for the greatnes of the actes done in those daies and for the excellencie of the writers haue much maiestye and many ensamples of vertue I therfore hauyng alwayes desired that we englishmeÌ„ might be founde as forwarde in that behalfe as other nations which haue brought all worthie histories into their naturall language did a fewe yeares paste attempte the translacion of Quintus Curtius and lately vpon an occasion performed accomplished the same Whych auctour treating of thactes of the great AlexaÌ„der being figured in the Prophetes Ieremie Danyel mencioned in the first boke of the Machabies seme to haue bene borne and brought forth into the world not with out a mooste speciall prouidence and predestinacion of god who prospered so his procedinges that as Iustine writeth he neuer encountred with eny enemyes whoÌ„ he ouercame not he beseiged no citye that he wanne not nor assailed nation that he subdued not Thys so worthie a matter I thoughte good to dedicate vnto youre grace folowyng their ensample that haue traueyled in the like studye whiche are wonte to declare their good willes by bestowing of their labours Therunto I was also moued that rather by considering the qualities of your grace which seme to haue certeine affinitie and resemblaunce wyth such as were the very vertues in Alexander For Arianus writeth of hym that he was of a semelie stature bolde in his enterprises stowte of stomack moderate in pleasures wise in couÌ„sayle and prouident to forsee thynges That he was excellent in conductyng of an armye moste pollitique in orderyng hys battailes that he could encourage his souldiers wyth apt wordes and when neade requyred take part of their peril What partes of this be in your grace let them iudge that haue knowen your actes in the warres and your excellent seruice done both in the time of the kinges maiestie that nowe is and also in his fathers dayes of most famous memorye Although in doing hereof I haue not parauenture satisfied al mens expectacyoÌ„s yet my trust is that your grace will accept the same in good part and consider that in a translacion a man can not alwayes vse is owne vaine but shal be coÌ„pelled to tread in the aucthores steppis Whyche is harder and a more difficulte thynge to do then to walke his owne pace ¶ The firste boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of the greete Alexander Kyng of Macedonie PHilip of Macedonie whiche by subduynge of Grece Amyntas king of Macedon dyd first bryng his countrey in reputation was the sonne of Amintas a man endued with wisdome hardines all other vertues of a noble capitaine Thesame Amintas had by Euridice his wife thre sonnes Alexander Perdicas and Philip who was the father of great AlexaÌ„der with a doughter also called Euriones Euridice The Quene Euridice being in amoures with one that had maried her doughter conspired the death of the Kyng her husband to thintent to haue maried with her sonne in lawe and to make him king whiche thing she had brought to effect had not the treason and whordom of the mother ben opened by the doughter in tyme. Alexâ— the 〈…〉 Aâ— After the death of Amyntas Alexander the eldest sonne enioyed his fathers kyngdome whiche in the beginning of his raigne was so assailed on all sides that he was driuen of force to purchase peace of Thillyrians with money by geuing his brother Philip in hostage And afterwardes by thesame pledge made a like peace with the Thebans whiche was thoccasioÌ„ that Philip dyd atteine to suche excellency of knowledge and wisdome for by reason that he was committed to the custodie of Epimanundas Epymanundas beyng both a valiant capteyn and an excellent philosopher he was brought vp in the trade of honest disciplines and Princely maners wherin he greatly proffited vnder a philosopher of Pythagoras schole whom Epymanundas keapt in his house for thenstruccion of his sonne In the meane season Alexander was slaine by the meanes of Euridice his mother whose former treason kyng Amyntas her husband had pardoned in respecte of the chyldren had betwene them little thinkyng that she would afterwardes haue bene their distruccion For when Alexander was dead she caused in like maner her other sonne Perdicas to be slayne Perdicas whiche Perdicas lefte behinde hym one sonne being a young babe About thesame tyme Philip the yongest brother being by good happe escaped out of prison retorned into Macedon Philip and not taking vpon hym the name of Kyng remayned a great while no otherwise but as Gouernour or tutor to his yoÌ„g neuewe Neuertheles afterwardes by occasion of sundry myschefes growing in the state thesame being suche as might not well hang till the yong kyng should come to his age for that he apered to be a man of singuler actiuitie and of no lesse skylle in feates of warre than in knowledge of philosophie was compelled by the people to take vpon hym the kingdomÌ„ of Macedon whiche as than stode in hard plight and great daunger of ruyne This was done .400 yeare â—fter the building of Rome and the .105 Olympiade In the beginning of his raigne he was combred with â—â—finite troubles for all the contries nere about as it were by a generall conspiracie moued warre against him and at one tyme sondrie nacions swarmyd together out of sondrie partes to ouerronne his kyngdom Wherfore considering that it stode hym vpon to worke warely being not able to mache them all at ones pacyfied some with fayre promyses other with money â–ª and the weakest he withstode with force whereby he bothe made his enemies afrayed and confirmed the hertes of his people whiche he found discouraged and in great doubte These thinges he wrought with great sleight and fynenes of wytte in suche sorte that he mynysshed not any parte of his honour estate or reputacion determinyng neuerthelesse as tyme should serue to deale with euery one aparte Philips first warre was with the Atheniene His first warre was with the Atheniens whome he ouercame by sleyght and policie And where it laye in his power to haue put them all to the sworde he let them all at libertie without raunsome By whiche poinct of elemencie though it was but conterfaite for it was done for feare of a greater warre at hand yet it gat hym great good will and estimacion vniuersally After that he subdued the Peons Peons· Illyrians and from thence turned his power against the Illyrians of whome he slewe many thousandes and wanne the noble Cytie of Larissa That done he moued warre against the Tessalians Tessalians not for any desire of their goodes or spoyle of their Countrey but of a policie to adde to his strength the force of their horsmen whiche at those dayes were counted the chiefe of the worlde whiche his purpose he brought to passe for beyng sodeinly assailed they were sone brought to subieccion So Philip ioyned the force of their horsemen vnto his footemen whereby he
Parmenio deliuered hym the letters that the Capitayne of Damasco had sent to Alexander and besydes the letters added of hym selfe that he doubted not but all Darius ryches and his treasure should be delyuered to hym at his arriuall Parmenio gaue the charge to certayne of his men for his sure keapyng and then opened the letters wherin it was coÌ„teined that AlexaÌ„der in all haste should sende one of his Capitaines thether with a small power Whiche thyng knoweÌ„ he sent Mardus backe agayne to Damasco with certayne to accompany him but he escaped out of their handes came to Damasco before day light That thiÌ„g troubled greatly Parmenio doubting that they had layde some embushement for him therefore durst not go an vnknowen way without a guide yet notwithstaÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the confidence he had in the felicitie of his prince toke pesantes of the couÌ„trey to coÌ„duite him the way which the fourth day brought him to the Cytie of Damasco The captain doubting that credeÌ„ce should not haue bene geuen to his letter pretended to mistruste the strength of the towne and made countenaunce as though he would fle away And by spryng of the daye he caused Darius treasure whiche the Percians call Gaza with the rest of all his precious thinges to be brought forth of the towne of purpose to betray thesame into the Macedons handes Then there were many thousandes of men and women that folowed a piteous syght to all that sawe them sauyng to hym to whose fidelitie they were committed For he to wynne hymself thancke purposed to deliuer to his enemies a praye more precious then all the rest which were those of the nobilitie he had in keping With the wiues and childreÌ„ of great men that bare rule vnder Darius and besides the Embassadours of the Cities of Grece whome Darius had left in the Traitours handes as in a fortresse as he thought of moste suertie The Percians call those Gangabe that cary burthens vpon their shoulders who hauing the cariage of thinges of moste valoure when they could not endure the colde for the frost and snowe that sodainly fell they put vpon them the robes of cloth of gold and purple which they caried wrapt vp together with the money there being no man to let theÌ„ for the aduersitie of Darius caused that base sorte of men to vse a licencious libertie Those kynde of men seamed to Parmenio at the first sight to be no smal army and therfore regarded not the matter litle but gaue exhortacioÌ„ to those that were with him as though they should haue fought a sore battaill and willed them to put their spurres to their horse and geue the charge Whiche thynge perceiued by them that bare the burdeyns fled awaye for feare and so dyd the men of warre that were with them by such wayes as they best â—newe The Capitayne of Damasco counterfeityng suche feare as other feared in dede was the cause of all this confusion The ryches of Darius was left alone and lay sparkled abrode ouer all the fieldes with the money that was prepared for the wages of so infynite a nombre of Souldiers and also thapparell of so many great men and noble women vessell of golde golding furnimentes for horses pauilions adorned with regall magnificens and wagons full of infinite ryches A thing euen sorowfull to behold to the spoiles if any thing could stay the couetousenes of men Was it not a pytefull thynge to behold the ryches that had bene gathered together in so great nombre of yeares whiles the state of the Percians stode in that incredyble heigthe of fortune one parte to be torne with busshes and an other drowned in the myer it beyng so great besides that the handes of the spoâ—lers could not suffise for the spoile When the horsemeÌ„ had ouertaken them that fled first they found diuers womeÌ„ harying of the smale chyldren amonges whome there where foure Virgins the doughters of Occhus that reigned next before Darius Occhus kyng before Darius Thei before that time had suffred chaunge of fortune when the state was altered from their fathers line But this aduarsitie was much more greuous vnto them There was in thys flocke the wife of Occhus the daughter of Oxatrix that was Darius brother and the wife of Artabasus which was of the head house of Percia And also hys sonne called Ilionesus The wyfe and the sonne of Farnabazus were also taken to whom Darius had commytted the charge of al the sea costes With theÌ„ the thre doughters of Mentor and the wyfe and the Sonne of the noble captain Memnon there was scarsely any house of the nobilitie of Percia that was fre of that euel adueÌ„ture There were bothe Lacedemonians and Athenians that contrary to the league betwene Alexander and them toke Darius parte Amonges the Athenians Aristogiton Dropides and Leuertes were of moste notable fame and linage And of the Lacedemonians the chefest were Perisippus and Onomastorides with Omanys and Callicratides The soÌ„me of the coined money there taken was two thousand .lx. The â—omme of the treasure taken at Damasco talentes of massy siluer .v. hundred talentes Besides .xxx. thousand men and .vii. thousand beastes that caried burdeins on their backes But the goddes did persecute with due punishement the betraier of such a treasure For one whom he had made priuie to the matter pitieng therin the state of hys prince dyd sle the traitour and brought his head to Darius a comfort not vnapte for the tyme to the betrayed kyng for therby he was both reuenged of his ennemy and perceiued that the memorie due vnto hys estate was not growen â—ut of al mens hartes ¶ The fourth boke of Quintus Curtius of the actes of the great Alexander Kyng of Macedonie DArius whiche alittle before was Lorde of so great an army and that came vnto the field caried alofte vpon his chariot more like to triuÌ„phe then to fight fled by the places then waste and deserte whiche he before had filled with his infinite nombres of men of warre There were but fewe that folowed hym for neither they fled all one way nor suche as folowed could kepe pace with him that so ofteÌ„ chaunged horses Vnchas At length he came to Vnchas where he was receiued of .iiii. or .v. thousand Grekes whiche conducted him to the Ryuer of Euphrates thinkyng that onely to be his in the whiche he could preuent Alexander by his haste makyng Parmenio was apoincted gouernour of Siria and to be the keper of the treasure and prisoners whiche he toke at Damasco The Sirians could not at the first beare their newe gouernement because they had not yet felt the scourge of the warres but as they reuolted they were straightway subdued perfourming all that they were apoincted to do Strato king of Arade The I le of Arade was yeldeÌ„ to AlexaÌ„der wherof Strato was kyng that had in subiection all the sea coaste with diuerse of the Inland countreis whiche being subdued by the Macedons
longe space And afterwards the teares yet distilling down his chekes vncouered his face and holding vp his handes to heauen said O you goddes that I do worship I require you cheflie to stablishe this kyngdome vnto my selfe Darius peticion But if ye haue determyned my ruyn and decaye then my request is that none maye reigne as kynge in my domynion but euen he that is so iust an ennemy and so mercifull a victorer And therefore though he had twise before required peace at Alexander his handes preuailed not but had conuerted al his mind towardes the warres yet he was then so ouercome with the continencye of his ennemy that he sent ten of the chiefest of his blod as Embassedors to treate wyth hym vpon condicons of peace Alexander calling a counsel gaue them presence to whom the eldest spake in this wise That Darius hath nowe the third tyme demaunded peace of you no powre hath coÌ„pelled hym The words of Darius Embasseadores but your iustice coÌ„tinency hath moued him He shuld not perceiue that ether his mother wife or childreÌ„ were prysoners sauing for want of their coÌ„pany you take care of their chastities which remaine on liue yea euen as you were their father you giue to theÌ„ the hoÌ„or aê‘taining suffer theÌ„ to coÌ„tinewe in their former estate I se the dolorousnes in your face that I saw in darius wheÌ„ I ê‘ted froÌ„ hiÌ„ yet he doth mornÌ„ for his wif you for your enemy And if the care of her buriall had not bene you had nowe stand in battell in redynes to fyght Is it anye maruell therefore if he require peace of suche one that is so frendly disposed towardes him What shall they nede to contend with armes betwene whom there remaineth no hatred In his former treaties he offred the Riuer of Alys whych boundeth vpon Lydia to be the confynes of your empire but nowe he proffereth you in dowre with his doughter to be deliuered out of haÌ„d al those countreis that lie betwene HellespoÌ„t and Euphrates For the performans of which his promys and for the obseruing of peace Occhus his sonne nowe in your possession shall be the pledge for his parte Hys request is to haue his mother and his two daughters restored vnto him for which thre you shall receyue .xxx thousand Talentes Except I knewe the moderacion that is in you I would not be so bold to say that this is a time when you ought not only to grauÌ„t peace but also to seke for it yourself Loke back and behold what a great thing you leue behind you and force how much it is that you couet before you Ouer great an empire is daungerus And it is harde to hold that you be not able to receiue Do you not se that those shippes which be of exceding greatnes that they cannot well be gouerned Iudge that to be the cause that Darius loste so muche Bicause that ouermuche is the occasion of much losse It is more facil to get many thinges then to keape a fewe How much more easly do our handes catche then holde styll The verie deathe of Darius wyfe nowe doth shewe that you haue not so get at occasion to shewe your coÌ„passion as you had before The Embassadours were remoued vnto an other place and he debated in counsell his opynion It was long before any durst vtter what they thought because they were vncertain howe the kyng was enclined Parmenios opinion concerning the raunsoming of prisoners At leÌ„gth Parmenio spake and said my opinioÌ„ was euer that the prisoners taken at Damaseo should haue bene deliuered to such as wold redeme theÌ„ wherby a great somme of money might haue bene made of them whiche nowe remaining in captiuitie pester the haÌ„des of many a maÌ„ of seruice And nowe I thinke moste necessary of all that you exchaunce for .xxx. talentes of gold this olde womaÌ„ and the two yong damosels which be but impedimeÌ„tes and disturbaunce to you in your iourneis The coÌ„quest he said was better that was gotteÌ„ by treaty rather theÌ„ by force And that there was neuer none before him that was lorde of all the countreis in length breadth lieng betwene Ister and Euphrates he willed him therefore rather to haue respect towardes Macedonia then to loke forewardes towardes Bactria the IndiaÌ„s His wordes liked not the king therfore so sone as Parmenio had made an end of his tale he made this answere And I if I were Parmenio would rather desire money then glory But now seing I am Alexander I am not in any doubte of pouertie haue coÌ„sideracion that I am a king no marchaunt I haue nothing wherof I wil make saie and muche lesse sell my fortune If I were in minde to deliuer the prisoners it were muche better to geue them frely then to ransome theÌ„ for money HereupoÌ„ he called in the Embassadours answered theÌ„ in this sort Alexanders aunswere to the Embassadours Shew you to Dariê° that the geuing of thankes is but waste to a mans enemy and let hym not thinke that I haue had any respect to his frendship in those thinges that I haue done of mine owne clemency liberalitie nor let him not impute the same in any wise towardes himself but to thinclinacioÌ„ of mine owne nature and that I contende not against mens calamities but against the force of mine enemies I vse not to make warres with women prisoners for he must be armed to whome I shall shewe my hatred And though it were so in dede that he meÌ„t good faith in his peace asking yet peraduenture I would aduise me before I would consent But seyng that at some tyme he hath by his letters prouoked my souldiers to betray me and at other tyme stored vp my frendes with money to my destruction I must pursue him to thuttermost not as a righteous enemy but as one that worketh his thinges by treason If I should accept the condicions of peace that you do bring I should acknowledge him to be victorer whiche liberally doth geue me all that is behynd the ryuer of Euphrates not consideryng in what place I speake now vnto you Haue you forgotte that I am passed the ryuer of Euphrates encamped beyond the boundes ye proffer me in dowre driue me from hence that I may knowe the same to be yours wherewith ye would infeoffe mâ— He proffereth me his doughter with no greater liberalitie then he would do to one of his seruauntes Dothe he thinke to do me a pleasure in preferryng me to be his sonne in lawe before Mazeus Go and shewe this to your kyng that both that he hath lost and that he hath yet in possession shall be vnto me rewardes of the warre whiche warre shall discusse the boundes of both our Empires and by the fortune of the battaille we shall fight to morowe appoincted to eche of vs our limittes Let hym knowe that I came not into Asia to receiue but to
and the Macedons for the souereyntye The one partie lacked a capteine and the other rowme to fight in The manifolde aduentures and causes that fel that daie encreased both the hope and feare of both parties fortune as it were of purpose bringing suche valiant men to fight togithers neither of them preuailing vpon other But the streytnes of the place wherin they fought did not suffre them to ioyne with there whole force at ones for more were beholders the fighters and such as stode without daunger encouraged the other with their crie Atlength the LacedemoniaÌ„s began to faint and scarsly able for sweating to sustain their armour began to drawe backe to haue the more libertie to fle from their enemies that preased sore vpon them WheÌ„ they were ones brokeÌ„ and scatered abrode the victor pursued after And passing the place wherupon the Lacedemonians batteyll was first araynged with all haste made a sore pursuyt vpon Agym who seing his men flieng and his enemies approch at haÌ„de wylled his men to set him downe Where stretching out him selfe to fele if the force of his body could aunswere vnto his hart When he found him selfe vnable to stand remaining vpon his knees put on his helmet and couering his body with his target shaked his spere and prouoked his enemies to drawe nere if any were desirous of his spoile but there was not one that preassed nere hym but did cast dartes afarre of which he alwayes toke and threwe at his enemies againe till such tyme as he was thrust into the bare breast with a speare Agiâ— was slayne which pulled out of the wound he fainted and bowing downe himself vpon his target shortly after fel downe dead bloud and lyfe failing both together There were slayne of the LacedemoniaÌ„s .v. M.iii. C.lx. and of the Macedons not passing .iii. C. but there was scarsely any of theÌ„ that escaped vnwouÌ„ded This victory brake the hartes not only of the LacedemoniaÌ„s and of their confederates but also of all other whiche lay in wayte loking for the successe of that warre Antiparer was not ignorant howe the couÌ„tenauÌ„ces of such as did gratefie his victory differed muche from the ententes of their hartes but desirous to finishe the warre that was begonne perceiued it necessary for him to disseÌ„ble suffre hiÌ„self to be deceiued And though he reioysed much in the fortune of the thing yet he feared the enuy that might ensue therof being a greater matter then the estate of a lieutenaunt did beare For AlexaÌ„der was of the nature that he desired that his enemies had wonne the victory shewyng manifestly that he was not contented with Antiparers good successe thinking that what honour soeuer chaunsed to any other man was a derogacion to his owne glory Antipater therefore which knew full wel his stomake durst not vse the victory according to his owne will But assembled a counsel of Grekes to aduise what thei thought expedieÌ„t The LacedemoniaÌ„s made no other request but that they might send Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche vpon their repaire to him and their suite made obtained pardon to all men sauing to suche as were the authores of the rebellion The Megapolitans whose citie did abide the sieg Megapolitane were coÌ„pelled to pay as a fine for ther rebellion .xx. talentes to the Aheians and the catolians This was the ende of the warre Howe Alexander in prosprytie â—ell to vice which being sodeinly begone was ended before that Alexander had ouerthrowne Darius at Arbella Assone as his minde was deliuered of those present cares as one that coulde beare better the warres then quietnes or rest gaue him selfe al to pleasures By the vices wherof ensewing he was ouercome whom no powre of the Percians or any other was able to subdue He was geuen to banquetting out of season to a fonde delight of drinking watching in plaies and amonges flocks of Concubines that drwe him into strauÌ„g manners custumes Which he folowing as thinges better then the vsagies of his countrey offended therby greatly both the eyes the hartes of his owne nacion caused many that loued hym before entierly to hate him then as an enemy For the MacedoÌ„s that were obstinate in keaping their own discipline accustumed not to be curius but so scarse in their diet as might suffise nature WheÌ„ they sawe he went about to bring in amonges them the vices of those nacions whych they had subdued coÌ„spiracies then began to be made againste hym mutyne risse amonges the souldiers euery one complaynning to an other frely vttred ther griefes therby he was prouoked to wrath to suspicion sodeine feare diuers other inconuenience ensuing therupon which shal be declared herafter Alexander being giuen as it hath bene saied before to vnreasonable banquetinge wherin he consumed both daie night When he was satisfied of eating drinking passed ouer the tyme with plaies pastimes And not coÌ„tented with such musiciaÌ„s as he brought out of Greace caused the womeÌ„ that were taken captiue tosing before him such songs as abhored the eares of the Macedons not accustumed to suche thinges Emonges those women Alexander spyed one more sadder then the rest which with a certaine shamfastnes did striue with them that brought hir fourth She was excellent of bewty throughe hir shamfastnes hir bewty was augmentyd Bicause she did caste hir eies towardes the earth couered hir face so much as she might caused him to suspect hir to come of greater nobilitie then that she ought to be shewed furth amoÌ„such banquetting plaies And therfore being demaunded what she was she shewed hir self to be the doughter of the sonne of Occhus that lately reigned in Perce the wief of Histaspis which was Darius kinsmaÌ„ Histaspis and had ben his lieutennant ouer great armies Their yet remaynned in the kinges hart some smalle sparkes of his former vertue For in respect of her estate beinge come of kinges blood the reuerence he bare to such a name as the nese of Occhus commaunded hir not only to be set free but also to be restored to hir goods and hir husband whoÌ„ he willed to be sought out The next daie he apointed EphestioÌ„ to bring al the prisoners vnto the court where enquering of the nobilitie of euery one commaunded them which were descended of noble blood to be seuered from the reste amonges whom they found Oxatres brother to Darius that was no lesse noble of mind then of blood There was made of the laste spoile .xxvi. M. talentes whereof .xii. M. were consumed in rewardes amonges the men of warre the smoe amoÌ„ted to no lesse value that was coÌ„uaied away by them that had the keapinge thereof There was one Oxydates a noble man of Perce that was put in prison by Darius and apointed to suffre death Oxydates whom Alexander delyuered and gaue vnto hym the signorie of Medya and receyued Darius brother amonges the nombre of his frendes reseruing to him all the
to receyue aunswere of the goddes who should be his successour the Oracle was geuen that suche one should not only succede hym but also be Lorde of the worlde whom Buchephalus would suffre to sytte vppon hys back This Bucephalus was a passyng fayre horse Bucephalê° fyerse and full of courage whiche Philip had brought of a Tessalien for thirtene talentes and because of his fiersenes kept hym within a brake of Iron barres yet for all that he remayned so fell wode that none durste come nexe to dresse hym Whereof the kyng was so wery that he would faine haue bene ridde of the horse It fortuned that Alexander came one day with his father vnto the stable What a horse qd he is marred here for lack of good handling with that came more nere and without any great difficulty gat vpon his back vsed both the spurre the rodde to thuttermoste both ruÌ„ning maÌ„naging him vp down whiche the horse abide very well And hauing ridden his fil brought back the horse againe As he alighted the kyng for ioye embrased and kissed hym and with teares in his eyes sayde O sonne seke some other kingdome mete for thy harte for Macedon cannot suffise So that euen then the foreseing father did full well perceiue all his possession farre insufficient for his sonnes harte After this Kyng Philip determined to make warre againste all Greace for the maintenaunce whereof he thought it great auauntage Byzancium if he myght firste wynne Byzancium a famous Citie on the see coaste wherfore committing the charge gouernement of his Realme to his sonne being then .15 yeares olde he laide siege to the Towne whiche made him great resistaunce When he had consumed all his riches and treasure about the siege he was driuen to so narrowe shifte that to furnishe hym selfe of money he became a Pyrat and roued on the sea where he toke .170 shippes all the spoile wherof he departed amonges his souldiers And lette his hole Armye should be detayned about the wynnyng of that towne he sorted out the moste chosen bandes of all his Souldiers and went into Gersonesus where he toke and put to sack manye notable Townes Because his sonne Alexander was then about .18 yeares olde and had shewed euident proufe of his vertue and manhod in all his attemptes His father sent for hym thither to th entent he might in his warres learne and exercise all feates belongyng to a Souldier with hym made a voyage into Scythia vpon no other quarell but to spoyle the Countrey Thus vsing the practise of Merchauntes with the gayne of one warre bare out the charges of an other After he had brought the contrey in subiection The bot oâ— Philip been Sâ—â— oute oâ— Scythiâ— because no riches of gold nor siluer was to be gotten there he caried thens .20 thousand of meÌ„ women and children besides a great multitude of Cattaile with .20 thousand choyse mares to make a race in Macedon In his retourne froÌ„ thence he was encouÌ„tred with the Triballes whiche denied him passage except they myght haue part of his boutie whereuppon debating of the matter from wordes they fell to fyghting Philip was wounded by the Tribals whereat Kynge Philip was so wounded in his thighe that the violence of the stroke ranne through the body of his horse whereof all men iudgyng hym to be slayne the botie was lost therby Assone as he was recouered of his hurte his long dissembled grudge against the Athenians braste out so farre fourth that he made open warre vpon them By reason whereof the Thebanes seing the fyer so nere at hande The Thebans and other Cities conspired against Philip gaue succours to their neighbours fearing leste if the AtheniaÌ„s were ouercome th end of the warres should tourne vpon them Wherefore the Cyties that a little before were mortall ennemies one to another confederated togithers in one leage and sent their Embassadours through all Grece persuading it to be moste mete with a common ayde to withstande a coÌ„mon enemy Some considering the peril to be vniuersall stake to the Athenians And some fearing Philips power encreasyng and the other decayeng toke parte with hym In this warre Alexander was made Capitayne of one of the battailles wherein his noble hert and courage did well apeare specially when it came to the stroke of the fight for there he acquited him self so valiauntly that he semed not inferiour vnto his father nor to any man els but by moste iuste desert got the honour of the victory Albeit he was defrauded thereof by the enuie sleight of his father as he him self complayned afterwardes This battaile was fought at Cherony The battail at Cherony wherin though the Atheniens were the greater nombre yet were they ouercome by the Macedones beyng the fewer but yet experte Souldiers by reason of their long and continuall practise in warres neuerthelesse the Athenians as men not vnmyndful of their former honoure spent their liues valiauÌ„tly That day made an ende of al the Grekes glory aswell of their large rule gouernauÌ„ce as also of their moste auncient fredome and libertie whiche beyng hardly wonne and long tyme kept was thus lost in a moment For these and many other experimentes of the valour and proues in yong Alexander although the kyng his father did alwayes beare hym singuler affection and fauour yet neuertheles by certayn occasions ensuyng it was vnhappely broken For Philip beyng maried to Olimpias mother of Alexander as is sayed before toke to wyfe besides her The dissensioÌ„ betwixt Philip and Alexander Cleopatra one Cleopatra whereupon fell great discorde and vnkindnes betwene the father and the sonne The occasion was geuen by one Attalus vncle of Cleopatra who beyng at the new mariage exhorted the multitude to make prayers to the Goddes to send betwene the Kyng and his nece a laufull heire to succede in the kyngdome of Macedon Whereat Alexander beyng moued Thou naughty villaine qd he doest thou couÌ„te me a bastarde And with that worde flange the Cuppe at his head The Kyng hearyng this rose vp and with his swoord drawen ran at his sonne who by swaruyng with his body auoided the stroke so that it did no harme Wherupon Alexander with many stowte and dispiteful wordes departed from his father and went with his mother into Epirus Epirus Neuertheles sone after by the meane of one Demoratus a Corinthian Demoratus who perswaded the kyng that this discorde was nothyng for his honoure Alexander was sent for agayne and muche labour and greate meanes was made before they could be well reconciled Wherefore to confirme this atonement there was a mariage made betwene Alexander the brother of Olympiades whome Philip by the expulsion of Arisba had made Kynge of Epirus and Cleopatra the newe Quenes doughter The triumphe of that daye was notable accordyng to the state and magnificence of suche two Princes the one bestowing his doughter and the
other marieng a wyfe There were set furth sondry notable playes and deuises plesaunt to beholde And as Kyng Philip betwene the two Alexanders the one his natural sonne and the other his sonne in lawe was passyng through the preasse without any guarde The death of Philip. One Pansanias a young man of the nobilitie of Macedon when no man suspected any suche thing sodainly slewe him starck dead making that day whiche was apoincted to Ioye and triumphe lamentable and dolorous by the death of suche a prince Pansanias This Pansanias being a boie was enforced by Attalus to the vnnatural vse of his body whiche not content to do so himself at an other open banket caused diuers of his familiars to abuse him likewyse Attalus with whiche shame and villany the young man beyng sore greued as reason would coÌ„playned to the kyng whome although the dishonestie of the matter moued muche yet for the loue he bare to Attalus and for the respect of his seruice forbare to vse any reformacion in the matter This Attalus was very nere vnto the kynge and in speciall fauoure by reason he was kynsman vnto the Quene Cleopatra whoÌ„ Philip had laste maried He was also elected generall Capytayne of the Kynges Armye prepared to passe into Asia as one that was bothe valiaunt of hys persone and no lesse politique in the feates of warre vpon these respectes the Kynge endeuoured by all the meanes he coulde to pacefie Pansanias beyng kyndled with moste iuste cause of grief aswell by gyuing him great giftes and promocions as placing hym honourably amongest those IentlemeÌ„ that were for the guarde of his persone But all this could not appease the iust rage of his Ire whiche wrought so in hym that he determined to be reuenged not only vpon Attalus that dyd the villony but also vpon the Kynge that would not minister iustice Whiche determinacion he put in effect as is sayd before Many thynges myght be sayd more of the doynges and sayenges of this Philip but one thyng aboue an other is to be noted that although for the more parte he was alwayes occupied in the tourmoyle of the warres and other like busines yet had he euer suche affeccion to the studies of humanitie and good learnyng that he both did and spake many thynges worthy memory whiche were both witty and plesaunt He lyued seuen and fourty yeares and reigned .xxv. yeares beyng the .xxiii. kynge of the Macedons as they reigned in ordre ¶ The seconde boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of Alexander the greate Kyng of Macedonie WHen Philip was dead Alexander toke vpon hym as king the .20 yere of his age his sonne whiche for the greatnes of his actes was afterwardes called the great Alexander toke vpon him the kyngdome the .4.26 yeare after the buylding of Rome being of the age of .20 yeares His state stode at that tyme subiect to muche enuie hatred and hasard from all partes For the nacions and prouinces borderyng vpon hym could not wel beare their present bondage and euery one of them sought howe to recouer agayne their auncient dominion and enheritaunce The first thyng he attempted after he was kyng was the greuous execution he dyd vpon as manye as hadde conspiryd his fathers death whyche done he celebrated his funeralles with great pompe Concernyng his estate he sone establysshed it and that muche better theÌ„ any man could haue imagyned in one beyng of so yoÌ„g and tendre yeares for beyng of some had in contempt and of some suspected to be cruell towardes the one he bare hym self so stoutely that he toke from them all contempt and to the other so gentylly that their ymagened feare of his cruell disposition was cleane taken away he graunted vnto the Macedons fredom and priuiledge from all exaccion and bondage sauing from the seruice of warre by whiche act he got so great fauour and loue amonges his people that all affirmed by one consent howe the persone of their Kynge was chaunged and not his vertue his name was altered but not his good gouernement In the beginning of his raigne rebellion was made against hym on all sydes he by and by with an incredible stowtenes and coÌ„stancy of mynde stayed all their tumultes which thyng pacified and set in ordre he went to Corinthe in Peloponese Corinthe where callyng a generall Counsell of all the states of Grece Alexander elected Capitain generall against the PerciaÌ„s he was elected their generall Capitain against the Percians whiche before tyme had afflicted Grece with many plagues and at that present possessed the greatest Empire in the world his father had purposed that warre before but the preuencioÌ„ of death was the cause he brought not his purpose to passe Whiles he was in preparacion of this enterprise he was enfourmed howe the Atheniens the Thebanes and Lacedemonians were reuolted from hym and confederate with the Percians and all by meanes of an Oratour called Demosthenes Demosthenes whiche was corrupted by them with a great somme of money For the reformacion whereof Alexander so sodeynly had prepared an Army wherewith he came vpon them that they could scarsely beleue they sawe hym present of whose commyng they had not herde before In his way he practysed wyth the Tessalians and vsed to them suche gentle wordes and apte persuasions by puttyng them in remembraunce of his fathers benefites and of the auÌ„cient kynrede betwene theÌ„ by the discent froÌ„ Hercules that he brought them to the pointe that by an vnyuersall decre of the hole Countrey he was created their Gouernour So great was the celeritie that this young man vsed and his diligence so effectuall in all his doynges that he brought all suche in feare of hym as before turned from hym and regarded hym litle As the Atheniens were the firste that fayled so they firste of all repented and extolled with prayses Alexanders chyldhode whyche before they had despysed aboue the vertue of the auncient conquerours They also sent Embassadours to require of hym peace whome he sore rebuked when they came to his presence but yet was content at length to remytte their offence And although Demosthenes was chosen one of the Embassadours yet he came not to his Prince but from Cythron retourned agayne to Athens whiche his doyng was ether for feare that he had so often â—ayled agaynst Philip and stoored the Atheniens against hym or els to take away the suspicion of hym selfe from the Kynge of Percie of whome it was sayd that he had receyued a great somme of gold to stand agaynste the Macedons The same thyng was layed agaynste hym by Aesthines in an Oracion where he saieth Aesthynes presently the Kynges gold doth beare his charges but that can not laste hym long seyng no ryches can suffise his prodigall liuyng When Alexander had pacified those sturnes that were begonne in Grece before he would passe his Army into Asia he made a iourney agaynst the Peones the