was it no meruaill though he could not obstayne He turned towardes him and said thou vile slaue hast thou now found out a time mete to disclose the treason that lyeth in thy harte and therwyth all pulled out hys sworde to haue slaine him if Bessus had not straight waye come and the other Bactrians about him and letted his purpose they pretendyd to be sory for the matter But mindid in very dede to bind him if he had continued in his purpose In the meane season Nabazzanes escaped away and Bessus folowed after who imedialy dyd seperate the bandes they had charge of from the rest of the armye bicause they would vse them apart to their purpose Whē thei were departed Artabazus framed his talke according to thestate of the time then present and beganne to pacifie Darius wyth wordes putting him in remembraunce howe hys case was suche that it behoued hym to beare quietly the folishnes or rather the error of hys own men For asmuch as Alexander was at hande ouer sore an enemy for thē though there were no discord nor disobedience But if we shal be at variaunce qd he when he doth pursue vs our matters shal stand in very euil plight Thereupō Darius enclyned some what to Artabasus aduise though he was determined to remoue yet bicause he parceiued euery man to be troubled in mind remained still in the same place But he him selfe was so astoined with sorowe and disperaciō that he kept him self close and came not forth of his pauilion Wherupon the campe being without gouerment the hedes not consulting togither as they did before there rose amonges them great diuersitie of opynions and mocions of mynd Which thing when Patron sawe that was capetaine of the Greake souldiers he wylled his men to put on their armour to be in a redines to do as they should be apointed The Percyans encampyd by them selues and Bessus remained amonges the Bactrians practising to cary away the Percians into Bactria and to leue Darius signifieng to them the riches of that region yet vntouched and the perell they were in if they remayned styl But they were al in maner of one opynion that it was ouer great an offence for them to forsake their prince In the meane season Artabasus executed the kinges offence and went amongs the Percians in their lodginges admonishing and exorting them sometyme aparte and otherwhile all togithers and lefte them not before it apeared that they would do as the king would haue them That done with great paine difficulte he parsuaded Darius to take hys meate and to set hys mynd vpon hys busines But Bessus and Nabarzanes were so gredy to get the gouernement into their handes that they resolued to put in excution the thing they had longe conspired betwyxt them For so longe as Darius was in sauegard thei could not hope to cōpasse nor atteine so great powre and auctoritie The maiestie of a king is had in so great veneraciō amōges those nacions that at hys verie name they vse to assemble togither And the reuerens of Darius former fortune caused them to beare the like obedience to him in his aduersitie The greatnes and powre of the countreies whereof Bessus and Nabarzanes had the rule not being inferior to any other nacions in that parte of the world either in armour men or largenes of their territory gaue a great encourage vnto their wicked disposicions in attempting of this matter Which possessing the third part of Asia were able to make as great nombre of men as Darius before had loste In confidence wherof they not only dispised Darius but Alexander purposing when they were once become lordes of that countrey to reenforce from thence againe the powre of thempire mainteine the warres against the Macedōs Whē they had long deuised debated these thinges they determined to take Darius by the Bactriā souldiers which were at there cōmandiment then to send word to Alexander that they reserued him on liue to deliuer him vnto his hādes And if so be that Alexāder should nor accept their doing whiche in dede they doubted then ther purpose was to kill Darius and with their powre to flie into Bactria But for somuche as they sawe that Darius could not be taken openly seing there were so many thousādes redy to aide him And fearinge also the fidelitye of the Greakes determined to work by sleight the thing that they could not bring to passe by force Their deuise was lo coūterfeit a repentance of their former doinges in excusing vnto the king the feare they were in And in the mean season they sent certaine to practise with the Percians to proue their mindes The souldiers were tossed to fro with hope and feare Sometime thei thought that by leauing of ther king they should cōmit them selues to manifeste ruyne and destruccion and againe they remembred what entertaynment was promised them in Bactria that lay open for them where they should be receyued with such giftes and riches as they coulde not wel imagien Whiles Bessus Nabarzanes were bearīg of these thīges in their heades Artabasus came vnto them declaring howe Darius was wel pacefied and that they might of they would be in the same estate and degre with him that they were in before Therupon thei fel to weaping and purging of them selues requiring Artabasus that he would take vpon him the defence of there cause and cary their requeste and submissiō vnto the king The night was cōsumed in this kind of busines When it was day Nabarzanes wyth the Bactriā souldiers stode at the entrey of the kinges lodging colouring hys preuy treason with a solempne pretence of doing his dutye Darius caused warnyng to be giuen for his remoue and so mounted vpon hys chariot after his accustumed manner Nabarzanes and the other traytores fell vpon the ground to worshipe him and shed teares in token of repentaunce notwithstanding that they determined shortly after to put him in fetters mens nature is so apart to dissymulacion Darius being of a simple and gentle nature was enforced through their behauor not only to beleue that they pretēded but also caused him to weape for ioie yet that could not cause the traitors to alter ther porpose Whē they parceiued what kynd of man and what maner of prince they went about to deceiue Darius doubting nothing of his peril that was next at hand made al the haste he could to escape Alexander whom he only doubted Patron Patron that was captaine of the Grecians commaunded his souldiers to put on their harneys which they caried before in trusses and to be ready and attēt to euery thing that should be appointed thē For he vnderstanding the treason that Bessus went about folowed the kinges chariot seking occasiō to speake with him And Bessus doubting the same thing would not departe frō the chariot but folowed rather as a watche then a wayter Patron therefore hauing taried long interrupted oftentimes as he
feare that they durst neither put on their armour lest they might geue occasiō to the Bactriās to set vpō thē nor they could not remaine quiet lest thei might seme so wickedly to leue their kynge There were clamours through out the campe of diuers sortes and tunes wythout any head and without any apointment Such as partayned to Nabarzanes and Bessus deceiued by such lamētacion as they harde brought them worde that the kyng had killed him self Whereupon the prepaired thither so fast as thei could gallop Darius taken prisoner by Bessus and Nabarzanes and such folowed after as thei had chosen to be mynisters of their mischeife When they were entred into the kings pauilion bicause the Enuches declared that he was on liue they cōmaunded him to be bound Thus he whych before was caried in a chariot and honoured of his men like a god was made prisoner by hys owne seruauntes without any foreine powre and put into a vile cart couered ouer with beastes skynnes and spoyle was made of the kinges stufe in such sort as if it had bene taken in the warres And when they had laden them selues with the pray gotten after so foule a maner they conuaied them selues into their countries But Artabazus with those of whom he had the charge and with the Greake souldiers toke the way towardes Parthina thinking to be more sure any where then in the felowship of those traitors The Percians whom Bessus had burdened with so many faire promises specially bicause thei had no other mā to folowe ioyned them selues to the Bactrians and the third daye ouertoke them But to thintent Darius should not want such honor as was due vnto his estate Bessus caused him to be bound wyth golden fetters such were the despightes that his fortune made him subiect vnto And for that he should not be knowen by his apparell ▪ they couered the carte with foull hides of beastes and caused vnknowē mē to driue it forwards And lest by enquiring the Armye he might be discouered such as had the charge of hym folowed afarre of Whan Alexander hard that Darius was remoued to Echatane he lefte the way that he was in and with all the spede he could make folowed after Darius that was said to be gone into Media But when Alexander was come to Taba which is the cheife Citie of Paratacene Taba Paratacene it was there shewed him by fugitiues that came out of Darius camp that he was fled with al spede into Bactria And afterwardes vnderstod the matter more certeinly by Bagistenes of Babilō who could not affirme directly that Darius was vsed as a prisoner but declared that either he was in daūger of death or of captiuitie Alexander vpon those newes called his capteines togither and shewed them that he had a greate enterprise but such one as the trauail was verie short Darius he sayd was not far of forsaken of his own men and either takē as a presoner or slaine In whose parson he shewed their whole victorye to consiste and the greatnes of the matter to be reward sufficient of their haste making They all cried with one voice that they were redy to folowe him where he would go and that he should neither spare there labor nor their perill Wherupon he cōueied his army forwardes with merueilous spede rather in post then after the cōmon ordre of marching neither resting daie nor night til they had passed v.c furlōges come to the village where Darius was taken There Melun Melun Darius Interpreter who by reason of his sicknes could not folowe the army was taken through Alexanders celeritie who fayning that he fledde awaye from his maister declared the whole matter but how great so euer his desire was to ouertake his enemies it was necessary for hym to giue his men rest of their trauayle So that determining to leue the teste of his army behinde did chose out six thousand horsemen and added to them iii.c whiche they cal Dimichas that were fotemen heuy harnised but yet did ride on horseback and when the matter and place required lighted fought on foote When Alexander was taking ordre about these thinges Orsellos and Mythracenes which for the hatred they bare to Bessus for his treason fled from him declared to the kynge that the Percians were but v.c furlonges of and proffered to guide hym by a nearer way Their cōmyng was gratefull to the king for by their conduccion in the begynning of the nigh the toke his iourney wyth suche horsemen as he had appointed willing his fote battell to folowe after wyth all spede possible He marched forwardes in a square battell and kept such an ordre that the firste might ioyne with the laste and such as came behind releue them the went before When they had passed .ccc. furlonges of their way Broculus Broculus the sonne of Mazeus that sometime had bene gouernour of Siria met Alexander and declared that Bessus was within two hūdred furlonges marching with his men out of all ordre as one that did caste no doubtes seming to him that they went towardes Hircania wherfore yf haste were made he said they myght sone be ouertaken found disparckled here ther out of al aray He affirmed also that Darius was yet aliue Alexander that was hote before in his pursuite was with his wordes muche more pricked forwardes so that he caused them put spores to their horses and passed forwardes a gallop and went so farre forth that they might heare the noise of their enemies made as thei marched But the duste that dyd ryse toke awaye their fight and therefore he stayed a while tyl the duste was vanished away And then both Bessus parceyued the Macedons and they sawe the Percians as they fled Notwithstanding they had not ben hable to haue matched with them if Bessus had had as great courage to fight as he had to betraye hys master For besides that they excedid the Macedons in nombre and powre who being forweried and sore trauayled should haue had to do with them that were iustie freshe But the name of Alexander and his fame which is of great moment euer in the warres put thē in such feare that thei could not staye them selues Then Bessus and other that were parteners of the cōspiracy came to the carte where Darius was parsuaded him to leape on horsebacke and fle from hys enemies that were at hand But he affirming that the gods were come to his reueng and calling for the assistaunce of Alexander Darius wounded to death said that in no wyse he woulde go wyth traitors wherewith they were so sturred to wrath that they threw dartes at him and left him woūded in many places of his body They thucst in the beastes also that driew the cart to thintent they should not be hable to passe forwardes slew his two seruaūtes that did waite vpon him Whē they had cōmitted this acte they thought it expedient to disperse
Cytye and to all the reste of the contreye of lidia he gaue libertye to liue vnder their owne lawes He got also into his possessyon the Cytye of Epheses by reason that the fourth daye after the battell yt was abandoned of the guarison which Darius set ther. Magnesia In the meane season ther cam Anbassedours froÌ„ Magnesia froÌ„ the TralliaÌ„s proffering the delyuery of thier Cities Parmenio was sent to theÌ„ with .iii. Meliton thousand fotemen .cc. horsemen Helicarnassus wyth whych powre he wan Miletum that sâ—od at defeÌ„ce marching froÌ„ theÌ„s toward helycarnassus got al the townes therabouts at the first approche afterwardes besieged helicarnassus yt self which with great trauaile he wan at length Ada the Quene of Carya rased to the ground As Alexander entered into Caria Orontocâ—tes Ada the QueÌ„e of that Countrey Alynda which had bene spoiled of al hir Domynion by Orontobates Darius lieutenant sauinge of one strong Citye called Alinda mette with Alexander and adopted hym for hir sonne and heire He wold not refuse the name the proffer of hir liberalitie but dyd betake to hyr againe the custody of hyr owne Citie Licia And besides for the memory of hyr beneuolens put the hole Contrey of Caria vnder hyr rule and subiection From thence he wente into Lycia and Pamphilia to th entent that by gettyng the possession of the sea costes of those contries Pamphilia shulde causse the sea powre of Darius to stand to none effecte wheÌ„ he had ones subdued the people of Pisydia Pisydia he entred into Phrigia by the which contrey he was enforsed to passe and marched towards Darius Phrigia with whom he had great desire to encounter hearynge saye that he was comming against him with many thousand of men of warre ¶ The thyrde boke of Quyntus Curtius of the Actâ—s of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon Geander ALexander in the meane season hauing seÌ„te GeaÌ„der to wage meÌ„ of warre out of Peleponese established the contreis of Lycia and Pamphilia remoued his Armye to the Citye of Celenas Celenas Marcia throughe thys Citye theyr rane the same tyme the Riuer of Marcia verie famous in the greake poesis whose hed springing out of the tope of an highe mountayne and fallyng downe vpon a rock beneth made muche nose toringe It floweth from thence and watreth the feldes all about wythout encrease of any streame sauing hys owne The collore wherof being like vnto the calmeese gaue occasion to the poetes to fayne howe the Nymphes for the delight they toke in the Riuer choise their dwellyng vnder that roke So longe as it ronnethe within compasse of the walles yt keapeth his owne name but wheÌ„ it cometh without where the streme is more swyfte vehemente is then called Lycum Lycum Alexander dyd enter into thys towne being foresaken of the Inhabitaunts and perceyuing they were fled into the castle whych he determined to winne before he departed seÌ„t frist to sommoÌ„ them by an Heraulde whych declared that except they wold yelde them selues they should suffre the extremytie of the law of Armys They brought the herauld into an highe towre which was strong both by nature and workmaÌ„ship willing him to coÌ„sider the thing to declare vnto Alexander that he wayed not sufficiently the strengthe of the place for thei said they knewe it to be impringable if the worstshuld falle yet were thei redy to dye in there truth allegeance Notwth standinge which wordes wheÌ„ it came to the pointe that thei sawe theÌ„ selues be sieged al thinges wax scarse They toke truse for lâ— dayes with thys composition that if they were not reseued by Darius within the time they wold reÌ„dre it vp into his haÌ„ds Which thei did afterwards at the dai apointed wheÌ„ thei saw no succors coming To the place there ceme Embassadors to hym froÌ„ Athens makyng request that such of there Citie as were takeÌ„ prisoÌ„res at the battel fought vppon the riuer of Granyke myght be restored to thē· To whom aunswer was made that wheÌ„ the warres of percie wer oÌ„es broÌ„ght to an end both thers al other that wer greaks shuld be restored to their libertie Alexander had his present care ImagenaroÌ„ alwaies vpoÌ„ Darius whoÌ„ he knew not yet to be passed the ryuer of Euphrates He assembled therfore all hys powre togethers purposing to adueÌ„ture the hasard of the bataile The coÌ„trey was called Phriga that he passed thorugh plentyful of villages but scarse of Cyties Cytye of Gordyn yet their was one therin of great Antiquitie called Gordin the roiall seat sometyme of Kynge Mydas The riuer Sangarius doth ronne throught yt and it standeth in midewaye tetweÌ„e the SeaÌ„ of Ponte Cilicia being iudged to be the narowest parte of Asia by reasoÌ„ of the Sees which lye on both sides representing the forme of an IlaÌ„d And if it were not for a smale point of land that do lie betwext those ses thei shuld win both togithers Alexander hauing brought this Citye vnder his boeysans entered into the temple of Iubyter were he saw the wagon wherin Mydas the builder of the Citie was wonte to ride The same in the furniture outwarde appearance differred lyttle froÌ„ other common wagoÌ„s Gordies knotte but there was in yt a thing notable which was a rope folded knit with many knots one so wrethed within an otheir that no man could perceyue the maner of yt nether where the knotes began nor wher thei eanded Vpon theys the Contremen had a prophesie that he shuld be lord of all Asia that could vndo that endles knot which matter put the kinge in a meruelus desire to become the fulfiller of that prophesie Ther stod a great nombre aboute him bothe of Phrigians Macedons â—hone parte of theÌ„ musing to what coÌ„clusioÌ„ this matter wold come to and the other feacing the rashe presiumpcoÌ„ of the kyng Forasmuch as they could perceyue bi no reasoÌ„ now the knot shuld be vndoÌ„e The Kynge him self also doughting that the failing of his purpose in the matter might be take as a tokeÌ„ of his euel fortune to come Wherfore after he had coÌ„sidred the thing What matter maketh it qd he which way it be vndone and striued nolenger how to vnknit it but out of hand cut with his sword the cordes a sondre therbi etheir illuding or els fulfilling theffecte of the prophecye When this was doÌ„e AlexaÌ„der purposed to find out Darius wher so euer he wer And to the inteÌ„t he wold leue al thinges cleare behind his back made Amphitorus captayne of his name vpon the coste of Helliespont Amphitorus comettyng the charge of the meÌ„ of warre to Egilocus Egilocus Thei two haue commissoÌ„ to deliuer the IlaÌ„ds of Lesbos Lesbos Scyo Coos Scyo Coos from the handes of the Percians And for the furniture of their chargs apointed to theÌ„ .l.
Perdicas But this man quod he hath forgeuen theÌ„ that slewe his father These were the wordes that Egilocus spake about supper time and on the morowe early my father sent for me who was heauy and sawe me sadde for we both had heard that which made vs out of quiet Therefore to proue whether he babled those woordes through excesse of wine or of an aduised purpose coÌ„ceiued before we thought good to send for him sekyng occasion of the same coÌ„municatioÌ„ he of his own mind said further that if we durst vndertake the aduenture he would not shrynke from vs or if our hartes serued not he would kepe our counsayle Yet so long as Darius was liuyng my father thought all the matter out of time because the death of AlexaÌ„der should be to the auaile of our enemies and not of our selues But Darius once ridde out of the waye then he that could destroy the kynge should obtaine the empire of Asia and all the orient for his reward whiche couÌ„saile beyng approued faieth and trouth was geuen therupon But concernyng Dimnus I know nothing When he had confessed all thys matter I perceyue quod he that it dothe not auayle me that I am vtterlye gilties of this treason Then thei renued his tormentes againe and so beate his face and his eyes with the troncheons of their speares vntil they enforced him not onely to coÌ„fesse of him selfe but also to shewe the circumstaunces of the whole treason prepeÌ„ced The secoÌ„de coÌ„fession of Philotas Because quod he it semed that the king would soiourne long among the BactriaÌ„s I was afrayed least my father that had so greate a power in his handes and the keping of so much treasure beyng .lxx. yere of age should happe to die in the meane season theÌ„ being disarmed of so great a streÌ„gth should not get oportunitie to slea the kyng Wherfore I hasted the matter while the praye was in hand Thus discouered he the conspiracye wherof if thei beleued his father to be aucthour he saied for his trial he refused not to be tormented againe though it were to greuous for him to endure The officers then whisperyng together thought the examination to be sufficient returned therwithall to the Kynge whiche on the morow caused al the coÌ„fession there to be opeÌ„ly recited before Philotas whoÌ„ he caused to be led into the place because he was not able to go where he coÌ„fessed all the matter againe Then Demetrius was brought forth Demetrius whiche was counted the greatest doer in this conspiracye next to Philotas But he with great protestatioÌ„ and incredible sloutenes both of harte couÌ„tenaunce denyed that he euer intended any euill against the king and for his triall desiered to be tormented Then Philotas castyng his eyes about Calis spied one Calis standing by and made a sygne to him to draw nere Who being abashed refusing to come forwards Wilt thou quod he suffer Demetrius to lye me to be strayned again With those words Calis became speachles chauÌ„ged color TheÌ„ the MacedoÌ„s begaÌ„ to suspect that he wold accuse innoceÌ„t bicause the same Calis was nether named by Nichomacus nor by Philotas him selfe in his tormentes But finallye Philotas before the kinges officers standing therabout coÌ„fessed that all the treason was conspired by him self Demetrius Wherfore as many as were appeached by Nichomacus vpon a tokeÌ„ geuen Philotas put to death were stoned to death according to the Macedons lawe Thus was Alexander deliuered froÌ„ great peril not only of his life but also of his surety For Parmenio and Philotas beyng of suche power â–ª if thei had not openly bene found culpable coulde not haue bene condempned without the great grudge of the armye So long therfore as Philotas as denied the thing the matter semed doubtfull and many men thought him cruellye handled But after he hadde confessed the circumstaunces no man not so muche as his neare frendes toke any pitye of him The seuenth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedon LIke as the men of warre thought Philotas iustly put to death his offence beyng fresh in memorie euen so after he was gone whoÌ„ thei before hated their enuye was turned to pitie The noblenes of the yong man moued theim muche so did the remeÌ„braunce of the olde yeres and desolatioÌ„ of his father He was the firste that made the waye open for Alexander into Asia alwaies partaker of his perils as he whiche in the warres was euer captayne of his vowarde chiefe a counsaile with the kynge his father and so trusty to Alexander him selfe that in oppressing of Attalus his enemye he would vse no other mans seruice The remembraunce of these thinges was ripe among al the souldiours sedicious wordes came to the kinges eares who being litle moued therwith did wisely with trauaile auoide the euel occasioÌ„s coÌ„ming of idlenes Wherfore he made it so be proclaimed that all men should be in redines before the court gate where thei being once assembled he came forâ—h to speake vnto theÌ„ And as it was before deuised required the bande of the Agrians to bring forth one Alexander Lincestes whiche long before Philotas Alexander Lincestes had coÌ„spired the kinges death This maÌ„ being accused of two witnesses as afore is said had remained in prison .iii. yeres together It was also proued that he was of counsell with PaÌ„sanias in the killing of king Phillip But because he saluted first AlexaÌ„der by the name of king his punishement was deferred rather then his offeÌ„ce forgeueÌ„ For at the intercessioÌ„ of Antipater his father in law the king had respected his iust indignation for the time But the old festred sore brake out againe and the coÌ„sideration of his perill present renued the remeÌ„braunce of that that was passed Therefore when he was brought forth of pryson commaunded to saye for him selfe albeit he had .iii. yeres leasure to deuise his aunswere yet stammeryng and tremblinge coulde bringe forth but little of that whiche he purposed to saie finally both his memory and his harte failed him Wherfore there was none that doubted but that his fearfulnes was a token of a gilty conscience and no default of memory so that whiles he was staggering and hacking in his tale they that stode next thrust him through with their pikes whose bodye conueied out of the place the kinge commaunded Amintas and Simmannas to be brought forth Amintas Simmannas brought to iudgement for Palemon their yongest brother after he had knowledge of Philotas torment fledde away Of al Philotas freÌ„des these .ii. were most deare vnto him through his commendation aduaunced to high honorable offices The kinge remeÌ„bryng wyth what earnestnes and labour Philotas had brought theÌ„ into his fauour doubted not but they wer priuy to this last coÌ„spiracy And therupon he declared to the multitude AlexaÌ„ders accusatioÌ„ against them that he had occasioÌ„ of suspectioÌ„ against those meÌ„
thrown by them and when the wagons came in any roughe or myrye places the Indians were thrown out of them For when the horses that drewe were ones galled and put in feare they caried the wagons without gouernment and tombled parte in the myre and parte in the riuer A fewe trauarsed the felds fled for succour vnto Porus who seinge hys wagons scatered ouer all the feldes and waÌ„der aboute wtout there rulers distributed the charge of hys Elephantes amonges hys frendes and placed hys fotemen and archers behind them He had many the soundyd vpon Timbrells beinge instrumentes that the Indians vse in stede of troÌ„pettes wherwith there eares were so filled that the noyse of there enemies little moued them They bare also the Image of Hercules in the frunt of there fote battell whiche was done for an encouragement for them to fight wel and for a note of a reprouf offence to them that should flee from that there standard For it was losse of lyfe to them that left it in the feld So that So that the feare whiche they conceiued of Hercules that sometyme had bene their enemye was then turned into a veneration and a religion The sight bothe of the Elephantes and Porus him selfe astonied the Macedons and caused them a while to staye For the beastes beyng set in order amonges armed men shewed a farre of lyke highe towers and Porus him selfe exceadynge in maner the stature of manne the Elephant wherupon he did ryde was a settyng forth vnto hys bygnes whiche excelled so muche all the other Elephantes as he him selfe excelled the rest of menne So that Alexander beholdynge both Porus and hys power saied that at lengthe he had founde a perell equall vnto hys harte For we haue to do 〈◊〉 he both with terrible beastes and wyth notable men of warre And therupon loked towardes CenoÌ„ said vnto him When I with Ptolomeus Perditas and Ephestion shal set vpon the left battaile of our enemies and shalt see vs in the heate of the fyghte doo you then set forwardes my ryght battayle and freshlye assayle theim when you see them begynne to fall out of order Antigonus Leonatus and Tauron do you bende agaynst their maine battayle and set vpon their fronte Our pikes be longe and stronge and can not serue to anye better vse then againste the Elephantes and suche as they cary ouerthrow them thrust the beastes through The Elephantes be but an vncertayne force whyche vse to do moste harme to their owne parte For as they vse to goo agaynste their Enemies so longe as they be at commaundemente so when they be once putte in feare they tourne agaynste theyr owne syde and shewe mooste rage towardes theim He hadde not so sone spoken those wordes but he put spores to his horse passyng against his enemies and when accordynge to hys appoyntment he hadde geuen the charge Cenus with a great force brake vpoÌ„ the left battell And the Phalanx at the same instant brake in amonges the middes of their enemies When Porus saw the horsemeÌ„ geue the charge he put forwardê his Elephantes to encouÌ„ter theÌ„ But they beyng slow beastes not apt sodaynly to moue were preuented by the swiftnes of the horses and their bowes were not to them of any great effect For by reason their arowes were so long and heauy that they could not nock theÌ„ within their bowes except they staied first their bowes vpon the ground and the grouÌ„d being so slippery that thei could haue no perfite foting The confusion that â—ell amoÌ„ges Porus men whiles thei were preparing theÌ„ selues to shote their enemies were come amonges them Then euery man fell from thorder that Porus had geueÌ„ as it chauÌ„seth ofteÌ„times amonges troubled mindes where fear beareth more rule theÌ„ the capitaines appointment For in so many partes as their army was deuided so many generals there became amonges theÌ„ Some would ioyne all their battels in one other would haue them deuided Some willed to staie other to go forwardes and enclose their enemies about There was no generall consultation amonges them Porus notwithstandinge accompanied with a fewe with whom shame preuailed more theÌ„ feare assembled such together as were disperkled abroade and went forwardes against his enemies settinge his Elephantes in the fronte of the battaile They put the MacedoÌ„s in terrour troublyng with their vnwonted crye not onely the horse that naturally do feare them but also amased the men and disturbed their order In so muche that thei whiche a little before thought them selues victorers loked aboute whiche waye to flee and saue theim selues Whiche thinge when Alexander perceiued he sente against the Elephantes â—he Agrians and Tharians that were men light armed and apter to skyrmish a farre of then to fight hande to hand They gaue the Elephantes and their gouernours muche a doo and sore afflicted them wyth the multitude of their dartes and arrowes that they bestowed amonges them And the Phalanx came constantly forwardes againste them that were in feare But suche as pressed ouer forwarde in fyghtynge wyth the Elephantes procured their manifest destruction who beynge trampeled to death wyth their fete were an example to other not to be ouer hastye in aduenturynge them selues The moste terrible sight was when the Elephantes wyth their longe trunkes whiche they called probostides toke menne in their armoure from the grounde and deliuered them vp to their gouernours The battaile was prolonged doubtfully tyll the daye was farre spente The Souldiours sometime fliyng from the Elephantes and sometime pursuing after them vntil that with a certaine kynde of weapons called Copida whyche croked lyke sithes and prepared for the purpose they cut the Elephantes vpon the legges Those the Macedons had right aptly deuised for not onely the feare of death but also the feare of a newe kinde of torment in death caused them to leaue nothynge vnproued Finally the Elephantes weried with Woundes with their violente struglynge did raste their gouernoures to the Earth and tare them in pieces for they were put in such fear that they were no more hurtfull to their enemies but driueÌ„ out of the battayle like shepe Porus beynge forsaken of the more parte of hys men ceassed not to caste Dartes wherof he had plentye prepared vpon hys Elephant amonges them that flocked aboute hym wherby he woundyng manye by reason he laye open to euerye mannes blowe was layed at on all partes tyll he hadde receiued nine woundes behynde and before throughe the whiche he bledde so muche that he had no power to cast any more but for feblenes they fell out of hys handes The Elephante also whyche he didde ryde vpon pricked forwardes wyth furye made a great disturbaunce amonges the Macedons vntyll that hys gouernoure seynge the Kynge so faynte that he let fall hys Dartes and to be almost past hys remembraunce sturred the beast to flee awaye whom Alexander folowed in all that he myght but his horse that was thrust in wyth manye woundes fel downe
thousand footemeÌ„ .x. M. horsemeÌ„ and .ix. C. armed wagons Wherof when the Macedons were aduertised whiche beleued that they had passed all perils seing a freshe warre arise with a new fierse nacion were amased with a sodayne feare and began agayne with sedicious wordes to reproue their kyng The â—uty â—â—s words of the souldiers They alledged that he would lately haue compelled them to passe the ryuer of Ganges for to make warre vpon those nacions lyeng beyonde the same Which enterpryse though it were left they had not for all that ended the warre neuer the more but rather made an exchaunge of a newe labour beyng put furthe amonges these wylde nacions to make the Occean sea open to hym with their bloud and to be drawen beyonde the sonne and sterres They were compelled they sayde to vysite those places whiche nature coueted to remoue from mans knowledge They grudged that to their newe armour thâ—â— were nowe enemies raysed vp whom if they should vanâ—â—ishe and put to flyght they coulde not see what benefite they shoulde receiue therby but onely darkenes and obscuritie of the ayre whiche alwayes couered the depe sea whyche sea was replenished wyth multitude of monsters wallowynge in those immoueable waters where as Nature decayinge fayled of her force The kynge little moued in his owne respecte was greatly troubled with those passions of his souldiours Alexander perswaded his souldiours Wherfore he assembled theim altogether declaring of howe feable a force those nacions were whom they feared so muche which only remayned and were impediment vnto them hauyng passed ouer so manye countreys to atteine both to the ende of their trauayle to the ende of the world He shewed howe that in respect of their former feare he had lefte his enterprice ouer Ganges with the conquest of the Nacions inhabitynge beyonde the same and had directed his iourney this waye where as their glorye should be as great and their peryll muche lesse and wherin they had not farre to trauayle seynge the Occean was in maner within sighte the ayre wherof he felt blowyng in his face He required them therfore that they woulde not enuye the glorye that he sought by passyng the boundes of Hercules and Bacchus seyng that with so little payne they myght geue vnto their kynge perpetuall fame and immortalitye In doynge wherof they shoulde departe out of India as victorers where as otherwise they shoulde seme to flye from thence It is the propertye of euerye multitude and specially of men of warre to be drawen with euery lyttle mocion amonges whom as sedition dothe sone rise so it is sone pacefied There was neuer a more cherefull crye made of any armye before theÌ„ the Souldiours then made vnto Alexander whiche willed him to leade them whether soeuer he would and make him selfe equall in glorye to them whose actes he dyd counterfeite Alexander reioysinge in the willyngnes that appeared in them remoued straightwayes towardes hys enemyes that were the stowtest people of all the Indians They prepared theim selues boldely for the warres and chose for their capitayne one of the Oxidracans that was of an approued manhode who encamped at the fote of a mountayne made fiers all abroade to cause his numbre appeare the greater and wente aboute in vayne to feare the Macedons when they were at reste by makynge of alaâ—oms with their cryes and maner of howlynge When the daye appeared Alexander hauynge an assured truste to winne the victorye commaunded the Souldiours to put on their armoure cherefully to fall in order of battayle But the Indians whether it were for feare or by reason of some sedition risen amonges them sodainelye fledde into the deserte mountaynes whom Alexander folowed in vaine and not able to ouertake them toke their cariage After this he came vnto a citye of the Oxidracans wherunto great numbre were fled The Oxidracans aswell in trust of the strength of the place as of their owne power As Alexander was about to make the approch Demophon his deuiner admonished him Demophon that he should eiher deferre the matter or els not meddle with it at all for that there appered signes that his life should be in perill When Alexander had hearde his wordes he behelde him and saide If any man should interrupt the when thou art busie about thy science or consideryng of the intrailes shoulde not he seme vnto the troublous and his coÌ„myng vngratefull Yes truely quod he So art thou nowe vnto me quod Alexander For hauynge so greate matters in hande whiche passe the intrailes of Beastes I fynde no greater impedimente then a supersticious diuiner And as sone as he hadde spoken the worde he caused them to rere vp ladders and whiles other menne sticked and stayed at the matter he mounted vp the walle The same was verye narrowe in the toppe not deuided wyth lopes as is communely vsed but enclosed with one whole and continuall battilment rounde aboute which caused it to be the more hard to scale Alexander therfore hauyng no conuenient rowme to stande at his defence stayed vpon the walle receyuyng vpon his target the dartes whyche were caste at him from all partes His souldiours could not get vnto him they were so beaten from the walles by castyng of Dartes and multitude of shotte that came from aboue Yet at length when by their stayinge thei sawe their kyng geuen vp into their enemies hands shame ouercame their immaculate daunger But their ouermuche haste was ouer great a lette and the cause why they coulde not come to the rescue of their king For whyles euery manne coueted vp the ladders they were so sore laden that they brake asunder and suche as were mounted vpon theim fell downe agayne deceyuynge Alexander of hys onelye hope So that in the syght of all the armye he stode destitute as in a deserte wythout anye ayde or succoure and hadde weried hys lefte arme wyth the whyche he helde his Target in receiuynge the blowes His frendes cried vnto hym that he shoulde leape downe vnto theim who stode in readines to receyue hym But he geuynge no eare vnto theim vndertoke an incredible enterprice and such one as hath not bene hearde of before deseruynge rather fame of rashenes then of any commendation that might sounde to his glorye For with a ful leape he did caste him selfe into the citye that was full of his enemies wheras he coulde sâ—arselye haue anye hope to fyght for his life or in diynge to be reuenged vpon his enemyes For before he coulde recouer hys fete agayne it was likelye either he shoulde haue bene slayne or taken aliue But he by chaunce so conueied his bodye that he fell vpon his fete and standinge encountred with such as came againste him Fortune so prouidyng that he coulde not be enclosed about by reasoÌ„ of an olde tree which as it had bene of purpose stode neare vnto the wall whose broade boughes full of leaues couered him from aboue and the greatnes of the stocke kept his enemies
made his powre inuincible After all these thinges beyng happely brought to passe he toke to wyfe Olympias one of the daughters of Neoptolenius Kyng of the Molossons Olimpias Philippes wyfe whiche mariage was coÌ„cluded by the meanes of Arisba Arisba who hauiÌ„g the gouernemeÌ„t of Olympias was become king by the mariage of her other sister called Troada Troada This mariage whiche he thought to haue made for his suertie turned afterwardes to his subuercion For thynking to haue made him self strong by thaffinitie of Philip he was at length by hym depryued of the hole kyngdome ending his life myserably in exile Not long after this mariage Kyng Philip dreamed that he sawe his wiues wombe wonderfully swollen Philippes dreame and to his seming a liuely Image of a lion thereuppoÌ„ by whiche dreame the deuyners dreame readers did enterprete that his wyfe was coÌ„ceiued of a chylde that should be of a lions hert and courage with whiche interpretacioÌ„ he was mitch pleased Methron Afterwardes at thassault of a citie called Methron by shot of an arrowe he loste his right eie Wherof though the displeasure was great yet was he conteÌ„t vpon their submissioÌ„ to take them to mercy He wanne also the cytie of Pagus and annexed the same vnto his kingdome Pagus He inuaded the lande of the Triballes Tryballes and at one instant conquered it with all the contreis thereaboute Thus hauyng made his kyngdome strong by subduing his neighbours at his retournyng home his wyfe Olympias was deliuered of his sonne Alexander The byrthe of Alexand the .8 daye of Aprill Of these good fortunes the kyng reioysed no lesse than reason was hauyng stablyshed his contrey at home subdued his enemies abrode â–ª and gotten an heire to succede in his kyngdome He coulde haue desired no more of God if the mynde of man could euer be satisfied whiche the more it hath the more it coueteth And as the dominion encreaseth so doth also the desire to haue more Which was wel seen in Philip that still did compasse howe to growe great by taking from his neighbours and laye alwayes like a spie awayting tyme and occasion howe to catche froÌ„ euerie man whereunto he had occasion mynistred by the Cyties of Greace for whiles one did couet to subdue an other and through ambition were at strife who should be chief by one and one at laste he brought all to subiection firste persuadyng the smaler states to moue warre agaynste the greater and to serue his purpose contcyued the wayes to set them all together by the eares but at lenght when his practizes were perceyued dyuers Cyties fearyng his encrease confeadered agaynste hym as their commen ennemye and namely the Thebans Neuertheles in a necessitie when they were dryuen to wage men of warre they chose hym to be there generall Capitaine agaynste the Lacedemonians and the Phoceans Philip chosen Captain agaynst the Phoceans and the LacedemoniaÌ„s whiche had spoyled the temple of Apollo This warre he honorablie acheued so that by pounysshement of their sacryledge he gat hym self great honour in all those places But in th ende espyeng either of those Countreis to be brought lowe with warre he founde the meanes to subdue both the one and the other compellyng as well the ouercommers as the ouercomme to be his Tributaries and subiectes Then made he a voyage into Cappadoce where killyng and takyng all the Princes there aboutes prisoners reducede the hole prouince to the subiection of Macedon He conquered Olinthus and within a while put his fote in Thrace For where the two Kynges of that countrey were at variaunce aboute the limites of ther kyngdomes and choyse hym to be Arbitrer he gladly toke it vpon hym but at the daye aâ—oynted for the Iugement he came not thither like a Iudge in a Counsell but like a warrier with an army and to parte the strife expulsid both the partes from their kyngdomes By this time yong Alexander was of twelue yeares of age The towardnes of Alexander and began to take great delyght in the feates of warre shewyng moste manifeste signes â—f noble harte and Princely courage He was very swifte of foote and one daie at a solempne game of ronnyng called Olimpiacum beyng demaunded by some of his Companions whether he would ronne a rase with them gladly quod he If I had kynges sonnes to ronne withall Another tyme when certayne Embassadours of the Percians came into Macedon Alexander whiche in his fathers absence toke vpon hym their entertaynement and deuisyng with them of diuers thinges and in all his communication there neuer passed from him one chyldishe or vaine worde but either he enquired the state of their Countrey the maners of the people the distance of the waies the powre of their kyng or the order of his warres and suche other like So that the Embassadours hauing meruaill the rat esteamed the prouffe of the father to be muche lesse theÌ„ the towardnes of the sonne and that his courage was muche more then was to be loked for in one of his yeres As ofteÌ„ as tidinges came that the kyng his father had wonne any stronge or ryche Towne or obteyned any notable victory He neuer seamed greatly ioyfull but would saye to his playe fellowes my father doth so many great actes that he will leaue no occasion of any notable thing for vs to do together Suche were his wordes suche was his talke whereby it was easy to coÌ„iecture what a maÌ„ he would after proue in age whiche so begaÌ„ in youth His delight was not set in any kynde of pleasure or gredines of gayne but in the only exercise of vertue and desire of honoure And the more aucthoritie that he receiued of his father the lesse he would seame to beare And although by the great encrease of his fathers dominion it semed that he should haue the lesse occasion to vse the warres yet he did not set his delight in vayne pleasure or heapyng vp of treasure but sought all the meanes he could to vse mercial feates and exercises of warre coueting suche a kingdome wherein for his vertue and proues he might purchase fame and immortalitie whiche hope neuer deceiued Alexander nor any other when it happeneth in a maÌ„ of vertue and noble hert that hath wille or occasion to put the same in vre Alexander was coÌ„mitted to the gouernementes of Aristotle The charge and gouernaunce of this young Prince was committed to sondrie excelleÌ„t Maisters and Gouernours but chiefly to the greate Philosopher Aristotle whose vertue learnyng and knowledge Kynge Philip so muche estemed that he would often saye he toke no greater comforte in the byrthe of his sonne then in that he was prouided of suche a Maister for hym as Aristotle vnder whose tuicion he remayned ten yeares Many thynges there chaunsed besydes whereby it was coniectured that Alexander should proue a man of greate valoure The oracle at Delphos For when his father sent to Delphos
Triballes and Thillicians because he vnderstode they were conspityng togethers And for that they bordred vppon hys Countrey and were woute to inuade thesame vpon euery occasion thought to set stay amonges them before he would remoue hys power so farre of Amphipolis From the Cytie of Amphipolis therefore he set forewardes agaynste the Tracians whiche at that tyme were not vnder the rule or lawe of any man And in ten daies came to the mount Hemus Mount Hemus in the toppe wherof he found theÌ„ encamped with a great power to resist his passage In steade of treÌ„ches they had impaled theÌ„ selfes with their cariages crosse the streightes purposyng ther to let his iourney And if they should be inuaded by any other waye then by the strayghtes â–ª they dyd determyne to roulle the Cariages downe the hyll vpon the Macedones to breake the array of their battailes whiche deuise in dede they put in execution But the Souldiers had receyued before instruccions by AlexaÌ„der that as occasioÌ„ should serue parte should open their arraye to lette the Cartes and Wheales passe through them and that other should fall flat vpoÌ„ the grounde and by coueryng their bodies with their Targattes auoyde the daunger They vsed the matter accordyng to their instruccions and when the Cartes were passed by they with a courage and crye mounted vp agaynst their enemies and in a moment put them to flyght When Alexander was passed the Mountayne he entred into the Contrey of the Triballes as farre as the ryuer of Ligens Syrmus kyng of the Trybals When Syrmus Kynge of that lande vnderstode of his comyng he sent his wyfe and hys chyldren with suche of hys people as were not mere for the warres into an Iland called Pencascytuate within the Riuer of Danubye Penca Into whiche lande the Thracians that bordered with the Triballes were fledde also It was not long after that Syrmus hym selfe fledde thither lykewyse The rest of the Tryballes that were not with the Kynge withdrewe into an other Ilande where they kepte them selfes agaynste Alexander But he by polecye founde the meanes to drawe them out of theree strength whereby he slewe of them the nombre of thre thousande and the reste fledde awaye for of prysoners there were fewe taken After this battayles he marched towardes the Ryuer of Danubye to that Ilande where the Tracians and the other Tryballes were fledde They made notable resistans againste him which they might the better do by reason that Alexander wanted boates the bankes of the Iland were so highe stepe that they could not be mounted vpon but with great difficulty the streame besides ronnyng meruelously swifte because that the Ilande made yt narowe â–ª when Alexander perceyued the impossibility to assaile them he withdrewe to another place where gettyng a fewe boates passed the ryuer in the night to the noÌ„ber of M. ccccc horsemen 4000 fotemen wyth whiche company he set vpon a people called Getes Getes that stode redye in bataile on the further side of purpose to stoppe the Macedones their passage with .4000 horsemen .x. M. fotemeÌ„ By which sodeyne comyng ouer the Getes beiÌ„g afraid did not abyde the furste onset it seamed to theÌ„ a matter of wonderful aduenture for Alexander in one nyght wythout a bridge Danuby to passe his power ouer the brodest and depest ryuer of al Europe this matter stroke such fear in theÌ„ that they fledde into the woddes and deserte places leuing their cytie desolate which was taken by Alexander and ouerthrone Syrmus Kyng of the Triballes the Germains and the other Inhabiters of Danubie sent Embassadours thether vnto Alexander to enter with him in frendshyppe and amitie And he condiscending to their requestes enquired of the Germaines what thing it was in the world that they doubted most thinkinge in deade that the terrour of his name had bene the most feareful thing vnto theÌ„ But when they vnderstode his meanynge they aunswered that they doubted greatly the falling of the skye with whose presumptious auÌ„swer Alexander was nothing moued nor further replied sauing only that he said the Germains were alwaies a proud people and thereupon dismissed theÌ„ Agrians As he was going froÌ„ thence against the Agrians the PeaÌ„s Agryans clitê° Bardeleius Glancias Kynge of ThalaÌ„ts Lagarus he was aduertised that Clitus Bardeleius had rebelled and was confederate with Glancias the kynge of the Thaulantes he had also intelligeÌ„ce that the people of Anteria wold giue him bataile in his passage wherefore he coÌ„mytted to Lagarus the Kynge of Agryans wich was welbeloued of King Philip no les fauored of Alexander the charge to go againste the Anterians Anterians and promysed him vpon his retorne to giue him his suster Cyna in mariage Cina And AlexaÌ„der him self with great celeritie weÌ„t against Clytus Glaucias whoÌ„ in sondrey bataylles he ouercame put to flight Whiles Alexander was about thes thinges The Greks rebellyd he receiued aduertisemeÌ„t the diuers Cities in Greace specially the Thebans had rebelled which thinge moued him muche was the cause that he retorned with spede to oppresse the coÌ„mocion The Thebanes in this meane season besieged the Castle of Thebes wher in was a guarrison of Macedones and weÌ„t about by al meanes to win it To whose rescue Alexander came by greate iourneys encamped with his host nere to the Citie The siege of Thebes Such as bare rule amoÌ„ges the Thebanes wheÌ„ thei sawe AlexaÌ„der coÌ„e contrary to that they loked for doubted whether such ayde shuld coÌ„e to theÌ„ froÌ„ other Cities as was promysed began to consulte how to procede At leÌ„gth by a general consent they determyned to abide thaduenture of the warre The King in the meane seasoÌ„ stode at a staye geuyng theÌ„ spare to be better aduised chauÌ„ge purpose for he was of opinioÌ„ that not one Citye wold euer haue made resistance against so great a power as he had beinge aboue .xxx. thousand fotmen and thre thousand horsemen al olde Souldyers and experte in the traueiles of warre The truste of whose manhode and valyantenes had caused hym to vndertake the warres agaynst the Percians Trulye yf the Thebans had gyuen place too fortune to the tyme and wold haue required peace they mighte easelie haue obtained it his disire was so greate to passe into Asia against the Percians but the Thebans that were determined to trye their force and vse no praiers fought agaynst the MacedoÌ„es that far exceded their noÌ„bre obstynatly with greate manhode But whiles the batailes were ioyning the guarrison of the castle issued out vpon the Thebanes backe wherby being enclosed they were vanquyshed their Cytie taken spoiled The distraccion of Thebes and vtterly rased Which thynge Alexander did of purpose because he thought the reste the Grecians afraied by their eÌ„sample wold be the more quiet whiles he shoulde be in the warres of Asia to gratifie the Phocians and
commyng of his enemies Whiles AlexaÌ„der was busied about these thinges he receiued plesaunt newes how his men had wonne a battaille of the Percians at Halicarnassus and that the Myndians and Cawnians Myndians Cawnians with diuers other nacions in those partes were brought vnder his obedieÌ„ce This triumphe ones ended he remoued and by a brydge made ouer the ryuer of Piramus he came to the Cytie of Malon Malon Castabulon and from thence with an other remoue came to a towne called Castabulon There Parmenio returned to the kyng whiche had bene sent to searche the strayte that lay betwene them and the Cytie of Isson He had preuented the Percians at the passage and so leuyng men for the defence therof toke the Citie of Isson that was lefte desolate Isson he departed from thence and did driue the PerciaÌ„s out of the mouÌ„taynes serched all the waies So that hauing made all thinges clere for tharmy to passe he returned again both the aucthour of the acte the reporter of the thing done Alexander encamped within the Citie debated there in couÌ„sail whether it were better to passe on further or els to tary there for a more power whiche was coÌ„ming to him out of Macedon Parmenios opinion Parmenio was of opinion that this place was moste metest to abide Dariê° in and geue him battaille where both tharmies should be of like force by reasoÌ„ of the straytes wherein no great multitude could fight at once He shewed reasons why thei ought to eschue the plaines wherein their enemies shoud haue great auantage through their great noÌ„bre that might enclose theÌ„ about Wherin he said he doubted not his enemies stoutnes but only feared that their own men might be ouercoÌ„me with werenes where a multitude should fight with a fewe freshe men succede in the place of them that fainted This counsaill was receiued for good and Alexander determined in that place to abide his enemies There was in the host of the Macedons one Sysenes a persone sent before tyme from the gouernour of Egipt vnto kyng Philip Sysenes who being aduaunced with rewarde and promocioÌ„s choyse to lyue out of his own conÌ„trey so folowing AlexaÌ„der into Asia was estemed among those that the kyng trusted well A souldier of Create deliuered hym a letter from Nabazzanes Darius Lieutenaunt wherin he exhorted him to do some notable enterprise wherby he might wynne fauour reputacioÌ„ with Darius Sysenes innoceÌ„t of this matter was about diuers times to present the letter to the king but seing him occupied with weyghty affaires of prouision for the battaille prolonged the matter And whiles he wayted for a more conuenient time he brought himself in suspicioÌ„ of treason for the letter was brought to the kinges handes before it was deliuered vnto him who readyng it did seale the same with a strong seale and caused it to be deliuered to Sysenes to proue therby his fidelite but because he counsealed the thyng many dayes and opened not the matter to the kyng it semed that he consented thereunto And therefore by the kynges commaundement he was put to death by the band of the CreteÌ„sians The Greke souldiers whiche Tymodes had receyued of Pharnabasus beyng those that Darius trusted moste were come vnto him The grekes adâ—ise They perswaded muche Darius to retire backe into the playnes of Mesopotania and if he would not do so that at the leste he should deuide his power and not commyt the hole force of his estate to one stroke of fortune This counsaill was not so displesaunt vnto the Kyng as it was to suche that were about hym For they sayd mercinary souldiours were alwayes full of treason and were to be doubted the more for that they counsayled the Army to be deuided whiche was for no other purpose but only that they myght haue commoditie to flee vnto Alexander when they should haue any charge committed vnto them There is nothyng therefore more sure for vs quod they then to enclose them round about with our army and to cut them in peces to be an ensample to the worlde that treason should neuer be vnreuenged But Darius whiche was of a meke and good disposicion Darius clemency refused to commit so cruell an acte in sleyng suche as had betaken themselues to his truste Darmes answere vnto his counsail For if we should fyle oure handes quod he with their bloude what straunge nacion would euer then committe them selues into our handes alledgyng that there ought no man to lose his lyfe for geuyng folyshe counsayll For who would be bolde to geue Counsaylle yf in counsayllyng there should be any peryll For I call you quod he to counsaill daily and heare the diuersitie of your opinions yet mistruste not theÌ„ that geue me not always the best counsaill He caused the Grekes to be aunswered that he gaue them thaÌ„kes for their good will But in retourning backe he saied he should geue vp him his countrey into his enemies haÌ„des whiche were not conuenient And considering the force that fame is of in the warre in going backe he shuld appeare to flee But to deferre the fight he thought it worste of al seing so great an army as he had the winter theÌ„ approching could not be victailed in a desolate couÌ„trey that had bene wasted both by them selues by their ennemies And for the deuiding of his power he shewed that he could not do it obseruing the customes of his predecessours which were not wont to hasard the battaille but with their hole power He declared that AlexaÌ„der before his coÌ„ming semed terrible to the worlde and through his absence was brought in a vaine presumption But after he sawe him come became ware wel aduised hiding him in the straytes of the mountaines like those coward beastes that hearing the noyse of coÌ„mers by do hide them selues in the deÌ„s of the woddes He hath blynded his souldiers qd he with his couÌ„terfeit sicknes but nowe I will not suffer him to proloÌ„ge the fyght any longer whiche if he will refuse I wyll oppresse hym in his lurkyng hole These wordes he spake with greater auaunte then truthe And sent his treasure and Iuelles with a smalle conuoye to Damasco in Syria and entred with his Army into Cilicia bryngyng with hym accordyng to hys Countrey maner both his mother his wyfe his little sonne and his doughters It chaunsed thesame night that AlexaÌ„der was come to the strayte entryng into Siria Darius came vnto the place which thei cal Pylae AmaÌ„icae Pylae Amanicae The PerciaÌ„s not doubtiÌ„g at al but that the MacedoÌ„s would haue forsaken the Citie of Isson and fled away for feare for certayne of theÌ„ that were weke and could not folowe were taken the whiche Darius through instigacion of the great men about him raging in barbarouse crueltie caused their handes to be cut of and to be lead about his campe to the enteÌ„t they might behold the multitude
of his men whom after sufficient vowe taken he lette go to shewe Alexander what they had sene Darius remoued and passed the riuer of Piramê° of purpose to pursue after the Macedons whiche he thought had bene fleing away They whiche had their handes cut of came runnyng in amonges the Macedons declaryng that Darius was commyng in greate haste There was scarsely any credens geuen to their wordes but to be sure Alexander sent spyes towardes the Sea coaste to knowe whether Darius were there in persone or els had sent some other to make a shewe of a powre The Spies retournyng dyd reporte that his hole army was at hand and strayght wayes the fierce myght be sene whiche gaue suche a shewe by reason they lay straglyng so farre abrode to get forage as though the hole Countrey had bene on fyre When Alexander was assertayned of the truthe he encamped in the same place where the tydynges came vnto hym beyng marueylous glad that he knewe he should fyght specially in the streyghtes whiche was the thing that he had alwayes desyred But as it is commonly sene when daunger and extremitie is at hand confidens is conuerted into feare Alexanders ImaginacioÌ„ before the battaille So he doubted not without greate cause that fortune myght charge vpon hym by whose fauour he had done so great actes considered her mutabilitie by such thinges as she had takeÌ„ from other and geuen to hym he sawe there was no prorogracioÌ„ of the time but that after one night passed the victory should be determined But on the other side he called vnto remeÌ„braunce howe the reward ensuing of the victory farre exceded the aduenture For as the same was dowbtfull so beyng disconfited he was certayne to dye with honour and perpetuall praise When he had waied these thinges he gaue ordre that the souldiours should refresshe them selues and at the third watche to be armed and in a redines to set forwardes He himselfe went vp into the toppe of a mouÌ„tayn with many torches and lightes about hym where he made sacrifice vnto the goddes after his Countrey maner And when the houre was come apoincted vnto the souldiers at the third sound of the trompet they ware in a redines both to marche and fight Then exhortacion was geuen vnto them to passe on with bould courage and so by the spryng of the day they were come to the streightes wherein their purpose was to preuent Dariê° By that time such as were sent before to scowre the contrey came in and reported that the Percians were within .30 furlonges Then the battayles were stayed and set in suche ordre as they should fight Lyke as Alexander was enfourmed of Darius so he was aduertised of Alexander by the pesauntes of the couÌ„trey whiche came fearfully runnyng vnto hym declaryng that Alexander was at hande These wordes were not beleued for they could not thinck them to be comming whom they thought before to be fledde But when thei perceiued that it was so in dede because they were in better ordre to pursue their enemies then to encouÌ„tre with them in battaile they were striken with a marueilous sodeine feare Euery man toke him to his armour in haste whiche haste and the callyng that one made vpon an other did put a greater feare amonges them Some ran vp to the toppes of the hilles to view the Macedons other fell to brydling their horses So that the hoste full of diuersite and not ruled by any certayn gouernement with their hurley burley put all thinges out of ordre The ordre that Dariê° gaue for the battaille Darius at the first had apoincted one part of his power to take the mountayne Whiche settyng vpon his enemies backes might enclose them both behynde and before and assigned an other company to passe along the sea syde whiche was on the right hand to kepe his enemies doing on euery parte He gaue ordre also that .xx. thousand fotemen with a band of Archers should passe the ryuer of Pyramus and geue an vnset that way But if they found any impedimeÌ„t why they might do so then he willed them to retire amoÌ„ges the mountaines and to inuade their enemies on their backes But fortune whiche was of greater force then any policie determined those thinges that were wel deuised according as she thought good For some durste not for feare execute the thing that was commaunded them and then the rest worked in vayne for where the membres faile the hole body is confounded The order of the Perecians The ordre of Darius army stode thus araÌ„gid to fight his power being deuided into two battailles one marchiÌ„g on the left hand and the other on the right Nabarzanes enpaled the battaille on the right haÌ„d with a great power of horsmeÌ„ and .xxx. thousand Slingers and Archers Thymones was also in the battaille with .xxx. thousand mercenary Grekes being in very deade Dariê° chiefest force a power equall vnto Phalanx of the Macedons In the battaille on the left hand Aristomenes was in the fore front with .xxx. M. fotemen hauing plaÌ„ted for his succour relief such nacioÌ„s as were couÌ„ted moste valiaunt There were about the kynge beyng also in that battayle thre thousand choyse horsemen that were of the ordinary guard of his persone and .xl. thousand footemen with the horsemen of Hircany and Medya and the horsemen of other nacions were wynges on both sydes And besydes these nombres there went before this battaille in a forlorne heape .vi. thousand Slingers and casters of Dartes All the plaine grouÌ„d betwene the streightes was filled with men of warre â–ª and Darius battaille stode araunged from the mountayne downe to the Sea syde The mother and wyfe of Darius with all the flockes of women were receyued into the myddes of the battaille The order of the Macedons Alexander on the other syde set his square battaille of fote men called Phalanx beyng the Macedons chiefest force in the fore fronte Mycanor the sonne Parmenio was capitayne of the battaylle on the ryght hande and with him Cenos and Perdicas Meleager Tolomeus and Amintas were ioyned euery one with his owne bande Parmenio Caterus had the rule of the battaille on the left hand whiche stretched towardes the Sea but Parmenio had the chief charge Horsemen were set in wynges to both those battailles The MacedoÌ„ Tessalien horsemen beyng apoyncted to the rygth hande battaille and the horsemeÌ„ of Peleponese to the battaile on the other side before whiche battaylle there were also set Slingers with Archers amonges them and the Cretences that were lyghtely armed went before the mayne battaille The band of Agrians that were lately come out of Grece were assigned to encouÌ„tre with those that Darius had sent to take the toppe of the mouÌ„taine He willed Parmenio that as much as he might he should stretch out his baÌ„d towardes the sea to wtdrawe as farre as he could from the hilles whiche the enemies had taken But such as
Alexander remoued to the cytie of Marathon where he receyued letters from Darius that put him in great coller Letters froÌ„ Darius vnto Alexand because they were so arrogantly written the speciall poincte that moued AlexaÌ„der was for that Darius writing himself king did not vouchsaue to geue him that title but dyd write rather by way of coÌ„maundement then of request proffering for the ransom of his wife childreÌ„ somuch money as Macedon could receiue For the superioritie he said he put it to his choise to trie it by the sworde if he liste but if he would be better aduised he willed him to be content with his owne enheritauÌ„ce so he would ioyne in amitie with him become his frend in whiche poinct he was redy to enter into treatie â–ª Alexanders aunswere to Darius letters Alexander did wryte to him againe after this maner Darius whose name thou hast vsurped did great destruction vpon the Grekes inhabiting on the coast of Hellespont and vpoÌ„ the Iomans whiche be Greke cyties and from thence did passe the sea with a great army to make warre agaiÌ„st Grece and Macedon And also king zerxes the predecessour came to subdue vs with infinitie noÌ„bres which being vanquished in a battel on the sea left notwithstaÌ„ding Mardonius behind him in Grece to destroy their cities and burne their couÌ„treis It is manifest besides that Philip my father was slayne by such as were corrupted theruÌ„to with your money ye vndertake always vniust warres and occupyeng armes go about for all that to circumuent men with treason As thou of late hauing suche noÌ„bre of men in thine army diddest procure my death with the promis of a thousand talentes I am not therfore the beginner of the warres but repulce such iniuries as be proffered me In doing wherof through the help of the Goddes which fauour alway the right haue brought the more parte of Asia vnder my subiectioÌ„ hauing ouercoÌ„me the in battail by force of armes there is no cause that I should graunt the any thyng whiche haste not obserued towardes me the lawe of armes yet if thou wilt come and submit thyself I promis the that I will deliuer frely both thy mother wife and childreÌ„ for both I knowe howe to get the victory and howe to vse suche as I ouercome but if thou fearest to commit thy self to vs. I will geue the saufeconduite to come frely In the reste when thou writest vnto me remembre that thou writest not only to a king but also vnto hym that is thy kyng He sent this letter by Thersippus and went from thence into Phenicia Phenicia Biblon Sydon where the Cytie of Biblon was youlden vnto him And so came vnto Sydon which was a Cytie of great nobilitie by reason of the antiquitie and fame of the builders The same was vnder Stratos dominioÌ„ supported by the power of Darius who yeldyng more by the constreinte of the people then of his own good will was thought vnworthy to reigne there Alexand made a graunt to Ephestion that he should make suche one kyng whome the Sidons thought moste worthy that place There were diuerse noble yong men in that cytie that had familiaritie with Ephestion of whome he purposed to haue chosen one kynge but they refused his offre affirming that none myght enioye that dignitie except he were descended of the bloud roiall Ephestion wondred at the magnaminitie that was in them in despisyng the thyng whiche other sought for by sworde and fier and therfore sayd continewe you still in that vertuous mynde whiche be the firste that haue vnderstande howe muche more better it is to refuse then to receyue a kyngdome Chouse ye therefore suche one of the bloud royall that may remembre that he hath receyued the rule at your handes But when they sawe that diuers gaped for it and for the gredines they had to reigne fell to flatteryng such as were nere about Alexander resolued that there was none more mete for that dignitie then one Abdolominus who being of the auncient bloud of the kynges Abdolominus was made kyng for pouertie was enforced to dwell in a smale grange without the Cytie His honestie was the cause of his pouertie as it is to many other and beyng occupied in his daily labour harde no noyse of the warres that troubled all Asia They of whome we spake of before came into his gardein with garmentes to apparell hym lyke a kyng and found him weding of his ground whome they saluted as kyng and sayd vnto hym you muste make exchaunge of the vilenes of your apparell with these ryche robes we here ê‘sent you washe the body that is now foull and filthe take vpon you the harte of a kyng and in the fortune you be worthy to haue shewe the same moderacion and continencie you do vse presently And when you shall sit in your regall seate hauing in your handes power of the life and death of your people do in no wyse forget the estate ye were in when ye toke the kyngdom vpon you nor yet for what purpose ye did receiue it The matter seamed to Abdolominus lyke a dreame and asked them if they were madde that would mocke him after that manner But when he sawe theÌ„ affirme by othes the thyng to be in earnest he washed himself receiued the garment which was of purple gold so went with the into the palaice The fame as is wont in such a case did notably ronne abrode of this matter Some fauored the cause some did disdain it but suche as were riche did reproue his pouertie base estate to such as were nere about AlexaÌ„d which caused the king to send for him when he had loÌ„g beholdeÌ„ his behauour saied your personage doth not disagre to the fame of your lynage But I desire much to know with what pacience you did sustain your pouertie I would to God qd he I could beare my prosperitie in like case now when I am a kyng These handes did get that I desired hauing nothing I lacked nothing His wordes caused Alexander to conceiue of him a maruelous opinion so that he gaue vnto him not only the ryches stuf and furnimentes that appertained to the king before but also many thinges that were takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Percians adding to his dominion all the countrey nere about the citie In the meane season Amyntas with .iiii M. Grekes that escaped with him out of the field fled to Tripolis where he enbarcked them sailed vnto Cipres Tripolis thinking the world to be such then that euery one might enioy that he could get like as it had bene his owne enheritauÌ„ce His purpose was to go into Egipt so he thought to becoÌ„me enemy both to Darius Alexander waying with the worlde according as the tyme should alter Amintas ê‘swasion to his souldiours To briÌ„g therfore his souldiers to hope wel of his enterprice he declared how the gouernour of Egipt was slaine in
as were of the Macedons faccion and committed the cytie with a small guarrison to Appollodines and Athenagoras that were enclined to the Percians Alexanders captaines for al this continued the siege of the citie still not so muche in truste of their own strength as they did in hope of the facciō they had within the citie In whiche poinct they were not deceiued for through a sedicion whiche did aryse betwene Apollodines and the captaines of the men of warre occasion was ministred vnto the Macedons to breake into the Cytie When the gate was broken vp and a band of Macedons entred Scio taken then the cytesens whiche before had deuised to rebell against the Percians toke parte with Amphiterus and Egilochus so that the guarrison of the Percians were slaine and Pharnabasus with Apolloindes and Anathogoras were takē prisoners There were .xii. galies takē with their souldiers and rowers besides .xxx. shippes and vessels of Pirates with thre thousand Grekes that were in wages with the Percians with the Grekes they furnyshed vp their owne bandes and put the pyrotes to death bestowyng the rowers in their owne galeis Aristonicus It chaunsed that Aristonicus the vsurper of Methina ignoraunt of any suche matter as was chaunsed in the first parte of the night came with certayn piraters shippes to enter into the hauen whome when the watche demaunded what he was he sayd he was Aristonicus and came to the succour of Pharnabasus they said he was at reste could not then be spoken with all but it should be laufull for hym beyng their frende to enter into the hauē for that night and speake with hym when it was day Aristonicus was the first that entred and the pirates folowed him But whiles they placed their shyppes the watchemen drewe the chayne againe ouer the hauen and then called vp suche as lay there nere about so that none of them durst resist but were al taken prisoners and so deliuered to Amphiterus and Egilocus Mytelene From thence the Macedons passed to Mytelene whiche was kept by Chares of Athens with a guarison of two thousand Perciās but when he was not able to endure the siege he yelded vp the Cytie with conposicion to haue their liues saued and to departe in sauegarde vnto Imbros Imbros Darius dispairing of peace which he had procured both by his lettres and Embassadours gaue his mynd to assemble a new power and freshely to renue the warre Therfore he commaunded the Capitaines and rulers of his men to assemble at Babilon and that Bessus gouernour of the Bactrians Bactrians should come thether with al the power he could make The Bactrians be the moste hardie people amōges those nacions vnciuill men and much abhorring from the delicatnes of the Percians for by reason that they border vpō the Scithians whiche be a warlicke people they are accustomed to lyue by thefte and be conuersant continually in armes But Bessus that was suspect of treason that he would not be content with the second place put Darius in great doubte Who hauing an inckling that he compassed to be kyng feared only his treason hauyng no other way to bryng his purpose to passe Alexander wrought all the wayes he could obtayne to knoweledge where Darius was become and into what coūtrey he was gone And yet could not get any intelligence by reason of a custome amonges the Percians whiche are wont with a marueylous fidelitie to kepe close their princes secretes in the vtteryng wherof neither feare of death nor hope of rewarde can cause them bryng forth a worde This was a goodly discipline that the kinges ther had of olde time vsed emōges their subiectes in ponishing with losse of lief the lavesnes of the tounge which is there more greuosly chastysed then any other cryme The lauesnes of the tounge ponyshed with the Perciās Nor ther is not in those partes any goodnes loked for at any mans handes that hath not the gifte of secretnes wherof nature hath giuen a facilitye in mā Thys was the cause that Alexander was ingnorant of all thinges that his enemies did and therefore continued his siege before Gaza The Siege of Gaza Beties was Captayne there who was a man of a notable fidelitie towardes hys prince which with a small guarison defended the Cytie that was of a large compasse Wherfore Alexander perceyuing the aduauntage of the Scituacion set maney mynes in hande For the lightnes of the ground made the worcke easye hauinge nether rockes nor stones to gyue any impediment They began their mines on that side wher thei within could not destroy them And to auoyde the suspcion of any such worck in hande caused an aproche to be made to the wales wyth Towres that he had made of Tymbre But the ground woulde not serue for their carieng and remouing by reason of the losenes of the sande whereinto the wheles sonk and was cause that the ioyntes of the towres bracke a sonder About the conuoyans of them many were hurte and as muche truble they had in wythdrawinge of them as in setting them forwardes When he perceyued he could not preuail by that meanes he retired againe his mē for that time But the next daye he enuironed the Citie round about to gyue thassaulte in euerye parte at ones and before he remoued out of his campte made sacrifice after his contrey maner requiring the aide of the goddes It chaunsed as he was so doing that a Rauen flieng by let falle a clodde which she caried in hir clawes vpon the kinges Hede where it bracke resolued in peces And the rauen flewe vnto the next towre wher hir fethers were so entangled with Piche that she lighted vpon that she coulde not flee away but was taken of the standers theraboutes This was thought a matter worthye whereupon the deuyners should consulte for he him selfe was not free from the supersticon of such thynges Therefore Aristander to whom he gaue moste credite did interprete the same to be a signe of the distrucion of that Cytie but yet there was some parill apearing towardes the kynges person For which cause he perswaded Alexander that he shoulde not go about any enterpryse that daye Whyche though it greued hym muche that one Cytie shoulde be a staye and impedient vnto hym for hys free passage into Egipt yet he obeied the pronosticator caused all his men to returne Thennemies toke courage of their departure and thinkinge feare to haue bene the cause whie they came not forwardes sayled out of the Cytie and set vpon their tayle But they were more fierse in the beginnyng of the skyrmishe then constante in maintaining of the same For when they sawe the Macedons turne about they stayed and pursued no further Alexander hering the larume and remembring nothing the parill that was prophesied vnto hym at hys frendes requeste put on hys harnys which he was seldom accustmued to do resorted thether where the skyrmushe was moste hote There he
was knowne by a certayne Arabiane that was one of Darius souldiers which toke vpon him a desperate entterprise of the sleainge of Alexander and therfore makyng his pretencs to haue bene fugitiue from the Percians keapt his sword secret vnder nethe his targat and fell downe on his knees before him Who iudging that he had fled to him forsocore willed him to be receyued amonges his owne men But tharrabian therwithall stracke at the kinge wyth his sword which he by little steppinge aside auoyded it from his throte and cutte of the Arabians hand that missed of hys strocke Alexander then iudged that he had cleane escaped the perill that should haue chaunsed to him that daie but as I thincke desteyn cannot be auoyded for whiles he was egre to fight amongss the formoste he was striken with an arrowe wich passed throughe his Corselet and did sticke in his shoulder Philip his PhisicioÌ„ did plucke it out and great haboundaunce of blood did folowe wherof euery man was afraied in so much as they neuer sawe an arrowe passe so farre through any Armore before But he neuer chaunged countenance nor couller but causinge the blood to be stanched and his wound to be wrapt vp continued stil in the skyrmishe amonges the foremoste either suffring or dissimuling his paine and dolore but when the bloode that was staied for the tyme braste out againe And the wound whiche for the greues greued hym not muche beganne to swell and rancâ—e as the bloode waxed coulde then he began to faynt and fall downe and was taken vp by suche as were next him and caried into his tent Betis that perceyued thys supposyng him to be slaine retorned bnto the Citie agayne with great ioye and triumphe But AlexaÌ„ders wound being yet vnhealed he caused a mounte to be caste vp as highe as the toppe of the walles and the walles to be cast downe in diuers places by the Myners But they within made a countermure as highe as the olde wall but that coulde not stretche to the heyghte of the towres made vpon the Mounte so that the inner partes of the citie were subiecte to shotte But a mine wherby the waâ—le was ouerthrown and a breach made wherby the Macedones did enter was the vtter losse of the towne wher as Alexander pressing on amoÌ„ges the foremoste aduenterously The winning of Gaza had his legge hurte with a stone Whiche notwithstanding he mounted vp by help of his weapon his former wound yet vnclosed and fought emongs the formost being in a great furie that in the siege of that one Citie he had receyued two wounds Betis that had fought notably and receyued many woundes was forsaken of his owne men yet not withstanding he mainteyned still the fight and had all his Armour embrued with his owne blood and his ennemies But when he was enclosed round about theÌ„ Alexander which was wount to wonder at the vertue of his enemies puffed vp with a ioyful pride saide vnto him Betis thou shalt not die as thou wouldest thy selfe but whatsoeuer tormeÌ„tes may be inuented thiÌ„ck that thou shalt suffre them For all his wordes ther apeared in Betis no token of feare but beheld the king with an arrogant countenance and would not aunswere him one worde Then Alexander saide se you not howe obstynat he is to hold his peace he would not knele nor ones desire mercye But I will breke his silence with groning if nothing els can do it Thus his fortune alteringe hys nature chaunged hym into straunge maners and turned his wrath into wodnes The death of Betys For causing cordes to be putte throughe Betys feate whyles he was a lyue did drawe hym about the Citye with horses glorieng in that he did couÌ„terfiet Achilles of whom he was descendid in afflyctyng of his enymye There were slaine of the Percians and Arabies ten thousand and the victorye was not vnblodye vnto the Macedones This siege was not so famous by the Nobylitie of the Cytie as it was by the double daungier the kynge was in Whiche makynge haste to passe into Egypt sent Amyntas wyth ten Galies into Macedonia to leuie more souldiers For though he were alwyes victorer in prosperous battayles yet hys men were deminished and he trusted not so muche to the souldiers of those contries he had subdued as he did to his own nacion Egyptians be a nacion that alwaies were offeÌ„ded with thencrese and good fortune of the Percians Egipcyans who in there gouerment ouer them vsed muche pride and couetousnes And therefore sekinge all occasions to reuolt had receyued Amyntas whiche came to them rather by way of treaty then by any force but nowe specially at Alexanders comming plucked vp ther sprightes and assembled a great nombre to mete hym at PelusiuÌ„ where they iudged he woulde enter Alexander entred into Egipte The .vii. daye he remoued from Gaza and came to that place in Egipte which nowe is called Alexanders campe from whence he sent hys Armye vnto pelluzium by the land way and he him self with a choise band of meÌ„ was conueyed thether vpon the Riuer of Nile The Percians durste not abide his comming being in doubt that the EgiptiaÌ„s would reuolt Memphys And therfore wheÌ„ Alexander drewe nere vnto Memphis where Astaces Darius lieutennant was wyth a powre of men of warre he came ouer the Ryuer to mete Alexander and yealdinge hym selfe delyuered hym .viii. C. talentes with all the Riches belonging to the kynge of Perce From Memphis he passed vpon the same Ryuer vnto the inwarde partes of Egypt and set a staie and order of the gouerment of the countrey in suche sorte that he chaunged nothing of theyr lawes and custumes Which thing ones brought to passe he had a great desire to visite the Oracle of Iupiter Hammon But it was declared vnto him that the waye he had to go was not passable wyth anye great nombre and those ought to be light and trimmed mete to iourney without bagage or much cariage The countrey he had to trauaill throughe was sayde to be spread ouer all wyth bareyn sande which ones put in an heate wyth the Sonne woulde burne there feate in suche forte that it should be intollerable for them to iourney And had to contend not only wyth the heate and want of water but also wyth the rowlynge sande whych was so deape and woulde so sink vnder there feet that it should be great empediment vnto ther trauaile All whiche difficulties the Egiptians set forth to be greater then they were indede But Alexander for the desire he had to excede mans estate was so fervently bent to visite that famous Oracle of Iupiter whome ether he beleued or coueted that other should beleue to be his father that nothing could staye him in performinge of that enterprise Therefore with such as he had apointed The Cyrenians to accompany him in that iourny passed by water vpon Nile til he came to the Meare of Meotes The Embassadours of
Tyron had nere drawn him beyond the bouÌ„des of the sonne Memnon Tyron But the warres he had in hande being of much more momeÌ„t theÌ„ any such idle peregrinacion gaue him no time to fulfill his fantasie And therfore apointed Aestylus a Rodyan Aestylus Pewcestes and Pewcestes a Macedon the gouernaÌ„s of Egipt And assigning to the .iiii. thousaÌ„d souldiers for defeÌ„ce of the Region gaue TolomaÌ„ .xxx. galles to keape the mouthe of Nile He made Posomus ruler of that parte of Afrik which ioyneth vnto Egipt and Cliomenes receyuer of the Tributes in both Contreis Clyomenes This newe Cytye was sone replenished wyth a great multitude for commandiment was giuen to all the Cyties theraboutes to send inhabiters vnto Alexandrey It is saide that when the kynge occordinge to the Macedones custume vsede the kyng according to the Macedons custome vsed the ceremony of steping barley at the making of the walles that the birdes came fed thereupon which being takeÌ„ of many for an vnlucky token it was aunswered by their deuiners that ther shuld be great resort of strauÌ„gers to that citie that it should giue norishement to many landes The Ryuer of Nyle As the king went down the riuer of Nile Hector Parmenio his soÌ„ne desirous to folowe him was drowned For the vessel sonke that caried him being pestred with ouer many meÌ„ He striued loÌ„g with the streame but his garmentes gaue impediment to his swimming so that his breath was nere gone before he could recouer the banke The death of Hector Parmenâ—os sonne wherfore want of succour he died Whose vnfortunate chauÌ„ce AlexaÌ„der toke greuously as one that did beare him speciall fauour therfore caused his body to be honorably buried The death of Andromachus lieutenaunt of Siria Andromachus burnid by the Samaritans whoÌ„ the SamaritaÌ„s had burned was encrease of AlexaÌ„ders sorow for the reuengemeÌ„t wherof he made al the halfe he might at his coÌ„ming into Samaria had the auctours of the acte deliuered into his handes whom he put to death then placed NemnoÌ„ in Andromachus rowme Methinians He deliuered into the MethiniaÌ„s handes Aristonicus Crisolaus that had vsurped amonges them whoÌ„ they after many greuous tormeÌ„tes did haÌ„g ouer their walles That done he gaue audieÌ„ce to the Embassadours of the Athenians the Rodians the Sciottis The Athenians did gratefie vnto hym his victory and required that such Grekes as were takeÌ„ prisoners might be restored to libertie The RodiaÌ„s and the Sciotes demaunded assistaunce of some guarrison he graunted to them all their requestes and restoryng to the Mytelens their pledges encreased their territorie and dominion in respecte of the fidelitie they shewed vnto hym and the money that they employed in the warres He gaue honour also according to their deseruinges vnto he kynges of Cipres whiche reuolted from Darius vnto him and had aided him with shippes at the siege of Tyre Amphoterus his admiral had coÌ„mission to driue the Percians out of the Isle Crete but specially that he shuld ridde the seas of the pirates whiche troubled and spoiled all the IlaÌ„des whiles these two princes conuerted their powers one against another When he had geuen order to all these thinges he did dedicate to Hercules at Tyre a greate standing pece and .xxx. bowles of gold Alexander Darius prepared to fight another battel That done he set his hole mynde and care vpon Darius causing it to be proclaimed that euery man should set forwardes towardes Euphrates But Darius vnderstanding that his enemy was gone through Egipt into Affrick stode in doubte whether he shuld stay about Mesopotania or withdrawe into the inward partes of his kyngdome iudging that he should be hable to worcke with those farre nacions in bringing of them forwardes to the warres that his lieftenaunt should not be able to doe yet when the fame had published and he vnderstode by assured aduertisement that Alexander was retourned out of Egipt and fully resolued to folowe him with all his power into what countrey soeuer he should go he then gaue order that the force of all the farre nations should drawe towardes BabiloÌ„ knowing the stoutnes of his enemy he had to match withal Thither resorted both Bactrians Scythians and Indians for the power of other countreys were come thether before And hauing the double nombre of men that he had before in Cilicia prepared much armour for them with diligeÌ„ce wherof many of them had want Both the horsemen and the horses were armed with plates of stele And such as before had no weapoÌ„s but dartes had swordes and bucklers geuen to them more And to encrease the power of his horsemeÌ„ deliuered many horses to be broken amoÌ„ges the footemen He had prepared also CC. wagons set with hokes whiche in those couÌ„treys were estemed thynges of great force and iudged to be a woÌ„derfull terrour to the ennemie they were made with greate loÌ„g pykes styking out before and with swordes set ouerwhart on both sydes The wheales were also full of Iron pikes ryght forth and of great hokes both vpward and downward wherewith all thyng was cutte a sondre that came in their waye When his people were thus furnysshed of armour and had prouided sufficiently for the warres he remoued from Babilon and kepyng the ryuer of Tygre on his ryght hand â–ª Tygre Euphrates and Euphrates on his lefte hand ouerspredde with his army all the playnes of Mesopotania After that he passed Tigre and vnderstandyng that his enemy was commyng at hand sent first Satrapaces before with a thousand chosen horsemen Satrapaces and afterwardes appointed syx thousand to Mascens to stop Alexander the passage of the Ryuer Masens Who had also in commission to waste burne all the couÌ„trey where he iudged that his enemies should come thynking to famyshe them with wante of victualles consyderyng that they had no other prouision but suche as they got by rauyne and by stelthe they themselues hauyng plenty brought them both by lande and by the ryuer of Tigre At length he came vnto a village called Arbella Arbella whiche was afterwardes famous by reason of his ouerthrowe There he lefte the chief furniture of his victualles and cariage Licus and made a brydge ouer the Ryuer of Licus and in fyue dayes conueyed ouer his army as he had done before ouer Euphrates passyng forewardes from thence about foure store forloÌ„ges He came vnto an other ryuer called Bowmello Bowmello and there encamped The countrey serued wonderfull well for the arrangyng of his battailles in the large playnes passable for horses euery where and without stubbes or shorte brushe to couer the ground withall but so free a prospect that the eye might decerne thynges a great waye of And if there appeared any hilles within the playne Darius caused thesame to be caste downe and the ground to be made smothe Suche as by coniecture made reporte to Alexander of Darius power coulde not be
vouchsafed not onelye to eate but also familiarly to commen notwithstandynge he hadde before in the counsayle determined his deathe after in the seconde watche of the night Ephestion Craterus and Erigonus whiche were of the Kynges counsaile came priuelye into the courte without lyghte and of the esquiers there came Perdicas and Leonatus by whom commaundement was geuen that all suche as laye neare the Kynges lodgynge shoulde watche in harneys By this time souldiours were appoynted to all the Passages and horsemen were sente to kepe the wayes that no man shoulde passe priuelye to Parmenio whiche then was gouernoure of Media with a greate power Then Attaras came into the courte with .ccc. armed men Attaras vnto whom there were appoincted ten of those that had the charge of the kynges person euerye one of theim accoÌ„panied wyth ten Esquiers whiche were sorted into diuers coÌ„panies to take the other conspiratours But Attaras with his .ccc. was sent to Philotas lodging where wyth fiftye of the hardiest brake vp his chambre dore that was shutte againste them The residue were commaunded to beset the house least he might escape by some secrete waye Philotas whether it were through the suertye of his owne conscience or through wearinesse of suche trauayle of mynde was in so profounde and deade sleape that Attaras brake in vpon him before he wyste Philotas taken But at length when he was awaked and come to him selfe perceiuing them about to binde him he exclamed and saied O Alexandre the malice of mine enemies haue preuailed aboue thy mercye Speakyng these wordes thei couered his face and brought him into the courte The nexte daye the kynge gaue commaundement that certaine of the men of warre shoulde asseÌ„ble in harneys to the numbre of .vi. M. besides slaues and rascalles that filled full the courte whiche beyng assembled together the guarde compassed in Philotas with their bande to the entent he shoulde not be espied of the people vntill such time as the king might speake vnto them For by an olde lawe of the Macedons the kynges in their owne persons were wonte to enquire in matters of treasoÌ„ yet could not the kinges aucthoritie preuayle to condempnation except it were confirmed by the consent of the men of warre Therefore the bodye of Dymnus was first brought into the place the moste parte vnknowynge what he had done or by what chaunce he was slayne Then came the Kynge forth to speake vnto the multitude whiche in his countenaunce declared the doloure of his hart and the sadnesse of such as were nere about him caused vnto the reste great expectation of the matter â–ª He did caste his eyes towardes th earth and stode long astonied and in a muse but at length he plucked vp his spirites spake vnto them on this wise The OratioÌ„ of Alexandre againste Philotas By the treason of some men I was almoste taken from you but through the mercy and prouidence of the Gods I am yet preserued your honourable presence dothe constreine me more vehemently to be moued against those traytours Because the onely comforte and fruite of my life is that I remayne to geue thankes to so many noble men to whoÌ„ I am so muche bounden With speaking of these wordes the murmur of the multitude did interrupt his tale and the teares did fall from their eyes Then the king began againe his tale Howe much more will you be moued when I shall shewe you the authours of so horrible a treason the rehersal of whom I yet refrain as one very loth to discouer their names But I must ouercome the memory of my former fauour vtter the conspiracie of my vnnatural people for how is it possible for me to hide so great a treason Parmenio a man of that age so depely in my dette through the most ample benefites both of me and my father and whome I moste estemed of all my frendes is the captaine contriuer of all this mischief His minister Philotas hath procured Lencolaus Demetrius and this Dymnus whose body here you se with other parteners of their fury to my destructioÌ„ WheÌ„ he came to that point there rose throughout the multitude a great cherme of a murmur and complaint suche as is wont to be amonges a nombre and specially of men of warre when they are moued either with affection or displeasure With that Nichomacus MetroÌ„ Ciballinê° were brought furth euery one of theÌ„ geuing in euidence that they had spoken afore Yet appered it not by any maÌ„s tale that Philotas was priuy to that conspiracy But at the last wheÌ„ the noyse was cessed the witnesses had said all they could the king proceded in this wise Of what maner mynd thinke you was this man whiche hearing the whole report could find in his hart to coÌ„seale the matter the truth wherof is wel declared by the death of Dimnus Ceballinus that reported an vncertaine tale for the triall therof was afrayed of no tormentes neuer delaied the lest moment of time vntill he had discharged hym self insomuche that he brake into the place where I was bathing but Philotas only feared nothyng he beleued nothing O how greate a harte had this man whiche hauing knowledge of the daunger of his king did neuer chaunge couÌ„tenaunce neither take so much paine as to heare out the tale of thaccuser but in this silence and consealement there is treason hidden and the gredy desire he had to reigne did driue him hedloÌ„g to attempt extreme mischief His father is gouernour of Media and heareth suche a stroke amonges the capitaines and men of warre thorowe myne aucthoritie that he hopeth for a great deale more then he hath And because I am without children he estemeth me not But Philotas is deceiued I haue children frendes and kinsfolke amonges you So long as you be in sauegard I shal not recken my self without heires Then did he resite a letter that was taken whiche Parmenio had writteÌ„ to his sonnes Nicanour Philotas wherein there appeared no greate proufe of any great treason intended A letter Theffect was this First take good hede to your selues and then to those that long to you so shall we bring to passe that we haue purposed Whiche letter the king enforced sayeng it was writteÌ„ after suche a manner that if it came to his sonnes haÌ„des it might be perceiued of them that knewe the matter And if it were caught by the way it shuld deceyue them that knewe it not Then proceded he nowe wyll Philotas perhappes saye that when Dymnus named all that were partakers of his conspiracy he named not him as for that it is no prouf of his innocency but a token of his power and aucthoritie because he was spared of them that might best bewray hym that confessing of them selues durst not yet speake of hym But what maner maÌ„ he hath bene his lyfe doth shew He was fellowe and companion to Aniyntas my kynsman whiche conspired highe treason againste my persone
the playnes whyche be not knowen but to suche as be of the same countrey Though this straight was naturally strong and defeÌ„ded besides by a strong power that letted not Alexander to attempt it but brought engynes which they call Arietes to beate downe such fortificatioÌ„ as was made with hande and with slinges and shote of arrowes did beate his enemyes from the places of their defence When he had driuen them awaye he passed throughe the fortificatioÌ„s he had wonne and made approche vnto the rocke But the streame that grewe of the assemble of waters falling from the mountayne was an impedimente to him therin And it semed a wonderfull worke to fil the chanel of the riuer yet he caused trees and stones to be brought to the place and set the thing in hande When his enemyes that neuer had sene any suche worke before sawe the worke rise sodaynlye lyke a mountayne were put in a marueylous feare wherby the kynge supposyng they might haue bene brought to render it vp sent one Oxatres of the same nacion to persuade Sisymythres to render vp the rocke And in the meane season to put them in the more terrour he caused towers of woode to be brought forwardes and did shote wyth engynes so oute of the same that the enemies forsakynge all other strengthes retired into the toppe of the rocke Oxatres finding Sisymythres in this feare perswaded hym rather to proue Alexanders beneuolence then his force seynge that all creatures submitted theim selues vnto him that he onely should not be his let goynge with his victorious army into India wherby he should turne other mens plage vpon his owne necke Sisymythres would haue bene contented to folowe his aduise but that she whiche was both his mother and his wyfe affyrmed howe she woulde rather dye then commit hir selfe into anye mans handes And therfore beynge ashamed that the loue of libertye shoulde remayne more in a womanne then in him altered his purpose takinge that way whiche was more honest then sure and dismissed him that was the meane for peace determinyng vtterly to abide the extremitye of the siege Yet when he had weyghed well his enemies power and hys owne togethers began againe to repent him of his wiues counsail which was more rashe then necessarie made sute that Oxatres woulde returne proferinge then to commit hym selfe to the kinges will onely requirynge of Oxatres that he would not vtter hys wyues mynde and opinion for feare least she should not obteyne hir Pardon He sente therfore Oxatres before and he came after wyth his wyfe his children all his kynsfolke wythout tariynge for any assuraunce promised to hym by Oxatres Alexander hearynge of their commyng sent hys horsemen before to cause theim to staye and tarye for hys coÌ„myng And when he was come to the place wher they were he offered Sacrifice to Minerua and Victoria restorynge to Sysymythres his former rule and aucthoritie and put him in hope of a greater countrey if he would faythfully coÌ„tinue his frendship and toke his two sonnes presented to him by the father to serue in his warres Alexander lefte his fotemenne to subdue suche as were yet vnyelden and wente forwardes with hys horsemen into other partes The way was craggye and difficulte whyche at the firste they endured indifferentlye but afterwardes when their horse houes were torne asunder and they vtterly forweried manye were not able to folowe but rydde disperkled and out of order the werines of their trauaile so much ouercame shame The kyng notwithstandyng chaunged often horse and pursued wythout ceassyng his enemies that fledde before hym By reason wherof all the noble young men that were wonte to accompanye him were lefte behynde sauynge onelye Philippe Lysimachus brother Philip who then beynge in the floure of his youthe and of great likelihode to become an excellent manne folowed on fote the kynge that did ride on horsebacke by the space of fifty furloÌ„ges Lisymachus diuers times profring to him his horse But in no wise he would depart from the kyng notwithstandyng that he had on his corselet and all his armoure When the kinge passed through a woode where his enemies laye in embushement he fought notablye and rescued the kynge fightynge wyth hys enemyes But after they were â—ite to flyght and driuen out of the woodes the greatnes of his courage which hadde susteyned him in the heate of the fight faynted wyth his bodye and beyng all on a swette leaned him selfe to a tree whyche did not so staye him but that he fel to the earth and beynge taken vp againe by the Kinges handes shronke downe from hym and dyed The kynge beyng sorowfull for his deathe receiued an other tidynges no lesse to be lamented For before he came to his campe he was aduertised of the deathe of Erigius one of hys moste notable Capitaynes whose funerals were bothe celebrated wyth greate pompe and ceremonies of honoure From thence he determined to goo vnto the Dahans where he vnderstode that Spitamenes was But Fortune that neuer ceased to fauoure hym finished the iourney of his spitamenes as she did many other Spytamenes was enflamed wyth the ouermuche loue of his wife whom he caried wyth hym in al his hasardes and aduentures But she that coulde not well endure fliynge nor to chaunge places like an outlawe became so wery of trauayl that by flattery and fayre meanes she entised her husbande to leaue his fliyng and go about seyng he sawe no waye to escape to procure Alexanders fauoure of whose clemencye she saied he had sene so great experience And to moue him the more in the matter she brought before him their childreÌ„ begotteÌ„ betwixt them makyng request that at the least wayes he would take pity on theÌ„ wherin she thought her praier would be the more effectual bicause Alexander was so nere at hand But Spitamenes iudging her not to do this by way of couÌ„sail but of purpose to betray him and that she desiered to submit her selfe vnto Alexander in confidence of hir beuty drew out his swerde to haue strikeÌ„ her if he had not bene letted by his brethreÌ„ WheÌ„ they would not suffer him otherwise to hurt her he coÌ„maunded hir to auoyde hys syght threatenynge to kyll hir if she profered to come agayne to his presence And to mitigate his loue towardes hir he spente the nyght amonges hys concubynes But his loue that was so deapelye grounded thereby ceassed not but rather kyndeled the more towardes his wyfe Wherfore he reconciled him selfe agayne vnto hir makyng his continuall request that she would not counsayl nor moue hym anye more in the matter but be content wyth suche chaunces as Fortune woulde sende hym for he estemed death lyghter then to yeld him selfe She purged her selfe of her former perswasion which appered to her she saied to haue bene good and though it were after a womans maner yet it proceaded of a faithfull meanynge But from thence forth she was contented to do as it shoulde please
the captaines of the armye togethers promysing to restore to them whatsoeuer they had lost Wherin he perfourmed his promis For Sysimithres bringing vnto him many beastes of burden with two M. Camels and great nombre of shepe and oxen he distributed all amonges the souldiers wherin he bothe restored to them their losse and also deliuered them of their honger The kyng gaue great thankes vnto Sysimithres and coÌ„maunded his souldiers to cary syx dayes vitels ready dressed went to the Sacans Sacans where he destroyed all their countrey and of the botie there taken gaue .xxx. thousand shepe in gift to Sysimythres From thence he came vnto a countrey belonging to a noble prince called Cohortanus Cohortanê° whiche submitted him selfe vnto the kyng And he againe restored his countrey vnto hym exacting nothing of his but that of his thre sonnes he should sende two with hym to serue in his warres But Cohortanus offred to hym all three and made a feaste vnto Alexander with all suche sumptuousnes as belonged to the maner of the countrey Wherein all the pleasures beyng shewed that coulde be deuised thyrty virgines of the noble mens chyldren were brought in before Alexander amonges whome there was Cohortanus doughter called Roxane Roxane which in beuty excellens of personage and in comlynes of apparell rare amonges those nacions excelled all the reste And notwithstandyng that they were all electe with whome she was accompanied yet she drewe all mens eyes towardes her and specially the kynges that coulde not well nowe gouerne his affections in suche prosperitie of fortune whiche is the thyng that the fraylenes of man seldome can auoyde So that he whiche behelde the wyfe of Darius and her two doughters to whome Roxane was nothyng comparable with no other entent then he myght haue done his mother was then so farre ouercome with the loue of a young virgine being but of a base stock if she should be compared to kynges bloud that he affirmed it to be a thyng necessary for the establyshement of the Empire for the Percians and Macedons to mary togethers by whiche only meanes shame myght be taken from the vanquyshed and pryde from the victorers He also for his purpose alledged a president howe Achilles of whome he was descended ioyned hym selfe with a captiue And lest his doynges should be thought iniury he would couple hym selfe by waye of mariage The father ioyfull of these newes that he loked not for gladly confirmed the kynges wordes Who in the heate of his desire A ceremony of mariage amoÌ„ges the Macedons caused bread to be brought furth accordyng to the custome of his countrey the same beyng the moste religious ceremony of mariage amonges the Macedons Whiche bread was cut a sonder with a sworde and eche of them made of it a sacrifice It is to be thought that suche as establyshed the customes of that nacion coueted by a moderate and a scarse diet to shewe to them that were the gatherers of great ryches with howe small a thyng they ought to content them selues Thus he that was both kyng of Asia and Europe ioyned him selfe in mariage with a mayde brought in at a maske to beget vpon a captiue that shoulde reigne ouer the victorious Macedons His frendes were ashamed that he should chose vpon drinke a father in lawe of them that he had lately subdued But after the death of Clitus all libertie and franckenes of speache being taken away they semed to agre with their countenaunces the moste apt instrument to declare the consent of the mynde After this was done he prepared his iourney towardes India purposing to visite the Occian Sea And because he would leaue nothyng behynde his backe that myght be impediment to his expedition toke ordre for thyrty thousand young men to be leuied out of all the prouinces and to be brought vnto hym armed myndyng to vse them both as pledges and souldiers He sent Craterus to pursue Haustenes and Cathenes of whome the one was taken and the other slayne Polycarpon also subdued the countrey that was called Bubacen Bubacen And so hauing set all his thinges in ordre he sette his whole imagination vpon the warre of Inde whiche was counted to be a very ryche countrey and to habound bothe with gold perles and precious stones thynges more appertenent to voluptuousnes then to magnificence and it was sayde that the Souldiers there had their targettes made of Iuery and of gold And therfore lest he whiche thought hym selfe to excell the rest should be passed in any poynt caused his souldiers to set their targettes with plates of syluer the horsemen to make their brydels of gold and their corseletes to be bewtefied some with gold and some with syluer There a were huÌ„dred .xx. thousaÌ„d armed men that folowed Alexander to that warre When all thinges were in redines for the purpose he long before conceyued in his euell disposed mynd Alexander coueteth to be honored as a god thought it tyme to compasse how he might vsurpe the name and honor of a god and so willed him selfe not only to be called but also beleaued to be the sonne of Iuppiter asthough his powre had bene aswell to restranie mens thoughtes as their tonges His entent was that the Macedons shoulde fall grouelinges vpon the grouÌ„de and worship him after the like maner the Parcians did their kinges And to such his desire there wanted not Parnicious flatterye the parpetuall poyson of princes â–ª whose estat hath had more often ouerthroues by flattery then by any force of enemies The MacedoÌ„s were not in blame of this for non of them suffred gladly ther countrey custumes to be subuerted But it was the fault of the Greakes whiche with ther naughty condicions corrupted the profession of honeste sciences Hagys Chyrillus Cleo. There was one Hagys of Argiue as euell a poet as was since Chirillus daies and another called Cleo a CiciliaÌ„ geueÌ„ to flatterie both of nature and by the cusâ—uÌ„e of his countrey They with other the dredge and refuse of their countreys whoÌ„ AlexaÌ„der reputed more then any of his captaines or his kinsemen wold haue made it apere to the world that heauen had layen open for AlexaÌ„der and stiked not openly to pronownce that both Herculus and Bacchus Chaster and Posâ—ux shoulde all giue place to his newe godhed For the bringing of this thing to passe the kyng commaunded vpon a lolempne day a feast to be prepared with great pompe inuiting ther vnto al the great lords and gentlemen bosh of the Macedons and the Greakes with whom wheÌ„ he had sitten and eatyng a whyle he departed from them out of the feast Then Cleo as was before determined set furth his talk with great praise wonder of the kings vertues rehersing his exceding benefites towardes them al which to requite he saied ther was but one waye and that was if they woulde acknowleg him a god whoÌ„ they knew to be one For it is a smal
thing qd he to recoÌ„pence such great benefites towards you al with the cost of alitel fraÌ„kinsence He shewed the Percians custume to be both religious and wyse in worshipping there kinges as gods thinking ther defence saueguard to consiste in the maiestie of ther prince He said that Hercules bacchus wer defied wheÌ„ they had once ouercome the enuie of such as liued â— ther time And meÌ„ that come after do easely beleue such thinges as haue bene confyrmed by there predecessours And if any of you qd he will sticke at this matter ye shal se me the fyrste that at the kinges comming in shall fall downe grâ—ueling on the earth and worship him Which president others ought to folow spicially men of moste wysdome that should alwayes be ensample to others in doing their duities towards their Prince His tale tended direcly agaist Calistenes whose grauitye and prompte libertye of speaking was hatefull vnto the Kinge for he thoutht him the man which only had stayed the Macedones that ells would redely haue done to hym that honor Herupon euery manes eies were inurned towardes Calistenes The worde of Calisâ—enes which â—â—ter silence made said in this wise If the king were present Cleo to heare thes thy words yt shuld not be nedeful then to auÌ„swer the for he him self wold make request that he might not thus swarue out of his kind into the custumes of straungiers Nor he would not suffre that thou shouldest deface bring in the obloquie enuye of men with such thy parnicious flattery hys noble actes brought to passe with suche fâ—â—icetyâ— and good fortune But because he is away I for hym will thus aunswere the. There is no frute sone rype that will continew long This I meane by the deuine honours whiche whiles thou goest about to geue vnto the kyng thou takest his honour from hym There is a time required that men shoulde beleue hym to be a god for that gift hath alwayes bene geueÌ„ to great meÌ„ When they are once dead by suche as came after theÌ„ I wyshe vnto the kyng immortalitie after his death that his life may be long and his estate continual But sanctifieng is a thing that sometime doth followe â— man but it doth neuer accompany him Thou diddest reherse ensamples of the defyeng of Hercules and Bacchus Thinkest thou that thei were madde goddes vpoÌ„ drinke and by the decre of one dynner the nature of Alexanders manhode must be remoued from our mortall eyes before the fame can bring hym into heauen Are not they goodly goddes Cleo that thou and I can make Would the kyng trowest thou be content to receiue of vs the aucthoritie of his godhedde I haue great desire to proue thy power If thou canst make a good first make a kynge It is muche more easy to geue a worldly kingdome then the possession of heauen Thinkest thou Cleo that the immortall goddes will heare the without disdayne or suffre these thy wicked deuises to take effecte they would we shouâ—â— holde vs coÌ„tent with the customes of our fore fathers and for my part I am not ashamed of my couÌ„trey nor I requiâ—e not to learne after what maner I should honour my prince For in mine opinion we acknowledge him sufficiently to be king and victorer of whome we receiue lawes to liue vnder Calistenes was fauourably hard of all men as the persone whom they counted the recouerer of their vniuersall libertie He did not only in his tale paynte out suche flatterers but also liuely expressed the opinion of the Macedons specially of suche as were auncient men to whome the exchaunge of their olde vsages were greuous The kyng was nothyng ignoraunt of the wordes that had passed betwyxt them for he stode behynde a particion of the hall and heard all the matter He sent word therfore to Hages and Cleo that at his comming in they should moue the straungers only to fall downe and worship hym after their countrey custome And after a whyle the kyng as though he had bene about some matters of importaunce returned agayne into the feaste then the Percians fell downe and worshypped him after suche sorte as was deuised But Policarpon that sat aboue the kyng at the boâ—de Polycarpon asked one in skorne that touched the grounde with his chyrine why he kyssed no harder With whiche wordes he moued Alexander to yre wherof he was euer vnpacient So that he sayd vnto Polycarpon It is thou that disdaynest to honour me shall I be mocked of the alone He aunswered that it was not seamely that a kynge should be skorned nor yet a subiect be dispysed With whiche worde the kyng plucked hym from the table and threwe him downe to whome he sayd failyng grouelynges vpon the earth Loo hast thou not done thy self that before thou diddest skorne in an other man therupon he commaunded him toward so brake vp the feast Polycarpon being thus punished was afterwardes pardoned But Calistenes whose contempt stobburnes the kyng had long grudged at grounded his displeasure then more deaper vpon whome there chaunsed shortly after an apt occasion to be reuenged It was a custome as it hath bene sayd before amonges the noble men of Macedon to put their sonnes when they were past their childhode in seruice to the king as pages to doe necessary busines about his persone Their vsage was to watche nightly by course at the chambre dore where the kyng lay The concubines were brought in by them by an other way then where the guarde watched Thei likewise receiued the horses of the gromes of the stable and brought them to the king when he leped on They alwayes were about the kyng both in hunting and in battail and were brought vp in the study of liberall sciences The chiefest honour was geuen vnto them because they might sitte and eate with the kyng none had power to correct theÌ„ with stripes but only the king himself This company was like a masse or store from wheÌ„ce al the capitaines and gouernours of the Macedons did come From thence came their latter kynges whose lynage the power of the Romaynes long after did extinct A treason conspired against Alexander Harmalaus one of that nombre because he had striken a hore whome the kyng had thought to haue striken him self was by his commaundement beaten and scourged with roddes whiche rebuke he toke greuously and coÌ„playned to Sostrates his frende that was one of the same company Sostrates Whiche seing the body torne wherunto he had so great affeccion and peraduenture offeÌ„ded also with the kyng before for some other cause Stirred so Harmolaus whiche was prouoked sufficiently alredy that eche gaue faith to other to find a way to destroye the kyng Whiche they executed not with any chyldishe proceding but wysely agreed to bring Nycostratus Antipater Asclepiodorus and Philotas into the felowship of their coÌ„spiracie And afteawards they ioyned vnto them more Anticles Elaptonius Phimanes But the
bray of purpose to thintent that with their terrible noyse they should fill their eares ful of feare Though the Macedons were couragious and had there hartes full of good hope as they which often tymes had had expeyience of there owne actes Yet there enemies and the Riuer bothe togither made them wonderfully amased For they could not think how to keape a stedfast course to the further shore in so weake and tottring boates nor when they were there coulde see howe to arriue wyth surety There were many Ilands in the middes of the Riuer into the which both the Indians and the Macedons did swyme holding there weapons aboue there heddes And there skyrmished together in the syght of both the kinges which by experymente of such smale thinges made triall of the successe of the holle Symachus Nycanor But amonges al the Macedones ther were two noble yong meÌ„ called Symachus and Nycanor excelling in bouldnes in desperat attemptes and through there continuall good fortune had goten a courage to despice all perill Other yong men of the moste hardiest toke them for there captaynes and without any other armour sauing there pikes swome ouer into an Iland that was full of their enemies where through bouldnes only they slewe many of them and so myght haue returned with glory if rashnes where it findeth prosperous successe could euer be content with measure But whiles with skorne and pride they taried for ther enemies they were sodeinly enclosed of such as pryuely swome ouer the riuer and were killed with dartes which they caste at them from afarre Such as in thys case escaped there enemies were either drowned with the violence or the Eddyes of the streame Thys fight put Porus in great courage that sawe all theyr doinges from the further shore And though Alexander was longe vncertayne what waye to take yet at length he deceyued his enemye by thys policy The policie Alexander vsed in passing of Hydaspys There was an Iland in the riuer greater then the rest apte to hide his deuise by reason it was full of woode and had a great rampire cast vpoÌ„ that banck that was towards hys enemies Where both his fotemen and horsemen might stand couered from the sight of the Indians And the rather to turne there eies a nother way from the spying out of the oportunitye he caused Ptolomeus with a great nombre of hys horsemen to shewe them selues against there enemies farre of from the Iland and to put the Indians in feare of there crye making euer a shewe as though they would swyme ouer the riuer Which thing Ptolomens dyd many dayes continially together to the intent that Porus should be enforced to remoue hys powre to that part to withstaÌ„d him and by that meanes brought them out of the sight of the Ilande Alexander also caused hys owne Pauilyon to be set vpon the riuers side ouer agaynste hys enemies and all the pompe that partayned to the state of a kyng to be set furth within there viewe with the same band standing in sight whych was wonte to remayne about hys parson Furthermore Attalus that was equall wyth Alexander in yeares and lyke to him of face and parsonage stode there openly aparayled lyke a kynge that it might appere to Porus that Alexander was styll remayning there and went not about to passe the riuer Thexecucion of this deuise was first letted by a tempeste whereby afterwardes it was furthered brought to good effect fortune euer vsed to turne her dyscommodities into good successe towardes hym For when the enemies were thus attent to obserue Ptolomeus that lay beneth vpon the riuer agaynst them and Alexander with the rest of tharmye busie about the passing of his men into the Iland before mencioned There fell sodeinly a great storme scarsely tollerable to such as lay within there cabbens which so much afflicted the souldiers abrode that they forsoke the boates and fled agayne to land And yet for all this ther clamor and there noise was not harde of theyr enemies through the vehemency of the showre As this tempast begaÌ„ne sodeynly so it sodeinly cessed But the clowdes remayned darke that there appered not so much light as the souldiers myght knowe one an other by the face when they spake togethers Whyche darknes myght haue feared some other man considerynge they had to rowe in a Ryuer that they knewe not their enemies paraduenture wayting for them at ther landynge whither they went as blind men that for glory sought for parill But Alexander vsed that thing that put other men in teror to serue for his purpose and willed that euery maÌ„ vpoÌ„ a signe giuen should enter into there boates wiâ—h silence His boat was the first that launched from the shore towardes the further syde that was voyd of hys enemies Porus only keping hys wache agaynst Ptolomeus There was but one boate that sticked by the way vpon a rocke and all the other recouered the lande Alexander then commaunded the souldiers to prepare there armour The batteil betwixt Porus and Alexander and fal into aray and whiles he was deuidyng hys men to put them in ordre of battayll â–ª and marching towardes hys enemies it was reported to Porus that a great nombre of men of warre were come ouer the riuer and landed whych would streyght wayes giue him the battell But he at the fyrste according to the fault that is in mans nature through the ouermuch confidence he had in hym self beleued not the matter but thought that Abyasares whych was confederat with him had come in his assistaunce But when the daye appeared and the matter was manyfest Porus then put furth C. armed wagons and foure thousand horsemen vnder the leading of Hages his brother to keape Alexander doyng Hages Poras brother They counted those wagons there pryncypall force for euerye one of them caryed .vi. men two archers two wyth targets and two that ruled the horses which were not vnarmed but when it came to the fyght they let there reaynes loose and bestowed there dartes amonges there enemies But the use of those wagons serued that daye to smal purpose for the shoure that had fallen more violently then was accustumed had made the feldes so wete slabbye that the wagons coulde not sturre but sticked in the mire becaÌ„e immouable Wheras Alexander being without baggage or anye other thing that might be impediment vnto him firesely inuaded his enemies The Scythians and the Dahans were the first that gaue the onset and Pardicas was apoynted with the horsemen to charge vpon the right hand battell of the Indians Then the battells beginning to ioyne in al partes they that had the charge of the wagons counting them the laste refuge slacked there raynes and rushed forwardes into the middes of the fight The comming of thes wagons apeared to be a matter daungerous and doubtfull to both parties For at the fyrst brunt both the MacedoÌ„s were borne ouer and ouer
bitter death But I whiche number not my yeres but my victories haue liued longe if I will weye the giftes of Fortune For beginnynge mine Empire in Macedonia I haue Greace in mine owne handes I haue subdued Thrace and the Illirians I raigne ouer the Triballes and the Medeans possessynge an Asia that lye betwixt Hellespont and the redde Sea and nowe am not farre from the ende of the worlde the whiche I determined to visite and to make open to men a newe nature and a newe worlde I passed out of Asia into Europe in the moment of an houre and beynge but .xxviii. yeres olde hauyng raigned but nine am become victorer of both regions Do you thinke it then mete that I should nowe ceasse from winning of that glorye wherunto I haue onelye addict my selfe No I wil neuer ceasse but whersoeuer I shall haue occasion to fyght I shall thinke my selfe to be in the Theatre where the whole worlde dothe beholde me I will geue nobilitye and fame to places that be obscure And will laye open to all Nacions those countreys that nature hath remoued furdest froÌ„ them In doynge wherof it shall be gratefull for me to ende my lyfe if Fortune will haue it so I am come of that stocke that I ought to desire many thinges before longe lyfe I praye you to remembre that we be come into those countreys where the name of a woman is muche celebrated for hir vertues What cityes did Semiramis builde what nacions did she subdue and what great workes did she accomplishe We are not yet become equal to a woman in glory and yet you woulde haue me to be satisfied of laude The Gods be fauourable vnto our purpose for there remaine for vs yet greater thinges to do And it is the next way to make those countreys we haue not yet touched to become ours if we esteme nothing to be of small valure where as there is anye occasion to winne glorye Let it be your care onelye to preserue me from ciuill conspiracie and treason of mine owne people then there be no aduentures of the warre shall put me in feare Philippe was more sure in the front of the battaile abroade then in quiet tarians at home He oftentimes auoyded the force of his enemies but he coulde not eschue the violeÌ„ce of his owne subiectes And if you coÌ„sider the ende of other Kynges you shall count more that haue bene slayne by their owne menne then by anye forayne power But bicause there is an occasion nowe offered me to vtter the thing I haue longe conceaued in my minde It shall be the greatest fruite I can receyue of my actes and of my trauayles if my trauailes if my Mother Olympiades when she departeth this lyfe might be consecrated to immortalitie If she departe in my tyme I wil do the thing my selfe But if I shall be preuented by Death remember you to perfourme that I haue determined And therupon he dismissed his frendes from him and continued manye dayes in the same place Whiles these thinges were a doynge in India the Greake souldiours that hadde lande and habitacion appoynted them at Catabactra throughe a sedicion that chaunsed amonges them A rebellion of the Grekes whiche Alexander had planted at Catabactâ—s rebelled againste Alexander Notsomuche for anye hatred they bare hym as for feare of punishemente For they kylled diuers of their chiefe rulers and assemblynge in force togethers toke the castle of Bactria that was negligentlye kepte and procured the Bactrians to rebell with them Athenodâ—rus Athenodorus was the chiefe amonges theim who toke vpon hym the name of a kynge not so muche for the desire of the kyngdome as by aucthoritye to make him selfe of power to conueye hym selfe and others home into his countrey Bycon But one Bycon of his owne nacion became his enemye and conspirynge agaynste him did bidde hym to a banquet where he was slayne by one Boxus Macerianus The nexte daye folowynge Bicon assembled the Greakes together perswadinge theim that he slewe Athenodorus but in hys owne defence whose purpose was to haue destroyed him But there were some that perceiued his policye and suspicion was spreade amonges the rest So that the Greakes fell to armes of purpose to slea Bycon But suche as were chiefe mitigated the wrathe of the multitude and contrary to his expectation was deliuered from that presente peryll Yet he coulde not be so contented but wythin a while after conspired againste them that saued his lyfe whose falsehode knowen they toke bothe hym and Boxus determinynge that Boxus shoulde be put to death out of hande and that Bycon shoulde ende hys lyfe by tormentes As they were tormentinge of him the Greake souldiours sodainelye in a furye for what cause it is vncertayne ranne to Armes the noyse of whom beynge hearde wyth them that had the charge of Bycon did let him at libertye fearynge that the rumoure hadde bene made for his deliuerye He as he was naked came runninge amonges the Grekes where as they were assembled whose miserable estate so sodainelye chaunged their minds that thei willed him immediatly to be set at liberty By thys meanes Bicon beynge twise deliuered from death returned into his countrey with the Grekes leauynge the Colonye wherunto he was appointed by Alexander These thinges were done in the coÌ„fynes of Bactria and Scythia In the meane season the kynge of the two nacions whyche we spake of before sent an hundred Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche beynge men of goodly personages ridde in wagons semely appaireled hauing garmentes of linnen clothe embroydred with golde and empaled with purple They declared that the cause of their commynge was to yeld them selues their citye their countrey and their libertye whiche thei had kepte inuiolatelye by so many ages to his wil appointmeÌ„t Of which their submission the Gods thei said were aucthours not any fear for thei were coÌ„teÌ„ted to yeld theÌ„ selues before thei had proued their power with him The kynge called a counsayle receiued theÌ„ vnder his protection appointing to theÌ„ to pay such tribute as they before paied to the ArachosiaÌ„s And besides to seÌ„d two thousand fiue hundred horsemen to serue hym in his warres all whiche thinges they perfourmed obedientlye This done he made a great feast wherunto he inuited those Embassadours and his Lordes He vsed therin sumptuous preparation ordeinynge C. beddes of golde to eate vpon which beyng set a small distaunce one from another were drawen about with curteynes garnished with golde and purple In that feast there was shewed and sette forthe all the excesse and voluptuousnes which either by long custome was vsed among the PerciaÌ„s or by corruption of their old vsages taken vp amonges the Macedons the vyces of both those nacions beynge there mingled myxed togethers Dioxippus There was at that feast one Dioxippus of Athens a notable champion by reason of his excellent force well knowen vnto the Kynge whome certayne enuiousse and malicious Persones
betwyxte earnest and pastyme dyd reproue that he was geuen to farre hys bodye as an vnprofitable beaste And when other went to the battaile he would anoynt his body with oyle and prepare him selfe to eate Emonges other that vsed wordes of despyte agaynste hym there was at the same feast â—â—rratus one Horratus a Macedon who in his dronkennes chalenged Dioâ—ippus that if he were a man he shoulde fight the campe with him the nexte daye vpon llife and death A combate where as the kynge shoulde iudge either him to be to rashe or the other to much a dastarâ— Dioxippus then laughyng to scorne the pride and arrogancie of the souldiour accepted his profer The next day they were more earnest to go to the combate then they were before in makynge of the chalenge therfore when the kyng sawe them so bente and that they would not leaue their purpose he coÌ„sented to their will There were greate nombre of men assembled at the combate amonges whom there were many Grecians whiche fauoured Dioxippus parte The Macedon came into the Lystes armed at all peaces holdyng in his left hande an yron buckler and a speare and in his right hande a casting launce hauing his sworde besydes girte to his syde was furnysshed as though he should haue fought with many men at once Dioxippus came furth anoynted with oyle with a garlande vpon his head and hauing a read cloke wrapt about his left arme held in his right hande a great knottiye cudgell The diuersitie of their furnishement brought euery man in a wonderfull expectacioÌ„ For they could not thinke it only a rashenes but a madnes for Dioxippus that was naked to matche with the other that was armed The Macedon thinking to kil his aduersary before they should come to hand strippes threwe at him his launce whiche Dioxippus auoided with beÌ„ding of his body before that he could charge his pike he leaped to him and with his cudgell brake thesame asondre When the Macedon had lost both his weapoÌ„s he beganne to drawe his sworde but Dioxippus preuented him wit a close and taking both his feete from vnder him â–ª threwe him to the earth and there plucking his sworde from him set his foote vpon his necke and held vp his cudgell to haue striken out his braynes if the kyng had not caused him to staye his hand This triumphe ended with displeasure both vnto the Macedons and vnto vnto AlexaÌ„der himselfe specially because this thing was done in the Indians presence he feared lest the valiauntnes of the MacedoÌ„s famed so muche in the worlde might therby come into conteÌ„pt Hereupon AlexaÌ„der grudging at Dioxippus bare his eares open to the accusacion of the enuyous They within a fewe dayes after had caused a golden cuppe to be purposely conueyed out of the waye whiche the ministers hauing imbesealed them selues made complaynt vnto Alexander of the losse thereof Oftymes men shewe lesse constauncy then in the offence it selfe For in their complaynt Dioxippus perceyued by their lokes that they noted hym as the thefe whiche he coulde not endure but partyng out of the feaste after he had wrytten a letter to the kyng he kylled hymselfe Alexander was very sory for his death whiche he tooke for no token of repentaunce but rather of indignacion For afterwardes it appeared through the ouermuche reioysing of hys enemies that he had bene falsely accused The Embassadours of the Indians that were dismissed home within a fewe dayes after returned agayne presenting vnto Alexander thre C. horses M. and .xxx. wagons euery one drawen with foure horses certain vestures of linnen cloth M. Indian targetes an hundred talentes of white Iren both lyons of a rare bygnes and Tigres that were made â—ame the skinnes of great Lyzardes and the shelles of certain fisshes The kyng then commaunded Craterus to conduct his army along the ryuer wherupon he sayled and he enbarking suche as were wont to accompany him with the streame passed into the boundes of the Mallians and from thence came vnto the Sabracans Sabracans whiche was a nacion of great power not ruled by kynges but by a gouernement of the people They had gathered together .vi. M. footemen and .vi. M. horsemen and .v. C. armed wagons and had chosen thre capitaines that were approued men of warre But when suche as inhabited next vnto the ryuer the bankes being full of villages sawe all the ryuer so farre as they coulde view strowed with shippes and the armour glistering of so many men of warre they were amased with the straungenes of the sight and thought that some army of the Goddes or els Bacchus whose name was famous amonges those nacions had become amonges them The crye of the men of warre with the classing of the oers and the straunge noyse of the mariners exhortyng one another fylled full their fearefull eares They ranne therfore amonges their countrey men whiche had assembled their force declaring their madnes if they woulde contende with Goddes For they sayde the shippes coulde not be nombred that caried those inuicible people With whiche wordes they put suche feare amonges the men of warre of their owne nacion that they sent immediatly Embassadours to yelde them selues When he had receyued assuraunce of them he came the fourth day into an other nacion whiche durste no more withstande then the reste dyd and there he buylded a cytie whiche he named Alexandria and from thence entred into a couÌ„trey the inhabiters whereof be called Musycans Musycans Caracanusidans There he vnderstode by the accusacion of the Caramisidans that Destirioldes whom Alexander had appointed lieutenant amoÌ„ges them had ruled in excessiue pride and couetousnes therfore coÌ„maunded him to be put to death And Oxarres lieutenauÌ„t of the Bactrians being also accused was not only acquited but also had a greater rule coÌ„mitted vnto him WheÌ„ he had subdued the vtter partes of the MusicaÌ„s he put a guarrison in their cytie Porticanus kyng of the Prestyans and went from thence to another nacion of the Indians called Prestians of whome Porticanus was kyng whiche with a great powre got him selfe into a strong citie whiche Alexander wanne the thirde daye after he beganne his siege Vpon the taking of the towne Porticanus fled into the castle and sent Embassadours to treate of peace But before they were come to Alexanders presence twoo towres of the Castle fell with a greate crashe by the ruynes wherof the Macedons got into the castle where Porticanus whiche with a fewe standing at defence was slayne The castle being rased and all that were with in sould as slaues Alexander came into the boundes of Saba Python where besydes many cyties that yelded vnto hym he toke the strongest cytie of that countrey by force of a myne It semed a monstrous thyng vnto the Indians being ignoraunt of suche policies of warre for armed men to come furthe of the grounde in the myddes of their cytie there appearyng before no signe of any way
as thoughe he had bene striken to the harte And beynge caried out of the feast halfe dead was so tormented wyth payne that he required a swerde to haue killed him selfe His frendes did publyshe abroade dronkennes to be the cause of his disease but in verye dede it was prepensed treason the infamye wherof the power of his successours did oppresse The poyson prepared longe before was deliuered by Antipater vnto Cassander his sōne whiche wyth his brethren Phillippe and Iolla were wonte to serue the kynge at meate He was warned that he shoulde not committe the same poyson to anye person except it were to Thessalus or to his brethren Philippe therfore and Iollas whiche were wonte to take the saye of the kynge cuppes hauyng the poyson readye in colde water mixed it with the wine after they had tasted it When the fourth daye was come the souldiours partly for that they suspected he hadde bene dead and partlye because they coulde not endure to wante longe his syght came sorowfullye vnto the courte desirynge to see the kynge whiche by his commaundemēt were admitted vnto his presence by such as had the charge of his person When they behelde him liynge in that case they made great sorowe and lamentacion for he semed not to them to be the same their kynge whom they were wont to see but rather a deade corse If their griefe were great the sorowe of theim that stode nexte to the bedde appeared muche more whom when Alexander behelde lamentyng after that sorte he saied vnto thē When I shall departe you shall finde a kynge worthye for suche men as you be It is a thynge incredible howe that he durynge the tyme the souldiours of his whole armye came to viset hym he neuer altered countenaunce nor gesture but continued in that kind of presence he gaue vnto the firste vnto the laste man When he hadde dismissed the multitude as though he had bene discharged of al the debt of life he laye downe againe to rest his weake body his voyce beginnyng to fayle him cōmaunded his frendes to come neare aboute him and then takinge his rynge from his finger deliuered it to Perdicas and gaue therwith a commaundemente that his bodye shoulde be conueyed to Hammon They demaunded to whom he would leaue his kingdome He saide to the worthiest By whiche wordes it appeared that he forsawe the contention that was like to ensue vpon his death Perdicas more ouer demaunded of him when he woulde haue diuine honours done vnto him At such time quod he as you shall finde your selfes in felicitie These were the laste wordes Alexander spake and shortelye after he died Immediatlye after his death the courte was full of howlynge The sorow that was made vpon Alexāders death lamentynge and sorowe makynge and by and by as it hadde bene in a deserte or a place solitary all thynges were whiste and a sorowfull silence was spredde ouer all euerye man beynge conuerted into imagination what shoulde become of the matter The yonge menne of the nobilitye that were accustomed aboute Alexanders person coulde not beare the greatnes of their doloure nor kepe them selfes within compasse of the courte but ranne aboute as menne out of their wyttes wherby the citye was filled with heauines and complainte and no kinde of lamentation pretermitted that sorow is wont to minister in such a case Suche therfore as were without the courte vnderstandynge this matter as well Macedones as other came runnynge thither wheras the Conquerours from the conquered nor the Victorers from the vainquished coulde not be discerned the sorowe was so indifferent to thē al. The Percians called vpō their iust and mercifull Lorde and the Macedons made inuocation to him that was so valeaunte and gracious a kynge and thus there was a certaine contencion of sorow amōges thē Men did not vse their only wordes of griefe and heauines but also of grudge and indignation that so yonge a prince beynge in the flower of his age and of his fortunate successe shoulde by the enuy of the Goddes be so taken out of this worlde They called to remembraūce what a cherefulnes they had alwaies sene in his countenaunce ether when he led them to the battel when he besieged or assaulted any citie or when he would geue any commendacion to the worthye in anye assemble Then the Macedons repented that euer they hadde denied him deuine honours confessyng them selues bothe wicked and vngratefull for depriuynge him of anye name wherof he was worthye And when they had continued long in the veneration and desire of him that was dead then they began to pitye their owne case whiche commyng out of Macedon were passed the riuer of Euphrates amonges the middes of their enemies that vnwillinglye receiued their new gouernement They saw them selues left destitute the Empire without any certaine heyre for wāt of whō euery one wold go about to draw the power of the state vnto his priuate behofe And thē they began to conceiue and forsee in their mindes the ciuill warres that did ensue that they shoulde be enforced to shede their bloude againe not for the cōquest of Asia but for the title of some such one that would go about to make him selfe king wherby their old scarres should breake out againe into new woūdes that such as by reason of their age had bene discharged from the warres by their noble righteous king should now be enforced to spend their liues in the quarell of some such one as was but his souldier Whiles thei were in these imaginaciōs the night came on encreased their terroure The men of warre watched in harnayes the Babilonians loked ouer the walles pepyng out frō the toppes of their houses to spye some certaintye how the matter wēt There was none that durst kyndle any light And bicause the vse of the eie did fail thei laied their eares to heare the rumours wordes that were spoken And many times thei wer afraied whē no cause was whē thei met together in the narow stretes or darke lanes thei would be amased suspect eche other as enemies The Percians after their accustumed maner clipped there heare and with ther wiues and children lamented the death of Alexander in mourning garmentes with vnfained affeccion not as a conqueror and one that lately had bene there enemye but as there rightwise and naturall kyng For they being accustumed to liue vnder a king could think no man more worthy then he to rule ouer them Thys sorowe was not only conteined within the walles of the citie but streightwayes spred ouer all the countrey ther aboutes And the fame of so great a mischiefe flyenge through oute Asia brought some tydinges therof vnto Darius mother She at the fyrste reporte tare a sonder the garment she ware and put on morning appareill she pulled her heare and fel downe groueling vpon the earth One of her neces sat by her morning the death of Ephestion whom she had
Then one enquired of another where he was become whose fortune and authoritie they had folowed Then they founde themselues abandoned amoÌ„ges so many wyld nacions which were desirous vpon any occasion that might fall to be reuenged of the iniuryes they had receyued Whyles they were troubled in these imaginacions worde was brought that the horsemen whiche were vnder Perdicas kept the fieldes about BabyloÌ„ and stayed the vitels that was commyng to the cytie Whereupon first beganne a scarsitie and afterwardes a famyne Therfore suche as were within the cytie thought good either to make a reconciliacion with Perdicas or els to fight out the matter It chaunsed that they which dwelled abrode in the couÌ„trey fearyng the spoyle of the villages repayred into the cytie And they within the cytie for lacke of vitelles departed into the countrey So that euery one thought them selues surer any where then in their owne habitacions Then the Macedons doubting some greate inconuenience that myght come of this feare â—mbassadours were sent about a reconciliacion assembled together in the courte and shewed furth their opinions It was agreed amonges them that Embassadours shuld be sent to the horsemen for the successing of all strife deuision Pasus a Tessalion Amissas a Megapolitan and Perelaus were sent from the kyng Whiche declaring their commission receiued answere that the horsemen wold not feuer their power till the auctours of the sedicioÌ„ were deliuered into their handes When they were returned and their aunswere knowen the souldiers without any appointment put on their armour and made suche a tumult that the kyng was enforced to come furth of the court and saide vnto them If we shal be at strife amoÌ„ges our selues The kinges wordes vnto the souldiers our enemies that be quiet shall enioye the frute of our contencion Remembre you that the quarell is with your own couÌ„treymen with whome if ye rashly breake the hope of reconcilemeÌ„t ye shal be the beginners of a ciuil warre Let vs proue if the matter may be mitigated by an other Embassade I am of opinion that forasmuche as AlexaÌ„ders body remayne yet vnburied they will gladly come together to perfourme the due vnto the dead And for my parte I had rather surrendre vp againe this dignitie then any bloud should be shedde amoÌ„ges my countrey men For if no other hope of concorde do remayne I desire and pray you to choise this as the better of both And with that worde he wepte and pulled the diademe froÌ„ his head holding thesame furth with his hande redy to haue deliuered it to any man that would haue claymed to be more worthy then he The moderacion that he vsed both in his wordes and his behauour caused them all to coÌ„ceiue a great good hope of his noble nature whiche til that time was obscured with the greatnes of his brothers fame Thei therfore required and encouraged him to go forwardes in the matter as he had deuised Wherupon he sent agayne the same for Embassadours that went before whiche had commission to require that Meleager might be the thirde capitayne Whiche matter was not muche sticked at For Perdicas was desirous to remoue Meleager from the kyng and thought that he alone shold not be able to matche with Leonatus and hym Vpon this Meleager marched out of the cytie with the fotemen and Perdicas met him in the fieldes ryding before the bandes of the horsemen Where bothe battailles saluting one an other concorde peace and amitie was coÌ„firmed betwixt theÌ„ for euer as it was thought But it was decreed by destiny that ciuil warres shuld ryse amonges the Macedons For gouernement is vnpacient of parteners and the kingdome was couered by many Which as it first grewe in force so afterwardes it was dispersed againe And when the body was burdened more then it coulde beare the other membres began to faill A degressioÌ„ to the praise of themperour that was in the auctours tyme. So thempire of the Macedons whiche vnder one head might well haue stande when it was deuided into partes fell to ruyne For whiche cause the people of Rome iustly must confesse them selues bound vnto their prince for the felicitie they haue founde Whiche as a starre in the nyght appeared vnto them that were nere loste And as the sunne gaue light to the worlde being in darkenes when without suche a head the membres that were at variaunce muste nedes haue quayled Howe many fyre brandes did he quenche howe many swordes ready drawen dyd he put vp agayne Howe great a tempest did he pacifye with the sodayne caulme of his presence The Empire now therfore doth waxe grene and floryshe Let me desire without enuye that his house may continewe many ages and his posteritie remaine for euermore But to returne againe to the ordre of history from whence I was brought through the contemplacion of our vniuersal felicitie Perdicas deuised the death of Meleager Perdicas iudged the only hope of his owne sauegarde to consiste in the death of Meleager thinking it necessary to preueÌ„t him whiche was a man both variable vnfaithful geuen to innouacion and besides his mortall enemy But with deape dissimulacioÌ„ he kept his purpose secrete to thintent that with the lesse difficultie he might oppresse him vnbewares He did subornate therfore priuely certain of the bandes that were vnder his rule to complayne opeÌ„ly as though it were without his knowledge that Meleager shuld be made equal with him which wordes of the souldiers wheÌ„ they were reported vnto Meleager be came in a great rage declared their sayenges to Perdicas Who semed to wonder at the matter blaming their doing as though he had bene sory for the thing and finally they agreed that the auctours of such sedicious wordes should be taken When Meleager perceiued Perdicas so confirmable he embraced hym and gaue him thankes for his fidelitie beneuolence Thereby a consultacion had betwixt them both they deuised how to destroy them that wrought this deuisioÌ„ betwixt them For the bringing of that to passe they agreed that tharmy shuld be purged according to their countrey custome For the doing wherof they semed to haue a sufficient occasion by reason of the late discord that was amoÌ„ges theÌ„ A ceremony that was vsed in the purifiyng of tharmy after any offeÌ„ce made The kinges of Macedon in purifiyng of their souldiers were wonte to vse a kind of ceremony in deuiding the bowelles of a dogge in two partes cast the same in the vttermoste bouÌ„des of the field wheron they purposed to bring furth the army Betwixt whiche space the men of warre accustomed to stande armed the horsemeÌ„ the mercenary souldiers and the phalanx euery one aparte The same daye that this ceremony was put in execution the kyng stoode with the horsemen the Elephantes against the footemen of whome Meleager had the rule When the battell of horsemen began to moue the footemeÌ„ were stroken sodainly with feare and by reason of the late
discorde conceiued a suspicion that the horsemen ment them no good Wherfore they stode a while in a doubt whether they should retire into the cytie or no by reason that the fieldes serued best for the horsemen But left without cause they myght condempne the fidelity of their companions they stode still with a determinate mynde to fight if any would proffer them violence When the battailles were almoste mette together and only a smalle distaunce left betwixt them wherby the one parte was deuided from the other the kyng by the prouocation of Perdicas with one bande of horsemen did ride along the footemen requiring the deliuery of those to be executed which wer the aucthors of the discorde whome in very dede he ought to haue defended whiche if thei refused to deliuer he threatened to bring against them both the horsemen and the Elephantes The footemen were amased with the sodeines of the mischief whiche they loked not for and there was no more counsell nor courage in Meleager then in the rest but they all iudged it moste expedient for them rather to abyde the adueÌ„ture of that matter then further to hasard fortune When Perdicas sawe them astonied and in feare he seuered out to the nombre of three hundred of such as folowed Meleager when he brake out of the assemble that was first made after Alexanders death whiche in the sight of all the armye were caste to the Elephantes and there trampled to death with their feete Of which matter Philippe was neither the author nor the forbidder but thought to claime that for his owne doing whiche should appeare best in the ende This was a signification and a beginning vnto the Macedons of ciuill warre that ensued Meleager vnderstanding ouerlâ—te the sleyght of that deuise because there was no violence offred to his persone stode at the firste quietly within the square but shortly after when he sawe his enemies abusing the name of him whome he had made king to his destruccion he dispaired of his own saueguarde fled into a temple But the religion of the place could not defend him but that he was there slayne The deuisioÌ„ of TheÌ„pire Perdicas hereupon brought againe the army into the citie and called counsell of all the principall personages wherin it was agreed so to deuide thempire that the kyng should remayne as chief of the whole Ptolomeus to be lieutenaunt in Egipt and Affricke and to haue the rule of the nacions there that were vnder the Macedons dominion Siria and Phenices were appointed to Laomedon Cylicia to Philotas Licia with Pamphilia the greater Phrigia were assigned to Antigonus Cassander was sent into Caria and Menander into Lydia The lesser Phrigia that ioyned vnto Hellespont was Leonatus prouince Emmenes had Cappadotia and Paphlagonia who was commaunded to defende that countrey so farre as Trapezunt and make warre to Arbates whiche only remained enemy to the Empire Arbates Media was apointed to Python and Thrace to Lysmachus with other nacions there about borderyng vpon the sea of Ponte It was ordeined also that suche as should be presidentes amonges the Indians Bactrians Sogdians and other nacioÌ„s lieng vpon the Occean and read seas should in matters of iustice vse regall iurisdictioÌ„ It was decceed that Perdicas should remaine with the kyng and haue the gouernaunce of the men of warre that folowed him Some beleue that these prouinces were distributed by AlexaÌ„ders testament but we haue found that same to be false though some authors do witnes the same The Empire being deuided into partes euerye one might well haue defended his portion if any boundes could conteine mens immoderate desires Or if they whiche being but ministers vnto a kyng when vnder the colour of the administracion of an others dominioÌ„ had encroched into great kingdomes could haue auoyded the occasions of warre seing they were all of one nacion and had their couÌ„treis by limittes But it was hard for them to be contented with that they had in possession when occasion was proffered them of more For the first thynges alwayes appeare of no valure when men be in hope of greater thynges to come So that euery one of them thought it an easier matter to encrease his kyngdome then it was to come by it at the firste Alexanders body had layen seuen dayes vnburied for whyles euery man had care vpon the establyshing of the state their myndes were drawen from doing of that solempne office There is no countrey that haue more feruent heat then Mesopotamia For the sonne there burneth so hote that it killeth the beastes that be without couert and burne vp all thynges as it were with the fyer And to the encrease therof there be fewe springes of water and the inhabiters vse suche policy in hiding of those they haue that strauÌ„gers can haue no vse of theÌ„ This notwithstandinge when Alexanders frendes had gotten leasure to take care of the deade corse and came to visite the same they founde it wythout infeccion corruption or chaunge of coloure the same cherefulnes whiche consisteth of the spirite not beynge yet departed out of his countenaunce Then the Egipcians and the Caldeis were commaunded to dresse hys bodye after their maner who at the firste as though he had bene aliue durst not put their handes to him But afterwardes makyng their prayers that it might be lawfull for mortall men to touche him they purged his bodye and filled it wyth swete odours And afterwardes layed him vpon a hearse of golde and set a diademe vpon his heade Many thought that he dyed of poyson that Iolla Antipaters soÌ„ne beyng one of his ministers had geueÌ„ him the same Alexander oftentimes woulde saye that Antipater coueted the estate of a kinge affecting more greatnes then parteined to a LiuetenauÌ„t and through glorie of the victory he had gotten of the Lacedemonians was become so proude that he claymed al thinges committed vnto him as his owne It is thought also that Craterus was sente to kyll him with those olde souldiours that were dismissed It is certayne that there is a poyson in Macedon founde in a water called Stiges Stiges of suche force that it consumeth yron and will not be conteined in any thinge sauing in the houe of an horse or mule which poison was brought by Cassander and deliuered to his brother Iolle whiche presented it in the drinke that the kinge last dronke Howsoeuer these thinges be reported the power of them of whoÌ„ the rumour weÌ„t shortly after oppressed the infamy For Antipater betame Kynge bothe of Macedon and of Greace and his chyldren after him that did cut to death all suche as were anye thynge neare of kinne vnto Alexander Ptolomeus whiche had the rule of Egipte conueyed Alexanders bodye to Memphis whiche within fewe yeares after was remoued to Alexandria where as all honoure is geuen to the memorye of him and to his name Finis ⧠IMPRYNTED at London by Richarde Tottell dwellynge in Fletestrete at the signe of the hande and starre within Temple barre Anno domini 1553. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium