into the midst of the open desarts of the country betrayd it to the enemy on all sides Crassus therefore was scarce approached to Carrhae when Syllax and Surena the kings chiefe captaines display'd florisht their flags wouen of silke and gold And presently thereupon the enemies Cauallery gaue in on euery hand powring their shot of arrowes vpon vs as thicke as the drops of haile or raine So the legions beaten miserably to the earth himselfe allured out to a parley had vpon a signe giuen by the enemy come quick into their hands if the resistance of the Tribunes had not moued the barbarous to preuent his escape by killing him That notwithstanding they chopt off his head made themselues merrie with it As for his sonne they ouerwhelm'd him with shot euen almost in his fathers sight The remaines of that vnfortunate host shifting each man for himselfe scatter'd by flight into Armenia Cilicia and Syria did scarce afford a man aliue to bring the newes The head and right hand of Crassus were brought to king Orodes made sport for him nor that vnfitly For they powr'd molten gold in at his open mouth that hee who was on fire with the thirst of gold while hee liued his dead bloudlesse carcase might haue enough thereof to serue his turne CHAP. XII The recapitulation THis is that third transmarine age of the people of Rome in which employing themselues vpon exploits out of Italy they display'd their aduenturous armes ouer the whole earth Of which age the first hundred yeeres were holy pious as we haue already said the age of gold voide of hainous fact or foule black deed all the while the simplenesse and puritie of that shepheardish originall continued and the immiuent feare of the Paenish-men maintain'd among vs ancient discipline The other hundred yeeres which wee reckon from the destruction of Carthage Corinth Numance and from the date of the last will and testament of king Attalus in which hee deuised his kingdome in Asia vp to Caesar and Pompey and to Augustus who followed them as the glorie of martial acts made stately great of so vast domestick mischiefes made wretched worthie to bee blushed at For as it was noble and goodly to haue conquer'd Gallia Thrace and Cilicia most fertil and most powrfull prouinces the Armenians also Britans great names but more for the honour of the empire then for the vses thereof so was it a brutish and a shamefull thing to fight and bicker at home at the same time with our owne citizens associates bondmen fencers and the whole Senate with it selfe And I know not whether it had not beene better for the people of Rome to haue rested content with Sicilia and Africk yea or to haue wanted them also hauing Italie at command then to growe to such greatnesse as to bee consumed with their proper strengths For what other things else bred ciuill furies but the too much ranknesse of prosperitie The first thing which corrupted vs was the conquest of Syria next after that the heritage of the king of Pergamus in Asia The wealth and riches of those countries were the things which crusht vnder them the morall vertues of that age and ouerthrew the cōmonweal drownd in her owne vices as in a common sinke For what cause was there why the people of Rome should stand so hard for fields or foode but as they were driuen by the hunger which prodigalitie had procured From hence therefore sprang the first and second Gracchan seditions that third Appuleian And out of what other ground did it growe that the knights and gentlemen of Rome separated themselues from the Lords to haue soueraigne power in seates of iudgement but meerely out of couetousnes that so they might conuert to priuate lucre the customary paiments due to the State and euen iudgements in law it self This brought in the promise of making all Latium free of Rome from whence rose the war with associats And what bred the warre with bondmen what but the great nūber of them in families whence came the armies of fensers against their owners but for the excessiue prodigality vsed in showes for gaining popular fauour While the Romans giue themselues ouer to showes of sword-players they brought that to bee a profession and Arte which was before those times the punishment of enemies And to touch our more gallant vices was it not ouer-much wealth which stirr'd among vs riualities in honours Or did not the stormes of Marius and Sylla and the magnificent furniture of feasts sumptuous presents rise out of that abundance which are long would bring forth beggerie This was it which made Catiline fall foule vpon his countrey To bee briefe what other fountaine had that very desire in some of soueraignty to rule alone but too much store of wealth But that desire did mutually arme Caesar and Pompey with those mortall enmities which like the furies firebrands set Rome on a bright blaze Our purpose therefore is to handle these ciuill quarrels distinguished from iust and foreine warres in order as they fall CHAP. XIII Of the Gracchan Lawes THe power of the Tribunes stir'd the causes of all seditions vnder pretext of defending the common people for whose helpe that power was ordained but in very truth that the Tribunes might ingrosse absolute authoritie to themselues and for that cause courted the commons for their speciall fauour good will by enacting lawes which allotted them land corne and seates of iudgement gratis There was a colour of equitie in each for what so iust as the people to receiue their right at the hands of the Fathers of the State for them who were the lords of nations and possessors of the earth not to liue like strangers to their owne homes and temples what more reasonable then that the poor should liue vpon their own eschequer what could be more effectuall to make the templer of liberty euen and indifferent then the Senate gouerning prouinces that the cheualrie and gentlemen of Rome to support their authoritie at home should haue the as it were kingdome of iudgement-seates Yet euen these very things turnd pernicious the wofull common-weale came thereby to be the wages of her proper ouerthrow for the cheualrie and inferiour nobles being made iudges which till then the lords of Counsell were they purloynd the publike incomes that is to say the patrimonie of the empire and the paying for the common peoples corn out of the publike money suckt dry the very sinewes of State the treasury and how could the cōmon sort be made landed men without eiecting thē who were already in possession and were themselues also a portion of the people and who held their seates of abode left them from their ancestors by prescription as a title of inheritance CHAP. XIIII The sedition of Tiberius Gracchus TIBERIVS GRACCHVS who had not his equall for birth person eloquence kindled the first firebrand of contention This man
burthen thereof vpon Epirus and Thessaly thence it crosseth suddenly into Aegypt then it glanced into Asia and lay heauy vpon Africk last of all it reel'd back into Spaine and there at length it went out and died But the warre and hatred of the factions ended not together For that rested not til the rancour of the conquer'd parties had in the heart of the citie middle of the Senate satisfide it self with the bloud of their conquerour The cause of so monstrous mischiefs was the same which it vseth to be of al too too much prosperity For Q. Metellus and Lucius Afranius Consuls when the maiestie of Rome preuailed through the world and the people chanted the fresh victories of Pompey the Pontick and Armenian triumphs in Pompeis theaters his ouer-great power as it often falleth out moued enuy among the leysurable citizens Metellus for abatement of his triuÌ„ph ouer Crete Cato who alwaies ranne bias to the mighty detracted Pompey found fault with his actions The griefe hereof draue him awrie and compelled him to prouide strengths for vpholding his dignitie It hapned Crassus at that time flourished in honour of bloud riches and authoritie and yet still coueted more The name of Caius Caesar was vp for eloquence and spirit and had the honour of a Consulship But Pompey ouertopt them both Caesar therefore struggling to get dignity Crassus to increase it Pompey to keepe what he had and all of them alike greedie of great power easily made a match to set vpon the common-weale Therefore while each of them vseth the others strengths for his own glory Caesar inuaded Gall Crassus Asia Pompey Spain three most puissant armies And thus the whole world was now become to bee held by three princes in partnership This domination wore out ten yeeres time From that time forward because til then they were ballanced among theÌ„selues through a mutuall feare vpon the slaughter of Crassus by the Parthians and the death of Iulia Caesars daughter who marrying to Pompey maintained concord between the son and father in law by the league of nuptial loue emulation brake forth presently Pompey now was iealous of Caesars greatnesse and Caesar badly endured Pompeis supereminencie The one brookt no equall the other no superior But O the sinne they stroue in such sort for principality as if so great a fortune of empire had not beene ennough for two Therefore Lentulus and Marcellus being Consuls and the affiance of the first pact among them once broken the Senate consulted to disemploy Caesar and Pompey labour'd the same nor was Caesar himselfe against it if in the first comitiall assembly or choise-moot there had beene respect had of him for the Consulship which honour ten Tribunes had with Pompeis good liking decreed him in his absence and was afterwards vpon Pompeis dissembling denyed it He should haue come sued for it after the old wont On the other side hee earnestly demanded execution of the decree would not cashier his armie vnlesse they at home were as good as their word to him For this cause he was proclaimed enemy Caesar throughly nettled at the newes resolued to maintaine with the sword the rewards of his sword The first field Sand-plot of ciuil war was Italy whose castels Pompey had furnisht with slight-garrisons But all of them were as it were ouerwhelmed with Caesars sudden comming-on The first alarm was sounded at AriminuÌ„ Then was Libo more theÌ„ al Etruria Thermus then Vmbria Domitiê° then Corfinium And the war had bin made an end of without bloud if as hee attempted it he could haue oppressed Pompey at Brundisium But he escaped by night through the closures of the besieged hauen A shamful matter to be spokeÌ„ the late president of the Senat vmpire of peace war fled in a torne almost naked vessell ouer that sea which himself had triuÌ„pht Nor is Pompey sooner driueÌ„ out of Italy then the Senat out of the citie into which almost empty of people throgh feare Caesar entring made himself Consul The sacred inmost treasury because the Tribunes op'ned it somewhat too slowly he coÌ„manded to be broken vp violently seis'd the reuenew and patrimony of the people of Rome sooner then he did the soueraignty PoÌ„pey driuen away fled he had a more minde to take order for securing the prouinces then to pursue him He kept Sicilia Sardinia the publick pledges of corn by deputies or lieutenants generall there was not an enemy in Gall himself had made it all peace there But passing in persoÌ„ against the Pompeis in Spaine Massilia was so bold as to shut her gates Poore Massilia while it would faine haue peace fel into a war throgh feare of warre But because it had strong walls he commanded it should be taken for him in his absence A Greekish citie but which more hardly then for the name it had lopt bauins for rampire durst burn the engins bent against it and encounter vs at sea But Brutus who had the charge of the war tamed them quite both at land sea wherupon yeelding themselues they were stript out of all they had excepting that which they prized aboue all their common libertie Caesar's war in Spaine with Petreius Afranius lieutenants generall to Cnaeus Pompeius was doubtfull various and bloudy attempting to besiege their campe at Ilerda by the riuer Sicoris and to thrust betweene them and the towne In the meane-while by stopping the stream whichin the spring-time vsed to swell they depriued him of victuals So his campe was assaulted with famine and the besieger himselfe remain'd as it were besieged But so soone as the water was down he scowres the coasts with fire and sword and fiercely re-enforceth his pursuit ouertaking them vpon their retreate into Celtiberia hee drew a trench about and so compeld them to yeeld for thirst Thus was the hither Spaine taken in and the farther Spaine delayd not For what could one legion do when fiue could doe nothing Varro therefore of his owne accord giuing way the Gades the streights the Ocean and all followed the luckinesse of Caesar. But fortune durst doe somewhat against that captaine in his absence on this side Illyricum and in Africa as if his faire successes were of purpose to be styrped and inter-wouen with crosse accidents for when Dolabella and Antonius being commanded by Caesar to guard the iawes of the Adriaticke gulph and the one had pitcht his camp vpon the Illyrian shore the other on the Corcyrean Pompey being master then at sea Octauius his lieutenant generall and Libo with huge numbers of mariners closed them in vpon all hands and Antonius despite of his most resistance was enforced to yeelde through famin and those long boats sent to his aide by Basillus such as for lacke of ships they were faine to shift with were taken as it were in an hunting toyle by a new stratagem of the Cilicians on Pompeis side the fastning of ropes vnder water
but the tide comming in freed two of the vessels one of them which carryed the Opitergins was entangled in the cords produced an effect worthy to be commended with honour to posterity for a band of scarce one thousand young fellowes held play from morning till night against the force of an whole armie enuironing them on all sides and when by manhood they could finde no way forth at the encouragement of Vulteius their Coronel they slue one the other In Africke also such like was the valour and aduersitie of Curio who sent by Caesar with commission to receiue that prouince proud for hauing repulsed and put Varus to flight was vnable to stand the sudden comming-on of king Iuba and the cauallerie of the Mauritanians Hee might haue fled but shame perswaded him to die together with that army which his temerity had cast away But fortune now importunately demanding to make scores euen Pompey had chosen Epirus for the seate of war nor was Caesar slowe for hauing made all safe at his backe though it were the depth of winter and so the season vnfit yet hee embarkt for battell and encamping at Oricum when that part of his forces which was left behinde with Antonius for want of shipping staid with the longest at Brundisium hee was so impatient that for fetching them hee attempted at midnight and in a frigat to venture ouer though the sea was terrible rough His words to the master afraid at so great a danger are not forgotten What fearest thou thou carryest Caesar. When all the forces which either side could make were drawne together their camps confronted each the other the generals gouernd themselues by diffrēt courses Caesar naturally fierce longing to dispatch offers battell eggeth and prouoketh to it one while by besieging the camp about which his workes ran sixteene miles but what could besieging hurt them who hauing the sea open abounded thereby with all prouisions another while with assaulting Dyrrhachium in vaine for the situation of it made it inexpugnable and besides all this with daily skirmishes as the enemie sallied forth at which time captain Sceua's manhood was admired in whose target one hundred twenty shot were found sticking now with sackage of Pompeis confederate cities as when hee wasted Oricum and Gomphi and other fortresses of Thessali Pompei on the contrarie contriues delayes and wayes of putting of that by closing the enemy on all parts hee might breake his heart with lack of victuals and the violent humor of his most fiery aduersarie might coole falter This wholsome counsell did not long auaile the author the soldier hee blames lying idle confederates cry out vpon delay and the great lords tax him with ambition So the destinies thrusting thinges headlong on in Thessaly and the champain fields of Philippi chosen for the place of fight the fortunes of Rome the world and all mankinde were set vpon a cast The people of Rome neuer saw in one place together so great forces nor fortune so many mighty persons at a time There were aboue three hundred thousand in both the armies besides the aides of kings and Senators Signes of an imminent downefall were neuer more apparent runnings away of beasts ordaind for sacrifice swarmes of bees notable ouercastings of the skie in day time Pompey himselfe dreamt ouernight that he heard a noise in his owne theater at Rome sounding about him in the nature of a mourning and in the breake of day hee was seene fie vnluckie before his maine battel in a black vpper garment Caesars armie was neuer more fresh fuller of spirit The sound of the charge came first from Pompeis side but the shot from the other The iauelin of Crastinus who began the fight was noted and being runne into the gaping mouth with a sword and found dead with it so among the carcases did by the nouelty it selfe of the wound well declare with what choler and madnesse hee fought neither was the issue of the battell lesse admirable for whereas Pompey had such multitudes of horse as hee thought to circumuent Caesar easily himselfe was circumuented for after they had fought a long time vpon euen termes and at a signe giuen them by Pompey his troupes of horse fell on in flanke the Germane cohorts made so boystrous an impression vpon the riders that they seemd footmen these to haue come on horsbacke the ouerthrow of the light-armd souldiers ensued vpon the slaughter of the flying horstroupes then the terrour striking farther one companie putting another into rowt the rest of the destruction was made as it were at a stroke Nothing was more the bane of that day then the hugenesse it-selfe of the armie Caesar was much in that battell and halfe between souldier and soueraigne speeches of his were ouer-heard as hee rid vp and downe the one bloudy but according to the Art of the sword and powerfull for gaining the day Souldiers foine at the face the other tending to vaine glorie Souldiers spare our countrey-men when his owne selfe notwithstanding chased them Happie Pompey for all this miserie had hee shared in the fortune of his slaughtred armie but he ouer-liued his own glorie that with the more dishonour he might poste for his life through Thessalian Tempe bee beaten from Larissa and vpon a forlorn rocke of Cilicia studie whether he should flie into Parthia Africa or Aegypt briefely that vpon the Pelusian shore by the command of a most vnworthie king by the counsell of gelded-men and to take all the misfortunes together that murthred by the sword of Septimius his fugitiue vnder the eyes of his wife children he should conclude his dayes Who would thinke that the war should not bee determined with Pompeis life But the embers of the Thessalian fire waxt much more hot and forceable then euer and in Aegypt there was warre without any partakings of ours for when Ptolomea king of Alexandria had committed the most hainous act of all those other which were committed during the ciuill warre and had by means of Pompeis head settled his owne termes with Caesar fortune casting about for a reuenge therby to appease the ghost of so great a potentate wanted not occasion Cleopatra that kings sister throwing herselfe at Caesars feet besought restitution to her part of the realme To plead for her came the ladies beauty which was doubled by this that so rare a creature seem'd to haue wrong the hatred born to the king himselfe who in killing Pompey gratifide the fortune of the contrarie faction not Caesar against whom hee would also without all question haue dared as much if it would haue serued his turn Whē Caesars pleasure therefore was that shee should bee restored to her kingdome by as it were a Gauelkind he being forthwith be-set in the palace roial by the same instrumēts who murthred Pompey with wondrous valour a slender company did beare the brunt of a mighty army For by firing the next tenements
staid such as were shrinking cōfirming them and finally cried and flew through all the squadrons with his eyes and hands in that perturbation it is reported hee debated within himselfe what to doe with himselfe if the worst befell and his countenance was as of a man who meant to make his owne hand his owne executioner had not fiue cohorts of the Pompeian horse crossing the battell as sent by Labienus to guard the campe in danger giuen a semblant of flying which either Caesar did himselfe beleeue or cunningly laying hold vpon the occasion of that seeming charged as vpon flyers and did thereby both put fresh spirit into his owne people and did also daunt his enemies for his people thinking they had the vpper hand followed the more boldly and the Pompeians while they supposed their fellowes ranne away did fall themselues to running How great the slaughter was of the enemies and the wrath and furie of the victorious may bee by this coniectured such as escaped out of the field betaking themselues to Munda and Caesar commanding them to bee forth with besieged a rampire was made by piling vp dead bodies dragg'd thither from all about and fastned together with speares and iauelins An abominable spectacle euen among the barbarous But Pompeis sonnes despairing in truth of victorie Cnaeus Pompeius flying out of the battell and wounded as he was in the legge seeking to saue himselfe in the desarts and vnfrequented places was ouertaken at the towne Lauro and there so little he as yet despaired was slaine by Pesennius who had him in chase Meanewhile fortune hid Sextus Pompeius safe in Celtiberia reserued for other warres after Caesars death Caesar returnes victorious home the pomp of his first triumph was furnished from the Rhene and Rhone and with the image of the captiue Ocean in gold The stuffe of the second was bay-tree of Aegypt and for shewes the images of Nile and Arsinoe and of the watch-towre Pharus as it burnt in the top like a flaming beacon The third was the chariot of Pharnaces and the spoyles of Pontus The fourth represented king Iuba and his Moores Spaine twice conquered Pharsalia Thapsus and Munda those greater arguments matters then ouer which hee triumpht were not mentioned Here for a while were weapons layd aside the following calme without bloud and the cruelties of warre were made amends for with goodnesse not a man put to death by commandement except Afranius for whom once pardoning was enough and Faustus Sylla because Caesar had learnd to feare him for his father in law and Pompeis daughter with her vncles by Sylla's side in this hee tooke care to make posteritie secure His countrey therefore not ingratefull all sorts of honours were heaped vpon this one prime man images about the temples in the theater a crowne deckt with rayes a chaire of state in the Senate-house a pinacle vpon his house top a month in the Zodiac and besides all these himselfe proclaimed Father of his countrey and perpetuall Dictator last of all and it was unknowne whether it were with his good liking Antonius Consull the ornaments of a king were offred all which prooued but as ribbands or trimmings of an host ordained to be slaine in sacrifice For the mildnesse of this prince was lookt vpon with enuious eyes and the power it selfe which conferred benefits was to free mindes cumbersome Nor was the forbearance of him an acquitall any longer for Brutus and Cassius and other Patricians Lords of the highest ranke conspired to assassinate him How great is the force of fate the conspiracy was knowne far abroade a scroll was giuen also to Caesar himselfe vpon the very day of the fact though an hundred beasts were sacrificed yet not one of them had any signe of luckines He came into the Senate-house with a meaning to aduance a warre against the Parthians there the Senators stabd at him as he sat in his court-chair with twenty three wounds he was driuē to the ground So he who had embrewed the whole earth with ciuill bloud did with his owne bloud ouerflow the Senat-house CHAP. III. CAESAR Octauianus CAesar and Pompey slaine the people of Rome seem'd to haue returned to the state of their ancient libertie and had returned indeed if Pompey had left no children nor Caesar an heire or which was more pestilent then both if once his fellow in office and then his riuall in honour that firebrand of Caesars power and whirlewind of the ensuing age Antonius had not ouer-liued For while Sextus Pompeius seekes to recouer his fathers estate no part of the sea was free from feare of him while Octauius reuengeth his fathers bloud Thessalia was againe to be stirred while Antonius variable-witted either disdained that Octauius should succeed to Caesar or for loue to Cleopatra takes vpon him to bee a king for hee had no other way to be safe but by turning vassall In so great preturbation we are to bee glad notwithstanding that the whole power of Rome came to be setled vpon Octauius first Caesar Augustus who by his wisedome and dexteritie reduced into order the body of the empire shaken and distempted on all sides which without all doubt could neuer haue been brought together and made to agree vnlesse it had beene gouernd by the authoritie of some worthie one as with a soule or mind Marcus Antonius Publius Dolobella Consuls fortune now busie in transferring the empire to the house of the Caesars the troubles of the citie were various and manifold that as in the change of yeerely seasons the stirred heauens doe thunder and signifie their turnings by the weather so in the change of the gouernmēt of the Romans that is to say of all mankind the world troubled throughout and the whole body of the empire was turmoiled with all sorts of perils and with ciuill warrs both at land and sea CHAP. IIII. The Mutinensian warre THe first cause of ciuill breach was Caesars last will and testament in which Antonius being named but in the second place he grew starke mad that Octauius was preferred and for that cause opposed the adoption of that most spiritfull yongman with an inexpiable warre For seeing him not fully eighteene yeeres old tender fit to be wrought vpon and open to abuse both defaced the dignitie of Caesar's name with reuiling termes and diminisht his inheritance with priuie thefts disgraced him with foule phrases and gaue not ouer by all the wayes hee could inuēt to impeach his adoption into the Iulian family lastly enterprised a warre for ouer-bearing the yong noble gentleman and with an armie raised in Gall on this side the Alpes besieged Decimus Brutus for resisting his practices Octauius Caesar pitied for his youth and wrongs gracious for the maiestie of that name which hee assumed calling his adoptiue fathers old souldiers to arms hee then a priuate person who would giue credit to it sets vpon the Consull deliuers Brutus from siege and strips Antonius out of
the Arsenal he dislodged the enemie who plide him from thence with shot From thence he suddenly escaped to the penile of Pharus Beaten out of that glad to plunge into the sea hee got with admirable good fortune to the next ships by swimming fain to leaue his robe in the waues whether by chance or of purpose that the aduersarie might pelt mawl it with stones and shot in stead of him Receiued at last among his own mariners assailing the enemy in all quarters at once hee paide the ghost of his son in law the vengeance due to it vpon that cowardly and trayterous nation For not onely the kings tutor Theodorus author of the whole warre but not so much also as those maskes of men the Eunuchs Photinus Ganymedes flying by sea and land came to euill ends The yong kings body was found as it lay wallowed vnder mud and known by the honor of a golden curace or brest plate vpon it New stirs were likewise in Asia begun in Pontus fortune watching as it were of set purpose to make this the end of Mithridates kingdom that the father should bee conquer'd by Pompey and the sonne by Caesar. King Pharnaces rather vpon trust of our discord then his owne valour fell vpon Cappadocia with an offensiue armie But Caesar setting vpon him in onely one and that too so to say not an whole battell ground him as it were to dust after the manner of lightning which at one and the same moment of time came hit and went away neither was it a vaine brag which Caesar made of himselfe that the enemie was ouerthrowne there before euer hee set eye vpon him Thus went matters in forreine parts But in Africk the fight of Romans with Romans was more deadly then it had beene in Pharsalia Hither the remaines of the shipwrackt faction were driuen by a certaine pang or fit of fury nor would you call them remaines but a whole and entire warre Pompeis forces were rather scatterd then consumed His tragedy made them more solemne and zealous to fight Nor did the succeeding Generals degenerate For Cato and Scipio founded full enough in the place of Pompeis name Iuba king of Mauritania made one in the quarrell forsooth that Caesar might haue the more to conquer There was therefore no difference nor oddes betweene Pharsalia and Thapsus sauing that the eagernesse of the Caesarians was both the more the more sharpe as chafing that the war grew though Pompey was dead To bee briefe a thing which neuer hapned till then the trumpets sounded a charge through the souldiers forwardnesse without the cōmandement of the General The ouerthrow beganne at Iuba whose elephants not throughly manned to fight and but lately taken wilde out of the woods quite confounded at the sudden shrilnesse forthwith dis-ranked their friends army made that the captaines could not escape by flying all of them comming to their ends remarkably For Scipio was now gotten on ship-boord but his enemies ouertaking him he ran his sword thorow his owne belly one asking after him in search he answered in these very words The Generall is well Iuba gotten into his palace after a royal banquet made to Petreius the companion of his flight among his cuppes and dishes call'd vpon him for a killing And Petreius had enough of that both for the king and himselfe so the viands halfe as it were eaten and the funerall messes swam mixt with royall and Roman bloud together Cato was not at this battell but encamping at Bagrada hee lay for defence of Vtica as at the other maine fort or barre of Africa But hearing the defeat of his partners hee dallied not at all but as it became a wiseman did euen ioyfully hasten his owne death For after hee had embraced and bidden good night to his son and companions hee reposed himselfe awhile in his bed hauing perused by a light Plato's booke of the Immortality of the soule and then about the first releeuing of the watch vnsheathing his sword hee therewith thrust himselfe with a re-enforced stroke into the body After which the physicians presumed to wrong the braue man with laying salues which he permitted till they were out of the roome but then hee rashed them away and the bloud following amaine he left his dying hands in the very wound Warre and sidings brake out againe as fresh as if there had neuer past a stroke in the quarrell and by how much the troubles in Africa were beyond those in Thessaly by so much Spaines surpassed those in Africa the brother linesse of the Generals drew exceeding sauor to that side when for one Pompey there stood vp two The encounters therfore were no where so terrible or hazardous The first conflict was in the very mouth of the maine Ocean Varius and Didius oppositely lieutenants generall but the strife with the sea it selfe was sorer then that of Fleete with Fleete for the Ocean as it were to chastize owne countreymen for their madnesse dasht indifferently of either of their nauies in pieces What a ghastly and hideous sight was that when at one and the same instant seas stormes and tackle fought together Adde to all this the fearefull situation of the place where the shores of Spain and Mauritania on this coast and on that doe offer in a manner to claspe and meete the sea both mediterranean maine Ocean and Hercules pillars opposite mountaines hanging ouer At which time foule weather and fierce battell raged round about After this both parts ranged here there employing themselues in the siege of cities whose case was miserable while betweene the leaders of seuerall sides they smarted deepely for their friendship with the Romans The last battell of all was at Munda Here the fight was not answerable to the felicity of other fights but doubtfull for a long time and discontentiue so as fortune plainely seemed to deliberate vpon the doing of some I know not what thing Certainely Caesar himselfe was seene before the armie sadder then for his wont whether in regard of humane frailty or as suspecting that the excesse of prosperitie would not hold out alwayes or as fearing the same things which Pompey found so soone as once he came to be what Pompey was but in the very battell it selfe after the armies had with equall slaughter done nothing for a long space but kill suddenly the like whereof no man liuing could remember in the most heate of the fight there was a deepe silence on both sides as if they were agreed this was euery ones coneit of it Last of all which Caesar in foureteene yeeres before had neuer seene the selected tride band of his old souldiers an hainous matter gaue backe so that although they fell not as yet to flat running away nothing was playner notwithstanding then that they resisted more for pure shame then valour Caesar therefore putting his horse from him ranne like a mad-man into the head of the battell there hee
his campe at that time he did nobly with his owne hand for bloudy wounded as hee was hee carried vpon his owne shoulders the eagled ensigne into the campe which the eagle-bearer deliuerd to him dying slaine CHAP. V. The Triumuirate ANtonius of his owne nature troublesom to peace and troublesome to commonweale Lepidus comes in like fire to flame because there was a necessitie of entring into the bond of a most bloudy league against two armies The intentions of the boutefeus were seuerall in kindling these firie-blazes Lepidus couetous of riches the hope whereof stood vpon troubling the state Antonius desirous to be reuenged vpon them who proclaimed him traitour and Caesar for the death of his adoptiue father vpon Cassius and Brutus offensiue to his vnreuenged ghost Vpon these termes of as it were a league peace was established among the three captaines and at Confluents betweene Perusia and Bononia they ioyne hands and their armies embrace so the triumuirate is entred vpon with no good fashion The common-weale opprest with force Sulla's proscriptions returne the hideous crueltie whereof containd no lesse then the number of one hundred and fortie Senatours the ends of such as fledde for their liues ouer all the world were gastly foule and miserable CHAP. VI. The warre with CASSIVS and BRVTVS BRutus and Cassius seemed to haue put by Iulius Caesar from the tyrannie as another Tarquinius Superbus But common libertie the testitution whereof they principally aimed at was lost by this assassinate of the common Father So soone therefore as the fact was committed they fled out of the Senate house or Curia into the Capitoll as fearing Caesars old souldiers not without cause who wanted not the minde to take reuenge but a captaine for it And when it now appeared what destruction hung ouer the state the murther was disliked by the Consuls consent a decree of Obliuion was enacted yet to bee out of the eye of the publike griefe they departed into Syria and Macedonia prouinces giuen them euen by Caesar himselfe whom they slew reuenge was rather deferred then buried The common-weale therfore being setled vpō the pleasure of the Triumuirs rather as it might be then as it were fit and Lepidus one of the three left at home for defence of Rome Caesar addresseth himselfe with Antonius against Cassius and Brutus They hauing drawne huge forces to an head took the selfe-same field which was fatall to Cnaeus Pompeius where the tokens of their destinated ouerthrow were not obscure for the birds which vsed to gorge themselues vpon carion houerd about the campe as if it were already theirs as they marcht out to batel a black Moore meeting them was too too plainly a sign foreboding dire successe and to Brutus himselfe at night when light beeing brought in he meditated somewhat as his maner was all alone a certain gloomie Image appeared to him which being by him demanded what it was I AM it said THINE EVILL SPIRIT and therewithall vanished out of his admiring sight In Caesars campe all presages were as much for good as they were in the other for the bad birds beasts promising alike faire fortune but nothing was in presēt more luckie then that Caesars physician was warnd in his sleepe that Caesar should not stay in his own campe for that it would be surprised accordingly as it fel out For the battels ioyning the fight maintain'd on both sides with equal manhood for awhile although the Generals were not present the one withdrawne through sicknesse of bodie and the other for sloth and feare yet the vnvanquisht fortune both of the reuenger and hee for whom the reuenge was vndertaken stood for the side The danger was as doubtfull at first and as equal on both parts as the euent of the fight declared Caesars campe taken heere and Cassius his campe there But how much more forceable is fortune then vertue and how true is that speech in which hee breathed out his last THAT VERTVE WAS ONLY A VERBAL THING AND NOT A REAL Meere mistaking gaue away that battell for when Cassius a wing of his armies shrinking saw his owne troups of horse gallop back vpon the spurre after they had taken Caesars campe supposing they fled got himselfe to an hillocke from whence not being able to discern what was done by reason of the dust noise night at hād and when the scout whom hee had emploid for discouerie staid somewhat long before he returnd he verily thought the day was lost and thereupon caused one of them who was next him to strike off his head Brutus when he had in Cassius lost his own life also not to breake in any point that faith which each of them had plighted to the other for otherwise they meant not to ouer-liue the battel laid his side open to the deadly blow of one of his owne companions Who would not wonder that those most wise men vsed not their own hands at their last vnlesse in this point also they had a ioynt perswasion not to distaine their hands but in letting out their most pure and pious soules they meant the direction should be theirs but the heinous executiō other mens CHAP. VII The warre at Perusia THE partition of such lands as Caesar diuided in campe among the old souldiers for reward of seruice raised another war Lucius Antonius who was alwaies in his owne nature a most wicked man was stirred vp the more by Fuluia his wife a virago who had serued in the warres like a man Therefore by encouraging such as were disseised of their tenements there was going to armes againe In this case Caesar sets vpon him not vpon his owne head or opinion but as vpon a person whō all the Senate sentenced an enemy shutting him vp within the walls of Perusia compelled him to the extremest termes of yeelding by such a famine as had left no filthie thing vnfed vpon CHAP. VIII The warre with SBXTVS POMPEIVS THe killers of Iulius Caesar being made away all there only now remained Pompeis house One of the brothers fell in Spaine the other saued himselfe by flying who assembling the scatter'd remaines of that vnfortunate warre and arming moreouer to his ayde the sturdy bodies in the worke-iails or bride-wells euery-where held Sicily and Sardinia And now his nauie wafted vp and downe in the middle of the sea O how differently from his father hee rooted out the Cilicians but this man stirred pyrats to take his part It was so mightie a piece of martiall worke to master and vtterly to distresse him in the straights of Sicilie that he had carried with him to his graue the reputation of a gallant commaunder in the warre had hee attempted nothing after that but which is an argument of a noble minde TO HOPE ALVVAYES For his powers quite defeated hee fled and sail'd into Asia where hee was to fall into the hands of his enemies and be cast into fetters and which of all other things
Ammianus Marcellinus in his eighteenth booke and lornandes an vsurper and concealer of Florus his wit vnder the I'mperour Iustinian What the translatour thinkes worthy of thy precious time to knew further requires a large booke rather then an Epistle and that also wil be but a briefe vpon a briefe of all the old Roman wisedome ciuill and martiall as here thou hast of their facts Enioy this translation in the mean time and let not vnthankfulnes strangle any intendments for thy more satisfaction nor shew thee ignorant of such a treasure as which after aboue one thousand foure hundred yeers cōtinuance twice the time of this storie growing stronger in the world by one language more then his owne when the Roman empire it selfe the subiect of the booke hath long since in a manner come to nothing doth giue great hope that it is to be immortall Farewell THE PREFACE OF LVCIVS FLORVS THE People of Rome from King Romulus to Caesar Augustus for the space of seuen hundred yeeres performed so many noble deeds both in peace and warre that if a man compare the magnitude of their empire with the number of the yeeres hee will thinke it greater then for the time They displayed their warlike ensignes so farre and wide vpon the globe of the earth that such as reade their performances may learne in them not the actions of one people but of all mankind For they were tossed with so many labors and perils that to establish their empire Vertue and Fortune seeme to haue contended Which thing though it be also principally worth the knowing neuerthelesse for so much as the very greatnesse it selfe is an impediment to it selfe and the varietie of matter makes the mind abruptly flit from one thing to another I will imitate them who draw the maps of countreyes and comprehend the whole image of that great Body within as it were a narrow table And in so doing my hopes are that I shall offer vp somewhat towards the admirable honours of the whole worlds soueraigne people when together and yet distinctly in it selfe I shall aduance into view their empires vniuersall greatnesse Imagining therefore the whole people of Rome were but as one single person and then running ouer all their time thinke how they began and how they grew strong then how they attained to a certaine flower as it were of youth and how in a sort they afterwards waxed old wee shall therein find foure degrees or maine progressions The first reuolution was vnder kings for almost two hundred and fiftie yeeres in which space they wrestled and stroue about their Mother-citie with their neighbours This may be the time of their infancie The following period from the Consulship of Brutus and Collatinus to the Consulship of Appius Claudius and Quintus Fuluius comprehends those two hundreth and fiftie yeeres in which they subdued Italy This was a time most famous for manhood and deeds of Cheualrie It may well be therefore tearmed their youthfull age From hence to Augustus Caesar are those other two hundreth and fiftie yeeres in which he settled peace thorow all the world And this compasse of time is the very Mans estate and as it were the strength and ripenesse of the Roman Empire From Augustus Caesar to our dayes there haue not passed many fewer then two hundreth yeeres in which through the vnworthinesse of Emperours the force of the Roman people waxt old as it were and wasted it selfe sauing that vnder the gouernment of Traian their sinewes requicken and beyond all expectation the old age of the empire as if the youth thereof were restored growes greene againe and flourisheth THE HISTORIE OF THE ROMANS The first Booke CHAP. I. Of ROMVLVS first King of Romans THe first founder of the citie and empire of Rome was ROMVLVS the sonne of Mars and Rhea Syluia This the Vestall Priestesse great with child confest of her selfe nor did fame long doubt thereof when Romulus by commaundement of Amulius throwne into the riuer together with his brother Remus could not be drowned For the Genius of Tiber both checkt down his waters and a shee-wolfe following the crye of the babes left her yong ones and with her teats discharged towards them the office of a mother And in this plight found vnder a tree Faustulus the kings shepheard conueyed them to his farme-house and bred them vp Alba built by Iulius was then the chiefe citie of Latium which his father Aeneas had reared Amulius was the foureteenth king from these and expelled his brother Numitor of whose daughter Romulus was borne Hee therefore in the first heats of his youth chased his vncle Amulius out of the royall seat and restored his grandfather himselfe delighting in the riuer and mountaines among which hee had beene educated was busied in plotting the walls of a new towne These brothers were twinnes and it was therefore agreed betweene them to make the gods iudges which of them should first enter vpon the gouernement and rule Remus tooke his stand vpon mount Auentine and Romulus vpon mount Palatine It was the fortune of Remus to see birds first and they were sixe Vultures Romulus saw last but had twelue So hauing the vpper hand in this triall by bird-flight he builds his citie full of hope that it would proue a martiall one according as those birds accustomed to bloud and rauine did portend A trench and rampire seemed sufficient to defend the new citie whose narrownesse while Remus derided and leapt ouer in reproofe thereof hee was slaine whether by his brothers commandement or no is doubtfull Certaine it is that hee was the first sacrifice and consecrated the new cities fortification with his bloud There wanted inhabitants Neere hand grew a groue which hee makes a place of sanctuarie and thither a wondrous companie of men did forthwith flocke some of them Latins some shepheards of Hetruria and other of them some of those beyond-sea Phrygians who were vnder Aeneas and of those Arcadians who hauing Euander for their Generall had come flowing in Thus of as it were diuerse elements he gathered together one Body and himselfe composed of them the Roman people This was a worke of Time the increase of inhabitants was a worke of Men. Therefore they sought wiues from among the neighbours whom when they could not obtaine by suit they tooke by force For they pretending to make shews and games on horsebacke the maids assembled from parts about to behold them were seised as lawfull pray This ministred an occasion of present war The Veientes were beaten and put to flight The Caeninensians had their towne taken and rased and king Romulus with his owne hands offered vp to Iupiter Feretrius the magnificent spoyles which he had gayned from his aduersarie King The gates of Rome were betraid to the Sabines by a silly Virgin who had bargayned to receiue for reward that which they carryed on their left hands doubtfull whether shee meant their shields or bracelets
for subuersion of cities Corinth the beauty of Greece is situated vpon a narrow necke of land betweene the Ionian and Aegaean seas as a spectacle or pageant it was destroyed alas the wrong before it was registred in the list of proclaimed enemies Critolaus was the cause of this warre who made vse of the freedome giuen by the Romans against the Romans and it being vncertain whether hee did not also strik their ambassadors with the hand he for certain did it with his tongue Metellus therefore chiefely busie in ordering the affaires of Macedonia had now this also added to his charge to take reuenge From hence grew the Achaian warre and Metellus Consull had the chase and execution of Critolaê° his first forces through the open fields of Elis all along the bankes of Alpeus One battell made an end of the warre And now the citie it selfe was begirt with a siege when as the fates would haue it Mummius came to the victory which Metellus had foughten for Mummius by the aduantage of that honour which the other had atchieued vanquisht the enemies armie at the very entrance of the Isthmus or land-necke and dyed the heauens on each side thereof with bloud Finally the inhabitants abandoning the citie it was first sackt and then at sound of trumpet quite defaced What store of statues rich garments and goodly moniments in tables were torn downe burnt and cast about what riches were carred away and fired you may from hence coniecture that al the Corinthian brasse which is at this day so much commended through the world is found to bee but the remayne of these consumings for the violence vsed against this most wealthy citie set an higher rate vpon the brasse therof because multitudes of statues and pictures consisting of brasse gold and siluer melting in the fire the veines of the metall ranne in one and mixt together CHAP. XVII Acts done in Spaine AS Corinth followed Carthage so Numantia followed Corinth And it was not long first before no part of the world was free from armes After these two most famous Cities were consumed warre did spread it selfe euery where about nor that by turnes in places but together as though it were but one warre ouer all so that the whirling flames thereof seemed carryed about ouer the whole earth as if dispersed with windes Spaine neuer had a disposition to rise vniuersally against vs nor at any time a minde to put all her strengths into one either for trying mastries or for maintayning her libertie in common being otherwise so inuironed with seas and with the Pyrenaean hils that by aduantage of her situation shee had beene inaccessible But the Romans had enstraitned her before she was aware thereof and was of all other prouinces the onely one which neuer vnderstood her owne abilities till shee was conquerd The warre lasted here almost two hundred yeeres from the times of the first Scipio's till Caesar Augustus not continually or cohaerently but as causes were ministred nor with Spaniards at first but with the Carthaginians or Penish-men in Spaine Thence grew the contagion connexion and cause of the warres The first Roman ensignes which euer were displayd ouer the toppe of the Pyraenees the two Scipio's Publius and Cnaeus aduanced and in terrible great battels slew Anno and Asdrubal the brother of Anibal so as all Spaine had beene conquerd in a moment had not those most gallant gentlemen supplanted by the Arts of Africa beene destroyd in their owne victorie after they had gotten the vpper hand both at land and sea That Scipio therefore who was shortly afterwards surnamed Africanus inuaded Spaine in reuenge of his father and his vncle as a prouince vntoucht in a manner new to vs as till then Hee presently tooke Carthage in Spaine and other cities nor contented to haue driuen the Penish-men out layd tribute vpon it also and subdued all on this side the riuer Iberus and beyond himselfe the first of Roman leaders who ranne vp victoriously as far as Gades the shores of the Ocean Ther is more in it to keepe a prouince then to make one Captaines therefore were sent with forces hither and thither part after part to compell the siercest people of Spaine and the nations thereof free till that time and for that cause impatient of bearing any yoake though not without much labour and bloudshed to obey vs. That Cato who was termed Censorius brake the hearts of the Celtiberians the stoutest men of Spaine by certaine encounters That Gracchus who was father of the Gracchi punisht them with the subuersion of one hundred and fiftie of their cities That Metellus who was stiled Macedonicus deserued to bee also called Celtibericus hauing gotten Contrebia by a memorable exploit and gaind more glorie by forbearing Vertobrigae Lu-cullus subdued the Turdulans and Vaccaeans ouerwhome that later Scipio Aemilianus obtained pompous spoils in a single combat in which the king was challenger Decimus Brutus went somwhat farther ouercomming the Gallicians and al the Gallician nations beyond the riuer Obliuion which the souldiers quaked to behold and marching along the Ocean shore as conquerour hee turnd not his ensignes another way till hee saw the Sunne stoop vnder the sea and his fires ouer whelmed as it were with waters not without some scruple in Brutus who was chill'd at the sight lest perhaps it had beene in him a kind of sacrilege But the hardest hold of all was with the Lusitanians and Numantines nor that without cause for only they in all those countreys were fitted with captaines And we had found no lesse worke with the Celtiberians had not Solundicus chiefe author of that commotion beene destroid in the beginning a most dangerous and desperate man had he prosperd who twirling a certaine speare of siluer which was pretended by him to be sent from heauen counterfeited the prophet and drew all to admire and follow him But the same rashnesse which had put him on making him also aduenture after twylight towards the Consuls campe a souldier chopt his iaueline into him close at the pauilion it selfe But Viriathus made the Lusitanians plucke vp their courages a maÌ„ of a most sharp and cunning wit from huntsman turning high-way thiefe and from high-way thiefe turning prince and captaine generall and had fortune said the word the Romulus of Spaine For not contented to maintain the freedome of his nation hee destroyed all the countreys on either side the riuers of Iberus and Tagus with fire and sword fourteene yeeres together and assailing the camps of Praetors Presidents had the slaughter of Claudius Vnimanus or One-hand and of his whole armie to almost the last man and in his mountaines erected tropheas of such ensignes robes and maces of state as hee had wonne away of ours At the last hee was brought into extremities by Fabius Maximus Consul But his successor Seruilius Cepio staind the victorie For greedie to bee ridde of the trouble once for all he entred into practice with
some trecherous cōpanions familiar friends of Viriathus and got him murthred being alreadie brought low and ready to yeeld vpon any termes and thereby gaue the enemie so much honor as to make it thought that hee could not otherwise bee conquerd CHAP. XVIII The Numantine warre AS Numantia was inferiour to Carthage Capua and Corinth for riches so for vertue and honour it was equall to them altogether and if wee respect the men thereof it was simply the greatest glorie of Spaine for hauing neither wall nor bulwarke and beeing but onely situated vpon a little rising knoll or hill by the riuer Durius with no more then foure thousand it endured fourteene yeers siege against an armie of fortie thousand And not endured onely but gaue also terrible ouerthrowes and forced vs to accept of shamefull conditions And remayning vnconquer'd after all was done that could bee no other person would serue the turne to subuert it but he who subdued Carthage To speake ingenuously there was no warre of ours the cause whereof was more vniust then was this For the Segidensers their friends and kinsfolke escaping our hands were entertained by them No intercession vsed on their behalfe would be heard And albeit they abstained from intermedling in any broils of warre they were notwithstanding commanded if they would haue a firme and formall peace to purchase it by parting with their armes This proposition was so interpreted by the barbarous as if they must goe hide away their heads in holes Hereupon they forth with fell to armes Megaera a most braue souldier their captaine generall and charging Pompei home in fight they did choose to enter league when they could haue made an end of him After this they set vpon Mancinus whom they so amated with daily slaughters that he had not a souldier in his army durst looke a Numantine in the face or stand his voice yet such was their noblenesse that they were content to make a peace with him also when they might haue had the killing of all his army to a man But the people of Rome no lesse ashamed nor storming lesse at the reproach of these conclusions of peace with the Numantines then they did for those at Caudium discharged themselues from the dishonour of that base treatie by yeelding vp Mancinus to the enemie But Generall Scipio one throughly season'd for the ouerthrow of cities by the burning of Carthage grew hot at length vpon reuenge But hee had more worke within his owne campe then in the open field with his owne men then with the Numantians For his armie hauing vnder other captaines beene formerly tired with dayly and iniust but specially seruile labours such of them as knew not how to vse their weapons were commaunded for their ease who knew the vse to carry more stakes and earth to the rampire and that those should be rayed with durt who would not be smeared with bloud Besides that strumpets scullions and all things else which were not of necessitie to be vsed were cut away It is a saying that Such as the captaine is such is the souldier The armie thus reduced vnder discipline encounters the enemie and then came that to passe which no man did euer hope for the Numantians in sight of all men ranne away They would likewise haue yeelded themselues if the conditions would haue beene but tolerable for men to accept But nothing contenting Scipio sauing a real and absolute victorie they in such extremities resolue to make a desperate sallie after they first had feasted well as at their last viands with halfe-raw flesh and a kinde of broth or drinke made of corne and called by the inhabitants keale or Caelia This resolution of theirs discouer'd to Scipio hee would not afford to men so minded the fauour of battell but girts them vp close with foure camps and hemming them round within trench and counterscarph they besought him for fight that so hee might dispatch them like men But when that would not bee granted they agree to rush out howsoeuer and comming so to handy-strokes very many of them were slaine and famine now comming fast vpon the residue they liued yet a little longer Their last helpe was to flie but their wiues brake their horse-bridles and committing an heinous offence through loue bereft them of that remedy Their end therefore being now no longer to bee deferred their sufferance turnes into furie decreeing among themselues to die in this manner They made away their captains themselues and towne with the sword with poyson and with setting all on fire Goe thy wayes O thou most valiant citie of the world and in mine opinion most happy withall in the very worst that happened vpon thee being that for protection of thy friends thou didst defend thy selfe with thine owne hand and for so long a time against that people which had all the earth to backe and beare them out To conclude the citie which was thus taken by the greatest captaine vnder heauen lest nothing of it selfe for the enemie to reioyce in ouer it For there was not a man of all Numantia left aliue to bee trail'd in chaines spoile and bootie as among poore folkes there was not any their armor munition were burnt So all the triumph which could bee had was ouer a name alone CHAP. XIX A briefe repetition ALl this while the people of Rome were in their actions faire noble pious holy and magnificent The ages following as they were as full of great acts so were they also more troublesome and foule vices still growing as the empire grew So that if a man diuide into two parts this third age of their power emploi'd by them in attempts out of Italy he must worthily confesse the first hundred yeeres thereof in which they tamed Africke Macedonia Sicilia and Spaine to bee as the poets sing them the golden age the other hundred to bee plainely the yron and bloudy one and whatsoeuer else is more horribly cruell as that which with the Iugurthine Cimbrian Mithridatick Parthian Gallick and German warres whose acts made our glorie mount to heauen it selfe did mingle those Gracchian and Drusine massacres yea the bondmens warre and that no dishonour might hee wanting the warre against the fensers also And finally turning their weapons each vpon the other they tore themselues into pieces with the hands of Marius and Sylla and lastly of Pompei and Caesar as it were in fits of rage and furie and in contempt of all religion Which actions though they are intricately wrapt one within the other and confounded among themselues neuerthelesse to make them the better to appeare and that their heinous facts may not trouble their heroick they shal be set forth apart Therefore to follow our first method wee will commemorate those iust and solemne warres against forein nations that the degrees of greatnesse by which the empire was day by day augmented may bee manifest Then will wee returne to those blacke deeds of theirs in their monstrous
the Praetor and a common rumour without a knowne author luckily ran in the theater The Cimbrians are ouercome Then which thing what could be more admirable or glorious for Rome as if lifting her selfe on tiptoe vpon her owne hils she had beene present at the sight of the battell the people as is vsuall in a shew of sword-players clap their hands in applause at the self-same instant in which the Cimbrians were ouerthrowne in battell CHAP. IIII. The Thracian warre AFter the Macedonians the Thracians if the Gods will rebelled who themselues were tributaries to the Macedonians nor content to make inroads into the next prouinces they did the like in Thessaly Dalmatia running out as farre as to the Adrian sea and stopping there as at natures entreatie they threw their darts into the waues themselues Meane-while there was no kinde of cruelty left vnpractised vpon the captiues during all that time They sacrifice mans bloud to the Gods quaffing it out of their enemies sculls by this kinde of mockage defiling death aswell with fire as fume and teare infants quick out of their mothers wombs with torments The Sordiscans were of all the Thracians the most sauage had as much craft as wildenesse of courage The situation of their woods mountaines conspired with their shrew'd wily wits All the army therefore which Cato led was not only put to rowt or flight by them but which is like a wonder was wholly entrapt and way-laid Didius beats thē back into their own Thrace as they straggled dispersed themselues here and there on boot-haling Drusus draue them farther off and forbad them to passe Danubius Minucius destroyd them all about Aebrus not without losse I confesse of many of his owne while they ride vpon the false crusts of yce breaking vnder Piso scowred Rhodope and Caucasus Curio pierced as farre as Dracia but the gloominesse of the woods coold his courage Appius ranne vp as farre as to Sarmatia Lucullus to Tanais the bounder of those nations and to the lake Maeotis Nor were these most mercilesse enemies otherwise tamed then by vsing their owne measure towards them no pitie was taken of their prisoners but all of them rid out of the world with fire and sword But nothing so terrifide the barbarous as the chopping off their hāds by which they seemd to ouerliue their owne punishment CHAP. V. The war with Mithridates THe Pontick nations are planted towards the North vpon the sea on the left hand of vs and are so called of the Pontick sea The first king of all these nations and countreys was Atheas afterwards Artabazes who descended of the seuen Persians Mithridates comming of him was the mightiest of them all For whereas foure yeeres serued against Pyrrhus seuenteene yeeres against Anibal he resisted fortie yeeres till finally subdued in three huge warres the felicity of Sulla the vertue of Lucullus and the mightinesse of Pompei brought him to nothing Hee pretended for the cause of his hostility before lieutenant Cassius Nicomedes of Bithynia whom hee charged with inuading his confines But the truth is that blowne-out with ambition hee coueted the monarchie of all Asia and if hee could of Europe also Our vices gaue him hope and confidence vnto it For being diuided among our selues with ciuill warres the verie opportunitie allured him and Marius Sulla and Sertorius laid that remote side of the empire open In these wounds of the commonweale and amidst these tumults this sudden whirlewinde of the Pontick warre as if taking aduantage of the times blew from off as it were the farmost watch-towre of the Northerne world at vnawares vpon vs being both wearie then and diuersely distracted The first blast of this warre swept away Bithynia from vs in a trice Then the like terrour fell vpon the rest of Asia Nor were the cities and nations thereof slow in reuolting to the king And hee was at hand and prest them hard vsing crueltie as a vertue For what was more deadly dire then that one edict of his by which hee commaunded all men thorow Asia who were free of Rome to be massacred At that time certainely houses temples altars and all sorts of lawes aswell diuine as humane were violated But this terrour vpon Asia vnlockt Europe also to the king By Archelaus therefore and Neoptolemus hee disseised vs there of all excepting Rhodes onely which held for vs more firmely then the rest of the Iles of the Cyclades Delos and Eubaea yea and Athens also the glorie it selfe of Greece The terrour of the kings name breathed now vpon Italy it selfe and vpon the verie citie of Rome Lucius Sulla therefore an excellent good man while hee was in action of armes and of no lesse violence shoued the enemie backe as it were with one of his hands from encroaching anie farther And first hee brought Athens to such extremities by siege that hee made that citie what man would credit it which was the mother of corne to eate mans flesh for hunger and vndermining their port Piraeus and more then sixe walls of theirs after he had tamed them yet though himselfe called them the most ingratefull men hee neuerthelesse restored to them their temples and reputation for the honor and reuerence of deceased ancestors and when Eubaea Baeotia had now chased the garrisons away which the King had billetted vpon them hee discomfited all the royall forces together in one set battell at Cheronaea and in another at Orchomenus and from thence crossing forthwith into Asia distrest Mithridates himselfe and there also had beene an end of the quarell if his desire had not rather bin to haue triumpht speedily ouer the enemie then cōpletely this was the state in which Sulla left Asia The league with the Pontickes recouerd Bithynia of Nicomedes and Cappadocia of Ariobarzanes as if Asia had againe beene ours as at the beginning but Mithridates was but repulsed only This course therefore daunted not the Ponticks but set them more on fire For the king hauing had Asia and as it were tasted the bait of Europe sought to recouer it now by the law of armes not as belonging to others but because hee had once lost it as his own These fires therefore as not sufficiently quencht brake out into a greater flame then before wherevpon the king repairing his armies augmented with greater numbers thē earst and to bee briefe with the whole powers of his realm he inuaded Asia againe by sea and land and riuers Cyzicum a citie ennobled with a castle walls port towers of marble beautifies the shores of Asia Against this place as if it were another Rome hee bent his vtmost abilities but the citie was encouraged to withstand vpon the newes of Lucullus his approach who a wondrrous thing to bee spoken floting on a blowne bladder and steering himself with his feete seeming to such as lookt-on a farre off like some swimming whale escaped thorow the middle of the enemies fleete and calamitie foorthwith turning
thus enuironed within as it were an hunting toyle at all harbours bayes shelters creekes promontories straights halfe-iles were vtterly distressed Pompey vndertooke Cilicia the mother and fountaine of this warre And the enemies were forward to fight not for any hope they had but because that being ouerborne they would seeme to dare but yet no farther then as only to brooke the first shocke For when they beheld the beake-heads of our clashing gallies charge in ring vpon them they forthwith strooke saile threw away oares made a generall showt a signe among them of yeelding and begged life A victory gaind with lesse bloudshed then this as we at no time had so neither did wee euer finde a people more loyall to vs then they And that was long of our Generals high wisedome who transplanted this broode of mariners far of out of the very ken of the sea and as it were teddred them fast in the vplands Thus at the same time he recouerd the seas for the vse of merchants restored to land her owne men In this victory what should we first admire whether celerity because it was gotten is forty dayes or good fortune for that hee lost not a vessell or finally the lastingnesse for that there neuer was any pyrate after CHAP. VII The Creticke warre THe Creticke warre if wee will haue the truth our selues made to our selues onely vpon a desire to conquer that noble iland It seemd to haue fauord Mithridates for which seemings sake we meant to take reuenge by the sword Marcus Antonius was the first who inuaded it borne-vp with so wonderfull an hope and affiance of victory that hee fraught his ships with more fetters then weapons Therefore hee had the reward of his dotage for the Cretensians intercepted most part of his nauie and hoising the bodies of such as they tooke prisoners vp in sailes and tacklings rowed backe into their Ports as it were with a forewinde in triumph Then Metellus wasting the whole Iland with fire and sword pent them within their castles and cities Gnosus Erythraea and as the Greeks are wont to speake the mother of cities Cydona and hee so mercilessely plagued the captiues that most of the ilanders poysoned themselues other sent their surrenders to Pompey absent who busied in the enterprises of Asia and sending Octauius to Crete as gouernour was laughed to scorne for meddling in another mans prouince and prouoked Metellus to exercise the right of a conquerour the more bitterly vpon the Cretans and hauing vanquisht Lasthenes and Panares captaines of Cydona returnd victorious and yet brought nothing greater backe of so famous a conquest then the surname Creticus CHAP. VIII The Balearian warre THe house of Metellus Macedonicus was so farre forth accustomed to warlike surnames that the one of his sonnes obtayning the title Creticus another of them was eft-soones stiled Balearicus The Baleares had about the same time made the seas dangerous with their pyracies A man would wonder that those wilde and sauage people durst once so much as looke from their rocketoppes downe vpon the sea But more then so they ventur'd foorth to sea in bungled boates and now and then frighted such as saild by with suddaine on-sets and now also when they a farre off descry'd the Roman nauie approach in the maine sea conceiuing it to bee purchase they had the hearts to assaile it and at the first charge couerd it with an huge showre of small and great stone Each of them vseth three slings in battell Who will wonder if they bee excellent marke-men when these are the onely armes the nation hath and are bred vp in the practice of them from their child-hoode A boy gets no morsell at his mothers hands but that of which shee makes a white and which himselfe must hit But this kind of haile did not long terrifie the Romans After they came to hand-strookes and felt our beake-heads and iauelines comming they raised a bellowing crie like so many beasts and fled to shore where slipping in among the next hillockes the first worke was to find them out the next to conquer them CHAP. IX The voyage into Cyprus THe finall destinie of Ilands was at hand Cyprus therefore yeelded it-selfe without warre Of this ile abounding in ancient riches and besides that consecrated to Venus Ptolomic was king and the report of her wealth was such nor that vntruely that the people which were conquerours of the world and accustomed to graunt away whole kingdomes gaue in charge to Publius Claudius a tribune of theirs author of the motion to confiscate that prince though aliue and in league with them At the bruit whereof hee shortned his dayes by poyson The riches of Cyprus were conueighed in barges vp the riuer Tiber by Porcius Cato which brought more treasure to the treasury of the people of Rome then any triumph CHAP. X. The Gallick warre ASia subdued by the hand of Pompey fortune transfer'd vpon Caesar the conquest of that which was left vntoucht in Europe And there remained the most terrible of all other nations the Galls and Germans and Britaine though diuided from the whole world yet had notwithstanding one to conquer it The first cause of this trouble begun at the Heluetians who seated betweene the Rhene and Rhodanus and their countreys prouing to narrow for their swarmes came to demand of vs other habitations hauing first set their townes on fire A solemne signe among them of neuer returning thither But we asking time for deliberation and during that delay when Caesar by cutting downe the bridge ouer Rhone had taken from them the meanes of flying away hee by and by led backe that most warlike people into their olde homes as a shepheard driues his flocks to their sheep-folds The following battell which was fought against the Belgiās was much more bloudy as against men who fought for freedome Here the Romans did many famous feats of armes and this of Caesar's was most singular that his army inclining to flie hee snatcht the target from one who was running away and charging vpon the face of the enemies restored the battell with his owne hand After this hee encountred the Veneti at sea but the combat was greater with the Ocean then with the enemies shippes For they were bungerly made and mis-shapen and had presently beene split with our beake-heads but the shallow places hindred the fight that the tide withdrawing vpon course during the skirmish the Ocean might as it were seeme to haue beene stickler in the battell He had elsewhere also to deale with difficulties which grew from the nature of the nations and places The Aquitans a subtill generation betooke themselues to grots and holes vnder ground Caesar had damd them vp The Morini slipt aside into the woods hee commanded to fire them Let no man say the Galls are onely fierce they vse fraud also Induciomarus assembled the Treuirists Ambiorix the Eburones and making a combination among themselues in Caesars absence both
of them found out his seueral lieutenants generall But Titus Labienus stoutly repulsed the one of them brought that kings head away The other laying an ambuscado in the vally ouercame vs by craft and so the campe was sackt and the gold thereof taken There wee lost Cotta with Titurius Sabinus lieutenāt generall Nor could wee euer bee-meet with that king after for hee plaide least in sight beyond the Rhene perpetually But Rhene for all that escaped vs not as neither was it fit that it should be a free receiuer and defender of our enemies But Caesar's ground of warre against the Germans was at first most iust For the Sequani complain'd of their incursions How great was then the pride of Ariouistus when our ambassadours said Come thou to Caesar What is that Caesar quoth the king And let him come to mee if hee will and what concernes it him what our Germanie doth am I a meddler in the Roman affaires The terrour therfore of this new nation was so great throughout the campe that they who were of the maine battell made euery-where their last wills and testaments But those giant like bodies by how much the huger they were by so much were they the fairer marke for a sword or dart to hit What the feruour of our souldiers was in the fight cannot bee set forth in any example more clearely then in this that when the barbarous whelm'd their shields ouer their heads couering themselues as vnder a roofe or pent-house or as a tortoys vnder the shell the Romans sprung vp vpon the shields and from thence did cut their throats Againe when the Menapians complaind to vs of the Germans Caesar passeth ouer the Mose vpon a bridge of boats seekes out Rhene it selfe and the enemies among the Hercinian woods But all the whole race of them was fled into the wildes and marshes the army of the Romans appearing on a sudden on this side the banke of Rhene strooke such an amazement among them Nor did we crosse that riuer onely once but againe also and that by a bridge made ouer it At which time their affright was much augmented when they beheld their Rhene taken prisoner as it were and yoaked with a bridge betaking themselues afresh in flight to their forests and fennie places that which most fretted Caesar being that hee had not whom to conquer Thus all made ours both at land and sea hee casts his eye vpon the Ocean and as if the Roman world sufficed not his minde was set how to atchieue another For this cause gathering a nauie he made for Britaine Hee crost into Britaine with marueilous speed for weighing anchor out of the harbour of the Morini at the third watch hee was landed in the Iland before noone The shores there were full of the enemies troubled troups and the chariots of war whirled vp and downe disorderly their riders quaking at the wonder of the sight their feare therefore was instead of a victorie The timorous Britans yeelded vp their armes and gaue hostages and Caesar had then marcht farther had not the Ocean giuen his shatterd fleete a sore scourging with his billowes Thereupon he returnd into Gall and with a greater armada and more forces then before did thrust out once againe into the same Ocean and againe pursuing the same Britans into the Caledonian woods he also caused Cauelianus one of their kings to bee fast bound in chaines Contenting himselfe with this for his intention was not to get prouinces but glorie he makes back into Gall with more spoiles then at first the Oceans selfe more quiet and fauourable as if it confest it selfe too weake for Caesar. But the last mightiest conspiracie of the Galls was when that prince so dreadfull for stature martiall skill and courage and whose very name seem'd deuised to strike a terrour Vercingetorix drew at once all the Aruernois and Bituriges the Carnutes and Sequani into a league by speaking bigge among them when the assemblies of people were thickest as in their groues vpon festiuall and counsel-dayes erecting their mindes thereby for recouerie at their antient libertie Caesar was at this time absent out of Gallia busie in taking fresh musters of Rauenna and the Alps themselues heapt high with winter snowes and so the wayes cloyed vppe they presumed hee was fast and safe enough But of how fortunate a rashnesse was hee at the newes Ouer cragges and cliffes of mountaines thorow wayes and drifts of snow till that time pathlesse hee with light-armed bands of souldiers got into Gall vnited his winter-camps there which stood farre distant and was himselfe in person in the middle of Gallia before the remotest part feared his comming Then assaulting the heart-strengths of the warre hee destroy'd Auaricum and a garrison in it of fortie thousand and leuel'd Alexia to the ground with fire which had two hundred and fiftie thousand fighting men to rescue it The whole stresse of the warre was about Gergouia For that most spacious citie hauing foure score thousand defendents walls also a castell and craggie cliffes was girt-in round by Caesar with workes stakes and a ditch through which hee drew the riuer and with eighteene seuerall camps in the whole compasse and an huge counterscarpe by which meanes he tamed it first with famine and such of the defendents as durst sally out being either cut in pieces in the trenches with the sword or gored vpon the stakes hee at last constrained it to yeeld That very king himselfe the principall glorie of Caesars conquest both came like an humble suitor into the campe and throwing his caparisons and armes at his foote said thus vnto him O thou most valiant of men thou hast conquer'd a valiant man CHAP. XI The Parthian warre WHile the people of Rome vtterly distrest the Galls towards the North of the world they receiue a grieuous wound in the East by the Parthians For which wee cannot blame fortune The discomfiture afforded no kinde of comfort The greedy humor of Crassus Consul which had neither Gods nor men to friend gaping for Parthian gold cost eleuen legions their liues and him that head of his vpon which Metellus Tribune of the people had powred hostile curses at his setting out And when the army was past Zeugma sudden whirle-windes threw our standards into Euphrates where they sunke when he encamped at Nicephorium ambassadours from king Orodes summon'd him to remember the leagues which Parthians had formerly made with Pompey and Sulla but his minde wholy bent how to swallow the treasures of that realme without pretending so much as an imaginary cause of warre only said he would answer at Seleucia The Gods therfore who take reuenge for violating publike leagues did both prosper the stratagems and strokes of the enemies For first Euphrates the onely riuer to conueigh our victuals and defend vs was now betweene vs and home then againe credit was giuen to a certaine counterfeit fugitiue one Mazara a Syrian who trayning the army out
doth most afflict an heroicke spirit to die by an executioner at the pleasure of a foe There was no flight since that of Xerxes more miserable For he who late was Lord of three hundred and fiftie shippes of warre escaped away with onely sixe or seuen of them putting out the light in the admirall throwing his rings into the waues quaking and euer looking backe and yet not fearing lest hee should perish Though in Cassius and Brutus Caesar had ridded the power of the faction out of the world and in Pompey had abolished the whole name and title of it yet could not hee settle a sound peace while Antonius the rocke the knot and the common let of assured quiet was aliue and there was no want in him why vices made not an end of him nay his pride and riot hauing made triall of all things hee first ouercame enemies then citizens and lastly the times with the terrour hee had raised of himselfe CHAP. IX The warre with the Parthians by Generall VENTIDIVS THe miserable ouerthrow of Crassus made the Parthians higher crested and they were glad to heare the newes of the ciuill warres of Rome So soone therefore as any occasion glimmer'd out they stuck not to breake in vpon vs Labienus euen inuiting them who employed by Cassius and Brutus dealt with the enemie O the madnesse of wickedesse for their assistance who therevpon chase away the garrisons of Antonius ledde on by the gallant young king Pacôrus Saxa deputie of Antonius obtained of his owne sword to keepe him out of their fingers After Syria was wonne away the mischiefe had crept farther the enemie vndercolour of giuing ayde conquering for himselfe had not Ventidius who also was Antonius his deputie with incredible good fortune both defeated the forces of Labienus slaine Pacôrus himselfe and followed in execution vpon all the cauallerie of Parthia ouer the whole space of countrey betweene the riuers Orontes and Euphrates The slaine were aboue twentie thousand as Ventidius handled the matter For counterfeiting a feare hee suffered the enemie to come vp so close to his campe that they wanted roome to plie their shotte of arrowes The king himselfe most valiantly fighting was killed and his head carryed about and shewed to all the reuolted cities Syria was thus recouered without warre and so by the slaughter of Pacôrus wee were euen for Crassus ouerthrow CHAP. X. The warre of ANTONIVS with the Parthians THE Parthians and Romans hauing made tryall each of other Crassus and Pacôrus being lessons to both sides of eithers forces league was made againe with equall reuerence and entirenesse of amitie and that by Antonius himselfe But the infinite vanitie of the man while hee coueted to adde the conquest of Araxes and Euphrates to the titles of his images suddenly leaues Syria and inuades the Parthian without anie either cause or wise counsell or so much as an imaginarie colour of warre as if so to steale-vpon were also a part of a captaines dutie The Parthians besides affiance in their peculiar weapons pretend likewise to bee afraid and flie into the open fields Hee forthwith pursues them as victorious when vpon a sudden though in no great numbers they burst out neere twi-light at vnawares like a showre vpon the Romans now wearie with trauaile and with their arrowes ouerwhelme two legions But this was nothing in comparison of the calamitie which hung ouer their heads the verie next day had not the compassion of the Gods come betweene One whose life was spared in Crassus his ouerthrowe comes ryding to the trench attired like a Parthian and hayling them in Latin after hee had gotten to bee beleeued informes them what was at hand that the king would come vpon them with all the power of the realme that therefore they should march back and recouer the mountaines though euen so perhaps they should haue store of enemies By this meanes a lesser force came against them then was in readinesse Yet they fell on and the remaines of the armie had beene quite destroyed but that when the Parthian shot flying as thicke as haile the souldiers taught wee know not how dropt on their knees and casting their targets ouer their heads seem'd as if they had beene slaine then staid the Parthians their bowes whereupon the Romans starting vp on their feete againe did againe moue such wonder as that one of the barbarous vsed this speech Goe Romans and fare well fame with good cause termes you the Conquerors of nations who can outstand the shot of Parthia Water afterwards did no lesse mischiefe then the armed enemie first the countrey was naturally dry off-springs then the riuer Salmadicis was to some more noyous then the drouth and last of all when the weake dranke deepe of the riuer euen the sweete waters also proued poisonous Moreouer the heats of Armenia and the snowes of Cappadocïa and the sudden change of one ayre into another was itselfe in stead of a plague So a third part of sixteene legions hardly remayning when the siluer which hee had in the armie was euerywhere chipt with chisils and himselfe betweene the fittes of the mutinie calld euer now and then to a sword-player of his to kill him the doughtie Generall fled at last into Syria where like a man in a manner besotted hee became somewhat more brag and loftie then before as if he who had brought himselfe away had gotten the victory CHAP. XI The Actian war with ANTONIE and CLEOPATRA THe furie of Antonie which ambition could not kill was quencht with wanton lust and riot for after his Parthian iourny growing into hatred with warre he gaue himselfe ouer to rest and surprised with the loue of Queene Cleopatra solaced on her bosome as freely as if all other matters had succeeded well This Egyptian woman did value her companie at no lesse a rate to Antonie drunken with loue then the whole Roman empire he promised it as if the Romans were more easily to be dealt with then the Parthians Therefore hee began to plot a tyrannie nor that couertly but forgetting his countrey his name his gowne his fasces hee absolutely degenerated into no lesse a monster in his vnderstanding then he did in his affection and fashion hee went with a staffe of gold in his hand a Persian sword by his side a purple robe buttond with huge precious stones and a diadem in readinesse that a king might inioy a Queene At the first bruite of these stirres Caesar crosseth ouer from Brundisium that hee might giue warre the meeting and pitching his tents in Epirus did beset the iland Leucades and the rocke Leucades and the points or nesses of the Ambracian bay with his ships of warre wee had aboue foure hundred saile the enemies not fewer then two hundred but what they wanted in number was made vp in bulke for they had from sixe to nine bankes of oares besides that their fights were raised so high with decks and turrets as they resembled
armie thirdly the towne Arracillum made great resistance but yet was taken at the last In the siege of mount Edulius about which hee had drawne a trench of fifteene miles in compasse the Romans mounted on all sides and when the barbarous saw no possibilitie to escape their strife was who should kill themselues first with fire and sword amidst their feasts or with poison which is commonly there scruzed out of Tax-trees and so the greater part of them deliuerd themselues from that which seemd to them captiuitie Caesar had these seruices done for him by Antistius Furnius and Agrippa his deputies while himselfe wintred vpon the sea-coasts of Tarracon He present in his owne person at the doing drew some of the vanquished from dwelling on the moūtains of some hee tooke hostages and of others he made slaues and sold them vnder garlands It seemed to the Senate an action worthy of laurell and a chariot but Caesar was now at that heighth as he might contemne to triumph About the same time the Asturians came powring downe from their mountaines in an huge troupe nor did they stay their owne as the barbarous are vnruly but pitching their campe by the riuer Astura and diuiding their force into three armies they prepared to assaile three seueral camps of the Romans all at a time the fight had beene doubtfull and bloudy and had made an end of both parts they comming then as they did so strong so suddenly and with such sound deliberation but that the Brigaecins betrayd them by whom Carisius hauing intelligence he came vpon them with an armie and destroyd their deuice neuerthelesse the battell euen so was not vnbloudy such as remained vnflaine of that most puisant assembly retired themselues into the citie Lancia where the fight was so sharpe and hot that when our souldiers demanded leaue to set fire on the citie after it was taken the Generall could hardly obtaine the fauour at their hands that it might rather bee a moniment of the Roman victory standing then burnt to the ground This was the last warre of Augustus Caesar and the last rebellion of Spaine Constant allegiance and eternall peace forthwith ensued aswell by reason of their owne inclination more bent to peace as by Caesars courses who fearing the boldnesse which mountaines bred in them commanded them to inhabit from thenceforth in those camps of his which were vpon plaine ground This began to bee found a matter of high wisdome The region round about was naturally full of gold-oare of vermilion orpiment and other colours Hee therefore commanded the groūd should bee searcht and wrought For while the Asturians digged their owne treasures and riches which lay deepe hidden to serue others turnes themselues also began to vnderstand their value All the West and South of the world being at peace and Northward also excepting onely the Rhene and Dababius as likewise in the East betweene Taurus and Euphrates those other countreys who were free from our power had a feeling notwithstanding how great it was reuerenced the people of Romes victorie ouer nations For both the Scythians sent their ambassadours and the Sarmatians also desiring friendship The Seres moreouer and the Indians inhabiting right vnder the Sunne it selfe came with precious stones and pearls and dragging elephants also along after them among their presents thought not so much of any thing as of the length of the way which tooke vp foure yeeres trauell and the very colour it selfe of the men spake for them that they came from vnder as it were another Sunne The Parthians in like sort as if they repented their victorie restored of their owne accord the ensignes taken at the destruction of Crassus So all mankinde had euery-where an entire and continuall either peace or paction And Caesar Augustus seuen hundred yeeres from after the building of Rome durst shut the Temple of double-faced Ianus twice onely clozed before that time once vnder king Numa and the other time when the first warre of Carthage was concluded From henceforth bending his minde to peace hee corrected many things in the times which were prone to all mischiefe and which ouerflowed in riotous loosenesse with graue and seuere edicts For these so many and so wondrous great deeds of his hee was called perpetual Dictator and Father of his Countrey It was also debated in the Senate whether because hee had founded the empire hee should bee styled Romulus But the name Augustus seemed to bee a more holy and venerable word then the other that so euen now while hee liued on the earth hee might bee as it were deifide by the name it selfe and title FINIS The end of the foure bookes of the Roman Histories written anciently in Latin by LVCIVS FLORVS and translated into English by E. M. B. Soli Deo gloria Aciem intentionis abrumpit * Marcus Vestae Sacerdos * Vallum * Acron * Tarpeia A. V. C. XXXVIII A. V. C. CXIII * Nepos Relatus in censum A. V. C. CCXLIV A. V. C. CCXLVI * Florus hath Cossus not Aebutius * patriciuni virum A. V. C. CCLXXIV A. V. C. CCCCXIII A. V. C. CDLXIV A. V. C. CDXII A. V. C. CDLIIX A. V. C. CDLIX A. V. C. CDLXXII * auertit * carpenta A. V. C. CDLXXXV A. V. C. CDXXC VII A. V. C. CDXX CVIII A. V. C. CCXXCI A. V. C. CCLVII * libido admotisque signis commilitonum A. V. C. CCCVIII A. V. C. CCCXXCV fretum A. V. C. CDXXC IX A. V. C. DXII. A. V. C. A. V. C. DXVI. A. V. C. DXXVIII A. V. C. DXXIV. A. V. C. DXXXV A. V. C. DXXXI A. V. C. DXLIX A. V. C. DLXI A. V. C. DLXIV A. V. C. DLXXVI A. V. C. DLXIV nomenque epistolae notaret A. V. C DXXC VI. A. V. C. DCV A. V. C. DCIV. A. V. C. DCVI A. V. C. DCXII. A. V. C. DLXIV A. V. C. DCXX. A. V. C. DCXLII A. V. C. DCXXVIII A. V. C. DCXL. A. V. C. DCLIX. A. V. C. DCXXCV A. V. C. DCXXXI A. V. C. DCXX VII A. V. C. DCXCV Caedes à faro coepit A. V. C. DCXXX II. A. V. C. DCLIII A. V. C. DCLXII A. V. C. DCLXIII sacra A. V. C. DCLXXX mirmillo sine missisne A. V. C. DCLXV. A. V. C. DCLX XIV A. V. C. DCLXXV A. V. C. DCXC. * more maiorum * arena verni fluminis obundatione sed vbi pax fluminis redit pullo amiculo A. V. C. DCCXI A. V. C. DCCXII A. V. C. DCCXVII A. V. C. DCCXXII superstiti etiam non Caesari satisfecit vt barbari impares