of the Macedonians For some have broke off at Philip others at the Acts of Alexander and others at his Successors or Posterity And although many great and considerable Actions since those Times to these our Days have been upon the Stage yet no Historian has hitherto undertaken to set them forth in one intire Tract by reason of the Tediousness of the Work And in regard that in those Writings which we have the Times and Actions that have been comprehended in them are hudled together in several Volumes writ by various and several Authors it 's a very difficult matter either to understand or remember them Having therefore diligently perus'd and examin'd the Tracts of the several Authors I determin'd to compose one intire History from which the Reader might reap much Advantage with little Labour and Pains For he who endeavours to the utmost of his power to comprehend in his Writings the memorable Affairs and Actions of the whole World as of one single City bringing down his History from the most ancient Times to his own Age though he set upon a Work certainly very Laborious yet he 'll perform that which when finish'd will be undoubtedly most useful and profitable For hence every Man may as out of a common Fountain draw what is convenient and serviceable for his own private use For as to them that have a desire to imploy themselves in tumbling and turning over so many Authors first such cannot easily get so many Books together as are necessary for their use and then again by reason of the differing Relations and multitude of Authors they can scarcely understand the Matters related But one General History in one intire Tract as it may be quickly and readily perus'd so the understanding of the subject matter with far more ease goes along with the Reading Yea this sort of History excels all others as far as the Whole is more useful than the Part as the intire thing is more desirable than that which is divided and that which fixes the exact Periods of Time more than that which leaves the Time uncertain and unknown when things related were done Perceiving therefore that such a Work would be of mighty use and advantage but that it would require both a long Time and a great deal of Labour and Pains we spent Thirty Years time in the Composing of it and for that purpose travell'd through a great part of Asia and Europe with many Hazards and Difficulties that we our selves might be Eye-Witnesses of most of the Parts and Places that were necessary for the carrying on of our Design in this Work For through the Ignorance of Places not only common Writers but even those who are reputed the most Eminent have committed many Errors and Mistakes The chief cause and that which most helpt forward the Design which though thought impossible is now fully compleated and perfected was the strong and constant desire we had of Composing such a Work Many Helps likewise were afforded to us at Rome for the Carrying on of what we had undertaken in this Kind For that noble City whose Power is stretcht out as far as to the utmost Corners of the Earth being that we had been there a long time an Inhabitant furnished us with many things ready at hand for our purpose For being born in Agyrus in Sicily and having in a great measure learnt the Roman Language by means of the frequent Commerce of Romans in that Island I diligently collected out of their Ancient Records what I found concerning the memorable Actions of this Empire We have begun our History with the Mythologies handed down to us as well those of the Grecians as of the Barbarians seriously weighing and considering as far as we were able what every one of them have related of things done in Ancient Times Having now finish'd what was design'd though not yet expos'd to publick view before that be done we shall declare something briefly concerning the whole Work Our First Six Books comprehend the Affairs and Mythologies of the Ages before the Trojan War of which the Three First contain the Barbarian and the next following almost all the Grecian Antiquities In the Eleven next after these we have given an Account of what has been done in every Place from the Time of the Trojan War till the Death of Alexander In the Three and Twenty Books following we have set forth all other Things and Affairs till the beginning of the War the Romans made upon the Galls at which time Julius Caesar the Emperor who upon the Account of his great Atchievements was surnam'd A Divine Person or a God Divus having subdu'd the Warlike Nations of the Galls inlarg'd the Roman Empire as far as to the British Isles whose First Acts fall in with the First Year of the Hundred and Eightieth Olympiad when Herodes A. M. 3896. Isaacson was chief Magistrate at Athens But as to the Limitation of Times contain'd in this Work we have not bound those things that happen'd before the Trojan War within any certain Limits because we could not find any Foundation whereon to rely with any Certainty According to Appollodorus we have accounted Fourscore Years from the Trojan War to the Return of Heraclides From thence to the First Olympiad A. M. 2848. Three Hundred and Twenty Eight Years computing the Times from the Lacedemonian Kings From the First Olympiad to the beginning of the Gallick War where our History ends are Seven Hundred and Thirty Years So that our whole Work comprehended in Forty Books is an History which takes in the Affairs of Eleven Hundred Thirty Eight Years besides those Times that preceded the Trojan War We have been the more careful to premise these things that the Reader might have the clearer Prospect into the nature of the whole Tract and that those who commonly take upon them to polish and amend Books may be at least prevail'd with not to corrupt other Mens Works Whatever therefore through the whole History is writ well let no Man envy What Slips there are through Ignorance they that are more knowing are very free to amend And now having finish'd what we thought fit to premise we shall endeavour actually to perform what we before promis'd as to the Writing of the History THE Historical Library OF Diodorus the Sicilian BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of the first Generation of Men. How the World first began Mens first manner of Life and who were the first Men. First Men in Egypt Who were the most antient Gods of Egypt Of their Demy-Gods Sol Saturn Rhea Jupiter Juno Vulcan reign'd in Egypt Of Osiris and Isis The Acts of Osiris and Isis Hermes his Inventions Osiris prepares for his Expedition through the World and to that end raises a great Army WHAT Notions they had of the Gods who first instituted Divine Worship and what is fabulously related of every one of the Deities because the Subject requires much to be said we shall distinctly set forth And whatever we
Walls afford but very little Water and that stinking and very bitter And he sent them to this Place on purpose that they might not for the future do any more hurt nor lye lurking and unknown among other Men. But being banished to such a barren Place void almost of all things necessary for the support of Man's Life Men naturally Contriving all manner of Arts to prevent starving they wittily found out a way to supply their Wants For they cut up out of the Neighbouring Fields Reeds and flit them in several pieces and made long Nets of them and plac'd them several Furlongs all along upon the Shoar with which they catcht the Quails which came flying over Sea Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 10. c. 23. the Description of these Quails in great Flocks and by that means sufficiently provided for themselves After this King's Death the Egyptians recover'd their Liberty and set up a King of their own Nation to rule over them ‖ Mendes Mendes whom some call Marus who never undertook any Warlike Design but made a Sepulcher for himself call'd a Labyrinth not to be admir'd so much for Its greatness as it was unimitable for its Workmanship For he that went in could not easily come out again without a very skilful Guide Some say that Dedalus who came into Egypt admir'd the Curiosity of this Work and made a Labyrinth for Minos King of Creet like to this in Egypt in which they fabulously relate the Minotaur was kept But that in Creet was either ruin'd by some of their Kings or came to nothing through length of Time but that in Egypt continu'd whole and entire to our Days After the Death of this Mendes and Five Generations spent during which time there was an Interregnum the Egyptians chose one Cetes of an ignoble Extraction Proteus Cetes to be their King whom the Grecians call Proteus this fell out in the time of the Trojan War This Prince they say was a * To have knowledge of the Winds Magician and could transform himself sometimes into the shape of a Beast other times into a Tree or Appearance of Fire or any other Form and Shape whatsoever And this agrees with the Account the Priests of Egypt give of him from his daily Converse with the Astrologers they say he learnt this Art The Greeks rais'd this Story of Transformation from a Custom amongst the Kings for the Egyptian Princes us'd to wear upon their Heads as Badges of their Royal Authority the shapes of Lions Bulls and Dragons and sometimes to fix upon their Heads Sprouts of Trees Fire and strong Perfumes of Frankincense and other sweet Odours And with these they both adorn'd themselves and struck a Terror and Superstitious Awe into the Hearts of their Subjects at one and the same time After the Death of Proteus his Son Remphis succeeded him who spent all his Remphis Time in filling his Coffers and heaping up Wealth The poorness of his Spirit and his sordid Covetousness was such that they would not suffer him to part with any thing either for the worship of the Gods or the good of Mankind and therefore more like a good Steward than a King instead of a Name for Valour and noble Acts he left vast Heaps of Treasure behind him greater than any of the Kings that ever were before him For it 's said he had a Treasure of Four Hundred Thousand Talents of Gold and Silver After this King's Death for Seven Generations together there reign'd successively a Company of Kings who gave themselves up to Sloath and Idleness and did nothing but wallow in Pleasures and Luxury and therefore there 's no Record of any great Work or other thing worthy to be remembred that ever any of them did except Nile who call'd the River after his own Name which was before call'd Egyptus For being that he cut many Canals and Dikes in convenient Places and us'd his utmost endeavour to make the River more useful and serviceable it was therefore call'd Nile †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chembes Chemmis the Eighth King from Remphis was of Memphis and reign'd Fifty Years He built the greatest of the Three Pyramids which were accounted amongst the Seven Wonders of the World They stand towards Lybia * About 20 Miles Pyramids Hundred and Twenty Furlongs from Memphis and Five and Forty from Nile The Greatness of these Works and the excessive Labour of the Workmen seen in them do even strike the Beholders with Admiration and Astonishment The greatest being Four-square took up on every Square †Seven Plethras Seven Hundred Foot of Ground in the Basis and above Six Hundred Foot in height spiring up narrower by little and little till it come up to the Point the Top of which was * Three Yards Six Cubits Square It 's built of solid Marble throughout of rough Work but of perpetual Duration For though it be now a Thousand Years since it was built some say above Three Thousand and Four Hundred yet the Stones are as firmly joynted and the whole Building as intire and without the least decay as they were at the first laying and Erection The Stone they say was brought a long way off out of Arabia and that the Work was rais'd by making Mounts of Earth Cranes and other Engines being not known at that time And that which is most to be admir'd at is to see such a Foundation so imprudently laid as it seems to be in a Sandy Place where there 's not the least Sign of any Earth cast up nor Marks where any Stone was cut and polish'd so that the whole Pile seems to be rear'd all at once and fixt in the midst of Heaps of Sand by some God and not built by degrees by the Hands of Men. Some of the Egyptians tell wonderful things and invent strange Fables concerning these Works affirming that the Mounts were made of Salt and Salt-Peter and that they were melted by the Inundation of the River and being so dissolv'd every thing was washt away but the Building it self But this is not the Truth of the thing but the great multitude of Hands that rais'd the Mounts the same carry'd back the Earth to the Place whence they dug it for they say there were Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand Men imploy'd in this Work and the Whole was scarce compleated in Twenty Years time When this King was dead his Brother Cephres succeeded him and reign'd Six Cephres Chabryis Suppos'd to Reign in the time of David and the beginning of Solomon's Reign Helv-Chron 42. and Fifty Years Some say it was not his Brother but his Son Chabryis that came to the Crown But all agree in this that the Successor in imitation of his Predecessor erected another Pyramid like to the former both in Structure and Artificial Workmanship but not near so large every square of the Basis being only a Furlong in Breadth Upon the greater Pyramid was inscrib'd the value
Pictures and Images where likewise were portray'd the Resemblances of the Kings the Temples and the Sacrifices in most beautiful Colours And such was the Cost and Stateliness of this Sepulcher begun by these Kings that if they had not been dethron'd before it was perfected none ever after could have exceeded them in the state and magnificence of their Works But after they had reign'd over Egypt Fifteen Years all of them but one lost their Sovereignty in the manner following Psammeticus Saites one of the Kings whose Province was upon the Sea Coasts Psammeticus An. Mu. 3288. Ant. Ch. 669. 29 Year of Manasseth King of Judah traffickt with all sorts of Merchants and especially with the Phenicians and Grecians by this means inriching his Province by vending his own Commodities and the importation of those that came from Greece he not only grew very wealthy but gain'd an interest in the Nations and Princes abroad upon which account he was envy'd by the rest of the Kings who for that reason made War upon him Some antient Historians tell a Story That these Princes were told by Herodotus lib. 2. c. 151. the Oracle That which of them should first pour Wine out of a brazen Viol to the God ador'd at Memphis should be sole Lord of all Egypt Whereupon Psammeticus when the Priest brought out of the Temple Twelve Golden Viols pluckt off his Helmet and pour'd out a Wine Offering from thence which when his Collegues took notice of they forbore putting him to death but depos'd him and banish'd him into the Fenns bordering upon the Sea-Coasts Whether therefore it were this or Envy as is said before that gave Birth to this Dissention and Difference amongst them it 's certain Psammeticus hir'd Souldiers out of Arabia Caria and Ionia and in a Field-Fight near the City Moniemphis he got the day Some of the Kings of the other side were slain and the rest fled into Africa and were not able further to contend for the Kingdom Psammeticus having now gain'd possession of the whole built a Portico to the East Gate of the Temple at Memphis in honour of that God and incompass'd the Temple with a Wall supporting it with Colosses of Twelve Cubits high in the room of Pillars He bestow'd likewise upon his Mercenary Souldiers many large Rewards over and above their Pay promis'd them He gave them also a Place call'd Stratopedon to inhabit and divided amongst them by Lot a large piece of Land a little above the Mouth of Pelusium whom Amasis who reign'd many Years after transplanted to Memphis Being therefore that he had gain'd the Kingdom by the help of his stipendary Souldiers he intrusted them chiefly in the concerns of the Government and entertain'd great numbers of Strangers and Foreigners Afterwards undertaking an Expedition into Syria to honour the Foreigners he plac'd them in the right Wing of his Army but out of slight and disregard to the natural Egyptians he drew up them in the Left with which Affront the Egyptians were so incens'd that above Two Hundred Thousand of them revolted and marcht away towards Ethiopia there to settle themselves in new Habitations At first the King sent some of his Captives after them to make an Apology for the Dishonour done them but these not being hearken'd unto the King himself with some of his Nobility follow'd them by Water But they marcht on and entred Egypt near the River Nile where he earnestly entreated them to alter their purpose and to remember their Gods their Country Wives and Children Psammeticu's Army revolt They all cry'd out beating upon their Shields and shaking their Spears that as long as they had Arms in their Hands they could easily gain another Country and then turning aside the Flaps of their Coats they shew'd their Privy Members bawling out That as long as they were so furnish'd they should never want Wives or Children Possess'd with this Resolution and Magnanimity of Mind they despis'd every thing that by all others are highly priz'd and valu'd and setled themselves in a rich and fruitful Soyl in Ethiopia dividing the Land amongst themselves by lot Psammeticus laid this greatly to heart and made it his Business to settle the Affairs of Egypt and to increase his Revenues and enter'd into League with the Athenians and other Grecians and was very kind and liberal to all Strangers that came into Egypt He was so taken with the Grecians that he caus'd his Son to be instructed in the Grecian Learning He was certainly the first of all the Kings of Egypt that incourag'd Foreigners to traffick in his Country giving safe Conduct to all Strangers that sail'd thither For the former Kings allow'd no Strangers to come into Egypt and if any did arrive they either put them to death or made them Slaves And it was the Churlishness of this Nation which caus'd all that noise among the Greeks concerning the Cruelty and Wickedness of Busiris though all was not true as it was related but the extraordinary Severity of the Country gave occasion to the raising of those Fables After Psammticeus and Four Generations past Apries reign'd Two and Twenty Apries Years He invaded with mighty Forces Cyprus and Phenicia and took Sidon by Storm and through Fear and Terror of him brought other Cities of Phenicia into Subjection And having routed the Cyprians and Phenicians in a great Sea-Fight he return'd into Egypt loaden with the Spoils of his Enemies But afterwards sending an Army against Cyrene and Barca he lost most of them at which those that escap'd were extraordinarily inrag'd and suspecting that he imploy'd them in this Expedition on purpose to have them all cut off that he might reign the more securely over the rest they all revolted For Amasis a Amasis Nobleman of Egypt being sent against them by the King not only slighted the King's Commands in endeavouring to make all whole again but on the contrary incited the Rebels to a higher degree of Rage and Indignation against him and turn'd Rebel himself and was created King And not long after when the rest of the People all went over to him the King not knowing what to do was 〈◊〉 to fly for Aid to the stipendiary Souldiers who were about Thirty Thousand but being routed in a Field-Fight near to a Town call'd Marius he was there taken Prisoner and strangl'd Amasis having setl'd his Affairs in Egypt so as he judg'd most conducing to the publick good govern'd the Egyptians with all Justice and Moderation and by this gain'd the good Will of all the People He conquer'd also the Cities of Cyprus and adorn'd the Temples of the Gods with many rich Gifts and Offerings Having reign'd Five and Fifty Years he died about the time Cambyses King of Persia first invaded Egypt in the Third Year of the Sixty Third Olympiad in which Olymp. 63. Ant. Ch. 523. Parmenides of Camarina was Victor CHAP. VI. The Customs of the Egyptians Of their Kings Of
Furlongs up to the Top on the other side of this Mount there 's a great Mear which empties it self into the River At the Foot of this Mountain she dug a Canal fifteen Foot in Breadth and forty in Depth through which she convey'd Water in great Abundance into the City And these are the Things which she did in Media Afterwards she made a Progress through Persia and all the rest of her Dominions in Asia and all along as she went she plain'd all the Way before her levelling both Rocks and Mountains On the other hand in Champain Countries she would raise Eminences on which she would sometimes build Sepulchres for her Officers and Commanders and at other times Towns and Cities Throughout her whole Expeditions she always us'd to raise an Ascent upon which she pitcht her own Pavilion that from thence she might have a View of her whole Army Many Things which she perform'd in Asia remain to this day and are call'd Semiramis's Works Afterwards she pass'd through all Egypt and having conquer'd the greatest Part of Lybia she went to the Temple of Jupiter Hammon and there inquir'd of the Oracle how long she should live which return'd her this Answer That she should leave this World and afterwards be for ever honour'd by some Nations in Asia when Ninyas her Son should be plotting against her When she had perform'd these things she marcht into Ethiopia and having subdu'd many Places in it she had an Opportunity to see what was there very remarkable and wonderful For they say there 's a four-square Lake a hundred and sixty The wonderful Lake in Ethiopia Foot in Circuit the Water of which is in Colour like unto Vermilion and of an extraordinary sweet Flavour much like unto old Wine yet of such wonderful Operation that whosoever drinks of it goes presently mad and confesses all the Faults that ever he had been before guilty of but some will scarce believe this Relation The Ethiopians have a peculiar way of burying their Dead for after they have Burials in Ethiopia imbalm'd the Body they pour round about it melted Glass and then place it upon a * An high form or block Pillar so that the Corps may be plainly seen through the Glass as Herodotus has reported the thing But Ctesias of Cnidus assirms that he tells a Winter-tale and says that its true indeed that the Body is imbalm'd but that Glass is not pour'd upon the naked Body for the Bodies thereby would be so scorch'd and defac'd that they could not possibly retain any likeness to the dead And that therefore they make an hollow Statue of Gold and put the Body within it and then pour the melted Glass round upon this Statue which they set upon some high Place and so the Statue which resembles the dead is seen through the Glass and thus he says they use to bury those of the richer Sort But those of meaner Fortunes they put into Statues of Silver and for the poor they make Statues of Potters Clay every one having Glass enough for there 's Abundance to be got in Ethiopia and ready at hand for all the Inhabitants But we shall speak more fully of the Customs and Laws of the Ethiopians and the Product of the Land and other things worthy of Remark presently when we come to relate their Antiquities and old Fables and Stories Semiramis having settl'd her Affairs in Egypt and Ethiopia return'd with her Army Her Expedition into India into Asia to Bactria And now having a great Army and enjoying a long Peace she had a longing Desire to perform some notable Exploit by her Arms. Hearing therefore that the Indians were the greatest Nation in the whole World and had the largest and richest Tract of Land of all others she resolv'd to make War upon them Stabrobates was at that time King who had innumerable Forces and many Elephants bravely accoutred and fitted to strike Terror into the Hearts of his Enemies For India for the Pleasantness of the Country excell'd all others being water'd in every Place with many Rivers so that the Land yielded every year a double Crop and by that Means was so rich and so abounded with Plenty of all things necessary for the Sustenance of Man's Life that it supply'd the Inhabitants continually with such things as made them excessively rich insomuch as it was never known that there was ever any Famine amongst them the Climate being so happy and favourable and upon that account likewise there 's an incredible Number of Elephants which for Courage and Strength of Body far excel those in Africa Moreover this Country abounds in Gold Silver Brass Iron and pretious Stones of all sorts both for Profit and Pleasure All which being nois'd abroad so stirr'd up the Spirit of Semiramis that tho' she had no Provocation given her yet she was resolv'd upon the War against the Indians But knowing that she had need of great Forces she sent Dispatches to all the Provinces with Command to the Governors to list the choicest young Men they could find ordering the Proportion of Souldiers every Province and Country should send forth according to the Largeness of it and commanded that all should furnish themselves with new Arms and Armour and all appear in three years time at a general Randezvouz in Bactria bravely arm'd and accountred in all Points And having sent for Shipwrights out of Phoenicia Syria Cyprus and other Places bordering upon the Sea-coasts she prepar'd Timber for them fit for the Purpose and order'd them to build Vessels that might be taken asunder and convey'd from place to place wherever she pleas'd For the River Indus bordering upon that Kingdom being the greatest in those Parts she stood in need of many River-boats to pass it in Order to repress the Indians But being there was no Timber near that River she was necessitated to convey the Boats thither by Land from Bactria She further consider'd that she was much inferior to the Indians for Elephants which were absolutely necessary for her to make use of she therefore contriv'd to have Beasts that should resemble them hoping by this Means to strike a Terror into the Indians who believ'd there were no Elephants in any place but in India To this End she provided three hundred thousand black Oxen and distributed the Flesh amongst a Company of ordinary Mechanicks and such Fellows as she had to play the Coblers for her and ordered them by stitching the Skins together and stuffing them with Straw to imitate the Shape of an Elephant and in every one Mock-Elephants of them she put a Man to govern them and a Camel to carry them so that at a distance they appear'd to all that saw them as if they were really such Beasts They that were imploy'd in this Work wrought at it night and day in a Place which was wall'd round for the Purpose and Guards set at every Gate that none might be admitted either to go in or
in great concord and amity without any Seditions or Tumults There are Beasts among them very small but of an admirable property as to their Flesh and the excellent virtue that is in their Blood Their A little Beast strange Bodies are round and something like to a Tortoise divided by Two Streaks which run down the Back at each end of every Streak they have an Eye and a Mouth so that they have Four Eyes to see with and Four Mouths to feed with but the Meat they eat is convey'd through one Throat and hence into the Belly the common Receptacle of all And so in like manner they have but one Gut nor but one of every other of the inner Parts They have many Feet plac'd round their Bodies and make use of them to go on what side they will There 's a marvelous virtue in the Blood of this little Creature for it presently at an instant closes all Cuts and gaping Wounds in every Body that has still life in it and if a Hand or any other Member of that kind that is not Vital be cut off by the application of this Blood while the Wound continues green it heals up again Each Society of these Inhabitants do keep many great Birds of a singular Nature Great Birds carry Children by which they try the Courage of their Children for they place them upon the Birds Backs and as many of them as sit fast when the Birds take their Flight they bring up but those that faint and are terrify'd they throw away as such that can never indure hardship any long time nor have any generous Spirit in them In every Tribe or Society the eldest governs the rest as King and all yield him perfect Obedience If the first put himself to Death according to the Law after he has liv'd a Hundred and Fifty Years the next to him in age succeeds in the chief Command and Authority The Sea that surrounds this Island is very rough and causes very great and high Tides but the Water is fresh and sweet The * The Pole Artick Bear Star and many other visible with us are never seen here These Islands are Seven in number equal in bigness one to another and of the Here seems something to be wanting Their Frugality same distance one from another and the same Laws and Customs are us'd in all of them And though these Islands afford plenty of Provision out of the natural growth of the Country to all the Inhabitants yet they use them not luxuriously but are frugal and gather only so much as will serve their turns They do indeed cook for themselves Flesh-meat and all other sorts of Victuals both rosted and boil'd but as for Sauces and other delicate Inventions of that kind by Cooks and the various Tasts and Savours contriv'd for curious Pallats they are altogether ignorant of them For Gods they worship especially the whole frame of Heaven because it comprehends Worship all things and next to that the Sun and then all the Celestial Bodies By various ways of Fishing and Fowling they catch Fish and Fowl of all sorts P. 99. There are among them abundance of Fruit-Trees and Vines and Olive-Trees whence they draw great quantity of Oil and Wine Here are exceeding great Serpents which yet do no harm to any nay their Great Serpents Flesh is good Meat and very sweet They make their Garments of a soft and fine Cotton contain'd in certain Reeds and Canes This Cotton they dye with the Shell-Fishes call'd Ostreses made up in Balls and mixt and wrought amongst the Wool and so with great pains make themselves Garments of a Purple Colour It produces living Creatures of different Natures from all others and even incredible because they are unusual Their way of Feeding is according to a prescrib'd Rule for they do not eat all Dyet sorts of Meats together at one and the same time nor the same always but upon some certain Days Fish other Fowl sometimes the Flesh of Land-Cattel at other times Olives and on other Days very low and mean Diet. They help one another in their Callings and Imployments by turns Some imploy themselves in Fishing others in Manufactures and others in other things useful and profitable to the Commonwealth Some at certain times do exercise publick Offices except those that are grown old Upon their Festival Days and times of Invocation upon their Gods they celebrate their Praises both in Acclametions and Songs especially the Sun to whom they devote themselves and their Islands Their Dead they carry to the Sea-shoar at the Fall of the Tide covering them Burials with a little Sand that at the time of Full Sea heaps of Sand may be rais'd higher upon them Those Canes whence they gather Fruit to eat are the Compass of a Crown in thickness they say that towards the Full of the Moon they increase and towards the New Moon they proportionably decrease The Water of their hot Springs is sweet and wholsom and ever continues warm never growing cold unless it be mixt with Wine or cold Water After Iambulus with his Companion had continu'd in this Island Seven Years they were as wicked and vile Fellows ejected Having therefore their Ship fitted out and furnish'd with Provision they set Sail and after they had continu'd their Voyage for above Four Months together they fell at length upon the Sandy shallows of India where Iambulus his Companion was drown'd and he himself was afterwards cast upon a certain Village and forthwith carried away by the Inhabitants of the Place to the King then at a City call'd Polybothia many Days Journey distant from the Sea where he was kindly receiv'd by the King who had a great love for the Grecians and was very studious in the liberal Sciences At length having obtain'd Provision from the King he first sail'd into Persia and thence safely arriv'd in Greece This Iambulus committed all these Adventures to Writing and gave an account of many things relating to the Affairs of India before unknown to Strangers But having now perform'd what we promis'd in the beginning of this Book we shall here make an end THE Historical Library OF Diodorus the Sicilian BOOK III. The PREFACE P. 100. THE First of the Two Books preceding contains the Acts of the ancient Kings of Egypt and the Fabulous History of the Egyptian Gods Of those things reported of the River Nile of their Fruits divers kinds of Beasts the Situation of the Country and of their Laws and Courts of Justice In the Second are comprehended the Affairs of Asia the Acts of the Assyrians in antient Times and amongst them the Birth and Advancement of Semiramis how she built Babylon and many other Cities and invaded the Indians with a mighty Army We have treated there likewise of the Caldeans and their Art in Astronomy Of Arabia and the wonderful things there Of the Amazons And lastly of the Hyperboreans and the Island
702. l. 38. r. Colophonians p. 782. l. 3. r. Tryphon ' s Name p. ibid. legat 34. r. Saturninus p. 784. line 31. r. too little to be p. 785. l. 40. r. join'd with them p. 786. l. 45. add above p. 790. l. 34. add the. p. 794. l. 5. r. which were p. 796. l. 21. dele the second his THE CONTENTS Of the First Five Books of Diodorus the Sicilian BOOK I. Chap. 1. OF the first Generation of Men. How the World first began Mens first manner of Life and who were the first Men. First Men in Egypt Who were the most ancient Gods of Egypt Of their Demi-Gods Sol Saturn Rhea Jupiter Juno Vulcan reign'd in Egypt Of Osiris and Isis the Acts of Osiris and Isis Hermes his Inventions Osiris prepares for his Expedition through the World and to that end raises a great Army Page 1 Chap. 2. The Continuation of Osiris his Expedition through Ethiopia all Arabia India and Europe Bury'd by Isis and Mercury How he was kill'd His Death reveng'd by Isis and Orus Two Bulls Apis and Mnevis worship'd in Egypt Places discuss'd where Osiris and Isis were bury'd Stories of the Egyptian Priests Their Tears Lunar Tears Giants Laws about Marriage Osiris and Isis their Pillars and Inscriptions Colonies out of Egypt 7 Chap. 3. The Description of Egypt Of the Lake of Serbon The Nature of the River Nile The Cataracts The Mouths of Nile The Fruits of Egypt The Beasts Crecodile c. Several Opinions concerning the Inundation of Nile 14 Chap. 4. The first way of Living of the Egyptians Gods and Demi-Gods their Reigns in Egypt The ancient Kings of Egypt Moenis c. Their several Works Thebes built by Busitis The stately Sepulchres Obelisks and Temples there A Description of Osymanduas his Sepulchre Memphis built by Uchoreus Moeris his Lake Sesostris or Sesoosis his famous Expedition and great Works 22 Chap. 5. The Acts of Sesostris the Second Of Ammosis Actisan Mendes Proteus or Cetes Remphis Chemmis the great Pyramids built by him Cephres Mycerinus Bocchoris Sabach The Reign of Twelve Kings in Egypt Psammeticus Saites one of the Kings gain'd the whole Two hundred thousand of his Army forsake him and settle thmeselves in Ethiopia Apries succeeds long after Amasis rebels and next succeeds and Apries is strangled by the People Amasis the last King to the time of the Conquest of Egypt by Cambyses 31 Chap. 6. The Customs of the Egyptians Of their Kings As their hourly Employment Sacrifices Diet c. Burials Division of Egypt Their Trades in Egypt Courts of Justice their Law-Proceedings The several Laws of Egypt Beasts and Birds ador'd as Gods in Egypt as Lions Wolves Cats the Bird Ibis Kites c. Costs in their Burial of these Creatures Reasons given of this Adoration 36 Chap. 7. Why the Crocodile is worship'd Some sorts of Herbs and Roots not eaten Why other Creatures are worship'd The manner of their Burials The Law-makers in Egypt Learned Men of Greece made Journeys into Egypt as Orpheus Homer Plato Solon Pythagoras c. Several Proofs of this as their Religious Rites Fables c. in Greece of Egyptian Extraction The exquisite Art of the Stone-Carvers in Egypt Page 46 BOOK II. Chap. 1. NInus the first King of Assyria his Acts invades Babylonia Media and over-runs several other Countries Nineveh built by him the Description of it Marries Semiramis Her Descent Derceta the Philistines Dagon His Expedition against Bactria He dies Semitamis builds Babylon and several strange Works there as a Passage under Water Jupiter's Temple c. Hanging Gardens in Babylon A vast Stone cut out The strange Property of a Morass Her several Expeditions The wonderful Lake in Ethiopia Their Burials there Semiramis's Expedition into India Her Mock-Elephants Her Expedition proves fruitless She surrenders her Kingdom to Ninyas her Son Her End 53 Chap. 2. Ninyas succeeds Semiramis His close and slothful manner of Life The Reign of Sardanapalus His Luxury and Effeminacy His Epitaph Deposed by Arbaces the Mede And the Assyrian Empire overturn'd Nineveh raz'd 64 Chap. 3. Of the ancient Chaldeans and their Philosophy The Planets and their Course The Empire of the Medes and their Kings A Description of India The ancient Manners and Customs of the People Their Laws Tribes Description of Scythia Of the Amazons Of the Hyperboreans 69 Chap. 4. A Description of Atabia the Desart Happy c. Metals Precious Stones Beasts c. AD scription of Taprobana in the Southern Ocean now call'd Ceylon or Zeilan The strange Things there How discover'd by Iambulus 78 BOOK III. Chap. 1. OF the Ethiopians Their Letters Laws Arms Religion Funerals The Description of several Parts of the Country Manner of making of Gold Of the Icthyophages their several sorts and ways of Living 85 Chap. 2. Chelonophages The manner of taking Sea-Tortoises The Cetivores or Whale-Eaters The Sea-Coasts over-against Babylon Their manner of taking of Fish The Rizophages or Root-Eaters Those call'd Spermaphages and Hylophages Hylogones or Hunters their taking of wild Beasts The Elephant-Fighters how they are taken The Simoes Struthophages Acridophages or Locust Eaters their miserable Deaths Cynomolges The Country of the Troglodites Wild Beasts The terrible wild Bull Serpents that great one brought alive to Alexandria 94 Chap. 3. A Description of the Coasts and Countries on both sides the Arabian Gulf or Red Sea The Perfumes of Arabia the Happy The Fortunate Islands A Description of part of Lybia The Spectras near the Syrtes 102 Chap. 4. Of the Amazons of Africa Their Acts Rooted out by Hercules and the Gorgonians by Perseus The Atlantides and the Gods among them The Original of the Titanes The Acts of Basilea or Cybele said to be born in Phrygia The Original of Atlas and Saturn A long Account given of Bacchus and the several Bacchuses there were The Description of the Grota in Nysa where he was brought up The building of the Temple of Hammon by him The several Herculeses The Monsters Aegides and Campes kill'd by Minerva and Bacchus Page 110 BOOK IV. Chap. 1. WHat the Grecians say further of Bacchus The Story of Priapus Of Hermophroditus Of the Muses The Birth of Hercules and his Twelve Labours injoin'd him by Eurystheus His wandring Expeditions through Africk Spain France Italy Sicily His setting up two Pillars at Gades and his other Acts by the way The Story of Orpheus 127 Chap. 2. An Account of Atlas and his Daughters call'd Atlantides and Hesperides Amazons routed by Theseus in Attica The further Acts of Hercules goes against Laomedon King of Troy and other Acts. The Story of Meleager Son of King Oeneus Amalthae's Horn. Hercules his further Acts His Death by a poison'd Shirt 141 Chap. 3. Of the Argonauts Medea and the Daughters of Pileus How the Argonauts gain'd the Golden Fleece The Pranks of Medea The Acts of Jason The Cruelty of Pelias towards Jason's Kindred How he was kill'd by his Daughters through Medea's Charms Medea burns the King of Corinth's Palace
visible at this day And we have it related that not only this King but the succeeding Princes from time to time made it their Business to beautify this City for that there was no City under the Sun so adorn'd with so many and stately Monuments of Gold Silver and Ivory and multitudes of Colossus's and Obelisks cut out of one entire Stone For there were there Four Temples built for Beauty and Greatness to be admir'd the most ancient of which was in Circuit * Almost Two Miles Thirteen Furlongs and Five and Forty Cubits high and had a Wall Four and Twenty Foot broad The Ornaments of this Temple were suitable to its Magnificence both for Cost and Workmanship The Fabrick hath continu'd to our Time but the Silver and the Gold and Ornaments of Ivory and Precious Stones were carry'd away by the Persians when Cambyses burnt the Temples of Egypt At which time they say those Palaces at Persepolis and Susa and other Parts of Media famous all the World over were built by the Persians who brought over these rich Spoils into Asia and sent for Workmen out of Egypt for that purpose And it is reported that the Riches of Egypt were then so great that in the Rubbish and Cynders there were found and gather'd up above Three Hundred Talents of Gold and of Silver no less than Two Thousand and Three Hundred There they say are the wonderful Sepulchers of the ancient Kings which for Sepulchres State and Grandure far exceed all that Posterity can attain unto at this Day The Egyptian Priests say that in their Sacred Registers there are enter'd Seven and Forty of these Sepulchers but in the Reign of Ptolemy Lagus there remain'd only Seventeen many of which were ruin'd and destroy'd when I my self came into those Parts which was in the Hundred and Eightieth Olympiad And these things are not only reported by the Egyptian Priests out of their Sacred Records but many of the Grâ—cians who travel'd to Thebes in the time of Ptolemy Lagus and writ Histories of Egypt among whom was Hecateus agree with what we have related Of the First Sepulchers wherein they say the Women of Jupiter were buri'd that of King Osymanduas was Ten Furlongs in Circuit at the entrance of which they say was a Portico of various colour'd Marble in length Two Hundred Foot and in height †67 Foot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16 Cubits high i. e. 44 Foot Five and Forty Cubits thence going forward you come into a foursquare Stone Gallery every Square being Four Hundred Foot supported instead of Pillars with Beasts each of one intire Stone Sixteen Cubits high carv'd after the antique manner The Roof was intirely of Stone each Stone * Twelve Foot Eight Cubits broad with an Azure Sky bespangl'd with Stars Passing out of this Perystilion you enter into another Portico much like the former but more curiously carv'd and with more variety At the Entrance stand Three Statues each of one intire Stone the Workmanship of Memnon of Sienitas One of these made in a fitting posture is the greatest in all Egypt the measure of his Foot exceeding Seven Cubits the other Two much less than the former reaching but to his Knees the one standing on the right and the other on the left being his Daughter and Mother This Piece is not only commendable for its greatness but admirable for its Cut and Workmanship and the Excellency of the Stone in so great a Work there 's not to be discern'd the least Flaw or any other Blemish Upon it there is this Inscription I am Osimanduas King of Kings if any would know how great I am and where I lye let him excel me in any of my Works There was likewise at this Second Gate another Statue of his Mother by her self of one Stone Twenty Cubits in height upon her Head were plac'd Three Crowns to denote she was both the Daughter Wife and Mother of a King Near to this Portico they say there was another Gallery or Piazzo more remarkable than the former in which were various Sculptures representing his Wars with the Bactrians who had revolted from him against whom it 's said he march'd with Four Hundred Thousand Foot and Twenty Thousand Horse which Army he divided into Four Bodies and appointed his Sons Generals of the whole In the first Wall might be seen the King assaulting a Bulwark inviron'd with the River and fighting at the Head of his Men against some that make up against him assisted with a Lion in a terrible manner which some affirm is to be taken of a true and real Lion which the King bred up tame which went along with him in all his Wars and by his great strength ever put the Enemy to flight Others make this Construction of it that the King being a Man of extraordinary Courage and strength he was willing to trumpet forth his own praises setting forth the Bravery of his own Spirit by the representation of a Lion In the Second Wall was carv'd the Captives dragg'd after the King represented without Hands and Privy Members which was to signifie that they were of effeminate Spirits and had no Hands when they came to fight The Third Wall represented all sorts of Sculptures and curious Images in which were set forth the King 's sacrificing of Oxen and his Triumphs in that War In the middle of the Peristylion open to the Air at the top was rear'd an Altar of shining Marble of excellent Workmanship and for largeness to be admir'd In the last Wall were Two Statues each of one intire Stone †Forty Foot Seven and Twenty Cubits high Near to which Three Passages open'd out of the * The Gallery or Cloyster Peristylion into a stately Room supported with Pillars like to a Theater for Musick every side of the Theater was Two Hundred Foot Square In this there were many Statues of Wood representing the Pleaders and Spectators looking upon the Judges that gave Judgment Of these there were Thirty carv'd upon one of the Walls In the middle sat the Chief Justice with the Image of Truth hanging about his Neck with his Eyes clos'd having many Books lying before him This signify'd that a Judge ought not to take any Bribes but ought only to regard the Truth and Merits of the Cause Next adjoyning was a Gallery full of divers Apartments in which were all sorts of Delicate Meats ready drest up Near hereunto is represented the King himself curiously carv'd and painted in glorious Colours offering Gold and Silver to the Gods as much as he yearly receiv'd out of the Gold and Silver Mines The Sum was there inscrib'd according to the Rate of Silver to amount unto Thirty Two Millions of ‖ Three Thousand and Two Hundred times Ten Thousand of Mina's every Mina 3l 2s 6d That is Ninety Six Millions of Pounds Sterl and Sixteen Thousand Millions of Crowns Minas Next hereunto was the Sacred Library whereon was inscrib'd
Ethiopians Sesostris's Expedition inhabiting the South and having conquer'd them forc'd them to pay him Tribute of Ebony Gold and Elephant's Teeth Then he sent forth a Navy of Four Hundred Sail into the Red Sea and was the first Egyptian that built long Ships By the help of this Fleet he gain'd all the Islands in this Sea and subdu'd the bordering Nations as far as to India But he himself marching forward with his Land-Army conquer'd all Asia For he not only invaded those Nations which Alexander the Macedonian afterwards subdu'd but likewise those which he never set foot upon For he both pass'd over the River Ganges and likewise pierc'd through all India to the main Ocean Then he subdu'd the Scythians as far as to the River Tanais which divides Europe from Asia where they say he left some of his Egyptians at the Lake Meotis and gave Original to the Nations of Colchis and to prove that they were originally Egyptians they bring this Argument that they are circumcis'd after the manner of the Egyptians which Custom continu'd in this Colony as it did amongst the Jews In the same manner he brought into his Subjection all the rest of Asia and most of the Islands of the Cyclades Thence passing over into Europe he was in danger of losing his whole Army through the difficulty of the Passages and want of Provision And therefore putting a stop to his Expedition in Thrace up and down in all his Conquests he erected Pillars whereon were inscrib'd in Egyptian Letters call'd Hieroglifics these Words Sesoosis King of Kings and Lord of Lords subdu'd this Country by his Arms. Among those Nations that were stout and warlike he carv'd upon those Pillars the Privy Members of a Man Amongst them that were cowardly and faint-hearted the secret Parts of a Woman conceiving that the chief and principal Member of a Man would be a clear Evidence to Posterity of the Courage of every one of them In some Places he set up his own Statue carv'd in Stone arm'd with a Bow and a Lance above Four Cubits and Four Hands in height of which stature he himself was Having now spent Nine Years in this Expedition carrying himself courteously and familiarly towards all his Subjects in the mean time he ordered the Nations he had conquer'd to bring their Presents and Tributes every Year into Egypt every one proportionable to their several Abilities And he himself with the Captives and the rest of the Spoils of which there was a vast quantity return'd into Egypt far surpassing all the Kings before him in the greatness of his Actions and Atchievements He adorn'd all the Temples of Egypt with rich Presents and the Spoils of his Enemies Then he rewarded his Souldiers that had serv'd him in the War every one according to their Desert It 's most certain that the Army not only return'd loaded with Riches and receiv'd the Glory and Honour of their approv'd Valour but the whole Country of Egypt reapt many Advantages by this Expedition Sesoosis having now disbanded his Army gave leave to his Companions in Arms and Fellow Victors to take their ease and injoy the Fruits of their Conquest But he himself fir'd with an earnest desire of Glory and ambitious to leave behind him eternal Monuments of his Memory made many fair and stately Works admirable both for their Cost and Contrivance by which he both advanc'd his own Immortal Praise and procur'd unspeakable Advantages to the Egyptians with perfect Peace and Security for the time to come For beginning first with what concern'd the Gods he built a Temple in all the Cities of Egypt to that God whom every particular place most ador'd and he imploy'd none of the Egyptians in his Works but finish'd all by the labours of the Captives and therefore he caus'd an Inscription to be made upon all the Temples thus None of the Natives were put to labour here It 's reported that some of the Babylonian Captives because they were not able to bear the fatigue of the Work rebell'd against the King and having possess'd themselves of a Fort near the River they took up Arms against the Egyptians and wasted the Country thereabouts but at length having got a Pardon they chose a Place for their Habitation and call'd it after the Name of that in their own Country Babylon Upon the like occasion they say that Troy situated near the River Nile was so call'd For Menelaus when he return'd from Ilium with many Prisoners arriv'd in Egypt where the Trojans deserting the King seiz'd upon a certain strong place and took up Arms against the Greeks till they had gain'd their Liberty and then built a famous City after the name of their own But I am not ignorant how Ctesias the Cretian gives a far different account of these Cities when he says that some of those who came in former times with Semiramis into Egypt call'd the Cities which they built after the Names of those in their own Country But it 's no easie matter to know the certain truth of these things Yet it 's necessary to observe the different Opinions concerning them that the Judicious Reader may have an occasion to inquire in order to pick out the real Truth Sesoosis moreover rais'd many Mounts and Banks of Earth to which he remov'd all the Cities that lay low and in the plain that both Man and Beast might be safe and secure at the time of the Inundation of the River He cut likewise many deep Dykes from the River all along as far as from Memphis to the Sea for the ready and quick conveying of Corn and other Provision and Merchandize by short Cuts thither both for the support of Trade and Commerce and maintenance of Peace and Plenty all over the Country And that which was of greatest moment and concern of all was that he fortify'd all Parts of the Country against Incursions of Enemies and made it difficult of access whereas before the greatest part of Egypt lay open and expos'd either for Chariots or Horsemen to enter But now by reason of the multitude of Canals drawn all along from the River the Entrance was very difficult and the Country not so easily to be invaded He defended likewise the East side of Egypt against the Irruptions of the Syrians and Arabians with a Wall drawn from Ielusium through the Deserts as far as to Heliopolis for the space of a Thousand and Five Hundred Furlongs He caus'd likewise a Ship to be made of Cedar Two Hundred and Fourscore Cubits in length guilded over with Gold on the outside and with Silver within and this he dedicated to the God that was most ador'd by the Thebans He erected likewise Two Obelisks of Polish'd Marble a Hundred and Twenty Cubits high on which were inscrib'd a Description of the large Extent of his Empire the great value of his Revenue and the number of the Nations by him conquer'd He plac'd likewise at Memphis in the Temple of
of the Herbs and Onions that were spent upon the Labourers during the Works which amounted to above Sixteen Hundred Talents There 's nothing writ upon the lesser The Entrance and Ascent is only on one side cut by steps into the main Stone Although the Kings design'd these Two for their Sepulchers yet it hapen'd that neither of them were there buri'd For the People being incens'd at them by the reason of the Toyl and Labour they were put to and the cruelty and oppression of their Kings threatned to drag their Carkases out of their Graves and pull them by piece-meal and cast them to the Dogs and therefore both of them upon their Beds commanded their Servants to bury them in some obscure place After him reign'd Mycerinus otherwise call'd Cherinus the Son of him who Mycerinus built the first Pyramid This Prince began a Third but died before it was finish'd every square of the Basis was †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three Plethras Three Hundred Foot The Walls for fifteen Stories high were of black Marble like that of Thebes the rest was of the same Stone with the other Pyramids Though the other Pyramids went beyond this in greatness yet this far excell'd the rest in the Curiosity of the Structure and the largeness of the Stones On that side of the Pyramid towards the North was inscrib'd the Name of the Founder Mycerinus This King they say detesting the severity of the former Kings carried himself all his Days gently and graciously towards all his Subjects and did all that possibly he could to gain their Love and Good Will towards him besides other things he expended vast Sums of Money upon the Oracles and Worship of the Gods and bestowing large Gifts upon honest Men whom he judg'd to be injur'd and to be hardly dealt with in the Courts of Justice There are other Pyramids every Square of which are Two Hundred Foot in the Basis and in all things like unto the other except in bigness It 's said that these Three last Kings built them for their Wives It is not in the least to be doubted but that these Pyramids far excel all the other Works throughout all Egypt not only in the Greatness and Costs of the Building but in the Excellency of the Workmanship For the Architects they say are much more to be admir'd than the Kings themselves that were at the Cost For those perform'd all by their own Ingenuity but these did nothing but by the Wealth handed to them by descent from their Predecessors and by the Toyl and Labour of other Men. Yet concerning the first Builders of these Pyramids there 's no Consent either Uncertain who built the Pyramids amongst the Inhabitants or Historians For some say they were built by the Kings before mention'd some by others As that the greatest was built by Armeus the Second by * Ammosis Amasis and the Third by †Maronas Inaronas But some say that this last was the Sepulcher of one Rhodopides a Curtesan and was built in remembrance of her at the common Charge of some of the Governors of the Provinces who were her Amours Bocchoris was the next who succeeded in the Kingdom a Bocchoris in the Reign of Vzziab King of Judah An. Mun. 3283 before Christ 766. Helv. Cron. very little Man for Body and of a mean and contemptible Presence but as to his Wisdom and Prudence far excelling all the Kings that ever were before him in Egypt A long time after him one Sabach an Ethiopian came to the Sabacon or Sabaco taken to be so who joyn'd with Hoshea King of Isreal Throne going beyond all his Predecessors in his Worship of the Gods and kindness to his Subjects Any Man may judge and have a clear Evidence of his gentle Disposition in this that when the Laws pronounc'd the severest Judgment I mean Sentence of Death he chang'd the Punishment and made an Edict that the Condemn'd Persons should Persons to work in Chains instead of being put to Death be kept to work in the Towns in Chains by whose Labour he rais'd many Mounts and made many Commodious Canals conceiving by this means he should not only moderate the severity of the Punishment but instead of that which was unprofitable advance the publick Good by the Service and Labours of the Condemn'd A Man may likewise judge of his extraordinary Piety from his Dream and his Abdication of the Government for the Tutelar God of Thebes seem'd to speak to him in his Sleep and told him that he could not long reign happily and prosperously in Egypt except he cut all the Priests in Pieces when he pass'd through the midst of them with his Guards and Servants which Advice being often repeated he at length sent for the Priests from all parts and told them that if he staid in Egypt any longer he found that he should displease God who never at any time before by Dreams or Visions commanded any such thing And that he would rather be gone and lose his Life being pure and innocent than displease * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord. Anarchy God or injoy the Crown of Egypt by staining his Life with the horrid Murder of the Innocent And so at length giving up the Kingdom into the Hands of the People he return'd into Ethiopia Upon this there was an Anarchy for the space of Two Years but the People falling into Tumults and intestine Broyls and Slaughters one of another Twelve of the chief Nobility of the Kingdom joyn'd in a Solemn Oath and then calling a Senate at Memphis and making some Laws for the better directing and cementing of them in mutual peace and fidelity they took upon them the Regal Power and Authority After Twelve Kings reign lovingly in Egypt Herodot lib. 2. c. 147. they had govern'd the Kingdom very amicably for the space of Fifteen Years according to the Agreement which they had mutually sworn to observe they apply'd themselves to the building of a Sepulcher where they might all lye together that as in their Life-time they had been equal in their Power and Authority and had always carried it with love and respect one towards another so after Death being all bury'd together in one Place they might continue the Glory of their Names in one and the same Monument To this end they made it their business to excel all their Predecessors in the greatness of their Works For near the Lake of Myris in Lybia they built a Four-square Monument of Polish'd Marble every square a Furlong in length for curious Carvings and other pieces of Art not to be equall'd by any that should come after them When you are enter'd within the Wall there 's presented a stately Fabrick supported round with Pillars Forty on every side The Roof was of one intire Stone whereon was curiously carv'd Racks and Mangers for Horses and other excellent pieces of Workmanship and painted and adorn'd with divers sorts of
Love or Hatred or some other unruly Passion committed the wicked act notwithstanding and therefore they were resolv'd to follow the Rules of living before approv'd by wise and prudent Men and not to fall into the least Irregularity The Kings therefore carrying this even Hand towards ail their Subjects were more beloved by them than by their own Kindred and Relations For not only all the Orders of the Priests but the whole Nation together were more concern'd for the Health and Prosperity of their Kings than they were for their Wives and Children or their private Interests in their Goods and Estates and therefore as long as these wholsom Laws were observ'd amongst 'em they preserv'd their Government without stain or blemish for many Ages under the Kings before-mention'd living in the height of all Worldly Happiness And besides all this were Conquerors of many Nations and grew exceeding rich and their Provinces were beautify'd with many stately magnificent Works and their Cities adorn'd with many rich Gifts of all sorts What the Egyptians perform'd after the Deaths of every of their Kings clearly evidences the great Love they bore to them For Honour done him that cannot possibly know it in a grateful return of a former Benefit carries along with it a Testimony of Sincerity without the least colour of Dissimulation For upon Burial of the Kings the Death of every King the Egyptians generally lament with an universal Mourning rend their Garments shut up their Temples inhibit Sacrifices and all Feasts and Solemnities for the space of Seventy Two Days They cast * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dirt Dust likewise upon their Heads and gird themselves under their Breasts with a Linnen Girdle and thus Men and Women Two Hundred or Three Hundred sometimes in a Company twice a Day go about singing mournful Songs in praise of the deceas'd King recalling his Virtues as it were from the very Grave During that time they neither eat Flesh nor any thing bak'd or heated by the Fire and abstain from Wine and all Sumptuous Fare Neither dare any use Baths or Oyntments Beds trim'd up or indulge themselves with Women But every one as if they had lost their dearest beloved Child is in mourning and sadness and spends all these Days in Lamentation In the mean time all things are prepar'd in a stately manner for the Funeral and the last day the Coffin with the Body inclos'd is set at the Entrance into the Sepulcher And there according to the Law in honour of the Deceased all the Actions of his Life are rehears'd where every one that will has free liberty to accuse him But all the Priests set forth his Praise mentioning all the noble Actions of his Life and many Thousands of People met together at the bringing forth of the Body if the King have rul'd well second the Priests with a tumultuous Cry and Noise of Approbation But if he have govern'd otherwise they are hush and still And therefore many of the Kings through the dislike of the People have not been honour'd with any Funeral Pomp or solemn Burial upon which account the succeeding Kings not only for the Reasons before-mention'd but because they fear the abuse of their Bodies after Death and everlasting disgrace and dishonour have study'd how to acquit themselves by just and Virtuous Actions These are the most remarkable Manners and Customs of the ancient Kings of Egypt The whole Land of Egypt is divided into several Parts which the Greeks call The Division of Egypt into Three Parts Nomoi over every one of which is appointed a Lord Lieutenant or Provincial Governor who is intrusted with Administration of publick Affairs in the Province The whole Country likewise is divided into Three Parts whereof the First is allotted to the Priests who are highly reverenc'd and are in great Authority among the People both for their Piety towards the Gods and their great Wisdom and Learning wherein they instruct the People And out of their Revenues they provide Sacrifices throughout all Egypt and maintain their Families and Servants and procure all other things necessary for themselves For they judge it not lawful by any means that the Worship of the Gods should be altered but always perform'd by them after the same manner nor that those who are the publick Ministers of State should want any thing that is necessary For these are always at the King's Elbow as the Chief of his Privy Counsel who assist advise and instruct him upon all occasions By the help of Astrology and viewing the Intrals of the Sacrifices they Divine and foretel future Events and out of the Records in the sacred Registers from things done in former times they read profitable Lectures for present use and practice For it is not as among the Grecians that one Man or one Woman only executes the Priest's Office but in Egypt many are imploy'd in the Sacrifices and Worship of the Gods who teach the same way and manner of Service to their Children and Posterity They are free from all publick Taxes and Impositions and are in the Second place to the King in Honour and Authority The Second Portion belongs to the King as his Revenue to support his Royal State and Dignity and maintain the Charge of his Wars and to inable him to reward those that have been eminent for their Virtue and publick Service with Gifts according to their Deserts and inasmuch as this Portion brings in a plentiful Provision for all these purposes the People are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not drown them oppress'd with Taxes and heavy Impositions The last Portion belongs to the Soldiers who at a word are ready at the King's Commands for every Expedition that they who venture their Lives in the Wars being indear'd to their Country by that plentiful share and proportion allotted them may more chearfully undergo the hazards of War For it would be an irrational thing to intrust the safety and preservation of the whole with them who have nothing in their Country that 's dear or valuable to them to sight for And the chief Reason why so large a share is allotted to them is that they might more readily marry and by that means make the Nation more populous and so there might be no need of Foreign Aids and Assistances Besides that Children descended from Soldiers would be apt to imitate the valour of their Ancestors and minding Arms from their very Childhood would at length through their natural Courage and Skill in their Arms become unconquerable The Nation likewise is distinguish'd into Three other Classes and Orders of Men Shepherds Husbandmen and Artificers The Husbandmen take the Land fit for Tillage and bearing of other Fruits of the King the Priests and the Sword-men upon an easie Rent and take up all their Time in this Business and because they are bred up from their very Infancy in Country Affairs they are the most Skilful Husbandmen of any other Nation in the
Taprobana In this ensuing Book pursuing such things as are coherent with those that went before we shall treat of the Ethiopians and Africans and of the Atlantick Islands CHAP. I. Of the Ethiopians Their Letters Laws Arms Religion Funerals The Description of several Parts of the Country Manner of making of Gold Of the Ichthyophages their several sorts and way of Living THE Ethiopians say that they were the First Men that ever were in the World and that to prove this they have clear Demonstrations For they say they are Natives of the Country and not Strangers that came to settle there and are therefore by the general Consent almost of all Men call'd †Born in the Land Autochthones and that in every Man's Opinion it 's most probable that those that inhabit the * Near the Pole Antartick South were the first Living Men that sprung out of the Earth For being that the heat of the Sun at the first exhal'd the Moisture of the Earth and in the first production of all things influenc'd it with a quickening Virtue they say it 's very rational to conclude that those Places next to the Sun should be the first Parents of all Living Creatures It 's affirm'd among them that they were the first that instituted Religious Worship and pompous Sacrifices with solemn Assemblies and other things us'd in the Service and to the honour of the Gods and they hold that the Sacrifices of the Ethiopians are the most acceptable to the Gods of any other and in Testimony hereof they produce the most ancient Poet and of greatest Authority amongst the Grecians who in his Iliads introduces Jupiter with the rest of the Gods travelling into Ethiopia to the Anniversary Sacrifice and solemn Festival prepar'd for them by the Ethiopians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad lib. 1. v. 424. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Jove and all the Gods are gone to Feast With pious Ethiopians in the West And they say it 's very evident that the Gods reward them for their Piety for that they were never brought into subjection to any Foreign Prince but always remain'd a free People and at perfect Peace among themselves And although many and those most Potent Princes likewise have invaded yet none have succeeded in their Attempts For Cambyses making in upon them with mighty Forces was in danger both to have lost his Life and his whole Army And Semiramis who was so famous both for her Skill and Success in Arms having but enter'd a little way into Ethiopia presently saw it was to no purpose to think of conquering that Nation Hercules likewise and Bacchus who ran through the whole World forbore only the Ethiopians being awed by the Piety of that People and discourag'd with the difficulty of the Attempt The Ethiopians likewise say that the Egyptians are a Colony drawn out from P. 101. them by Osiris and that Egypt was formerly no part of the Continent but a Sea at the beginning of the World but that afterwards it was by degrees made Land by the River Nile which brought down Slime and Mud out of Ethiopia And that that Country was made dry Land by heaps of Earth forc'd down by the River they say is apparent by evident Signs about the Mouths of Nile For always every Year may be seen fresh Heaps of Mud cast up at the Mouths of the River by the working of the Sea and the Land increas'd by it Moreover they affirm that most of the Egyptian Laws are the same with those in Ethiopia the Colony still observing the Customs of their Ancestors and that they learnt from the Ethiopians the Custom of Deifying of their Kings and their Care and Costs in their Burials and such like things us'd amongst them Besides the making of Statues and the Characters of their Letters For whereas the Egyptians have common and ordinary Characters us'd promiscuously by all the Inhabitants and likewise those they call Sacred known only by the Priests privately taught them by their Parents yet the Ethiopians use both those sorts without any difference or distinction The several Colleges of the Priests they say observe one and the same Order and Discipline in both the Nations For as many as are so consecrated for Divine Service are wholly devoted to Purity and Religion and in both Countries are shaven alike and are cloath'd with the like Stoles and Attire and carry a Scepter like unto a Plow-share such as their Kings likewise bear with high crown'd Caps tufted at the Top wreath'd round with Serpents call'd Asps by which is seem'd to be signify'd that those who contrive any thing against the Life of the King are as sure to dye as if they were stung with the deadly Bite of the Asp Many other things they report of their Antiquity and of a Colony of them heretofore carry'd away into Egypt of which it's unnecessary further to write But lest we should omit things that are antient and remarkable it 's fit something Hieroglyphicks should be said of the Ethiopick Characters and of those which the Egyptians call Hieroglyphicks The Ethiopick Letters represent the Shapes of divers Beasts Parts and Members of Mens Bodies and Artificers Tools and Instruments For by their Writing they do not express any thing by composition of Syllables but by the signification of Images and Representations the meaning of them being ingraven and fixt in the Memory by use and exercise For sometimes they draw the Shape of a Kite Crocodile or Serpent sometimes the Members of a Man's Body as the Eye the Hand the Face and such like The Kite signifies all things that are quickly dispatcht because this Bird flies the swistest almost of any other For Reason presently applies it by a suitable Interpretation to every thing that is suddain and quick or of such nature as perfectly as if they had been spoken The Crocodile is the Emblem of Malice The Eye the preserver of Justice and the Guard of the Body Amongst the Members of the Body the Right Hand with open Fingers signifies Plenty the Left with the Fingers close Preservation and custody of Men's Goods and Estates The same way of reasoning extends to all other Parts of the Body and the forms of Tools and all other things for being that they diligently pry into the hidden signification of every thing and have their Minds and Memories daily imploy'd with continual Exercise they exactly read and understand every thing coucht within the Hieroglyphicks A great part of the Ethiopian Laws differ very much from other Nations especially The Laws of the Ethiopians those which concern the Election of their Kings For they pick out the best of their Priests out of every Rank and Order and whomsoever of those so chosen their Revelling God which they carry about according to Custom does first lay hold on the People they make King and forthwith fall down upon their Knees and worship as a God and render him other Honours as he
to Bacchus and left them in his Cave and afterwards falling in love with Cybele wandred up and down with her as far as to the †Hyperborean signifies very far North by which the Ancients use to express the furthest Parts of the World Hyperborean Mountains And whereas there was a Plague and Famine in Phrygia the Phrygians inquir'd at the * Of Apollo at Delphos Oracle how they should be freed from the Calamity they lay under It 's said the God commanded them to bury Attis and adore Cybele as a Goddess The Phrygians therefore because they could not find any part of his Body through length of time since he was kill'd made a Statue for him which they follow'd as to his Burial with Howling Lamentations and other honourable Ceremonies proper for his Funeral and so made an Attonement for their former Offence which Solemnity they constantly observe to this very Day and offer Yearly Sacrifices to Cybele who formerly erected Altars to the Gods there In honour of this Cybele they built a magnificent Temple in Pesinunte a City of Phrygia and instituted solemn Sacrifices and Divine Worship to her which Work was advanc'd by the assistance of King Midas They Plac'd Leopards and Lions standing by the Statue of the Goddess because it was generally believ'd she was nurs'd up by them And these are the things which the Phrygians and the Atlantides the Inhabitants of the Coasts bordering on the Ocean do report of this Mother of the Gods After the Death of Hyperion they report that the Children of * Coelus divided †Vranus the Kingdom amongst themselves amongst whom Atlas and Saturn were the most renown'd The Country bordering upon the Ocean fell by lot upon Atlas who call'd the People there Atlantides and the greatest Mountain in the World Atlas after his own Name They say that he was an excellent Astrologer and was the first that discover'd the Knowledge of the Sphere whence rose the common Opinion that he carry'd the World upon his Shoulders noting by this Fancy his Invention and Description of the Sphere The most eminent among his many Sons was Hesperus for Piety towards the Gods and Justice and Kindness towards his Subjects Being upon the Top of Mount Atlas to observe the motion of the Stars he suddainly vanisht in a Tempest The People hereupon much lamenting the loss of him that they might for ever honour him call'd the Brightest * Hesperus the Morning Star Star in the Heavens after his Name Atlas likewise had Seven Daughters who were all call'd after their Father's Name Atlantides but their several proper Names were Maia Electra Taygeta Asterope Merope Halcyone and Celaeno All these were got with Child by several Heroick Princes and even by some of the Gods themselves and bore divers Sons who were the first Ancestors of several Nations and for their virtuous Qualifications were afterwards call'd Gods and Demy-Gods So Maia the Eldest was got with Child by Jupiter and bore Mercury the Inventor of many Arts and Sciences for the use of Mankind All the rest likewise had Sons who were famous in their Times some of which gave beginning to whole Nations others to some particular Cities and therefore not only some of the Barbarians but likewise some among the Greeks refer P. 136. the Original of many of the ancient Heroes to these Daughters of Atlas for they were in great Reputation for Wisdom and Justice and therefore when they were Dead were ador'd as Goddesses and fixt in the Constellation of the * The Seven Stars Pleiades Nymphs were commonly call'd Atlantides because Nymphs is a general Term in this Country apply'd to all Women They say that Saturn the Brother of Atlas was extraordinary Prophane and Covetous and Marrying his Sister Rhea he begat Jupiter afterwards surnam'd Olympus There was another Jupiter the Brother of Coelus and King of Crete but much inferior for Glory and Renown to the later For this later was Lord of the World but the ancient Jupiter was only King of the Island before-nam'd and had Ten Sons whom they call'd Curetes and call'd the Island Ida after the Name of his Wife where he himself was buried the Remains of whose Sepulcher are to be seen at this Day However the Cretians relate several Stories of these Jupiters of whom we shall write distinctly when we come to their History Saturn reign'd they say over Sicily Africa and Italy and inlarg'd his Dominion over all the Western Parts of the World and by Garrisons and strong Forts plac'd in convenient Places kept his Subjects every where within the Bounds of their Duty And hence it is that at this very Day in the Western Parts of Sicily the high Mounts that are to be seen here and there are call'd †Saturn ' s Castles Jupiter Cronia Jupiter they say was the Sun of Saturn who contrary to what his Father did before him carry'd himself justly and courteously toward all and therefore he was call'd Father by all his Subjects He succeeded in the Kingdom either as given up to him by his Father or set upon the Throne by his Subjects out of hatred to his Father And though Saturn afterwards by the help of the Titans made War upon his Son yet Jupiter overcame him in a Battel and so gain'd the Kingdom And afterwards he ran through the whole World doing good to all Mankind And because he was of a strong Body and endowed with all virtuous Qualifications of Mind he easily conquer'd the whole World He chiefly made it his Business to punish the Impious and to do good to all his People And therefore after he left the World he was call'd * Zeus Zena from Life because he was the first that taught Men to live well And therefore they of whom he had deserv'd well rewarded him with this Honour that he was unanimously by all placed in the highest Heavens and call'd a God and Supream Lord of all the Earth And this is the full Account distinctly related of all the Gods mention'd and recorded by the Atlantides And for as much as before in the account we gave of the Egyptian Antiquities we came in the Course of the general History to the Genealogy of Bacchus whom B 〈…〉 s. the Greeks call Dionysius and his Acts We conceive it sit here to add what the Grecians have delivered to Posterity concerning this God But in regard the ancient Fabulous Historians and Poets have given different Accounts of Bacchus and have related many monstrous Stories it 's very difficult to set forth truly his Genealogy and Acts. For some say there was but one †Bacchus Dionysius others that there were Three But some say there never was any such Man but conceive that Wine is to be taken for Dionysius We shall therefore in short run over distinctly what is said by every one of them The Naturalists who speak of this God and call Wine Bacchus say that the Earth amongst
Rhodes and Coos sent Forty the Ionians with them of Samos and Chius an Hundred the Eolians with Lesbos and Tenedos Forty They of the Hellespont with them that inhabited about Pontus Fourscore The Islanders Fifty For the King had secured to himself all the Islands between Cyaneas Triopion and Sunium Such was the number of the Men of War in the Navy besides Eight Hundred and Fifty prepared for transporting of Horses and Three Thousand Ships of Burden of Thirty Oars a-piece Thus Xerxes was imploy'd at Doriscus in numbring his Army but the General Council of Greece being informed that the Forces of the Persians did approach it was ordered that the Grecian Fleet should forthwith sail to Artemesium in * Now call'd Negropont Eubaea judging that to be the most convenient place to oppose the Enemy And a Guard of Men at Arms are sent to Thermopile sufficient as was conceived to secure the Straits and Passages and repel the Barbarians For it was determined with all haste and speed to defend on every side all those that took part with the Grecians and with their Forces every way to preserve their Confederates Euribiades a Lacedemonian was Admiral of the whole Fleet Leonidas †Or King General of Sparta commanded the Forces sent to Thermopile a brave Man and an excellent Soldier Leonidas taking upon him the Command chose only a Thousand Men out of the Army to follow him in this Expedition But the * The Council or Parliament of Sparta Ephori or Common Council advising him to take a greater number against so powerful an Enemy yea commanding him so to do he in an intricate and perplexed Speech made Answer That in truth that number was too few to keep the Pass against the Barbarians but that he needed no more to accomplish that Design which they were going about to effect Receiving this dark Answer they asked him whether he led out the Army upon any slight and inconsiderable Attempt He return'd in Answer that in Words and Talk he was to lead them to defend the Passages But in truth and in the Event to dye for the Common Liberty Therefore if these Thousand which he had chosen might go along with him the Fame of Sparta would be advanced even by their Destruction But if all the Lacedemonians should go thither the very Lacedemonian Name would be utterly extinct they being Men never used to fly to save themselves Upon this there were allotted to him a Thousand Lacedemonians Three Hundred Spartans and Three Thousand out of the rest of the Army So that he marcht away with Four Thousand Soldiers to Thermopile But the Locrians who inhabited near the Passages had given †Earth and Water signs of Subjection Vid. Antea Earth and Water to the Persians and had promis'd to seize the Passes But when they perceiv'd Leonidas to advance to Thermopile they revolted and joined themselves to the Greciau Army and so a Thousand Locrians as many Milesians and near a Thousand Phocians marched with him to Thermopile besides Four Hundred Thebans of a different Faction sided now with Greece For the Thebans that were in Confederacy with the Persians were divided amongst themselves This then is the utmost number of the Army which under Leonidas their General came to Thermopile and there prepared themselves to bear the brunt of the whole strength of the Persians Xerxes having now numbred his Forces march'd * From Doriscus in Thrace upon the Banks of Hebrus P. 245. away with his whole Army to the City Acanthus his Fleet sailing near at hand over against him thence his Navy pass'd through the Ditch or Sluce cut through the †Isthmus of Mount Athos Istmos and by that means he pass'd his Fleet into the other * That lyeth before the Town Sea by a short and safe Cut. When he came to the Bay of †Not of Elis as the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mistaken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near Thermopyle Melus he was inform'd that all the Passages were possessed by the Enemy Upon which he again increas'd his Forces and join'd to them little less than Two Hundred Thousand Men more which he had raised as his Confederates out of Europe So that besides his Naval Forces his Land Army consisted of no less than a * A Hundred Myriads is a Million Hundred Myriads And the rest that were in his Fleet what in his Men of War and what in his Transport Ships and Shipping for other Necessaries were judged to be no way inferior for number to his Land Forces Therefore what we find reported concerning the Number he brought with him is not to be wondred at For it 's said that †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never failing Rivers great Rivers were drunk up by that multitude and that the Sea it self was even cover'd over by the spreading forth of the Sails of the Ships So that the Forces of Xerxes have been by all reputed the greatest that ever any History made mention of The Persian Army now incamping at the River Sperchius Xerxes sent Messengers to Thermopyle both to find out with what Resolution he was likely to be oppos'd and likewise to declare that the King commanded them to lay down their Arms and return in safety to their own Countries and become Friends and Confederates to the Persians which if they yielded to then he faithfully promis'd that he would bestow upon them both larger and richer Countries than those they did then inhabit This Message being heard those with Leonidas returned this Answer that they were in a better Posture to be the Kings Confederates being arm'd than if they were disarm'd and if it happen'd that they must fight then they could more gallantly and couragiously venture their Lives for their Liberties As for the Countries which the King promis'd them they bid them tell him that it was not the manner of the Grecians by any base and dishonourable means to plant themselves in any Country or to gain Lands and Estates but by Virtue and Valour and being so gain'd by the same Valour to defend them Xerxes having receiv'd this Answer presently sent for Demaratus the Spartan who was banished from his Country and fled to him and in a scoffing manner ask'd the Laconian whether the Grecians could run faster than his Horses or whether they durst ingage with so great an Army Demaratus is reported to have answer'd the King thus You are not O King unacquainted with the Valour of the Grecians forasmuch as your Majesty ever made use of them to reduce your Rebellious Subjects upon all occasions And do not think that these who have done more than the Persians in the Defence of your Majesty's Sovereignty will approve themselves with less Valour for the preservation of their own Liberties against the Persians At which words Xerxes laughing him to scorn commanded him to follow him that he might presently see the Lacedemonians taking to their Heels
in a Judgment they lately gave in a Cause between them of Argos and Athens For they that were Judges in that Assembly were so envious against the Athenians that though the Athenians provided more Ships for the late War than all the Grecians beside Ant. Chr. 469. yet they judg'd them worthy of no more Honour than any of the rest of the Greeks For these Reasons he judg'd it not advisable to trust to that Assembly at Sparta for from his late defence made at Athens they took occasion to renew their Accusation for in his Justification he had confess'd he had received Letters from Pausanias to perswade him to joyn with him in his Treason conceiving this would be a strong Argument for the support of his Innocency in as much as it might be concluded that Pausanias would never have used such earnest intreaty unless he had before disallow'd of Pausanias his Treasonable Designs For these Reasons Themistocles fled to Admeius King of the * Of Epirus Themistocles flies to the Molossians Molossians and at his Court humbly prayed for Protection The King at the first receiv'd him courteously and promis'd that he would take care of his safety But when the Lacedemonians sent some of the Nobility to him to demand Themistocles calling him Traytor and the ruin of Greece and denouncing War against the King by all the Grecians unless he did deliver him The King at length mov'd with their Threats and yet pitying his late Suppliant on the one hand and desiring to avoid the imputation of ignominy of harbouring a Traitor on the other hand advis'd Themistocles with all speed to be gone as privately as he could and furnish'd him with a great Sum of Money for his support in his Flight Having receiv'd the Money and all other Supplies necessary provided by the King for Ant. Chr. 469. him he fled in the Night from the Molossians and finding Two Young Merchants of Liguria who were well acquainted with the Voyage he fled with them and by the advantage of the Night and the unwearied care and industry of the Two Young Men he deceiv'd the Lacedemonians and came safe into Asia Themistocles flies into Asia where he had a special Friend call'd Lysithedas a Man of great wealth and interest and with him he abode This Man was in great favour with Xerxes the Persian P. 271. King and had nobly entertain'd his whole Army as they pass'd that way By which means he became very familiar and endear'd to the King The Man pitying the present condition of Themistocles endeavour'd all he could to prefer him and promis'd to do him all the service that was in his power But when Themistocles desir'd him to bring him to the King he at first refused alledging if he did the King would take off his Head because he had done so much Mischief to the Persians Yet when he found that Themistocles was in earnest and pressing he yielded to him and in a short time procur'd him a safe Conduct into Persia It was a Custom there that when any of the King's Concubines Themistocles convey'd into Persia were brought to him they were carried in a Chariot close cover'd and it was not lawful for any either to spie or inquire who was so carried Lysitheidas made use of this to effect what he design'd for he procur'd a Chariot sumptuously adorn'd with Flags and Streamers and put Themistocles into it and with all secresie brought him safe to the King who had first promis'd Lysitheidas Ante Chr. 469. in private that none should do him any Injury After he came into the King's presence and in an elegant and fluent Discourse had satisfied him that he had not been any ways injurious to the Persians he was fairly discharg'd and acquitted And being thus safe by the favour of an Enemy he fell presently into a new and far greater danger which was thus Mandona the Daughter of Darius that destroy'd the Magi and Sister of Xerxes The further danger Themistocles fell into was of high esteem among the Persians she lost all her Children in the Sea-Fight where the Persians were routed which she could not bear without great trouble which mov'd all to pity her She hearing that Themistocles was come to Court in a Mourning Habit and with many Tears petitioned the King her Brother that he would kill Themistocles but not being able to prevail she solicited the Nobility to the same purpose and at length rais'd a tumultuous Multitude to demand Justice against him who rush'd with great Clamours and Noise into the Palace crying out for Justice against Themistocles The King told the Nobility that he would call a Senate and whatever they ordered should be effected Themistocles had time sufficient given him to prepare for his Trial within which time he perfectly learnt the Persian Language and did so manage and plead his own Cause before the Senate that he was acquitted both of Guilt and Themistocles deliver'd Punishment The King rejoic'd at his Discharge and honour'd him with many rich Gifts For he gave to him in Marriage a Virtuous Persian Lady of Noble Birth and excellent Beauty And order'd him many Servants to wait upon him and gave him all sorts of drinking Vessels and Ant. Chr. 469. The King of Persia's Bounty to Themistocles things for daily use not only for necessity but for delight and pleasure He bestow'd likewise upon him Three Cities for his Support and Maintainance Magnesia near the River Meander the richest City of Asia for Corn to provide him Bread Mynutes for Meat and Victuals being near the Sea where much Fish was caught and Lampsacus full of Vines for his Drink Themistocles now free from all fear of the Grecians by whom he was undeservedly banish'd after all the good Services he had done for them and richly provided for by them whom he had afflicted with grievous Slaughters lived in these Cities with great plenty of all things At length he died at Magnesia Themistocles his Death where he was Buried and a Sumptuous Monument there set up for him which remains to this day Xerxes long'd to renew the War against Greece and requir'd Themistocles to P. 272. be General of the Army Who assented upon Condition that Xerxes would swear that he would not undertake the War without him Upon which a Bull was sacrifi'd and at the Solemnity the King swore accordingly Then Themistocles drunk off a Cup of the Bull 's Blood and immediately fell down Dead Thus was Xerxes diverted and Themistocles by the manner of his Death left behind him a remarkable Evidence of his Sincerity in the Management of the Affairs of his Country And now we are come to the Death of the bravest Man amongst the Grecians of whom it may be justly doubted whether he fled to the Persians with Ant. Ch. 469. The Praise of Themistocles the stain of any Guilt or Treachery against his Country but rather believ'd that
to make War upon them both at once Dionysius likewise himself divided his Forces some against the Italiots and others against the Carthaginians Whereupon many light skirmishes pass'd between Parties here and there every day but nothing was as yet done of any moment But there afterwards hapned Two great Battles that were especially famous and remarkable in one of which at a place call'd Cabala Dionysius made himself noted Dionysius routs the Carthaginians at Cabala in Sicily for his Valour and routed the Enemy killing above Ten thousand of them and taking Five thousand prisoners forc'd the rest to fly to a Hill that was fortify'd but altogether without Water In this Fight Mago their General was kill'd behaving himself with great Gallantry and Resolution The Carthaginians terrify'd with the greatness of this Slaughter sent forthwith Ambassadors to make Peace with Dionysius but he P. 466. return'd them Answer that there was only one way left for them to make peace with him and that was forthwith to quit all the Cities of Sicily and to reimburse all the charge of the War This Answer was lookt upon as harsh and proud Therefore they betook themselves to their old Arts of Fraud and Deceit For they seem'd as if they allow'd of his terms but pretended that it was not in their power to deliver up the Cities to him therefore they desired a Truce for some few days that they might consult with the Magistrates concerning this Affair which he agreed unto He was much transported at the Ant. Ch. 381. Truce having now a prospect presently as he conceiv'd to be Lord of all Sicily In the mean time the Carthaginians bury'd Mago their King with great Pomp and State putting his Son into the same place who tho' he was very young yet there were marks and appearances in him of more than ordinary Wisdom and Valour This new General spent all the time of the Truce in Training and Disciplining of his Soldiers so that what with his daily Diligence exact Directions and frequent exercise of their Arms he had an Army both readily subject to Command and hardy and strong for Service And now the time of the Cessation expir'd and the Armies on both sides came hastily into the Field and at Cronion was a sharp Engagement where God gave the Carthaginians Another Battle at Cronion where Dionysius was beaten the Victory to make amends for their former slaughter For they who were grown proud and boasting by their Victory a little before were now as low and poor spirited On the other hand they who were altogether dejected and in despair by reason of their overthrow had their Spirits on a sudden rais'd by their great and unexpected success For Leptines who commanded one of the Wings a valiant Man signaliz'd himself and there sell in the Bed of Honour after he made a great slaughter amongst his Enemies After whose Fall the Carthaginians pluckt up their Spirits and at length put their Enemies to flight Dionysius with those choice Men he had with him at the first worsted those that charg'd him but when the death of Leptines was known and the other Wing was discern'd to be broken and dispers'd that part of the Army with Dionysius fled likewise Upon which the whole Body betaking themselves to their heels the Carthaginians made a hot pursuit and gave Orders that no Quarter should be given so that all being kill'd that came to hand every place for a long way together was strow'd and cover'd with dead Bodies The Carthaginians in revenge of their former loss had made so Ant Ch. 301. great a slaughter that when the slain came to be bury'd they were found to amount to above Fourteen thousand Sicilians and it was by the advantage of Night only that the rest escap'd The Carthaginians having now gain'd so great and remarkable a Victory return'd to Panormas However as it became Men they us'd their Prosperity with great Moderation and sent Ambassadors to Dionysius to offer him Terms of Peace which he readily embrac'd And all was concluded upon these conditions That both sides should keep what they had before the War save only that the Carthaginians should have the City and Territory of Selinuntia and part of the Country of Agrigemum Peace concluded by the Carthaginians with Dionysius as far as to the River Alycum and that Dionysius should pay a Thousand Talents to the Carthaginians And thus stood Affairs in Sicily at that time In Asia Gaius Admiral of the Persian Fleet who had rebell'd against the King after he had engag'd the Lacedemonians and Aegyptians to his Interest was Murther'd secretly Gaius Murther'd P. 467. Tachos Rebels against the King of Persia Ant. Ch. 381. by some body unknown and so fall'd of his Designs After whose Death Tachos pursuing the same Design got an Army together and built a City upon an high Rock joining to the Sea call'd Leuca where he built a Chappel to Apollo but he dy'd likewise a little after upon whose death the Clazomenians and they of Cuma fell at strife and variance for the Town which at first they went about to decide by force of Arms But afterwards by the advice of some Person consulting the Oracle of Delphos to know to which of the Cities Leuca should belong The Prophetess Answer'd That it should be theirs who should first sacrifice at Leuca but that both should set forth from their Cities at the rising of the Sun upon one and the same day as they themselves should agree upon Accordingly Contention between them of Cuma and them of Clazomenia about Leuca the day was set the Cumeans in the mean time lookt upon themselves to have the advantage because their City was nearer than the other But the Clazomenians tho' they were more remote yet contriv'd this project to gain their end They sent some of their Citizens chosen by Lot to a Colony of theirs not far from Leuca and from thence at Sun rising they began their Journey and so finish'd their Sacrifices before them of Cuma Having gain'd Leuca by this trick in memory thereof they appointed a yearly Festival which they call'd Prophthasia from this their coming first to Leuca These things thus done all Rebellions in Asia were at an end and the Lacedemonians now after the death of Gaius and Tachos would have no more to do with Asia but set their Heads at work how to advance their power in Greece And having persuaded some of the Cities and forc'd others to receive their Exiles they possess'd themselves of the Sovereighty of the whole manifestly against the League amongst all the Grecians made by Antalcydas by the help of the King of Persia In Macedonia King Amyntas after he was overcome by the Illyrians in despair of being able to help himself bestow'd a large Tract of Land upon the Olynthians which lay near to them as never thinking to be restor'd again to his Kingdom The Olynthians enjoy'd this Peace for
and the Illyrians rais'd again great Forces and design'd another Expedition against the Macedonians And to aggravate the matter one * Son of Aeâ—opus who formerly had Usurp'd the Kingdom of Macedon Pausanias of the Royal Family by the assistance of the King of Thrace endeavour'd to Invade the Kingdom of Macedon The Athenians likewise Enemies to Philip endeavour'd to restore * Argaeus another Son of Aeropus Argaeus to the Kingdom of his Ancestors and to this purpose had sent away their General Mantias with Three Thousand well-arm'd Men and a most excellent well provided Navy Hereupon the Macedonians by reason of the late Defeat and the Storm that then threatned them were in great Fear and Perplexity However notwithstanding all the Difficulties and Fear of those things that were at hand Philip nothing discourag'd with those dreadful Clouds of Mischief that seem'd to hang over his Head by his Speeches in the daily Assemblies retain'd the Macedonians in their Duty and by his Eloquence wherein he excell'd stirring them up to be courageous reviv'd their drooping Spirits Then setting upon Reforming the Military Discipline he compleatly arm'd his Men and Train'd them every Day teaching them how to handle their Arms and other Postures of War He likewise instituted the new way of Drawing up into a close Body imitating the Heroes at Troy in locking their Shields one within another so that he was the first that found out the Macedonian Phalange He was very Courteous and Gaining in his Converse and wan the Peoples Hearts both by his Bounty at present and his generous Promises of future Rewards very Politickly likewise as it were by so many Engines defending himself against the many and various Ant. Ch. 358. Mischiefs that were pressing upon him For when he discern'd that the Athenians made it their great business to recover Amphipolis and that Argaeus was endeavour'd to be restor'd to his Kingdom for that end he left the * Amphipolis City of his own accord suffering them to govern themselves according to their own Laws He sent likewise an Ambassador to the Paeones and some of them he corrupted with Bribes others he ensnar'd with fair and winning Promises and for the Present made Peace with them He prevented likewise Pausanias from being restor'd by bribing the King that was ready to assist him for that purpose In the mean time Manthias the Athenian Admiral being arriv'd at * Methone in Macedonia Methone there lay but sent Aegaeus before with a Body of Mercenaries to †Aegae in Macedonia Aegae Coming to the City he endeavour'd to perswade the Aegaeans to allow of his Return and to appear the first for his Restauration to the Kingdom but none consenting he went back to Methone Presently after Philip advancing with a well appointed Army set upon them and cut off many of the Mercenaries the rest who had fled to a Hill near at hand having first delivered up to him the Fugitives he dismiss'd by Agreement Philip being now Conqueror in this first Battel greatly encourag'd the Macedonians and made them hearty and eager to undergo further Toils and Difficulties Whilst these things were acting the Thracians planted a Colony at Crenides as it was heretofore call'd which the King afterwards call'd Philippi after his own Name and fill'd it with Inhabitants From this Time Theopompus of Chiâ—s begins his History of Philip and continues it in Fifty eight Books of which Five are controverted Afterwards Eucharist us was Archon of Athens and Quintus Servilius and Lucius Genucius were Consuls at Rome when Philip sent Ambassadors to Athens with Proposals of Peace Olymp. 105. 2. An. M. 3613. Ant. Ch. 357. and prevail'd with the People upon the account that he was content to quit all his Right in Amphipolis Being therefore thus freed from the War with the Athenians and hearing that Agis King of the Paeones was dead he judg'd that a fair Opportunity was offer'd him to invade the Paeones And to that end he enter'd their Country with a considerable Army overcame them in Battel and forc'd them to stoop to the Macedonian Yoke But still the * Illyrium now Dalmatia and the Inhabitants Dalmatians or Sclavonians Illyrians remain'd an Eye-sore to him whom his Heart and all his Thoughts were continually at work to bring under To that end he call'd a General Council and by a Speech fitted for the Occasion having spirited the Soldiers to the War he led an Army into the Illyrians Country of no less than Ten thousand Foot and Six hundred Horse Bardylis King of the Illyrians hearing of his coming first sent Ambassadors to Philip to renew the League between them upon these Terms That both of them should keep those Towns that they then had To which Philip answer'd That he was very desirous of Peace but resolv'd not to admit of it before that the Illyrians had quitted all the Towns belonging to the Kingdom of Macedon The Ambassadors therefore being return'd without effecting any thing Bardylis confiding Ant. Ch. 357 in the Valour of his Soldiers and encourag'd by his former Victories march'd forth against his Enemies with a strong Army having with him Ten thousand choice Foot and Five hundred Horse When the Armies drew near one to another they suddenly set up a great Shout and so fell to it Philip being in the Right Wing with a strong Body of Macedonians commanded his Horse to wheel about to the end to charge the Enemy in the Flank and he himself charged the Front upon which there was an hot Engagement On the other side the Illyrians drew up in a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Tilâ— foursquare Body and valiantly join'd Battel The Valour of the Armies on both sides was such that the issue of the Battel was doubtful a long time many fell but many more were wounded and the Advantage was now here and then there according as the Valour and Resolution of the Combatants gave Vigour and Life to the Business At length when the Horse charg'd both upon the Flank and the Rear and Philip with his stoutest Soldiers fought like a Hero in the Front the whole Body of the Illyrians were routed and forc'd to fly outright whom the Macedonians pursu'd a long way After many were kill'd in the pursuit Philip at length gave the Signal to his Men to retire and erected a Trophy and bury'd the Dead Then the Illyrians sent another Embassie and procur'd a Peace having first quitted all the Cities belonging to Macedon There were slain of the Illyrians in this Battel above Seven thousand Men. Having thus given an account of things done in Macedonia and Illyrium we shall now relate the Affairs of other Nations CHAP. II. The Actions of Dionysius the Tounger in Sicily and other Parts Dion's Flight to Corinth and his Return to Sicily Andromachus Peoples Tauromenum The Civil Wars in Euboea The Social War between the Athenians and other Nations Philip takes Amphipolis and
and return'd into Macedonia with a Design to hasten into Greece to quiet the Tumults and Disturbances there In the mean time the Thebans were intent upon driving the Macedonian Garison out of Alexander besieges Thebes Cadmea and to that end besieg'd the Citadel and had no sooner done so but Alexander was presently at the City Walls and lay before it with his whole Army The Thebans before Alexander's Approach had so begirt Cadmea with a deep Trench and a strong Ant. Ch. 333. Baracado of Timber that neither Relief nor Provision could be brought in to them They had sent likewise to the Arcadians Argives and Eleans for their Assistance and sollicited the Athenians by their Ambassadors to join with them and had receiv'd a great Number of Arms freely given to them by Demosthenes with which they arm'd those that had none Among those to whom the Thebans address'd themselves for Assistance the Peloponnesians had sent Forces as far as to the Isthmus and there order's them to make an Halt till the King came who was then expected The Athenians though they had decreed Aid to the Thebans yet they sent no Forces thither minding first to observe how Matters were like to go The Governor likewise of the Castle Cadmea taking Notice what great Preparation the Thebans were making for the Siege was very diligent to strengthen and fortify the Walls and had furnish'd the Garison with all sorts of Weapons But after that Alexander was come unexpectedly and on a sudden with his whole Army out of Thrace and that it was uncertain whether any Assistance would come in to the Thebans the Forces of the Enemy far exceeding them of Thebes the Officers call'd a Council of War to consult what to determine and there it was unanimously agreed to stand it out in Defence of the Liberties of their Country Which Resolution being approv'd of by all the Citizens all earnestly set themselves to the carrying on of the War But the King forbore Force for some time to the end they might have space to recollect themselves not thinking that one only City would engage with so great an Army Ant. Ch. 333. For Alexander had with him above Thirty thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse all old Experienc'd Soldiers Conquerors almost in every Battel under Philip in whose Valour he so far confided that he doubted not but by them to put an End to the Persian Monarchy However if the Thebans had yielded to the present Difficulty of the Time and had sent Ambassadors to the Macedonians with Terms of Peace he had no doubt comply'd with them and granted whatever they would have desir'd For he wish'd greatly to have all Quiet in Greece and to be Free and Undisturb'd in his War against the Persians But when he saw that he was slighted by the Thebans he resolv'd to destroy the City and by that means to terrify all others that for the future should dare to Rebel And now when the Army was drawn out in Battalia ready to engage the King caus'd Proclamation to be made that any of the Thebans should have Liberty to come in to him and whosoever did should enjoy the Common Liberty of Greece On the other side the Thebans to shew themselves as forward in their Ambition as the Enemy by the Voice of a Crier from an high Tower made another Proclamation That whosoever had a Desire to join with the * King of Persia great King and the Thebans to defend the Liberties of the Graecians and kill the Tyrant of Greece should be receiv'd by them This touch'd him to the Quick and he was thereupon so inrag'd that he vow'd all sorts of Death to the Thebans and so commanded the Engines to be prepar'd in order to an Assault and other Things to be made ready for an Engagement In the mean time the Greeks considering the utter Ruin that seem'd to hang over the Ant. Ch. 333. Heads of the Thebans were greatly affected with the Miseries wherewith they were like to be overwhelm'd yet none durst appear to Relieve the City for that they had rashly and inconsiderately brought apparent Destruction upon themselves However the Thebans were very forward and resolute to venture all to the utmost Extremity though they were a little startled with some Prophecies and Prodigies from the Gods The most Remarkable was that in the Temple of Ceres a slender Spider's Web was observ'd to spread out it self as broad as a Cloak and to represent the Rainbow in an Arch'd Circumference Concerning which the Oracle at Delphos gave them this Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God to all by this Sign gives a Call To the Boeotia first and Neighbours all And the Oracle in their own Country return'd them this other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Web for one works Bane And for another Gain This Prodigy happen'd about Three Months before the King came against Thebes Prodigies About the time of the King's Arrival the Statues plac'd in the Forum seem'd to sweat to that degree that great Drops in every part stood upon them Moreover the Magistrates were inform'd that in the Lake of Onchestus were heard Voices like roaring and bellowing of Oxen. And that the Waters in Dirce were to the view as if they had been all turn'd into Blood There were others from Delphos that reported that the Roof of the Temple built by the Thebans out of the Spoils of the Phocians appear'd to be besmear'd over with Blood Those who addicted themselves to the Interpretation of Prodigies said That the Web Ant. Ch. 333. portended the Departure of the Gods from the City by the Colour of the Rainbow was signify'd various Troubles and Turmoils by the appearance of Sweat extream Miseries and by the Blood Slaughters and Destructions in the City Therefore they advis'd the Thebans that insomuch as the Gods plainly pointed at the Ruin of the City That they should not engage in Fight with the Enemy but rather seek to agree Matters some other way which was much more safe But the Thebans abated nothing of their Courage but on the contrary push'd forward by the Heat of their Spirits encourag'd one another with the Remembrance of their famous Victory at the Battel of Leuctra and other Successes gain'd by their former Valour So that trusting more to the Valour of their Arms than making use of Prudent Councils they ran headlong to the Ruin of themselves and their Country In the mean time the King within the space of Three Days put all Things in order both for assaulting the City and marshalling of his Army for Battel His Army he divided into Three Parts One Part he order'd to assault the Out wall another to fight the Thebans Army and the third he kept for Reserves to relieve his Men and renew the Fight as there should be occasion But the Thebans plac'd their Horse within the Ramparts Their Slaves that were manumitted the Exiles and
certain Enean corrupted Lipodorus who commanded a Brigade of Three thousand Men among the Rebels he routed them all For in the height of the Engagement when the Victory was doubtful the Traytor withdrew from the rest of his fellow Soldiers and with his Three thousand Men march'd up to the top of a rising Ground whereupon the rest thinking that he had fled broke all their Ranks and took to their Heels Pithon being thus Victor sent a Trumpet to the Rebels ordering them to lay down their Arms and upon Capitulation licensed them to repair every Man to his own home It was no small joy to Pithon to see things brought to such a pass as suited directly to his designs for he had now all confirm'd by Oath and the Grecians intermixt among the Macedonians But the Macedonians remembring the Orders Perdiccas had given making nothing of their Oaths broke Faith with the Grecians For on a sudden they fell unexpectedly upon them and put every Man of The Revolters all cut off them to the Sword and seiz'd upon all they had And so Pithon being defeated in his design return'd with the Macedonians to Perdiccas And this was the state of Affairs in Asia at that time In the mean time in Europe the Rhodians cast out the Garison of the Macedonians and freed their City And the Athenians began a War against Antipater which was call'd the The Lamian War Ant. Ch. 321. Lamian War It 's in the first place necessary to declare the Causes of this War that the Progress of it may be the better understood Alexander a little before his Death had order'd all the Exiles and Out-law'd Persons of the Greek Cities to be recall'd as well to advance his own Honour and Esteem as to gain the Hearts of many in every City by his Clemency who might stand up for his Interest against the Innovations and Defections of the Grecians At the approach therefore of the time of Celebrating the Olympiads he sent away Nicanor a Native of the City Stagira with a Letter concerning the Restitution of the Bandities of Greece and commanded it to be proclaim'd by the Common Cryer who declar'd him that was Victor who executed the Command and read the Letter in these Words King Alexander to the Banditties of the Grecian Cities WE were not the Cause of your Banishment but will be of the Return of you all Alexander's Epistle into your own Country excepting such as are Banish'd for outrageous Crimes of which things we have written to Antipater requiring him to proceed by Force against all such as shall oppose your Restitution When these Orders were proclaim'd the People set up a great Shout testifying their approbation For those of them that were present at the Solemnity readily laid hold on the King's Mercy and return'd their Thanks with Expressions of their Joy and applauses of his Grace and Favour For all the Banish'd Men were then got together at the Olympiads above the Number of Twenty thousand Many there were who approv'd Ant. Ch. 321. of their Restitution as a prudent Act but the Aeolians and Athenians were much offended at it for the Aeolians expected that the Oenians who were banish'd out from among them should have undergone due punishment for their Crimes For the King had made a great Noise with his Threats that he would not only punish the Children of the Oenians but that he himself would execute Justice upon the Authors themselves Whereupon the Athenians would not yield by any means to part with Samos which they had divided by lot But because they were not at present able to cope with Alexander they judg'd it more adviseable to sit still and watch till they found a convenient Opportunity which Fortune presently offer'd them For Alexander dying in a short time afterwards and leaving no Children to succeed him they grew confident that they should be able not only to regain their Liberty but likewise the Sovereignty of all Greece The vast Treasure left by Harpalus of which we have particularly spoken in the preceding Book and the Soldiers that were disbanded by the Lord-Lieutenants of Asia were great Supports and Encouragements for the carrying on of this War for there were Eight thousand of them then about Tenarus in Peloponensus They sent therefore privately to Leosthenes Ant. Ch. 321. the Athenian wishing him that without taking notice of any Order by them of his own accord so to dispose of matters as to have those Soldiers in readiness when occasion serv'd Antipater likewise so contemn'd Leosthenes that he was Careless and Negligent in preparing for the War and so gave time to the Athenians to provide all things necessary for that Affair Hereupon Leosthenes very privately Listed these Soldiers and beyond all expectation had ready a brave Army For having been a long time in the Wars in Asia and often engag'd in many great Battles they were become very expert Soldiers These things were contriv'd when the Death of Alexander was not generally known But when a Messenger came from Babylon who was an Eye witness of his Death the People of Athens declar'd open War and sent part of the Money left by Harpalus with a great number of Arms to Leosthenes charging him no longer to conceal or palliate the Matrer but to do what was most conducible to the Service of the Common-wealth Whereupon having distributed the Money among the Soldiers as he was commanded and arm'd those that wanted he went into Aetolia in order to carry on the War with the joint Assistance of both Nations The Aetolians join'd very readily and deliver'd to him for the service Seven thousand Soldiers Then he stirr'd up his Messengers the Locrians and Phocians and other neighbouring Nations to stand up for their Liberties and to free Greece from the Macedonian Yoke But in the mean time the Wealthy Men among the Athenians Ant. Ch. 321. dissuaded them from the War but the Rabble were for carrying it on with all the Vigour imaginable Whence it came to pass that they who were for War and had nothing to live upon but their Pay were far the greater Number To which sort of Men Philip was us'd to say War was as Peace and Peace as War Forthwith therefore the Orators who were in a Body together and clos'd with the Humours of the People wrote down the Decree That the Athenians should take upon them the Care and Defence of the Common Liberty of Greece and should free all the Greek Cities from their several Garisons and that they should rig out a Fleet of Forty Gallies of Three Tire of Oars and Two hundred of Four Tire of Oars and that all Athenians under Forty years of Age should take up Arms That Three of the Tribes should keep Watch and Ward in Athens and the other Seven should be always ready to march abroad Moreover Ambassadors were sent to all the Cities of Greece to inform them That the People of Athens in the first
knock'd on the Head The Ringleaders of the Sedition in Cyrene being terrify'd with the return of the Exiles Ophellas routs Thimbro made Peace with Thimbro and resolv'd to join with him against Ophellas But Ophellas routed Thimbro and took him Prisoner and recover'd all the Towns and deliver'd the Cities with their Territories into the Hands of Ptolemy And thus the Cyrenians and the Cyrene possessed by Ptolemy neighbouring Cities lost their former Liberty and became subject to Ptolemy Perdiccas and King Philip having overcome Ariarathes and deliver'd the Province to Eumenes and so departed out of Cappadocia When they came into Pisidia they determin'd to raze those two Cities one of the Larandians the other of the Isaurians For in the Laranda s 〈…〉 by Perdiccas life time of Alexander they had killed Balacrus the Son of Nicanor who was appointed to be their General and Governor of the Province Laranda therefore they took upon the first Assault and put all that were able to bear Arms to the Sword and sold all the rest Ant. Ch. 321. for Slaves and laid the City equal with the Ground As for the City of the Isaurians it was large and well fortify'd and mann'd with resolute and stout Men and therefore P. 640. after they had assaulted it two Days together and had lost a great number of Men they were forc'd to draw off For the Inhabitants being plentifully furnish'd with Weapons and all other Things necessary for the enduring of a Siege were resolute to undergo all Hazards and readily sold their Lives for the Defence of their Liberty But upon the third Day having lost many of their Citizens insomuch as they were not able sufficiently to man their Walls for lack of Men they put in execution a most Heroical Piece of Resolution worthy for ever to be remembred For perceiving that they were destin'd to inevitable Destruction and had not Force sufficient for their Defence they judg'd it not advisable to deliver up the City and all that they had to the Will of the Enemy insomuch as their certain Ruin with the most barbarous Usage was obvious before their Eyes Therefore they all unanimously resolv'd to die honourably together to that end in the Night they shut up their Wives Children and Parents in their Houses and set them on The sad Destruction of the City of the Isaurians Justin l. 3. c. 6. says This was done by the Cappadocians And Orosus says the same lib. 3. c. the last fire making Choice by that means to perish and be bury'd together When the Flame mounted up into the Air the Isamians threw all their Wealth and every thing that was Valuable or that might be of any advantage to the Enemy into the Fire The Besiegers were stricken with Admiration at the Sight and ran here and there seeking where to break into the City but those that remain'd upon the Walls for their Defence threw many of the Macedonians down headlong from the Battlements At which Perdiccas much more admir'd and enquir'd what was the Reason that having set all their Houses and every thing besides on fire they were so diligent and careful to defend the Walls At length when Perdiccas with his Macedonians were drawn off from the City the rest of the Isaurians cast themselves headlong into the Fire and so every one's House became a common Sepulchre for himself and all his Relations Perdiccas the next day gave the Ransacking Ant. Ch. 321. of the City to the Soldiers who when the Fire was extinguish'd found much Silver and Gold in the Rubbish the City having been Rich and Prosperous a long time together After this Destruction Perdiccas marry'd two Wives Nicea the Daughter of Antipater to whom he was contracted and Cleopatra Alexander's half Sister the Daughter of Philip Perdiccas marries two Wives by Amyntas Perdiccas indeed had entred into League with Antipater before he was establish'd in his Government and upon that account the Marriage was consummate But after he had gain'd the King's Forces and was possess'd of the Superintendency and Administration of the Affairs of the Kingdom he chang'd his mind For affecting the Affects the Kingdom of Macedon Kingdom his Design was to marry Cleopatra concluding that for her sake and by her Authority the Sovereign Power would be yielded up to him by the Macedonians But because he had no mind as yet to discover his Intentions to comply with the present Circumstances of Affairs he marry'd Nicea lest Antipater should oppose him in his Projects Ant. Ch. 321. But Antigonus smelling out what he was contriving and being one that had a great kindness for Antipater and the most active Man of all the Commanders Perdiccas resolv'd to dispatch him and take him out of the way Loading him therefore with false Accusations and unjust Aspersions his Design appear'd plainly to take away his Life But Antigonus being a crafty Man and of a bold Spirit made as if he would defend himself against those Things that were laid to his Charge But in the mean time he secretly prepar'd for his flight and in the Night with Antigonus secretly opposes him his Servants and his Son Demetrius went aboard some Ships that belong'd to Athens and sail'd into Europe on purpose to confederate with Antipater About that time Antipater and Craterus were in the Field against the Aetolians with Thirty thousand Foot and Two thousand five hundred Horse For they only remain'd unconquer'd of those that were P. 641. engag'd in the Lamian War But the Aetolians though they were press'd upon by such mighty Forces yet were not at all discourag'd but having got together Ten thousand brave sprightly Men betook themselves to the difficult Passes in the Mountains where they had before dispos'd and lodg'd much of their Wealth and all their Wives Ant. Ch. 321. Children and Old People And though they had quitted the Cities that was not Tenable yet they plac'd strong Garisons in those that were fortisied and so undauntedly waited for the approach of the Enemy Antipater and Craterus therefore having entered Aetolia when they saw all the Cities that were weak and untenable forsaken of their Inhabitants made towards them that were posted in the Fastnesses of the Mountains At the first Assault they made upon those dreadful and unaccessable Precipices they lost Multitudes of their Men for the Valour of the Aetolians being supported and confirm'd by the Strength of the Places easily repuls'd the Enemy that ran themselves upon Difficulties that were insuperable But afterwards when Craterus his Soldiers in the Winter had secur'd themselves by Huts and warm Tents the Aetolians were forc'd to abide in the depth of Winter in Places cover'd over with Snow where they remain'd in great lack of Provision so that they were reduc'd to a most desperate Condition For they were The great strait of the Etolians brought to that strait that they must of necessity either leave the Mountains
his Hand amaz'd at the sight of him they fell flat upon the Ground and were silent a long time together But after that Alexander had commanded them to rise and cheer up Acuphis thus began The Nysaeans intreat O King That in reverence to Bacchus you would leave the City free and the Inhabitants to Govern by their own Laws For Dionysius after he had conquer'd the Indians and was about to return to the Grecian Sea built this City for those Soldiers who were unserviceable for War being of Bacchus ' s Family as a perpetual Monument to Posterity of his Expedition and Victory as your Majesty has built Alexandria at Mount Caucasus and another in Egypt and many others some finish'd and others now in building having now perform'd much more than our Dionysius did And he call'd the City Nysa from his Nurse so nam'd and the Country Nysaea and the Mountain which hangs over the City he was pleas'd to call Meros which is a Thigh because according to the Fables he was cherish'd in Jupiter ' s Thigh Since that time we have dwelt in Nysa as a free City and have liv'd at ease under the Use of our own Laws And that this Place was built by Bacchus this one thing may be a Demonstration That Ivy grows no where in India but in this City This Speech of Acuphis was very pleasing to Alexander for he had a great desire those things should be believ'd that were related concerning Bacchus's Peregrination and wou'd have none to doubt but that Nysa was built by Bacchus because that he himself was now come as far as Bacchus ever came and was still desirous to go further than he ever did And he was of Opinion that the Macedonians out of Emulation to the Acts of Bacchus wou'd willingly with himself undergo further Toils and Labours He granted therefore Liberty to the Nysaeans and that they should Govern according to their own Laws And when he understood what their Laws were and how they were under the Government of an Aristocracy he commended their Constitution and commanded 'em to furnish him with three hundred Horsemen and send him a hundred of them that were of the Aristocracy who were three hundred in all such as he would chuse Acuphis was one of the Number of them that were pick'd out whom the King had made Governour of the whole Province of Nysaea 'T is reported that Acuphis smil'd at these Demands and that Alexander asking him why he laugh'd Acuphis answer'd How is it possible O King for the City to be well Govern'd when 't is stript of an hundred good Men all at once But if your Majesty have a Kindness for the City be pleas'd to accept of three hundred Horsemen and more if you think fit but as for an hundred of the best Men of the City which you desire be pleas'd to be content with two hundred of the worst that whensoever you return hither again you may find that the City has maintain'd and kept up her ancient State and Grandeur With these Words because he judg'd them prudently spoken Alexander was persuaded and commanded only the three hundred Horsemen to be sent him and for the three hundred of the Chief of the City he neither desir'd them nor any others in their stead But Acuphis his Son and his Nephew by his Sister were sent to Alexander Afterwards Alexander had a longing desire to see that City in which the Nysaeans boast there are some Monuments of Dionysius and to go likewise accompanied with some Horse of his Friends and a Regiment of Foot to the Mountain Meros that he might see the Hill grown over with Ivy and Laurel and the shady Groves that abounded with all sorts of wild Beasts The Ivy was a very pleasant Sight to the Macedonians having not seen any of a long time for India bears no Ivy neither those Places where Vines grow Of the Ivy they wore Garlands on their Heads singing Praise to Bacchus with all his Titles and Appellations Alexander there sacrific'd to Bacchus and feasted with his Friends 14. How having taken a strong City call'd Massaga he put to the Sword all the Mercenary Soldiers that had fought Valiantly Arrianus lib. IV. WHen the Barbarians heard of Alexander's coming they durst not abide him in a Body but brake up their Army and dispers'd themselves every one as they could into several Cities purposing there to stand upon their Guard Alexander march'd first with his Army to * Mazaga Massaga the greatest City of that †The Country of the Assacenians Country approaching therefore with his Army close to the City the Barbarians having got into the Town for their assistance seven thousand Mercenary Indians from the inner parts of India made a fierce Sally upon the Macedonians as they lay Encampt Alexander perceiving that the Fight was likely to be under the City Walls design'd to draw off the Enemy at a further distance lest when they fled which he clearly foresaw they would they might with ease being so very near get into the Town and so escape perceiving therefore the Barbarians pouring out upon them he forthwith commanded his Macedonians to wheel about and make to a Hill about seven furlongs distant from the River Guraeus where he had purpos'd to Encamp The Enemy hereupon emboldned the Macedonians seeming to give back in great confusion and disorder hotly pursu'd them But when they were got within the cast of a dart upon a sign given by Alexander the Phalanx furiously turned upon ' em But first indeed the Horse that were darters the Agrians and Archers made an excursion and ingag'd with the Barbarians But Alexander led the Phalanx in Battalia himself The Indians amaz'd at the sudden and unexpected turn when it came to the Swords point fled back into the City Two hundred of 'em were kill'd in the pursuit but the rest got within the Walls Alexander presently drew up his main Battel of Macedons before the Walls and from thence was slightly wounded by an Arrow struck into his Heel The next day the Engines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Curtius l. 8. c. 10. says the Calf of the Leg. being brought up to the Walls part of 'em were easily batterr'd down upon which the Macedonians endeavouring to force their way through the Ruins the Indians stoutly withstood them so far as that Alexander for that day sounded a retreat and call'd off his Men. But the next day the Macedonians renew'd the Assault with greater vigour bringing up a wooden Tower to the Walls out of which the Archers powring showers of Darts and Arrows grievously gall'd the Indians But yet with all these devices they were not able to enter The Third day the main Body of the Macedonians being again led up to the Walls a Bridge was cast out of the Wooden Tower over that part of the Wall that was broken down upon which Bridge the King order'd the Agyraspides who had before taken Tyre after the same manner
but when with great Courage and Resolution they had got upon it with too much Weight it yielded and broke and it and the Macedonians tumbled down together The Barbarians rejoycing at the Accident set up a great shout and ply'd the Macedonians with Stones and all sorts of Darts and Arrows or whatever was at hand or they could come at and others issuing out through narrow Sally-ports that were placed between the Turrets knock'd them in that Disorder and Confusion on the head Alexander sent Alcetas with a Party to take care of the wounded Men and to call the Besiegers off into the Camp The 4th day he cast another Bridge with other Devices upon the Walls but the Indians as long as the Governor of the place was alive valiantly repuls'd the Macedonians But when he was kill'd by a Dart from the Engines and many of their Men lost by continual Assaults and others wounded and become thereby unserviceable they sent to Alexander who was very ready and willing to spare such stout and valiant Men. He agreed therefore with the mercenary Indians that they should take up Arms with him and join themselves to his Army Hereupon they march'd out of the City by themselves and encamp'd upon an Hill opposite to the Macedonians with a design to fly away in the night to their own Country because they wou'd not fight against the other Indians When Alexander was inform'd hereof the same night he surrounded the Hill with his Forces and put 'em every one to the Sword and took the City now without these that should defend it by storm and in it the Mother and Daughter of Assacenus On Alexander's side there were only five and twenty kill'd during the whole Siege FINIS A TABLE OF The Principal Matters In the First Five BOOKS of Diodorus the Sicilian Containing his MYTHOLOGIES Note The First Figures of this Table refer to the Pages of this Book and the Last Figures with r. before them refer to the Pages of Rhodomannus's Edition plac'd in the Margin of this Book A. ACteon Torn in pieces by Dogs and Occasion Page 171 r. 195 Adoption the Rites of it among the Barbarians 147 r. 170 Adulteresses an innumerable Company burnt in Egypt 31 r. 30 Aeacus His Genealogy 166 r. 183 Aegestines Their War with the Selinuntines 297 r. 103 Aegypt Its Shape Greatness c. 14 r. 19 All living Creatures first there 3 r. 3 One Sea 86 r. 101 Other Matters of Aegypt 12 13 22 36 40 41 c. r. 17 42 43 51 61 Divided into three Parts for the Priests Kings and Soldiers 38 r. 46 Three other Classes 39 r. 47 Their Gods most ancient 3 r. 7 Many Colonies from hence as Babylonians Argives Colchians Jews and Athenians 13 r. 17 The Number of their Judges and Salaries 39 r. 48 Their Kings c. p. 36 r. 43 45 46. Their Burials 38 r. 57 58 Aeolus 164 r. 188 The Entertainer of Ulysses 179 r. 202 Aequinoctial Under the Aequinox the most temperate Air and the State of the Days and Shadows 82 r. 97 Air Airy Bodies seen in some Parts of Africa 109 r. 128 Aesculapius His Original 166 r. 189 Accus'd by Pluto ibid. r. ibid. Age An Age accounted 30 Years with the Grecians 81 r. 96 Aethiopians Boast they were the first Men p. 85 r. 100 Religious 86 r. ibid Aetna Vomits Fire 138. r. 159 Africa Where Till'd and where Desert p. 108 r. 138 Freed from wild Beasts by Hercules p. 136 r. 157 The nature of the Fruits of the African Palm-Tree 81 r. 95 Alexandria Built by Alexander the Great p. 26 r. 32 33 Amalthea Amalthea's Horn in Africa p. 145 r. 141 In Aetolia what 120 r. 168 Amazons of Africa 110 r. 129 Their Seats Arms c. 111 112 r. 130 The Scythian Amazons 76 r. 90 Their Wars with Hercules p. 77 135 r. 91 156 Their Irruption into Attica and Overthrow by Theseus 141 r. 163 Ammon King of Lybia the Husband of Rhea 120 r. 141 Overcome by Saturn 122 r. 142 Amphiraus General of the Argives at Thebes a Conjurer Betray'd by his Wife and Reveng'd by his Son 163 r. 186 188 Apis Consecrated to Osiris 9 r. 13 It s Worship 44 45 r. 54 55 Apollo the Son of Jupiter r. 9 Found out the Laurel 7 r. 10 His several Names 211 r. 237 His good Acts 209 r. 255 His Contest with Marsyas and his Cruelty towards him 114 115 r. 134 Apries King of Aegypt 35 r. 42 Strangl'd ibid. Aquaduct a Stately Aquaduct made by Semiramis at Ecbatana 58 32 Arabia its Description Situation People c. p. 78 r. 29 92 The Happy its Fruitfulness Spices c. p. 79 r. 93 The Tree as Cedar Juniper c. ibid. Gold pure Cattle Wild Beasts Precious Stones 80 r. 94 A description of both Shoars in the Red-Sea 102 c. r. 120 122 124 Arbaces the Mede his Conspiracy against Sardanapalus 66 67 r. 78 80 Argives their War with the Thebans 163 r. 186 The Destruction of the Seven Captains at Thebes ibid. Argonauts the Expedition of the Argonauts 148 c. r. 178 181 160 Explanation of the Fable 151 r. 174 Ariadna Ariadna's Crown in the Heavens 160 r. 184 Arts one Man using several Trades not allow'd in Aegypt 39 r. 46 Asphaltes the Lake Asphaltes and its Brimstone or Pitch 78 r. 92 Assyrians their Kings do not suffer Themselves to be openly seen 64 r. 76 They sent Aid to the Trojans under Memnon 65 r. 77 Astrology the Aegyptians excellent Astrologers 26 36 r. 32 44 So the Caldeans 70 r. 83 Atlas Hercules 141 r. 163 Hyperion 141 r. 131 The Heliadae in Rhodes 200 r. 227 Astyages the last King of the Medes overcome by Cyrus 72 r. 85 Atalanta Belov'd by Meleager Intrapt by the Thestiadae 145 r. 167 Athens how their Common-wealth was divided 13 r. 17 Atlantides their Country in Affrica 115 r. 137 The Names of the Atlantides and their Offspring ibid. Atlas his Kingdom and chief Study 115 r. 125 Why he 's said to Carry the Heavens upon his Shoulders ibid. Avernus a Description of the Lake Avernus 138 r. 159 Amber where it is produc'd 185 186 r. 209 B. Babylon built by Semiramis 57 r. 80 Its Walls Towers Lake Passage under Water Hanging Gardens 57 r. 69 Bacchus how many there were 116 to 119 r. 137 148 His Acts 120 to 122 r. ibid. 141 c. The Indian Bacchus the most Ancient 126 127 r. 147 Why he was of a double Shape 129 r. 149 The natural meaning of Bacchus 117 r. 147 Bactra 55 56 r. 66 Besieg'd by Ninus 57 r. 67 Baleares a Description of the Baliary Islands 183 r. 206 Balm the Place and Usefulness 79 r. 93 Bards Ancient Poets among the Gauls 189 r. 213 Belus his Temple 58 r. 69 His Statue ibid. r. 70 Beasts Worshipp'd in Aegypt 43 44 r. 52 54 Brimstone how it Rises up in the Lake Asphaltes 79 r. 93 The Plenty of it about Babylon 59 r.