Triballes and Thillicians because he vnderstode they were conspityng togethers And for that they bordred vppon hys Countrey and were woute to inuade thesame vpon euery occasion thought to set stay amonges them before he would remoue hys power so farre of Amphipolis From the Cytie of Amphipolis therefore he set forewardes agaynste the Tracians whiche at that tyme were not vnder the rule or lawe of any man And in ten daies came to the mount Hemus Mount Hemus in the toppe wherof he found theÌ„ encamped with a great power to resist his passage In steade of treÌ„ches they had impaled theÌ„ selfes with their cariages crosse the streightes purposyng ther to let his iourney And if they should be inuaded by any other waye then by the strayghtes â–ª they dyd determyne to roulle the Cariages downe the hyll vpon the Macedones to breake the array of their battailes whiche deuise in dede they put in execution But the Souldiers had receyued before instruccions by AlexaÌ„der that as occasioÌ„ should serue parte should open their arraye to lette the Cartes and Wheales passe through them and that other should fall flat vpoÌ„ the grounde and by coueryng their bodies with their Targattes auoyde the daunger They vsed the matter accordyng to their instruccions and when the Cartes were passed by they with a courage and crye mounted vp agaynst their enemies and in a moment put them to flyght When Alexander was passed the Mountayne he entred into the Contrey of the Triballes as farre as the ryuer of Ligens Syrmus kyng of the Trybals When Syrmus Kynge of that lande vnderstode of his comyng he sent his wyfe and hys chyldren with suche of hys people as were not mere for the warres into an Iland called Pencascytuate within the Riuer of Danubye Penca Into whiche lande the Thracians that bordered with the Triballes were fledde also It was not long after that Syrmus hym selfe fledde thither lykewyse The rest of the Tryballes that were not with the Kynge withdrewe into an other Ilande where they kepte them selfes agaynste Alexander But he by polecye founde the meanes to drawe them out of theree strength whereby he slewe of them the nombre of thre thousande and the reste fledde awaye for of prysoners there were fewe taken After this battayles he marched towardes the Ryuer of Danubye to that Ilande where the Tracians and the other Tryballes were fledde They made notable resistans againste him which they might the better do by reason that Alexander wanted boates the bankes of the Iland were so highe stepe that they could not be mounted vpon but with great difficulty the streame besides ronnyng meruelously swifte because that the Ilande made yt narowe â–ª when Alexander perceyued the impossibility to assaile them he withdrewe to another place where gettyng a fewe boates passed the ryuer in the night to the noÌ„ber of M. ccccc horsemen 4000 fotemen wyth whiche company he set vpon a people called Getes Getes that stode redye in bataile on the further side of purpose to stoppe the Macedones their passage with .4000 horsemen .x. M. fotemeÌ„ By which sodeyne comyng ouer the Getes beiÌ„g afraid did not abyde the furste onset it seamed to theÌ„ a matter of wonderful aduenture for Alexander in one nyght wythout a bridge Danuby to passe his power ouer the brodest and depest ryuer of al Europe this matter stroke such fear in theÌ„ that they fledde into the woddes and deserte places leuing their cytie desolate which was taken by Alexander and ouerthrone Syrmus Kyng of the Triballes the Germains and the other Inhabiters of Danubie sent Embassadours thether vnto Alexander to enter with him in frendshyppe and amitie And he condiscending to their requestes enquired of the Germaines what thing it was in the world that they doubted most thinkinge in deade that the terrour of his name had bene the most feareful thing vnto theÌ„ But when they vnderstode his meanynge they aunswered that they doubted greatly the falling of the skye with whose presumptious auÌ„swer Alexander was nothing moued nor further replied sauing only that he said the Germains were alwaies a proud people and thereupon dismissed theÌ„ Agrians As he was going froÌ„ thence against the Agrians the PeaÌ„s Agryans clitê° Bardeleius Glancias Kynge of ThalaÌ„ts Lagarus he was aduertised that Clitus Bardeleius had rebelled and was confederate with Glancias the kynge of the Thaulantes he had also intelligeÌ„ce that the people of Anteria wold giue him bataile in his passage wherefore he coÌ„mytted to Lagarus the Kynge of Agryans wich was welbeloued of King Philip no les fauored of Alexander the charge to go againste the Anterians Anterians and promysed him vpon his retorne to giue him his suster Cyna in mariage Cina And AlexaÌ„der him self with great celeritie weÌ„t against Clytus Glaucias whoÌ„ in sondrey bataylles he ouercame put to flight Whiles Alexander was about thes thinges The Greks rebellyd he receiued aduertisemeÌ„t the diuers Cities in Greace specially the Thebans had rebelled which thinge moued him muche was the cause that he retorned with spede to oppresse the coÌ„mocion The Thebanes in this meane season besieged the Castle of Thebes wher in was a guarrison of Macedones and weÌ„t about by al meanes to win it To whose rescue Alexander came by greate iourneys encamped with his host nere to the Citie The siege of Thebes Such as bare rule amoÌ„ges the Thebanes wheÌ„ thei sawe AlexaÌ„der coÌ„e contrary to that they loked for doubted whether such ayde shuld coÌ„e to theÌ„ froÌ„ other Cities as was promysed began to consulte how to procede At leÌ„gth by a general consent they determyned to abide thaduenture of the warre The King in the meane seasoÌ„ stode at a staye geuyng theÌ„ spare to be better aduised chauÌ„ge purpose for he was of opinioÌ„ that not one Citye wold euer haue made resistance against so great a power as he had beinge aboue .xxx. thousand fotmen and thre thousand horsemen al olde Souldyers and experte in the traueiles of warre The truste of whose manhode and valyantenes had caused hym to vndertake the warres agaynst the Percians Trulye yf the Thebans had gyuen place too fortune to the tyme and wold haue required peace they mighte easelie haue obtained it his disire was so greate to passe into Asia against the Percians but the Thebans that were determined to trye their force and vse no praiers fought agaynst the MacedoÌ„es that far exceded their noÌ„bre obstynatly with greate manhode But whiles the batailes were ioyning the guarrison of the castle issued out vpon the Thebanes backe wherby being enclosed they were vanquyshed their Cytie taken spoiled The distraccion of Thebes and vtterly rased Which thynge Alexander did of purpose because he thought the reste the Grecians afraied by their eÌ„sample wold be the more quiet whiles he shoulde be in the warres of Asia to gratifie the Phocians and
shall cause both the same and them also to be a pray vnto vs. For he had learned he said by experiēce that the haboudance and excesse of ther preciouse furniture ▪ their flockes of Concubines Eunukes were nothing els but burdens and impedimentes Whych Alexander possessing and carieng about should make him inferior vnto them of whom before he was victorius His oracion semed to all men to be full of desperacion For they sawe therby that the riche Citie of babilon should be geuen vp vnto the Macedōs Susa shortly after wyth all other ornamentes of the realme that were cause of the warre But he procedid in persuading them howe that men in aduersitie ought not do thinges that should seame goodly in the speaking but necessary in thexperiēce That warres were made wyth iron and not with gold wyth men and not wyth the walles of Cities For all thinges folowe them that be armed and in strength He shewed that his auntetors were afflicted after this maner in the begining yet recouered againe quickly their former estate After he had spoken these wordes either for that they were therby encouraged or els that they rather obeid his autoritie then liked his counsell folowed hym into the bondes of Media Arbella yeldid vnto Alexander Shortly after Arbella was geuen vp vnto Alexander which was full of the kynges ryches and treasure of precious stuf and appariell And besides in that towne the substāce of the hole army was lesse The siknes that began in Alexanders campe rising of the sauor of the deade bodies scatered ouer all the fieldes was the cause that he did the soner remoue Arabye The champion contrey of Arabia very notable with the haboundāce of swete odoers there growyng lay vpon the right hand as they marched And so passed through the coūtrey lieng betwen Tigre and. Euphrates whyche is so fat and plentyfull a ground that the inhabiters be fayne to dryue their bestes from feading leaste they should kill them selues by eating ouer muche The cause of thys fertilitie commeth of the moister that issueth from both riuers Tygre distilling by vaines through the grounde Both these riuer haue their beginning in the mountaynes of Armenia Euphrates wher they be distaunt .v. thousand thousand .v. C. fuclonges and so runne forwardes keaping their distāce till they come nere the boundes of Media and Gordia For thē by little and little the further they go they draue more nere together leuing les space betwixte them They enclose of both sids the coūtrey that is called Mesopotania Mesopotamia from whence they runne through the bonds of Babilō in the redde sea After Alexāder had chaunged hys campe foure tymes Mennium he came to a citie called Mennium wher as there is a fountaine within a caue that boyleth out great plenty of pycche so it apeareth that the Babilonians had there cement from thence which they employed about the making of their huge walles As Alexāder was going frō thence towardes Babilō Mazeus which was said before to haue fled from the battell came to mete hym in moste humble maner where cōmitting hys children into his hands yelded him self and rendred vp the cytie Hys comming was very greate full vnto the kynge considering what trauayll he shoulde haue susteyned in the syege of so strong a Citie if it had bene keapte agaynst hym And besides forsomuchas Mazeus was a mā both famous and valient much noted for his doing in the last battel thought his ensamble should much prouoke others do to the like For that cause he receyued both hym and hys childrē wyth gentil maner and yet gaue ordre to hys men that they should enter into the Cytye in suche array of battaill as if they should fight A great nōbre of the Babilonians stoode vpon the walles desirous to behold him that was ther new king But the more parte went forthe to mete hym Bagistenes Bagistenes that was captayne of the castle and keaper of the kynges treasour because he would shewe hym selfe to be no lesse affectionate towardes Alexander than Mazeus was strowed all the waies where he should passe with flowers and garlādes and set aulters of siluer on both sides the waye wherupon frankensence was burning and all other kinde of swete odours Next vnto hym came flockes of beastes great nombres of horses wyth Lyons and Pardalies caried in cages which he brought to geue as presentes vnto Alexander And after them the Magies singing according to their contrey manner Caldees went next with their deuiners and prophetes and then musicians wyth their kindes of instrumētes their propertie was to singe the praises of kinges And the Caldeis vsed to declare the mociōs of the planetes The distruccion of Babilon with the course reuolucion of the time Laste in ordre came the Babilonian horsemen whose sumptuous furniture both for them selues and their horses tendid more to voluptuousnes and delicacy thē to any magnificence Alexander that was enclosed about wyth armed men willed that the Babilonians should come behind his footemen and he riding alofte in his chariot entred into the cytie and afterwardes into the palace where the next daye he surueyed Darius threasure and riches The beuty and plesauntnes of that Citie gaue iuste occasion to Alexander and such as were with him to wonder much vpon it Semiramis was the builder therof and according to some mens opinion Belus Semiramis Belus whose palaice is to be sene their The walles be made all of brick set with pitche whiche is called bytumen And they be .xxxii. foote in bredth so that two cartes may easely go vpō them afront They be in height C. cubites the towers be .x. foote higher then the reste of the walles The compasse of thē about is CCClxviii furlonges being builded as it is left in memory in so many dayes The houses stand the brede of an acre distaūt from the walles not builded through out the cytie but only by the space of .iiii. score .x. forlōges and those not ioyned nere one to another but for some consideracion deuided a sondre The rest of the ground is sowed and tilled to thintēt that if any forein powre cometh against them thei should be able to be releued by the frute therof comyng The ryuer of Euphrates doth ronne through the middes of the citie and is kept in on both sides with walles of a wounderfull worckmanship but the great caues made of bricke and in pitche in steade of morter wrought lowe within the ground to receiue the violence of the streame do excede all the relle of the worckes there made for except thesame were of quantitie and largenes to receiue the water when the streame floweth ouer the bankes that be made to kepe it in the violēce therof shuld beare down the houses of the citie There is also ouer that ryuer a stone brydge whiche ioyneth both partes of the citie togethers counted amonges the marueilous workes of
middes of his legge where the hed did stike still The Macedons that were sorowfull and amased for their kinges hurt caried him into his campe of whose departure out of the field his enemies were not ignoraunt for they might behold all thinges from the mountaine Wherupon the next day they sent Embassadours vnto Alexander whom he admitted to his presence vnfolding his wouÌ„d wherby he thought to dissimule the greatnes therof shewed his legge vnto them When they were commaunded to sit downe they said that he ring of his hurte they were as sorowfull for it as his owne subiectes whiche should welbe knowen for if they could find out the persone that did the dede he shuld be deliuered vnto his haÌ„des Seing they could not iudge them but sacrileges that woulde fight with goddes of whose vertue they supposed hym to be and therfore were determined to yeld theÌ„ selues Therupon he gaue them assuraunce receiued againe his men that were takeÌ„ prisoners and admitted them as his subiectes That done he remoued his campe was caried in a foote litter for the bearing wherof the horsemen and footemen coÌ„tended together The horsmen alledged it to be their office because the king accustomed to fight amonges them And the footemen argued for their parte that in asmuche as they vsed to cary the hurt souldiers that thought no reason their office should be taken from them chiefly when the kyng should be caried Alexander therfore in so great a contention of both partes thought it a difficult matter to geue senteÌ„ce because the iudgemeÌ„t should be greuous to them that should be put froÌ„ the office therfore ordred that they should cary him by course FroÌ„ thence the fourth day he came vnto a citie called Maracanda the walles wherof were .lxx. furloÌ„ges about Maracanda but the castle was without any wall he set a guarrison in the citie then burned and destroied the countrey thereaboutes Embassadours came vnto him The Scythians there froÌ„ the Scythes called Auians whiche had bene fre since the time that Cyrus was amonges them but yet they shewed them selues then redy to be at his commaundement They were knowen to be the moste rightuous people of all the barbarous nacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 that neuer vsed to make warre but when thei â—e prouoked whose moderacioÌ„ and temperauÌ„ce in vsing of their libertie made the inferriours equall vnto the supperiours Alexander receiued them gently and sent Penidas a frend of his to those Scithes that inhabited within Europe Penydas to forbid theÌ„ to passe the riuer of Tanais without his appointment Who had also a secrete commission to viewe the scituacioÌ„ of the couÌ„trey to visit those ScithiaÌ„s that inhabited about Bosphorus he willed him besides to choise out a place vpoÌ„ the brinke of Tanais where as he might build a citie to remain as a fortres for the subduing of those people that he entended to visite The rebellion of the Sogdians But this deuise was delayed by the rebellioÌ„ of the SogdiaÌ„s who had also drawen the BactriaÌ„s to their part There were of theÌ„ .vii. in horsmeÌ„ whose autoritie the rest folowed for the daunting of whome Alexander caused Spytamenes and Catenes the betrayers of Bessus to be sent for thinking by their meanes to bring the countrey agayn to his obedience and to subdue suche as had made this sturre But they whiche were iudged mete to stay the rebellioÌ„ and were sent for to that intent were the chief authours of all the reuolt whiche caused it to be noysed abrode that Alexander had sent for the Bactrian horsemen of purpose to kill them all Whiche commission they sayd being appointed to them they would not execute because they thought it ouer foull an act to commit against their countreymen And for that cause could as il beare then Alexanders crueltie as in times past Bessus treason By this meanes when feare of death was put into their heades they were easely sturred to armes whiche before were sufficiently enclyned of their owne myndes When Alexander was aduertised of their doinges he willed Craterus to besiege Cyropolis Ciropolis And he him self warme an other city of that countrey by an assault whiche he gaue to it on all partes at once and by a signe geuen caused all the chyldreÌ„ to be put to death making the rest a pray for the souldiers This done the cytie was rased to the ground to thintent that others by their ensample might be kept in obedience There was a valiaunt people called Memacenans Memacenans who were determined to abide the siege not only for their honesties sake but also for that they thought it moste for their suertie For the mitigating of whose wilfulnes the kyng sent to them fifty horsemen to declare his clemency towardes suche as submitted them selues and howe inexorable he was to suche as he wan by force Their answere was to them that they neither doubted of the kynges promis nor of his power but after their answere geuen they lodged them without their walles where as enterteining theÌ„ with great there till it was the depe of the nyght they set vpon them and slewe them all Alexander was no lesse moued with this matter then the case required but made an assault vnto the cytie on all partes at once whiche he found furnisshed in suche wyse that he could not take it at the first attempt Wherfore he appointed Meleager and Perdicas to the siege therof whiche first were at the siege of Ciropolis mynding to spare thesame because it was builded by Cyrus For he had not so great admiracion of any kyng that had reigned in those partes as of hym and Semyramis whose magnaminitie of mynde and fame of their actes semed to hym to excede all the rest But the obstinate wilfulnes of the inhabitauntes sturred vp his wrath For when he had taken the cytie he willed the Macedons to spoyle it whiche had great cause to be moued against them and so returned agayne to Meleager and Perdicas There was not one cytie that did more valiauntly abide the siege then the same did for both the hardiest of the souldiers were slayne and the kyng was brought in great daunger being striken in the necke with a stone so that he lost his sight and was felled to the earth so that he lost his sence The army lameÌ„ted thinking he had bene dead but he was inuincible against those thinges which put other men moste in feare For without tarieng he dressed his wounde and returned to the fyght and after anger had sturred vp the egernes he had of nature he renued the assault againe more fiersely then before At length a great peace of the wall was ouerthrowen by a myne at the whiche he brake in and put the whole cytie to sacke and to ruyne Menedemê° He sent from theÌ„ce Menedemus with .iii. M. footemen and .viii. C. horsemen to the citie of Maracanda which Spitamenes had newly taken and put out from theÌ„ce the guarrison of
Alexander remoued to the cytie of Marathon where he receyued letters from Darius that put him in great coller Letters froÌ„ Darius vnto Alexand because they were so arrogantly written the speciall poincte that moued AlexaÌ„der was for that Darius writing himself king did not vouchsaue to geue him that title but dyd write rather by way of coÌ„maundement then of request proffering for the ransom of his wife childreÌ„ somuch money as Macedon could receiue For the superioritie he said he put it to his choise to trie it by the sworde if he liste but if he would be better aduised he willed him to be content with his owne enheritauÌ„ce so he would ioyne in amitie with him become his frend in whiche poinct he was redy to enter into treatie â–ª Alexanders aunswere to Darius letters Alexander did wryte to him againe after this maner Darius whose name thou hast vsurped did great destruction vpon the Grekes inhabiting on the coast of Hellespont and vpoÌ„ the Iomans whiche be Greke cyties and from thence did passe the sea with a great army to make warre agaiÌ„st Grece and Macedon And also king zerxes the predecessour came to subdue vs with infinitie noÌ„bres which being vanquished in a battel on the sea left notwithstaÌ„ding Mardonius behind him in Grece to destroy their cities and burne their couÌ„treis It is manifest besides that Philip my father was slayne by such as were corrupted theruÌ„to with your money ye vndertake always vniust warres and occupyeng armes go about for all that to circumuent men with treason As thou of late hauing suche noÌ„bre of men in thine army diddest procure my death with the promis of a thousand talentes I am not therfore the beginner of the warres but repulce such iniuries as be proffered me In doing wherof through the help of the Goddes which fauour alway the right haue brought the more parte of Asia vnder my subiectioÌ„ hauing ouercoÌ„me the in battail by force of armes there is no cause that I should graunt the any thyng whiche haste not obserued towardes me the lawe of armes yet if thou wilt come and submit thyself I promis the that I will deliuer frely both thy mother wife and childreÌ„ for both I knowe howe to get the victory and howe to vse suche as I ouercome but if thou fearest to commit thy self to vs. I will geue the saufeconduite to come frely In the reste when thou writest vnto me remembre that thou writest not only to a king but also vnto hym that is thy kyng He sent this letter by Thersippus and went from thence into Phenicia Phenicia Biblon Sydon where the Cytie of Biblon was youlden vnto him And so came vnto Sydon which was a Cytie of great nobilitie by reason of the antiquitie and fame of the builders The same was vnder Stratos dominioÌ„ supported by the power of Darius who yeldyng more by the constreinte of the people then of his own good will was thought vnworthy to reigne there Alexand made a graunt to Ephestion that he should make suche one kyng whome the Sidons thought moste worthy that place There were diuerse noble yong men in that cytie that had familiaritie with Ephestion of whome he purposed to haue chosen one kynge but they refused his offre affirming that none myght enioye that dignitie except he were descended of the bloud roiall Ephestion wondred at the magnaminitie that was in them in despisyng the thyng whiche other sought for by sworde and fier and therfore sayd continewe you still in that vertuous mynde whiche be the firste that haue vnderstande howe muche more better it is to refuse then to receyue a kyngdome Chouse ye therefore suche one of the bloud royall that may remembre that he hath receyued the rule at your handes But when they sawe that diuers gaped for it and for the gredines they had to reigne fell to flatteryng such as were nere about Alexander resolued that there was none more mete for that dignitie then one Abdolominus who being of the auncient bloud of the kynges Abdolominus was made kyng for pouertie was enforced to dwell in a smale grange without the Cytie His honestie was the cause of his pouertie as it is to many other and beyng occupied in his daily labour harde no noyse of the warres that troubled all Asia They of whome we spake of before came into his gardein with garmentes to apparell hym lyke a kyng and found him weding of his ground whome they saluted as kyng and sayd vnto hym you muste make exchaunge of the vilenes of your apparell with these ryche robes we here ê‘sent you washe the body that is now foull and filthe take vpon you the harte of a kyng and in the fortune you be worthy to haue shewe the same moderacion and continencie you do vse presently And when you shall sit in your regall seate hauing in your handes power of the life and death of your people do in no wyse forget the estate ye were in when ye toke the kyngdom vpon you nor yet for what purpose ye did receiue it The matter seamed to Abdolominus lyke a dreame and asked them if they were madde that would mocke him after that manner But when he sawe theÌ„ affirme by othes the thyng to be in earnest he washed himself receiued the garment which was of purple gold so went with the into the palaice The fame as is wont in such a case did notably ronne abrode of this matter Some fauored the cause some did disdain it but suche as were riche did reproue his pouertie base estate to such as were nere about AlexaÌ„d which caused the king to send for him when he had loÌ„g beholdeÌ„ his behauour saied your personage doth not disagre to the fame of your lynage But I desire much to know with what pacience you did sustain your pouertie I would to God qd he I could beare my prosperitie in like case now when I am a kyng These handes did get that I desired hauing nothing I lacked nothing His wordes caused Alexander to conceiue of him a maruelous opinion so that he gaue vnto him not only the ryches stuf and furnimentes that appertained to the king before but also many thinges that were takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Percians adding to his dominion all the countrey nere about the citie In the meane season Amyntas with .iiii M. Grekes that escaped with him out of the field fled to Tripolis where he enbarcked them sailed vnto Cipres Tripolis thinking the world to be such then that euery one might enioy that he could get like as it had bene his owne enheritauÌ„ce His purpose was to go into Egipt so he thought to becoÌ„me enemy both to Darius Alexander waying with the worlde according as the tyme should alter Amintas ê‘swasion to his souldiours To briÌ„g therfore his souldiers to hope wel of his enterprice he declared how the gouernour of Egipt was slaine in
as were of the Macedons faccion and committed the cytie with a small guarrison to Appollodines and Athenagoras that were enclined to the Percians Alexanders captaines for al this continued the siege of the citie still not so muche in truste of their own strength as they did in hope of the facciō they had within the citie In whiche poinct they were not deceiued for through a sedicion whiche did aryse betwene Apollodines and the captaines of the men of warre occasion was ministred vnto the Macedons to breake into the Cytie When the gate was broken vp and a band of Macedons entred Scio taken then the cytesens whiche before had deuised to rebell against the Percians toke parte with Amphiterus and Egilochus so that the guarrison of the Percians were slaine and Pharnabasus with Apolloindes and Anathogoras were takē prisoners There were .xii. galies takē with their souldiers and rowers besides .xxx. shippes and vessels of Pirates with thre thousand Grekes that were in wages with the Percians with the Grekes they furnyshed vp their owne bandes and put the pyrotes to death bestowyng the rowers in their owne galeis Aristonicus It chaunsed that Aristonicus the vsurper of Methina ignoraunt of any suche matter as was chaunsed in the first parte of the night came with certayn piraters shippes to enter into the hauen whome when the watche demaunded what he was he sayd he was Aristonicus and came to the succour of Pharnabasus they said he was at reste could not then be spoken with all but it should be laufull for hym beyng their frende to enter into the hauē for that night and speake with hym when it was day Aristonicus was the first that entred and the pirates folowed him But whiles they placed their shyppes the watchemen drewe the chayne againe ouer the hauen and then called vp suche as lay there nere about so that none of them durst resist but were al taken prisoners and so deliuered to Amphiterus and Egilocus Mytelene From thence the Macedons passed to Mytelene whiche was kept by Chares of Athens with a guarison of two thousand Perciās but when he was not able to endure the siege he yelded vp the Cytie with conposicion to haue their liues saued and to departe in sauegarde vnto Imbros Imbros Darius dispairing of peace which he had procured both by his lettres and Embassadours gaue his mynd to assemble a new power and freshely to renue the warre Therfore he commaunded the Capitaines and rulers of his men to assemble at Babilon and that Bessus gouernour of the Bactrians Bactrians should come thether with al the power he could make The Bactrians be the moste hardie people amōges those nacions vnciuill men and much abhorring from the delicatnes of the Percians for by reason that they border vpō the Scithians whiche be a warlicke people they are accustomed to lyue by thefte and be conuersant continually in armes But Bessus that was suspect of treason that he would not be content with the second place put Darius in great doubte Who hauing an inckling that he compassed to be kyng feared only his treason hauyng no other way to bryng his purpose to passe Alexander wrought all the wayes he could obtayne to knoweledge where Darius was become and into what coūtrey he was gone And yet could not get any intelligence by reason of a custome amonges the Percians whiche are wont with a marueylous fidelitie to kepe close their princes secretes in the vtteryng wherof neither feare of death nor hope of rewarde can cause them bryng forth a worde This was a goodly discipline that the kinges ther had of olde time vsed emōges their subiectes in ponishing with losse of lief the lavesnes of the tounge which is there more greuosly chastysed then any other cryme The lauesnes of the tounge ponyshed with the Perciās Nor ther is not in those partes any goodnes loked for at any mans handes that hath not the gifte of secretnes wherof nature hath giuen a facilitye in mā Thys was the cause that Alexander was ingnorant of all thinges that his enemies did and therefore continued his siege before Gaza The Siege of Gaza Beties was Captayne there who was a man of a notable fidelitie towardes hys prince which with a small guarison defended the Cytie that was of a large compasse Wherfore Alexander perceyuing the aduauntage of the Scituacion set maney mynes in hande For the lightnes of the ground made the worcke easye hauinge nether rockes nor stones to gyue any impediment They began their mines on that side wher thei within could not destroy them And to auoyde the suspcion of any such worck in hande caused an aproche to be made to the wales wyth Towres that he had made of Tymbre But the ground woulde not serue for their carieng and remouing by reason of the losenes of the sande whereinto the wheles sonk and was cause that the ioyntes of the towres bracke a sonder About the conuoyans of them many were hurte and as muche truble they had in wythdrawinge of them as in setting them forwardes When he perceyued he could not preuail by that meanes he retired againe his mē for that time But the next daye he enuironed the Citie round about to gyue thassaulte in euerye parte at ones and before he remoued out of his campte made sacrifice after his contrey maner requiring the aide of the goddes It chaunsed as he was so doing that a Rauen flieng by let falle a clodde which she caried in hir clawes vpon the kinges Hede where it bracke resolued in peces And the rauen flewe vnto the next towre wher hir fethers were so entangled with Piche that she lighted vpon that she coulde not flee away but was taken of the standers theraboutes This was thought a matter worthye whereupon the deuyners should consulte for he him selfe was not free from the supersticon of such thynges Therefore Aristander to whom he gaue moste credite did interprete the same to be a signe of the distrucion of that Cytie but yet there was some parill apearing towardes the kynges person For which cause he perswaded Alexander that he shoulde not go about any enterpryse that daye Whyche though it greued hym muche that one Cytie shoulde be a staye and impedient vnto hym for hys free passage into Egipt yet he obeied the pronosticator caused all his men to returne Thennemies toke courage of their departure and thinkinge feare to haue bene the cause whie they came not forwardes sayled out of the Cytie and set vpon their tayle But they were more fierse in the beginnyng of the skyrmishe then constante in maintaining of the same For when they sawe the Macedons turne about they stayed and pursued no further Alexander hering the larume and remembring nothing the parill that was prophesied vnto hym at hys frendes requeste put on hys harnys which he was seldom accustmued to do resorted thether where the skyrmushe was moste hote There he
vile nature which could do no maner seruice but take away mēs horses geue thē to other What mischef is this that at one time I must purge my selfe both to Alexander and to Antiphanes But to the other poynte that your mother did write to you of vs as of your enemies I would god she had more wisely bene careful of hir sonnes safegarde thē doubtfully imagined such fained figures Why doth she not also expresse the cause of hir feare Besides she sheweth not hir aucthour nor yet signifieth one word wherby she was moued to write to you suche letters of feare O wretched estate of mine whiche standeth in lesse hasarde to howe my peace thē to speake Yet howsoeuer the matter shall passe I had rather mine excuse shoulde displease you then my cause If you remembre when ye sente me to fetche newe souldiours out of Macedon ye shewed me that in your mothers house there lurked many lusty yong gētlemen wherfore ye cōmaūded me that in executing your cōmissiō I should spare none but brynge with me perforce all suche as refused the warres Whyche thynge I did and fulfilled your will therin more largelye then was expedient for me For I brought vnto you Gorgeas Herateus and Gorgata whiche nowe minister vnto you right acceptable seruice What creature therfore is more wretched thē I which if I had not fulfilled your will should rightfully haue suffered and nowe peryshe because I obeyed you For truely there was none other cause that moued your Mother to persecute vs then that we preferred your vtilitie before a womans fauoure I brought vnto you of Macedons .vi. M. footemen .viii. hūdred horsemen of the which the more part woulde not haue folowed me If I hadde released suche as woulde not haue come It is reason therefore that in as muche as your mother is displeased wyth vs for your cause that ye mitigate her in whose displeasure ye haue put vs. Whiles Amyntas was thus pleadynge his cause thei that had pursued his brother Palemon of whō we spake before came leadyng him bounde into the place Palemon Then the rage of the people could scaresly be pacified but as the maner was in such causes thei would haue stoned Palemon to deathe Yet he boldelye spake to theim and saied I desire no fauoure for my selfe so that my fliynge be not hurteful to the innocency of my brethrē whom if ye can not thinke cleare let the faulte be layed to me For their matter appeareth the better because I whyche fled awaye am suspected Assone as he had spokē these wordes the whole assēble were inclined in his fauoure and resolued to teares beyng so sodainly cōtrary turned that now they were al conuerted on his parte whiche a litle before were al against him He was in the prime stoure of his youth through other mens feare fled away amōgest those horsemen which were amased at Philotas tormentes His cōpanye had left him behinde whiles he was in doubte whether he might turne againe or fle further forwardes was taken by theim whiche pursued after him He thē began to wepe and beate him selfe about the face not so much lamentyng his owne chaūce as the case of his brethren beyng in daūger for his cause with which his behauour he moued the kyng and al the cōpany there present Onely his brother Amintas coulde not be pacified but behelde him with a fierce countenaunce saied O madde creature then oughtest thou to haue wept when thou diddest put thy spores to thy horse as a traitour to thy brethren and a companion of traitours Thou wretche whether from whence didest thou flye Thou hast now brought to passe that bothe I am thought worthy of death also must become an accuser of other Palemon therupō confessed him selfe to haue offended in that pointe but more greuously against his brethren then towardes him selfe Thē the multitude coulde not abstaine from weaping showting being tokens wherby men in an assēble are wont to declare their affections and with one consent they cried all to the kyng with one voyce that he woulde spare innocentes and men of seruice his frendes also vpon that occasion did rise and with wepyng eyes required the kynge of mercye Amyntas pardoned Then he comman̄ded silence saied By mine owne iudgemente I do pardon bothe you Amyntas your brethren desirous that ye should be more myndfull of my benefite then of your owne ieopardy Come in fauour againe with me with that fidelitie I am reconsiled vnto you except those thinges which were brought in euidence had bene debated and tried to the vttermoste my dissimulacion might haue bene suspected in this matter better it is therfore to be clered then to remayne in Ielousy and thinke that no man can be acquited except he be first detected Thou Amintas pardon thy brother let that be a tokē of thy harte recōsiled vnto me This done the king dismissed the assēble sent for Poledamas Poledamas whō of all mē Parmenio loued best accustomed alwayes to stand next hym in battayll and though the clerenes of his conscience did assure him to come boldly yet after he was commaunded to bryng furth his brethren being but young vnknowē to the kyng his confidence was turned into feare and began to doubte imagening in his minde rather suche thinges as might hurte him then by what meanes he was thus circūuented In the meane seasō the guarde whiche had commaundemēt thereunto brought furth his brethrē When the kyng sawe Poledamas pale for feare he called hym nere and commaunding al men aparte sayd vnto hym Through Parmenios treason Alexanders wordes to Poledamas we were all in daunger but chiefly I and thou whome vnder colour of frendship he disceiued moste In the pursuyng and punishement of whome see howe much I trust thy fidelitie for I am determined to vse the as a minister therein and whiles thou goest about it thy brethrē shal be thy pledges Thou shalt go into Media and beare my letters to my officers writtē with mine owne hand It is necessary haste be made that the swiftnes of the fame may be preuented I will that ye come thether in the night and that the tenour of my writing be executed the day after ye shall cary letters likewise to Parmenio one from me and an other written in the name of Philotas I haue his signet in my custody So that when Parmenio shall see both the the letter sealed with his sonnes ringe he wil be without any suspition Polydamas being thus deliuered of his feare promised his diligence a great deale more ernestly then he was required When Alexāder sawe his promptnes in the matter bothe commended his good will and rewarded him accordingly And Polidamas chaunged his owne apparell and toke other after the Araby fashion with two men of the same countrey to be his guide for whose truth their wifes and children were pledges in the meane season And so they
was nothynge more daungerous then the poyson that proceaded from theim for immediatlye vpon the stingynge Death folowed tyll suche tyme as the inhabitours of the Countrey shewed a remedye Frome thence throughe Desertes they came vnto the great Ryuer of Hyraotys Hyraotys wherevnto there ioyned a great wood Whiche hauing such trees as are not wont to be sene in other places was also full of wilde pecokes Alexander remouing his campe from theÌ„ce wan a towne by assault and taking pledges appointed them to pay tribute After that he came to a great cytie after the maner of that couÌ„trey which was both wel walled and also enuyroned about with a marisse The inhabitaunce came furth against Alexander and ioyning their cartes together in a froÌ„t wherin their custome was to fight thei proffered him the battaill Some occupied dartes some speares and other axes and with greate agilitie leaped to and fro their cartes when either they woulde relieue their fellowes that were wery of fighting or els succour or rescue such as were in distresse This vnwonted kind of fighting put the Macedons at the first in feare specially beyng hurt a farre of by their enemies and not able to come to hande stripes with theÌ„ But after they had coÌ„sidered their disordred maner they esteamed not their force but enclosed their enemies about thurst theÌ„ in with pikes the soner to defeate them they cut the bandes wherwith the cartes were tied to seperate them asonder When they had after that maner lost eight hundred of their men they fled again into the cytie whiche the next day the Macedons did wynne by assault Certayne there were that saued them selues by flieng whiche seing the cytie lost swomme ouer the water and filled al the townes thereabout with feare They declared of what inuincible force their enemies were of iudging them in respecte of their power rather goddes then men When Alexander had gotten that cytie he sent Perdicas with a parte of his army to destroy the countrey and committing another parte to Emnenes for the subduing of suche as would not become obedient Emnenes he with the rest of his power came vnto a strong cytie whiche was the refuge of all the countrey thereabout Notwithstanding that the inhabitauÌ„tes sent to Alexander for peace yet they prepared neuertheles for the warre by reason of a sedicion which rose amonges them that made them to be of diuers opinions Some wold rather haue endured any extremitie then to yelde and other thought they were not able to make resistaunce and whiles they differred so in opinions and made no commen consultacion amoÌ„ges them Suche as helde opinion to yelde vp the cytie â–ª opened the gates and receyued in their enemies And notwithstanding that Alexander had iuste cause of displeasure against the countrey faccion yet he pardoned them all and receyuing their pledges remoued towardes the next cytie When the Indians that stoode vpon the walles sawe the pledges that were brought before the army whome they perceyued to be of the same nacion desyred communicacion with theÌ„ who declaring bothe the kynges clemencye and his force dyd moue them to rendre vp their cytie whose ensample the rest of the cytie dyd folowe Sophytes From thence he came into the cytie of Sophites whiche is a nacion as the Indians thynke moste excellyng in wisdome best gouerned and that haue the best customes amonges them The chyldren that be there gotten are not norysshed and brought vp accordyng to the wyll of their parentes but by the ordre of suche as haue the charge committed vnto them to viewe the state of the infantes If they perceyue any not apt to be come actiue or els wantyng any of their lymmes they cause them streyght wayes to be killed They vse to mary without any respect of the kyndred they come of or the greatnes of paâ—entage makyng no chose but in the shape of the body whiche is the shyng that is only estemed amonges them The kyng hym self was within the chief citie of the countrey against the which Alexander brought his power The gates were shut and no man appeared in armes vpon the walles to make any defence wherefore he stode in doubte a great while whether the cytie was abandoned or els that the inhabiters had kepte them selues secrete for some policy Whiles he remained in that expectacion sodainly the gate was opened the king which in good lines of personage excelled al the rest came furth with his two sonnes he ware a garmeÌ„t of gold and purple enpaled that couered the caulf of his legge the soles he ware on his feete were set with pricious stones All his armes were garnyshed with pearles and had hangyng at his eares two precious stones whiche were excelleÌ„t both for bignes and brightnes there he had a scepter of gold set with precious stones called Berillis which he after his salutacion made with huÌ„ble submission deliuered vnto Alexander yelding both him selfe his chyldren and his kyngdome into hys handes There were in that countrey very notable dogges for the huntyng of wylde beastes whiche specially were geuen to be egre vpon the lyon The kyng therfore to shewe their force and propertie vnto AlexaÌ„der put foure of them vnto a great lyon which steight wayes caught hym faste Then one whiche was accustomed to that office toke one of those dogges by the legge to plucke hym of the lyon and because he woulde not loose hys holde cut of his legge wiâ—h a sworde But when the dogge sticked neuer thelesse vnto his game he was cut a sondre in peace meale till suche tyme as he died hauing his teath stil fastened in the lyons fleshe Suche a feruentnes nature had wrought in those beastes as we vnderstode by the reporte Some tyme I am enforced to write thynges that I can scarsely beleue For I neither dare affirme the thinges wherof I doubt nor counceale suche thinges as I haue receiued for truthe Alexander leuing this kyng within his owne kingdome came vnto the ryuer of Hipasis Hyspasis kyng Phegelas and there ioyned with Ephestion whiche had subdued the countrey thereabout One Phegelas was kyng of the next nacion whiche commaunding his subiectes to continue in tilling of the ground as thei were wont to do mette Alexander with riche presentes refusing nothing that was commaunded him When he had taried with him two dayes and was determined the third daye to haue passed the ryuer he found therin great difficultie by reason that the streame was so large and full of great stones He staied therfore a while to be more fully aduertised of the estate of those couÌ„treis of all suche thinges as were necessary for him to knowe He vnderstode by Phegelas howe beyonde that ryuer theâ—e lay a desert of ten dayes iourney next to that desert the ryuer of Ganges which was the greatest ryuer in al the Orient He shewed that beionde Ganges there inhabited two nacions called Gangaridans Gangaridans PharrasiaÌ„s
vnder the earth Clitarâ—us doth write that there were foure score thousand Indians slayne in that countrey besydes many prisoners solde as slaues The Musicanes in the meane tyme rebelled Saba for the oppression of whome Python was sent thether who toke the prince of the nacion prisoner and brought hym to Alexander whom he caused to be hanged on a crosse as the aucthour of the reuolt and that done returned agayne to the ryuer where as he had willed his nauy to tary for hym The fourth daye after passing downe the streme he came to a towne at the entrey of the kyngdome of Samus Samus The kynge whereof had newely yelded hymselfe but the cytezens dyd shutte their gates and woulde not be at commaundement Whose smalle nombre Alexander regarded so little that he sent fyue hundred Agrians vnto their gates to proffer them the skirmyshe to the intent by retiryng little and little they myght drawe them out of their strength whiche were thought would folowe in the chase when they should see their enemies flyeng The Agrians did as it was appoynted them for when they had once prouoked their enemies they turned their backes and the Indians folowed them till they came to the embushement where the kyng lay Then the Agrians turned and the fight was renued agayne so that of thre thousand Indians there were fyue hundred slaine and a thousand taken the rest recouered agayne the cytie But the ende of the victory was not so pleasaunt as it appeared in the begynnyng for the Indians had so inuenemed their swordes that suche as were hurte dyed of their woundes And the Phisicioâ—s could not deuyse the cause of so straunge a death for euen the very lyght hurtes were vncurable The Indians trusted that Alexander through his rashenes myght haue come within that daunger whiche by chaunse fyghting amonges the thyckest escaped vnhurte Ptolomeus Ptolomeus was fyghtly wounded vpon his lefte shoulder who beyng in greater daunger then the greatnes of his wounde shewed caused the kynge to be carefull of hym For he was nere of his kynne and as some thought Philippe was his father But it is certayne that his mother was Philippes concubyne he was one that had the charge of the kynges persone a valiaunt man of warre and yet more famous in the faculties of peace He was moderate both in his apparell and lyuing lyberall easye to be spoken to and without any suche height of mynde as is wont to be in men discended of bloud royall by reason of whiche qualities it is vncertaine whether he was better beloued with the kyng or with the rest of men That was the first occasion he had to proue how the mindes of men were affectionat towardes him for euen in that daunger he was in the Macedons beganne to deuyne of his fortune wherunto afterwardes he ascended They had no lesse care of Ptolomeus then of the kyng him selfe who vsed hym so familierly that when he was weried either with trauayll or care of mynde woulde sit for his solace with Ptolomeus and at that time caused his bedd to be brought into his owne chambre When Ptolomeus was layde there he fell sodeinly into a profounde sleape in the whiche it appeared vnto hym that a dragonne offred to hym a herbe out of his mouthe of the healing of his wounde and takyng away of the venyme When he awaked he declared his dreame and shewed both the colour and fashion of the herbe affirmyng that he coulde knowe it if any man could fynde it out The same was sought by so many that at length it was founde and being put vpon the wounde the paine streight wayes cessed and the skarre within short space was closed When the Indians were disappointed of the hope they had conceyued that waye they yelded them selues and their Cytie From thence Alexander went into the next countrey called Pathalia Meres king of Pathalia the kyng wherof called Meres lefte the Cytie and fledde into the Mountaynes so that Alexander toke the same and destroyed all the countrey fyndyng bothe a wonderfull praye of Sheape of Cattell and of Corne. There he toke Pilotes that knewe that Ryuer and came vnto an Iland whiche stode in the middes of the streame he was compelled to remayne there the lenger because the Pilotes beyng negligentlye keapt were escaped awaye â–ª â—e sent therfore to seke out other but when he coulde fynde none there entred a vehement desyre into his head to visite the Occean Sea and the ende of the worlde without any guyde and so committed his owne lyfe and the lyues of so many thousandes to a ryuer that none of them dyd knowe They sayled as men ignoraunt of all the places they came vnto either howe farre the Sea was distaunt froÌ„ what nacions did inhabite the countreys there aboutes whether the mouthe of the ryuer were nauigable for Galeis or no. In all these thynges they were ledde by a blynde and doubtfull imaginacion hauyng no comfort in their rasshe enterprise but only their continuall felicitie When they had gone forwardes foure hundred furlonges the shyppemaisters tolde the kynge that they felt the ayre of the Sea wherby they knewe that the Occean was at hande Thereat he reioysed greatly and exhorted the mariners that they woulde in all that they myght make waye with the â—ers to bryng hym to the syght of the ende of the worlde which he had so long desired Nowe quod he our glory is perfite when our manhode is suche that nothyng can geue impediment vnto vs nowe the worlde is come into our haÌ„des without any further hasard of warre or sheding of bloud Nowe since the bâ—undes that nature hath wrought be so nere at hande we shall shortly se thinges vnknoweÌ„ sauing to the immortal gods Yet notwithstanding he set certain a land to take foure of the countrey men by whome he trusted to haue knowen more certaintie of the truthe When they serched out their cotagies at length founde out some that were hydden Whiche beyng demaunded howe farre the sea was from them they made aunswere that they neuer harde it named but they sayde that within thre dayes saylyng they shoulde come vnto a place where as a brakishe water did corrupt the freshe By whiche wordes the mariners vnderstode that they ment the Sea of the nature whereof the people were ignoraunt Then the mariners rowed cherefully their desire growing euer the greater as they approched nere vnto the place whiche they hoped to be the ende of their trauaill The third daye they came where the sea and the ryuer ioyned together mixing with a smale floud their waters that were of a contrary nature Then because the tyde was somwhat againste them they haled towardes an other Iland standing in the myddes of the ryuer whiche beyng an easy place to lande at the Macedons ran about to seke vitâ—lles in suretie as they thought being ignoraunt of the chaunce that came vpon them The thirde houre accordyng to the ordinary course the
furnisshed with faire armour apt to do any enterprise of the warre which he called Epigoni that is to saie his successours The MacedoÌ„s at theyr comming semed to be somwhat apalled whych weried with long warre vsed often in assembles to murmur speake mutinous wordes against the king For the cause he had prepared these souldiers to restraine the arrogaÌ„cy of other gaue to them great benefites Harpalus Harpalus to whome the king had coÌ„mitted the charge of the treasure and reuenewes at Babilon hearing of the actes that AlexaÌ„der had done in subduing the more part of the kynges of India his successe to be so prosperous that nothing could withstand him Knowing the insaciable desire that was in Alexander to visite farre couÌ„treis to encrease his glory though it shold be a hard matter for him to returned to BabiloÌ„ again wherfore he gaue him self to delight to lust misusing many that were noble fâ—e women wallowing in al kind of voluptuousnes Insomuch that he sent vnto AtheÌ„s for a famous harlot called Patonice Patonice to whom he both gaue many great and princely giftes while she was aliue and also after her death spent .xxx. talentes vpon her tombe Hauing in these suche other like voluptuous vanities consumed a great part of the treasure When he vnderstode AlexaÌ„der to be come out of India to vse extreme iustice vpon his officers that misused them of whoÌ„ they had rule by reason he was priuy to his own fowle conscience feared the like might tome to himself And therfore gathering together .v. M. talentes .vi. M. mercenary souldiers toke the way towardes Athens no maÌ„ willing to receiue him by the way Tenaron When he came to Tenaâ—on where as a great nombre of the mercenary Grekes which had bene discharged out of Asia were assembled he left his souldiers there went to Athens with his money when he was come thether noÌ„bre of the citezens flocked about him more for loue of his money then for his own sake but specially the oratours suche as vsed to make their gaine by oracioÌ„s and persuading of the people whoÌ„ by small rewardes he easely corrupted to defeÌ„d his cause with the people But afterwardes at a generall assemble vpoÌ„ the matter he was commaunded to depart the cytie and so returned againe amonges the Greke souldiers by whoÌ„ he was slayne Sunium Therfore with .xxx. shippes thei passed ouer to SuniuÌ„ whiche is a pointe of the land in the territory of AtheÌ„s from whence they determined to haue entred into Athens hauen These thinges being knowen AlexaÌ„der that was sore moued aswell againste the Athenians as against Harpalus prepared a nauy to make warre in persone immediatly against theÌ„ And as he was busied about the matter he vnderstode by secret letters both the Harpalus had bene in Athens corrupted with money the chief of the cytie And also that afterwardes by a counsel of the people he was coÌ„maunded to depart froÌ„ thence as he returned amoÌ„ges the Greke souldiers he was slayne by one of theÌ„ by treason The death of Harpalê° These newes greatly reioysed Alexander wherby he had occasion to leaue of his iourney into Europe but he sent coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all the cities of Grece that they shuld receyue againe all their banisshed men except such only as had committed any murther vpon their owne countrey men Although the Grekes knewe the same to be the breache of their liberties their lawes the beginniÌ„g of their bondage yet as men that durst not disobey his will they called home their banished men restored to theÌ„ such of their goodes as did remaine Only the Athenians which euer defended obstinatly the liberties of their comeÌ„ wealth which had not bene accustomed to liue vnder the obedieÌ„ce of any king but vnder the lawes customes of their couÌ„trey wold not agre that such dredge of men shuld liue amonges them but did driue theÌ„ out of their bouÌ„des redy to suffre any thing rather theÌ„ to receiue such againe as sometime were the rascall of al their citie then the refuse of al the outlawes The time was come that Alexander minded to dismisse his olde souldiers sende them into their countrey but he willed first .xiii. M. fotemeÌ„ .ii. M. horsemeÌ„ to be chosen out to remaine still in Asia which he iudged might be kept with a small army because he thought the guarrisons he had plaÌ„ted in many places the cities which he had newly builded filled with inhabiters shuld be able to stay such as wold atteÌ„pt any rebellion Alexander paide al his souldiers debtes But before he would make any deuision of such as should depart remaine He caused a proclamacioÌ„ to be made that all souldiers should declare their debtes wherwith he perceiued many of them sore burdened though their debte did rise through their own disordre excesse yet he was determined to discharge euery man But the souldiers thinking it had bene but a deuise to find out the prodigall froÌ„ the rest delaied the time brought not in their declaracions The king perceiued shame to be the let therof no disobedieÌ„ce or self wil. And therfore caused tables to be set vp throughout his caÌ„pe .x. M talentes to be brought fuâ—th Of all whiche treasure when their debtes were payd accordyng to the iust declaracion there remayned no more but Cxxx. taleÌ„tes Wherby it appeared that thei whiche were the conquerours of so many riche nacions A mutine amonges the souldiers brought out of Asia more glory then spoyle But after it was once knowen that some should be dispached and some remayne still they thought the kynge would haue establyshed his kingdome perpetually in Asia Wherfore like madde men and vnmyndfull of all disciplyne of warre fylled the campe full of sedicious wordes and came to the kyng more arrogantly and with greater rygour then euer they did before al with one voyce requiring to be discharged shewyng furth the hortnes of their heete and their faces disformed with scarres and herein thei could not be staied eithâ—â— by chastisement of their officers or by any râ—uerence of their kynge but when he would haue spoken vnto them they would not suffre hym to be heard but disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye violent thronge protesting opeÌ„ly that they would neuer moue one foote forwardes to any place except it were towardes their owne countrey After a great space because they thought that Alexander would enclyne to their purpose they kept silence stode in expectacion what he would do Alexanders wordes vnto his souldiers Then Alexander spake vnto them what meaneth this sodain trouble of mynde this so malypart and vnlaufull libertie I am afraied to speake vnto you you haue so manifestly broken your obedience towardes me I am now become a kyng at the appointmeÌ„t of my people you haue neither lefte me the libertie to knowe you to
possibilitie and still called for Aridens to come forthe amonges them Wherupon Meleager for the malice and enuy he bare vnto Perdicas toke an occasion boldlye to bring him into the assemble whoÌ„ the multitude saluted as kinge and called him Philippe This was the voyce of the people Aridens was chosen kyng but the nobilitie was of an other mind of whoÌ„ Pithon toke vpon him to put Perdicas deuise in execution and appoynted Perdicas and Leonatus whiche were descended of the bloude royall to be gouernours of the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of Roxane addinge moreouer that Craterus and Antipater shoulde haue the rule within Europe And vpon this they sware men to be obedient to Alexanders issue Meleager then doubting notwithout cause that some euill might come to him departed with suche as were of his faction but he returned immediatly againe and brought Philip with him into the court criyng out to the multitude for the assistyng of the coÌ„mune welth in aydynge of the newe Kynge whiche a little before they had elected and wylled them to make an experimente of his actiuitie persuadinge that he was the metest to rule ouer theÌ„ that was the issue of Philip that had bothe a king to his father and a king to his brother There is no profouÌ„d sea so stormy nor teÌ„pestuous The inconstancy of a multitude that raiseth vp so many sourges waues as a multitude doth mocions and alteracions when they haue gotten the bridle of a newe libertie not likely long to coÌ„tinue There wanted not some that gaue their consent to Perdicas but more agreed to make Philip king They could neither agre nor disagre to any thyng long time together One while repenting them of that they had determined and streightwaies forthought theÌ„ of that repentaunce Yet finally they were enclyned to preferre the kinges bloud Aridens was put in such feare with the aucthoritie of the nobilite that he departed out of the assemble after whose departure the fauour of the souldiers was rather silent then cessed towardes him So that at length he was called agayne and put vpon him his brothers vesture regal whiche laye in the chayre And Meleager put on his armour folowing as a guarde to the persone of the newe king The souldiers of the Phalanx classhed their speares to their targettes threatening to shed their bloud whiche coueted the kingdome that pertained not to them They reioysed that the force of the Empire should still continue in the same familie the right of whose enheritaunce comming of the bloud royall they shewed themselues redy alwayes to defende For by reason they were accustomed to honour the name of their kyng and to haue it in veneracion they thought no man worthy for it but suche one as came therunto by discent of bloud Perdicas therfore was afraied and with .vi. hundred men that were of an approued manhode kept the lodging wheras the body of Alexander lay Ptolomeus ioyned him selfe vnto hym and the bande of the younge men that were about the kynges persone But so many thousand of armed men as were vpon the other side did easely breake in vpon them Amonges whome the king was present with a great bande for the guard about his persone wherof Meleager was chief Perdicas therfore in a greate furye called them to his parte which would defende AlexaÌ„ders body but they which brake in vpon theÌ„ shrew dartes at him afarre of wherby many were hurt At the last the auncient men plucked of their head peces the better to be knowen desired them whiche were with perdicas to abstayne from ciuill warre geue place to the kyng to the greater parte Wherupon Perdicas was the firste that layde downe his weapon the rest did in like maner Meleager then persuaded theÌ„ that they should not depart but remayne still about the dead corse but he iudging that to be a deceite and a meane to entrap hym fled to the further side of Euphrates lieng ouer against the court Then the horsemen whiche consisted chiefly of the nobilitie flocked about Perdicas and Leonatus whiche thought good to departe out of the cytie and take the fieldes but because Perdicas was not without hope that the footemen woulde haue taken his parte remained stil within the cytie lest he myght seme to be the cause that the horsemen should deuide them selues from the rest of the armye Meleager ceassed not to beate in the kynges head that he could not establyshe himselfe surely in his estate but by the death of Perdicas whose ambicious mynde desirous of innouation was he sayde to be preuented in time Willyng the kyng to remembre what Perdicas had deserued at his haÌ„des and that no man could be faithfull to him whom he feared The kyng suffring the thing rather then geuing his coÌ„sent to the matter Meleager toke his silence for a commaundement and sent for Perdicas in the kynges name and they whiche were sent had commission to kyll hym if he made any sticking to come with them Perdicas hearing of their comming accompanied only with .xvi. yonge men that were of Alexanders guarde mette them at the entrey of the house and callyng them Meleagers slaues rebuked them with suche a constancy both of mynde and countenaunce that they returned back agayne as men amased Perdicas wylled suche as were in his company to leape on horsebacke and so with a fewe of hys frendes came vnto Leonatus mynding if any violence were moued againste hym to repulce it with a greater force The next daye the Macedons grudged and thought it a matter vnworthy that Perdicas after this maner should be brought in daunger of death and therfore determined with force to reuenge the rashenes of Meleagers doynges But he vnderstanding the mutyne that was amonges the souldiers gaue place and they repayred vnto the kyng demaundyng of hym if he had coÌ„maunded Perdicas to be taken He coÌ„fessed he had so done but that was by Meleagers mocion whiche was no cause he sayde for them to make any storre seing that Perdicas was alyue The assemble hereupon brake vp and Meleager became greatly afrayed specially by the parting of the horsemen so that he wiste not what to do for he sawe the mischief whiche he a little before had wrought against his enemy lyke to light vpoÌ„ him selfe and whyles he deuysed this and that three dayes were consumed The wonted fourme and faâ—â—on of the courte dyd remayne in the meane season For the Embassadours of diuers nacions made repaire vnto the kyng the captaines of the army did assemble about him and the guard wayted in armour as they were accustomed But the great sadnes that was there without any apparant cause signified some extreame dispaire There was suche a suspicion amonges them selues that men durst not company togethers nor speake one to another but stode imagening secretly with them selues and by comparing the time present with the tyme past and the new kyng with the olde they began to desire hym that was gone
Then one enquired of another where he was become whose fortune and authoritie they had folowed Then they founde themselues abandoned amoÌ„ges so many wyld nacions which were desirous vpon any occasion that might fall to be reuenged of the iniuryes they had receyued Whyles they were troubled in these imaginacions worde was brought that the horsemen whiche were vnder Perdicas kept the fieldes about BabyloÌ„ and stayed the vitels that was commyng to the cytie Whereupon first beganne a scarsitie and afterwardes a famyne Therfore suche as were within the cytie thought good either to make a reconciliacion with Perdicas or els to fight out the matter It chaunsed that they which dwelled abrode in the couÌ„trey fearyng the spoyle of the villages repayred into the cytie And they within the cytie for lacke of vitelles departed into the countrey So that euery one thought them selues surer any where then in their owne habitacions Then the Macedons doubting some greate inconuenience that myght come of this feare â—mbassadours were sent about a reconciliacion assembled together in the courte and shewed furth their opinions It was agreed amonges them that Embassadours shuld be sent to the horsemen for the successing of all strife deuision Pasus a Tessalion Amissas a Megapolitan and Perelaus were sent from the kyng Whiche declaring their commission receiued answere that the horsemen wold not feuer their power till the auctours of the sedicioÌ„ were deliuered into their handes When they were returned and their aunswere knowen the souldiers without any appointment put on their armour and made suche a tumult that the kyng was enforced to come furth of the court and saide vnto them If we shal be at strife amoÌ„ges our selues The kinges wordes vnto the souldiers our enemies that be quiet shall enioye the frute of our contencion Remembre you that the quarell is with your own couÌ„treymen with whome if ye rashly breake the hope of reconcilemeÌ„t ye shal be the beginners of a ciuil warre Let vs proue if the matter may be mitigated by an other Embassade I am of opinion that forasmuche as AlexaÌ„ders body remayne yet vnburied they will gladly come together to perfourme the due vnto the dead And for my parte I had rather surrendre vp againe this dignitie then any bloud should be shedde amoÌ„ges my countrey men For if no other hope of concorde do remayne I desire and pray you to choise this as the better of both And with that worde he wepte and pulled the diademe froÌ„ his head holding thesame furth with his hande redy to haue deliuered it to any man that would haue claymed to be more worthy then he The moderacion that he vsed both in his wordes and his behauour caused them all to coÌ„ceiue a great good hope of his noble nature whiche til that time was obscured with the greatnes of his brothers fame Thei therfore required and encouraged him to go forwardes in the matter as he had deuised Wherupon he sent agayne the same for Embassadours that went before whiche had commission to require that Meleager might be the thirde capitayne Whiche matter was not muche sticked at For Perdicas was desirous to remoue Meleager from the kyng and thought that he alone shold not be able to matche with Leonatus and hym Vpon this Meleager marched out of the cytie with the fotemen and Perdicas met him in the fieldes ryding before the bandes of the horsemen Where bothe battailles saluting one an other concorde peace and amitie was coÌ„firmed betwixt theÌ„ for euer as it was thought But it was decreed by destiny that ciuil warres shuld ryse amonges the Macedons For gouernement is vnpacient of parteners and the kingdome was couered by many Which as it first grewe in force so afterwardes it was dispersed againe And when the body was burdened more then it coulde beare the other membres began to faill A degressioÌ„ to the praise of themperour that was in the auctours tyme. So thempire of the Macedons whiche vnder one head might well haue stande when it was deuided into partes fell to ruyne For whiche cause the people of Rome iustly must confesse them selues bound vnto their prince for the felicitie they haue founde Whiche as a starre in the nyght appeared vnto them that were nere loste And as the sunne gaue light to the worlde being in darkenes when without suche a head the membres that were at variaunce muste nedes haue quayled Howe many fyre brandes did he quenche howe many swordes ready drawen dyd he put vp agayne Howe great a tempest did he pacifye with the sodayne caulme of his presence The Empire now therfore doth waxe grene and floryshe Let me desire without enuye that his house may continewe many ages and his posteritie remaine for euermore But to returne againe to the ordre of history from whence I was brought through the contemplacion of our vniuersal felicitie Perdicas deuised the death of Meleager Perdicas iudged the only hope of his owne sauegarde to consiste in the death of Meleager thinking it necessary to preueÌ„t him whiche was a man both variable vnfaithful geuen to innouacion and besides his mortall enemy But with deape dissimulacioÌ„ he kept his purpose secrete to thintent that with the lesse difficultie he might oppresse him vnbewares He did subornate therfore priuely certain of the bandes that were vnder his rule to complayne opeÌ„ly as though it were without his knowledge that Meleager shuld be made equal with him which wordes of the souldiers wheÌ„ they were reported vnto Meleager be came in a great rage declared their sayenges to Perdicas Who semed to wonder at the matter blaming their doing as though he had bene sory for the thing and finally they agreed that the auctours of such sedicious wordes should be taken When Meleager perceiued Perdicas so confirmable he embraced hym and gaue him thankes for his fidelitie beneuolence Thereby a consultacion had betwixt them both they deuised how to destroy them that wrought this deuisioÌ„ betwixt them For the bringing of that to passe they agreed that tharmy shuld be purged according to their countrey custome For the doing wherof they semed to haue a sufficient occasion by reason of the late discord that was amoÌ„ges theÌ„ A ceremony that was vsed in the purifiyng of tharmy after any offeÌ„ce made The kinges of Macedon in purifiyng of their souldiers were wonte to vse a kind of ceremony in deuiding the bowelles of a dogge in two partes cast the same in the vttermoste bouÌ„des of the field wheron they purposed to bring furth the army Betwixt whiche space the men of warre accustomed to stande armed the horsemeÌ„ the mercenary souldiers and the phalanx euery one aparte The same daye that this ceremony was put in execution the kyng stoode with the horsemen the Elephantes against the footemen of whome Meleager had the rule When the battell of horsemen began to moue the footemeÌ„ were stroken sodainly with feare and by reason of the late
discorde conceiued a suspicion that the horsemen ment them no good Wherfore they stode a while in a doubt whether they should retire into the cytie or no by reason that the fieldes serued best for the horsemen But left without cause they myght condempne the fidelity of their companions they stode still with a determinate mynde to fight if any would proffer them violence When the battailles were almoste mette together and only a smalle distaunce left betwixt them wherby the one parte was deuided from the other the kyng by the prouocation of Perdicas with one bande of horsemen did ride along the footemen requiring the deliuery of those to be executed which wer the aucthors of the discorde whome in very dede he ought to haue defended whiche if thei refused to deliuer he threatened to bring against them both the horsemen and the Elephantes The footemen were amased with the sodeines of the mischief whiche they loked not for and there was no more counsell nor courage in Meleager then in the rest but they all iudged it moste expedient for them rather to abyde the adueÌ„ture of that matter then further to hasard fortune When Perdicas sawe them astonied and in feare he seuered out to the nombre of three hundred of such as folowed Meleager when he brake out of the assemble that was first made after Alexanders death whiche in the sight of all the armye were caste to the Elephantes and there trampled to death with their feete Of which matter Philippe was neither the author nor the forbidder but thought to claime that for his owne doing whiche should appeare best in the ende This was a signification and a beginning vnto the Macedons of ciuill warre that ensued Meleager vnderstanding ouerlâ—te the sleyght of that deuise because there was no violence offred to his persone stode at the firste quietly within the square but shortly after when he sawe his enemies abusing the name of him whome he had made king to his destruccion he dispaired of his own saueguarde fled into a temple But the religion of the place could not defend him but that he was there slayne The deuisioÌ„ of TheÌ„pire Perdicas hereupon brought againe the army into the citie and called counsell of all the principall personages wherin it was agreed so to deuide thempire that the kyng should remayne as chief of the whole Ptolomeus to be lieutenaunt in Egipt and Affricke and to haue the rule of the nacions there that were vnder the Macedons dominion Siria and Phenices were appointed to Laomedon Cylicia to Philotas Licia with Pamphilia the greater Phrigia were assigned to Antigonus Cassander was sent into Caria and Menander into Lydia The lesser Phrigia that ioyned vnto Hellespont was Leonatus prouince Emmenes had Cappadotia and Paphlagonia who was commaunded to defende that countrey so farre as Trapezunt and make warre to Arbates whiche only remained enemy to the Empire Arbates Media was apointed to Python and Thrace to Lysmachus with other nacions there about borderyng vpon the sea of Ponte It was ordeined also that suche as should be presidentes amonges the Indians Bactrians Sogdians and other nacioÌ„s lieng vpon the Occean and read seas should in matters of iustice vse regall iurisdictioÌ„ It was decceed that Perdicas should remaine with the kyng and haue the gouernaunce of the men of warre that folowed him Some beleue that these prouinces were distributed by AlexaÌ„ders testament but we haue found that same to be false though some authors do witnes the same The Empire being deuided into partes euerye one might well haue defended his portion if any boundes could conteine mens immoderate desires Or if they whiche being but ministers vnto a kyng when vnder the colour of the administracion of an others dominioÌ„ had encroched into great kingdomes could haue auoyded the occasions of warre seing they were all of one nacion and had their couÌ„treis by limittes But it was hard for them to be contented with that they had in possession when occasion was proffered them of more For the first thynges alwayes appeare of no valure when men be in hope of greater thynges to come So that euery one of them thought it an easier matter to encrease his kyngdome then it was to come by it at the firste Alexanders body had layen seuen dayes vnburied for whyles euery man had care vpon the establyshing of the state their myndes were drawen from doing of that solempne office There is no countrey that haue more feruent heat then Mesopotamia For the sonne there burneth so hote that it killeth the beastes that be without couert and burne vp all thynges as it were with the fyer And to the encrease therof there be fewe springes of water and the inhabiters vse suche policy in hiding of those they haue that strauÌ„gers can haue no vse of theÌ„ This notwithstandinge when Alexanders frendes had gotten leasure to take care of the deade corse and came to visite the same they founde it wythout infeccion corruption or chaunge of coloure the same cherefulnes whiche consisteth of the spirite not beynge yet departed out of his countenaunce Then the Egipcians and the Caldeis were commaunded to dresse hys bodye after their maner who at the firste as though he had bene aliue durst not put their handes to him But afterwardes makyng their prayers that it might be lawfull for mortall men to touche him they purged his bodye and filled it wyth swete odours And afterwardes layed him vpon a hearse of golde and set a diademe vpon his heade Many thought that he dyed of poyson that Iolla Antipaters soÌ„ne beyng one of his ministers had geueÌ„ him the same Alexander oftentimes woulde saye that Antipater coueted the estate of a kinge affecting more greatnes then parteined to a LiuetenauÌ„t and through glorie of the victory he had gotten of the Lacedemonians was become so proude that he claymed al thinges committed vnto him as his owne It is thought also that Craterus was sente to kyll him with those olde souldiours that were dismissed It is certayne that there is a poyson in Macedon founde in a water called Stiges Stiges of suche force that it consumeth yron and will not be conteined in any thinge sauing in the houe of an horse or mule which poison was brought by Cassander and deliuered to his brother Iolle whiche presented it in the drinke that the kinge last dronke Howsoeuer these thinges be reported the power of them of whoÌ„ the rumour weÌ„t shortly after oppressed the infamy For Antipater betame Kynge bothe of Macedon and of Greace and his chyldren after him that did cut to death all suche as were anye thynge neare of kinne vnto Alexander Ptolomeus whiche had the rule of Egipte conueyed Alexanders bodye to Memphis whiche within fewe yeares after was remoued to Alexandria where as all honoure is geuen to the memorye of him and to his name Finis ⧠IMPRYNTED at London by Richarde Tottell dwellynge in Fletestrete at the signe of the hande and starre within Temple barre Anno domini 1553. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium
dedicate thinking that by deteaning of th one to keape still the other The CartageÌ„s in times paste had brought that Image from Siracuse and had plased yt in the hed Cytie out of the which they were desceÌ„ded For their custome was to addorne dyre with such spoiles as they had taken no les then they did Cartage They at the time wold also haue bene auctores vnto the Tiryans for the renuieng of an old sacrifice that had bene omitted many yeares wherin they vsed to offre vp to Saturne a fre borne childe Which beiÌ„g rather a sacriledge then a sacrifice of the Cartagens receyued of there fyrste founders and still obserued the same till ther citie was destroyed And but that the auncient men by whom al thinges was gouerned had withstand yt this wicked supersticon had taken place which nature and humaintie doth abhorre The necessitie that was hanging ouer there heades being more effectuall then aine arte or science practised not onlye suche thinges as were accustomed for defences but also found one that was neuer enuented before For to the desturbours of the shippes that approched the wales they deuised longe rafters to the which the fastened grasples of Iron and great hokes like sithes which letten downe with ropes by an engyue ether tare the shippes or destroyed the men They inuented also Targettes of metall to be made fire hote in the which they put burning sand scalding lyme and theÌ„ poured the same down vpon the Macedones that cam nere the walles which was a mischief that they feared moste of all other For when the hote sande entered betwene the harnes the body there was no meanes to auoyde it away and where it touched it burned to the bones so that they were enforced to throwe away their harnes and teare away all thynges they had vpon their bodies Whereby they became subiecte to be hurte by their enemies and were not in case to endomage them againe But specially the grasples letten downe whiche be called corui toke violently away many of the souldiers that were within the shyppes Alexander seyng their obstinate defence was wery of the matter and determined to rayse vp his siege and go vnto Egypt For consideryng in howe short a space he had ouercome Asia it greued hym to be detayned so long about the walles of that Cytie whereby he omitted the occasion and oportunitie of greater thynges in the meane season But he was asmuche ashamed to departe without his purpose as to remayne there and leue other thynges vndone iudgyng that if he should leue Tyre after that sorte as a wytnes that he myght be withstaÌ„did it should much impaire his fame wherewith he had gotten more then with force And it chaunsed at thesame tyme a monster of an excedyng bygnes to appere aswell in the syght of the Tyrians as the Macedons whiche lyeng vpon his back aboue the water came towardes the mole and when he had beaten the water and lyfted vp hymselfe at the head of the mole diued vnder the water agayne sometyme appeatyng aboue and sometyme vnderneath and when he came nere the walles of the Cytie vanyshed out of fyght The appearyng of this monster reioysed bothe parties The Macedons dyd enterprete thesame to be sent to them as a guide to leade them away to furnishe out the worcke The Tyrians deuined that Neptune reuenging the vsurpacion that the Macedons had made vpon the sea would shortely destroy the worcke that they had made in lyke sorte as he had taken away the monster and vpon their owne imagination had conceiued suche a gladnes and pronosticated to them selues suche good fortune that they fel to bancqueting and drinkyng And when they were well charged with wine at the sonne rising thei set garlandes of flowers vpon their heades and mounted into their galleis not only with hope of victory but with a triumphe made beforehand It chaunsed at the sametime that Alexander had conueyed his nauy to the contrary syde of the Cytie and lefte vpon the shore .xxx. of the smallest vessels of the whiche the Tyrians caught two and put the rest in great feare of distressing vntyll suche tyme as the kynge hearyng the alarome sette forwardes with his nauy towardes that parte where the skâ—ye was heard The firste Galley of the Macedons that came nere them was a quinquereme moste swyfte amonges all the reste whiche when the Tirians espied they came against her with two gallies ouerwhart vpon her side wherof the one stroke full with her spurne and the cinquereme graspled with her but the other whiche was loss and at libertie fell vn the contrary syde but leste betwixt them two she myght haue sustained some domage there came a tryreme of Alexanders to the rescue with suche violence that the maister of the lose galley was striken into the sea But when the Tirians sawe Alexander was come himselfe and more of his shyppes were at hande then with strength of oers and great difficultie they set their galley that was entangled lose againe and at libertie and made towardes their hauen with all the haste they myght make AlexaÌ„der immediatly pursued but when he came to the haueÌ„ he could not enter but was beaten of with shot from the walles but that not withstandyng the more parte of their galleis were eyther drowned or taken After this aduenture he rested his souldiers two dayes and then willed his shyppes to be brought forwardes and the engines in them to the intent that by assaylyng the Tirians on all sydes he might put them in extreme feare Alexander with a wonderfull courage not with out great parill vnto his persone mounted vp into the toppe of a tower that was made in a shyppe and there knowen by his apparell and ryche armour was chiefly layde at and shot to from all partes He wrought wonderfull feates with his owne persone for bothe with his pike he slewe diuers that stode at defence and afterwardes also fought hande to hande with hys sworde and his target and threwe diuers downe from their defence for the towre wherein he fought ioyned hard to the walles By that time the Engines called Arietes with muche beatyng had striken downe the walles the nauie was got within the hauen and certayne of the Macedons had wonne the towres and dryuen the Tirians from them The winning of Tiâ—re Oppressed them with the multitude of these myseries they were cleane discomfited some fled for succour vnto the temples some did shut their dores takyng that kynde of death they lyked beste And other ran vpon their enemies to sell their liues dere But the more parte got vp into the toppes of their houses and froÌ„ thence did cast down vpoÌ„ their enemies whatsoeuer came vnto their handes Alexand coÌ„mauÌ„ded al to be slayne with exceptioÌ„ sauing such as fled into the temples and the houses to be set on fyer Though that was proclaymed through out the Cytie yet there was none bearyng armour that woulde saue themselues that
way For as the women and chyldren filled the temples so the men kept the entrees of their houses redie to abyde the crueltie of their enemies yet the Sydonians were the cause that many were saued who amonges the Macedons seruyng in the warres and entring the Cytie amonges the reste Agenour were myndfull of their affinitie with the Tirians Agenour being builder of both their Cyties and conueyed many into their shippes whiche they sent priuely vnto Sydone By whiche meanes fiftene thousand escaped the crueltie of the sworde The nombre of them that were slain may partely be coniectured in that there were founde dead within the Cytie syx thousand of them that bare armour A notable reueÌ„ging of the breache of the lawe of armes The Kynges wrath towardes the Cytie made the syght dolerous vnto the victors For twoo thousand whome the furye of the slaughter had lefte on lyue were afterwardes hanged vpon crosses along the sea coaste The Embassadours of the Cartagens were saued but he threatened to make warre against them from the whiche he was then letted by other busines he had in hand Thus Tyre was taken the .vii. moneth after it was besieged a Cytie notable to the posteritie aswell through the antiquitie it was of as also by the often chaunge of fortune that it had suffred It was buylded by Agenour and many yeares was maister of the seas not only nere thereabout but in all places where as their nauies came And if we lyste to credite the fame that Cytie was the firste whiche either taught or learned letters They buylded Cyties and put in them inhabiters through out the more partes of the worlde bothe Carthago in Affrick Thebes in boecia and Gades in Spayne vpon the Occian It is to be thought that by reason of their fre recourse throught al seas and by viseting of many straunge couÌ„tries they had occasion to chosse out Seates to place in ther youthe wherof they then habounded Or els as some write the Inhabitores weried to dwell their by reason of many earthequakes were compelled of force to seke out straunge dwelling places But after manie casualties that happened vnto Tyre after the destrucion newely renued and all thinges grown againe thorugh long peace remaineth nowe vnder the defence of the romaines Clemency About the same tyme AlexaÌ„der receyued letters from Darius wherein at laste he was contented to name him king The contentee of Darius lâ—tters His requeste was that Alexander woulde receiue his doughter Saptyne for his wief with whoÌ„ he offred in dowre all the countrey betwen Hellespont and the Riuer of Alys and would receiue vnto him selfe onlye suche kyngdomes as lay from thence towardes theaste And if peraduenture he should make any doubt to receyue this offre he willed him to consider that fortune is not wont to continewe longe in one estate and that the greater felicitie men haue the greater enuie doth folowe them It was to be dowâ—ed he saied lesse he exalted him selfe through a vaine a childishe affeccion like as byrdes vse to do whose naturall lightnes conuey them to the stares For ther was nothing more difficulty in so yonge yeares then to beare wel such heigh and greatnes of fortune He willed him also to consider that there remaynede yet meane contreies that he had not touched and that he should not alwaies mete him in streightes Hauing to passe the Riuer of Euphrates Tygre Araxes and Hidaspes which were like bulwarks vnto his dominioÌ„ when that he shuld come vnto the playnes he should be ashamed of his smalle nombre He put him in remeÌ„braunce to waye howe longe it should be or he coulde passe Media Hiâ—cania Baetria and the Indians that bordered on the Occian Sea And likewyse the Sogdians and Arachoâ—ians of whome men haue no other knowledge then of their name with other nacions lieng towardes the mount Caucasus and the Ryuer of Tanays Though no man should lette hym nor offer hym battaille yet he should growe in age he saied before he coulde passe so many landes In the latter ende he aduysed hym to call hym no more forewardes for he would come sone enough and that to his destruccion Thefâ—ect of Darius aâ—nswere Alexander made aunswer to those letters by the messengers that brought them in effect that Darius offred to hym that was none of his owne and made a proffer to geue that he had all loste For Lidia Ionia Acolides and the coste of the Hellespont whiche he appoincted in dowre were alredy become the rewardes of his victory And as for lawes and condicions those were wonte to be geuen and appoyncted by the victors and receyued of suche as were ouercome And if he were ignoraunt in whiche of those two estates he were in he should come of and aduenture the battaille once agayne For he was not ignoraunt he sayed before he passed the Sea howe Lidia and Cilicia were ouer smale rewardes for the making of suche a warre But his determinacion was euer to subdue and bring vnder his dominion both Percipolis the chief Citie of his kyngdome and also Bactria and Echatania with the vttermoste boundes of the Orient He could fle no where but he was able to folowe and therefore counsailed him that he should leue to feare him with ryuers which had learned how to passe seas Thus the kinges did write one to another Rhodianâ— in the meane season the Rhodians yelded their cytie and their hauen vnto Alexander who coÌ„mitted the rule of Cilicia vnto Socrates and the couÌ„trey about Tyre vnto Philotas And Parmenio made Andromachus his deputie in Celi Siria Celi Siria For from thence they had to set forwardes to the reste of their iourney Alexander gaue commaundement to Ephestion that he should fetche about with his nauie the coste of Phenices and came with his hole power to the cytie of Gaza Olâ—mpiades About thesame time there were soleÌ„pne triumphes and plaies at Isthnios accustomed to be celebrated with the assemblie of all Grece In that counsell as the wittes of the Grekes be sodain decreed to send xii Embassadours vnto Alexander to cary him a croun of gold in gratefieÌ„g the victory he had won the actes he had done for the saulfegard libertie of Grece but a little before they harkened how the fame went were redy to bend that way that fortune enclined Alexander visited not in persone all suche countreis and cyties as refused their obedience vnto him but made conquest of them by his deputies For Calas toke Paphlagonia Antigonus Licaonia and Balacrus ouercame Idarne Darius lieutenaunt and wan Miletum Amphitorus and Egilochus with a nauie of hundred and .lx. shyppes subdued all the Ilandes betwene Asia and Achaia And also by the consent of the inhabiters got Tenedon whiche alwaies was a receptacle to the Percians Tenedon They were at the poinct to haue gotten Scio but that Pharnabasus Darius deputie hauing intelligence of the matter did fyrste apprehende all suche
exhorte you nor to behold you Beyng determined to sende some into their countrey before and to bryng the reste with me shortly after I see them aswell that shall go crying and mutining as those that I appoint to come with me What a matter is this Their crie is al a like notwithstanding that their cause is diuers I woulde fayne knowe whether they complaine that departe or they that tary still When he had spoken those wordes they cried all as it had bene with one mouth that they complayned euery man Then he said truly it cannot be so nor I cannot be persuaded that you should all be greued for the cause ye declare seing the case towcheth not the moste parte of you for I haue appointed more to departe then to remaine still There must nedes be some greater mischief then apeareth that shuld turne you al from me When was it euer sene that an whole army hath forsaken their kyng The slaues ronne not from their maisters all at once but there is alwayes a shame in some to leaue thē whō the rest forsakes But why do I forget that you be madde in your myndes or why go I about to cure you that be vncurable I condempne from hencefurth all the good hope that euer I conceiued of you am determined to worke no more with you as with my souldiers seing ye wil not be mine but with men vngrateful and vnmindfull of my goodnes The cause of this your madnes is euē the haboūdaunce of your prosperitie wherby you forget your old estate frō the which ye be deliuered through my benefite You are men worthy to haue spent your lyues in your former beggerie seing you cā better beare aduersitie then prosperous fortune behold you which a while ago were tributaries to the Illicians the Percians do now disdaine Asia the spoiles of so many naciōs You whiche vnder Philip went haulf naked now cōtepne robes of purple Your eyes cannot endure any lenger to behold the sight of gold siluer You desire againe your wodden disshes your targettes made of wikers your swordes couered with rust I receiued you in this simple estate with .v. C. talentes in debte when all my furnymētes exceded not in valure .lx. talentes This was the foūdaciō of my actes wherwith without enuie be it spoken I haue subdued the greatest part of the world Are you wery of Asia which haue ministred vnto you occasion of such glory that by the greatnes of your actes ye be made equal vnto the gods do you al make such haste into Europe to forsake me that am your kyng the more parte of you should haue lacked money to beare your charges there if I of my beneuolens had not payde your debtes Are you not ashamed that haue robbed all Asia to beare the spoyles of so many nacions within your belies and now to returne home to your wyfes childrē vnto whom there be but few of you that are able to shewe any rewardes of your victory For many of you shal be compelled to gage your armour if ye forsake this good hope ye might receiue at my handes These be the good men of warre that I shall want which of all their riches haue nothing left them but only their cōcubines The waye lieth open for your departure get you hence quickly out of my syght I with the Percians shall defende your backes when ye be gone I will hold none of you deliuer myne eyes ye vngratefull countremē of the sight I see of you Shal your parētes children receiue you with ioye whē they shal see you returne without your king Shall they couet to mete suche as be fugitiues forsakers of ther prince I truly shal triūphe vpō your departure whersoeuer you shall be I shall desire to be reuēged honoring alwaies preferring before you those whiche ye haue left here with me Now you shall knowe of what force an army is that lacketh a kyng and what moment doth consiste in me alone When he had spoken those wordes he leped in a fury from the iudgement seate and ranne into the throng of the armed men whereas he toke with his owne handes suche as had mutined moste against him Of whome there were none that durst make resistaunce deliuered xiii to his guarde for to be saufly kept Who woulde thinke that an assembly whiche a little before had spoken vnto their prince with suche fiersenes and rigour could haue bene so sodenly appalled for feare Which seing there companions ledde to execution durst not moue nor make any attempt But the inordinate libertie they vsed before their sedicious violence was then so stayed that neuer one of them durst resiste the king ronning amōges them but were al astonied for feare and stode like men amased with doubtfull imaginaciōs loking what he would determine of the offenders Whether it were the reuerēce they bare to his name because the naciōs that liue vnder kinges are wōt to honour thē as gods or were it the maiestie of his persone or els his own assured cōstancy executing his auctoritie with suche violence that put them in feare thei shewed a notable ensample of paciēce For they remained not only without slurre or mociō at the executing of their companions whō they knew to be put to death in the night time but also were more diligent in doing their duties then euer they were before pretermitting nothing pertaining to obedience naturall affeccion towardes their prince For the next day whē thei came to the courte and were not suffred to entre but all shotte out sauing the souldiers of Asia they made a sorowfull crye and lamentacion whiche spred ouer al the campe protesting that they would not liue if the kyng continued still in his wrath But he that was obstinat in all thinges that he had once conceiued in his head commaunded all the Macedons to keape still their cāpe and assembled the souldiers straungers together to whome by an Interpretour he made this Oracion Alexanders Oracion to the straūge souldiers At suche tyme as I came firste out of Europe into Asia my truste was to brynge vnder myne Empyre manye noble Nacions and greate power of men wherin I was not deceaued For besides that the fame reported you to be men of value I haue founde in you one thinge more whiche is an incomperable obediēce fidelitie and affection towardes your prince I thought voluptuousnes had ouerflowen all vertue amonges you and that through your great filicitie ye had bene drowned in pleasures But I finde it otherwise and perceyue that none obserue the discipline and order of the warres better then you do nor execute the same with more actiuitie nor stoutenes And beynge manfull and valeaunt menne ye embrace fidelitie no lesse then you do the rest This thinge I do but nowe acknowledge but I knewe it longe ago Whiche was the cause that I chose you out of the youth of your nacions to be my souldiours
and did incorporate you amonges mine owne people causinge you to vse the same habite and the same armoure But your obedience and pacience towardes the aucthoritie appeareth muche better in you then in them Therfore I haue ioyned to my selfe in mariage the daughter of Oxatres that is a Percian not disdayninge to beget children vpon a captiue And afterwardes desiringe more aboundauntlye to encrease the issue of my bodye I toke to wife the daughter of Darius and was the aucthour that my neare frendes likewise shoulde beget children vpon captiues mindynge by this holye couenaÌ„te to exclude the difference betwene the victorers and the vainquished Wherfore you must now thinke that you be not souldiours vnto me adopted but more naturall And that Asia and Europe is one kyngdome without any difference I haue geuen vnto you armoure after the maner of the Macedons I haue brought all straungnes and noueltie into a custome and nowe ye be both my countreymen and my souldiours all thinges take vpon them one fourme and fashion I haue not thought it vnsemely for the Persians to shadowe the customes of the Macedons nor for the Macedons to counterfeit the Percians seynge thei ought to be vnder one lawe custome that should liue vnder one kynge When he had made this oration he committed the custody of his person vnto the Persians he made them of his guarde and his officers of iustice bi whom when the Macedons whiche had geuen occasion of this sedicion were ledde bound vnto execution one of them that was more auncient and of greater estimacion theÌ„ the rest spake after this maner Howe longe will you thus geue place vnto your wil in executynge vs after the straungers maner Your souldiours and countreymen be drawen to execusion by their owne prisoners before their cause be hearde If you haue iudged vs worthye of death at leastwayes chaung the ministers of your wrath This was a good admonishmente if he hadde bene pacient to heare the trueth But his wrath was groweÌ„ into a woodnes so that when he sawe theim whiche hadde the charge of the prisoners staye a little at the matter he caused the prisoners to be tumbled into the riuer and there drowned Notwithstandynge the crueltye of this punishement the souldiours were not sâ—urred to any sedition but repayred by rowtes vnto their capitaines and vnto suche as were neare aboute the kynge requirynge that if there yet remained anye infected with the same offence that he shoulde commaunde theim to be putte to death proferynge their bodyes to be punished and executed at his owne will After it was knowen that Liuetenaunteships were geuen vnto the PerciaÌ„s and that they were distributed into diuers orders and suche names geuen vnto them as were vnto the Macedons and that they were reiected wyth reproche they coulde not then any lenger conteine theim selues nor suffer the doloure they had conceyued in their hertes but with a great throng pressed to the courte wearyng onely their nethermost garmentes and leauynge their weapons without the gate in token of repentaunce There wyth weapynge and all tokens of humilitie they made request to be admitted to the kynges presence that he would vouchsafe to pardon their offence pacifiynge his wrath with the deathe of so manye of theim as he shoulde thinke good rather theÌ„ to suffer them to liue in such reproch whiche excepte he woulde release Alexander was reconsiled to his souldiours they protested they woulde neuer departe out of the place When those thynges were declared vnto Alexander he caused the courte gates to be opened and came forthe amonges them Wheras beholdynge their lamentation and repentaunce their miserable behauour and affliction he coulde not abstayne to weape longe tyme wyth theim and in coÌ„sideration of their modestie forgaue theÌ„ their former offeÌ„ces And after he had temperately told theÌ„ their faultes and againe comforted them with gentle words he discharged many froÌ„ the seruice of the warres sent theÌ„ home liberally rewarded writing to Antipater his liuetenant in Macedon that he should assigne theÌ„ the chiefe places in the Threatres at triumphes and open playes wheras they shoulde sit with garlaÌ„des on their heades he willed that their children after their deathes should enioye their fathers wages He appointed Craterus to be their ruler to whoÌ„ in the place of Antipater he had committed the gouernement of Macedon Tessalie and Thrace sendynge for Antipater to repaire vnto him with a supplie of yong souldiers Alexander had receiued letters before both froÌ„ hym and Olympias his mother Olymyias AlexaÌ„ders mother wherby dissension appeared to be betwixt them For his mother acused Antipater that he wente aboute to make him selfe kyng And Antipater did write howe Olympias did manye thinges otherwise then it did become her Antipater did take his callynge awaye so greuouslye in his hart that he conspired therupon to poyson Alexander who hauynge accomplished the matters that before be meÌ„cioned went to Echatan that standeth in Media to set order in the necessarie affaires of his Empire and there ordeyned solempne triumphes and feasting It chaunsed Ephestion whom the kynge specially loued The death of EphestioÌ„ and vsed in place of a brother about the same time to dye of a feuer Whose death Alexander toke more sorowfullye then can well be credited committynge in his doloure manie thinges that were vnseaminge for the maiestye of a Prince He commaunded Ephestions phisition to be hanged as though he had died through his negligence He laye embracynge of the dead bodye and coulde hardlye be taken awaye by his frendes but continued his sorowe night and daye There be many other thinges written in that behalfe which be scarsely credible But it is certayne that he commaunded sacrifice to be made vnto him as vnto a God and consumed in his buriall and making of his tombe aboue .xii. M. talentes As he was returninge to Babilon the Caldian Prophetes met him on the waye exhortynge him that he shoulde not enter into the citye For that it was signified that if he wente thether at that time he should be in great peryll of his life Notwithstanding he regarded not their admonishmentes but went forwardes in his iourney accordynge as he hadde appoynted For he vnderstode that Embassadours were come thither from all Regions tariynge for his comming The terrour of his name was so spredde throughe the worlde that all nacions shewed an obsequiousnes towardes him as though he had bene appoynted to be their kynge That caused him to make haste towardes Babylon to kepe there as it were a Parliamente of the whole worlde When he was come thither he receiued the Embassadours gentlye and afterwardes dispatched them home agayne There was aboute the same tyme a banquet prepared at one Tessalus Medius house Thessalus Medius wherunto the kynge beinge bidden came thither wyth such as were appoynted to kepe him companye But he had not so sone dronke of Hercules cuppe Alexander was poysoned but that he gaue a grunte