unto that height of power was the Son of Amintas a man indued with wisdom courage and all other vertues of a Noble Captain This Amintas had by Euridice his Wife three Sons Alexander Perdicas and Philip who was the Father of Great Alexander and a Daughter called Eurione The Queen Euridice being enamoured with one that had married her Daughter conspired the death of the King her Husband to the intent to have married with her Son-in-Law and to make him King which thing she had brought to effect had not the Treason and Lasciviousness of the Mother been opportunely revealed by the Daughter After the death of Amintas Alexander the Eldest Son enjoyed his Fathers Kingdom who in the beginning of his Reign was so assailed on all sides that he was driven by force to purchase Peace of the Illyrians with Money and by giving his Brother Philip in Hostage And afterwards by the same Pledge he made a like Peace with the Thebans which was the occasion that Philip did attain to such Excellency of Knowledge and Wisdom for by reason that he was committed to the custody of Epaminondas who was a valiant Captain and an excellent Philosopher he was brought up in the exercise of honest Disciplines and Princely matters greatly profiting under a Scholar of Pythagoras School whom Epaminondas kept in his house for the instruction of his Son In the mean season Alexander was slain by the means of Euridice his Mother whose former Treason King Amintas her Husband had pardoned in respect of the Children had between them little thinking that she would afterwards have been their destruction For when Alexander was dead she caused in like manner her other Son Perdicas to be slain which Perdicas left behinde him one Son being a young Babe About the same time Philip the youngest Brother having by good hap slipt away from his Guardian Epaminondas returned into Macedon and not taking upon him the Name of King remained a great while no otherwise but as a Protector to his young Nephew Nevertheless afterwards by occasion of sundry mischiefs growing in the State the same being such as might not well attend the Majority of the young King Philip appearing to be a man of singular activity and of no less skill in feats of War then in knowledge of Philosophy was compelled by the people to take upon him the Kingdom of Macedon which as then stood in great difficulties and danger of ruine This was done 300 years after the building of Rome and in the 105 Olympiad In the beginning of his Reign he was environed with infinite troubles for all the Neighbouring Countries as it were by a general Conspiracy moved War against him and at one time sundry Nations combined together out of sundry parts to assail his Kingdom Wherefore considering that it stood him upon to move discreetly not being able to Match them all at once he pacified some with fair promises others with money and the weakest he withstood by force By this means he both made his Enemies afraid and confirmed the hearts of his people whom he found discouraged and sore amazed These things he wrought with great Artifice and â—ineness of wit in such sort that he diminished not any part of his Honour Estate or Reputation determining nevertheless as time should serve to deal with every one apart His first War was with the Albenians whom he overcame by Wit and Policy And whereas it lay in his power to have put them all to the Sword he set them all at liberty without Ransom By which point of Clemency though it was but counterfeit being done for fear of a greater War at hand yet it procured him great Estimation and Authority After that he subdued the Peons and from them turned his Power against the Illyrians of whom he slew many thousands and conquered the famous City of Larissa That done he moved War against the Thessalians not for any desire of their goods or spoil of their Country but out of a policy to add to his strength the force of their Cavalry which in those days were accounted the chiefest in the world This he happily effected for being suddenly assailed they were soon brought to subjection and Philip joyning the force of their Horsemen unto his Footmen he made his power invincible After all these things being brought to pass he took to Wiâ—e Olympias one of the Daughters of Neoptolemus King of the Molossi This Marriage was concluded by the means of Arisba who had the Government of Olympias and not long before had married her other Sister Troas This Marriage which he intended for his security turn'd afterwards to his subversion for thinking to have made himself strong by the affinity of Philip he was at last by him deprived of the whole Kingdom and ended his life miserably in Exile Not long after this Marriage King Philip dreamed that he saw an excellent Medal fastened to the Wâ—mb of his Wife and to his seeming the lively Image of a Lyon thereupon By which Dream the Divines did interpret that his Wife was conceived of a Childe that should be of a Lyons heart and courage which interpretation pleased him highly Afterwards at the assault of a City called Methronâ— by shot of an Arrow he lost his right eye whereof though the displeasure was great yet was he content upon their submission to take them to mercy He won also the City of Pagus and annexed the same unto his Kingdom He invaded the Land of the Tribals and at one instant conquered it with all the Countries thereabout Thus having made his Kingdom strong by subduing his Neighbours at his return home his Wife Olympias was delivered of his Son Alexander on the eighth of the Ides of April Of these good fortunes the King rejoyced no less then reason was having established his Country at home subdued his enemies abroad and gotten an Heir to succeed him in his Kingdom he could have desired no more of God if the minde of man could ever be satisfied which the more it hath the more it coveteth As Dominion increaseth so doth also the desire to have more which was well seen in Philip that still did compass how to grow great by taking from his Neighbours and lay always like a Spy waiting an occasion how to catch from every man whereunto he had an opportunity offered by the Cities of Greece for whiles one did covet to subdue another and through ambition were at strife who should be chief by one and one be brought them all into subjection perswading the smaller States to move War against the greater and to serve his purpose contrived the ways to set them altogether by the ears But at length when his practises were perceived divers Cities fearing his increasing power confederated against him as their Common Enemy but chiefly the Thebans Nevertheless necessity compelling they chose him afterwards to be their Captain General against the Lacedemonians and the Phoceans who had spoiled the Temple of Apollo This War
from thence against the Agrians and the Peans he was advertised that Clitus Bardelius had rebelled and had confederated with Glaucius the King of the Thaulaunts He had also intelligence that the people of Anteri would give him battel in his passage wherefore he committed to Lagarus King of the Agrians who was well beloved of King Philip and no less in the favour of Alexander the charge to go against the Anterians and promised him upon his return to give him his Sister Cyna in Marriage and Alexander himself with great celerity marched against Clitus and Glaucius whom in sundry battels he overcame Whiles Alexander was about these things he received intelligence that divers Cities in Greece and specially the Thebans had rebelled which thing moved him much and was the cause that he returned with speed to suppress these Commotions The Thebans in the mean season besieged the Castle of Thebes wherein was a Garrison of Macedons and endeavoured by all means to be Masters of it Alexander by great journeys advanced to their rescue and encamped with his Hoast near to the City Such as 〈◊〉 rule amongst the Thebans when they saw him come contrary to their expectation and doubting whether such aid should come to them from other Cities as was promised began to consult how to proceed At length by a general consent they determined to abide the adventure and extremity of the War The King in the mean season stood at a stay giving them space to be better advised and alter their resolution For he was of opinion that no one City would have made resistance against so great a Power as he had being above 30000 Footmen and 3000 Horsemen all old Souldiers and expert in the travels of War The trust of their experience and valour had caused him to undertake the War against the Persians Truly if the Thebans had given place to Fortune and time and would have required Peace they might easily have obtained his desire was so great to pass into Asia against the Persians But the Thebans being determined to try their force and not to make any suit fought against the Macedons far exceeding them in number with great resolution but whilest the Battels were joyning the Garrison of the Castle issued out upon the Thebans backs whereby being inclosed they were vanquished their City taken spoiled and utterly razed Which extremity Alexander used of purpose because he thought the rest of the Grecians being afraid by their example would be the more quiet while he should be in the Wars of Asia To gratifie the Phâ—â—eans and Plataeâ—ns his Confederates which brought many accusations against the Thebans he slew six thousand of them and sold thirty thousand as slaves the money thereof amounted to the sum of four hundred and forty Talents yet he spared all the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the Poet whereby he would witness unto the world the favour he did bear unto learned men In this City of Thebes was a notable Woman called Timâ—â—lea whom when a Captain of Thrace did ravish and would have inforced her to confess her money she brought him to a Well where she said all her precious Treasure was hidden and whilest he stooped down to look into the Well she thrust him in and threw many great stones after him whereby he was slain For this Fact she being committed to Prison and afterwards brought before Alexander he asked her what she was She answered without fear that she was Sister to Thâ—â—genes who being Elected Captain General against King Philip his Father manfully died for the Liberty of Greece whose stoutness and 〈◊〉 the King marvelled so much that he caused her wiâ—h her Children to be set at liberty The Athenians had so great pity and compâ—ssiâ—n of the Estate of the Thebâ—ns that contrary to the Commandment of Alexander they received into their City such of them as escaped which King Alexander took in such displeasure that when they sent Embassadours the second time to demand peace he would not grant atonement upon any other conditions but that such Orators and Captains which had stirred them to Rebellion should be delivered unto his hands But at length it was so carried that the Orators were reserved and the Captains banished who straight fled to Darius King of Persia At such time as Alexander assembled the Grecians in Isthmos for the determination of his journey into Persia many Orators and Philosophers came to visit him Diogenes only that remained about Corinth kept himself away as one that esteemed Alexander nothing at all whereat he marvelled much and went himself to visit him as he was warming of himself in the Sun He asked Diogenes if he had need of any thing that he might do for him To whom Diogenes gave neither reverence nor thanks but willed him to stand out of his Sun-shine In whose behaviour and words Alexander took so great delight that turning to those that were with him he said If he were not Alexander he should wish to be Diogenes When he had put in order the affairs of Greece committing the Rule thereof together with the Realm of Macedon to the Government of Antipater whom he most trusted In the beginning of the Spring he marched to Hellespont with his whole Army which he transported into Asia with incredible speed and diligence When they were come to 〈◊〉 further shore Alexander with great force threw a Dart into the Enemies Land and as he was armed leaped out of the Ships with great joy and there sacrificed making petition unto the gods that they would vouchsafe to admit him King of that Land From thence he marched towards his Enemies and â—orbad his Souldiers to make any spoil of the Country perswading them to spare that which was their own and not to destroy that Land which they came to possess He had not in this Army above the number of 32000 Footmen and 5000 Horsemen and but 180 Ships wherefore it is hard to judge whether it be more wonderful that he conquered the World or that he durst attempt the conquest thereof with so small a power To such a dangerous Enterprize he chose not out the young men in the first slower of their Age but the old Souldiers of whom the most part for their long continuance in Wars should according to the Custom â—e set at liberty and excused from the service of the wars saving at their own pleasure And there was no Captain nor any other that did bear Oâ—fice in his Army under the age of sixty years so that the Souldiers seemed to be School-masters of the Wars and the Captains for their gravity appeared to be Senators in some Ancient Commonwealth which was the occasion that in the Fight none of them minded flying but every one confident of the Victory did not trust to his feet but to his hands Alexander who every where made Sacrifice did 〈◊〉 most solemnity at Troy upon Achilles Tomb of whom he was descended by the Mothers side He judged him most happy of
assigned to encounter with those that Darius had sent to take the top of the Mountain He willed Parmenio that as much as might be he should stretch out his Forces towards the Sea and withdraw as far as he could from the Hills which the Enemies had taken but such as had direction by Darius to take the Hills neither durst resist such as came against them nor yet compass about such as were passed by them but fled away at the first fight of the Slingers which thing chanced well for Alexander for it was the thing that he doubted most that they from the higher ground should invade the open side of his Battel which lay unslanked towards them The Macedons marched 32 in a rank for the streightness of the ground would not suffer them to move in a broader body but by little and little as the plain between the Mountains began to enlarge so they had liberty to make their Battels broader and also for the horsemen to march upon the sides When both the Battels were come within fight of each other the Persians first gave a terrible and rude shout which was again doubled by the Macedons not with their number which was far inferiour unto the Persians but with the râ—bound of the Hills and the Rocks which doubled every voice of theirs Alexander did ride up and down before the fronts of his Battels making a signe to his Souldiers with his hand that they should not make too much haste to joyn with their Enemies for bringing themselves out of breath and as he went by he used to every Nation sundry exhortations as he thought convenient for their dispositions and qualities He put the Macedons in remembrance of their ancient courage and the number of Battels that they had won in Europe that they were come thither by his conduct not only to subdue Asia but the uttermost bounds of the Orient He shewed them to be the people that were ordained to conquer the world and to pass the bounds of Hercules and Bacchus he declared that both Bactria and India should be theirs in respect of which the countries that they had yet seen were but trifles and these were to be gotten all with one Victory Their Travel he said should not now be in vain as it was in the barren Rocks of Illyria or in the Mountains of Thrace but in this Conquest the Spoil of the whole Orient was offered unto them for the getting whereof they should scarcely need to handle their Swords since the Battels of their Enemies wavered so already for fear that with their approach only they had almost put them to flight He recalled his Father Philip unto their memory how he conquered the Athenians with the Country of Boetia how he rased to the ground the noble City of Thebes he made rehearsal to them of the Battel won at the River of Granike and of all the Cities that he had taken or that had been yielded unto him with the Countries they had passed through and subdued When he came unto the Greeks he desired them to call to miâ—d the great Wars that had been made against their Country in times past by the Persians first by the pride of Xerxes and after by Darius who made destruction both by Sea and Land in such 〈◊〉 that the Rivers could not serve them for Drink 〈◊〉 the Earth furnish them with Victuals for Food He rehearsed also how the Temples of their gods had been by them polluted and consumed their Cities overthrown and all Truces broken which ought to be confirmed both by divine and humane Law when he passed by the Illyrians and Thracians which were accustomed always to theft and spoil he invited them to behold their enemies which glistered with gold and bare no armour but spoil for them to take he incouraged them to go forwards like men and pluck the prcy from those effeminate women and to make exchange of their craggy Rocks and Mountains full of snow for the plentiful grounds and lands of Persia By this time both Armies were advanced within the throw of their Darts and Darius Horsemen gave a fierce charge upon the right-hand-Battel of the Macedons For Darius desire was to try the Battel by Horsemen rightly judging that the chiefest power of his Enemies consisted in their square Battel of Footmen So that the Battel where Alexander remained was brought to the point of being inclosed round if he had not perceived the same in time and commanding two Bodies of his Horse to keep the top of the Hill he brought all the rest of them to the incounter of his Enemies Having then drawn the Thessalian Horsemen where they stood to fight he commanded their Capt. to bring them about behinde the Battels and there to joyn with Parmenio to perform with courage what he should appoint them By this time the Phalanx of the Macedons in manner inclosed about with their Enemies fought notably on all parts but they stood so thick and were so joyned one to another that they wanted 〈◊〉 to wield their weapons They were so mingled that in casting their darts they one letted another few lighting on their enemies and the most part falling on the ground without harm and being forced to joyn hand to hand they valiantly used the sword Then there was great effusion of blood for both the Armies closed so near that their Harness clashed together weapon against weapon and foined at one anothers faces with their Swords There was no place for the fearful or the coward to fly back but each set his foot to other and by fighting kept still their place till they could make their way by force and so always passed forwards as they had overthrown their Enemies As they were wearied and travelled thus with fighting they were ever received with fresh Enemies and such as were wounded might not depart out of the Battel as it had been seen elsewhere their Enemies assailed them so fiercely before and their fellows thrust on so hard behind Alexander that day did not only such things as pertained to a Captain but adventured himself as far as any private Souldier coveting by all means to kill Darius which he esteemed the greatest honour Darius rode aloft upon his Chariot giving great provocations both for his Enemies to assail him and for his own Men to defend him As Oxatres his brother appeared most notable amongst them all in his furniture and personage so in affection towards the King he exceeded far the rest especially in that case of necessity for when Alexander approached near he thrust in before Darius with the band of Horsemen whereof he had the charge and overthrowing divers he put many more to flight But the Macedons swarmed so about the King and were in such a courage by the Exhortation that each made to other that they charged again upon the Band of Horsemen Then the slaughter was great and the overthrow manifest about the Chariot of Darius the noblest of his Captains lay
conveyed them to Egypt and entred the Haven at Pelusium under pretence that he had been sent thither by Darius When he had got Pelusium he set forwards towards Memphis at the Fame of whose coming the Egyptians being a light Nation and more apt to raise a Coil then to maintain it when it was once begun ran to him out of all their Towns and Villages with an intent to destroy all the Persians who notwithstanding the fear they were in did not leave the defence of the Country but fought with the Greeks and were put to flight After this Victory Amintas besieged Memphis and his men destroyed so all the Country thereabouts that they left nothing unspoiled Whereupon Mazeches though he perceived his men much amazed with the fear of their late overthrow yet when he saw his Enemies scattered abroad and without order being overcome with security and the pride of their late Victory he at length perswaded his men to issue out of the City and in setting upon their Enemies to recover again what they had lost Which advice being good of it self being thoroughly followed took most fortunate success for they slew at that time both Amintas and all his company This punishment he suffered for the offence committed to both Princes being neither faithful to Alexander whom he forsook nor to Darius to whom he fled Darius Captains who escaped from the Battel of Issum gathering together such men as were scattered abroad and such power beside as they could levy in Cappadocia and Paphlagonia did attempt to recover again the Country of Lydia Antigonus was Governour for Alexander there who notwithstanding that he had taken many Souldiers out of the Garrisons of Alexander yet he so little esteemed his Enemies that he doubted not to adventure the Battel The Persians there received the like Fortune they did in other places and attempting the Fight in three sundry Countries were vanquished in them all At the same time the Navy of the Macedons which Alexander had sent for out of Greece meeting Aristimones whom Darius had appointed to make War upon the Coast of Hellespont sought with and drowned all his Ships Pharnabasus Darius having exacted money of the Misonians and put a Garrison in Scios passed into the Isle of Andros with a hundred Ships and from thence he sailed to Shiphnus and putting Men of War into all the Islands exacted of them money The greatness of the War that was in hand between two of the most puissant Princes of Asia and Europe did draw both Greece and Creet to Arms Agis the King of Lacedemon gathered together eight-thousand Greeks that were come home out of Cilicia and moved War against Antipater that was Governour of Macedonia The Cretians following sometime one part and sometime another received one while a Garrison of Macedons and another while of Lacedemonians to lye amongst them But those Wars were of no great importance for all mens eyes were fixed upon the Wars that were between Alexander and Darius whereupon all the rest did depend The Macedons had subdued all Syria and Phenice Tyre only excepted which being the greatest and most notable City of all that Country shewed that they esteemed themselves worthy rather to joyn with Alexander as Friends then to become his Subjects for when he was come near unto them and incamped upon the main Land which is divided from their City with a small Arm of the Sea they sent to him by their Embassadours a Crown of Gold for a Present with great plenty besides of victuals for his Army He received their Gifts as from his Friends and gave gentle Answers unto the Embassadours but he shewed himself much desirous to make Sacrifice unto Hercules whom the Tyrians specially worshipped and the Macedon Kings supposed themselves to be descended of him being admonished as he said by an Oracle The Embassadours made answer That there was a Temple of Hercules without their City in the place which they call Palaetiron whereas he might do Sacrifice at pleasure At those words Alexander could not refrain from anger whereunto he was much subject but fell in a great passion I perceive now quoth he because ye dwell in an Island ye trust so much in the scituation of your City that ye despise my Land power But I will shortly make you understand that you are scituated upon the Main Land and therefore trust to it that if ye receive me not in I will enter into your City by force When the Embassadours were dismissed with this answer such as were near about the King perswaded them that they should not exclude him whom all Syria and Phenicia had received But they had entertained such a confidence for that their City stood in the Sea being divided eighty furlongs from the Main Land that they absolutely determined to abide the Siege That Sea of theirs is much subject to the South-West-winde which at every Storm made the Waves beat so high against the shore that it would not suffer the Macedons to make any work for the uniting the Main Land to the City it being scarce possible to work any thing there when the weather was most calm The first work that the Macedons began was by and by thrown down with the vehemency of the Seas that were driven by the winde nor could they make any Fort so strong within the Sea but that it was washed away and brought down by beating of the Waves and when the Windes blew violently they would bring the Seas clean over the work There was another difficulty no less then this for by reason that the Walls were environed about with the deepness of the Sea they could raise no Engine to shoot but afar off out of the Ships nor was there any ground about the City whereupon Ladders might have been reared against the walls or approach made unto them by Land Alexander had no Ships and if he had any and would have coveted to bring them to the walls yet by reason of the unstableness of the water they might with shot easily have been kept off But amongst many other things the Tyrians were wonderfully encouraged by the coming of the Embassadours sent from Carthage to celebrate a yearly sacrifice for the Tyrians being the builders of Carthage were ever since that time had in Veneration of them as their Parents and first Founders Those Embassadours exhorted them in any wise to continue the Siege and promised them shortly aid which thing they alledged might easily and soon be done for so much as at that time all the Seas were full of the Carthaginian ships Upon this encouragement they determined to abide the extremity and placed their Engines upon the Towers and walls dividing their Engines amongst the Youth of the City The Artificers whereof the City had greâ—t plenty were divided into Work-houses to make all such things as were necessary for the Wars There were devised certain Instruments wherewith they might pull down the Works that their Enemies made called Harpagons and
Red Sea It confineth on the West with other Ethiops which are called Simnoes Towards the North lieth a Nation called Nalamons who inhabiting upon a flat shore are accustomed to live upon the spoils of the Sea and lye always in wait upon the Coast to spoil such Ships as suffer wrack The people which inhabit about the Wood be called Ammonians and dwell in Cottages scattered abroad The midst of their Wood closed about with a triple Wall is unto them a Castle In the first Ward is the Palace of their Ancient Kings in the second their Wives Children and Concubines were lodged in which place the Oracle of Jupiter is also and the third is a place for their Men of War There is also another Wood having a Spring called the Fountain of the Sun which in the morning is luke-warm in the midst of the day cold and in the evening warm again at mid-night it is scalding hot and as it draweth towards day it diminisheth his heat more and more The same Effigies that is worshipped for Jupiter hath not the similitude of other Images that Crafts-â—â—â—â— do make for gods but is very like unto the fashion of a Navel having in the midst thereof an Emerald sâ—t about with Pearls When any answer is required the Priests carry the same in a Ship of Gold that hath many Plates of Silver hanging on both sides the Matrons and the Virgins follow after singing a strange Song after their Country manner whereby they believe they do oblige Jupiter to shew his Oracle manifest and true When Alexander was come unto the place the Eldest of the Priests who came to meet him saluted him in the Name of Jupiters Son for so he said his minde was that he should be called Whereupon Alexander forgetting the state of his Mortality said That he did both receive and acknowledge the Name Then he demanded further If the Empire of the whole World were appointed him by Destiny There the Prophet prepared before to Flattery answered That the whole World should come under his Obeysance After that he demanded Whether all such had suffered death that had murthered his Father The Priest answered That his Father could not be harmed by the Treason of any man but he said That all Philips Killers were put to death And one thing he added more That he should be Invincible till such time as he should depart to the gods Thereupon Alexander made Sacrifice and both offered unto the Idol and gave great gifts unto the Priests He permitted also his Friends to ask Counsel of the Oracle for such things as they would demand Yet they enquired no further but if it were Jupiters will that they should worship their King with Divine Honours To this it was answered Tâ—â—â— if they honoured their Victorious Prince as a god it should be acceptable unto Jupiter If he had with judgment weighed the Oracle he might have well perceived the untruth that was therein but whom Fortune hath brought to believe in her she maketh them many times more desirous of glory then able to receive it Alexander not only suffered but commanded himself to be called the Son of Jupiter and whilest he went about to encrease the Fame of his Acts he did corrupt and deface them with such vanity and the Macedons accustomed to be governed by Kings but yet reserving a greater shadow of Liberty then other Nations did withstand him more obstinately in affecting of his Immortality then was either expedient for him or them But these things shall be declared in time convenient I will proceed to declare the rest of his Acts. When Alexander was returned from Hammon and come to the Marish of Meotis scituate near unto the Isle of Pharos he viewed the nature of the place and was at the first determined to build a City within the Island But afterwards considering the Isle not to be large enough he chose out the ground where Alexandria now standeth called by the name of the Builder containing all that ground between the Mear and the Sea the walls whereof were in compass eighty furlongs When he had taken order for the building of this City leaving such behinde him as he had appointed for the performance thereof he departed unto Memphis He had a desire not unreasonable if it had been in time convenient to have seen both the inward parts of Egypt and also of Ethiopia and the affection he had to view Antiquities and the famous places of Mamnon and Tyton had near drawn him beyond the bounds of the Sun But the Wars he had in hand being of much more importance then any such idle Peregrination gave him no time to fulfil his fantasie therefore he appointed Aestilus a Rhodian and Peucestes a Macedon to the Government of Egypt assigning them four thousand Souldiers for defence of the Country and gave Polymen thirty Galleys to keep the Mouth of Nile He made Apollonius Ruler of that part of Africa which joyneth unto Egypt and Cleomines Receiver of the Tributes in both Countries This new City was soon replenished with a great multitude for Commandment was given to all Countries thereabouts to send Inhabitants unto Alexandria It is said that when the King according to the Macedons Custom used the Ceremony of steeping Barley at the raising of the Walls the Birds came and fed thereupon which being taken by many for an unlucky Token it was answered by their Diviners That there should be great resort of strangers to that City and that it should give nourishment to many Lands As the King went down the River of Nile Hector the Son of Parmenio desirous to follow him was drowned for the Vessel that carried him sunk being crowded with over-many men He strived long with the Stream but his garments gave impediment to his swimming so that his breath was near gone before he could recover the shore where for want of succour he died whose unfortunate chance Alexander took grievously as one that did bear him special favour and therefore caused his body to be honourably buried The death of Andromachus Lieutenant of Syria whom the Samaritans had burned alive was the increase of Alexanders sorrow for the revengement whereof he made all the haste he could and at his coming into Samaria had the Authors of the act delivered into his hands whom he put to death and then placed Memnon in Andromachus Room He delivered into the Methinians hands Aristonicus and Crijolaus who usurped over them whom they after many grievous torments did hang over their walls That done he gave Audience to the Embassadours of the Athenians the Rhodians and the Scots The Athenians did gratifie unto him his Victory and required that such Greeks as were taken prisoners might be restored to liberty The Rhodians and the Scots complained of their Garrisons He granted to them all their requests and restored to the Mytelens all their Pledges encreased their Territory and Dominion in respect of the fidelity they shewed unto him and gave them
us that are here banished into the uttermost bounds of the Orient being aged impotent and maimed to endure those travels which have wearied men who have been both armed and Conquerours It is to be asked what shall become of our Wives whom Chance and Necessity hath here procured us for the only comfort of our imprisonment what shall we do with our Children Shall we take them with us or leave them behinde us If we return with such as we have here none of those in Greece will acknowledge us and shall we then be so mad to leave those comforts we have already being uncertain whether we shall arrive at those which we desire or not Verily much better it were for us to conceal our selves amongst them who have been acquainted with us in our misery These were Euctemon his words but Theatus the Athenian reasoned to the contrary There is no wise man quoth he that will esteem us by our outward shape seeing that our calamity is not come by Nature but by the cruelty of our Enemies Such as are ashamed of the injuries of Fortune are well worthy to suffer misadventures They give a grievous sentence upon the state of mans Mortality and despair much of mercy who deny their compassion to men in misery Now therefore since the gods have offered to you what ye durst never have wished for that is your Country your Wives and your Childre being 〈◊〉 things which men esteem more then life and redeem oftentimes with death Why do you doubt for the enjoyment of those things to break out of this imprisonment I judge the Air of our own Country most natural to us where there is another manner of living other Customs other Religion and another tongue which for the pleasantness of it is coveted of the Barbarous Nations What great things then be those which ye would willingly leave the want of which onely is the cause of your misery My Opinion is plain that we visit our Countrey and our Home and not to refuse so great a benefit as Alexander hath proffered us If any be detained with the love of such wives and children as they have gotten here in servitude let such be no impediment to others that esteem most their natural Countrey There were but few of this opinion for custome that is of greater force then nature prevailed in that point They agreed therefore to demand of Alexander the gift of some place to inhabit in and chose out a hundred to be Petitioners to him in that behalf When Alexander perceived them coming towards him thinking that they would have required what he had conceived he said unto them I have appointed to every one of you Beasts to carry you and a thousand Deniers and when you shall come to Greece I will so well provide for you that excepting your misfortune no man shall think himself in better case then you But when he saw them looking still toward the ground and that they neither lifted up their eyes nor spake one word he enquired the cause of their heaviness Then Euctemon rehearsed again those words in effect which he had spoken before in Councel The King therefore pitying no less their demand then he did their misfortune commanded three thousand Deniers to be given to every one of them and ten suits of apparel with Cattel and Corn whereby they might Till and Sow the Land that should be appointed to them The next day he assembled all the Captains of his Army together and represented to them that there was no City more enemy to the Greeks then the same that was the chief Seat of the ancient Kings of Persia from whence all the great Enemies had been sent into Greece how Darius first and after him Xerxes had come out of that place to move their unâ—ust War against Europe with the destruction of which City he thought good to revenge the blood of their Predecessours The Inhabitants had abandoned that City and fled where their fear did drive them Whereupon the King straightways brought in all the Phalanx to the spoil thereof He had before that time won many Cities some by force and some by composition that were full of riches and of Princes Treasure but the abundance of that City did exceed all the rest as being the place where the Persians had laid up all their substance Gold and Silver was found in heaps and great plenty of rich habiliments and furniture of houses not only for necessary use but for excess and ostentation which was so great that it gave the Conquerours occasion to fight for it amongst themselves each taking other for their enemies that had gotten the richest spoil The abundance there was such that they could not imploy the riches which they found but when they saw things of value they esteemed them rather then took them away At last every one of them coveting to have a part of every thing did tear and break asunder the Princely Robes and the precious Plate of curious workmanship with the Images of Gold and Silver which were plucked in pieces as every one caught hold nothing was left untouched nor any thing carried away whole cruelty bearing no less rule then covetousness every one was so laden with gold and silver that they esteemed not the keeping of their prisoners but killed such as at first they spared in hope of gain There were many therefore that prevented their Enemies by a voluntary death and divers cloathing themselves in their most precious apparel leaped down from the walls with their wives and children Certain there were that set their own houses on fire which they judged their Enemies would else have done and burned themselves with their Family together At length the King did forbid any violence to be done to women and that no man should meddle with any thing pertaining to them The sum of money taken within this City was greater then any man can well credit but either we must doubt with others or else believe what hath been left in memory that the Treasure there found amounted to a hundred and twenty thousand Talents which Treasure because Alexander would employ in his Wars he caused Horses and Camels to be brought from Susae and Babylon to convey the same The taking of the City of Persagadis wherein were found six thousand Talents was an increase to this sum which City being built by Cyrus was yielded up by Gobates who had the Government thereof Alexander left in the Castle of Persepolis three thousand Macedons in Garrison under Nicâ—rides Captain of the same and reserved to Tyridates that delivered him the Treasure the same honour that he enjoyed with Darius Leaving in this City the greater part of his Army with his Carriages under the Rule of Parmenio and Craterus he with a thousand Horsemen and a Band of Footmen without any Baggage went to visit in the Winâ—â—â—â—â—â—son the inward parts of Persâ—a There he was 〈…〉 ed with Storms and Tempests that were in a manner
at your hand Here the Ocean Sea doth meet us and if we mistake not we are come to the utmost place where your Fortune leads you I had rather speak these things before then behinde your back for I seek not so much to win the favour of the Souldiers as I desire that you should rather hear the voice of them speaking then the murmure of them complaining When Cenus had made an end of his Oration there arose a cry and lamentation which in confused voices every where call'd Alexander their King their Father and their Lord. Then the other Captains and especially the more ancient of them who by reason of their age had the more honest excuse and greater authority made the like request so that the King was not able in that obstinacy either to chastise them or asswage them Therefore uncertain what to do he leaped from the Judgment-Seat and commanding his lodging-door to be shut he admitted no man to come unto him but such as were accustomed to be about his person Two days he consumed in this angry melancholy and the third day he came forth amongst his men causing twelve Altars of square stone to be set up as a Monument of his journey and willed the Trenches of his Camp to be made wider and the places where the Souldiers lay to be inlarged greater then served for the bigness of their bodies thinking by form and shape of things thus increased to leave a deceitful Wonder to Posterity From thence he returned by the way he had passed before and incamped near unto the River of Acesines Cenus chanced there to die whose death the King lamented but yet he said that for so few days he had made an over-long Oration as though he alone should have returned into Macedon By that time the Navy of Ships which he had appointed to be made stood in readiness and aflote and Memnon in the mean season brought him out of Thrace 6000 Horsemen and besides from Harpalus 7000 Footmen with twenty five thousand Arms that were wrought with silver and gold which he distributed amongst his men and commanded the old to be burned purposing to pass unto the Ocean Sea with a thousand Ships But before he departed he reconciled by Affinity Porus and Taxiles betwixt whom there was a new discord risen upon their old hatred He had obtained of them great aid both in making and the furnishing of his Fleet. During the time he was about this business he builded two Cities the one whereof he called Nicea and the other Bucephalon naming the latter by the name of his Horse that was dead He gave order that his Elephants and Carriages should pass by Land and he sailed down the River proceeding every day about forty furlongs so that he might always land his power in such places as he thought convenient At length he came into a Country where the Rivers of Hydaspes and Acesines do joyn together and do run from thence into the bounds of a Nation called Sobions They declared that their Predecessors came from Hercules Army who being left there sick did inhabit the Country They were cloathed in beasts skins using Clubs for their weapons And though they had left the customs of the Greeks yet there appeared many things amongst them that declared from whence they were descended Here the King landed and marched two hundred and ten furlongs within the Country which he wasted and took the chiefest City in the same There were forty thousand men that stood in defence against him upon a Rivers side but he passed the water putting them to flight and after they fled into the City he wan it by force The young men were all slain and the rest sold as slaves After that he assaulted another City where he was repulsed by the great force of the Defendants and lost many of his men But when the Inhabitants saw that he continued still the Siege despairing of their safeguard they set fire on their houses and destroyed themselves their Wives and Children which fire when the Macedons quenched they kindled the same again It seemed a strange contention the Citizens to destroy their own City and their Enemies labouring to preserve it the Wars so contrarily changed the Laws wrought in man by nature The Castle was saved wherein a Garrison was left Alexander went about this Castle by water which was invironed with three of the greatest Rivers in all India Ganges excepted Indus passing on the North-side and Acesines running into Hydaspes upon the South Where these Rivers met the waters rose like surges of the Sea being full of Mud and Ouze which by the course of the water were driven upon the shore for all that the Rivers are broad yet the Channels are but narrow wherein the Ships must pass The waves did rise so high and thick breaking sometimes upon the Poops and sometime upon the side of the Ships that the Marriners began to vail their Sails but they were so troubled through fear and the violent swiftness of the stream that they could not order their tackling so that two of their greatest Ships were drowned in sight and the smallest Vessels which were less able to be governed were driven upon the shore without any harm The King chanced upon the place where the Waves swelled highest wherewith his Ship was so tossed and traversed that the Helm could not direct its course wherefore the King fearing to be drowned pulled off his garments being ready to cast himself into the water and his Confidents did swim near thereabout being ready to receive him It appeared to him doubtful which peril was the greatest either to swim or to continue still aboard But the Marriners laboured wonderfully with their Oars adding all the force that lay in mans power to cut through the Waves by whose importunate travel the water seemed to divide asunder and to give place so that at length they got out of the surges and yet not able to bring the Ship to the shore dashed upon the next flat it appearing that the Ships and the Stream had fought a Battel together Alexander having escaped this peril set up to every River an Altar whereupon he offered due Sacrifice and that done he past forwards thirty furlongs From thence he came into the Country of the Sudricans and Mallians who being accustomed to be at war among themselves were then joyned in Society They assembled in Arms to the number of nine thousand Footmen ten thousand Horsemen and nine hundred armed Waggons whereof when the Macedons were advertised who believed that they had passed all perils seeing a fresh War arise with a new fresh Nation they were amaz'd with a sudden fear and began again with seditious words to repove their King They alledged that he would lately have compelled them to pass the River of Ganges to make war upon those Nations inhabiting beyond the same which enterprise though it were left they had not for all that ended the War never the more but
out of order The Ships therefore did beat one against the other the Oars crashed asunder and every Ship either thrust forward or did put back one another No man would have judged it to be one Fleet but rather two Navies sighting a Battel upon the Sea The Sterns did strike against the poop such as went before troubled them that came after and at last the words of men in their choler came unto blows The tide had now over-flown all the Plains thereabout so that nothing appeared above the Waters save the Hills which seemed so many little Islands whereunto many did swim and left their Ships for fear Whilest the Navy was thus dispersed abroad and partly floated as they hapned in any valley and partly stuck in the ground as they lighted on the flats there came suddenly another terrour greater then the first For when the Sea began to ebbe the water fell back again into his wonted course with so great violence as it came forwards and restored the sight of the Land which before was drowned as in a deep Sea The Ships then forsaken of the water fell upon their sides and the Fields were strewed with broken boards and pieces of Oars The Souldiers durst not go forth to Land and yet were in doubt to tarry on Ship-board looking ever for some greater mischief to come then what they saw present or past They could scarcely believe what they saw and suffered which was a Shipwrack upon the land and a Sea within a River They thought no end could come of this calamity for they knew not that the Sea should shortly return again and set their Ships afloat And therefore they proposed to themselves Famine and all extremities The Monsters also of the Sea which after the water was past were left on dry land did put them in great fear The night approached and despair brought the King into a great agony yet no care could so overcome his heart that was invincible but he watched all night and sent Horsemen to the mouth of the River to bring him word when the tide came He caused two Ships that were broken to be amended and such as were overwhelmed to be hoised up again warning all men to lie in wait and be in a readiness against the water should arise When he had consumed all that night in watching and giving exhortation unto his men straightways the Horesemen returned on a main gallop and the tide at their heels which mildly increasing began to raise again their Ships and when it had once over-flown the Banks the whole Navy began to move Then all the Coast rebounded with the unmeasurable rejoycing that the Souldiers and Mariners made for their safeguard whereof they were before in despair When they saw the danger past they inquired one of another by what reason the Sea could so soon â—bb and flow and debated the nature of that Element which one while disagreed and another while was obedient and subject to the time The King conjecturing by the signes he had seen before that after the Sun-rising the tide would serve to his purpose at mid-night with a few Ships did sail down the Stream and passing out at the mouth of the River he entred four hundred Furlongs into the Sea and being Master of his desires he there made sacrifice to the gods of the Sea who were worshipped in those Countries and returned again unto his Navy On the next day he returned backwards against the Stream and arrived at a salt Lake the nature whereof being unknown deceived many that rashly entred into the water for their bodies by and by became full of scabs which disease taken by some the contagion thereof infected many others but they found that Oyl was a remedy for the same Alexander lying still with his Army waiting for the Spring of the year sent Leonatus before by Land where he thought to pass to dig Wells because the Country was very dry and destitute of water In the mean time he builded many Cities and commanded Nearchus and Onesicritus that were most expert in the Discipline of Sea-service with his strongest Ships to pass into the Ocean and to go so far forwards as they might with surety to understand the nature of the Sea and willed them at their return to land either within that River or else within Euphrates When the Winter was well passed he burned those Ships which were unserviceable and conveyed his Army by Land After â—ine Incampings he came into the Country of the Arabitans and from thence in nine days came into the Country of the Gedrosians who being a free Nation by a general Counsel had amongst them yielded themselves of whom there was not any thing demanded saving only Victuals The fifth day he came into a River which the Country-men call Barabon beyond which there lay a barren Country greatly destitute of water through the which he passed and entred amongst the Horitans There he betook the greater part of his Army to Ephestion and divided the Souldiers that were light armed to Ptolomy and Leonatus and so they wasted the Country with three Armies at once and took a great booty Ptolomy turned towards the Sea Leonatus on the other hand and Alexander himself in the midst In that Country he builded also a City and brought men out of Arrachosia to inhabit it From thence he came amongst the Indians who lying upon the Sea-coast do inhabit a great Country that is waste and desart They use no Traffique Commerce nor Conversation with any of their Neighbours but the desartness of their Country made them savage being wilde of their own nature Their nails and hair are never cut they made their Houses of the Shells of Fishes and of other things that the Sea casteth up and being clad with the skins of wilde Beasts do â—eed on Fishes dried with the Sun and such Monsters as the Sea doth cast upon the Land Here the Macedons consumed their Victuals and first endured scarcity and afterwards extream hunger searching out in every place the roots of the Palms which is the only Tree that groweth in that Country But when that kinde of nourishment failed them they killed their Carriage-beasts and abstained not from their Horses insomuch that lacking Beasts to bear their Baggage they were inforced to consume with fire those Spoils of their Enemies which had caused them to travel into the uttermost bounds of the Orient After their Famine there followed a Pestilence for the unaccustomed nourishment of the unwholesome meat they did eat with the travel of their journey and the anxiety of their mindes did spread Diseases amongst them in such sort that they could neither continue in a place nor yet go forwards without great destruction Hunger oppressed them when they tarried and the Pestilence was more vehement ever as they went forwards The Fields therefore were strewn full of men that were half dead and half alive and such as were but half sick were not able to follow the Army
with Gold and had no breed of Horses amongst them wherefore the Inhabitants would give a Talent for every Horse brought from the Main-land They also told him of great and monstrous Fishes whereof those Seas were full which carried down with the Tide would shew their bodies as big as a great Ship and follow the whole Fleet with a terrible noise and when they dived underneath the water they troubled the Seas as it had been a Ship-wrack These were things they had seen the rest they received by the report of the Inhabitants as how the Red-sea took his name of King Erithrus and not of the colour of the Water They shewed also another River not far from the main-Main-land growing full of Palm-trees where was a great Wood and in the midst thereof stood a Pillar where King Erithrus was buried with an Inscription on it of such Letters as were used in that Country They added besides That such Vessels as carried the Merchants and the Vassals of the Army through the covetousness of the Gold which had been reported unto them were landed in the Island by the Mariners and were never seen after These words moved Alexander much and put him in a great desire to get more certain knowledge of those parts and therefore he commanded them again to Sea willing that they should coast the Land till they came within the River of Euphrates and from thence to come up to Babylon against the Stream The things were infinite that he compassed in his head for he determined after he had brought the Sea-coast of the Orient under his subjection to go out of Syria into Africk for the envy he bare to the Carthaginians he purposed from thence to pass over the Desarts of Numidia towards the Gades where he understood by fame that Hercules had planted his Pillars and so directing his Journey through Spain the which the Greeks of the River Iberus call Iberia to go over the Alps into Italy till he should come to the Coast where the next passage was unto Epirus For this intent he gave commandment to his Officers in Mesopotamia That they should cut down Materials in Mount Libanus and convey the same to Capsagas a City in Syria and there make Gallies of such greatness that every one of them might be able to carry seven Oars upon a Bank and from thence he willed them to be conveyed unto Babylon He also sent commandment to the King of Cyprus to furnish them with Iron Hemp and Sails Whiles these things were in doing he received Letters from Porus and Taxiles signifying That Abiazares was dead of a Disease and that Philip his Lieutenant in those parts was slain they being put to death who were the Actors of it Alexander in the place of Philip preferred Eudemon that was Captain of the Thracians and gave Abiazares Kingdom to his Son From thence he came to Pasargades a Country of the Persians whereof Orsines was Lord who in Nobility and Riches exceeded all other men in those parts as one that derived his Pedegree from Cyrus that once was King of Persia The Riches his Predecessours left him were great and he by a long continuance in his Inheritance and Authority had much increased the same He met Alexander coming thitherwards and presented both him and his Friends with Gifts of sundry sorts which were a multitude of young Horses ready to be backed Chariots wrought with gold and silver precious Moveables excellent Pearls and sparkling Stones weighty Vessels of Gold Robes of Purple and four thousand Talents of coyned Silver But this his liberality was the occasion of his death for when he had presented all the Kings Friends with Gifts above their desire he honoured not Bagoas the Eunuch with any Gifts at all whom Alexander especially favoured for the use of his body by which he did oblige the King unto him There were therefore some that gave him admonition how much Alexander esteemed Bagoas but he answered them That his custom was to honour the Kings Friends and not his Minions and that it was not the manner of the Persians to have any in estimation who did pollute themselves in so shameful an abuse When his words were reported to the Eunuch he used the Power which he had got by dishonest Arts to the destruction of that noble and innocent man for he did suborn certain lewd persons of Orsines Country to bring in false Accusations against him which he warned them to present at such a time as he should appoint unto them In the mean season whensoever Bagoas got the King alone he would fill his credulous ears with tales against Orsines ever dissembling the cause of his displeasure lest thereby he might lose the reputation of his false report The King had not Orsines yet in suspition of such a Crime as afterwards he was charged with but he began to grow with him out of estimation His accusation was ever so secret that he could never get knowledge of the peril that was privily wrought against him This importunate Favourite in his vile conversation had with the King was mindful ever of the malice he bare to Orsines whom he would not cease to bring in suspition of Covetousness and Rebellion so oft as he saw Alexander bent to use him familiarly And now the false Accusations were in readiness which he had prepared to the destruction of the innocent whose fatal destiny which did approach could not be avoided It chanced that Alexander caused the Tomb wherein Cyrus Body was buried to be opened pretending to use certain Ceremonies for the dead but thinking in very deed that his Tomb had been full of Gold and Silver whereof there was a constant fame amongst the Persians But when it was viewed there was nothing found but a rotten Target two Scythian Bows and a Scimiter Alexander caused the Coffin wherein Cyrus Body was laid to be covered with the Garment which he himself accustomed to wear and set thereupon a Crown of Gold marvelling that the sumptuousness used in burial of such a King endued with so great Riches was no more then in the burial of an ordinary person When this thing was in doing Bagoas stood next unto Alexander and beholding him in the face said unto him What marvel is it though the Sepulchres of Kings be empty when Lords Houses are not able to hold the Gold that they have taken out from thence For my part I never saw this Tomb before but I have heard Darius report That there were three thousand Talents buried with Cyrus From hence said he proceeded Orsines liberality in winning your Favour by the gift of that which he knew he could not keep When he had thus stirred up Alexanders wrath against Orsines he presented them whom he had suborned to accuse him by whose report and by Bagoas informations Alexander was so incensed against Orsines that he was put in prison before he could suspect he was accused The Eunuch was not contented with the destruction of