the armie distaunt frō the place where Antigone laye by the maineured lande xxv iorneys but through the desertes where is neither victuals nor water .ix. or thereabouts In this sorte lodged Eumenes and Antigone their armies to winter exercisyng and refreshyng their Souldiours one farre inough from an other ¶ Cassander vnderstanding of that Queene Olympias had done with his armie commeth into Macedone and besiegeth the said Olimpias within the citie of Pidue where the Queene in short time is cleane voide of hope of all succours she loketh for The .xiij. Chapter IN the meane time that Antigone and Eumenes warred in Asie as aforesaid Cassander who besieged the Citie of Tege in the Countrey of Peloponese in Europe vnderstanding of Olympias comming into Macedone and the death of Euridice and Phillip hir husband and of the defacing the tombe of Iolas his brother concluded with the Tegeans a peace and with his armie marched towardes Macedone whereby he leaft his friendes and allies in great perplexitie For Alexander Polispercon his sonne hauing a great armie alwayes had an eye to the Cities of Peloponese And the Etholians minding to gratify Quéene Olympias and Polispercon toke and furnished the passage of the piles by whiche Cassander should passe wherefore he was forced to leaue that passage and to get together a number of Passengers out of the countrey of Eube and Locres in which he put ouer his armie into Thessalie where he was aduertised that Polispercon besieged the Citie of Perrhebie So he sent Calas one of his Captaynes with parte of his armie to maintaine the warres against Polispercon and Dynias an other of his Captaynes to win the passages of Macedon which he diligently exploited and wanne before the Souldiers of Olympias whome she had for that purpose thether sent were come But after she vnderstood that Cassander with a power royall was approched Macedone she constituted Aristone Generall to fight against him and hir self accompanied with the yong sonne of Alexander Roxanne his mother Thessalonique the daughter of Philip and sister to the saide Alexander Deidamie the daughter of Eacle King of Epire sister to Pyrrhe who after warred on the Romaines the daughters of Attale and many other of the principall Ladies of the countrey w t a great number of their kinsfolkes and friends retired into the Citie of Pidue the more parte of which people were vnméete for the warres and the towne vnprouided of victuals to maintaine the siege long And notwithstanding that she see she was in some daunger yet determined she to tarry there trusting that the greater parte of the Grekes and Macedonians wold come ayde hir She had aboute hir a certain numbre of footemen and horse whiche accustomably were restaūt in the court besides a fewe Elephants which Polispercon had least in the Countrey For Cassander at his first entry into the countrey had taken the greater number and after he had passed the straights of Perrheby he came and besieged the Citie of Pidue and with a trench enclosed it from the one side of the sea to the other For it stood in a gulfe of the Sea on eche side enuironed with water except the entrie wherein he made a crosse trench sent to them whiche would be his friends and allies for ships artillary and all other hablements of warre to besiege the same by sea and land And when he vnderstood that Eacke King of Epyre was with a great army comming to ayde Olympias his sister he sent Attarye with one parte of hys army out against him who made suche spéede that he wan and kept the straight passages betwene the countrey of Epyre and Macedone so that he put Eacle from his enterprise by which meane and also for that the greater parte of his subiects which with euill wil came against the Macedonians made in his camp such a muteny that he was fayne notwithstanding his meaning to succoure his sister to sende backe all those whome he sée euill willing and with the rest which determined the aduenture with him continued his iourney howbeit he was very weakely accompanied and whiche was worse they that forsooke him after their returne home brought all the rest of the people of the countrey into such a mutenie that by a common and publique decrée they bannished their King Eacke and allied with Cassander which thing in the countrey of Epyre was neuer séene since Neoptoleme the sonne of Achilles first gouerned there For that Realme always went by discēt from the father to sonne and the Kings vntill that daye died within the Countrey After that rebellion when Cassander had sent into Epyre Lisiske to be gouernour and ruler of the same they which stoode in doubt whether to take Olympias parte or no seing all things out of hope turned to Cassander whereby remayned no more for Olympias but one expectation and hope of aide to wete of Polispercon who not withstanding soone failed hir For Callas whome Cassander hadde sent to warre vppon Polispercon being verie néere encamped the said Polispercon as he besieged the Citie of Perrheby founde the meane so to suborne his men of warre that the more parte forsoke him and rendred to Callas Thus and by these meanes in short tyme lost Olympias all hir hope of aide ¶ Antigone thinking to surprise and discomfit Eumenes and his armie the said Eumenes throughe his wisedome and diligence frustrateth his enterprise by that meane saueth both his Elephants and baggage The .xiiij. Chapter WHile Antigone aboade in the Countrey of Gamarge in the Region of Mede as we haue before declared had considered y t he was much weaker than the enimie he imagined and enterprised at vnwares to assaile them by skil and policie martiall to conquer them and the rather forasmuche as they were so dispersed in diuerse villages to winter that some of them were six daies iorneis one from another Notwithstanding his enterprise was very difficulte hard to bring to good purpose bycause to passe throughe the maneured countrey was a very long iourney and neuer able to do it without knowledge of the enimie and he coulde not wel passe his armie the shorter way without great trauaill and want of all things in so much as it was through the desertes and the countrey very drie Neuerthelesse bycause it was the nearest waye and méetest to bring his purpose to passe he fully resolued to take it whereby he thought he might beste so surprise the enimie being all dispersed deuided and ydle Wherevpon he commaunded his Souldiours to be in redinesse to departe and to make prouision of victuals readie to eat for .x. dayes causing it to be noysed that he would into Armenie But sodenly beyond all mens expectation he tooke his iourney through the deserts in the winter when the dayes are at the shortest And as he passed he gaue commaundement to his souldiers on the daye to make so great fires as they would but
Momme except which Aristone kept the Citie of Amphipolis and Monime the Citie of Polle When Olympias see that one parte of the Macedonians had quite forsaken hir that y e rest were vnable to mainteyn help hir she went about to saue hir self hir friends in a Gally by sea which she caused to be sent for and brought to the Port. But Cassander being therof aduertised by one that fled out of the town tooke the sayd Gallie Whereupō the Queene despayring in hir affaires businesse sent Ambassadours to Cassāder to treat a peace But he séeing the necessitie wherein she stood and therfore meaning that she should yeld hir self to his curtesie he hardly graūted hir safe cōduct for hir owne person When Cassander had the citie rendred to him he incontinent sent certen of his men of warre to take Amphipolis and Polle Whereupon Monime Captayne of Polle vnderstanding the state of Olympias yelded without resistaunce But Aristone who was extréeme proude both of his great hande of men of warre as also for that he had a little before vanquished and ouercome Cratebas one of Cassanders Captaynes in battaill slayne a great parte of his armie subsecuted chased him through the countrey of Busalcie hard to the Citie of Bedine it besieged tooke by cōposition whom he after with .ij. thousand of his men besides sent away w t white roddes in their hands supposing that Eumenes had not ben yet dead and hoping that Polispercō and Alexander his sonne would come to ayde hym vtterly refused the yelding vp of the Citie of Amphipolis But after Olympias had written to him to render the Towne summoning him of his faith and allegiaunce he thought it best so to do and taking suertie for his persone gaue vp the same Notwithstanding Cassander cōsidering the great aucthoritie of Aristone by reason of Alexanders aduauncing him in his life and meaning to make quicke dispatch of so many as would or might any way let or hinder his affaires and doings caused Cratebas owne kinsfolkes to kill him He persuaded likewise all their friends which Olympias had put to death to accuse hir in the place of iudgement before the assemblie of the Macedonians which thing they did where the Macedonians in hir absence without patrone or Aduocate there to defend hir cause condemned hir to death wherupon after sentence and iudgement gyuen Cassander sent to hir certen of his friends persuading hir to flie promising to enbarque hir in a Gallie which should bring hir to the citie of Athens And this did he not for anie good will to saue hir but to the end she might by that meane voluntarily runne in exile and be drenched in the Sea so y t it might after haue ben said how by fortune of the sea and iudgemēt of the Goddes she was for hir cruell mischeuous and wicked déedes iustly punished Neuerthelesse she aunswered y t messangers that flie she would not nor yet refuse the iudgement of the Macedonians Which thing Cassander perceyuing he for feare that the people and assemblie of the men of warre would alter their determinations and minds when they vnderstood she was well able to purge hir of euery offence wherewith they would charge hir and should likewise reduce and call to memory the great good turnes and honour◠by them long before at the hands of Phillip and Alexander receiued sent CC. of his trustiest soldiers about him to kill hir Who with great violence entring the Palaice where she was were at the first sight so abashed with the Maiestie of hir face that they returned without doing hir any hurte But their kinsfolkes whom she caused to be slayne thinking to reuenge their deaths also to gratifie Cassander out of hande slew hir who neuer made woords or shewed any countenaunce of a woman dismayed or yet fainte harted In this sorte Olympias whiche in hir time hadde bene the most honorable Dame of the world Neoptoleme his daughter King of Epire Alexander his sister King of Epire who warred in Italy King Phillip his wyfe of Macedone the most puissaunt of all other which before him in Europe raigned Alexander his mother surnamed the great which hadde exployted the most notable and honorable warres that euer were worthie the writing and talke miserablie ended hir life ¶ After the death of Olympias Cassander espouseth Thessalonice Alexander the great his sister foundeth the Citie of Cassander And after he hath put in safe keeping Roxanne and Alexāder his sonne he goeth into the countrey of Beote and reedifieth the Citie of Thebes The .xx. Chapter WHen Cassander thus gloriously prosperously raigned he affected the realme of Macedon and the better to bring his purpose to passe espoused Thessalonice Phillip his daughter and Alexander his sister both by father and mother being always desirous to insinuate him selfe with the ligne royall He likewise in the countrey of Palene within the Region of Macedone found and built a citie named Cassandria and peopled it with inhabitaunts of the Cities of Cheronese and Potede and diuerse other villages about the same Citie and the remnaunt of the Olinthians By whiche meane also bycause of the great fertile territorie he laid and gaue thereto and by other ways he tooke wherewith on hand to enlarge and make it great The Citie in short time became so mightie and riche that it was named to be the greatest and worshipfullest amongs all the Cities of Macedone Nowe had Cassander purposed to put to death Alexander his sonne and Roxanne his mother to the end there shoulde no more of Alexanders ligne remayne on liue But before he would execute this execrable murder he stayed first to vnderstand what the Macedonians thought of the death of Olympias what talke was emongs them togither what Antigone did in Asie Wherefore he all that while caused Roxanne and hir sonne to be brought into the Castle of Amphipolis and charged Glaucias Captayne thereof and one whome he greatly trusted with the kéeping of them commaunding him to vse and treat them no other wayes but as common persones laying al princilie honours and dignities towardes them aparte and to put away all the children which had ben brought vp with the said Sonne of Alexander as his playe fellowes After that he tooke vppon him the aucthoritie and gouernement as King and caused solemne exequies for Euridice and Phillip whome Olympias had made be murdred to be celebrated with great pompe and solemnitie entombed them in a tombe royall with y e Kings their predecessours making sports and pastimes at those dayes accustomed That done he leuied a great numbre of men of warre in the countrey of Macedone to go into Peloponese While Cassander was thus occupied and that Polispercon who laye besieged in the Citie of Naxe in the Region of Perrheby vnderstood of Olympias death apperceyuing no lōger hope for him to take in hand to rule the affaires of Macedone priuilie
the Libians one daye among the rest finding abrode disordered discomfited ouerthrew of which some were slaine other were taken prisoners the rest recouered thire shippes and went to sea meaning to arriue at some Port where they might finde friendship But sodenly arose so gréeuous and vehement a tempest y t it perished and drowned manie of their shippes and such as escaped were driuen with winde and weather into Cypers and vpon the coast of Egypt Yet for all this ill fortune he neuer desisted his purpose and attempt but without stoppe sent certeyn of his chiefe and assured friēds into Peloponese to mustre and take vp Souldiers willing them also to entertaine the two thousand men of warre straungérs lying and abyding in the Countrey of Tenare and to bring them also into Libie All this time the Cirenians by reason of the late ouerthrowes by them gyuen trusting in their owne courages and hoping well of better successe boldly attempted Thymbron with battaill wherein they vanquished kild a great numbre of his people which conflict made him almost despaire of the conquering and subduing the Cyrenians But sodenly came in his ayde the Souldiers of Tenare wherewith he tooke such harte that he a fresh assembled an other great numbre to commence and beginne his warres But when the Cyrenians sée that they by and by sent to the Libians Chartagians their neighbours requiring ayde so that with them and of their owne Citie they had gotten together about xxx thousand men with whom they arrered an other great army wherein on eyther side cōsisted and depended the whole and totall victorie And although the fight endured long yet in the end Thymbron obtayned victorie whereof he was right ioyous hoping then in short time to conquere and subdue all the Cities thereabout In whiche conflict the Cirenians lost al their Captaynes wherfore they chose for their Chieftayne and Generall Mnasicles and other vnder him to defend the hauen and Citie whiche Thimbron had before besieged and yet still dayly approched But in the ende the siege so long continued that victuals within the Towne were verie scarse which caused great muteny wherfore the Cirenians expulsed the most worshipfull and riche Citisens whereof some tooke part with Thimbron and the rest went for rescous into Egypt and desired ayde of Ptolome for their retourne home whereunto he graunted So they departed thense towards Sirene with a puissaunt army both by sea and lande vnder the conduct of Orphellon When the exiles with Thimbron vnderstood of their cōming they determined by night to steale vpon them and so to rob and spoyle them but their enterprise being reuealed and discouered they were all slayne Then the Cōmoners which kept the Towne perceyuing the exiles at hand truced with Thimbron and ioyned together to fight against Orphellon who encountred them in battaill and ouerthrew them tooke Thimbron prisoner Whē al these conflictes had thus taken end he toke the Citie of Cirene the rest of the Cities neare about whiche before liued at libertie to the behoofe of Ptolome his Lorde and Soueraigne ¶ Perdicas entring Piside taketh the Lauradians prisoners by siege so distresseth the Isaurians that they kil them selues And at the entreatie of Antigone Antipater and Cratere which warred vpon the Etholians conclude a peace with them bycause they would go against Perdicas The x. Chapter BUt now to returne to Perdicas and King Phillip after they had ouerthrowen and discomfited Ariarathe and bestowed the gouernement of Cappadoce on Eumenes they tooke their iourney into Pisided etermining to sacke raze the Cities of Laurade and Isaure bycause that they in the life of King Alexander had slaine Balacre the Sonne of Nicanor whom Alexander had deputed their Patrone and Gouernour And first by force they tooke the Citie of Laurade and killed all the men and made portsale of their infaunts and yong children But bycause the Citie of the Isaurians was strong and throughly manned to hold out the enimy after they had two dayes besieged it wherin many of their Souldiers were lost they seing the Citisens wel furnished of all things for the defence thereof fully determined to maintayne it to death retired howbeit after thrée dayes past they agayne approched the wals and gaue a fresh assault which the Citisens to their great losse manfully defended wherfore being thē disfurnished of able men for the manning of their wals rampiers and Bulwarks they purposed an honorable fact worthy memorie First foreséeing their iminent destruction ineuitable by reason they were no lenger able to resist and knowing for certein that they should shamefully and villaniously be entreated they therefore determined rather than to yelde to the enimy to die an honest and honorable death For first they shut vp in their houses the old men women and children and to the ende there to burie them they set all the houses on fire which being on a light and the flame issuing out on euery side they cast in all their mouable goodes and all other things which any way might be profitable or gaynefull to the enimy whereat Perdicas greatly amased commaunded his Souldiers to enuiron the Towne and gyue the attempt to the wals but the Townesmen so valiaunly defended the curten that they ones agayne repulsed the assaylaunts Then Perdicas much more astonied enquired the cause why they so couragiously stoode to the defence of the Citie considering they had burnt both their houses and goods But after Perdicas had retiered his Souldiers from the assault the Isaurians threwe them selues into the fier and so were buried in their houses with their friends and familiers The next day in the morning Perdicas licenced his soldiers to sacke and spoyle the Citie who after the fier was throughly put out found infinite treasure of gold siluer forasmuch as the said Citie had long continued without warres and through traffique great trade of merchaundise grew to great wealth and became very riche When Perdicas had wonne these two townes he purposed thē to marry being in choyse of two Gentlewomen to saye of Nice the daughter of Antipater whome he had already fianced and of Cleopatre sister to Alexander the great and daughter to king Phillip sonne to Amint. But first he determined to allie himself with Antipater bicause his puissaunce and aucthority was not yet throughly confirmed established and therfore fianced he his daughter But after he had once obtayned an army royal princily estate he altered his purpose meaning for his greater aduaūcement to espouse Cleopatre wherin he affected the kingdom of Macedone to y e ende the Macedonians might accept and take him for their Lorde and Soueraigne Neuerthelesse bycause he would not that this his practise should come to light he in the meane while married Nice fearing that if he did not Antipater woulde be come his vtter enemy But after he perceyued that Antigone friende to Antipater had smelt out
muche wheat as should suffise the maintenaunce of hys armie for one whole yeare and him selfe got togyther all the Carpenters Sawyers and shipwrights he could finde and caused them to fell an innumerable numbre of trées in the mount Libane whiche were carried to the Sea side for he had .viij. thousand men to fell sawe and build ships besides a thousand waines for carriage It is to be vnderstoode that the Mountaine is of a great length for it runneth alongest from the Cities of Tripolis and Byblie euen to Sydone full of an innumerable numbre of maruelous high and mightie Cedres and Cypres trées He likewise caused .iij. mightie Docks to be cut oute to build the sayd shippes in one at Trypoly another at Byblie and the third at Sidone all thrée in Phenice There was also an other in Cilice whether was brought all the timbre feld and cut downe in the mount Thaure and another at Rhodes by the consent of the citizens likewise to build shippes in As Antigone was thus occupied in building of shippes encamped about the sea side Seleuke commeth out of the Countrey of Egipt with a Nauie of an hundreth tall shippes of warre vnder all their sailes richelie apparelled passing alongest the Sea coast in the view of the campe as who would saye in despite and maugre Antigone and his people At which sight the Citizens of the next Cities other his allies with him were in great terrour and feare being then apparaunt that the enimie was Lord and King at sea Wherefore they thought they went to forraie and robbe their Cities and territories When Antigone sée them thus daunted he comforted them in the best maner he could saying that him selfe withoute stop would that sommer be vpon the seas with .v. hundred tall and warlike shippes or more And as he was thus occupied about the things aforesaid Ageselay whō he had sent into Cypres came towardes hym and reported vnto him that Nicocrey and diuerse other mightie puissaunt Kings were alreadie allied with Ptolome But that Citicke Lapite Marie and Cerenite hadde allied with him Which newes vnderstood he left Andronicke with .iiij. thousand men behind at the siege of Tyre and himselfe with the rest went against the cities of Hyoppe and Gaze his aduersaries and wonne them togyther al the Souldiours of Ptolome within the townes and retained them in wages thrust into them garrisonnes and into the rest of the Cities in that quarter That done he retired towardes his other campe lying before Tyre making prouision for all things necessarie to take the Citie ¶ Of the wisedome and vertue of Phile Antipater his daughter The .xxv. Chapter AT that same verie time Aristo to whome Eumenes had gyuen Cratere his bones to burie deliuered thē to Phile first married to Cratere and then wife to Demetre Antigone his sonne who was reputed a right sage and vertuous Ladie in so much that hir wisedome and curtesie towardes the Souldiours being suche that she oftētimes appaised the controuersies and mutenies arising in y e camp they loued honoured hir She would also at hir owne costs and dispence marrie the poore men of warres sisters and daughters and besides acquite and discharge diuerse of the souldiours when they had at any time bene accused and wrongfully sclaundred And it was saide that when Antipater hir father whō al men thought to be the wisest and sagest Prince in his tyme that euer bere rule had any great mightie affaires in hand y t he would vse the aduise and counsaill of Phile his daughter And although she was in maners gracious and excellent yet dyd she farre passe in speche and vtteraunce and all hir doings were thereto correspondent agreable And as for hir witte and prudence that well appeared vppon the iudgement which she gaue of Demetre his principalitie as we will hereafter set forth in their places ¶ Antigone winneth to his alliaunce Polispercon and Alexander his sonne and by a decree by the Macedonians made denounceth Cassander an ennimie and after taketh the Citie of Tyre The .xxvj. Chapter BUt now we will returne to the Chieftaynes and Ambassadoures whom Antigone hadde sent into diuerse places to make new alliaunces And first Aristodeme who was sent towards the Spartians hadde by their permission and sufferaunce assembled in the countrey of Peloponnese .viij. thousand footemen with whome he went to seeke out Alexander Polispercon his Sonne and in Antigone his name allied with him his father through which alliaunce he left the gouernement of the countrey of Peloponnese to Polispercon and persuaded Alexander to go into Asie towardes Antigone whiche he performed And the other Chieftaynes to wete Ptolome his Nephew whome he had sent into Cappadoce with a great armie deliuered the citie of Amise frō the siege which Asclepiodore one of Cassander his Captaynes laye before and vpon composition dismissed him with all his Souldiours and so recouered the Satrape From thence he went into Bythanie and finding Zibith King of the said countrey besieging the Cities of Calcedone and Astacone forced him to raise it and after allied with him and the said cities and tooke of them ostages From thence he trauailled into Ionye and Lydie bicause Antigone had written to him to make so great spéed as might be to the Regions lying and bordering vpon the sea bycause he vnderstood y e Seleuke was sayling towardes those quarters And at last Seleuke arriued in the Countreys and besieged the citie of Erythe But after he was aduertised of Ptolome his comming he retired without doing of any thing When Alexander was come to Antigone he confirmed and sware the alliaunce for him and Polispercon his Father Then assembled he all his men of warre and in presence of them charged and greatlie accused Cassander but chieflie for the death of Olympias and the detayning of Roxanne hir sonne in prison alleadging moreouer that he forciblie had espoused Thessalonicke and in déed meant thereby openly to vsurpe the Realme of Macedone And farther obiected that he had suffered the Citie of Olynthe chief enemie to the Macedonians to be reenhabited and also reedified the citie of Thebes whiche Alexander surnamed the great hadde destroied and razed When he sée that by the meanes of those accusations and tales the men of warre and Souldiers there assembled were with Cassander greatlie despited he incontinent caused a decrée to be written proclaimed wherin Cassander was pronounced an enimie except he wold raze the said two cities set at libertie the said King and Roxanne his mother into the hands and gard of the Macedonians and also wholie obey Antigone named and chosen Emperoure of the armie protector and regent of the Kings and of the realme of Macedone He woulde also it should be denounced that all the Grekes were discharged of al garrisonnes and other impositions to liue at libertie according to their auncient and accustomed woonte When
chaunce and aduersitie might happē Howbeit he was therein greatly deceyued for so soone as he was thyther come arriuing aboute the Cyclades there came messangers to them from the Athenians whiche brought him such newes as he neuer thought on or looked for signifying to him that the Athenians had concluded and determined not to receyue any King into their Citie praying him therefore to refrayne and staye hys comming thyther Neuerthelesse that they would send him his wife in suche honorable estate as became them to do and as to the wife of so honorable and Noble a Prince apperteyned With whiche Ambassade Demetre was so angry agréeued that a litle thing would haue made him lost all the hope of his estate and almost desperate For although what with the losse of his Father armie and realme he see him reduced and brought from so great felicitie almost to extreme miserie and beggerie yet considering the power and nature of Fortune to whome al men are subiect he paciently endured and abyd all his misfortunes and infelicities But séeing him so frustrate of his hope deceyued and mocked of the Athenians he was thereat so agréeued and despited that he could by no meane beare it Whereupon by example may be learned and by experience knowen that the hyghe and mightie Princes which thinke bicause of the great honor and seruice that the people do them that therefore they singularly loue them and that that is a great establishemēt and suertie of their estate are therin maruelously deceyued And although of their owne accord for some good will they beare to Princes they oftentimes do them these honoures yet many tymes it is for feare for we dayly sée that they will do as great honour and make as humble reuerence to them whom they hate as to those they honour and loue Wherefore all sage Princes and Gouernours of common weales do not care or force to be so much honoured of the common people by Decrées by setting vp their statues or images by orations and other like means as to do such things as are worthie and deserue such honours Notwithstanding his angre and despite against the Athenians séeing yet no way of reuenge he dissimuled the matter hoping one daye to haue a more conuenient tyme season Neyther gaue he the Ambassadoures any euill or discurteous language nor yet made semblant as though he were discontented but required them one thing to send him his shippes lying in the Porte of Pyrey amongs which was one of .xiij. tier of ores on a side which they speedely did And so soone as he had them he sailed in all haste to the straight of Peloponnese called Isthmus being there arriued newes were brought hym out of al quarters that his case daily empaired and that his garrisons euery where were expulsed his townes without resistaunce rendred to the enimie Where upon he was in maruelous doubt what to do Notwithstanding considering that he left Pyrrhe in Grece he went w t his whole armie into Cheronesse to inuade Lysimache his countrey and in short time his strength and power so encreased that he had an able armie whereat the other Kings were nothing agréeued bycause they all maliced Lysimache his pride and enuied his puissaunce But shortly after happened Demetre a better aduenture For Seleuke séeing that Lysimache had had in marriage two of Ptolome his daughters one for him selfe an other for Agathocles his sōne he likewise determined by alliaunce with the other Kings to establishe and fortifie his realme as much as he could Whereupon he sent to Demetre demaunding in marriage his daughter Stratonice whiche sodaine aduenture Demetre right well knew how to accept and thereuppon incontinent with his whole Nauie sailed into Syrie brought his daughter to Seleuke But coasting alongest the shoare straight vppon the Countrey of Cilice hys Souldiours went on lande and robbed and spoyled the countrey Wherupon Pisistrate brother to Cassander whiche Cassander had had the same Countrey by particion made at the spoyle of Antigone was verie sore displeased Wherefore he incontinent went towardes Seleuke and made to him hys complainte and farther declared that he did euill to seperate him selfe from the other Kings who had altogyther made alliaunce with him against the said Antigone But when Demetre vnderstood that Pisistrate was gone he set on land the greater numbre of his Souldiours in the said Countrey and ageyne robbed and spoyled the same and in the ende made the paysaunts compound w t him for .xij. hundred Talents which they payed on the nayle and thereupon he ageyue enbarqued his Souldiours and kept his course directly towardes Syrie And one euening going on land with his wife Phile he found Seleuke come thyther before where at their firste méeting without countenaunce of mistrust the one of the other was made great chéere But firste Seleuke feasted Demetre in his Pauilion on lande and after Demetre feasted him in a Gallie of .xiij. tier of ores and all that daye they had great talke and long conference togyther without armour or watche one to another but altogyther good chéere and confidence amongs them and their Souldiours Finallie when Seleuke had espoused Stratonice he brought hir away and with his whole furniture departed thence towardes his Sonne Antioche Demetre likewise returned into Cilice and after his arriuall he incontinent sent Phile his wife towardes Cassander hir brother to excuse him of the incursions robberies by him in the said Coūtrey committed and done In the meane season arriued out of Grece Deidame before Demetre who within fewe dayes after fell into a disease whereof she died Shortly after whose death Demetre seeking new alliaunce a marriage by Seleuke his meane was concluded betwene Demetre and Ptolomaide daughter to King Ptolome wherein Seleuke dealt very gentlie and curteously towards Demetre But not long after he played him as vngentle a parte and ill agréeing to the affinitie with him newly contracted For notwithstanding Demetre his large and great offer of money to Seleuke he not only refused to render the coūtrey of Cilice but also denied him two Cities Tyre and Sydone whiche in Seleuke was a great discurtesie and therefore reputed of great pusillanimitie that he being Lord and King of all the lande and countreys betwene the Indian Sea vnto the Syrian shoare did more estéeme two trifling cities of no ◠alue than the amitie and parentage of one so noble and valiaunt a King And although he had married his daughter séeing him by Fortune persecuted euen to the hard hedge did not only refuse to ayde him but in refusing to giue him the domicile of two small Cities secretly expulsed him all hys landes and dominions And trulie this pusillanimitie doth the sayings of Plato well proue in this I counsaill him that woulde be riche sayeth Plato not to studie and deuise to gather togyther great store of treasure but that he refraine his couetous desire For he shall
to passe before they vnderstood what he would do they durst not trust him nor yeld vntill such time as Demetre sent to them certen of his men which in his behalfe sayde that they néeded not to feare him for it was not his will to do them any hurte but prayed them to come to him and then he woulde shewe them a good reason why he hadde done that he dyd Whereupon the Macedonians ioyed that they were deliuered of that feare and daunger Wherfore they went all togyther vnto him and without gyuing eare or attending his oration salued him as their King and néedes would bring him into Macedon Of this chaunge was all the countrey maruelous glad for they so mortally hated Cassander for the cruell facts and great villanies by hym against the great King Alexander and his ligne after his death committed and also for the great oultrage and impious murder whiche Antipater Cassander his sonne had vsed towards his mother Thessalonicke that they desired nothing so much as a new King By reason whereof Demetre was of al the Macedonians generally well liked Ageyne his wife Phile and the children he had by hir so much renewed liuely reuyued the Image and likenesse of the good olde Antipater hir father that they reputed Demetre the verie true and vndoubted successour and heire to the sayde Realme ¶ Seleuke through a fatherly loue remitteth to Antioche his sonne his owne wife Stratonice daughter to Demetre and gyueth to them in title and name of the realme all the hier Prouinces The .v. Chapter THe same season that these things were exployted in Madecone Demetre had newes that his wife children besieged at Salamine were by Ptolome deliuered and with great honours and presentes sent awaye And soone after it was throughout al the coastes of Asie bruted that Stratonice Demetre his daughter whome Seleuke had married was diuorsed and espoused to Antioche his sonne and therfore by the people of the heir Prouinces receyued and named Quéene as followeth While Antioche laye and aboade in the house and companie of Seleuke his father he so muche haunted and frequented the cōpanie of Stratonice his mother in law being then yong maruelous faire and beautifull and had had also a childe by the sayde Seleuke in processe of time became so enamoured and rauished that daye and night his mynde wholy ranne on hir whereby he was so troubled fel into such weakenesse y ◠to euery mans sight he dried and consumed awaye and so muche the more gréeued it him bicause what for shame as also for the reuerence and naturall loue he bare his Father he durst neuer discouer it to any in the worlde Wherfore séeing his maladie dayly vexe and trouble him and no hope of remedie he to be deliuered of that so gréeuous a martirdome tooke vppon him a quicke dispatche more necessarie than holsome He determined to feine hym sicke and vnder that colour to absteyne from meate whereby to being him selfe so féeble and weake that as then death must followe But after Erasistrate at those days a great Doctor in Phisicke whome Seleuke before all other had sent for to cure his sonne by his statue other wayes well considered what disease this yong Prince might haue he at last apperceiued it only to proceede of loue but for whome he knew not Wherefore he diligently and circumspectly marked and noted al the partes of his body which are woont to moue whē a man in amours séeth that he loueth And with great care watched when he sée any of the yong and faire Ladies Damosels of the house come to visite him But he could by no meanes perceyue that for any of them who often had recourse vnto him as it had ben moste reason that eyther he moued or chaunged his countenaunce but only when Stratonice entred with Seleuke And thē he was so sodenly taken that he as it were loste hys speache waxed very red his pulse vehemently beat a fine and subtill sweat running throughout all his body and in effect appeared in him all the accidentes that men gather to be in them which are in loue and after by little and little lost his senses waxing very pale and wanne ouer all the body By these signes knewe Erasistrate clerely that it was Stratonice whom the yong Prince loued and none other Notwithstanding fearing the angre and displeasure of◠his father and the daunger he might incurre if he discouered the case determined rather to leaue the sonne in that daūger whatsoeuer should come on him than to open the secret to the Father and putte his persone and life in hazard Howbeit after certen dayes when he see the great loue that Seleuke bare hys sonne and the malancolie he was in daye and night for his sicknesse he determined to bord and tel him and by some subtill meane and swéet vaine to feed his humour concerning his sonne Wherfore one daye he came vnto him and spake in this sorte Knowe Sir King that the mortall dysease which infesteth thy sonne is no dysease in the bodye whatsoeuer they saye but only an ardent desire in loue And paraduenture it were better for me to hold my peace and kéepe it close than to reueale and tell it thée considering there is for him no remedy Whereat King Seleuke all astonied and abashed of the matter said vnto him Now I praye thée my friend tell me ◠ow the case standeth And if my sonne haue none other dysease but amoures is it not possible to find remedie Are we so vnprouided of wyt and wealth that we can no waye remedie it Finallie after long talke betwene them Erasistrate feining him to be sore troubled said Know Sir King that it is my wyfe on whom he is enamoured Whiche wordes Seleuke hearing w t warme teares trickling down hys chéekes embraced instauntly desired him to helpe that poore yong man and not suffer him wilfully to perishe considering it was he in whome consisted all his ioye and hope to whome the whole realme should lineally descend and in whome all the people and nations vnder his subiection hadde their expectation and hope And that after his death there remayned for him none other comforte but likewise present death without redemption Certes Sir King quod Erasistrate you speake this all on pleasure but admit he were as amorous of Stratonice as he is of my wife peraduenture you would then be of an other opinion Now I would it pleased the Goddes quod Seleuke it were so and that I could alter and chaunge that loue of thy wife to myne For I take all the Goddes to witnesse that if all the things whiche I holde moste déere in this world were togyther I would gyue them al for the sauegard of my sonnes life Then Erasistrate seeing hys maruelous affection and wéeping so tenderly tooke him by the hande and began thus to saye Nowe haste thou Sir King no more néede of my ayde for being a King
escape and take the Towne wherein they are emprisoned and in the ende ageyne taken Cap. 6. fol. 49 ¶ Antigone being come into Babylon and ioyning w e Seleuke and Python is by Eumenes repulsed the passage of Tygre to the great losse and slaughter of hys people Cap. 7. fol. 50 ¶ Of Antigone his comming with his armie into the Countrey of Mede and the daungers and hard passage he hath vpon the way Cap. 9. fol. 52 ¶ Eumenes to please his Satrapes with the whole armie marcheth into the countrey of Perse by hys wisedome and pollicie putteth Penceste who affected the gouernement and armie in great feare and after reconcileth the sayd Penceste and assureth him selfe of all the other Satrapes and Captaynes Cap. 10. fol. 53 ¶ Of the battaile betwene Antigone and Eumenes of their powers and of their retire to winter without victorie on eyther side Cap. 10. fol. 55 ¶ Eumenes burieth the dead and of a maruelous case whiche happened betwene two women of Inde Cap. 12. fol. 59 ¶ Cassander vnderstanding of that Quéene Olympias had done with his armie commeth into Macedone and besiegeth the sayde Olympias within the Citie of Pidue where the Quéene in short time is cleane voyde of hope of all succours she loketh for Cap. 13. fol. 57 ¶ Antigone thinking to surprise and discomfite Eumenes and his armie the sayde Eumenes throughe hys wisedome and diligence frustrateth his enterprise and by that meane saueth both his Elephants and baggage Cap. 14. fol. 58 ¶ Antigone in battaill ouerthroweth Eumenes putteth him to death and after seizeth on all hys armie Cap. 15. fol. 60 ¶ Antigone retireth to winter in the Countrey of Mede and of the deluge or floud which that time chaunceth in the Citie of Rhodes Cap. 16. fol. 67 ¶ Antigone by craft putteth to death Python who beginneth to rebell and gyueth the Satrapie of Mede to Orondonate and lykewise vanquisheth certen other Median rebelles Cap. 17. fol. 68 ¶ Antigone comming into Perse and there receyued as Lorde and Seigniour of all Asie deuideth the Satrapies thereof and after goeth to the citie of Suse and taketh all the treasure he there findeth Cap. 18. fol. 69 ¶ Cassander taketh by composition Olympias and after putteth hir to death Cap. 19. fol. 70 ¶ After the death of Olympias Cassander espouseth Thessalonice Alexander the great hys sister and foundeth the citie of Cassander And after he hath put in safe kéeping Roxanne and Alexander his sonne he goeth into the countrey of Beote and reedifieth the citie of Thebes Cap. 20. 71 ¶ Of the foundation and fortunes of the citie of Thebes in Beote Cap. 21. 72 ¶ After Cassander hath taken and subdued certen cities of Peloponnese and vnderstandeth of the comming of Alexander Polispercon his sonne against hym he returneth into Macedone Cap. 22. 73 ¶ Upon Antigone his arriuall in Babylon Seleuke perceyuing that he séeketh occasions to expulse or kill him flieth into Egipt Cap. 23. 74 ¶ Of Seleuke his practize and deuise touching the alliance and confederacie betwixt Ptolome Cassander Lysimache against Antigone Of their defiaunce they send him and of his preparatiō against them Also of his siege against the citie of Tyre in Phenice Cap. 24. 74 ¶ Of the wisedome and vertue of Phile Antipater his daughter Cap. 25. 77 ¶ Antigone winneth to his alliaunce Polispercon and Alexander his sonne and by a decrée by the Macedonians made denounceth Cassander an enimie and after taketh the citie of Tyre Cap. 26. 77 ¶ Of the practizes deuises and prouision by Ptolome and Seleuke on the one parte and Antigone on the other parte made by Sea in the countrey of Asie Cap. 27. 78 ¶ Of certen exploites of warre by Cassander and his souldiours in Peloponnese and other partes of Grece done And how Alexander Polispercon his sonne reuolteth After of a great victorie which Ptolome his Nauie hath against Antigone his Nauie in Cilice And after Ptolome and Antigone come to a parle and of certain exploites of warre betwene the Romaines and Samnites Cap. 28. 79 ¶ Of diuerse exploites which Aristodeme one of Antigone his captaynes doth against Alexander Polispercon his sonne in Peloponnese ◠and Alexander being slaine his wife through hir prowes taketh vpon hir the gouernement Cap. 29. 80 ¶ Cassander making amitie with the Acarnanians and Illirians and reducing to his alliaunce certen other Cities returneth into Macedone and the Etholians taking the citie of Arginye in Acarnanye slea and kill the inhabitaunts thereof Cap. 30. 81 ¶ Two bandes of Cassanders whiche he sendeth to Lemne and Carie are by the souldiours of Antigone ouerthrowen Cap. 31. 82 ¶ Antigone gyuing order aboute the affaires in Syrie goeth into Phrigie and of a notable victorie which one of his captaynes winneth at Sea on the enimie Ca. 32. 83 ¶ The Romaines losing a great battaill against the Samnites people the Citie of Locres with their men Cap. 33. 83 ¶ Lysimache subdueth the cities of Pont and Thaure whiche rebell and after vanquisheth the Scythes and supplies by Antigone sent into the same Countrey Cap. 34. 84 ¶ Thelesphore one of Antigone his Captaynes restoreth the greater number of the cities of Peloponnese to libertie And Philip a captayn of Cassanders vanquisheth the Etholians and the King of Epyre which came to their ayde Cap. 35. 83 ¶ Antigone apperceyuing that he is by Cassander deceyued taketh certen cities in Carie and after commeth to a parle with Cassander And vppon little or no agréement they beginne the warre in Grece Cap. 36. 83 ¶ The Romaines winne a victorie on the Samnites And the rebellious Champanois by an agréement putte them selues to their obeisaunce Cap. 37. 84 ¶ Ptolome and Antigone to despite one the other restore diuerse Cities of Grece to libertie And the same Antigone faileth of his entrie into Macedone After are entreated the matters by Ptolome ◠done in Cypres and Cilice in the hier Syrie Cap. 38. 85 ¶ Ptolome and Seleuke come into Sirie against Demetre and in battaill vanquishe him And after Ptolome conquereth the countrey of Phenice Cap. 39. 89 ¶ Thelesphore reuolteth from Antigone and Alcete by the Epirots chosen King making alliaunce with Cassander after many battailles is by his subiectes slaine And Cassander loseth a battaill before the citie of Apollonie in the countrey of Adrie Cap. 40. 92 ¶ Seleuke through hys wisedome and prowes with a small numbre of men which Ptolome hadde giuen hym conquereth the countrey of Babylon togyther Susiane and the rest néere ioyning whiche holde with Antigone Cap. 41. 93 ¶ Demetre in battaill vanquisheth Cylles Ptolome his Lieutenaunt and after Antigone hys Father commeth and ioyneth with him and then Ptolome forsaketh the countreys of Syrie and Phenice and leaueth them to the sayd Antigone Cap. 42. 95 ¶ Antigone enterpriseth warres against the Nabathians inhabiting the desertes of Arabia and Athaney his Captayne is by them discomfited Also after Demetre his comming thyther he concludeth a league