey After that rebellion when Cassander had sent into Epyre Lisiske to be gouernour and ruler of the same they which stoode in doubt whether to take Olympias parte or no seing all things out of hope turned to Cassander whereby remayned no more for Olympias but one expectation and hope of aide to wete of Polispercon who not withstanding soone failed hir For Callas whome Cassander hadde sent to warre vppon Polispercon being verie néere encamped the said Polispercon as he besieged the Citie of Perrheby founde the meane so to suborne his men of warre that the more parte forsoke him and rendred to Callas Thus and by these meanes in short tyme lost Olympias all hir hope of aide ¶ Antigone thinking to surprise and discomfit Eumenes and his armie the said Eumenes throughe his wisedome and diligence frustrateth his enterprise by that meane saueth both his Elephants and baggage The .xiiij. Chapter WHile Antigone aboade in the Countrey of Gamarge in the Region of Mede as we haue before declared had considered y t he was much weaker than the enimie he imagined and enterprised at vnwares to assaile them by skil and policie martiall to conquer them and the rather forasmuche as they were so dispersed in diuerse villages to winter that some of them were six daies iorneis one from another Notwithstanding his enterprise was very difficulte hard to bring to good purpose bycause to passe throughe the maneured countrey was a very long iourney and neuer able to do it without knowledge of the enimie and he coulde not wel passe his armie the shorter way without great trauaill and want of all things in so much as it was through the desertes and the countrey very drie Neuerthelesse bycause it was the nearest waye and méetest to bring his purpose to passe he fully resolued to take it whereby he thought he might beste so surprise the enimie being all dispersed deuided and ydle Wherevpon he commaunded his Souldiours to be in redinesse to departe and to make prouision of victuals readie to eat for .x. dayes causing it to be noysed that he would into Armenie But sodenly beyond all mens expectation he tooke his iourney through the deserts in the winter when the dayes are at the shortest And as he passed he gaue commaundement to his souldiers on the daye to make so great fires as they would but
hauing alreadie such encrease of power and authoritie as might beséeme a right mightie King w t glory fame worthy a great Empire ¶ Demetre in battaill vanquisheth Cylles Ptolome his Lieutenaunt and after Antigone his Father commeth and ioyneth with him and then Ptolome forsaketh the countreys of Syrie and Phenice and leaueth them to the said Antigone The .xlij. Chapter DUring the time that Seleuke was occupied as is aforesayde Ptolome who had in battaile vanquished Demetre in Celosirie as aboue and there still remained vnderstanding that Demetre was againe come into the hier Syrie and there encamped sent one of his captaynes named Cylles a Macedonian with suche numbre of men as he thought good eyther to expulse him the coūtrey of Syrie or else to kéepe hym so occupied that he should do no kind of exploite But as he was vppon the waye Demetre being by his scoulte aduertised of hys comming and their disorder bycause he neyther feared or estéemed the enimie in the night departed from hys camp lying nere Myunte w t hys horsse and light armed footemē leauing in his camp the rest with the baggage and so hasted that about the daye breake he assayled Cilles camp which he found so disordered that they without resistaunce yelded togyther Cylles himselfe Whervpon when Demetre had thus sodenlie done so great an exploite he thought he had well reuenged the shame and domage by him at the battail before lost receiued Notwithstanding doubting that if Ptolome hearde of those newes he would with his power come agaynst him he pitched his campe in a verie strong place hauing at hys backe a great Marris and then so much as in him laye sent to aduertise his father of that he had done praying him with all diligence to sende a strong supplie or else with all his power to come him selfe and enter Syrie to recouer it Of these newes Antigone then lying in Cylene in the countrey of Phrigie was right glad that his sonne a yong man had wonne so great and honorable a victorie whereby he deserued to be a King And incontinent he with hys whole armie departed Phrigie and after he had passed the moūt Thaure he made such spéed that within few days he was come to his sonne When Ptolome vnderstood of his comming he aduised with hys counsaile what should be best to doe whether to attend the enimie in Syrie and there to fight or to returne into Egipt and from thence make warre as he hadde before done against Perdicas Whereuppon they all agréed that he should not hazard his case against the force of the enimie ioyned togyther and chieflie bycause they hadde a great numbre of Elephants and Antigone hym selfe also in persone who neuer yet was vanquished Wherefore it séemed to them that the beste surest way was that Ptolome should returne into Egipt where were victuals great store and might there kéepe hym selfe in strong and aduauntageous places In following which counsaill he delibered to go into Egipt but before hys departure he beat downe and razed certayne faire and beutiful cities to wete Hace in Phenice Yoppe in Samarie and Gaze in Sirie That done he with his armie and al the mouable goods which might be carried went into Egipt By this meane Antigone without difficultie or resistaunce recouered all the countreys of Sirie Phenice ¶ Antigone enterpriseth warres against the Nabathians inhabiting the deserts of Arabia and Athaney his Captayne is by them discomfited Also after Demetre hys comming thyther he concludeth a league and amitie with them The .xliij. Chapter AFter Antigone had thus recouered and wonne the countreys of Syrie and Phenice he indicted warres to the Arabians called Nabathians whō he thought his enimies Wherfore he chose out one of his Captains named Atheney and deliuered to him .iij. thousande shot and .vj. hundred of his lightest horsse cōmaunding them to enter the said countrie and to make so many incursions as they might But bycause the maner of life and order of the said Arabians is farre different and disagréeing from all other I thinke it meete and expedient here to make some mention and declaration thereof First they dwel wildlie abroad without eyther townes or houses wherefore they saie their lande is vnhabitable bicause there are neither ryuers or foūtayns wherwith to maintayne an armie They haue also a lawe which prohibiteth them on paine of death not to sowe any corne neyther to set or graf trées bearing fruit nor to drinke wyne or build houses This they hold mayntayn bycause they thinke that those which haue houses and maneured lands and fruitfull are always subiect to conquerours But there are amongs them many whereof some haue great flockes of shéepe other great heards of Camels going abroad in the desertes neuer tarrying long in one place And althoughe there are diuerse kindes of Arabians whiche inhabit the desertes yet are the Nabathians the richest and wealthiest and are about the numbre of .x. thousand whereof some are accustomed to trade by Sea with incense myrrhe and other drugs aromatique growing in the fertile Countrey of Arabie They are also meruelouslie determined to kéepe and mainteyne their libertie And when any enimie inuadeth they draw to the desert and places solitarie which serue in stead of castles and forts where no straunger can liue Notwithstanding they haue certen receptacles within the Caues whiche they digge in the same earth being of plaister and softe stones whereby they may the better digge the Caues the entry of which are little but within large and déepe so that they are more than an Arpent square and in those they set earthen vessels filled with great store of rayne water and then they in suche sorte couer the entry of the Caue aboue that they which passe by can not perceyue it but them selues knowe it again by a signe which they leaue behinde and euery third daye they water their cattell with that water to the ende if they were put to flight they should not want drinke and their chief foode is flesh mylke and other things which the lande bringeth forth verie good and holsome to eate In this lande also groweth Peper and wild honie which they drinke with water There are besides beyond these other Arabians dwelling in the maneured land and are tributaries as the Syrians and liue in such order as they doe saue that they dwell in no houses And this is y e maner and life of the Arabians Nowe is there a place in the same Countrey verie strong without walles or anie suche like defence distaunt from the land habitable two dayes iourney where at one time of the yeare whiche was euen verie then they repaire and come from all quarters of the countrey to buy and sell. And as the merchaunts were there assembled and had left at home their goodes wyues children and olde men and women in a certen strong rocke Atheney who had wel espied out his time with
Princes which before were but as Uicegerents and Gouernours entituled them selues then by the names of Kings to saie Seleuke of the Satrapies and hier Prouinces by hym newlie conquered Lysimache and Cassander of those whiche at the first were gyuen them and still reteyned ¶ Antigone and Demetre his sonne with a mightie power inuade Egipt both by Sea and lande And after finding the entry and border of the countrey well prouided and furnished they returne without any exploite The .ix. Chapter THe yeare that Corile gouerned Athens and at Rome Quinte Martie and Publie Cornelie were created Consuls after King Antigone had sumptuously celebrated the funeralles of Phenix his yonger Sonne deceased he sent to his Sonne Demetre in Cypres to make haste and come to him and in the meane time him selfe made great preparation to arrere warres against Ptolome in Egipt Which done he tooke hys iourney through the countrey of Celosirie with an armie of foure score thousand footemen about .viij. thousand horsse and foure score and three Elephantes and sent his sonne Demetre by Sea with L. Gallies and aboue an hundred Carraques and Barques whiche carried his people and their baggage commaunding him to saile alōgest that shoare side which the armie marched on by land And although the Marriners counsailed him to staye .xv. dayes longer vntill suche tyme as the daungerous season of winter were passed ouer yet woulde he not be ruled but very angerly gaue them despitefull and reprochefull words calling them cowards and dastards and encamping at the citie of Gaze determining to preuent Ptolome hys armie commaunded his Souldiours to make prouision of victualles for ten dayes and laded the Camels which y e Arabians brought with Cxxx. thousande Medynnes of wheat and haye for their horsses great store and hys shot armour weapon and other necessaries were carried by carte through the desertes a laborsome and painfull iourney bycause the wayes were myery déepe and ful of marshes but especially as he drew néere the countrey of Baratre And Demetre who the same daye about midnight loused from Gaze had for certen dayes a faire and caulme ceason During which time he haled drew with his Gallies the Carraques and Barkes fraught w t Souldiours and sarriages And as he thus for a fewe dayes rowed sodenly arose so great a flaw of wynd out of the North that it put the Gallies in great hazarde in so much that some of them were carried with the surgies and bellow into the daungerous mouth of the port of Raphie bycause it was almost choked vp with a shelf of dyrte and ouze And some of the Barques whiche carried the shot armoure and other carriages perished by tempeste and other were dryuen backe ageyne into Gaze. But the rest of the Nauie wherin were the strongest Gallies and lustiest Souldiours so labored against the wether that they arriued about Cassile a citie scituate vpon the riuer Nile hauing no Port but only a rode which in the tyme of any vnseasonable wether or tempest is very daungerous by reason wherof the Marryners were forced to caste Anker two furlongs from the shoare riding in much daūger for y e Bellow went so hie that it was great maruell the shippes and men had not out of hand ben ouerthrowen and drowned And to land could they not get eyther with boat or man which land also belonged to the enimie and that which was worse their fresh water failed and they driuen to such néede that if the tempest had continued but one daye longer they had all died of thirst While they were in this dispaire looking for present death sodēly the wind calmed anō they descried Antigone his armie encamped not far from the Nauie wherefore they came on lande there refreshed them certē dayes attending some good newes of the rest of their shippes In this tempest perished .iij. Gallies but by good hap many of the Souldiours were saued and came on land From thence departed Antigone and encamped within two furlongs of Nyle But Ptolome alreadie aduertised of the enimies comming had throughly furnished all the fortes and blockhouses which fronted on the enimie with strong and mightie garrisons◠and sent certen in smal pynnaces with commaundement that they should row néere and make proclamation that so many as would come and serue hym he would gyue liberall wages and gentle reteynoure to saye to euery common Souldiour two mynes a day and to euery Captayne or any other which had charge a Talent a day By reason of which proclamation most of Antigone his Mercenarie souldiours minded to serue Ptolome and amongs them many Captaynes also for diuerse occasions desired to serue him so that Antigone séeing his Souldiours dayly steale from his campe was enforced to set strong garde and watch all alongest the ryuer side with great store of shot and engines to stop the enimie for comming on lande and gréeuouslie punished certen of those which were taken going to the enimie to the ende to put the rest in terrour and feare Demetre also with those fewe shippes he had entred an arme of the riuer Nyle whiche ranne into the Sea called the false Porte thinking there to lande a number of his Souldiours But when he founde it garded with a lustie garrison and that he was with shot and all other kinde of engines repulsed and the night drawing on retired and commaunded all the Captaynes of the ships to followe the Admirall by the light in the mayne toppe sayling directlie to the other entry of Nyle called Phenitique When daye was come bycause manie of his ships had missed their course he was driuen to stay for them sent oute his Brigantines to séeke and haste them forward Wherefore with spending much tyme in getting them togyther Ptolome who was aduertised of the certeyntie thereof made spéede to gard the said passage so that he had a great numbre of able fighting men readie arranged in battail vppon the shoare When Demetre sée them thus furnished and that the Countrey next to the said entry was almost all marish ground he sailed backe into the déepe where immediatlie arose suche a great wind which so violentlie draue them towards the shoare that .vj. Gallies and as many Barques which carried men of warre with the vehemencie of the wether were runne on lande vnder Ptolomees power and the rest with strength of ores rowed against the winde to the place where Antigone encamped When Ptolome had thus furnished all the passages of the Sea w t strong garrisons and the entry of Nile with shippes shot and men Antigone was in great feare For once Demetre his Nauie at Sea serued to no purpose to enter the mouth of Peluse being so well garded and kept ageyne the armie by land could no waye passe by reason of the swelling and rysing of the ryuer and that whiche was worse they hadde so long trauailled that they wanted victuals both for men and horses When the souldiours for
the causes aboue said begā to murmur and grudge Antigone assembled hys armie and tooke counsaill and aduise of his Captaynes whether it were more expedient to tarry and continue hys enterprise or presentlie to returne into Syrie and come agayne at some other more conuenient tyme when he were better appointed and the ryuer Nile fallen lower But when he see them all of mynde and accord he brake vp y e camp and spéedily returned into Syrie by land hauing his Nauie sayling by him all alongest the coast As soone as Ptolome hadde intelligence of their departure he was right glad making to the Goddes great sacrifices and to his friends honorable feastes and banquettes signifying also Seleuke Lysimache and Cassander by his letters of his aduenture and good lucke and the reuolte of Antigone his Souldiours to him This done thinking that he had nowe the second time by armes recouered and gotten the Countrey of Egipt and last of all that he might by iust title and conquest of warre hold and keepe it returned to Alexandrie ¶ Of certen exploites of warre betwene the Romaines and Samnites The .x. Chapter THe same season after Dionise Tyraunt of the citie of Heracle in the countrey of Pont hadde raigned xxxij yeares he died and his two children Zatras Clearche succéeded who raigned after him .xvij. yeares And the selfe same yeare the Samnites wonne of the Romaines the cities of Sore and Acye and them sacked and spoyled Ageine the Romaine Consuls entred the Citie of Lapige and after besieged the citie of Silue whiche the Samnites had long kepte and garrisoned but in the ende the Romaines tooke it by assault butined all their goods ransomed aboue .v. thousand prisoners Which done they spoyled the Region of the Samnites cut downe the wood and burnt the Townes and Uillages For the Romaines thought bycause the same Nation hadde alreadie many yeares contended with them for the Empire and rule that if they destroyed their lande they shoulde of force gyue place and yelde vnto them For which cause they for .v. whole monethes togyther burnt and spoyled in their Countrey all that they could not carrie awaye in so muche that they left not standing in all the Countrey eyther house cottage trée or bushe that might be destroyed but made the lande vtterlie voide and desolate And this yeare also they warred on the Egmettes and by composition tooke the citie of Erusin and sold the whole territorie ¶ Demetre by the commaundement of hys Eather both by Sea and land besieged the Citie of Rhodes Of the great and lustie assaultes they gaue and the maruelous and honorable defence that the Townesmen made The .xj. Chapter THe yéere following that Xenippe gouerned Athens and Lucie Posthume and Tyberie Mynute were at Rome created Consuls warres for these occasions were betwene Antigone the Rhodians cōmenced For the citie of Rhodes was then by sea verie puissaunt and strong and was most wysely gouerned and in greater reputation than all the other Cities of Grece By reason wherof al the Kings and Princes in those dayes hadde an eye thereunto and endeuoured them to obtayne and get their fauoure and alliaunce on their side But the Rhodians who foresaw and considered their cōmon emolument and commoditie gently enterteyned al the said Princes and had with euery of thē a particular league and amitie withoute entremedling at any hande with any of them in their warres Whereuppon happened that all the said Princes honoured and cherished them diuersly with great giftes remunerated and gratified them by which meane they long liued in tranquillitie and wealth Throughe whiche occasion their power so greatly encreased that they at their owne costes and charges enterprised warre for the whole state of Grece against all Pyrats and clearely purged the Seas of all theeues and rouers But their chiefest and greatest estimation was that Alexander surnamed the great moste renowmed of all Princes of the worlde of whome remaineth any mention made so muche more accompte thereof than of all the other Cities of Grece so that he gaue them the Testament of his whole estate and Empire to kéepe and in all things he might honoured and greatlie aduaunced the same And although the Rhodians had in such sorte with all the most puissaunt Princes Potentates liued that none of them could reasonablie complayne on them or be agreeued yet had they neuerthelesse farre greater amitie and familiaritie with Ptolome than with all the rest bycause their Marchauntes had greater traffique and commoditie from the coūtrey of Egipt than else where and the greater parte of the citie lyued and was mainteyned by the marchaundise of the said countrey Whiche thing Antigone vnderstanding dyd all that in him laye to turne the trade and entercourse of Marchandise thence Wherfore after his sonne had warred vpon Ptolome in Cypres he sent his Ambassadors towards them praying their ayde and to send their shippes to Demetre hys sonne But when he sée they woulde not heare him he sent one of his Sea Captaynes with certen number of shippes in that quarter commaunding him to staye and take so many saile of Rhodians as he founde sayling into Egipt and to spoyle and robbe them of their marchandise But the Rhodians thereof aduertized draue hym quickly backe and chased him quite from those Seas Whereuppon Antigone tooke his occasion to saye that they were the authors of the warre So he with many minatorie termes menaced them and vaūted and bragged that he would with his so mightie a power come against them that he would besiege their citie Wherof the Rhodians aduertised decréed to do hym great honours in their citie sent great Ambassades to him praying him not to enforce them to make warre against Ptolome nor yet to breake their promisse and alliaunce which they had with him Antigone gaue a fierce and sterne aunswer and therewith sent Demetre his Sonne with a great armie store of engines and artillery to besiege and beat downe the citie Whereupon they were astonied so fearing the great power of the King y t they sent to Demetre declaring that they were readie and cōtent to go with Antigone to warre vpon Ptolome Who neuerthelesse was scarcely content therewith but demaunded an hundred ostages of the chief and principall of the citie to be deliuered him and also to haue his Nauie receyued into their Portes Which demaunde made them greatlie suspect that he went about to make hymself Lord of the Town therfore made all y e preparation they could for their defence When Demetre had assembled his armie at the Porte of Elorym he trymmed his Nauie to saile to the siege of Rhodes in whiche were two hundred Gallies of sundrie mouldes and of other shippes to carry men and victualles Clxx. and in them aboue .xl. M. souldiers besides an innumerable number of armoures shot of all sortes and all other engines of battery There were besides aboue a thousand Foistes and Barques of Marchaunts and
and amitie with them Cap. 43. 96 ¶ Of the Lake Asphalte and the maruelous nature thereof also the discomfiture of Antigone hys people there by the Arabians Cap. 44. 99 ¶ Demetre Antigone his sonne at hys Fathers commaudement goeth to Babylon to make thereof a conquest and after returneth to his father Cap. 45. 100 ¶ The Romaines vnder the conducte of Quinte Fabie their Dictator winne and take two cities from the Samnites Cap. 46. 101 ¶ After the alliaunce made and confirmed betwene Cassander Ptolome Lysimache and Antigone Cassander putteth to death the yong Alexander and Roxanne hys mother Cap. 47. 101 Of the third Booke OF certen aide which Cassander sendeth to the king of Peons of certen enterprises by Ptolome against Antigone done in Phenice How Polispercon taketh on hand to restore Hercules the sonne of Alexander to the realme of Macedone And finally of the pitiful and lamentable death of Nycocles and his whole familie Cap. 1. 103 ¶ Of the warres betwene Parisade his thrée children King of Bosphore after his death for the succession of the Realme togyther their déedes and gestes and also their endes Cap. 2. 104 ¶ Of two victories whiche the Romaines woon against the Samnites whereby they tooke many of their Cities Cap. 3. 107 ¶ Ptolome Prince of Egipt winneth from Antigone certen cities practizeth and getteth to him Ptolome Nephew to Antigone and after putteth him to death Polispercon also through the persuasion of Cassander putteth to death Hercules the sonne of Alexander And finally of Cleomenes death King of Lacedemon Cap. 4. 108 ¶ Of certen victories which the Romaines haue vppon the Tyrrhenians and Samnites And of certen innouations by Appie Claudie the Romaine Censor made in cōtempt and defacing of the Senate and nobles in fauoure of y e communaltie Cap. 5. 109 ¶ After Ptolome Prince of Egipt hath restored one parte of the cities of Grece to libertie he for despite and in recompence of their breach of promisse with him concludeth a peace with Cassander And Cleopatre sister to Alexander the great comming on hir waye towardes him is by the commaundement of Antigone miserablie slaine Cap. 6. 110 ¶ After the taking and razing of Munichie Demetre Antigone his sonne by his fathers commaundement restoreth Athens Megare and many other Cities of Grece to libertie and of their liberalitie towardes him and the honours they iudged hym worthie for that hys benefite and good turne Cap. 7. 111 ¶ Demetre Antigone his sonne vanquisheth in a battaill at Sea Ptolome before the citie of Salamine in Cypres and by that meane winneth the whole Isle from him And after the sayd Antigone Demetre and Ptolome take vppon them the Tytles and Dyademes of Kings Cap. 8. 112 ¶ Antigone and Demetre hys sonne with a mightie power inuade Egipt both by Sea and lande And after finding the entry and border of the countrey well prouided and furnished they returne without any exploit Cap. 9 116 ¶ Of certen exploites of warre betwene the Romaynes and Samnites Cap. 10. 118 ¶ Demetre by the commaundement of hys Father both by Sea and lande besieged the citie of Rhodes Of the great and lustie assaultes they gaue and the maruelous and honorable defence y t the Townesmen made Cap. 11. 119 ¶ Of two victories by the Romaines hadde vppon the Samnites Cap. 12. 124 ¶ Demetre at many assaultes by the Rhodians repulsed concludeth a peace And departing thence restoreth to libertie many cities of Grece Of the death of King Eumele of Bosphore and the raigne of Spartace his sonne Cap. 13. 124 ¶ The conclusion of a peace betwixt the Romaines and Samnites and certen other their neyghbours and of their subduing the Asculaines Cap. 14. 130 ¶ Demetre by force and treatie taketh many Cities of Grece and diuerse other render to hym all whiche he restoreth to their auncient accustomed libertie Cap. 15. 130 ¶ The Tarentines desire Cleonyme the Lacedemonian to ayde them against the Lucaines of the villanies and lecheries he committeth and after two mischiefes whiche in one tyme betyde him he retireth into Corcyre Cap. 16. 132 ¶ Cassander and Lysimache attending ayde frō Ptolome and Seleuke beginne to warre vppon Antigone the one in Thessalie the other in Asie and do take from him certen townes cities and castles Cap. 17. 133 ¶ Antigone commeth against Lysimache and after he hath him twice be sieged and can not gette him oute to battaill they are both fayne to sende their Souldiours in garrisons to winter Cap. 18. 134 ¶ Demetre commeth into Grece against Cassander and after certen small exploites on eyther side done they grow to a composition That ended Demetre goeth into Hellespont to ioyne with his father and of many and diuerse other things Cap. 19. 135 Of the fourth Booke ANtigone comming to battaill against the enimie is through the defaulte of hys sonne Demetre slayne Cap. 1. 137 ¶ After this discomfiture the Athenians woulde not suffer Demetre to enter their citie and how he ageyne gathereth togyther his armie After Demetre his daughter is married to Seleuke who treateth a marriage betwene Demetre and Ptolomais daughter to King Ptolome and of the deniall he hath of two little Cities Cap. 2. 138 ¶ Demetre at his pleasure taketh by siege the citie of Athens of his bountie and humanitie towardes them And after besiegeth the citie of Sparte in the countrey of Laconie Cap. 3. 140 ¶ Alexander King of Macedone praying Demetre his ayde goeth aboute to betraye him but in the ende hym selfe according to his demerite is by Demetre with such lyke practize slayne whome the Macedonians after receyued and honour as their King Cap. 4. 142 ¶ Seleuke through a fatherly loue remitteth to Antioche his fonne his owne wife Stratonice daughter to Demetre and gyueth to them in title and name of the realme all the hier Prouinces Cap. 5. 144 ¶ Demetre thrice conquereth the countrey of Beoce and citie of Thebes and chaseth King Pyrrhe oute of the countrey of Trace Cap. 6. 146 ¶ Demetre robbing and ouerrunning the countrey of the Eholians enterpriseth warre against Pyrrhe King of Epyre and after missing of their encountre and méeting eyther of them do all the mischiefe they can one to anothers countrey and of the renowme and fame that Pyrrhe getteth in that warre against the Macedonians Cap. 7. 148 ¶ King Pyrrhe entring the countrey of Macedone is by Demetre expulsed And after Demetre raiseth a mightie power to recouer his fathers Realme and the other Kings linke togyther against him And going ageyne to encountre Pyrrhe who was entred Macedone is throughe the mutinie of the Macedonians enforced to flie and after of the deuision of the realme betwene Pirrhe and Eysimache Cap. 8. 150 ¶ After Demetre his flight out of Macedone he besiegeth the citie of Athens whiche rebelled from whence he departeth withoute taking it and goeth into Asie to warre on Seleuke After he hath taken many Cities he is so sore pressed on that he sendeth towardes
chases and greate plentie of wilde beastes wherof the peasantes brought to Penceste greate abundance whiche he gaue and bestowed vppon the men of warre to get and win their loue and good wils There are also in that region for archers and other shotte the best Souldiers within the whole countreye of Perse. When they were at last arriued in the Citie royall of Persepolis Penceste gouerner of the same countrey made a solempne sacrifice to Philip and Alexander as to theyr Gods and after the sacrifice a greate and sumptuous banket to the whole campe aboundyng in all sortes of meates brought from all the partes of the countrey And for the assemble of the men of warre he made readie a place abroade in the fieldes with .iiij. round circles like vnto a cloister one with in an other egally distant the seconde bigger than the first all the reste in mete proportiō so y t the vttermoste which inclosed the other thrée was .x. furlongs about in whiche sate the mercenarie souldiers and straungers In the seconde sat the Argiraspides Macedonians and the Souldiers which serued with Alexander in his warrs .viij. furlongs in compasse In the thirde were the extraordinarie captaines horsemen and all other the speciall friends of the Satrapes and other chieftaines being foure furlongs aboute In the last which was two furlongs round sat the Dukes and chief rulers of the armie the captaines of the horsmen and the princes of Perse there In the middest of the last circle stode the altars of the Gods the tabernacle of Alexander and Philip whose seates were made of leaues and trées bearing frute and the residue couered with faire and riche tapistrie wherof the countrey of Perse aboundeth being full of delices and thyngs of pleasure The distances of the circles were in that sort drawen out to the ende that they which sat in the one should be no let or stop to those in the other and euery circle had his officers and ministers kitchins and all other houses of office in such order and so many that the great diligence and prouidence of Penceste might therin be well vnderstoode and knowne By meane wherof he greatly wanne the fauoure and good willes of all the companie Which thyng Eumenes perceyuing and knowing he went about to win the souldiers fauours to bée made generall and to obtaine the principalitie counterfaited forged certaine false and surmised letters by whiche he animated the Souldiers to warre wherewith he soone abated Penceste his audacitie and ambition and brought him self into greater authoritie and reputation in whome also the men of warre had greate hope and confidence The contents of the letters were these How that Olympias had brought the yong sonne of Alexander into Macedone had slayne Caslander and peaceably enioyed the realm And that Polispercon with the greatest parte of the armie royall and all the Elephantes was gone into Asie to war on Antigone was already in Cappadoce Whiche letters were written in the Syrian tongue subscribed in the name of Oronte Satrapa of Armenie Penceste his great friend and therfore bare the more credit Then Eumenes caused them to be caried to all the Satrapes and captaines to be séene and after published them to the whole armie By reason of whiche letters all the host then thought that Eumenes might aduaunce to the kings whome he woulde and punishe those he hated And the more to put and kéepe in terrour and feare suche as were disobedient and desirous of authoritie he called to iudgement Sybirte Satrapa of Aracose and great friend to Pencest whome he accused saying that he had sent some of his horse against the Aracothes without knowledge of the assemble and counsel and therfore required that he might be discharged and all his treasure and goodes confiscate Wherevpon he put him in such perill and danger that if he had not secretly fled he had bene slaine by the multitude of the Souldiers Notwithstandyng after he had by that meane put the other in feare and recouered his authoritie he returned to his accustomed humanitie and curtesie and through faire wordes and large promises he reconciled Penceste and made hym readie and tractable to employ his seruice in the affaires of the Kings And to assure him self of the other Satrapies chieftains captaines and to haue some maner guage of them to serue in steade of hostages he fained the want of money praying euery of them to lend him as much as they coulde spare for the affaires of the kings Whiche they did so that he borowed of those whom he chiefly suspected the iust summe of CCCC talents By which mean he thought him so sure of thē that they would not work him any falshode or treason nor yet once steppe asyde from him whom he after kept reserued for the garde and defence of his person and his fautours in all his affaires whatsoeuer ¶ Of the battaile betwene Antigone Eumenes and of their powers and of their retire to winter without victorie on either side The .x. Chapter WHen Eumenes had thus prouided for all things that might happen as aforesayde newes were brought out of Mede howe Antigone with his whole power was commyng into Perse which Eumenes vnderstanding immediatly toke his iourney wyth hys whole armie determining to be there before him to y e ende to giue battaile Whereupon he sacrificed to the Gods and that done royally banketted the Princes captaines and men of warre bicause he would giue them greater occasion of affection and loue towardes him And for that they should thinke he wold at ful please them he pledged so many as dronke vnto hym by reason wherof he fell into a grieuous maladie and therfore was forced to repose there certaine dayes For whose cause all the whole armie desirous of battaile were very sorie Neuerthelesse after some amendement and recouerie he no longer stayed his iourney but being carried in a horselitter hasted on the aray the conduct wherof he gaue to Pencest and Antigene And after he had gotten within a days iorney of the enimie the vauntcurrers of eche side gaue intelligence of the approch of one an other wherfore they determined on both sides the next day folowing to giue battaile Howbeit by reason of a valley and Riuer betwixte them besides the straightnesse of the grounde they were frustrate of their purposes and determinations Notwithstanding they aranged on either side their battailes and encamped not aboue .iij. furlongs one from an other and for .iiij. dayes together they onely skirmished with shot during which time both the armies had wasted and cōsumed all the victuals in the countrey néere vnto them so that they began to wante The fifte day folowing Antigone sent his ambassadors towards the Satrapes Macedonians to persuade them to abādon forsake Eumenes and ioyne with him promising to leaue the Satrapes theyr Satrapies And the reste whiche would not folowe the campe he promised to some greate landes and possessions and to sende the
reste honourably with large giftes home into their countreys and so many as minded to serue he was contente to retaine euery one according to his astate To whiche offers and gentle wordes the Macedonians gaue no eare but threatened to kill the messangers if they departed not and that quickely Which thing Eumenes vnderstanding came towards them highly allowing and commending their doinges and gyuing them besides hartie thanks beganne to recite this Fable ensuyng which although right olde yet very méete and serued for hys purpose There was sometyme quod he a fierce Lyon amorous of a certayne faire yong Damosel which prayed of hir Father this mayd in mariage Wherunto the Father aunswered that he was wel pleased to bestow hir on him always prouided that he shoulde pull of his clawes and plucke out his téeth fearyng that if vpon any occasion he waxed angry with his daughter hauyng his téethe and clawes he would incontinently teare hir in pieces To which demaūde the Lyon agréed But whē the father of y e mayden sée that the Lyon had neyther clawes nor téeth for his defence he with a leauer easily slewe hym Euen so quod he noble souldiers and Companions in armes woulde Antigone doe with you promising all your desire vntill he haue you vnder his power but after he will punyshe you at his pleasure When he had thus spoken the souldiers beléeued he sayde truthe and therevpon the assemble brake vp When night came certaine which fled from Antigone his campe arriued declaryng that he was trussyng vp his baggage and that at the seconde watche of the nyght he meant to departe When Eumenes vnderstoode therof he imagened that he would into the countrey of Gabene being but thrée dayes iourney off bycause it stoode whole and furnyshed wyth all kindes of victuals to victuall a campe for a long time and besprinkled wyth ryuers and strong valeys very harde to passe For which cause Eumenes determyned to preuente and occupie the same countrey before hym and therevpon marched forth on the way But to kéepe the enimie in the meane whyle occupied he sent certaine of hys mercenarie Souldiours whome he hadde corrupte to Antigone hys campe who shoulde make semblaunt as though they came to yelde affirming that the enimie was in redinesse to come and assaile them that night in their campe and in the meane tyme commaunded hys souldiers soone after they had supped to take their iourney which they did When Antigone vnderstoode that the enimie would come and assaile him in his campe he stayed his armie and put them in order of battaile and while he was so occupied Eumenes with his armie had trauailed a great way beyonde them before it was perceyued and knowne Neuerthelesse after he was by his scoute aduertised of the truthe and vnderstoode the craftie dealyng he altered not his purpose but cōmaunded his men with all spéede to pursue the enimie as though they fledde But after a whiles trauail seing the enimie six houres before him and he by no meane able to ouertake them bethoughte hym of this policie First he left the conduct of his footemen to Python to bryng them on with reasonable iorneys and he vpon the spurre wyth his horses pursued the enimie and by the daye breake had ouertaken the taile as they were descending into a valey So he taried and rested him vpon the top of a mountayne and there mustred his men makyng in the face of the enimie the greatest shew he could Who thinking it to be y e whole armie of Antigone stayed and put themselues in order of battaile determining out of hande to fighte In thys sorte the generals of either armie by subtile and marciall policies deceyued one an other as if they had striued whiche of them had ben wisest and skilfullest and to shew that the victorie greately consisted in their two persons And by this deuise hathe Antigone stayed the enimie hauing good leysure to attende for his footemen and after they were come they aranged their batailes and then discended the side of the hill in suche order as was terrible to beholde He had in the whole with the souldiers of S◠leuke ◠and Python aboue .xxviij. thousande footemen .viij. thousande horse and .lxv. Elephantes The two Chieftaynes vsed their sundrie pollicies in ordering their battails as who would saye that the one had as great knowledge and experience as the other First Eumenes gaue the leading of the vowarde of his armie to Eudame who brought the Elephantes out of Inde besides a bande of .v. hundred horse aboute him Before thē placed he two bādes of launces fiftie horse in eche one at the tayle of an other at the foote of the mountayne in places moste méete After was placed Stasander wyth his thousande horse After hym Antimacke gouerner of Mesopotamie with .vj. hundred horse besides .vj. hundred Arocothes who before had ben vnder the cōduct of Hybirte and after he fled giuen to Cephele After were .vj. hundred horse of the Paropamsades placed and with them .vj. hundred Thracians And before all the bandes aforesayde he placed .xxv. Elephants aranged in manner of a saint Andrewes crosse and the spaces betwene the Elephants and the horse he supplied with shot The vowarde being in thys sort placed the battaile of footemen marched next in the foreparte whereof were appointed the mercenaries being aboue six thousande behinde them fiue thousand of dyuers nations whiche came thither to serue all armed after the maner of the Macedonians After them were placed the Argiraspides to the numbre of thrée thousande or more kéeping their aray whiche bande bycause it was neuer vanquished nor ouerthrowen greatly feared the ennimie and behinde them all the souldiours which Alexander waged beyng aboute the lyke numbre of the Argiraspides and serued vnder their captaines and before the Phalang or battaile of footemen he arranged fortie Elephantes and the voyde spaces betwixte them he likewise supplied with footemen lightly armed On the lefte wyng or rerewarde on the other side of the phalang were firste placed thrée hundred Carmanians vnder the charge of Clepoleme after them nine hundred called the companions or aduenturers with the bands of Penceste and Antigene to the numbre of thrée hundred horse all vnder one guydon and at the end of them ◠e appointed his owne band of horse of the like numbre And for their gard he placed two wings of his houshold seruants fiftie horse in eche aranged on the side and not a front like the rest And without them in the right poynt he likewise placed in an other wing foure bandes wherein were two hundreth choyse and picked horse Besides them he chose out of the lightest and brauest of all nations he had CCC whome he placed in the front of the battaile where he hymselfe was and before them he aranged the rest of his Elephantes The whole armie of Eumenes was about .xxxv. thousand footemen .vj. hundred horsse and Cxl. Elephantes Antigone