Sceuola in which when he came to the place hee thrust his right hand willingly into the fire first suffering it to burne to ashes couragiously saying I willingly committe this my hand to the fire which fayled to kill Porsena the tyrant Further affirming at his death that there were thrée hundreth Romanes more redy prest which had also sworne the death of the king if he fayled and would as willingly venture themselues in their Countreys cause as he before them had done and as it were among themselues striuing who first should doe that good seruice to their countrey Which when Porsena had hearde he did not much discommend their faithfulnes towardes their Commonwealth but with all speed remoued his siege and departed from the walles of Rome to the great reioising of the citizens Thus ought euery man to haue a speciall care regard to preserue his natiue countrey and commonwealth For when both Princes and noble estates haue willingly ventured life nay run to present death for the sauegard of the weale publike much more then ought euery priuate person and meane subiect in Prince and Countreyes cause valiantly to venture both life and lim with right couragious mindes in defence of so honest and good a cause Scho. I confesse that euery subiect ought willingly to offer his body in defence of his Prince and natiue Soyle and not to haue so great a care for the preseruation of his priuate person as for the benefit and welfare of his Prince and Commonwealth Were it not a vile reproach and ignomie to those people that should by their cowardlines suffer their king to be slaine in the field and they themselues to remaine aliue and geue the looking on Contrariwise is it not great honor to him that shall hazard his life yea or run to right desperate exploites in the good cause or quarrell of his Prince To conclude it is the part of euery good prince to haue a care of the welfare of his commonwealth and of the preseruation of his subiects and also the part of all honest Subiects to haue a duetiful care to preserue their prince and a manly courage to defend their coūtrey Truely we read in most ancient histories of diuers who by their noble valoure wise policie and manly courage haue defended from the inuation of forrain foes both their weale publique from subuersion their stately townes and cities from ruine and decay also the whole body of their countreymen from most cruel murther and pitifull slaughter and yet in the end haue been most vilely recompenced by their vnkind countreymen Was not Manlius a Roman surnamed Capitolinus who preserued the Capitoll or castle of Rome from the cruell force of the Gaules and did many other noble actes in his Countreis cause throwne down from the top of the same Castle headlong by his owne vnkind countreimen whom he many times both manfully and couragiously had defended and saued Also Miltiades a noble man of Athens which in the field of Marathaon with 10000. Gréekes discomfited and put to flight 600000. Persians and so by his great wisdome and prudent policie saued deliuered his countrey from being ouerrun with such a mighty and huge hoast which otherwise had beene vtterly subdued ouerthrowen but after being cast in arrerage of a certaine summe of mony he was by his vngratefull Countreymen condemned into most cruell prison and there died in fetters and being dead he might not be suffered to be buried vntill his sonne had put on him the giues that his father did weare In like sort Themistocles a noble captain of the same vngrateful town of Athens after he had deliuered his Countrey from the huge terrible power of Xerxes putting him to flight and al his great hoast making y t mightie king by his circumspect wisdome and policie shamefully to flie home in a Fishermans boate vnknowen for the safety and preseruation of himselfe notwithstanding was at the last driuē his Countrey and forced to flie by the vnkinde Citizens to his enemie Xerxes whō before he had driuen from the walles of Athens but Xerxes willingly receiued such a friende with great intertainment and sent him againe with a mighty armie to warre on his owne countrey hoping now that he would be sharply reuenged on his vnkinde citizens But Themistocles being now Lord Generall against his natiue countrey hauing in his power the whole destruction and ouerthrow of his deere commonwealth yet notwithstanding for all that the Athenians had dealt so extremely with him he rather chose to die than any way to hurt his countrey And because he would not shew himselfe a traitor to Xerxes who had put his whole power into his hand and receiued him so courteously in his extremitie nor that he would torment the bowels of his vngratefull citie vnmercifully to spoyle with forraine people his vnkind countreimē to frée himselfe of these two inconueniences hee poysoned him selfe and so died a more faithfull frend to his countreymē than they had deserued After that Demetrius sonne of Philip king of Macedon whom before I spake of had obteined pardon for his father and whole countrey by his great modestie temperance shewed in the Senat of Rome because the Senators did write to his father the king in this maner We the Senators of Rome do not pardō thee for thy owne sake but for the modest demeanor of thy sonne shewed here before vs in the Senate Which thing Philip by the instigation of certaine of his flattering Subiectes did take so displeasantly and gréeuouslie that his sonne was in such estimation and better accounted of than himselfe and therefore so hated his sonne for his great paines and diligent care whereby he preserued both his father and Countrey from the reuenge of the Romanes At whose good hap also certaine of his vnkinde Countreymen with the helpe of his vnnaturall brother Perses so repined insomuch that they procured false witnes to accuse him to his father being willing to heare any cause against his sonne Thus by the surmise of his vnnaturall Countreymen he was condemned to death by his vnkinde father who before had both studied to preserue the honor of his father and also to mainteine the flourishing estate of his countrey Did not the Romanes banish and exile the noble and worthie Cicero by the procurement of Clodius when he had preserued and defended his Countrey from ruine and vtter destruction and saued the noble Citie of Rome from the fury of Cataline euen for because he had put to death the chiefe traytors and enemies of the Common-wealth in that dangerous conspiracie who sought to spoyle sacke take and burne their natiue Citie Rome Was not the same vngratefull Citie Rome found vnkinde to her most deare frend and preseruer the worthie Scipio for when the Romanes were in great distresse thorow the bitter and sharpe warres which the Carthaginians long time most greeuously helde against them being also mightely ouermatched
be as ioyfull vnto them as the restitution of their daughter vndefiled Then Scipio being ouercome with their long and vehement intercession caused the saide summe to be layd on the ground before his feete and calling Lucius againe to him hee said Beside the dowrie that you shall receiue of your Father in law for the mariage of his daughter ye also shall take this gift at my hande With which his great gift and also much honor done to him beside he returned home to his house countrey declaring to euery man the honor magnificence of noble Scipio saying There was a young man come most like a God who both with his power in warre and also with his gentlenes and liberalitie in peace had ouercome all the countrey Not long after this young Gentleman leauing his house and familie in good order returned to Scipio bringing with him 1400. good horsemen to the ayde and succour of the Romanes Thus first Scipio began with mercy lenity and gentle courtesie which was the cause that he gote in the end to the Romanes such notable and mightie victories The great Pompey neuer gate the like renowne in all his conquest of Spaine and Affrike nor in the subduing of the valiant Sertorius neither in the victories of Armenia Cappadocia Arabia Iberia Mesopotamia with diuers other Prouinces and Kingdomes as he did by his great courtesie For when in his warres against Mithridates he had taken certaine noble matrons and beutifulll virgins he caried a vigilant eye ouer them neither abusing any of them himselfe nor suffering his captains or souldiers to dishonour or dishonest them in any case calling them all together before him comforting them with sweete wordes in the best maner he coulde saying That none vnder paine of death should offer them villanie graunting foorth his safeconduct to them that they might be conueyed to their husbandes parents and friends with honour vndefiled richly rewarding them with iewels which he had taken in his warres protesting also vnto them that he for his part was most heartely sorrie that it was his hap so to fright and terrifie such hurtlesse creatures requesting them to take it in good part for such was the chaunce and casualtie of warre for which gentle behauiours had it not béen for certaine other lewd vices which are before mentioned he had attained to péerlesse praise Alexander the great king of Macedon although hee frequented a number of most notable and bad vices yet were it no reason to burie in obliuion and forgetfulnesse couering as it were in the graue of silence the gentle courtesie and manly pietie which hee showed in most ample maner to the distressed houshold and familie of king Darius For euen at such time as the mightie Warres began betwéene these two Princes In the second Battaile and conflict Alexander had a great victorie against Darius and the Persians taking the tents with all the bag baggage appertaining to the King and the Persians and also for a pray amongst other booties hee tooke prisoners the mother wife sister and the two daughters of King Darius his enemie whome when Alexander came to comfort beeing in great sorrow and distresse they beholding him comming with an armed troupe pitifully schritched and lamentably cried out as if they then should presently haue been slaine falling downe prostrate at the féete of Alexander beséeching him that they might before they died burie the dead bodie of their Lord Darius whom they supposed to be slaine in that bloudie fight and that now wheras he was a man and had at this time gotten a most noble and manly victorie against Darius their Lord and King so to behaue himselfe towards those poore distressed creatures who were altogether vnguiltie of that pitiful slaughter being as it were present in the Armie with their friend for their countreyes cause and in defence of their libertie in which also their Lord King Darius was now slaine therefore now that he would vouchsafe to bestow the bodie of their slain friend on them that they might doo to him in their life the rights of buriall and then said they O Alexander our liues be at thy cōmaundement Alexander beeing greatly mooued with pitie séeing their bitter teares and considering the hard hap and bad destinie of so noble Dames bewayled their distressed case with wéeping further comforting them saying that Darius theyr Lord and King was aliue and at libertie still with his owne force and power and although he was ouercome in that fight yet was he readie to giue newe battaile againe as in déede hee did causing them to banish feare from them for that no iniurie or wrong should happen to them giuing also commaundement that they should be prouided for and vsed as to their high estate and dignitie appertained giuing good words and comfort vnto the two yong Daughters of Darius wishing them assuredly to thinke and firmely to perswade themselues that hee woulde haue as great care to bestowe them in marriage if King Darius their father did die and perish in these warres as he liuing with a fatherly care would prouide for them and that with no base or obscure mates Which thing when Darius was truely certified of and of the courteous entertainement of his mother wife and sister being all prisoners and captiues at the hands of Alexander his enemie although he then was able to geue battaile to the strongest king of the earth for he agayne had gathered a most mightie and huge armie was already ouercome and conquered with the gentle courtesies of his enemie altogether vnwilling to fight against so friendly a foe wherfore he sent his letters to Alexander requiring him that he might redéeme his captiues promising a mightie summe masse of money for their raunsome Notwithstanding Alexander would receiue no money but required his whole kingdome for their redemption Darius not willing to fight with so friēdly an enemie sent his letters to Alexander the second time offering one of his daughters in mariage with part of his kingdome to him if it might please him to accept thereof But the vnsatiable Alexander could not be content with part vnlesse he might haue all the whole And as for the offer of his daughters he returned this answere saying He had them already and could doe with them his pleasure Now was Darius forced to goe against his friendly foe the thirde time hoping to get his prisoners and yet notwithstanding louing and honouring the very name of Alexander for the great courtesie and lenitie he had shewed to his familie The army and power of Darius was at this time foure hundred thousand footmen and an hundred thousand horsmen thus marching toward his enemie Alexander it was told him in his iorney that his wife was dead whose death Alexander lamented with teares and caused a noble funerall to be appointed doing to her the greatest honor he could deuise comforting the rest requesting them not so heauely to take the death of their friend whose
Certaine Stratagems and politike practises of worthy warriours and expert souldiors BY as Priennius when the Citie of Priennia was besieged by the mighty Aliattes vsed this Stratageme or policie when the towne could not holde out any longer for want of vittaile for their men and forrage for their horses he turned out of the Citie into the enimies Campe certaine horses and mules which were wonderfull fat for they were for the nonce fed for that purpose whereby the enemy might think and know that they in the towne had sufficient forrage prouender for their horses insomuch that when Aliattes the Captaine of the enemie did see this he thought indeede that the citizens had plenty of all things sending a spie priuily into the City to viewe their abilitie in all respects Which when Byas had intelligence of he caused great heapes of sand to be piled vp together and poured thereon wheat and other grain to make a shew of plenty giuing further commandement that no man should trouble or molest the spie nor make as once they suspected him but let him haue liberty to passe repasse at his pleasure the spie hauing well viewed all things soone returned to his Captaine shewing him of their great plenty and abundance of all things which so soone as Aliattes heard hee presently remoued his siege and departed thinking it a thing vnpossible to get the towne before their vittaile fayled knowing that hee should want for his companie before those heapes of corne were spent in the City therefore he with speed marched from the towne which in short time might haue beene taken by reason of the great scarcity in the City for the people dyed very fast by famine crying out dayly to Priennius to yeeld the City and saue their liues but by this subtile pollicy they were clearely fréeed to the wonderful ioy of the distressed Citizens Also when Quin. Fabius Maximus had wisely enclosed the wily Hanniball within the straits of Formiana keping the mouth of the strait passages so surely that Hanniball could not passe out the coūtry also being stony and barren not able to relieue his army long fearing least that if he shuld spend y t prouision which he had alredy he might perish with y e whole hoast before he could get any more in that place Hanniball seing himself in such extremity knowing that he could not giue battel to y e Romans without hazarding his whole power for that their enemies lay so strongly on the hill tops being so well backed with fresh supplies if occasion serued wherfore he was forced to vse this slight and mockerie to beguile and deceiue the Romans hauing gathered a great quantity of dry rotten stickes wyth rubbish thornes and such other stuffe fit for his purpose commanding his men to fetch into the campe so priuily as they coulde that the enemie might not perceiue whereabout they went al the oxen and lusty beasts that they coulde finde Now hauyng brought into their campe the number of two thousand lusty beasts they wyth speede fastned vnto their hornes the aforesaide dry stickes keeping them priuily vntill the darke night so that their inuention by no means might be espied being once very darke he caused his armie to be in a readinesse marching circumspectly vp toward the straights which were strongly kept by the Romanes making as little noise as they could being come neere where the enemy lay hee caused those fagots which were on the oxe horns to be set on fire stil driuing them before towards the strait which fire so mightily incresed by the swift running of the beasts for feeling the heat to come so neere the quicke they ran forward as if they had been starke mad puffing blowing making such a noise flinging and tossing the flame and sparks after a most terrible maner so that it was a wonderfull strange and fearfull sight The frighted Romans beholding such a miraculous wonder being much amased on the sudden for that they suspected no such Stratageme began to bussel run for feare because that horrible sight came stil furiously on them insomuch that they were dispersed scattred abroad by the great fright feare therof leauing the narrow places wide open without any force or garde at all so that Hanniball comming after in good order did with great ease passe thorow without any resistance which when the Romans perceiued they could in no case pursue him for that their men were so disordered by running away thus at last but too late they knewe how they were deluded and mocked by the craft of wily Hanniball Also Hanniball vsed this policie to bring the wise Captaine Q. Fabius Maximus in mistrust with the Romans for that he perceiued the sobernes of Fabius did much indamage him who before had tyred and wearied him with daliance committing nothing ouer rashly to fortune which wise dealing of Fabius séemed to Hanniball displeasant altogether repugnant to his nature wherfore at such time as he knew very well the Romans did beare no great good liking to Fabius by reason of the ouerthrowe which Minutius had giuen to Hanniball in his absence knowing also that hee was openly condemned in the Senate either that hee durst not fight wyth Hanniball or else that he did beare goodwill and fauour to the Carthaginians and therefore to bring him in further cause of mistrust with the Romans that also the Senat might easily thinke there were some conspiracie or confederacie betwixt him Hanniball he vsed this craftie practise sending out a great number of soldiors to spoile rob the Countrey of Italie in diuers places straitly commaunding them that they should spare and not once touch the goods cattells and landes which were knowne to be the possessions of Fabius but spoyling and wasting round about them they should leaue them whole vnminished to the end that the Romans should cōceiue such displeasure against him as that they might in no case permit or suffer him to deale in their affaires which thing woulde beene most pleasant to Hanniball And surely this subtile practise sounded much to the discredite of Fabius and had taken further effect if he by his wise policy had not somwhat qualified their hard conceit by this means presently thereupon he sent his sonne into the country to sell make away those lands and goods which Hannibal had spared for litle or nothing despising to possesse any thing which Hannibal preserued which deed made the Romans somwhat better to think of him Notwithstanding though Hanniball was the wisest captain that in those dayes liued mocking and deceiuing the Romans at his pleasure yet in the ende hee himselfe was kindely flouted by a Roman Captain suspecting no stratagem or policy at all to be practised insomuch that on a time when he had long besieged the great city Cassilinum could by no means take the Town he assayed to famish them make the city perforce yeeld to his mercy not suffering any
necessaries to be brought them Gracchus then captaine of a band of Romans which lay thereabout waiting if Hanniball would remooue his siege seeing what great extremitie they suffered receiuing letters daylie from them which signified in what lamentable case they stoode and what mortalitie was in the city for want of sustenance so that they were faine to eate their boots and other straps and thongs of leather being much moued with these great miseries also seeing the Citizens to stand on the walls to the end that some dart shot or other weapon might abridge and shorten their griefe yet for all this hee might not fight with Hanniball although hee surelie thought hee might wyth ease haue rescued the Towne for that hee was commaunded to the contrarie by the Dictatour nowe seeing the Citie in such distresse and that he might not fight for their succours he gathered certaine corne and put it into barrels and hogsheads sending priuie word to the towne that the next night he would sende them downe the riuer with the tide willing thē to be ready to receiue the barrels as they came for the riuer came close to their citie Thus at diuers times he beguiled Hanniball vntill at last the craft was bewrayed and then againe the citie disappointed of vittaile Which when the cownesmen perceiued they then had no other shift but secretely to steale out of the towne and get grasse and rootes such as they could finde and bring it in for their reliefe Which Hanniball had soone espied therefore hee caused the ground thereabout to be plowed vp to preuent them of that hope also Then the Citizens séeing there was no way to hold the towne and saue their liues from the fury of the enemie sent word to Gracchus that they perforce must yeelde the citie to Hanniball Whereat Gracchus seeing their great necessitie requested them to haue patience yet for two or three dayes also shewing them that it in case they would follow his his aduice and counsell he doubted not but shortly to free their citie and set them at libertie willing them to take parsnipseede and sowe it on the plowed ground without the Citie defending themselues manfully for that time if need should be They all being willing to try what effect this could worke sowed a great quantitie of parsnipseede on the ground which was plowed vp about the citie Of which thing when Hanniball was aduertised hee foorthwith remoued his siege and departed from the towne saying What shall I stay here vntill these seedes bee rootes that will I not for ten such Cities as Cassilinum is Thinking that they had sufficient in the towne to relieue them in the meane time or els they would neuer haue beene so fonde to sowe their seede Thus was subtile Hanniball drylie flouted himself who in sēblable sort had often beguyled others for the citie could not haue indured the siege foure dayes longer at the vttermost Yong Pub. Cornelius Scipio being made somwhat wise by the subtile sleights that Hanniball had vsed before in Italie remembring the craftie policie which was put in practise to bring Q. Fabius into mistrust with the Romanes by Hanniball now in the end plagued him with such like practise For when the Carthaginians were driuen out of Italie and lost their owne Empire of Affrica and Hanniball their chiefe captaine forced to flie to Antiochus who then had prepared a great armie to warre on the Romanes At the same time this young Scipio was sent by the Senate to Antiochus to know why hee prepared himselfe to warre on the Romanes his friends and being there arriued he perceiued that it was much by the instigation and pricking on of Hanniball their auncient enemie who already had gotten full graunt to leade and conduct halfe the power of Antiochus against the Romanes both for his great wisdome and policie and also for his approued experiēce as well in the countrey of Italie as of the Romanes themselues Which thing yong Scipio diligently noted fearing least the Romanes should be againe troubled with such a cunning warrior and approued Captaine as Hanniball was To preuent which cause he practised this meane He would often frequent the companie of Hanniball falling into friendly conference about the battailes fought betwixt them before in Italie and Affrica feeding and pleasing the humor of Hanniball least that hee might leese his companie and so faile of his purpose for his meaning was by priuie speech and communication with him to bring Antiochus in mistrust of him to the ende he should not committe his power into his hand Thus dayly Scipio vsed the companie of Hanniball comming priuely to his lodging secretly talking and conferring with him making as though Antiochus or his companie should not once suspect him wherfore he would most commonly come in the night yet he woulde euer chuse and picke out such a time that he would be seene by some of Antiochus his friendes to the ende the cause might the more be suspected and also if in the day Hanniball and hee had beene in any conference of causes so soone as he had espied either Antiochus himselfe or any other of his friendes then hee foorthwith would holde his peace sodainly depart as though he woulde not haue them to heare what conference they had which indeede was nothing but what they might haue heard very well without offence This inuention of last fell out accordingly and happy for the Romanes for Antiochus grewe greatly to suspect their priuie meetings and secrete whisperinges fearing least there were some compounded trecheries agreed vpon betwixt them And further for that Scipio had alwaies so praysed the wisdome policie and circumspect carefulnes of Hanniball openly to be both the wisest captaine carefullest Leader and valiantest man that then liued saying Happie were the Souldiers that marched vnder his conduct Which thing Antiochus liked not well of thinking that Scipio did it for this purpose that he should cōmit his armie into the handes of Hanniball and then to be betrayed as their secrete meetings argued Wherfore he would not that Hannibal should bear any charge of his being so cōuersant with his enemie saying he was glad he had so found out their practise before it took effect and that yet it rested in him to preuent their inuention By this stratageme Scipio set frée the Romans from such a politike captain that had so spoyled their coūtrey before which otherwise by quarreliing against him coulde neuer haue been brought to passe but would haue turned y e Romanes to much sorow Also Hasdruball vsed this subtiltie to escape the hands of Appius Claudius the Roman Consal for being inuironed with difficult passages the mouth easiest way whereof the Romanes held and possessed so that Hasdruball his army could not escape out any way without great danger of losing his whole hoast Wherefore he sent to Appius shewing him that if they could agrée vpon certaine articles he would be content to depart the countrey and
the mother did take rest with her children in the morning her two sonnes were founde dead whereby it was gathered that the greatest benefit that man could haue was in the middest of his glory and praise to end his fraile life that the vnconstancie of fickle fortune might not blot out any part of that which he had before gotten Croesus the rich King of Lydia demanding on a time of Solon who was the happiest man that euer he did sée thinking that he would say Croesus for his great riches and wealth but Solon said Tellus a man of Athens who had honest and good sonnes and they also had good children all which he sawe in his life and when he had liued a good time honestly at the last fighting against and vanquishing the enemies of his countrie he died a faire death was in the same place honorably buried of the Athenians When Croesus asked who was most happy next Tellus Solon named those whome hee knewe to liue and die most happiest not naming Croesus at al where at he being abashed said vnto Solon My friend of Athens settest thou so little by our felicitie that thou preferrest before vs these priuat persoÌ„s SoloÌ„ answered Truly Croesus in proces of time many things are seene that men would not see and many things are suffered that men would not suffer and speaking much of mans calamitie at the last he concluded saying Ante obitum nemo supremáque funera foelix No man is happie or thorowly blessed before his last and vttermost end and that the end of euery thing is to be looked on where to it shall come for God plucketh vp many men by the rootes vnto whom he gaue all thinges at pleasure therefore I cannot account any man happy before his end be knowne Croesus made hereto no countenance at al but esteeming Solon for a foole considering hee passed so lightly vpon things which appeared good let him depart A good space after Croesus attempting warre against Cyrus king of Persia was at the last taken of him who caused a great pile of wood to be made redy and Croesus to be gyued and set on the top therof to be burned Then forthwith Croesus remembring the words of Solon that no man liuing was blessed or on all parts happy lamenting cried O Solon Solon Solon which Cyrus hearing caused it to be demaunded of him who it was that he named Croesus with much difficultie told who it was and declared all that was before rehearsed which wheÌ„ Cyrus had heard remembring himselfe to be also a man sore repented that he went about to burne him which was equall to himselfe in honour and riches and commaunded him to be taken from the fire which then began to flame so with great difficultie he was deliuered who coulde not perceiue his own errour before experience had made him wise wherefore in such causes it may aptly be sayd Phryx plagis emendatur he bethought himselfe too late Scho. It is sufficiently apparant by your examples that the life of man cannot be happy vntill his ende and that man ought to liue accordingly to attaine to that happinesse but the nature of men is so farre from that consideration that they rather thinke themselues immortall and without end as doth appeare by their liues most euident for they liue now in these our dayes according as the Agragentines did in times past for the wise Plato said of them They bâ—â—ded as if they would liue euer and fedd as if they should alwayes die because of their costlines in building and their delicatenes in eating the one shewing the immortall minde of man and by the other contrary to their meaning they runne headlong to an vntimely death which surfetting end according to the opinion of the wise Philosophers can not be accounted happy but whereas temperance hath beene the originall ground of our conference it shalbe also expedient that you would make manifest what the want thereof is as well in princes and high estates as in the meanest subiect and what by their vnsatiable coueting they gaine Fa. It is very requisite and necessary truely to shew the vnsatiable appetite of aspiring mindes and what by their inordinate coueting they gaine which commeth by the want of the aforesaid gift whereof I am right wel content my good friend so that you will diligently marke what I shall say herein I will first begin with a king of the Hebrewes whose name was Amasius liued before the incarnation of Christ 853. yeares who although he liued well and contentedly for a space yet in the ende he forgat himselfe and especially he forgat the liuing GOD whom he before had serued which hapned by his successes and innumerable riches where withall he grew so proude that not contenting himselfe he wrote to Ioas king of the Israelites commaunding him his people to be vnder his obedience and gouernement But Ioas after defiance gathered an army and went against Amasius whose people fled before they came to strokes for feare of Ioas himselfe being taken and brought to the king who threatned to kill him except he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be opened that he with his army might enter in there Amasius was forced to breake downe of his owne Citie walles foure hundred cubites by which way his enemie Ioas might enter in being also led as prisoner by his foe into his owne where his aduersary spoyled and robbed him before his face of al the treasure of his house and citie with the treasure of the temple which he commanded to be caried to Samaria and afterward being deliuered his owne people slew him This gained he for his discontentment In like sort Marcus Antonius a noble Roman whome Augustus the Emperour highly fauoured making him companion in the Romane Empire with himselfe vsing him so louingly and friendly that hee wholie ruled and commaunded the Empire so far foorth as Augustus himselfe in consideration wherof Antonius by the lewd enticement of Cleopatra Q. of Aegypt aspired to the whole Empire and to put downe his true and trusty friend Augustus who before had aduanced him to that dignitie for which vnsatiable appetite he was destroyed of his very louing and faithfull friend Also if Caesar Pompey Cyrus Alexander Hanniball and diuers other great Princes had bene coutented with their owne large kingdomes and possessions they had neuer bin driuen to those extreme and shamefull ends as they were so that it may well be prouerbially spoken Aurum Tolosanum habem they died most miserably whose liues and ends I would sufficiently relate and vnfold to the better vnderstanding and perceiuing of the quiet state of contentment and the shamefull fall and destruction of couetous and aspiring mindes but it may be that I shoulde ouer-weary your eares with tediousnesse for where a briefe will serue it were méere folly to make a volume Therefore for the auoyding of the blameable cause of ouer much tediousnesse
to bée slaine but both by the face and similitude of the youth and by the confession of the shepheard and the time of the receit thereof Hee then knewe that hee was his right Nephew vanishing all feare from himselfe of the aforesaide Dreame and Prophecie for thinking himself to bée as a dead man in his sleepe and his Nephew to bee King and as the Southsayers had declared hee should be thought himselfe clearelie freede from all perill But Harpagus scaped not vnpunished for breaking the kings commandement for Astiages catching the sonne of Harpagus slew him and caused his cookes to dresse the mangled boy inuiting after the father of the child causing him vnawares to eate his owne flesh Which thing being afterward knowne vnto Harpagus he dissembled the matter vntill he might with fit oportunitie reuenge this villanie foorthwith sending priuily into Persia to Cyrus shewing him how his grandfather had dealt with him for sauing his life wishing him also to prepare an army and come to chalenge his kingdome which his grandfather meant to defraud him of Cyrus hauing receiued the letters considering the ancient wrongs that his grandfather had offered him before and nowe also howe greatly hee had abused him who had preserued his life wherefore he presently gathered an army minding now to chalenge his right whilest that he had such a faithfull friend as Harpagus was who offered himselfe to do his vttermost in the behalfe of Cyrus But Astiages hearing of such great preparation against him by his nephew in like sort also prouided a mightie hand against him the conduction whereof he committed whollie to the gouernement of his counseller Harpagus who presently when he had receiued them yéelded vp the whole army to Cyrus to reuenge himselfe on the king for the great iniurie hee had offered him the king hauing knowledge thereof gathered a newe power of men and went himselfe against his nephew marching on to the borders of Persia where was fought betwixt the grandfather and the nephew a most cruell and bitter fight in which conflict this notable courage in the Persian women is remembred for the battell being planted on both partes woonderfull strong And Astiages to the intent his souldiours should fight manfully had diuided his army in such sorte that he placed at the backes of those that should fight the battell an other army of souldiors saying Vnles they ouercame and went forward they should finde as hard fight behinde them as their enemies were before them If in case they should offer to retire backe the battelles on both sides being come to handstrokes and deadly blowes the Persian army at the first began to flee backe and retire which sorrowfull sight the Persian women had soone espied wherefore foorthwith the matrons wiues and daughters assembled themselues in haste and running to méet them who came fléeing before Astiages and the Medeans as men despairing of their good fortune plucking and folding vp their clothes shewing the priuie secrets of their bodies asking them whether or no they would flée for succor into the wombs of their mothers or wiues requesting them ernestly to returne into the battell and fight for their liues saying That if they would needes runne home they coulde neither succour or helpe them any otherwise than by what meanes they had already shewed them By which castigation of the women the Persian souldiours retired into the battell againe and put their enemies to shamefull flight taking also prisoner Astiages the Medean king Thus far digressing from our purpose to shew both the crueltie of Astiages the valiantnesse of the Persian women and the good happe of Cyrus in attaining vnto the crowne But now to returne to our purpose againe Cyrus possessing all Persia and Medea was not contented with those large kingdomes and dominions but still coueted to enlarge his possessions delighting in bloudie battailes reioycing at the ruine and destruction of statelie Townes and Cities For after manie cruell fightes and bloudie broyles hee entered into Lydia where in a great battaile hee tooke Croesus the rich King thereof Notwithstanding he was not satisfied with all the treasure Kingdome of Lydia which was then the most richest Region vnder the heauens but marched forward into Asia conquering that also returning at the last with all the East part of the world which he held vnder the subiection Yet being not filled with bloudie fight nor satisfied with victorie he waged warre with the Scythians who at that time were gouerned by Quéene Thomyris which sent her Sonne with a great Armie to defend her Countrey but the subtile Captaine Cyrus perceiuing the yong man to be but a fresh water soldier fraughted his Tents well with wine and fresh vittaile in which he knewe the Scythians much delighted and after faining a flight as if thorough feare of the Scythian Armie he departed leauing his Tents wholly furnished to intrap the Scythians withall which fel out accordingly for the lustie youth ouer rashly and without good consideration seazed on those Tents being forsaken of the enemie and according to their accustomed manner fell to such excessiue quaffing and bibbing that the whole Armie was soone drunken therewith being void of all feare for that they supposed the Enemie to be fled But Cyrus being aduertised therof returned in the night to his tents againe finding the Scythians ouercome with his wine so that he easily slew the Sonne of Thomyris and the whole Scythian Armie The Quéene hearing of the losse of her deere Sonne also of her Armie did not spende the time in wéeping but presently sought meanes to reuenge her selfe on that vnsatiable wretch with such like subtiltie as Cyrus beguyled her sonne with such pollicie she trained him to his destruction for the Persians greatly reioycing in their first victorie and happie successe in the beginning and the Scythians contrariwise making shew as if they were greatly discomfited with the losse of their Armie and former foyle retiring still backe from their enemies to traine them in like sort into the marishes and straight places of their Countrey where the enemie was intangled before they knewe of any such practise or suspected anie such craft at all There was Cyrus slaine with 200000. Persians whereof there remained not one to carrie newes or message back into Persia how they had sped in Scythia in which great conflict slaughter when Thomyris had found out the dead bodie of Cyrus she caused the head to be cut from the carkasse flinging the head into a tub of mans blood which was filled for the same purpose saying Satia te sanguine quem sit isti cuiúsque insatiabilis semper fuisti Cyrus now satisfie thy selfe with blood which thou hast long thirsted after wherof thou couldest neuer haue thy fill Thus died Cyrus when he had raigned 30. 〈◊〉 Pompeius Magnus so called for his incomparable Uictories being the sonne of Pompeius Strabo in like case wanted the gift of temperance for
els farre greater spoiles of Rome shall come to Carthage Whereunto the graue Hanno made this sober answere I was determined saith he Fathers conscript at this time in your so great and common ioye to haue spoken nothing which might haue béen displeasaunt to you but I can now doo no lesse but answere the rash Senator that enquireth whether the warres begun against the Romanes forethinke me or no To him I answere that I still forethinke it and blame our victorious Captaine vntill I sée the warre taken vp and finished by some tollerable condition neither shal anie other thing cause me desist from desiring our ancient peace saue onely a newe league confirmed betwixt vs. This newes which Mago hath blazed abroad are verie ioyfull to Hamilco and other of Hannibals friends and seruants and to me also if we take our good fortune while it is offered but if we let it passe and the time also in which we may be thought rather to grant peace than craue it I doubt lest this ioy wil deceiue vs come to nothing With these and such like speaches by him vttred in the Senate he quietly made an ende but Hamilco and the rest of the Senators gaue no regarde to his Oration for that they thought it either procéeded of méere mallice betwixt Hanniball and him or els to holde downe or kéepe vnder the glorie and renowme of flourishing Carthage which in déede was not anie thing so Thus for the true meaning of Hanno he was openly checked in the Senate by the vainglorious Senatours who afterward but not in time remembred his counsaile beléeuing nothing that hee said at the first vntill experience had made them throughly féele their owne folly On the other part after diuers great ouerthrowes and bloudie slaughters of the halfe vanquished Romanes the distressed Senators did choose for their chief Captaine to fight against Hannibal and the Carthaginians Q. Fabius Maximus a most noble and prudent Senator also at that time with him a young Gentleman of Rome named Minutius who was in like sort by the Senate made master of the horsemen being a hotspur an ouer desperate youth which afterward turned the Romanes to much displeasure and miserie Now Fabius being thus vnequally paired with a wilful fellow marched forward toward the Carthaginians and had alway a circumspect care least that he should committe any thing ouer rashly being not willing desperately to hazard his charge and the whole state of the Roman Empire at the first brunte or in one battaile with so valiant a Captaine and worthy souldier as Hanniball was wherefore he led his army by easie iorneyes and good espies into the field against his enemie pitching his campe in the high places of the high hilles not farre from the Carthaginian campe whereupon Hannibal seeing anew captaine of the Romanes thought good also to offer him present battaile to welcome him at his first comming brought his men foorth into the fields in order of battaile and good aray to fight but wary Fabius all the day kept him selfe close in his Campe and would not suffer his men to fight for that he knew Hanniball went about to proue him if in case he might find him rash and vnaduised as he had found the other captaines before therfore in like case by holding his men from battell he went about to trie and proue the patience of Hanniball which indeede hee right wisely found out for Hanniball when he perceiued that Fabius would not rashly venture battaile he foorthwith retired out of the field into his campe againe fearing greatly in his minde the sobernes of the wise Romane Captaine being in his iudgement a man much vnlike to Sempronius or Flaminius whom before he had ouerthrowen by their rashnes and desperate follie But Minutius master of the horsmen when he had espied the Carthaginians marching in order of battaile would needes haue issued out on the brauado and geuen them downe-right battaile in this his rash and desperate moode hazarding all at one time had not the wise Fabius withholden and perswaded him to the contrarie For which cause he openly exclaimed on and dispraysed the slacknes of Quintus Fabius sending worde to Rome what a coward they had placed in office Yet notwithstanding for all the inuentions of Minutius who had so earnestly maligned and inueied against him both openly by Orations in the Campe and also by letters sent to Rome on set purpose spitefully to worke him displeasure at home with the Senators He folowed still his wise course and procéeding in following the enemie from place to place camping alwais him selfe as neere to Hanniball as conueniently he might to waite on him at all assayes Which thing was as vnpleasant to Hāniball his foe as to Minutius his fellow For he right well did know that vnlesse the Romanes would venture battaile hee could not long remaine In Italie which thing also the wise Fabius diligently heeded and noted But nowe although Fabius had saued many thousād of the Romans from the cruell slaughtering hand of Hanniball by his great wisdome in abstayning from battaile and in dayly preuenting of the enemie from their purposes which otherwise woulde haue turned the State to great dammage and perill neuerthelesse it was thought at Rome that his heart fayled him and that he trifled out y e time onely to the intent his honor and dignitie might the longer continue and that he cared not what coste the Citie was at so that he still might be in office and liue with honor Thus by his prouident wisdome and carefull foresight he had gotten many enemies at Rome and especially by the meanes of this young hotespur Minutius insomuch that he departed from the camp and went to the Citie to answere the ouer-light beleeuing Senators who so hardly had conceiued of him It so fortuned at that time when he was in Rome that word was brought to the Senat from Minutius who gouerued the armie in the absence of Fabius that he by his valour and pollicie had geuen Hanniball a great ouerthrow which indeede was partly true for the wily Hanniball had gotten certain knowledge by his espials how the case stoode betwixt Fabius and Minutius and also that Fabius was now in some displeasure at Rome by the meanes of Minutius their young Captaine wherfore he began to practise wholy to thrust Fabius whom he feared into vtter hatred and displeasure with the chiefe Senators and gouernours of Rome By which meanes the Romanes peraduenture might committe the whole armie to the gouernment of Minutius and so displace Fabius whose wisdome and policie alway made the enemie to feare and dread him Wherefore the subtile Hanniball knowing that already the Romanes had conceiued a very good opinion and good liking of their young couragious Captaine if now therefore he should geue in the absence of Fabius some small victorie to Minutius that then the Romanes would be in further liking of him insomuch that they would repose further trust in him
pronounce and declare in his owne behalfe saying Plus ego togatus quà m armati decem I did saith he more by my counsell in the Senat than ten armed men in the field And in maintaining of his argument he further said Dux Agamemnon Greciae nunquam optat vt Aiacis similes decem habeat at vt Nestoris quandoque We neuer reade saith he that Agamemnon the chiefe ringleader and Captaine of the Greekes did euer wish that he had ten strong and forcible men like to Aiax but sometime hee would wish that he had ten prudent and wise Counsellers like to prouident Nestor And according to the opinion of learned Cicero prouident wisdome and circumspect carefulnesse is rather to be expected in graue and aged yeares than in greene and youthfull heads For in his booke de Senectute he doeth alleadge these authorities Apud Lacedemonios quidem ij qui amplissimum magistratum gerunt vt sunt sic etiam nominantur senes Amongst the auncient Lacedemonians saith he those which did beare any high authoritie were called aged Fathers as indeede they were otherwise they coulde not bee admitted to such offices And againe vpon the same occasion he saith thus Quod silegere aut audire voletis externa maximas respublicas ab adolescentibus labefactatas a senibus sustentatas reperietis If saith he either ye will reade or heare outward and forraine examples ye shall finde that great Common-wealthes and mightie Kingdomes haue fallen and decayed thorow young mens gouernment and againe how they haue bene vpholden and maintained by the graue gouernement of olde men When the Romanes were thorowly wearied by the wilfull rawnes of their youthfull Captaines buying experience by their dayly sufferance with extreame losses and lamentable slaughters of their people then in the ende for redres thereof they al with one consent constituted and made a decrée that if any Captaine or Leader in time of warre should vnadvisedly or sodainly set on the enemie without the consent or appointment of the Centurion or Captaine generall yea although he vtterly vanquished and ouerthrewe the aduersarie yet notwithstanding his ouer rash attempt and wilful boldnes should as gréeuously be punished as if he had bene enemie to his countrey for that Fortune might as well haue caught their folly as fauoured their rash enterprise Pap. Curtius being Dictator commanded that F. Rutilius master of his horsmen should be beaten with rods after beheaded for fighting against his commandement though he had the victory Neither would Papirius forgeue the punishment at the intercession of the Souldiers and when as he Hed to Rome he also pursued him neither would he there remit the dreadfull punishment vntill that Fabius and his father fell down on their knees and that also the Senat and people made intercession for him Manlius caused his sonne which against his commandement had fought with his enemy that had chalenged him though he got the victorie to be beaten with rods and haue his head stricken of Thus the Romans preuented many miseries which otherwise might haue hapned to their cōmō sorow heauines I would not it should be thought I altogether disalow yong captains condenming them al with vnaduised iudgement as the Emperor of Greece did the young ambassadors of Athens to be either rash wilful or foolish hardy or voyd of any good gouernment for then should I speak fondly and vnaduisedly in ouer rashly condemning their secrete vnknowen qualities When diuers of the aged Consuls graue leaders with other worthie Captaines of great experience of Rome were slaine in the Carthaginian war and that the whole Romane Empire did shake for feare hauing none left aliue vnto whom they might trust in this perilous warre to fight against so subtile and craftie a foe as Hanniball was who before had slaine such a mightie number of their worthy men Thus being in such perplexitie lamenting sore their distressed state and fearing the present subuersiō of their Citie then in this their great extremitie yong P. Cornelius Scipio the sonne of that Scipio which before was slaine in Spaine in the same warre by the Carthaginians being but three and twenty yeares olde earnestlie craued of the Senate that he might haue the office and authoritie to fight against wily Hanniball who had done them such high displeasure and made their whole state so pensiue and sad not doubting but to be reuenged on their enemies for their forepassed crueltie But the distressed Romanes seeing the tender yeares of the young Gentleman were doubtfull to committe such a waighty cause into his hande some of them speaking against his yeares as a man not alowable in such extremitie and againe some for that his father and uncle were both slaine in the same warre wherefore said they it is greatly to be feared considering his youthfull yeares and also the death of his Father least that he should be ouer rash in seeking speedy reuenge to his owne perill and their losse Notwithstanding the graue Senators wisely considering on the cause seeing the willingnes of the young man and his wittie Oration vttered there before them all at the same time committed their whole state into his hande who gouerned it with such wise policie and carefull foresight that he did not onely match the worthy Hannibal but also draue him out of Italie Spaine who before had viewed the Roman walles minding foorthwith to haue taken their citie forcing him also to flie into his countrey of Affrica and at the last home to the very walles of Carthage where he vtterly vanquished him seising on the whole Empire of Carthage to the vse of the Romanes Thus when the graue and valiant captaines were some slaine some put to flight and other some not daring to incounter with such a victorious Captaine as Hanniball was the yong Scipio by his manly valour wise policie and circumspect leading of his army both fréeed his Countrie from such a perillous enemie and also made the stately Empire of Carthage subiect to the Romanes to the great glorie and renowne of his Countrie and to the euerlasting remembrance of his name In like sorte Alexander the great the most famous Captaine and leader that euer liued was but twentie yeares olde when he ouerthrewe most mightie Kings and strong Princes with a very small number therefore wisedome and pollicie consisteth not in gray haires nor victorie altogether dependeth in olde age notwithstanding youth ought to haue a speciall care to ground all their actions vpon temperance with an open eare to sage aduise and wise counsaile and then no doubt victorie will not altogether consist and depend on fickle fortune But before I proceede any further to shewe the calamities and miseries of ruinous warre it shall not séeme amisse to shew what subtile sleights wise policies and cunning Stratagems haue beene in ancient time vsed to delude and mocke the enemie withall being also things very necessarie diligently to be noted in these our troublesome dayes
render into his hands other townes and castles which he had in kéeping Which thing pleased Claudius well hoping to free that countrey without battail from so dangerous a foe Wherefore he willingly consented to the parle appointing time and place for their méeting where there were bookes and articles drawen betweene them for the assurāce of both their promises Their méeting thus continuing thrée or foure dayes together Appius Claudius suspecting no craft for that the motiō came first by Hasdruball himself thinking that all things were plainly and simply meant without fraude or deceite Now Hasdruball in the meane time euery night sent part of his armie with their grosse cariages ouer certaine straite and perillous places which could neuer haue beene passed if the Romanes had knowen thereof himselfe euery day came foorth of the Campe to meet Claudius where they argued of waighty causes and were at a full composition sauing that their agreements were not confirmed and sealed which Hasdrubal shifted off in this sort saying that he would be so bold with Claudius as to conferre with his frendes the next day in his Campe which day also he sayd was euer kept holy among the Carthaginians and therefore he craued such like fauour at the hands of Appius with this knot also that they might be suffered quietly to peruse and conferre on those couenants agreements without any skirmish or battaile offered for that time promising the like for his part that his armie should neither inuade the Romanes nor trouble any of their frends as that day of truce protesting further that the next day his determination shoulde bee plainly declared to Appius and the Romans Now was Appius well quieted in his minde for that he hoped euery thing woulde effectually fall out yet for all that he gaue no great trust to the promise of Hasdruball for not inuading his men the next day Wherefore he caused watch and warde with good order to bee kept circumspectly in his campe to be ready if neede should require But Hasdruball minded nothing lesse than to inuade the campe of the Romanes but rather sought how to deliuer himselfe and his people out of that dangerous place therefore hee neglected no time in folowing so waightie a cause Insomuch that the same night he stole out of his campe with the rest that remayned behinde as close and priuely without noyse as they might ayding and helping one another ouer those harde passages which was wonderfull difficult to them by reason of the darkenes of the night But in the ende they well escaped the danger and were by the daylight safe inough from the Romanes Appius hauing intelligence in the morning of the escape of Hasdruball did then presently pursue after him but all in vain seeing himselfe thus flouted by Hasdruball then hee thought full well that he might cancell the agreements and burne the bands repenting his follie too late in suffering his enemie so easily to scape out of such a perillous straight L. Silla in the warres against Archelaus Mithridates lieutenant at Pirea perceiuing his souldiors had little courage to fight he so wearied them with continual labour that they were glad to desire to fight that the warres might be ended Also Cyrus king of Persia in the wars betwixt him Astyages king of the Medes minding to stirre vp the minds of his souldiors fiercely to giue battaile to their enemy vsed this policy he wearied them with paineful labour all one day in hewing downe a certaine wood and on the morrow after hee made a plenteous feast for them demaunding in the feast time which day liked them best and when they all allowed the pastime of the day present and yet quoth he this pleasure must be obtained by the other dayes paine for except ye first ouercome the Medes yee can neuer liue in fréedome and at pleasure whereby they tooke great courage to fight When Agesilaus had pitcht his field not farre from Orchomeno a City that was in league wyth him and perceyuing that many of the army had their treasure and cheefe riches in the Campe he commanded the townesmen to receyue nothing into the Towne belonging to his army to the intent his Souldiours might fight the more fiercely knowing they should fight both for their liues goods Gelon king of Syracusa entring warre against the Persians after he had taken many of them brought forth the weakest and most vncomely persons naked in the sight of all his army to persuade them that their enemies were but wretches and men worthy to be despised Epaminondas being ready to giue battell to the Lacedemonians seing the courage of his souldiours began somewhat to quaile he vsed this meane to animate their mindes furiously to fight pronouncing in an oration to them how that the Lacedemonians had determined if they gate the victory to slay all their men to make their wiues and children bond-slaues for euer and to beate downe the City of Thebes flat to the ground With which wordes the Thebans were so mooued and agreeued that at the first brunt they ouercame the Lacedemonians Thus we sée oftentimes that subtile policy auaileth where force and strength can hardly resist therefore it is both conuenient and necessarie that the Stratagems of warre be exercised and studied against néedefull times but in my opinion the force of mony is great in causes of warre and winneth by corruption strong castells and inuincible townes insomuch that the wise Erasmus seeing the wonderfull force of money so strong and auaileable sayth thus thereof Porrò nihil est iam sanctum quod non violari nihil tam munitum quodnon expugnari pecunia possit Nothing sayth he is so holie and sacred but by money it may be violated neither is any thing so strong but by the corruption of mony it may be taken and subdued Philip king of Macedon hauing by practise and experience found out the vnincounterable force thereof at such time in his warres as he minded to take a certaine Citie perforce it was tolde him that the passage thereto was very difficult and hard and the towne by common iudgement inuincible An praesidium tam esset difficile accessu rogauit vt asinus auro onustus accedere non posset Wherevnto he demanded this Whether or no is the way or straight so difficult in passing that an asse being loden with golde cannot passe and enter in making then a trifle of it when he heard that there were but such sufficient passage accounting all things possible enough to be won where onely there were but place for money to passe For sayth he Pecuniae obediunt omnia All thinges are obedient to money Yet notwithstanding it is to be wished that whosoeuer wil violate or breake sacred rites or betray things committed to his charge on trust by corruption of mony or for auarice sake that we had as the olde saying is his skinne full of angells The miserable murders and deadly debates that happened betweene
mserable perdition and destruction Whereby it is manifest whatsoeuer Alexander had gathered together in forreine warres with the slaughter and destruction of diuers people was lost againe by ciuill dissention with the lamentable murder of his friends children allyes neither in the ende was there anie thing els gained by his vnsatiable minde sauing onely dolor lamentation sorrow and distressed wretchednesse which is a most common consequent and incident hap vneuitable to ruinous warre The cause why stately Carthage lost her Empire and what miserable slaughters of men hapned to be betwixt the Romanes and the Carthaginians which first chaunced through the enuious mindes of the Affricans themselues WHen the two stately Empires of Rome and Carthage had long contended in warre and fought manie fierce Battailes perilous conflicts to the great slaughter and perishing of manie thousands on both sides they in the ende being tyred and ouer wearied with the miserable murders and calamities of cruell warre were on both parts willing to haue a league and peace concluded and agréed upon betwéene them for certaine yeares and places limitted for diuision betwixt their Empires whereby they might knowe each others Countreyes apart Which thing being done and confirmed on both parts by solemne vowe to remaine unuiolated vnbroken betwixt them during the same limited time But not long after whē both wealth power began to encrease in their Countreyes then the stately pride of the one began likewise to maligne and disdaine at the flourishing estate of the other and also that Hannibal sonne of Hamilcar was come to mans estate who had sworne before his father beeing but a boy that he from thencefoorth would become a deadly foe to the Romans as before hath partly been showen Now forasmuch as the forefathers and diuers other friends of Hannibal had béen cruelly dealt withall by the Romanes in the first warre wherefore his minde was the more whetted on to take reuengement of such crueltie Insomuch that being come to mans estate also hauing authoritie and power committed to him by the Senate of Carthage to be the chiefe Leader and Captaine against the Romanes as his father Hamilcar had béen before him in the first warre remembred now afresh the ancient iniuries that the Romanes had offered to the Carthaginians and his predecessours that in token of his mallice toward them he stroke his foote into the ground and therewithall tooke vp the fragments of dust and earth scattering them about saying Tum belli finis erit cum alterutra pars in habitum pulueris redacta fuerit Then shall the warre betwixt the Romanes and the Carthaginians ende saith he when euerie part and parcell of this dust shall returne into one clod and lumpe againe Departing from Affrica with 90000. footmen and 12000. horsmen to inuade the Romanes their auncient aduersaries not doubting but to inlarge theirs with the Romane Empire to raign as Kings ouer the earth for that no Nation in the world did come néere them in statelinesse but onely the Romanes whome now they minded to suppresse Thus when Hannibal had obtained an Armie and also firmely had assured to him the faithfull friendship of diuers of the Senators at all times to fauour his procéedings and also to supply his wants he then with banner displayed first warred on their friendes and after marched into Italy to make sharpe warre on the Romanes themselues where he fought manie cruell and bloudie battailes slaying murdring manie thousandes of their people gaining daylie in their countrey subduing their cities and townes winning from them their anexed prouinces marching at the last to the verie wals of Rome viewing the scituation therof minding wher it was weakest to make a breach and to bend his greatest forces against it to the ende hee might with more ease take the Citie which indéed he had done if the immortal Gods had not preuented his purpose as the Romans themselues doo witnesse for when hee had slaine diuers of their Consulls with a number of their auncient Senators in manie battailes discomfited their valiauntest Captaines and Leaders so that there were none almost left liuing that durst incoūter the victorious Carthaginian so terrible was the name of Hannibal unto the Romanes Insomuch that now when he approached their walls they were all stroken with such feare and terror that their stréetes were filled with lamentations and pitifull howlings of the terrified and ouer frighted people shutting their windowes and doores in all the Citie mourning and making such lamentable dole and pitifull wayling as if then the executioner had bin present within the walls of their Citie Notwithstanding Fuluius Flaccus then being Consul hearing the dolefull cries of the distressed Citizens being mooued with their present miserie gathered a sufficient Armie of the trembling Romanes and marched out of the Citie in good order against his enemie Hannibal aranging his battels readie to encounter the fierce foe which also came marching against them to giue downe right battaile to Flaccus the Consull but the trēbling Romanes being so terrefied with the name of Hannibal were now at the sight of his displayed banners and presence of his mightie person so wounded with an vnspeakable feare and terror that their hearts quite failed them standing all as if they were more readie to flie than fight which the Consull right well perceiued to his great griefe and sorrow But thus well it happened to the distressed Romanes before the Armies could could ioyne battaile there fell a wonderful storme with such violence and mightie force that both the Armies were driuen into their holdes without battaile The next day also when they likewise came foorth to fight they were in like manner seperated and driuen backe with another mightie storme so that Hānibal was forced to retire from the Citie which as both the Romanes themselues and also the Carthaginians affirme was by the prouidence of the immortall Gods not to suffer Hannibal at that time to fight with the fearefull Romanes but protracting the time that the Carthaginians might be plaged for their vnfaithfulnesse For if by common iudgement they had at that time fought Rome had bin sacked their Empire lost and their liues vnder the mercie of Hannibal Therefore said Hanno a Carthaginian As the immortall Gods prouided for the safetie of the Romanes so in like sort they prouided grieuously to plague our vnfaithfulnesse for breaking of our sacred vow plighted promise For when all hope of the Romanes were taken away their chiefe forces and powers diminished their prudent Consulls and Senators slaine their valiant Captaines soldiers consumed their Countrey wasted and destroyed with the continuance of warre insomuch that they despaired for euer to recouer their libertie or holde the Carthaginians from conquest of their Countrey Nowe in this great extremitie yong P.C. Scipio craued of the remnant of the Senators which wer left aliue that he might haue an Army to fight against Hannibal and the Carthaginians not doubting