were past and gone which must needes be in the 29. yeare Immediatlie after hee addeth that in that yere Cyrus killed two of his kinsemen for not holding their handes within a muffe when they met him as was vsed to be done to kings in token of honour and loyall dutie for their greater securitie that they might bee void of all suspition feare of harme And then followeth that the next yeare after which must needes bee the 27. and last Archytas was Ephorus of Sparta Thus from Xenophon wee learne that which Beroaldus wished the 24. and 27. yeres of the Peloponnesian warre yoaked the one with the first the other with the last of the 93. Olympiad which for sound knowledge of the Persian times to discerne them a right is very material and a sure bulwarke for defence of my former Chronologie Whereby was proued that Cyrus begun in the first of the 55. Olympiad towarde the end from which time to the fourth of the 93 nere ended are 155. yeares That is to say 30 of Cyrus 8 of Cambyses 36 of his successor of Xerxes 21. of Artaxerxes 40. with that of Xerxes and Sogdianus included 20. of Darius Nothus whose raigne ended almost together with the Peloponnesian warre as before hath beene declared by the testimonie of Diodorus Siculus and appeareth by Thucidides making his thirteenth the twentieth of the warre Erastosthenes an auncient writer in the time of Ptolomeus Euergetes a man to vse Plinie his terme cunning in the subtiltie of all learning and approued of all so Plinie testifieth of him in his second booke set forth certaine rules of Chronologie which Dionisius Halicarnasseus for the truth thereof exact reckoning greatly commendeth in his first book of Roman antiquities These rules haue beene preserued vnto this age by the carefull diligence of the ancient learned father Clemens Alexandrinus 1. Strom. From the first Olympiad to Xerxes passing into Greece he accounted 297. yeares thence to the beginning of the Peloponnesian warre 48. and after to the end and dissolution of the Athenians common wealth 27. all these gathered together are 372. from the first Olympiad so saieth Eratosthenes agreeing with Xenophons reckoning to Archytas his Maioraltie at Sparta ended with that warre and the fourth of the 93. Olympiad For 93. Olympiads are fourescore thirteene times foure yeres that is the number of Eratosthenes 372. From which summe 54. Olympiads contayning 216. before that wherein Cyrus begun being taken awaie with almost one yeare more from the beginning of it to Cyrus there remaineth for the Persian Monarchie to the end of the Peloponnesian warre 155. yeares before spoken of Diodorus Siculus was a man of wonderfull paines and exceedingly precise in exact computation He spent thirtie yeares in making his Historie from Sicilie his natiue countrie hee trauailed into Egypt and the greatest part of Asia and Europe to search the trueth of those thinges which hee wrote A diligent reader of all the auncient writers before him from Herodotus and other before and after succeding in order whom hee hath followed in the matters which he telleth And therefore not vnfitly the title of his worke is called not a Historie but a Librarie Iustinus Martyr called him the most famous Historiographer of the Grecians Eusebius commendeth him by the name of a notable man in great request among the learned But Henry Stephen aboue all other praiseth him exceedingly giuing him that place degree amongst the learned Historiographers which the sunne hath amongst the starres in regard of exact defining those thinges which he writeth of by ordered times This writer therefore confirming all those thinges before spoken of touching the kings of Persia and the time of their raigne may be in steed of many so as in him alone we may see the iudgement not onely of Herodotus Thucidides Xenophon but also of Callisthenes Duris Timaeus Philiscus Theopompus Ephorus and other by him diligentlie read perused and cyted which at this day are not any where found It were infinite to bring all that might bee said out of Authors for the verefying of this Chronologie tedious to be read toylesome to be written Therefore passing ouer many testimonies of diuers writers I will now come to the Roman Storie to see if it likewise by agreement of time may auaile any thing to fortifie those limits and bounds which haue beene set for the Persian kings The Romanes in continuance of time became Lordes of Greece where the Olympicke sports were celebrated And therefore it could not otherwise bee but that they knew well enough how the yeares of their Citie were answerable to the Olympick reckoning of the Grecians Polybius of Megalopolis a Cittie in Arcadia neere as auncient as Eratosthenes by Cicero accounted amongst the best authors for worthinesse credit commended by Iosephus by Velleius Paterculus honoured with this testimonie that he was a man excelling in wit had in great estimation and followed by Liuie and other in the third booke of his historie affirmeth that the first Consuls of Rome were 28. yeares before the passage of Xerxes into Greece which was in the end of the last yeare of the 74. Olympiad as appeareth by that which before hath bin declared Hereof it followeth that the first of the 68. Olympiad beeing the 14. of Darius Histaspis was that wherin the new gouernment of that Cittie by Consuls was established Whereas before it had bin gouerned by kings for the space of 244. yeares from the first building thereof vnto this time adding 28. yeares or seauen Olympiads more We come toward the end of the last yeare of the 74. Olympiad being the 272. of Rome wherin Xerxes passed into Greece as Polybius testifieth the next yeare after was the first of the 75. wherein Xerxes with his great armie was ouercome as before hath bin prooued The truth hereof is verified by A. Gellius in the last chapter of his seuenteenth book where he writeth that Xerxes was ouercome by Themistocles at Salamis foure yeres before the consulship of Menenius Agrippa and Horatius Puluillus wherein a great kinred of noble Romans called Fabij to the number of 306. hauing taken vpon them at their owne charge to fight against a certaine people were slaine by the subtiltie of their enemies circumuented at the riuer Cremera for this is declared by the Romane histories to haue fallen out in the 277 yeare of Rome and the 33. from the banishment of the kings Dionysius of Halicarnassus in his fift booke of Romane antiquities reckoneth sixteene yeares betwixt Brutus one of the first Consuls death in the end of his yeare and the Marathon fight referring the battaile at Marathon to the seuenteenth yeare after Brutus his buriall and the eighteenth after the kings driuen out of the Citie wherein Gegainus Macerinus and Minutius Augurinus were Consuls In his 7. Booke Which by constant agreement of almost all authors hee sayeth was in the second yeare of the 72. Olympiad So he maketh the 31.
A TRVE CHRONOLOGIE OF THE TIMES OF THE PERSIAN Monarchie and after to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes WHEREIN BY THE WAY briefly is handled the day of Christ his birth with a declaration of the Angel Gabriels message to Daniel in the end of his 9. chap. against the friuolous conceits of Matthew Beroald Written by EDVVARD LIVELIE Reader of the holie tongue in Cambridge AT LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man John Porter and Rafe Iacson 1597. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MY VERY HOnorable good Lord my Lord the Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace THE knowledge of former times most reuerend by prophane authors recorded for the great profit and delight thereof hath not without cause beene alwaies highlie esteemed of the best wisest men in Heathen common wealths guided only by natures law the word of life not knowne amongst them This keepeth the memorie of thinges done of old and in spite of death preserueth still in some sort as it were the life of Noble ancestors who by their prowesse and wisedome for guiding the course of mans life aright haue left most worthie examples and notable patternes of vertue behind them To Christians it hath this more to commend it selfe that it bringeth much light to the vnderstanding of God his worde and greatlie auaileth to the aduancement of that trueth wherby soules are wonne to the Lorde wherefore I cannot but meruaile at the shall I terme it follie or rather madnes of those men which for the continuance of the Persian Monarchie and the raigne of the seueral kings therin are bold to reiect the true histories of ancient writers who liuing in the times thereof haue set forth the same for the ages to come The cause and maine ground whereof is nothing else but their owne error in misunderstanding holie Scripture by wrested interpretation making flat contradiction betweene the spirite of God and prophane truth So not onelie wrong is done to those excellent men who by their paines haue deserued well but also euen the certaintie of Gods worde it selfe by this meanes is weakned made doubtfull and called into question For it is not possible that one truth should be repugnant to another Now because truth as Augustine writeth in his second booke de doctrina Christiana is the Lordes wheresoeuer it is found therefore euerie Christian in dutie bound to stand for the maintaining thereof against all aduersaries so farre forth as his strength will serue I haue according to my pore talent vndertaken the defence of the true Historie Chronologie of the Persian times against the aduersaries thereof and withall an exposition of the Angell Gabriels message to Daniel agreeable thereunto The one that is my account of the times in fast perswasion I hold so sure as that I stedfastlie beleeue scarse 2. yeres vnder or ouer if any at all will be easily disprooued which in so great a number were a small matter in regard of those mens conceipt who are bold at one dash to chop off no lesse then a hundred yeares For the other I meane my exposition by reasō of interpreters disagreement among themselues hauing not like euidence I referre my selfe to learnings skill the iudgement of cunning Linguists and sound Diuines In English rather then in Latine I haue chosen to set foorth this treatise for no other cause in the world but one That as my owne Countriemen in their natiue language by reason of Mathew Beroald the first brocher of the new Chronologicall History of the Persian Empire translated into English and some other bookes doe read the wrong in danger thereby to bee seduced So likewise in the same their mother tongue by this my paines they may see the right so hold themselues therein from going astray This my labour I am bolde to present vnto your Grace sundrie reasons moouing me thereunto For hauing in intent sought herein the vpholding of truth to the good of my Countrie and the benefitte of Christ his Church amongst vs the chiefe care wherof for these matters appertaineth vnto your Grace I feared not the checke of vnseemely boldnes if by the honour of your Graces name I should seeke to commend the same Your great loue of learning and kind good will to Students hartned me on But aboue all my especiall motiue hereunto was the earnest desire of my heart to shew some token of my dutifull remembrance of your great kindnes heretofore so many waies shewed vnto mee That I was first scholler and after fellow of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge it proceeded of your louing minde and fauorable good wil vnto me besides other benefits many some greater then the forme which were too long to recite In regard whereof if it may please your Grace to accept of this acknowledgement of my dutie I shall account the same my duty doubled Thus with my hartie desire of your Graces happy estate long to cōtinue to the glory of God the good of his Church and the wealth of this land your own sounde comfort I most humbly take my leaue of your Grace this 24. day of Nouember in the 1597. yere of Christ our Lord. Your Graces most bounden EDVVARD LIVELIE A TRVE CHRONOLOGIE OF THE TIMES OF THE PERSIAN MONARCHIE CIcero if euer any other was one which verified that doctrine of the blessed Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians that the wisedome of God of the wisest of the world was accounted foolishnes The learning of the Grecians all artes pertaining to humanitie beeing held together to vse his owne tearme in a certaine kindred betweene themselues hee had in great price The knowledge thereof he admired the professors he honoured and by quicke conceit and sharp wit together with earnest trauaile and diligent study therein he grew to that ripenes of deepe knowledge and sweet speech wise counsell whereby he became the rare ornament of his countrie the precious iewell of his age and the great glorie of the world far beyond al before him neuer ouertooke of any after him But touching true diuinity the people of God with the word of life amongst them they were no better esteemed of him then Paul and his preaching was of the learned Philosophers of Athens being mocked for his labour and acounted a babling toole Let his owne mouth make proofe hereof in an Oration which he made for Lucius Flaccus beeing at that time accused amongst other matters for detayning great summes of gold sent yearely vpon deuotion by an vsuall custome out of Italie and some other prouinces of Rome to Ierusalem This action of his client withstanding the Iewes herein he greatly commendeth Ierusalem the holie and glorious seate of God his seruice hee calleth a suspitious and backebyting Citie The deuout worship of God and the holy religion of the Iewes he termeth barbarous superstition by great contempt in regard of the glorie and ancient customes of the Roman Empire in the end he concludeth
I call it in regard of all that which for declaration of other matters might bee sayd herein which were the worke of a huge volume and great toyle These writers then for many partes of Scripture are diligently to be sought into and not as some rash braines imagine to bee cast away as vnprofitable in the Lordes schoole house but especially for Daniell aboue all In other places they may seeme profitable but heere they are necessary euen by Hieroms iudgement who in a preface to his commentaries on this booke affirmeth the manifold Histories of Greeke and Latine Authors to bee necessary for the vnderstanding of Daniels Prophesies These helpes therefore I minde to vse for vnfolding the 4. last verses of the 9. Chapter of Daniell containing an entire prophesie of the estate of the holy City after the Iewes returne from the building thereof vnto the vtter destruction of the same by Vespasian the Emperor of Rome and therein of the comming of Iesus Christ the Lord of life aboue 500. yeres before Which is a most certaine argument of Diuine wisedome in Daniell from heauen and a proofe of that which Balthasar had heard that the spirit of the holy Gods was in him whereby also he foreshewed many yeares before the destruction of the Babylonian Empire by the Medes and Persians the Persians ouerthrow by Alexander and the great troubles which long after that time the Iewes suffered vnder Antiochus Epiphanes All this skill came from God for the knowledge and foretelling of thinges to come is that which God onely hath left in his owne power and challengeth to himselfe in the Prophet Esay I make knowne those things saith God which haue not yet hapned The Heathen Poet Sophocles could see this thus writing in the Tragedie of Aiax the whip bearer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many things saith hee may bee knowne of men when they see them come to passe but of thinges to come yet vnseene there is no prophet I am not ignorant that Porphyrius a Tyrian Philosopher a wicked and vngodly Iew of the kindred and sect of the Sadduces an Infidell an enemie of Christ a hater of God and his word who wrote fifteene bookes against the Christians to weaken and extenuate the trueth and authoritie of Daniels Prophesie deuised this shift to say that the Iewes long afore Daniels time seeing these thinges done committed them to writing vnder Daniels name thereby to win credit to their bookes This fine deuise of Porphyrie is nothing else but a vaine cauill For it is well knowne that the comming of Christ is spoken of by Daniell in diuers places which can not bee saide to haue beene written by the Iewes who first had seene the comming of Christ seeing that they neyther at that time when hee came acknowledged him and euer since haue beene so farre from beleeuing in him that vsually to this day they euen curse his memorie Porphyrius herein hath beene answered at large by the learned Fathers Methodius Eusebius Caesariensis and Apolinarius withstanding his blasphemie And Hierome for learning as noble as any in one short sentence most wittily and pithilie turneth all his reasoning against Daniell for Daniell against himselfe Porphirii impugnatio testimonium veritatis est Tanta enim in hoc Propheta dictorum fides inuenta est vt propterea incredulis hominibus videatur non futura dixisse sed praeterita narrasse Porphyrie his impugning of Daniell saith Hierome is a testimonie of his trueth because the sayings of this Prophet haue beene found so certaine and of so great credit that therefore vnbeleeuers haue iudged him rather to tell things past thē to speak of things to come But if there were nothing else at all to be saide yet euen this one prophesie of Daniell which I haue in hande touching the desolation of Ierusalem the trueth and certaintie whereof was at the length verified by the euent it selfe at such time as Titus destroyed the Temple and Citty were enough to stoppe the aduersaries mouthes Yea though all the Infidell Porphyries in the world with all their cunning shifting stand together they shall neuer be able to auoid the force of this prophesie but that it must needes argue a diuine spirit in Daniell For they cannot here say that the Iewes after they had seene the Temple destroyed by the Romanes forged a prophesie thereof in Daniell his name Because euen Christ himselfe in the 24. of Matthew alleadgeth this prophesie of Daniel concerning the desolation of the holy Citie in the flourishing time thereof about 37. yeares before it was fulfilled Whereby it is euident that this prophesie was commonly knowne read in the Church of God among the Iewes as written by Daniell long before the euent had shewed the trueth thereof So Daniell yet standeth a diuine prophet of the Lord inspired with heauenly knowledge of thinges to come from aboue and seeing that in one thing truely foretold this is prooued of him there is no cause at all to doubt of the rest This is a sure foundatiō of diuinitie a sound stay of religion a strong prop of faith to be reposed in the vndoubted trueth of GOD his word a mightie vpholder of the prouidence of God against all the Atheistes and Epicures of the world Which Josephus verie well perceiuing and in the end of his 10. booke of antiquities disputing against this kind of men fetcheth his reason from the sure truth of Daniels Prophesies The errour saith hee of the Epicureans hereby is reprooued which take Gods prouidēce in gouerning things out of this life beleeuing the world to be carried by his owne force without a guide or ouerseer Wherefore considering Daniels prophesies I cannot but condemne the foolishnes of those men which deny that God hath any care of mens affaires For how could it come to passe that the euent should answere his prophecies if all thinges in the world were done by chance Caluin also in the first book of his institutions Doth not Daniell saith he so prophesie of thinges to come by the space of 600. yeares as though he wrote an Historie of things alreadie done and commonly knowne Good men by the diligent meditation hereof shall bee abundantly furnished to quiet the barking of the vngodly for this euidence is clearer then that it can be subiect to any cauils This was the iudgement of Iosephus Caluin against Atheists and prophane Epicures to their shame and ouerthrow taken from the certaintie of Daniels foreshewing things to come Euen this one prophecie of Daniels weekes is a verie hammer to beate them downe to the ground and a wier scourge as it were to teare them all in peeces And therefore of all true Christians to be had in great reuerence and the vnderstanding therof to bee desired as pearles and diligently sought for as hid treasure To the finding out hereof two thinges are most requisite the one is a iust account of the times the other a true interpretation of the wordes in the
their hauen Pyreus by the Lacedemonians and their associates Of this had gone a Prophesie long before in many mens mouthes which himself with his owne eares many times had heard that it should endure thrise nine yeares which is confirmed by Diodorus Siculus very plainely affirming that war to haue lasted 27. yeares in two places first in his twelfth booke treating of the beginning of that war and after in his thirteenth booke speaking of the last yeare thereof which hee saith was the last of the 93. Olympiad as in deede it was for 27. yeares added to the first of the 87. Olympiad wherein it began make an end of it in the fourth of the 93. After Thucidides followed Xenophon who from the one and twentie yeare of that warre where Thucidides left continued in writing the course of that Historie to the ende a man liuing in those dayes carefull of the truth and skilfull in Historie commended euen by Beroaldus himselfe though otherwise an aduersarie of the true ancient Chronologie and Historie of those times In the fifth Chapter of his fourth book Xenophon saith Beroaldus writeth that the gouernment of Athens was committed to a few in that Olympick yeare wherein Crocinus the Thessalian won the race but which Olympiad it was in number hee declareth not Which if he who then liued and prepared himselfe for seruice had done hee had rid vs of much trouble Let vs see therefore what help is giuen by this excellent writer to ease vs herein In his first booke of Greeke affaires this first hee setteth downe verie flatlie that the yeare wherein Enarchippus at Sparta and Enctemo at Athens were Maiors was the first of the 43. Olympiad wherein Eubotas the Cyrenian won the race and a new game of yoaked horses called Synoris was first ordayned at that time won by Enagoras of Elis where lest anie might think Xenophon to haue bin deceiued we haue for further warrant the testimonie of Pausanias in the first booke of Eliacx The running saith hee of two horses of ripe age called Synoris was instituted in the 93. Olympiad wherin Euagoras the Elian got the victorie Nowe this being made plaine by Xenophon that Enarchippus was gouernour of Sparta in the first yeare of the 93. Olympiad if it can bee further shewed by him in what yere of the Peloponnesian warre the same Enarchippus ruled at Sparta we shall easilie perceiue by euident direction from this worthie Author to what yeare of euery Olympiad the beginning midst ending and euery particular yeare of that war appertaineth To shew this we haue a Catalogue of all the chiefe Spartan Magistrates which bare Office in euery yeare of that warre called Ephori set downe by Xenophon in order by their names in the second booke of his Greeke Historie in these words The first saith Xenophon was Aenesias vnder whome the warre began in the 15. yeare of the 30. yeares league made after the taking of Eubaea After him succeeded these Borasidas Isanor Sostratidas Exarchus Agesistratus Agenidas Onomacles Zeuxippus Pityas Pleistolas Cleiomachus Ilarchus Leon Chaeridas Patesiades Cleosthenes Lycarius Exeratus Onomantius Alexippidas Misgolaidas Isias Aracus Enarchippus Pantacles Piteas Archytas Endius In whose time Lysander hauing done the exploits before rehearsed sayled home By this Catalogue of the Lacedemonian Maiors it is manifest that Xenophon for account of time in this warre agreeth most exactly with Thucidides The war began in the nine months end of Aenesias the first Ephorus and ended at the pulling downe the walles of Pyreus 27. yeares after which reach to the nine months end of the 28. Ephorus so that from the beginning of the second Ephorus neere three months after the beginning of the warre to the end of the 28. Ephorus nere three months after the end of that war are likewise iust 27. yeares perfectly and fully compleat And is it not euen so by Xenophon doth not hee declare the throwing downe the walles in the hauen Pyraeus to haue happened toward the end of Archytas his gouernment at Sparta And are there not full and euen 27. yeares from the beginning of Brasidas the second Ephorus to the end of Architas who by Xenophons number in that Catalogue was the 28 Is there any beetle so blind which cannot perceiue this exact agreement betwixt Xenophon and Thucidides for the account of those yeares The Peloponnesian warre as may be gathethered by Thucidides begun with the spring about the first of Aprill toward the end of Aenesias his yere Brasidas succeeding him begun his yeare about the beginning of the next sommer beeing the first of that warre The second sommer fell to the third Ephorus and so in order with the rest The eleuenth Ephorus by Xenophons beadroule was Pleistolas for the tenth sommer which is verified also by Thucidides in his fift booke speaking of a league made betwixt the Athenians and the Lacedemonians in the end of Pleistolas his Maioraltie at Sparta before the sommer of the eleuenth yeare The 21. Ephorus recited by Xenophon for the 20. sommer is Alexippidas The trueth whereof is witnessed and confirmed by Thucidides likewise in his eight booke wherein hee telleth that in the twentieth yere of the Peloponnesian warre a peace was concluded betweene Tissaphernes Lieutenant of Asia and the Lacedemonians in the plaine of Meander Alexippidas then being Ephorus of Sparta The next after Alexippidas for the 21. yeare there named is Misgolaidas for the 22. Isias for the 23. Aracus Then after them followeth Enarchippus the fiue and twentieth Ephorus for the 24. yeres sommer This Enarchippus being first placed in the beginning of the 93. Olympiad and after by his Catalogue found in the 24. yeare of the Peloponnesian war leaueth this cleere by Xenophons meaning that the 24. yeare of that war beginning with sommer was the first of the 93. Olympiad The three Ephori after Enarchippus succeeding in the other three yeares of that Olympiad set downe by Xenophon in order not onely in his table but euen in the context of his Historie for three seuerall yeares are these Pantacles Pyteas Archytas in whose time the Athenians beeing conquered by Lysander were driuen to yeeld The next yeare after was the first of a new Olimpiad so acknowledged most truely and verie orderly by Xenophon himselfe in his second booke where hauing declared the thinges done vnder Archytas In the yeare following saith hee was that Olympiad wherin Crocinus the Thessalian won the race Endius then bearing office at Sparta and Pythodorus ruling at Athens Now if anye aske which Olympiad this was in number that most manifestlie appeareth by the former namely expressed to haue beene the 93 so that it needed not againe for the next expresly to say that it was the 94. which had bin nothing els but recocta crambe according to the prouerb Colworts sodden againe Furthermore Xenophon not far frō the begining of the 2. book writeth that the nauie of the Lacedemoniās was deliuered to Lysander Whē 25. yeres of the war
Maioraltie at Athens being the first of the 75. Olympiad as hath been sufficiently alreadie declared by the testimonies of Diodorus Siculus Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Diogenes Laertius and Suidas what doth it else but make further proofe of the same Herodotus his meaning against Scaliger But what shall we then say to the eclipse of the Sunne mentioned by Herodotus which as Scaliger writeth prooueth that warre to haue been sooner by one yeare H. Bunting dissolueth this doubt by acknowledging that eclips to haue happened in the spring time of that yeare wherein Xerxes went to Sardes which Herodotus by some error as he thinketh transposed to the yeare following when Xerxes went from Sardes into Greece an easie slip in Historie Now to come to Thucidides whereas hee writeth that the tenth yeare after the Persians ouerthrow at Marathon they came againe with a huge armie to subdue Greece he meaneth that yeare to be the tenth wherein Xerxes hauing gathered his armie together marched to Sardes which was the very beginning of that warre for that was the first leading of his armie against the Grecians and in that yeare he made a bridge from Asia to Europe for the passage of his armie ouer and digged downe the hill Atho to make the seas meete for his Ships to passe through and sent his Ambassadors into Greece to demaunde land and water which was a kinde of proclayming warre against such as refused to be subiect vnto him These things all were done in the tenth yeare after the Marathon fight and in the next which was the first of the 75. Olympiad were Xerxes his battailes fought at Thermopylae and other places of Greece being the eleuenth from that Marathon warre euen so acknowledged by Scaliger himselfe in that booke in the chapter of the Persians ouerthrowe at Marathon howsoeuer after he seemeth to be of another opinion and to make it the tenth not vnderstanding Thucidides aright Yea but Eratosthenes Diodorus Siculus and Plutarch three excellent writers referred the passage of Xerxes into Greece to the first yeare of the 75. Olympiad and so his battaile at Thermopylae to the second yeare thereof Eratosthenes indeede I graunt reckoning from the first Olympiad to Xerxes passing into Greece 297. yeares reacheth to the beginning of the second yeare of the 75. Olympiad and goeth a yeare further then other Yet so as if any thing be here amisse it is mended in his next account from Xerxes to the Peloponnesian warre the distance whereof he maketh 48. yeares which with the former 297. are in all 345. from the first Olympiad to the first summer of the Peloponnesian warre which is a most perfect reckoning receiued and agreed on so there is no great matter of difference Now touching Diodorus Siculus his words are so manifest against that assertion of Scaliger as maketh me meruaile that he should be so deceiued in mistaking them First the worde which he vseth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he warred or led his armie being much more large then he passed ouer Againe hauing described the yeare by the number of the Olympiad 75. the first yeare thereof and the chiefe officer of Athens Callias and the Romane Consuls he setteth downe for that yeare so described the battailes of Xerxes at Thermopylae at Artemysium at Salamis and his flying out of Greece and the leauing of Mardonius there with a great hoast And in the second yeare of that Olympiad being the yeare of Xantippus his Maioraltie at Athens he placeth the victory of Pausanias against Mardonius at Plateae and the departure of Xerxes from Sardes to Susa after the ouerthrow of his forces by sea and by land so that there is no doubt at all by Diodorus Siculus but that Xerxes his fighting at Thermopylae happened in the first yere of the 75. Olympiad according to the testimonies and consent of auncient Historiographers before declared As for Plutarch howsoeuer that is gathered of his wordes in one place there cited by Scaliger yet otherwhere he sheweth himselfe of another minde For in the life of Aristides the battell at Plateae which happened the very next yeare after Xerxes his discomfiture hee referreth to the second of that Olymp. that by the iudgement of Scaliger himselfe so expounding the place in his first booke treating of the Theban period If then the next yeare after Xerxes inuading Greece be the second of the 75. Olympiad by Plutarch needes must the yeare of Xerxes fighting in Greece by him bee the first which is agreeable to others Chronologie and the verie trueth The same Plutarch in the life of Numa maketh some doubt of the Olympick reckoning beeing committed to writing in regard of the beginning thereof verie late by Hyppias of Elis without any sure ground whereunto of necessitie we must yeeld credit This obiection is answered by Temporarius in his Chronologie that though it were graunted that Hyppias erred in setting downe the true and exact time of the first Olympiad yet that hindereth the true Chronologie and order of times following nothing at all which is very true for set the case that that Olympiad which Hyppias made the 40. in number was not so much but onely the 30. and so the first 40. yeares short at the least of his account It is not a pin matter The order and account of the times comming after for all that may be most perfect and sure without missing one minute which I wil declare by a familiar example The yeare wherein our gracious Queene began her happie raigne according to the computation of the Church of England was the 1558. of our Lorde but in truth the 1558. this yere by our account 1597. is in very indeed by exact reckoning 1598. The cause wherof was the errour of Dionysius called Paruus Abbas who was the first inuenter of this account supposing Christs birth to haue beene later by one yeare then indeede it was and so making that the first of our Lorde which was the second as is confessed and acknowledged of the best learned and most skilfull Chronologers of our age This error in the first yeare of Christ is no let at all to the exact reckoning of all the yeres following For there is the same distance of yeares from the 1558. to the 1597. by the vsuall account which is from the 1559 to the 1598. by the true account Yet to speake my minde howsoeuer Dionysius missed in the reckoning of the yeares of Christ I hold it out of controuersie that Hippias erred not vnto whose time the memory of the Olympiads had beene preserued from foure yeares to foure yeares from the beginning thereof in times of knowledge places of fame where was great concourse of people keeping the account therof not in their mindes onely but also in writinges as is most like And whether hee erred or no for the Persian times and after it is no matter as I haue declared before seeing the error in the first is constant in all the rest if any error
the first of Ester the ninteenth verse If it seeme good to the king let a royall word goe forth from him that is Let a commandement by the kings authoritie be published In the second chapter of this Prophet the twelfth verse The decree went forth the wise men were slaine In the second booke of the Machabies the sixt chapter and eight verse Thorough the counsell of Ptolomie there went out a commandement into the next cities of the heathen against the Iewes to put such to death as were not conformable to the manners of the Gentiles In the second chapter of Luke the first verse there went out a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed To build againe Ierusalem In Hebrew to returne build Ierusalem Of this a little after toward the end of this verse Vnto Messias the Gouernour The worde Messias in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and with vs annoynted So these three in signification are all one Messias Christ Annoynted The Hebrew word in the holy Scripture attributed sometime specially to the persō of Christ Iesus our Lord as in the first of Iohn the 42. ver we haue found the Messias And in the second Psalme the second verse The Rulers tooke counsell together against the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and against his Messias or Christ that is against Christ Iesus our Lorde as the place is expounded in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Sometime more generally to any annoynted Priest as in the fourth chapter and fift verse of Leuit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Annoynted Priest shall take off the bullockes blood or to the annoynted Prophets Touch not mine annoynted doe my Prophets no harme Psa 105.15 Or lastlie to the kings and chiefe gouernours of the people Thus Saul in the first of Samuel the 24. chapter and 7. verse and Dauid in the 2. of Samuel the 19. chapter and 22. verse is called the annoynted of the Lord. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying any Ruler or Gouernour is vsed sometime of kinges as in the first of Samuel the tenth chapter the second verse where Saul is called the Gouernour of the Lords inheritance and in the second of Samuel the seauenth chapter Dauid is called the ruler of Gods people and Ezechias in the second booke of the Kings the 20. chapter and fifth verse In all those places this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Sometime it is giuen to other inferiour rulers or gouernours as in the 2. of Chronicles the 11. chapter and 11. verse Hee repayred the strong holdes and set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gouernours therin and in the 19. chapter and last verse of the same booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebadias the Ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for the kings affaires and in the 11. chapter of this Prophet Daniel the 22 verse the Prince and chiefe gouernour of the Jewes is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So there is no let by the force and signification of the word but that it may bee well referred to the chiefe ruler of the Iewes common wealth in Ierusalem after the building thereof Seauen weekes It is great pittie that this message of the holy Angell contayning a most excellent Prophesie from Gods owne mouth should be so peruerted and depraued as it hath beene by those which picke out this sence as though hee said there should be from the out-going of the commaundement to Messias 69. weekes in all A strange interpretation such I dare boldly say it as by the Hebrew text can neuer bee vpheld That interpretation which I haue made leauing a stay or rest at seuen weekes as the halfe sentence being past and continuing the 62. weekes with the other part of the sentence following to the end of the verse and not referred to the former as part of one whole number with them by the Hebrew text is most sure and vndoubted and iustifiable against all the world contayning that which God himselfe in his owne wordes hath vttered neyther more nor lesse but the verie same which Gods Angell deliuered to Daniel by word and Daniel to the Church by writing in the holie tongue and this once againe it is From the going forth of the word to build againe Ierusalem vnto Messias the gouernour shall be seauen weekes and threescore and two weekes it shall be builded againe street and wall and in trouble some times Marke the wordes consider their order and weigh well the rests As I finde in the Hebrew so I haue Englished that is the truth of interpretation be it vnderstood as it may It shall be builded againe Word for word in the original tongue is written It shall returne and be builded which learned Hierome verie learned lie translated thus Iterum aedificabitur It shall bee builded againe This is a familiar phrase in the Hebrew peoples mouth For proofe whereof take a view of these places First of that in Malachie the first chapter and fourth verse We will returne build the desolate places It is as much to say as we wil build them againe also in the 26. chapter 18. verse of Genesis Isaak returned and digged the wels of water which beeing digged in the dayes of Abraham the Philistians after his death had stopped The meaning is therfore that he digged them againe rightly vnderstood by the Greeke interpreters called the 70. thus trāslating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He digged againe Hierome agreeing thereunto rursus fodit In the sixt chapter of Zacharie the first verse I returned and lifted vp my eyes and saw which Tremellius verie wel translated thus Rursus attollens occulos meos vidi Againe lifting vp my eyes I saw That therefore which some interpreters here haue imagined concerning the returne of the people from the captiuitie of Babilon is to vse the old prouerbe nothing to Bacchus an interpretation farre from Daniels purpose The like reason is of that before written in this verse to returne and build Ierusalem being in sence the same which there I haue translated and Hierome long before me to build againe Ierusalem Moreouer it shall be builded importeth as much as if hee had said it shall continue builded or beeing once builded it shall so remaine by the space of 434. yeares before the desolation thereof come as Saadias and Gershoms sonne expounded the meaning of the word The 26. verse Shall Messias be cut off The signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is much more large then to slay as by the most part of interpreters it is here taken and reacheth to any cutting off eyther by death or banishment or any other kinde of abolishing whereby a thing before in vse afterward ceaseth Ioel. 1.8 The new wine is cut off from your mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will cut off the inhabitant of
Aristotle which was by a rumor and vncertaine reporte noysed abroad the cause thereof might bee that they were the same people then vanquished who before had taken it So it is true in regarde of the men One argument more is yet behinde reserued as may seeme to the last place as of all the rest most forcible to disturbe the set boundes of the Peloponnesian warre and thereby those of the Persian Empire The force of this argument in the conceite of Beroaldus is so strong and pythie as that it cannot possibly suffer the ancient accounte of those times to stand Let vs saith Beroaldus first set downe that which is reported by Polybius a graue author in his first booke that the Lacedemonians hauing gotten the soueraigne Empire of Greece by their victorie against the Athenians in the ende of the Peloponnesian warre scarse held it by the space of twelue yeares after In the next place this wee are to knowe that the same Lacedemonians were spoyled of that their Empire by the Thebans in the famous battaile fought betweene them at Leanctra in the second yeare of the 102. Olympiad whereof this for a certaintie followeth that the Peloponnesian warre ended about the time of the 100. Olympiad For it is manifest by Xenophon that the ende of it was in an Olympicke yeare This is the reason of all other so sure vndoubted and strong in the opinion of Beroaldus but in very deede as friuolous ridiculous and childish as euer any was framed To make good my saying let the author himselfe speake with his owne words which be these not farre from the beginning of his first booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lacedemonians sayth Polybius striuing many yeares for the soueraignetie of Greece after they had once gotten it kept it scarselie twelue yeares entire without trouble and losse Indeede if Polybius had sayde that the Lacedemonians had quite and cleane lost their whole dominion within twelue yeares after they had obtained it as Beroaldus maketh him say the reason which hee vseth had been good to bring the ende of the Peloponnesian warre within three yeares of his reckoning so much hee is wide after his wonted manner for they were wholie spoyled of that cheeftie by Epaminondas generall of the Theban armie in the second of the 102. Olympiad From which the twelfth yeare backward is the third before the 100. Olympiad and the second of the 99. But there is as much difference betwixt the authors word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the interpretation of Beroaldus as betweene breaking a mans head and killing him out right It is true and that which Polybius ment that the Lacedemonians about twelue yeares after Lysanders victorie against the Athenians at Aegos Potamoi whereby they became Lordes of Greece lost much of their dominion by the valour of Conon an Athenian Captaine who ouercame the Lacedemonians in a battel by sea toke fiftie of their shippes and 500 of their men whereby diuers Cities fell from the Lacedemonians vnto him as Diodorus Siculus declareth in his fourteenth booke yet for all this they stood still recouered much again afterward til at the length they were vtterly dispossessed of all by the Thebans who gaue them a deadly blow Heereby it appeareth that it was no part of Polybius his meaning to make only twelue yeares from the end of the Peloponnesian war to the Lacedemonians vtter ouerthrow but to that conquest of Conon ouer them by sea fight before spoken of And if this bee not enough to make that appeare sufficiently Polybius himselfe yet once againe shall make it manifest and all gainesayers as dumbe as a fish which would gather by his testimonie that the fielde at Leuctra was fought within 12. yeares after the Peloponnesian warre for within one leafe after the former sentence he declareth that the battaile at Leuctra was nor twelue but 34. yeares after that other at Aegos Potamoi whereby they won the soueraigntie of Greece that is to say 18. to the Frenchmens taking of Rome and sixteene more afterwarde to the fight at Leuctra and that not obscurely or in a riddle but very flatly in plaine words though not vnderstood by the Bishop of Sipontū who for these words of Polybius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is after the battaile by sea at Aegos Potamoi translated Post Xerxem a Cymone superatum After Xerxes was ouercome by Cymon which was long before the time spoken of by Polybius and no part of his meaning at all By this one place may bee seene what intolerable shifting hath beene vsed of Beroaldus to make his matter good affirming Authors to say that which they neuer meaned yea which they are as flat and plaine in manifest words against as may be But euery vaine color deceiueable shew is good enough for such as are disposed to wrangle out new deuises by cauelling Sophistrie As for that which followeth out of Xenophon to prooue that assertion of Beroaldus it hath neyther head nor foote and is vnworthie of an answere and therefore I purpose not to trouble the reader with my confuting such paltrie stuffe except peraduenture some will professe to frame it into an argument of some shew or color at the least then will I also professe my skill to answere it and to turne all against him for the truth as knowing Xenophon to haue nothing for his conceited opinion but much against it Hitherto I haue particularly answered all the Sophisticall elcnchs and reasonlesse reasons vnproouing proofes of Beroaldus out of prophane Histories one by one wherewith to the trouble of God his Church and the darkening of his worde hee hath stuffed so many papers without leauing any one to my knowledge vnanswered except the last out of Xenophon for the cause before declared Touching his scripture proofe so often vrged against the auncient Chronologers of the Persian times it shall by God his assistance appeare hereafter how vain it is And thus much touching the first part concerning the chronologie of the Persian Monarchie Now followeth the second contayning 328. yeares and a halfe not much vnder or ouer from the death of the last king of Persia to our Sauiour Iesus Christ the proofe hereof is good for that Christ our blessed Redeemer was borne in the third yeare of the 194. Olympiad Eusebius to omit the testimonies of other Fathers declareth in his Chronicles at this yeare and Olympiad writing thus Iesus Christ the sonne of God was borne in Bethleem of Iuda in which yeare the saluation of Christians began which therefore is also counted the first yeare of the Christians saluation Darius the last king of the Persians was slaine neere the beginning of the third yeare of the 112. Olympiad The distance is the number before declared The same is prooued by the Chronologicall Historie of the yeares of Rome the building whereof by Solinus Dionysius Eratost henes and other learned Authors is set in the first yeare of the seauenth Olympiad the trueth whereof
is testified by olde marble monuments digged out of the ground and as Solinus writeth was confirmed euen by the publike acts registers of Rome wherein the 207. Olympiad was recorded to be in the 801. yeare of Rome when Pompeius Gallus and Q. Veranius were Cousuls this Beroaldus himselfe acknowledgeth and bringeth reason for it By this account then the third of the 194. Olympiad wherein the birth of Christ is put should be the 751. of Rome let vs now examaine whether this be so or no. The yeare after Caesars death wherein Hersius and Pansa were Consuls Augustus began his raigne as Eusebius in his Chronicles Ioseph Scaliger in his fift book De emendatione temporum declare was the 710. of Rome so witnessed not onely by Solinus in his Polyhistor but euen the very ancient Marble monuments also wherein was engrauen his record at the 710 yeare of the Citie In Pansae occisi locum factus est C. Iulius C.F.C.N. Caesar Qui posteà imperator Caesar Augustus appellatus est That is in the place of Pansa being slaine Caius Iulius Caesar the sonne of Caius the grandchild of Caius was made Consull who after was called the Emperour Caesar Augustus In the 42. yeare of Augustus his raigne the first thereof beeing that 710. of Rome was our Sauiour borne This wee are taught by Eusebius not onely in his Chronicles but also very plainly in the second chapter of the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie It is verified also by Epiphanius and Onuphrius 51. Haeresi setting the time of Christ his birth in the thirteenth Consulship of Augustus with M. Plantius Silanus which was iust the 42. yeare from the beginning of that wherein Hersius and Pansa were Consuls and Augustus began his raigne as the Roman histories with great agreement declare adding then these 42. of Augustus to 709. more past before to the building of Rome wee haue that which by examination we sought that is the birth of Christ in the 751. yeare of Rome agreeably to the Olympicke reckoning from which 423. before Darius his death being deducted there remaines 328. yeres from the Persian Monarchie to Iesus Christ with some fiue or sixe months more betwixt the sommer season wherein Darius died and the time of winter wherein Christ was borne An other proofe we haue from learned writers in Clemens Alexandrinus 1. Strom. accounting 294. yeares from the death of Alexander to the victorie of Augustus Caesar against Antonius when he slew himselfe and Augustus nowe the fourth time was Consull which wordes by them are there added for distinctions sake to make it knowne what victorie they spake of For when as now a long time Augustus and Antonius had together gouerned the Roman Empire at the length falling at variance they made open warre one against another and fought betweene them by sea that famous battail at Actium a promontorie of Epirus nere Greece the second day of September from fiue of the clocke in the morning to seauen at night wherein Antonius with his glorious wife Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt was discomfited and fled This was done in the 722 yeare of Rome and the second of the 187. Olympiad and the time of Augustus Caesars third Consulship with Valerius Messala Coruinus The next yeare after Caesar nowe the fourth time beeing Consull with M. Licinius Crassus went against Antonius and Cleopatra into Aegypt where with happy successe he won from him a Citie of Egypt nere Lybia called Paraetonium and againe a little after ouercame him at Pharus and once againe euen in that fight wherein hee put great confidence of his goodly horses he was put to a shamefull foyle His onely refuge now left whereby hee hoped to stand was his nauie which when Antonius the first day of August betimes in the morning was now preparing to battell all fel away from him to Caesar whereat Antonius conceauing deadly griefe hasted to his Pallace and a little after seeing Caesar comming flat against him the citie troubled slew himselfe Cleopatra also not obtaining so much fauour of Augustus as she eyther looked for or desired opened her left arme to the byting of a poysonfull Serpent and so ended her life Augustus his enemies now being slain got Alexandria and the rest of Egypt with no great adoe and thenceforth had the whole gouernment of all the Roman Soueraigntie before the end of the same month which thereof was named Augustus beeing before that time called Sextilis of the number beeing the sixt from March Augustus Caesar saith Xiphilinus called the moneth Sextilis by the newe name of Augustus because hee was first made Consull got many victories therein But in Macrobius more plainely and especially amongst other causes of that moneth so to be termed in the honor of Augustus this is one set downe that therein Egypt was first subdued to the Romans These be the victories then which those ancient Chronologists in Clemens Alexandrinus make the end of 294. yeres from the death of Alexander respecting their beginning with the moneth of August and somewhat before For Alexander died towardes the end of Iulie in the verie entrie of the 114. Olympiad So that to and fro the same season of the yeare the distance being reckoned was iust so much that is to say 294. yeares which is likewise verified by an eye witnesse of those times whereof hee writeth and flourishing in them that is Dionysius Halicarnassaeus who in the Preface to his Roman antiquities telleth not by hearesay but of knowledge that he came into Italy when Augustus Caesar had made an ende of ciuill warres about the middest of the 187. Olympiad The time which he meaneth was that before declared of Augustus Caesars conquest ouer Antonius in Egypt in the moneth of August not farre from the beginning of the third yere of that Olimpiad which he nameth being indeed as hee saith neere the middest of that foure yeares Olympick space vnto which accounting from the first yere of the 114. wherein Alexander died we finde that number of the former Authors in Clemens euen 294. yeres The truth hereof is yet further confirmed by Ptolomie for exact accoūt of times exceeding skilfull who in the third book of his Almagest maketh the distance betweene the death of Alexander and the Monarchie of Augustus 294. Egyptian yeares The account whereof began with the beginning of their first moneth called Toth as Censorinus declareth in his booke de die natali and Ioseph Scaliger in diuers places which at that time fell about the twelfth day of our Nouember So long after the sommer season wherein Alexander died the Egyptians began their account of yeares after his death These 294. Egyptian yeres from the twelfth of Nouember expire not in the twelfth of Nouember againe but in the 29. day of August before and reach iust as farre as the same number of Roman yeares doth being begun from the 29. day of August before going The cause whereof is this that the Egyptian