into hys kyngdome Mardonius is vanquished in Beotia Them istocles hath the pro rogatiue for his prowesse Athens is buylded agayn the Lacedemo nians make warre vppon the Persians Pausanias is condemned of treason Xerxes proclaymeth open warre agayn agaynst Grece he is ouercomme by Cymo duke of Athenes bothe on sea and land and returneth into his kyngdome The conteyntes of the thyrd Boke XErxes and his sonnes are slayne by the treason of Artabanus Artaxâ—…xes reuengeth the death of his father The Lacedemonians and Thatheniens fall at varians Lycurgus maketh lawes willyngly vannisheth hymself the Lacedemonians make warre vppon the Messeniens the Partheniens place themselfs at Tarent in Italy Messene rebelleth and is subdued warre is renued betwene the Lacedemonians and Thatheniens the Lacedemonians breake the truce the notable demeanor of Pericles truce is taken agayn and broken by the Lacedemonians The conteyntes of the fowerth Boke THe description of Sycill with the wonders therof â—…olus taketh vppon him the crowne of the same after whome euery eytie hath his Tyrrant among whome Anaxilaus contendeth agaynst thothers crueltie with Iustice and Equitie The men of Rhegium are cruelly dispossessed of their Cytie by their con â—…ederates The Cathanenses and Syracusans fall at debate the Athentens ayde the Catanenses truce is taken broken by the Syracusans Ahatheniens succor the Catanenses agayne 〈◊〉 rescoweth Syracuse vanquisheth the Atheniens bothe by sea and by lande and vtterlie destroyeth bothe their men and shyppes The contyentes of the fyft Boke ALâ—…ibiades willyngly bannisheth himself and compelleth the kyng of Lacedemon to warre vpon ThathenieÌ„s the which Darius kyng of Persia furthereth also 〈◊〉 causeth the cyties oâ—… Asia to reuolte from Thathentens the Lacede monians lye in wayt to kyll him he escapeth by the admonition of the wyfe of kyng Agis and flyeth to 〈◊〉 kyng Darius lyeuetenaunt in Lydia whome he withdraweth from the Lacedemonians the Ambassadors of Athens come vnto him he is reuoked into his countrie and made admirall he ouercommeth the Lacedemonians and is ioyfully receyued of his Cytizens he receyueth a losse by ouâ—…rsyght and bannisheth himself agayn 〈◊〉 are brought to vtter distresse Conon their Captayn flyeth to Cyprus the cytie is yelded vp to the Lacedemonians thyrty Tyrants haue the gouernaunce therof Darius kynge of Persia dyeth Dionyse the yonger is expulsed oute of Sycill Alâ—…biades is burned in hys lodgyng 〈◊〉 expulseth the xxx 〈◊〉 tenne others are placâ—…d in their stead â–ª Pauianias kyng of Lacedeuion commaun deth them out of the cytie and gyueth peace to the Atheniens the Tyraunâ—…s makyng warre agaynste Athenes are taken and put to death Artaxerxes sucâ—…edeth hys father Darius in y â— Persian kingdome Cyrus rebelieth agaynst his brothâ—…r Aâ—…xerxes and is slain the Grekâ—… that came to his ayde returne into their countrye vnvanquished The contentes of the syxte Booke THe Lacedemonians couet Th empyre of Asia â—…nes is displaced of his office of Lieuetenauntship Conon of Athenes is made Admyrall of the Persian flete the Lacedemonians send for ayde into Egypte 〈◊〉 is sent agaynst Conon Conon ouercommeth Lysander vppon the sea Athens is set at lybertie agayn Epamynondas ouercommeth the â—…a cedemonians and sleath Lysander Agesyiaus wresteth the victory from the Thebanes the Atheniens sende Iphicrates with an host to chayd of the Thebans y e Lacedemonians are broght to 〈◊〉 dispayre Conon is receyued with great ioye of his cytizens Athenes is repayred Aâ—…axerxes proclaymeth a generall peace through all Grece and setteth all the cyties at lybertie he maketh warre against Egypt Rome is taken by the Frenchmen warre ryseth betwene the Lacedemonians and Arcadians and is ceased of their owne accord Epamynondas Duke of Thebes inuaded Lacedemon and is repulsed by the olde menne Agesylaus encountereth with hym Epaminondas is slayne with whome the prowesse of the Grekes decayeth The conteintes of the seuenth Boke HE entreateth of 〈◊〉 and of the kynges thereof â—…ranus followyng a herd of goates wynneth the cyâ—…ie Edyssa he turneth the name therof maketh it the head of Macedone and subdueth diuers kyngs after him 〈◊〉 Perdicas and prophecieth of his posteritie Argeus taketh his place and 〈◊〉 the crown to his son Europâ—… the Macedones ouercome the Illyrians 〈◊〉 succedeth whose son Alexander kylleth the Persian Ambassadors sent by Darius of whome mencion is made in the fyrst and seconde bokes Bubares marryeth Alexanders syster Amynthas succedeth Alexander the mother kylleth her owne children Philyp is brought vp at Thebes and afterward he is crowned kyng he vanquisheth his borderâ—…rs conquereth the â—…ens maryeth Olympias the mother of great Alexander winneth Methone The contentes of the eyght Boke THe Lacedemonians Phocenses are condemned in a great sum of mony the Phocenses robbe the Temple of Delphos Philip is chosen Captayn generall agaynste them and vanquisheth them the which beyng doone he spoyleth the Thebanes whome he came to defend he stealeth the kyngdome of Cappadocia destroeth Olynthe in Thrace inâ—…th the goldmynes in Chessaâ—… the syluet â—…es in Thrace spoyleth the two kyngs of Thrace of their kyngdome maketh peace with Chateâ—…ens geueth sâ—…le aunswers to Chaâ—… of Grece breaketh premis with the Phocenses remoueth whole nacions and Cyties from countrie to countrie sâ—…th the Dardamerans dâ—…seth Arymba kyng of Eâ—…yre geuyng the kyngdo me to Alexander the brother of his 〈◊〉 Olympsas The contentes of the nynethe Boke PHâ—… besiegeth Constantinople duryng the which he wiâ—… neth many cyties â—…f Chersonesus feighteth vnprosperously agaynst the Tryballes he maketh warre to the â—…niens wynneth the Soueranity of Grece executeth strâ—…ghte Iustice vppon the Thebanes somoneth a Parlament at Cormthe prepateth for warre astaynst the Persians is sâ—…ayne by Pausâ—…ras at his daughters maâ—…ge The description of his nature and condicions with a comparison betwene him and his sonne Alexander The contentes of the tenthe Boke THe natural affection of Artaxerxes Mnemon toward his sonne Darius his treason against his father y â— punishmeÌ„t of Darius his fyfty brothers the cruelty of Ochus the prowesse of Codoman for the which he is created kyng by the name of Daius The conteyntes of the eleuenth Boke THe disquietnesse of the Macedones after the death of Phylype the whiche Alexander appeaseth Alexander putteth his kynsfelke to death suppressed rebellioÌ„s goeth forward with the warres that his father purposed againste the Persians â–ª pardoneth the Atheniens 〈◊〉 Thebes entereth into Asia vanâ—… 〈◊〉 ouercommeth diuers of his Lieuetenantes goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cytie 〈◊〉 and vntyeth the knot of the wayne a digression to thaâ—…yres and the kynges of Phrygia Alexander maketh haste to Châ—…us in Cilicia is reâ—…ered of a daungerous disease ouercommeth Darius agayne taketh the mother wyfe and daughters of Darius prysoners maryeth one of his prisoners called Barsiue sendeth Parmenio to inuade the â—…ersian flete and other of his noble 〈◊〉 to receyue the Cyties of Asia maketh abdolominus a kyng of a Gardiner winneth the 〈◊〉 Cyrus perforce goeth to
the coun trye not deliuered For Satir the brother of Clearche after the same sort toke vpon him the tiranny aud the Heracleans many yeres after by degre of descent were vnder subiection of Tirannes ¶ The. xvii Booke ABout the same time well nie ther hapned a maruelous great earthquake in the countries of Hâ—…llespont and Chemesosus and the Citye Lylimachia being builded by Lyâ—…imachus not past a two and twenty yeres before was ouerthrowne the which wonder betookened horrible misfortune to Lysimachus and his ofspring with the decaye of his kingdome and the destruction of those countries that were vered therwyth And loke as was betokened therby so cam it to pas For within a short time after Lysimachus conceiuing a deadly hatred not only beyoÌ„d the course of a naturall father but also beyond all manhode and humanity against his sonne Agathocles whom he had proclaimed heir apparent of his kingdom by whom he had atcheued many battels prosperously by the mean and working of his stepmother Aâ—…syrice he poysoned This was the first sore of the mischief that was towards him this was the beginning of y â— ruin that hung â—…uer his head For after the murthering of his own sonne he fel to killinge of his noble men whome he executed for none other oâ—…fence then because they bewaâ—… led the death of his son By meanes wherof such as were chief officers in his campe reuolted by plumpes vnto Sâ—…leucus whom being of himself prone thervnto vpoÌ„disdaâ—… enuy at thother mannes glory they compelled to make war against Lysimacbus This was the last contention betwene them that had serued Alexander in the warres as it were a match reserued by fortune for exaÌ„ples sake Lysimachus was lxxiiii yeares olde and Seleueus â–ª lxxvii but in this age there was none of them both but he hadde a yong mannes â—…art and an iâ—…satiable desyre of dominion For when as they two alone held the whole worlde betwene them yet they thoughte them selues enclosed in a straight measuring the terme of their life not by the length of their yeres but by the boundes of their Empyre In that battell Lysimachus hauing loste before by dyuers chaunces xv children now dying manfully lastlye made himself the full and finall decaye of his owne house Seleucus reioysâ—…ng in so great a victory and that which he thought to be a greater matter then the victory that he onlye of Alexanders retinew remained and became conqueror of the conquerors bosted that it was not the work of maÌ„ but the very gift of God being vâ—…terly ignoraunte that it should not be long after ere he himself should become an example of the frailty of man For about vii moneths after by the pollicye of Ptolomy who had taken the syster of Lyâ—…machus in mariage he was surprised and slaâ—…ne and so with his life lost the kingdome of Macedone that he had taken from Lysimachus Ptolomy therfore being very diligent to curry fauour with the comminalty in remembraunce of his father Ptolomy the Great and for reuengâ—…g y â— death of Lysimachus fyrst of all determined to win the sonnes of Lysimachus vnto him and thervpoÌ„ made sute to their mother Arsinoe his sister to haue her to his wife promisinge to adopt the 〈◊〉 to th entent that when he had succeded in their roume what for reuerence to their mother or for the name of father they should not be so bolde as to attempt any thing agaynst him Moreouer he earnestlye sued by his letters to haue the fauor of his brother y e king of Egipt protestinge that he bare him no displeasure for takyng his fathers kingdome from him and y â— he woulde not any more sâ—…ke the thing at his brothers hand whiche he had with more honor gotten at the hand of his fathers enemy Furthermore he sought all the meanes he coulde deuise to winde him selfe into fauor with Emnâ—…nes and Antigonus the sonnes of Demetrius and with antiochus the soÌ„ne of Seleucus with the which he was like to â—…aue warre to â—…ntent he would not haue to do with iii. enemies at ones Nether omitted he Pâ—…rrhus king of Epyre as one that was like to be no small furtheraunce to what parte so euer he enclined himself who also coueting to set them all beside the sadle made fair countenaunce and set himselfe as it were to sale to them al. Therfore when as he was about to aid the Tarentines againste the Romaines he desyred of antigonus to lend him shippes to conuey ouer his armye of antiochus who was better furnished with rychesse then with men of warre he requested to borow a pece of mony of Ptolomy he demaunded to send to his ayd a crewe of the souldioures of Macedone But Ptolomy who by reason of his owne weaknesse was not able to bear with him long lent him fiue thousand footemen foure thousande horsemen and fifty Elephantes for no lenger time then ii yeres In consideration wherof taking the daughter of Ptolomy in mariage â–ª Pyrrhus left him for protectoure of hys kingdome But forasmuch as we fall in remembrance of Epyre I thinke good to entreat a little of the originall of the same First of all the Molosses raigned in that region Afterward Pyrrhus the sonne of achilles hauynge loste hys fathers kingdome by being absent at the battell of Troy reasted in the same countrye which after his name were first called Pyrrhides and after Epyrotes But Pyrrhus when he came into the Temple of Iupiter of Dodone to aske counsell rauished there anasa the nece of Hercules by whom afterward takinge her to wife he begate viii children Of the whiche some of theym beynge verye gentle and beutifull younge Ladies he marryed to the kynges that were his neighboures by meanes of whiche aliaunces he purchased great power and richesse And so leauyng the kingdome of the Chaonians with andromache the wife of Hector which in the diuision of the boty at the winnynge of Troye fel to his lot to be his wife vnto Helenus the sonne of king Priâ—…mus for his singuler knowledge in Prophecy within a while after by the treason of Orestes the sonne of Agamemnon he was slayne at Delphos euen before the aultare of the God After him succeded his sonne Pylates At lengthe by order of successyon the kingdom descended to Arymba Ouer whome because he was fatherlesse and that there were no moo alyue of that noble race but he of verye earnest desyre that the whole realme had to preserue him and bring him vp there wer certain protectoures appoynted by the common consent of the realm to haue the ouer syght and gouernance of hym Furthermore he was sente to Athens to schoole and looke howe muche he was better learned then hiâ—… predecessoures so much also was he better beloued amonge his subiectes For he was the fyrste that made lawes ordained a counsell appoynted yearely officers and established the estate of the common
certain of his most trusty frends exhorted them to the deliuerance of their country from bondage When he perceiued how they stoke to put them selues in daunger for the sauegard of the whole realme and that they demaunded leisure to take aduysement in the matter he called his seruaunts to him commaunding them to lock in the dores and to bear word to the Tirant that he shuld send immediatly to his house to apprehend traitors that had coÌ„spired against him threatning vnto each of them that seing he could not be the author of deliueraunce of his country he wold at least wise finde the meanes to be reuenged vppon them for wythdrawing their helpe from it Then they being circumâ—…ted with the doutful danger chuâ—…ing the honeâ—…er way of both sware the death of the Tyrant and so Aristotimus was dispatched the fifth moneth after he had vsurped the kingdome In the meane season Antigonus beinge wrapped in many warres at ones bothe of king Ptolomy and the Spartanes besides the hoste of the Frenche grekes which newly became his enemies left a few souldioures in his campe for a shew against the other two and went himself with his whole power against the Frenche men The French men hearinge therof made them selues redy to the battel and slue sacrifice for thobtaining of good successe in that encounter By the inwardes of the which beastes perceiuing that there was toward them a great slaughter and the vtter destruction of them all they wer there vpon turned not into feare but into madnesse For in hope to pacify the wrath of the Gods by the bloudshed of theyr owne people they killed their wiues and chyldren beginning to perfourme through their own slaughter the euill lucke that was manased them by y e warres So extreme a madnesse was entred into their cruell hartes that they spared not the yonge children whome euen the enemy would haue spared but that they made deadly and mortall warre with their childreÌ„ and the mothers of them in defence of whome menne are wonte to make warres Therfore as though they had by their vnspeakeable wickednesse purchased them selues bothe lyfe and victory bloudy as they were after the freshe slaughter of theyr wiues and children they proceded into battel with as good successe as foretoken For as they were fighting the remorse of their owne consciences for their vnspeakable slaughter the ghostes of theÌ„ that they had murdered wauing before theyr â—…ies first and formost discouraged them ere they were oppressed by the enemy and so they were â—…aine euery mothers chiid There was made so great a slaughter that it shuld seme the Goddes had conspired with menne to the vttâ—…r destruction of those murderers After the good and fortunate chaunce of this battell Ptolomy and the Spartanes eschuing the victorious army of their ennemy Antigonus retired into places of saue garde and defence Antigonus when he saw they were retired while his meÌ„ wer yet freshe and couragious by reason of their late victory made warre to the Aâ—…heniens Nowe whiles he was occupied in the same in the meane time Alexander kyng of Epire coueting to reuenge the death of hys father kinge Pyrrhus inuaded the borders of Macedone Againste whome when Antigonus was retourned oute of Grece all his souldioures reuolted from him and so he lost both the kingdome of Maâ—…done and his army His sonne Demetrius being a verye childe leuyinge a power in the absence of his father not only recouered Macedone that his father had lost but also berest Alexander of his kingdom of Epire. So great was either the vnstedfastnesse of the souldiours or elsse the 〈◊〉 of fortune that kinges by course euen now banished men and anene kinges againe Alexander therfore beinge fled to the arcadians was as wel by the fauor of the Epyrotes as by the healpe of hys confederates restored into his kingdome againe Aboute the same time deceased agas kyng of Cyrene who before his last infirmity to the entent to cease and end all stryfe with his brother Ptolomy betrouthed his only daughter Beronice to his sonne But after the deathe of kinge Argas Arsinoe the mother of the maid to th entent to breke the mariage that was contracted against her wil sent for Demetrius the brother of king Antigonus out of Macedone to take vpon him the mariage of the maide and the kingdome of Cyrene who also was begotten of one of Ptolomies daughters And Demetrius made no taryaunce Therfore when as through prosperous wynde he was spedely arriued at Cyrene vpon trust of his beauty through which he began to like his mother in law to wel by and by after his comming he bare himself very proud ly and outragiously in the courte and against the men of warre and he cast his desyre of pleasing from the daughter to the mother The which thing being espted was ill taken first of the maid and also of the commoÌ„ people and of the greate noumber of the souldioures Wher vpon all mennes mindes were tourned to the sonne of Ptolomy and the deathe of Demetrius was conspired For as he was in bed with his mother in lawe men were sent in to kil him But Arsinoe when she hard the voyce of her daughter standing at the chamber dore and geuinge theÌ„ charge to spare her mother couered and defended her peramour a while with her own body Neuerthelesse he was slaine and so Beronice with safetye of her naturall loue and duty did bothe reuenge the dishonourable aduoutry committed with her mother and also followed the determination of her father in taking of her husband ¶ The. xxvii Booke AFter the decese of Antiochus king of Syria his sonne Seleucus succeding in his roume by the inâ—…igation of his mother Laodice whi che ought to haue with helde hym from doing any suche thinge began his raigne with murder For he put to death his mother in law Beronice the sister of Ptolomye king of Egipt with his little brother begotten vpon her By doing of the which wickednesse he both brought him selfe in a foule slaunder and infamye and also entangled himself in the warres of Ptolomye Furthermore when Beronice vnderstode that men were sente to kill her she kept herself close in a pleasaunt manor of her fathers called Daphnâ—… When the cities of Asia harde that she her litle sonne were there besieged in remembraunce of the dignity of her father and of her ancestors and for pitye to se her so vnworthely intreated they sent aid vnto her Her brother Ptolomy also being stirred with the pearil of his sister left his owne kingdome and came in all haste to her reskue withall the power he was able to make But Beronice before her rescowes came at her where as she could not be taken by force was surprised by pollicye and put to death It semed a cruel and horrible act to all men Wherfore when al the cities that made iniurrectyon had made a great nauy sodainly beinge
put in greate feare at the contemplation of his excessiue cruelty and to reuenge the deathe of her whome they purposed to haue defended they yelded them selues to Ptoloâ—…y Who doutlesse subdued all the kingdome of 〈◊〉 if he had not ben driuen to retire home to suppresse an insurrection in Egypt So great hatred did that wicked and abhominable murdering of his owne brother purchase the one party the vnworthy death of his sâ—…ster so cruelly killed purchase fauor to thother party After the departure of Ptolomy Seleucus hauing gathered together a great flete against the cities that had reuolted soâ—…enly as it were by the vengeans of the Gods for his horrible murder by meanes of a grâ—…at tempest loste all his flete by 〈◊〉 And of all that great furniture for the warres fortune lefte him not any thing at all more then his naked bodye and his life and a few companions eskapinge with him from shippewracke It was surelye a miserable case but yet suche a one as Seleucus coulde not haue wished the lyke for hys owne behofe For the cities which for hatred y â— they bare towards him had reuolted vnto Ptolomy as though they had bene satisfied with the punishmente that the Goddes as indifferent iudges had laid vppon him throughe a sodain mutation of â–ª theyr mindes being moued to pity him by reason of his shipwracke submitted them selues vnder his dominion again Where vpon â—… eioysinge in his happy aduersity and beinge made richer by his losses as one now able to match him in power and strengthe he made warre against Ptolomy But as if he had beene borne for none other purpose but for fortune to make her laughing stocke of him or as if he had recouered so great welth and power of the kingdome for none other entent then to lose them again he was vanquished in battel and eskapynge from the fielde not muche better accompanied then after his shipwrack fearfully conueyed himself into antioche From theÌ„ce he directed letters to his brother Antiochus wherin he besought him of his help offeringe him in reeompence of his pains all Asia that 〈◊〉 wythin the precinct of the mountaine Taurus Antiochus beinge of the age of xiiii yeres but yet couetous of dâ—…minion aboue his yeres toke thoccasion ere it came to the ground not with so frendly hart as it was offered For the boye couetynge like a theefe to berene his brother of all his whole kyngedome was as bolde and hardy in executinge his wâ—…ckednesse as if he hâ—…d bene a man Whâ—…vpon he was 〈◊〉 named 〈◊〉 because he spente his life in takinge othâ—…r mennes goodes away wrongfully not after the manner of a man but after the manner of a Gosse â—…auke In the meane time Ptolomye hearinge that Antiochus came to reskew Seleucus to 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 not hâ—…ue warre with two at once toke a truce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. yeres But the peace that was geuen by his enemy was brokeÌ„ by his brother â—…ho hiring an hoste of the french souldioures in stead of helpe vrought warre and in steade of a brother shewed himself an ennemy â—…n thâ—…t battel throughe the puissaunce of the french men â–ª Antiochus gate the vpper hand But the frenchmen supposing thaâ—… Seleucus haâ—… beene slaine in the batâ—…ell tourned theyr weapons againste 〈◊〉 himselfe thincking to waste the country of Asia the more frely wythout feare or checke if they mighte vtterlye destroye the bloude royall whiche thinge when Antiochus ones perceiued hee was faine to raunsome himselfe for monye as if it had bene from râ—…bbers and entered in league of society with his hired souldiers In the meane season Emnenes king of Bythiâ—…a perceiuâ—…ng the brothers to be consumed and dispersed throughe intestiue â—…cord among them seluâ—…s intending to inuade tâ—…e wanderinge possession â—…f 〈◊〉 assailed the conqueror antiochus and his frenchmen and by reson that they wer yet sore and wearye of theyr late conflicte and his menne stronge and lusty he easely put them to the worse For at that tyme all the warres thatwere made tended euer to the destruction of asia euerye manne that coulde make him self strongest 〈◊〉 vpon asia as his pray The. ii brothers eleurus and antiochus made warre for asia Ptolomye kinge of Egipte vnder pretence of reuengynge his sisters deathe gaped for asia On the one sode Emnenes kynge of Bythinia and on the other syde the french menne the common hire lynges wasted asia but among so many robbers there was none to be found that would once set in his fote to defende Asia After that Antiochus was vanquished and that Emnenes had seysed into his handes the mooste parte of Asia the brothers could not yet agree for all y â— the pray was loste for which they striued so sore but leauynge the forain ennemy they renued the warre one to destroye another In the whyche Antiochus being againe vanquished and wearyed wyth flying many dayes together at length came to his father in lawe Artamenes kinge of Cappadocia Of whome at the fyrâ—…e he was gently entertained But within a fewe dayes after vnderstanding that he went about to entrap him for the sauegarde of his life he fledde agayne from thence Therfore when he saw he could not rest in safetye in no place he was fayne to resort for succoure to hys ennemy Ptolomy whose faith he thoughte to be more stedfast then his brothers considering eyther what â—…e would â—…aue done to his brother or what he had deserued at hys brothers hand But Ptolomye by this his yealdynge and submission made not so much his frend as his ennemye commaunded him to be kept in straighte prisonne From thence also antiochus eskaped by the healpe of a certayne harlot with whome he had had familiare companye but hauing eskaped from his kepers as he fled theues mette him and killed him Seleucus wel nie about the same instant hauing lost his kingdom fell of his horse and brake hys necke So bothe the brothers as it were by lyke miffortune like outlawes after the losse of their kingdomes suffered due punyshements for theyr vngratious doinges The. xxviii Booke OLympias the daughter of Pyrrhê° king of the Epyrotes hauing lost her husband alexaÌ„der which was also her owen brother when she had taken vpon her the bringyng vp and keepinge of Pyrrhus and Ptolomy the sonnes whom he had begotten by her and the gouernement of the realme she was compelled by the aetolians whiche went aboute to take perforce from her a part of acaruania whiche she being mother and protector of the children had receiued to helpe to maintaine the warres withall to resorte for succoure to Demetrius kinge of Macedone and vnto him hauynge a wife all readye the sister of antie chus kinge of Syria she gaue her daughter Phithia in mariage to the entent she might get the help at his hand by right of affinity which she could not get for pity and compassion The marryage therfore was
in law that shuld haue maried her daughter had taken vpon her to kil her husband and make her peramor king If her daughter had not bewrayed all her mothers whordome and priuye conspiracies to her father Theolde man therfore being deliuered out of so many pearils died leauing the kingdome to his eldest sonne Alexander who in the verye entraunce of his raigne made peace with the â—…yrians and deliuered his brother Philip in hostage In pro cesse of time also by the same hostage he entred a league of peace with the Thebanes the which thinge was a greate furtherans vnto Philip in all princely vertues whervnto he was meruelously enclined of nature For being 〈◊〉 as an hostage iii. yeres at Thebes a city of auncient seueritye he passed his childhode in the house of the moste renoumed captain and Philosopher 〈◊〉 Ere it was loÌ„g after Alexander was surprised and slain â—…y the treson of hys mother Eurydice whom Amyntas hauing taken her wyth the fault had before pardoned for the Childrens sake that he had by her not knowing y â— in time to com she wold be their vtter destructioÌ„ His brother Perdicas also was by like tre sonpreuented It is an abhominable thing y â— for filthy lusts sake the mother shuâ—…d work the death of her own childreÌ„ at whose coÌ„templation she was saued from the punishmeÌ„t that her wickednesse had deserued The murther of Perdicas semed so much more heinous in that not so muche as his litle childe could finde any mercy at his cruell mothers hand Philip therfore a long time tooke not vpon 〈◊〉 as king but as protector of the infant But when the country was sore oppressed with warre and that it wold be to late to tary for help vntil the childe came to age he was coÌ„pelled of the people to take the kingdom vpon him Assone as he begoÌ„ his raign al meÌ„ conceiued great hope of him both for his wit which in manner all redy declared that he wold proue a great man And also for the ancient Prophecies of Macedonie which said that while one of the sonnes of amin tas raigned thestate of Macedone shuld be most florishing the which hope and prophecies to fulfil there wer now no mo left aliue through the wickednesse of their mother but only he In the beginning of his raign when on thoue side the murder of his brothers vnworthely slain on the other side the multitude of his enemies on a nother side the fear of treson and on another side want of mony artillery the realme being in manner wasted and consumed with continuall warre disquieted the minde of this yong souldioure that sondry nations out of diuers places at one tyme flocked together as it wer by a common conspiracy to the entent to oppresse Macedonie by battell For as muche as he was not able to matche them all at once he thoughte it conuenient to dispence with them some he toke truce with vpon reasonable Articles â–ª some he bought of for mony and suche as were weakest he assailed by force by vanquishing of whome he did bothe strengthen the faint hartes of hys souldiers and tooke awaye the disdaine that his ennemies had at him The first encounter that he had was with the Atheniens whome he ouercame by policy and for feare of a worser afterclap wheras he might haue slain them all he sent them all safe home without raunsome After this he turned hys power against the Illyrians of whom he slew many thousandes and toke their head city called Laryssa Next not so muche for couetousnesse of praye as for dâ—…syre to ioyne the Thessalian horsmen to his fotemen therby to encrease the strength of his army he conquered the country of Thessaly â—…re anye hostilitye or warre was looked for and so of theyr horsemen and his owne fotemen made one bodye and inuincible army The which thinges comminge luckelye to passe he tooke to wife Olympias the Daughter of Neoptolemus king of the Molosses The maker of this marriage was his brother Arimbas king of the Molosses vncle to tâ—…e maid by the fathers side who had the bringinge vp of her had taken in mariage Troas 〈◊〉 of y â— said Olympias which was the cause of muche mischiefe vnto him and finallye of his destruction For wheras by the affinity of king Philip he hoped to haue had his kingdom enlarged he was by the same Philip depriued of his owne Realme and compelled in his olde age to liue a banished man These thinges thus brought to passe Philip could not nowe content hym selfe to repulse iniurye offered by others but prouoked and distroubled suche as sate still in quiet As he besieged the city of Methon one threwe a dart at him from the wall as he passed by and strake out his right eie For y â— which wound he became neither the slouthfuller in his enterpryse nor the angrier againste his ennemies In so muche that within few daies after wheÌ„ they desired peace be grauÌ„ted it and vsed the victory against them not only modestlye but also mercifully The eyghte Booke THe cities of Grece while euery of them sought to beare rule were euery chone brought vnder subiection For after the time they coulde not with holde them selues â—…ut that they must seke eche others destruction they were vnuanqui shed of all men and brought to confusi on None but suche as were oppressed did fele the losse and smart hereof For Philip king of Macedone lying in a wait like a spy out of a watch toure to surprise them all of theyr liberty by nourishing debate betwene City and City and by supporting the weaker side compelled both the conque red and the conquerors to become his vassals and subiects The originall cause of all this mischiefe were the Thebanes who hauing the soueraignty and wanting discretion to vse their good fortune arrogantly accused at the common couÌ„sel of Grece the Lace demonians and the Phocenses whome they had vanquished in battel as thoughe the slaughters rauish ments that they had abidden had beene to little punishment for them It was laide to the Lacedemonians charge that they had taken the towre of Thebes in the time of truce and to the Phocenses that they had wasted the couÌ„try of Beotia as thoughe that after warre and battell they would haue the lawes also to worke their forâ—…e IudgemeÌ„t being executed according to the plesure of the conquerors they were condempned in suche a summe of mony as was not possible to be paide The Phocenses therfore when they shoulde haue bene bereft of their landes their children and their wiues compelled therby to vtter necessity chose one Philomelus to their captain and as men offended with God him selfe inuaded the Temple of Apollo at Delphos Herevpon being enriched with gold and other mony they waged an army of souldiers straungers and made warre to the Thebanes This dede of the Phocenses although all men abhorred
his losses semed euer to be made more terrible to them Finally at the length he was not vanquished as an enemie but in his oldeage leauyng his 〈◊〉 to be his heire he dispatched himselfe by wilfull death in his owne kyng dome where his auncesters had raygned of long continuance The very wonders of heauen dyd prognosticate what a great man he shoulde be for bothe the same yet â–ª that he was borne and the same yere he firste began his reygne there appered by the space of threskore and tenne dayes at both tymes suche a blasyng starre that all the skye semed to be on fyre For it was so bygge that it occupied a quarter of the heauen it was so brighte that it blemished the light of the Sunne when it rose or went doune it consumed fower howers at eche tyme. When he was a chylde his owne Gouernours wente about to destroy hym settyng hym vppon a rough horse and compellyng him to lern to ryde and to torney The which attempt followyng not their myndes as they woulde haue had the yong Prince Mythridates rulyng the horse better then was loked for in one of his age they assayed him with poyson The which he standyng in doubt of before dronke tryacle oftentymes by meanes whereof he so stayed his bodie with tryed and exquisite medicines that when he was olde he would haue poysoned himselfe and coulde not After this fearyng least his enemies woulde compasse the thyng by weapon which they could not doe by venim he couÌ„terfeyted a desyre of huntyng whervppon by the space of fower yeres he came not vnder anie roofe eyther of house in the Cytie or cotage in the countrie but wandered vp and doune the forestes and woods rested the night time in the mountayns sometime one where and sometime another no man knowyng where was his haunt enuryng himself eyther to chase or to pursue the wylde beastes on foote and with some of them to encounter with playne force By meanes whereof he both auoyded all treason and also hardened his bodie to abyde all kynde of trauell and exercyse Afterward when he came to take the kâ—…gdome vppon him immediatlie he set his mynde not so muche of gouernyng as of enlargyng thesame Therefore he maruelous fortunately subdewed and brought in subiection the Sâ—…ythians who before that day were neuer conquered whiche had vtterlie destroyed Zopyron the Capitayne of greate Alexander with thirtie thousand armed men whiche had slayne Cyrus kyng of Persia with two hundred thousand men of warre and which had put to flyght Philyp kyng of Macedones Being thus encreased in strength he conquered Pontus and consequentlie Cappadocia Then with certayn of his frendes he went secretly disguysed out of his owne kyngdome without knowledge of anie man and wanderyng through Asia vewed the situacion of all the Cyties and Prouynces of the same From thence he trauayled ouer Bythinia and as though he had ben alreadie Lorde of Asia he deuised all thynges that might helpe to fâ—…rther him toward his conquest After this when all men beleued he had ben dead he returned home into his own Realme where he found a lytle sonne whome Laodice his syster and wyfe had brought him forth in his absence But in the myddes of the ioye that was made for his returne and for the birth of his chyld he was in daun ger to be poysoned For his syster Laodice beleuyng him to be dead and therevppon abusyng her bodye with his frendes as though the might haue hydden her offence by committyng of a greater cryme prepared a cuppe with poyson to welcome him home withall Wherof Mythridates hauyng intelligence by a Damosell punished the offence vppon the deuisers thereof After when wynter drew nigh he spent not the time in feastyng but in fâ—…ates of armes not in 〈◊〉 but in exercise not amoÌ„g carpet knights but eyther in yoâ—…sting and tournying in runnyng on foote or on horsebacke or els in wrestlyng and tryal of strength among his pâ—…res Also he daylie enured his men of warre by lyâ—…e exercyse to abyde labor and trauell as well as himself by meanâ—…s wherof as he was iâ—…incible himself so made he his host inuincible also Then he entred in league with Nicomedes and inuaded Paphlagonia the which he conquered and parted it with his companyon When woorde was brought to the Senate that these kyngs had subdued the countrie they sent Ambassadours to them both coÌ„maun dyng them to set it in the lyke estate as they found it My thridates thinkyng himself nowe able ynough to matche the puissaunce of the Romayns answered proudelie that the kyngdome was his fathers by inheritaunce and that he maruayled they should make alteration with him for it hauyng not done the lyke to his father Moreouer he set so lyght by their Manaces that he inuaded Galatia also Nicomedes for asmuch as he was not able to make his partie good by anie tytle answered he woulde surrender it to the rightfull kyng and so chaungyng the name of his owne sonne he called him Phylomenes by the name of the kyngs of Paphlagonia by which conueyance vnder a counterfect name he helde still the kyngdome as though he had restored it to the right heire The Romayne Ambassadoures beyng thus had in derision returned to Rome with a mocke Morrouer he sent his wyfe Laodice to Rome to testifye that she haâ—…e tâ—…ree sonnes by Ariarathes The which thyng when Mithridates knew of he also with lyke impudent vnshamefastnesse sent Gordius vnto Rome to auouche before the Senate that the chylde to whome he had deluded the kyngdome of Cappadocia was the sonne of the same Ariarathes whiche in the quarell of the Romaynes was slayne in the battell agaynst Aristouicus But the Senate vnderstandyng the meanyng and endeuour of both the kynges wold not gene other mens kingdoms to vsurpers that tooke wrong names vppon them Whereupon they tooke Cappadocia from Mithrydates and to comfort him withall they toke Paphlagonia from Nicomedes And to th entent it should not seme they wold take any thynges from the kynges in despight of them to bestowe it vppon others bothe the Nacions were seâ—…at at free lybertie But the Cappadocians refusyng the gyfte of lyâ—…ertie sayd that their countrie could not liue without a kyng Whervppon Ariobarzanes was appointed by the Senate to be their kyng There was at the same tyme one Tygranes king of Armenia kept in hostage not long before by the Parthâ—…aÌ„s and now lately remitted by them into his fathers kyngdome Hym dyd Mithridates couet to allure to take his part in the warres that he had of loÌ„g tyme purposed agaynst the Romaynes Wherfore by the meanes of Gordius he persâ—…ded him as one that knew not what it was to displease the Romaynes to make war vppon Ariobarzanes who was a very cowarde And to th entent it shoulde not seme be dyd it for anye cautele or pollicy he gaue him his daughter Cleopatra in mariage At the fyrst
richesse in old tyme the which they should not nede to go to fyght for but to go to take possession of For Asia was so desyrous of their commyng that she called cryed to them a loude to make speade So greate a hatreded toward the Romayns hadde the greadie rauenousnesse of their Proconsultes the pollyng and shauing of their tolle gatherers the wrongfull delyng in sutes and controuer lies of the lawe of their officers rooted in the hartes of them all Wherefore he willed them to doe no more but followe him manfully ponder with themselfes what so great an army might be able to doe hauyng such a Capitayne as he was whome they themselfes had sene without the helpe of any of his souldiers by his own industrie onely slea the kyng of Cappadocia seyze his kyngdome who onely of all the men that euer lyued conquered all the countries borderyng vppo◅ the sea of Pontus Scythia also the whiche before his tyme no man could trauel through no nor go vnto in sauftie As for his own Iustice and lyberalitie he woulde not refuse that his souldiers which had had sufficient tryall and experience of them should beare wytnesse to the same as of the whiche these were manifest tokens that he only of all kyngs enioyed not onely the kyngdomes that his father possessed before him but also for his bountie and magnificence was adopted to be heyre of other forreyne Realmes as Colchos Paphlagonia and Bosphorus whiche he nowe peaceablie helde ▪ When he had thus encouraged his souldiers after the. xxiii yere of his reygne he entered into warre agayn◅ the Romayns At that tyme in Egypte after the death of P◅olomy kyng of Cyrene both the kyngdome and the Quene Cle◅patra his syster to be his wy◅e ▪ ◅lomy was glad in that he had recoured his brothers king dome without battell the which he knewe his mother Cleopatra and certeyn of the noble men went preuelye about to assure vnto his brothers sonne But assone as b◅ came vnto Alexandria to the great displeasure of all the Cytie he caused all such as fauored the chylde to be put to death The chylde himself also he slew in his mothers armes the very same day that he maried her in the myd des of all the feastyng and solemne ceremonies of wed◅cke And so he wēt to bed with his syster all bestayned with the blood of her sonne After the whiche dede he became euen as meke to his other countreymen that had called him to the kyngdome For he gaue his souldiers which were straungers leaue to kill whome they wold so that daylie all places were on a gore blood and he put away his syster and toke to wyfe her daughter a fayre yong mayden hauyng firste rauished her per force with the which thynges the people wer so dysmayed that they shronke away so◅e one whether and some another forsakyng theire natife countrie like banished folk for dread of death Ptolomy beyng left alone with his souldioures in so greate a Cytie when he sawe howe he was a Kynge of emptie houses and not of men made proclamacion that straungers shoulde come and inhabite the Cytie after whose resor thyther he went forth to mete the Romayn Ambassadors Scipio Affricanus Spurius Mumius and Lucius Metellus which came to see howe the Realmes of their confederates wer ordered But loke howe cruell he was to all his owne countriemenne so much was he a laughyng stocke to the Roma◅ns For he was yll visaged a dwarfe of stature he had such a fat paunche that he semed more lyke a beast then a man the whiche fouldnesse and deformitie his smal shyrle voyce and his thinne garmentes dyd more encrease as thogh of set purpose he had set oute the thynges to be sene which he that had any regarde of shame oughte with all care and studie to haue hydden moste secretlie After the departure of Thambadoures of the whiche Affricanus whiles he behelde the Cytie was himselfe a spectacle to the Alexandrians Ptolomy beyng nowe hated euen of his Alientes also fledde preuely oute of the Realme with his sonne whome he had begotten of hys syster and with his wyfe her owne mothers paramour for feare of treason and hauyng gotten an hoste of hyred souldiours he made warre bothe agaynst his syster and agaynst his owne countrie Afterwarde he sent for his eldest sonne from Cyrene for bycause the Alexandrians shoulde not make him kyng agaynste him he putte hym to deathe Then the people in despyght of him brake doune his ymages and tare doune hys pictures The which thyng thynkyng to be doone by the procuremente of hys syster he slew the sonne whome he hadde begotten uppon her and then cuttyng hys bodie in gobbettes closed it vp in a Casket and sent it for a present to the mother as she was makyng feast and great chere vpon the day of her byrth The whiche was a bitter and sorowfull syght not onelie to the Quene herself but also to all the whole Cytie and it cast such a grief vppon that ioyfull feast that sodaynlie in all the Court was nothyng but mournyng and lamentyng The noble men therfore turnyng themselfes from feastyng to funeralles shewed to the people the mangled bodie declaryng what hope they oughte to haue of theyr kyng who hadde so cruelly murdered his owne chylde Cleopatra after that the sorow for losse of her sonne was ceased perceyuyng herselfe to be sore infested by her brothers warre Demaunded help of Demetrius Kyng of Syria by his Ambassadors whose chances were strange and worthie to be spoken of For Demetrius as it is shewed before makyng warre agaynst the Parthians gettyng the victorie in manie encounters was sodaynlie sur prised by pollicie and besydes the losse of his armie was also himself taken prysoner Whome Arsaces kyng of the Parthians sent into Hyrcanie and of his noble and Royall courage not onely gaue him enterteynement lyke a kyng but also gaue him his daughter in mariage promisyng moreouer to restore him the kyngdome of Syria which Tryfo hadde vsurped in his absence After whose death Demetrius beynge past hope of returnyng into his kyngdome and beyng not able to away with captiuitie beyng wearie of his priuate lyfe though he lyued neuer so welthelie assayed a faithfull frende to steale home into his owne kyngdome His counseler and companyon in this enterprise was a frend of his called Callimander who after his Maisters captiuitie hyryng guydes for mo ny himself disguysed in Parthian apparell came oute of Syria through the deserts of Arabie vnto Babylon But Phrahartes which succeded Arsaces sent oute post horses after him who made such spede by gayner ways that they ouertoke him and brought him back agayn When he came before the kyng Callimander was not only par doned but also highlie rewarded for his faithfulnesse towards his Master But Demetrius with a great rebuke was sent agayn to his wyfe into Hyrcanie and ther
nose was surnamed Grypho was created kyng by his mother vppon this coÌ„dicion that he should bear the name but she herself haue all the power and authoritie of the whole Empyre But Alexander the vsurper of the kyngdome of Syria being puffed vp with contynuall successe in his affayres began of greate pryde and insolencie to mocke and despyse Ptolomie himselfe by whome he was put in and inuested in that kyngdome Ptolomy therfore reconcyling to his syster endeuored by all the meanes he coulde deuise to depose Alexander from his Royaltie the which he had obteyned by his help for hatred that he bare towardes Demetrius Wherevppon he sent ayd to Grypho into Grece and his daughter Gryphin also to be his wyse to th entent he mighte procure the people to helpe his nephew not only by confederacie but also by alsance of affinitie And the matter came so to passe in dede For after the time they perceyued that Grypho was supported with the power of Egypte they began by litle and litle to reuolt euerychone from Alexander Afterwarde there was a battell foughte betwene them in the which AlexaÌ„der beyng put to the worse fled vnto Antioche Ther for want of mony hauing not wher with to pay his souldiers their wages he commaunded a sygne of victory of Massie golde to be taken out of the TeÌ„ple of Iupiter coloryng his sacryledge with a pleasaunt skoffe For he sayd that Iuppiter had lent him victorie Within a 〈◊〉 dayes after when he had geue coÌ„maundement preuely to pull oute of the temple the Image of Iupiter made all of cleane gold of an vnknowen weight and that beyng taken in doyng of the dede he was put to flyght by the multitude that came to the reskowe he was oppressed by the violence of a tempest and forsaken of his owne men and taken by theues and brought vnto Grypho and there put to death Furthermore Gripho hauing recouered his fathers kyngdom beyng delyuered from owtwarde daungers was assaulted by the treason of his owne mother who beyng inflamed with desyre of Soueraintie after she had betrayed her husbande Demetrius and kylled her other sonne for spight and malice that her authoritie and estimacion should be diminished by the victory of this other sonne offered him a cup of poison as he came from his pastyme But Grypho hauyng intel â—…geÌ„ce of his mothers treason as though he had stryued with her for courtesie desyred her to drynke to him the which vppon her refusall he requested more earnestlie At the length bringyng forth the author of the reporte he layde the matter to her charge affirming he would admit none other excuse to defend her offence with al but yf she wold drynke the same herself that she had profered to him The Quene beynge by this meanes conuicted of her mischeuous intent by receyuing the poyson herself that she had prepared for her sonne was depryued of her â—…yfe Grypho hauyng thus brought his Realme in quietnesse not only lyued himself at hartes ease but also gouerned his kyngdome in tranquillitie by the space of eyght yeres after the which terme beyng expyred there arose an enemie to his kyngdome namely his owne brother Cyricenus borne of his own mother but begotten by his vncle Antiochus Whome whiles he went about to ryde out of the way by poysonyng he styrred him the soner to contende with him by force for the kyngdome Among these parrycidiall discordes of the Realme of Syria dyed Ptolomy kyng of Egypt leauyng the kyngdome to his wyfe and one of his sonnes which so euer she would chose as though the state of Egypt should be in better quiet then the realme of Syria when the mother by chosyng the one of her sonnes should make thother her enemie Therefore whereas she was of herself more enclyned to the yonger sonne the peo ple compelled her to chose the elder From whome before she gaue him the kyngdome she toke away his wyfe and hauyng compelled him to forgo his moste dear beloued syster Cleopatra she caused hym to marry his yonger syster Seleuce Wherein she delt not lyke a mother betwixt her daughters coÌ„syderyng she tooke her husband from th one and gaue him to thother Cleopatra beyng not so muche put away by her husband as by violent diuorce separated from him hy meanes of her mother was maried to Cyricenus in Syria and to thintent she woulde not seme to haue brought nothyng elles vnto him more then the bare name of wyfe she raysed an host of men in Cyprus and brought it to her husband for her doury Cyricenus beyng now made as strong as his brother encountred with him in open fyelde where beynge vanquished and put to flight he came vnto Antioche Then Grypho beseged Antioche where Cleopatra the wyfe of Cyricenus lay At the takyng whereof Gryphin the wife of Grypho toke care for nothyng so much as to fynd oute her syster Cleopatra not to thyntent to helpe saue her out of captiuitie but to thyntent she should not escape the miâ—…eries of captiuitie Because as she thought in disdanye of her estate she had entred forciblie into that kyngdome inespeciallie and by marying herselfe to her sâ—…sters ennemie had made herselfe an ennemie to her Alledgyng agaynst her moreouer that she had raysed forreyn powers agaynste her brother she had maryed herselfe agaynst her mothers will oute of the Realme of Egypte On the con trarie parte Grypho besought her that she woulde not constreyne hym to committe so shamefull an acte For it was neuer hearde that any of his auncestours among so manie ciuill and so manie outwarde warres dydde after the victorie extend crueltie agaynste women the whiche for thymbecilliti of their nature had euer ben accustomed to be exempted bothe from the daungers of the warres and also from the crueltie of the conquerors A nowe in this case besydes the lawe of armes there was also the bounde of aliaunce to withhold him from doyng suche a wickednesse For on th one syde she was her owne syster whose blood she sought so cruellie and on the other syde she was his cousyne Germane yea and moreouer she was aunte to the chyldren of them bothe Moreouer besydes all those boundes of kynred and greate aliaunce he 〈◊〉 alledged that it was not right or lawefull for to suffer to violate the Temple in the whiche she had hyd her selfe and the whiche she hadde taken for saufegard of her lyfe but that the Goddes with so muche the more humilitie and deuocion ought to be reâ—…erenced on his parte as by theire greate mercye and fauour be hadde gotten the victorye at that tyme ouer hyâ—…â—…nnemyes For neyther by killyng her could he any thyng abate the strength of Cyricenus neyther by preseruyng their lyfe anie thyng encrease his power But the more vnwyllyng that Grypho was the more was she of womanlie wilfulnesse incensed agaynst her syster supposyng him to speake these wordes not of pytie and compassion
but of loue Whervppon callyng to her the souldiers she sent certayn of them herself to thrust her syster through Who enteryng into the temple when they could not pull her oute they cut of her handes as she had clasped them about the Image of the Goddesse Then Cleopatra cursyng those wicked murderers besechyng the Goddes whose sanctuary they had defyled to reuenge her vppon them dyed It was not long after but Cyricenus encountered again with his brother where gettyng â—…hupper hand he tooke Gryphin the wyfe of Grypho prysoner which latelie had put her syster to death with execucion of whome he dyd obsequies to his wyues Ghoste But in Egypt Cleopatra beyng greued that her sonne Ptolomy should be partener with her in the kyngdome incensed the people agaynste him and hauyng taken his wyfe Seleuce awaye from him which was so much to more griefe to him bycause he had begotten two sonnes by her bannished him the Realme sendyng for her yonger sonne Alexander whome she crowned kyng in his brothers stead And yet beyng contented to haue banished her sonne she pursued him with battell where he kept as a bannished man in Cyprus When she had dryuen him from thence also she put the Capitayn of her host to death bycause he had suffered him to escape alyue out of his handes Albeit to say the truthe Ptolomy departed oute of the Ilande rather because he was ashamed to fyghte with his mother then that he was not of power able to encounter her Alexander therefore dreadyng this his mothers crueltie departed his waye and left her alone desyring rather to lyue meanely in quiet saufegarde then to reygne as a kyng alwayes in daunger of his lyfe Cleopatra fearyng least Cyricenus should helpe her elder sonne Ptolomy to recouer the kyngdome of Egypt sent great ayde to Grypho and her daughter Seleuce to be his wyfe to th entent he should persyst enemie to her fyrst husband as he had ben before and also sent Ambassadors to her sonne Alexander to call him to the kyngdome agayne Agaynst whome as she was practisyng of mischief to bryng him to destruccion she was by him preuented and put to death and so she ended her lyfe not by naturall destynie but by deserued murder Surelie she was well worthie of such a slaunderous death which had defyled her owne mothers bed and put her besyde her husband whiche had made two of her daughters so oftentymes wydowes by choppyng and chaungyng of their husbandes which had banished th one of her sonnes pursewyng him with battell when she had done and hauyng wrested the kyngdome from thother had practised also to bryng him to his ende through treason Neuerthelesse Alexander himself escaped not altogyther vnpunished for committyng so abhominable a murder For assone as it was knowen that the mother was slayne by the wickednesse of her sonne the people rose agaynst him and draue him into exyle and callyng home Ptolomy agayne set him in possession of the kyngdome who was of that modestie that he would neyther make warre agaynste his mother nor yet chalenge that of his brother by force which was his before by right of inheritance Whyle these thynges were a doyng a bastard brother of his to whome his father had by his laste will bequeathed the kyngdome of Cyrene deceased and lefte the people of Rome to be his heyre For by this tyme the fortune of Rome was such â–ª that beyng not content with the boundes of Italie it began to stretche itselfe to the kyngdomes of the East By meanes whereof that part of Lybie was at that tyme made a prouynce and shortlie after Candy and Cilicia beyng subdued in the warres agaynst the Pyrates were brought in lykewyse in order of prouynces By the which dede bothe the kyngdomes of Syria and Egypt were streightned by the neyboured of the Romaynes and whereas before tymes they were wonte to encrease their Dominion by warryng vppon their borderers now beyng abridged of their lybertie to roue whâ—…r they lyst they turned their power to their own confusion In so much that beyng coÌ„sumed through coÌ„tinuall feightyng they were had in despight of their next neighbours and were as a praye to the Arabians whiche before that tyme were neuer knowen to be menne of warre Whose kyng Herotymus vppon trust that he had in his syx hun dred sonnes whiche he had begotten of his concubynes with sundrie Armies made rodes somtimes into Egypt and sometyme into Syria by meanes whereof within a while through the weaknesse and feblenesse of his neighbours he made the name of the Arabians famous and redoubted The. xl Boke THe kyng kyngdome of Syria being consumed through the natural hatred of the brothers and through the deadlie enmytie of their children succedyng in their fathers steppes one after an other with so mortal warre as neuer could be appeased the people resorted to straungers for refuge and be gan to loke about them for some forreyn kyng Therfore when as some thought it good to sende for Mithridates kyng of Pontus and some for Ptolomy kyng of Egypt and that it came to their remembraunce that Mithridates on th one syde was entangled with the warres of the Romayns and that Ptolomy on thother syde hadde euer ben an enemie to the kyngdome of Syria they consented all vppon Tygranes kyng of Armenia who besydes the power of his owne countrie was also supported by confederacie with the Parthians and by aliance with Mythridates Beyng therfore crowned king of Syria he enioyed the kyngdome excedyng quietlie by the space of eyghtene yeres hauyng no nede at all eyther to assayle others him selfe or to repulse others that assayled him But as Syria was in sauftie from forreyne 〈◊〉 â—…o was it greatlie wasted with an erthquake in the which ther perisshed an hundred threskore ten thousand men besydes the ruine of manie cities The whiche wonder the soothesayers interpreted to betoken a great alteracion of thynges For when Lucullus had ouercome Tygranes he proclaymed Antiochus the sonne of Cyricenus kyng But that which Lucullus had gyuen Pompeius afterward toke awaye who tolde him that he would not haue made him kyng of Syria no though he had sewed for it and muche lesse put it in his mouthe without chalengyng it Consyderyng that duryng the eyghtene yeres that Tygranes held Syria he had lyen lurkyng in a corner of Sylicia but assone as the Romayns had ouercome the sayde Tygranes he put himselfe forthe to sue for the reward of other mennes trauell Therfore lyke as yf he had had the kyngdome before he would not haue taken it from him euen so seyng he coulde fynde in his hart to suffer Tygranes to enioye it peaceablie so long he would not bestowe the thyng vppon him which he knew not howe to defende for doubte lest he might be an occasion that the Jewes and ArabiaÌ„s should enterprise to robbe and spoyle the countrie of Syria agayn So
himself and flyeth to Corynthe where he lyueth a fylthie lyfe 〈◊〉 surnamed Rhodanus veweth the doynges and counselles of great Alexander â—…yeth his countrymen therof and at his returne is put to death for his labor The contentes of the. xxii Booke AGathocles ryseth from abase Degre lyke as yf it were by lowe steppes to the Kyngedome of Sycill he exerciseth great cruelty vâ—…xeth the consederates of the Carthaginenses by the sufferans oâ—… Hamilcar whose death preuenteth the secrete verdites of the Carthaginenses 〈◊〉 is veseged by Hamilcar the sonne of â—…ysgo he remoueth the war into 〈◊〉 vanquisseth the â—…arthagine whervppon the Aphres reuolâ—… vnto him he kylleth the kyng of Cy rene ouercommeth the 〈◊〉 agayn he rayseth the siege before Syracuse is receyued with a mutinie is ouercomme by vnaduisednesse forsaketh his men of warre and his children which are put to death for his sake he maketh peace with the Carthaginenses in Sycill The conteyntes of the. xxiii Boke â–ª A Gathocles maketh warre in Italy the trades and customes of the Lucanes â–ª the Originall of the Brutians the miserable eâ—…de of Agathocles the Carthaginenses inuade Sycill Pyrrhus oryueth them out râ—…turneth into Italy whervppon Sycill reuolteth he is diseomfyted by the Râ—…mayns retyreth with great losse and dishonor into his kyngdome the byrthe educacion and commendacion of Hiero. The contentes of the. xxiiii Booke THe Lacedemonians stirre the Grekes to rebellion and are ouercome by the Etolian shepeherdes the wicked and abhomi nable 〈◊〉 of Ptolomy toward his syster and her children Rome is sacked by the Frenchemen wherof some place themselfes in Italy and some in Pannokie they of 〈◊〉 rayse a power deuidyng themselfes in two hostes of which th one kylleth Ptolomy kyng of Maccdone and are suppressed by Sosthenes thother vnder the conduct of Bremso inuâ—…deth Macedone agayn ouercom meth Sosthenes spoyleth the Realme inuadeth the temple of Delphos the situacion wherof is there deseribed is vanquished with lightnyng and thunder and Bremis sleath himself The conteintes of the. xxv Boke THe Frenchemen of Pannony rayse an other power inuade Ma cedone Antigonus ouercommeth them by a pollicy the Frenchmen are so redouted that all kynges craue their aide they succor the kyng of Bythinia and deuyde his Realme with him callyng themselfes Frenchegrekes Pyrrhus expulseth Antigonus out of Macedone he maketh warre agaynst the Lacedemonians the force and hardines of Ptolomy his sonne who is slayne in the wynnyng of Lacedemon Pyrrhus is slayn at Argos the moderacion and gentlenes of Antigonus with a commendacion of the sayd Pyrrhus The contentes of the. xxvi Boke THe extreme cruelty of 〈◊〉 Tyrant of Epyre the wyse inuention of old Helematus in suppressyng of him the cruelnesse of the Frenchegrekes towardes their wyues and children whome Antigonus ouercommeth viterly dâ—…stroyeth 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 bothe of his kyngdome men of warre by Alexander the sonne of Pyrrhus kyng of Epyre Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus not onely recouereth his fathers kingdome but also spoyleth Alexander of his kyngdome of Epyre Alexander by thelpe of the 〈◊〉 and the fauour of his owne countrymen is restored to his kyngdom agayn Agas kyng of â—…yrene dyeth Demetrius the brother of Antigonus by meanes of Beronice the â—…aughter of king Agas is slayâ—… in her mothers bed The conteyntes of the. xxvii Boke SEleucus kyng of Spria putteth hys step mother Beronice her sonne to death Ptolomy kyng of Egypte in reuengemente of her death inuadeth Syria 〈◊〉 suffereth a happy ship wreke for by mâ—…anes therof for pytie and coÌ„passion the cyties that Ptolomy had obteyned râ—…uolted agayn he is vanquished in battell by Ptolomy and 〈◊〉 ayd of his brother 〈◊〉 Ptolomy maketh peace with Seleuâ—…us Antiochus warreth vppon his brother and ouercommeth him by the helpe of the Frenchgrekes who after the battell bend themselfes agaynst Antiochus and he raunsometh himself from them Eumenes kyng of Bythinia setteth vp pon Antiochus and the Frenchemen taketh the most part of Asia from them the brothers continewÌ„ still at debaâ—…e by meanes wheroâ—… they comme bothe to a misâ—…rable ende The contentes of the. xxviii Booke 〈◊〉 Quene of Epyre by the mariage of her daughter Pythia setteth variaunce betwene Demetrius kyng of Ma cedone and Antiochus kyng of Syria the proude answer of the Atolians to the Ambassadours of Rome Olympias dyeth for sorrow for the death of her two sonnes Laodomia is 〈◊〉 at the Altar of Diana 〈◊〉 dyeth Antigonus beyng left protector of the sonnes of Demetrius maketh himself kyng he subdueth the Lacedemonians wherin appereth as wel the stoutnes of the Spar tanes in aduersity as also the modeste and gentle behauiour of Antigonus in prosperitie The conteyntes of the. xxix Boke THe alteracion of the famousest kyngdomes by the succession of yong kynges Demetrius kyng of 〈◊〉 seweth to Phylippe kyng of Macedone for help agaynst the Ramaynes Philyp exhorâ—…eth the Grekes to concorde he proclaymeth open warre agaynste the Romaynes the Dâ—…rdanians inuade Macedone he maketh peace 〈◊〉 the Romapnes Phylopemenes causeth the Acheans to reuolt from him The 〈◊〉 of the. xxx Boke THe 〈◊〉 of Ptolomy kyng of Egypt Antiochus in undeth Egypt and is put to the 〈◊〉 Ptolomy geueth him self vtterly to slouth and 〈◊〉 he dyeth his concubines are hanged vp the Romaynes take the gouernance of the yong kynge the 〈◊〉 rebell agaynste Philip kyng of Macedone he desyreth peace of the Romayns a quauyng of the Sea an earthquake in Asia Philip is vanquished in battell by the Romayns and speyled of all his Dominions sauyng onely the râ—…alme of Macedone the E to lyans prouoke 〈◊〉 to warre vppon the Romayns The conteintes of the. xxxi Boke ANtiochus inuadeth the territories of the Dominion of Egypt the Romayns proclayme warre against him Nabis kyng of La cedemon subdueth many cyties in Grece y â— Romans send an Ambas sador to note Hannibals doynges in 〈◊〉 and to kyll hym he espieth their purpose and flyeth vnto Antiochus Nabis is vanquished by Flaminius after whose departure he followeth the warres agayne Hanniball is highly enterteyned by Antiochus he geueth councell how to procede in his warres agaynst the Romayns sendeth a messenger to Carthage to stirre them to rebellion the Romayns send an Ambassade to Antiochus who through their dayly conuersacion with Hannyball bryng him in the kynges displeasur who neuerthelesse sheweth his opynion of as concernyng the warres with the Romans the which is neglected antiochus is ouercomme of the Romans and taketh Hannibal into fauor agayn Han niball is put to the worse vppon the sea the magnimitie of Scipio affricanus articles of peace are propounded and by Antiochus reiected the romayns come to â—…roye Antiochus is vanquished with a great slaughter and peace geuen hym vppon the foresayd articles The conteyntes of the. xxxii Boke THe 〈◊〉 are subdued the 〈◊〉 Acheans 〈◊〉 for the souerainty Phylopemenes â—…aptayne of thacheans is is taken prysoner and poysoned by the 〈◊〉 the Mesnians are ouercomme and
punished for the death of Phylomenes Antiochus and all hys host is slayn by the men of the countrie the cyties of Grece make complaynt of Phylyp kyng of Macedone at Rome he is absoyled by the 〈◊〉 of his sonne Demetrius who by the false accusacions of his brother Perfes is brought in displen sure with his father and put to death Phylyp dyeth for sorrowe Perses maketh 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 against the romans thoriginall of the I strians The ignominie of the Daces Prusias vppon trust of Hannybal that fled from Antiochus vnto him breaketh the truce â—…gaynst Eumenes the â—…ollicy of Hanniball conueyng hymself oute of Candie Prusias is 〈◊〉 vpon the land Hannibal throgh â—… suttle inucncion vanquisheth the â—…nemie vppon the sea Ambassa â—…ours are sent from Rome to set the two kynges at one and to desyre to haue 〈◊〉 yelded vnto theÌ„ Hannibal poisoneth himself The conteyntes of the. xxxiii Boke PAulus Emilius encounâ—…ereth with Perses the valiant demeanor of Cato Perâ—…es is ouercomme and taken with hys sonnes flying towards Samothrace with whome 〈◊〉 of Macâ—…done endeth the noblemen of Etoly with their wyues and children are led prysoners to Rome The conteyntes of the. xxxiiii Boke THe Romaynes subdue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 doune Antiochus maketh warre agaynst Prolomy kyng of Egyt and 〈◊〉 him out of hys countrie P. Popilius is sent Ambassador to byd hym depart out of Egyyt the seuerity of Popilius in executyng his commission Antiochus dyeth his brother Demetrius 〈◊〉 leth pryuely from Rome and killyng hys yonge nephew vsurpeth the crowne Prusias is deposed and murdered by hys owne sonne The conteyntes of the. xxxv Boke 〈◊〉 maketh warre agaynst 〈◊〉 kyng of Cappadocia supporteth his brother Holofernes aganyst him whoÌ„ afterward for treason prepensed he kâ—…peth in pryson one ProÌ„ palus is suborned as the sonne of Antiochus by the name of Alexâ—…der agaynst 〈◊〉 by whome Demetrius is depryued of lyfe and kyngdome Demetrius the â—…on of Demetrius recouereth his fathers kyngdome The conteyntes of the. xxxvi Boke Demetrius maketh warre agaynste the Parthians aâ—…d is taken prysoner 〈◊〉 vsurpeth the kyngdome of Syria Antiochus the brother of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it out of his handes and subdueth the Iewes Thoriginall of the Iewes the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the goyng of the 〈◊〉 oute of Egypt vnder Moyses the halowyng of the sabboth day the srute sulnesse of Iurie with a description of the vale of 〈◊〉 and of the dead sea of Attalus kyng of 〈◊〉 â–ª of hys â—…rueltie and his madnesse and howe he made the people of Rome his heyre Aristomicus the bâ—…stard sonne of 〈◊〉 chalengeth the crown and is ouercome by the RomaÌ„s The conteyntes of the. xxxvii Boke THe Massyliens entreate the Romaynes to râ—…lease theire displeasure agaynst the 〈◊〉 the romains reward the kings that ayded them agaynste 〈◊〉 â–ª and the crueliye of 〈◊〉 toward her owne children the byrthe education and daungerâ—… of Mythridates he subdueth the Scythians he trauaileth through â—…sia disguysed he putteth his wyfe â—…o death for goyng about to poi son him his warlyke conuersacion he entereth in league with Nico medes kyng of Bythima and they iointlie conquer Paphlagonia he subdueth also Galatia contrary to the prohibitio of the Romans Nicoinedes alâ—…ereth the name of his sonne anâ—… proclaymeth hym kyng of Paphlagonta The conteyntes of the. xxxviii Boke MIthridates destroyeth Ariarathes kyng of Cappadocia and Nicomedes inuadeth the kyngdome Myâ—…hridates vnder pre tence of helpyng his systers sonne dryueth Nicomedes out of the realme by a cautele ryddeth his sayd systers sonne of his lyf and and maketh one of his owne sonnes kyng The Cappadâ—…cians rebeil and set vp Ariarathes the brother of the king slayn before whoÌ„ Mythridates ouercommeth and dryueth him oute of the realme the sayde Ariarathes dyeth wherevpyon Nicomedes suborneth a beautifull yong man vnder the color of beyng brother to the sayde Ariarathâ—…s to sue to the Senate of Rome for the kyngdome Mythridates dothe the lyke with an other of his owne sonnes the Cap padocians beyng set at lybertie desyre a kyng Ariobarzanes is appoynted by the Senate Mythridates entereth in leage with Tygranes kyng of Armeny who expulseth Ariobarzanes out of Cappadocia the Romans sent their Lieutenaunteâ—… to set Ariobarzanes agayn in his kyngdome Mythridates maketh greate preparicions and forniture for the warres he encourageth his souldiers and consulteth of thorderyng of his warres Ptolomy kyng of Cyrene obteynyng the kyngdome of Egypt after the death of his brother wor keth moste extreme crueltie agaynste thauthors of his promocion the Ambassadours of Rome come to Alexandria Ptolomye flyeth out of Egypt maketh warre agaynste the same committeth moste execrable cruelnesse agaynst his owne children the courtesie shewed by the kyng of Parthia to Demetrius beyng thâ—…yr prisoner Demetrius stealeth away twyse and is set backe agayne Antiochus the brother of Demetrius maketh warre agaynst the Parthians Demetrius is let go into Syria Antiochus is slayn and all his host murdâ—…red by a sodayne conspiracie Demetrius escapeth into hys kyngdome The contents of the. xxxix Booke DEmetrius whyle he goeth aboute for to conquere the whole â—…alme of Egypte loseth his owne Realme by sodayn rebelion the kyng of Egypt suborneth one as adopted by Antiochus to chalenge the kyngedâ—… of Syria proclaimyng him by the name of Alexander who ouercoÌ„meth Demetrius and â—…ylieth him Grypho the sonne of Demetrius is crowÌ„ned kyng by name his mother bearyng all the rule he is supported by the power of the Egyptians agaynst Alexander whome he vanquisheth Alexander is taken by theues brought vnto Grypho and put to death The mother of Grypho offeryng her sone a cup of poyson is compâ—…lled to drynke it her sclfe His brother Cyriceâ—…us maketh insurreccion agaynst him the Kyng of Egypt dyeth Grypho ouercomâ—…eth Cyri cenus the crueltie of Gryphin towardes her syster Cleopatra the wyfe of Cyricenus Cyricenus vanquisheth Grypho and reuengeth his wyfes deaâ—…h vppon her sister Cleopatra Quene of Egypt sâ—…tteth vp and pulleth downe her sonnes at her pleasur and 〈◊〉 length is slayne by Alexander the yonger of them who for his labor is bannished the Realme and his brother Pâ—…olomy made kyng in his stede The kyng of 〈◊〉 bâ—…queateth his kyngdome to the Ro maynes Heroâ—…yinus kyng of Araby inâ—…teth Egypt and Syria The contâ—…yntes of the. xl Boke TYgranes king of armeny is creatâ—…d kyng of Syria by eleccioÌ„ a great earthquake in Syria Aâ—…granes is vanquished by Lucâ—…llus by whome the kyngdome of Syria is gyuen to Antiochus the sonne of Cyricenus whome Pompeius afterwarde deposeâ—…h and maketh the Realme a pronynce of the Romaynes The xli Booke THe Originall encrease and habitacion of the ParthiaÌ„s the order of their common weale their lenguage and apparell the maner of the warres and thâ—…ducacion of their bondmen theyr trade of lyuyng burâ—…all superstiâ—…ion and naturall inclynacion How they serued vnder diuerse kyngs whose Realmes they afterward brought in subieâ—…ion Of the kyngdom of Bactria The foundacion of the Parthian Empyre by Aâ—…aces with
of her empyre but rather broughte her in greater admiration of all menne that she beynge a woman had surmounted in prowesse not only women but also men She buylded Babilon and enclosed it with a wall of brycke enterlayed with sand and Bytamen which is a kynd of slymye mortar yssuyng out of the ground in diuers places of that countrye Many other noble enterprises this Queene atchieued For beyng not content to maynteyne the state of th empyre and boundes of the same as her husbande lefte it vnto her she subdued Aethyop thereunto And besides that she made warre vpon Indie whereunto there was neuer any that durst geue the aduenture sauyng she onely and great Alexander At the last vnnaturallye desyryng to company with her owne sonne she was by him slayne whē she had reygned xlii yeares after the death of her husbande Ninus Her sonne Ninus beyng contented with the countreyes wonne by his parentes layeng asyde all Chiualrye and knighthoode as though he had chaunged nature with his mother was seldome seene of men but spente hys tyme among a sorte of women His posterity also followynge his example gaue aunswere to the people to ambassadours by messengers The Empyre of Thassirians whyche afterward were called Syrians continued 1300. yeres The last kyng that reigned amonge theym was Sardanapalus a man more vicious than any woman Unto whose presence Arbactus whom he had made lyeuetenaunt ouer the Medes beyng by long suyte had much intreataunce hardly at length admitted which thing was neuer graunted to any man be fore found him amonge a sorte of concubines spinning purple on a rocke in womans apparayle passyng all the womē there in softenesse of body and nycenesse of countenaunce and weyeng out to eche of them theyr taske At the whiche light Arbactus disdayning that so manye men shuld be subiect to such a woman and that so many valiaunte knyghtes and men of warre should be slaues to a woman went forth and tolde his peres what he had sene sayeng he coulde not fynde in his hart to serue and obey such a one as had rather be a woman then a man Whereupon the Lordes confedered them selues together and had him battell Who hearing thereof not like a man entendyng to defend his kyngdome but as women are wont to do for feare of death first sought a corner to hyde his head and soone after with a few and out of aray he came into the felde where beynge vanquished he retired into his pallace there makyng a great bonefire cast him selfe and all his ryches thereinto plainge the man in this only poynt After this Arbactus the worker of his confusion which before was lieutenaunte ouer y e Medes was instituted made kyng And he translated the empire frō the Assirians to the Medes In processe of tyme after many kynges by order of descent the kyngdom came vnto Astyage This man hauing done issue sauing one onely daughter dreamed that he sawe spryng out of her priuye members a vine whose braunches shadowed all Asia The interpretours of dreames and wonders beyng asked theyr iudgement and aduice in the matter made aunswere that hys daughter shoulde brynge hym fothe a nephewe whose greatnesse was by his vision declared before and that by him be should he deposed from his kingdome The kyng being not a litle abash◅d with this interpretacion maryed hys doughter neyther to a Noble man nor to one of his owne countrey least the nobilitie of the parētes should aduaunce encourage his nephewe to take much vpon him but vnto a man of meane estate and liuing of the countrey of Persia which in those ◅ayes was reputed as a base countreye and of no regard or estimation Neuerthelesse beyng not by this acte quite dispatched of the feare of this dreame he sent for his doughter beyng great with childe that as soone as she were deliuered he myght see the babe kylled ▪ Assoone as the childe was borne it was deliuered to be ◅layne vnto Harpagus one of y e kinges priuye counsaile Harpagus fearing that if after the decease of the kyng because he had no yssue male to succede him the kingdome should descend vnto his doughter she would reuenge the death of her chylde vpon him being a subiecte which she could not do vpon her father ▪ deliuered the childe to the kinges herman commaū ding him to cast it away By chaunce the verye same tyme the herdman him selfe had a sonne newlye borne Whose wife hearing of the casting away of the kynges childe earnestly besought her husbande to fetche the childe vnto her that she myght see hym The shepeherd ouercome with the earnest intreataunce of his owne wife returned into the wood where he founde a bytche geuing the childe sucke and defending it frō foules and wilde beastes Then beyng moued with pitie to see the bytche so naturall and pitifull he tooke vp the childe bare it home to his cottage the bitche folowing him egerlye all the waye Assoone as the woman tooke the babe in her armes he smiled and played with her as though he had knowen her and there appeared in him such a chearfulnesse as it were a certayne smiling and flattering countenaunce that she desyred the shepeherd herhusbande to cast awaye his owne childe and suffer her to bryng vp that in the sted of it such was the good fortune of the childe or els the hope that she of hym conceyued And so the destinye of the two children beyng chaūged the kinges nephewe was brought vp for the shepeherdes sonne and the shepeherdes sonne was cast away for the kynges nephewe the nources name was afterward called Sparcon bicause the Persiās do cal a bytche so in theyr language The childe beyng broughte vp amonge the shepeherdes was named Cyrus And in the meane tyme beyng chosen kynge amonge children as they were a playeng when in sporte he whypped suche as wer stubbourne agaynst him the parentes of the children made thereof a great complaynt to the kyng sayeng it stoode not with their honour that their children should be beaten like slaues of the kynges bondman The kyng sendynge for ◅he chylde demaunded of hym whye he dyd so He aunswered without any chaungyng of countenaunce at all for the mat ter that he had done as it became a kynge to do The kyng maruayling at his audacitye came in remembraunce of his dreame and the interpretacion thereof and so when bothe the countenaunce of the chylde and also his lykenesse vnto him selfe the time of his castyng away and the examinaciō of the shepeherd agreed in one he acknowledged him to be his nephewe And for bycause he thoughte him selfe dispatched of his dreame in as much as the childe had played the kyng among the shepeherdes the cruell hart that he bare toward the child was clerely thereby relented But to his frende Harpagus he became so deadly an enemy for sauing of his nephewe that to reuenge his
great prowesse and redoubted for theyr chyualrye throughe e◅eminate cowardnesse and ryot lost all theyr puyssaunce and strength and they whyche before Cyrus time cculde by no warres be vanquyshed nowe fallynge to all kynd of ryot excesse are ouercome with slouth ydlenesse There were before Cresus manye kynges in Lydia for diuers chaunces worthye to be spoken of but none had lyke fortune as had Candaules who hauyng a wife whō for her excellent beau tie he loued out of all measure not contēt with the secrete knowledge of hys pleasures praysed her to euery body and bewraied the priui ies of wedlock as though that silēce had bene an hinderance to her beautie at the last to make good his wordes he shewed her naked to his companion Gyges By the which dede on the one side he so entyced and allured his frende to committe aduoutrie with his wife that he made him his enemie and on thother side he withdrew his wiues loue from him selfe as ye would saye surrendred it to another man For ere it was long after Gyges slewe Candaules maried his mistres for his labour The wife beyng endowed with the bloud of her husbande yelded bothe her selfe and the kingdome into his handes that committed aououtry with her When Cyrus had conquered Asye and pacified the whole East he made warre agaynst the Scithions The same time reigned ouer the Scithians Queene Thomyris who not abashed like a woman at the commynge of her enemy whereas she might haue stopped their passage ouer the riuer Araxes suffred thē to come ouer thinkings that she should fight more to her owne aduauntage within her owne countrey that her enemies should the hardlyer escape if they were put to the worse bicause of the riuer be twene them and home Cyrus therfore hauing ferried ouer his carmy when he had gone a litle way into Scithia pitched his campe the next day counterfetting a feare as though he would haue retyred back againe forsooke his campe the which he left sufficiently furnished with plenty of wine all kinde of delicate viandes meete for feastynge whyche thyng being declared to the Queen she sent her yong sonne with the thyrd parte of her hoste to folowe after Cyrus When they were come to Cyrus campe the yong man being ignoraunt in feates of warre as though he had come to banquet and not to battell leauyng the pursuyte of his enemies suffered his barbarous countreymen to ouercharge them selues with wine by meanes whereof they were so drunken that they could not fyght Cyrus hauinge knoweledge thereof by his espyalles retourned secretelye in the nyght and fallyng vpon them vnwares slewe all the Scithians and the Queenes sonne among them Thomiris hauing lost so great an army that which shuld haue greued the worse her onely sonne fell not a wepynge for sorrowe but deuised with her selfe howe she myghte he reuenged and wyth like pollicie and deceypte begyled her enemies now beyng in their chiefe ruffe for theyr now got thenvictory Wherupon feyning a mistruse for the slaughter in the laste ouerthrowe she gaue backe so longe till she had brought Cyrus into a strait and there enuironing hym with a bushement of souldiers layd before in the mountaynes for the same purpose she slewe 200000 Persians and y ◠kyng him selfe In the which conflycte this thing is worthy to be noted that there was not so muche as one man left to beare home tidinges of so great a slaughter The Queene commaūded the head of Cyrus to be cut of and throwen in to a boll of mannes bloud castyng him in the teeth in thys wyse with hys crueltye Nowe fyll thy selfe with bloud which thou hast euer thyrsted Cyrus reigned thirty yeres being maruaylous notable not only in the beginning of his reygne but also during all the continuaunce of the same After him succeded Cambisis which to his fathers empire by conquest annexed Egipte But being offended with the suspersticion of the Egiptians he commaunded the Temples of Apis and other their Goddes to be beaten downe Furthermore also he sent an army to destroy the renowmed Temple of Ammon which being ouerwhelmed with tempestes and heapes of sand was vtterly destroyed These thynges beynge done he dreamed that hys brother Smerdis shuld reygne after him the whiche dreame made him so afrayed that he sticked not after sacrilege to commit most vnnaturall murder in killing his owne brother For it was a hard an vnlikely matter that he should take any pitie vpon his owne which in spight of religion did violētly set vpon the Goddes As an instrument to bring this cruell act to passe he chose a frend of his one of the Magiās called Comaris In the meane while he him selfe beyng sore woū ded in the thygh with his sworde fallyng out of the sheathe by it selfe dyed and so suffered worthye punyshemente whether it were for the murther commaunded or for the sacrylege already committed When tidynges here of came to the wyso man or ener it was openlye knowen that the kynge was dead he dispatched his purpose and hauynge slayne Smerdis which by ryght shuld haue bene kynge set vp his owne brother Oropastes in his steade For he was very lyke the kynges brother in makyng and fauour By reason whereof uo man misdeemynge any suche treason to be wrought in steade of Smerdis Oropastes was made king The which thing was the easier to be brought to passe and to be kept from knowledge bycause that amonge the Persians for the more honoure and reuerence of his person the kyng showeth not him felfe bare faced The wyse men therfore thereby to winne the fauour of the comminaltye released vnto them three yeares tribute exempted them frō the warres during all the said terme to thentente they myght establyshe by briberye and flatterye the kyngdome that they had gotten by treason and pollicye The whyche thyng was fyrst suspected by one Orthanes a noble man one that had a great foresight in coniecturyng Therfore he sent to his doughter whyche was one of the kynges concubynes to knowe yf he that was kyng were kynga Cyrus sonne or no She sent hiw word that she her selfe could not tell nor yet learne the truthe at onye of her followes han des bycause euery one of them were kepte alone in a house by them selues Then he sente her worde agayne that she should fele about his head when he were a slepe For Cambyses had cut of both the wyse mans cares before Her father beyng certified that the kyng had no eares bewrayed the matter to the noble men of the realm◅ and compelled them to bynde theym selues with an oth◅ that they should confound the wrongful kyng There were no mo but seuen priuye to this conspiracye the whych incontinentlye leaste yf they had time and space to bethynke theym the matter myght be by some of the companye bewrayed with
neighbors and shortly after other forrain people nations thempire therof was dilated euen to the vttermooste borders of the East In the region of Peonic whiche nowe is a portion of 〈◊〉 raigned by report 〈◊〉 the father of astriopeus whose name we here spoken of in the battel of Troy among the chiefest and moste â—…aliaunt defendours of the Citye And on the one side of Hellespont in Europe raigned a kig called Europe Caranâ—… also with a great multitude of Grekes being commaunded by thaunswer of the Oracle to seeke an habitation in Macedony when he came into emathia following a heard of Goats that â—…ed out of the shour of rain entred wan the â—…eld of edissa ere the meÌ„ of the town perceiued his coÌ„ming by reson of the greatnesse of the storm whervpon calling to minde the answer of the Oracle by which he was commaunded to seke a kingdome wher gotes should be his guides he appoynted it to be the seat of his kingdom And euer after he obserued deuoutlyâ—… that whether so euer he led any hoste he woulde haue the same gotes before his standerde to the entent that as they wer thautors of his kingdom so might they be also as leaders in all his enterprises And in remembraunce of thys benefit he chaunged the name of edyssa and called it 〈◊〉 the people therof 〈◊〉 Afterward when he had expulsed Midas for he also held a parte of Macedonie diuers other kings in the stead of theÌ„ all he succeded alone â—…irst of al gathering knitting together soÌ„dry sorts of people made as it wer one entire body of Macedonie laid a strong fouÌ„datioÌ„ for his kingdom hereafter to grow vpon After him raigned Perdicas whose life was notable the warnings at his last departure which wer as thanswer of an oracle worthy to be remebred For when he drue toward his end by reason of age he shewed his sonne Argeuâ—… the place in the which he wold be buried willing not only his owne body but also all the bodies of theÌ„ that shuld succede him in the kingdoÌ„ to be buried in the same place prophecying before that as long as the bones of his posterity were buried there so long the kingdoÌ„ shuld coÌ„tinue in his line family And vpon this superstition it is beleued that his ofspringe failed in great Alexander because he chauÌ„ged the place of burial argeus hauing gouerned the kingdoÌ„ with iustice and loue of his people left to succede him his soÌ„ne Philip who being surprised by hasty death substituted his heir Europe a very babe But the Macedones wer at continuall debate strife with the Thracians Illyrians by whose warres as by daily exercise being hardened they grew so famous redouted in feats of armes that all their neighbours were afraid of theÌ„ The Illirians therfore despising thinfancy of the yong king assailed the Macedones with battel who be ing put to the worse brougbt forth their king in his cradel set him before the battel beginning the field new againe as thoughe they had bene vanquished before vpon none other occasion but because they wanted y â— good luck of their king in the battell thincking to get the vpper hand and it were for none other cause elsse then that vpon this superstition they had perswaded them selues they shoulde win Moreouer they had pity compassion of the infant whome it was none other like but they should make a captine of a king if they should happen to be ouercome In the meane season Darius king of Perfia beinge put to shamefull flighte and driuen oute of Sâ—…ythia because he wold not seme to be dishonored euery wher by his losses in the warres sent 〈◊〉 with part of his army to subduâ—… Thrace thother kingdoms of that climat among the which for the slender regard estimation therof he should take Macedonie for one who shortly executing his masters coÌ„maundement sent ambassadors to Amyntas king of Macedonie demaunding hostages for performance of the peace that shuld be concluded betwene theÌ„ But thaÌ„bassadors be ing gently enterteined as they began to be somwhat ouer come with drink desired Amyntas that forasmuch as he had made them such a suÌ„ptuous feast he wold also grauÌ„t them the rights duties of familiarity that is to say that theyr sonnes their wiues their daughters mighte come kepe them coÌ„pany at the banket for it was counted amonge the Persians as a sure token pledge of hospitality frendlye entertainment Who comming in to bear them company the Persians began to daly with more wantonly then was semely conuenient Wher vpon AlexaÌ„der the son of amino tas desired his father to haue respect to his age grauity to withdraw himselfe from the banket promising to fynde meanes to delay the dalians of his quests wel inough wheÌ„ â—…yntas was gone Alexander called out the women one by one as though it had ben to dresse attire theÌ„ more gorgeously so to bring them in again In whose sted he dressed in womens apparel he sent yong men commauÌ„ding them to represse the waÌ„tonnes of thambassadors with their we pons that they caried vnder their garmeÌ„ts The which being done al thambassadors killed Mogabyzus knowing nothing hereof when he saw his ambassadors returned not a gaine sent thither Bubares with a parte of his hoste as to a war so easy so mean as that he disdained to troble himself therwith least men should speke dishonor of him for fighting against so base vile a kinde of people But 〈◊〉 be fore the battel being taken in loue with Amintas daughter leauing of the warres solempniled the marriage laying a side all rancor and emnity ioyned him self in aliaunce with his enemy After the departure of Bubares out of Macedone the kinge Amyntas deceased Unto whose sonne successor Alexander this affinity of Bubares did great ple sure For by meanes therof he not onlye liued in peace all the time of Darius but also grew in greate fauor wyth Xerxes In so muche that when like a tempest he inuaded all Grece he gaue him the seniory royalty of al the couÌ„tries betwene the mountaines of Olympus and Hemus Yet notwithstanding he enlarged his kingdom as much by his own prowes as by the liberality of the Persians At leÌ„gth by order of succession the kingdom of Macedone cam vnto Amyntas the sonne of his brother Menelaus This man al so was notable for his actiuity and endowed with al royall and warlike qualities He begate of his wife Eurydice thre sonnes AlexaÌ„der Perdicas and Philip the father of great Alexander and a daâ—…ghter named Euryone And of a nother wife called Cygea he engendred Archilaus Aridens 〈◊〉 who had sore warres first with the Illyrians and after wyth the Olyntâ—…ans But he had ben cut short by the treson of his wife Eurydice who concluding priuely a mariage wyth her sonne
were they inflamed with hatred againste the Phocenses that vtterly forgetting their owne slaughters they had rather pearishe them selues then to suffer them vndestroyed and had rather to abide the cruelty of Philip which they knew all redy by experience then by anye meanes to for bear their enemies On the contrary part the 〈◊〉 wyth thambassadours of Lace and Athens besought hym that he would not make warre the whyche they hadde all ready iii. times bought of at his hand with their monye Surely it was a foule and miserable sight to behold Grece which euen yet at that time bothe in strength and dignity was princesse of the whole world alwaies a conqueresse of kinges and countries and as yet the Lady of many cities daunsing attendaunce in a forain land and there entreting for warre or peace to put her hed vnder a nother mannes girdle And that the reuengers of the whole world should be brought to that poynte through their own discorde and ciuil warres that they were glad to fawne and hang vpon their sleues who not longe before were accompted as the vilest part of their retinue and hangers on ▪ and that in espe cially to be don of the Thebanes and Lacedemonians who lately before ruled the whole rost betwixt them and now in the time that Grece bare the souerainty wer enemyes one of anothers estate Philip in the meane season for the aduauncement of his owne glory debated as concerninge the preheminence and estate of so mighty cities deuising of which he were best to make most accompt And therfore when he had seacreatly heard thambassades of both partes seuerally he promised the one to discharge them of the warres taking an othe of them not to bewray his answer to anye man On the contrary part he promised the other to come and helpe them geuing both parties straight charge and commaundemēt not to fear or prepare for any warre Through this variable answer it came to passe that while euerye man kepte him self in quiet he toke the straightes of Thermopile Then first of all the Phocenses perceiuing them selues entrapped by the pollicy of Philip fearfully tooke them to their weapons But they had no leisure either to surnish their owne battels or to send for succor to their neighbors And Philip threatned he would vtterly destroy them onlesse they yelded incontinent Being therfore ouercome with necessity they yelded them selues simply their liues only saued But euen of as muche force was this composition as was hys promise before to discharge them of the warres Therfore they were euery wher slain and spoiled The children wer not left to their parents nor the wiues to their husbands nor the Images of the Goddes in the temples One onlye comfort had this wretched people that wheras Philip defrauded his owne companions of their parte of the praye they saw nothing of theirs in their enemyes hands When he was returned into his kingdome like as Grasiers shift their cattel somtime into one layer sometime into another according as the season of the yere requireth euen so remo ued he at his owne pleasure whole countries and Cityes according as he thought the places mete to be replenished or forsaken It was a miserable sight to behold in al places and in respect euen like to a desolation For this feare was not like as when the ennemy approcheth or when men of warre run vp and downe a Citye or when two hostes encounter vielently in the fielde nor when men are slaine in the stretes their goods taken away perforce but a secret sorow mourning fearing leaste euen their forced teares shuld be taken for contimacy the grief encresed by the cloking therof so much the depelier persing the hart as it had lesse liberty to vtter it selfe Somtime they considered the sepulchres of their ancestors somtime their old housholde gods somtime the houses wher they were begotten had begotten children them selues Bewailing eft their owne case in that they had liued to that day eft the state of their children y ◠it had not bene their fortune to be borne after y e time Some people he placed in the vtmost boundes of his kingdom euen in his enemies mouthes other he set in the furthermost borders of all his realme other some that wer mete for the warres he put in garrison in cities as nede required And so of many kindes of people manye nations he made one entire kingdom one people The affaires of Macedonie being set at a stay through fraud pollicy he toke the chief of the Dardamans other borders and subdued their coūtries Nether withheld he his hand frō his own kinred For he determined to put Arymba king of Epyrus his wife Olympias neare kinsman from his royalty And thervpon he sent for Alexander his sonne in law brother of his wife Olympias a boy of excellent beuty in his sisters name to com vnto him into Macedonie And ther by al meanes possible ha uing entised him with hope of the kingdom vnder pretens of counterfet loue abused him in most filthy buggery thin king that either shame and remorse of his own conscience or elsse the making of him king should cause him to be the more at his commaundement Therefore when the chylde was come to xx yeres of age he toke the kingdom from Arymba and gaue it to him being a very boy playinge a wicked part with them bothe For neither delt he like a natural kinsman with him from whome he toke the kingdome and him to whome he gaue it he made a harlot before he made him king The ninthe Booke VUhen Philip was come into Grece allured with the sacking of a few cities the spoil of a few smal townes ther vpō gathering in his minde how great wer the richesse of them all he determined to make warre against all Grece To the furtherance wherof he thought it wold greatlye aduauntage him if he myghte bring in his subiection the noble hauen town of Byzance as a refuge for his hostes both by-sea lād The same because they shut their gates against him he besieged This Citye was builded at the first by Pansanias kinge of the Spartanes by him was possessed by the space of vii yeres ▪ Afterward as victory enclined to either part it belonged eft to the Lacedemonians and eft to the Atheniens The which vncertain possession made it to stand stiflye in the defence of her own liberty forasmuch as neither partye succored or rescued it as their owne Phillip therfore hauing spent his treasure with the long continuaunce of his siege made a shifte to get mony by rouing on the Lea. And hauing taken lxr shippes laden with marchaundise he refreshed his gready necessity for a while Furthermore because so great an army shoulde not be deteined aboute the siege of one city he went with a nomber of the stoutest of his souldioures and wan manye cities of Chersonesus Moreouer he sente for hys
againe Of the whiche sorte he made three hundred iudges and rulers of the City Before whome when all the greatest men of the Citye were araigned as giltye of their wrongfull banishment they were of suche constancye that they all confessed them selues to haue bene authors therof in deede Affirmynge y ◠it was better with the common wealthe when they were condempned then when they were restored again It was out of doubte a meruelous audacitye ◅or prisoners to geue sentence on their iudges that sate vppon their life death as who would say they disdained to be acquite at their ennemies handes and for asmuch as they coulde not reuenge them selues in worke to vsurpe their libertye in woordes When Phillip had set thinges at a staye in Grece he commaunded all the cityes to sende ambassadors to Corynthe for the reformation of the thinges that were a misse Ther he enacted a statute of peace for al Grece accordyng to the deseruinges of euery City and he elected oute of them all one Counsell and as it were one Senate Onlye the Lacedemonians despised bothe the king and his lawe accōpting that peace but as a seruitude or bondage which was not agreable to the cities them selues but was geuen at y ◠pleasure of the conqueror Furthermore euery city was apoyn ted what manner of men they should setforth to y ◠warres if the king should haue neade either to assiste him when he wer assailed by foraine power or els to make warre vnto others vnder him For it was to be thoughte none other but that all this great preparation was made to assayl the Empire of the Persians The summe of al his succors was two hundred thousand footemen and fiftene hundred horsemen Besides this nomber was also the hoste of Macedone and other barbarous nations bordering ther vpon whom he had subdued In the beginning of y ◠spring he s◅t ouer before into Asia which belōged to the Persians thre captains Parmenio Amyntas Attalus Whose sister hauinge put away Olympias the mother of Alexander vpon suspition of aduoutry he had lately taken in mariage In the meane season while his succors were assemblynge out of Grece he solemnized a mariage betwene his daughter Cleopatra and Alexander whome he had made kynge of Epyre. That day was great solempnity and feasting according to thestate of the two kings th one geuing his daughter thother taking her in mariage And there wanted no kinde of royall showes and pageauntes that coulde be deuised to see the which as Philip was going forth withoute any gard in the middes betwene the two Alexanders hys sonne and sonne in law A noble yong manne of Macedone called Pansanias mistrusted of no man where aboutes he w◅nt stept vpon the king in a strait and as he would haue passed by slue him turning the day into sorowe and heauinesse that was appoynted to mirth and pleasure This Pansa◅as in the first prime of his youthe had suffered Attalus perforce against his wil to abuse him moost filthely wherwith being not contented he offred him this villanye besides He brought him into a banket and there making him dronken cōpelled him like a st◅king strompet to sustaine not only his beastly lechery but also the shamelesse and abhominable lust of al y ◠guests wherby he madehim a laugh ing stock to all men when he came amonge hiscōpanions Pansanias being with this his doinge sore agreued did oftentimes make complainte therof to the kinge At whose hand being with diuers delaies put of not without a mock for his labor and perceiuing his aduersary to be aduaunced furthermore to a captainship he turned his wrathe vppon the king him self and for because he could not be reuenged vpon his aduersary he reuenged him vpon the wrongfull iudge It is thoughte that he was sent by Olympias the mother of Alexander and that Alexander him self ◅as pre uy to his fathers murthre For it is not vnlike but that Olympias toke ber deuorcement and the preferment of Cle opitra as greuously as Pansanias did his abusing and that Alexander feared his brother begotten of his stepmother as an enemy of his kingdome Whervpon it came to passe before this time that he fell at woordes at a banquet fyrste with Attalus and after with his father In so muche that his father pursued him with his sworde drawne and hys frendes had much a doo to entreate him to holde his hande from killing him Uppon which occasion Alexander wyth his mother fled vnto his vncle into Epyre and frō thence went to the kinge of Sclauonye and would skarse by anye meanes be reconciled to his father when he sente for hym in so muche that his frendes coulde not in manner by anye intretaunce compell him to returne agayne Olympias al so was procuring her brother Alexander king of Epyre to raise warre against Philip and had obtained her sute if he had not preuented him with the mariage of his daughter and made him his sonne in lawe These thinges therefore were as spurres vnto Pansanias iust displeasure prickyng him forward to the accomplishment of this acte vpon hys complaint sorowing to be so shamefully abused and coulde haue no redresse This is certaine that Olympias had laid poste horses to conuey him awaye when he had striken the king Afterward when she hard of the murder of the king she came to his funerals the same night vnder pretence of doing obsequies to him and there the very same night that she came she set a crowne of golde vpon Pansanias hed as he ◅ong vpon the galowes the which thing no body durst haue bene so bold to haue doone but she Philip hauynge a sonne a liue And within a few daies after she toke downe the body of Pansanias and burned it vppon her husbandes ashes and builded him a tombe in the same place causyng yerely certaine Ceremonies and obsequies to be doone for him wherby she draue a superstitiō into the peoples heds This doone she compelled Clep◅tra for whose sake Phillip had diuorsed him self frō her hauing first killed her daughter euen in the mothers lap to hang her self and in beholdinge her howe she hong enioyed the reuengement vnto which she made so muche hast by the murder of her owne hus◅and Last of al she consecrated the sword wherwith the kyng was stain vnto Apollo by the name of Myrtalis for that was Olympias name when she was a litle one Al y ◠which things wer don so openlye that it was to be thoughte she shoulde haue feared least her doing wold not be alowed or rather as though she cared not who knew that she had doone the dede ▪ Philip deceased of thage of xlvii yeares when he had raigned xxv yeres He begate of Larissa a daunsing damosel a sonne named Arideus that raigned after Alexander He had many other sonnes begotten of diuers women as the manner of kings is of whome some died of theyr naturall death
and that it was hys chaunce to be better entreated of his ennemy then of hys owne kin For wheras his enemy had geuen his wyfe and children life his kinsfolk to whome he had geuen both lyfe and kingdoms had vnnaturally bereft him of his life For the which his doinges he rendred him suche thankes as he himself hauing the victory listeth to accept This onlye one thing which lay in his power to do for him nowe lyinge at the poynt of death would he do for Alexander as inrecom pence of his good turnes that is to pray to the powers celestiall and the powers infernall and the Gods of kinges to geue him victory and dominion of the whole worlde As for himself he desired nothing but that it might be his plesure to graunte him buriall as of righte he oughte to haue without grudge And as touching the reuengement of hys death it was now no parte of his care but for exāples sake the common case of all kinges the whiche to neglecte as it should be dishonorable to him so might it turne to hys vtter perill For on the one part this case concerneth his Iustice and on the other it toucheth his owne vtility and profit In token wherof as an only pledge of the faith and honor of a king he gaue his right hand to cary vnto Alexander At those words he stretched out his hand and gaue vp the goste The which when Alexander hard of he came to see his body as he lay dead and he wept to beholde so worthye an estate come vnto so vnworthye a death Wherfore he caused his body to be entred with all solempnitye like a kinge and his reliques to be conueyed into the Sepulthres of his auncestoures The twelfthe Booke ALexander bestowed great cost in buryinge of his souldiours that were slaine in pursuing Darius to the residue of his companye he departed wyth xv M. talēts The greater part of his horses was foundred with heat and such as remained were able to do no seruice The whole summe of the mony gotten alate by this victory was a hundred and thre and fifty thousand talents wherof Parmcnio was made treasurer Whyle theese things wer a doinges letters were brought from Antipater out of Macedone the tenor wherof contained y ◠wartes of Agis king of the Spartans in Grece of Alexander king of Epire in Italy and of his lieuetenaunt Sopyron in Scithia The which made him somewhat to muse Neuerthelesse when he had wel disgested the natures of the ii kings his enuiers he was more glad of the losse of them then sorye for the losse of his armye and his captaine Sopiryon For after that Alexander had taken his iourney almoos◅e all Grece fell to rebellion in hope to recouer their liberty ensuinge the ensample of the Lacedemonians whyche alonelye forsooke the peace and despised the orders taken bothe by Phillip and Alexander Captaine and ringleader of thys Commotion was Agis kinge of the Lacedemonians The whiche tumulte Antipater suppressed with suche power as he had raised euen in the very risinge therof Yet notwithstandinge there was great slaughter on both partes King Agis when he saw his mē put to flight to the entent that all be it he coulde not haue as good fortune as Alexander he mighte not seeme inferioure to him in courage sent awaye his garde and him selfe alone made suche slaughter of his ennemies that sometime he put to flyghte whole bandes at ones At the laste althoughe he were oppressed by the multitude yet he wan the glory and renoun from them all Furthermore Alexāder king of Epyre being set into Italy for to aid the Tarentines against the Brutianes toke y ◠viage vppon him with so good a will as thoughe the whole worlde should haue beene deuided and that Alexander the sonne of his sister Olympias shoulde haue had the East for his part and himself the West entendinge to haue no lesse a doo in Italy Affrike and Sicil then the other shuld haue to do in Asia amonge the Persians And besides thys lyke as the Oracle at Delphos had prophesied vnto great Alexander that his destruction shuld be wrought in Macedone euen so the Oracle of Iupiter of Dodone had told this Alexander that the city Pandose and the riuer acheruse shoulde be his fatall end Nowe for as much as bothe of them were in Epyre not knowing that they were in Italy also to th entent to auoyd the daunger of his desteny he gladly enterprysed warre in a straunge land Therfore when he came into Italye the firste warre that he had was with the Appulians but when he vnderstode the destenies of their City he entred a leage and amity with their king For at that time the head City of Appulia was Brunduse the which was founded by the Aetolians vnder the conducte of Dyomedes that famous captaine for hys renowmed actes at the battell of Troye But being expulsed by thappulians they asked counsell of the Oracles Where answer was made that they shoulde possesse the place that they required for euer Here vppon they required thappulians by their ambassadors to render their Citye againe or elsse they threatned to make sharpe warre vpon them The Appulians hauynge knowledge of the answer of the Oracle slew the ambassadoures and bucied them in the Citye there to haue their dwellinge for euer and so hauing dispatched the meaninge of the Oracle they enioyed the City a great time The which dede when Alexander of Epyre knew of for reuerēce to the destinies of so long continuaunce he made no more warre to the Appulians Then made he warre with the Brutians and Lucanes won many cities of theirs Also he concluded a peace and frendship with the Metapontines Rutilians and Romains But the Brutians and Lucanes hauing gotten hope of their neighbors fiersly renewed the warres againe There the king neare vnto the citye Pandose and the riuer Acheruse was wounded to deathe not knowing the name of his fatall place besore he was slaine and when he should die he perceiued that in his own country was no nead for him to fear death for the whiche cause he had forsaken his countrye The Tyrians raunsomed his body at the charges of their city and buried it honorably While these things wer in doing in Italy Zopyrion also whome Alexander the great had lefte president of Pontus thinking himself dishonored if he laye still and attempted nothinge raised an army of xxx M. souldiers and made war to the Scythians Where being ◅aine wythal his hoste he suffred due punishment for making war so rashly againste an vnhurtfull kinde of people When tidinges of these thinges were brought vnto Alexander into Parthia he made himself very sory for the death of his cosen Alexāder and commaunded al his host to morne for him by the space of iii. daies After this as though the warre had ben ended in the death of Darius when all men loked to returne into their
the Macedones wer so incensed that wythâ—…ute respect of her former estate they gaue sentence she shoulde be put to death quite forgetting that vnder her sonne and her hushand they had not only liued in safety and oute of daunger of their neighbours but also had gotten so great richesse and the dominion of the whole world But Olimpias when she saw the armed men comminge fiercely toward her to kil her of her owne accorde apparelled lyke a Quene and leaninge vpon two of her gentlewomen she went to mete them At the which sight they that shoulde haue killed her being astonied for the maiesty whiche she before time had represented and then openly shewed and remembring so manye of their kinges who euen then after a sort appeared in her person paused and stode still vntil such time as Cassander sent others to thrust her throughe Who neither fled backe when she sawe the sworde neither refused her deathes wounde nor yet shriked oute like a woman but after the manner of the most valiaunt men auaunced her self forward to the death for the glory of her auncient stocke and progeny so that a man myghte haue behelde euen Alexander himselfe in his mothers dyinge Furthermore when she was euen geuyng vp her ghoste it is reported that she couered her feete wyth her garments and wyth the hear of her heade leaste they that stode about her might haue sene any vncomely sight in her bodye After this Cassander toke to wife Thessalonice the daughter of king Arideâ—…s and put Alexanders sonne with his mother in prison in the toure of Amphipoles The. xv Booke PEâ—…dicas and hâ—…s brother Alceta â—…mnenes and Polypercbon with the residue of the captaines of the aduerse part being slaine it was to be thought that the contention amonge the successors of greate Alexander hadde beene clearlye extinguished when sodenlye the conqueroures fell at variaunce among them selues For when that Ptolomy Cassander and Lysimachus required to hauâ—… the monye that was gotten and made of the voties and the prouinces deuided among them Antigonus denied to admit any partners of the gain and boties of that war the daunger and brunt wherof he sustained himself alone And to th entent he might seeme to haue an honest quarell to make warre vpon his felowes he caused it to be noysed that he would reuenge the deathe of Oâ—…ympias whome Cassander had slaine and deliuer his master king Alexanders sonne and his mother out of amphipolis where they were kepte as prysoners When this was knowen Ptolomy and Cassander entringe in league with Lysimachus and Seleuchus made great preparation for the warres bothe by sea and by land Ptolomy held Egipt with the moâ—…e part of affricke and Cyprus and Phenice Cassander ruled Macedone and Grece antigonus had gotten asia and part of the East Whose sonne Demetrius in the fyrst conflict of these warres was vaÌ„quished by Ptolomy at Calama In the which battel the renowne of Ptolomies modesty was much greater then his victory For he both let go Demetrius frends not only with their owne priuate substans but also honorablye rewarded and moreouer restored all Demetrius priuate substaunce and houshold stuffe seÌ„ding him woorde like a royall prince that he made warre not for desyre of the gain but for to attain honor and renoun and that it greued him that Antigonus when he had ouercome the Captaines of the aduerse part shoulde take to himself alone the reward of the victory that apertained to theÌ„ all while these things wer in doing Cassander retur ning from Apollonia chaunced to light vpon the abderites which for the excessiue swarmes of Frogges and myse were fain to forsake their owne natiue country and seke them a new dwelling place Fearing therfore least they should inuade Macedone he made a couenaunt with them and receiued them into league to be his frends assigning them lands to inhabit in thvttermost borders of Macedone Afterward for fear least Hercules the sonne of Alexander who as then was going out of the. xiiii yeare of hys age for good wil and fauoure that menne bare to hys father shoulde be called to the kingdome of Macedone hee caused both him and hys mother Barsine to be putte secreatlye to death and their bodies to be buryed in the grounde least if they should be buryed openly or accordinge to theyr estate their death might come to light And yet not so content as though he had but smally trespassed first in kyng Alerander himself secondly in Olympias his mother and thirdlye in his sonne he also killed his other sonne wyth his mother Roxane by like treason as though it hadde not bene possible to attayne to the kingdome of Macedone whi che he so sore longed for otherwise then by fraud and treson In the meane time Ptolomy encountred agayn wyth Demetrius vppon the sea and hauing lost his shyppes and being clearely vanquished retired into Egipt Demetrius being prouoked with the like good turn before set home into Egipt Leuticke Ptolomies sonne and Menelaus his bro ther 〈◊〉 all their priuate goodes and houshold stuffe And for because it might appere that they wer enflamed with desire of honor and praise rather then with malyce and hatred they sent presents and giftes one to another euen in the chiefest time of all their warre So much more honestly did men in those dayes make warre then they doo now maintaine frendship antigonus being puffed vp with pride for this victorye proclaimed himselfe kinge and hys sonne Demetrius also Ptolomy likewise because he wold not be had in lesse estimation amonge his subiectes was proclaimed king by his men of warre Cassander and Lysimachus hearing therof toke vpoÌ„ them the name and tytle of kinges also All they abstained from vsurping the honour of thys name as long as any of the sonnes of their mayster king Alexander were aliue So greate modestye was in them that all be it euery one of them had the richesse and power of a king yet they could wel find in their harts to forbear the names and titles of kings so long as Alexander had any rightful heir a liue But Ptolomy and Cassander and thother captaines of their part perceiuing y â— whiles eche of them drue a part by himself to make warre alone and laid not their power together eche refusing to helpe other as though it were but one mannes victory and not the common vse of them all antigonus licked them vp one after another sent letters of encouragement one to another apoynting a time place of meting and enteruew and so laid all their powers together for the war Where at forasmuch as Cassander could not be present himself by reason of the warres that he had wyth hys neighboures he sent Lysimachus with a great host to the ayâ—… of his confederates Thys Lysimachus was borne of a noble house in Macedone but his prowesse vertue and knighthode passed all noblenesse of birth The which were so planted in
to liue vppon the spoyle made the country so hot that no man almost durste stirre abroade Dennis therfore king of Sicil being in manner wearyed with the continuall complaintes of his confederates sent ouer syre hundred Afres to suppresse them whose castle by the treason of a woman called Brutia they won and there builded a city which was soone peopled by the confluens of the shepheardes resorting thither vpon hope of the new city and they called them selues Brutians after the name of the woman The firste warre that they had was with the Lucanes the authors of their begynninge With the which victory being encouraged and hauynge concluded an equall and indiâ—…erent peace with theÌ„ they conquered their other neighbours by the sword and they gat so great richesse and power within a while that they seemed pernitious and able to doo displeasure euen vnto kinges Finally A lerander king of Epire comminge into Italy with a great hoste to the aid of the Greke Cityes was wythall his army by them vtterly destroyed Wher vppon their cruelnesse being enflamed wyth contynuall successe of prosperity became terrible to their neighbors a long time after At the last Agathocles beinge called to help in hope to enlarge his kingdome passed out of Sicilie into Italy As he was comming toward them for fear of his puissaunce they sent their ambassadoures to hym requesting him of peace and frendship Whome Agathocles biddinge to supper to the entent they shoulde not see the shippinge of his armye appoynted to common wyth them the next day and so in the meane while toke shippe priuely and stale ouer from them But the ende of thys fraude was not to be reioâ—…sed at For within a few daies after he was constrained to retourne into Sicill by the force of a disease wherwith he was taken ouer all his body â–ª the pestilent humor spreding it self throughe euery sinew and ioynt as thaugh that euery member had ben at ciuil war one against another Of the whiche no hope of recouery appering there arose war betwene his sone and his nephew eche of them chalenging the kingdome as if he had bene dead all redy in the which his son was slain and his nephew vsurped the kingdom Agathocles therfore when he saw the grief of his disease the thought of his minde stil greuouser and greuouser eche encreasyng by the furtherance of the other being vtterly in despair caused his wife Theogen to take his two litle soÌ„nes that he hadde begotten of her withal his treasure housholde houshold stuffe and princelye furniture appertaining vnto him of which no king was better stored then he was and to saile into Egipte from whence he tooke her to hys wife for feare least his nephewe who had robbed hym of his kingdom shuld also play the enemy with them How be it his wife entreted him earnestly a great while that she mighte not be drawen from him in his sicknesse least her departure might be worthely likened to the murther done by his nephew and men might reporte that she had as cruelly abandoned her husbande as he had supplanted his graundfather saying that when she was marryed to him he toke her not to be his companion and partaker of prosperitye onlye but of all other fortune what so euer should happen Wherfore it should not greue her to loose her life so she mighte tarye with her husband to the laste gaspe and according to her duty as she was bouÌ„d of loue and womanhode to do see him honorably entred whyche thing were she ones gone no man would take vpon hym to do When the litle ones should goo away they embraced their father and held him aboute the necke wepynge and crying oute on the other side the wife as she that neuer loked to se her husband more had neuer done kissyng him And it was a lamentable thing to se how pitâ—…ouslye thold man wept the children bewailing the father ready to die and the father moning his banished children The one sorowing to leaue their sicke and diseased olde father all alone as desolate the other lamentinge to leaue hys sonnes in penury whom he had begotten to inherite his kingdome Moreouer all the palace range with the noyse of such as stode about weping and sorowing to se â—…o cruel a deuorce and departure At the lengthe the necessitye of their forced departing was the end of their wepyng and the death of the king ensued immediatly vpon the departure of the children While these thinges were a doinge the Carthaginenses hauing intelligence howe the world went in Sicil thincking good occasion to be geuen theÌ„ of recouering the whole Iland sailed thither with a greate power subdued manye cities The same time Pyrrhus made warre against the Romains who as is said before beinge desired to come to the ayde of the Sicilians when he came to Syracuse and hadde subdued many Cityes he was proclaimed king of Sicil like as he was of Epyre. In the prosperous successe of which things greatly reioysing he appoynted that his sonne Heleu should be king of Sicil as in the righte of his graundfather for he was begotten of king Agathocles daughter and his sonne Alexander should be king of Italy After this he foughte many prosperous battels with the Carthaginenses Wythin a while after there came ambassadors from his conâ—…ederates in Italy bringing him word that it was not possible to make resistens againste the Romaines but that they must nedes yeld onlesse he reseued them Being troubled with so doutful a daunger and not knowing what to do or which of them he might rescue fyrst he toke spedy aduice as concerning both For the one side the Carthaginises assailed him and on the other side the Romaines so that it semed a daungerous matter not to passe his army into Italy and yet more daungerous to lead his hoste 〈◊〉 of Sicil least the one should be lost for want of succoure or the other by withdrawing his helpe from them In this rage of daungers the sureâ—… hauen of all other counsels and aduises semed to be fyrst with al his power to try the matter in Sicil and then hauing vanquished y â— Carthaginenses to transport his victorious army into Italy Therfore all be it he gate the vpper hande in that battel yet notwithstanding for as muche as he went hys way out of Sicil he was accompted to run away as a vaÌ„quished person and therefore his alies and confederates reuolted from him By meanes wherof he lost the kyngdome as lightly as he came by it easly Furthermore finding no better successe in Italye then he had in Sicill be retired into Epire. The wonderfull chaunce of bothe is to be noted for ensample For euen as before throughe prosperous fortune all things flowing beyond his desire and expectation he had gotten the Empire of Italye and Sicill with so manye victories againste the Romaines so now when fortune had chaunged her copy as it were
to make a show of the frailty of man throwinge downe the thinges she had builded besides the losse of Sicil she paid him home with shipwracke on the sea wyth a shamefull ouerthrow against the Romaines and with a dishonorable departure out of Italye After the departure of Pyrthus oute of Sicil Hiero was created chiefe officer who was a man of such modesty that by the fauorable consent of all the Cities he was first made captayne agaynste the Carthaginenses and afterwarde kinge Of this royall estate to come his bringing vp when he was a very babe was as it were a foreteller For he was begotten of a noble man called Hieroclytus whose pedegre was fet from Gelus an auncient king of Sicil. But by his mothers side he was borne of a base and verye dishonorable stocke for he was be gotten of a bondwoman and therefore caste away by his father as a dishonor and reproch to his stock But the Bees fineding the litle babe without healpe of man wroughte their combes aboute him and nouryshed him with honny many dayes together Uppon which occasion his father at theÌ„ warnynge of the southsayers which tolde him that the childe shoulde be a king toke the childe to him and brought him vp wythall diligence in hoope of the state that was be highte him As the same childe sate at his boke in the schole among other of his felowes sodainly there came in a wolfe among theÌ„ and snatched the boke out of his hande Moreouer beyng a yongman when he went firste to the warres an Eagie came and â—…ate vppon his target and an Owle vppon hys speare The whiche wonder betokened that he should be aduised in councel ready of hand and also that he shuld be a king Finally he fought hand to hand agaynst many chalengers and euer went away with the victory Kyng Pyrrhus rewarded him with many rewardes of châ—…alry He was of personage exceding beautiful of strengthe wonderfull as mighte be in a man gentle to talke vnto iust in his dealinges in his gouernment vprighte and indifferent so that nothing in the world wanted in him appertaining to a king saue only a kingdome ¶ The. xxiiii Booke WHile these thinges were a doing in Sicil in the meane time in Grece through the dissention and warres of Ptolomeus Ceraunicus Antiochus Antigonus amonge them sâ—…lues almoost all Grece at the instigatyon of the Spartanes the ringe leaders therof encouraged with hope of liberty as if occasion had ben geuen to pul their neckes oute of the yoke of bondage sendynge ambassadoures one to another to knit them selues togetogether in aliance and society fel to rebellyon And least they might seme to haue taken wepon in hande agaynste Antigonus vnder whose gouernaunce they were they assailed the Aetolians his confederates pretendynge the cause of their warre to be for that the said Aetolians had entred held by force the feld Cyreus which by y â— who le consent of Grece was consecrated to Apollo As captaine of this war they chose one Aran. Who assemblynge hys whole power together spoyled the townes foraged the corne that was situate and growinge in the forenamed fields such as they could not carye away with them he set on fire The which thing the shepherds of the Aetolians beholding out of the mountaines gathered them selues to the nomber of fiue hundred and fell vpon theyr enemies as they were skattered and not knowinge how many there were of them by reson that the sodaine feare together with the smoke of the fyres had takeÌ„ their sight from them and hauing slaine nine thousand of them put the residue of the foragers to flighte Aftâ—…rwarde when the Lacedemonians went aboute to renue the warres again many cities denied them aid because they thoughte they sought the souerainty and not the liberty of Grece In the meane season the warre was â—…yshed among the kynges For Ptolomy hauinge expulsed Antigonus and seised the whole kingdome of Macedone into hys hande tooke a truse with Antiochus and ioyned aliaunce wyth Pyâ—…hus by geuing him his daughter in mariage Afterward being rid of outward fear he turned his vngodly wicked mind to deuising mischief against his own house â–ª imagining treson against his sister â–ª 〈◊〉 to the entent to depriue her children of their liues and her of the possession of the city Cassanoria The fyrst â—…ynte of his crafty conueyâ—…nce was vnder the pretence of couÌ„terfet loue to desire his 〈◊〉 in mariage For otherwise then vnder colour of concord he coulde not compasse to get her chyldren into his handes whose kingdome be hadde wrongefully taken front them But his â—…ister knewe his wicked entent wel mough Whervpon perceiuinge that she trusted him not he sent her word that he wold make her chil dren felowes in Empire with him Against whom he had made warre not because he was minded to take the king dome from them but because he desired that they should haue it of his free gift and mere liberty For the more assuraunce wherof he willed her to send some trusty frend of hers to receiue an othe of him and he woâ—…ld in the presence of the party before the Gods of his countrye bynde himself with what othe or curse she wold desire in all the world Arsinoe being in doubte what she were best to do for if she sent she knew she should be deceiued by forsweringe of himselfe and if she sent not she was a frayde shâ—… should prouoke her cruel brother to rage taking more care for her children then for herselfe whome she partlye hoped to saue by meane of this marriage sent one of her frendes called Dyon Whome Ptolomy brought into the most holy temple of Jupiter the auncâ—…test place of religion of greatest reuâ—…rence in all Macedone there laying his handes vpon the aultares and touching the very images of the goddâ—…s as they stode in their shrines sware before him with suche terrible othes extreme curses as neuer wer hard of that he desired his sisters marriage w t out any fraud craft deceipt or dissimulation and that he wold proclaim her Duene not purposinge to take any other wife to spite her withall or to haue any other childreÌ„ then her sonnes Arsinoe after the time she was thus fulfilled with hope and deliuered from fear came and commoned with her brother her self Whose smilinge lâ—…s flattering countenaunce pretending as much good â—…ayth as he promised by his othe brought her into such a fooles paradise that she consented to marrye with her brother contrary to the minde of Ptolomye her sonne who euer tolde her there was deceite in the matter The maryage was solempnised with great sumptuousnesse and ioye Furthermore he sommoned all his hoste before him anâ—… there himself setting the crown vpon his sisters hed proclaimed her Duene Whervpon arâ—…noe being exceadynge glad and ioyful for as much as she had recouered y â— which she had lost by the
solempnised wherby the newe wedded wife fel in great fauor and the old wife in displeasure For the fyrst wife as thoughe she had beene deuorced of her owne accord departed to her brother antiochus and prouoked him to war vpon her husband The acarnanians also distrusting the Epyrotes and thervpon â—…equiring healpe of the Romaines obtained of the Senate of Rome that ambassadours were sent to commaund the aetolians to withdraw their garrisons from the cities of acarnania and to suffer them to liue â—…ree out of bondage whiche all only in old time sent no help to the Grekes against the Troianes thautors of their beginning But the Aetolians hard the ambassade of the Romaines proudly and disdainfully Casting them in the tethe with the Carthaginenses the frenchmen by whom they had ben so affâ—…cted in so many battels so oftentimes vtterly slain saying it was meâ—…e for theÌ„ first to open their gates against the â—…thaginenses which they had shut vp for fear of y â— warrâ—…s of affrick ere they toke vpon them to make warres in Grece Moreouer they bad them remember whome they manased for they were not able to defend their owne city agaynste â—…he frenchmen but y â— when it was taken tâ—…ey were fayne to redeme it with mony â–ª not recouer it by the sworde The which nation entring into Grece with a nother maner of host they them 〈◊〉 had not only without the aid of any other forain power but also not so much as helped wyth their own houses vtterly destroyed made their realm a place for their burâ—… which they had determined to make the â—…eat and key of their kingdome Wheras on the contrary part Italye the Roâ—…es yet still tremblynge for fear of the laâ—…e burning of their city was wel 〈◊〉 whollye subdued by the frenchmen Wherfore it was 〈◊〉 â—…or theÌ„ first to driue the frenchmen out of Italye ere they presumed to manase the aetolians and first to defeÌ„d their own ere they toke in hand to defend other mennes And what maner of men were the Romains in good faith no better but a sort of ragged shepherdes y â— rongfully held a piece of ground taken from the right owners by robery which being not able to get theÌ„ wiues for the dishonesty of theyr beginning were fain to rauish them by open force and to be short which buiâ—…ded their city with moste cruel and vnnaturall 〈◊〉 and bestained the foundations of theâ—…r walles with brothers bloud But the Aetolians wer euer the princes of Grece and 〈◊〉 as they passed all 〈◊〉 in estate and worthinesse so they excelled them in â—…owesse and actiuity and they wer the men alone which had euer despised the Macedones florishinge in thempire of all the whole world which feared not king Philip which disdained to obey the lawes of alexander the great after he had subdued the Persians and Indians when all other men dyd moost fear and dread his name Wherfore they counselled the Romaines to holde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wyth theyr present estate and not to proâ—…ke these weapons agaynst them through which they sawe boâ—…he the frenche men slayne and also the Macedones despised When they they had in this wise dismissed the Romain ambassadors to the entent they woulde not seeme to haue talcked more boldly then they woulde doo in dede they forrayed all the borders of the kingdome of Acaruania By this tyme had Olympias deliuered the kingdome to her sonnes and in stead of his brother Pyrrhus deceased Ptolomy succeâ—…ed in the whole kingdome Who geynge wyth an â—…ooste of men well furnyshed againste his ennemies as by the waye taken with a disease and died Olympias also ere it was longe time after beinge wounded with sorowe for the death of her two sonnes skarse able to draw her painfull breathe liued a small while after her children There remayned of the bloude royall no moo but â—…nlye a younge mayde called Nereis and her sister Laodamia Nereis was maryed vnto Gelo sonne of the kinge of Sicil And Laodamia flying for her sauegard to the aultare of Diana was there by the concourse of the people slaâ—… The whiche offence the Goddes immortal reuenged and punished with continuall slaughters of that natyon and well neare wyâ—…h the vtter dâ—…structyon of all the whole realme For first and formost being punished with dearth and hunger and beinge 〈◊〉 with ciuill discorde laste of all they were in manner quite consuâ—…ed by the warres of foraine nations and Milo who killed Laodamia fallyng oute of his wittes so mangled his bodye sometyme wyth yron sometime with stones and in fine so rente and tare hys owne bowels with his teethe that wythin xii daies he died moost miserably While these thinges were a doinge in Epyre Demetrius dyed in Macedone leauynge a lyttle sonne called Phillip to be hys heir Ouer whome Antigonus beinge made protector tooke the chyldes mother to his wife and went about to make himself kynge Within a while after when as the Macedones makynge insurrection against him threatninge to kill him had besieged him in his own palace he came forth to them with out any gard casting among them his crowne and hys purple robe of estate bade them bestow those thinges vpon some other person which ether knew how to rule theÌ„ or to whome they coulde finde in theyr hartes to obey for as for him he had not hitherto during the time he had the gouernment of that odious kingdome felt or tasted of any plesures but of labor of trauel of perill and of leoperdy Then he rehersed what he had done for them how he had punished suche of their confederates as had reuolted how he had asswaged the courage of the Dardanians and Thessalians triumphing at the death of Demetrius and finally how he had not only maintained but also augmeÌ„ted thestate of thempire of Macedone Of the which thinges if so be it they repented them he was contente to depose himself and to surrender his office into their hands and let them seke them a king whom they mighte rule as they liste them selues When the people beinge strycken with shame willed him to take his kingdome vppon hym again he refused it vtterly so long vntill the authours of the rebellion were yelded vnto him to punish them at hys pleasure After this he made war agaynst the Spartanes which all only despised the warres of Philip and Alexander and the Empire of the Macedones with the knyghthode and chiualry so sore redoubted ouer all the worlde The warre was prepared for withall the furniture and power that could be made on bothe partes betwene these two noble and famous nations The one fighting for the auncient renowne of Macedone the other not only for the maintenaunce of their vntouched liberty neuer before vn lated but also for theyr common sauegarde The Lacedemonians being vaÌ„quished not only they them selues but also their wiues and children toke their misfortune with very stout courage For there
walles of the court were not able to holde her Whome being of herselfe proud and arrogant inough thvnspekeable lechery that the king vsed daily with her brother Agathocles a strompet of more beauty then was requisite in a man made yet more stately and arrogant And to the encreasemente thereof made also her mother Euanthe whiche with her daliaunce and enticementes had so allured the kinges harte vnto her that he had begotten two children of her By meanes wherof beinge not contente with the kinge now they helde the kingdome also nowe they muste come abrode to be seene in the open face of all the world now they must be saluted now they muste be waited vpon Agathocles sitting cheke by cheke with the kinge ruled the citye at his owne pleasure The women disposed marshalships of the hoste lieuetenanâ—… shippes of prouinces and captainships as pleased them so that ther was no man in all his realme that could do lesse then the kyng him selfe At the length he died leauing a sonne behinde hym of fiue yeres old by his sister Eurydice But whiles the women went about to spoile the treasure and made confede racy with the wickeddest personens that could be picked out to the entent to depriue the righte heire of his kyngdome his death was kept secrete a greate while after he was dead Neuerthelesse assone as y â— matter cam to light the people ran vpon Agathâ—…cles and sâ—…ue him and the women in reuengement of Euryâ—…ice were hanged vp vpon gibets The notorious inâ—…amy of the realme being thus purged and put away by the death of the king and the punishment of the harlots the men of Alexandria sente ambassadors to the Romaines desiring them to take vppon them the protection of their OrphaÌ„ king and the gouernment of the kingdome of Egipt the which they auouched that Philip and aâ—…d had already bought and solde betwene them selues entending to part it betwixt them The Romaines wer vâ—…ry glad of that ambassade as they that soughte occasion of war against Phillip to be râ—…uenged for his lying â—…n wait to do them displesure in the time of their warres with the Carthagiâ—…enses Besides this after the time they had subdued the Carthaginenses and driuen away Hanniball they feâ—…red no mannes pâ—…ssans more then Phillips râ—…counting with 〈◊〉 selues what a stir â—…yrrhus had kept in â—…taly with so small a handfull of Macedones and how great aduâ—…ntures and enterprises y e Macedones had atchiâ—…ued in the East Herâ—…vpon ambassadors were sent to Antiochus and Phillip willing them not to medle with the kingdome of Egipt Furthermore M. Lepidus was sent into Egipt to take vppon hym the protection of the childe thadministration of the realme While these thinges were a doing â–ª the ambassâ—…doures of Attalus kingâ—… of Pergaâ—…us and the ambassadors of the Rhodians came to Rome to complain of the wrongs that king Philip had don vnto them The which thing caused the Senate to goo in hand with the warres of Macedone forthwith For vnder pretence of aiding their coÌ„federates war was decreed against Phillip and a consull was sent with an army into Macedone And ere it was long after all Grece vpon truste of the Romaines rose against Phillip in hope to recouer their â—…uncient liberty made war vpon him By meanes wherof the king was so assaulted on euery side that he was constrained to desyre peace When the articles of peace should be propounded by the Romains both Attalus the Rhodians the Acheans the Aetolians demauÌ„ded restitution of that that had ben theirs On thother side Philip graunted y â— he could finde in his hart to be ruled bi the Romains but he said it was an vnsemely matter that the Grekes being vanquished by his predecessors Philip and Alexander subdued vnder the yoke of the Empire of Macedone should like conquerors prescribe him articles of peace and not rather be driuen to a strait accoÌ„pt for their disobediens or euer thei ought to chalenge any libertye Neuerthelesse at lengthe by much intretaunce they graunted him truce for ii moneths In the which time the peace y â— could not be agreed vpon in Macedone might be requested of the Senate at Rome The same yere betwene the Ilands of Theramene Therasia in the mid way betwene both shores ther was a great earthquake in the sea By means of y â— which to the great admiration of such as sailed that way sodeÌ„ly out of the depe floted vp an Iland with hot waters And in Asia the very same day another earthquake shaked the Rhodes and many other cities throwing downe the houses and buildings wherof some wer swalowed vp whole At the which wonder all men wer sore afraid the soutâ—… sayers prophesied that the Romain Empire then beginning to spring vp shuld deuour thold Empire of the grekes and Macedones In the meane season the peace was reiected by the senate whervpon Phillip sollicited the tyrant Nauis to take his part against the Romains and so wheÌ„ he had brought his host into the field his ennemyes standing in order of battel against him he began to encorage his men rehersing how the Macedones had conquered and subdued the Persians the Bactrians the IndiaÌ„s and to be short all Asia euen to the vttermooste border of the East Sayinge that so muche more force and courage ought to be shewed in this battel then in the other as liberty is a thing of greater price then dominion Flaminius also the Romaine Consull in like manner encouraged his men to the encounter by puttinge them in rememberaunce of the thinges atchieued latelye before Shewing them how on the one side Carthage and Sicil wer conquered and on the other side Italy and Spain recouered by the prowesse and puissance of the Romaines and that Hanniball was nothinge inferioure to great Alexander who being ones driuen oute of Italye they had subdued Affricke the third part of the world And yet the Macedones were not to be esteamed by the auncyent renowâ—…e of theyr predecessoures but accordinge to the power and strength that they were of at that present For they shoulde not encounter with greate Alexander who was reported to be inuincible nor with his armye that conquered all the East but with Philip a child yet skarce come to yeres of discretion who had much a do to defend his kingdome againste his nerte neighboures and wyth those Macedones which but euen thother day almooste were spoiled and led away prisoners by the Dardanians who wer able to talk of nothing saue the renoumed acts of their ancestors wheras the Romaines might worthely report the dedes done by them selues and theyr souldiours For it was none other hoste that had subdued Hannibal and the Carthagineâ—…ses and almoste all the West then the very same souldiers whom he had ther standing in battel ray with these encouragements the myndes of bothe armies being enflamed ran fierslye to the encounter the one part
kept more straightlie then he was before In processe of tyme when it was to be thought he would haue taryed for his chyldrens sake that he had by his wyfe accoÌ„panied with his foresayd frende he stale away agayn But euen with lyke infelicitie as before he was apprehended nere vnto the lymites of his owne kyngdome and beyng broughte backe agayn vnto the kyng was commaunded out of his presence in great displeasure Neuerthelesse beyng then also graunted his wyfe and children he was sente agayne into Hyrcanie his olde place of penaunce and was rewar ded with a payre of dyce of golde in exprobration of hys chyldishe lightnesse But this so gentle and fauorable demeanor of the Parthians towarde Demetrius proceded not of any mercie naturally engraffed in that nacion or in respect of Aliance and affynitie but bycause they coueted the kyngdome of Syria entending to vse Demetrius as an instrument agaynst his brother Antiochus accordyng as eyther the matter the tyme or the chaunce of warre should requyre Antiochus hearyng therof thoght it wysedome to preuent the warre and there vppon led his his host whiche he had hardened through manie viages and battelles agaynst his neyghboures agaynste the Parthians But he made preparacion as much for ryot as for warre For wheras he had eight hundred thousand men of warre there wer besydes thre hundred thousand others that followed the host of the which the moste part were Cokes bakers and mynstrels players of enterludes Surely of gold syluer ther was so great abundaÌ„ce that euen the coÌ„mon souldiers ware their hosen enbroydered with golde trode vnder their fete the metall for loue of which other people were wonte to fyght and kyll one another Moreouer all the furniture of kytchens wer of cleane syluer as though they had gone to banquetting and not to battell At Antiochus fyrste commyng manye kyngs of the East mette him yelded themselfes their kyngdomes vnto him vtterlie detestyng the pryde of the Parthians It was not long ere it came to thencounter Antiochus gettyng thupper hand in thre fought fieldes and thervppon winnyng Babylon by force began to be counted great By meanes whereof all countries reuolted so fast vnto him that the Parthians had nothyng left them more then the bare soyle of their owne Realme of Parthia Then Prahartes sent Demetrius into Syria with an host of Parthians to inuade the kyngdome to thintent that by that pollicie Antiochus might be enforced to withdrawe himself out of Parthia to the defence of his owne Realme In the meane whyle bycause he could not ouercom Antiochus by force he sought meanes to surprise him by pollicie Antiochus by reason he hadde such a multitude dispersed all his army into the Cyties duryng the wynter season the which thyng was his vtter vndâ—…yng For the Cyties felyng themselfes greued with victailyng of hiis hoste also with the iniurious demeanour of the souldiers reuolted agayn to the Parthians and on a day appointed for the nones all at one tyme by trayterous conspiracie set vppon the hoste as it was deuided among them seuerllie to th entent they shoulde not be able to rescowe one another when tydinges herof came to Antiochus he assembled suche as wyntered with him went to rescow them that were nerest But in his way he met with the kyng of Parthians against whome he fought more valiauntlie himself then dydde his hoste Notwithstandyng at the laste forasmuche his ennemies were of more force and courage his men for feare forsoke him and so he was slayne For whome Phrahartes made a royal herce dyd exequies after the maner of Prynces and moreouer beyng taken in loue with the daughter of Demetrius whome Antiochus had broght with him he toke her to wyfe Then it repented him that he had let go Demetrius he sent oute menne in post after him to fetche him backe But Demetrius dreadyng the same thyng before hand had made such spede that they founde him in his owne kyngdome so beyng frustrate of theire trauell expectation they returned to the kyng The. xxxix Boke AFter that Antiochus with all hs army was thus destroyed in Parthia his brother Demetrius beyng delyuered from captsuitie of the Parthians and restored to his kyngdome when as all Syria as yet mourned for the losse of the armye as though the warres that he and his brother made in Parthia in the whiche th one was taken prysoner and thother slayn had had prosperous successe he purposed to make warre in Egypt at the request of Cleopatra his wifes mother who promysed to gyue him the kyngdome of Egypte in recompence yf he would helpe to support her agaynste her brother But whyles he went about to get that that was another mans he lost his owne by meanes of a sodayne insurrection in Syria For first the Cytizens of An tioche throgh the instigacion of their Capitayne Tryfo 〈◊〉 the kynges pryde which by his conuersacion among the cruell Parthians was becomme intoierable and anone after the Apameniens with all the rest of the Cyties followyng their ensample toke occasion vpon the kynges absence and rebelled against him Ptolomy also kyng of Egypt against whome the sayd Demetrius made warre when he vnderstode that hys syster Cleopatra had shypped all hhr goods treasur and was sled into Syria to her daughter her 〈◊〉 in lawe Demetrius he suborned a certayn yong men of Egypte the son of Merchantman called Protarchus to chalenge the kyngdome of Syria by bâ—…ttell forging a pedegre as though Antiochus had adopted him into the blood royall And the Syrians cared not who were theyr kyng so they might be delyuered from the pryd of Demetrius So the yong man was proclaymed by the name of Alexander great succor was set to him oute of Egypt In the meane while the bodie of Antiochus slayne by the kyng of Parthia was sent into Syria in a coffyn of syluer to be buried the which was receyued with great reuerence by all the Cyties but chiefly by Alexander himselfe to th entent to make men oredyte the tale that he was adopted to be his heire The which his doyng wann him much fauor of the commonaltie all men thinkyng no lesse but that he ment good faith without dissimulacion in his sorowfull mournyng Demetrius beyng vanquished by Alexander and being enuyroned on all sydes with vnauoydable dauÌ„gers was at the last forsaken of his own wyfe childreÌ„ being therfore left desolate sauyng a fewe seruaunts as he was purposed to haue fled to the temple of Tyrus there to re gistre himself as a sanctuarieman yf percheunce the reue rence of the place might saue his lyfe when he went out to lande he was slayne by the commandement of the Ma ster of the shyppe The one of his sonnes whose name was Seleucus bycause he crowned himself kyng without his mothers conset was by her slayn Thother of his sonnes who for the greatnesse of his
kyng of Syria when as the warre was fynished ere they came and thei in reproche of their late coÌ„myng were defrauded of their hyre beyng greued to haue trauailed so farre for nothing when as they demaunded eyther theire wages for theire paynes takyng or els some other ennemie to fyght with such a skornefull aunswere was gyuen them that they beyng offended therewith began to waste the borders of Parthia Phrahartes therefore when he should take his iourney agaynst the Scythians left to gouuerne his Realme in his absence one Hymâ—…rus highlie in fauour with him for thabuse of him in the florisshing prime of his childhod Who forgettyng bothe his owne former lyfe and whose persone he represented through his tyrannous crueltie vexed importunatlie bothe Babylon and manâ—…e other ci ties And Phrahartes himselfe ledde to the warres with him the Grekysh hoste the whiche he hadde taken in the warres of Antiochus had entreated cruelly proudelie quite forgettynge that their captiuitie hadde not mitigated their enemielyke myndes so much but y â— his wrongfull demeanor towardes the had more styrred the to displeasur against him Therfore when they espied that the Parthien battel began to haue the worse end of the staÌ„ffe they turned themselfes and tooke part with the enemie and so with the bloudie slaughter of the Partbien hoste of the kyng Phrahartes himselfe they executed the reuengement of their wrongfull captiuitie which they had so longe tyme desyred In stead of him at his vncle Artabanus was created kyng And the Scythians beyng con tented with the victorie after that they had wasted Parthia returned into their owne countrih But Artabanus dyed immediatlie of a wounde in his arme that he receyued in a battell agaynst the Colchatarians After him suc ceded his sonne Mythridates who for his noble acts was surnamed the Greate For beyng enflamed with desyre to excell in prowesse he behaued himself so noblie that in magnanimitie he surmounted al his famous progenitors Therefore he accomplished manie warres agaynste his neighbours with greate prowesse and subdewed manie nacions vnder the Dominion of Parthia Moreouer he foughte diuerse tymes to his aduauntage agaynste the Scythians and reuenged the displeasur doone to his predecessours At the laste he made warre agaynst artoadistes kyng of the Armenians But forasmuche as we be passyng into Armenie I thynke it necessarye to repete thoriginall thereof somewhat deper For me thynkes it is not lawfull to passe ouer so great a kyngdome with sylence coÌ„syderyng that next vnto Parthia it surmounteth al other kingdoms in greatnes For armenia is in leÌ„gth from Cappadocia vnto the Caspian sea eleuen hundred myles and in bredthe seuen hundred myles It was foun ded by Armenius one of the companyons of Iason the Thessalien whome kyng Pelias couetyng to destroy for his notable prowes which semed dangerous to his kingdome for feare least he should depose him told him what a noble viage ther was for him into Colchos perswading him to take thenterprise vpon him to fetche the golden fliece y â— was so famous notably talked of 〈◊〉 y â— worlde Hopyng that eyther through so long and perâ—…llous a saylyng or eis by feightyng agaynst so sauâ—…age and Barbarous a people he might brâ—…ng the aduenturous knight tâ—… confusion Iason therefore when he had made proclamacion of so notable a voyage and that therevppon the noble yong men almoste of all the whole worlde resorted in great number vnto him he assembled an armie of moste valiaunt knightes whiche were all called by the name of Argonantes Whome when after thaccomplishement of his aduenturous enterprises he had brought home again in sauftie he was expulsed agayn oute of Thessaly by the sonnes of Pelias Wherevppon with a great multitude which for the renowme of his prowesse daylie resorted to him oute of all Realmes hauyng in his companie his wyfe Medea whome after his late diuorcement for pytie of her exilement he had receyued agayn with her sonne Medeus begotten by Egeus kyng of Athenes he wente agayn to Colchos and restored his father in lawe to his kyngdome from whiche he was deposed After that he made manie battels with his neighbours and their Cyties whiche he had taken he partlie annexed to the kyngdome of his father in lawe to th entent to abolishe the reproche of his former warfare wherein he had both ledde away his daughter Medea and 〈◊〉 slayne his sonne Aegialus and partly gaue them to the 〈◊〉 that he broght with him to inhabyte By report he was the fyrste of all men next after Hercules and Liber whiche as the same goeth were kynges of the East that conquered that clymate of the worlde Ouer some Nacions he assygned captaynes Phrygius and Ansystratus the wageners of Castor Pollur He made a league with the Albanes which as it is reported followed Hercules out of Italy froÌ„ the mountayn Albanus when after the slaying of Gerion he draue his cattell through Italie who also bearyng in mynde that they came oute of Italie saluted the armie of Pompeius by the name of brothâ—…rs wheÌ„ he warred with Mythridates By meanes whereof all the whole 〈◊〉 almoste buylded Temples and dyd diuine honors to Iason as to their fyrst founder The whiche Parmenion one of the Capitaynes of great Alexander manie yeres after commanded to be beaten doun to th entent that no mans name shoulde be had in more honor in the East then the name of AlexaÌ„der after the death of Iason Medus being an earnest follower of his vertues in honor of his mother Medea buylded the cytie Mâ—…dea and established the kingdome of the Medes callyng it after his own name which in continuance of tyme grewe to that estate that all the Cast was in subieccion to th empyre thereof The Albans are next neighbors to the Amazones whose Quene Tha lestres manie authours haue reported to â—…aue desyred the carnall companie of Alexander Armenius beyng also a Thessalien and one of the number of Iasons Capitains hauyng gathered togyther the multitude whiche after the death of Iason their kyng wandred vp and doune euery where founded the toune of Armenie in the mountaynes whereof springeth the riuer Tygris which at the fyrst is a very small streame Then a good waye from the head it falleth into the grounde and a fyue and twentie myles beyonde it ryseth vp a great 〈◊〉 in the contrie Sophone and so is receyued into the lakes of Eufrates Therefore Mythridates kyng of the Parthians after his warre in Armenie was for his crueltie deposed from the kyngdome by the counsell of the Realme His brother Ho rodes inuadyng the Royal sea beyng vacant beseged Ba bylon a greate whyle bycause his brother Myth idates was fledds thither so long vntill he 〈◊〉 them for famyn to yeld vp the toune Mythridates vppon trust and coÌ„fidence in that he was so ners of his kynne willynglie submitted himself to his brother Horodes But
Lacedemonians and â—…atheniens See the nature of enuy The noble â—…o ings of Pericles The Lacedemonians take a truce and breake it The wisdom of Pâ—…icles in reuengyng his countrye His wisdom in aâ—…oidinge hys owne periâ—…s Battel on the â—…ea The Lacedemoniâ—…s brake the truce againe The discription of Sicil with the nature therof The narow seas of Sicil Scilla and Charybdis The names of Sicil. An example of iustice and good gouernaunce and the frute theâ—…of â—…de more hereof in the xviii xix xx xxii bokes â—…iuil warâ—…s in Sicil by meanes wher of the athâ—… ens werâ—… broughâ—… to a sore after 〈◊〉 alcibiades ari ueth in Sicil and is sent for home again tanswer to accusanoÌ„s The prayse of Gylippus Thatheniens are vanquiâ—…ed The third diâ—… comfiture of them The fourth ouerthrâ—… oâ—… them Gylippus 〈◊〉 loweâ—…h the victory â–ª Demosthenes 〈◊〉 him selfe The pointes wherof Alcibiades was appealed alcibiades stirreth the Lacedemonians against hys owne countrye He was the sonne of artax erxes was the viii kyng of Persia. The prowes of thathenieÌ„s â—…auour â—…oloweth fortuâ—… The doinges of Alcibiades againste his owne couÌ„trie He 〈◊〉 no lessâ—… â–ª The naturâ—…â—… maners of 〈◊〉 cibiades Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note his crafty deling alcibiades is called outâ—… of exite and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generall of the warres alcâ—…tades ouercome the Lacedemontans His tryumphanâ—… returu vnto athens The fortune of alcibiades Ouersight pernitious in a captain Alciâ—…des is banished againe A great slaughter of the atheniens The courage of thathenâ—…eÌ„s Their last ouerthrowe slaughter a Rhetoricall description of the afflicted state of 〈◊〉 Athens is be sieged peace is graâ—… ted to the Atheniens It was the 400. before the comminge of Christ. Eu sebius This was the yonger Dennis of whome reade in the xxi boke Athens is op pressed wyth tiranny The final 〈◊〉 of alcibiades The crueltyâ—… of the tirants The loue of Thrasibuluâ—… to his tountry The like example of Lysias Uncorrupted faithfulnes The tyrants are 〈◊〉 shâ—…d The worthy rewarde of tyranye ThathenieÌ„s at restored to their countâ—… agayne cause of 〈◊〉 ge betwene the Corinthi ans Lacedemonians The death of Darius Nothus The wicked war betwene Cyrus and ar taxâ—…rxes Cyrus is slayne Ambition is neuer satisfied The warres betwene the Lacedemonians and the Persians Tyssaphernes is accused to y â— king Conon is ma de admirall of the Persian â—…ete The praise of Conon audof agesilaus â—… mutinye for nonpaiment of wages The 〈◊〉 oâ—… Conon to 〈◊〉 kynge The 〈◊〉 of Conon The circumâ—…spectnesse of the two Cap taines LysaÌ„der Conon The praise of Lysanda The Lacedemonians are vanquished on the sea after misfortune foloweth disdayne Lysander 〈◊〉 slayne Agesilans 〈◊〉 couereth the victory being loste The coÌ„mendacion of Iphicrates Conon retur neth to Aâ—…heÌ„s An vniuersall peace is en ioyned to all Grece It was 〈◊〉 yere before the birthe of Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The token oâ—… the victory geuen The courage of the old 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is wounded to death The praise of EpaminoÌ„das in whom is ex pressed the Image of a good captaine and of a iust magistrate The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 das at hys death The fyrst kyng of Macedoâ—… Of 〈◊〉 and of his 〈◊〉 phâ—…y Argâ—… The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Mâ—… câ—…dones The frendlye entertainmeÌ„t of the Persian ambassaâ—…ors Note the modesty of the barbarous people in choâ—…e daies Thambassadors of Persia murdeted for incontineÌ„cye Aâ—…nce by matiage beâ—…wene the Persians and the macedons Amyntas the second The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Thâ—… 〈◊〉 on of kynge 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 and wicked mother Philiptaketh the kingdome vpon him The troubled state of Macedone The pollitike demcanor of Philip. The 〈◊〉 warres oâ—… king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wyfe A good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An 〈◊〉 of modesty The discord of the Cityes of grece The Thebanes can not 〈◊〉 their good fortune Nede hath no law The Thebanes are ouercome The 〈◊〉 folye of the Thebanes The force of supersticion A discourâ—… a gainst the im piety of the atheniens The falshead and vntrouth of king Philip The 〈◊〉 of Philip. Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allawe and right The malyce oâ—… the Theba 〈◊〉 The misâ—…rable state of Grece The 〈◊〉 â—…sage of Philip Philip 〈◊〉 no promise Philip â—…emoueth whole couÌ„tries with their people Philip abuseth alexander and deposeth arimba kings of Eplre Philip â—…geth Constaâ—…inople Philip maketh a rode in to Tartaâ—… â–ª The vngratitude of the kyng of Scythia The athâ—…nieÌ„s are vanquiâ—…hed The 〈◊〉 dissiâ—…lation of king Phillip The gentlenes of Phillip towardes the â—…theniens His rigor towardes the Thâ—…banes A notable â—…xample of constancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The nombâ—… of kinge Pâ—…lips men of warre Phillip â—…deth the Empire of persâ—… He 〈◊〉 him seife 〈◊〉 Olympias He maryeth his daughter to alexander king of epyre The death of king Phillip The cause of Phâ—…ps deâ—…h Occasions of great displeaâ—…re betwene Phllip hys son alexandre The doingâ—… of 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 of Phâ—…p The 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 â–ª The description of kynge Philip. A comparison betwene Phi lip alexadre This â—…ame is he that is meÌ„tiond of in the v. and vi bokes before The wickednesse of Darius towarde hys father The iuste reward of treson The 〈◊〉 of Ochus The estate of macedone after the death of king philip The wise and discrete behauiour of Alexander The murderers 〈◊〉 kyngPhilip are punished Alexander gâ—… eth forward with the waâ—… agaynste the Persians thaâ—… his father phâ—… lip had begoâ—… â–ª Alexander suâ—… presseth the commotions in grece The hatred of all grece to ward the Thebanes The â—…sion of â—…das for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of tâ—… câ—…y The Citye of Thebes is 〈◊〉 stroyed The same is he that in the â—…ast boke is called Codoâ—…an alexander setâ—…eth an ordee in his kingdome â—…he noble co rage and free hart of alexan der alexanders hoste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Da rius The nomber of the Persians Darius is vanquished Of the citye Gordis and of Gordius 〈◊〉 Alexander ta keth a greate 〈◊〉 The seconde â—…ncounter betwene AlexaÌ„der Darius The 〈◊〉 of the â—…ans The 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 Superfluitie the cause of disorder A kyng of a gardiner Alexander be 〈◊〉 Tire alexander goeth to â—…mo in 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the priests whiche after was the â—…struction of manye 〈◊〉 men The building of alexandria in Egipt alexanders an swers to Da rius letters The wyfe of darius dyeth The thirde letter of Darius to alexander alexanders answere The 〈◊〉 â—…counter betwene â—…us and alex ander Darius is put to flight The caâ—…e of Darius for the safegarde of his souldioures Here beginneth the Em â—…ptre of Mace done Darius is bound in setters of gold and woundâ—… to death to hys owne 〈◊〉 The woordeâ—… of Darius 〈◊〉 hys deathe Letters of Antipatâ—… regent of Macedone A rebeliyâ—… in grece The valiantnesse of 〈◊〉 agis Of this Alexander is men tion made in the end of the viii boke The foundati on of
commyng of Tygranes Ariobarzanes conueying away all his stuffe gat him streight to Rome so by y â— meanes of Tygranes Cappadocia was again vnder y â— dominioÌ„ of Mithridates Thesame time died Nicomedes whose son named Nicomedes also was dryuen out of his kingdom bi Mithridates who resorted to Rome for succor vpoÌ„ whose huÌ„ble sute it was decreed by y e Senate y â— both be Ariobarzanes should be set in possessioÌ„ of their kyngdomes agayne For the perfourmaunce whereof Aquilius Manlius and Malthinius were sent to be Lieuetenauntes of the warre Mythridates hauyng knowledge hereof and enteÌ„dyng to make warre with the Romains alied himself with Tygranes And it was couenaunted betwixt them that Mythridates should haue for his parte the cyties and landes and Tygranes should haue for his share the men and cattell and whatsoeuâ—…r els was moueable After this Mithridates 〈◊〉 what a warre he had taken in hande sent out his Ambassadours some to the Cymbrians some to the Frenchegrekes some to the Sarmatians and some to the Bastarnes to request them of their ayde and help For all these Nations had he allured a good while before by shewyng them â—…endshyp and pleasure diuers wayes euer synce he fyrste purposed warre agaynst the Romayns Moreouer he raysed an host of men in Scythia and armed all the East agaynste the Romayns It was no great matter for hym therefore to ouercome Aquilius and Malthyne hauyng none but the men of Asia about them after the discomfiture of whome and of Nicomedes all the cyties were glad to seke his fauor There he found great plentie of gold and syluer laid vp in store by the kynges in tymes past and much furniture for the warres the which for as muche as they made greatlie to his furtherance he released the cyties all their dettes as well publike as priuate and exempted them frelie from all charges as well of the warres as of trybutes and taxes for fyue yeres space Then assembled he his souldiours before him and encouraged them with â—…iuers exhortacions to the warres of y e Romains otherwise cald the wars of Asia The copi of which Oracion I haue thought worthie to be put into this worde albeit I coâ—…et to be short in the same maner as PoÌ„peius â—…rogus hath indirectly set it forth because he fyndeth fault with â—…iuie Salust for putting Oracions in their works directly as they were spokeÌ„ so doyng exceded y â— bouÌ„ds of an history He said he would gladly haue wished that he might haue consulted vpon this poynt whether it wer better to haue warre or peace with the Romaines but nowe there was no remedy but to go through with the matter and not to feare them yea thoughe there were no hope of victorye at all For all men would draw their wepons vpon theues thoughe they were not able to defende them selues yet to reuenge theyr deathes But for as muche as he purposed not to debate whether it were mete to be in quiet considering they were not only ennemies in hart but also had encountered like enemies in open field he woulde fayne knowe by what meanes and vpon what hope they shuld maintaine the warres that they had begone Neuerthelesse he had good hope of the victorye if so be it they hadde good hartes That the Romaines might be ouercome his souldiers that vanquished Aquilius in Bythinia and Mal thinius in Cappadocia knewe as well as he But if hee thoughte the examples of other menne could moue them more then theyr owne triall and experiens â—…e harde saye that Pyrrhus king of Epyre hauyng no mo but fiue thou sand Macedones in his host vanquished the Romaines in thre pitched fieldes He heard saye that Hanniball by thâ—… space of xvi yeres abode in Italy like a conqueroure and â—…ad taken the city of Rome it selfe had not the preuy malice and enuy of his owne country men ben a greater hinderaunce to him then the power of the Romaynes He hard say that the Frenchmen inhabiting on the other side of the Alpes entered into Italye and there placed theym selues in moste of the welthiest cityes of all the countrye seisynge into theyr possession somewhat a larger piece of ground euery way then that which they had gotten in Asia for all it is counted so weake and cowardly Moreouer that the said French men hadde not onlye vanquished the Romaines but also taken their city in so muche that they left theÌ„no more in all the world but one hill from whens whence they were saine to remoue theyr ennemye not by battel but by raunsome The which Frenchemen whose name had alwaâ—…es ben so terrible to the Romaynes he had to strenghten him in his host For there was no differeÌ„ce betwene the Frenchmen that inhabit Asia and the Frenchmen that inhabit Italy but onely the distance of their dwellyngs asunder As for their originall their prowesse and their maner of feightyng was all one sauyng that these in Asia musâ—… nedes be of so much more pollicie and witte as they haue comme a wore longe and â—…edious youâ—…ney through Sclauany Thrace beyng a farre paynfuller matter to make themselues waye through those countries then to place themselues where they nowe inhabit Furthermore he heard say that Italy it selfe was neuer yet well pleased with Rome synce it was fyrst buylded but that continuallie froÌ„ yere to yere incessant warre had ben made by some for their libertie and by other sâ—…m for the right right of th empyre insomuch that by report manie cyties of Italie had vtterlie destroyed the Romain Armies by the sworde and some with a new kynde of reproche had compelled them shamefullye to crepe vnder a yoke And forbycause he should not seme to make long tarians in matters of old tyme euen the very same present all Italy was rysen to warre ioyntlie togyther with the marses not to demaund lybertie but Societie in Th empyre and in the Cytie itself Neyther was the Cytie oppressed more by the warres of their neighbours in Italie then by the partakyng of her owne noblemen at home so that the Ciuil warres were farre more dangerous then the forren warres of Italy besydes that the Cymbrians that vnmeasurable and moste fyltierable of sauage and vnmercifull rascalles were swarmed oute of Germanie and ouerwhelmed all Italy lyke a storm Of al the which forenamed nacions although the Romayns mighte perchaunce be able to withstande the brunt one after an other yet by all at once they must nedes be oppressed and that so sone that they should haue no leasur at al to think vppon his warres wherfore occasion ought to be taken when iâ—… was offered and good holde ought to be layed with spede vppon the iucreasment of their strength least yf they now sate still whiles thother were busie and had their handes full anone after they haue might haue more a doe with them when they were in quiet had nothyng els to dooe For it was not in question whether