haue absolute power ouer the people Fabius at his first comming bicause he would shewe the maiestie and dignitie of his office and that euery man should be the more obedient and readie at his commaundement when he went abroade he had foure and twentie sergeants before him carying the bundells of roddes and axes And when one of the Consulls came to him he sent a sergeant to commaund his bundell of roddes that were caried before him to be put downe and all other tokens of dignitie to be layed a side and that he should come and speake with him as a priuate man And first to make a good foundation and to beginne with the seruice of the goddes he delcared vnto the people that the losse they had receyued came through the rashenes and willfull negligence of their captaine who made no reckoning of the goddes nor religion and not through any defaulte and cowardlines of the souldiers And for this cause he dyd persuade them not to be afrayed of their enemies but to appease the wrath of the goddes and to serue and honour them Not that he made them hereby superstitious but dyd confirme their valiancy with true religion and godlines and besides dyd vtterly take awaye and aswage their feare of their enemies by geuing them certaine hope and assuraunce of the ayde of the goddes Then were the holy bookes of the Sibylles prophesies perused which are kept very secret and therein they founde certaine auncient prophecies and oracles which spake of the present misfortunes of the time But what were conteined therein it is not lawfull to be vttered to any persone Afterwards the Dictator before the open assembly of the people made a solemne vowe vnto the goddes that he would sacrifice all the profits and fruites that should fall the next yere of sheepe of sowes of milche kyne and of goates in all the mountaines champion countrie riuers or meadowes of ITALIE And he would celebrate playes of musike shewe other fightes in the honour of the goddes and would bestowe vpon the same the summe of three hundred three thirtie Sestercians three hundred three thirtie Romaine pence a third parte ouer All which summe reduced into Graecian money amownteth to foure score three thousand fiue hundred and foure score and three siluer drachmas two obolos Now it were a hard thing to tell the reason why he doth mention this summe so precisely and why he dyd deuide it by three vnles it were to extolle the power of the number of three bicause it is a perfect number by the nature and is the first of the odde numbers which is the beginning of diuers numbers and conteineth in it self the first differences and the first elements and principles of all the numbers vnited and ioyned together So Fabius hauing brought the people to hope and trust to haue the ayde and fauour of the goddes made them in the ende the better disposed to liue well afterwardes Then Fabius hoping after victorie and that the goddes would send good lucke and prosperitie vnto men through their valliantnes and wisdome dyd straight set forwards vnto Hannibal not as minded to fight with him but fully resolued to weare out his strength and power by delayes and tract of time and to increase his pouertie by the long spending of his owne money and to consume the small number of his people with the great number of his souldiers Fabius camped allwayes in the strong and highe places of the mountaines out of all daunger of his enemies horsemen and coasted still after the enemie so that when Hannibal stayed in any place Fabius also stayed if Hannibal remoued he followed him straight and would be allwayes neere him but neuer forsooke the hilles neither would he come so neere him as that he should be inforced to fight against his will. Yet allwayes he followed the enemie at his tayle and made him euer afeard of him thincking still that he sought to get the vantage to geue the charge vpon him Thus by delaying and prolonging the time in this sorte he became disliked of euery bodye For euery man both in his owne campe and abroade spake very ill of him openly and as for his enemies they tooke him for no better then a rancke coward Hannibal only excepted But he perceyuing his great reache and policie and foreseeing the manner of fight sawe there was no remedy but by playne force or slight to bring him to the fight for otherwise his delaye would ouerthrowe the CARTHAGINIANS when they should not come to handy strokes with him wherein only consisted all their hope and strength and in the meane time his souldiers should fall away and dye and his money was scante and him selfe should growe the weaker Thereupon Hannibal beganne to bethinke him and deuise all the stratageames and policies of warre he could imagine and like a cunning wrestler to seeke out all the trickes he could to geue his aduersarie the falle For sodainely he would goe and geue alarom to his campe by and by againe he would retire Another time he would remoue his campe from one place to another and geue him some aduantage to see if he could plucke his lingring deuise out of his head and yet to hazard nothing But as for Fabius he continued still resolute in his first determination that delaye of fight was the best waye so to ouerthrowe him Howbeit Minutius generall of his horsemen dyd trouble him muche For he being earnestly bent to fight without discretion and brauing of a lustie corage crept into opinion with the souldiers by his whotte furie and desire to fight Which wrought muche in them and so sturred vp their corages that they mocked Fabius altogether and called him Hanniballs schoolemaster and contrariwise they commended Minutius for a valliant captaine and worthie ROMAINE This made Minutius looke highe and haue a prowde opinion of him selfe mocking Fabius bicause he euer lodged on the hilles with saying the Dictator would make them goodly sportes to see their enemies waste and burne ITALY before their face Moreouer he asked Fabius friendes whether he would in the ende lodge his campe in the skye that he dyd clyme vp so highe vpon mountaines mistrusting the earthe or els that he was so affrayed his enemies would finde him out that he went to hyde him selfe in the clowdes Fabius friendes made reporte of these ieastes and aduised him rather to hazard battel then to beare suche reproachefull wordes as were spoken of him But Fabius aunswered them If I should yeld to that you counsell me I should shewe my selfe a greater coward then I am taken for now by leauing my determination for feare of their mockes and spightfull wordes For it is no shame for a man to stand fearefull and iealous of the welfare and safetie of his countrie but otherwise to be afeard of the wagging of euery strawe or to regard euery common prating it is not the parte of a
entred the teÌ„ple of Apollo in the cittie of DELPHES with Philodemus PHOCIAN with Onomarchus who were partakers of their sacriledge Moreouer they were lose people abiectes that were abhorred of euerie body who vacabondlike wandred vp downe the contry of PELOPONNESVS when Timoleon for lacke of other was glad to take them vp And when they came into SICILE they alwaies ouercame in al battells they fought whilest they were in his company But in the ende when the furie of warres was pacified Timoleon sending them about some speciall seruice to the ayde of some of his they were cast away euery man of them and not all together but at diuers times So as it seemed that Goddes iustice in fauor of Timoleon did separate them from the rest when he was determined to plague them for their wicked desertes fearing least good men should suffer hurt by punishing of the euill And so was the grace goodwill of the goddes wonderful towards Timoleon not onely in matters against him but in those things that prospered well with him Notwithstanding the common people of SYRACVSA tooke the iâ—asting wordes and writings of the tyrans against them in maruelous euill part For Mamercus amongest other thinking well of him selfe bicause he could make verses tragedies hauing in certen battels gotten the better hand of the strauÌ„gers which the SYRACVSANS gaue pay vnto he gloried very much And when he offred vp the targets he had gotten of them in the teÌ„ples of the godds he set vp also these cutting verses in derision of them that were vanquished VVith bucklers pot lyd like vvhich of no value vvare vve haue these goodly targets vvonne so vichly trymmed here All got gorgeously vvith golde and eâ—e vvith Iuorye vvith purple cullers finely vvrought and dect vvith Ebonye These thinges done Timoleon led his armie before the citie of CALAVRIA Icetes therewhile while entred the coÌ„fines of the SYRACVSANS with a maine army caried away a maruelous great spoile And after he had done great hurt spoiled the contry he returned backe againe came by CALAVRIA to despite Timoleon knowing wel enough he had at that time but few men about him Timoleon suffered him to passe by but folowed him afterwards with his horsemen lightest armed footemeÌ„ Icetes vnderstanding that passed ouer the riuer called DAMIRIAS so staied on the other side as though he would fight trusting to the swift roÌ„ning of the riuer and the height of the bankes on either side of the same Now the captaines of Timoleons bands fell out maruelously amongest them selues striuing for honor of this seruice which was cause of delaying the battel For none would willingly come behind but euery man desired to lead the voward for honor to begin the charge so as they could not agree for their going ouer one thrusting another to get before his companion Wherfore Timoleon fell to drawing of lots which of them should passe ouer first tooke a ring of euery one of them and cast them all within the lappe of his cloke so rolling them together by chaunce he pluckt one at the first wheron was grauen the markes tokens of a triumph The young Captaines seeing that gaue a shoute of ioy without tarying drawing of other lottes they began euery man to passe the riuer as quickly as they could to let apoÌ„ the enemies as sodainely But they being not able to abide their force ranne their wayes and were faine to cast their armor away to make more hast howbeit there were a thowsand of them lay dead in the feilde And within few daies after Timoleon leading his armie to the citie of the LEONTINES tooke Icetes aliue there with his sonne Eupolemus and the generall of his horsemen who were deliuered into his hands by his owne souldiers So Icetes his sonne were put to death like the traitors tyrannes and so was Euthydemus also who though he was a valliant souldier had no better mercie shewed him then the father the sonne bicause they did burden him with certaine iniurious words he spake against the CORINTHIANS For they say that when the CORINTHIANS came first out of their contrie into SICILE to make wars against the tyrannes that he making an oration before the LEONTINES said amoÌ„gest other things that they should not neede to be afraide if The vvomen of Corinthe vvere come out of their contrie Thus we see that men do rather suffer hurt then put vp iniurious words do pardone their enemies though they reuenge by deds bicause they can do no lesse But as for iniurious words they seme to proceed of a deadly hate of a cancred malice Furthermore wheÌ„ Timoleon was returned againe to SYRACVSA the SYRACVSANS arrained the wiues of Icetes and his sonne and their daughters who being arrained were also condemned to die by the iudgement of the people Of al the actes Timoleon did this of al other in my opinion was the fowlest dede for if he had listed he might haue saued the poore womeÌ„ from death But he passed not for them so left them to the wrath of the cittizens who would be reuenged of them for the iniuries that were done to Dion after he had driuen out the tyranne Dionysius For it was Icetes that caused Arete the wife of Dion to be cast into the sea his sister Aristomache and his sonne that was yet sucking child as we haue written in another place in the life of Dion That done he weÌ„t to CATANA against Mamercus who taried him by the riuer of ABOLVS where Mamercus was ouerthrowen in battel aboue two thowsand men slaine the greatest part wherof were the CARTHAGINIANS whoÌ„ Gisco had sent for his reliefe Afterwards he grauÌ„ted peace to the CARTHAGINIANS vpon earnest sute made vnto him with conditioÌ„ that they should kepe on thother side of the riuer of LYCVS that it should be lawful for any of thinhabitaÌ„ts there that would to come dwel in the territory of the SYRACVSANS to bring away with theÌ„ their goodes their wiues their children and furthermore that from thenceforth the CARTHAGINIANS should renounce al league coÌ„federacy alliance with the tyrannes Wherupon Mamercus hauing no hope of good successe in his doings he would goe into ITALYE to stir vp the LVCANIANS against Timoleon and the SYRACVSANS But they that were in his company returned backe againe with their gallies in the myd way and when they were returned into SICILE they deliuered vp the cittie of CATANA into the handes of Timoleon so as Mamercus was constrained to saue him selfe and to flye vnto MESSINA to Hippon the tyranne thereof But Timoleon followed him and beseged the cittie both by sea and by lande Whereat Hippon quaked for feare and thought to flye by taking shippe but he was taken startyng And the MESSENIANS hauing him in their hands made all the childreÌ„ come from the schole to the
ouerthrowe of king Cleomenes so muche more lamentable For if he had delayed battell but two dayes lenger when the MACEDONIANS had bene gone he might haue made what peace he would with the ACHAIANS but for lacke of money he was driuen as Polybius wryteth to geue battell with twentie thowsande men against thirtie thowsande where he shewed him selfe an excellent and skilfull Captaine and where his citizens also fought like valliant men and the straungers in like case did shewe them selues good souldiers But his onely ouerthrowe was by the manner of his enemies weapons and the force of their battell of footemen But Phylarchus wryteth that treason was the cause of his ouerthrowe For Antigonus had appointed the ACARNANIANS and the ILLYRIANS which he had in his armie to steale vppon the winge of his enemies armie where Euclidas king Cleomenes brother was to compasse him in behinde whilest did sette the rest of his men in battell When Cleomenes was got vp vpon some hill to looke about him to see the countenaunce of the enemie and seeing none of the ACARNANIANS nor of the ILLYRIANS he was then affrayed of Antigonus that he went about some stratageame of warre Wherefore he called for Demoteles whose charge was to take heede of stratageames and secret ambushes and commaunded him to looke to the rerewarde of his armie and to be verie circumspect all about Demoteles that was bribed before as it is reported with money tolde him that all was cleere in the rerewarde and bad him looke to ouerthrowe his enemies before him Cleomenes trusting this reporte sette forward against Antigonus and in the ende his citizens of SPARTA which he had about him gaue suche a fierce charge apon the squadron of the MACEDONIAN footemen that they draue them backe fiue furlonges of But in the meane time Euclidas his brother in the other wing of his armie being compassed in behinde Cleomenes turning him backe and seeing the ouerthrowe cried out alowde alas good brother thou art but slaine yet thou dyest valliantlie and honestlie and thy death shall be a worthie example vnto all posteritie and shall be song by the praises of the women of SPARTA So Euclidas and his men being slaine the enemies came straight to sette vpon Cleomenes winge Cleomenes then seeing his men discouraged and that they durst no lenger resist the enemie fledde and saued him selfe Many of the straungers also that serued him were slaine at this battell and of sixe thowsande SPARTANS there were left aliue but onely two hundred Now Cleomenes being returned vnto SPARTA the citizens comming to see him he gaue them counsell to yeeld them selues vnto Antigonus the conqueror and for him selfe if either aliue or dead he could doe any thing for the honor and benefit of SPARTA that he would willingly doe it The women of the citie also comming vnto them that flying had escaped with him when he saw them vnarme the men and bring them drinke to refresh them with he also went home to his owne house Then a maide of the house which he had taken in the citie of MEGALIPOLIS and whom he had enterteined euer since the death of his wife came vnto him as her maner was to refresh him comming hot from the battell howbeit he would not drinke though he was extreame drie nor sit being verie wearie but armed as he was layed his arme a crosse apon a piller and leaning his head apon it reposed himselfe a litle and casting in his minde all the wayes that were to be thought of he tooke his frendes with him and went to the hauen of Gythium and there hauing his shippes which he had appointed for the purpose he hoysted sayle and departed his way Immediatly after his departure came Antigonus into the citie of SPARTA and curteously intreated the citizens and inhabitants he found and did offend no man nor prowdly despise the auncient honor and dignitie of SPARTA but referring them to their owne lawes and gouernment when he had sacrificed to the goddes for his victorie he departed from thence the thirde daye newes being brought him that the warre was verie great in MACEDON and that the barbarous people did spoyle his contrie Now a disease tooke him whereof he dyed afterwards which appeared a tisicke mixt with a sore catarre but yet he yeelded not to his disease and bare it out that fighting for his contrie and obteyning a famous victorie with great slaughter of the barbarous people he might yet dye honorably as in deede he did by Phylarchus testimonie who sayth that with the force of his voyce fiercely crying out in the middest of his fight he tare his lunges and lightes worse then they were before Yet in the schooles it is sayd that after he had wonne the battell he was so ioyfull of it that crying out O blessed day he brake out into a great bleeding at the mouth and a great feuer tooke him withall that he dyed of it Thus much touching Antigonus Now Cleomenes departing out of the Isle of CYTHERA went and cast ancker in an other Iland called AEGIALIA Then determining to saile ouer to the citie of CYRENA Therycion one of Cleomenes frendes a man that in warres shewed him selfe verie valliant but a boaster besides of his owne doinges tooke Cleomenes aside and sayd thus vnto him Truely O king we haue lost an honorable occasion to dye in battell though euery man hath heard vs vaunt and say that Antigonus should neuer ouercome the king of SPARTA aliue but dead A seconde occasion yet is offered vs to dye with much lesse honor and fame notwithstanding then the first Whether doe we saile to no purpose Why doe we flie the death at hand and seeke it so farre of If it be no shame nor dishonor for the posteritie race of Hercules to serue the successors of Philip and Alexander let vs saue then our labor and long daungerous sailing and goe yeelde our selues vnto Antigonus who in likelyhoode will better vse vs then Ptolomy bicause the MACEDONIANS are farre more nobler persons then the AEGYPTIANS And if we disdaine to be commaunded by them which haue ouercommen vs in battell why then will we make him Lord of vs that hath not ouercomen vs in steade of one to make vs inferior vnto both flying Antigonus and seruing king Ptolomy Can we say that we goe into AEGYPT in respect to see your mother there A ioyfull sight no doubt when she shall shew king Ptolomyes wiues her sonne that before was a king a prisoner fugitiue now Were it not better for vs that hauing yet LACONIA our contrie in sight and our swordes besides in our owne hands to deliuer vs from this great miserie so doing to excuse our selues vnto them that are slaine at SELASIA for defence of SPARTA then cowardly loosing our time in AEGYPT to inquire whom Antigonus left his Lieutenaunt and Gouernor in LACEDAEMON Therycion ending his oration Cleomenes aunswered him thus Doest thou
conuenient number of their daughters and young widowes to marie with them they should haue peace as they had before time with the SABYNES vpon the like occasion The ROMAINES hereat were sore troubled thincking that to deliuer their women in such sorte was no better then to yelde and submit them selues to their enemies But as they were thus perplexed a wayting mayde called Philotis or as other call her Tutola gaue them counsell to doe neither the one nor the other but to vse a pollicy with them by meanes whereof they should scape the daunger of the warres and should also not be tyed nor bounde by any pledges The deuise was they should send to the LATINES her selfe and a certaine number of their fayrest bonde maydes trimmed vp like gentlewomen and the best citizens daughters and that in the night she would lifte them vp a burning torche in the ayer at which signe they should come armed and set vpon their enemies as they laye a sleepe This was brought to passe and the LATINES thought verely they had bene the ROMAINES daughters Philotis fayled not in the night to lyft vp her signe and to shewe them a burning torche in the toppe of a wilde figge tree and dyd hange certaine couerlets and clothes behinde it that the enemies might not see the light and the ROMAINES contrariwise might decerne it the better Thereupon so sone as the ROMAINES sawe it they ranne with all spede calling one another by their names and issued out of the gates of the cittie with great haste and so tooke their enemies vpon a sodaine and slewe them In memorie of which victorie they doe yet solemnise the feaste called the Nones of the goates bicause of the wilde figge tree called in Latine Caprificus And they doe feast the women without the cittie vnder shadowes made of the boughe of figge trees The wayting maydes they tonne vp and downe and playe here and there together Afterwards they seeme to fight and throwe stones one at another as then they dyd when they holpe the ROMAINES in their fight But fewe writers doe auowe this tale bicause it is on the daye time that they call so eche other by their names and that they goe to the place which they call the goates marshe as vnto a sacrifice It seemeth this agreeth better with the first historie when they called one another by their names in the night going against the LATINES onles peraduenture these two thinges after many yeres happened vpon one daye Furthermore they saye Romulus was taken out of the worlde when he was foure and fiftie yeres of age and had raigned eight and thirtie yeres by accompt THE COMPARISON OF Theseus vvith Romulus THVS haue we declared all things of Theseus and Romulus worthy memorie But to compare the one with the other it appeareth first that Theseus of his owne voluntarie will without compulsion of any when he might with safety haue reigned in the cittie of TROEZEN and succeeded his grandfather in no small kingdome dyd desire of him selfe and rather sought meanes to aspire to great things and that Romulus on the otherside to deliuer him self from bondage and seruitude that laye sore vpon him and to escape the threatned punishment which still dyd hange ouer his head was certainely compelled as Plato sayeth to shewe him selfe hardie for feare who seeing howe extremely he was like to be handled was of very force constrained to seeke aduenture and hazarde the enterprise of atteining highe and great things Moreouer the chiefest acte that euer he dyd was when he slewe one onely tyranne of the cittie of ALBA called Amulius where Theseus in his iorney only as he trauelled gaue his minde to greater enterprises and slewe Sciron Sinnis Procrustes and Corynetes And by ridding them out of the worlde he deliuered GRECE of all those cruell tyrranes before any of those knewe him whom he had deliuered from them Furthermore he might haue gone to ATHENS by sea and neuer needed to haue trauelled or put him selfe in daunger with these robbers considering he neuer receyued hurte by any of them where as Romulus could not be in safetie whilest Amulius liued Hereupon it maye be alledged that Theseus vnprouoked by any priuate wronge or hurte receyued dyd set vpon these detestable theues and robbers Remus and Romulus contrariwise so longe as the tyranne dyd them to harme dyd suffer him to oppresse and wronge all other And if they alledge these were noble dedes and worthy memorie that Romulus was hurte fighting against the SABYNES and that he slewe kings Acron with his owne handes and that he had ouercome and subdued many of his enemies Then for Theseus on thother side may be obiected the battell of the CENTAVRI the warres of the AMAZONES the tribute due to the king of CRETA and howe he ventered to goe himselfe thither with the other young boyes and wenches of ATHENS as willingly offering him selfe to be deuowred by a cruell beaste or els to be slayne and sacrificed vpon the tumbe of Androgeus or to become bondslaue tyed in captiuitie to the vile seruice of cruell men and enemies if by his corage and manhodde he could not deliuer him self This was such an acte of magnanimitie iustice glorie briefly of so great vertue that it is vnpossible truely to be set out Surely me thinckes the philosophers dyd not ill define loue when they sayd she was a seruitour of the goddes to saue younge folkes whom they thought meete to be preserued For the loue of Ariadne was in mine opinion the worke of some god and a meane purposely prepared for Theseus safety Therefore the woman is not to be reproached nor blamed for the loue she bare Theseus but rather it is muche to be wondred at that euery man and woman in like wise dyd not loue him And if of her selfe she fell in loue with him I saye and not without cause she afterwards deserued to be beloued of a god as one that of her owne nature loued valiantnes and honour and entertained men of singuler value But both Theseus and Romulus being naturally geuen to rule and raigne neither the one nor the other kept the true forme of a King but bothe of them dyd degenerate alike the one chaunging him self into a popular man the other to a very tyranne So that by sundrie humours they both fell into one mischief and errour For a prince aboue all things must keepe his estate which is no lesse preserued by doing nothing vncomely as by doing all things honorably But he that is more seuere or remisse then he should be remaineth now no more a King or a prince but becommeth a people pleaser or a cruell tyrante and so causeth his subiects to despise or hate him Yet me thinckes the one is an errour of to muche pittie and basenes and the other of to muche pryde and crueltie But if we maye not charge fortune with all mischaunces happening vnto men but that
them neither haue they done any vnseemely thing but haue passed the rest of their life like wise constant and vertuous men For it is not loue but weaknes which breedeth these extreme sorowes and exceeding feare in men that are not exercised nor acquainted to fight against fortune with reason And this is the cause that plucketh from them the pleasure of that they loue and desire by reason of the continuall trouble feare and griefe they feele by thincking howe in time they maye be depriued of it Nowe we must not arme our selues with pouertie against the griefe of losse of goodes neither with lacke of affeâ—tion against the losse of our friendes neither with wante of mariage against the death of children but we must be armed with reason against misfortunes Thus haue we sufficiently enlarged this matter The ATHENIANS hauing nowe susteined a long and troublesome warre against the MEGARIANS for the possession of the I le of SALAMINA were in the ende wearie of it and made proclamation straightly commaunding vpon payne of death that no man should presume to preferre any more to the counsaill of the cittie the title or question of the possession of the I le of SALAMINA Solon could not beare this open shame and seeing the most parte of the lustiest youthes desirous still of warre though their tongues were tyed for feare of the proclamation he fayned him selfe to be out of his wittes and caused it to be geuen out that Solon was become a foole and secretly he had made certaine lamentable verses which he had cunned without booke to singe abroade the cittie So one daye he ranne sodainly out of his house with a garland on his head and gotte him to the market place where the people straight swarmed like bees about him and getting him vp vpon the stone where all proclamations are vsually made out he singeth these Elegies he had made which beganne after this sorte I here present my selfe an Heraulde in this case vvhich come from Salamina lande that noble vvorthy place My minde in pelting prose shall neuer be exprest But songe in verse Heroycall for so I thincke it best This Elegie is intituled SALAMINA and conteineth a hundred verses which are excellently well written And these being songe openly by Solon at that time his friendes incontinently praysed them beyond measure and specially Pisistratus and they went about persuading the people that were present to credit that he spake Hereupon the matter was so handled amongest them that by and by the proclamation was reuoked and they beganne to followe the warres with greater furie then before appointing Solon to be generall in the same But the common tale and reporte is that he went by sea with Pisistratus vnto the temple of Venus surnamed Coliade where he founde all the women at a solemne feast and sacrifice which they made of custome to the goddesse He taking occasion thereby sent from thence a trusty man of his owne vnto the MEGARIANS which then had SALAMINA whom he instructed to fayne him selfe a reuolted traytour that he came of purpose to tell them that if they would but goe with him they might take all the chief ladyes and gentle women of ATHENS on a sodaine The MEGARIANS easely beleeued him and shipped forthwith certaine souldiers to goe with him But when Solon perceyued the shippe vnder sayle comming from SALAMINA he commaunded the women to departe and in steade of them he put lusty beardles springalles into their apparell and gaue them litle shorte daggers to conuey vnder their clothes commaunding them to playe daunce together vpon the sea side vntill their enemies were landed and their shippe at anker and so it came to passe For the MEGARIANS being deceyued by that they sawe a farre of as sonne as euer they came to the shore side dyd lande in heapes one in anothers necke euen for greedines to take these women but not a man of them escaped for they were slayne euery mothers sonne This stratageame being finely handled to good effect the ATHENIANS tooke sea straight and costed ouer to the I le of SALAMINA which they tooke vpon the sodaine and wanne it without much resistaunce Other saye that it was not taken after this sorte but that Apollo Delphicus gaue Solon first such an oracle Thou shalt first vvinne by vovves and sacrifice the helpe of lordes an demy goddes full bright of vvhose dead bones the dust engraued lies in vvesterne soyle Asopia that hight By order of this oracle he one night passed ouer to SALAMINA dyd sacrifice to Periphemus to Cichris demy goddes of the countrie Which done the ATHENIANS deliuered him fiue hundred men who willingly offered them selues the cittie made an accorde with them that if they tooke the I le of SALAMINA they should beare greatest authoritie in the common weale Solon imbarked his souldiers into diuers fisher botes and appointed a galliot of thirtie owers to come after him he ankred hard by the cittie of SALAMINA vnder the pointe which looketh towards the I le of NEGREPONT The MEGARIANS which were within SALAMINA hauing by chaunce heard some inckling of it but yet knew nothing of certaintie ranne presently in hurly burley to arme them and manned out a shippe to descrie what it was But they fondly comming within daunger were taken by Solon who clapped the MEGARIANS vnder hatches fast bounde and in their roomes put aborde in their shippe the choycest souldiers he had of the ATHENIANS commaunding them to set their course direct vpon the cittie and to keepe them selues as close out of sight as could be And he him self with all the rest of his souldiers landed presently and marched to encounter with the MEGARIANS which were come out into the fielde Now whilest they were fighting together Solons men whom he had sent in the MEGARIANS shippe entred the hauen wanne the towne This is certainly true testified by that which is shewed yet at this daye For to keepe a memoriall hereof a shippe of ATHENS arriueth quietly at the first by by those that are in the shippe make a great showte and a man armed leaping out of the shippe ronneth showting towardes the rocke called Sciradion which is as they come from the firme lande and hard by the same is the temple of Mars which Solon built there after he had ouercome the MEGARIANS in battell from whence he sent backe againe those prisoners that he had taken which were saued from the slaughter of the battell without any ransome paying Neuertheles the MEGARIANS were sharpely bent still to recouer SALAMINA again Much hurte being done suffered on both sides both parts in the ende made the LACEDAEMONIANS iudges of the quarrell But vpon iudgement geuen common reporte is that Homers authoritie dyd Solon good seruice bicause he did adde these verses to the number of shippes which are in the Iliades of Homer which he rehearsed before the iudges as if they
Iupiter Olympian only remained vnperfect so the wisdome of Plato amongest many goodly matters of his that haue come abroade left none of them vnperfect but the only tale of the Iles ATLANTIDES Solon liued long time after Pisistratus had vsurped the tyrannie as Heraclides Ponticus writeth Howbeit Phanias Ephesian writeth that he liued not aboue two yeres after For Pisistratus vsurped tyrannicall power in the yere that Comias was chief gouernour in ATHENS And Phanias writeth that Solon dyed in the yere that Hegestratus was gouernour which was the next yere after that And where some saye the ashes of his bodie were after his death strawed abroade through the I le of SALAMINA that seemeth to be but a fable and altogether vntrue Neuertheles it hath bene written by many notable authours and amongest others by Aristotle the philosopher The ende of Solons life THE LIFE OF PVBLIVS Valerius Publicola NOWE we haue declared what Solon was we haue thought good to compare him with Publicola to whom the ROMAINE people for an honour gaue that surname for he was called before Publius Valerius descended from that auncient Valerius who was one of the chiefest worckers and meanes to bring the ROMAINES and the SABYNES that were mortall enemies to ioyne together as one people For it was he that most moued the two Kings to agree and ioyne together Publicola being descended of him whilest the Kings dyd rule yet at ROME was in very great estimation aswell for his eloquence as for his riches vsing the one rightly and freely for the maintenaunce of iustice and the other liberally and curteously for the relief of the poore So that it was manifest if the Realme came to be conuerted into a publicke state he should be one of the chiefest men of the same It chaunced that king Tarquine surnamed the prowde being come to the crowne by no good lawfull meane but contrary lie by indirect and wicked wayes and behauing him selfe not like a King but like a cruell tyrante the people much hated and detested him by reason of the death of Lucretia which killed her selfe for that she was forcibly rauished by him so the whole cittie rose and rebelled against him Lucius Brutus taking vpon him to be the head and captaine of this insurrection and rebellion dyd ioyne first with this Valerius who dyd greately fauour and assist his enterprise and did helpe him to driue out king Tarquine with all his house familie Nowe whilest they were thincking that the people would chuse some one alone to be chief ruler ouer them in stead of a King Valerius kept him selfe quiet as yelding willingly vnto Brutus the first place who was meetest for it hauing bene the chief authour and worcker of their recouered libertie But when they sawe the name of Monarchie as much to saye as soueraintie alone was displeasaunt to the people and that they would like better to haue the rule deuided vnto two and how for this cause they would rather choose two Consuls Valerius then begāne to hope he should be the seconde persone with Brutus Howbeit this hope fayled him For against Brutus will Tarquinius Collatinus the husband of Lucretia was chosen Cōsul with him not bicause he was a man of greater vertue or of better estimation than Valerius But the noble men of the cittie fearing the practises of the Kings abroade which sought by all the fayer flattering meanes they could to returne againe into the cittie dyd determine to make such an one Consul whom occasion forced to be their hard and heauy enemie persuading them selues that Tarquinius Collatinus would for no respect yeld vnto them Valerius tooke this matter greuously but they had a mistrust in him as if he would not doe any thing he could for the benefit of his countrie notwithstanding he had neuer any priuate iniurie offered him by the tyrannes Wherfore he repaired no more vnto the Senate to pleade for priuate men and wholy gaue vp to medle in matters of state insomuch as he gaue many occasion to thincke of his absence and it troubled some men much who feared least vpon this his misliking and withdrawing he would fall to the Kings side and so bring all the cittie in an vprore considering it stoode then but in very tickle termes But when Brutus who stoode in iealousie of some would by othe be assured of the Senate had appointed them a daye solemnely to take their othes vpon the sacrifices Valerius then with a good cheerefull countenaunce came into the market place and was the first that tooke his othe he would leaue nothing vndone that might preiudice the Tarquines but with all his able power he would fight against them and defend the libertie of the cittie This othe of his maruelously reioyced the Senate gaue great assuraunce also to the Consuls but specially bicause his dedes dyd shortly after performe his wordes For there came ambassadours to ROME which brought letters from king Tarquine full of sweete lowly speaches to winne the fauour of the people with commission to vse all the mildest meanes they could to dulce and soften the hardened harts of the multitude who declared how the King had left all pryde and crueltie ment to aske nought but reasonable things The Consuls thought best to geue them open audience and to suffer them to speake to the people But Valerius was against it declaring it might perill the state much and deliuer occasion of new sturre vnto a multitude of poore people which were more affrayed of warres then of tyrannie After that there came other ambassadours also which sayed that Tarquine would from thenceforth for euer geue ouer and renounce his title to the Kingdome and to make any more warres but besought them only that they would at the least deliuer him and his friends their money and goods that they might haue wherewithall to keepe them in their banishment Many came on a pace and were very ready to yeld to this request and specially Collatinus one of the Consuls who dyd fauour their motion But Brutus that was a fast and resolute man and very fierce in his harte ranne immediately into the market place crying out that his fellowe Consul was a traytour and contented to graunt the tyrannes matter and meanes to make warre vpon the cittie where in deede they deserued not so much as to be relieued in their exile Hereupon the people assembled together and the first that spake in this assembly was a priuate man called Gaius Minutius who speaking vnto Brutus to the whole assembly sayed vnto them O noble Consul Senate handle so the matter that the tyrannes goods be rather in your custodie to make warre with them than in theirs to bring warre vpon your selues Notwithstāding the ROMAINES were of opinion that hauing gotten the liberty for which they fought with the tyrannes they should not disapoint the offered peace with keeping backe their goodes but rather
layed flat on the grounde and both their heads striken of with an axe before him When they were executed Brutus rose from the benche and left the execution of the rest vnto his fellowe Consul This was such an acte as men cannot sufficiently prayse nor reproue enough For either it was his excellent vertue that made his minde so quiet or els the greatnes of his miserie that tooke awaye the feeling of his sorowe whereof neither the one nor the other was any small matter but passing the common nature of man that hath in it both diuinenes and somtime beastly brutishnes But it is better the iudgement of men should commend his fame then that the affection of men by their iudgemēts should diminishe his vertue For the ROMAINES holde opinion it was not so great an acte done of Romulus first to build ROME as it was for Brutus to recouer ROME and the best libertie thereof and to renewe the auncient gouernment of the same When Brutus was gone all the people in the market place remained as they had bene in a maze full of feare and wounder and a great while without speaking to see what was done The Aquilians straight grew bold for that they sawe the other Consull Collatinus proceede gently and mildly against them and so made petition they might haue time geuen them to aunswer to the articles they were accused of and that they might haue their slaue and bondman Vindicius deliuered into their handes bicause there was no reason he should remaine with their accusers The Consul seemed willing to yeld thereto and was ready to breake vp the assembly thereupon But Valerius sayed he would not deliuer Vindicius who was among the assembly that attended vpon his persone and stayed the people besides for departing awaye least they should negligently let those escape that had so wickedly sought to betraye their countrie Vntill he him selfe had layed handes vpon them calling vpon Brutus to assist him with open exclamation against Collatinus that he dyd not behaue him selfe like a iust and true man seeing his fellowe Brutus was forced for iustice sake to see his owne sonnes put to death and he in contrary manner to please a fewe women fought to let goe manifest traitours and open enemies to their countrie The Consul being offended herewith commaunded they should bring awaye the bondman Vindicius So the sergeants making waye through the prease layed handes vpon him to bring him awaye with them and beganne to strike at them which offered to resist them But Valerius friends stept out before them and put them by The people showted straight cried out for Brutus who with this noyse returned againe into the market place and after silence made him he spake in this wise For mine own children I alone haue bene their sufficiēt iudg to see them haue the law according to their deseruings the rest I haue left freely to the iudgment of the people Wherefore sayed he if any man be disposed to speake let him stand vp and persuade the people as he thinketh best Then there needed no more wordes but only to hearken what the people cried who with one voyce consent condemned them cried execution accordingly they had their heades striken of Now was Consull Collatinus long before had in some suspition as allied to the Kings and disliked for his surname bicause he was called Tarquinius who perceyuing him selfe in this case much hated and mistrusted of the people voluntarely yelded vp his Consulshippe and departed the cittie The people assembling then them selues to place a successour in his roome they chose Valerius in his roome without the contradiction of any for his faithfull trauaill and diligence bestowed in this great matter Then Valerius iudging that Vindicius the bondman had well deserued also some recompence caused him not only to be manumised by the whole graunte of the people but made him a free man of the cittie besides and he was the first bondman manumised that was made cittizen of ROME with permission also to geue his voyce in all elections of officers in any company or tribe he would be enrolled in Long time after that and very lately Appius to currie fauour with the common people made it lawfull for bondmen manumised to geue their voyce also in elections as other citizens dyd and vnto this daye the perfect manumising and freeing of bondmen is called Vindicta after the name of this Vindicius that was then made a free man These things thus passed ouer the goodes of the Kings were geuen to the spoyle of the people and their palaces were rased and ouerthrowen Nowe amongest other lands the goodliest parte of the field of Mars was belōging vnto king Tarquine the same they consecrated forthwith vnto the god Mars not long before they had cut downe the wheat thereof The sheaues being yet in shocks in the field they thought they might not grinde the wheate nor make any commoditie of the profit thereof wherefore they threwe both corne sheaues into the riuer trees also which they had hewen downe rooted vp to the end that the field being dedicated to the god Mars should be left bare without bearing any fruite at all These sheaues thus throwē into the riuer were caried down by the streame not farre from thence vnto a forde and shallowe place of the water where they first dyd staye and dyd let the other which came after that it could goe no further there these heapes gathered together and laye so close one to another that they beganne to sincke and settle fast in the water Afterwards the streame of the riuer brought downe continually such mudde grauell that it euer increased the heape of corne more and more in suche sorte that the force of the water could no more remoue it from thence but rather softly pressing and driuing it together dyd firme and harden it and made it growe so to lande Thus 〈…〉 heape rising still in greatnes and firmenes by reason that all that came downe the riu 〈…〉 there it grewe in the ende and by time to spread so farre that at this daye it is called 〈…〉 oly Ilande in ROME in which are many goodly temples of diuers goddes and sundry walkes about it and they call it in Latine Inter duos pontes in our tongue betweene the two bridges Yet some write that this thing fell not out at that time when the field of the Tarquines was consecrated vnto Mars but that it happened afterwardes when one of the Vestall Nunnes called Tarquinia gaue a field of hers vnto the people which was hard adioyning vnto Tarquines field For which liberalitie and bowntie of hers they dyd graunte her in recompēse many priuiledges and dyd her great honour besides As amongest others it was ordeined that her word witnes should stand good be allowed in matters iudiciall which priuiledge neuer womā besides her self dyd enioye By speciall grace of
height of the hill and in certen places amongest the rockes they came to the sworde At the selfe same time the two other troupes on either hande of him did their endeuor likewise to get vp the hill and as it were enuying one an other they climed vp with great corage against the sharpe and steepe hanginge of the mountaine When the sunne was vp they might see a farre of as it were a certen smoke not very bright at the beginning much like to the mistes we see cōmonly rise from the tops of the mountaines The enemies could see nothing bicause it was behinde them that the top of the mountaine was possessed with the same The ROMAINES though they were not assured of it did hope being in the middest of the fight that it was their fellowes they looked for But when they saw it increased stil more more in such sorte that it darkened all the ayer then they did assure them selues it was certainely the token their men did giue them that they were come Then they beganne to crie out clyminge vp the hills with such a lusty corage that they draue their enemies vp the hill still euen vnto the very rough and hardest places of the mountaine Their fellowes also that were behind the enemies did aunswer thē with like lowde cries from the top of the moūtaine wherwith the enemies were so astonied that they fled presently apō it Nothwithstāding there were not slaine aboue two thousand of thē bicause the hardnes straightnes of the place did so gard them that they could not be chased But the ROMAINES spoiled their campe tooke all that they found in their tents tooke also their slaues wan the passage into the moūtaines by the which they entred the cōtry of EPIRVS did passe through it so quietly with so great abstinēce that though they were farre from their ships the sea lacked their ordinary portion of corne which they were wont to haue monthely that vittells were very scant with thē at that time yet they neuer tooke any thing of the cōtry though they founde great store plenty of all riches in it For Titus was aduertised that Philip passing by THESSALIE and flying for feare had caused the inhabitants of the cities to get them to the mountaines then to set fire on their houses to leaue those goodes they could not cary away by reason of the weight vnhandsome cariage therof to the spoyle of his souldiers so as it seemed he left the whole contry to the conquest of the ROMAINES Whereuppon Titus looking cōsideratly to his doings gaue his men great charge to passe through the contry without doing any hurt or mischief as the same which their enemies had now left to them as their owne So they taried not long to enioy the benefit of their orderly and wise forbearing of the contry For so soone as they were entred THESSALIE the cities willingly yeelded them selues vnto them the GREECIANS inhabiting beyond the contry of THERMOPYLES did maruelously desire to see Titus asking no other thing but to put them selues into his hands The ACHAIANS also on the other side did renoūce the league alliance they had made with Philip and furthermore did determine in their counsell to make warre with him on the ROMAINES side And although the AETOLIANS were at that time frendes and confederates with the ROMAINES that they did shew thēselues very louing to take their parte in these warres neuertheles when they desired the OPVNTIANS that they would put their city into their hands and were offred that it should be kept defended frō Philip they would not harkē therto but sent for Titus put thēselues their goods wholly into his protection They say that when king Pyrrus first saw the ROMAINES army range in order of battel from the top of a hill he said this order of the barbarous people setting of their men in battell ray was not done in a barbarous maner And those also that neuer had seene Titus before came for to speake with him were compelled in a manner to say as much For where they had hearde the MACEDONIANS say that there came a Captaine of the barbarous people that destroyed all before him by force of armes subdued whole contries by violence they sayd to the contrary that they found him a man in dede young of yeres howbeit gentle curteous to looke on that spake the Greeke tongue excellētly wel was a louer only of true glory By reason wherof they returned home maruelous glad filled all the cities townes of GREECE with goodwill towardes him and sayd they had seene Titus the Captaine that would restore them to their auncient libertie againe Then it much more appeared when Philip shewed him selfe willing to haue peace and that Titus also did offer it him and the frendshippe of the people of ROME with these conditions that he would leaue the GREECIANS their whole liberties remoue his garrisons out of their cities and strong holdes which Philip refused to do And thereupon all GREECE and euen those which fauored Philip sayed with one voyce that the ROMAINES were not come to make warres with them but rather with the MACEDONIANS in fauor of the GREECIANS Whereupon all GREECE came in offred them selues vnto Titus without cōpulsion And as he passed through the contry of BOEOTIA without any shew at al of warres the chiefest mē of the city of THEBES wēt to mete him who though they tooke part with the king of MACEDON bicause of a priuate mā called Brachylelis yet they would honor Titus as those which were cōtented to keepe league frendship with either side Titus embraced them spake very curteously vnto thē going on his way stil fayer softly entertaining thē somtime with one matter somtime with an other kept them talke of purpose to the end his souldiers being wearied with iornying might in the meane time take good breath so marching on by litle litle he entred into the city with thē Wherewith the Lords of THEBES were not greatly pleased but yet they durst not refuse him thogh he had not at that time any nūber of souldiers about him Whē he was within THEBES he praied audiēce began to perswade the people as carefully as if he had not had the city already that they woulde rather take parte with the ROMAINES then with the king of MACEDON And to further Titus purpose king Attalus being by chance at that time in the assembly did help to exhort the THEBANS very earnestly that they would doe as Titus perswaded them But Attalus was more earnest then became a man of his yeares for the desire he had as was imagined to shewe Titus his eloquence who did so straine and moue him selfe withall that he sounded sodaynely in the middest of his oration whereby the rewme fell downe so fast
and lodged with him When night was come the LACEDAEMONIANS counselled together secretly determined to send away their wiues and litle children into CRETA But the women them selues were against it and there was one amonge them called Archidamia who went into the Senate house with a sword in her hand to speake vnto them in the name of all the rest and sayd that they did their wiues great wronge if they thought them so fainte harted as to liue after SPARTA were destroyed Afterwards it was agreed in counsell that they should cast a trenche before the enemies campe and that at both the endes of the same they should bury cartes in the ground vnto the middest of the wheeles to the end that being fast set in the ground they should stay the elephantes and kepe them from passing further And when they beganne to go in hand withall there came wives and maides vnto them some of them their clothes girte vp round about them and others all in their smockes to worke at this trenche with the old men aduising the young men that should fight the next morning to rest them selues in the meane while So the women tooke the third parte of the trenche to taske which was six cubittes broade foure cubits deepe and eight hundred foote long as Philarchus sayth or litle lesse as Hieronymus wryteth Then when the breake of day appeared the enemies remoued to come to the assault the women them selues fetched the weapons which they put into the young mens hands and deliuered them the taske of the trenche ready made which they before had vndertaken praying them valliantly to keepe and defend it tellinge them withall howe great a pleasure it is to ouercome the enemies fighting in view and sight of their natiue contry and what great felicity and honor it is to dye in the armes of his mother and wife after he hath fought valliantly like an honest man and worthy of the magnanimity of SPARTA But Chelidonida being gone a side had tyed a halter with ariding knot about her necke ready to strangle hang her selfe rather theÌ„ to fall into the hands of Cleonymus if by chaunce the city should come to be taken Now Pyrrus marched in person with his battell of footemen against the fronte of the SPARTANS who being a great number also did tary his comming on the other side of the trenche the which besides that it was very ill to passe ouer did let the souldiers also to fight steadely in order of battell bicause the earth being newly cast vp did yeld vnder their feete Wherefore Ptolomie king Pyrrus sonne passing all alongest the trench side with two thowsand GAVLES all the choyce men of the CHAONIANS assayed if he could get ouer to the other side at one of the endes of the trenche where the cartes were which being set very deepe into the ground and one ioyned vnto an other they did not only hinder thassaylants but the defendants also Howbeit in the end the GAVLES began to plucke of the wheeles of these cartes and to draw them into the riuer But Acrotatus king Areus sonne a young man seeing the daunger ranne through the city with a troupe of three hundred lusty youthes besides went to inclose Ptolomie behinde before he espied him for that he passed a secret hollow way till he came even to geue the charge vpon them whereby they were enforced to turne their faces towardes him one runninge in an others necke and so in great disorder were thrust into the trenches and vnder the cartes insomuch as at the last with much a doe and great bloodshed Acrotates and his company draue them backe and repulsed them Now the women and old men that were on thother side of the trenche saw plainly before their face howe valliantly Acrotatus had repulsed the GAVLES Wherefore alter Acrotatus had done this exployte he returned againe through the city vnto the place from whence he came all on a goare blood coragious and liuely for the victory he came newly from The women of SPARTA thought Acrotatus farre more noble and fayrer to beholde then euer he was so that they all thought Chelidonida happy to haue such a frend and louer And there were certaine olde men that followed him crying after him goe thy way Acrotatus and enioy thy loue Chelidonida beget noble children of her vnto SPARTA The fight was cruell on that side where Pyrrus was and many of the SPARTANS fought very valliantly Howbeit amongest other there was one named Phillius who after he had sought long and slaine many of his enemies with his owne handes that forced to passe ouer the trenche perceiuing that his hart fainted for the great number of woundes he had apon him called one of them that were in the rancke next behinde him and geuing him his place fell downe deade in the armes of his frendes bicause his enemies shoulde not have his body In the ende the battell hauinge continued all the day longe the night did separate them and Pyrrus being layed in his bed had this vision in his sleepe He thought he â—â—rake the city of LACEDAEMON with lightning and that he vtterly consumed it whereat he was so passing glad that euen with the very ioy he awaked And thereuppon foorthwith commaunded his Captaines to make their men ready to the assault and told his dreame vnto his familiers supposing that out of dout it did betoken he should in that approache take the citie All that heard it beleued it was so sauing one Lysimachus who to the contrary sayed that this vision like him not bicause the places smitten with lightning are holy and it is noâ— lawfull to enter into them by reason wherof he was also affraied that the goddes did signifie vnto him that he should not enter into the citie of SPARTA Pyrrus aunswered him that saied he is a matter disputable to fro in an open assembly of people for there is no maner of certainty in it But furthermore euery man must take his weapon in his hand set this sentence before his eyes A right good signe it is that he vvould hazard life In iust defence of masters cause vvith speare and bloody knife Alludinge vnto Homers verses which he wrote for the defence of his contry And saying thus he rose and at the breake of day led his army vnto the assault On thother side also the LACEDAEMONIANS with a maruelous corage magnanimity farre greater then their force bestirred them selues wonderfully to make resistaunce hauing their wiues by them that gaue them their weapons wherewith they fought and were ready at hand to geue meate drinke to them that needed and did also withdrawe those that were hurt to cure them The MACEDONIANS likewise for their parte endeuored them selues with all their might to fill vppe the trenche with wodde and other thinges which they cast vpon the dead bodies and armors lying in the bottome of the ditche the
of the barbarous people at the first sought with them bicause the most parte of their company were at dinner after they had bathed and others were still in the bathe washinge them selues finding in that place many springes of hotte naturall bathes Thus the ROMAINES founde many of the barbarous people makinge mery and taking their pleasure about these bathes for the great delite they tooke to cōsider the pleasauntnes of the place but when they heard the noyse of them that fought they beganne to runne one after an other vnto the place from whence the noyse came Wherefore it was a hard thing for Marius any lenger to keepe the ROMAINE souldiers in from going to their helpe for that they feared their slaues should haue bene slaine of the barbarous people and moreouer bicause the valliantest souldiers of their enemies called the AMBRONS who before had ouercome Manlius and Cepis two ROMAINE Captaines with their armies and that made of them selues thirty thowsande fighting men ranne to armes being very heauy of their bodies as hauing filled their bellies well but otherwise valliant and coragious fellowes and more liuely then they were wont to be by reason of the wine they had dronke They ran not furiously to fight out of order neither did they crie out confusedly but marching all together in good array making a noyse with their harnes all after one sorte they oft rehearsed their owne name AMBRONS AMBRONS AMBRONS which was either to call one an other of them or else to feare the ROMAINES with their name only The ITALIANS also on thother side being the first that came downe to fight with them were the LIGVRIANS dwelling vpon the coast of Genuoa who hearing this noyse and crye of theirs plainely vnderstanding them aunswered them againe with the like noyse and crye LIGVRIANS LIGVRIANS LIGVRIANS saying that it was the true surname of all their nation And so before they ioyned together this crye was redoubled many a time on either side and the Captaines of both partes made their souldiers crye out all together contendinge for enuy one against an other who should crye it out lowdest This contention of crying inflamed the souldiers corages the more Now the AMBRONS hauing the riuer to passe were by this meanes put out of order and before they could put them selues in battell ray againe after they had passed the riuer the LIGVRIANS ranne with great fury to set apon the formest and after them to aide the LIGVRIANS that had begon the charge the ROMAINES them selues fell also apon the AMBRONS comming downe from the places of aduantage vpon these barbarous people and compelled them by this meanes to turne their backes and flie So the greatest slaughter they made fortuned vppon the bancke of the riuer whereinto they thrust one an other in such sorte that all the riuer ran blood being filled with dead bodies And they that could get ouer the riuer againe and were on thother side durst not gather together any more to stand to defence so as the ROMAINES slew them and draue them into their campe euen vnto their cariage Then their women came out against them with swordes and axes in their handes grinding their teeth and crying out for sorrow and anger they charged as well vpon their owne people that fled as vpon them that chased them the one as traitors and the other as enemies Furthermore they thrust them selues amongest them that fought stroue by force to plucke the ROMAINES targets out of their handes and tooke holde of their naked swordes bare handed abiding with an inuincible corage to be hacked and mangled with their swordes And thus was the first battell geuen as they say by the riuers side rather by chaunce vnlooked for then by any set purpose or through the generals counsel Now the ROMAINES after they had ouercome the most parte of the AMBRONS retyring backe by reason the night had ouertaken them did not as they were wont after they had geuen such an ouerthrow sing songes of victory and triumphe nor make good chere in their tentes one with an other and least of all sleepe which is the best sweetest refreshing for men that haue fought happely but contrarily they watched all that night with great feare and trouble bicause their campe was not trenched and fortified and bicause they knewe also that there remained almost innumerable thowsandes of barbarous people that had not yet fought besides also that the AMBRONS that had fled and scaped from the ouerthrow did howle out all night with lowd cries which were nothing like mens lamentacions and sighes but rather like wilde beastes bellowing and roaringe So that the bellowing of such a great multitude of beastly people mingled together with threates and waylinges made the mountaines thereabouts and the running riuer to rebounde againe of the sounde and ecco of their cries maruelously by reason whereof all the valley that lay betwene both thundered to heare the horrible and fearefull trembling This made the ROMAINE souldiers afeard and Marius him selfe in some doubt bicause they looked to haue bene fought withall the same night being altogether troubled and out of order Notwithstanding the barbarous people did not assault them that night nor the next day following but only prepared them selues vnto battell And in the meane time Marius knowing that there was aboue the place where they were camped certaine caues and litle valleyes couered with wodde he secretly sent Claudius Marcellus thither with three thowsand footemen well armed and commaunded him to keepe close in ambushe vntill he saw that the barbarous people were fighting with him and that then he should come and setapon their rereward The residue of his armie they supped when time came and after supper reposed them selues The next morning at the breake of day Marius brought his men into the fielde out of his forte where he put them in order of battell sending his horsemen before to draw the enemies out of skirmishe The TEVTONS seeing them come had not the pacience to tary till the ROMAINES were come downe into the plaine fielde to fight without aduantage but arming them selues in hast and in a rage ranne vp the hill to the ROMAINES where they stoodo in battell ray Marius taking good regard to that they did sent here and there vnto the priuate Captaines charging them they should not stirre and onely to temporise and forbeare vntill the enemies came within a stones cast of them and that they should then throw their dartes at them and afterwardes drawe their swordes and repulse the barbarous people with their shieldes For he did foresee before that when they should clime vp against the hill vppon the hanging whereof the ROMAINES had set their battell that their blowes would not be of great force nor their order and ranckes could stand close together to any effect or purpose bicause they could not haue sure footing not march assuredly but would easily be throwé backeward if they were neuer so
sea side and two shippes on the sea that fell vppon the coast by good happe Wherefore they all beganne to runne so long as they had breath and strength towardes the sea into the which they threw them selues and got by swymming vnto one of the shippes where Granius was and they crossed ouer vnto the I le that is right against it called ENARIA Now for Marius who was heauy and sicke of body two of his seruauntes holpe to holde him vp alwayes aboue water with the greatest paine and difficultie in the worlde and at the last they labored so throughly that they put him into the other shippe at the selfe same present when the horsemen came vnto the sea side who cried out alowde to the maryners to lande againe or else throw Marius ouer borde and then to goe where they would Marius on thother side humbly besought them with teares not so to do whereby the masters of the shippe in a shorte space were in many mindes whether to doe it or not to doe it In the ende notwithstanding they aunswered the horsemen they would not throwe him ouer the borde so the horsemen went their way in a great rage But as soone as they were gone the masters of the shippe chaunging minde drewe towardes lande and cast ancker about the mouth of the riuer of Liris where it leaueth her banckes and maketh great marysses there they tolde Marius he should doe well to goe a land to eate somewhat and refresh his sea sicke body till the winde serued them to make saile which doubtlesse sayed they will be at a certaine hower when the sea winde falles and becomes calme and that there riseth a litle winde from the lande ingendred by the vapours of the marysses which will serue the turne very well to take seas againe Marius following their counsell and thinking they had ment good faith was set a lande vppon the riuers bancke and there layed him downe apon the grasse nothing suspecting that which happened after to him For the mariners presently taking their shippe againe and hoysing vp their anckers sailed straight away and fled iudging it no honesty for them to haue deliuered Marius into the handes of his enemies nor safetie for them selues to haue saued him Marius finding him selfe all alone forsaken of euery man lay on the ground a great while and sayd neuer a word yet at the length taking harte a litle to him got vp once againe on his feete and painefully wandred vp and downe where was neither way nor pathe at all ouerthwart deepe marisses and great ditches full of water and mudde till he came at the length to a poore olde mans cotage dwelling there in these marisses and fallinge at his feete besought him to helpe to saue and succour a poore afflicted man with promise that one day he would geue him a better recompence then he looked for if he might escape this present daunger wherein he was The olde man whether for that he had knowen Marius aforetime or that seeing him by coniecture only iudged him to be some great personage told him that if he ment but to lye downe and rest him selfe a litle his poore cabyne would serue that turne reasonably well but if he ment to wander thus to flie his enemies that followed him he would then bring him into a more secret place and farder of from noyse Marius prayed him that he would so much doe for him and the good man brought him into the marishe vnto a low place by the riuers side where he made him lye downe and then couered him with a great deale of reede and bent and other such light thinges as could not hurte him He had not long bene there but he heard a great noyse comming towardes the cabin of the poore old man for Geminius of TERRACINE had sent men all about to seeke for him whereof some by chaunce came that way and put the poore man in a feare and threatned him that he had receiued and hidden an enemie of the ROMAINES Marius hearing that rose out of the place where the old man had layed him and stripping him selfe starke naked went into a parte of the marishe where the water was full of myre and mudde and there was founde of those that searched for him who takinge him out of the slime all naked as he was caried him into the citie of MINTVRNES and deliuered him there into the gouernours handes Open proclamation was made by the Senate through all ITALIE that they should apprehend Marius and kill him wheresoeuer they founde him Notwithstanding the gouernours and magistrates of MINTVRNES thought good first to consult therupon amongest them selues in the meane time they deliuered him into the safe custody of a woman called Fannia whom they thought to haue bene a bitter enemie of his for an old grudge she had to him which was this Fannia somtime had a husband called Tinnius whom she was willing to leaue for that they could not agre and required her dower of him againe which was very great Her husbande againe sayed she had played the whore The matter was brought before Marius in his sixt Consulshippe who had geuen iudgement apon it Both parties being heard and the law prosecured on either side it was found that this Fannia was a naughty woman of her body and that her husband knowing it well enough before he maried her yet tooke her with her faultes and long time liued with her Wherefore Marius being angrie with them both gaue sentence that the husband should repay backe her dower and that for her naughty life she should pay foure farthings This notwithstanding when Fannia saw Marius she grudged him not for that and least of all had any reuenginge minde in her towardes him but contrarily did comforte and helpe him what she could with that she had Marius thanked her maruelously for it and bad her hope well bicause he met with good lucke as he was comming to her house and in this manner As they were leading of him when he came neere to Fanniaes house her dore being open there came as asse running out to go drinke at a conduit not farre from thence and meeting Marius by the way looked apon him with a liuely ioyfull countenaunce first of all stopping sodainly before him and then beginning to bray out alowde and to leape and skippe by him Whereuppon Marius straight coniecturing with him selfe said that the goddes did signifie vnto him that he should saue him selfe sooner by water then by lande bicause that the asse leauing him ranne to drinke and cared not to eate So when he had tolde Fannia this tale he desired to rest and prayed them to let him alone and to shut the chamber dore to him But the magistrates of the citie hauing consulted together about him in the ende resolued they must deferre no longer time but dispatche him out of the way presently Now when they were agreed apon it they could not
Thelesinus had taken ROME Now about midnight came certaine souldeirs from Crassus to Syllaes campe asked for meate for Crassus supper and his mens who hauing chased his flying enemies whom he had ouerthrowen vnto the city of ANTEMNA which they tooke for refuge had lodged his campe there Sylla vnderstaÌ„ding that being aduertised that the most parte of his enemies were ouerthrowen at this battell went him selfe the next morning betimes vnto ANTEMNA where three thowsand of his enemies sent to know if he would receiue them to mercy if they yelded them selues vnto him His aunswer was that he would pardon their liues so as they would do some mischiefe to their fellowes before they came to him These three thowsand hereupon trusting to his promise fell apon their companions and for the most parte one of them killed an other NotwithstaÌ„ding Sylla hauing gathered all those together that remained of his enemies as wel the three thowsand as the rest amouÌ„ting in all to the number of six thowsand men within the show place where they vsed to run their horses whilest he him self held a counsell in the teÌ„ple of the goddesse Bellona was making his oratioÌ„ there he had appointed certeÌ„ to set vpoÌ„ those six thowsand put them to the sword euery man Great and terrible were the cries of such a number of men slaine in so small a roome as many may easily coniecture insomuch as the Senators sitting in counsell heard them very easily and marueled what the matter was But Sylla continuing on his oration which he had begon with a set steady countenance without chauÌ„ging of colour willed theÌ„ only to hearken what he sayd not to trouble them selues with any thing done abroade for they were but certen offenders lewd persons that were punished by his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t This was enough to shew the simplest ROMANE in ROME that they had but only chaunged the tryan but not the tyranny Now for Marius had bene euer of a churlish seuere nature euen from his childhood he neuer chauÌ„ged for any authority but did rather hardeÌ„ his natural stubbornes Where Sylla coÌ„trarily in the beginning was very modest ciuill in all his prosperity gaue great good hope that if he came to the authority of a prince he would fauor nobility wel yet loue notwithstanding the benefit of the people And being moreouer a man in his youth geueÌ„ all to pleasure deliting to laugh ready to pity weepe for tender hart in that he became after so cruell bloody the great alteracioÌ„ gaue manifest cause to condemne the increase of honor authority as thonly meanes wherby mens maners continue not such as they were at the first but still do chaunge vary making some fooles others vaine fantasticall others extreame cruel vnnaturall But whether that alteracion of nature came by chaunging his state condicion or that it was otherwise a violent breaking out of hidden malice which then came to shewe it selfe when they way of liberty was layed open this matter is to be decided in some other treatise So it came to passe that Sylla fell to sheading of blood filled all ROME with infinite vnspeakable murthers for diuerse were killed for priuate quarrels that had nothing to do with Sylla at any time who suffered his frends those about him to worke their wicked wills Vntil at the length there was a young man called Caius Metellus that was so bold to aske Sylla in open Senate when all these miseries should end and when they should know that all the mischieues were finished the which they dayly sawe For said he we will not intreate you to pardoÌ„ life where you haue threatned death but only to put theÌ„ out of dout whom you haue determined to saue Whereunto Sylla made aunswer that he was not resolued whom he would saue Metellus replied theÌ„ tell vs quod be who they are that shall dye Sylla aunswered he would Howbiet some say it was not Metellus but Aufidius one of his flatterers that spake this last word vnto him Wherefore Sylla immediatly without making any of the magistrats priuy caused foure score mens names to be set vp vpon postes whom he would put to death Euery maÌ„ being offeÌ„ded withal the next day following he set vp two hundred twenty mens names more likewise the third day as many more Hereupon making an oration to the people he told theÌ„ openly that he had appointed all them to dye that he could call to remeÌ„braunce howbiet that hereafter he would appoint them that should dye by daies as he did call them to minde Whosoeuer saued an outlaw in his house for reward of his kindnes he himselfe was condeÌ„ned to dye not excepting theÌ„ that had receiued their brothers their sonnes their fathers nor mothers And the reward of euery homycide murtherer that killed one of the outlawes was two talentes though it were a slaue that had killed his master on the sonne that had slaine the father But the most wicked vniust act of all was that he depriued the sonnes sonnes sonnes of them whom he had killed of all credit good name besides that had takeÌ„ all their goods as coÌ„fiscate And this was not only done in ROME but also in al the cities of ITALIE through out there was no reÌ„ple of any god whatsoeuer no aulter in any bodies house no liberty of hospital nor fathers house that was not embrued with blood horrible murder For the husbaÌ„ds were slaine in their wiues armes the childreÌ„ in their mothers laps and yet they which were slaine for priuate hatred malice were nothing in respect of those that were murdered only for their goods And they that killed them might well say his goodly great house made that man dye his goodly fayer garden the other and his hotte batheâ—â— other As amongest others Quintus Aurelius a man that neuer medled with any thinge and least looked that these euills should light vpon him and that only pitied those which he sawe so miserably murdered went one day into the market place and reading the bill set vp of the outlawes names found his owne name amongest the rest and cried outalowde alas the day that euer I was borne my house of ALEA maketh me to be put to death He went not fawe from the market place but met with one that killed him presently In the meane time Mariâ—â— the younger seeing he could by no meanes escape if he were taken slue him selfe And Sylla comming to PRAENESTE did first execute them by one and by one keeping a certaine forme of iustice in putting them to death but afterwardes as if he had no lenger leasure to remaine there he caused them all to be put in a place together to the number of twelue thowsandâ— men whom he caused to be put to the sword euery man sauing his host only vnto whom he sayd
him selfe And yet I do not commende him in that deede For peraduenture he did more hurt to SPARTA bringing thither that gold siluer then Sylla did to ROME in wasting and consuming that he consumed Howbeit I alleage this onely for proofe and declaration that Lysander was nothing couetous They both haue done that vnto their citie which neuer any other but them selues did For Sylla being a riotous and licentious man brought his citizens notwithstanding to good order and gouernment and Lysander contrarily filled his citie with vice yet not infected withall him selfe Thus were they both offendors the one for breaking the law he commaunded to be kept and the other in making the citizens worse then he was him selfe for he taught the SPARTANS to desire those thinges which he aboue all things had learned to despise And thus much concerning peace and ciuill gouernment Now for matters of warre and battells fought there is no comparison to be made of Lysander to Sylla neither in number of victories nor in hazard of battell For Lysander wanne only but two battells by sea besides the taking of the citie of ATHENS which though I graunt him being rightly considered was no great exployte of warre howbeit it was a noble act considering the same he wan by it And as for things which happened to him in BOEOTIA hard by the citie of ALIARTE a man might say peraduenture that he had ill lucke But yet me thinkes also there was a fault in him for that he stayed not for king Pausanias aide the which came from PLATHES immediatly after his ouerthrow and bicause he went in a geere in fury and in a vaine ambition to runne his head against a wall so that men of all sortes making a desperate sayle out of ALIARTE vpon him slue him there to no purpose Farre vnlike to Cleombrotus that died at the battell of LEVCTRES resisting his enemies that distressed his men nor yet like Cyrus nor Epaminondas who to keepe his men from flying and to geue them assured victory receiued his deadly wounde for all these men dyed like noble kings valliant Captaines Where Lysander rashly cast him selfe away to his great dishonor by too much venturing prouing thereby that the auncient SPARTANS did like wise men to auoyde the fight with walles For the noblest and valliantest man that is or possible can be may easily be so slaine not onely by the first souldier that commeth but by euery seely woman or childe As they say that the worthy Achilles was killed by Paris within the very gates of TROIA Now to the contrarie againe the victories that Sylla wanne in set battells and the thowsandes of enemies which he slue are not easily to be numbred besides also that he tooke the city of ROME twise and the hauen of ATHENS not by famine as Lysander did but by force after he had by many great battells driuen Archelaus out of firme land into the maine sea It is to be considered also against what Captaines they made warres For me thinkes it was but a pastime as a mā might say for Lysander to fight with Antiochus a pylot of Alcibiades or to surprise and deceiue Philocles a common orator at ATHENS Much vvorse then tvvo edged svvord his busie tongue did seeme VVhich pratled still and honestie did neuer once esteeme And whom Mithridates in my opinion would not vouchesafe to compare with his horse-keeper nor Marius with one of his sergeauntes or masebearers But to leaue a side the particular names of all other Princes Lordes Consulls Praetors Captaines and Gouernors that made warres with Sylla what ROMANE Captaine was there more to be feared then Marius what king liuing was there of such power as king Mithridates And of Generalls and Lieutenauntes of armies in all ITALIE were there any euer more valliant then Lamponius and Thelesinus of the which Sylla draue the one away and brought the other to obey him and slue the two last But the greatest matter of all that we haue spoken of yet in my opinion was that Lysander did all his noble actes with the aide of his whole contrie where Sylla to the contrarie did his being banished from his contry by his enemies And at the selfe same time that they draue Syllaes wife out of ROME that they ouerthrewe his houses and slue his frendes also in ROME he notwithstanding made warres in the meane time with infinite thowsandes of fighting men in BOEOTIA and ventred his person in manifold daungers so that in the end he conquered them all to the honor benefit of his contry Furthermore Sylla would neuer stoupe to king Mithridates for any particular allyance he offred him neither yeelde vnto him for any aide of men or money to warre against his enemies but a thing most chiefely to be noted aboue the rest he would not vouchesafe to speake to Mithridates nor to take him by the hande onely before he had spoken it with his owne mouth and faithfully promised that he would forgoe ASIA deliuer him his gallies and geue vp the realmes of BITHYNIA and CAPPADOCIA vnto their naturall kinges This me thinkes was the goodliest act that euer Sylla did and proceeded of the greatest magnanimity to haue preferred the benefit of the common wealth in that sorte before his priuate cōmodity For therin he was like vnto a good greyhoūd that first pincheth the deare and holdeth him fast till he haue ouerthrowen him and then afterwardes followeth the recouery of his owne priuate quarrell And lastly me thinkes it is easily iudged what difference there was betwene their two natures in that they did both towardes the citie of ATHENS For Sylla hauing taken it after the citizens had made fierce warres with him for the increase of king Mithridates greatnes yet he left it free vnto them enioying their owne lawes Where Lysander to the contrary seing such a mighty state and Empire as that ouerthrowen from the great rule it bare had no pity of it at all but tooke away the libertie of popular gouernment whereby it had bene gouerned of long time before and established there very cruell and wicked tyrans And therfore in myne opinion we shall not much swarue from troth if we geue this iudgement that Sylla did the greater acts and Lysander committed the fewer faultes And that we geue to the one the honor of a continent and modest man and to the other the commendacion of a valliant and skilfull souldier THE LIFE OF Cimon PEripoltas the Soothsayer he that brought king Opheltas out of THESSALIE into the contry of BOEOTIA with the people which were vndre his obedience left a posterity after him that long time florished in that contry the more parte of the which were euer resident in the city of CHAERONEA bicause it was the first city that was cōquered from the barbarous people whom they expulsed thence All they that came of that race were commonly men of great corage and naturally geuen to the
could not hide his men in time but use Sylipus as the first onset had taken a forte of his called Plemmyrion within the whiche lay the store and takell for many gallies a great masse of ready money which was wholly lost Besides in the same conflict also were many men slaine and many taken prisoners Yet further the greatest matter of weight was that therby he tooke from Nicias the great commodity he had to bringe his vittells safely by sea to his campe For while the ATHENIANS kepe this forte they might at their pleasure bring vittels without daūger to their campe being contened with the same but when they had lost it then it was hard for them so to do bicause they were euer driuen to fight with the enemies that lay at ancker before the forte Furthermore the SYRACVSANS did not thinke that their armie by sea was ouerthrowen bicause their enemies the stronger but for that their men had followed the ATHENIANS disorderedly and therefore were desirous once againe to venter in better sorte and order than before But Nicias by no meanes would be brought to fight again saying that it were a madnes looking for such a great nauy a new supply as Demosthenes was comming withall rashly to fight with a fewee number of shippes than they and but poorely furnished But contrarily Menander and Euthydemus newly promoted to the state of Captaines with Nicias being pricked forwards with ambition against the two other Captaines Nicias and Demosthenes that was then comming desired to preuent Demosthenes in performing some notable seruice before his arriuall thereby also to excell Nicias doinges Howbeit the cloke they had to couer their ambition withall was the honor reputacion of the city of ATHENS the which sayd they were shamed and dishonored for euer if they now should shew thēselues afraied of the SYRACVSANS who prouoked them to fight Thus brought they Nicias against his will to battell in the which the ATHENIANS were slaine and ouercome by the good counsell of a CORINTHIAN Pilot called Aviston For the left wing of their battell as Thucydides wryteth was clearely ouerthrowen and they lost a great number of their men Whereupon Nicias was wonderfully perplexed considering on the one side that he had taken maruelous paines whilest he was fole Captāine of the whole army and on thother side for that he had committed a foule fault when they had geuen him companions But as Nicias was in this great dispaire they descried Demosthenes apon a pere of the hauen with his fleete brauely set out and furnished to terrifie the enemies For he had three score and thirteene gallies and in them he brought fiue thowsande footemen well armed and appointed and of darters bowmen and hurlers with slinges about three thowsand and the gallies trimmed and set foorth with goodly armors numbers of ensignes and with a world of trompets howboyes and such marine musicke and all set out in this triumphant shew to feare the enemies the more Now thought the SYRACVSANS them selues againe in a pecke of troubles perceiuing they stroue against the streame and consumed them selues to no purpose whēby that they saw there was no likelyhoode to be deliuered frō their troubles And Nicias also reioyced that so great aide was come but his ioy helde not longe For so soone as he began to talke with Demosthenes of the state of thinges he found him bent forthwirth to set apon the SYRACVSANS and to hasard all with spede that they might quickely take SYRACVSA and so dispatche away home againe Nicias thought this more hast then good speede and feared much this foole hardines Wherupon he prayed him to attempt nothing rashely nor desperately and perswaded him that it was their best way to prolong the warre against the enemies who were without money and therefore would soone be forsaken of their confederates And besides if they came once to be pinched for lacke of vittells that they would then quickely seeke to him for peace as they had done afore time For there vpon many within SYRACVSA that were Nicias frendes who wished him to abide time for they were weary of warre and waxed angry also with Gylippus So that if they were but straighted a litle more with want of vittells they would yeelde straight Nicias deliuering these perswasions somwhat darkely and keping somwhat also from vtteraunce bicause he would not speake them openly made his colleagues thinke he spake it for cowardines and that he returned againe to his former delayes to keepe all in security by which manner of proceedinge he had from the beginning killed the hartes of his armie for that he had not at his first comming set apon the enemies but had protracted time so long till the corage of his souldiers was colde and done and himselfe also brought into contempt with his enemies Whereupon the other Captaines his colleagues and companions with him in the charge Euthydemus and Menander stucke to Demosthenes opinion wherunto Nicias was also forced against his will to yeeld So Demosthenes the selfe same night taking the footemen went to assault the fort of Epipolis where before his enemies heard any thing of his comming he slue many of them and made the rest flee that offered resistaunce But not content with this victory he went furder till he fell apon the BOEOTIANS They gathering themselues together were the first that resisted the ATHENIANS basing their pikes with such furie and lowde cries that they caused the former to retyre and made all the rest of thassailantes afrayed and amased For the formost flyinge backe came full vpon their companions who taking them for their enemies and their flight for a charge resisted them with all their force so mistaking one an other both were wounded and slaine and the hurt they ment vnto their enemies did vnfortunately light vpon their owne fellowes For this multitude meetinge thus confusedly together what through their great feare what for that they could not discerne one an other in the night the which was neither so darke that they could not see at all nor yet so cleere as they might certainly iudge by sight what they were that met them for then the moone declined a pace and the small light it gaue was diffused with the number of men that ran to fro the feare they had of the enemy made them mistrust their frendes All these troubles and disaduantages had the ATHENIANS and beside the moone on their backes which causing the shadow to fall forward did hide their number and glistering of armor and contrarily the enemies targets glaring in their eyes by the reflection of the moone that shone vpon them encreased their feare and making them seeme a greater number and better appointed than they were in deede At last thenemies geuing a lusty charge vppon them on euery side after they once beganne to geue backe and turne taile some were slaine by their enemies others by their owne company
enemies might not discouer them and so they did and couered their morians headpeeces as well as might be from being seene Neuerthelesse they were discouered by two women doing sacrifice for the safety of their army and therupon were all in great hasard of casting away had not Crassus bene who came in time to their aide and gaue the enemies the cruellest battell that euer they fought in all that warre For there were slaine of the slaues at that battel twelue thowsand and three hundred of which two only were found hurt in the backes and all the rest slaine in the place of their ranckes valliantly fighting where they were set in battell ray Spartacus after this ouerthrowe drew towardes the mountaines of Petelie whither Quintus one of Crassus Lieutenauntes and Scrofa his treasorer followed him still skirmishing with his rereward all the way yet in fine Spartacus turned sodainly apon them made the ROMANES flie that still harried his men in that sorte and hurt Scrofa Crassus treasorer so sore that he hardly escaped with life But the vantage they had of the ROMANES by this ouerthrow fell out in the ende to the vtter destruction of Spartacus For his men thereby being the most of them fugitive bondmen grew to such a stowtenes and pride of them selues that they would no more flie from fight neither yet would they any lenger obey their leaders and Captaines but by the way as they went they compassed them in with their weapons and tolde them that they should go backe againe with them whether they would or not and be brought through LVCANIA against the ROMANES All this made for Crassus as he wished for he had receiued newes that Pompey was comming and that diuers were suters for him at ROME to be sent in this iorney saying that the last victory of this warre was due to him and that he would dispatche it at a battell as soone as he came thither Crassus therefore seeking occasion to fight lodged as neere the enemie as he could and made his men one day cast a trenche which the bondmen seeking to preuent came with great fury and set apon them that wrought Wherupon fell out a hotte skirmishe and still supplies came on of either side so that Spartacus in the ende perceiuing he was forced vnto it put his whole power in battell ray And when he had set them in order that they brought him his horse he was wont to fight on he drew out his sword and before them all slue the horse dead in the place saying if it be my fortune to winne the field I know I shall haue horse enow to serue my turne and if I chaunse to be ouercomen then shal I nede no moe horses After that he flew in among the ROMANES thinking to attaine to fight with Crassus but he could not come neere him yet he slue with his owne handes two ROMANE Centurions that resisted him In the end all his men he had about him forsooke him and fled so as Spartacus was left alone among his enemies who valliantly fighting for his life was cut in peeces Now though Crassus fortune was very good in this warre and that he had shewed him selfe a noble and valliant Captaine venturing his persone in any daunger yet he could not keepe Pompey from the honor of ending this warre for the slaues that scaped from this last battell where Spartacus was slaine fell into Pompeyes handes who made an end of all those rebellious rascalls Pompey here upon wrote to the Senate that Crassus had ouercomen the slaues in battell but that he him selfe had pulled vp that warre euen by the very rootes After this Pompey made his entrie into ROME and triumphed for his victorie of Sertorius and the conquest of SPAYNE Crassus also sued not for the great triumphe neither thought he the small Ouation triumphe a foote which they graunted him any honor vnto him for ouercomming a few fugitiue bondmen But for this small triumphe whereby it was called Ouatio how much it differeth from the great triumphe see Marcellus life where we haue at large discoursed thereof Now Pompey being called to be Consull Crassus though he stoode in good hope to be chosen Consull with him did yet notwithstanding pray his frendshippe and furtherance Pompey was very willing to helpe him and was euer desirous to make Crassus beholding to him whereupon he delt frendly for him and spake openly in thassembly of the city that he would no lesse thanke the people to appoint Crassus his companion fellow Consull with him then for making him selfe Consull But notwithstandinge they were both Consulls together in office their frendship held not but were euer atiarre the one against the other So by meanes of their disagreement they passed all the time of their Consulshippe without any memorable act done sauing that Crassus made a great sacrifice to Hercules and kept an open feast for the people of ROME of a thowsande tables and gaue to euery citizen corne to finde him three monethes But in the ende of their Consulship at a common counsell holden there was a knight of ROME called Onatius Aurelius a man not greatly knowen for that he had no dealinges in the state and kept most in the contry who gettinge vp to the pulpit for orations told the people what a vision he had seene in his dreame Iupiter said he appearing to me this night willed me to tell you openly that ye should not put Crassus Pompey out of their office before they were reconciled together He had no sooner spoken the wordes but the people commaunded them to be frendes Pompey sate still and sayd neuer a word to it But Crassus rose and tooke Pompey by the hand turning him to the people told them alowde my Lordes of ROME I do nothing vnworthy of my selfe to seeke Pompeis frendship and fauor first since you your selues haue called him the great before he had any heart vpon his face that ye gaue him the honor of triumphe before he was Senatour And this is all that Crassus did of any accompt in his Consulship When he was Censor also he passed it ouer without any acte done For he reformed not the Senate mustered not the men of warre nor tooke any view or estimate of the peoples goodes although Luctatius Catulus was his colleague and fellowe Censor as gentle a persone as any of that time that liued in ROME Now Crassus at the first entry into his office of Censor going about a cruell and violent act to bring EGYPT to pay tribute to the ROMANES Catulus did stowtly withstand him wherby dissention falling out betwene them they both did willingly resigne their office In that great conspiracie of Catiline which in manner ouerthrewe the whole state and common wealth of ROME Crassus was had in some iealousie and mistrust bicause there was one of the confederats that named him for one of
Generall and Consull of the ROMANES Ariamnes being crafty subtill speaking gently vnto Cassius did comforte him and prayed him to haue pacience and going and comming by the bandes seeming to helpe the souldiers he tolde merily O my fellowes I beleue you thinke to marche through the contry of Naples and looke to meete with your pleasaunt springes goodly groues of wodde your naturall bathes and the good innes round about to refreshe you and doe not remember that you passe through the desertes of ARABIA and ASSYRIA And thus did this barbarous Captaine entertaine the ROMANES a while but afterwardes he dislodged betimes before he was openly knowen for a traitor and yet not without Crassus priuity whom he bare in hands that he would goe set some broyle and tumult in the enemies campe It is reported that Crassus the very same day came out of his tent not in his coate armor of scarlet as the maner was of the ROMANE Generalls but in a blacke coate howbeit remembring him selfe he straight chaunged it againe It is sayd moreouer that the ensigne bearers when they should march away had much a doe to plucke their ensignes out of the ground they stucke so fast But Crassus scoffing at the matter hastened them the more to marche forward compelling the footemen to goe as fast as the horsemen till a fewe of their skowtes came in whom they had sene to discouer who brought newes howe the enemies had slaine their fellowes and what a doe they had them selues to scape with life and that they were a maruelous great army wel appointed to geue them battell This newes made all the campe afrayed but Crassus selfe more than the rest so as he beganne to set his men in battell ray being for hast in maner besides him selfe At the first following Cassius minde he set his ranckes wide casting his souldiers into square battell a good way a sonder one from an other bicause he would take in as much of the plaine as he coulde to keepe the enemies from compassinge them in and so deuided the horsemen into the winges Yet afterwardes he chaunged his minde againe and straited the battell of his footemen facioning it like a bricke more long than broade making a front and shewing their faces euery way For there were twelue cohorts or ensignes imbattelled on either side by euery cohorte a company of horse bicause there should be no place left without aide of horsemen and that all his battell should be a like defended Then he gaue Cassius the leading of one wing his sonne Publius Crassus the other and him selfe led the battel in the middest In this order they marched forward till they came to a litle brooke called Balissus where there was no great store of water but yet happely lighted on for the souldiers for the great thirst and extreame heate they had abidden all that painefull way where they had met with no water before There the most parte of Crassus Captaines thought best to campe all night that they might in the meane time finde meanes to knowe their enemies what number they were and how they were armed that they might fight with them in the morning But Crassus yeelding to his sonnes and his horsemens perswasion who intreated him to march on with his army and to set apon the enemy presently commaunded that such as would eate should eate standing keeping their ranckes Yet on the sodaine before this commaundement could runne through the whole army he commaunded them againe to march not fayer and softly as when they go to geue battell but with speede till they spied the enemies who seemed not to the ROMANES at the first to be so great a number neither so brauelie armed as they thought they had bene For concerning their great number Surena had of purpose hid them with certaine troupes he sent before and to hyde their bright armors he had cast clokes and beastes skinnes apon them But when both the armies approached neere th one to thother that the signe to geue charge was lift vp in the ayer first they filled the fielde with a dreadfull noyse to heare For the PARTHIANS doe not encorage their men to fight with the sounde of a horne neither with trompets nor how boyes but with great kettle drommes hollow within about them they hang litle bells copper rings and with them they all make a noise euery where together and it is like a dead sounde mingled as it were with the braying or bellowing of a wild beast a fearefull noyse as if it thundered knowing that hearing is one of the senses that soonest moueth the harte spirite of any man maketh him soonest besides him selfe The ROMANES being put in feare with this dead sounde the PARTHIANS straight threw the clothes couerings from them that hid their armor then shewed their bright helmets and curaces of Margian tempered steele that glared like fire their horses barbed with steele and copper And Surena also General of the PARTHIANS who was as goodly a personage and as valliant as any other in all his host though his beawtie somewhat effeminate in iudgement shewed small likelyhoode of any such corage for he painted his face and ware his heare after the facion of the MEDES contrary to the maner of the PARTHIANS who let their heare grow after the facion of the TARTARES without combing or tricking of them to appeare more terrible to their enemies The PARTHIANS at the first thought to haue set apon the ROMANES with their pykes to see if they could breake their first ranckes But when they drew neere and saw the depth of the ROMANES battell standing close together firmely keping their â—ancke â—â— then they gaue backe to making as though they fled dispersed them selues But the ROMANES hâ—rneled when they found it contrary that it was but a deuise to enuironne them on euery side Whereupon Crassus commaunded his shot and light armed men to assaile them which they did but they went not farte they were so beaten in with arrowes and driuen to â—â—â— to their sorde of the armed men And this was the first beginning that both scared and troubled the ROMANES when they saw the vehemency and great force of the enemies shotte which brake their armors and ranne thorowe any thing they hit were it neuer so hard or soft The PARTHIANS thus still drawing backe shotte all together on euery side nor a forehande but an aduentureâ— for the battell of the ROMANES stoode so neere together as if they would they could not misse the killing of some These bo wiâ—â— drew a great strength had bigge strong bowes which on the arrowes from them with a wonderful force The ROMANES by meanes blichese bowes were in hard state For if they kept their rancks they were grieuously wouÌ„ded againe if they felt them and sought to run apon the PARTHIANS to fight at hande with them they saw they
them but then they sacked burnt all that came in their way euen vnto the riuer of Eurotas and hard adioyning vnto SPARTA and no man durst come out to resist them For Agesilaus as Theopompus wryteth would not suffer the LACEDAEMONIANS to goe out to fight against such a tempest and furie of warre but hauing fortified the middest of the citie and garded euery end of the streetes with souldiers he paciently bare all the bragges and threates of the THEBANS which challenged him out to fight and bad him come into the fielde to defende his contrie that onely was the cause of all these their calamities hauing him selfe procured this warre If this went to Agesilaus hart no lesse grieuous were these troubles to him that rose within the citie As the cries and running toe and froe of the old men which were mad to see that they did before their eyes and of sely women also which no grounde nor place could hold but ranne vp and downe as straught of their wittes to heare the noise the enemies made and to see the fire which they raised all the fieldes ouer Much more sorowefull also did this make him when as he bethought him selfe that entring into his kingdom at such time as the citie of SPARTA was in the greatest prosperitie that euer it was he now saw his honor eclipsed and the glorie of his kingdom ouerthrowen and the rather for that him selfe had often auaunted that LACONIAN women had neuer seene the smoke of any enemies campe And as they say of Antalcidas one day that he answered an ATHENIAN that contended with him about the valliantnesse of one an others nation alleaging for him selfe that the ATHENIANS had often driuen the LACEDAEMONIANS from the riuer of Cephesus It is true said the LACONIAN but we did neuer driue you from the riuer of Eurotas The like aunswere made a meane man of SPARTA to one of the ARGIVES that cast him in the teeth there are diuers of your LACONIANS buried in the contrie of ARGOLIDE so are there none of yours sayd he buried in LACONIA It is reported that Antalcidas being one of the Ephori at that time did secretly sende his children into the I le of CITHAERA fearing least the citie of SPARTA should be taken Agesilaus perceiuing that the enemies forced to passe ouer the riuer to enter the citie he stoode to defend the middle parte of the citie being the hiest place of the same and there had his men sette in order of battell Now at that time by chaunce the riuer of Eurotas was swelled greater then of ordinarie by reason of the snowe waters that fell aboundantly which troubled more the THEBANS with the coldnes then roughnes of the same in passing it ouer Some shewing Agesilaus how Epaminondas marched formost before his battell he beheld him a great while and his eye was neuer of him saying neuer a word but this onely O what a noble fellowe is that Epaminondas hauing done all that he could possible to geue the LACEDAEMONIANS battell euen within the citie selfe of SPARTA that he might there haue set vp some tokens of triumphe he could neuer intise Agesilaus to come out of his forte wherefore he was driuen in the ende to departe thence and so went to destroy all the rest of the contrie There fell out a conspiracie of two hundred men in SPARTA who of long time had had an ill meaning with them and tooke that quarter of the citie where the temple of Diana stoode called Issorium a place of strong scituacion and ill to distresse Hereuppon the LACEDAEMONIANS in furie would straight haue set apon them But Agesilaus fearing great mutinie and sturre apon it commaunded that no man should sturre and him selfe vnarmed in a poore gowne went thither crying out to them that had taken that strength Sirs ye haue not obeyed my commaundement This is not the place I appointed you to assemble in neither all of you in one place for I willed you to disperse your selues some one way some an other way shewing them the quarters of the citie The traitors hearing these wordes were glad as thinking that their intent was not bewraied and so leauing that strength went into those partes of the citie that he had shewed them Agesilaus then bringinge others thether possessed the forte of Issorium and tooke fifteene of those conspiratours and put them to death the next night followinge Howebeit then there brake out an other conspiracie farre greater than the first of the SPARTANS them selues which were secretly gotten together into a house to make some sodaine sturre and garboyle and to punish them in so great a trouble it was hard on thother side to neglect it the conspiracie was ouer daungerous Agesilaus hauing consulted with the Ephori did put them all to death without any iudgement of lawe neuer SPARTANS before them suffering death without due order of law Againe whereas diuers of their neighbours of the Ilotes them selues whom they had billed in their bandes for souldiers stale away and ranne to their enemies which did much discorage them that remained he warned his men that they should euerie day goe to their couches where they lay and that they shoulde take away their armour that were fled and hide it bicause they should not knowe the names of them that were fled in this sorte Now for the departure of the THEBANS some say that they went out of LACONIA by reason of the winter that came on whereuppon the ARCADIANS discharged their bandes and euerie one departed his way in disorder Others also holde opinion that they continued there three monethes together during which time they destroyed the most parte of the contrie Theopompus wryteth notwithstanding that the Captaines of the THEBANS hauing determined to departe there came one Phrixus a SPARTAN vnto them sent from Agesilaus who brought them tenne talents that they should departe out of their contrie Thus had they money geuen them to defraye their charges homewardes to doe that which they them selues had long before determined to haue done And yet doe I wonder howe it is possible that all other historiographers knewe nothing of this and that Theopompus onely could tell of it All doe acknowledge truely that Agesilaus onely was the cause that the citie of SPARTA was saued who leauing his ambition and selfe will being passions borne with him did wisely foresee their safetie Neuerthelesse after this great ouerthrowe he could neuer raise SPARTA againe to her former greatnesse For like as a whole bodie which hauing acquainted it selfe continually with a moderate diet with the least disorder doth surfet presently and so putteth all in daunger euen so Lycurgus hauing framed a perfect state of gouernment in the common wealth of SPARTA to make her citizens liue in peace and amitie together when they did enlarge it by great kingdomes and realmes the which the good lawemaker thought vnmeete to continue happie life they were straight
ouerthrowen and all went to wracke By this time Agesilaus was growen olde and could no more goe to the warres for verie age but his sonne Archidamus with the aide which Dionysius the tyranne of SYRACVSA sent vnto them wanne a battell against the ARCADIANS called the tearelesse battell for there dyed not one of his men and they slue a great number of their enemies This victorie plainely shewed the great weakenesse and decaie of the citie of SPARTA For in former times it was so common a thing vnto them to ouercome their enemies in battell that they did sacrifice nothinge else to the goddes in token of thankes within the citie but a poore cocke and they that had fought the battell made no boast of it neither did they that hard the newes reioice greatly at it For when they had wonne that great battell at the citie of MANTINEA which Thucydides describeth the Ephori only sent the messenger that brought the newes for reward a peece of powdered meate and no other thing But then when newes was brought of this victorie and that they vnderstoode Archidamus came home victorious neither man nor woman could keepe the citie but the father him selfe went first of all to meete him with the teares in his eyes for ioy and after him all the other Magistrates and officers of the citie and a swarme of old folke both men women came downe to the riuers side holding vp their hands to heauen thanking the goddes as if their citie had redeemed and recouered her shame and lost honor and beganne nowe to rise againe as before it did For vntill that time some say that the husbandes durst not boldly looke their wiues in the faces they were so ashamed of their great losses and miserable estate Now the citie of MESSINA being by Epaminondas reedified and replenished with people he called home againe out of all partes the naturall inhabitants of the same The SPARTANS durst not fight with him not to hinder his purpose though it spighted them to the hartes and were angrie with Agesilaus for that in his raigne they had lost all that territory which was as great as all LACONIA selfe and that for goodnesse and fertilitie compared with the best partes of all GRAECE the which they had quietly possessed many yeares before And this was the cause why Agesilaus would not agree to the peace which the THEBANS sent to offer him and all bicause he would not relinquish that in wordes which the enemies kept in deedes Therfore being wilfully bent once more to fight with them he went not only without recouering the thing he looked for but had in maner also lost the citie of SPARTA by a warlike stratageame in the which he was deceiued For the MANTINIANS being newly reuolted againe from the alliance of the THEBANS and hauing sent for the LACEDAEMONIANS Epaminondas receiuing intelligence that Agesilaus was departed from SPARTA with all his power to aide the MANTINIANS marched away secretly by night from TEGEA without the priuitie of the MANTINIANS and went straight to SPARTA the which he had almost surprised on the sodaine going an other way then Agesilaus came being in manner without men to defende it Howebeit a THESPIAN called Euthynus as Callisthenes sayth or as Xenophon wryteth a CRETAN brought Agesilaus newes of it who dispatched a horseman straight to aduertise them of the citie of SPARTA and marching forward him selfe to returne stayed not longe after before he arriued He was no sooner come but incontinently also came the THEBANS who passing ouer the riuer of Eurotas gaue assault to the city Then Agesilaus perceiuing that there was no more place nor time of securitie as before but rather of desperation and courage he valliantlie defended it more then an olde mans yeares coulde beare Thus through corage and desperate minde whereto he was neuer brought before neither did euer vse it he put by the daunger and saued the citie of SPARTA from Epaminondas handes setting vp markes of triumphe for repulsing of the enemies and making the women and children of SPARTA to see the LACEDAEMONIANS how honorablie they rewarded their nurse and contrie for their good education but Archidamus chiefely of all other fought wonderfully that day running into euerie parte of the citie with a fewe about him to repulse the enemies wheresoeuer the daunger was greatest It is sayd also that at that time there was one Isadas the sonne of Phaebidas that did maruelous straunge thinges to beholde both in the face of his enemies as also in the sight of his frendes He was of goodly personage and at that time in the prime of his youth and being starke naked and vnarmed his bodie noynted with oyle hauing in one hande a borestaffe and in the other a sworde in this maner he went out of his house and ranne amongest them that fought killinge and ouerthrowing his enemies that withstoode him and was not once hurt either for that the goddes preserued him for his manhoodes sake or else bicause men thought him more then a man The Ephori immediatly gaue him a crowne in honor and reward of his valliantnesse but withall they set a fine on his head to pay a thowsand siluer Drachmas for his rashe attempt to hasard him selfe in battell vnarmed for defense Shortly after they fought an other great battell before the citie of MANTINEA There Epaminondas hauing ouerthrowen the first ranckes of the LACEDAEMONIANS and coragiously distressing the rest valliantly following the chase there was one Anticrates a LACONIAN who receiuing him as Dioscorides writeth slue him with his borespeare The LACEDAEMONIANS to this day notwithstanding doe call the ofspring of this Anticrates Machariones as much to say as swordmen as though he had slaine him with a sword The LACEDAEMONIANS did esteeme this Anticrates so much for that deadly stroke he gaue bicause they were afrayed of Epaminondas while he liued that they gaue him that slue him great honors dignities and discharged all his ofspring kinred from payment of subsidie and common contribucions which priuiledge one Callicrates a kinseman of this Amicrates enioyed euen in our time After this battell and death of Epaminondas the GRAECIANS hauing taken peace generally amongest them Agesilaus would needes exclude the MESSENIANS from being sworne to this peace saying that they neede not sweare bicause they had no city Now forasmuch as all the GRAECIANS els did receiue them as amongest the number tooke their othe vnto this peace the LACEDAEMONIANS brake of from this general peace and none but they onely made warre in hope to recouer the MESSENIANS contrie and all through the allurement of Agesilaus who for this cause was thought of the GRAECIANS a cruell and vnsatiable man for warres to deale so craftily and all to breake this generall league Againe he brought him selfe in discredit with all men beinge compelled to make his citie bare of money borowing of them still and
receiued letters commission from Sylla and the Senate to departe thence immediatly into AFRICAE to make warre vpon Domitius with all his power who had leauied already more men of warre than Marius had not long before when he came out of AFRICAE into ITALIE and had there ouerthrowen all the ROMANES doinges being become of a fugitiue outlaw a cruell tyranne Pompey thereupon hauing speedily put him selfe in readines to take the seaes left Memmius his sisters husband Gouernor of SICILE and so him selfe imbarked hoysed saile with six score gallies and eight hundred other shippes or bottomes to transport their vittells munition money engines of batterie and all other cariage whatsoeuer After he was landed with all his fleete parte at VTICA and parte at CARTHAGE there straight came to him seuen thowsand souldiers from the enemies yelded thē selues besides seuen whole legions that he brought with him They say moreouer that at his arriuall he had a pleasaunt chaunce happened vnto him to be laughed at for it is reported that certaine of his souldiers stumbled on a treasure by chaunce and got thereby a great masse of money The residue of the armie hearing that thought sure that the field where this treasure was found was full of golde and siluer which the CARTHAGINIANS had hidden there long before in time of their calamitie Pompey hereuppon for many dayes after coulde haue no rule of his souldiers neither coulde he choose but laugh to see so many thowsande men digging the grounde and turning vp the fielde vntill in the ende they wearied them selues and came and prayed him then to lead them where he thought good for they had payed well for their follie Domitius came to Pompey with his army set in battel ray Howbeit there was a certaine quamyre before him that ran with a swift running streame verie ill to get ouer besides that from the verie breake of day it had poored downe and rained so fast and was so great a winde withall that Domitius thinking all that day they shoud not fight commaunded his people to trusse away and remoue Pompey on thotherside finding this an excellent fit occasion for him sodainly made his men to march and passed ouer the valley The enemies perceiuing that being altogether out of order were maruelosly amazed and in that hurly burly would haue made resistaunce But they were neither all together nor yet euenly set in battell ray and had besides the winde beating the raine full in their faces So did the storme much hurt vnto the ROMANES also for they coulde not one see an other insomuch as Pompey him selfe was in great daunger of being killed by one of his owne souldiers who not knowing him asked him the word of the battell and he was somewhat long before he answered him In fine when he had ouerthrowen his enemies with great slaughter for they say that of twenty thowsand of them there were but three thowsand saued Pompeis souldiers saluted him by the name of Imperator But he aunswered them that he would not accept the honor of that name so long as he saw his enemies campe yet standing and therefore if it were so they thought him worthie of that name that first they should ouerthrow the trenche and forte of the enemies wherein they had intrenched their campe The souldiers when they heard him say so went presently to assault it There Pompey sought bare headed to auoide the like daunger he was in before By this meanes they tooke the campe by force and in it slewe Domitius After that ouerthrowe the cities in that contrie came and yeelded them selues some willingly and others taken by force as also they tooke king Iarbas that had fought for Domitius and his realme was geuen to Hiempsall But Pompey being desirous further to employ his power and the good fortune of his armie went many dayes iorney into the maine lande and still conquered all where he came making the power of the ROMANES dreadfull vnto all the barbarous people of that contrie the which made but small account of them at that time He sayd moreouer that the wilde beastes of AFRICAE also should feele the force and good successe of the ROMANES and thereupon he bestowed a few dayes in hunting of Lyons and Elephantes For it is reported that in fortie dayes space at the vttermost he had ouercome his enemies subdued AFRICKE and had stablished the affaires of the kinges and kingdomes of all that contry being then but foure and twenty yeare old So when he returned vnto the citie of VTICA letters were brought from Sylla willing him to discharge all his army and to remaine there with one legion only tarying the comming of an other Captaine that should be sent to succeede him in the gouernment of that contrie This commaundement grieued him not a litle though he made no shewe of it at all but his souldiers shewed plainly that they were offended For when Pompey prayed them to departe they began to geue out broade speeches against Sylla and told directly that they were not determined whatsoeuer became of them to forsake him and they would not that he should trust vnto a tyran Pompey seeing that he could not perswade them by any reason to be quiet rose out of his chayer and retyred into his tent weeping But the souldiers followed him and brought him againe to his chayer of state where he spent a great parte of the day they intreating him to remaine there commaund them and he desiring them to obey Sylla and leaue their mutinies But in fine seeing thē importunate to presse him to it he sware he would kill him selfe rather then they should compell him yet they scant left him thus Hereupon it was reported vnto Sylla that Pompey was rebelled against him Sylla when he heard that sayd to his frendes well then I see it is my destiny in mine olde dayes to fight with children He ment so bicause of Marius the younger who had done him much mischiefe and had besides put him in great daunger But afterwards vnderstanding the troth and hearing that all generally in ROME were determined to goe and meete Pompey and to receiue him with all the honor they coulde bicause he would goe beyond them all in shew of good will he went out of his house to meete him and embracing him with great affection welcomed him home and called him Magnus to say great and commaunded all them that were present to geue him that name also This notwithstanding some say that it was in AFRICKE this name was first geuen him by a common crie of all his whole army and that afterwards it was confirmed by Sylla In dede it is true that Pompey him selfe being sent Proconsul into SPAYNE long time after that was the last that subscribed all his letters and commissions with the name of Pompey the great for this name then was so commonly knowen and accepted as no man did enuy it And therefore rightly
my age taketh away feare from me for hauing so short a time to liue I haue no care to prolonge it further The shamefullest parte that Caesar played while he was Consul seemeth to be this when he chose P. Clodius Tribune of the people that had offred his wife such dishonor and profaned the holy auncient misteries of the women which were celebrated in his owne house Clodius sued to be Tribune to no other end but to destroy Cicero Caesar selfe also departed not from ROME to his army before he had set them together by the eares and driuen Cicero out of ITALY All these things they say he did before the warres with the GAVLES But the time of the great armies cōquests he made afterwards of the warre in the which he subdued al the GAVLES entring into an other course of life farre contrarie vnto the first made him to be knowen for as valliant a souldier as excellent a Captaine to lead men as those that afore him had bene counted the wisest and most valliantest Generalles that euer were and that by their valliant deedes had atchieued great honor For whosoeuer would compare the house of the Fabians of the Scipioes of the Metellians yea those also of his owne time or long before him as Sylla Marius the two Lucullians and Pompey selfe VVhose fame ascendeth vp vnto the heauens It will appeare that Caesars prowes and deedes of armes did excell them all together The one in the hard contries where he made warres an other in enlarging the realmes and contries which he ioyned vnto the Empire of ROME an other in the multitude and power of his enemies whome he ouercame an other in the rudenesse and austere nature of men with whom he had to doe whose maners afterwardes he softned and made ciuill an other in curtesie and clemencie which he vsed vnto them whome he had conquered an other in great bountie and liberality bestowed vpon them that serued him in those warres and in fine he excelled them all in the number of battells he had fought and in the multitude of his enemies he had slaine in battell For in lesse then tenne yeares warre in GAVLE he tooke by force and assault aboue eight hundred townes he conquered three hundred seuerall nations and hauing before him in battell thirty hundred thowsand souldiers at sundrie times he slue tenne hūdred thowsand of them tooke as many more prisoners Furthermore he was so entirely beloued of his souldiers that to doe him seruice where otherwise they were no more then other men in any priuate quarell if Caesars honor were touched they were inuincible would so desperatly venter them selues with such furie that no man was able to abide them And this appeareth plainly by the exāple of Acilius who in a battell by sea before the city of MARSELLES bording one of his enemies shippes one cut of his right hand with a sword but yet he forsooke not his target which he had in his left hand but thrust it in his enemies faces made them flie so that he wanne their shippe from them And Cassius Scaeua also in a conflict before the city of DYRRACHIVM hauing one of his eyes put out with an arrow his shoulder striken through with a dart and his thigh with an other and hauing receiued thirty arrowes vpon his shield he called to his enemies and made as though he would yeelde vnto them But when two of them came running to him he claue one of their shoulders from his bodie with his sword and hurt the other in the face so that he made him turne his backe at the length saued him selfe by meanes of his companions that came to helpe him And in BRITAYNE also when the Captaines of the bandes were driuen into a marrisse or bogge full of mire and durt and that the enemies did fiercelie assaile them there Caesar then standinge to viewe the battell he sawe a priuate souldier of his thrust in among the Captaines and fought so valliantlie in their defence that at the length he draue the barbarous people to flye and by his meanes saued the Captaines which otherwise were in great daunger to haue bene cast away Then this souldier being the hindemost man of all the Captaines marching with great paine through the myre durt halfe swimming and halfe a foote in the end got to the other side but left his shield behinde him Caesar wondring at his noble corage ranne to him with ioy to imbrace him But the poore souldier hanging downe his head the water standing in his eyes fell downe at Caesars feete and besought him to pardon him for that he had left his targette behinde him And in AFRICKE also Scipio hauing taken one of Caesars shippes and Granius Petronius abourde on her amongest other not long before chosen Treasorer he put all the rest to the sword but him and sayd he would geue him his life But Petronius aunswered him againe that Caesars souldiers did not vse to haue their liues geuen them but to geue others their liues and with those wordes he drewe his sworde and thrust him selfe through Nowe Caesars selfe did breede this noble corage and life in them First for that he gaue them bountifully did honor them also shewing thereby that he did not heape vp riches in the warres to maintaine his life afterwards in wantonnesse and pleasure but that he did keepe it in store honorably to reward their valliant seruice and that by so much he thought him selfe riche by howe much he was liberall in rewarding of them that had deserued it Furthermore they did not wonder so much at his valliantnesse in putting him selfe at euery instant in such manifest daunger and in taking so extreame paines as he did knowing that it was his greedie desire of honor that set him a fire and pricked him forward to doe it but that he alwayes continued all labour and hardnesse more then his bodie could beare that filled them all with admiration For concerning the constitucion of his bodie he was leane white and soft skinned and often subiect to headache and otherwhile to the falling sickenes the which tooke him the first time as it is reported in CORDVBA a citie of SPAYNE but yet therefore yeelded not to the disease of his bodie to make it a cloke to cherishe him withall but contrarilie tooke the paines of warre as a medicine to cure his sicke bodie fighting alwayes with his disease trauelling continually liuing soberly and commonly lying abroade in the field For the most nights he slept in his coch or litter and thereby bestowed his rest to make him alwayes able to do some thing and in the day time he would trauell vp and downe the contrie to see townes castels and strong places He had alwayes a secretarie with him in his coche who did still wryte as he went by the way and a souldier behinde him that caried his sword He made
went forthwith to set apon the campe of Afranius the which he tooke at the first onset and the campe of the NVMIDIANS also king Iuba being fled Thus in a litle peece of the day only he tooke three campes slue fifty thowsand of his enemies and lost but fifty of his souldiers In this sorte is set downe theffect of this battell by some wryters Yet others doe wryte also that Caesar selfe was not there in person at th execution of this battel For as he did set his men in battell ray the falling sickenesse tooke him whereunto he was geuen and therefore feeling it comming before he was ouercome withall he was caried into a castell not farre from thence where the battell was sought and there tooke his rest till th extremity of his disease had left him Now for the Praetors Consulls that scaped from this battell many of them being taken prisoners did kill them selues and others also Caesar did put to death but he being specially desirous of all men else to haue Cato aliue in his hands he went with all possible speede vnto the citie of VTICA whereof Cato was Gouernor by meanes whereof he was not at the battell Notwithstanding being certified by the way that Cato had flaine him selfe with his owne handes he then made open shew that he was very sory for it but why or wherfore no man could tell But this is true that Caesar sayd at that present time O Cato I enuy thy death bicause thou diddest enuy my glory to saue thy life This notwithstanding the booke that he wrote afterwardes against Cato being dead did shew no very great affection nor pitiefull hart towardes him For how could he haue pardoned him if liuing he had had him in his handes that being dead did speake so vehemently against him Notwithstanding men suppose he would haue pardoned him if he had taken him aliue by the clemencie he shewed vnto Cicero Brutus and diuers others that had borne armes against him Some reporte that he wrote that booke not so much for any priuate malice he had to his death as for a ciuil ambition apon this occasion Cicero had written a booke in praise of Cato which he intituled Cato This booke in likely hoode was very well liked of by reason of the eloquence of the Orator that made it and of the excellent subiect thereof Caesar therewith was maruelously offended thinking that to praise him of whose death he was author was euen as much as to accuse him self therfore he wrote a letter against him heaped vp a number of accusations against Cato and intituled the booke Anticaton Both these bookes haue fauoâ—ers vnto this day some defending the one for the loue they bare to Caesar. and others allowing the other for Catoes sake Caesar being now returned out of AFRICKE first of all made an oration to the people wherein he greatly praised and commended this his last victorie declaring vnto them that he had conquered so many contries vnto the Empire of ROME that he coulde furnishe the common wealth yearely with two hundred thowsande busshells of wheate twenty hundred thowsand pound weight of oyle Then he made three triumphes the one for AEGYPT the other for the kingdom of PONTE and the third for AFRICKE not bicause he had ouercome Scipio there but king Iuba Whose sonne being likewise called Iuba being then a young boy was led captiue in the showe of this triumphe But this his imprisonment fel out happily for him for where he was but a barbarous NVMIDIAN by the study he fell vnto when he was prisoner he came afterwards to be reckoned one of the wisest historiographers of the GRAECIANS After these three triumphes ended he very liberally rewarded his souldiers and to curry fauor with the people he made great feasts common sportes For he feasted all the ROMANES at one time at two and twenty thowsand tables and gaue them the pleasure to see diuers sword players to fight at the sharpe and battells also by sea for the remembraunce of his daughter Iulia which was dead long afore Then after all these sportes he made the people as the manner was to be mustered and where there were at the last musters before three hundred and twenty thowsande citizens at this muster only there were but a hundred and fifty thowsand Such misery and destruction had this ciuill warre brought vnto the common wealth of ROME and had consumed such a number of ROMANES not speaking at all of the mischieues and calamities it had brought vnto all the rest of ITALIE and to the other prouinces pertaining to ROME After all these thinges were ended he was chosen Consul the fourth time and went into SPAYNE to make warre with the sonnes of Pompey who were yet but very young but had notwithstanding raised a maruelous great army together and shewed to haue had manhoode and corage worthie to commaunde such an armie insomuch as they put Caesar him selfe in great daunger of his life The greatest battell that was fought betwene them in all this warre was by the citie of MVNDA For then Caesar seeing his men sorely distressed and hauing their hands full of their enemies he ranne into the prease among his men that fought and cried out vnto them what are ye not ashamed to be beaten and taken prisoners yeelding your selues with your owne handes to these young boyes And so with all the force he could make hauing with much a doe put his enemies to flight he slue aboue thirty thowsand of them in the fielde and lost of his owne men a thowsand of the best he had After this battell he went into his tent and told his frends that he had often before fought for victory but this last time now that he had fought for the safety of his owne life He wanne this battell on the very feast day of the BACCHANALIANS in the which men say that Pompey the great went out of ROME about foure yeares before to beginne this ciuill warre For his sonnes the younger scaped from the battell but within few dayes after Diddius brought the heade of the elder This was the last warre that Caesar made But the triumphe he made into ROME for the same did as much offend the ROMANES and more then any thing that euer he had done before bicause he had not ouercome Captaines that were straungers nor barbarous kinges but had destroyed the sonnes of the noblest man in ROME whom fortune had ouerthrowen And bicause he had plucked vp his race by the rootes men did not thinke it meete for him to triumphe so for the calamities of his contrie reioycing at a thing for the which he had but one excuse to alleage in his defence vnto the gods and men that he was compelled to doe that he did And the rather they thought it not meete bicause he had neuer before sent letters nor messengers vnto the common wealth
holding it still in his hande keeping it to him selfe went on withall into the Senate house Howbeit other are of opinion that it was some man else that gaue him that memoriall and not Artemidorus who did what he could all the way as he went to geue it Caesar but he was alwayes repulsed by the people For these things they may seeme to come by chaunce but the place where the murther was prepared and where the Senate were assembled and where also there stoode vp an image of Pompey dedicated by him selfe amongest other ornamentes which he gaue vnto the Theater all these were manifest proofes that it was the ordinaunce of some god that made this treason to be executed specially in that verie place It is also reported that Cassius though otherwise he did fauour the doctrine of Epicurus beholding the image of Pompey before they entred into the action of their traiterous enterprise he did softely call vpon it to aide him But the instant daūger of the present time taking away his former reason did sodainly put him into a furious passion and made him like a man halfe besides him selfe Now Antonius that was a faithfull frende to Caesar and a valliant man besides of his handes him Decius Brutus Albinus entertained out of the Senate house hauing begon a long tale of set purpose So Caesar comming into the house all the Senate stoode vp on their feete to doe him honor Then parte of Brutus companie and confederates stoode rounde about Caesars chayer and parte of them also came towardes him as though they made sute with Metellus Cimber to call home his brother againe from banishmet and thus prosecuting still their sute they followed Caesar till he was set in his chayer Who denying their petitions and being offended with them one after an other bicause the more they were denied the more they pressed vpon him and were the earnester with him Metellus at length taking his gowne with both his handes pulled it ouer his necke which was the signe geuen the confederates to sette apon him Then Casca behinde him strake him in the necke with his sword howbeit the wounde was not great not mortall bicause it seemed the feare of such a deuelishe attempt did amaze him and take his strength from him that he killed him not at the first blowe But Caesar turning straight vnto him caught hold of his sword and held it hard and they both cried out Caesar in Latin O vile traitor Casca what doest thou And Casca in Greeke to his brother brother helpe me At the beginning of this sturre they that were present not knowing of the conspiracie were so amazed with the horrible sight they sawe that they had no power to flie neither to helpe him not so much as once to make any outcrie They on thother side that had conspired his death compassed him in on euerie side with their swordes drawen in their handes that Casca turned him no where but he was striken at by some and still had naked swords in his face and was hacked and mangeled amonge them as a wilde beaste taken of hunters For it was agreed among them that euery man should geue him a wound bicause all their partes should be in this murther and then Brutus him selfe gaue him one wounde about his priuities Men reporte also that Caesar did still defende him selfe against the rest running euerie waye with his bodie but when he sawe Brutus with his sworde drawen in his hande then he pulled his gowne ouer his heade and made no more resistaunce and was driuen either casually or purposedly by the counsell of the conspirators against the base whereupon Pompeys image stoode which ranne all of a goare bloude till he was slaine Thus it seemed that the image tooke iust reuenge of Pompeys enemie being throwen downe on the ground at his feete and yelding vp his ghost there for the number of wounds he had vpon him For it is reported that he had three and twenty wounds apon his body and diuers of the conspirators did hurt them selues striking one body with so many blowes When Caesar was slaine the Senate though Brutus stood in the middest amongest them as though he would haue sayd somwhat touching this fact presently ran out of the house and flying filled all the city with maruelous feare and tumult Insomuch as some did shut to their dores others forsooke their shops warehouses and others ranne to the place to see what the matter was and others also that had seene it ran home to their houses againe But Antonius and Lepidus which were two of Caesars chiefest frends secretly conueying them selues away fled into other mens houses and forsooke their owne Brutus and his confederats on thother side being yet hotte with this murther they had committed hauing their swordes drawen in their hands came all in a troupe together out of the Senate and went into the market place not as men that made countenaunce to flie but otherwise boldly holding vp their heades like men of corage and called to the people to defende their libertie and stayed to speake with euery great personage whome they met in their way Of them some followed this troupe and went amongest them as if they had bene of the conspiracie and falsely chalenged parte of the honor with them among them was Capius Octauius and Lentulus Spinther But both of them were afterwards put to death for their value couetousnes of honor by Antonius and Octauius Caesar the younger and yet had no parte of that honor for the which they were put to death neither did any man beleue that they were any of the confederates or of counsell with them For they that did put them to death tooke reuenge rather of the will they had to offend then of any fact they had committed The next morning Brutus and his confederates came into the market place to speake vnto the people who gaue them such audience that it seemed they neither greatly reproued nor allowed the fact for by their great silence they showed that they were sory for Caesars death and also that they did reuerence Brutus Nowe the Senate graunted generall pardonne for all that was paste and to pacifie euery man ordained besides that Caesars funeralls shoulde bee honored as a god and established all thinges that he had done and gaue certaine prouinces also and conuenient honors vnto Brutus and his confederates whereby euery man thought all things were brought to good peace quietnes againe But when they had opened Caesars testamēt and found a liberall legacie of money bequeathed vnto euery citizen of ROME and that they saw his body which was brought into the market place al bemangled with gashes of swords then there was no order to keepe the multitude and common people quiet but they plucked vp formes tables and stooles and layed them all about the body setting them a fire burnt the corse Then when the fire was well kindled they
NVMANTINES hearing of it first tooke his campe and then ranne after them that fled and setting vpon the rereward slue them and enuyronned all his armye So that they were driuen into straight and narrowe places where out they could by no meanes escape Thereuppon Mancinus dispayring that he could get out by force he sent a Herauld to the enemyes to treate of peace The NVMANTINES made aunswer that they would trust no man but Tiberius onely and therefore they willed he shoulde bee sent vnto them They desired that partly for the loue they bare vnto the vertues of the younge man bicause there was no talke of any other in all this warre but of him and partly also as remembring his father Tiberius who making warres in SPAYNE and hauing there subdued many nations he graunted the NVMANTINES peace the which he caused the ROMANES afterwardes to confirme and ratifie Hereuppon Tiberius was sent to speake with them and partly obteyning that he desired and partly also graunting them that they required he concluded peace with them whereby assuredly he saued the liues of twenty thowsande ROMANE Citizens besides slaues and other stragglers that willingly followed the campe This notwithstanding the NVMANTINES tooke the spoyle of all the goods they founde in the ROMANES campe amonge the which they founde Tiberius bookes of accompt touching the money disbursed of the treasure in his charge Tiberius beeing maruailous desirous to haue his bookes agayne returned backe to NVMANTIA with two or three of his friendes onely though the armye of the ROMANES were gone farre on their waye So comming to the towne he spake vnto the gouernors of the citie and prayed them to redeliuer him his bookes of accompt bicause his malicious enemies should not acouse him calling him to accompt for his doings The NVMANTINES were very glad of this good happe and prayed them to come into the towne He standing still in doubt with him selfe what to doe whether he should goe into the towne or not the gouernors of the citie came to him and taking him by the hande prayed he would thinke they were not his enemies but good friendes and that he would trust them Whereuppon Tiberius thought best to yeelde to their perswasion beeing desirous also to haue his bookes agayne and the rather for feare of offending the NVMANTINES if he shoulde haue denyed and mistrusted them When he was brought into the citie they prouided his dynner and were very earnest with him intreating him to dyne with them Then they gaue him his bookes againe and offered him moreouer to take what he woulde of all the spoyles they had gotten in the campe of the ROMANES Howebeit of all that he woulde take nothing but frankensence which he vsed when he did any sacrifice for his contry and then taking his leaue of them with thankes he returned When he was returned to ROME all this peace concluded was vtterly misliked as dishonorable to the maiestie of the Empire of ROME Yet the parents and friendes of them that had serued in this warre making the greatest part of the people they gathered about Tiberius saying that what faultes were committed in this seruice they were to impute it vnto the Consul Mancinus and not vnto Tiberius who had saued such a number of ROMANES liues Notwithstanding they that were offended with this dishonorable peace would that therein they should follow the example of their forefathers in the like case For they sent backe their Captaines naked vnto their enemies bicause they were contented the SAMNITS should spoyle them of that they had to escape with life Moreouer they did not onely send them the Captaines and Consuls but all those also that bare any office in the fielde and had consented vnto that condition to the ende they might lay all the periurie and breache of peace apon them Herein therefore did manifestly appeare the loue and good will the people did beare vnto Tiberius For they gaue order that the Consul Mancinus should be sent naked and bound vnto the NVMANTINES and for Tiberius sake they pardoned all the rest I thinke Scipio who bare great sway at the time in ROME and was man of greatest accompt did helpe him at that pinche who notwithstanding was ill thought of bicause he did not also saue the Consul Mancinus and confirme the peace concluded with the NVMANTINES considering it was made by Tiberius his friend kinsman But these mislikings grew chiefly through the ambition of Tiberius friendes certein learned men which stirred him vp against Scipio But yet it fell not out to open malice betwene them neither followed there any hurte apon it And surely I am perswaded that Tiberius had not fallen into those troubles he did afterwards if Scipio AFRICAN had bene present when he passed those thinges he preferred But Scipio was then in warres at the seege of NVMANTIA when Tiberius apon this occasion passed these lawes When the ROMANES in olde tyme had ouercomen any of their neighbours for raunsom they tooke oftentymes a great deale of their land from them parte whereof they solde by the cryer for the benefite of the common wealth and parte also they reserued to their state as demeane which afterwards was let out to farme for a small rent yearely to the poore Citizens that had no lands Howbeit the riche men inhaunsed the rents and so began to thrust out the poore men Thereuppon was an ordinance made that no Citizen of ROME should haue aboue fiue hundred acres lande This lawe for a ryme did bridle the couetousnes of the riche men and did ease the poore also that dwelt in the contry apon the farmes they had taken vp of the common wealth and so liued with their owne or with that their Auncestors had from the beginning But by proces of time their riche neighbours by names of other men got their farmes ouer their heads and in the end the most of them were openly seene in it in their own names Whereuppon the poore people being thus turned out of all went but with saint corage afterwards to the warre nor cared any more for bringing vp of children So that in shortime the free men left ITALY and slaues and barbarous people did replenish it whom the rich men made to plough those landes which they had taken from the ROMANES Caius Laelius one of Scipioes friends gaue an attempt to reforme this abuse but bicause the chiefest of the citie were against him fearing it would breake out to some vprore he desisted from his purpose and therefore he was called Laelius the wise But Tiberius being chosen Tribune he did forthwith preferre the reformation aforesayd being allured vnto it as diuers writers report by Diophanes the Orator and Blossius the Philosopher of the which Diophanes was banished from the citie of MITYLENE and Blossius the ITALIAN from the citie of CVMES who was scholler and famillier vnto Antipater of TARSVS at ROME by whome he was honored by certaine workes
did willingly resigne the kingdom vnto his brothers sonne Charilaus and being afrayd also that if the young child should chaunce to miscary they would suspect him for his death he exiled him selfe out of his owne contry a long time trauelling vp and downe and returned not to SPARTA againe before Charilaus had gotten a sonne to succeede him in his kingdom But we can not set another GRAECIAN by Lycurgus comparable vnto him We haue declared also that amongest Cleomenes deedes there were many other greater alteracions then these and also many other breaches of the lawe So they that doe condemne the manners of the one and the other say that the two GRAECIANS from the beginning had an aspyring minde to be tyrannes still practising warres Whereas the two ROMANES onely euen by their most mortall enemies could be blamed for nothing els but for an extreame ambition and did confesse that they were too earnest and vehement aboue their nature in any strife or contencion they had with their aduersaries and that they yelded vnto that choller and passion as vnto ill windes which brought them to doe those thinges they did in the ende For what more iust or honest intent could they haue had then the first was had not the riche men euen through stowtnes and authoritie to ouerthrow the lawes brought them against their wills into quarrell the one to saue his life the other to reuenge his brothers death who was slayne without order iustice or the authoritie of any officer Thus thou maiest thy selfe see the difference that was betwene the GRAECIANS and ROMANES and nowe to tell you plainly my opinion of both I think that Tiberius was the stowtest of the foure that the younge king Agis offended least and that for boldnes and corage Caius came nothing neare vnto Cleomenes THE LIFE OF Demosthenes HE that made the litle booke of the praise of Alcibiades touching the victorie he wanne at the horse rase of the Olympian games were it the Poet Euripides as some thinke or any other my friende Sossius sayde that to make a man happy he must of necessitie be borne in some famous citie But to tell you what I thinke hereof douteles true happines chiefly consisteth in the vertue and qualities of the minde being a matter of no moment whether a man be borne in a pelting village or in a famous citie no more then it is for one to be borne of a fayer or fowle mother For it were a madnes to thinke that the litle village of IVLIDE being the least part of the I le of CEO the whole Iland of it selfe being but a small thing and that the I le of AEGINA which is of so smal a length that a certaine ATHENIAN on a time made a motion it might be taken away bicause it was but as a strawe in the sight of the hauen of Piraea could bring forth famous Poets and excellent Comediants and not breede an honest iust and wise man and of noble corage For as we haue reason to thinke that artes and sciences which were first deuised and inuented to make some thinges necessary for mens vse or otherwise to winne fame and credit are drowned and cast away in litle poore villages So are we to iudge also that vertue like a strong and frutefull plant can take roote and bringe forth in euery place where it is graffed in a good nature and gentle person that can patiently away with paines And therefore if we chaunce to offend and liue not as we should we can not accuse the meanenes of our contry where we were borne but we must iustly accuse our selues Surely he that hath taken vpon him to put forth any worke or to write any historie into the which he is to thrust many straunge things vnknowen to his contry and which are not ready at his hand to be had but dispersed abroad in diuers places and are to be gathered out of diuers bookes and authorities first of all he must needes remaine in some great and famous citie throughly inhabited where men doe delight in good and vertuous thinges bicause there are commonly plenty of all sortes of bookes and that perusing them and hearing talke also of many things besides which other Historiographers peraduenture haue not written of and which will cary so much more credit bicause men that are aliue may presently speake of them as of their owne knowledge whereby he may make his worke perfect in euery poynt hauing many and diuers necessary things conteyned in it But I my selfe that dwell in a poore litle towne and yet doe remayne there willingly least it should become lesse whilest I was in ITALY and at ROME I had no leysure to study and exercise the Latine tongue aswell for the great busines I had then to doe as also to satisfie them that came to learne Philosophie of me so that euen somewhat too late and now in my latter time I began to take my Latine bookes in my hand And thereby a straunge thing to tell you but yet true I learned not nor vnderstood matters so much by the words as I came to vnderstand the words by common experience knowledge I had in things But furthermore to knowe howe to pronownce the Latin tongue well or to speake it readily or to vnderstand the signification translations and fine ioyning of the simple words one with another which doe bewtifie set forth the tongue surely I iudge it to be a maruailous pleasant and sweete thing but withall it requireth a long and laborsome study meete for those that haue better leysure then I haue that haue young yeares on their backes to follow such pleasure Therefore in this present booke which is the fift of this work where I haue taken vpon me to compare the liues of noble men one with another vndertaking to write the liues of Demosthenes and Cicero we will consider and examine their nature manners and condicions by their acts and deedes in the gouernment of the common wealth not meaning otherwise to conferre their workes and writings of eloquence nether to define which of them two was sharper or sweeter in his oration For as the Poet Ion sayth In this behalfe a man may rightly say The Dolphynes in their proper soyle doe play The which Caecilius litle vnderstanding being a man very rashe in all his doings hath vnaduisedly written and set forth in print a comparison of Demosthenes eloquence with Ciceroes But if it were an easie matter for euery man to know him selfe then the goddes needed haue giuen vs no commaundement nether could men haue said that it came from heauen But for my opiniō me thinks fortune euen from the beginning hath framed in maner one self mowld of Demosthenes and Cicero and hath in their natures facioned many of their qualities one like to the other as both of them to be ambitious both of them to loue the libertie of their contry and both of them very feareful
will proceede to consider further of his nature and conditions by his actes and deedes in the affaires of the common wealth Now Demosthenes first beginning when he came to deale in the affaires of the state was in the time of the warre made with the PHOCIANS as him selfe reporteth and as appeareth further in his orations which he made against Philip of the which the last were made after the warre was ended the first doe touch also some particuler doings of the same He made the oration against Midias when he was but 32. yeare old and was of small countenance reputacion in the common wealth the want whereof was the chiefest cause as I thinke that induced him to take money for the iniury he had done him to let his action fall against him He vvas not of a meeld and gentle mind But feerce and hastie to reuenge by kind But knowing that it was no small enterprise nor that could take effect by a man of so small power authoritie as him selfe to ouerthrow a man so wealthy so befriended so eloquent as Midias he therfore yelded him selfe vnto those that did speake intreate for him Nether do I think that the three thowsand Drachmas which he recieued could haue brideled the bitternes of his nature if otherwise he had seene any hope or likelihood that he could haue preuailed against him Now at his first cōming vnto the common wealth taking a noble matter in hād to speake against Philip for the defence maintenāce of the lawes liberties of the GRAECIANS wherein he handled him self so worthely that in short space he wanne him maruelous same for his great eloquence and plaine manner of speech Thereby he was maruelously honored also through all GRAECE and greatly esteemed with the king of PERSIA and Philip him self made more accompt of him then of all the Orators in ATHENS his greatest foes which were most against him were driuen to confesse that they had to doe with a famous man For in the orations which AEschines Hyperides made to accuse him they write thus of him And therefore I maruell what Theopompus ment when he wrote that Demosthenes had a sutell vnconstant mind could not long continue with one kind of men nor in one mind for matters of state For in contrary maner in my iudgement he continued constant still to the end in one selfe maner order vnto the which he had betaken him self at the beginning that not only he neuer chaunged all his life time but to the contrary he lost his life bicause he would be no chaungeling For he did not like Demades who to excuse him self for that he had oft turned coate in matters of gouernment said that he went oftentimes against his own sayings as matters fel out but neuer against the benefit of the common wealth And Melanopus also who was euer against Callistratus hauing his mouth stopped many times with money he would vp to the pulpit for orations tel the people that in deede Callistratus which mainteineth the contrary opinion against me is mine enemy yet I yeld vnto him for this time for the benefit of the common wealth must cary it And another also Nicodemus MESSENIAN who being first of Cassanders side toke part afterwards with Demetrius then said that he did not speake against him selfe but that it was meete he should obey his superiors They can not detect Demosthenes with the like that he did euer halt or yeld either in word or deed For he euer continued firme and constant in one mind in his orations Insomuch that Panatius the Philosopher sayth that the most part of all his orations are grounded vpon this maxime and principle that for it selfe nothing is to be taken or accepted but that which is honest As the oration of the crowne the which he made against Aristocrates that also which he made for the franches and freedom and in fine all his orations against Philip of MACEDON And in all those he doth not perswade his contry men to take that which is most pleasant easiest or most profitable but he proueth that oftentimes honestie is to be preferred aboue safetie or health So that had he in all his orations and doings ioyned to his honestie curtesie and francke speeche valliantnes in warres and cleane hands from briberye he might deseruedly haue bene compared not with Myrocles Polyeuctus Hyperides and such other Orators but euen with the highest with Cimon Thucydides and Pericles For Phocion who tooke the worst way in gouernment of the common wealth bicause he was suspected that he tooke part with the MACEDONIANS yet for valliantnes wisedom and iustice he was euer thought as honest a man as Ephialtes and Aristides But Demosthenes on thother side as Demetrius sayth was no man to trust to for warres nether had he any power to refuse gifts and bribes For though he would neuer be corrupted with Philip king of MACEDON yet he was bribed with gold and siluer that was brought from the cities of SVSA ECBATANA was very ready to praise commend the deeds of their auncestors but not to follow them Truely yet was he the honestest man of all other Orators in his time excepting Phocion And besides he did euer speake more boldely and plainely to the people then any man els and would openly contrary their mindes and sharpely reproue the ATHENIANS for their faultes as appeareth by his orations Theopompus also writeth that the people on a time would haue had him to accuse a man whome they would needes haue condemned But he refusing to doe it the people were offended and did mutine against him Thereuppon he rising vp sayd openly vnto them my Lordes ATHENIANS I will alwayes counsell ye to that which I thinke best for the benefit of the common wealth although it be against your mindes but falsely to accuse one to satisfie your minds though you commaund me I will not do it Furthermore that which he did against Antiphon sheweth plainly that he was no people pleaser and that he did leane more vnto the authoritie of the Senate For when Antiphon was quit by the people in an assemblie of the citie Demosthenes notwithstanding tooke him called him againe into the Court of the Areopagites ahd did not passe vpon the peoples ill will but there conuinced him for promising Philip of MACEDON to burne the arsenall of ATHENS so by sentence of that court he was condemned suffred for it He did also accuse the Nunne Theorides for many lewd parts committed amongst others for that she taught slaues to deceiue their maisters so following the matter against her to death she was condemned and executed It is thought also that he made the oration Apollodorus spake against the Praetor Timotheus proued thereby that he was a detter to the common wealth so a naughty man that he wrote those orations also
strongest places of mount Taurus Then he sent vnto Seleucus first of all to pray him to suffer to conquer certaine barbarous people thereaboutes who liued according to their owne lawes and neuer had king to th end that he might yet there with safetie end the rest of his life and exile staying at length in some place where he might be safe Secondly if that liked him not then that it woulde yet please him to vittell his men for the winter time onely in the same place where they were and not to be so hard harted vnto him as to driue him thence lacking all needefull thinges and so to put him into the mouth of his most cruell and mortall enemies But Seleucus mistrusting his demaundes sent vnto him that he shoulde winter if he thought good two monethes but no more in the contrie of CATAONIA so he gaue him the chiefest of his frendes for ostages howbeit in the meane he stopped vp all the wayes passages going from thence into SYRIA Demetrius nowe seeing him selfe kept in of all sides like a beast to be taken in the toyle he was driuen to trust to his owne strength Thereuppon he ouertanne the contry thereaboutes and as often as it was his chaunce to haue any skirmish or conflict with Seleucus he had euer the better of him and sometime also when they draue the armed cartes with sithes against him he ouercame them and put the rest to flight Then he draue them away that kept the toppe of the mountaines and had barred the passages to kepe him that he should not goe into SYRIA and so kept them him selfe In fine finding his mens hartes lift vp againe and pretily encoraged his hart also grewe so bigge that he determined to fight a battell with Seleucus and to set all at sixe and seuen So that Seleucus was at a straight with him selfe and wist now what to doe For he had returned backe the ayde which Lysimachus sent vnto him bicause he was affrayed of him and mistrusted him On thother side also he durst not fight with Demetrius alone being affrayed to venter him selfe with a desperate man and also mistrusting muche his vnconstant fortune the which hauing brought him to great extremitie raised him vp againe to great prosperitie But in the meane space Demetrius fell into a great sicknesse the which brought his bodie very weake and low and had almost vtterly ouerthrowen his affaires For his souldiers some of them yeelded them selues to his enemies and others stale away without leaue and went where they lifted Afterwardes when he had hardly recouered his health and within forty dayes space was pretily growen to strength againe with those few souldiers that remained with him he seemed to his enemies that he would goe and inuade CILICIA But then sodainly in the night without sownding any trumpet he remoued his campe and went another way and hauing passed ouer mount Amanus he spoyled all the contry vnder it as farre as the region of CYRRESTICA But Seleucus followed him and camped hard by him Thereuppon Demetrius sodainly armed his men and went out by night to assault Seleucus and to take him sleping when he mistrusted nothing So that Seleucus knew nothing of his stealing on him but late enough vntil that certaine traitors of Demetrius campe that fled before went quickly to aduertise him finding him asleepe and brought him newes of the daunger he was in Then Seleucus in a mase and feare withall got vp and sownded the alarom and as he was putting on his hose and making him ready he cryed out speaking to his friends and familliers about him we haue now a cruell and daungerous beast to deale with Demetrius on the other side perceiuing by the great sturre noyse he heard in the enemies campe that his enterprise was discouered he retyred againe with speede and the next morning by breake of day Seleucus went and offred him battell Demetrius prepared him selfe to ioyne with him and hauing giuen one of his faithfull friends the leading of one of the wings of his armie him selfe led the other and ouerthrow some of his enemies on his side But Seleucus in the middest of the battell lighted from his horse and taking his helmet from his head he tooke a target on his arme and went to the first ranckes of his armie to make him selfe knowen vnto Demetrius men perswading them to yeeld them selues vnto him and to acknowledge in the end that he had so long time deferred to giue them battell rather to saue them then to spare Demetrius Demetrius souldiers hearing him say so they did him humble reuerence and acknowledging him for their king they all yeelded vnto him Demetrius hauing sundry times before proued so many chaunges ouerthrowes of fortune thinking yet to scape this last also to passe it ouer he fled vnto the gates Amanides which are certaine straights of the mount Amanus There he founde certaine litle thicke groues where he determined to stay all night with certaine gentlemen of his house and a fewe other of his houshold seruaunts officers which had followed him meaning if he could possible to take his way towards the citie of CAVNVS to goe to that sea coast hoping to heare of his shippes there But when it was tolde him he had no vittells nor prouision left onely to serue him that day he began then to deuise some other way At length one of his famillier friends Sosigenes came vnto him that had foure hundred peeces of golde about him in his girdell So hoping that with the same money he might flie to the sea they tooke their way by night directly to the toppe of the mountaine But when they perceiued that the enemies kept watch there and that there were great store of fires hard by them they then dispaired to passe any further least they should be seene So they returned to the selfe same place from whence they came not all of them for some of them fled neither had they that remayned also any life in them as before So one among the rest tooke vpon him to say that there was no other way to scape but to put Demetrius into Seleucus hands Demetrius therewithall drew out his sword and would haue slaine him selfe but his friends about him would not suffer him but perswaded him to yeld him selfe vnto Seleucus Thereuppon he sent vnto Seleucus to tell him that he yelded him selfe vnto him Seleucus was so ioyfull of the newes that he sayd it was not Demetrius good fortune that saued him but his owne who besides many other happy good turnes she had done him gaue him yet so honorable occasion and good happe as to make the world to knowe his clemencie curtesie Thereuppon immediatly he called for his officers of houshold and commaunded them to set vp his richest pauilion and to prepare all thinges meete to receiue him honorably There was one Appolonides a gentleman in Seleucus Court who sometime
multitude of souldiers they gathered together was to subdue the tyrannes that would keepe them in slauery and subiection Wherefore regarding their chiefe purpose and intent they should not be farre from ITALY as heare as they could possible but should rather make all the haste they could to helpe their contry men Cassius beleued him returned Brutus went to meete him and they both met at the citie of SMYRNA which was the first time that they saw together since they tooke leaue eche of other at the hauen of PIRAEA in ATHENS the one going into SYRIA and the other into MACEDON So they were maruelous ioyfull and no lesse coragious when they saw the great armies together which they had both leauied considering that they departing out of ITALY like naked and poore banished men without armor and money nor hauing any shippe ready nor souldier about them nor any one towne at their commaundement yet notwithstanding in a short time after they were now met together hauing shippes money and souldiers enowe both footemen horsemen to fight for the Empire of ROME Now Cassius would haue done Brutus as much honor as Brutus did vnto him but Brutus most commonly preuented him and went first vnto him both bicause he was the elder man as also for that he was sickly of bodye And men reputed him commonly to be very skilfull in warres but otherwise maruelous chollerick and cruell who sought to rule men by feare rather then with lenitie and on the other side he was too famillier with his friends and would iest too brodely with them But Brutus in contrary manner for his vertue and valliantnes was wellbeloued of the people and his owne esteemed of noble men and hated of no man not so much as of his enemies bicause he was a maruelous lowly and gentle person noble minded and would neuer be in any rage nor caried away with pleasure and couetousnes but had euer an vpright mind with him and would neuer yeeld to any wronge of iniustice the which was the chiefest cause of his fame of his rising and of the good will that euery man bare him for they were all perswaded that his intent was good For they did not certainly beleue that if Pompey him selfe had ouercome Caesar he would haue resigned his authoritie to the law but rather they were of opinion that he would still keepe the souerainty and absolute gouernment in his hands taking onely to please the people the title of Consul or Dictator or of some other more ciuill office And as for Cassius a hot chollerick cruell man that would oftentymes be caried away from iustice for gayne it was certainly thought that he made warre and put him selfe into sundry daungers more to haue absolute power and authoritie then to defend the libertie of his contry For they that will also consider others that were elder men then they as Cinna Marius and Carbo it is out of doubt that the ende and hope of their victorie was to be Lordes of their contry and in manner they did all confesse that they fought for the tyranny and to be Lordes of the Empire of ROME And in contrary manner his enemies them selues did neuer reproue Brutus for any such chaunge or desire For it was sayd that Antonius spake it openly diuers tymes that he thought that of all them that had slayne Caesar there was none but Brutus only that was moued to doe it as thinking the acte commendable of it selfe but that all the other conspirators did conspire his death for some priuate malice or enuy that they otherwise did beare vnto him Hereby it appeareth that Brutus did not trust so much to the power of his army as he did to his owne vertue as is to be seene by his writings For approaching neare to the instant daunger he wrote vnto Pomponius Atticus that his affayres had the best happe that could be For sayd he eyther I will set my contry at libertie by battell or by honorable death rid me of this bondage And furthermore that they being certeine and assured of all thinges els this one thing onely was doubtfull to them whether they should liue or dye with libertie He wrote also that Antonius had his due paiment for his folly For where he might haue bene a partner equally of the glory of Brutus Cassius and Cato haue made one with them he liked better to choose to be ioyned with Octauius Caesar alone with whome though now he be not ouercome by vs yet shall he shortly after also haue warre with him And truely he proued a true Prophet for so came it in deede to passe Now whilest Brutus and Cassius were together in the citie of SMYRNA Brutus prayed Cassius to let him haue some part of his money whereof he had great store bicause all that he could rappe and rend of his side he had bestowed it in making so great a number of shippes that by meanes of them they should keepe all the sea at their commaundement Cassius friendes hindered this request and earnestly disswaded him from it perswading him that it was no reason that Brutus should haue the money which Cassius had gotten together by sparing and leauied with great euill will of the people their subiects for him to bestowe liberally vppon his souldiers and by this meanes to winne their good willes by Cassius charge This notwithstanding Cassius gaue him the thirde parte of his totall summe So Cassius and Brutus then departing from eche other Cassius tooke the citie of RHODES where he too dishonestly cruelly vsed him selfe although when he came into the citie he aunswered some of the inhabitants who called him Lord and king that he was nether Lord nor king but he onely that had slaine him that would haue bene Lord and king Brutus departing from thence sent vnto the LYCIANS to require money and men of warre But there was a certaine Orator called Nauâ—rates that made the cities to rebell against him insomuch that the contry men of that contry kept the straights and litle mountaines thinking by that meanes to stoppe Brutus passage Wherefore Brutus sent his horsemen against them who stale vppon them as they were at dinner and slue six hundred of them and taking all the small townes and villages he did let all the prisoners he tooke goe without payment of ransome hoping by this his great curtesie to winne them to drawe all the rest of the contry vnto him But they were so fierce and obstinate that they would mutyne for euery small hurt they receyued as they passed by their contry and did despise his curtesie and good nature vntill that at length he went to beseege the citie of the XANTHIANS within the which were shut vppe the cruellest and moste warrelikest men of LYCIA There was a ryuer that ranne by the walls of the citie in the which many men saued them selues swymming betweene two waters and fledde howbeit they
Anicius Praetor Perseus laye at the foote of the mount Olympus with 4000 horsemeÌ„ 40000 footemen AEmylius admonition to his souldiers Paulus AEmylius would haue the watch to haue no speares nor pikes The originall of springes Fountaines compared to womeÌ„s brests Scipio Nasica and Fabius Maximus offer thens selues to take the straights The height of the mount Olympus Nasica tranne the straights of Macedon Persons pitched his caÌ„pe before the cittie of Pydne The riuers of AEson and Leucus AEmylius aunswer to Scipio Nisca for geuing charge apon the enemies The skill and foresight of a wise captaine The eclipse of the moon The superstitioÌ„ of the Romaines when the moone is eclipsed The cause of an eclipse of the moone AEmylius policie to procure shirmishe The army of the Macedonians marching against the Romaines in battell The battell betwext Perseus and AEmylius PersoÌ„ goeth out of the battell vnto Pydus Victorie woÌ„ne by labour not by slothe Salius a captaine of the Pelignians tooke the ensigne and threwe it among the enemies The valliaÌ„tnes of Marcus Cato AEmilius victorie of Perseus The battell fought and wonne in one hower The vallâ—â—â—nes of Scipio the lesse Perseus fled from Pydne to Pella Time dutie to be obserued to the Prince Death the indignation of the Prince The couetousnes of the Cretans Misers whine for their gooddes The Macedonians submit them selues to AEmylius VVonders Newes brought to Rome out of Macedon in 4. dayes of Aemylius victorie there and no man knewe howe they came AEnobarbus why so called Cn. Octanius AEmylius lleutenaunts by sea The miserable state Perseus was brought vnto by the craft subtletie of a Cretan King Perseê° yeldeth him self in Samothracia vnto Cneus Octauius Perseus vnprincely behauiour vnto AEmylius AEmylius oration vnto Perseus prisoner AEmylius oratiom touching fortune and her vnconstantie AEmylius honorable progresse in Graece AEmylius setteth Macedon at a slaye AEmylius wordes above the care and good order at feasts AEmylius abstinence AEmylius cruell acte spoyling of Epirus AEmylius tooke shippe at the cittie of Orica and returned into Italie The enuie of Seruius Galba vnto AEmylius 〈…〉 abâ—â— AEmylius triumphe Seruilius oration for the furtheraunce of AEmylius triumphe A notable description of AEmylius triumphe Perseus children king Perseus AEmylius scorneth Perseus cowardlines Foure huÌ„dred crownes of gold sent vnto AEmylius by the citties of Graece AEmylius adversitie AEmylius fortitude in his great aduersitie AEmylius oration in his trouble for the death of his children The death of king Perseus A straunge kind of death The statee of Perseus sonnes By AEmylius victorie the people payed no more subsidie AEmylius chosen CeÌ„sor The office authoritie of the Censor AEmylius sicknes AEmylius remoued from Rome and dwelt in the citty of Velia The death of AEmylius in Rome AEmylius funeralles AEmylius goodes what they came to The state of the Syracusas before Timoleons coÌ„ming Icetes tyraÌ„ne of the Leontines By what voice Timoleon came to be generall Timoleons parentage manners Timophanes Timoleons brother what he was Timoleon saued his brothers life The Corinthians enterteined 400. straungers made Timophanes captaine of them to keepe their cittie Timophanes cruelty vsurpation of the kingdom Timophanes slaine by his brothers procurement Our acts must be honest and constant Phocions saying Aristides graue saying TimoleoÌ„ chosen generall to go into Sicile Icetes tyran of the Leontines a traytor A signe happened to Timoleon Timoleon tooke shippe towards Sicile A burning torche appeared in the element vnto Timoleon Icetes beseegeth Dionysia Icetes sendeth Ambassadors vnto TimoleoÌ„ TimoleoÌ„ crafttier then the Carthaginians Rhegio a citie of Greece Timoleon laÌ„deth as Tauvomenion in Sicile Andromachâ— the Father of Timaeus the Historiographer gouerner of the citie of Tauromenion The Carthaginians Ambassador did threaten to destroy the citie of Tavromenion by shewing Andromachâ— the palme and backe of his hand The god Adranus Timoleon ouerthrew Icetes armie made him flye from Adranus The Adranitans yeld vnto Timoleon Mamercus tyran of Catana Dionysius the tyran yeldeth him selfe and the castell of Syracusa vnto Timoleon Dionysius the tyran of Syracusa sent to Corinthe The miseries calamities of Dionysius the tyran Dionysius brought to Corinthe The Inconstancie of fortune Notable sayings of Dionysius Syracusan The benefite of Philosophy A tyranes state vnfortunate This agreeth with AEsops wordes to Solon who wished him oÌ„ming to princes to please them or not to come nere them See Solons life and his answer to AEsop. Diogenes saying to Dionysius the tyrane Timoleons prosperitie Icetes hiereth two souldiers to kill Timoleon at Adranus The treason discouered to Timoleon by one of the souldiers The wonderfull worke of fortune Icetes bringeth Mago a Carthaginian with a great army to Syracusa Leon captaine of the Corinthians within the castell Leon wanne Acradina Contention of fortune and valliancie The stratageame of Hanno the admirall of the Carthaginians Timoleon marcheth to Syracvsa Mago forsaketh Sicile vpoÌ„ suspect of treason Anapus fl Timoleon wynneth the citie of Syracusa Timoleon ouerthroweth the castell of Syracvsa Timoleon made Syracvsa a popular gouernment The miserable state of Sicile Mago slue him selfe being called to aunswer his departure out of Sicile The Corinthians replenished the citie of Syracusa vvith three score thovvsand inhabitants Leptines tyran of Apollonia yelded to Timoleon The armie shippes of the CarthaginiaÌ„s against TimoleoÌ„ Asdrubal Amilcar being generalls Timoleon weÌ„t with 6000. man against the Carthaginians Crimesus fl Smallage an ill signe Prouerbe Garlandes of smallage The order of the Carthaginians armie Timoleon geueth charge apon the Carthaginians as they came ouer the riuer of Crimesus The seruice of the armed cartes Timoleons maruelous biggâ— voyce Timoleons order and fight A maruelous tempest of thunder ligthning rayne winde and â—ayle full in the Carthaginians faces as they fought Timoleons victorie of the Carthaginians Timoleon banisheth the thowsaÌ„d treytorous souldiers out of Sicile Gisco sone froÌ„ Carthage with 70. saile into Sicile Messina viseth against Timoleon Mamercus verses tyrant of Catena Calâ—â—â— of Sicile Damirias fl Strife among Timoleons captaines for passing ouer the riuer Timoleons deuise to draw lottes to pacifie the strife Timoleon taketh Icetes Eupolemus his sonne aliue and did put them to death Icetes wiues and children put to death The crueltie of Icetes towards Dion and his Mamercus ouercome in battel Abolus fl Timoleon maketh peace with the Carthaginians Lycus fl Catana yelded vp vnto Timoleon Hippon the tyranne of Messina Hippon put to death Mamercus the tyranne put to death TimoleoÌ„ quieteth all Sicile Timoleon compared with the famousest meÌ„ of Greece Timoleon attributeth his good successe vnto fortune Timoleon dwelleth still with the Syracvsans Simonides saying Timoleons accusers Timoleons great praise Timoleon in his age lost his sight The great honor the Syracusans did Timoleon being blind A laeâ—â—e made to honor Timoleon The death of Timoleon Timoleons funeralles An honorable decree of the SyracusaÌ„s for the memorie of Timoleon Timoleons
of the Argiues Helenus Pyrrus sâ—nne The straunge loue of an Elephant to his keeper Kinge Pyrrus slaine with a tyle throwen by a woman Alcyoneus king Antigonus sonne Antigonus courtesie towards Pyrrus body and frendes Of the names of the Romaines Marius fauor Marius could no skill of the Greeke tongue Platoes saying to Xenocrates Marius parents maners and contry Marius first iorney vnto the warres Scipio Asricous iudgement of Marius Marius Tribune of the people Costa Consull Two sortes of AEdiles AEdilitas Curulis AEdilitas popularis Marius denyed to be AEdilis Marius chosen Praetor Sabacon put of the Senate Caius Herennius pleaded in Marius behalfe touching the patron client Marius actes in Spayne The opinioÌ„ of Spanyards in olde time Eloquence riches raised men to authority How Marius credit and estimacion grew Iulia Marius wife Marius temperaunce and pacience Caecilius Metellus Consull The Labours presence of the Generall maketh the souldiers worke willingly Marius the author of Turpilius false accusation death Vacca a great city The cause of the supposed treason against Turpilius Turpilius wrongfully put to death Displeasure betwixt Metellus Marius Marius first time of being Consull Marius offended the nobility Marius depriued Metellus of the honor of conquering of king Iugurthe Bocchus kinge of Numidia deliuereth Iugurthe vnto Sylla Lucius Sylla Quaestor vnder Marius The originall cause of the ciuill warres betwixt Marius and Sylla The comming into Italie of the Teutons and Cimbres The army of the Tevtons and Cimbres 300000 men Cimbri Cimmerij Marius chosen Consull the second time against the law Law must giue place for common benefit Marius triumphe into Rome for king Iugurthe How Marius trained his souldiers Marius moyles Marius commended for his iustice Marius third Consullshippe Manius Acilius Lieutenant of the army vnder Marius Lucius Saturninus Tribune Marius fourth Consullshippe with Catulus Luctatius Rhodanus fl Marius channell The Cimbres went through Germanie into Italie The Teutons and Ambrons fall apon Marius to passe into Italie through the territory of Genua Martha a wise woman or prophetesse The attier of Martha in time of sacrifice A wonder of the Vultures shewed to Marius VVonders seene Batabaces the priest of the mother of the goddes Aulus Pompeius Tribune The enemies campe were removing sixe dayes together Marius bolde wordes to his souldiers and their aunswer Battell betwixt the Ambrons Marius Marius ouercome the Ambrons The mannishnes of the women Marius seconde battell with the Teutons Marius victory of the Teutons and Ambrons Much veine followeth after great battells Marius the fift time Consull Athesis flu Catulus Luctatius the Consull flieth from the Cimbres Marius refused to enter in triumphe Marius goeth towardes Catulus Luctatius to helpe him Po flu Marius mocke to the Cimbres The Cimbres march against Marius Marius deuise for alteringe the darte in fight Baeorix king of the Cimbres Two and fiftie thowsand and three hundred men betwene Marius and Catulus The Romaines battell The battell of the Cimbres A dust raised that neither army could see one another The sunne ful in the Cimbres faces The fielde fought the 27. of Iuly Horrible cruelty of women Prisoners 60. thowsand Men slaine six score thowsand Might ouercoÌ„meth right Metellus against people pleasers Valerius Flaccus Consull with Marius the sixt time Valerius Coruinus sixe times Consull The law Agraria An article for the othes of the Senate to confirme what the people should passe by voyce Marius duble dealing To lye cunningly Marius taketh it for a vertue Timorous policy causeth periury Metellus constant in vertue Metellus wise saying touching well doing Metellus banishment Marius doble dealing betwene the nobilitie and people Marius procureth sedition at Rome No trust on the faith of the coÌ„mon people Metellus returne from banishement Marius iorney into Cappadocia and Galatia Marius prowd wordes to Mithridates The cause of the dissension betwene Marius Sylla The warre of the confederates Siloes stowts chalenge and Marius answer Mons Misenum Marius ambition Sulpitius gard of sixe hundred knightes Sulpitius boldness Marius sedition Marius flieth from Rome Marius the sonne flieth into Africke Marius found an ayrie of Eagles How many egges the Eagle layeth Liris fl Marius set a land and forsaken of the mariners Marine hidden in the marisses Marius takeÌ„ Fanniaes curtesie vnto Marius One hiered to kill Marius The Minturnians suffered Marius to go his way with sefety Marica Sylua Marius the elder flieth into Africke Marius wise answere of surtimes inconstancy Marius the younger esâ—apeth Hyempsals hands Cinna driuen out of Rome by Octauius Marius ioyneth force with Cinna Octauius negligence in defence of the citie of Rome against Cinna Marius Octauius too much geuen to Southsaiere Octauius vertue and imperfection Octauius slaine by Marius souldiers Agreas contrariety in astronomy Cinna and Marius entry into Rome Bardini Marius caused great murder in Rome Marius crueltie Small trust of frendes in aduersitie The faithfulnes of Cornutus seruaunts to their master M. Antonius the Orator betrayed by a tauerner The force of eloquence Catulus Luctatius killed himselfe The Bardiaeians slaine of their Captaines for their crueltie Marius seuenth Consulship Marius thoughtes and feare Deuise to winne sleepe Marius the fathers death Marius mad ambition a note against the ambitious Platoes words at his death note that in Syllaes life following to appeareth that Marius the younger was besieged in the city of Preneste and not in Perusia as ye rende here So as the city seemeth to be mistakeÌ„ in one of these liues Lysanders image Licurgus the anchor of wearing longe heare The commoditie of wearing longe heare Lysanders kinred The education of the Laconian children Lysanders manners VVise man he euer melancholye Lysander a despisor of riches Lysanders words of Dionysuis liberalitie Lysander admirall for the Lacedaemonians by sea Lysander enlargeth the citie of Ephesus Sardis a citie in Lydia Lysander tooke money for paye of his souldiers Lysanders victorie of the Athenians by sea Cherronesus a contrye in Thracia Callicratidas Lysanders successor in his office of admyraltie Playnenes coÌ„mended for a vertue but liked as an olde image of a god that had bene excellent faier The spighte of Lisander to Callicratidas Nothing estemed with the Barbarians but money Callicratidas pacience The death of Callicratidas Lysander crafty and deceitfull A wise saying of Lysander The wicked dissembling and double dealing of Lysander Lysander regarded no periâ—rie following the example of Polycrates the tyran of Somos Cyrus liberaâ—itie to Lysanders Lysanders artes by sea Philocles cruel advise vnto the Athenians Lysanders craft in marine fight Alcibiades gaue good aduise to the Captaines of the AtheniaÌ„s A copper target lift vp the signe of battell by sea Conon Admirall of the Athenians Lysanders victory of the Athenians Paralos the holy galley of Athens The starres of Castor and Pollux A stone fell out of the element AEgos st Anaxagoras opinion of the starres VVhat falling starres be Damachus testimonie of the fiery stone seene in the element
against him But Heraclides to pacifie this tumult of the people suborned one Hippon an Orator who preferred the lawe Agraria vnto the people for the diuision of all the Iland amongest them and that the beginning of libertie was equalitie and of bondage pouertie vnto them that had no landes Heraclides giuing his consent to this decree and stirring the common people to sedition against Dion that withstoode it perswaded the SYRACVSANS not onely to confirme the lawe Hippon had propownded but also to discharge the hyered straungers to choose other Captaines and gouernors and to rid them selues of Dions seuere gouernment But they supposing straight to haue bene rid from the tyranny as from a long and grieuous sicknes ouerrashly taking vpon them like people that of long time had bene at libertie they vtterly vndid them selues and ouerthrew Dions purpose who like a good Phisition was carefull to see the citie well ordered and gouerned So when they were assembled to choose new officers in the middest of sommer there fel such horrible thunders and other terrible stormes vnfortunate signes in the element that for the space of fifteene dayes together the people were stll scattered and dispersed when they were assembled insomuch that being affraide of these signes aboue they durst not at that time create any new Captaines Certaine dayes after as the Orators had chosen a fayer time to proceede to the election of officers an oxe drawing in a cart being daily acquainted with euery sight and noyse sodainly without any occasion offered fell into a madnes against the carter that draue him and breaking his yoke asonder ranne straight to the Theater and there made the people runne into euery corner to flye and saue them selues and then flinging and bearing all downe before him that stoode in his way he ranne through as much of the citie as the enemies afterwards wanne of them This notwithstanding the SYRACVSANS making light accompt of all these signes they chose fiue and twenty Captaines of the which Heraclides was one and secretly they sent to feele the hiered souldiers to see if they could entice them from Dion to cause them to take their part and made them large promises to make them free men as them selues of SYRACVSA The souldiers would not be enticed from him but faithfully louingly tooke Dion amongest them with their armor and weapon and putting him in the middest of them led him in this manner out of the citie and did no man hurt but reprouing their vnthankfulnes and villanie vnto all those they met by the way Then the SYRACVSANS despising them for their smal number bicause they did not first set vpon them but trusting on the other side to them selues for that they were the greater number they came to assayle them supposing they should easily ouercome them in the citie kil euery man of them Dion being thus at a straight that of necessitie he must fight against his owne contry men or els be slaine him selfe with his souldiers he held vp his hands to the SYRACVSANS very earnestly praied them to be content pointing them with his finger to the castell that was full of their enemies which shewed them selues vpon the wals saw what they did In the ende when he saw that he could not pacifie their furie tumult and that all the citie was in an vprore with the prittle prattle of these seditious people who like the sea were caried with the wind he did yet sorbid his souldiers to giue any charge vpon them who notwithstanding made a countenaunce with great cryes and ratling of their harnes as if they had ment to ronne on them Then the SYRACVSANS durst not abide by it but ranne away like sheepe through the streets no man chased them So Dion called backe his men againe led them directly into the cōtry of the LEONTINES Thē the new officers gouernors of SYRACVSA perceiuing that the women laughed them to scorne bicause they would recouer the shame they had lost they armed their men a new againe did marche after Dion to fight with him whome they ouertooke at a riuer as he was ready to passe ouer Then began their horsemen a litle to skirmishe with Dions company But when they saw he did no more beare with their faults for contries sake but frowned in deede vpon them did set his men in battel ray against them then they turned their backs againe with more shame and reproache then before and so fled vnto the citie of SYRACVSA had not many of their men slaine The LEONTINES receiued Dion very honorably tooke the straungers his souldiers and gaue them pay made them free Citizens with them sent Ambassadors also vnto the SYRACVSANS to wil them to let the straūgers haue their pay The SYRACVSANS on their side also sent Ambassadors vnto the LEONTINES to accuse Dion So all their confederats were assembled in the citie of the LEONTINES in that assembly after both parties had bene heard to heare what they would say it was iudged that the SYRACVSANS were to blame Howbeit they would not stand to the iudgement of their confederats for they were now growen proud careles bicause they were gouerned by no man but had Captaines that studied to please them were affraid also to displease them After that there arriued certain gallies of Dionysius at SYRACVSA of the which Nypsius NEAPOLITAN was captaine which brought vittels money to help thē that were beseged within the castel These gallies were fought with the SYRACVSANS obtained victorie and tooke foure of the tyrannes gallies the three bancks of owers a peece howbeit they fondly abused their victorie For they hauing no body to commaund nor rule them imployed all their ioy in ryoting and bancketting and in fond and dissolute meetings taking so litle care and regard to their busines that now when they thought the castel was sure their owne they almost lost their citie For Nypsius perceiuing that euery part of the citie was out of order and that the common people did nothing all day long vnto darke night but bybbe and drinke drunke dauncing after their pypes and howboyes and that the gouernors them selues were very glad also to see such feasting or els for that they dissembled it and durst not commaund and compell them that were droncke he wisely tooke the occasion offered him and scaled the wall which had shut vp the castell and wanne it and ouerthrewe it Then he sent the barbarous souldiers into the citie and commaunded them to doe with them they met what they would or could The SYRACVSANS then too late found their fault and hardly gaue present remedie they were so amazed and sodainely set on for in deede they made a right sacke of the citie Here men were killed there they ouerthrewe the wall in another place they caried away women and litle children prisoners into the castell weeping and crying out
and lastly they made the Captaines at their wits ende who could giue no present order nor haue their men to serue them against their enemies that came hand ouer head on euery side amongest them The citie being thus miserably in garboyle and the ACRADINE also in great hazard of taking in the which they put all their hope and confidence to rise againe euery man thought then with him selfe that Dion must be sent for but yet no man moued it notwithstanding being ashamed of their vnthankefulnes and ouergreat folly they had committed in driuing him away Yet necessitie inforcing them vnto it there were certaine of the horsemen and of their confederats that cryed they must send for Dion and the PELOPONNESIANS his souldiers which were with him in the territorie of the LEONTINES Assoone as the first worde was heard and that one had the hart to tell it to the people all the SYRACVSANS cryed out there was the poynt and they were so glad of it that the water stoode in their eyes for ioy and besought the gods it would please them to bringe him vnto them they were so desirous to haue him againe For they called to minde howe valliant and resolute he was in daunger and how that he was neuer affrayde but did encorage them with his manhood in such sort that being led by him they were not affrayd to set vpon their enemies So the confederats for them sent presently Archonides and Telesides vnto him and the noble men that serued on horsebacke they sent him also fiue amongest them beside Hellanicus Who tooke their horses and posted for life so that they came to the citie of the LEONTINES about Sunne set and lighting from their horses they went first of all and kneeled downe at Dions feete and weeping tolde him the miserable state of the SYRACVSANS Straight there came diuers of the LEONTINES and many of the PELOPONNESIAN souldiers vnto Dion mistrusting then that there was some newes in hand to see the earnest and humble sute the Ambassadors of SYRACVSA made vnto him Wherefore Dion tooke them presently with him and brought them him selfe vnto the Theater where the common counsells and assemblies of the citie were holden Thither ranne euery man to heare what the matter was Then Archonides and Hellanicus brought in by Dion tolde openly before the whole assemblie the greatnes of their miserie and requested the hyered souldiers to come and ayde the SYRACVSANS forgetting the iniurie they had receiued considering that they had more dearely payd for their follye then they them selues whome they had so iniured would haue made them to haue suffered When they had sayd their mindes there was a great silence through all the Theater and then Dion rose vp and beganne to speake But the great teares that fell from his eyes would not suffer him to speake wherefore the hyered souldiers being sory to see him weepe prayed him not to trouble him selfe but to be of good corage Then Dion letting goe the sorowe and griefe he had conceiued he beganne to speake vnto them in this manner My Lordes of PELOPONNESVS and you also the confederats I haue called you together to consult with you what you should doe For my selfe it were no honesty for me to consult what I should do now when the city of SYRACVSA standeth in peril of destruction therefore if I can not saue it from destruction yet at the least I wil bury my selfe in the fire and ruine of my contry But for you if it please you once more to helpe vs vnaduised more vnfortunate people you shal by your meanes set the poore distressed city of SYRACVSA againe a foote which is your deede Or if it be so that remēbring the iniuries the SYRACVSANS haue offred you you wil suffer it to be destroyed yet I besech the gods that at the least they will requite your valliantnes fidelity good loue you haue borne me vntil this present beseeching you to remēber Dion who nether forsooke you at any time when you haue bene iniuried nor his cōtry men when they were in trouble So going on stil with his tale the mercenary straūgers stepped forth with great noise praied him to leade them to ayde SYRACVSA Then the Ambassadors also that were sent from the SYRACVSANS saluted imbraced them prayed the gods to blesse Dion them with al the good hap that might be So when al was whisht quiet Dion willed them forthwith to goe prepare them selues that they should be there ready armed after supper determining the very same night to go to aide SYRACVSA But now at SYRACVSA while day light lasted Dionysius souldiers captaines did al the mischief villany they could in the city when night came they retired again into their castel hauing lost very few of their men Then the seditious gouernors of the SYRACVSANS tooke hart againe vnto them hoping that the enemies would be contēted with that they had done therfore began a new to perswade the citizens to let Dion alone not to receiue him with his mercenary souldiers if they came to aide him saying that they them selues were honester men then the straungers to saue their city to defend their liberty without help of any other So other Ambassadors were sent again vnto Dion some from the captaines gouernors of the city to stay them that they should not come others also from the horsemen noble Citizens his friends to hastē his iorney Whereuppō by reason of this variance Dion marched very softly at his ease Now by night Dions enemies within the city got to the gates kept thē that Dion should not come in Nypsius on the other side made a saly out of the castel with his mercenary souldiers being better appointed a greater nūber of thē then before with thē he straight plucked downe all the wal which they had built before the castel ran sacked the city At this saly out of the castel they did not only kill the men they met but women litle children also staied no more to spoile but to destroy put all to hauock For bicause Dionysius saw that he was brought to a straight desperat case he bare such mortal malice against the SYRACVSANS that sith there was no remedy but that he must needes forgo his tyranny he determined to burye it with the vtter destruction desolation of their citie And therefore to preuent Dions ayde to make a quick dispatch to destroy all they came with burning torches in their hands did set fire of all things they could come to further of they fiered their darts arrowes bestowed them in euery place of the city So they that fled for the fire were met withall slayne in the streetes by the souldiers and others also that ranne into their houses were driuen out againe by force of fire For there were a number of houses that were