shovvre of rained deliuered Craesus from the fire A reason vvhy peace is more to be desired then vvarre Craesus seynge to vvhat passe the oracle had brought him desireth leaue of Cyrus to chide vvith the deuil Apollo his ansvvere to Craesus his accusation Craesus is punished for the fact of Gyges that slue Candaules his mayster Applye to this place theoracle geuen fol. 25. PantaleoÌ„ Craelus his brother by the fathers syde sought to defeat him of the kingdome Of the couÌ„trey of Lydia a briefe narratioÌ„ of such things as therin are vvorthy memory Halyattes his tombe in Lydia The maydes in Lydia get their ovvne dovâ—â—ye by continuall vvhoredome The lavves of the people of Lydia The first coyners of siluer gold A famine in Lydiacontinuing the space of 18 yeares Chesse play dice and teâ—â—se deuised by the Lydians A colonye dravvne sene into Hetruria The people Tyrrheni in Vmbria sproÌ„g of the Lydians The genology of the kinges of Media from Deioces to Cyrus Media held by the Assyrians The pollicy of of Deioces to get the kingdome of Media Nothingvvinâ—e heredite so sonne asiustice and vpright dealyng The buildinge of the famous city Ecbatana The reason vvhy no man might haue accesse to the king of the Medes The seuerall countries of Media are these 6. Deioces raiged â—3 yeares Phraoâ—â—es the 2. King The Persians made subiect to the Medes by Phâ—aortes restored to their liberty by Cyrus Phraortes slayne by the Assyrianâ— the 22 yeare of his raygne Câ—axares 3. The day turned into night The most auncient temple of Venus Asia held by the Scythians 28. yeares Cyaxaresraigned 40. yeares Astyages 4. vn der vvhose raygne is conteyned the famous story of Cyrus The 2. dreams of Astyages conceâ—ning his daughter Harpagus deliuereth the child to the kinges neatheard to lay out in the desert Mitradates moued by his vvife laid out a dead child of his ovvne in sâ—eed of Cyrus Cyrus brought vp by the grasiers vvife Cyrus descryeth his progeni and causeth himselfe to be knovven Cyrus his bold ansvveare to Astiages Harpagus examined about Cyrus Harpagus his sonne slayne â— dressed in a barket Harpagus feeding of his ovvne childe Cyrus by the counsayle of the vvisemen vvas senthome to his parentes Cyrus receiued of his parentes The cause of the fable that Cyrus vvas said to be brought vp of a Bytch Harpaguâ—conuayghed a letter to Cyrus in the belly of an hare The letter The deuyce of lying to moue the Persians to rebellion The Persians rebell Harpagus leading the army of the Medes ioyneth his vvhole povver vvith Cyrus agaynst Astyageâ— Astyages hangeth the vvise men for counsayling him to let Cyrus goe Astyages takeÌ„ captiue Astyages raygned 35. yeares The celebration of their birth day in Persia The regard of good maners The maner of their consultation The people of Greece offer themselues to Cyrus todohomage The difference of speach in Ionia Of the cityes of Aeolia The losse of Smyrna Mazares dyiÌ„g Harpagusvvas made generall in his steed The counsai of Byas to th people of Ionia A discourse the Carians The people of Gâ—ydus their originall An experience vvrought for the tryall of antiquitie It vvere a question if a man should bee taught no language in vvhat tongue hee vvould speake Heliopolis the city of the Sunne The vvisest people in AEgypt The 12 monethes of the yeare first fouÌ„d out by the Aegyptians The names of the 12 gods Aulters Images and Temples inuented by the Aegyptians Menes the first kinge that euer raygned A Egypte for the most parte couered vvith vvater The maner of the Aegyptians measures AEgypt nexte the sea coaste 3600. furlonges The description of the countrey of AEgypt A mountaine The straunge effects of certayne ryuers By vvhat proofeâ— the couÌ„trey of Aegypt is argued to haue bene couered by vvaters In AEgypt it neuer rayneth but their lande is vvatered by the ouerflovve of Nilus The maner of husbandry amongst the AEgyptians Hogs be the best husbands in Aegypt and the vvorst in England A confutation of the opinion of the Iones concerning Aegypt The course of the riuer Nilus The names of the chanels of Nilus Pelusium Canobus Sebennyticum Saïticum Menedesium Bolbitinum Buâ—olicum A story touching the description of Aegypt An oracle in Afrike Hovv much of the land Nilus ouerflovveth The cause and time of the rising of the riuer Nilus sendeth foorth no miste A refutation of the Grecians as touching the same things vvithin fiue dayes after snovve falleth rayne That there is no sea called Ocean The true opinion of these things The cause vvhy the South and Southvveast vvind bring rayne Ister a great riuer in Europe The spring of the riuer Nilus vnsearchable The tvvo mountaynes Crophi and Mophi The City Meroe The souldiers of Aegypt forsooke theyr ovvne countrey The tricke of a knaue A slory touching the spring of Nilus A voyage vndertaken by certayne yong gentlemen A City inhabited by Necromancers The description of the riuer Ister Aegypt the most vvonderfull nation in the vvorld The lavves and customes of the people of Aegypt The daughter bound to nourish her parents in need The good felovvship in Aegypt vvher the good man and his hogs dine together The vse of grayne is very â—lender in Aegypt The manner of casting of account Their letters or charecters Cleannesse in auyre vvithout pride The custome of the priests Their dyer The orders of priesthood The manner of trying the bullocks that are sacrificed vvhether they be cleane or othervvise The order of sacrificing The head of the beast that is sacrificed is accursed A lavv greatly honoured in Aegypt The maner of burying kyne vvheÌ„ they dy The cause vvhy some of the Agyptians vvill kill no sheepe Whence the Ammonians drevv theyr name The name of Hercules taken from the Aegyptians The Kings of Aegypt could make at their pleasure gods The tvvo temples of Hercules in Greece The reason vvhy in some partes of Aegypt they vvil kill no goates A Goate closing vvith a vvoman Hogs of all beasts vvurst accounted of Hogheards of basest account Svvine sacrificed to Liber and Luna Superstition oft times runneth into most filthy deuises Melampus the first founder of this ceremonie in Greece In the time of Herodotus the name of Philosophers vvas straunge The beastly deuises of the paganes Cabiri the three sonnes of Vulcane Dodona somtime the chiefe oracle in Greece The beginning of the pagans gods The beginning of the oracles in Africke and Greece A tale of tvvo pigeons Inuentions of the Aegyptians The feastes of Diana Isis and Minerua The feast of the Sunne The celebration of Latonas feast and Mars The maner of such as repaire to the festiuall of Diana The feast of lampes A combate of priests The cause of this combate The feast of broken pates A reason dravvne from the vse of beastes to defend the maners of men The manner of the Aegyptians touching the beastes of the land The great regard of haukes The nature of catsin Aegypt Mourning for
onely that are busied in the seruice of the Sainctes that to euery one of them is allotted twelue portions of singuler good grounde exempt free from all kinde of Tribute and Pension and seuerall to their owne vse and behoofe Each plot of grounde contayning euery way an hundred cubyts by the Aegyptian measure A cubyt amongst the Aegyptians is equall to that which they vse in Samos A thowsand of each company aswell of the Calysirians as Hermatybians did yearely geue attendaunce to garde and defend the Kinges body To whom besides the profite reuennewes of their land were certayne Farme-places geuen to each man one Moreouer for their lyuery fiue pound of tosted bread two pounde of Beefe and a gallon of wyne which were duely serued to them euery day When as therefore Apryes on the one side with his stipendaries and on the other side Amasis with an huge army of the Aegyptians were come into the City Memphis they closed bartaile where the hyred souldiers of Apryes acquited them selues very valiauntly till at the length being fewer in number they were put to flight Apryes was perswaded that neither god nor the diuell coulde haue ioynted his nose of the Empyre hee seemed so surely to haue strengthned it to him selfe Neuerthelesse in this fight hee was foyled taken a liue and caried to his owne courte in Saïs where Amasis kept him more like a Prynce then a prysoner for the time that hee lyued At length the Aegyptians murmuring againste him that hee did not well to reserue a liue a mortall enemy both to himselfe and the whole country he delyuered vp Apryes into their handes Whom they immediatly toke strangled buried him in the sepulcher of his father in the temple of Minerua neere vnto a certayne Oratory at the lefte hand as you enter in Being the vse with the people of Saïs to burie all such as out of their tribe haue attayned to the kingdome within the temple For the toumbe of Amasis is placed vppon the other side of the Oratory contrary to the Sepulcher of Apryes and his Progenitours Likewise in one place of this Temple is a fayre Chamber builte of stone beautyfied with sundry Pyllers ingrauen like vnto Palme-trees being otherwyse very sumptuously and royally garnished In the middest of the Chamber are two mayne Posts betwene the which standeth a Cophine There is also a toumbe in the same the name whereof I may not descry without breache of Religion At Saïs in the Temple of Minerua beneath the Churche and neere vnto the walle of Minerua in a base Chappell are standinge certayne greate brooches of stone whereto is adioyninge a lowe place in manner of a Dungeon couered ouer wyth a stone curiously wroughte the Vaute it selfe being on euery side carued with most exquisite arte in biggnesse matchinge with that in Delos which is called Trochoïdes Herein euery one counterfayteth the shadowes of hys owne affections and phantasies in the nyghte season which the Aegyptians call Mysteryes touchinge which god forbid I should aduenture to discouer so much as they vouchsafed to tell mee In lyke manner of the Decrees of Ceres which the Grecians terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the publishinge of Lawes and Ordynances of these matters I dare not bee very francke in speakinge no further then religion wyll permit This is certayne that the Daughters of Danaeus were the firste that brought this custome oute of Aegypte and made it knowne to the women of Pelasgos But afterwardes mislyked of the Dores it was vtterly abolyshed and lefte off in all the Countrey of Peloponnesus sauinge of certayne Arcadians whom the people of Peloponnesus lycensed to contynewe in the Countrey by whome the same order was retayned Apryes being dead Amasis raygned in his steede being of y e Tribe of Saïs and trayned vp in a City named Suph In the first entraunce of his raygne the Aegyptians set lyght by him and had him in greate contempte being spronge of no Noble house but arysinge of the common troup of the popular sorte Whose goodwill Amasis soughte to reconcile rather by pollicy then seuerity Being therefore infinitely riche he had amongest other his treasure a Basen of cleane Golde wherein both him selfe and his Guestes were wont to washe their Feete This Bason hee caused to bee beaten into the forme Image of a god and set it vp in a fit place of the City The Aegyptians repayringe to the place bowed themselues in great reuerence vnto the Image which Amasis hauing learned by his friendes assemblinge the people tolde them that of the same Basen wherein him selfe and many other of the Aegyptians had bene wonte to vomite pysse washe their feete and all such base exercises was framed the god that they so greatly honoured saying that his owne present estate was not much vnlyke vnto that Bason for albeit before time he had bene one of the basest degree of the people yet now being their Kinge hee ought of ryghte to bee had in honour Whereby the Aegyptians weare so allured that they thought it meete afterwards to obeye their Prynce Who afterwards obserued this Custome in dealinge with the affayres of the realme from the morninge vntill the places of assembly and common meeting were filled hee sat vppon all matters that were brought before him spending the rest of the day amongst his companyons in swilling drinking such broade and vnseemely iesting as if hee had bene some common rybauld or Vyce of a playe Whereat his friendes aggrieuinge rebuked him in these or such like termes Most worthy Prince it is a great blemish to your name to liue so wickedly more meete it were for you to sit in a Throne of maiesty and decide the causes of your subiects whereby the Aegyptians might knowe them selues to bee gouerned by a worthy Prince and your fame bee increased throughout all the lande To whom hee answered They that owe the Bowe knowe best when to bend it which being alway bent becommeth so weake that it is altogether vnfit for those that shoulde vse it euen so it fareth with those that â—yreing themselues with continuall paynes geuing no intermission to their cares they are sodenly bereaued either of their right minde or their perfit members This king whiles hee lyued without honour was geuen to bibbing and scoffing without measure neuer greatly minding his affayres and as ofte as hee wanted to serue his turne and to yeelde supply to his pleasures he sought mayntenance by filching and stealing whereof if happily hee were at any time attached his maner was to stand stoutly in deniall of the thing and defiance of y e person for which cause being many times brought to the Oracles and places of southsaying hee was sometime conuicted by them and at other times acquited Wherefore hauing attayned to the kingdome which of the gods soeuer had acquited him of theft he had no regard to their temples did no honour to them
of amity Wheras before him none of the Graecians were euer thrall or in bondage to any For as touching the voyage made by the Cymmerians agaynst Ionia it happened long before the tyme of Craesus wherein was vsed no sacking of cities no dispoylinge of townes but secret inuasions and seysing on the pray And albeit in the countrey of this noble King Craesus the soueraygnty and chiefe rule were peculiare to the stock of Hercules which were called Heraclidae yet was it in this order translated to the bloud of Craesus whose names were Mernadae Candaules whom the Greekes call Silos was king of Sardis comming of the lyne and progenie of Alcaeus the sonne of Hercules The first kyng of the family of Haeraclidans that raygned in Sardis beynge named Argon sonne of Niuus nephew of Belus sonne to the nephew Alcaeus and the last Candaules the sonne of Mirsus Before Argon his raygne they which gouerned the countrey were the ofspring of Lydus the sonne of Atis of whom the whole people toke the name of Lydians beyng before tyme called the Meonyts of these were the Heraclidans brought vp beyng borue of Hercules Iardana a bondmayd Vnto these by vertue of the oracle was the seignory and supreme gouernment translated who held the same for terme of fyue hundred and fiue yeares the sonne eftsones succeded hys father euen vnto Candaules the sonne of Myrsus This Candaules was passing well affectioned to his wyfe in so much y t for the singuler loue he bare her he thought her to excell al women in the comly feature of the body And hereof beyng himselfe fully perswaded hee fortuned to fall in talke with Gyges sonne of Bascylus one of the chiefe and principall of his garde whom also he especially fauoured not seeldome employed him in matters of greate weight aduauncing vnto him the seemly shape of his wife aboue measure In short space after for the euill hap haunted hym meetinge with the aforesayde Gyges hee beganne thus My faythfull seruaunt Gyges wheras thou seemest not to credite the large vauntes and often bragges which I make of my Ladyes beauty and comlynesse the eares of men beyng much more incredulous then their eyes behold I wil so bring to passe y t thou shalt see her naked Wherat the pore Gentleman greatlye abashed and in no wyse willyng to assent therto made answere as followeth My Lord quoth he what māner of speech is this which vnaduisedly you vse in perswading me to beholde my ladyes secrets for a womā you know the more in sight the lesse in shame Who togeather with her garmentes layth assyde her modestye honest preceptes haue bene deuised by our elders which wee ought to remember Whereof this is one that euery man ought to behold his owne For myne own part I easily beleeue you that of all women in the world there is none comparable vnto her in beauty Wherfore I beseech your grace to haue me excused if in a case so heynous and vnlawfull I somewhat refuse to obay your wil. Gyges hauing in this sort acquited himselfe fearing the daunger y t might ensue The King began a fresh to replye saying My good Gyges take hart at grace feare not least eyther my selfe do goe about to examine and feele thy meaning by the coloured glose of fayned speach or that the Queene my Ladye take occasion to worke thy displeasure hereby Pull vpp thy spirites and leaue al to mee it is I that wil worke the meanes whereby shee shall neuer know any part of her selfe to haue bene seene by anye creature liuing Listen then awhyle and geue eare to my counsayle When night is come the dore of the chaumber wherein wee lye beyng wyde set open I will couertly place thee behynde the same strayght at my entraunce thereinto her custome is not to be long after mee directly at her comming in there standeth a bench wherat vnclothing herselfe shee accustometh to lay her garmentes vppon it propoundinge her deuine and angelicall body to bee seene and viewed for a long space this done as she turnes frō the bench to bedwarde her backe beyng toward thee haue care to slip priuily out of the dores least happily she espye thee The gentleman seynge hymselfe taken in a trap that in no wyse he could escape without perfourmāce of his Lords folly gaue his assent and at an howre appoynted stood in a readines whom Candaules closly brought into his chaumber and immediatly after came the Queene whom Gyges hauyng beheld at his pleasure when her back was turned crept out of the dore yet not so secretly but y t the Queene had a glymse of hym and perceyued who hee was The Lady seyng the fond and vndiscrete treacherye of her husband made little adoe and seemed as though shee had seene nothing Albeit fully mynding to bee reuenged of the shameles foolish facte of her espoused Lord. For with the Lydians and welnygh also with the rest of the Barbarians it is a greate reproach euen for a man to be seene vnclothed How beit for the present tyme she kept silence makyng no semblaunce of my displeasure The day following hauing assembled certayne of her houshold seruauntes in whom shee hadde especiall affyaunce Gyges was sent for who suspecting nothing lesse then that hys deceipt was knowen spedely and with all diligence adressed hym to come beyng wont also at other tymes to come to the Queene as oft as yet pleased hyr to sende for him Beyng entred the chaumber she began to assayle him in these worde Now Gyges of two present wayes I geue thee free choyce which of them both thou wilt take eyther to slay the King Candaules and enioy mee with the Kingedome of Lydia or thy selfe presently to leese thy lyfe Lest in obayng thy Lord in that thou oughtest not thou be hēseforth priuye to that which thou shouldest not There is no remedy y e one of you both must to the pot ether the mayster or the man ether hee which led thee herevnto or thy selfe that sawest mee naked and diddest those thinkes that wer vnlawful to be done Gyges herewith amazed beganne first to beseech her humbly entreating her not to bynd him to so harde a condition Neuerthelesse being not hable to perswade her and seinge it necessarye eyther to murther his Lord or to be murthered by other he deemed it the better choyse to lyue hymselfe addressing his speech to the Queene in this wyse My Soueraygne Lady quoth he Synce of necessity you compell mee to become guylty of the bloude of my Kinge let mee heare by what meanes wee shall set vppon him of a truth sayd shee our treason shall proceede from the same place from whence he bewrayed my shame The assault shall be geuen when hee is a sleepe The wretched Gentleman dryuen to so harde a strayght that eyther hee must slaye or be slayne made no delay but followed the Queene into her bed chaumber whom with a naked dagger in
There is also a monumente by them erected the straungest that euer was heard or seene onely excepted the maruaylous works done by the Egyptian◠and Babylonians to witte the tombe of Halyattes father to Craesus The foundation or grounde wherof is of mighty greate stone the rest of the sepulcher of earth and mould cast vp and heaped togeather in forme of a mount finished and brought to perfection by the toyle and payne of certayn day men and hyred labourers beyng holpen therin and assisted by maydes of the countrey In the toppe or highest part of the Tombe ther appeared in our dayes fyue limits or seuerall precinctes and borders declaryng by letters therin ingrauen how much euery one had wrought and done wherby it was euident by measure takē that the greatest part therof was built vp and framed by the labour and handyworke of the maides For y e daughters of y e Lydiās are al prostitute and common vntill such tyme as by the vse of their bodies they haue gayned and collected a dowry wherwith they be placed out geuen in maryage which is at theire owne choyse arbitrement The compasse of the sepulcher was sixe furlonges and two acres about the bredth 13. acres nere vnto the which there passeth a mayne riuer which the Lydians hold opinion to be perpetuall named by them Gygaeus and thus much of the tombe The lawes which the Lydians vse are almost all one with the statutes and ordinaunces of the Grecians saue that they set theyr virgins to open sale and cause them to kepe publique stewes and brothel houses These first of all to our knowledge broughte in vse the coine of siluer and gold instituting shops of mercery and marchaundise and setting vp Tauernes and vittailinghouses They challenge also to themselues the first inuention and deuyse of playes and games which are iointly in vse and obseruation with the Grecians alleaging that togeather at the same tyme they deuysed these thinges and made a drauft and sequestration of theire countreimen whom the sente to inhabite and possesse a part portion of Hetruria The meanes also and occasion they affyrme to haue bene these In the tyme of Atis sonne of kinge Manes there was a great scarsity and dearth of vittayles throughout y e whole land of Lydia In the beginning wherof the Lydians iustained themselues by day laboure and continual toyle but after fyndinge the famyne to encrease they sought other shiftes and deuysed meanes whereby to allay and diminish the greate distresse intollerable rage of hungar whereof arose the gallaunt deuise of playinge at Chesses also dyce playing tenise and such lyke which the Lydians clayme and vendicate as proper to themselues obseruinge this order to delay and forget their hungar one whole day they spent in play and gamīg neuer seeking after any meate another leauing of to disport and recreate themselues they made prouisiō of foode for the maintenance of their bodies In which maner they liued the space of eyghtene yeares But hauing no release of their miserye and perceiuing the dearth penury nothing at all to surcease the king deuyded his people into two parts one of the which he allotted to abyde and stay in their owne countrey commaunding the other to abandon the lande Ouer those that remayned stil in Lydia departed not the listes of their natiue countrey the king himself held the chiefe rule and gouernmēt placing ouer the rest his sonne for their Lord and principal whom he called Terrhenus Furthermore they vnto whom the lot fell to relinquish and leaue the region held their way to Smyrna where hauing built shippes such as were fyttest and most conueniente for caryage they toke the sea to seeke both seates and sustenaunce Vntil such tyme as hauing passed manye nations they came to the Vmbrians wher founding and building vp cityes they made their abode and dwel their to this day Changinge the name of Lydians with the name of theyr kinges sonne whom they had theyr prince and guide beyng after called Tirrhenians But sufficeth it vs to know that the Lydians were subduediand brought in subiection by the Persians It resteth now that wee declare and expresse who that Cyrus was which vanquished the power and subuerted the kyngdome of Craesus Consequently by what meanes the Persians atchieued the principality and rule of Asia wherin I wil alleage that of which the Persians themselues are authors who set downe vnto vs a playne and euident truth not seeking by the vayne florysh and pompe of wordes to augment the noble and valiant actes of theyr famous kynge Cyrus Right wel knowing that alother historyans which make report of the same king are found to vary in three sundrye tales The Assyrians hauing held the dominion of Asia y e higher for terme of 520 yeares the fyrst that made insurrection and rebelled agaynst them were the Medes who behauing themselues manfullye and couragiouslye in the behalfe of their liberty shoke of the yoke of bandage deliuered them selues from the slauery and seruitude of their gouerners whose example also other nations immediatly followed attempted the like in so much y t al the people of the mayne land became free were ruled and gouerned by their owne lawes Til at length they were made thral agayu by these meanes Ther liued in y e countrey of the Medes a man of rare singular virtue named Deioces sonne of Phraortes Who determining to atchieue y e supremisie framed in his head this conceipte The Medes dwelling here and there scattered by villages Deioces in very good credite beforetyme began more strictly and seuerelye to obserue iustice and follow equitye then earst he was accustomed for that he saw the Medes vniuersally addicted to liberty and licentiousnes and assuryng him selfe that iniury and wrong were flatly contrary and repugnant to right The people that dwelt in the same village takinge diligent heede to his manners appoynted hym a iudge to decide their controuersies But hee as hauing an eye to the seate royall and kingdome of the Medes kept the sincere rule of Iustice and swarued not one ynche from lawe and equity Which doing besydes that he reaped no small prayse of his neyghbours and acquayntance he had resort also and repayre to him by those that dwelt in other places and in tyme welny frō all places of y e realme who moued with the good report and fame of hys Iustice came in flockes adhibiting Deioces for an arbitratour in theyr causes hauinge bene foyled and put to the worst by the false sentence and iniurious verdite of others and admitting no man to the lyke office and dutye When the numbers of his Clientes were encreased knowing all causes to be iustly determined and takē vp by him Deioces perceauinge himselfe to bee the onely man for the whole countrey precisely refused ether to abyde any longer there where earst he was wont to administer iustice or at
liberty These thinges sounding in the eares of Astyages Cyrus by a purseuant was cyted vp to appeare at y e court whom he returned backe agayne with this answeare that his meaninge was to come verye spedily and somewhat to sone for his purpose At which newes Astyages imediatlye prepared a power of the Medes ouer whoÌ„ in an ill hower he placed Harpagus generall not mynding the iniurye hee had done vnto hym The army prepared and the Medes Persians meeting in the field they which were not priuye to the purpose of Harpagus began to fight and bicker with the enâ—emy the rest without offer of violence ioyning with them Other there were that with small resistaunce turned their backes to the Persians and fled amayne The host of Astyages beynge in this wyse dispersed and shronke in the wetting newes was broughte thereof to the king who in a greate heate of choller and outrage menacing Cyrus sayd Let the traytour bee assured hee shall not thus escape How be it first of all apprehending the wyse men Magi by whose counsayle hee was brought to let Cyrus depart he hanged them vp euery man not leauing one aliue After this he put in armour the rest of the Medes y t were in the city both young and old with whom beyng present in the fielde After that for a whyle he had abidden the might and power of the Persians he was driuen to flie and in the flyght was taken alyue with the losse and perdition of hys whole army Ouer whom beyng now captiue Harpagus his counsaylour greatlye insulted with open scoffes and reproachful tauntes omittyng nothing y t might gaule and greeue him to the verye hart laying in his teeth the supper wherin he hadde caused hym to seede of his sonnes flesh For which cause hee had now made him of a kynge a vassal Why then quoth Astyages dost thou now challeÌ„ge the dead of Cyrus to thy selfe who alleaginge on the other side that it was his deede and done by hym for that Cyrus was moued ther unto by his letters Astyages aunsweared that of all men he held hym most voyd of wit and goodwill to his countrey The one for that hauing power to be king hymselfe he had yelded it ouer to an other the other in that for malice of one supper he had brought his owne countrey into perpetuall thraldome For had it bene necessarye to haue put ouer the kingdome from hymselfe to an other it had bene much better to haue chosen a Mede then a PersiaÌ„ wheras now the Medes being nothing giltye of that fact were become of rulers slaues and y e Persians that hetherto had liued in bondage were now come to be lordes themselues On this manner king Astyages hauinge the space of 35. yeares borne rule in Media was depryued of his seate by whose cruelty and sore dealing the Medes came in subiection to the Persians after they had held the supremisye of all Asia aboue the floud Halis an hundred twenty eight years sauinge the â—yme that the Scithians obtayned the empyre Afterwardes the Medes repenting themselues of that they had done reuolted from Darius but beyng ouercome in battayle they were agayne perforce driuen to obedience The Persians by whose meanes Cyrus vanquished his graundfather Astyages hauing the chiefe rule and dominion of Asia Cyrus doinge no violence to Astyages kepte him in his house to the houre of his death Such therfore was the byrth and education of Cyrus the meanes wherby he atchieued the kyngdome who not longe after tryumphed ouer kyng Craesus his professed enemy of whom wee spake before by which his victory he wan the ful title possession of all Asia Furthermore the rytes and customes which the PersiaÌ„s vse I fynd to be these First for ymages temples aulters they neuer build any and accompt it great follye and madnes in those that do builde them For this cause as I iudge they think not the Gods to come of the progeny and lmeage of men as the Graetians doe Wherfore making choyse of the kighest and most lofty hyls of the couÌ„trey on the toppes of them they do sacrifyce vnto Iupiter by which name they vnderstand the whole cope and vaute of heauen geuing also lyke honor and reuerence to the Sunne the Moone the Earth the Fyre the Water and the Wyndes imputing to these alone a deuyne nature and deity which from the beginniÌ„g they haue had in honour NotwithstaÌ„ding in course of time they began to buckle and pray to Vrania which maner they drew from the Assyrians and Arabians Venus of the Assyrians is called Militta in Arabia Alitta by the Persians Metra The ceremonies ordayned by them to bee kept and obserued in time of sacrifice are these They neyther set vp any aulter or kyndle anye fyre at all omittinge also to say or tast of the sacrifyce before the immolation Pypes Myters saltcakes they neuer vse But as euerye one is purposed to make oblation to the heauenly powers so leadyng his host or sacrifyce into a fayre and cleaneÌ„ place hee humbleth himselfe in prayer to some one of the Gods hauing his head decked with a nightcap vsuallye worne of the women of Persia bounde about for the most parte and enuyroned with mirtle Beyng alwayes prouided that the party which maketh the offeryng hold it not lawful to pray for hymselfe only or to make supplication for any priuate or peculiar commoditye of his owne but vniuersallye for the whole realme and multitude of the Persians and chiefly for the king The sacrifycer hymselfe being a part and parcell of the whole number so that in praying for all others hee prayeth for himselfe This also cutting and hewing y e halowed beast into small and slender peeces they incontinently boyld it which done makinge diligent inquisition for the softest and smothest grasse they can find and especially trifolly or three leaued grasse they spred thereon the sodden flesh ouer which a Magician yalpeth out a songe of the beginning childhod of y e Gods whichthey accompt a most forceable and valerous incantation Without this Magitian They hold no sacrifice lawful or rightly perfourmed After this the sacrifycer taketh the flesh and applyeth it to what vse it seemeth him good Of all the dayes in y e yeare they obserue with greatest ioy and solemnitye theyr byrth day Wherin then at other tymes they vse larger dyete with greater plentye and aboundaunce of meate in so much that the richer and wealthier sorte set whole oxen camels horses and asses vppon the borde prepared and rosted in a fornace Such as are of meaner ability and substance celebrate their natiuity w t beastes of lesse quantity Litle meat sufficeth them the greatest part of theyr prouision consistiÌ„g in choise chats and iunkettinge dishes And those not verye tothsome and daynty Hereof it commeth that the Persians obiect to the Grecians their short meales quicke dinners for that say they they haue nothing pleasaunt dilicate or
beseeching vs to saue assist him froÌ„ the vyolent cruel hands of his spyteful enraged enemies we albeit dreading the might power of y e Persians yet haue not deliuered him vntil we vnderstoode of thy diuine wisedome what pertained to vs to doe in so doubtful a case Hauing ended his speach he receaued y e like answere as before y e Pactyas was to be yelded into y e hands of the PersiaÌ„s wher w t all Aristodicus being angry of set purpose wrought this fact As he walked about y e temple certain youÌ„g sparrowes other birds y t built there he toke out of their nests sodaynly a voice was hard out of the inner part of y e temple saying thou wicked malicious wretch what makes thee in this sort to spoile y e nests of my innoceÌ„t suppliantes wherunto Aristodicus answeryng o king quoth hee dost thou so greatly fauour and regard those that flye vnto thee for succour and yet biddest the Cumaeans to delyuer Pacty as into the handes of hys enemyes To which the God replying Truly sayd he I bid you all goe to the deuil and neuer hereafter to sollicite this oracle about the restoring of your suppliantes The Cumaeans certifyed of this last answeare determined nether to giue vp Pactyas to be slayn of the Persians nor yet by keeping him stil to bring Cyrus to the subersion and ruine of their citye Wherefore they sent him secretly away to Mytelaeane But Mazares in lyke sort making challenge of him from thence the Mitylinaeans couenaunted vppon a certayne pryce to surrender hym Which notwithstanding I dare not auouch and verifie for that the matter came not to full issue and perfection The people of Cumae vnderstaÌ„dyng in what distresse Pacctyas was at Mytilaene sent a barke to Lesbos where hee went a borde and was spedely landed at Chyus where hauing taken sanctuary in the gardian temple of Minerua he was neuertheles haled out violently by the Chians geueÌ„ to his ennemyes The Peraeans gaue in reward to the citye Chius a certayne field of Mysia named Aetarnaeus right ouer agaynst Lesbos By this meanes was Pactyas in warre with the Persians when oportunity serued to be geuen into the handes of Cyrus Neuerthelesse of the fruites and increase of Atarnaeus for a longe tyme after the people of Chius neyther made any barly cakes to offer to the gods nor wrought any paast of y e meale thereof for iunkets banquetting dishes And in briefe what soeuer the ground yeelded they flatly abolished from the seruice and worship of the gods Pactyas beyng betrayed by the Chians Mazares without further delay lead his army agaynst those that had ministred ayde to hym in gettyng the city and conqueringe the Pryenses he began to wast and depopulate the fieldes of Maeander geuing the whole pray and booty to his souldiours Which done in semblable manner he gaue the onset to Magnesia and lastly attached with extremitye of sicknes finished hys lyfe In whose steed Harpagus who was also a Mede guyded the army This was hee whom king Astiages intertayned with a banket of his sonnes flesh and by whose meanes Cyrus before tyme aspyred to the estate royall To hym the chiefe gouernment of the army was nextly committed who comming into Ionia intrenched many cityes and tooke them For hauing first of all compelled theÌ„ to vse the refuge and defence of their walles he raysed bulwarkes agaynst their townes and with small force caused them to yeelde In which manner he wanne Phocaea the chiefe city of the Iones the people whereof first of all the GreciaÌ„s wanâ—ered on y e sea in long and ample voyages fynding out and discrying both the countreyes themselues Adria Tyrrhenia Iberia Tartessus and the nerest cuâ—â— also and rediest way of nauigation to the same At which tyme they had in vse no beaked or snowâ—ed shippes armed with a pyke or stemme of iron but smaller and lighter vessels driuen with ê oeres apâ—ece These at their first arryual to Tartessus were very welcome to y e king whose name was Arganthonius and by whom the kingdome had bene gouerned 80 yeares liuing by the space of 120. Who made so passyng much of the Phocaeans and shewed them so curteous intertaynment that he left it in their power to chose any part of his kingdome to inhabite wherevnto not able to allure them by any perswations and hearyng by them how the power of Harpagus dayly increased hee gaue them an infinite summe of moneye to inuyron and compasse about their citye with a wall The circuit of their wall beyng no small number of furlongs in scope and compasse framed compacted of greate and huge stones layd togeather w t singuler cunning by this meanes was y e wall of the Phocaeans builded Agaynst whoÌ„ Harpagus incaÌ„ping his power gaue fierse mightye assault to the city giuing them vnderstanding withall that it should suffyce and content him if they would throw downe but one fortres or gardure of their wall for himself to build an house on But the Phocaeans abhorryng nothing more then seruitude losse of liberty required of him one dayes deliberation in the cause and for that whyle to reclayme his armye from the walles Harpagus albeit as he sayd hee verye well knewe what they meant to do neuerthelesse graunted them space to breath and bethinke themselues The army goyng from the city forth with the people of Phocaea with their wiues and children and all their substaunce tooke sea in shippinge besides all the ymages of theyr temples and gyftes offered to the gods sauing those that were of iron or stone or onely paynted and wrought in colours Which done with al their caryage they sayled into Chius Phocaea left desolate without any liuig creature in it was y e next day takeÌ„ by the Persians The people wher of hauing cheapened of y e Chyans y e Iles Oenusiae who refused to sel them fearing least y e mart and custome of marchandize shoulde bee translated from their owne Ile thither departed thence into Cyrnus Where twenty yeares before lead by a certayne prophecye they had founded a city named Aetalia Whyle these things were doyng Argathonius the Tarcesian kyng dyed But y e Phocaeans holdyng their course toward Cyrnus turned out of the waye and came to their old citye where they sâ—ue the garison and power of the Persians planted there by Harpagus for the possession and custody of the Citye Cursinge banning those with most blasphemous and execrable speaches which should seeke to leaue theyr companye and turne behynd Wherewithall taking a fiery wedge of hoat iron they cast it into the sea deepely vowing neuer to returne to their city Phocaea before the iron rysinge from the bottome of the water should â—â—ote aloft and swimme one the toppe Howbeit launchinge towardes Corsica the halfe part of the rowt were moued with a great longing and desire of their countrey and the maners and customes therof insomuch that
caused to be knit mortered together with leade and iron This bridge in the day time she couered with planckes of fouresquare forme to giue passage recourse to her subiects which in the euening were continually drawne remooued from thence to the end all occasion of mutual theft and villany in the night might be foreseene preuented The worke being ended she wrought the meanes for the water to returne to his proper course eftsoones boyding the lake againe which then by continuall feeding of the streame drew to be full Thus the end prooued the deluing of the fenne to be very profitable coÌ„modious by meanes whereof a bridge was made for the vse benefit of the city The same Nitocris also put in practise this subtile and deceitfull inuention Alost vppon the most stately and portlike gate of the City in open shew and appearaunce to all meÌ„ she built her a Sepulchre engrauen with this title or superscripcion If any of the Kings of Babylon after me shall stand in neede or penâ—ry of money let him open the tombe and take as much as he will but not vnlesse he be driuen by extremity for it shall not be good for him This Sepulchre was so long vnmoued till the kingdome fell into the hands of Darius who very much disdaining that he neither had vse of these gates because that ouer them was placed a dead body so that he counted it vnwholesome to go through them nor any profit or commodity of the money especially being allured and prouoked thervnto by the Epitaph and inscription he brake open the monument and looked in not finding one crosse nor ought else saue the dead carkesse certaine letters saying thus Vnlesse thou hadst bene an vnsatiable wretch and greedy of filthy gayne thou wouldst neuer haue discouered the graues of the dead These things are left to memory of the Queene Nitocris against whose sonne Labynitus hauing the name of his father and the gouernement and principality of all Assyria Cyrus prepared his whole army at whose approch the great King gathered a power of meÌ„ hauing made aboundant prouision both of corne and cattell Moreouer great plenty of water was had in readinesse brought from the floud Choaspis running a little besydes Sâ—sa of which riuer alone the King is accustomably wont to drinke The water of Choaâ—pis being first sodden and after reserued in vessels of siluer is continually borne after the King whether soeuer he goeth by Chariots driuen on four wheeles which follow his trayne in great number Cyrus therefore vndertaking a iourney to Babylon after he came to the riuer Gyndes whiche proceeding from the Mantien mountaynes necre vnto the people Darnei meeteth with the riuer Tigris whose streame passing by the City Opis floweth into the red sea he attempted to passe the water which by no meanes can be gone ouer without shipping where stepping foorth a lusty gallant of the army and mounting on the backe of a milkewhite steede sacred and holy to the gods aduentured in a brauery to take the water and go ouer whome the floud winding and wreathing with in his streame swallowed vp so that he was neuer after seene But King Cyrus greatly agreeued at the vnkind and iniurious deede of the riuer threatned the water in furious manner saying that the time should not be long erre he brought it so lowe and to so scant an ebbe that the very women of the countrey should dare to go ouer it not weeting themselues to the knees which thing for the vehemency of his rage he immediately put in practise intermitting and leauing off hys voyage to Babylon wherefore diuiding his campe into two partes heleuelled out and drew by a line 180. trenches on eyther side of the riuer whereinto he determined to draine the water which enterprise as in so great a multitude was at leÌ„gth brought to passe albeit he consumed the whole sommer in performance thereof The mighty riuer Gyndes being in this sort shed and deriued into 360. brookes at the approch of the next spring Cyrus renewed his purpose and set foorth afresh towardes Babylon whome the great Kyng with an hoast of men well prepared exspected and looked for in the fielt When he drewe neere to the city signe of battell was giuen and a fierce encountry made on both sides but the Persians preuailing compelled the contrary part to flie into the city where the Babylonians for that loÌ„g before they perceyued King Cyrus to be of a busie an vnquiet nature giuen to controuersy trouble intermedling dealing with other nations had made plentiful prouision of vittailes all kind of sustenance for many yeares for which they liued in security nothing at all waying to be kept in and enclosed with a siege Cyrus in like case hauing a long time layne at the walles without any successe or auayle was altogether ignorant of what wood to frame his arrowes howbeit at last eyther of his owne trayne or by the counsayle and aduertisement of others he cast about another way and wrought thus placing his army on eache side of the city some on that part where the riuer entereth in others on the backside where it floweth out hee gaue commaundement that at such time as they saw the water to fall and berome fleete and easy to be waded they shoulde inuade the city by the chanell of the floud leauing therefore his ariny in this order and aray with the vnfittest and weakest part of his power he withdrewe himselfe asyde to the poole made by the handyworke of Queene Nitocris whether beeyng come looke what before time had bene wrought by her whyle the bridge was building the selfe-same also dyd Cyrus piercing the bancke of the riuer and geuing a vent to the water to passe into the fenne whereby the streams decreasing became very shalow and without daunger to those that aduentured to passe through which thing being marked by those that stayd behinde at the walles they tooke the riuer and wading very little aboue the knees with manfull and valiant courage brake into the City whome the men of Babylon if in case they had foreknowne the fact of Cyrus had not onely not permitted to take the Towne but contrarywise had destroyed them all by a miserable death for hauing fast barred the little gates that open to the riuer and placed themselues pâ—rtly on the top of the wall partly on the bankes without the City they had pent and included them as it were in a â—aue or denne from whence they could neuer haue escaped aliue wheras now the Persians stealing vpon them of a sudden were at their elbowes before they were aware In which their distresse so huge was the City in â—ignesse that by report of those that dwelt next them they which inhabited the middle part of the City were flatly ignorant that the towne was taken Wherefore being a festiuall day they egerly persued their delight and pastime disporting theÌ„selues with dauncing and all kind of
about the temples of the head with garlands of sweete and pleasaunt flowres some of them are comming others going for certayne passages and wayes seuerally made by cords lines leade and direct the strangers to such as they fancy best and haue moste minde to Moreouer hauing once taken her seate in the Temple she neuer returneth home vntill some one or other of foreigne countreys hath geuen her money and reapt her chastitie who approching neere to his lady whome he liketh sayeth thus The goddesse Militta be fauourable and gracious vnto thee By this name Militta is Venus called with Assyrians neither is it lawfull to despise the money which is geuen how much or how little soeuer it be being applied to a sacred holy vse Neither may y e womaÌ„ be her own caruer to reiect any y t commeth to her but whosoeuer is her first chapman him she immediately followeth w tout respect of persons with whome after she hath accompanyed for a while hauing made her offring to y e goddesse she returneth home for the time to come not to be allured by mountaynes of gold to acquaint themselues with any in the like sort Of this noble route such as are most prayseworthy for beautie and comely proportion of the body haue soonest made theyr market and are gonne the grosser and baser sort being held by the law to remaine there so long till they haue accomplished the rites and customes of the Countrey so that it chaunceth theÌ„ otherwhiles to abide in the Temple a yeare or two yea sometimes three before the poore soules can be acquit of their seruitude The like ordinaunce is of force vertue in some part of Cyprus These are the lawes of the people of Babylon of whome there be three sortes some which liue only by fish whiche beeing purged and dried against the sunne they vse in this manner first they powne bray it in a morter which done they preserue and keepe it in linnen sheetes whereof they take at their pleasure and putting thereto liquour they kneade and bake it in maner of bread The Persian prince Cyrus hauing obteyned the victorie ouer all the countrey of Babylon was pricked with desire to bring into his power the people of the Massagetes a nation very large and in armes couragious and valiaunt hauing their habitation in the East towardes the morning sunne beyond the floud Araxes right ouer against the Issedonians and being as some men suppose a part of Scythia The Riuer Araxes is both greater and lesse then the mighty streame called Ister wherein also are many Iles not inferiour in compasse to the Iland Lesbus The people of those Iles liue in the sommer time by all kinde of rootes whiche themselues plucke vp and gather reseruing the fruite of their trees that is ripe and ready to be eaten for their winter foode and sustenance By these people were found out and deseryed certayne trees whose fruite beeing cast into the fire which they vse to kindle swarming together in great flockes doth no lesse incharme and make drunken the senses of those that fit by with the sauour and smell proceeding therefro then their wyne doth intoxicate the heads of the Grecians being so much the more idle in their braynes by how much y e more they burne of the aforesaid fruite euen so farre at length that they fall to singing dauncing and leaping past measure Now the floude Araxes like as also y e ryuer Gyndes which Cyrus broached and deuyded into 360 trenches beginneth at the Mantien hylles parting it selfe into sixty seuerall streames the rest one only excepted haue their endinges in fennes and marishe groundes where certayne people are sayde to make their abode which are nourished by rawe fishes being clothed and apparelled in Seale skinnes The other parte of Araxes continueth his course vnto the sea called Caspium which is a sea of it selfe not permixt and mingled with any other for aswell the salte water through the which y e Grecians vse to saile as also the other without y e pyllers called Atlanticum finally y e red sea it do meete each with other and are all one but the Caspian waters are hemmed in inclosed with their owne shores being in length 15. dayes sayle for a light shippe that goeth with oares in bredth such that the widest parte which is toward the west may be passed ouer in eyght dayes The west side of this sea is edged in by the mountayne Caucasus being of incomparable height and greatnesse vpon this hill one people of all sortes inhabyting very many diuerse susteyned by wilde foode and fieldishe reliefe The leaues which their trees beare are much like vnto ours in shew though different in nature these they beate to powlder and rempering them with a quantity of water they make of them a certayne colour of such force and vertue that paynting therewith vppon their garments the similitudes of sundry wilde beasts it neuer chaungeth hue but euen as if the pictures had bene wouen and wrought in the cloth so together with y e woolle it selfe they weare out and decay These men after the maner of brute beastes meddle and accompany with their women in open sight Now the West parte of the sea Caspian being inuyroned by the hill Caucasus y e side which exteÌ„deth toward the Easte beateth vpon a large spacious ample playne The most parte of this playne is possessed by the Massagets whom Cyrus for diuerse waighty causes was styrred vp and prouoked to assaile by warre First by the remembraunce of his birth and infancie whereby he was moued to thinke and imagyne him selfe to bee more then halfe a god farre aduaunced aboue the mortall estate of humane kinde Againe not a litle puffed vp and emboldned by y e luck and prosperous atchieuaunce of all his aduentures wherein fortune shewed him so amiable a countenaunce that against what nation soeuer hee set his force the same hee caused eyther to bend or breake alwayes hauing the better hande of his enemyes The kingdome of the Massagets after the decease of the prince hir husband was held by the most noble and vertuous Queene Tomyris vnto whom Cyrus addressinge certayne messengers in fained glose of deceiptfull words demaunded hir mariage but the prudent and couragious lady perceiuing his bent how not for the loue of hir selfe but for desire of the kingdome he had couloured a sute of dissembled matrimony flatly forbadde him to come within the lystes and boundes of hir countrey Cyrus seeing his pollicie to be in vayne lead his power to the ryuer Araxes in open and professed wise threatning vengeance and all kinde of cruelty against the realme of the Massagets wherefore hauing couered the ryuer with certayne bridges whereby to trayne and conuâ—y his army ouer the water hee fortified the same with defence munition of towers builte by y e help ayde of ships which he made for y e purpose to whom being diligently coÌ„uersant
being compassed about with dry matter was suddaynely by the treachery of his brother set on fire which he perceiuing toke counsayle with his wife then present how to escape and auoyde the daunger The woman either of a readier wit or riper cruelty aduised him to cast two of his sixe children into the fire to make way for him selfe and the rest to passe time not suffering him to make any long stay he put his wyues counsayle in speedy practise made a bridge through the fire of two of his children to preserue the rest aliue Sesostris in this sorte deliuered frō the cruell treason and malicious deuise of his brother first of all tooke reuenge of his trecherous villany and diuelish intent in the next place bethinking himselfe in what affayres to bestowe the multitude which he had brought with him whome afterwards he diuersly employed for by these captiues were certayne huge and monstrous stones rolled and drawne to the temple of Vulcane Likewise many trenches cut out and deriued from the riuer into most places of the countrey whereby the land being aforetime passable by cart horse was thencefoorth bereaued of that commodity for in all the time ensuing the countrey of Aegypt being for the most parte playne and equall is through the creekes and windings of the ditches brought to that passe that neyther horsse nor wayne can haue any course or passage from one place to another Howbeit Sesostris inuented this for the greater benefite and commodity of the lande to the ende that such townes and cities as were farre remooued from the riuer might not at the fall of the floud be pinched with the penury and want of water which at all times they haue deriued and brought to them in trenches The same King made an equall distribution of the whole countrey to all his subiects allotting to euery man the lyke portion and quantitie of ground drawne out and limited by a fouresquare fourme Heereof the King himselfe helde yeerely reuenewes euery one being rated at a certayne rent and pension which annually he payd to the crowne and if at the rising of the floud it fortuned any mans portion to be ouergone by the waters the King was thereof aduertised who forthwyth sent certayne to suruey y e ground and to measure the harmes which the floud had done him and to leauy out the crowne rent according to the residue of the land that remayned Heereof sprang the noble science of Geometry and from thence was translated into Greece For as touching the Pole and Gnomon which is to say the rule and the twelue partes of the day the Graecians tooke them of the Babylonians This King Sesostris held the Empyre alone leauing in Aethiopia before the temple of Vulcane certayne monuments to the posteritie to wit certayne images of stone one for hymselfe another for his wife beeyng eache of them thirtie cubites the foure images also of hys foure sonnes beeyng each of them twentie cubites apeece In processe of time when the image of King Darius that gouerned Persia should haue bene placed before the picture of Sesostris the priest of Vulcane which serued in the temple woulde in no wise permit it to bee done denying that Darius had euer atchieued the like exploites that Sesostris had done Who besides the conquering of sundrie other nations not inferiour in number to those whiche had beene ouercome by Darius had also brought in subiection the most couragious and valiaunt people of Scythia for whyche cause it were agaynst reason to preferre hymselfe in place before him vnto whome he was inferiour in chiualry whiche bolde aunswere of the priest King Darius tooke in good parte and brooked welynough Sesostris dying the seate imperiall came to hys sonne Pheco who beeyng bereaued of hys sight vndertooke no voyage of warre but remayned quiet in his kingdome The cause he was stricken blynde is sayde to be this At what tyme the waters of the floud increasing by reason of a mightie raging winde had drowned the lowe countreys eyghteene cubites deepe The Kyng inraged at the vnaccustomed swelling of the ryuer tooke hys darte and discharged it into the middest of the waters for whyche hys vnrcuerent facte the fame is that hys sighte incontinente was taken from hym and hee became blynde the space of tenne yeares In the eleuenth yeare there arose a prophecie in the city Butis that the tyme of hys miserie was nowe exspyred and that hys syght shoulde eftsoones bee restored agayne if in case hee washed hys eyes in the water of a woman whych neuer knewe man but her owne husbande For further proofe of thys phetis medicine the Kyng beganne first wyth hys owne wyfe whych working not the effecte he looked for he tryed many others but all in vayne lastly lighting vppon a poore seely woman that had neuer woorshipped more Sainctes then one hee speedely recouered hys sighte agayne and causing all those whome earst he had prooued to be gathered into one citie the name whereof was called Reddclodd he set fire to the towne and consumed them all The King thus healed and freely acquited of hys former miserie began to be deuoute increasing the temples of the gods with giftes of exceeding value All which deserue for theyr excellencie to be had in memorie and chiefly those that he offered in the temple of the Sunne which were these two mighty great stones which the Aegyptians in theyr tongue called Obeli in fashion like a spit or breach 100. cubites long and in breadth 80. Next after hym the kingdome descended to a certayne man of the citie Memphis whose name in the greeke language was Protheus to whome the Aegyptians erected a temple which is yet to be seeue in Memphis very fayre and beautifull garnished wyth rich and singulare giftes On euery side whereof dwell the Phenices a people descended of the Tyrians whereof the place taketh the name and is tearmed the tentes of the Tyrians Within the temple there is standyng the house of Proteus called the court of straunge Venus vnder which name is meant as I deeme Helena the daughter of Tyndarus who as a guest agaynst her wyll kepte resyaunce for a tyme in the court of Protheus and was tearmed the straunge Venus in as much as the other Venus who hath many temples in Aegypt is neuer called by the name of straunge Heereof entring talke with the sacred order of the priestes they discoursed vnto me that Alexander hauing stolne Helena from the Spartanes and speedyng hymselfe homewarde by the sea called Aegeum by constraynte of weather was driuen into the Aegyptian seas and perforce againste his will was cast ashore in Aegypt His ariual was at y e mouth of the floud Nilus called Canobicum at y e porte whiche the inhabitants tearme by y e name of Trachex In this place is situated a temple to Hercules where vnto if any mans seruaunt or vassall flye and get vppon hym the holy markes
The citie taken when Helena could not be founde and the same aunswere was rendered the Graecians as before they gaue credite at length to theyr wordes and sente Menelaus into Aegypt to the courte of Protheus whether beeyng come and declaryng the cause of hys arriuall to the Kyng he gaue him greate entertaynemente restoring vnto him hys Lady with all his treasure without any manner of losse or imbeselment Neuerthelesse Menelaus for all this courtesie and royall vsage which he had receyued at the handes of the King gaue him but a poupe for his labour dooyng to the countrey this iniurie for a farewell For indeuouring to depart thence and wayting a fauourable wynde to fit hys purpose by meanes whereof he stayde a long tyme in Aegypt to knowe the state of hys voyage what fortune should thereafter betide vnto hym he tooke two children of the Aegyptians slewe them and paunched out theyr bowels whereby to take view of his future successe Which beyng knowne and perceyuing hymselfe to be mortally hated and pursued of the inhabitauntes he sped hym thence into the Isles of Africa lying ouer against them from whence also makyng as good haste as he coulde the Aegyptians heard no more tydyngs of hym Of all these things they were partly informed by the knowledge of hystories beeyng much more certayne of such thyngs as were done in theyr countrey Thus farre the priestes of Aegypt proceeding in discoursing of Helena whereto I adde thys surmize of myne owne that if Helena had beene in Troy no doubt for ought that Alexander could haue sayde or done she had beene deliuered to the Graecians For who woulde thynke that Kyng Pryamus wyth the residue of that lignage were so madde that to the ende Alexander might enioy the delighte of hys Lady would imperill theyr owne lyues and theyr childrens with the flourishing estate of so famous a citie In whych fond opinion if in case they had bene at the beginning yet vndoubtedly they woulde haue recanted at length when as many valiaunt souldyers of the Troianes and two or three of the Kings owne sonnes if any credit may be geuen to the poets were most lamentably slaine by the Graecians in fight By these things I am driuen to coniecture that if Helena had beene in their keeping Pryamus to rayse the siege from the walles of hys city woulde willingly haue wrought meanes to restore her agayne Neyther was Alexander heyre apparaunt to the crowne so that his father beeyng crooked wyth age the administration of the kyngdome shoulde rest in hys gouernemente one there was betweene hym and home namely hys brother Hector as well in number of yeares hys elder as in noblenesse of mynde hys better whome it behoued not to smooth vp his brother in hys filthy leachery seeing such imminent perill to threaten not onely himselfe but also the whole kyndred and nation of the Troianes But it was the iust plague of God inflicted vppon them for their wickednesse that they shoulde neyther delyuer Helena whome they had not nor be credyted of the Graecians to whome they fayned not to the ende all men myght learne that they whyche stryke wyth the swoorde shall be beaten with the scabberde being euermore seene that vpon greeuous iniuries the gods alwayes powre downe greeuous reuengements Thus much I thought conuenient to speake of mine owne fancye After the deceasse of Protheus Kampsinitus tooke vppon hym the rule of the countrey who in memorie of himselfe lefte behynde hym certayne porches of stone planted westward agaynst the temple of Vulcane right ouer agaynst the whych stoode two images of fyue and twentye cubites in length One of the which standyng northerly they call sommer and the other lying to the west they tearme winter contrary to all reason and order This King in aboundance of wealth and plenty of coyne so farre excelled all those that came after hym that none coulde go beyonde him no not approch neere vnto hym in that kynde wherefore desirous to possesse hys goodes in safetie hee builte hym a treasurie or iewellhouse of stone one of the walles whereof bounded vpon the outsyde of hys courte In framing whereof the workeman had wrought thys subtile conueyance one stone in the wall hee layde in that sorce that a man might easily at pleasure plucke it in or out which notwithstanding serued so fittingly to the place that nothing coulde be discerned When the building was finished the King caused his treasure to be brought into it minding henceforth to be secure and to lay aside all feare of misfortune In processe of time this cunning artificer lying at the poynt to dye called vnto him his two sonnes and disclosed vnto them in what manner he had prouided for theyr good estate in leauing a secret and most priuy passage into the Kings treasurie whereby theyr whole lyfe myght be lead in most happy and blessed condition In briefe hee shewed them all that was done by hym delyuering them the iust measures of the stone that they mighte not bee deceyued in laying it agayne whych the two yong youthes well marking thought from that tyme forwarde to be of the Kings counsayle if not of hys court and to become the priuy surueyers of hys iewell-house Theyr father beeing dead they made no long delay to put in execution theyr determinate purpose but repayring to the court by night they found the stone which with small force remoouing it from the place they sped themselues wyth plentie of coyne and so departed In shorte space after the Kyng entering hys treasurie and fyndyng the vessels wherein hys money lay to be somewhat decreased was exceedingly amazed not knowing whome to accuse seeyng both hys seales whyche he had set on the dore vntouched and the dore fast locked at hys commyng thyther Howbeit repayring sundrie tymes to beholde hys wealth and euermore perceyuing that it grewe lesse and lesse deuised with hymselfe to beset the place where hys money lay with certayne greens or snares to entrappe the theefe in These subtile merchaunts accordyng to theyr former wont approching the spring head where they had dronke so oft before one of them wente in and groaping for the money was so fast intangled in a snare that for hys lyfe hee wist not how to shifte but seeyng hymselfe in these braakes hee called hys brother to whome he disclosed hys euill happe willing hym in any wise to cut off hys head least beeyng knowne who hee was they both myght bee serued wyth the same sauce His brother hearing hys counsayle to be good did as he bade hym and fitly placing the stone as hee founde it departed home bearyng wyth hym the head of hys slayne brother The nexte day the Kyng opening hys iewell house and espying and headlesse theefe surprised in a ginne was woonderfully astonied seeing euery place safe and no way in the world to come in or out at In this quandary vncertaine what to thynke of so straunge an euent be deuised yet to
Philitio who at that time kept sheepe in those places Chephrenes dying yeelded the Kingdome to Mycerinus the sonne of his brother Cheops who eschuing the wicked acts and detestable practises of his father caused the temples to be set open giuing libertie to the people being so long distressed vnder the gouernement of his father and vncle to follow their owne affayres and returne to their auncient custome of sacrifice ministring iustice aboue all the Kings that were before him for which cause none of all the princes that haue borne rule in Aegypt is so greatly praysed and renowmed both for other causes which were wisely taken vp by him in iudgement and chiefly for this that a certayne Aegyptian much complayning that the King had wronged him in deciding his cause he commaunded him to value the losse which he had suffered by him which the partie doing he gaue him so much of his owne goods to make him a recompence Mycerinus in this wise gouerning the common weale with great clemency and seekyng by vertue to aduance his fame was sodeinely daunted by a great misfortune the death of his onely daughter hauing no more children but her which was the first and greatest hart-breake that befell him in his kingdome For which cause being stricken with sorrowe aboue measure and desirous to solemnize her funeralles by the most royall and princely kinde of buryall that could be deuised he caused an oxe to be made of wood inwardly vauted and hollow within which being layde ouer and garnished most curiously with gilt he inclosed therein the wanne and forlorne corpse of his best beloued daughter This royall tombe was not interred and buryed in the grounde but remayned vnto our age in the city Sais in open view standing in a certayne parlour of the Kings pallace adorned and set foorth for the same purpose with most beautifull and costly furniture The custome is euermore in the daye time to cast into the belly of the oxe sweete and precious odoures of all sortes that may be gotten and in the nighte to kindle a lampe which burneth by the tombe till the next daye In a chamber next adioyning are certayne pictures of women that were the concubines of Mycerinus if we may beleeue the talke of those that in the same city of Sais are professours in religion forsomuch as there are seene standing in that place certayne mighty images made of wood twentye or thereaboutes in number the most parte of them bare and naked but what women they resemble or whose pictures they be I am not able to alleadge more then hearesay notwithstāding there were which as touching the gilded oxe and the other images framed this tale that Mycerinus being inamoured of his own daughter dealt vnlawfully with her besides the course of nature who for intollerable greefe hanging her selfe was intombed in that oxe by her father the Queene her mother causing the hands of all her gentlewomen to be cut off by whose meanes she had beene betrayed to serue her fathers lust for which cause say they are these images portrayed to declare the misfortune which they abode in their lifetime But this is as true as the man in the moone for that a man with halfe an eye may clearely perceiue that their hands fel offfor very age by reason that the wood through long cōtinuance of time was spaked and perished whiche euen to our memory were to be seene lying at the feete of those which were portrayed The oxe wherein the yong princesse lay was sumptuously clad and arayed all the body wyth a gorgeous mantle of Phenicia hys head and necke beeyng spanged and layde ouer with braces and plates of golde of a maruaylous thickenesse Betweene hys hornes was set a globe or circle of golde glistering as the sunne Neyther is the oxe standing and borne vp vppon hys feete but kneeleth as it were on hys knees equall in bignesse to a great heighfer The manner is once a yeare to bring this image out of the parlour wherein it is kepte hauyng first of all well beaten and cudgelled a certayne image of one of theyr Sainctes whome in thys case wee thynke it not lawfull for vs to name The talke goeth that the Lady besought the Kyng her father that beeing dead she myght once a yeare beholde the sunne whereof sprang the custome and maner aforesayde After this there befell vnto him another mischiefe that sate as neere hys skirtes as the death of his dilling insomuch that he was readie to runne beyonde hymselfe for sorrowe A prophecie arose in the city of Butis that the tearme of sixe yeares fully exspired the Kyng shoulde ende hys lyfe leauing hys Kyngdome to be ruled of another Whereof the Kyng beeing aduertised and greately greeuing at the rigorous and vniust dealing of the gods sped a messenger to the place where the seate of prophecie was helde to expostulate with the god for what cause since hys father and vnckle who had beene so vnmindfull of the gods shutting vp their temples and making hauocke of the people had liued so long he hymselfe that had dealte better with them and caused these thynges to bee restored agayne shoulde so soone be depriued of the benefite of lyfe to whome aunswere was made that hys dayes were therefore shortened because hee tooke a wrong course and dyd not as he should do beyng appoynted by the celestiall powers that the countrey of Aegypt should suffer miserie and be afflicted by their princes y e space of an hūdred fifty yeares which the two former princes well vnderstanding was neuerthelesse by him neglected and left vnperformed Mycerinus hearing this round reply and perceiuing that his thread was almost spoon set al at reuell making great prouision of lights and tapers which at euentide he caused to be lighted passing the night in exceeding great mirth and princely banquetting letting slip no time wherein he either wandered not alongst the riuer and through the woods and groues of the countrey or entertayned the time in some pleasaunt deuises following all things that might eyther breede delighte or bring pleasure which things he did to the end he might prooue the prophecie false and conuince the god of a lie making twelue yeares of sixe by spending the nightes also as he did the dayes Mycerinus also built a pyre not equall to that which his father had set vp before him beeing in measure but twentie foote square framed quadrangularly and another lower then that of three acres in compasse being built to the middest of the stone of Aethiopia There be of the Graecian writers that suppose thys towre to haue bene erected by a woman of notable fame called Rhodope who misse of their account not seeming to knowe what that Rhodope was of whome they speake Besides it is very vnlikely that Rhodope woulde euer haue enterprised a worke of so great value wherein infinite thousands of talentes were spent before it came to perfection Lastly it was not in the
the death of cats and dogs Houndes greatly regarded The nature of the Crocodyle A cubite is a foote and an halfe The Crocodyle hath no tongue The bird Trochilus A â—ame Crocodyle Crocodyles in Aegypt called Champsi The maner of taking Crocodyles A beaste called the Ryuer horse The byrde Phoenix The shape of a Phoenix The nature of the Phoenix Serpents hauÌ„ting in AEgypt The bird Ibis The shape of Ibis Hydra a vvater Serpent The chiefe parâ—e â—f AEgypt nd their maners Sicknesse proceedeth of the vnseasonable times of the yeare An excellent custome practysed by Nobles of Aegypt New fashions abhorred Ciuility Pythagoreans vvere such as follovved the doctrine of Pythagoras the Philosopher The Aegyptians first inâ—enred the arte to read a mans destiny The seates of prophecy in AEgypt In AEgypt euery disease hath his physition Of mourning and burying the dead The maner of embalming the dead Fayre gentlevvomeÌ„ dying are kept three dayes before they be preserued The City Chemmis Their floud in AEgypt The nature of their fish The gatheriÌ„g of fruite for oyles The maner of their Shyps The Pyramides vvere certayne long revâ—eâ—s of â—oeâ— The reuenues of a city assigned to the Queene of AEgypt to find hir shoes Menes the king of AEgypt The actes of Menes Three huÌ„dred and 30 princes after Menes Nitocris a Queene of Aegypt Moeris the last of the 330 prynces Sesostris king in AEgypt and his exployts A monument an the reproch of Covvardise The people Colchi sproÌ„g of the AEgyptians Memnon the sonne of Aurora slayneâ— in the vvarre at Troy The death of Sesostris inteÌ„ded by his ovvne brother The countrey of Aegypt cut out into trenches for the better conueyance of vvater A diuision of land The beginning of Geometry The images of King Sesostris The death of Sesostris vvhome Pheco succeeded An exquisite medicine for the eyes An army of honest vvomeÌ„ burnt at a clap Protheus King of Aegypt Helena Of the ariuall of Paris in Aegypt A Sanctuary for seruauntes Of the Troiane vvarre Courtesie revvarded vvith crueltie That Queene Helena vvas neuer at Troy Kampsinitus A tale of a cunning theefe The affection of a mother Kampsinitus iourney to hel The opinion of the Aegyptians touching the immortality of the soule Cheops The building of the Aegyptian Pyramides Chephrenes King of Aegypt Mycerinus King of Aegypt Mycerinus famous for his iust gouerning It is as good to be a slaue in England as a Sainct in Aegypt Mycerinus made tvvelue yeares of sixe The story of Rhodope Archidice Asychis King of Aegypt A statute against borovvers Anysis the next King Sabbacus vanquished Aegypt ruling fifty yeares The description of the temple of Diana The departure of Sabbacus Sethon The revvard of godlinesse Myracles chanced in the Sunne The Greekes tooke theyr saints from the Aegyptians The tvvelue Kings of Aegypt The Labyrinth The description of the caues that are in the Laberinth Psammitichus became prince alone An Iland that svvimmeth Isis the mother of Apollo Psammitichus raigned 54. yeares Necus King of Aegypt The actes of King Necus Necus raigned 17. yeares Psammis King of the Aegyptians Psammis raigned sixe yeares Apryes King after the deceasse of Psammis Amasis rose against Apryes The trades of lyuing in Aegypt Craftsmen of all others least set by and souldiers most The honoure of souldiers in Aegypt The Kynges Garde The death of Apryes Amisis Kinge of the Aegyptians A deuise vvrought by Amasis to purchase the goodvvill of his subiects His custome in administring the kingdome His nature A house of one stone A statute for arrâ—rages Ladyce vvife to Amasis