of his Forces to divert Polyspercon carrying the rest to Besiege Pidna a strong Sea-Town where Olympias lay with the Court. Aeacides King of Epyrus her Cousin hasted to her Succour but upon Difficulties of passages held by Cassander's Men his Subjects refuse to proceed and upon his seeking to inforce them banish him and join with Cassander Polyspercon now is the Queen 's only hope which also failed for by Callas's means corrupting of the Souldiers he was glad to make a swift Retreat for want of Men. The Miseries of the Besieged by Famin and Mortality was so great that she is forced to yield to Cassander upon promise of Life and procured Aristonus to whom she had committed Amphypolis to yield up the Town which he did and was killed by private Enemies procured to it by Cassander Olympias is then called into publick question in an Assembly of the Macedonians and condemned for the Murders committed by her under Title of Justice and shortly after put to death Cassander after his death Celebrated Funerals for Aridaeus and Euridice Married Thessalonica Daughter of King Philip taken in Pidna built the City Cassandria committed Roxane and Alexander to close Prison Re-edified Thebes and restored it c. CHAP. IV. Of Antigonus's growth in Asia § 1. EVmenes with the Argyraspides or Silver-Bands took his March towards the East with his Commission to take Possession of those Countries having small Assurance of his Silver Shields whose Captains scorned his direction Yet Ptolomy and Antigonus could not withdraw them Python and Seleuchus who govern'd Medea and Babylon as he went refused to let him pass 'till they were forc'd to fly so he came to the East where Peucestes and other Lords receive him yet through Opinion of Self-worthiness contended for Superiority but by his Wisdom and Command of the Kings Treasure he gained many of the most powerful § 2. Antigonus followed taking Python and Seleucus with him to force the Enemies further off from the King's Treasure in Susa but passing over Coprates by small Vessels when the greater part was over Eumenes who kept a Bridge on Tygris came with a Thousand Horse and four Thousand Foot and finding them disordered forced most of 'em into the River and drowned them and slew the rest except four Thousand which yielded in the sight of Antigonus who with Python turned to Media leaving Seleuchus to Besiege Susa Castle § 3. Eumenes desired to lead the Army into the Province left by Antigonus but Peucestes Governour of Persia drew them thither using all means to win the Souldiers which Eumenes prevented by a feign'd Letter from Orontes Governour of Armenia reporting Olympias had slain Cassander and sent Polyspercon with a great Army to join with Eumenes which News bred much fruitless joy Antigonus brings his Army out of Media to all their amazements yet Eumenes then sick in an Horse-Litter set his in a good form of Battle and though he were inferiour to Antigonus by a third part except Elephants he held it out and Antigonus was glad the next Night to steal away into Media § 4. Antigonus in the dead of Winter being within Nine Days Journey of his Enemy passed through a difficult Wilderness forbidding all use of Fire by Night to prevent his being discovered which was observed for some time but broken at last and so discerned Peucestes and the rest as Men amazed fly Eumenes stays them promising to protract Antigonus 'till their Forces be drawn up Then taking some choise Captains he disposed them on Tops of Hills looking towards Antigonus keeping many Fires thereon Antigonus thinking he was discovered and fearing to be forced while his Men were tired turned aside to places convenient for Refreshment but upon Advice finding that he was deluded he sent thinking to be revenged on them who were gone All the Eastern Army was come except the Elephants which he sent to cut off forcing the Horse-men which came with them and had overthrown the Elephants if brave Troops sent by Eumenes to look after them had not come in unexpectedly § 5. Eumenes having obtain'd the honour of an Expert General got therewith the hatred of Peucestes and the other Commanders which conspire his death but conclude to spare him 'till after the Battle with Antigonus which argued their Malice against his meer Virtue Eudamus who had charge of the Elephants whom he had obliged and others of whom he used to borrow Money when he needed not to make them the more careful of his Life certifyed him of the Treason Hereupon he made his Will and burnt his Writings of Secrets and considered what he should do To make his Peace with Antigonus were contrary to his Faith given to Olympias and the Princes c. He therefore resolved to withstand the Enemy and after to look to himself c. § 6. Eumenes's Souldiers not knowing the cause of his Perplexity encouraged him only desiring him to draw 'em up in Battalia and they would play the Men. Antigonus had the advantage in Horse but his Footmen advanced heavily being to encounter the old Silver Shields who had beaten them so oft as now also they slew five thousand of them without the loss of a Man Antigonus's Horse and Elephants had the better the rather by Peucestes who drew off one thousand five hundred Horse and departed But while all the charge lay on Eumenes Antigonus sent Companies of Horse about unto Eumenes's Carriages unseen by reason of the Dust and surprized them for the Night growing on they return'd to their Camps § 7. Eumenes finding the Silver Shields discontented for the loss of their Carriages comforted them with hopes of Recovery the Enemy being weakened by their Valour and unable to draw the Carts through the Wilderness of Mountains This availed not for Peucestes was gone and other Captains would fight no more Teutamus one of the Silver-shield Captains to win the Love of the Bands dealt secretly with Antigonus intreated the restoring of the Booty which was all the Old Souldiers had for many Years service The crafty Man answered that if they will deliver Eumenes he will do more for them which they presently performed and villanously betrayed their worthy General whom his Ambitious Adversary despairing to win slew This was the end of the Wisdom Fidelity Valour and Patience of him whose Courage no Adversity could lessen nor Prosperity his Circumspection But his Virtue Wit and Industry were all cast away by lâ—ading an Army without power to command besides God's purpose to cast down that Family he sought to uphold Antigonus buried him honourably burnt one of the Captains alive that betrayed him and committed all the Silver Shields to a Leader to carry them into far Countries with charge to Conjure such perjured Wretches nâ—vâ—r to come near Greece § 8. Antigonus and Python return to Media where while Pithon by Gifts sought to win the Souldiers which he only wanted to become chief Antigonus discerning it took him in his security condemn'd and
a Moment is enough to overthrow what seemeth founded in Adamant Henry VI. overwhelmed with the Storm of his Grandfathers grievous Crimes generally esteemed an innocent Prince yet refused the Daughter of Armaignac of the House of Navarre to whom he was Ally'd and Married a Daughter of Anjou and so lost all that he had in France He also condescended to the unworthy Death of his Vnkle of Glocester the main Pillar of the House of Lancaster Buckingham and Suffolk contrived the Duke's death by the Queen's procurement but the Fruit was answerable to the Plantation and they and their Adherents were destroy'd by York whose Son Edward depriv'd Henry the Father and Edward the Son of Life and Kingdom The Politick Lady the Queen lived to see the miserable End of her Husband Son and all her Adherents her self plunder'd and Father beggar'd to Ransom her Edward IV. hath his turn to Triumph when all the Plants of Lancaster except the Earl of Richmond were extirpated whom he had also bought of the D. of Britain but could not keep him But what stability can Edward's Plantation promise when he had seen and approved Prince Edward's Murder by Glocester Dorset Hastings c. which escaped not the Iudgment of God in the same kind He instructed Glocester to Murder Henry VI. and taught him the Art to kill his own Sons and to Vsurp the Crown Richard III. The greatest Master in Villany of all that went before him who by necessity of his Tragedy being to play more Parts in his own Person than all the rest yet so well fitted every Mans Humour that join'd with him as if each had acted his own Interest Buckingham and Hastings Enemies to the Queen and her Kindred are easily allured to condescend that Rivers and Grey the King 's maternal Vnkle and half Brother should first be separated from him then imprisoned and for avoiding future Inconveniences to lose their Heads Having brought them to the practice of that common Precept which the Devil has written on every Post To depress whom they have injur'd and to destroy whom they have depress'd Then Buckingham has it form'd in his Head That when the King and his Brother shall be of sufficient Age they will take severe Revenge of the Wrong to Rivers and Gray and therefore of necessity the King and his Brother must be made away Hastings being sounded by Catesby and found not fordable by reason of his Fidelity to his Masters Sons after an attempt to kill him sitting in the Council the Hangman must get the Tyrant an Appetite to his Dinner by striking off his Head a greater Iudgment of God than this upon Hastings I never observ'd For the same Hour and in the same lawless manner by his Advice the Execution of Rivers and Gray was performed Buckingham has yet a part to play for Richard in persuading the Londoners to Elect him King and to be rewarded with the Earldom of Hereford But after much vexation of Mind and unfortunate attempts being betrayed by his trustiest Servant he lost his Head at Salisbury without troubling his Peers Richard after other Murders and Mischievous Policies having destroy'd his Nephews and Natural Lords by the great Out-cry of innocent Blood became an infamous spectacle of Shame and Dishonour both to his Friends and Foes Henry VII the Instrument of Gods Iustice in cutting off the Cruel King Succeeded a Politick Prince if ever there was any who by the Engine of his Wisdom beat down as many strong Oppositions both before and after he wore the Crown as ever any King of England did For as his Profits held the Reins of his Affections so he wayed his Vnderstanding by his Abilities leaving no more to hazard than what cannot be denyed in all Human Actions This King never indured Mediation in rewarding Servants and was therein exceeding wise for what himself gave himself received both Thanks and Love Knowing that the Affections of Men purchased no way so ready as by Benefits were Trains which better became Great Kings than Great Subjects On the contrary in whatsoever he grieved his Subjects he wisely put it off to those that he found fit Ministers of such Actions He used not to begin their Processes whom he hated or feared by the Execution as Lewis XI did Yet he somewhat follow'd the Errors of his Ancestors as the Head of Stanley who set the Crown on his and the Death of the young E. of Warwick Son to George D. of Clarence do shew and likewise the Success of his Grand-children of the first Line c. Henry VIII the Pattern of a merciless Prince Succeeded One who precipitately advanced many but for what Virtue no Man could imagine and with change of his Fancy ruined them no Man knowing for what Offence To how many others gave he abundant Flowers from whence to gather Hony and in the end of Harvest burnt them in the Hive How many Wives did he cut off or cast off as his Fancy or Affection changed How many Princes of the Blood with many others of all Degrees did he Execute What causeless cruel Wars did he make upon his own Nephew King James V What Laws and Wills did he invent to establish the Kingdom in his own Family using his sharpest Weapons to cut off the Branches which sprang from the same Root that himself did Yet God took away all his own without increase though for themselves in their several Kinds all Princes of eminent Virtues And that Blood which King Henry affirmed that the cold Air of Scotland froze up in the North God hath diffused by the Sun-shine of his Grace from whence his Majesty now living and long may is Descended Of whom I may say truly that Malice her self cannot charge him justly with any of those foul Spots by which the Consciences of all the forenamed Princes were defiled or the Sword of his Iustice stained with any Drops of that innocent Blood which had stained their Hands and Fame And for the Crown of England it may truly be avowed He received it from the Hand of God neither hastning the Time upon any provocation nor taking Revenge upon any that sought to put him by it And refused Assistance of her Enemies that wore it long with as great Glory as ever Princess did He entred neither by Breach nor Blood but by the ordinary Gate which his own Right had set open and was received in at it by an universal Love and Obedience Thus the Northern parts of Britany infinitely severed from the South in Affection for a long time whereof grew deadly Wars with much Cruelty were at length happily united For which Blessing of God never to be forgotten as we are bound to much Thankfulness so the Fruit of this Concord maketh all petty Grievances to appear but as a Mole-Hill to a Mountain And if the uniting of the Red Rose with the White were the greatest Happiness next Christian Religion that ever the Kingdom received from God to that Day certainly the
to lose the richest Country he had Oh by what Plots by what Oaths treacherous Practices Oppressions Imprisonments Tortures Poysonings and under what Reasons of State and Polity have these Kings pulled the Vengeance of God upon themselves upon Theirs and upon prudent Ministers and at last have brought these things to pass for their Enemies Advantage and found an effect so directly contrary to all their own Counsels and Cruelties that the one could never have hoped for it and the other never have succeeded had no such Opposition been made God hath said it and performed it ever I will destroy the Wisdom of the Wise. But to what end do we lay before the Eyes of the Living the Fate and Fortunes of the Dead seeing the World is the same it hath been and the Children will obey their Parents It is in the present that all the Wits of the World are exercised and to enjoy the Times we have we hold all things lawful and either hope to hold them forever or hope there is nothing after them to be hoped for For as we are content to forget our own Experience and counterfeit Ignorance of our Knowledge in things that concern our selves or perswade our selves that God hath given us Letters Patents to persue all our irreligious Affections with a Non obstante So we neither look behind us what has been nor before us what shall be It is true the â—uantity we have is of the Body we are by it joined to the Earth we are compounded of the Earth and inhabit the Earth The Heavens are high afar off and unexplorable We have a sense of corporeal things but of eternal Grace only by Revelation No wonder then that our Thoughts are so Earthly and a less wonder that the Words of worthless Men cannot cleanse us seeing their Instructions and Doctrine whose Vnderstanding the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to inhabit have not performed it For the Prophet Isaiah cryed out long ago Lord who hath believed our Reports And doubtless as he complained of his time so are they less believed every day though Religion be still Mens Mouths we profess to know but by works deny him which argueth an universal Dissimulation For Happiness consisteth in a Divine Life not in knowledge of Divine Things wherein Devils excel us Contentions about Religion have bred lamentable effects and the Discourse thereof hath near upon driven the Practice out of the World He which obtaineth Knowledge only by Mens Disputations of Religion would judge that Heaven were chiefly to be desired but look upon many Disputers Lives and nothing is found in the Soul but Hypocrisie We are all in effect become Comedians in Religion we act in Voice and Gesture Divine Virtues but in course of Life we renonnce the part we play and Charity Justice and Truth have their Being but in Terms as the Philosophers Materia prima That Wisdom which teacheth us the Knowledge of God hath great Esteem enough in that we give it our good Word but the Wisdom which is altogether exercised in gathering Riches by which we purchase Honour in the World These are the Marks we Shoot at the Care whereof is our own in this Life and the Peril our own in the future Though in our greatest Abundance we have but one Man's Portion as the Man of the greatest Wisdom and Ability hath told us As for those which devour the rest and follow us in fair Weather they again forsake us in the first Storm of our Misfortune and fly away before Sea and Wind leaving us to the Malice of our Destinies Among a Thousand Examples take that of Mr. Dannet Charles V. at Vlushing in his return to Spain conferring with Seldius his Brother Ferdinand's Embassador till the dead of Night when they sh â—â—â— part called some of his Servants and when none answered being either gone or asleep himself took the Candle to light down Seldius notwithstanding his importunity to the contrary But at the stairs foot he desir'd him to remember when he was dead That whom he had known in his time environ'd with mighty Armies he hath seen forsaken of his own Domesticks But you will say Men more regard the Honour done to great Men than the former It is true indeed provided that an inward Love from their Iustice and Piety accompanying the outward Worship given to their Places and Power without which the applause of the Multitude is as the Out cry of a Herd of Animals who without knowledge of any true Cause please themselves with the Noise they make Impious Men in Prosperity have ever been applauded and the most Virtuous if unprosperous have ever been despised and Virtue and Fortune are rarely distinguish'd For as Fortune's Man rides the Horse so Fortune her self rides the Man who when he is descended on foot the Man is taken from his Beast and Fortune from the Man a base Groom beats the one and bitter Contempt spurns at the other with equal liberty The Second thing which Men more respect is raising of Posterity If these Men conceive that Souls departed take any Comfort therein they are Wise in a foollish thing as Lactantius speaketh De sal sap li. 3. c. 28. For when our Mortal Spirits are departed and dispos'd of by God they are pleased no more in in Posterity than Stones are proud which sleep in the Walls of a King's Palace neither have they more Sorrow in their Poverty than there is Shame in the Prop of a Beggar 's Cottage The Dead tho' Holy know nothing no not of their own Children For the Souls departed are not Conversant with the Affairs of the Living said Augustin de Cura pro Mort. Iob also of whom we cannot doubt tells us we shall neither understand of our Childrens Honour or low Degree Man walketh in a Shadow disquieting himself in vain he heapeth up Riches and cannot tell who shall gather them The living saith Eccles. know they shall die but the Dead know nothing at all for who shall shew to Man what shall be after him under the Sun And when he consider'd all his Labours and could not tell whether a Fool or a Wise Man should enjoy the Fruit thereof himself hated his own Labours What can other Men hope to know after Death When Isaiah confesseth Abraham himself is gnorant of us Death's dark Night shall cover us till he return that hath Triumph'd over it when we shall again receive Organs glorified and Immortal the Seats of Evangelical Affections and the Souls of the Blessed shall be exercised in so great Admiration as that they can admit no mixture of less Ioy nor any return of Mortal Affections towards Friends Children c. Whether we shall retain any particular Knowledge of them or in any sort distinguish them no Man can assure us and the Wisest Men doubt But on the contrary if a Divine Life retain any of those Faculties which the Soul exercised in a Mortal Body we shall not then so divide the Ioys of
and N. W. by Charan and Chanah On the S. by Sheb between which Chalds properly so called is contained which is the Eden we seek § 10. Eden hath not yet wholly lost the Name and notice of the old Country as is to be seen in two Epistles written by the Christians of Mesopotamia to the Pope An. 1552. Published by Masius mentioning the Island of Eden in the River Tigris which is commonly called Gozoria or Gezer So that we may perceive that Eden before the Flood comprehended besides the Land of Babylonia in the S. all Assyria Armenia and Mesopotamia bounded by Mount Taurus in the North. In this Isle which is ten Miles◠compass is the Metropolitan City and Patriarchy of all the Nestorian Christians in Assyria Mesopotamia Chaldea and Persia and is Twelve Miles above Mosell § 11. An Objection is made out of the Text That a River in the singular number divideth it self into Four Heads Answer Kimchi and Vatablus say the Singular here is put for the Plural as is used with the Hebrews But take it singular for Euphrates and we find it divided into Four Branches in the Country of Chaldea And what alteration soever Time hath bred clear it is that Parah in Moses is Euphrates and Hiddekel is Tigris which runneth through Assyria whose chief City is Nineve § 12. An Objection touching the Fertility of Paradise no where found is Answered That no place after the Flood was the same as it was in the Creation yet Herodotus commends that Country about Euphrates near the which Tigris runs beyond all he had seen yielding Two Hundred for One with plenty of Palm-Trees of which they make Meat Wine and Honey Strabo and Niger added Bread and Antony the Hermite addeth Flax. They mow the Blade twice and after feed it down with Cattel to prevent the Exuberance of overmuch Rankness And it is free from Weeds See Pliny lib. 18. ca. 17. who saith the Babylonians reap a Crop the second time without Sowing and yet cut their Corn twice in the Year they sow it saith Niger And lest their Cattel should perish by too great a satiety they drive them out of the Pastures saith Q. Curtius § 13. Pison and Gehon the other two Rivers of Paradise must be found to branch out of the River or Rivers of Eden and therefore the Fancy was strange to search out for Ganges in India and Nilus in Egypt The Errour about Pison was occasion'd by mistaking Havila in India whose Founder was a Son of Iocktan for that Havila upon Tigris afterwards called Susiana Planted by a Son of Cush If Largeness were respected in choise of Ganges Indus is not inferiour having Hydaspis famous in Great Alexander's Story and many like Rivers falling into it as Coas Suastus Acesinies Adries Hispalis Smnoch Indus is also nearer Tigris by almost 40 Degrees between which and Ganges is the great Kingdom of Magor As for Nilus it can no way be a Branch of a River which runneth through Eden with the rest seeing it runneth contrary to them springing from the South Coast and falleth North whereas they spring North and fall into the South Sea Pison therefore will rather be found a River branching out of Euphrates into Tigris at Appanico called Piso-tigris running through Havila or Susiana from Hercelus's Altar into the Persian Gulph and hath Gold and Bdelium and Onix-stones Time hath made greater Change of other Names than this as to call Babylon Bandas Baldady Bagded Boughedor and Bagdet at this Day Pison is called Basilius or Regius and Gehon is Mabar-sares Marsias Baar saris in Ptolomy and others Euphrates at her Fountain was called Pixirats and Puckperah Plutarch calls it Medus Zaranda others call it Cobar which is a Branch of it The Assyrians name it Armalchar and Nahor Malcha now it is called Phrat-Tigris in Hebrew Hiddekel others call it Dighto Diglath Seilax Sollax now Tegil Mereer conceived well the Euphrates and Tigris stream into Branches and that Euphrates falling into Gehon lost the Name and is swallowed up in Caldee Lakes near Vr But Pison breaking into Tigris falls into the Sea and produc'd a Name compounded of both Pysotygris running through Havilah so named of the Son of Chush inhabits both sides and mistaken for Ethiop 1 Sam. 15.7 § 14. Gehon by mistaking Ethiop for Chush drew them to Nilus which Error Pererius would evade by an E. Ethiopia in Arabia-Petraea and part of Felix which being granted Gehon is not Nilus no the 1000000 which Zerah brought against Asa came beyond Egypt but were Chushits Midianits Amalekits Ishmaelits inhabiting that Land of Chush over which Zera in Gerar near Iuda Commanded But to Pererius Pliny tells the E. Ethiopia was about Nilus S. of Egypt the W. was about the River Niger So that all that take Chush for Ethiopia Numb 12.1 do fail as also 2 Chron. 21.16 Beroaldus seeking Gehon at Gaza lost himself in the Desart by sinding a River scarce Twenty Miles long for Gehon which watered all the Land of Chush Westward from Tigris and went towards Arabia through the South of Chaldea where was Chusca after called Chuduca from whence either Increase or Force of Nimrod's Posterity made them disperse themselves more towards the West out of that part of Shinar where Nimrod out of Wit and Strength had seated himself As did his Father upon Gehon and a Brother of his called Havila on both sides of Tigris and along the Sea towards Arabia § 15. To Conclude it appeareth to me by Scripture Paradise was a Created place in our Habitable World in the lower parts of a Country called Eden from the Pleasantness thereof containing part of Armenia all Mesopotamia and Shinar This Region in Thirty five Degrees is most temperate abounding with whatsoever Life needeth without Labour exceeding both Indies with their perpetual Spring and Summer which are accompanied with fearful Thundring Lightning Earth-quakes Venomous Creatures and desperate Diseases from which Eden is free I desire no other Reward for my Labour in this Description but suspence of judgment 'till it be confuted by a more probable Opinion CHAP. IV. Of the two Chief Trees in Paradise § 1. THAT the two Trees of Life and Knowlegde were material Trees the most Learned and Religious Writers doubt not of though they were Figures of the Law and Gospel yet some would have them only Allegorical because of Salomon's Words Prov. 3.18 Apoc. 2.7 But Augustine answers the one excludeth not the other as Paradise was Terrestrial and yet signified a Celestial as Sara and Hagar were Women though Figures of the Old and New Testament The words also of the Text join these Trees with the rest that God produced Touching the Tree of Life it is hard to think that Bodies nourished by Corruptible means should be immortal yet if Adam had not disobeyed God's Commandment he and his Posterity might have lived an healthful unalterable Life Four times longer than the first Fathers and then been translated as
greater difference in the rest which cannot be ascribed to the long abstinence from Marriage upon Religious respect as we see in holy Enoch Noah's Brethren perished in the Flood and so might some unnamed Children begotten before the three named being 500 Years old before § 5. The Patriarchs Years have been questioned some holding them Lunary or Egyptian but that cannot be for then some should beget Children at 6 7 or 8 Years old and the Eldest should live not 100 Years which is short of many after the Flood yea long since Pliny witnesseth under Vespasian in a search many were found above 120 and some 140 Years Old Simple Diet and temperate Life made the Essaeans Egyptian Priests Persian Magicians Indian Brachmans live long saith Iosephus Pliny reports Nestor's 3 Ages Tyresia's 6 Sybils 300 Years Endymion's little less Ant. Fumea a good Historian reports of an Indian above 300 Years Old and my self knew the old Countess of Desmond An. 1589 who lived many Years after who had been married in the Reign of King Edw. 4. To conclude there are three things not to speak of Constellations which are natural Causes of long and healthful Life Strong Parents pure Air and temperate use of Dyet Pleasure and Rest all which excelled in the First Ages And though the Flood infused an impure quality into the Earth to hurt the means of Man's Life yet Time hath more consumed Natures Vigour as that which hath made the Heavens wax old like a Garment Hereto add our strange Education of Children upon unnatural Curiosity nourished by a strange Dugg Hasty Marriage before Natures Seed be ripe or Stock well rooted to yield a Branch fit to replant But above all the Luxury of latter Ages which wilfully oppresseth Nature and then thinks to relieve her with strong Waters hot Spices Sauces c. § 6. The Patriarchs knowledge of the Creation might well come by Tradition from Adam to Moses seeing Methusalem lived with Adam 243 Years and with Noah 500 Years and he with Abraham 58 Years from whom it was not hard to pass by Isaac Iacob and his Posterity to Moses Yet for the more certainty of the Truth it was undoubtedly delivered to Moses by immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as his many Miracles do prove Questionless also Letters were from the Infancy of the World as Enoch's Pillars and his Prophecy witness of which part was found in Saba saith Origen and Tertullian read some Pages neither can it be denyed there was such saith Augustine § 7. The Patriarchs Lives were lightly passed over 'till Enoch whose Piety is commended and his leaving the World not by Death Whether his Change were such as shall be at the last day let Divines judge Lamech's Prophecy of his Son Noah is touch'd upon but Noah's Life is handled more amply The Wisdom Policy and Wars of that World were no doubt great as may be gathered Gen. 5.4 but the Universal Impiety which brought the Universal Destruction deserved that the Memory of their Actions should be drowned with their Bodies It were madness to imagine the Sons of God spoken of Gen. 5.24 were good Angels which begat Giants on Women as Iosephus dreamt and deceived Lactantius Confuted by Augustine and Chrysostom § 8. The Giants spoken of Gen. 5. Becanus strains his Wit to prove they were not such properly but so called for their Oppression But Moses calling them Mighty which argueth extraordinary Strength and Men of Renown and great undertaking there is more Reason to hold them Giants in a proper sense especially considering what Scripture Reporteth of such in the Days of Abraham Moses and Ioshua David c. yea of whole Kindreds and Countries If such were found in the Third and Fourth Ages of the Worlds decay there is no Reason to doubt thereof in the First and Second flourishing Ages From this Story grew the Conceit That Giants were the Sons of Heaven and Earth And from Nimrod grew the Tale of Giants casting up Mountains to the top of Heaven CHAP. VI. The Original of Idolatry and Reliques of Antiquity in Fables §. 1 THE Greeks and others corrupting the Story of the Creation and mingling their Fables with them suppos'd that After-Ages would take those Discourses of God and Nature for Inventions of Philosophers and Poets But as skilful Chymists can extract healthful Medicines out of Poison and Poison out of wholsome Herbs c. so may much Truth be found out of those Fables §. 2 The Antiquity of Corruption was even from Noah's Family For the liberal Grace of God being withdrawn after Man's Fall such a perpetual Eclipse of spiritual things follow'd and produc'd such effects as the general Deluge could not cleanse them even in the selected Family of Noah wherein were found those that renewed the Defection from God for which they had seen the Worlds destruction Hence the Caldeans Egyptians and Phaenicians soon after became Idolaters and the Greeks received their 12 Gods from Egypt and erected to them Altars Images and Temples saith Herodotus §. 3 As Men departed out of the way of Truth stray on in unknown Vices to Eternal Perdition so these blind Idolaters being fallen from the God of Heaven to seek God's on Earth to Worship beginning with Men they proceed to Beasts Fouls Fishes Trees Herbs the Four Elements Winds Morning Evening Stars Yea Affections Passions Sorrow Sickness besides Spirits infernal and among Terrestrials even the basest wanted not divine Honour as Dogs Cats Swine Leeks Onions c. which barbarous Blasphemy Iuvenal thus derided O happy Nations which of their own sowing Have store of Gods in every Garden growing § 4. Of Iupiter and other Gods That Egypt had knowledge of the First Age by Misraim the Son of Cham who had lived 100 Years in it we doubt not Having therefore learned that Cain did first build Cities they made him ancient Iupiter whom the Athenians also called Pollyeus and Herceios Founder and Fortifier of Cities This Iupiter married his Sister as did Cain His Father Adam they made Saturn and his Sons Iubal Tubal and Tubal-Cain were made Mercury Vulcan and Apollo Inventers of Pastorage Smiths-craft and Musick Naome Augustine expounds Venusta which was Venus Vulcan's Wife and Eva was Rhea the Dragon which kept the Golden Apple was the Serpent that beguiled Eva. Paradise was the Garden of Hesperides So Saturn's dividing the World between Three Sons came of Noah and his Sons and Nimrod's Tower was the attempt of Giants against Heaven The Egyptians also Worshipped Seth as their most Ancient Parent from whom they called their chief Province Setheitica and in Bithinia we â—ind the City Cethia § 5. Of the Three Chief Iupiters the First was Son of Aether Dies the Second of Coelum an Arcadian and King of Athens the Third Famous in the Greek Fables was of Creet or Candia as some say but there is no certainty c. § 6. Iupiter Chammon more Ancient than all the Grecian Iupiters was Cham Father
and revenge the other 2 And it was God's will when he would impose that long and tedious Journey upon Abraham that the Countreys should be in Peace through which he wandred to which end those Millions of Warriours and Engins perished with Semiramis to make the Recovery of lost Liberty the more easy Lastly Histories report that Arrius who succeeded Ninias recovered Bactria and Caspia and Baleus or Xerxes reduced the rest even to Egypt which argueth their former Revolt § 13. Consent of Writers almost forceth us to think as I have delivered touching the Four Kings yet if we take them rather for Four petty Kings which in that sluggish Reign of Ninias had gathered Colonies out of those Four Countries and Planted themselves elsewhere we shall remove some difficulties For if Chedorlaomer were King of Persia it self beyond Babylon what a Journey were it to come so far and gather such Forces which must pass so great Countries as Assyria Chaldea Mesopotamia Syria and part of Arabia to Conquer five small Cities and leave all the rest of Canaan yea to come in Person and that the second time But the Scripture maketh this Invasion no great matter but as matching four Kings to five as if the five were not so unequally matched though petty Kings as of necessity they had been if these four had been absolute Kings of the Kingdoms whose Names they bear If then the former Conjectures cannot agree to the Text to the Authority whereof all Human Reason must subscribe let the received Opinion stand that Amraphel was Ninias who was become inferiour to Chedorlaomer of Persia. From the Assyrian the History of Abraham leadeth us to the Egyptian Kingdom then also flourishing CHAP. II. Of the Kings of Egypt from Cham to the Delivery of the Israelites THE Kings of Egypt 'till Israel 's Deliverance and the causes of the uncertainty of the History § Cham after Babel's Confusion having known Egypt's Fertility Planted it Anno 191 after the Flood Osiris succeeded Anno 352. Typhon or Hercules Anno 603. Orus 620. Sesostris the Great 735. Sesostris the Blind 786. Busiris or Oris 2 d. Anno 782. Acenchere or Thermutis or Meris 820. Rathoris 832. Chenchrese 841 drowned Augustin a diligent searcher of Antiquities omitted the Succession of Egyptian Kings finding no certainty of them through the Ambition of their Priests who to magnify the Antiquities which they only kept filled the Records with Romances and Names of Kings which never Reigned Other good Authors were over-credulous of what they found so Recorded Published the same in their own Names Of these Annius finding some Fragments and adding what he would is no farther to be Credited than where approved Writers Confirm his Assertion Herein the Old Christian Writers follow Eusebius but the Modern Annius and Prophane Authors follow Diodorus Herodotus c. § 2. C ham began his Reign in Egypt after the Flood Anno 191. § This is gathered from the Dyanasties of Egypt whose 16 th began in the 43 d. year of Ninus The 12 first under their 12 great Gods lasted 84 Years seven a-piece the 13 indured 14 years the 14 lasted 26 the fifteen was 37 which three last were under three younger Gods All the 75 added together make 161 years which being deducted out of 352 the remainder is 191 the beginning of Government there after Cham's arrival The same also is probable from their coming to Babel which being after the Flood Anno 131 and Forty years according to Glicas spent in Building we can allow no less than Twenty years for the slow passing such a Company through such a difficult long way which Sums being added make up 191 years when the first Dynasty began for to begin them sooner were either to plant Egypt as soon as Babel or with Mercator to make them before the Flood which their number exceeding the number of those long-liv'd Fathers will not admit § 3. The Dynasties of Egypt were not absolute Kings but Vice-Roys under Kings § The probability of this will appear by the custom of Kings governing by Great Men as of old the Kings of France by the Master of the Palace the Turk by a Grand Visier the Philistin Kings which came out of Egypt had a Captain as Abimelek had Phicol the Kings of Israel as Saul had Abner David had Ioab And Cham's lend disposition to follow Pleasure might breed the Custom which continued even to the days of Ioseph advanced to the place by Pharaoh from which Example William Arch Bishop of Tyre affirms the same Form of Government continued in Egypt in his days when the Sultans govern'd under the Calif as Lieutenants under a King How these Dynasties succeeded and how long they continued is uncertain § 4. Cham. and Mizraim or Oris § Of C ham the Scripture calls that Country the Land of Ham not for being Peopled by his Sons for so were other Countries which yet are never so called but for that himself planted it Osiris called himself the Eldest Son of Saturn as in Diodorus lib. 1. which Saturn of Egypt was Grand-father of Ninus as in his Monument Of Cham came the Temple of Hammon near Egypt And in Ierom's days the Egyptians called their Country Ham so Ortelius saith out of Plutarch that Egypt was called Chemia That Cham reigned 161 years is not improbable considering Sem his Brother lived 600 years Mizraim or Osiris according to Diodor succeeded of whom the Land also took its Name and by the Natives is yet called Mezre as Reineccius sheweth How long he Reigned is hard to determine but that he began at Abraham's Birth is probable when the Dynastie of the Thebaei began according to Eusebius § 5. Osiris Reign is guessed at by his Son Lebabim or Hercules Lybeus his Warring with Typhon and the Giants his Associates in Revenging his Fathers Death His Egyptian Wars he ended and begun his Italian in the 41 Year of Baleus King of Assyria according to Berosus when he left the Kingdom to his Brother Orus To this Egyptian and many other Wars before his Italian Krentzhemius alloweth but 6 Years which draweth Osiris Death to the 34 th Year of Belus and so makes him Reign 297 Years and so should end 7 Years after Israel came into Egypt This cannot be for the King under whom Israel came out-lived Iacob and had Reigned from before Ioseph's standing before Pharaoh yea we may give 13 Years more of Ioseph's Bondage to him This King then could not be Osiris who lived not so long as Iacob nor Typhon nor Hercules but Orus Son of Osiris advanced by Hercules § 6. Typhon and Hercules their Reigns are not distinctly defined only Orus is placed 7 Years after Osiris by Krentzhemius and whose Reign seemeth to last 115 Years and from whose Death to the Israelites Departure are 122 Years Sesostris or Sesonchosis succeeded according to Scholiast Apollonii He was a great Conquerour in Asia even into India and Europe Whom Iustin erroniously maketh Vexoris saith
he after setting his Country in Order or his Children returned and became incorporate with Israel § 3. Israel 's Iourney from Horeb to Kades § In this Journey they murmured for Flesh and were fed with Quails even to a Surfeit of which great numbers Dyed Then after the First Month they came to Hâ—zaroth where Miriam was smitten with Leprosie and so to Rithma near Kades Barnea whence the Spies were sent upon whose Return they mutined the Tenth time which being more Rebellious than all the rest God punished it accordingly extinguishing every one of those Seditions even the whole Multitude that came out of Egypt Two only Excepted And though the mildest of all Men was earnest with God for their Pardon yet not one escaped He spared them Forty Years till their Children were grown up and Multiplyed that in them he might perform his Promise which was never frustrated § 4 Of their Return and unwillingness thereto c. § Moses having related the Commandment of God touching their Return back toward the Red Sea they bewailed their Folly too late and as it is with Men whom God leaveth to themselves they wou'd needs amend their former Passionate Murmuring with a second desperate Contempt For now when God forbids with Threats they will desperately venture their own Destruction and were repelled and with Slaughter forced to take their way back to the Sea as God Commanded and came to Remmoparez c. Their Twenty Fourth Mansion was at Pharez where began the dangerous Insurrection of â—orah for which Offence and Contempt of God and his Ministers as 14700 Perished suddenly by Pestilence and 250 by Fire so those Lay-Men who would Usurp Ecclesiastical Authority were suddenly swallowed up alive of the Earth Form thence the 30 th Mansion was at Ietabata where Adrichomius maketh a River which runneth into the Sea between Midian and Aziongaber Now though it be Probable there was store of Fresh-water at Aziongaber where Solomon furnished his Fleets for East-India And though Herodotus mention a great River in Arabia the Stony which he calls Corys yet is Adrichom deceived in this as in many other things For it was at Punon that those Springs are spoken of which in Deut. 10.7 is also called Ietabata a Land of running Waters which by probability falls into the River Zared next adjoyning whereas that way is very long to Aziongaber Besides Belonius reports of divers Torrents of Fresh-waters in those Sandy parts of Arabia which running a few Miles are drunk up in the Sands From Ietabata they came to Hebrona and after Aziongaber called Beronice by Iosephus and Essia by Ierom which as yet was not in the command of Edom as after in Solomon's days § 5. From Aziongaber they removed to Zin Kades or Beeroth where Miriam dyed Then they came to Mount Hor where they murmured for Water and where Aaron dyed and Eleazer his Son succeeded § 6. Israel leaving the way by Edom after they had compassed the South they turned to the North toward the Wilderness of Moab leaving Eâ—â— oâ— the West When Arad King of the Sâ—â—th-Câ—â—â—â—anites thinking they would come by him while 〈◊〉 lay at Hor having had his Forces ready upon hâ— Borders made out into the Desart before Israel was removed and set upon such part of the Army as lay for his Advantage and took some Prisoners It is probable that either this Arad or his Predecessor had joined before with Amalek and worsting those Mutineers were thereupon incouraged to this Attempt As for the Overthrow which is reported Num. 21. to be given them by Israel it is rather to be understood of what was done after by Iosua than now by Moses For had Moses given them this Overthrow and destroyed their Cities he would never have left the South of Canaan once entred by him to wander about Edom and Moab and to seek a new Passage Neither could Israel have cause to Murmur the next day for Bread Or been weary of the Way if they had so lately taken the Spoil of Arad's Cities Yea they would rather have mutined against Moses for leaving such an Entrance into the intended Conquest and to lead them back into the Desarts which had consumed them They murmured presently upon their leaving Hor when they came to Phunon crossing the way to Aziongaber through Moab to Coelosyria and here the Brazen Serpent was erected From thence they proceeded as in the Holy Story and so came to Diblathaim Whence Moses sent to Sehon King of the Amorites to desire a Passage through his Country which he denyed § 7. Of the Book of the Lord's Battels and other lost Books § Iunius understanding thereby no special Book and Vatablus doubts Siracides refers it to Ioshua who fought the Lord's Battles cap. 46. But it seemeth probable there was such a Book lost as many others whereto reference is often made as Ios. 10.13 and 2 Sam. 1.18 and 2 Chron. 33.18 and 2 Chron. 9.29 and 12.15 and 20.34 1 Kings 4.32 33. Enoch's Books c. § 8. Of Moses sparing Lot 's Issue § Moab at this time inhabited the South of Arnon having lost the better side which the Amorites won from Vatablus the Predecessor of Balac What therefore Moses found in the Possession of Moab as also of Ammon he might not attempt but what the Amorites had taken from them The Emims and Zamzummims Giantly Nations had formerly dwelt there as the Anakims in Canaan but Moab and Ammon destroyed them Sihon proud of his Conquest against Moab presumed against Israel and lost All. Og King of Basan or Traconitis an Amorite was also destroyed and his Sixty Walled Towns taken by Iaer a Son of Manasses § 9. The Midianites with the Moabites practise against Israel and draw them to Idolatry for which God destroyed 24000 with the Pestilence The third time of numbring of the People who are found to be 601730 of which 12000 are sent against the Midianites who slew there Five petty Kings and destroyed their Cities after this Moses having divided his Conquest and blessed the Twelve Tribes dyed § 10. Observations out of Moses's Story touching God's Providence working his own purposes ordinarily by Mens affections Pharaoh's Fears bred his ungodly Policies and salvage Cruelties by this Moses is cast upon the Compassion of Pharaoh's Daughter and so provided of Princely Education Mens Affections cast him into Exile procured him a Wife and so a long stay to know the Wilderness to wean him from Ambition and so fit him to know God and to Govern Thus what Men think most casual God ordereth to the Effecting his own purposes many Years after CHAP. VI. Of the Bordering Nations Of other Renowned Men and of Joshua's Acts. § 1. HOW the Bordering Nations were prepared to be Enemies to Israel § Though the Ismaelites Moabites Ammonites and Edomites descended from Abraham and Isaac as did the Israelites and were not molested by them and therefore they should not have hinder'd their Conquest of Canaan yet God's all-disposing
vain to be curious about these Kings seeing Diodorus varies from Herodotus and Eusebius from both neither do late Writers know whom to follow The Kings from Chencres or Tuoris or Proteus are agreed upon of which according to Eusebius Acherres was next whom Reyneccius thinks to be Vchoreus in Diodore Founder of Memphis but then Timaus cannot be the great Osymandias as he also judgeth for there were more than Eight Generations between them contrary to Diodorus Touching Osymandais Mercator makes him the Husband of Acencâ—eres Daughter to Orus Second and finds Vchoreus the Eighth from him But I will pass over these inextricable doubts c. § 3. Cherres after Eight years of Acherres succeeded Fifteen years Armeus five years Ramesses Sixty Eight years which two last are the Danaus and Egyptus spoken of by the Greeks who make Danaus expelled Egypt become King of Argos in Greece But Reyneccius believes not Armeus to be Danaus though their time agree but rather thinks he was Meris which made the great Lake Myris 3600 Furlongs compass and Fifty Fadoms deep to receive Nilus over-flowing for store when Water was scarce § 4. Ameraphis succeeded his Father Forty years then Sethosis Fifty years to whom some ascribe improbably the famous Acts of Great Sesostris In him began the Dynastie of the Zarths or Generals which Title Five only held Ramases succeeded Sixty years mistaken for Sesostris the 2d Amenophis succeeded Forty years Andemenes Twenty six years Tâ—uoris the last Zarth Seven years whom some make Proteus whose Son Remphes succeeded but I doubt neitâ—er Father nor Son were Kings § 5. Many other Names of the Egyptian Kings are found scattered as Tonephersobis Senemues or Senepos Banchistis Thulis in Suidas who asking Seraps the Divel who was or should be so mighty as he was answered First God and then the Word and then the Spirit which Three be One and join in One all Three whose Power is endless Get thee hence frail Wight the Man of Life unknown excelling thee Cedreus hath the same and gives this King as great Antiquity as the Indies citing a Book called Little Genesis which word little alone argues Impostor besides the Frierly stuff he cites out of it His List of Old Egyptian Kings here set down are not worth writing out neither the Kings named by others Vaphres and Sesac will lead us into a fair way a while the first was Solomon's Father-in-Law according to Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius the second Eusebius calls Smendis with whom he begins the Twenty First Dynastie whose Entrance is found about the Twentieth of Solomon reckoning from Neco's death in the Fourth of Iehojakim King of Iudah upward as from the Fifth of Rehoboam wherein he plunder'd the Sanctuary but injoyed that Sacriledge as did Ioas and Craseus not one Year For the Kings from Sesac to Necho I chose the Greek Historians for Eusebius is out by failing to keep the reckoning between the Kings of Iudah and Israel § 6. Chemmis or Chembis succeeded Sesac Fifty years and built the great Pyramid whose Base was Seven Acres square and Six high which Diodore saw One Thousand Years after in Augustus's days Câ—abreus or Cheops succeeded Fifty years and then Cephrenes Fifty six both Builders of Pyramids for their Sepulchers Mycerinus his Son Six years as the Oracle had threatned for his opening the Idols Temple which his Predecessors had shut It may be Chemmis had learned their Vanity at Ierusalem and thereupon shut the Temple up Reyneccius gives him Fifty years Bochoris or Banchyris by Suidas succeed Forty four years Then Sabacus an Aethiopian But Herodotus omits both and hath Asychis who decreed the Debtors dead Body should be given to the will of the Creditor 'till the Debt were payed Anysis succeeded him and both could be but Six years Then came the former Aethiopian who Reigned Fifty years Scripture calls him Zonaras Sua with whom Hosea King of Israel made a Vain League against Salmanassar They say he left his Kingdom and returned into Aethiopia to avoid his God's Commandment to kill all the Priests of Egypt such was their Zeal to their Priests § 7. Sethom succeeded in the Twelfth of Hezekiaâ— and Fifth of Senacherib when Assur and Egypt contended which should Rule or serve Hezekiah though fixing special Confidence in God held it fit to make a League with Egypt by his People relying more on Egypt than on God Egypt promiseth much but only furnished him with some Treasure sent to hire Arabians which was intercepted Herodotus tells us a Tale of Sethom's Praying to Vulcan his God for Aid against the Assyrians who lay before Pelusium and he sent Mice which gnawed their Bow-strings and Straps of their Armour which made them depart His Reign Functius resolves to be 33 years giving no Reason yet upon search I find it within One Yeâ—r by dividing the years from Rehoboam's 5th to Iehâ—jakims 4th among the Kings of Egypt giving each his set time and the Remainder to Sethom CHAP. XXIII Of Manasses and his Contemporaries § 1. MAnasses Son of Hezekiah succeeded being Twelve Years Old and Reigned Fifty Five Years of whose Idolatry and extraordinary Wickedness see 2 Kings 21. and 2 Chron. 33. Of his putting the Reverend Prophet Isaiah to death with a Wooden Saw being Eighty years old Eusebius Epiphanius Isidore and others confirm His Captivity in Babel his Repenting Prayer Reformation and Death see 2 Chron. 33. Merodach having loved his Father might more easily be perswaded to restore him § 2. Aegypt after Sethom was miserably distracted with Civil dissention two Years then ill reform'd by a Government of 12 Princes of which 11 falling out with the 12 th were by him subdued and the Kingdom Usurped which Anarchy Diodore put after Sabacus omitting Sethom contrary to Herodotus These Twelve for a Monument of their Government made a Labyrinth near the Lake Maris which Heroclus prefers to the Chief Pyramid which excelled Diana's Temple Diodorus reports it the work of Marus or Menides five Generations before Proteus or the Trojan War and Reyneccius takes him to Annemenes as he doth Amenophis to be Amasis and Sethom to be Actisanes But he was deceived for the times we are now in shew us Amasis was Anisis Actisanes Sobacus and Marus one of the 12 Governours which made this Work Whereto serve the 12 great Halls in it c. Psamniticus one of the 12. cast out by the rest upon an Oracle as Herodotus tells the Tale which Diodore believes not hired Power out of Caria and Ionia with which he overthrew his Fellows and Ruled alone 54 Years saith Hierom which Mercator divides 44 alone and 10 before according to Eusebius And to make the reckoning fall even with the years from the 5 th of Rehoboam and the 4 th of Iehojakim we must confound the last of the 15 ascribed to the 12 Governours with the first of Psamnitius He first entertained Amity with the Greeks displeasing his Souldiers â—ith preferring his Mercenaries
to the right Wing iâ— an Expedition into Syria So that 2000 deâ—erted their Country and went to dwell in Aethiopia He won Asotus after 29 Years Siege by reason the Babylonians deferr'd it long The Report of breeding up Two Infants for trial of the Original Language is ascribed to him and that the first word they spake was Beccus which in the Phrygian Language is Bread Hereof Goreus Becanus is proud because in his low Dutch Becker is a Baker c. § 3. Manasses's time of Bondage and Enlargement is diversly disputed and were it certain it is like we should find the Egyptian Troubles no small occasion of both Torniel repeats 3 Opinions 1. of Bellarmine who thinks him taken in his 15 th Year of his Reign 2. Great Hebrew Chronologers hold it the 27 th 3. Kimchi after 40 years of Idolatry Torniellus rejects the two last and defends the first but in Affection rather than Judgment It is more probable Manasses lived longer in his Sin than 15 years if not 40. by two places of Scripture 2 Kings 21.17 and 2 Kings 24.3 4. utterly remits his Repentance Manasses's 15 th Year was Merodach's 31. his 27 th was the other's 43. and his 40 th the 5 of Nabolassar Son of Merodach now which of these or what other were the Year of his Captivity I forbear to shew my Opinion c. This was the first Mastery the Babylonians had over Iudah greater than what Salmanassar had of Achaz by which the Babylonians utterly alienated Manasses and his Son from Egypt and made them joyn against it as was seen in Iosias against Necho § 4. Contemporary Actions were the first and second Messenian Wars one in the Reign of Hezechias the other of Manasses The occasion was slight about private wrongs between a Messanean and a Spartan but sufficient to the ambitious Spartans tho' they were the Aggressors who could be drawn to no fair Composition offered by the other but the Sword must end it such was their restless desire to the fair Country of Messena bordering upon them They therefore swore secretly to follow the War 'till the Messenians were Conquer'd they then surpris'd Amphia a Frontier and put all to the Sword The Messenians Army an obstinate Force fought without Victory ended by dark night After this Friends came in on both sides and three other Battles were fought but in the last the Lacedemonians were put to flight Thus the War continued so long by the obstinacy of the Spartans that their Wives sent them word their Cities would become dispeopled for want of Issue whereupon they sent back their ablest young Men promiscuously to accompany their young Women whose Issue became the greatest part of the Nation and were called Parthians The Messenians at length by Oracle were order'd to Sacrifice a Virgin of the Stock of Egyptus of the Arcadian Royal Blood Aristodemus the King ripped up his own Daughters Belly to prove her a Virgin contrary to her Lover's report which to save her said she was with Child yet the Messenians prevailed not So that the miserable Father slew himself at the Grave with whom the Messenians lost their Courage and yielded after twenty years rigorous Contests After thirty years the young Men of the Messenians of whom young Aristodemus descended from Aegyptus was Chief finding their strength and scorning such Masters finding also the Argives and Arcadians firm resolv'd to attempt the Lacedemonians under the Conduct of Aristodemus in the Fourth Year of the Twenty Third Olympiad The Lacedemonians hast to quench the fire before it be too hot but found their Servants their Equals and Aristodemus refusing the Title of King for his Valour became their General and in the next Battle assisted with Argives Arcadians and Sicyonians put the Spartans Corinthians and others to flight and after surprized a Town in Laconia and vanquished Anaxander King of Sparta But by a treacherons defection of Aristocratus hired by the Enemy the Messenians are forced and slain Andamia the Chief Town and others far from Sea forsaken and the People forc'd to Era a strong Mountain which held the Enemy work for Eleven Years wherein Aristocratus with three hundred Souldiers abroad perform'd great things Supriz'd and Sack'd Amicta which was thrice taken and still he escaped Of which escapes that was admirable that being cast with Fifty more into a deep Natural Cave he died not of the Fall as the rest yet without hope 'till by a little light he spied a Fox eating on a dead Carcass and got it by the Tail and follow'd it 'till he could no further and then let it go seeing light in the hole and so wrought himself out with his Nails The Spartans believed not them which reported he was escaped 'till the slaughters he made of the Corinthians at Era assured it Thus Eleven Years were spent about Era which at last was enter'd in a stormy Night through neglect of the Watch which was discovered to the Spartans by a Slave fled from his Master into the City So the Messenians were dispers'd and Built Messina in Sicily and three hundred years after returned by Epaminondas's means § 5. Ardis King of Lydia succeeded Gyges his Father Forty nine years in the second of the twenty fifth Olympiad He incroached upon the Ionians in Asia took Colephon and Priene but the Cymmerians expell'd by the Scythians Invaded Asia won Sardis and held it 'till Alyatts this Man's Grandchild Phraortes King of the Medes the third Year of the twenty ninth Olympiad the last of Manasses succeeded his Father Deioces who had Reigned fifty three years who Commanded more absolutely than his Predecessor and by a more State-like Severity and Ceremonies upheld Majesty almost fallen He desired not to enlarge his Dominions but to Govern well his own and differed so much from his Predecessors that he seemed to be the first King of the Medes as Herodotus reports He was Founder of Ecbitane now Tauris and chosen by the Patrons of the Books of Iudith to be Arphaxad and so must Ben Merodach be Nebuchadnezar But the brief decision of this Controversie is the Book of Iudith which is not Canonical For as Chronologers can find no time to place that Story so Cosmographers are as much troubled to find Iapheth's Borders there set down and Phud and Lud so that for time and place they are Extra Anni Solisque Vias § 6. Other Contemporaries as Numa Pompilius in Rome who succeeded Romulus after one Year In the second year of Manasses he brought the rude multitude of Thieves and Out-Laws which followed Romulus to some good Civility by devising Ceremonies of Superstition as things of great importance learned of his Nymph Egeria Which Superstitions himself Condemned in his Books found almost Six Hundred Years after in his Grave which were publickly burnt as speaking against the Religion then in use After forty three year Tullus Hostilius succeeded in Manasses forty sixth and Reigned thirty two years for for the most part
from thence and other parts with which he repassed Oxus on whose South he built Six Towns near one another for mutual Succour But he is troubled with ◠new Rebel Arimaxus a Sogdian who with Thirty thousand maintain'd the Top of an Hill which Alexander could not Win 'till three hundred choice young Men crept up to the Top thereof upon promise of Ten Talents to the first Nine to the Second and so to the rest in proportion of which Thirty two were lost thus Wit effecteth what Force could not § 19. Alexander having committed Maracanda and the Countries about it to Clytus slew him soon after for that in a drunken fit he derided the Oracle of Hamon and objected to the King the death of Parmenio Thus in Cups the one forgot whom he offended the other whom he slew which when he was recover'd he would have revenged on himself but for Calisthenes's persuasion remembring too late he had deserved as much as any and had saved his Life Drunkenness both kindles and lays open every Vice it removes Shame which gives impediment to bad Attempts c. Spitamenes shortly after was murdered by his Wife and Dataphernes is sent bound by the Dalians to Alexander who proceeded into Gabara where he lost a Thousand in a Tempest and the rest suffered Hunger Cold Lightnings c. So he came to the Cohortans which welcomed him with Feasting and a Present of Thirty fair Virgins of which one was Roxane afterward his Wife Here he tore Calisthenes asunder on a Rack without any proof for Harmolaus's Treason But indeed for Reasoning at a Drinking against Deifying Alexander propounded by a Parasite and heard by the King standing behind a Partition Seneca calls this Act his eternal Crime which no Virtue or Felicity can redeem for whatsoever can be spoken to his Praise is not answerable to this Reproach He slew Calisthenes § 20. Alexander with Twelve Thousand Foot and Horse entred the Indian Borders where after a few days Nisa built by Bacchus was delivered from whence he went to Dedala and so to Arcadera abandoned by the Inhabitants so that they failed of Victuals and were forced to divide the Army Here he took Nora c. and came to Indus where Hephestion had prepared Boats and had persuaded Omphis King of the Country who offered his Service to Alexander and presented him with Fifty Elephants Abiasaris hearing thereof made his peace with Alexander so that Porus only remained the other Enemy of Omphis Alexander sent to command his Homage at the Border of his Kingdom He answered he would attend him there but for other acknowledgment he would take Counsel of his Sword Porus attends him on the Bank of Hydaspes with Thirty thousand Foot Nine hundred Elephants Three hundred Armed Chariots and a great Troop of Horse The River was Four Furlongs broad and swift and deep with many Islands of which one was well shaded with Wood where Alexander staid and sent Ptolomy up the River with a great part of the Army which Porus supposing to be the Whole removed to oppose their coming over while Alexander recovered the further Shore without Resistance and advanceth towards Porus who a while took him to be Abiasares his Confederate come over the River to aid him But finding it to the contrary he sent his Brother with Four thousand Men and a hundred Armed Waggons having four hundred Armed Men in them but of small use by reason of late Rain and the Scythians which Galled their Horses and made them overturn the Waggons Perdicas charg'd the Indian Horses and made all to retire which made Porus move forward with the gross of his Army that the scatter'd parts of his Vant-guard might recover his Rear c. The Elephants much molested the Macedonians 'till being inraged by the galling of Arrows and Darts they turned head upon their follower's Foot c. After a long and doubtful Fight Porus fore wounded and Abandoned by his Men and over-matched in Numbers and skill of Leaders fell into the Conquerors hands who restored and inlarged his Kingdoms § 21. Alexander having overthrown Porus and hearing by these Indian Kings that one Agamenes beyond Ganges commanding many Nations was the powerfullest King of all these Regions and able to bring into the Field Two hundred thousand Foot three hundred Elephants twenty thousand Horse and two thousand armed Chariots was much inflamed to proceed but all the Art he had could not persuade the Souldiers thereto only they are content to follow him to the South having Indus for his guide So he returned to Acesines intending to lay up his Fleet where it encountreth Hydaspes by which two Rivers he built two Cities Nicae and Bucephalon Here he intended a fourth supply of six thousand Horse-men and seven thousand Foot out of Thrace and twenty five thousand Rich Armour from Babylon which he distributed among the Souldiers Hereabout he won many Towns received One hundred Embassadors from an Indian King with a Present of three hundred Horses one hundred thirty Waggons and one thousand Targets Sailing Southward by many obscure Nations among them he built another Alexandria and took among many other places one called Samus whose Inhabitants fought with poisoned Swords Being come to the out-let of Indus he sent to discover the Coast along toward the Mouth of Euphrates After part of Winter spent here he marched in Eighteen Days to Gedrosia in which Passage his Army suffered such Misery for want of Food that not the fourth part returned alive § 22. Alexander came to Carmania and drawing near Persia he fell to imitate Bacchus's Triumphs in Cups which Swinish hateful Vice always inflamed him to Cruelty For the Hang-man followed the Feast saith Curtius and Apastes a Provincial Governour was slain by his Commandment Here Cleander and his Fellows employed in the Murder of Parmenio brought him a supply of Five thousand Foot and one thousand Horse but upon complaint of their Out-rages Cleander and the rest with six hundred Souldiers were commended to the Hang-man to the joy of all Alexander removed and came to Pasargada where Cyrus was buried and was presented with many rich Gifts by Orsines a Prince of the Race of Cyrus whom Alexander put to Death by the practice of Bagoas one his of Eunuchs because he was neglected of him the Accusation that he had robbed Cyrus's his Tomb was from Two loose Fellows Phrates also was slain upon suspicion of his Greatness so headlong was he become to shed Blood and believe false Reports Calanus an Indian Philosopher burnt himself being Seventy three years old fore-telling Alexander of his own Death shortly after Alexander removed to Susa where he Married Statira Darius's Eldest Daughter and her Sister he gave to Hephestion and Eighty Persian Ladies to his Captains and at the Marriage hé gave Six thousand Cups of Gold to so many Guests Harpalus his Treasurer in Babylon having been lavish of the Treasure fled away with five thousand Talents and six thousand hired
Souldiers but was taken and slain in Greece to Alexander's great Joy Great discontentment grew in his Army knowing his purpose to send his decay'd Souldiers to Macedon and to detain the rest whom he labour'd to pacify in vain 'till their Passions were evaporated when the inconsiderate Multitude may be led as a Whale with a twined Thread is drawn to Land after some tumbling Craterus is sent with those which were Licensed to return and made Lieutenant of Macedon Thrace and Thessaly which place Antipater now sent for by the King had held with great Fidelity Antipater could see no reason of his removal but a disposition in the King to send him after Parmenio With this Antipater the King for all his great courage had no great Appetite to grapple for Jealous Princes do not always stand in doubt of every ill affected though Valiant Man but where there is a Kingly Courage compounded of Hardiness and Understanding this is often so fearful to Kings as they take leave both of Law and Religion to free themselves of such Alexander after this went to Media to set things in Order where Hephestion his greatest Favourite dyed on whose Monument he bestowed Twelve thousand Talents The King took Methods to make all Men weary of his Government seeing Cruelty is more fearful than any Adventure that can be made against it Antipater therefore came not nor sent any Excuse but free'd himself by his Sons Cassander Philip and Lollaus who waited on the King's Cup. These at a drinking Feast in a Carouse in Hercules's Cup gave him a Draught of Drink stronger than Hercules himself so he quitted the World within a few days Princes seldom find advantage by making their Ministers over-great and thereby suspicious to themselves For he which doth not acknowledge Fidelity to be a Debt but that Kings ought to purchase it of their Vassals will never please himself with the Price given only the Restorative indeed that strengthens it is the Goodness and Vertue of the Prince and his Liberality makes it more diligent Antipater had Govern'd two or three Kingdoms Twelve years and peradventure knew not to play another part as Caesar which forgot the Art of Obedience after long governing the Gauls § 23. Alexander's Cruelty and Pride is inexcusable his Drunkenness no less Augustine justly derided his lamenting want of Employment when he should have no more to Conquer as if well to Govern the Conquered would not sufficiently busie his Brain His Valour a Thousand in his Army Matched His Liberality Seneca Taxeth and his Speech about a Kings gift is Foolish Compared with other troublers of the World Caesar and others after more glorious for he never undertook Warlike Nations CHAP. III. Aridaeus his Reign after Alexander ALexander in his stubborn Pride refused to establish any Successor esteeming none Worthy and the greatest Ambition of his Followers Learned of their Master to endure no Equals a Lesson soon taken out by Spirits reflecting upon their own Worth wanting the Reverence of a greater Object Thus the Question of the Succession became difficult Alexander having no Issue but by Barsinoe a Persian and Roxane of mean Condition both excepted against as of Conquered Nations Ptolomy the Son of Philip who gave his Mother Barsinoe great with Child to Lagus is of opinion the Rule should rest in the Captains to order it by Voices Aristonus another Captain propounded Perdicas as designed Successor by Alexander who at the point of death left his Kingdom to the worthiest and delivered his Ring to him who had succeeded his Favourite Hephestion in Favour and Place he being urged by many to take the Royal Estate upon him not content with the Souldiers acclamation of a counterfeit Modesty put it off looking that every one of the Princes would intreat him that so his Acceptance might be the less Envied But as he which feigns a sleep may be eaten with a Wolf so Meleager his Enemy took advantage of his Irresolution and acted against him concluded that whoever were Heir to the Crown the Souldiers ought to Inherit the Treasure to that which he invited them who were nothing backward in sharing it § 2. Aridaeus a Natural Brother of Alexander in this Uproar is named by some one liked by many and produced and commended by Meleager to the Army which changeth his Name to Philip investeth him in Alexander's Robes and proclaims him King contrary to the Mind of many of the Nobles who yet by the intercession of the Ancient Captains are reconciled though neither side meant faithfully For Meleager now Governing the King who was no wiser than Alexander's Chair in which he fate attempted to kill Perdicas who understanding of their coming which are sent to do it rebuked them with such Gravity that they departed honester than they came The Camp hearing of this Attempt fell into an Uproar which the King their Creature could not appease 'till offered to resign unto them so upon the King's motion after sundry Embassies between him and his Nobles Meleager is joined with Leonatus and Perdicas in Government of the Army so much Love is protested where none is meant For presently after upon Rumors against Perdicas purposely raised as if they proceeded from Meleager to make him guilty of seditious Rumours if he should give way thereto He to prevent the danger persuades Perdicas to a general Muster for cleansing the Army by punishing seditious Persons and other Offenders not in the least intending his special Friends and such as followed him when he disturbed the Election of a King by calling away Souldiers to the sharing of the Treasure The manner of this Muster is solemn having the Horsemen among whom the King must ride the Elephants the Macedonian Foot and Mercenaries set in Batalia in distinct parties so as to skirmish by way of Exercise The Macedonian Pikes called the Phalanx led by Meleager is placed at disadvantage and so charged by the Horse-men and Elephants as afforded no jesting and the King being now in Perdicas's possession must command to be delivered to death such of the Infantry as Perdicas required Thus Three hundred of Meleager's Friends and Followers are cast to the Elephants to be slain and Meleager flying to a Temple for Sanctuary having too late discovered the Design was there also slain The Princes held a new Counsel divide the Provinces among themselves leave Aridaeus the Office of a Visitor and Perdicas his Protector and Commander of his Forces and gave Aridaeus a Captain the Charge to bury the Corps of Alexander at Alexandria in Egypt Alexander in his life time knowing the factious quality of the Greeks had commanded that all the banished should be restored thinking by them to have a sure Party in every City but by that proud Injunction contrary to their Laws lost the Hearts of the rest who esteemed it a beginning of open Tyranny The Athenians and Aetolians who oppos'd this Decree upon Alexander's Death Proclaim War against the Macedonians and
by Leosthenes their Captain who called in the Aetolians overthrew the Boeotians which sided with Antipater Lieutenant to Alexander Antipater doubting his own strength sent to Craterus in Asia whose coming into Macedon had so troubled his Thoughts but a Month before So vain are the Hopes and Fears of Men which decree all by mortal Wisdom shunning and persuing their Destiny afar off even when it seems near at hand Craterus and the Captains in Asia nearest to Europe are solicited to make haste for Antipater could raise in Macedon but Thirteen Thousand raw Souldiers and six hundred Horse besides the Thessalian brave Troops Whereas Leosthenes brought into the Field twenty two thousand Foot and two thousand five hundred Horse besides many Auxilaries which came in But before Craterus came Antipater ventred a Battle which he lost and was forced into Lamia a fortifyed and well provided Town to endure a Siege which Leosthenes presented him with § 4. Perdicas Protector of Aridaeus had no peculiar Province but greater Forces than any with which and his Marriage with Cleopatra Alexander's Sister he hoped for greater Matters He first subdued Cappadocia which had never submitted to Alexander and committed it to Eumenes whom he trusted above all Men. § 5. Antipater having in vain expected his Asian Succours offered to yield upon Terms of Reason but Leosthenes will have an absolute yielding which the other having been his Commander refused so the Siege is delayed 'till the Aetolians grew weary and departed so that the Trenches were thinly Mann'd Upon this advantage Antipater sallied out and slew many and Leosthenes himself but yet was not relieved of the Siege Leonatus in the mean time is persuaded to hasten to it with twenty Thousand Foot and Two thousand five hundred Horse out of Phrygia the lesser which he willingly undertook for Cleopatra's sake which sent for him to Pella in Macedon But Antiphilus who succeeded Leosthenes raised his Siege and went to meet him before Antipater and he joined and obtain'd a great Victory and the greater by Leonatus's Death The vanquished Macedonians too proud to fly and weak to renew the Fight betook them to high grounds 'till the day following when Antipater came who also kept the high ground as if he meant not to fight which moved many Greeks to depart This instability incorrigible in Volunteers was the more inexcusable Craterus with a strong Army at length is come and joineth with Antipater making between them Forty thousand heavy Armed Three thousand light and Five thousand Horse of which number the Greeks wanted one thousand five hundred Horse and Eighteen thousand Foot who lost he day with the slaughter only of Five hundred Men. So the Greeks not subject to one General desiring to preserve their own Estates betrayed their Country's liberty by a careless defence while Thessaly seeks her Peace § 6. Antipater's gentle Conditions to such as were forward to seek Peace drew on the rest only Athens and Aetolia are plotting to prosecute the War begun by them more bravely than wisely 'till Antipater is come to their Doors when wanting wherewith to resist they seek Peace absolutely submitting as Leosthenes had proudly required of Antipater who now overthrew the Popular Estate raised a Democracy of Nine thousand of the most considerable Persons transmitted the tumultuous into Thrace and slew Demosthenes § 7. Antipater giveth his Daughter Phila to Craterus and after the Marriage both go against the Aetolians who had conveyed their impotent People and Goods into places of great safety of which that rough Mountainous Country yields many and the rest fortify their strong Cities Here the two great Commanders are kept in play ' â—â—ll News out of Asia made them desire very earnestly to be gone giving them what Conditions they pleased This Asiatique Expedition grew from Perdicas's Plot to bring Aridaeus into Macedon designing by his presence to make void the Offices of his Vice-Roys that so himself who Administred all under the Titular Majesty of Aridaeus might obtain Cleopatra and thereby both Greatness and a good Title Antigonus Governour of Phrygia whom he discerned no way proper for his purpose is called in question for Life but escaped with his Son Demetrius and came to Antipater § 8. Perdicas perceiving his intentions were laid open resolves to make them good with the Sword and first he will begin with Ptolomy of Egypt leaving Eumenes upon the Asiatique Coast to withstand Antipater and Craterus Ptolomy having won the Egyptians with his sweet behaviour and added the Dominion of Cyrene hearing of Perdicas's coming to the Camels Wall a little town in Egypt put himself into it and bravely kept it against him Perdicas removeth to a place over against Memphis where in vain attempting to pass over Nilus three thousand of his Men were drowned and devoured by Crocodiles and such as fell into Ptolomy's hands were saved alive whom he used courteously and buried the dead cast up by the River The Captains hearing of this his Humanity fell to mutiny thinking it unreasonable to make War on so Virtuous and Honourable a Person to fulfil the pleasure of a Lordly Ambitious Man using them like Slaves Pithon formerly made Governour of Medea being present and hating Perdicas for a disgrace offered him by the other which caused many Greeks to be slain who had yielded to him upon his Promise drew a hundred Captains and a good part of the Horse entred upon Perdicas's Tent and slew him who could endure no Greatness but his own Ptolomy the next day came to the Camp and was joyfully received and offered the Protectorship which he modestly refused and procured it for Pithon § 9. Eumenes being left by Perdicas to withstand Antipater Alcetas Brother of Perdicas refused to assist him as his Brother Commanded Neoptolemus pretended to be willing but being Summon'd came in a Hostile manner as he promised Antipater and was shamefully disappointed and put to flight leaving his Foot-men which upon Eumenes's Charge submitted and took Oath to serve him Neoptolemus being come to Antipater persuades Craterus to march against Eumenes assuring him that upon his appearance all the Macedonians with Eumenes would revolt Eumenes fearing Craterus's presence might be of ill consequence to him peremptorily for bad the admitting either Messenger or Trumpeter and placed in his Battle against Craterus such as knew him not charging the Leaders to run on without giving leisure to speak Craterus to incourage his Men promiseth the Spoil like him who sells the Bears Skin before he 's caught Eumenes had the day in which both Craterus and Neoptolemus lost their Lives but his own Macedonian Souldiers were incensed against him hearing of Craterus's death which he also much resented § 10. Pithon Protector of King Aridaeus was so interrupted by Euridice the King's Wife Daughter of Amyntas Philip's Elder Brother and of Cyna Alexander's Sister a Lady of a Masculine Spirit well understanding her place that he gave over his Office which she thought to supply
but to Succour the Mamils and keep the Carthaginians from their own Doors now aspire to the Command of Sicily and peradventure to visit Carthage This is the Disease of Mortal Men to covet the greatest things and not to enjoy the least the desire of what we neither have nor need taking from us the fruition and use of what we have already The Romans send two new Consuls Lucius Verus and Titus Octacilius so the Inland Town became theirs and as many Maritime places were Commanded by Carthage which was the cause the Romans determined to raise a Fleet which before this knew not how to move an Oar. Having now built one hundred and twenty Gallies and trained Men to row C. Cornelius one of that Years Consuls with Seventeen of them past over to Messena and taking Pleasure therein went to Zippara whereof Hannibal Governour of Panormus having Intelligence sent and surprised the Consul and his Gallies and flush'd with this success himself with Fifty went to surprise the rest but came off with great loss Cornelius is redeemed and Duillius his Fellow is made Admiral who considering the Advantage of the Carthaginian light Gallies in rowing away from the heavy ones of the Romans devised an Iron to grapple when they met and so got the Advantage which an heavy strong broader Vessel hath of weaker and lighter which are in danger of splitting neither are they so steady which is no small help in Fight wherein the best use of the Hand is in them which best keep their Feet § 7. Rome proceeds in War by Sea sends a Fleet to Sardinia and Hannibal had obtained a Fleet a◠Carthage which now Anchored in Sardinia Haven which the Romans coming suddenly surprized and Hannibal escaping hardly was hanged at his return For in War it is too much to offend twice But Amilcar lying in Panormus sent Hanno upon Intelligence of the Roman disorder in Sicily who unlooked for slew four thousand of them Panormus was the next which the Consul Besieged but could not draw the Carthaginians into the Field nor force the great City so strongly guarded so they left it and took the Land Towns C. Attilius Consul next Year was beaten and lost Nine Gallies of Ten but by coming up of the rest of his Fleet the Carthaginians lost Eighteen Upon this Rome built a Fleet of three hundred and Thirty Ships and Carthage another of Three hundred and fifty to try who should Command the Seas the Romans one hundred forty thousand and the Carthaginians one hundred and fifty thousand Men aboard Both Navies met but Attilius had the better taking sixty three and sinking Thirty with loss of twenty Four which fell out by Amilcar's ordering his Gallies so as that himself being forced and not able to recover to join with his other Squadrons that Squadron of the Romans which forced him fell back and helped their Fellows § 8. The Romans repair their Fleet set forward to Africa landing at Clypea a Port Town which yielded and so gave them an Haven without which all Invasions are foolish Amilcar is also come to Carthage and defence is prepared while Mantius one of the Consuls with all the Navy is called home with two thousand Captive Africans leaving but fifteen thousand Foot five hundred Horse and forty Gallies with Atilius He Besieged Adis where to hinder him Amilcar Hanno and Bester are sent with an Army who designing to weary him with lingring place themselves on the top of an Hill Regulus discovering the advantage that neither the Carthaginian Horse nor Elephants could do service there set stoutly upon them and forc'd them to leave their Camp to the Spoil after which they proceed to Tunis sixteen Miles from Carthage to the great Terrour of that City which being incumber'd with Multitudes fled into it from the Romans could not long keep Famine out which would let in the Romans Atilius finds this Advantage but doubting they will hold out 'till his Year expire and so the next Consuls shall have the Honour he treats of Peace with Carthage that he may reap his own Fruit Ambition seeking only to gratify it self but Atilius's Conditions were so unworthy that the Carthaginians disdain'd 'em changing Fear into a Couragious Resolution to defend their Liberty to the last Man To strengthen their Resolution Xantippus a Spartan a very expert Souldier with a great Troop of Greeks formerly sent for came who shewing the Errours of the Commanders in the former Over-throw to the Senate is made General of Twelve thousand Foot four thousand Horse and one hundred Elephants which were all the Forces which Carthage could raise at home to fight for Liberty Lives and all But such as use Mercenaries as they did are stronger abroad than at home as we see in their other Armies of one hundred and forty thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand at Sea c. Xantippus so ordered this Army in a Level Ground that he utterly overthrew the Romans took Atilius and five hundred others and slew all the rest but two thousand c. Thus one wise head overmatch many Hands Atilius upon his word went to Rome to treat about Exchange and Ransome of Prisoners which he dissuaded considering the loss Rome should take thereby and returning to Carthage dyed by Torture as a Malicious obstinate Enemy whose vain-glorious Frowardness rather than necessity of State the Romans afterwards slighted and made the Exchange losing all he had gotten and more as did the Flanderkins at Gaunt § 9. Carthage by this Victory recovered all in Africa but Clypea kept by the Romans to whose Succour three hundred and fifty Gallies are sent which being encountred by two hundred from Carthage they took one hundred and fourteen of them and taking on board their Besieged Men at Clypea return from Sicily hoping to get all there that Carthage held The Pilots persuade them to put into Harbour the Season threatning a Storm urging that the South of Sicily hath no good Ports but these Men being Conquerors desperately oppose the Elements and near Cameria all their Fleet but Eighty three were cast away which was the remainder of their late Victory The Carthaginians hoping to recover command at Sea send Asdrubal with two hundred Gallies with all the old Souldiers and one hundred and forty Elephants which land at Lilybaeum while the Romans make a hundred and twenty Ships which with the remainder of their Wrack they sent to Panormus and surrounded it by Sea and Land and take it Then they visit Africk again make some Spoil but in return between Panormus and Italy Neptune spoiled them of all that Mars had given with the loss of a hundred and fifty Ships so that now the Sea hath devoured four hundred and six Ships and Gallies and made them resolve to keep the Land and upon Experience of Atilius's loss by Elephants they dread fighting in Champain Countries But finding how impossible possible it was to succour the places they held in Sicily by
sent T. Manlius who in his Consulship had won the Island with Twenty Two Thousand Foot and Twelve Hundred Horse as their commendable manner was to suport in their Provinces those Men and their Families which had first subdued them Manlius soon after his Arrival in one Day overthrew Hyostius who in his Fatherâ—s absence would needs venture upon the old Soldiers who slew above Thirty Thousand Men. Asdrubal the bold and other Carthaginians came soon after and made Manlius leave Cornus which he had Besieged and go to Calaris where in a Battle he slew Twelve Thousand and took Three Thousand Hyostus Asdâ—ubal and the rest dy'd and the Rebellion ended Sicily also grew troublesome after the Battle at Cannae when old Hierom King Siracuse dying left his Kingdom to Hyeronismus a Grandchild fifteen Years Old under tuition of fifteen Principal Men of which Andronodorus that Married Demarata Daughter of Hiero designing how to be the only Man applyed himself to the King pushing him on to assume the Government wherein he quickly exceeded and turned Tyrant He affected not the Romans as his Father had done despising the present weakness of Rome and casting an Eye upon the prevailing Fortune of Carthage entred League with them upon Condition that Sicily should be his But while he was busie herein his Tyranny produced Treason against his Person which took effect at Leontium where he was slain Andronodorus push'd no by his Wife endeavoured to become Tyrant but finding it yet too â—ard to compass applauded the Peoples liberty and so by them is chosen chief Praetor He â—inding Themistius who Married the Sister of Hieronymus affected as himself as he was also Wiv'd dealt with him and drew him to take his part But being too free in communicating their design 't was discover'd to the Senate so that entring into the Senate both were slain and their Wives also for affecting Royalty Then new Praetors are chosen in their place called Epicides and Hippocrates Born in Carthage but of Syracusan Parents both which Hannibal had used in the League with Hieronymus who being in Office opposed the Roman League But finding the People afraid of Marcellus who also required the City to expel them they stirred up the Leontines to take their Liberty as Syracuse had done for seeing the Tyrant was slain there it was no reason they should remain Subject to Syracuse When Marcellus heard that Leontium revolted from Syracuse he offered his help and won the Town in a day So the two Ringleaders fled to Hebersus but the Citizens were pardoâ—ed tho' the contrary Report bred a mutiny against the Roman Praetors Cruelty among the Syracusan Mercenaries These being led by their Praetors to Herbesus Epicides and Hyppocrates came out with Olive Branches to the Army wherein Six Hundred Creets whom Hannibal had used well took Protection of them and at Megara by a counterfeit Letter of Hyppocrates to Marcellus from Syracuse intreating him to make away their troublesome Mercenaries the Army was in such Uproar that the Praetors fled for Life So the Army was led by Hyppocrates to Syracuse who let him in where he slew whom he lifted set Slaves and Prisoners free as is usually done by Tyrants and thus the two Brethren became Lords of Syracuse Marcellus hearing of the alterations hoping by his success at Leontium to make short work at Syracuse presently Besieged it by Sea and Land omitting no violence and terrour in two or three Assaults but was beaten off not so much by virtue of the Defendents as by the skill of that Noble Mathematician Archimedes who at Hiero at the late King's request framed such Engines of War as did the Romans more mischief than could have been done by Cannon either by Sea or Land for they cast among them great Stones and Timber and by an Iron Graple would take up a Galley by the Prow and shake out all the Men c. Marcellus not knowing which way to turn and loath to give over resolved to famish the Town which was a desperate piece of work considering the large Haven and their Carthaginian Friends who even then had sent Himilco with twenty five Thousand Foot three Thousand Horse and twelve Elephants and Bomilcar with a Fleet had Victualled the City Upon Himilco's Landing many Towns yielded which forced Marcellus to rise with a great part of his Army to prevent him of other places as he did but came too late to Agrigentum which Himilco had gotten Winter coming on Marcellus leaving sufficient Force before Syracuse went to Leontium where Studying how to save his Honour which his leaving the Enterprize would impeach he falls on another Point of Dishonour to prevail by Treason which yet succeeded not In the end a Fugitive out of the City informed him of a Feast to be held to Diana for which there was plenty of Wine Upon this in the Night he scaled the Walls and took some part of the City which was divided by Walls like four or five Cities The Souldiers and Citizens after this offer to compound which Marcellus liketh but once or twice it is interrupted and being at a stand Marcellus in the time of the Treaty corrupted one of the Captains of the Town which was a Mercenary Spaniard by whose Treason he entred the Town and had a Booty no less than that of Carthage In this surprize Archimedes was slain whose death Marcellus lamenteth and Buried him Honourably This under-dealing of Marcellus was not approved at Rome considering Hiero's benefits and that the Citizens when at Liberty favoured Rome but were now over-ruled by Tyrants and MercenaÌ„ries Yet the Senate thought not good to restore the Booty nor give over the the Dominion Nevertheless it was not so well with Syracuse before as after considering their Factions Conspirators Tyrants Murders Banishments c. which yet Justifieth not Rome's injustice more than him which stole the Cup from a sick Person because he was always drinking in it After this all Sicily yeilded except Agrigentum c. held by Epicides Hanno and Mutines a Numidan a Wise and Valiant Man by whom Marcellus was much interrupted yet was his Virtue so envied by Hanno that he took his Charge from him The Numidians were so Incensed with this Indignity to their Country Man that they left Hanno and committed themselves to Mutines disposition who entring into Intelligence with Valentine Levinus the Roman Consul newly come delivered Agrigentum into his hands and assisted in the Conquest of all the rest § 16. Rome wanting Money to pay off the Souldiers and to mannage the War against Hannibal and that in Sicily when Marcellus and Livinus were chosen Consuls they proposed that the Consuls should bring in all the Money they had that the Senators do the like reserving of Gold or other Plate only a Salt-seller a Cup a Ring and some pieces of Art as Toys for their Wives and Children This example the Gentlemen and Commonality followed cheerfully all holding it equal that every private
less as the common talk at Rome and Quintius's stay in Greece and seeking pretences not to Depart did Argue For being secure of Philip Greece being at Peace Antiochus still Solicites Peace But the Aetolians are much convinced that Quintius should still keep Possession of Câ—alcis Demetrias and Acrocorinthus Nabis Tyrant of Lacedemon kept Argos in Bondage which concerns the Romans in Honour to make free saith Quintius which the Aetolians will undertake Yet in a common Assembly of all the States Quintius is intreated to do it as being easie when all the Confedrates were joined with him After this the Romans depart out of Greece and Titus Quintius Triumpheth at Rome Quintius and his Associates from Rome and Antiochus his Embassadours make many Treaties to no purpose but to give Antiochus leisure of two Years to prepare for War The Roman Conditions were not less dishonourable for him to yield to than unreasonable for them to Demand For though they which have been at War and gotten no great advantage of each other may demand restitution of things gotten or lost Yet between them who never fell out for wrong done or received there can no such Conditions for establishing Friendship be proposed Seeing it is reasonable that each should enjoy their own and neither take Superiority over the other to prescribe Conditions as Conquerours may do § 5. Rome after Hannibal's departure out of Italy was continually Infested with Insurrections of the Insubrians Boijans and other Cisalpine Gauls with the Ligurians who having served together under Mago and Amilcar became such Friendly partakers of each others Fortune that they seldom undertook any Enterprize but together The Cisalpine Gauls or Lumbards had been kept under by Rome from the second Punick War until Hannibal invaded Italy and held out after by the assistance of the Ligurians a stout subtle hardy poor People induring hardness and not discouraged by losses obstinate in War without respect of keeping Covenant and continu'd Enemies and Friends more by Custom as Savages do than by Judgment The Roman War with them served to train their Men to Hardness and Military patience Spain also after Scipio's departure put Rome to continual employment slew a Proconsul Porcius Cato Consul had almost as much work there as the Re-conquest of Spain He began to disarm them which made them desperate he cast down all their Walls and brought the Country to that pass that it was in no danger to be lost long after Hannibal being forced to leave Carthage his Enemies promise themselves and their City all the happiness which obedience to Rome could afford but coming to try the Controversie before the Senate with King Masanissa who had taken from them some Land which he claimed anciently belonging to his Fore-fathers they found how little regard they had to Carthage § 6. The Aetolians discontented with the Peace made by the Romans as finding their Merit undervalued invite Philip Antiochus and Nabis against the Romans Nabis beginneth and besiegeth Gytheum and wasteth Achaea Pâ—ilopoemen was now Praetor of Achaea to whose discretion all being referred he began with a Sea-fight wherein his skill failed then he fell to his own Element to prove the Enemy at Land where his skill in discerning the advantages of Ground was excellent and by an Ambush intrapped his Enemy and slew many So likewise he deceived Nabis by a counterfeit Fugitive which told him Philopoemen designed to get between him and Lacedemon which made him hasten Homeward leaving some Troops to Guard his Camp which was presently fired and he pursued so hard that his People â—led into a Wood thinking to get Home in the Night but the Ways being laid hardly a quarter of them got into Sparta While the Romans are busie in Greece to prepare War with Antiochus their Embassadours with Antiochus Treat of Peace and there meeting with Hannibal and conferring often with him Antiochus grew jealous till he was informed by him of the Oath his Father had made him take never to be Friends with the Romans Antiochus rejecting the dear rated Peace offered by Rome complies with the Aetolians who thereupon in their Panaetolium or common Assembly of the Nation decree to call Antiochus into Greece to decide their Controversie with the Romans The execution of the Decree was referred to the Apocleti or Privy-Council who suddenly surprized Demetrias but failed of Chalcis yet they got Lacedemon by killing Nabis their Friend under pretence to give him aid in his weakness after his Overthrow by Philopoemen but while they were busie in rifling his Palace the Citizens took Arms and slew them Philopoemen while Lacedemon was in this doubtful Estate went to it and called out the chief Citizens persuading them to incoâ—porate the City unto Achaea which they yielded unto § 7. Antiochus upon Thoas the Aetolians Counsel changed his purpose of sending Hannibal with a Fleet against the Romans in Africa and ordered him presently to pass over to Greece which he performed but with no such numbers as were expected having only Forty serviceable Ships Six Elephants Ten Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse which smalness of number he excused promising shortly to fill all Greece Being chosen their General he went first against Chalcis thinking to gain them with words but could not till he returned with greater Power upon this the rest of the Island of Eubaea yielded Then Embassadours are sent to all Quarters to persuade them to join with King Antiochus who came to procure their Freedom they answer as had the Chalicidians Their Freedom could not be bettered They meet with Quintius at an Achaean Council where the Aetolians and Antiocheans extol one another by which Quintius took opportunity to shew their vanity and the Kings weakness both in Judgment and Power and that he and the Aetolians did but delude each other So War was Proclaimed against them Thus as the turbulent Aetolians were only forward with Antiochus against the Romans so the Achaeans do at last declare for them all the rest stand doubtful except Elamis who loved the Aetolians and the Eubaeans and Boeotians forced by Antiochus with the Magnetians and Athamanians Antiochus confers with these and Hannibal long neglected by reason of the bragging Aetolians is consulted who spake plainly his mind That as for these Confederates their weakness and fear made them uncertain Friends whereas if the Macedonian had been engaged he was strong and could not start having once fallen off from Rome but if he dare not let him keep at Work at Home and let the Gauls be provoked and a strong Power sent into Italy while the King proceeds at Greece They are pleased with the brave Speech of this great Spirit but nothing is done except forcing Thessaly where yet Larissa withstood his Army and was relieved by the Romans at whose sight he rose and went to Chalcis to promote the Love of a trappanning Woman M. Acilius Consul comes into Greece with Ten Thousand Foot Two Thousand Horse and Fifteen Elephants