was nothynge more daungerous then the poyson that proceaded from theim for immediatlye vpon the stingynge Death folowed tyll suche tyme as the inhabitours of the Countrey shewed a remedye Frome thence throughe Desertes they came vnto the great Ryuer of Hyraotys Hyraotys wherevnto there ioyned a great wood Whiche hauing such trees as are not wont to be sene in other places was also full of wilde pecokes Alexander remouing his campe from theÌ„ce wan a towne by assault and taking pledges appointed them to pay tribute After that he came to a great cytie after the maner of that couÌ„trey which was both wel walled and also enuyroned about with a marisse The inhabitaunce came furth against Alexander and ioyning their cartes together in a froÌ„t wherin their custome was to fight thei proffered him the battaill Some occupied dartes some speares and other axes and with greate agilitie leaped to and fro their cartes when either they woulde relieue their fellowes that were wery of fighting or els succour or rescue such as were in distresse This vnwonted kind of fighting put the Macedons at the first in feare specially beyng hurt a farre of by their enemies and not able to come to hande stripes with theÌ„ But after they had coÌ„sidered their disordred maner they esteamed not their force but enclosed their enemies about thurst theÌ„ in with pikes the soner to defeate them they cut the bandes wherwith the cartes were tied to seperate them asonder When they had after that maner lost eight hundred of their men they fled again into the cytie whiche the next day the Macedons did wynne by assault Certayne there were that saued them selues by flieng whiche seing the cytie lost swomme ouer the water and filled al the townes thereabout with feare They declared of what inuincible force their enemies were of iudging them in respecte of their power rather goddes then men When Alexander had gotten that cytie he sent Perdicas with a parte of his army to destroy the countrey and committing another parte to Emnenes for the subduing of suche as would not become obedient Emnenes he with the rest of his power came vnto a strong cytie whiche was the refuge of all the countrey thereabout Notwithstanding that the inhabitauÌ„tes sent to Alexander for peace yet they prepared neuertheles for the warre by reason of a sedicion which rose amonges them that made them to be of diuers opinions Some wold rather haue endured any extremitie then to yelde and other thought they were not able to make resistaunce and whiles they differred so in opinions and made no commen consultacion amoÌ„ges them Suche as helde opinion to yelde vp the cytie â–ª opened the gates and receyued in their enemies And notwithstanding that Alexander had iuste cause of displeasure against the countrey faccion yet he pardoned them all and receyuing their pledges remoued towardes the next cytie When the Indians that stoode vpon the walles sawe the pledges that were brought before the army whome they perceyued to be of the same nacion desyred communicacion with theÌ„ who declaring bothe the kynges clemencye and his force dyd moue them to rendre vp their cytie whose ensample the rest of the cytie dyd folowe Sophytes From thence he came into the cytie of Sophites whiche is a nacion as the Indians thynke moste excellyng in wisdome best gouerned and that haue the best customes amonges them The chyldren that be there gotten are not norysshed and brought vp accordyng to the wyll of their parentes but by the ordre of suche as haue the charge committed vnto them to viewe the state of the infantes If they perceyue any not apt to be come actiue or els wantyng any of their lymmes they cause them streyght wayes to be killed They vse to mary without any respect of the kyndred they come of or the greatnes of paâ—entage makyng no chose but in the shape of the body whiche is the shyng that is only estemed amonges them The kyng hym self was within the chief citie of the countrey against the which Alexander brought his power The gates were shut and no man appeared in armes vpon the walles to make any defence wherefore he stode in doubte a great while whether the cytie was abandoned or els that the inhabiters had kepte them selues secrete for some policy Whiles he remained in that expectacion sodainly the gate was opened the king which in good lines of personage excelled al the rest came furth with his two sonnes he ware a garmeÌ„t of gold and purple enpaled that couered the caulf of his legge the soles he ware on his feete were set with pricious stones All his armes were garnyshed with pearles and had hangyng at his eares two precious stones whiche were excelleÌ„t both for bignes and brightnes there he had a scepter of gold set with precious stones called Berillis which he after his salutacion made with huÌ„ble submission deliuered vnto Alexander yelding both him selfe his chyldren and his kyngdome into hys handes There were in that countrey very notable dogges for the huntyng of wylde beastes whiche specially were geuen to be egre vpon the lyon The kyng therfore to shewe their force and propertie vnto AlexaÌ„der put foure of them vnto a great lyon which steight wayes caught hym faste Then one whiche was accustomed to that office toke one of those dogges by the legge to plucke hym of the lyon and because he woulde not loose hys holde cut of his legge wiâ—h a sworde But when the dogge sticked neuer thelesse vnto his game he was cut a sondre in peace meale till suche tyme as he died hauing his teath stil fastened in the lyons fleshe Suche a feruentnes nature had wrought in those beastes as we vnderstode by the reporte Some tyme I am enforced to write thynges that I can scarsely beleue For I neither dare affirme the thinges wherof I doubt nor counceale suche thinges as I haue receiued for truthe Alexander leuing this kyng within his owne kingdome came vnto the ryuer of Hipasis Hyspasis kyng Phegelas and there ioyned with Ephestion whiche had subdued the countrey thereabout One Phegelas was kyng of the next nacion whiche commaunding his subiectes to continue in tilling of the ground as thei were wont to do mette Alexander with riche presentes refusing nothing that was commaunded him When he had taried with him two dayes and was determined the third daye to haue passed the ryuer he found therin great difficultie by reason that the streame was so large and full of great stones He staied therfore a while to be more fully aduertised of the estate of those couÌ„treis of all suche thinges as were necessary for him to knowe He vnderstode by Phegelas howe beyonde that ryuer theâ—e lay a desert of ten dayes iourney next to that desert the ryuer of Ganges which was the greatest ryuer in al the Orient He shewed that beionde Ganges there inhabited two nacions called Gangaridans Gangaridans PharrasiaÌ„s
made his powre inuincible After all these thinges beyng happely brought to passe he toke to wyfe Olympias one of the daughters of Neoptolenius Kyng of the Molossons Olimpias Philippes wyfe whiche mariage was coÌ„cluded by the meanes of Arisba Arisba who hauiÌ„g the gouernemeÌ„t of Olympias was become king by the mariage of her other sister called Troada Troada This mariage whiche he thought to haue made for his suertie turned afterwardes to his subuercion For thynking to haue made him self strong by thaffinitie of Philip he was at length by hym depryued of the hole kyngdome ending his life myserably in exile Not long after this mariage Kyng Philip dreamed that he sawe his wiues wombe wonderfully swollen Philippes dreame and to his seming a liuely Image of a lion thereuppoÌ„ by whiche dreame the deuyners dreame readers did enterprete that his wyfe was coÌ„ceiued of a chylde that should be of a lions hert and courage with whiche interpretacioÌ„ he was mitch pleased Methron Afterwardes at thassault of a citie called Methron by shot of an arrowe he loste his right eie Wherof though the displeasure was great yet was he conteÌ„t vpon their submissioÌ„ to take them to mercy He wanne also the cytie of Pagus and annexed the same vnto his kingdome Pagus He inuaded the lande of the Triballes Tryballes and at one instant conquered it with all the contreis thereaboute Thus hauyng made his kyngdome strong by subduing his neighbours at his retournyng home his wyfe Olympias was deliuered of his sonne Alexander The byrthe of Alexand the .8 daye of Aprill Of these good fortunes the kyng reioysed no lesse than reason was hauyng stablyshed his contrey at home subdued his enemies abrode â–ª and gotten an heire to succede in his kyngdome He coulde haue desired no more of God if the mynde of man could euer be satisfied whiche the more it hath the more it coueteth And as the dominion encreaseth so doth also the desire to haue more Which was wel seen in Philip that still did compasse howe to growe great by taking from his neighbours and laye alwayes like a spie awayting tyme and occasion howe to catche froÌ„ euerie man whereunto he had occasion mynistred by the Cyties of Greace for whiles one did couet to subdue an other and through ambition were at strife who should be chief by one and one at laste he brought all to subiection firste persuadyng the smaler states to moue warre agaynste the greater and to serue his purpose contcyued the wayes to set them all together by the eares but at lenght when his practizes were perceyued dyuers Cyties fearyng his encrease confeadered agaynste hym as their commen ennemye and namely the Thebans Neuertheles in a necessitie when they were dryuen to wage men of warre they chose hym to be there generall Capitaine agaynste the Lacedemonians and the Phoceans Philip chosen Captain agaynst the Phoceans and the LacedemoniaÌ„s whiche had spoyled the temple of Apollo This warre he honorablie acheued so that by pounysshement of their sacryledge he gat hym self great honour in all those places But in th ende espyeng either of those Countreis to be brought lowe with warre he founde the meanes to subdue both the one and the other compellyng as well the ouercommers as the ouercomme to be his Tributaries and subiectes Then made he a voyage into Cappadoce where killyng and takyng all the Princes there aboutes prisoners reducede the hole prouince to the subiection of Macedon He conquered Olinthus and within a while put his fote in Thrace For where the two Kynges of that countrey were at variaunce aboute the limites of ther kyngdomes and choyse hym to be Arbitrer he gladly toke it vpon hym but at the daye aâ—oynted for the Iugement he came not thither like a Iudge in a Counsell but like a warrier with an army and to parte the strife expulsid both the partes from their kyngdomes By this time yong Alexander was of twelue yeares of age The towardnes of Alexander and began to take great delyght in the feates of warre shewyng moste manifeste signes â—f noble harte and Princely courage He was very swifte of foote and one daie at a solempne game of ronnyng called Olimpiacum beyng demaunded by some of his Companions whether he would ronne a rase with them gladly quod he If I had kynges sonnes to ronne withall Another tyme when certayne Embassadours of the Percians came into Macedon Alexander whiche in his fathers absence toke vpon hym their entertaynement and deuisyng with them of diuers thinges and in all his communication there neuer passed from him one chyldishe or vaine worde but either he enquired the state of their Countrey the maners of the people the distance of the waies the powre of their kyng or the order of his warres and suche other like So that the Embassadours hauing meruaill the rat esteamed the prouffe of the father to be muche lesse theÌ„ the towardnes of the sonne and that his courage was muche more then was to be loked for in one of his yeres As ofteÌ„ as tidinges came that the kyng his father had wonne any stronge or ryche Towne or obteyned any notable victory He neuer seamed greatly ioyfull but would saye to his playe fellowes my father doth so many great actes that he will leaue no occasion of any notable thing for vs to do together Suche were his wordes suche was his talke whereby it was easy to coÌ„iecture what a maÌ„ he would after proue in age whiche so begaÌ„ in youth His delight was not set in any kynde of pleasure or gredines of gayne but in the only exercise of vertue and desire of honoure And the more aucthoritie that he receiued of his father the lesse he would seame to beare And although by the great encrease of his fathers dominion it semed that he should haue the lesse occasion to vse the warres yet he did not set his delight in vayne pleasure or heapyng vp of treasure but sought all the meanes he could to vse mercial feates and exercises of warre coueting suche a kingdome wherein for his vertue and proues he might purchase fame and immortalitie whiche hope neuer deceiued Alexander nor any other when it happeneth in a maÌ„ of vertue and noble hert that hath wille or occasion to put the same in vre Alexander was coÌ„mitted to the gouernementes of Aristotle The charge and gouernaunce of this young Prince was committed to sondrie excelleÌ„t Maisters and Gouernours but chiefly to the greate Philosopher Aristotle whose vertue learnyng and knowledge Kynge Philip so muche estemed that he would often saye he toke no greater comforte in the byrthe of his sonne then in that he was prouided of suche a Maister for hym as Aristotle vnder whose tuicion he remayned ten yeares Many thynges there chaunsed besydes whereby it was coniectured that Alexander should proue a man of greate valoure The oracle at Delphos For when his father sent to Delphos
other marieng a wyfe There were set furth sondry notable playes and deuises plesaunt to beholde And as Kyng Philip betwene the two Alexanders the one his natural sonne and the other his sonne in lawe was passyng through the preasse without any guarde The death of Philip. One Pansanias a young man of the nobilitie of Macedon when no man suspected any suche thing sodainly slewe him starck dead making that day whiche was apoincted to Ioye and triumphe lamentable and dolorous by the death of suche a prince Pansanias This Pansanias being a boie was enforced by Attalus to the vnnatural vse of his body whiche not content to do so himself at an other open banket caused diuers of his familiars to abuse him likewyse Attalus with whiche shame and villany the young man beyng sore greued as reason would coÌ„playned to the kyng whome although the dishonestie of the matter moued muche yet for the loue he bare to Attalus and for the respect of his seruice forbare to vse any reformacion in the matter This Attalus was very nere vnto the kynge and in speciall fauoure by reason he was kynsman vnto the Quene Cleopatra whoÌ„ Philip had laste maried He was also elected generall Capytayne of the Kynges Armye prepared to passe into Asia as one that was bothe valiaunt of hys persone and no lesse politique in the feates of warre vpon these respectes the Kynge endeuoured by all the meanes he coulde to pacefie Pansanias beyng kyndled with moste iuste cause of grief aswell by gyuing him great giftes and promocions as placing hym honourably amongest those IentlemeÌ„ that were for the guarde of his persone But all this could not appease the iust rage of his Ire whiche wrought so in hym that he determined to be reuenged not only vpon Attalus that dyd the villony but also vpon the Kynge that would not minister iustice Whiche determinacion he put in effect as is sayd before Many thynges myght be sayd more of the doynges and sayenges of this Philip but one thyng aboue an other is to be noted that although for the more parte he was alwayes occupied in the tourmoyle of the warres and other like busines yet had he euer suche affeccion to the studies of humanitie and good learnyng that he both did and spake many thynges worthy memory whiche were both witty and plesaunt He lyued seuen and fourty yeares and reigned .xxv. yeares beyng the .xxiii. kynge of the Macedons as they reigned in ordre ¶ The seconde boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of Alexander the greate Kyng of Macedonie WHen Philip was dead Alexander toke vpon hym as king the .20 yere of his age his sonne whiche for the greatnes of his actes was afterwardes called the great Alexander toke vpon him the kyngdome the .4.26 yeare after the buylding of Rome being of the age of .20 yeares His state stode at that tyme subiect to muche enuie hatred and hasard from all partes For the nacions and prouinces borderyng vpon hym could not wel beare their present bondage and euery one of them sought howe to recouer agayne their auncient dominion and enheritaunce The first thyng he attempted after he was kyng was the greuous execution he dyd vpon as manye as hadde conspiryd his fathers death whyche done he celebrated his funeralles with great pompe Concernyng his estate he sone establysshed it and that muche better theÌ„ any man could haue imagyned in one beyng of so yoÌ„g and tendre yeares for beyng of some had in contempt and of some suspected to be cruell towardes the one he bare hym self so stoutely that he toke from them all contempt and to the other so gentylly that their ymagened feare of his cruell disposition was cleane taken away he graunted vnto the Macedons fredom and priuiledge from all exaccion and bondage sauing from the seruice of warre by whiche act he got so great fauour and loue amonges his people that all affirmed by one consent howe the persone of their Kynge was chaunged and not his vertue his name was altered but not his good gouernement In the beginning of his raigne rebellion was made against hym on all sydes he by and by with an incredible stowtenes and coÌ„stancy of mynde stayed all their tumultes which thyng pacified and set in ordre he went to Corinthe in Peloponese Corinthe where callyng a generall Counsell of all the states of Grece Alexander elected Capitain generall against the PerciaÌ„s he was elected their generall Capitain against the Percians whiche before tyme had afflicted Grece with many plagues and at that present possessed the greatest Empire in the world his father had purposed that warre before but the preuencioÌ„ of death was the cause he brought not his purpose to passe Whiles he was in preparacion of this enterprise he was enfourmed howe the Atheniens the Thebanes and Lacedemonians were reuolted from hym and confederate with the Percians and all by meanes of an Oratour called Demosthenes Demosthenes whiche was corrupted by them with a great somme of money For the reformacion whereof Alexander so sodeynly had prepared an Army wherewith he came vpon them that they could scarsely beleue they sawe hym present of whose commyng they had not herde before In his way he practysed wyth the Tessalians and vsed to them suche gentle wordes and apte persuasions by puttyng them in remembraunce of his fathers benefites and of the auÌ„cient kynrede betwene theÌ„ by the discent froÌ„ Hercules that he brought them to the pointe that by an vnyuersall decre of the hole Countrey he was created their Gouernour So great was the celeritie that this young man vsed and his diligence so effectuall in all his doynges that he brought all suche in feare of hym as before turned from hym and regarded hym litle As the Atheniens were the firste that fayled so they firste of all repented and extolled with prayses Alexanders chyldhode whyche before they had despysed aboue the vertue of the auncient conquerours They also sent Embassadours to require of hym peace whome he sore rebuked when they came to his presence but yet was content at length to remytte their offence And although Demosthenes was chosen one of the Embassadours yet he came not to his Prince but from Cythron retourned agayne to Athens whiche his doyng was ether for feare that he had so often â—ayled agaynst Philip and stoored the Atheniens against hym or els to take away the suspicion of hym selfe from the Kynge of Percie of whome it was sayd that he had receyued a great somme of gold to stand agaynste the Macedons The same thyng was layed agaynste hym by Aesthines in an Oracion where he saieth Aesthynes presently the Kynges gold doth beare his charges but that can not laste hym long seyng no ryches can suffise his prodigall liuyng When Alexander had pacified those sturnes that were begonne in Grece before he would passe his Army into Asia he made a iourney agaynst the Peones the
way For as the women and chyldren filled the temples so the men kept the entrees of their houses redie to abyde the crueltie of their enemies yet the Sydonians were the cause that many were saued who amonges the Macedons seruyng in the warres and entring the Cytie amonges the reste Agenour were myndfull of their affinitie with the Tirians Agenour being builder of both their Cyties and conueyed many into their shippes whiche they sent priuely vnto Sydone By whiche meanes fiftene thousand escaped the crueltie of the sworde The nombre of them that were slain may partely be coniectured in that there were founde dead within the Cytie syx thousand of them that bare armour A notable reueÌ„ging of the breache of the lawe of armes The Kynges wrath towardes the Cytie made the syght dolerous vnto the victors For twoo thousand whome the furye of the slaughter had lefte on lyue were afterwardes hanged vpon crosses along the sea coaste The Embassadours of the Cartagens were saued but he threatened to make warre against them from the whiche he was then letted by other busines he had in hand Thus Tyre was taken the .vii. moneth after it was besieged a Cytie notable to the posteritie aswell through the antiquitie it was of as also by the often chaunge of fortune that it had suffred It was buylded by Agenour and many yeares was maister of the seas not only nere thereabout but in all places where as their nauies came And if we lyste to credite the fame that Cytie was the firste whiche either taught or learned letters They buylded Cyties and put in them inhabiters through out the more partes of the worlde bothe Carthago in Affrick Thebes in boecia and Gades in Spayne vpon the Occian It is to be thought that by reason of their fre recourse throught al seas and by viseting of many straunge couÌ„tries they had occasion to chosse out Seates to place in ther youthe wherof they then habounded Or els as some write the Inhabitores weried to dwell their by reason of many earthequakes were compelled of force to seke out straunge dwelling places But after manie casualties that happened vnto Tyre after the destrucion newely renued and all thinges grown againe thorugh long peace remaineth nowe vnder the defence of the romaines Clemency About the same tyme AlexaÌ„der receyued letters from Darius wherein at laste he was contented to name him king The contentee of Darius lâ—tters His requeste was that Alexander woulde receiue his doughter Saptyne for his wief with whoÌ„ he offred in dowre all the countrey betwen Hellespont and the Riuer of Alys and would receiue vnto him selfe onlye suche kyngdomes as lay from thence towardes theaste And if peraduenture he should make any doubt to receyue this offre he willed him to consider that fortune is not wont to continewe longe in one estate and that the greater felicitie men haue the greater enuie doth folowe them It was to be dowâ—ed he saied lesse he exalted him selfe through a vaine a childishe affeccion like as byrdes vse to do whose naturall lightnes conuey them to the stares For ther was nothing more difficulty in so yonge yeares then to beare wel such heigh and greatnes of fortune He willed him also to consider that there remaynede yet meane contreies that he had not touched and that he should not alwaies mete him in streightes Hauing to passe the Riuer of Euphrates Tygre Araxes and Hidaspes which were like bulwarks vnto his dominioÌ„ when that he shuld come vnto the playnes he should be ashamed of his smalle nombre He put him in remeÌ„braunce to waye howe longe it should be or he coulde passe Media Hiâ—cania Baetria and the Indians that bordered on the Occian Sea And likewyse the Sogdians and Arachoâ—ians of whome men haue no other knowledge then of their name with other nacions lieng towardes the mount Caucasus and the Ryuer of Tanays Though no man should lette hym nor offer hym battaille yet he should growe in age he saied before he coulde passe so many landes In the latter ende he aduysed hym to call hym no more forewardes for he would come sone enough and that to his destruccion Thefâ—ect of Darius aâ—nswere Alexander made aunswer to those letters by the messengers that brought them in effect that Darius offred to hym that was none of his owne and made a proffer to geue that he had all loste For Lidia Ionia Acolides and the coste of the Hellespont whiche he appoincted in dowre were alredy become the rewardes of his victory And as for lawes and condicions those were wonte to be geuen and appoyncted by the victors and receyued of suche as were ouercome And if he were ignoraunt in whiche of those two estates he were in he should come of and aduenture the battaille once agayne For he was not ignoraunt he sayed before he passed the Sea howe Lidia and Cilicia were ouer smale rewardes for the making of suche a warre But his determinacion was euer to subdue and bring vnder his dominion both Percipolis the chief Citie of his kyngdome and also Bactria and Echatania with the vttermoste boundes of the Orient He could fle no where but he was able to folowe and therefore counsailed him that he should leue to feare him with ryuers which had learned how to passe seas Thus the kinges did write one to another Rhodianâ— in the meane season the Rhodians yelded their cytie and their hauen vnto Alexander who coÌ„mitted the rule of Cilicia vnto Socrates and the couÌ„trey about Tyre vnto Philotas And Parmenio made Andromachus his deputie in Celi Siria Celi Siria For from thence they had to set forwardes to the reste of their iourney Alexander gaue commaundement to Ephestion that he should fetche about with his nauie the coste of Phenices and came with his hole power to the cytie of Gaza Olâ—mpiades About thesame time there were soleÌ„pne triumphes and plaies at Isthnios accustomed to be celebrated with the assemblie of all Grece In that counsell as the wittes of the Grekes be sodain decreed to send xii Embassadours vnto Alexander to cary him a croun of gold in gratefieÌ„g the victory he had won the actes he had done for the saulfegard libertie of Grece but a little before they harkened how the fame went were redy to bend that way that fortune enclined Alexander visited not in persone all suche countreis and cyties as refused their obedience vnto him but made conquest of them by his deputies For Calas toke Paphlagonia Antigonus Licaonia and Balacrus ouercame Idarne Darius lieutenaunt and wan Miletum Amphitorus and Egilochus with a nauie of hundred and .lx. shyppes subdued all the Ilandes betwene Asia and Achaia And also by the consent of the inhabiters got Tenedon whiche alwaies was a receptacle to the Percians Tenedon They were at the poinct to haue gotten Scio but that Pharnabasus Darius deputie hauing intelligence of the matter did fyrste apprehende all suche
bodies will leaue no humour that maye hurt so lykewyse we must cut away whatsoeuer shall be impediment vnto our Empire Haue you not sene great fiers risen of small sparkes not regarded We may not neglect any thiÌ„g in our enemies whom the more we dispise the more stroÌ„g we make them And because you shal not thinke it such an impossibilitie for Bessus to make him self kyng where as a kyng wanteth you shall vnderstande that Darius came not to his Empire by enheritaunce but got into the seate of Cirus by the benefite of Bagoas his Enuche We commit an heinous offence my souldiers if we made warre to Darius and put him downe for the entent to geue his kyngdome vnto his seruaunt yea and to suche one as attempted so vyle an acte against his maister at suche a tyme as he had moste neade of helpe and whoÌ„ we being his enemies would haue spared he being his subiect put him in chaynes as a captiue and finally slewe him because he should not be preserued by vs. Shall you suffre this kynd of man to reigne no let vs make all the spede we may to see him crucified and so to shewe vnto all kynges and nacions a iustice done vpon one that so vilely falsefied his fayth If the reporte should come vnto you beyng in your own countreis that thesame man were distroyeng of the Greke cities about Helespont O God howe sorye would you be then and howe muche would you lamente that Bessus should enioye that you haue gotten and vsurpe the rewardes of your victory Then would you make haste to recouer your own theÌ„ would you bend your selues to the warres But how muche better is it nowe to oppresse him whiles he remaineth in suche feare and is vncertayne what way to take Shal we spare to speÌ„d .iiii. score daies iourney to come to hym that haue ouertroden suche snowes that haue passed so many ryuers that haue clymed so many mouÌ„taines to whose iourney the flowyng sea could be no impediment nor the streyte of Cilicia could shut vp our way Nowe all thinges are made playne and open and we stande in the entrey of our victory There be but a fewe fugitiues and killers of their maisters that do remaine What more notable worcke can you leaue vnto your posteritie to be regesâ—red by fame vnto your glory then in reuenging such as were traitours to Darius you shal therby shewe that wheÌ„ you were enemies vnto him yet your hatred ended with his death that no wicked person could escape your handes Which thing if you bring to passe howe muche more obedient do you thinke the PerciaÌ„s shal be vnto you wheÌ„ they perceiue that you take iust warres in hand and it was not Bessus name wherewith ye were offended but with his faultes and euill doinges His oracion was receiued of the souldiers with such gladnes that thei streightwaies desired him to cary them whether he would And he that could vse the occasion of their good mode passed through Parthenia and came to the boundes of Hircania Hircania leuyng Craterus with the band wherof he had the rule and six thousand horsemen of whome Amyntas had the charge with the like nombre of archers to defend Parthenia from the incursion of the barberous nacioÌ„s He appointed Erigonus a smal power to atteÌ„d vpoÌ„ his cariages willing him to passe with theÌ„ through the plaine countrey And he himself with his fotemen and with the reste of his horsemen marched forwardes C. fyfty furlonges and encamped in a valley at the entrey of Hircania In thesame place be greate woodes full of hyghe and thyck trees and the botome of the valey is very frutefull by reason of the sprynges that come forth of the rockes Out of the foote of the mountaynes there ryseth a ryuer called zioberis zioberis which with in thre furlonges of the head is deuided by a rocke staÌ„dyng in the middes of the streame causyng the water to go two sondrie wayes Whiche afterwardes comming again into one chanell ronneth more violently then before by reason of the fall of the rockes And sodenly it sinketh into the ground and so roÌ„neth hidden by the space of .ccc. furlonges and then coÌ„meth furthe againe as it were out of a newe spring the same being then in bredth .xiii. furlonges and as it ronneth forewardes drawith more narow and falleth into an other streame named Rhydago Rhydago The inhabiters of the countrey affirmed that al thinges caste in where the streme sunk into the ground would apeare come out again at the next issue For the prouing of which conclusion AlexaÌ„der caused two bulles to be cast in where the water entered whose bodies were found by such as were apoynted for the purpose where the streame brake out againe In this place he refreshed his army .iiii. daies during which time Nabarzanes which was confederat with Bessus in killing of the king did write lâ—es to him in effect The effecte of Nabarzanes letters to AlexaÌ„der howe that he was no enemie vnto Darius but counseiled hym euer to doe suche thynges as he iudged moste proffitable and for his faithfull counsell was put in daunger of his life by him who went about against al reason to commit the custodie of his person to straungers condemning therby the fidelitie of hys owne nacion which they had kept vnspotted towards theyr kinges by the space of .ccxxx. yeares Wherefore seing himself in that perill and daunger toke counsel of his present necessite And alledged that it was allwaies admitted lauful for a man to kil such one whom he knewe to imagyn his death which was an excuse he said wherwith Darius satisfied the people when he had slain Bagoas He alledged that nothing was more deare to mortal creatures then life for the loue wherof he was driuen to this extremytie in committing an act which necessity rather coÌ„pelled him to do then his own disposion For in a generall calamitie eueri man hath his fortune If he would commaund hym to come to his presence he said he woulde not refuse to doe it for he coulde not feare that so great a kyng would violat his promis seing one God is not wont to deceiue an other But if he shoulde seame vnworthy to whom he would giue his assuraunce ther were many countries for him to fle vnto For al men hauing vertue in them counte alwaies that for their couÌ„trey where they make their dwelling place Alexander made no stay in giuing him his faith after such sorte as the Parcians vsed to receiue it which was to do him no harme if he came to him Notwithstanding he marched in ordre of battell sending euer scourers before to discouer the ground The light armed were apointed to the voward the phalanx folowed after the baggage behind For by reasoÌ„ the same was a warlik nacion the countrey harde to entre vpon caused the kinge to loke ernestly vpon the matter The same valley stretcheth out to the Caspian
For feare is impediment to some desire vnto other and to many the self loue of the thyng that they haue deuised I will not speake of pryde nor impute it vnto you Ye haue sene experience howe euery man doth exteme that thyng only to be best whiche he him self hath inuented The diademe of a kyng that you were vpon your head is a great burden whiche if it be not borne moderatly the weight therof will oppresse the berer It is not furye can auayle in this case but wyse and prudent counsel When he had spoken those wordes he rehersed a prouerbe commonly vsed amonges the Bactrians which is that the fearfull dogge dothe barcke more then he doth byte and that the depest ryuers doth runne with lest noyse Whiche thinges I haue rehersed because suche prudence may appeare as remayned amonges the Barbarous As he talked after this maner suche as haâ—de him wondred to what ende his tale woulde come to Then he began to shewe his aduise whiche was more proffitable to bessus then gratefull Alexanders celerity qd he is suche that he is come in maner to the entrey of your court He can remoue his armye before you can remoue this table You say that you will drawe your assistaunce from the ryuer of Tanais and that you will put ryuers betwixt you your enemies I would know if he be not able to folowe whersoeuer you shall flee If the way be indifferent it must nedes be moste easy and assured to the victorer And though you thinke feare wil make much spede yet hope is more swifter It were therfore me thinkes expedieÌ„t to procure the fauour of hym that is the mightiest and yelde your self vnto the stronger Howe soeuer he shal accept it your fortune is more lyke to be better that way then to remayne still an enemy Consider that you possesse another mans kyngdome and therfore ye may the better departe therwithall For ye cannot be a iust kyng till you receiue the kyngdome of hym that is able to gyue it and toke it away This is a faythfull counsell wherfore it is not necessary to delay the execution therof The horse that of noble courage is gouerned with the shadowe of a rodde But the dulle beast is not pricked forward with the spoores Bessus that was fierse of nature and well set forwardes with drynking became in suche a fury with his wordes that he could scarsely be holden by his frendes from the sleing of Cobares for he pulled out his sworde to haue done the dede and departed out of the feast in a greate rage But Cobares in this store escaped away came vnto Alexander Bessus had .viii. M BactriaÌ„s armed attending vpon him Which so loÌ„g as they iudged the by reasoÌ„ of the inteÌ„peratnes of the ayre in those partes that Macedons woulde rather haue gone into Inde then into Bactria were verye obediente at his commaundemente But when they vnderstode that Alexander was commynge towardes theim euerye one shronke away and forsoke Bessus Then he with a band of his familie whiche were yet faiethfull vnto him passed the riuer of Oxus Oxus burnynge suche boâ—â—es as caried him ouer because that the same shoulde not serue his enemie in folowynge him and assembled a newe power amonges the Sogdians Alexander as it hath ben said before passed the mounte Caucasus but for lacke of corne his army was brought in maner to the extremitie of hoÌ„ger In stede of oyle they were faine to noint them selues with iuse whiche they wringe out of Sesema but euerie measure therof called Amphora was solde for .ccxl. deners euery like measure of honye for cccxc and of wyne for .ccc. and yet of the same was verye little to be gotten They haue in that countrey certaine vessels called Syri which thinhabitauÌ„tes vse to hide so priuely that they can not be fouÌ„d except they be digged for within the earth The couÌ„trey men bury their corne after that maner for want wherof the souldiours were fayne to lyue with herbes and suche fishe as thei caught in the Riuers But that kynde of fode wantinge also they were enforced to slea their beastes that caried their baggage and with the fleshe of theim liued till thei came into Bactria The description of Bactria The nature of the soyle of whiche countrey is diuers and of sundrye kindes Some place is plentifull of woode and vines and aboundaunte of pleasaunte fâ—uite the grounde fatte well watered and full of springes Those partes which be most temperate are sowed with corne and the rest be reserued for fedyng of beastes But the greater part of that countrey is couered ouer with baraine sandes withered vp for want of moisture nourishing niether man nor bringinge forth fruite But with certaine windes that come from the sea of Ponte the saÌ„d in the plaines is blowen together in heapes whiche seme a farre of like great hilles wherby the accustomed wayes be damned so that no signe of them can appere Therfore such as do passe those plaines vse to obserue the starres in the night as thei do that sayle the seas by the course of theÌ„ direct their iourney The nightes for the more parte be brighter then the dayes wherfore in the daye time the countrey is wild and vnpassable when they can nether finde any tracte nor waye to go in nor marke or signe whereby to passe the starres beyng hidden by the miste If the same wind chaunce to come duryng the time that meÌ„ be passyng it ouerwhelmeth them with sande Where the countrey is temperate it bringeth forth great plenty both of men horse So that the Bactrians may make .xxx. M. horsemen Bactria whiche is the heade citie of that region standeth vnder a mountaine called Parapanisus Parapanysus Bactras the riuer called Bactras runneth by the walles wherof both the citye and the countrey take their names Alexander liyng there in campe receiued aduertisemeÌ„t out of Grece how the Lacedemonians and the whole countrey of Peliponese had rebelled againste him For thei had not lost the battail at such time as the messeÌ„gers were dispatched that brought the newes of their reuolt In the necke of this euil tidinges there came another presente terroure whiche was that the Scythians inhabitynge beyonde the riuer of Tanays were comming to ayde Bessus And at the same tyme tidynges was brought him of the battayle that Caranus and Erigius hadde fought amonges the Arians Caranus Erigius where Satybarzanes that was newlye reuolted beynge chiefe of the countrey seynge the battayle to stande equall on bothe sides ridde into the fore fronte and plucked of his helmet forbiddyng anye of his syde eyther to caste darte or strike anye stroke and there make a chalenge to fight hande to hande if any man durste come forthe and proue his strength Erigius capitayne to the Macedons was a man striken in yeres But yet not inferiour to any yong man either in stowtnes of stomake or strength of bodye who could not beare the
thing qd he to recoÌ„pence such great benefites towards you al with the cost of alitel fraÌ„kinsence He shewed the Percians custume to be both religious and wyse in worshipping there kinges as gods thinking ther defence saueguard to consiste in the maiestie of ther prince He said that Hercules bacchus wer defied wheÌ„ they had once ouercome the enuie of such as liued â— ther time And meÌ„ that come after do easely beleue such thinges as haue bene confyrmed by there predecessours And if any of you qd he will sticke at this matter ye shal se me the fyrste that at the kinges comming in shall fall downe grâ—ueling on the earth and worship him Which president others ought to folow spicially men of moste wysdome that should alwayes be ensample to others in doing their duities towards their Prince His tale tended direcly agaist Calistenes whose grauitye and prompte libertye of speaking was hatefull vnto the Kinge for he thoutht him the man which only had stayed the Macedones that ells would redely haue done to hym that honor Herupon euery manes eies were inurned towardes Calistenes The worde of Calisâ—enes which â—â—ter silence made said in this wise If the king were present Cleo to heare thes thy words yt shuld not be nedeful then to auÌ„swer the for he him self wold make request that he might not thus swarue out of his kind into the custumes of straungiers Nor he would not suffre that thou shouldest deface bring in the obloquie enuye of men with such thy parnicious flattery hys noble actes brought to passe with suche fâ—â—icetyâ— and good fortune But because he is away I for hym will thus aunswere the. There is no frute sone rype that will continew long This I meane by the deuine honours whiche whiles thou goest about to geue vnto the kyng thou takest his honour from hym There is a time required that men shoulde beleue hym to be a god for that gift hath alwayes bene geueÌ„ to great meÌ„ When they are once dead by suche as came after theÌ„ I wyshe vnto the kyng immortalitie after his death that his life may be long and his estate continual But sanctifieng is a thing that sometime doth followe â— man but it doth neuer accompany him Thou diddest reherse ensamples of the defyeng of Hercules and Bacchus Thinkest thou that thei were madde goddes vpoÌ„ drinke and by the decre of one dynner the nature of Alexanders manhode must be remoued from our mortall eyes before the fame can bring hym into heauen Are not they goodly goddes Cleo that thou and I can make Would the kyng trowest thou be content to receiue of vs the aucthoritie of his godhedde I haue great desire to proue thy power If thou canst make a good first make a kynge It is muche more easy to geue a worldly kingdome then the possession of heauen Thinkest thou Cleo that the immortall goddes will heare the without disdayne or suffre these thy wicked deuises to take effecte they would we shouâ—â— holde vs coÌ„tent with the customes of our fore fathers and for my part I am not ashamed of my couÌ„trey nor I requiâ—e not to learne after what maner I should honour my prince For in mine opinion we acknowledge him sufficiently to be king and victorer of whome we receiue lawes to liue vnder Calistenes was fauourably hard of all men as the persone whom they counted the recouerer of their vniuersall libertie He did not only in his tale paynte out suche flatterers but also liuely expressed the opinion of the Macedons specially of suche as were auncient men to whome the exchaunge of their olde vsages were greuous The kyng was nothyng ignoraunt of the wordes that had passed betwyxt them for he stode behynde a particion of the hall and heard all the matter He sent word therfore to Hages and Cleo that at his comming in they should moue the straungers only to fall downe and worship hym after their countrey custome And after a whyle the kyng as though he had bene about some matters of importaunce returned agayne into the feaste then the Percians fell downe and worshypped him after suche sorte as was deuised But Policarpon that sat aboue the kyng at the boâ—de Polycarpon asked one in skorne that touched the grounde with his chyrine why he kyssed no harder With whiche wordes he moued Alexander to yre wherof he was euer vnpacient So that he sayd vnto Polycarpon It is thou that disdaynest to honour me shall I be mocked of the alone He aunswered that it was not seamely that a kynge should be skorned nor yet a subiect be dispysed With whiche worde the kyng plucked hym from the table and threwe him downe to whome he sayd failyng grouelynges vpon the earth Loo hast thou not done thy self that before thou diddest skorne in an other man therupon he commaunded him toward so brake vp the feast Polycarpon being thus punished was afterwardes pardoned But Calistenes whose contempt stobburnes the kyng had long grudged at grounded his displeasure then more deaper vpon whome there chaunsed shortly after an apt occasion to be reuenged It was a custome as it hath bene sayd before amonges the noble men of Macedon to put their sonnes when they were past their childhode in seruice to the king as pages to doe necessary busines about his persone Their vsage was to watche nightly by course at the chambre dore where the kyng lay The concubines were brought in by them by an other way then where the guarde watched Thei likewise receiued the horses of the gromes of the stable and brought them to the king when he leped on They alwayes were about the kyng both in hunting and in battail and were brought vp in the study of liberall sciences The chiefest honour was geuen vnto them because they might sitte and eate with the kyng none had power to correct theÌ„ with stripes but only the king himself This company was like a masse or store from wheÌ„ce al the capitaines and gouernours of the Macedons did come From thence came their latter kynges whose lynage the power of the Romaynes long after did extinct A treason conspired against Alexander Harmalaus one of that nombre because he had striken a hore whome the kyng had thought to haue striken him self was by his commaundement beaten and scourged with roddes whiche rebuke he toke greuously and coÌ„playned to Sostrates his frende that was one of the same company Sostrates Whiche seing the body torne wherunto he had so great affeccion and peraduenture offeÌ„ded also with the kyng before for some other cause Stirred so Harmolaus whiche was prouoked sufficiently alredy that eche gaue faith to other to find a way to destroye the kyng Whiche they executed not with any chyldishe proceding but wysely agreed to bring Nycostratus Antipater Asclepiodorus and Philotas into the felowship of their coÌ„spiracie And afteawards they ioyned vnto them more Anticles Elaptonius Phimanes But the
hys displeasure lest therby he might lose the credite of his false report The king had not Orcynes yet in suspect of such mater as afterwardes was laid against him but began to growe wyth him out of estimacion Hys accusacion was euer so secret that he could neuer get knowledge of the peril that was preuily wrought against him That importunat harlot in hys vile conuersacion had with the king was myndfull euer of the malice he bare to Oreynes whom he would not cease to bring in suspicion of couetousnes or of rebellion so ofte as he sawe Alexander bent to vse him familierly By that time the false accusacions were in redynes which he had prepared to the distruccion of the innocent whose fatall destynie that did approch could not be auoyded Cyrus Tombe was opened by Alexander It chauÌ„sed that AlexaÌ„der caused Cyrus tombe wherin his body was buried to be opened preteÌ„ding to vse certaine â—eremonies for the dead But thinking in very dede that his tombe had bene full of golde and siluer wherof ther was a constant fame amonges the Percians But when it was vyewed there was not thyngâ— found but a â—otten target two Scythian bowes and asword Alexander therefore caused the Coffyn wherein Cyrus body was laid to be couered wyth the garment he was accustomed to weare and set therupon a crowne of golde meruailinge that ther was no more sumptuousnes vsed in buryall of such a kyng endued wyth so great riches that laie there What an occacion Bagoas toke to accuse Orsynes but after the commen sort of men When this thing was done Bagoas stode next vnto Alexander who behyld him in the face and sayed what maruail is it though the sepulchres of kinges be emptie when lordes houses be not hable to receyue the goulde they haue taken out from thence For my parte I neuer sawe this tombe before but I haue hard Darius reporte that there were .iii. M. talentes buried with Eirus Therof qd he proceded Orcynes liberalitie in wynning your fauour by the gift of the thinges which he knewe he could not keape When he had thus sturred vp Alexanders wrathe against Orcynes he presented them whoÌ„ he had suborned to accuse him By whose reporte and by Bagoas surmised tales Alexander was so encensed againste Orcynes that he was put in pryson before he coulde suspect that he was accused The Enuke was not contented with the destruccion of this Innocent man but at his death laied violent hands vpon him Vnto whoÌ„ Orcines saide I haue hard that women in times past haue reigned borne great rule in Asia but it is nowe a more straung thing the agelding should haue thimpire in hys handes This was the ende of the moste noble man amonges the Percians who was not onely an innocent in the matter but such one as bare singuler affectioÌ„ vnto Alexander and had shewed great liberalitie to him his At the same time Phradrates whiche was suspected to haue gone about to make hym selfe king Alexander began to be enclined to the shedyng of blood was put to death Alexander beganne then to be much enclyned to the sheding of bloode and to be credulous in hearing of euil report Prosperitie is of such a force to chaunge a mans nature Wherein fewe men haue consederacion of vertue Thus he which a lyttle before would not condempne Lincestes Alexander when he was accused by two witnesses that suffred dyuers of more meane estate to be acquited though it grudged hys mynde bycause they seamed not gilty to other men And he whiche bestowed kingdomes vpon his ennemies whome he had subdued was in the ende soo muche altered from his former enclinacion that agaynste his owne appetite at the wyll of an harlot he would gyue kyngedomes to some and take awaye the lyues from other About the same time he receiued letters of thynges done in Europe whereby he vnderstode that whiles he was in India zophirus hys Lieutenaunte in Thrace had made iourney againste the Getes The Getes where by stormes and tempestes that sodeinly risse vpon hym he was destroyed and all hys armye Senthes When Senthes vnderstode the defeate of that armye he procured the Odrisians that were hys countrey meÌ„ to reuolt So that al Thrace was in maner loste therby and Greace stode in no great sureâ—ye The writers of the actes of great Alexander make mencioÌ„ in this place of Calanus an Indian that was verie famour in philosophye Calanus which by the persuasion of kyng Taxiles folowed Alexander and ended hys life after a straunge sort When he had liued .lxxiii. yeares without any disease at hys comming into Percia he felt a payne in hys bely wherefore coâ—iecturynge that the ende of hys life was come leste suche a perpeâ—uall felicitie as he had liued in â–ª should be spotted wyth anie longe disease or tormented wyth the multitude of medicines that phisicions vse to minister requyred Alexander that he myghte cause a fyer to be made and to burne hym selfe in the same The kyng began to dissuade him froÌ„ his purpose thinkyng to haue brought him froÌ„ the doinge of so horryble an act but when he perceiued with what stedfastnes and coÌ„stancy he stode in his intent and that there was no way to keape hym any lenger in lyfe He suffred a fyre to be made accordyng to his will where into Calanus did ryde on horsback makyng first his prayer to the goddes of his couÌ„trey and takyng the Macedons by the handes required them that they would spende that daye pleasantly in banketting with their kyng whom within a while he should see at Babylon When he had spoken those wordes he went merely into the fyre where as plieng his body comly kept still thesame gesture couÌ„tenauÌ„ce at his death which he was wont to vse When the fire flamed the trumpettes blewe the men of warre making such a shout as they accustomed going to the battaill whiche rebounded vp to the skye the ElephaÌ„tes also made a terrible noyse These be the thinges that sage writers do testifie of Calanus whiche was a notable ensample of an inuincible mynde coÌ„stantly bent to suffer any aduersitie From thence Alexander went vnto Susa Alexander maried Satyra Darius doughter wheras he toke to wife laufully maried Satyra Darius eldest doughter Whose yonger suster called Dripetis he gaue to wife vnto Ephestion And bestowed to the noÌ„bre of ixxx virgins of the noblest of all the nacions he had conquered Drypetis to the principal Macedons to the chiefest of his freÌ„des because he wold not seme alone to begin so strauÌ„ge a custome These mariages were celebrate after the Percian maner a princely feast prepared at the espowsels Wherat there were .ix. M. gestes to euery one of whome Alexander gaue a cuppe of gold to sacrifice with al. At the same time the rulers of cities which Alexander had subdued and builded sent vnto him .xxx. M. yong souldiers that were all of one age
THE HISTORIE OF QVINTVS Curcius conteyning the Actes of the greate Alexander translated out of Latine into Englishe by Iohn Brende 1553. ¶ Imprinted at London by Rycharde Tottell Cum Priuilegio ab imprimendum so lam ⧠TO THE RIGHT hyghe and myghtye Prince Ihon Duke of Northumberlande Earle marshall of Englande c. Iohn Brende wisheth continuall prosperitie wyth encrease of honour MAnye haue wrytten and experyence besydes declareth how necessary historical knowledge is to all kynd of men but specially to princes and to others whiâ—h excel in dignitye or beare aucthorytye in eny commune wealth the same beyng counted the most excellent kynde of knowledge the chiefest parte of ciuyl prudence and the mirrour of mans lyfe There is required in all magistrates both a fayeth and feare in God and also an outwarde policye in worldly thynges wherof as the one is to be learned by the scryptures so the other must chiefly be gathered by readyng of histories For in them men may see the groundes and beginnynges of coÌ„men wealthes the causes of their encrease of their prosperous mayntenauÌ„ce and good preseruation and againe by what meanes they decreased decayed and came to ruyne There the vertues and vices of men do appeare howe by their good doynges they florished by their euil actes they decayed How they prospered so loÌ„g as they mainteyned iustice persecutd vice vsed clemencye mercye were liberal religyous vertuous and voyde of couetousnes And contrariwise howe they fell into manifold calamityes miseries troubles when they embraced vyce and forsoke vertue In historyes it is apparaÌ„t how dauÌ„gerous it is to begyn alteracions in a coÌ„men wealth How enuy hatredes oft risyng vpoÌ„ smal causes haue ben the destruction of great kyngdomes And that disobeyete of hygher powers suche as rebellyd agaynst magystrates neuer escapyd punyshment nor came to good end In theym there be presydentys for all cases that may happeÌ„ in folowyng the good in eschuyng the euyl in auoydyng incoÌ„uenyences in forseyng mischiefes In them may be learnyd how to temper in prosperitye how to endure in aduersytye after what maner men should vse them selues both in tyme of peace warre As in all artes there be certeyne prynciples and rules for men to folowe so in hystoryes there be ensamples paynted out of all kynde of vertues wherin both the dignitye of vertue foulenes of vyce appeareth much more lyuelye then in eny morall teachyng there beyng expressed by way of ensample all that Philosophy doth teach by waye of precepts Thys is suche a kynde of knowledge as make men apt eueÌ„ wyth smal experyeÌ„ce eyther to gouerne in publyke matters or in their owne pryuate affayres For by coÌ„paryng thynges past wyth thynges presente men maye easelye gather what is to be folowyd and what is to be eschuyd And he whyche can reade theÌ„ wyth such iudgement waiyng the tymes wyth the causes and occasions of thynges shall bothe see moste deepelye in all matters best declare hys opynion wynne most estymacioÌ„ of prudence wysdome For if aged men be estemyd for the wysest by reason of their experyeÌ„ce Or if Homer paynted forth in the persoÌ„ of Vlyxes the ymage of a perfyte wyse man imputyng the cause therof to the knowledge he hadde gatheryd by traueylyng many couÌ„treyes by vewyng and markyng the customes and maners of dyuers nacyous Then such as be wel experte in hystories and by the well applying of them can take the due fruite perteyning to the same must nedes obteygne profouÌ„dnes of iudgement with a stable and grouÌ„ded wysedome For in them men may beholde as it were before there eies both the whole worlde and the gouerment therof with the policies and lawes the discipline customes maÌ„ners of al people from the begynnyng Thys is suche a thyng that who so euer is clerely voyde of it though he be endued wyth neuer so greate a wytte otherwise with such aptnes of nature or other goodly vertues Yet when he shall haue to do in weyghtye affaires he shall fynde a certeigne mayme and imperfection not onely in ciuyll gouerment but also in the matters perteining to the warre For al though in an excellent capitaine nature must geue the chiefest partes that is to say hardines stowtenes of stomacke wyth a natural wisdome and vnderstanding by which qualities onely experience therunto adioyned diuers haue become famous capitaines Yet thys is a thynge that geueth a greter policye groundeth a deaper Iudgemente addeth a further ornament and glory and formeth a perfitnes an excellencie in a shorter space The shortnes of a mans liefe shortened besides by so manye casualties is the cause that men be taken awaye before the canne get suche an actual experience as may make theÌ„ perfite and coÌ„monly become rotten before they canne attayne to a rypenes in knowledge But by thys kynd of learning in youth a man is become aged he hathe knowledge wythout experience he is wyse before it is loked for he is become a councelour the firste houre and a man of warre the fyrste daye The same thynge hath bene verified in manye whych in young age haue bene prudente councellours and in small experience politique capitaynes Alexander hereof is an euidente ensample who brought vp vndre Aristotle in learnynge and so geuen to this kinde of studye that he had Homer alwayes laied vnder his beddes hede wherby he myght be admonished of the vertues and offyce of an excellent Prynce entered into hys kingdome whan he was but .xx. yeares of age and neuerthelesse bothe established hys owne estate wyth suche prudence that wythin shorte space besides the enlargynge of hys owne boundes he subdued the greatest parte of the worlde And albeit he began so young and continued so smale tyme yet no mans actes be comparable to his beinge counted the most excellente captayne from the begynnyng But if eny man wyl impute the greatnes of his doynges to the perfyte disciplyne the Macedons vsed in the warres and to the politique Capitaynes and expert souldiers left to hym by hys father Phyllyp it shal appeare euydeÌ„tly by the decaye of Realmes when they haue bene gouerned by imprudent Prynces and by the ouerthrowes the Romaynes receyued when they were conducted by euyll Capitaines that no prudence of counsellours can take place nor eny dysciplyne or experience of the souldiours can auayle if the heade be not a maÌ„ of excelleÌ„t vertue There is nothing newe vnder the Sunne as the wyse man faith and it is impossible for eny thing to chauÌ„ce either in the war or in coÌ„mon policye but that the lyke maye be founde to haue chaunced in times past Al which thinges laied vp in memorye as in a place of store meÌ„ may alwayes be furnished for all chaunces that maye occurre Seing histories be then so good and necessary it were muche requisite for mens instruccion that they were translated into suche touÌ„ges as most men myght vnderstaÌ„d them and specially the histories of antiquitye whych both
for the greatnes of the actes done in those daies and for the excellencie of the writers haue much maiestye and many ensamples of vertue I therfore hauyng alwayes desired that we englishmeÌ„ might be founde as forwarde in that behalfe as other nations which haue brought all worthie histories into their naturall language did a fewe yeares paste attempte the translacion of Quintus Curtius and lately vpon an occasion performed accomplished the same Whych auctour treating of thactes of the great AlexaÌ„der being figured in the Prophetes Ieremie Danyel mencioned in the first boke of the Machabies seme to haue bene borne and brought forth into the world not with out a mooste speciall prouidence and predestinacion of god who prospered so his procedinges that as Iustine writeth he neuer encountred with eny enemyes whoÌ„ he ouercame not he beseiged no citye that he wanne not nor assailed nation that he subdued not Thys so worthie a matter I thoughte good to dedicate vnto youre grace folowyng their ensample that haue traueyled in the like studye whiche are wonte to declare their good willes by bestowing of their labours Therunto I was also moued that rather by considering the qualities of your grace which seme to haue certeine affinitie and resemblaunce wyth such as were the very vertues in Alexander For Arianus writeth of hym that he was of a semelie stature bolde in his enterprises stowte of stomack moderate in pleasures wise in couÌ„sayle and prouident to forsee thynges That he was excellent in conductyng of an armye moste pollitique in orderyng hys battailes that he could encourage his souldiers wyth apt wordes and when neade requyred take part of their peril What partes of this be in your grace let them iudge that haue knowen your actes in the warres and your excellent seruice done both in the time of the kinges maiestie that nowe is and also in his fathers dayes of most famous memorye Although in doing hereof I haue not parauenture satisfied al mens expectacyoÌ„s yet my trust is that your grace will accept the same in good part and consider that in a translacion a man can not alwayes vse is owne vaine but shal be coÌ„pelled to tread in the aucthores steppis Whyche is harder and a more difficulte thynge to do then to walke his owne pace ¶ The firste boke of Quintus Curtius supplied of the actes of the greete Alexander Kyng of Macedonie PHilip of Macedonie whiche by subduynge of Grece Amyntas king of Macedon dyd first bryng his countrey in reputation was the sonne of Amintas a man endued with wisdome hardines all other vertues of a noble capitaine Thesame Amintas had by Euridice his wife thre sonnes Alexander Perdicas and Philip who was the father of great AlexaÌ„der with a doughter also called Euriones Euridice The Quene Euridice being in amoures with one that had maried her doughter conspired the death of the Kyng her husband to thintent to haue maried with her sonne in lawe and to make him king whiche thing she had brought to effect had not the treason and whordom of the mother ben opened by the doughter in tyme. Alexâ— the 〈…〉 Aâ— After the death of Amyntas Alexander the eldest sonne enioyed his fathers kyngdome whiche in the beginning of his raigne was so assailed on all sides that he was driuen of force to purchase peace of Thillyrians with money by geuing his brother Philip in hostage And afterwardes by thesame pledge made a like peace with the Thebans whiche was thoccasioÌ„ that Philip dyd atteine to suche excellency of knowledge and wisdome for by reason that he was committed to the custodie of Epimanundas Epymanundas beyng both a valiant capteyn and an excellent philosopher he was brought vp in the trade of honest disciplines and Princely maners wherin he greatly proffited vnder a philosopher of Pythagoras schole whom Epymanundas keapt in his house for thenstruccion of his sonne In the meane season Alexander was slaine by the meanes of Euridice his mother whose former treason kyng Amyntas her husband had pardoned in respecte of the chyldren had betwene them little thinkyng that she would afterwardes haue bene their distruccion For when Alexander was dead she caused in like maner her other sonne Perdicas to be slayne Perdicas whiche Perdicas lefte behinde hym one sonne being a young babe About thesame tyme Philip the yongest brother being by good happe escaped out of prison retorned into Macedon Philip and not taking vpon hym the name of Kyng remayned a great while no otherwise but as Gouernour or tutor to his yoÌ„g neuewe Neuertheles afterwardes by occasion of sundry myschefes growing in the state thesame being suche as might not well hang till the yong kyng should come to his age for that he apered to be a man of singuler actiuitie and of no lesse skylle in feates of warre than in knowledge of philosophie was compelled by the people to take vpon hym the kingdomÌ„ of Macedon whiche as than stode in hard plight and great daunger of ruyne This was done .400 yeare â—fter the building of Rome and the .105 Olympiade In the beginning of his raigne he was combred with â—â—finite troubles for all the contries nere about as it were by a generall conspiracie moued warre against him and at one tyme sondrie nacions swarmyd together out of sondrie partes to ouerronne his kyngdom Wherfore considering that it stode hym vpon to worke warely being not able to mache them all at ones pacyfied some with fayre promyses other with money â–ª and the weakest he withstode with force whereby he bothe made his enemies afrayed and confirmed the hertes of his people whiche he found discouraged and in great doubte These thinges he wrought with great sleight and fynenes of wytte in suche sorte that he mynysshed not any parte of his honour estate or reputacion determinyng neuerthelesse as tyme should serue to deale with euery one aparte Philips first warre was with the Atheniene His first warre was with the Atheniens whome he ouercame by sleyght and policie And where it laye in his power to haue put them all to the sworde he let them all at libertie without raunsome By whiche poinct of elemencie though it was but conterfaite for it was done for feare of a greater warre at hand yet it gat hym great good will and estimacion vniuersally After that he subdued the Peons Peons· Illyrians and from thence turned his power against the Illyrians of whome he slewe many thousandes and wanne the noble Cytie of Larissa That done he moued warre against the Tessalians Tessalians not for any desire of their goodes or spoyle of their Countrey but of a policie to adde to his strength the force of their horsmen whiche at those dayes were counted the chiefe of the worlde whiche his purpose he brought to passe for beyng sodeinly assailed they were sone brought to subieccion So Philip ioyned the force of their horsemen vnto his footemen whereby he
to receyue aunswere of the goddes who should be his successour the Oracle was geuen that suche one should not only succede hym but also be Lorde of the worlde whom Buchephalus would suffre to sytte vppon hys back This Bucephalus was a passyng fayre horse Bucephalê° fyerse and full of courage whiche Philip had brought of a Tessalien for thirtene talentes and because of his fiersenes kept hym within a brake of Iron barres yet for all that he remayned so fell wode that none durste come nexe to dresse hym Whereof the kyng was so wery that he would faine haue bene ridde of the horse It fortuned that Alexander came one day with his father vnto the stable What a horse qd he is marred here for lack of good handling with that came more nere and without any great difficulty gat vpon his back vsed both the spurre the rodde to thuttermoste both ruÌ„ning maÌ„naging him vp down whiche the horse abide very well And hauing ridden his fil brought back the horse againe As he alighted the kyng for ioye embrased and kissed hym and with teares in his eyes sayde O sonne seke some other kingdome mete for thy harte for Macedon cannot suffise So that euen then the foreseing father did full well perceiue all his possession farre insufficient for his sonnes harte After this Kyng Philip determined to make warre againste all Greace for the maintenaunce whereof he thought it great auauntage Byzancium if he myght firste wynne Byzancium a famous Citie on the see coaste wherfore committing the charge gouernement of his Realme to his sonne being then .15 yeares olde he laide siege to the Towne whiche made him great resistaunce When he had consumed all his riches and treasure about the siege he was driuen to so narrowe shifte that to furnishe hym selfe of money he became a Pyrat and roued on the sea where he toke .170 shippes all the spoile wherof he departed amonges his souldiers And lette his hole Armye should be detayned about the wynnyng of that towne he sorted out the moste chosen bandes of all his Souldiers and went into Gersonesus where he toke and put to sack manye notable Townes Because his sonne Alexander was then about .18 yeares olde and had shewed euident proufe of his vertue and manhod in all his attemptes His father sent for hym thither to th entent he might in his warres learne and exercise all feates belongyng to a Souldier with hym made a voyage into Scythia vpon no other quarell but to spoyle the Countrey Thus vsing the practise of Merchauntes with the gayne of one warre bare out the charges of an other After he had brought the contrey in subiection The bot oâ— Philip been Sâ—â— oute oâ— Scythiâ— because no riches of gold nor siluer was to be gotten there he caried thens .20 thousand of meÌ„ women and children besides a great multitude of Cattaile with .20 thousand choyse mares to make a race in Macedon In his retourne froÌ„ thence he was encouÌ„tred with the Triballes whiche denied him passage except they myght haue part of his boutie whereuppon debating of the matter from wordes they fell to fyghting Philip was wounded by the Tribals whereat Kynge Philip was so wounded in his thighe that the violence of the stroke ranne through the body of his horse whereof all men iudgyng hym to be slayne the botie was lost therby Assone as he was recouered of his hurte his long dissembled grudge against the Athenians braste out so farre fourth that he made open warre vpon them By reason whereof the Thebanes seing the fyer so nere at hande The Thebans and other Cities conspired against Philip gaue succours to their neighbours fearing leste if the AtheniaÌ„s were ouercome th end of the warres should tourne vpon them Wherefore the Cyties that a little before were mortall ennemies one to another confederated togithers in one leage and sent their Embassadours through all Grece persuading it to be moste mete with a common ayde to withstande a coÌ„mon enemy Some considering the peril to be vniuersall stake to the Athenians And some fearing Philips power encreasyng and the other decayeng toke parte with hym In this warre Alexander was made Capitayne of one of the battailles wherein his noble hert and courage did well apeare specially when it came to the stroke of the fight for there he acquited him self so valiauntly that he semed not inferiour vnto his father nor to any man els but by moste iuste desert got the honour of the victory Albeit he was defrauded thereof by the enuie sleight of his father as he him self complayned afterwardes This battaile was fought at Cherony The battail at Cherony wherin though the Atheniens were the greater nombre yet were they ouercome by the Macedones beyng the fewer but yet experte Souldiers by reason of their long and continuall practise in warres neuerthelesse the Athenians as men not vnmyndful of their former honoure spent their liues valiauÌ„tly That day made an ende of al the Grekes glory aswell of their large rule gouernauÌ„ce as also of their moste auncient fredome and libertie whiche beyng hardly wonne and long tyme kept was thus lost in a moment For these and many other experimentes of the valour and proues in yong Alexander although the kyng his father did alwayes beare hym singuler affection and fauour yet neuertheles by certayn occasions ensuyng it was vnhappely broken For Philip beyng maried to Olimpias mother of Alexander as is sayed before toke to wyfe besides her The dissensioÌ„ betwixt Philip and Alexander Cleopatra one Cleopatra whereupon fell great discorde and vnkindnes betwene the father and the sonne The occasion was geuen by one Attalus vncle of Cleopatra who beyng at the new mariage exhorted the multitude to make prayers to the Goddes to send betwene the Kyng and his nece a laufull heire to succede in the kyngdome of Macedon Whereat Alexander beyng moued Thou naughty villaine qd he doest thou couÌ„te me a bastarde And with that worde flange the Cuppe at his head The Kyng hearyng this rose vp and with his swoord drawen ran at his sonne who by swaruyng with his body auoided the stroke so that it did no harme Wherupon Alexander with many stowte and dispiteful wordes departed from his father and went with his mother into Epirus Epirus Neuertheles sone after by the meane of one Demoratus a Corinthian Demoratus who perswaded the kyng that this discorde was nothyng for his honoure Alexander was sent for agayne and muche labour and greate meanes was made before they could be well reconciled Wherefore to confirme this atonement there was a mariage made betwene Alexander the brother of Olympiades whome Philip by the expulsion of Arisba had made Kynge of Epirus and Cleopatra the newe Quenes doughter The triumphe of that daye was notable accordyng to the state and magnificence of suche two Princes the one bestowing his doughter and the
geue If he would haue bene content to be second persone and not coueted to be equall with me I would peraduenture haue grauÌ„ted his request But as two sonnes cannot shyne on the earth at once so likewise two suche great kingdomes cannot be at one time in the world without the subuersion therof Therfore let him either this day yelde himself or els prepare himself against the morowes fight nor let him not ê‘suade himself to haue other fortune then he hath proued alredy The Embassadours replied that seing he was resolued to procede with warre he did royally in that he was plain and did not fode the furth with hope of peace their request was therefore that they might be dispatched to the kynge to warne him to prepare likewise for the warre When they returned they declared that Alexander was determined out of hand to trie the matter by battaille Wherefore Darius sent Mazeus out of hand with iii. M. horsemeÌ„ to kepe the passages whereby the Macedones should passe When AlexaÌ„der had perfourmed the funeralles of Darius wife leuyng with a small guarrison al such as were vnprofitable for the fight within the strength of his campe set forwardes towardes his enemies His footemen were deuided into two battailles empaled with horsemen on both sydes and his cariage went in the myddes Then he sent Medinas with horsemen vpon the spores to discouer where Darius was Who commyng within the viewe of Mazeus durst not passe any further but brought reporte that he could here nothing els but the noyse of men and neying of horses Mazeus likewyse discouered them and returned back to Darius declaring that his enemies were commyng Then Darius whose desire was to encounter his enemies in the playne and open fieldes The ordre of Darius battilles commaunded his men to armour and deuided them into two partes wherof the one marched on the left hand and the other on the ryght In the battaille on the left hande a M. of the Bactrian horsemen had the first place with the like noÌ„bre of Dahans and .iiii. M. Aracâ—osians and Susians after whiche band of horsemeÌ„ there folowed Bessus C. hoked wagons and behind theÌ„ Bessus with an other band of .viii. M. Bactrians horsemeÌ„ .ii. M. Massagetes The footemen of diuers nacioÌ„s came next in ordre of battaille not mixed together but eche contreymeÌ„ by themselues Ariobarzanes Ariobarâ—anes and Oribates had the gouernement of the Percians MardiaÌ„s and SogdiaÌ„s But their charge was deuided and Orsines that was come of the .vii. PerciaÌ„s of the bloud of noble king Cyrus had the rule of the whole Other nacions folowed whose names were scarsely knowen to their owne company Cradates Cradates was the next whiche hauing also fiftie hoked wagons placed a band of Caspians horsemen before them and behind them the Indians and other the inhabiters of the redde sea rather names of men then good assistauÌ„ce This square was empaled with fiftie wagons vnto the whiche the mercenary souldiers were ioyned After them folowed the men of Armeny the lesse then the Babilonians and next the Bellitans with suche as inhabite the Cossean mountaynes The Gortuans came next whiche sometyme folowed the MediaÌ„s out of Euboia but at those dayes degenerated from their countrey customes The Phrigians Cathonians and Parthians enclosed the tayle This was the battaille on the left hand In the battaille on the ryght hand were the people of the greater army the Cadusians CapadociaÌ„s SiriaÌ„s and medians who had fifty hoked wagons The some of his whole army was .xlv. M. horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemeÌ„ When they were placed in ordre of battaille they marched forewardes ten furloÌ„ges and they were commaunded to stay Whiles the PerciaÌ„s after that maner taried for their enemies theâ— fell a sodain feare amonges the Macedons wherof there apeared no cause yet euery maÌ„ was amased a certain bread entred into their hertes The lightening that fel out of the ayer being in the somer season semed like fier and the flames sodainly appearing were thought to come from Darius campe If Mezeus whiche was sent to obserue their comming had set vpon them whileâ— they were in this feare he might haue done theÌ„ some notable domage But he was â—lack to do his enterprice remained vpon the toppe of an hille coÌ„tentâ— that he was not assailed AlexaÌ„der perceiuing the terrour that was come amonges his men made a signe for them is stay and gaue ordre that they should warme themselues â–ª refreshe their bodies geuing them to vnderstand that there was no cause why they should so sodainly conceiue a feare seing their enemies were yet a good distaunce from them At length when he perceiued they had recouered their spirites he exhorted them both to receiue courage and to put on their armour But yet he thoughte nothing more expedient for the case present then to fortifie his campe in the same place The next daye Mazeus whiche had planted himselfe on a hygh hill from whence he might beholde his enemies campe either for feare or els because his commission was but only to discouer returned agayne vnto Darius Vpon his departure the MacedoÌ„s by and by tâ—ke the hille whiche he had forsaken the same being of more strength then the playne where they remayned before from whence he might beholde their enemies campe And though the miste whiche the moiste hilles did caste forth toke not away clerely the vse of the prospeâ— yet it letted them to deserue the deuision of their enemies barteles and ther ordre the multitude of whom ouerspreade the fyldes and the noyse of suche a nombre fylled there eares thoughe they wepe farre of Then Alexander began to reuolue in his heade and debase wyth hym selfe one while Peâ—menyos opynion and a nother tyme his owne For he was come so farforth that he could not retire excepte he were victoret with out the great destruccyon of hys Armye The multytude of hys enemyes moued hym muche in respect of hys small noumbre yet on the other parte he remembred what great actes he had don with them and howe many nacions he had vanquysshed So that hope surmountynge hys feare he thought it moste daunger of all to differ the battell any lenger leste desperacion might growe amongest hys men and therefore dissâ—mblyng the matter caused the Mercenarye horsemen and the Peones to passe on before and deuided hys Phalanx as it hath bene saied before into two battayles and empaled the same wyth horsemen on both sides By that tyme the mâ—ste auoyded and began to wax clere the ordre of ther enemies apearing manifestly The Macedones then whither it were of courage or for that they were impacient to tarie any lenger made such a shoute as men of warre vse when they ioyne in battel the like was also made by the Percians So that the woods and vaille is round about rebounded wyth the terryble sounde The MacedoÌ„es then coulde not absteine any lenger but woulde haue
courage and fidelitie towardes me So that I for my parte ought rather labour to seme worthy to haue suche frendes as you are then to doubte whether ye yet remaine thesame men towardes me that ye were before For of so many thousandes that were vnder myne empire you are those that haue folowed and sticked by me When I haue bene twyse ouerthrowen in the field twyse enforced to flye away your fidelitie your constancy maketh me thinke that I remayne still a kyng Traitours and fugitiues reigne in my cyties not for that they be thought worthy of suche honour but that you myght be prouoked by their rewardes to reuolte against me Notwithstanding you haue chosen rather to folowe me in my misfortune then be partakers of the victorers felicitie you are worthy whome the Goddes shall reward if I may not as vndoubtedly they wyll There can no posteritie be so silent nor no fame so vngrateful which shal not with due coÌ„mendacioÌ„s extolle you to the sterres Though I was determined still to haue fled whereuÌ„to my harte neuer agreed yet now I haue conceyued suche a truste of your vertue and man hode that I purpose to passe against myne enemies Howe long shall I be banisshed within myne own dominion from a straunge and a forein prince and flye within the boundes of myne owne kingdome when I may by hasarding of the battaill either recouer that I haue loste or els dye an honest death Except peraduenture it semeth better to some meÌ„ that I should submit myself to enemies will and by thensample of Mazens and Mithrenes to receiue by peticion the dominion of some one nacion Wherin I iuge that Alexander had rather folowe thinclinacyon of his glorie then of hys wrath No let the gods neuer graunte that it may lye in any mans powre eyther to take awaye or gyue vnto me thys Deadeame vpon my hede nor that I lose this Impire so longe as I remaine on liue For in this I am determined that my breath and my kingdome shall end both togither If this mynd remayne in you and if thys lawe be graffed in your hartes their is none of you that can want libertie their is non that shal be coÌ„pelled to endure the vrkesomnes of your enemies neither their proud porte nor their stately lokes For euery mans ryght hand shall giue vnto hym self either a reuenge or an end of all thes euils Nothing can stand long in one stay I my selfe am ensample of the alteracion of fortune nor it is not without cause that I loke for a better change And if the worst fall that the gods wyll neds be againste vs in our warres that be lauful and honeste yet it cannot be taken from vs but that we may alway manfully and honestly dye I require and make intercession to you by the honor of our predecessors that with suche fame and glory possessed the kingdomes of the hole Orient by those meÌ„ to whoÌ„ Macedon sometyme was tributarie by so many nauies of ships sent into Grece and by so many victories wonne that ye wyll take suche courage and hart vnto you as may seme worthy your nobilitie and your nacion So that with the same constancie of minde wherwith ye haue endured thinges paste ye wyll proue and attempte what soeuer chaunge send to you hereafter For I am resolued for my part to get my self perpetual fame either by the victorie or by the notable aduenture I will giue for the wynning therof When Darius had spoken theis wordes the representacion of the present perill so amasyd them all that they were not able either to shew there aduise or to speake a worde to the matter Artabazus til such tyme as Artabazus the moste auncient of his frendes which before tyme had bene wyth king Philip began to say hys fancie We are come into the felde qd he with you that is our king in our moste precious apparell and richest armoure â–ª with the entent to win the victorie and if nessessitie require not to refuse death To whose wordes the reste with ther voice seamed to agre Sauing Nabarzanes who being present in that counsell wyth Bessus and of hys opynion conspired a treasoÌ„ so wonderful that the like hath seldome ben hard of before Their determinacion was by force of the souldiers they had vnder their charg to put ther kinge in hold Wyth this purpose that if Alexander pursued them to deliuer him then aliue into his haÌ„des for to wynne therby his fauor as a thing which they thought he would esteame greatly But if they coulde escape conueniently then they were in mynde to kyll Darius and deuiding the kyngdome betwixt them renue againe the warre againste the Macedons They hauing imagened this treasoÌ„ long before in their mind Nabarzanes thoughte this an occasion to make a preparatiue to his wicked intent by a persuasion which he their vttered Nabarzanes wordes I knowe qd he that I shall speake the thing which in the firste apparaunce shall not be grateful vnto your eares but phesicions vse to cure deseases that be greate with sharpe bitter medycines and the shipmaisters wheÌ„ they fear a shipwrack accustume to redeame such thinges as may be saued with the distruction and losse of the reste But thys matter that I meane is no parsuasion to losse but a deuice by what meanes ye may preserue your self your kingdome We make a warre wherin the gods seme manifestly to be against vs and fortune ceaseth not obstinatly to pursue vs. It is nedefull therfore that we lay new fouÌ„dacions seke out men which haue other fortune My opinion is therefore that you deliuer vp your kingdom vnto some maÌ„nes haÌ„des which shal haue the name of king so longe as your enemies remaine within Asya And when they be once departed which my minde geueth me to be shortly he shal restore the same vnto you againe The countrey of Bactria is yet vntouched the Indians Saeans be at your apointement so many people so many armes so many thousandes of horsemen fotemeÌ„ haue their force in redines to renue this warre again So that a muche greater force remaineth then that which is coÌ„sumed Why do we then like beastes wilfully runne to a distruction that is not necessary It is the ê“pertie of such as be men of courage rather to dispise death then hate the life and oftentymes by werines of trauayll towardes are driuen to take little regarde of them selues But vertue leaueth nothing vnprouided So that death beynge the ende of all thynges it is sufficient if we god not to yt lyke sluggardes Therefore if we shal go vnto Bactria which is now our next refuge let vs for the times sake make Bessus king who is alredy ruler of the countrey wheÌ„ the matters be once brought to some staie he shal restore to you thempire againe as to the righteouse king Although Darius ê‘ceiued not the greatnes of the mischief that laye hidden vnder hys wicked wordes yet
breake out vpon their enemies AlexaÌ„der therfore caused his men after the maner of hunters to sake out ther lurkiÌ„g places killed many of them But at length he enuironed the woode with his souldiers round about to thintent they might breake in at euery place wher they should spie any entrey Wherby many wandred lost ther company in places that they knew not and were taken prysoners And amonges them Bucephalus AlexaÌ„ders horse Bucephalus Alexanders horse whom he did not esteame as men do other beastes for he would not suffre any other man to come vpon hys back and when the kynge would ride he would kneell downe vpon hys knees to receiue him so that he seamed to haue the sence to vnderstand whom he caried Alexander was more sorowfull and sturred to a greater wrath for the losse of the horse theÌ„ was expedient for such a cause for serching about to get the horse againe caused proclamacioÌ„ to be made by an interpreter the except he were restored he wold not leaue one of them aliue WheÌ„ they hard this terrible threating amoÌ„ges other giftes they presented vnto Alexander his horse yet he was not therwyth pacefied but comaunded the woodes to be cut downe earth to be brought for making of the wayes smooth which he cutt through the woodes This worck went so wel forward that the inhabiters dispayring of habilitie to defend their countrey yelded them selues to the kinge who receyuing their pledges committed them to the keaping of Phradates And from thence the fifte day returned againe to his campe There he gaue to Artabasus the double honor that Darius did vnto him and sent him home againe into his countrey After that he came to that citie of Hircania where Darius Palace was Nabarzanes vpon assurance came thither bringing with him great giftes and amonges the reste presented vnto AlexaÌ„der Bagoas an Enuche of singuler beauty being in the firste flowre of youth whom Darius accustomed and after Alexander The Amazons At whose intercession speicially he did pardon Nabarzanes The nacion of the AmazoÌ„s being nere vnto Hircania as hath bene sayed before did inhabite the playnes of Themiscirae about the riuer of Thermodoonta Thermodoonta had a quene reigning ouer theÌ„ called Thalestris which kept vnder her dominion all the countries betwene the Mount Caucasus and the riuer of Phasis Phasis who for the greate affeccion she had to see Alexander trauailed out of hir owne countrey and being come nere where he was she sente certayne before to declare that a quene was come of desire to visite him and to make hir acquayntaunce Whan libertie was giuen her to come to his presence she caused all the rest of hir band to stay and the came forwardes accompanied with .ccc. women Assone as she parceyued Alexander Thalestrys meâ—te Alexander she leaped from her horse carieng two Lances in hir hande The Amazons apparell is suche that it doth not couer all their bodies for their brestes be bare on the lefte syde nor their garmentes whiche they vse to knytte vp with a knot come not to their knees One breste thei alwaies reserue vntouched wherewith they noryshe their woman children but their ryght breastes thei vse to seare to make them more apt to drawe their bowes and caste their dartes Thalestis behelde Alexander with a bold countenaunce and considered in lokyng vpon hym that his personage aunswered not to the same that she had heard of his actes For the barbarous nacions geue great veneracion to the maiestie of the personage thynking none to be sufficient for the doing of greate actes but suche as nature haue endued with great personages It was demaunded of her if she had any request to make vnto Alexander Wherat she abashed not to confesse that she was come thether to get chyldren with hym thynkyng her selfe a personage worthy of whome he should get heires to enherite his kyngdome Couenanting that if it were a womaÌ„ she wold kepe it styll and if it were a man chylde she would restore it to the father Alexander enquired of her if she would go forwardes with him in his warres but therin she excused her selfe that she had left no ordre for the defence of her kyngdome But she continued styll in declaration of the cause of her commyng and required that her hope therein myght not be in vayne The womans appetite seamed to be more vehemently geuen to luste then the kynges was yet she obtayned of hym to stay for her cause and consumed thirtene daies in satisfieng of her desire Here AlexaÌ„der first forsoke vertue and fell to vice That done she departed to her owne kyngdome and Alexander went to Patthinia which was the place where he first shewed manifestly the vices that were in hym there he turned his continency and moderacion being the moste excellent vertues appearing in any kynde of estate into pryde and voluptuousnesse not esteamyng hys countrey customes nor the holsome temperaunce that was in the vsagies and discipline of the kynges of Macedon whiche iudged their ciuill vsage and maner to be ouer base for his greatnes but did counterfeit the heyghte and pompe of the Kynges of Perce representing the greatnes of the Goddes He was content to suffre men there to fall downe flat vpon the ground and worshyp hym and accustomed the victors of so many nacions by litle and litle to seruile offices coueting to make them equall vnto his captiues He ware vpon his head a diademe of purple interpaled with white lyke as Darius was accustomed and fasshioned his apparell of the maner of the Percians without scrupulesitie of any euell token that it signified for the victorer to chaunge his habite into the fasshion of hym whome he had vanquisshed And though he aduaunted that he ware the spoiles of his enemies yet with those spoyles he put vpon him their euell maners and the insolency of the mynde followed the pride of the apparell Besides he sealed suche letters as he sent into Europe with his accustomed seale but all the letters he sent abrode into Asia were sealed with Darius rynge So it appeared that one mynde could not beare the greatnes that apperteyned to two He apparelled also his frendes his capitaynes and his horsemen in Percian apparell wherat though they grudged in their myndes yet they durst not refuse it for feare of his displeasure His court was replenisshed with concubines for he still maynteined thre hundred .lx. that belonged to Darius amonges them were flockes of Enukes accustomed to perfourme the vse of women The old souldiers of Philippe naturally abhorryng suche thinges manifestly withstode to be infected with suche voluptuousnes and strauÌ„ge customes Wherupon there rose a general talke and opinioÌ„ throughout the caÌ„pe that they had lost more by the victory then they had wonne by the warre For when they sawe themselues ouercome in suche excesse foreine customes so to preuaile amonges them they iudged it aslender reward of their long being
nâ—t honor the doers for then sample sake nor punishe them bicause they serued his purpose From thence by .xvi. remouinges he came to that parte of the Riuer of Indus where Ephestion had prepared al thynges in such sort as he had commission One Omphis was king of that countrey Omphis on of the kinges of Iuda which before had persuaded his father to submyt him selfe vnto AlexaÌ„der Who in meadiatly vpon his fathers death sent Embassadours vnto hym to know his pleasure whither he shoulde take vpon hym as a kynge before his comming or els liue priuately in the meane season And although it was permitted him to gouerne as a king yet he would not vse the auctoritie that was graunted him He had caused Ephestion to be receiued in the beaste sort he could deuise but notwythstandyng had not visited him by cause he would not commit his parsone to any mans fidelitie but to the kinges But when he vnder stode of Alexanders comming he wente against him wyth his holle power whose Eliphantes by small distauÌ„ce myxed in battell amonges his fotemen shewed afarre of like castelles At the fyrste Alexander did not take him as a frend but as an enemye and therefore set his men in ordre of battell and hys horsemen in winges in redynes for to fight When Omphis vnderstode the errour of the Macedons he commauÌ„ded his men to staye and puttinge his spores to his horse ridde forwardes alone AlexaÌ„der did the like making no doubt whither he were afrend or an enemie but thought him selfe sure eyther through his owne manhode or the others fidelity Theyr meâ—ing as it apered by their couÌ„tenaunces was very frendely but for want of an interpretor they could not speake togithers Therefore after they had called one vnto them the Indian king declared vnto Alexander that the cause he met him with an army was to put in mediatly his hole powre into his handes nor that he had not taried to treate for any assuraunce by messengers but vpoÌ„ trust only had committed both his parson and his kingdome to hym whom he knewe to make warre for the wynning of of glory and fame and therfore could not feare in him any parfidye Alexander reioysed to se hys simplicitie and prouffred hym his righthand as pledg of hys promise and restoring to him agayne his kyngdome he presented vnto AlexaÌ„der .lvi. Elephantes with many other beastes of exceding greatnes and .iii thousande bulles which is a cattell of great value in those countreys and much estemed of kinges Alexander enquited of hym whither he had vnder hys dominion more souldiers or tyllers of the grounde He aunswered that he was driuen of necessity to haue more souldiers bicause he was at warre with two kinges whose kingdoms lay beyond the riuer of Hidaspis There names were Abyassares and Porus but the auctoritie remayned in Porus. And sayed that he was prepared and resolued to aduenture the hasard of the battell wyth such of them as should inuade him fyrst Hereupon Alexander graunted vnto Omphis both to take vpon him the Diadeame and the name of hys father that was called Taxiles the custome of the countrey being such that the name euer folowed the kingdome whosoeuer enioyed it When he had receyued Alexander honorablye in hospitalitie thre dayes the fourth daye declaring howe much corne he had deliuered to Ephestion and to his army presented to the kyng and to all his frendes Crownes af gold and besides of coyned siluer .lxxx. talentes Alexander reioysed so much in hys good will that he bothe returned agayne to hym hys giftes and gaue him besydes a thousands talentes of the pray he brought with him with much plate of gold and siluer many garments after the Parcian maner and .xxx. of his owne horses with the same furnymentes they warre when he did ride vpon them Which lyberalytie as it bound Omphis so it greatlye offended the mynds of the Macedones For Meleager at supper when he had well dronk saied he was verie glad that Alexander had yet found one in India whome he iudged worthy to receiue the gyfte of a thousand talentes The kyng bearing in mynd howe much he had repented the sâ—eaing of Clitus for the rashenes of his tounge refrayned his anger but yet â—old him That inuious men were euer tormenters to themselfes The next day the Imbasseadours of king Abyasares came King Abyasares vnto AlexaÌ„der who according to there commission offred all thinges vnto hys wyll Whervpon promise and assuraunce being confirmed Kynge Porus they retorned againe to their Master Alexander therfore thinking that through the greatnes of hys name Porus might be brought to do the like sent Cleochares to him for to demaunde tribute and to somone him to come and make his homage when he should entre the boundes of hys kingdome Porus made aunswer that of those two requests he would parforme on which was to mete him at the entrey of his kingdome but that should be in armes with a powre Alexander therfore being determined to passe the riuer of Hidaspes Barzentes Barzentes that had bene author of the rebellion amonges the Arachosias was taken brought to him bound with .xxx. Elephantes which was an apt assistance againste the IndiaÌ„s that were wont to put more trust in those beasts then in the force of there own nacion Gamaxus Gamaxus king of a smale porcion of India which had coÌ„federat with Barzentes was brought likewise bounde vnto him Wherfore coÌ„mitting theÌ„ bothe to prison the ElephaÌ„tes to Omphs came vnto the riuer of Hidaspes But Porus lay in camp on the further side to let his passag hauing .iiii. score v. ElephaÌ„tes of huge strength of body CCC wagoÌ„s of war .xxx. M. fotemen amoÌ„ges whoÌ„ there were many archers whose shaftes as hath bene said before were more heuie then they could wel weld Porus him self did ride vpoÌ„ an ElephaÌ„t greater then all the rest who also being of a big stature apeared notable in his armour that was garnyshed wyth golde and syluer hauinge also a courage equall to the strength of his body and so great a wysedome as was possible to be found amonges such rude nacions The Macedons were not so muche afrayed wyth the sight of ther enemies The Riuer of Hydaâ—â—is as they were with the greatnes of the riuer that they had to passe which beinge .iiii. thousand furlonges in bredth and so depe that no ford could be found apeared to them lyke a great Sea And yet the largenes thereof mitigated nothing the violence of the streame but ranne wyth no lesse furye then if it had bene narowe apering by the reparcussioÌ„ of the water in many places to be ful of great stones in in the bottome This riuer being sufficient to feare them of it self the sight of the further banck ful of horse and men was an encrease of there terror Where the Elephantes that had bodies of vnreasonable greatenes stode in there sight being prouoked to
Agramenes and Pharrasians whose kyng was called Agramenes whiche vsed to come to the field with .xx. thousand horsemeÌ„ CC. thousand footemen two thousand armed wagons and thre M. Elephantes whiche were couÌ„ted the greatest terrour Those thinges semed incredible vnto Alexander and therfore enquired of Porus if the thinges were true that had bene told him He coÌ„firmed Phegelas reporte concernyng the force of the nacion â–ª But he sayde their king was come of no noble bloud but of the basest sorte of men whose father being a Barbour and with great payne getting his daily liuyng came in fauour with the quene by reason of his personage who brought him to haue al the doinges about the king her husband which was afterwardes sâ—ayn by their treason and vnder colour to be come tutor vnto the chyldren vsurped the kyngdome to him selfe and puttyng the childreÌ„ to death did beget him that was now king whiche was in hatred and disgrace of the people folowyng more the maners of his fathers former estate theÌ„ such as did beseme the dignitie he was come to wheÌ„ Alexander harde Porus affirme this matter he became in great trouble of minde not that he regarded the multitude of his enemies nor the force of their Elephantes But he feared the greatnes of the riuers and the scituacion of the couÌ„trey so difficult to entre vpoÌ„ He thought it a hard enterprise to seke out nacions so farre inhabityng in the vttermoste boundes of the worlde Yet on the other syde the gredines of glory the vnsaciable desire of fame made no place to sâ—me to far nor no aduenture to be ouerharde He doubted also that the Macedons whiche had passed so many countreys and were waxed daged with warres would not be content to folow hym ouer so many ryuers and against so many difficulties of nature lyeng in their way For he iudged that since they habounded were so laden with spoyle they would rather seke to enioye suche thynges as they had gotten then to trauaill any further in getting of more He could not thinke the same appetite to be in his souldiers that was in himselfe For he coÌ„passed in his mynd how to get the Empire of the hole worlde into which matter he had but made his entre where as they weried with trauail and thinking to haue past all perill loked now to enioy with spede the frute of all their labour yet for all that his assertion ouercame reason For he assembled his army together spake vnto them after this maner Alexanders Oracion to his souldiers I am not ignorant my souldiers howe that there be now many rumores sowed amonges you by the Indians of purpose to put you in feare But the vanitie of their lieng is not so newe a thing that it is able nowe to deceiâ—e you The PerciaÌ„s after that maner would haue made both the streytes of Ciliâ—ia and the plaines of Mesopotamy terrible vnto you yea put you in feare of the ryuers of Tigre Euphrates yet we wadyd ouer th one of theÌ„ and passed the other by a brydge The fame neuer reporte thinges truly but maketh al thinges greater theÌ„ thei be in dede Euen our glory though it be growen to certain perfectioÌ„ yet it is more in fame then in effect Whiche of you of late did thinke that you should haue bene able to endure the ElephaÌ„tes shewing afarre of like castels Who thought I could haue passed the ryuer of Hydaspis when I hard it reported to be muche greather then it was We should long ago my souldiers haue fled out of Asia if tales could haue caused vs to turne our backes Thinke you that the noÌ„bre of the Elephantes be greater then you haue sene herdes of beastes in other places seing thei be so rare in the world and being hard to be taken are muche harder to be tamed Thesame vanitie that hath reported them to you to be of suche nombre haue nombred also their horsemen and their footemen Concernyng the ryuers the more broder they be the more gently they must runne For suche as be narowe and of smalle brede runne alwayes with moste vehement streme Where as contrariwise the brode ryuer passe their course more mildly But you will peraduenture saye that all the perill is at the shore where youre enemies shall wayte for your arriuall Whatsoeuer the ryuer be the hasard is all one at the landing But ymagen that al those thinges were true Whether is it the greatnes of the beastes or the multitude of the men that put you in feare As concerning the Elephantes we haue had experieÌ„ce of them of late howe muche more vigorously the rage against their owne party then against vs. What should we esteme theÌ„ but only abate the greatnes of their bodies with suche weapons as we haue prepared for the purpose What matter is it whether they be of the like noÌ„bre that Porus had or whether thei be .iii. M. seing that we perceiue that when two or thre be once wounded the rest bende them selues to â—le away And forasmuche as thei cannot well be gouerned when they be but fewe when there be so many thousandes together they must then nedes be an impedimeÌ„t one to another and brede a confusion amonges them selues they be so vnweldy by reason of their huge bodies that they be neither apt to passe forwardes nor yet to fle I haue alwayes so litle estemed theÌ„ that when I haue had pleÌ„ty of that kynd I wold neuer vse theÌ„ knowing very well that they be more dauÌ„gerous to such as occupie theÌ„ theÌ„ thei be to their enemies But peraduenture it is the multitude of their horsemeÌ„ fotemeÌ„ that do moue you haue you bene accustomed to fight against smalle nombres or is it the first tyme that you haue encountred with disordred multitudes The ryuers of Granick is a witnes howe inuincible the power of the Macedons is against any multitude And so is Cilicia the flowed with the Percians bloud and Arbella whose playnes be strewed with their bones It is ouer late to counte the nombre of your enemies after that with your victory ye haue made Asia desert When ye passed ouer Hellespont you should then haue considered your smalle nombre Nowe the Scythians do folowe vs we haue ayde at hande from the Bactrians we supply our power with the Sogdians Yet for all that it is not in them I put my confidence I haue a regarde vnto your force I reserue your manhode about me as a pledge and assuraunce of my actes and doinges So long as I may stande in the field amonges you I wil neither way my self nor myne enemies Doe you but shewe an apparaunce that there is hope in you cherefulnes We are not nowe newly entred into our trauailes but haue passed all our labours being come to the rising of the sonne and to the Occean sea except our owne slougthe be our impediment From thence hauing subdued the worlde we shall returne as
bitter death But I whiche number not my yeres but my victories haue liued longe if I will weye the giftes of Fortune For beginnynge mine Empire in Macedonia I haue Greace in mine owne handes I haue subdued Thrace and the Illirians I raigne ouer the Triballes and the Medeans possessynge an Asia that lye betwixt Hellespont and the redde Sea and nowe am not farre from the ende of the worlde the whiche I determined to visite and to make open to men a newe nature and a newe worlde I passed out of Asia into Europe in the moment of an houre and beynge but .xxviii. yeres olde hauyng raigned but nine am become victorer of both regions Do you thinke it then mete that I should nowe ceasse from winning of that glorye wherunto I haue onelye addict my selfe No I wil neuer ceasse but whersoeuer I shall haue occasion to fyght I shall thinke my selfe to be in the Theatre where the whole worlde dothe beholde me I will geue nobilitye and fame to places that be obscure And will laye open to all Nacions those countreys that nature hath remoued furdest froÌ„ them In doynge wherof it shall be gratefull for me to ende my lyfe if Fortune will haue it so I am come of that stocke that I ought to desire many thinges before longe lyfe I praye you to remembre that we be come into those countreys where the name of a woman is muche celebrated for hir vertues What cityes did Semiramis builde what nacions did she subdue and what great workes did she accomplishe We are not yet become equal to a woman in glory and yet you woulde haue me to be satisfied of laude The Gods be fauourable vnto our purpose for there remaine for vs yet greater thinges to do And it is the next way to make those countreys we haue not yet touched to become ours if we esteme nothing to be of small valure where as there is anye occasion to winne glorye Let it be your care onelye to preserue me from ciuill conspiracie and treason of mine owne people then there be no aduentures of the warre shall put me in feare Philippe was more sure in the front of the battaile abroade then in quiet tarians at home He oftentimes auoyded the force of his enemies but he coulde not eschue the violeÌ„ce of his owne subiectes And if you coÌ„sider the ende of other Kynges you shall count more that haue bene slayne by their owne menne then by anye forayne power But bicause there is an occasion nowe offered me to vtter the thing I haue longe conceaued in my minde It shall be the greatest fruite I can receyue of my actes and of my trauayles if my trauailes if my Mother Olympiades when she departeth this lyfe might be consecrated to immortalitie If she departe in my tyme I wil do the thing my selfe But if I shall be preuented by Death remember you to perfourme that I haue determined And therupon he dismissed his frendes from him and continued manye dayes in the same place Whiles these thinges were a doynge in India the Greake souldiours that hadde lande and habitacion appoynted them at Catabactra throughe a sedicion that chaunsed amonges them A rebellion of the Grekes whiche Alexander had planted at Catabactâ—s rebelled againste Alexander Notsomuche for anye hatred they bare hym as for feare of punishemente For they kylled diuers of their chiefe rulers and assemblynge in force togethers toke the castle of Bactria that was negligentlye kepte and procured the Bactrians to rebell with them Athenodâ—rus Athenodorus was the chiefe amonges theim who toke vpon hym the name of a kynge not so muche for the desire of the kyngdome as by aucthoritye to make him selfe of power to conueye hym selfe and others home into his countrey Bycon But one Bycon of his owne nacion became his enemye and conspirynge agaynste him did bidde hym to a banquet where he was slayne by one Boxus Macerianus The nexte daye folowynge Bicon assembled the Greakes together perswadinge theim that he slewe Athenodorus but in hys owne defence whose purpose was to haue destroyed him But there were some that perceiued his policye and suspicion was spreade amonges the rest So that the Greakes fell to armes of purpose to slea Bycon But suche as were chiefe mitigated the wrathe of the multitude and contrary to his expectation was deliuered from that presente peryll Yet he coulde not be so contented but wythin a while after conspired againste them that saued his lyfe whose falsehode knowen they toke bothe hym and Boxus determinynge that Boxus shoulde be put to death out of hande and that Bycon shoulde ende hys lyfe by tormentes As they were tormentinge of him the Greake souldiours sodainelye in a furye for what cause it is vncertayne ranne to Armes the noyse of whom beynge hearde wyth them that had the charge of Bycon did let him at libertye fearynge that the rumoure hadde bene made for his deliuerye He as he was naked came runninge amonges the Grekes where as they were assembled whose miserable estate so sodainelye chaunged their minds that thei willed him immediatly to be set at liberty By thys meanes Bicon beynge twise deliuered from death returned into his countrey with the Grekes leauynge the Colonye wherunto he was appointed by Alexander These thinges were done in the coÌ„fynes of Bactria and Scythia In the meane season the kynge of the two nacions whyche we spake of before sent an hundred Embassadours vnto Alexander whiche beynge men of goodly personages ridde in wagons semely appaireled hauing garmentes of linnen clothe embroydred with golde and empaled with purple They declared that the cause of their commynge was to yeld them selues their citye their countrey and their libertye whiche thei had kepte inuiolatelye by so many ages to his wil appointmeÌ„t Of which their submission the Gods thei said were aucthours not any fear for thei were coÌ„teÌ„ted to yeld theÌ„ selues before thei had proued their power with him The kynge called a counsayle receiued theÌ„ vnder his protection appointing to theÌ„ to pay such tribute as they before paied to the ArachosiaÌ„s And besides to seÌ„d two thousand fiue hundred horsemen to serue hym in his warres all whiche thinges they perfourmed obedientlye This done he made a great feast wherunto he inuited those Embassadours and his Lordes He vsed therin sumptuous preparation ordeinynge C. beddes of golde to eate vpon which beyng set a small distaunce one from another were drawen about with curteynes garnished with golde and purple In that feast there was shewed and sette forthe all the excesse and voluptuousnes which either by long custome was vsed among the PerciaÌ„s or by corruption of their old vsages taken vp amonges the Macedons the vyces of both those nacions beynge there mingled myxed togethers Dioxippus There was at that feast one Dioxippus of Athens a notable champion by reason of his excellent force well knowen vnto the Kynge whome certayne enuiousse and malicious Persones
furnisshed with faire armour apt to do any enterprise of the warre which he called Epigoni that is to saie his successours The MacedoÌ„s at theyr comming semed to be somwhat apalled whych weried with long warre vsed often in assembles to murmur speake mutinous wordes against the king For the cause he had prepared these souldiers to restraine the arrogaÌ„cy of other gaue to them great benefites Harpalus Harpalus to whome the king had coÌ„mitted the charge of the treasure and reuenewes at Babilon hearing of the actes that AlexaÌ„der had done in subduing the more part of the kynges of India his successe to be so prosperous that nothing could withstand him Knowing the insaciable desire that was in Alexander to visite farre couÌ„treis to encrease his glory though it shold be a hard matter for him to returned to BabiloÌ„ again wherfore he gaue him self to delight to lust misusing many that were noble fâ—e women wallowing in al kind of voluptuousnes Insomuch that he sent vnto AtheÌ„s for a famous harlot called Patonice Patonice to whom he both gaue many great and princely giftes while she was aliue and also after her death spent .xxx. talentes vpon her tombe Hauing in these suche other like voluptuous vanities consumed a great part of the treasure When he vnderstode AlexaÌ„der to be come out of India to vse extreme iustice vpon his officers that misused them of whoÌ„ they had rule by reason he was priuy to his own fowle conscience feared the like might tome to himself And therfore gathering together .v. M. talentes .vi. M. mercenary souldiers toke the way towardes Athens no maÌ„ willing to receiue him by the way Tenaron When he came to Tenaâ—on where as a great nombre of the mercenary Grekes which had bene discharged out of Asia were assembled he left his souldiers there went to Athens with his money when he was come thether noÌ„bre of the citezens flocked about him more for loue of his money then for his own sake but specially the oratours suche as vsed to make their gaine by oracioÌ„s and persuading of the people whoÌ„ by small rewardes he easely corrupted to defeÌ„d his cause with the people But afterwardes at a generall assemble vpoÌ„ the matter he was commaunded to depart the cytie and so returned againe amonges the Greke souldiers by whoÌ„ he was slayne Sunium Therfore with .xxx. shippes thei passed ouer to SuniuÌ„ whiche is a pointe of the land in the territory of AtheÌ„s from whence they determined to haue entred into Athens hauen These thinges being knowen AlexaÌ„der that was sore moued aswell againste the Athenians as against Harpalus prepared a nauy to make warre in persone immediatly against theÌ„ And as he was busied about the matter he vnderstode by secret letters both the Harpalus had bene in Athens corrupted with money the chief of the cytie And also that afterwardes by a counsel of the people he was coÌ„maunded to depart froÌ„ thence as he returned amoÌ„ges the Greke souldiers he was slayne by one of theÌ„ by treason The death of Harpalê° These newes greatly reioysed Alexander wherby he had occasion to leaue of his iourney into Europe but he sent coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all the cities of Grece that they shuld receyue againe all their banisshed men except such only as had committed any murther vpon their owne countrey men Although the Grekes knewe the same to be the breache of their liberties their lawes the beginniÌ„g of their bondage yet as men that durst not disobey his will they called home their banished men restored to theÌ„ such of their goodes as did remaine Only the Athenians which euer defended obstinatly the liberties of their comeÌ„ wealth which had not bene accustomed to liue vnder the obedieÌ„ce of any king but vnder the lawes customes of their couÌ„trey wold not agre that such dredge of men shuld liue amonges them but did driue theÌ„ out of their bouÌ„des redy to suffre any thing rather theÌ„ to receiue such againe as sometime were the rascall of al their citie then the refuse of al the outlawes The time was come that Alexander minded to dismisse his olde souldiers sende them into their countrey but he willed first .xiii. M. fotemeÌ„ .ii. M. horsemeÌ„ to be chosen out to remaine still in Asia which he iudged might be kept with a small army because he thought the guarrisons he had plaÌ„ted in many places the cities which he had newly builded filled with inhabiters shuld be able to stay such as wold atteÌ„pt any rebellion Alexander paide al his souldiers debtes But before he would make any deuision of such as should depart remaine He caused a proclamacioÌ„ to be made that all souldiers should declare their debtes wherwith he perceiued many of them sore burdened though their debte did rise through their own disordre excesse yet he was determined to discharge euery man But the souldiers thinking it had bene but a deuise to find out the prodigall froÌ„ the rest delaied the time brought not in their declaracions The king perceiued shame to be the let therof no disobedieÌ„ce or self wil. And therfore caused tables to be set vp throughout his caÌ„pe .x. M talentes to be brought fuâ—th Of all whiche treasure when their debtes were payd accordyng to the iust declaracion there remayned no more but Cxxx. taleÌ„tes Wherby it appeared that thei whiche were the conquerours of so many riche nacions A mutine amonges the souldiers brought out of Asia more glory then spoyle But after it was once knowen that some should be dispached and some remayne still they thought the kynge would haue establyshed his kingdome perpetually in Asia Wherfore like madde men and vnmyndfull of all disciplyne of warre fylled the campe full of sedicious wordes and came to the kyng more arrogantly and with greater rygour then euer they did before al with one voyce requiring to be discharged shewyng furth the hortnes of their heete and their faces disformed with scarres and herein thei could not be staied eithâ—â— by chastisement of their officers or by any râ—uerence of their kynge but when he would haue spoken vnto them they would not suffre hym to be heard but disturbed his tale with their tumultuous crye violent thronge protesting opeÌ„ly that they would neuer moue one foote forwardes to any place except it were towardes their owne countrey After a great space because they thought that Alexander would enclyne to their purpose they kept silence stode in expectacion what he would do Alexanders wordes vnto his souldiers Then Alexander spake vnto them what meaneth this sodain trouble of mynde this so malypart and vnlaufull libertie I am afraied to speake vnto you you haue so manifestly broken your obedience towardes me I am now become a kyng at the appointmeÌ„t of my people you haue neither lefte me the libertie to knowe you to
as thoughe he had bene striken to the harte And beynge caried out of the feast halfe dead was so tormented wyth payne that he required a swerde to haue killed him selfe His frendes did publyshe abroade dronkennes to be the cause of his disease but in verye dede it was prepensed treason the infamye wherof the power of his successours did oppresse The poyson prepared longe before was deliuered by Antipater vnto Cassander his sōne whiche wyth his brethren Phillippe and Iolla were wonte to serue the kynge at meate He was warned that he shoulde not committe the same poyson to anye person except it were to Thessalus or to his brethren Philippe therfore and Iollas whiche were wonte to take the saye of the kynge cuppes hauyng the poyson readye in colde water mixed it with the wine after they had tasted it When the fourth daye was come the souldiours partly for that they suspected he hadde bene dead and partlye because they coulde not endure to wante longe his syght came sorowfullye vnto the courte desirynge to see the kynge whiche by his commaundemēt were admitted vnto his presence by such as had the charge of his person When they behelde him liynge in that case they made great sorowe and lamentacion for he semed not to them to be the same their kynge whom they were wont to see but rather a deade corse If their griefe were great the sorowe of theim that stode nexte to the bedde appeared muche more whom when Alexander behelde lamentyng after that sorte he saied vnto thē When I shall departe you shall finde a kynge worthye for suche men as you be It is a thynge incredible howe that he durynge the tyme the souldiours of his whole armye came to viset hym he neuer altered countenaunce nor gesture but continued in that kind of presence he gaue vnto the firste vnto the laste man When he hadde dismissed the multitude as though he had bene discharged of al the debt of life he laye downe againe to rest his weake body his voyce beginnyng to fayle him cōmaunded his frendes to come neare aboute him and then takinge his rynge from his finger deliuered it to Perdicas and gaue therwith a commaundemente that his bodye shoulde be conueyed to Hammon They demaunded to whom he would leaue his kingdome He saide to the worthiest By whiche wordes it appeared that he forsawe the contention that was like to ensue vpon his death Perdicas more ouer demaunded of him when he woulde haue diuine honours done vnto him At such time quod he as you shall finde your selfes in felicitie These were the laste wordes Alexander spake and shortelye after he died Immediatlye after his death the courte was full of howlynge The sorow that was made vpon Alexāders death lamentynge and sorowe makynge and by and by as it hadde bene in a deserte or a place solitary all thynges were whiste and a sorowfull silence was spredde ouer all euerye man beynge conuerted into imagination what shoulde become of the matter The yonge menne of the nobilitye that were accustomed aboute Alexanders person coulde not beare the greatnes of their doloure nor kepe them selfes within compasse of the courte but ranne aboute as menne out of their wyttes wherby the citye was filled with heauines and complainte and no kinde of lamentation pretermitted that sorow is wont to minister in such a case Suche therfore as were without the courte vnderstandynge this matter as well Macedones as other came runnynge thither wheras the Conquerours from the conquered nor the Victorers from the vainquished coulde not be discerned the sorowe was so indifferent to thē al. The Percians called vpō their iust and mercifull Lorde and the Macedons made inuocation to him that was so valeaunte and gracious a kynge and thus there was a certaine contencion of sorow amōges thē Men did not vse their only wordes of griefe and heauines but also of grudge and indignation that so yonge a prince beynge in the flower of his age and of his fortunate successe shoulde by the enuy of the Goddes be so taken out of this worlde They called to remembraūce what a cherefulnes they had alwaies sene in his countenaunce ether when he led them to the battel when he besieged or assaulted any citie or when he would geue any commendacion to the worthye in anye assemble Then the Macedons repented that euer they hadde denied him deuine honours confessyng them selues bothe wicked and vngratefull for depriuynge him of anye name wherof he was worthye And when they had continued long in the veneration and desire of him that was dead then they began to pitye their owne case whiche commyng out of Macedon were passed the riuer of Euphrates amonges the middes of their enemies that vnwillinglye receiued their new gouernement They saw them selues left destitute the Empire without any certaine heyre for wāt of whō euery one wold go about to draw the power of the state vnto his priuate behofe And thē they began to conceiue and forsee in their mindes the ciuill warres that did ensue that they shoulde be enforced to shede their bloude againe not for the cōquest of Asia but for the title of some such one that would go about to make him selfe king wherby their old scarres should breake out againe into new woūdes that such as by reason of their age had bene discharged from the warres by their noble righteous king should now be enforced to spend their liues in the quarell of some such one as was but his souldier Whiles thei were in these imaginaciōs the night came on encreased their terroure The men of warre watched in harnayes the Babilonians loked ouer the walles pepyng out frō the toppes of their houses to spye some certaintye how the matter wēt There was none that durst kyndle any light And bicause the vse of the eie did fail thei laied their eares to heare the rumours wordes that were spoken And many times thei wer afraied whē no cause was whē thei met together in the narow stretes or darke lanes thei would be amased suspect eche other as enemies The Percians after their accustumed maner clipped there heare and with ther wiues and children lamented the death of Alexander in mourning garmentes with vnfained affeccion not as a conqueror and one that lately had bene there enemye but as there rightwise and naturall kyng For they being accustumed to liue vnder a king could think no man more worthy then he to rule ouer them Thys sorowe was not only conteined within the walles of the citie but streightwayes spred ouer all the countrey ther aboutes And the fame of so great a mischiefe flyenge through oute Asia brought some tydinges therof vnto Darius mother She at the fyrste reporte tare a sonder the garment she ware and put on morning appareill she pulled her heare and fel downe groueling vpon the earth One of her neces sat by her morning the death of Ephestion whom she had
maried and in an vniuersall heuines bewayled the cause of hir owne sorowe But Sysigambis alone susteyned all there miseries The behauour of Darius mother vpon the death of Alexander and bewayled bothe hir owne case and her nefes her freshe sorowe causing her to call to mynde thinges paste A man would haue iudged by her behauour that Darius had bene newly slayne and that she had celebrated the funeralles of bothe her sonnes togither She did not only lament the deade but sorowed also for the lyuing Who shall nowe qd she take care of this yong woman or who can be like vnto Alexander nowe we be taken prisoners againe nowe we be newly fallen from our dignitie and estate After Darius death we found one to defend vs. But nowe since Alexander is gone who wyll haue respect of vs Amongs she called to mind how Occhus the cruell kinge had slayne her father and foure score of her brethren on one daye and that of seuen children borne of hir bodye there was but one of theim lefte aliue She sawe that fortune had aduaunced Darius and caused him to floryshe for a tyme to the entente he myght ende his life by greater crueltye Finallye she was so ouercome wyth sorowe that she couered her head turning her selfe from her nese and nephew that sate at her fete and abstayninge both frō meate frō beholdynge of the light ended hir life the fift daye after she was determined to dye This hir death was a great argument of the clemencye Alexander hadde shewed towardes her and of the iustice towardes all the captyues seyng that after Darius death she could abide to liue but after Alexanders departure she was ashamed to continue any lenger Considerynge Alexander rightwiselye A discourse of Alexanders vices and his vertues we must impute all his vertues to his owne nature and his vices either to hys youth or to the greatnes of his fortune There was in him an incredible force of courage and an exceadynge sufferaunce of trauaile He was endued with manhode excellinge not onely amonges kynges but also amonges such as had neither vertue nor qualitye He was of that liberalitye that oftentymes he gaue greater thinges then the reciuers could haue asked of God The multitude of kyngdomes that he gaue in gift and restored to such from whom he had taken theim by force was a token of his clemencye towardes them that he subdued He shewed a perpetuall contempte of deathe the feare wherof doth amase other men And as there was in him a greater desire of glorye and worldely prayse then reason woulde beare so was it intollerable in so yong a man enterprisynge so great actes The reuerence and affection he bare towardes his parentes appeared in that he purposed to consecrate his mother Olimpias to immortalitie and that he so sore reuenged Philips death How gentle and familiar was he towardes his frēdes and how beniuolence towarde his souldiours He had a wisedome equall to the greatnes of his harte and suche a policie and forecast as so yong yeres were scarsely able to receiue A measure in immoderate plesures And the vse of his lust lesse then nature desiered vsing no pleasure but that was lawefull these were wonderfull greate giftes and vertues But in that he compared him selfe to the Gods coueted diuine honours and beleued the Oracles that perswaded such thinges that he was offended with thē that woulde not worship him and geuen more vehementlye to wrath then was expedient That he altered his habite and apparell into the fashion of straungers coūterfaited the custome of them he had subdued and despised before his victorye were vices to be attributed to the greatnes of fortune As the heate of youthe stirred him to anger and to the desyre of drinkyng so age might haue mitigated againe those faultes Notwithstandynge it muste nedes be confessed that though he preuailed muche by his vertue yet ought he to impute more vnto his fortune which only of al mortal men he had in his owne power Howe oftē did she deliuer him from the poynte of death Howe often did she defende him wyth perpetuall felicitie when he hadde rashelye brought him selfe in peryll And when she poynted an ende to his glorye she euen then was contente to finyshe his life stayinge his fatall destenye tyll he had subdued the Orient visited the Occean Sea and fulfilled all that mans mortalitie was able to performe To this so greate a kynge and noble conqueroure a successour was loked for But the matter was of ouermuch importaūce for any one mā to take vpō him Alexanders name and renowne was so great amonges all Nacions and they were counted moste noble that might be partakers of his prosperous fortune thoughe the porcion was neuer so small But to returne agayne to Babilon from whence this digression hath bene made The assēble after the death of Alexander They whiche had the guarde and custodie of Alexanders persone ▪ called into the courte suche as hadde bene his chiefe frendes and captaines of the men of warre after whom there folowed a great multitude of Souldioures desierynge to knowe who shoulde be successoure vnto Alexander The thronge of the souldiours was suche that manye of the capitaynes were excluded and coulde not enter into the courte A Proclamation therfore was made wherby all men were forbidden to enter except suche as were called by name But because their commaundement semed to want aucthoritie it was little regarded the multitude at the first began to make a greuous sorow lamentation But straightwaies the desire they had to vnderstande the successe of the matter stopped their lamētatiō made silēce Thē Perditas brought forth in sight of al the people the kinges chayre of estate wherin Alexanders Diademe his vestures regall hys armor was laide Emōges that which ornamētes Perdicas also laide downe the kinges signet deliuered to him the day before at the sight wherof they began to wepe and to renue againe their sorowe Then saied Perdicas Perdicas wordes Lo here is the rynge wherwith he was wōt to seale such thinges as perteined to the force of his Empire as he deliuered the same to me I so do restore it agayne to you And although no aduersitye can be deuised by the Goddes were they neuer so muche offended comperable to this Yet considering the greatnes of the actes whych he hath done we muste thinke that the Goddes sent suche a man as he was to raigne in the worlde whose tyme beyng expired that was appointed they haue called him againe to the place from whence he came Forsomuche therefore as none other thinge remaine of hym amonges vs but onely that whiche is alwayes wont to be remoued from immortalitie let vs perfourme the due pertayninge bothe to his bodye and to his name remembringe in what citye we be amonges what kynde of people and what a kynge and what maner of gouernoure we haue loste We must debate and deuise how to
maintaine our conquest amonges theim of whom it is gotten For the doynge wherof it is nedefull for vs to haue an heade But whether the same shall be one or manye that consisteth in you You are not ignorant that a multitude of men of warre wythout an heade is a body without any life Sixe monethes be now passed sence Roxane was cōceiued wyth chylde we desire of God that she maye bringe forthe a male whiche maye enioye this kyngdome when he cometh to age In the meane season appoynte you of whom ye wyll be gouerned Nearchus wordes When Perdicas had spokē these wordes Nearchus risse vp and saied There is no man can denye but that it were mete for Alexanders succession to cōtinue in the bloude royall but to loke for a kynge that is not yet borne to passe ouer one that is in his being already is nether expedient for such men as the Macedons be nor yet dothe serue the necessitie of the time Barsynes There is a sonne whiche Alexander begot by Barsines what should let why the diademe may not be set on his heade Nearchus tale was acceptable to no man therfore the souldiers accordyng to their custome classhed the speares against the targets continued makinge of a noyse And when he woulde not forsake his opinion but obstinately maintened the same the matter had almost bredde a sedition which thing perceiued by Ptolomeus he spake after this maner Neither the sonne of Roxane nor Barsines Ptolomeus wordes is an issue mete to raigne ouer the Macedons whose names we shold be ashamed to rehearse within Europe their mothers beinge captiue Haue we subdued the Percians to that ende to become subiect to suche as be descended of them That was the thinge which Darius and zerxes beynge Kynges of Perce wrought for in vain with so mani mileons of men of warre and with so many nauies This therfore is my opinion that Alexanders chaire of estate be set in the middes of the court and that all such as were wont to be of counsail with him shal assemble together so often as any matter require to be cōsulted vpon And that the captaines and rulers of the armye shal be obedient to that order wherunto the greater number do assent There were some agreed wyth Ptolomeus but fewe with Perdicas Then Aristonus spake in this wise Aristonus wordes When Alexander was consulted withall to whom he would leaue his kingdome he willed the worthiest to be chosē Whō iudged he worthiest but Perdicas to whom he deliuered his rynge This was not done at such time as Alexander was alone but when al his frendes were presente he did caste his eyes amonges them and at length chose out one to whom he deliuered it Wherfore I thinke it ryght that the kingdome be committed vnto Perdicas There were many that agreed to his opinion so that the assemble cried to Perdicas that he shoulde come forthe amonges them and take vp the kynges signet But he stayed betwene ambition and shamefastnes thinkynge that the more modestye he vsed in gettynge the thinge whiche he coueted they woulde be so muche the more earnest to profer it hym When he had stande a good while at a staye doubtyng what to do at length he drewe backe and stode behind them which sate next vnto hym Weleagers wordes When Meleager that was one of the capitaynes sawe the staye that Perdicas made toke courage therupon and saide Neither the Goddes will permit nor men wil suffer that Alexanders estate and the weight of so great an empire should rest vpon his shoulders I will not rehearse how there be many men more noble thē he is and of greater worthines against whose wyll no suche thinge may be suffred to be done There is no difference whether ye make Perdicas kynge or the sonne of Roxane whēsoeuer he shal be borne Seynge Pedicas goeth aboute to make him selfe Kynge vnder pretence to be gouernoure to the other That is the cause why no kinge can please him but such one as is not yet borne And in suche an haste as all we make to haue a kynge whyche haste is bothe mete and necessary for the preseruation of our estate He onelye doth waite for the expirynge of tymes and monethes imaginynge that she shoulde brynge forthe a manne chylde whiche I thinke ye doubte not but he is readye to counterfayte and exchaunge if nede be If it were so in very dede that Alexāder had appointed him to be our king I am of opinion that the same thing onely of all the thinges he hath commaunded oughte not to be perfourmed and kepte Why do not you runne therfore to spoyle the treasure seyng that this kynde of riches the people ought to enherite When he hadde spoken those wordes he brake through the prease of the armed men and they whiche gaue him waye folowed him to the spoyle wherof he had made mencion The gredines of the treasure caused a greate bande of armed men to flocke about Meleager and the assemble began to fall to discorde and sedicion whiche had growen to greater incōuenience if a meane souldier whō verye fewe did knowe had not stepped forthe The words of a souldiour in the assemble and spoken to the multitude What nede we quod he to fall to force or ciuill warre seynge we haue a kynge alredye whiche you seke to finde The same is Aridens Philips sonne Aridens brother to Alexander that latelye was our kynge borne and brought vp in the same religion and ceremonies that we do vse who beyng the onelye heyre I maruayle by what deseruynge of his he is ouerslipped or what he hath done why he shoulde not enioye his ryght descended vnto hym by the vniuersall lawe of the worlde If you seke one to be comparable to Alexander you shall neuer fynde hym If you will haue suche one as shall approche nexte vnto him this is onelye he When these wordes were hearde amonges the multitude they kept silence at the firste as if they had bene commaūded so to do but afterwardes they cryed with one voyce that Aridens should be called and that they were worthy deathe whiche made any assemble wythout him Pythons wordes Then Python all besprinkeled wyth teares began to speake Nowe I perceyue quod he Alexanders case to be moste miserable seyng he is defrauded of the frute wyth such as wer his souldiers subiects shold bringforth at such a time as this is For you hauynge respect onelye to the name and memory of your kynge ye be vtterly blinde in the rest of thynges His wordes tended directlye to the reprofe of Aridens that was elected kynge but the tale procured more hatred to the speaker then contempte to hym against whom they were mente For the compassion they had of Aridens caused them the more to fauoure his cause and therfore declarred by an obstinate crye that they woulde not suffer any to reigne ouer them but him onely which was borne to that
possibilitie and still called for Aridens to come forthe amonges them Wherupon Meleager for the malice and enuy he bare vnto Perdicas toke an occasion boldlye to bring him into the assemble whoÌ„ the multitude saluted as kinge and called him Philippe This was the voyce of the people Aridens was chosen kyng but the nobilitie was of an other mind of whoÌ„ Pithon toke vpon him to put Perdicas deuise in execution and appoynted Perdicas and Leonatus whiche were descended of the bloude royall to be gouernours of the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of Roxane addinge moreouer that Craterus and Antipater shoulde haue the rule within Europe And vpon this they sware men to be obedient to Alexanders issue Meleager then doubting notwithout cause that some euill might come to him departed with suche as were of his faction but he returned immediatly againe and brought Philip with him into the court criyng out to the multitude for the assistyng of the coÌ„mune welth in aydynge of the newe Kynge whiche a little before they had elected and wylled them to make an experimente of his actiuitie persuadinge that he was the metest to rule ouer theÌ„ that was the issue of Philip that had bothe a king to his father and a king to his brother There is no profouÌ„d sea so stormy nor teÌ„pestuous The inconstancy of a multitude that raiseth vp so many sourges waues as a multitude doth mocions and alteracions when they haue gotten the bridle of a newe libertie not likely long to coÌ„tinue There wanted not some that gaue their consent to Perdicas but more agreed to make Philip king They could neither agre nor disagre to any thyng long time together One while repenting them of that they had determined and streightwaies forthought theÌ„ of that repentaunce Yet finally they were enclyned to preferre the kinges bloud Aridens was put in such feare with the aucthoritie of the nobilite that he departed out of the assemble after whose departure the fauour of the souldiers was rather silent then cessed towardes him So that at length he was called agayne and put vpon him his brothers vesture regal whiche laye in the chayre And Meleager put on his armour folowing as a guarde to the persone of the newe king The souldiers of the Phalanx classhed their speares to their targettes threatening to shed their bloud whiche coueted the kingdome that pertained not to them They reioysed that the force of the Empire should still continue in the same familie the right of whose enheritaunce comming of the bloud royall they shewed themselues redy alwayes to defende For by reason they were accustomed to honour the name of their kyng and to haue it in veneracion they thought no man worthy for it but suche one as came therunto by discent of bloud Perdicas therfore was afraied and with .vi. hundred men that were of an approued manhode kept the lodging wheras the body of Alexander lay Ptolomeus ioyned him selfe vnto hym and the bande of the younge men that were about the kynges persone But so many thousand of armed men as were vpon the other side did easely breake in vpon them Amonges whome the king was present with a great bande for the guard about his persone wherof Meleager was chief Perdicas therfore in a greate furye called them to his parte which would defende AlexaÌ„ders body but they which brake in vpon theÌ„ shrew dartes at him afarre of wherby many were hurt At the last the auncient men plucked of their head peces the better to be knowen desired them whiche were with perdicas to abstayne from ciuill warre geue place to the kyng to the greater parte Wherupon Perdicas was the firste that layde downe his weapon the rest did in like maner Meleager then persuaded theÌ„ that they should not depart but remayne still about the dead corse but he iudging that to be a deceite and a meane to entrap hym fled to the further side of Euphrates lieng ouer against the court Then the horsemen whiche consisted chiefly of the nobilitie flocked about Perdicas and Leonatus whiche thought good to departe out of the cytie and take the fieldes but because Perdicas was not without hope that the footemen woulde haue taken his parte remained stil within the cytie lest he myght seme to be the cause that the horsemen should deuide them selues from the rest of the armye Meleager ceassed not to beate in the kynges head that he could not establyshe himselfe surely in his estate but by the death of Perdicas whose ambicious mynde desirous of innouation was he sayde to be preuented in time Willyng the kyng to remembre what Perdicas had deserued at his haÌ„des and that no man could be faithfull to him whom he feared The kyng suffring the thing rather then geuing his coÌ„sent to the matter Meleager toke his silence for a commaundement and sent for Perdicas in the kynges name and they whiche were sent had commission to kyll hym if he made any sticking to come with them Perdicas hearing of their comming accompanied only with .xvi. yonge men that were of Alexanders guarde mette them at the entrey of the house and callyng them Meleagers slaues rebuked them with suche a constancy both of mynde and countenaunce that they returned back agayne as men amased Perdicas wylled suche as were in his company to leape on horsebacke and so with a fewe of hys frendes came vnto Leonatus mynding if any violence were moued againste hym to repulce it with a greater force The next daye the Macedons grudged and thought it a matter vnworthy that Perdicas after this maner should be brought in daunger of death and therfore determined with force to reuenge the rashenes of Meleagers doynges But he vnderstanding the mutyne that was amonges the souldiers gaue place and they repayred vnto the kyng demaundyng of hym if he had coÌ„maunded Perdicas to be taken He coÌ„fessed he had so done but that was by Meleagers mocion whiche was no cause he sayde for them to make any storre seing that Perdicas was alyue The assemble hereupon brake vp and Meleager became greatly afrayed specially by the parting of the horsemen so that he wiste not what to do for he sawe the mischief whiche he a little before had wrought against his enemy lyke to light vpoÌ„ him selfe and whyles he deuysed this and that three dayes were consumed The wonted fourme and faâ—â—on of the courte dyd remayne in the meane season For the Embassadours of diuers nacions made repaire vnto the kyng the captaines of the army did assemble about him and the guard wayted in armour as they were accustomed But the great sadnes that was there without any apparant cause signified some extreame dispaire There was suche a suspicion amonges them selues that men durst not company togethers nor speake one to another but stode imagening secretly with them selues and by comparing the time present with the tyme past and the new kyng with the olde they began to desire hym that was gone
discorde conceiued a suspicion that the horsemen ment them no good Wherfore they stode a while in a doubt whether they should retire into the cytie or no by reason that the fieldes serued best for the horsemen But left without cause they myght condempne the fidelity of their companions they stode still with a determinate mynde to fight if any would proffer them violence When the battailles were almoste mette together and only a smalle distaunce left betwixt them wherby the one parte was deuided from the other the kyng by the prouocation of Perdicas with one bande of horsemen did ride along the footemen requiring the deliuery of those to be executed which wer the aucthors of the discorde whome in very dede he ought to haue defended whiche if thei refused to deliuer he threatened to bring against them both the horsemen and the Elephantes The footemen were amased with the sodeines of the mischief whiche they loked not for and there was no more counsell nor courage in Meleager then in the rest but they all iudged it moste expedient for them rather to abyde the adueÌ„ture of that matter then further to hasard fortune When Perdicas sawe them astonied and in feare he seuered out to the nombre of three hundred of such as folowed Meleager when he brake out of the assemble that was first made after Alexanders death whiche in the sight of all the armye were caste to the Elephantes and there trampled to death with their feete Of which matter Philippe was neither the author nor the forbidder but thought to claime that for his owne doing whiche should appeare best in the ende This was a signification and a beginning vnto the Macedons of ciuill warre that ensued Meleager vnderstanding ouerlâ—te the sleyght of that deuise because there was no violence offred to his persone stode at the firste quietly within the square but shortly after when he sawe his enemies abusing the name of him whome he had made king to his destruccion he dispaired of his own saueguarde fled into a temple But the religion of the place could not defend him but that he was there slayne The deuisioÌ„ of TheÌ„pire Perdicas hereupon brought againe the army into the citie and called counsell of all the principall personages wherin it was agreed so to deuide thempire that the kyng should remayne as chief of the whole Ptolomeus to be lieutenaunt in Egipt and Affricke and to haue the rule of the nacions there that were vnder the Macedons dominion Siria and Phenices were appointed to Laomedon Cylicia to Philotas Licia with Pamphilia the greater Phrigia were assigned to Antigonus Cassander was sent into Caria and Menander into Lydia The lesser Phrigia that ioyned vnto Hellespont was Leonatus prouince Emmenes had Cappadotia and Paphlagonia who was commaunded to defende that countrey so farre as Trapezunt and make warre to Arbates whiche only remained enemy to the Empire Arbates Media was apointed to Python and Thrace to Lysmachus with other nacions there about borderyng vpon the sea of Ponte It was ordeined also that suche as should be presidentes amonges the Indians Bactrians Sogdians and other nacioÌ„s lieng vpon the Occean and read seas should in matters of iustice vse regall iurisdictioÌ„ It was decceed that Perdicas should remaine with the kyng and haue the gouernaunce of the men of warre that folowed him Some beleue that these prouinces were distributed by AlexaÌ„ders testament but we haue found that same to be false though some authors do witnes the same The Empire being deuided into partes euerye one might well haue defended his portion if any boundes could conteine mens immoderate desires Or if they whiche being but ministers vnto a kyng when vnder the colour of the administracion of an others dominioÌ„ had encroched into great kingdomes could haue auoyded the occasions of warre seing they were all of one nacion and had their couÌ„treis by limittes But it was hard for them to be contented with that they had in possession when occasion was proffered them of more For the first thynges alwayes appeare of no valure when men be in hope of greater thynges to come So that euery one of them thought it an easier matter to encrease his kyngdome then it was to come by it at the firste Alexanders body had layen seuen dayes vnburied for whyles euery man had care vpon the establyshing of the state their myndes were drawen from doing of that solempne office There is no countrey that haue more feruent heat then Mesopotamia For the sonne there burneth so hote that it killeth the beastes that be without couert and burne vp all thynges as it were with the fyer And to the encrease therof there be fewe springes of water and the inhabiters vse suche policy in hiding of those they haue that strauÌ„gers can haue no vse of theÌ„ This notwithstandinge when Alexanders frendes had gotten leasure to take care of the deade corse and came to visite the same they founde it wythout infeccion corruption or chaunge of coloure the same cherefulnes whiche consisteth of the spirite not beynge yet departed out of his countenaunce Then the Egipcians and the Caldeis were commaunded to dresse hys bodye after their maner who at the firste as though he had bene aliue durst not put their handes to him But afterwardes makyng their prayers that it might be lawfull for mortall men to touche him they purged his bodye and filled it wyth swete odours And afterwardes layed him vpon a hearse of golde and set a diademe vpon his heade Many thought that he dyed of poyson that Iolla Antipaters soÌ„ne beyng one of his ministers had geueÌ„ him the same Alexander oftentimes woulde saye that Antipater coueted the estate of a kinge affecting more greatnes then parteined to a LiuetenauÌ„t and through glorie of the victory he had gotten of the Lacedemonians was become so proude that he claymed al thinges committed vnto him as his owne It is thought also that Craterus was sente to kyll him with those olde souldiours that were dismissed It is certayne that there is a poyson in Macedon founde in a water called Stiges Stiges of suche force that it consumeth yron and will not be conteined in any thinge sauing in the houe of an horse or mule which poison was brought by Cassander and deliuered to his brother Iolle whiche presented it in the drinke that the kinge last dronke Howsoeuer these thinges be reported the power of them of whoÌ„ the rumour weÌ„t shortly after oppressed the infamy For Antipater betame Kynge bothe of Macedon and of Greace and his chyldren after him that did cut to death all suche as were anye thynge neare of kinne vnto Alexander Ptolomeus whiche had the rule of Egipte conueyed Alexanders bodye to Memphis whiche within fewe yeares after was remoued to Alexandria where as all honoure is geuen to the memorye of him and to his name Finis ⧠IMPRYNTED at London by Richarde Tottell dwellynge in Fletestrete at the signe of the hande and starre within Temple barre Anno domini 1553. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium