them their Town and goods again Philopoemen perceiving them transported with the news and eager to return stopt them with a Speech in which he made them sensible that what Cleomenes call'd restoring the City was taking the Citizens and holding it with more security That bare solitude would without more ado force him presently away since there was no staying for him to guard empty Houses and naked Walls These reasons stay'd the Megalopolitans but gave occasion to Cleomenes to pillage and destroy a great part of the City and carry away a great booty A while after King Antigonus coming down to succour the Achoeans they marcht with their united forces against Cleomenes who having seiz'd the Avenues lay advantageously posted on the Hills of Sellacia Antigonus drew up close by him with a resolution to force him in his strength Philopoemen with his Citizens was that day placed among the Horse follow'd by the Illyriâ—â— foot a great number of try'd and able mâ— who brought up the rere of the Army The Orders were to keep their ground and not iâ—gage till from the other wing where tâ— King fought in person they should see a râ—â— Coat of Arms lifted up on the point of a Speâ—â— The Achaeans obey'd their Orders and stoâ—â— fast but the Illyrians fell briskly in Eucâ—â—das the Brother of Cleomenes seeing the Foâ—â— thus sever'd from the Horse detacht the beâ— of his light armed men commanding them tâ— wheel about and charge the naked Illyrianâ— behind This charge putting things in confusion Philopoemen considering those light armed men would be easily squander'd went first to the King's Officers to make them sensible what the occasion requir'd But they not minding what he said but slighting hiâ— as hare-brain'd because he was yet of smaâ—â— credit and not reputed a man of Conducâ— he charg'd upon them with his own Citâ—zens and at the first encounter disorder'd and soon after put those men to flight witâ— great slaughter Then to encourage thâ— King's Army to bring them all upon the Enemy while he was in confusion he quitteâ— his Horse and fighting with extream difficuâ—ty in his heavy Horse-arms in rough uneveâ— ground full of Springs and Bogs haâ— both his thighs below the buttock strucâ— through with a Thong'd Javelin It was thrown with a good will so that the head came out on the other side and made a great though not a mortal wound There he stood a while as if he had been shackled and unable to remove The Thong in the middle of the Weapon hinder'd it from being drawn out nor would any about him venture to do it But the fight being now at the hottest and like to be quickly over he was transported with desire of Combat and strugled and strain'd so long setting one leg forward the other back till at last he broke the Staff and made the pieces be pull'd out Being in this manner set at liberty he caught up his Sword and running through the midst of those who vvere fighting in the first ranks strangely animated his Men and set them a fire with emulation Antigonus after the Victory ask'd the Macedonians to try them how it hapned the Horse had charged without order before the Signal They answering that they were against their wills forc'd to it by a young Gentleman of Megalopolis who had fallen in before his time that young Gentleman reply'd Antigonus smiling did like an experienc'd Commander This as needs it must brought Philopoemen into great repuration Antigonus was earnest to have him in his service and offer'd him very advantageous conditions both as to Command and Pay. But Philopoemen who knew that his nature brooked not to be under another would not accept them yet not enduring to live idle and hearing of Wars in Crete he pass'd over thither He spent some time among those very war-like but withall sober temperate men improving much by experience in all sorts of service and then return'd with so much fame that the Achoeans presently chose him General of the Horse These Horse at that time had neither experience nor heart having gotten a custome to serve on pitiful Jades the first and cheapest they could procure when they wereto march which too they seldom did but hired others in their places and staid at home themselves Their former Commanders winkt at this because it being a degree of honour among the Achoeans to serve on Horse-back they had a great deal of power in the Commonwealth and were able to gratifie or molest whom they pleas'd Philopoemen finding them in this condition yielded not to such respects nor would pass it over as formerly But went himself from Town to Town where speaking with the young Gentlemen man by man he endeavour'd to bring them in love with praise and honour and making a handsome appearance in the Field setting Fines on them who came unfurnish'd of what was requisite for their parade Where they were like to have most Spectatours there he would be sure to exercise them and make them skirmish in sport one with another In a little time he made them wonderful strong and bold and which is reckoned of greatest consequence in War quick and vigorous With use and industry they grew so perfect to such a command of their Horses such a ready exactness in wheeling whole or half turns and all motions that in the change of postures the whole body seem'd as easily and as steadily mov'd as one Man. In the great Battel which they fought with the Aetolians and Elians by the River Larissus he set them an example himself Demophantes General of the Elian Horse singled out Philopoemen and ran with full speed at him Philopoemen prevented and with a violent blow of his Spear overthrew him dead to the ground Upon whose fall the Enemy fled immediatly And now Philopoemen's name was in every bodies mouth as a man who in fighting valiantly with his hands yielded not to the youngest nor to the oldest in good conduct and than whom there came not into the Field a better Souldier or Commander Aratus indeed was the first who rais'd the Achoeans inconsiderable till then into reputation and power by uniting the divided Cities into one Commonwealth and setling a way of Government moderate and becoming Grecians Whence it hapned as in running waters where when few and little bodies once stop others stick to them and one part strengthning another the whole becomes firm and solid So in a general weakness when every City relying onely on it self all Greece lay expos'd to an easie destruction The Achaeans first united themselves into a body then drawing in their neighbours round about some by protection others by Naturalization design'd at last to bring all Peloponnesus into one Community Yet while Aratus liv'd they depended much on the Macedonians courting first Ptolomy then Antigonus and Philip who had a great influence on the affairs of Greece But when Philopoemen came to command the Achaeans growing strong enough for the most powerful of
this gave them not so many as Polybius relates but as many as Nasica himself tells us he took in that short Epistle he writ to a certain King concerning this Expedition for he had 3000 Italians that were not Romans and his left Wing consisted of 5000 besides these taking with him 120 Horse-men and 200 Thracians and Cretans intermix'd that Harpalus had sent he began his Journey towards the Sea and encamp'd near the Temple of Hercules as if he design'd to embark and so to sail round and environ the Enemy But when the Souldiers had supp'd and that it was dark he made the Captains acquainted with his real Intentions and marching all night a quite contrary way to that of the Sea till he came under the Temple of Apollo Pithius he there rested his Army In this Place Mount Olympus stretches it self in heighth more than ten Furlongs as appears by this Epigram made by him that measured it Thy top Olympus measur'd from the Place The Pythian Temple does so nobly grace Ten compleat Furlongs does in height exceed Xenagoras this did leave upon Record He travell'd here here he that God ador'd 'T is confess'd Geometricians affirm that no Mountain in heighth or Sea in depth exceeds ten Furlongs yet it seems probable that Xenagoras took not his Measures at all adventures but according to the Rules of Art and with Instruments fit for that purpose Here it was that Nasica pass'd the night A traiterous Cretian who fled to the Enemy in the March discovered to Perseus the Design which the Romans had to incompass him who seeing Emilius lay still mistrusted no such Attempt He was startled at the News yet removed not his Camp but sent 2000 mercenary Souldiers and 2000 Macedonians under the Command of Milo with Order to hasten with all Diligence and possess themselves of the Streights Polybius relates that the Romans set upon them whilst they slept but Nasica that there was a sharp and dangerous Conflict on the top of the Mountain that he himself encountred a mercenary Thracian pierc'd him through with his dart and slew him and that the Enemy being forc'd to retreat and Milo stript to his Coat shamefully flying without his Armour he followed without danger and all the Army march'd down into the Countrey These things happening to Perseus now grown fearful and fallen from his Hopes he removed his Camp in all haste yet was it necessary for him either to stop before Pydne and there run the hazard of a Battel or disperse his Army into Cities and there expect the event of the War which being once entred into his Country could not be driven out without great Slaughter and Bloodshed But Perseus being told by his Friends that he was much superior in number and that such as fought in the defence of their Wives and Children must needs be endued with great Courage especially when all things were done in the sight of their King who himself was engaged in equal danger was again encouraged and pitching his Camp prepared himself to fight view'd the Country gave out the Commands as if he design'd to set upon the Romans as soon as they approach'd The Place was a Field both proper to draw up a Phalanx which required a plain Valley and even Ground and also had divers little Hills one joyn'd to another which serv'd for a Retreat to such as were lightly arm'd and fitted to skirmish and gave them withal Opportunities to incompass the Enemy through the middle ruâ— the Rivers Eson and Leucus which though not very deep it being the latter end of Summer yet were they likely enough to give the Romans some trouble As soon as Emilius was joyned to Nasica he advanced in Battel-array against the Enemy but when he found how they were drawn up and the number of their Forceâ— he stood still as one amazed and considering within himself But the young Commandeâ—â— being eager to fight press'd him earnestly not to delay and most of all Nasica flush'd with his late Success on Olympus To whom Eâ—â—lius answer'd with a Smile So would I dâ— were I of your Age but my many Victories have taught me the Miscarriages of the Conquer'd and forbid me to engage such as are weary with their long March against an Army so well draâ—â— up and prepar'd for Battel Then he gave Command that the Front of his Army and such as were in sight of the Enemy should imbattel themselves as ready to engage and those in the Rear should cast up the Trenches and fortifie the Camp so that the foremost of his Men still wheeling ofâ— by degrees their whole Order was chang'd the Battel insensibly broke and all his Army incamped without noise When it was Night and no Man after his Supper thought of any thing but Sleep and Rest all on a sudden the Moon which was then at Full and great height grew dark and by degrees losing her Light cast divers sort of Colours till at length she was totally eclipsed The Romans according to their Custom with the noise of brass Pans and lifting up a great many Firebrands and Torches endeavoured to recover her Light whilst the Macedonians behav'd themselves far otherwise for Horror and Amazement seiz'd their whole Army and a Rumour crept by degrees into their Camp that this Eclipse portended no less than that of their King. But Emilius that was no Novice in these things but very well understood the seeming Irregularities of Eclipses and that in a certain Revolution of Time the Moon in her Course was obscur'd and hid by the Shadow of the Earth till passing that Region of Darkness she is again enlightned by the Sun. Yet being very devout a religious Observer of Sacrifices and well skill'd in the Art of Divination as soon as he perceiv'd the Moon regain'd her former Lustre he offer'd up to her a 11 Heifers at the break of day he sacrific'd 20 to Hercules without any token that his Offering was accepted but at the one and twentieth the Signs promis'd Victory to such as were forc'd to defend themselves Then he vow'd a Hecatomb and Solemn Sports to Hercules and commanded his Captains to make ready for Battel staying only till the Sun should decline and come about to the West lest being in their Faces in the Morning it should dazle the Eyes of his Souldiers so he whil'd away the time in his Tent which was open towards the Valley where his Enemies were incamp'd When it grew towards Evening some tell us Emilius himself laid the following Design that the Enemy might first begin the Fight he turn'd loose a Horse without a Bridle and sent some of the Romans to catch him upon whose following the Beast the Battel begun Others relate that the Thracians under the Command of one Alexander set upon the Roman Carriages that brought Forrage to the Camp that to oppose these a Party of 700 Ligurians were immediately detach'd and that
others but which may raise a contest with matter for Demonstration since that excels in bulk and shew but this in exquisite certainty and incredible power For in Geometry you cannot find more implicate and intangled questions or hypotheses written in more simple and clearer Elements This some attribute to the dexterity of his Wit others think it ought rather to be referr'd to his indefatigable labour by which it is probable that he was able with ease and without sweat to effect any thing For if you seek you will not by your self find a demonstration of his Questions but when you have once learned it you will think that you might by your own Wit have found it so plain and smooth is the way by which he leads to what he intends to demonstrate Wherefore those things are not to be rejected which are reported of him that he was perpetually soothed and charmed by a certain familiar Siren so that he was wont to forget his food and neglect the care of his body and when he was now and then carried against his will to have his body Anointed and Bathed he would draw Geometrical Figures in the ashes and lines with his finger so much was he taken with the sweetness of the Art and his mind so ravish'd with the intellectual delight of the Theorems thereof And after he had found out many and excellent things he is said to have begg'd of his friends that they would after his death put upon his Sepulchre a Cylindre comprehending a Sphere and inscribe the proportion how much a solid containing exceeds the contained And Archimedes being this great man we have described render'd himself and as much as lay in him the City also invincible While the Siege is prolonged Marcellus takes by assault Megara the most ancient City of Sicily He expugns also the Camp of Hippocrates and coming upon them fortifying themselves slew above eight thousand He also runs through all Sicily At which time he reduced many Towns from the Carthaginians and overcame all that dared to encounter him During the Siege one Damasippus a Lacedaemonian putting to Sea in a Ship from Syracuse was taken by Marcellus When the Syracusans much desired to redeem this man and there were many meetings and Treaties about the matter betwixt them and Marcellus he takes exact notice of a Tower that might receive Souldiers into it secretly by reason that the Wall near to it was not difficult to be passed over and he observed it to be neglected Coming often thither and entertaining Conferences with the Commissioners about the Redemption of Damasippus the height of the Tower was exactly calculated and Ladders prepared The Syracusans celebrated a Feast to Diana This juncture of time when they were given up entirely to Wine and Sport Marcellus laid hold of and before the Citizens perceiv'd it not onely possessed himself of the Tower but before the break of day filled the Wall round with Souldiers and brake open the Hexaphylum or place with six Gates The Syracusans now beginning to stir and trembling at the Tumult and the sound of the Trumpets so soon as they heard it he frighted them all into flight and vehemently amazed them thinking that all places of the City were already won But the most fortified and the fairest and most ample part remained still ungained It is call'd Arcadina because it was by a Wall divided from the outward City one part of which they call Neapolis or the new City the other Tycha or Fortune These being possess'd Marcellus about break of day entred from the Hexaphylum into the City all his Praefects congratulating him Who looking down from higher places upon the most beautiful and very great City below is said to have wept much commiserating the calamity that hung over it when his thoughts represented to him how dismal and foul the face of the City would in a few hours be when plunder'd and sack'd by the Souldiers For among the Praefects or chief Officers of his Army there was not one man that durst deny the plunder of the City to the Souldiers demanding it nay many were instant that the City might be set on fire and laid level to the ground But this Marcellus plainly denied Yet he granted but with great unwillingness and reluctancy that the money and bond-men should be made prey And he sent forth an Edict that none should violate any free body nor kill any Citizen nor ravish or drag any into servitude Though he had used this moderation yet he esteemed the condition of that City to be miserable and even in so great a congratulation of his friends for the Victory expressed grief of mind and sorrow beholding all the riches â—ccumulated during a long felicity now dissipated in a moment of an hour For it is related tbat no less of prey and plunder was taken here than afterward in Carthage For not long after they furiously plunder'd also the other parts of the City taken by treachery leaving nothing untouch'd but the Kings money which was brought into the publick Treasury Of all these doleful events nothing afflicted Marcellus his generous Soul so much as the death of Archimedes Who was then as Fate would have it with his mind intent upon some Diagramms or Geometrical figures and having fix'd not onely his mind upon that Speculation but his eyes also upon the lines he was drawing perceiv'd not the hurry of the Romans nor that the City was taken In this transport of study and Contemplation a Souldier unexpectedly coming up to him commanded him to follow him to Marcellus which he declining to do before he had finish'd his Probleme or Proposition and fitted it to demonstration the Souldier inraged with anger drew his Sword and ran him through Others write that a Roman Souldier running upon him with a drawn Sword offer'd to kill him and that Archimedes looking back earnestly besought him to hold his hand a little while that he might not leave what he was then searching for imperfect and rude but the Souldier nothing moved by his intreaty instantly kill'd him Others again relate that as Archimedes was carrying to Marcellus Mathematical Instruments Horologes or Dialls Sphears Angles by which the magnitude of the Sun might be measured to the sight some Souldiers seeing him and thinking that he carried Gold in a Vessel slew him Fer certain it is that his death was highly afflicting to Marcellus and that Marcellus ever after hated him that kill'd him as a nefarious Murtherer and having sought for his kindred honoured them with signal favours Indeed foreign Nations held the Romans to be excellent Souldiers and formidable in fights but since they had given no memorable example of gentleness or humanity or civility Marcellus seems first to have shewn to the Grecians that the Romans were more illustrious for their justice For such was his moderation to all with whom he had any thing to do and such his benignity also to many Cities and private Men that
sacrific'd to good Hap as a Deity that much favour'd him and devoted the House it self to the same sacred Genius that being a Fabrick which the Syracusians had rais'd for him as a Reward and Monument of his brave Exploits whereunto they annex'd the most delicious and goodly Mannor of their whole Countrey where he kept his Residence for the most part and enjoy'd a sweet Privacy with his Wife and Children that came to him from Corinth for he return'd thither no more as unwilling to be concern'd in the Broyls and Tumults of Greece or expose himself to the publick Envy that ever fatal Mischief which many great Commanders do run upon from an unsatiable Appetite of Honour and Authority but wisely chose to spend the remainder of his days in Sicily and there to partake of those Blessings he had brought among them the greatest whereof was to behold so many Cities flourish and so many thousands of People live happy through his means and procurement But seeing not only all the Larks of that tufted sort which the Latins call Cassitae must as Simonides Proverbially speaks have a Crest growing on their Heads but in every Republick there will start up some lew'd Sycophant to raise Calumnies it so happen'd at Syracuse that two of their popular Spokesmen Laphystius and Demaenetus by Name fell to slander Timoleon the former of which requiring him to put in Sureties that he would answer to a certain Indictment should be brought against him Timoleon would not suffer the Citizens who were incens'd at his Demand to oppose the Man and hinder him from proceeding since he of his own accord had been at all that trouble and run so many dangerous Risks for this very end and purpose that every one of them who had a mind to try Matters by Law should freely have recourse to it And when Demaenetus in a full Audience of the People laid several things to his charge which had been done while he was General he made no other reply to him but only said He was much indebted to the Gods for granting the Request he had so often made them namely that he might live to see the Syracusians enjoy that liberty of Speech which they now seem'd to be Masters of Timoleon therefore having by confession of all done the greatest and the noblest things of any Grecian of his Age and alone gotten the preheminence in those Actions to which their Orators did always exhort the Greeks by such Harangues and Panegyricks as they usually made at their solemn National Assemblies and being carry'd off thence by Fortune unspotted and without blood from the Calamities of Civil War wherein ancient Greece was soon after involv'd having also given sufficient proofs as of his sage Conduct and manly Courage to the Barbarians and Tyrants so of his Justice and Gentleness to the Greeks and all his Friends in General having raised too the greater part of those Trophies he won in Battel without any Tears shed or any Mourning worn by the Citizens either of Syracuse or Corinth and within less than 8 years space deliver'd Sicily from its old Grievances and Mischiefs and intestine Distempers and given it up free to the native Inhabitants his Eyes began to fail him as he grew in Age and a while after he became perfectly blind not that he had done any thing himself which might occasion this Defect or was depriv'd of his Sight by any outrage of Fortune but it seems to have been some inbred and hereditary weakness that was founded in natural Causes which by length of time came to discover it self for it is said that divers of his Kindred and Family were subject to the like gradual Decay and lost all use of their Eyes as he did in their declining years but Athanis the Historian tells us that even during the War against Hippo and Mamercus while he was in his Camp at Myloe there appear'd a white Speck within his Eye from whence all did foresee the total Blindness that was coming on him however this did not hinder him then from continuing the Siege and prosecuting that War till he got both the Tyrants into his power but upon his coming back to Syracuse he presently resign'd the Authority of sole Commander and besought the Citizens to excuse him from any further Service seeing things were already brought to so fair an issue Now it is not so much to be wondred that he himself should bear the Misfortune without any marks of Trouble but that Respect and Gratitude which the Syracusians show'd him when he was stark blind may justly deserve our Admiration going themselves to visit him in Troops and bringing all the Strangers that travel'd through their Countrey to his House and Mannor that they also might have the pleasure to see their noble Benefactor making it the great matter of their Joy and Exultation that when after so many brave and happy Exploits he might have return'd with Triumph into Greece he should despise all the glorious Preparations that were there made to receive him and by a strange kind of Endearment chose rather to abide there and end his days among them whereas therefore several other things were decreed and done in honour of Timoleon I reckon this Vote of the Syracusians to be a signal Testimony of their value for him viz. that when-ever they did happen to be at War with any foreign Nation they should make use of none but a Corinthian General and the method of their proceeding in Council was a handsome demonstration of the same Deference for his Person for determining Matters of less Consequence themselves they ever called him to advise in the more difficult Cases and such as were of greater moment who being carry'd through the Market-place in a Litter and that brought with him sitting into the Theatre the People with one Voice saluted him by his Name then returning that Civility and pausing for a time till the noise of their Gratulations and Blessings began to cease after hearing the Business in Debate he deliver'd his Opinion which being confirm'd by a general Suffrage his Servants went back with the Litter through the midst of their Assembly the People waiting on him out with Acclamations and Applauses and so returning to consider of such publick Causes as they us'd to dispatch in his absence being thus cherish'd in his old Age and with that Honour and Benevolence as if he had been their common Father he was seiz'd with a very slight Indisposition which however did assist and enable Time to put a period to his Life There was an Allotment then of certain days given within the space whereof the Syracusians were to provide what-ever should be necessary for his Burial and all the neighbouring Inhabitants and Sojourners were to make their Appearance in a Body so that the Funeral Pomp was set out with great Splendor and Magnificence in all other Respects and the Herse being deck'd with rich Ornaments and Trophies of War was born by a select
number of young Gentlemen over that Ground where the Palace and Castle of Dionysius stood before they were demolish'd by Timoleon There attended on the Solemnity several thousands of Men and Women all crowned with Flowers all aray'd in fresh and cleanly Attire which made it look like the Procession of a publick Festival the Discourse of all which and their Tears mingled with the Praise and Benediction of the dead Timoleon did manifestly show that it was not any superficial Honour or commanded Homage which they then paid him but the testimony of a just sorrow for his Death and the expression and recompence of true Kindness The Bier at length being plac'd upon the Pile of Wood that was kindled to consume his Corps Demetrius one of their loudest Cryers began to read a Proclamation or written Edict to this purpose The People of Syracuse has made a special Decree to interr Timoleon the Son of Timodemus that noble Corinthian at the common Expence of 200 Attick pounds and to honour his Memory for ever by an Appointment of annual Prizes to be celebratee in Musick and Horse-races and all sorts of bodily Exercise and that because he destroy'd Tyrants and overthrew the Barbarians and replenish'd many great Cities that were ruinous and desolate before with new Inhabitants and then restor'd the Sicilians to a State of Freedom and the Priviledge of living by their own Laws Beside this they made a Tomb for him in the Market-place which they afterward built round with Galleries and joyn'd certain Cloisters thereto as a Place of Exercise for their Youth which had the Name of Timoleontâ—um and then keeping to that Form and Order of Civil Policy and observing those Laws and Constitutions which he left them they liv'd themselves a long time in all manner of Prosperity PELOPIDAS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M Burg. sculp THE LIFE OF PELOPIDAS Translated from the Greek By Thomas Creech of Wadham Colledge in Oxon. Volume II. CAto Major hearing some commend one that was rash and inconsiderately daring in a Battel said There is a difference between a man's prizing Valour at a great rate and valuing Life at little an excellent Saying for Antigonus had a Souldier a venturous Fellow but of an ill Complexion and very meager and the King asking the Cause of his Paleness and understanding from him that 't was a secret Disease he strictly commanded his Physicians to imploy their utmost Skill and recover him if possible but this brave Fellow being cur'd never afterward sought Danger never appear'd venturous in a Battel insomuch that Antigonus wondred and upbraided him with his Change but the Man told him the Reason and said Sir You are the Cause of my Cowardise by freeing me from those Miseries which made me despise Life And upon the same account the Sybarite seems to have said concerning the Spartans That 't was no commendable thing in them to die in the Wars since by that they were freed from such hard Labour and miserable Diet but in truth the Sybarites a soft and dissolute People might imagine that they hated Life because in their eager pursuit of Vertue and Glory they were not afraid to die yet the Lacedaemonians esteem it a Vertue to be willing either to die or live as that Epicedium testifies They dy'd but not as lavish of their Blood Or thinking Death it self was simply good Or Life both these the strictest Vertue try'd And as that call'd they gladly liv'd or dy'd For an Endeavour to avoid Death is not discommendable if we do not basely desire to live nor willingness to die good and vertuous if it proceeds from a Contempt of Life and therefore Homer always takes care to bring his brave and stout Men well arm'd into the Battel and the Greek Law-givers punish'd those that threw away their Shields but not him that lost his Sword or Spear intimating that they should be more careful to defend themselves than offend their Enemies This every one ought to mind but especially a Governour of a City or a General for if as Iphicrates divides the light arm'd are the Hands the Horse the Feet the Infantry the Breast and the General the Head when he puts himself upon danger he doth not only venture his own Person but all those whose safety depend on his and so on the contrary And therefore Callicratides though in other things a great Man did not answer the Augur well who advis'd him the Sacrifice being unlucky to be careful of his Life Sparta says he doth not consist in one Man 't is true Callicratides in any Engagement either at Sea or Land was but a single Person but being General he seem'd to contain the Life of all and so must be more than one since by his Death so many must be ruin'd But better was the Saying of old Antigonus who when he was to fight at Andros and one told him The Enemies Ships are more than ours reply'd For how many then wilt thou reckon me intimating that a stout and experienc'd Commander is highly to be valued whose principal care it is to save him that preserves the rest and therefore I applaud Timotheus who when Chares show'd the Wounds he had receiv'd and his Shield pierc'd by a Dart told him Indeed I should have been asham'd if when I fought against Samos a Dart should have fallen near me as behaving my self more rashly than became a General of such an Army Indeed where the General 's hazarding himself will do a great deal of good there he must fight and venture his Person and not mind their Maxims who would have a General still die with Age or at least an old Man but when the Advantage will be but small if he gets the better and the Loss considerable if he falls who then would desire that good which a common Souldier might perform with the danger of the Commander This I thought fit to premise before the Lives of Pelopidas and Marcellus who were both great Men but both ruin'd by their Rashness for being stout Men and having gotten their Countrey great Glory and Reputation by their Conduct and fighting against terrible Enemies the one as History delivers overthrew Annibal who was till then invincible the other in a set Battel beat the Lacedaemonians the Commanders at Sea and Land but they ventur'd too far and were heedlesly prodigal of their Lives when there was the greatest need of such Men and such Commanders and this Agreement in their Tempers and their Deaths is the Reason why I compare their Lives Pelopidas the Son of Hippoclus was descended as likewise Epaminondas was from an honourable Family in Thebes and being bred in Gallantry and having a fair Estate left him whilst he was young he made it his business to relieve the good and deserving amongst the Poor that he might shew himself Lord and not Slave to his Estate For amongst Men as Aristotle observes some are too narrow-minded to use their Wealth and some are