lymitation which is from the coaste of Plynthines to the poole named Selbonis wherevnto reacheth an ende of y ◠great mountayne Cassius on this side therefore Aegypte is sixety scheanes which conteyne the number of myles before mentioned For with y ◠Aegyptians such as are slenderly landed measure their groūd by paces they which haue more by furlongs vnto whom very much is allotted by the Persian myle named Parasanga lastly such as in large and ample possessions exceede the rest meete their torritory by Schoenes The measure Parasanga contayneth thirty furlongs the Schoene three score whereby it cōmeth to passe that the lande of Aegypt along the sea is 3600. furlongs from this parte towarde the citie Heliopolis and the middle region Aegypt is very wyde and broade a playne and champion countrey destitute of waters yet very slimie and full of mudde The iourney from the sea to Heliopolis by the higher parte of the region is welnigh of the same length with that way which at Athens leadeth from the aulter of the twelue gods to Pisa and y ◠palace of Iupiter Olympius betwene which two wayes by iust cōputation can hardly bee founde more then fifteene furlonges difference for the distaunce betwene Athens and Pisa is supposed to want of 1500 furlongs fiftene which number in the other of Aegypt is ful complet and perfit trauayling from Heliopolis by the hills you shall finde Aegypt to be straight and narrowe compassed banked on the one side by a mighty hill of Arabia reachinge from the North towardes the South which by degrees waxeth higher and higher and beareth vpwards toward the redd sea In this mountayne are sundry quaries out of the which y t people of Aegypte hewed their stone to builde the Pyramides at Memphis one this side the hill draweth and wyndeth it selfe towarde those places whereof we spake before The selfe same mountayne hath another course from the Easte to the Weste stretching so farre in length as a man may trauayle in two monethes the Easte ende hereof yeldeth frankincense in great aboundaunce likewise one the other side of Aegypt which lyeth towardes Africa there runneth another stony hill wherein are builte certayne Pyramedes very full of grauell grosse Sande like vnto that parte of the Arabian hill that beareth toward the South so that from Helyopolis the wayes are very narrowe not passing foure dayes course by Sea The spate betwene the mountaynes is champion ground being in the narrowest place not aboue two hundred furlongs from the one hill to the other hauing passed this straight Aegypt openeth into a large and ample widenesse extendinge it selfe in great breadth such is the maner and situation of the countrey Furthermore from Heliopolis to Thebs is nyne dayes iourney by water being seuered from each other in distance of place foure thowsand eight hundred and sixty furlongs which amounteth to y ◠number of foure score and one schoenes of the furlongs aforesayd three thowsand and sixe hundred lye to the sea as wee declared before Now from the sea coaste to the city Thebs are 6120. furlonges of playne ground from Thebs to the city Elephantina 820. Of all the region and coūtrey Aegypt whereof wee haue spoken the most parte is borow 〈…〉 ground wherein the waters heretofore haue had their cour 〈…〉 for all the whole bottome which lyeth betwene the two mountaines aboue the city Memphis seemeth to haue bene a narrow sea much like vnto those places that lye about Ilium Teuthrania Ephesus and the playne of Meander if it be not amisse to bring smale things in comparison with greater matters forasmuch as none of those ryuers which held their passage in the places forenamed are worthy to be mentioned where any one of the seuen streames of Nylus are brought into talke there be also other floudes not comparable in bignesse to Nylus which haue wrought straunge effectes and wonderfull thinges in the places where they haue runne amongst whom is the famous ryuer Achelous which flowing through Acarnania into y t sea of the Iles Echinades hath ioyned the halfe parte of the Iles to the mayne and continent In the countrey of Arabia not far from Aegypt there is a certaine arme or bosome of the sea hauing a breach issue out of the red sea the length whereof beginning at the end of y t angle or creeke continuing to y ◠wyde mayne is foure dayes sayle the breadth easy to be cut ouer in halfe a day in this narrow sea the waters ebbe flow raging and roaring exceedingly against a forde or shalow place wherat the streame beateth with great violence such a like creeke I suppose to haue bene in former ages in the lande of Aegypte which brake out from the North sea and continued his course towards Aethyopia like as also the Arabian sea whereof we haue spoken floweth from the south waters towards y t coasts of Syria both which straights welnigh in their furthest corners concur meete together being separrted by no great distaunce of groūd were it then that y t ryuer Nilus should make a vent shed it selfe into the narrow sea of Arabia what might binder but y t in 200000 yeares by y t cōtinuall daily course of y t ryuer the creeke of the salt waters should be cleane altered become dry for I think it possible if in 10000 yeares before me sundry ryuers haue chaūged their courses left the groūd dry whereas first they ran an arme of the sea also much greater then y t may bee dryuen besides his naturall bosome especially by the force of so great a streame as the riuer Nilus by whom diuerse things of greater admiration haue bene brought to passe The reporte therefore which they gaue of the soyle I was easely brought to beleue aswel for that y t country it selfe bringeth credite to the beholders as also y t in the very hills mountaynes of the region are found a multitude of shel fishes the earth likewise sweating out a certaine salt and brynishe humour which doth corrupt and eate the Pyramides Agayne it is in no point like to any of the countryes that lye next vnto it neither to Arabia Lybia nor Syria for the Syrians inhabite the sea coaste of Arabia being of a blacke and brittle moulde which commeth to passe by the greate store of mudde and slimy matter which the ryuer beinge a flote bringeth out of Aethyopia into the lande of the Aegyptians The earth of Lybia is much more redde and sandy vnderneath The moulde of Arabia and Syria drawe neere to a fatte and batile claye beynge vnder grounde very rockye and full of stone Lykewyse for proofe that the Region in tyme past was watery ground the priests alleadged how in the time of kinge Myris his raygne the floud arysing to the heighth of 8. cubits watered the whole countrey of Aegypte lying beneath Memphis scarse 900 yeares being past expired since the death
shovvre of rained deliuered Craesus from the fire A reason vvhy peace is more to be desired then vvarre Craesus seynge to vvhat passe the oracle had brought him desireth leaue of Cyrus to chide vvith the deuil Apollo his ansvvere to Craesus his accusation Craesus is punished for the fact of Gyges that slue Candaules his mayster Applye to this place theoracle geuen fol. 25. PantaleoÌ„ Craelus his brother by the fathers syde sought to defeat him of the kingdome Of the couÌ„trey of Lydia a briefe narratioÌ„ of such things as therin are vvorthy memory Halyattes his tombe in Lydia The maydes in Lydia get their ovvne dovâ—â—ye by continuall vvhoredome The lavves of the people of Lydia The first coyners of siluer gold A famine in Lydiacontinuing the space of 18 yeares Chesse play dice and teâ—â—se deuised by the Lydians A colonye dravvne sene into Hetruria The people Tyrrheni in Vmbria sproÌ„g of the Lydians The genology of the kinges of Media from Deioces to Cyrus Media held by the Assyrians The pollicy of of Deioces to get the kingdome of Media Nothingvvinâ—e heredite so sonne asiustice and vpright dealyng The buildinge of the famous city Ecbatana The reason vvhy no man might haue accesse to the king of the Medes The seuerall countries of Media are these 6. Deioces raiged â—3 yeares Phraoâ—â—es the 2. King The Persians made subiect to the Medes by Phâ—aortes restored to their liberty by Cyrus Phraortes slayne by the Assyrianâ— the 22 yeare of his raygne Câ—axares 3. The day turned into night The most auncient temple of Venus Asia held by the Scythians 28. yeares Cyaxaresraigned 40. yeares Astyages 4. vn der vvhose raygne is conteyned the famous story of Cyrus The 2. dreams of Astyages conceâ—ning his daughter Harpagus deliuereth the child to the kinges neatheard to lay out in the desert Mitradates moued by his vvife laid out a dead child of his ovvne in sâ—eed of Cyrus Cyrus brought vp by the grasiers vvife Cyrus descryeth his progeni and causeth himselfe to be knovven Cyrus his bold ansvveare to Astiages Harpagus examined about Cyrus Harpagus his sonne slayne â— dressed in a barket Harpagus feeding of his ovvne childe Cyrus by the counsayle of the vvisemen vvas senthome to his parentes Cyrus receiued of his parentes The cause of the fable that Cyrus vvas said to be brought vp of a Bytch Harpaguâ—conuayghed a letter to Cyrus in the belly of an hare The letter The deuyce of lying to moue the Persians to rebellion The Persians rebell Harpagus leading the army of the Medes ioyneth his vvhole povver vvith Cyrus agaynst Astyageâ— Astyages hangeth the vvise men for counsayling him to let Cyrus goe Astyages takeÌ„ captiue Astyages raygned 35. yeares The celebration of their birth day in Persia The regard of good maners The maner of their consultation The people of Greece offer themselues to Cyrus todohomage The difference of speach in Ionia Of the cityes of Aeolia The losse of Smyrna Mazares dyiÌ„g Harpagusvvas made generall in his steed The counsai of Byas to th people of Ionia A discourse the Carians The people of Gâ—ydus their originall An experience vvrought for the tryall of antiquitie It vvere a question if a man should bee taught no language in vvhat tongue hee vvould speake Heliopolis the city of the Sunne The vvisest people in AEgypt The 12 monethes of the yeare first fouÌ„d out by the Aegyptians The names of the 12 gods Aulters Images and Temples inuented by the Aegyptians Menes the first kinge that euer raygned A Egypte for the most parte couered vvith vvater The maner of the Aegyptians measures AEgypt nexte the sea coaste 3600. furlonges The description of the countrey of AEgypt A mountaine The straunge effects of certayne ryuers By vvhat proofeâ— the couÌ„trey of Aegypt is argued to haue bene couered by vvaters In AEgypt it neuer rayneth but their lande is vvatered by the ouerflovve of Nilus The maner of husbandry amongst the AEgyptians Hogs be the best husbands in Aegypt and the vvorst in England A confutation of the opinion of the Iones concerning Aegypt The course of the riuer Nilus The names of the chanels of Nilus Pelusium Canobus Sebennyticum Saïticum Menedesium Bolbitinum Buâ—olicum A story touching the description of Aegypt An oracle in Afrike Hovv much of the land Nilus ouerflovveth The cause and time of the rising of the riuer Nilus sendeth foorth no miste A refutation of the Grecians as touching the same things vvithin fiue dayes after snovve falleth rayne That there is no sea called Ocean The true opinion of these things The cause vvhy the South and Southvveast vvind bring rayne Ister a great riuer in Europe The spring of the riuer Nilus vnsearchable The tvvo mountaynes Crophi and Mophi The City Meroe The souldiers of Aegypt forsooke theyr ovvne countrey The tricke of a knaue A slory touching the spring of Nilus A voyage vndertaken by certayne yong gentlemen A City inhabited by Necromancers The description of the riuer Ister Aegypt the most vvonderfull nation in the vvorld The lavves and customes of the people of Aegypt The daughter bound to nourish her parents in need The good felovvship in Aegypt vvher the good man and his hogs dine together The vse of grayne is very â—lender in Aegypt The manner of casting of account Their letters or charecters Cleannesse in auyre vvithout pride The custome of the priests Their dyer The orders of priesthood The manner of trying the bullocks that are sacrificed vvhether they be cleane or othervvise The order of sacrificing The head of the beast that is sacrificed is accursed A lavv greatly honoured in Aegypt The maner of burying kyne vvheÌ„ they dy The cause vvhy some of the Agyptians vvill kill no sheepe Whence the Ammonians drevv theyr name The name of Hercules taken from the Aegyptians The Kings of Aegypt could make at their pleasure gods The tvvo temples of Hercules in Greece The reason vvhy in some partes of Aegypt they vvil kill no goates A Goate closing vvith a vvoman Hogs of all beasts vvurst accounted of Hogheards of basest account Svvine sacrificed to Liber and Luna Superstition oft times runneth into most filthy deuises Melampus the first founder of this ceremonie in Greece In the time of Herodotus the name of Philosophers vvas straunge The beastly deuises of the paganes Cabiri the three sonnes of Vulcane Dodona somtime the chiefe oracle in Greece The beginning of the pagans gods The beginning of the oracles in Africke and Greece A tale of tvvo pigeons Inuentions of the Aegyptians The feastes of Diana Isis and Minerua The feast of the Sunne The celebration of Latonas feast and Mars The maner of such as repaire to the festiuall of Diana The feast of lampes A combate of priests The cause of this combate The feast of broken pates A reason dravvne from the vse of beastes to defend the maners of men The manner of the Aegyptians touching the beastes of the land The great regard of haukes The nature of catsin Aegypt Mourning for
worth eatyng whereby they may be allured to sitte longe at meate Which if they hadde no doubt they woulde quatt theyr Stomakes to the full and seeldome or neuer aryse hungrye Moreouer the Persians generally are verye much geuen to wyne Beyng notwithstanding forbidden by the law to perbreake or vomite in company or to make water wher they may be seene which maner and custome they kepe as yet Commonly when they haue typled so long they see a peece of the deuil they by and by fall into question and consultation of graue and serious matters and loke what is agreed vpon among their cuppes the same thenext day following is propounded by the host of the house where the Senate was held and if in lyke manner they allow and thinke well of it beyng sober they vse it if otherwyse they refuse it On the other side what soeuer in time of sobriety hath bene determined by them the selfe same they ruminate and run ouer a fresh beyng wel mostned with wine If they meete one an other in the way it is no hard matter to know whether they be equalles or superiours ech to other For beyng of like reputation they kysse each other on the mouth If the one be somewhat the others superiour after a more modest and bashfull fashion they kisse on the cheekes If much more set by and of farre greater regard the base and vnnoble falleth flat on the earth in honour and reuerence to the other Behauinge themselues with all dutifull demeanour and curteous vsage towardes them which are nexte dwellers and neyghbours vnto them In the second degree imbracing and making much of those who dwell nere also and border uppon their neighboures and so consequently the nerer euery one is in place to them y e greater he isin friendship and familiarity esteeming theÌ„selues of all men the best To those which are furthest seperate and disioyned from them in distaunce of place they disdayne to shewe the least poynt of ciuility in ful accompt that of al men liuing there is none lyke vnto them selues in any thinge and as euerye man hath nerest propinquity to them in place and neighbourhod so they deeme hym to excell others in vertue and good liuing making least accompt of those that dwell furthest of and most of themselues Furthermore in the tyme of the Medes empyre certayn familyes exercised mutuall gouernment that is were rulers ouer some and ruled by others for the Medes generally weare rulers and chieflly ouer those that dwelt next them who in like sort had the ouersight of such as bordered vpon them to whom also in order was permitted the rule and moderation of others Like to this manner of gouernment was the loue and familaritye that was also of the Pesians alwayes louinge those best that were their neerest neighbours Of all countryes in the world y e Persians are most delighted with forrayne and outlandish maners wherfore leauing their owne countrey vesture they put themselues in Medish attyre deeming it better more seemly theâ—their owne wearyng vpon their hands a kynd of placars or stomacher vsed of the Aegyptians Moreouer they are drawen with all kynd of pleasure delight which they can either inuent theÌ„selues or learne of other learning of the Grecians to be in loue w t beautiful boyes They wed many virgines woo more coÌ„cubynes In the next place to strenght valiaunt courage they make most of him y t hath most childreÌ„ whoÌ„ anually y e kiÌ„g indueth w t a great reward as though he had atchined some notable act Their childreÌ„ from 5. yere old til they come to 20. they trayne bringe vp in 3 principal things in ryding in shoting speaking truth The child neuer coÌ„meth into the fathers sight before he â—e 5 yeare old but is brought vp priuily among the company of women to the end y t if the child dye before he aspyre to that age the father may conceaue no griefe or sorrow for y e same Which custome truly I greatly coÌ„mend as also this y t it be not lawfull for the king for one offence to bereaue a man of hys lyfe nor for any of y t Persians to practise cruelty vpoÌ„ his family beiÌ„g moued therto by one only transgressioÌ„ But breathing vppon the cause if by good aduysemente he founde more and greater faultes committed then dutiesâ— perfourmed then to geue the brydle to hys anger worke hys wil. Besides they are in opinion in y t countrey y t no maÌ„ at anye tyme slew his owne father but that the child so doing vppon examination and tryal had of his byrth is awaies found to be a bastard and changling Thinkinge it a thinge vnpossible that the naturall childe should euer aduenture to brew the destruction of his owne and lawfull syre Whatsoeuer is dishonest to do that also they esteeme vnseemly to speake But of all thinges they accompt it most abhominable to lye and next to that to bee much in debt both for many other respectes and chiefly because they thinke it skarse possible for him that oweth much not to dissemble and lye much if any one be infected with leprosie or otherwyse diâ—â—eined with vncleannes of the body he may not come within thâ— citye or vse the company of any Persian alleaging that for offence and transgression agaynst y t sunne they were punished and attaynted with such diseases And if happily it befall a straunger or forreyuer to be taken with such like sicknesse they banish and expell him the countrey for the same reason also chasting and skaringe all Pigeons and doues out of the circuite and compasse of theyr region It is open blasphamy with the same people not onely repugnant to good maners and ciuility to pisse or spitte into anye brooke or riuer likewyse to wash his handes therein or any such lyke wherof the water may coÌ„ceaue any maner fylth or corruption verye deuoutlye and with great religion yelding worship honour to y t flouds riuers This also is peculier to y t PersiaÌ„s which not marked by them is knoweÌ„ of vs y t all the wordes in theyr language which coÌ„â—ist of 4 or more sillables do commonly end in one letter which letter the Dores cal San the Iones Sigma And if we loke more narrowlye into theire speech and note that wel we shal fynd not onely some but all the names of the Persians to haue their termination and endinge alyke which for y t I know it assuredly I am not afraid to aâ—ouch it constantly being in halfe a doubt in like sort to awarrant beare out the truth of those things which the same people are sayd to obserue about the dead bodyes of their countrimen whom as the rumor is they neuer bâ—ryeor intumulate before such tyme as either by dogges or foules of the aire they are drawen and haled about Which thinges that their wisemen doe whom they call Magi I dare vndoubttedly affyrme because they manifestly do them
and decease of Myris whereas at these dayes vnlesse it swell and increase 15. or 16. cubits high it cōmeth not at all into y t coast which aforesaid coast if accordingly to y e fall of y e riuer it grow still in loftynesse and become higher the earth receyuinge no moysture by the sloude I feare y e Aegyptians themselues that dwell beneath y e lake Myris both other also the inhabitants of the lande of Delta will euermore be annoyed with the same plague and inconuenience whych the Gretians by their accounte are sometimes like to abyde For the people of Aegypt hearing that the whole countrey of Greece was moystned and watered by the seasonable fall of rayne and showers not by floudes and ryuers lyke vnto their owne they prophecy that y e day would come when as the Greekes being deceyued of their hope would all pearishe through famine and hunger meaning that if y e gods did not vouchsafe to send thē raine in due season from whome alone they haue their moysture the whole nation shoulde goe to wracke for want of sustenaunce Thus farre is pleased them to descant of the fortune of Greece Let vs nowe consider in what estate and condition they stand them selues if then as we sayd before the lowe countrey of Memphis for in these is the gayne and increase of grounde seene waxe augment accordingely as in former times our friendes of Aegypt shall shew vs the way what it is to be famished and dye by hunger if neyther theyr land be moystened by the sweete and timely showres of rayne nor by the swelling and rysing of the riuer For as now they haue an especiall aduauntage aswell of all men els as of the rest of their countreymen y t dwell higher in that they receiue the fruite and increase of the ground without eyther tilling or weeding the earth or doing ought els belonging to husbandry wherefore immediately after the ryseing of y e waters y e earth being moyste and supple the ryuer returned agayne to his olde course they sowe scatter their seede euery one vpon his owne ground territory wherinto hauing driuē great heards of Swine that roote and tread the grayne and moulds together they stay till the time of haruest attending the increase and gaine of their seede Being full growne and ripened they send in their hogges afresh to muzle and stampe the corne from out the eares which done they sweepe it together and gather it If we follow the opinion of the people of Ionia as touching the land of Aegypt who affirme that the true countrey of Aegypt is in very deede nothing else saue the prouince of Delta which taketh his name of the watchtowre or Castle of espiall made by Perseus testifying besides that by the sea coast to the salt waters of Pelusium it stretcheth forty scheanes in length and reacheth from the sea toward the hart of the region to the city of the Cercasians neere vnto which y e riuer Nilus parteth it selfe into two seueral mouthes the one whereof is called Pelusium the other Canobus and that all the other partes of Aegypt are belonging to Arabia and Africa we might very well inferre and prooue heereof that the countrey of Aegypt in former times was none at all For the land of Delta as they say and we easily beleeue was grounde lif◠voyde and naked by the water and that of late yeares also and not long ago wherefore if they had no countrey at all what caused them so curiously to labour in the searching out and blazing of their auncienty supposing themselues to be the chiefe of all people the knowledge and intelligence whereof was not worth the two yeares triall and experiment which they wrought in the children I my selfe am fully perswaded that the Aegyptians tooke not their beginning together with the place of Delta but were alwayes since the first beginning and originall of mankinde whose countrey gayning ground and increasing by the chaunge and alteration of the riuer many of them went downe from the high countrey and inhabited the low places for which cause the City Thebes and the countrey belonging thereto was heeretofore called Aegypt the circuite and compasse whereof is 6120. furlongs Be it so then that our opinion accord and consent wyth truth the Graecian writers are in a wrong boxe but if they speake truely yet in other matters they recken without theyr hoste making but three partes of the whole earth Europa Asia and Africa whereas of necessity Delta in Aegypt should be accounted for the fourth sithens by their owne bookes it is neyther ioyned with Asia nor yet with Africa For by this account it is not the riuer Nilus that diuides Asia from Africa which at the poynt and sharpe angle of Delta cutting it selfe into two sundry streames that which lyes in y e middes should equally pertayne both to Asia and Africa But to leaue the iudgement and opinion of the Greekes we say and affyrme that all that countrey is rightly tearmed Aegypt whiche is held and possessed by the Aegyptians euen as also we make no doubt to call those places Cilicia and Assyria where the Cilicians and Assyrians do dwell In like manner according to truth Asia and Africa are disseuered and parted betweene themselues by none other borders then by the limits and boundes of Aegypt Howbeit if we followe the Graecians all Aegypt beginning at the places called Catadupae and the city Elephantina is to be diuided into two partes which draw their names of the regions wherevnto they are adioyned the one belonging to Africa the other to Asia For the riuer Nilus taking his beginning from the Catadupae so called and flowing through the middes of Aegypt breaketh into the sea running in one streame til it come to the city of the Cercasians and afterwards leuering it selfe into three sundry chanels The first of these chanels turneth to the East and is called Pelusium the second Canobus the third streame flowing directly in a straight line kepeth this course first of all scouring through the vpper coastes of the countrey it beateth full vpon the point of Delta through the middest whereof it hath a straight and direct streame euen vnto the sea being the fayrest and most famous of all the rest of the chanels and is called Sebennyticum From this streame are deriued two other armes also leading to the salt waters the one being called Saiticum the other Mendesium For as touching those braunches and streames of Nilus which they tearme Bolbitinum and Bucolicum they are not naturally made by course of the water but drawne out and digged by the labour of men I followe not the fantasies of mine owne brayne nor imagine any thing of my selfe for that the countrey of Aegypt is so wyde and of such amplitude as we haue described it I appeale to the oracle of the god Hammon which came into my minde beeyng in study and meditation
about these matters The people of the two cities Maerea and Apia that inhabite the borders of Aegypt next vnto Africa esteeming theÌ„selues to be of the linage and nation of the Africans not of the Aegyptians became weary of their ceremonies and religion and would no longer absteyne from the fleshe of kyne and feamale cattell as the rest of the Aegyptians did they sent therefore to the prophecy of Hammon denying themselues to be of Aegypt because they dwelt not within the compasse of Delta neither agreed with them in any thing wherefore they desired y e god that it might be lawful for them without restraint to taste of all meates indiffereÌ„tly but the oracle forbade theÌ„ so to do shewing how all that region was iustly accounted Aegypt which the waters of Nilus ouerranne and couered adding heereto all those people that dwelling beneath the city Elephantina dranke of the water of the same floud This aunswere was giuen them by the oracle Nowe it is meete wee know that Nilus at what time it riseth aboue the banckes ouerfloweth not Delta alone but all the countrey next vnto Africa and likewise the other side adioyning to Arabia couering the earth on both partes the space of two dayes iourney or thereabout As touching the nature of the riuer Nilus I could not bee satisfyed either by the priests or by any other being alwayes very willing and desirous to heare something thereof first what the cause might be that growing to so great increase it shoulde drowne and ouergo the whole countrey beginning to swell the eyght day before the kalends of Iuly and continuing aflote an hundred daies after which time in the like number of dayes it falleth agayne flowyng within the compasse of hys owne banckes tyll the nexte approch of Iuly Of the causes of these thynges the people of Aegypt were ignoraunte themselues not able to tell mee anye thyng whether Nilus had any proper and peculiar vertue different from the nature of other flouds About which matters being very inquisitiue mooued with desire of knowledge I demaunded inoreouer the reason and occasion why this streame of all others neuer sent foorth any miste or vapour such as are commonly seene to ascend and rise from the waters but heerein also I was faynt to nestle in mine owne ignorance desiring to be lead of those that were as blind as my selfe Howbeit certayne Graecian wryters thinking to purchase the price and prayse of wit haue gone about to discourse of Nilus and set downe their iudgement of the nature thereof who are found to varry and dissent in three sundry opinions two of the which I suppose not worthy the naming but onely to giue the reader intelligence how ridiculous they are The first is that the ouer flow of Nilus commeth of none other cause then that the windes Etesiae so named blowing directly vpon the streame thereof hinder and beate backe the waters from flowing into the sea which windes are commonly wont to arise and haue their season a long time after the increase and rising of Nilus but imagine it were otherwise yet this of necessitie must follow that all riuers whatsoeuer hauing a full and direct course against the windes Etesiae shall in like maner swell and grow ouer their bankes and so much the rather by how much the lesse and weake the flouds themselues are whose streames are opposed against the same But there be many riuers as well in Syria as in Africa that suffer no such motion and change as hath bin sayd of the floud Nilus There is another opinion of lesse credite and learning albeit of greater woonder and admiration then the first alleadging the cause of the rising to be for that the riuer say they proceedeth from the Oeean sea which enuironeth the whole globe and circle of the earth The third opinion being more caulme and modest then the rest is also more false and unlikely then them both affirming that the increase and augmentation of Nilus commes of the snowe waters molten and thawed in those regions carying with it so much the lesse credit and authority by how much the more it is euident that the riuer comming from Africa through the middest of Aethiopia runnes continually from the hotter countreys to the colder beeing in no wise probable or any thing likely that the waxing of the waters should proceede of snowe Many sound proofes may be brought to the weakening of this cause whereby we may gesse how grossely they erre whiche thinke so greate a streame to be increased by snowe What greater reason may be found to the contrary then that the windes blowing from those countreys are very warme by nature Moreouer the lande it selfe is continually voyde of rayne and yee being most necessary that within fiue dayes after the fall of snowe there should â—ome rayne where by it commeth to passe that if it snowe in Aegypt it must also of necessity rayne The same is confirmed and established by the blacknesse and swartnesse of the people couloured by the vehement heate and scorching of the sume likewise by the swalowes and kytes which continually keepe in those coastes lastly by the flight of the cranes toward the comming of winter which are alwayes wont to flye out of Scythia and the cold regions to these places where all the winter season they make theyr abode Were it then that neuer so little snow could fall in those countreys by the which Nilus hath his course and from which he stretcheth his head and beginning it were not possible for any of these things to happen which experience prooueth to be true They which talke of Oceanus grounding their iudgement vppon a meere fable want reason to prooue it For I thinke there is no such sea as the Ocean but rather that Homer or some one of the auncient Poets deuised the name and made vse thereof afterwardes in their tales and poetry Now if it be expedient for me hauing refuted and disalowed other mens iudgements to set downe mine owne The reason why Nilus is so great in sommer I take to be this In the winter-time the sunne declining from his former race vnder the colde winter starre keepeth hys course ouer the high countreys of Africa and in these fewe wordes is conteyned the whole cause For the sunne the neerer he maketh his approch to any region the more he drinketh vp the moysture thereof and causeth the riuers and brookes of the same countrey to runne very lowe But to speake at large and lay open the cause in more ample wyse thus the case standeth The bringer to passe and worker heereof is the sunne beeing caryed ouer the hygh countreys of Africa For the spring time with them beeyng very fayre and cleare the land hote and the wyndes colde the sunne passing ouer them workes the same effecte as when it runneth in the middest of heauen in sommer forsomuch as by vertue of his beames gathering water vnto him he
causeth it to ascend into the superiour regions where the windes receiuing it dispearse the vapours and resolue them againe which is chiefely done by the South and Southwest winde that blowe from these countreys beeing stormy and full of rayne Now the water drawne out of Nilus by the sunne doth not in this sort fall downe agayne in showres and drops of rayne but is quite spent and consumed by the heate Toward the ende of winter the sunne drawing towards the middest of the skye in like manner as before sucketh the water out of other riuers which is the cause that being thus drawne vntill much rayne and showres increase them agayne they become fleete and almost drie Wherefore the riuer Nilus into whome alone no showres fall at any time is for iust cause lowest in winter and bighest in sommer forasmuch as in sommer the sunne draweth moysture equally out of all riuers but in winter out of Nilus alone this I take to be the cause of the diuers and changeable course of the riuer Heereof also I suppose to proceede the drynesse of the ayre in that region at such time as the sunne deuideth his course equally so that in the high countreys of Africke it is alwayes sommer whereas if it were possible for the placing and situation of the heauens to be altered that where North is there were South where South is North the sunne towardes the comming and approach of winter departing from the middest of heauen would haue his passage in like sort ouer Europe as now it hath ouer Africke and worke the same effects as I iudge in the riuer Ister as now it doth in Nilus In like maner the cause why Nilus hath no mist or cloude arising from it according as we see in other flouds I deeme to be this because the countrey is exceeding hote and parching being altogether vnfit to sende vp any vapours which vsually breathe and arise out of cold places But let these things be as they are and haue bene alwayes The head and fountayne of Nilus where it is or frō whence it cōmeth none of the Aegyptians Graecians or Africans that euer I talked with could tell me any thing besides a certaine scribe of Mineruas treasury in the city Sais who seemed to me to speake merily saying that vndoubtedly he knewe the place describing the same in this manner There be two mountaines quoth he arising into sharpe and spindled tops situate betweene Syêne a city of Thebais and Elephantina the one called Crophi the other Mophi from the vale betweene the two hilles doth issue out the head of the riuer Nilus being of an vnsearchable deapth and without bottome halfe of the water running towardes Aegypt and the North the other halfe towardes Aethiopia and the South Of the immeasurable deapth of the fountayne the scribe affirmed that Psammetichus King of the Aegyptians had taken triall who sounding the waters with a rope of many miles in length was vnable to feele any ground or bottome whose tale if any suche thyng were done as he sayde made me thinke that in those places whereof he spake were certayne gulfes or whirlepooles very swift violente and raging whiche by reason of the fall of the water from the hilles would not suffer the line with the sounding leade to sinke to the bottome for which cause they were supposed to be bottomlesse Besides this I coulde learne nothing of any man Neuerthelesse trauelling to Elephantina to behold the thing with mine owne eyes and making diligent inquiry to knowe the truth I vnderstoode this that takyng our iourney from thence Southward to y e countreys aboue at lēgth we shall come to a steepe bending shelfe where y e ryuer falleth with great violēce so y t we must be forced to fasten two gables to each side of y e ship in that sort to hale and draw her forward which if they chaunce either to slip or breake y e vessell is by and by driuē backwards by y e intollerable rage violēce of y e waters To this place frō y e city Elephantina is four daies saile whereaboutes y e riuer is ful of windings turnings like the floud Meander and in lēgth so cōtinuing twelue scheanes all which way the ship of necessity must be drawne After this we shall arriue at a place very smooth and caulme wherein is standing an Iland incompassed rounde by the ryuer by name Tachampso The one halfe heereof is inhabited by the Aegyptians the other halfe by the Aethiopians whose countrey is adioyning to the Southside of the Ile Not farre from the Iland is a poole of woonderfull and incredible bignesse about the which the Shepheards of Aethiopia haue their dwelling whereinto after we are declined out of the mayne streame we shall come to a riuer directly running into the poole where going on shore we must take our voyage on foote the space of forty dayes by the waters side the riuer Nilus it selfe beeyng very full of sharpe rockes and craggy stones by the which it is not possible for a vessell to passe Hauing finished forty dayes iourney along the riuer take shipping againe and passe by water twelue dayes voyage till such time as you arriue at a great city called Meroe which is reputed for the chiefe and Metropolitane city of the countrey the people whereof only of all the gods worship Iupiter and Bacchus whome they reuerence with exceeding zeale and deuotion Likewise to Iupiter they haue planted an oracle by whose counsayle and voyce they rule their martiall affayres making warre how oft soeuer or against whomesoeuer they are mooued by the same From this city Meroe by as many dayes trauell as yee take from Elephantina to y e same you shall come to a kind of people named Automoly which is to say traytours or runnagates the same also in like manner being called Asmach which emporteth in the greeke tongue such as stande and attende at the Kings left hand These men being whilome souldyers in Aegypt to the number of eyght thousand and two hundred they reuolted from their owne countreymen and fled ouer to the Aethiopians for this occasion Being in y e time of King Psammetichus dispersed and diuided into sundry garrisons some at the city of Elephantina and Daplinae Pelusiae against the Aethiopians other against the Arabians and Syrians and thirdly at Marea against the Africans in which places agreeably to the order and institution of Psammetichus the Persian garrisons also did lie in munition hauing continued the space of three yeares in perpetuall gard and defence of the lande without shift or release they fell to agreement amongst themselues to leaue their King and countrey and flye into Aethiopia which their intente Psammetichus hearing made after them incontinently and hauing ouertaken the army humbly besought them with many teares not to forsake by suche vnkind and vnnaturall wise their wiues children and countrey gods vnto whose plaint and intreaty a rude roystrell
in the company shewing his priuy members made this aunswere wheresoeuer quoth he these be there will I finde both wyfe and children After they were come into Aethiopia and had offered themselues vnto the King of the soyle they were by him rewarded on this manner Certayne of the Aethiopians that were scarsely sound harted to the King were depriued by him of all their lands and possessions which he franckly gaue and bestowed on the Aegyptians By meanes of these the people of Aethiopia were brought from a rude and barbarous kind of demeanour to farre more ciuill and manlike behauiour being instructed and taught in the maners and customes of the Aegyptians Thus the riuer Nilus is founde still to continue the space of foure monethes iourney by lande and water lesse then in which time it is not possible for a man to come from Elephantina to the Automolians taking hys course and streame from the West part of the world and falling of the sunne Howbeit in this place I purpose to recite a story told me by certayne of the Cyraeneans who fortuning to take a voyage to y e oracle of Ammon came in talke with Etearchus King of the Ammonians where by course of speache they fell at length to discourse and common of Nilus the head whereof was vnsearchable and not to be knowne In which place Etearchus made mention of a certaine people called Namaâ—ones of the countrey of Afrike inhabiting the quicksands and all the coast that lyeth to the east Certayne of these men comming to the court of Etearchus and reporting dyuers strange and wonderfull things of the deserts and wild chases of Africa they chaunced at length to tell of certayne yong Gentlemen of theyr countrey issued of the chiefe and most noble families of all their nation who beeing at a reasonable age very youthfull and valtant determined in a brauery to go seeke straunge aduentures as well other as also this Fiue of them being assigned thereto by lot put themselues in voyage to go search and discry the wildernesse and desert places of Africa to the ende they might see more and make further report thereof then euer any that had attempted the same For the sea coast of Africa poynting to the North pole many nations do inhabite beginning from Aegypt and continuing to the promontory named Soloes wherein Africa hath his end and bound All the places aboue the sea are haunted with wilde and sauage beastes beeing altogether voyde and desolate pestered with sand and exceeding drye These gentlementrauellers hauing made sufficient prouision of water and other vyands necessary for theyr iourney first of all passed the countreys that were inhabited and next after that came into the wylde and waste regions amongst the caues and dennes of fierce and vntamed beastes through which they helde on theyr way to the west parte of the earth In which manner after they had continued many dayes iourney and trauelled ouer a great part of the sandy countreys they came at length to espy certayne fayre and goodly trees growing in a fresh and pleasaunt medowe wherevnto incontinently making repayre and tasting the fruite that grewe thereon they were suddenly surprised and taken short by a company of little dwarfes farre vnder the common pitch and stature of men whose tongue the gentlemen knew not neither was their speache vnderstoode of them Being apprehended they were lead away ouer sundry pooles and meares into a city where all the inhabitauntes were of the same stature and degree with those that had taken them and of colour swart and blacke Fast by the side of thys city ranne a swift and violent riuer flowing from the Weast to the East wherein were to be seene very hydeous and terrible serpents called Crocodyles To this ende drew the talke of Etearchus King of the Ammonians saue that he added besides how the Namasonian gentlemen returned home to theyr owne countrey as the Cyraeneans made recount and how the people also of the city whether they were broughte were all coniurers and geuen to the study of the blacke arte The floud that had his passage by the city Etearchus supposed to be the riuer Nilus euen as also reason it selfe giueth it to be For it floweth from Africa and hath a iust and direct cut through the middest of the same following as it should seeme a very like and semblable course vnto the riuer â—ster Ister beginning at the people of the Celts and the city Pyrene the Celts keepe without the pillers of Hercules being neere neighbours to the Cynesians and the last and vtmost nation of the westerne people of Europe deuideth Europe in the middest and scouring through the coast it is helde by the Istryans people so named and comming of the Milesians it lastly floweth into the sea Notwithstanding Ister is well knowne of many for that it hath a perpetuall course through countreys that are inhabited but where or in what parte of the earth Nilus hath his spring no man can tell forsomuch as Africa from whence it commeth is voyde desert and vnfurnished of people the streame and course whereof as farre as lyeth in the knowledge of men we haue set downe declared y t end of the riuer being in Aegypt where it breaketh into y e sea Aegypt is welny opposite directly set against y e mountaines of Cilicia froÌ„ whence to Synopis standing in y e Euxine sea is fiue daies iourney for a good footemaÌ„ by straight euen way The Ile Synopis lyeth iust against the riuer Ister where it beareth into the sea so that Nilus running through all the coast of Africa may in some manner be coÌ„pared to y e riuer Ister howbeit as touching y e floud Nilus be it hither to spokeÌ„ Let vs yet proceede to speake further of Aegypt both for that the countrey it selfe hath more strange wonders then any nation in the world and also because the people themselues haue wrought sundry things more worthy memory then any other nation vnder the sunne for which causes we thought meete to discourse more at large of y e region people The Aegyptians therefore as in the temperature of the ayre and nature of the riuer they dissent from all other euen so in theyr lawes and customes they are vnlike and disagreeing from all men In this countrey the women followe the trade of merchandize in buying and selling also victualing and all kinde of sale and chapmandry whereas contrarywyse the men remayne at home and play the good huswiues in spinning and weauing and such like duties In like manner the men carry their burthens on their heads the women on their shoulders Women make water standing and men crouching downe and cowring to the ground They discharge and vnburthen theyr bellies of that which nature voydeth at home and eate their meate openly in the streetes and high wayes yeelding this reason why they do it for that say they such things as be vnseemely and yet
reseruing that which commeth of it which serueth them partly for Oyle partly for the vse of their Lamps and candles yeelding as they sayd before a deyne very loathsome and vnsauory Likewise agaynst gnats and flyes wherewith their lande aboundeth aboue measure certaine remedies are founde out by them Such as dwell aboue the Fennes are holpen herein by towers and high garrets wherein they take their sleepe forasmuch as the winde will not suffer the Gnats to fly high The people of the Fennes in steede of Turrets are fayne to worke this deuise Each man hath his Nets wherewith in the day time they goe on fishing and in the night pytche them aboute their chambers wherein they rest by whych meanes they come to take a nappe of nyne houres longe whereas otherwise were they neuer so well wrapped in clothes the Gnats with their sharp nebbes woulde pierâ— and stinge quite through all being not able in like maner to passe through the Nets Their Shippes vsed for burthen or caryage are made of a kinde of Thorne not farre vnlike the tree Lotos growing in Cyrene from the which there issueth a certayne kinde of gumme Of the body of this thorne they sawe and square out certaine boardes two cubits longe and fashioned like a tilesheard which they frame and compact together after this maner First they vnite and ioyne the plancks together with an infinit number of nayles and pynnes binding the same to many transomes that goe both crosse and longe wayes for the strength of the vessell Their wood they frame not in compasse after the maner of other Nations but fasten and knit the ioyntes together with Bullrushes and such like They haue only one Helme or Sterne which is made to goe throughe the hinder parte of the Shippe The Mast is likewise of thorne the Sayle of the Rushe Byblus These kinde of vessells are not able to cut against the streame but are haled and drawne forward by land Downe the streame they passe in this wyse They frame an hurdle of the bushe Tamarisk fast bounde and tyed together with the peelings of greene Cane or Reedes prouydinge moreouer a mighty stone wyth an hole through the middest two talents in weight which done they cast the hurdle into the streame beinge made fast with a Rope to the nose of the Vessell contrariwise the stonne they tye behynde wyth an other Gable geuinge it so much scope that it may sinke to the bottome By which meanes it commeth to passe that the streame caryinge on the hurdle causeth the Shippe to follow with exceedinge swiftnesse and the stone on the other side drayling behinde directeth the same in euen and stedfast course At such time as the ryuer ouerrunneth the soyle the Cityes are only apparent and vncouered resembling in shew the Iles of the sea Aegêum all the land besides being in maner of a sea The Cities which in time of the floud are extante be in place of Portes for the ships to lye at rode in During which time they sayle not in y e mayne ryuer but through y e midst of the fieldes They that take shipping from the Citye Naucrates to Memphis haue their course by the Pyramides albeit there be another way also â—â—ndinge to the same place strykinge ouer by the Neb of Delta and the City of the Cercasians Likewise as we take our voyage from the Sea coaste and the city Canobus to Naucrates through the wyde and open fieldes we shall passe by Anthylla a towne so named in like manner arryuinge at the city Arcandry Anthylla a city of chiefe renowne is euermore geuen and allotted by the Kinge of Aegypt to his Queene that then is to finde her shoes which are purchased by the reuenewes of the same Which custome hath remayned since the tyme that the Persians gonerned in Aegypt Archandry seenieth to haue taken the name of Archander sonne in lawe to Danaeus and the lawfull ofspringe of Phthius Achaeus not denying but that there might bee another besides him but howsoeuer it is the city Archandry can in no wyse be made an Aegyptian name Hytherto haue I set dawne such thinges as eyther by my selfe I haue seene and knowne or bene constantly aduertysed thereof by the people of the region determining henceforth to prosecute such matters as I haue onely by heresay interlaceing the same otherwhiles with such thinges as of myne owne knowledge I am able to iustifie Menes the firste Kinge of Aegypt as the pryests make reporte by altering the course of the ryuer gayned all that grounde whereon the City Memphis is situated the floud being wonte before time to haue his course fast by the sandy mountayne which lyeth towarde Lybia This Menes therefore damminge vppe the bosome of the ryuer towardes the south Region hauinge cast vppe a pyle or bulwarke of Earth much after an hundred Furlonges aboue the City by that meanes dryed the old Chanell causinge the ryuer to forsake and abandone his naturall course and runne at randame amiddest the hills To which damme also the Persians that rule in Aegypte euen at this day haue a dilligent eye yearely fortifyinge and repayringe the same wyth newe and fresh Earth Through the which if by fortune the ryuer stryuinge to recouer his olde course should happily make a breach the city Memphis were in daunger to bee ouerwhelmed with water By the selfe same Menes firste bearinge rule and authority in Aegypt after y â— by turning y â— streame of Nilus he had made dry ground of that where erst the ryuer had his passage in the same plot of land was the city it selfe founded erected which as well may bee seene stands in the straight and narrow places of the countrey More then this to the North West for Eastward Memphis is bounded by the course of the riuer hee caused to be drawne out of the ryuer a large and wyde poole beinge also the founder of Vulcans temple in Memphis one of the fayrest buildinges and of chiefest fame in all the countrey of Aegypte Three hundred thirty Prynces that by mutuall succession followed Menes the priests also readily mentioned out of y â— books of their Monuments of which number 18 were by Countrey Aethyopians and one a forraine outlandish women whose nation they knew not al the rest being sprong of their owne land This woman y â— aspired to y â— crowne bare the name of y â— famous Queene of Babylon was called Nitocris whose brother in y â— time of his empire being slaine by y â— Aegyptians Nitocris wearing y â— crowne after him sought meanes secretly how to reueÌ„ge his death whith she brought to passe by a straunge deuice and pollicy Hauing therefore builte for hir owne vse a fayre gorgeous courte she caused an hollow Vaut or caue to be cast vnder the earth pretending for the time a reason of hir deuice albeit farre different from hir secret minde purpose The work ended she inuited thither
haue done more eloquently in englishe then our Authour hath in Greeke but that the course of his writing beeyng most sweete in Greeke conuerted into Englishe looseth a great parte of his grace Howsoeuer the case standeth Gentlemen if it be not so well as it might be I would it were better than it is wishing the best albeit I can not attayne to the best yet least I condemne my selfe before I neede I wil stay vpon the censure and opinion of others when the time shall come Till when and euer leauing you to God and the good successe of your affayres I ende Your very friende B. R. HER ODOTVS HIS FIRST BOOKE INTITLED CLIO HER ODOTVS beyng of the citye of Halicarnassus in Greece wrote and compiled an history to the end that nether tract of time might ouerwhelme bury in silence the actes of humayne kynd nor the worthye and renowned aduentures of the Grecians and Barbarians as well other as chiefly those that were done in warre might want the due reward of immortal fame The Persian wryters witnes y e first cause of debate controuersie to haue comen by y e people called Phaenices who sayling from the redde sea into this of Greece inhabityng the selfe same regions which at this tyme also they holde and retayne gaue themselues to long vagaries and continuall viages by sea In which season by trade of marchaundise brought from Aegipt and Assyria as in many other countries so also they arryued at Argos Argos at the same tyme was the most noble and famous city in Greece Whither the Phaenices directyng their course after they were come and within the space of foure or fyue dayes had made a good hand and riddaunce of their wares It fortuned certayne women in whose cōpany was the Kings daughter whose name was Io. borne of Inachus to approach the shore in mynde to suruay and contemplate the wealth and substaunce of these outlandish Marchauntes Now in the meane season whiles the womē were busye and attentiue in praising such thinges as their fancy lead them the Phaenises ranne violently vppon them and hauing caught Io with some others they rest exceedingly affryghted and flying through feare incontinently wayghed ancōre and sayled into Aegipt By these meanes the Persians record that Io first came into Aegipt not as y e Phaenices reporte that this was the first cause and beginning of iniuryes It chaunced afterward that certaine Greekes whase names they knew not taking shore lauding at Tyrus in like manner made a rape of the kinges daughter named Europa These were the people of Crete otherwyse called the Cretenses By which meanes yt was cardes and cardes betwene them the one beyng full meete and quit with the other But in processe of tyme the seconde trespasse was also made and committed by the Grecians who passinge in a galley by the riuer Phasis to Aea a city of Colchis and hauing finished the affayres and busines for which they came caryed away Medea daughter to the King whom the noble gentleman her father eftsones reclayminge by an Harold of peace and demaunding punishment and reuenge on the trespasser the Grecians made answeare that as by themselues no correction was done for the rape of Io. euen so would they also in this cause goe voyde of smart and escape scotfree After this in the secōd age ensuing Alexander the sonne of Priamus hauing notise and aduertismēt of these thinges was greatly desyrous to steale and puruay himselfe a wife of the Grecians notfearyng the rigour of Iustice or anye manner pey or chastisment which they before had vtterly refused to beare and sustayne Hauing therfore gotten Helena and conuayed her away it seemed good to the Greekes to clayme by embassage restitution of the rape and iustice on the rauisher vnto whom the stealth of Medea was obiected and answeare made that it was not meete for them to require eyther losse or law which in former tyme would be ruled by neyther Thus the tyme hetherto passed on by mutuall pillage betweene them But of those things which insue and follow Vpon these y e Persians affyrme the Grecians to haue bene the chiefe authors who first inuaded Asia by the power of warre then euer themselues attempted the rule and domiminion of Europa Reputing it the poynt of rude and grose iniury to steale away women and the signe of a greater folly to pursue the losse of them since no wyse man would set ought by those that without their owne assent and free wil could neuer haue bene stolne For this cause the Persians alleadge how lightly they valued the losse of their Ladyes whereas the Greekes on the other syde for one silye danie of Lacedemonia furnished a huge nauy and comming into Asia subuerted and brought to ruine the kingdome of Priamus Since which tyme they haue alwayes thought of the Grecians as of their heauy frendes esteeming themselues somewhat allyed to Asia and the nations of Barbaria but the Grecians to be strangers and alyens vnto them And as touching the course proceding of these things the Persians report on this manner adding hereto that the first cause of tumult and contention betweene them arose by the ouerthrow and destruction of Troy With whose assertions the Phaenices agree not aboute the Lady Io. Whom they flatly denye to haue bene caryed by them into Aegipt in manner of a rape shewinge howe that in theyr abode at Argos shee fortuned to close with the mayster of a Shippe and feelynge her selfe to bee spedde fearynge and doubtinge greatlye the feueritye cruell tyrannye of her Parentes and the detection of her owne follye Shee willynglye toke shyppe and fledde strayght awaye Such are the recordes of the Persians and Phaenicians of the truth wherof I meane not to discusse Onely whom I fynde to haue done the first harme and iniurye to people of Greece of hym I determine to speake proceding orderly w t the declaratiō aswell of small cityes townes of meaner fortune as of those that are populous wel frequented for so much as many cityes which former ages haue knowne right ample and wel peopled are now fallen to a low ebbe and contrariwyse those which in the compasse of our memory were greate haue heretofore bene much lesse wherefore knowing the tenor of humayne felicity to be eftsones varyable and neuer at one stay my purpose is to vse the examples of eyther kynd Craesus a Lidian born descended of Halyattes was King of those countryes that lye within the riuer Halis which flowing from the South part of the worlde betweene the Syrians and the Paphlagonians right against the North wind breaketh into the sea called Euxinam Of al the princes Barbarian of whom we haue vnderstanding this same Craesus was the chiefe that made some of the Greekes tributary and other his friendes he subdued the Iones Aeoles and Dores that dwell in Asia concluding with the Lacedemonians a friendly league
of amity Wheras before him none of the Graecians were euer thrall or in bondage to any For as touching the voyage made by the Cymmerians agaynst Ionia it happened long before the tyme of Craesus wherein was vsed no sacking of cities no dispoylinge of townes but secret inuasions and seysing on the pray And albeit in the countrey of this noble King Craesus the soueraygnty and chiefe rule were peculiare to the stock of Hercules which were called Heraclidae yet was it in this order translated to the bloud of Craesus whose names were Mernadae Candaules whom the Greekes call Silos was king of Sardis comming of the lyne and progenie of Alcaeus the sonne of Hercules The first kyng of the family of Haeraclidans that raygned in Sardis beynge named Argon sonne of Niuus nephew of Belus sonne to the nephew Alcaeus and the last Candaules the sonne of Mirsus Before Argon his raygne they which gouerned the countrey were the ofspring of Lydus the sonne of Atis of whom the whole people toke the name of Lydians beyng before tyme called the Meonyts of these were the Heraclidans brought vp beyng borue of Hercules Iardana a bondmayd Vnto these by vertue of the oracle was the seignory and supreme gouernment translated who held the same for terme of fyue hundred and fiue yeares the sonne eftsones succeded hys father euen vnto Candaules the sonne of Myrsus This Candaules was passing well affectioned to his wyfe in so much y t for the singuler loue he bare her he thought her to excell al women in the comly feature of the body And hereof beyng himselfe fully perswaded hee fortuned to fall in talke with Gyges sonne of Bascylus one of the chiefe and principall of his garde whom also he especially fauoured not seeldome employed him in matters of greate weight aduauncing vnto him the seemly shape of his wife aboue measure In short space after for the euill hap haunted hym meetinge with the aforesayde Gyges hee beganne thus My faythfull seruaunt Gyges wheras thou seemest not to credite the large vauntes and often bragges which I make of my Ladyes beauty and comlynesse the eares of men beyng much more incredulous then their eyes behold I wil so bring to passe y t thou shalt see her naked Wherat the pore Gentleman greatlye abashed and in no wyse willyng to assent therto made answere as followeth My Lord quoth he what māner of speech is this which vnaduisedly you vse in perswading me to beholde my ladyes secrets for a womā you know the more in sight the lesse in shame Who togeather with her garmentes layth assyde her modestye honest preceptes haue bene deuised by our elders which wee ought to remember Whereof this is one that euery man ought to behold his owne For myne own part I easily beleeue you that of all women in the world there is none comparable vnto her in beauty Wherfore I beseech your grace to haue me excused if in a case so heynous and vnlawfull I somewhat refuse to obay your wil. Gyges hauing in this sort acquited himselfe fearing the daunger y t might ensue The King began a fresh to replye saying My good Gyges take hart at grace feare not least eyther my selfe do goe about to examine and feele thy meaning by the coloured glose of fayned speach or that the Queene my Ladye take occasion to worke thy displeasure hereby Pull vpp thy spirites and leaue al to mee it is I that wil worke the meanes whereby shee shall neuer know any part of her selfe to haue bene seene by anye creature liuing Listen then awhyle and geue eare to my counsayle When night is come the dore of the chaumber wherein wee lye beyng wyde set open I will couertly place thee behynde the same strayght at my entraunce thereinto her custome is not to be long after mee directly at her comming in there standeth a bench wherat vnclothing herselfe shee accustometh to lay her garmentes vppon it propoundinge her deuine and angelicall body to bee seene and viewed for a long space this done as she turnes frō the bench to bedwarde her backe beyng toward thee haue care to slip priuily out of the dores least happily she espye thee The gentleman seynge hymselfe taken in a trap that in no wyse he could escape without perfourmāce of his Lords folly gaue his assent and at an howre appoynted stood in a readines whom Candaules closly brought into his chaumber and immediatly after came the Queene whom Gyges hauyng beheld at his pleasure when her back was turned crept out of the dore yet not so secretly but y t the Queene had a glymse of hym and perceyued who hee was The Lady seyng the fond and vndiscrete treacherye of her husband made little adoe and seemed as though shee had seene nothing Albeit fully mynding to bee reuenged of the shameles foolish facte of her espoused Lord. For with the Lydians and welnygh also with the rest of the Barbarians it is a greate reproach euen for a man to be seene vnclothed How beit for the present tyme she kept silence makyng no semblaunce of my displeasure The day following hauing assembled certayne of her houshold seruauntes in whom shee hadde especiall affyaunce Gyges was sent for who suspecting nothing lesse then that hys deceipt was knowen spedely and with all diligence adressed hym to come beyng wont also at other tymes to come to the Queene as oft as yet pleased hyr to sende for him Beyng entred the chaumber she began to assayle him in these worde Now Gyges of two present wayes I geue thee free choyce which of them both thou wilt take eyther to slay the King Candaules and enioy mee with the Kingedome of Lydia or thy selfe presently to leese thy lyfe Lest in obayng thy Lord in that thou oughtest not thou be hēseforth priuye to that which thou shouldest not There is no remedy y e one of you both must to the pot ether the mayster or the man ether hee which led thee herevnto or thy selfe that sawest mee naked and diddest those thinkes that wer vnlawful to be done Gyges herewith amazed beganne first to beseech her humbly entreating her not to bynd him to so harde a condition Neuerthelesse being not hable to perswade her and seinge it necessarye eyther to murther his Lord or to be murthered by other he deemed it the better choyse to lyue hymselfe addressing his speech to the Queene in this wyse My Soueraygne Lady quoth he Synce of necessity you compell mee to become guylty of the bloude of my Kinge let mee heare by what meanes wee shall set vppon him of a truth sayd shee our treason shall proceede from the same place from whence he bewrayed my shame The assault shall be geuen when hee is a sleepe The wretched Gentleman dryuen to so harde a strayght that eyther hee must slaye or be slayne made no delay but followed the Queene into her bed chaumber whom with a naked dagger in
Cilisians and Lisians all the rest were subiect to the Empire of Craesus which were these The Lidians Phrigians Mysians Mariandyns likewyse the Chalibes Paphlagonians Thrasians Oetimans lastlye the Bithynians Carians Iones Dores Aeoles Pamphylians which beyng all subdued and the Gouernement of the Lydians greatly amplified by Craesus there repayred to Sardis beyng then in y e flower of her fortune as well other wyse men out of Greece termed Sophisters as also the most famous Solon one of the citye of Athens who at the instant prayers of his citizens hauinge tempered the common wealth with good lawes vnder coloure of visittinge straunge countreyes willingly for terme of yeares abandoned his natyue soyle that hee might not be forced to break the Lawes which he before had made the Athenians them selues standing bound with a solemne and religious vowe for ten yeares space to obserue these statutes which Solon had inuented aswel then for the maintenance of his lawes as to view and see forraine nations he vndertoke a pilgrimage into Aegipt to King Amasis and from thence to Sardis to the court of Craesus where in gentle and curteous manner beynge entertayned by the Kinge at the thirde or fourth daye after his arriuall he was lead about the treasuryes to view the welth and riches of Craesus beholdyng all the inestimable and blessed iewels that were contayned in them After he had attentiuely beheld and with curious eye surueyed them at his pleasure Craesus began to borde hym on this manner You Gentleman of Athens for asmuche as we hearde greate good wordes of your wisedome beyng for knowledge and experience sake a pilgrim from your countrey wee haue deemd it conuenient to aske you a questiō whether at any time you haue seene the happiest man aliue not mistrusting but that the lotte woulde haue fallen to hym selfe to haue exceeded all others in blessednes Solō not mynding to double as one altogeather vn acquaynted with pleasing phrases deliuered his mynd in free speechin forme as followeth I haue seene O King quoth he Tellus one of my coūtriemen of Athens a man surpassing all others in happye lyfe wherat Craesus wondring earnestlye required what cause made him thinke so highlye of Tellus For as muche sayde hee as in a wel ordered common wealth heehadde children trayned vp in vnitye and honesty euery of which hadde likewyse increase of his owne bodye and yet all liuing And hauing spent the course of his age as wel as a man might Fortune crowned his end with the perpetual renowne of a most glorious death For the Athenians ioyning in battayle with their next neighbours Tellus comming with a fresh supplye and putting his ennemies to flight ended his life in the field whom y e people of Athens in the selfe same place where he had shed his bloud caused to be entombed with immortall honour Solon going forward in a large discourse as touching Tellus was cut of by Craesus with a second demaunde who asked him the second tyme whom in conscience he thoughte next vnto him in full hope that at the least his part had bene next to whom he answeared in the next degree Most mighty Prince I haue alwayes reputed Cleobis and Biton two younge menne of the Countrey of Argos of body so strong and actiue that in all games they wanne the price of whom these thinges are left to memorye The feast of Iuno beynge kept at Argos the mother of these two young men was to bee drawne to the temyle by a yoke of bullocks which whē the houre came beyng strayed and gone out of the way the two young youthes yoked thēselues and halyng the chariot forty fyue furlongs they came to the temple which after they had done in the sight view of the whole multitude in a lucky howre they dyed wherby y e Goddesse gaue vs to vnderstand how much better it was for man to die then liue For when as the people flocking about extolled them to the heauens the men praising y e good nature and intent of the sonnes the women commendinge the blessed chaunce of the mother whom nature had indued with two such children the good old mother almost out-of hyr wyttes for ioy what for the kynd deede of her sonnes and the goodly speech of the people aduauncinge their virtue as shee stoode before the ymage of Iuno besought the Goddesse with earnest prayers to rewarde the kindnes of hir children with the chiefe and most precious blessing that might happen vnto man Her prayer made and both the sacrifyce and feast ended they gaue themselues to rest in the temple but neuer after awaking in the mornīg they were founde dead whom the people of Argos by two carued monumentes placed at Delphos commended to euerlastinge memory for men of rare and excellēt vertue To these men did Solon attribute the next step to perfect happinesse Craesus now beyng throughlye warmed and beginninge to storme why then quoth he thou foolishe straunger of Athens is my wealth so base in thyne eyes that thou demest me not worthy to bee compared with two priuate men of Argos Certes 〈◊〉 king sayd he you demaund of me a question as one not altogeather ignorāt y t the hyghest clymers haue the heauiest falles the terme of mans life be threscore yeares and ten which yeares consist of twentye fyue thousande two hundred dayes omitting to speak of that moneth which is giuen to some yeares in addition for the iust compasse and reuolution of the tyme. Howbeit if in euery other yeare we increase a moneth for the due concordaunce and euen course of times to threscore and ten yeres we must adde 35 monethes conteining in themselues 1500 dayes Be it then in all these dayes which in full cōputation are twenty sixe thousand two hundred and fifty what thing do wee see lyke unto other what rather not flatly vnlike straūge disagreyng from the former so y e mā O Craelus is altogeather wretched and miserable not w tstanding thy selfe art in wealth flourishing and a prince of many people all this I deny not and yet I cannot call thee hym whom thou wouldest be til such tyme as I heare of thy fortunate death For wherein is the rych man better then a begger vnlesse the course of his happines continew to his graue Ther are many rych but few blessed and many of a meane patrimony yet very fortune Two thinges there be wherin the infortunate rich excelleth those who in meaner substaunce haue fortune their frende by whom contrariwyse they are excelled in many The wealthy hath to glutte his desires to pay for his default when it happeneth Both which though fortune haue denyed him y t in baser wealth liueth well yet in this he goeth beyond the other y e want of substaunce kepeth him from ryot care of well doyng frō security in offending the same hauing no small thankes to yeeld to Fortune y t he hath his health that hee is gauled greeued with no calamity
tyme was not long after but hys aduersaryes renewed their quarel and fell at varyaunce and debate a fresh wherwith Megacles being tyred dispatched an harrold of peace to Pisistratus offring him his daugher in meryage with condition of the kingdome Which hee not refusing they deuysed a meanes to restore him againe in myfancy very fonde and ridiculous especially yf these men beyng of the number of the Athenians who had the name to be the most wyse and prudent people of the Graetians pleased themselues onely with a deuise so foolish and base There lyeued in the Trybe of Paean a woman named Phya of stature foure cubits high wanting three fingers furnished with seemly beauty whom hauing arayed in coÌ„pleite harneis they placed in a Charyot gallantly attyred to the shew in which habite as she passed through y â— streets of the citye there ranne some before hir cryinge ye people of Athens receyue willingly Pisistratus againe whom Minerua esteeming worthy the greatest honor amongest men hath in her owne person brought back into the tower The citezens supposing it had bene the Goddesse indede bowed themselues and honouryng her admitting agayne Pisistratus for their liefe soueraygne Pysistratus hauinge in such sort recouered the kingdome vppon a couenant made with Megacles toke his daughter to wife But hauing 2 yosig youthes to his sonnes and hearyng moreouer the whole lineage of Alcmaeon to be atteinted and guilty of an hainous cryme agaynst y â— Goddesse vnwilling for that cause to haue any children by his new wife accompanied with her vnlawfully and agaynst nature which beyng a long tyme by her concealed and kept secrete at last eyther vppon demaund or of her owne free will she reuealed it to her mother who also made her husband acquaynted with the matter Megacles taking in ill part the slaunder contumelie done hym by Pysistratus brought him in displeasure hatred with y â— souldiours which thing he perceiuing fled y â— couÌ„trey and came to Eretria to aske counsayle of his sonnes Amongest whom the sentence of Hyppias seeming to be the best wher by he was incited once again to lay clayme to the kingdom they made a gathering throughout all cityes with whom they had any smal acquayntance many of the which made liberall contribution especially the Thebans In fyne to comprise the matter in breefe y e time was come al things were in a readines for his returne For ouâ— of Pâ—â—oponnesus there resorted to him certaine Arguies marching vnder pay a captayne of Naxos named Lygdamis who of his owne accord made offer of his seruice being very wel furnished w t men and money which gaue theÌ„ great alacrity and encouragmeÌ„t to go forward in their attempts In so much as setting forth from Eretria the II. yeare after his flighte from Athens fyrst of all he toke the citie Marathon in Attica wher hauing incaÌ„ped his army there repayred to him diuers seditious felowes out of the city out of al y â— tribes very many who liked better a tyrannical empyre theÌ„ a free state Whlst Pisistratus leuied many for his affaires held himselfe at Marathon y â— Athenians which kept within the city made light of the matter vntil such tyme as hearing him to be dislodged froÌ„ thence to draw towardes y e citye they put themselues in array and went forth to encounter hym Wherfore with might and mayne they valiauntye set forward to mayntayne and defend their liberty agaynst the enemy Likewyse Pisistratus and hys confederates came fiercely agaynst the city till both the armyes met ioyntlye in one fielde where approachinge neere vnto the Temple of Mynerua Pallenis and disposinge all hys Armye in order there came vnto him Amphilytus Acarnen a prophet who being inspired with a deuine motioÌ„ vttered this oracle in verse The bayte is layed the nets are cast The fish inclosde shall play apace VVhen Phoebe from the glistring Skyes In view reueales her golden face Which Pisistratus perceiuing to be a prophecye of hys good successe immediately gaue the â—â—cet and encountered y â— Athenians which were come forth of the city who hauing then newly dyned and beyng partly set to dice partly taken with sleepe welny without resistaunce he put them to flight and wanne the field Neuertheles in the pursuite he found out a way how nether the Athenians might be spoyled in such sort neyther yet ioyne themselues and come togeather agayne to his further trouble Wherefore hauing caused certayne of his seruauntes to mount on horsebacke he sent them spedely after the people to bid theÌ„ bee of good courage and euery one to depart to his own house Whervnto the willingly obaying Pisistratus raygned the thyrd tyme in Athens establishing fortifyiÌ„g the tyranny as wel by supply of forrayne power as by reuenues of hys money which he leuyed partly from his owne countrey men and in part also from the riuer Strymon In like manner the children of those men that yeelded not the fyrst but bare the brunt of the battell he toke in hostage and sent them ouer to Napos which Isle after he had conquered brought in subiection he committed the gouernment administratioÌ„ therof to Lygdanus hauing heretofore also halowed purged the Isle Delos according to the oracle which hee clensed in this sort Out of all those places that weare with in the view and prospect of the temple he caused the corses and deade Bodyes to be digged vp and buryed in another place of the Island In this wise some if the Athenians beyng slayne in battayle other fled away togeather with the houshold and family of Megacles Pisistratus obtained y t seat roial whom Craesus vnderstode at the same tyme to beare rule in Athens He heard moreouer that the Lacedaemonians hauing escaped a scowring were triumphant conquerous ouer y â— Tegeates For in the raygne of Leon and Hegesicles princes of Sparta the Lacedaemonians hauing right good euent in al their enterprises and affaires were commonly repulsed and fayled by the Tegeates The selfe same before tyme were the most disordered and lawlesse people of the Graetians vsing no coÌ„munity or felowship eyther betwene themselues or with straungers Notwithstanding they were reduced to a more orderlye kynd of gouernment by Lycurgus a maÌ„ of approued virtue amongest the people of Sparta Who comming to the oracle at Delphos and being entered into the teÌ„ple Pithya saluted him in these termes VVelcome vnto my pallace noble knight Beloued of Ioue and those that rule aboue For God or man to blase thee out aright In doubtful waues my wandering mynd dothmoue Yet to the first by force I do enclyne And deme thy state not earthly but diuyne Some are of opinion y t the lawes and statutes which are now in force with the Lacedaemonians were vttered told him by Pythia Howbeit themselues affyrme that Lycurgus beyng both tutor and vucle to young Leobotuâ— Kynge of the Spartans brought these ordinances
of this history shalbee declared Craesus therefore moued with displeasure requyred of the Oracle whether he might proclaime war agaynst Persia hauing receiued a double deceitful answere deeming it to make w t him went out w t his army to assaile fight against a certain part of the PersiaÌ„ dominioÌ„ And approching neare to the Riuer Halis as I iudge hee trailed and convewed ouer his armye by brigges built vppon the water but as some of the Graecians affyrme hee passed the ryuer by the means of Thales Milesiê° who deuised another way For Craesus standiÌ„g at a bay vncertayn what way to passe the water for asmuch as the brygges which are now made for passage as then were none at al Thales Milesius being then in the campe inuented a meanes to chauÌ„ge the course of the water and cause the ryuer that ranne on the righte side of the army to flow on left Hee made therefore to bee dygged a mighty deepe trench or dytch begynninge aboue the tentes and procedinge in compas lyke a Mone on the backside of the host whereinto the water hauing issue froÌ„ the proper chanel became so low and fleet that the ryuer on both partes was passable easy to be waded Some holde opinion that the olde course of the riuer was hereby wholly altered and became drye from whom I dissent For by what meanes the regresse of Craesus into Lydia could the armye haue retyred ouer Craesus hauing recouered the other syde of Halis came into a part of Cappadocia named Pteria safely situated and neere adioyning to the city Synopis that lyeth to the sea Euxinum where hauing encamped his whole power hee spoyled and foraged the mannours and ferme places of the Syrians subduinge also and sacking the city Pteria More ouer he vanquished many other cityes rouÌ„d about casting out the Syrians that neuer offended hym wherof Cyrus hauinge aduertisement gatheryng an armye of the myddle part of hys countrey came out to meete him notwithstanding first he sollicited the Iones to reuolt from Craesus which they refusing hee marched on forward and encamped agaynst the Lydians Where the Armyes beyng in viewe the one Armye to the other and hauinge geuen signes of defyaunce they ioyned in force and cruell battayle wherein many beynge slayne on eyther syde and Nyght drawyng very nere they blew the retrayte the victory remayning on neyther part But Craesus laying for his excuse the small number of his men as farre exceeded by Cyrus in multitude of Souldiours the next day following the Persians abstaining from battayle he moued his campe and repayred backe to Sardis in mynd to summon and call out the Aegiptians according to couenaunt with whose king Amasis he had concluded a league before euer he attempted the Lacedaemonians purposing besides to challenge the helpe of the Babilonians promised and auowed to him by league and composition Not forgetting also to clayme the assistaunce of the Lacedaemonians appoynting them a day to bee present at Sardis that hauing made a generall assembly of all his power and taken his ease that winter he might ymmediatlye at the beginninge of the next springe lay charge to the kingdome of Persia by a new and fresh assault Whilst hee leueled at this mark he sent abroad heroldes to his league fellowes and friendes with earnest requeste that the fifte moneth after they would come togeather and mete at Sardis Lyke wyse the souldiers stipendary which hee hyred and conducted to ayde him agaynst the Persians he disseuered and sent away nothing doubtinge least Cyrus with whom so short tyme before he had fought euen hand with out disuantage should aduenture to come nere approche to Sardis In this sort reasoning the case and debating with himselfe yt fortuned that all the suburbes places conterminate to the city were filled with aboundance of Snakes and Adders which the horse leauing their pasture foode swallowed greedily and in moustruous sort eate vp and deuoured Which Craesus adiudging as it was to be a tokeÌ„ on premonstration of some 〈…〉 to come sente to the Southsayers 〈…〉 The messengers y â— went were 〈…〉 y â— sence and signification of 〈…〉 they neuer brought newes therof to Craesus who before their returne to Sardis was taken captyne The wyse men Telmisses declared vnto them y â— Craesus should be set vppon with a forrayne army which shoulde vanquish and subdue the towne borne and natural people of the countrey alleaging that y â— snake was the child of the earth properly bred and ingen dred of the grouÌ„d but the horse an enemy and a forrainer This meanyng and exposition the Telmisses sent backe agayne to Craesus but now captiue altogeather ignorant of these thinges which befell vnto hym and also to hys Citye Sardis Cyrus a certayned of the determination of Craesus that presently after the conflict at Pteria hee was in purpose to disperse scatter his army thought it expedient in al hast possible to remoue hys host to Sardis to intercept and preuent his ennemy or euer he could assemble the Lydians agayne which aduise he altogeather allowed put in practise and spedely arryuing into Lydia with his power was hymselfe a messenger unto Craesus of his comming Craesus cast into a greate pensiuenes and anguish of mynd to se himselfe so farre deceiued of his accompt notwithstanding put the Lydians in array to battayle At that tyme there was no nation in the worlde neyther in value might neyther in haughty courage magnanimity equall and comparable to the Lydians who commonly warred on horseback as most expert nymble in ryding weaponed with speares of a meruailous length The field wherin the fight was committed lyeth before the citye Sardis through the which both other ryuers haue a pleasaunt and delyghtsome course and chieflye the famous ryuer Hellus flowynge into the mayne streame called Hermus which taking hys yssue and first head from the sacred Mountayne of the holye mother Dyndimena ys caryed wholly into the Sea not farre from the City Phocyas In this field Cyrus beholding the Lydians prepared to the battayle and greatly dreading the prowesse and puissaunce of theyr horsemen determined by the counsayle of Harpagus the Mede to put in execution this straunge deuise hauing gathered together all the Camelles that folowed the Army and disburdened them of theyr loades of corne and vessels wherewith they wer charged he caused certain meÌ„ to sit on them apparelled in a robe accustomably worne of of the Persian Horsemen Whome in this sorte attyred hee gaue in charge to march in the forefronte of the battayle aagaynst the horsemen of the Lydians After these incontynently followed the footemen and in the laste ranke were placed the horsemen into whych order and aray hauing directed and contryued his Armie he straightly commauÌ„ded them to spare none of the Lydians but whomesoeuer they found to make resistaunce him to dispatch and slay presently Craesus onely excepted towards whome he warned
The Persians therfore inrowling and wrapping y t dead body in waxe they afterwardes interrupt and lay it in the graue The Magi do much dissent and differ from other men beyng also vnlyke and diuerse in their customes from the priestes of Aegipt For the Aegyptian Priestes refuse to defyle and pollute themselues with the slaughter of any creature sauing of those which they sacrifyce to the Gods But y t Persian Magi are not squemish or dainty to imbrew their haÌ„ds in the bâ—â—â—d of any liuing thing what soeuer onely excepted a man or a dogge esteeming it in maner of a conquest to be noted for a common kyller and destroyer of Ants Serpentes byrdes wormes and such lyke wherin they greatly glory Sufficeth it now of the Persian fashions and order of liuing to haue spoken hetherto eftsones making recourse to that from the which we haue somwhat digressed The people of Ionia Aeolia hearyng y â— Lydians with so smal endeuour and welny without blowes to be conquered by the Persians put in ambassage to Cyrus certayne of the chiefe peares of either couÌ„trey offring to staÌ„d at y â— same coÌ„ditioÌ„s to hym as they did before tyme to Craesus To whose suite humble petition Cyrus made answeare by this similitude or apology A certayn fisher quoth he beholding in the sea great plenty of fyshe began to play very pleasuÌ„tly on his pype suâ—yosing y â— at the sweete sound of his harmony y â— â—ish would haue leaped out to the land but frustrate of his hope in a great heathe cast his nets into y â— sea iuclusâ—g a geate number drew to shore where seyng them leape and play vpon the dry ground Nay now quoth he you dauÌ„ce to late seyng y t when I pyped before you refused to come Which speech he vsed for that hauing before tyme disdayned his gentle offer beyng sollicited by him to reuolt from Craesus to the Persians Now when they sawe the worlde chaunged the euent of thinges not answearable to their expectation they made offer of their seruice and signifyed themselues ready prest to do hys commaundements wherfore moued with displeasure agaynst them with this briefe answeare he sent theÌ„ away The people of Ionia hearyng this repayred euery one to their owne cityes to fortify and make strong their walles Hauinge before by a generall counsayle or Synode assembled themselues in Panionium where they all mett sauing the Milesians whom Cyrus receyued into fauour vnder the same condition as he had taken the Lydians to the rest of the Ionians it seemed best by common consent to send legates into Sparta aswel to certify the Lacedaemonians of their present estate as to craue implore their assistance The people of Ionia vnto whoÌ„ the temple of Panionium doth belong haue their places of residence and abode so pleasaunt and delectable that what for the excellent temperature and myldnesse of the ayre and deuyne benefyte and commodity of the mountaynes there is no people in all Greece comparable vnto them For neither the hygher region nor the lower nether y e East coÌ„meth nor y e west approacheth any thing nere to y e excellency therof y e one beyng for y e most part very coulde or to much ouergone w t water y e other that is to say y e higher coast burnt vp pestered w t heat and dust The laÌ„guage vsed in Ionia is not all one but reduced and brought to 4 sundry propertyes formes of speech Myletus y e chiefe city amongs theÌ„ bounding to the south after y t Myrus Pryene situated in Caria vse all one tosig But y e cities in Lydia to witt Ephesus ColophoÌ„ Lebedus Teos Clazomenae Phocaea albeit they agree not in speach w t the places forenamed yet betweene themselues they speake alike The residue which are three two are Isles Samus Chios one in the mayne called Erythrae doe differ much in phrase and manner of wordes Chios Erithrae iumping in one the other which is Samus challenging vnto it selfe a diuerse strauÌ„ge form of language from the rest wherbyit is euident that theyr speach is qualifyed by 4 sundrye differences Of these people were the MILESIANS who vnder coloure and pretence of feare came to league and couenant with Cyrus As for those cityes that were incompassed by the sea they had lesse cause to feare more to liue in greater security then the rest Both for y t the Phaenecians were not yet tributory to the seat of Persia and the Persians theÌ„selues were vnaccustomed to sea battels vsed no shippes The same for no other cause then that they knew the Graecians to be weake and mightles and of all the rest the Ionians to be of least power and smallest valure withdrew alienated themselues from the other cityes in Ionia Foras much as setting Athens aside there was noe citye of principal fame in all that toast So y t both other regions there inhabitaunt and also the Athenians flatly renounced to bee called Ionians many of them beynge ashamed of the name wheras coÌ„trariwysethe 12 cities are not alitle proud therof greatly vaunting themselues vnder the tytle of Ionians wherefore hauinge once called them selues Paninoi they built also atemple intytling it after their owne name Panionium decreeyng and consenting neuer to admitte any other to the society and felowship of the same Neyther was ther any very desyrous to be made pertakers therof sauing the Smyrneans The lyke thing happened to the Dorienses that inhabite Pentapolis which before was called Heya polis who by the generall decree and ordinaunce of the rest arenot suffred to inioy the libertyes of the palaice Triopium Excluding therfore certayne of theire owne natyue people For the violation and breach of a law or priuilege belongiÌ„g to the temple For in the games of Appollo Triopius certayne three footed stooles beynge appoynted for hym that wan the price which neuertheles it was not lawful to cary out of the temple but in the same place to make dedication therof to the god one Agasicles of Halicarnassus attayning the victorye strayned cursye with the law and taking away the stole with him caryed it home to his owne howse For which deed y e 5 other cityes Lyndus Ialissus Cameirus Cos and Cindus sequestred Halicarnassus beyng the sixt from the right and freedome of the temple leuiyng a mucle or peine vppon the whole citye for the bold enterprise of their valerous champyon Agasicles howbeit the Ionians seeme vppon good ground and iust consideratioÌ„ to haue parted their countrey into 12 cityes refusing to amplify and augment the number beyng iust so maney partes of Peloponnesus wherin that tyme they dwelt euen as now also the Acheans who draue and expelled the Iones out of theyr proper seat are iustlye deuyded into so many partes The first and principall whrerof is named Pallena after whiche are recounted Aegyrae and Aagae perpetually washed and moystned with the pleasaunt streame of the riuer Crathis
which is also called Italicus In the next place are reputed the cityes Bura and Helice whether y e Ionians discomfited in battayle by the Achoeans fledde for succoure next vnto Helice are these Aegion with the people called Rhypes also the Patrenses Pharenses and the city Olenus by the which scowreth the swift and maine riuer Pyrus Last of al Dyma and the Trytaeenses that dwell in the middle tracte of the region These are the 12 seuerall and distinct parcels of Achaea which afore tyme were held and possessed by the Ionians who for the same cause onlye and none other kept the number of twelue Cityes without desyre to multiplye or increase the same Whom precipuallye notwithstandinge and aboue others to call Ionians yt were great madnes since the people Abantes also are of the proper lineage and naturall stocke of Ionia which neuertheles haue estranged themselues from the name of Iones Lykewyse the Minyans intermedled and mingled with the Orchomenians the Cadmaeans Dryopians Phocenses Molossians Arcadyans Pelasgians Dores Epidaurians many other nations confused and ioyned one with another Of which number they that went out of the court or castell of Athens named Prytanêum and reputed themselues the noblest and most principal of the Iones at what tyme being singled from the whole multitude of the Athenians they went to dwel in an other prouince had with them no wiues of their owne in steed whereof they vsed certayne women of Caria whose parentes they had before tyme slayne By reason of which slaughter y e dames of Caria toke a solemne vow which they likewyse caused their daughters diligeÌ„tly to obserue neuer to sit at meate with theyr husbandes nor cal them by their own names For that hauing cruelly murthered their fathers their first husbandes their sonnes they had also haled theÌ„ poore widowes much agaynst their willes to their vnchast and fylthy couches All which thinges were done at the city Miletus in Ionia Furthermore the kinges of Ionia and such as weare aduaunced to the sumpreme regiment of the countreye were partly of Lysia comen of the lyne of Glaucus sonne of Hippolochus and partly selected and chosen out of the Citye Pylus drawing theyr progeny from Codrus sonne of Melanthus Notwithstanding the name and tytle of the Ionians they most willingly holde and embrace of whom wee spake before and in very deede are naturally so how beit not they onely but all the rest which comming of the Athenians kepe and solemnize the festiuall dayes called Apaturia are subiect to the selfe same name Which custome of celebration is vniuersally held and obserued of all besydes the Ephesians and Colophonians who by means of a murder committed are prohibited and restrayned therefro Now it is meete we know that Panyonium is a certayne holy and religious place in Mycale inclyninge to y â— North dedicated by the whole countrey of Ionia to Neptune syrnamed Heliconius Mycale is a promontory or high place lyinge in the firme lande towardes the sea the waâ—e syde wherof pertayneth to the ysâ—e Samus To this mountayne the people called Iones assemble and gather togeather to perfourme the ceremonies of immolation and sacrifyce which they call by the name of the place Panionia It is to be noted also not onely in the solemnity of Ionia but in the feastes religious dayes of al the Graetians how like vnto the name of the Persians they end all in a letter We haue heard then of the cityes of Ionia what how many in number they are it followeth that wee speake of those that are in Aeolia which are these Cumae which is also called Phryconis Larissae Newalle Teuus Cylla Notium Aegyroessa Aegaea Myrina Crynia And these eleueÌ„ were the auncient cityes of Aeolia Hereunto was added in in tyme past Smyrna a city belonging to this regioÌ„ which now hangeth as it were betwene the Ionians and Aeolians and is reckned for part of neit her Otherwyse as we see both the nations had bene equall in the number of cityes All the townes of Aeolia are spred in the mayne in power and dominion going beyond the Iones but in the temperate calmnesse of the ayre comming farre behynde them The occasion meanes wherby they lost Smyrna was this Hauing entertained the Colophonians dryuen from their couÌ„trey by ciuil tumult and sedition the people of Ionia bearyng grudge and malice towardes them lay in diligente wayght to surpryse and take their city Which thinge they did at such tyme as the Smyrneans were busied in the solemnising of Bacchus festiuall which they vsually kept w tout the city The Iones therfore when euerye one went out stale priuely into the city and shuttinge the gates held possession by vyolence Which thinge beyng knowen and spedy helpe yelded from al partes of Aeolia they fel to condition y â— restoring to the Smyrneans all their necessaryes and mouable goods yt shoulde bee lawful for them to hold the city in peace wherunto the contrary part hauing geuen theire consent it was agreed by the eleuen cityes of Aeolia to deuyde the rest betwene theÌ„ eueryone making choyse of their owne citizens Such therfore and so many in number are y â— cityes of the maine excepting those that inhabite Ida which are not referred to the former accompt This also Lesbos is impeopled with fyue sea Cityes planted in ylandes hauing once also possessed the sixte called Arisba with the Methymneans seduced and withdrew from the rest as alied to themselues in kyndred and lyneage There was also a citye founded in Tenedos and an other in the place called the hundred Iles. Now the people of Lesbos and Tenedos with the rest of the Graecians inuyroned by the sea had no cause to bee dismayed or troubled But the other cityes of the land determined to take such part as the Iones did and to follow them Wherefore the ambassadours of both nations in short space landing at Sparta they chose one Pythermus a Phocaean to be the mouth of y t rest and to reueale their suite to the Lacedaemonians who at y t fame of the ambassadours arryuall flockinge together in greate heapes Pythermus stoode forth in many wordes moued the Lacaedemonians to imploy their ayd assistance to succour the rest but they geuing litle eare to his talke w t out purpose to moue one foote in the behalfe of Ionia sente them away Pythermus and his company in this wise repulsed made speedy returne to Ionia Howbeit the Lacedaemonians desyrous to vnderstand the successe of Cyrus and the Graecians sent forth a bragandyne or shippe of espyall to prye and listen how all thinges wente Who beyng sodaynlye driuen to shore at Phocae a spyed one Lacrines the stoutest champyon in the rout of Sardis wher king Cyrus made his abode to geue hym to witt from the Lacaedemonians that he should not endamage or abuse the Grecians any way vnder payne of theyr heauye wrath and displeasure Cyrus hearyng the bold message of Lacrines demaunded
beseeching vs to saue assist him froÌ„ the vyolent cruel hands of his spyteful enraged enemies we albeit dreading the might power of y e Persians yet haue not deliuered him vntil we vnderstoode of thy diuine wisedome what pertained to vs to doe in so doubtful a case Hauing ended his speach he receaued y e like answere as before y e Pactyas was to be yelded into y e hands of the PersiaÌ„s wher w t all Aristodicus being angry of set purpose wrought this fact As he walked about y e temple certain youÌ„g sparrowes other birds y t built there he toke out of their nests sodaynly a voice was hard out of the inner part of y e temple saying thou wicked malicious wretch what makes thee in this sort to spoile y e nests of my innoceÌ„t suppliantes wherunto Aristodicus answeryng o king quoth hee dost thou so greatly fauour and regard those that flye vnto thee for succour and yet biddest the Cumaeans to delyuer Pacty as into the handes of hys enemyes To which the God replying Truly sayd he I bid you all goe to the deuil and neuer hereafter to sollicite this oracle about the restoring of your suppliantes The Cumaeans certifyed of this last answeare determined nether to giue vp Pactyas to be slayn of the Persians nor yet by keeping him stil to bring Cyrus to the subersion and ruine of their citye Wherefore they sent him secretly away to Mytelaeane But Mazares in lyke sort making challenge of him from thence the Mitylinaeans couenaunted vppon a certayne pryce to surrender hym Which notwithstanding I dare not auouch and verifie for that the matter came not to full issue and perfection The people of Cumae vnderstaÌ„dyng in what distresse Pacctyas was at Mytilaene sent a barke to Lesbos where hee went a borde and was spedely landed at Chyus where hauing taken sanctuary in the gardian temple of Minerua he was neuertheles haled out violently by the Chians geueÌ„ to his ennemyes The Peraeans gaue in reward to the citye Chius a certayne field of Mysia named Aetarnaeus right ouer agaynst Lesbos By this meanes was Pactyas in warre with the Persians when oportunity serued to be geuen into the handes of Cyrus Neuerthelesse of the fruites and increase of Atarnaeus for a longe tyme after the people of Chius neyther made any barly cakes to offer to the gods nor wrought any paast of y e meale thereof for iunkets banquetting dishes And in briefe what soeuer the ground yeelded they flatly abolished from the seruice and worship of the gods Pactyas beyng betrayed by the Chians Mazares without further delay lead his army agaynst those that had ministred ayde to hym in gettyng the city and conqueringe the Pryenses he began to wast and depopulate the fieldes of Maeander geuing the whole pray and booty to his souldiours Which done in semblable manner he gaue the onset to Magnesia and lastly attached with extremitye of sicknes finished hys lyfe In whose steed Harpagus who was also a Mede guyded the army This was hee whom king Astiages intertayned with a banket of his sonnes flesh and by whose meanes Cyrus before tyme aspyred to the estate royall To hym the chiefe gouernment of the army was nextly committed who comming into Ionia intrenched many cityes and tooke them For hauing first of all compelled theÌ„ to vse the refuge and defence of their walles he raysed bulwarkes agaynst their townes and with small force caused them to yeelde In which manner he wanne Phocaea the chiefe city of the Iones the people whereof first of all the GreciaÌ„s wanâ—ered on y e sea in long and ample voyages fynding out and discrying both the countreyes themselues Adria Tyrrhenia Iberia Tartessus and the nerest cuâ—â— also and rediest way of nauigation to the same At which tyme they had in vse no beaked or snowâ—ed shippes armed with a pyke or stemme of iron but smaller and lighter vessels driuen with ê oeres apâ—ece These at their first arryual to Tartessus were very welcome to y e king whose name was Arganthonius and by whom the kingdome had bene gouerned 80 yeares liuing by the space of 120. Who made so passyng much of the Phocaeans and shewed them so curteous intertaynment that he left it in their power to chose any part of his kingdome to inhabite wherevnto not able to allure them by any perswations and hearyng by them how the power of Harpagus dayly increased hee gaue them an infinite summe of moneye to inuyron and compasse about their citye with a wall The circuit of their wall beyng no small number of furlongs in scope and compasse framed compacted of greate and huge stones layd togeather w t singuler cunning by this meanes was y e wall of the Phocaeans builded Agaynst whoÌ„ Harpagus incaÌ„ping his power gaue fierse mightye assault to the city giuing them vnderstanding withall that it should suffyce and content him if they would throw downe but one fortres or gardure of their wall for himself to build an house on But the Phocaeans abhorryng nothing more then seruitude losse of liberty required of him one dayes deliberation in the cause and for that whyle to reclayme his armye from the walles Harpagus albeit as he sayd hee verye well knewe what they meant to do neuerthelesse graunted them space to breath and bethinke themselues The army goyng from the city forth with the people of Phocaea with their wiues and children and all their substaunce tooke sea in shippinge besides all the ymages of theyr temples and gyftes offered to the gods sauing those that were of iron or stone or onely paynted and wrought in colours Which done with al their caryage they sayled into Chius Phocaea left desolate without any liuig creature in it was y e next day takeÌ„ by the Persians The people wher of hauing cheapened of y e Chyans y e Iles Oenusiae who refused to sel them fearing least y e mart and custome of marchandize shoulde bee translated from their owne Ile thither departed thence into Cyrnus Where twenty yeares before lead by a certayne prophecye they had founded a city named Aetalia Whyle these things were doyng Argathonius the Tarcesian kyng dyed But y e Phocaeans holdyng their course toward Cyrnus turned out of the waye and came to their old citye where they sâ—ue the garison and power of the Persians planted there by Harpagus for the possession and custody of the Citye Cursinge banning those with most blasphemous and execrable speaches which should seeke to leaue theyr companye and turne behynd Wherewithall taking a fiery wedge of hoat iron they cast it into the sea deepely vowing neuer to returne to their city Phocaea before the iron rysinge from the bottome of the water should â—â—ote aloft and swimme one the toppe Howbeit launchinge towardes Corsica the halfe part of the rowt were moued with a great longing and desire of their countrey and the maners and customes therof insomuch that
many of them without regard of their oth returned backe to Phocaea Others lead with a greater care of theyr late â—ow leauing the Iles Onusae went strayght to Cyrnus Where beyng come on shore for terme of 5 years they ioyned felowship with other their countreymen which before tyme were shed from the city to inhabite that place making ordinaunce and appoyntment of diume seruice and honoure to the Gods Neuerthelesse beyng accustomed in manner of enimyes by open pillage to spoyle and destroy the fields of their neighbours round about the TyrrheniaÌ„s and Carthaginians determined by common consent to encounter them by power of warre hauing furnished to the same end a fleete or Nauye of threscore shippes The lyke number on the other syde beyng prouyded by the Phocaeans wel stored and replenished with souldiours they set forth to meete the enemy in the sea called Sardonium Where ioyninge in battell the Phocaeans obtayned a victory much lyke vnto that of Cadmus For of threscore vessels fourty beyng sunk and ouerwhelmed in the sea the other twenty were so mangled and torne and the noses and stemmes thereof blunted and beaten backe that they serued afterwards to small vse Retiring therfore to Aetalia they toke theyr wiues and children with the rest of their wealth asmuch as coulde wel lye aborde and remoued from Cyrnus to Rhegium The men wherewith the drowned shippes were filled loke how many escaped the water and came into the handes of their enemies which hapned to many at their coÌ„ming to land wer stoned to death Insuing which murder they cattell people of the Agilleans as manye came into that place where the men of Phocaea were stonned were ether scorched and blased all with lightning or attached with extreame furye madnes For which cause the Agylleans willing to make satisfaction for the offence sent to Delphos where Pythia commaunded them to do all those thinges which they hold and obserue to this houre annuallye perfourminge to the Phocaeans that were stayne the solemne pompe of funerall exequies with a game of wrastling and exercise of the body Such was the euent and successe of those people after they for sooke their countrey soyle Of which rout and companye they which escaped the dynt of battel and cut the Seas to Rhegium planted a city in y e Fielde of Oenotria called Hyêla beyngtherto moued by the aduyse of one Posidoniates a manne very well esteemed and thoughte of in all the lande of Phocaea In this manner did Fortune deale with those that dwelt in Ionia The very lyke thing chaunced to them that held the city Teios whose towne by meanes of a vulwarke cast vp agaynste the walles veynge at a poynte welnye vanquished and ouercome by Harpagus they passed the seas into Thracia fynishinge the citye Abdêra in the same place the fouÌ„dation and grounde whereof was fyrst layed by Temesius Clazom enius How bee it not inioyinge the fruite and due guerdon of his labour hee was driuen thence and expelled by the Thracians Albeit the menne of Teios in the selfe same citye of Abdêra haue hym in honour and reputaâ—ion of halfe a God These people onely of the whole natioÌ„ of Ionia moued with hate and disdayne of bondage left the places where they all were naturallye resyaunte and soughte forrayne and strauÌ„ge countries The rest remayninge except the Milesians tooke heart at grasse and foughte both stoutlye and valtauntlye in the behalfe of their landes and liberty But the fortune of warre proceedynge agaynst them they came into captiuitye And abydinge still in theire owne seates dyd as they were commaunded Onely the Milesias who were in league with Cyrus and the Persias as wee sayd before were quiet and voyde of trouble By this meanes was Ionia the second tyme bereaued spoiled of theire libertye The people of the Iles perceyuinge the mayne land to bee all vnder the dominion and rule of the Persians fearyng the worst yelded themselues to Cyrus to be at his pleasure Now the Ionians albeit in very miserable estate and condition yet osyng their olde haunte and accustomed meetinge at Panionium the fame is that one Bias a Prienian gaue them such counsayle as had they pursued it with diligence they had liued in the most happy and blisseful estate of all the GreciaÌ„s His aduyse was this that the people of Ionia abandoninge their owne howses places of habitation should imbarke themselues to Sardinia and there for their whole multitude to build and erect a city to be helde and inhabited by them al in general which doyng they might cast of the yoke of y e Persians and hauing in their dominion the griatest and most principall of all the Iles might also hold y e chiefe rule dominion ouer all the rest This was y e couÌ„sayl of Byas to y e pore afflicted Iones Not much inferyour to this was the graue aduise and sentence of Thales whereby he prouoked and styrred vp the people before their captiuity to the institution of one generall parliament to be coÌ„monly held at Teios both for that y e city was fixed in the midle part of the region and that the other Cityes rounde aboute mighte neurrthelesse bee reckened as tribes appertineÌ„t therto This was y e holesom doctrine wyse couÌ„sayl geuen by these 2 learned sages to y e people of Ionia Harpagus after his tryumph ouer Ionia directed hys power agaynst the Caryans Caunians and Lysians leading with him the Iones and Aeoles Of which number the Carians forsoke the Iles to come dwell in the mayne For in auncient tyme they were vnder the authority and gouernement of Minos bearyng the name of Lelages at what tyme also they were resident in the Ilandes w tout rent or pension of tribute as far as I can learne by y e diligent scrutiny hearsay of times forepast consumed onely they weare leauied at a certayne number of shyppes furnished and prepared with men of armes as often as it semed good to the Prynce Moreouer King Mynos inioying a very large ample Oilion very fortunate in the euent of warre The nation of Caâ—ia was exceedingly aduauÌ„ced aboue the rest in royall fame dignity of whom the Gretians borowed three principall thinges first found out and deuised by them It was their inuestion to weare a Crest or Cope on their Helmets to paynt and set forth their Targets in gallant shewe brauery of colours last of all the steele or handle of the shielde came likewise froÌ„ theÌ„ whereas before they vsed no steeles but hanging them about their neckes and right shoulders with lystes and thonges of leather they moued and guyded them to and fro Along time after the Caryans the Dores also and Iones chaunged the Isles with the mayne or continent and rowsâ—ed theÌ„ there all which things are affirmed of y e Carians by the people of Creta From whom the Caryans themselues doe greatly dissent and swarue in opinion coÌ„stantly auouching how from the beginning and
pleasaunt recreation vntill the case was too plaine that the enemies were within the walles Such therfore were the meanes whereby the City Babylon was first of all taken and surprised by warre As touching the power and value whereof we will shewe many testimonies this one especiall and of manyfest euidency The whole coast which is vnder the gouernance of the great King being leuied at a certayne rent to finde the Prince and his armie I meane besides those reuenewes and pensions which euery moneth in the yeare are duely payde and yeelded to the Crowne at the fourth part of thys rent or subsidie is the region of Babylon rated alone the other eyght partes beéing gathered and contributed out of the whole Countrey of Asia so that the puissance and hability of this region is equiualent and matchable to the third part of Asia The seigniorie also and principality of this part which the Persians call a Satrapy that is a Dutchy or Countey doth in great measure exceede all other prouinces that are vnder the protection of the great King For so much as Tritechmas sonne of Artabazus whome the King made his Lieutenant and principall ouer this Countrey had duely rendered vnto him for tribute euery day in the weeke more then eyght gallons of siluer according to the Persian measure called Artaba which exceedeth by three quarts the measure that is vsed in Attica which they call by the name of Medimnus Moreouer he had a stable of couragious and lusty coursers for the saddle besides those which were purposely kept and managed for the vse of warre to these were added eight hundred stalions or stone horses with sixteene thousand maares which were couered by those horses one stalion being reserued and admitted to the couering of twenty maares Besides all this so great a multitude of dogs or mastifes comming of the kinde and breede of India were belonging to him that four great townes standing in the plaine of Babylon stoode at no other reuenue then to find and maintayne a company of curres All whiche things were peculiar and appertinent to him that was the viceroy or president of Babylon In the countrey of Assyria they haue small store of rayne suche graine as the land yeeldeth beeing euermore watered by the floud not after the maner of Nilus in Aegypt which of his owne accord riseth ouer the bankes and giueth moisture to the fields round about but partly by the labour and haÌ„ds of men partly also by brookes and ditches deriuing the water throughout their ground For through all the region of all Babylon euen as in Aegypt also are drawne many trenches and ditches the greatest whereof is nauigable and caryeth ships bearing to that coast where the sunne is at a stand in winter and reacheth from Euphra-‑ reacheth from Euphrates to the floud Tigris neere vnto the which was planted and situated the city Ninus This soyle for corne and all kinde of grayne is the most battle and plentifull of all others being very barren and naked of wood wherein especially the figge tree vine and olyue could neuer prosper or come to any proofe but for seede and tillage so fruitefull and aboundant that it neuer fayleth to yeeld increase two hundred fold and if the ground be very well taken and the yeare fauourable it multiplieth to three hundreth times as much as was cast into the earth The eares of their wheate and barly are more then a handfull broade Likewise y e small seede of Millet or Hirse together with the graiue of India called Sesamum to what exceeding growth and tallnes they arise in this countrey that almost they seeme in manner of mighty trees albeit I assuredly know could iustly affirme yet I will rather keepe silence knowing that those which hath bene already spoken of the greate encrease of their graine are suche that they far surmount aboue the coÌ„mon credit and vsuall course of nature They vse no kinde of oyle but such as is made of the seede Sesamum Palme trees are coÌ„mon with theÌ„ in euery place of the countrey many of the which beare fruite are very fertile Parte of this fruite they turne and employ to foode and sustenaunce making wine and honny of the rest The trees themselues they prune and manure not vnlike theyr figge trees Some of these palmes as they vse also to do in other the Graecians call male trees the fruite wherof they eate not but only bind it to the fruite of the female trees whereof breedeth a small woorme or flye which with her sharpe and forcked nebbe biteth through the fruite of the female palme whereby it commeth to ripenesse and maturity being otherwise wont to drop off and decay before it arriue to full growth and perfection For of the fruite of the male palme is bred and produced this little worme such as come also of a wilde figge tree Let vs now proceede vnto that which next after the city it selfe is in my fancy the straungest mirrour and wonder of the whole region The vessels wherein they are accustomed to passe downe y e streame to Babylon are made circlewise and of round compasse drawne ouer on the outside and couered with leather for the people of Armenia whose countrey lyes aboue the Assyrians hauing hewed smoothed out of willow certaine round vessels very hollow and deepe they cast ouer a paast or couering of leather applying them both to the vse of houshold affayres to contemne licour in such like and also to rowe in and passe the water They haue neither head nor tayle that a man may poynt at with his finger there to be the nose and forepart of the shippe and heere the hinder part or sterne but are contriued into a circulare forme like a buckler or target The bottome of these vessels they matte and fence with strawe or rushes wherevpon laying their chaffer and merchandise they commit themselues to the water Theyr chiefest cariage is small roundlets or firkins of wyne makyng the caske it selfe of the leaues of palme The vessels are gouerned by two seuerall rothers at the which two men continually stande and are attendaunt the one whereof drawes the sterâ—e towardes hym into the shippe the other thrusteth from hym outwarde These kynde of shippes are maruaylous greate and very capable albeit some of them be of smaler making then other The greater sort are of power to carry the waight of fyue thousand talentes In euery of which there is one liue Asse at the least and in the bigger three or foure Beeyng landed at Babylon and hauyng made theyr marte of suche thynges as they broughte they sell also the woodde of theyr Shyppes wyth the strawe rushes and suche lyke loadyng backe theyr Asses with the skinnes which they driue home before them into Armenia forsomuch as to saile vpwards against the course of the riuer it is not possible for them by reason of the swiftnesse and violence of the strcame which is the cause also that they make
by sea were vsed eyther by them into Graece or by the Graecians into Aegypt which I suppose and thinke to haue bene It is therefore most sounding and agreeable to truth that if any thing had bene borrowed by them the name of Neptune rather then Hercules had crept into their manners and religion Besides this the god head and name also of Hercules is of greate coutinuance and antiquity in Aegypt insomuch that by their saying 17000. yeares are passed since the raigne of King Amasis in tyme of whose gouernaunce the number of the gods was increased from eight to twelue whereof Hercules was then one Heere in not contented with a slippery knowledge but mooued with desire to learne the truth I came in question with many aboute the same cause tooke shipping also to Tyrus a city of Phoenicia where I had heard say that the temple of Hercules was founded Being landed at Tyrus I beheld the pallace beautified and adorned with gifts of inestimable price and amongst these two crosses one of tried molten gold another framed of the precious gemme Smaragdus whiche in the night season sent foorth very bright shining beames forthwith falling into parle with the chapâ—â—ines priests of y e temple I demaunded them during what space the chappell had stoode and how long since it was built whose talke and discourse in nothing agreed with the Graecians affirming that the temple tooke his beginning with the city from the first foundation groundley whereof two thousand and three hundred yeares are exspired I saw also in Tyrus another temple vowed to Hercules sumamed Thesius In like sort I made a iorney to Thasus where I light vpon a chappell erected by the Phaenicians who enterprising a voyage by sea to the knowledge and discouery of Europe built and founded Thasus fiue mens ages before the name of Hercules was knowne in Greece These testimonies doplainely prooue that Hercules is an auncient god and of loÌ„g durance For whiche cause amongst all the people of Greece they seeme to haue taken the best course that honour Hercules by two sundry temples to one they shew reuerence as to an immortall god whome they call Hercules Olympius to another as to a chiefe peere and most excellente person amongst men Many other things are noysed by the Graecians albeit very rashly and of slender ground whose fond and vndiscret tale it is that Hercules comming into Aegypt was taken by the Aegyptians and crowned with a garland who were in full mind to haue made him a sacrifice to Iupiter Vnto whose aultare being lead with greate pompe and celerity he remayned very meeke and tractable vntill such time as the priest made an offerto slay him at what time recalling his spirits and laying about him with manfull courage he made a great slaughter of all such as were present stroue against him By which theyr fabulous incredible narration they flatly argue how ignoraunt and vnaquaynted they be with the maners of Aegypt for vnto whome it is not lawfull to make oblation of any brute beast but of swine oxen calues and geese couldethey so farre stray from duty and feare of the gods 〈◊〉 to stayne and blemish their aultars with the bloud of men Agayne Hercules being alone in the hands of so many Aegyptians can it stande wyth any credence or lykelyhoode that of hymselfe he should be able to slay so greate a multitude But let vs leaue these fables and proceede forwarde to the truth Such therefore of thys people as flye the bloudshead and slaughter of goates namely the Mendesians lay for theyr ground that Pan was in the number of the eyght gods which were of greater standing and antiguitie then the twelue The forme and image of the god Pan both the paynters and caâ—uers in Aegypt franie to the same similitude and resemblance as the Graecians haue expressed and set him foorth by making him to haue the head and shankes of a goate not that they thinke him to be so but rather like the other gods Notwithstanding the cause whereby they are mooued to portray and shadow him in such sort is no greate and handsome tale to tell therfore we are willing to omit it by silence sufficeth it that we knowe how as well bucke as dooe goates are no pety saincts in this countrey in somuch that with the Mendesians goateheards are exalted aboue the common sorte and much more set by then any other degree of men of which company some one is alwayes of chiefe estimatioÌ„ at whose death all the quarter of Mendesia is in great sorrow and heauines whereof it commeth that as well the god Pan himselfe as euery male-goate is called in y e Aegyptian speach Mendes In these parts of Aegypt it hapned that a goate of the malekinde in open sight closed with a woman whiche became very famous and memorable throughout all the countrey An hogge is accounted with them an vncleane and defiled beast which if any passing by fortune to touch his next worke is to go washe and dowse himselfe clothes and all in y e riuer for which cause of all their proper and natiue countreymen only such as keepe swine are forbidden to do worship in the temples No man will vouchsafe to weâ— his daughter to a swineheard nor take in marriage any of their discent and issue feamale but they mutually take and yeeld their daughters in mariage betweene themselues Of the number of the gods onely Liber and the Moone are sacrificed vnto with hogges whereof making oblation at the full of the moone for that space also they feede of porke and hogsflesh The reason why the people of Aegypt kill swyne at this time and at all other times boyle in so great despight and hatred against them bycause mine eares glowed to heare it I thought it maners to conceale it Swyne are offered vp to the Moone in this manner the hogge standing before the aultare is first slayne then taking the tip of hys tayle the milt the call the sewet they lay them all together spreading ouer them the leafe or fat that lyeth about the belly of the swine which immediately they cause to burne in a bright flame The flesh remayning they eate at the full of the moone which is the same day whereon the sacrifice is made abhorring at all other times the flesh of swine as the body of a serpent Such as be of poore estate and slender substaunce make the picture image of a hogge in paast or dowe whiche beeing consequently boyled in a vessell they make dedication thereof to their gods Another feast also they keepe solemne to Bacchus in the which towarde supper they sticke a swyne before y e threshold or entry of their dwelling places after which they make restitution thereof to the swinehearde agayne of whom they bought it In all other pointes pertayning to thys feast so like the Graecians as may be sauing that they square
fearing least they should be abused by the inordinate lust of such as dresse them alleadging moreouer that a Saliner sometimes working such abuse vpon y â— dead body of a woman was taken in the maner and his villany discryed by one of his owne company If it fortune any one either of the Aegyptians or of forraine countries to be drowned and cast on shore the City in whose borders he is founde must sustaine the charge of the funeralles which in honorable maner must be executed and the body buried in the sacred and holy Monumentes Being not lawfull for his friends and allies any whit to intermeddle or touch the dead but the Preists assigned to the worship of the ryuer Nylus intoumbe and bury him so nicely and solemnly as if it were the body of a god The customes of Greece they will in no wise follow vtterly estraunging themselues from all orders borowed and deryued from other Nations Albeit Chemmis a great City in the Prouince of Thebs not farre from the City Nëa wherein standeth the Temple of Perseus senne of Danäe builte fouresquare and incompassed rounde aboute wyth a Springe or Groue of Date trees hauing also a large entry of stone on each side whereof are placed two Images of passing greatnesse within the pallace is contayned y e carued monument of Perseus whom the Chemmyts auouch often times to appeare vnto them out of the earth and not seldome in the church at which time they stude his supper which he was woâ—â—s to weare two cubytes in length affyrminge that at such times as that is seene the yeare proueth very fertile and prosperous throughe out all Aegypt This towne I say hath ordayned certayne games of exerâ—ise in the honour of Perseus after the maner of Greece These being dmaunded of mee why Perseus should appeare to them alone and for what cause in the celebration of their games they dissented from the rest of y e Aegyptians they made answere that Perseus was issued of theyr city adding moreouer that Danaeus and Lynaeus were also CheÌ„mmyts and sayled into Greece in blasing whose Pedagree they came at leÌ„gth to Perseus who comming into Aegypt for the selfe same cause as the Grecians testify namely to fetch the heade of Gorgon out of Africk came also to them and called to remembraunce his kinred and linage of whom hauing taken acquayntaunce and hearing his mother to speake of the name of Chem he instituted a game of all exercises which according to his appointment and first ordinaunce they obserue till this day These are the maners of those that lye aboue the Fennes such as dwell in the Maryses differ not from the rest neither in other things nor in estate of mariage euery one inioying the priuate fellowship of his owne wyfe in semblable maner to the Grecians Notwithstanding for the easie prouision of their foode and sustenaunce other thinges haue bene soughte out and deinied by them For in time of the floude when the ryuer ouergoeth the countrey there arise in the water great plenty of syllyes which the people of Aegypt call Lotos These they reape and dry them in the Sunne The seede whereof growing in the middest of the flower somewhat like vnto Popy seede they boyle after which they kneade it into cakes bake it for breade The roote of this is very rothsome pleasant good to eate being of forme very rounde in bignesse like an aple There is also another kinde of lyllyes much like to roses which in like maner haue their growth in the water from whose roote springs a bud vnlike to the former bearing fruite in maner likenesse of an hony Combe herein are contayned certayne smale kernells resembling the stone of an Olyue not vnfit for sustenance and coÌ„monly eaten of the Aegyptians aswell fresh as wythered The selfe same people when the season of the yeare serueth are busily conuersant in gathering a kinde of Rush called Byblâ—s the top whereof they crop turne it into vse of foode the residue being much about one cubyte in length they partly eate partly sell Such as be desirous to make fine and delicate meate of this Rush vse to cast it into an Ouen broyle it some there be that lyue only by fish which hauing taken they incontinently draw them parch them in the Sunne like stockfish and being well dryed they eate them The coÌ„mon sorte of fish vsed among them breede not in y e ryuer but in pooles being of this nature Toward the time of spawning they leaue the fennes make repayre generally to y e sea the male fishes in maner of captaines leading the ranke These male fishe as they passe still onwarde shed theyr seede by the way which their femals following after immediatly deuour and thereof shortly after breede theyr spawnes Now at the pointe of breede the femals forsaking y e salt waters stower backe agayne to the maryses to their accustomed haunte leadinge the males that follow after them and in swiming backe agayne they voide spawne being very smale cornes like the graynes of mustard seede which lightinge vpon the male fishe in the tayle of the rancke are swallowed vp and deuoured by them Not one of these litle graynes but will grow to a fishe as well may bee seene by those that escape the males and are vndeuoured which being nourished by the waters growe to smale Frye Such of these fishes as are taken swimminge to the sea are founde to haue the left side of theyr heads very much worne and gauled and in comming from the sea the right side the cause being this that both in going and comming they continually grate agaynst the shore and bancks of the ryuer as a direction to them in passinge to and fro least that â—loting in the middest of the streame they chaunce to stray and wander out of the right course At such time as the ryuer Nilus beginneth to swell all the lowe places in the couÌ„trey and Ponds neere adioyning to the ryuer doe likewise increase being then to bee seene great store of younge Fry in euery litle puddle whereof these should breede this seemeth to be a probable cause That the yeare before at the fall and decrease of the water the fish which together with the ryuer departe them selues leaue behinde them their spawne in the mudde which at the rysing of the nexte floude being eftsones moystned by the waters recouer vertue and growe to bee fish As touchinge which thinges let it seeme sufficient thus much to haue spoken The Aegyptians that keepe in the fenne countrey vse a certaine oyle made of a tree which the Apothecaryes call Palmachri These trees that springe naturally in Greece the Aegyptians accustome to plant and set by the banckes of Pooles and ryuers which is the cause that they beare fruite but very strong and rancke of sauoure The fruite being gathered some of them bruise it against the fyre other some frie it in a pan
being compassed about with dry matter was suddaynely by the treachery of his brother set on fire which he perceiuing toke counsayle with his wife then present how to escape and auoyde the daunger The woman either of a readier wit or riper cruelty aduised him to cast two of his sixe children into the fire to make way for him selfe and the rest to passe time not suffering him to make any long stay he put his wyues counsayle in speedy practise made a bridge through the fire of two of his children to preserue the rest aliue Sesostris in this sorte deliuered frō the cruell treason and malicious deuise of his brother first of all tooke reuenge of his trecherous villany and diuelish intent in the next place bethinking himselfe in what affayres to bestowe the multitude which he had brought with him whome afterwards he diuersly employed for by these captiues were certayne huge and monstrous stones rolled and drawne to the temple of Vulcane Likewise many trenches cut out and deriued from the riuer into most places of the countrey whereby the land being aforetime passable by cart horse was thencefoorth bereaued of that commodity for in all the time ensuing the countrey of Aegypt being for the most parte playne and equall is through the creekes and windings of the ditches brought to that passe that neyther horsse nor wayne can haue any course or passage from one place to another Howbeit Sesostris inuented this for the greater benefite and commodity of the lande to the ende that such townes and cities as were farre remooued from the riuer might not at the fall of the floud be pinched with the penury and want of water which at all times they haue deriued and brought to them in trenches The same King made an equall distribution of the whole countrey to all his subiects allotting to euery man the lyke portion and quantitie of ground drawne out and limited by a fouresquare fourme Heereof the King himselfe helde yeerely reuenewes euery one being rated at a certayne rent and pension which annually he payd to the crowne and if at the rising of the floud it fortuned any mans portion to be ouergone by the waters the King was thereof aduertised who forthwyth sent certayne to suruey y e ground and to measure the harmes which the floud had done him and to leauy out the crowne rent according to the residue of the land that remayned Heereof sprang the noble science of Geometry and from thence was translated into Greece For as touching the Pole and Gnomon which is to say the rule and the twelue partes of the day the Graecians tooke them of the Babylonians This King Sesostris held the Empyre alone leauing in Aethiopia before the temple of Vulcane certayne monuments to the posteritie to wit certayne images of stone one for hymselfe another for his wife beeyng eache of them thirtie cubites the foure images also of hys foure sonnes beeyng each of them twentie cubites apeece In processe of time when the image of King Darius that gouerned Persia should haue bene placed before the picture of Sesostris the priest of Vulcane which serued in the temple woulde in no wise permit it to bee done denying that Darius had euer atchieued the like exploites that Sesostris had done Who besides the conquering of sundrie other nations not inferiour in number to those whiche had beene ouercome by Darius had also brought in subiection the most couragious and valiaunt people of Scythia for whyche cause it were agaynst reason to preferre hymselfe in place before him vnto whome he was inferiour in chiualry whiche bolde aunswere of the priest King Darius tooke in good parte and brooked welynough Sesostris dying the seate imperiall came to hys sonne Pheco who beeyng bereaued of hys sight vndertooke no voyage of warre but remayned quiet in his kingdome The cause he was stricken blynde is sayde to be this At what tyme the waters of the floud increasing by reason of a mightie raging winde had drowned the lowe countreys eyghteene cubites deepe The Kyng inraged at the vnaccustomed swelling of the ryuer tooke hys darte and discharged it into the middest of the waters for whyche hys vnrcuerent facte the fame is that hys sighte incontinente was taken from hym and hee became blynde the space of tenne yeares In the eleuenth yeare there arose a prophecie in the city Butis that the tyme of hys miserie was nowe exspyred and that hys syght shoulde eftsoones bee restored agayne if in case hee washed hys eyes in the water of a woman whych neuer knewe man but her owne husbande For further proofe of thys phetis medicine the Kyng beganne first wyth hys owne wyfe whych working not the effecte he looked for he tryed many others but all in vayne lastly lighting vppon a poore seely woman that had neuer woorshipped more Sainctes then one hee speedely recouered hys sighte agayne and causing all those whome earst he had prooued to be gathered into one citie the name whereof was called Reddclodd he set fire to the towne and consumed them all The King thus healed and freely acquited of hys former miserie began to be deuoute increasing the temples of the gods with giftes of exceeding value All which deserue for theyr excellencie to be had in memorie and chiefly those that he offered in the temple of the Sunne which were these two mighty great stones which the Aegyptians in theyr tongue called Obeli in fashion like a spit or breach 100. cubites long and in breadth 80. Next after hym the kingdome descended to a certayne man of the citie Memphis whose name in the greeke language was Protheus to whome the Aegyptians erected a temple which is yet to be seeue in Memphis very fayre and beautifull garnished wyth rich and singulare giftes On euery side whereof dwell the Phenices a people descended of the Tyrians whereof the place taketh the name and is tearmed the tentes of the Tyrians Within the temple there is standyng the house of Proteus called the court of straunge Venus vnder which name is meant as I deeme Helena the daughter of Tyndarus who as a guest agaynst her wyll kepte resyaunce for a tyme in the court of Protheus and was tearmed the straunge Venus in as much as the other Venus who hath many temples in Aegypt is neuer called by the name of straunge Heereof entring talke with the sacred order of the priestes they discoursed vnto me that Alexander hauing stolne Helena from the Spartanes and speedyng hymselfe homewarde by the sea called Aegeum by constraynte of weather was driuen into the Aegyptian seas and perforce againste his will was cast ashore in Aegypt His ariual was at y e mouth of the floud Nilus called Canobicum at y e porte whiche the inhabitants tearme by y e name of Trachex In this place is situated a temple to Hercules where vnto if any mans seruaunt or vassall flye and get vppon hym the holy markes
as they call them in token that hee yeeldeth hys whole alleageaunce to the god of that place it is not lawfull for any man to touch him which order was kept inuiolate vnto our agea The seruauntes of Alexander hearing of the lawes of this temple forsooke their Lorde and fled vnto it and in humble manner submitting themselues before the god they accused their mayster whose death they all desired shewing in what manner he came by Helena the great iniury he had wrought to her husband Menelaus The same playnt also they framed before the priests of Hercules and the chiefe gouernour of the port named Thonis Thonis hauing hard the accusatiō of these poore suppliants sent in all haste to the King in these wordes Knowe you noble Prince that a fewe dayes since a certayne straunger of the Troiane lignage hauing committed a most villanous acte in Greece by entising away the wife of him that had geuen him entertaynement is by force of tempest dryuen vpon our coastes we desire therefore to knowe your hignesse pleasure whether we shall geue him free passage into his countrey or bereaue him of that he hath and sende him awaye To which newes the King returned an aunswere saying The person you speake of of what nation soeuer hee bee whiche hathe wrought this despitefull treacherie to his hoste see you apprehend and bring to my court to the ende I may heare what he can say for himselfe Whereat Thonis without any farther deliberation tooke this yong gallaunt of Troy strayned hys ships and brought him with the Lady Helena and the rest of his retinue to the city Memphis where the King at that tyme made his place of abiding Beeing arriued at the Court the King asked Alexander in these wordes Yong gentleman what are you and from what countrey are you landed heere in Aegypt Alexander who was not to seeke of an aunswere with a comely grace made aunswere to the King descrying both his countrey and lynage the place also from whence hee was arriued and to what coastes he directed his course And where then quoth the King had you this goodly geutlewoman for she seemeth to be a woman of no common bloud whereat my youth somewhat mammering before he coulde cast the plot of his excuse was betrayed by his seruaunts who in humble inanner on their knees disciphered to the King the whole discourse of his treason The vassals hauing ended their speeche Protheus turned hymselfe to Alexander and tucked hym vp with thys rounde tale my friende sayde hee were it not for the reuerence I owe to straungers with whome my custome is not to deale by rigour I woulde surely pipe yee such a daunce for the wicked villanie wherewith thou hast abused thyne hoast in Greece that all vnthankefull wretches shoulde take example by thee how to vse those that shewe them courtesie in a forraigne lande Ah vnkynde wretche as thou arte is thys the best requitall thou makest the Grecian for hys noble vsage towarde thee to bereaue hym of his mate the most comfortable companyon of all hys daies and not contente therewyth lyke an arraunt theefe thou hast despoyled hys goodes the best and principall treasures of hys house Thou mayest blesse the tyme tenne thousande tymes that the Aegyptians yeelde suche honoure to straungers and packe thee hence from my presence wyth the rest of thy mates swearyng by my crowne that if hencefoorth thou bee seene within the borders of Aegypt I wyll account thee as myne enemye As for thy minion and the goodes thou hast broughte I shall reserue tyll suche tyme as the Grecian shall come to reclayme them By these meanes sayd the priestes came Helena into Aegypt whereof also Homer hymselfe seemed not to bee ignoraunt but of purpose rather for that it fell not out so fittingly for hys verse hee chose the other declaring notwythstandyng that some such fame as thys was bruted abroade whyche appeareth manifestly in hys Illiads where making mention of the voyage of Alexander he affyrmeth that by meanes of a contrarye wynde hee was tossed by sea and recouered the lande at the city Sydon in Phaenicia reade the verses that are framed by hym in the prayse of Diomedes in whych place these lynes are founde There were the cloakes of gorgeous hue so braue and princely dight Made by the dames of Sydony sold to the seemely wight Kyng Pryams sonne that stale hymselfe a wyfe of royall race Queene Helene hyghte retyryng home vnto his natyue place Touching the same in his Odyssea in these verses This poyson quycke and valerous whych Polydamna gaue The wyfe of Thonis Helen brought and carefully dyd saue Great store whereof in droughty soyle of scorched Aegypt groe Some soueraigne good and othersome the cause of present woe In like maner to Telemachus Menelaus speaketh in this vvise And when I sought to leaue the land of Aegypt and retyre God hyndred whome I left vnserued by vowes and sacred fyre In these verses Homer confesseth that he knewe of the wandering of Alexander into Aegypt forsomuch as the countrey of Syria is bounding vpon Aegypt and the people Phaenices vnto whome the city Sydon is belonging are resyaunt in Syria As well these therefore as also the place it selfe are no small proofe nay rather a most valerous argumente that the verses wherein it is sayde that Alexander conueying Helen from Greece in three dayes space wyth a prosperous gale and quyet sea arryued at Troy were rather intruded by some other poet then inuented by Homer who contrarywyse in hys Illiads maketh mention of his errour by sea To leaue Homer and come to the affayres of the Troianes being desirous to vnderstand of what truth these things were which are bruted to haue beene done by the Greekes at Troy I sollicited the matter with the priestes of Aegypt who tolde me in such manner as themselues beforetime had beene aduertised by Menelaus After the flight of the Lady Helen there assembled in the cause of y e kings brother Menelaus a puissant armie of the Graecians who embarking themselues into Teucria and incamping in theyr coastes sent in ambassage to the city Troy certayne of theyr chiefe peeres and nobles amongst whome was Menelaus brother to the Kyng Beeyng entered the city they made clayme of the Lady Helena with the goodes and treasures shee tooke wyth her requyring also a sufficient satisfaction to be made for the iniurie Wherevnto the Troianes aunswered that they spente their speech in vaine to rechallenge eyther women or goodes of them which they neuer sawe alledging that the thyngs they challenged were surprised by the Aegyptians neyther was it reason why they shoulde beare the faulte of others and make restitution of that which they neuer had Howbeit the Greekes imagining they had spoken it in derision to shift off the siege for the tyme bent theyr whole force agaynst the towne continuing the siege and batterie so long tyll they had brought it to vtter ruyne and subuersion
dayes of this prince that Rhodope flourished but vnder the gouernement of Amasis many yeares passing from the tyme of those princes that planted the pyres to the dayes and age of Rhodope This gallaunt dame was by countrey a Thracian borne the bondmayd of one Iadmon whose abiding was in the land of Samos in the city of the god Vulcane who in the tyme of her bondage was fellowseruant with Aesope the inuenter of fables to whome this smooth minion had a monethes mind and more for which cause being giuen out by y e oracle at Delphos that it mighte be free for any man to slay Aesope that would and take pennaunce for his soule for his faulte committed there was none found that would put him to death but the nephew of Iadmon that came by his sonne who was also named Iadmon whereby we may gather that Aesope was a slaue and vassall to Iadmon The death of Aesope wounded Rhodope with so great feare that she tooke her flight foorthwith into Aegypt accompanyed by one Xanthus a Samian where she set foorth her selfe to the sale of such as rather then Venus should be shut out for a Sainct thought it no idolatrie to worship idols Whiles shee abode in Aegypt shee was redeemed and acquit of her seruitude by one Charaxus who purchased her libertie by a great summe of money This Charaxus was of the countrey of Mitilene sonne of Scamandronymus and brother to Sappho the notable poetresse By these meanes came Rhodope to be free and remayned still in Aegypt where she wanne so great credite and liking of all men that in shorte space she grewe to maruellous wealth beeing such as farre in deede surmounted the degree of Rhodope but yet amounted not to the buylding of a pyre By the tenth parte of whych her substaunce it is easie for any man to gesse that the masse and summe of money which she had gathered was no suche myracle as it is made to be For studying to be famous and remembred in Greece she deuised a worke which had neuer bene imagined or geuen by any other which in remembrance of her selfe she offered in the temple of Delphos Wherefore of the tenth parte of her riches which she sente to the temple she commaunded so many yron spittes to be made which were imployed to the rosting of oxen as the quantitie of the money woulde afoorde that was sente thyther by her These spittes at this present stande behynde the aultare whiche the people of Chios erected iust oueragainst the temple Howbeit such arrant honest women as are fishe for euery man haue in no place the like credite as in the city of Naucrates Forsomuch as this stalant of whome we speake had her fame so bruted in all places as almost there was none in Greece that had not hearde of the fame of Rhodope After whome there sprang vp also another as good as euer ambled by name Archidice whose vertues were blased very farre but not with like fame and renowne as her predecessour with whome Charaxus was so farre gone that retyring home to Mytelene he was almost besides himselfe as Sappho maketh mention inueyghing in verse agaynst hys folly We haue thus far digressed to speake of Rhodope we will now returne to the text agayne Next after Mycerinus ensued the raigne and dominion of Asychis by whome as the priests report was consecrated to Vulcane a princely gallerie standyng to the East very fayre and large wrought with most curious and exquisite workemanship For besides that it had on euery side embossed the straunge and liuely pictures of wilde beastes it had in a manner all the graces and sumptuous ornaments that coulde be imagined to the beautifying of a worke Howbeit amiddest other his famous deedes this purchased him the greatest dignitie that perceyuing the land to be oppressed with debt and many creditours like to be indamaged by great losse he inacted foorthwith that who so borrowed aught vppon credite shoulde lay to pledge the dead body of his father to be vsed at the discretion of the creditour and to be buryed by him in what manner he woulde for a pennaunce to all those that tooke any thing of loane prouiding moreouer that in case he refused to repay the debt he should neyther be buryed in the tombe of his fathers nor in any other sepulchre neyther himselfe nor the issue that should descend and spring of his body This prince desiring to surpasse all that had bene before him left in memorie of himselfe an excellente pyre built all of clay wherein was a stone set ingrauen in these wordes Compare me not to the rest of the pyres which I surmount as farre as Iupiter excelleth the meaner gods for searching the bottome of the riuer with a scoupe looke what clay they brought vp the same they employed to the building of me in such forme and bignesse as you may beholde And this did Asychis imagine to aduance the fame of himselfe to the time to come After whome the scepter was held by one Anysis a blynde man inhabiting in a city called after his owne name Anysis In time of whose raigne Sabbacus King of Aethyopia inuaded Aegypt with a mightie power Where at the poore blinde King greatly affrighted crope priuily away and gayned a priuie couert in the marrishe places of the countrey leauyng the gouernement to Sabbacus his enemie whiche ruled the same 50. yeares whose actes are mentioned to haue beene these If any of the Aegyptians made a trespasse he neuer vsed to do any man to death for his offence but according to y e quantity of his fault to enioyne him to arrere make higher by forreine supply of earth and stone some parte of the city wherein he dwelt for which cause the cities became very high and eminent being much more loftely situated then before For first of all in time of Sesostris such earth as was cast out of the trenches which were made to geue the water a course to the cities that were farre off was employed to the eleuation aduancing of the lowe townes and now agayne vnder this Aethyopian they had increase of fresh earth and grew to be very high and lofty Amongst the rest the noble city of Bubastis seemeth to be very haughty highly planted in which city is a temple of excellent memory dedicate to the goddesse Bubastis called in our speach Diana then the which albeit there be other churches both bigger and more richly furnished yet for the sightly grace and seemelynesse of building there is none comparable vnto it Besides the very entrance and way that leadeth into the city the rest is informe of an Ilande inclosed round about with two sundry streames of the riuer Nilus which runne to either side of the path way and leauing as it were a lane or causey betweene them without meeting take their course another way These armes of the floud are eache of them an hundred foote broade beset on both
sides the banckes with fayre braunched trees ouershadowing y e waters with a coole pleasant shade The gate or entry of the city is in heighth 10. paces hauing in the front a beautifull image 6. cubites in measure The temple it selfe situate in the middest of y e city is euermore in sight to those y t passe to and fro For although y e city by addition of earth was arrered made higher yet y e temple stāding as it did in y e beginning neuer mooued is in maner of a lofty stately tower in open cleare viewe to euery parte of y e city Round about the which goeth a wall ingrauen with figures protraitures of sundry beasts The inner temple is enuironed with an high groue of trees set and planted by the hande and industrie of men in the whiche temple is standing an image The length of the temple is euery way a furlong From the entrance of the temple Eastward there is a fayre large causey leading to the house of Mercury in length three furlongs and foure acres broade all of faire stone hemmed in on each side with a course of goodly call trees planted by the hands of men and thus as touching the description of y ◠temple Likewise they make mention in what maner they shifted their hands of y ◠Aethiopian prince who admonished in his sleepe by a vision hastned his flight to depart y ◠countrey There seemed vnto him one standing by his bedside willing him in any wise to assemble together y ◠priests of Aegypt to cut thē all asunder by y ◠waste which the King pondering in his mind said thus I wel perceiue that y ◠gods would picke a quarrel agaynst me that by the doing of some villany or other I might either incur their hatred or the displeasure of men but since the time of my rule in Aegypt which by y ◠oracle was prefined is nowe exspired I will kindle no moe coales then I may well quenche wherewith departing y ◠countrey he left the gouernement to y ◠seed of the Aegyptians retired himselfe into his owne lande For abiding beforetime in Aethiopia the oracles which the Aethiopians vse gaue out to the King that he shoulde beare rule 50. yeares in Aegypt which time being finished Sabbacus sore troubled with y ◠strange sight of his dreame of his own proper wil departed the listes of the countrey Insuing whose flight y ◠blinde King forsaking his nest in the fennes came out shewed his head againe exercising gouernemēt as he had done before hauing wonderfully inlarged the Iland where he lay with addition of ashes fresh earth For whosoeuer of the Aegyptiās came vnto him either with grayne or other prouision his manner was to giue him in charge that vnwitting to the Aethiopian prince who then withheld frō him the right of his kingdome he should present him with a loade or two of ashes This Ile before y ◠time of Amyrtaeus was vnknowne to any mā named in y ◠Aegyptiā lāguage Elbo being in bignes 10. furlōgs Next after whome the title ro all was resigned ouer to a certaine priest called Sethon seruing in y ◠temple of the god Vulcane by whom the souldyers of Aegypt were abused had in contempt as men vnfit not seruing for his purpose Wherefore beside other slaunderous tauntes reuiling words wherby he sought at all times to greeue thē he bereaued thē also of such lāds and reuenues as had bene graunted vnto them by the former Kings for which cause after that Senacherib King of the Arabians Assyrians had inuaded Aegypt with a mighty power they refused to yeeld him ayd assistāce in his warres The priest driuen to this sudden blanke not knowing howe to shift withdrewe himselfe into a close parlour where complayning himselfe before his god he shewed what great imminent perils were like to befall him As he was in this sort powring out his teares pitiful complaints before his image he fell asleepe where there seemed to appeare vnto him the straunge forme of his god willing him to be of good comfort and meete his enemies in the field not fearing the euent of battayle forsomuch as he would send him sufficiēt aide to assist and succour him Maister parson taking hart of grace by this blessed vision tooke with him such of the Aegyptians as were willing to follow him incamped in Pelusia on which side only Aegypt lieth open and may be inuaded by forreine power in whose cause not one of the souldiers would mooue a foote to followe him out of dores but pedlers tinkers common gadders that strayed here there about the countrey Being arriued at the place before named in y ◠night season there came into the tents of their aduersaries an huge multitude of field mice which gnawed their quiuers but in sunder their bowstrings the braces off their shields y ◠in y ◠morning being disfurnished of their armour they betooke thēselues to flight not without the losse of many souldiers Herehence is it y ◠the picture of y ◠same prince grauen of stone is seene standing in y ◠temple of Vulcane with this title inseription Learne by me to feare God Thus far went the Aegyptians their priests in describing the cōtinual succession of their kings gouernours alleadging that frō the first King vnto this priest of Vulcane before mentioned were 341. generations Three hundred generatiōs conteine ten thousand yeares forsomuch as to three progenies of men are assigned an hundred yeares so y ◠the residue of the progenies which were 41. are valued at 1340. yeares Likewise they affirmed y ◠in the course of ten thousand three hundred and forty yeares there appeared no god in Aegypt vnder the proportion shape of a man neyther coulde any such thing be mentioned to haue falne out vnder the gouernance of any of their princes howbeit within the tearme of yeares aforenamed these strange alterations were marked in y ◠Sunne at foure sundry times Two sundry times it was seene to rise frō that place where it is now wont to fall and in like maner to set in those regions frō whēce it now ariseth which also came to passe two seueral times Iusuing which things there was no change in y ◠countrey no alteration in any poynt neither as touching the effects course of the riuer nor for any maladies death or inconueniences in the lande In like sorte before Hecataeus the writer of monuments by whome in the city of Thebes a rehearsall was made of the whole discent of his stocke kindred fetching his progeny frō the xvi god the priest of Iupiter did this as also to my selfe that made no relation of mine alliance leading vs into a large chappel or house of praier they shewed vs both the number of our auncetry according to our own account Wherin also stood
promises to abide with him which being by him in like sorte obteyned with this fresh supply of forreyne ayde and the helpe of such Aegyptians as fauoured his cause he prouided against the rest of the princes Hauing the whole gouernemente alone he made in the city of Memphis certayne porches sacred to the god Vulcane lying vpon the South winde and oueragainst the porches a fayre large haule dedicated to Apis wherein the god Apis at suche time as he appeared was releeued and nourished This place was beset round with stately pillers and ingrauen with sundrie similitudes and imbossements of beastes foules and fishes Wherein also in place of some pillers are planted diuers fayre images of no lesse then twelue cubites in bignesse To these forreiners of Caria and Ionia by whome he was holpen in his warres Psammetichus gaue certayne manner places to dwell in lying on each side of the riuer Nilus called the Tentes whereof beeing possessed he performed all such promises besides that were couenaunted betweene them Moreouer he put vnto them certayne yong impes of the Aegyptians to be instructed in the Greeke language from whome by discent of issue came those which are now interpreters in Aegypt and vse the Greeke tongue A long time did the people of Ionia and Caria inhabite those places lying against the sea somewhat aboue the city of Bubastis situate at the mouth of Nilus which is called Pelusiacum from whence they were afterwardes translated by King Amasis into the city Memphis to gard him against the Aegyptians After the Greekes were thus setled in Aegypt the people of Greece had traffique thither by which meanes such affayres as were atchieued in that countrey from Psammitichus following are certaynely knowne of vs without any errour These were the first that inhabited Aegypt being of a diuers language from the homelings In like manner from whence they fleeted thither the reliques of their ships wherein they came the olde postes and groundreels of their houses were shewed me And these were the meanes whereby Psammitichus obteyned the dominiou of Aegypt As touching the oracle or seate of prophecie we haue made many wordes and will make more as of a thing most worthy to be mentioned This oracle is planted in the temple of the goddesse Latona in a great city named Butis standing against the mouth of Nilus which is called Sebenniticum into the which they haue entry that from the vpper parte of the sea cut against the streame In this city also are the temples of Apollo and Diana and the great pallace of Latona wherein is the place of diuination hauing a gallery belonging to it tenne paces high Heerein suche things as might lawfully be seene and deserued greatest admiration of those I meane to make report In this temple of Latona is a small chappell framed of one stone whose walles beeing of equall heigth were in length forty cubites which semblably was coped ouer the top with another stone beeing foure cubites in thickenesse Wherefore of all those things that were pertayning to the temple there was nothing that deserued greater woonder then this little chappell Next to this is an Ilande called Echemmis standing in the middest of a deepe and wide lake a little besides the chiefe temple whiche the Aegyptians suppose to swimme and to be borne vp of the waters Howbeit I neither sawe it swimme nor mooue maruayling very much if it were true that an Iland should be caryed in the waters In this Ile is planted the temple of Apollo a greate and sumptuous building lykewyse three rewes of aultares and many fayre palme-trees some very kynde and bearing fruite other fruitelesse and barren The Aegyptians also render a cause of the swimming of this Ilande saying thus that at what time Latona which is one of the eyght saints that are of greatest antiquity amongst them dwelt in the city of Butis whereas nowe the oracle is helde she tooke the sauegard of Apollo commended vnto her by his mother Isis and preserued hys lyfe in the same Ilande beeyng at that tyme stedfast and immoueable when as Typhon made so diligente searche in all places to finde out the sonne of Osyris For heere we must vnderstande that thys people imagine Apollo and Diana to be the children of Dionisius and Isis and that Latona was but theyr nourse and bringer vp that delyuered them from perill Apollo in the Aegyptian tongue is called Horus Ceres hath the name of Isis Diana of Bubastis from whence Aeschilus the sonne of Euphorion drew his opinion which alone of all the rest of the poets maketh Diana daughter to Ceres after which euent the Ile say they became loose and was marked to floate and mooue in the water Psammitichus gouerned in Aegypt 54. yeares 29. of the which he spent in the asseige of the great city of Syria which at length he subdued This city is called Azotus which of all the cities that euer wee hearde of susteyned the longest assaulte Insuing the raigne of Psammitichus the gouernemente of the countrey fell to Necus hys sonne by whome first of all was the channell digged that leadeth to the red sea whyche afterwardes was cast afreshe and made deeper by Darius the Persian The length of thys course was foure dayes sayling the breadth such as two reasonable vessels of three oares apeece might well sayle in it together The water which is deriued from Nilus into this channell floweth into it alittle aboue the city Bubastis against a towne of Arabia named Patumon and so continueth hys course vnto the red Sea They beganne first to digge from the playne of Aegypt towardes Arabia for all the countrey aboue the playne is filled and occupyed wyth a course of greate mountaynes neere vnto the citie Memphis wherein are many pittes and quarries of stone wherefore from the roote of thys mountayne is the channell deriued continuing a long course towardes the East vntyll it come to the place where the hyll parteth in twayne whyche distaunce and separation betweene the mountaynes openeth to the South regions and leadeth to the narrow seas of Arabia In the digging of thys course there perished an hundred and twentie thousande of the people of Aegypt When thys enterprise was halfe done Necus brake off and lefte it vnfinished being discouraged by a prophecie that tolde hym that hee toyled for the profite and behoofe of a Barbarian The Aegyptians tearme them all Barbarians which are of a sundry language Necus therefore leauing hys worke vnfinished applyed hys studie to the prouision of warre gathering souldyers and preparing a fleete of warring Shippes some of the which were builte at the North Seas others in the strayghtes of Arabia at the red Sea some tokens whereof are yet to be seene in the same places Thys Fleete he employed in hys affayres continuallie so long as it fitted hym to the vse of warre Forsaking afterwards the Sea and giuing himselfe to battailes by the land where in a conflict with the
gaue no gyftes offered no sacrifice esteeming them vnworthy of any reuerence hauing geuen out a false verdite And such as had pronounced him guilty to these as to the most true gods whose Oracles were agreeable to iustice hee perfourmed the greatest honour hee coulde deuise Besides in the City of Saïs hee made a porche to the temple of Minerua a worke of great admiration and farre passing the rest both in heights and bignesse so great is the quantity of the stones that were employed in the building Hee erected besides in the same place diuerse Images of a woÌ„derfull size the pictures of many noysome and pestilent Serpents Hee layde there also many huge stones to the repayring of the temple parte of the which were digged out of the stone quarryes by Memphis other of great quantity brought from the city of Elephantina which is distant from Saïs 20. dayes sayling Moreouer that which is not the least wonder but in my minde to bee reckoned amongst the chiefest hee brought from Elephantina an house framed of one stone in the cariage whereof 2000. choyse men of the Mariners of Aegypt consumed three yeares The roufe hereof on the outside is 21. cubyts longe 14. cubits broad eight cubites highe being on the inside 22. cubytes in length and in height 5. This house is set at the entring into the temple geuing this reason why it was not brought into the church for that the chiefe Mariner when he had gotten it to that place as wearie wyth hys dayes worke tooke respite and breached him selfe whereat the King being very much mooued bad him leaue of work not permitting him to labour any longer Some say that one of those which were busied in heauing of the stone with leauers to haue bene bruised to death by it and that this was the cause why it stoode without the Pallace By the same King were erected sundry temples built by arte very exquisitely and cunningly whereof one hee made sacred to Vulcane before which lyeth a great Image with the face vpwarde in length seuenty fiue feete being spread along vppon a pauement of stone in the selfe same place on eache side this Image stand two carued monuments of stone twenty foote in quantity Like vnto this is another stone in Saïs lying in the selfe same maner In like sorte the great temple in Memphis so gorgeous and beautifull to the sight of all that behold it was the handiwork also of y e same King Amasis In the time of this Kinges gâ—uernmente Aegypt floryshed in all wealth being greatly increased aswell by the ryches which the ryuer yeeldeth as in other reuenewes which the people receyue by the countrey which at the same time was so populous that there were then inhabited 20000 cityes Likewise by this Kinge it was enacted that euerye one should yearely render accounte to the cheife president of the countrey howe and by what maner of trade hee gayned his lyuinge being alwayes prouyding that such as refused to doe it at all or beeinge called to a reckoninge coulde shewe no lawefull meanes howe they spent their tymes should for the the same cause bee adiudged to dye Which lawe Solon borowing of the Aegyptians did publish it in Athens and is by them for the profite thereof most religiously obserued Amasis vppon good affection hee bare to the Grecians besides other benefittes franckly bestowed on them made it lawefull for all such as trauayled into Aegypte to inhabyte the City Naucrates And such as would not abyde in that place hauinge more mynde to seaâ—aring for the vse of Marchaundize to those hee gaue lybertye to Plant aulters and builde churches So that the greatest and most famous Temple in all the land is called the Grecian temple The Cityes of the Greekes by whose charge and expence this temple was builte in Aegypte were these of the countrey of Iönia Chius Teus Phocoea Clazomene amongst the Dorians foure Cities Rhodus Cnydus Halicarnassus Phaselus one City of the people of Aeolia namely Mitylene To these Cityes of Greece is the Temple belonginge by whom also are founde and mayntayned certayne Priests to serue in the same There are other townes besides in Greece that haue some righte to the Temple as hauing contributed some thinge to the vse of the same Howbeit the Temple of Iupiter the people of Aegina built of their owne proper cost No City toke parte with Samos in setting vp the Pallace of Iuno the Milesians alone tooke vppon them to erect the Temple of Apollo Besides these there are no other monuments built by the Grecians which remayne extant in Aegypt And if by fortune any of the Greekes passe into Nylus by any other way then that which serueth to lande from Greece hee is fayne to sweare that hee was constrained agaynst his will byndinge him selfe by oath that in the same Shippe hee wyll speede him selfe into Canobicus another Channell of the Ryuer so called and if by contrarye wyndes hee bee hindered from arryuinge there hee muste hyre caryage by water and so ferry the nexte way to Naucrates In such sorte were the Grecians tyed to that City beinge by reason of their trafique thyther had in principall honoure Nowe whereas the Pallace of Amphiction whiche is nowe at Delphos beeing straungely pearyshed by fyre was gone in hande with a freshe vppon price of three hundred tallentes the people of Delphos which were leauyed at the fourth parte of the charges straying aboute all countryes gathered very much being chiefly assysted by the Aegyptians Amasis the Kinge bestowinge on them a thowsande tallents of Asume and the Grecians that were abyding in Aegypt twenty pound Moreouer with the Cyrenaeans Prynce Amasis entred friendship and strooke a league of fellowship with the same insomuch that he thought meete to enter asâ—yaunce with them taking a wife of that countrey eyther for affection he bare to the women of Greece or in respecte of hys loue to the Cyrenaeans His wife as some say was the daughter of Battus sonne of Arcesilaus as others reporte of Critobulus a man of chiefe credite and regarde amongst those with whome he dwelt His Ladies name was Ladyce a woman of surpassing beautie with whome the King beeing in bed was so strangely benummed and daunted in courage as if he had bene an Eunuch not able to execute any dutie of a man wherat the King himselfe beeing greately agast feeling himselfe frollicke in the company of other women and so faint to hys Lady Ladyce on a time began to taunt her in these tearmes Can it be thou filthy and detestable hagge that by any meanes I should refrayne from doing thee to the most miserable death that can be deuised which hast thus inchaunted and bewitched my body In faith minion I will coniure this diuell of yours and assure thy selfe if thy lucke be not the better thou shalt not liue two dayes to an ende The poore Lady standing stiffely in her owne defence and nothing preuayling to appease his fury
vowed within her selfe to the goddesse Venus that in case it might please her to inable Amasis to performe the duties of an husband and accompany with her the same night she would dedicate an image vnto her at Cyrenae Hir prayers being heard Amasis became so frollicke that before the morning they arose the best contented folkes on the earth euer after that finding hymselfe so apt to enioy the delightes of his Lady that he tooke greatest pleasure in her company and loued her most entirely of all other Ladyce remembring her vowe she had made to Venus thought good to performe it and framing a most beautifull and curious image she sente it to the city Cyrenae which stoode vnperished vnto our dayes being placed by the citizens without the towne The same Ladyce Cambyses King of Persia vanquishing Aegypt vnderstanding what she was sent her without any manner shame or violence into her owne countrey By this King Amasis were many giftes distributed of singulare price and value To Cyrenae he sent the image of Minerua garnished all ouer wyth gilt and his owne personage most curiously shadowed by a Paynter Likewise to the city Lindus he gaue two images of the goddesse Minerua wrought in stone with a linnen stomacher most excellently imbrodered by arte Moreouer to the goddesse Iuno in Samus two pictures expressing her diuine beautie of most exquisite workemanship Which bountie he exercised towards the Samians for the great friendship he bare to their King Polycrates the sonne of Aeaces But to the city Lyndus why he should shewe hymselfe so franke and liberall no other reason serued sauing that the fame wente that the great temple of Minerua in Lindus was builded by y e daughters of Danaus after they were knowne and had escaped the daungers intended against them by the sonnes of Aegyptus These and many other excellente giftes were dispersed and giuen abroade by King Amasis By whome also the city Cyprus which was deemed of all men inuincible and had neuer before beene vanquished by any was conquered taken and brought vnder tribute FINIS The contrey of the author The first cause of discention betvvene the Grecians and Barbarians The rape of Io. and her ariual into Aegipt Europa stolen by the Greeks in reuenge of Io. Medea caried avvay by IasoÌ„ at vvhat tyme he vvonne the golden fleecè at Colchis The rape of Helen vvherof arose the Troyan vvarre By so much the greater is their folly that fight for vvomen by hovv much the greater their liberty is to be vvel ridde of them The pleasaunt history of Craesus sonne of Haliattes the first of the BarbariaÌ„s that coÌ„quered any part of Grece Greece consisted of foure kind of people the Iones Aeoles Dorus LaccdemoniaÌ„s The right Aeres apparant to the crovvne of Lidia vvere the Heraclidans Mernade vver the family and succession of those kinges vvherof Cresus came The royall family of the kinges of Lidia before the Heraclidans came of Lydus of whoÌ„ the countrey was named Lydia The Parentes of the Heraclidans Hercules Iardana By what meanes the empire came to the stocke of Craeâ—ns The best poynt of a Woman to be vnknowne A due revvard of doting The diuil in old tyme a diposer of kingdomes since the Pope Pythia a vvomaÌ„ that serued the deuil in his temple at Delphos gaue out oracles to such as demauÌ„ded them Delphos a city in the couÌ„trey of Phosis one a mouÌ„tayne of Grece called Paâ—nassê° here vvas the famous temple of Apollo vvher the deuil gaue craracles The Actes of Giges vvrought by him in tyme of his raygne The yeares of his raygne 38 Ardyis sonne of Gyges second king of the stocke of the Mernadans The tyme of his raygne 49. yeares Sadiatâ—es 3. king raygned 12. yeares Haliattes king 4. The actes and aduentures of Halyattes The Story of Arion Haliattes rayned 57 yeares Glancus Chius the first that inuented to vvorke in iron Solon trauayling froÌ„ Grece came into Lidia to the court of Craesus of vvhose vvealth and felicity hee gaue iudgement as follovveth The example of an happy Tellus The Gods offended at the insolency of Craesus bereaued him of his deare son Atis The dreame of Craesus as concerninge his sonnes de 〈…〉 Adrastus for killing his brother vvas exiled his couÌ„try A vvylde Bore haunting in Mysia VVhom destenies vvil haue die he shal be the busie vvor ker of his ovvue peril Atis sâ—ayne by Adrastus Adrastus slevv himselfe vpon the tombe of Atis. Apolloin these verses telles the ambassadours vvhat their kinge did that day The meaning of the oracle The sacrifice of Craesus to A pollo his giftes also vvhich he dedicated in the â—aâ—ple Craesus demauÌ„ ded of the oracle vvhether he might make vvarre a gaynst Persia or not A doubtful ansvveare the meaniÌ„g vvherof is expounded in the next page He is somevvhat to hasty that leaps ouer the stâ—le before he comes at it The meaning of this oracle is expressed The originall of the Lacedae monians and Athenians The miracle of the Greeke nation Pi 〈…〉 a 〈…〉 rauntin AtheÌ„s by vvhatdeuise he attay 〈…〉 d the gouernâ—eÌ„t The subtilty of of Pisistratue to attayne the kingdome Pisistratus depriued of his kingdome A deuise made by Pisistratus to recouer the kingdome Pisistratus bani shed out of AtheÌ„s the seâ—d tyme. A propâ—â—cy of Pisistratus â—â—s victory Pisistratus the 3 time king Lycurgus the lavvgeuer of the Lacedaemonians An oracle in the prayse of Lycurgus A deceyptful oracle that fell out othervvise theÌ„ the vvords import An oracle describing the place vvhere Orestes vvas buryed The meanes hovv the tomb vvas diseried The story of Craesus beyng interrupted The vvise couÌ„sayle of Sardanis geuen to king Craesus in his settinge forth agaynst Persia The riot ofth PersiaÌ„s vvheÌ„ce it came The limites of Media and Lydia Th. causes of Craesus his voi age agaynst Persia A prety discourse shevviÌ„g the meanes hovv Craesus Astyages came to be of a kinne The Scythians excellent in shoting The day turned into night Labynetus sonne of Nitocijs The maÌ„ner of makiÌ„ga league betvvene the Lydians and Medes The meaning of this place of Astyages his captiuity is declared more at large The deuyse of Thales Milesius to passe the riuer CoÌ„pare vvith this place the apologi of Cyrus to the ambassadour of Ioma A miracle forshevving the destruction of Sardis The meaning of the miracle The Lydians couragious in battaile and expert in ridiÌ„g A singuler deuise of Harpagus to vanquish the Lydian ryders A horse very fearful of a camel A ariefe discourse of a coÌ„bat fought betveene the Argyues and Lacedaemonians for a piece of ground ThevvynniÌ„g of thcitye Sardis The cause vvhy the vvals of Sardis vvere inuincible Craesus his dumbe sonne spake to saue his father The oracle verifyed Fol. 15. Craesus acknovvlegeth novv the sentence of Solon to true that no man is perfyte happy that maye bee miserable The vvisedom and merciful nature of Cyrus in yeldinge Craesus pardoÌ„ Apollo by a