into Arabia Nabathaea vvhere they vvere entertained by Silaeus vvho vvas an enemy to Herod because he had denyed him his Sister Salome to Wife vvho gave them a place to dvvell in that vvas vvell fortified Herod and his Sons sailing homvvard arrived at Sebaste in Cilicia vvhere they met vvith Archelaus King of Cappadocia vvho courteously entertained Herod much rejoycing that his Sons vvere reconciled to him and that Alexander had fairly ansvvered the crimes that vvere objected against him and so giving royal gifts each to other they parted Herod being returned into Iudea called the people together and told them what he had done in his Voyage and declared to them that his Sons should Reign after him first Antipater and then Alexander and Aristobulus that he had by Mariamne About this time in the year of the world 3994 Agrippa the first King of the Iews of that name was born who dyed when he was fifty four years old being struck by an Angel Act. 12. 23. Also that lame man was now born who being above forty years old was healed by Peter at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple Act. 4. 22. Herod having finished Caesarea Stratonis in the twenty eighth year of his Reign he dedicated it with great solemnity and many sports and pastimes After which he began to build another Town in a field called Capharsala which he called Antipatris after his Fathers name and a Castle also which he called Cyprus after his Mothers name In honour also of his dead Brother he built in Ierusalem a very fair Tower not inferiour to the Egyptian Pharos and called it Phasaelus and afterwards he built a Town of the same name in the Valley of Iericho from whence the Countrey thereabouts is called Phasalus Herod having wasted his wealth by his great Prodigality and now wanting mony after the example of John Hyrcanus in the night without the knowledg of the people he opened Davids Sepulchre where though he found no money yet he found great store of precious things and ornaments of gold which he took away for the expiation of which fact he afterwards built a most sumptuous Monument of white Marble at the entrance of the Sepulchre Antipater suborning other men falsly to accuse his Brethren Alexander and Aristobulus takes upon him their defence that making a shew of good will to them he might the easier oppress them and by these subtilties he so wrought upon his Father that he thought him to be his only preserver Hereupon Herod commended his Steward Ptolomy unto Antipater and communicated all his Counsels with his Mother Doris so that all things were done as they pleased and still the King was imbittered against those whom it was their profit that he should be angry with About this time Pheroras Herods Brother fell so madly in love with his own servant that he refused marriage with Cypros the Kings Daughter that was offered him by his Brother He also accused Herod to his Son Alexander as if he had been greatly in love with his Wife Glaphyra for both which Herod was highly displeased with him In the year of the world 3996 he began to be diseased who lying at the Pool of Bethesda was after thirty eight years restored to health by Christ Joh. 5. 5. Alexander by the subtilties of his adversaries being even driven to desperation was at this time reconciled to his Father by Archelaus King of the Cappadocians who came to Jerusalem to visit Herod and being accounted one of Herods chief Friends received great gifts from him and when he departed Herod brought him as far as Antioch Not long after Herod went a third time to Rome to visit Caesar in whose absence those Thieves of Trachonis whom Sylloeus had entertained with their inrodes infested not only Judaea but all Coelosyria Syllaeus affording them both impunity and security Herod being returned from Rome celebrated the Dedication of the Temple re-edified by him in the space of nine years and a half on the very Birth-day of his Kingdom which he was wont to celebrate with great joy at which time he Sacrificed unto God three hundred Oxen and other of the people offered an innumerable company of Sacrifices every one according to his ability Herod finding that in his absence his People had sustained much dammage by those Thieves of Trachonis and seeing he could not subdue them being under the protection of the Arabian he therefore entred Trachonis and destroyed their Families which yet did but incense them the more so that contemning all dangers they molested Herods Countries with continual excursions driving and carrying away the peoples Goods Herod hereupon sent to the Presidents of Syria Saturninus and Volumnius desiring that he might have the punishing of the Thieves of Trachonis who by their incursions had often wasted his Country They when they heard hereof being increased to the number of a thousand began to waste both Fields and Villages cutting the throats of all that fell into their hands wherefore Herod demanded those Thieves to be delivered over to him and withall required the sixty Talents that he had lent Obodas upon Syllaeus his security who had thrust Obodas from the Government and now ruled all himself But Syllaeus denied that the Thieves were in Arabia and deferred also to pay the money whereupon the business was debated before Saturninus and Volumnius and in conclusion it was determined by them that within thirty dayes space both the money should be repaid and the runawayes of both Countries should be delivered up and Syllaeus swore by the Fortune of Caesar before the Presidents of Syria that he would perform what was enjoyned But when the time was expired Syllaeus being unwilling to stand to the agreement went to Rome and in the mean time Herod by the permission of Saturninus and Volumnius to punish those obstinate people raised an Army entred Arabia and marched as far in three dayes as they used to do in seven and when he came to the Castle where the Thieves kept he took it at the first assault and demolished a Fortress also called Raeptu and when a Captain of the Arabians came to their aid they joyned Battel in which few of the Herodians were slain but there dyed twenty five of the Arabians together with their Captain whereupon the rest â—led Being thus revenged of the Thieves he brought three thousand Idumaeans into Trachona to restrain the Thieveries committed there and certified the Roman Generals that he had only used that power which they had granted against those obstimate Arabians which upon enquiry they found to be true There were Letters posted away to Rome to Syllaeus that related matters far otherwise aggravating every thing after their manner by which Lyes Caesar was so much incensed against Herod that he wrote threatning Letters to him because he had marched with an Army out of his own Kingdom without his leave and he was so far provoked that he would
not hear his Ambassadours but dismissed them without an answer The Trachonites and Arabians taking hold of this occasion molested the Garison of the Idumaeans that Herod had set over them but Herod being affrighted with Caesars anger was fain to connive at it About this time Obodas King of Arabia Nabathaea dyed and one Aeneas succeeded him who changed his name into Aretas which Syllaeus hearing of at Rome endeavoured by false accusations to have him thrust from the Kingdom and to get it to himself bestowing much money upon the Courtiers and promising great things unto Caesar whom he knew to be offended with Aretas for assuming the Kingdom without his consent In the mean while Aretas sent Letters and rich presents unto Caesar and amongst them a Crown worth many Talents But Caesar would not hear his Ambassadours and scorned his Presents and dismissed them without any thing done Herod being continually vexed with the insolencies of the Arabians sent Nicholas Damascene to Rome to see if by the mediation of his Friends he could get Justice from Caesar But in the mean time the discord with his Sons that he had by Mariamne was greatly heightned by the artifices of Eurichus a Lacedemonian which occasioned Herod to find out their supposed Treachery to put to death by various torments many both of his own and of his Sons Friends yet could he find no other evil by them but some too free complaints of improvident young men concerning their Fathers immoderate cruelty and his too easie hearkning to base pick-thanks of the wicked deceits of their Brother Antipater and of the faction that was combined against them and that to free themselves from these mischiefs they were said to think of flying to Archelaus King of Cappadocia which thing indeed they did not deny Hereupon Herod cast them into Prison as if they had been convicted of Treason against their Father resolving to punish them according as his affairs went at Rome and concerning this business he sent Letters to Caesar by Volumnius the Roman General and Olympius his Friend At Rome Nicholas Damascene joyned himself to the Arabians that came to accuse Syllaeus professing that he was his accuser also before Augustus and not Herods defender and this he did lest he should be repulsed as others had been before him When by this means he had gotten access into Caesars presence he indeed laid open many of Syllaeus his crimes and withall added that Caesar was circumvented with his lyes in the cause of Herod which he confirmed by certain authentick records This so prevailed with Caesar that he condemned Syllaeus and remanded him into the Province that when he had satisfied the debt he might be punished From this time Augustus was reconciled to Aretas and Herod and then received the Presents that before he had so often rejected and confirmed the Kingdom of the Arabians to Aretas He advised Herod also by his Letters to call a Council of his Friends at Berytus and joyning the Presidents of Syria with Archelaus the King of Cappadocia by their joynt advice to determine of the business about his Sons About this time the Angel Gabriel who long before had foretold to Daniel the coming of the Messias by a certain number of Weeks appeared at the right side of the Altar of incense to Zachary the Priest of the course of Abia telling him that there should be born to him now in his old age his Wise Elizabeth also being well stricken in years and barren a Son Called John a Nazarite and the forerunner of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias which he not believing was made dumb Luke 1. 5. 22. Herod having received Augustus his Letters rejoyced exceedingly both because he was returned into his favour and for that he had granted him power to do what he would with his Sons and hereupon he convened by messengers all those that Caesar had appointed to Berythus except only Archelaus and kept his Sons not far from the place in a City of the Sidonians and the Case being opened Saturninus one that had been Consul delivered his opinion but moderated with circumstances that Herods Sons were to be condemned but not to be put to death After him his three Sons that were his Lieutenants delivered their opinions to the same purpose But Voluminus pronounced that they were to be punished with death whose opinion the major part followed and so the Council being ended Herod took his Sons with him and meeting with Nicholas Damascene at Tyrus they went together to Caesarea Here whenas a certain old Souldier named Tyro had smartly reprehended Herod for his wickedness determined against his Sons and told him that three hundred more of his Captains were of the same opinion Herod commanded him to be cast into Prison Trypho the Kings Barber taking this occasion accused Tyro for that he had often sollicited him to cut the Kings throat with his razor as he was trimming him and immediatly both Tyro and his Son and the Barber were tortured and Herod bringing those three hundred Captains and Tyro and his Son and the Barber accused them before the People against whom the people throwing any thing that came next to hand slew them every one Then were Alexander and Aristobulus led to Sebaste and there strangled by their Fathers command and their bodies were buried in the Castle of Alexandrion where Alexander their Grandfather by the Mothers side and many of their Progenitors had been buried Antipater when his Brethren were now dead intended to remove his Father also out of the way and knowing that he was hated by many in the Kingdom he endeavoured by Bribes to get the good will of his Fathers Friends both at Rome and in Judea but especially of Saturninus the President of Syria and of Pheroras and Salome the Brother and Sister of Herod At this time Herod sent home Glaphira the Widow of his Son Alexander to her Father Archelaus the King of Cappadocia and gave her a Dowry out of his Treasury lest some controversie should arise concerning it and withall he took great care of the young children of Alexander and Aristobulus which Antipater took very heavily fearing lest when they should come to age they would hinder his designs he sought therefore their destruction and he so overcame Herod by his flatteries that he suffered him to marry the daughter of Aristobulus and his Son to marry the daughter of his Unkle Pheroras About this time Herod invited Zamaris a Babylonian Jew and gave him a Countrey in Trachonis to inhabit and this he did that he might be a guard to that Countrey against Thieves and Zamaris coming with five hundred Horse and an hundred of his Kinsmen erected Castles in divers places of that Country by which means he secured the Jews that came from Babylon to the Feasts at Jerusalem from the Thieves Antipater working Treason against his Father drew in his Unkle Pheroras and some
a Boy that came from School but the other day must now in hast be a Captain the rest of the Citizens were so incensed against him that they ran upon him and slew him Thus Pompey being but twenty three years old not tarrying for Commission from any man took upon himself Authority and causing a Tribunal to be set up in the midst of the Market place of Auximum a great and populous City he commanded the two Brethren called the Ventidians the chiefest men of the City but his Enemies presently to avoid the City Then began he to leavy men to constitute Captains Lieutenants Sergeants and such other Officers as appertain to an Army And from thence he went to the other neighbouring Cities where he did the like so that in a short space he had gotten three compleat Legions together as also Ammunition Carts and all other necessaries for them In this sort did Pompey advance towards Sylla not in hast as a man that was afraid to be met with by the way but by small Journeys lodging still where he might have the best advantage against an Enemy causing the Cities wheresoever he came to declare against Carbo and for Sylla Yet three Captains who adhered to Carbo Carinna Caelius and Brutus did in three several places compass him in on every side thinking to have destroyed him Pompey was nothing amazed hereat but marshalling his Army he first set upon Brutus having placed his Horsemen amongst whom himself was in Person before the Battel of his Footmen and when the Men at Arms of his Enemy who were Gauls came to charge upon him he singled out the chiefest amongst them and ran him through with his Spear and slew him The other Gauls seeing their Champion slain turned their backs and in their flight over ran their own Footmen so that at last they all fled for their lives Then the Cities round about being terrified with this overthrow came in and yielded themselves to Pompey Afterwards Scipio also the Consul coming against Pompey to fight him when the Battels were ready to joyn before they threw their Darts Scipio's Souldiers saluted Pompey and went over to his side whereupon Scipio was faign to fly And lastly Carbo himself sending divers Troops of Horse against him by the Riuer Arsis Pompey charged them so furiously and drave them into such a place of disadvantage that being neither able to fight nor fly they delivered up themselves with their Horses Arms and all to his mercy Sylla all this while heard nothing of these overthrows which Pompey had given to his Enemies but understanding his danger being environed with so many Arms fearing lest he should miscarry he made hast and marched to his relief Pompey being informed of Sylla's approach commanded his Captains to Arm themselves and to set their Army in good array that their General Sylla might see how bravely they were appointed For he expected that Sylla would do him great honour as indeed he did even beyond his expectation For when Sylla saw him afar off coming towards him and his Army marshelled in such good order of Battel and his men so bravely advancing themselves being elated with their late Victories he allighted from his Horse and when Pompey came to do his duty to him and called him Emperour or Soveraign Prince Sylla resaluted him with the same Title which made all that were present to wonder that he would give so honourable a name to so young a man as Pompey was who as yet was not made a Senator Considering also that Sylla himself did now contend for that Title and Dignity with Marius and Scipio The intertainment also that Sylla gave him afterwards was every way answerable to the first kindness that he shewed him For when Pompey at any time came to him he would rise up and put off his Cap to him which he did not to any other Noble Man that was about him Yet was not Pompey puffed up with all this nor the prouder for it Shortly after Sylla would have sent Pompey into Gaul now France because that Metellus the Roman General there was thought to have done no exploit worthy of so great an Army as he had with him But Pompey answered that there was no reason to displace an ancient Captain that was of greater fame and experience then himself Yet said he if Metellus himself be contented and will desire it of me I will willingingly go and help him to end this War Metellus being informed hereof wrote for him to come Pâ—mpey then entering Gaul did of himself wonderful exploits and so revived the courage and valour of old Metellus that the War prospered exceedingly in their Hands But these were but Pompey's first beginnings and were wholly obscured by the luster of those many Wars and great Battels which he fought afterwards When Sylla had overcome all Italy and was proclaimed Dictator he rewarded all the great Captains and Lieutenants that had taken his part and advanced them to honourable places and Dignities in the Commonwealth freely granting whatsoever they requested of him But for Pompey highly esteeming him for his Valour and thinking that he would be a great support to him in all his Wars he sought by some means to ally him to himself Metella his Wife being also of the same opinion they both perswaded him to put away his Wife Antistia and to marry Aemilia who was Daughter to Metella by a former Husband though she was married to another and now with child by him These marriages were wicked and Tyrannical fitter for Sylla's time than agreeable to Pompey's nature and condition And truly it was a shameful thing for Pompey to forsake his Wife Antistia who for his sake a little before had lost her Father that was murthered in the very Senate House upon suspition that he took part with Sylla for his Son Pompey's sake and to take Aemilia from her lawful Husband by whom she was great vvith child and to vvhom she had been married not long before vvhich also caused the Mother of Antistia to lay violent hands upon her self seeing her Daughter to receive such open and notorious wrong But God who hates such injustice and cruelty followed Pompey vvith this Judgment that his Wife Aemilia died miserably presently after in childbirth in his House About this time news was brought to Sylla that Perpenna was gotten into Sicily and had brought all that Island into subjection to him where he might safely intertain all Sylla's Enemies That Carbo also kept the Seas thereabouts with a certain number of Ships That Domitius was gone into Africk to whom resorted many other Noblemen who were escaped from the proscriptions and outlaries of Sylla Against all these was Pompey sent by his Father in Law with a great Army who no sooner was arrived in Sicily but Perpenna fled and left the Island to him Then did Pompey deal friendly and favourably with all the Citizens vvhich before
the Exchequer twenty five hundred thousand Crowns and suffered private men to take of it for three years without Interest putting in good security for the paying back of the principal and condemned such Usurers as had taken more than the Law allowed to pay four times as much to those who had been oppressed by them THE LIFE and DEATH OF TAMERLANE THE GREAT WHO FLORISHED ANNO CHRISTI 1400. TAMERLANE was born at Samercand the chief City of the Zagatajan Tartars His Father was called Zain-Cham or as others will Og Prince of the Zagatajans of the Country Sachithays sometimes part of the famous Kingdom of Parthia third in descent from Zingis the great and successful Captain of the Tartars which Og being a Prince of a peaceable nature accounting it no less honour quietly to keep the Countries left him by his Father than with much trouble and no less hazard to seek how to enlarge the same long lived in most happy peace with his Subjects no less happy therein than himself not so much seeking after the hoording up of Gold and Silver things of that Nation not regarded nor valued as contenting himself with the encrease and profit of his Sheep and herds of Cattel then and yet also the principal revenues of the Tartar Kings and Princes which happily gave occasion to some ignorant of the manner and customs of those Northern Nations and Countries to account them all for Shepherds and Herdsmen and so also to have reported of this mighty Prince as if he had been a Shepherds Son or Herdsman himself vainly measuring his Nobility by the homely course of life of his People and Subjects and not by the honour of his House and Heroical Vertues hardly to be paralelled by any Prince of that or the former Ages His peaceable Father now well stricken in years and weary of the World delivered up his Kingdom to this his Son not yet past fifteen years old joyning unto him two of his most faithful Councellours Odmar and Ally to assist him in the government of his State whom Tamerlane dearly loved whilst they lived and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proof of Tamerlanes Fortune and Valour was against the great Duke of Mosco or Emperour of Russia for spoiling of a City which had put it self under his protection and for entring his Country and proclaiming War against him whom he in a great Battel overthrew having slain twenty seven thousand of the Muscovites Footmen and between fifteen and sixteen thousand Horsemen with the loss of scarce eight thousand Horsemen and four thousand Footmen of his own After which Battel Tamerlane beholding so many thousands of men lying dead upon the ground was so far from rejoycing thereat that turning himself to one of his familiar Friends he lamented the condition of such as commandâ— over great Armies commending his Fathers quiet course of life accounting him happy in seeking for rest and such most unhappy which by the destruction of their own kind sought to procure their own glory protesting himself even from his heart to be grieved to see such sad tokens of his Victory Alhacen in his Arabick History of Tamerlane makes this Narrative of the Battel The Muscovites saith he had a great Army which he had gathered together out of sundry Nations and Tamerlane intending not to put up such wrongs and indignities assembled all his Forces and those of his Allies The Muscovites forces were such as had been well trained up in the Wars For having lately concluded a Peace with the King of Poland he had from thence ten thousand very good Horsemen There were also with him many Hungarian Gentlemen under the conduct of one Uladislaus who brought with him more than eight thousand Horse so that he had in his Army about eighty thousand Horse and one hundred thousand Footmen Tamerlane had in his Army about one hundred and twenty thousand Horse and one hundred and fifty thousand Foot but not so good Souldiers as the Muscovites for his Subjects had been long trained up in peace under his peaceable Father and though they had been sometimes exercised yet they wanted the practical part of War Tamerlanes order in his march was this He caused all his Army to be divided into Squadrons each consisting of six thousand Horse save his own which consisted of ten thousand so that he made eighteen Squadrons besides his own The Avantguard was conducted by Odmar who led eight Squadrons which were flanked by forty thousand Footmen divided on the right and left sides who shot an infinite number of Arrows The Battel was conducted by Tamerlane who with his own led ten Squadrons and fifty thousand Footmen the best and choicest Souldiers of his whole Army The Prince of Thanais his Kinsman led the Arereward with six Squadrons of Horse and forty thousand Foot his forlorn Hope consisted of some three thousand Horse adventurers The Muscovites fought by double Ranks with Lances and they seemed to be a greater number than Tamerlanes making a great noise but Tamerlanes skill and multitude at length overcame the force and valour of the Muscovites the Victory bending to the Parthians side which they pursued hotly In this Battel Tamerlane was hurt on the side of the left Eye and had two Horses slain under him and indeed that day Odmar was the safeguard of the Prince but he lost Ally who was slain with an Arrow The Battle being ended Tamerlane returned thanks to God publickly for his Victory and the next day reviewing his Army he found that he had lost between seven and eight thousand Horsemen and between three and four thousand Footmen The Muscovites lost about twenty seven thousand Foot and fifteen or sixteen thousand Horse The Prince slacked no time after so great a Victory but marching on came into the borders of the Muscovites whom he enforced this agreement That they should become his Tributaries paying yearly one hundred thousand Duckats That the great Duke should defray all the charges of the Wars amounting to three hundred thousand Duckats That he should withdraw his Army and send back all the Prisoners and that for the performance hereof he should give pledges which should be changed every year All which being agreed to he returned with great content and glory to his Father Shortly after the great Cham of Tartary his Fathers Brother being grown old and out of hope of having any more Children moved with the Fame of his Nephew after this Victory sent him divers presents and withal offering him his only Daughter in Marriage sent him word that he would proclaim him Heir apparent to his Empire as indeed in right he was being his Brothers Son and the Daughters not using to succeed in those Empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the marriage was afterwards with great Triumph at the old Emperours Court solemnized and consummated and our Tamerlane
to him But these his fair shews continued not long There was at this time at Rome a Governour for the Eastern Emperour called Paul Ephialte him Didier corrupted and the administration of Justice being in his hands he made use of him so cunningly as that in the presence of Pope Steven he caused him to seize upon two of his chief Secretaries Christopher and Sergius whom Didier accused of some pretended crimes and presently to hang them in an infamous manner Their greatest offence was because they favoured the French Neither did he rest here but caused all the principal Citizens to be banished whom he observed to be of the French faction that so having removed all hinderances he might be Master of Rome in despite of the Pope Steven was not so dull but he discovered the Lombards practice exceedingly to tend to his prejudice whereupon he sent to Charlemagne beseeching him to prepare an Army against Didiers force This Charlemagne easily assented to and fully resolved upon But Didier had provided a divertisement in France by the means of Caroloman to stop Charles his passage into Italy making work for him in Guienne where there arose a perilous War upon this occasion Though the Country of Guienne depended upon the Crown of France yet were there many Tumults raised by the practices of some Noblemen of the Country who frequently stirred up the people mutinous enough of themselves to Rebellion The cause of these Troubles was the abuse of the former Kings Clemency and Bounty who suffered such people as he conquered to enjoy their priviledges and liberties Eudon a Nobleman of Guienne began first under Martel Jeffery and Hunalt his Children and heirs of his discontent had continued it under Pepin and Jeffery being now dead Hunalt succeeded him with the like hatred which Caroloman fomented that he might imploy him against his Brother Charles Guienne was a part of Charles his portion But Hunalts design was to withdraw that Country wholly from the Crown of France and for that end he pretended a Title to the Dukedom thereof labouring to procure the people to Elect him having the promise and assistance of Caroloman to further him therein Indeed the countenance of Caroloman could do much but the wisdom and courage of Charlemagne prevailed more For being advertised of Hunalts practice and of his Brothers secret designs he armed with such speed as that he surprised the Towns of Poictiers Xante and Angoulesm and all the Country adjoyning Hunalt who had reckoned without Charles finding himself thus prevented fled to a Noble man of that Country called Loup whom he held not only to be firm to his faction but also his trusty and affectionate friend Charlemagne being informed hereof sent presently to Loup requiring him to deliver Hunalt into his hands who was guilty of high Treason and in the mean time he built a Fort in the midst of the Country where the Rivers of Dordonne and Lisle do joyn which he called Fronsac the better to secure his Country against such Invaders Loup not daring to refuse delivered up Hunalt and all his Family into the hands of Charles who pardoned Loup and all that obeyed him thus ending a dangerous War without blows And to Hunalt he granted life and liberty and the enjoyment of his goods leaving a memorable example to all Princes how to carry themselves in a Civil War preventing a mischief by prudence and diligence and not to thrust their vanquished Subjects into despair by rigour Caroloman seeing his practices against his Brother to succeed so ill undertook a journy to Rome with an intent to cause some alterations there which yet he covered with a pretence of devotion He also took his Mother Berthe along with him and in their passage they were hourably entertained by Didier King of the Lombards where Berthe treated and concluded a marriage between her Son Charlemagne and Theodora Sister or Daughter to this Didier who was one of the greatest enemies to her Sons good fortune Yet Charlemagne to please his Mother received his Wife but soon after put her away as neither suiting with his affects or affairs and so that which was intended as a cause of love bred a greater hatred betwixt these two Princes Caroloman having affected nothing at Rome answerable to his desire but only discovered his foolish and malicious jealousie too apparent under his feigned devotion returned into France and there soon after died Anno Christi 770. Leaving the intire Kingdom to his Brother who had how no Corrival Charlemagne having put away his Wife Theadora upon suspition of incontinency he married Hildegard or Ildegrade Daughter to the Duke of Sueve his Vassal by whom he had Charles Pepin and Lewis and three Daughters Rotrude Berthe and Gille who were the Nursery of his Noble Family But Carolomans jealousie died not with him but survived in his Wife Berthe who being impatient of her present condition and thrust headlong with a spirit of revenge against her Brother in Law Charles retired with her two Sons to Didier King of Lombardy as to the most bitter and irreconcilable enemy of her Brother Charles Didier intertained her and her Children very courteously hoping by them to promote his design But it proved the leaven of his own destruction His practice together with the Widows was to procure the present Pope who Steven being dead was one Adrian a Roman Gentleman to Crown and confirm the Sons of Caroloman for Kings of France wherein the Lombard had two designs First by this means to bring the Pope in disgrace with Charlemagne that he might the easilier suppress him being destitute of the French aides whereon he chiefly relyed and Secondly to set France in a flame by setting up new Kings in it Didier therefore earnestly besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake But Adrian well acquainted with the Lombards humour was so resolute in denying his request as that they fell into open hatred And Didier being much displeased with this repulse took Arms and with his Forces entred into the Exarchy being a Signory under the Popes jurisdiction and besieged Ravenna the chief City of the Exarchy Whereupon the Pope sent his Nuncio to him to expostulate the cause of this so sudden War against his Subjects desiring him to restore what he had taken and not to procced in this Hostile manner without any reasonable cause and that upon the pain of Excommunication At the same time there fell out a great occasion to encrease the hatred between Charlemagne and Didier For that Hunalt who had been before vanquished in Guienne and to whom Charles had shew'd so much favour very ingratefully retired himself to Didier who did not only receive him courteously but honoured him by making him General of his Army which he had raised against the
Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus Artaxerxes Alexander Epaminondas Herod Hanibal Pompey Iulius Caesar. Augustus Charlemain Tamberlain THE LIVES DEATHS Of most of those EMINENT PERSONS WHO By their VIRTUE and VALOUR Obtained the Sirnames of MAGNI OR THE GREAT Whereof divers of them give much Light to the Understanding of the Prophecies in Esay Jeremiah Ezekiel and Daniel concerning the three first Monarchies And to other Scriptures concerning the Captivity and Restauration of the Jews The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged By Samuel Clark Minister of the Gospel Longum iter per pracepta breve per Exempl Hierom. LONDON Printed by J. R. for W. B. and are to be sold by Tho. Sawbridge at the three Flower de Luces in Little Britain and by W. Birch at the Peacock at the lower end of Cheap-side 1675. THE LIFE and DEATH OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE GREAT First Emperour of the CHALDEANS NEbuchadonazar or Nebuchadnezzar was the Son of Nebuchadonazar or Nabopolaser of Babylon who was made General of the Army by Saraco King of Assyria and Chaldea after whose death Nabopolaser took into his hands the Kingdom of Chaldea which he held by the space of one and twenty years At the same time Astyages was made Governour of Media by Cyaxares his Father and the better to strengthen themselves they entred into affinity by Astyages his giving his Daughter Amytis to Nebuchadnezzar the Son of Nabopolaser and thereupon joyning their Forces together they took Ninive together with Seraco the King thereof placing a Vice-Roy in his stead Shortly after the Governour of Coelosyria and Poenicia revolting from Nabopolaser he sent against him his Son Nebuchadnezzar having first associated him with himself in the Kingdom of Babylon with a great Army which was in the latter end of the third and the beginning of the fourth year of Jehoiakim King of Juda as appears Dan. 1. 1. compated with Jer. 25. 1. Nebuchadnezzar was no sooner thus associated with his Father in the Kingdom but the things which he was to act were presently revealed to the Prophet Jeremy the first whereof was the overthrow of the Egyptians First at the River Euphrates then in their own Country Jer. 46. The first of these came to pass presently Pharaoh Necho's Forces which he had left at Carchemish being cut off by Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehojakim Jer. 46. 2. The second was not till after the taking of Tyre in the seventeenth year of the Captivity of Jechonia Ezek. 29. 17 18 19. In the third year of Jehoiakim Nebuchadnezzar the second his Father being yet alive entred Iudaea with a great Army who besieging and forcing Ierusalem made Iehoiakim his Vassal in despight of Pharaoh Necho who had made him King and took with him to Babylon for Pledges Daniel who was yet a Child with Ananias Misael and Azarias He took also part of the Treasures belonging to the Temple but stayed not to stayed not to search throughly for all For Necho hasted with his Army to the relief of Iehoiakim hoping to find Nebuchadnezzar in Iudea But this great Babylonian had no mind to hazard himself and his Army against the Egyptian Iudaea being so ill affected towards him and himself far from all succour or sure place of retreat If he had as may be supposed any great strength of Scythian Horsemen it was wisely done of him to fall back out of that rough Mountanous and hot Country into places that were more even and temperate And besides these reasons the Death of his Father happening at the same time gave him just occasion to return home and take possession of his own Kingdom before he proceeded in the second care of adding more unto it And this he did at reasonable good leisure For the Egyptian was not provided to follow him so far and to bid him Battel until the new year came in which was the fourth of Iehoiakim the first of Nebuchadnezzar and the last of Necho In this year the Babylonian lying upon the Banks of Euphrates his own Territories bounding it on the North-side attended the coming of Necho there after a cruel Battel fought betwixt them Necho was slain and his Army forced to save it self by a violent retreat wherein it suffered great loss This Victory was so well pursued by Nebuchadnezzar that he recovered all Syria and whatsoever the Egyptians held out of their proper Territories towards the North. The Egyptians being thus beaten and altogether for the present discouraged Iehoiakim held himself quiet as being in heart a Friend to the Egyptians yet having made his peace with the Chaldeans the year before and Mebuchadnezzar was contented with such profit as he could there readily make he had forborn to lay any Tribute upon the Iews But this cool reservedness of Iehoiakim was on both sides taken in ill part Whereupon the Egyptian King Psamnis who succeeded Necho began to think of restoring Iehoahaz who had been taken prisoner by his Father and carried into Egypt and of setting him up as a Domestical enemy against his ungrateful Brother But to anticipate all such accidents the Iudaean had put in practice the usual remedy which his fore-fathers used For he had made his own Son Iechonia King with him long before in the second year of his own Reign when the Boy was but eight years old As for this rumour of Iehoahaz his return the Prophet Ieremy foretold that it should prove a vain attempt saying He shall not return thither But he shall die in the place whither they have led him Captive and shall see this Land no more Jer. 22. 11 12. The Egyptians having lost their Mercenary Forces and received that heavy blow at Carchemish had more Gold than sharp Steel remaining which is of small force without the others help Besides the Valour of Necho was not in Psamnis Apries who reigning after Psamnis did indeed once adventure to shew his face in Syria but after a big look he was glad to retire without adventuring the hazard of a Battel Wherefore this declining Nation fought only with brave words telling such frivolous tales as men that mean to do nothing use boasting of their former glorious acts against Iosias and Iehoahaz And truly in such a time and case it was easie for Iehoiakim to give them satisfaction by letting them understand the sincerity of his affections towards them which appeared in time following But Nebuchadnezzar went more roundly to work For he sent a peremptory message to Iehoiakim requiring him not to stand upon any nice points but presently to acknowledge himself his subject and to pay him Tribute Adding thereunto such terrible threatnings as made the poor Iudaean lay aside all thoughts of adhering unto Pharaoh and to yield to do as the more powerful would have him Thus he continued in Obedience to Nebuchadnezzar three years During which time the Prophet Jeremy cryed out against the Impiety of the Jews putting them in mind that he had
the Medes for his device is against Babylon c. Jer. 55. 11. And again verse 28. Prepare against her the Nations with the Kings of the Medes the Captains thereof and all the Rulers thereof and all the Land of his Dominion But certain it is that the Honour of that great Victory over Babylon was wholly given to Cyrus who was the Instrument pre-ordained and forenamed by God himself not onely for this Action but also for the delivery of his Church Yet Daniel makes it plain that himself not onely lived a great Officer under King Darius but that he continued in that estate to the first year of Cyrus which was not long after which also was the year of Daniels Death As for the Age of Cyrus we are beholding to Tully for it who in his first Book de Divinatione Cites it out of one Dionysius a Persian Writer in this manner The Sun saith Dionysius appeared unto Cyrus in his sleep standing at his feet which when Cyrus thrice endeavoured to take in his hands the Sun still turned aside and went away and the Magi who were the most learned men amongst the Persians said that by his thrice offering to take hold of the Sun was portended to him that he should reign thirty years which came to pass accordingly For he lived to the Age of seventy years and began not to reign till he was forty In the first year of Belshazzar Daniel had the Vision shewed him of the four Beasts signifying the four Monarchies and of God delivering over all power and Sovereignty to the Son of man Dan. 7. In the third year of Belshazzar the Vision of the Ram and Goat foreâ—â—ewing the destruction of the Persian Monarchy by Alexander the Great and the great misery which Antiochus should bring upon the People of God was shewed to Daniel living then at Susa in the Province of Elam upon the Bank of the River Ulai which environed the Castle of Susa and parted the Provinces of Susa and Elemais Dan. 8. whence we may collect that at that time the Province of Susa was not in the hands of the Medes and Persians but of the Babylonians under whom Daniel then lived Darius the Mede son of Cyaxares or Ahasuerus the Son of Astyages took upon him the Kingdom which was delivered over to him by Cyrus the Conqueror Dan. 5. 31. and 9. 1. The Angel in this first year of his Reign is said to have confirmed and strengthened him in his Kingdom Dan. 11. 1. After which he reigned two years Towards the end of the first year of Darius the Mede the seventy years of the Babylonish Captivity expired which began under Jehoiakim in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar at which time God promised that they should return into their own Countrey Jer. 29. 10. Thus saith the Lord that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place Upon consideration of which very time now so near approaching it was that Daniel poured out that most fervent Prayer for the Remission of his own sins and of his Peoples and for that promised deliverance out of their Captivity Whereupon the Angel Gabriel brought him an answer not only concerning this but also for the spiritual deliverance of the Church to be wrought at last by the Death of the Messias uttering that most famous and memorable Prophesie of the seventy Weeks Dan. 9. 12 c. The Samaritans by the means of some Courtiers about Cyrus whom they had bribed for that purpose disturbed the Jews in their building of the Temple Ezra 4. 5. Whence proceeded that three weeks mourning of the Prophet Daniel which Fast he begun about the third Day of the first Moneth in the third year of Cyrus Dan. 10. 1 4. After which upon the four and twentieth Day of the first Moneth that Vision of the Kings of Persia of Alexander the Great and his Successours and their Kingdoms was shewed and revealed unto Daniel as he stood upon the Bank of Hiddikel or Tygris All which is contained in the three last Chapters of Daniel which as may be collected out of the close thereof was the last Vision that ever he had and that but a little before his Death THE LIFE and DEATH OF ARTAXERXES MNEMON One of the Great MONARCHS OF PERSIA THere were two Artaxerxes's that were Monarchs of Persia the first was called Artaxerxes Longimanus or Long-hand because his right hand was longer than his left The second whole Life we are now setting forth was called Artaxerxes Mnemon from his excellent Memory This Artaxerxes was the Son of Darius Ochus begotten by him on the Body of Parysatis before he came to be King And Parysatis was the Daughter of the first Artaxerxes Darius had by his Wife Parysatis four Sons of the which the eldest was this Ataxerxes the second was called Cyrus the two younger Ostanes and Oxathres This Artaxerxes before he came to the Kingdom was called Arsaces but after he came to the Kingdom he assumed the name of Artaxerxes Darius Ochus raigned Nineteen Years and dyed at Babylon When he lay on his Death-bed his Son Artaxerxes asked him by what Wisdom and Policy he had maintained his State so long To the end said he that having learned by you I may follow your steps therein To whom Darius answered That he had done it by doing right to God and man Cyrus from his Childhood was of an hot stirring disposition and Artaxerxes on the contrary was alwayes mild and gentle Wherefore Parysatis always loved her Son Cyrus more than the Elder and therefore often urged her Husband Darius Ochus to follow the example of Darius Hystaspes to leave him to succeed in the Kingdom who was first born after he came to be King and not him who was born before This indeed did help Xerxes to the Kingdom Wherefore she urged this Example to induce her Husband to leave the Kingdom to Cyrus who was born after his Father was Crowned King and not unto Arsaces who was born before Yet could she never prevail For Darius by his last will gave the Kingdom to his eldest Son Artaxerxes and made Cyrus Governour of Lydiae and the King Leiutenant General of all the lower Countries of Asia next to the Sea side Shortly after the Death of Darius the new King Artaxerxes went unto Pasargades there to be Consecrated and Aâ—ointed King by the Priests of Persia At this place was a Temple dedicated to Minerva where the new Kings must be Consecrated after this manner When he came into the Temple he must put off his own Gown and put on that which the first and great Cyrus wore before he was King Then he must eat of a certain Tart or Fricacy made of Figs with Turpentine Then he must take a Drink made with Vinegar and Milk besides some other secret Ceremonies which none knew but the Priests themselves
perform promise with thee He perswaded him also that it was not a like repulse to Ochus to be denied that which he looked for as it was for him to be turned out of all that ever he had gotten For said he if it please Ochus to live as a private man he might do it safely and no man will trouble him but for you who are already proclaimed King you must of necessity make your self King or else you cannot live Now besides these perswasions the largeness of the Empire and the fear Darius stood in of his Brother Ochus much prevailed with him infomuch that he flatly conspired against his Father Artaxerxes together with Tiribazus and both of them drew many Conspirators to joyn with them But one of the Kings Eunuchs smelling it out ran presently and told the King all and how they had determined suddenly to assail him and to kill him in his Bed in the night Artaxerxes having received this intelligence thought it not safe to be careless in a matter of so great importance as was his Life and yet that it would savour of too great lightness so suddenly to believe the Eunuch without better proof of the matter He therefore commanded the Eunuch to keep Company still with the Conspirators and to follow them whithersoever they went and in the mean time he caused the wall behind his Bed to be beaten down making a door in the place and Tapestry Hangings to be put up before it When the time was come as the Eunuch had advertized the King that the Conspirators intended to execute their Design Artaxerxes being laid on his bed rose not up till he had seen every Traytor in the face that came to kill him But when he saw them coming towards him with their Swords drawn he suddenly slip't under the Hangings into the inner Chamber and shut the door after him crying Murther Murther The Traytors hereupon fled the same way that they came failing of their purpose and bad Tiribazus save himself because he was known so they dispersed themselves and fled But Tiribazus was taken and after he had slain many of the Kings Guard fighting valiantly yet at last one with a Dart afar off slew him Darius also was taken and together with his Sons was brought Prisoner before the King The King referred him to be judged by his Peers and withall he commanded his Secretaries to set down all the Tryal in writing together with the opinion and sentence of every one of the Judges and to bring it to him In conclusion they all cast him and condemned him to dye Then the Officers laid hold on him and led him into a Chamber of the Prison where the Hang-man came with a Razor in his hand with which he used to cut mens throats who were so condemned But when he came into the Chamber he saw it was Darius whereupon his heart so failed that he durst not lay hands on him but went out again The Judges that were without bad him go in and do it unless he would have his own throat cut Then went he in again and took Darius by the hair and made him hold down his head and so cut his neck with the Rasor Artaxerxes being informed hereof went and worshipped the Sun and then turning to his Lords that were about him he said unto them My Lords God be with you and be merry at home in your Houses and tell them that were not here that the great God Oromazes hath taken revenge upon those that practised Treason against me Now Darius being dead Ochus stood in good hope to be next heir to the Crown and the rather through the means and assistance of his Sister Atossa But of his legitimate Brethren he most feared Ariaspes who was only left of all that were legitimate and of his Bastard Brethren he feared Arsames Not for that Ariaspes was elder than he but because he being of a soft and plain name the Persians desired that he might be their King And for Arsames he was wise and valiant and Ochus saw that his Father loved him dearly Now Ochus being subtle and malicious first shewed cruelty upon Arsames and then his Malice upon Ariaspes his Legitimate Brother For knowing him to be simple and plain he daily sent some of the Kings Eunuchs to him who carried him threatning messages as from the King telling him that he determined to put him to a cruel and shameful death These things being daily buzzed into his ears as great secrets did so terrifie poor Ariaspes as that being put in despair of his life he prepared a Poison and drank it to prevent a worse Death King Artaxerxes being informed of his Death took it very heavily and began to suspect the cause that made him thus destroy himself yet being grown very old he neglected to search it out But the Death of Ariaspes made him to love Arsames the better making it to appear that he had a better opinion of him than he had of Ochus and therefore made him privy to all his affairs Ochus seeing this could no longer defer his revenge and he therefore suborned Harpaces the son of Tiribazus to murther his Brother Arsames which accordingly he accomplished Now Artaxerxes being almost spent with age when he heard that his dearly beloved Son Arsames was Murthered was not able to bear it any longer but took it so to heart that he died of grief having lived fourscore and fourteen years and reigned threescore and two When he was dead the Persians found that he had been a good and a gracious Prince and one that loved his People and Subjects especially when they came to have tryal of his Successor Ochus that passed all men living in cruelty For when his Father was dead he dealt so with the Chiliarchs and Eunuchs that were about him that his Death was concealed for ten Months together in which time he dispatched away Letters signed with the Kings Seal into all parts of the Empire commanding them to receive Ochus for their King And when all men had acknowledged him and sworn fealty to him he then made known his Fathers death and commanded a publick mourning to be made for him after the Persian manner and assumed his Fathers name Artaxerxes And then filled and fouled his Court with the bloud of his Kindred and Nobles without respect of Age or Sex amongst whom he caused his own Sister whose Daughter he had married to be buried alive with her heels upward He also caused an Unkle of his with above a hundred of his Children and Grand-children descended out of his loyns to be put into a court and there shot to Death with Arrows This Artaxerxes following herein the example of Cambyses caused certain unjust Judges to be flead alive and their skins to be hung up over the Judgment-seats that they which sat therein seeing what hung over their heads might be the more careful to do Justice
Onesicratus Diodorus Siculus Trogus Pompeius Justin Quintus Curtius with divers others Lycippus the Painter made Alexanders Picture looking up to Heaven with this Motto Jupiter asserui Terram mihi tu assere Coelum O Jupiter I have taken the Earth to my self Take thou Heaven with which Alexander was so well pleased that he published a Proclamation that none should draw his Picture but Lycippus Apelles drew Alexander's Picture with a Thunderbolt in his hand to shew his admirable celerity and unresistableness in his Conquests This bloudy man lived not out half his Dayes and not long after his Death all his Posterity was rooted out His Posterity and Kindred that he left behind him were his Mother Olymtias his Unkle Pyrrhus King of Epirus His Brother Arideus and his Sister Cleopatra His two Wives with their two Sons Roxane with Alexander and Bursines with Hercules Olympias caused Arideus to be Killed Cassander thereupon took occasion to put Olympias to death being almost fourscore years old and then he poysoned both Alexanders Sons Alexander and Hercules with Roxane Alexanders Wife Cleopatra Alexanders Sister the Governour of the Sardians who was base Brother to Philip Alexanders Father procured her to be killed therein thinking to gratifie Antigonus And last of all Pyrrhus was vanquished by Antigonus the Son of Demetrius by whom his Head was cut off THE LIFE and DEATH OF EPAMINONDAS THE GREAT CAPTAIN OF THE THEBANS THE Father of Epaminondas was Polymnis who was descended of one of the most ancient and renowned Families amongst the Thebans the most part of which Noble linage had upon their Bodies for a natural Birth-mark the resemblance of a Snake This Polymnis had two only Sons Caphisias and Epaminondas whom he educated very carefully and had them very carefully and had them very well instructed in all the liberal Arts and honest Sciences especially Epaminondas who had the more stayed wit and was most inclined to Virtue desirous to learn humble obedient and wonderful docible and of one Dyonisius he learned to be very skilful in Singing and Musick And for Philosophy it happened well for him that he fell into an excellent Masters hands by this means The Colleges of the Pythagorian Phylosophers that were dispersed through the Cities of Italy were banished by the faction of the Cylonians yet such as still kept together met in a Councel at Metapont to consider of their affairs But some seditious Persons rose up against them and set the House wherein they were on fire and burnt them all only Phylolaus and Lysis being lusty young men escaped through the fire Phylolaus fled into the Country of the Lucanians and resided there with his Friends But Lysis got to Thebes where Polymnis intertained him intreating him to undertake the Tuition of his Son Epaminondas who though he was but a young Boy yet was he of good capacity and of very good Hopes This Phylosopher accordingly applied himself to manure this noble and quick wit of Epaminondas and in a short time made him perfect in all Sciences and Virtue so that it was hard to find a more wise grave and virtuous Person than he was When he was but fifteen years of age he gave himself to all manner of exercises of the Body as to run wrestle use his Weapons and all feats of Arms and having quickly attained to skill in these he applied himself to his Book He was naturally silent fearful to speak but never a weary to hear and learn whereupon Spintharus the Tarentine being familiarly acquainted with him in Thebes used to say that he never knew any man that knew so much and spake so little as Epaminondas If he fell into any company that discoursed of Philosophy or of State matters he would never leave them till the matter propounded was at an end He was of a pleasant disposition and so witty that he could break a jest as well as any man Lysis after he had lived long in Thebes died and was honourably buried by his Scholar Epaminondas Not long after Theanor one of the Pythagorians in Sicily was sent to bring Lysis thither but when he came to Thebes he found him dead and buried therefore going to Epaminondas after salutations he told him that his Companions who were rich willed him to give Polymnis and his Chidren a good sum of mony in recompence of that curteous entertainment which they had given to Lysis Epaminondas after pleasant excuses made told him that none could be received saying further Jason a Captain of the Thessalians thought that I gave him a rude and uncivil answer when he having earnestly entreated me to receive a good sum of Gold I sent him word that he did me wrong and began to make War with me for that he aspiring to make himself a Lord would corrupt me with mony who am a plain Citizen of a free Town and living under the Law But for thee Theanor I commend thy good will because its honest and virtuous but I tell thee thou bringest Physick to them that are not sick Admit that thou hearing we had been in Wars hadst brought us Arms to defend us and when on the contrary thou hadst found us quiet and at peace with all our neighbours thou wouldst not have thought fit to bestow these Arms and leave them with those that had no need of them Even so thou art come to relieve our poverty as though it were a burden to us whereas on the contrary it s an easie and pleasant thing to us to carry and we are glad we have it in our Houses amongst us and therefore we have no need of Arms or mony against that which doth us no hurt at all But tell thy brethren that they use their goods very honestly and also that they have Friends here which use their Poverty as well and as for the intertainment and burial of Lysis he hath himself fully recompenced us having taught us amongst many other good lessons not to be afraid of Poverty nor to be grieved to see it amongst us Theanor having made some reply about the good and evil of Riches and told him that as Poverty was not evil in it self so neither was Riches to be had in contempt and dispised No truly said Epaminondas yet considering with my self that we have a World of covetous desires some natural that are born with us and bred in our flesh by the lusts pertaining to it Others strange to us grounded upon vain opinions which taking setling and becoming an habit in us by tract of time and long use through evil education oftentimes do draw us down and weigh our Souls with more force and violence than those that be connatural to us For reason through daily exercise of virtue and practice thereof is a means to free us from many of those things that are born and bred with us Yet we must use continual force and opposition against our concupiscences which are strangers to us to quench them
Souldiers and sent them home well rewarded by which means he procured the love of the Citizens but the greater hatred of the Tyrant Shortly after Antigonus the Son of Aristobulus Brother to Hyrcanus invaded Judea being assisted by Ptolomei the son of Menaeus and Fabius the Governour of Damascus and Masion the Tyrant of the Tyrians who adhered to him for the hatred that he bore to Herod whom Herod meeting when they had scarce entred the borders of Judea overcame them in Battel and drave them thence whereupon Hyrcanus honoured him with Crowns as soon as he returned to Jerusalem For he was already accounted as one of the Family of Hyrcanus being to marry Mariamne or Mary the daughter of Alexander the Son of Aristobulus the Brother of Hyrcanus and of Alexandra the daughter of Hyrcanus M. Anthony having overcome Brutus and Cassius there met him Ambassies from all Nations in Bythinia and amongst the rest some of the Rulers of the Jews to accuse Phasaelus and Herod alledging that Hyrcanus ruled only in shew but in truth all the power was in the two Brothers Yet Anthony highly honoured Herod who was come thither to wipe of all those objections whereby it came to pass that his Adversaries were not so much as admitted to speak with Anthony and this Herod had obtained by his Bribes Yet not long after there came an hundred of the most honourable amongst the Jews to Daphne near Antioch in Syria to Anthony to accuse Phasaelus and Herod having chosen out of their whole number the most Eloquent to manage their business But Messala undertook the defence of the two Brothers with whom also Hyrcanus joyned who had betrothed his Grand-daughter to Herod Both Parties being heard Anthony asked Hyrcanus whether of the two parties were fittest to Govern a Commonwealth who speaking for the young men Anthony that loved them for their Fathers sake his old Friend he made them both Tetrarchs leaving to them the Government of all Judea writing his Letters to the same purpose and clapped fifteen of their Adversaries into Prison and would have put them to death had not Herod intreated for them But when the People did nothing but rail upon Herod Anthony in displeasure slew them all Antigonus the Son of Aristobulus hired the Parthians to translate the Kingdom from Hyrcanus to himself and to kill Herod who coming along with him and some Jews also joyning themselves to him he came to Jerusalem and they set upon the Kings House But Phasaelus and Herod defended it against them and in the Market place overcoming them in a fight forced them to fly into the Temple where they shut them in and placed sixty men in some adjoyning houses to prevent their flight but the people hating the two brethren set fire on those Houses and burnt the men in them which so inraged Herod that he slew many of the people and each laying wait for the other every day some were murdered The day of Pentecost being come many thousands of men as well armed as unarmed gathered together about the Temple from all parts of the Country and seized upon the Temple and City all but the Kings House which Herod kept with a few Souldiers as Phasaelus did the walls These brothers assisting each other assaulted their enemies in the Suburbs forced many thousands of them to flie some into the City and some into the Temple and others into a rampire that was near the City Hereupon Antigonus desired that Pacorus the General of the Parthians might be admitted to make peace between them which Phasaelus assented to and Pacorus perswaded him to go with him as an Ambassador to Barzapharnes another General of the Parthians laying an ambush for him by the way Phasaelus assented though much against the mind of his Brother Herod and was willing to go with Pacorus and took Hyrcanus along with him Pacorus leaving two hundred Horsemen with Herod and ten whom they called Eleutheri went along with the Ambassadors And as soon as they were come into Galile Barzapharnes entertained them with a cheerful countenance and bestowed gifts upon them but watched an opportunity to intrap them and so Phasaelus was brought with his Company to a place near the Sea-side called Ecdippon where Ophellus a rich Syrian understanding of the treachery intended against them offered Phasaelus some Ships to carry him away But he unwilling to leave Hyrcanus and his Brother Herod in danger expostulated with Barzapharnes about the injury offered to them who were Ambassadors who swore that these things were not true and presently went to Pacorus No sooner was he gon but Hyrcanus and Phasaelus were clapped up in Prison much detesting the perfidiousness of the Parthians and an Eunuch also was sent to Herod with a command to surprize him if he could get him out of Jerusalem Herod having intelligence what had happened to his Brother taking with him such forces as he had in readiness and his Mother Cybele his Sister Salome his Wife Mariamne and his Wives Mother Alexandra the Daughter of Hyrcanus and his yougest Brother Pheroras with their Servants he privately by Night took his flight into Idumaea In their journey his Mother by the overthrow of her Coach was in great danger of death and Herod fearing least the enemies should overtake them whilest they stayed there drew forth his Sword thinking to kill himself But being restrained by those which stood by he went towards Massada a very strong place which is seated in Arabia and Palestine by the nearest way that he could possible The Parthians first and also the Jews pursuing him by that he was sixty furlongs from the City but he repelled them both in fight The next day after Herod had fled from Jerusalem the Parthians plundered the City and the Kings House only the Treasure of Hyrcanus which was three hundred Talents remained untouched A great part also of Herods substance which he had not carried away with him they siezed upon and not satisfied therewith they harrized all the Country also and razed the rich City of Marissa Antigonus being thus setled in Judaea by the Parthians he received into his custody Hyrcanus and Phasaelus who were Prisoners yet he was much grieved that the Women were got away whom he had intended to deliver to the Parthians together with the money which he had promised to give them Being afraid also lest Hyrcanus should again by the favour of the People be restored to his Kingdom and Priest-hood he cut off his ears thereby rendring him unfit for the Priest-hood the Law forbidding that any one who wanted a member should approach to the Altar Lev. 21. 17 c. Phasaelus knowing that his death was determined sought to lay violent hands upon himself but being hindred by reason of his chains he dashed out his brains against a stone Yet before he was quite dead hearing by a Woman that his Brother Herod was escaped he
greatly rejoyced that there was one left to revenge his death The Parthians though they missed of the Women which they most of all desired yet having setled all things at Jerusalem with Antigonus when they departed took Hyrcanus along with them Prisoner into Parthia Herod not hearing of his Brother Phasaelius his death went to Malchus the King of the Arabians Nabathaeans who were obliged to him by many favours he had done them purposing so soon as possibly he could to redeem his Brother for three hundred Talents from the enemy For which cause he carried along with him young Phasaelus his Brothers Son about seven years old to leave him for a pledg with the Arabians But there met him some that were sent from Malchus to command him to depart from the bounds of his Kingdom for so the Parthians had required Yet he pretended that he did it by the request of his Noble men purposing to cozen him of that great treasure which his father Antipater had committed to his trust Herod taking this very heavily turned aside into a certain Temple where he had left many of his followers but the next day when he came to Rhinocorura he heard of his Brothers death Malchus upon second thoughts repenting of his ingratitude sent in all hast after to Herod but the Messengers could not overtake him for he was gon far on his journey towards Pelusium where the Marriners that were sailing to Alexandria refused to take him in There by the Magistrates of the City he was honourably intertained and brought to Cleopatra the Queen who could not prevail with him to stay at that time because he was hastening to Rome though the Sea was very tempestuous and as then the affairs in Italy were in no very good condition As he sailed from Alexandria towards Pamphilia he met with a very great storm which made him cast overboard much of his substance and scarcely got he to Rhodes At Rhodes two of his greatest Friends met him Sappinas and Ptolomaeus and finding that the City had suffered much in the War against Cassius he could not be restrained no not by his present poverty but that he would do something for it even beyond his ability After which he caused a Frigot to be built and embarking himself with his Friends in it he arrived at Brundusium in Italy and fom thence went to Rome declaring unto M. Anthony those things that had happened to himself and his Family and that thorough many tempests and dangers he had retired unto him as his only refuge in whom all his hope lay This Narration moved compassion in Anthony remembring also his Fathers friendship towards him but that which prevailed most was the promise of a great sum of mony if he would help him to the Kingdom Anthony also hated Antigonus as a man of a turbulent Spirit and an enemy to the Romans Caesar also partly for that Antipater Herods Father had been fellow Souldier with his Father in Aegypt and for other curtesies which he had shewed him and partly to gratifie Anthony whom he saw to be well affected to Herod was willing to promote his designs whereupon the Senate being assembled Messala and Atpatinus brought in Herod and after they had praised him reckoning up the love and services that both he and his Father had done for the Romans and accusing Antigonus both for former crimes and for that newly he had received the Kingdom of the Jews from the Parthians in contempt of the Romans and when Anthony also had declared to the Senate how much conducing it was to the Parthian War then in hand that Herod should be made King Antigonus was declared an enemy and the Kingly Title was devolved upon Herod by their general suffrage Whilest these things were transacting at Rome Ventidius the Roman General easily recovered Palestine Antigonus the King thereof being much afraid of him and he exacted great sums of money from all men but especially from Antigonus who in Herods absence had besieged his Family in Massada which place though it abounded with all other kinds of provision yet it wanted water so that Joseph Herods Brother who commanded in chief there with two hundred of his Friends intented to flie to the Arabians for that he heard that Malchus now repented him of his former ingratitude towards Herod But the very Night a great shore of Rain falling filled their Cisterns which made him change his purpose and the next morning making a gallant salley forth they killed many of Antigonus his men Ventidius encamped near to Jerusalem and drew from Antigonus a sufficient sum of money and to the intent that his fraudulent dealing should not be discovered he left one Silo there with part of his Forces under a pretence of helping Joseph who also was to be seed by Antigonus lest he should raise him some new troubles which Antigonus submitted to hoping that the Parthians would shortly come to his aid After the Senate was dismissed Anthony and Caesar went out leading Herod between them who also accompanied with the Consuls and other Magistrates and so they went all together up into the Capitol to sacrifice to the Gods and to place there the Decree of the Senate and the New King the first day of his Reign was Feasted by Anthony and within seven days after he was by Anthony dismissed out of Italy honoured with this unexpected felicity Shortly after Anthony being to go to the Parthian War had all his Acts as well past as to come confirmed by the Senate whereupon he sent to some Kings by his own authority to pay certain Tributes to him and he made Herod King both of the Idumaeans and Samaritans Herod being returned out of Italy to Ptolemais quickly gathered store of Souldiers both of such as he hired as also of his own Countrymen passing through Galile against Antigonus being aided by Silo and Ventidius who were commanded by Anthony to conduct him into his Kingdom and as he went on his Forces daily increased and all Galile except a few sided with him As Herod was marching towards Massada where he was necessarily to relieve his Kindred Joppa would not let him pass wherefore he was to reduce it lest he should leave so strong a place behind him in his passage to Jerusalem which occasion Silo taking hold on for he was not yet come to Herod dislodged his Army from about Jerusalem whom the Jews pursued but Herod meeting him with a small party saved Silo who fought very cowardly After he had taken Joppa he hasted to Massada to raise the Siege and his Army encreased daily many of the Country people joyning with him and having relieved his Friends in Massada he hasted towards Jerusalem and though Antigonus had laid ambushments for him in divers places yet he drew near to the City Silo following and the Jews being terrified with his power When he had encamped on
Alexandra the Daughter of Hyrcanus the Wife of Alexander the Son of Aristobulus and Mother-in-Law of Herod took in ill part for that Aristobulus her Son and Brother of Mariamne was neglected and another from a strange place should be made High-Priest whereupon she wrote to Cleopatra Queen of Egypt and Anthonies darling that she would procure the High-Priesthood of Anthony for her Son Cleopatra neglected her request but shortly after Dellius a friend of Anthonies coming into Iudea perswaded her to send the Pictures of her Son Aristobulus and of her Daughter Mariamne to Anthony who then would deny her nothing This she assented to and sent them by Dellius who told Anthony that they seemed rather to be of a Divine than of a humane race Anthony was much inflamed herewith yet thought it undecent to send for a Lady that was married to Herod shunning also the jealousie of Cleopatra whereupon he wrote to Alexandra to send her Son to him under some honest pretence But these things coming to the ears of Herod he thought it not safe that Aristobulus now in the flower of his age being but sixteen should be sent to Anthony the most potent man amongst the Romans and very much given to his Lusts. Wherefore he wrote back that if the youth did but step out of the Kingdom all the Country would be up in Arms the Iews hoping for some innovations under a new King and by this means he satisfied Anthony Herod being continually molested with the intreaties of his Wife Mariamne that he would give the High-Priesthood to her Brother Aristobulus it being his right he called a Council of his Friends to whom he inveighed against his Mother-in-Law Alexandra as if she had privately wrought Treason against his Kingdom and had endeavoured by Cleopatra's means to translate it to young Aristobulus yet lest he should seem to neglect both his piety to her and the rest of that Kindred he told them he would now restore the Priesthood to her Son which hitherto Ananelius had supplied by reason of the young mans tender years Alexandra being herewith overjoyed and withall grieved that she was suspected fell a weeping clearing her self of those accusations and gave him many thanks for her Sons honour promising that hereafter she would be most obedient unto him And thus Herod in the life-time of Ananelius gave the High-Priesthood to Aristobulus being then but seventeen years old Yet Herod fearing lest his Mother-in-Law Alexandra should seek occasion to raise new troubles confined her to the Palace and commanded her to do nothing by her own authority yea he set so strict a guard over her that nothing was concealed from him of all she did to the very expences of her Table This she took very heavily and wrote to Cleopatra complaining of her hard condition and desired her to yield her assistance Cleopatra advised her with her Son to fly to her into Egypt which she liked and therefore provided two Coffins the one for her self the other for her Son commanding her servants that were privy to the plot to carry them out by night and to convey them to a ship that was ready prepared to carry them into Egypt This business Aesopus one of her servants blabbed to Sabbation a friend of Alexanders supposing that he had known all before which as soon as Sabbation knew though hitherto he was an enenmy of Herods as being suspected to have been in the plot of poysoning his Father Antipater he took this occasion of being reconciled to the King by discovering the matter Herod being thus informed of the plot dissembled the matter till it was in execution and then surprized her in her flight and brought her back Yet did he pardon her fault not indeed daring to punish her lest thereby he should discontent Cleopatra that was willing to take any occasion against him wherefore under a colour of a magnanimous spirit he made shew as if he pardoned her out of meer clemency The Feast of Tabernacles being now come the new High-Priest Aristobulus being just past seventeen years old was to offer Sacrifice according to the Law and being clad in his Pontifical attire he came to the Altar and performed the Ceremony with all Decency whose excellent beauty and stature being higher than was usual for his age and carrying in his countenance the honour of his Lineage drew the eyes and love of all the multitude upon him every one calling to mind the worthy and memorable actions of his Grand-father Aristobulus and therefore as overcome with affections towards him they were so over-joyed that they could not contain themselves but openly prayed for him and wished him all joy and that more freely than was meet in those jealous times under such a King proclaiming openly both the memory and thanks they owed to the Family for all the benefits they had received from it As soon as the Feast was ended Aristobulus was entertained at a Banquet by his Mother Alexandra Herod also pretended favour to him and enticed him into a convenient place to sport with him after the manner of young men and when they were hot and weary and left their sport they walked out to the Fish-ponds which were near the Court to take the fresh air where also they beheld some of the servants that were swimming At last by the perswasion of Herod Aristobulus undrest himself and went in amongst them Then they who were suborned by Herod as it were in sport and jest ducked him as he was swimming holding him under water and never left off till they had drowned him This was the end of Aristobulus in the eighteenth year of his age and in the first year of his High-Priesthood which immediately returned to Ananelus The report of these things coming to the Women they were all on an uprore and did nothing but weep and howl over the body of the young man Yea sorrow overspread the whole City every one bewailing the calamity as if it had been his own But Herod endeavoured by all means to make the people believe as if it had faln out by chance without his privity not only feigning sorrow but tears and grief also and that he might the more comfort the Women he buried the body in a most magnificent manner being liberal in prodigality in adorning his Monument and in perfumes and other precious things But his Mother Alexandra knowing the Treason though she was oft ready to lay violent hands upon her self yet repressed her passion seeming not to be suspicious till an opportunity of revenge might offer it self And shortly after she wrote to Cleopatra of the treachery of Herod and of the lamentable death of her Son Cleopatra pitying her misfortune took a particular care of this business as if it had been her own and never rested from perswading Anthony to revenge the young mans death telling him that it was an unpardonable crime that he who by his help enjoyed
fearing storms the Winter noâ— drawing on he hasted to sail into Jonia both he and his Friends having been honoured with great presents by Herod As soon as the Spring came Herod hearing that Agrippa was going with an Army to Bosphorus made hast to meet him and taking his way by Rhodes and Chios he came to Lesbos thinking there to find him But Agrippa being driven back by contrary North-winds Herod stayed at Chios to whom many came privately to salute him upon whom he bestowed many princely gifts and when he perceived that the Gate of the City that was thrown down in the War against Methridates as yet lay buryed in its ruins and that by reason of the poverty of the Inhabitants it could not by them be restored to its former beauty and greatness he bestowed upon them so much mony as would abundantly suffice to finish it and exhorted them to hasten the restoring of their City to its former beauty and grandure As soon as the wind served he left Chios and sailed to Mytilene and from thence to Byzantium and there understanding that Agrippa had already passed the Cyanian Rock he followed him with all speed and overtook him at Sinopi a City in Pontus where beyond Agrippa's expectation he arrived with his Navy His coming was yery grateful to him and they embraced each other with singular affection Agrippa looking upon it as an evident argument of his fidelity and friendship that leaving his manifold occasions he would come to him in so seasonable a time Wherefore Herod still abode with him in the Army was Companion with him in his labours and partaker of his counsels He was also present with him when he went to be merry and was the only man that he used in difficult matters for the love that he bore unto him Agrippa having forced the Bosphorans to lay down their Arms in his whole journey thorough many Countries and Cities he gratified Herod in many things and at his intreaty relieved the necessities of many If any one needed an Intercessor to Agrippa Herod was the only man by whom he could obtain his suit and assisted many in whatsoever they had need of When they were come into Jonia a great multitude of Iews that inhabited that Country complained of the great injuries that they suffered from the Jonians who would not permit them to live after their own Laws but that upon their Festival days they haled them before their Tribunals and forbad them to send holy money to Ierusalem which also they perverted to secular affairs contrary to the priviledges granted them by the Romans Herod took care that Agrippa should hear their complaints and allowed them Nicholas Damascene one of his Friends to plead their cause which when he had largely performed before Agrippa many honourable Romans and some Kings and Princes being present the Grecians denyed the thing excusing themselves that the Iews were troublesom to them But they on the contrary proved that they were free-born Citizens and that they lived according to their own Laws without injuring of any wherefore Agrippa answered that both for his Friend Herod's sake as also because that which they demanded was just he would gratifie them therein He ordered therefore that the priviledges which were formerly granted them should remain inviolable and that none should molest them for living after their Country Laws Then Herod rose up and gave him thanks in the name of them all and so after mutual embraces they took their leave each of other and departed from Lesbos Herod in a few days after having a prosperous Gale arrived at Caesarea and from thence went to Ierusalem where calling all the People together he gave them an account of his Journey and told them what immunities he had procured for the Jews in Asia and to win them the more to his friendship he professed that he would remit to them the fourth part of his Tribute with which bounty they being exceedingly taken wished him all happiness and departed with great joy Presently after his return he was greatly incensed by the false accusations and artifices of his Sister Salome and his Brother Pheroras against his two Sons that he had by Mariamne Alexander and Aristobulus whereupon to take down their spirits he began to use them more hardly and publickly he put hopes of the Kingdom into his Son Antipater whom he begat when he was a private man his Mother also being a woman of mean Parentage whom formerly he had banished the City in favour to his two other Sons and writing often unto Caesar for him privately he gave him great commendations and at the intreaties of Antipater he recalled also his Mother Doris whom he had put away when he married Mariamne Agrippa after his ten years Government in Asia being now to depart Herod sailed to salute him taking with him of all his Sons only Antipater whom he delivered to Agrippa with many gifts to be carried to Rome and to be brought into Caesars favour Antipater was much honoured at Rome being commended to all his Friends by his Fathers letters and though he was absent yet desisted he not by writing to incense his Father against the Sons of Mariamne pretending his great care of his Fathers safety but in truth to make way for his succession in the Kingdom About this time Agrippa died and being brought into the Market-place of Rome Augustus commended him in a Funeral Oration Herod being now incensed against his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus he sailed with them to Rome to accuse them before Augustus and not finding him there he followed him as far as Aquileia before whom he accused them of treachery against him but the young men satisfied all that were present by their Apology for themselves mixed with prayers and tears so that they were reconciled to their Father After which giving thanks unto Caesar they departed together and with them Antipater also who pretended much joy that they were received into favour again A few days after Herod gave Caesar three hundred Talents and again Caesar gave him half the revenues of the mettal Mines in Cyprus and the other half also he committed to his oversight and having honoured him with other gifts of Hospitality he gave him leave to choose which of his Sons he pleased to be his successor or if he liked it better to divide his Kingdom amongst them which when he vvas about to do Caesar told him that he vvould not suffer but that he should have his Kingdom during his life in his ovvn povver as vvell as his Sons In Herods absence there vvas a rumour spread in Judea that he vvas dead vvhereupon the Trachonites revolting fell to their old trade of Thieving but by the diligence of his Captains that he had left in his Kingdom they vvere subdued and forty of the chief of them being terrified by the punishment of those that vvere taken left their Country and fled
called him back so hastily and when he came to Celenderis a Town of Cilicia he began to doubt of his return hearing of and being extream sorrowful for the disgrace of his Mother yet failing forwards he came to Sebaste a Port of Caesarea where being saluted by none he went to Jerusalem It happened that Quintilius Varus was the same time at Jerusalem being sent as Successor to Saturninus into Syria and then called thither by Herod to assist him with his Counsel in those his weighty affairs As they were sitting both together in comes Antipater not knowing any thing and in his purple Garment that he used to wear entring the Palace but himself being entred the Guards suffered none of his followers to come in with him As he was coming near his Father thrust him from him reproaching him with the murther of his Brethren and his intention of poysoning his Father telling him that the next day Varus should hear and determine all things betwixt them and accordingly the next day Varus and the King sitting in Judgment his Father himself first began the accusation and left the prosecution and confirmation thereof to his old Friend Nicholas Damascene one that knew all the business and when Antipater could not clear himself from the crimes objected against him Varus commanded the poyson that he had prepared for his Father to be brought forth which being given to a condemned main killed him immediately after which Varus rose from the Council and the next day went to Antiochia but Herod cast his Son into Prison and signified so much by Letters to Caesar sending also messengers who by word of mouth might acquaint him with the cursed Treason of Antipater As these Messengers were posting to Rome Herod fell sick and made his will leaving his Kingdom to his youngest Son Herod Antipas being exasperated against his two elder Sons Archelaus and Philip by the false accusations of Antipater Judas the Son of Sariphaeus and Matthias the Son of Margalothus two of the most Learned of the Jews and best Interpreters of the Law knowing that the Kings sickness was incurable perswaded some young men that were their Scholars to throw down the Golden Eagle that was set up by Herod over the great gate of the Temple who accordingly going up at noon day pulled and hewed down with their axes the Eagle a great multitude being in the Temple and beholding it which as soon as it was told the Captain he came with a strong Band of Souldiers and laid hold upon some forty of the young men together with their Masters and brought them to Herod These constantly defending what they had done Herod commanded them to be bound and sent them to Jericho Then calling for the Rulers of the Jews into whose Assembly he was brought in a Litter by reason of his weakness he complained to them not so much of the injury done to himself as to God as he said These denying that it was done by their order somewhat pacified him only he took away the High-Priesthood from Matthias whom he suspected not to be a stranger to that fact and made his Successor Jazer the Brother of his Wife Mariamne the Daughter of Simon the High Priest but he burned alive the other Matthias that was the author of this sedition and his companions Herods disease began now to grow worse for he was burned with a slow fire which was not perceived so much by the outward touch as by the inward effects of it which burnt up his very Bowels He had also the disease called the Bulemia or Dog-like appetite which provoked him to a continual desire of eating and yet nothing would satisfie him He was also continually tormented with ulcers in his Bowels and pains of the Cholick His feet swelled with a moist phlegm and his thighs also His members rotted and were full of worms which occasioned an intolerable stink He was no less troubled with a Priapisme and moreover was vexed with grievous convulsions and difficulty of breathing And though he was so grievously tormented that every one judged that he could not be able to endure it long yet he hoped that he should break through it being very careful to send for the ablest Physicians and sought medicines from every place He went also beyond Jordan to the Hot Baths at Callirhoe which run into the Asphaltite Lake which beside the medicinal virtue are pleasant and good to be drunk There being by the advice of his Physicians set into a Bathing tub of oyl he seemed to them to be giving up the Ghost yet by the sudden crying out and lamentations of his Friends he came to himself again and now seeing no hope of recovery he commanded fifty Drachmaes to be given to every Souldier and having shewed much liberality to his Captains and Friends he returned again to Iericho Augustus being told that amongst the Children which Herod had caused to be slain at Bethlehem there was a Son also of his own slain He said That it was better to be Herods Hog than his Son Herod an Edict called together to Iericho all the most Noble of the Iews and when they came he shut them all up together in a place called the Hippodrome giving command to his Sister Salome and her Husband Alexus that as soon as He was dead they should cause his Souldiers to slay them all that so the people might have cause of sorrow who otherwise he feared would rejoyce at his death At this time Letters came from Rome from the Ambassadours whom He had sent to Caesar wherein they certified him that the Emperour left Antipater to his Fathers pleasure either to banish or to put him to death Herod hearing this was a little cheared but presently his torments returning and being greedy of meat He called for an apple and a knife to pare it intending with the knife to have stabbed himself which also he attempted but Archelaus his Nephew prevented him and holding his right Hand called for help This accident caused much sorrow fear and tumult through the whole Palace as if Herod had been dead Antipater perceiving the noise thought verily that his Father was dead and thereupon began to tamper with his Keeper about letting him out promising him great Rewards both for the present and for the future when it would lye in his power amply to reward him This his practice the Keeper told to the King who for indignation cryed and though he was so near death yet did he raise up himself on his Bed and commanded one of his Guard to go presently and kill Antipater and to bury him in the Castle of Hyrcanion without any honour which was done accordingly Then did He make a new Testament for Antipas whom before he had made Successor to his Kingdom he made Tetrarch of Galilee and Petrea To his Son Philip he assigned the Regions of Gaulanitis Trachonitis Batanaea and Pancada the name of a
them but went presently and charged his Infantry and especially where they had no guard of Horsemen by which means they might be the easiler compassed about Thus they being charged by these in the Flank and in the Van also by the tenth Legion finding themselves contrary to their expectation compassed about by their Enemies whereas they thought to have environed them they could no longer make resistance but were put to the rout also When Pompey saw the dust flying up in the air and thereby conjectured the flight of his Horsemen he was like a man amazed and at his wits end forgetting that he was Pompey the Great and so retiring into his Camp he fat silent for a good while till such time as his Enemies entered pell mell into it together with his men that fled and then he said no more but What! Into our Camp And so rising up he put on a Gown fit for his sad condition and secretly stole out of the Camp His other Legions also fled and Caesars men made a huge slaughter of the Tent keepers and of their Servants that guarded the Camp there were slain about six thousand But at the taking of the Camp Caesars Souldiers plainly saw the madness and folly of Pompeys men For their Pavillions and Tents were full of Nosegays and Garlands of Mirtle and their Couches covered with Flowers their Tables full of Bowls of Wine as men prepared to sacrifice for joy rather than to arm themselves to fight When Pompey was gone a little way from his Camp he forsook his Horse having very few with him and perceiving that none pursued him he walked fair and softly on Foot having his head full of thoughts For he for thirty four years together used always to be Victorious and therefore now it was strange to him to flie He now law how in one hours space he had lost all that Glory and Riches which he had purchased by so many great Victories He that not long before was followed and obeyed by so many thousand men of War by so many Nations and Horsemen by such a great Fleet upon the Sea was now faln into a low and poor estate with so small a train that his very Enemies who sought him knew him not When he had thus passed the City of Larissa he came into the Valley of Tempe where being a thirst he fell down on his belly and drank of the River then rising up he went and came to the Sea side and lay all Night in a Fishers Cottage The next Morning by break a day he went into a little Boat upon the River having some Freemen with him and as for his Slaves he dismissed them and bad them go boldly unto Caesar and not to be afraid Thus rowing up and down the shore side in this little Boat he espied a great Ship in the Sea lying at Anchor which was ready to sail away The Master of the Ship was one Peticius a Roman who though he was not acquainted with Pompey yet he knew him well by sight Some of the Marriners told Peticius that they saw a little Boat coming towards them wherein were some men that held up their hands and made signs to them Peticius looking knew Pompey and commanded his Marriners to let down the Boat wherewith giving Pompey his hand he received him into the Ship and those that were with him and then hoised Sail. With Pompey their were both the Lentuli and Faonius Presently after they espied King Dejotarus coming in a Boat towards them and making signs to be taken in which accordingly they did At Supper time the Master made ready such meat as he had aboard And Faonius seeing Pompey for want of attendants washing himself he ran to him and anointed him and ever after waited upon him doing such Offices as Servants do to their Masters washing his Feet and preparing his food for him Pompey then passing by the City of Amphipolis sailed to the Isle of Lesbos to fetch his Wife Cornelia and his Son who were at Mitilene and having there cast Anchor in the Rode he sent a Servant into the City to his Wife whose Message did not answer her expectation For she had still been put in hope by Letters of her Husbands good success and that the War was well ended The Messenger finding her thus confident thought not fit to salute her but rather by his Tears discovered the great misfortune of Pompey and at last told her that she must dispatch quickly if she would see her Husband with one Ship only and that not his own but borrowed The young Lady hearing this fell down in a swound before him but after she was come to her self remembring that it was now no time to weep and lament she went speedily through the City to the Sea side There Pompey meeting her took her in his Arms and embraced her But she finking under him fell down and at last said Out alas Wo worth my hard Fortune not thine good Husband who now see thee with one poor Ship who before thou marriedst me the Unfortunate Cornelia was wont to sail in these Seas attended with five hundred Alas Why art thou come to see me and didst not rather leave me to my accursed destiny seeing my self am the cause of this thy evil Alas How happy had I been if I had died before I heard of the death of my first Husband Publius Crassus slain in the Parthian War And how wise had I been if according to my determination I then had slain my self whereas I yet live to bring this misfortune upon Pompey the Great To this Pompey answered Peradventure my Cornelia thou hast known a better fortune which hath also deceived thee because she hath continued longer with me than her manner is But since we are born men we must patiently bear these troubles and once more try what she will do For it is not impossible for us again to change this adversity for prosperity no more than it was to fall from our late prosperity into this Calamity When Cornelia heard him say so she sent into the City for her houshould stuff and Family The Metilenians also came to salute Pompey praying him to come and refresh himself in their City But Pompey refused and advised them to obey the Conquerour for said he Caesar is of a just and curteous Nature Then Pompey turning to Cratippus the Philosopher who came amongst the Citizens to visit him made his complaint to him and reasoned a little with him about Divine Providence Then taking his Wife and Friends he hoised sail and departed staying no where but to take in fresh provision and water The first City that he touched at was Atalia in the Country of Pamphilia Thither came to him some Gallies out of Cilicia and many of his Friends and Souldiers insomuch as he had now sixty Senators in his Company Then understanding that his Army by Sea was yet whole and that Cato
besiege him in the City of Mutina now Modena which being known in Rome Cicero his authority and credit in the Senate was such that Mark Anthony was declared an Enemy to the State and the new Consuls Hircius and Pansa were sent against him and with them was Octavian sent with Ensigns of a Consul and Title of a Pro-praetor having been first admitted into the Senate though so young which was done by the procurement of Cicero though he afterwards requited him ill for it Octavian with the Consuls drew neer to Mark Anthony Cicero remaining to command in chief in all matters at Rome and between the two Armies there passed many skirmishes and encounters and at last they came to Battel wherein the Consuls and Caesar had the Victory but Hircius was slain in the Battel and Pansa was so wounded that he died within few days after and both the Armies of the slain Consuls obeyed Caesar. By this means D. Brutus was freed from his siege and Anthony was forced to forsake Italy by a dishonourable flight leaving his baggage behind him In this service Octavian made marvellous proof of himself being but twenty years old performing the Office not only of a good Captain but also of a stout Souldier For seeing the Standard-bearer sore wounded and ready to fall Octavian took from him the Eagle and bare it a great while till he had lodged it in safety Mark Anthony after the Battel gathering the remainders of his Army passed tho Alps and went into France solliciting the Friendship of Lepidus who was there with an Army ever since the Death of Julius Caesar whom after some treaties he made his Friend and Octavian after the Victory obtained presently sent to the Senate to require a Triumph for his Victory as also the Consulship for the remainder of the year in the roome of the dead Consuls with their succession in their charge and command of the Army But the answer of the Senate was not according to his desire For the Friends and Kinsmen of those that had murthered Caesar began to fear him and to suspect his power wherefore they prevailed to delay that which he required and in the end they resolved to assign the Army to Decius Brutus and temporizing with Octavian they granted him a Triumph but denied him the Consulship whereat he was much discontented and therefore secretly treated of friendship with Mark Anthony and having drawn to himself the affection of the Army he therewith marched towards Rome and approaching near to the City in dispite of the Senate he caused himself to be chosen Consul being not fully twenty years old Then did he cause accusations to be exhibited against Brutus and Cassius and the rest of the Conspirators and in their absence having none that durst defend their cause they were condemned After this was done he left the City and with his Army marched toward Anthony and Lepidus who were already entred into Italy Decius Brutus hearing of the Treaties and League that was made between Octavian Lepidus and Mark Anthony not daring to stay in that Country departed with his Army which soon forsook him some going to Caesar others to Mark Anthony whereupon he fled but being at last taken he was brought to Mark Anthony who caused his Head to be cut off The Armies of these Captains drawing near together to whom Affinius Pollio and Planeus with their Legions were joyned these three Octavian Caesar Mark Anthony and Lepidus meeting after three days debate they concluded their accursed Peace and these fire-brands of sedition entered into a Tiumvirate with several intents and designs Lepidus was covetous and sought riches by troubling the State Anthony was by nature an enemy to Peace and to the Commonwealth desiring an opportunity to be revenged of those who had declared him an Enemy to the State And Octavian sought revenge upon Brutus and Cassius and those who had slain his adopted Father And to bring these things to pass Octavian put away his Wife who was Daughter to Servilius and contracted himself to Claudia Daughter in Law to Anthony by his Wife Fulvia who was now a child and from whom he was afterward divorced by reason of the discord that arose between Anthony and him In this League which they made besides dividing the Provinces amongst themselves they agreed to Proscribe and kill each of them his Enemies and the one delivered them into the others hands having more respect to be revenged upon an Enemy than to save a Friend and so there was made the most cruel and inhumane Proscription and Butchery that ever was before heard of giving and exchanging Friends and Kinsmen for Enemies For Mark Anthony gave up his Fathers Brother and Lepidus his own Brother Lucius Paulus and Octavian M. T. Cicero whom he called Father and who had intreated and honoured him as a Son And besides these they Proscribed and condemned to die three hundred other Principal men of Rome amongst whom were about one hundred and fourty Senators besides two thousand Romans of the order of Knighthood This agreement being made they all three went to Rome where they took upon them the Government of the Commonwealth by the name of Triumvirat the time being limited to five years though they never meant to leave the same And presently after those who were condemned and Proscribed were by their commandment put to death being sought out in all parts and places their Houses were ransacked and their goods confiscated Cicero understanding that his name was in the Catalogue amongst the Proscripts only because he had been a lover of Roman Liberty he fled to the Sea where he embarked himself but so hard was his hap that by contrary winds he was driven back to the shore whereupon returning to some possessions of his near Capua not far from the Sea as he lay sleeping there he was awakened by some Crowes which with their bills pluckt his cloaths from his back His servants being moved with this ill presage put him into his Litter and again carried him towards the Sea but being overtaken by the murtherers he put his neck but of his Litter and they cut off his Head and his right hand wherewith he had written his Orations against Mark Anthony called Philippicks And thus was he slain by one whom he had defended and delivered from death Anthony joyfully received his â—and and caused it to be nailed up in the place where he was wont to plead to which all the People repaired to behold so woful and miserable a spectacle of whom there was not any one but was heartily sorry for the Death of so great a Personage and so fervent a lover of his Country Salvius Otho a Tribune of the People invited his Friends to his last Supper and as they were sitting in came a Centurion and in the presence of them all strake off his Head Minutius the Praetor was slain sitting in his seat of Judgment
L. Villius Annalis who had been Consul flying from the murtherers hid himself in the Suburbs in a little House of one of his clients but his own Son betrayed him to the murtherers who slew him there but shortly after this Particle being drunken quarrelling with the same Souldiers was slain by them C. Terentius also being betrayed by his own Son was slain who in a few days having consumed his Patrimony was condemned for Theft and banished into a place where he died miserably Quintus Cicero was hid by his Son whom they could never make to confess by any torments where his Father was but the old man not being able any longer to endure that they should torment so vertuous a Son came and presented himself to the Murtherers whereupon the Son entreated them to kill him first but they killed them both together The Egnaces the Father and Son embracing one the other were both run through and slain C. Hosidius Geta was put into a grave by his Son as dead who sustained and kept him till the danger was over Aruntius after he had comforted his Son delivered up himself to the murtherers but his Son for grief famished himself Some other Children carefully hid and preserved their Parents Tanusia was such an importunate suitor to Caesar for her Husband T. Junius that she preserved his life He was in the interim hidden by Philopoemen his bondmen enfranchised whom Caesar afterwards Knighted for his fidelity to his Master Q. Ligurius having been concealed by his Wife was discovered by a slave and killed whereupon his Wife pined her self to death Lucretius Vespilio having passed many dangers whilst he sought to hide himself here and there at last came to his Wife Shuria who hid him between the Cieling and the top of the House till she had begged his Life of the Triumvirs Apuleius was saved by his Wife who fled away with him Antius his Wife wrapped him up in Coverlets and caused him to be carried to the Sea side as a pack of Stuff where he embarked and sailed into Sicily Coponius was saved by his Wife who lent her Body to Anthony for one night to save him whom she preferred before her honour But the Wife of Septimius having shamefully given her Body to one of Anthonies Familiars caused her Husband to be put into the number of the Poscripts that she might the more freely continue her Adulteries and her Husband was slain by her means Q. Vettius Salussus was hidden in a very secret place but acquainting his Wife with it she betrayed him to the Murtherers Fulvius was discovered by one of his slaves and his Concubine though he had made her free and given her goods wherewithall to maintain her self P. Naso was betrayed by his slave enfranchised with whom he had been too familiar but he revenged himself upon his slave whom he killed and then held forth his neek to the cut throats L. Lucceius had put into the hands of two of his Freed men as much as would have relieved him in his Banishment but they ran away with all whereupon he delivered himself to the Murtherers Haterius who had hid himself in a very secret place was sold and betrayed by his slave and killed Cassius Varus who was betrayed by a slave made free had his Head struck off Caius Plotius was hidden by his slaves but being given to Perfumes the scent thereof discovered him yet when the Souldiers could not find him they cruelly tormented his Servants to make them confess where he was which yet they would not do But the Master pittying his faithful Servants came out of his secret place and delivered himself to the murtherers Appius Claudius changed his Gown with his slave who in that habit presented himself to the murtherers and was slain by them instead of his Master Another slave of Menius did the like for he went into his Masters Litter and offered his neck to the murtherers who cut off his Head and so his Master escaped into Sicily The slave of Urbinus Panopio hearing that the murtherers were coming to his Masters house took off his Gown and his Ring and gave him his own apparel and put him out at a back door then he went up and lay upon his Masters Bed where he boldly attended them that killed him for Panopio The slave of Antius Restio though his Master had soundly beaten him a few dayes before for some knavish tricks yet to save his Master meeting an old man by the way he struck off his Head and shewing that with his whippings to the murtherers he made them believe that thus he had revenged himself of his Master with whom he shortly after fled into Sicily The slaves of Martius Censorinus kept their Master secretly till he had opportunity to escape into Sicily to Sextus Pompeius Q. Oppius an honourable old man being very near taking was rescued by his Son who conveying him out of Rome carried him upon his shoulders and sent him into Sicily vvhere all the poor distressed Romans were courteously entertained by S. Pompeius who sent forth Ships and Galleys to lye upon the Coast of Italy ready to receive all them that fled to him doubly rewarding those that saved any that was proscribed He gave also honourable Offices to all that had been Consuls and comforting the rest with singular courtesie Many others fled into Macedonia to Brutus and Cassius others into Africk to Cornisicius Statius Samnis an honourable Senator being about eighty years old that those Thieves might have no part of his Goods he gave them for a prey to whomsoever would take them then setting his House on fire he burnt himself in it Aponius having been long concealed by his slave grew weary of that confinement came out into the Market-place and yielded his neck to the murtherers Cestius being in the like condition caused his slaves to make a great fire threw himself into it and died Sulpitus Rufus who had been Consul was murthered because he would not sell an Isle of his to Fulvia also Ampius Balbus was slain because he would not give her a pleasant place of his M. Anthony put into the number of Proscripts a Senator called Nonius Struma onely to get from him an Emerald esteemed worth fifty thousand Crowns but Nonius found a means to escape with his Emerald to the great grief of Anthony Some valiantly defended themselves as Atteius Capito who killed many Souldiers who came rudely running upon him but being at last oppressed with multitudes he was slain Vetulinus assisted by his Son valiantly repulsed the murtherers but at last was slain Sicilias Coranas hoping to escape put himself amongst the Mourners that followed a dead Corps but being discovered was slain The Triumviri caused the Goods of the Proscripts to be sold by the Drum at such prizes as the Souldiers pleased yet most part of them was spoiled and given away They promised also to Widows their Joyntures and to
incensed agaâ—â—st him Herod falls out with his Sons and imprisons them Caesar is reconciled to Herod An Angel appears to Zachary Herod procures his Sons to be condemned Herods cruelty Herods Sons strangled Antipaters Treason Of the Pharisees Herod slew some of them Herod sends his Son to Caesar. The Angel appears to Mary Herod banished his Brother John Baptist is born Pheroras dieth Antipaters ' Treason Antipaters Craft Christ is born Joseph flyes into Egypt Herod kills the children Herod ensnarers his Son Antipaters return Antipater accused by his Father Herods sickness The Golden Eagle hewn down Herod puts them to death His sickness encreaseth All means of cure fall him His cruelty He attempts to murther himself Antipater slain Herods Will His Death Hannibal chosen General He besieges and takes many Towns His Valour and Policy His Victory He besieges Saguntum Saguntum taken Roman Ambassadors sent to Carthage The Carthaginians answer War denounced by the Romans Hannibal prepares for Italy He Conquers much of Spain His passage through France He is opposed His Victory in France Some Gauls incourage him He passeth the Alps. The Gauls rise against the Romans They besiege Modena The Romans send an Army into Spain Hannibals losses in his march Hannibal prepares to fight A Battel The Romans beaten The Gauls forsake the Romans Hannibal beats the Consul He wins Clastidium Hannibals Forrages beaten Another Battel The Romans beaten Hannibals Policy Treacheries against him His dangerous march The Romans beaten again The Romans beaten Great fear at Rome A Dictator chosen Fabius his watiness Hannibals Policy Fabius his Wisdom Hannibals Stratagem Hannibals Forragers beaten Minutius made equal with Fabius A Battel The Romans beaten Cannae Castle taken Varro makes hast to fighâ— They prepare to fight The great Battel at Cannae Hannibals Policy The Romans beaten Many Towns intertain Hannibal Capua intertains him The Romans mourn Their Superstition A Dictator chosen Hannibal beaten Acerrae taken by Hannibal Cassiline besieged Mago sent to Carthage Large supplies promised to Hannibal Divers Cities taken The promised supplies come not Gracchus his Prudence The Capuans beaten Cumâ— besieed The Siege raised Hannibal delaies A Battel The Cartbaginians beaten The Romans poverty how supplied Cassiline taken by the Romans Arpi taken by the Romans The Romans beaten Tarentum taken by Hannibal The Carthaginians beaten Capua besieged by the Consuls The Siege raised by Hannibal The Romans beaten Another Victory Capua besieged again Hannibal comes to relieve them Hannibal intends for Rome and leaves it Capuâ— taken The Consuls cruelty The publick wants supplied Salapia yielded to Marcellus The Romans beaten A Battel A Battel The Romans beaten Tarentum taken The Romans beaten Loory besieged The Romans beaten The Consuls slain The Romans beaten Great fear at Rome Asdrubal comes into Italy A Battel Asdrubal slain Hannibal retires into Brusia His Prudence Scipio comes from Spain Is chosen Consul He goes into Sicily Sends into Africk And goes himself Utica besieged The Carthaginians beaten And a second time They sue for Peace They dealt deceltfully Hannibal leaves Italy Comes into Africk An interview of the Generals Hannibals Speech to Scipio replies They prepare to fight A Battel Hannibal beaten He flies to Carthage and perswades them to seek Peace His Civil imployment He is complained of to the Romans He flies from Carthage to Tyre He goes to Antiochus His counsel neglected He flies to Prusias Who betrays him His last Speech He Poysons himself His Parentage His towardliness His abstinence His courage and prudence He is accuised And cleered His marriage Cinna slain Carbo succeeds And Sylla Pompey raised an Army He goes towards Sylla His danger by the way His Victories He meets Sylla Sylla honours him His Modesty His acts in Gaul His second marriage Tyrannical proceedings He is sent into Sicily And conquerâ— it His cruelty His Prudence He passes into Africk His great Victories there He is commanded to disband his Army His Souldiers love to him His return into Italy Sylla honours him His first Triumph Sylla enviâ—â— him The People love him Sylla's Death Pompeys Wars with Lepidus He goes into Spain His Wars there His Victory His Prudence His return into Italy His Victory over the Fencers His favour with the People His Humility His Pride The power of the Pirats Pompey sent against them His large Commssion His Policy His Victories over the Pirats He comes privately to Rome His return to his Navy His Clemency and Wisdom His Envy His Commission much enlarged His Dissimulation His Pride He crosses Lucullus His Wars with Methridates He buildâ— a City Methridates flight Base flattery His War with the Albanians And Illyrians His Valour Serpents drive him back His Chastity His self-denyal His Ambition His Charity His acts in Syria and Judaea Pompey's acts in Judaea He comes to Jericho He marches to Jerusalem The Temple besieged The Temple taken The Jews slain Note the time when the Temple was taken Hyrcanus made Prince and Priest Methridates Death His Policy His Liberality He returns in to Italy He divorceth his Wife He disbandâ— his Army The People honour him He seeks to win Catio His second Triumph Cicero leaves Rome Caesars Policy He flatters the People Pompey marries Caesars Daughter He dotes on his young Wife Pompey disgraced Cicero recalled Pompey sent for Corn. Note Caesar comes privately to Rome He bribes the Officers Pompey chosen Consul Provinces divided Pompey's Theater dedicated Julia dieth Pompcy and Caesar quarrel Pompey made Consul He marries Cornelia His justice And injustice He sends to Caesar for his two Legions His sickness and recovery The People honour him Pompey's Pride Note The miseries of War Pompey made General against Caesar. The fruits of division Wars between Pompey and Caesar Caesar passes Rubicon Pompey reproached The confusion in Italy Pompey leaves Rome Caesar enters Rome Pompey at Brundusium He leaves Italy Caesar pursues him Pompey's Power by Sea His industry and activity Many came to him Caesars curtesie and mildness Caesar wants Victuals Caesar beaten Imprudence Folly Caesars great Victories Prodigieâ— The Battel of Pharsalia Valour Pompey beaten He flies Vanity of all earthly enjoyments Humillity Pompey goes to his Wife Their Speeches each to other He reasons about Providence Pompey flies into Egypt He sâ—â—ds to King Ptolomy A Councel about Pompey Base treachery and ingratitude Pompey takes his leave of his Wife and Son Pompey is slain The Murtherers justly punished His Burial Caesars Parentage His danger by Sylla His flight He is taken by Pirates His boldness He is delivered He crucifies the Pirates His return to Rome He grows popular And is feared His preferment His ambition He is made High Priest His Moderation He puts away his Wife His ambition His Victories in Spain His Prudence His Subtilty He is chosen Consul He Marries his Daughter to Pompey He is sent into Gaul He betrays Cicero His Valour and great successes His Souldiers Valour His Temperance His activity He overcomes the Swissers And the Germans And