the kinges sayes he séeking to féede his humour and to followe his affection caused Images to be made of yuorie golde and other pretious stuffe But Alexander him selfe gathered together a great number of Architects and the excellentest workmen to adorne his funeralles And first of all did he cast downe ten furlongs of the wals of Babylon all the bricks being gathered together caused he to be carried away the the ground might be leuel to build the roge or funerall fire vpon the which he erected foure square euery side being one furlong long the rest of the plot he diuided into 30. edifices the which were built with stories boorded with palme trée at the lowest part were set 240. béekes of quinqueremes or galleies with fiue ranckes of oares of golde and vpon euery one of them as it were vpon the stemme of a galley stoode two archers two cubites high resting on their knée in the middes stoode fiue statuies in armour of fiue cubites high and all the places betwéene them were couered with drawne courteins of purple On the second storie were fiftéene lampes whose féete were inclosed with crowns of gold In the top or highest story where the fire should be put and kindled were Eagles portraytured spreading abroade their winges and looking downe vpon the dragons that stoode beneath staring vppe vppon them The third storie was filled ful of a mightie number of wild beasts wrought for that purpose The fourth had the fight of the Centaures made in golde The fifth had Bulles and Lyons of golde first a Bull and then a Lyon and so stil in like order Aboue all this was the highest storie hanged round about with the weapons of the Macedons and also of all the Barbarians bothe to shewe the vallor of the Macedons and also to signifie what nations they had conquered Then vpon the toppe of al did there stand holow Myrmaides in whom were hidden certaine men that sang the funerall Nenia or song The height of the whole work was estéemed to be 130. cubites And when that the capteins the souldiers the embassadours and the inhabitants did to the vttermost of their power helpe to furnishe and adorne the pompe there was bestowed aboue 12000 talentes that is 572500. And after the rate and proportion of this magnificence were all other thinges celebrated in the funerals and buriall with surpassing brauery And last of al were men commanded to sacrifice vnto him as vnto a God president To furnish the funerals of so déere a beleued Alexander gaue commandement vnto all the cities néere to helpe and garnish the pompe by all meanes and with al things that they could possible He also gaue commandement to al the cities of Asia that they should put out the fire which was kept in the Temples and casted the holy fire the which thing was neuer vsed to be done among the Persians but at the death of their king In this place also although somewhat out of order will I set downe out of Thucidides the publike obsequies the which the Atheniens kept for their countrimen that were slain in the Pelopâ—a â—stan wars folowing the auncient manner of their countrie Thrée dayes before the buriall was there made a great tabernacle within the which were laide the bones of them that were dead that their parents fréends might lay vpon them what they thought good Afterward euery linage or tribe of the towne had a great cofer or cophin of cypresse into the which they did put the bones of al them of that tribe which were dead and carried it in a chariot to the vsuall place of buriall And after all the cofers was there carried in aâ— other chariot a great bedd ready made garnished without any body lying theron the which represented these deadmen whose bodies could not be found These chariots were conducted and accompanied by all sortes of people citizens or other those that would go vnto the sepulchre where the wiues parents of the diseased wept bitterly and made great lamentation Then did they lay all the cofers or cophins in a publike sepulchre or monument made for the purpose in the fairest suburbe of the citie the which sepulchre is called Ceramicon wherin they vsed to but iâ— al thâ—se that died in the warres except it were they that were slaine at the battel of Marâ—â—â—n In memorie of whose singular â—â—wesse they had willed a â—â—â—â—â—ar sepulchre to be 〈◊〉 â—s the selfe same pâ—â—e And after the bodies were buried the vsage was the some notable personage of the citie both for knowledge honour should make an Oration vnto the people in the praise of the persons departed the which being unded euery body departed home But for to make the oration at that time was the vallaint and â—â—quent Petâ—â—teâ— appointed And nowe to 〈◊〉 vnto the Rominâ—â— I do finde in Plinie 〈◊〉 was not vsed among them 〈…〉 for to burne the deaâ— bodies 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 them in the earth but afterward when that they vnderstood the those which were ouer whelmed by warres farre from home were oftentimes taken vp an ordinaunce was made that all should be burnt yet they kept the auncient rite diuersly for they do report that none of the house of the Cornelij were burnt before Sylla the Dictator who feared lest he himselfe should be taken vp and handled after his deathe as he in his life time had dealt with Marius his dead body Learned Volaterranus doth holde that after the time of the Antonines of whome Heliogabalus was the last they burnt no corses at Rome And before that time I read in Tacitus that when Nero had slaine in his madde moode his wife Poppea he burnt not her body but stuffing it ful of odours after the maner of forreigne kings buried it in the sepulchres of the Iulij but the solemne accustomed funerals were kept Furthermore laying of the dead bodie in the earth doth Cicero truely thinke to be the most ancient kinde of burial for the Patriarches were so buried wherunto Xenophon also séemeth to asseÌ„t making Cyrus to will his sonne to lay him neither in gold siluer nor in any thing else but only to restore him vnto the earth This also was common bothe vnto the Greekes and Romanes to burie the dead with great lameÌ„tations and teares without which saies Seruius they thought that they were not orderly duely buried wherof procéedes that complaint of Drances against Turnus the we an vnbewept multitude may be slaine in the fielde for the which cause they vsed to hire women to wéepe houle at burials whereof Chrysostome doth make mention in many places Horace also toucheth in his booke De Arte Poetica Chrysostome in his 69. sermon vnto the people of Antioche blameth in them the tearing of their haires the baring of their armes the dissipating of their eyes and the wearing of blacke apparell and vpon the first vnto the Philippians scratching of their faces he rebuketh their
diuers parts to giue vnto their childrē Then placing a strong garrison in Athens he gaue Archidamus the king of Lacedemonia a mightie ouerthrow and entering Laconica vanquished him againe in an other battell and besieged the citie the which he had doubtlesse taken the which neuer man had done vntill that day if that to interrupt the course of his victorie in Peloponesus sorrowfull newes had not bene brought him that his cities in Asia were assayled by Lysimachus and Cyprus also would be won by Ptolomey vnlesse that he hasted out of hande to succour his mother and children who were streightly besieged in Salamina the chiefe citie thereof Demetrius being sore moued with these heauie tydings brake vp the siege of Lacedemon But being very pensiue and sorrowfull for this mishap fortune made him merrie againe with an other good occasion For Cassanders two sonnes Antipater and Alexander contending for the kingdome of Macedonia Alexander desired Demetrius to come vnto his ayde of whome he was at the firste verie friendly and honourably enterteined but anon after Demetrius vnderstanding that Alexander layd awaites to murther him he caused his souldiers to slay Alexander as he came out from supper then the cause of his death being declared in an assembly of the people Demetrius was proclamed king of Macedonia And also Lysimachus being oppressed with the warres of the king of Thrace gaue him a part of the kingdome of Macedonie which had befalne vnto his sonne in lawe Antipater the other brother that he might not haue warres with him also seing that he was then not able to match the Thracian And to augment his good luck he was certified that Ptolomey was departed from Cyprus Demetrius hauing thus gotten Macedonia with Thessalia subdued also all the Boetians And then hauing intelligence that Lysimachus was taken prisoner by Dromichetes king of Thrace he inuaded his kingdome The which occasion the Boetians hauing gotten rebelled the whiche reuoked Demetrius into Gréece while he was busied in subduing of the Boetians Pyrrhus king of Epyrus soudenly becomming his enimie wasted Thessalia Wherefore Demetrius after he had wonne Thebes and made a rode into Aetolia leauing a part of his power in Aetolia vnder the gouernment of Pantachus went foorth him selfe with the rest of his armie to reuenge the iniuries of Pyrrhus whose countries he wasted But Pyrrhus marching in array of battell to fight with Demetrius I knowe not by what aduenture happened on his Lieftenant Pantachus whome he slue in combate wherevnto Pantachus had challenged him and then the armie being dismayde with the losse of their capteine incontinently fled The fame of this ouerthrowe got Pyrrhus a great name among the Macedons whose hearts Demetrius his pryde had muche alienated from him in so much that when he fell sicke at Pella Pyrrhus spoyled wasted almost all Macedonia and not one man wold go out into the field against him vntil that Demetrius was recouered who hauing greater matters in his head dissembled this iniurie made peace with Pyrrhus preparing a mightie armie of 100000. footemen and 10000. horsmen and a nauie of 500. ships among whome were galleys with sixtéene bankes of eares for to inuade Asia and to recouer his fathers kingdome But this huge armie was almost oppressed before it did set foorth For Seleucus Lysimachus and Ptolomey being feared with this so great preparation did knitte them selues in a league together against him and did set foorth both by sea and lande all the power they were able to make they had also wonne by ambassage Pyrrhus to inuade Macedonia telling him plainely that Demetrius would no longer haue peace with him then vntill such time as he had done his exploites in Asia and then wold he vpō him with al his power to hurle him out of his kingdom all the which things they easily persuaded Pyrrhus to beléeue Wherevppon he at one side and Lysimachus on an other at one time inuading Macedonie and also a fléete sent by Ptolomey soudenly setting vppon the sea coast of Gréece filled all places full of feare and trembling Then Demetrius leauing his son to guard Gréece went him selfe in person against Lysimachus But before he was come vnto this enimie behold news was brought with a great vprore that the citie of Beria in Macedonia was taken by Pyrrhus and all the countrie neare aboutes miserably wasted with fire and sworde This newes much troubled Demetrius mynde but the reuolting of the Macedons farre more who nowe began to refuse to serue in that voyage Wherefore Demetrius to reteine them in their duetie promised that he would goe against Pyrrhus to saue Macedonie from spoyle This he pretended but the very cause in déede was for that he woulde be farre off from Lysimachus to whome the talke was that the Macedons minded to reuolt bycause he was their countriman Wherefore thinking that they were not so much inclined vnto Pyrrhus he had retyred from Lysimachus when that certaine Macedons comming into the campe from Beria had by extolling Pyrrhus with singular prayses and commendations brought their countrimen vnto that point that they brake out into an open mutinie and rebellion Demetrius hauing intelligence of those thinges which were in bruing and thinking it not good to expect a more hostile and woorse chaunce did put off his royall robes and ensignes and fled with a small traine in a blacke cloake vnto the citie Cassandria where his wife wearied with woe killed her selfe with poyson Not long after that Demetrius was crept away Pyrrhus setting vpon his armie the whiche was forsaken by their capteines at the first shout scattered them and being honourably receiued of the Macedons got both the campe and the kingdome the whiche had bene vnder Pyrrhus sixe yeares but nowe was diuided betwéen Pyrrhus Lysimachus Then fled Demetrius vnto Thebes where one scoffingly applyed vnto him that verse of Euripides he came vnto the Dyrcean springs and Ismenus his diuine and godly fourme and shape being chaunged in to a mortall But Demetrius gathering together all his ships whome the cruell tempest whiche about the same time had almost drowned and destroyed his whole fléete had lefte him and also the remnants of his lost armie wearied a little while with siege of the citie of Athens the whiche with fortune had chaūged their fidelitie but at the length through the persuasion of Crator the Philosopher he brake vp the siege and hauing almost eleuen thousande men vnder his banner wasted ouer into Asia to auert Caria and Lycia from the dominion of Lysimachus And hauing gotten Sardis the chiefe citie of Lydia and other places of that Prouince he had wel increased his armie when fearing the approche of Agathocles Lysimachus his sonne he diuerted into Phrygia thinking that if he coulde get Armenia that then the state of the Medes woulde easily be disturbed He marched in the Champain countrie often skirmishing with Agathocles who followed him stil at the harde héeles and Demetrius was victor
to vpbraide vnto other their calamities miseries Wherof they that presented it being admonished tooke home the arras with them caused the names to be taken out then being brought againe he with heartie thankes receiued it commended the worke This his singular moderation of mynde and conquering of him selfe and insolencie the which very fewe of them that haue vanquished al other men could euer attaine vnto was farre more famous then the taking prisoners of the two mightie Princes then the sacking of the citie that had ben Ladie of the world and at this day also the greatest citie of Christendome then the conquest of the kingdome of Tunes in Afrike then the subduing of the Germanes and the passing ouer beyond Albis the which the proud Romanes when they were in al their greatest roialtie were neuer able to do for this victorie might he iustly vse his word Plus vltra passing not only the bounds of Hercules the Romans but also of cursed enuie the which after all earthly victories remaineth still inuincible and can not be subdued but by this sword of modestie and humilitie The xxx Chapter Of the vnfortunate fall of many great conquerours founders of Empires AND nowe that I haue declared the fearefull fall of those that I knowe not whether more wickedly or foolishly would be accounted Goddes and also of them that proudly vaunted of their victories without humble confession and acknowledging that they receiued them from heauen I prosecuting my purpose will shewe that all those that haue ben famous for victories and the fawning of fortune haue also had often admonitions of their fickle frailtie brittle blisse and tottering state Wherfore passing ouer in silence Cyrus the greate the founder of the Persian Empire who was slaine with his whole armie of two hundreth thousand by a weake woman Tomyris Quéene of the Massagets and the greate Mithridates Eupator king of Pontus who after he had augmented his fathers kingdome with the conquest of two and twentie nations and had won a great part of Gréece and the signorie of the sea from Cilicia to Thracius Chersonesus had kept warres fourtie yeres with the Romanes and vanquished their capteines Cassius Murena Cotta Fabius Triarius Sylla restrained him within his fathers kingdome Lucullus so afflicted him that for despaire he murthered his two wiues and sisters and finally Pompey quite euerted who woulde not graunt vnto him humbly desiring it of his two and twentie kingdomes not so much as the poore one of Pontus and for that also to paye a yerely tribute wherefore after that foure of his sonnes were taken by Pompey and the eldest reuolted vnto him and also one of his daughters taken and the other two poysoned by him selfe he desperately caused a Barbarian to kill him least he should haue come aliue into the hands of the Romanes and to be carried in the triumphe as a laughing stocke and an other Mithridates the great king of the Parthians who augmented the Empire with the accesse of many kingdomes and oftentimes discomfited in battell the valiant Scythes but whē he was in his greatest ruffe being returned out of Armenia the Parthians expelled him out of the kingdome for his crueltie and his owne brother inuaded the emptie siege and taking him prisoner at Babylon caused him vnnaturally to be slaine in his sight and Antiochus the great king of Syria who after great conquestes atchieued in Syria Asia and Greece was ouerthrowne in battell by the Romanes and forced to buye peace with the losse of all his dominions on this side the mountaine Taurus and the payment and the paymente of suche a mightie masse of money that not beeing able to leuie it of his owne possessions he attempted to robbe the riche temple of Iupiter Dyndemenus or as sayes Strabo of Belus where he and all his armie were slaine by a soudeine incursion of the inhabitauntes of the countrie and Pompey the Greate who more augmented the dominions and reuenues of the Romaine Empire then all the capteines before and after him was after the greate ouerthrowe giuen him by Caesar trayterously slaine by the boy kinge Ptolomey and his geldinges and Mathewe the Greate Lorde of Mylan who amonge other his variable chaunces was expelled out of the citie and constreyned twelue yeares to get liuinge by fishinge and beeing restored was at the age of seuentie yeares forced to abandon the citie of Mylan and to resigne his Empire vnto his sonne Galiazo who had vnnaturally not longe before reuolted from him and dying of this anguishe and griefe the bodie of him beeing excommunicated by the Pope was buried in a priuie and vile place his death beeing longe time kepte close leste his carcasse in the aduerse fortune of the warres mighte haue bene subiecte vnto the reproches and vilanies of the Popes cruel Legate and the greate Sforza who besides his ouerthrowes in fight at Viterby at Crixta at Aipua and his beeing taken prisoner in fight at Casaleccio and also twice in captiuitie through treason firste by Pandulpho Alepo the Queene of Naples darlinge and then kepte foure monethes in the newe castell of Naples lookinge euerie day when his breath shoulde be stopped by that effeminate lecher after wardes by Iames Earle of Marchia who had maried the Queene where he escaped as narrowly and his manie other greate daungers was at the laste drowned in the riuer of Lyris or Gariliano by the vnfortunate founderinge of his horse and the greate Gonsalues who only of all the famous warriours of our age the whiche haue yet excelled for noble chiefteines obteined the proude name of the greate this victorious gentleman after that he had cōquered out of the hands of the French men the riche kingdome of Naples for his Prince Ferdinando the kinge of Hispaine was by him ingratefully put from the gouernemente therof and almost also from his life for false suspicion of treason and euer afterwarde kept from all honour and office to leade a lothsome life farre from the courte and fielde at home as it were in an honest banishemente and there for to sée his eldest brothers heire for a light occasion banished the courte for euer and to his greater griefe his owne natiue place his nephues chiefe castle razed downe to the grounde notwithstandinge his most suppliant sute the whiche was also furthered by the earnest prayers of the French kinges honourable Ambassadours for the implacable Prince by all meanes sought to spite him and to empaire his Princely Porte and riches as one whome he suspected to be to greate so that he was aptly compared by a noble man of Hispaine vnto a greate shippe in a shalowe water the which abides in continuall feare to be loste by strikinge and sticking on the flattes and Cresus the mightie kinge of Lydia whose inestimable riches haue euer synce bene a prouerbe throughout the worlde berefte of all by Cyrus and forced to ende his long
foūdation do kingdoms stand on so tottering a stoole do princes sitt that sporting Fortune séemes oftentimes to put them into the hand of a madd man But nothing did more manifestly shewe vnto him his brittle blisse then the reuolting of all the noble men of the farther Hispaine except the duke of Alua vnto Philip duke of Burgogie who had maried his eldest daughter and heire at his arriual in Hispaine after the death of Quéene Isabell they eftsones saying that they would rather adore the sunne rising then going downe The griefe of this shamefull forsaking of him did so gripe the aged princes heart that not being able to endure the dishonour to be a subiecte where hee had long reigned he left Hispaine and sailed with his newe wife vnto Naples chosing rather to cōmit himselfe vnto the doubtfull faith of the gouernour and conquerour of that flourishing kingdome whom the report was minded to reuolt make himselfe king of Naples the which hée might easily haue done then vnto the open ill wills and rebellion of the vnfaithful Hispaniards And doubtlesse hee was in very great danger of being vtterly excluded out of his kingdomes of Castill Lions if that God had not shortly after taken out of the world his sonne in lawe who was so alienated from him that when the courteous king laden with wearisome yeares had taken a lōg paineful iourney to receiue him at the water the proud and vnciuil duke would not vouchsafe to shew him any countenaunce But after he had giuen him scornefully a word or two and them too in French which the king vnderstood not he flange away from him al the nobilitie with him The xlix Chapter Of William Conquerour BVt nowe after that wee haue romed long abroad in all forreigne lands let vs returne home vnto our owne countrie take a view of such Princes as haue by dint of sword atteined the imperial crowne thereof or enlarged the dominions least we may be thought to be like vnto the Lamiae in Poets whome they do faine to sée very exactly when they are abroad but to be starke blinde at home William bastard sonne vnto Robert duke of Normandie who left him his heire although by puissance he cōquered this land discomfited in battel the king of Denmarke forced the king of Scotland for feare to do him homage sweare him fealtie yet the often rebellions and secrete treasons of the Englishmen Normans the perfidiousnes of his owne déere brother Odo in whom he reposed his greatest trust the wicked reuolting of his eldest sonne Robert vnto the French king with his aide his daungerous inuasion of Normandie his arme thrust through in fight and his vnhorsing by that vnnaturall child and his bowelles sore brused by a leape off his horse in his last voyage against the French king of the intollerable torments whereof he died will not suffer him to be enrolled among the happie But nothing in my mind doth more manifestly bewray his infelicitie then that he had not so much ground at his death as could couer his carcase without doing an other man wrong and that which the begger hath without contradiction was denied and forbidden this mightie king Hée had built S. Stephens Church at Cane in Normandie where he would be buried vppon an other mans ground and had not payed the owner for it who being then a very poore man yet nothing fearing the funeral pompe and the great number of nobles attending on the corps did thrust through the thickest thronge of the solemne traine like vnto a madd man and got him to the Church doore wherein he stoode stoutly to withstand the bearing into the Church of the kings body crying out with a lowde voice Hée that in his life time oppressed kingdomes by his furious force hath hitherto with feare also oppressed mee but I that do suruiue him that hath done me the wronge will not graunt rest and peace vnto him now he is dead The place whereinto ye doe carrie this dead man is mine I claime that it is not lawfull for any man to lay a dead body in an other mans ground But if that the case do so stand that when as now at the length through the grace of good God the author of this so vnworthie a wrong is extinguished yet force still doth flourish I do appeale vnto Rhollo the founder father of this nation who alone is of greater power by the lawes which he ordeyned then is any mans iniurie And therewithal I know not whether by hap or mans fraud there soudeinly was séene a great fire which raged on the Church the houses neere adioyning then euery body spéedily running to quench the fire left the kinges corps desolate all alone onely Henrie the kings youngest sonne could not be gotten frō his fathers body who being feared with as it were the manifest wrath of God presently paid the poore mā for his ground discharged his fathers iniurious spirite But these blisselesse bones of his which so hardly obteined entumbing did afterward as vnluckily againe lose it in Anno Domini 1562. when Chastillion conducting reliquias Danaum atque immitis Achillis those that had escaped at the battell at Dreax toke the citie of Cane For certaine sauage souldiours accompanied with foure Capteynes did beate downe and vtterly deface the noble tumbe and monument of that renowmed conquerour and victorious king and pulled out all his bones which they spitefully threwe away when that they could not finde the treasure that they falsly surmised had béen layed vp there as I haue béene certainly enformed by Englishmen of very good credite faithfull fauourers of the reformed who sawe this sorrowfull sight scarse without distilling teares And also Theuet maketh mention of this matter in his vniuersall Cosmographie writing of Cane The l. Chapter Of Henrie the second HENRIE the second had by his father the Earledomes of Aniow Toures and Maine by his mother the kingdome of England and the duchie of Normandie and by his wife the mightie duchie of Aquitane and the earledome of Poitow conquered the kingdome of Ireland and toke prisoner in battell the king of Scottes but this his glistering glorie was fouly darkened by the shamefull submission of his crowne vnto the Romane Sée as Platina their recorder doth report or certes by binding himselfe vnto vnreasonable conditions to abate the enuie of the murther of Thomas the archbishop of Canterburie as our Chronicles do record and by the daungerous and wicked warres a long time kept in Normandie Fraunce and England with al his vngodly sonnes Henrie Richard Gefferie and Iohn yea and his owne wife and their mightie confederats the kings of Fraunce and Scotland with a great number of the English nobilitie and after the death of his vngracious sonne Henrie by the second reuolting of his sonne Richard vnto the French king who wan from him in those warres a great part of the duchie of Normandie and besieged him in the
immoderate and vndecent mourning so sharply that he threatneth to excōmunicate them which would not ceasse to vse it And not without good cause For by Bellonius his report it is vsed among the Greekes euen at this day that when one is dead all the women of the towne or hamlet wil assemble together euen at the hard morning and there continue vntil night making a very piteous howling and wofully tearing their hairs renting their faces and thumping their breastes And that their pauses as the musicians terme them may be the better vnderstoode they hyre a woman that hath a good wide and a cleare throte to leade the song whom all they follow singing al the actes and life of the deceased euen from his natiuitie But the auncient Germanes did soone wipe drie their teares leaue off their lamentations but remained somewhat longer in sorow and sadnesse It was also permitted onely vnto the women to mourne and vnto the men no more but to haue them in memorie There was no ambition of funerals amōg them this only was obserued that the bodies of famous men were burnt with certaine woddes neither did they make high the pile of the funeral fire either with garments or odors as did the Romanes but euery man had onely his armour and weapons caste into the fire with him some of them their horses the graue was raised vp with gréen turfes they despising abhorring the painfull and laboursome honour of tumbes monumentes as heauy and grieuous vnto the deceased But I read in Curtius the Alexander in his great mourning for Ephestion commanded the manes of al the horses mules in the campe to be shorne the pinnacles of al the cities nere about to be beatē down neither pipes nor other instrumēts of musick to be vsed for a time in the campe Herodotus writeth in his ninth booke that it was the manner of the Persiani when that their king or any of consanguinitie or familiaritie with him died to poule themselues and to share the manes of their horses and other beasts eyther for burthen or the saddle But the vsage of the Romanes was quite contrarie for they in all kynde of mourning and sorrowe did let their head beard grow long whereof came the merrie iest of Sabinus who being offered by the Cretes bycause they sawe the Proconsul Appius singularly to fauour him to beare the chiefest office among them which officer must beare his beard and the haire of his heade long thanked them heartily for their good willes but he would none of it for he had borne it twice already at Rome for he had bene twice accused of notorious crimes But to shame their beards in mourning maye séeme to haue béene a fashion in Fraunce yea of late yeares for in Frosard the Earle of Foix shaueth his beard for the death of his sonne Moreouer Suetonius reporteth in the life of Caligula that whē the Romanes hearde of the death of the noble Germunious they battered their temples with stones they threw downe the altars of their Goddes some did hurle their housholde Gods into the streates and finally other did cast away their children lately borne Also the Barbarians that had eyther forreigne or ciuil warres as in a common heauinesse consented to truce Some of the kings shaued their beards and the heads of their wiues for a token of supreame mourning The king of the Parthians commanded a Megistanū which is to abstein from hunting setting at meate together like vnto the Romane institium whiche Caligula commaunded to be kept so straightly for the death of his sister Drusilla that during the time it lasted no man vppon paine of death might laugh wash or sup yea with his parents his wife or children Moreouer this I thee in Seranus that men at the first did vse to burie the beade at home at their houses and I dead that it was permitted the Lacedemonians to burie within their citie yea and to set vp tumbes and monuments about the temple but afterwarde the Romanes were mostly buried in Appia Via without the citie and Vulpian rehearseth an Edict of Adrian the Emperour that no man vpon paine of fourtie aurei which I take to be twentie poundes shoulde burie any man within the citie with a penaltie also on the officers that suffered it yet I reade in Plutarche that it was graunted vnto noble and famous capteins and their posteritie to be buried in the Romane forum or market place but the Romane Emperours were well neare all buried in Mars his fielde where they were made Goddes Furthermore this I note out of Appian that the greatest cause that the rich men did alledge against the lawe for diuision of landes among the people was bycause they sayde it was a wicked thing for to haue the sepulchres of their auncestours to passe vnto strangers albeit Pomponius the lawyer doth hold that the Owners of lands vpon whom they haue builded sepulchres haue right to resort vnto and visite thē after that the landes be alienated Moreouer sayes Sernius it was the maner among the auncient Romanes that where soeuer a man dyed he was brought home vnto his owne house or of his kinsfolkes and there kept seuen dayes and the eight burnt so he were aboue thrée yeares olde and the ninth buried whereof the playes that were kept in the honour of the deade were called Ludi nouensiles Euery day of these seuen was the bodie annoynted with pretious oyntments and washed with hote water and called vnto with a lowde voyce to sée if he would come vnto him selfe againe for many had returned to life in the middes of their burning could by no means be saued After this was he carried foorth vpon a highe bed with his féete forwarde to be burned the people following although afterwarde in the time of Hierome they went before with torches tapers candles and trumpets sounding pipes and other musical instruments playing also many boughes of Cypres were borne before the béere the which were sticked down rounde about the fire bicause sayes Varro the people which stoode about should not be annoyed with the smel of the burning of the corps the people continued there answering vnto the wéeping words gestures doings of the Prefica or leader of the lamentations vntil that at the length the last word was pronounced ilicet ye may be gone if ye list Polybius wryteth that when a noble man died in Rome they carried the coorse vnto a place in the citie where orations were vsed to be made vnto the people called the Rostra where his son or else some other of his kin did make an oration in his praise of his noble actes then they buryed him then did set vp his Image in the noblest parte of his house built about it litle chappels of wood But when any notable man died there rode round about the coorse diuers men that
the Germanes language and to be called by Barbarian names He also commaunded that the galleyes in whom he had entered the Ocean sea should for a great part of them be carryed to Rome by lande but especially all the shelles for lacke of kinges capteines plate money counterfeites of townes wonne to be shewed in his triumph the which he wrote vnto orgents they shoulde prepare with a greate magnificence as euer any had bene bycause he sayde they had right and power ouer all mens goods But althoughe as you heare he slue not one of his enimies as he that only fought with his owne fancies yet he administered not the Prouince without great effusion of bloud for as sayes Dion he lost a great parte of his owne armie through murthering many of them man by man and other by whole troupes and rankes And one daye séeing a great number of men standing together he commaunded them to be all slaine vsing this by worde from bald man to bald man. And before he departed out of the Prouince he thought to haue slaine all the legions of the countrie bycause that they mutining after the death of Augustus had besieged his father Germanicus their capteine and him selfe then being an infant And being hardly reuoked frō so great a frensie he could by no meanes be stayed but that he would néeds tythe them slaying euery tenth man Wherfore he calling them vnarmed to a concion or oration enuironed them about with weaponed men and armed horsemen But when that he sawe that many of the souldiours suspecting the matter did slide away to take their weapons if that any violence should be offered this dastardly God ranne away out of the concion and incontinently hasted to the citie turning al his malice on the Senate whom he openly threatened that he woulde punish for the rumours of so great dishonours spreade of him complaining also among other thinges that he was defrauded by them of his iust and due triumphe when as in déede he him selfe had a litle before inioyned them vnder paine of death that they should decrée nothing concerning his honour Lo nowe ye haue hearde the summe of his noble martiall actes and certes nothing else was there in him whereof hée should be proude but only his large Empire and the felicitie to haue the worthie Germanicus his Father vnto whome sayes Suetonius there happened all the vertues bothe of bodie and minde and they also so great as it is manifest neuer chaunced vnto any other man A goodly personage and a beautiful great strength and courage a witte farre excelling in the eloquence of both the Gréeke and the Latine and in all kinde of learning in bothe the tounges singularly wel was he beloued one that had a wonderful and very effectuall indeuour and way to get the fauour of al men and to winne their loue bothe at home and also abroade very ciuil and so courteous that he would go vnto the frée townes and suche as were in league with the Romanes without his sergeantes and wheresoeuer he vnderstoode that famous men were intumbed he woulde kéepe their obsequies The olde and dispersed reliques of the Romans that were slaine in Germanie with Varus he first began to gather vppe with his owne hands and to bring into one heape and to burie them togeather And also so milde and harmelesse was he vnto his obtrectours backebiters and enuiers whatsoeuer they were and wherfore soeuer they did it that he would not be angrie no not with Piso who had disanulled all his decrées and ordinaunces and a long time vexed his clientes before that he certainely knewe and had found that he went about to worke his death by poisonings and solemne cursings neither then went he any farther thē according to the auncient manner of their forefathers renounced his friendshippe that is solemnly tolde him that he woulde not take him for his fréende and willed them of his house to be reuenged if that any ill happened vnto him He was also chaste of bodie that it is recorded of him as a miracle in that lewde age that he neuer knew woman besides his wife Of the which vertues he reaped moste aboundant fruite for he was singularly liked and loued of al men and so fauoured of the people in all countries that whensoeuer he came vnto any greate towne or departed from thence suche a number of people did either goe foorthe to méete him or to bring him going that he was very oftentimes in daunger of death with the greate thronge of the louing people But when he returned out of Germanie vnto Rome after he had quieted the sedition the whiche I spake off euen nowe all the Pretorian bandes wente foorth to méete him althoughe that proclamation had béene made that there should but two goe but of the people of Rome all sexe age and order ranne foorthe against him yea twenite miles Yet greater and surer signes of vnutterable loue towardes him did appeare at and after his death The day that he died the Temples were battered with stones the altars of the Gods were ouerthrowen and some threwe their housholde Gods into the stréete and did cast away the children that their wiues had lately brought forth yea and they write that the Barbarians that had either warres betwéene themselues or with the Romanes did as in a Domesticall and common heauinesse consent vnto truce and certaine kings did shaue their beardes and their wiues heades for to shewe as great a mourning as might be And also the Parthian who called him selfe the king of kinges absteined from hunting kéeping of companie the which the Parthians call Megistanum being like vnto the Iustitium among the Romanes But when at the firste bruite that was brought to Rome of his sickenesse the dismaide and sorrowful citie looked for the messengers that followed and soudenly after the euening was shut it had béene noised without any certaine authors that hee was recouered the people ranne hudling from all partes of the citie vppe into the Capitol with lightes and sacrifices and they had almost pulled off the doores of the temple that they should not any while stay the reioycing people from perfourming of their vowes Tyberius the Emperour was waked out of his sléepe with the voices of them that reioyced and sang in euery place Salua Roma Salua Patria saluus est Germanicus Rome is well our Countrie is well Germanicus is well But afterward when it was certeinly knowen he was deade the publique mourning coulde not be inhibited by any comfortes nor proclamations but lasted yea also all the festiuall dayes of December being the same among them that the twelue dayes be with vs After that this dearling of mankinde was traiterously poysoned by Piso who at his returne vnto Rome was therfore néere hand torne into péeces by the people put to death by the Senate but at the instigation of his vnkinde vncle Tyberius whome Augustus had made to adopte Germanicus ill requiting his loyaltie
they had supped together merrily abroade and threwe his bodie into Tyber for no other cause but for that his fathers minde was that Frauncis shoulde marrie and increase the name of the Borgiae the which he would make honourable with large dominions but Caesar he had as it were banished into the cloyster of religion disguising him with a redde hatt the whiche was farre inferiour vnto his royal harte and immesurable desire of earthly honours who bare in his ensigne this worde Aut Caesar aut nihil an Emperour or nothinge the which insatiable thirst of his the Colonnese fearinge that he would quenche with their bloude abandoned all their dominions and landes and fledde away folowing the Castor who some say bites off his owne stones when hee is hardly persued knowing that for them onely his death is sought but the Orsines allured with his liberal interteinemente to serue him in the warres were almoste all murdered Baptista the cardinall at Rome Frauncis the Duke of Grauina and Paulo in the territorie of Perugia Liberto Prince of Firma Vitelloccio Vitelli one of the Princes of Ciuita de Castello at Senogallia the which caused all the rest of the Vitelli to flie and by their liues with the losse of their liuinges And also the noble men of the house of Gaieta who possessed the towne of Sermoneta in Campagna di Roma Iames Nicholas and Bernardine beeing slaine some one way and some an other yealded their castels lands and goodes vnto Caesar And also the Dukes of Camerino Caesar Anibal and Pyrrhus were expelled their dominions and strangled Astor Manfredi Prince of Fauenza yealdinge the towne and himselfe vppon promisse of safetie was slaine and cast into Tyber Furthermore Pandulpho Malatesta Iohn Sforza and Guido Vbaldo had rather by flight leaue their dominions of Rimini Pesaro and Vrbine vnto the inuading tyranne then be murdered And also Iames Appiano let him haue the principalitie of Piombino But Catharine Sforza who reigned at Forly and Imola hauing lost by force her dominions being taken prisoner was brought in triumphe to Rome But while by this bloudy way he encroched on al the principalities about him he also commaunded the prince of Beselio base sonne vnto Alfonse kinge of Naples yea and his sisters husbande to be slaine in her chamber yea in her bed being before wounded in the Courte of the church of Saint Peter but so that it was thought he woulde escape And by the same meanes he dispatched the yonger Borgia the Cardinal because he had seemed to fauour the duke of Candia his brother he also sauagely slue as he came from supper Iohn Cerbellion a man of greate nobilitie both at home and also in the warres because he had seuerely kept the honestie of a gentlewoman of the house of Borgia He did also put to death Iames Santatrucio a noble man of Rome theÌ„ whome there was no man more friende and familiar with Caesar neither for anie other cause but for that he was able vpon a soudeine to gather together a stronge bande of lustie felowes of the Orsine faction make them couragiously to atteÌ„pt anie exploite But wheÌ„ for this cursed and vnquenchable desire of Empire he and his father had appointed to poyson at a feast certeine noble and riche princes his man mistaking the flagon gaue thereof vnto the vngratious father and worse sonne whereof the father beeing olde died but his blessed byrde a lustie younge man was by manie medicines conserued to greater punishmente for after the deathe of Alexander the Colonese and the Orsines that were lefte returned vnto Rome Then Caesar that he might not be ouermatched by haueing warres with both the families restored vnto the Colonese all their possessions on whome in diuerse places he had sumptuously buylt Guido Defeltrie recouered Vrbine Iohn Sforza Pesaro excepte the castle Malatesta Riminie but the castle was stil retayned by Caesar and the Baleones Perugia through the helpe of the Orsines who also toke Tuderto with the castell and put to shamefull deathe the capteine and with like successe at Viterby Ameria and all the cities there aboutes either they restored the Princes of their owne faction or else strengthened them and had also beesieged Caesar in Nepe if hée had not fearefully fledde into Rome the whiche hee obteyned of the newe Pope Pius as a safe refuge but Pope Pius dying within twentie seuen dayes the Orsines also entered the citie with a greate power whome the greatest parte of the citizens fauoured and the Orsines requested that Caesar might according to iustice be put to death for his manifolde murthers or els kept in sure warde in the castell vntill that his cause were hearde But while the matter was prolonged with outragious altercations Caesar being afrayde stale away out of his house in the Suburbes into the Popes palace then his souldiours who vntil that time had valiantly guarded him perceiuing that their Capteines courage quayled and that he sought for hyding holes fled also awaye some to one place and some vnto another leauing him guardlesse among the cruell companies of his enimies and forceing him because hee could otherwise stande in no suretie of his life to desire as a greate benefite to be cast into the castell of Sainct Angelo vntil that a new Pope were created the which béeing Iulius the seconde would not set him at libertie before that he had deliuered vp all the Castels and townes that he had in the territorie of Rome Romandiola and the duchie of Spolieto But not long after preparing at Naples an expedition into Romandiola he was at the Popes earnest suite imprisoned in the newe castell and shortly after carried into Hispanie where he brake prison and fledde vnto the kinge of Nauarre whose néere cousine he had married and there was slaine in a skirmishe with this euent that not béeing knowen he was spoyled of all his armour and clothes and left starke naked and so brought by one of his seruauntes vnto the citie of Pompelona where he had sometimes béene Bishoppe a notable document of mannes miserie But as I saide before I passing ouer in silence all those greate worldlinges whome Fortune at the last ouerthrewe will examine the liues and infortunities onely of those whome the worlde doth account most fortunate and search whether that God did not ofteÌ„ make them to féele his force and to confesse their owne frailtie The xxxi Chapter The vnluckie chaunces of Augustus AND first I will beginne with him that thought so well of his owne fortune that when he sent his nephue Caius into Armenia against the Parâ—thians he wished that the loue good will of Pompey the hardinesse prowesse of Alexander the Fortune of him self might accompanie him Neither had hee alone this opinion of his good Fortune but it was also generally receiued of all men in so muche that it was decréede and also kept vntil the time of Iustinian that the people shoulde crie at the creation of a
newe Emperour Augusto felicior melior Traiano God make thée more fortunate then Augustus and a better Prince then Traiane In Augustus sayes Plinie whome all men do call happie if that all thinges in him be rightly estéemed shal great ficklenesse of Fortune be found First his repulse in the office of the maister of the horssemen vnto his vncle Iulius Caesar and against his will Lepidus preferred thereunto The enuie and hatred of all men yea and of the posteritie for the proscribing of Cicero his aduauncer and college in the Consulship that he had to bee his colleges in the Triumuirate verie naughtie men Neither was his portion equall for Antonius had farre the greater At the battell of Philippi his sicknesse and discomfiture by Cassius and running awaye and hiding of him selfe being sicke thrée dayes and hyding of him selfe in a marrish thrée dayes being sore sicke The cares that he was wrapped in after his returne from Philppi to Rome where going about to allot landes throughout all Italie vnto the souldiours the auncient possessours with great exclamations and complaintes repined thereat wherein they had their earnest fauourer Lucius Antonius the Consul and brother vnto Antonius the Triumuir who would haue the souldiours paid out of the goods of those that were proscribed and did also put them in hope of the spoyle of riche Asia the which did make their téeth to water Octauian being thus besett on all sides with troubles coueted to please bothe the Senate and people and also the souldiours but in verie déede he offended them both in so muche that he had béene almost slaine by the souldiours for commaunding at a playe a common souldiour to be taken vpp that sate vppon one of the xiiii greeces where by the law no man might sitt vnder the degrée of an horseman of Rome Hereunto addeth Plinie the famine that was in Italie by reason that Sextus Pompeyus and Domitius woulde suffer nothing to be brought thether by Sea. Then Lucius Antonius and Fuluia wife vnto Marcus fell out with Octauian and wrote vehement letters vnto Antonius the Triumuir against him as though he had attempted to murder his children Lucius had seuentéene legions the amitie aide of Ventidius Asinius Pollio Calenus who had either of thē a great power on the other side Octauian had the il wil of the Senate of al Italie for his diuision of the lāds among the souldiours the which brought him into this agonie and extremitie that debaseing him selfe he earnestly sued to haue the olde souldiours to sit in iudgement and heare the controuersies betwéene Antonius and him and afterwarde when for all his labouring to haue the matter taken vp the warres brake out he was almost intercepted at the siege of Perugia by a band of sword players that sallied out while he was sacrificeing vnto the Gods. After this followed two incomparable losses of two mightie fléetes by tempest in the Sicylian warres against Sextus Pompeyus and then another hyding of him selfe in a caue And also he being vanquished by fight on the Sea his enimies so egerly pursued him that for feare he should be taken he earnestly desired Proculeus to slea him Also Pompeyus capteines Demochares and Appolophanes soudenly oppressed him from whome he hardly escaped at the last with one only shippe and afterwarde walking on foote from Locrie to Rhegium he sawe certeine brigantines of Pompeyus dragging along the shoare then he thinking them to be his owne went downe vnto the water side vnto them and was almost taken and forced to séeke his safetie by flying thorough blinde pathes where hée was welnéere slayne by a bondman of Aemylius who thought that he had then good occasion offered him now he was alone to reuenge the death of his maister vniustly proscribed by Octauian and his fellowes In his Dalmatian warres was he twice wounded once in fight on the right knée with a stone and at the siege of a towne on both his armes and legges with the fall of a bridge Twice also was he greately endaungered by tempest all the tacklinges of the shipp wherein he was béeing broken all into péeces and the rudder cleane strucken off And two great foiles had he in Germanie one vnder Lollius the which was more shamefull then hurtfull and the other vnder Varus the which was almost pernicious thrée legions with the General and the capteines and all the ayde of the strangers being slaine When newes was brought him of this great ouerthrowe hée commaunded watche and warde to be kept in the citie that no tumult should arise therein and proroged vnto the Presidents of the prouinces the time of their gouernment that the alies might be kept in their obedience by men of experience and them that the Prouinces knew He also vowed playes which were called the great vnto Iupiter Optimus Maximus to turne the cōmon wealth into a better state as it had béene done before at Rome in the Cymbrian and Sociall warres when the citie stoode in great daunger of sacke and destruction For he was so dismayed that for the space of many moneths after he letting the haires of his head and beard growe long would euer and anon crie out Quintili Vare redde legiones Quintilius Varus render thy legions and that day did he euer afterward kéepe for an heauie and mournefull day Plinie rehearseth also for incommodities and infortunities lack of monie to pay his souldiours their wages and lacke of able men to serue in the warres and therfore was he forced contrarie vnto the auncient orders to presse foorth 20000. bondmen a great pestilence in the citie and sundrie defacinges thereof by fire a great famine and thirste throughout all Italie often dangerous mutinies of the souldiours the foule scorning and scoffing of the people at his Maiestie the incomparable losse of his good and noble adopted sonnes the valiaunt Drusus and Marcus Agrippa and the towardly yonge gentleman Marcus Marcellus his sisters sonne and Caius and Iulius his daughters sonnes by Agrippa but greater griefe for the lewde disposition of other of his children his onely naturall child Iulia conspiring his death and openly playing the harlot wherfore he banished her but her infamous life was such a shame vnto him that he brake the matter touching her punishment vnto the Senate by libell being absent and a long time after absteyned from al companie and oftentimes was hee minded to put her to death but continued still so seuere against her that hee could neuer be entreated to reuoke her although that many great men made great sute for her and also the whole people of Rome did oftentimes request it but being at one time very importunate they so chafed him that in his choler he wished them all such wiues such daughters The like rigour also did hee vse towardes her daughter Iulia who followed her mothers steppes gaue comaundement that the child wherof she was deliuered after her condemnation should be destroyed and also