Brutus written by Bibulus Porcias's Son Brutus took Ship from hence and sail'd to Athens where he was receiv'd by the People with great demonstrations of kindness which they expressed in their loud Acclamations and the Honours that were decreed him by the Publick He liv'd there with one that had been formerly his Guest and was a constant Auditor of Theomnestus the Academick and Cratippus the Peripatetick with whom he was so engaged in a Philosophical Conversation that he seem'd to have laid aside all thoughts of publick Business and that he might be wholly at Leisure for Study and Philosophy But all this while being unsuspected he was secretly making preparation for War in order to which he sent Herostratus into Macedonia to bring over the Commanders that were there to his side and he himself caress'd and won upon the Affections of all the young Roman Gentlemen that were then Students at Athens Of this number was Cicero's Son whom he every where highly extol'd and said that Whether sleeping or waking he could not choose but admire a young Man of so great a Spirit and such a Hater of Tyrants At length he began to act openly and to appear in publick Business and being inform'd that there were several Roman Ships very richly Laded that in their course from Asia were to touch at Athens and that they were Commanded by one of his Friends he went to meet him about Carystus Finding him there and having perswaded him to deliver up the Ships he made a very splendid Entertainment for it happen'd to be his Birth-day Now when they came to drink somewhat briskly and were making Libations for Victory to Brutus and Liberty to Rome Brutus to animate them the more call'd for a larger Bowl and holding it in his hand upon no occasion or Fore-thought on a sudden pronounc'd aloud this Verse Fate and Apollo against me Conspire Some Historians write that in the last Battle which he fought at Philippi the Word that he gave to the Soliers was Apollo and from thence conclude that this sudden unaccountable Exclamation of his was a Presage of the great Overthrow that he suffered there Antistius the Commander of these Ships at his parting gave him 500000 Sesterces of the Mony that he was conveying to Italy And all the Remains of Pompey's Army which after their General 's Defeat wandred about Thessaly readily and joyfully joyn'd themselves to Brutus Besides this he took from Cinna five hundred Horse that he was carrying to Dolabella into Asia After that he sail'd to Demetrias and there seiz'd a great quantity of Arms that had been provided by the command of Julius Caesar for the Parthian War and were now design'd to be sent to Antony Then was Macedonia put into his hands and deliver'd up by Hortensius the Pretor and all the Kings and Potentates round about willingly offer'd themselves to joyn with him When news was brought that Caius the Brother of Antony having passed through Italy was marched on directly to joyn the Forces that Gabinius Commanded in Dyrrachium and Apollonia Brutus design'd to prevent him and to seize them first and in all haste mov'd forwards with those that he had about him his march was very difficult through rugged places and in a great Snow but so swift that he had left those that were to bring his Provisions a great way behind And now being very near to Dyrrachium with weariness and cold he fell into a Distemper call'd Bulimia or Violent Hunger This is a Disease that seizes both Men and Cattle after much labour and especially in a great Snow Whether it is caus'd by the natural Heat which when the Body is seized with cold is forc'd all inwards and suddenly consumes all the Nourishment laid in or whether the sharp and subtil Vapour which comes from the Snow as it dissolves cuts the body as it were and destroys the Heat which is thence dispersed throw the Pores for the Sweatings which are frequent in this Distember seem to arise from the Heat metting with the cold and being quencht by it in the Superficies of the Body But of this I have in another place discoursed more at large Brutus growing very faint and there being none in the whole Army that had any thing for him to eat his Servants were forc'd to have recourse to the Enemy and going as far as to the very Gates of the City begg'd Bread of the Sentinels that were upon Duty As soon as they heard of the sad Estate of Brutus they came themselves and brought both Meat and Drink along with them for which act of Humanity Brutus when he took the City shew'd all Kindness and Civility not to them only but to all the rest of the inhabitants for their Sakes Caius Antonius being now arriv'd at Apollonia summon'd all the Soldiers that were near that City to joyn him there but finding that they nevertheless went all to Brutus and suspecting that even those of Apollonia were enclin'd to the same Party he quitted that City and come to Buthrotus having first lost three Companies of his Men that in their march thither were cut to pieces by Brutus After this he attempting to make himself Master of some strong places about Byllis which the Enemy had first seiz'd he was overcome in a set Battle by young Cicero to whom Brutus gave the Command of the Army that day and whose Conduct he made use of often and with great Success Caius Antonius was surpriz'd in a Marshy Place from whence he could not retire and Brutus having him in his Power would not suffer his own Soldiers to fall upon those of the Enemy but encompassing them with his Horse gave command that none of them should be kill'd for that in a little time they would all be of his side which accordingly came to pass for they surrendred both themselves and their General So that Brutus had by this time a very great and considerable Army He shew'd all Marks of Honour and Esteem to Caius Antonius for a long time nor took any of his Titles or Dignities away tho' as some report he had several Letters from Rome and particularly from Cicero advising him to put him to Death But at last Brutus perceiving that he began to hold private Consults and corrupt his Officers and was raising a sedition amongst the Soldiers he put him aboard a Ship and kept him close Prisoner In the mean time the Soldiers that had been corrupted by Caius had retir'd to Apollonia and sent word to Brutus desiring him to come to them thither He answer'd that this was not the custom of the Romans but that it became those who had offended to come themselves to their General and beg forgiveness of their Crimes which they did and accordingly receiv'd their Pardon As he was preparing to pass into Asia there was an account brought to him of the Alteration that had happen'd at Rome where the young Caesar assisted by the Senate in opposition to Antony
themselves bravely in the next Engagement he would give them up two Cities to spoil and plunder Thessalonica and Lacedaemon This is the only inexcusable fault in the Life of Brutus though Antony and Caesar were much more cruel in the Rewards that they gave to their Souldiers after Victory For they drove out almost all the old Inhabitants of Italy to put their Souldiers in possession of other Mens Lands and Cities but indeed their only design and end in undertaking the War was to obtain Dominion and Empire But Brutus for the reputation of his Vertue could not either overcome or save himself but with Justice and Honour especially after the death of Cassius who was generally accus'd of putting Brutus upon several violent and cruel Actions But now as in a Ship when the Rudder is broken by a Storm the Mariners fit and nail on some other piece of Wood instead of it striving against the danger not so well as before but as well as in that necessity they can So Brutus being at the Head of so great an Army and engaged in such weighty Affairs and having no Commander equal to Cassius was forc'd to make use of those that he had and to do and to say many things according to their Advice which he chiefly follow'd in whatever might conduce to the bringing of Cassius's Souldiers into better Order For they were very head-strong and intractable bold and insolent in the Camp for want of their General but in the Field cowardly and fearful remembring that they had been beaten Neither were the Affairs of Caesar and Antony in any better posture for they were streightned for Provision and the Camp being in a low Ground they expected to endure a very hard Winter For being encompass'd with Marshes and a great quantity of Rain as is usual in Autumn having fallen after the Battel their Tents were all fill'd with Mire and Water which through the coldness of the Weather immediately froze And while they were in this condition there was News brought to them of their loss at Sea For Brutus's Fleet fell upon their Ships which were bringing a great supply of Souldiers out of Italy and so entirely defeated 'em that but very few escaped being slain and they too were forc'd by Famine to feed upon the Sails and Tackle of the Ship As soon as they heard this they made what hast they could to come to the decision of a Battel before Brutus should have notice of his good Success For it happen'd that the Fight both by Sea and Land was on the same day But by some misfortune rather than the fault of his Commanders Brutus knew not of his Victory till twenty days after For had he been informed of this he would not have been brought to a second Battel since he had sufficient Provisions for his Army for a long time and was very advantageously posted his Camp being safe from the injuries of the Weather and almost inaccessible to the Enemy And his being absolute Master of the Sea and having at Land overcome on that side wherein he himself was engag'd would have mightily encourag'd him But it seems the state of Rome not enduring any longer to be govern'd by Many but necessarily requiring a Monarchy Providence that it might remove out of the way the only Man that was able to resist him that was destin'd to this Empire cut off this good Fortune from coming to the ears of Brutus Tho it came but a very little too late For the very Evening before the Fight Clodius a deserter from the Enemy came and told him that Caesar had receiv'd advice of the loss of his Fleet and for that reason was in such hast to come to a Battel This Relation met with no Credit neither would Brutus so much as admit him to his Presence but utterly despis'd him as one that had had no good Information or one that had invented Lyes to please him and bring himself into favour The same Night they say the Vision appear'd again to Brutus in the same shape that it did before but vanish'd away without speaking But Publius Volumnius a Man given to the study of Philosophy and one that had from the beginning born Arms with Brutus makes no mention of this Apparition but says that the first Standard was cover'd with a swarm of Bees and that there was one of the Captains whose Arm of it self sweated Oyl of Roses and though they often dryed and wiped it yet it would not cease And that immediately before the Battel two Eagles falling upon each other fought in the space between the two Armies that the whole Field kept incredible silence and all were intent upon the Spectacle till at last that which was on Brutus's side yielded and fled But the story of the Ethiopian is very famous who meeting the Standard-bearer at the opening the Gate of the Camp was cut to pieces by the Souldiers that took it for an ill Omen Brutus having brought his Army into the Field and set 'em in Array against the Enemy he paus'd a long while before he would fight for examining his Army he began to have some suspicions of some of them and others were accus'd to him Besides he saw his Horse begin the Fight not with any great Vigour or Resolution but still expecting what the Foot would do then suddenly Camulatius a very good Souldier and one whom for his Valour he highly esteem'd riding hard by Brutus himself went over to the Enemy the sight of which griev'd Brutus exceedingly So that partly out of Anger and partly out of fear of some greater Treason and Desertion he immediately drew on his Forces upon the Enemy after Three of the Clock in the Afternoon Brutus on his side had the better violently charging the Enemies lest Wing which gave way and retreated and the Horse too fell in together with the Foot when they saw them amaz'd and in disorder But the other Wing when the Captains order'd them to march on to the Fight fearing to be encompass'd being fewer in number than their Adversaries spread themselves and widen'd the middle of their Battel by which being weakned they could not withstand the Charge but at the first On-set fled After their defeat the Enemy surrounded Brutus behind who all the while performed all that was possible for an expert General and valiant Souldier shewing in the greatest danger a Courage and a Conduct that deserv'd to Overcome But that which was advantageous to him in the former Fight was much to his prejudice in this second For in the first Fight that part which was beaten was presently cut in pieces but in this of Cassius's Souldiers that fled few were slain and those that escaped daunted with being beaten put the greatest part of the Army when they came to joyn with them into Despair and Confusion Here Marcus the Son of Cato was slain fighting and behaving himself with great bravery in the midst of the Youth of the greatest Quality
but Gallus charging the enemies in the Front was encompass'd by a Party that fell upon his Rear which at length perceiving he sent a Messenger to demand succour but they that commanded the Legions among which was Canidius a particular Favourite of Antony's seem'd to have committed a great oversight for instead of marching up with the whole Army they sent small Parties and when they were defeated they still sent out small Parties so that by their ill management the whole Army was in danger of being routed which had certainly happen'd if Antony himself had not march'd from the front of the main Battel at the head of the third Legion which passing through them that fled fac'd the Enemies hindred them from any farther pursuit In this Engagement were killed three thousand five thousand were carried back to the Camp the wounded amongst the rest Gallus shot through the Body with four Arrows of which wounds he died Antony went from Tent to Tent to visit and comfort the wounded and was not able to see his men without weeping but they would take him by the hand chearfully and intreat him to go and get his own Wounds dress'd and not concern himself for them calling him their Emperour and their General and that if he did well they were safe For in short never since that time can Fame make mention of a General at the Head of so gallant a Body of Men whether you consider Strength and Youth or Patience and Sufferance in all Labours and Fatigues but as for the exact Obedience and particular Respect they bore their General that good will and perfect Friendship that was so universal in the Army amongst Small and Great Nobles and Peasants Officers and common Souldiers so affectionate and so devoted to him as to preferr his good Opinion of them to their very Lives and Being that in this part of Military Discipline I may boldly say they equall'd the Glory and Reputation of ancient Rome Of which Love as I have said before many were the Reasons as the Nobility and Antiquity of his Family his Eloquence his Behaviour his Liberality and Magnificence his Familiarity in entertaining every Body and particularly his Kindness in assisting visiting and bewailing the sick furnishing them with all things necessary that the poor Wretches that were sick and wounded were as heartily disposed to serve as those that enjoy'd their Health and Vigour But this last Victory had so encouraged the Enemy that they began to despise the Romans staying all night on horseback nigh the Camp in expectation of Plundering their Tents and Baggage which they concluded they must desert as a great impediment in their flight and in the morning new Forces arrived that their number was grown to be at least 40000 Horse The King having sent Guards that attended upon his own Person as to a sure and unquestion'd Victory for he himself was never present in fight Antony designing to harangue the Souldiers call'd for his mourning-habit that he might move them the more but he was persuaded by his Friends to put on the habit of General In his Speech he gave great commendations to them that had gain'd the victory as for those that fled he blam'd them much the former gave him great Encouragement in their brave Promises and the latter excusing themselves as well as they could told him they were ready to undergo decimation or if there were any other punishment he would please to inflict upon them they did submit chearfully only intreating that he would forget and not discompose himself with their faults at which he lifted up his hands to Heaven and prayed the Gods that if to balance the great favours he had received of them any judgment lay in store that they would pour it upon his head alone and grant that Army victory The next day they took better order for their march and the Parthians who thought they were marching rather to plunder than to fight were surpriz'd to find the enemy not disheartened but fresh and resolute so that they themselves began to lose courage but for all this at the descent of a little Hill where the Romans were oblig'd to pass the Parthians got together and let fly their arrows in great showers upon them and by reason of the difficulty of the way their march was very slow Here the Legions that were arm'd at all points were order'd to defend on each side the light arm'd by kneeling down on their knees aâ—d holding their shields stooping over them the next rank holding theirs over the first and so onwards that the army in this figure did much resemble the order that is observable in the tiling of a House or the degrees in a Theatre and is a sure defence against Arrows which glance upon them without doing any harm The Parthians seeing the Romans down upon their knees could not imagine but that it must proceed from weariness so that they laid down their Bows and taking their Spears made a fierce onset when the Romans with a great cry leaped upon their Legs and with their Lances slew the foremost and put the rest to flight After this rate it was every day and the trouble they gave Antony was so vexatious that his marches were short by reason of which the famine was very great in the Camp for they could get but little Corn and that which they got they were forc'd to fight for and besides this they were in great want of Instruments to grind their Corn and make their Bread they had left them behind the baggage horses being dead or otherwise employed in carrying the sick and wounded Provision was so scarce in the Army that half a Peck of Wheat was sold for five Crowns and Oats for the weight in Silver they were brought to feed upon Herbs and Roots such as are commonly eaten were very scarce so that they were constrain'd to venture upon any they found among others they happen'd upon an Herb that was mortal which did first take away all sense and understanding He that had eaten of it remembred nothing in the World and employed himself wholly in removing of stones from one place to another which he did with as much earnestness and industry as if it had been a business of the greatest consequence and required dispatch through all the Camp there was nothing to be seen but Men grubling upon the ground for stones which they carried from one place to another but in the end after having vomited much Choler they fell down dead and chiefly this when their Wine began to fail which was a sovereign remedy against this distemper When Antony saw them die so fast and the Parthian still in pursuit he was heard to cry out O the ten Thousand the ten Thousand In remembrance of the famous retreat of Xenophon who when he had a longer journey to make from Babylon and a more powerful enemy to deal with brought his Men home safe The Parthians finding that they could not
defeat the Roman Army nor in no wise break the order of their Battel and that withal they had been so often worsted began to treat the forragers with a great deal of humanity they came up to them in all appearance of friendship with their Bows unbended telling them that they were going home to their houses that they had quite given o'er the pursuit and that only some Median troops would follow them for two or three days not with any design to annoy them but only for the defence of some scattering Villages and saying this they saluted them and embraced them with a great shew of friendship Antony who had all along a great desire to march through the flat Country hearing these discourses was almost resolv'd to march the open way and so much the more in regard that no water was to be hoped for in those Mountains But while he was deliberating Mithridates arriv'd in the Camp he was first cousin to Moneses of whom we related that he came for refuge into the Roman Army and receiv'd in gift from Antony three Cities Upon his arrival he desired some body might be brought to him that could speak Syriack or the Parthian Tongue One Alexander of Antioch a friend of Antony's was brought to him to whom the stranger declar'd that he was sent to Antony from Moneses in acknowledgment of the favours and honours he had received from him and to make him a return if it were possible he asked Alexander if he saw those high Hills pointing at some distance He told him yes 'T is there said he the whole Parthian Army attend your passage the great Plains behind those Hills will be very advantageous to you in your march and therefore there they do expect you in ambush being perswaded you will confide in their promises and leave the way of the Mountains 't is true that in passing o'er the Mountains you will suffer the usual inconveniences for want of water and the fatigue will be somewhat the greater but if you pass through the plains Antony must in all appearance run the fortune of Crassus This said he departed Antony calling his friends in Council sent for the Mardian guide who was of the same opinion He told them that the way through the plain was a great way about and very difficult to find that the other indeed was rough but then it was but for a day Changing therefore his mind he march'd away that night and commanded that every one should carry water sufficient for his own use but most of them being unprovided of vessels they made shift with their helmets those that had bottles fill'd them for their own use The Parthians were no sooner acquainted that the Romans were on their march but they followed them contrary to their custom the same night and by break of day they fell in with the rear which was quite tired with marching and want of sleep that they were not in condition of making any considerable defence for they had march'd fifteen leagues that night and at the end of their journey found the enemy at their heels which put them out of all patience besides being to fight for every step of the way they made in their retreat their thirst was increased beyond all sufferance Those that were in the front of the Army were come up to a River the water of which was extremely cool and clear but brackish and medicinal and being drank caused an unquenchionable thirst and acute pains in the Bowels of this the Mardian had forewarn'd them but their thirst was so great that beating back them that oppos'd them they drank largely of it Antony ran from one place to another begging they would have a little patience that not far off there was a River of wholesom water and that the rest of the way was so difficult for the Horse that the Enemy could pursue them no further and saying this he order'd to sound a retreat to call them back that were engaged and commanded the Tents should be set up that the Soldiers might refresh themselves in the shade but the Tents were scarce well put up and the Parthians retired according to their custom when Mithridates came again to them and inform'd the Interpreter with whom he had before spoken that he should do well to advise Antony to stay where he was no longer than needs he must that after having refresh'd his Troops he would endeavour with all diligence to gain the next River that the Parthians would pursue them no further but so far they were resolv'd to follow them Alexander who was the Interpreter made his report to Antony who order'd a good quantity of Gold Plate to be presented to Mithridates who taking as much as he could well hide under his Gown went his way Upon this advice Antony decamp'd while it was yet day and the whole Army march'd without receiving any molestation from the Parthians but they themselves were the cause that that night was the most terrible of any they had yet past for some of the Army had robb'd and kill'd such as they suspected to have any Money ransack'd the Baggage and seiz'd on the Money which was to pay the Army in the end they laid hands on Antony's own equipage broke all his inlaid Tables and Cups of precious Stones dividing the fragments amongst them Antony hearing so great a confusion could not imagine any thing less than that the Enemy falling upon his Troops had utterly routed them upon which he sent for one of his 〈…〉 ards called Rhamnus to whom he had formerly given his liberty and made him swear that whensoever he should give him orders he should run his Sword through his body and cut off his head that he might not fall alive into the hands of the Parthians nor dead be known to be their General While he was in this consternation and all his friends about him in tears the Mardian came into the Tent and gave them all new Life he did convince them that by the coolness of the Air and the fresh gales that blew so temperately the River which he spoke of could not be far off and consequently the difficulties of their retreat and the danger of the Enemies pursuit were now at an end the which he was the more assured of because they had marched a great while and the night almost spent he was inform'd at the same time that the great confusion which was in the Camp did proceed from the avarice of some few Soldiers that were pillaging one another In order to compose this unruly tumult he made a halt and commanded the Signal to be given for incamping the day began to break before the tumult was well appeas'd and the Parthians bore hard upon the Rear with their Arrows the light arm'd Troops were order'd to make head against them and being seconded by the Legions who covered one another with their Shields they bravely receiv'd the onset of the Enemy who did not think convenient to
he was bred up by restoring its Liberty and to add so considerable a Town to the Achaeans Nor were there some wanting who had the courage to undertake the thing of which Aeschylus and Charimenes the Southsayer were the chief but they wanted Swords for the Tyrant had prohibited the keeping of any under a great penalty wherefore Aratus having provided some small daggers at Corinth and hiding them in the pack-saddles of the pack-horses that carried ordinary ware he sent them to Argos But Charimenes letting in another person into the design Aeschylus and his Partners being angry at it cast him off also resolving to execute the business by themselves which he discovering in a great rage went and detected them just as they were going to kill the Tyrant however the most of them made a shift to escape to Corinth Not long after Aristomacus was stain by his Servants and Aristippus a worse Tyrant than he seis'd the Government upon which Aratus mustering all the Achaeans that were of age hasted away to the aid of the City believing that he should find the Argives very ready to join with him but the people being accustomed to Slavery and none appearing to receive him he retreated giving thereby occasion to accuse the Achaeans of committing acts of Hostility in the midst of Peace upon which account they were Sued in the Court of the Mantmaeans and Aratus not making his Appearance Aristippus Cast them and had Costs given him to the value of Thirty Minae And now Hating and Fearing Aratus he sought means to kill him having the assistance and good wishes of King Antigonus so that he was perpetually dogg'd and watch'd by those that waited for an opportunity to dispatch him But the surest Guard of a Prince is the good will of his Subjects for where the Nobility and Common People are not afraid of but for their Governour he sees with many Eyes and hears with many Ears whatsoever is a doing wherefore I cannot but here digress a little from the course of my Narrative to describe that manner of Life which they so much envied Arbitrary power and the so much celebrated and admired pomp of uncontroled government oblig'd Aristippus to lead for tho' Antigonus was his Friend and allye and that he had a numerous Life-guard and hath not left one Enemy of his alive in the City yet was he forced to make his Guards watch without in the Basse-Court and for his Servants he turned them all out immediately after Supper and then shutting the doors upon them he crept up into a small Chamber together with his Wench through a trap-door upon which he placed his bed and there slept after such a fashion as one in his Condition can be supposed to sleep that is interruptedly and in great fear The Ladder was taken away by his Wenches Mother and lockt up in another Room which in the Morning she brought again and putting it to called up this Brave and Wonderful Tyrant who came creeping out like some Snake from his hole whereas Aratus not by force of Armes but Lawfully and by his Vertue having obtain'd a firmly setled Command wearing an ordinary Garment and Cloak being the common and declared Enemy of all Tyrants hath left behind him a noble off-spring remaining among the Grecians to this day but of those that usurped strong Castles maintained Life-guards fenced themselves with Arms Gates and Bolts most like poor Hares died a violent Death without either Family or honourable Monument to preserve their memory Against this Aristippus therefore Aratus made many open and secret attempts whilest he endeavoured to take Argos though without success and particularly clapping scaling Ladders one night to the wall he desperately got up upon it with a few of his Soldiers and killed the Guards that opposed him But the day appearing the Tyrant set upon him on all hands whilest the Argives as if it had not been their Liberty that was contended for but were about to distribute the Nemaean Prizes like equal and just Spectators sat looking on in great quietness Aratus fighting lustily was run through the thigh with a Lance yet he maintain'd his ground against the Enemy till night and had he held out that night also he had gain'd his point for the Tyrant thought of nothing but flying and had already ship'd most of his goods But Aratus having no intelligence thereof and wanting water being disabled himself by his wound retreated with his Soldiers and despairing to do any good this way fell openly with his Army into Argolis and plunder'd it and joyning battle with Aristippus near the River Chares he is accused to have withdrawn out of the fight and thereby abandon'd the Victory For whereas one part of his Army had apparently got the better and was pursuing the Enemy at a good distance from him yet retreated he in great disorder into his Camp not so much because he was overpressed by the Enemy on his Wing as despairing of success and through a Panick Fear But when the other Wing returning from the pursuit showed themselves extremely vexed that though they had put the Enemy to flight and killed many more of his men than they had lost yet those that were in a manner conquered should erect a Trophy as Conquerors being much asham'd he resolv'd to sight them again about the Trophy and the next day but one drew up his Army to give them battle but perceiving that they were reinforc'd with fresh Troops and came on with better courage than before he durst not hazard a Fight but desiring a Truce to bury his dead retreated however by his dexterity in managing all affairs with great Obligingness and Courtesy and by his general Favour he not only excus'd and obliterated this Fault but also brought in the Cleonaeans to the Achaean Association and celebrated the Nemaean Games at Cleonae as properly and most antiently belonging unto them These Games were also celebrated by the Argives at the same time which gave the first occasion to the violation of the priviledge of safe Conduct and immunity always granted to those that came to strive for the Prizes the Achaeans at that time selling as Enemies all those they could catch going through their Country to the Games at Argos So vehement and implacable a Hater was he of the Tyrants Not long after Aratus having notice that Aristippus had a design upon Cleonae but was afraid of him because he then resided in Corinth he assembled his Army by publick Proclamation and commanding them to take along with them provision for several days he marched to Cenchreae hoping by this Stratagem to entice Aristippus to fall upon Cleonae when he supposed him far enough off and so it happen'd for he immediately brought his Army against it from Argos But Aratus returning from Cenchreae to Corinth in the dusk of the Evening and besetting the passages with Guards he led on the Achaeans who follow'd him in so good order and with
so much speed and alacrity that they were not discover'd by Aristippus not only whilest upon their March but even when they were got into Cleonae in the night and were drawn up in order of battle As soon as it was morning the Gates being opened and the Trumpets sounding he fell upon the Enemy with great cries and fury and routing them follow'd the pursuit especially that way that Aristippus indeavour'd to make his escape through a Country full of windings and turnings The Pursuit lasted as far as Mycenae where the Tyrant was slain by a certain Cretan call'd Tragiscus as Dinias reports and of the common Soldiers above fifteen hundred Yet tho' Aratus had obtain'd so great a Victory without the loss of a man he could not make himself master of Argos nor set it at liberty because Aegias and the younger Aristomachus got into the town with the Kings forces and seis'd upon the Government But by this exploit he spoiled the Scoffs and Jeasts of those that flattered the Tyrants and in their Raillery would say that the Achaean General was usually troubled with a Looseness when he was to fight a battle that the sound of a Trumpet struck him with a Drowsiness and a Giddiness and that when he had drawn up his Army and given the word he used to ask his Lieutenants and Officers what further need there could be of his Presence since the dye was cast and then went a-loof off to expect the success And so much did these reports gain credit that when the Philosophers disputed whether to have ones Heart beat and to change Colour upon any danger be an argument of fear or rather of weakness and coldness of constitution Aratus was always quoted as a valiant Capt. but subject to be so affected in time of Battle Having thus dispatch'd Aristippus he devised with himself how to ruine Lysiades the Megalopolitan who Tyranniz'd over his Country This person was naturally of a generous temper and not insensible of true honour induced to usurp the Government not by the ordinary motives of other Tyrants Licentiousness and Avarice but being young and stimulated with the desire of Glory suffer'd his noble breast to be unwarily prepossessed with the vain and false Applauses given to Tyranny as some happy and glorious thing but he no sooner seis'd the Government than he grew weary of the weight of it and at once emulating the Tranquility and fearing the Policy of Aratus he took a most noble resolution first to free himself from Hatred and Fear from Soldiers and Guards and then his Country as a publick Benefactor and immediately sending for Aratus resign'd the Government and incorporated his City into the Achaean Community The Achaeans applauding this generous action chose him General upon which desiring to outstrip Aratus in Glory amongst many other improper things he declared war against the Lacedaemonians which Aratus opposing was thought to do it out of Envy but Eysiades was the second time chosen General tho' Aratus appear'd against him and labour'd to have that charge conferred upon another for Aratus himself had that Command every other year as has been said and Lysiades succeeded so well in his pretensions that he was thrice chosen General governing alternately as did Aratus but at last declaring himself his professed Enemy and accusing him frequently to the Achaeans he was rejected for it appeared plainly that with conterfeit and adulterated Merit he contested against true and sincere Vertue and as Aesop tells us that the Cuckoo once asking the little Birds why they flew away from her was answered because they fear'd she would one day prove a Hawk so Lysiades's former Tyranny still cast a Suspicion upon him that he was not inwardly changed But Aratus gain'd still more honour in the Aetolick War for the Achaeans resolving to fall upon the Aetolians in the Megarian Confines and Agis also the Lacaedemonian King who came to their assistance with an Army incouraging them to fight Aratus opposed this determination and patiently induring many reproaches many flouts and jearings at his soft and cowardly temper he preferr'd the true common Interest before his own Credit and suffer'd the Enemy to pass over the mountain Gerania into Peloponnesus unfought withal but understanding that they had suddenly taken Pellene in their march he chang'd his mind and not losing time in drawing together his whole force he marched towards the Enemy with such as he had about him to fall upon them being now weakned by the intemperances and disorders committed upon their good success for as soon as the Soldiers entred the City they were dispersed in the several houses quarrelling and fighting with one another about the Plunder and as for the Commanders they were running about after the Wives and Daughters of the Pellenians putting their Helmets upon their heads that every mans prize might be plainly distinguish'd thereby and not be seis'd by another In this posture were they when news came that Aratus was ready to fall upon them And being now in great amazement as must needs happen in such a confusion before all of them heard of the danger the nearest to the Gates and Suburbs skirmishing with the Achaeans immediately fled being already overcome and struck a great consternation into those that came into their assistance In this confusion one of the Captives Daughter of Epigethes being extremely handsome and tall happened to be sitting in the Temple of Diana placed there by the Commander of the band of chosen men who had taken her and put his head-peice upon her she hearing the noise and running out to see what was the matter stood looking upon those that fought having the Helmet upon her head in which posture she seemed to the Citizens to be something more than human and struck such fear and dread into the Enemy that believed it to be a divine apparition that they lost all courage to defend themselves and the Pellenians tell us that the Image of Diana stands usually untoucht and when the Priestess happens at any time to remove it to some other place no body dares look upon it but 〈…〉 turn their faces from it for not only is the sight of it terrible and hurtful to mankind but it makes even the Trees barren and to cast their fruit by which it happens to be carried This Image therefore they say the Priestess produced at that time and holding it directly in the faces of the Aetolians made them lose their reason and judgment But Aratus mentions no such thing in his Commentaries but says that having put to flight the Aetolians and falling in Pell Mell with them into the City he drove them out by main force and killed seven hundred of them This Action has been always reckon'd amongst the most famous Exploits and Timanthes the Painter has left a lively representation thereof But many and great Nations combining against the Achaeans Aratus clapt up a Peace with the Aetolians and
in and in saying so he stept aside a little as if he would give his Horse to some body Clearing himself thus of the Crowd and speaking without discomposure to the Corinthians that he met commanding them to go to Apollo's Temple and being now before they were aware got near to the Citadel he leap't upon his Horse and commanding Cleopater the Governour to have a special care of his Charge he galloped to Sicyon follow'd by thirty of his Soldiers the rest leaving him and shifting for themselves and not long after it being known that he was fled the Corinthians pursu'd him but not overtaking him they immediately sent for Cleomenes and deliver'd up the City to him who valued not the gain thereof so much as he thought he had lost by the escape of Aratus However being now strengthen'd by the coming in of those that inhabited the Corinthian Shore who gave up their Cities to him he made a Wall and Circumvallation round the Citadel of Corinth But Aratus being arriv'd at Sicyon a great many of the Achaeans flock to him and in an Assembly there he was chosen General with absolute Power having about him a Guard of his own Citizens after he had now manag'd the Achaean affairs three and thirty years being always the chief Man in Credit and Power of all Greece but was now deserted on all hands helpless and toss'd about in that Tempest which threatned the Shipwrack of his Country for the Aetolians refus'd to assist him in his distress when he sent unto them for Aid and the Athenians who were well affected to him were diverted from lending him any Succour by the Authority of Euclides and Micion Now whereas he had a House and Treasure in Corinth Cleomenes medled not with it nor suffer'd any Body else to do so but sending for his Friends and Domesticks he commanded them to take care of his Concerns as those that were to give an account of them to Aratus He also privately sent Tripylus unto him and afterwards Migistonus his Father-in-law to offer him besides several other things a yearly Pension of twelve Talents which was twice as much as Ptolomy allow'd him for he gave him but Six and all that he demanded was only to be declar'd General of the Achaeans and together with them to have the keeping of the Citadel of Corinth To which Aratus returning answer that the Achaean affairs were not so properly in his Power as he was in the Power of them Cleomenes believing himself to be mock'd and abus'd immediately invaded the Country of Sicyon destroying all with Fire and Sword and besieged the City three Months whilest Aratus was in dispute with himself whether he should call in Antigonus upon Condition of delivering up the Citadel of Corinth to him for he would not lend him assistance upon any other Terms In the mean time the Achaeans held a Counsel at Aegium to which they called Aratus but it was very hazardous for him to pass thither because Cleomenes was incamped about the City of Sicyon besides the Citizens indeavour'd to stop him by their Intreaties protesting that they would not suffer him to expose himself to so evident Danger the Enemy being so near the Women also and Children hung about him weeping and imbracing him as their common Father and Defender But he having comforted and incourag'd them as well as he could got on Horse-back and being accompany'd with Ten of his Friends and his Son then a Youth got away to the Sea side and finding some Vessels there which Rode at Anchor went on Board of them and Sailed to Aegium to the Counsel in which it was decreed that Antigonus should be call'd in to their Aid and should have the Citadel of Corinth deliver'd to him to whom Aratus sent his Son with the other Hostages The Corinthians extremely offended at this proceeding Plunder'd his Goods and gave his House to Cleomenes Antigonus being now near at hand with his Army in which were twenty Thousand Foot and one Thousand four hundred Horse Aratus with the other Magistrates went to meet him by Sea the Enemy suspecting nothing of it as far as Pegae having no great Confidence either in Antigonus or the Macedonians for he was very sensible that his greatness was built upon their loss and that the first pretension he had to the management of affairs was founded upon the Enmity between him and Antigonus the Elder But perceiving the present necessity and Juncture unavoidable to which those that seem to command are constrained to obey he resolved to put all to the venture So soon therefore as Antigonus was told that Aratus was coming up to him he Saluted the rest of the Company after the ordinary manner but him he receiv'd at the first in a very Honourable manner and finding him afterwards to be a good and discreet man admitted him to his private familiarity for Aratus was not only useful to him in the management of affairs and concern but agreeable also in private Conversation and therefore though Antigonus was young yet as soon as he observed the temper of the man to be proper for a Princes Friendship he made more use of him than of any other not only of the Achaeans but also of the Macedonians that were about him So that the thing fell out to him just as the Gods had foretold in a Sacrifice For it is reported that as Aratus was not long before offering Sacrifice there were found in the Liver two Gall-bags inclos'd in the same Caul whereupon the Southsayer told him that there should be the strictest Friendship imaginable between him and his Greatest and most Mortal Enemies which Prediction he at that time slighted having no great Faith in Southsayings and Prognostications but depending most upon Rational Deliberations But afterwards things succeeding well in the War Antigonus made a great Feast at Corinth to which he invited a great number of Guests and therein plac'd Aratus next above himself and calling for a Coverlet asked him if he did not find it Cold to which Aratus replying that he was ready to Shake with Cold he commanded him to come nearer to him and so the Servants threw the same Coverlet over them both Then Aratus Remembring the Sacrifice fell a Laughing and told the King what happened to him in that Sacrifice and the Interpretation of it But this fell out a good while after So Aratus and the King plighting their Faith to each other at Pegae immediately marched towards the Enemy with whom they had frequent Skirmishes Cleomenes behaving himself very well and the Corinthians making a very brisk Defence In the mean time Aristotles the Argive Aratus's Friend sent privately to him to let him know that he would cause Argos to Rebel if he would come thither in Person with some Soldiers Aratus acquainted Antigonus therewith and having fifteen hundred men with him sailed immediately from the Isthmus to Epidaurus But the Argives had not Patience till
within his private Station and offering besides great treasure the freedom of the City where he might repose the rest of his days in pleasure and security This at first was answered only in raillery but being heated they fell to downright railing and libelling 'T was idle and ridiculous though not without ground to object those faults from which neither could be excused For which of these two exceeded in rioting and wantonness which of them had least experience in Arms or which of them before they usurped had been most oppressed with Poverty and Debt was a question not easie to determine Of the Prodigies and Apparitions that went about at this time some were vouched only by report But these were generally taken notice of how the Statue of Victory Triumphant in the Capitol had let loose the reins of her Chariot as unable to hold them And how that other of Caius Caesar in the Island of Tiber without either Earthquake or Whirlwind turned it self from West to East which by conjecture fell out near the time when Vespasian publickly took upon him the Government But none of these presages moved the multitude like the accident of Tyber It was indeed the season when Rivers use to be full but now it so swelled above its Banks and made such desolation over-flowing and covering great part of the City especially about the Corn-Market that it occasion'd a sore dearth for many days When it became known that Vitellius his Captains Caecinna and Valens had possess'd themselves of the Alpes Dolabella a Patrician then in Rome was suspected by the guard of attempting some innovations therefore whether fearing him or any other Otho sent him with assurance of his favour to the City of Aquiâ—um Among the Magistrates which were chosen to attend him in his journey he pitched upon Lucius the Brother of Vitellius whom he confirmed altogether in his former Station And took exceeding care of Vitellius's Mother and Wife that they might not apprehend any danger from him Rome he left in the hands of Flavius Sabinus Brother to Vespasian either out of Honour to Nero by whom he had been placed in that Command and outed by Galba or by Sabinus's advancement to evidence his esteem and reliance on Vespasian Otho himself staid at Brixillum a City on the River Po but he sent out the Army under the Conduct of Marcus Celsus Suetonius Paulinus Gallus and Spurina Men of Conduct and Valour but they had no Forces to put their own Counsels in Action because of the disorders and insolency of the Souldiers who owning no other Captain than Caesar thought it beneath their quality to be commanded by any but himself Neither were the Enemies Troops much better disciplined or more tractable to their Officers but heady and proud upon the same account Only they were well train'd and accustomed to labour which they could away with But these Praetorians were grown perfectly effeminate by Idleness and want of exercise having spent most of their time in Sights Entertainments and Plays And yet they were so puffed up with conceit and arrogance that they challenged their Reward as the best when their Service was of the worst Spurina once would have forced them upon Duty but it brought his person in danger and had almost cost him his Life Besides they spared for no sort of outrage and ill language calling him Traitor and charging him with ill Conduct to the ruine of Caesar and his Affairs some of them moreover in a Debauch press'd into his Tent demanding a Pass while they went to make complaint against him to the Emperour But the Reproaches of the Vitellians at Placentia did not a little help the Cause and Spurina too for the present For they marching strait up to the works upbraided Otho's Men upon the Walls terming them expert Actors Dancers and Spectators of harmless Exercises but strangers to martial Discipline and the Art of War Men that valued themselves for beheading a naked gray-Beard meaning Galba but had not the Heart to enter the open Field with Men at Arms Which Scoffs so nettled and heated them that falling down at Spurina's feet they besought him to make use of them and command them that would stick at no pains or peril So when the Walls were assaulted very strongly and many Engines of Battery were brought up Spurina's men got the day and having beat off the Enemy with great slaughter preserved one of the most flourishing and renowned Cities in Italy As to all other points Otho's Commanders were much less burdensome both to Cities and private Men than those of Vitellius of whom Caecinna was no ways acceptable in speech or behaviour but uncouth and disagreeable of a monstrous bigness dress'd after the Gallick mode in Doublet and Breeches and after that fashion he convers'd with the Roman Officers His Lady too in a magnificent Equipage follow'd the Camp on horseback with a choice Guard of Cavaliers As to Fabius Valens the other General neither the Enemies Spoil nor Countries Plunder nor the Confederates Contribution were able to satisfie his Avarice Yet for the Collection hereof he was by some concluded so to slacken his March that he could not come up at the former skirmish while others blame Caecinna of charging too soon that he might have the honour of the day to himself and whereas before he had given distaste by some miscarriages now by joyning Battel with so little Conduct and Courage he had almost ruin'd his Party Caecinna after this repulse from Placentia carried the Siege to Cremona another flourishing and large City while Annius Gallus in his March to relieve Spurina in Placentia meeting upon the way with intelligence both of that Action and the distress of Cremona wheel'd about and pitch'd down close by the Enemy and after that every one came into aid the General But when Caecinna had laid a strong party in wait among certain uneven Coverts ordering the Horse to advance and after the first Charge to make a slow Retreat till they might draw the Enemy within the Ambuscade certain Deserters discover'd it to Celsus who charging them briskly and pursuing them warily came upon the Ambuscade which he surrounded and broke in pieces sending away for the Infantry out of the Camp Which if it had arrived in time to second the Horse it is more than probable that the Enemies could not have saved a man of Caecinna's whole Army from being cut off or trodden under foot But Paulinus coming up late and slowly with his Succours was not undeservedly taxed of too much circumspection for one of his Character The common Souldiers openly accused him of absolute Treason exasperating Otho against him and boasting that the Enemy was defeated but if the Victory was not entire he might thank his Captains Otho though he gave Credit to these Suggestions yet would not seem to distrust his Commanders therefore he sent to the Army his Brother Titianus as General with Proculus Captain of the Guard who indeed had
the Power and Titianus only the Name Celsus and Paulinus had the Title of Coucellors and Friends but shared nothing of the management All things likewise were full of confusion among the Enemies paticularly in Valens's Camp who hearing of the Rencounter at the Ambuscade grew out of all patience that they should not be there to relieve so many brave persons as fell upon the spot So that Valens having much ado to perswade and keep them from revenging it upon himself was sorced to dislodge and join with Caecinna Hereupon Otho arrived at Bebriacum a Village near Cremona to consult about giving Battel Proculus and Titianus were for fighting while the Souldiers were in heart with their late success and not by sitting still to blunt their Courage and give Vitellius leisure to come upon them out of Gaul Paulinius on the contrary affirm'd that the Enemies whole force was there without the least recruit whereas Otho might expect an Army out of Mysia and Pannonia no whit inferiour to that in the Field if he would but stay his own time and not serve his Enemies occasions neither was it likely that the Spirit of those few Souldiers should be lessened by the encrease of more Forces but rather that the supply would add to their assurance Over and above this delay made for the Othonians who lived at home in absolute plenty while the Vitellians lodging in an enemies country must encrease their wants with their stay Celsus concurr'd with Paulinus Annius Gallus was absent and under cure by a fall from his Horse Yet Otho consulting him by Letter received the same advise not to be forward but wait the Mysian Forces which were already on the March However Otho deaf to these inclined to that side which held for a Battel There are several Reasons given for this Result in which few men agree this is plainly one The Praetorians and the Life-guard having then a taste of War in good earnest and so much the more lingring after the delicacies and quiet diversions of Rome could not be kept in clamouring for a Fight as if at the very first course they had been able to over-run their Enemies Neither did Otho himself seem tough enough to hold out in such uncertainty or so soft so little us'd was he to struggle with thoughts of such danger but quite broke with care he shut his eyes as one that leaps from a Precipice and spurr'd on to trust Fortune with his All. This Account gives Secundus the Orator and Secretary to Otho According to some other Relations it was more than once moved in both Armies to joyn and especially that with one consent they might elect the best of the Captains then present or in case of disagreement to call a Senate upon the place and submit the choice of the Emperour to them Neither is it unlikely that the right experienced and understanding Souldiers having no extraordinary favour for either of the contesting Emperours might fall upon such projects For what could be more detestable and grievous than wilfully to embrace those miseries which the Romans groan'd under long ago while they were cutting of Throats for Sylla and Marius and since that for Caesar and Pompey only that the Empire might serve the Gluttony and Drunkenness of Vitellius or the Luxury and Tenderness of Otho It is supposed that Celsus out of some such meaning sought to spin out the time as hoping to decide the point without the pains of an Encounter as on the contrary that Otho suspecting his Design made haste to engage Upon this Resolve Otho himself returned back to Brixillum by another grand Mistake not only in withdrawing his presence from the eyes of his Champions who did even adore and dote on him but in carrying back for his Horse and Foot-Guard the stoutest and most resolute of his Men he plainly cut off the Body of his Army About that time there happened a skirmish at the River Po which Caecinna sought to pass by a Bridge of Boats Otho's Men to oppose yet gaining little by plain force they threw Fire-brands daub'd with Pitch and Brimstone into the Vessels which the Wind taking as they fell suddenly kindled and blew into the Faces of the Enemies who being first troubled with the Smoke and then with the Flame leap'd into the Water overturning the Floats and exposing their Bodies with derision to the Enemy But the Germans attacking Otho's Gladiators in a small Island upon the River defeated and cut off a great Party Whereupon the Othonians that-were at Bebriacum being transported with fury to revenge it Proculus led them forth about fifty furlongs before he encamped and withall so inconsiderately and ridiculously that even in the Spring and the Fields round about full of Rivalets and Currents yet they were distressed for Water On the morrow when he would have led them at least twice as far against the Foe Paulinus put a stop declaring in his opinion that they ought rather to keep their Station and not harrass themselves nor just upon a long March with their Baggage to engage the Enemy that would be armed and ranged at leisure In the midst of this Dispute among the Commanders a Numidian came post from Otho bringing Orders without stop or stay to lead strait upon the Enemy which incontinently they did Caecinna was surprized at the News of their approach and leaving hastily his Works at the River he return'd into the Camp Valens having posted great part of his Army and given the Word sent out a choice forlorn of Horse to amuse the Enemy whilst he drew up the Legions Otho's Van were possess'd with belief from a flying Report that Vitellius his Captains would come over to them Therefore when they drew near they saluted them by the friendly Term of Fellow-Souldiers which not being answered by the others with Civility but with an angry hostile Murmur both discouraged them that had given the Salute and fill'd the rest with suspicion of Treason This began a disorder at the very first Charge which was spread throughout the Field not a little confounded by the cumbersome Carriages they receiv'd also no small disadvantage from the place of Battel full of Ditches and Trenches to avoid which they were forc'd to change their Order and fight one among another as they could compass it in little Parties Two only Legions that called Rapax for Vitellius and Adjutrix for Otho being drawn out in a Champaign fought fairly a long time Otho's Men were lusty and valiant but in their Apprenticeship Vitellius's old and experienced Souldiers Otho's Men therefore charged hotly gained ground knock'd down the formost and took one of their Eagles Shame and Rage drave the others back upon them again and with the death of Orphidius the Collonel they surprized divers of Otho's Eagles in revenge for their own The Gladiators Men of no small credit for Courage and Address were attack'd by Varus Alphenus's Batavians the Flower of the German Horse which were drawn from
King of Pontus whose destiny so lately made an addition to the Triumphs of the irresistible Roman Eagles This may serve for a specimen of the Early and uncommon Generosity and Honour of Demetrius but it was not long before his boyling youth transported with the ardent desire of Fame and Glory met with greater occasions of signalizing his Courage and his Arms for as Empedocles wittily observed that there was a continual hostility among the four Elements which Compose the Universe every one of them still combating with his Neighbour and all of them continually striving to inlarge the boundaries of their Empires so did it happen among the potent Successors of the great Alexander betwixt whom especially those whose Dominions lay contiguous there was an Eternal Jealousie and almost perpetual Wars For Antigonus who kept his Residence in the Metropolis of Phrygia being advertised that his Neighbour Ptolomy having passed from the Island of Cyprus did with a potent Army invade Syria and had reduced most of the considerable places in that Country under his Obedience either by force or Composition he dispatched his Son Demetrius not then much above the Age of twenty two years at the head of a Gallant Army to arrest the successes of the Victorious Ptolomy This was the first time that he had appeared in Arms as an Absolute General and Commander and our young Captain whose heat was something too disproportionate to his Conduct with mighty Eagerness and hasty Marches advances with his Army to seek his Enemy and receiving intelligence that Ptolomy was with all his Forces sate down before Gaza he marched directly thither upon his approach Ptolomy drew off his Army from the Siege being as willing as Demetrius was hasty to put the matter to the fatal decision of the Sword But here Fortune who was betimes resolved to shew her instability was not at all Propitious to Demetrius for after a Cruel Battle which was obstinately maintained by Demetrius with the loss of five thousand of the most Valiant of his Soldiers he was compelled to resign the Victory and the field to Ptolomy who took besides eight thousand Prisoners all his Arms Carriages Ammunition and his Camp which was exceeding Rich Nor was it at all strange that a young Prince of so slender Experience in military affairs should be vanquished by an Old beaten Captain in the Trade of War and one trained up under the Discipline of Alexander by whose prodigious Fortune even victory herself seemed to be overcome and to submit her self tamely to his conquering Arms. However Ptolomy who was as truly generous as he was great made a most honourable use of this advantage for he immediately returned all the Rich spoils of the Field together with the inlarged Prisoners with this Complement to Demetrius That he had not combated with him for Riches but for Glory and Empire Demetrius was infinitely surprized at this unexpected generosity and one might see the warm blood mount into his Face to be a second time vanquished by this obliging civility of Ptolomy which was more insupportable than what he had suffered by his Arms but as soon as he had a little recovered the disorder into which this Action had put him May the Gods cried he accord me this only bounty that I may not long be indebted to Ptolomy but that it may one day come within my Power to return him the same Complement and favour which he hath now put upon me It might well be expected the disgrace of this disaster to be defeated in the very first enterprize of his Arms would have cooled the courage of our young Warriour and possibly few persons of his Age would have been able to support such a notable Overthrow with so much Temper but Demetrius who was a very extraordinary person demeaned himself upon this Occasion even to admiration rather like an old Captain who had been long acquainted which the traverses of a capricious and inconstant Fortune than a young and unexperienced Prince for he set himself with all the application imaginable to provide Arms and Magazines to rally his dispersed Troops to reinforce them with Recruits and to exercise his new Levies in the discipline of War he strengthned all the considerable Garrisons and with unwearied deligence performed all the Duties of an expert General and by his example infused new Life and Courage into the hearts of his Soldiers insomuch that they who before were almost ready to present the Conqueror with the Keys of those Cities which they were to defend now put on Resolutions not to part with an inch of Ground which Ptolomy should not purchase with the hazard of his Life When the news of this Defeat was brought to Antigonus he received it without any greater emotion than saying Ptolomy has indeed got a Victory over a Company of Youths but ere long he shall find that he must combat with Men intimating that shortly he would undertake the management of the War in his own person But Demetrius sending to beg the favour of him that he might once more throw the Dye of War and Command the Army against Ptolomy Antigonus who feared least the disgrace of being denied might more abate the Courage of the Prince than the loss of the former Battel sent him a new Commission to execute the Office of an absolute General Not long after Cilles Ptolomy's Lieutenant General with a powerful Army took the Field and looking upon Demetrius since his last overthrow as the Commander of a baffled and half vanquished Army he had in his imagination driven him out of Syria before he saw him but he quickly found himself deceived for Demetrius by hasty marches came so unexpectedly upon him that he surprized the General and his Army making him and 7000 of the principal Officers and Soldiers prisoners of War before they heard of any approaching Enemy the whole Booty of the Camp which was very rich fell likewise into his hands but it was not that which gave Demetrius any satisfaction comparable to the pleasure which he took when by this advantage he found himself in a Condition to be generously revenged upon Ptolomy for his last obliging courtesie However Demetrius in this affair was resolved to comport himself according to his Duty and therefore he dispatch'd an Express to Antigonus to give him an account of this good Fortune and to receive his directions and commands how to dispose of his Conquest Antigonus who was most surprizingly transported with Joy at this unexpected news and not less at the Noble Inclinations of his Son immediately returned him in Answer that he left him intirely at his own Freedom and Discretion to make what Use he pleased of the Victory which he had gain'd Demetrius was even ravished with contentment at his Commission which was so agreeable to his wishes and therefore sending for Cilles he not only gave him his own and the Liberty of all the Prisoners but dismiss'd them loaden which magnificent presents and the
Admiration of his Generosity desiring Cilles to oblige him with carrying this Message to Ptolomy That he made him that small present in return of the Favours he had received from him at Gaza This defeat was so closely followed by Demetrius that in a little time he obliged Ptolomy to abandon Syria and having resettled the affairs of that Province he hasted to return into the Arms of his Father who then kept his Residence at Celene So soon as Antigonus was advertised of his approach he had not the patience to attend the short delay of his coming but with a noble Train he immediately left the City and went to meet the Prince and with what caresses and indearments such an indulgent Father entertained a Son so hopeful and promising is difficult to imagine but impossible to express but he conducted him home in great triumph amidst a thousand acclamations and other signs of joy which seemed to be owing rather to his safe return than the prosperous success of his Arms. But it was not long before Antigonus was forced to lose the satisfaction of his Conversation being obliged to send him to reduce the Nabathean Arabians to their Obedience and in this Expedition Demetrius ran one of the greatest hazards of his whole Life for the Wild Arabs decoyed him into those parched Desarts which afforded no manner of subsistence nor so much as a drop of water to refresh his Army and having reduced him to this extremity they drew up their forces to give him Battel But when those barbarous people observed the courage and resolution of the Prince and that he was so far from being in the least daunted at their approach that he rather seemed to flie like a hungry Lion upon the prey as if he had resolved to quench the thirst of his Soldiers with the blood of his Enemies they were so astonished that consulting their fear they thought it fitter to commit their safety to their heels than hands and therefore with great precipitation and disorder they quitted the field leaving Demetrius not only possessed of the Victory but of a very considerable Booty among the rest 700. Camels with all their Lading of Water and other provisions with which he refreshed his Army and safely retreated out of that scorched Country more barbarous than its wild Inhabitants Not long after Seleucus whom Antigonus had formerly chased out of Babylon having raised all the forces he was able with his Army invested that mighty City and without much resistance made himself Master of it and elevated with this success he pushed on his good Fortune and marched against the Countries next adjacent to Mount Caucasus and the neighbouring Indies hoping to subdue those Regions and range them under his Dominion and Obedience Demetrius being advertised of this Expedition of Seleucus and conjecturing that he had left Mesopotamia but flenderly guarded in his absence he passed the Euphrates with his Army with such secrecy and expedition that with his whole power he had invested Babylon before they had heard of the march of his Troops He immediately command an attacque to be made upon one of the Cittadels which Seleucus had raised for the security of that important place which was performed with that vigor and resolution that he carried the Fort but finding himself not in a Condition to master the City he left 7000 Men in Garrison in the Fortress and with the gross of his army retreated homewards but in his return he gave his Soldiers the liberty to live at descretion who in their march took from the Inhabitants of those Countries through which they passed whatsoever they thought fit by which ill treatment of those People though he did extreamly enrich his Army yet he impoverished his own Reputation and lost the affections of those Countries who ever after by the ill usage they received from Demetrius were the more firmly devoted to the Obedience of Seleucus to whom he seemed to yield the Title of their Sovereign by treating them like Enemies and not his own Subjects In his return having received Information that Ptolomy laid close Siege to the City of Halicarnassus he marched directly thither and obliging him in some disorder to decamp and retire from before it he delivered that City from an imminent danger and by his Expedition and success in that Action brought a great Addition to the Reputation and Glory of his Arms. And now Demetrius burning with the ardent desire of Glory had fixed his Designs upon an enterprize which was suitable both to his own and the Inclinations of his Father Antigonus and that was to break the Yoke of slavery which Cassander and Ptolomy had laid upon the neck of the little Grecian Commonwealths and to render those Countries Masters of their ancient Laws of Freedom and certainly never any Princes undertook a War more generous and brave since the only motive that induced them to it was the glory to restore their Freedom to the miserable Grecians and that they undertook it wholly at their own charges and with the treasure which they had recovered from barbarous Nations they attempted the assistance of the most civilized and learned tho' most oppressed People of the World To effect this great Design it was resolved at a Council of War that the first attempt should be made upon the City of Athens upon the debate of which point when one of the great Captains gave his opinion that if they could make themselves Masters of that City they ought to keep it in their own possession for that it would serve them as a Bridge over which they might at descretion pass into the rest of Greece Antigonns most generously as well as prudently replied that the surest Bridge to pass over upon such an Enterprize was the Hearts and Inclinations of the People which would most assuredly be lost if that City were kept and that Athens being one of the most celebrated Academies of the World one ought to offer nothing prejudicial to that Repository of Arts and Learning if at least they consult their own future reputation which must in time to come be measured by those accounts which from thence would be delivered to Posterity Demetrius who had raised a Fond of five Thousand Talents to defray the charges of this War having with great applications rigged and equipped a Fleet of two hundred and fifty Gallies he weighed Anchor and the Wind standing fair he steered a direct course to the City of Athens where at that time Demetrius Phalereus who commanded as Deputy Governor under Cassander had his residence and had placed a strong Garrison in the Fortress of Munychea Upon the twenty fifth of May the Wind freshing up into a brisque Gale and Demetrius who was resolved to improve the Favour which Fortune seemed to lend him by the addition of Artifice hanging out Ptolomy's Flag bore directly in for the Pyraeeum or Port of the City The Centinels who discryed the Fleet at some distance made no doubt but
Father King Antigonus and assembling their united strength Demetrius was constrained to abandon Greece and to joyn with his Father to weather the storm which was gathering from all Quarters and threatned to discharge its violence upon their Heads Antigonus upon the occasion of this War shewed a Courage and Fierceness much disproportionate to his Years he was a Prince of an undaunted Spirit and could he but have preserved a little Temper in his vain Ambition in aspiring at an absolute Sovereignty over others he might in all probability not only have continued in the first Rank of the Princes of his Age but have left that Honour to his Descendants but he was of a violent and haughty Spirit much addicted to undervalue all other Princes and to treat them both in his Words and Actions more insolently than was either consistent with his Interest his Prudence or the Honour due to Kings and though by this rash freedom of his Language he had drawn a most formidable Power of the most considerable Princes against him yet when he first heard of the Confederacy he could not forbear despising the Confederates by a Vanity peculiar to him Oh! said he are they flocking I 'll make no more to disperse them than a Company of Rooks in a Corn-field with throwing a Stone among them and crying Hush So soon as the Troops which composed the Gross of his Army could be brought together Antigonus took the Field at the Head of seventy thousand Foot and ten thousand Horse and seventy five Elephants His Enemies were little inferiour to him in number of Men for they had sixty four thousand Foot and ten thousand five hundred Horse but they far surpassed him in Elephants of which they brought four hundred into the Field and a hundred and twenty Chariots of War When these two mighty Armies approached near there happened an odd kind of alteration in the Humour of Antigonus and though his Courage and Resolution received no great abatement yet his Hope and Confidence seemed something to flag and hang their Wings for whereas formerly there was wont to be a certain joyous Fierceness dwelling in his Eyes that he used to speak boldly and bravely and even in his Encounters to drop some witty Ralleries to encourage his Souldiers to contemn their Enemies he now became very thoughtful silent and retired One Day above all the rest taking Demetrius along with him he shewed him to the Captains and the whole Army which was drawn out upon this occasion and recommended him to them as his declared Successor these uncustomary Actions occasioned some admiration in those who observed them but that which increased the Wonder was that now he took Demetrius into his most secret Counsels whereas formerly he never used to communicate his Designs to any Person but when he had resolved any thing to give out his peremptory Commands for the execution in so much that it is reported that when Demetrius was a youth he enquiring of the King what time the Army should decamp He answered him in a little Passion What do you trouble your self Are you the only Person that are afraid you shall not hear the Trumpet But there were other very ominous Presages besides this Change in the Humour of Antigonus which according to the Superstition of those Times abated the hopes and courage of the Army For in his Dream the Great Alexander compleatly armed seemed to appear to Demetrius and demanded of him what Word they intended to give in the time of the Battel And Demetrius answering That he intended the Word should be Jupiter and Victory Well then I see said Alexander turning short from him with an Air of Displeasure you have no Service for me I will go over to your Enemies who I am assured will entertain me with Joy And the very Morning of the Combat as the Armies were drawing up Antigonus going out of the door of his Tent by some Accident or other stumbled so that he fell flat upon the Ground and bruised himself very sorely this he as well as others took for no good Augury and therefore so soon as he had recovered his Feet lifting up his Hands towards Heaven O ye immortal Gods cried he if you so please I beg a Victory from you this day but if that cannot be granted let me obtain the Favour of death at your hands and that I may not live to blush to see my self vanquished and with shame survive my dying Glory When these two great Armies had for some time faced one the other the Signal being given after whole Showers of mortal Arrows which obscured the very Sun had been exchanged as the first Complements of Death they quickly came to handy-blows and Demetrius who commanded the greatest and best part of the Cavalry gave such a furious Charge upon Antigonus the Son of Seleucus that unable to endure the Shock he and the Body which he commanded turned their Backs and fled and Demetrius transported with the Success pursued them so eagerly and so far as that it fatally lost him the Day for when perceiving his Errour he would have come in to the assistance of his own Infantry he was not able the Enemy with their Elephants having cut off his Retreat and on the other hand Seleucus observing the main Battel of Antigonus left naked of their Horse he made an Offer of charging them in Front but then suddenly by wheeling about as if he intended to attack them in the Flank and Rear he thereby gave opportunity to those among them who had before resolved it perfidiously to revolt from Antigonus and come over to his Party as great numbers of them did and this put the rest into such a consternation no man knowing who were Friends and who Enemies that the whole Army was instantly put to the Rout. In this amazing state of his Affairs the old King Antigonus still kept his Post and when a strong Body of the Enemies drew up to charge him one of those about him seeing it cried out to him Sir consider with your self what you will do do you not see that Party which are coming down upon you to which he only replied And how shall they know me Demetrius will come in to my rescue and assistance There was his last Hope But alas it was in vain for after he had looked on every side to see if he could perceive Demetrius coming to his relief he was with a Storm of Arrows Darts Javelins born down dead upon the earth where being fallen there remained with him of all the numerous Company of his flattering Followers not one to take care of his Body after his Death besides only Thorax of Larissa the Thessalian thus ended this fatal Battel and thus the Life of the unfortunate Antigonus After the unlucky event of this deciding Combat the Kings who had gained the Victory tore all the Empire which Antigonus and Demetrius before possessed â—â—to pieces and shared those large Territories among themselves
so delicate and tender a constitution she contracted an indisposition whereof she shortly died After her death Demetrius by the mediation of Seleucus became reconciled to King Ptolomy insomuch that he married his Daughter Ptolemaida But the generous deportment of Seleucus to this unfortunate Prince was not long liv'd for shortly after desiring to have the Province of Cilicia from Demetrius for which he offered him a sum of money and being refused it in great indignation he then demanded of him the Cities of Tyre and Sydon rather with a design to beget a quarrel than upon the least pretension of right or necessity and certainly it was a very mean and unworthy baseness in him who was possessed of all the vast Provinces between India and the Syrian Ocean for two poor Cities which he unjustly coveted to disturb the Peace of his Father-in-law who had already suffered so insupportable a change of Fortune but herein he made good the opinion of the Divine Plato That the certain way to be truly Rich is not to be so solicitous to increase a Fortune as to give limits to our own desires For whoever is always grasping at more confesses he is still in want and is therefore miserable and poor because in the midst of all his affluence he wants that contentment and moderation of his desires which only can render any Person Rich and Happy But Demetrius whose courage was not sunk with his Fortune resolutely sent him this answer that though he were to be vanquish'd a thousand times over again he would never purchase the friendship of Seleucus at so tame a rate and therefore to secure them against his attempts he reinforced those strong Cities with sufficient Garrisons and all manner of Warlike stores to enable them to make a brave defence against Seleucus if his insatiable ambition should tempt him to attack them Having taken care of these important Places and receiving information that one Lacharis taking the opportunity of their civil Dissentions had set up himself as an Usurper over the Athenians he imagined that if he made a sudden attempt upon the City he might now reduce it to his Obedience and therefore with great diligence he sailed with a powerful Navy towards Greece But Fortune who was now grown very uncourtly to him treated him with so rough a tempest just when he came upon the Coast that he lost divers of his Vessels and a great number of Soldiers which were aboard them As for himself he escap'd and began to make a little kind of War with the Athenians but finding himself unable to effect his design he sent to assemble the rest of his Fleet and Forces which had been dispersed by the late storm and with those Troops which he had he marched and laid Siege to the City of Messena While he lay before this place he ran one of the greatest dangers of his whole life for in making an attack upon the Turn an arrow from an Engine struck him full in the mouth and passed clear through his jaw but by the skill and care of his Chirurgeons it was not long before it was healed and as soon as he was in a condition to take the Field he regained divers Cities which had revolted from him and made an incursion into the Territories of the Athenians where he took Eleusina and Rhamnus and wasted all the whole Country thereabout And that he might straiten the Athenians by cutting off all manner of Provision a Vessel laden with Corn bound thither falling into his hands he ordered the Master and Merchant who had freighted her to be immediately hanged thereby to strike a terror into others that so they might not adventure to supply the City with Provisions by which means they were reduced to such extremities that a bushel of salt was worth forty drachma's of Silver and a bushel of wheat was sold at the excessive Rate of three hundred In this distress Ptolomy had sent to their relief an hundred and fifty Gallies which came so near as to anchor before Egina but this short blaze of hope was soon extinguished by the arrival of three hundred sail which came to the assistance of Demetrius from Cyprus Peloponnesus and other places which struck such a pannick fear into the Egyptians that they cut and slipp'd their Anchors and with Sails and Oars stood away for Egypt which the Tyrant Lacharis understanding he instantly quitted the City in order to his own safety and preservation And now the Athenians who before by a Popular Edict had made it Capital for any person so much as to propose a treaty or accommodation with Demetrius were compelled to send Embassadors to him not so much out of hopes of obtaining any honorable Conditions from his Clemency as out of pure necessity and to avoid a lingring Death by Famine a domestick Enemy which they were not able to resist for this imperious Tyrant had reduced them to those extremities that there happened many odd adventures during the time of the Siege the effects of his irresistible Power among which this story is very remarkable That one day a Father with his Son sitting disconsolately in their House lamenting their deplorable condition which had not left them any thing to sustain their lives a dead Rat happened to drop from the Cieling between them whereupon they immediate fell into a mortal scuffle which of them should have the venison for his dinner And in this Famine the Philosopher Epicurus so celebrated for indulging his appetite was forced to save his own and the lives of his Scholars by a small quantity of Beans which by number were every day distributed to them In this miserable condition was the City when Demetrius made his publick Entrance and he was no sooner possessed of the Place but he made Proclamation that all the Inhabitants should instantly assemble in the publick Theatre which being done he surrounded them with his Armed Troops setting also a strong Guard about the Stage This administred no small terror and perplexity to the amazed People who looked for nothing less than a Tragedy of Executions but it was not long before he dissipated those Fears for entring the Stage in Person by the passage through which the Actors used to enter he made an Oration to them wherein he only gently reprehended their former ill treatment of him but withal told them that he would receive them again into his grace and favour And that it might appear his intentions were real he bestowed amongst them the welcome Donative of a hundred thousand Bushels of Wheat and to ingratiate himself the more he promoted such Persons into the Offices of the Magistracy as he knew to be most agreeable to the People so that nothing now was heard but loud acclamations of joy among the Athenians and the Stages resounded with speeches in the praise of Demetrius all the celebrated Orators of the City vying with one another in commendation of his generosity and upon this occasion the
deceased Lady who brought along with her Ptolemaida the Daughter whom she had by King Ptolomy which young Lady had before been affianced to Demetrius and with whom he now consummated his Nuptials but he was too intent upon his other Designs to be diverted from them by his new Amour and therefore he presently began the Campagne and was so fortunate in the beginning that many Cities revolted to him and others as particularly the City of Sardis he took by force divers Troops of Lysimachus also came over to him with a considerable Sum of Money But his Fortune which was never constant was now never lasting for Agathocles the Son of Lysimachus with a powerful Army made head against him which obliged him with his Army to divert into Phrygia with an intention to pass into Armenia for he had an imagination that if he could persuade the Medes or Armenians to revolt he should thereby gain many convenient Sea-Ports and Places of Retreat to secure him against any ill Accident or Disaster that might befall him Agathocles pressed very hard upon him and many Skirmishes and Conflicts passed between Parties wherein Demetrius had still the Advantage But Agathocles being much superiour in number straightned him so much in his Forage that his Souldiers were forced to conflict more with Famine than with their Enemies and shewed a great unwillingness to go into Armenia and Media so that for fresh Quarters he was obliged to pass over the River Lycus and in the passage many of his Men by the rapidness of the Torrent were carried down the Stream and drowned This Mischance exasperated the Souldiers to that degree that one of them fixed this Paper upon the Door of his Pavillion taken out of Oedipus with a little variation of the Name Thou Son of blind Antigonus Whither dost mean to hurry us And to add to his Misfortune the Pestilence as is usual when Armies are driven to such Necessities as to subsist upon unwholsom Diet began to assail them as well as the Famine so that he lost eight thousand of his Men and with the rest he retired to Tarsus and because that City was under the Dominion of Seleucus he strictly prohibited his Souldiers the committing any manner of outrages or violence being unwilling to create himself a new Enemy of Seleucus but when he perceived it was impossible to keep the Souldiers in order they being reduced to extreme necessity and Agathocles having block'd up all the Avenues of Mount Taurus to prevent their foraging in his Territories he resolved to write to Seleucus to appease him in this Matter The Letter contained a long and tragical Relation of the miserable state to which he was reduced and passionate Intercessions for his commiseration to a distressed King and Relation who was fallen into such a deplorable condition as might extort Tenderness and Pity from his very Enemies These Letters did so mollifie the Heart of Seleucus that he gave out positive Orders to the Governours of those Provinces that they should furnish Demetrius with all Accommodations suitable to his Royal Quality and with sufficient Provisions for his Troops But Patrocles a Person of great Authority and the Confident of Seleucus persuaded him that this entertainment of Demetrius especially of his Souldiers within his Dominions was not at all agreeable to the sound Maxims of Policy in regard that of all the Kings of his time Demetrius was the most violent in his Inclinations and addicted to bold and daring Enterprizes and that now being driven to Extremities by his adverse Fortune a Condition which many times tempted Persons of the greatest Temper and Moderation to the most desperate Attempts he could not with any Security to himself afford him this Retreat or Entertainment Seleucus animated with this Discourse advanced with a powerful Army towards Cilicia and Demetrius astonished at this sudden alteration betook himself for safety to the Strengths and most inaccessible places of Mount Taurus from whence he sent Envoys to Seleucus to request from him that he would permit him the liberty with his Army to seek to repair his broken Fortunes among the barbarous Nations and there to establish a Kingdom where he might pass the remainder of his Life in quiet and repose and not in that rigorous Season of Winter to expose him in this distressed naked condition to the fury of his implacable Enemies but to allow him a competent Time and Maintenance for the support of his small Army till he might with convenience depart But Seleucus whose Jealousie was now the governing Passion of his Soul sent him this peremptory Answer That he would permit him to stay two Months and no longer in Cataonia provided he presently sent him the principal of his Friends and Officers as Hostages for his departure then and in the mean time he shut up all the Passages into Syria So that Demetrius who saw himself thus encompassed as in a Toil like an enraged Lion flew upon the Prey and fell to wasting the Territories of Seleucus and in many Encounters had the advantage of him and particularly when he was assailed by the Armed Chariots he entirely defeated them and thereby opened his passage into Syria And now finding his Souldiers animated by these Successes he was resolved to push at all and to have one deciding Blow for the Empire with Seleucus but that crafty Prince having refused the assistance of Lysimachus whom he both mistrusted and hated made no great haste to the Encounter but chose rather to weary Demetrius and waste his Power by Delays for there was nothing that he dreaded more than the perpetual vicissitude of that Prince's Fortune which he had so often known to have been raised from the most deplorate state to the greatest excess of Glory But now all things seemed to conspire to the Ruine of this miserable Prince for he was seized with a violent Distemper which did not only endanger his Life but deprived him of his Reason so that his Army began to moulder away insensibly some deserting and others stealing away from the Service which they concluded desperate after forty days he began to be so far recovered as to be able to rally his Forces and marched as if he directly designed for Cilicia but in the Night in great silence he took a Counter-March and passing the Mountain Amanus he forraged all the Country as far as Cyrrhestica Whereupon Seleucus advanced towards him and encamping at no great distance Demetrius took a resolution to surprize him in his Camp but the Design being by some Fugitives discovered to Seleucus he had but just time in great consternation to leap out of his Bed and give the Alarm to his men as he was putting on his Boots to mount to Horse Sirs said he to the Officers about him Look well to your Charges for we must now expect to combat with a furious and enraged wild Beast But Demetrius by the Noise and Murmur he heard in the Camp finding they had taken the Alarm
drew off his Troops and began to retreat in the best order that he could but the Morning quickly appearing Seleucus followed hard upon his Rear and obliged him to a disadvantageous Encounter Demetrius having drawn his Army into Order and given the Command of one half of his Troops to one of his most expert Captains with the other he in Person charged so furiously that he forced his Enemies to give Ground But Seleucus lighting from his Horse and covering his Arm with a Target advanced to the foremost Ranks and having put up the Vizor of his Helmet that he might be known he addressed himself to the Souldiers of Demetrius exhorting them to lay down their Arms and not desperately throw away their Lives telling them withal that it was for their sakes only that he had so long forborn coming to Extremities And thereupon without a Blow more these perfidious Mercenaries submitted and saluted Seleucus as their King Demetrius who in the whole course of his Life had been accustomed to strange Turns from thence drew a hope that he should weather this Storm also and therefore with the slender attendance of his Friends he fled to the Mountain Amanus where in a thick and spacious Wood he secured himself resolving under the Mantle of the Night to make his Escape towards Caunus where he hoped to find his Shipping ready to transport him But upon Enquiry finding that they had not provisions for more than one day that Design was quash'd and he began to think of some other Project whilst he was rowling over a thousand irresolute Thoughts his Friend Sosigenes arrived who had four hundred Pieces of Gold about him and with this little Relief he again re-assumed his first Resolution and Hopes to recover the Coast so soon as it began to be dark he set forward towards the Mountains but perceiving by their Fires that the Enemies had possessed themselves of all the Passages and that it was impossible for him to pass undiscovered he retreated to his old Station in the Wood but not with all his Troop for divers had deserted him and the little Remainder were extremely dejected and disheartned so that some of them began to talk of rendring themselves and Demetrius to Seleucus as the only Means left them for their Safety Which Demetrius over-hearing he drew out his Sword and had infallibly passed it through his own Heart but that some of his Friends interposing prevented the fatal Attempt and began to persuade him that it was much more manly to try the Generosity of Seleucus and to reserve his Life for a better Destiny and â—uture Hopes and with these Arguments but principally by irresistable necessity he suffered himself to be overcome and therefore dispatched some of his Attendants to Seleucus to let him know that he was willing to surrender himself and his Friends to his Generosity and Mercy Seleucus transported at this News cried out It is not the good Fortune of Demetrius which hath found out this Expedient for his Safety but my own which I esteem the greatest favour she ever did me since thereby she hath given me opportunity to shew my Clemency and Generosity And instantly he gave Order to his Domestick Officers to prepare a Royal Pavillion and all things suitable for the splendid Reception and Entertainment of Demetrius There was in the Court of Seleucus one Apollonides who formerly had been intimately known to Demetrius he was therefore as the fittest Person dispatched from the King to attend Demetrius and to desire him to dissipate all manner of fear and distrust and to give him assurance that Seleucus was resolved to treat him with all the Honour due to a King and the kindness of a Relation No sooner was this message known but all the principal Courtiers and Officers of Seleucus thinking Demetrius would presently become a great favourite with the King made hast to congratulate with Demetrius and kiss his hand but this ill tim'd application and over officiousness proved very mischievous to that poor Prince for it gave occasion to his Enemies to insinuate to Seleucus that this Usage of Demetrius was a most dangerous Civility and that his presence might have very fatal influences upon the Army the Officers shewing more inclination to him already than was consistent with their Duty or the safety of Seleucus which representations made such impressions upon the spirit of Seleucus as produced different sentiments and resolutions from the former For whilest Apollonides and after him many others were relating to Demetrius the kind expressions of Seleucus and the Orders he had given and that poor Prince who before thought this Rendition of himself the greatest misfortune of his Life now began in his thoughts to applaud the Action and to flatter himself with vain hopes Pausanias with a Guard of a thousand Horse and Foot amidst all the Caresses of his Friends came and by order from the King seized him and carried him not as he hoped as a Prince to the Presence of Seleucus but a Prisoner to the Castle of Chersonesus in Syria where he was committed to the safe Custody of a strong Guard It is true he wanted nothing but Liberty for by the command of Seleucus he had a most liberal allowance for himself and retinue he had the liberty of a curious Garden and delightful Walks and was for his Exercise permitted the Freedom of hunting in a large Park excellently stored with Game of all sorts and had Horses likewise provided for his diversion and for his Chariots and to make his life more easie such of his Servants as were willing to follow his Fortune had the freedom of attending upon his Person continual messages of kindness also from time to time were brought him from Seleucus requesting him to support the present Restraint of his Liberty chearfully assuring him that so soon as Antiochus and Stratonice should arrive at the Court the Conditions and Articles of restoring him to his Liberty should be perfected But Demetrius had learnt to give little credit to these deluding pretences and therefore so soon as he was fallen into the misfortune of this Captivity he sent Express command to his Son Antigonus and to his Captains and Friends at Athens and Corinth that they should give no manner of credit to any Letters written to them in his name though they were sealed with his own Signet but that looking upon him as if he were already dead they should reserve what was left of his Empire for Antigonus and esteem him as their lawful King As for Antigonus he received the sad news of his Father's Captivity with all the Testimonies of a most afflictive sorrow he put himself into deep mourning and writ the most passionate and tender Letters to Seleucus and the rest of the Kings that his grief could dictate he offered not only whatever they had left in the World but himself to be a Hostage for the Liberty of the King his Father Several other Princes and divers
to the knowledge of Curio's Father he took an occasion to dismiss Antony from his house Soon after this he engaged himself with Clodius the most insolent and turbulent disturber of the Government that that age had produced but not being able long to endure his madness and withal apprehensive of the powerful Cabal against Clodius he left Italy and travell'd into Greece where he spent his time in warlike Exercises and in the Study of Eloquence he affected much the Asiatick way of speaking which was most in fashion then and had most resemblance to his temper which was very Rhodomantade and brave very Ambitious and unequal After some stay in Greece he was invited by Gabinius the Proconsul to make a Compagne in Syria which at first he refused not being willing to serve in a private Character but receiving a Commission to Command the Horse he went along with him His first service was against Aristobulus who had prevail'd with the Jews to Rebel He himself was the first that scal'd the Walls and on the strongest side of the Town beat him from all his Forts and in a pitcht Battel overcame him though much inferior in number put most of them to the Sword and took Aristobulus and his Son Prisoners This War ended Gabinius was sollicited by Ptolomy to restore him to his Kingdom of Aegypt and a promise made of ten thousand Talents reward most of the Officers were against this enterprize and Gabinius himself did not much approve it though shrewdly tempted by the ten thousand Talents which had a powerful influence over him But Antony desirous of engaging in brave Actions and willing to gratifie a Petitioning King was resolv'd to use all his Interest to bring about Gabinius to undertake this Expedition all were of opinion that the March to Peleusium was of more dangerous consequence than any thing else that could probably happen in the way for they were to pass over a deep Sand where no fresh water was to be hop'd for all along the Marishes of Serbonis which the Aegyptians give out to be the hollow Canal through which Typhon takes his breath and is in truth an Eruption caused by the over-flowing of the Red-Sea which is separate from the Mediterranean but by a small Neck of Land But Antony being Order'd thither with a party of Horse did not only make himself Master of the passes but won Peleusium a strong City took in the Citadel and by this means rendred the March secure to the Army and the way to Victory not uneasie to the General The Enemy was sensible of Antony's generous disposition for when Ptolomy had entred Peleusium in great rage and malice against the Aegyptians designing to put them every one to the Sword Antony positively withstood him and hindred the Execution In great and frequent skirmishes and battels many were the proofs he gave of his personal Valor and Military Conduct but never did it more plainly appear than in that Action of his when wheeling about he attack'd the Rear of the Enemy and gave opportunity to them that charg'd the Front to obtain an intire Victory for which he received both rewards and honors Nor was his humanity less taken notice of towards the deceased Archelaus he had been formerly his Guest and Acquaintance as he was in duty bound he fought him bravely while alive but finding his dead body he buried him with all the Ornaments and Decency which were due to the quality of a King Upon these and many other considerations the Alexandrians spoke of him with infinite respect and the Roman Soldiers lookt upon him as one of most worthy qualifications to compleat all he was a Man of Excellent Shape and Mein his Beard was of a comely growth his Fore-head large his Nose was of the Roman Shape and something he had in his Countenance of Greatness that made him seem to resemble the Statues and Medals we have of Hercules and it was an ancient Tradition that the Antonies were descended of Hercules by a Son of his called Anteon and this Opinion he endeavored to confirm by affecting the likeness of him both in his Mein and Dress for whensoever he appear'd in publick he wore his Vest girt low about the hips a broad Sword on his side and over all a large course Plad or Mantle What might seem to some very insupportable as vain glory raillery drinking in publick frequenting the Common Soldiers Tables and eating places made him the delight and pleasure of the whole Army He was very agreeable in his Loves and gain'd many Friends by the assistance he gave them in theirs being very pleasant in his Raillery upon his own intrigues The generous temper which he was of in disposing of his gratuities with an open and liberal hand to the Soldiers and his Friends gave him a fair opportunity of making his fortune and was very advantageous to him in establishing him in his new honours and employments from which it is improbable he ever could have fallen but by a thousand follies which he was Master of One instance of his Liberality I must relate he had order'd to one of his Friends twenty five thousand Crowns and his Steward wondring at the extravagance of the sum laid all the Silver in a heap as he should pass by Antony seeing the heap ask'd what it meant His Steward reply'd the mony you have order'd to be dispos'd of to your Friend well perceiving the malice of the Action says he I thought I had order'd much more 't is too little pray let the sum be doubled but enough of this The Citizens of Rome were divided into two parties they that seemed to favor the Senate follow'd Pompey who was then present the others that consider'd the interest of the People sheltred themselves under the Authority of Caesar who was then making War in Gaul Curio the Friend of Antony having changed his party had devoted himself to Caesar and brought over Antony to his service the Authority which he had gain'd by his Eloquence and great expences which were constantly supply'd by Caesar gave him opportunity of making his Friend Antony first Tribune of the People and then Augur whose coming into the heat of business made him capable of rendring no small services to Caesar In the first place he oppos'd the Consul Marcellus who had designed some old Legions for Pompey with Commission to raise new ones making an order that they should be sent into Syria to reinforce Bibulus his Army who was then making War with the Parthians and that no one as they should answer it at their peril should give in their Names to serve under Pompey Next finding that Pompey's Faction would not suffer Caesar's Letters to be received or read in the Senate by vertue of his Office he read them publickly and succeeded so well that many were brought to change their mind and to declare that Caesar's demands were but just and reasonable at length two questions being started the one
whether Pompey should dismiss his Army the other if Caesar his some were for the former for the latter all except some few when Antony stood up and put the question if it would be agreeable to them that both Pompey and Caesar should dismiss their Armies which proposal was approv'd of with great acclamations and Antony desir'd after much honor receiv'd to put it to the Vote but this was oppos'd by the Consuls and Caesar's Friends making some new proposals which did not carry the least appearance of unreasonableness were brow beaten by Cato and Antony himself commanded to leave the Senate by Consul Lentulus He gave them many a bitter â—â—rse at his going out and disguising himself in a Servants habit accompanied only with Quintus Cassius in a hired Chariot he went straight away to Caesar they no sooner arrived but great were the Complaints they made that affairs at Rome were transacted without any order or justice that the privilege of speaking in the Senate was deny'd the Tribunes and that he that asserted the Common right of the People was in imminent danger of his life Caesar took hold of this pretence to march his Army into Italy and upon this hint it was that Cicero writes in his Philippicks that Antony was as much the Cause of the Civil War as ever Helena was of the Trojan But this is but a surmise for Caesar was not of so weak a temper as to suffer himself to be carry'd away by a passion into a Civil War with his Country upon the sight of Antony and Cassius seeking refuge in his Camp in mean habit and a Hackney Chariot without ever having thought or taken his measures in an affair of so great consequence this was to him that wanted a pretence of declaring War a fair and equitable occasion but the true motive was the same that formerly set Alexander and Cyrus at odds with all Mankind the unquenchable thirst of Empire and the distracted Ambition of being the greatest Man in the World which was impracticable for him unless Pompey were reduc'd So soon then as he had surprized Rome and driven Pompey out of Italy he purpos'd first to go against the Legions that Pompey had in Spain and then to have a Fleet in readiness to attend his Motions leaving the mean while the Government of Rome to Lepidus the Praetor and the Command of the Army to Antony Tribune of the People who was not long in getting the hearts of his Soldiers eating and drinking himself with them and making them presents to the utmost of his abilities But on the other side he wanted not his Enemies he was too lazy to inform himself in the Complaints of the injur'd and was impatient in any thing of business and his Familiarity with other peoples Wives gave him an ill reputation In short the Government of Caesar which in it self was little better than Tyrannical was by the indiscretion and insolence of his Friends render'd insupportable And Antony as he had the greatest power in the Army so he committed the most notorious Insolencies and had much to answer for But Caesar at his return from Spain wink'd at his faults not thinking fit to disoblige a Souldier that could suffer all Fatigue was very brave of his person and an experienced Commander Caesar going aboard at Brundusium sailed over the Ionian Sea with a few Troops and sent back the Fleet with Orders to Antony and Gabinius to embark the Army and Land as soon as might be in Macedonia Gabinius having no mind to put to Sea and being apprehensive of the Winter-Season was forc'd to March his Army round about by Land but Antony being more afraid lest Caesar might suffer some great inconvenience from the number of his Enemies who press'd him hard beat back Libo who was at Anchor with a Fleet in the Mouth of the Haven of Brundusium having Mann'd out several small Pinnaces and other Boats with which he encompassed each Galley and made them retire gaining thus an occasion of putting aboard twenty thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse and so set out to Sea The Enemy having espied him made up to him but this Danger he escaped by reason that the South-Wind was so high that the Enemies Fleet was not able to live in so rough a Water but. withal he had like to have fallen upon a Ridge of Rocks where the Sea wrought so high that there was no hope of escaping Ship-wrack when all on a sudden the Wind turn'd about to South-west and blew from land to the main Sea where Antony sailing in security saw the Coast all covered with the Wreck of the Enemies Fleet for the Gallies of Pompey had been miserably toss'd up and down and many of them sunk he took many Prisoners and much Booty he took also the Town of Lyssus and by the seasonable arrival of so great Recruit gave heart to the Affairs of Caesar There was no Engagement in which he did not signalize himself twice he stopt the Army in its flight led them back to a Charge and gained the Victory that not without reason his Reputation next to Caesar's was greatest in the Army and what opinion Caesar himself had of him did well appear when Pharsalia was to determine who should be Emperour of the World he himself chose to lead the right Wing committing the charge of the left to Antony as to the most experienc'd Officer of all that serv'd under him After the Battel Caesar being created Dictator went in pursuit of Pompey and sent Antony to Rome with the Character of Tribune of the People who is in Office and Power next to the Dictator when present and in his absence rules in Chief For upon the Election of a Dictator all other Magistrates cease to exercise any Authority in Rome The young Dolabella who was also Tribune of the People at that time and a great promoter of new Projects was for enacting a Law to rescind the register'd Debts and would needs perswade Antony to joyn with him who was his Friend and forward enough to promote any thing that was agreeable to the generality of the People Asinius and Trebellius were of the contrary Opinion and at the same time a grievous Fit of Jealousie possessing Antony that Dolabella was kinder than he desired to his Wife and taking it to heart he parted with her she was his Cousin-German and Daughter to Caius Antonius the Colleague of Cicero and taking part with Asinius declared War with Dolabella who had seiz'd on the Market-place in order to give Authority by force to his new Law Antony by a special Command of the Senate who had authoriz'd him to oppose Dolabella's breaking into the Market-place gave him Battel in the Fight many were lost on both sides and by this action he did incurr the displeasure of the common People and by reason of his Course of Life was not only not agreeable but as Cicero says had in detestation by the better sort of
Barks of Trees and in passing over the Alpes they lived upon the Flesh of Beasts that man had never before tasted of his design was to joyn Lepidus who commanded the Army on t'other side the Alpes who he imagined would stand his sure Friend he having done him many kind Offices to Julius Caesar he encamped near Lepidus his Army but receiving from him no sort of encouragement was resolv'd to push his Fortune and venture all His hair was very long and disorder'd nor had he shaved his beard since his last defeat in this guise and a mourning Mantle flung over he came into the Trenches of Lepidus and began to Harangue the Army some were moved at his habit others at his words that Lepidus liking it not ordered the Trumpets to sound that he might be heard no longer This rais'd in the Soldiers a greater sense of pity so that they resolv'd to send and conferr with him and drest Laelius and Clodius in Womens Cloaths and sent them to Antony they advis'd him presently to attack Lepidus his Trenches assuring him that a strong party should receive him and if so he thought fit kill Lepidus But Antony would not suffer that any injury should be done him and next morning he marched his Army to pass over the little River that parted the two Camps he was the first that gain'd the other side of the River where he espy'd Lepidus his Soldiers in great numbers reaching out their hands to help him and beating down the works to make him way Being entred the Camp and finding himself absolute Master he treated Lepidus with great civility and gave him the title of Father when he spoke to him and though he had every thing at his own Command he left him the honour of being called the General This fair usage brought over to him Munatius Plancus who was not far off with a considerable Force Thus being very strong he repass'd the Alpes and led with him into Italy seventeen Legions and ten thousand Horse besides six Legions he left in Garrison under the Command of Varius one of his familiar Friends that used to debauch with him and was therefore surnamed Cotylon which signifies a bottle Caesar perceiving that Cicero's intention was to re-establish the State in its former liberty did soon quit that party and by the Mediation of his Friends came once more to a good understanding with Antony They both met together with Lepidus in a small Island where the Conference lasted three days The Empire of the World was soon determin'd of it being divided amongst them as if it had been their paternal Inheritance That which gave them all the trouble was to agree who should be put to death every one intending to destroy his Enemies and to save his Friends The thirst of being revenged of their Enemies did in the end take off all manner of desire to preserve their Friends and Caesar sacrific'd Cicero to Antony Antony his Uncle Lucius to Caesar and both of them did easily grant to Lepidus the Liberty to murther his own Brother Paulus though there are those that say it was required of him I do not believe any thing was ever heard of so barbarous as this Composition for in this exchange of blood for blood they did not only murder those that were offer'd up unto their Fury but them also that they abandon'd to the range of others This Agreement being made the Army desir'd it might be confirm'd by some Alliance of Marriage so that Caesar married Claudia the Daughter of Fulvia Wife to Antony This affair being dispatch'd three hundred more were adjudg'd to dye by proscription Antony had given order to those that were to kill Cicero to cut off his head and right hand with which he had writ his invectives against him when they were brought before him he beheld them with an inward satisfaction not being able to contain himself from often smiling at so horrid a spectacle when he had satiated himself with the sight of them he ordered them to be hung up in the Court where the usual pleadings were not considering that the affront he design'd to the memory of the dead redounded to his own disgrace who by this barbarous Action rendred himself unworthy of that power he exercis'd His Uncle Lucius being closely pursued had taken refuge in his Sisters Chamber who when the murderers had broke into her house and were pressing into her Chamber she met them at the door and holding them by the hands cry'd out several times Ye shall never kill Lucius Caesar till you first dispatch me me that gave your General his life and being and she order'd the matter so well that she sav'd her Brother This Triumvirate was very hateful to the Romans and Antony was most of all to blame for he was Elder than Caesar and had greater Authority than Lepidus and withal was no sooner settled in his affairs but he return'd to his debauch and dissolute way of living Beside the ill reputation he had gained by his intemperance it was very disadvantageous to him his living in the house of Pompey the Great a Man as much celebrated for his temperance and honesty as ever he was admir'd for having Triumphed three times They could not without regret see the doors of that house shut against the Magistrates and Foreign Ministers who were shamefully refus'd admittance while it was open to Players Juglers and devouring Flatterers upon whom he spent the greatest part of his ill acquired Riches for they did not only take the Forfeiture of the Estates of such as were proscribed defrauding the poor Widows and Orphans and lay impositions upon all manner of Goods but hearing that several summs of money were by as well Strangers as Citizens of Rome deposited in the hands of the Vestal Virgins they went and took the money away by force Caesar perceiving how extravagant Antony was in his Expences demanded a division to be made of the Revenues The Army was also divided upon their march into Macedonia to make War with Brutus and Cassius they leaving the Command of the City to Lepidus having pass'd the Sea they encamped nigh the Enemy Antony nigh Cassius and Caesar nigh Brutus Caesar did nothing worth relating but success and Victory did still wait on Antony In the first Battel Caesar was routed by Brutus all his Baggage taken and he himself very narrowly escaping by Flight but as he himself writes in his Memoirs he retir'd before the Charge by reason of a dream of one of his Friends Antony overcame Cassius but as some write he himself was not present at the Engagement but that he joyn'd them afterwards in the pursuit Cassius with earnest entreaty had perswaded his faithful Friend Pindarus not knowing any thing of Brutus his good Fortune to kill him Shortly after they fought another Battel in which Brutus lost the day and slew himself Caesar being sick Antony had the honour of the Action who finding Brutus his Body among the
Carriages were taken The next day having put the Baggage in order they marched back to the Camp before Phraata in the way meeting with some scattering Troops of the Enemy and as they marched further with greater Parties at length with the Body of the Enemies Army fresh and in good order who charg'd them and broke their Ranks that it was not without great difficulty that they reach'd the Camp There Antony finding that his men had in a great consternation deserted the defence of the Mount upon a Sally of the Medes resolved to proceed against them by decimation which is done by dividing the Legions by Tens and out of every Ten to put one to death as it happens by Lot and for them that escape they have instead of Wheat their proportion of Corn in Barley The War was now become grievous to both Parties but was more dreadful to Antony in respect that he was threatned with Famine for he could no longer forrage without great hazard and slaughter of his Men. And Phraortes on the other side who was not ignorant of the humour of his men did more than suspect that if the Romans did obstinately persist in their resolution of carrying on the Siege the Autumnal Equinox being past and the Rains threatning him he should be deserted by his Souldiers who would suffer any thing rather than wintering in open Field to prevent which he gave order to his chief Officers not to pursue the Romans too close when they met them forraging but to suffer them to carry off some Provision that they should praise their Valour and declare that it was not without just reason that their King look'd upon the Romans as the bravest men in the world and that they should upon opportunity of more familiar Discourse blame Antony for his obstinacy that whereas Phraortes desiring nothing more than Peace and an occasion to shew how ready he was to save the lives of so many brave Souldiers he on the contrary should defeat all his generous Designs and trust himself rather to Winter and Famine two Enemies that must of necessity destroy them though the Parthians should use all friendly endeavours to preserve them Antony having these Reports from many hands began to be in some hopes but he would not send any Ambassadors to the Parthian till he was informed by these kind Enemies whether what they said was of their own head or by order of their King receiving answer that this was the sence of their Master and new encouragement to believe them Antony sent some of his Friends to demand the Standards and Prisoners that were yet remaining in his hands since the defeat of Crassus lest if he should ask nothing he might be supposed to be too much overjoy'd with leave to make his retreat in quiet The Parthian King made answer That as for the Prisoners he need not trouble himself but if he thought fit to retreat he might do it when he pleas'd in peace and safety Some few days therefore being spent in ordering the Baggage he resolv'd upon his March and here it was that Antony the man in the world the fittest to harangue the Army finding himself oppress'd with shame and grief could not find in his heart to speak himself but employed Domitius Aenobarbus many of the Souldiers resented it as an undervaluing of them but the better sort saw the true cause and thought this rather an argument why they on their side should treat their General with more respect than ordinary Antony having resolved to return by the same way he came which was thro' a plain flat Country a certain Mardian came to him one that was very conversant with the Manners of the Parthians and whose fidelity to the Romans had been tried at the Battel where the Machines were lost and advis'd him to leave the Mountains on his right hand and not to expose his Men heavy armed in an open Country to the Assaults of a numerous Army of light Horse and Archers that Phraortes with fair promises had perswaded him from the Siege that he might with more ease cut him off in his Retreat but if so he pleased he would conduct him a nigher way where he should find the Necessaries for his Army in greater abundance Antony upon this began to consider what was best to be done he was unwilling to seem to have any Mistrust of the Parthians after their Treaty but being more desirous to march his Army the nighest and most convenient way he demanded of the Mardian some assurance of his Faith who offered himself to be bound until the Army came safe into Armenia Two days he conducted the Army bound and on the third when Antony little expected the Enemy but marched in no very good order the Mardian perceiving the Banks of a River broken down and the Water over-flowing the way by which they were to pass did imagine that this might be done by the Parthians to hinder their March and did therefore advise Antony to be upon his Guard for that the Enemy was nigh and no sooner had he put his men in order disposing of the Slingers in the Front to make the on-set but the Parthians came pouring upon them thinking to encompass the Army they were receiv'd by the light Horse which were sore gall'd by their Javelins but they themselves being warmly entertain'd and many wounded made their retreat but soon after rallying up afresh they were beat back by a Battalion of Gallick Horse and appear'd no more that day By their manner of Attack Antony being instructed what to do did not only place the slings and javelins in the Front but lin'd both the wings with the same and so march'd in a square Battel giving order to the Horse to charge and beat off the Enemy but not to follow them too far as they retir'd So that the Parthians not doing much more Mischief for the four ensuing days than they receiv'd began to abate in their heat and complaining that the Winter-Season was much advanc'd press'd for returning home On the fifth Day Flavius Gallus a brave Officer who had a considerable Command in the Army came to Antony desiring of him some Troops of light Horse out of the Rear and some other Horse out of the front with the which he would undertake to do some considerable service Which when he had obtain'd he beat the Enemy back not retiring as was usual to the Gross of the Army but making his ground good and pressing on with great obstinacy the Officers who commanded in the Rear of this Detachment perceiving how far he had got from the Body of the Army sent to warn him back but he took no notice of them 'T is said that Titius the Questor snatch'd the Colours and retreated telling Gallus that he did very ill to lead so many brave men on to certain destruction he on the other side reviling him again and commanding the men that were about him to stand firm Titius made his retreat
advance any further the Army marching very leisurely they at last came in sight of the River where Antony upon the Banks drew up the Horse in a posture to receive and oppose the Enemy and to favour the passage of his Army o'er the River he first past over the sick and wounded and then all the rest those that were left drawn up on th' other side had leisure to drink at their ease for the Parthians being now come to the River which was to be the bounds of their pursuit unbent their bows and told the Romans they might pass over freely and made them great complements in praise of their valour and conduct At length the Horse pass over too without being in the least molested by the enemy and when they were on the other side the river they drank their fill as the others had done before and joyn'd the rest of the Army not giving any credit to the fair words of their deceitful enemies It was six days after the last skirmish that they arrived at the River Araxes which divides Media and Armenia and seemed both by its deepness and the violence of the current to be very dangerous in passing and a report had crept in amongst them that the Enemy was in ambush ready to set upon them as soon as they should be amus'd in their passage But when they were got over on the other side and found themselves in Armenia just as if they were come into harbour after a tempest they worship'd the Land and shedding tears for joy every one embraced his friend but taking their journey through a Land that abounded in all sorts of plenty and having suffer'd great want they eat with that excess of every thing they met that they fell into Dropsies and Dysenteries Here Antony making a review of his Army found that he had lost twenty thousand Foot and four thousand Horse of which the better half perished not by the Enemy but by Diseases their march was of twenty seven days from Phraata in which the Parthians were worsted in eighteen Battels by which it is manifest that Artuasdes was the cause why Antony could not bring this War to a happy end for had the sixteen thousand Median Horse skilful in the Discipline of the Parthians and accustomed to their manner of fight been present the Romans having put them once to flight and the pursuit left to the Medians it is impossible they could have rallied after their defeat and appear again as they did in a posture to receive the Enemy for which reason the whole Army was very earnest with Antony to march into Armenia but he taking advice of his necessities did not upbraid him with his dissertion nor in the least abate of the usual civility with which he was wont to treat him for he found the Army wearied out and in want of all manner of necessaries but upon another occasion coming into Armenia with invitations and fair promises he prevail'd with Artuasdes to meet him where he seized him bound him and carried him to Alexandria there to be led in triumph by which he very much offended the Romans in that he carried into Egypt the triumphal Ornaments due unto his Country only to ingratiate himself with Cleopatra But these matters happen'd afterwards For the present marching his Army in great haste in the depth of Winter through continual storms of Snow he lost eight thousand of his Men and came very ill accompany'd to a place called Leucocome situated betwixt Sydon and Beryte nigh the Sea side where he sate down in expectation of Cleopatra and being impatient of the delay she made he bethought himself of short'ning the time in drink and debauchery and not being able to endure the tediousness of a Meal he would start from Table and run to see if she were coming and this lasted till she came into Port. She brought with her Cloaths and Money for the Soldiers Some say that Antony having received the Cloaths of her distributed his own Money in her name About this time a difference happen'd 'twixt the King of Media and Phraortes King of Parthia about division of the booty that was taken from the Romans which caused great apprehension in the Median least he should lose his Kingdom he sent therefore Ambassadors to Antony with offers of entring into a confederat War against Phraortes which gave Antony great hopes of obtaining his desire seeing that by this means he should have such horse as was necessary to reduce the Parthians and upon this consideration he return'd into Armenia and joyning the King of Media nigh Araxes they began the War Octavia having a desire to see Antony easily obtained leave of Caesar not so much to gratifie her humour as to find a good pretence to begin the War upon her ill reception She no sooner arrived at Athens but in Letters from Antony she understood his new expedition and his will that she should attend him there though she were much displeas'd not being ignorant of the ground of this usage yet she writ to him to know to what place he would be pleas'd she should send the things she had brought with her for his use for she brought cloaths for his Soldiers many horses money and presents for his Friends and Officers and two thousand chosen Soldiers well arm'd to recruit the Praetorian Cohorts This Message brought Niger from Octavia to Antony in the relation speaking much of her praise insisting much upon her merit Cleopatra being inform'd that Octavia was coming and fearing least that her easiness of behaviour and observance of Antony's humour joyn'd with her discretion and powerful alliance should render her charms irresistible she betook her self to die for love of Antony bringing her body down with a slender opening Diet when he entred the room she fix'd her eyes upon him in a rapture and when he took his leave she never fail'd to swound when she design'd to cry she would turn about and wipe her eyes as being unwilling to let him know the greatness of her concern all this was acting while he prepar'd for Media and Cleopatra's Creatures that were to help forward the design upbraided Antony with his insensibility who could basely see a Lady perish whose soul depended upon him and him alone they added that it was true Octavia was his Wife and did enjoy that honourable Title because it was found convenient for the Affairs of her Brother that it should be so but Cleopatra the soveraign Queen of many Nations must be contented with the name of his Mistress nor did she shun or despise the character whilst she might see him whilst she might live with him and enjoy him if she were bereav'd of this she would not survive the loss Antony was so well perswaded that Cleopatra must die if he forsook her that he put off all thoughts of the War and return'd to Alexandria deferring his Median expedition till next Summer though he were inform'd of great seditions among
sent Cleopatra into Egypt and staid himself in a very solitary condition having no Company but two of his familiar friends the one Aristocraces a Grecian the other Lucilius a Roman We have already spoken of the last in the life of Brutus and how that to give him leisure to escape at the Battel of Philippi he suffer'd himself to be taken pretending to be Brutus Antony gâ—ve him his Life and he remained firm to him to his last day To add to the afflictions of Antony he understood that he who commanded for him in Libya to whose care he had committed all the Troops of that Country was gone over to Caesar there he had a great mind to kill himself but was hindred by his friends and coming to Alexandria he found Cleopatra busied in a most prodigious enterprise There is but a small space of Land which divides the Red Sea from the Mediterranean which also separates Asia from Africk and in the narrowest place is not much above thirty six miles over Cleopatra had formed a project of dragging her Gallies over this Neck of Land and of setting them on Float in the Red-Sea with all her riches aboard to seek some remote Country where she might live in peace secure from War and Slavery But the first Gallies which were carried over being burnt by the Arabians of Petra and Antony not knowing but that the Army before Actium stood yet firm she desisted from her enterprise and gave orders for the fortifying all the avenues of her Kingdom but Antony leaving the City and the conversation of his friends built him a house nigh Pharos upon a little Mount which he had cast up in the Sea and there secluding himself from the company of mankind he resolved to imitate the life of Timon because he had received the same hard usage and that for the ingratitude and injuries which he suffer'd from those he had obliged and esteemed his friends he would hate and mistrust all Mankind This Timon was a Citizen of Athens and lived in the time of the Peloponnesian War as may be seen by the Comedies of Aristophanes and Plato in which he is lashed as the hater and enemy of mankind This Man having a long time avoided and despised the converse of every Body and meeting Alcibiades a bold young Gentleman he civilly saluted him and embraced him Apemantus was astonish'd and demanding the reason Oh says Timon you cannot imagine what mischief this young Man will one day do the Athenians He never admitted any one into his Company but this Apemantus who was much of the same humour and a zealous imitator of his way of Life At the celebration of the Feasts for the Dead these two were eating together and Apemantus saying to him Oh Timon this is a pleasant Feast It would be so he answer'd if thou wert away One day he got up in a full Assembly into the Pulpit and a great silence being made by reason of so unusual a sight he began his Speech which was thus Ye Men of Athens I have a little Court-yard and in it grows a Fig-Tree on which many of your Citizens have been pleas'd to hang themselves and now having resolved to build in that place I could not omit the making publick Declaration of my design least I should prejudice any one by cutting down my Tree that has a mind to hang himself He died and was buried at Hales nigh the Sea which swells in that place and flowing round his Monument makes it inaccessible the Monument had this inscription The wretches heart who here does lie Did burst with grief and misery Ask him not his name to tell But God confound ye all farewel And this Epitaph was made by himself while yet alive that which is usually reported to be his was made by Callimachus Here Timon lies who hated man begon Curse mortal curse again but pray march on Thus much of Timon of whom much more might be said Canidius brought Antony word of the loss of his Army which was before Actium then he received news that Herod of Judea was gone over to Caesar with very considerable Troops that several great Commanders had deserted him and that his interest was quite ruin'd every where All this did not in the least move him but quitting all hope that he might be rid of all care and leaving his habitation by the Sea which he call'd the Timonium he was received by Cleopatra in the Palace and the whole City was diverted by him with feasting drinking and presents The Son of Caesar and Cleopatra was registred among the youths and Antyllas his own Son by Fulvia received the Gown without the purple border which was given to them that are come of age so that the Citizens of Alexandria did nothing but feast and revel for many days they broke up the order of the inimitable Livers and constituted another in its place nothing inferior to the former in splendor and luxury and called it the Diers together for all those that would die with Antony and Cleopatra gave in their Names passing their time in all manner of pleasures and treating one another by turns But Cleopatra was busied in making a collection of all manner of poysonous drugs and desirous to know which of them were the least painful in the Operation she sent them to be tried upon such as were condemn'd to die but finding that those poisons that had a quick effect caused sharp pains and great convulsions and that the milder were so very long a working she set her self to the examination of venomous Creatures applying one sort to one Body and another to others and this was her daily practice still finding that nothing was comparable to the bite of the Asp which without the least convulsion or groaning caused a great heaviness in the head and desire of sleep with a gentle sweat all o'er the Face the senses being stupify'd by degrees the patient in appearance being sensible of no pain but rather troubled to be disturb'd or awaken'd like those that are in a profound natural sleep They both sent Ambassadors to Caesar into Asia Cleopatra petition'd for the Kingdom of Egypt for her Children and Antony that he might have leave to live a private Man in Egypt and if that were thought too much that he might retire to Athens for want of friends so many having deserted and the remainder not deserving to be trusted Euphronius his Son's Tutor was sent of this Embassie For Alexas of Laodicea who by the recommendation of Timagenes came acquainted with Antony at Rome and had the greatest power over him of any of the Grecians and was of all the insinuating Spirits which Cleopatra made use of to perswade Antony the most successful and the only Man that could oppose Octavia's Counsels was sent to Herod to keep that King from desertion but he betraying his Master staid with him and confiding in Herod's interest had the impudence to come into Caesar's presence
for his own expences it was much wondred that he took neither Fees nor Gifts from his Clients more especially that he did it not when he undertook the prosecution of Verres This Verres who had been Pretor of Sicily and stood charged by the Sicilians of many evil practices during his Government there Cicero caused to be condemned not by speaking but in a manner by holding his Tongue For the Judges favouring Verres had deferr'd the Tryal by several Adjournments to the last day in which it was evident there could not be sufficient time for the Advocates to be heard nor to bring the Cause to an Issue Cicero steps up and said there was no need of Speeches and therefore producing and examining Witnesses he required the Judges to proceed to Sentence And yet there are many pleasant things said to be spoken by Cicero in this Cause As when an emancipated Slave by Name Cecilius suspected of the Jewish Religion would have put by the Sicilians and undertaken the prosecution of Verres himself Cicero said but what has a Jew to do with Swines Flesh For the Romans call a gelt Pig Verres Verres reproaching Cicero for Effeminacy he reply'd you should have given this reproach within your own doors to your Children for Verres had a Son a pretty grown Boy who was supposed basely to prostitute his Beauty Hortensius the Orator not daring directly to undertake the defence of Verres was yet perswaded to appear for him at the laying on of the Fine and received an Ivory Sphynx for his reward Cicero in some passage of his Speech obliquely reflecting on him Hortensius told him he was not skillful in solving Riddles no says Cicero and yet you have a Sphynx at home Verres being thus condemned and Cicero setting the Fine but at Seventy five Myriads he lay under the suspicion of being corrupted by Bribery to lessen the Summ. But yet the Sicilians in Testimony of their Gratitude sent and brought him many presents from that Isle when he was Aedilis of which he made no private Gain for himself but rather made use of their Generosity to bring down the Price of Victual He had a very pleasant Seat at Arpinum he had also a Farm near Neapolis and another about Pompeii but neither of any great value The Portion of his Wife Terentia amounted to Twelve Myriads and his own Inheritance was computed to Nine Myriads of Denarii of this he lived freely and temperately with the learned Greeks and Romans that were his Familiars He rarely if at any time sat down to Meat till Sun-set and that not so much for Business as for his Health and the Weakness of his Stomach He was otherwise in the care of his Body nice and delicate as by using himself to a set number of Walks and Rubbings and after this manner managing the habit of his Body he brought it in time to be healthful and able to endure great fatigue and labour He made over his paternal Seat to his Brother but he himself dwelt near Mount Palatine that he might not give the trouble of long Journeys to those that made suit to him and indeed there were not fewer daily appearing at his Door to do their Court to him than did to Crassus for his Riches or to Pompey for his power amongst the Soldiers the most admired and greatest Men of Rome of that time Yea Pompey himself paid observance to Cicero and Cicero's Power in the Common-wealth conferr'd much to the encrease of the Authority and Glory of Pompey When many and great Competitors stood with him for the Pretor's Office he was chosen before them all and managed the Decision of Causes with Justice and Integrity It is reported that Licinius Macer a Man of himself of great power in the City and supported also by the assistance of Crassus was accused before him of extortion and that in confidence of his own Interest and the diligence of Friends whilst the Judges were debating about the Sentence he went to his own House where hastily trimming himself and putting on a White Gown as already acquitted he returned again towards the Court but Crassus meeting him in the Porch and telling him that he was condemned by general Suffrage he went home threw himself upon his Bed and died immediately This Sentence gave Reputation to Cicero for his dexterity in over-ruling the Bench. When Vatinius one of a rough Nature insolent at the Bar to the Judges having his Neck swoln with scrophulous humours stood before the Tribunal of Cicero 〈…〉 d asking something which he denied and desired longer time to consider of had said he would not have disputed this had he been Pretor Cicero turning towards him replied but I have not so large and stiff a Neck as you have When there were but two or three Days remaining in his Office Manilius was brought before him and charged with Extortion Now this Manilius had the good opinion and favour of the Common People and was thought to be prosecuted only for Pompey's sake whose particular Friend he was and therefore when he had asked a set time for his Tryal and Cicero had allowed him but one Day and that the next only the common People grew highly offended because it had been the custom of the Pretors to allow Ten Days at least to the Accused when the Tribunes of the People having called him to the Bar and accusing him of an unusual Practice he desiring to be heard said that as he had always used the Accused with Equity and Humanity as far as the Law allowed so he thought it hard to deny the same to Manilius and that he had studiously appointed that day of which only as Pretor he was Master and that it was not the part of those that were desirous to help him to cast the judgment of his Cause upon another Pretor These things being said made a wonderful change in the People and commending him much for it they desired that he himself would undertake the defence of Manilius which he willingly consented to and that principally for the sake of Pompey who was absent and therefore stepping up again he made an Oration of the whole Matter from the beginning briskly reflecting upon the Factious and the Enemies of Pompey Yet he was preferr'd to the Consulship no less by the Nobless than the common People for the good of the City and both parties joyntly assisted his promotion upon this account The change of Government made by Sylla which at first seem'd intolerable by time and usage did now appear to the People no ill way of settlement there were indeed some that endeavoured to alter and subvert the present State of Affairs but more for their own private gain than publick good Pompey being at this time employ'd in Wars with the Kings of Pontus and Armenia there wanted sufficient force at Rome to suppress those that affected change in the Commonwealth These had for their Head a Man of a bold
was in an uproar at what had happen'd and the streets were full of People running up and down and many lights were hung out both below in the Town and above in the Castle and a confused noise was to be heard in all parts In the mean time Aratus laboured to get up the Rocks at first slowly and with much difficulty having lost the Path which lay deep and was overshaddow'd with Craggs leading to the wall with many windings and turnings but the Moon immediately and by miracle as is said dispersing the Clouds gave light to the most difficult part of the way till he got to that part of the wall he desired and there she overshadow'd and hid him the Clouds coming together again Now those Soldiers which Aratus had left without the gate near Juno's Temple to the number of three hundred entring the Town full of tumult and lights and missing the way by which the former had gone finding no track of them were very much affraid shrowding themselves under the shady side of a Rock and there they stood being in great distress and perplexity For now Aratus Soldiers being ingag'd with those of the Garrison a warlike cry descended and a confus'd noise was heard ecchoing on all hands by reason of the refraction from the mountains and therefore uncertain whence it first proceeded Being thus in doubt which way to turn themselves Archelaus Captain of Antigonus's men having a great number of Soldiers with him made up towards the Castle with great shouts and the noise of Trumpets to fall upon Aratus's People and pass'd by the three hundred who as if they had rose out of an ambush immediately charged him killing the first they encountred and so affrighted the rest together with Archelaus that they put them to flight and pursued them till they had quite broke and dispersed them about the City No sooner were these defeated but Erginus came to them from those that were fighting above to acquaint them that Aratus was ingaged with the Enemy that defended themselves very stoutly and fought bravely for the wall so that he stood in need of speedy help They therefore desir'd him to lead them on without delay and marching up they by their shouts made their Friends understand who they were and incourag'd them now the full Moon shining on their harness made them at a distance appear more in number to the Enemy than they were And the Eccho of the night multiply'd their shouts in short falling on with the rest they made the Enemy give way and by break of day were Masters of the Castle and Garrison so that the rising Sun gave lustre to their Exploit By this time the rest of the Army came up to Aratus from Sicyon the Corinthians joyfully receiving them at their Gates helping them to secure the rest of the Kings party and now having put all things into a safe posture he came down from the Castle to the Theater an infinite number of People crowding thither to see him and to hear what he would say to the Corinthians Wherefore drawing up the Achaeans on each side the entrance of the Theater he appeared armed as he was from behind the Scenes his countenance much altered by reason of his toyle and watching so that the natural spiritedness and gayety of his temper was overborn and depressed by the weariness of his body The People as soon as he came forth breaking out into great applauses and congratulations he took his Spear in his right hand and resting his knee a little bent and his body against it stood a good while in that posture silently receiving the shouts and acclamations of those that extoll'd his valour and admir'd his fortune which being over standing upright he began an Oration in the name of the Achaeans suitable to the late Action persuading the Corinthians to associate themselves to the Achaeans and withal deliver'd up to them the Keys of their gates which had never been in their power since the time of King Philip and for Antigonus's Captains he dismissed Archelaus whom he had taken prisoner Theophrastus refusing quarter he caused to be slain and for Persaeus when he saw the Castle was lost he got away to Cenchreae Where some time after discoursing with one that said to him that in his opinion none but a wise Philosopher was fit to be a General he reply'd The Gods know that none of Zeno ' s maxims once pleased me better than this but now I am quite of another mind convinc'd by that Sicyonian youth This is by many related of Perseus But Aratus presently after made himself master of the Temple of Juno and haven of Lechaeum seis'd upon five and twenty of the King's ships together with five hundred horses and four hundred Syrian slaves which he sold The Achaeans also put a Garrison of four hundred Soldiers fifty Dogs with as many Keepers into Acro-Corinthus Now the Romans extolling Philopaemen called him the last of the Grecians as if no great man had ever since his time been bred amongst them but I may well say that this was the last of the Grecian exploits being comparable to the best of them both for the daringness of it and the success as the consequences declar'd for the Megarians revolting from Antigonus took part with Aratus and the Traezenians and Epidaurians ingrafted themselves into the Achaean Community His first inroad was into Attica and passing over into Salamis he plunder'd the Island turning the Achaean force every way as now let loose and set at liberty Those Prisoners that were Freemen he sent home to Athens without ransome inciting them thereby to throw off their fetters he made Ptolomy to become a Confederate of the Achaeans and their General both by Sea and Land and so great was his power with them that since he could not by Law be chosen their General every year yet every other year he was and by his counsels and actions was in effect always so For they perceived that neither riches nor reputation not the friendship of Kings nor the private int'rest of his own Country nor any other thing else was so dear to him as the increase of the Achaean power and greatness For he believ'd that small Cities could be preserv'd by nothing else but a continual and combin'd force united by the bond of common int'rest and as the members of the body live and breath by their mutual communication and connexion and when once separated pine away and putrifie in the same manner are Cities ruin'd by being dismembred from one another as well as preserv'd when link'd together into one great body they enjoy the benefit of that Providence and Counsel that governs the whole Now being troubled within himself that whereas the chief neighbouring Cities injoy'd their own Laws and Liberties the Argives alone should be in Bondage he resolv'd to dispatch their Tyrant Aristomacus being very desirous both to shew his gratitude to the City where
Parysatis hating Statira and being naturally implicable and savage in her anger and revenge she consulted how she might destroy her But since Dinon has left it upon Record that her bloody project took effect in the time of War and Ctesias after it I shall not quarrel the Chronology of the latter it being very unlikely that he who was a Spectator of the whole Scene of affairs should not know where to fix the Aera of one so considerable Nor indeed had he any cause designedly to misplace its date in his Narrative of it though in his History upon other occasions he frequently makes excursions from truth to meer Fiction and Romance Now as Cyrus was upon the march towards the Court tidings were brought him as though the King did deliberate about it and were not in haste to fight and presently to joyn battle with him but to wait in the heart of his Kingdom till there should be a general confluence of his Forces thither from all parts of his Dominions And to convince him of this news he had cast a Trench in his way ten fadoms in breadth and as many in depth the length of it being no less than four hundred furlongs Nor did he regard Cyrus after he had pass'd over it being within that place for which it was made a fence till he had advanc'd almost to the City of Babylon Then Tiribazus as the report goes being the first that was so hardy to tell his Majesty that he ought not to defer the conflict nor quitting Medea Babylon and Susa poorly to skulk in Persea as having an Army far more numerous than his Enemies and an infinite Company both of Nobles and Captains that were greater Soldiers and Politicians than Cyrus himself he resolv'd to begin the fight as soon as 't was possible for him Thereupon at first and in an instant appearing gloriously at the head of nine hundred thousand well marshall'd men he so startl'd and surpris'd the Rebels who with a boldness equal to their contempt march'd against him neither in order nor well arm'd that Cyrus with much noise and tumult was scarce able to range and compose them Then the King leading on his men silently and by leisure made the Grecians stand amaz'd at his good discipline who expected irregular shouting and leaping a huge confusion and distraction in so infinite a multitude as that was He also wisely plac'd the choice of his armed Chariots in the Front of his own Phalanx over against the Grecian Troops that by the fierceness of their onset they might cut down their ranks before they clos'd with them But forasmuch as this battle hath been describ'd by many Historians and particularly by Xenophon who represents it to the eye by pointing at things not as tho' past but present and by his lively draught of it engages his hearer when recited in a seeming concern and danger it would be folly in me to give any larger account of it then barely to mention those things which he has omitted and yet deserve to be recorded The place then in which the two Armies were drawn out for the fight was call'd Cunaxa being about five hundred furlongs distant from Babylon where Clearchus beseeching Cyrus before the dispute to retire behind the Battalion of Macedonians and not expose himself to hazard for his honour they say he thus replied What strange advice is this Clearchus Would you have me who aspire to the Empire appear to all these unworthy of it But as Cyrus's offence was in rushing headlong into the midst of dangers and not keeping aloof from what threatned him with ruine so Clearchus was as much too blame if not more who refus'd with his men to confront the main body of the Enemy where the King stood and joyn'd his right wing to the River for fear he should be surrounded For aiming altogether at safety and desiring nothing but to sleep in a whole Skin it had been his best way not to have stirred from home But he having come armed a vast distance from the Sea-coast no other thing inducing him to it but that he might settle Cyrus in the Imperial Throne and yet afterwards looking out for a Place and Station wherein he took footing not that he might preserve him under whose pay and conduct he was but that he might himself engage with more ease and security seem'd much like one that through fear of present dangers had quitted the consideration of his all at stake and been false to the design of his expedition For it is evident from the very event of the battle that none of those who were in array round the Kings person were able to stand the Shock of the Grecians Charge and had they been beaten out of the Field and Artaxerxes either fled or fallen that Cyrus by his conquest had purchas'd not only safety but a Crown And therefore Clearchus is more to be condemned for his caution which was manifestly the destruction of the Life and Fortune of Cyrus than he could be for his heat and rashness For had the King made it his business to discover a place where having posted the Grecians he might incounter them with the least hazard he would never have found out any other but that which was most remote from himself and those near him from whence when he was routed he was insensible of it and tho' Clearchus had the Victory yet Cyrus being ignorant of it made no advantage of it before his fall Yet he knew well enough what was expedient to be done and accordingly commanded Clearchus with his men to stand in the middle of his Forces Who when he had reply'd that it should be as well manag'd as possible afterwards spoiled all For the Grecians where they were hew'd down the Barbarians till they were weary and chas'd them successfully a very great way But Cyrus being mounted upon a fierce head-strong and unlucky Horse as Ctesias says call'd Pasacas Artagerses the Leader of the Cadusians galloped up to him crying aloud O thou most unjust and senseless wretch who art a reproach to that most August and Honourable Name among the Perseans Cyrus thou art come leading on the renowned Grecians in an ominous Voyage to the plunder of thy Countrymen Thou fondly hopest too unnatural Traitour as thou art to destroy thy Sovereign and Brother who as thou shalt soon experimentally perceive is master of ten thousand times ten thousand better men than thou art For thou shalt certainly here lose thy head before thou seest the face of our King which when he had said he cast his Javelin at him But his Coat of male stoutly repelled it and Cyrus was not wounded yet the stroke falling heavy upon him he reel'd upon his Steed Then Artagerses turning his Horse Cyrus luckily threw a Dart and struck the point of it through his neck near the Shoulder-bone So that thereupon it is indeed almost universally own'd that Artagerses was slain by him Now as to the death
of Cyrus since Xenophon as being himself no eye-witness of it toucheth upon it but lightly and in few words it may not be amiss perhaps to run over on the one hand what Dinon and on the other what Ctesias has said of it Dinon then affirms that the death of Artagerses Cyrus having violently attack'd the Vanguard of Artaxerxes wounded his horse and so was he dismounted and when Tiribazus had soon lifted him up upon another and said to him my Liege remember this day which ought not to be forgotten that Cyrus again spurring up his horse struck down Artaxerxes But at the third assault the King being enrag'd and saying to those near him that death was more eligible than such insolence he made up to Cyrus who madly and blindly rush'd upon the Spears of the Enemy So the King struck him with his javelin as likewise did all those that were round about him And thus Cyrus falls as some say by the hand of the King as others by the Dart of a Carian whom Artaxerxes for a reward of that his atchievment did the honour to set him ever after bear a Golden Cock upon his Spear before the first rank of his Army For the Persians call those of Caria Cocks by reason of the Crests with which they adorn their Helmets But the account of Ctesias that I may draw in little what he has branch'd out at large is thus as follows Cyrus after the slaughter of Artagerses rode up fiercely against the King as he did against him not either exchanged a word with the other But Arieus Cyrus's confident darted first at the King yet wounded him not Then the King let fly a Dart at his Brother but miss'd him though he both hit and slew Tisaphernes a man truly generous and devoted to the interest of Cyrus who having directed his Lance with a surer hand against the King pierced his breast with it quite through his Armour two inches deep so that he tumbled with this stroke upon the Earth At which those that attended him being put to flight and disorder he rising with a few among whom was Ctesias and recovering a little Hill not far off rested himself But Cyrus's horse being high-mettled carry'd him a great way into the midst of his Enemies the approaching night making it hard for them to know him or his followers to find him However being made fierce with conquest being withal naturally bold and violent he pass'd thro' them crying out and that more than once in the Persian Language submit your selves poor men submit which they indeed did throwing themselves down at his feet Then his Tiara which kind of Hat none but Princes of the blood or Generals wore dropt off his head and a lusty young Persian by name Mythridates rnnning by and not knowing who he was with a Dart pierced one of his Temples near his Eye out of which wound much blood gush'd so that Cyrus swooning and senseless fell off his horse which stragling ran away from him But Mithridates's Mate gather'd up the Caparison of his horse and his Cap that had slipt off all dyed with Gore Then some few Eunuchs that were with him being by reason of that stroak scarcely and with much difficulty come to himself endeavour'd to mount him upon another horse and so to convey him safe away Now because he was not able to ride nor to walk without great toil by himself they led and supported him being indeed in body vertiginous and reeling but heal'd in his mind by the comfortable thoughts of his Victory whilest he hears the vanquistt salute the King and shew to their Lord and Master Cyrus for Grace and Mercy In the mean time some wretched and indigent Caunians who upon the account of some vile employments follow'd the Royal standard were by chance joyn'd with those attendants of Cyrus supposing them to be of their own party But as soon as they discover'd their red coats when all the Loyal Subjects wore white ones they knew that they were Enemies One therefore of them not dreaming that it was Cyrus ventur'd to strike him behind with his Spear So Cyrus being ham-string'd and falling he did at the same time dash his wounded Temple against a Stone and dy'd Thus runs Ctesias account wherein methinks he as it were with a dull knife saws him to death and has much ado to shut up the Tragedy As he now lay dead Artosyras his Majesties Intelligencer it seems passed by on horse-back and having observ'd the Eunuchs of Cyrus dolefully deploring his Fate he ask't Pariscas the most trusty of them saying whom dost thou sit by here Lamenting He reply'd do not you see O! Artosyras that it is my master Cyrus Then Artosyras wondring bid the Eunuch be of good Chear and keep the dead Body safe So going in all haste to Artaxerxes who now dispaired of the success of his affairs and was highly indispos'd both by his drowth and wound he with much joy assur'd him that he had seen Cyrus dead Thereupon he presently desir'd in person to go to the place and commanded Artosyras to conduct him where he lay Yet seeing there was a great noise made about the Grecians and that they were become formidable as being said to be in Chace of their Enemies and to conquer and carry all before them he thought fit to send out no less than thirty men with Torches in their hands to inquire more fully into the truth of the matter In the interim there being in appearance but a few steps between him and death by reason of his thirst his Enunch Satibarzanes ran about seeking out drink for him For the place had no water in it and he was then at a good distance from his Camp After a long search he at last luckily met with one of those poor Caunian Slaves who had in a nasty leathern Bottle about four pints of base stinking water which he took and bare and gave it to the King which when he had drunk all off Satibarzanes ask't him if he did not altogether loath that nauseous draught but he swore by all he thought Sacred that he never drank wine with such a gust nor water though out of the swiftest or purest Stream And therefore says he if after a hearty desire to reward him who gave thee this I shall not have opportunity to do it I humbly beg of Heaven to make him rich and prosperous No sooner had he said this but his thirty Scouts arriv'd with joy and triumph in their looks bringing him the tidings of his unexpected fortune And now he was encouraged by the great number and confluence of his Soldiers that flockt to him and he descended into the plain with many lights and flambeaus round about him As soon as he came near the dead Traitour and according to a certain law of the Persians his right hand and head were lopt off from his body he gave a strict charge that the latter should be brought to him and
as their Lord. For Fear and Force a great Navy and standing Army of ten thousand Mercenary Soldiers are not as his Father said the Adamantine Chains which secure the Regal Power but the love and affection of Subjects to their Prince endeared to him by his Clemency and Justice which tho' they seem more pliant than the stiff and hard bonds of Severity are nevertheless the strongest and most durable Tyes to fix and establish a settled and lasting Empire Moreover it is mean and dishonourable that a Prince glorious in his Equipage splendid in the Gallantry and Magnificence of his Court should not at all excell a Peasant in Discourse and Conversation nor have his princely Mind accomplished as well as Body adorned according to his Royal Dignity Dion frequently entertaining the King upon this Subject and as occasion offered repeating some of the Philosophers Learned Arguments Dionysius grew impatiently desirous to have Plato's Company and to hear him discourse Forthwith therefore he sent divers Letters to him to Athens to which Dion added his entreaties also several Philosophers of the Pythagorean Sect from Italy perswaded him to come and manage the plyable Youth of the King and by his grave and serious Advice restrain the unstable and desultory efforts of his new-acquired Power and Grandeur Plato as he says of himself being ashamed to seem busie only in words and sloathful in Action hoping withal that if he could work a Cure upon one Man the Head and Guide of the rest he might remedy the Distempers of the whole Kingdom of Sicily yielded to their Requests But Dion's Enemies fearing an alteration in Dionysius perswaded him to recall from Banishment one Philistus a Learned Man and very skilful in Tyrannical Policy whom they designed to set in opposition to Plato and his Philosophy For Philistus from the beginning was a great instrument to promote the Tyranny and being Governour of the Castle kept it a long time for that Faction There was a report that he had to do with the Mother of Dionysius the First and that he was not altogether ignorant of it But Leptimes having two Daughters by a married Woman whom he had Debauched gave one of them in marriage to Philistus without acquainting the King who being enraged put Leptimes's Mistress in Prison and Banished Philistus the Kingdom Whereupon he fled to some of his Friends at Adria in which retirement and leisure 't is probable he writ the greatest part of his History for he returned not into his Country during the Reign of that Dionysius But after his Death as is before related Dion's Enemies occasioned him to be recalled Home as fitter for their purpose and a firm Friend to the Arbitrary Government which he immediately upon his return endeavoured to abett and at the same time divers Calumnies and Accusations against Dion were by others brought to the King as that he held Correspondence with Theodotes and Heraclides to subvert the Monarchy for indeed 't is likely he had hopes by the coming of Plato to take off the unlimitted Power of Dionysius and make him more moderate and equitable in his Authority but if he continued averse to that and were not to be reclaimed he resolved to depose him and restore the Common-wealth to the Syracusians not that he approved a Democracy or Popular Government but thought it preferrable to a Tyranny when a good Aristocracy or Regency of the Grandees could not be procured This was the state of Affairs when Plato came into Sicily who at his first arrival was received with wonderful demonstration of Kindness and Respect for one of the Kings richest Chariots waited upon him when he came on shore Dionysius himself sacrificed to the Gods in thankful acknowledgment for the great happiness which had befel his Kingdom The Citizens also entertained marvellous hopes of a speedy and thorough Reformation For that at Court they observed a modest Decorum in their Feastings a grave composure in their Behaviour and the King himself returned kind and obliging Answers to all Petitions and Causes that came before him Men were generally grown very desirous of Learning and eagerly intent upon the study of Philosophy insomuch that the very Palace as 't is reported was covered with dust by the numerous Concourse of the Students in the Mathematicks that resorted thither Not long after at a Solemn Sacrifice in the Castle according to the Custom of the Country when the Priest as he was wont prayed for the long continuance of the present Government Dionysius standing by was heard to say What will you never leave off cursing me This sensibly vext Philistus and his Party who conjectured that if Plato by so little acquaintance had thus transformed and altered the young King's mind consequently by longer converse and greater intimacy he would get such Power and Authority that it would be impossible to withstand him They did therefore no longer privately and apart but joyntly and in publick all of them rail at Dion noising it about that he manifestly charmed and bewitched Dionysius by Plato's Sophistry to the end that when he was persuaded voluntarily to part with the Regency and throw off his Authority Dion might take it up and settle it upon his Sister Aristomache's Children Others seemed to take it in great scorn that the Athenians who formerly arrived in Sicily with a great Fleet and numerous Land-Army but were routed and beaten off with great loss without being able so much as to take the City of Syracuse should now by means of one Sophister overturn the whole Empire of Dionysius inveagling him to cashier his Guard of ten thousand Lances dismiss a Navy of four hundred Galleys disband an Army of ten thousand Horse and treble the number of Foot and go seek in the Schools an unknown and imaginary Bliss and learn by the Mathematicks how to be happy while in the mean time he resigned the substantial enjoyments of absolute Power Riches and Pleasure of Dion and his Sisters Children By these means at first Dion incurred the Kings suspicion and by degrees his apparent displeasure and aversion A Letter also was intercepted which Dion had writ to the Carthaginian's agents advising them that when they treated with Dionysius concerning a Peace they should not come to their Audience unless he were there and then he would effectually dispatch their business according to their minds When Dionysius had shewed this to Philistus and as Timaeus relates consulted with him about it he over-reached Dion by a feigned reconciliation fairly pretending to receive him again to his favour but leading him alone one day to the Sea-side under the Castle Wall he shewed him the Letter and taxed him with Conspiring with the Carthaginians against him when Dion assayed to offer something in his own defence Dionysius suffered him not but immediately forced him aboard a Vessel which lay there for that purpose and commanded the Sailors to set him ashore on the
Philosophers were assisting to him among whom was Cyprius Endemus on whose Death Aristotle writ his Dialogue of the Soul and Timonides the Leucadian they also engaged on his side Miltas the Thessalian who was skilful in fore-telling Events and his fellow-Student in the Academy Of all that were Banished by Dionysius who were not fewer than a thousand five and twenty only listed themselves the rest for fear declined the undertaking The general Rendezvous was in the Island Zacynthus whither they marched a small Army being not in all eight hundred compleat but all of them experienced Men who had signalized themselves in many and great Engagements well disciplin'd and inur'd to hardship and for Courage and Conduct the very flower of all the Soldery and such as by their Example would animate and encourage to action the numerous Forces Dion hoped to have in Sicily Yet these Men when they first understood the Expedition was against Dionysius were troubled and disheartned blaming Dion that hurried on like a mad man by his Passion and Despair he rashly threw both himself and them into certain Ruin Nor were they less angry with their Commanders and Muster-Masters that they did not in the beginning let them know the design of the War But when he had in an Oration set forth the unsafe and weak condition of Arbitrary Government and declared that he carryed them rather for Commanders than Soldiers the Citizens of Syracuse and the rest of the Sicilians having been long ready for a Revolt and after him Alcimenes a Grecian Noble-man of great Quality and Reputation who accompanyed him in the Expedition harangued them to the same effect they were quiet and contented It was now the midst of Summer and the Winds blew which are constant to that season of the year called by the Greeks Etesiae the Moon being at the full when Dion prepared a magnificent Sacrifice to Apollo and with great Solemnity marched his Soldiers to the Temple in all their Arms and Accoutrements after the Sacrifice he feasted them all in the Publick Cirque or place of Exercise of the Zacynthians where he had made Provision for their Entertainment who seeing with wonder the plenty and richness of Gold and Silver Plate and the Tables furnished in an extraordinary manner far exceeding the fortunes of a private Man concluded with themselves that one of his Age and Master of so much Treasure would not engage himself in so hazardous an Enterprize without good assurance of hope and certain and sufficient Supplies from his Friends As they were offering Wine to the Gods and performing their customary Devotions the Moon was Eclipsed which was no wonder to Dion who understood the revolutions of Eclipses and how the Moon was over-shadowed by the direct interposition of the Earth between her and the Sun But because it was necessary that the Soldiers should be satisfied and encouraged who were surprized and troubled at it Miltas the Diviner standing up in the midst of the Assembly bid them be of good chear and expect all happy success for that the Gods did fore-tell something that was at present glorious and resplendent should be Eclipsed and obscured Now nothing being more resplendent than they Grandeur of Dionysius their arrival in Sicily should cloud the glory and extinguish the brightness of that illustrious Empire Thus Miltas in publick descanted upon the Accident But concerning a swarm of Bees which settled on the Poop of Dion's Ship he privately told him and his Friends that he feared the great Actions they were like to perform tho' for a time they should thrive and flourish would be of short continuance and soon suffer a decay it is reported also that many ill prodigies hapned to Dionysius at that time An Eagle snatching a Javelin from one of the Guard carried it aloft and from thence let it fall into the Sea The water of the Sea that washed the Castle Walls was for a whole day sweet and potable as many that tasted it experienced Piggs were farrowed perfect in all their other parts but without Ears The Diviners did declare this to portend a Revolt and Rebellion for that the Subjects would no longer give ear to the Commands of their Superiours They expounded the sweetness of the Water to signifie to the Syracusians a Change from bad and woful Times into better and more happy Circumstances The Eagle being the Bird of Jupiter and the Spear an Emblem of Power and Command This Prodigy was to denote That Jupiter the chief of the Gods designed the destruction and dissolution of the present Government These things Theopompus in his History relates Two great Ships carryed all Dion's Men which were tended by a third somewhat less and two Galleys of thirty Oars Besides his Soldiers Arms he carried two thousand Shields a very great number of Darts and Lances and abundant stores of all manner of Provisions that there might be no want of any thing in their Voyage because they resolved to keep out at Sea and ply in the Main fearing to come near the Shore upon advice that Philistus rode at Anchor in the Bay of Apulia with a Fleet ready to intercept them Twelve days they sailed with a fresh and gentle gale the thirteenth they made Pachynus afore-Land of Sicily There the chief Pilot advised them to Land presently for if they were forced again from the Shoar and did designedly pass the Cape they might ride out at Sea many Nights and Days expecting a Southerly Wind in the Summer season But Dion fearing a descent too near his Enemies and desirous to land at greater distance and further up in the Country weathered the Cape Pachinus They had not sailed long before stress of Weather the Wind blowing hard at North drove the Fleet from the Coast it being a very stormy Season much about the time that Arcturus appears and there hapning then a great deal of Thunder and Lightning with violent Rains and tempestuous gusts of Wind the Mariners were at their Wits end and wholly ignorant what Course they ran till on a sudden they found they were driven to Circina an Island on the Coast of Africk craggy and full of dangerous Rocks upon which they scaped narrowly of being forced and staved to pieces but labouring hard at their Oars with much difficulty they kept clear until the Storm ceased Then lighting by chance upon a Vessel they understood they were upon the beginning of the Flats called the great Syrtis Being now again disheartned by reason of a sudden Calm and beating too and again without making any way they had a Southerly briese from the Shoar when they least expected the Wind in that quarter and scarce believed the happy change of their Fortune The Gale increasing and beginning to blow fresh they clapt on all their Sails and praying to the Gods put out again to Sea steering to rights for Sicily from the Coast of Africk and running steady before the Wind the fifth
regarded not so much the Plunder as to destroy and kill all they met For Dionysius despairing to re-gain the Kingdom and mortally hating the Syracusians resolved to bury his lost Empire in the utter Ruin and Desolation of Syracuse The Enemy therefore to prevent Dion's Succours resolved upon the most terrible and ready way of destruction to lay the City in ashes firing all at hand with Torches and other Combustibles and at distance with flaming Arrows and other Fire-works shot from their Bows and Engines The Citizens in great distraction fled every way before them They who to avoid the Fire forsook their Houses were taken in the Streets and put to the Sword They who betook themselves for Refuge into the the Houses were forced out again by the flames Many were burnt and many kill'd by the fall of Houses and Ruines of Walls and Towers This fresh misfortune by general Consent opened the Gates for Dion It hapned that he made no extraordinary hast when he received advice that the Enemies were retreated into the Castle but early in the Morning some Horse brought him the news of another Assault and soon after some of those who before oppos'd his coming fled now to him to entreat him he would hasten his Relief The Fire and Desolation increasing Heraclides sent his Brother and after him his Uncle Theodotes to beg him to help them for that now they were not able to make any longer Opposition that he himself was wounded and the greatest part of the City was either in ashes or in flames When Dion met this sad News he was about sixty furlongs distant from the City When he had acquainted the Soldiers with the Exigency and exhorted them to behave themselves like men the Army no longer marched but ran forwards and by the way were met by several who begged them to quicken their pace By the wonderful eagerness of the Soldiers and their extraordinary Speed Dion quickly came to the City and entered at the Gate Hecatompedon sending his Vanguard presently to charge the Enemy that seeing them the Syracusians might take Courage In the mean time he drew up in good Order his main Body and all the Citizens that came in and joyn'd him forming his Battalions long and setting over them double Officers that he might as occasion required make Detachments and to amuse and terrifie the Enemy fight them in several Quarters at once As they saw him in the Streets advance at the Head of his Men to engage the Enemy a confused Noise of Shouts congratulations Vows and Prayers was rais'd by the Syracusians who now called Dion their Deliverer their Tutelar-Deity and his Soldiers their Friends Brethren and Fellow-Citizens none seem'd to regard themselves or value their safeties but to be concerned more for Dion's Life than for all their own together So daringly he marched before them to meet the danger first through Blood and Fire and over heaps of dead Bodies that lay in his way And indeed the Posture of the Enemy was in appearance terrible for they were flush'd with Victory enrag'd and had posted themselves very advantageously along the demolish'd Works which made the approach to them very hazardous and difficult yet that which discouraged Dion's Men most was the apprehension they were in of the Fire which made their march very troublesome and difficult for the Houses being in flames on all fides they were surrounded with them and treading upon burning Ruines every minute in danger of being overwhelm'd with falling Houses through clouds of Ashes and Smoak they labour'd hard to keep their Order and maintain their Ranks When they came near to the Enemy by reason of the advantage of their Post and the inconvenience of a Defile they were to pass but few of them could engage at a time but at length fighting with great Bravery and the Syracusians with shouts encouraging their Party Nypsius's Men were beaten off and routed most of them escaped into the Castle which was near at hand all that could not get in were pursued and pick'd up here and there by the Soldiers and put to the Sword The present Exigence did not suffer the Citizens to reap the benefit of their Conquest in such mutual Congratulations and expressions of Joy as become the Victorious for now all were busily employed to save what Houses were left standing labouring hard all Night and could scarce master the Fire The next day not one of the Popular Haranguers durst stay in the City but all of them knowing their own Guilt by their flight confessed it and secured their Lives Only Heraclides and Theodotus voluntarily surrendred themselves to Dion acknowledging that they had wrong'd him and begging he would be kinder to them than they had been just to him adding how much it would be for his Honour who was Master of so many excellent Accomplishments to moderate his Anger and be generously compassionate to the ungrateful confessing that they who were formerly his professed Enemies were now absolutely overcome by his Vertue Tho' they humbly addressed to him his Friends advised him not to pardon those turbulent and ill-natured Men but to leave them to the mercy of his Soldiers and utterly root out of the Common-wealth the ambitious Affectation of Populacy a Disease as pestilent and pernicious as the most Arbitrary Power whatever Dion endeavoured to satisfie them telling them That other Generals employed their thoughts and designs chiefly about warlike Acquists but that he had long studied in the Academy how to conquer his Passions and not let Emulation and Envy conquer him That to do this it is not sufficient that a Man be obliging and kind to his Friends and those that have deserved well of him but also indulgent and favourable to those from whom he has received Injuries and Affronts That he was resolved to let the World see that he valued not himself so much upon excelling Heraclides in Ability and Conduct as he did in out-doing him in Justice and Clemency herein to have the Advantage is to excell indeed The Honour of Victory in War is never entire for Fortune will be sure to claim her share tho' no man pretend to rival the Conqueror What if Heraclides be perfidious malicious and base must Dion therefore sully his Honor or injure his Vertue by a passionate Concern for it For tho' the Laws determine it juster to revenge an Injury than to do an Injury Yet it is evident that both Originally proceed from the same deficiency and weakness of Humane Nature The malicious Humor of Men tho' perverse and refractory is not so savage and invincible but it may be wrought upon by Kindness and habitually altered by repeated Obligations Dion making use of these Arguments pardon'd and dismiss'd Heraclides and Theodotes And now resolving to repair the Blockade about the Castle he commanded all the Syracusians to cut Palisado's and bring them to the Works and then dismissing them to refresh themselves and take
their Rest he employed his own men all Night and by Morning had finish'd his Line of Circumvallation and fortified his Trenches Both the Enemy and the Citizens next day wondred to see the Works so far advanc'd in so short a time burying therefore their Dead and redeeming the Prisoners which were near two Thousand they call'd a publick Assembly wheâ—e Heraclides made a Motion that Dion should be declared General at Land and Sea The Nobility approv'd well of it and desir'd the Commonalty to assent But the Mobile of Sailors and Handycrafts-men would not yield that Heraclides should lose his Command of the Navy and tho' they knew him to be otherwise an ill Man yet they believed he would be more compliant with the Popuâ—acy than Dion and readier to serve their Ends. Dion therefore submitted to them in this and consented Heraclides should continue Admiral But when they began to press the levelling Project of an equal Distribution of Lands and Estates he not only oppos'd it but repeal'd all the Votes they had formerly made upon that account which most sensibly vext them Heraclides took Advantage of this and being at Messana he harangu'd the Soldiers and Ships Crews that sail'd with him accusing Dion That he had a Design to make himself Absolute And at the same time he held a private Correspondence with Dionysius by means of his Confident Pharax a Spartan Which when the Nobility of Syracuse had Intimation of there arose a Sedition in the Army and the City was reduced to that Extremity that they were almost famish'd for want of Provision Dion now knew not what Course to take being blam'd by all his Friends for that he had encouraged against himself such a troublesome malicious and perverse Man as Heraclides was Pharax at this time lay encamp'd at Neapolis Dion therefore drew out the Syracusians but with an intent not to engage him till he saw a fit Opportunity But Heraclides and his Sea-men exclaim'd against him That he delayed fighting on purpose that he might the longer continue his Command so that tho' much against his Will he was forced to an Engagement and beaten his loss being inconsiderable and that occasion'd too chiefly by the Dissention that was in the Army he rallied his men and having put them in good Order and encourag'd them to redeem their Credit resolv'd upon a second Onset But in the Evening he receiv'd Advice That Heraclides with his Fleet were under Sail for Syracuse with a Resolution to possess himself of the City and keep him and his Army out presently therefore taking with him some of the principal Men and a Party of light Horse he posted to the City and got thither about Nine the next Morning having rid seven hundred Furlongs that Night Heraclides tho' he strove to make all the Sail he could yet coming too late tack'd and stood out again to Sea being unresolv'd what Course to steer accidentally he met Gaesylus the Spartan who let him know that he was come to head the Sicilians as Gausippus had formerly done Heraclides readily joyn'd with him and brag'd to his Sailers That now he had a Counter-balance to weigh down Dion ' s Ambition Hereupon he sent a Herauld to Syracuse to summon them to accept a Spartan General Dion returned Answer That they had Generals enough and if they wanted a Lacedemonian to command them he could supply that Office being himself a Citizen of Sparta When Gaesylus saw he had lost his hopes of being Generalissimo the landed and reconcil'd Heraclides to Dion making Heraclides swear the most solemn Oaths to perform what heâ— engag'd for which Gaesylus himself undertook to be Guarranty The Syracusians then laid up their Navy which was at present a great Charge and of little use to them but an occusion of Differences and Dissentions among the Generals and press'd on the Siege finishing another Breast-work with which they invested the Castle The besieged seeing no hopes of Succours and their Provisions sailing began to mutiny 〈…〉 o that Apollicrates in despair of holding longer out for his Father capitulated and articled with Dion to deliver up the Castle with all the Garrison Soldiers and Ammunition to have five Galleys and safe Pass-port for himself his Mother and Sisters which Dion granted and he with them sail'd to Dionysius Scarce a man in the City but was there to behold this joyful Sight calling upon those that were absent to come and see this happy Day How gloriously the Sun now shin'd upon the Syracusians who were enfranchis'd and deliver'd from all their Slavery and Oppression This Flight of Dionysius being one of the greatest and most remarkable Examples of Fortunes Inconstancy that any History mentions how extraordinary may we imagine their Joy to be How entire their Satisfaction who totally subverted the most potent Tyranny that ever was by very slight and inconsiderable Means When Apollicrates was under Sail and Dion going to take Possession of the Castle the Ladies could not stay while he made his Entry but ran to meet him at the Gate Aristomache led Dion's Son and Arete follow'd after weeping fearful and dubious how to salute or address to her Husband because she had so long accompanied with another man Dion first caress'd his Sister then his Son when Aristomache bringing Arete to him O Dion said she your Banishment made us all equally miserable your Return and Victory has rais'd our drooping Heads and cancell'd all our Sorrows excepting this poor Lady's whom I to my great Vnhappiness saw compell'd to be anothers while you were yet alive Fortune has now given you the sole dispose of us how will you determine concerning her in these her necessitous Circumstances Or in what Relation must she salute you as her Vncle or as her Husband This Speech of Aristomache's forc'd Tears from Dion who with great Tenderness and Affection embraced his Wife gave her his Son and desired her to retire to his own House where he intended to reside when he had deliver'd up the Castle to the Syracusians For tho' all things now succeeded to his Wish yet he resolved not to enjoy any present Advantage of his good Fortune before he had gratified his Friends rewarded his Allies and bestowed upon his Fellow-Citizens and foreign Soldiers some special Mark of Favour and Honour his Generosity herein exceeding his Ability being content himself with a very frugal and moderate Competency for which he was much admired That when not only Sicily and Carthage but all Greece lookt upon him as extremely happy and no Man living greater than he no General more renown'd for Valour and Success Yet in his Garb his Attendance his Table he seem'd as if he rather common'd with Plato in the Academy than liv'd among his Soldiers and Officers who love to be jolly enjoy themselves plentifully every day and chear their Hearts after the toils of War and dangers they have past Plato indeed writ to
O Brutus that this day we may overcome and that all the rest of our time we may live a happy Life together But since the greatest of humane Concerns are the most uncertain and since it will be very difficult for us ever to see one another again if the Battel should go against us tell me what is your resolution concerning Flight and Death Brutus answer'd When I was young Cassius and unskilful in Affairs I was engaged I know not how into an Opinion of Philosophy which made me accuse Cato for killing himself as thinking it an irreligious act against the Gods nor any way valiant among Men not to submit to Divine Providence nor to be able fearlesly to receive and undergo whatever ill shall happen but to fly from it But now in the midst of danger I am quite of another mind for if Providence shall not dispose what we now undertake according to our wishes I resolve to try no faâ—ther hopes nor make any more preparations for War but will die contented with my Fortune For I already have given up my Life to the Service of my Country on the Ides of March and all the time that I have lived since has been with Liberty and Honour Cassius at these words smil'd and embracing Brutus said With these Resolutions let us go on upon the Enemy for either we our selves shall Conquer or have no cause to fear those that do After this they discoursed among their Friends about the Ordering of the Battel And Brutus desired of Cassius that he might Command the Right Wing though it was thought that this was more fit for Cassius in regard both of his Age and his Experience Yet even in this Cassius comply'd with Brutus and placed Messala with the valiantest of all his Legions in the same Wing Brutus immediately drew out his Horse excellently well equip'd and took the same care of bringing up his Foot after them Now Antony's Souldiers were casting a Trench from the Marsh by which they were encamped to cut off Cassius's passage to the Sea Caesar was at a distance in his Tent not being able to be present himself by reason of his Sickness but his Soldiers not expecting that the Enemy would come to a set Battel but only make some excursions with their Darts and light Arms to disturb those that were working in their Trenches nor taking enough notice of them that were coming directly upon them ready to give Battel were amaz'd when they heard the confus'd and the great out-cry that came from the Trenches In the mean while Brutus sent his Tickets in which was the Word of Battel to the Captains and himself riding about to all the Troops encouraged the Souldiers but there were but few of them that understood the Word before they engaged and the most of them not staying for it with great fury and shouting ran upon the Enemy This disorder caus'd a great confusion in the Army and the Legions were scatter'd and dispersed one from another That of Messala first and afterwards the next went beyond the left Wing of Caesar and having cut off and pass'd that Wing with the slaughter of not many of the Enemy fell directly into Caesar's Camp Octavius himself as his own Commentaries shew had but just before been conveyed away upon the perswasion of Artorius one of his Friends who had dreamt that he saw a Vision which commanded Caesar to be carried out of the Camp And it was believed that he was here slain for the Souldiers had pierc'd his Litter which was left empty in many places with their Darts and Pikes There was a great slaughter in the Camp that was taken and two thousand Lacedaemonians that were newly come to the Assistance of Caesar were all cut off together The rest of the Army that had not gone round by the left Wing of Caesar but had engaged his Front easily overthrew them being in great Consternation for the loss of their Camp and slew upon the place three Legions and being carried on with the stream of Victory pursuing those that fled fell into the Camp with them Brutus himself being there But they that were conquered took the Advantage of what the Conquerours did not consider for they fell upon that part of the main Body which they found shatter'd and unguarded the right Wing being broke off from them and furiously carried away in the pursuit yet they could not break into the midst of their Battel but were receiv'd with strong resistance and obstinacy Yet they put to flight the left Wing where Cassius commanded being in great disorder and ignorant of what had passed on the other Wing and pursuing 'em to their Camp they pillaged and destroyed it though neither of their Generals were present For Antony as they say to avoid the fury of the first On-set had retir'd into the Marsh that was hard by and Caesar was no where to be found after his being convey'd out of the Tents But some of the Souldiers shew'd Brutus their Swords bloody and pretended that they had kill'd him describing his Person and his Age. Now the midst of Brutus's Battel had routed all that resisted them with great slaughter and Brutus was every where as plainly Conquerour as on the other side Cassius was conquered And this one mistake was the ruine of their Affairs That Brutus did not come to the relief of Cassius thinking that he as well as himself was Conquerour and that Cassius did not expect the Relief of Brutus thinking that he too was overcome For a Proof that the Victory was on Brutus's side Messala urges his taking of three Eagles and many Ensigns of the Enemy without losing any of his own Brutus now returning from the pursuit after having destroyed Caesar's Camp wonder'd that he could not see Cassius's Tent standing high as it was wont and appearing above the rest nor any of the others appearing round about it For they were immediately overturn'd and pillaged by the Enemy upon their first falling into the Camp But some that had a more quick and discerning sight than the rest acquainted Brutus that they saw a great deal of shining Armour and Silver Targets moving to and fro about Cassius's Tents and that they thought that by their Number and their Armour they could not be those that they left to Guard the Camp but yet that there did not appear so great a number of dead Bodies thereabouts as is probable would have been after the defeat of so many Legions This first made Brutus suspect Cassius's Misfortune and leaving a Guard in the Enemies Tent call'd back those that were in the pursuit and rallyed 'em together to lead 'em to the relief of Cassius who was now in this condition First he was angry at the first On-set that Brutus his Souldiers made without the Word of Battel or Command to Charge Then after they had overcome he was as much displeased to see them all rush on to the Plunder and Spoil and neglect to
the Islands of the Rhine in the Low Countries A few of the Gladiators stood their ground but the gross making away for the River fell into an Ambuscade which cut them off every man But of the whole Army none came near the Praetorians for Cowardice they took their heels without a stroke struck and flying through their own Men with trouble and affright routed the Squadrous that stood firm They did not all so indeed for many of the Othonians bare down their Opposites and by fine force making way through the Conquerors repass'd to their Camp which neither Proculus nor Paulinus durst retreat to fearing the Souldiers who already turn'd the fault upon them Annius Gallus received the flying Troops into the Town and heartened them up with comfortable Assurances that the Victory was not clear to the Enemy but that in several parts the advantage was on their side But Marius calling the Officers to a Council required them to take care of the Common-wealth That after such a blow and such a slaughter of Roman Citizens Otho himself having any goodness left would not further tempt Fortune in a Case where Cato and Scipio who by not submitting to Caesar after the Pharsalian Victory are charged to have thrown away the Lives of many good men in Africa without reason even when the Liberty of Rome was at Stake For though otherwise Fortune make sport with all men alike yet one thing a good man can never be deprived of even in adversity to take good Counsel against Accidents These Reasons weighed first with the Commanders and after upon trial with the Souldiers no less urgent for an Accommodation Titianus then moved for Commissioners to be sent with Proposals of accord whereupon it was thought fit that Celsus and Gallus should go to treat with Caecinna and Valens Being on the Rode they were met by certain of Vitellius's Centurions who told them that their Army was already in motion for Bebriacum and that they themselves were sent by the Generals with like overtures of Peace Celsus commending the Design entreated their company back to meet Caecinna As they drew near Celsus ran no small Risk for the Vant-Couriers happening to be the same Horse that had been worsted at the Ambuscade upon the first sight of Celsus with a loud cry they spurr'd up against him But while the Centurions stepp'd between to restrain them and their Captains also called out to forbear Caecinna gallopp'd up to know the cause of that Tumult which having appeas'd he caressed Celsus as a Friend and rode with him to Bebriacum In the mean time Titianus repenting of his motion for Amity placed the most resolute of his Men upon the Walls and exhorted the rest to assist them But Caecinna rode up and reach'd out his right hand all resistance laid aside they that stood upon the Ramparts saluted his Souldiers the rest opening the Gates went out and mixed with the new-comers There was then no further outrage nothing but friendship and embraces for all the Town swore Fealty to Vitellius and went over to him Such was the issue of the Battel as it is related by most of the present Actors therein yet confessing themselves in such Tumult and Confusion to have no clear account of Particulars So as I was afterward travelling over the Field Mestrius Florus of the Consular Degree shew'd me an old Man who was then press'd for Otho among the Youths who declared that going out after the Action was over he saw a heap of Bodies as high as a man but the cause of it he could neither find out nor learn by Enquiry Only it is probable that in Civil Wars more perish in the Chase than are taken where there is no benefit by Captives Therefore all we can have either of these Matters amounts to no more than Conjecture Otho at first as it is usual received a dubious relation of the Success but after that the wounded which escaped out of the Fight brought him certain news of the Defeat a man would admire what pains they took to encourage and keep him from despair But the passion of the Guards surmounts all Credit that they should neither leave him nor fall off to the Conqueror nor seem to provide for themselves in their Prince's extremity but all together came to the door of his Aâ—artment stiling him Emperour When he came abroad they followed him with acclamations as if he went in Triumph they kissed his hands after the manner of Petitioners they threw themselves at his feet they shed tears and with all the force of an humble and dutiful importunity they besought him not to forsake them not to betray them to the Enemy but while they had breath to employ their Souls and their Bodies in his Cause Thus did they generally assault him with supplications In particular one of the lowest rank who has not so much as a Name in History drew out his Sword and calling aloud to him Behold Caesar an Example of our Fidelity thus are we all resolved to serve thee he ran himself through Yet none of all this made any impression upon Otho who with a serene and composed aspect casting his eyes round about upon them all This my Fellow Souldiers this day wherein you do your selves and me such honour is much more fortunate of much greater account to me than that wherein you first saluted me Emperour One thing only I prefer which I beseech you with-hold not from me to sacrifice my Life for the safety of such brave Men. If ever I was worthy of the Roman Empire it becomes me to 〈…〉 evote my Life for it I know the Enemies Victory to be neither compleat nor assured I have Intelligence that the Mysian Army is within a few days March Asia Syria Egypt are in their descent to the Coast of Adria With us is the Army that wars in Judea with us is the Senate with us are the Wives and Children of the Enemies But alas this is no defensive War this is not to save Italy from Hannibal or Pyrrhus or the Cimbri but here Romans encounter Romans and both alike the Conquerors and the Conquered tear up their Mothers Bowels for where indeed the success of the Vanquisher brings Affliction to the Re-publick believe it there can be nothing so much honour in my Reign as in dying often if I could do it for my Country Neither can I apprehend how a Victory on my side can be of such advantage to Rome as to give up my self an Offering for Peace and Concord and that Italy may not se such another day When he had said this and set himself against all Entreaty and Mediation he desired his Friends and the Senators that were present to leave him He wrote also to the absent and sent Letters to the Cities to let them pass with Honour and Security Then calling to him 〈…〉 cceius his Nephew yet a youth he counselled him to take heart and not to be afraid of Vitellius whose