made provision for them for these thirteen years The Solymitans or Shepherds with the unclean multitude made now great havock of all things in Aegypt burning Villages and Cities and raging against the sacred Animals with their Priests whom they compelled to be their Butchers and drave away naked the forementioned Priest still giving Laws and framing their Policy who being from Osiris the Heliopolitan-god called Osarsiphus now changed his name into Moses But at the end of the thirteen years Amenophis returned with great power out of Aethiopia and with the assistance of his Son Rampses fell upon the Shepherds and unclean multitude whereof killing many they pursued the rest as far as the borders of Syria 13. These ridiculous lyes are much more augmented by others Chaeremon Chaeremon his ridiculous Lyes who professed to write the History of Aegypt giveth the same name Amenophis to the King and of Rhamesses to his Son but addeth that the Goddesse Isis appeared to the former complaining that her Temple was destroyed by War That Phritiphantes a sacred Scribe told the King that if he would be freed from terrors in the night he must purge Aegypt from polluted Men he therefore gathering out 250000 diseased persons cast them out of his borders That the two Scribes Moses and Joseph the Aegyptian name of the former being Tisithes and of the later Petesephis became their Leaders and coming to Pelusium found there 380000 which Amenophis having left behind would not convey into Aegypt with those they struck up a league and undertook an Expedition against the Land Amenophis not expecting the issue of their attempt fled into Aethiopia leaving his wife big with child which lying hid in a Cave brought forth a Son called Messenes He when he came to age expelled the Jews to the number of 200000 into Syria and received back his Father Amenophis out of Aethiopia Lisimachus his malicious forgeries 14. Lysimachus an Historian going beyond the other two in the maliciousnesse of his lyes wrote that when Bocchoris reigned in Aegypt the people of the Jews infected with Leprosie Scab and other diseases resorted to the Temple to beg for their living and many being infected with this disease barrennesse fell upon the Land Bocchoris sending to the Oracle of Ammon about it received this answer that the Temples were to be cleansed from impure and prophane persons who were to be cast out into the Desart but the scabbie and Leprous should be drowned the Sun not enduring they should live which being done and the Temples purified fruitfulnesse would be restored to the Earth Bocchoris accordingly ordered the Priests to gather all the prophane out of the Temples and give them up to Soldiers who were to carry them into the Wildernesse and the Leprous and Scabbie to be wrapped in Lead and cast into the Sea which being drowned accordingly the other were exposed to perish in the Desart But those consulting for their own safety kept fires that night and strict watch then the day following a solemn Fast to God for their preservation On the next counsell was given them by a certain Man named Moses that they should march on in one body till they arrived at some good Soil Then commanded he them to be kind to no man to give bad counsell rather than good and overthrow the Temples of the gods as many as they should find which being approved of they travelled through the Desart and after much trouble came to a fruitfull Soil where using the Inhabitants very injuriously and rifling and burning the Temples they arrived at length in that Country since called Iudaea and building a City seated themselves there This City was at first called Hierosyla from the spoiling of the Temples but afterwards to shun the disgrace of the occasion they changed it into Hierosolyme and took the name of Hierosolymitans Apion his Lyes 15. Further than this Apion a Grammarian of Alexandria Josephus Lib. 2. contr Apionem as he counterfeited himself but born in Oasis a Town of Aegypt amongst severall other lyes against the Jews wrote that he had received from the eldest of the Aegyptians how Moses was a Heliopolitan and being brought up according to the customs of his Country changed the rites thereof at his own pleasure That he led the Leprous Blind and Lame out of Aegypt but fairly saith it was in the first year of the seventh Olympiad the same wherein Carthage was built by the Tyrians which happened about 150 years after Hiram the King of Tyre as apppeareth out of the Phoenician Annals with whom Solomon was contemporary He mentioned the same number of infirm persons as Lysimachus but addeth a reason why the Sabbath was so called Travelling six dayes together saith he on the seventh day they rested in Judaea for that they were sorely plagued with Ulcers in their privy parts and named it Sabboth from the Aegyptian word Sabbatosis which signifieth that disease Notwithstanding that he saith they finished their journey in six dayes yet he further writeth that Moses hid himself for forty dayes upon the Mount Sinai which lyeth betwixt Aegypt and Arabia whence coming down he gave Laws unto the Jews As for the Jewish Religion he was not ashamed to write that in their Temple was set the head of an Asse made of gold and of great value which being there worshipped was taken thence when Antiochus Epiphanes spoiled the place 16. Such absurdities were delivered by the Egyptians and those who out of desire to gratifie them have after their example endeavoured to conceal the truth to which Josephus in his two Books against Apion hath abundantly answered Severall reasons have moved them to corrupt their Originall Records Reason for these Lyes raised by the Aegyptians and others against the Jews The Israelites growing great in that Country out of it they returned to the promised Land by the stretched out arm of God to the great reproach of their cruel and imperious Lords The difference of religion raised also betwixt the two Nations as betwixt the Jews and the whole world mortall enmity whilst the one worshipped the onely true God and the base and degenerate spirit of the other fell down to things far inferior to themselves which difference some though but few persons discerning were ambitious to become Proselytes to the Jewish Doctrine Hence again arose such Envy that some descended to that indiscretion and weaknesse as to contradict their own most antient and authentick Writers The in-bred blindnesse of Men's minds increased by Paganish Education hath so far prevailed that the (b) As Diodorus Siculus in Eclog. lib. 34. 40. Tacitus Hist lib. 5. ad initium Justin. lib. 36. greatest part of Heathen Writers have in this contention sided with the Egyptians otherwise contemptible enough in their eyes and subscribed to what they have said concerning the Originall of the Jewish Nation though some (c) Strabo lib. 16. p. 761. Dion Cassius lib. 37. have not given credit to
some time till weary of this bondage he conspired with So King of Aegypt and refused to pay his tribute Hereupon Salmanasser subdued first the Moabites lest he should have an Enemy at his back then invaded Israel and besieged Samaria A. M. 3280. Ezechiae 6. in the fourth year of Hezekiah King of Judah The Israelites carried away Captive and the seventh of Hoshea At the end of three years in the sixth of Hezekiah and the ninth of Hosea he took the City and carried the Israelites Captive into Assyria where he placed them in Chalach Chabor by the River of Gosan and in the Cities of Media because they had not obeyed the voice of the Lord but transgressed the Covenant In their Seat he placed certain Persians that inhabited by the River Chuthus and afterwards in distinction from the Jews were called Samaritans The Samaritans placed in their room This hapned to Israel for their abhominable Idolatry 255 years after the rent of the Kingdom so that this Schism lasted five Jubilies and ten years in the 832 after the entrance into Canaan according to Ludovicus Cappellus and therefore in the end of the seventeenth Jubilie from that in the year of the World 3380. or 3381. and so in the end of the 69 Jubily from the Creation SECT 3. 134 before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Captivity of Iudah CHAP. IV. The most ancient Kingdom of Egypt Contemporary with the Babylonian Empire C ham the first inhabitant of Egypt after the Flood 1. THis Countrey falling at the Division of the Earth to Cham and his Posterity seemeth also to have been inhabited by himself For thence (a) Psal 105.23 27. David knew it by the name of the Land of Ham (b) In Iside Plutarch found it was called Chemia Stephanus Hermochymius the Inhabitants themselves calling it (c) Isiodorus Hieronymus in Genesim vide cap. 1. Parag. 22. Kam who distinguished their Nomi by this Allusion into Chemmis Psochemmis Psittachemmis the Oracle of Jupiter Hammon in Africk and the names of Ammonis and Ammonia given to that Countrey challenge no other Original It is not probable that these names should be onely given to it upon this account that part of his Posterity here fixed themselves for then the like might have been expected concerning many other places Misraim his son Misraim his second son succeeded him or he to whom Moses giveth this name Lege Bocharti Phaleg l. 4. c. 24. as father of the Inhabitants of the Land of Misraiim it scarce being the name of a man because not of the singular number The Scripture calleth Egypt (d) 2 Kings 19.24 Esaias 19.6 Mich. 7.12 often by the name of Masor which seemeth the singular of Misraiim contracted from Mesoraiim signifieth a fortified place no Countrey in the World being more fenced by its natural situation The Arabians at this day know the Metropolis Alcairo by the name of Mesre and the Egyptians anciently called their first moneth Mesori The dual word Misraiim seemeth to hint at the distinction of Egypt into (e) Orosius l. 1. c. 2. Upper and Lower whereof the former watered by the River Nile running in one Channel was divided into Thebais and Heptanomus Thebais being called the Land of Pathros and distinguished from Egypt by Isaiah and Jeremiah and the lower part was by the Greeks called Delta from the Triangular Figure thereof the River being herein divided into many branches The same with Osiris 2. This Misraim is thought to be the same with Osiris so much spoken of by the Egyptians and accounted the son of Saturn the eldest of the gods and also the son of Jupiter Hammon For Osiris being by the Greeks named Dionysus Diodorus Siculus lib. 1. pag. 1. one telleth us that he had this appellation both from his Father and Countrey the former part of the word noting the one and the later the other viz. Nysa a Citie of Arabia Foelix built by Cham in which he seemeth to have been born From the reign of Osiris to the coming down of Alexander the Great into Egypt the Priests reckoned some above 10000 years others little lesse then 23000. But several forms of years being used in several Nations we are to suppose theirs to have been measured rather by the course of the Moon through the Zodiack than that of the Sun Jacobus Cappellus therefore thinketh 1889 years to have passed from the reign of this Osiris to Alexander his going down into Egypt the beginning whereof he fixeth at the 1778th year of the World 100 and odd years after the Flood about the same time that Nimrod his Nephew began his principality at Babylon Osiris and Isis their renowned acts This Osiris is feigned by the Egyptians to have married his sister Isis and they make them the true Bacchus and Ceres Much they are both reported to have done for the benefit of mankind by bringing it to civility to him they ascribe the finding out of Agriculture and to her the invention of Corn and Laws He built Thebes the ancient seat of the Kings with 100 Gates travelled into the greatest part of the World to teach men civility with the use of Corn and Wine taking Pan along with him who being had in great reverence amongst the Egyptians dedicated a Citie to him by the name of Chemmis In his time lived Hermes or Mercurius SECT 4. and Hercules who being otherwise called Gygâ—n or Gygnâ—n is said to have helped the gods against the Gyants Osiris when he returned was killed by his wicked brother Typhon Osiris killed by Typhon 3. Typhon seizing upon the Kingdom was by Isis Diodorus through the help of her son Orus dispossessed again of it and his life after which gathering together the 26 parts of her husbands body into which he had mâ—ngled it she instituted to him divine honours Typhon punished by Isis and her son Orus ordering that the several Tribes of the Priests should dedicate some one of their living Creatures to him and for him worship it as long as it lived then at its death seeking out another of the same kind to do as much to it Several things were consecrated in several places yet by a general consent the Sacred Bull called Apis The Sacred Bull Apis. or Mnevis was most valued and chiefly adored because of the special help that kind of Creature affordeth to Tillage This Bull was black all over having onely a square white spot in his forehead saith Herodotus on his right side saith Pliny like to a Crescent being also sacred to the Moon as Marcellâ—nus will have it On the back he had the image of an Eagle a knot on the tongue like to a Crab and on his Tail double hairs This kind of beast did the Egyptians worship as the greatest God with astonishing veneration as Macrobius termeth it till it had lived several years but not being suffered to passe a certain
and so they came to Brundusium where they were kept out by a Garrison placed there by Caesar The Triumvirs fall out 19. This made such a breach betwixt them that Antony blocked up the Town and procured Pompey from Sicily to invade Italy Appian Caesar came to Brundusium where the old Soldiers being unwilling to fight against Antony the Army laboured to reconcile the Triumvirs which Cocceius friend to both at length effected with much labour Pollio on Antonie's side and Maecenas on Caesar's as Delegates making up the breach All offences were mutually to be forgiven and for that Marcellus husband to Octavia Caesar's sister was now dead and also Fulvia Antonie's wife for grief that he neglected her Antony married Octavia Then was the Roman Empire divided betwixt them Are reconciled and a new agreement is made the bounds of their Dominins being Codropolis a Town of Illyricum all from it Westward being to obey Caesar and all Eastward Antony Africk was left to Lepidus who now was even no body and having offended Caesar had been confined by him to that Province The War against the Parthians was judged to Antony and that against Pompey who must needs now be suppressed unto Caesar Antony sent Ventidius into Asia to restrain the Parthians who now had made an incursion as far as Ionia But out of Sardinia did Menodorus Pompey's Admiral the second time eject Helenus Caesar's Captain whereupon Caesar refused to hearken to Antony when he moved him to be reconciled unto Pompey Both the Triumvirs or rather now the Duumvirs being come to the Citie were received with most lamentable complaints of poor people ready to starve for want of Provisions which Pompey hindred from coming from the East by Sicily from the West by Sardidinia and Corsica which he had in his power and from Africk by his Navy also which then was most powerful at Sea Caesar could not be drawn to make Peace with him A great famine caused by Sextus Pompey notwithstanding the loud cries and prayers of the multitude which obstinacy drew him and Antony rescuing him into such danger as both of them were near stoning At length being forced to it and Pompey being perswaded they met but Pompey expecting to be admitted into the power and place of Lepidus the Treaty came to nothing Yet the pressure of the famine brought them together again and amongst other things it was concluded that Pompey retaining all the Islands he had already and Peloponnesus over and above as long as they should hold their power and having liberty to be Consul and to discharge the Office by any of his friends he was to leave the Sea open Procureth an agreement with him and pay to the People what corn was due out of Sicily The proscribed persons except such as were guilty of Caesar 's death had now all liberty to return The day following Consuls were designed for four years Frst Antonius and Libo than Caesar and Pompey next Aenobarbus and Sosius and lastly Caesar and Antony who then it might be hoped might restore the Government to the People Then did Antony and Caesar return and were most joyfully received Joseph Antiq. lib. 14. c. 26. And this year being the 714 of the City did they procure Herod the Great to be declared King of Judaea in the first year of the 184 Olympiad Cn. Domitius Calvinus the second time and C. Asinius Pollio being Consuls 20. Antony departed towards the East again for the Parthian Warre Dio lib. 49. Appian in Parthicis which hitherto Ventidius his Lieutenant had managed with good successe having got several victories wherein Labienus who brought them into Syria and Pharnapates or Phraates or Barzapharnes being called by several names the greatest of their Captains Ventidius prospereth against the Parthians with Pacorus son to Orodes the King Florus l. 4. c. 9. were slain After this he repelled them in Media and Mesopotamia and besieged Antiochus Comagenus in Samosata whom he suffered upon promise of 1000 talents to send Ambassadors unto Antony who now drew near and for that the siege was likely long to continue by reason of the desperat resolution of the defendants granted him Peace for 300 talents accepted but of two Hostages and those inconsiderable ones and he gave him leave to put to death Alexander who had formerly revolted to the Romans This by (a) Dio ut prius some he was thought to do for fear of the Army which was angry at his ill usage of Ventidius though others say Plutarch in Antonio he honoured him according to his deserts who though a man of an obscure extract now first of all others triumphed over the Parthians Antony having setled the affairs of Syria departed to Athens where he spent the winter with Octavia But the (c) Appian de bello Civil l. 4. peace with Pompey continued but a short time The cause of the breach whatever secretly was aimed at was pretended to be for that Antony being to quit Peloponnesus would do it but upon this condition that Pompey should give him satisfaction for such moneys as was due to him from the Inhabitants But Pompey liked not of any such condition and therefore rigged a new Fleet and provided himself of forces perhaps giving credit to Metrodorus who would tell him that the present state of affairs was no true Peace but rather a cessation of arms He then renewed his Piracy which renewed the former grievances and made the People cry out that the matter was onely altered from three Tyrants to four But Metrodorus revolted to Caesar bringing in with him Corsica Sardinia and three Legions and then Antony was called to Brundusium to consult about the War Thither he came at the day appointed but Caesar keeping not his word he staied not for him either not liking the breach of the Peace The Peace with Pompey broken or for that he envied Caesar all that power he saw him have for still they suspected and grudged each other A. M. 3967. V. C. 716. Herodis 2. But Caesar being provided set out to Sea as to invade Sicily and was beaten back by Pompey though he took him at unawares who heard nothing of the revolt of Metrodorus till also of Caesars coming Afterward his ships lying at Anchor were extreamly battered and most of the men were cast away 21. Caesar fortified the Coasts of Italy for fear lest Pompey should make an invasion which he not knowing how to improve a Victory Idem was never wont to attempt Then wanting all manner of provisions for the Warre he sent Maecenas to Antony who refusing not to joyn with him this cheared him together with a Victory got by Agrippa in Aquitaine many Cities and private persons also promising aid Antony came to Tarentum with 300 ships but whether there was something else betwixt them or for that he was now furnished he slighted his help Caesar excused himself that he met him
intervening matters impertinent to his present purpose read the History of any Empire or Kingdom Contemporary to it by it self so he may likewise observe that the principal passages in all of them are linck'd together by Synchronisms not onely placed in the Margent but in the beginning or end of every notable Occurrence Thus I have briefly and with much sincerity couch'd together some of those Excellencies which amongst many others I have observed in this Institution of History of which if I may presume to give my private opinion though I am conscious to my self how little it ought to signifie to the World I think the work taken all together is for the order of it handsomly and judiciously contrived for its style perspicuous and for the learning in the several parts of History Antiquity and Chronology uncommon Those who desire a greater politenesse in the style may consider that the florid way of writing which hath undeservedly acquired so great a name to some of our own Age and Nation is nothing proper to an Historian and that our Author busied himself in matters more serious and of greater use he chose rather the plain but comely strength of the Dorique Pillar than the Effeminate though curious shape of the Corinthian For my own part I confesse that plainnesse and unaffected simplicity is pleasing to me and I think no Intelligent Person that goes upon businesse will leap Hedges out of the open and direct Road to Travel over Flowry Fields or painted Meadows AN INSTITUTION OF Generall History The First Part. BOOK I. CHAP. I. From the beginning of the world to the beginning of the first Empire 1. IN (a) Gen. 1.1 the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth By (b) Heb. 1.3 Faith we understand that they were framed by his Word so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Man created 2. Mans habitation being made and conveniently furnished the sixth day Gen. 1. c. then and not till then was he made of the dust of the Earth and God breathing into his nosthrils the breath of life he became a living Soul Being placed in the Garden of Eden and a meet help wanting to him Eve was framed of one of his ribs Of all the Trees of the Garden except that of the knowledge of Good and Evil they might safely eate and at such time as they should eat it they were surely to dye But the Serpent beguiled the woman Falleth who did eat thereof and giving to her Husband he also did eat Hereby they rendred themselves guilty of temporall and eternall death they were condemned to labour and sorrow and those not confined to their own persons but extended to their whole posterity involved with them in the same guilt the demonstrating whereof might seem the Scope of this present Work nothing having succeeded but vanity and vexation of spirit nothing but labour and travail under the Sun Expelled Paradise 3. Adam being expelled Paradise to till the ground begat of Eve his wife Cain and Abel though in what years is not expressed Abel was a Keeper of Sheep and Cain a Tiller of the Ground By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous and contracted such envy that his Brother slew him in the field Cain killeth Abel The voice of his blood cryed to God from the ground and drew down this punishment upon Cain besides that of the ground formerly laid upon his Father to be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth Then departed he from the presence of the Lord and went into the Land of Nod where he built a City and called it Enoch after the name of his Son His Family was propagated to Lamech the fifth in descent from himselfe by whom the Jews * Vide Mererum in Gen. 1. Pererium have thought him to have been slain by reason of Lamech's words to his two wives that he had slain a man to his wounding and a young man to his hurt if Cain should be avenged seven fold then Lamech Seventy and seven fold Seth's birth After the death of Abel Adam begat Seth in the hundred and thirtieth year of his Age as Moses (c) Gen. 3. maketh expresse mention neglecting the account of time in the Family of Cain because his wicked race perished in the Flood the Church of God being to be continued in the posterity of Seth of whom also as to the flesh his Son himselfe was to proceed And posterity 4. In the race of (d) Gen. 1. Seth is laid down the account of years from the Creation to the Deluge For Seth being born when Adam was 130 years old begat * Here the word begat is to be understood in the same sense as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin gignere which are applied to Mother as well as to Father and betoken birth rather than conception The Latin word genitus and natus signifie the same thing Tune ille Aeneas quem Dardanio Anchisae Alma Venus Phrygiae genuit Simoentis ad undas Vide Gen. 40.20 Mat. 11.1 Luc. 1.47 1 Pet. 2.2 Vide Plin. lib. 7. cap. 8. Enos at the age of 105 Enos being 90 begat Caixan and Cainan when he was 70 begat Mehalelec From the birth of Mehalelec to that of his son Jared passed 65 from Jared's to Henoch's 162. and thence to that of Methusalah 65. Methusalah when he begat Lamech was aged 187 years Lamech when he begat Noah was 182 and Noah at the time of the Flood had lived 600 years all which amount to the summe of 1656 each year of the Father's age being supposed compleat at the birth of his Son All these by divine providence for the propagation of Mankind obtained a very long time upon the Earth Though Enoch had the shortest yet he never died being taken up by God after he had walked with him 365 years Methusalah his son of all others arrived at the greatest age being 969 when he died Yet in a certain sense Adam lived longer than he for being created in his perfect strength and fit for generation he had the advantage of 60 years before which age we read none of them to have had any children Nature then requiring a longer time for maturity If 60 now be added to 930 years which he lived the number exceeds that of Methusala's age by 21. Seeing the World required it it cannot but be presumed that each of these begat other children and some of them before these here mentioned But such being but collaterall to that line Gen 5. A. M. 1656. which was to be brought down to Noah who was to continue the generation of Mankind and to re-people the Earth Moses upon that account had no occasion to make mention of them Man's wickednesse causeth a Deluge 5. In the 480
the Mountain Paropamisas at a vast distance from the Ocean Their seat Great Bochartus therefore placeth them in the Mediterranean parts of Arabia the happy the inhabitants whereof if they may be heard challenge Joctan for the founder of both the Arabian Nation and Language calling him otherwise Cahtan Almodad 1. From Almodad then descended the Almodaeans by the Greeks called Allumaeotae whom Ptolomie placeth in the middle of Arabia near the head of the River Lar which emptieth it selfe into the Persian Sea Sheleph 2. From Saleph the Salapeni who lived more remote upon the borders of Arabia Desert not far from the spring of the River Betius Hatsarmaueth 3. From Hatsarmaueth which word is variously written and by the Arabians called Hadramauth or Chadramauth were named the regions Adramyta Chatramis Chatramitis and the Inhabitants Athramotitae Chatramotitae Chatramotae Aâ—ramitâ—ae and Adramitae whose Metropolis was antiently called Sabota Sabbatae Saubata at this day Sebam From Jerach came the Alilaei Jerach 4. a people inhabiting near the Red Sea Jerachaei in Hebrew and Alilaei in Arabick being the Sons of Jarlach Hilal or the Moon Hadoram 5. Uzal 6. 16. From Hadoram issued the Drimanti placed by Pâ—iny upon the Persian gulfe near the Macae From Uzal the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Alieman in the eastern part of Arabia seem to be descended Sanaa the Metropolis being by the Jews still called Uzal Dicklah 7. Dicla in the Chaldaean and Syrian tongues signifying a Palm from him must that part of Arabia have been called wherein that Tree most grows inhabited by the Minaei Obal 8. Obal in the Arabian tongue Aubal and Abal seemeth to have passed over the gulf into Arabia Troglodytica and to have given name to the mart-Town and Bay of Abalites or Analites Abimael 9. Abimael was the Father of the Malitae whom Theophrastus maketh to have inhabited one of the four Regions fruitfull in spices Shebah 10. Of Seba came the Sabaeans properly so called named also Sabatae who dwelt by the Red Sea betwixt the Minaeans and Catâ—banes which Nations also together with the Chatramotae are by Writers often included amongst the Sabaeans Besides this Seba there were three others of that name and founders of Nations As (o) Gen. 10.7 one the Son of Chus another his Nephew by Ragmah and the (p) Gen. 25.3 third the Son of Jockshan and Nephew of Abraham Seba the Son of Joctan joyned to the Arabian Sea the rest to the Persian so that the Sabaeans of whom the Greeks and Romans know no distinction are said by Pliny to live from Sea to Sea The Son of Joksan lived on robberie but the rest by Commerce with other Nations Ophir in Arabick Ophir 11. Auphar signifying most rich gave name to that part of Arabia near the Sabaeans which was inhabited by the Cessanitae Casandres or Gasandrae so called from the Treasures gold for it's plenty being here in little request Another Ophir there was also in India in the Island Taprobane as most probable the Phoenicians being accustomed to give old names to new-found places Hauilah 11. From Chauila the Son of Joctan for there was another of this name Son to Chus descended the Chaulonitae called otherwise Carbi and Cerbani the most warlike of the Arabians whose seat is yet called Chaulan Jobab 13. Of Jobab the last of the thirteen came the Jobabitae placed by Ptolomy next to the Sachalites This was the habitation of the Sons of Irelan from Mesha called otherwise Musa and Muza a famous port upon the Red Sea as one goeth to Saphar a mountain Eastward where was a City of the same name both Port and City being well known to the Aegyptians and Aethiopians who used to trade into these parts This was the inheritance of the Sons of Sem the choisest of all though contained onely within Asia Japthet's portion 17. To Japhet fell a very considerable part of Asia and all Europe the least of the divisions of the Earth but better improved than the rest and far more populous of later times the seat of learning of two Empires which extended their power to the inwards both of Asia and Africa and in an especial manner blessed with more than worldly prosperity since Japhet dwelt in the tents of Sem. The Greeks acknowledged him for their Founder by the name of Iapetus Iapetus Japhet's 7. Sons Gomer 1. than whom they thought nothing more ancient Moses reckoneth seven of his Sons and as many Nephews The Sons are (q) Gen. 10.2 Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech and Titas Josephus maketh Gomer the Father of the Galatians which if so the same Originall must be extended to the Gauls of whom the other were but a colonie and to some the names of Cimmerii and Cimbri whereby the Inhabitants of the Western parts have been known as also those of Kumero Kumeri and Cymbro which our antient Brittains of the same stock with the Gauls called themselves seem to own no other originall Bochartus lib. 3. cap. 8. But another thinketh the Land of Gomer to be that part of Phrygia called Catecaucemene lying upon the rivers Cayster and Maeander and the City Philadelphia the Plains of which consist of a burnt kind of Earth like to ashes and the hilly parts are all stonie the whole Country being brittle adust and easie to be inflamed This he gathereth from the signification of Gomer and Phrygia both which import burning Moses according to his judgment not alwaies calling the Founders of Nations by their true and proper names but by the names of the Countries which they planted Ever when the word is of the plural number as of the Sons of Javan Citthim and Rodauim and all the Sons of Mâ—scaim and Canaan except Sidon and Heth must needs be names of peoples nor of particular Men. Hatsarmaueth he proveth to be the name of a place onely for that it signifieth the region of Death as Dikla a place of Palm-trees Ophir a rich Jobab so called from the desart and severall others Gomer's three Sons Askenaz 1. 18. Gomer hath three Sons mentioned by Moses Ashkenaz Riphath and Togarmah From Ashkenaz those descended according to Josephus by the Greeks called Rhegines which who they were is not to be understood Most probably by Ashkenaz is signified Bithynia in which is the Bay Ascanius besides a Lake and River of the same name or Troas and Phrygia the lesse in which were Ascanea both Country and City and Island Ascaniae Form Riphat Riphath 2. Togarmah 3. Josephus deriveth the Paphlagonians a people of Asia the lesse near Pontus and neighbours to the Phrygians Togarma is variously expounded by Writers It appeareth out of Ezekiel (r) chap. 58. chap. 27. v. 14. that Gomer and Togarma were not far distant both North of Judaea and that from Togarmah came Horses and Mules to be sold at Tyre Hereto well agreeth the opinion of Josephus who placeth Togarmah
in Phrygia to which Cappadocia was near adjacent North to Judaea and excelled in the breed of Horses and Mules 2. Magog 19. From Magog Japhet's second Son descended the Scythians according to Josephus and others Gog and Magog being that part of Scythia about Cancasus which the Colchi and Armenians whose language was half Chaldaean called Gog-hasan i. e. the Fort of Gog and thence the Greeks Caucasus The same with Prometheus to whom also Gogarene was known which Stephanus describeth to be between the Colchi and Eastern Iberi Magog seemeth to be the same with Prometheus For as Prometheus was the Son of Japetus so Magog of Japhet Prometheus was feigned to be fixed to Caucasus and Caucasus was the seat of the Scyhians of old time till they expelled the Cimmerii and succeded them Prometheus brought down fire from heaven which might take Original from Magog his finding out of Metals in Colchis and Iberia And the Fable of his Heart or Liver being eaten by an Eagle may be found in (Å¿) Vide Bochartum lib. 1. the word Magog which signifieth to be dissolved or to decay Hierapolis a City in Syria seemeth to have been called also Magog from him seeing Deucalion the Scythian and Son of Prometheus is by Lucian said to have consecrated the Temple there to the Syrian Goddesse 3. Madai From Madai it 's generally granted that the Medes are issued the Medes and Persians being constantly in the Books of Daniel and Esther named Maedai and Paras From Javan descended the Iones 4. Javan or all that inhabited Greece from Thrace to the Isthmus of Corinth the Macedonians being included Homer calling them Jaones and Alexander being signified by (t) cap. 8. v. 21. Daniel under the name of the King of Javan His 4 Sons Elisa 1. 20. The Sons of Javan were Elisa Tarshish Kittim and Dodanim from whom four Provinces took their names From Elisa Aeolis according to Josephus but rather Elis the most antient and ample region of Peloponnesus part whereof is by Homer called Alisium to be taken for the whole Peninsula From Tarsis 2. Tarshish Josephus and others derive Tarsus the great City in Cilicia some Carthage another Tunis but Eusebius and Bochartus understand the Iberians or Spaniards amongst whom was a place called Tarlessus Besides this there was another * a Chron. 20.36 Tarsis in the Indian Sea whither ships went from Esion-gaber and indeed whatever the word originally signifieth whether Cilicia or any other place it is secondarily applied to the Mediterranean Sea which reacheth unto Phoenicia and sometimes seemeth to denote the Ocean it selfe 3. Kittim Josephus will have Cittim to have possessed himselfe of the Island Cyprus where was a City called Citium the native place of Zeno the Stoick and hence he saith the Hebrews called all Islands and maritime places by the name of Chethim Others will have the Chians some certain Nations of India others Cilicia some Macedonia to be understood by this word The Romans are by Daniel signified under this name and in Italy were of old the Cities Cetia Echetia and the River Cetus and Chittim imports the same thing with the word Latium betokening to lye hid The opinion therefore of Josephus is very probable that these Islands and Coasts of the Mediterrenean might be known to the Hebrews Chap. 11. ver 29 30. under the name of Chethim 4. Dodanim or rather Rhodanim Dodanim omitted in Josephus by some is interpreted Dardanians by others Dodanaeans But most antiently it was read Rhodanim which the Greek rendreth Rhodians though the name of Rhodes is later than Moses his time Bochartus therefore placeth this people in Gaul about the River Rhodanus now Rhene which he proveth not to have been so named from Rhoda a Town there founded by the Rhodians Rhodanim he saith signifieth Yellow or Saffron-coloured which agreeth well with the colour of the hair of the antient Gaules either naturall or affected wherein also the Brittains shewed themselves descended of the same stock as Jornandes judgeth 5. Tubal 21. Tubal and Mesech the fifth and sixth Sons of Japhet are joyned in Scripture most commonly together as near to each other Josephus from them deriveth the Iberians 6. Mesâ—ch and Cappadocians who had a City in his time known by the name of Mazacha Bochartus understandeth by Mesech and Tubal the Moschi and Tibareni which are so joyned together by Herodotus as Mesech and Tubal in the Scripture The Moschi besides Moschica properly so called possessed all from Phasis as far as Pontus of Cappadocia the Moschian Mountains reaching so far Then next succeeded the Tibarens according to Strabo who extendeth their borders to Pharnacra and Trapezond the Moschian and Colchian Mountains so that they lay betwixt the Trapezuntians and Inhabitants of Armenia the lesse Tubal and Mesech are noted by Ezechiel to abound in Slaves and Brasse which Chap. 27. v. 13. by the consent of Authors fitly agreeth with the regions of Pontus especially Cappadocia From Thiras most Authors derive Thrace 7. Tiras a woman of which Country was called Threissa and many names there both of places and persons perswade the same thing This was the portion of Japhet answerable to the blessing of his Father that God should enlarge him For unto it belonged all Europe how big soever besides Asia the less Media part of Armenia Iberia Albania and those vast Tracts towards the North inhabited of old by the Scythians and now by the Tartars To say nothing of the new World into which it's probable the Scythians passed by the Straits of Anian To his Posterity belong the Northern parts which by Jornandes an Historian of the Goths are deservedly termed The work-houses of people and sheaths of Nations Cham's portion 22. Cursed Cham was not excluded from Earthly blessings To his lot fell Aegypt and all Africk a great part of Syria and Arabia besides Babylonia Susiana Assyria and other Countries which his Grand-son Nimrod possessed himselfe of David very often calleth Aegypt the Land of Cham or Ham the antient Inhabitants themselves Chamia or Chemia Plutarch in Iside In Arabia and Africk the name of Ammon the aspiration being taken away was universally known as appeareth by Ammon a River in Arabia the promontory Ammonium and the people called Ammonii In Africk the City Ammonis upon the River Cinyphus The Chappell of Ammonis in the Island Meroe In Marmarica the City Ammonia vulgarly Paraetonium And the Ammonian Country where was the famous Oracle of Ammon Nay all Africk was called Ammonis or Ammonia Ham signifieth hot in which respect it agreeth well with the Greek word Zeus the name of Jupiter Ham was Noah's youngest Son so was Jupiter the youngest of Saturne From Cham's living in Africk the hottest part of the World Jupiter may be counted the Lord of Heaven And Saturne his being made an Eunuch by his Son Jupiter or Caelius by his Son Saturn as
Macrobius hath it seemeth to relate to that fault for which C ham received from his Father a curse instead of a blessing Of these things Bochartus giveth abundant satisfaction to name no more His 4. Sons 23. Four Sons of Cham are recorded by Moses Chus Misraim Phut and Canaan From Chus by a generall mistake the Aethiopians in Africk have been thought to be descended Chus 1. whereas by the land of Chus in Scripture is meant (u) Vide Bochartum lib. 4. c. 2. Raleium l. 7. c. 8. sec 10. part of Arabia inhabited by the Chusaeans called also Cuthaeans of whom were the Madianites and Sephora the wife of Moses who did not flie into Aethiopia and there marry her They inhabited above Aegypt upon the Persian Gulfe in part of Arabia the stonie and the happy thought by some to be the same with the antient Scenites and the moderne Saracens being called Scenites from dwelling in Tents and Saracens from their robberies Chus hath six Sons mentioned His 6. Sons viz. Seba Havilah Sabtah Raamah Sabtecha and Nimrod Raamah hath two Sheba and Dedan All these inhabited about the Persian Sea Their Seat Except Nimrod whom Moses affirmeth to have fixed his seat at Babel By the name of Mizraim is to be understood the Father of those who inhabited Aegypt thrice in Scripture called Masor the singular number of the word Mizraim as it 's thought 2. Mizraim from the straightnesse of it being extended out in length from the Sea towards Syene From Mizraim Moses deriveth seven People or Nations Ludim Anamim Lehabim Naphtuhim Pathrusim Castuhim out of whom came Philistiim and Caphtorim Misraim's 8. Sons 24. Antiq. l. 1. c. 6. Josephus will have the eight Sons of Misraim to have possessed all the Country lying between Gaza and Aegypt though Philistin onely gave name to it from whom the Greeks called it Palaestina Lybis he saith led a colonie into Libya which he named after himselfe but as for the rest he confesseth both their names and affairs to be obscure their Cities being overthrown as he saith in the Aethiopian War made by Moses concerning which he bringeth a meer Fable taken out of Artapanus and the inventions of the Hellenists Ludim 1. As for Ludim Bochartus by ten Arguments proveth the Aethiopians to be meant thereby whom he will have also a colonie of the Aegyptians Anamim 2. By Anamim the Nomades of Africk who inhabited about Ammonis and in Nasamonitis and for Anamians might easily be called Amonians and Ammonians they being also a colonie of the Aegyptians and Aethiopians as appeareth out of Herodotus Of the same Original he maketh the Nasamones Amantes Hammanientes who * Solinus c. 31. made their houses of salt and the Garamants Lehabim 3. Lehabim or the Lehabaeans are thought to be the same with the Libyans bordering upon Aegypt from whom this denomination might passe to those that inhabited the greatest part of Africk Naphtuhim 4. Naphtuhim he placeth in Marmarica upon the Mediterranean Sea Pathrusim in Thebais a Province of Aegypt called Pathros Pathrusim 5. and by many distinguished from Aegypt though peopled from it Casluhim 6. 25. Casluhim he maketh to signifie the Colchi though so far distant from Aegypt out of which they descended and from Palestine the Inhabitants whereof descended from them both their Language and life in all particulars so absolutely agreed with the Aegyptians of whom by the Heathen also they have been thought a colonie left there by Sesostris in his expedition though they be of more antiquity then he Caphtorim 7. The Caphtorim seems to have been Neighbours to him from whom also together with them the Philistines descended as appeareth from * Jerem. 47.4 Amos 9.4 Scripture They are therefore to be placed in that part of Cappadocia which lyeth next to Colchos about Trapezond It is probable that upon the report of the richnesse of these places the Aegyptians sent out a Colonie for this drew thither Phrixus Jason Sesostris the Medes and Persians and of later times the Saracens out of Arabia which finding the Climate too cold or the Country not to answer expectation or perhaps molested by the Scythians and others part thereof resolved to return home and in their way seated themselves in Palestine after they had expelled thence the Deut. 11.23 Anims The Captain of this Expedition seemeth to have been Typhon reported by the Greek Poets to have made War against the gods and to have peirced as far as Caucasus but after many battells being stricken of Jupiter with a thunderbolt to have fled into Palestine where he dyed at the Lake of Serbonis and there still lyeth buried 3. Phut 26. The third Son of Cham was Phut who divided Africk with his Brother Misraim To Misraim fell Aegypt and most of Africk as far as the Lake of Tritonis which divideth Africk into two equall parts To Phut all from the Lake as far as the Atlantick Ocean as may be gathered from (x) Lib. 4. c. 186 187. Herodotus As far as the Lake he saith all the Africans used the customes of Aegypt but those beyond them towards the West a far different kind of life Some names retained a memoriall of Phut as the City Putea a River of Mauritiana Tengitana called Phut and the Haven Phthia mentioned by Ptolomy Pliny and others 4. Canaan Canaan is the fourth Son reckoned in order by Moses He begat Sidon his first-born and Heth the Jebusite the Ammonite His Posterity and Seat the Girgasite the Hivite the Arkite the Sinite the Arvadite the Zemarite and the Hamathite By Canaan was inhabited the Land which thereupon bore his name and was afterwards conquered by the Hebrews His Family was propagated as far as the Sea the Phoenicians being descended of him as Eupolemus an Heathen Writer in his Book of the Jews bare witnesse saying That Saturne begat Belus and Chanaan and the later begat the Father of the Phoenicians besides Euseb praepar Evang. lib. 9. one Cna is said by Sanchoniaâ—hon a most antient Phoenician Writer to have been the first Man that was called Phoenician whence by Stephanus Phoenice is called Cna and the Phaenicians Cnai But what is more the Scriprure calleth Phoenicia the Land of Canaan Sidon 1. 27. Sidon the first-born of Canaan was the Father of the Sidonians or the builder of the City Sidon which was more antient than Tyre and the Metropolis to it the Sidonians having led a Colonie thither and founded Tyre according to Trogus (y) Lib. 18. before the destruction of Troy 240 years before the building of Solomon's Temple Heth. 2. as Josephus counteth The children of Heth dwelt in the Land of Canaan about Hebron and Barseba towards the South (z) Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. and from them the Anakims descended The Jebusite 3. The Jebusites held Hierusalem and the Castle of Sion untill David's time The Ammonites passed
built Niniveh and the Citie Rehoboth and Calah and Pesen between Niniveh and Calah Some according to this Translation will have this Assur to have been the son of Sem who having built Niniveh Whether he built Niniveh and founded the Assyrian Kingdom Nimrod dispossessed him or his or some manner of way obtained and joyned it to the Babylonian as Julius Africanus hath delivered But others contend that this Assur is the name of the Countrey and not of a Man and that it is to be read And out of that Land went out Nimrod into Assur i. e. Assyria and builded Ninive c. Otherwise they think it would be out of the way for Moses to mention the son of Sem in this place where he is in hand with the Genealogie of Cham neither could it be peculiar to him to go out of this Land and build Niniveh seeing all mankind almost at the division of the Earth went out of it The last reading onely maketh the sense intire for how else could the four Cities properly be said to be the beginning of Nimrod's Kingdom except he added more unto it Lastly this seemeth very urgent that in Scripture Assyria is called the Land of Nimrod Mich. 5.6 4. He was a mighty Hunter before the Lord or therein none was to be compared with him things being said to be such before God as were so indeed or in an eminent manner He judging not according to outward appearance but as they are in their own natures By the means of Hunting it is probable that he made way unto his Monarchy Made way to his Kingom by hunting For under pretence of what was very necessary at this time when men were few scattered and lying abroad without defence against wild beasts which ever especially abounded about Arabia and Babylon he might gather a band of men and by such exercises which the Heathens (d) Xenophon de venatione in Cyropaedia by their practice as well as opinion shewed to be convenient for breeding of Warriours train them up till he converted their force from beasts to men What was performed by him seemeth to have been attributed to his successors Ninus is (e) Diodorus l. 2. p. 64. A. said to have gathered an Army of Arabians and therewith to have subdued the Babylonians which seemeth to have related to his Conquest of that Countrey For being a Chasaean and consequently an Arabian he might by the assistance of his own Countrey-men and Kindred effect it whom he (f) Bochartus l. 4. c. 12. rewarded with that Region beyond Tigris which thence was by the Hebrews called Chus by the Caldaeans Chuth Cissia by the Greeks and Chuzestan i. e. the Province of Chus by the Persians From his usurping the right of Noah some think the Fable to have sprung of Saturn being cast out of his Kingdom by Jupiter the word Nimrod signifying a Rebell and answerable to his carriage He is also judged to be the true Bacchus The true Bacchus this word being little changed from Bar-Chus that is the son of Chus Bacchus was the son of Jupiter and he was the Grand-son of Jupiter Hammon The most ancient name of Bacchus was Zagreâ—s which signifieth a strong hunter answerable to the Epithete given to Nimrod He undertook an expedition into the East wherein seem to be contained the Facts of Nimrod and his Successors Bacchus was feigned to be born at Nysa in Arabia and Nimrod was also an Arabian And not unlikely might Nimrod be thought to be over the Vines who first raigned at Babylon where was that most excellent kind of Wine dignified by the Ancients with the name of Nectar To the raign of Belus or Nimrod Athenaeus 65 years are given by Julius Africanus Ninus 5. Ninus his son succeeded him and canonized him for a God which gave as 't is said the first occasion to Idolatry He made a confederacy with Arieus His Conquests King of Arabia which Countrey withstood most Conquests and then invading Armenia forced Barzanes the King thereof to submit to his Vassallage Next he entred Media where he took and Crucified Phamus the King and then being pricked on by desire of glory and incouraged by his successe he subdued all the people of Asia in seventeen years except the Indians and Bactrians (g) Biblioth l. 2. p. 65. ex Ctesia Cnidio Justin lib. 1. the latter whereof under Conduct of their King Zoroastres or rather Oxgartes for Zoroaster the great Magician lived many ages after stoutly opposed him and yet at length were brought under as we have it from Diodorus who reporteth also that Ninus built Ninive which he so named after himself Ninive Whether he his father or any other built it A Citie it was of great bignesse strength and ornament being in compasse sixty miles of a Quadrangular form incompassed and fortified with a Wall a hundred foot high and of such a breadth as three Charriots might have been driven together a-breast upon it adorned also with Towers 200 foot in height The place of it is not agreed of and (h) Lege Bocharti Phaleg l. 4. c. 20. some think there were two Cities of this name one upon Euphrates in Comagena and another in Assyria beyond Tigris As for Ninus many things done both by his father and successors seem to be attributed to him He reigned 52 years and the manner of his death is diversly related (i) Orosius One saith he was shot with a Dart as he lay before a Town (k) Dinon apud Aelian var. Hist l. 7. c. 1. Another writeth that Semiramis his wife whom he had chosen for her admirable beauty and now doated on obtained leave to wear his Royall Robe and reign over Asia five dayes and then when she had got the power into her hands commanded one of the Guard to kill him But a (l) Diodorus ubi supra p. 76. D. ex Athenaeo aliis third His death onely relateth him to have been secured in prison Semiramis his wife counterfeiteth her son 6. He left a son by Semiramis named Ninyas who being but young she put on mans Apparel and counterfeiting his person as well as Sexe is reported to have done very great things part of which might rather be challenged by the two foregoing Kings and by some that followed her Justin ex Trogo lib. 1. Diodorus ut prius The resemblance of her son in all the lineaments and proportion of his body took away suspicion for the further prevention whereof she commanded the same kind of Garment to be worn by the people At length when she thought she had got fame sufficient she made her self known which detracted not from her glorie Her acts but added to the lustre of it She re-edified and inlarged Babylon incompassing it with a Wall made up of Brick Sand and a certain Clay or slime clammy like Pitch which there abounded and * Herodotus
the present kept down his passion seeming to acquiesce in the King's pleasure untill Cyrus came to man's estate Then hearing of his activity and forwardnesse he resolved by presents to make him his friend meditating a convenient way of revenge by the means of this Youth from whom he expected something answerable to his Grandfather's dream Knowing Astyages his tyrannicall carriage towards the Medes he insinuated himself into the chief of them by degrees and secretly perswaded them that it was convenient he should be removed from the Government especially seeing they might with some plausibility place Cyrus in his Seat Having thus made War he wrote Letters to the young Man into Persia which to prevent discovery he sowed up in the belly of an Hare wherein recalling to his memorie what he had suffered from his Grandfather upon his account he sollicited him to draw the Persians to revolt then to come down with an Army into Media where he might be sure of him or any other the Kings Generals and so easily become Master of all 31. Cyrus considering of a way how to accomplish this businesse which now he made no lesse than a design called the Persians together first gave out that he was chosen their Generall by Astyages and then easily perswaded them by laying open how much Liberty was to be preferred before that Slavery they now underwent to close with him and break out into open rebellion The old Man hearing of this sent a messenger for him but he returned answer he would come sooner than he should have cause to desire his company whereupon he armed his Subjects of Media and forgetting how he had formerly injured Harpagus committed the Army to his conduct Harpagus revolting he lost thereby the first Battell yet was not daunted but threatened Cyrus nailed to crosses the Magicians who had perswaded him to dismisse him and arming all both old and young that were in the City led them out to a second engagement Cyrus overthroweth Astyages his Grand father wherein his successe was worse than before he being taken prisoner When Harpagus boasting of his revenge insulted over him he taxed him of imprudence and injustice of the one for that having power to make himselfe King he should transfer the dignity to another and of the other because for to revenge a private injury he had enslaved the whole Nation of the Medes out of which he might rather have chosen one to the Kingdom refusing it himselfe than him who would now so order the matter that the Persians slaves before should be Lords and Masters of all Thus Astyages lost his Kingdom after he had held it 35 years enjoying all things else at his Grandson's hands till his naturall death And the Medes became subject to the Persians after they had enjoyed the dominion of Asia beyond the River Halys the space of 128 years except that space wherein the Scythians kept them under in the 2d year of the 55th Olympiad of the World 3446. 32. Cyrus having obtained the soveraignty of Persia and Media A. M. 3446. Olymp. 55. an 2. Urbis conditae 195. was within a while provoked by Croesus King of Lydia Provoked by Croesus King of Lydia who at this time was grown eminent having improved the inheritance which descended upon him from his Ancestors Lydia whence so called The Lydian Nation was of great antiquity so named from Lud the Son of Sem or rather descended of him who by Moses is so called Lege Bochartum Phaleg lib. 2. cap. 12. both he and they having obtained this name from that Country which from the crookednesse and winding of the River Maeander took the appellation of Lud in the Phoenician Language signifying crooked or winding The Greeks say (k) Herodotus lib. 1. c. 7. Strabo lib. 13. p. 586. c. Plin. l. 5. c. 29. Diodorus Halicar lib. 1. Diodorus l. 3. p. 165. B. that the Lydians were first called Maeones and Lydia Maeonia from Maeon an antient King of Phrygia and Lydia who was thought to have been the Father of Cybeles Mother of the gods and that long after him reigned Lydus the Son of Atys and Brother of Tyrrhenus from whom they fancie the Country to have been named Better is the opinion of Stephanus who deriveth Maeonia from the River Maeon or Maeander For though the Greeks might call them Lydians yet that their right name was Ludians appeareth from the Latin words Ludus Ludo Ludio c. thence derived seeing it is granted that the first Players came form (l) Tertull. de Spectac lib. 5. Dionys Halic lib. 2. Lydia into Hetruria so to Rome as the Lydians (m) Herodotus l. 1. c. 95. boasted themselves to have been inventors of those Games which afterwards were common with them to the Greeks Hence it appeareth that though the Country might be called both Lydia and Maeonia from the selfesame thing yet most ancient was the name of Lud. After the Posterity of Lydus reigned the Heraclidae or those that were descended from Hercules by his Son Alcaeus The first was Argon saith Herodotus the Son of Ninus Grand-son of Belus and great Grand-son of Alcaeus the last was Candaules the Son of Myrsus by the Greeks called Myrsitus Candaules (n) Asheu l. 12. Plut. Sym. l. 4. Herodotus lib. 1. c. 49. or Candylos signified a certain kind of Lydian meat made of Flowre Cheese Honey Bread and Flesh the Lydians being accounted the first (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Nations that busied themselves in Cookery insomuch that they became a Proverb for it 33. The Antiquity of the Lydians appeareth further out of the antient Fables Attis Tamalus Pelops Niobe and Arachne being of this Country Their fruitfulnesse from the Colonies they sent out into Peloponnesus and Caria into Etruria also as they say Euseb in Chron. Their valour and power is shewn to have been of great antiquity from their holding the dominion of the Sea 92 years which they took from the Cretians about the time of Jepthe and 1200 years before Christ The Royall Families of Lydia losing it again and recovering it afterwards But Candaules with his Family being extinct and the Kingdom devolved upon the Mermnadae of whom Croesus descended the power of the Nation grew greater also at Land These Heraclidae held it the space of 505 years through 22 Successors unto this Candaules Herodotus l. ◠c. 8 c. who so far being enamoured of his Wife as he esteemed her the most beautifull of all women constrained his servant Gyges to see her naked She espying Gyges whilst therein he onely satisfied his Masters will offered him the choice of killing her husband and marrying her with the Kingdom or of suffering death himselfe one of their two lives being the least she could require in way of Justice He in so great a strait preferring his own safety before his Master's life slew him in his bed-chamber the place where the fault
years of age had a Son named Nachor And Nachor one when he was 29 called Terah or Thare Abram 2. Terah being 70 years old begat Abram Nachor and Haran Vers 26. Not that all these were born at the same time or are to be accounted in age as we find them in order What year of his Father he was born De istis lege Ludov. Cappellum Chronol Sacra notis ad Tabulam 5. Joh. Gerard. Vossii Isagog Chronolog Dissert 5. c. 6. Jacob. Cappell Hist Sacra Exotica ad A. M. 2003 multus alios priority in years not being constantly observed in Scripture but rather that of piety and true worth Haran is to be reckoned as the eldest who died at Ur of the Chaldees before his Father departed thence and left 3 children viz. one Son named Lot and two Daughters Milcah married to his Brother and her Uncle Nahor and Sarai or Iscah to Abram The second was Nahor Father to Chesed or Chased and so Abram the youngest because he was born not in the 70th as hath been thought but 130 year of his Father For Terah lived in all (a) Vers 32. 205 year and died in Charan Abram when he came out of Charran which (b) Acts 7. â—4 Stephen saith was after his Father's death was (c) Gen. 12.4 75 years old which being deducted out of 205 130 years will remain But if he was born in the 70 year of his Father then at his death was he 135 years old and having Isaac born to him when 100 in the Land of Canaan he must with him have returned back to Charran which seemeth very incredible or else he left it not at his Father's death as Stephen must make us believe he did 3. Abram therefore was born in the 130 year of his Father's life A. M. 2008. and the 2008th of the World as is clear from the ages of all his Progenitors taken at the births of their Sons and laid together About the 70 year of his age God commanded him to leave his Father's house SECT I. Gen 11.12 Acts 7. and come into the Land which he should shew him promising to make of him a great Nation to blesse him and in him all the Families of the Earth He obeying this command drew on his Father also with him He cometh from Ur to Canaan and so together with Lot the Son of Haran and Sarai Abram's wife they came from Ur of the Chaldaeans to Charran and dwelt there A. M. 2078. Dwelling there seemeth to intimate a longer stay than of one year so that some probably think 5 years to have been there spent For Terah now very old might detein them by his weaknesse they being unwilling to leave him till they saw him either recovered or dead But after his death mindfull of God's command they left Charran and came into the Land of Canaan Thence into Canaan This journey from Ur to Charran was the beginning of the 430 years of his and his posteritie's sojourning in a strange Land the promise also made to him being so many years before the promulgation of the Law in Mount Sinai as the Apostle Paul hath observed 4. The first place of Canaan in which Abram made any stay was Sichem Gen. 12. where God again appeared to him and renewed his Promise another of giving that Land to his Seed being added to it and in this place he built the first Altar to the Lord. Thence he removed towards the hilly Country and the Eastern tract of Luz afterwards called Bethel where he built another Altar and so proceeded into the Southern Coasts whence a Famine drove him into Aegypt Sojourneth in Aegypt There he sojourned and taught the Aegyptians Astrology which Josephus saith they were ignorant of till he communicated to them the knowledge of it and of Arithmetick His wife being beautifull for fear of his life he counterfeited himself her Brother so that Pharaoh began to cast his affections on her till plagued by God he was constrained to dismisse them both in peace Out of Aegypt then he returned to that place between Hai and Bethel where he built the second Altar Chap. 13. Now was he and Lot grown so rich that no longer could they conveniently live together Lot being departed to the Plains of Sodom God again renewed his promise to Abram which he more largely explained both as to the giving of the Land and the propagation of his Posterity After this as he was commanded he went and viewed the Land then pitch't his Tents in the Plain of Mamre neer Hebron where he built another Altar to the Lord. 5. At this time 4 Kings about the River Euphrates Chap. 14. viz. Amraphel King of Shinar oâ— Babylonia Arioch King of Ellasar thought to be Arabia because of a City upon the borders of that Country called Ellas Chedorlaomer King of Elam afterwards Persia and â—idal King of Nations thought to be many petty Kingdoms adjoyning to Phoenicia and Palaestine came and fought against the 5. Kings of the Pentapolis viz. Bera of Sodom Birsha of Gomorrah Shinab King of Admah Shemeber of Zebojim and the King of Bela afterwards called Zoar all who had 12 years served Chedorlaomer Recovereth Lot and the Booty from the 4 Kings and in the 1â—th rebelled They overthrew these five petty Princes led away much pillage and many Captives amongst which was Lot who then sojourned in Sodom Abram hearing this armed 318 servants and pursuing them recovered Lot and all the prey which he restored to the owners In his return Melchisedech whom some improbably make Sem King of Salem or Jerusalem Priest of the most high God brought forth Bread and Wine and blessed him to whom he gave the Tithes of all In this storie Abram is first called an Hebrew by Moses And there came one which had escaped and told Abram the Hebrew which word in Scripture is not found applied to any other before him 6. Some (d) Vide Bochartum Phaleg lib. 2. c. 10. think he was so called from Heber the Son of Salah and that this appellation onely was proper to his Family Why called an Hebrew because it kept the most antient or Hebrew tongue incorrupt But (e) Lege Ludov Cappell Chronol Sacra p. 111 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others finding the word to signifie one that cometh from beyond the water or a Stranger think it was given to Abram upon no other account then because he came from beyond Euphrates None of Heber's Posterity being called so but onely he and some of his they think addeth much to their reason They conclude that the Hebrew language was not appropriate to Heber as a reward of his piety because those that descended of him used it not alwayes and to others besides his posterity it appeareth to have been natural They instance that Laban spake Syriack and the Canaanites and Philistins the Hebrew naturally as
in Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his Sons had cast them off from executing the Priest's Office With the Tribe of Judah is also to be reckoned that of Simeon whose possessions were within the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.9 for which that part of the division that fell to it was too much Part also of the Danites had it's seat within that of Judah for it appeareth that they had some Towns in the division of the Land which formerly had been assigned to the Children of Judah who as hath been observed had so large a Country at first assigned to them rather to protect and defend than solely to possesse it All these still remained the Subjects of Rehoboam though ten Tribes are said to have revolted the Tribe of Dan being attributed to Jeroboam for that Dan the chief City was within his dominions and because the Tribe of Manasseh being separated and divided into two parts might be reckoned for two Tribes The Kingdom thus divided the Northern parts fell off but the Southern continued in obedience to the Son of Solomon whose successors henceforth are called Kings of Judah as those of Jeroboam Kings of Israel and yet this distinction is not alwaies observed Jehosaphat being called King of Israel 2 Chron. 31.2 28.19 and also Ahaz though we know they were both Kings of Judah of that division onely 2. Rehoboam purposed to make War upon the Tribes but 1 King 12.14 admonished by God gave over the enterprize of invading them with 180000 Men although there was continuall War betwixt the two Kings all their dayes The Priests and Levites that were driven into Judah reteined it in the true religion three years but when Rehoboam had established himself He and his Subjects rebel against God he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him committing sins above all that their Fathers had done They built them high-places images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree there were Sodomites in the Land and they did according to the abhomination of those Nations which the Lord cast out before the Children of Israel Because of this the fifth year of his reign Shishak King of Aegypt perhaps invited by Jeroboam who had lived with him in exile came up against him with 1200 Chariots 60000 Horse-men and innumerous people out of Aegypt the Lubims Sukkiims and Aethiopians with which he took garrisons in Judah and pierced as far as Jerusalem Afflicted they humble themselves and are delivered Rehoboam and his Princes humbling themselves at the preaching of Shemaiah thereby obtained deliverance which yet was to be bought at an high rate For Shishak took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the Kings house with all the golden shields which Solomon had made in the room of which Rehoboam put others of brasse He died after he had reigned seventeen years Abiah 3. Abiah his Son succeeded him whose Mother is in one place (a) 2 Chron. 11.20 named Maachah the Daughter of Absalom and in another (b) Chap. 13.2 Micajah Daughter to Uriel of Gibeah A. M. 3043. Some think she was the Daughter of Tamer which might be married to this Uriel and adopted by Absalom who seemeth to have left no issue He imitated the impiety of his Father his heart not being perfect before the Lord his God and yet God remembring the Covenant made with David brought him by a fatherly correction into order and acknowledgement of his Soveraignty 1 Kings 15. He also warred with Jeroboam all his dayes who coming up against him with 800000 Men he joyned battell with him having but half so many and yet trusting in God obtained Victory and killed 500000 Israelites the greatest number we read to have fallen in one battel He took from him Bethel Jeskanah and Ephraim with their Towns neither did Jeroboam recover his strength in his time Abijah waxed mighty married fourteen Wives begat two and twenty Sons and fifteen Daughters Yet he reigned but three years Asa A. M. 3046. 4. Asa his Son succeeded him in the 20th year of Jeroboam ending 1 Kings 15. 2 Chron. 14.15 16. Chap. and did that which was righteous in the sight of the Lord. He reformed what was amisse commanding his Subjects to seek the God of their Fathers in his time the Land had rest ten years In his 11th year according to Josephus came Zerach the Aethiopian against him with 1000000 Men of Cashaeans inhabiting Arabia where also Zerach his Aethiopia is onely to be found and Labaeans besides 300 Chariots To those he opposed himself with 300000 of Judah and 280000 of Benjamin and calling upon his God obtained the Victory which he prosecuted and got much bootie Returnnig to Jerusalem he was so wrought upon by the words of Azariah the Prophet the Son of Oded as together with his own Subjects and others that fell to him in abundance out of Israel he sacrificed to and made a Covenant with God Then proceeding in the reformation of his Kingdom he removed Maaca his Grand-mother from her dignity because she was the patronesse of Idolatry Baasa now who reigned in Israel provoked with the revolt of his Subjects and jealous of the growing power of Asa came up against him and built Rama in the 36th year from the division lest any should go in or out to him Asa to divert him hired Benhadad the King of Syria to invade Israel This Ben-hadad was the Son of Tabrimmon and Grand-son to Hezrin or Rezin the first King of Damascus and from him the Sirname of Hadad descended upon his Posterity He smote Jion Dan Bethmaach all Civeroth with the Land of Napthali and constrained Baasa to leave off building Ramah Asa then destroyed Ramah and with the stones thereof built Seba and Mizpah but was checked by God for not trusting in him but putting his confidence in the King of Syria and War for this was denounced to be upon him all his dayes Hereat he grew angry with the Seer that brought the message and oppressed some of his people and for this was punished with the Gout in his later dayes for a remedy to which he had recourse to the Physitians and not to God So he died in the 41 year of his reign Jehosaphat 5. Jehosaphat succeeded him to a good Father a better Son 1 Kings 22. A. M. 3087. In his third year he sent the Levites throughout the Cities to teach the people having removed the Sodomites out of the Land He married his Son Jehoram to Athaliah the Daughter of Ahab King of Israel and in his 18th year made him Vice-King This affinity drew him down with Ahab to fight against Ramoth-Gilead where Ahab received his death's wound and he escaped narrowly with his life For joyning himself with this wicked King he was sorely chidden by Jehu the Prophet the Son of Hanani which so affected him as he reformed his Subjects 2
term it was then drowned by the Priests Being dead a great and solemn mourning there was untill another could be found with the same marks Now some make this beast to be worshipped in honour of Apis King of the Argives August de Civit Dâ— l. 18. c. 5. who going down into Egypt was there Deified after his death and called Serapis But there having been several Kings in divers places of that name they are confounded one with another 4. Nothing indeed but uncertainties attend the most ancient History of that Nation no two Authors agreeing betwixt themselves concerning the succession of the Egyptian Kings This is not onely to be attributed to the force of time but the unfaithfulnesse of their Priests who having it committed to their charge to record the Memorables of their Countrey foysted things of their own heads into the story concealed from the Natives whatsoever made against their own profit and from strangers all things that tended to the dishonour of their Countrey Out of such a kind of design they related not the same things to such as travelled thither with a desire to be informed so that from the corrupt Fountains of their records have proceeded the Histories of several who pretending to have taken them out of the very Archives are no lesse dissonant amongst themselves then from the truth The Catalogues of their Kings are full of inextricable Labrynths Manetho being of no credit because of his notable lying and all those who professe to follow him as Josephus Africanus Eusebius Syncellus Scaliger Usher and others not agreeing in their ranking and ordering of them The Dynasties of the Egyptian Kings 5. Several Dynasties are made to have preceded the time of Abraham Euseb with whose birth as it is placed in the 43th year of Ninus the beginning of the 16th is â—oyned Much labour is spent by some in an endeavour to clear the order of these Dynasties and to expound them But if they should be allowed of little more then 200 years are to be assigned to the continuance of all the first 15. because the passage of Cham and his posterity from the Mountains of Ararat into Egypt and the establishment of a formal Government there could scarce be performed within one Century after the Flood time for the increase of mankind and the unpassablenesse of the earth duely considered except we cast the beginning of the first Dynastie back beyond the Flood It hath been thought therefore that these were not several successions of Kings which continued for so small a time but rather certain Ranks and Orders of Governours under the Kings who might be content to injoy their ease and quiet together with the Dignity as the Kings did which Joseph served whil'st the management of publick affairs was wholly committed to these Regents or Lieutenants of sundry linages or sorts of men who by their actions might leave greater impressions upon posterity than the Kings themselves and so give occasion to the Egyptians of vaunting them for so many Soveraign Princes indeed That Eusebius might accommodate the times and Orders of these Dynasties to the Histories of other parts of the World he is not afraid to transpose them as he findeth them in several Authors Upon this account Jacobus Cappellus thinketh it a vain thing to recite in his Chronicle the series of the Kings seeing Manetho by whom Scaliger would amend Eusebius is most unworthy of creâ—it But it being requisite to give beginners some insight into the story such things must be briefly related as out of such uncertainties carry the greatest shew of probability Orus the last of the Egyptian gods 6. After Typhons death Isis as Diodorus writeth Lib. 1. p. 13. c. for some time governed the Kingdom but so joyntly with her son Orus or Horus that he is also said to have succeeded after the death of his father and is moreover accounted the last of the gods He instituted a year consisting of three moneths Censorious c. and thence a year was called after him Horos The Egyptian year properly so called consisted of 365 dayes but besides this they had also monethly years of thirty dayes and others of four moneths apiece or 120 dayes that by this various and cunning account as Cappellus thinketh they might delude the Greeks Of this later way few examples we meet with but Diodorus maketh mention of it assigning the cause to have been for that they divided their Solar year not into four but onely three parts and Cappellus maketh this following account to consist of such kind of years After the gods came men to the Government and the Egyptians boasted that they had Kings of their own Countrey and home-born for the most part during the term of 4700 years after Cambyses strangers as Persians and Macedonians having governed them Now these 4700 years he guesseth to consist of four moneths apiece and to contain 1544 Julian years Vide Cappellum ad A. M. 1931. 1941. which being deducted out of the years of the World at the period whereof Cambyses came down into Egypt 1931 will remain at what time Osiris or Orus his son might perhaps die who being the last of the gods Kings began where they ended Menis the first King 7. The first King that reigned after these gods was Menas or Menis Herodotus Diodorus which name by some is thought to have been onely of Dignity and that Osiris was so called Others think Mercurius Trismegistus meant thereby for that the Hebrew word Meni signifieth an Arithmetician and that Osiris might well be termed Trismegistus being a great Conquerour Philosopher and Benefactor to mankind in giving good Laws and teaching profitable arts Another would have Sesostris whom he supposeth to have succeeded Osiris to be meant by Menas as nothing inferiour to Osiris in prowesse and great undertakings But Sesostris the Great reigned not till many years after and nothing hindereth but Menas in the Egyptian language to say nothing of the Greek might be a proper name as well as a title of dignity But who succeeded him is not known the Priests feigning 52 Princes to have followed him in order for the space of 1400 years unto Busiris multiplying Kings years lies or fallacies to make their story the more admirable We must therefore in this unknown path take the blind conduct of the Dynasties again of which omitting the first seventeen to which almost 4000 years are ascribed the 18th is by Cappellus made to begin nine years before the time whereunto Eusebius sets it viz. in the 107th year of the Patriarch Jacob Amos or Amosis the first in order of it being Amos A.M. 2274. or Amosis 8. To his reign are given 25 years so that according to this account he it was who honoured Joseph and set him over the Land Euseb He dying in the second year of the Famin Chebros Amenophis Mephres c. Chebros succeeded him who reigned
congruous when clothes were not as yet found out as also his cleansing the Country of Monsters and wild Beasts at that time the Earth being but inhabited in a scattered manner Apollo in like sort was no other than Orus who was taught the Arts of Prophecying and Healing by his Mother Isis As to this controversie is observable the incertainty of the names of those Heathenish vanities the same being to some Isis The incertainty of the Heathenish Deities to others Ceres and to others Themophoris or the Inventor of Laws to others Juno to others the Moon and to some all those names are one Osiris in like manner is now taken for Serapis then for Dionysus otherwhiles for Pluto sometimes for Ammon and Jupiter and not seldome thought to be Pan as Diodorus hath observed 31. Severall Colonies they glory to have sent forth The first by Belus the Son Libya Colonies pretended to by the Aegyptians and Neptune into Babylon where upon Euphrates he constituted Flamins after the custom of Egypt free from all taxes and impositions These by the Babylonians were called Chaldaeans who in imitation of the Egyptian Priests and Philosophers observed the Stars Danaus out of Egypt peopled Argos the almost ancientest City of Greece The Nation of the Colchi and the Jews they prove theirs by Original from the rite of Circumcision Cadmus and Phoenix his Brother they report to have been Natives of their Egyptian Thebes whence the former translated the name of that City into Greece but Agenor his Father as is believed being the Brother of Belus and Uncle to Aegyptus and Danaus came thence into Phoenicia then have they further occasion to boast of a Colonie led by him into that maritime tract The Athenians they prove to have been a Colonie led by Cecrops from Sais in Egypt for that they alone called their City Astu from a place so named in their Country and because the members of their Common-wealth were distinguished into three rankes of Noblemen who only were capable of honours as the Egyptian Priests Country-men who bare Arms agreeable to that sort of people in Egypt who being called Husbandmen afforded Soldiers for the Wars lastly Artificers exercising manual and common Arts which fitly answereth to the custom of that place Besides Cecrops Petes the Father of Mnestheus and Erictheus were of the Egyptian extraction of whom the later carrying great store of Corn out of Egypt to Athens thereby obtained the Kingdom and gave occasion to the Story that Ceres at that time came into Greece 32. Although it may not passe for currant that the whole World is beholding to them for the use of Letters the knowledge of the Stars Geometricall Speculations the best Laws and most of the liberall Arts as they have bragged Ammianus Marcell l. 17. De Hieroglyph vide Ioh. Pierium Valerianum Bellunensem yet most antient have several of these things been amongst them Besides the common and usuall way of writing they had certain Notes The Aegyptian Hyeroglyphicks called * Hieroglyphicks wherein each letter served for a word and single words expressed whole sentences As by the image of a Vulture they expressed the word Nature because in that kind of Bird no Male can be found By the picture of a Bee making Honey they undestood a King hinting that in a Governour a sting or sharpnesse ought to be mixed with sweetnesse They also used aenigmaticall compositions or mixtures of images as by a Scepter with an Eye and an Ear on the top thereof they signified the Soveraign and all-knowing Majesty of God As for Astronomy though the Babylonians for the antiquity of their knowledge herein had no need to give them place yet were the Egyptians furthered in the due observation of the Stars by the plainnesse and evennesse of their ground and the severity of the air it never raining in Egypt in ordinary course of Nature which defect is supplyed by the yearly overflowing of the River If the World be bounden to them for Geometry it 's to be ascribed also to their River as another fruit of it's inundation whereby washing away the marks and removing the fences of their particular Lands they were forced every year to measure them over again and thence through necessity driven to Mathematicall speculations Now that the best Laws and most ingenuous Arts were from them conveyed into Greece they evidence by a particular of the bearers 33. The Priests pretending in their Sacred Records to find the Register of their names and to demoâ—strate the truth thereof by other tokens Diodorus l. 1. p. 60 61 62. have made mention of Orpheus who out of Egypt fetched the Mysteries of Ceres with the Fable of the Inferi Greek Poets Philosophers that borrowed their knowledg of the Egyptians or those in Hell the severall places whereof with the Ferrie-man Charon are taken out of the Fens of Acherusia and the passing over this Lake by boat to bury their dead there Besides him they make mention of Musaeus Melampus Daedalus and Homer who travelled into Egypt to get knowledge To these they add of Law-givers Lycurgus the Spartan and Solon the Athenian who borrowed many of their Laws and Plato the choicest of his notions Pythagoras of Samus from them received his Sacred Speech as it 's called his Principles of Geometry Arithmetick and The doctrine of the transmigration of Souls Democritus of Abdera they take for granted to have lived amongst them five years in which time he proved an excellent Astrologer Oenopis of Chius by his conversation with their Priests and Astrologers amongst other things learnt the particular oblique course of the Sun And to add no more Eudoxus the Mathematician is beholding to Egypt where he studied for those instructions which much profited Greece and thereby procured him no small honour 34. The invention of Philosophy and Laws with all the rest of the Egyptian wisdom wherein Moses was learned is ascribed by divers unto Hermes (m) Laertius Jamblicus or Mercurius Trismegistus of whom yet either as to his person or time nothing certainly can be affirmed Hermes or Mercurius Trismegistus Cotta in Cicero reckoneth up five who have born the name of Mercury The first begotten by the Heaven or the Day the second Son to Valens and Pheron who liveth under the Earth called also Triphonius the third begotten by Jupiter the third on Maia the fourth Son to the Nile whom the Egyptians feared to name for reverence sake the fifth and last whom the Phaeneatans worship who slew Argus and flying thereupon was set over Egypt to the Inhabitants whereof he gave Laws and Literature and was by them named Theul But others attribute the finding out of Letters not to the last but the first Mercury truly called Theut Thoyoth Thot and Tautus it being utterly against all Antiquity that any should out of Greece transport Learning into Egypt Others account two of this name naturall Egyptians of whom the later was
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peneus and Asopus were first called Hellenes being formerly known by the name of Graeci and the Countrey it self Hellas afterwards named Ptbiotis Homer owneth none by the name of Hellenes but those who with the Myrmidonae amongst others followed Achilles to the Siege of Troy neither any place calleth he Hellas SECT 1. but onely one in Thessalie mentioned by Strabo who knoweth not whether it be a Town or Country though he would gladly prove that by Hellas Homer understood the whole Nation Strabo is in no wise to be heard against Thucydides and Apollodorus whereof the former witnesseth Vide Strab. lib. 8. p. 370. A. that the Poet no where mentioneth the Barbarians because all the Hellenes were not yet known by one common name whom he might oppose against them and the later expressely saith that he onely called those in Thessalie by the name of Hellenes But though in Homer's time the whole Nation might begin to be called Hellenes and the Country Hellas yet clear it is from many witnesses that these names came out of Thessalie and were thence transferred to signifie the whole Nation and their Colonies placed elsewhere insomuch that prideing themselves as it were in it they wholly rejected the other of Graeci which signifying antient as it seemeth they had also out of Thessalie from the same people who were afterwards called Hellenes though the Poets despise it not as Callimachus Sophocles and others and the Latins still retain it taking no notice of the other in their Language whence these words Greece and Graecians are derived 2. Greece was not antiently inhabited in any setled or established way Thucyd. though in after ages it became so famous in it's flourishing Common-wealths Seats and habitations were often changed The most antient Greeks lived in an unsetled condition preying one upon another according to the power and strength of such as were not satisfied with their own fortune No commerce was there amongst them being in continuall fear one of another they lived onely from hand to mouth not regarding money or the improvement of their grounds knowing not how long they should enjoy any thing in present possessions so that no considerable City was there or any Fortifications of value Attica indeed was something priviledged by it's barrennesse and secured from such violent attempts as other parts were obnoxious to whence such as were disturbed elsewhere flocked thither and it grew so populous that not able to maintain the great numbers under which it groaned it poured out Colonies into Asia the lesse which made up the body of the Ionians Before the Trojan War nothing considerable was done abroad by the Graecians but at that time having got some power at Sea they were rendered capable of that expedition Nothing considerable done by them abroad till the Trojan War For Minos King of Crete A. M. 2773. whom Thucydides would make to have had the first and most antient Fleet of all others had not long before obtained the dominion of the greatest part of the Greek Sea and making himself Master of the Islands Cyclades cast thence the Carians and placed Colonies of his own therein over which he made his Sons Princes And to increase his Customs he scoured the Seas of Pyrats it being then the trade of those that lived upon the Coasts to passe over and make prey one of another which to the last could not be left by some as the Aetolians and Acarnanians amongst others 3. The Sea being cleared Cities began to be built upon the Coast both for trade and security whereas the more antient Towns stood at a good distance from the Sea Cities begin to be built upon the Sea-Coasts both in the Continent and Islands Then came it to passe that the weaker submitting themselves to the more powerfull for matter of profit or the other by strong hand procuring it from them some new and considerable Principalities were erected which rendred them fit for the Expedition against Troy wherein Agamemnon praesided as the most powerfull Prince then reigning especially at Sea Yet was there still such scarcity of money and of provisions that onely so many Forces did they carry over as they hoped the War might maintain and used those not all together and at the same time The Graecians maintained themselves by tillage and plunder at the Wars of Troy but employed them in tilling the Cherronesus and in depraedations whereby being thus dispersed the Trojans were the longer able to resist them which they could not have done had they been sufficiently furnished with necessaries and incontinently with all their strength A. M. 2821. fallen upon the City Ten years being consumed in this War great alterations were thereby produced in Greece For through their absence so long abroad seditions and tumults arose at home whence many at their return or afterwards were forced to seek out new habitations A long time it was ere the Country returned to quietnesse and settlement but at length it was inabled to send out Colonies as the Athenians into Ionia and the Islands of the Greek Sea Great changes caused at home by their so long absence the Peloponnesians and some other Cities into Italy and Sicily The Nation growing now stronger and wealthier daily Tyrannies or petty Kingdoms were erected in every place there being now a possibility of raising revenues and as any exceeded others in power or cunning they invaded the Governments of others which they made arbitrary whereas before Kingdoms were haereditary with a constant limited power that they seldom exceeded The Corinthians first eminent at Sea 4. The Corinthians first began to be famous at Sea being the first that used that sort of Gallies camed Triremes and fought a battel with the Corcyreans A. M. 3353. D. C 102. Manassis 50. 220 years before the beginning of the Peloponnesian War For being seated in the Isthmus they enjoyed thereby a constant Mart which filled them with wealth especially after the Sea was cleared of Pyrats and Traffick increased Long after The Ionians the Ionians got the start of the rest in navall glory making good progresse therein and had gone still further A. M 3462. but that Cyrus having broken in pieces the power of Croesus and subdued all as far as the River Halys forced them also after some strugling to submit themselves unto the yoak A. 3473. After them Polycrates and others Polycrates the Tyrant of Samus the Massilians and Corcyraeans obtained the greatest power at Sea the Aegyptians and Athenians with the rest being inconsiderable therein till these two States falling out Themistocles procured the Athenians to apply themselves more to Sea matters when they now also expected the coming of the Persian King Great commodity all these obtained by the power of their Navies either in getting money or new possessions for they subdued the Islands such especially labouring herein No War by Land whose native Soils
but A.M. 2908. for that both of them were descended of Hercules dealt not roughly with him but admitted him to partnership in the Kingdom So from thenceforth the Sicronians became Dores and were reckoned amongst the Argives This fell out 87 years after the destruction of Troy 120 before the first Olympiad A. M. 2908. SECT III. The Kingdom of Argos The Kingdom of Argos hath the second place if not the â—rst 1. THe (a) Euseb in Chronico second place in Antiquity belongeth to this Kingdom for which (b) Vide Ludov Vivem in Augustin de Civitat Dei lib. 18. cap. 3. A.M. 2149. some have not been wanting to challenge the first affirming that many years after the establishment of this Aegialeus began that of the Sâ—cyonians and certainly though Argos missed something of Sicyon in years yet in fame dignity power and riches it exceeded it Inachus first here began a Kingdom about 244 years after the beginning of the Sicyonian the 142 of the life of Abraham 676 before the destruction of Troy and 1082 before the beginning of the Olympiads From the Antiquity of Inachus came that proverb Inacho antiquior Inachus concerning which Erasmus is to be consulted in his Adages Phoroneus On his sister Melissa he begat Phoroneus and a daughter named Io which must not be confounded with the daughter of Jasus of a later date as she is wont to be by Mythologists After fifty years reign he left his Kingdom to his son Phoroneus who by (b) Pausan in Argolicis p. 58. some was thought the first man as the son of a River in that place called Inachus and consequently the father (c) Clemens Stromat l. 1. of Mortals and Author of Mankind He is said to have (d) Nonius built the first Altar unto Juno Against him and the Parrhasians the Telchines and Caryatae made War but being overcome betook themselves to the mercy of Wind and Sea and at length arrived in Crete as some or Rhodes as others say He obtained the Dominion of the whole Peninsula and of the Nymph Laodice (e) Orosius l. 1. cap. 7. Apollodorus lib. 2. begot a son called Apis and a daughter named Niobe which Jupiter loved the first of all women and on her begat Argus Phoroneus after he had reigned sixty years died and left his Kingdom to his son Apis. Apis. 2. Apis turning Tyrant commanded the Peninsula to be called after himself Apios and being circumvented by the wiles of Thelxion and Telchin A.M. 2260. died without issue after he had reigned 34 years Apollodorus saith he was killed for his Tyranny in Greece though some make him to have gone into Egypt and there dying to have been taken for a God and called Serapis but there being two Kings of this name besides him viz. one of Sicyon and another of Egypt most Mythologists confound them and attribute what was done by all unto one which thing is usual with the Greeks Apis dying after he had reigned 34 years Argus left for his Successor Argus his sisters son by Jupiter the King of Crete who lived about this time In that Island first reigned Cres who gave name to it and was one of those Curetes that were said to have hid Jupiter from his father Saturn who would have devoured his youngest son after the other and nourished him as also to have built the Citie Cnossos and the Temple of Cybele With this man many others are confounded according to the custom of Poets who have observed no distinction in ascribing to one what many did and fathering things of their own invention upon the common name of Jupiter Several particular men known to have had the name Jupiter 3. The first man known to have had this name was Ham the youngest son of Noah who was worshipped for a God under the title of Jupiter Hammon His Nephew Nimrod the first King of Babylon and Assyria was sirnamed Belus and often called Jupiter Belus In Crete lived (f) Euseb one very ancient that hath gone under this name although as many places have challenged him for their Native as (g) Vide Pausan in Messemus p. 143. 7. contended for the birth of Homer Some think that he who is reported to have been preserved and nourished by the Curetes or the Idaei Dactyli was more ancient than Niobe and therefore make a second Jupiter to have lived in Crete about 150 years after who because he was the first of this name known to have been extravagant towards women thence arose that saying that Niobe was the first woman beloved by Jupiter Aeolus the son of Hellen and Nephew of Deucalion who lived about Thessaly and gave name to the Aeoles became so famous with Posterity that they gave him the name of (h) Idem ibid. p. 154. 31. Jupiter and Neptune Picus King of the Aborigines in Italy father to Faunus and supposed to be begotten by Saturn after he had fled into Latium from his son Jupiter is also called Jupiter by (i) Apud Suidam one and Aeneas Jupiter Indiges by the Romans These are such particular men as are known to have had this name which hath been so far advanced as to signifie the best and chiefest Being whil'st such as at first were reverenced for their vertue or power at length were forgotten to have been mortals 4. Each Nation of old had its Native Jupiter who was either the Founder thereof or living in remote times was by that Generation which attributeth immoderate things to Antiquity elevated into a Deity Here is to be considered what Annius his Xenophon wrote in his Treatise of Aequivocals Whence so many as he calleth them The most ancient King of any great and Illustrious family was wont to be called Saturn the eldest son Jupiter and the most valiant amongst the Nephews or Grand-sons Hercules Jupiter the ancient King of Crete or some other by his great exploits and well-deserving of that Age might gain this credit to his name or the word Zeus in the Greek tongue signifying what Ham doth import in the other language the Original of this name may better agree with the name place and condition of the son of Noah As for Jupiter the younger who is supposed to have begotten Hercules on Alcmena the wife of Amphytrio appeareth a meer fiction so valiant a person as that Child proved inhancing the repute of his generation or if this Hercules was not the son of Amphytrion but begotten by some other man then was the name of Jupiter given to his father to take away the Odium of Bastardie it being an ordinary thing for such as were base-begotten to be fathered upon Jupiter Mars or Apollo From Argus the Citie took its name 5. From Argus the Citie was named (k) Hesychius Argos before called Phoronicum from Phoroneus who first gathered the people into it being before that dispersed and made them Laws for Government From him also
Idem in Argolicis after some years incurred the displeasure of his Sons for marrying his Daughter Hyrnetho to Deiphontes his kinsman he so affected them two above his other children that he made him his onely Counsellour in all affairs insomuch that his sons fearing he would transfer the Kingdom from themselves to him made their father away by one means or other And Cresphontes his Brother who had used too much cunning in getting Messene not long after seeming to be too gracious with the people incurred the displeasure of the Nobility In Messenicis and was murdered together with two of his Sons onely Aepitus then but young escaped and killing Polyphontes the usurper revenged his Father's death Recovering thus the Kingdom he had Successors Glaueus Isthmias Dotadas Sybotas Phâ—ntas Antiochus and Euphaes who dying of a wound received in a battel fought with the Lacedaemonians without issue Aristodemus was elected in his room Cisus and continued as long as the Kingdom it self lasted being overturned by means of the Spartans as will be seen in their story Cisus the eldest son of Temenus succeeded him though the people generally inclined to Deiphontes by whose party they were so stirred up and animated that Cisus being dead they took away from his Successors all regal power and authority All regal power taken from his Successos left them nothing but a meer empty title and so in reality this Kingdom fell being in effect turned into a Free-State Which change happened about forty years after the return of the Heraclidae A. M. 2940. 690 after the beginning of Inachus A. M. 2940. 38. One (f) Grotius ex Aeschylo in supplicibus de jure belli pacis lib. 1. cap. 3. and he a great one there is who would gather out of an old Tragoedian that the antient government of this Kingdom of the Inachidae was meerly absolute the King being by the Poet called both People and City not subject to any Laws but susteined by the power of his Throne and acting all things according to his meer will and pleasure But if credit may be given to the expresse words of (g) In Corinthiacis pag. 61. Pausanias SECT 4. rather than the liberty of a Poet The Kingdom of the Inachidae moderate Emmius thence concludeth their power was but moderate for the Argives saith Pausanias from the most antient times were exceeding studious of liberty Out of this principle being stirred up as it seemeth by the party of Deiphontes they abated the power of Cisus his Successors leaving them nothing but an empty name And this they further shewed when Meltas the Son of Lacidaus one of these Kings not enduring this abatement grew as they thought dissolute and imperious in the Government For impatient hereof they deprived him of all power took upon them to condemn him to death The Government made Democratical and pluckt up all Supremacy by the roots not suffering any afterwards to reign amongst them For though we meet with one afterwards called King of Argos in Herodotus yet that name signified no more than it did in the Common-wealths of Athens Carthage and Rome where this title was wont to be given to some sorts of Officers as this work will shew The Government was now Democratical the chief power lying in the people divided into three tribes to which the Senate was subordinate chosen every year for the preparing of matters for the whole body and the management of the executive power with authority to enact things of lesser consequence There was also a Council of State consisting of 80 persons besides inferior Magistrates of the City and Judges for determining of causes all which are mentioned in the league made betwixt the Argives Athenians and others described by Thucydides in his fifth Book of the Peloponnesian War No fuller intelligence have we concerning the constitution of this Common-wealth which yet flourished downwards for many Ages and had great contests with the Lacedaemonians especially about the territories of Thyrea to which both laid claim Sometimes they fell out about their confaederates being moved with much emulation and distaste at each others Government the one being a Democracie and the other an Oligarchie which once especially brought the State of Argos into great danger But these things belong to another place SECT IV. The most antient Kingdom and Common-wealth of Athens Cecrops 1. THe founding of the Athenian Kingdom is ascribed to (a) Eusebius in Chron. ex Castore A. M. 2449. Cecrops who first reigned in Attica then Acte in the dayes of Triopas King of Argos 373 years before the destruction of Troy 780 before the first Olympiad A. M. 2449. The (b) Diodorus l. 1. p. 17. Aegyptians said he was their Country-man and brought hither a Colonie of the Saitae who inhabited upon one of mouths of Nile He was feigned to be double-natured consisting both of a Serpentine and Humane shape because coming into Greece he shook off barbarism and turned civil Besides this Colonie he gathered the people of these parts into twelve Towns whereas before that they lived dispersedly according to the most antient custom of Greece and called them Athenae after the name of Minerva in the Greek Language The storie is (c) Augustin ex Varrone de Civitat Dei l. 18. c. 9. told that when the name came to be given on a sodain an Olive-tree and a Fountain of water appeared whereat Cecrops moved with wonder sent to enquire of the Oracle what they should mean It was answered that the Olive signified Minerva the water Neptune and that they might name that City from which of these two they pleased Hereupon all the men and women were gathered together to make the choice the men were for Neptune but the women being the greater number carried the name for Minerva Neptune angry hereat drowned their territories whom to pacify they punished the women several wayes They decreed that thenceforth they should not have a voice in any publick matter that no child should bear the mother's name and that they should not be called Athenaeae but Atticae Some women known by the name of Minerva there have been though impure spirits ambitious to blind men with superstition and idolatry might well act in this matter as Augustine telleth us under the name of Neptune Several Minerva's 2. Cicero 3º De natura Deorum mentioneth five several women that have had the name of Minerva The first was the mother of Apollo by Vulcan The second born of the River Nile and worshipped by the Saitae The third daughter to Jupiter Coelius The fourth begotten by Jupiter on Ceâ—iphe daughter to the Ocean called Coria by the Arcadians which invented the Chariot drawn by four horses The fifth was the daughter of Pallas said to have killed her Father because he attempted to violate her virginity Of these the second must be she that was thus honoured by Cecrops having founded
Lycurgus his brother Lycurgus then governed as King Lycurgus but not long after his brothers wife proved to be with Child She sent to acquaint him therewith and to tell him that if he would marry her she would make away the infant He detesting from his heart such Villany yet returned her no denial but desired her not to practice any thing upon her self whereby she might come in danger for when the Child was once born he would take care for the destruction of it and by this deceit he drew her on till the time of her Travel When that came he sent some to observe her with command if it were a Girle to deliver it to the women but if a Boy to bring it strait unto him As he was supping with the Magistrates a Boy was born and brought to him who taking him in his arms told the Spartans that there was their King and presently put him in the Royal seat And A.M. 3107. because all men wonderfully rejoyced at so strange a thing admiring his Magnanimity and Justice he gave to the Child the name of Charilaus Tutor to Charilaus 6. Then as Tutor to this his young Nephew he managed publick affairs for some eight moneths but there wanted not those of the Queens kindred especially her brother who reproached him to his face as intending no good to the Child which she also now stuck not to say incensed by his repulse in the matter of marriage He took this in very ill part Lege Plutarchum Strab. lib. 10. pag. 482. and fearing that some inconvenience might follow these suspitions that were begotten by his adversaries in the breasts of several persons resolved to cut them off by Travel wherein he purposed to continue so long till his brothers son should come to maturity and had begotten an Heir for his Kingdom He went first unto Crete Travelleth where he made observations of the Laws and Customes of that Commonwealth instituted by Minos which afterwards he made his pattern and whence he sent Thaletas an Eminent Lyrick Poet of those times by his charming Verses to stir up the Lacedaemonians to Love and Unity From Crete he passed over into Asia that he might compare the luxury thereof with the Cretian severity and as good Physick make up a temper out of both where he found Homer's Verses kept as it seemeth by the Sons of Creophylus the Poet being dead not above thirty years before which he then copied out and bringing them home first made them publick in Greece though in great disorder in which they continued till the dayes of Pisistratus The Egyptians reported that he came down into their Countrey and there learnt the distinction of Military men from Artificers and those of other callings But whilest he thus improved himself abroad he was much wanted at home and often earnestly sollicited to return by all parties 7. For great need there was of his pretence to heal the distempers into which the State was now fall'n the heady multitude having by its desire of loose liberty brought all things into confusion The first Government till the coming in of the Heraclidae for any thing that can be found was meerly absolute and afterwards we do not find that the Regal power was diminished till Eurypon or Eurytion most imprudently let loose the reigns of Government This gave occasion to the Rabble to fly high in disobedience and contest with his Successors when they endeavoured the recovery of their old Authority Many great tumults and seditions were hence raised insomuch that Eunomus the Grand-son of Eurypon father of Lycurgus and fifth from Procles was murdred in one of them with a butchers knife These distempers increasing Plutarch and the Kings not being strong enough to rule the dissolute Rabble nothing but absolute ruin and destruction was expected when Lycurgus returning home of whose prudence and integrity they had had formerly large demonstrations alone seemed able to give any hope of better things 8. He thought this opportunity was not be neglected now that all were in so good a mind and resolved to use his utmost indeavour for an alteration At his return he anew modelleth the State Herein this was the scope he aimed at to make Provision for equality which he thought to be the best Nurse of Concord and the Bulwark of all societies To accustom the People from their tender years to obey the Laws and Magistrates and hereby to render them more inclinable to live justly and frugally to bridle all corrupt affections indure labour and hardship refuse no danger for the publick good nor death it self if the case required Having therefore a design to make a full evacuation of all bad humours as he accounted them and knowing how full of difficulty and danger this might prove to the body politick mens minds much loathing so violent a Purgation he considered that they were apt to be led by a shew of Religion and having learnt how Minos pretended to have received his Laws from Jupiter with whom he conversed in a Cave he resolved to go to Delphos and make use of that Oracle to the same advantage There was he received with incouraging words saluted Beloved of the gods a god rather than a man and received in an Oracle the frame of a Commonwealth which bringing home he called Rhetra to gain the more Authority to it At his return he first consulted with his intimate friends and drew others on by degrees till having made a party he ordered thirty principal persons to go Armed into the Market-place betimes in the morning that they might thereby strike a terrour into their Adversaries A.M. 3122. Charilaus at this much affrighted as thinking it some plot against himself fled to Chalciaecum the Temple of Minerva much spoken of where he took Sanctuary but understanding how things were came forth and joyned himself to his Uncle being of a most sweet and mild disposition 9. The Rhetra according to which he framed his Model was of this tenour Let him build a Temple of Jupiter Syllanius and Minerva Syllania Let him divide the People into Phylae and Obae ordain thirty Senators with the Archagetae then let him call together the People betwixt Babyces and Cnacion so let him propose concerning matters or null them Gamodan Gorian c. In these words of the Oracle saith Plutarch Obae and Phylae that is Tribes signifie certain parts into which the People was to be divided the Kings are called Archagetae as Captains and to assemble the People is in Greek expressed by apollazein for that he attributed the beginning and cause of the Commonwealth to Apollo Pythius Babycas and Cnacion is at this day called Oenuns Aristotle writeth that Cnacion is the name of the River and Babycas of the Bridge In the middle betwixt these the Concio was assembled though there was neither Gallery nor any other accommodation because he thought that those things conduced nothing to Council but rather
the one consisting of 354. and the other of 365 doubled these eleven dayes and every other year inserted a moneth after February consisting of 22 dayes and by the Romans called Mercedonius because at that time wages were wont to be paid He changed the order of the moneths assigning to March formerly the first the third place to January the first and February the second whereof this was the last and the other the 11th in the dayes of Romulus Many have been of opinion that Numa added January and February to the rest of the moneths and that formerly the Romans had but 10. which appeareth by the name of December the last moneth and because the fifth and sixth moneths from March were called Quintilis and Sextilis Thus March must have been the beginning of the year which Romulus so named from Mars his supposed father The second was April so called from Venus as some thought because her superstitious worship was performed in it when the women were Crowned with Myrtle as they washed or as others gathered from the opening of Plants at that time of the year The third was May named from Maia and sacred to Mercury the fourth was June from Juno as some thought others deriving the names of these two from Majores and Juniores the Elder and younger The rest had their names from their order as Quintilis Sextilis September October November December Afterwards Quintilis was from Julius Caesar called July Sextilis August from Augustus September and October the Emperour Domitian changed into his own names but presently after he was killed they recovered their former Onely the two last ever retained their first appellations Of those moneths which Numa either added or ranked February was so called from the expiations which used to be in it signified by the word Februa then they were wont to make parentations to the dead and celebrate the Lupercalia certain Sacrifices and Games in honour of Pan much like to the Sacrifice of Expiations January was named of Janus which Numa seemeth to have set before March because he would shew that Civil vertue is ever to be preferred before what is exercised in War For Janus was accounted one of the most antient Gods or Kings from whom reigning in Italy some make the Romans descended very studious for civil society and humane converse and who changed the course of mans life from brutish and savage to an humane and gentle kind He is therefore feigned to be double faced because he brought in another fashion of life than what formerly had been and had a Temple built by Numa with two doors that were shut in peace and open in vvar as was before said These things Plutarch relateth in the life of Numa 15. But Livie and other considerable Authors (a) C. 3. Solinus (b) Satur. lib. 1. c. 12. Macrobius and (c) c. 20. Censorinus write that the first Roman year consisted but of ten moneths and 304 dayes six of the moneths having 30 dayes and the other four 31 apiece But this account differing from the course of the Sun Numa to make them agree added 51 dayes to the year That he might make up the twelve moneths from the six consisting of thirty dayes he took one day apiece and therewith made up 57. which were divided into two moneths whereof the one contained 29. and the other 28 dayes and so the year began to have 355. Of this opinion besides Junius Grauhanus and Fulvius both Varro and Suetonius were as appeareth out of Censorinus Yet Licinius Macer and Lucius Fenestella by the same testimony two antient Writers of Annals delivered that the first Roman year consisted of 12 moneths agreeable to the former opinion related by Plutarch This a * Joseph Scaliger de Emendatione Temp. lib. 2. Lidyatus de variis annorum formis cap. 17. noble pair of modern Criticks prove to have been the truer opinion affirming that January and February were not added by Numa but transferred from the end to the beginning of the year and endeavouring to shew that they who would have the year but to consist of 10 moneths make it no shorter than they that are for 12. distinguishing it not so much in number as placing of dayes for the Romans in Romulus his time filled up the year either by assigning more dayes than thirty to the moneths or adding so many in the end thereof as seemed to be wanting But it sufficeth to have touched these things for the direction of beginners 16. Numa to gain credit and obedience to his constitutions feigned that he had converse with the Goddesse Egeria He married Tatia daughter to Tatius the King by which he had a daughter named Pompilia Some said he neither had any other wife nor any more Children but others both as to wife and children dissented from them He lived above 80. reigned 43 years and at his death was buried with great honour His body was not burned which he forbad but buried in a stone Coffin under the Janiculum and the Books of his Ceremonies laid by him in another which being twelve written in Latine and as many in the Greek tongue were 400 years after when Publius Cornelius and Marcus Baebius were Consuls by water wrought out of the earth and for that it was thought wickednesse to have such things discovered to the multitude from which he also kept them after the fashion of the Pythagoreans not communicating discipline by writing but onely by word of mouth burned by command of the Senate He kept the State in constant peace and his ability herein contributed to the general quiet of Italy so that by the example of his reign Plutarch judgeth that saying of Plato to be verified that the onely means whereby men should be made happy would be to have a Philosophical mind and regal power concur in a Prince who would make vertue superiour to dishonesty But the fortune of the succeeding Kings added to the lustre of his glory For of the five which followed the last was cast out and died in exile and none of the rest obtained a natural and quiet end according to Plutarch Tullus Hostilius 17. Numa being dead and the Government devolved upon the Senate after several Interreges at length Tullus Hostilius was created King by the Universal consent of the Citie His Grand-father was that Hostilius A. M. 3333. V.C. 82. Olymp. 27. an 1. who most gallantly behaved himself against the Sabines at the Cittadel and married of that Nation the daughter of Hersilia After much valour shewn he was slain in battel and left a young son who at ripenesse of age of a noble Matrone begat this Tullus Hostilius the third King of Rome whose beginning according to the account of Dionysius was in the second year of the 27th Olympiad wherein Eurybates the Athenian was Victor when Leostratus was Archon at Athens in the 83 year of the Citie and the 31 of Manasses King of Judah At his first beginning he
Captains whether they should stand to the hazard of a battel Those that were for the Negative had carried it but that Miltiades who was all for fighting drew over Callimachus one of the Polemarchi to his party The major part of the votes then passing on his side each Captain assigned his day to him who had formerly been Prince of the Chersonesus and thence was expelled by the Persians committing the management of the fight to his discretion 26. Miltiades accepted of the charge yet thought good not to fight till his one day which was the tenth should be arrived Then set he the Army in order and being at a miles distance from the Enemy led very fast upon him which the Persians attributed to madnesse seeing the other so few in comparison of themselves and badly provided both of Horse and Arms. The fight continued long wherein in the middle battel the Persians put the other to flight but in both the wings the Graecians prevailed and turning themselves upon those that worsted their fellows Are overthrown at Marathon made great slaughter of them as far as the Sea side where they also seized upon seven of their ships Concerning the number of the slain Writers do not agree Herodotus writeth of 6400 of the Barbarians and 192 of the Graecians On the one side fell Hippias as Justin hath recorded out of Trogus Lib. 2. c. 9. and Callimachus on the other What year the battel was fought is not certainly known but in the second or third of the 72 Olympiad and four or five before the death of Darius 27. Datis and Artaphernes returning into Persia carried the Eretrians captive along with them to Susa where they presented them before Darius Herod l. 6. c. 119 c. though Ctesias wrote that Datis was slain in the battel of Marathon and that his body was denied to be restored Darius placed the Eretrians in Anderica in Cissia a Country so called at 210 furlongs distance from Susa the possession whereof their posterity held a long time together with their own language Notwithstanding the defeat at Marathon he left not off thoughts of conquering Greece making all possible provision for another invasion But in the fourth year after more work fell into his hands for though Diodorus telleth that the Aegyptians much honoured him as one of their Law-givers Idem lib. 7. c. 1 c. they now rebelled The year following he was provided for both Expeditions and was about to undertake them when the custom of the Country first required that he should name his Successor He had three children before he was King by the daughter of Gobryas whereof the eldest Artobazanes by others called Artemenes and Ariamenes challenged the Kingdom by virtue of his birth-right Darius declareth his Successor But it was judged due to Xerxes his eldest son by Mossa Cyrus his daughter who was founder of the Empire Vide Justin l. 2. c. 10. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apotheg in Artaxerxe and he accordingly was declared at this time although some make this civil and loving contest betwixt the two brothers to have happened after their Father's death and been judged by Artaphernes their Uncle But as Darius was about setting forwards for Greece he was prevented by death the first year after the rebellion of Aegypt ending Dieth after he had reigned 36 years compleat in the third year of the 73 Olympiad ending before the Aera of Christ 485. A. M. 3519. 28. Xerxes succeeded his Father in the third year of the third Olympiad Herodot lib. 7. ad initium being the fourth King of Persia the right to the Empire whereof he fetched from Cyrus his Grand-father by the Mother's side He was scarce setled in the Throne Xerxes when Mardonius his kinsman stirred him up with earnestnesse not to give over the War which he had begun with Greece promising to himself great command upon the conquest of Europe which he made Xerxes believe would be as readily performed as spoken He though ambitious enough was not at first of himself very forward but as it concerned him thought first of recovering Egypt for which all things were left in readinesse by his father and in the year next after his death turned his forces thither with present successe Recovereth Egypt For he reduced that Countrey under the yoak which he laid heavier upon it than formerly and committed the Government thereof to his brother Achaemenes who was after many years slain by Inarus the Libyan 29. Egypt being thus fortunately recovered he was therewith much elevated and now had resolved to follow on the War with Greece but to hear what his Captains would say he called them together to advise about it to whom with vanity enough he opened his mind and was seconded by an indiscreet flattering speech of Mardonius who seemed with words to be able to blast the present condition of Greece Consulteth about renewing the War with Greece His Uncle Artabanus a grave and long experienced man strongly urged the contrary shewing how vain humane confidence was how britle and instable the fortune of Princes and others which appeared sufficiently in his fathers expedition against the Scythians first and since that against the Athenians that the Greeks were not so weak a Nation he proved by the battel at Marathon that the thing which he attempted was most dangerous to be thought on again and again that without mature deliberation the attempt would be rash however the successe should happen that God many times pulls down the highest things and humbleth the haughty that trust in their own strength by making them to fall into sudden calamities and as for Mardonius he chastised his youthfull and ambitious heat with a sharp reprehension foretelling him what would be the reward of his rashnesse But this wise Counsel could not be heard from a grave man the ears of Xerxes being stopped by the suggestions of one more agreeable to his head-strong and youthfull humour so that he imputed to his Uncle basenesse of mind and cowardise inflicting this punishment upon him for it that staying at home he should not partake of so glorious an expedition To this enterprize he was also stirred up by the Aleuadae or Princes of Thessaly who grudged at the liberties of the Greeks by the son of Pisistratus also banished Athens who living in his Court abused his credulity by the help of a Wizard or Fortune-Teller 30. Yet not long after considering what Artabanus had said he changed his purpose and calling his Council together again after he had commended his Uncles opinion signified the same unto them at which all the wiser sort much rejoyced but the thing running much in his mind so that he was disturbed in his sleep he returned to his former resolution and resolved on the expedition In the preparation for it three years Herodotus saith four were taken up all Asia being concerned therein so far as to
the Phrygiaes the Lydians also and Carians all but the Hallicarnassians and not long after Halicarnassus it self and then all the Maritime Coast as far as Cilicia After this he received a great overthrow at Issus in which his Mother Wife and Children were taken Phoenicia and Aegypt fell off from him At Arbela or Gaugamela losing a mighty Army consisting of all sorts of people he disgracefully was forced to flie then driven from his Kingdom wandring up and down and wanting due accommodations at last he was betrayed by his own servants and at the same time both a King and Captive was ignomniously bound in fetters and perished by the treachery of those from whom he should have expected safety as Arrianus writeth This hapned in the year that Aristophontes was Archon at Athens in the month Hecatombaeon vvhen he had lived about fifty years in the seventh year of his reign and the 203d of this Empire in the third year of the 112th Olympiad A. M. 3675 328 years before the ordinary Aera of Christ Contemporaries with the Persian Empire CHAP. II. The affairs of the Graecians amongst themselves during this Empire SECT I. Of such things as hapned from the beginning thereof until the Expedition of Xerxes Polycrates 1. IN the time of Cyrus the Great and afterwards lived Polycrates the famous Tyrant of Samus who from a small beginning arrived at such extraordinary power as no petty Prince of the Greekish Nation was ever accounted equal to him for worldly felicity The word Tyrannus or Tyrant whence derived and whom it signifieth 2. The word Tyrannus which we English Tyrant Suidas thinketh to have been derived from the Tyrrheni a people of Italy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were cruel and given to robbery Others thought it was derived of the City Tyre by means of it's riches and glory Most anciently the word was of no ill signification but was used in a good sense there being no discrimination betwixt King and it as * Aeneiad l. 7. Servius observeth For though Homer who never mentioneth Tyre either knew it not or would not use it yet the Poets who follow him call those Kings that lived before the Trojan times by the appellation of Tyranni Afterwards through the dissolute and cruel demeanour of some Princes and the antipathie of the Greeks towards Monarchy after they had generally erected Oligarchical or Democratical Governments it came to be taken in a bad sense Herein it is especially given to those who being once private persons enslaved their Citizens by invading without any just title the supreme power as to Polycrates Pisistratus Dionysius and Agathocles It 's also applied to the Children who succeeded their Fathers in the usurpation And it is also given sometimes to those who governed by the desire and consent of the People as Gelon of Syracuse betokening as to this particular a petty Prince or Regulus For it is seldom or never in antient Authors when it is taken in an ill sense found applied to any but the usurping Lords of Cities not any notable Kingdom and such Cities as had before been governed in the way of a Commonwealth And what is said of those Governours called Tyranni must be extended to their Government in the Greek language called Tyrannis which we english Tyranny SECT 1. though not in any ill sense wherein the Athenians used it not when they would have Solon to take the Tyrannis or Government upon him though the word was harsh This is hinted to take off any thoughts of the ignorant as if the word reflected upon Monarchy the best of Governments when all shall bee considered 3. Samus is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea lying over against Ionia Vid. Strabonem l. 14. not far severed from it containing in circuite scarce 100 miles so called from the heighth of it by the Antients in their Language On the West it looks towars the Island Icaria Samus called first Parthenia and afterward Dryusa but on the East the continent of Asia being near to Ephesus and the promontory of Mycale from which it is distant but five miles The most antient Inhabitants were Carians differing much from the Greeks both in language and manners But when the sons of Codrus led out Colonies from Attica Androclus one of them here setled one Vid. Heraâ—liâ— by which the City of the same name with the Island was built having a very large and commodious Haven It was presently much beautified with frequency of Inhabitants riches and multitudes of buildings and being very famous for the Temple of Juno which was especially worshipped in this place it was reckoned amongst the twelve Ionian Cities being partaker of the great Council of Panionium and counted not inferiour to Miletus Ephesus or Chius the most eminent amongst them Lib. 3. From Herodotus it should appear to have at first been governed by Kings the Inhabitants as he saith in the reign of Amphicrates making War upon Aegina which was hurtful to both sides and this was the cause that in the Age following the Aeginetans did as much by the Samian exiles which had retired into Crete But in what Age Amphicrates lived he doth not mention yet this is apparent from his words that the Samians because Islanders remained untouched by the King of Lydia and Persia when the other Ionian Cities in the continent were forced by them into subjection 4. But when Cyrus flourished in Asia and Pisistrates at Athens Herodotus lib. 3. cap. 39. Polycrates the Son of Aeaces one of their own Citizens offered violence to their liberty When first he seized on the Soveraignty he made his two Brothers Pantagnotus and Syloson partners with him but afterwards he slew the one and ejected the yonger and so having all the power in his own hands he contracted amity with Amasis Polycrates his exploits who at that time reigned in Aegypt In a short time his affairs so prospered that he became famous through Ionia and all Greece for wheresoever he made War he prospered with his 100 Biremes or Gallies with two ranks of Oars on a side and 1000 Archers invading all his neighbours without any difference for that he held it for a rule that he gratified his friend more by restoring what he had taken from him than if he had taken nothing away He subdued many Islands and many Towns in the continent The Lesbians coming to help their friends of Miletus with all their force he overthrew and took so many as served him to draw a ditch round about the walls of Samus His affairs being thus prosperous were not unknown to Amasis but being every day more prosperous than other at length Amasis suspected that his friend and allie for this prosperous Fortune would have some disastrous end and therefore he wrote to him and desired him that to make some certain change therein he would pick out that which was most dear to him His felicity and
story of Aeneas and Dido to be a fiction and utterly against the course of History Further Eusebius noteth that some accounted Carthage built 143 years after the destruction of Troy about the 2966 year of the World and the 23 of the reign of David 164 years or more before the time assigned to Dido by Menander It consisted of three parts For the reconcilement of these several assertions it must be considered that Carthage consisted of three parts viz. Cothon Megara and Byrsa whereof the first was the Port and the last the Citadel compassed about by the second called Magalia and Magaria but more truely Megara signifying properly in the Punick language dwellings in a strange Countrey 'T is conceived that these might be built at several times as that part about the Haven before the War of Troy the other some time within 144 years after the destruction of it which might rightly in respect of the other be called Carthada or New Town and lastly the Byrsa by Dido 166 years after For the Phoenicians being masters at Sea might according to their pleasure as they had occasion send out Colonies which they began to do from the time that Joshua expelled them out of the Land of Canaan The Greeks themselves believed that Cadmus made an expedition into Africk and there built many Cities as appeareth out of Nonius and he built the Citadel at Thebes about the time of Joshua In Procopius his age who lived under Justinian the Emperour about the 540 year of Christ the two Pillars were yet standing which those Canaanites erected that fled from the face of Joshua in that part of Africk called Tingitana as the inscription testified which we formerly mentioned and Eusebius writeth that these same Canaanites led Colonies into Tripolis in Africk Lastly amongst several other Cities built by the Phoenicians the most considerable after Carthage was Utica Utica some ten miles distant from it which Aristotle from the Phoenician Histories reporteth to be 287 years antienter than Carthage and Velletus Paterculus to have been built by the Tyrians a few years after Gades about the time of Codrus who being Contemporary with Saul this Citie obtained the name of Utica or Ityca that is saith Bochartus in the Phoenician language Old or Antient. The story of Dido 6. Dido was sister to Pygmalion King of Tyre wife to Sichaeus Menander Ephesius apud Josephum ut priùs Justin lib. 18. Appian lib. de bellis Punicis Servius in Aeneiad lib. 1. or Sicharbas their Uncle the Priest of Hercules Sichaeus being murdred by Pygmalion for his Wealth she out of hatred to or for fear of her brother fled into Africk with all she could take thereby disappointed the murderer of his prey The story goeth that coming into Africk she her Companions were repelled by Hiarbas the King of that place till they craftily desired to buy of him so much ground as an Ox's hide would compasse The Africans laughed at their folly and out of desire to see what use they could make of so little ground swore to make good the bargain The Phoenicians then cut the Hide all into one small thong with which they encompassed twenty furlong and thereon built a Castle thence said the Greeks called Byrsa But learned men explode this story of the Hide as a meer invention and a fable raised from a false explication of the word which in the Hebrew tongue is Bosra and signifying a fortified place or Castel is changed into Byrsa for the better sound because the Genius of the Greek language suffereth not S R to be joyned together Justin out of Trogus relateth that Hiarbas King of Mauritania sent for ten of the principal Carthaginians and required Dido in marriage threatning else to make War upon them At their return they told her he desired some one who might teach his people breeding and manners but none could be found that was content to leave his Countrey and joyn himself with the Barbarians whose lives were like to those of wild beasts She blaming them all exceedingly that they preferred their private commodity before the good of their Countrey to which if need required they ought their very lives they opened to her the whole matter saying that what she would impose upon others she ought not her self to refuse Being caught with this wile she long called on the name of Sichaeus her husband with many tears and great lamentation then taking three moneths time for the doing of what there was necessity for she made a pile of wood as though to make a Parentation to Sichaeus and appease his Ghost before her second marriage Having killed many beasts she ascended the Pile with a Sword in her hand and turning to the people said that now she was going to her husband and therewithall killed her self Before the name of Dido which some make to signifie Loved or Amiable Vide Bocharti Canaan lib. 1. c. 14. Simson ad A.M. 3132. and others more probably Wandring or Erratick she had that of Elissa betokening a Divine Woman or Virago The Latin word Virago in Greek written Ouirago is in Eusebius corrupted into Origo and being applied as a name to the Citie and not to the woman by a misunderstanding hath much perplexed Joseph Scaliger and others 7. Carthage then being re-edified or inlarged by Dido and the Colony she brought thither about the 3132 year of the World in the dayes of Johas King of Judah and Jehu of Israel 310 years after the destruction of Troy The form of Government at Carthage 97 before the first Olympiad and 120 before the building of Rome was at first under Monarchical Government but afterwards rejecting it indured many hazards and hardships which followed loose liberty whereof most are briefly recited by Justin in his eighteenth book and those that follow The (a) Polit. lib. 2. cap. 9. Philosopher compareth this Commonwealth with those of the Cretans and Lacedaemonians saying that it was mixed of Aristocracy and Policy as he calleth it (b) Lib. 16. Polybius saith it was composed of Kingly Aristocratical and Democratical Governments and (c) In Nycocle pag. 61. tolius operis editi Genevae 1636. Isocrates maketh it Oligarchical at home and in War Monarchical As two Kings at Lacedaemon had the first rank of Magistracie with equal power so at Carthage two persons by them called Suffetes and by Aristotle and Polybius and Corn. Nepos termed Kings yet onely nominal As the former were for life so these were but Annual in which respect (d) Lib. 10. Livie compareth them with the Consuls of Rome and their dignity being hereditary those were yearly elected out of any noble Families Such were especially preferred as were accounted most eminent for Virtue and able to defray the charges of their place Aristotle commendeth this above the Lacedaemonian custom all but that concerning their wealth imputing it as an error to the Legislator who ought another way to
well he died full of honour at Syracuse after he had held the Principality about thirteen years In the third year of the 75 Olympiad his elder brother Hieron succeeded him Hieron of Syracuse He rebuilded Catana and changed it's name into Aetna the Mountain of which name about this time brake out into flames as fifty years after it did also In the beginning of his reign he was much unlike to his brother Gelon being suspicious cruel covetous and turbulent then caught with a lingering disease he was much amended by the conversation of most Learned men After this he fought prosperously against the Carthaginians who now again returned into Sicilie overthrew Thrasydaeus of Agrigentum in a great battel and drove him to desperation at length he incurred the hatred of the Syracusians uncertain for what cause and shortly after withdrawing himself to Catana there died in the second year of the 78 Olympiad when he had held the Principality from the death of Gelon eleven years and eight moneths Thrasybulus 15. After him his brother Thrasybulus seized upon the power A. M. 3538. Ol. 78. an 2. V. C. 287. whose practices stirred up the Citizens to recover their liberty with the hastening of his ruine For being set upon by them he was overthrown and reduced to such a straight that he fled into Locri on the Coast of Italy and there killed himself having held the Soveraignty ten moneths from the death of Hieron The Syracusians recover their liberty The Syracusians now gladly resumed their liberty yet not therewith content that they might the more secure it they freed also many other Cities of Sicilie from Tyranni and forein Garrisons But not long after they fell into a most pernicious Sedition Arist Polit. l. 5. c. 3. For excluding those from honours whom Gelon had brought into Syracuse for the establishment of his own interest they themselves bearing all Offices of Magistracy and governing the Commonwealth though they took not away from the other the freedom of the City the lately made Denizons not enduring it conspired together being in number 7000 of 10000 which Gelon had brought in Three years after liberty recovered they sodainly fell upon two parts of the City the Island and Acradina The natural Inhabitants overpowering them in numbers besieged them close and overthrowing them in a Sea fight at length constrained them to acquiesce in the present state of things or else quit the City after the Sedition and tumult had endured two years In the mean time by the conduct of Ducetius a Sicilian those planters that Hiero had placed in Catana were thence ejected and the old Inhabitants restored to the place whom he had cast out now also the whole Island was restored to it's antient condition the Exiles being repossessed and new comers driven out who setlâ—d themselves at Messana the utmost part of the Island The form of the Syracusian Common-wealth 16. That form of a Commonwealth was now established at Syracuse which Aristotle properly calleth Policie mixed of Oligarchie and Democracie which how dangerous it was appeared shortly For after some years the State continuing in this form and the number of Citizens increasing one Tyndarides an Eminent man and very rich egged on by his ambition brought it into great danger For binding to him the indigent rabble by his gifts and using them as a Guard he manifestly pressed towards the soverainty but by the Union of those who were in greatest grace with the people he was repressed and when the beggerly sort would needs undertake his protection killed in a tumult When others not at all deterred by this example aspired after such power as threatned liberty the people for to humble those that carried their heads highest in imitation of the Athenians brought in the use of the Petalism The Petalism As they by their Ostracism removed such Citizens for ten years who for their reputation and interest were dangerous to the freedom of the Citie so the Syracusians by the Petalism removed such like for five years This kind of banishment without losse of honour or fortune was called in Greek Pesalismos because his name whom any one would have banished was written in a leaf of an Olive according to * Quom lege ad Olymp. 81. ann 2. Diodorus both which in the same language were signified by the word Petalos But this constitution as the other at Athens could not long continue For those Eminent persons who were most fit for State Affairs for fear thereof bv little and little withdrew themselves from publick businesse to a private life Hereby the Commonwealth fell into the hands of bold Quickly abrogated for weighty reasons rash unskilfull and the naughtiest sort of men whence grievous incommodities and dangers followed By these things the people were moved to abrogate the Law of Petalism and the better sort returned to the care of the Commonwealth after which it remained in quietnesse for some time but again relapsed as necessarily it must from the informity of Antimonarchical Government The Wars of the Syracusians 17. Abroad the Syracusians had War with the Tuscans in Italy with Ducetius Captain of the Siculi as also the Agrigentines Trinacrians Leontines and Egestans in Sicily wherein most commonly they had the better and either fully brought under or bound to them by Leagues most of the Cities in the Island Leontium a most flourishing Town was utterly destroyed when it now gaped after the Empire of Sicily the principal Citizens being removed to Syracuse and the multitude driven into Exile Out of these motions they fell into the Athenian War in the first year of the 91th Olympiad concerning which we have already sufficiently spoken Syracuse was so exhausted therein with expences and slaughters that upon the brink of ruin it was meerly preserved by the wisdom and valour of Gylippus a stranger of Sparta and not onely preserved but made victorious to admiration and inabled to return to the Athenians so great overthrows by Land and Sea This War which begun in the 50th year after the recovery of their liberty by means of the Egestans who craved aid of Athens against them and the Selinuntians lasted not fully three years leaving a sufficient warning to all of the vicissitude of humane affairs and shewing that they who gape after Dominion and are busie to inlarge their bounds being carried out by the force of ambition rather than reason often fall into a necessity of defending their own Estate and sometimes lose all 18. The multitude grown exceeding high upon this successe would not rest satisfied with its former privileges but so ordered the matter that the temper of this Commonwealth more and more degenerated Lib. 2. cap. 4. Diod. Diocles a man of principal note who had perswaded them to put to death Nicias and Demosthenes the Athenian Generals being of a most severe and rigid disposition A.M. 359â— Olymp. 92. ann 1. V.C. 342. Darii
fined him but one Philistus a wealthy man who afterwards wrote his History bade him proceed promising to pay his fine though it were a whole day together Animated hereby he proceeded urging that the Captains had been corrupted to betray the interest of Sicilie and accusing others of the better sort of Citizens as affecting Oligarchy He therefore moved that new Officers might be created such as were not eminent for power but good will towards the People for that the other usurping dominion despised the common sort and made their own markets out of the publick whereas those being of lower fortunes by a consciousnesse of their own weaknesse could not attempt such a matter 25. Having discoursed these things fitly to the humour of the multitude and his own design he made no small impression in the minds of the Vulgar who having had the fidelity of the Captains in question before gave credence to these slanders and deposing them made new amongst which was Dionysius having got much credit for his valour against the Carthaginians The foundation thus laid he beat his head all manner of waies how to accomplish his device and resolved if possible to get his Colleagues removed For this purpose he never would meet in council with them giving out they hatched clandestine designs against the State and seeing the Citizens much affrighted at an approaching War procured the Exiles to be called home hoping that they being obnoxious to him and desirous of innovation would be fit for his purpose taking great delight in seeing their Enemies killed and their goods sold their own Estates being restored to them At this time it happened that a Sedition falling out in Gela he had an opportunity to lead thither 2000 Foot and 400 Horse where procuring their principal men to be put to death and their Estates confiscated he thereby much ingratiated himself with the multitude and Soldiers At his return he found the People just departing from the shows of the Theatre which asking him news he said he knew none but that their Governours were greater Enemies to the State than the Carthaginians by whose flatteries they now kept holy day and who fleecing the Commonwealth cheated the Soldiers of their wages Now was an innumerable Army hovering upon the borders and ready to invade which they not at all regarded This he understood a little before but now fully having received a message from Imilco that desired his connivance Wherefore for his part he would lay down his Office not induring that others making merchandise of the Commonwealth he alone should together with the Citizens bear the burthen and undergo the danger and yet also be accounted as treacherous as the rest For this night every man in great fear went home to his house The next day he called them together and loading his Colleagues with great invectives The misery of People destitute of rightful and hereditary Princes so stirred the multitude that some beginning to cry out he was to be made Dictator for that they had formerly had experience how convenient the conduct of a single Person was by the example of Gelon his Victory over Amilcar the multitude out of hand created him General with full power Then to bind fast the Soldiers to him he procured a Decree for double pay alleging it would make them more valiant in that time of danger and bidding the People take no thought about raising money 26. The wiser sort had all along sufficiently understood whither these actions tended but the multitude stopped their ears against all accusations as proceeding from the malice of the great ones But now upon further consideration they began to suspect him and repent they had put the power out of their own hands which he being aware of lest the discontent should so seize upon the generality as thereby to procure him any let or hindrance in the full compleating his design he drew out the Army to Leontium which now was used as a Fortresse or Garrison and there shutting himself close up pretended a great conspiracy against his life The day followng he called the multitude together and alleging many probable reasons to perswade them of the danger obtained to have 600 men as a guard for his person which he should chuse out where he pleased This number he increased to 1000 picked out and consisting of such as were desperate in fortune and thereupon backed with stomach and resolution He called the Mercenaries and ingaged them to him with good words then new modelling the Army gave such commands therein as he knew would best serve his own turn he gave free admission to all Exiles and malefactors knowing such would be effectual to all his purposes Having thus in imitation of Pisistratus got him a guard and made himself Tyrant at his return to Syracuse he openly shewed himself such placing his Tent in the Arcenal The People murmured in vain being beset with strangers and mercenaries at home and in continual fear of a War hanging over them from abroad To establish himself he took to wise the daughter of Hermocrates who did such service against the Athenians and was slain in attempting to seize on the City he also gave his own Sister in marriage to his wives Brother thinking it his interest to be allied to so great a Family Then assembling the People by his devices he procured Daphneus and Demarchus the most potent of his Adversaries to be put to death A. M. 3599. Ol. 93. an 3. V.C. 348. Darii Nothi 18. and so from a Scribe and a man of mean condition he became Master of the greatest Greek Citie continuing such for 38 years unto his end 27. Imilcar having wintred in Agrigentum at Spring-time razed the City and then fell upon Gela. The Inhabitants betook themselves to Dionysius for help but his indeavours not well succeeding they were forced to quit the Town and leave it also to the disposal of the Enemy Idem ad an 4. Dionysius made the Citizens of Camarina to do the same possessing them with a fear of the Carthaginians so that departing thence in haste some with their Gold and Silver others with their wives and children onely and the wayes being full of both sexes and ages who miserably shunned servitude by exile the Syracusian Horse-men pitied them exceedingly and accounting this but a fetch of their Tyrant A conspiracy against him to make himself Master of the place conspired how they might kill him in the way and the rather because they had observed how remisse or rather industriously treacherous he had been in the relief of Gela. He keeping the Mercenaries close to him they could not execute this design but rode fast to Syracuse where being easily admitted they rifled his Palace and used his wife very harshly that she died Being secure of him as at a great distance from them he conjectured the same and in post-haste comeing to Syracuse set fire on one of gates and so got in Then slaughtered
and built three Forts upon the Sea wherein he put his provisions and sent into Sardinia and Africk for more Afterwards Polyxenus father-in-law to Dionysius returning out of Peloponnesus and Italy with 30 long ships and Pharacidas the Lacedaemonian to the assistance of the Syracusians they took a victualling ship from the Carthaginians They doing their endeavour to rescue it the Syracusians drew out their whole Fleet and ingaging took the Admiral Gally and spoyled 24 Vessels After this the Carthaginians durst not stir abroad and the Syracusians puffed up with this victory thought of recovering their former liberty Dionysius coming in at the Port called them together incouraged them in the War and gave them hopes of finishing it shortly to their satisfaction Another attempt against him Here before his face one Theodorus in many words exhorted his fellow Citizens to throw off the yoak and either take the Militia into their own hands according to the Laws or deliver it up to the Lacedaemonian General But Pharacidas the Lacedaemonian according to his instructions from his Superiours who had now established an Oligarchy wherever they could agreeable with their own Government and interest or gave way to the power of a single man rather than that of the people said openly that he was sent to help them against the Carthaginians and not to overthrow the power of Dionysius so that the people were at so unexpected a thing utterly quelled murmuring much against the Lacedaemonians who had now twice deceived them in the recovery of their freedom Frustrated Dionysius afrighted hereat made shew afterwards of great humanity to gain the affections of the people 32. The Carthaginians were at this time seized with a most grievous Plague which Diodorus attributeth to their rifling the Temples of Proserpina and Ceres as the Meritorious cause and to the unwholesomnesse of the place beset with Fens as the effectual means that wrought the distemper A grievous disease had formerly falln upon the Athenians in the same place A grievous plague seizeth on the Carthaginians For before Sun-rise because of a cold vapour that rose from the Fens a cold and shaking seized on the body then at noon a suffocating heat So many men being gathered together into one place the contagion first began with the Africans who though they died in great numbers were at first all buried Afterwards the number increasing such as looked to the sick dying also shortly after them none would venture to come near the infected But besides want of attendance no remedy could be had for the evil For from the stench of the dead and putrefaction of the Fennish aire in the beginning of the disease a Catarrhe and then presently an Angina or swelling of the neck took the patient These were followed by a Feaver pains in the Spina and numnesse of the legs which drew after them a Dysentery and Spots over all the body Some were taken with madnesse and abolition of memory who wandring up and down the Camp beat all they met At length all the endeavours of Physicians were void through the vehemence of the disease and suddennesse of death for on the fifth or at furthest on the sixth day they died in great torment Dionysius understanding this sad condition of the besiegers thought it convenient to sally out upon them and sent 80 ships to fall on their Navy The Land Army first arriving took two of their Forts and diverted them from their ships which as soon as they saw in danger they again retired to them but with little advantage For the Syracusians boarded and slaughtered them in great numbers and Dionysius with his Land Army fired 40 of their Gallies that rode at Anchor in the Haven of Dasco The night approaching broke off the fight and then the Carthaginians sent to Dionysius 300 Talents begging leave to depart which he granted with exception to all Sicilians and other Mercenaries being unwilling they should be quite defeated that through fear of them his subjects might be the better contained in obedience After the flight of the Carthaginians the Sicilians departed home and all the rest were slain or taken except the Spaniards who gathering themselves into a round body sent to Dionysius to enter into Alliance with him which he accepted 33. Dionysius being secure of the Carthaginians for some considerable time provided against his Mercenaries which badly affecting him he prevented by taking of their Leader and bestowing on them the Citie and Territories of Leontium Then did he make new Leavies and replanted Messana with its antient Inhabitants the Messenians but seeing the Lacedaemonians his friends offended with it he removed them to another place near the Sea which they called Tyndarides and wherein they did thrive exceedingly Diod. ad Olymp. 96. ann 3. Conquering and laying several places to their demesnes Having fortified Messana the Inhabitants of Rhegium who formerly jealous of his growth had shown their bad affection to him conceived it to proceed from some design against their Citie which stood over against it in Italy upon the very Crag of the Promontory where Sicily was supposed to have been broken off from the Continent whence it had the name of Rhegium They sent Heloris to besiege Messana whereupon he determined to make War against them but the Sicilians seizing upon Tauromenium he first resolved to recover it He continuing his siege all Winter in a dark night got a certain Fort into his hands and made way for all his Army into the Town but the Inhabitants gathering together and resisting from the higher ground beat back his men whereof 600 were slain and he himself escaped very narrowly after which the Agrigentines and Messenians forsook him Dionysius setteth upon Rhegium The year after Idem ad ann 4. he set upon Rhegium on a sudden burnt the Gates and set Ladders to the Walls but was repulsed by the strong opposition of the Citizens By this the Inhabitants of these Sea-Coasts of Italy seeing how far his covetousnesse and ambition extended made a League amongst themselves and appointed a common Council both for the resistance of him and the Lucanians who made War upon them at the same time Mago 34. Mago was yet in Sicily and was once overthrown in battel by Dionysius The year following his Superiours sent over great supplies gathered as well out of Sardinia and Italy as Africk to the number of 80000 men Idem ad Olymp. 97. ann 1. wherewith he overran the Countrey and withdrew most of the Cities from their obedience till he came to the Agyrinaeans whom he could neither remove by fair nor foul means from their resolution Dionysius with his Mercenaries and Syracusians marched out against him sending before to the Agyrinaeans to be in readinesse who thereupon met him and joyned their Forces with his Army Mago now in an Enemie's Countrey was sore straightned for provisions which made the other resolve to draw out the War in length and not
in the place Near upon 13000 were slain and 15000 taken with 200 Chariots the greatest part whereof was broken in pieces and 1000 brigandines with 10000 shields though most of the Arms were swallowed up in the water Those Carthaginians that remained in great consternation escaped to Lilâ—baeum Their friends at Carthage hearing of their defeat were in no little fear out of conceit that Timoleon would now come over thither Wherefore they recalled Gisco the brother of Hanno out of banishment and made him General over the Army which they raised with money out of other Nations not thinking it meet to thrust themselves into such danger for the time to come But Timoleon returning to Syracuse found it a convenient time to punish the mutiniers whom he banished Sicilie commanding them to depart the City before Sun set Passing over into Sicilie they seised on a Town amongst the Brutii who rising and besieging them took the place and therein put them all to the sword 55. Hicetas often mentioned before and Mamercus Tyrannus of Catana joyned with the Carthaginians against Timoleon perswading them for fear of losing their share in Sicilie to send over some forces They sent away Gisco who hired some Greeks the first which served that Nation They cut off some hundreds of Timoleon's Mercenaries and Hicetas invaded the Syracusian Territories whence getting much booty he marched into Calauria in contempt of Timoleon who lay there now with inconsiderable forces in comparison of his Hicetas being pursued by Timoleon got over the River Damyria and then endeavoured to hinder his passage but he pressing upon him slew 1000 of his men and putting him to flight pursued him into the Territories of Leontium Timoleon taketh and putteth to death Hicetas where he took him alive with his son Eupolemus and put them both to death as Traitors to their Country together with Euthymus his General of the Horse for that in a speech to the Leontines he had scoffed at the Corinthians saying they needed not to be afraid though the Corinthian women were come from home terming Timoleon and his men no other than women Overthroweth Mamercus After this Timoleon overthrew in battel Mamercus killing 2000 of his men whereof the greater number were Carthaginians who thereupon earnestly begged peace and had it granted on these conditions That they still retaining all in their hands within the River Lycus it should be yet lawful for any one to remove thence to Syracuse with his goods and family and to renounce alliance with them and with all the Tyranni in Sicilie which at this time had enslaved many Cities of the Island Mamercus fled over into Italy Hippo and Mamercus put to death and Catana was delivered up to Timoleon who betook himself to Messana where he besieged Hippo by Land and Sea and taking him in his flight delivered him up to the Citizens who put him to death Mamercus yielded himself to Timoleon who having promised him he would not be his accuser he cast himself upon the People of Syracuse but perceiving them as he began to speak inraged against him he attempted to dash out his own brains and that not dispatching him he was taken up and executed as a robber 56. Timoleon after this drove away Nicodemus who ruled over the Centorippini Nicodemus Apolloniades put out of their power and forced Apolloniades to lay down his power which he exercised over the Agynnaeans whom having restored thus to liberty he made free of Syracuse Then did he restore all the other Cities to their desired liberty one after another and received them into confederacy with Syracuse and it was proclaimed by the voice of a publick Crier throughout Greece A. M. 3666. Ol. 110. an 2. V. C. 415. Ochi 23. Phil. 22. that The People of Syracuse offered houses and land to all that would joyn themselves as members to their Commonwealth Hereby it came to passe that multitudes flocked thither as to a new inheritance Timoleon setting himself to the care of the State corrected and explained the Laws of Diocles and acted other things necessary SECT 1. as he thought to the well being thereof till growing old he lost his sight which calamity as he bore very moderatly so by reason of it he intermitted not publick businesse Not long after he died and was buried by the confluence of all Sicilie the affaires whereof he had setled Timoleon 's death games being celebrated yearly in memory of him as for an Hero This hapned in the 58 year of his government the last of the 110 Olympiad and the last also of the reign of Philip of Macedon father to Alexander the Great about the year of the World 3668 A. M. 3668. Ol. 110. an 4. V. C. 417. Arsis 2. Phil. 24. the second of Arses King of Persia and seven before the beginning of the Macedonian Empire to the time whereof what we have further to say concerning the affairs of Sicilie is to be referred which affaires will shew that the infirmity of Popular Government is greater than that Timoleon by his constitutions could heal the distempers thereof and further evince the worth of Monarchy CHAP. IV. The affairs of the Romans contemporary with the second Empire SECT I. From the Banishment of Tarquinius and first change of the Government to the alteration made by the Decemvivi the space of 57 years 1. THe Kingly Office being banished with Tarquinius though both rebelliously and impudently that of Consuls succeeded Consuls Who were so called a Consulendo Festus observeth out of Verrius that the word Consulas was used by the Antients not onely for Consilium petas and perconteris but also for judices and statuas Moreover the word Consulere is many times taken for providere or prospicere According to this Etymology various is the opinion of Learned Men concerning this Office Some derive it from the duty or work of consulting the Senate Whence so called which was incumbent upon the Consuls Others interpret it of judging which saith (a) De Magistrat pop Rom. cap. 7. Lipsius I onely read in (b) Lib. 1. c. 9. Quintilian who puts the question whether Consul was so named from consulting or judging seeing that consulere was used also for the later whence arose that phrase Rogat boni Consulas that is judices but not only Quintilian but Festus also in the word Consulas giveth this Etymology Lastly some derive it from the end of the Office which was consulere or providere as (c) Lib. 1. c. 9. Florus and Justinian's Code But those Magistrates were not first of all named Consules but Praetores which name although it was common to others yet stuck to them by way of excellency (d) In voc Praetoria Porta Festus saith it expresly and so doth (e) 24 25. Justinian in his Novellae Constitutiones Xonaras saith the name of Praetor continued till the Decemviri who being banished then at length crept in
away 23. The same year that Poplicola died the Sabines provided of numerous Forces invaded the Roman Territories as far as the City walls The Consuls taking the field against them Posthumius was entrapped in an Ambush and escaping narrowly himself lost many of his men which defeat struck the Citizens with great terror who now ran to the walls expecting the Enemy would fall upon the City But nothing being attempted in this kind they marched out resolving to redeem their credit and Posthumius much more concerned in honour than the rest so behaved himself as he made amends fully and both the Consuls obtained a notable victory which had been compleated by the slaughter of all the Sabines if the darknesse of night had not interposed The Senate ordered the Consuls to return in pomp Menenius with full honour in triumph sitting in a Chair drawn in way of a Chariot but Posthumius because of his late defeat in a more humble manner which the Romans called Ovation so named saith Festus or Paulus from him as he from Verrius from the letter O which the Soldiers in way of joy were wont to eccho at their return from a Victory or corruptly pronounced for the Greek word Euaste as Dionysius conjectureth Ovation differed herein from a Triumph properly so called Ovation what that the General entred not the City in a Chariot but on foot before his Soldiers Dionys for the Robe interwoven with Gold he onely wore the Praetexta toga the ordinary habit of Consuls and Praetors neither had he a Scepter but onely Laurel and on his head a wreath of Myrtle when the War had not been denounced or finished without bloodshed The Sabines beg Peace The year following wherein Sp. Cassius Viscellinus and Opiter Virginius Tricostus were Consuls the Sabines were overthrown in a great battel at Cures 10300 being slain and about 4000 taken which defeat caused them to beg peace and purchase it with Corn Money and part of their grounds Whilst Sp. Cassius did this good service against the Sabines his Colleague subdued the Camarinaeans who had revolted and having put to death the Authors of the injury sold the rest and razed their City 24. The year that followed being the first of the 70 Olympiad wherein Nicaeas of Opus a Town of Locri was Victor Myrus executing the Annual Office of Archon at Athens had for Consuls Posthumius Cominius and T. Largius Now all the Latines to the number of thirty several Cities saith Livie conspired against Rome by the procurement of Mamilius Octavius son in Law to Tarquinius who at present was with him at Tusculum though Valerius the Roman Ambassador pretended to answer to such accusations as were made and laboured to disswade the several People of Latium In the mean time also the Slaves at home contrived how to seize upon the Capitol and burn the City but were discovered and nailed to crosses The following year wherein Ser. Sulpitius Camerinus and Manius Tullus Longus were Consuls a Faction in Fidenae having received some men from Tarquinius killed or expelled their adversaries and caused the Town to revolt from the Romans The Senate would not make War upon the Latines in general knowing many amongst them were inclined to Peace and thought it sufficient to block up Fidenae for which they sent out Manius with a strong Army The besieged implored assistance of the Latines who in their generall meeting heard also the complaints of Tarquinius and though they were much importuned by some amonst them yet they onely ordered Ambassadors to be sent to demand the reception of the King and the removal of the siege from Fidenae which was done also meetly to gain time giving the Romans a year to consider of the matter and taking so large a space for to make preparations Tarquinius his endeavours for the recovery of his Kingdom in case the overture were rejected Tarquinius and Mamilius having little hopes to prevail this way seeing that the minds of the generality were averse from War endeavoured to bring his right about in an easier way by raising in Rome an unexpected and intestine difference betwixt the rich and poorer sort 25. For at this very time as Dionysius writeth a great part of the common People especially the indigent and such as were burthened by usury did not like of the present state of affaires which dissatisfaction was caused by the extravagant course of Creditors who seizing upon the bodies of their Debtors used them no better than Slaves purchased with money Tarquinius not being ignorant hereof sent certain of his friends with Gold who gave them some in hand promising more after the King's restitution and procured thereby a conspiracy of many poor Citizens with such Slaves as had been offended with their Masters the year before for the severity shown towards their fellows The matter was discovered to Sulpicius who after he had returned a denyal though very civilly to the Latin Ambassadors by a wile drew the Conspirators into the Forum where incompassing them about he put them all to the Sword The stirs being thus allaied for a time the Consuls of this and the following year looked abroad and A. M. 3504. Ol. 96. an 4. V. C. 253. Darii 21. Postumus Cominius Auruncus T. Lartius Ruffus Coss in the next Fidenae was yielded up to T. Largius Flavus Hereat the Latins were exceedingly startled and now all railed on their principal men for that no order had been taken for relief of the Town Tarquinius and Mamilius so improved this opportunity that all the Cities 24 in number as they are reckoned by Dionysius decreed War against the Romans ingaging that none should forsake their associates nor make Peace without common consent sealing it with an oath and direful curses against such as should break the League who were to be held as Enemies by all the rest They gave liberty to Tarquinius and his son in Law to levie what Forces they thought convenient and that they might have some kind of pretence sent a message to Rome whence the Senate returned a stout and resolute answer War with the Latines in his behalf 26. Great were the preparations of the Latines the Romans sending round about could make no friends and yet were not dejected but trusting to their domestick strength alone were thereby rendred much more resolute and couragious as such upon whom lay a necessity of being â—aliant But a great difficulty was found in listing Soldiers for the poor and those that were surcharged with debt of which there was a great number being cited would not appear saying they had nothing to do with the Patritians except their debts were remitted by Decree of the Senate nay some talked of leaving the City and exhorted one another not to stay in that place where no good thing was communicated to them The Patritians by good words laboured to appease them but all in vain so that the Senate fell into a serious debate about so weighty a
on the Sacrosanct body of the Tribune and being General of an Army had received a defeat and returned with ignominie The Patritian exceedingly concerned left nothing unattempted to save him and desired him that giving way to the time he would take the habit agreeable to his condition but he flatly refused to do any thing poorly or unworthy of his Ancestors adding that he would die a thousand deaths rather than touch the knees of any as was the custome of Suppliants He forbad his friends to supplicate for him saying his shame would be doubled if he saw any do that in his behalf which he himself disdained to do Giving out many such like speeches he neither changed apparrel nor his countenance nor remitted any thing of his antient magnanimity Before the Trial he killeth himself and when he saw the whole City earnestly intent upon his tryal a few dayes before the appointed time he killed himself His friends gave out that he died of a natural death and the body being bought forth into the Forum his Son was there ready and asked leave of the Consuls to commend him in a funeral Oration according to the custome The Tribunes commanded the body to be taken away without any ceremony but the People were thereat displeased and suffered the young man to perform this last and usual Office of honour to his deceased Father 77. For this and the two following years the Romans fought successively against the Aequi Sabines and Volsci From the later was taken Antium being surrendred to T. Quintius Capitolinus the Consul who placed therein a Garrison In the following year wherein were Consuls Tib. Aemilius again and Q. Fabius son to one of the three brothers that with their Friends and Clients died at Cremera the Tribunes made new stirs about the Agrarian and Aemilius furthering the businesse the Senate to gratifie the multitude decreed that some part of the Lands lately taken from the Volsci and Antiates should be divided Yet not many would give their names being unwilling to forsake their native Country so that the Colony was made up out of the Latines and Hernici The Consuls marched Aemilius against the Volsci and Fabius against the Aequi both had successe the later forcing the Aequi to beg Peace the conditions whereof were left to him by the Senate But the Aequi receiving the Fugitives of Antium suffered them to make excursions into the Territories of the Latines and refused to give them up whereupon succeeded another War though the Romans obtained a bloody Victory in the third year after the making of the Peace In the next Consulship which was executed by L. Ebutius and P. Servilius Priscus fell a more grievous plague upon the City than ever before hapned A most grievous Plague It first consumed almost all Cattel and from the Country came into the City wherein it swept away an innumerable company of slaves and a fourth part of the Senators and amongst these the Consuls with most of the Tribunes Livie writeth that the Aediles supplied the place of Consuls The disease began about the Calends of September and continued that whole year sparing no Sexe or Age. 78. When this was known by the neighbour Nations the Volsci and Aequi War with the Aequi and Volsci supposing the time of destroying the Roman Empire to be come provided all things for a Siege and to divert the Romans invaded the Latines and Hernici their associates These sending to Rome for aid Eubutius was already dead and Servilius as yet alive in small hope assembled the Senators who were brought half dead in their Litters to the Court They gave them liberty to defend themselves which doing when the Enemies had wasted their grounds at their pleasures they marched for Rome but contrary to their expectations they found it sufficiently guarded though with sick and feeble men When the next Consuls were created L. Lucretius and T. Veturius Geminus the Pestilence ceased and all things being quiet at home for the Tribunes making adoe according to the custome about the Agrarian were commanded by the People to desist and expect better times they invaded those who had taken advantage at the publick calamity They had good successe abroad and better near home when the Aequi in their absence came and thought to have surprized the City For understanding the walls to be furnished with armed men and four cohorts of 600 apiece to stand before the gates they altered their course when they came to Tusculum but Lucretius met and gave them battel which they were hasty to imbrace before the coming of his Colleague For a time they fought couragiously but seeing a band of men behind them which came from a certain Castle they thought it had been the other Consul and fearing to be inclosed ran away having lost both their Captains and many other valiant men Afterwards without any let the Consuls wasted the Territories both of the Aequi and Volsci and returned home at the time of the Comitia Lucretius in full triumph and Veturius in the other called Ovation by decree of the Senate with the like pomp in all things except that he entred on foot and not in a Chariot which words conclude the ninth Book of Dionysius his Roman Antiquities 79. For the year following which was the first of the 80 Olympiad wherein Torymbas the Thessalian was Victor and Phrasicles Archon P. Volumnius and Ser. Sulpitius Camerinus were created Consuls Dionys l. 10. who having nothing to do abroad imployed themselves at home in defending the power of the Patritians against the Commons now much instigated against it by their Tribunes They were come so far as to assert that it was most agreeable with the constitution of a free State for the Citizens to have equal power in Government A. M. 3545. Ol. 80. an 1 V. C. 294. Artax Longius 5. The People now would have all things done by the prescript of Laws Fresh stirs about new Laws whereof as yet there were none written the Kings having judged according to their own discretion and the Consuls by certain presidents of those Princes formerly in power The least part was recorded in the Books of the Pontifies which none could come at except the Patritians C. Terentius or Terentillus Arsa according to Livie Tribune of the Commons the foregoing year had endeavoured to circumscribe within certain limits the power of the Consulship but left the matter unfinished because the greater part of Citizens were imployed in the War the Consuls on set purpose drawing it out in length till the Comitia Now the whole College of Tribunes renewed the attempt by the procurement of A. Virginius one of the number the whole City being divided about it Much contention there was in the Senate betwixt the Tribunes and the contrary Faction but at length not doing any good in that place they called the People together and proposed a Law that ten men might be chosen in Lawful Assembly such as
opportunity to revenge the death of Melius But three onely were created and their expectation unanswered thereby This year Fidenae a Roman Colony gave up it self to Tolumnius King of the Veientes and by his Instigation murdered the Ambassadors sent thither For this war Mamercus Aemilius was named Dictator who overcame the Enemies in battel wherein Cornelius Cossus a Tribune in the Army slew and spoiled Tolumnius thereby obtaining Opima Spolia Varro thought they were called Opima ab opibus for their riches In Romulo Marcello but Plutarch thinketh rather ab opere because the consecration of them was granted to a Captain who with his own hand slew the General of the Enemy They were consecrated to Jupiter Feretrius so called because the Trophy was carried in a Feretrum or certain little carriage as some thought at that time there being many Greek words in use with the Latines or a Feriendo from Jupiter his smiting with Thunder-bolts or else from the blows given in battel This honour of carrying in Triumph the Opima Spolia hath onely thrice hapned to Roman Captains saith Plutarch untill our time First to Romulus who slew Acron King of Caenina secondly to Cornelius Cossus who killed Tolumnius the Etruscan in one place he calleth him and the Tyrrhenian in another and thirdly to M. Marcellus who so killed and spoiled Britomartus in one place but Virdumarus in another King of the Galls A controversie there was of old whether any but a General from a General could take Opima Spolia which maketh Livy Apologize for what he writeth in honour of Cossus but Varro wrote as * In Voc. Opima Spolia Festus witnesseth that a Manipular Soldier might rightly be said to take them so it were from a General of the Enemy After four courses of Consuls Tribunes Military again 27. Two years after this Fidena was taken by another Dictator A. Servilius through the working of a Mine But when the Consuls had kept the power four years they were forced again to give way to the Tribunes Military for the Creation whereof though the Tribuni Plebis prevailed yet the Chief of the Commons missing all this while of being joyned with the Nobility in the honour were much offended At the end of two years the Senate took occasion from the War wherewith the Aequi and Volsci threatned Rome Consuls again to bring in Consuls which also gave way to a Dictator A. Posthumius Tubero against their wills through the power of the Tribunes He finishing the War succesfully laid down his Office And in this year wherein T. Quintius Cincinnatus the son of Lucius and Cn. Julius Menio were Consuls Livy by a grosse mistake would have the Carthaginians to have passed over into Sicily the first time by an occasion of the disagreement of the Islanders amongst themselves After five years the Commons prevailed to have Tribunes Military created the fifth time Tribunes Military again four in number who shewed how unprofitable the equal command of many in an Army is and gave occasion to the making of a new Dictator For Fidena having now again revolted and joyned with the Veientes three of those Tribunes were sent against it and them and the fourth left to Govern the Citie When they came to ingage with the Enemy A passage shewing the excellency of Monarchy One cried fight but another said Stay and each one being of a several mind matters were at length brought to that passe that the Roman Army fled The Citie was struck with great amazement at the report and was in an uproar which caused Mamercus Aemilius the third time to be named Dictator though the Censors had removed him from his Tribe for that in his second Office to which he was called because of the stirs made by the Hetruscans upon the taking of Fidena he confined their Office to the term of one year and an half Aemilius being named Dictator appointed for his Master of hors-men A. Cornelius Cossus who obtained the Opima Spolia of Tolumnius King of the Veientes 28. By the prudence valour of these two Fidena was retaken and sacked after the Hetruscans were overthrown and the Dictator returning to Rome in Triumph laid down his Office when he had held it 17 dayes For three years the Tribunes Military continued at the end whereof the Senate took occasion at the War which threatned from the Volsci Consuls and at their absence to bring in the Consuls again notwithstanding the Tribunes of the Commons opposed it But C. Sempronius one of the Consuls managing this War very carelesly Tribunes Military the Tribunes thence took advantage and the Tribunes Military again resumed the Chief power This was for one year at the end whereof the Senate again procured Consuls to be made Consuls When this year was expired there was so great contention about two Quaestors which the Commons would have created out of their body that the State fell into an interregnum L. Papirius Mugillanus being Interrex for a Composure procured the Tribunes Military to be again admitted Tribunes Military and four Quaestors for the following year to be created either out of Patritians or Plebeians as the People should think fit in their Comitia but this satisfied not the Tribunes nor the better sort of Plebeians not one of this order being preferred though some stood either as Tribune Military or Quaestor In the second year after this the Slaves conspired to set fire on the Citie and seize upon the Capitol Consuls but the plot was timely discovered The Tribunes Military held the Government for seven years and then another Interregnum because of the Contention following Fabius Vibulanus the Inter ex brought in Consuls again Disturbances made by the Tribuni Plebis the Grand Popular Tyrants 29. The Tribuni Plebis according to their custom made a bad construction hereof and having now and then mentioned the division of publick grounds pressed it earnestly with an extent now to all that at any time had been gotten by War The Patritians no lesse vigorously opposed it and the Tribunes hindred the Levies of Soldiers so that with much ado and upon extream necessity onely could the Consuls procure any to oppose the Aequi and Volsci who now made incursions In the fifth year the Commons being crossed in their intentions by the Senate of resuming the Tribunes Military created three of the Quaestors of their own rank and the chief amongst them designing to be created Tribune Military for the next year Tribunes Military stiâ—kled hard for that kind of government The Senate at length was constrained to yield else no opposition could be made against the former Enemies who now again made inrodes into the Roman Territories and by confederacies exceedingly strengthned themselves For this cause also though much against the mind of the Tribunes a Dictator was named who overthrowing the Enemy in one battel wasted his Country and returned In the
Curules What their Office was hath been shewn before As for this Chair Gellius writeth Lib. 3. cap. 18. that antiently such Senators as had born a Curule Office were for honour's sake wont to be drawn to the house in a Chariot wherein was a Chair in which they sate and which thence from the Chariot or Currus was called Curulis But others think that both the Orthography of the word and the dismension of the thing crossed this derivation What the Curule Chair was and that it was called Curulis from Cures a Town of the Sabines The form of it upon old Coins represents that of Spanish Chairs used by Princes as Chairs of State It had also crooked feet as Plutarch in the life of Marius describeth it several ascents there were to it it was covered with Ivory as several Authors shew and carved or ingraven according to Ovid. What the Praetorship 40. But as for the Praetor there were two causes of the Creation of this Officer Aemulation and Use The former was wrought in the Patritians by the Commons who now had wrested into their own hands the Consulship The later was brought about by reason that the Consuls were for the most part imployed abroad in Wars and therefore there was a necessity of a Magistrate whose peculiar work it should be to administer Justice in the Citie The Praetor was so called a praeeund as write both (a) Praetor dictus qui praeiret jure exercitu A quo Lucilius Ergo Praetorum est praeire De Ling. Lat. lib. 4. p. 22. Varro and (b) Vide Cap. hujus Sect. 1. Paragr 1. Cice o and agreeably with this Etymology it was once the name of (c) Veteres enim omnem Magistratum cui pareret exercitus Praetorem appellaverunt unde Pretorium tabernaculum ejus dicitur in castris porta Praetoria hodie quoque praefectus pratorio Asconius Pedianus in Verrem de Praetura urbis Consuls also as we shewed before and of all or most other Magistrates Civil or Military It is probable that this name as the other of Dictator Aedilis and Duumvir might come out of Hetruria there being such Officers there of old as Spartianus seemeth to hint and otherwise may be gathered There being but one created at his time viz. in the 388 year of the Citie afterward about the 500 year another was added who administred Justice unto strangers so that for distinction the one was called Praetor Urbanus and the other Peregrinus the former being in Dignity above the other and his Constitutions called Jus Honorarium as we shewed before out of Pomponius This same Author having shewn that after the bringing in of this Praetor Peregrinus the Decemviri for judging of Causes the Triumviri for coyning of Brasse Silver and Gold the Triumviri Capitales for keeping of Prisoâ— and the Quinqueviri for both sides of Tiber for executing what belonged to Magistrates in the evenings at which time they were not to be abroad were created by degrees writeth further that Sardinia being made a Roman Province after that Sicily then Spain and after Norbonensis so many Praetors were made as there were Provinces who partly governed at home and partly abroad Lipsius more particularly affirmeth that in the 520 year of the Citie Sardinia and Sicily being both made Provinces there were two added who as the former two assisted the Consuls in administring of Justice so these in the government of the Provinces When Spain Hispaniae in the plural number was subdued in the year 557. two more were added So there were in all six Praetors whereof two onely remained in the Citie and the other as soon as declared departed into the Provinces as they fell to them by lot this order continued till the examinations called Quaestiones Perpetuae were appointed at which time the Senate resolved that all the Praetors for the year of their Office should continue in the Citie and judge some controversies either publick or private 41. Pomponius proceedeth saying that Cornelius Sulla appointed other publick Examinations or Inquisitions As for example De falso De Paricidio and de Sicariis for which he added four Praerors more but Lipsius saith he is mistaken in the number proving out of Cicero that he made but two C. Julius Caesar appointed other two as also two Aediles called Cereales and afterward 16 Praetors as appeareth from Dio who also relateth the Triumviri with greater liberty to have made 64. Augustus filled up the number to 16. saith Pomponius though first Lipsius will have him to have confined the number to 12. Claudius added two who where to judge onely concerning Fidei Commissa as the Law term is Titus took one from the number but Nerva restored and appointed him to hear and determine Causes betwixt the Exchecquer and private persons Another was appointed by M. Antonius Philosophus called Praetor Tutelaris So in all there were 18. till as the Empire decreased they decreased also in number and at length were reduced to that of three by a Law of Valentinian and Marcian As for the Office of Praetors the Praetor Urbanus who was also called Praefectus Urbi though the Praefectus was afterward onely chosen for the Latine Feriae in the absence of the Consuls executed their Office in the Senate and Comitia But three things especially belonged to them Games Sacrifices and Judicature The former onely continued to them in a manner when the Empire decayed Their Judicature was either in publick or private matters Private causes concerning meum and tuum two onely handled viz. the Urbanus and Peregrinus Publick or Criminal matters were managed by all the rest who yet had their several and distinct Crimes one or two which they judged and yet sometimes in their Provinces they managed Civil matters also They had the same Ornaments and Ensigns of power as the Consuls onely but six Lictors apiece whereas the other had twelve In respect of their power and honour as also because they were created by the same Auspicia Livy calleth them the Collegues of Consuls 42. The first Consul out of the body of the Commons was L. Sextius Liv. Lib. 7. by whose Law the privilege was obtained the first Praetor Sp. Furius the son of Camillus and the first Aediles Curules were Cn. Quintius Capitolinus and P. Cornelius Scipio To Sextius was given as Collegue from amongst the Patritians L. Aemylius Mamercus and so the Consuls again returned after 23 years The many alterations in the Roman Government these being the 88 pair as they are found in Livy and the Tribunes Military were for ever laid aside after 48 courses of that Office and fifteen changes from the Consulship to it and from it to the Consulship Besides these changes of Government in Rome there were the two Grand ones from Kings to Consuls and from Consuls to the Decemvâ—ri and to this time from the first of these alterations had intervened 20 Dictatorships besides
their safety under the conduct of Aminander into their own Country This year the Roman Navy joyning to that of Attalus and the Rhodians took the Island Andrus and Oreus the City we have often spoken of in Euboea 41. Philip taking all care possible for the managing of his affaires Livius l. 32. the next Spring sent down his Auxiliaries and others through Epirus into Chaonia to seize upon the Straights near Antigonia and he himself following after with the strength of his Army fortified the Vallie betwixt the Mountains through which the River Aons runneth Athenagoras his Lieutenant he commanded to look to the Mountain Asnaus and he himself pitched his Tents upon the hill Aeropus Tappulus the Consul doth nothing To Sulpicius the Consul succeeded P. Villius Tappulus who coming late did nothing at all for leading towards the Enemy he with a few went to view the Moors through which his nearest way lay to him and consulting many dayes whether he should passe that way or take the same Sulpicius went into Macedonia before he could determine news came to him that his Successor was already come to Corcyra This was T. Quintius Flamininus created Consul ere he was thirty years old who falling this Province came sooner than usual bringing over with him 8000 Foot and 800 Horse Being arrived at the Camp after some consultation he determined to set upon Philip's Army in the place where it yet lay Flamininus succeedeth but how to do it was hard to be resolved and forty dayes were spent in this deliberation which time Philip was content to make an opportunity to look after Peace With whom Philip hath a fruitlesse treaty and attempt the procurement of it through the Epirotes They met at the River Aous or Apsus but the Consul demanded things seeming so hard to the other that he asked him if he would impose more hard conditions upon one conquered and so withdrew himself from the conference 42. The next day followed some light Skirmishes neither part receiving either much good or dammage but as they continued in this condition came a certain Shepherd sent by Charops Prince of the Epirotes undertaking to lead the Romans through the Mountains an easie way and bring them upon the Enemies back The Consul glad of this opportunity sent a party with him And is beaten by him and then gave an Alarm with the whole Army to the Camp which the Macedonians received willingly enough and both Armies being greedy of fighting they marched out of their Trenches to receive the battel but then those on their backs setting up a shout struck them with such terror that some of them ran away others by reason of the difficulty of the place for fight were compassed in and 2000 slain The King fled amain till he came five miles off and then rallying his men upon an hill with a great Company went into Thessaly Where wasting divers Towns to deprive the Enemy of Provisions he thence passed into Macedonia The Consul following him into Thessaly laboured to get the good will of the Epiroâ—es and called to him Aminander King of the Athamanians to conduct him on his way then took he Phaleria where were in Garrison 2000 Macedonians which he plundred and burnt at which also others being affrighted yielded themselves and Philip not daring to oppose but keeping within Tempe sent relief upon occasion to such places as wanted The Consul taketh in several places in Thessaly At Rhaga the Consul found such opposition as he raised his siege but thence departing took in divers Cities of Phocis and besieged Elatea during which things the Navy under the conduct of L. Quintius his brother in Conjunction with Attalus and the Rhodians took two of the most considerable Towns of Euboea and then prepared to venture for Corinth but by the Consul's advice they first sent to the Achaeans to see if they might draw them from Philip to their own party 43. Aristaenus or Aristinetus as he is called by Polybius their Praetor laboured to perswade them by all means to imbrace the society of the Romans at which the Dymaeans and Megalopolitans out of distaste went out of the Council as unwilling thus to betray Philip and the rest unanimously entered into Alliance with Attalus and the Rhodians The Achaeans joyn with the Roman party and for that they could not do as much with the Romans without consent of the People at Rome put it off onely till they might send their Ambassadors thither and Decreed at the present to dispatch away three to Lucius Quintius and their Army also to Corinth before which he now lay The Town was stoutly defended by the Inhabitants and Androsthenes the Governour for the King till such time as Phiâ—ocles came with 1500 fresh men to their relief after which it seemed best both to Attalus and Quintius to raise their siege and then Philocles had Argos betrayed to him The Consul in this mean time got Elatea and then taking up his Winter quarters news came that the Opuntians were at odds amongst themselves some calling the Aetolians and some the Romans desirous to give up their Citie to them The stronger and richer part called the Consul but the Castle was still held by the Macedonians who could not be got out by any fair words or foul and when it should have been stormed came an Herauld from Philip desiring a time and place might be set for a meeting to treat again of peace which being granted they met in the Bay near Nice at the day appointed where Philip would not come ashore for fear as he pretended of the Aetolians Another Treaty Much talk there was on both sides Polybius except è lib. 17. the treaty being put off from one day to another but it being required of the King to quit all Greece he refused to do it having a great desire to keep Corinth Chalcis and Demetrias and then at his request he had leave given him to send Ambassadors to the Senate and a Truce was made for two moneths He sendeth Ambassadors to Rome 44. The Greeks sent their Ambassadors also and all came to Rome when the debate was about the Provinces of the new Consuls whether one of them should have Macedonia according to the custom or both stay and carry on the War against the Gaules then depending for the Tribunes of the people opposed the custom alleging that the reason was why Wars were so lengthned because there was every year a new General according to the succession of the Consuls This being referred to the Senate it was thought fit to continue the Command to Quintius and then had all the Ambassadors audience The Greeks inveighed sore against Philip and earnestly laboured that he should not be allowed to hold Chalcis Corinth and Demetrias for otherwise Greece could have no thoughts of liberty They alleged it to his own saying that these three were the Foâ—ters of Greece and that not without reason
truth with their bloud amongst whom are very notable the Mother and her seven Sons from the eldest of them called Maccabaeans The rage of this persecution coming to Modin 1 Maccab. 2. a Town situate near to Diospolis found some opposition for there Mattathias a Priest eminent in degree especially for his five sons not onely refused to sacrifize but killed a Jew at the Altar that was so doing and after that the Kings Officer who was sent to compel the people Then exhorting all that were zealous for their Law to follow him he fled with his sons into the Mountain Mattathias maketh opposition 46. Many went out after him and lived with their Wives Children and Cattel in Dens and Caves which coming to the knowledge of Philip the Governour of Jerusalem the Garrison Soldiers were presently drawn out to pursue them so that falling on them on the Sabbath and they not at all resisting for the observance thereof they cast in fire and burnt them to the number of 1000 persons Mattathias and they that were with him hearing this resolved for the time to come to repulse the Enemy on the Sabbath and then the Asidaeans a sort of religious men joyning with him with such as dayly fled out of the Countrey he made up a little Army and therewith prosecuted the wicked ones and drove them to fly to the Nations about pulled down the Altars and Circumcised such Children as they found in the Coasts of Israel then after he had been Captain of this wandring Company the space of a year he died leaving his son Simon for a Counsellour and Judas sirnamed Maccabaeus for a Captain to them 1 Maccab. 3. This Mattathias was the son of John and Grand-son to Simeon sirnamed Asmonaeus * Ad A. M. 8332. Jacobus Cappellus thinketh that this Simeon was Simon the second son of Onias the second and Grand-son to Simon the first sirnamed Just But Schinserus thinketh this Simeon to have been the son of Hasmonaeus From the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of Josephus it should seem that Mattathias was the Great-grand-son of Asmonaeus so called or Hasmon from whom his posterity were named Hasmonaeans * Psal 68.32 David useth the word Hasmanim to expresse Ambassadors Princes or Great-men It is also observed that the Jews in Italy call the Cardinals Hasmannim or Hasmonaeans 47. Judas being assisted by his brethren and his fathers followers fell upon the Enemy And Judas his son after him burnt divers of their Towns and seized upon the Commodious places coming usually upon them in the night so as he forced many of them to quit the Land Apollonius the Governour of Samaria coming against him he overthrew and slew him and getting his sword ever after used it in the Wars and after him he overthrew also Seron who governed Caele-Syria Antiochus in this mean while lying about Antioch made there Magnificent Games and Shows imploying the money he had got in Egypt Polyb. Legat. 101. 109. and out of the Temples he had rifled to that end and purpose and entertaining his Guests in a vile and servile kind of observance This being ended an Ambassador from Rome arrived at his Court sent on purpose to spy out his designs Whom he received with such courtesie as over doing in that point he easily concealed the grudge he had conceived for his stop at Alexandria and the bent of his mind which was sufficiently alienated from the Romans But hearing of the successe of Maccabaeus Which inraging Antiochus and the losse of his Forces he was exceedlingly inraged mustered all his Army to which he gave a years pay and commanded they should be ready at all occasions 48. He purposed to march against Maccabaeus 1 Maccab. 3. but seeing his Treasury exhausted by the pay of the Army for that the Jews now being revolted he thereby lost his 300 Talents of annual Tribute and much also which he was wont to receive from other places Who intending to go against him yet changeth his mind and giveth order to Lysias to destroy the Jews which being unwilling to quit their own religions as well the other were in combustions and fearing he should not have to satisfie for his gifts wherein he took a pride to exceed all his ancecestors he resolved to make a progresse into Persia and the upper Countreys to gather the Tributes thereof and fill his Coffers But before his departure making Lysias his Kinsman Governour of the Regions betwixt Euphrates and Egypt to whose care he also committed his young son he gave to him half his forces and this in charge to blot out the Nation of the Jews utterly and to give their Countrey to strangers to inhabit 2 Maccab. 8. Philip the Governour of Jerusalem seeing to what an height Maccabaeus was grown wrote to Ptolomy the son of Dorymenes the Governour of Coelesyria and Cilicia who presently dispatched Nicanor one of his chiefest friends and the son of Patroclus with 20000 men He sendeth several Captains into Judaea joyning Gorgias to him a man of great experience and not long after he himself was sent by Lysias with more aid so that all three together made an Army of 40000 foot and 7000 horse Antiochus at this time was behind hand in his Tribute to the Romans 2000 Talents therefore Nicanor resolved to raise this money out of Jewish slaves and sent about for Chapmen for them promising 90 persons for a Talent so that 1000 Merchants came together with ready money into his Camp more forces also from Syria and the Countrey of the Philistins came in to him 49. 1 Maccab. 4. Judas having kept a fast at Morpah because the Heathen now held Jerusalem and the Temple was defiled for his good successe against so great an Army having himself but 6. or 7000 men gave all the fearfull those that had built houses married Wives or planted Vineyards leave to depart according to the Law of Moses then marched down to Emmaus where the Enemy was incamped That night Gorgias thinking to oppresse the Jews at unawares came to their Tents with a party of 5000 foot and 1000 horse but Judas having notice thereof turned it to his own advantage resolving to go and fall upon Nicanor in the absence of the other whom he knew to be the more experienced Captain Gorgias finding the Camp empty thought the owners had fled for fear of him into the Mountains and sought for them there but they being got to Nicanor ingaged with him in the morning and routed his whole Army laying above 9000 dead upon the place so that he and his men perceiving presently what was done by the smoke of their Camp now set on fire But they are defeated fled amain and the Jews coming to plunder the field found great Treasure of which part being set aside for the infirm Widows and Orphans the rest the Soldiers divided amongst them After this Judas overthrew Timotheus
did at Rome and to tread in their steps These joyning together sent over the Alps for other Galls living near Rhodanus and called Gossatae from their wages saith Polybius or as others write from Gessa a kind of weapon they used Their Kings Congolitanus and Aneroestus being allured by great promises with a vast force passed over the Alpes and joyning with the Insubres and Boti to the number of 50000 foot and 20000 horse brake into Etruria When first the Romans heard of their passing the Alps they commanded Aemilius the Consul to go to Ariminum to give them trouble in case they came that way They ordered one of the Praetors into Etruria for C. Attillius the other of the Consuls was already sent into Sardinia The whole Citie was sad and grievously afflicted fearing the Galls as fatal to it All the Registers of the Military age were inquired in t too feel what forces they and what their Associates were able to set forth The Italians prepared to fight not as for the Roman Empire but their own safety so that an Army was in a readinesse consisting of 700000 foot and 70000 horse according to Polybius But Fabius Pictor wrote as Eutropius relateth that 800000 men were prepared for this War wherein he himself was employed Preparations on the Roman side for this War 27. The Tables of the Military age as they were brought to the Senate contained of the Latines 80000 foot and 5000 horse of the Samniies 70000 foot and 7000 horse of the Iapyges and Messapians 50000 foot and 16000 horse of the Lucanians 30000 foot and 3000 horse of the Marsi Marrucini Ferentani Vestini 20000 foot and 4000 horse And of the Roman people gave their names together with those of Campania 250000 foot and 230000 horse The total sum 558000. There went out with the Consuls four Legions whereof each contained 5200 foot and 300 horse together with 30000 foot and 3000 horse of the Associates in all 50800 foot and 3200 horse There were in readinesse for necessary occasions of the Etruscans and Sabines 50000 foot and 4000 horse which the Praetor led into Etruria to oppose the Enemy on the Borders Of the Veneti and Cenomani were assembled 20000. and as many of the Umbri and Sarsinates inhabiting the Appennine Mountains who were placed on the Borders of Gall by invading the Territories of the Boti to draw them back and divide them from the rest These were the forces placed on the Borders At Rome were in a readinesse for the uncertain chances of War as a supply 30000 foot and 1500 horse of Citizens besides of the Associates 30000 foot and 2000 horse In Sicily and about Tarentum were placed two Legions whereof each contained 4200 foot and 200 horse The sum of all these amounts to 210300 men So saith Polybius the sum of the forces which guarded the Citie were 150000 foot and about 6000 horse but the whole number of the multitude fit for War was 700000 foot 70000 horse which yet Hannibal durstoppose and invade Italy with scarce 20000. But this will appear further in what shall be hereafter said 28. The Galls descending into Etruria wasted all with fire and sword A. M. 3780. Ol. 138. ann 4. V.C. 529. Sel. Cerauni 2. Ptol. Euerg 22. till they came to Clusium a place three dayes journey distant from Rome There were they beset the Praetor on their back and the two Consuls before blocking up all the passages so that they were forced to fight two contrary wayes in two fronts and that very disadvantagiously both by reason of their nakednesse The Galls overthrown beg peace and the unfitnesse of their Arms. But the vanity of the Gaesatae was most hurtfull to them who casting off their Cloths would needs fight naked and charge first for being easily discomfited they discouraged their fellows Forty thousand were slain and ten thousand taken amongst whom was Concolitanus the other King Aneroestus having killed himself This battel was fought in the 529 year of the Citie L. Aemilius Dapus and C. Attilius Regulus who was therein slain being Consuls Afterwards inroads being made into the Territories of the Galls they were several times overthrown and so harrased Which the Consuls hinder that they sent Ambassadors to Rome to beg peace on any terms The people being inclining enough to it M. Claudius Marcellus and Cn. Cornelius Scipio the Consuls of the 532 year stopped the thing 29. The former especially having a disposition suitable to his name Marcus and Mamercus being thought to be derived of Mars and therefore also the diminutives Marculus and Marcellus inflamed the multitude to the War Marcellus endeth the War whereupon the Galls now desperate resolved to make the last tryal Vide Polybium lib. 2. Plutarch in Marcello Florum l. 2. c. 4. Entrop lib. 3. Orosium lib. 4. cap. 13. Livii Epitom lib. 20. and using all indeavours sent and hired 30000 of the Gaesatae The Consuls invading the Countrey of the Insubres besieged Acerrae which to relieve the Galls laid siege to Clastidium a Town associate with the Romans Here was fought a bloudy battel wherein the Galls were overthrown Marcellus with his own hand killed Virdomarus King of the Gaesaetae and dedicated the third * Aspice ut insigais spoliis Marcellus opimis Ingreditur victorque viros supereminet omnes Hic rem Romanam magno turbante tumultu Sister eques sternel Paenos Gallumque rebellâ—m Tertiaque aâ—ma patri suspendet cauta Quiriâ—o Virgil. Aen. 6. Opima Spolia to Jupiter Feretrius though Numa had commanded they should be consecrated to Quirinus Those that escaped fled to Mediolanum now Millane the chief seat of the Insubres which being shortly taken the War was thereby ended after six years and Marcellus returned in Triumph The title of the Triumph in the Capitoline stories mentioned with the Galls Insubres Germans also to have been subdued which Germans seem no other then the Gaesatae thus called by some mistake As for the name of Caesaâ—ae though Polybius thinketh it derived from their wages and others from a kind of vveapon yet * Simpson in Chronic. Catholic ad A. M. 3780. another rendreth a more probable derivation which the condition of these people being Mercenaries prompteth to The Teutonick language a dialect whereof Joseph Scaliger and others prove the antient Gallick to have been calleth him Gaest whom the English Saxon a branch also of the Teutonick nameth Guest at this time betokening a stranger The word Gaesata might well therefore be thence derived being changed something by those that were ignorant of the Language from that whereby the Galls signified strangers such as these Mercenaries were 30. The third year after the ending of the Gallick began the second Punik or Carthaginian War Amilcar the Carthaginian Captain had a great itching desire to renew the quarrel with the Romans as soon as the State could recover its strength and had done it betimes but that the War with the
paint themselves as many Writers do testifie Now the ancient Greeks who sayled by the Coasts understanding that the Nation was called Brith might unto it add Tania which word in Greek as the Glossaries shew betokeneth a Region and thereof made the compound name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Britons-Land which is corrupted into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by Lucretius and Caesar the two first Romans that make mention thereof is truely called Britania In confirmation of this opinion Cambden observeth that in the names of well-nigh all the antient Britains there appeareth some signification of a colour which no doubt he saith arose from this kind of painting The Red colour is of the Britans called Coch and Goch which in his judgement lieth Couched in these names Cogidunuâ— Argentocoxus and Segonax The Black colour called Dù sheweth it self in Mandubratius Cartimandua Togodumnus Bunduica Cogidunus The White collour called Gwin in Venutius and Immanuentius The Waterish called Gwellwe in Vellocatus Carvilius and Suella The Blew which they call Glass in Cuniglasus and he proceedeth further But this Learned man coming to speak of the time wherein Britain came to be known abroad denieth that the Britains were with Hercules at the rape of Hesione that Ulysses was ever in Britain that the Britans bestowed any Presents upon Cato that King Alexander the Great or Hannibal was ever in the Island he doubteth whether ever the ship of Hiero mentioned by Athenaeus came hither yet thinketh that the Britans were mingled with the Câ—mbri and Galls in their expeditions into Italy and Greece Cambdens arguments that Britain was but known lately 12. But as the Romans Galls and Spaniards were unknown to Herodotus and the antient Greek Geographers so of this mind he ever was that it was late ere the Greeks and Romans heard of the Britans name For he judgeth that little book of the World which goeth abroad under the name of Aristotle and maketh mention of the Britans of Albion and Hierne to be of later dayes by far than that Philosopher as the best learned men saith he have judged He accounteth Polybius the antientest Greek vvriter that mentioneth the British Isles who yet knew nothing of them then doth he in reference to other Nations count it but a fable that Himilco the Carthaginian being commanded by his Superious to discover the Western Sea-Coasts of Europe entred into this Isle many years before that time And the first Latin Author to his knowledge that made mention of Britain was Lucretius in his Verses concerning the difference of aire Now that Lucretius lived but a little before Caesar no man denieth at what time we are taught out of Caesar himself that Divitiacus King of the Soissons and the most mighty Prince of all Gall Governed Britain which as also appeareth from Caesar is onely to be understood of the Maritime Coasts Howbeit Diodorus Siculus writeth that Britain had experience of no foreiners rule for neither Dionysus or Bacchus nor Hercules nor any other worthy or Demigod have we heard saith he to have attempted War upon that people Now Caesar who for his noble acts is called Divus was the first that subdued the Britans and forced them to pay a certain Tribute From his time saith Cambden and no further off must the Writer of our History fetch the beginning of his work if he throughly weigh with judgement what the Learned Varro hath in time past written viz. of the three distinctions of times which we have formerly mentioned uncertain before the Flood Fabulous before the Olympiads and Historical since the beginning of them and my self already heretofore signified This most learned man mentions this division of Varro because that the British History of Geffrey of Monmouth taketh its beginning 333 years before the first Olympiad This History we must absolutely disclaim as utterly Fabulous in reference to King Brutus and other fictions depending on his story But whether or no Britain was not known abroad till so late time as our Anquary judgeth must be examined for the honour of our Countrey saving ever that respect which is due and that justly unto his name and vvill not be at all dimished seeing the contest is betwixt him also and Bochartus himself 13. The controversie is decided clearly against Cambden if two things can but be made out 1. That the Cassiterides or Islands ef tinne were known very antiently The contrary asserted and 2. That the Cassiterides are no other than the British Isles The first is proved from the testimony of many that the Phoenicians were wont to trade to the Cassiterides and thence to fetch plenty of Tinne * Strabo affirmeth it and that they first traded thither alone from Gades Lib. 3. p. 175. hiding from others this course of traffick insomuch that a certain Phoenician Sailor being chased by a Roman Vessel chose rather to run his ship aground and suffer shipwrack to cause his pursuers to miscary than to reveal the matter for which fidelity having escaped himself he had his losse made up out of the publick Treasury at his return to Carthage Pliny also writeth (b) Lib. 7. c. 56. in the Chapter of the first inventors that Midacritus first caried Lead from the Island Cassiteris For Midacritus is to be read Melcarthus or Melicartus the Phoenician Hercules according to Sanchoniathon whom the Phoenicians make Author of the Western voyages (c) Lib. 3. c. 115. Herodotus acknowledgeth he knew not where the Cassiterides were but that there were some then he acknowlegeth also whence Tinne came to them the Greeks and from him it appeareth that they were situate in the utmost limits of Europe The Phoenicians being unwilling that any should know them but themselves the Greeks bought Tin and Lead either of them or the Venets or Narbonenses to whom it was wont to be caried by Land in a journy of thirty dayes as Diodorus telleth us (d) Videsis apud Bocharti Canaan l. 1. c. 39. Dionysius Paeriegetes mentioneth them under the name of Hesperides and so doth â—zetzes Festus Anienus speaketh of them under the name of Cestrymnedes expresly of the sailing of the Phoenicians to them and that Hamilco who was sent from the Senate of Carthage to discover the West came thither as he himself recorded whom Festus professeth to follow in the description of the West having made his collections out of the depth of the Punick Annals These things considered prove sufficiently that the Cassiterides were known in very ancient times 14. For the second that the British Isles are those Cassiterides or Stannaries there needs no proof Cambden himself confessing nay proving by many arguments that the Islands of Silly lying off from the Promontory of Cornwal eight leagues and in number 145 are the very same that from the plenty of Tin were called Cassiterides from their site Hesperides and Oestrymnides from Oestrymnis the Promontory of the Artabri now Gallitia in Spain over against which they lye
their Governments but for a year And as soon as successors were sent them they were presently to depart the Provinces and not loiter in their return but come to Rome within three moneths The distribution of the Provinces was made on the Ides of January as may be gathered from Ovid who thought also that Caesar Octavianus had the Sirname of Augustus given him the same day which indeed was the fourth day after as appeareth from Censorinus 28. For the Provinces being divided and all things setled it was debated in the Senate whether he ought not to be called Romulus because he had founded the Empire but the other more venerable name of Augustus propounded by Munacius Plancus at length seemed best for sacred places and Temples consecrated by Augurs the Romans termed Augusta Caesar though he much desired that of Romuâ—us saith Dio yet perceiving he should be suspected of affecting the Kingdom omitted it and was sirnamed Augustus as greater than the nature of man could make him For those things are called Augusta Sirnamed Augustus which are most worthy of honour and most sacred wherefore the Greeks expresse it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if thou shouldest say Venerable Thus Caesar alone got the whole power into his hands having both money for though he had his own separate from the Treasury yet did he use this at his pleasure and the Militia in his own hands When his ten years were out other five and when they were expired five more and these ended ten more and ten more after them were added so that he had his authority still continued for his life for which cause his Successors though they had the power setled on them for life yet at the end of every ten years solemnized as it were the renewing of it As soon as Caesar had but made his Oration about resigning his command and distributing the Provinces many honours were conferred on him as that Laurel should be planted before his gates in the Palatium and upon those trees Oaken garlands hung as for him who was a perpetual Conquerour of Enemies and preserver of Citizens The house of the Emperour also was wont afterwards to be called the Palatium or Palace not for that it was ever so decreed but because Caesar lived in the Palatium or Palatine hill and there was his Praetorium his house also received some dignity from the Mount it self because Romulus there lived therefore though the Emperour saith the Historian live elsewhere yet is his house called the Palatium or Palace But after he had done those things which he promised then was he called Augustus by the Senate and People From this day forward began the soveraign power and authority to be in the hands of one man which the Greeks called Monarchy Yet the Romans derived the Epoche of their Augusti from the Kalends of January of this year as Censorinus writeth who compareth with the 265 year of this Aera the 283 of the Julian ordination This seventh Consulship of Augustus Caesar and the beginning of his Monarchy fell out in the 727 year of the City the second of the 188 Olympiad the thirteenth of Herod the Great 25 before the birth of Christ A. M. 3978 he himself as it 's said the seventh and M. Vipsanius Agrippa the third time being Consuls 29. On this manner all the power of the People and Senate was transferred upon Augustus All power of Senate and People transferred upon him saith Dio. Lib. 55. p. 517. A. M. 3978. Ol. 188. an 2. V.C. 727. Herodis 13. For this notable translation and change in the Government there was a Law made which is famous by the name of Lex Regia after which it's convenient to make a little enquiry for the better information of Students in this great affair A Law may be so and is so called either for that a King made or preferred it or because it was made and enacted concerning a King or Kingly power In the first sense such Laws as were made by Romulus and his successors the antient Kings of Rome are by Lawyers called Legee Regiae whereof Dionysius Halicarnasseus hath recorded many and of which several have been already mentioned in their due places and in the (a) Tit. de mortuo inferendo l. 2. Code is yet extant a Law called Lex Regia concerning the burial of a woman with child so called because enacted by some ancient King But in the later acceptation is to be understood this Law whereby Regal and that absolute power was conferred upon Augustus by the Roman People The Law it self is not now extant in terms nor exemplified in any Author still remaining yet it is mentioned by Justinian in his (b) Lib. 1. Tit. 2. de Jure Nat. c. Institutions of Law who there writeth speaking of several sorts of Law that what pleaseth the Prince hath the vigour of a Law forasmuch as by the Lex Regia which was made concerning his power the People granted to him all it's command and authority By a Law called Lex Regia In the (c) L. 1. Tit. de Constit Principum Pandects he also mentioneth it well-nigh in these very words in a third (d) L. 1. sect cum itaque C. tit de Vet. Jure Enucleando place also expressing it to the same purpose that by an antient Law called Lex Regia all the right and all the power of the Roman People was translated into the Emperours authority therefore it is otherwise called Lex Imperii and Augustum privilegium As for Commentators upon both Institutions and Pandects with other parts of the Civil Law nothing is more acknowledged by them all as they have occasion 30. But as fot the interpretation of this Law some difference there hath been amongst Expositors who lived since the Civil Law was restored in the West A different manner of expounding it For some there have been ever since that time who rightly understood all manner of power and authority to be so by the Roman People transferred upon the Prince by that Law that they affirmed the People thereby deprived and made destitute of all power and authority Others thought power and authority indeed was given to the Prince to make Laws but so that by this concession the power of the People was in no sort diminished and the force of Plebiscitums and Senatusconsultums as well future as past was the same as formerly so that Prince People Senate and Commons had equal authority in this matter both these opinions being held as appeareth from Accursius Hostiensis and others But the later of them seemeth thence to have risen The Reason that they mistook this Lex Regia called also corruptly Lex Remnia for the Hortensian Law or rather thence as a late (a) Joh. Seldenus in Fletam Dissert cap. 3. sect 3. learned man judgeth that the Professors and Students of the Civil Law which was newly restored were fearful lest by asserting
a man of Consular dignity and next Cornelius Fuscus Captain of the Guards in several sore and bloody battels insomuch that the Historians of those times have thought fittest to passe over in silence the number of the slain Yet at length he triumphed over them all He was also struck at by a Civil War raised by L. Antonius President of upper Germany whom he had incensed by the odiousnesse of his vices and especially by uncivil language Which yet he overcometh This he finished absent with admirable felicity for that very hour the fight was to be the Rhine swelled so high that it hindred the Auxiliaries which were sent to Antonius from joyning with him In the second year of his reign Agricola defeated the Ordovices in Britain Tacitus in vita Agricolae and took the Isle Mona about Autumn and that upon his first coming into the Island So that the years of the Expeditions which Tacitus afterwards relateth are rather to be reckoned from the Kalends of January of the former year as Jacobus Cappellus hinteth Though Dion Cassius as appeareth from Xiphilin referred the discovery of that Britain an Island to the reign of Titus Yet others unto the time of Domitian who at length envying Agricola that great glory he had got in reducing Britain recalled him under pretence of sending him into Asia and he died two years after on the tenth of the Calends of September in the 56 year of his age Pompeius Collega and Cornelius Priscus being Consuls Whether hee died of poyson or not though there wanted not suspitions Tacitus his son-in-law dareth not affirm His cruelty 30. Domitian having suppressed the rebellion of Antonius grew extraordinarily cruel putting men to death upon small and trivial accounts Those of any note that were of his party he tortured to death by wayes unheard of and confounded the cause of the innocent with that of the guilty raging against the Christians with a second persecution He arrived at that horrid arrogance that he sticked not to say in the Senate that he gave the Empire to his father and brother who did but restore it to him and what was worse than this he would be called our Lord and God Being hereby rendred terrible and hatefull unto all he wrought his own destruction which fearing and being foretold it by the Chaldaeans he grew timorous out of measure and was ruined with the least suspition Hence did he cause the place where he was wont to abide to be beset with the stone Phengites that he might see if any one came behind him and though he was sufficiently ambitious yet did he refuse an extraordinary honour offered him by the Senate viz. that when he bore the Consulship Knights should go before him with spears amongst the Sergeants Hence also he put Epaphroditus his Secretary to death because it was believed that he had helped Nero in dispatching himself and he killed Flavius his Uncle though he had openly owned his two sons as his Successors whereof the one he called Vespasian and the other Domitian His death which hastened his destruction Eight moneths after he was slain by his own servants of whom Parthenius the chief of his Chamber was principal Domitia his wife being drawn in to the conspiracy A. D. 96. V. C. 849. Domitiani 15. for that she feared to be poysoned for her kindnesse to Paris Longinus Proculus then in Germany is said to have foretold the very day of his death and Apollonius Tyanaeus a famous Magitian who being convented before him vanished out of fight spoke of it that very hour exhorting Stephanus as it were to strike him home The people took his death indifferently the Soldiers heavily which they shortly after revenged upon the murtherers but the Senate as it were triumphed and ordered the memory of him to be abolished The best thing we find concerning him was that though he was no Scholar himself he took care for repaiting of Libraries He was murthered on the fourteenth before the Calends of October in the 45th year of his age and the 15th of his reign in the 849 year of the Citie A. D. 96. T. Fulvius Valens and C. Antistius Vetus being Consuls In his time flourished Statius Papinius who beginneth the fourth book of his Sylvae with the celebration of his 17th Consulship which fell in with the 14th of his reign Juvenal and Martial also flourished at this time whereof the later was of Equestrian rank though ever poor as * Sum fatcor semperque fui Callistrate pauper Sed non obscurus nec male notus eques he himself witnesseth 31. Now must we give a short account of Ecclesiastical affairs according to the course of time and matter Ecclesiastical matters in his time (a) Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 4. L. 4. c. 22. Dionysius the Areopagite being by St. Paul who converted him to the faith made Bishop of Athens governed that Church in the time of Nero and afterwards There are extant several works under his name but suspected and sundry Epistles whereof one to John the Evangelist then in the Isle Pathmos and another unto Polycarpus Linus the Bishop of Rome being Crowned with Martyrdom on the ninth of the Calends of October Bishops in the last year of Nero according to Damasus Cletus or Anacletus succeeded him in that Sea Some next unto Linus do place Clemens then Cletus and then Anacletus But Irenaeus Eusâ—bius and Epiphanius rank them thus Peter Linus Cletus or Anacletus Clemens for he whom Irenaeus and Eusebius call Anacletus is by Epiphanius and Damasus called Cletus This Cletus according to Damasus died in the 2 year of Domitian on the sixth before the Calends of May and was succeeded by Anacletus But (b) Lib. 3. c. 14. Eusebius maketh Anacletus to have been Bishop twelve years and in the 12th of Domitian to have been succeeded by Clemens whom St. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians calleth his fellow labourer In the fourth year of the reign of Domitian (c) Idem ibid. c. 13. Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria having continued there 32 years died to whom succeeded Abilius As for the Bishops of Byzantium afterwards called Constantinople we have them in this order from (d) Vide Joseph Scaliger in Eusebianis pag. 313. Nicephorus the Patriarch The first was Andrew the Apostle who having preached the word at Byzantium and built an Oratory in Argâ—ropolis ordained Stachys to be Bishop of whom (e) Rom. 16.9 St. Paul maketh mention Stachys governed 16 years after him succeeded in the year of our Lord 55 Onesimus who governed 14. then Polycarpus ruled 17. and Eleutherius 7. who came to the Chair A. D. 85. in the second of Domitian 32. Domitian having raised the second persecution against the Christian faith St. John the Apostle who having continued at Ephesus 27 years was in the ninth of his reign banished into the Island (a) Euseb Eccles Hist l. 3. c.
Honorarii being but Titular Consuls yet it also respecteth authority and power as well as meer Title in that the Law of the Praetor whereof we have formerly spoken is called Jus Honorarium 24. As for the Jus Coloniae it is so termed by Tacitus also in those words Atin Italia vetus oppidum Puteoli Jus Coloniae Cognomentum à Nerone adipiscuntur Gellius distinguisheth it from the Jus Municipii after this manner But of Colonies there is another relation or alliance necessitudo For they do come extrinsically into the City Jus Coloniae neither do they stand on their own roots but are as it were begotten by the State and have Laws and Institutions not of their own but those of the Roman people Yet this condition although it be more obnoxious and lesse free is accounted better and more excellent for the amplitude and Majesty of the Roman people whereof these Colonies seem to be certain Images and resemblances and also because the rights of the Municipia are obscure and obliturated which by reason of ignorance the owners cannot use Lib. 1. c. 14 15. From this it appears that Colonies were free of the Citie in which respect Paterculus giving us account of the several Colonies that were planted till the time of Marius mixeth with them such places as to which freedom was given making it as it were the same thing If it had been otherwise there would not have been any comparison as to privilege betwixt Municipia and Colonies and it would have saved Gellius the labour of proving against the common belief that the Jus Municipii was greater Now as for the Jus Latii Cap. 47. Suetonius distinguisheth it from Jus Civitatis for speaking what Augustus did to several Cities he hath this expression amongst the rest Latinitate vel civitate donavit Spartianus in the life of Adrian saith Latium multis civitatibus dedit And Tacitus coming up to our Term saith of Nero Annal. l. 15. c. 32. Jus Latii Eodem anno Caesar nationes Alpium maritimarum in Jus Latii transtulit The Latines were ever counted of the kindred of Rome the Romans having descended from them and upon this account there was a stricter League and Alliance with them than any other people which injoyed not the freedom of the Citie 25. The Latines envying the rising fortune of Rome their Colony laboured to suppresse it but still were worsted and ever forced to submit Servius Tullius the sixth King of Rome breathing after glory in future times in imitation of the Council of the Amphyctiones in Greece and other publick conventions as we have formerly said perswaded both Nations to build at Rome a Temple or Asylum out the common expense Dionys Halicarn lib. 4. where the Cities meeting yearly should sacrifize hold a fair at certain times and if any contention hapned amongst them it might be composed in a religious manner by their fellow Cities Gathering money he built the Temple of Diana in the Aventine Mount the most eminent in the Citie and wrote down the conditions of the League with the manner of observing the Feast and Mart. And that they might not be abolished by the injury of time he ingraved the Decrees of the Council in a pillar of brasse The strict League and Alliance betwixt the Romans and Latines and the Cities which were partakers of this society which pillar continueth till our age saith Dionysius dedicated in the Temple of Diana inscribed with such Characters as Greece antiently used which is no light argument that Rome was not built by Barbarians Tarquinius the last King and Successor of Servius renewed this League and taking in the Hernici and Volsci appointed another place in the midst of all those Nations viz. a Mount near to the Albanians called also Mons Albanus where yearly Feriae or a Festival were to be celebrated and for that time in respect of the religion of the place and the Law made for that purpose they were all to abstain from all manner of violence and in common sacrifize to Jupiter Latialis and Feast together it being appointed how much each people should contribute and receive Of these Feriae and this sacrifice were partakers 47 people and in our age saith the Historian the Romans observe these Ferlae called Feriae Latinae and some contribute Lambs some Cheese some a certain quantity of Milk and others Cakes or Wafers made up with Milk The sacrifice is one Bull for all of whose inwards a certain portion is given to every people They sacrifize for all in general and the Romans preside at the sacrifice Those Feriae at first consisted but of one day which Tarquinius appointed After his banishment the people added another And about six years after when Peace was composed betwixt Patritians and Plebeians after the Creation of the Tribuni Plebis and Aediles a third was added at what time the League was also renewed with the Latines because that after the Peace made with them at the end of the War with Tarquinius whose part they took they had continued peaceable and faithful to the Romans during their confusions and seditions 26. * Lib. 6. Dionysius mentioning the renewing of this League giveth us the substance of it by which description our design is accomplished as to the Jus Latii The Contents of the League These things were contained in the League Let there be mutual Peace betwixt the Romans and Latines as long as the Heavens and Earth keep the same Station and let neither make War upon the other nor procure others to do it nor give free passage to such as would but to the utmost help each other infested by War and equally divide the prey and spoils Concerning private contracts let the controversie be judiciarily decided in the Forum of that People where the contract was made Let nothing be added to the conditions of the League nor taken away without the consent of the Romans and all the Latine People To this purpose a League was established betwixt the parties and sworn to by all sacred things This near confederacy is to be taken as explanatory of the Jus Latii including such a strong alliance as was not made with any but afterwards according to this prescript In processe of time the Latines came to have the freedom of the City When this freedom was given to them is somethimg obscure Dionysius so relateth the story of Cassius in whose second Consulship according to him this League was renewed as if at the same time was given to them the freedom of the City for Cassius to curry favour with the Hernici gave them the same league and when he would have in his third Consulship the Agrarian to passe he caused the Latines and Hernici to be present at the Comitia to cary it by the greater number of voices But if any such thing were it was done rather by his over forwardnesse to gratifie them and without the consent of the
and fully reduced into a Province before Cambden wisheth to remember That the Romans had by antient custom in their Provinces Kings as the instruments of their bondage that the Britains even then refused to obey Commodus and that they themselves possessed and held freely those parts of the Island which were beyond the aforesaid wall and had there Kings of their own and that Antoninus Pius a few years before having put an end to War permitted Kingdoms to be ruled by their own Kings and Provinces by their own Comites He citeth Tertullian who much about this time wrote that Those places amongst the Britains which yielded the Romans no accesse are now subdued unto Christ Britain is inclosed within the compasse of the Ocean The Nation of the Mauri and the barbarous Getulians are beset by the Romans for fear they might passe beyond the limits of their Countries What should I speak of the Romans who with Garrisons of their Legions fortifie their Empire neither are they able to extend the power of their Dominion beyond these very Nations But the Kingdom and Name of Christ reacheth further still it is believed in every place and is worshipped of all those People above named c. 43. But our Ecclesiastical Writers thus Cambden proceedeth who have imployed both time and diligence in the consideration of this point endeavour and labour to prove and that out of antient Fathers of credit that before this time in the very dawning and infancy of the Church Britain had received Christian Religion and namely that Joseph of Arimathea a Noble Senator sailed out of Gall into Britain and that Claudia Rufina the wife of Aulus Pudens which woman as is credibly thought St. Paul nameth in his later Epistle to Timothy and whom the Poet Martial so highly commendeth was a Britain born They cite the testimony of Dorotheus who commonly goeth under the name of the Bishop of Tyre who in his Synopsis hath recorded that Simon Zelotes having travelled through Mauritiana was at last slain and buried in Britain as also that Aristobulus whom St. Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britain to which Nicephorus inclineth notwithstanding he speaketh of Britiana and not of Britania They report likewise upon the authority of Simeon that great Metaphrast and of the Menology of the Greeks that St. Peter came hither and spread abroad the Light of Gods Word out of Sophronius also and Theodoret that St. Paul after his second imprisonment in Rome visited this our Country Whereupon * Transiit Oceanum qua facit insula portum Quasque Britannus habet terras quasque ultima Thule Venantius Fortunatus wrote of him except he speaketh of his Doctrine if he may be believed as a Poet. But to this purpose saith our Author maketh especially that which ere-while I alleged out of Tertullian as also that which Origen recordeth how The Britains with one consent imbraced the Faith and made way themselves to God by means of the Druidae who did alwaies beat upon this Article of Belief That there is but one God And verily of great moment is that with me which Gildas writeth after he had mentioned the rebellion of Boodicia and treated of the revenge thereof In the mean while saith he Christ that true sun shining with his most glittering brightnesse upon the universal World not from the temporal skie and firmament but even from the highest cope of Heaven exceeding all times vouchsafed first his beams that is to say his precepts and doctrine in the time as we know of Tiberius Caesar unto this frozen Island full of ice and lying out as it were in a long tract of earth remote from the visible Sun Chrysostome likewise to note so much by the way writeth of the Christian Religion in this Island as followeth The British Islands seated without this Sea and within the very Ocean have felt the power of the Word for even there also be Churches founded and Altars erected of that Word I say which is planted in the Souls and now also in the lips of all People And the same Chrysostome in another place How often have People in Britain fed of mans flesh but now with fasting they refresh the Soul Likewise St. Hierome The Britain divided from our World if he proceed in Religion leaving the Western parts towards the Suns setting will seek Jerusalem a City known to him by form onely and relation of Scriptures 44. As for Hereticks which lived in the time with the forementioned Bishops Hereticks and the reigns of Marcus and Commodus There were the Secundians called so from Secundus who together with Epiphanes and Isidorus taught the same with Valentinus In life they were beastly all women among them were common they denied the resurrection of the flesh Ptolomaeus of whom were named the Ptolomaei Epiphan August de haeresibus Euseb taught the heretical opinions of the Gnosticks and of Valentinus adding thereunto of his own certain heathenish doctrines out of Homer Marcus of whom the Marcosii Colorbasus of whom the Colorbasii and Heracleon of whom the Hereticks were called Heracleonites sacrifized with witchcraft to amaze their auditory they pronounced Hebrew words Many women coming to Church under colour of receiving the power of Prophecy from them confessed they were abused by them Marcus ran away with another mans wife They poured oyl and water upon the head of the deceased hoping so to redeem them They said that the life and generation of man consisted in seven Starrs that Christ suffered not indeed and that there was no resurrection of the flesh Alcibiades refraining the use of Gods Creatures Euseb l. 5. c. 3. was reformed by Attalus the Martyr Archonitici Hereticks in Palestine referred all things unto mans powers They said the Sabbath was the God of the Jews and the Devil the son of the Sabbath (b) L. 4. c. 27. Tatianus the Scholar of Justin Martyr gave original to the Encratitae so called from continencie For they abhorred mariage forbad the use of living creatures offered water instead of wine in the Sacrament and denied that Adam was saved Severus of whom were named the Severians added to the opinions of Tatianus reviling Paul rejecting his Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles He said that a woman was of the Devil that man from the midle upwards was of God and beneath of the Devil Apelles Pontinus and other Marcionites about this time also disturbed the Peace of the Church 45. Epiphan Aug. There were also certain Hereticks of Galatia and Cappadocia called Pepuzians as also Quintiliani and Priscilliani because they said that Christ in form of a woman being the bed-fellow of Quintilla or Pricilla revealed unto her Divine Mysteryes Women were Priests amongst them and their sacrifices were alike to the Montanists of which Sect they seem to have been seeing also his Prophetesses were of the Town Pepuza Artotyritae were Hereticks which offered bread and cheese in the Sacrament
assemble to proâ—ure the hurt of any one we are the same in a body as when separated as we are in particular so we are in general that is to say in whatsoever estate we are found we injure no body when any virtuous or godly People are associated when any pious or chast persons assemble together their union should not be called a faction but a lawful society Thus Tertullian to whose words as to the harmlesse cariage of the Christians in their Assemblies Apostates witnessed as appeareth from what Pliny the younger wrote to Trajan As for the crimes supposed to be committed by them they ever challenged any witnesse to be produced of them and sufficiently confute the vain reports in their Apologies They laughed at the fiction of the Asses head and such like stuff and as for worshiping Crosses Octavius in his answer to Cecilius saith Cruces etiam nec colimus nec optamus Crosses we neither worship nor wish for Neither did they meet for seditious ends as for the alteration of Governments destruction of Princes or changing of Magistrates Though they rather than any of late time might pretend to Saintship They were good and loyal Subjects yet did they not make it an advantage to raise themselves whereby they laid no claim to the riches power or dominion of the World they did not hold that temporal dominion was founded in grace nor that the true and spiritual Kingdom of Jesus Christ destroyed the right and interest of earthly Princes They made no insurrections covered on rebellious designs with the name of Religion neither did by violence attempt a reformation although they were so many thousands as in all probability they might have born down all before them though they filled all places consisted of all degrees and hereby shared in all interests in power and intelligence and by their combinations might have taken their opportunities and easily by force of arms made way for their designs yet obedience to their Princes they ever held most inviolable by the Principles of their Religion and made use of no other weapons than prayers and tears though for their own safety and preservation Hear to this pupose what challenges Tertullian makes to such as if he had not had truth on his side would have been sufficiently ready to instance wherein the Christians offended which they yet never adventured to do 26. In the midst of all these outrages have you observed that these People who as you think have framed so strange a conspiracy and on the other side might be animated enough for revenge by the punishments wherewith you take away their lives endeavoured any thing against you to ressent the evil treating they have received Think you that they want an occasion Tertul. Apolog. c. 37. when in one night onely a small number of torches would be enough to satisfie their Revenge if with us it were permitted to render evil for evil but God forbid we should do so A Religion that is all divine ought not to revenge by the instigation of men and must not think it strange to suffer that which is made use of to prove them If we would declare against you as open rather than pursue you as secret Enemies might we not have forces and troops enough It may be the Moors and Marcomanns the Parthians or whatsoever People they are shut up in the bounds of the Country they inhabit make a greater number of men than they that are spread throughout all the Universe and have no other limits than that of the World Our Religion is but of late and we fill already all that your power acknowledgeth Cities Fortresses Isles Provinces the Assemblies of the People the Armies also the wards and tenths of Rome the Palace the Senate and the Publick places Finally we leave you but the Temples What Wars were we not able to undertake with what readinesse might we not arm our selves although we should be the weaker we that suffer our selves so willingly to be killed if in our Religion it were not rather lawful to let our selves be killed than to kill others we could also make War against you without taking up arms by casting our selves into a revolt it were enough not to live with you and to separate our selves our divorce would print shame in your foreheads For if Christians who make so great a multitude of all sorts of persons should abandon you to retire unto some Country of the World dispersed from all society truly the losse of so many Citizens of what condition soever would disparage your Government and also our retreat would be a rude punishment to you without doubt this solitude that would remain with you this silence of all things this general astonishment of nature even as if all the world were dead would frighten you you might go seek Subjects to command there would remain to you more Enemies than Citizens now you have more Citizens than Enemies because there are a greater number of Christians among you 27. Thus we see their peaceable demeanour how their minds stood affected towards their Princes let Tertullian also inform us As for us Apol. c. 30. in the prayers we make for the Emperours we call upon the eternal God the true God the living God c. In the same place It is to him to whom we Christians addresse our prayers make them with hands opened and lifted up because innocent the head bare because no cause to be ashamed when we pray to God There are none telleth us the words we are to say because it is our heart that acteth rather than our tongue We pray for all the Emperours and ask of God that he would give them a long life that their Empire enjoy a profound Peace their house happy concord their Armies be innumerable themselves assisted with good Councils the People remain in their duties no trouble arise in the World against their authority In conclusion we forget nothing the Prince can wish for either as a man or as an Emperour A little after Whilst we implore the grace of God for the Emperours with our hands lifted up and stretched towards Heaven let irons peirce us let us be put on gibbets and crosses fires consume us knives cut our throats beasts devour us A Christian while in prayer lifting up his hands to God is in a condition fit to receive all sorts of punishment and therefore continue O Magistrates so affected to Justice ravish our Souls whilst they are in prayers for the welfare of the Emperours and make a crime of Truth and the Service of God In the following Chapter We intreat them who believe our Religion takes no care of the preservation of the Emperours to examine the Laws of our God to read our Books which we hide not and which by divers accidents fall into other hands than ours They will learn there that it is commanded by a superabundant charity to pray to God for our Enemies Chap. 31. and to
fall with War upon those who had nothing ill deserved of the Romans but were at peace with them This made him fly to Pompey to conduct him forth at the sight of whom those who came to stop him gave way But Atteius meeting him earnestly exhorted him to desist and when that would not do sent a Viator to lay hold of him but the rest of the Tribunes not permitting this and the Viator not quite dismissing him Atteius got before to the Gate where he had some fire ready and as Crassus came by throwing his Odours upon the Coals devoted him with horrible and bitter curses invocating certain terrible and unheard of gods These secret and antient execrations the Romans thought to be of that force as no man ever escaped destruction to whom they were denounced and also proved unfortunate to the denouncer and therefore they were seldom used and Crassus was blamed on the behalf of the Citie * Lib. 3. cap. 11. Florus calleth this Tribune Metellus and others write that the Tribunes generally thus devoted him but it appeareth * Lib. 1. de Divinat from Cicero that P. Atteius was principal in this action Rifleth the Temple of Jerusalem 9. Crassus in his march rifled the Temple of Jerusalem Lege Plutarch in Crasso Dionem lib. 40. Florum l. 3. c. 11. Orosium lib. 6. cap. 13. Velleium lib. 2. cap. 40. Strab. lib. 16. and took away the Treasures which Pompey touched not He spent many dayes in weighing the Treasure of the Idol called Atargatis by the Syrians and by the Greeks Derceto the Goddesse of Hierapolis otherwise called Edessa and Bambyce and Magog by the Syrians In his whole passage he shewed more covetousnesse than valour listing men and then for money discharging them again He neglected his opportunities of falling on the Parthians unprovided and the friendship of the Armenian King who offered him to invade Parthia through his Kingdom as also of refreshing his Army in some Citie as Cassius advised him till he had certain news of the Parthians or else passing down the River to Seleucia where he might have Provisions by water and could not be compassed in by the Parthians This later Counsel he rejected by the cunning insinuations of Abgarus the Osroënian otherwise called Angarus Mazares Mazarus Marachus Macorus Ariamnes and * In Tacitus Annal. l. 12. Is written Abbarus but Lipsius noteth upon it that in the Vatican Copy 't is ever Acbarus and was common to all the Arabian Kings as Ptolomy to those of Egypt in Appian 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acbarus by several the Regulus or Petty Prince of the Arabians who having formerly been a friend and Ally of the Romans had now applied his mind to the Parthian and feeding Crassus with money to conceal his Treachery gave him notice of whatsoever was done He perswaded him to leave off thoughts of Seleucia and Ctesiphon and go straight against Surenas and Sillax the Kings Captains This he did and thereby first losing his son a choice young man he himself was by Surenas circumvented under pretence of a Treaty and either slain by his Enemies or killed by some of his own men And is slain to prevent his falling into their hands This hapned at Sinnaca a Citie of Mesopotamia on the sixth of the Ides of June as Ovid informeth us 20000 men were slain and 10000 taken according to Plutarch not to name other accounts so that the East being almost destitute of forces many Provinces thereof revolted but by the care industry and valour of C. Cassius the Quaestor of Crassus the same who afterwards with Brutus killed Julius Caesar Syria was appeased This King of Parthia against whom Crassus miscarried called Orodes Herodes and Hyrodes was something skilled in the Greek tongue and other learning Artabazel or Artavasdes the Armenian that first offered kindnesse to Crassus had reconciled himself to the Parthian who was now with him A. M. 3952. V. C. 701. He being also learned for he wrote Tragedies Orations and Histories some of Euripides his Bacchae was repeated and the head of Crassus was brought in as it were by chance and thrown at their feet But Surenas was afterwards punished for his treachery being killed by his Master who envied him his glory And Orodes himself having lost his son Pacorus in a battel against the Romans and falln into that kind of Dropsie called Anasarca Phraates or Phraortes his other son gave him Aconitum or Wolfs bane which working so upon him as with it self it brought out the humour and gave him ease he made short work of it and strangled him 10. Thus perished Crassus (a) Cicero Offic lib. 1. who was so rich that he would have none so accounted but he that could by his own Revenues maintain an Army and one of the heads of the Tricipitina was hereby cut off Whereby one head of the Tricipitina is cut off This laid the foundation of the Civil War betwixt the other two for he whilest he lived balancing them when he was gone Caesar must bring under Pompey before he could be Chief Whilest Crassus warred against the Parthians Gabinius who had been Consul when Cicero was banished reduced (b) Idem Epistolis ad Quintum fratrem ad Atticum Dio lib. 39. Valer. Maxim lib. 8. cap. 1. Exemp 3. into his Kingdom Ptolomy Auletes whom his subjects had expelled Then was he Proconsul of Syria but at his return being accused especially for making War upon Egypt which was supposed to be forbidden by the Verses of Sibylla and ready to be torn in pieces by the people he was yet acquitted by corrupted Judges or Laelius the Tribune of treason but banished as upon other accounts so chiefly for that he had served out of his Province 100000 Drachmas Gabinius banished or Denarii and was afterwards recalled by Caesar Caesar Comment l. 4. In the mean time several Nations of Germany driven out by the Suevi not Swedes in Latine Sueci but Grisons now for the most part came into Gall to seek new seats and there outed the Menapii of their dwellings Caesar defeated them killing many thousands and pursued them over the Rhine on which he laid a wooden bridge into the Countrey of the Sigambri now Guelderland and freed the Ubii now Inhabitants of Cullen from the Dominion of the Suevi Caesar defeateth the Germans to whom they had been Tributaries Then returned he to the Morini or into Picardy and thence came over into Britain Britain 11. Britain or Britany which also is Albion being in Greek ΒΡΕΤΑÎΙΑ ΒΡΕΤΑÎΙΚΗ ΒΡΕΤΑÎΙΣ ΑΛΒΙΩΠand ΑΛΟΥΩΠwas by the Romans called Britania and Remania It is most probable saith Cambden Consul Cambdenum in Britania the Inhabitants were called Britans from their painted bodies for whatsoever is thus painted and coloured in their antient Countrey speech they call Brith The name whence derived having been of old much given to