being Ephorus Olympiade the sixt by Sosigenes fifty sixt a full 200. difference proueth a great diuersitie receiued in these accomptes which being graunted all this worke of Olympiade reckoninges by fyre of iudgement wylbe consumed as straw 12 Africanus twise striketh hym selfe For he beginneth Olympiades 1020. from Moses In Eusâ—b praeâ—â— and in Dem. 8. geueth the Macedonians 370. yeeres of geuernement VVith suche thornes do they pricke theyr eyen who mary Scriptures to prophane Heathen and marre the lyght of our happy Redemption 13 Thus it appeareth what the testimony is worth which so certaynely placeth Cyrus reigne in Olympiade 55. which is fortified by the names of Phlegon Thallus Castor Diodorus and all that handle Olympiades Euseb praep 10. 14 By some Heathen who make hym lyue 100. yeres the matter commeth neare some famous reckonyngs for his fyrst princehood but not for his last yeeres VVhere olde Diuines cite Heathen agaynst theyr meanyng For Heathen place Cyrus fyrst tymes in Olympiade 55. and not his Monarchy as doth Eusebius And storyes make hym reigne 70. afore that as I haue touched afore But I wyll more fully handle Cyrus with Olympike confusion after I haue once briefly gon through vnto Alexanders tymes Of Darius Hystaspis Darius Hystaspis reigne by Lilius Gyraldus toucheth Olympiade 80. whereby Cyrus after Phlegon commyng to the same tyme it myght seeme by this as by other argumentes that Cyrus and Cambyses last yeeres were at Babylons fall And they also be holden true who thynke that Darius Madai is no other then he whom Greekes call Darius the fyrst And reason would gather that his warres agaynst Scythia in reuenge of Cyrus death and agaynst Athens vpon his returne shoulde be soone after of whiche the later was tenne yeeres afore Xerxes voyage into Grece And that wyll somewhat agree with Ctesias and Horod conferd for Darius tyme and it may drawe Xerxes warres within lesse then 30. yeeres of Babels fall Of the Olympiade 75. ioyned to Xerxes warre 1 By the former it may appeare that Xerxes warre falleth not in any agreement stablyshed on Olympiade 75. for which tyme Pausanias hath a singuler example of vnpossibility in this kinde For Oebotas an Olympionike wan the race in Olympiade the sixt and fought agaynst Mardonius in the 75. that is neare 280. yeeres after Pausanias demaundeth And howe can that be and telleth that he must recorde as he findeth but must not beleeue all Thus the recorder of them woundeth them with as great a blow as euer Lygdamis or Poulydamas gaue in them 2 Pindarus scholiast maketh hym 40. yeere olde at Xerxes warre to lyue in all 55. yeeres to dye when Bion or Abion was Maior at Athens in Olympiad 86. And this commeth somewhat neare the 80. yeere for Cyrus and Darius 3 Suidas placeth Isocrates byrth in Olympiade 86. and after the Peloponnesian warres whereby the confusion of Greekes appeareth But I had rather place Isocrates birth nigh Xerxes warres and that by an other collection I can proue He lyued by his owne reckonyng neare 100. yeeres and Plutarch maketh hym to speake that apopthegim to Sophocles the praise whereof Tully gaue to Pericles That a Senator must as wel bridle his eyen as his handes which fitnes of age woulde not suffer well done vnlesse he were borne about Xerxes warre 4 The same Suidas placeth Socrates byrth at the Peloponnesian styrres who was borne neare Xerxes and lyued 60. yeeres at the least his death is knowen vnder the 30. Tyrantes the next yeere after Lysander at Hellespontus Aegospotamos and Attens ouercome the nation Socrates byrth by Suidas was in Olympiade 77. VVhat can we make of such Greeke recordes whiche care not what they vtter Yet this much may be gathered hence that Xerxes and Archidamus Peloponnesian troubles were nothyng neare 50. yeeres as I hucidides woulde haue it whom Demosthenes agaynst Neaera foloweth VVhat they meant or cared for trueth I wyll tell hereafter 5 Lysias byrth by Plutarch is in Olympiade 82. the seconde yeere when Philocles was Maior whose maioralty falleth out 8. yeeres sooner by Diodorus 6 Pliny booke 35. Cha. 9. blameth some who place the paynter Xeuxis opening of his trade in Olympiad 89. whiche he woulde haue to be in the fourth yeere of the 95. marueylyng at 24. yeeres difference But he myght marke that 24. or rather 30. yeeres be added more betwixt Lysander in Olympiede 94. and Philip Macedon then euer the fyery masse of the Sunne lyghtened 7 So in Pliny hymselfe Mausolus whom Demosthenes commenter maketh alyue when that Rhetor accused Timocrates in Philip Macedons dayes Pliny placeth his death in Olympiad 100. the second yeere 8 In the same sort Suidas placeth Philips agones or triumphs in Olympiade 100. which by Athenaeus accompt in whom Philip reigneth but 20. yeres before Alexander whose reigne began the 111. Olympiade shoulde be Olympiade 106. So in Zeuxis Mausolus and Philip the theeuyshe Olympiades fallyng out bryng trueth to lyght This speciall matter I would aske yf Antiochus Epiphanes dyed in the 154. Olympiade and Alexander in the 114. the fyrst yeere How coulde Antiochus in the sixt yeere of his reigne set vpon Ptolomy Philometor made king 143. after Alexanders death by the Mathematician Ptolemy lib. 6. cap. 4. Philometor shoulde be king 6. yeere afore Antiochus In the same errour is the beginnyng of the Greekes Kingdome from the 14. yeere after Alexanders death For in the seauenth yeere of his kingdome Mach. 1. in 143. of the Greekes he setteth vppon Egypt Seeing the same is the number from Alexanders death to Philometors reygne the same begynnyng also must the date of the same number haue and presently from Alexanders death must beginne the date of the Greekes kingdome as Codoman ryghtly prooueth And here most haue lympâ—ades deceyued our best learned the late and aucient Also here Liuies copies would Codoman haue amended that for 488. the yeere afore the first Punik warre he woulde naue 476. put in all copies that the famous Eclipse which was at Aemylius victory ouer Perseus recorded when it was might haue agreement of Antiochus sixt yeere which is ioyned to Aemylius victory So all copies must be amended and iudgementes reformed and playne made rough or Olympiades must be holden but games Cyrus in particularitie specially conferred with Olympiades disagreeing extreamely I Wyll returne to ioyne some of these former tymes which I haue touched with others extreamly striuing at ancient Cyrus tymes whereupon a great part of our debate standeth that not onely by a particuler vew of all the Greeke times some lytle in each but in the chiefe vnspeakable discorde may appeare euen by theyr testimony who haue been the principall folowers of them Afterwardes I wyll shew some further store of absurdities bred by them in other matters But chiefly must his age be examined For the most vse of diuersitie disanullyng Olympiades wylbe about Cyrus for those whole troupes that haue been thought to agree that he reigned in Olympiade
yet fell out together and afterwardes fellow rulers as seuerall And the curing is not hard with tractable iudges Iudge what I say Darius Hystaspis liued about sixe and twentie yeeres while Iaddue was vnder Persia After his death two breethren haue the famous gentle strife Iust Xerxes in warres reigneth Artaxerxes at home the same time otherwise Themistocles coulde not flie to them both Artaxerxes reigning one and fortie yeeres dieth in the seauenth of the Peloponnesian warres Thucid. Diod. Thereby Thucidides is contrould for making the Peloponnesian warres fiftie yeeres after that of Xerxes wherein Aristicles the iust bare swaye whose daughter Socrates married Suid. in Socrates and he was but seauentie at seauen and twentie yeres after that warres when he died Though by a shift one say that he might beget that daughter in his olde age at the warres end yet she shoulde be seauen yeeres elder than Socrates without anie reason of likelihoode Nowe to this Artaxerxes Ioseph Scaliger will no◠sticke to ioyne presently Artaxerxes Mnemon with Darius Nothus which Mnemon commeth within nine yeeres in Clemens of Alexanders monarchie and reigneth yeres but fortie and two Thus scantly wil that be made vp which might make the rest vnder Greekes and Romanes three hundred and sixtie to agree with Gabriels foure hundred and ninetie yeeres Therefore Plutarch to fill vp the common summe giueth him sixtie and two yeeres of reigne and ninetie foure of life not knowing Daniels vision against the Persians at sharpe swift Tigris not bookes opened before the firie throne iudging the Persian beare nor comparing Leuites a score Neh. 12. with the Persians nor yet Amyntas king in Macedon the thirde of the Peloponnesian warres whose sonne Philip reigned but twentie yeeres Athen. and Alexander but six before his monarchie Moreouer Amyntas him selfe reigned but few yeeres two of his elder sonnes not long Philip died at seauen and fortie who was brought vp in Epaminondas fathers house Thus the Persians by Greekes will not exceede Against Eratosthenes account This standing thus howe can Eratosthenes say true whom in Clemens pag. 126. though Clemens reiecteth him as deceaued yet some great men greatly follow He hath these distances From Xerxes voiage to Archidamus warres eight and fortie yeeres That ended at seauen and twentie There Athens lost the superiority of Grecia and Lacedemon by Lysander gate it which they lost at Leuctra where Epaminondas the Theban victor died after 34. yeeres And thence to Philips death who died 47. yeeres old he reckoneth yeres 35. But how could he be a fit companion for Epaminondas or yet sonne to Amyntas reigning young and but a little while Polybius granteth the Lacedemonians but twelue yeeres of quiet superioritie pag. 1. Iustine abridging Trogus Pompeius maketh Amyntas son to Menelaus brother to Alexander who reigned in Darius Hystaspis daies whereby it appereth how little credit old Latines or some Greekes gaue the other Greekes for these times and how Plutarch had iust occasion to condemne the Greeke Chronicles Of Olympiades Romes antiquitie and Chaldeans This threefold thred was spunne against me though I had cut the knottinesse of them as Alexander did the Gordian knot For Olympiades Phlegon is the most famous auctour whom Christians cite ioyning his Olympiade two hundred and two in the fourth yeere to our Lord his death If I grant anie thing good in this account I must bring Cyrus reigne ouer Iuda vnto Olympiade the eightith For the vse of studentes I will affoord Phlegons whole treatise that young men may see what stuffe men bring against proprietie of Scripture afterwards I will shew further their nullitie how the citers of them by their owne auctours are condemned I will abridge and translate anone so muche as I neede The Grecian may take all He shall finde their antiquitie not greatly farre from Hercules whose sonne Tlepolemus was Agamemnons souldier whereby Cyrus may well be cast to Olympiad eightie or yeere three hundred twentie after their beginning which thing will finish this combat Yet I loth that helpe where Apollo is the counseller of the games a pestilence ioined to their beginning a spiders webbe couering of their garlande and Choraebus the first man in Pausanias whence the accoūt is fetched And I maruell at my aduersarie who counted my doctrine against Choraebus and him to be Chorebus harnes The defence of this Olympike stuffe best deserued that name But now looke to Phlegon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here Lycurgus is the tenth from Hercules he vvith Jphitus restored Olympikes Koroebus is the first gamester though not expressely Apollo gave counsell at the first they neglected the game A famine follovved For that vanitie say I that it vvas at all begun for contempt of it said Apollo Of vvhome sundry counsels they tooke of vvhich this vvas one that they shoulde not make the garland or crovvne of a fruitfull tree but of a vvild olive beset vvith cobvvebs of vvhich kinde one among many vvas found in a vvood there and was vvalled about for to be kept still OF THE OLYMPIA by Phlegon freeman of Adrianus Caesar I Thinke it behooveable to tel the cause why the Olympia chansed to be set up And this was it After Pisus and Pelops and also Hercules the first erecters of the solemnitie game in Olympiades the Peloponnesians left off the religion a certain time for which are numbred 28 Olympiades unto Iphitus Choroebus Eleus When they had thus neglected the game a sedition arose in Peloponnesus Then Lycurgus the Lacedaemonian the sonne of Prytaneus of Europus of Sosus of Procleus of Aristodemus of Aristomachus of Cleodaeus of Hyllus of Hercules and Deianira And Iphitus sonne of Aemon or by some of Praxonides a man of Elis of Hercules lineage Cleosthenes sonne of Cleonicus a man of Pisa willing to restore the people to amity peace derermined to renue the Olympique solemnitie to keep the gymnike game Then some are sent unto Delphos to consult with Apollo whether he also advised to doe thus Apollo said it was best to doe it commanded to proclaime truce for the cities that would be partakers
contriued into the lyne of his kinred euen for profe of that prophecy which so directly calleth vs to a most certayne yeere of his death and reprofe of all Heathen tyme-rolles and specially the Olympike pastymes But I haue more plentifully then briefe assertions suffer enlarged this blame of that witnes whiche woulde bryng Cyrus and the Sonne out of his course and make Phaeton ruler of the Chariot Now I wyll pursue other wandringes and come to others of whom Heathen haue store which lyue before their elders were borne or dye themselues afore euer they saw the ey-liddes of the mornyng A Cataloge of further impossibilities in Olympike reckonynges 1 By this variety of accomptes Clemens Alexandrinus maketh Aggai Zachary and Malachy to prophecy afore Ezekiel For he placeth Iechonias captiuity in Olympiade 48. Ezekiel prophecied not vntyll fyue yeeres after that Ezek. 1. and Aggai Zachary and Malachy doth he also of resolute purpose place in Olympiade 48. makyng them elder then Pythagoras though his familiarity with Amasis myght haue warned him better Yea Thales also is hereby made their puny These be the wonderful wordes of Clemens It is cleere that they who prophecyed vnder Darius Hystaspis in the seconde yeere of his kingdome Aggai Zachari and he who amongest the twelue is called Angel Malachi he meaneth in the first yeere of the 48. Olympiade are elder then Pythagoras which was in the 62. Olympiade and elder then I hales which was in the 52. Clemens runneth into this blame no lesse culpable then yfa man shoulde place queene Mary afore king Richarde the thyrde or to spe ke prouerbially all the Cartes in London before their Horses But Clemens must be spared Come to Heathen recordes 2. Parmenides floryshed in Olympiade 29. But his ancient Anaximenes saw not the Sunnes lyght vntyl the Olympiade 63. nor Pittacus the olde sage vntyll the 54. nor Thales vntyll the 56. though by other he dyed afore he is borne by some Laert. Solon also by Laertius florisheth when by Suidas he is yet vnborne Dracon also by â—atianus being in Olympiad the 30. the olde law-maker shoulde be as late as Parmenides So the Poet Sophocles farre elder then Plato shoulde floryshe with Eudorus Platoes scholer at the 73. Olympiade Laertius and Suidas 3 Zenon was a boy and Socrates a young man when Parmenides was very aged that is 65. yeres olde and at the solemnity called Panathenaea they dispute in Platoes Parmenides Yet Socrates is borne in the 77. Olympiade as before I touched from Suidas Zeno the younger in the 70. by Laertius 4 But Plutarch hath no fellowe for this purpose for in one mans lyfe of a tyme well knowen and course of lyfe differyng twyse from common reckonyng 5 Lysias by Plutarch is borne in Olympiade 82. the seconde yeere when Philocles was Archon at Athens The Olympiades by Diodorus were 80. vnder Philocles In Plutarch the same Lysias after 63. yeeres is in the 90. Olympiade 40 yeeres woulde haue brought hym from the 82. vnto the 92. He lytle cared for that accompt that so doth speake Neyther may the print be blamed vnlesse the Basil and Stephens in the lyfe of Lysias be blamed at once A Chaos of confusions haue Greekes in this kinde that Apollo the wicked spirite myght well be counted witty in appoynting a Tree beset all with Spiders nettes for a garlande of these games For the house of a Spider wilbe their confidence which entangle Diuinitie and humanitie with these toyes 6 A great deale of foule play about Alexander the great hath this gamestery wrought in sad wryters Our countrey man Florentius VVigoriensis burieth Alexander in Olymprade 110. By Diodorus at 111. he entreth Asia and by 114. the first yeere by Arrianus he dieth And hereupon belyke Duris placeth his death in Clem. 1. Str. where others place his voyage fyrst 7 And vpon this confusion also it may be sayde that some make Alexanders reigne after the Persians to be of 18. yeeres where Clemens maketh the whole Macedonians vnto Cleopatras fall to be 306. Ouides Iupiter was neuer so frighted with Phaetons running of the Sunne out of his course least all shoulde be brought by flames into the olde Chaos as the course of the holy story is disturbed by seeking helpe at these forlorne Olympike recordes But I must haste to ende this Olympike differing absurdities Yet Pindarus the harping Poet who wrote of the Olympian gamesters and his commenters they may not be omitted He as he thought no Starre bryghter then the Sunne on the day tyme so he thought no gamestery better then the Olympike 1 Fyrst for Pindarus if in his time any accompt had been knowen of theyr number the Poet so witty and so farre fetchyng antiquities woulde hardly haue omitted that 2 The commenters vppon hym bryng a reckoned number of the Olympiades vppon two gamesters Xenophon and Psaumis Xenophon Corinthius wan the stadion by Triclinius in Olympiade 79. yet the same Xenophon Corinthius in Pausanias wan the stadion in Olympiade the 29. when Archimedes was Archon not Archidemides whom Diodorus bringeth And yet the same Pausanias for the 29. Olympiade whiche he maketh to be soone after Gyges reigne when Ardys graundfather to Croesus reigned maketh Miltiaden to be Archon But the print may not be blamed For Pausanias hym selfe bryngyng vnreconcileable wordâ—s of Olympiades telleth what he must recorde but must not beleeue Besides the Latine translater in both places foâ—oweth the Greeke as lytle caryng for the authoritie of the games Thus for Xenophon the commenter Pausanias disagree 3 For Psaumis the gamester two commenters more fall out Pindarus doth commende him of his towne Camarina which towne he tearmed the New-towne Thereupon thus doth the commenter speake Camarina was buylt in Olympiade 45. destroyed in the 57. buylt agayne in the 85. lately before Psaumis gamâ—stery This the same speaketh also Camarina was buylt of Gelo in the 42. Olympiade as Timaeus wryteth But Philistus sayth that in the thirde Olympiade Gelo buylt it So Gelo shoulde be about 160. yeeres differing from hym selfe Trichinus sayth thus Camarina was buylt first in the 45. Olympiade and was ouâ—rthrowen in the 57. and was buylt in the 82. Olympiade at Psaumis victories Now the former commenter ioyneth the taking of it to the tyme of Darius us Hystaspis warres And how coulde that be agreeable to Cyrus 55. Olympiade or to Xerxes warres in 75. which was but tenne yeeres later then the former of Darius Cornelius Agrippa myght fitly haue brought olympike recordes into the vanity of sciences For nothyng can be so vayne The causes of differing by Olympiades sundry games and sundry game-rulers 1 Pausanias in Eliacis doth shew that a full dosen of seuerall games were set vp at seuerall tymes farre distant and yet he omitteth some that others haue 2 The Stadion or foote race was the first whence of late men tooke their accompt 3 But the most ancient reckon from other gamesters Thucidides declareth that
worshyp Bachus most of all the Goddes and for him keepe a feast called Thyia Outrage and say that their God commeth to their feast Into a chamber they put three empty pannes 〈◊〉 the presence of such as wyll beholde they sealâ— the doores on the morrow they finde the pannes full of Wine the seales being whole and this they sweare to be true So true do I holde their reckonyng of Olympiades Obiection But Xenophon reckoneth by a certen number Answere to Xenophons Olympiade 93. 1 Xenophon in deede seemeth to countenaunce Hippias Eleus a litle For he reckoneth Ellanic 1. the Olympiade nynty three But with a great number of other notes and by the game of two Horses coched fyrst set vp for a game and called Xynoris 2 The next Olympiade after he forsaketh all numbryng barely by the gamester Crocmas Thessalus describeth it 3 His number eyther was not of olde in his copyes or of small estimation yf Suidas folowed authours of accompt by whom Philips triumphes fall to Olympiade 100. or rather Philip was nygh the supposed 93. Olympiade how so euer to others it can truely be ioyned and both for so much may well stande the 93. and the 100. Olympiade to shewe the meane time to be but lytle aboue 24. yeeres 4 Timaeus and Philistus for tymes not long afore whom for Camarina I cited lytle regarded olympian summes after Xenophons reckonyng Neyther can later men bryng any authority for them when Hippias neuer founde two of his age embracers of his Olympian table Of Solons age and Philip Macedons to be of the lyke distaunce by Heathen as Iakim and Iaddue are cast from scripture to be A Gaynst suche as lyke of Olympiades I may bryng them and that well for Solons age whom Tatianus placeth in Olympiade 40. Now in the 48. Clemens doth place Nebuchadnezars 8. yeere and captiuity of Iechonias VVherefore Solon should be of Iosias tyme. Laertius placeth Solons Lawgeuing in Olympiade 46. that is about Iakims reigne Let vs holde on then to Athens fall in these iourneys Pisistratidae ruled Athens 40. Isocratâ—de biga About Euilmerodachs twelfth yeere they myght be cast out and Miltiades made by them ruler of Chersonelus myght be then some 40. yeeres olde Marathon fielde 20. yeres after that when Mardonius was there soone after for enuy Miltiades banishment of ten yeres seemes to folow That Andocides mentioneth Xerxes warre was ten yeeres after that There the principality of Athens grew whiche I woulde reckon from Xerxes praeparation when Grecia consulted of defence and knew that which way Athens tooke all would fall Miltiades in his ten yeeres banyshment is a meane of truce betwixt Athens and Spart And this can hardly be 7. yeeres after but graunt seauen Thence the truce kept of 13. yeeres ensued Then sone after a peace of 30. kept 14. by Thucidedes 15. by Xenophon yet Aeschines and Andocides speake that Athens kept that peace 30. yeres but Thucidedes Xenophon expound their meaning And they expound Thucidedes and Demosthenes who make 50. yeeres betwixt Xerxes warres and Archidamus which in propriety was little more then halfe so much and Isocrates giueth all Athens principallity but 65. which principallity ended not vntill Lysander of Lacedaemon tooke Athens after 28. yeeres warre In that warre Atrometus father to Aeschines the oratour lost his wealth belike through Archidamus when Attica was ouer-run So he might well be borne at Xerxes warres yet he was but 94. when his sonne pleaded for his life against Demosthenes Aeschines also serued vnder Alcibiades Socrates and Alcibiades were killed neare that warres ende Aeschines by the iudgement of some heard Socrates He should be as Pamphilus in Terence past minoritie that heard Philosophers Graunt him some twentie fiue yeares of age then He died after Alexander about 75. So Philip should dye after Alcibiades about 40. yeares then was the father of Aeschines aliue and his mother who had fled at Lysanders victorie his elder brother was aliue his yonger his Children were yet but yong then Demosthenes reckeneth but 240. yeares from that time a little afore Philips death vnto Solon who by the way sticked not to take 50. for litle more then halfe fiftie To Solons last times about 200. by Scripture compared in Iakim and Iaddue with Solon and Demosthenes may well be graunted and the whole 240. vnto Solons first yeares Yea the generall speach of Grece in Socrates time maketh Solon very ancient whereby he might well match Pharao Nechoes antiquity Yet the hulkes of Nechoes shippes made by his authoritie abode vnto Herodotus dayes which argueth somewhat the shortnes of the time to be not aboue a mans olde age of 150. yeares when Henodotus might write that So by Olympiades the best that they affoord best agrees with Scripture Otherwise they appeare to be nothing worth and I may iustly blame my aduersarie for defending that they are not most vâ—certaine Of Romes Chronicle noted in latine A. V. C. anni vrbis conditae the yeares since the Citie was built ROmes antiquitie also is as one thred of the three which can not soone be broken But Clotho the daughter of Night in Hesiod seemeth to be the first spinner of it Or as Penelope twisted vntwisted her thred to keepe aloofe her louers so is the antiquitie of Rome spun What one twindeth another vntwindeth and for any purpose some thing hence may be brought The oldest Romane writer being about 500. yeares later then Romulus is supposed and recorded builder of Rome and extreame disagreement arising herein Onuphrius wondreth at the varietie of opinions by whom and when Rome should be built and citeth a full tedious sort To him I referre yong students Ennius in his time from since Romulus built Rome holdeth it about 700. yeares Varro in Tullies age beginneth a new accompt and maketh it then scant 700. yeares olde For comparison after Troy and afore Alexander and by subduction with Cyrus take this Gellius by Cornelius Nepos and Cassius maketh it built about 300. yeares after the Troyan horse and 400. afore Alexanders birth Nowe Trogus in Iornandes maketh Cyrus to be in Tomyris warre 630. after Priamuâ— death Wherefore Cyrus shoulde be aboute the 300. A. V. C. and about 100. afore Alexanders birth and that should I graunt Thus Rome helpes nothing So we may compare the Romane kinges with Iakim king of Iudah and with Cyrus For by 300. yeeres from Priamus to Romulus and 244. from Romulus to Tarquinius and Brutus death Romes kinges shall be founde to ende afore Iudahs whereby Cyrus shal be nothyng further from Alexander then I place hym Iornandes is holpen by Democritus in Laertius who was borne in Olympiade the 80. and when he wrote Micron Diacosmon reckoneth it after the Troikes 730. yeeres How true it is I wyll not dispute By the same accompt I made Zeno Iumor to Socrates though by Plato he
of our Parliament who thought that all myght and must aduenture their soules vpon the proprietie of Gods worde and thereby setled vs lawes for Religion VVe may not dispute agaynst our owne groundes our owne frame our owne pyllers our owne whole buyldyng for triall or brauery of skill from colored old Astrologers This matter shalbe made so playne that euen the simplest may see the weakenesse of that iudgement which leaneth vpon such rotten reedes Ptolomy was a man cunnyng in the course of the yeere which men are taught to measure by the course of the Sunne His dexteritie was late For his dayes were about 130. yeeres after our Lord his redemption yet to make his art honorable he bryngeth to vs recordes not heard of before his tyme of Chaldeans commyng neare the antiquitie of a thousande yeeres For he nameth not Robbin-hood but Nabonassar yet one of Vtopia or no place matching in ancienty Ezekias king of Iudah His first yeere of gouernement he placeth 424. yeeres before the death of Alexander Macedon The same Ptolomy hath an accompt from Nabonassar to one Darius the first whose yeere of reigne 31. he maketh to be 256. from Nabonassar and by a consequent 168. before the death of Alexander Thus standeth Ptolomyes testimony How an aduersary doth cite this agaynst the proprietie of Scripture Thus the aduersary doth reason IF from Darius that folowed Cyrus sonne Cambyses who reigned 7. yeeres after Cyrus tooke Babylon vnto Alexanders death yeeres be 168. it must needes be granted that the Persians reigned aboue 130. yeeres ouer the Iewes and seeing 360. thence are agreed vpon to our Lordes death and the limites of Daniels seuens agreed vpon also betwixt both parties it must needes be that the Angell meant vncertenly Answere Many thinges for this testimony must be explaned Simply this wyll stande That neuer any Darius was beginnyng to reigne 7. yeeres after Cyrus tooke Babylon whose reigne was 168. yeeres before Alexanders death But for shewyng how the testimony is nothyng worth these poyntes may be layde downe 1 A testimony vnknowen or despised neare 1000. yeeres and afterward despised more then 1000. yeeres is more vayne then vanitie Such is this of supposed Chaldeans 2 Christians may admit no testimony where proprietie must beare sway agaynst Scripture For playne ought that to be which playneth the rough But by Daniel Darius the first came none after Darius the Mede who tooke Babylon 〈…〉 who then was 62. yeeres olde But his age 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 this accompt of 32. yeeres reigne 〈…〉 3 The Queene of Englande sworne to the Gospell is to satisfie her subiectes and they in obedience to satisfie her by proprietie of Scripture To regarde the most lying nation of Chaldeans neuer before cited to crosse proprietie of Scripture it is no part of the learned and godly This might haue warrented mee 4 A Shypmans hose wyll not elegantly distinguyshe and set foorth the legges But this Chaldean testimony is such For of Nabonassar and Nabopollasar Scal. 1584. condemneth al former opinions Christmannus holdeth them forged names Genebrarde thinketh them forged or corrupt H. Wolphius learnedly damneth all such helpe from Heathen for Scripture A sounde iudgement shoulde not trouble his Countrey with such stuffe Obiection But Clemens 1. Strom. hath a Darius the first after Cambyses Therefore Chaldeans onely are not to be blamed Answere 1 The Grecians could not so well take notise of Chaldean kinges as Chaldeans myght For whom Daniel had penned his sixt Chapter in the Chaldy tongue but they meant the first Darius that they heard of 2 That Darius Hystaspis cannot be meant by Darius the first Herodotus conferred with Ctesias wil proue For Ctesias a Physician in the Persian court and hauing as Diodorus writeth of hym the court rolles for warrant recordeth that Darius Hyâ—taspis liued but fourty three yeeres and reigned from his princehood at twelue yeeres of age but 31. yeeres Now Herodotus in Clio maketh him about 20. yeeres olde when Cyrus presently vppon Babels conquest prepareth Tomyris warres And this vtterly ouerthroweth my Aduersaries cause 3 Maximinus Monachus somwhat folowyng Grekes yet more reuerencing the open phrase of most holy Scripture and lothing rediculous distinctions where playnenesse ought to be he maketh Darius that foloweth Cambyses to be Darius the Mede But to differ from the Chaldeans either forged autours or forgers geueth hym in all but twenty eyght yeeres 4 Aben Ezra vppon Daniel the 9. testifieth that he saw recordes for the Persian kinges by whiche he founde from the surprysing of Babel vnto the twentieth of Artaxerxes fourtie nyne yeeres These be his wordes And beholde Ninteene yeeres were of the reigne of Cyrus and Achashuerosh and two of Darius and he reigned twelue And so it is written in a Booke of the Kinges of Paras and 〈◊〉 yeeres of Artaxasta the king So beholde the whole is 〈◊〉 seuens vntill Neheâ—ias came as it is written in the booke of Ezra Thus testifieth Aben Ezra who liued aboue 400. yeeres ago a great Astronomer in Sebastian Munsters iudgement whereby he coulde not be ignoraunt of Ptolomyes Chaldeans A deadly enemy he was to Christ and therefore deserueth better credite speakyng for vs agaynst his owne purpose then Chaldeans more wicked and perpetuall haters of Daniel 5 All they who make 49. yeeres for the buylding of Ierusalem who are full manv wyl be founde as well damners of these Chaldeans whereof amongst Romistes in Spayne Hector Pintus gaue the same reuerence to Daniels playnnes as dyd Iohn Calum in Geneuah and careth not for humane credite where Greekes thought them selues strongest And the Diuines in the last Frenche edition haue despised this Chaldy dreame Genebrard for the French Romistes is no small man honored now as I heard at Rome whom Adricomius folowed in the Chronicle ioyned to his Mappes Henry VVolphius is a learned godly and zelous reuerencer of the Scriptures playnnes who friendly controlleth M. Scaliger and confirmeth Beroaldus departyng euen from his owne Fathers iudgement for the holy trueth Agaynst all this must it be my particuler lot in so many of myne opinion to be onely counted new 6 Learned men by them haue gon too farre For I. Sc. condemneth all the thousandes of Diuines who do thinke that Darius the Mede Dan. 5. gate Babylon by conquest A strange thing Such wryters shoulde be hated who deceyue so learned men as M. Scaliger is knowen to be of all Learned men Two more deceites from these Chaldeans deceyuing him and an other Scholer wel deseruing of learnyng should make vs thinke no better of these staâ—e Chaldy forgery then â—â—iamus shoulde haue done of Epeus wordy Horse and hurtfull Sinons tale Cateles Vcalegon his house with others was not more ouertaken thereby of Vulâ—anes flames then our wrytinges shoulde be yf those Babylonians might beare sway Take fyrst an example of Ezekiel where he writeth in this manner Ch â— 1. In the thirteth yeere I was in the Captiuitie From whence