the king referred him to be iudged by his peeres For the king him selfe would not be present to geue iudgement of him but deputed other in his place to accuse him howbeit he commaunded his secretaries to set downe in writing the opinion and sentence of euerie one of the Iudges and to bring it him In fine they all cast him and condemned him to dye Then the officers layed hold on him and brought him into a chamber of the prison where the hangman came with a raser in his hande with the which he vsed to cut mens throates so condemned to dye So the hangman comming into the chamber when he saw it was Darius he was affrayed and came out of the chamber againe his hart failing him and durst not lay handes vpon the person of the king But the Iudges that stoode without the chamber bad him goe and doe it vnlesse he would haue his owne throate cut So the hangman then came in and tooke Darius by the heare of the head and made him hold downe his head and so cut his necke with his raser he had in his other hand Others doe write that this sentence was geuen in the presence of king Artaxerxes selfe and that Darius seeing him selfe conuicted by manifest proofes brought in against him he fell downe at his fathers feete and besought him to pardon him and then that his father being angrie rose vp and drew out his curtelax and wounded him in so many places withall that at lenght he slue him Then returning into the Court he worshipped the sunne and turning him to his Lords that were about him he sayd vnto them My Lordes God be with you and be merie at home in your houses and tell them that were not here how the great Oromazes hath taken reuenge of them that practised treason against me This was the end of Darius treason Now Darius being dead Ochus his brother stoode in good hope to be next heire to the crowne the rather through the meanes and frendshippe of his sister Atossa but yet of his legitimate brethren he feared him called Ariaspes who was onely left of all the rest that were legitimate and of his bastard brethren Arsames not bicause Ariaspes was elder than he but for that he was of a soft plaine nature the PERSIANS desired he might be their king On the other side Arsames was wise and valliant and Ochus sawe that his father loued him dearely So he determined to intrappe them both Now Ochus being a suttle and malicious natured man he first shewed his crueltie vpon Arsames and his malice vpon Ariaspes his legitimate brother For bicause he knewe he was but simple and plaine he sent dayly some of the kings Euenukes vnto him who brought him threatning words and messages as from the king telling him that he had determined to put him to a shamefull and cruell death So forging these newes continuallie as things verie secret they did so terrifie poore Ariaspes telling him that the king was fullie bent to put some of his threats in execution out of hand that he was put in such feare and dispaire of his life that he prepared him selfe apoyson and dranke it to ridde him selfe of his life King Artaxerxes vnderstanding of his death tooke it very heauily began to mistrust the cause that made him to make him selfe away howebeit he coulde not seeke the proofe of it for his extreame age But this chaunce made him loue Arsames better then before shewing plainly that he trusted him better then Ochus and did make him priuie to all things Ochus could no lenger abide to deserte his intent and therefore entised Harpaces Tiribazus sonne to kill his bastard brother Arsames the which he did Now Artaxerxes was so extreame olde that he was as good as done with age but after he heard his sonne Arsames was murdered he coulde beare it no lenger but tooke it so to his hart for sorow that when he had liued foure score and fouretene yeares and raigned three score and two he dyed When he was dead they then found that he had bene a gratious curteous Prince and one that loued his people and subiectes when they saw the proofe of his successor Ochus that passed all men liuing in crueltie and seuerity THE LIFE OF Dion LIke as Simonides ô Sossius Senecio saith that the city of ILIVN was not offended with the CORINTHIANS for that they came to make warre with them with other GRAECIANS bicause Glaucus whose first auncesters came from CORINTHE had taken armes louingly fought for the same euen so me thinkes that neither the GRAECIANS nor ROMANES haue cause to complaine of the Academy sith they be both alike praised of the same in this present booke in the which are conteined the liues of Dion and Brutus Of the which the one of them hauing bene verie familiar with Plato him selfe and the other from his childhoode brought vp in Platoes doctrine they both as it were came out of one selfe schoolehouse to attempt the greatest enterprises amongest men And it is no maruell if they two were muche like in many of their doinges prouing that true which their schoolemaister Plato wrote of vertue that to do any noble act in the gouernment of a common wealth which should be famous and of credit authoritie and good fortune must both meete in one selfe person ioined with iustice and wisedom For as a certaine fenser called Hippomachus said that he knewe his schollers farre of if he did but see them comming from the market with meate in their handes so it must needes follow that men hauing bene vertuously brought vp must nedes be wise in all their doings and beside that it bringeth them to ciuilitie and honesty euen so it frameth their condicions muche like one vnto an other Furthermore their fortunes hauing also fallen out both alike more by chaunce then by any reason do make their liues verie like to eache other For they were both of them slaine before they coulde bring their enterprises to passe which they had determined But the greatest wonder of all is this that their deathes were foreshewed vnto them both by a wicked spirit that visible appeared vnto either of them albeit there be some that can not abide those opinions and doe maintaine that these sights and euill spirits doe neuer appeare to any man that hath his right wits but that they are fancies of litle children or old women or of some men that their wits are weakened by sickenes and so haue a certaine imagination of suche straunge sightes being of this superstitious minde that they haue a wicked spirit and an euill angell in them But if Dion and Brutus both of them graue and learned Philosophers and verie constant men not ouercome by any sodaine passion or imagination of minde haue bene moued by such sights and spirits and haue also tolde it vnto their frendes I can not tell whether we shall inforced to
him Onomarchus chuslishly aunswered him againe that the time was past nowe to shewe his corage as though he feared not death and that he should haue shewed is in the field at the battell So helpe me Iupiter quod he so haue I done and if thou beleuest not me aske them that set apon me for I neuer met with man yet more strong then my selfe Onomarchus replied againe sith now therefore thou hast found a stronger than thy selfe why then canst thou not abide his pleasure In fine when Antigonus bad resolued of his death he commaunded them to geue him no more meate and thus taking his susteaunce from him Eumenes was three dayes a dying In the meane time came such newes that sodainely the campe remoued and therefore before their departure a man was sent to Eumenes to dispatche him out of his paine Antigonus licensed his frends to take his body and burne it and then to gather his ashes and bones to send them to his wife children Eumenes being slaine in this manner the gods appointed none other iudges to reuenge the disloyalties and treason of the ANGYRASPIDES and their Captaines for betraying of Eumenes but Antigonius selfe who detestinge them as cruell murderers and periured persones to the goddes appointed thyrtius Gouernor of the prouince of ARACHOSIA to kill them euerie mothers sonne what way he coulde that none of them might euer see MACEDON againe nor the Greekishe sea THE COMPARISON OF Eumenes with Sertorius HEre haue we set downe the thinges worthie memorie of Eumenes and Sertorius Nowe to compare them together in this they were both alike that they being straungers in a straunge contrie and banished out of their owne had alwayes bene Captaines of diuers nations and chiefetaines of great and warlicke armies But this was proper to Sertorius that all those of his faction gaue him the chiefest place of authoritie as the most sufficientest man among them and worthiest to commaund where Eumenes hauing many that contended against him for the chiefe rule and conduction of the armie through his noble deedes obtained the chiefe place and authoritie in the same So that they obeyed the one desiring to be gouerned by a good Captaine for their owne safety gaue place to the other seeing them selues vnable to commaund For Sertorius being a ROMANE gouerned the SPANYARDS and LVSITANIANS and Eumenes a CHERRONESIAN the MACEDONIANS Of the which the SPANYARDS of long time had bene subiect of the Empire of ROME and the MACEDONIANS at that time had subdued all the worlde Furthermore Sertorius beinge then of great estimation for that he was a Senatour of ROME and had had charge of men of warre before came to the dignity estate to be chiefetaine of a great army Where Eumenes came with small reputacion disdained for that he was but a secretarie and when he began to come forwardes had not only lesse meanes to preferre him then Sertorius had but greater lets impedimentes also to hinder his rising and estimation For many openly stoode against him and secretly conspired his death and not as Sertorius whom no man contraried from the beginning vntill his latter ende when certaine of his companions secretly conspired against him Therefore Sertorius ende of all his daungers was to ouercome his enemies where Eumenes greatest daungers came through his victories which he wanne of his owne men through the malice of them that enuied his honor Nowe for their deedes of armes they are both in maner alike but on thother side for their conditions Eumenes naturally loued warre and contention and Sertorius imbraced peace quietnes For Eumenes that might haue liued in safety with honor if he would but haue geuen place to his betters and forsaken the warres liked better with the daunger of his life to followe martiall feates with the greatest personages of MACEDON and in the end so came to his death Sertorius contrarily being vnwilling to come in trouble was forced for the safetie of his person to take armes against them that would not let him liue in peace For had not Eumenes bene so ambitious and stowte to striue against Antigonus for the chiefest place of authoritie but could haue bene contented with the seconde Antigonus would haue bene right glad thereof where Pompey would neuer so much as suffer Sertorius to liue in rest So the one made voluntary warre onely to rule and the other against his wil was compelled to rule bicause they made warres with him Wherby it appeareth that Eumenes naturally loued warre preferring the couetous desire of a better estate aboue the safety of his life and the other as a right souldier vsed the warres only for a meane to saue his life by valiaÌ„t defence of armes Furthermore the one was slaine mistrusting no treason against him and the other looking euery hower for present death threatned him Whereof the one argued a noble minde not to mistrust them whom he thought his frendes and the other shewed a saint hart being taken when he ment to flie So Sertorius death dishonored not his life suffering that of his owne companions which his deadly foes could neuer make him suffer The other hauing no power to auoide his destinie before he was taken and hauing sought meanes to liue being in prison and captiuitie could neither paciently nor manfully abide his death For begging life at his enemies handes he gaue him his hart with his body who before had but his body in his power THE LIFE OF Agesilaus ARchidamus the sonne of Zeuxidamus hauing honorably raigned in LACEDAEMON left two sonnes behind him Agis which he begate of that noble Lady Lamprido Agesilaus a great deale younger which he had by Eupolia Melisippidas daughter So the kingdom falling by succession vnto Agis the elder the younger sonne Agesilaus remaining a priuate person was brought vp after the LACONIAN manner which was a straight kind of life but withal it taught children how to obey Wherof it is thought the Poet Simonides calleth SPARTA Damasimbrotos to wit making men ciuill for that by continuance of custome it frameth the citizens to be obedient to the lawes as much or more than any other city that euer was in the world taming them from their childhoode as they doe young coltes The law dispenseâ—â— with the heires apparant to the crowne from that straight subiection hard life but Agesilaus had that excellencie in him aboue all others of his estate that he came to the dignity and honor to commaund hauing from his youth learned to obey The which vndoutedly was the cause that he knewe better than any other king howe to please and beare with his subiectes helping his royall estate princely behauior grafted in him by nature with that curtesie and familiarity which he had attained by education At that time when he went in company with the boyes which were brought vp together Lysander fell in loue with him wondering at the modesty
of the Generalls for the king So Antiochus being ouercome and his armie discomfited perceiuing that there was no helpe in his affaires he came vnto the AFRICAN who being newlie recouered of his sickenes came to the campe within a litle after the field was wonne and by his meanes obtayned of the Consul to be contented to talke of peace When Antiochus Ambassadors were come to the campe and that they had humblie craued pardon in the behalfe of their king and also prayed that they would geue them suche condicions of peace as they best liked of Scipio AFRICAN with the consent of them all aunswered them that it was not the manner of the ROMANES to yeeld to aduersitie neither also to be prowde in prosperitie and therefore that he nowe made him the selfe same offers and condicions of peace which he did before the victorie That the king shoulde not meddle with EVROPE that he should surrender vp all he had in ASIA from the mountaine Taurus vnto the riuer of Tanais that he shoulde pay tribute twentie yeres together that he shoulde also put in suche ostages as the Consul would choose out and that specially aboue all the rest they should deliuer Annibal CARTHAGINIAN vnto the Consul who was the only author and procurer of this warre But he as we haue wrytten in his life perceiuing that king Antiochus armie was ouerthrowen both by sea and by lande escaped the ROMANES handes and went vnto Prusias king of BITHYNIA Antiochus hauing accepted the offers and condicions of peace sayd that the ROMANES vsed him verie fauourablie to ridde him of so great care and to appoint him so small a kingdome For great kingdomes and ouermuch wealth which euerie man coueteth are full of great and sundrie troubles insomuch that Theocritus wordes are as true as otherwise excellently written The things I vvish are nother vvelth nor Scepter Robe nor Crovvne Nor yet of svviftnes and of strength to beare avvay renovvne But singing vvish a mery hart in simple shed to looke Aloofe vpon the troublous seas that are so hard to brooke So when the mightie king of ASIA was ouercomen and that so great a warre was so easelie ended beyonde all mens opinion the Consul L. Scipio returned to ROME and made his entrie into the citie shewing a great and honorable triumphe He also deserued the surname of the prouince and contrie subdued by him So that as his elder brother before was called AFRICAN for that he had conquered AFRIKE euen so was Lucius Scipio surnamed ASIAN for conquering ASIA vnto ROME And P. Scipio through whose counsell his brother Lucius had brought his warres to happie ende he went not cleere without honor also For shortlie after two noble Censors T. Q. Flaminius and Marcus Claudius Marcellus chose him Prince of the Senate the thirde time Nowe at that time the house and familie of the Scipioes and Cornelians florished with supreame degree of honor and the authoritie of Scipio AFRICAN was growen to such height and greatnes as no priuate man could wishe to be any greater in a free citie Howbeit the secret malice of wicked harts which could no lenger abide this greatnes and authoritie began at length to burst out and to light vpon those that were the authors of so great things For two Tribunes of the people suborned as it is reported by Porcius Cato they accused P. Scipio AFRICAN for keeping backe king Antiochus money and bicause he brought it not into the common chamber or treasurye Scipio AFRICAN knowing his innocencie being called by the Magistrate shewed him selfe obedient and came into the market place with a bold coutenaunce and there made an oration declaring what thinges he had done for the benefit and commoditie of his contry and common wealth The rehersal of these thinges did not mislike the common people that were present bicause he did it rather to auoyd the daunger prepared for him then otherwise for any vaine glory or oftentation Howbeit the Tribunes not being so contented were vehement against him and spared no iniurious words but accused him as though he had in deede bene in fault howbeit vpon suspition rather then of any due proofe The next morning being commaunded to come before them againe he appeared at the hower appoynted and being well accompanied with his friends he came through the whole assembly and went vp to the pulpit for orations When he saw that euery man kept silence then he spake in this manner I remember my Lordes that on such a day as this I wanne that famous victory of Annibal and the CARTHAGINIANS and therefore leauing a side this contention I thinke it good we go vnto the Capitol to giue God thankes for the victorie So he departed thence and all the whole assembly followed him not onely to the Capitoll but also to all the other temples of the citie leauing the two Tribunes all alone with their Sergeaunts That daye was the very last daye of all the AFRICANS good fortune for the great assembly and multitude of people that wayted vpon him and for the great good will they bare him For from that day forward he determined to get him into the contry farre from all ambition and the company of people and so went vnto LINTERNVM in a maruelous rage that for reward of his so great seruice and so sundry benefits as he had brought vnto his contry he receiued but shame and reproache or els for that in deede being as he was of a noble minde he thought it more honor willingly to giue place to his enemies then to seeke to mainteyne his greatnes by force of armes So when the Tribunes did accuse him of contempt and that his brother Lucius did excuse his absence by reason of his sickenes Tiberius Gracchus one of the Tribunes that was against the AFRICAN tooke his excuse beyond all mens opinions for good payment and did so well defende Scipioes cause sometime honorably praysing him another time also threatning his enemies that the Senate afterwards thanked him very greatly for it For they were maruelously offended for the great iniurie they did him Some doe write that P. Scipio him selfe before he went vnto LINTERNVM did with his owne hands teare the booke his brother had brought vnto the Senate to deliuer the accompt of his charge and that he did it not for any deceit nor pride but with that selfe boldnes of mind he had aforetime vsed to the treasurers when he did against the law require the keyes of the common treasure to supply the present neede of the state â— Nowe some there be also that saye it was not the AFRICAN but Scipio ASIAN that was accused needed before the Tribunes and that Scipio AFRICAN was sent in commission at that time into THYSCAN Who vnderstanding of his brothers accusation at his returne to ROME and finding his brother Lucius condemned and the Sergeaunts wayting on him to cary him being bound into prison he
in Asia by Mithridates commaundement Fimbria camped as Thyatira Fimbria slain Sylla very hardly inreated them of Asia Aristotle and Theophrastus backes Sylla went to the bathes as Adipsum for the gowte in his legges Bubbles of fire rising out of a meadow by Dyrrachivm A Satyre takeÌ„ sleeping and brought to Sylla Sylla went against fifteene Generalls foure hundred and fiftie ensignes Syllaes returne into Italie Ephewn mons Sylla ouerthrew the CoÌ„sull Norbanus and Marius the younger neere to the mountaine Epheum A slaue foreshewed Syllaes victory and the burning of the Capitoll which fell out truely A winde that blewe flowers out of a meadow vpon Lucullus souldiers by the city of Fidentia Lucullus victory as Fidenâ—a Syllaes policie with Scipio Sylla wanne 40 ensignes from Scipio by policie Carboes saying of Sylla touching the foxe and lyon Marius the younger with 85. ensignes presenteth Sylla baâ—tell by the city of Signium Syllaes vision in his dreame Marius fled to Praenesta Carbo fled into Africke Thelesinus the Samnyte faâ— Sylla in great danÌ„ger Syllaes daunger Sylla fled Lucretius Offella besieged Marius in Praeneste In the ende of Marius life it is reported contrarie that Sylla besieged Marius the younger in Perusia and not in Praeneste â—doo saued themselues in Antemna and yelded to Sylla vpon promise of life Sylla against the law of armes and his promise caused sixe thowsand men to be slaine Honor chaungeth condicions Sylla the example Infinite murthers committed in Rome by Sylla and his fauorers The boldnes of Caius Metellus to tell Sylla his cruelty in open Senate Syllaes prosâ—iripsion 〈…〉 The murder of outlawes generall through Italy Quintus Aurelius a quiet men that medled not slaine for his house Marius the younger slue him selfe as Praeneste being put all into one place together Lucius Catilinae slue his owne brother Sylla Dictator Lucretius Offella slaine Syllaes twinnes named Faustus and Fausta Sylla leaueth his Dictatorshippe Marcus Lepidus chosen Consull Sylla feasted the people VVine of forty yeres olde vpward Sylla brake his owne lawes he made Valeria desirous to be partaker of Syllaes happines Sylla maried Valeria the sister of Hottensius the Orator Syllaes impostume turned to lyce Diuers famous men that dyed of lyce Syllaes commentaries containe 22. bookes Syllaes sonne that was dead appeared to him in his dreams in ill fauored apparell Granius strangeled in Syllaes fight by his arme commaundements Syllaes death Posthumi Syllaes funeralls Syllaes epitaphe The chiefe person is not alwayes the honestest Lysander Syllaes faults Lysanders temperance and moderate life Syllaes licensious and prodigall life Syllaes tyrannicall saying Sylla for ware to be preferred before Lysander Sylla fought with men of greatest power and ouercome them Syllaes magnanimity Plutarkes iudgement of Sylla and Lysander Peripoltas his posterity The manners leud partes of Damon Peripoltas Lucius Lucullus examâ—nesh the truth of the murther Damon slaine by treason Asbolomeni who they were and why so called Chaeronea indited for the murther Lucullus called for a witnesse of the troth Historie is a certaine image of mens manners and wisedom A pretty similitude Howe to describe the life of a man. Cimon Lucullus in what thinges they were like Cimons linadge Thucidydes linadge Miltiades died in prison Cimon defamed in his youth Coalemos foole Cimons condicions Elpinicè Cimons sister vnchast Polygnotus the painter Elpinicè being poore had regarde to matche ccording to her state calling Cimon subiect to lasciuious life The praise of Cimons conditions Cimons personage commended Cimon Generall for the Athenians by sea King Pausanias through his insolency and pride lost the Lacedaemonians all their rule of Greece Pausanias killed the young Bizantine virgine Cimon iorney and victorie in Thracia Butes burneth him selfe city and frendes for feare of Cimon Statues of Mercury Sochares Decelean spake against Miltiades request for the garland of Olyue boughes Cimon wanne the I le of Scyros The counsell of the Amphictyons Theseus bones brought to Athens 400. yeres after his death by Cimon Sophocles and AEschylus contention for victory AEschylus ouercome by Sophocles dwelleth in Sicilia and dyeth there Cimon sang passing sweety Cimons cunning diuision of the spoyle Herophytus Samian gaue Counsell to choose the spoyle Cimons liberality and hospitality Cimons charity How Cimon vsed his goode The hospitality of Lichas Spartan Cimons godly actes CimoÌ„ brought the golden world againe Cimons integrity and cleane hands Resaces attempted to bribe Cimon Darickes whereof so called A noble saying of Cimon The benefit of paines seruice and the discommodity of case and idlenes CimoÌ„ plagued the Persians Chio an Ile Cimon wanne the city of Faselia Ariomandes the kinges Lieutenant of his whole army by sea ryding at ancher before the riuer of Eurymedon Cimons victory of the Persians both by sea and land Cimon tooke two hundred sayle prisoners at the battell fought by the riuer of Eurymedon Cimon ouercame the battell of the barbarous people also by lands Cimon brought the king of Persia to conditioÌ„ of peace Callias sent Ambassador to take the othe of the king of Persia Cimon was at the charge of certaine commoÌ„ buildings Cimon draue the Persians out of Thracia Cimon accussed and discharged CimoÌ„ praiseth the temperate life of the Lacedaemonians Stesimbrotus the historian * Areopagus was a village of Mars by Athens where the iudges called Areopagitae did sit to iudge causes of murder and other waightie matters concerning the common wealth Democratia rule of communalty Pericles in Cimons absence reduceth the common wealth vnto the state Democratia Optimacia the gouernment of the nobility CimoÌ„ followed the Lacedaemonians maner A maruelous great earthquake in Lacedaemon Taygetum â—â—nâ— Archidamus sodaine policy saued the city Ilotae slaues bondmen to the Lacedaemonian Cimon procured ayde for the Lacedaemonians Cimon banished for 10. yeares Cimon called from exile Cimons dreame The interpretation of the dreame Cimons death prognosticated The cause of Themistocles willing death The death of Cimon Cimons death kept very secret No famous act done by any Graecians to the barbarous people after Cimons death Cimons monuments at Athens Lucullus parents Lucullus accuseth Seruilius the Soothsayer The Romanes thought it a noble dede to accuse the wicked Lucullus eloquence Lucullus studied Philosophy in his latter time Lucullus booke of the warre of the Marsians in Greeke Lucullus loue to his brother Marcus. Lucius M. Luculâ—us both chosen AEdiles Sylla gaue Lucullus commission to coyne money in Peloponnesus Lucullus geueth lawes to the CyreniaÌ„â— A notable saying of Plato Lucullus iorney into Egypt A notable rich entered geuen Lucullus by kinge Ptolomye Lucullus doinges vnder Sylla by sea Lucullus stratageame Fimbria besieged Mithridates in Pitane Lucullus would not aide Fimbria in besieging Mithridates Neoptolemus king Mithridates Lieutenant by sea Lucullus put to flight Neoptolemus Mithridates Lieutenaunt by sea Lucullus stratageaâ—ia as the siege of the Mitylenians Lucullus honored of Sylla The first occasioÌ„ of quarrell bentwext Pompey and Lucullus Lucullus M. Cossa
sometime the conuersation of suche as be holye religious and deuoute But to beleeue the goddes haue carnall knowledge and doe delight in the outward beawtie of creatures that seemeth to carie a very harde beliefe Yet the wise EGYPTIANS thincke it probable enough and likely that the spirite of the goddes hath geuen originall of generation to women and doe beget fruite of their bodies howbeit they holde that a man can haue no corporall companie with any diuine nature Wherein they doe not cōsider that euery thing that ioyneth together doth deliuer againe a like substaūce to that wherewith it was ioyned This notwithstanding it is mete we should beleeue the godds beare good will to men and that of it doth spring their loue whereby men saye the goddes loue those whose manners they purifie and inspire with vertue And they doe not offende which fayne that Phorbas Hyacinthus and Admetus were sometimes the louers of Apollo and also Hippolytus the SICYONIAN of whom they reporte that euer when he passed ouer the arme of the sea which lieth betweene the citties of SICYONA and of CIRRAHA the god which knewe he came reioyced and caused Pythia the prophetesse to pronounce these heroycall verses I knovve full vvell my deare Hippolytus returnes by sea my minde diuineth thus It is sayd also that Pan was in loue with Pindarus and his verses and that the goddes honored the poets Hesiodus Archilocus after their death by the Muses They saye moreouer that AEsculapius laye with Sophocles in his life time and at this daye they doe yet showe many tokens thereof and after his death another god as it is reported made him to be honorably buried Nowe if they graunte that such things maye be true how can we refuse to beleeue that some goddes haue bene familliar with Zaleucus Minos Zoroastres Lycurgus Numa and such other like personages which haue gouerned kingdomes stablished common weales and it is not vnlike that the goddes in deede dyd company with them to inspire and teache them many notable things and that they did drawe neere vnto these Poets players of the harpe that made and played many dolefull and ioyfull ditties at the least for their sporte and pleasure onely if euer they came neere them Neuertheles if any man be of other opinion the waye is open and large as Bacchylides sayed to thincke and saye as he lust For my selfe I doe finde that which is written of Lycurgus Numa and other suche persones not to be without likelyhood and probabilitie who hauing to gouerne rude churlishe stiffe necked people and purposing to bring in straunge nouelties into the gouernments of their countries did fayne wisely to haue conference with the godds considering this fayning fell to be profitable beneficiall to those themselues whom they made to beleeue the same But to returne to our historie Numa was fourty yeres olde when the ambassadours of ROME were sent to present the Kingdome vnto him to intreate him to accept thereof Proclus and Velesus were the ambassadours that were sent One of the which the people looked should haue bene chosen for King bicause those of Romulus side did fauour muche Proclus and those of Tatius parte fauored Velesus Nowe they vsed no long speache vnto him bicause they thought he would haue bene glad of suche a great good fortune But contrarely it was in deede a very hard thing required great persuasions much intreatie to moue a man which had allwayes liued quietly at ease to accept the regiment of a cittie which as a man would saye had bene raysed vp and growen by warres and martiall dedes Wherfore he aunswered them in the presence of his father and one other of his kinsemen called Martius in this sorte Chaunge alteration of mans life is euer daungerous but for him that lacketh nothing necessarie nor hath cause to cōplaine of his present state it is a great follie to leaue his olde acquainted trade of life to enter into another newe and vnknowen if there were no other but this only respect that he leaueth a certaintie to venter vpon an vncertainty Howbeit there is further matter in this that the daūgers perills of this kingdom which they offer me are not altogether vncertain if we will looke backe what happened vnto Romulus Who was not vnsuspected to haue layed waite to haue had Tatius his fellow cōpanion murdered now after Romulus death the Senatours selues are mistrusted to haue killed him on the other side by treason And yet they saye it and singe in euery where that Romulus was the sonne of a god that at his birthe he was miraculously preserued and afterwardes he was as incrediblie brought vp Whereas for my owne parte I doe confesse I was begotten by a mortallman and was fostered brought vp and taught by men as you known and these fewe qualities which they prayse commend in me are conditions farre vnmoto for a man that is to raigne I euer loued a solitarie life quiet and studie and did exempt my selfe from worldly causes All my life time I haue sought and loued peace aboue all things and neuer had for doe with any warres My conuersation hath bene to companie with men which meete only to serue honour the goddes or to laughe and be merie one with another or els to spende their time in their priuate affayers or otherwise sometime to attend their pastures and feeding of their cattell Whereas Romulus my ROMAINE lordes hath left you many warres begonne which peraduenture you could be contented to spare yet now to mainteine the same your citie had neede of a martiall King actiue strong of bodye Your people moreouer through long custome and the great increase they are geuen vnto by feates of armes desire nought els perhappes but warres and it is plainely seene they seeke still to growe and commaund their neighbours So that if there were no other consideration in it yet were it a mere mockerie for me to goe to teache a cittie at this present to serue the goddes to loue iustice to hate warres and to flye violence when it rather hath neede of a conquering captaine then of a peaceable king These and suche other like reasons and persuasions Numa alleaged to discharge him selfe of the Kingdome which they offred him Howbeit the ambassadours of the ROMAINES most humbly besought and prayed him with all instance possible that he would not be the cause of another newe sturre and commotion among them seeing both partes in the cittie haue geuen their consent and liking to him alone and none other to be their king Moreouer when the ambassadours had left him vpon this sute his father and Martius his kinseman beganne also priuately to perswade him that he should not refuse so good and godly an offer And albeit he was contented with his present state and desired to be no richer than he was nor coueted no princely honour nor glorie bicause he sought only
of maydes which both the one and the other ordeined doth agree with the rest of their education For Lycurgus would not that they should be maried till they were of good yeres and women growen to the ende that they knowing the company of man at such time as nature requireth it should be a beginning of their pleasure and loue and not of griefe and hate when she should be compelled vnto it before time agreable by nature and bicause their bodies also should be more stronge and able to beare children and to indure the mothers painefull throwes and trauell in childe bearing considering they are maried to no other ende but to beare children But the ROMAINES to the contrarie doe marye them at twelue yeres of age and vnder saying that by this meanes their bodies manners be wholy theirs which doe marye them being assured that no body els could touch them By this reason it is manifest that the one is more naturall to make them strong to beare children the other more morall to geue them the forme manner of conditiōs which a man would haue them to kepe all their life time Moreouer touching orders for educatiō of childrē that they should be brought vp instructed taught vnder the selfe same masters gouernours which should haue an eye to make them drincke eate playe and exercise them selues honestly and orderly together Numa made no more prouision for the same then the least maker of lawes that euer was and nothing in comparison of Lycurgus For Numa left the parents at libertie to vse their discretion according vnto their couetousnes or necessitie to cause their children to be brought vp as they thought good whether they would put them to be labourers carpinters founders or minstrells As if they should not frame the manners of children and facion them from their cradell all to one ende but should be as it were like passengers in one shippe which being there some for one busines other for another purpose but all to diuers endes doe neuer medle one with another but in a rough storme or tempest when euery man is affrayed of his owne life For otherwise no man careth but for him selfe And other makers of lawes also are to be borne withall if any thing hath scaped them through ignoraunce or some time through lacke of sufficient power and authoritie But a wise philosopher hauing receyued a realme of people newly gathered together which dyd contrary him in nothing whereto should he most plye his studie and indeuour but to cause children to be well brought vp and to make young men exercise them selues to the ende they should not differ in manners nor that they should be troublesome by their diuers manner of bringing vp but that they should all agree together for that they had bene trained from their childhood vnto one selfe trade and facioned vnder one selfe patterne of vertue That good education besides other commodities dyd also serue to preserue Lycurgus lawes For the feare of their othe which they had made had bene of small effect if he had not through institution and education as it were dyed in wolle the manners of children and had not made them from their nources brestes in manner sucke the Iuice and loue of his lawes and ciuill ordinaunces And this was of suche force that for the space of fiue hundred yeres more Lycurgus chieflawes and ordinaunces remained in full perfection as a deepe woded dye which went to the bottome and pearced into the tender wolle Contrariwise that which was Numaes chief ende and purpose to continew ROME in peace and amitie dyed by and by with him For he was no soner dead but they opened both the gates of the temple of Ianus which he so carefully had kept shut all his reigne as if in deede he had kept in warres there vnder locke and keye and they filled all ITALIE with murder and bloude this his godly holy and iust gouernment which his Realme enioyed all his time did not last long after bicause it had not the bonde of education and the discipline of children which should mainteine it Why maye a man saye to me here hath not ROME excelled still and preuailed more more in cheualrie This question requireth a long aunswer and specially vnto such men as place felicitie in riches in possessions in the greatnes of empire rather then in the quiet safety peace concorde of a common weale and in clemency and iustice ioyned with contentation Neuertheless howsoeuer it was that maketh for Lycurgus also that the ROMAINES after they had chaūged the state which they had of Numa dyd so maruelously increase growe mightie and that the LACEDAEMONIANS to the contrarie so soone as they beganne to breake Lycurgus lawes being of great authoritie and swaye fell afterwards to be of small accompt So that hauing lost the soueraintie commaundemēt ouer GRECE they stoode in great hazarde also to be ouerthrowen for euer But in trothe it was some diuine thing in Numa that he being a meere straunger the ROMAINES dyd seeke him to make him King and that he could so chaunge all and rule a whole cittie as he lifted not yet ioyned together without neede of any force or violence as it was in Lycurgus to be assisted with the best of the citty in resisting the cōmons of LACEDAEMON but he could neuer otherwise haue kept them in peace made them loue together but by his only wisdom iustice The ende of Numa Pompilius life THE LIFE OF Solon DIDYMVS the Grammarian in a litle booke that he wrote dedicated vnto Asclepiades touching the tables of the lawes of Solon alleageth the wordes of one Philocles in which he speaketh against the common opinion of those that haue written that Solons father was called Euphorion For all other writers agree that he was the sonne of Execestides a man but reasonably to liue although otherwise he was of the noblest and most auncient house of the cittie of ATHENS For of his fathers side he was descended of king Codrus and for his mother Heraclides Ponticus writeth she was cosin germaine vnto Pisistratus mother For this cause euen from the beginning there was great friendshippe betwene them partely for their kinred and partely also for the curtesie and beawtie of Pisistratus with whom it is reported Solon on a time was in loue Afterwards they fortuned to fall at iarre one with the other about matter of state and gouernment yet this square bred no violent inconuenience betwene them but they reserued in their hartes still their auncient amitie which continued the memorie of their loue as a great fire doth a burning flame That Solon was no stayed man to withstand beawtie nor any great doer to preuaile in loue it is manifest to all aswell by other poeticall writings that he hath made as by a lawe of his owne wherein he dyd forbid bondmen to perfume them selues or
teache him any thing only to checke his nature or to facion him with good manner and ciuilitie or to studie any matter for pleasure or honest pastime he would slowly and carelesly learne of them But if they deliuered him any matter of wit and things of weight concerning state they sawe he would beate at it maruelously and would vnderstande more then any could of his age and cariage trusting altogether to his naturall mother with This was the cause that being mocked afterwardes by some that had studied humanitie and other liberall sciences he was driuen for reuenge and his owne defence to aunswer with great and stowte wordes saying that in deede he could no skill to tune a harpe nor a violl nor to playe of a psalterion but if they dyd put a cittie into his handes that was of small name weake and litle he knewe wayes enough how to make it noble stronge and great Neuertheles Stesimbrotus writeth how he went to Anaxagoras schoole and that vnder Melissus he studied naturall philosophie But herein he was greatly deceaued for that he tooke no great hede vnto the time For Melissus was captaine of the SAMIANS against Pericles at what time he dyd laye seige vnto the cittie of SAMOS Now this is true Pericles was much younger then Themistocles and Anaxagoras dwelt with Pericles in his owne house Therefore we haue better reason and occasion to beleeue those that write Themistocles dyd determine to followe Mnesiphilus Phreari◠For he was no professed Orator nor naturall philosopher as they termed it in that time but made profession of that which then they called wisedome Which was no other thing but a certen knowledge to handle great causes and an indeuour to haue a good wit and iudgment in matters of state and gouernment which profession beginning in Solon dyd continue and was taken vp from man to man as a secte of philosophie But those that came sithence haue mingled it with arte of speache and by litle and litle haue translated the exercise of deedes vnto bare and curious wordes whereupon they were called Sophisters as who would saye counterfeate wise men Nothwithstanding when Themistocles beganne to medle with the gouernment of the common weale he followed much Mnesiphilus In the first parte of his youth his hehauiour and doings were very light and vnconstant as one caried awaye with a rashe head and without any order or discretion by reason whereof his manners conditions seemed maruelously to chaunge and oftimes fell into very ill fauored euents as him self dyd afterwards confesse by saying that a ragged colte oftimes proues a good horse specially if he be well ridden and broken as he should be Other tales which some will seeme to adde to this are in my opinion but fables As that his father dyd disinherite him and that his mother for very care and sorowe she tooke to see the lewde life of her sonne dyd kill her self For there are that write to the contrary that his father being desirous to take him from dealing in gouernment dyd goe and shewe him all alongest the sea shore the shippewracks and ribbes of olde gallyes cast here and there whereof no reckoning was made and sayed to him thus the people vse their gouernours when they can serue no lenger Howsoeuer it was it is most true that Themistocles earnestly gaue himself to state and was sodainely taken with desire of glorie For euen at his first entrie bicause he would set foote before the prowdest he stoode at pyke against the greatest and mightiest persones that bare the swaye and gouernment and specially against Aristides Lysimachus sonne who euer encountered him and was still his aduersarie opposite Yet it seemeth the euil will he conceyued toward him came of a very light cause For they both loued Stesilaus that was borne in the cittie of TEOS as Ariston the philosopher writeth And after this iealousie was kindled betweene them they allwayes tooke contrary parte once against another not only in their priuate likings but also in the gouernment of the cōmon weale Yet I am persuaded that the difference of their manners conditions did much encrease the grudge and discorde betwext them For Aristides being by nature a very good man a iust dealer honest of life and one that in all his doings would neuer flatter the people nor serue his owne glorie but rather to the contrary would doe would saye counsaill allwayes for the most benefit cōmoditie of the commō weale was oftentimes enforced to resist Themistocles disapoint his ambition being euer busilie mouing the people to take some new matter in hande For they reporte of him that he was so inslamed with desire of glorie to enterprise great matters that being but a very yoōg man at the battell of Marathon where there was no talke but of the worthines of captaine Miltiades that had wonne the battell he was found many times solitarilie there alone deuising with him self besides they saye he could then take no rest in the night neither would goe to playes in the daye time nor would keepe companie with those whom he was accustomed to be familiar withall before Furthermore he would tell them that woūdred to see him so in his muses and chaunged and asked him what he ayled that Miltiades victorie would not let him sleepe bicause other thought this ouerthrow at MARATHON would haue made an end of all warres Howbeit Themistocles was of a contrary opinion and that it was but a beginning of greater troubles Therefore he daylie studied howe to preuent them and how to see to the safetie of GREECE before occasion offered he did exercise his cittie in seats of warre foreseeing what should followe after Wherefore where the cittizēs of ATHENS before dyd vse to deuide among them selues the reuenue of their mines of siluer which were in a parte of ATTICA called LAVRION he alone was the first that durst speake to the people persuade them that from thenceforth they should cease that distribution among them selues employe the money of the same in making of gallyes to make warres against the AEGINETES For their warres of all GREECE were most cruell bicause they were lords of the sea had so great a nūber of shippes This persuasion drue the citizens more easely to Themistocles minde than the threatning them with king Darius or the Persians would haue done who were farre from them not feared that they would come neere vnto them So this oportunitie taken of the hatred iealousie betwene the ATHENIANS the AEGINETES made the people to agree of the said money to make an hundred gallyes with which they fought against king Xerxes did ouercome him by sea Now after this good beginning successe he wanne the cittizēs by degrees to bende their force to sea declaring vnto them howe by lande they were scant able to make heade against their equalles whereas by their
preseruing charme the women had tyed as a carkanet about his necke to let him vnderstand he was very ill since he suffered them to apply suche a foolishe bable to him In the ende Pericles drawing fast vnto his death the Nobilitie of the cittie and such his friendes as were left aliue standing about his bed beganne to speake of his vertue and of the great authoritie he had borne considering the greatnes of his noble actes and counting the number of his victories he had wonne for he had wonne nine foughten battells being generall of the ATHENIANS and had set vp so many tokens and triumphes in honour of his countrie they reckoned vp among them selues all these matters as if he had not vnderstoode them imagining his sences had bene gone But he contrarilie being yet of perfect memorie heard all what they had sayed and thus he beganne to speake vnto them That he marueled why they had so highly praysed that in him which was common to many other captaines and wherein fortune delt with them in equalitie a like and all this while they had forgotten to speake of the best most notable thing that was in him which was that no ATHENIAN had euer worne blacke gowne through his occasion And suer so was he a noble and worthie persone For he dyd not only shewe him selfe mercifull and curteous euen in most weightie matters of gouernment among so enuious people and hatefull enemies but he had this iudgement also to thincke that the most noble actes he dyd were these that he neuer gaue him selfe vnto hatred enuie nor choller to be reuenged of his most mortall enemie without mercy shewed towardes him though he had committed vnto him suche absolute power and sole gouernment among them And this made his surname to be Olympius as to saye diuine or celestiall which otherwise for him had bene to prowde and arrogant a name bicause he was of so good and gentle a nature and for that in so great libertie he had kept cleane handes vndefiled euen as we esteeme the goddes authors of all good and causers of no ill and so worthy to gouerne and rule the whole monarchie of the world And not as Poets saye which doe confounde our wittes by their follies and fonde faynings and are also contrarie to them felues considering that they call heauen which conteineth the goddes the euerlasting seate which trembleth not and is not driuen nor moued with windes neither is darkened with clowdes but is allwayes bright and cleare and at all times shyning equally with a pure bright light as being the only habitation and mansion place of the eternall God only happy and immortall And afterwardes they describe it them selues full of dissentions of enmities of anger and passions which doe nothing become wise and learned men But this discourse peraduenture would be better spoken of in some other booke Nowe the troubles the ATHENIANS felt immediatly after Pericles death made them then lament the losse of so noble a member For those who vnpaciently dyd brooke his great authoritie while he liued bicause it drowned their owne when they came after his death to proue other speakers and gouernours they were compelled then to confesse that no mans nature liuing could be more moderate nor graue with lenitie and mercie then his was And that most hated power which in his life time they called monarchie dyd then most plainely appeare vnto them to haue bene the manifest ramper and bullwarke of the safetie of their whole state and common weale suche corruption and vice in gouernment of the state dyd then spring vp immediatly after his death which when he was aliue he dyd euer suppresse and keepe vnder in suche sorte that either it dyd not appeare at all or at the least it came not to that hed and libertie that suche faultes were committed as were vnpossible to be remedied The ende of Pericles life THE LIFE OF Fabius Maximus HAVING already declared vnto you such things worthy memorie as we could collect and gather of the life of Pericles it is nowe good time we should proceede to write also of the life of Fabius Maximus It is sayed the first Fabius from whom the house and familie of the Fabians dyd descend being the greatest noblest house of all other in ROME was begotten by Herculos whom he gatte of a Nymphe or as other saye a woman of the coūtrie by the riuer of Tyber And some saye that the first of this house were called at the beginning Fodians bicause they dyd hunte wilde beastes with pittefalles and ditches For vnto this present the ROMAINES call ditches Fossae and to digge Fodere Since that time the two second letters haue bene chaunged and they haue called them Fabians But howsoeuer it was this is certaine that many noble men haue come out of that house and among other there was one of that house called Fabius Rullus whom the ROMAINES for his noble actes dyd surname Maximus very great After him Fabius Maximus whose life we haue now in hande was the fourth lineally descended of the same line and he was surnamed Verrucosus bicause of a certen birth marke he had vpon one of his lippes like a litle warte And he was also surnamed Ouicula a litle lamme for his softnes slownes and grauity of his doings whilest he was a childe But bicause of nature he was dull still and very silent and that he was seldome seene to playe at any pastime among the boyes and for that they sawe he was but of slowe capacitie and hard to learne and conceyue and withall that the boyes might doe to him what they would he was so lowly to his fellowes this made men iudge that looked not into him that he would proue a very foole and nigeot Yet other were of contrarie opinion of him who considering more deepely the man perceyued in his nature a certen secret constancie the maiestie of a lyon But Fabius selfe when he was called to serue the common weale dyd quickely shewe to the world that which they tooke for dullnes in him was his grauitie which neuer altered for no cause or respect and that which other iudged fearefullnes in him was very wisedome And where he shewed him selfe not hastie nor sodaine in any thing it was found in him an assured and setled constancie Wherefore when he came to consider the great soueraintie of their common weale and the continuall warres it was in he dyd vse his bodie to all hardnes and brought vp him selfe therewithall that he might be the better able to serue in the field and he gaue him selfe much to eloquence also as a necessary instrument to persuade souldiers vnto reason His tongue likewise dyd agree with his conditions and manner of life For he had no manner of affectation nor counterfeate finenes in his speach but his words were euer very graue and profounde and his sentences euen grafte in him by nature and as some saye were
the lawes and customes of their countrie being manifest tokens of a man that aspired to be King and would subuert and turne all ouer hand And as for the good will of the common people towards him the poet Aristophanes doth plainely expresse it in these wordes The people most desire vvhat most they hate to haue and vvhat their minde abhorres euen that they seeme to craue And in another place he sayed also aggrauating the suspition they had of him For state or common vveale muche better should it be to keepe vvithin the countrie none suche lyons lookes as he But if they nedes vvill keepe a lyon to their cost then must they nedes obeye his vvill for he vvill rule the roste For to saye truely his curtesies his liberallities and noble expences to shewe the people so great pleasure and pastime as nothing could be more the glorious memorie of his auncesters the grace of his eloquence the beawtie of his persone the strength and valliantnes of his bodie ioyned together with his wisedome and experience in marshall affayers were the very causes that made them to beare with him in all things and that the ATHENIANS dyd paciently endure all his light partes and dyd couer his faultes with the best wordes and termes they could calling them youthfull and gentlemens sportes As when he kept Agartharchus the painter prisoner in his house by force vntill he had painted all his walles within and when he had done dyd let him goe and rewarded him very honestly for his paines Againe when he gaue a boxe of the eare to Taureas who dyd paye the whole charges of a companie of common players in spite of him to carie awaye the honour of the games Also when he tooke awaye a young woman of MELIA by his authoritie that was taken among certaine prisoners in the warres and kept her for his concubine by whom he had a childe which he caused to be brought vp Which they called a worke of charitie albeit afterwards they burdened him that he was the only cause of murdering of the poore MELIANS sauing the litle children bicause he had fauored and persuaded that vnnaturall and wicked decree which another had propounded Likewise where one Aristophon a painter had painted a curtisan named Nemea holding Alcibiades in her armes and sitting in her lappe which all the people ranne to see and tooke great pleasure to behold it the graue and auncient men were angrie at these foolishe partes accompting them impudent things and done against all ciuill modestie and temperancie Wherefore it seemed Archestratus words were spoken to good purpose when he sayed that GREECE could not abide two Alcibiades at once And on a daye as he came from the counsaill and assembly of the cittie where he had made an excellent oration to the great good liking and acceptation of all the hearers and by meanes thereof had obteined the thing he desired and was accompanied with a great traine that followed him to his honour Timon surnamed Misanthropus as who would saye Loup-garou or the manhater meeting Alcibiades thus accompanied dyd not passe by him nor gaue him waye as he was wont to doe to all other men but went straight to him and tooke him by the hande and sayed O thou dost well my sonne I can thee thancke that thou goest on and climest vp still for if euer thou be in authoritie woe be vnto those that followe thee for they are vtterly vndone When they heard these wordes those that stoode by fell a laughing other reuiled Timon other againe marked well his wordes and thought of them many a time after suche sundry opinions they had of him for the vnconstantie of his life and way wardnes of his nature and conditions Now for the taking of SICILIA the ATHENIANS dyd maruelosly couer it in Pericles life but yet they dyd not medle withall vntill after his death and then they dyd it at the first vnder coller of friendshippe as ayding those citties which were oppressed and spoyled by the SYRACVSANS This was in manner a plaine bridge made to passe afterwardes a greater power and armie thither Howbeit the only procurer of the ATHENIANS and persuader of them to send small companies thither no more but to enter with a great armie at once to conquer all the countrie together was Alcibiades who had so allured the people with his pleasaunt tongue that vpon his persuasion they built castells in the ayer and thought to doe greater wonders by winning only of SICILIA For where other dyd set their mindes apon the conquest of SICILIA being that they only hoped after it was to Alcibiades but a beginning of further enterprises And where Nicias commonly in all his persuasions dyd turne the ATHENIANS from their purpose to make warres against the SYRACVSANS as being to great a matter for them to take the cittie of SYRACVSA Alcibiades againe had a further reache in his head to goe conquer LIBYA and CARTHAGE and that being conquered to passe from thence into ITALIE and so to PELOPONNESY's so that SICILIA should serue but to furnishe them with vittells and to paye the souldiers for their conquestes which he had imagined Thus the young men were incontinently caried awaye with a maruelous hope and opinion of this iorney and gaue good care to olde mens tales that tolde them wonders of the countries insomuche as there was no other pastime nor exercise among the youth in their meetings but companies of men to set rounde together drawe plattes of SICILE and describe the situation of LIBYA and CARTHAGE And yet they saye that neither Socrates the philosopher nor Meton the astronomer dyd euer hope to see any good successe of this iorney For the one by the reuealing of his familliar spirite who tolde him all things to come as was thought had no great opinion of it Meton whether it was for the feare of the successe of the iorney he had by reason or that he knew by diuination of his arte what would followe he coūterfeated the mad man holding a burning torche in his hand made as though he would haue set his house a fyer Other saye that he dyd not coūterfeate but like a mad mā in deede dyd set his house a fyre one night and that the next morning betimes he went into the market place to praye the people that in consideration of his great losse and his grieuous calamitie so late happened him it would please them to discharge his sonne for going this voyage So by this mad deuise he obteined his request of the people for his sonne whom he abused much But Nicias against his will was chosen captaine to take charge of men in these warres who misliked this iorney aswell for his companion and associate in the charge of these warres as for other misfortunes he foresawe therein Howbeit the ATHENIANS thought the warre would fall out well if they dyd not commit it wholy to Alcibiades rashnes and hardines but dyd
beate maruelous strongely Now that Martius was euen in that taking it appeared true sone after by his doinges For when he was come home to his house againe and had taken his leaue of his mother and wife finding them weeping and shreeking out for sorrowe and had also comforted and persuaded them to be content with his chaunce he went immediatly to the gate of the cittie accompanied with a great number of Patricians that brought him thither from whence he went on his waye with three or foure of his friendes only taking nothing with him nor requesting any thing of any man So he remained a fewe dayes in the countrie at his houses turmoyled with sundry sortes and kynde of thoughtes suche as the fyer of his choller dyd sturre vp In the ende seeing he could resolue no waye to take a profitable or honorable course but only was pricked forward still to be reuēged of the ROMAINES he thought to raise vp some great warres against them by their neerest neighbours Whereupon he thought it his best waye first to stirre vp the VOLSCES against them knowing they were yet able enough in strength and riches to encounter them notwithstanding their former losses they had receyued not long before that their power was not so muche impaired as their malice and desire was increased to be reuenged of the ROMAINES Now in the cittie of ANTIVM there was one called Tullus Aufidius who for his riches as also for his nobilitie and valliantnes was honoured emong the VOLSCES as a king Martius knewe very well that Tullus dyd more malice and enuie him then he dyd all the ROMAINES besides bicause that many times in battells where they met they were euer at the encounter one against another like Iustie coragious youthes striuing in all emulation of honour and had encountered many times together In so muche as besides the common quarrell betweene them there was bred a maruelous priuate hate one against another Yet notwithstanding considering that Tullus Aufidius was a man of a great minde and that he aboue all other of the VOLSCES most desired reuenge of the ROMAINES for the iniuries they had done vnto them he dyd an acte that confirmed the true wordes of an auncient Poet who sayed It is a thing full harde mans anger to vvithstand if it be stiffely bent to take an enterprise in hande For then most men vvill haue the thing that they desire although it cost their liues therefore suche force hath vvicked ire And so dyd he For he disguised him selfe in suche arraye and attire as he thought no man could euer haue knowen him for the persone he was seeing him in that apparell he had vpon his backe and as Homer sayed of Vlysses So dyd he enter into the enemies tovvne It was euen twy light when he entred the cittie of ANTIVM and many people met him in the streetes but no man knewe him So he went directly to Tullus Aufidius house and when he came thither he got him vp straight to the chimney harthe and sat him downe and spake not a worde to any man his face all muffled ouer They of the house spying him wondered what he should be and yet they durst not byd him rise For ill fauoredly muffled and disguised as he was yet there appeared a certaine maiestie in his countenance and in his silence whereupon they went to Tullus who was at supper to tell him of the straunge disguising of this man Tullus rose presently from the borde and comming towards him asked him what he was and wherefore he came Then Martius vnmuffled him selfe and after he had paused a while making no aunswer he sayed vnto him If thou knowest me not yet Tullus and seeing me dost not perhappes beleeue me to be the man I am in dede I must of necessitie bewraye my selfe to be that I am I am Caius Martius who hath done to thy self particularly and to all the VOLSCES generally great hurte and mischief which I cannot denie for my surname of Coriolanus that I beare For I neuer had other benefit nor recompence of all the true and paynefull seruice I haue done and the extreme daungers I haue bene in but this only surname a good memorie and witnes of the malice and displeasure thou showldest beare me In deede the name only remaineth with me for the rest the enuie and crueltie of the people of ROME haue taken from me by the sufferance of the darstardly nobilitie and magistrates who haue forsaken me let me be banished by the people This extremitie hath now driuen me to come as a poore suter to take thy chimney harthe not of any hope I haue to saue my life thereby For if I had feared death I would not haue come hither to haue put my life in hazard but prickt forward with spite and desire I haue to be reuenged of them that thus haue banished me whom now I beginne to be auenged on putting my persone betweene thy enemies Wherefore if thou hast any harte to be wrecked of the iniuries thy enemies haue done thee spede thee now and let my miserie serue thy turne and so vse it as my seruice maye be a benefit to the VOLSCES promising thee that I will fight with better good will for all you then euer I dyd when I was against you knowing that they fight more valliantly who knowe the force of their enemie then such as haue neuer proued it And if it be so that thou dare not and that thou art wearye to proue fortune any more then am I also weary to liue any lenger And lt were no wisedome in thee to saue the life of him who hath bene heretofore thy mortall enemie and whose seruice now can nothing helpe nor pleasure thee Tullus hearing what he sayed was a maruelous glad man and taking him by the hande he sayed vnto him Stande vp ó Martius and bee of good chere for in profering thy selfe vnto vs thou dost vs great honour and by this meanes thou mayest hope also of greater things at all the VOLSCES handes So he feasted him for that time and entertained him in the honorablest manner he could talking with him in no other matters at that present but within fewe dayes after they fell to consultation together in what sorte they should beginne their warres Now on thother side the cittie of ROME was in maruelous vprore and discord the nobilitie against the communaltie and chiefly for Martius condemnation and banishment Moreouer the priestes the Soothesayers and priuate men also came and declared to the Senate certaine sightes and wonders in the ayer which they had seene and were to be considered of amongest the which such a vision happened There was a cittizen of ROME called Titus Latinus a man of meane qualitie condition but otherwise an honest sober man geuen to a quiet life without superstition and much lesse to vanitie or lying This man had a vision in his dreame in the which he thought
them three hundred seuen and thirtie thousand foure hundred and two and fiftie men and Marcus AEmylius Lepidus named president of the Senate who had that honour foure times before and dyd put of the counsell three Senatours that were but meane men And the like meane and moderation he his companion Martius Philippus kept vpon viewe and muster taken of the ROMAINE horsemen And after he had ordered and disposed the greatest matters of his charge and office he fell sicke of a disease that at the beginning seemed very daungerous but in the ende there was no other daunger sauing that it was a lingring disease and hard to cure So following the counsell of phisitians who willed him to goe to a cittie in ITALY called VELIA he tooke sea and went thither and continued there a long time dwelling in pleasaunt houses vpon the sea side quietly and out of all noyse But during this time of his absence the ROMAINES wished for him many a time and ofte And when they were gathered together in the Theaters to see the playes and sportes they cried out diuers times for him whereby they shewed that they had a great desire to see him againe Time being come about when they vsed to make a solemne yerely sacrifice and AEmylius finding him selfe also in good perfect health he returned againe to ROME where he made the sacrifice with the other priestes all the people of ROME gathering about him reioycing muche to see him The next daye after he made another particular sacrifice to geue thankes vnto the goddes for recouerie of his healthe After the sacrifice was ended he went home to his house sate him downe to dinner he sodainly fell into a rauing without any perseuerance of sicknes spied in him before or any chaunge or alteration in him and his wittes went from him in suche sorte that he dyed within three dayes after lacking no necessarie thing that an earthly man could haue to make him happy in this world For he was euen honoured at his funeralles and his vertue was adorned with many goodly glorious ornaments neither with gold siluer nor iuorie nor with other suche sumptuousnes or magnificence of apparell but with the loue and good will of the people all of them confessing his vertue and well doing and this dyd not only his naturall country men performe in memorie of him but his very enemies also For all those that met in ROME by chaunce at that time that were either come out of SPAYNE from GENVA or out of MACEDON all those that were young and strong dyd willingly put them selues vnder the coffin where his bodie laye to helpe to carie him to the churche and the olde men followed his bodie to accompany the same calling AEmylius the benefactour sauiour and father of their countrie For he dyd not only intreate them gently and graciously whom he had subdued but all his life time he was euer ready to pleasure them and to set forwardes their causes euen as they had bene his confederates very friends and neere kinsemen The inuentorie of all his goodes after his death dyd scant amownte vnto the summe of three hundred three score and tenne thousand siluer Drachmes which his two sonnes dyd inherite But Scipio being the younger left all his right vnto his elder brother Fabius bicause he was adopted into a very riche house which was the house of the great Scipio Africanus Suche they saye was Paulus AEmylius conditions and life The ende of Paulus AEmylius life THE LIFE OF Timoleon BEFORE Timoleon was sent into SICILE thus stoode the state of the SYRACVSANS After that Dion had driuen out the tyranne Dionysius he him selfe after was slaine immediatly by treason and those that ayded him to restore the SYRACVSANS to their libertie fell out and were at dissention among them selues By reason whereof the cittie of SYRACVSA chaunging continually newe tyrannes was so troubled and turmoiled with all sorte of euills that it was left in manner desolate and without inhabitants The rest of SICILE in like case was vtterly destroyed and no citties in manner left standing by reason of the long warres and those fewe that remained were most inhabited of forreine souldiers straungers a company of lose men gathered together that tooke paye of no prince nor cittie all the dominions of the same being easely vsurped and as easie to chaunge their lorde In so muche Dionysius the tyranne tenne yeres after Dion had driuen him out of SICILE hauing gathered a certen number of souldiers together againe and through their helpe driuen out Niseus that raigned at that time in SYRACVSA he recouered the Realme againe and made him selfe king So if he was straungely expulsed by a small power out of the greatest Kingdome that euer was in the worlde likewise he more straungely recouered it againe being banished and very poore making him selfe King ouer them who before had driuen him out Thus were the inhabitants of the cittie compelled to serue this tyranne who besides that of his owne nature he was neuer curteous nor ciuill he was now growen to be farre more dogged and cruell by reason of the extreme miserie and misfortune he had endured But the noblest cittizens repaired vnto Icetes who at that time as lorde ruled the cittie of the LEONTINES and they chose him for their generall in these warres not for that he was any thing better then the open tyrannes but bicause they had no other to repaire vnto at that time they trusted him best for that he was borne as them selues within the cittie of SYRACVSA bicause also he had men of warre about him to make head against this tyranne But in the meane time the CARTHAGINIANS came downe into SICILE with a great armie and inuaded the countrie The SYRACVSANS being afrayed of them determined to send ambassadours into GRAECE vnto the CORINTHIANS to praye ayde of them against the barbarous people hauing better hope of them then of any other of the GRAECIANS And that not altogether bicause they were lineally descended from them and that they had receyued in times past many pleasures at their handes but also for that they knewe that CORINTHE was a cittie that in all ages and times dyd euer loue libertie and hate tyrannes and that had allwayes made their greatest warres not for ambition of Kingdomes nor of couetous desire to conquer and rule but only to defend and mainteine the libertie of the GRAECIANS But Icetes in another contrarie sorte he tooke apon him to be generall with a minde to make him selfe king of SYRACVSA For he had secretly practised with the CARTHAGINIANS and openly notwithstanding in words he commended the counsell and determination of the SYRACVSANS and sent ambassadours from him selfe also with theirs vnto PELOPONNESVS not that he was desirous any ayde should come from them to SYRACVSA but bicause he hoped if the CORINTHIANS refused to send them ayde as it was very likely they would
much as they were worth to the end that such as had bestowed their money in those curious trifles should pay so much more subsidie to the maintenance of the common wealth as their goods were ouer valued at Moreouer he ordained for euery thousand Asset that those trifling things were praised at the owners of them should pay three thousand Asset to the common treasory to the ende that they who were greeued with this taxe and sawe other pay lesse subsidy that were as much worth as them selues by liuing without such toyes might call home them selues againe and lay a side such foolishe brauery and finenesse Notwithstandinge Cato was enuied euery way First of them that were contented to pay the taxe imposed rather then they would leaue their vanity and next of them also that would rather reforme them selues then pay the taxe And some thinke that this law was deuised rather to take away their goodes then to let them to make shew of them and they haue a fonde opinion besides that their riches is better seene in superfluous things then in necessary Whereas they say Aristotle the Philosopher did wonder more then at any other thing how men could thinke them more rich and happy that had many curious and superfluous things then those that had necessary and profitable things And Scopas the THESSALIAN when one of his familiar frends asked him I know not what trifling thing to make him graunt it the sooner told him it was a thinge he might well spare and did him no good mary sayeth he all the goodes I haue are in such toyes as do me no good So this couetous desire we haue to be rich commeth of no necessary desire in nature but is bred in vs by a false opinion from the common sorte Now Cato caringe least of all for the exclamations they made against him grewe to be more straight and seuere For he cut of the pipes and quilles priuate men had made to conuey water into their houses gardens robbing the city of the water that came from their cōmon conduite heades and did plucke downe also mens porches that were made before their dores into the strete brought downe the prises of cōmon workes in the city and moreouer raised the common farmes and customes of the city as high as he could all which things together made him greatly hated and enuied of most men Wherefore Titus Flaminius and certaine other beinge bent against him in open Senate caused all Catoes couenauntes and bargaines made with the master worke man for repayring mending of the common buildings holy places to be made voide as things greatly preiudiciall to the common wealth And they did also stirre vp the boldest and rashest of the Tribunes of the people against him bicause they should accuse him vnto the people and make request he might be condemned in the summe of two talentes They did maruelously hinder also the buildinge of the pallace he built at the charge of the common wealth looking into the market place vnder the Senate house which pallace was finished notwithstanding called after his name Basilica Porcia as who would say the pallace Porcius the Censor built Howebeit it seemed the people of ROME did greatly like and commend his gouernment in the Censorshippe For they set vp a statue of him in the temple of the goddesse of health whereunder they wrote not his victories nor triumphe but only ingraued this inscription word for worde to this effect by translation For the honor of Marcus Cato the Censor bicause he reformed the discipline of the common wealth of ROME that was farre out of order and giuen to licentious life by his wife preceptes good maners and holy institutions In deede before this image was set vp for him he was wont to mocke at them that delighted and were desirous of such thinges saying they did not consider how they bragged in founders painters and image makers but nothing of their vertues and that for him selfe the people did alwayes cary liuely images of him in their hartes meaninge the memory of his life doings When some wondered why diuerse meane men and vnknowen persones had images set vp of them and there were none of him he gaue them this aunswer I had rather men should aske why Cato had no Image set vp for him then why he had any In the ende he would haue no honest man abide to be praised onles his praise turned to the benefit of the common wealth and yet was he one of them that would most praise him selfe So that if any done a fault or slept awry and that men had gone about to reproue them he woulde say they were not to be blamed for they were no Catoes that did offende And such as counterfeated to follow any of his doinges and came shorte of his maner he called them left handed Catoes He would say that in most daungerous times the Senate vsed to cast their eyes vpon him as passengers on the sea do looke vpon the master of the shippe in a storme that many times when he was absent the Senate would put ouer matters of importance vntill he might come amonge them And this is confirmed to be true as well by other as by him selfe His authority was great in matters of state for his wisedome his eloquence and great experience Besides this commendacion they praised him for a good father to his children a good husband to his wife a good sauer for his profit for he was neuer careles of them as things to be lightly passed on And therfore me thinkes I must nedes tell you by the way some parte of his well doinge to followe our declaration of him First of all he maried a gentlewoman more noble then rich knowing that either of both should make her proude stoute enough but yet the euer thought the nobler borne would be the more ashamed of dishonesty then the meaner borne and therefore that they would be more obedient to their husbandes in all honest maner and reasonable things Furthermore he sayd that he that bet his wife or his child did commit as great a sacriledge a if he polluted of spoiled the holyest thinges of the world and he thought it a greater praise for a man to be a good husband then a good Senator And therefore he thought nothinge more commendable in the life of olde Socrates then his pacience in vsing his wife well that was such a shrewe and his children that were so harebrainde After Catoes wife had brought him a sonne he could not haue so earnest busines in hande if it had not touched the common wealth but he would let all alone to go home to his house about the time his wife did vnswadell the younge boy to washe and shift him for she gaue it sucke with her owne brestes and many times woulde let the slaues children sucke of her also bicause they might
warres who were so forward and aduenturous in all daungers therof in the inuasions of the MEDES into GREECE in the battells of the GAVLES that they were slaine all of them but onely Damon a litle childe left fatherlesse and motherlesse surnamed Peripolias that escaped who for goodly personage and noble corage excelled all the lusty youthes of his time though otherwise he was very rude and of a seuere nature Now it fortuned that when Damon was growen of full age a ROMANE Captaine of an ensigne of footemen lying in garrison for the winter season in the citie of CHAERONEA fell in great loue with Damon and bicause he could not reape the frutes of his dishonest loue by no intreaty nor giftes there appeared vehement presumptions that by force he went about to abuse him for that CHAERONEA at that time being my naturall city where I was borne was a small thing and being of no strength nor power litle regarded Damon mistrusting the Captaines villanie and detesting his abhominable desire watched him a shrewd turne and got certaine of his companions not many in number bicause he might the more secretly compasse his enterprise to be a counsel with him and take his parte against the Captaine Now there were a sixteene of them in consort together that one night blacked their faces all with soote the next morning after they had dronke together by the breake of day set vpon this ROMANE Captaine that was making sacrifice in the market place and slue him with a good number of his men and when they had done fled out of the citie which was straight in a great vprore for the murther committed Thereuppon they called a counsell and in the market place condemned Damon and his confederates to suffer paines of death hoping thereby to haue cleared their innocencie for the fact done to the ROMAINES But the selfe same night as all the magistrates and officers of the city were at supper together in the towne house according to their custome Damon his followers stale vpon them sodainly slue them all fled againe vpon it It chaunsed about that time that Lucius Lucullus being sent on some iorney passed by the city of CHAERONEA with his army bicause this murther was but newly done he stayed there a few dayes to examine the troth originall thereof And found that the commons of the citie were in no fault but that they them selues also had receiued hurte wherupon he tooke the souldiers of the ROMANES that remained of the garrison caried theÌ„ away with him In the meane time Damon destroyed all the contry thereabout and still houered neere to the citie insomuch as the inhabitantes of the same were driuen in the end to send vnto him and by gentle wordes and fauorable decrees handled him so that they intysed him to come againe into the city and when they had him amongest them they chose him Gymâ—â—iarchus to say a master of exercises of youth But shortly after as they were rubbing of him with oyle in his stooue or hotte house starke naked as he was they slue him by treason And bicause that there appeared sprights of long time after in that place that there were heard gronings sighings as our fathers tolde vs they caused the dore of the hotte house to be walled vp yet for all that there are visions seene and terrible voyces and cries heard in that selfe place vnto this present time as the neighbours dwellinge by doe testifie Now they that were discended of this Damon for there are yet of his race in the contrie of PHOCIDES neere vnto the citie of STIRIS who do only of all other both keepe the language and maners of the AETOLIANS are called ASBOLOMENI signifyinge blacke and besmered with soote bicause that Damon and his fellowes did blacke their faces with foote when they slue the ROMANE Captaine But the ORCHOMENIANS being neere neighbors vnto the CHAERONEIANS and therfore their enemies hyered an informer of ROME a malitious accuser to accuse the whole citie as if it had bene one priuate person alone for the murther of the ROMANES whome Damon and his companions had slaine The inditement was drawen and the case pleaded before the gouernor of MACEDON for that the ROMANES did send no gouernors at that time into GREECE and the counsellers that pleaded for the citie of CHAERONEA relied vpon the testimonie of Lucius Lucullus referring them selues to his reporte who knew the troth how it was Thereupon the gouernor wrote vnto him and Lucullus in his letter of aunswere aduertised the very troth so was our city cleared of the accusation which otherwise stoude in daunger of vtter destruction The inhabitantes of the city of CHAERONEA for that they had escaped the daunger by testimonie of Lucius Lucullus to honor him withall they set vp his image in stone in the market place next vnto the image of Bacchus And we also that be liuing at this present though many yeares be gone and passed sence do notwithstanding recken our selues partakers of his forepassed benefit And bicause we are perswaded that the image and portraiture that maketh vs acquainted with mens manners and condicions is farre more excellent then the picture that representeth any mans person or shape only we will comprehend his life and doinges according to the troth in this volume of noble mens liues where we doe compare and sorte them one with an other It shal be sufficient for vs therefore that we shew our selues thankefull for his benefit and we thinke that he himselfe would mislike for 〈…〉 of his true testimonie to be requited with a fauorable lye told in his behalfe But like as when we will haue a passinge fayer face drawen and liuely counterfeated and that hath an excellent good grace withall yet some manner of bleamishe or imperfection in it we will not allowe the drawer to leaue it out altogether nor yet too curiously to shewe it bicause the 〈…〉 would deforme the counterfeate and the other make it very vnlikely Euen so bicause it is a hard thing or to say better peraduenture impossible to describe a man whose life should altogether be innocent and perfect we must first study to wryte his vertues at large and thâ—â— by seeke perfectly to represent the troth euen as the life it selfe But where by chauÌ„ce we finde certaine faultes and errors in their doinges proceeding either of passion of the minde by necessity of the time or state of the common wealth they are rather to be thought imperfections of vertue not altogether accomplished then any purposed wickednes proceeding of vice â—â— certaine malice Which we shall not neede too curiously to expresse in our history but rather to passe them lightly ouer of reuerent shame to the meere frayelty of mans nature which can not bringe foorth a man of such vertue and perfection but there is euer some imperfection in him And therefore considering with my selfe
vnto whome I might compare Lucullus I thought it best to compare him with Cimon bicause they haue bene both valliant souldiers against their enemies hauing both done notable exploytes in warres against the barbarous people and moreouer they haue both bene curteous mercifull vnto their citizens were both the only men that pacified the ciuill warres and dissention in their contrie and both the one the other of them wan notable victories of the babarous people For there was neuer GREECIAN Captaine before Cimon nor ROMANE Captaine before Lucullus that had made warres so farre of from their contrie leauing a parte the deedes of Bacchus and of Hercules and the deedes also of Perseus against the AETHIOPIANS the MEDES and the ARMENIANS and the deedes of Iason also if there remaine any monument extant since their time worthie of credit in these our dayes Furthermore herein they are to be likened together that they neuer ended their warres they only ouerthrewe their enemies but neuer ouercame them altogether Againe they may note in them a great resemblaunce of nature for their honestie curtesie and humanitie which they shewed vnto straungers in their contrie and for the magnignificence and sumptuousnes of their life and ordinarie expence It may be we doe leaue on some other similitudes betwene them howbeit in the discourse of their liues they will easily appeare Cimon was the sonne of Miltiades and of Hegesipyle a THRACIAN woman borne and the daughter of king Olorus as we finde wrytten in certaine poeticall verses which Melanthiusâ— and Archelaus haue wrytten of Cimon The father of Thucydides the historiographer him selfe who was of kinne also vnto Cimon was called in like manner Olorus showing by the agreeing of the name that this king Olorus was one of his auncesters and did also possesse mines of gold in the contry of THRACIA It is sayd moreouer that he dyed in a certaine place called the ditchie forrest where he was slaine howbeit that his ashes and bones were caried into the contrie of ATTICA where his tombe appeareth yet to this day amongest the tombes of them of the house and family of Cimon neere vnto the tombe of Cimons owne sister called Elpinicè Notwithstanding Thucydides was of the village of ALIMVS and Miltiades of the village of LACIA This Miltiades Cimons father being condemned by the state to pay the summe of fifty talentes was for non payment cast into prison and there dyed and left Cimon and his sister Elpinicè aliue both Orphanes and very young Now Cimon in his first young yeares had a very ill name and reporte in the city being counted a riotous young man a great drinker following his grandfather Cimons facions vp and downe as he had also his name sauing that his grandfather for his beastlines was surnamed Coalemos as much to say as foole Stesimbrâ—tâ—â— THASIAN who was about Cimons time wryteth that Cimon neuer learned musike nor any other of the liberall sciences accustomably taught to young noble mens sonnes of GREECE that he had no sharpe wit nor good grace of speaking a vertue proper vnto children borne in the contry of ATTICA howbeit that he was of a noble minde and plaine without dissimulacion so that he rather liued PELOPONNESIAN like then like an ATHENIAN For he was euen such as the Poet Euripides described Hercules to be A simple man he vvas and could not vvell disguise As honest eke in thinges of vveight as vvit could vvell deuise This serued fitly to be applied vnto Stesimbrotus wordes wrytten of him but notwithstanding in his first younge yeares he was suspected of incontinency with his sister who in deede otherwise had no very good name For she was very familiar with the painter Polygnotus who painting the TROIAN Ladies prisoners vpon the walls of the gallery called the Plesianaction and now Poecile to say set out and beawtified with diuers pictures he drue as they say LAOPICES face vpon Elpinices picture This painter Polygnotus was no common artificer nor hierling that painted this gallery for moneys sake but gaue his labor franckely to the common wealth as all the historiographers that wrote in that time do witnesse and as the Poet Melanthius also reciteth in these verses At his ovvne proper charge great cost he hath bestovved In decking vp our temples here vvith gilted roofes embovved For honor of the goddes And in our tovvne likevvise He hath adornd the common place vvith many a fine deuise Painting and setting forth in stately shovv to see The images of demy goddes that here amongest vs be Yet some say that Elpinicè did not secretly companie with her brother Cimon but lay with him openly as his lawfull maried wife bicause she could not for her pouerty haue a husband of like nobilite and parentage to her selfe Howbeit that a certaine man called Callias being one of the richest men of the citie did afterwardes fall in fansie with her and desired to mary her offering to pay her father Miltiades fine of fiftie talents wherein he stoode condemned a debter to the state so that he might haue her to his wife Cimon was contented and vppon that condicion maried his siste Elpinicè vnto Callias This notwithstandinge it is certaine that Cimon was somewhat amorous and geuen to loue women For Melanthius the Poet in certaine of his elegies maketh mencion for his pleasure of one Asteria borne at SALAMINA and of an other called Muestra as if Cimon had bene in loue with them But vndoutedly he loued his lawefull wife Isodice maruelous well the daughter of Euryptolemus Megaetes sonne and tooke her death very grieuouslie as we may coniecture by the elegies that were wrytten vnto him to comforte him in his sorowe Panaetius the Philosopher is of opinion that Archelaus the Phisitian wrote those elegies and sure it is not vnlikely considering the time in which they were wrytten But furthermore Cimons nature and condicions deserued great commendacion For his valliantnesse he gaue no place vnto Miltiades and for his wisedome and iudgement he was not inferior vnto Themistocles and it is out of all doubt that he was a iuster and honester man then either of them both For he was equall with the best of either of both in the discipline of warres and for the valliantnesse of a noble Captaine and he did much excell them both in the properties of a good gouernor and in thadministracion of the affayres of a citie when he was but a younge man and had no experience of warres For when Themistocles at the comminge in of the MEDES counselled the people of ATHENS to goe out of the citie to leaue their landes and contrie and to shippe into gallies and fight with the barbarous people by sea in the straight of SALAMINA as euerie man was wonderinge at his bolde and venturous counsell Cimon was the first man that went with a life and iolitie through the streete Ceramious
they sawe howe by this diligence Eumenes had in so shorte a time gotten about him such a number as sixe thowsand three hundred horsemen About that time Craterus and Antigonus hauing subdued the GRAECIANS came on with their army into ASIA to ouerthrow Perdiccas greatnes and power and newes also that shortly they would inuade CAPPADOCIA Whereupon Perdiccas being otherwise occupied in warres fighting against Ptolomye made Eumenes his Lieutenaunt generall and gaue him commission and full authoritie ouer all his souldiers that were for him either in CAPPADOCIA or in ARMENIA and wrote letters vnto Neoptolemus and Alcetas commaunding them by the same that they should be obedient vnto Eumenes and suffer him to order all matters according to his discretion Now for Alcetas he flatly aunswered that he would not be at this warre for the MACEDONIANS vnder his charge were ashamed to take armes against Antipater and moreouer they would not fight against Craterus but contrarily were bent to receiue him for their Captaine so much good will they bare him Neoptolemus on thother side was as ready to play the traitor and to doe Eumenes a shrewde turne as Alcetas was For being sent for by Eumenes to come to him where he should haue obeyed him he set his men in battell ray to fight with him There did Eumenes reape the first frute of his wise foresight of the horsemen which he had set vp to make head against the footemen of the MACEDONIANS For when his owne footemen were broken and ouerthrowen he ouercame Neoptolemus and put him to flight with his horsemen and tooke all his cariage Then he made them march in order of battell against the MACEDONIANS who were dispersed euery where following the chase of his footemen whom they had ouerthrowen Thus cōming apon them in this disorder he draue them to throwe away their weapons and to yeelde vnto him and moreouer euerie man to take his othe to serue him faithfully in this warre wheresoeuer he would lead them Now Neoptolemus gathering a few together that fled went with them vnto Craterus and Antipater who sent vnto Eumenes to pray him to take their parte with condition that he should not onely enioy the contries and prouinces still which he had in gouernment but furthermore that they would geue him others vnto them and make him stronger then euer he was besides that by thacceptation of thoffer he should be taken for Antipaters good frend where before he was euer reckoned his enemy Whereunto Eumenes made aunswere that hauing alwayes bene Antipaters enemy he could not of a sodaine become his frend specially seeing him vse his frendes as enemies howebeit otherwise that he was very willing to make Craterus peace with Perdiccas and to restore him againe to his fauor apon reasonable indifferent condicions And furthermore that if he ment to assaile him that then he would aide him so longe as he had any breath in his bodie and would lose his life before he woulde breake his promise This aunswere being brought vnto Antipater they fel to consult at leasure what was to be done In the meane space Neoptolemus that fled apon his ouerthrowe was come vnto them who told them how the battell was fought and besought them both verie instantly but Craterus chiefly to geue him aide if it were possible For the MACEDONIANS were so farre in loue with him that if they did but see his hatte and heare him speake they would all arme them selues and follow him For to speake a troth Craterus was had in great estimation amōg the MACEDONIANS insomuch as after Alexanders death he was more desired of the common souldiers than any other Captaine remembring how often he had for their sakes incurred Alexanders disgrace and displeasure bicuase he went about to perswade him to leaue the king of PERSIAES maner whereunto Alexander by litle and litle gaue him selfe and also for that he maintained and defended the customes of the contry of MACEDON the which euery man through pride and excesse beganne to forsake and contemne At that time therefore Craterus sent Antipater into CILICIA and he him selfe with Neoptolemus went against Eumenes with the best parte of his army hoping to take him tardy and altogether vnprouided supposing he would geue him selfe to pleasure and pastime after so late a victorie But Eumenes like a wise and vigilant Captaine had taken such order that he heard newes time enough of his enemies comming and had thereupon prepared his men in readines to resist him Yet was not this the chiefest point of his skill in warre For he looked so precisely to his doings that he did not only kepe his enemies frō knowledge of any thing that he did but making his men also to kill Craterus in battell before they knew against whom they should fight and to keepe also so dreadfull an enemie from their knowledge that of all others shewed the passing skill of an expert Captaine And to worke this feate the better this was his policie First he made a rumor to be spred in his host how Neoptolemus Pigres were againe comen against him with certaine horsemen of all sortes gathered together CAPPADOCIANS and PAPHLAGONIANS And when he thought to haue remoued in the night a great desire of sleepe came apon him in the which he had a maruelous straunge dreame For it seemed vnto him that he saw two Alexanders preparing to fight one with an other either of them leading a battell of footemen ranged after the MACEDONIAN facion who comming to geue charge th one apon the other came the goddesse Minerus to aide the one and Ceres likewise to ayde the other Then him thought that after they had fought a long time together he whom Minerus aided was ouerthrowen and that Ceres had gathered eares of corne and made a crowne of them to geue him that had wonne the field Hereupon Eumenes perswaded him selfe that this dreame made for him and promised him victorie for that he fought for a fertile contrie of corne where was great plenty of it For all the fields were sowen with corne in euery place that it was a pleasure to behold it showing the benefit of long peace to see all the corne fields how greene they looked But whē he vnderstoode that the enemies had giuen their souldiers for the signall of battell Minerus and Alexander then was his first imagination confirmed more then before Whereuppon he gaue Ceres and Alexander for signall of the battell to his souldiers and commaunded euery man to make them a garlande of wheate eares to weare on their heades and that they should wreath flowers and nose gayes about their pikes He was in a minde many times to make his trustiest Captaines priuie against whome they should fight and not alone to trust him selfe withall to keepe so necessary a thing as that secret yet in fine he kept his first resolution thinking it the safest way not to commit this daunger but to him selfe Now when he came to geue battell
for both the kinges when they were in the citie did eate together in one halle Then Agesilaus knowing that Agesipolis as him selfe was geuen to loue would euer minister talke to him of the goodly young boyes of the citie intising him to loue some one of them which he him selfe did loue and therein he was both his companion and helper For in these LACONIAN loues there was no manner of dishonestie offered but a true affection and honest regarde to frame the boy beloued vnto vertue and honest condicions as we haue more amply declared in the life of Lycurgus Agesilaus by this meanes hauinge the whole authoritie aboue all men in the citie in his handes made his halfe brother Teleutias Generall by sea and him selfe with the armie by land went to besiege the citie of CORINTHE where with his brothers helpe by sea he tooke the long walls of the same The ARGIVES which kept CORINTHE at that time at Agesilaus arriuall there were solemnisinge the feast of the Isthmian games who made them flie euen as they came from sacrificing vnto the god Neptune driuing them to leaue all their preparation and solemnity Then diuers banished men of CORINTHE that were in his armie besought him that he woulde keepe these Isthmian games But he denyed them yet was contented they shoulde them selues solemnize them and so him selfe remained there during the time of the feast for their safetie Afterwardes when Agesilaus was gone thence the ARGIVES returned and did celebrate the Isthmian games and there weresome of them which hauing wonne the game at the first did also winne it at the second time and others that were victours before were this second time ouercome Whereupon Agesilaus sayd that the ARGIVES shewed them selues rancke cowardes that esteeming so much as they did these playes and sacrifices they durst not once offer to fight with him for defence of the same For him selfe touchinge such like sportes and games he euer thought it good to keepe a meane not to be too curious For he was contented to honor such solemne assemblies and common feastes with his presence as were commonly vsed in SPARTA tooke great pleasure to see the sportes betwene the yong boyes and girles of SPARTA howbeit touching the games he seemed not to be acquainted with some of them wherein others had great delight As we read that Callipides an excellent stage player wonderfully esteemed of among the GRAECIANS for a singular man in that arte meeting Agesilaus on a time at the first did his duetie to him and then arrogantly thrust him selfe amonge them that walked with him thinking the king would haue made much of him but perceiuing he made no countenaunce to him in the end he asked him O king Agesilaus doe you not know me Agesilaus looking apon him aunswered what art not thou Callipides the stage player And so made no further account of him An other time beinge desired to heare a man that naturally counterfeated the nightingalls voyce he would not heare him saying I haue oftentimes heard the nightingall it selfe An other time also when Menecrates the Phisitian hauing by good fortune cured a desperate disease called him selfe Iupiter and arrogantly vsurped that name presuminge in a letter he wrote vnto Agesilaus to subscribe it in this manner Menecrates Iupiter vnto king Agesilaus greeting Agesilaus wrote againe vnto him Agesilaus vnto Menecrates health So whilest Agesilaus was in the territorie of CORINTHE where he had taken the temple of Iuno beholding his souldiers forraging spoiling the contrie rounde about Ambassadors came to him from THEBES to pray him to make peace with the THEBANS But he that alwayes hated the THEBANS and besides that thought it then very requisite for the good successe of his doinges to make light of it seemed as he neither heard nor saw them that spake vnto him But euen at that very instant as by diuine reuenge to crie quittance there fell a great mishappe vpon him For before the Ambassadors were gone from him he had newes that one of their bandes called the mothers were slaine euery man by Iphicrates which was the greatest losse that they in long time before had susteined For they lost a great number of valliant souldiers all naturall LACEDAEMONIANS who being well armed euery man were slaine by naked or light armed hierlinges Thereupon Agesilaus went straight into the field with hope to saue them or at the least to be reuenged But receiuing certaine intelligence by the way that they were all slaine he returned againe to the temple of Iuno from whence he came and then sent for the Ambassadors of the BOEOTIANS to geue them audience But they to requite his former disdaine vnto them made no manner of speache of peace but onely requested him to suffer them to enter into CORINTHE Agesilaus being offended aunswered them if it be to see your frendes triumphe of their victorie ye may safely do it to morrow Thereupon the next morning taking the Ambassadors with him he destroyed the CORINTHIANS contrie euen to the walles of their citie And when he had made the Ambassadors see that the citizens of CORINTHE durst not come out into the field to defend their contrie he gaue them leaue to depart Then taking the remaine of that band that was ouerthrowen which by flight had escaped he brought them into LACEDAEMON againe alwayes remouing his campe before day and neuer encamped till darke night bicause the ARCADIANS their mortall enemies should not reioyce at their losse After this voyage to gratefie the ACHAIANS he entred in with them into the contry of ACARNANIA brought great spoyles from thence after he had ouercomē them in battel Moreouer when the ACHAIANS besought him to remaine with them all the winter to keepe their enemies from sowing of their grownd he made them aunswere he would not For sayde he they will be afraide of warre the next yeare when all their fieldes shall be sowen with corne and so in deede it came to passe For the army returning againe they made peace incontinently with the ACHAIANS About that time Pharnabazus and Conon with the king of PERSIENS armye being Lordes of the sea without let of any destroyed and spoyled all the coast of LACONIA Moreouer the city of ATHENS did reare vp her walls againe by helpe of Pharnabazus money wherewith he had furnished them Thereuppon the LACEDAEMONIANS thought good to make peace with the king of PERSIA and to that ende sent Antalcidas Ambassadour vnto Tiribazus most shamely and cruelly betraying to the king the GRAECIANS inhabiting in ASIA for whose libertie Agesilaus had made warres with him before So it was Agesilaus happe not to be foyled with any part of his shame for Antalcidas that was his enemie sought all the meanes he could to conclude this peace for that he saw warre did daily increase the authoritie honor and fame of Agesilaus Notwithstanding he aunswered one then that reproued him for that the LACEDAEMONIANS did
of an armie may easily be brought from his wife and safe counsell with rumor and tumult of a few fearefull men that should perswade him it were a shame and dishonor for him if he did otherwise yet were this no straunge matter but a fault to be pardoned But for Pompey the great whose campe the ROMANES called their contrie and his tent the Senate and called all the Praetors and Consuls that gouerned at ROME rebells and traitors to the common wealth of ROME who coulde excuse him who was neuer seene commaunded by other then him selfe but had bene alwayes chiefe Captaine and Generall in any warre he made and euer had the vpper hand but that he was drawen on by the scoffes of Faonius and Domitius to hazard battell to endaunger the whole Empire and liberty of ROME only for feare they should call him king Agâ—memnon Who if he had so much regarded present infamie he should haue fought from the beginning for defence of the citie of ROME and not to haue taken example of Themistocles policie by flying and afterwards to thinke it a shame as he did to lye in THESSALIE a time without fighting Neither did God appoint them the fieldes of Pharsalia for a Theater or close campe of necessitie to fight which of them shoulde haue the Empire of ROME Further there was no Heraulde to summone him to fight as there are at games of price where he must aunswere to his name and come and fight or else to loose the honor of the crowne vnto an other But there were infinite other fieldes and townes and as a man woulde say the whole earth which the commoditie of his armie by sea gaue him choyse to conquer if he would rather haue followed the steppes of Fabius Maximus of Marius of Lucullus or of Agesilaus him selfe who did paciently abide no lesse tumultes within the citie selfe of SPARTA when the THEBANS went to summone him to come out to fight for all the rest of his contrie And in AEGYPT also he did abide many false accusations against him wherewith the king him selfe did burden him praying him alwayes to haue a litle pacience In fine hauing followed the best counsell which he had determined with him selfe from the beginning he saued the AEGYPTIANS against their willes and furthermore he did not only keepe the citie of SPARTA from so great a daunger but did also set vp tokens of triumphe in the same against the THEBANS whereby he was not compelled at that time to lead them out to the slaughter and besides that gaue his citizens occasion to obtaine victorie afterwardes Hereupon Agesilaus was highly praised of them whose liues he had saued against their wills And Pompey contrarily was blamed by them selues through whom he had offended yet some say that he was deceiued by his father in law Scipio For he meaning to keepe the most parte of the money to him selfe which he had brought out of ASIA did hasten and perswade Pompey to geue battell telling him that there was no money left The which though it had bene true a worthie Captaine should not so lightly haue bene brought into error vpon a false accompt to hazard him selfe to loose all Thus may we see what both of them were by comparing them together Furthermore for their iorneys into AEGYPT the one fled thither by force the other willingly went thither with small honor for moneys sake to serue the barbarous people with intent afterwards to make warre with the GRAECIANS Lastly in that which we accuse the AEGYPTIANS for Pompeys sake for the like matter doe they againe accuse Agesilaus For the one was cruelly put to death betrayed by them whom he trusted Agesilaus forsooke them which trusted him and went to the enemies hauing brought aide to fight against them The end of Pompeys life THE LIFE OF Alexander the great HAuing determined in this volume to write the life of king Alexander of Iulius Caesar that ouercame Pompey hauing to speake of many things I will vse none other preface but only desire the readers not to blame me though I do not declare al things at large but briefly touch diuers chiefly in those their noblest acts most worthy of memory For they must remember that my intent is not to write histories but only liues For the noblest deedes doe not alwayes shew mens vertues and vices but ofteÌ„times a light occasion a word or some sporte makes mens naturall dispositions and maners appeare more plaine then the famous battells wonne wherein a slaine tenne thowsand men or the great armies or cities wonne by siege or assault For like as painters or drawers of pictures which make no accompt of other partes of the bodie do take resemblaunces of the face and fauor of the countenauce in the which consisteth the iudgement of their maners disposition euen so they must geue vs leaue to seeke out the signes and tokens of the minde only and thereby shewe the life of either of them referring you vnto others to wryte the warres battells and other great thinges they did It is certaine that Alexander was discensed from Hercules by Caranus and that of his mothers side he came of the blood of the AEacides by Neoptolemus They say also that king Philip his father when he was a young man fell in fancie with his mother Olympias which at that time also was a younge maiden and an orphane without father or mother in the I le of SAMOTHRACIA where they were both receiued into the misterie and fraternity of the house of the religious and that afterwards he did aske her in mariage of her brother Arymbas with whose consent they were maried together The night before they lay in wedded bed the bride dreamed that lightning fell into her belly and that withall there was a great light fire that dispersed it selfe all about into diuers flames King Philip her husband also shortly after he was maried dreamed that he did seale his wiues belly and that the seale wherewith he sealed left behinde the printe of a Lyon. Certaine wisards and soothsayers tolde Philip that this dreame gaue him warning to looke straightly to his wife But Aristander TELMECIAN aunswered againe that it signified his wife was conceiued with childe for that they doe not seale a vessell that hath nothinge in it and that she was with childe with a boy which should haue a Lions hart It is reported also that many times as she lay asleepe in her bed there was seene a serpent lying by her the which was the chiefest cause as some presuppose that withdrewe Philips loue and kindnes from her and caused him that he lay not so oft with her as before he was wont to doe either for that he feared some charme or enchauntment or else for that he thought him selfe vnmeete for her company supposing her to be beloued of some god Some do also report this after an other sort as in this
the bare name of a gouernor But in deede the perfect good and honest man should neuer couer outward glory but as a meane to bringe him to noble attempts whereby he might procure the better credit of his doings And for a younge man that coueteth honor by vertue giue him leaue a litle to glory in his well doing for as Theophrastus sayth vertue buddeth and florisheth in youth and taketh fast roote by prayses giuen as wit corage groweth in them But ouermuch praise is daungerous in euery person but chiefly in ambicious gouernors For if they be men of great power it makes them commit many desperat partes for they wil not allow that honor proceedes of vertue but that honor is vertue it selfe But in deed they should say as Phocion did vnto Antipater that requested an vnlawfull matter of him Thou canst not said he haue Phocion a friend and a flatterer both This or the very like may be sayd vnto the people you can not both haue one a Maister and a seruaunt that can commaunde and obey together Or els the mischiefe spoken of in the tale of the Dragon must needes happen which was the taile on a time fell out with the head and complained saying it would an other while go before would not alwaies come behind The head graunted the taile which fell out very ill for it not knowing howe to guide the heade and besides that the head thereby was tormented euery way beeing compelled against nature to follow that part and member which could nether heare nor see how to guide it The like matter haue we seene happen vnto many which in the administracion of the common wealth did seeke to please the humors of the multitude For when they haue once put their heads vnder their girdles to please the common people which without cause reason doe soone rebell they can by no possible meanes afterwards bridle their furie insolencie Now the reason that made vs to enter into discourse against the ambition and vaine glorye amongest the people was the consideracion I had of their greate power remembring the misfortunes of Tiberius and Caius Gracchi bothe the which comming of a noble house and hauing bene maruelous well brought vp maneging also the affayres of the common wealth with a good desire were notwithstanding in the ende cast away not so much through couetousnes of glorye as for feare of dishonor which came also of no base mind For they hauing receiued great pleasures and friendships of the people were ashamed to be indetted to them and therefore earnestly sought to exceede the people in good will by new decrees and deuises which they preferred for common benefit and the people also for their partes contended to honor them the more by how much they striued to shewe them selues thankefull So with like strife on either side they go gratifie the common people and the people also to honor them were vnwares so entangled with publike causes that they could no more follow the common prouerbe which sayth Although our deedes discent from equitie Yet can vve not desist vvith honestie This thou shalt easily finde by the declaracion of the historie With these we doe compare two other popular men both kinges of LACEDAEMON Agis and Cleomenes For they as the Gracchi seeking to increase the power of the common people and to restore the iust and honest gouernment againe of the common wealth of LACEDAEMON which of long time had bene out of vse did in like manner purchase the hate of the nobilitie which were loth to lose any part of their wonted couetousnes In deed these two LACONIANS were no brethreÌ„ borne but yet did both follow one selfe course forme of gouernment which had beginning in this sort After that couetousnes of gold and siluer crept againe into the citie of SPARTA and with riches couetousnes also and miserie and by vse voluptuousnes and licentious life SPARTA then was void of all honor and goodnes and was long time drowned in shame and dishonor vntill king Agis and Leonidas came to raigne there Agis was of the house of the Eurytiontides the sonne of Eudamidas the sixt of lineall descent after Agesilaus who had beene the greatest Prince of all GRAECE in his time This Agesilaus had a sonne slaine in ITALY by the MESSAPIANS called Archidamus before the citie of MANDONIVM Archidamus had issue two sonnes Agis and Eudamidas that was king who succeeded his brother Agis whom Antipater slue before the citie of MEGALIPOLIS and left no children behind him Eudamidas begat Archidamus which Archidamus begat another Eudamidas which Eudamidas also begat Agis whose life we now write of Leonidas also the sonne of Cleonymus was of the other familie of the Agiades the right of succession after Pausanias who slue Mardonius the kings Lieuetenant general of PERSIA in a battell fought before the citie of PLATâ—â—S This Pausanias had a sonne called Plistonax and Plistonax also an other called Pausanias who flying from SPARTA vnto the citie of TEGEA his eldest sonne Agesipolis was made king in his fathers roome who dying without issue his yonger brother Cleombrotus succeeded him in the kingdoÌ„ Cleombrotus had two sonnes Agesipolis and Cleomenes of the which Agesipolis raigned not long king and dyed without issue Then Cleomenes his brother who was king after him had two sonnes Acrotatus the elder that dyed in his fathers life time and Cleonymus the yonger which suruiued him and was not king but one Areus his Nephewe the sonne of Acrotatus This Areus dyed before the citie of CORINTHE who hauing an other Acrotatus to his sonne he succeeded him in the kingdome He also dyed at a battell before the citie of MEGALIPOLIS and was slayne there by the tyrant Aristodemus leauing his wife great with childe She beeing brought to bedde after his death of a sonne whome Leonidas the sonne of Cleonymus taught and brought vp the childe dying very young the crowne by his death was cast apon Leonidas him selfe Howbeit his maners conditions neuer liked the people For though all men generally were corrupted through the coÌ„mon wealth and cleane out of order yet Leonidas of all other exceeded deforming most the auncient LACONIAN life bicause he had bene long time brought vp in Princes houses followed also Seleucus Court from whence he had brought all the pride and pompe of those Courts into GRAECE where law reason ruleth Agis on the contrary part did not onely farre excel Leonidas in honor and magnanimitie of mind but all other almost also which had raigned in SPARTA from the time of Agesilaus the great So that when Agis was not yet twenty yeare old and being daintily brought vp with the finenes of two women his mother Agesistrata and Archidamia his grandmother which had more gold and siluer then all the LACEDAEMONIANS els he began to spurne against these womanish delights pleasures in making him selfe fayer to
and gaue it vnto his friends commaunding them to depart and to seeke to saue them selues They aunswered him weeping that they would nether doe it nor yet forsake him Then Antonius very curteously and louingly did comfort them and prayed them to depart and wrote vnto Theophilus gouernor of CORINTHE that he would see them safe and helpe to hide them in some secret place vntil they had made their way and peace with Caesar. This Theophilus was the father of Hipparchus who was had in great estimation about Antonius He was the first of all his infranchised bondmen that reuolted from him and yelded vnto Caesar and afterwardes went and dwelt at CORINTHE And thus it stoode with Antonius Now for his armie by sea that fought before the head or foreland of ACTIVM they helde out a longe tyme and nothing troubled them more then a great boysterous wind that rose full in the prooes of their shippes and yet with much a doe his nauy was at length ouerthrowen fiue howers within night There were not slaine aboue fiue thowsand men but yet there were three hundred shippes taken as Octauius Caesar writeth him selfe in his commentaries Many plainely sawe Antonius flie and yet could hardly beleeue it that he that had nyneteene legions whole by lande and twelue thowsand horsemen vpon the sea side would so haue forsaken them and haue fled so cowardly as if he had not oftentimes proued both the one and the other fortune that he had not bene throughly acquainted with the diuers chaunges and fortunes of battells And yet his souldiers still wished for him and euer hoped that he would come by some meanes or other vnto them Furthermore they shewed them selues so valliant and faithfull vnto him that after they certainly knewe he was fled they kept them selues whole together seuen daies In the ende Canidius Antonius Lieuetenant flying by night and forsaking his campe when they saw them selues thus destitute of their heads and leaders they yelded themselues vnto the stronger This done Caesar sailed towards ATHENS and there made peace with the GRAECIANS and deuided the rest of the corne that was taken vp for Antonius army vnto the townes and cities of GRAECE the which had bene brought to extreme misery pouerty cleane without money slaues horse other beastes of cariage So that my grandfather Nicarchus tolde that all the Citizens of our citie of CHAERONEA not one excepted were driuen them selues to cary a certaine measure of corne on their shoulders to the sea side that lieth directly ouer against the I le of ANTICYRA yet were they driuen thether with whippes They caried it thus but once for the second tyme that they were charged againe to make the like cariage all the corne being ready to be caried newes came that Antonius had lost the battel so scaped our poore city For Antonius souldiers deputies fled immediatly the citizens deuided the corne amongst them Antonius being arriued in LIBYA he sent Cleopatra before into AEGYPT from the citie of PARAETONIVâ—â— he him selfe remained very solitary hauing onely two of his friends with him with whom he wandred vp down both of them orators the one Aristocrates a GRAECIAN the other Lucilius a ROMANE Of whom we haue written in an other place that at the battell where Brutus was ouerthrowen by the citie of PHILIPPES he came willingly put him self into the hands of those that followed Brutus saying that it was he bicause Brutus in the meane time might haue liberty to saue him selfe And afterwards bicause Antonius saued his life he still remained with him and was very faithfull and frendly vnto him till his death But when Antonius heard that he whom he had trusted with the gouernment of LIBYA and vnto whom he had geuen the charge of his armie there had yelded vnto Caesar he was so madde withall that he would haue slaine him selfe for anger had not his frendes about him withstoode him and kept him from it So he went vnto ALEXANDRIA and there found Cleopatra about a wonderfull enterprise and of great attempt Betwixt the redde sea and the sea betwene the landes that poynt vpon the coast of AEGYPT there is a litle peece of land that deuideth both the seas and separateth AFRICKE from ASIA the which straight is so narrow at the end where the two seas are narrowest that it is not aboue three hundred furlonges ouer Cleopatra went about to lift her shippes out of the one sea and to hale them ouer the straight into the other sea that when her shippes were come into this goulfe of ARABIA she might then carie all her gold siluer away and so with a great companie of men goe and dwell in some place about the Ocean sea farre from the sea Mediterranium to scape the daunger and bondage of this warre But now bicause the ARABIANS dwelling about the citie of PETRA did burne the first shippes that were brought alande and that Antonius thought that his armie by lande which he left at ACTIVM was yet whole she left of her enterprise and determined to keepe all the portes and passages of her realme Antonius he forsooke the citie and companie of his frendes and built him a house in the sea by the I le of PHAROS vpon certaine forced mountes which he caused to be cast into the sea and dwelt there as a man that banished him selfe from all mens companie saying that he would lead Timons life because he had the like wrong offered him that was affore offered vnto Timon and that for the vnthankefulnes of those he had done good vnto and whom he tooke to be his frendes he was angry with all men and would trust no man This Timon was a citizen of ATHENS that liued about the warre of PELOPONNESVS as appeareth by Plato and Aristophanes commedies in the which they mocked him calling him a vyper malicious man vnto mankind to shunne all other mens companies but the companie of young Alcibiades a bolde and insolent youth whom he woulde greatly feast and make much of and kissed him very gladly Apemantus wondering at it asked him the cause what he ment to make so muche of that young man alone and to hate all others Timon aunswered him I do it sayd he bicause I know that one day he shall do great mischiefe vnto the ATHENIANS This Timon sometimes would haue Apemantus in his companie bicause he was much like to his nature condicions and also followed him in maner of life On a time when they solemnly celebrated the feasts called Choae at ATHENS to wit the feasts of the dead where they make sprincklings and sacrifices for the dead and that they two then feasted together by them selues Apemantus said vnto the other O here is a trimme banket Timon Timon aunswered againe yea said he so thou wert not here It is reported of him also that this Timon on a time the people being
at thirdly for the loue he bare vnto his verie frend Arrius Thus did Caesar honor Arrius who craued pardon for him selfe and many others specially for Philostratus the eloquentest man of all the sophisters and Orators of his time for present and sodaine speech howbeit he falsly named him selfe an Academicke Philosopher Therefore Caesar that hated his nature condicions would not heare his surt Thereupon he let his gray beard grow long and followed Arrius steppe by steppe in a long mourning gowne still bussing in his eares this Greeke verse A vvise man it that he be vvise in deede May by a vvise man haue the better speede Caesar vnderstanding this not for the desire he had to deliuer Philostratus of his feare as to ridde Arrius of malice enuy that might haue fallen out against him he pardoned him Now touching Antonius sonnes Antyllus his eldest sonne by Fuluia was slaine bicause his schoole-maister Theodorus did betray him vnto the souldiers who strake of his head And the villaine tooke a pretious stone of great value from his necke the which he did sowe in his girdell and afterwards denied that he had it but it was founde about him and so Caesar trussed him vp for it For Cleopatraes children they were verie honorablie kept with their gouernors and traine that waited on them But for Caesarion who was sayd to be Iulius Ceasars sonne his mother Cleopatra had sent him vnto the INDIANS through AETHIOPIA with a great summe of money But one of his gouernors also called Rhodon euen such an other as Theodorus perswaded him to returne into his contrie told him that Caesar sent for him to geue him his mothers kingdom So as Caesar was determining with him selfe what he should doe Arrius sayd vnto him Too Many Caesars is not good Alluding vnto a certaine verse of Homer that sayth Too Many Lords doth not vvell Therefore Caesar did put Caesarion to death after the death of his mother Cleopatra Many Princes great kings and Captaines did craue Antonius body of Octauius Caesar to giue him honorable burial but Caesar would neuer take it from Cleopatra who did sumptuously and royally burie him with her owne handes whom Caesar suffred to take as much as she would to bestow vpon his funeralls Now was she altogether ouercome with sorow passion of minde for she had knocked her brest so pitiefully that she had martired it and in diuers places had raised vlsers and inflamacions so that she fell into a feuer withal whereof she was very glad hoping thereby to haue good colour to absteine from meate and that so she might haue dyed easely without any trouble She had a Phisition called Olympus whom she made priuie of her intent to th end he shoulde helpe her to ridde her out of her life as Olympus wryteth him selfe who wrote a booke of all these thinges But Caesar mistrusted the matter by many coniectures he had and therefore did put her in feare threatned her to put her children to shameful death With these threats Cleopatra for feare yelded straight as she would haue yelded vnto strokes and afterwards suffred her selfe to be cured and dicted as they listed Shortly after Caesar came him selfe in person to see her and to comfort her Cleopatra being layed vpon a litle low bed in poore estate when she sawe Caesar come into her chamber she sodainly rose vp naked in her smocke and fell downe at his feete maruelously disfigured both for that she had plucked her heare from her head as also for that she had martired all her face with her nailes and besides her voyce was small and trembling her eyes sonke into her heade with continuall blubbering and moreouer they might see the most parte of her stomake torne in sunder To be short her bodie was not much better then her minde yet her good grace and comelynes and the force of her beawtie was not altogether defaced But notwithstanding this ougly and pitiefull state of hers yet she showed her selfe within by her outward lookes and countenance When Caesar had made her lye downe againe and sate by her beddes side Cleopatra began to cleere and excuse her selfe for that she had done laying all to the feare she had of Antonius Caesar in contrarie maner reproued her in euery poynt Then she sodainly altered her speache and prayed him to pardon her as though she were affrayed to dye desirous to liue At length she gaue him a breese and memoriall of all the readie money treasure she had But by chaunce there stootle Seleucus by one of her Treasorers who to seeme a good seruant came straight to Caesar to disproue Cleopatra that she had not set in al but kept many things back of purpose Cleopatra was in such a rage with him that she flew vpon him and tooke him by the heare of the head and boxed him wellfauoredly Caesar fell a laughing and parted the fray Alas said she O Caesar is not this a great shame and reproche that thou hauing vouchesaued to take the peines to come vnto me and hast done me this honor poore wretche and caitife creature brought into this pitiefull miserable estate and that mine owne seruaunts should come now to accuse me though it may be I haue reserued some iuells trifles meete for women but not for me poore soule to set out my selfe withall but meaning to geue some pretie presents gifts vnto Octauia and Liuia that they making meanes intercession for me to thee thou mightest yet extend thy fauor and mercie vpon me Caesar was glad to heare her say so perswading him selfe thereby that she had yet a desire to saue her life So he made her answere that he did not only geue her that to dispose of at her pleasure which she had kept backe but further promised to vse her more honorably and bountifully then she would thinke for and so he tooke his leaue of her supposing he had deceiued her but in deede he was deceiued him selfe There was a young gentleman Cornelius Dolabella that was one of Caesars very great familiars besides did beare no euil will vnto Cleopatra He sent her word secretly as she had requested him that Caesar determined to take his iorney through SVRIA that within three dayes he would sende her away before with her children When this was tolde Cleopatra she requested Caesar that it would please him to suffer her to offer the last oblations of the dead vnto the soule of Antonius This being graunted her she was caried to the place where his tombe was there falling downe on her knees imbracing the tombe with her women the teares running downe her cheekes she began to speake in this sorte O my deare Lord Antonius not long sithence I buried thee here being a free woman and now I offer vnto thee the funerall sprinklinges and oblations being a captiue and prisoner and
graunt the most straungest and oldest opinion of this which sayth that there be euill spirites which enuying the vertue of good men to withdraw them from their godly mindes doe make them affrayed with these fearefull sights intising them to forsake their godlynes least that persisting therein they should be rewarded with better life in the world to come then theirs is But let vs referre this disputacion to some other booke and now in this twelfth couple of these famous mens liues compared let vs first begin to write the life of him that is the elder of these two men we speake of Dionysius the elder after he had the gouernment of SICILIA in his handes he maried the daughter of Hermocrates a citizen of SYRACVSA But yet not being throughlie settled in his tyrannie that SYRACVSANS did rebell against him did so cruellie and abhominablie handle the bodie of his wife that she willinglie poysoned her selfe So after he had established him selfe in his gouernment with more suretie then before he maried againe two other wiues together the one a straunger of the citie of LOCRES called Doride and the other of the contry it selfe called Aristomaché the daughter of Hipparinus the chiefest man of all SYRACVSA and that had bene companion with Dionysius the first time he was chosen Generall It was sayd that Dionysius maried them both in one day and that they could neuer tell which of them he knewe first but otherwise that he made as much of the one as he did of the other For they commonly sate together with him at his table and did either of them lye with him by turnes though the SYRACVSANS would haue their owne contrywoman preferred before the straunger Howebeit the straunge woman had this good happe to bring foorth Dionysius his eldest sonne which was a good countenaunce to defend her being a forreiner Aristomaché in contrarie maner continued a long time with Dionysius without frute of her wombe although he was verie desirous to haue children by her so that he put the LOCRIAN womans mother to death accusing her that she had with sorceries and witchcraft kept Aristomaché from being with child Dion being the brother of Aristomaché was had in great estimation at the first for his sisters sake but afterwards the tyran finding him to be a wise man he loued him thē for his owne sake Insomuch that among many sundrie things pleasures he did for him he commaunded his Treasorers to let him haue what money he asked of them so they made him acquainted withall the selfe same day they gaue him any Nowe though Dion had euer before a noble minde in him by nature yet muche more did that magnanimitie increase when Plato by good fortune arriued in SICILE For his comming thither surelie was no mans deuise as I take it but the verie prouidence of some god who bringing farre of the first beginning and fundation of the libertie of the SYRACVSANS and to ouerthrow the tyrannicall state sent Plato out of ITALIE vnto the citie of SYRACVSA and brought him acquainted with Dion who was but a young man at that time but yet had an apter witte to learne and redier good will to follow vertue then any young man else that followed Plato as Plato him selfe writeth and his owne doinges also doe witnesse For Dion hauing from a child bene brought vp with humble conditions vnder a tyran and acquainted with a seruile timerous life with a prowde and insolent reigne with all vanity and curiositie as placing chiefe felicity in couetousnes neuerthelesse after he had felt the sweete reasons of Philosophie teaching the broad way to vertue his hart was enflamed straight with earnest desire to follow the same And bicause he found that he was so easelie perswaded to loue vertue and honestie he simplie thinking being of an honest plaine nature that the selfe same perswasions would moue a like affection in Dionysius obteined of Dionysius that being at leasure he was contented to see Plato and to speake with him When Plato came to Dionysius all their talke in maner was of vertue and they chiefely reasoned what was fortitude where Plato proued that tyrans were no valliant men From thence passing further into iustice he told him that the life of iust men was happy and contrarily the life of vniust men vnfortunate Thus the tyran Dionysius perceiuing he was ouercomen durst no more abide him and was angrie to see the standers by to make suche estimacion of Plato and that they had such delight to heare him speake At length he angrily asked him what businesse he had to doe there Plato aunswered him he came to seeke a good man Dionysius then replied againe what in Gods name by thy speache then it seemeth thou hast founde none yet Now Dion thought that Dionysius anger would proceede no further and therefore at Platoes earnest request he sent him away in a galley with three bankes of owers the which Pollis a LACEDAEMONIAN Captaine caried backe againe into GRAECE Howbeit Dionysius secretlie requested Pollis to kill Plato by the way as ouer he would doe him pleasure if not yet that he would sell him for a slaue howsoeuer he did For said he he shall be nothing the worse for that bicause if he be a iust man he shall be as happie to be a slaue as a freeman Thus as it is reported this Pollis caried Plato into the I le of AEGINA and there sold him For the AEGINETES hauing warre at that time with the ATHENIANS made a decree that all the ATHENIANS that were taken in their Ile should be sold. This notwithstanding Dionysius refused not to honor and trust Dion as much as euer he did before and did also sende him Ambassador in matters of great weight As when he sent him vnto the CARTHAGINIANS where he behaued him selfe so well that he wan great reputacion by his iorney and the tyran coulde well away with his plaine speach For no man but he durst say their mindes so boldly vnto him to speake what he thought good as on a time he reproued him for Gelon One day when they mocked Gelons gouernment before the tyrans face and that Dionysius him selfe sayd finely deskanting of his name which signifieth laughture that he was euen the verie laughing stocke him selfe of SICILE the Courtiers made as though they liked this encounter and interpretacion of laughture passingly well But Dion not being well pleased withall sayd vnto him for his sake men trusted thee whereby thou camest to be tyran but for thine owne sake they will neuer trust any man For to say truly Gelon shewed by his gouernment that it was as goodly a thing as coulde be to see a citie gouerned by an absolute Prince but Dionysius by his gouernment on thother side made it appeare as detestable a thing This Dionysius had by his LOCRIAN wife three children and by Aristomaché foure of the which two were daughters the
maruelouslie desired this matter might be brought to passe by his meanes he secretlie sent vnto Aristomachus to accuse Aratus and shewed howe he had bene alway a mortall enemy vnto tyrans and therefore counselled him rather to put him selfe into his hands as in deede he did For Lysiadas brought Aristomachus vnto the counsell of the ACHAIANS There all the counsell plainlie shewed their good wills and the confidence they had in Aratus for when he spake against it that they should not receiue Aristomachus they reiected him with great anger But afterwards also when Aratus was wonne and that he began to moue the contrarie to the counsell they straight agreed to receiue the ARGIVES and the PHLIASIANS in league with them and also the next yeare following they chose Aristomachus Lieutenaunt generall of all their tribe Aristomachus seeing him selfe in credit nowe with the ACHAIANS would needes inuade the contrie of LACONIA with a maine armie and sent for Aratus being then at ATHENS Aratus wrote vnto him and wished him in any wise not to meddle with that iorney bicause he would not haue the ACHAIANS to deale with Cleomenes king of LACEDAEMON that was a coragious and stowt young Prince and maruelouslie growen in short time Howbeit Aristomachus being selfe willed in that poynt Aratus obeyed him and was there in person all that iorney So Cleomenes being come to them vppon the sodaine with his armie neere vnto the citie of PALANTIVM Aristomachus woulde needes fight with him But Aratus disswaded him from it Whereupon Lysiadas afterwards accused him to the ACHAIANS and the next yere following he contended with him suing to be Generall howbeit he was reiected by most voyces and Aratus chosen Generall the twelfth time The selfe same yeare he was ouerthrowen in battell by Cleomenes neere vnto the mountaine Lycaeum and being fled wandered vp and downe in the night that euerie man thought the had bene slaine and it ranne for good payment among all the GRAECIANS Howbeit he saued himselfe and hauing gathered his men together againe nor contenting him that he had scaped with life but wiselie taking the oportunitie and occasion offered no man knowing it nor mistrusting his comming he sodainlie went to assaile the MANTINIANS which were confederats of Cleomenes and hauing taken the citie of MANTINEA he left a great garrison in it and made the straungers that were there free of the citie Thus Aratus was he alone that being ouercome wanne the ACHAIANS that which they them selues could scarcelie haue wonne if they had bene conquerors Afterwards the LACEDAEMONIANS inuading the territories of the MEGALOPOLITANS with a great armie Aratus sodainlie went thithes to aide them but would hazard battell no more nor geue Cleomenes vantage who desired only no fight and still constantlie resisted MEGALOPOLITANES that prouoked him to come into the field For besides that in nature he was not meete for a set battell at that time also he was the weaker in men and had to doe with a venterous young man that was all fire where his corage and ambicion on the other side was coole quiet enough Furthermore he considered that as king Cleomenes sought honor by valliant ventering which he had not before euen so it was his parte wiselie to keepe that which he had long since gotten and to stande vppon his gard and safetie This notwithstanding the light armed men being put out into the fielde and hauing chased the LACEDAEMONIANS euen into their campe entring in with the hand ouer head Aratus would neuer bring out his citizens but stayed them in a great valley that lay betwene them both and would not let them come on any further Wherewithall Lysiadas being mad with him selfe and falling out with Aratus he called for the horsemen sayd that he would yet helpe them that followed the chase and prayed them not to lose the victorie so cowardly of the which they were so sure nor to forsake him at a pinche fighting for defence of their contrie So hauing gotten a great number of choyse horsemen together he went with great furie and gaue charge of the right wing of his enemies battell and hauing dispersed them and put them to flight he vnaduisedlie followed them with great corage into euill fauoured crooked wayes among trees and great broade ditches Whereuppon Cleomenes came and so lustely set on him that he slue him dead in the place valliantly fighting and defending him selfe The other men of armes flying also rushed in againe into the battell of the footemen and so disordered their rankes that they made all their armie flie for feare For this cause they greatly blamed Aratus bicause he had forsaken Lysiadas and being forced vnto it by the ACHAIANS that went without his leaue he followed them at length and fled him selfe also vnto the city of AEGIVM There the ACHAIANS sitting in counsell they decreed that they would furnish Aratus with no more money neither would they pay his straungers any more bad him pay them at his owne charge if he would enterteine them for the warre Aratus perceiuing they did him great wrong stoode euen indifferent to deliuer vp his commission of Lieutenancy and to discharge him selfe of his office but after he had bethought him selfe better he bare it pacientlie and led the ACHAIANS directlie to the citie of ORCHOMENE There he valliantlie fought with Megistonus king Cleomenes father in lawe and had the vpper hande of him for he slue three hundred of his men and tooke Megistonus selfe prisoner Furthermore where before euerie second yeare they did vse to choose him their Lieutenant generall when his turne came about againe they called him to geue him the office but he refused it and Timoxenus was chosen in his roome Now the cause alleaged for his refusall was sayd to be for that he misliked of the common people But that soundeth like a lye for the trueth of it to my seming was for that he saw the state of the ACHAIANS to decline For king Cleomenes proceeded no more sayer and softlie as he did at the first when he was controlled and brideled by the Ephori but hauing slaine them and equallie deuided the landes through all LACEDAEMONIA and made the straungers free citizens of SPARTA being then absolute Lorde of LACEDAEMON the straight set vpon the ACHAIANS with all the power he coulde and sought to conquer them And therefore Aratus deserueth iust reproofe for that he forsooke his contrie in such extreame trouble daūger that being as the maister of a shippe he gaue an other the sterne to steare when it had bene most honorable meetest for him to haue taken it in hand though they would not haue giuen it him to haue saued his contry Or otherwise if he had in dede vtterly dispaired of the good successe of the ACHAIANS he should then haue put it rather into Cleomenes handes and not to haue poysoned PELOPONNESVS againe with the maners of the barbarous people