Thousand Horse Timeus says they were not much above an Hundred Thousand He drew up all his Ships into the Creek near Motys intending the Syracusians should hereby be assur'd that he invaded not Sicily with a design to make War upon them either by Sea or Land Then being join'd by the Aegestines and other Confederates he rais'd his Camp from Lilibeum and march'd towards Selinunte When he came to the River Mazarus he takes Emporium at the first Assault Approaching afterwards nearer to the City he divides his Army into Two Parts and encamping round the City raises his Engines and Batteries and begins to assault the Town with great Vigour For he built Six high Towers and brought as many Battering Rams P. 360. to the Walls and with the multitude of his Darters and Slingers forc'd the Citizens from the Forts and Bulwarks The Selinuntines had been now a long time disus'd from Sieges and in regard they were the only People of Sicily Ant. Chr. 406. that sided with the Carthaginians against Gelon they little expected they should have been brought into such Dangers by them whom they had so far engag'd and therefore were in great Consternation and Amazement seeing the abundance of Engines the greatness of the Army and imminent Danger wherewith they were inviron'd Yet they were not altogether without hope but expecting speedy Aid from Syracuse and other Confederate Cities all the People as one Man join'd together and drove the Enemy from the Walls The Young Men couragiously slighted all Hazards The Old Men ran from Place to Place upon the Walls to furnish the other from time to time with all things necessary for the defence beseeching them not to suffer the Enemy to enter The Women and Children brought Meat and Weapons to them who were fightfor their Country not regarding that Modesty and Sobriety which in times of Peace they were commendable for The Fear was so great that even Women were regardless of the Dangers Hannibal promis'd the Plunder of the Town to his Souldiers applies his Engines to the Walls and with the best of his Souldiers whom he reliev'd from time to time with fresh Supplies begins the Assault At the first Word of Command at one instant the Trumpets sounded to Battel and the whole Army with a great Shout ran up to their several Posts the Walls were batter'd by the Rams and the Souldiers from the High Towers gall'd the Selinuntines with Ante Chr. 406. their Darts For the Selinuntines injoying a long Peace their Hands were not inur'd to Action and therefore were easily driven from thence the Wooden Towers being far higher than they In the mean time part of the Wall being batter'd down the Campanians willing to make themselves remarkable on a sudden rush'd into the City and at the first greatly terrify'd those that were in that part of it but presently many coming in to assist them the Enemy was repuls'd with great Loss For the Rubbish lying in the way where they enter'd when they were driven back to the Breach they were so cumber'd that many were cut off Night approaching the Carthaginians drew off In the mean time the Selinuntines sent forth some Horsemen in the Night to Agrigentum Gela and Syracuse to desire aid with all speed for that they were not able any longer to stand it out against so great an Army The Geleans and Agrigentines thought it best to wait for the Aids from Syracuse that with conjoin'd Forces they might set upon the Carthaginians But the Syracusians having certain intelligence that Selinunte was Besieg'd without delay struck a Peace with the Chalcideans with whom they were then in War and gather'd all their Forces together from every Place But because they suppos'd that the City was only Besieg'd and not in any danger to be suddenly taken they protracted the time to make the greater Preparation In the mean time Hannibal as soon as it was light renew'd the Assault on every side of the Town and presently possess'd himself of that part of the Wall where the Breach was made Ant. Ch. 406. and of another Breach made in another part near adjoining and when he had remov'd the Rubbish with the choicest of his fresh Men he sets upon the Selinuntines and forces them by degrees to give Ground but was not able quite to break them who now had all at stake Many fell on both sides The Carthaginians P. 361. were still supply'd with fresh Men but the Selinuntines had none to reinforce them And thus the Assault was renew'd every Day for the space of Nine Days with great Resolution and Courage and much loss on both sides At length when the †Spaniards Iberians began to enter at the Breaches the Women from the tops of the Houses fill'd all Places with Cries and Lamentations And the Selinuntines now judging the Town to be lost endeavour'd to block up all the nar̄row Passages and Streets and by that means the Contest continu'd a long time But while the Carthaginians were making their way by force the Women and Children from the Tops of the Houses mawl'd them with Tiles and Stones so that the Carthaginians for a long time were sorely gall'd not being able to come up together in those narrow Passages the Walls on both sides being strongly man'd and besides being so vex'd with those that cast down Stones upon the Tops of the Houses This throwing down of Darts and other things from the Roofs of the Houses continu'd till Evening But the Carthaginians still renewing the Fight by pouring fresh Men into the City the other were tir'd out their number decreasing and their Enemies still increasing so that the Selinuntines were at last forc'd to desert the Straits The City thus taken nothing was to be seen but weeping and wailing among Selinunte taken and raz'd the Grecians and on the other side among the Barbarians exultation and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ant. Chr. 406. shouts of Victory Those were terrify'd with the greatness of their Misery every where before their Eyes These now Victorious commanded to kill and destroy where and whom they pleas'd At length the Selinuntines got in a Body together in the Market-Place and there fought it out to the last Man The Barbarians raging in all Parts of the City rifled all the Houses The Persons The cruelty of the Carthaginians in Selinunte they found there they either burnt them and their Houses together or dragging them into the Streets without any respect to Age or Sex whether they were Women or Children Young or old without the least pity or commiseration they put them all to the Sword and after the barbarous manner of their Country they mangled their Carcases some carry'd about multitudes of Hands tied round their Bodies others in Ostentation bore about the Heads of the Slain upon the Points of their Swords and Spears They only spar'd Wives who fled with their Children to the Temples and to these only
fled and thereupon was condemâ—'d to die Clearchus the Father of Gylippus in former times for his having receiv'd Mony of Pericles not to invade Attica likewise fled and was adjudg'd to die and liv'd all his Days a Banish'd Man among the Thurians in Italy These two Men who were otherwise Virtuous yet by these sordid Acts stain'd and blemish'd all the Worthy Actions of the rest of their Lives When the Athenians were fully satisfy'd that they were totally ruin'd they determin'd to strive no longer to be Masters at Sea but now employ'd all their Care to repair their Walls and block't up the Haven expecting nothing more certain than a Siege which happen'd accordingly for presently both Agis and Pausanias the Lacedemonian Generals broke into Attica with great Forces and incamp'd under the very Walls of Athens And Lysander entred the Pyraeum with above two hundred Sail. The Athenians tho' they were press'd on every side with so many Mischiefs yet stood out and easily defended the City for some time But the Peloponesians resolv'd in Council in regard it would be very difficult to force the Place to withdraw their Forces out of Attica and by their Navy to hinder all Provision from being brought into the City Which being put in Execution the Athenians were reduc'd into extream Want of all things especially of Food which was us'd to be imported to them by Sea Want pressing upon them every day more and more the City was fill'd with the Dead Upon which those that surviv'd sent forth Ambassadors and procur'd the Terms and Conditions following viz. That the Long Fortifications of the Piraeum Athens taken Ant. Chr. 403. and their Walls should be demolish'd That they should never have above ten Long Ships That they should leave all the Cities and be Subject to the Lacedemonians And The End of the Peloponesian War thus ended the Peloponesian War after it had continu'd Seven and twenty Years a War of the longest Duration of any come to our Knowledge CHAP. XVI Agrigentum sackt by Imilcar the Carthaginian The Carthaginians besiege Gela. Dionysius goes to the aid of Gela. The Skirmishes before Gela. Camarina deserted by the Order of Dionysius The Souldiers inrag'd at Dionysius he hastens to Syracuse Imilcar makes Peace with Dionysius and returns to Carthage The end of the first Carthaginian War with Dionysius A Little while after * Darius Nothus who ordered the rebuilding of the Temple P. 390. Darius King of Asia died having reigned Nineteen Years †Artaxerxes Mnemon in whose Twentieth Year Nehemiah came to Jerusalem The Carthaginians Spoils in Sicily Artaxerxes his Eldest Son succeeded him in the Kingdom and reign'd 43 Years About this time Apollodorus the Athenian reports that Antimachus the Poet flourish'd Imilcar the Carthaginian General at the return of the Spring sack'd the City Agrigentum in Sicily and carry'd away the Carv'd Work and richest Furniture out of all those Temples that were not utterly consum'd by the Fire From hence he made an inroad with his whole Army into the Country of Geloa From whence and from the Camarineans having made great Devastations he fill'd his Camp with all sorts of Plunder Then marching for Gela he incampt at a River of the same Name There was a brazen Statue of Apollo of a wonderful bigness at Gela in the Suburbs of the City which the Carthaginians took and sent away Ant. Chr. 403. to Tyre The Geleans had dedicated it by the Command of the Oracle of Apollo But the Tyrians some time after when they were Besieg'd by Alexander the Macedonian reproach'd the Image as if it sided with the Enemy But after that Alexander had taken the City the very same Day of the Week and the very Hour as Timeus reports that the Carthaginians committed the Sacriledge against Apollo at Gela the Grecians honour'd the God with many magnificent Gifts and costly Sacrifices as he by whose help they had won the City Though these things happen'd in times far distant one from another yet because the thing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Carthaginians besiege Gela. was very remarkable I thought it no digression to compare one Event with the other in this Place The Carthaginians when they had cut down all the Trees about Gela fortify'd themselves by a Wall and deep Trench drawn round their Camp for they expected that Dionysius would come to the aid of the Besieg'd with a great Army They of Gela had at the beginning of the Siege to avoid Danger determin'd to send away their Wives and Children to Syracuse but when the Women all ran together to the Altars in the Forum earnestly praying that they might undergo the same Fate with their Husbands they were suffered to stay After this the Souldiers in the Town dividing Ant. Chr. 403. themselves into several Squadrons sent out part Abroad who being well acquainted with all the Ways and Passages fell upon the Enemy that were straggling here and there and not only brought in Prisoners every Day but kill'd many And when the Carthaginians had batter'd down part of the Walls with their Rams the Besieg'd stoutly defended them and what was beaten down in the Day both Women and Children join'd with the rest and repair'd in the Night For they that were young and able were continually in Arms and ingag'd with the Enemy the rest were diligently imploy'd in working and other necessary Services To conclude they bore the brunt with that Valour and Resolution that though their City was unfortify'd and they receiv'd no Aid from their Confederates and their Walls were broke down in many Places yet Fear did not at all abate their Courage In the mean time Dionysius Tyrant of Syracuse sent for the Grecian Succours in Dionysius hastens to aid Gela. Italy and Aids from his Confederates and imploy'd every one almost that was able to bear Arms in Syracuse and join'd the Army of the Mercenaries with the rest The whole amounted not to above Fifty as some report but as Timeus relates not above Thirty Thousand Foot and a Thousand Horse with Fifty Sail of Ships With these Forces he hastens to the Aid of Gela. When he arriv'd at the City he encamp'd near the Sea This he did that his Forces might not be divided but might fall upon the Enemy both by Sea and Land at once for by skirmishing with his Ant. Chr. 403. light Arm'd Men he prevented their Foraging And by his Horse and the help of P. 391. his Shipping he endeavour'd to intercept all Provisions that should be brought to the Carthaginians from any part of their Dominions However he effected nothing after he had continu'd there Twenty Days After this he divided his Foot into Three Bodies one he deliver'd into the Hands of the Sicilians with a Command that having the City on the Left they should fall upon the Trenches and Fortifications of the Enemy Another Body made up of Succours from the Confederates he order'd should
upon him the Government a Warlike Prince and in all respects accomplish'd for the Kingdom who joining Battle with the Persians and behaving himself with great Gallantry and Resolution was kill'd in the Fight and his Son Ariamnes succeeded him in the Kingdom To whom were born two Sons Ariarathes and Holophernes And after he had Reign'd 50 Years he dyed Holofernes having done nothing memorable and the Elder of his Sons Ariarathes succeeded him who it's said bore so great and tender a Love to his Brother that he advanc'd him to the highest degree of Honour and Preferment And sent him to join with the Persians in the War against the Aegyptians who after return'd loaden with many and large marks of Honour conferr'd upon him by Ochus for his Valour and dy'd in his own Country leaving behind him two Sons Ariarathes and Arysses And that his Brother the King of Cappadocia * Gr. having no legal Issue having no legal Issue adopted Ariarathes his Brother 's Eldest Son About this time Alexander the Macedonian King ruin'd the Persian Empire and presently after dy'd But Perdiccas who had the chief Command sent Eumenes as General into Cappadocia who subdu'd and kill'd Ariarathes and brought Cappadocia and all the bordering Territories into the the power of the Macedonians But Ariarathes the adopted Son of the former King despairing for the present to regain the Kingdom with a few followers fled into Armenia But Eumenes and Berdiccas both dying not long after and Antigonus and Seleucus imbroil'd in War one with another Ariarathes with the help of Arcloathus King of Armenia who furnish'd him with forces routed and kill'd Amyntas the Macedonian General and presently drave all the Macedonians out of the Country and recover'd his Kingdom He had 3 Sons the Eldest of which Ariamnes succeeded him who join'd in affinity with Antiochus Theos and Married his Eldest Son Ariarathes to Stratonice Antiochus his Daughter And for the great love he had to him above all his Children â—e set the Diadem upon his Head and made him Co-parther with him in the Kingdom and after the death of his Father he reign'd alone Then he dying Ariarathes his Son of a very tender Age succeeded He Marry'd Antiochide the Daughter of Antiochus the great a very subtile Woman Who because she bore no Children to make up that defect contriv'd unknown to her Husband a suppositious Birth as if she had Born two Sons which were call'd Ariarathes and Holofernes But not long after she conceiv'd in reality and unexpectedly was deliver'd of two Daughters and one Son call'd Mithridates Upon this she acquainted her Husband with the Imposture and so wrought with him that she prevail'd with him to send away the Eldest of the two Sons with a small Sum of Money to Rome and the other into Ionia lest they should challenge the Kingdom from him that was lawful Heir to the Crown who after he came to Man's Estate its said was call'd Ariarathes and was Educated in all the learning of Greece and was a Person accomplish'd with all manner of Virtuous Endowments That the Father who was wonderfully belov'd by the Son strove all he could to repay his Son's love again And their mutual endear'd affections one towards another went so far that the Father would have given up the whole Kingdom into the Hands of the Son but the Son on the other side told him he could not possibly accept of so great an advantage from living Parents After therefore his Father dy'd he succeeded spending the rest of his life very virtuously and in the study of Philosophy So that Cappadocia which was before little known to the Grecians was now a desireable place of Residence for all learned Men He renew'd the League of Peace and Friendship with the Romans And in this manner is the Pedegree of those that have hitherto reign'd in Cappadocia brought down from Cyrus 4. For Statues are made of such Romans as are of noble Families in near resemblance of the Persons and according to the whole proportion of their Bodies For all their life long they have some who observe their Mien and Deportment and the special remarks of every part exactly Likewise every Mans Ancestor * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stands in that Habit and in those Ornaments and is so clearly represented that every one knows the Person as soon as he looks upon him and to what degree of Honour every one was advanc'd and what Share and Interest they had in the Commonwealth 5. * Rather Fulvius Olymp. 156 4. Ant. Ch. 151. Memmius was sent General with an Army into Spain But the * Lusitanians now Portugals Lusitanians just upon his Landing fell upon him and routed him and cut off most of his Army When this success of the Iberians was nois'd abroad the Araucians who look'd upon themselves to be far better Soldiers than the Iberians slighted and contemn'd the Enemy and upon this ground and confidence chiefly it was that in their general Council they determined to make War upon the Romans * Araucians now of Aurang Out of the 32d BOOK Fragment 1. ALexander fled out of the Fight with 500 Men to a City in Arabia call'd This was Alexander Epiphanes King of Syria and this Battle was with Ptolometor near Antioch Olymp. 158. 3. Ant. Ch. 144. See Mac. 1. Mac. 10. c. Joseph lib. 13. c. 8. Abas to Diocles the Prince there with whom he had before entrusted his Son Antiochus a Child of very tender Age. Afterwards the Chief Commanders who were about Heliades and had been with Alexander plotting to assassinate Alexander sent away some Messengers privately from among themselves promising secretly to Murder him Demetrius consenting to what they propos'd they became both Traitors and Murderers of their Prince We might be justly condemn'd if we should pass in silence that which happen'd before the death of Alexander tho' for the strangeness of the thing it be scarce credible King Alexander a little before these times consulted with the Oracle in Silicia where they say is the Temple of Apollo of Sarpedon and it is reported that the Oracle made Answer that he should take heed of that place which should bring forth a God of two shapes This Divine Hint was then taken for a Riddle but after the King was dead the Truth was discover'd in this manner For in Abas a City of Arabia dwelt one Diophantus a Macedonian This Man Marry'd an Arabian Woman by whom he had a Strange Stories of Hermaphrodites Heraides became a Man Son call'd after his own Name and a Daughter call'd Heraides His Son dy'd while he was young But he gave a Portion to his Daughter when she was grown up and Marry'd her to one Semiades who after he had liv'd with his Bride one year undertook a long Journey In the mean time it is reported that Heraides fell into a strange and wonderful distemper such as is scarce credible For she had a
hand but fill'd all his Dominions with Rapine and Violence He plunder'd and spoil'd likewise the Cities of Greece that border'd upon him and abus'd some of the Captives and put others to death with exquisite Torments After he had taken the City Lysimachia which belonged to Attalus he burnt it down to the Ground and pickt out the greatest Persons of Quality from amongst the Captives and put them to death with strange and unheard of Tortures For he cut off the Heads Hands and Feet of their Children and hung them about their Parents Necks and exchang'd the Members of Men and Women one from another Of some he cut off their Hands and clove them down the small of the Back and sometimes would cause the Members to be carry'd about upon the top of their Spears so that he far exceeded Phalaris himself and Apollodorus the Tyrant of the Cassandrians His Barbarity is more evident in this one Instance following When he was celebrating his Nuptials after the Ancient manner of the Thracians he catcht up Two young Men of Greece that were Travelling who were Subjects to Attalus and were Brothers both very beautiful The one was fully attain'd to Mans Estate and the other was near bordering upon it Diegylis caus'd them both to be introduc'd Crown'd with Garlands after the manner of the Victims The younger being laid along and extended at length by the Officer as one ready to cut him off at the Middle the Tyrant cry'd out that Kings and private Men were not to offer the like Sacrifices hereupon the Elder making great lamentation out of endear'd Love to his Brother interpos'd himself between him and the Sword upon which Diegylis commanded he should be likewise laid along and then doubling his Cruelty at one stroak dispatch'd them both the Spectators all applauding so noble a piece of Dexterity Many such like wicked acts were committed by him 105. When Attalus understood that Diegylis was hated by all his Subjects for his Cruelty and Covetousness he took a quite contrary Course And therefore when he had taken many Thracian Prisoners Captive and freely Releas'd them all there were many that spread abroad his Fame for his Generosity and Clemency And when many of the Thracian Nobility out of hatred to Diegulis fled to him and were kindly receiv'd and the thing came to be known Diegulis tortur'd the Hostages of them that were fled with most Diegulis kiâ— Cruelty grievous Torments Many of whom that were very Young and of tender Age he pull'd in pieces Limb from Limb and of others he cut of their Hands Feet and Heads some he crucified and others he hung upon Trees many Women likewise who were Persons of Quality he stigmatiz'd before they were put to death and prostituted them to the Lust of every vile Fellow in a most Barbarous manner giving up himself to all manner of Filthiness Which as it clearly evidenc'd his unparall'ld Cruelty so it mov'd many of the Spectators who had but the least sense of Humanity with pity and commiseration 106. When Pompey was preparing to Besiege the City Lagnus the Numantines willing Quintus Pompey to assist their Countrymen sent to them in the Night 400 Soldiers whom the Lagnetians at first readily receiv'd and bountifully rewarded as their Saviours But in a few * Lagnetum in Africa days after dreading a Siege they Treated with Pompey to deliver up the Town upon Terms insisting only upon sparing their Lives But when Pompey would admit of no Conditions unless the Numantians were deliver'd up to him the Lagnetians at first shrunk at the thoughts of such a wicked Act against their Benefactors and therefore resolv'd to stand it out to the utmost But being afterwards reduc'd to the utmost extremity they sent to Pompey to acquaint him they were ready to Redeem their own Lives by the Destruction of their Confederates which the Numantians coming to understand they set upon the Citizens unexpectedly in the Night and made a grievous Slaughter amongst ' em Pompey having Intelligence of this Tumult and Bustle in the Town forthwith set scaling Ladders to the Walls and took the City and put all the Lagnetians to the Sword but generously discharg'd all the Numantian Auxiliaries to the Number of 100 both pitying the Men that were so unworthily brought into such extremity and distress as likewise hereby designing to to gain the Goodwill and opinion of the Numantians towards the Romans Afterwards he Raz'd the City to the Ground 107. Arsases King of the Parthians being a Mild and Gracious Prince was exceeding Arsases prosperous and successful and greatly enlarg'd the bounds of his Empire for he Conquer'd all before him as far as to India where Porus Reign'd formerly with a great deal Ush An. 480. before Ch. 142. of ease And tho' he was advanc'd to that degree of Power and Authority yet he inclin'd not in the least to Pride and Luxury as is common with Princes in such cases but was Kind to his Subjects and Valiant in the Field against his Enemies and having subdu'd several Nations gathered together a System out of the best of their Laws and Ush An. 481. imparted them to his Parthians 108. Viriathus was Bury'd by the Lusitanians with great Pomp and State for Two hundred Gladiators were matcht singly with as many more and sought Duels at his Sepulchre in honour of the remarkable Valour of this Man For he was as is agreed by all Valiant in Dangers Prudent and Careful in providing whatever was necessary and that which was most of all considerable was that whilst he Commanded he was more belov'd than ever any was before him For in dividing the spoil he never serv'd himself with any thing above any of the rest and of those things which fell to his share he often rewarded them that had behav'd themselves valiantly and reliev'd those Soldiers that were most in want He was likewise of incredible Sobriety and Vigilancy not sparing any Labour or drawing back from any hazard not to be overcome in the least by Ease or Pleasures The Arguments of his virtuous Qualifications are evident and demonstrable For being General of the Lusitanians for the space of Eleven years during all that time his Soldiers were not only peaceable without any Mutinies but remain'd unconquerable But after his death the Forces of the Lusitanians in a short time after were broken and dispers'd being depriv'd of such a General 109. Ptolemy for his Cruelty Murthers filthy Lusts and deform'd Body whence he was Ptolemy call'd Physco was hated by all But Hierax his General being an expert Soldier and Popular in all General Assemblies and a Man of a great Spirit took upon him the Government For when Ptolemy wanted Money and the Soldiers for want of Pay were ready to Revolt to Galaestes he put a stop to their Mutiny by paying off their Arrears out of his own Purse 110. The Aegyptians altogether contemn'd Ptolemy when they saw him so childish
fastn'd to their Forheads to give them Light being otherways in perfect Darkness in the various windings and turnings wrought in the Mine and having their Bodies appearing sometimes of one Colour and sometimes of another according to the nature of the Mine where they work they throw the Lumps and Pieces of the Stone cut out of the Rock upon the Floor And thus they are imploy'd continually without intermission at the very nod of the Overseer or Tax-master who lashes them severely besides And there are little Boys that attend upon the Labourers in the Mine and with great labour and toyl gather up the Lumps and Pieces hew'd out of the Rock as they are cast upon the Ground and carry them forth and lay them upon the Bank Those that are about Thirty Years of Age take a Piece of the Rock of such a certain quantity and pound it in a Stone Mortar with Iron Pestels till it be as small as a Vetch then those little Stones so pounded are taken from them by Women and older Men who cast them into Mills that stand together there near at hand in a long Row and Two or Three of them being imploy'd at one Mill they grind it so long till it be as small as fine Meal according to the pattern given them No care at all is taken of the Bodies of these poor Creatures so that they have not a Rag so much as to cover their Nakedness and no Man that sees them can chuse but must commiserate their sad and deplorable Condition For tho they are Sick Maim'd or Lame no rest no intermission in the least is allow'd them Neither the weakness of Old age nor Womens Infirmities are any plea to excuse them but all are driven to their work with Blows and Cudgelling till at length overborn with the intollerable weight of their misery they drop down dead in the midst of their insufferable Labours so that these miserable Creatures always expect worse to come than that which they then at present indure P. 106. and therefore long for Death as far more desirable than Life At length the Masters of the Work take Stone thus ground to Powder and carry it away in order to the perfecting of it They spread the Mineral so ground upon a broad Board somewhat hollow and lying shelving and pouring Water upon it rub it and cleanse it and so all the Earthy and Drossy part being separated from the rest by the Water it runs off the Board and the Gold by reason of its weight remains behind Then washing it several times again they first rub it lightly with their Hands afterwards they draw up the Earthy and Drossy Matter with slender Spunges gently apply'd to the Pouder'd Dust till it be clean pure Gold At last other Workmen take it away by Weight and Measure and these put it into Earthen Urns and according to the quantity of the Gold in every Urn they mix with it some Lead Grains of Salt a little Tin and Barley Bran. Then covering every Pot close and carefully dawbing them over with Clay they put them in a Furnace where they abide Five Days and Nights together then after a convenient time that they have stood to cool nothing of the other matter is to be found in the Pots but only pure refin'd Gold some little thing diminish'd in the weight And thus is Gold prepar'd in the Borders of Egypt and perfected and compleated with so many and so great toyls and Vexations And therefore I cannot but conclude that Nature itself teaches us that as Gold is got with Labour and Toyl so it s kept with difficulty creates every where the greatest cares and the use of it mixt both with Pleasure and Sorrow Yet the invention of those Metals is very ancient being found out and made use of by the ancient Kings Now we shall treat of those Nations that lye scatter'd among the Coasts of the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabian Gu 〈…〉 Ichthyophages Fish 〈…〉 Red Sea and through Troglodyta and the Southern parts of Ethiopia And First we shall speak of the Ichthyophages who inhabit the Sea Coasts all along as far as from Carmania and Gedrosia to the uttermost point of the Red Sea which runs up into the Land an incredible long way and at the entrance into it lyes bounded on one side with Arabia the Happy and with the Country of the Troglodites on the other Some of the Barbarians go stark naked and their Wives and Children are as common among them as their Flocks and Herds They know nothing either of Pleasure or Sorrow but what is natural like Bruit Beasts and have no apprehension either of Good or Evil. They inhabit not far from the very brink of the Sea Shore where there are not only deep Caves but Craggy Cliffs and strait and narrow Valleys divided naturally into many crooked Windings and Turnings which being of their own nature useful to the Inhabitants they make up the passages both in and out with heaps of great Stones and make use of those Places instead of Nets to catch their Fish For when the Tide comes in and overflows the Coasts as it does twice every Day about the Third and Ninth Hour and the Sea covers the Strand up to the Brinks of the Banks together with the Tide it brings in a Vast number of all sorts of Fish within the Land which at the first are kept within those parts next to the Sea but afterwards for Food disperse themselves about those hollow Caverns but when the Tide ebbs and the Water by degrees leaves the hollows and reflows through those heaps of Stones the Fish within those Caverns are left destitute of Water Upon which all the Barbarians as if they were rouz'd up by one general shout with their Wives P. 107. and Children Flock to the Place Yet they divide themselves into several Companies and each run with an hideous shout to their several Places as if a Prey were suddenly and unexpectedly presented to them Then the Women and Children gather the little Fish next to the shore and throw them upon the dry Land as fast as they can gather them and the Men and more able people busie themselves in catching the great and strong Fish for the Sea not only casts up the huge Lobsters Lampreys and Dog-Fish but also the Sea Calves and many such like both of strange names and shape They Master not these Creatures with Arms made by the Artist but strike 'em through with the sharp Goats Horns and wound and cut them with rough Stones broken off from the Rock For Necessity in every thing instructs Nature what to do and readily complies with that which seems most useful and advantagious in the present exigency After they have got their number in heaps together they carry away their Booty and put all they have caught into Stone Pots turn'd towards the South the Fish being as it were even by Fire Fry'd by the heat of the Sun
out of Envy at the Issue and partly out of fear lest Hyperion should assume the Kingdom intirely to himself committed a notorious wicked Act for entring into a Conspiracy they assassinated Hyperion and drown'd Helio then a tender Infant in * The River Po in Italy Eridanus Upon the Discovery of this sad Disaster Selene who passionately lov'd her Brother threw her self down headlong from the House-top and the Mother while she was seeking for her Son at the River side with Grief fell asleep and dreamt that she saw Helios standing by her to comfort her and wish'd her not to grieve too much and afflict her self for the Death of her Children for the Titanes should execute due Revenge upon the Malefactor and that he and his Sister by the Providence of the Gods were to be deify'd so as that which before was call'd the Holy Fire in Heaven should then be call'd * Helios is in Greek the Sun Helios and that which before had the Name of Mene should then be term'd †Luna the Moon Selene is in Greek the Moon Selenes When she awak'd she told her Dream and repeated all her Misfortunes and then intreated her Subjects that they would adore her deceas'd Children as Gods and that none for the future would come near her Presently afterwards in a furious Rage of Madness taking her Daughters gingling Gewgaws she wandred up and down with her Hair dishevell'd about her Ears and playing like a mad Woman upon a Timbrel and Cymbal she was even a Terror to the Spectators And while every body pity'd her miserable Condition and some attempted to lay hold on her there arose on a sudden a terrible Storm of Rain Thunder and Lightning and she was never seen after The People hereupon admiring this Prodigy began to transfer the Name of Helios and Selene in Honour of them to the Sun and the Moon in the Heavens and being persuaded that the Mother was a Goddess they erected Altars and with the noise of Timbrels and tinkling of Cymbals and other things agreeable to her Circumstances offer'd Sacrifices and instituted other divine Rites and Ceremonies in Honour of her But however Phrygia is said to be the Birth-place of this Goddess For the Inhabitants P. 134. fabulously report that Meones heretofore reign'd in Phrygia and Lydia and that he marry'd Dyndima and upon her begat a Daughter which he unnaturally expos'd in the Mountain Cybelus And that there by a divine Providence Leopards and other fierce and wild Beasts nourish'd the Child with their own Milk But Shepherdesses thereabouts observing what was done and admiring the Strangeness of the thing took away the Child and call'd it from the Place Cybele The young Lady growing up both in Strength and Years was admir'd Cybele by all for her Beauty Modesty and Ingenuity For she was the first that invented the Pipe compos'd of many Reeds and the Timbrel and Cymbal in Sports and Dances She taught likewise how to cure by purging Diseases both in Children and Cattle For her extraordinary Love to Children whom she often restor'd to Health by singing and lulling them in her Arms she was call'd by all * Mater montana The Mother of the Mount Marsyas the Phrygian they say was very much with her and the chiefest of all her Lovers This Man it 's said was mighty ingenious and wonderfully chast His Ingenuity they gather hence that imitating the Sound of a Pipe compos'd of many Reeds he found out how one single Pipe might make the same Harmony And as an Argument for his Chastity they say he never had to do with any Woman all the days of his Life Cybele being now ripe of Years lov'd a young Man one of the Natives first call'd Attis afterwards Papas This Youth she accompany'd with and was got with Child about which time she was own'd by her Parents and receiv'd by her Father into his Palace as a Virgin But being afterwards inform'd of the Miscarriage of his Daughter caus'd Attis and her Nurses to be put to Death and their Bodies to lye expos'd without Burial Whereupon they say Cybele through the Love she bore to the young Man and overwhelm'd with Grief for her Nurses fell into a furious Madness and ran out into the Fields where all alone with her Hair about her Ears she fill'd the whole Country with the noise of her Timbrel and her Wayling and Lamentations But Marsyas pitying her miserable Condition and prompted thereunto by the Remembrance of his ancient Love and Kindness he had for her follow'd her wherever she went and coming together at length to Bacchus in Nysa found there Apollo then in great Esteem for his Skill in playing upon the Harp invented by Mercury There Marsyas contended with Apollo who should be accounted the greatest Artist and the Nysians were to be the Judges And first Apollo play'd only upon his Harp But Marsyas as soon as he had winded his Hoboy tickling their Ears with the Novelty of the Melody and the Sweetness of his Notes seem'd far to excel his Rival Then they made a Match that they should both make a Second Trial of their Skill before the Judges Apollo therefore leading the way first began as before and added to the melodiousness of his Harp the Harmony of his Voice and by that means gain'd the Victory over the Applause formerly wan by the Hoboy At which Marsyas was in a Rage and said that he was highly injur'd in not being allow'd the preheminence for that they ought to judge by the Art in playing and not in the Voice and in singing and that according to that Rule Trial should be made and Judgment given concerning the Melody and Harmony between the Harp and Hoboy and that it was unjust to lay in the ballance Two Arts against one To which it 's said Apollo answered that he did no more than the other for that Marsyas did the same thing when he tun'd his Hoboy with his Breath and therefore either both ought to be allowed the same Priviledge or both should be restrained P. 135. from making use of their Mouths and their Hands only should be the Instruments of evidencing the excellency of their Art and Skill What Apollo said seem'd most just and reasonable to all the Auditors Then there was a Third Contest between them in which Marsyas was again overcome But Apollo was so incens'd with his vying with him that he flea'd him alive But presently after he was so sorry for what he had done that he broke in pieces all the Strings of his Harp and destroy'd that Musick which he himself had invented But it was afterwards reviv'd for the Muses restor'd the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meane Linus the String call'd the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tenor and Orpheus and Thamyris the Two Strings call'd the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Base and next to the Base They say that Apollo consecrated both the Harp and Hoboy
young Lamb out of the Kettle to the admiration and astonishment of the young Women who now thinking they might with great assurance depend upon what she promis'd resolv'd to observe her in all her Commands and all of them but Alcetis who out of a pious and natural Affection to her Father would not lay Hands upon him cudgell'd him to Death Whereupon Medea pretended that Vows and Prayers were first to be made to the Moon before his Body was dissected and cast into the Cauldron To which end she carried the Young Ladies with Torches and Fire-brands to the top of the highest part of the Palace where Medea to spin out time mumbled out a long Prayer P. 178. in the language of Colchis that the Argonauts might make the Assault in the mean time who now seeing the Fire from the Turret concluded the King was dispatch'd and therefore in a Body they made hastily to the City where presently mounting over the Walls they enter'd the Palace with their drawn Swords and kill'd the Watch that oppos'd them As soon as Pelias his Daughters were come down to boil their Father unexpectedly seeing Jason with the rest of the Noble Youths his Companions enter'd into the midst of the Palace they grievously cry'd out with exceeding sorrow and lamentation Having now neither power to revenge themselves upon Medea nor time to purge themselves from the horrid fact that by her Delusions they had committed they had forthwith murder'd themselves if Jason pitying their miserable Condition had not prevented them and comforted them with this Consideration that their present Misery was not occasion'd by their own malitious Contrivance but that they were without any Fault of theirs led aside by the deceit of another He promis'd them likewise that their whole family should be civilly and honourably us'd Having therefore call'd together a General Assembly he excus'd what was done and declar'd that he had dealt far more gently with the Authors of those Injuries than they deserv'd and what he had done was far short of what he and his had suffer'd Then he plac'd Acastus the Eldest Son of Pelias upon his Father's Throne and carry'd himself with all due respect to the King's Daughters and in performance of what he had promis'd it 's said he at length marry'd them to the greatest Persons of Quality Alcestis the Eldest he marry'd to Admetus the Thessalian the Son of Pheretes Amphinome to Andraemon the Brother of Leonteus and Eradne to Canas the Prince of Phocis the Son of Cephalus And these were the things afterwards done by Jason Then arriving with the rest of the Heroes in the Isthmos of Peloponesus he there sacrific'd to Neptune and dedicated the Ship Argo to that God Having gain'd the special favour of Creon King of Corinth he was made Free of the City and ever after dwelt among the Corinthians When the Argonauts were preparing every one to return into his own Country they say Hercules made this Proposal Olympick Games instituted by Hercules This was the first Institution But the Olympicks were not an Aera till 460 Years after An. Mund. 3174 in the 37th Year of Vzziah King of Judah before Christ 774. that to obviate the unexpected Blasts and Frowns of Fortune they should enter into an Oath mutually to assist each other whenever any of them stood in need of help and that they should pick out the most remarkable place in Greece for the celebrating of Sports and a General and Solemn Meeting of all the Grecians and that the Games should be celebrated in honour of Jupiter Olympus the greatest of the Gods Upon which the Heroes enter'd into the Association propos'd and left it to Hercules to institute the Games who made choice of the Ground in the Territories of Elis near to the River Alpheus for the General and Solemn Meeting and dedicated the Place to the chiefest of the Gods from whom it was call'd Olympick Having therefore appointed Horse-coursing Wrestling and other Oymnick Sports and ordered their several Prizes and Rewards he sent Messengers to all the Cities to acquaint them with the institution of these Games He was in no small Honour and Repute before upon the account of his Expedition with the Argonauts But this Institution of the Olympick Games much more advanc'd his praise for he was so cry'd up amongst all the Grecians and was so eminently famous in the esteem of most of the Cities that many desir'd to enter into a League of Friendship with him and to stand and fall with him in all Dangers whatsoever His Valour and Military Art was so admir'd by every Body that he presently got together a vast Army with which he went through the whole World desiring to benefit all Mankind Upon which account all unanimously agree that he has attain'd to a state of Immortality But the Poets according to their prodigous P. 179. way of relating matters say that Hercules himself alone and without any Arms perform'd all those famous Actions reported of him But we have before given an Account of all those things that are fabulously related concerning this God And now it remains that we should proceed with the History of Jason It 's said that he and Medea as Man and Wife liv'd together Ten Years in Corinth and of her begat first Two Twins Thessalus and Alcimena and a Third call'd Tisandrus much younger than the other Two During all this time they say Medea was greatly belov'd of her Husband being eminent not only for the excellency of her Beauty but for her Prudence and other Virtuous Qualifications But it 's said that when she grew old and her Beauty began to decay Jason fell in love with Glauces the Daughter of Creon and courted the young Lady to marry her The Father agreed to the Match and appointed a Day but Jason they say first apply'd himself to Medea in order to persuade her to a voluntary Divorce telling her that he did not marry this other Lady out of any aversion or disgust to her but that he might have Children to be Heirs to the Royal Family Hereat the Woman storm'd and appeal'd to the Gods for Revenge the Witnesses of his Oath and Vows However it 's said Jason without any further regard to her marry'd the King's Daughter Medea therefore being commanded to leave the City having only one Day allow'd her by Creon to prepare for her Departure by the Art of Witchcraft she chang'd the Form of her Countenance and enter'd the Palace in the Night and by a Root found out by Cerces her Sister which being kindled was of such a nature as it could not be extinguish'd she set the Palace on Fire And now all being in a Flame Jason sprang out from the Burning and escap'd but Glance and her Father Creon hem'd in on every side by the Fire were both consum'd Some Historians say that Medea's Sons presented the new Bride with poyson'd Plasters which she applying to her self miserably perish'd and her Father
Corsica were subject to them they exacted a Tribute from the Inhabitants of Rozen Wax and Hony of which great plenty is produc'd in this Island Corsican Bond-Slaves are naturally of such a Temper Servants and Qualification that for usefulness they are to be preferr'd before all others whatsoever The Island is large a great part of it Mountainous and Woody and water'd with several small †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rivers The Inhabitants feed upon Milk Honey and Flesh which this Country affords plentifully and exceed all other Barbarians in Justice and Humanity one towards another For where any find Honey in hollow Trees in the Mountains it 's certainly his that finds it without any further Dispute The Sheep have all their Owners Mark set upon them and that certainly secures the Property of their Masters though there be no Shepherd to look after them And in all other respects in their Converse and way of Living every one of them in their several Stations observe the Rules of common Right and Justice A very strange thing there is among 'em concerning the Birth of their Children for when the Woman is in Labour there 's no care taken of her in the time of her Travel Men in Travel for their Wives but the Husband goes to Bed as if he were sick and there continues for certain Days as if he were under the Pains of a Woman in Travel Here grows in this Island abundance of extraordinary Box-Trees which is the Reason that the Honey produc'd here is many times very bitter It 's possess'd by Barbarians whose Language is very strange and difficult to be understood they are above the number of Thirty Thousand Next to this lies Sardinia an Island as big as Sicily it 's inhabited by Barbarians whom they call Iolaeians sprung as they they themselves suppose from those few that inhabited the Country with Sardinia belongs to the King of Spain Six Miles from Corsica about an Hundred and Seventy Miles in length and Eighty Miles broad Iolaus and the Thespidae For at that time that Hercules instituted those so much * Olympick Games Celebrated Games having many Children by the Daughters of Thespius by the Command of the Oracle he sent them with a numerous Train both of Barbarians and Grecians into Sardinia to settle themselves in new Habitations Their Captain Iolaus Hercules his Nephew on his Brother's side possess'd himself of the Island and built in it several famous Cities and dividing the Country by Lot call'd the People from himself Iolaeians He built likewise publick Schools and Temples and left other Monuments for publick use and general advantage which remain to this Day For the most pleasant Fields of the Country are call'd after him The Fields of P. 206. Iolaus or The Iolaeian Fields and the People are still call'd Iolaeians from him It was foretold likewise by the Oracle concerning his Colony that if they were call'd after his Name their Freedoms and Liberties should be secur'd to them for ever and accordingly their Laws and Government have been preserv'd firm and unshaken to this Day For though the Carthaginians when they were in the height of their Power took this Island yet they could not inslave the People for the Iolaeians fled to the Mountains and made them Habitations under Ground and kept and maintain'd many Herds and flocks of Cattel which afforded them Food sufficient both as to Milk Cheese and Flesh And thus leaving the Champain Parts of the Country they were both freed from the Toyl of Plowing and Tilling the Ground and besides liv'd at ease in the Mountains contented with a mean and moderate Provision as we before said And although the Carthaginians often assaulted them with great Armies yet the difficulties of the Places were such and the windings and turnings within these Subterraneous Caves were so inexplicable that they were ever the security of these Inhabitants from Bondage and Slavery And lastly the Romans since they became Masters of the Place have often attempted to reduce them by force of Arms but were never able to prevail for the Reasons before alledg'd But to return to the ancient Times Iolaus after he had settled all the Concerns relating to the Colony return'd into Greece The Thespiades after they had been Lords of the Island for many Ages were at length expuls'd and driven into Italy and seated themselves in the Parts and Places about Cuma The rest of the People return'd to their former Barbarism and making choice of the best Captains from among their own Countrymen have defended their Liberties to this Day Having said enough of Sardinia we shall now go on with the other Islands Next to the before-mention'd Island is Pityusa so call'd from the multitude Pityusa of Pine-Trees growing there lying in the midst of the Sea Three Days and as many Nights Sayl from Hercules's Pillars one Day and Nights Sail from the Coast of Africa and only a Days Sayl from Spain as large as Corcyra and reasonably Fruitful It bears some few Vines and wild Olive-Trees Amongst other things it produces it 's most esteem'd for fine Wool It 's chequer'd with pleasant Champain Fields and lovely Hills There 's a City in it call'd Ercsum inhabited by a Colony of Carthaginians The Island is grac'd with famous Ports and high Walls and a great number of stately Houses Barbarians of several Nations inhabit there but most are Carthaginians a Colony of whom settled there about a Hundred and Sixty Years after the building of Carthage There are other Islands over against Spain which the Grecians call * Signifies naked Gymnesiae because in Summer-time the Inhabitants go naked By the Natives and the Romans they are call'd †Baleares now call'd Majorca and Minorca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baleares from casting of huge massy Stones out of Slings wherein the Inhabitants excel all other People The Greater of these Islands is larger than all the rest of the * In the Mediterranean Islands except these Seven Sicily Sardinia Cyprus Crete Eubaea Corsica and Lesbos It 's one Days Sail distant from Spain The Lesser lies more Eastward and breeds and feeds all sorts of brave and large Cattel especially ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Half Asses Mules which for the largeness of their Bodies and the exceeding noise they make in their Braying are remarkable above all others Both these Islands are of a good and fertile Soyl and are Peopled with above Thirty Thousand Inhabitants As to the Fruits of the Earth they are altogether destitute of Wine the want therefore of it makes 'em the more eager after it Neither have they any Oyl amongst them to supply which they press out the Oyly part of Mastick P. 207. and mix it and Swines-Grease together and with this Composition anoint their Bodies They love Women exceedingly whom they value at such a Rate that when the Pyrats bring any Women they have
and there away out of their Slings Here the History is broken off and lost viz. 1. Alexander's March through a dry Country 2. The Defection of the Sogdians Bactrians 3. The Hunting in Bahastis Peace being made upon these Conditions and ratify'd by mutual Oaths the * Queen of Massaca in India Queen mightily admir'd the Brave and Noble Spirit of Alexander and sent to him most rich Presents promising to do whatever he was pleas'd to Command Here the History is likewise lost 4. The Impiety against Bacchus 5. The Death of Clitus and Calisthenes 6. Wars with the Nauticae 7. His Marriage with Roxana 8. of Nysia These are wanting may be supply'd out of Archian Lib. 4. and Q. Curtius Lib. 7 8. Then the Mercenaries as they had agreed forthwith left the City and having march'd Eight hundred Furlongs Encamp'd without any Disturbance not in the least suspecting any thing of that which afterwards happen'd For Alexander hating them implacably pursu'd them with a considerable Body of Men and fell upon the Barbarians on the sudden Barbarians kill'd after surrender of their City and cut off Multitudes of them Upon which the Mercenaries first cry'd out that he had violated his Oath in falling upon them in that Hostile manner and call'd upon the Gods to revenge that Impious Cruelty executed upon them But the King with a loud Voice answer'd That he indeed did agree that they should quit the City but not Ant. Ch. 326. that they should ever be accounted as Friends to the Macedonians Hereupon the Barbarians not at all terrify'd with the desperate Condition they were in * These Mercenaries were the Massasenians Their stout Defence drew up in a Body in a round Ring placing their Wives Children and Women in the middle that they might receive the Enemy on every side with less Hazard and Prejudice Being therefore Desperate and of daring Spirits encourag'd by their Successes in former Conflicts they bravely receiv'd the Enemy The Macedonians on the other hand resolving to be in nothing inferior to them the Engagement was very sharp and terrible For fighting close hand to Hand Man to Man various kinds of Death and Wounds appear'd every where For the Macedonians by their * Sarissa a Macedonian Spear or Lanâ—â— Sarissas pierc'd through the short Shields of the Barbarians with that violence that the Points ran into their very Bodies The Mercenaries likewise on their part threw their Lances amongst the Thickest of their Enemies upon whom being so near they were sure not to fail in doing Execution When a great Number of them were wounded and as many kill'd the Women took up the Arms of those that were slain and join'd with the Men in the Engagement For the Desperateness of their Condition and the Greatness of the Work in hand forc'd them to the most resolute Resistance for the Defence of themselves Some of them therefore getting Arms defended their Husbands with Shields others that had no Arms rush'd in upon the Enemy and caught hold of their Bucklers so as they could scarce do any thing At length all the Men together Ant. Ch. 326. with their Wives who valiantly fought to the last being overpower'd by Multitude died upon the place preferring an honourable Death before a Life with Slavery and Disgrace The useless and unarm'd Rabble together with the Women that were left he gave to his Horsemen He took likewise several other Cities putting them to the Sword that oppos'd him * Here it falls in with the Index plac'd before the 17th Book in the Greek Edition of Rhodomanus Alexander at the Rock Aoâ—non Hence he mov'd forward to the Rock call'd Aornon for here those Inhabitants that surviv'd shelter'd themselves being a very strong Place It is reported that the ancient Hercules attempted the taking this Place but was forc'd to quit the Siege by reason of terrible Earthquakes and other Prodigies of the Gods that happen'd there at that time which coming to the Ears of Alexander it made him far more eager to assault the Place as if he glory'd to be the Gods Corival both in Might and Power The Rock was an hundred Furlongs round and sixteen high and seem'd to be even and steep and every where round At the foot of the Rock towards the South runs Indus the greatest River of India other Parts are inviron'd with unaccessible Rocks and dreadful Precipices Alexander upon view of the Place concluding that it was not possible for him to take it by force at that instant there came to him an Old Man with his two Sons who had a long time liv'd in those Places in a very poor and low Condition He had there a little Cell cut into the Rock wherein were three Beds He and his Sons lodging together in this place he was very well acquainted with all the Avenues and Passages round about When he came therefore to the King he told him his Condition and promis'd to lead the King through the Straits and craggy By-ways to such a Post where he might assault the Barbarians upon the Rock Hereupon Alexander promis'd him a large Reward made use of his Conduct and in the first place possess'd himself of the only Passage Ant. Ch. 326. that led up to the top of the Rock And because there was no other way to pass he so block'd up the Besieg'd that there was no Relief to be expected Then by the help of many hands he rais'd up a Mount from the bottom and foot of the Rock and advanc'd so close up to the Enemy that by that means he made a very sharp and vigorous Assault which continu'd without any interruption Night and Day for the space of seven Days and Nights At the beginning the Barbarians by advantage of the heighth of the Fort prevail'd and cut off many that too rashly forc'd in upon them But when the Battery was rais'd up to its due heighth and the Engines for shooting of Darts and other Warlike Instruments were brought up and that the Resolution of the King not to leave the Assault was discern'd the Besieg'd were in a great Consternation But Alexander wisely foreseeing what would be the Issue commanded the Guard that he had left at the Passage to withdraw that so the Enemy might have free liberty to be gone if they had a mind to it Upon which the Barbarians affrighted by the Valour of the Macedonians and the King 's brave Resolution in the Night left the Fort. The Indians being thus frighted with a Scarecrow the King gain'd the Rock without any considerable loss And then having rewarded his Guide march'd away with his Forces to other places About that time there was one Aphrices an Indian that lay in those parts with an Army Aphrices an Indian his Head brought to Alexander of Twenty thousand Men and Fifteen Elephants Him the Indians kill'd and brought his Head to Alexander and by that means gain'd his Favour He possess'd himself likewise
Itch of Monarchy before the Romans reduc'd it into the Form of a Province For the Cities deceiv'd by the Flatteries of the Orators advanc'd inconsiderable Men to that height till they became absolute Lords over the deluded Multitude But the Advancement of Agathocles to be Prince of Syracuse is above all others Agathocles the most singular and remarkable For he began at first in very mean and unlikely Circumstances but at last he involv'd not only Syracuse but all Sicily and Lybia it self in Blood and Slaughter He was so mean and low in the World in his Original that he follow'd the Trade of a Potter from whence he rose to that height of Power and Cruelty that he Lorded over the greatest and richest Island in the World and for some time gain'd the greatest part of Africa and some Parts of Italy and fill'd the Cities of Sicily with Butcheries and Oppressions None of the Tyrants that ever were before him committed the like Villany or exercis'd such barbarous Cruelty upon their Subjects For as for his own Kindred he put them all to Death Root and Branch and so plagu'd the Cities that he sometimes butcher'd all that were at Men and Women's estate and would would cut the Throats of Multitudes of poor Innocents for the Faults of a few without any difference or distinction and then presently would murder whole Cities Men Women and Children But because this Book with others that follow comprehend the Tyranny of Agathocles omitting any further Preface relating thereunto we shall now connex things coherent with those that were before related first allotting to everything we treat of its due and proper time In the preceding Eighteen Books we have endeavour'd to set forth whatever was done in the known Parts of the World from the beginning of Time to the Year next before the From the taking of Troy 866 years Reign of Agathocles to which time from the Taking of Troy are computed Eight hundred sixty six Years In this Book beginning with the first of his Reign we shall end with the Battel P. 671. fought by Agathocles with the Carthaginians containing an account of Affairs for the space of Seven Years CHAP. I. Agathocles his Parentage and Education His Rise His Stratagems His bloody Massacre at Syracuse He gains the Sovereign Power The Affairs of Italy Olympias returns into Macedonia by Polysperchon's means The Armies revolt to her Her Cruelties She murders Euridice and Arrideus her Husband Affairs in Asia Eumenes and Seleucus Eumenes join'd by many of the Captains The number of their Forces He comes to Susa Attalus and others imprison'd by Antigonus in a strong Castle seeking to escape are afterwards besieg'd and taken IN the Rule of Demogenes Chief Magistrate of Athens and when Lucius Plotius and Olymp. 115. 4. Ant. Ch. 315. An. M. 3633. Manius Fulvius were Roman Consuls Agathocles became Tyrant of Syracuse That things as they were severally done may be more clearly and distinctly understood we shall premise a few things concerning the foremention'd Prince Carsinus of Rhegium being banish'd from his Country dwelt at Thermis in Sicily which City was then in the hands of the Carthaginians This Man married a Woman of that Place who when she was big with Child us'd often to be troubled with strange Dreams The Parents of Agathocles Being therefore much perpiex'd in his Mind concerning this Embrio he intrusted this Affair with some devout Carthaginians who were then going to Delphos and desir'd them to enquire of the Oracle concerning this Child who faithfully performing what they were enjoyn'd the Oracle gave this Answer That that Child would bring dreadful Calamities upon the Carthaginians and all Sicily The Father being terrify'd with this Prediction expos'd the Child in the open Fields and left it with some to watch to observe its end After several days it still continu'd alive and the Guard upon it growing remiss and careless the Mother in the mean time stole the Child away in the Night but durst Ant. Ch. 315. not bring it back to her own House for fear of her Husband but intrusted it with her Brother Heraclides and call'd it Agathocles after the Name of her own Father Where being brought up he grew very Beautiful and of Strength of Body above what was usual at his Age. When he came to be seven years old Carsinus was invited His Education by Heraclides to * Invited to a Feast at a Sacrifice Sacrifice and there seeing Agathocles playing with other Children about the same Age he greatly admir'd both his Strength and Beauty and when his Wife told him That the Child which he so expos'd if he had been brought up would have prov'd as Manly a Child as that he then saw he answer'd that he was sorry for what he had done and then fell a weeping Whereupon the Woman perceiving that what she had done would be very pleasing and agreeable to her Husband she discover'd to him the Truth of the whole matter whereat he was mightily pleas'd and took away his Son and out of fear of the Carthaginians remov'd with all his Family to Syracuse but being but a poor Man he taught his Son then a Child the Potter's Trade at which time Timaleon the Corinthian having routed the Carthaginians at the River Cremissus made all free of the City that would come in to him amongst whom Carsinus with Agathocles were inroll'd as Citizens and Carsinus died a little time after The Mother of Agathocles had in a certain place set up her Son's Statue in Stone upon which a Swarm of Bees fastned and began to make their Wax-Combs upon the Hips of the Statue which remarkable Passage being related to those who apply themselves to Studies of that kind all unanimously agreed That when he came to be a Man he would Ant. Ch. 315. be famous which happen'd accordingly For Demas a Nobleman of Syracuse falling Agathocles a Catamite to Demas in love with Agathocles first supply'd him liberally with every thing he had occasion for so that he began in some measure to taste of Plenty afterwards being created †Demas General of the Agragentines he advanc'd him to be a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Captain of 1000. Colonel in the room of one that was then lately dead He was indeed very remarkable and of great Esteem before he was an Officer upon the account of the Strength of his Body for in the time of Training and Military Exercise he bore so great a weight of Armour and carry'd such mighty Weapons that no other Man was able to bear But now since he was made a Military Tribune his Fame spread abroad much more than it did before for he was eager to fight daring in Action and bold nay impudent in his Harangues to the People Demas afterwards fell sick and died and having left all his Estate to his Wife Agathocles marry'd her and Agathocles his rise so was esteem'd
* About 360. 〈◊〉 P. 754. Three thousand Furlongs they came to a City call'd Automolus and there Encamp'd thence marching forward they came to a mountain shelving down on both sides with steep and sharp Rocks having a deep Valley in the midst out of which rose a soft stone spiring up like unto a sharp Rock at the Foot of which was a wide Cave overshadow'd with Ivy and Leaves of the Yew tree in which is reported Queen Lamia a Lady of admirable Lamias Cave Beauty formerly dwelt but for her Cruelty they say her face was afterwards transform'd into the shape of a Beast for it 's reported that * All her Children they say were kill'd by Juno because they were got by Iupiter being bereav'd of all her Children she took it so grievously that she envy'd all other women that had Children and commanded the poor Infants to be pluck't out of their mothers Arms and forthwith murther'd And therefore even to this day the Tale of this woman is fresh among Children and with the Name of Lamia they are presently put into a very great fright Moreover being given much to Drunkeness she let every one do what they pleas'd without any inquiry after men's manners and because she never seriously minded what was done in her Province it was believ'd that she was blind And therefore there 's a Ant. Ch. 306. Fable told by some that she put her Eyes into a little purse excusing her drunken Sottishness by such an invented Tale as if that was the reason she saw nothing That she was in Africa one brings in Euripides for a witness for so he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom is that most hateful Name unknown Or of th' African Lamia the spawn But Ophellas removing again Travel'd with great toil and labour through a dry and thirsty Country full of wild Beasts for they did not only want Water but Bread and other Provision so that the whole Army was in danger to perish These Sandy Deserts near the Syrtes were pester'd with noisom Serpents and all sorts of hurtful beasts and it being for the most part deadly to be bitten by these venomous creatures many were brought into a sad condition out of the reach both of friends help and remedy from Medicines For some of the Serpents were of the same colour with the Earth so that none could see them before they were hurt so that many treading upon them were stung to death At last after two months miserable travel with much ado they carne to Agathocles his Camp where they pitcht their Camps at a small distance one from another on the other hand the Carthaginians hearing that they were come up to him were in a great Consternation seeing the great forces that were making against them Agathocles hearing of his approach went to meet him and advis'd him by all means to have a care of his Army after so tedious and hard a Journey and to see them well refresh'd He himself lay quiet a few days observing every thing that was done in the neighbouring Camp at length taking his opportunity when the greater part of Ophellas his Army were gone a forraging into the Country and taking notice that Ophellas never suspected any thing of what he was in contriving he suddainly call'd his Army together and before them accus'd Ophellas for that being call'd for as an Assistant in this War he went about Ant. Ch. 306 to betray him and having incens'd the multitude drew out his whole Army in Battalion against him and his Cyrenians Ophellas growing amaz'd at this unexpected alteration put nevertheless himself and the men he had with him in a posture of defence but the Enemy being too quick for him and he too weak for them he was there slain upon the place Agathocles persuaded the rest that were left to lay down their Arms then telling them what great things he would do for them he got the whole Army to himself And thus Ophellas by indulging his Ambition and being over credulous came to this fatal Catastrophe In the mean time Bomilcar at Carthage was waiting for an opportunity Bomilcar â—sp 〈…〉 to b 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of Câ—rthage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an is put to a 〈…〉 P. 755. to put in execution what he had a long time been hammering in his brain in order to gain the Soveraign power and authority And although he had several times fit occasions offer'd him for that purpose yet always some light and inconsiderable cause or other intervening put a stop to his design For some superstitious persons many times are preparing to act great and remarkable pieces of Wickedness and yet always chuse rather to delay than act to put off than execute the thing which even then Ant. Ch. 306 came to pass For concluding he had a fair opportunity offer'd him the better to effect his purpose he sent away the most eminent Persons of the Citizens that were about him in an Expedition against the Numidians that he might have none of the Nobility at hand to oppose him but then checkt by his own Fears he durst not reveal to any his design of gaining the Principality and so he let the matter fall again At length it fell out that he attempted to set up himself at the very same time that Ophellas was cut off by Agathocles and neither of them knew what was done in one another's Camp For Agathocles knew nothing of the Ambition of the other or of the Tumult and Disorder that was in the City which he might at that time have easily subdu'd For if Bomilcar had been surpriz'd and taken in the very Fact he would have chosen rather to have join'd with Agathocles than to have given up himself to be punish'd by the Citizens Neither did the Carthaginians know any thing of Agathocles his falling upon Ophellas for they might easily have overcome him by joining with Ophellas But I suppose both sides were well enough content to be ignorant although they were things of great weight and concern and contrived by them that were near one to another For Agathocles being plotting to cut off a Person that was his Friend and Associate minded not to enquire after any thing that was in doing with the Enemy And Bomilcar on the other side contriving how to overturn the Liberties of his Country cared not what was in agitation in Agathocles his Camp whose purpose was now not so much to conquer Ant. Ch. 306 an Enemy as to subdue his own Fellow-Citizens Matters being thus here some may find fault with History seeing many things of divers Natures falling out at one and the same time and that Writers are forc'd to break in with new Matter of another nature and to divide between things done at the same instant that the Truths related may delight the more But to Answer this the History that is deny'd this liberty although it afterwards represents the things done yet it
vehement Inflammation and a great Swelling at the bottom of her Belly which increas'd to that degree that it brought her into a violent Feaver The Physitians conceiv'd that it was an Ulcer about the neck of the Matrix Refrigerating Medicines and Plaisters therefore were apply'd to bring down and cool those hot burning Tumors upon the Seventh day the Humour burst and out started from the Privy Parts of Heraides a Man's Yard with the Testicles compleat This hapned when neither Physitian nor any other Stranger was present but only the Mother and Two Servants who with the strangeness of the thing were struck into a Maze However they made it their Care and Business to cure her and kept all private to themselves And when she was recover'd she still wore a Womans Habit and manag'd the Affairs of the House as Wives use to do But those who were privy to what had hapned suspected her to be an Hermaphrodite And so tho' formerly in carnal Embraces with her Husband there might be no natural copulation yet she had been seen frequently to have the carnal knowledge of Women In the mean time while all things were kept secret Semiades returns and demands his Wife as was very fit and reasonable And being continually urgent and pressing for the society of his Wife the Father refus'd and yet was asham'd to declare the reason which occasion'd great dissention so far as that the Husband resolv'd to sue the Father for his Wife So that this wonder was expos'd to the publick view like a Play upon the Stage by the means of a criminal Accusation The Person contended for was present in Court when the Matter was Banded to and fro on either parties behalf Upon which the Judges were in doubt whether the Power and Authority of the Husband over the Wife should be preferr'd before that of the Father over the Daughter At length when they were ready to give Sentence that the Wife should abide with her Husband she discover'd the truth of the whole matter and with great boldness and assurance of Mind threw off her feign'd Habit and discover'd her self to be a Man to all that were there present and in a surly manner utter'd these words Can any compel one Man to Marry another Upon which all were amaz'd and set up a shout of Admiration at the strangeness of the thing Heraides being now discover'd afterwards as is reported chang'd her Womans Attire and put on the Habit of a young Man And it 's likewise said that the Physitians when they saw those parts of the Woman judg'd that the nature of the Male lay hid in the Womb of the Female in a place in shape like an Egg and that in the thin skarf or skin that wrap'd about the Yard was an unusual hole through which the Urine pass'd And that therefore they declar'd that the place first being pierc'd and made like an hollow pipe should be turn'd into a green Wound and at length brought to a Scab and when the Yard was reduc'd to it's proper shape that sutable Remedies should be apply'd for the cure of the Patient Heraides was afterwards call'd Diophantus and serv'd in the King's Camp in a Regiment of Horse and then resided with the King at Abas At that time therefore was Alexander ' s Camp the meaning of the Oracle understood which was before dark and obscure when the King came to Abbas where this Hermaphrodite was Born It 's reported that Semiades at length through love he bore to her upon the account of their former familiarity and through shame of his unnatural Marriage was able to bear up no longer but after he had left all his Goods to Diophantus and made him his Heir broke his Heart and died So she that had been a Woman carry'd it with the courage of a Man and he that was ever a Man appear'd to be more pusillanimous than any Woman The like to this fell out about 30 Years after in the City of * In Peloponnesus Epidaurus There was a young Maid in Epidaurus as the report goes an Orphan whose name was Callo This Maid had no passage in her privy parts but about the Pecten there was a place like an issue through which the Urine pass'd ever from the time of her Birth When she came to a mature Age she was Married to one of the Citizens with whom she liv'd two Years and tho' she was not capable of natural Embraces as a Woman yet she was forc'd to endure those that were preternatural or besides nature But afterwards a Tumor arose near the Pecten which put her to exceeding torment so that many Physitians were sent for to consult together and all despair'd of Curing her But an Apothecary undertook the Cure and made an incision in the place whence came forth a Mans Yard with Testicles but solid without any passage And when all were amaz'd at the strangeness of the thing the Apothecary suppli'd the parts with what was deficient First he made an incision into the end of the Yard and pierc'd it even to the Uretor and thrusting down a small silver * Probe Instrument brought away the Urin and other excrementitious humours But the place where the Issue was he first turn'd into a green Wound and then heal'd it up Having perform'd this extraordinary Cure he demanded a double reward For he said he had undertaken to Cure a sick Woman and had now set right a young Man Callo hereupon laid aside her Wheel and other effeminate Imployments and took upon her the Name of Callon adding only the last Letter N to her former Name Some say that before her Transformation she was the Priestess of Ceres and because she shew'd to Men those things that were not to be seen this judgment fell upon her for her Prophaness They report that at Naples and several other places the like hath happen'd not that the two Sexes of Man and Woman are really form'd by Nature in two several shapes for that is impossible but that Nature is deceiv'd in fashioning the Members of the Body to the amazement and deceit of the beholders We have therefore judg'd these strange Events which are brought down to us both by Writings and Traditions worthy to be taken notice of in respect both of their pleasure and profit to the readers For many looking upon such things as these as Monsters in Nature are thereby infected with a kind of Superstition Not only private Men but whole Cities and Nations For it 's reported that a little before the beginning of the Martian War there dwelt an Italian near Rome who having Marry'd such a one as is before describ'd complain'd to the Senate upon which they out of a fond Superstition and perswaded thereunto by the Truscan Augures order'd the Hermaphrodite to be burnt And thus they say this poor Creature was most unjustly doom'd to destruction and was ignorantly judg'd a Monster because she had some resemblance of both Sexes And not
Engines without fraud they at first because of the War against * Asdrubal their General Asdrubal took it heavily however they brought in 200000 Arms of all sorts and 2000 Engines Afterwards the Romans sent again to the Carthaginians Commands to send some Persons of their Senate to whom they would declare their further Commands and accordingly they sent Thirty of the Noblest Manilius the Senior Consul told 'em that it was the Senates Pleasure they should leave the City they Inhabited and build another * Engines to shoot Stones or Arrows Eighty Furlongs distant from the Sea But the Ambassadors crying out for Mercy Compassion all of them cast themselves to the Ground uttering many lamentable Complaints with Tears upon which great confusion was rais'd in the Assembly And when the Carthaginians were a little recover'd out of their Consternation one only Named Blannus * About Ten Miles delivering himself in the natural Language of the Auditory Debated the matter with great Heat and Earnestness attended with an undaunted Presence of Mind which mov'd the Auditors to Pity and Commiseration 28. The Romans being unmovable in their Decrees as to the Razing of Carthage the Senate commanded them forthwith to depart to Carthage and to declare to the Ant. Ch. 14 Citizens what things were Decreed but some of the Ambassadors refusing to return to their Country fled each of them where ever they could the rest chusing rather to return went home having thus finish'd a doleful Embassy When the People came thronging together to meet 'em they gave 'em never a Word but beating their heads and stretching out their hands and invocating their Gods they went on to the Court and inform'd the Senate what things were commanded 29. The Arradians supposing they had got an opportunity to destroy those of Marathum sent privately to Ammonius * Of Syria under Alexander Bala Olymp 157. Viceroy of the Kingdom and with a Bribe of 300 Talents prevail'd with him to deliver up * A City of Phaenicia Ant. Ch. 150. Marathum whereupon Ammonius sent Isadore to the Marathonians who by his speech was to pretend some other matters but in truth went to seize upon the City and to deliver it up to the Arradians The Marathonians being ignorant that they were design'd for Destruction yet observing how that the Arradians were higher in the Kings Favour than themselves refus'd the Kings Soldiers Entrance into their City and resolved to make their Addresses as Supplicants to the Arradians They forthwith therefore sent Ten of the most Eminent of their eldest Citizens as Ambassadors to Arradus who brought with them a humble Address and Supplication * An Island over against Phaenicia and the oldest Images of their Gods which they had in their City hoping that upon the account of their kindred and mov'd with Reverence to their Gods the Arradians would be appeas'd and their anger diverted As soon as they landed according to the See Vales. Fram of Diodorus Siculus 349 3â—â— Commands given they addressed themselves as Supplicants to the People But the Arradians Blood being up they slighted the usual and common Laws of Supplicants and cast off all Reverence of their kindreds Images and their Gods and therefore broke the Images and trampled them most shamefully under their Feet and attempted to Stone the Ambassadors but some of the Senators interposing themselves between 'em and the rage of the People scarce restrain'd from stoning them notwithstanding the Reverence they ow'd the Senators commanded 'em to be convey'd to Prison The * Numantia iâ— Spain Numantines and * Germissum in Spain See Patetcul lib. 2. c. 4. Ant. Ch. 130. See Eutropius lib. 4. Termisians sent Ambassadors to the Romans to treat of a Peace which was granted to them upon these Conditions that they should deliver up each their Cities to the Romans 300 Hostages 900 Soldiers Coates 300 Hides 800 War-Horses and all their Armes and they should be Friends and Allies to the Romans There being a day appointed for the performance of these Conditions by the Cities all was done according to the Articles but when at last it came to the delivering up of their Arms there a rose a certain Generous Regret and Lamentation and a couragious Resolution in the Populacy to regain their Liberties Therefore they were angry one at another they should ever consent that they should like Women strip themselves of their Arms. Wherefore repenting of those things that were decreed the Fathers accus'd their Sons Children their Parents and Women their Husbands and so coming to themselves again resolving not to deliver up their Arms they renew'd the War against the Romans 31. * Call'd Diodotus one of Alexander Bala's Commanders King of Syria 1 Macâ— 11. 39 c. 13. v 31 32. Liv. lâ—â— â—2 â—5 Tryphon of a private Man being made King hasted all he could to establish the Government in himself by a decree of the Senate Wherefore preparing a golden Medal of Victory weighing 10000 Crowns he sent Ambassadors to Rome to present it to the People not doubting but that he should obtain from them the Compellation of King considering the Present which he sent was not only very rich in it self but such whose Name carried along with it the happy Prognostication of Victory But he found the Senate far more Subtile than himself whose Prudence prompt'd them to a Dislike of those that Ant. Ch. 183. deceitfully circumvent others For they receiv'd the Present and the good Omen together with the profit but instead of Grifon's Name the Senate Decreed that the Title of the King that was treacherously Murder'd should be Engraven upon it and thus doing they approv'd themselves haters of his wickedness in Murdering of the Child and such as would not accept of the presents of wicked Men. 32. There came with Scipio Africanus other Ambassadors to Alexandria to view the whole Kingdom * Antiochus Theos Alexander Bala's Son whose Guardian Tryphon was See Justin lib. 36. c. 1. Ptolemy met them in Pomp and State with a great Retinue and Feasted them Sumptuously and going about with them shew'd them his Palace and Treasury But * Ptolemy Euergeres the second sirnamed Physeon they being Persons Eminent in Virtue contented themselves with a spare Diet and such as was wholesome scorning that rich Provision as prejudicial both to Mind and Body As for those things which the King esteem'd as Rarities and Admirable they only Glanc'd their Eyes upon 'em and look'd on 'em as things of no Value But what was really worth their Eying those things they view'd most exactly as the Scituation of the City and its Capacity and particularly the * P. Scipio Africanus Spurius Mummius L. Metellus See Cicero in Somnio Scip. Pharos and what belong'd thereunto Thence likewise they Sail'd to Memphis and took notice of the goodness of the Country the conveniencies of the River Nile the number of the Cities the infinite Thousands of
sacred Relict in the Temple and to be honour'd likewise as a Deity And these are the Things which the ancient Egyptians feign concerning the Original and divine Worship of Priapus Some call this God Ithyphallus others Typhon He 's not only worshipp'd in the Temples in the Cities but in the Fields and Villages where he is reputed the Guardian and Keeper of their Vineyards and Orchards and say that if any steal their Goods he inflicts Punishment upon them for it This God is not only honour'd in the Festivals of Bacchus but in all other sacred Solemnities where with Sport and Ridicule his Image is presented to the View of all They feign likewise that Hermaphroditus had the like Original who being sprung Hermaphroditus from * Mercury Hermes and †Venus Aphrodita was from their two Names joyn'd together so call'd Some say that this Hermaphroditus is a God who at some certain times appears to Men and is naturally both Man and Woman in Beauty and Slenderness of his Body he represents a Woman but in Strength and manly Countenance a Man Others account these Births for Monsters which being but rare portend sometimes both Good and Bad by turns but enough of these Here it 's fit to say something of the Muses of whom some mention is made in Muses the History of Bacchus Most of the Writers of Antiquities and those of greatest Authority say they were the Daughters of Jupiter and †Memory Mnemosyne Some few of the Poets among whom is Alcman say they were the Issue of * Coelum Coelus and †Terra Heaven Earth Terra They differ likewise about their Number for some reckon three others nine but the Number Nine by the Authority of the most famous Authors such as Homer Hesiod and some others of the like Esteem has prevail'd before all others For thus says Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Muses Nine with Voices sweet do cant Hesiod likewise summs up their Names in these Verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clio Thalia and Melpomene Likewise Erato and Terpsichore Polymnia Urania Euterpe And one beyond them all Calliope To each of these they attribute their peculiar Art in particular sorts of Sciences as poetical Harmony Dancing Singing Astrology and the rest of the liberal Arts. They are said by most to be Virgins because liberal Sciences seem to be uncorrupt and virtuous Qualifications They are call'd Muses from the Greek Word Myein which signifies the teaching of things commendable and profitable and such as are unknown to them that are instructed They apply likewise to each a particular Reason of their several Names Clio they say is so call'd because she advances Mens Names to the Skies in assisting the Poets to resound their Praise Euterpe because she delights her Auditors with wholesom and commendable Instructions Thalia from the constant Glory and Honour that attends upon Learning Melpomene is so call'd from Melody by which means she insinuates her self with Delight into the Minds of Men. Terpsichore because she delights her Scholars with those Pleasures that result from Learning Erato because she procures Love and Respect to Learned Men from all Polymnia from the many Hymns whereby she advances the Renown of her Poets and crowns their Names with immortal Praise and Glory Urania because those that are taught and improv'd by her are even lifted up to Heaven Lastly Calliope from the Sweetness of her Voice that is her elegant P. 151. Language and exact Composures of her Verse whereby she gains the general Applause of her Learned Auditors Having treated sufficiently of these Matters we shall now bend our Discourse to the things done by Hercules Hercules I am not ignorant that those that write of the Actions of the Ancients especially of the Acts of Hercules meet with many Difficulties for of all the great Actions that ever were done in the World those of Hercules far exceed all that ever have been recorded A most difficult Task therefore it is to give such an Account of what this Hero did as may be agreeable to the Worth and Dignity of his Actions or to frame such a Discourse as may equalize the Greatness of them for which he attain'd to a State of Immortality For in as much as things that are ancient and unusual are judg'd incredible by most it s absolutely necessary though with the Diminution of this God's Glory to omit some of his Acts lest by relating all the whole History be rejected as fabulous For some unreasonably expect as clear Evidence for things that are ancient as for those done in our own Age and judge of the Greatness of Actions which makes them seem incredible according to the Rule of things done in the present time and judge of the Strength of Hercules according to the weak Measure of Mens Strength now And so by reason of the Greatness and Strangeness of things related History suffers in its Credit and Reputation But in * In Mythologies old Stories the Truth ought not to be search'd into too critically and punctually For in the Plays and Theaters tho' we do not believe for certain that there ever were such Creatures as Centaurs or Creatures of a double Nature of several Species's nor such a one as Geryon that had three Bodies yet we favourably receive and entertain those Fables and with a general Applause advance the Honour of the * That is Hercules who carry'd away Geryon's Oxen. God How unjust is it then that Men should forget the Labours of Hercules while he was here upon Earth Whereby he did Good to all the World and instead of rendring him his due Praises to calumniate him whom our Ancestors with unanimous Consent for his eminent Virtue honour'd with divine Honours And what can be more impious than not to preserve and defend that Religious Respect to this God which they by their Example have recommended to us But letting these things pass we shall relate the things done by him from the beginning according as the Poets and the most ancient Mythologists have handed them down to us Perseus they say was the Son of Jupiter by Danae the Daughter of Acrisius and that Perseus begat Electryo of Andromeda the Daughter of Cepheus and that Electryo begat Alcmenes of Eurydice the Daughter of Pelops and that Jupiter deceiving Alcmenes lay with her and begat Hercules So that by this Genealogy Hercules descended from the chiefest of the Gods both immediately by his Mother and more remotely by his Great-Grand-Father Perseus His Virtue and Valour were not only evident from his Acts but might be concluded and foreseen by what happen'd before he was born For when Jupiter lay with Alcmenes he lengthen'd the Night threefold so that spending so much time in procreating this Child was a Sign how extraordinary strong he was like to be They say that Jupiter lay not with her out of any
amorous Pang of Love as with other Women but meerly for Procreation sake And therefore willing that his Embraces at this time should be lawful he forbore all Violence and knowing that the Woman's Chastity was such that no Arguments would prevail with her he deceiv'd her by taking upon him the Shape of Amphitryo And now the Time of her Delivery drew nigh when Jupiter full of thoughts concerning the Birth of Hercules in the presence of all the Gods declar'd that he would make him King of the Persians who was to be born that P. 152. that day Whereupon Juno inrag'd with Jealousie with the assistance of * Ilithyia a Goddess assistant to them in Travel Ilithyia her Daughter gave a Check to the delivery of Alcmenes and brought forth Eurystheus before his full time But though Jupiter was thus outwitted by Juno yet that he might perform his Promise he took care to preserve the Honour and Reputation of Hercules And therefore it s reported that he prevail'd with Juno to consent that Eurystheus being made King according to his Promise Hercules who should be subject to him performing Twelve Labours such as Euristheus should impose upon him should be taken into the Society of the Immortal Gods Alcmenes being deliver'd out of fear of Juno's Jealousie expos'd the Child in a place which is now from him call'd Hercules's his Field About which time Minerva together with Juno walking Abroad found the Infant and much admiring his Beauty Minerva persuaded Juno to give it suck The Child drawing the Breast with more violence than at his Age was usual Juno not able to indure the pain cast away the Infant whom Minerva took up and brought Home to his Mother to be nurs'd by her The Accident here seems very strange and remarkable For the Mother who ow'd a natural Affection to her own Child expos'd him to Destruction but she who hated him as a Stepmother unknowingly preserv'd her natural Enemy Afterwards Juno sent two * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Dragons Serpents to devour the Child But he took them with both his Hands by their Throats and strangl'd them Upon which account the Argives coming to understand what was done call'd him Hercules * Hercules signifies the Glory of Juno who is call'd in Greek Hera because Juno was the Occasion of his Glory and Fame for he was before call'd Alcaeus Others are nam'd by their Parents but he gain'd his Name by his Valour In After-times it happen'd that Amphitrio being banish'd from Tyrinthe settl'd himself in Thebes here Hercules was educated here he was instructed and greatly improv'd in all laudable Exercises in so much as he excell'd all others in Strength of Body and also in the excellent Endowments of his Mind Being now grown up to Man's Estate he first freed Thebes from tyrannical Slavery and thereby made a grateful Return to the Country where he was bred The Thebans at that time were under the Tyranny of Erginus King of the * A People of Thessaly Menyans who every year exacted Tribute from them not without Scorn and Contempt Hercules therefore not at all discourag'd with the Greatness of the Bondage they labour'd under attempted a glorious Piece of Service For when those who were sent from the Menyae to collect the Tribute carry'd it * insolently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards the People he cut off their Ears and cast them out of the City whereupon Erginus demanded the Delivery up of the Malefactor and Creon the Prince of Thebes dreading the Potency of Erginus resolv'd to deliver him up But Hercules stirr'd up the young Men of the City to arm themselves in order to recover the Liberty of their Country and to that end took away all the Arms that were in the Temples formerly dedicated to the Gods by their Ancestors of the Spoyls of their Enemies For none of the Citizens had any Arms of their own by Reason the Menyans had disarm'd the City so that the Thebans had not the least Thought of a Revolt Intelligence being brought that Erginus with an Army approach'd the City Hercules set upon him in a strait Passage where a Multitude was of little Use and kill'd Erginus and cut off almost his whole Army He fell likewise suddainly upon the City of the Orchomenians entring unexpectedly and burnt the Palace of the Menyae and raz'd the City to the Ground The Fame of this notable Exploit was presently nois'd over all Greece while such a suddain and unexpected Atchievement was the Subject of every Man's Admiration and Creon the King wonderfully taken with the Valour of the young Man gave him his Daughter Megaera to Wife and committed to him the Care and Charge of the City as if he had been his own Son But Euristheus King of Argos jealous of Hercules his growing Greatness sent P. 15◠for him to perform the Labours he was to impose upon him which he refusing Jupiter commanded him to obey King Euristheus whereupon Hercules went to Delphos and inquir'd of the Oracle concerning this Matter who answer'd him That it was the Pleasure of the Gods that he should perform twelve Labours at the Command of Euristheus and that when he had finish'd them he should receive the Reward of Immortality Hereupon Hercules became exceeding sad and melancholy for he judg'd it very much below him to be at the Beck of his inferior and to disobey his Father Jupiter a second time he concluded was both unprofitable and impossible While he was in this Perplexity Juno struck him with Madness being therefore through the Discomposure of his Mind become distracted and by the Growth of his Distemper altogether a mad Man he design'd to murder Iolaus who saving himself by Flight he fell upon his own Children by Megara who were next in his Way and struck them through with his Darts as if they had been his Enemies As soon as he came again to himself and understood his Error he almost sunk under the Weight of his Misery being pity'd by every Body and shut up himself in his own House a long time from the Converse and Society of Men. At length Time moderating his Grief resolving to undergo all the Difficulties that were enjoyn'd him he went to Euristheus who in the first place commanded Hercules his 12 Labours 1. The Nemean Lyon him to kill the Lyon in the Forest of * This Forest was in Achaia Nemea which was of a monstrous Bigness not to be pierc'd or wounded by Sword Spear or Stones and therefore not to be dealt with but by meer Force and Strength of Hand His Walks were commonly between Mycenas and Nemea near the Mountain from what happen'd to it call'd †Tretos bor'd through Tretos For at the Foot of this Hill there was a Den in which this Monster us'd to lurk Hercules here meeting with him lay'd hold on him whereupon the Beast beginning to fly to his Den he resolutely pursu'd him having before stop'd
was Favour shew'd not out of any Compassion to the Miserable but out of a fear they had lest the Women being desperate without any hopes of Mercy should burn the Temples and by that means they should lose the Riches and Treasures that were laid up in those Places For these Barbarians so far exceed all other Men in Impiety that whereas others lest they should offend the Deity always spare them who fly to their Temples the Carthaginians on the contrary moderate their Cruelty towards their Enemies for that very end and purpose that they may have a better opportunity sacrilegiously to rob the Temples The razing and ruining of the City continu'd till late in the Night all the Houses were burnt or pull'd down every Place was full of Blood and dead Bodies Sixteen Thousand being there put to the Sword and more than Five Ant. Chr. 406. Thousand carry'd away Captives The Grecians who sided with the Carthaginians seeing the inconstancy of the things of this Life greatly commiserated the condition of these miserable People for the Matrons in want of Food and Sustenance amongst the Flouts and Jeers of an insulting Enemy pass'd all that Night in sorrow and sadness Some of them were forc'd to be Eye-Witnesses of the sufferings of their Daughters in such a kind as is shameful to relate for the cruel Lust of the Barbarians sparing neither Girls nor Virgins grown up afflicted these poor People with unspeakable Misery The Mothers P. 362. while they considered the Slavery they were to undergo in Lybia and how they and their Children were subjected in great Contempt and Disgrace to the brutish Lusts of domineering Masters whose Language they understood not and whose Actions were altogether Beastly were in Grief and Sorrow even to see their Children alive for every Injury and Disgrace offer'd to them affected them as if a Dagger had pierc'd their own Hearts when they were not able to yield them any other Relief but Groans and Lamentations in so much as they accounted their Parents and Kindred that had lost their Lives in the defence of their Country to be happy whose Eyes saw not those Brutish and Beastly acts of Barbarous Cruelty There were notwithstanding Two Thousand Six Hundred that escap'd and fled to Agrigentum where they were received with all manner of Humanity and Tenderness for the Agrigentines distributed to every Family Corn out of the Publick Stores and desir'd every private Person who yet were very ready on their own accord liberally to Ant. Chr. 406. supply them with all necessaries for their Sustenance While these things were doing Three Thousand of the best Souldiers sent from Syracuse to assist the Selinuntines came to Agrigentum But when they heard that the City was taken they sent Embassadors to Hannibal to demand the Redemption of the Prisoners and that he would forbear robbing of the Temples of the Gods They return'd with this Answer from Hannibal that in regard the Selinuntines were not able to preserve their own Liberty they were now justly brought into the condition of Slaves That the Gods were angry at the Inhabitants and therefore had forsaken Selinunte But when they sent Empediones Embassador a Second time Hannibal restor'd to him all his Estate because he always favour'd the Carthaginians and sometime before the City was taken had advised the Citizens not to withstand He pardon'd likewise all those Prisoners that were of his Kindred and permitted those that fled to Agrigentum to repeople the City and till the Lands upon paying Tribute to the Carthaginians Thus was this City taken Two Hundred and Fifty Two Years after the Building of it After Hannibal had demolish'd it he march'd away with all his Army toward Himera with a longing desire to ruin this City For this Town occasion'd the Banishment of his Father and here it was that his Grandfather Amilcar Himera Besieg'd was routed by Gelon who kill'd an Hundred and Fifty Thousand of the Carthaginians and took almost as many Prisoners In revenge whereof Hannibal speeds away with Forty Thousand Men and incamps upon an Hill at some distance from the City and with the rest of his Army to whom join'd the Sicilians and Sicanians to the number of Twenty Thousand Men he Besieges Ant. Chr. 406. the Place and Batters the Walls with his Engines in several Places at once and with fresh Succours even wearies out the Besieg'd to the effecting of which the forwardness of his Men through the late Successes was of no small advantage Whilst he was undermining the Walls he supported them with great Pieces of Timber and then setting them on Fire a great part of the Walls on a sudden tumbled down upon which there was a sharp Conflict These striving to enter by force the other in dread of undergoing the same fate and destruction with them of Selinunte so that the Besieged endeavouring with all their might to defend their Parents Children and Country beat the Barbarians off and with all speed repair'd the Wall For there had before come to their assistance Four Thousand Syracusians and some other Confederates from Agrigentum under the Command of Diocles the Syracusian Then Night coming on it gave a check to the Fury of the Besiegers and so there was an intermission of the Assault But as soon as it was Day the Besieged resolving not to be pen'd up as the P. 363. Selinuntines were through Sloathfulness plac'd the Guards upon the Walls and with the rest of their own and the Forces of their Confederates to the number of Ten Thousand made a Sally and broke in on a suddain upon the Enemy Whereupon the Barbarians were struck with Terror and Amazement conceiving that all the Confederates of the Besieg'd were come to their Relief Ant. Chr. 406. The Salliants therefore being far more daring and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilful in their Weapons and especially the last hope of their safety lying in the good Success of the present Engagement they cut off all those that first opposed them And though the whole force of the Barbarians in †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great disorder and confusion fell upon them for they never suspected that the Besiegd durst ever have attempted any such thing yet they were under no small disadvantages for Fourscore Thousand Men running in Confusion together beat down one another and more incommodated themselves than their Enemies The Himereans in the mean time being in sight of their Parents Children and all their Friends and Relations upon the Walls exposed themselves without fear to all dangers for the common safety The Barbarians therefore astonish'd with the Valour of The Carthaginians routed by a Sally from Himerd the Enemy and unexpectedness of the Onset turn'd their Backs and fled in great precipitation to their Fellows incampt upon the Hill whom the Himereans pursu'd calling one to another not to give any Quarter In this Encounter there were kill'd of the Carthaginians above Six