he lyes Of all those Kingdomes large which he had got To his Posterity remain'd no jot For by that hand which still revengeth bloud None of his kindred nor his race long stood But as he took delight much bloud to spill So the same cup to his did others fill Four of his Captains now do all divide As Daniel before had prophysi'd The Leopard down the four wings gan to rise The great horn broke the less did tyranize What troubles and contentions did ensue We may hereafter shew in season due Aridaeus Great Alexander dead his Armyes left Like to that Giant of his Eye bereft When of his monstrous bulk it was the guide His matchless force no creature could abide But by Vlisses having lost his sight All men began streight to contemn his might For aiming still amiss his dreadful blows Did harm himself but never reacht his Foes Now Court and Camp all in confusion be A King they 'l have but who none can agree Each Captain wisht this prize to bear away But none so hardy found as so durst say Great Alexander did leave Issue none Except by Artabasâ—s daughter one And Roxane fair whom late he married Was near her time to be delivered By natures right these had enough to claim But meaness of their mothers bar'd the same Alledg'd by those who by their subtile Plea Had hope themselves to bear the Crown away A Sister Alexander had but she Claim'd not perhaps her Sex might hindrance be After much tumult they at last proclaim'd His base born brother Aridaeus nam'd That so under his feeble wit and reign Their ends they might the better still attain This choice Perdiccas vehemently disclaim'd And Babe unborn of Roxane he proclaim'd Some wished him to take the style of King Because his Master gave to him his Ring And had to him still since Ephestion di'd More then to th' rest his favour testifi'd But he refus'd with feigned modesty Hoping to be elect more generally He hold on this occasion should have laid For second offer there was never made ' Mongst these contentions tumults jealousies Seven dayes the corps of their great master lies Untoucht uncovered slighted and neglected So much these princes their own ends respected A Contemplation to astonish Kings That he who late possest all earthly things And yet not so content unless that he Might be esteemed for a Diety Now lay a Spectacle to testifie The wretchedness of mans mortality After some time when stirs began to calm His body did the Egyptians embalme His countenance so lively did appear That for a while they durst not come so near No sign of poyson in his intrails found But all his bowels coloured well and sound â—erâ—iccas seeing Arideus must be King Under his name began to rule each thing His chief Opponent who Control'd his sway Was Mâ—â—ager whom he would take away And by a wile he got him in his power So took his life unworthily that hour Using the name and the command of th' King To authorize his acts in every thing The princes seeing Perdiccas power and pride For their security did now provide Antigonus for his share Asia takes And Ptolomy next sure of Egypt makes Seâ—â—ucus afterward held Babylon Antipater had long rul'd Macedon These now to govern for the king pretends But nothing less each one himself intends Perdiccas took no province like the rest But held command of th' Army which was best And had a higher project in his head His Masters sister secretly to wed So to the Lady covertly he sent That none might know to frustrate his intent But Cleopatra this Suitor did deny For Lâ—onâ—tus more lovely in her eye To whom she sent a message of her mind That if he came good welcome he should find In these tumultuous dayes the thralled Greeks Their Ancient Liberty afresh now seeks And gladly would the yoke shake off laid on Sometimes by Philip and his conquering son The Athenians force Antipater to fly To Lamia where he shut up doth lye To brave Crateâ—us then he sends with speed For succours to relieve him in his need The like of Leonatus he requires Which at this time well suited his desires For to Antipater he now might goe His Lady take in th' way and no man know Antiphilus the Athenian General With speed his Army doth together call And Leonatus seeks to stop that so He joyne not with Antipater their foe The Athenian Army was the greater far Which did his Match with Cleopatra mar For fighting still while there did hope remain The valiant Chief amidst his foes was slain ' Mongst all the princes of great Alexander For personage none like to this Commander Now to Antipater Craterus goes Blockt up in Lamia still by his foes Long marches through Cilicia he makes And the remains of Leonatus takes With them and his he into Grecia went Antipater releas'd from prisonment After which time the Greeks did never more Act any thing of worth as heretofore But under servitude their necks remain'd Nor former liberty or glory gain'd Now di'd about the end of th' Lamian war Demosthenes that sweet-tongue'd Orator Who fear'd Antipater would take his life For animating the Athenian strife To end his dayes by poison rather chose Then fall into the hands of mortal foes Craterus and Antipater now joyne In love and in affinity combine Craterus doth his daughter â—kila wed Their â—riendship might the more be strengthened Whilst they in Macedon do thus agree In Asia they all asunder be Perdiccas griev'd to see the princes bold So many Kingdomes in their power to hold Yet to regain them how he did not know His souldiers ' gainst those captains would not goe To suffer them go on as they begun Was to give way himself might be undone With Antipater to joyne he sometimes thought That by his help the rest might low be brought But this again dislikes he would remain If not in stile in deed a soveraign For all the princes of great Alexander Acknowledged for Chief that old Commander Desires the King to goe to Macedon Which once was of his Ancestors the throne And by his presence there to nullifie The acts of his Vice-Roy now grown so high Antâ—gonus of treason first attaints And summons him to answer his complaints This he avoids and ships himself and son goes to Antipater and tells whatâ—s done He and Craterus both with him do joyne And ' gainst Perdiccas all their strength combine Brave Ptolemy to make a fourth then sent To save himself from danger imminent In midst of these garboyles with wondrous state His masters Funeral doth celebrate In Alexandria his tomb he plac'd Which eating time hath scarcely yet defac'd Two years and more since natures debt he paid And yet till now at quiet was not laid Great love did Ptolemy by this act gain And made the souldiers on his side remain Perdiccas hears his foes are all combinâ—d ' Gainst which to goe is not resolv'd in
But Kings ne're want such as can serve their will Fit Instruments t' accomplish what is ill As Tyssaphernes knowing his masters mind Their chief Commanders feasts and yet more kind With all the Oaths and deepest Flattery Gets them to treat with him in privacy But violates his honour and his word And Villain like there puts them all to th' Sword The Greeks seeing their valiant Captains slain Chose Xenophon to lead them home again But Tissaphernes what he could devise Did stop the way in this their enterprize But when through difficulties all they brake The Country burnt they no relief might take But on they march through hunger through cold Oâ—re mountains rocks and hills as lions bold Nor Rivers course nor Persians force could stay But on to Trabesond they kept their way There was of Greeks setled a Colony Who after all receiv'd them joyfully Thus finishing their travail danger pain In peace they saw their native soyle again The Greeks now as the Persian king suspects The Asiaticks cowardiâ—e detects The many victoryes themselves did gain The many thousand Persians they had slain And how their nation with facillity Might gain the universal Monarchy They then Dercilladus send with an host Who with the Spartans on the Asian coast Town after town with small resistance take Which rumour makes great Artaxerxes quake The Greeks by this success encourag'd so Their King Agesilaâ—s doth over goe By Tissaphernes is encountered Lieftenant to the King but soon he fled Which overthrow incens'd the King so sore That Tissaphern must be Viceroy no more Tythraustes then is placed in his stead Commission hath to take the others head Of that perjurious wretch this was the fate Whom the old Queen did bear a mortal hate Tytâ—â—austes trusts more to his wit then Arms And hopes by craft to quit his Masters harms He knows that many Towns in Greece envyes The Spartan State which now so fast did rise To them he thirty thousand Tallents sent With suit their Arms against their Foes be bent They to their discontent receiving hire With broyles and quarrels sets all Greece on fire Agesilaus is call'd home with speed To defend more then offend there was need Their winnings loâ—â— and peace their glad to take On such conditions as the King will make Dissention in Greece continued so long Till many a Captain tell both wise and strong Whose courage nought but death could ever tame ' Mongst these Epimanondas wants no same VVho had as noble Raileigh doth evince All the peculiar virtues of a Prince But let us leave these Greeks to discord bent And turn to Persia as is pertinent The King from forreign parts now well at ease His home bred troubles sought how to appease The two Queens by his means seem to abate Their former envy and inveterate hate But the old Queen implacable in strife By poyson caus'd the young one lose her life The King highly inrag'd doth hereupon From Court exile her unto Babilon But shortly calls her home her counsells prize A Lady very wicked but yet wise Then in voluptuousness he leads his life And weds his daughter for a second wife But long in ease and pleasure did not lye His sons sore vext him by disloyalty Such as would know at large his warrs and reign What troubles in his house he did sustain His match incestuous cruelties of th' Queen His life may read in Plutarch to be seen Forty three years he rul'd then turn'd to dust A King nor good nor valiant wise nor just Dorius Ochus Ochus a wicked and Rebellious son Succeeds in th' throne his father being gone Two of his brothers in his Fathers dayes To his great grief most subtilly he slayes And being King commands those that remain Of brethren and of kindred to be slain Then raises forces conquers Egypt land Which in rebellion sixty years did stand And in the twenty third of 's cruel raign Was by his Eunuch the proud Bagoas slain Arsames or Arses Arsames plac'd now in his fathers stead By him that late his father murthered Some write that Arsames was Oâ—hus brother Inthron'd by Bagoas in the room of th' other But why his brother 'fore his son succeeds I can no reason give ' cause none I read His brother as t is said long since was slain And scarce a Nephew left that now might reign What acts he did time hath not now left pen'd But most suppose in him did Cyrus end Whose race long time had worne the diadem But now 's divolved to another stem Three years he reign'd then drank of 's fathers cup By the same Eunuch who first set him up Darius Codomanus Darius by this Bagoas set in throne Complotter with him in the murther done And was no sooner setled in his reign But Bagoas falls to 's practices again And the same sauce had served him no doubt But that his troason timely was found out And so this wretch a punishment too small Lost but his life for horrid treasons all This Codomanus now upon the stage Was to his Predecessors Chamber pagâ—â— Some write great Cyrus line was not 〈◊〉 run But from some daughter this new king was sprung If so or not we cannot tell but find That several men will have their several mind Yet in such differences we may be bold With learned and â—udicious still to hold And this ' mongst all 's no Controverred thing That this Dariâ—â— was last Persian King Whose Wars and losses we may better tell In Alexâ—nder's reign who did him quell How from the top of worlds felicity He fell to depth of greatest misery Whose honours treasures pleasures had short stay One deluge came and swept them all away And in the sixth year of his hapless reign Of all did scarce his winding Sheet retain And last a sad Catastrophe to end Him to the grave did Traitor Bessus send The End of the Persian Monarchy The Third Monarchy being the Grecian beginning under Alexander the Great in the 112. Olympiad GReat Alexander was wise Philips son He to Amyntas Kings of Macedon The cruel proud Olympias was his Mother She to Epirus warlike King was daughter This Prince his father by Pausanias slain The twenty first of ' sage began to reign Great were the Gilts of nature which he had His education much to those did adde By art and nature both he was made fit To ' complish that which long before was writ The â—ry day of his Nativity To ground was burnt Dianaes Temple high An Omen to their near approaching woe Whose glory to the earth this king did throw His Rule to Greece he scorn'd should be confin'd The Universe scarce bound his proud vast mind This is the He-Goat which from Grecia came That ran in Choler on the Persian Ram That brake his horns that threw him on the ground To save him from his might no man was found Philip on this great Conquest had an eye But death did terminate those thoughts so high
mind But first ' gainst Ptolemy he judg'd was best Neer'st unto him and farthest from the rest Leaves Eumenes the Asian Coast to free From the invasions of the other three And with his army unto Egypt goes Brave Ptolemy to th' utmost to oppose Perdiccas surly cariage and his pride Did alinate the souldiers from his side But Ptolemy by affability His sweet demeanour and his courtesie Did make his own firm to his cause remain And from the other side did dayly gain Perdiccas in his pride did ill intreat Python of haughty mind and courage great Who could not brook so great indignity But of his wrongs his friends doth certifie The souldiers ' gainst Perdiccas they incense Who vow to make this captain recompence And in a rage they rush into his tent Knock out his â—â—ains to Ptolemy then went And offer him his honours and his place With stile of the Protector him to grace Next day into the camp came Ptolemy And is receiv'd of all most joyfully Their proffers he refus'd with modesty Yields them to â—ython for his courteâ—â—e With what he held he was now more content Then by more trouble to grow eminent Now comes there news of a great victory That Eumenes got of the other three Had it but in Pâ—rdiccas life ariv'd With greater joy it would have been receiv'd Thus Ptolemy rich Egypt did retain And Python turn'd to Asia again Whilst Perdiccas encamp'd in Affrica Antigonus did enter Asia And fain would Eumenes draw to their side But he alone most faithfull did abide The other all had Kingdomes in their eye But he was true to 's masters family Nor could Craterus whom he much did love From his fidelity once make him move Two Battles fought and had of both the best And brave Craterus slew among the rest For this sad strife he poures out his complaints And his beloved foe full sore laments I should but snip a story into bits And his great Acts and glory much eclipse To shew the dangers Eumenes befel His stratagems wherein he did excel His Policies how he did extricate Himself from out of Lab'rinths intricate He that at large would satisfie his mind In Plutarchs Lives his history may find For all that should be said let this suffice He was both valiant faithfull patient wise Python now chose Protector of the state His ruâ—e Queen Euridice begins to haâ—e Sees Arrideus must not King it long If once young Alexander grow more strong But that her husband serve for supplement To warm his seat was never her intent She knew her birth right gave her Macedon Grand-child to him who once sat on that throne Who was Perdiccas Philips eldest brother She daughter to his son who had no other Pythons commands as oft she countermands What he appoints she purposely withstands He wearied out at last would needs be gone Resign'd his place and so let all alone In 's room the souldiers chose Antipater Who vext the Queen more then the other far From Macedon to Asia he came That he might settle matters in the same He plac'd displac'd control'd rul'd as he list And this no man durst question or resist For all the nobles of King Alexander Their bonnets vail'd to him as chief Commander When to his pleasure all things they had done The King and Queen he takes to Macedon Two sons of Alexander and the rest All to be order'd there as he thought best The Army to Antigonus doth leave And Goverment of Asia to him gave And thus Antipater the ground-work layes On which Antigonus his height doth raise Who in few years the rest so overtops For universal Monarchy he hopes With Eumenes he diverse Battels fought And by his slights to circumvent him sought But vain it was to use his policy ' Gainst him that all deceits could scan and try In this Epitome too long to tell How finely Eumenes did here excell And by the self same Traps the other laid He to his cost was righteously repaid But while these Chieftains doe in Asia fight To Greece and Macedon le ts turn our sight When great Antipater the world must leave His place to Polisperchon did bequeath Fearing his son Cassander was unstaid Too rash to bear that charge if on him laid Antigonus hearing of his decease On most part of Assyria doth seize And Ptolemy next to incroach begins All Syria and Phenicia he wins Then Polisperchon 'gins to act in 's place Recalls Olimpias the Court to grace Antipater had banish'd her from thence Into Epire for her great turbulence This new Protector 's of another mind Thinks by her Majesty much help to find Cassander like his â—ather could not see This Polisperchons great ability Slights his Commands his actions he disclaims And to be chief himself now bends his aims Such as his Father had advanc'd to place Or by his favours any way had grac'd Are now at the devotion of the Son Prest to accomplish what he would have done Besides he was the young Queens favourite On whom t' was thought she set her chief delight Unto these helps at home he seeks out more Goes to Antigonus and doth implore By all the Bonds 'twixt him and 's Father past And for that great gift which he gave him last By these and all to grant him some supply To take down Polisperchon grown so high For this Antigonus did need no spurs Hoping to gain yet more by these new stirs Streight furnish'd him with a sufficient aid And so he quick returns thus well appaid With Ships at Sea an Army for the Land His proud opponent hopes soon to withstand But in his absence Polisperchon takes Such friends away as for his Interest makes By death by prison or by banishment That no supply by these here might be lent Cassander with his Host to Grecia goes Whom Polisperchon labours to oppose But beaten was at Sea and foil'd at Land Cassanders forces had the upper hand Athens with many Towns in Greece beside Firm for his Fathers sake to him abide Whil'st â—ot in wars these two in Grecee remain Antigonus doth all in Asia gain Still labours Eumenes would with him side But all in vain â—e faithful did abide Nor Mother could nor Sons of Alexander Put trust in any but in this Commander The great ones now began to shew their mind And act as opportunity they find Ariâ—aeus the scorn'd and simple King More then he bidden was could act no thing Polisperchon for office hoping long Thinks to inthrone the Prince when riper grown Euridâ—ce this injury disdains And to Cassandar of this wrong complains Hateful thâ—â—â—me and house of Alexander Was to this proud vindicative Cassander He still kept lockt within his memory His Fathers danger with his Family Nor thought he that indignity was small When Alexander knockt his head to th'wall These with his love unto the amorous Queen Did make him vow her servant to be seen Olimpias Aridaeus deadly hates As all her Husbands Children by
equal'd his happiness Quoth he that man for happy we commend Whose happy life attains an happy end Cyrus with pitty mov'd knowing Kings stand Now up and down as fortune turns her hand Weighing the Age and greatness of the Prince His Mothers Uncle stories do evince Gave him his life and took him for a friend Did to him still his chief deâ—igns commend Next war the restless Cyrus thought upon Was conquest of the stately Babilon Now treble wall'd and moated so about That all the world they need not fear nor doubt To drain this ditch he many Sluces cut But till convenient time their heads kept shut That night Belshazzar feasted all his rout He cut those banks and let the River out And to the walls securely marches on Not finding a defendant thereupon Enters the Town the sottish King he sâ—ayes Upon Earths richest spoyles his Souldiers preys Here twenty years provision good he found Forty five miles this City scarce could round This head of Kingdomes Chaldees excellence For Owles and Satyres made a residence Yet wondrous monuments this stately Queen A thousand years had after to beseen Cyrus doth now the Jewish Captives free An Edict made the Temple builded be He with his Uncle Daniel sets on high And caus'd his foes in Lions Den to dye Long after this he gainst the Scythians goes And Tomris Son and Army overthrows VVhich to revenge she hires a mighty power And sets on Cyrus in a fatal hour There routs his Host himself she prisoner takes And at one blow worlds head she headless makes The which she bath'd within a But of bloud Using such taunting words as she thought good But Xenophoâ— reports he di'd in 's bed In honour peace and wealth with a grey head And in his Town of Bassagardes lyes VVhere some long after sought in vain for prize But in his Tombe was only to be sound Two Scythian boys a Sword and Target round And Alexander coming to the same VVith honours great did celebrate his fame Three daughters and two Sons he left behind Innobled more by birth then by their mind Thirty two years in all this Prince did reign But eight whilst Babylon he did retain And though his conquests made the earth to groan Now quiet lyes under one marble stone And with an Epitaph himself did make To shew how little Land he then should take Cambyses Cambyses no waves like his noble Sire Yet to inlarge his State had some desire His reign with bloud and Incest first begins Then sends to find a Law for these his sins That Kings with Sisters match no Law they find But that the Persian King may act his mind He wages war the fifth year of his reign ' Gainst Egypts King who there by him was slain And all of Royal Bloud that came to hand He seized first of Life and then of Land But little Narus scap'd that cruel sate VVho grown a man resum'd again his State He next to Cyprus sends his bloudy Host VVho landing soon upon that fruitful Coast Made Evelthon their King with bended knee To hold his own of his free Courtesie Their Temple he destroys not for his Zeal For he would be profest God of their weal Yea in his pride he ventured so farre To spoyle the Temple of great Jupiter But as they marched o're those desert sands The stormed dust o'rewhelm'd his daring bands But scorning thus by Jove to be outbrav'd A second Army he had almost grav'd But vain he found to fight with Elements So left his sacrilegious bold intents The Egyptian Apis then he likewise slew Laughing to scorn that sottish Calvish Crew If all this heat had been for pious end Cambyses to the Clouds we might commend But he that 'fore the Gods himself prefers Is more profane then gross Idolaters He after this upon suspition vain Unjustly caus'd his brother to be slain Praxaspes into Persia then is sent To act in secret this his lewd intent His Sister whom Incestuously he wed Hearing her harmless brother thus was dead His wofull death with tears did so bemoan That by her husbands charge she caught her own She with her fruit at once were both undone Who would have born a Nephew and a son Oh hellesh husband brother uncle Sire Thy cruelty all ages will admire This strange severity he sometimes us'd Upon a Judge for taking bribes accus'd I lay'd him alive hung ' up his stuffed skin Over his seat then plac'd his son therein To whom he gave this in remembrance Like sault must look for the like recompence His cruelty was come unto that height He spar'd nor foe nor friend nor favourite 'T would be no pleasure but a tedious thing To tell the facts of this most bloody King Feared of all but lovâ—d of few or none All wisht his short reign past before 't was done At last two of his Officers he hears Had set one Smerdiâ— up of the same years And like in feature to his brother dead Ruling as they thought best under this head The people ignorant of what was done Obedience yielded as to Cyrus son Toucht with this news to Persia he makes But in the way his sword just vengeance takes Unsheathes as he his horse mounted on high And with a mortal thrust wounds him i th' thigh Which ends before begun his home-bred warr So yields to death that dreadfull Conquerour Grief for his brothers death he did express And more because he died Issueless The male line of great Cyrus now had end The Female to many Ages did extend A Babylon in Egypt did he make And Meroâ— built for his fair Sisters sake Eight years he reign'd a short yet too long time Cut off in 's wickedness in 's strength and prime The inter regnum between Cambyses And Darius Histaspes Childless Cambyses on the sudden dead The Princes meet to chuse one in his stead Of which the chief was seven call'd Satrapes Who like to Kings rul'd Kingdomes as they please Descended all of Achemenes bloud And Kinsmen in account to th' King they stood And first these noble Magi 'gree upon To thrust th' imposter Smerdis out of Throne Then Forces instantly they raise and rout This King with his Conspirators so stout But yet ' â—ore this was done much bloud was shed And two of these great Peers in Field lay dead Some write that sorely hurt they scap'd away But so or no sure 't is they won the day All things in peace and Rebels throughly quell'd A Consultation by those States was held What form of government now to erect The old or new which best in what respect The greater part declin'd a Monarchy So late crusht by their Princes tyranny And thought the people would more happy be If govern'd by an Aristocracy But others thought none of the dullest brain That better one then many tyrants reign What Arguments they usâ—d I know not well Too politick its like for me to tell But in conclusion they all agree Out of
Goverment he doth commit Unto Parmenio of all most fit Darius now less lofty then before To Alexander writes he would restore Those mournfull Ladies from Captivity For whom he offers him a ransome high But down his haughty stomach could not bring To give this Conquerour the Stile of King This Letter Alexander doth disdain And in short terms sends this reply again A King he was and that not only so But of Darius King as he should know Next Alexander unto Tyre doth goe His valour and his victoryes they know To gain his love the Tyrians intend Therefore a crown and great Provision send Their present he receives with thankfullness Desires to offer unto Hercules Protector of their town by whom defended And from whom he lineally descended But they accept not this in any wise Lest he intend more fraud then sacrifice Sent word that Hercules his temple stood In the old town which then lay like a wood With this reply he was so deep enrag'd To win the town his honour he ingag'd And now as Babels King did once before No leaves not till he made the sea firm shore But far less time and cost he did expend The former Ruines forwarded his end Moreover had a Navy at command The other by his men fetcht all by land In seven months time he took that wealthy town Whose glory now a second time 's brought down Two thousand of the chief he crucifi'd Eight thousand by the sword then also di'd And thirteen thousand Gally slaves he made And thus the Tyrians for mistrust were paid The rule of this he to Philotas gave Who was the son of that Parmenio brave Cilicia to Socrates doth give For now 's the time Captains like Kings may live Zidon he on Ephestion bestowes For that which freely comes as freely goes He scorns to have one worse then had the other So gives his little Lordship to another Ephestion having chief command of th' Fleet At Gaza now must Alexander meet Darius finding troubles still increase By his Ambassadors now sues for peace And layes before great Alexanders eyes The dangers difficultyes like to rise First at Euphrates what he 's like to ' bide And then at Tygris and Araxis side These he may scape and if he so desire A league of friendship make firm and entire His eldest daughter he in mariage profers And a most princely dowry with her offers All those rich Kingdomes large that do abide Betwixt the Hellespont and Halys side But he with scorn his courtesie rejects And the distressed King no whit respects Tells him these proffers great in truth were none For all he offers now was but his own But quoth Parmenio that brave Commander Was I as great as is great Alexander Darius offers I would not reject But th' kingdomes and the Lady soon accept To which proud Alexander made reply And so if I Parmenio was would I. He now to Gaza goes and there doth meet His Favorite Ephestion with his Fleet Where valiant Betis stoutly keeps the town A loyal Subject to Darius Crown For more repulse the Grecians here abide Then in the Persian Monarchy beside And by these walls so many men were slain That Greece was forc'd to yield supply again But yet this well defended Town was taken For 't was decree'd that Empire should be shaken Thus Betis ta'en had holes bor'd through his feet And by command was drawn through every street To imitate Achilles in his shame Who did the like to Hector of more fame What hast thou lost thy magnimity Can Alexander deal thus cruelly Sith valour with Heroicks is renown'd Though in an Enemy it should be found If of thy future fame thou hadst regard Why didst not heap up honours and reward From Gaza to Jerusalem he goes But in no hostile way as I suppose Him in his Priestly Robes high Jaddus meets Whom with great reverence Alexander greets The Priest shews him good Daniel's Prophesy How he should overthrow this Monarchy By which he was so much encouraged No future dangers he did ever dread From thence to fruitful Egypt marcht with speed Where happily in 's wars he did succeed To see how fast he gain'd was no small wonder For in few dayes he brought that Kingdome under Then to the Phane of Jupiter he went To be install'd a God was his intent The Pagan Priest through hire or else mistake The Son of Jupiter did streight him make He Diobolical must needs remain That his humanity will not retain Thence back to Egypt goes and in few dayes Fair Alexandria from the ground doth raise Then setling all things in less Asia In Syria Egypt and Phenicia Unto Euphrateâ— marcht and overgoes For no man's there his Army to oppose Had â—â—tis now been there but with his band Great Alexander had been kept from Land But as the King so is the multitude And now of valour both are destitute Yet he poor prince another Host doth muster Of Pâ—â—siâ—â—s Scythians Inaians in a cluster Men but in shape and name of valour none Most fit to blunt the Swords of Macedon Two hundred fifty thousand by account Of Horse and Foot his Army did amount For in his multitudes his trust still lay But on their fortitude he had small stay Yet had some hope that on the spacious plain His numbers might the victory obtain About this time Darius beautious Queen Who had sore travail and much sorrow seen Now bids the world adue with pain being spent Whose death her Lord full sadly did lament Great Alexander mourns as well as he The more because not set at liberty When this sad news at first Darius hears Some injury was offered he fears But when inform'd how royally the King Had used her and hers in every thing He prays the immortal Gods they would reward Great Alexander for this good regard And if they down his Monarchy will throw Let them on him this dignity bestow And now for peace he sues as once before And offers all he did and Kingdomes more His eldest daughter for his princely bride Nor was such match in all the world beside And all those Countryes which betwixt did lye Phanisian Sea and great Euphrates high With fertile Egypt and rich Syria And all those Kingdomes in less Asia With thirty thousand Talents to be paid For the Queen Mother and the royal maid And till all this be well perform'd and sure Ochus his Son for Hostage should endure To this stout Alexander gives no ear No though Parmenio plead yet will not hear Which had he done perhaps his fame he 'd kept Nor Infamy had wak'd when he had slept For his unlimited prosperity Him boundless made in vice and Cruelty Thus to Darius he writes back again The Firmament two Suns cannot contain Two Monarchyes on Earth cannot abide Nor yet two Monarchs in one world reside The afflicted King finding him set to jar Prepares against to morrow for the war Parmenio Alexander wisht that night To force his Camp
of their agreement thus express That each should hold what now he did possess Till Alexander unto age was grown VVho then should be enstalled in the throne This toucht Cassander sore for what he 'd done Imprisoning both the mother and the son He sees the Greeks now favour their young Prince Whom he in durance held now and long since That in few years he must be forc'd or glad To render up such Kingdomes as he had Resolves to quit his fears by one deed done So puts to death the Mother and her Son This Roxane for her beauty all commend But for one act she did just was her end No sooner was great Alexander dead But she Darius daughters murthered Both thrown into a well to hide her blot Perdiccas was her Partner in this plot The heavens seem'd slow in paying her the same But at the last the hand of vengeance came And for that double fact which she had done The life of her must goe and of her son Perdiccas had before for his amiss But by their hands who thought not once of this Cassanders deed the princes do detest But 't was in shew in heart it pleas'd them best That he is odious to the world they 'r glad And now they were free Lords of what they had When this foul tragedy was past and done Polysperchon brings the other son Call'd Hercules and elder then his brother But Olimpiaâ— would prefer the other The Greeks toucht with the murther done of late This Orphan prince 'gan to compassionate Begin to mutter much ' gainst proud Cassander And place their hopes on th' heir of Alexander Cassander fear'd what might of this onsue So Polisâ—erchon to his counsel drew And gives Peloponesus for his hire Who slew the prince according to desire Thus was the race and house of Alexander Extinct by this inhumane wretch Cassander Antigonus for all this doth not mourn He knows to 's profit this at last will turn But that some Title now he might pretend To Cleopatra doth for marriage send Lysimachus and Ptolemy the same And lewd Cassander too sticks not for shame She then in Lydia at Sardis lay Where by Embassage all these Princes pray Choice above all of Ptolemy she makes With his Embassador her journy takes Antigonus Lieutenant stayes her still Untill he further know his Masters will Antigonus now had a Wolf by th' Ears To hold her still or let her go he fears Resolves at last the Princess should be slain So hinders him of her he could not gain Her women are appointed for this deed They for their great reward no better speed For by command they streight were put to death As vile Conspirators that stopt her breath And now he hopes he 's order'd all so well The world must needs believe what he doth tell Thus Philip's house was quite extinguished Except Cassanders wife who yet not dead And by their means who thought of nothing loss Then vengeance just against them to express Now blood was paid with blood for what was done By cruel Father Mother cruel Son Thus may we hear and fear and ever say That hand is righteous still which doth repay These Captains now the stile of Kings do take For to their Crowns their 's none can Title make Demetrius first the royal stile assum'd By his Example all the rest presum'd Antigonus himself to ingratiate Doth promise liberty to Athens State With Arms and with provision stores them well The better ' gainst Cassander to rebel Demâ—trius thether goes is entertain'd Not like a King but like some God they feign'd Most grosly base was their great Adulation Who Incense burnt and offered oblation These Kings afresh fall to their wars again Demetrius of Ptolemy doth gain 'T would be an endless Story to relate Their several Battels and their several fate Their fights by Sea their victories by Land How some when down straight got the upper hand Antigonus and Seleucus then fight Near Ephesus each bringing all his might And he that Conquerour shall now remain The Lordship of all Asia shall retain This day 'twixt these two Kings ends all the strife For here Antigonus lost rule and life Nor to his Son did e're one foot remain Of those vast Kingdomes he did sometimes gain Demetrius with his Troops to Athens flyes Hopes to find succours in his miseries But they adoring in prosperity Now shut their gates in his adversity He sorely griev'd at this his desperate State Tryes Foes sith friends will not compassionate His peace he then with old Seleucus makes Who his fair daughter Strotonica takes Antâ—ochus Sâ—leuâ—us dear lov'd Son Is for this fresh young Lady quite undone Falls so extreamly sick all fear'd his life Yet durst not say he lov'd his Fathers wife When his disease the skill'd Physitian sound His Fathers mind he wittily did sound Who did no sooner understand the same But willingly resign'd the beautious Dame Cassander now must dye his race is run And leaves the ill got Kingdomes he had won Two Sons he left born of King Philips daughter Who had an end put to their dayes by slaughter Which should succeed at variance they fell The Mother would the youngest might excell The eld'st inrag'd did play the Vipers part And with his Sword did run her through the heart Rather then Philips race should longer live He whom she gave his life her death shall give This by Lysimacus was after slain Whose daughter he not long before had â—a'ne Demetrius is call'd in by th' youngest Son Against â—â—simachus who from him won But he a Kingdome more then 's friend did eye Seaz'd upon that and slew him traitrously Thus Philips and Cassander's race both gone And so falls out to be extinct in one And though Cassander died in his bed His Seed to be extirpt was destined For blood which was decre'd that he should spill Yet must his Children pay for Fathers ill Jehu in killing Anaâ—'s house did well Yet be aveng'd must blood of 〈◊〉 Demetrius thus Cassander's Kingdoms gains And now in Macedon as King he reigns Thougâ— men and mony both he hath at will In neither finâ—s content if he sits still That Sâ—lâ—ucus holds Asia grievs hiâ— sore Those Countryes large his Fatâ—er got before These to recover musters all his might And with his Son in Law will needs go fight A mighty Navy rig'd an Army stout With these he hopes to turn the world about Leaving Antigonus his eldest Son In his long absence to rule Macedon Demetrius with so many troubles met As Heaven and Earth against him had been set Disaster on disaster him pursue His story seems a Fable more then true At last he 's taken and imprisoned Within an Isle that was with pleasures fed Injoy'd what ere beseem'd his Royalty Only restrained of his liberty After three years he died left what he 'd won In Greece unto Antigonus his Son For his Posterity unto this day Did ne're regain one foot in Asia His Body