lye in wait for the Merchants that sail'd to the Bosphorus having prohibited all upon pain of Death that should attempt to carry Provisions or Merchandizes thither Then he set forward with the greatest part of his Army and in his March he casually happen'd upon several dead Bodies of the Romans uninterr'd which were of those Soldiers that were unfortunately slain with Triarius in the Wars against Mithridates these he buried all splendidly and honourably The neglect whereof 't is thought caus'd the first Hatred against Lucullus and alienated the Affections of the Soldiers from him Pompey having now by his Forces under the Command of Afranius subdued the Arabians that inhabit about the Mountain Amanus fell himself into Syria and finding it destitute of any natural and lawful Prince reduced it into the form of a Province as an Inheritance of the People of Rome He conquer'd Judaea and alter'd the form of Government there having taken King Aristobulus Captive Some Cities he built anew and others he set at liberty chastizing those Tyrants that brought them into Bondage The greatest time that he spent there was in the Administration of Justice deciding the Controversies of Kings and States and where he himself could not be present in Person he gave Commission to his Friends and sent them Thus when there arose a Difference betwixt the Armenians and Parthians touching the Title of a Country and the Judgment was referr'd to him he gave a Power by Commission to three Judges and Arbiters to hear and determine the Question For the Name of his Power indeed was great Neither were the Vertues of his Justice and Clemency inferiour to that of his Power whereby he cover'd a multitude of Crimes committed by his Friends and Familiars about him for although it was not in his Nature to check or chastise an Offender yet he would demean himself so to those that addressed with Complaints against them that the Party griev'd went always away contented forgetting the Injuries and patiently bearing even with their Covetousness and Oppression Among these Friends of his there was one Demetrius that had the greatest Power and Influence upon him of any he was a Bond-man infranchiz'd one of a very good Understanding however otherwise but a Youth and somewhat too insolent in his good Fortune of whom there goes this Story Cato the Philosopher being as yet a very young Man but of great Judgment and a noble Mind took a Journey of Pleasure to Antioch having a great desire in Pompey's absence to see the City He therefore as his Custom was walked on Foot and his Friends accompani'd him on Horseback But seeing before the Gates of the City a Multitude all in white Garments the young Men on one side of the Road and the Boys on the other he was somewhat offended at it imagining that it was officiously done in Honour of him which was more than he requir'd However he desired his Companions to alight and walk with him But when they drew near the Master of the Ceremonies in this Procession came out with a Garland and a Rod in his Hand and met them enquiring Where they had left Demetrius and when he would come Whereupon Cato's Companions burst out into a Laughter but Cato said only Alas poor City and passed by without any other Answer Now 't is clear that Pompey himself render'd Demetrius less odious to others by enduring his Sawciness and Insolence against himself For 't is reported how that Pompey when he had invited his Friends to an Entertainment would be very Ceremonious in attending till they came and were all plac'd whereas Demetrius would rudely seat himself at the Table with his Head cover'd even to his Ears before any one else could sit down Moreover before his return into Italy he had purchased the pleasantest Villa or Country-Seat about Rome with the fairest Walks and Places for Exercise and the most compleat Gardens call'd by the Name of Demetrius notwithstanding that Pompey his Master was contented with a mean and thrifty Habitation till his third Consulship Afterwards 't is true when he had erected that famous and stately Theater for the People of Rome he built as an Appendix to it an House for himself much more splendid than his former and yet as much beneath the stroke of Envy Insomuch as he that came to be Master of that House after Pompey could not but admire at it and seem very Inquisitive Where Pompey the Great us'd to Sup Thus are these things reported The King of Arabia Petraea who had hitherto despis'd the Power of the Romans now began to think it dreadful and therefore dispatch'd Letters to him wherein he promis'd to be at his Devotion and do what he would Command However Pompey having a desire to confirm and keep him in the same Mind marched forwards for Petra an Expedition not altogether irreprehensible in the opinion of many for by this 't was generally thought he did clearly decline the Chace of Mithridates whereas they thought themselves bound to turn their Arms against him as their inveterate Enemy who now had blown up the Coal again and reinforced his shattered Troops with fresh Preparations as 't was reported to lead his Army through Scythia and Pannonia into Italy Pompey on the other side judging it easier to break his Forces in Battel than seize his Person in Flight resolv'd not to tire himself out in a vain Pursuit but rather to spend his time in diverting the War upon another Enemy as a proper Digression in the mean while But Fortune resolv'd the Doubt for whilst he was yet not far from Petra and had pitch'd his Tents and encamped for that day as he was riding and managing his Horse without the Camp there came an Express by the flying Post out of Pontus with good News as was easily discernible a far off by the Heads of their Javelins that were crown'd with Branches of Laurel The Soldiers as soon as they saw them flocked immediately to Pompey who notwithstanding was minded to make an end of his Exercise but when they began to be clamorous and importunate he alighted from his Horse and taking the Letters went before them into the Camp Now there being no Tribunal erected there nor yet any military Hillock such as they use to make by cutting up thick Turfes of Earth and piling them one upon another they through eagerness and impatience heap'd up a pile of Pack-saddles and Pompey standing upon that told them the News of Mithridates his Death how that he had laid violent hands upon himself upon the Revolt of his Son Pharnaces and that Pharnaces had taken all things there into his hands and possession which he did as his Letters speak in right of himself and the Romans Upon this News the whole Army expressing their Joy as was fit fell to their Devotion in sacrificing to the Gods and Feasting as if in the Person of Mithridates alone there had died many thousands of
Leotychides s Bastardy as a Bar to his Pretensions Many of the Citizens soon betook themselves to Agesilaus his Party being thereto induced by the Opinion they had of his Gallantry of which they themselves had been Spectators in the time that he had been bred up among them Yet was not his way so smooth as to be free from Rubs one he met with very considerable from a Fortune-teller named Diopithes who was of great Esteem among them for his Skill in Divination he alledged That it was unlawful to make a lame Man King of Lacedaemon citing to that purpose the following Oracle Great is thy Empire Sparta yet beware Lest thy Strength bend under an halting Heir Then Ills untry'd shall thy old Honour stain And Wars destructive Rage thro' thy whole Country reign But Lysander was not wanting of an Evasion alledging That if the Spartans made any conscience of the Oracle they must have a care of Leotychides for it was not the limping Foot of a King that the Gods were offended at but the bastardizing of the Herculean Family into whose Rights if a spurious Issue were admitted it would make the Kingdom to Halt indeed Agesilaus made Neptune also a Witness of the Bastardy of Leotychides proving that Agis was thrown out of Bed from his Wife by a violent Earthquake after which time he did not Cohabit with her yet Leotychides was born above ten Months after it Agesilaus was upon these Allegations declared King and soon possessed himself of the private Estate of Agis as well as his Throne Leotychides being wholly rejected as a Bastard Which being done he cast his Eye on the Kinred of Agis by the Mother's side whom he considered as Persons of good Worth and Vertue but very poor he gave them half his Brother's Estate and by this popular Act gained the good will not of them only but of the Spartans in general and stifled that Envy that was growing against him upon the account of his Success But whereas Xenophon saith of him That by complying with and as it were being ruled by his Country he grew into so great Power with them that he could do what he pleased This was by the Power he got with the Ephori and Senate these were of great Authority in the State the former were Officers annually chosen the Senators held their Places during Life both instituted as Bridles to restrain the Licentiousness of the Kings as it is already more fully discoursed in the Life of Lycurgus Hence it was that there was alway a Feud and Contention between them and the Kings But Agesilaus took another course instead of contending with them he courted them he alway acted by their Advice was alway ready to go nay almost to run when they called him If he were upon his Throne hearing of Causes and the Ephori came in he arose to them whenever any Man was elected into the Senate he did alway present him with a Gown and an Ox. Thus whilst he craftily made shew of Reverence to them and a Deference to their Power he secretly advanced his own Wealth and enlarged the Prerogatives of the Crown by several Liberties which their Friendship to his Person did grant him or at least did wink at To other Citizens he so behaved himself as to be less blameable in his Enmities than in his Friendships for towards his Enemy he behaved himself generously scorning to take any unjust Advantage against him but to his Friends he was partial even in things manifestly unjust If an Enemy had done any thing praise-worthy he scorned to retract any thing from his due Praises but his Friends he knew not how to reprove when they did ill nay he glory'd in bringing them off when they were obnoxious He thought all Offices of Friendship commendable let the Matter wherein they were employ'd be what it will Again when any of his Adversaries was overtaken in a Fault he would pity them and be soon entreated to Pardon them and shew them Kindness by which means he allured the hearts of all Men insomuch that his Popularity grew at last suspected by the Ephori who fined him as a Monopolizer of the Citizens who ought to be the common Goods of the Republick For as it is the Opinion of Philosophers that if you take away Strife and Opposition out of the Universe all the Bodies of it will stand still Generation and Motion will cease by reason of the mutual Consent and Agreement of all things So the Spartan Legislator did seem to have mingled Ambition and Emulation among the Ingredients of his Commonwealth as the Incentives of Vertue as thinking that mutual Compliance in winking at one another in Cases that deserved Rebuke was but a false sort of Concord no way useful to the Publick but rather a Corruption of it This some Men think Homer to have had an eye to when he introduceth Agamemnon well pleased with the Jars of Ulysses and Achilles and with the hard Words that passed between them which he would never have done unless he had thought that Dissentions and Factions of great Men had been of use to the State Yet this Maxim is not simply to be granted him without restriction for if the Heats grow too big they are very dangerous to Cities and of most pernicious consequence When Agesilaus was newly entred upon the Government there came News from Asia that the Persian King was making great Naval Preparations resolving with an high Hand to dispossess the Spartans of their Maritime Greatness Lysander was glad of this Occasion of Succouring his Friends in Asia whom he had there left Governours and Lords of Cities who for their Male-administration and Tyrannical Behaviour had been deposed and many of them put to death He therefore perswaded Agesilaus to undertake the Expedition and by translating the War from Greece to the Barbarous Country to prevent all the Designs of the Persian He also wrote to his Friends in Asia that by a Solemn Embassy they should demand Agesilaus for their Captain Agesilaus thereupon coming into the Publick Assembly offered his Service upon condition that he might have thirty eminent Captains adjoyned to him as Counsellors that he might also have 2000 of the newly Enfranchized Helots and of other Allies to the number of 6000. Lysander's Authority and Assistance soon obtained his Request so that he was sent away with thirty Spartan Captains of which Lysander was the Chief not only in Power and Reputation but also in Friendship with Agesilaus who esteemed his procuring him this Charge a greater Obligation than that of preferring him to the Kingdom Whilst the Army was drawing to the Rendezvous at Gerastus Agesilaus went with some of his Friends to Aulis where in a Dream he saw a Man approach him and speak to him after this manner O King of the Lacedaemonians you cannot but know that before yourself there hath been but one General Captain of the Greeks viz. Agamemnon now that you
him The Betrayer of the King But Agesilaus being now satisfi'd within himself did bear all these Reproaches patiently and follow'd the Design close which he had laid of over-reaching the Enemy which was this The Enemy had intrenched with a deep Ditch and high Wall resolving to shut up the King and starve him When the Ditch was brought almost quite round he took the Advantage of the Night and Armed all his Greeks Then going to the King This Young-Man is your opportunity said he of saving your self which I durst not all this while discover lest the discovery should prevent it but now the Enemy hath at his own Cost and the pains and labour of his own Men provided for our Security As much of this Wall as is built will prevent them from surrounding us with their Multitude the Gap yet left will be sufficient for us to Sally out by Now play the Man and follow the Example the Greeks will give you and by Fighting valiantly save your self and your Army their Front will not be able to stand against us and their Rear we are sufficiently secured from by a Wall of their own making Nectanabis admiring the Wisdom of Agesilaus immediately placed himself in the Grecian Army and Fought with them which upon the first Charge soon routed the Enemy Agesilaus having now gotten Credit with the King began to use what Stratagems he thought good without being interrupted by him He sometimes pretended a Retreat otherwhile charged furiously by this means disordering the Enemy and at last trolling him into a Place enclosed between Two Ditches that were very deep and full of Water When he had them at this Advantage he soon charged them drawing up the Front of his Battel equal to the space between the Two Ditches so that they had no way of surrounding him being enclosed themselves on both sides They made but little Resistance many fell others fled and were dispersed Nectanabis being thus settled and fixed in his Kingdom did with much Kindness and Earnestness invite Agesilaus to spend his Winter in Aegypt But he made haste home to assist in the Wars of his own Country whose Treasury he knew to be empty yet were they forced to hire Mercenaries whilst their own Men were fighting abroad The King dismissed him very honourably and among other Presents he presented the State of Sparta with 230 Talents of Silver towards the Charge of their Wars but the Winter-season being tempestuous he was driven upon a desart Shore of Africa called The Haven of Menelaus where when his Ships were just upon Landing he expired being then Eighty Eight Years Old and having Reigned in Lacedaemon Forty One Thirty of which Years he passed in great Splendor being esteemed the greatest and most powerful Prince of all Greece and being looked on as in a manner General and King of it till the Battel of Leuctra It was the Custom of the Spartans to Bury their common Dead in the Place where they died whatsoever Country it was but their Kings they Embalmed and carried home Now the Followers of Agesilaus having not wherewith to Embalm him did for want of Honey which they used in their Embalming wrap his Body in Wax and so conveyed him to Lacedaemon His Son Archidamus succeeded him in his Throne so did his Posterity successively to Agis who was the 5th from Agesilaus He was murthered by Leonidas for seeking to restore the ancient Discipline of Sparta CN POMPEIVS MAGNVS MBurg sculp THE LIFE OF POMPEY Translated out of the Greek By W. Oldys LL. D. THE People of Rome seem to have embraced Pompey from his Childhood with the same Affection that Prometheus in the Tragedy of Eschylus expressed for Hercules speaking of him as the Author of his Deliverance in these words Ah cruel Sire how dear's thy Son to me The generous Off-spring of my Enemy For on one hand never did the Romans give such a demonstration of their Hatred a Hatred so implacable and savage against any of their Generals as they did against Strabo the Father of Pompey All his Life-time 't is true they stood in awe of his Martial Prowess and Power for indeed he was a mighty Warriour but immediately upon his Death which happened by a Stroke of Thunder they Treated him Barbarously dragging his very Corps from the Hearse as it was carried in Pomp at his Funeral with Villany and Disgrace On the other side in Favour of Pompey never had any Roman the Peoples Good-will and Devotion more zealous throughout all the Changes of Fortune either springing up earlier and aspiring together with him in Prosperity or so constantly Loyal in Adversity as Pompey had In Strabo there was one great cause of Hatred his unsatiable Covetousness but in Pompey there were many whereby he became the Object of their Love his Temperance of Life Skill and Exercise in Martial Discipline Eloquence of Speech Integrity of Mind and Affability in Conversation and Address insomuch as no Man ever made his Addresses with lesser Trouble or gratifi'd an Addressor with more Delight For in Presents when he gave 't was without Disdain when he receiv'd 't was with Reverence and Honour In his Youth he had a Grace in his Countenance extremely taking seeming to anticipate his Eloquence and win upon the Affections of the People before he spoke for in his Air there was a Majestick Gravity temper'd with no less Candor and Humanity And when as yet he was but in the Flower and Dawn of his Manhood there appear'd in his Deportment a sage and princely Genius even in its Meridian His Hair sate somewhat hollow or rising a little and the languishing motion of his Eyes seem'd to form a resemblance in his Face though perhaps more through the speech of People than real likeness to the Statues of King Alexander Now because many call'd him by that Name in his Youth Pompey himself did not decline it insomuch that some in derision call'd him so yet even Lucius Philippus a Man of Consular Dignity when he was pleading in favour of him thought it not unfit to say That there was nothing absurd or unexpected in this that he himself being Philip should be a Lover of Alexander 'T is reported of Flora the Curtezan That in her latter time she took great delight in relating her Amours and Familiarity with Pompey and was wont to say That she could never part upon an Enjoyment without a Bite or Satyrical Reflection And withal she would farther tell you That one Geminius a great Companion of Pompey's fell in Love with her and made his Court with all the Arts imaginable but she refusing and telling him Howe're her Inclinations were yet she could not gratifie his Desires for Pompey's sake He therefore mov'd Pompey in it and Pompey frankly gave his Consent but never afterwards would touch her or have any Converse with her notwithstanding he seem'd to have a great Passion for her which
make him a Confederate of the Romans saying That he preferr'd an eternal Honour before the Glories of one day But if the Preheminence in that which chiefly relates to the Office of a General consisting of a steady resolution upon the wisest Acts and Counsels of War might be given to a Commander of the best Conduct the Lacedaemonian would not a little exceed the Roman in that for Agesilaus never deserted his City though it was Besieg'd by an Army of 70000 Men when there were very few Soldiers within to defend it and those had been baffled too but a little before at the Battel of Leuctra But Pompey when Caesar with a Body only of 5300 Men had taken but one Town in Italy departed timorously out of Rome either through Cowardice when they were so few or at least through a vain imagination that there were more and having convey'd away his Wife and Children he left all the rest of the Citizens defenceless and fled whereas he ought either to have conquer'd in Fight for the defence of his Country or yielded upon terms to the Conqueror for he was his Fellow-Citizen and Ally'd to him But now to that same Man to whom he deny'd an Enlargement in the term of his Government and thought it intolerable to grant another Cousulship even to him he gave a Power by letting him take the City to tell Metellus the Tribune together with all the rest That they were his Prisoners That therefore which is chiefly the Office of a General to put the Enemy upon a necessity of Fight when he finds himself the the stronger and to avoid it when he is the weaker that Property being singular in Agesilaus he always kept himself Invincible And this was Caesar's Talent too that when he was the weaker he could at any time by fencing with Pompey decline the Danger and when he was the stronger he forc'd him to Battel by Land even to the hazard of all whereby he became the Master of the Treasury Stores and the Sea too which were all in his Enemies hands and by which he had his constant Supplies without Fighting Now that which is alledg'd as an Apology in vindication of Pompey is the greatest Crime in so great a General for 't is a true for a young Commander by Tumults and Noise to be wrought into a Fear and Easiness whereby he may forsake the safest Counsels is neither strange nor altogether unpardonable But for Pompey the Great whose Camp the Romans call'd their Country and his Tent the Senate styling the Consuls Praetors and all other Magistrates that had taken upon them the Administration of the Government at Rome by no better Title than that of Rebels and Traytors for him I say whom they well knew never to have been under the Command of any but himself having nobly finish'd his course of Warfare under himself as sole General in all the Wars he made who could excuse him that upon so small a Provocation as the Scoffs of Favonius and Domitius and lest he should bare the Nickname of Agamemnon should be wrought upon and even forc'd to hazard the whole Empire and Liberty of Rome upon the cast of a Dye In him I say 't was intolerable who if he had so much regarded a present Infamy should have guarded the City at first with his Arms and fought valiantly in defence of Rome not have left it as he did colouring his Flight over with the Stratagem of Themistocles and yet after all this to imagine that there could be any Reproach in a wary Delay before the Battel in Thessaly was as inexcusable For neither did God appoint the Pharsalian Fields to be the Stage and Theater upon which they should contend for the Empire of Rome neither was he summon'd thither by any Herald upon Challenge with intimation that he must either undergo the Combat or surrender the Crown to another But there were many other Fields thousands of Cities and even the whole Earth that he might have had by the Advantage of his Fleet and Forces at Sea if he would but have follow'd the Examples of Maximus Marius Lucullus and even Agesilaus himself who endur'd no less Tumults within the City of Sparta when the Thebans provok'd him to Battel for the residue of his Country He endur'd likewise many Calumnies and Accusations in Aegypt through the Imprudence of the King there entreating his patience constantly but following always what he had determined in his own Judgment upon mature Advice he did by that means not only preserve the Aegyptians against their wills not only keep Sparta constantly upon its Legs even in those desperate Convulsions but set up Trophies likewise in the City against the Thebans giving them afterwards an occasion of Victory in that he did not at that time lead them out as they would have forc'd him to their destruction insomuch that at last Agesilaus was highly commended even of those who provok'd their own Ruine after they found he had sav'd their Lives against their wills Whereas Pompey whose Errors had always some other Authors found those to be his Accusers upon whom he had plac'd his chiefest confidence and some say that he was deceiv'd by his Father-in-law Scipio for that he designing to conceal and keep to himself the greatest part of that Treasure which he had brought out of Asia did press Pompey to Battel upon this pretence that there would be a want of Money however admitting this to be true yet such a General ought not to have been so easily deluded and led into an Error even to the hazard of all the greatest Concerns in the Common-wealth And thus we have taken a view of each by comparing them together in their Conduct and Actions in War As to their Voyages into Aegypt One steer'd his Course thither out of necessity in Flight the other neither honourably nor of necessity but as a Mercenary Soldier having listed himself into the Service of a barbarous Nation for Pay that he might be able to wage War upon the Graecians Lastly That which we charge upon the Aegyptians in the Name of Pompey the Aegyptians return again in an Accusation against Agesilaus For one was barbarously betray'd and murder'd by those whom he trusted The other betray'd his Trust and deserted them having upon his Revolt gone over to the Enemy that was now making War upon Aegypt notwithstanding he came at first as an Auxiliary to the Aegyptians ALEXANDER MBurgher sculp THE LIFE OF Alexander the Great English'd from the Greek By John Evelyn Esq IT being my purpose to write the Lives of Alexander and Caesar by whom Pompey was destroyed the multitude of their great Actions affords me so large a Field that I were to blame if I should not by way of Apology acquaint my Reader that I have chosen rather to epitomize the most celebrated parts of their Story than to insist at large on every particular Circumstance of it especially when I consider my Design is not to
Engagement where the Enemy had again the better Caesar took an Ensign who was running away by the Neck and forcing him to face about said Look that way is the Enemy Scipio flush'd with this Success at first had a mind to come to one decisive Action Wherefore he leaves Afranius and Juba in two distinct Bodies not far distant and marches himself towards Thapsacus where he built a Fort which might serve for a Security to them and a Retreat to himself Whilst Scipio was taken up with this matter Caesar with an incredible dispatch made his way through thick Woods and an unpassable Country surrounded one Party of the Enemy and charg'd the other other in the Front When he had defeated these he improv'd this Opportunity and the course of his good Fortune so far that in one moment he took Afranius's Camp and destroy'd that of the Numidians Juba their King being glad to save himself by flight so that in a small part of a day he made himself Master of three Camps and kill'd 50000 of the Enemy with the loss only of 50 Men. This is the Account some give of that Fight Others say He was not in the Action but that he was taken with his usual Distemper just as he was setting his Army in Battalia He perceiv'd the approaches of it before it had too far disorder'd his Senses and as soon as he began to shake took care to be remov'd into a neighbouring Fort where he repos'd himself Of the Great Men that were taken after the Fight some Caesar put to Death others prevented him by killing themselves Cato had undertaken to defend Utica and for that reason was not in the Battel The desire which Caesar had to take him alive made him hasten thither upon notice that he had dispatch'd himself 't is certain Caesar was much discompos'd but for what reason is not so well agreed yet this he said Cato I envy thee thy Death because thou enviedst me the honour of saving thy Life Yet after all this the Discourse he wrote against Cato after his Death is no great sign of his kindness or that he was thorowly reconciled to him For how is it probable that he would have been tender of his Life who was so bitter against his Memory Yet from his Clemency to Cicero Brutus and many others who fought against him some have guess'd that Caesar's Book was not compos'd so much out of harted to Cato as in his own Vindication Cicero it seems had written an Encomium upon Cato and call'd it by his Name a Discourse written by so great a Master upon so excellent a Subject was sure to be in every ones hands This touch'd Caesar who look'd upon a Panegyric on his Enemy as no better then a Satyr against himself and therefore he made in his Anti-Cato a full Collection of whatever could be said in that Great Man's derogation Those Discourses had each of them their several Admirers as Men were differently inclin'd to the Parties Caesar upon his return to Rome did not forget to entertain the People with a large Account of his Victory telling them That he had subdu'd a Country which would supply the Publick every year with 200000 Bushels of Corn and 3000000 weight of Oyl He was allow'd three Triumphs for Aegypt Pontus and Afrric the last not for the Conquest of Scipio but Juba whose little Son was then led in Triumph the happiest Captive that ever was who of a barbarous Numidian came by this means to be reckon'd among the most Learned Historians of all Greece After these Triumphs he distributed Rewards to his Soldiers and treated the People with Feasting and Shews At one Feast he had 22000 Tables and entertain'd the People with Gladiators and Sea-Fights in honour to his Daughter Julia long since dead When those Shews were over an Account was taken of the people who from 320000 were now reduc'd 150000. So great a waste had the Civil War made in Rome alone not to mention what the other parts of Italy and the Provinces suffer'd He was now chosen a fourth time Consul and went into Spain against Pompey's Sons they were but young yet had got together a great Army and shew'd they had Courage and Conduct to command it so that Caesar was in extreme danger The great Battel was near Munda in which Caesar seeing his Men hard press'd and making but a weak Resistance ran through the Ranks among the Soldiers and crying out ask'd them Whether they were not asham'd to deliver him into the hands of Boys At last with great difficulty and the best efforts he could make he forced back the Enemy killing 30000 of them though with the loss of 1000 of his best Men. When he came back from the Fight he told his Friends that he had often fought for Victory but this was the first time he had ever fought for Life This Battel was won on the Feast of the Bacchanals the very day in which Pompey four years before had set out for the War The younger of Pompey's Sons escap'd and Didius some days after the Fight brought the elder 's Head to Caesar This was the last Battel he was engag'd in The Triumph he made for this Victory displeas'd the Romans beyond any thing For he had not defeated foreign Generals and barbarous Kings but had ruin'd the Children and Family of one of the greatest Men of Rome though unfortunate and it did not look well to triumph over the Calamities of his Country and to rejoyce in those things for which no better Apology could be made to the Gods and Men then their being absolutely necessary Besides that hitherto he had never sent Letter or Express of any Victory over his Fellow-Citizens but had seem'd rather to be asham'd of the Action then to expect Honour from it For all this the Romans taking the same side with Fortune gave the Rein into his hands and hoping that the Government of a single Person would give them time to breathe after so many Civil Wars and Calamities made him Dictator for Life This was a down-right Tyranny for his Power now was not only absolute but perpetual too Cicero propos'd to the Senate to confer such Honours upon him as were indeed in some measure within the bounds of modesty Others striving which should deserve most carried them so excessively high that they made Caesar odious to the most indifferent and moderate sort of men by the haughtiness and extravagance of those Titles which they decreed him His Enemies are thought to have had some share in this as well as his Flatterers it gave them more advantage against him and laid him more open to their Calumnies for since the Civil Wars were ended he had nothing else that he could be charg'd with And they had good reason to decree a Temple to Clemency in token of their Thanks for this mild use he made of this Victory for he not only pardon'd many of those who fought against him but farther
to him in his Designs on Greece for Men when they waited upon other Kings did not so much admire their Wealth costly Furniture and numerous Attendance as they hated their Pride and State their difficulty of Access and scornful commanding Answers to their Petitions But when they came to Cleomenes who was both really a King and bore that Title and saw no Purple no Robes of State upon him no Chairs and Couches about him for his ease and that he did not receive Petitions and return Answers after a long delay by a number of Messengers Waiters or by Bills but that he rose and came forward to meet those that came to wait upon him staid talk'd freely and graciously with all that had Business they were extreamly taken won to his Service and profess'd that he alone was the true Son of Hercules His common every days Meal was in a mean Room very sparing and after the Laconick manner and when he entertain'd Ambassadors or Strangers two more Beds were added and a little better Dinner provided by his Servants but no Fricacies no Dainties only the dishes were larger and the Wine more plentiful for he reprov'd one of his Friends for entertaining some Strangers with nothing but Pulse and black Broth such Diet as they usually had in their Phiditia saying That upon such occasions and when they treat Strangers 't was not requisite to be too exact Laconians After Supper a Stand was brought in with a brass Vessel full of Wine two silver Pots which held almost a Quart apiece a few silver Cups of which he that pleas'd might drink but no Liquor was forc'd on any of the Guests There was no Musick nor was any requir'd for he entertain'd the Company sometimes asking Questions sometimes telling Stories And his Discourse was neither too grave and unpleasantly serious nor vain and abusive but merrily facetious for he thought those ways of catching Men by Gifts and Presents which other Kings use to be mean and inartificial and it seem'd to him to be the most glorious method and most suitable to a King to win the Affections of those that came near him by pleasant Discourse and unaffected Conversation for a Friend and Mercenary differ only in this that the one is made by Conversation and agreeableness of Humour and the other by Reward The Mantinoeans were the first that oblig'd him for getting by night into the City and driving out the Achoean Garrison they put themselves under his Protection he restor'd them their Polity and Laws and the same day march'd to Tegea and a little while after fetching a Compass through Arcadia he made a Descent upon Pheroe in Achaia intending to force Aratus to a Battle or bring him into Disrepute for refusing to engage and suffering him to waste the Countrey Hyperbatus at that time commanded the Army but Aratus had all the Power amongst the Achoeans The Achoeans marching forth with their whole Strength and incamping in Dumoeoe about Hecatomboeum Cleomenes came up and thinking it not advisable to pitch between Dumoeoe a City of the Enemies and the Camp of the Achoeans he boldly dar'd the Achoeans and forc'd them to a Battle and routing the Phalanx slew a great many in the Fight and took many Prisoners thence marching to Lagon and driving out the Achoean Garrison he restor'd the City to the Eloeans The Affairs of the Achoeans being in this desperate condition Aratus who was wont to continue in his Government above a year refus'd the Command though they entreated and urg'd him to accept it and this was ill done when the Storm was high to put the Power out of his own hands and set another to the Helm Cleomenes at first propos'd fair and easie Conditions by his Ambassadors to the Achoeans but afterward he sent others and requir'd the chief Command to be settled upon him and in other Matters he promis'd to agree to reasonable terms and to restore their Captives and their Countrey The Achoeans were willing to come to an Agreement upon those terms and invited Cleomenes to Lerna where an Assembly was to be held but it hapned that Cleomenes hastily marching on and unreasonably drinking Water brought up abundance of Blood and lost his Voice therefore being unable to continue his March he sent the chiefest of the Captives to the Achoeans and putting off the Meeting for some time retir'd to Lacedoemon This ruin'd the Affairs of Greece which was just then ready to recover it self out of its Disasters and avoid the insulting and Covetousness of the Macedonians for Aratus whether fearing or distrusting Cleomenes or envying his unlook'd-for Success or thinking it a disgrace for him who had commanded 33 years to have a young Man succeed to all his Glory and his Power and be Head of that Government which he had been raising and settling so many years he first endeavour'd to keep the Achoeans from closing with Cleomenes but when they would not hearken to him fearing Cleomenes s daring Spirit and thinking the Lacedoemonian's Proposals to be very reasonable who design'd only to reduce Peloponnesus to its old Model he took his last Refuge in an Action which was unbecoming any of the Greeks most dishonourable to him and most unworthy his former Bravery and Exploits for he call'd Antigonus into Greece and fill'd Peloponnesus with Macedonians whom he himself when a Youth having beaten their Garrison out of the Castle of Corinth had driven from the same Countrey beside he declar'd himself an Enemy to all Kings and hath left many dishonourable Stories of this same Antigonus in those Commentaries which he wrote Aud though he declares that he suffer'd considerable Losses and underwent great Dangers that he might free Athens from the Power of the Macedonians yet afterward he brought the very same Men arm'd into his own Countrey and his own House even to the Womens Apartment He would not endure that one of the Family of Hercules and King of Sparta and one that had reform'd the Polity of his Countrey as it were a disorder'd Harmony and tun'd it to the plain Dorick measure of Lycurgus to be styl'd Head of the Triccoeans and Sicyonians and whilst he fled the Pulse and short Coat and which were his chief Accusations against Cleomenes the extirpation of Wealth and reformation of Poverty he basely subjected himself together with Achoea to the Diadem and Purple to the imperious Commands of the Macedonians and their Satrapoe That he might not seem to be under Cleomenes he sacrific'd the Antigoneia Sacrifices in Honour of Antigonus and sung Poeans himself with a Garland on his Head to the Honour of a rotten consumptive Macedonian I write this not out of any Design to disgrace Aratus for in many things he shew'd himself vigorous for the Grecian Interest and a great Man but out of pity to the weakness of Humane Nature which in such a Person so excellent and so many ways dispos'd to Vertue cannot attain to a State irreprehensible The Achoeans
those that were not good at Fighting themselves hired such as were more Martial in their Inclinations and such as loved not Horse-service substituted in their rooms such as did He professed in this to imitate the laudable Example of Agamemnon who took the Present of an excellent Mare to dismiss a rich Coward from the Army When by Agesilaus his Order the Prisoners he had taken in Phrygia were exposed to Sale they were first stripped of their Garments and then sold naked The Cloaths found many Customers to buy them but the Bodies being by the Ease they had alway lived in rendred white and tender-skinned were derided and scorned as unserviceable Agesilaus who stood by at the Auction told his Grecians These are the Men against whom ye fight and these are the things for which ye â—ight The Season of the Year being come he boldly gave out that he would Invade Lydia which plain Dealing of his was mistaken for a Stratagem by Tisaphernes who by not believing Agesilaus over-reached himself He expected that he should have made choice of Caria as a rough Country not fit for Horse in which he deemed Agesilaus to be weak and directed his own Marches accordingly But when he found him to be as good as his Word and to have entred into the Country of Sardis he made great haste after him and by great Marches of his Horse overtaking the loose Stragglers who were pillaging the Country he cut them off Agesilaus mean while considering that the Horse had out-rid the Foot but that he himself had the whole Body of his own Army entire made haste to Engage them He mingled his light arm'd Foot that wore Leather Shields with the Horse commanding them to begin the Battel whilst he brought up the heavier-armed Men in the Rear The Success was answerable to the Design the Barbarians were put to the Rout the Grecians pursued hard took their Camp and put many of them to the Sword The Consequence of this Victory was very great for they had not only their liberty of Foraging the Persian Country and Plundering at pleasure but also saw Tisaphernes pay dearly for all the Cruelty he had shewed the Greeks to whom he was a professed Enemy For the King of Persia soon sent Tithraustes who took off his Head and presently dealt with Agesilaus about his Return into Greece sending to him Ambassadors to that purpose with Commission to offer him great Sums of Money Agesilaus's Answer was That the making of Peace belonged to the Lacedaemonians not to him As for Wealth he had rather see it in his Soldiers hands than his own that the Grecians thought it not Honourable to Enrich themselves with the Bribes of their Enemies but with their Spoils only Yet that he might gratifie Tithraustes for the Justice he had done upon Tisaphernes the avowed Enemy of the Greeks he removed his Quarters into Phrygia accepting of thirty Talents towards the Charge of it Whilst he was upon his March he received a Patent from the Council of Sparta which did constitute him Admiral as well as General This Honour was never done to any but Agesilaus who being undoubtedly the far greatest Man of his Time as Theopompus witnesseth gloried more in his Vertue than in his Authority and Power Yet he committed a great Oversight in preferring Pisander to the Command of the Navy when there were many at hand both older and wiser and more experienced Captains in this not so much consulting the Publick Good as the Gratification of his Kindred and especially his Wife whose Brother Pisander was Having removed his Camp into Pharnabazus's Province he not only met with great plenty of Provisions but also raised great Sums of Money and marching on to the Bounds of Paphlagonia he soon drew Cotys the King of it into a League to which he of his own accord inclined out of the Esteem he had of Agesilaus his Honour and Vertue Spithridates as soon as he fell off from Pharnabazus did constantly attend Agesilaus in the Camp whithersoever he went This Spithridates had a handsom Boy to his Son of whom Agesilaus was enamoured also a very beautiful Daughter that was marriageable her Agesilaus matched to Cotys and taking of him 1000 Horse with 2000 light-armed Foot he returned into Phrygia and there pillaged the Country of Pharnabazus who durst not stand him in the Field nor yet trust to his Garisons but getting his Jewels and rich Commodities together flitted up and down with a flying Army till Spithridates being joyned with Erippidas the Spartan beat him out of all his Holds and they possessed themselves of all the Spoil Here Erippidas being too severe an Enquirer into the Plunder wherewith the Barbarian Soldiers had enriched themselves and forcing them to deliver it up with too much Strictness so disobliged Spithridates that he changed sides again and went off with the Paphlagonians to the Sardians This was no small Displeasure to Agesilaus not only that he had lost the Friendship of a valiant Commander and with him a considerable Part of his Army but chiefly that he did it with the Disrepute of a sordid Covetousness of which he alway took care to clear both himself and his Country Besides these publick Causes he had a private one viz. the excessive Love of his Son which touched him to the quick yet did he so much endeavour to master and especially in presence of the Boy to suppress all appearance of it that when Megabates for that was his Name did address himself to him to Salute and Kiss he declined it At which when the young Man blushed and drew back saluting him at a more reserved distance Agesilaus soon repenting his Coyness and changing his Mind pretended to wonder why he did not salute him with the like Familiarity as formerly His Friends about him answered you are in the fault who durst not stand the Kiss of a pretty Boy but outrun it he will soon offer you the like Kindness again if he may but find it welcome to you Upon this Agesilaus paused a while and at length answered You need not encourage him to a repetition of that Kindness I had rather be Master of myself in the refusal of that Kiss than see all things that are now before mine eye turned into Gold Thus he demeaned himself to Megabates when present but he had so great a Passion for him in his absence that I question whether if the Boy had returned again all the Vertue he had would have obliged him to such another Refusal After that Pharnabazus sought an opportunity of conferring with Agesilaus which Apollophanes of Cyzicum the common Host of them both procured for him Agesilaus coming first to the appointed Place lay down upon the Grass under a Tree lying there in expectation of Pharnabazus who bringing with him soft Skins and wrought Carpets to lye down upon when he saw Agesilaus's Posture grew ashamed of his own
Provisions made no use of them but laid himself down upon the Grass also though he had a fine delicate richly-died Coat on which was like to lose much of its beauty by the action Pharnabazus had matter enough of Complaint against Agesilaus and therefore after the mutual Civilities were over he put him in mind of the great Services he had done the Lacedaemonians in the Attick War of which he thought it an ill Recompence to have his Country thus harrassed and spoiled by those Men who had been so obliged to him The Spartans that were about Agesilaus hung down their Heads as ashamed of the Wrong they had done to their good Ally But the King briskly answer'd We O Pharnabazus when we were in Amity with your Master the Persian did behave our selves like Friends now when he hath given us occasion of War we behave our selves as Enemies As for you whose kind Offices we are ready to acknowledge we look upon you as his Servant we are fain to do these Outrages upon you not intending the Harm to you but to him whom we wound through your sides But whenever you will choose rather to be a Friend to the Grecians than a Slave of the King of Pâ—â—sia you may then reckon this Army and Navy to be all at your Command to defend both you and your Country together with your Liberties without which there is nothing honourable or indeed desirable among Men. Upon this Pharnabazus discovered his mind and answered If the King sendeth another Governour in my room I will certainly come over to you but as long as he trusteth me with the Government I shall be just to him and not fail to do my utmost Endeavours in opposing you Agesilaus was taken with the Answer and shook Hands with him and rising said How much rather had I have so gallant a Man my Friend than mine Enemy Pharnabazus being gone off his Son staying behind ran up to Agesilaus and smilingly said Agesilaus I make you my Guest and thereupon presented him with a Javelin which he had in his hand Agesilaus received it and being much taken with the good Meen and Gallantry of the Youth looked about to see if there were any thing in his Train fit to offer him in Return and observing the Horse of Adaeus his Secretary to have very fine Trappings on he took them off and bestowed them upon the young Gentleman nor did his Kindness rest there but he was ever after mindful of him insomuch that when he was driven out of his Country by the Injury of his Brethren and lived an Exile in Peloponnesus he took great care of his Maintenance and not only so but also condescended to assist him in his Amours for he being in Love with a Youth of Athenian Birth which was bred up to his Exercises in order to playing of the Prize in the Olympick Games and this Youth being by reason of his great Bulk and sour Looks in some danger of not being admitted into the List the Persian betook himself to Agesilaus and made use of his Friendship Agesilaus readily assisted him and took great pains in effecting his Desires He was in all other things a Man of great and exact Justice but when the Case concerned a Friend to be strait-laced in point of Justice he said was only a colourable Pretence of denying him There is an Epistle written to Idrieus Prince of Caria that is ascribed to Agesilaus it is this If Nicias be innocent absolve him if he be nocent absolve him upon my account however be sure to absolve him And indeed this is the true Character of Agesilaus as to his Deportment towards his Friends Yet was not his Rule without Exception for sometimes he considered the Necessity of his Affairs more than his Friend of which he once gave a great Example when upon a sudden and disorderly Remove of his Camp he was forced to leave a sick Friend behind him who when he called loud after him and implored his Help Agesilaus turned his Back and said What an hard thing is it to be merciful and wise too This Story is deliver'd by Hieronymus Another Year of the War being spent Agesilaus his Fame still increased insomuch that the Persian King received daily Informations concerning his many Vertues and the great Esteem the World had of his Continency his Candor and Moderation When he made any Journey with his private Train he would usually take up his Lodging in a Temple and there make the Gods Witnesses of his most private Actions which others would scarce permit Men to be acquainted with In so great an Army you should scarce find a common Soldier lye on a coarser Mattress or fare more hardly he was so inured to the varieties of Heat and Cold that both seemed natural to him The Greeks that inhabited Asia were much pleased to see the great Dons of Persia with all the Pride Cruelty and Luxury in which they lived to vail Bonnet to a Man in a poor thread-bare Cloak and to be governed by a Word or Nod or a Laconick Sentence out of his Mouth It put them in mind of that Verse in Timotheus While Mars himself her firm Sceptre hold Greece fears not the weak Charms of Foreign Gold Asia being now grown afraid of the Lacedaemonian Arms was every-where ready to yield to them Agesilaus in the mean time took order with several of the Cities and composed the Differences of divers of the Republicks without Bloudshed or Banishment of any of their Members By these means having rendred himself every-where popular he resolved to quit the Sea-side to march further up into the Country and to attack the King of Persia himself in Susa and Ecbatane not willing to let that Monarch sit idle in his Chair whilst he made Wars by his Lieutenants and by his Money corrupted the Demagogues of Greece But these great Thoughts were interrupted by unhappy News from Sparta Epicydidas is from thence sent to remand him Home to assist his own Country which was then involved in a great War The Fields of Greece no Barbarous Foe surrounds She bleeds alas with more dishonest Wounds What better can we say of those Civil Wars and Intestine Broyls which did destroy the Fortune of Greece and call her back from her full Career of Victory over the Barbarians only to sheath her Sword into her own Bowels For I do by no means assent to Demaratus of Corinth who said That those Grecians were deprived of a great Satisfaction that did not live to see Alexander sit in the Throne of Darius That Sight should rather have drawn Tears from them when they considered that they had left that Glory to Alexander and the Macedonians whilst they spent all their own great Commanders in playing them upon each other in the Fields of Leuctra Coronea Corinth and Arcadia Nothing was greater or braver than the Behaviour of Agesilaus on this occasion nor can a nobler Instance be found
in Story of a ready Obedience and just Deference to the Orders of the Senate Annibal though in a bad condition himself and almost driven out of Italy yet stormed and raged when he was called Home to serve his Country Alexander made a Jest of the Battel between Agis and Antipater the Success of which required his looking back into his own Country laughing and saying That whilst we are fighting Darius in Asia it seems there is a Battel of Mice in Arcadia Happy Sparta mean while in the great Justice and Modesty of Agesilaus and in the Honour he paid to the Laws of his Country who immediately upon receipt of his Orders though in the midst of his good Fortune and in full hope of so great and glorious Success left his Work unfinished instantly departed leaving his Friends in Asia very sorrowful for the loss of him Which great Kindness and Fidelity of his that had obliged so many to him in Asia did sufficiently confute the Saying of Demaratus the Son of Phaeux That the Lacedaemonians excelled in their Publick Transactions and just maintaining of Leagues but the Athenians were better Observers of private Friendships The Coin of Persia was stamped with the Picture of an Archer Agesilaus said That a thousand Persian Archers had driven him out of Asia meaning the Money that was laid out in bribing the Demagogues and the Orators in Thebes and Athens whereby those two Republicks were incited to a War with Sparta Having passed the Hellespont he went by Land through Thrace not begging or entreating a Passage any where only he sent his Envoys to them to demand whether they would have him pass as a Friend or as an Enemy All the rest received him as a Friend and used him with all Civility but the Trallians of whom Xerxes is said to have bought his Passage demanded a Price of him viz. A hundred Talents of Silver and a hundred Women Agesilaus in scorn asked Why they were not ready to receive them He marched on and meeting with Opposition from the Trallians fought them and slew great numbers of them He sent the like Embassy to the King of Macedonia who took time to deliberate Why then let him deliberate said Agesilaus we will go forward in the mean time The Macedonian being surprized and daunted at the Resolution of the Spartan King fairly sent him a Complement and let him pass When he came into Thessaly he wasted the Country because they were in League with the Enemy To Larissa the chief City of Thessaly he sent Xenocles and Scythes to Treat of a Peace whom when the Larissaeans had laid hold of and put into Custody the Army was enraged and advised the Siege of the Town but the King answered That he valued either of those Men at more than the whole Country of Thessaly He therefore made Terms with them and received his Men again upon Composition Nor need we wonder at that Saying of Agesilaus at a time when he had News brought him from Sparta of several great Captains slain in a Battel near Corinth in which though the Slaughter fell upon other Grecians the Lacedaemonians obtaining a great Victory with small loss yet Agesilaus did not appear at all satisfi'd in it contrarily with a great Sigh he cried out O Greece how many gallant Men hast thou destroyed which if they had been preserved to so good an use might have conquered all Persia Yet when the Pharsalians grew troublesom to him by pressing upon his Army and incommoding his Passage he drew out five hundred Horse and in Person fought and routed them setting up a Trophy at Narthacium he valued himself much upon that Victory that with so small a Number of his own choosing he had vanquished an Army of Men that thought themselves the best Horse-men of Greece Here Diphridas the Ephore met him and delivered his Message from Sparta which order'd him immediately to make an Inroad into Baeotia which though he thought fitter to have been done at another time and with greater Force yet he obeyed the Magistrates He thereupon told his Soldiers that the day was come in which they were to enter upon that Employment for the performance of which they were brought out of Asia He sent for two Cohorts of the Army near Corinth to his Assistance The Lacedaemonians at home in Honour to him made Proclamation for Voluntiers that would serve under the King to come in and be listed Finding all the young Men in the City ready to ofter themselves they chose fifty of the ablest and sent them Agesilaus having gain'd the Thermopylae and passed quietly through Phocis as soon as he had entred Baeotia and pitched his Tents near Chaeronea at once met with an Eclipse of the Sun and with ill News from the Navy Pisander the Spartan Admiral being beaten at Guidos by Pharnabazus and Conon He was much moved at it both upon his own and the Publick account Yet lest his Army being now near engaging should meet with any Discouragement he ordered the Messengers to give out that the Spartans were the Conquerors and he himself putting on his Crown did solemnly sacrifice out of a pretended Joy for the News and sent Portions of the Sacrifices to his Friends When he came near to Coronea and was within view of the Enemy he drew up his Army and giving the left Wing to the Orchomenians he himself led the right The Thebans did make the right Wing of their Army leaving the left to the Argives Xenophon who was present and fought on Agesilaus's side reports it to be the hardest fought Battel that he had seen The beginning of it was not so for the Thebans soon put the Orchomenians to rout as also did Agesilaus the Argives But both Parties having News of the Misfortune of their left Wings they betook themselves to their Relief Here Agesilaus might have been sure of his Victory had he contented himself not to charge them in the Front but in the Flank or Rear but being too high in Mettle and heated in the Fight he would not stay the Opportunity but fell on downright thinking to bear them down before him The Thebans were not behind him in Courage so that the Battel was fiercely carry'd on on both sides especially near Agesilaus's Person whose new Guard of fifty Voluntiers stood him in great stead that day and saved his Life They fought with great Valour and interposed their Bodies frequently between him and Danger yet could they not so preserve him but that he received many Wounds through his Armour with Lances and Swords and was with much ado gotten off They making a Ring about him did guard him from the Enemy with the Slaughter of many and lost many of their own number At length finding it too hard a Task to break the Front of the Theban Army they opened their own Files and let the Enemy march through them an Artifice which in the beginning they
scorned observing in the mean time the Posture of the Enemy who having passed through grew careless as esteeming themselves past Danger whereupon they were immediately set upon by the Spartans yet were they not then put to Rout but marched on to Helicon vapouring That they themselves as to their part of the Army were not worsted Agesilaus sore wounded as he was would not be born to his Tent till he had been first carried about the Field and had seen the dead Men of his Party carried off in their Armour As many of his Enemies as had taken Sanctuary in the Temple he dismissed for there stood hard by the Temple of Minerva the Itonian and before it a Trophy erected by the Baeotians for a Victory which under the Conduct of one Sparton their General they obtained over the Athenians who were led that day by Tolmides and Tolmides himself slain Next morning early Agesilaus to make trial of the Theban Courage whether they had any mind to a second Encounter did command his Soldiers to put on Garlands on their Heads and play with their Flutes and raise a Trophy before their Faces but when they instead of Fighting sent for leave to bury their Dead he gave it them and so confirmed to himself the Victory After this he went to Delphos to the Pythian Games which were then celebrating at which Feast he assisted and there solemnly offered the tenth part of the Spoils he had brought from Asia which amounted to an hundred Talents Being now returned to his own Country the Eyes of the Spartans were upon him to observe his Diet and manner of Living But he not according to the Custom of other Generals came home the same Man that he went out having not so learned the Fashions of other Countries as to forget his own much less to nauseate or despise them but he follow'd all the Spartan Customs without changing either the manner of his Supping or Bathing or his Wifes Apparel as if he had never travelled over the River Eurotas The like he did by his Houshold-stuff his Armour nay the very Gates of his House were so old that they might well be thought of Aristodemus's setting up His Daughters Chariot called the Canathrum was no richer than that of other People Now this Canathrum whether Chariot or Chair was made of Wood in the shape of a Griffon or of the Tragelaphus some antick shape or other on which the Children and young Virgins were carried in Processions Xenophon hath not left us the Name of this Daughter of Agesilaus at which Dicaearchus is angry viz. that he can know the Names neither of Agesilaus's Daughter nor Epaminondas's Mother But in the Records of Laconia we find his Wifes Name to be Clâ—ora and his two Daughers to have been Apolia and Prolyta and you may even to this day see Agesilaus's Spear kept in Sparta nothing differing from that of other Men. There was a Vanity he observed among the Spartans about keeping running Horses for the Olympick Games upon which he found they much valued themselves Agesilaus much despised it as an Ostentation more of Wealth than Vertue deeming the Victory to be the Horse's not the Man's He therefore to convince the Grecians of it did put his Sister Cynisca upon keeping a running Horse for that Publick Solemnity To the wise Xenophon his Friend whom he much valued he did propose the bringing of his Children to Sparta to be there bred up in the strictest way of Discipline and in the noble Art of Obeying and Governing Lysander being dead and his Faction yet great and prevalent which he upon his coming out of Asia had raised against Agesilaus the King thought it advisable to expose both him and it by shewing what manner of a Citizen he had been whilst he lived To that end finding an Oration among his Writings that was composed by Cleon the Halicarnassean but intended to be spoken by Lysander in a Publick Assembly to excite the People to Innovations and Changes in the Government he resolved to publish it as an Evidence of Lysander's ill Practices But one of the Senators having the perusal of it and finding it strongly written advised him to have a care of digging up Lysander again and rather bury that Oration in the Grave with him This Advise he wisely hearkened to and ever after forbore publickly to affront any of his Adversaries but took occasions of picking out the Ring-leaders and sending them away upon Foreign Services He also found out ways of discovering the Avarice and the Injustice of many of them in their Employments yet when they were by others brought into Question he made it his business to bring them off obliging them by that means of Enemies to become his Friends and so by degrees wore out the Faction Agesipolis his Fellow-King was under the Disadvantage of being Born of an Exil'd Father and himself Young Modest and Unactive and meddled not much in Affairs Agesilaus took a course of growing upon him and making him yet more tractable According to the Custom of Sparta the Kings if they were in Town alway Dined together This was Agesilaus's opportunity of dealing with Agesipolis whom he found apt to Amorous Intrigues as well as himself He therefore alway discoursed him about handsome Boys egging him forward that way and himself assisting in it so far as to become the Confident of the Amour Yet were these Amours innocent according to the Custom of the Spartan Loves which were alway accompani'd with Vertue and Honour and a noble Emulation of which you may see more in Lycurgus's Life Having thus established his Power in the City he easily obtained that his half Brother Teleutias might be chosen Admiral and thereupon making an Expedition against the Corinthians he made himself Master of the long Walls by Land through the Assistance of his Brother at Sea Coming thus upon the Argives who then held Corinth in the midst of their Isthmian Games he made them out-run their Sacrifices and leave all their Festival Provisions behind them The exil'd Corinthians that were in the Spartan Army desired him to keep up the Feast and to appear Chief in the Celebration of it This he refused but gave them leave to carry on the Solemnity if they pleased and he in the mean time staid and guarded them When Agesilaus marched off the Argives returned to their Sports again with this variety of Fortune that some who were Victors before became Victors a second time others lost the Prizes which before they had gained But Agesilaus reproached them severely of Cowardise who having so great an Esteem of the Isthmian Games and so much valuing themselves upon the Victories there gotten yet durst not adventure to Fight in defence of them He himself was of Opinion that to keep a Mean in such things was best he allowed of the Sports usually permitted in his Country and would not refuse to be present at the
when he came to the Crown But it did more move the Indignation of all Men when he put himself into the Service of Tachos the Aegyptian They thought it too too much unworthy of a Man of his Quality who was then looked upon as the prime Commander in all Greece who had filled all Countries with his Renown to let himself out to Hire to a Barbarian an Aegyptian Rebel for Tachos was no better and to fight for Pay as Captain only of a Band of Mercenaries If at those Years of Eighty and odd after his Body had been worn out with Age and enfeebled with Wounds he had engaged in some very Honourable Cause as the Liberty of Greece or the like it had been however worthy of some Reproof To make an Action honourable it ought to be agreeable to the Age and other Circumstances of the Person for it is Circumstance that doth difference the Action and make it either good or bad But Agesilaus valued not other Mens Discourses he thought no publick Employment dishonourable the ignoblest thing in his esteem was for a Man to sit idle and resty at home till Death should come and take him napping The Money therefore that he received from Tachos he laid out in raising of Men wherewith having filled his Ships he took also 30 Spartan Captains with him as formerly he had done in his Asiatick Expedition and set Sail for Aegypt As soon as he arrived at Aegypt all the great Officers of the Kingdom came to pay their Compliments to him at his Landing His Reputation being so great had rais'd the Expectation of the whole Country which did flock in to see him but when they found instead of the great Prince whom they looked for a little Old Man of contemptible presence without all Ceremony lying down upon the Grass his Hair uncombed his Cloaths thread-bare they fell into Laughter and Scorn of him crying out that the old Proverb was now made good The Mountain had brought forth a Mouse They were much more scandalized at his Stupidity as they thought it who when Presents were made of all manner of Provisions took only the Meal the Calves and the Geese but rejected the Sweet-Meats the Confections and Perfumes When they did urge him to the acceptance of them he took them and gave them to the Helots that were in his Army yet he was taken with the Garlands they made of the Papyrus because of their native Simplicity and when he returned homewards he demanded one of the King which he carried with him When he joyned with Tachos he found his Expectation of being Generalissimo frustrated Tachos reserved that place for himself making Agesilaus only Captain of the Band of Mercenaries and Chabrias the Athenian Admiral This was the first occasion of his Discontent but there followed others he being daily tired with the Insolency and Vanity of this Aegyptian was at length forced to attend on him into Phaenicia in a condition much below his Spirit and Dignity which notwithstanding he was forced to digest for a while till he had opportunity of shewing his Resentment It was soon afforded him by Nectanabis the Uncle of Tachos and a great Captain under him who took an occasion to fall off from his Nephew and was soon Proclaimed King by the Aegyptians This Man invited Agesilaus to his Party and the like he did to Chabrias offering great Rewards to both Tachos having smelt it did immediately apply himself both to Agesilaus and Chabrias with great Humility to them both beseeching their continuance in his Friendship Chabrias consented to it and did what he could to sweeten Agesilaus in the matter but he gave this short Reply You O Chabrias came hither a Voluntier and may go and stay as you see cause but I am the Servant of Sparta sent hither on their Errand and must take my Measures from them This being said he soon dispatched Messengers to Sparta who were sufficiently instructed both in the Accusations of Tachos and the Commendations of Nectanabis The Two Aegyptians did also send their Ambassadors to Lacedaemon the one to claim Continuance of the old League already made the other to make great Offers for the breaking of it and making a new One. The Spartans having heard both sides gave in their publick Answer That they referred the whole Matter to Agesilaus but priyately wrote to him to act as he should find it best for the Profit of the Commonwealth Upon receipt of his Orders he soon changed sides carrying all the Mercenaries with him to Nectanabis prefacing so foul an Action with the plausible pretence of acting for the Benefit of his Country whereas the fine Veil being taken off the Fact was no better than downright Treachery But the Lacedaemonians who make it the first Principle of their Actions to serve their Country know not any thing to be just or unjust by any Measures but that Tachos being thus deserted by the Mercenaries fled for it Upon which one Mendesius being designed his Successor arose and came against Nectanabis with an Army of an 100000 Men. Nectanabis in his Discourse with Agesilaus despised them as new raised Men who though many in number were of no Skill in War being most of them Handicrafts-men and Trades-men never bred to War To whom Agesilaus answered That he despised their numbers but was afraid of their Ignorance which gave no room for treating them by Finenâ—ss and Stratagem for those are to be used only with cunning and crafly Men who being themselves full of Design and suspicious alway of yours do give opportunity of putting Tricks upon them but a Fool-hardy Man that neither sâ—eth nor feareth any thing giveth no more opportunity to the Enemy than he that stands stock-still without putting out his Leg giveth to a Wrestler This Mendesius was not wanting in the Solicitations of Agesilaus insomuch that Nectanabis grew jealous But when Agesilaus advised to Fight the Enemy presently before either their Skill or their Numbers increased it being imprudent to protract a War with such Men who rude and inexpert as they were would so increase in numbers as wholly to incompass them and prevent their Designs This confirmed him in his Jealousie and made him take the quite contrary course retreating into a strong Garison well Fortifi'd with Walls and Bulwarks Agesilaus finding himself mistrusted took it very ill and was full of Indignation yet was ashamed to change Sides again the other having been so lately done so that he was forced to follow Nectanabis into the Town When Mendesius came up and began to draw a Line about the Town and to intrench the Aegyptian was resolving upon a Battel thinking it much safer than to be begirt round with a Ditch and so starved out in a long Siege The Greeks were also of that mind the Provisions growing already scarce in the Town When Agesilaus opposed it the Aegyptians then suspected him much more publickly calling
only but as gloriously set out too so that they were more to be envyed in their Pride than feared in their Force having the Poops and Decks of their Galliots all guilded and the Oars plated with Silver together with their Purple Sails as if their delight were to glory in their Iniquity There was nothing but Musick and Dancing Banquetting and Revels all along the Shore together with the Prizes of Kings in Captivity and Ransoms of sackt Cities to the Reproach and Dishonour of the Roman Empire There were of these Corsairs above 1000 Sail and they had taken no less than 400 Cities committing Sacriledge upon the Temples of the Gods and enriching themselves with the Spoils of divers undefiled before such as were those of Claros Didyme and Samothrace and the Temple of Tellus or the Earth in Hermione and that of Aeseulapius in Epidaurium Those of Neptune in Isthmus Taenarus and Calauria Those of Apollo in Actium and the Isle of Leucades and those of Juno in Samos Argos and Leucania They offered likewise strange Sacrifices upon Mount Olympus and performed certain secret Rites or Religious Mysteries whereof that to the Sun which they called by the Name of Mithres was preserved down to our Age having its Original and first Institution from them But besides these Piracies and Insolencies by Sea they were yet more injurious to the Romans by Land for they would often go ashore and Rob upon the High-ways plundring and destroying their Villages and Country-Houses near the Sea And once they seized upon two Roman Praetors Sextilius and Bellinus in their Purple Robes and carried them off together with their Serjeants and Vergers The Daughter also of Antonius a Man that had the Honour of Triumph taking a Journey into the Country was seized upon and Redeemed afterwards with an excessive Ransom But this was the most spiteful and abusive of all That when any of the Captives declared himself to be a Roman and told his Name they seemed to be surprized and straightway feigning a Fear smote their Thighs and fell down at his Feet humbly beseeching him to be gracious and forgive them The credulous Captive seeing them so humble and supplicant believed them to be in earnest for some were so officious as to put on his Shooes others helpt him on with his Gown lest his Quality should be mistaken again After all this Pageantry when they had thus deluded and mockt him long enough at last casting out a Ships Ladder when they were even in the midst of the Sea they bid him march off and farewel if he refused they threw him over-board and drowned him This Piratick Power having got the Dominion and Soveraignty of all the Mâ—diterranean and perpetually roving up and down there was left no place for Navigation or Commerce insomuch that no Merchant durst venture out to Traffick The Romans therefore finding themselves to be extreamly straitned in their Markets and considering that if this scarcity of Corn should continue there would be a Dearth and Famine in the Land determined to send out Pompey to recover their Seigniory of the Seas from the Pirates Wherefore Gabinius a great Creature of Pompey's preferred a Law whereby there was granted to him not only the Government of the Seas as Admiral but even the Monarchy of Rome as Soveraign having an Arbitrary and Unlimited Power over all Men The sum of that Decree gave him the absolute Power and Authority of all the Seas even from the Streights-Mouth or Hercules-Pillars together with the Continent or Mainland all along for the space of 400 Furlongs or 50 Miles from the Sea Now there were but few Regions in the World under the Roman Empire of a larger Extent and in that compass too there were comprehended great Nations and mighty Kings Moreover by this Decree he had a Power of electing fifteen Lieutenants out of the Senate and of assigning to each his Province in Charge Then he might take likewise out of the Treasury and of the Publicans what Monies he pleas'd as also 200 Sail of Ships with a Power to Press and Levy what Soldiers and Seamen he thought fit together with Galliots of Oars and Mariners When this Law was Read the common People approved of it exceedingly but the chiefest and most powerful of the Senate looked upon it as an exorbitant Power even beyond the reach of Envy and was now become worthy of their Fears therefore concluding with themselves that such an infinite and boundless Authority was dangerous they agreed unanimously to oppose the Bill and all were against it except Caesar who gave his Vote for the Law not so much to gratifie Pompey as the People whose Favour he had courted under-hand from the beginning and hoped thereby to compass such a Power for himself The rest inveighed bitterly against Pompey insomuch as one of the Consuls told him sharply That if he followed the Footsteps of Romulus he would scarce avoid his End but he was in danger of being torn in pieces by the Multitude for his Speech Yet when Catulus stood up to speak against the Law the People in Reverence to him were very silent and attentive He therefore after he had without the least shew of Envy made large Harangues in Honour of Pompey began to advise the People in kindness to spare him and not to expose a Man of his Value to such a Chain of Dangers and Wars For said he Where could you find out another Pompey or whom would you have in case you should chance to lose him They all cry'd out with one Voice Your self wherefore Catulus finding all his Rhetorick ineffectual desisted Then Roscius attempted to speak but could have no Audience wherefore he made Signs with his Fingers intimating Not him alone but that there might be a second Pompey or Colleague in Authority with him Upon this 't is said the Multitude being extreamly incens'd made such an horrid Exclamation that a Crow flying over the Market-Place at that instant was struck blind and dropt down among the Rabble whereby it appears That the Cause of Birds falling down to the Ground is not by any rupture or division of the Air when it has received any such Impression or Force but purely by the very stroak of the Voice which being shot up by a Multitude with great Violence raises a sort of Tempest and Billows in the Air. The Assembly therefore broke up for that day And when the day was come wherein the Bill was to pass by Suffrage into a Decree Pompey went privately into the Country but hearing that it was passed and confirmed he returned again into the City by Night to avoid the Envy that might arise from that Concourse of People that would meet and congratulate him The next Morning he came abroad and sacrificed to the Gods and having Audience at an open Assembly he handled the Matter so as that they enlarged his Power giving him many Things besides what was already granted and almost doubling the Preparation
Besieged and joyning in their Defence render'd Pompey not only grievous and hateful but even ridiculous too That he should lend his Name as a Guard to a Nest of Thieves that knew neither God nor Law and make his Authority serve as a Sanctuary to them only out of pure Envy and Emulation to Metellus For neither was Achilles thought to act the Part of a wise Man but rather of a young giddy Fool mad after Glory when by Signs he forbid the rest of the Graecians to strike at Hector Lest he too late should to the Battel run When others had the Honour of it won But Pompey contended beyond himself to save the common Enemies of the World only that he might deprive a Roman Praetor after all his Labours of the Honour of Triumph Yet for all this Metellus was no ways daunted neither would he give over the War against the Pirates but storm'd them in their strong Holds and having totally subdu'd them he took a just Revenge of their Impieties And for Octavius he was publickly disgrac'd and sent away loaden with the Scoffs and Reproaches of all the Camp Now when 't was Reported in Rome That the War with the Pirates was at an end and that Pompey was in a dead Vacation diverting himself in Visits only to the Cities for want of Employment one Manilius a Tribune of the People preferred a Law whereby 't was Enacted That Pompey should have all the Forces of Lucullus and the Provinces under his Government together with Bithynia that was under the Command of Glabrio And that he should forthwith make War upon those two Kings Mithridates and Tigranes retaining still the same Naval Forces and the Soveraignty of the Seas as before But this was nothing less than to constitute one absolute Monarch of all the Roman Empire For the Provinces which seem'd to be exempt from his Commission by the former Decree such as were Phrygia Lycaonia Galatia Cappadocia Cilicia the Over Colchis and Armenia these were all grafted in by this latter Law together with all the Army and Forces wherewith Lucullus made War upon Mithridates and Tigranes Now though this were a notorious Injury to Lucullus whereby he was robb'd of the Glory of his Atchievements by having a Successor assigned him rather in the Honour of his Triumph than the Danger of the War Yet this was of no great moment in the Eye of the Senate because it was Personal only though they could not but Censure the People of Injustice and Ingratitude to Lucullus But the source of all their Grievance flow'd from hence That the Power of Pompey should by Law be Establish'd in a manifest Tyranny And therefore they exhorted and encourag'd one another privately to bend all their Forces in opposition to this Law and not to cast away their Liberties and Properties at so tame a rate Yet for all their Resolutions when the day came wherein it was to pass into a Decree their Hearts fail'd them for fear of the People and all the rest were silent except Catulus who boldly inveigh'd against the Law and charg'd the People home but all in vain for when he found that he had not brought over one Man among the People he turn'd and directed his Speech to the Senate in great Passion often crying out and bidding them to seek out some Mountain as their Forefathers had done and fly to the Rocks where they might preserve their Liberty But all his Rhetorick was ineffectual for the Law pass'd into a Decree as 't is said by the Suffrages of all the Tribes And now was Pompey even in his absence made Lord of almost all that Power that Sylla made himself Master of by Conquest when by force of Arms and War he had brought even Rome it self under his Dominion Now when Pompey had Advice by Letters of the Decree 't is said That in the presence of his Friends who came to rejoyce and give him Joy of his Honour he seem'd extremely displeas'd frowning and smiting his Thigh and at last as one overladen already and weary of Government he broke out in great passion Good Gods What an endless Train of War is here How much better might my Lot have fall'n among the inglorious Crowd unknown or unregarded If there shall be no end of this Warfare but with that of my Life If my Fate be such that I must always despair of those happier moments wherein I might stem this Tide of Envy and live at peace in a Country Retirement and the Enjoyments of a dearer Wife But all this was look'd upon as Ironical neither indeed could the best of his Friends endure such gross Hypocrisie well knowing that he whose Ambition was set on Fire by his Malice having his Enmity with Lucullus as a Firebrand to kindle that covetous Desire of Glory and Empire that was implanted in his Nature could not but embrace the Province with Joy and Triumph as appear'd not long afterwards by his Actions which did clearly unmask him For in the first place he sent out his Edicts or Proclamations into all Quarters commanding all Soldiers to resort to his Colours then he summon'd in all the tributary Kings and Princes that were Subjects within the Precincts of his Charge and in short as soon as he had enter'd upon his Province he left nothing unalter'd that had been done and establish'd by Lucullus to some he remitted their Amercements and Penalties and depriv'd others of their Rewards And after this manner did he act in all things with this Design chiefly That the Admirers of Lucullus might know how that all his Power and Authority was now at an end and he no longer Lord of this Province But Lucullus began to arraign these Proceedings and expostulate the Case by Friends whereupon 't was thought fitting and agreed that there would be a Meeting betwixt them and accordingly they met in the Country of Galatia Now in that they were great and prosperous Generals both in Conduct and Action they came in State attended with their Vergers and Officers bearing their Rods before them all wreath'd about with Branches of Laurel Lucullus came through a Country full of green and shady Groves but Pompey's March was through large barren Plains both chill and naked Therefore the Vergers of Lucullus perceiving that Pompey's Laurels were withered and dry helped him to some of their own whereby they adorn'd and crown'd his Rods with fresh Laurels This was thought somewhat ominous and look'd as if Pompey came to take away the Reward and Honour of Lucullus's Victories Lucullus indeed had the priority in the course of his Consulship and of his Age too but the Dignity of Pompey was the greater in that he had the Honour of two Triumphs Their first Addresses in this Interview were made with great Ceremony and Complaisance magnifying each others Actions and congratulating their Success but when they came to the Matter of their Conference or Treaty there they observ'd neither Decency nor Moderation
From thence he design'd to have went to Tigranes in Armenia but being prohibited there by Tigranes who had put out a Proclamation with a Reward of 100 Talents to any one that should apprehend him he passed by the Head of the River Euphrates and fled through the Country of Colchis Now had Pompey made an Invasion into the Country of Armenia upon the Invitation of young Tigranes for that he was now in Rebellion against his Father and had given Pompey a Metting about the River Araxes which River rises near the Head of Euphrates but turning its course and bending towards the East falls into the Caspian Sea They two therefore march'd together through the Country taking in all the Cities by the way and obliging them to Homage and Fealty But King Tigranes having been harassed lately in a tedious War by Lucullus and withal understanding that Pompey was generous in his Nature and of a gentle Disposition put Guards into his Royal Palaces and taking along with him divers of his Friends and Relations went in Person to surrender himself into the Hands of Pompey He came as far as the Trenches on Horseback but there he was met by two of Pompey's Vergers who commanded him to alight and walk on Foot for that no Man was ever seen on Horseback within a Roman Camp Tigranes submitted to this immediately and not only so but plucking off his Sword deliver'd up that too And last of all as soon as he appear'd before Pompey he pull'd off his Turbant or Royal Diadem and attempted to have laid it at his Feet Nay what 's worst of all even he himself had fallen prostrate as an humble Supplicant at his Knees to the Reproach of Majesty had not Pompey himself prevented it by taking and placing him next upon his right hand and the Son upon his left There Pompey took occasion to tell him That as to the rest of his Losses they were chargeable upon Lucullus for that by Lucullus he had been dispossess'd of Syria Phaenicia Cilicia Galatia and Sophene but all that he had preserv'd to himself entire till that time he should peaceably enjoy paying the Sum of 6000 Talents as a Fine or Penalty for Injuries done to the Romans and that his Son should have the Kingdom of Sophene Tigranes himself was well pleas'd with these Conditions of Peace and therefore when the Romans in a general Shout saluted him King he seem'd to be overjoy'd and promis'd to every common Soldier half a Mina of Silver every Centurion or Captain ten Mina's and to every Collonel or Commander of a thousand a Talent But the Son was highly displeas'd insomuch that when he was invited to Supper he reply'd That he did not stand in need of Pompey for that sort of Honour for he would find out some other Roman to Sup with Whereupon he was clapp'd up close Prisoner and reserv'd for the Triumph Not long after this Phraates King of Parthia sent to Pompey and demanded by his Ambassadors That he should deliver up young Tigranes as his Son-in-Law and that the River Euphrates should be the Term and Bound of their Empires To these Pompey reply'd That for Tigranes he belong'd more to his own natural Father than his Father-in-Law And for the Bounds he would take care that they should be set out according to the Rules of Right and Justice So Pompey leaving Armenia in the Custody of Afranius went himself in Chace of Mithridates whereby he was forc'd of necessity to march through several Nations inhabiting about Mount Caucasus Of these Nations the Albanians and Iberians were two of the chiefest The Iberians stretch out as far as the Moschian Mountains and to the Realm of Pontus The Albanians lye more Eastwardly and towards the CaspianSea These barbarous People the Albanians at first permitted Pompey upon his Entreaty to pass through their Country but when they found that the Winter had stoll'n upon the Roman Army whilst they were quarter'd in their Country and withal that they were busily exercis'd in celebrating the Festivals of Saturn they muster'd up an Army of no less than 40000 Fighting-men and set upon them having passed over the River Cyrnus which River rising from the Mountains of Iberia and receiving the River Araxes in its course from Armenia dischargeth its self by 12 distinct Mouths or Channels into the Caspian Sea although some others are of opinion that Araxes does not fall into it but that they flow very near one another and so discharge themselves as Neighbours into the same Sea 'T is true 't was in the power of Pompey to have obstructed the Enemies Passage over the River but he suffer'd them to pass over quietly and then drawing up his Forces and giving Battel he routed them and slew a great number of them in the Field But the King sent Ambassadors with his Submission wherefore Pompey upon his Supplication pardon'd the Offence and having enter'd into a League with him he marched directly against the Iberians an Army no less in number than the other but much more Warlike and withal under a solemn Resolution both of gratifying Mithridates and driving out Pompey These Iberians were in no wise subject to the Medes or Persians and they hapned likewise to escape the Dominion of the Macedonians in that Alexander was so quick in his March through Hyrcanid but these also Pompey subdued in a great and bloody Battel wherein there were slain 9000 upon the Spot and more than 10000 taken Prisoners From thence he went into the Country of Colchis where Servilius met him by the River Phasis having his Fleet with which he guarded the Pontick Sea riding at Anchor there Now this pursuit of Mithridates seem'd to carry great Difficulties in it for that he had conceal'd himself among the Nations that inhabit about the Bosphorus and the Lake of Maeotis and besides News was brought to Pompey that the Albanians had revolted again This made him divert his Course and bend his Forces against them with Resolutions full of Wrath and Revenge insomuch that he passed back again over the Cyrnus with great Difficulty and Danger for that the barbarous People had fortifi'd it a great way down the Banks with Rampiers and Palisado's After this having a tedious long March to make through a thirsty and rough Country he order'd 10000 Bottles to be fill'd with Water and so advanced towards the Enemy whom he found drawn up in order of Battel near the River Abas to the number of 60000 Horse and 12000 Foot ill arm'd generally and many of them cover'd only with the Skins of wild Beasts Their General was Cosis the King's Brother who as soon as the Battel was begun singled out Pompey and rushing in upon him darted his Javelin into the Joynts of his Breast-plate which Pompey receiv'd and in return struck him thro' the Body with his Launce and slew him 'T is reported That in this Fight there were several Amazons that came as Auxiliaries
of Opinion That Italy should first be regain'd for that it was the grand Prize and Crown of all the War and withal they who were Masters of that would quickly have at their Devotion all the Provinces of Sicilia Sardinia Corsica Spain and Gaul but what was of greatest weight and moment 't was his own native Country that lay near reaching out her Hand for his Help and certainly it could not be consistent with Pompey's Honour to leave her thus expos'd to all Indignities and in Bondage under Slaves and the Flatterers of a Tyrant But Pompey himself on the contrary thought it neither honourable to fly a second time before Caesar and be pursued when Fortune had given him the Advantage of a Pursuit nor indeed lawful before the Gods to forsake Scipio and divers other Men of consular Dignity dispers'd throughout Greece and Thessaly who must necessarily fall into Caesar's Hands together with all their Wealth and greater Forces Then as to his Care for the City of Rome that would most eminently appear by removing the Scene of War to a greater distance whereby she being every way insensible of those Calamities that attend a War might in Peace expect the Return of her Conqueror With this determination Pompey march'd forwards in pursuit of Caesar firmly resolv'd with himself not to give him Battel but rather to Besiege and distress him by keeping close at his heels straitning his Quarters and cutting off all necessary Reliefs Now there were other Reasons that made him continue this Resolution but especially a Combination among the Roman Knights that came to his Ear wherein they design'd as soon as Caesar was overthrown to humble him too and therefore some report it was for this Reason that Pompey never employ'd Cato in any Matter of consequence during the whole War yet now when he pursued Caesar he left him to guard his Baggage by Sea fearing if Caesar should be taken off lest by Cato's means he likewise not long after should be forc'd to lay down his Commission Whilst he was thus slowly attending the Motions of the Enemy his Friends began to charge upon him many Reproaches and Imputations as if he did not use this Stratagem to deceive Caesar but his Country and the Senate that he might always continue in Authority and never cease to keep those for his Guards and Servants who themselves were worthy to govern the World besides that scoffing way of Domitius Aenobarbus continually calling him Agamemnon and King of Kings render'd him very odious And Favonius his unseasonable Raillery did him no less injury than those that took upon them a greater liberty of Speech when in Drollery he cry'd out My Masters you must not expect to gather any Figs in Tusculan this year But Lucius Afranius who had lain under an imputation of Treachery in Betraying the Army in Spain when he perceiv'd that Pompey did industriously decline an Engagement declar'd openly That he could not but admire why those who were so ready to accuse him did not go themselves and fight that Merchant of their Provinces With these and many such like Speeches they wrought upon Pompey a Man of that Honour and Modesty that he could not bear a Reproach neither would he disoblige his Friends and forc'd him to break his Measures so that he forsook his own prudent Resolution only to follow their vain Hopes and Desires Now if such an unsteady Conduct is blameable in the Pilot of a Ship how much more in an Emperor or the Soveraign Commander of such an Army and so many Nations but he though he has often commended those Physicians who did not comply with the humorous Appetites of their Patients yet himself could not but yield to the Diseased part of his Army rather than he would use any severity in the Cure and indeed who would not judge it Insanity and want of a Cure in those Men who went up and down the Camp suing already for the Consulship and Office of a Praetor Nay Spinther Domitius and Scipio made Friends rais'd Factions and even quarrell'd among themselves who should succeed Caesar in the Dignity of his High-Priesthood esteeming all as lightly as if they were to engage only with Tigranes King of Armenia or some petty Naâ—athaean King not with that Caesar and his Army that had Storm'd a 1000 Towns and subdued more than 300 several Nations that had fought innumerable Battels with the Germans and Gauls and always carried the Victory that had taken a Million of Men Prisoners and Slain as many upon the Spot in pitcht Battels But as soon as they came to the Fields of Pharsalia they grew very tumultuous so that they forced him by their Pressures and Importunities to call a Counsel of War where Labienus General of the Horse stood up and first took the Sacrament swearing That he would not return out of the Battel until he had seen the Backs if his Enemies and all the rest took the same Oath That Night Pompey Dream'd That as he went into the Theater the People receiv'd him with great Applause and that he himself adorn'd the Temple of Venus the Conqueress with many Spoils This Vision partly encourag'd and partly disheartned him â—â—â—â—ing lest that Splendor and Ornament to Venus should be made with Spoils taken from himself by Caesar who deriv'd his Family from that Goddess besides there was a certain Panick Fear run through the Camp with such a Noise that it awak'd him out of his Sleep And about the time of renewing the Watch towards Morning there appear'd a great Light over Caesar's Camp whilst they were all at rest and from thence a Ball of flaming Fire was carried into Pompey's Camp which Caesar himself said he saw as he was walking his Rounds Now Caesar having designed to raise his Camp before break of day whilst the Soldiers were busie in pulling down their Tents and sending away their Cattle and Servants before them with all their Bag and Baggage there came in Scouts who brought word that they saw several Arms carried to and fro in the Enemies Camp and heard a noise and running up and down as of Men preparing for Battel Not long after there came in other Scouts with farther Intelligence That the first Ranks were already set in Battel Array Thereupon Caesar when he had told them That the wish'd for day was come at last wherein they should Fight with Men not with Hunger and Famine he presently gave Orders for the Red Colours to be set up before his Tent for that was usually the Signal of Battel among the Romans As soon as the Soldiers saw that they left their Tents and with great Shouts of Joy ran to their Arms The Officers likewise on their parts drawing up their Squadrons in order of Battel every Man fell inâ—o his proper Rank without any trouble or noise as quietly and orderly as if they had been in a Dance Pompey himself led up the right Wing of his Army against Anthony
were the Funerals of Pompey perform'd The next day Lucius Lentulus not knowing what had pass'd came sailing from Cyprus along the Shore of that Coast and seeing a Funeral Pile and Philip whom he did not know at first standing by ask'd him Who it was that was dead and buried there But pausing a little with himself and fetching a deep Sigh Perhaps said he even thou O Pompey the Great and so going ashore he was presently apprehended and Slain This was the unfortunate End of Pompey the Great Not long after Caesar coming into Aegypt that was then in very great Troubles shew'd a great abhorrence of the Person that presented him with Pompey's Head turning away from him as a most detestable Assassinate but when he receiv'd his Seal whereon was Engraven a Lyon holding a Sword in his Paw he burst out into Tears Achillas and Pothinus he put to Death and King Ptolomy himself being overthrown in Battel upon the Banks of Nilus fled away in disguise and was never heard of afterwards Theodotus the Rhetorician flying out of Aegypt escap'd the hands of Caesar's Justice but liv'd a Vagabond in Banishment wandring up and down despis'd and hated of all Men till at last Marcus Brutus after he had kill'd Caesar finding him in his Province of Asia put him to Death having first made him suffer the most exquisite Torments he could invent The Ashes of Pompey were carried to his Wife Cornelia who buried them in a Vault at his Country-House near the City of Alba. THE PARALLEL OF POMPEY WITH AGESILAUS THus having drawn out the History or Lives of Agesilaus and Pompey the next thing is to compare them and in order to the Parallel wherein they agree we 'll take a cursory View and touch upon some few Passages that make the difference shewing wherein they chiefly disagree which are these In the first place Pompey attain'd to all his Greatness and Glory by the just measures of his own Integrity and so was advanc'd by himself having often and desperately engag'd together with Sylla in delivering Italy from the Usurpation of Tyrants But Agesilaus appears to have usurp'd a Kingdom not without offence to the Laws both of Gods and Men Of these by giving Judgment of Bastardy against Leotychides the natural and lawful Son of his Brother as appear'd by undoubted Evidence Of those by putting a false Gloss upon the Oracle of the Gods and eluding the Prophesie in the point of Lameness Secondly Pompey had a perpetual Veneration for Sylla all his Life-time and express'd as much after his Death by making an honourable Inrerment of his Corps in despight of Lepidus and giving his Daughter in Marriage to his Son Faustus But Agesilaus upon a slight pretence cast off Lysander with Reproach and Dishonour So that in point of gratitude Sylla receiv'd in return from Pompey no less than he gave him whereas Lysander made Agesilaus King of Sparta and General of all Greece Thirdly Those Transgressions of Pompey against the State and Laws were occasion'd chiefly by his Relations for that most of his Errors had some Affinity as well as himself to Caesar and Scipio they being both his Fathers-in-law But Agesilaus to gratifie the Amours or Lust of his Son sav'd the Life of Sphodria by Violence when he deserv'd Death for those injuries he had done to the Athenians and 't is manifest that he was openly and cordially an Abettor to Phaebida in the breach of the League with the Thebans barely for the Iniquity of the Act it self In short what Mischief soever might be charg'd upon Pompey as done through Modesty or Inadvertency against the Roman Government the very same were committed by Agesilaus against the Lacedaemonians out of Obstinacy and Malice he himself being the Incendiary of the Baeotian War And if by chance there was any thing common in the Offences of these two that of Pompey was unexpected to the Romans whereas Agesilaus would not suffer the Lacedaemonians to avoid what they foresaw and heard must attend a lame or decrepit Kingdom For had Leotychides been chargeable ten thousand times as foreign and spurious yet the Race of the Eurityontidae was still in being and there never could have been wanting one descended from that Line to furnish Sparta with a natural and lawful King and one that was entire in his Limbs too had not Lysander darkned and disguis'd the true sence of â—he Oracle in favour of Agesilaus But as for State-Affairs never was there such a politick piece of Sophistry as was devised by Agesilaus in that great perplexity of the People touching the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or those who had cowardly deserted their Colours at the Battel of Leuctra whereby they became obnoxious to the Law when after that unhappy Defeat he decreed That the Laws should sleep for that day Neither indeed have we the fellow of it in all Pompey's Story but on the contrary Pompey for a Friend thought it no Sin to break those very Laws which he himself had made shewing at once both the force of Friendship and the greatness of his Power Whereas Agesilaus finding that he must of necessity have dissolv'd the Laws to preserve the Lives of his Citizens devis'd this Expedient whereby the Laws might not hurt them though they were not dissolv'd Then I must needs commend this as an incomparable Act of civil Vertue and Obedience in Agesilaus That immediately upon the receipt of the Scytala or scrowl of Parchment with a Countermand from the Ephori he left the Wars in Asia and return'd into his Country for that he did not act generally as Pompey did in those things by which he made himself Great for the interest and benefit of the Commonwealth who for his Countries sake laid aside as great Authority and Honour as ever any Man had before or since except Alexander the Great But now for some other Head And if well take a view of Pompey in his Military Expeditions and Exploits of War in the number of Trophies and the greatness of the Armies which he Commanded together with the multitude of Battels in which he triumph'd as a Conqueror I am perswaded even Xenophon himself would not put the Victories of Agesilaus in Ballance with his though he has this Priviledge allow'd him as a singular Reward for all his other Vertues that he may write and speak in favour of his Hero what-e're he pleases Methinks too there is a great deal of difference betwixt these Men in their Clemency and Moderation towards their Enemies For whilst Agesilaus was attempting the Conquest of Thebes and Destruction of Messene this being the entire Lot of his own Country and that the Metropolis of Baeotia he had almost lost Sparta it self but did really lose the Government of Greece whereas Pompey gave Cities to those of the Pirates who were willing to change their manner of Life And when 't was in his power to have led Tigranes King of Armenia in Triumph he chose rather to
the Spear out of the dead Body and would have thrust it into his own Throat if the Guards had not held his Hands and by main Force carried him away into his Chamber where all that night and the next day he wept bitterly till being quite spent with crying and lamenting he lay as it were speechless only fetching deep Sighs His Friends apprehending some dangerous consequence of his Silence broke into the Room but he took no notice of what any of them said till Aristander putting him in mind of the Vision he had seen concerning Clitus and the Prodigy that follow'd as if all had come to pass by an unavoidable Fatality he then seem'd to moderate his Grief They also brought Calisthenes the Philosopher who was nearly related to Aristotle and Anaxarchus of Abdera to him Calisthenes endeavour'd to alleviate his Sorrow with moral Discourses and gentle Insinuations without offending him But Anaxarchus who was always singular in his Method of Philosophy and was thought to slight those of his own Time as soon as he came in cried out aloud Is this the Alexander whom the whole World looks upon with such Admiration See how meanly he weeps like an abject Captive for fear of the Censure and Reproach of Men to whom he himself ought to be a Law and measure of Equity if he would make a right use of his Victories as Supream Lord and Governour of all and not be a Slave to a vain idle Opinion Do not you know said he that Jupiter is represented to have Justice and Law on each Hand of him the meaning of which is that all the Actions of a Prince are lawful and just With these and the like Speeches Anax 〈…〉 â—â—deed allay'd the King's Grief but 〈…〉 corrupted his Manners rendring him more dissolute and violent than he was before Nor did he fail by these means to insinuate himself into his Favour and to make Calisthenes his Conversation which otherwise because of his Austerity was not very acceptable more uneasie and disagreeable to him It happen'd that these two Philosophers meeting at an Entertainment where the Company discours'd of the Seasons of the Year and the Temperature of the Air Calisthenes joyn'd with their Opinion who held that those Countries were colder and the Winter sharper there than in Greece which Anaxarchus would by no means allow of but contradicted with great Obstinacy Sure said Calisthenes to him you must needs confess this Country to be colder than Greece for there you had but one thread-bare Cloak to keep out the coldest Winter and here you have three good warm Mantles one over another This piece of Raillery not only exceedingly exasperated Anaxarchus but likewise piqu'd the other Pretenders to Learning and the crowd of Flatterers who could not endure to see him so belov'd and follow'd by the Youth and no less esteem'd by the ancient Men for his good Life his Modesty Gravity and being contented with his Condition All which confirm'd what he gave out of his Design in this Voyage to Alexander that it was only to get his Country-Men recall'd from Banishment and to re-Build and re-People Abdera where he was Born Besides the Envy which his great Reputation rais'd he also by his own Deportment gave those who wish'd him ill opportunity to do him Mischief For when he was invited to publick Entertainments he would most-times refuse to come or if he were present at any he put a constraint upon the Company by his Moroseness and Silence seeming to disapprove of every thing they did or said which made Alexander say this of him That vain pretence to Wisdom I detest Where a Man 's blind to his own Interest Being with many more invited to Sup with the King he was Commanded to make an Oration extempore whilst they were Drinking in praise of the Macedonians and he did it with such a Torrent of Eloquence that all who heard it exceedingly applauded him and threw their Garlands upon him only Alexander told him out of Euripides I wonder not that you have spoke so well 'T is easie on good Subjects to excel Therefore said he if you will shew the force of your Eloquence tell my Macedonians their Faults and dispraise them that by hearing their Errors they may learn to be better for the future Callisthenes presently obey'd him retracting all he had said before and inveighing against the Macedonians with great freedom added That Philip thriv'd and grew Powerful chiefly by the Discord of the Graecians applying this Verse to him Where-ever Feuds and civil Discords reign There the worst Men most Reputation gain Which so disoblig'd the Macedonians that he was odious to them ever after And Alexander said That instead of his Eloquence he had only made his Ill-will appear in what he had spoken Hermippus assures us That one Stroebus a Servant whom Callisthenes kept to Read to him gave this account of these Passages afterwards to Aristotle and that when he perceiv'd the King grew more and more averse to him he mutter'd this Verse out of Homer two or three times to himself as he was going away Death seiz'd at last on Great Patroclus too Though he in Virtue far surmounted you Not without Reason therefore did Aristotle give this Character of Calisthenes That he was indeed an excellent Orator but had no Judgement at all For though we grant it was resolutely and Philosophically done of him not to Worship the King though by talking publickly against that which the best and gravest of the Macedonians only repin'd at in secret he put a stop to their base Adoration and deliver'd the Graecians and Alexander himself from a great deal of Infamy Yet in the close he ruin'd himself by it because he went too roughly to work as if he would have forc'd the King to that which he should have effected by Reason and Perswasion Chares of Mytilene writes That at a Banquet Alexander after he had drank reach'd the Cup to one of his Friends who receiving it rose up towards the Domestick Altar and when he had drank first ador'd and then kiss'd Alexander and afterwards sate down at the Table with the rest Which they all did one after another till it came to Calisthenes his Turn who taking the Cup drank it off when the King who was engag'd in Discourse with Hephestion did not mind him and then offer'd to kiss him But Demetrius sirnam'd Pheidon interpos'd saying Sir by no means let him kiss you for he only of us all had refus'd to adore you upon which the King declin'd it and all the Concern Calisthenes shew'd was that he said aloud Then I go away with a Kiss less than the rest The Displeasure he incurr'd by this Action was improv'd by Hephestion's affirming That he had broke his word to him in not paying the King the same Veneration that others did as he had faithfully promis'd to do And to finish his Disgrace Lysimachus and Agnon added That this
generously with him for he not only suffer'd him to govern his own Kingdom as his Lieutenant but added to it a large Province of some free People whom he had newly subdued which consisted of 15 several Nations and contain'd 5000 considerable Towns besides abundance of Villages Another Government three times as large as this he bestow'd on Philip one of his Friends Some time after the Battel with Porus most Authors agree that Bucephalus died under cure of his Wounds or as Onesicritus says of Fatigue and Age being 30 years old Alexander was no less concern'd at his Death than if he had lost an old Companion or an intimate Friend and built a City which he nam'd Bucephalia in memory of him on the Bank of the River Hydaspes and another in remembrance of his beloved favorite Dog Peritas as Sotion assures us he was inform'd by Potamon of Lesbos But this last Combat with Porus took off the edge of the Macedonians Courage and hindred their farther progress in India For having with much ado defeated him who brought but 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse into the Field they thought they had Reason to oppose Alexander's Design of obliging them to pass the Ganges too which they were told was Four Miles over and an hundred fathom deep and the Banks on the farther side cover'd with multitudes of Enemies For they had intelligence that the Kings of the Gandaritans and Persians expected them there with 80000 Horse 200000 Foot 8000 arm'd Chariots and 6000 fighting Elephants Nor was this a false vain Report spread on purpose to discourage them for Androcottus who not long after reign'd in those Parts made a Present of 500 Elephants at once to Seleucus and with an Army of 600000 Men subdued all India Alexander at first was so griev'd and enrag'd at his Mens Reluctancy that he shut himself up in his Tent and in a desponding manner threw himself upon the Ground declaring if they would not pass the Ganges he ow'd them no thanks for any thing they had hitherto done and that to retreat now was plainly to confess himself vanquish'd But at last the prudent Remonstrances and Perswasions of his Friends who inform'd him truly how the Case stood and the Tears and Lamentations of his Soldiers who in a suppliant manner crowded about the entrance of his Tent prevail'd with him to think of returning Yet before he decamp'd he would needs impose upon Posterity by leaving behind some fictitious Monuments of his Glory such as Arms of an extraordinary bigness and Mangers for Horses with Bits of Bridles above the usual size which he set up and distributed in several Places He erected Altars also to the Gods which the Kings of the Persians even in our Time highly reverence and often pass the River to sacrifice upon them after the Graecian manner Androcottus then a Youth saw Alexander there and has often afterwards been heard to say That he miss'd but little of making himself Master of those Countries their King who then reign'd was so hated and despis'd for the viciousness of his Life and the meanness of his Extraction Alexander decamping from hence had a mind to see the Ocean to which purpose he caus'd a great many Vessels with Oars and small Boats to be built in which he fell gently down the Rivers making Merry as he went and order'd it so that his Navigation was neither unprofitable nor unactive for by making several Descents he took in the Fortifi'd Towns and consequently the Country on both sides But at the Siege of a City of the Mallians who are the valiantest People of India he ran great danger of his Life for having beaten off the Defendants with showers of Arrows he was the first Man that mounted the Wall by a scaling Ladder which as soon as he was up broke and left him almost alone exposed to the Darts which the Barbarians threw at him in great numbers from below In this Distress turning himself as well as he could he leaped down in the midst of his Enemies and had the good Fortune to light upon his Feet The brightness and clattering of his Armour when he came to the Ground made the Barbarians think they saw Rays of Light or some Phantom playing before his Body which frighted them so at first that they ran away and dispers'd themselves till seeing him seconded but by two of his Guards they fell upon him Hand to Hand and though he defended himself very bravely wounded him through his Armour with their Swords and Spears One who stood farther off drew a Bow with such just Strength that the Arrow finding its way through his Cuirass stuck in his Ribs under the Breast This stroke was so violent that it made him give back and set one Knee to the Ground which as soon as he that Shot him perceiv'd he came up to him with his drawn Scimitar thinking to dispatch him and had done it if Peucestes and Limnaeus had not interpos'd who were both wounded Limnaeus mortally but Peucestes stood his Ground while Alexander kill'd the Barbarian But this did not free him from danger for besides many other Wounds at last he receiv'd so weighty a stroke of a Club upon his Neck that he was forc'd to lean his Body against the Wall yet still look'd undauntedly upon the Enemy When he was reduc'd to this Extremity the Macedonians breaking in to his Assistance very opportunely took him up just as he was fainting away having lost all sense of what was done near him and convey'd him to his Tent upon which it was presently reported all over the Camp that he was dead But when they had with great difficulty and pains saw'd out the Shaft of the Arrow which was of Wood and so with much ado got off his Cuirass they came to cut the Head of it which was three fingers broad and four long and stuck fast in the Bone During the Operation he was taken with almost mortal Swoonings but when it was out he came to himself again Yet though all Danger was past he continued very weak and confin'd himself a great while to a regular Diet and the method of his Cure till one day hearing the Macedonians were so desirous to see him that they were ready to mutiny he put on his Robe and when he had shew'd himself to them and sacrific'd to the Gods without more delay he went on Board again and as he coasted along subdued a great deal of the Country on both sides and took in several considerable Cities In this Voyage he took 10 of the Indian Philosophers Prisoners who had been most active in perswading Sabbas to Rebel and besides that had done the Macedonians abundance of Mischief These Men because they go stark naked are call'd Gymnosophists and are reputed to be extremely sharp and succinct in their Answers to whatsoever is propounded to them which he made tryal of by putting difficult Questions to them withal
letting them know that those whose Answers were not pertinent should be put to death of which he made the eldest of them Judge The first being ask'd Which he thought most numerous the Dead or the Living Answer'd The Living because those who are dead are not at all Of the second he desir'd to know Whether the Sea or Land produc'd the largest Beasts Who told him The Land for the Sea was but a part of it His Question to the third was Which was the craftiest Animal That said he which Mankind is not yet acquainted with He bid the fourth tell him What Arguments he us'd to Sabbas to perswade him to Revolt No other said he than that he should live with Honour or perish in the Attempt Of the fifth he ask'd Which was eldest Night or Day The Philosopher reply'd Day was eldest by one day at least but perceiving Alexander not well satisfied with that Account he added That he ought not to wonder if strange Questions had as odd Answers made to thâ—â— Then he went on and enquir'd of the next What a Man should do to be exceedingly bâ—lov'd He must be very powerful said he without making himself too much fear'd The Answer of the seventh to his Question How a Man might be a God was If he could do that which was impossible for Men to perform The eighth told him Life was stronger than Death because it supported so many Miseries And the last being ask'd How long he thought it decent for a Man to live said Till Death appear'd more desirable than Life Then Alexander turn'd to him whom he had made Judge and commanded him to give Sentence All that I can determine said he is that they have every one answer'd worse than another No that they have not said the King but however thou shalt die first because thou judgest so ill You will not deal so with me Sir reply'd the Gymnosophist if you intend to be as goad as your word which was that he should die first who answer'd worst which I have not done for you have not ask'd me any Question In conclusion he gave them Presents and dismiss'd them But to those who were in greatest Reputation among them and liv'd a private quiet Life he sent Onesicritus one of Diogenes the Cynicks Disciples desiring them to come to him Calanus very arrogantly and rudely commanded him to strip himself and hear what he said naked otherwise he would not speak a word to him though he came from Jupiter himself But Dandamis receiv'd him with more Civility and hearing him discourse of Socrates Pythagoras and Diogenes told him He thought them Men of great Parts and to have err'd in nothing so much as in having too great Respect for the Laws and Constitutions of their Country Others say he only adk'd him the Reason Why Alexander undertook so long a Voyage to come into those Parts Taxiles perswaded Calanus to wait upon Alexander his proper Name was Sphines but because he was wont to say Cale which in the IndianTongue signifies God save you when he saluted those he met with any where the Graecians call'd him Calanus He is said to have shewn Alexander an instructive Emblem of Government which was this He threw a dry shrivel'd Hide upon the Ground and trod upon the edge of it the Skin when it was press'd in one place still rose up in another wheresoever he trod round about it till he set his foot in the middle which made all the Parts lye even and quiet The meaning of this Similitude was That he ought to reside most in the middle and Heart of his Empire and not spend too much time on the Borders of it His Voyage down the Rivers took up seven Months time and when he came to the Sea he sail'd to an Island which he call'd Scillustis others Psiltucis where going ashore he sacrificed and made what Observations he could of the Nature of the Sea and the Sea-coast Then having besought the Gods that no other Man might ever go beyond the Bounds of this Expedition he order'd his Fleet of which he made Nearchus Admiral and Onesicritas Pilot to sail round about leaving India on the right hand and return'd himself by Land through the Country of the Oriâ—es where he was reduc'd to great Straits for want of Provisions and lost abundance of Men so that of an Army of 120000 Foot and in â—000 Horse he searce brought back above a fourth part out of India they were so diminish'd by Diseases ill Diet and the scorching Heats but most by Famine For then March was through an uncultivated Country whose Inhabitants far'd hardly and had none but a little ill Breed of Sheep whose Flesh was rank and unsavory by reason of their continual feeding upon Sea-fish After 60 days March he came into Gedrosia where he found great Plenty of all things which the neighbouring Kings and Governors of Provinces hearing of his Approach had taken care to provide From hence when he had reinforc'd his Army he continued his March through Carmania feasting all the way for seven days together He with his most intimate Friends Banquetted and Revell'd night and day upon a Stage erected on a lofty conspicuous Scaffold which with a slow majestick Pace was drawn by 8 Horses This was follow'd by a great many Chariots whereof some were cover'd with Tapistry of Purple and other Colours and some with green Boughs which were supplied with fresh as they wither'd and in them the rest of his Friends and Commanders drinking and crown'd with Garlands and Flowers Here was now no Target or Helmet no Spear to be seen instead of Armour the Soldiers handled nothing but Cups and Goblets and drinking Bowls of Thericles his Make which they dipp'd into larger Vessels and drank Healths to one another some sitting close to it others as they went along All Places resounded with Musick of Pipes and Flutes with Odes and Songs and Women dancing as in the Rites of Bacchus for this disorderly wandring March besides the drinking part of it was accompanied with all the Loosness and Insolence of Bacchanals as much as if the God himself had been there to countenance and carry on the Debauch As soon as he came to the Royal Palace of Gedrosia he again refresh'd and feasted his Army and one day after he had drank pretty hard it is said went to see a Prize of Dancing contended for in which his Minion Bagoas who defrayed the expence of it having the Victory cross'd the Theater in his Dancing Habit and sate down close by him which so pleas'd the Macedonians that they made loud Acclamations for him to kiss Bagoas and never left clapping their Hands and shouting till Alexander took him about the Neck and kiss'd him Here his Admiral Nearchus came to him and delighted him so with the Relation of his Voyage that he resolv'd himself to sail out of the mouth of Euphrates with a great Fleet
at Arms. When the Macedonians saw him attended by these Men and themselves excluded and shamefully disgrac'd their high Spirits fell and upon Discourse with one another they found that Jealousie and Rage had almost distracted them But at last coming to themselves again they went without their Arms almost naked crying and weeping to offer themselves at his Tent and desired him to deal with them as their Baseness and Ingratitude deserv'd However this would not prevail for though his Anger was already something mollified yet he would not admit them into his presence nor would they stir from thence but continued two days and nights before his Tent bewailing themselves and imploring him their Sovereign Lord to have compassion on them But the third day he came out to them and seeing them very humble and penitent he wept himself a great while and after a gentle Reproof spoke kindly to them and dismissed those who were unserviceable with magnificent Rewards And this Recommendation to Antipater that when they came into Greece at all publick Shews and in the Theaters they should sit on the best and foremost Seats crown'd with Chaplets of Flowers and order'd the Children of those who had lost their Lives in his Service to have their Fathers Pay continued to them When he came to Ecbatana in Media and had dispatched his most urgent Affairs he fell to divert himself again with Spectacles and publick Entertainments to carry on which he had a Supply of 3000 Actors newly arriv'd out of Greece But they were soon interrupted by Hephestion's falling sick of a Fever in which being a young Man and a Soldier too he could not confine himself to so exact a Diet as was necessary for whilst his Physician Glaucus was gone to the Theater he eat a boyl'd Cock for his Dinner and drank a large draught of Wine upon which he grew worse and died in a few days At this Misfortune Alexander was so beyond all Reason transported that to express his Sorrow he presently order'd the Manes and Tails of all his Horses and Mules to be cut and threw down the Battlements of the neighbouring Cities The poor Physician he Crucified and forbad playing on the Flute or any other Musical Instrument in the Camp a great while till the Oracle of Jupiter Ammon enjoyn'd him to Honour Hephestion and sacrifice to him as to an Horo Then seeking to alleviate his Grief in War he set out as if he were to go a Man-hunting for he fell upon the Cussaeans and put the whole Nation to the Sword not sparing so much as the Children This was call'd a Sacrifice to Hephaestion's Ghost In his Sepulcher and Monument and the adorning of them he intended to bestow 10000 Talents and that the excellency of the Artist and the curiosity of the Workmanship might go beyond the expence it self he rather chose to imploy Stasicrates than any other because he always promis'd something very bold and lofty and magnificent in his Designs For in Discourse before he had told him That of all the Mountains he knew that of Athos in Thrace was the most capable of being contriv'd to represent the Shape and Lineaments of a Man That if he pleas'd to command him he would make it the noblest and most durable Statue in the World which in its left Hand should hold a City of 10000 Inhabitants and out of its right should pour a copious River into the Sea Though Alexander declin'd this Project yet now he spent a great deal of time with Workmen to invent and contrive others far more absurd and expensive As he was upon his way to Babylon Nearchus who had sail'd back out of the Ocean by the mouth of the River Euphrates came to tell him he had met with some Chaldaean Diviners who warn'd him not to go thither But Alexander slighted this Advertisement and went on and when he came near the Walls of the Place he saw a great many Crows fighting with one another whereof some fell down just by him After this being privately inform'd that Apollodorus the Governor of Babylon had sacrific'd to know what would become of him he sent for Pythagoras the Soothsayer who not denying the thing he ask'd him in what condition he found the Victim and when he told him The Liver was defective in its Lobe a great Presage indeed said Alexander However he offered Pythagoras no Injury but was much troubled that he had neglected Nearchus his Advice and therefore staid a great while without the Town removing his Tent from Place to Place and sailing up and down the Eupharates Besides this he was disturbed by many other Prodigies A tame Ass fell upon the biggest and handsomest Lyon that he kept and kicked him to Death And one day undressing himself to be anointed and to play at Ball when he was putting his Cloaths on again the young Men who played with him perceived a Man clad in the King's Robes with the Diadem upon his Head sitting silently upon his Throne They asked him Who he was To which he gave no Answer a good while till at last with much ado coming to himself he told them His Name was Dyonisius that he was of Messenia that for some Crime whereof he was accus'd he was brought thither from the Sea-side and had been kept long in Prison that Serapis appear'd to him had freed him from his Chains conducted him to that Place and commanded him to put on the King's Robe and Diadem and to sit where they found him and to say nothing Alexander when he heard this by the direction of his Soothsayers put the Fellow to Death but from thenceforth desponded and grew diffident of the Protection and Assistance of the Gods and besides very suspicious of his Friends His greatest apprehension was of Antipater and his Sons one of whom Iollas was his chief Cup-bearer the other nam'd Cassander was newly arriv'd out of Greèce and being bred up in the freedom of his Country the first time he saw some of the Barbarians adore the King could not forbear laughing at it aloud which so incens'd Alexander that he took him by the Hair with both Hands and violently knock'd his Head against the Wall Another time Cassander would have said something in defence of Antipater to those who accus'd him but Alexander interrupting him What is 't you say Do you think People if they had receiv'd no Injury would come such a Journey only to calumniate your Father To which when Cassander replied That this very thing was a great evidence of their Calumny Alexander smil'd and said Those were some of Aristotle's Sophisms which would serve equally on both sides and added That both he and his Father should be severely punish'd if they were found guilty of the least Injustice towards those who complain'd which upon the whole made such a deep impression of Fear in Cassander's Mind that long after when he was King of Macedonia and
as compel the Senate who at the same time regretted what they were forc'd to pass Cato was not present for they had sent him aside very seasonably into Cyprus but Favonius who was a zealous imitator of Cato when he found he could do no good by opposing it broke out of the House and loudly declaim'd against these Proceedings to the People But none gave him hearing some slighting him out of respect to Crassus and Pompey others to gratifie Caesar on whom depended all their hopes After this Caesar return'd again to his Forces in Gaul where he found that Country involv'd in a dangerous War two strong People of the Germans having lately past the Rhine and made Inroads into it One of them call'd Ipes the other Tenterides Of the War with this People Caesar himself has given this Account in his Commentaries That the Barbarians having sent Ambassadors to treat with him did during the Treaty set upon him in his march by which means with 800 Men they routed 5000 of his Horse who did not suspect their coming that afterwards they sent other Ambassadors to pursue the same fraudulent practices whom he kept in Custody and led on his Army against the Barbarians as judging it would betray too much Easiness if he should keep Faith with those who broke their Promises and could not be oblig'd by any League Canusius saith that when the Senate decreed Festivals and Sacrifices for this Victory Cato declar'd it to be his Opinion that Caesar ought to be given into the hands of the Barbarians that so the guilt which this breach of Faith might otherwise bring upon the Publick might be expiated by transferring the Curse on him who was the Occasion of it Of those which past the Rhine there were 400000 cut off those few which escaped were shelter'd by the Sicambri a People of Germany Caesar took hold of this pretence to invade the Germans being otherwise ambitious of glory and especially of the Honour of being the first Man that should pass the Rhine with an Army He presently laid a Bridge over it though it was very wide and in that place deeper than ordinary and at the same time very rough and fierce carrying down with its Stream Trunks of Trees and other Lumber which much shock'd and weaken'd the foundations of his Bridge But he drove great Planks of Wood into the bottom of the River above the Bridge both to resist the impression of such Bodies and to break the force of the Torrent and by this means he finish'd his Bridge which no one who saw could believe it to be the Work of but 10 days In the passage of his Army over it he met with no opposition the Suevi themselves who are the most Warlike People of all Germany flying with their Effects into the closest and most woody part of the Vales. When he had burnt all the Enemies Countrey and encourag'd those who had remain'd firm to the Roman Interest he went back into Gaul after 18 days stay in Germany But his Expedition into Britain gave the most signal Testimony of his Courage for he was the first who brought a Navy into the Western Ocean or who sail'd through the Atlantick with an Army to make War and though the Island is of so incredible an extent that it has given room to Historians to dispute whether such an Island really be in Nature or whether 't is a bare Name and Fiction yet he attempted to conquer it and to carry the Roman Empire beyond the Limits of the known World He past thither twice from that part of Gaul which lies over-against it and in several Battles which he fought did more disservice to the Enemy than service to himself for the Islanders were so miserably poor that they had nothing worth being plundred of When he found himself unable to put such an end to the War as he wish'd he was content to take Hostages from the King and to impose some Taxes and then quitted the Island At his arrival in Gaul he found Letters which lay ready to be convey'd over the Water to him from his Friends at Rome to give him Notice of his Daughters death who died in Labour of a Child by Pompey Caesar and Pompey were much afflicted with her Death nor were their Friends less disturb'd because that Alliance was now quite broke which had hitherto kept the Commonwealth in Peace and Amity for the Child also died within a few days after the Mother The People took the Body of Julia by force from the Tribunes and buried it in the Campus Martius with all Solemnities proper on that Occasion Caesar's Army was now grown very numerous so that he was forc'd to disperse them into several Winter-Quarters and being gone himself towards Rome as he us'd to do there was a sudden Rupture in Gaul and great Armies were on their march about the Country who beat up the Romans Quarters and attempted to make themselves Masters of the Forts where they lay The greatest and strongest Party of the Rebels under the Command of Ambiorix cut off Cotta and Titurius with their Army After that the Enemies invested a Town where Cicero lay with his Legion with an Army of 60000 Men and had almost taken it by Storm the Roman Souldiers in it being all wounded and having quite spent themselves by a brisk and vigorous defence beyond their Natural strength But Caesar who was at a great distance having receiv'd notice of this quickly got together 7000 Men and hasten'd to relieve Cicero The Besiegers were aware of it and went to meet him with great confidence that they should with ease devour such an handful of Men. Caesar to nourish their presumption seem'd to avoid fighting and still march'd off till he found a place conveniently situate for a few to engage against many where he encamp'd He kept his Souldiers from making any Incursion on the Enemy and commanded them to raise a Bulwark and to build strong Barricadoes that by shew of fear they might heighten the Enemies contempt of them till at last they came without any order in great security to make an Attack when he made a Sally and put them to flight with the loss of many Men. This quieted many Commotions in these parts of Gaul and Caesar made his progress through several parts of the Country and with great vigilance provided against all Innovations At that time there were 3 Legions come to him by way of Recruits for the Men he had lost of which Pompey furnish'd him with two out of those under his Command the other was newly rais'd in that part of Gaul which is by the Po. After this the Seeds of War which had long since been secretly sown and scatter'd by the most powerful Men in those Warlike Nations broke forth and ripen'd into the greatest and most dangerous War that ever was in those parts both for the number of Men in the vigor of their Youth and quantity of Arms which were gather'd
from all parts and the vast Funds of Money laid up for this purpose and the strength of Towns and situation of places by which they were inaccessible It being Winter the Rivers were frozen the Woods cover'd with Snow and the Fields overflow'd so that in some places the Ways were lost through the depth of the Snow in others the overflowing of Bogs and Brooks made the passage very dangerous All which difficulties made it seem impracticable to Caesar to make any attempt upon the Rebels Many States had revolted together the chief of them were the Arverni and Carnutes the General who had the Supream Command in War was Vercingetorix whose Father the Gauls had put to death on suspicion he affected absolute Government He having dispos'd his Army in several Bodies and set Officers over them drew over to him all the Country round about as far as those that lie upon Arar and having Intelligence of the Opposition which Caesar's Affairs now found at Rome thought to engage all Gaul in the War Which if he had done a little later when Caesar was taken up with the Civil Wars Italy had been put into as great fears as before it was by the Cimbri But at this time Caesar who was of a Genius naturally fitted to make a right use of all advantages in War as soon as he heard of the Revolt return'd immediately the same way he went and shew'd the Barbarians by the quickness of his march in such a tempestuous season that the Army which was advancing against them was invincible For in time that one would have thought it scarce credible that a Courier or Express should have come so far he appear'd with all his Army in his march he ravaged the Country demolish'd the Forts and receiv'd into his protection those who declar'd for him till at last the Hedui oppos'd him who before had styl'd themselves Brethren to the Romans and had been much honour'd by them but now joyn'd the Rebels to the great discouragement of Caesar's Army Wherefore he remov'd thence and past the Country of the Lingones desiring to touch upon the Territories of the Sequani who were his Allies and are situate next to Italy upon the Confines of Gaul There the Enemy came upon him and surrounded him with many Myriads whom he was eager enough to engage and had the advantage of them upon all accounts and at last through the length of time and terrour of his Name quite defeated them But he seems to have made some false steps at first and the Arverni shew you a Sword hanging up in a Temple which they say was taken from Caesar This Caesar saw afterwards and smil'd at it and when his Friends advis'd it should be taken down would not permit it because he look'd upon it as consecrated After the defeat a great part of those who had escap'd fled with their King into a Town call'd Alexia which Caesar besieged though for the heighth of the Walls and number of those who were in Garison it seem'd impregnable During the Siege he met with greater danger without the Town then can be exprest For the choice Men of Gaul pick'd out of each Nation and well Arm'd came to relieve Alexia to the number of Three hundred thousand nor were there in the Town less than 170 thousand So that Caesar being shut up betwixt two such Armies was forc'd to raise two Walls one towards the Town the other against the new Supplies as knowing if these Forces should join his Affairs would be intirely ruin'd The danger that he underwent before Alexia did justly gain him great Honour and gave him an opportunity of shewing greater Instances of his Valour and Conduct than any other Battle ever did One would wonder very much how he should engage and defeat so many thousands of Men without the Town and not be perceiv'd by those within but much more that the Romans themselves who guarded their Wall which was next the Town should be Strangers to it For even they knew nothing of the Victory till they heard the cries of the Men and lamentations of the Women who were in the Town and had from thence seen the Romans at a distance carrying into their Camp a great quantity of Bucklers adorn'd with Gold and Silver many Breast-plates stain'd with Blood besides Cups and Tents made after the Gallic mode So soon was so vast an Army dissipated and vanish'd like a Ghost or Dream the greatest part of them being kill'd upon the spot Those which were in Alexia having given themselves and Caesar much trouble surrendred at last and Vercingetorix who was the chief Spring of all the War with his best Armour on and well mounted rode out of the Gates and took a Turn about Caesar as he was sitting then quitted his Horse threw off his Armour and laid himself quietly at Caesar's feet who committed him to Custody to be reserv'd for a Triumph Caesar had long since design'd to ruine Pompey and Pompey him for Crassus who had hitherto kept them in Peace being slain in Parthia the one wanted nothing to make himself the greatest Man in Rome but the fall of him who was so Nor had the other any way to prevent his own ruine but by being before-hand with him whom he fear'd But Pompey had not been long under such apprehensions having till that time despis'd Caesar as thinking it no difficult matter to crush him whom he himself had advanc'd But Caesar had entertain'd this design from the beginning against his Rivals and had retir'd like an expert Wrestler to prepare himself for the Combat He had improv'd the strength of his Souldiery by exercising e'm in the Gallic Wars and had heighten'd his own glory by his great Actions so that he was look'd on as one that vied with Pompey Nor did he let go any of those advantages which were now given him both by Pompey himself and the times and the ill Government of Rome whereby all who were Candidates for Offices publickly gave Money and without any shame brib'd the Pople who having receiv'd their pay did not contend for their Benefactors with their bare Suffrages but with Bows Swords and Slings so that they seldom parted without having stain'd the place of Election with the Blood of Men kill'd upon the spot by which the City was brought to confusion like a Ship without a Pilot so that the Wiser part wish'd things which were carried on with so much Tumult and fury might end no worse then in a Monarchy Some were so bold as to declare openly that the Government was incurable but by a Monarchy and that they ought to take that Remedy from the Hands of the gentlest Physician meaning Pompey who though in words he pretended to decline it yet in reality he made his utmost Efforts to be declar'd Dictator Cato perceiving his design prevail'd with the Senate to make him sole Consul that he might not aim at the Dictatorship being taken off with the offer of a more
but retreated after he had shut up the Enemy within their Camp Caesar upon his return said to his Friends The Victory to day had been on our Enemies side if they had had a General which knew how to conquer When he was retir'd into his Tent he laid himself down to sleep but spent that night the most melancholy that he ever did any being perplex'd in his thoughts for his ill conduct in this War for when he had a large Country before him and all the wealthy Cities of Macedonia and Thessaly he had neglected to carry the War thither and had sat down by the Sea-side whilst his Enemies had such a powerful Fleet so that he seem'd rather to be besieg'd with want of Necessaries then to besiege others with his Arms. Being thus distracted in his thoughts with the view of the ill posture he stood in he rais'd his Camp with a design to advance towards Scipio who lay in Macedonia for he hop'd either to draw Pompey where he should fight without the advantage he now had of supplies from the Sea or over-power Scipio if not assisted This animated Pompey's Army and Officers so far that they were for pursuing Caesar as one that was worsted and flying But Pompey was afraid to hazard a Battle on which so much depended and being himself provided with all Necessaries for a considerable time thought to tire out and waste the vigor of Caesar's Army which could not last long For the best part of his Men though they had much Experience and shew'd an irresistible Courage in all Engagements yet by their frequent marches changing their Camps assaulting of Towns and long watches were so broken and so much exhausted with Age that their Bodies were unfit for Labour and their Courage cool'd by their years Besides 't is said that a Pestilential Disease occasioned by their irregular Diet rag'd in Caesar's Army and what was of greatest moment he was neither furnish'd with Money nor Provisions so that in a little time he must needs fall of himself For these Reasons Pompey had no mind to fight him and was thank'd for it by none but Cato who was pleas'd with it out of his zeal to preserve his Fellow-Citizens For when he saw the dead Bodies of those which had faln in the last Battle on Caesar's side to the number of a thousand he went away cover'd his Face and wept The rest reproach'd Pompey for declining to fight and call'd him Agamemnon and the King of Kings as One that had no mind to lay down his Sovereign Authority but was pleas'd to see so many great Commanders attending on him and paying their â—â—â—endance at his Tent. Favonius who affected Cato's free way of speaking his mind complain'd bitterly that they should eat no Figs that year at Tusculum by reason of Pompey's ambition to be Monarch Afranius who was lately return'd out of Spain and by reason of the ill Campagne he had made was suspected by Pompey to have betray'd the Army for Money ask'd him Why he did not fight that Merchant who had made such purchases Pompey was compell'd by this kind of Language to give Caesar Battle though against his own Sentiments and in order to it pursu'd him Caesar had found great difficulties in his march for no Country would supply him with Provisions his Reputation being very much sunk since his last Defeat But when he came to Gomphi a Town of Thessaly he not only found Provisions for his Army but Physick too For there they met with plenty of Wine which they took off very freely heated with this and fir'd with the God they jollily danc'd along and so shook off their Disease and chang'd their whole Constitution When the two Armies were come into Pharsalia and both encamp'd there Pompey's thoughts ran the same way as they had done before against fighting and the more because of some unlucky Presages and an odd Vision he had in a Dream Yet some who were about him were so confident of success that Domitius Spinther and Scipio as if they had already conquer'd quarrel'd which should succeed Caesar in the Pontificate And many sent to Rome to take Houses fit to accommodate Consuls and Praetors as being sure of entring upon those Offices as soon as the Battle was over The Cavalry especially were eager to fight as being well Arm'd and bravely mounted and valuing themselves upon the clean shapes of their Horses and the advantage of their numbers for they were 5000 against 1000 of Caesar's Nor was their Infantry better match'd there being 45000 of Pompey's against 22000 of the Enemy Caesar drew up his Soldiers and told 'em that Cornificius was coming up to them with two Legions and that 15 Companies more under Calenuâ— were posted at Megara and Athens he ask'd 'em whether they would stay till these join'd them or would hazard the Baâ—â—le by themselves They all cried ouâ— against delaying and were eager to engage as soon as possible When he sacrific'd to the Gods for the lustration of his Army upon the death of the first Victim the Augur told him within 3 days he should come to a decisive Action Caesar ask'd him Whether he saw any thing in the Entrails which promis'd an happy Event That saith the Priest you can best answer your self for the Gods signifie a great Alteration from the present posture of Affairs if therefore you think your self happy now expect worse Fortune if unhappy hope for better The night before the Battle as he walk'd the Rounds about Midnight he saw a Light in the Heaven very bright and flaming which seem'd to pass over Caesar's Camp and fall into Pompey's and when Caesar's Soldiers came to relieve the Watch in the morning they perceiv'd a Panic fear among the Enemies However he did not expect to fight that day but decamp'd as if he design'd to march towards Scotusa But when the Tents were taken down his Scouts rode up to him and told him the Enemy would give him Battle With this he was very much pleas'd and having perform'd his Devotions to the Gods set his Army in Battalia dividing them into 3 Bodies Over the middle-most he plac'd Domitius-Calvinus Antony commanded the Left Wing and he himself the Right being resolv'd to fight at the Head of the 10th Legion But when he saw the Enemies Cavalry planted against him being struck with their Bravery and their Number he gave private Orders That six Companies from the Reer of the Army should advance up to him whom he posted behind the Right Wing and instructed them what they should do when the Enemies Horse came to charge On the other side Pompey commanded the Right Wing Domitius the Left and Scipio Pompey's Father-in-law the Main Body The whole Weight of the Cavalry was in the Left Wing who design'd to attack the Right Wing of the Enemy and press that part most which the General himself commanded For they thought no Body of Foot could be so deep as to bear such a
measur'd out to them Photinus told them They must like it since they were fed at another's Cost He order'd that his Table should be serv'd with wooden and earthen Dishes and said Caesar had carried off all the Gold and Silver Plate under pretence of Arrears of Debt For the present King's Father ow'd Caesar 1750 Myriads of Money Caesar had formerly remitted to his Children the rest but thought fit to demand the thousand Myriads at that time to maintain his Army Photinus told him That he had better go then and attend his other Affairs of greater Consequence and that he should receive his Money at another time with Thanks Caesar replied That he did not want Aegyptians to be his Councellors and soon after privately sent for Cleopatra from her Retirement She took a little Skiff and one of her Confidents Apollodorus along with her and in the dusk of the evening landed near the Palace She was at a loss how to get in undiscover'd till she thought of putting her self into the Coverlet of a Bed and lying at length whilst Apollodorus bound up the Bedding and carried it on his Back through the Castle-gates to Caesar's Apartment Caesar was first taken with this fetch of Cleopatra as an Argument of her Wit and was afterwards so far charm'd with her Conversation and graceful Behaviour that he reconcil'd her to her Brother and made her Partner in the Government A Festival was kept for joy of this Reconciliation where Caesar's Barber a busie pragmatical Fellow whose fear made him inquiâ—itive into every thing discover'd that there was a Plot carrying on against Caesar by Achillas General of the King's Forces and Photinus the Eunuch Caesar upon the first intelligence of it set a Guard upon the Hall where the Feast was kept and kill'd Photinus Achillas escap'd to the Army and rais'd a troublesom War against Caesar which it was not easie for him to manage with so small a Force against so powerful a State The first difficulty he met with was want of Water for the Enemies had turned the Pipes Another was that when the Enemy endeavour'd to cut off his Communication by Sea he was forc'd to divert that Danger by setting fire to his own Ships which when it had burnt the Harbor spread it self so far as to destroy the famous Library of Alexandria A third was that in an Engagement near Pharos he leap'd from the Mole into a Skiff to assist his Soldiers who were in danger When the Aegyptians press'd him on every side he threw himself into the Sea and with much difficulty swam off He had then many Papers in his hand which though he was continually darted at and forc'd to keep his Head often under Water yet he did not let go but held them up safe from wetting in one hand whilst he swam with the other His Skiff in the mean time was quickly sunk At last the King having got off to Achillas and his Party Caesar engag'd and conquer'd them many fell in that Battel and the King himself was never seen after Upon this he makes Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt who soon after had a Son by him whom the Alexandrians call'd Caesarion and then departed for Syria Thence he passed to Asia where he heard that Domitius was beaten by Pharnaces Son of Mithridates and fled out of Pontus with an handful of Men and that Pharnaces pursu'd the Victory so eagerly that though he was already Master of Bithynia and Cappadocia he had still farther aims to take in Armenia the less in order to which he invited all the Kings and Tetrarchs there to rise Caesar immediately marched against him with three Legions fought him near Zela drove him out of Pontus and totally defeated his Army When he gave Amintius a Friend of his at Rome an Account of this Action to express the smartness and dispatch of it he used these three words Veni Vidi Vici which Latin words having all the same Cadence carry with them an air of brevity which in this place is very lucky and graceful Hence he went for Italy and came to Rome at the end of that Year for which he was a second time chose Dictator though that Office had never before lasted so long and was elected Consul for the next He was ill spoke of because upon a Mutiny of Soldiers who kill'd Cosconius and Galba who had been Praetors he gave them only that slight Reprimand of calling them Citizens instead of Fellow-Soldiers and after gave each Man a thousand Drachms besides a share of some Lands in Italy He was also reflected on for Dolabella's Extravagance Amintius's Covetousness Anthony's Debauchery and Corfinius's Profuseness who pull'd down Pompey's House and re-built it as not Magnificent enough for the Romans were much displeased with all these But Caesar for the carrying on his Designs though he knew their Characters and disapprov'd them was forc'd to make use of such Instruments After the Battel of Pharsalia Cato and Scipio fled into Afric and there with the Assistance of King Juba got together a considerable Force which Caesar resolv'd to engage In order to it he pass'd into Sicily in the very midst of Winter and to remove from his Officers all hopes of delay there encamp'd by the Sea-shoar and as soon as ever he had a fair Wind put to Sea with 3000 Foot and a few Horse When he had landed them he went back privately under great apprehensions for the better part of his Army but met 'em upon the Sea and brought them all to the same Camp There he was inform'd That the Enemies rely'd much upon an ancient Oracle That the Family of the Scipioes should be always Victorious in Afric There was in his Army a Fellow otherwise mean and contemptible but of the House of the Africani and his Name Scipio Sallustio This Man Caesar put in the Head of his Army with the Title of General which he did either in raillery to ridicule Scipio who commanded the Enemy or seriously to bring over the Omen to his side He was oblig'd often to set upon the Ememy and skirmish with them for he wanted both Victualling for his Men and Forage for his Horse so that he was forc'd to feed 'em with a Sea-weed which he mix'd with Grass to take off its saltness and to give it a more agreeable Taste He was forc'd to make this shift because the Numidians in great Numbers and well Hors'd commanded the Country Caesar's Cavalry being one day out of Employ diverted themselves with seeing an African who entertain'd 'em with a Dance and play'd upon the Pipe to admiration They were so taken with this that they lighted and gave their Horses to some Boys when on a sudden the Enemy briskly surrounded them kill'd some pursu'd the rest and fell in with 'em into their Camp and had not Caesar himself and Asinius Pollio came in to their Assistance and put a stop to their flight the War had been then at an end In another
Conduct at a pinch but now to send Antiphilus with the Command of the Army This pleas'd the Generality but Phocion made it appear he was so far from having any friendship with him of old standing that he had not so much as the least familiarity with him Yet now Sir says he give me leave to put you down among the number of my Friends and Familiars having advised in my concerns so much to my advantage Still the Athenians being violent to engage against the Boeotians Phocion was the first oppos'd it and his Friends telling him the People would kill him for always running counter to them Truly says he it will be hard measure if I advise them honestly if not let me suffer Whilst they were loud and hot upon 't he commanded the Cryer to make Proclamation that all the Athenians from 16 to 60 should presently prepare themselves with 5 days provision and immediately follow him from the Assembly This caused a great tumult Those in years were startled and clamour'd against the Order he demanded wherein he injured them For I says he am now fourscore and am ready to lead you This divreted them and pacified them for the present in the mean time Micion with a great force of Macedonians and Mercenaries was ravaging and pillaging the Sea coast making a descent into Ramnunta and wasting the Country Against him Phocion was sent and drew out his Army where some stragglers pragmatically intermedling in the Marshalling of it would needs be tutoring him how he should possess himself of such an Hill and dispose of the Cavalry in such a place and so and so to range the Battalions to the best advantage O Hercules says he how many Generals have we here and how few Soldiers Afterward having form'd the Battle one that would seem forward advanc'd out of his Order before the rest but the Enemy approaching his heart fail'd him and he retired back into his rank Him he reproach'd telling him Youngster are you not asham'd twice in one day to desert your Station both where I had plac'd you and you had plac'd your self But falling on the Enemy with great bravery and resolution he routed them killing Micion and many more upon the spot and afterwards he overcame the Groecian Army that was in Thessaly wherein Leonatus had joyn'd himself with Antipater and the Macedonians that came out of Asia Leonatus was kill'd in the Fight Antiphilus commanding the Foot and Menon the Thessalian the Horse Not long after Craterus coming out of Asia with a great Force another skirmish hapned in Cranon wherein the Groecians were worsted but the loss was not very considerable nor the number of the slain yet with their restiveness to their Governors who were young men and too mild and indulgent Antipater in the mean season also under-hand tampering with the Cities the Groecians utterly lost themselves and shamefully betrayed the Liberty of their Country Upon the news of Antipater's approaching Athens with all his force Demosthenes and Hyperides deserted the City and Demades who was altogether insolvent for any part of the Fines that had been laid upon him by the City for he had been condemn'd no less than 7 times for false Judgments contrary to the known Laws and having lost his Reputation to that degree that he was not permitted to Vote in the Assembly laid hold on this favourable juncture to bring in a Bill for sending Embassadors with Plenipotentiary Power to Antipater to treat about a Peace but the people distrusting him and calling upon Phocion to give his opinion as the Person they only and entirely confided in he said My Masters if my former Counsels had been any thing prevalent with you we had not been reduc'd to such straits as we now labour under in our deliberations about these matters However the Vote pass'd and a Decree was made and he with others deputed to go to Antipater who lay now incamped in the Theban Territories but intended suddenly to dislodge and pass into Attica His first proposal was that the Treaty might begin whilst he staid in that Country This was cry'd out upon as unreasonably propounded by Phocion by Craterus to oppress the Country of their Friends and Allies by their stay since they might rather use that of their Enemies for provisions and support of their Army But Antipater taking him by the hand said 'T is true but let us grant this Boon out of respect to Phocion And for the rest he bid them return to their Principals and acquaint them that he would grant them no other Terms than what he himself had received from Leosthenes then General when he was shut up in Lamia When Phocion had return'd to the City and acquainted them with this answer they made a virtue of necessity at this Juncture and comply'd since it would be no better So Phocion return'd to Thebes with other Embassadors and among the rest Zenocrates the Philosopher the reputation of whose Prudence and Wisdom was so great and celebrated among the Athenians that they conceiv'd there could not be any thing of mankind so brutal and barbarous or devoid of common humanity that even his meen and aspect would not gain upon and create a respect for him But the contrary hapned by the insolence and ferity of Antipater's disposition who embracing all the rest of his Companions pass'd Zenocrates by not deigning so much as to salute him or take the least notice of him Upon which occasion Zenocrates said He was well satisfied he used him so scurvily since he had the same intentions to the whole City As soon as ever he began to speak Antipater thwarted and interrupted him not suffering him to proceed but enjoyned him silence But when Phocion had declar'd the purport of their Embassy he reply'd short and peremptorily he would make a League with the Athenians on these conditions and no others That Demosthenes and Hyperides be deliver'd up to him That the ancient way of Raising Taxes in the City be observ'd That they should receive a Garrison from him into Minichia Defray the Charges of the War and damages sustain'd and put themselves under Contribution for it As things stood these Terms were judg'd tolerable by the rest of the Embassadors Zenocrates said Truly if Antipater reputed them as already his Slaves they were indifferent but if he considered them still as Free they were insufferable Phocion press'd him with much earnestness only to spare the Garrison and used many Arguments and Intreaties Antipater reply'd He should find him compliant in any thing to his request that did not inevitably tend no the ruin of them both Others report it differently that Antipater should ask Phocion If he remitted the Garrison to the Athenians he would stand Surety for the City to demean themselves peaceably and endeavour no Innovations To which when he demurr'd and made no return on the sudden Callimedon the Carabian a hot man and a profess'd Enemy to Free States rose up asking Antipater if
danger Cato boldly opposed him and made him appear so infamous that he was forc'd to leave the Town and when Cicero came to thank him for what he had done You must thank the Commonwealth said he for whose sake alone it was that he did every thing Thus he gained a great and wonderful Reputation so that a certain Advocate in a Cause where there was only one Witness against him told the Judges They ought not to rely upon a single Witness though it were Cato himself And it was grown proverbial among the People if any very unlikely and incredible thing were asserted to say They would not believe it though Cato himself should affirm it One day a debauched Prodigal talking in the Senate about Frugality and Temperance Amnoeus standing up cryed Who can endure this Sir to hear you that feast like Crassus and build like Lucullus talk like Cato So likewise those who were wild and dissolute in their Manners yet affected to seem grave and severe in their Discourses were in derision called Cato's At first when his Friends would have perswaded him to stand to be Tribune of the People he thought it not convenient for that the Power of so great an Office ought to be imployed only as the strongest Medicines when things are brought to the last necessity But afterward in Vacation-time as he was going accompanied with his Books and Philosophers to Leucania where he had a pleasant Seat by the way they met a great many Horses Carriages and Attendants of whom they understood that Metellus Nepos was going to Rome to stand to be Tribune of the People Hereupon Cato stopp'd and after a little pause gave Orders to return immediately At which the Company seeming to wonder Don't you know said he how dangerous of it self the Madness of Metellus is but now he comes assisted with the Counsel of Pompey he will fall like Lightning on the State and bring it to utter ruine wherefore this is no time for Idleness and Diversion but we must go and prevent this man in his Designs or bravely die in defence of our Liberty Nevertheless by the Perswasion of his Friends he went first to his Countrey-house where he stay'd but a very little time and then returned to Town He arrived in the Evening and went straight the next Morning to the Forum where he began to sollicit for the Tribuneship in opposition to Metellus The Power of this Office consists rather in controuling than performing any Business for tho' all the rest except any one Tribune should be agreed yet his denial or intercession could put a stop to the whole Matter Cato at first had not many that appeared for him but as soon as his Design was known all Persons of the best Quality and of his own Acquaintance took part with him for they looked upon him not as one that desired a Favour of them but one that sought to do a great Kindness to his Countrey and all honest men Who had many times refused the same Office when he might have had it without trouble but now sought it with danger that he might defend their Liberty and their Government It is reported that so great a number flock'd about him that he was like to be stifled amidst the Press and could scarce get through the Crowd He was declared Tribune with several others among whom was Metellus Now when Cato was chosen into this Office having observed that the Election of Consuls was grown very mercenary he sharply rebuked the People for this Corruption and in the conclusion of his Speech protested he would accuse whom ever he should find giving Money yet Passed by Silanus by reason of his Alliance for he had married Servilia Cato's Sister so that he did not prosecute him but Lucius Murena who was chosen Consul with Silanus he accused of Bribery There was a Law That the Party accused might set a Guard upon his Accuser to watch him lest he should use any indirect means in preparing the Accusation He that was set upon Cato by Murena at first followed and observed him strictly yet never found him dealing any way unfairly or unjustly but always generously and candidly going on in the just and open Methods of Proceeding So that he much admired Cato's great Spirit and noble Nature and easily trusted to his Integrity for meeting him abroad or going to his House he would ask him if he designed to do any thing that day in order to the Accusation and if Cato said No he went away freely relying on his Word When the Cause was pleaded Cicero who was then Consul and defended Murena did so wittily expose Cato and the Stoick Philosophers and their Paradoxes that he raised great Laughter in his Judges Whereupon Cato smiling said to the Standers by Sirs we have a very pleasant Consul Murena was acquitted and afterward shewed himself no passionate but a very prudent Man for when he was Consul he always took Cato's Advice in the most weighty Affairs and in all the time of his Office gave him much Honour and Respect Of which not only Murena's Prudence but also Cato's obliging Humour was the Cause for tho' he were terrible and severe as to Matters of Justice in the Senate and at the Bar yet he was very courteous and good-natured to all men in private Before Cato took upon him the Office of Tribune he assisted Cicero at that time Consul in many things that concerned his Office but most especially in prosecuting Catiline's Conspiracy which he did with great Courage and Success This Catiline had plotted a dreadful and entire Subversion of the Roman State contriving to raise great Seditions and drive them into a Civil War but being detected by Cicero was forced to fly the City Yet Lentulus and Cethegus conspired with several others and blaming Catiline as one that wanted Courage and had too much Caution for such desperate Designs they themselves resolved to set the whole Town on fire and utterly to ruine the Empire of the World by Tumults at home and War from abroad But the Design was discovered by Cicero as we have written in his Life and the Matter brought before the Senate Silanus who spoke first delivered his opinion That the Conspirators ought to suffer the last of Punishments and was therein followed by all that spoke after him till it came to Coesar who was very eloquent and looking upon all Changes and commotions in the State as Matter for him to work upon desired rather to increase than extinguish them Wherefore standing up he made a very merciful and perswasive Speech That they ought not to suffer otherwise than according to Law by which they could not be put to death and moved that they might be kept in Prison Thus was the House almost wholly turned by Coesar They were also afraid of the People insomuch that Silanus retracted and said he did not mean Death but Imprisonment for that was the utmost of what a Roman could suffer Upon this
in me a Friendship more firm than any Alliance but I will not give Hostages to Pompey's Glory against my Countrey 's safety This Answer was very grating to the Women and to all his Friends it seemed somewhat harsh and haughty Afterwards when Pompey endeavouring to get the Consulship for one of his Friends did give Money to the People for their Voices and the Bribery was notorious for the Money was told out in Pompey's own Gardens Cato then said to the Women They must necessarily have been concerned in these Faults of Pompey if they had been allied to his Family and they acknowledged that he did best in refusing it But if we may judge by the Event Cato seems much to blame for rejecting that Alliance which thereby fell to Caesar And then that Match was made which uniting his and Pompey's Power had well-nigh ruined the Roman Empire and did at last utterly destroy the Commonwealth Nothing of which perhaps had come to pass but that Cato was too apprehensive of Pompey's least Faults and did not consider how he forced him into a condition of committing much greater however these things were yet to come Now Lucullus and Pompey had a great Dispute concerning what had been established in Pontus each endeavouring that his own Ordinances might stand Cato took part with Lucullus who was apparently injured and Pompey finding himself the weaker in the Senate took to the People To gain them he proposed a Law for dividing the Lands among the Souldiers Cato opposing him in this also made the Law be rejected Hereupon Pompey joyned himself with Clodius at that time the most violent of all the popular Men and was likewise united to Caesar upon this occasion of which Cato himself was the Cause For Caesar returning from his Government in Spain at the same time sued to be chosen Consul and yet desired not to lose his Triumph Now the Law requiring That those who stood for any Office should be present and yet that whoever expected a Triumph should continue without the Walls Caesar requested the Senate that his Friends might be permitted to canvass for him in his absence Many of the Senators where willing to consent to it but Cato opposed it and perceiving them inclined to favour Caesar spent the whole day in speaking and so prevented the Senate that they could come to no conclusion Caesar therefore resolving to let fall his Pretensions to the Triumph came into the Town and immediately made a Friendship with Pompey and stood for the Consulship so soon as he was declared Consul elect he married his Daughter Julia to Pompey Having thus combined themselves together against the Commonwealth the one proposed the Agrarian Laws for dividing the Lands among the poor People and the other was present to second the Proposal Against them Lucullus Cicero and their Friends joyned with Bibulus the other Consul and did all they could to hinder the passing those Laws Among these none was more remarkable than Cato who look'd upon the Friendship and Alliance of Pompey and Caesar as very dangerous and declared he did not so much dislike the Advantage the People should get by this division of the Lands as he fear'd the Reward these men would gain by thus cheating the People And in this the Senate was of his opinion as likewise many honest men without who were very much offended at Caesar's ill Conduct That he now bearing the Authority of Consul should thus basely and dishonourably flatter the People practising to win them by the same means that were wont to be used only by the most rash and heady Tribunes Caesar therefore and his Party fearing they should not carry it by fair dealing fell to open force First a Basket of Dung was thrown upon Bibulus as he was going to the Forum then they set upon his Lictors and broke their Rods at length several Darts were thrown and many men wounded so that all that were against those Laws fled out of the Forum the rest making what hast they could but Cato last of all walking out very slowly often turned back and cursed those Citizens Now the other Party did not only carry this Point of dividing the Lands but also ordained that all the Senate should swear to confirm this Law and to defend it against whoever should attempt to alter it inflicting great Penalties on those that should refuse the Oath All the Senators seeing the necessity they were in took the Oath remembring the Example of old Metellus who refusing to swear upon the like occasion was forc'd to fly out of Italy As for Cato his Wife and Children with Tears besought him his Friends and Familiars perswaded and entreated him to yield and take the Oath but he that principally prevailed with him was Cicero the Orator who urged and remonstrated How unreasonable it was that a private man alone should oppose what the Publick had decreed That the thing being already past remedy it would look like folly and madness to run himself into danger where 't is impossible to do his Countrey any good Besides it would be the greatest of all Evils to abandon the Commonwealth for whose sake he did every thing and to let it fall into the hands of those who designed nothing but its ruine This would look as if he were glad of an opportunity to retire from the trouble of defending his Countrey For said he tho' Cato have no need of Rome yet Rome has need of Cato and so likewise have all his Friends Of whom Cicero profess'd himself the chief being at that time aimed at by Clodius who openly threatned to fall upon him as soon as ever he should get to be Tribune Thus Cato they say moved by the Entreaties of his Family and the Persuasions of his Friends went unwillingly to take the Oath which he did the last of all except only Favonius one of his intimate Acquaintance Coesar exalted with this Success proposed another Law for dividing almost all the Countrey of Campania among the poor and needy Citizens No body durst speak against it but Cato whom therefore Coesar pull'd from the Rostra and dragg'd to Prison yet Cato did not at all remit his freedom of Speech but as he went along continued to speak against the Law and advised the People to put a stop to these Proceedings The Senate and the best of the Citizens followed him with sad and dejected Looks showing their Grief and Indignation by their Silence so that Coesar could not be ignorant how much they were offended but being one of a fierce contentious Spirit he still persisted expecting Cato should either supplicate him or appeal to the People Afterwards when he saw that Cato would do neither Coesar himself asham'd of what he had done privately sent one of the Tribunes to take him out of Prison Thus having won the Multitude by these Laws and Gratifications they decreed That Coesar should have the Government of Illyricum and all Gaule with an Army of four
too much like a Friend Now Cato advised the Senate to put all into the hands of Pompey for those who can raise up great Evils said he can best allay them Pompey finding he had not sufficient Forces and that those he could raise were not very resolute he forsook the City Cato resolving to follow Pompey sent his younger Son to Munatius who was then in the Countrey of Brutium and took his eldest with him But wanting some body to keep his House and take care of his Daughters he took Martia again who was now a rich Widow for Hortensius was dead and had left her all his Estate Caesar afterward made use of this Action also to reproach him with Covetousness and a mercenary Design in his Marriage For says he if he had need of a Wife why did he part with her and if he had not why did he take her again unless he gave her only as a Bait to Hortensius and lent her when she was young to have her again when she was rich But in Answer to this we may apply the Saying of Euripides First for Absurdities and surely none Will Hercules for want of Courage blame Now 't is alike absurd to reproach Hercules for Cowardice and to accuse Cato of Covetousness Though otherwise whether he did altogether right in this Marriage might be disputed for as soon as he had again taken Martia he committed his House and his Daughters to her and himself followed Pompey 'T is said that from that day he never cut his Hair nor shav'd his Beard nor wore a Garland but always full of sadness grief and dejectedness for the Calamities of his Countrey he continually bore the same Habit to the last whatever Party had Misfortune or Success The Government of Sicily being allotted to him he pass'd over to Syracuse where understanding that Asinius Pollio was arrived at Messana with Forces from the Enemy Cato sent to him to know the reason of his coming thither Pollio on the other side demanded of him the cause of these Commotions Cato also hearing that Pompey had quite abandon'd Italy and lay incamp'd at Dyrrachium he cry'd out How dark and uncertain is the Will of Heav'n Pompey when he did nothing wisely nor honestly was always successful and now that he would preserve his Countrey and defend her Liberty he is altogether unfortunate As for Asinius he said he could easily drive him out of Sicily but there coming greater Forces to his Assistance he would not engage the Island in a War wherefore he advised the Syracusians to submit to the Conqueror and provide for their own safety Then he set Sayl from thence When he came to Pompey he constantly gave Advice to prolong the War for he always hoped to compose Matters and would by no means that they should come to Action For the Commonwealth would suffer extreamly and be the certain cause of its own Ruine whoever were the Conqueror Moreover he persuaded Pompey and the Council of War to ordain That no City should be sack'd that was subject to the People of Rome and that no Roman should be kill'd but in the heat of Battel Thereby he got himself great Honour and brought over many to the Party of Pompey who were much taken with the Moderation and Humanity of Cato Afterward being sent into Asia to assist those who were raising Men and preparing Ships in those Parts he took with him his Sister Servilia and a little Boy which she had by Lucullus For since her Widowhood she had lived with her Brother and very much recover'd her Reputation having put her self under his Care follow'd him in his Voyages and comply'd with his severe way of Living yet Caesar did not fail to asperse him upon her account also Pompey's Officers in Asia it seems had no great need of Cato But he brought over the People of Rhodes by his Perswasions and leaving his Sister Servilia and her Child there he returned to Pompey who had now gotten together very great Forces both by Sea and Land And here Pompey clearly betray'd his own Intentions For at first he design'd to give Cato the Command of the Navy which consisted of no less than five hundred Ships of War besides a vast number of Pinaces Scouts and Tenders But presently bethinking himself or put in mind by his Friends that Cato's principal and only aim being to free his Countrey from all Usurpation if he were Master of so great Forces as soon as ever Caesar should be conquered he would certainly oblige Pompey to lay down his Arms and be subject to the Laws Therefore Pompey chang'd his Mind and tho' he had before mentioned it to Cato yet he made Bibulus Admiral Notwithstanding this it appear'd Cato's Affection to the publick Good was no way diminish'd For when they were ready to engage in a Battle at Dyrrachium Pompey himself encouraged the Army and commanded all the Officers to do the like yet the Souldiers hearkened to them but coldly and with silence Cato spoke last of all and discours'd to them out of the Principles of Philosophy such things as the Occasion required concerning Liberty Valour Death and Glory all which he delivered with great vehemence of Affection and concluded with an Invocation of the Gods to whom he directed his Speech as if they were present to behold them fight for their Countrey At this the Army gave such a Shout as fill'd all their Leaders with Hope and made them fall on without fear of Danger Caesar's Party were routed and put to flight yet his good Fortune took such advantage of Pompey's Cautiousness and Diffidence as rendred the Victory incompleat But of this we have spoken in the Life of Pompey Now while all the rest rejoyc'd and magnified their Success Cato alone bewail'd his Countrey and curs'd that fatal Ambition which made so many brave Romans murther one another After this Pompey following Caesar into Thessaly left at Dyrrachium a great quantity of Munition store of Riches and many of his Domesticks and Relations the charge of all which he gave to Cato with the Command only of fifteen Cohorts for tho' he trusted him much yet he was afraid of him too knowing full well that if he succeeded not Cato would never forsake him but if he conquer'd would never let him use his Victory at his pleasure There were likewise many Persons of eminent Quality that stay'd with Cato at Dyrrachium When they heard of the Overthrow at Pharsalia Cato resolv'd with himself that if Pompey were slain he would conduct those that were with him into Italy and then retire as fâ—r from the Tyranny of Caesar as he could and live in Exile but if Pompey were safe he would keep the Army together for him With this Resolution he pass'd over to Corcyra where the Navy lay There he would have resign'd his Command to Cicero because he had been Consul and himself only a Proetor but Cicero refus'd it and was going for Italy At which
them occasion to discourse with one another how great might be the Temperance and Modesty of the ancient Lacedaemonians under their famous Captains Agesilaus Lysander and Leonidas since they saw such Discipline and exact Obedience under a King who perhaps was the youngest Man in all the Army They saw also how he was content to fare hardly ready to undergo any Labours and not to be distinguish'd by Pomp or Richness of Habit from the meanest of his Souldiers But if by this Moderation and Conduct he gain'd the Love of the Souldiers and the common People it made him still more odious to the Rich and Powerful who were afraid such an Example might work an Impression to their prejudice in all the neighbouring Countreys Agis having joyn'd Aratus near the City of Corinth a Councel of War was call'd to debate whether or no it were expedient to give the Enemy Battel Agis on this occasion shew'd a great Forwardness and Resolution yet without Obstinacy or Presumption he declar'd it was his opinion they ought to fight thereby to hinder the Enemy from entring Peloponnesus but nevertheless he wou'd submit to the Judgment of Aratus not only as the elder and more experienc'd Captain but as he was General of the Achaeans whose Forces he wou'd not pretend to command but was only come thither to assist them I am not ignorant that Baton of Synope relates it in another manner He says Aratus wou'd have fought and that Agis was against it but 't is most certain he was mistaken not having read what Aratus himself writes in his own Justification for he expresly tells us That knowing the People had well-nigh got in their Harvest he thought it much better to let the Enemy pass than to hazard by a Battel the loss of the whole Countrey And therefore giving thanks to the Confederates for their readiness he dismiss'd them Thus Agis not without having gain'd a great deal of Honour return'd to Sparta where he found the People in a Mutiny and all things in Confusion occasion'd by the Avarice and ill-Government of Agesilaus For he being now one of the Ephori and by that Authority freed from the Fear which Formerly kept him in some Restraint forbore no kind of Oppression which might bring in Gain Among other things he exacted a thirteen Months Tax whereas before they had never paid more than twelve For these and other Reasons fearing his Enemies and knowing how he was hated by the People he thought it necessary to maintain a Guard which always accompanied him to the Courts of Justice and presuming now on his Power he was grown so insolent that of the two Kings the one he openly contemn'd and if he shew'd any Respect towards Agis wou'd have it thought rather an effect of his near Relation than any duty or submission to the Royal Authority and being desirous all men shou'd be confirm'd in a belief of his Power he gave it out he was to continue Ephore the ensuing year also His Enemies alarm'd by this Report immediately conspir'd against him and bringing back Leonidas from Tegea restablished him in the Kingdom to which the People highly incens'd for having been defrauded in the promis'd division of Lands easily consented Agesilaus himself wou'd hardly have scap'd their Fury if his Son Hypomedon had not mediated in his behalf and then privately convey'd him out of the City During this Combustion the two Kings fled Agis to the Temple of Juno and Cleombrotus to that of Neptune Leonidas more incens'd against his Son-in-law left Agis to pursue him with a Company of Souldiers and being taken he was brought before Leonidas who with great vehemence reproach'd to him his Ingratitude how being his Son-in-law he had conspir'd with his Enemies usurp'd his Kingdom and banish'd him from his Countrey Cleombrotus having little to say for himself stood silent His Wife Chelonis had been a Partner with Leonidas in his Sufferings for when Cleombrotus usurp'd the Kingdom she forsook him and wholly applied her self to comfort her Father in his Affliction she often mediated in his behalf and openly disown'd and condemn'd the Action as unjust but now upon this Turn of Fortune she was as zealous and as assiduous in expressions of Love and Duty to her Husband whom she embrac'd with one Arm and her two little Children with the other All men were strangely taken with the Piety and tender Affection of the Young Woman who in a loose neglected Mourning with a pale dejected Countenance and in a suppliant Posture spoke thus to Leonidas I am not brought to this Condition you see me in nor have taken upon me this mourning Habit by reason of the present Misfortunes of Cleombrotus 't is long since familiar to me it was put on to condole with you in your Banishment and now you are restor'd to your Countrey and to your Kingdom must I still remain in Grief and Misery or wou'd you have me attir'd in my Festival Ornaments that I may rejoyce with you when you have kill'd within my arms the Man to whom you gave me for a Wife Either Cleombrotus must appease you by my Tears or he must suffer a Punishment greater than his Faults have deserv'd he shall infallibly see me die before him whom he has profess'd tenderly to love to what end shou'd I live or how shall I appear among the Spartan Ladies when it shall so manifestly be seen that I have not been able to move to Compassion neither a Husband nor a Father I am only born to be an unfortunate Wife and a more unfortunate Daughter not having the least Power or Interest where I ought to have been in the greatest Esteem As for Cleombrotus I have sufficiently disown'd his Cause when I forsook him to follow you but now you your self will justifie his Proceedings by shewing to the World how Ambition is a Passion not to be resisted for a Kingdom a Man may kill a Son-in-law nay even destroy his own Children Chelonis having ended this Lamentation turn'd her weeping Eyes towards the Spectators then gently repos'd her Head in her Husband's Bosom Leonidas touch'd with Compassion withdrew a while to advise with his Friends then returning condemn'd Cleombrotus to perpetual Banishment Chelonis he said ought to stay with him it not being just she shou'd forsake a Father who had grantted at her Intercession the Life of her Husband but all he could say wou'd not prevail She rose up immediately and taking one of her Children in her Arms gave the other to her Husband then having perform'd her Devotions at an Altar dedicated to Juno she chearfully follow'd him into Banishment To be short so great was the Virtue and Generosity express'd by Chelouis on this occasion that if Cleombrotus were not strangely blinded by Ambition he wou'd chuse to be banish'd with the enjoyment of so excellent a Woman rather than without her to possess a Kingdom Cleombrotus thus remov'd Leonidas thought fit also to displace the Ephori and to
those Deities which they dread esteeming it hurtful but thinking their Polity is chiefly kept up by Law and therefore the Ephori Aristotle is my Author when they enter upon their Government make Proclamation to the People That they should shave their Whiskers and be obedient to the Laws that they might not be forc'd to be severe using this trivial Particular in my opinion to accustom their Youth to Obedience even in the smallest Matters And the Ancients I think did not imagine Fortitude to be plain Fearlessness but a cautious Fear of Infamy and Disgrace for those that show most Fear towards the Laws are most bold against their Enemies and those are least afraid of any Danger who are most afraid of a just Reproach Therefore he said well A Reverence still attends on Fear And Homer Fear'd you shall be dear Vncle and rever'd And again In silence fearing those that bore the sway For 't is very commonly seen that Men reverence those whom they fear and therefore the Lacedoemonians plac'd the Temple of Fear by the Sussitium of the Ephori having rais'd their Power to almost absolute Monarchy The next day Cleomenes proscrib'd 80 of the Citizens whom he thought necessary to banish and remov'd all the Seats of the Ephori except one in which he himself design'd to sit and hear Causes and calling the Citizens together he made an Apology for his Proceedings saying That by Lycurgus the Senate was joyn'd to the Kings and that that model of Government had continued a long time and needed no other sort of Magistrates to give it perfection But afterward in the long War with the Messenians when the Kings being to command the Army had no time to attend civil Causes they chose some of their Friends and left them to determine the Suits of the Citizens in their stead These were call'd Ephori and at first behav'd themselves as Servants to the Kings but afterward by degrees they appropriated the Power to themselves and erected a distinct sort of Magistracy An evidence of the Truth of this may be taken from the usual Behaviour of the Kings who upon the first and second Message of the Ephori refuse to go but upon the third readily attend them And Asteropus the first that rais'd the Ephori to that height of Power liv'd a great many years after their Institution therefore whilst they modestly contain'd themselves within their own proper Sphere 't was better to bear with them than to make a disturbance But that an upstart introduc'd Power should so far destroy the old model of Government as to banish some Kings murder others without hearing their defence and threaten those who desir'd to see the best and most divine Constitution restor'd in Sparta was unsufferable Therefore if it had been possible for him without Bloodshed to have freed Lacedaemon from those foreign Plagues Luxury Vanity Debts and Usury and from those more ancient Evils Poverty and Riches he should have thought himself the happiest King in the World having like an expert Physician cur'd the Diseases of his Countrey without pain But now in this necessity Lycurgus's Example favour'd his Proceedings who being neither King nor Magistrate but a private Man and aiming at the Kingdom came arm'd into the Market-place and for fear of the King Carileus fled to the Altar but he being a good Man and a lover of his Countrey readily consented to Lycurgus's Project and admitted an Alteration in the State Thus by his own Actions Lycurgus show'd That it was difficult to correct the Government without Force and Fear in using which he said he would be so moderate as never to desire their Assistance but either to terrifie or ruine the Enemies of Sparta's Happiness and Safety He commanded that all the Land should be left in common and private Claims laid aside That Debtors should be discharged of their Debts and a strict search made who were Foreigners and who not That the true Spartans recovering their Courage might defend the City by their Arms and that we may no longer see Laconia for want of a sufficient number to secure it wasted by the Aetolians and Illyrians Then he himself first with his Father-in-law Megistones and his Friends brought all their Wealth into one publick Stock and all the other Citizens follow'd the example the Land was divided and every one that he had banish'd had a share assign'd him for he promis'd to restore all as soon as things were settled and in quiet and compleating the common number of Citizens out of the best and most agreeable of the neighbouring Inhabitants he rais'd a Body of 4000 Men and instead of a Spear taught them to use a Sarissa a long Pike with both hands and to carry their Shields by a String fastned round their Arms and not by a Handle as before After this he began to consult about the exercising and breeding of the Youth many Particulars of which Sphoerus being then at Sparta directed and in a short time the Schools of Exercise and their Syssitia common eating Places recover'd their ancient Decency and Order a few out of necessity but the most voluntarily applying themselves to that generous and Laconick way of Living besides that the Name of Monarch might give them no jealousie he made Eucleidas his Brother Partner in the Throne and that was the only time that Sparta had two Kings of the same Family Then understanding that the Achoeans and Aratus imagin'd that this Change had disturb'd and shaken his Affairs and that he would not venture out of Sparta and leave the City now unsettled by so great an Alteration he thought it great and serviceable to his Designs to convince his Enemies that he was eagerly desirous of a War And therefore making an Incursion into the Territories of Megalopolis he wasted the Countrey very much and got a considerable Booty And at last taking those that us'd to act in the publick Solemnities travelling from Messena and building a Theater in the Enemies Countrey and setting a Prize of 40 l. value he sate Spectator a whole day not that he either desir'd or needed such a Divertisement but as it were insulting o'er his Enemies and that by thus manifestly despising them he might show that he had more than conquer'd the Achaeans for that alone of all the Greek or Kings Armies had no Stage-players no Jugglers no dancing or singing Women attending it but was free from all sorts of Loosness Wantonness and Foppery the young Men being for the most part upon Duty and the old Men teaching them at leisure-time to apply themselves to their usual Drollery and to rally one another facetiously after the Laconick fashion the Advantages of which I have discover'd in the Life of Lycurgus He himself instructed all by his Example he was a living Pattern of Temperance before every bodies eyes and his course of Living was neither more stately nor more expensive than any of the Commons And this was a considerable Advantage
taken brought them to Cleomenes And Lysandridas as soon as he saw Cleomenes afar off cry'd out Now King of Sparta 't is in your power by doing a most Kingly and braver Action than you have already perform'd to purchase a considerable Glory And Cleomenes guessing at his meaning reply'd What do you say Lysandridas sure you will not advise me to restore your City to you again 'T is that which I mean Lysandridas reply'd and I advise you not to ruine so brave a City but to fill it with faithful and stedfast Friends and Allies by restoring their Countrey to the Megalopolitans and being the Saviour of so considerable a People Cleomenes paus'd a while and then said 'T is very hard to trust so far in these Matters but with us let Profit always yield to Glory Having said this he sent the two Men to Messena with a Trumpeter from himself offering the Megalopolitans their City again if they would forsake the Achoean Interest and be on his side Though Cleomenes made these kind and obliging Proposals yet Philopoemen would not suffer them to break their League with the Achoeans and accusing Cleomenes to the People as if his design was not to restore the City but to take the Citizens too he forc'd Thearidas and Lysandridas to leave Messena This was that Philopoemen who was afterward Chief of the Achoeans and a Man of the greatest Reputation amongst the Greeks as I have made it appear in his own Life This News coming to Cleomenes though he had before taken such strict care that the City should not be plunder'd yet then being in a Fury and put out of all patience he rifled them of all their Coin Plate and Jewels and sent their Statues and Pictures unto Sparta and demollishing a great part of the City he march'd away for fear of Antigonus and the Achoeans but they never stirr'd for they were in Aegium at a Council of War There Aratus mountted the Desk wept along while and held his Mantle before his Face and at last the Company being amaz'd and commanding him to speak he said Megalopolis is ruin d by Cleomenes The Assembly was presently dissolv'd the Achoeans being extreamly surpriz'd at the suddenness and greatness of the loss and Antigonus intending to send speedy Succours when he found his Army to gather very slowly out of their Winter-quarters he sent them Orders to continue there still and he himself march'd to Argos with a considerable Body of Men. The second enterprize of Cleomenes seem'd to be carry'd on by extream Boldness and unaccountable Madness but yet in Polybius's opinion was done upon mature Deliberation and exact Fore-sight for knowing very well that the Macedonians were dispers'd into their Winter-quarters and that Antigonus with his Friends and a few Mercenaries about him winter'd in Argos upon these Considerations he invaded the Countrey of the Argives hoping to shame Antigonus to a Battle upon unequal terms or else if he did not dare to Fight to bring him into Disrepute with the Achoeans And this accordingly hapned for Cleomenes wasting plundring and spoyling the whole Countrey the Argives vex'd at the loss ran in Troops to the Palace of the King and clamour'd that he should either fight or surrender his Command to better and braver Men. But Antigonus as became an experienc'd Captain accounting it dishonourable foolishly to hazzard his Army and quit his Security and not so to be abus'd and rail'd at by the Rabble would not march out against Cleomenes but stood fix'd to the Designs which he had laid Cleomenes in the mean time brought his Army up to the very Walls and having uncontroul'dly spoil'd the Countrey and insulted o'er his Enemies drew off again A little while after being advertis'd that Antigonus design'd for Tegea and thence to make an Incursion into Laconia he hastily march'd with his Army another way and appear'd early in the morning before Argos and wasted the Fields about it the Corn he did not cut down with Reaping hooks and Sythes as Men usually do but beat it down with great Staves made like Scymetars as if with a great deal of Contempt and wanton Scorn he spoyl'd the Fields and wasted the Countrey in his March yet when his Souldiers would have set Cyllabaris the School of Exercise on fire he hindred the Attempt reflecting upon serious consideration that the Outrages committed at Megalopolis were the effects of his Passion rather than his Wisdom He pretended to make such little account of and so much to despise Antigonus who first retir'd to Argos and afterwards plac'd Garrisons on all the Mountains round about that he sent a Trumpeter to desire the Keys of the Heroeum Juno's Temple that he might sacrifice to the Goddess Thus with a Scoff and bitter Reflection on Antigonus and having sacrific'd to the Goddess under the Walls of the Temple which was shut he march'd to Phlius and from thence driving out those that garrison'd Hologountum he march'd down to Orchomenum And these Enterprizes not only encouraged the Citizens but made him appear to the very Enemies to be an experienc'd Captain and very worthy of Command for with the Strength of one City not only to fight the Power of the Macedonians and all the Peloponnesians not only to preserve Laconia from being spoyl'd but to waste the Enemies Countrey and to take so many and such considerable Cities is an Argument of no common Bravery He that first said That Money was the sinews of Affairs seem'd chiefly in that saying to respect War And Demades when the Athenians had voted that a Navy should be made ready but had no Money said They should make Bread before they thought of Sayling And the old Archidamus in the beginning of the Peloponnesian War when the Allies desir'd that each Parties share of Contributions for the War should be determin'd is reported to have said War cannot be kept to a set Diet For as well-breath'd Wrestlers do in time weary and tire out the most active and most skilful Combatant so Antigonus coming to the War with a great stock of Wealth weary'd out Cleomenes whose Poverty made it difficult for him either to provide Pay for the Mercenaries or Provisions for the Citizens For in all other Respects the time favour'd Cleomenes for Antigonus's Affairs at home began to be disturb'd for the Barbarians wasted and over-ran Macedonia whilst he was absent and at that time a vast Army of the Illyrians came down to be freed from whose Outrages the Macedonians sent for Antigonus and the Letters had almost been brought to him before the Battel was fought upon the receipt of which he presently dislodg'd and left the Achoeans Affairs to themselves But Fortune that loves to determine the greatest Affairs by a Minute in this Conjuncture show'd such an exact niceness of Time that immediately after the Battel in Sellasia was over and Cleomenes had lost his Army and his City the Messengers reach'd Antigonus And this made Cleomenes's Misfortune more to
be pitied for if he had forborn fighting two days longer there had been no need of hazarding a Battel since upon the departure of the Macedonians he might have had what Conditions he pleas'd from the Achoeans But now as I hinted before for want of Money being necessitated to rely wholly on his Arms he was forc'd with 20000 this is Polybius's Account to engage thirty thousand and approving himself an excellent Commander in this Difficulty his Citizens showing an extraordinary Courage and his Mercenaries Bravery enough he was overborn by the different way of fighting and the weight of the Arm'd Phalanx Besides Phylarchus affirms that the Treachery of some about him was the chief Cause of Cleomenes's Ruine For Antigonus gave Orders that the Illyrians and Acharnanians should march round by a secret way and encompass the other Wing which Eucleidas Cleomenes's Brother commanded and then drew out the rest of his Forces to the Battel And Cleomenes from a convenient rising viewing his Order and not seeing any of the Illyrians and Acharnanians began to suspect that Antigonus had sent them upon some such Design and calling for Damoteles who was to inspect and to provide against Ambushes commanded him carefully to look after and discover the Enemies Designs upon his Rear But Damoteles for some say Antigonus had brib'd him telling him that he should not be sollicitous about that matter for all was well enough but mind and fight those that met him in the front He was satisfied and advanc'd against Antigonus and by the Vigorous Charge of his Spartans made the Macedonian Phalanx give ground and press'd upon them with great Advantage about half a mile but then making a stand and seeing the danger which the surrounded Wing commanded by his Brother Eucleidas was in he cry'd out Thou art lost dear Brother thou art lost thou brave Example to our Spartan Youth and Theme of our Matron's Songs Eucleidas's Wing being thus cut in Peices and the Conquerors from that part falling upon his Battel he perceiv'd his Souldiers to be disorder'd and unable to maintain the Fight and therefore provided for his own safety When he came into the City he advised those Citizens that he met to receive Antigonus and as for himself he said which should appear most advantageous to Sparta whether his Life or Death that he would chuse Seeing the Women running out to those that fled with him taking their Arms and bringing Drink to them he entred into his own House and his Servant which was a free-born Woman taken from Megalopolis after his Wife's Death offering as she us'd to do to make necessary Provision for him returning from the Battel though he was very thirsty he refus'd to drink and though very weary to sit down but arm'd as he was he clapt his Arm side-way to a Pillar and leaning his Forehead upon his Elbow he rested his Body a little while and ran over in his Thoughts what course he should take and then with his Friends went presently to Gythium where finding Ships fitted for the Purpose they embark'd Antigonus taking the City treated the Lacedoemonians courteously and neither affronting nor ruining the Dignity of Sparta but permitting them to enjoy their own Laws and Polity and sacrificing to the Gods dislodg'd the third day for he heard that there was a great War kindled in Macedonia and that the Country was spoyl'd by the Barbarians besides he grew sick of a Consumption and continual Defluxion on the Lungs yet he still kept up that he might return and free his own Country and fall more gloriously upon an heap of slaughter'd Barbarians As Phylarchus says and 't is probable he broke a Vein by shouting in the Battel In the Plays 't was said that after the Victory he cry'd out for Joy O fine Day and presently bringing up abundance of Blood fell into a Fever and dy'd in a short time And thus much concerning Antigonus Cleomenes sailing from Cytheroe touch'd at another Island call'd Aegyalia whence as he was about to depart for Cyrene one of his Friends Therycion by Name a Man of an haughty Spirit in all Enterprises and high and boasting in his talk came privately to him and said thus Sir Death in Battel which is the most glorious we have let go though all heard us say that Antigonus should never tread over the King of Sparta unless dead and now that which is next in Bravery and Glory is presented to us Whither do we madly sail flying that which is near and seeking that which is far removed For if it is not dishonourable for the Race of Hercules to serve the Successors of Philip and Alexander we shall save a long Voyage by delivering our selves up to Antigonus who probably surpasseth Ptolomy as much as the Macedonians do the Aegyptians but if we think it mean to submit to those whose Arms have conquer'd us why should we chuse him for our Lord by whom we have not yet been beaten Is it that instead of one we might appear meaner than two whilst we fly Antigonus and flatter Ptolomy Or is it for your Mother's sake that you retreat to Aegypt It will indeed be a very fine and very desirable sight for her to be shown her Son by Ptolomy's Women now chang'd from a Prince into an exile and a Slave Are we not still Masters of our own Swords And whilst we have Laconia in view shall we not here free our selves from this disgracefull Misery and clear our selves to those who at Sellasia dy'd for the Honour and Defence of Sparta Or shall we sit lazily in Aegypt enquiring what News from Sparta and whom Antigonus hath been pleas'd to make Governour of Lacedaemon Thus spoke Therycion and this was Cleomenes's Reply By seeking Death you Coward the most easie and most ready Refuge you fansie that you shall appear courageous and brave though this Flight is baser than thy former Better Men than we have given way to their Enemies having been betray'd by Fortune or oppress'd by Multitude but he that sinks under Labour or Afflictions the Opinions or Reproaches of Men is overcome by his own Effeminacy and Softness For a voluntary Death ought not to be chosen as a Relief from Action but as an Exemplary Action it self and 't is base either to live or to die only to our selves That death to which you now invite us is propos'd only as a release from our present Miseries but carries nothing of Bravery or Profit in it And I think it becomes both me and you not to despair of our Country but when there are no hopes of that left those that have an Inclination may quickly die To this Therycion return'd no Answer but as soon as he could get out of Cleomenes's Company went toward the Shore and ran himself through But Cleomenes sailed from Aegialia landed in Libya and being honourably conducted through the King's Country came to Alexandria When he was first brought to Ptolomy no more than common Civilities and
restrain the Avarice of the richer and was no small supply to the poorer People who possess'd their respective Proportions of Ground as they had been formerly rented by them afterwards the rich Men of the Neighbourhood contrived to get these Lands again into their Possessions under other peoples Names and at last would not stick to claim most of 'em publickly in their own The Poor who were thus deprived of their Farms would neither list themselves in the Militia nor take any care of the Education of their Children in so much that in a short time there were few Free-men remaining in all Italy which swarm'd with a numerous company of barbarous Slaves these the rich Men employed about the cultivating their Ground for want of Citizens C. Loelius an intimate Acquaintance of Scipio's undertook to rectifie this Abuse but meeting with Opposition from Men of Authority and fearing lest a Riot should thereupon be committed he soon desisted upon which account he was call'd Loelius the Wise Tiberius being elected Tribune of the People prosecuted that Design with all deligence at the Instigation as 't is commonly reported of Diophanes the Orator and Blossius the Philosopher Diophanes was one that had been banished from Mytilene the other was an Italian of the City of Cuma who was educated there by Antipater of Tarsus that afterwards did him the Honour to dedicate his Philosophical Lectures to him Some are apt to think Cornelia the Mother of Tiberius contributed towards it because she frequently upbraided her Sons upon this account that the Romans as yet rather call'd her the Daughter of Scipio than the Mother of the Gracchi but 't was thought Sp. Posthumius was the chief occasion of this He was Contemporary with Tiberius and very ambitious to gain the Reputation of being the better Orator whom when Tiberius at his return from the Campaign found to be in very great Esteem and Authority he was desirous to out-do him by attempting a popular Enterprize of this Difficulty and of such great consequence But his Brother Caius left it us in Writing that when Tiberius went through Tuscany into Numantia and found the Countreys almost depopulated there being hardly any Husbandmen or Shepherds and for the most part only barbarous foreign Slaves he from that time took into his serious Consideration the management of this Affair which in the sequel proved so fatal to his Family though it is most certain that the People themselves chiefly excited him to be active and vigorous in the prosecution of this by their fixing publick Libels upon the Porches Walls and Monuments humbly beseeching him that he would re-establish them in their former Possessions However he did not make this Law without the Advice and Assistance of those Citizens that were then most eminent for their Virtue and Authority amongst whom was Crassus the high-Priest Mutius Scoevola the Lawyer who at that time was Consul and Claudius Apius his Father-in-Law Never did any Law appear more moderate and gentle especially being enacted against so great an Oppression and Avarice for they who ought to have been severely punished for trangressing the former Laws and should at least have lost all their Titles to such Lands which they had unjustly usurp'd yet they were order'd notwithstanding to receive a Gratuity for quitting their unlawful Claims and restoring their Lands to those right Owners who stood in need thereof But though this Reformation was managed with so much Tenderness and all the former Transactions smother'd the People were never the less carefull to prevent all Abuses of the like nature for the future On the other hand the money'd Men and those of great Estates were exasperated through Covetousness against the Law it self and against the Law-giver through Anger and Obstinacy they therefore endeavour'd to seduce the People insinuating to them that Tiberius had introduced such a division of the Lands with a design only to disturb the Government and put all things into a Confusion But they succeeded not in his Project for Tiberius being a Person always resolute in the maintaining of an honourable and just Cause and one whose Eloquence was sufficient to have made a less creditable Action appear plausible was earnest and not easily to be controuled Upon this account being plac'd in the Rostrum he made a Speech on the behalf of the poor People to this effect The savage Beasts says he in Italy have their particular Dens they have their Places of Repose and refuge but the Men who bore Arms and exposed their Lives for the safety of their Country enjoy'd in the mean time nothing more in it but the fresh Air and Sun-shine and having no Houses or Settlements of their own were constrained to wander from Place to Place with their Wives and Children He told 'em That the Commanders were guilty of a ridiculous Error when at the Head of their Armies they exhorted the common Souldiers to fight for their Temples and Altars when not any amongst so many Romans is possess'd of either Altar or Monument neither have they any Houses of their own or Seats of their Ancestors to defend they fought indeed and were slain but it was to maintain the Luxury and the Wealth of other Men they likewise were styled also the Lords of the Vniverse but in the mean time had not one foot of Ground which they could call their own An Harangue of this nature spoken to an Enthusiastical and tumultuous Rabble by a Person of extraordinary Prudence and great Zeal none of his Adversaries at that time presumed to make any Opposition thereunto Forbearing therefore all manner of Disputes they turn'd themselves towards Marcus Octavius his fellow Tribune who being a young Man of a sober Conversation modest in his Behaviour and an intimate Friend of Tiberius's did upon that account decline at first the opposing of him but at length over-perswaded with the repeated Importunities of some considerable persons he was prevail'd upon to answer Tiberius and he insisted chiefly upon the Abrogation of the Law it being a Custom that the Tribunes have a power to hinder any Law from passing and that the Commonalty can enact nothing if only one of them dissents from it Tiberius being enraged at these Proceedings abolish'd presently this mild Law but at the same time preferr'd another which as it was more grateful to the Common People so it was much more severe against Extortioners commanding them To make an immediate Surrender all such Lands which they contrary to former Laws had got into their Possessions From hence it was that there arose daily Contentions between him and Octavius in their Orations however tho' they express'd themselves with much heat and earnestness they yet were never known to use any scurrillous Language or in their Passion to let slip any indecent Expression so as to derogate from one another From whence it 's observable how much a good Temper and an Ingenuous Education does influence and compose mens Minds not onely
Battel began they had made Proclamation that who ever should bring the Heads either of Caius or Fulvius he should as a Reward receive their weight in Gold Septimuleius therefore having fix'd Caius's Head upon the top of his Spear came and presented it to Opimius the Consul They presently brought the Scales and it was found to weigh above 17 pounds But in this Affair Septimuleius gave as great signs of his Knavery as he had done before of his Cruelty for having taken out the Brains he fill'd the Scull with Lead There were others who brought the Head of Fulvius too but being mean inconsiderable Persons were turn'd away without the promis'd Reward The Bodies of these two Persons as well as of the rest who were slain to the number of 3000 Men were all thrown into the River their Goods were forfeited and their Widows forbidden to put themselves into Mourning but they dealt more severely with Licinia Caius's Wife and wrong'd her even of her Joynture and as an addition still to all their Inhumanity they barbarously murder'd Fulvius's youngest Son his Crime was not that he took up Arms against 'em or that he was present in the Battel but because he had proposed Articles of Agreement for this he was first imprison'd then slain But that which enraged the common People beyond all these things was because at this time in memory of his Success Opimius built the Temple of Concord as if he glory'd and triumph'd in the Slaughter of so many Citizens wherefore some body in the Night time under the Inscription of the Temple added this Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Folly and Discord Concords Temple built Opimius was the first who being Consul presumed to usurp the Power of a Dictator and condemned without any Trial not only 3000 Citizens but Caius Gracchus and Fulvius Flaccus One of whom had triumph'd and been Consul the other far excell'd all his Co temporaries in Virtue and Honour Notwithstanding this Opimius could not restrain himself from Extortion and Bribery for when he was sent Ambassador to Jugurtha King of Numidia he was there corrupted by Presents and at his Return being shamefully convicted of it he was hated and reproach'd by the common People so that growing melancholy and his Spirits Sinking his Infamy still increas'd with his years It quickly now appear'd to the World what Respect and Veneration they had for the memory of the Graccki They order'd their Statues to be made and fix'd up in publick view they consecrated the Places where they were slain and thither brought the first Fruits of every thing according to the season of the Year for to make their Offerings Many came likewise thither to their Devotions and daily worship'd there as formerly at the Temples of the Gods It 's reported that as Cornelia their Mother bore the loss of her two Sons with a noble and undaunted Spirit so in reference to the Temples where they lay interr'd she only said Their Memory deserved such Monuments She removed afterwards and dwelt near the Mount Mycene not at all altering her former way of Living She was very much respected and beloved and kept open house for the Entertainment of all Strangers having daily a great number of Grecians and learned Men who resorted thither nor was there any foreign Prince but received Gifts from her and presented her again Those who were most conversant with her were much diverted when er'e she pleased to entertain 'em with any Relation concerning her Father Scipio African or his way of Living But it was very surprizing to have her make mention of her Sons without any Tears or Sign of Grief and to give a full Account of all their Deeds and Misfortunes as unconcern'd as if she had been relating the History of some ancient Heroes This made some imagine that Age or the greatness of her Afflictions had made her delirous and wholly insensible of all her Calamities but they who were of that opinion had no Notion at all how much a noble Birth or a good Education could conquer any Affliction and tho' envious Fortune may often be more successful and may smother virtuous Actions yet with the worser Calamities she can't bereave us of that tranquillity of Mind by which we generously bear them The End of the Lives of the Gracchi Tiberius and Caius THE COMPARISON OF TIBERIUS CAIUS GRACCHI with AGIS and CLEOMENES WE having given an Account severally of these Persons it remains only that he should take a View of them in Comparison with one another As for the Gracchi the greatest Detracters and their worst Enemies could not but allow that they had a Genius to Virtue beyond all other Romans which was inproved also by a generous Education Agis and Cleomenes seem'd to have had better natural Parts and a more solid Judgment for tho' they wanted all the Advantages of good Literature and were neither instructed in Morality nor the well management of their Affairs from which even those who were elder than they had already much degenerated yet they were publick Examples of Temperance and Frugality Besides the Gracchi happening to live when Rome had her greatest repute for Honour and virtuous Actions might justly have been ashamed if they had not inherited the Virtues of their Ancestors whereas the other two had Parents of different Morals and tho' they found their Countrey in a sinking condition and debauch'd yet that did not quench their forward Zeal to what was just and honourable The Generosity and the Integrity of the two Romans was chiefly remarkable in this That in the administration of publick Affairs they kept themselves from the imputation of Bribery whereas Agis might justly be offended if he had only that mean Commendation given him that he took nothing wrongfully from any Man being he distributed his own Fortunes which amounted in ready Money to the value of 600 Talents amongst his fellow-Citizens and surely extortion must appear a Crime of a strange nature to him who esteem'd it a piece of Covetousness to possess tho nee'r so justly gotten greater Riches than his Neighbours Their Politicks likewise and Transactions in reference to State-affairs were of a very different nature The chiefest things in general that the two Romans commonly aim'd at was the repairing of Cities and mending of High-ways and in particular the most generous Design which Tiberius is fam'd for was his division of the Lands amongst the poor People and Caius gain'd his greatest Reputation by the addition of 300 of the Commonalty to the same number of Senators investing them with an equal Authority Whereas the Alteration which Agis and Cleomenes made was in a quite different manner They did not redress things by little and little and cure small Distempers for that would have been according to Plato like cutting off one of the Hydra's Heads which was the only means to increase the number but they made a thorough Reformation and at once freed their Countrey from all Grievances or
he engag'd he kill'd one and took a second He was so much Master of the good Will and hearty service of his Soldiers that those who in other Expeditions were but ordinary Men carried with them a force not to be resisted or shaken when they went upon any danger where Caesar's glory was concern'd Such an one was Acilius who in a Sea-fight before Marseilles had his Right Hand struck off with a Sword yet did not quit his Buckler out of his Left but gaul'd the Enemies in the Face with it till he defeated them and made himself Master of the Vessel Such another was Cassius Scaera who in a Battle near Dyrrhachium had one of his Eyes pick'd out with an Arrow his Shoulder pierc'd with one Javelin and his Thigh with another and having receiv'd 130 Darts upon his Target call'd to the Enemy as thô he would surrender himself but when two of them came up to him he cut off the Shoulder of one with a Sword and by a blow over the Face forc'd the other to retire whilst with the Assistance of his own Party he made his escape Again in Britain when some of the chief Officers were accidentally faln into a Morass full of Water and there assaulted by the Enemy a common Soldier whilst Caesar stood and look'd on threw himself into the midst of them and after many and signal demonstrations of his Valour rescu'd the Officers and beat off the Barbarians At last he took the Water and with much ado partly by swimming partly by wading pass'd it but in the passage lost his Shield Caesar admir'd him and went to meet him with joy and acclamation but the Soldier very much dejected and in tears threw himself down at Caesar's feet and beg'd his pardon that he had let go his Buckler Another time in Afric Scipio having taken a Ship of Caesar's in which Granius Petronius one lately made Questor was passing he gave the other Passengers as free prize to his Soldiers but thought fit to give the Questor his Life But he said it was not usual for Caesar's Soldiers to take but give Life and having said so â—an upon his Sword and kill'd himself These Principles and Notions of Honour were inspir'd into them and cherish'd in them by Câ—sar himself who by his liberal distribution of Money and Honours shew'd them that he did not from the Wars heap up Wealth for his own Luxury or the gratifying his private Pleasure but that he took care to settle a sure Fund for the reward and encouragement of Valour and that he look'd upon himself only rich in that which he gave to deserving Soldiers There was no danger to which he did not willingly expose himself no labour from which he pleaded an exemption His contempt of danger was not so much admir'd by his Soldiers because they knew how much he lov'd Honour But his enduring so much hardship which he did to all appearance beyond his Natural Strength very much astonish'd them For he was a spare Man had a soft and white Skin was distemper'd in the Head and subject to an Epilepsie which 't is said first seiz'd him at Corduba But he did not make the weakness of his Constitution a pretext for his Ease but us'd War as the best Physick against his Indispositions whilst by unwearied Travels course Diet and frequent lodging in the Fields he strugled with his Diseases and prepar'd his Body against all attacks He slept generally in his Chariots or Litters and employ'd even his Rest in pursuit of Action In the day he was carried to Castles Garisons or Fortifications in his Chariot one Servant riding with him who us'd to write down what he dictated as he went and a Soldier attending behind with his Sword drawn He drove so briskly that when he first set out from Rome he arriv'd at the River Rhoan within 8 days He had been an expert Rider from his Childhood for it was usual with him to hold his hands close behind him and to put his Horse to full speed But in the Wars he had improv'd himself so far as to dictate Letters from on Horseback and to direct himself to two who took Notes at the same time or as Oppius saith to more And 't is thought that he was the first who found out a new way of Conversing with his Friends by Cyphers when either through multitude of business or the large extent of the City he had not time for a Personal Conference about such Incidents as requir'd a sudden dispatch How little nice he was in his Diet we have this remarkable Instance When Valerius Leo invited him one night to Supper and Treated him with a Sparagus upon which in stead of Oyl he had pour'd a sweet Oyntment Caesar fed on it without any disgust and reprimanded his Friends for finding fault with it For it was enough said he not to eat what you did not like but he who reflects on another Man's want of breeding shews he wants it as much himself Another time upon the Road he was driven by a Storm into a poor Man's Cottage where he found but one Room and that such as would afford but a mean Reception to a single Person and therefore he told his Companions that the most Honourable Places ought to be given to the best Men but the most Necessary Accommodations to the weakest and accordingly order'd that Oppius who was infirm should lodge within whilst he and the rest slept under a Shed at the Door His first War in Gaul was against the Helvetians and Tigurines who having burnt 12 of their own Towns and 400 Villages would have march'd forward through that part of Gaul which was under the Roman Province as the Cimbrians and Teutons formerly had done Nor were they inferior to these in Courage and in Numbers they were equal being in all Three hundred thousand of which One hundred and ninety thousand were fighting Men. Caesar did not engage the Tigurines in Person but Latienus who was Commission'd by him routed them about the River Arar But the Helvetians surpriz'd Caesar and unexpectedly set upon him as he was conducting his Army to a Confederate Town However he manag'd it so as to get into a place well fortified where when he had muster'd and marshal'd his Men his Horse was brought to him upon which he said When I have won the Battel I 'le use my Horse for the Chase but at present let us go against the Enemy Accordingly he charged them furiously on foot After a long and sharp Engagement he drove the main Army out of the Field but found the toughest work at their Carriages and Ramparts where not only the Men stood and fought but the Women also and Children defended themselves till they were cut to pieces insomuch that the Fight was scarce ended till midnight This Action in it self very great Caesar crown'd with another more glorious by gathering in a Body all the Barbarians that had escap'd out of the Battel above
100000 in number and obliging them to repair to the Countrey which they had deserted and the Cities which they had burnt Which he did for fear the Germans should pass the Rhine and possess themselves of the Country whilst it lay uninhabited His second War was in favour of the Gauls against the Germans thô sometime before he had made Ariovistus their King own'd at Rome as an Allie But they were very insufferable Neighbours to those under his Obedience and it was probable when Occasion shew'd they would be uneasie under their present posture and would make Incursions into Gaul and seize it But finding his Commanders timorous and especially those of the young Nobility and Gentry who came along with him in hopes of making use of that Expedition to their Pleasure or Profit he call'd them together and advis'd them to march off and not to run the hazard of a Battel against their Inclinations since they were so effeminately and cowardly disposed telling them withall that he would take only the 10th Legion and march against the Barbarians whom he did not expect to find an Enemy more formidable than the Cimbri nor should they find him a General inferior to Marius Upon this the 10th Legion deputed some of their Body to pay him their Compliments of Thanks and the other Legions blam'd their Officers and with great vigor and zeal follow'd him many days Journey till they encamp'd within 200 furlongs of the Enemy Ariovistus's Courage was cool'd upon their very approach for not expecting the Romans should attack the Germans who were known to be Men likely to stand a Charge he admir'd Caesar's Conduct and saw his own Army under a great Consternation They were still more discourag'd by the Prophesies of their Holy Women who by observing the Whirl-pools of Rivers and taking Omens from the windings and noise of Brooks foretold strange Events and warn'd them not to engage before the next New Moon appear'd Caesar having had intimations of this and seeing the Germans lie still thought it expedient to attack them whilst they were under these Apprehensions rather then sit still and wait their Time Accordingly he made his approaches to their Fortifications and Outworks within which they were intrench'd and so gall'd and fretted them that at last they came down with great fury to engage But he gain'd a glorious Victory and pursu'd them for 300 furlongs as far as the Rhine all which space was cover'd with Spoils and Bodies of the Slain Ariovistus made shift to pass the Rhine with the small Remains of an Army for it is said the number of the slain amounted to 80000. After this Action Caesar left his Army at their Winter-Quarters in the Country of the Sequani and in order to attend his Affairs at Rome went into that part of Gaul which lies on the Po and was part of his Province for the River Rubicon divides Gaul which is on this side the Alps from the rest of Italy There he sat down and gain'd the favour of the People who made their Court to him frequently and always found their Requests answer'd for he never fail'd to dismiss any without present pledges of his favour in hand and farther hopes for the future During all this time of the War in Gaul Pompey never discover'd how on one side Caesar conquer'd his Enemies with the Arms of Rome and on the other side gain'd upon the Romans and captivated them with the Money which he had got from his Enemies But when Caesar heard that the Belgae who were the most powerful of all the Gauls and inhabited a third part of the Country were revolted and that they had got together a great many thousand Men in Arms he immediately directed his Course that way with great expedition and falling upon the Enemy as they were ravaging the Gauls his Allies he soon defeated them and put them to flight For though their numbers were great yet they made but a slender defence so that the Marshes and deep Rivers were made passable to the Roman Foot by the vast quantity of dead Bodies Of those who revolted all that liv'd near the Ocean came over without fighting and therefore he led his Army against the Nervi who are the most unciviliz'd and most warlike People of all in those parts These live in a close Woody Countrey and having lodg'd their Children and their Goods in a deep hollow within a large Forest fell upon Caesar with a Body of 60000 Men before he was prepar'd for them and while he was making his Encampment They soon routed his Cavalry and having surrounded the 12th and 7th Legions kill'd all the Officers and had not Caesar himself snatch'd up a Buckler and forced his way through his own Men to come up to the Barbarians or had not the 10th Legion when they saw him in danger ran in from the tops of the Hills where they lay and broke through the Enemies Ranks to rescue him in all probability his Army had been entirely cut off But through the Influence of Caesars Valour the Romans in this Conflict exerted more then their ordinary Courage yet with the utmost streins of their Valour they were not able to beat the Enemy out of the Field but cut them off fighting in their own defence For out of 60000 Soldiers not above 500 survived the Battle and of 400 of their Senators not above three When the Roman Senate had received News of this they voted Sacrifices and Festivals to the Gods to be strictly observed for the space of 15 days which is a longer space then ever was observed for any Victory before For the danger appear'd great because they were engag'd with so many States at once and the favour of the People to Caesar made the Victory more esteem'd because he was Conqueror He was now retir'd to his Winter-Quarters by the Po where after he had setled the Affairs of Gaul he resided in order to the forming his designs at Rome All who were Candidates for Offices us'd his Assistance and were supplied with Money from him to corrupt the People and buy their Votes in return of which when they were chose they did all things to advance his Power But what was more considerable the most eminent and powerful Men in Rome in great Numbers made their Court to him at Lucca as Pompey and Crassus and Appius the Praetor of Sardinia and Nepos the Proconsul of Spain so that there were upon the place at one time 120 Lictors and more then 200 Senators who held a Council and then parted There it was decreed that Pompey and Crassus should be Consuls again for the following year that Caesar should have a fresh supply of Money and that his Command should be renew'd to him for 5 years more It seem'd very extravagant to all thinking Men that those very Persons who had receiv'd so much Money from Caesar should persuade the Senate to grant him more as if he wanted though indeed they did not so much persuade